
Best Dear in the Tier
Overview
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- Nice offensive typing leaving its STABs resisted by only steel types which can be dealt with by a coverage move.
- Decent offensive stats allow it to hit relatively hard and out speed a good amount of threats.
- Very large move pool giving it plenty of options.
- Great abilities that give it the possibly of an attack or speed boost.
- Frailty and weakness mean it's easy to revenge kill.
- Faces competition from other offensive grass types; Sceptile is much faster, Leafeon is stronger and bulkier ect.
Swords Dance
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name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Horn Leech
move 4: Jump Kick / Substitute / Baton Pass
ability: Sap Sipper
item: Life Orb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
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- Swords Dance doubles attack.
- Double Edge is Sawsbuck's strongest STAB move that can take down a lot of walls after a Swords Dance. Used over Return because the extra power is needed to achieve important KOs.
- Horn Leech is the best choice for grass STAB because it heals Double Edge and Life Orb recoil.
- Jump Kick provides coverage against steel types such as Ferroseed and Klinklang.
- Substitute is nice to avoid status and help against revenge killers. Thanks to it's typing certains walls such as Gourgiest and Seismitoad can't break it's substitutes in one hit.
- Baton Pass is cool to give Swords Dance and Sap Sipper boosts to team mates.
Set Details
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- EVs are pretty straight forward.
- Jolly nature is important to not be out sped by stuff like Jolly Sawk and Zangoose.
- Life Orb is essential to increase attack power, the recoil is somewhat migrated by Horn Leech although this shouldn't be relied on.
Usage Tips
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- Should be played as more of a wall breaker than a sweeper because Sawsbuck is pretty easy to revenge kill.
- The easiest opportunities to set up are on stuff that is forced out by grass STAB such as Rhydon and Seismitoad, then smash their grass resist with a +2 Double Edge.
- Bear in mind that Sawsbuck won't be staying around too long with all the LO, double Edge and potential Jump Kick recoil and that you can't always be saved by Horn Leech Recovery, especially if the opponent something that two times resists grass like Vileplume or Ferroseed.
- Saswbuck should not be recklessly switched in to any potential grass move as it is predictable and can result in Sawsbuck's death. It is better to weigh up the outcomes of each possible move and decide if the risk is worth the reward.
Team Options
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- Really appreciates Stealth Rock as it allows the KO on Vileplume, Garbodor and Uxie among others at +2. Rhydon, Seismitoad and Golem are good because they bait grass moves to trigger sap sipper.
- Spikes are also nice to confirm the kill on Ferroseed, Qwilfish and offensive Spiritomb after a Swords Dance. Omastar is a nice partner because Sawsbuck covers it's grass weakness and Accelgor has nice offensive synergy.
- Sawsbuck is crippled by status, especially burn and paralysis. Fire and Ground types make good partners.
- Stuff that likes the above walls removed and can clean late game like Feraligatr and Slurpuff.
Other Options
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- If used on a sun team switch ability to Chlorophyll and nature to adamant.
- Choice scarf but weak.
- SubPass.
- SubSeed (worthless).
- Agility in the last slot on SD set.
- Megahorn and Wild Charge could be used to cover specific threats but most of the time are infierior to its STAB moves.
Checks & Counters
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**Very Bulky Walls**: Steelix, Tangela and defensive Spiritomb can take any attack at +2 and either hit it back pretty hard, phase or burn Sawsbuck.
**Gourgeist**: Takes little from Sawsbuck's moves and can burn with Will-O-Wisp. Must watch out for Substitute variants if not running a move that can damage Sawsbuck.
**Revenge Killers**: Hard to wall after a Swords Dance but easy to revenge kill. Typhlosion, Pyroar, Accelgor (can even bug buzz through sub), Swellow and Cryogonal can all out speed and KO with ease.
**Priority**: Such as Gurdurr's Mach Punch or Piloswine's Ice Shard can put a stop to Sawsbuck after a bit of prior damage.
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