Scyther Best Moveset
110 Attack at 105 Speed on Bug/Flying with AbilityTechnician boosting weak moves by 50%. Held ItemEviolite gives 80/80 defenses a serious boost since Scizor and Kleavor exist as evolutions. The moveset outspeeds most threats and hits hard through Technician-boosted priority. Tera Bug amplifies the primary TermStab.
Bug/Flying with 110 Attack but terrible Bug moves in Gen I (Red & Blue). Bug-type attacks were nearly useless, so Scyther couldn't leverage its own STAB.
Utility Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Slash
- Hyper Beam
- Quick Attack
Recommended Teammates
Swords Dance plus improved physical Bug attacks made it viable in Gen II (Gold & Silver). 105 Speed kept it ahead of most threats.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Wing Attack
- Baton Pass
- Hidden Power Bug
Recommended Teammates
Swarm boosted Bug moves at low HP, and Swords Dance sets were effective in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Raw Speed and Attack kept it competitive.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Silver Wind
- Aerial Ace
Recommended Teammates
Technician arrived in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl) and boosted Aerial Ace, Bug Bite, and Pursuit. 110 Attack with Technician made weaker moves hit surprisingly hard.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- U Turn
- Aerial Ace
- Swords Dance
- Night Slash
Recommended Teammates
Eviolite gave Scyther real bulk in Gen V (Black & White), but Scizor competed at the top tier. Scyther was always in its evolution's shadow.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Aerial Ace
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Bug Bite
Recommended Teammates
Same issue in Gen VI (X & Y). Mega Scizor was better in every format. Scyther was the budget option nobody wanted to run.
Bulky Support Moveset
- Aerial Ace
- Bug Bite
- Swords Dance
- Roost
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Eviolite wasn't enough to compensate for Scizor being available and strictly superior.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Aerial Ace
- Bug Bite
- Quick Attack
Recommended Teammates
Eviolite Scyther found a niche in lower tiers of Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Dual Wingbeat gave it a strong physical Flying STAB it never had before.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dual Wingbeat
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Bug Bite
Recommended Teammates
Eviolite kept it functional in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Not great, but Swords Dance plus Dual Wingbeat was a legitimate sweeping threat in lower formats.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dual Wingbeat
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Quick Attack
Recommended Teammates
Scyther Weakness
Scyther's Bug/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to Rock, Fire, Electric, Ice, and Flying. Rock hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Ground-type attacks completely.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Rock |
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Electric, Ice, Flying |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Scyther Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Scyther
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Blissey builds →
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B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityWaterbubble ItemCustapberry NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Scyther View Araquanid builds →Liquidation12-14% Surf16-20% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityShielddust ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Scyther View Ribombee builds →Moonblast24-28% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureTimid Moves View Ninetales builds →
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Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureSassy Moves View Slowking-Galar builds →
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Evolution
Scyther's evolution chain splits 2 ways into Scizor and Kleavor. The method you choose determines which form you get. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Scyther easily with 91 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.
How to Get Scyther
The chain to Scyther requires a trade evolution. Catch Scyther in the wild and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
Where To Catch Scyther in SV
To get Scyther, start by catching Scyther through walking encounters at Lv. 15-80. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Scyther ✓North Province (Area Two) - Bamboo ForestLv.15-55OverworldRate 30%Casseroya Lake - LakeLv.15-55OverworldRate 18%North Province (Area Two) - LakeLv.15-55OverworldRate 18%South Province (Area Four) - LakeLv.15-55OverworldRate 18%West Province (Area Three) - LakeLv.15-55OverworldRate 18%West Province (Area Three) - ForestLv.15-40OverworldRate 3%West Province (Area Three) - GrassLv.15-40OverworldRate 2%Canyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.64OverworldAvailable in-game· 2 pathsPick one
Scyther's starts with Scyther, which appears in the wild in the locations below. Level through 1 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
The chain to Scyther requires a trade evolution. Catch Scyther in the wild and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
Where To Catch Scyther in PLA
Step 1Scyther ✓Grandtree ArenaLv.13-16GrassRate 15%Primeval GrottoLv.53-56CaveRate 15%Available in-game· 2 pathsPick one
A trade step sits in Scyther's 2-stage line from Scyther. The step cards below map each stage with catch locations and evolution methods. Scyther shows up in the wild, so the starting catch is the easy part.
Where To Catch Scyther in BDSP
The path to Scyther starts with Scyther at Lv. 16-63 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Scyther ✓Big Bluff CavernLv.16-63CaveBrilliant DiamondRate 80%Unique encounterGrassland CaveLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameRoute 229Lv.52GrassBrilliant DiamondRate 5%
Step 2Evolve into Scizor
Base Stats
Scyther's spread isn't flashy. Attack leads, Sp. Atk trails, 4 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 1 Attack EV, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
It slashes through grass with its sharp scythes, moving too fast for the human eye to track.
Scyther Guide
Scyther isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Scizor to unlock its full potential. At 500 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Watch for Aerodactyl (Rock), Arcanine (Fire), and Jolteon (Electric) when using Scyther. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Aerodactyl is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage. Ice and Flying-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
No. Scyther only evolves into Scizor through a real trade. There is no in-game alternative in . Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Scyther to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required. The Metal Coat must be held during the trade. Bring one over from a sibling Gen 3 game if needed.
Run Technician on Scyther. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Scyther also gets Swarm and Steadfast, but they don't compare. With base 105 Speed, Technician gives Scyther an edge before opponents can react.
Scyther fills the sweeper role. It's a physical attacker with base 110 Attack. Base 105 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Game Availability
Scyther has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 22 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
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 6ORAS
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