Anty
let's drop
Overview
########
Leafeon's high Attack stat paired with Swords Dance and a decent offensive movepool make it a very threatening sweeper. Leafeon also has a large support movepool, and its typing also allows it to check and set up on Pokemon such as Golem and Carracosta. Leafeon has a decent Speed stat, though it is still outsped by common Pokemon such as Sneasel, Dodrio, and Ninetales, limiting its potential to sweep offensive teams. Chlorophyll can make up for its mediocre Speed, but it is very team-specific, as sun requires a whole team to support it. Although Leafeon receives competition from Sawsbuck, which has a secondary STAB, Leafeon's niche lies in its superior bulk, which allows it to set up and take on revenge killers more easily, and its access to Knock Off, which allows it to take on checks such as Tangela and Gourgeist more easily.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Knock Off / Substitute
move 4: Iron Tail / Baton Pass / Substitute
ability: Chlorophyll
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Leafeon's Attack, allowing it to sweep weakened teams. Leaf Blade is a Grass-type STAB move. Knock Off provides good neutral coverage, hits Gourgeist, and cripples switch-ins such as Tangela that rely on their item. Iron Tail hits Avalugg and Togetic, which would otherwise wall Leafeon. Baton Pass allows one of Leafeon's teammates to sweep and can help Leafeon switch out of an unfavorable situation, while Substitute blocks status, allowing Leafeon to set up on Pokemon such as Pelipper. Synthesis can be used to provide recovery, allowing Leafeon to set up with more ease.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and a Jolly nature are used to allow Leafeon to Speed tie with Haunter. 252 Attack EVs maximize Leafeon's damage output, letting it sweep more easily. Life Orb boosts its damage output even more, though Leftovers can be used instead to help set up against stronger attackers and recover health lost from Substitute. A bulkier spread could be used to allow Leafeon to Baton Pass with ease. If so, 44 Speed EV's should be used to outspeed Aurorus and Rampardos. On a sun team, Leafeon should run 148 Speed EVs with an Adamant nature to outspeed Choice Scarf Tauros in the sun, and the remaining EVs should go in HP.
Usage Tips
========
Leafeon's low Special Defense and HP its and its tendency to be worn down mean that it should rarely be switched in when not running Synthesis; it prefers to switch in after a teammate has been KOed. Leafeon should set up on Pokemon that it forces out, such as Poliwrath and Carracosta. Substitute allows it to set up on weaker attacks and on Pokemon that try to inflict it with status, such as Pelipper. Leafeon should try to sweep late-game when faster Pokemon are gone and the foe is weakened, but can come in earlier as a wallbreaker. Baton Pass should be used when Leafeon is in an unfavorable situation or when a teammate will have an easier time sweeping. Before it is ready to set up, Leafeon can be used to pivot with Baton Pass to gain momentum or to use Knock Off to cripple the foe.
Team Options
========
Leafeon appreciates entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Golem and Whirlipede to wear down the foe and to score KOs that it otherwise would not get. For example, Stealth Rock allows Leafeon to OHKO Avalugg and Pelipper with a +2 Life Orb Iron Tail or Leaf Blade, respectively. Wallbreakers such as Marowak and Heatmor are able to wear down the opposing team to allow Leafeon to sweep with more ease. Setup sweepers such as Simipour and Regice also appreciate Leafeon's ability to weaken the opposing team down. Water- and Rock-types, such as Pelipper and Carracosta, can deal with Ninetales and other Fire-type Pokemon. Poliwrath and Throh can switch into Sneasel and check Tauros, which can also revenge kill Leafeon with ease. Leafeon can be used on a sun team, as it can outspeed the entire unboosted metagame thanks to Chlorophyll. If so, Leafeon appreciates Pokemon that can set up Sunny Day, such as Volbeat, Golem, and Carbink; Fire-type wallbreakers to weaken the opposing team, such as Flareon and Ninetales; and other Chlorophyll users, such as Victreebel, which can sweep if Leafeon is KOed.
Other Options
########
With a defensive EV spread, Baton Pass, and Synthesis, Leafeon can be used as a pivot to switch into physical attackers such as Carracosta and gain momentum. Sunny Day can be used on a Swords Dance set to let Leafeon outspeed faster threats, giving it an easier time sweeping; Salac Berry can also be considered to boost Leafeon's Speed, but it will still lose to many Choice Scarf users. X-Scissor can be used to hit Grass-types such as Tangela, but Leafeon lacks a moveslot for it. Bullet Seed breaks through Golem's Sturdy and Barbaracle's Focus Sash, but it has unreliable damage output. A fully defensive set with moves such as Roar, Wish, and Heal Bell can be used, but it receives a lot of competition from Tangela and Quilladin.
Checks & Counters
########
**Faster Pokemon**: Tauros, Sneasel, and Raichu can outspeed and revenge kill a weakened Leafeon, but they do not appreciate having to switch in on even an unboosted attack. Rapidash and Ninetales both outspeed Leafeon and can OHKO Leafeon with their Fire-type STAB moves. Choice Scarf users such as Mr. Mime can also KO Leafeon when it is weakened, and Choice Scarf Rotom-F and Haunter are both able to OHKO Leafeon with their super effective STAB moves.
**Status**: Paralysis greatly hinders Leafeon's ability to sweep, as it leaves it easily outsped. Volbeat can live an unboosted hit and outspeed Leafeon thanks to Prankster. Burns from Pokemon such as Gourgeist and Misdreavus prevent Leafeon from dealing enough damage to sweep, but all Will-O-Wisp users fall to a +2 Knock Off and most Scald users cannot survive a Leaf Blade. Poison from Pokemon such as Pelipper or Toxic Spikes combined with Life Orb recoil will wear Leafeon down. However, Leafeon dodges status moves with Substitute.
**Flying-types**: Dodrio and Jumpluff can outspeed and OHKO Leafeon with their Flying-type STAB moves. Jumpluff lacks an item, so it takes little damage from Knock Off. It can also take an Iron Tail and set up a Swords Dance or attack Leafeon through its Substitute with Acrobatics thanks to Infiltrator. Togetic walls Leafeon if it doesn't carry Iron Tail and can paralyze Leafeon or weaken it with Seismic Toss, and Pelipper can use Toxic or burn Leafeon with Scald.
**Defensive Pokemon**: Because of its good coverage and access to Swords Dance, Leafeon is hard to wall; however, bulky Pokemon that resist Leafeon's STAB moves, such as Klang and Roselia, can take a boosted hit and hit back hard, but both of them dislike losing their Eviolite and taking boosted hits. Quilladin and Tangela can both take multiple hits; the former is able to phaze Leafeon out, while the latter can hit it with Hidden Power Ice, but neither appreciates Knock Off.
Last edited: