Sceptile Best Moveset
120 Speed on Grass with AbilityUnburden doubling it after consuming a held item. Held ItemLeftovers with NatureAdamant at 85 Attack runs a physical Grass TermStab set. The Speed is already elite without Unburden. 105 Sp. Atk offers a special alternative. The moveset flexes between physical, special, and Unburden-boosted depending on team needs.
Fastest Grass-type starter at 120 Speed in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Leaf Blade was its signature move, and Sceptile outran most of the format.
Best Moves
Best Build
Sceptile best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Leaf Blade
- Hidden Power Ice
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
Recommended Teammates
Same Speed advantage in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Swords Dance with Leaf Blade hit hard, and few Pokemon could match 120 base Speed.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Leaf Blade
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Power creep made 85 Sp. Atk and 85 Attack underwhelming in Gen V (Black & White). 120 Speed was still great but the damage wasn't there.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
- Leaf Blade
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Mega Sceptile gained Dragon-typing and Lightning Rod in Gen VI (X & Y). Base Sceptile without Mega was mediocre, but the Mega form was solid.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Pulse
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
Recommended Teammates
Mega Sceptile was decent but base form fell in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Pure Grass with average offenses had no competitive niche.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Leaf Blade
- Giga Drain
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Struggled in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Unburden gave it a Speed boost after consuming an item, but Sceptile needed that boost just to compensate for low offenses.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Leaf Blade
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
Recommended Teammates
No Mega form in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Sceptile was just a fast Grass-type with nothing else going for it.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Leaf Blade
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Pulse
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Sceptile Weakness
Type-wise, Sceptile takes extra damage from Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug, Dragon, and Fairy. Watch out for Ice attacks, those deal 4x damage. The Grass/Dragon typing picks up 4 resistances to work with. Lightning Rod grants an additional Electric immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ice |
| 2x (Weak) | Poison, Flying, Bug, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Ground |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass |
What is Sceptile Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Sceptile
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Sceptile View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn4-5% Scald3-3% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityVesselofruin ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Sceptile View Ting-Lu builds →Earthquake17-21% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sceptile View Swampert builds →Earthquake24-28% Flip Turn7-9% Liquidation10-12% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Rotom-Wash builds →
| ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves View Landorus-Therian builds →
| ||
Evolution
The three-stage chain from Treecko through Grovyle ends here at Sceptile. Want more? Breed for Treecko eggs. Plenty of partners available via two egg groups. The evolution from Treecko pushed Sceptile to 630 total stats. Sp.Atk saw the largest single gain at +80. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
How to Get Sceptile
Sceptile doesn't appear wild. Catch Treecko instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it at level 36 to get Sceptile. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
Sceptile can't be caught in Legends: Z-A. Transfer Treecko from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Sceptile in LZA
Step 1Obtain TreeckoCARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Scarlet & VioletAvailableCatch in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · Canyon Biome, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Ruby & SapphireNot TradeableAppears in Ruby & Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom EmeraldNot TradeableAppears in Emerald via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Silph Co. · Gift from Steven Stone (post-Red). Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl via Walking · Sunlit Cavern · After National Dex obtained. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Grovyle
Step 3Sceptile ✓
No wild encounters for Sceptile. The 3-stage chain runs through Treecko, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 36 once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Sceptile in BDSP
The path to Sceptile starts with Treecko at Lv. 58-63 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Sceptile isn't available in the wild in Sword & Shield. Start by transferring Treecko from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet. The evolution path from Treecko to Sceptile is covered in the steps below.
How to Obtain Sceptile in SwSh
Step 1Obtain TreeckoBREEDINGAvailableLeave Grovyle with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Treecko egg.CARTRIDGE TRADEAvailableCatch in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl via Walking · Sunlit Cavern · After National Dex obtained, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Ruby & SapphireNot TradeableAppears in Ruby & Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom EmeraldNot TradeableAppears in Emerald via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Silph Co. · Gift from Steven Stone (post-Red). Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Scarlet & VioletNot TradeableAppears in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · Canyon Biome. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Grovyle
Step 3Sceptile ✓
Base Stats
Everything pushes toward special damage here. Sceptile's Sp. Atk does the work, HP pays the price. But you're still getting 3 Speed EVs per KO. Tough to catch, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
The seeds on its back are filled with energy from Mega Evolution. The Pokémon detonates these seeds to launch the tip of its tail.
Sceptile Guide
Sceptile already has 630 BST going for it, and Lightning Rod pushes the competitive value even higher. B-Tier sweeper on our tier list.
Yes. Mega Sceptile is the evolved form, sitting at 730 BST. Big power spike over base Sceptile (630). Equip the Mega Stone and it transforms in battle.
Sceptile's biggest threats include Walrein (Ice), Crobat (Poison), and Dodrio (Flying), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Walrein is the most dangerous since Ice moves deal 4x damage. Bug, Dragon, and Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. With 6 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
Sceptile gets Lightning Rod. But Lightning Rod is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that. With base 145 Speed, Lightning Rod gives Sceptile an edge before opponents can react.
Sceptile is a mixed attacker with base 110 Attack and 145 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 145 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. Fits the sweeper role.
Game Availability
Available since Ruby & Sapphire, Sceptile appears in 16 games spanning 8 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Mega form in Generation 6.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves