I talked to DittoCrow about it and he said it was OK to post this. Sceptile is up to date but the main set needs some updating and a split up.
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Rock
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Arguably Sceptile's most dangerous set, this variant attempts to set up a Substitute on the numerous Pokemon that it can threaten, such as Kabutops, Slowking, and Aggron, and then let its high Speed and Special Attack do the rest. A Substitute does many good things for Sceptile, including allowing it to avoid status conditions, particularly paralysis, evade Sucker Punch, a relatively common priority move that could cause Sceptile issues, and ease prediction if in the case a faster Pokemon, such as Accelgor, or a dangerous Pokemon, such as Escavalier, switches in. However, arguably the best part about a Substitute is that it allows Sceptile to get into Overgrow range almost whenever it wants to. In case it is incapable of doing enough damage to finish off the opponent, Sceptile can repeatedly use a Substitute until it has a low enough HP and then attack with an Overgrow-boosted STAB Giga Drain. Giga Drain can not only heal off the damage from the Substitutes, but it also keeps Sceptile from getting worn down too quickly from its Life Orb and is thus used as its main STAB.</p>
<p>The remaining two moves are used for coverage. Focus Blast is a godsend for Sceptile, as it obtains coverage against Steel-type Pokemon and Sap Sipper users such as Bouffalant and Sawsbuck. Focus Blast is also Sceptile's strongest option against Pokemon such as Emboar, and in normal situations, it does more damage than Giga Drain (although its shaky accuracy must be considered in these cases). Hidden Power Rock covers Fire-, Bug-, and Flying-types such as Moltres and Sigilyph. Due to Focus Blast, Sceptile, unlike other Grass-types, can afford to run Hidden Power Rock without needing to worry about most of the targets that Hidden Power Fire would otherwise hit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Sceptile should always run maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs with a Timid nature, as it is hard-pressed to take a hit, and a Life Orb is used to hit harder itself. A Life Orb also results in recoil damage, which can help get Sceptile into Overgrow range. There are other Hidden Powers that Sceptile can consider using over Hidden Power Rock. The first of these is Hidden Power Fire, which gets an OHKO on Escavalier, a Pokemon that could otherwise cause problems for Sceptile. Hidden Power Ice is similar, as it gives Sceptile a reliable way to 2HKO Druddigon; Hidden Power Ice also allows Sceptile to run 31 Speed IVs unlike the other two Hidden Power options, which can allow Sceptile to outspeed and OHKO other Sceptile. Both Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Ice also hit Amoonguss and Roselia super effectively, but they still don't do that much to either of them. Ultimately, however, Hidden Power Rock is more useful in most situations to deal with Moltres and other similar Pokemon.</p>
<p>Amoonguss and other bulky Grass-types are generally problems for Sceptile, even if it runs a super effective Hidden Power. Therefore, strong Fire-type Pokemon such as Entei or Emboar make good partners, as they can OHKO any Grass-type in their path, can take a Megahorn from Escavalier and retaliate, and can act as a sleep absorber if the need arises. Entei can also deal with Accelgor and Cryogonal, two Pokemon that Sceptile might have trouble with. In return, Sceptile can directly switch into and subsequently threaten bulky Water-types, which are common switch-ins to Fire-types. Water-types are also helpful partners, as they can withstand hits from Fire-types that threaten Sceptile, particularly Choice Scarf Emboar and Entei, and they can also KO Aerodactyl, a rather common Pokemon that is faster than Sceptile. Qwilfish is a standout example, as its excellent physical bulk allows it to take many hits, and its access to Spikes helps wear down opponents such as Escavalier and Druddigon so that Sceptile can finish them off more easily. Bringing a Fire- and Water-type also results in a Fire / Water / Grass core, which is rather effective in RU.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Sceptile functions well as an all-out attacker as a result of its high Speed and Special Attack. Although many Sceptile sets have the issue of not running very powerful moves, a STAB Leaf Storm completely alleviates this issue, and because it's nearly twice as strong as Giga Drain, its power is rather terrifying, doing over 50% damage to even bulky special walls such as Clefable. Leaf Storm also does quite a bit of damage to some of Sceptile's offensive checks, with Entei and Druddigon taking about 50% damage from it. Although the side effect will often cause Sceptile to switch out afterwards, the raw power of the move usually means Sceptile should use it unless there is a bulky resist to Leaf Storm on the opposing team. Focus Blast hits Steel-types and Sap Sipper Pokemon such as Bouffalant hard, which might try to switch into Leaf Storm. Hidden Power Rock covers Flying-, Fire-, and Bug-types, particularly Moltres, which packs a 4x resistance to Leaf Storm. Finally, because Sceptile tends to switch out a lot, Giga Drain is an alternative STAB that helps recover HP lost to entry hazards and Life Orb recoil. It also makes a good move to clean up teams with, considering it is accurate and does not have an undesirable side effect.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Life Orb is the preferred item, as it allows Sceptile to switch its moves, and Giga Drain can heal off Life Orb damage. However, Choice Specs is a viable option as well, considering Leaf Storm might make Sceptile a hit-and-run attacker and will therefore not need to switch moves too much. Once again, Hidden Power Ice or Fire are viable options for Druddigon and other Dragon-types or Escavalier and other Grass-types, but Hidden Power Rock is more useful in most situations due to Moltres and other Fire-types being so common and dangerous, as providing a free switch-in for Moltres is generally not a good idea.</p>
<p>Sceptile is prone to being revenge killed by Pokemon holding a Choice Scarf, especially the common Emboar. Water-types, such as Kabutops or Slowking, make good switch-ins to Emboar, and although Rapid Spin is not needed, Kabutops might be helpful with its Rapid Spin support if Choice Specs is the chosen item. Water-types also help deal with the naturally faster Aerodactyl, and Kabutops can take a hit from Swellow as well. This particular Sceptile is also prone to being hit by Sucker Punch due to its poor physical bulk and lack of a way to avoid the move. Steelix makes a good partner as a result of this, as it can take on most physical attackers that carry the move, especially Druddigon, which resists Sceptile's STAB. It may also be worth using a Fighting-type such as Hariyama to check Sucker Punch users as an alternative due to Dark-types being weak to their STABs, particularly Absol, which has coverage moves for Steel-types. Finally, because Sceptile is almost completely walled by Amoonguss and Roselia, packing a Fire-type such as Entei or Emboar is a good idea, as they can easily deal with the Grass-types and not be crippled by sleep-inducing moves thanks to Sleep Talk.</p>
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I hope this isn't too confusing. Basically, my main goal is to try and split up the main set and not change too much. But the distinction between the two sets needs to be noted because they are quite different and should not be combined. The Set Comments would also be updated as necessary depending on which set it is.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
move 2: Hidden Power Rock
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Substitute / Giga Drain / Synthesis
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is arguably the main reason Sceptile is so dangerous; not only does it hit extremely hard and fast, but it also has quite a wide range of coverage and some longevity thanks to its access to recovery. Sceptile has two options to pick from for a STAB move. While Leaf Storm provides it with an ridiculous amount of power, it also cuts into Sceptile's ability to stay in for a long time. Giga Drain's drop in power is extremely noticeable, but it comes with the benefit of consistent damage and some HP recovery. Of course, if you opt to use Choice Specs, then Sceptile is free to use both STAB moves and get the best of both worlds. Hidden Power Rock covers Fire-types, most notably Moltres, while Focus Blast covers Steel-types and Pokemon with Sap Sipper. If you choose to use Life Orb, the final moveslot should be dedicated to a self-support move which Sceptile can take advantage of with the switches it forces. Synthesis gives it reliable recovery while Substitute protects it against status and cushions it from attacks. It's worth noting that Sceptile also has the option of repeatedly using Substitute until it is in Overgrow range and proceed to to fire off a powerful Giga Drain, doing large amounts of the damage to the opponent and restoring some of the HP lost from Substitute in the process.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread allows Sceptile to hit as hard as it possibly can, while also outrunning as much as possible and ensuring a Speed tie with other Sceptile. A Modest nature may also be used, as even with the lower Speed, Sceptile retains its ability to either Speed tie with or outrun all Pokemon with base 105 Speed and below. This will give Sceptile a considerable amount of additional power behind its attacks at the cost of being outsped by some threats is could otherwise beat, such as Scolipede, Galvantula, and Durant. While the given moves give Sceptile the widest range of coverage, Hidden Power Ice can be used instead to land a super effective hit on opposing Grass-types. This, however, will leave Sceptile completely helpless against Moltres and the odd Charizard. If you do opt for Hidden Power Ice, then you might also want to consider maximizing Sceptile's Speed. This ensures that Sceptile at least ties with enemy Sceptile (which are most likely running Hidden Power Rock, letting you outrun them) and is faster than the odd Cinccino.</p>
<p>Sceptile is completely walled by Roselia and Amoonguss even if it runs a super effective Hidden Power, so pairing it with a Pokemon who can take advantage of these counters is a good idea. Moltres and Entei can both do this and also possess good synergy with Sceptile. If you go this route, packing a Rapid Spin user is also wise. This will keep the field clear of Stealth Rock, which greatly hinders the aforementioned Fire-types, as well as Toxic Spikes, which greatly hinder Sceptile. Kabutops is arguably the best offensive spinner in the tier; it also happens to pair very well with both Grass- and Fire-types, forming an effective Fire / Water / Grass core.</p>
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
move 2: Hidden Power Rock
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Substitute / Giga Drain / Synthesis
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is arguably the main reason Sceptile is so dangerous; not only does it hit extremely hard and fast, but it also has quite a wide range of coverage and some longevity thanks to its access to recovery. Sceptile has two options to pick from for a STAB move. While Leaf Storm provides it with an ridiculous amount of power, it also cuts into Sceptile's ability to stay in for a long time. Giga Drain's drop in power is extremely noticeable, but it comes with the benefit of consistent damage and some HP recovery. Of course, if you opt to use Choice Specs, then Sceptile is free to use both STAB moves and get the best of both worlds. Hidden Power Rock covers Fire-types, most notably Moltres, while Focus Blast covers Steel-types and Pokemon with Sap Sipper. If you choose to use Life Orb, the final moveslot should be dedicated to a self-support move which Sceptile can take advantage of with the switches it forces. Synthesis gives it reliable recovery while Substitute protects it against status and cushions it from attacks. It's worth noting that Sceptile also has the option of repeatedly using Substitute until it is in Overgrow range and proceed to to fire off a powerful Giga Drain, doing large amounts of the damage to the opponent and restoring some of the HP lost from Substitute in the process.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread allows Sceptile to hit as hard as it possibly can, while also outrunning as much as possible and ensuring a Speed tie with other Sceptile. A Modest nature may also be used, as even with the lower Speed, Sceptile retains its ability to either Speed tie with or outrun all Pokemon with base 105 Speed and below. This will give Sceptile a considerable amount of additional power behind its attacks at the cost of being outsped by some threats is could otherwise beat, such as Scolipede, Galvantula, and Durant. While the given moves give Sceptile the widest range of coverage, Hidden Power Ice can be used instead to land a super effective hit on opposing Grass-types. This, however, will leave Sceptile completely helpless against Moltres and the odd Charizard. If you do opt for Hidden Power Ice, then you might also want to consider maximizing Sceptile's Speed. This ensures that Sceptile at least ties with enemy Sceptile (which are most likely running Hidden Power Rock, letting you outrun them) and is faster than the odd Cinccino.</p>
<p>Sceptile is completely walled by Roselia and Amoonguss even if it runs a super effective Hidden Power, so pairing it with a Pokemon who can take advantage of these counters is a good idea. Moltres and Entei can both do this and also possess good synergy with Sceptile. If you go this route, packing a Rapid Spin user is also wise. This will keep the field clear of Stealth Rock, which greatly hinders the aforementioned Fire-types, as well as Toxic Spikes, which greatly hinder Sceptile. Kabutops is arguably the best offensive spinner in the tier; it also happens to pair very well with both Grass- and Fire-types, forming an effective Fire / Water / Grass core.</p>
What I want to change
The biggest thing I want to do is split up the set into two sets to avoid the cluttering and remove Synthesis from both sets entirely because Synthesis sucks.
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Rock
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Both Sets
Set Specifics: Substitute + 3 Attacks
Set Specifics: All-Out Attacker
The biggest thing I want to do is split up the set into two sets to avoid the cluttering and remove Synthesis from both sets entirely because Synthesis sucks.
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Rock
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Both Sets
- This is minor, but move Focus Blast above HP Rock. It’s a lot of the reason why Sceptile is such a good Grass-type because all of the others lack the move.
- Remove the mention of the Modest nature in AC – Sceptile should always be Timid, and it's not even close to worth the effort here. There is also a lot of EV fluff and such
- There is no explicit reason to pack a Rapid Spin user with Sceptile so that should be removed.
- Talk about Water-type partners in both set, although expand past Kabutops. I'll still mention it even tough Rapid Spin is unneeded, but yeah. Water-types also defeat Aerodactyl, which is faster than Sceptile, and Fire-types, especially Entei.
- HP Ice is cool to nail Drud and Amoonguss
- Entei also deals with Accelgor and Cryogonal (can be annoying with the Focus Blast reliance and all), so I'm going to put a note on that.
- SPIKES is really nice to have because Giga Drain isn't the strongest move out there and it really helps wear down a lot of checks, such as Escavalier, Entei, or Scarf Boar. Qwilfish can set up spikes on pretty much everything that deals with Sceptile other than opposing Grass-types, or it could set up Toxic Spikes as well as it wears down other checks (but again, be careful of Grass/Poisons ;_; )
Set Specifics: Substitute + 3 Attacks
- Explain more about why the Substitute is useful. Namely, it is very good because it offers controllable recoil between the Substitute, the Life Orb, and Giga Drain, so it can go into Overgrow range over and over. It's used for that moreso than protecting Sceptile from status moves, though that it is a nice bonus! Although that is pointed out, it isn't emphasized enough imo...
- Mention how the sub can also help it work around typical switch-ins so then it has a chance at beating them. An example includes Escavalier, who hates taking 2 Focus Blasts rather than Giga Drain and a Focus Blast
- ALSO mention how it can set up a sub on all kinds of Pokemon because its really fast, and takes Scalds, Electric moves, and scares off a lot of Pokemon because it is faster than so many of them. Subs also let it avoid Sucker Punch from the likes of Druddigon, Absol, and others, as well as let it avoid getting revenge killed.
- HP Fire here too for the reason below
Set Specifics: All-Out Attacker
- Mention that it can catch foes off guard if they suspect the Substitute variant, take a Giga Drain, and then get trashed by Leaf Storm.
- HP Fire is AC worthy because of Escavalier being dangerous, and there is no sub to work around it on this one.
- Pokemon to take priority moves in general need a large mention, especially when Sucker Punch is so common and Druddigon is also very common, switching into most of the moves on this set, so Steelix deserves to be mentioned as a partner.
- Very prone to being revenge killed by scarfers (all scarfers are faster than Sceptile because its a benchmark of sorts). Water-types once again come into play here because they resist Ice and Fire (think Glaceon and Emboar), although this is one of the cases in which more than just Kabutops needs to get mentioned
[SET]
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Rock
item: Life Orb
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Arguably Sceptile's most dangerous set, this variant attempts to set up a Substitute on the numerous Pokemon that it can threaten, such as Kabutops, Slowking, and Aggron, and then let its high Speed and Special Attack do the rest. A Substitute does many good things for Sceptile, including allowing it to avoid status conditions, particularly paralysis, evade Sucker Punch, a relatively common priority move that could cause Sceptile issues, and ease prediction if in the case a faster Pokemon, such as Accelgor, or a dangerous Pokemon, such as Escavalier, switches in. However, arguably the best part about a Substitute is that it allows Sceptile to get into Overgrow range almost whenever it wants to. In case it is incapable of doing enough damage to finish off the opponent, Sceptile can repeatedly use a Substitute until it has a low enough HP and then attack with an Overgrow-boosted STAB Giga Drain. Giga Drain can not only heal off the damage from the Substitutes, but it also keeps Sceptile from getting worn down too quickly from its Life Orb and is thus used as its main STAB.</p>
<p>The remaining two moves are used for coverage. Focus Blast is a godsend for Sceptile, as it obtains coverage against Steel-type Pokemon and Sap Sipper users such as Bouffalant and Sawsbuck. Focus Blast is also Sceptile's strongest option against Pokemon such as Emboar, and in normal situations, it does more damage than Giga Drain (although its shaky accuracy must be considered in these cases). Hidden Power Rock covers Fire-, Bug-, and Flying-types such as Moltres and Sigilyph. Due to Focus Blast, Sceptile, unlike other Grass-types, can afford to run Hidden Power Rock without needing to worry about most of the targets that Hidden Power Fire would otherwise hit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Sceptile should always run maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs with a Timid nature, as it is hard-pressed to take a hit, and a Life Orb is used to hit harder itself. A Life Orb also results in recoil damage, which can help get Sceptile into Overgrow range. There are other Hidden Powers that Sceptile can consider using over Hidden Power Rock. The first of these is Hidden Power Fire, which gets an OHKO on Escavalier, a Pokemon that could otherwise cause problems for Sceptile. Hidden Power Ice is similar, as it gives Sceptile a reliable way to 2HKO Druddigon; Hidden Power Ice also allows Sceptile to run 31 Speed IVs unlike the other two Hidden Power options, which can allow Sceptile to outspeed and OHKO other Sceptile. Both Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Ice also hit Amoonguss and Roselia super effectively, but they still don't do that much to either of them. Ultimately, however, Hidden Power Rock is more useful in most situations to deal with Moltres and other similar Pokemon.</p>
<p>Amoonguss and other bulky Grass-types are generally problems for Sceptile, even if it runs a super effective Hidden Power. Therefore, strong Fire-type Pokemon such as Entei or Emboar make good partners, as they can OHKO any Grass-type in their path, can take a Megahorn from Escavalier and retaliate, and can act as a sleep absorber if the need arises. Entei can also deal with Accelgor and Cryogonal, two Pokemon that Sceptile might have trouble with. In return, Sceptile can directly switch into and subsequently threaten bulky Water-types, which are common switch-ins to Fire-types. Water-types are also helpful partners, as they can withstand hits from Fire-types that threaten Sceptile, particularly Choice Scarf Emboar and Entei, and they can also KO Aerodactyl, a rather common Pokemon that is faster than Sceptile. Qwilfish is a standout example, as its excellent physical bulk allows it to take many hits, and its access to Spikes helps wear down opponents such as Escavalier and Druddigon so that Sceptile can finish them off more easily. Bringing a Fire- and Water-type also results in a Fire / Water / Grass core, which is rather effective in RU.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Overgrow
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Sceptile functions well as an all-out attacker as a result of its high Speed and Special Attack. Although many Sceptile sets have the issue of not running very powerful moves, a STAB Leaf Storm completely alleviates this issue, and because it's nearly twice as strong as Giga Drain, its power is rather terrifying, doing over 50% damage to even bulky special walls such as Clefable. Leaf Storm also does quite a bit of damage to some of Sceptile's offensive checks, with Entei and Druddigon taking about 50% damage from it. Although the side effect will often cause Sceptile to switch out afterwards, the raw power of the move usually means Sceptile should use it unless there is a bulky resist to Leaf Storm on the opposing team. Focus Blast hits Steel-types and Sap Sipper Pokemon such as Bouffalant hard, which might try to switch into Leaf Storm. Hidden Power Rock covers Flying-, Fire-, and Bug-types, particularly Moltres, which packs a 4x resistance to Leaf Storm. Finally, because Sceptile tends to switch out a lot, Giga Drain is an alternative STAB that helps recover HP lost to entry hazards and Life Orb recoil. It also makes a good move to clean up teams with, considering it is accurate and does not have an undesirable side effect.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Life Orb is the preferred item, as it allows Sceptile to switch its moves, and Giga Drain can heal off Life Orb damage. However, Choice Specs is a viable option as well, considering Leaf Storm might make Sceptile a hit-and-run attacker and will therefore not need to switch moves too much. Once again, Hidden Power Ice or Fire are viable options for Druddigon and other Dragon-types or Escavalier and other Grass-types, but Hidden Power Rock is more useful in most situations due to Moltres and other Fire-types being so common and dangerous, as providing a free switch-in for Moltres is generally not a good idea.</p>
<p>Sceptile is prone to being revenge killed by Pokemon holding a Choice Scarf, especially the common Emboar. Water-types, such as Kabutops or Slowking, make good switch-ins to Emboar, and although Rapid Spin is not needed, Kabutops might be helpful with its Rapid Spin support if Choice Specs is the chosen item. Water-types also help deal with the naturally faster Aerodactyl, and Kabutops can take a hit from Swellow as well. This particular Sceptile is also prone to being hit by Sucker Punch due to its poor physical bulk and lack of a way to avoid the move. Steelix makes a good partner as a result of this, as it can take on most physical attackers that carry the move, especially Druddigon, which resists Sceptile's STAB. It may also be worth using a Fighting-type such as Hariyama to check Sucker Punch users as an alternative due to Dark-types being weak to their STABs, particularly Absol, which has coverage moves for Steel-types. Finally, because Sceptile is almost completely walled by Amoonguss and Roselia, packing a Fire-type such as Entei or Emboar is a good idea, as they can easily deal with the Grass-types and not be crippled by sleep-inducing moves thanks to Sleep Talk.</p>
------------------------------------------------------------
I hope this isn't too confusing. Basically, my main goal is to try and split up the main set and not change too much. But the distinction between the two sets needs to be noted because they are quite different and should not be combined. The Set Comments would also be updated as necessary depending on which set it is.
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