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Heavily reliant on predicting the opponent's target, and by extension familiarity with their movesets. Becomes easier after battle 40, where less sets are used, and even easier if you use a reference (I don't, for fun).
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Use Protect, switch-ins and swapping to absorb moves while your teammates wear the opponent down. Often, you can distract an opponent for multiple turns, i.e. Protect Sceptile, then switch in Aegislash, then King's Shield, etc. Or keep swapping Sceptile with Rotom against ice attacks. Conversely Sceptile easily bulks grass moves for Rotom. Be creative (and beware of Blizzard).
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ON SWAPPING: If you're not familiar with Triples, swapping lets a side Pokemon switch positions with the middle. It has normal priority based on speed, and essentially replaces using a move, so the mon does not attack on the same turn. The middle mon can still attack that turn. The swap will occur even if the middle mon faints before it happens.
Example: you swap Rotom with Scep to bulk Articuno's Ice Beam. Scep is faster so it attacks before the swap. Then you want to Discharge but you don't want to hit Talonflame. Swap Scep with Rotom again, and because Scep is faster, the swap happens first and Rotom is safely back on the side before it Discharges.
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Talonflame is the team's main attacker. Sceptile protects it with Lightning Rod and grass STAB against rocks and water. Remember that you have Sharp Beak and
no speed investment, so birdspam is your go-to. It also hits any target, including opposite corners. Priority Tailwind is quite useful against Veterans, as this team's sped-up backline will tear through them.
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Opponents will not know of Lightning Rod until they trigger it. This basically gives you a free turn against predictable electric users. Sometimes you can bait the electric moves, then switch Scep out, then switch it back in for a second bait.
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ON LIGHTNING ROD: Remember that Sceptile has to be HIT by an electric move to gain the SpA boost. If he Protects, Lightning Rod will still redirect electric moves to him, but he will
not get the boost.
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It does not redirect Discharge, which will still hit every target in its radius, and will only boost Sceptile if he is hit by it, i.e. not during Protect.
- From my observations, opponents will learn of Lightning Rod even if Sceptile is Protecting when he gets hit by Discharge, even though the Lightning Rod message does not appear in this case (the Protect message does).
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Beware of Focus Sash/Sturdy. If you're not sure whether an opponent will survive, and it's a threat, target it anyway. If it faints, you'll just attack something else. Fighting game players may better understand this as an "option select."
- Aegis switches in on all of Scep's weaknesses, and most things in general. Usually not worth switching in against rocks, since Chomp can do the same.
Remember when switching that Garchomp is immune to Rotom's Discharge, but Aegislash is not. Protect against your own area attacks when needed.
- Sceptile's weak EQ can be used to safely trigger WP.
- Chomp is the usual center-switch when Sceptile dies, as it can freely EQ with Tflame and Rotom. Though Weavile is the usual side-switch, Chomp also works since Sceptile resists EQ. It's a 3-4HKO I believe. Also, if Tflame dies and you swapped Rotom to the middle, you can send in side-Chomp for a free DisQuake, plus Sceptile firin' lasers from the other side. Remember that Dpulse can hit opposite corners.
- Protect + Focus Sash + tons of weaknesses makes Weavile a good distraction. However preserving it is usually less important than killing a genie.
- Rotom is quite bulky even with an offensive spread, and outspeeds some of Sceptile's threats like Nidoking, Mamoswine and unboosted Blaziken. Wide Lens gives Hydro Pump 88% accuracy, but it's still safer to Protect Sceptile in case it misses the first time. Only once have I had it miss twice in a row. Also helps against Brightpowder/Lax Incense. Ostensibly it should still leave you with a 1% chance to miss, but it's never happened so far. Also, Dark Pulse hits opposite corners.
): Initially I was just going to post a few mons that are actually difficult, but decided to do more general strategies and things that may catch you off guard. Sorry if it seems alarmingly long.
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Virizion: Generally hard for the team to deal with. Kill with Bird ASAP, generally worth saccing to kill it.
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Zapdos: Might use Ancient Power over Thunderbolt. Mad dangerous if boosted. Evasion also a pain, and Air Slash, Heat Wave, etc. Kill ASAP.
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Weavile: Focus Sashed little bastard. Outspeeds turn 1 Scep as well. Threatens your backline. Kill it.
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Froslass and
Cryogonal: Focus Sash Blizzard spam. Don't bother Blitzing as they outspeed our bulky bird, and Brave Bird OHKOs anyway (or triggers Sash). Sceptile outspeeds and can finish the job, but remember that Cryogonal has Levitate. Neutral Blizzard still does high damage to Talon. You are also risking Freeze if you choose to double protect and wear down with Rotom, or if you switch in Aegis.
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Aerodactyl: +1 Energy Ball OHKOs, as well as Brave Bird + EBall. However, Sceptile only outspeeds Aero as mega, so on turn 1 Protect Talon + Scep while Rotom Discharges, or Dark Pulse if opposite corners. Discharge 2HKOs, Hydro OHKOs. If Rotom flinches from Rock Slide, kill with the other two, or switch in Chomp + Aegis. Don't Discharge your sword, use Hydro. Or let Aero trigger Weakness Policy next turn with its weaksauce EQ.
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Darmanitan: Scarf. Will either Flare Blitz or Stone Edge. Scope it out and counter, since it's choice locked. You can also double Protect, hit with Rotom then Bird for KO.
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Talonflame: Grass lead's worst enemy, naturally. Gale Wings variant outspeeds our bulky bird, and is hard to scope out with Protect because it prefers to Flare Blitz against turn 1 non-mega Scep. Discharge 2HKO, Hydro OHKO. Attack with bird, bulk with Aegis if needed.
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Garchomp: Focus Sash is a pain. May Stone Edge bird, may Swords Dance. Bird + Pulse works of course. Try to kill in case of Sand Veil.
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Terrakion: Since I don't use guides, I'm never sure if it's the scarf variant, so I will typically Protect bird while EBall/Hydro OHKO. Failing that, I Tailwind so Garchomp can wreck it next turn.
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Milotic: Bulks +0 EBall + Discharge, as well as +1 EBall. Will kill something if it hits. Generally, Protect Bird + Scep turn 1, soften up with Discharge.
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Blissey: Mad annoying if it boosts Evasion. Sacred Sword can cope, but remember that it does not ignore accuracy reduction from Mud Bomb (though this triggers WP), and Bliss is holding a fighting berry. I usually try to kill ASAP with birdspam, despite the massive recoil.
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Tyranitar: Beware of Focus Sash Rock Slide. Takes about 70% from +0 Eball in Sand.
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Articuno: Bulks Flare Blitz and Rock Slide. If Ice Beam variant, easy to mess with using swaps. If Mind Reader, Protect bait. Beware of Ice Shard, but will not use vs full health Scep/Chomp.
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Regice: Same as above. Flare Blitz does about 75% and triggers Sitrus. If nothing on the field is ice weak, will try to Thunderbolt bird, so switching Scep back in may work.
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Lati@s: No preferred target before Sceptile Megas. Draco may OHKO Rotom. Calm Mind variant bulks +0 Dragon Pulse, but is slower than Rotom and Chomp. Will sometimes Thunder.
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Regirock: Sturdy variants, bulks +0 EBall regardless, beware of Stone Edge, Ice Punch and Explosion. Use Protects.
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Registeel: Rock Polish outspeeds Mega Scep, and spams it with Iron Head for flinch. You can often Para with Discharge. Alternatively switch in Aegis and eat an EQ for a WP OHKO.
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Electivire: Surprisingly unpredictable, will either Thunder Punch Talon or Fire/Ice Punch Sceptile on turn 1. Protect Sceptile as he will redirect Tpunch either way, though sadly won't get boosted. Once you mega, he is guaranteed to Ice Punch, so you can switch Aegis or Weavile in. If he is still on the field, switch Sceptile back in for a Tpunch absorb, or sometimes EQ, which he resists. Also, remember that it is holding a ground berry, so Chomp will not OHKO at full health and will die to Ice Punch.
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Heatran and
Magmortar: Overheat OHKOs Mega Scep. Uninvested Talon still outspeeds both, so you can swap with Scep to eat the OH. Magmortar often Protects instead so it's hard to predict.
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Lanturn: +0 EBall is 2HKO. Lanturn almost always Stockpiles on turn 1, so may keep up with your boosts. Ice Beam
does not OHKO Mega Sceptile, leaves sliver of health. Also Garchomp can often finish it off. However, try to kill it before it hits +3 stocks.
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Politoed: Apparently SpD specc'd, bulks EBall/DC. Bird + SE move will do.
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Cobalion: Flare Blitz is 2HKO. Beware of Metal Burst.
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Moltres: Discharge 2HKO, Hydro OHKO. Beware of Power Herb Sky Attack.
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Manectric: Not actually a threat per se, but scarf variant almost always prefers Overheat to Thunder, so don't expect free boosts. Outspeeds and 3HKOs Mega Scep. Other variant is Balloon, so easy to spot.
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Ampharos: Often Power Gems bird instead of thundering.
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Walrein: +0 EBall is 2HKO. Remember your Wide Lens Discharge.
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Entei: Beware of Scarf Eruption. Safest to birdspam for reduced damage, though you risk Stone Edge if you're unsure of variant.
- Scizor: Fire berry will sometimes survive Flare Blitz.
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Kingdra: Beware of dragon berry variant. Bird + "neutral" Pulse will KO.
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Goodra: Bulks +1 Pulse, will either buff you with Thunder or KO with Blizzard. Bird does about 90%.
- Druddigon: Bulks +0 Pulse.
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Muk: Beware of Quick Claw Gunk Shot. Aegis is your friend.
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Archeops: Same as Aero mostly but Discharge OHKOs. Beware of Sitrus if you're trying to abuse Defeatist.
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Carracosta: Beware of Sturdy Weakness Policy + Shell Smash. Easy if it's in range of EBall + Discharge.
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Braviary: Beware of electric berry.
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Staraptor: Scarf variant prior to battle 40. Outspeeds mega scep.
That's all I can think of for now. Again, most of these aren't actually threatening, they can just catch you off guard. Also, goes without saying:
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