What is a good moveset for Serperior?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Serperior, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Serperior Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

No need for me to answer. This guy doesn't have anything else. Actually quite a shallow movepool. I am actually starting to think Borderline is his zone. But likely tier: Overused.

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Hey everyone think first serperior with perseverity ISN'T OUT YET for the dream world!!!

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That doesn't matter. We can still use those abilities on Pokemon Online.

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How do you do it?

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Can't believe he is NU xD

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WIth Contrary, he should be OU.

Answer 1

Here's a nice little set:

Serperior@ Leftovers/Big Root
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Giga Drain
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power

I call it… SubStorm Serperior. If you get a free switch to bring in Serp, you can get that Sub up and Leaf Storm to your heart's content. Giga Drain is for recovery, while a Hidden Power of your choice provides some coverage.

Serperior will never be a "good" Pokémon, but it might be able to find a niche somewhere… maybe?

Comments

Serperior is BANNED from UU so it's somewhat decent.
Your set is nowhere a gimmick but Serperior desperately needs Hidden Power. Like, badly.

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Serperior itself is a gimmick. The poor thing doesn't even work as a glass cannon most ov the time, since it relies on getting a +2 from the first Leaf Storm and not being KOed in between. Not to mention that solid Grass typing isn't the best.

Answer 2

Serperior @ Wide Lens
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid

-Leaf Storm
-Dragon Pulse
-Toxic
-Leech Seed

Answer 3

Here's a Physical Sweeper Serperior.

Serperior @ Lum Berry / Razor Claw / Life Orb
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Ability: Overgrow
-Aerial Ace / Swords Dance
-Aqua Tail
-Leaf Blade
-Outrage

A Special Sweeper Serperior.

Serperior @ Big Root / Life Orb
Nature: Modest / Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spd
Ability: Contrary / Overgrow
-Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
-Hidden Power [Fire]
-Dragon Pulse
-Wring Out

I'm trying to think of a wall moveset for Serperior...

Answer 4

Serperior @ Leftovers
Trait: Contrary
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Spe/252 SAtk/4 SDef
Moveset:

• Leaf Storm
• Dragon Pulse
• Glare
• Giga Drain

Leaf Storm is Serperior's main and most powerful STAB move, and instead of lowering your special attack in raises it due to Contrary. Dragon Pulse is good coverage. Glare is helpful when needing to slow opponents down, and Giga Drain offers more STAB and healing.

Answer 5

I feel like the Serperiors I listed are a bit too strong but you guys and girls can look for yourself and say what you think of it. (Enjoy)

Special Serperior

Serperior @ Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Timid (+Spe -Atk)
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpA

+Leaf Storm
-Dragon Pulse
-Giga Drain
-Glare

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Physical Serperior

Serperior @ Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Jolly (+Spe -SpAtk)
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 Atk
-Leaf Blade
-Coil
-Glare
-Leech Seed

Answer 6

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Timid (+Speed, -Attack)
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
- Glare
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Answer 7

Does no one ever think of Serperior as a potential special defender?

Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow / Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Toxic
- Synthesis / Calm Mind

This set was made to create a more special defense based Pokemon that people would like to use. If you're running Contrary, replace Giga Drain with Leaf Storm, but if you're running Giga Drain, you won't really need Synthesis. Personally, I would keep it as a safety net, but I don't care what you do. Calm Mind works as a buff, increasing the Special Attack that should already be high if you have a contrary Leaf Storm used already, and to increase the already great special defense. Dragon Pulse is for coverage, and Toxic is for chip damage, increasing over time.

Answer 8

Here are a few sets I quite like, that I've done well with

Set Up Sweeper

Serperior @ Leftovers / Grassium Z
Ability: Contrary
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse / Hidden Power [Ice]
- Hidden Power [Rock] / Hidden Power [Fire] / Giga Drain
- Giga Drain / Synthesis

Pure offence EV's, enough said.

Bulky Support Contrary

Serperior @ Aguav Berry / Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
Timid Nature
EVs: 200 HP / 36 SpA / 252 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Hidden Power [Rock]
- Glare
- Substitute

EV's are for semi bulk, to take hits better, while racking up Special Attack boosts. Glare to cripple, and Sub to dodge status. With the above EVs, you can activate the Berry after the third sub, with Stealth Rock damage, or one layer of Spikes, or after the 4th Sub, with less than 1% HP left, with no prior damage. If you wanted a guaranteed Berry Activation on the 3rd Sub, you can play around with the EV's.

Physical Attacker

Serprior @ Leftovers / Aguav Berry / Steelium Z / Waterium Z / Grassium Z
Ability: Overgrow
Jolly Nature
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 4 SpD / 172 Spe
- Leaf Blade
- Iron Tail / Aqua Tail
- Coil
- Synthesis

Speed EVs allow it to outspeed anything unboosted up to base 102, with Neutral Nature, and base 90 with a beneficial nature. 4 Special Defense because of Download Ability, against this Serp, they'll always get Physical Attack. Porygon and it's evolved forms arent super common, but 4 EVs in HP or Def/Sp Def is common, and when a Pokemon has equal base defences, I do 4 Sp Def, just in case. Decent bulk to live medium strength Super Effective hits, and strong neutral ones. Item choice is pretty versatile, and depends largely on what else is on your team. I generally run Battle Bond Greninja, and some sort of Dragon, so I'd opt for Iron Tail over Aqua Tail.

Answer 9

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power Ground/ Ice/ Fire
- Giga Drain

Leaf storm boosted by STAB, life orb, and a prior boost is terrifying. Dragon pulse is coverage for dragon types. HP ground for Heatran and Toxapex, Ice for Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, Fire for Ferrothorn. Giga Drain heals off Life Orb damage, is 100% accurate unlike Leaf Storm, and has more PP, plus it’s still STAB

Answer 10

Serperior @ Assault Vest
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 96 HP / 160 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Knock Off

Inspired by Assault Vest Tornadous-Therian, which terrorized gen 6 OU with its combination of speed, bulk, and power. Good times. Leaf Storm is strong STAB, doubles Special Attack every time. Kind of like Nasty Plot and a 130 BP grass move combined. Or Seed Flare lol. Dragon Pulse is coverage for Dragon types, Hidden Power Fire for coverage vs steels, Knock Off seems strange on a Pokemon with a Timid Nature, but it knocks off the Leftovers or Choice Item of anything switching in. Also, its good utility for strengthening your offensive assault against the enemy team, could make the difference between a OHKO and a 2HKO.

Again, Knock off is used SOLELY for the utility so don't spam downvote this please

Answer 11

Since Hidden Abilities may be hard to obtain in-game, I will post a set for its Hidden Ability as well as without, since I really like Contrary. So here we go!

Serperior @ Leftovers
Role: Special Sweeper
Trait: Contrary
Nature: Timid (+Spd, - Atk)/ Modest (+SAtk, - Atk) (Serperior's already fast enough so we must make sure it will almost always move first by taking advantage of its already fast speed to make it even faster)
EVs: 252 SAtk/ 252 Spd/ 4 HP (same as the above, also because Serperior's gonna be a Special Sweeper)
Moveset:
- Leaf Storm (STAB, high power, with Contrary Serperior's SAtk will be raised by two stages, but be prepared to raise the PP to the maximum 8 since it's Serperior's main damaging move)
- Hidden Power (Rock) (It's nearly a given! Rock typing is strong against ALL of Serperior's weaknesses, namely Flying, Bug, Fire and Ice!)
- Synthesis (Given no thought to its defenses, it may be good to have a healing move to restore HP, combined with Leftovers may make Serperior survive longer)
- Toxic/Giga Drain/Energy Ball (Depends on whether you want a damaging move (that can heal or deal more damage) or a move that may help your team mates should you, unfortunately, get KO)
Edit: Thanks to SSuperior for correcting me that Calm Mind will lower the stats instead of increasing them for a Contrary Serperior!

Seperior @ Leftovers
Role: Physical Sweeper
Trait: Overgrow
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, - SAtk)/ Jolly (+ Atk, - SAtk) (same as the above, make Seperior faster so it can almost always move first)
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Spd/ 4HP (same reasoning as above)
Moveset:
- Swords Dance (raise Atk by two stages!)/ Coil (don't really recommend, but more importantly boosts Atk, Def and Acc by one stage)
- Leaf Blade (STAB, high power)
- Dragon Tail (just good to have and Serperior can switch out when it's about to get KO)
- Synthesis/Substitute (do you want to heal your Serperior or set up a SD-LB-DT combo?)

For a Seperior with Overgrow, a Special moveset can be remove Leaf Storm and give it Energy Ball or Giga Drain.

Comments

If you use contrary calm mind serperior your sp.def and sp.a will be lowered by 1 stage

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Oh drats I forgot about it let me rechange it, thanks for the notice!

Answer 12

Serperior @ Leftovers / Miracle Seed
Ability: Contary
Nature - Modest
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
- Toxic
- Leaf Storm
- Leaf Blade
- Hidden Power [Rock]

Explanation
Leaf Blade is STAB Move and Leaf Storm With help of Contary will increase your Special Attack. Hidden Power [Rock] as coverage for most weakness (Ice, Fire, Flying, Bug)

Comments

Adamant Nature and a mixed moveset? Why? Miracle Seed isn't good competitively, and Leaf Storm decreases your Special Attack, not the opponent's.

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and Contrary is better than Overgrow for a ton of reasons.

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Two STAB moves? And if you have Leaf Storm why not Contrary
"Leaf Storm decreases Special Attack" doesn't make sense to me

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I remove Coil Because It will decrease stat because of Contary

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Why don't you want to use Leaf Storm + Contrary? There is no reason to use this Pokemon except for this combination.

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Contrary > Overgrow for sure

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U forgot that contrary and coil would reduce ur stats

Answer 13

Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Rock]/Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
- Synthesis

Comments

Why HP Rock?

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Assuming because it covers several of Serp's weaknesses. Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice, etc. Though Leaf Storm would still do more to Ice unless a 4x weakness was involved.

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HP Rock is outclassed.
HP Fire much better.

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They both work. HP Fire leaves you vulnerable to Fire and Flying, and hits Steel which Serp would otherwise match poorly against, but still scorches Bug.

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Steel is pretty common in Gen 7 OU (that’s what I’m assuming: Gen 8 doesn’t have Serp). And so, HP Fire would usually be a better option.

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I was using Lucario's logic, so I can add a choice here. Ty for the help!

Answer 14

Gen 7 NFE

Servine @ Eviolite
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Hidden Power [Ground]
- Glare

Leaf Storm is strong STAB that raises special attack thanks to Contrary. Giga Drain is for healing. HP Fire is coverage that hits steel, bug, and ice types. HP Ground can be used instead to deal with fire, steel, and poison types. Glare is to paralyze opposing Pokemon and cut their speed.

Answer 15

Serperior (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Dragon Pulse
- Synthesis

Analysis
Choice Specs makes Serperior's lackluster Special Attack viable.
Contary reverses stat changes so Leaf Storm gives you +2 Special Attack instead of -2 Special Attack.
EVs are for sweeping as Serperior already has good Defenses.

Leaf Storm is great STAB and it's essentially a free Nasty Plot that damages the opponent.
HP Rock covers most of your weaknesses and is coverage..
Dragon Pulse deals with the Dragon types that resist your Leaf Storm and take neutral damage from HP Rock.
Synthesis is there to recover health due to Serperior's mediocre HP stat.

Comments

Synthesis and Choice Specs? Healing won't help you much if you're locked into it.

Answer 16

I know it's physical move pool is far serperior, but look at my play here.

GEN VII
Serperior @ Life Orb/ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Nature: Modest
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power (Fire)
- Dragon Pulse
- Synthesis
Leaf Storm is STAB and BOOST Serperior's Special Attack instead of lowering it thanks to Contrary
HP Fire and Dragon Pulse are it's ONLY good Special coverage moves, I had to sacrifice coverage for the Leaf Storm Boost
Synthesis is useful for Healing: since Serperior is quite bulky and really fast, it works perfectly

Answer 17

Serperior @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 126 Def / 4 SpA / 126 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain

My showdown killer. Takes hits well and is so fast. Can use specs as well. No choice serperior till now? Even with minimal investment this thing becomes so has broken special attack.

Answer 18

Gen 6 OU

Serperior @ Light Clay
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Leaf Storm
- Glare

Dual Screens Serperior is one of the best leads of Gen 6 OU's Hyper Offensive teams, enabling terrifying set up sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and Quiver Dance Volcarona, who otherwise find a hard time setting up. Light Screen and Reflect are used for support, Leaf Storm to dish out damage and to not be Taunt bait, and Glare is used for the 100% accurate paralysis, even on Ground types.

Answer 19

Serperior @Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
252 Spe / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Timid
-Leaf Storm (STAB, +2 SpA by Contrary)
-Synthesis (Healing)
-Hidden Power (Rock Type Preferred)
-Mean Look (Trap) / Taunt (Disrupt)

Comments

what happens when you go against a steel type?

Answer 20

Gen 9 Competitive( Contrary is essential for this to work). I thought up this one if Serperior ever got added to S\V, and they just made even more powerful in the DLC, so let's see how this goes.

Defensive Serperior

Serperior@ Hard Stone\Expert Belt
EVs: 252 Def, 125 SpA, 129 SpD
Tera Type:Rock\Stellar
Ability:Contrary

-Leaf Storm
-Scale Shot
-Tera Blast
-Giga Drain\Reflect\Light Screen

Okay, this is how this'll turn out. Leaf Storm is an obvious choice, sharply boosting your Sp.Atk, and dealing massive dmg. Scale Shot is for Dragons, and boosts your Defense, but decreases your Speed now since the effect is reversed. for Tera Blast, you can either use tera Rock with Hard Stone\Expert Belt to cover your Flying, Fire and Bug weaknesses, or use tera Stellar with Expert Belt to do more dmg to Terastilized Pokemon, and get a boost in
Sp.Atk. The last slot is up to you, whether you want a sufficient source of healing or reduced dmg from attacks overall. the EVs are for making sure you can take a hit, as well as during medium-high dmg in return. Hope this helps!