Empoleon functions decently as a SR setter and Defog user in one as well as handling Fairy, Poison, Flying, Dragon, Bug AND Ice attacks. That's pretty sweet. They actually do pair pretty well, and Empoleon can fill two roles in one as a good rock setter, and its typing lets it use Defog fairly easily. It doesn't handle Mamoswine however, who threatens this core highly, so throw in a Rotom-W or something for good measure.
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Pokémon Sceptile
- Thread starter Imperator Romanum
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If you're running Rotom-W anyways why not run skarmory as a bulky rocks and defog user?
I did for a little bit actually. I actually don't care for it because Sceptile is not a bulky type you want to switch into anything besides Grass, Electric and Water moves. I'm finding more offensive cores to be far more helpful. Fast and threatening attackers with U-Turn are where its at, able to get Sceptile in for free to threaten with his fast powerful moves, or throw up a Sub. Scizor, Talonflame, Rotom-W, Greninja and Landorus-T are all great partners or some combination of the above. Fake Out/U-Turn Infernape is even kind of helpful for getting free damage and getting out. Sceptile just does really well on HO Volturn teams. I'm really liking Scizor in particular as a bulky U-Turn Defog user, has great resistances to Poison, Bug, Ice, Fairy and Dragon in particular. Bullet Punch is also very threatening to Ice Shard users like Weavile and Mamoswine.
Not to mention it boosts its own special attack with each VS/twave block.
A good asset for a fast, powerful special attacker.
After testing it out a bit on the ladder, the Sub + 3 attacks has been the most effective set by far. SD sets lack power compared to other mons like DD CharX. Mega sceptile can force a lot of things out with its respectable speed tier prior to mega evolution and it's great Soecial Attack after it goes mega, providing many chances to out a sub up. There aren't a lot of mons who can come in on a neutral hit and be able to take sceptile out before it gets them first. I've also found modest to be slightly more useful since without absorbing an electric move, the power can be slightly underwhelming when running a neutral SpA nature.
But, is 389 speed enough? Does/should it need Tailwind support?
Personally I use my klefki with TWave support for anybody too fast. But usually it isn't really needed. There are a few things that give you trouble, I've actually run in to a few scarf greninja's that have beaten me with ice beam. But I don't think that's too common (unless that's a thing now)
Considering that it turns the 2nd most commonly used mon in the tier into a liability, absorbing one STAB and resisting the other, it is definitely a solid ability. All the other electric types are just bonuses at this point IMO but making Rotom-W cry badly is too good to pass up.
When running Modest, the most relevant mons you miss out on are Jolly M-Beedrill and M-Manectric (and maybe M-Aero). I may be leaving out a mon or two, so correct me if I'm wrong there.
Yeah, Modest is great imo. You may miss out on M-Manectric and Jolly Megadrill(and possibly a few other mons), but the slight boost in power is worth it at times. Plus, you outspeed most relevant threats such as Latios and Thundurus. With that being said, you should slash Modest on the special sets in the OP, Jernmax.
Running Modest means you speed tie with Base 105s before MEvoing, preventing you from safely doing so in front of Keldeo, Lati@s, and Thundurus (important mons you want to beat). Losing to Mega Manectric and Mega Lopunny also sucks a lot because Leaf Storm can already OHKO them when Timid while Modest Dragon Pulse can't (plus they can both OHKO you).
I have had zero luck with the sub +3 moves set, as I have yet to land a single Focus Blast.
Why not run an all-out attacker set w/ HP Fire + EQ? I guess you do miss out on Sub, but to compensate for that, you don't have to rely on Focus Miss to hit Scizor, Skarmory, and Heatran.
I like HP fire more than Focus Blast for sure. I think sub is better off being something else as well, but I'm not a fan of EQ on a non physical build.
Um, is anyone talking about Mega Heracross and Mega Pinsir?
Ime grass types not named ferrothorn and Venusaur don't like either of the two Mega Bugs.
I'm seeing Mega Beedrill being discussed, but MegaCross and MegaPins are both pains to deal with.
Skill Link Pin Missile Heracross just screws M-Sceptile.
Even if Empoleon is a good teammate to Scep, STAB Close Combat is something to watch out for.
Ime grass types not named ferrothorn and Venusaur don't like either of the two Mega Bugs.
I'm seeing Mega Beedrill being discussed, but MegaCross and MegaPins are both pains to deal with.
Skill Link Pin Missile Heracross just screws M-Sceptile.
Even if Empoleon is a good teammate to Scep, STAB Close Combat is something to watch out for.
Full stop to volt switch, absolutely delicious. Sure, other grass types wall rotom and kill it, but rotom will always get out and volt out to talonflame or something, and you basically accomplished nothing by switching in your grass. I love this mega. dragon pulse + HP fire + earthquake + grass stab
Focus Blast being able to handle all Steel types including Heatran in one move is why it's preferred. With a Sub as a buffer you can afford the occasional miss from Focus Blast. It really is worth it to be able to handle Heatran and have room for Substitute, protecting you from WoW. Similarly with Skarmory it's a 2HKO either way, and Sub protects you from Brave Bird, as well as Sucker Punch from Bisharp, and Ice Shard from Weavile and Mamoswine. Not to mention the various Brave Birds. This is why Focus Blast + Sub is preferred to HP Fire + Earthquake.
Swords Dance is actually decent as Thundurus-I is everywhere and a sweeper being immune to Twave is awesome, but Outrage in mandatory or else the power is extremely underwhelming and being locked into Outrage of course is no bueno.
Physical sets may have potential when ice stops being such an important offensive move type.
Megascept is just too frail to set up, and thundurous usually packs HP ice for opponents who are resistant/immune to electricity.
Megascept would be better off going physical in a lower tier, of he is allowed there.
Megascept is just too frail to set up, and thundurous usually packs HP ice for opponents who are resistant/immune to electricity.
Megascept would be better off going physical in a lower tier, of he is allowed there.
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