NationalDex
scyther
#123

Scyther

Mantis Pokémon

BugFlying

It confuses its prey with its quick, ninja-like movements. Then, in an instant, it cleaves them with its scythes.

Base Stats

HP 70
Attack 110
Defense 80
Sp. Atk 55
Sp. Def 80
Speed 105
Total 500

Type Effectiveness

Abilities

Evolution Chain

Moves

Locations

Details

Category Mantis Pokémon
Height 1.5 m
Weight 56.0 kg
Base Exp 100
Growth Rate Medium
Capture Rate 45
Base Happiness 70
Gender 50% ♂ / 50% ♀
Habitat Grassland
Egg Groups Bug

Sprites

scyther Front Front
scyther Back Back
scyther Front Shiny Front Shiny
scyther Back Shiny Back Shiny
scyther Front ♀ Front ♀
scyther Back ♀ Back ♀
scyther Front Shiny ♀ Front Shiny ♀
scyther Back Shiny ♀ Back Shiny ♀
scyther Official Art Official Art
scyther Official Art (Shiny) Official Art (Shiny)

Competitive

pu Usage: 9.3%
Bulky Swords Dance
Item
Eviolite
Ability
Technician
Nature
Jolly
EVs
HP 248
Atk 8
Spe 252
Choice Scarf
Item
Choice Scarf
Ability
Technician
Nature
Jolly
EVs
Atk 252
Def 4
Spe 252
Choice Band
Item
Choice Band
Ability
Technician
Nature
Jolly
EVs
Atk 252
Def 4
Spe 252

Strategy Overview

Scyther is a mediocre choice in PU and primarily functions as a pivot capable of checking fairly common Fighting- and Grass-type Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Victreebel. With a bulky Swords Dance set, it is capable of using its bulk to check the aforementioned Pokemon while simultaneously pressuring defensive cores reliant on Pokemon such as Sableye and Lanturn with its ability to pivot out while going for boosted attacks. It can also run a passable Choice Scarf set, being an extremely fast pivot capable of revenge killing and gaining momentum quickly, or manage a Choice Band set that can hit decently hard and be more difficult to handle defensively. Unfortunately, a crippling 4x weakness to Stealth Rock severely limits Scyther's capabilities and mandates good entry hazard removal to make it usable. This also leads to Scyther being easily pressured by Rock-type move users like Lycanroc, Aggron, and Choice Scarf Primeape and by common Ice-, Flying- and Electric-types such as Alolan Sandslash, Dodrio, and Eelektross. Even with a Swords Dance set, Scyther cannot break through common defensive options in the tier such as Regirock and Mudsdale, which leads to Scyther really struggling in a lot of matchups.

Most Used Moves

U-turn
83.6%
Knock Off
37.8%
Roost
36.5%

Most Used Items

Eviolite
45.1%

Competitive data from Smogon University via data.pkmn.cc