[SET]
Offensive Swords Dance (Scizor) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Dual Wingbeat / Close Combat / Quick Attack
[SET COMMENTS]
Accounting for its diverse movepool, priority options, and huge base Attack, Scizor makes for an incredibly threatening wallbreaker and cleaner on more offensive teams. Furthermore, Scizor's Steel typing and decent bulk also complements its ability to keep many faster threats in check, such as Enamorus, Mega Latias, and Alakazam, while using them as setup fodder. Knock Off allows Scizor to break past Slowbro and Skeledirge while also OHKOing Victini and Ceruledge; it can even prove useful for removing items from several soft checks otherwise reliant on them, such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Cinderace and Leftovers from Iron Hands. Dual Wingbeat is usually preferred in the last slot for its coverage against specific physical walls able to blank its other attacks, such as Buzzwole, Mega Venusaur, and Tangrowth, but Close Combat can be used instead to deal more damage to Steel-types such as Skarmory, Magnezone, and Bisharp, putting immense pressure on the former at +2 while OHKOing the latter two unboosted. Quick Attack can also be used to give Scizor an extra priority attack, allowing it to finish off weakened foes that would otherwise resist Bullet Punch, such as Cinderace, Iron Moth, and Zeraora, although its lack of coverage can leave Scizor to struggle with breaking through the aforementioned defensive targets. Due to its lack of longevity and early- or mid-game prowess, this Scizor set usually fits best on select offensive teams that appreciate its versatility in being able to deal with faster threats. Entry hazard support from the likes of Iron Treads, Meowscarada, and Lead Mew can help push several Pokemon, such as Iron Moth, Tyranitar, and Tapu Fini, into Scizor's KO threshold. Scizor also appreciates specific teammates that can help weaken or take advantage of Fire- and Steel-types, such as Iron Hands, Meteor Beam Nihilego, and Swords Dance Ceruledge, as it can often be dissuaded from sweeping by their presences in a vacuum while they remain healthy. Conversely, other late-game cleaners such as Swords Dance Bisharp, Z-Celebrate Victini, and Dragon Dance Mega Aerodactyl appreciate Scizor's own ability to force damage onto shared checks such as Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Choice Scarf Keldeo while allowing Scizor to forgo its late-game approach if attacking early may be more optimal for enabling the rest of its teammates.
[SET]
Bulky Swords Dance (Scizor) @ Buginium Z / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Atk / 112 Def / 88 SpD / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn / Knock Off
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Scizor's excellent defensive typing, longevity with Roost, and priority in Bullet Punch can let it serve as an excellent bulky attacker, allowing it to reliably check Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Alakazam, and Mega Latias throughout a game while retaining its ability to sweep with Swords Dance once opposing walls are appropriately weakened. U-turn allows Scizor to provide pivoting support for its teammates on a forced switch, and in conjunction with Buginium Z, it even gives Scizor access to a one-time nuke that prevents it from switching out, allowing it to KO the likes of Amoonguss and Mandibuzz at +2 after slight chip damage. Alternatively, Knock Off can be used to remove important items from the likes of Cinderace, Celesteela, Salamence, and Iron Hands, allowing it to finish these Pokemon off more easily. Buginium Z is usually the preferred item for its aforementioned power boost to U-turn, on top of reducing damage taken from Meowscarada and Bisharp's Knock Off, but Heavy-Duty Boots is an alternative that offsets Scizor's vulnerability to entry hazards. The given EV spread hits an extra Attack point, allows Scizor to survive two Knock Offs from Choice Band Meowscarada after Stealth Rock with Buginium Z equipped while reducing the amount of damage taken from attacks such as Excadrill's Earthquake and Mandibuzz's Foul Play and outspeeds Skeledirge and Skarmory. Scizor's pivoting capabilities in tandem with its ability to check faster threats are appreciated by defensive Pokemon otherwise vulnerable to the overwhelming offensive pressure exerted by them. Walls such as Ting-Lu, Rotom-W, and Slowbro are particularly helpful in this regard; Ting-Lu can check Fire-types such as Ceruledge and Iron Moth while setting up entry hazards to help Scizor cripple the opposing team more effectively, whereas Rotom-W and Slowbro can help maneuver around Fighting-types in Galarian Zapdos and Buzzwole while providing Scizor with additional pivoting support. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Enamorus, Choice Specs Latios, and Nasty Plot Hydreigon, each appreciate Scizor's ability to provide safe entry with its U-turn or threaten the removal of items such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Slowking and Assault Vest from Tangrowth if running Knock Off, helping in return by opening up the conditions required for Scizor to successfully sweep teams late-game. While Scizor can help teams out in checking faster threats, its lack of initial power on Bullet Punch outside of super effective hits, particularly against bulkier targets such as Galarian Moltres and Autotomize Celesteela, can leave a lot to be desired. As such, partners that can deal with these specific Pokemon, such as Mega Tyranitar, Thunder Wave Clefable, and defensive Tapu Fini, manage to help out in this regard.
[SET]
Choice Band (Scizor) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Pursuit / Close Combat / Dual Wingbeat
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Band provides Scizor with immediate power on its attacks, allowing it to be more proficient as a wallbreaker, pivot, and late-game cleaner all at once. Bullet Punch puts substantial pressure on win conditions such as Calm Mind Clefable, Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar, and Tapu Bulu, outright OHKOing the latter from full HP. Knock Off allows Scizor to remove important items from Pokemon otherwise reliant on them to deter it, such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Salamence and Rocky Helmet from Buzzwole and Amoonguss. Pursuit takes advantage of Scizor's excellent typing against several Psychic-type Pokemon to trap them, most notably Mega Latias, Choice-locked Latios, and Slowking. Alternatively, Close Combat and Dual Wingbeat are options to pose a more immediate threat to their respective targets, such as Iron Treads and Magnezone with Close Combat and Buzzwole and Mega Venusaur with Dual Wingbeat. Scizor fits best on bulky offense teams that can best take advantage of its strong momentum-grabbing capabilities and cleanup potential. Pivots such as Rotom-W, Cinderace, and Sandy Shocks can help Scizor by threatening the physical walls used to stifle it, including Skarmory and Buzzwole; in return, Scizor can help force damage onto walls that normally handle these pivots, such as Tangrowth and Blissey. Scizor also appreciates strong entry hazard removal options to avoid being worn down quickly, including Defog from Rotom-W, Tapu Fini, and Volcanion and Rapid Spin from Iron Treads; the aforementioned Defog users are also capable of taking advantage of Fire-types that may pose a threat to Scizor, such as Cinderace and Ceruledge. On the other hand, entry hazard support from the likes of Clefable, Ting-Lu, and Meowscarada is imperative to increase the overall impact of Scizor's pivoting capabilities as well as extend its capacity to revenge kill threats like Galarian Moltres and Dragon Dance Salamence with Bullet Punch.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/arishem.546157/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pubo.535121/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Offensive Swords Dance (Scizor) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Dual Wingbeat / Close Combat / Quick Attack
[SET COMMENTS]
Accounting for its diverse movepool, priority options, and huge base Attack, Scizor makes for an incredibly threatening wallbreaker and cleaner on more offensive teams. Furthermore, Scizor's Steel typing and decent bulk also complements its ability to keep many faster threats in check, such as Enamorus, Mega Latias, and Alakazam, while using them as setup fodder. Knock Off allows Scizor to break past Slowbro and Skeledirge while also OHKOing Victini and Ceruledge; it can even prove useful for removing items from several soft checks otherwise reliant on them, such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Cinderace and Leftovers from Iron Hands. Dual Wingbeat is usually preferred in the last slot for its coverage against specific physical walls able to blank its other attacks, such as Buzzwole, Mega Venusaur, and Tangrowth, but Close Combat can be used instead to deal more damage to Steel-types such as Skarmory, Magnezone, and Bisharp, putting immense pressure on the former at +2 while OHKOing the latter two unboosted. Quick Attack can also be used to give Scizor an extra priority attack, allowing it to finish off weakened foes that would otherwise resist Bullet Punch, such as Cinderace, Iron Moth, and Zeraora, although its lack of coverage can leave Scizor to struggle with breaking through the aforementioned defensive targets. Due to its lack of longevity and early- or mid-game prowess, this Scizor set usually fits best on select offensive teams that appreciate its versatility in being able to deal with faster threats. Entry hazard support from the likes of Iron Treads, Meowscarada, and Lead Mew can help push several Pokemon, such as Iron Moth, Tyranitar, and Tapu Fini, into Scizor's KO threshold. Scizor also appreciates specific teammates that can help weaken or take advantage of Fire- and Steel-types, such as Iron Hands, Meteor Beam Nihilego, and Swords Dance Ceruledge, as it can often be dissuaded from sweeping by their presences in a vacuum while they remain healthy. Conversely, other late-game cleaners such as Swords Dance Bisharp, Z-Celebrate Victini, and Dragon Dance Mega Aerodactyl appreciate Scizor's own ability to force damage onto shared checks such as Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Choice Scarf Keldeo while allowing Scizor to forgo its late-game approach if attacking early may be more optimal for enabling the rest of its teammates.
[SET]
Bulky Swords Dance (Scizor) @ Buginium Z / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Atk / 112 Def / 88 SpD / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn / Knock Off
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Scizor's excellent defensive typing, longevity with Roost, and priority in Bullet Punch can let it serve as an excellent bulky attacker, allowing it to reliably check Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Alakazam, and Mega Latias throughout a game while retaining its ability to sweep with Swords Dance once opposing walls are appropriately weakened. U-turn allows Scizor to provide pivoting support for its teammates on a forced switch, and in conjunction with Buginium Z, it even gives Scizor access to a one-time nuke that prevents it from switching out, allowing it to KO the likes of Amoonguss and Mandibuzz at +2 after slight chip damage. Alternatively, Knock Off can be used to remove important items from the likes of Cinderace, Celesteela, Salamence, and Iron Hands, allowing it to finish these Pokemon off more easily. Buginium Z is usually the preferred item for its aforementioned power boost to U-turn, on top of reducing damage taken from Meowscarada and Bisharp's Knock Off, but Heavy-Duty Boots is an alternative that offsets Scizor's vulnerability to entry hazards. The given EV spread hits an extra Attack point, allows Scizor to survive two Knock Offs from Choice Band Meowscarada after Stealth Rock with Buginium Z equipped while reducing the amount of damage taken from attacks such as Excadrill's Earthquake and Mandibuzz's Foul Play and outspeeds Skeledirge and Skarmory. Scizor's pivoting capabilities in tandem with its ability to check faster threats are appreciated by defensive Pokemon otherwise vulnerable to the overwhelming offensive pressure exerted by them. Walls such as Ting-Lu, Rotom-W, and Slowbro are particularly helpful in this regard; Ting-Lu can check Fire-types such as Ceruledge and Iron Moth while setting up entry hazards to help Scizor cripple the opposing team more effectively, whereas Rotom-W and Slowbro can help maneuver around Fighting-types in Galarian Zapdos and Buzzwole while providing Scizor with additional pivoting support. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Enamorus, Choice Specs Latios, and Nasty Plot Hydreigon, each appreciate Scizor's ability to provide safe entry with its U-turn or threaten the removal of items such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Slowking and Assault Vest from Tangrowth if running Knock Off, helping in return by opening up the conditions required for Scizor to successfully sweep teams late-game. While Scizor can help teams out in checking faster threats, its lack of initial power on Bullet Punch outside of super effective hits, particularly against bulkier targets such as Galarian Moltres and Autotomize Celesteela, can leave a lot to be desired. As such, partners that can deal with these specific Pokemon, such as Mega Tyranitar, Thunder Wave Clefable, and defensive Tapu Fini, manage to help out in this regard.
[SET]
Choice Band (Scizor) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Pursuit / Close Combat / Dual Wingbeat
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Band provides Scizor with immediate power on its attacks, allowing it to be more proficient as a wallbreaker, pivot, and late-game cleaner all at once. Bullet Punch puts substantial pressure on win conditions such as Calm Mind Clefable, Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar, and Tapu Bulu, outright OHKOing the latter from full HP. Knock Off allows Scizor to remove important items from Pokemon otherwise reliant on them to deter it, such as Heavy-Duty Boots from Salamence and Rocky Helmet from Buzzwole and Amoonguss. Pursuit takes advantage of Scizor's excellent typing against several Psychic-type Pokemon to trap them, most notably Mega Latias, Choice-locked Latios, and Slowking. Alternatively, Close Combat and Dual Wingbeat are options to pose a more immediate threat to their respective targets, such as Iron Treads and Magnezone with Close Combat and Buzzwole and Mega Venusaur with Dual Wingbeat. Scizor fits best on bulky offense teams that can best take advantage of its strong momentum-grabbing capabilities and cleanup potential. Pivots such as Rotom-W, Cinderace, and Sandy Shocks can help Scizor by threatening the physical walls used to stifle it, including Skarmory and Buzzwole; in return, Scizor can help force damage onto walls that normally handle these pivots, such as Tangrowth and Blissey. Scizor also appreciates strong entry hazard removal options to avoid being worn down quickly, including Defog from Rotom-W, Tapu Fini, and Volcanion and Rapid Spin from Iron Treads; the aforementioned Defog users are also capable of taking advantage of Fire-types that may pose a threat to Scizor, such as Cinderace and Ceruledge. On the other hand, entry hazard support from the likes of Clefable, Ting-Lu, and Meowscarada is imperative to increase the overall impact of Scizor's pivoting capabilities as well as extend its capacity to revenge kill threats like Galarian Moltres and Dragon Dance Salamence with Bullet Punch.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/arishem.546157/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pubo.535121/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited:
