Scyther
[Overview]
<p>Ever since the introduction of Scizor in GSC, Scyther has been living in the shadows of its evolution. In times since, Scyther has been penalized first by its lack of bulk, and then by the introduction of Stealth Rock, which strips away half of its health just for entering the battlefield. Even the blessing of Technician went mostly unnoticed. However, while Generation V did not bring Scizor anything of offensive value, it gave Scyther Eviolite. With this new item, Scyther attains higher defenses than its evolution. Despite this, Scyther is still relegated to UU due to its poor typing, lack of a powerful coverage or STAB priority move, and the need to rely on Eviolite to be defensive—not to mention that it still loses half of its health when switching in to Stealth Rock. Despite these flaws, its base 110 Attack, base 105 Speed, Technician, and Eviolite allow Scyther to perform many different roles, making it a viable choice in UU.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Aerial Ace
move 4: Baton Pass / Brick Break
item: Eviolite
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 216 HP / 40 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While most sweeping sets attempt to boost a maximized attack to astronomical levels, with the goal of overpowering opponents after one turn of setup, this set plays a bit differently. The objective here is to attain multiple boosts. Eviolite, along with the HP investment, makes Scyther quite hard to bring down, allowing it to use Swords Dance multiple times, after which it can use Roost to recover health. Another approach is to bring Scyther into something nonthreatening and set up. Roost, unlike the case for other Flying-types with access to the move, is hardly disadvantageous for Scyther. Grounding the mantis adds no new weaknesses, instead removing Ice- and Electric-type weaknesses, as well as lessening the Rock-type weakness. Aerial Ace is the primary attack, as STAB and Technician boost its Base Power to 135. Baton Pass fills the last slot, as with Scyther's bulk, it can effectively hand off boosts to its teammates. Rhyperior is a great choice in this regard, having perfect synergy save a common Ice-type weakness.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Eviolite gives Scyther 294 in both defenses, making the item vital to this set. With the given EV spread, Scyther's HP hits 335 (one less than a multiple of 16)—a magic HP number that allows Scyther to survive two switches into Stealth Rock and / or an extra turn of weather damage. In conjunction with Roost, this increased bulk allows Scyther to attain more boosts. Maximum Speed of 339 is mandatory to take advantage of Scyther's speed tier, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into attack, which reaches 528 after a Swords Dance. Some of the EVs can be allotted into defenses, but the mantis would lose vital speed or end up more vulnerable to passive damage.</p>
<p>Brick Break can be used in place of Baton Pass for coverage, and has a handy side effect of breaking screens. Watch out for Rotom, Rotom-S, and Zapdos, however, as they all resist both Aerial Ace and Brick Break. Bug Bite is an option for an additional STAB move; this does, however, give worse coverage, making it less effective. Substitute can block status, but Scyther loses either coverage or recovery this way. Taunt and Encore both ruin this set. Scyther also hates Trick, as Eviolite is the only thing that makes it moderately bulky. Despite its bulk, Rapid Spin support is greatly appreciated to get rid of Stealth Rock. Donphan and Hitmontop are great in this regard, both resisting Scyther's crippling Rock-type weakness.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Bug Bite / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a classic set—Scyther is still a great sweeper, even without bulk, and is quite powerful when equipped with a Life Orb. The EV spread allows Scyther to hit quickly and powerfully by maximizing Speed and Attack. Jolly works well with Swords Dance, boasting 339 Speed and 319 Attack (which hits 638 after a Swords Dance) and allowing Scyther to hit extremely hard. Aerial Ace is the main attack and is a reliable STAB move, while Brick Break provides good coverage to hit Steel-types that resist Aerial Ace such as Registeel. Bug Bite provides another powerful STAB attack, hitting opponents such as Rotom-C harder than Aerial Ace would.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Quick Attack is a viable option for a priority move, as it provides insurance against being revenge killed, and hits hard after a Swords Dance. Entry hazard support is appreciated for securing KOs, and the ridding of Stealth Rock on your side of the field prevents it from crippling Scyther upon each switch in. Donphan and Hitmontop are two exceptional partners for Rapid Spin support, as they both have resistances to most of Scyther's weaknesses and are good at dealing with its counters. For example, Donphan can utilize a strong Earthquake to take out Steel-types, while Hitmontop can do the same with Close Combat. You should always make sure that Scyther's HP stat is odd so it can survive two switches into Stealth Rock; this is the reason that the 4 remaining EVs are allotted to Defense instead of HP. Roost can be used to heal off Life Orb recoil, but coverage is preferred on this more offensive variant.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Attacker
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Brick Break / Pursuit
move 4: Quick Attack
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As a utility Pokemon or late-game sweeper, Scyther is viable with a choice item. A Choice Band makes it hit extremely hard off the bat, while a Choice Scarf allows Scyther to pick off weakened foes. U-turn is a fantastic scouting move, providing a reliable STAB attack with the ability to switch out and hits Celebi and Slowbro hard. Aerial Ace provides another solid STAB attack and is boosted by Technician, while Brick Break hits Steel- and Rock-types that resist Aerial Ace. Quick Attack is selected for priority, which can be crucial to stopping an opposing sweeper or taking out a weakened foe. Pursuit can be used over Brick Break to hit Pokemon attempting to switch out for heavy damage, but the loss of coverage on Steel-types will be troubling.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Without the ability to change moves, the freedom to switch in multiple times is essential, so Rapid Spin support is mandatory. Again, Donphan is a solid choice, as it deals with Rock-types and Electric-type attacks well and has access to Ice Shard to deal with other troublesome sweepers such as Flygon. The EV spread provides maximum Speed and Attack, and Jolly is preferable in all cases to get the jump on the base 100s that roam the tier. With a Choice Band, Scyther hits 478 Attack and 339 Speed, while with a Choice Scarf, Scyther hits 319 Attack and 508 Speed. Entry hazard support is appreciated, as it abuses U-turn's ability to cause switches.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Scyther has many viable options to choose from, but they are usually outclassed. Pursuit can be used in tandem with Brick Break for almost perfect coverage, but this is not recommended, as Scyther does not like losing out on a STAB attack. Night Slash might have more power than Pursuit, but Pursuit is preferred for its ability to punish switches. Technician-boosted Double Hit can break through Focus Sash, Sturdy, and Substitute, but it lacks coverage and priority, making it very situational. Agility can be used to boost Scyther's already stellar Speed, but Scyther prefers the Attack boost granted by Swords Dance. Using Agility and Swords Dance together requires too much setup time, and makes Scyther's four move slot syndrome even worse. A set utilizing Focus Sash, Reversal, and Swords Dance is quite powerful; however, with the abundance of weather, Stealth Rock, and priority, it is not such a good idea. An Adamant nature can be used to boost Scyther's Attack, but it prefers Jolly due to the demand of Speed this generation.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>With a 4x Rock weakness, Scyther will inevitably fall if Stealth Rock floating in the fray. That said, Rock-type moves in general usually KO Scyther in one hit. Locking Scyther into Swords Dance through Encore or Trick can easily shut it down, but be careful of giving the Swords Dance sweeper variety a Choice Scarf—it can then perform like the Choice set.</p>
<p>For specific Pokemon, Cofagrigus has amazing physical bulk, access to Will-O-Wisp, and the ability Mummy, all of which can shut down Scyther. Rotom, Rotom-S, Zapdos, and even Emolga resist Fighting-, Flying-, and Bug-type moves, and can hit Scyther with STAB Electric-type attacks. Raikou and Jolteon are in this boat as well, and can outrun Scyther. It should be noted that a 252 Speed event Raikou with Aura Sphere is still slower than Jolly Scyther with 252 Speed EVs. Sharpedo is another counter—after using Protect, it is faster than Scyther, thanks to the shark's ability, Speed Boost.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Scyther receives the ability Steadfast from the Dream World. Despite being a decent ability, Technician is what makes Scyther shine—without it, Scyther would not be very threatening, as its Technician boosted moves are more powerful than the rest of its movepool. It is best to skip out on a Steadfast Scyther (unless you really want the Dream Points).</p>
[Overview]
<p>Ever since the introduction of Scizor in GSC, Scyther has been living in the shadows of its evolution. In times since, Scyther has been penalized first by its lack of bulk, and then by the introduction of Stealth Rock, which strips away half of its health just for entering the battlefield. Even the blessing of Technician went mostly unnoticed. However, while Generation V did not bring Scizor anything of offensive value, it gave Scyther Eviolite. With this new item, Scyther attains higher defenses than its evolution. Despite this, Scyther is still relegated to UU due to its poor typing, lack of a powerful coverage or STAB priority move, and the need to rely on Eviolite to be defensive—not to mention that it still loses half of its health when switching in to Stealth Rock. Despite these flaws, its base 110 Attack, base 105 Speed, Technician, and Eviolite allow Scyther to perform many different roles, making it a viable choice in UU.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Aerial Ace
move 4: Baton Pass / Brick Break
item: Eviolite
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 216 HP / 40 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While most sweeping sets attempt to boost a maximized attack to astronomical levels, with the goal of overpowering opponents after one turn of setup, this set plays a bit differently. The objective here is to attain multiple boosts. Eviolite, along with the HP investment, makes Scyther quite hard to bring down, allowing it to use Swords Dance multiple times, after which it can use Roost to recover health. Another approach is to bring Scyther into something nonthreatening and set up. Roost, unlike the case for other Flying-types with access to the move, is hardly disadvantageous for Scyther. Grounding the mantis adds no new weaknesses, instead removing Ice- and Electric-type weaknesses, as well as lessening the Rock-type weakness. Aerial Ace is the primary attack, as STAB and Technician boost its Base Power to 135. Baton Pass fills the last slot, as with Scyther's bulk, it can effectively hand off boosts to its teammates. Rhyperior is a great choice in this regard, having perfect synergy save a common Ice-type weakness.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Eviolite gives Scyther 294 in both defenses, making the item vital to this set. With the given EV spread, Scyther's HP hits 335 (one less than a multiple of 16)—a magic HP number that allows Scyther to survive two switches into Stealth Rock and / or an extra turn of weather damage. In conjunction with Roost, this increased bulk allows Scyther to attain more boosts. Maximum Speed of 339 is mandatory to take advantage of Scyther's speed tier, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into attack, which reaches 528 after a Swords Dance. Some of the EVs can be allotted into defenses, but the mantis would lose vital speed or end up more vulnerable to passive damage.</p>
<p>Brick Break can be used in place of Baton Pass for coverage, and has a handy side effect of breaking screens. Watch out for Rotom, Rotom-S, and Zapdos, however, as they all resist both Aerial Ace and Brick Break. Bug Bite is an option for an additional STAB move; this does, however, give worse coverage, making it less effective. Substitute can block status, but Scyther loses either coverage or recovery this way. Taunt and Encore both ruin this set. Scyther also hates Trick, as Eviolite is the only thing that makes it moderately bulky. Despite its bulk, Rapid Spin support is greatly appreciated to get rid of Stealth Rock. Donphan and Hitmontop are great in this regard, both resisting Scyther's crippling Rock-type weakness.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Bug Bite / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a classic set—Scyther is still a great sweeper, even without bulk, and is quite powerful when equipped with a Life Orb. The EV spread allows Scyther to hit quickly and powerfully by maximizing Speed and Attack. Jolly works well with Swords Dance, boasting 339 Speed and 319 Attack (which hits 638 after a Swords Dance) and allowing Scyther to hit extremely hard. Aerial Ace is the main attack and is a reliable STAB move, while Brick Break provides good coverage to hit Steel-types that resist Aerial Ace such as Registeel. Bug Bite provides another powerful STAB attack, hitting opponents such as Rotom-C harder than Aerial Ace would.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Quick Attack is a viable option for a priority move, as it provides insurance against being revenge killed, and hits hard after a Swords Dance. Entry hazard support is appreciated for securing KOs, and the ridding of Stealth Rock on your side of the field prevents it from crippling Scyther upon each switch in. Donphan and Hitmontop are two exceptional partners for Rapid Spin support, as they both have resistances to most of Scyther's weaknesses and are good at dealing with its counters. For example, Donphan can utilize a strong Earthquake to take out Steel-types, while Hitmontop can do the same with Close Combat. You should always make sure that Scyther's HP stat is odd so it can survive two switches into Stealth Rock; this is the reason that the 4 remaining EVs are allotted to Defense instead of HP. Roost can be used to heal off Life Orb recoil, but coverage is preferred on this more offensive variant.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Attacker
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Brick Break / Pursuit
move 4: Quick Attack
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As a utility Pokemon or late-game sweeper, Scyther is viable with a choice item. A Choice Band makes it hit extremely hard off the bat, while a Choice Scarf allows Scyther to pick off weakened foes. U-turn is a fantastic scouting move, providing a reliable STAB attack with the ability to switch out and hits Celebi and Slowbro hard. Aerial Ace provides another solid STAB attack and is boosted by Technician, while Brick Break hits Steel- and Rock-types that resist Aerial Ace. Quick Attack is selected for priority, which can be crucial to stopping an opposing sweeper or taking out a weakened foe. Pursuit can be used over Brick Break to hit Pokemon attempting to switch out for heavy damage, but the loss of coverage on Steel-types will be troubling.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Without the ability to change moves, the freedom to switch in multiple times is essential, so Rapid Spin support is mandatory. Again, Donphan is a solid choice, as it deals with Rock-types and Electric-type attacks well and has access to Ice Shard to deal with other troublesome sweepers such as Flygon. The EV spread provides maximum Speed and Attack, and Jolly is preferable in all cases to get the jump on the base 100s that roam the tier. With a Choice Band, Scyther hits 478 Attack and 339 Speed, while with a Choice Scarf, Scyther hits 319 Attack and 508 Speed. Entry hazard support is appreciated, as it abuses U-turn's ability to cause switches.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Scyther has many viable options to choose from, but they are usually outclassed. Pursuit can be used in tandem with Brick Break for almost perfect coverage, but this is not recommended, as Scyther does not like losing out on a STAB attack. Night Slash might have more power than Pursuit, but Pursuit is preferred for its ability to punish switches. Technician-boosted Double Hit can break through Focus Sash, Sturdy, and Substitute, but it lacks coverage and priority, making it very situational. Agility can be used to boost Scyther's already stellar Speed, but Scyther prefers the Attack boost granted by Swords Dance. Using Agility and Swords Dance together requires too much setup time, and makes Scyther's four move slot syndrome even worse. A set utilizing Focus Sash, Reversal, and Swords Dance is quite powerful; however, with the abundance of weather, Stealth Rock, and priority, it is not such a good idea. An Adamant nature can be used to boost Scyther's Attack, but it prefers Jolly due to the demand of Speed this generation.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>With a 4x Rock weakness, Scyther will inevitably fall if Stealth Rock floating in the fray. That said, Rock-type moves in general usually KO Scyther in one hit. Locking Scyther into Swords Dance through Encore or Trick can easily shut it down, but be careful of giving the Swords Dance sweeper variety a Choice Scarf—it can then perform like the Choice set.</p>
<p>For specific Pokemon, Cofagrigus has amazing physical bulk, access to Will-O-Wisp, and the ability Mummy, all of which can shut down Scyther. Rotom, Rotom-S, Zapdos, and even Emolga resist Fighting-, Flying-, and Bug-type moves, and can hit Scyther with STAB Electric-type attacks. Raikou and Jolteon are in this boat as well, and can outrun Scyther. It should be noted that a 252 Speed event Raikou with Aura Sphere is still slower than Jolly Scyther with 252 Speed EVs. Sharpedo is another counter—after using Protect, it is faster than Scyther, thanks to the shark's ability, Speed Boost.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Scyther receives the ability Steadfast from the Dream World. Despite being a decent ability, Technician is what makes Scyther shine—without it, Scyther would not be very threatening, as its Technician boosted moves are more powerful than the rest of its movepool. It is best to skip out on a Steadfast Scyther (unless you really want the Dream Points).</p>
