Lol I just woke up so my brain wasn't thinking right :/ so ignore mention of HP Fighting
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Pokémon Sceptile
- Thread starter Imperator Romanum
- Start date
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Sceptile@Sceptite
Overgrow->Lightning Rod
Timid 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spd
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Substitute/Giga Drain
Mega Sceptile has a solid spot on Rain teams. It's such a good partner for Kabutops. Sceptile takes Grass and Electric attacks flawlessly, special variants can manage WoW and Scalds just fine and can even switch in on a few Ground attacks. Kabutops similarly handles the Ice and Flying priority aimed at Sceptile. Both hit hard and fast in the Rain, and work really well with a VoltTurn pair like Raikou and Scizor. I highly advise using Sceptile with Rain. On Rain though it hampers HP Fire's effectiveness so you pretty much have to run Focus Blast instead for Ferrothorn, Heatran and Skarmory. Heatran is actually not a major threat to Sceptile in Rain. If you see they have a likely switch into Sceptile that walls you and you don't have Rain yet, throw up a Substitute. This puts the enemy in a very bad spot. Dragon Pulse does enough damage to Talonflame switches, and Dragon Pulse hits everything the same as a 2x SE HP Rock. Hidden Power is rarely worth the spot honestly, as any of the three other moves will hit something neutrally or harder than a 2x SE Hidden Power. It would have to be for something that is 4x weak and already resists all three of your moves, an example like Whimsicott and HP Poison which, of course, you'd never run that. Otherwise, Giga Drain is advised for the last slot if you need to hit super effectively with Grass but can't afford the SpA drop, and is good for longevity. I swear, Leaf Storm for me misses more than Focus Blast sometimes. :\
What I also like about Sceptile is that unlike most megamon its speed is already so high to start with that it often a great mon to lead with since it's able to megavolve early and threaten with high powered moves. You even outspeed and can OHKO Manectric with LEaf Storm if it tries to megavolve early, so you can often force it out. Obviously great against Smeargle and Ferrothorn leads. I really don't agree with Swords Dance sets. Sceptile should not attempt to sweep. It can manage to clean well though of course.
Overgrow->Lightning Rod
Timid 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spd
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Substitute/Giga Drain
Mega Sceptile has a solid spot on Rain teams. It's such a good partner for Kabutops. Sceptile takes Grass and Electric attacks flawlessly, special variants can manage WoW and Scalds just fine and can even switch in on a few Ground attacks. Kabutops similarly handles the Ice and Flying priority aimed at Sceptile. Both hit hard and fast in the Rain, and work really well with a VoltTurn pair like Raikou and Scizor. I highly advise using Sceptile with Rain. On Rain though it hampers HP Fire's effectiveness so you pretty much have to run Focus Blast instead for Ferrothorn, Heatran and Skarmory. Heatran is actually not a major threat to Sceptile in Rain. If you see they have a likely switch into Sceptile that walls you and you don't have Rain yet, throw up a Substitute. This puts the enemy in a very bad spot. Dragon Pulse does enough damage to Talonflame switches, and Dragon Pulse hits everything the same as a 2x SE HP Rock. Hidden Power is rarely worth the spot honestly, as any of the three other moves will hit something neutrally or harder than a 2x SE Hidden Power. It would have to be for something that is 4x weak and already resists all three of your moves, an example like Whimsicott and HP Poison which, of course, you'd never run that. Otherwise, Giga Drain is advised for the last slot if you need to hit super effectively with Grass but can't afford the SpA drop, and is good for longevity. I swear, Leaf Storm for me misses more than Focus Blast sometimes. :\
What I also like about Sceptile is that unlike most megamon its speed is already so high to start with that it often a great mon to lead with since it's able to megavolve early and threaten with high powered moves. You even outspeed and can OHKO Manectric with LEaf Storm if it tries to megavolve early, so you can often force it out. Obviously great against Smeargle and Ferrothorn leads. I really don't agree with Swords Dance sets. Sceptile should not attempt to sweep. It can manage to clean well though of course.
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This is already mentioned :) I used Sceptile for great effect when ORAS was first playable, and will just go ahead and shamelessly claim that I did it first. But that's a really indepth guide. I'll add it when I get time. It's very clear that you know what you're talking about here :)
Your set is different in that it doesn't use Leaf Storm, which I think for a hit and run power house is a must on Sceptile for this particular role. You could designate it Rain Offense or something if you like. There are probably different sets that work outside of Rain better, as HP Fire functions better outside of Rain for example. I'd also potentially recommend Leech Seed in the last slot to screw over Stall switch ins as you swap to someone else after.
Also, Mega Sceptile pairs well with any mon threatened by Azumarill. Like a Terrakion sweep for example.
Also, Mega Sceptile pairs well with any mon threatened by Azumarill. Like a Terrakion sweep for example.
Has anyone tried creating a stallbreaker set yet? As its main problem lies in taking out Chansey and most other stall 'mons, a sub+leech seed set could work, beeing something like this:
EVs 252 spe/ 136 Atk or SpA / 122 HP
Substitute
Leech Seed
Giga Drain/Toxic
HP Fire/ EQ
Giga Drain would get you recovery with leech seed and HP fire would kill steel types. Toxic can be used to wear things down with leech seed and EQ is for Heatran. This set seems crap in my eyes though, so I woundn't really advise using it when stuff like wallbreaker Gengar exists.
this set used to exist on venusaur and there is a reason nobody ever used it
Yeah, I figured. You're better off dealing with stall with stuff like SpD DD Gyarados and maintain your offensive presure against offensive teams with a mixed Sceptile set.
Sceptile has no way of getting past Chansey, it's not really powerful enough. Chansey can Stoss it to death.
So what? Chansey is one of the easiest things to take advantage of, and it's stupidly easy to lure out. Just double switch to Bisharp and you're good.
I said that Sceptile is better against offensive and that it should rely on its team mates to deal with 'mons like Mega Sableye and Chansey, which can sponge some moves and then recover.
Holy Crap this thing is frail, but I think physical may be the best set with Jolly Nature and Swords Dance.
I was considering it but Sceptile does not have the movepool or stats to be a stallbreaker, nor does it need to be when there are so many natural and efficient stallbreakers to pair with him. Wihtout Taunt or Knock Off I don't advise it, not to mention this could easily be pulled off better by Serperior, who has better defenses and a still good 113 Spd stat. And nobody uses that as is.
It's typing and ability are unique and make it good against quite a few types, but it absolutely can't take boosted strong neutral hits or SE ones. Sceptile is not a good set up sweeper, don't try to make him one. Especially with the increase in Ice Shard for Mega Salamence and Talonflame as popular as ever. It can't really take a Sucker Punch or Mach Punch either.
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Breloom Mach Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Sceptile: 177-211 (62.9 - 75%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Sceptile: 231-273 (82.2 - 97.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Doesn't take much prior damage to net a OHKO on Sceptile.
>is frail
>swords dance is best set
no
this thing cannot afford to set up against almost anything only to be weaker and slower than mega zard x after one dd
I'm starting to agree, SD setup gives it an amazing offense, but it dies rather easily because everyone is packing ice nowadays.
I like physical set because it nets the best stats, otherwise it really is just a slightly faster Greninja. I am definitely seeing this thing being better off as a fast special sweeper tho. That's just from a few games experience though.
Just want to correct this statement as here are a few others that resist all three moves.
Togekiss
Doublade
Whimsicott
Klefki
Mawile
While not the most common it is technically true, but Klefki and Doublade would be the most relevant. Togekiss a bit less so.
Klefki and Mawile are only neutral to fighting, so they don't resist it thoroughly.
This pokemon's frailty and blatant inferiority to Mega Salamence is starting to have me think that it has no place in OU.
It's so fragile that it has no time to set up Swords Dance.
Subs SpA might be the only viable set on this thing, which is sad considering all it's potential as a mixed sweeper with SD going.
If running physical, it needs to be able to set up a SD before megamence hits the field, and it needs to Outrage into it at +2 to kill it. We all know that Outrage is garbage because fairies.
This was going to be the one dragon that didn't fear Azumarill, but alas it really really needs more support and bulk that it just doesn't have.
Special Scept has no hopes of beating megamence, and that's the sad truth.
It's so fragile that it has no time to set up Swords Dance.
Subs SpA might be the only viable set on this thing, which is sad considering all it's potential as a mixed sweeper with SD going.
If running physical, it needs to be able to set up a SD before megamence hits the field, and it needs to Outrage into it at +2 to kill it. We all know that Outrage is garbage because fairies.
This was going to be the one dragon that didn't fear Azumarill, but alas it really really needs more support and bulk that it just doesn't have.
Special Scept has no hopes of beating megamence, and that's the sad truth.
To be fair, nearly every pokemon is inferior to MegaMence. You can't judge Sceptile based on his ability to take on MegaMence as nearly nothing can in the first place.
Mega Mence will be defining the OU tier this gen, if Sceptile doesn't have an out to it, then it is unviable.
To be fair, Char X also cannot OHKO it without Outrage, so make of that information what you will.
I want this pokemon to be viable more than most, but I can't see it working too well as part of a strong core without being able to handle the biggest threat of the meta.
Yeah, for three months, which is when that thing will go Ubers. Most mons can't handle Mega Mence, so calling Sceptile bad because of it is like calling Greninja bad because it's outsped and killed after a DD.
seeing as how mega mence is literally the most broken thing to ever walk the face of ou i wouldn't worry about it
also you have 5 other slots you can to devote to checking whatever you please, just because mega venusaur loses to pinsir doesn't mean mega venu ain't the tits
I know we aren't supposed to theorymon here, but honestly, we all know MegaMence will be sent to Ubers. It's on par with regular Rayquaza and has too few checks in OU. And absolutely zero counters. So while salamence may be a detriment to sceptile now, he'll become more viable later in the meta game. Something always is going to be banned, and Salamence will be one of the first to go due to the sheer amount of people complaining about it
I'm trying to avoid the theorymoning and prediction of the ban. If Mence is not a factor, then Sceptile has a chance of being the one dragon that players won't feel safe switching in Azu, which is awesome.
Brick Break is mathing better for me than Low Kick atm.
Anyone test Xscissor yet?
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