What is a good moveset for Sceptile?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Sceptile, 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.

Sceptile Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Sceptile @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Leaf Blade
- Dynamic Punch
- Rock Slide / Earthquake

I tried making something original.
Hone Claws boosts accuracy and Attack, just find a good situation to set it up.
Leaf Blade is good STAB with a better crit chance, if something is setting up Def you can spam dat mofo for a potential crit.
DynamicPunch has good power, and it's honestly the main reason Hone Claws is here. It also has a excellent secondary effect (confuses opponent).
Rock Slide patches up the coverage hitting Bug- and Flying-types, while Earthquake takes care of Poison-types.

Comments

Okay, this is awasome stuff.

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Is hone claws even available in heartgold?

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no, its new in B/W

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he cant learn dynamic punch so i would do drain punch via move tutor

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He does in gen 3

Answer 2

Gen 7 Doubles OU

Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Energy Ball
- Dragon Pulse
- Detect
- Focus Blast

This must be used with a Discharge user such as Tapu Koko. That Pokémon should spam Discharge, which activates Sceptile's Lightning Rod, raising it's special attack one stage every time Discharge is used, while still hitting both opponents. The Modest nature allows Tapu Koko and Zeraora (another Discharge user you can use) to outspeed Sceptile so they can activate Lightning Rod before Sceptile attacks. Energy Ball and Dragon Pulse are STAB. Detect blocks attacks for a turn, and used over Protect despite the lower PP in case of Imprison + Protect. Focus Blast is coverage.

Replay showcasing the gimmick (Ignore the fact that I lost lol)

Comments

Nice set and strategy, thanks!

Answer 3

GASP! A non-mega Sceptile?!

Sceptile @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Endure
- Drain Punch
- Acrobatics
- Giga Drain / Thunder Punch

This set turns Sceptile's weaknesses into benefits. Endure allows you to survive a SE hit which would otherwise kill it. Then it can grab the Weakness Policy boost and Drain Punch itself back to victory. Unburden allows it to outspeed basically everything. Giga Drain can also be used, if you prefer Mixed, and also beating Physical walls. If you run Thunder Punch, be sure to use a Jolly nature, and put the extra 4 EVs in HP. Acrobatics also hits insanely hard after the boost. A Liechi Berry can be substituted for Weakness Policy for considerably less power but more reliability. I personally don't think it's worth it.

Comments

nice idea

Answer 4

I wasn't a Sceptile Fan or expert, but I've use this more than a hundred times and which hep me won a lot (or just say every) battle.
This was the set I've use:

Sceptile @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 200 HP / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Endure / Earthquake
- Acrobatics
- Drain Punch
- Leaf Blade

Sceptile's decent 85 Attack wasn't too good but after pairing with Weakness Policy it was a BEAST, the amusing ability of Unburden makes it's speed superb. Don't be suprised by the Evs spread, but it could actually outspeed a lot of Pokemon in the tier and could hold some hits bt if you're not sure such like you think you have a bad luck than use Endure. Earthquake for good power and coverage. Acrobatics has double power after activing the Weakness Policy, Drain Punch for good recovery and coverage with decent fine power and Leaf Blade for STAB.

+2 252+ Atk Sceptile Drain Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Blissey: 486-574 (68 - 80.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

See how powerful was this set? Sceptile could easily get rid of Blissy with a move that has only 75 power, and recive heal damage, I was so superise of it seems it only got 85 Atk.

Hope it helps! I hope everyone likes the set UwU

Answer 5

Format: NU

Hmm... I'm pretty sure nobody posted a sub-seed set so lololol

Sceptile @ Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature / Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade / Earthquake / Focus Punch

Here's what you do: first, set up Substitute. Then you Leech Seed and Swords Dance. Try and get at least one Swords Dance up before the sub is broken, otherwise you won't stand a chance. Either Leaf Blade for STAB and a higher crit chance, Earthquake for coverage and high power, or Focus Punch, coverage and high power, but it only works if your opponent is setting up that turn or if you're behind your sub.

This is a unique set I made for NU. It may seem bad but it is a work in progress

Comments

No offense but Sceptile is wayyyyyyy to for frail to try to subseed

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Ikr but like a said its a work in progress u dont have to use it anyway

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Good set but yeah, Sceptile is extremely frail. Hey, it's unique.

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This is the worst Sceptile moveset I’ve ever seen in my whole life. I love it so much lololololol can’t wait to troll my friends with this I wish I could upvote a million times

Answer 6

Gen 8 NU
Sceptile @ Grassy Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Acrobatics
- Thunder Punch / Rock Slide / Drain Punch / Earthquake

With all of the Pokemon that carry priority moves, Focus Sash Unburden Sceptile isn't as good as it used to be. This is to be used on a team with Grassy Surge Thwackey so Sceptile's Grassy Seed can activate, causing Unburden to activate. Swords Dance is to double your attack stat. Acrobatics gets double the power when your Grassy Seed is consumed. You could run Thunder Punch to deal with flying types. You could also run Rock Slide to deal with Fire, Flying, and Ice types. Drain Punch is for healing and can deal with Steel Types such as Duraludon. You could run Earthquake, but you would have to wait until Grassy Terrain ends to use Earthquake as its power will be halved when Grassy Terrain is in effect.

Comments

Too bad he gets low attack despite good movepool.

Answer 7

Gen 8 BDSP NU

Sceptile @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
- Earthquake / Rock Slide

This is the mixed Life Orb set used in BDSP NU. Leaf Storm is Sceptile's strongest Grass move. Giga Drain is for a Grass move that's accurate and helps heal off Life Orb recoil. Focus Blast is used to hit most Pokemon who resist Grass-type moves that aren't Flying-types and is Sceptile's best special coverage option. Earthquake is used to target Pokemon like Skuntank, while Rock Slide targets Flying-types like Charizard.

Answer 8

Sceptile @ Adrenaline Orb
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 212 Spe / 252 SpA / 44 HP
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Protect
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast

Description: This Sceptile is for Doubles. While its Adrenaline Orb may seem useless, it actually raises its Speed by one stage when Intimidated. This, combined with Unburden, can make Sceptile VERY hard to deal with.

Sceptile @ Sitrus Berry / Kee Berry / Maranga Berry / Figy Berry
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 200 Spe / 48 HP / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- Leaf Blade
- X-Scissor

Description: A singles Unburden sweeper.

Sceptile @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
IVs: 0 HP, Def, and SpD
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- Leaf Blade
- X-Scissor / Drain Punch

Description: Minimum defenses are to ensure that Focus Sash kicks in. This particular set is really, really, bad and you can only use it against friends, and friends that suck badly, I might add. Occasionally, it MIGHT work in competitive, but not nearly often enough to justify using over the regular Smogon set. Drain Punch is to cover for his insane weakness to any hazards.

Comments

Wow. Those are creative troll sets.

Answer 9

Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dragon Pulse
- Giga Drain
- Protect
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Since M-Sceptile's SpA is higher, it's better to stick with that. If you feel like it, you can run Mixed/Physical and swap out Hidden Power [Fire] for Earthquake and swap the other moves for their respective Physical counterparts. And anyway, Protect is like a signature move for my play style, because you can use it to bait opponents.

Edit: Forgot to add that you're better off using Sceptile's Mega because of normal Sceptile's stats and defenses. Its base isn't bad,but 105 isn't that great, especially for a Grass Pokemon, seeing as Grass Pokemon are meant to stall, not attack. So Sceptile is a weird one for me.

Answer 10

Psychic Seed Unburden
Gen 8 NU

Sceptile @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Nature Power
- Acrobatics / Rock Slide / Thunder Punch / Crunch / Earthquake / Drain Punch
- Work Up​

This is a mixed sweeper set for use in Psychic Terrain. Once you send out Sceptile in Psychic Terrain, Psychic Seed activates, which activates Unburden. And as long as Psychic Terrain is in effect, Sceptile can enjoy the luxury of not being revenge killed by most mons. :D Leaf Blade is STAB. Nature Power, when in Psychic Terrain, turns into the move, Psychic, which is useful for dealing with Vileplume and Bewear. For the third move, you can run what coverage you need. Acrobatics has double power once Psychic Seed is consumed. Rock Slide can deal with fire types like Talonflame. Thunderpunch also deals with flying types, but can do serious damage to Mantine. Crunch is useful for doing damage to Bronzong, who otherwise walls this set. Earthquake is to deal with steel types like Copperajah, who would also wall this set. Drain Punch is another way of dealing with steel types and is a form of HP recovery. Work Up boosts Sceptile's attack and special attack, which helps to secure OHKOs.

Comments

Work Up < Swords Dance, because the boost to Psychic is generally not better than the +2 to attack.

Answer 11

National Dex UU

Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Earthquake / Drain Punch
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance

This might be similar to other Mega Sceptile sets, but Dragon Dance Mega Sceptile seemed like something I wanted to post. This is to be used in National Dex UU as it's one of the formats where Mega Sceptile and Dragon Dance are compatible. Leaf Blade is STAB. Earthquake deals with steel and poison types. Drain Punch is an alternative to Earthquake for dealing with steel and ice types, and it heals you. Dragon Claw is STAB. Dragon Dance boosts your attack and speed.

Answer 12

Sceptile @ Focus Sash (suggestions welcome)
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature / Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Razor Wind

Giga Drain (attempt to counter its frail-ness) / Energy Ball (More reliable than Leaf Storm)
Dragon Pulse (Coverage)
Hidden Power [Rock] (May change depending on suggestions)
Razor Wind (Movepool is obviously limited, but does decent damage)

I'm not going to lie, kind of banking on Sceptile to get a Mega Evolution come the future, obviously not this gen since its move pool is pre-set. But possibly next generation, I feel that if it were to obtain a secondary typing such as Bug/Electric/Dragon, it would have a much wider movepool. May they will create some backstory with a Mega Rvolution saying that the yellow pods on its back generate electricity, it could really use Thunderbolt. Just saying.

Comments

I really want your sceptile!

Answer 13

Sceptile - Mixed Attacker

Sceptile @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP / 156 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake

Leaf Storm- Powerful STAB, works with a mixed set
Dragon Pulse- Coverage, decent power
Rock Slide- Coverage, 10% chance of flinching the opponent
Earthquake- Powerful coverage

I just couldn't put that excellent physical movepool to waste.

Answer 14

Sceptile @ Focus Sash / Lum Berry
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Ability: Unburden
Jolly Nature / Hasty Nature / Naive Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Acrobatics
- Drain Punch / Quick Attack / Earthquake / X-Scissor / Crunch

Swords Dance (opponent may be thinking you will be KOed, pairing with Unburden boost)
Leaf Blade (signature move of gen 3 with EXCELLENT power and critical hit ratio)
Acrobatics (goes well with Unburden)
Drain Punch / Quick Attack / Earthquake / X-Scissor / Crunch

First send this Pokemon out. Swords Dance will double your Attack power, while either a status infliction kicks in, activating the Lum Berry, or a hard hit will attempt to knock out the frail lizard, allowing Unburden to double your speed. Acrobatics will be at 110 power, Leaf Blade would be at 135 power, and the last move would be for coverage. X-Scissor and Crunch at 80 power and Earthquake at 100 is good. Drain Punch heals you after the Focus Sash which is cool. Quick Attack is to outspeed those who try to finish you off.

Answer 15

Mixed Sceptile

Sceptile @ Liechi Berry / Petaya Berry
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 48 Atk / 252 SpA / 210 Spe
Naive Nature / Hasty Nature
- Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
- X-Scissor
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Acrobatics / Rock Slide

Berries are situational there is no better choice here as it all depends on the situation.
Giga Drain provides some healing if you won't get OH-KOed you can Drain some of the enemy's HP back. Leaf Storm is pure power, guaranteeing to kill anything that is weak to Grass moves. Earthquake is here mostly to kill Heatran and it serves its purpose well. X-Scissor is here mostly for Celebi and Alakazam, but it can still 2Hit a lot of Grass and Psychic types. The last choice is depending on your team coverage: Hidden Power [Fire] kills Forretress, Scizor, and Ferrothorn (if it's sun), Acrobatics works well with the boost from Liechi Berry while Rock Slide kills Charizard, Talonflame (*if you don't get hit by Gale Wings Brave Bird) and gives a chance to flinch, though I'd rather recommend that for doubles.

Answer 16

Here's a Gen 6 moveset for our favourite Unburden Sceptile:

Sceptile @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature / Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Rock Slide
+ Earthquake

The main motto of this set is to utilize Sceptile's amazing Unburden ability, which upon activating allows it to reach an unrivaled speed tier when Focus Sash is used. To get it up to the Focus Sash though, it's good to have low IVs in defensive stats, and hence Lonely nature can be viable, though a Jolly can also be used.
Swords Dance is used to boost Sceptile's rather mediocre Attack stat, and also to wait out the opponent until the Focus Sash is gone.
Leaf Blade is Sceptile's main STAB and can hurt at +2, i.e. after Swords Dance, and the classic SlideQuake combo is used here to give coverage.
This set is a bit outclassed by the Flying Gem Acrobatics Unburden sets, but it has a decent niche of eliminating fast sweepers who lack priority.

Answer 17

MEGA CONFIRMED (Sceptile) @ White Herb
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain/Energy Ball/Hidden Power [Ice]
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast

Leaf Storm for the White Herb to activate to unleash Unburden. Giga Drain is STAB and healing, though Hidden Power Ice or Poison can be used. Dragon Pulse and Focus Blast is coverage.

Comments

I think that dragon pulse on him will be huge now that he is a grass/dragon type with his mega evolution

Answer 18

Ok tell me if this is a good team for a competitive Special Attacking Sceptile.

Sceptile (M) @ Petaya Berry / Sceptilite
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature / Timid Nature (Preferably Timid)
- Leaf Storm
- Energy Ball
- Focus Blast
- Dragon Breath / Dragon Pulse

Is this a good Special Attacking Sceptile? Focus Blast is for Ice types, if it Mega Evolves or not.

Comments

Good job Percy, I know what this monster set is capable of. My advice is replace energy ball with something else, maybe nature power? (Turns into Tri Attack in WiFi)

Answer 19

Mega Sceptile's lookin' good

Sceptile (M) @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Leaf Storm / Detect
- Focus Blast
- Substitute

• Dragon Pulse (STAB)
• Leaf Storm / Detect (STAB, This guy's not bulky, you probably won't survive long anyway)
• Focus Blast (Covers Ice weakness)
• Substitute (Chances are that Electric types will flee this monster)

Answer 20

A very unusual set but here it is.

Sceptile @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow ---> Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 HP or 4 Atk / 252 SpA /252 Spe
Modest / Timid / Hasty /Mild Nature (you'll see why soon)
- Detect /Rock Slide
- Giga Drain / Energy Ball
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast

I usually use the second set of EVs and Rock Slide as it provides maximum coverage but its up to you though. Detect is for those Modest ones with all out power while Rock Slide and Energy Ball are for The Timid ones as they have more power.
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Physical Set:

Sceptile @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow ---> Lightning Rod
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk /252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Low Sweep / Brick Break (Low Kick has that speed drop but Brick Break has more power)
-- X Scissor / Iron Tail

This set almost covers ALL of its weaknesses (excluding fairy only)! That's the advantage with physical-more coverage but sadly Scpeitle has MUCH lower base Attack :(.
Rock Slide because its a good move and has a nice 20% flinch rate. Iron Tail is inaccurate so not recommended.
Earthquake well....................because its Earthquake.
The next move is a Fighting type for Ice-types. Birck Break acts as a screen breaker and has more power but Low Sweep has that nifty speed drop.
X-Scissor because its a good move at 80 base power.

Hope these sets bring victory to many! :D

Comments

This set needs some STAB moves