What it does
Acrobatics is a Flying-type physical move. Its power doubles when the user holds no item. That condition is met in two ways: start the battle holding nothing, or carry a consumable Berry and let it get eaten.
The power check happens at damage calculation. So if the Berry is consumed on the same turn Acrobatics is used — through a natural trigger, a teammate forcing the eat, or any other method — the doubled power applies that very turn. No delay.
Contact move. That means opponent abilities like Rough Skin, Iron Barbs, and Static can trigger on the hit. Worth factoring in when running it against those specific matchups.
Who runs it
Hawlucha (42%) is the definitive Acrobatics user in Champions. The reason is Unburden: when a held Berry is consumed, Speed doubles. Once the Berry is gone, Speed doubles and Acrobatics doubles simultaneously. Base 118 Speed with Unburden active reaches around 236, which sits above nearly every common threat in the Champions speed tier. The kit is compact — carry a Berry (usually Sitrus Berry for reliable triggers), run Acrobatics, wait for the Berry to go, then attack.
In doubles, a teammate can force the Berry consumption using moves like Bug Bite or Incinerate, so you don't have to wait for Hawlucha to take damage. This makes the combo executable on demand.
Talonflame (38%) takes the opposite approach: no item at all from turn one. Gale Wings adds priority to Flying-type moves when at full HP. Acrobatics with no item is double power; Gale Wings makes it priority. The result is a high-power priority Flying STAB that can pick off faster targets before they move. At base 126 Speed, Talonflame is already quick — Gale Wings gives it priority over most of what it can't naturally outspeed.
Quaquaval (5%) occasionally runs Acrobatics as a coverage option alongside Moxie, but it's not a dedicated user — more of a situational slot-filler.
How to use it
Two approaches, depending on the user.
Berry consumer route (Hawlucha): Enter with a Berry. Wait for the HP trigger to eat it naturally, or have a teammate force the eat on turn one. The moment the Berry is gone, Speed doubles and Acrobatics doubles — both at once. From that point, Hawlucha's job is to clean up with high-Speed priority and high-power Acrobatics.
No-item route (Talonflame): Enter itemless. Acrobatics is double power from turn one. Add Gale Wings priority and you have a high-power, fast-priority attack on the first available turn. The trade-off is a permanently empty item slot — no recovery, no stat boost, no extra utility. Pure speed and power.
Tips & strategy
Berry timing for Hawlucha: The ideal moment is when the Berry triggers with Hawlucha still at functional HP. Getting hit down to very low health before the Berry activates means surviving the turn but being in a bad spot — you got the boosts but you're also nearly fainted. In doubles, actively engineering the Berry consumption with a teammate (Bug Bite / Incinerate) lets you control exactly when the Unburden trigger fires.
The item check is strict. Any non-consumed item in the held slot — even a Choice Scarf you haven't 'used' yet — keeps Acrobatics at base power. Talonflame and Hawlucha need a completely empty slot or a Berry that will definitely be consumed. There's no partial credit.
Talonflame's Gale Wings limitation: Priority only applies at full HP. One chip of damage removes it entirely. Opponents in doubles will intentionally chip Talonflame with a weak spread move or priority of their own just to strip the Gale Wings priority, then let their slower attacker deal with it at normal speed. If you're leading with Talonflame, be aware of anything that can deal even light chip damage first.