Doublade Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Swords Dance allows Doublade to become a great wincon, becoming a threat very quickly. Shadow Sneak is a great STAB move that bypasses Doublade's bad base 35 Speed stat thanks to it having +1 priority. Iron Head is a more reliable STAB move to hit slower Pokemon such as Florges harder while Gyro Ball hits foes such as Crobat harder, albeit with fewer PP. Sacred Sword allows Doublade to hit Dark-types harder along with providing great neutral coverage alongside Doublade's Shadow Sneak. Shadow Claw can be used instead, as it gains STAB, provides a stronger neutral hit on Water- and Electric-types, and provides decent neutral coverage with Iron Head. Set Details Maximum Attack EVs allow Doublade to hit as hard as possible. 240 HP EVs minimize Stealth Rock and burn damage while the rest is dumped into Special Defense. An Adamant nature is used with Iron Head, but a Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs are necessary with Gyro Ball to allow it to hit as hard as possible against faster threats. Eviolite is used to allow Doublade to survive any physical hit, even super effective ones, alongside weaker special hits. Usage Tips Try to set up late-game when opposing Pokemon are weakened enough to faint to a +2 Shadow Sneak. Doublade can set up on almost all physical attackers thanks to its amazing physical bulk and nice resistances, so Pokemon such as Mega Aerodactyl and Crobat are ideal setup bait for Doublade, as even a switch-in is not going to like taking a hit from +2 Doublade. Team Options Doublade appreciates wallbreakers such as Darmanitan and Mienshao, as both can break Steel-types that tend to wall Doublade. Wish support is necessary, as Doublade has no form of recovery outside of RestTalk. Florges is a great partner and forms a nice Steel + Fairy core while also providing Aromatherapy support, meaning Doublade doesn't have to worry about being crippled by status ailments. Entry hazard support is also necessary to wear down Doublade's common checks. Tentacruel and Chesnaught are good partners, as Tentacruel can spread burns with Scald and pressure the rest of the team with Toxic Spikes while Chesnaught has Fighting-type STAB moves to hurt Steel-types and can wear them down with Leech Seed and Spikes. Trick Room support from Pokemon such as Aromatisse and Slowking allows Doublade to outspeed foes with base 35 Speed and higher and hit them before it gets hit. This improves Doublade's chances of retaining its Eviolite against the many powerful Knock Off users in the tier, such as Krookodile and Absol, while applying major pressure to the opponent's team.

Moves Swords Dance allows Doublade to double its Attack, letting it attack powerfully. Shadow Sneak is Doublade's primary STAB move and somewhat makes up for its atrocious Speed, since it has boosted priority. Sacred Sword has perfect neutral coverage with Shadow Sneak and hits Normal-types immune to Ghost-type attacks, such as Chansey and Porygon2. It can also hit Dark-types that resist Shadow Sneak and threats that don't take much from Ghost-type moves, such as Tyranitar, Bisharp, and Ferrothorn. Shadow Claw is used because it is a strong STAB attack that has perfect neutral coverage with Sacred Sword. It also OHKOes Slowbro after two Swords Dances and helps against opposing Doublade. Iron Head can be used instead of Shadow Claw to hit Fairy-types such as Clefable and Togekiss harder, but they already take a lot of damage from Shadow Claw, and without Shadow Claw, Doublade loses to Slowbro and itself. Set Details Doublade's Attack is maximized and boosted with an Adamant nature in order to hit as hard as possible, OHKOing Victini with a +2 Shadow Sneak after Stealth Rock, for example. 36 Speed EVs let Doublade outpace Gastrodon and place it directly below Rhyperior, a target one wants to underspeed due to its use of a Weakness Policy. An alternative speed benchmark is 44 EVs, which lets Doublade outpace Rhyperior and potentially hit it with two +2 Shadow Claws, allowing Mega Scizor to clean up. The remaining EVs are placed into HP to boost Doublade's all-around bulk. Eviolite is Doublade's choice of item, as it makes Doublade's already great Defense stellar while patching up its horrible Special Defense. No Guard is Doublade's ability simply because it is the only option; it provides no added utility whatsoever, since all of Doublade's moves are perfectly accurate. Usage Tips Because Doublade can wall and set up on many physical attackers and Fighting-types such as Mega Heracross and Hawlucha, switch it into them. Also, switch Doublade into predicted Fighting-type moves and into Choice item users whose moves it resists or is immune to, including Choice Band Terrakion's Close Combat. However, due to its lack of recovery, preserve Doublade's health early-game, since it cannot sweep late-game if it is worn down earlier in the match. Doublade can also switch into certain Rapid Spin users, including Avalugg. Because the opponent will then most likely switch due to Doublade walling his or her Pokemon, either use an attack that hits the switch-in the hardest or set up a Swords Dance for free. If Doublade is a massive threat to the opponent's team and can exert offensive pressure from the beginning, such as against Psychic-type teams, it can do heavy damage early and allow a teammate to clean. Two fantastic niches Doublade has are checking all Terrakion and non-Choice Band Victini, both of which are massive threats to Steel-type teams. It can force out the former by threatening super effective hits and tank the latter's V-create from full health to use Swords Dance and OHKO it with Shadow Sneak. It is best to keep entry hazards up on the opposing side, because they allow Doublade to more easily get crucial KOs, such as a guaranteed 2HKO against Victini and a guaranteed 2HKO against Latias and Latios after Stealth Rock. Conversely, keep hazards off one's own side of the field, since Doublade dislikes getting worn down due to a complete lack of recovery. Furthermore, keep Doublade away from Knock Off at all costs, since Doublade's Eviolite getting Knocked Off is disastrous for it. Additionally, zealously avoid Doublade getting burned, since a burn will negate any Swords Dances Doublade has set up and make it hit very weakly. It also dislikes the chip damage due to having no reliable recovery. Doublade can also be used as a pseudo-revenge killer, since it can KO a threat low on health with an unboosted Shadow Sneak. Team Options Because Doublade is easily KOed by many special attacks, specially defensive Heatran is a fantastic teammate, since it can tank them and receives free switches off of Doublade's weakness to Fire-type attacks while also providing chip damage with Toxic and Stealth Rock. Doublade's role in this partnership is to tank physical attacks that hit on Heatran's weaker defense while also being immune to Fighting-type attacks, to which Heatran is weak. Doublade partners well with entry hazard setters like Skarmory and Ferrothorn due to its immunity to Rapid Spin. Both can switch into Ground-type attacks that Doublade is weak to and net easier KOs for Doublade with the chip damage from entry hazards, a Rocky Helmet, Iron Barbs, and Leech Seed, respectively. Skarmory can also share the burden of checking Fighting-types with Doublade, while Ferrothorn allows it to outspeed Choice Scarf Hoopa-U and Choice Scarf Togekiss with Thunder Wave. Excadrill offensively synergizes excellently with Doublade, since it can outspeed and KO Choice Band Victini, Mega Charizard Y, and Bisharp, all of which are massive threats to Doublade. On the other hand, Magnezone can break bulky Water-types that Doublade struggles with, such as Suicune and Politoed. It can also gain momentum for Doublade's team with Volt Switch and trap Steel-types that beat Doublade, such as Knock Off Mega Scizor and Skarmory. Sweepers such as Bisharp and Mega Scizor work well with Doublade, since they share checks and can whittle them down until a sweep is possible. The former can deter Defog with Defiant, which Doublade dislikes due to hazards helping it sweep, while the latter can switch into Knock Off due to its irremovable item. Additionally, Mega Scizor can KO Choice Band Terrakion and TrickScarf Togekiss with Bullet Punch, two Pokemon Doublade dislikes.

Moves Swords Dance gives Doublade increased offensive presence and prevents it from being total setup fodder for Pokemon that can take its unboosted attacks, such as Skarmory. Shadow Sneak helps patch up Doublade's poor Speed by giving it a priority move. Shadow Claw is the preferred main STAB attack to hit most walls in the metagame neutrally and opposing Doublade as well as common Psychic-types such as Cresselia super effectively. However, Iron Head is an alternate STAB move that gives Doublade a little extra power over Shadow Claw and a super effective hit on Fairy-types, but it makes Doublade weaker against bulky Water-types and opposing Doublade. Gyro Ball can be used over Iron Head for a higher Base Power versus fast Pokemon, but Iron Head is preferred due to its more reliable Base Power and higher PP, which allow Doublade to more consistently hit slower threats such as Sylveon. Sacred Sword gives Doublade perfect neutral coverage with Shadow Claw and allows it to more easily beat threats such as Snorlax. Set Details Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature increase Doublade's offensive presence and allow it to more easily sweep opposing teams after a Swords Dance. Near-maximum HP investment combined with an Eviolite turns Doublade into a defensive as well as offensive powerhouse, and the final 8 Special Defense EVs are used to make Doublade slightly bulkier in its lower defensive stat. Flash Fire gives it an immunity to its most common weakness, Fire, and can help it lure and cripple Fire-types such as Victini. Regenerator helps fix Doublade's lack of recovery, although it is forced to switch out to heal and doesn't get any useful immunities with it. Levitate allows Doublade to counter Pokemon that use Ground-type moves to hit Steel-types, such as Metagross and Excadrill. Usage Tips Doublade can be used as a strong check to some of the most threatening Pokemon in the format, as it consistently defeats threats such as Heracross and Snorlax while also beating out a wider variety of threats depending upon its ability. Flash Fire Doublade can be used as a switch-in for Fire-type attackers without Mold Breaker, and Levitate Doublade can be used as a switch-in for Ground-type attackers without Mold Breaker. However, if Doublade lacks the appropriate ability, do not switch it into Fire- and Ground-types. Doublade can be switched into nearly every physical attacker that lacks a super effective STAB attack in the metagame, but be careful about letting it get worn down through constant switches into strong attackers. Keep Doublade away from strong special attackers, as even resisted hits do significant damage thanks to Doublade's low Special Defense. Also, be wary of special attackers with Tinted Lens, such as Draco Meteor Kyurem, which can OHKO Doublade even with resisted hits. Do not automatically set up Swords Dance versus teams with checks such as Unaware Pokemon, as Doublade will be forced to switch out anyway and the boosts will be useless. It is advised to scout for Unaware users and set up entry hazards to weaken opposing teams before setting up. If running Regenerator, frequently switch Doublade out to recover. If running Pursuit, Doublade should use it when faced with foes that are Choice-locked into a Normal-, Fighting-, or Poison-type move or otherwise unable to do any significant damage to Doublade. Doublade can also use Pursuit on Pokemon that are Choice-locked into Fire-type moves if running Flash Fire and Ground-type moves if running Levitate. Team Options Doublade fits best on bulky offense and stall teams that need a good check to physical attackers and Gale Wings users. Wish passers such as Vaporeon are essential for keeping Doublade healthy throughout longer games, and Heal Bell users are recommended to keep Doublade status-free. Pokemon that resist Dark and don't mind taking Knock Offs, such as Conkeldurr and Regenerator Diancie, help patch up Doublade's Dark weakness. Pokemon with the ability Flash Fire or Primordial Sea, such as Ferrothorn and Suicune, are needed so that non-Flash Fire variants of Doublade have a teammate that can take Fire-type attacks. Similarly, Levitate or Flying-type Pokemon are important to take Ground-type moves for non-Levitate variants of Doublade. Pokemon that can take on bulky Water-types, such as Shaymin-S and Desolate Land Victini, make for good teammates for Doublade, as they can break past its most reliable counters such as Suicune and Vaporeon. Strong special attackers such as Manaphy and Gengar can also help take on physical walls that normally invalidate Doublade such as Hippowdon. Mandibuzz has excellent synergy with Doublade, as it resists Dark and Ghost and is immune to Ground, while Doublade can take Rock- and Fairy-type attacks aimed at Mandibuzz. Due to the amount of switches Doublade can force, entry hazard setters such as Hippowdon should be used in conjunction with Doublade to rack up residual damage on opposing teams. Goodra and Sylveon can form the potent Dragon / Fairy / Steel core with Doublade, resisting most types in the game for a strong defensive backbone.