Espeon Movesets & Competitive Sets

With a Defense donation, Espeon turns into a potent bulky setup sweeper. The combination of Calm Mind and the Defense boost from Electric Seed makes it hard to revenge kill and simultaneously strengthens Stored Power, especially with Morning Sun recovery to give it more setup opportunities. Stored Power also allows Espeon to muscle past Unaware users like non-Haze Quagsire and Clefable, making it an excellent slot on hyper offense teams. Electric Seed's Defense boost lets Espeon withstand attacks from common offensive threats like Rillaboom, Zeraora, and Zamazenta-C, and with the item's consumption, take on Knock Off and Poltergeist users like Weavile, Yveltal, and Dhelmise more easily. Espeon's naturally high Speed tier means it can even outspeed foes like Blacephalon, Urshifu-R, and Rayquaza, preventing it from being revenge killed easily. Dazzling Gleam provides crucial coverage to hit Dark-types like Galarian Moltres, Yveltal, and Tyranitar. Magic Bounce prevents any attempts of stopping it with Taunt, Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Roar from Pokemon like Heatran, Ho-Oh, Rotom-W, and Giratina, respectively. This is especially useful, as even without any coverage to hit Steel-types super effectively, Espeon can safely set up on the likes of specially defensive Necrozma-DM, Heatran, and Ferrothorn due to their passive nature and Espeon's effective immunity to their status moves. Calm Mind Espeon excels the most on hyper offense teams. Tapu Koko is a mandatory partner, as it provides dual screens for Espeon to set up more easily, brings it in safely with U-turn, and helps activate its Electric Seed with Electric Surge. Espeon pairs well with most gods used on hyper offense teams, but offensive gods that can donate a high Defense stat like Necrozma-DM and Groudon are notably great partners. In particular, Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM is also a potent setup sweeper itself that appreciates Espeon's ability to muscle past Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Corviknight, and Skarmory. Offensive teammates like Volcarona and Double Dance Galarian Moltres can keep up the pressure against the opposing team for Espeon to sweep much more easily.

Moves Baton Pass allows Espeon to switch in and out safely in combination with another Baton Pass user and to make use of Magic Bounce against status moves like Taunt and Roar or Whirlwind without losing stat boosts, as well as keeping stat boosts safe from Spectral Thief in case the opponent has a Focus Sash Marshadow. Stored Power is Espeon's main STAB move, which it can utilize to sweep due to its rapidly growing Base Power from all of Espeon's boosts. Dazzling Gleam is used to hit Dark-types such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and Tyranitar due to their immunity to Stored Power. Substitute is useful as a safety net against priority moves while sweeping, and getting one up safely can be statistically inevitable with enough evasion boosts. Set Details 8 HP EVs are used to allow Espeon to place four Substitutes without recovery. 208 Defense EVs are required to survive an Extreme Speed from Life Orb Adamant Arceus. 68 Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature are required to OHKO Mega Gengar with Stored Power after three boosts. These boosts will usually be in the form of Speed. The remaining EVs are invested into Speed in order to help Espeon outspeed the opposing Pokemon while sweeping without the need of excessive boosts, letting it outspeed the whole unboosted metagame except for Deoxys-S at +1. Magic Bounce is useful to bounce back various status moves, especially Taunt, Leech Seed, and Roar or Whirlwind before Ingrain is active. Shell Bell is useful to heal back damage taken from priority moves or Substitutes being hit through evasion, since Espeon will likely OHKO the foe. Leftovers may be preferable over Shell Bell if the team cannot provide enough regeneration from the likes of Aqua Ring to place more Substitutes with evasion boosts, as Shell Bell does not heal if Espeon does not attack. Usage Tips Espeon, as the only Magic Bounce user on most Baton Pass teams, will need to be switched in with Baton Pass to block Taunt from Yveltal or Mega Gengar. However, both of these threats can OHKO Espeon without significant Special Defense boosts, so switching it into them should be done with care. Apart from bouncing back key status moves such as Taunt and Leech Seed, however, Espeon should not be out until it is ready to sweep. Once enough boosts to sweep have been accumulated, setting up a Substitute to shield Espeon from one hit is recommended before switching it in, but it is not required. Against a Marshadow whose item has not been scouted, Espeon should Baton Pass out to Smeargle, as one Spectral Thief from a Focus Sash Marshadow can immediately turn a won game into a loss. A Substitute should be placed before attacking if Espeon has evasion boosts but inadequate Defense boosts, as evasion boosts mean that a Substitute should be able to be laid down without getting hit after a few tries. Substitute is also a good move to use when switching in Espeon to bounce back a status move with intent to switch out to another team member. Substitute allows Espeon to be hit and switch to the correct team member according to the situation. Team Options Espeon fits only on Baton Pass teams, as it lacks the ability to fulfill any other niche in the metagame. Scolipede is a powerful team member with access to Speed Boost, Baton Pass, and Iron Defense, allowing the team to farm Defense and Speed, giving Espeon the ability to outspeed opposing Pokemon while sweeping and have physical bulk to survive priority attacks from Arceus, Mega Rayquaza, and Marshadow. Smeargle is arguably the most popular Baton Passer due to having access to every move in the game along with Moody as an ability. Smeargle can put foes to sleep with Spore, use Ingrain to keep foes from phazing it, use Spectral Thief to steal back stats and hit Marshadow, and set up a Substitute to farm Moody boosts. Drifblim is the most viable evasion passer because of Minimize and Unburden along with its natural bulk. Evasion helps with setting up Substitutes when the Substitutes cannot survive any given move from the foe. Mr. Mime is invaluable against common methods of removing boosts. Soundproof allows it to switch into Perish Song and Roar, and its Fairy typing lets it switch into Dragon Tail. Taunt allows Mr. Mime to block opposing Taunts, Haze, and Heart Swap. Vaporeon can pass Aqua Ring for increased regeneration, which is useful while setting up Substitutes. It also has a defensively effective pure Water typing that allows it to get Defense boosts with Acid Armor more easily. Its natural bulk and low sSpeed also let it act as one of the most effective pivots on Baton Pass teams. Gliscor can farm evasion boosts with Double Team against Primal Kyogre, one of the most powerful threats to Baton Pass teams, because of its immunity to Thunder.

The main strength of this set is that it can hit fast, fairly hard and find set up opportunities in front of passive Pokemon such as Toxapex and Chansey thanks to Magic Bounce, and weaker special attackers such as Cresselia and Whimsicott due to the combination of Calm Mind and Morning Sun. The spread allows Espeon to hit as hard as possible, and the Psychium Z gives it a fantastic nuke that can, for example, OHKO Mega Charizard X or have a 56% chance to OHKO Mega Salamence without boosts. The EVs in Special Defense are there to survive certain attacks at +1, like Tapu Koko’s Z Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain and Offensive Mega Gengar’s Shadow Ball. The speed EVs are to speed creep Pokemon that EV to outspeed Adamant Mega Salamence by 1.

With Stealth Rock growing in popularity in the tier, Dual Screen Espeon works as a fine answer to most Stealth Rock setters, such as Hippowdon, Swampert, Landorus-T, Garchomp, Mamoswine and Nihilego, protecting the field from the hazards thanks to Magic Bounce, while almost freely setting up Reflect and Light Screen for its team. Espeon also does a fine job versus passive Pokemon such as Toxapex, finding even more setup opportunities. Its fast Yawn gives it an answer to opposing setups if needed, while Psychic does decent damage even without any evs investments. The spread outspeeds adamant Mega Salamence and survives attacks such as Greninja’s Dark Pulse (has a 50% chance to survive even the Life Orb variant), Mega Gengar’s Hex, Choice Scarf Garchomp’s Outrage and adamant Choice Scarf Landorus-T’s Earthquake and U-Turn, before the screens. This set is threatened by faster Pokemon that can take it out before it sets up, such as Electrium Z Tapu Koko and Offensive Mega Gengar’s Shadow Ball, leaving teams that rely on the screens without their main strategy.

The combination of Magic Bounce, due to bouncing back moves such as Roar, Whirlwind or Toxic, and access to Stored Power, make Espeon a fantastic Baton Pass Recipient. The spread outspeeds base 130 speed Pokemon at +1, while maximizing its bulk and physical defense as much as possible. If using an Extreme Evoboost strategy, the speed can be raised to 92 EVs to outspeed +1 Jolly Mega Salamence after the Eeveeboost. Kee Berry is the preferred item when Espeon is paired with Baton Pass users who don't pass many defensive boost, such as Normalium Z Umbreon. However, when receiving an Extreme Eevoboost or Iron Defense, items such as Sitrus Berry or Mago Berry are preferred.

Moves Stored Power takes advantage of all of the boosts Espeon's team has Baton Passed to it. Dazzling Gleam is essential coverage for Dark-type Pokemon. Substitute capitalizes on the evasion that is often Baton Passed to Espeon, which allows it to get free Substitutes up. Espeon will also often have numerous defensive boosts, which prevent a large portion of attackers from breaking the Substitute. Baton Pass allows Espeon to continue the Baton Pass chain. Set Details Magic Bounce is Espeon's only viable ability, granting it an immunity to Taunt, phazing, and status. Leftovers gives Espeon passive recovery. The given EVs and a Timid nature allow Espeon to be as fast as possible with maximum damage output. Usage Tips Early-game, Espeon is used to reflect entry hazards, Taunt, and phazing. Late-game, once your Baton Pass chain is all boosted up, Espeon is used for sweeping. Baton Passing to Espeon against Pokemon such as Klefki and Mega Sableye is a good idea, as it completely walls them. Be careful when bringing Espeon in, as it is often the wincon on Baton Pass teams and if it faints you lose your only way of dealing damage. Team Options Espeon only fits on full Baton Pass teams, so teammates that boost Speed, Special Attack, and bulk reliably are essential. Scolipede and Blaziken are excellent options for passing Speed, as they can also pass Attack via Swords Dance.Zapdos is another great teammate for boosting Speed because it also acts as a reliable answer to Mega Rayquaza. Mr. Mime is an excellent team option because it can pass Calm Mind boosts as well as grant an immunity to Perish Song thanks to its ability Soundproof. A defensive booster such as Acid Armor Vaporeon is very important because of all the priority attacks floating around in Anything Goes. Smeargle is a great partner too because it gets stat boosts every turn thanks to Moody, helping Espeon take advantage of Stored Power, and can afford to run any moves it wants. Drifblim pairs well with Espeon, as it is the most viable Evasion passer, getting Minimize, Substitute, Magic Coat, and an excellent defensive typing, allowing it to deal with most Extreme Killers efficiently. Having two Espeon on a team can actually be very useful, giving you a second wincon and leaving more room for error.

Moves Psychic is the main STAB move, dealing decent chip damage to anything that doesn't resist it and hitting common threats like Breloom, Gengar, and Venusaur hard. Reflect and Light Screen make up the main role of this set, boosting Defense or Special Defense for all of the Pokemon on your side for eight turns. Yawn forces switches and stops opposing setup sweepers to further help Espeon's supporting role, and Dazzling Gleam offers good coverage as well as preventing Espeon from being completely walled by Dark-types. Set Details Thanks to Magic Bounce, Espeon can ignore Taunt, status moves, and annoying Swagger strategies. 236 HP EVs and 76 Defense EVs allow it to always survive maximum Attack Life Orb Adamant Talonflame's Brave Bird before setting up Reflect and have a great chance to survive Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball even if not covered by Light Screen. 196 Speed EVs with a Timid nature is used to outspeed positive-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as Mega Kangaskhan, and maximum Speed Jolly Garchomp. Behind dual screens, Espeon becomes pretty bulky, being able to survive attacks like Adamant Conkeldurr's Knock Off, +1 Jolly Mega Salamence's Double-Edge, and even Adamant Mega Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch or Double-Edge (although the combination of Fake Out and Double Edge will still KO Espeon) while shielded by Reflect; maximum Special Attack Quiet Aegislash's Shadow Ball and maximum Special Attack Timid Life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse if behind Light Screen. Light Clay is required to prolong the turns of Reflect and Light Screen. Usage Tips The main goal of this set is to put up dual screens and maximize Espeon's teammates' chances to sweep or set up. Bringing Espeon as your lead is in general the best idea, since it doesn't like to switch in and take hits. Try to set up one screen and then use Yawn to gain the momentum for a switch out or to spread chip damage on switch-ins. Setting up both screens will often lead Espeon to faint, but it could still be worth it, giving a free switch into your sweeper. Letting Espeon go down after setting up one or both screens is especially good on hyper offense teams, since Pokemon on these teams don't need many turns to set up. Yawn can be used to stop foes from setting up in front of Espeon, but keep in mind that using it in front of a Prankster + Substitute user such as Thundurus or Klefki could lead to a wasted turn. Team Options This Espeon set fits well on offensive teams and pairs well with setup sweepers. Dragon Dance Mega Salamence and Quiver Dance Volcarona are both good partners thanks to the dual screen support from Espeon as well as Magic Bounce that prevents entry hazards. Mega Kangaskhan is another good partner, being able to switch in on and check Ghost-types with Sucker Punch and Crunch while checking Steel-types with Earthquake. Azumarill gives Espeon a handy switch-in to Dark- and Bug-type attacks and appreciates the dual screen support that can allow it to easily set up Belly Drum. Blaziken is also a good choice for helping against Steel-types and Tyranitar. Mega Gyarados resists Ghost-type moves and can set up with Dragon Dance. Dragonite can be extremely bulky with the combination of Multiscale and the dual screens while setting up Dragon Dances. In general, strong, hard-hitting Pokemon will all appreciate dual screen support from Espeon. Other examples of good partners are Mega Heracross, Mega Mawile, Greninja, and Sylveon.

Moves Psychic is Espeon's strongest STAB move. Psyshock can be used to hit special walls or Calm Mind users harder. Dazzling Gleam covers Dark-types and has good overall coverage. Grass Knot smashes common leads like Mamoswine and Hippowdon, and Shadow Ball can be used to hit most Steel-types and deal super effective damage to Aegislash and Gengar. Hidden Power Ice is an option to deal huge damage to 4x Ice-weak Dragons like Salamence and Garchomp, even having a chance to OHKO them, and OHKO non-bulky variants of Landorus. Trick is a great option for the fourth moveslot, allowing Espeon to lock Pokemon into a single move. Set Details The EV spread maximizes Espeon's Special Attack and provides enough Speed to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, other Choice Scarf user, and even Blaziken at +1, if running a Choice Scarf. If running Choice Specs, the EV spread will allow Espeon to Speed tie with Gengar and outspeed common threats like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan. Magic Bounce guards Espeon from status that could otherwise stop it from sweeping, like paralysis and confusion from Swagger. A Modest nature could be used to obtain more firepower. If running Modest Espeon, 28 Speed EVs and a Choice Scarf are enough to outspeed base 130s such as Mega Gengar, so the remaining EVs could be invested to increase its bulk. Keep in mind that this could leave Espeon vulnerable to other Choice Scarf Pokemon or with poor Speed after using Trick. Usage Tips Espeon can be used as the lead to deal as much damage as it can or mess up foes with Trick, locking them into a supporting move or restricting their choice to a single move, crippling Pokemon like Cresselia and Porygon2, and giving momentum to the team. It can also be used as a late-game cleaner thanks to its high Speed, but keep in mind that Espeon is vulnerable to priority attackers like Talonflame or Kangaskhan. Team Options Pokemon that can handle Steel- and Dark-types, such as Fire-type Pokemon like Blaziken or Fighting-type Pokemon like Mega Lopunny, are good partners for Espeon. Mega Kangaskhan is another good partner, being able to switch in on and check Ghost-types with Sucker Punch and Crunch while also checking Steel-types with Earthquake. Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Mega Mawile give Espeon handy switch-ins to Dark- and Bug-type attacks. An answer to common priority users such as Talonflame and Mega Kangaskhan may facilitate Espeon's sweeping role. Rotom-W or Rotom-H, Zapdos, and Garchomp can all fulfill this role. Pokemon with the ability Justified such as Lucario or Terrakion can switch Dark-type attacks and gain a free Attack boosts if Espeon Tricks a foe into a Dark-type move while also being able to take Bug-type attacks.

Moves Calm Mind is Espeon's form of setup, reducing damage from special attacks and boosting its already great Special Attack. Stored Power capitalizes on the boosts Espeon gets, and it's the preferred option if using Espeon as a Baton Pass recipient. Psychic is an alternative for immediate power, since Stored Power needs two Calm Minds to be stronger than it, while Psyshock can be used to hit common Assault Vest users such as Conkeldurr. Dazzling Gleam covers Dark-types and has good coverage; however, Hidden Power Fighting can be used instead if targeting Steel-types is required while still hitting Dark-types, but it is weaker. Morning Sun gives Espeon recovery to ease setup, while Substitute guards it from status-inducing moves such as Scald and Discharge or from priority moves like Sucker Punch. Set Details Magic Bounce lets Espeon set up without fear of status or phazing. The EV spread allows for optimum Leftovers recovery, while maximum Speed aids sweeping with Calm Mind or set up a fast Substitute. The rest of the EVs are invested into Defense to patch up Espeon's average physical bulk, allowing it to survive attacks like Jolly Garchomp's Outrage. Keep in mind that running Hidden Power Fighting means that Espeon will fail to Speed tie with Gengar. In this case, if using a Timid nature, a 164 HP / 116 Def / 28 SpD / 200 Spe spread can be used in order to outspeed Jolly Garchomp and all base 100s while having good chances to survive Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird and Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball. 236 HP / 76 Def can be used in order to always survive a maximum Attack Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird, while 196 Speed EVs still let Espeon outspeed maximum Speed Garchomp and all base 100s. A Modest nature with a 236 HP / 76 Def / 4 SpA / 28 SpD / 164 Spe spread is an alternative to allow Espeon to outspeed maximum Speed Jolly Heracross and survive maximum Attack Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird and Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball while having a more offensive presence. On Baton Pass teams, Espeon could run very bulky EV spreads such as 252 HP / 252 Def with a Bold nature in order to mitigate its physical frailness. Leftovers and Morning Sun increase Espeon's longevity, but Kee Berry can be an option to increase its bulk and Stored Power's base damage. Usage Tips Due to Espeon's frailness, avoiding unnecessary damage is mandatory. Fainted teammates are a good way of bringing in Espeon. Capitalize on Magic Bounce by switching in on predicted status moves, entry hazards, or Pokemon that often rely on residual damage or support moves. A good idea is to use special attackers such as Cresselia and Rotom-A as setup fodders, since Espeon can take hits from them and heal back the HP it lost. Likewise, support Pokemon like Chansey and Whimsicott are setup bait thanks to Magic Bounce. Knowing when to set up is very important, since you don't want to start setting up too early and be forced out after taking a bit of damage. A good way to maximize Espeon's chances to sweep is to deal with potential threats in the early stages of the game and try to set up in the latter part of the match. Keep in mind that Espeon needs a couple of boosts to successfully attempt a sweep. Team Options Pokemon that can handle Steel-, Dark-, and Dragon-types such as Blaziken, Heatran, Mawile, and Sylveon are good partners for Espeon. Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny and Conkeldurr help against Mega Kangaskhan and Steel-types. Blaziken in particular can also pass Speed boosts, further strengthening Stored Power while also allowing Espeon to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame and all common Choice Scarf users. Other Pokemon that can Baton Pass boosts to Espeon like Smeargle, Scolipede, and Drifblim make for good partners, as well as support Pokemon like Klefki, which sets up screens and can paralyze threats with Thunder Wave. Umbreon deserves a special mention, being able to pass evasion to Espeon and to switch in on Ghost- and Dark-type attacks, while threatening strong attackers with Foul Play. Rotom-W can handle Talonflame and Greninja, and it also provides Will-O-Wisp support against strong physical attackers. Powerful physical attackers like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan can weaken opposing teams to allow Espeon to sweep, especially removing Pokemon that Espeon has trouble with like Steel-types such as Aegislash or Mawile.

As Espeon is fast, frail, and fairly powerful, a Focus Sash set immediately comes to mind. Being able to stop most defensive hazard setters—and even some offensive ones—this set can make way for powerful teammates that are troubled by entry hazards. Psyshock is preferred in the first slot as it is Espeon's better STAB move, allowing it to OHKO Tentacruel and Terrakion after Stealth Rock. Shadow Ball is another viable option to hit Deoxys-S and KO heavily weakened Mewtwo, Giratina-O, and Arceus-Ghost on the switch. Yawn prevents Espeon from being setup bait for the likes of Arceus and Mewtwo. Grass Knot is important, as it is Espeon's best move against Kyogre, Groudon, and Tyranitar, 2HKOing all of them after Stealth Rock. Lastly, Hidden Power Fire hits Skarmory and Forretress, two common hazard setters, for super effective damage. There are two other options that Espeon can make use of. The first is Baton Pass, which can be used to scout for counters and escape Pursuit. This can help preserve Espeon's Focus Sash and possibly allow it to come back later and bounce back entry hazards. The second viable option is Hidden Power Fighting, which is its best option against Tyranitar and Dialga; however, it will still fail to OHKO both and the former takes a good amount of damage from Grass Knot. The most obvious partner for Espeon is Groudon; it can easily take on Tyranitar, Scizor, and Dialga, all of which can force Espeon out. The sun it summons also powers up the Fire-type moves of Ho-Oh, Reshiram, and Kyurem-W, all of which appreciate Magic Bounce support, making them good teammates as well. Sun support also makes Morning Sun restore up to 67% of Espeon's health, making it a viable option. Another good teammate to consider is Choice Scarf Terrakion, who threatens Extreme Killer Arceus, Darkrai, and both Kyurem formes, all which Pokemon can otherwise trouble Espeon's other teammate, Groudon. Finally, Calm Mind Arceus-Ghost can stop Genesect, which easily threatens Espeon with its powerful STAB U-turn. It should be noted that due to Espeon's frailty, it will usually only block hazards twice; once when at full health, and once when it is down to its Focus Sash. However, Tyranitar will only let Espeon block them once, as it will Pursuit trap Espeon if it switches out, leaving it at 1 HP. Tyranitar can then proceed to set up Stealth Rock, thus taking Espeon out the moment it attempts to switch in. Excadrill sets up Stealth Rock with impunity due to Mold Breaker bypassing the effects of Magic Bounce. Groudon, and to a lesser extent, Terrakion, make good teammates as they can threaten these two entry hazard setters with STAB Earthquake or Close Combat.

Espeon's access to Baton Pass and its high base Speed give it the ability to run a good Baton Pass set. While one might question what Espeon has over any other user of Baton Pass, the answer is simple: Magic Bounce. Magic Bounce allows Espeon to avoid being phazed by Roar and Whirlwind, bounce back status moves such as Spore, and prevent fast Taunts. Calm Mind works very well here, as Espeon can use the boosts to sweep when given the chance. However, more often than not, Espeon will simply pass the boosts on to another sweeper that will then take care of business. Psychic is a solid STAB move, though Stored Power is also an option because Espeon might be able to rack up multiple boosts. If one uses Espeon on a dedicated Baton Pass team, Hidden Power Fire is the superior option because it allows Espeon to possibly OHKO Genesect if Espeon is at +1 Speed. However, Hidden Power Fighting allows Espeon to hit the ubiquitous Tyranitar and other Dark-types that would otherwise wall this set, so it's crucial to Espeon's success. The EVs are standard for a Pokemon of Espeon's supporting nature: maximizing HP allows Espeon to take hits, and maximizing Speed allows Espeon to be a better user of Baton Pass. A Timid nature is necessary to ensure that Espeon outpaces key threats such as Keldeo and Terrakion, and it also allows Espeon to Speed tie with Latios and Latias. While Espeon's attacking options on this set are severely limited, one can choose to run Hidden Power Fire to deal with Genesect more easily. However, most Genesect are equipped with a Choice Scarf, so Espeon cannot guarantee to beat it even with Hidden Power Fire; one simply has to rely on prediction skills to win. Hidden Power Ice allows Espeon to hit Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Dragonite, and Salamence harder, but aside from this use, it does not offer much more. If one's team is already packed with stat-boosting Pokemon, one can use Substitute instead of Calm Mind to achieve an easier sweep. Any specially based sweeper will immensely appreciate the support that Espeon brings. Keldeo can capitalize on Espeon's Calm Mind boosts and forgo Calm Mind on its own set for Substitute, making it deadlier. In addition, Keldeo is one of the few specially based sweepers that is not walled by the likes of Chansey and Blissey, so it works wonders when coupled with Espeon. Furthermore, Rock Polish Genesect can pair up well with Espeon because it can use Rock Polish while forcing switches and simply wreak havoc. Outside of supporting sweepers, this Espeon set does not have much more use due to its poor Defense, so one should only use it on offensively oriented teams. Vaporeon works well as a partner because it can pass Defense boosts and heal Espeon with Wish.

Espeon's Magic Bounce ability makes it a great supporter by letting it bounce back Spore, Stealth Rock, and Thunder Wave from the likes of common Pokemon such as Breloom, Ferrothorn, and Thundurus, respectively. Additionally, with its high Speed, Espeon can set up dual screens with ease. This can aid sweepers such as Landorus, Breloom, and Excadrill immensely, as it gives them an opportunity to boost their stats to sky-high levels. Espeon's third move depends on preference, as Psychic and Psyshock will do minor damage to Blissey and Chansey regardless. However, one should note that Psychic will hit Gliscor much harder than Psyshock. Hidden Power Fire gives Espeon coverage against some common threats in the metagame, namely Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Scizor. Baton Pass carries utility, though, as it allows Espeon to escape common Pursuit users such as Tyranitar, who have the ability to ruin Espeon's day. Espeon's EVs are straightforward for a supporter of its nature. With maximum investment in Speed along with a Timid nature, Espeon can take advantage of its excellent base 110 Speed and set up screens with ease. Maximum investment in HP allows Espeon to take hits and find setup opportunities later in a battle. While Leftovers might seem like a good idea for reliable recovery, Light Clay is usually valued more because it allows the screens to stay up longer, giving sweepers the freedom to set up more easily. While Hidden Power Ground can be used to hit Pokemon such as Heatran and Chandelure hard, Hidden Power Fire puts the hurt on Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Scizor, some of the most common threats in the metagame. An alternate EV spread with maximum Special Attack as opposed to HP can be used to buff Espeon's offenses, but Espeon's niche is setting up dual screens, so this is usually not the best choice. Nonetheless, with 60 Special Attack EVs, Espeon can 2HKO 252/252+ Ferrothorn with Hidden Power Fire. The best partners for Espeon are those that can take full advantage of the screens it sets up. Setup sweepers in general largely benefit from dual screens, and they make great partners for Espeon. Garchomp—an already bulky Pokemon—does very well behind dual screens, as it can simply take most hits and retaliate with a Swords Dance-boosted Outrage or Earthquake. Dragon Dance Dragonite, Calm Mind Chandelure, Swords Dance Breloom, and Calm Mind Keldeo also do very well as recipients of the rise in defenses offered, and they can all be very deadly if given the chance to set up properly. Terrakion also makes a great partner because Espeon can Baton Pass against a Tyranitar that attempts to use Pursuit, only to have Terrakion receive an Attack boost courtesy of Justified. One always needs to watch out for opposing Choice Scarf Chandelure when playing with Espeon, since if Light Screen is not set up, Chandelure will simply OHKO Espeon with Shadow Ball. Genesect also poses a large threat, especially variants with both Bug Buzz and U-turn. While Espeon can buffer itself against one of Genesect's Bug-type STAB moves, the other simply OHKOes it.