Escavalier Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Megahorn is a powerful STAB attack that dents most Pokemon, but it has a miss chance. Iron Head is a secondary STAB attack that destroys the Fairy-types that resist Megahorn. Pursuit allows Escavalier to get chip damage against the various Pokemon it forces out, such as Celebi and Reuniclus, and it cleanly OHKOes Hoopa and deals heavy damage to Mega Beedrill on the switch. Knock Off provides good utility, removing the held items of opposing Pokemon. Protect allows Escavalier to garner an extra turn of Leftovers recovery and scout Choice item users such as Entei, Mienshao, and Chandelure. Toxic nails bulky Pokemon that check Escavalier, such as Arcanine, and Chesnaught. Alternatively, Drill Run can be used to provide Escavalier with a way to hit Steel-, Fire-, and Poison-type Pokemon for super effective damage. Set Details Maximum HP EVs and the Special Defense investment allows Escavalier to reliably check various threats such as Celebi, Sylveon, Venomoth, Reuniclus, Mega Beedrill, and Cresselia. The rest of the EVs are put into Attack along with an Adamant nature to augment Escavalier's Attack. Leftovers is the preferred item to allow Escavalier to stay relatively healty throughout the match. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with a 0 Speed IV and a Brave nature can be used if Escavalier is being used on a Trick Room team. An Assault Vest can be used instead of Leftovers with an EV spread of 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spe and an Adamant nature to allow Escavalier to outspeed base 30 Speed Pokemon and hit significantly harder, while retaining the ability to take on various special attackers in the tier. Keep in mind though that using an Assault Vest means that Escavalier will be worn down very quickly in conjunction with entry hazards. Usage Tips Use Escavalier to check the various special attackers it deals with, such as non-Fire Blast Hydreigon and Celebi. Escavalier is easily worn down, so be sure to keep it healthy if it is still required to check special attackers. Prediction is the key to effectively utilizing Escavalier, as it forces many switches. Escavalier can use bulky Psychic-types as opportunities to switch in, because Escavalier resists most moves they throw at it, and threatens them with a STAB Megahorn. Team Options Wish passers with access to clerical moves, such as Sylveon and Umbreon, make for good teammates, as they can heal Escavalier with Wish as well as cure burns Escavalier might gain. Fire-types are Escavalier's biggest threats, making Water- and Rock-types, such as Suicune and Diancie, good partners, as they can switch into most Fire-type attackers and hit them for super effective damage with their STAB attacks. Rapid Spin and Defog users, such as Forretress and Crobat, respectively, also make for good teammates, as they can remove entry hazards that wear down Escavalier. This Escavalier set is easily walled by bulky Water-types that can burn Escavalier with Scald, making Pokemon that take advantage of bulky Water-types, such as Celebi and Reuniclus, good partners.

Moves Megahorn has a whopping 120 Base Power, while Iron Head is consistent and has no drawbacks. Knock Off gives good neutral coverage in conjunction with Escavalier's STAB attacks and allows Escavalier to remove the foe's held item. Drill Run is used to give Escavalier super effective coverage against Steel-, Poison-, and Fire-types. On the other hand, Pursuit allows Escavalier to get chip damage against the various Pokemon it forces out, such as Celebi and Cresselia. Set Details The given Attack EVs and nature maximize Escavalier's damage output. The Speed EVs allow Escavalier to outspeed up to uninvested base 30 Speed Pokemon, such as Reuniclus and Slowking. The remaining EVs are put into HP and Special Defense to augment Escavalier's bulk while ensuring Porygon2 and Porygon-Z don't get a Special Attack boost via Download. A Choice Band boosts Escavalier's Attack, making it a dangerous wallbreaker. Overcoat ensures Escavalier can't be put to sleep via powder moves, namely Spore and Sleep Powder. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD with 0 Speed IVs and a Brave nature should be used if Escavalier is being used on a Trick Room team. Usage Tips Be sure to scout for Fire-type moves commonly used by offensive Pokemon Escavalier checks, such as Hidden Power Fire on Roserade. Use Grass-, Poison-, Bug-, and Psychic-type Pokemon that cannot KO Escavalier as opportunities to switch in and punch holes in the opposing team. Escavalier will be locked into a move until it switches out, so be sure to predict well, as being locked into an unfavorable move is easily exploited. Team Options Escavalier lures in Fire-types, making Pokemon that take advantage of this, such as Suicune and Flash Fire Chandelure, good teammates. Cleaners and sweepers, such as Gyarados and Swords Dance Lucario, also make for good teammates, as they capitalize on Escavalier's ability to punch holes in the opposing team. Wallbreakers, such as Choice Specs Kyurem and Choice Band Entei, make for good partners, as they form wallbreaking cores with Escavalier that can power through defensive teams. Pokemon that have a Water-type immunity, such as Dry Skin Toxicroak and Heliolisk, make for good teammates, as they take advantage of the bulky Water-types that attempt to burn Escavalier via Scald.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Escavalier's Attack stat by two stages, making it a deadly wallbreaker. Megahorn hits extremely hard, especially after a Swords Dance boost. Iron Head is very consistent and punishes Fairy-type Pokemon such as Sylveon that resist Megahorn. Knock Off provides Escavalier with good neutral coverage, as well as the ability to remove the held items of opposing Pokemon. Facade can be used in the fourth moveslot to ensure Escavalier isn't shut down by burns; however, it leaves Escavalier walled by Steel-types. Drill Run is another option, allowing it to hit Steep-type Pokemon such as Cobalion for excellent damage. Set Details The given EVs and nature maximize Escavalier's bulk while allowing it to outspeed up to uninvested base 30 Speed Pokemon and hitting a jump point in Attack. Overcoat allows Escavalier to have an immunity to commonly used sleep-inducing powder moves, namely Spore and Sleep Powder. Leftovers gives Escavalier a form of passive recovery, making Escavalier harder to wear down. An alternative EV spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD with a Brave nature and a 0 Speed IV can be used to underspeed Forretress and move after its Volt Switch, allowing Escavalier to get a hit off on the incoming Pokemon. Usage Tips Be sure to set up when facing defensive teams, but avoid doing so against offensive teams. Should Facade be chosen over Knock Off on the fourth moveslot, be sure to remove Steel-types before attempting to punch holes in the opposing team. Always scout for Fire-type attacks, as they can easily OHKO Escavalier. Escavalier beats most bulky Psychic-types one-on-one and can easily take most moves they throw at it, so be sure to use bulky Psychic-types as opportunities to switch Escavalier in. Team Options Entry hazard setters, such as Nidoqueen and Swampert, make for good teammates, as they can make it easier for Escavalier to wallbreak. Cleaners, such as Choice Scarf Mienshao and Shell Smash Cloyster, make for good partners, as they capitalize on Escavalier's ability to dismantle defensive cores. Sweepers such as Dragon Dance Gyarados appreciate Escavalier's wallbreaking capabilities, making them good teammates. Escavalier lacks a form of reliable recovery, making Wish passers, such as Sylveon and Alomomola, good teammates.

While it might seem odd to let Escavalier's insane Attack stat go to waste by using a defensive set, doing so lets it check many threats that the offensive set has trouble keeping up with, such as Raikou and Kingdra. Megahorn acts as Escavalier's main form of offense, and despite the minimal Attack investment, it will still hit very hard due to its naturally high Base Power. Iron Head is the snail's secondary STAB move, letting it hit Pokemon such as Crobat, Togekiss, and Heracross. Pursuit is included here because one of Escavalier's main functions is to check various Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Mismagius, Cofagrigus, and Flamethrower-less Azelf, and having this move usually puts them in a checkmate position. Toxic gives Escavalier a means of crippling many of its common switch-ins, such as Zapdos and bulky Water-types, but has very limited use outside of that. Rest can be used over either Pursuit or Toxic, as when it is combined with Chesto Berry, it gives the metallic snail a means of recovering HP, which it otherwise cannot do outside of Leftovers. The given EV spread optimizes Escavalier's ability to take special hits from the threats it is supposed to beat. The remaining EVs get tossed into Attack in order to let Escavalier do slightly more damage to its targets. This variant of Escavalier can use either one of its abilities effectively. Swarm makes Escavalier much more dangerous when its HP dips under one-third, but Shell Armor protects it from critical hits, and we all know how a well-timed critical hit can ruin even the best plan, so it is worth considering. Knock Off deserves a special mention here, as Gligar and Duscops, two Pokemon who normally have no trouble countering Escavalier, rely entirely on their Eviolite to function well. Pokemon with the ability Flash Fire make excellent teammates to Escavalier, as they can not only switch into its only weakness for free, but also benefit from doing so. Houndoom is especially noteworthy, as it can nearly guarantee the removal of Victini, one of Escavalier's most prominent checks. Blastoise is a good partner, as it can also come in on Fire-types and spin away the hazards that Escavalier dislikes.

Escavalier's great bulk, multiple resistances, and jaw-dropping Attack stat make it an ideal user of Choice Band. This set's purpose is twofold: first, it can tear huge holes into enemy lines simply by using Megahorn repeatedly, as even Pokemon that resist it will take huge amounts of damage. Second, Escavalier can use its strong Pursuit to trap and KO frail threats, such as Flygon, Weavile, and Mismagius. Iron Head serves as a backup STAB move for Pokemon that are hit super effectively by it or resist Megahorn, such as Rhyperior and Machamp, respectively. Return is only here because Escavalier's movepool is quite poor, but it does net a neutral hit on threats such as Arcanine and Zapdos, something neither of Escavalier's STAB moves can do. The given EV spread serves to optimize Escavalier's bulk and maximize its Attack, the remaining EVs tossed into Special Defense to prevent Download Porygon2 from receiving a beneficial boost as it comes in. You may choose to give up some bulk in order to make it faster than Snorlax and Slowbro, but Escavalier appreciates every bit of bulk it possesses, so only do this if you find it to be absolutely necessary. Swarm is the preferred ability here, as it has the potential to make the metallic snail's Megahorn virtually unstoppable, but Shell Armor's ability to protect it from critical hits is very useful as well. Unfortunately for Escavalier, its movepool is scarce, leaving it with little to play around with, despite its fourth moveslot being almost a complete filler. Double-Edge is an option, as it'll do more damage to Zapdos and Fire-types and has a wide range of neutral coverage. However, the recoil is unappealing since Escavalier relies so much on its HP to take hits. Rock Smash, despite how ridiculous it sounds, 2HKOes Cobalion 50% of the time. Knock Off also works, especially since two of its counters, Gligar and Dusclops, rely entirely on Eviolite to be effective. The use of Sleep Talk allows Escavalier to absorb Sleep inducing moves, such as Roserade's Sleep Powder. Another, less obvious option is to forego the use of Choice Band altogether in favor of giving Escavalier a means of recovering HP through Rest + Chesto Berry or even Leftovers. This works out fantastically due to its great typing, bulk, and virtually free fourth moveslot. It's also worth noting that given a Life Orb, a Brave nature, 0 Speed IVs, and possibly even Reversal, Escavalier becomes one of the most fearsome sweepers a dedicated Trick Room team can employ. Since Escavalier is so susceptible to hazard damage stacking up, keeping Spikes off the field by pairing it with a Rapid Spin user will greatly increase its longevity. Blastoise does especially well here, as it will gladly come in on the Fire-type moves aimed at the metallic snail. Offensively, Choice Scarf Heracross makes a fantastic partner, as Escavalier is sure to weaken the enemy Pokemon that resist Megahorn, opening up an opportunity for a Heracross sweep later in the game. Houndoom also makes for a good offensive partner, as it not only has Flash Fire to absorb all Fire-type moves aimed at the snail, but can also Pursuit enemy Victini, leaving Escavalier with one less counter to worry about. Snorlax works in a similar manner, but it also has the added benefit of easily defeating some of Escavalier's other counters, namely Zapdos.

Escavalier can function very well as an anti-Trick Room Pokemon, eliminating the Psychic-types commonly seen on Trick Room teams, including Reuniclus and Musharna, with its powerful STAB Megahorn. Megahorn also OHKOes Hydreigon, who threatens Escavalier with Flamethrower or Fire Blast. STAB Iron Head OHKOes Terrakion, while Double-Edge is Escavalier's best option against the Fire-types who resist its STAB moves. However, Pursuit can be used instead of Double-Edge, as it 3HKOes Chandelure and Jellicent. Thus, in Trick Room, Escavalier can outspeed and weaken these foes, allowing its partner to finish them off. Pursuit also has the added advantage of being perfectly legal with Megahorn which, unlike Faint Attack, allows Escavalier to forgo the much weaker X-Scissor. Protect allows Escavalier to escape unharmed for a turn while its partner KOes a potential threat to Escavalier. Swarm is the best choice for an ability, as it boosts the power of Megahorn to monstrous levels when Escavalier is low on health, allowing it to launch one last powerful blow before going down. An Occa Berry allows Escavalier to survive Chandelure's super effective Heat Wave, and to give its partner a chance to KO the Heat Wave user. A Brave nature along with 0 Speed IVs allows Escavalier to "outspeed" most Pokemon in Trick Room. Incidentally, it also allows Escavalier to function as part of a Trick Room team instead of being only an anti-Trick Room Pokemon. Druddigon is an excellent partner for Escavalier, taking down Escavalier's two main counters, Chandelure and Jellicent, with Sucker Punch. Terrakion can also take out Chandelure, and Escavalier can shield Terrakion from Mach Punch with Quick Guard. Damage calculations against common Trick Room users are given below: Megahorn vs. 252/0 Musharna: 119.73% - 141.26% Megahorn vs. 252/252+ Musharna: 83.41% - 99.55% Megahorn vs. 252/0 Reuniclus: 134.01% - 158.99%

Megahorn is Escavalier's strongest move. An already strong attack boosted by STAB, it allows Escavalier to KO many threats, such as Ludicolo, Abomasnow, and Cresselia. Iron Head is Escavalier's second STAB to abuse. Even with terrible Steel typing, it still hits lots of common Pokemon hard with neutral or super effective coverage. Double-Edge gives Escavalier coverage to hit Pokemon such as Zapdos, and makes it easier to be put in Swarm range. Quick Guard is also an option, as it can protect teammates from annoying priority moves, such as Sucker Punch and Mach Punch. Protect is standard on any Pokemon being used in VGC, giving Escavalier the ability to stall and not collect damage for the turn, helping against serious threats to it such as Chandelure, Zapdos, and Volcarona, all of which can OHKO it with Fire-type moves. An Occa Berry can soften the blow of a single Fire-type move to help Escavalier last longer. Bug Gem can be used to let Megahorn hit amazingly hard against anything, especially if Swarm is in effect. Swarm is the best ability for Escavalier, as Shell Armor doesn't help all that much. A Brave nature optimizes Escavalier's Attack while decreasing its Speed for optimal Trick Room use. Maximum investment in HP helps Escavalier have all-around bulk to go with its nice 105 / 105 defensive stats, and full investment in Attack allows Escavalier to hit harder. Having a Speed IV of 0 ensures Escavalier will be as slow as possible for Trick Room use. Pokemon that set up Trick Room are obviously great teammates, making Escavalier the fastest Pokemon on the field while Trick Room is active. Jellicent is a particularly good partner with great typing synergy and the ability to set Trick Room. Iron Ball Politoed is a good partner because it can set rain, making Fire-types less of a threat, and it can abuse Trick Room itself. Escavalier can use Quick Guard to stop Sucker Punch or other priority attacks from hurting Escavalier's partners. Rock Slide users, such as Terrakion and Rhyperior, can clear lots of the Pokemon that might threaten Escavalier, such as Zapdos and Chandelure.

Megahorn, in conjunction with Bug Gem, offers a near-OHKO on most Pokemon and removes problematic threats for Trick Room teams with ease, having a 50% chance to OHKO Amoonguss. Iron Head is the secondary STAB move, hitting Pokemon like Tornadus that resist Megahorn. Swords Dance allows Escavalier to boost its damage output further, punishing passive plays like Protect that are made in an attempt to stall out Trick Room. In a similar vein, Substitute can punish them by making Escavalier more difficult to remove. Escavalier can protect itself throughout Trick Room by using Substitute right before it is set up. Substitute can also very effectively be used on the last turn of Trick Room, as the opponent may expect Escavalier to use Protect or switch out. This shields Escavalier for the following turn, allowing it to clean up, or potentially allows its ally to set Trick Room back up without forcing itself to use Protect. The given EVs and IVs ensure that Escavalier is as slow as possible for Trick Room, underspeeding Pokemon like minimum Speed Amoonguss. Other Options Choice Band allows Escavalier to not rely on Bug Gem as much for a big chunk of damage, though it leaves Escavalier vulnerable to attacks or defensive switches after locking into a move. Common Partners Cresselia, being the premier Trick Room Pokemon, is an amazing partner for Escavalier, using Helping Hand to boost its damage output and providing coverage against Landorus-T. Jellicent can also set Trick Room while carrying Water-type STAB moves to threaten Fire-types and Landorus-T. Politoed sets up the rain, allowing Escavalier to avoid being OHKOed by Fire-type attacks such as Hidden Power Fire from Latios and non-Fire Gem-boosted Heat Wave from Heatran. Conkeldurr is a powerful Trick Room sweeper that can complement Escavalier by taking on threats such as Heatran, Landorus-T, and Thundurus with Hammer Arm and Ice Punch. Heatran can use Eruption to blow through the Steel-types that resist Escavalier's STAB moves such as Scizor and opposing Escavalier while threatening big damage onto neutral targets like Thundurus. Checks & Counters Fire-types like Heatran resist both of Escavalier's STAB options and can easily OHKO it with their own. Heatran in particular can OHKO Escavalier with Eruption even in rain. Hidden Power Fire from the likes of Cresselia and Latios also threatens solid chunks of damage onto Escavalier. The aforementioned Politoed helps out here, since it OHKOes most Fire-types and weakens Fire-type attacks with rain, allowing Escavalier to retaliate. Landorus-T can decrease the damage output of Escavalier and resists Megahorn, dealing solid chunks of damage with Earthquake. Removing it early on is ideal to prevent Escavalier being stuck with an Attack drop later in the game. Thundurus can use Taunt to prevent Trick Room from going up, leaving Escavalier vulnerable to its Electric Gem-boosted Thunderbolt, while Escavalier may struggle to do much in return once Bug Gem is burned through because Thundurus resists both of Escavalier's STAB options. Thundurus should be removed or forced out so Trick Room can be set up safely. Volcarona can OHKO Escavalier with ease using Overheat or Heat Wave, redirect its attacks with Rage Powder, resist both Megahorn and Iron Head, and potentially burn it with Flame Body. Using partners like Politoed and Kingdra on rain teams or Landorus-T on other teams to remove Volcarona is best because it allows Escavalier to later on play safely in Trick Room without the worry of being KOed or burned.