[OVERVIEW]
Scyther is an excellent offensive Pokemon with one of the highest Speed stats in the tier and an exceptional base 110 Attack. It capitalizes on the progress made by its teammates, allowing it to function as a wallbreaker, revenge killer, cleaner, and sweeper. Scyther's sheer power with its STAB moves lets it 2HKO or 3HKO many relevant Pokemon, such as Kangaskhan, Tentacruel, Ampharos, Solrock, and Vileplume. Swarm punishes any Pokemon swinging at it, as its bulk lets it dodge an OHKO from most neutral attacks, like Kangaskhan's Double-Edge. Scyther works very well on offense and balance teams that uphold Spikes pressure and need a backbone of fast offense and priority, and this makes it one of the best late-game Pokemon.
Scyther can, however, have a lack of longevity, as it has weaknesses to common attacking types in Electric, Ice, Fire, and Rock, and it hates being statused by paralysis and Toxic. Choice Band sets can end up being reliant on prediction, and they can allow more Pokemon to gain entry. It can be hard to find entry for Scyther due to its reliance on being kept healthy late-game and its common switch-ins forcing its team to play on the defensive, only coming in through Ground-type moves, double switches, or revenge kills.
[SET]
Name: Choice Band
Move 1: Hidden Power [Bug] / Silver Wind
Move 2: Aerial Ace / Hidden Power [Flying]
Move 3: Double-Edge / Hidden Power [Ground]
Move 4: Quick Attack
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Swarm
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Choice Band Scyther is the most common set for its immediate power and ability to revenge kill fast Pokemon like Kangaskhan and Tentacruel. Scyther also has an incredible max Speed of 339, which is only outsped by Electrode and Ninjask, rivaling its Choice Band user competition like Fearow, Nidoking, and Hitmonlee.
Hidden Power Bug is Scyther's main STAB attack for hitting neutral targets and is very powerful when Scyther is in Swarm range. It also provides coverage for Psychic-types, like Slowking and Solrock, and it can be used as a way to avoid contact abilities like Static. Double-Edge provides a very powerful neutral hit to most targets, including Flying-types like Gligar and Altaria, and its recoil can be helpful in pushing Scyther into Swarm range for a boosted Hidden Power Bug. Aerial Ace hits opposing Scyther, Vileplume, Ghost-types like Haunter and Misdreavus, and Fighting-types like Hitmontop. Quick Attack provides very useful priority against Reversal sweepers like opposing Scyther, serves as an additional check to chipped weather sweepers like Sunny Day Vileplume and Rain Dance Gorebyss, and helps check other priority from Arcanine. Silver Wind and Hidden Power Flying can be used as alternatives to Hidden Power Bug and Aerial Ace. This gives Scyther less contact moves, a stronger Flying STAB attack, and access to possible omniboosts with Silver Wind. Using both Silver Wind and Aerial Ace allows Scyther to use another Hidden Power over Double-Edge, such as Hidden Power Ground for Arcanine and Electric-, Rock-, and Steel-types that like to come in on Choice Band Scyther.
Team Options
=========
Choice Band Scyther fits well onto Spikes offense with Omastar and Qwilfish. Spikes help Scyther break through bulky Pokemon more easily and wears down its checks as they switch in. Omastar is also a physical wall that can help to check Kangaskhan, Granbull, and opposing Scyther. Since Scyther is very status-prone, cleric Pokemon like Ampharos, Vileplume, and Altaria can heal off any stray Toxic or paralysis thrown at it. Scyther also appreciates a check to Arcanine, such as Tentacruel or Blastoise. Scyther is less effective at wallbreaking after Intimidate, and these teammates allow for safe switch-ins and can remove Spikes for Scyther's team. Lanturn can resist any BoltBeam coverage thrown Scyther's way from Electric-types, Walrein, offensive Omastar, and special attacking Ghost-types. Pokemon that block Rapid Spin, like Haunter and Misdreavus, help keep Spikes on the opposing side of the field and provide valuable offensive utility, such as Haunter's Thief, Will-O-Wisp, and Destiny Bond and Misdreavus's Thunder Wave.
[SET]
Name: Salac Reversal
Move 1: Hidden Power [Flying] / Hidden Power [Bug]
Move 2: Reversal
Move 3: Substitute / Endure
Move 4: Swords Dance
Item: Salac Berry
Ability: Swarm
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Salac Reversal Scyther is a dangerous late-game sweeper that is nearly impossible to stop without a priority move post-Speed boost. The choice of Hidden Power is mostly up to personal preference; Hidden Power Bug is boosted by Swarm and hits Psychic-types hard, while Hidden Power Flying has better coverage for Poison- and Ghost-types. Substitute is used to bring Scyther's HP down to 1% and capitalize on switches, allowing Scyther to use Swords Dance behind the Substitute. Scyther's HP cannot be divisible by 4 for Substitute sets to activate Salac Berry, so 4 EVs should be put into HP to make four Substitutes and for Reversal to be at maximum power. Endure allows Scyther to reliably get into Salac Berry range even if it took damage prior, lets it take hits from faster Pokemon, and gives it more freedom to set up Swords Dance at least once against most targets, since it is rarely OHKOed.
Team Options
=========
Salac Reversal Scyther fits very well onto hyper offense teams, as it can outspeed and sweep every Pokemon without priority, and it can force damage onto bulkier targets. It can generally force the removal of at least one Pokemon for sweeper teammates to capitalize on. This Scyther set appreciates Spikes set early in the match for it to sweep more easily, benefitting from leads such as Qwilfish and Glalie that get as many layers of Spikes as possible then use Explosion to keep up momentum. Scyther also loves support that helps it enter freely, such as Yawn Kangaskhan, to force a switch or give Scyther a way to prey on the slept Pokemon. Explosion users, such as Electrode, Solrock, Haunter, and Muk, fit well as teammates, as they can remove key Pokemon for Scyther to make a full sweep or at least provide valuable chip if Explosion fails to KO, as well as giving free entry for Scyther. Since Arcanine and Gligar stand in the way of Reversal Scyther's sweep, it appreciates offensive teammates that force damage onto them early, such as Arcanine, offensive Kangaskhan, and Water-types like Gorebyss, Golduck, and Feraligatr. Ground-types like Nidoqueen, Nidoking, and Sandslash can check opposing Electric-types that threaten Scyther while making significant progress of their own.
[SET]
Name: Swords Dance
Move 1: Swords Dance
Move 2: Silver Wind / Hidden Power [Bug]
Move 3: Aerial Ace / Hidden Power [Flying]
Move 4: Hidden Power [Ground] / Quick Attack
Item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
Ability: Swarm
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Swords Dance Scyther is a fast setup sweeper that can clean up late-game with its STAB moves and Hidden Power Ground as well as break holes in the opposition for teammates to capitalize on and clean up.
Scyther prefers dual STAB moves on Swords Dance sets, usually using Silver Wind and Aerial Ace. Silver Wind is its primary STAB move, giving it access to dangerous omniboosts, and it is further boosted when Scyther is in Swarm range. Aerial Ace allows for useful coverage against various Flying-, Fighting-, and Ghost-types like Gligar, Haunter, Misdreavus, and Hitmontop. These options free up a slot for Hidden Power Ground for hitting Poison-, Rock-, and Steel-types like Nidoqueen, Nidoking, Omastar, and Aggron. Alternatively, Quick Attack gives Scyther a priority move if it can forgo the coverage of Hidden Power Ground, allowing access to a Hidden Power with STAB.
The item choice can be team-dependent but is mostly up to preference. Leftovers helps Scyther passively heal any damage it takes and have more longevity, while Lum Berry is used when Scyther doesn't have cleric support and lets it set up in the face of Toxic or paralysis that would otherwise shut down any chance Scyther has at sweeping.
Team Options
=========
Spikes support from Omastar and Qwilfish helps Swords Dance Scyther muscle past bulky Pokemon like Kangaskhan, Ampharos, and Walrein. Thief support from Omastar, Tentacruel, Arcanine, Haunter, and Electabuzz further facilitates the sweep by removing Leftovers from defensive Pokemon that rely on passive recovery, meaning the damage they take from Scyther's boosted moves and Spikes will be permanent. Bulky Water-types like Tentacruel, Walrein, and Lanturn synergize well, as they can threaten Omastar, Arcanine, Altaria, and Walrein, which can otherwise stand in the way of Scyther's sweep, and they are good at making progress for Scyther to take advantage of. Fearow and Gligar make for good partners, as they are fast mid-game wallbreakers that can back up Scyther's general lack of priority and make for a brutal one-two punch of Flying offense.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Fighting can be used on the Choice Band set over Hidden Power Ground to hit all of Cradily, Granbull, and Walrein on the switch in. Hidden Power Rock can be used to hit Flying-types like Altaria while maintaining coverage for Arcanine and Walrein as they switch in. Both Hidden Power choices lower Scyther's Speed IVs, which guarantees opposing base 105 Speed Pokemon can revenge kill it, so Hidden Power Ground, Bug, and Flying are preferable choices. On Reversal sets, Salac Berry can be substituted for Liechi Berry to make Reversal stronger, but this comes at the cost of risking the Speed tie against base 105 Speed foes and being too slow to avoid a revenge kill from Electrode and Ninjask.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types**: Omastar can comfortably switch into Scyther with its Normal and Flying resistances coupled with its sky-high Defense, and it can aptly pressure with Surf or lay down Spikes. Aggron and Golem pose similar problems and can OHKO Scyther with Rock STAB attacks. Although Aggron fears Hidden Power Ground, Omastar and Golem can tank it at least a few times. Other Rock-types like Cradily and Solrock can come in on moves they resist and threaten Scyther back, but they have trouble dealing with Hidden Power Bug.
**Flying-types**: Altaria and Gligar can both defensively check Scyther with their great bulk, Bug-type resistance, and Spikes immunity while also offensively checking Scyther with super effective coverage. Altaria is very bulky and uses Scyther as an opportunity to use Heal Bell, and it can use Roar on Swords Dance Scyther, forcing it to start the process all over again. Gligar can gain turns to set up its own Swords Dance boosts, hits back hard with Hidden Power Flying, and has priority to beat Salac Reversal sets. Both still need to take caution against Choice Band variants, as Hidden Power Flying and Double-Edge can 2HKO Gligar and non-physically defensive Altaria.
**Electric-types**: Ampharos is a mixed wall that zaps Scyther with a strong STAB Thunderbolt and can come in on Scyther's contact moves, potentially paralyzing it through Static. While other Electric-types lack Ampharos's bulk, they can Speed tie Scyther or outspeed in the case of Electrode.
**Walrein**: Walrein is a bulky wall that can threaten Scyther with its STAB Ice Beam, and it can phaze out any attempts of sweeping with Swords Dance through Encore or Roar.
**Intimidate Users**: Granbull and Arcanine’s Intimidate softens the blow of Scyther’s moves and forces Scyther's team to play on the defensive. Arcanine has a brutal STAB Fire Blast, resists Hidden Power Bug, and has priority to stuff any revenge kills at low health and stop Scyther from Reversal sweeping.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Pokemon like Electrode and Ninjask can reliably revenge kill Scyther and can use their entry as an opportunity for their own offense.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ellingtonreborn.619555/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bigfatmantis.507497/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bouff.121672/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
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