In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor

by **Champion Blackwolf** Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:18 am

In the moonlight, n°2: Scyther and Scizor

Scyther is a rare Gen1 Pokemon available in the Safari zone. It couldn’t evolve back then, but was already seen as powerful. Its base stat total is 500 and was 420 back in Gen1, which is enough for a Pokemon at its final stage. Even Mew was at 500 “only” (600 now). Good attack (base 110), good speed (105) and decent bulk (HP 70, Def and SpD 80 each), and now the access to an eviolite, that guy is just too strong for a 1/2 evolution stage Pokemon, the others didn’t stand a chance in LC, which is why it got banned (LC Uber), then moved to higher tiers. It also has good abilities: first Swarm, which raises the power of its bug moves by 50% when under 33% HP, probably is the least useful condisering its limits (HP and typing). You can also choose Steadfast, which raises Scyther’s speed by one stage after flinching (go ahead Medicham and Lopunny, use Fake Out and regret it). Finally an ability that makes it even stronger: Technician. It raises the power of weak offensive moves by 50%. Moves with base power under 60 are considered weak, and most of them have 100% accuracy. Great power, perfect accuracy, and still good effects, on a Pokemon such as Scyther, can you see the beast? Bug Bite, steals berries, base power 135 after Technician + STAB boost. Aerial ace, same power, never misses. Quick attack, 60 after Technician boost, hits first. And with its speed, it makes Mega-Heracross, Poison Heal Breloom, Hoopa-Unbound look like nothing.
Comparing it to its evolved form: you could be disappointed with Scizor, for its base stat total DOES NOT CHANGE AT ALL! It remains 500. It’s just reorganized: it gains 20 points in Attack and Defense (up to 130 and 100 respectively), and loses speed, down to 65. Yet, Scizor remains strong, with a stabbed Bullet Punch with Technician that powers up to 90 and surpasses non-stabbed Extreme Speed. It also changes its typing, from Bug/Flying to Bug/Steel, and keeps only ONE weakness, but makes it double (fire). It keeps access to Technician and Swarm, but replaces Steadfast with Light Metal, which halves its weight, and is totally useless on Scizor: considering it weighs 118 kg, with Light Metal the base power of Low Kick or Grass Knot against it goes from 100 to 80, it already resists grass moves and has enough defense to laugh at whoever uses Low Kick. Also, it can learn Roost and heal, Swords Dance and raise its attack even more, and Iron Defense, which gives it more potential than Scyther has.
Do you want to see something shocking? There we go: Scizor has a Mega-Evolution! Mega-Scizor gains some attack (up to a 150 base), much defense (from 100 to 140), and even special defense (up to 100). Has a 70/140/100 bulk, a 150 attack, access to Swords Dance, Iron Defense, Roost, Bullet Punch, Bug Bite, Aerial Ace, and keeps Technician. Basically, when your Pokemon with a fire move has fainted and you’re facing Mega-Scizor… just quit. Seriously.

How to play them?

In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor Scythe11

In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor Scythe11

Scyther: NU tier. Feel free to also play it in RU, UU, monotype, we don’t see enough of them and they’ll do fine. Just watch out for Stealth Rock, Scyther takes 50% damage on that. Give it an eviolite, the ability Technician, and you have two possible versions for the moveset. First one: Aerial Ace, Bug Bite, for a base power of 135 (after Technician + STAB), Roost to last long (and trust me it does), and Quick Attack to finish someone without getting hit. 224 EVs in HP, 252 Atk, 16 Def, 16 SpD, Adamant nature. You’ll end up with 337 HP, defensive stats at 300 each (counting eviolite) and an attack at 350. A tank that hurts you bad, like Porygon2. As an alternative version of this set, you can replace Quick Attack with Swords dance and give it 252 EV in speed instead of attack, and a Jolly nature. That way, it’s strong, fast, bulky, it heals itself, but lacks priority, which sometimes is worse. Let’s see how well it does against UU or OU threats.
252+ Atk Life Orb Hoopa Unbound Thunder Punch vs. 224 HP / 16 Def Eviolite Scyther: 216-255 (64 - 75.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Technician Scyther Bug Bite vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Hoopa Unbound: 864-1020 (237.3 - 280.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
As you can see, even in a Trick Room where Hoopa hits first, Scyther can take the hit and needs only one Bug Bite to rid you of that main legendary-level Pokemon. I remember wrecking a psychic mono with Scyther, which fainted Jirachi, Victini, Gardevoir, Alakazam and Slowbro on its own last year, even if Gallade won with Shadow Sneak. Never underestimate a Scyther.

In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor Scizor10

In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor Scizor10

Scizor: OU tier. Really good when the opponent has no fire move. If one has enough pride not to play it with Scizorite, it remains quite effective in OU and mono (steel and bug as well). Multiple choices there, you can give it a choice band and spam U-turn, but I wouldn’t recommand it, better keep the access to four moves. Obviously Technician as an ability. Bullet Punch as its main move : it has priority, and a base power of 90 (counting steel STAB and Technician boost). Second move, choose between U-Turn (not for the brave), base power 105 with bug STAB, switches Scizor out after use, and Bug Bite, base power 135 (STAB + tech) with the possibility to eat the opponent’s berry (if it has any). Third move, Swords Dance to double your attack stat, you will need it if you don’t run Choice Band. The fourth move is your call: Roost to regain half your max HP, Superpower against the steel type (Heatran, Magnezone), Defog if you play Scizor in bug monotype, Aerial Ace against the bug type or the fighting type, Knock Off to mess even more with the opponent, Iron Defense… If you don’t choose Choice Band as your item, you can get a Lum Berry, for a burned Scizor is as useless as Sunflora’s base speed, you can get Leftovers (you need them if you run Iron Defense), Life Orb… Once again, your call. 248 EV in HP, 252 in ATK, 8 in SpD, Adamant nature.

In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor Mscizo10

In the moonlight n°2: Scyther and Scizor Mscizo10

Mega-Scizor: OU tier. I play it in Ubers only, for pride reasons. I mean, one weakness (double but does that matter), 150 base attack, a priority move stronger than a non-STABbed Extreme Speed and is effective against other types, access to Iron Defense, Swords dance, Roost, can’t be poisoned, such bulk you really need a fire move to kill it, and has Technician which means it can use powerful moves without negative effects or lowered accuracy. Blaziken (regular) went to Ubers with less. Anyway, just play it as described with Regular Scizor, without combining Iron Defense and Swords Dance: one is enough, considering the combination of the two and Roost would leave it only one offensive move and no room for defog.
To counter Scizor, I recommand a special fire move (such as Flamethrower). In case your Pokemon that uses fire moves faints before Scizor is used, you can stall it with a Skarmory (Rocky Helmet, Roost, Brave Bird/Drill Peck, Whirlwind if opponent has other Pokemon), something with Counter (Regirock will do fine). Avoid everything else that has a weakness to bug, steel, fighting (Superpower) or flying. The ones that can take a super-effective hit from Scizor can’t hit back hard enough (except for Regirock), like Avalugg won’t last, Cloyster won’t last. Aggron with Sturdy + Metal Burst kills Scizor, but only if the former uses Superpower. If it doesn’t, try Head Smash twice. The best check is still a fire type Pokemon such as Rotom-Heat or Charizard (any form).
I don’t use Mega-Scizor in OU or monotype because I don’t find it fair. And I don’t use regular Scizor because I prefer other steel types (Metagross, Heatran, Aggron) or bug types (Scyther, Heracross, Durant). I have more fun using Scyther, it has become one of my favourite Pokemon. If you challenge me in NU or in bug monotype, you are guaranteed to see one.

By Champion Blackwolf. I do not own the images.
Next topic: Aggron

by **Woyaojinkela** Thu Dec 10, 2015 10:46 am

iron defense isn't really viable though. Great article!

by **Champion Blackwolf** Thu Dec 10, 2015 12:21 pm

Without leftovers I agree. I'm into offensive and counterattacks anyway Wink

by **Woyaojinkela** Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:31 pm

how did scyther kill victini ._.

by **Champion Blackwolf** Fri Dec 11, 2015 6:04 am

That was long ago, I don't remember. I wrote that on the French article shortly after, the guy must have been noob. I mean, losing 5 Pokemon to a Scyther... It's good ok but five...

by **Woyaojinkela** Fri Dec 11, 2015 9:03 am

Did that victini not have V create ._.

by **Champion Blackwolf** Fri Dec 11, 2015 9:16 am

That's a possibility

by **Woyaojinkela** Fri Dec 11, 2015 12:04 pm

or he didn't use it, lol

by **Champion Blackwolf** Mon Dec 14, 2015 5:10 am

That must have been a special set, with Blue Flare, and that might have missed Wink

by **Knightmare** Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:43 am

Nice article. Enjoyed reading after I had my morning coffee.

by **Woyaojinkela** Mon Dec 14, 2015 8:33 am

Champion Blackwolf wrote:That must have been a special set, with Blue Flare, and that might have missed

lol, missing happens a lot to me

by **Champion Blackwolf** Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:45 am

Missing HJK with Medicham has cost me my whole psychic vs dark battle against my apprentice lol

by **Woyaojinkela** Mon Dec 14, 2015 11:11 am

lol, missing dragon tail three times in a row cost me a whole game in ou.

by **Champion Blackwolf** Tue Dec 15, 2015 12:21 pm

The article about Aggron is coming very soon, I'm done translating it

by **Woyaojinkela** Tue Dec 15, 2015 4:07 pm

Cool can't wait, is there any pokemon you want me to do yet

by **Champion Blackwolf** Wed Dec 16, 2015 5:15 am

Hmm, maybe Sableye, I hate it so much I'd better have someone else deal with it lol

by **Woyaojinkela** Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:17 am

Ok, I will do it, don't hate me if I wrote a terrible article

by **Champion Blackwolf** Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:28 pm

Don't worry about it, do your best and don't stress Wink

by **Champion Blackwolf** Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:30 pm

If you include it in the "moonlight" series, please give it the number 40, the previous are all taken. If it's a series of your own no problem Smile

by **Woyaojinkela** Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:25 pm

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