Ready for QC checks.
QC Checks: 1/3 Iconic, 2/3 Delta 2777, 3/3 Bloo
GP Checks: 1/3 Chou Toshio, 2/3 Calm Pokemaster, 3/3 jc104 also, a few nitpicks from Zdrup15
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[Overview]
<p>Scizor is a terrific threat in today's metagame. Its Bug / Steel typing gives it a host of useful resistances to utilize alongside its respectable bulk. Scizor has a great offensive ability, Technician, to abuse in tandem with its 130 base Attack, making it a real offensive terror. While neither STAB is particularly impressive in terms of coverage, they grant power boosts to key moves like the incredibly useful U-turn, and Scizor's terrifying Bullet Punch. Technician Bullet Punch, when boosted by a Choice Band or Swords Dance, is a terrifically powerful priority move, granting Scizor revenge killing and sweeping potential sure to be valued by any team. Scizor can also make an excellent scout with a STAB U-turn, which does huge damage to opposing Pokemon whilst giving teammates a free switch-in. Scizor is the only Bug-type to get U-turn without being weak to Stealth Rock, making it arguably the greatest abuser of the move in the game.</p>
<p>Whether Scizor is sweeping with Swords Dance, scouting with Choice Band U-turn, or picking off opponents with a Technician Bullet Punch, it will surely be a great asset to any team, especially teams that struggle against threats such as Latios, Reuniclus, and Tyranitar. Scizor can fit on almost any team, as it accomplishes many jobs and provides a team with fantastic offensive and defensive support.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Bug Bite / Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Adamant
ability: Technician
evs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Scizor's flagship set for the new generation, the bulky Swords Dance set is able to set up on many common threats in the metagame, including Ferrothorn, Reuniclus, and Specs Latios locked into Draco Meteor. Scizor's great base Attack stat allows it to deal out huge damage with Bullet Punch and Bug Bite, even with minimal Attack investment. Swords Dance will boost Scizor's Attack to truly threatening levels, while the bulk of this set will assure easy setup.</p>
<p>Bullet Punch is one of the main reasons to use Scizor, and its priority and tremendous power make it the main sweeping move for this set as well. Bug Bite gives Scizor another STAB option to add to its arsenal, and packs greater brute force, letting Scizor handily deal with slower, bulky Pokemon such as Reuniclus. Superpower can also be used, as it does serious damage to many Pokemon that otherwise wall this set, notably Steel-type foes such as Skarmory and Heatran. Catching these threats on the switch-in with Superpower can dramatically swing the game in one's favor. Finally, Roost rounds out this set, giving Scizor a means of reliable recovery to heal off damage from various resisted attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs provide Scizor with great bulk, both physically and specially. HP is maximized to enhance its overall bulk, whilst 216 Special Defense EVs make sure that Scizor isn't 2HKOed by a Focus Blast from Reuniclus or Virizion. The remaining EVs are placed in Attack, allowing Scizor to hit a little harder after set up. A more defensive EV spread can be utilized to let Scizor wall more effectively, but the extra Attack is generally more valuable than the small boost in bulk. When multiplying your power with Swords Dance, just a small investment in Attack can bring dramatic results.</p>
<p>Scizor can use other moves on this set as well. U-turn can be used to scout for Scizor's counters early in the game, weakening them and setting Scizor up for a Bullet Punch sweep later on. Entry hazards will allow you to make the best use of U-turn, forcing more damage on the enemy's Scizor checks as they switch in and out of battle chasing Scizor. Keep in mind that U-turn lacks synergy with Swords Dance, as its switching will cause Scizor to lose your hard-earned Attack boosts. Scizor can use Brick Break over Bug Bite. Fighting-type attacks have better coverage with Steel-type moves than Bug-type ones do, granting at least neutral coverage against the many Steel-types of OU. Keep in mind that despite its poor type coverage, the power granted to Bug Bite by STAB and Technician cannot to be underestimated because a resisted Bug Bite is only slightly weaker than a neutral Brick Break. Furthermore, without Bug Bite, Scizor will have trouble checking Reuniclus, which is one of its most valuable roles in BW OU. Scizor can utilize different items on this set, all to great effect. The healing granted by Leftovers will be greatly appreciated by Scizor as it aims to set up Swords Dance on resisted attacks. In contrast, the power boost granted by Life Orb can be critical to Scizor in successfully sweeping, especially when aiming to surmount bulky enemies such as Gliscor. While its low Speed makes it hard to find a free turn, Scizor can always fall back on Roost to recover health lost to Life Orb should it find an opportunity. Finally, a Lum Berry can be used to allow Scizor to shrug off status such as a burn from Scald or Jellicent's Will-O-Wisp.</p>
<p>This Scizor appreciates entry hazard support, as it is capable of forcing many enemy threats out, and subsequently forcing them to take more entry hazard damage upon their next switch-in. Do keep in mind that Ferrothorn's similar typing would compound the team's Fire-type weakness, making it less than ideal as a partner unless your team is well equipped to handle powerful Fire-type attacks. Tyranitar and Scizor have good synergy, covering each other's weaknesses relatively well, while Tyranitar backs Scizor up with some extra special bulk, and provides a sandstorm that makes it easier for Scizor to break through foes such as Blissey and bulky Water-types. Heatran can also do a great job, as it eagerly switches into Fire-type attacks aimed at Scizor whilst getting a free boost thanks to Flash Fire. Bulky Water-types are also great teammates, using their great defenses and resistance to Fire-type attacks to defeat or set up on foes keen to strike at Scizor's weakness. Gyarados is a great example of a teammate capable of capitalizing on Scizor's Fire-type weakness, as it can switch in and set up Dragon Dance, cripple a foe with Thunder Wave, or change the momentum with Dragon Tail. Additionally, Gyarados is a fantastic check to Ground- and Fighting-types that think they can muscle through Scizor. Politoed is also very effective, as it halves the damage that Scizor takes from Fire-type attacks, making it even harder to take down. Do be wary that rain strengthens your opponent's Water-type attacks as well, and Scizor will likely be unable to hold up against STAB rain-boosted attacks from enemy Water-types (who will also resist Bullet Punch). If you use Politoed, be sure to pack a teammate that can hold up to powerful Water-type attacks. This set must also be wary of Pokemon that resist Bullet Punch and have effective methods of attacking Scizor. Pokemon such as Heatran and Rotom-H can easily switch in and beat this set. Also, Steel-types such as Skarmory can easily phaze Scizor away if it lacks Superpower. One should note though that Scizor will beat Skarmory one-on-one if Scizor is left as the last Pokemon. Magnezone can trap Skarmory and weakened Heatran, killing them both off with Thunderbolt. Other Electric-type Pokemon such as Thundurus can more or less accomplish the same feat.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Quick Attack
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
ability: Technician
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The menace from DPP returns, and retains its status as a top-tier Pokemon. U-turn is the crux of this set, allowing Scizor to deal out huge damage to incoming Pokemon and maintain momentum, scouting the switch-in and grabbing a favorable match-up. Choice Band-boosted Bullet Punch is incredibly powerful even with no setup, and allows Scizor to revenge kill many dangerous threats such as Salamence locked into Outrage, Choice Scarf Hydreigon and "Double Booster" Terrakion.</p>
<p>The other two moves on this set, Superpower and Pursuit, give Scizor some added utility. Superpower does huge damage to Scizor's main counters, OHKOing Heatran, Magnezone, and Ferrothorn expecting a Bullet Punch. Specially defensive Skarmory also takes significant damage, and can be OHKOed if it Roosts. Pursuit allows Scizor to KO or do huge damage to a fleeing Psychic-type, such as Reuniclus, Starmie, or Slowbro. It also checkmates Choice Specs Latios locked into Draco Meteor. Quick Attack can be a good option over Pursuit, as, depending on the circumstances, it can give Scizor the opportunity to beat threats that resist Bullet Punch, such as Infernape, Thundurus, and weakened Gyarados. It also comes with the added benefit of OHKOing 4 / 0 Volcarona after Stealth Rock.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A few other moves for Scizor may be considered. Night Slash is a good move to hit Ghost-types hard, most notably Jellicent, but switching to a counter with U-turn is almost always the better option. One should also note that Night Slash's Base Power is 70, only 10 more points than Technician-boosted Pursuit, which has 60 Base Power even if the opponent doesn't switch. Bug Bite is almost 30% more powerful than U-turn, but the effectiveness of U-turn's switching ability cannot be overstated, so U-turn is generally the superior Bug-type STAB move. The Adamant nature, coupled with full investment in Attack, gives Scizor a huge power boost, allowing it to hit as hard as possible. Tyranitar is a good choice to set up Stealth Rock, given its great synergy with Scizor. 252 HP EVs would make Scizor's HP divisible by 4, so 248 HP EVs are used to maximize Scizor's bulk while giving it one additional opportunity to switch into Stealth Rock. The rest of the EVs are put into Speed so that Scizor can outrun other Scizor, and other Pokemon with base 65 Speed running no Speed EVs. A bulky EV spread, similar to the spread for the Bulky Swords Dance set, could be used to make Scizor a more effective trapper against special attackers such as Latios, Latias, Reuniclus, Gengar, and Starmie. Unfortunately, Scizor's attacks, most notably Bullet Punch, will be severely weakened, which means that much of Scizor's potential for sweeping and revenge killing is lost.</p>
<p>This Scizor benefits a lot from Rapid Spin support. Spikes and Stealth Rock punish repeated switching, and Scizor will be unable to utilize U-turn to its full capacity when faced with a field littered with entry hazards. Life Orb Starmie is a very effective Rapid Spin user to pair with Scizor, as it beats all common spinblockers, defeating Jellicent with Thunderbolt and Gengar with Hydro Pump. Also, Starmie resists Fire-type attacks, Scizor's only weakness, while Scizor resists the Dark-, Ghost-, Grass-, and Bug-type attacks that plague Starmie. Finally, if Scizor can remove Ferrothorn or Chansey with a surprise Superpower, Starmie will be able to sweep late-game, making them a lethal offensive duo. A Stealth Rock or Spikes user of your own makes Scizor even more effective, as it tends to force a lot of switches with its powerful attacks and U-turn antics. Once more, Tyranitar is a good choice to set up Stealth Rock, while Skarmory is a good choice to supply Spikes. Skarmory can wall a lot of the common physical threats that can set up on this Scizor, such as Excadrill. Skarmory's relatively similar typing can cause problems, notably compounding the team's weakness to Fire-type attacks. When using Skarmory with Scizor, the other four Pokemon should be chosen with care. Jellicent and Heatran are good choices to cover Scizor's weakness to Fire-type attacks, with Jellicent spinblocking and spreading status and Heatran aiding Scizor's sweep by battering the enemy with its powerful special attacks. They also check the Steel-types that give this set trouble. Other counters include Jellicent and Gliscor, thanks to their resistances and great defenses. Pokemon that can take advantage of these two also make great teammates. Examples include Rotom-W, Gengar, and Latios.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Superpower / Brick Break
move 4: Bug Bite
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant / Jolly
ability: Technician
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the bulky Swords Dance set is meant to wall certain threats while threatening a sweep, this Scizor is an all-out sweeper. With maximum investment in Attack, along with a Swords Dance boost, Life Orb, and Technician, Bullet Punch can easily OHKO virtually any offensive threat in OU, unless they resist the attack. Hippowdon is easily 2HKOed by Bug Bite, and Gliscor is 2HKOed by Bullet Punch, indicating this Scizor's ability to break some of the bulkiest walls in the tier.</p>
<p>Swords Dance is self-explanatory on this set, boosting Scizor's Attack to sky-high levels. Bullet Punch is Scizor's main move, bypassing its mediocre Speed to deal huge damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Superpower is on this set to deal with the Steel-types that plague Scizor, allowing it to lure in and destroy powerful foes such as Heatran and Magnezone. It also allows Scizor to deal with Skarmory when at +2, and makes switching into Scizor even more difficult. Finally, Bug Bite is the last move on the set, as it does huge damage to slower walls such as Hippowdon and Slowbro, 2HKOing and OHKOing respectively at +2.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Scizor can run a few other moves on this set. Brick Break can be used over Superpower for a more reliable Fighting-type attack, but Superpower's superior power is needed to OHKO Heatran and Magnezone on the switch. Also, Pursuit is a decent choice for a moveslot, as it can OHKO Jellicent at +2, while allowing Scizor to damage fleeing Reuniclus. The item of choice for this set is Life Orb, as it gives Scizor a great power boost. Leftovers could be used for greater longevity, but its performance will ultimately be inferior to the bulky Swords Dance set. A Metal Coat can also be used to boost the power of Bullet Punch while feigning a Choice Band, but Scizor works better with a boost to all of its attacks. The EVs are used to maximize Scizor's attacking power, while allowing it to outspeed max Speed Tyranitar and at least tie with other Scizor. The Adamant nature also boosts Scizor's Attack, further increasing its damage output. Alternatively, 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe could be used to focus on bulk instead of Speed for survivability.</p>
<p>Entry hazards are really important for helping Scizor to sweep. Stealth Rock from Heatran or Tyranitar is good support, while Spikes from Skarmory can also help a lot. With a few layers of Spikes, Scizor is able to OHKO Hippowdon with +2 Bug Bite. When countering this set, relying on strong defensive Pokemon is often not the best way to defeat it. Most walls are KOed by a combination of Bullet Punch and Bug Bite, with Steel-types being taken care of by Superpower. When facing offensive Swords Dance Scizor, a powerful offensive Pokemon that resists Bullet Punch will be much more valuable. Examples include Thundurus, Scarf Magnezone, Scarf Heatran, Gyarados, and Rotom-H. These Pokemon can switch in on a Swords Dance, or after a kill, and proceed to KO Scizor with Fire-type attacks or powerful STAB moves. To guarantee a sweep with this Scizor, these Pokemon need to be removed. Wobbuffet can switch into a Scarf user and use Mirror Coat or Counter to remove it. Generally speaking, removing enemies that resist Bullet Punch and hit hard will almost guarantee a Scizor sweep.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are few viable alternative sets to those listed above. A Choice Scarf set can be quite an effective scout, hurting foes with a quick and powerful U-turn while being an effective revenge killer, much like Choice Band Scizor. Also, a Roost set with Life Orb + 3 attacks is viable, granting Scizor durability and coverage, in exchange for losing the wall-shattering power that would be offered by Swords Dance. Scizor can also run an effective Baton Pass set with Agility or Swords Dance, but on the whole this is outclassed by Gorebyss or Huntail passing Shell Smash. Finally, Iron Head is a stronger move to use for Scizor's Steel-type STAB, but it is largely outclassed by Bullet Punch, though it would be the STAB move of choice when trying to abuse Choice Scarf.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Most defensive Steel-types are good counters to Scizor, as long as they don't switch into a super effective Superpower or Brick Break. Skarmory is probably the best initial switch-in, as it is easily able to takes Scizor's attacks and set up Spikes. Furthermore, if Scizor acquires too many boosts, Skarmory can just phaze it away with Whirlwind. Bulky Water-types such as Jellicent and Rotom-W can safely wall Scizor, and can cripple it with Will-O-Wisp. They must, however, be wary that with enough Swords Dance boosts, it still has a chance to break through them. Rotom-W often carries Hidden Power Fire to surprise Ferrothorn, and can OHKO Scizor while laughing at Bullet Punch thanks to its 4x resistance to Steel-type attacks. Gyarados resists Bug-, Steel-, and Fighting-type attacks, completely resisting Scizor's offense and further weakening its Attack with Intimidate. It can batter Scizor with its powerful STAB Waterfall, or phaze it with Dragon Tail or Roar. While it has fallen from popularity in BW, Zapdos also resists Bug-, Steel-, and Fighting-type attacks, and will destroy Scizor with Heat Wave or STAB Thunderbolt. While its inferior defenses make it less capable of freely switching in, Thundurus shares the same resistances and will make quick work of Scizor once it has switched in safely. Thudurus is one of many fast and powerful sweepers that can shrug off a Bullet Punch and successfully revenge kill Scizor, a list which includes Infernape, Hidden Power Fire Starmie, and Victini.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Scizor's Dream World ability, Light Metal, decreases the damage taken from weight-based moves, such as Grass Knot and Low Kick. When compared to Scizor's other abilities, Technician and Swarm, it's useless. Therefore, Light Metal should never be seen in competitive play.</p>
QC Checks: 1/3 Iconic, 2/3 Delta 2777, 3/3 Bloo
GP Checks: 1/3 Chou Toshio, 2/3 Calm Pokemaster, 3/3 jc104 also, a few nitpicks from Zdrup15
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[Overview]
<p>Scizor is a terrific threat in today's metagame. Its Bug / Steel typing gives it a host of useful resistances to utilize alongside its respectable bulk. Scizor has a great offensive ability, Technician, to abuse in tandem with its 130 base Attack, making it a real offensive terror. While neither STAB is particularly impressive in terms of coverage, they grant power boosts to key moves like the incredibly useful U-turn, and Scizor's terrifying Bullet Punch. Technician Bullet Punch, when boosted by a Choice Band or Swords Dance, is a terrifically powerful priority move, granting Scizor revenge killing and sweeping potential sure to be valued by any team. Scizor can also make an excellent scout with a STAB U-turn, which does huge damage to opposing Pokemon whilst giving teammates a free switch-in. Scizor is the only Bug-type to get U-turn without being weak to Stealth Rock, making it arguably the greatest abuser of the move in the game.</p>
<p>Whether Scizor is sweeping with Swords Dance, scouting with Choice Band U-turn, or picking off opponents with a Technician Bullet Punch, it will surely be a great asset to any team, especially teams that struggle against threats such as Latios, Reuniclus, and Tyranitar. Scizor can fit on almost any team, as it accomplishes many jobs and provides a team with fantastic offensive and defensive support.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Bug Bite / Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Adamant
ability: Technician
evs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Scizor's flagship set for the new generation, the bulky Swords Dance set is able to set up on many common threats in the metagame, including Ferrothorn, Reuniclus, and Specs Latios locked into Draco Meteor. Scizor's great base Attack stat allows it to deal out huge damage with Bullet Punch and Bug Bite, even with minimal Attack investment. Swords Dance will boost Scizor's Attack to truly threatening levels, while the bulk of this set will assure easy setup.</p>
<p>Bullet Punch is one of the main reasons to use Scizor, and its priority and tremendous power make it the main sweeping move for this set as well. Bug Bite gives Scizor another STAB option to add to its arsenal, and packs greater brute force, letting Scizor handily deal with slower, bulky Pokemon such as Reuniclus. Superpower can also be used, as it does serious damage to many Pokemon that otherwise wall this set, notably Steel-type foes such as Skarmory and Heatran. Catching these threats on the switch-in with Superpower can dramatically swing the game in one's favor. Finally, Roost rounds out this set, giving Scizor a means of reliable recovery to heal off damage from various resisted attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs provide Scizor with great bulk, both physically and specially. HP is maximized to enhance its overall bulk, whilst 216 Special Defense EVs make sure that Scizor isn't 2HKOed by a Focus Blast from Reuniclus or Virizion. The remaining EVs are placed in Attack, allowing Scizor to hit a little harder after set up. A more defensive EV spread can be utilized to let Scizor wall more effectively, but the extra Attack is generally more valuable than the small boost in bulk. When multiplying your power with Swords Dance, just a small investment in Attack can bring dramatic results.</p>
<p>Scizor can use other moves on this set as well. U-turn can be used to scout for Scizor's counters early in the game, weakening them and setting Scizor up for a Bullet Punch sweep later on. Entry hazards will allow you to make the best use of U-turn, forcing more damage on the enemy's Scizor checks as they switch in and out of battle chasing Scizor. Keep in mind that U-turn lacks synergy with Swords Dance, as its switching will cause Scizor to lose your hard-earned Attack boosts. Scizor can use Brick Break over Bug Bite. Fighting-type attacks have better coverage with Steel-type moves than Bug-type ones do, granting at least neutral coverage against the many Steel-types of OU. Keep in mind that despite its poor type coverage, the power granted to Bug Bite by STAB and Technician cannot to be underestimated because a resisted Bug Bite is only slightly weaker than a neutral Brick Break. Furthermore, without Bug Bite, Scizor will have trouble checking Reuniclus, which is one of its most valuable roles in BW OU. Scizor can utilize different items on this set, all to great effect. The healing granted by Leftovers will be greatly appreciated by Scizor as it aims to set up Swords Dance on resisted attacks. In contrast, the power boost granted by Life Orb can be critical to Scizor in successfully sweeping, especially when aiming to surmount bulky enemies such as Gliscor. While its low Speed makes it hard to find a free turn, Scizor can always fall back on Roost to recover health lost to Life Orb should it find an opportunity. Finally, a Lum Berry can be used to allow Scizor to shrug off status such as a burn from Scald or Jellicent's Will-O-Wisp.</p>
<p>This Scizor appreciates entry hazard support, as it is capable of forcing many enemy threats out, and subsequently forcing them to take more entry hazard damage upon their next switch-in. Do keep in mind that Ferrothorn's similar typing would compound the team's Fire-type weakness, making it less than ideal as a partner unless your team is well equipped to handle powerful Fire-type attacks. Tyranitar and Scizor have good synergy, covering each other's weaknesses relatively well, while Tyranitar backs Scizor up with some extra special bulk, and provides a sandstorm that makes it easier for Scizor to break through foes such as Blissey and bulky Water-types. Heatran can also do a great job, as it eagerly switches into Fire-type attacks aimed at Scizor whilst getting a free boost thanks to Flash Fire. Bulky Water-types are also great teammates, using their great defenses and resistance to Fire-type attacks to defeat or set up on foes keen to strike at Scizor's weakness. Gyarados is a great example of a teammate capable of capitalizing on Scizor's Fire-type weakness, as it can switch in and set up Dragon Dance, cripple a foe with Thunder Wave, or change the momentum with Dragon Tail. Additionally, Gyarados is a fantastic check to Ground- and Fighting-types that think they can muscle through Scizor. Politoed is also very effective, as it halves the damage that Scizor takes from Fire-type attacks, making it even harder to take down. Do be wary that rain strengthens your opponent's Water-type attacks as well, and Scizor will likely be unable to hold up against STAB rain-boosted attacks from enemy Water-types (who will also resist Bullet Punch). If you use Politoed, be sure to pack a teammate that can hold up to powerful Water-type attacks. This set must also be wary of Pokemon that resist Bullet Punch and have effective methods of attacking Scizor. Pokemon such as Heatran and Rotom-H can easily switch in and beat this set. Also, Steel-types such as Skarmory can easily phaze Scizor away if it lacks Superpower. One should note though that Scizor will beat Skarmory one-on-one if Scizor is left as the last Pokemon. Magnezone can trap Skarmory and weakened Heatran, killing them both off with Thunderbolt. Other Electric-type Pokemon such as Thundurus can more or less accomplish the same feat.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Quick Attack
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
ability: Technician
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The menace from DPP returns, and retains its status as a top-tier Pokemon. U-turn is the crux of this set, allowing Scizor to deal out huge damage to incoming Pokemon and maintain momentum, scouting the switch-in and grabbing a favorable match-up. Choice Band-boosted Bullet Punch is incredibly powerful even with no setup, and allows Scizor to revenge kill many dangerous threats such as Salamence locked into Outrage, Choice Scarf Hydreigon and "Double Booster" Terrakion.</p>
<p>The other two moves on this set, Superpower and Pursuit, give Scizor some added utility. Superpower does huge damage to Scizor's main counters, OHKOing Heatran, Magnezone, and Ferrothorn expecting a Bullet Punch. Specially defensive Skarmory also takes significant damage, and can be OHKOed if it Roosts. Pursuit allows Scizor to KO or do huge damage to a fleeing Psychic-type, such as Reuniclus, Starmie, or Slowbro. It also checkmates Choice Specs Latios locked into Draco Meteor. Quick Attack can be a good option over Pursuit, as, depending on the circumstances, it can give Scizor the opportunity to beat threats that resist Bullet Punch, such as Infernape, Thundurus, and weakened Gyarados. It also comes with the added benefit of OHKOing 4 / 0 Volcarona after Stealth Rock.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A few other moves for Scizor may be considered. Night Slash is a good move to hit Ghost-types hard, most notably Jellicent, but switching to a counter with U-turn is almost always the better option. One should also note that Night Slash's Base Power is 70, only 10 more points than Technician-boosted Pursuit, which has 60 Base Power even if the opponent doesn't switch. Bug Bite is almost 30% more powerful than U-turn, but the effectiveness of U-turn's switching ability cannot be overstated, so U-turn is generally the superior Bug-type STAB move. The Adamant nature, coupled with full investment in Attack, gives Scizor a huge power boost, allowing it to hit as hard as possible. Tyranitar is a good choice to set up Stealth Rock, given its great synergy with Scizor. 252 HP EVs would make Scizor's HP divisible by 4, so 248 HP EVs are used to maximize Scizor's bulk while giving it one additional opportunity to switch into Stealth Rock. The rest of the EVs are put into Speed so that Scizor can outrun other Scizor, and other Pokemon with base 65 Speed running no Speed EVs. A bulky EV spread, similar to the spread for the Bulky Swords Dance set, could be used to make Scizor a more effective trapper against special attackers such as Latios, Latias, Reuniclus, Gengar, and Starmie. Unfortunately, Scizor's attacks, most notably Bullet Punch, will be severely weakened, which means that much of Scizor's potential for sweeping and revenge killing is lost.</p>
<p>This Scizor benefits a lot from Rapid Spin support. Spikes and Stealth Rock punish repeated switching, and Scizor will be unable to utilize U-turn to its full capacity when faced with a field littered with entry hazards. Life Orb Starmie is a very effective Rapid Spin user to pair with Scizor, as it beats all common spinblockers, defeating Jellicent with Thunderbolt and Gengar with Hydro Pump. Also, Starmie resists Fire-type attacks, Scizor's only weakness, while Scizor resists the Dark-, Ghost-, Grass-, and Bug-type attacks that plague Starmie. Finally, if Scizor can remove Ferrothorn or Chansey with a surprise Superpower, Starmie will be able to sweep late-game, making them a lethal offensive duo. A Stealth Rock or Spikes user of your own makes Scizor even more effective, as it tends to force a lot of switches with its powerful attacks and U-turn antics. Once more, Tyranitar is a good choice to set up Stealth Rock, while Skarmory is a good choice to supply Spikes. Skarmory can wall a lot of the common physical threats that can set up on this Scizor, such as Excadrill. Skarmory's relatively similar typing can cause problems, notably compounding the team's weakness to Fire-type attacks. When using Skarmory with Scizor, the other four Pokemon should be chosen with care. Jellicent and Heatran are good choices to cover Scizor's weakness to Fire-type attacks, with Jellicent spinblocking and spreading status and Heatran aiding Scizor's sweep by battering the enemy with its powerful special attacks. They also check the Steel-types that give this set trouble. Other counters include Jellicent and Gliscor, thanks to their resistances and great defenses. Pokemon that can take advantage of these two also make great teammates. Examples include Rotom-W, Gengar, and Latios.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Superpower / Brick Break
move 4: Bug Bite
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant / Jolly
ability: Technician
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While the bulky Swords Dance set is meant to wall certain threats while threatening a sweep, this Scizor is an all-out sweeper. With maximum investment in Attack, along with a Swords Dance boost, Life Orb, and Technician, Bullet Punch can easily OHKO virtually any offensive threat in OU, unless they resist the attack. Hippowdon is easily 2HKOed by Bug Bite, and Gliscor is 2HKOed by Bullet Punch, indicating this Scizor's ability to break some of the bulkiest walls in the tier.</p>
<p>Swords Dance is self-explanatory on this set, boosting Scizor's Attack to sky-high levels. Bullet Punch is Scizor's main move, bypassing its mediocre Speed to deal huge damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Superpower is on this set to deal with the Steel-types that plague Scizor, allowing it to lure in and destroy powerful foes such as Heatran and Magnezone. It also allows Scizor to deal with Skarmory when at +2, and makes switching into Scizor even more difficult. Finally, Bug Bite is the last move on the set, as it does huge damage to slower walls such as Hippowdon and Slowbro, 2HKOing and OHKOing respectively at +2.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Scizor can run a few other moves on this set. Brick Break can be used over Superpower for a more reliable Fighting-type attack, but Superpower's superior power is needed to OHKO Heatran and Magnezone on the switch. Also, Pursuit is a decent choice for a moveslot, as it can OHKO Jellicent at +2, while allowing Scizor to damage fleeing Reuniclus. The item of choice for this set is Life Orb, as it gives Scizor a great power boost. Leftovers could be used for greater longevity, but its performance will ultimately be inferior to the bulky Swords Dance set. A Metal Coat can also be used to boost the power of Bullet Punch while feigning a Choice Band, but Scizor works better with a boost to all of its attacks. The EVs are used to maximize Scizor's attacking power, while allowing it to outspeed max Speed Tyranitar and at least tie with other Scizor. The Adamant nature also boosts Scizor's Attack, further increasing its damage output. Alternatively, 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe could be used to focus on bulk instead of Speed for survivability.</p>
<p>Entry hazards are really important for helping Scizor to sweep. Stealth Rock from Heatran or Tyranitar is good support, while Spikes from Skarmory can also help a lot. With a few layers of Spikes, Scizor is able to OHKO Hippowdon with +2 Bug Bite. When countering this set, relying on strong defensive Pokemon is often not the best way to defeat it. Most walls are KOed by a combination of Bullet Punch and Bug Bite, with Steel-types being taken care of by Superpower. When facing offensive Swords Dance Scizor, a powerful offensive Pokemon that resists Bullet Punch will be much more valuable. Examples include Thundurus, Scarf Magnezone, Scarf Heatran, Gyarados, and Rotom-H. These Pokemon can switch in on a Swords Dance, or after a kill, and proceed to KO Scizor with Fire-type attacks or powerful STAB moves. To guarantee a sweep with this Scizor, these Pokemon need to be removed. Wobbuffet can switch into a Scarf user and use Mirror Coat or Counter to remove it. Generally speaking, removing enemies that resist Bullet Punch and hit hard will almost guarantee a Scizor sweep.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are few viable alternative sets to those listed above. A Choice Scarf set can be quite an effective scout, hurting foes with a quick and powerful U-turn while being an effective revenge killer, much like Choice Band Scizor. Also, a Roost set with Life Orb + 3 attacks is viable, granting Scizor durability and coverage, in exchange for losing the wall-shattering power that would be offered by Swords Dance. Scizor can also run an effective Baton Pass set with Agility or Swords Dance, but on the whole this is outclassed by Gorebyss or Huntail passing Shell Smash. Finally, Iron Head is a stronger move to use for Scizor's Steel-type STAB, but it is largely outclassed by Bullet Punch, though it would be the STAB move of choice when trying to abuse Choice Scarf.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Most defensive Steel-types are good counters to Scizor, as long as they don't switch into a super effective Superpower or Brick Break. Skarmory is probably the best initial switch-in, as it is easily able to takes Scizor's attacks and set up Spikes. Furthermore, if Scizor acquires too many boosts, Skarmory can just phaze it away with Whirlwind. Bulky Water-types such as Jellicent and Rotom-W can safely wall Scizor, and can cripple it with Will-O-Wisp. They must, however, be wary that with enough Swords Dance boosts, it still has a chance to break through them. Rotom-W often carries Hidden Power Fire to surprise Ferrothorn, and can OHKO Scizor while laughing at Bullet Punch thanks to its 4x resistance to Steel-type attacks. Gyarados resists Bug-, Steel-, and Fighting-type attacks, completely resisting Scizor's offense and further weakening its Attack with Intimidate. It can batter Scizor with its powerful STAB Waterfall, or phaze it with Dragon Tail or Roar. While it has fallen from popularity in BW, Zapdos also resists Bug-, Steel-, and Fighting-type attacks, and will destroy Scizor with Heat Wave or STAB Thunderbolt. While its inferior defenses make it less capable of freely switching in, Thundurus shares the same resistances and will make quick work of Scizor once it has switched in safely. Thudurus is one of many fast and powerful sweepers that can shrug off a Bullet Punch and successfully revenge kill Scizor, a list which includes Infernape, Hidden Power Fire Starmie, and Victini.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Scizor's Dream World ability, Light Metal, decreases the damage taken from weight-based moves, such as Grass Knot and Low Kick. When compared to Scizor's other abilities, Technician and Swarm, it's useless. Therefore, Light Metal should never be seen in competitive play.</p>
