Exeggutor Movesets & Competitive Sets

Psychic is preferred to Psyshock for its greater damage output, but the latter can be used instead of or alongside it to help with special walls like Audino. Giga Drain is a more accurate Grass-type attack and gives Exeggutor some longevity. The last moveslot is very flexible, with Future Sight taking advantage of Exeggutor's high Special Attack to force switches, Sleep Powder crippling potential switch-ins like Togedemaru and Teleport gaining momentum. These moves can allow teammates like Gigalith and Ribombee to set up Stealth Rock and Quiver Dance, respectively. Exeggutor also pairs well with Pokemon such as Doublade and Sandslash, as it can help weaken their checks such as Quagsire and defensive Eldegoss. Exeggutor can struggle to take a hit when switching in, so slow pivots such as Wishiwashi and Lanturn are beneficial. It is important to note that since Exeggutor is locked into an attack, it can be easily taken advantage of by Pokemon like Swords Dance Sneasel and Quiver Dance Frosmoth, especially when locking into Leaf Storm.

Moves Trick Room allows Exeggutor to act as a late-game sweeper and take advantage of its poor Speed. Giga Drain can be used over Leaf Storm, as it doesn't force Exeggutor to switch out due to the Special Attack drop if not running Grassium Z. Hidden Power Fire hits Alolan Sandslash and Ferroseed which resists Exeggutor's dual STAB. Alternatively, Sleep Powder cripples switch-ins such as Alolan Sandslash, Audino, and Articuno, giving a partner a free opportunity to come in. Set Details Grassium Z coupled with Leaf Storm gives Exeggutor a nuke to get past threats like slightly weakened Eelektross and even Pokemon that resist it such as Skuntank. It also ignores Leaf Storm's secondary effect of dropping the user's Special Attack. Life Orb is another possible item, as it gives all of Exeggutor's moves a boost in power, notably allowing it to always OHKO specially defensive Alolan Sandslash with Hidden Power Fire, at the cost of losing some of its health every time it attacks and leaving it more susceptible to priority attacks. While Exeggutor isn't holding any Berry, Harvest is chosen to avoid having its Speed boosted by Chlorophyll when facing sun teams. Usage Tips Exeggutor should get its checks, such as Articuno, whittled down by a teammate before trying to sweep mid- to late-game. It greatly appreciates being brought in safely via a slow U-turn or Volt Switch, as this gives it an easier time setting Trick Room or simply firing off an attack. Exeggutor can also make use of its decent bulk and typing to switch into threats like Hitmonchan, Lurantis, Lanturn, Mudsdale, and Alolan Raichu to set up Trick Room, although it has to be wary of switching into Toxic from some of them. As the Z-Move can only be used once, it should be used carefully. It should be used to get past frailer answers, such as Skuntank and Eelektross, and it shouldn't be used if your opponent has a solid switch-in to it, such as Articuno, Altaria, and Type: Null, as it could go to waste. If Exeggutor is weakened and unable to clean, it can set up Trick Room for another slow partner, such as Assault Vest Crabominable or Mudsdale, to take advantage of it. Team Options Entry hazards ease Exeggutor's job and allow it to clean more easily, as they help it weaken its checks like Skuntank and Audino. Therefore, Pokemon such as Qwilfish and Regirock make for good options as partners, with the former also being able to punish U-turn from the likes of Scyther if it's holding a Rocky Helmet. In exchange, Exeggutor can break Pokemon that they let in, such as Mudsdale and Gastrodon. Stealth Rock Lycanroc is a good partner; Exeggutor deals with its checks such as Torterra and Mudsdale, while Exeggutor's checks like Articuno and Clefairy lose to Lycanroc. Exeggutor appreciates Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Lanturn, Primeape, as they allow it to come onto the field safely. Lanturn deals with Fire-types like Simisear, provides Heal Bell support, and can cripple Drampa with Toxic; Primeape can offensively check Dark-types like Alolan Persian and can bring Exeggutor in on its checks, such as Gastrodon for Exeggutor, to deal with them. Other special wallbreakers and sweepers can be used alongside Exeggutor for it to get past its checks more easily. Since Dark-types like Skuntank, Alolan Persian, and Absol greatly threaten Exeggutor, answers to them such as Hitmonchan, Gurdurr, and Assault Vest Crabominable work very well alongside it. The latter two can also take advantage of the Trick Room Exeggutor sets, making them even better partners, and Crabominable is able to switch into Ice-types like Aurorus for Exeggutor.

Moves Psyshock is a nice option over Psychic, as it allows Exeggutor to hit threats such as Audino, Articuno, Eelektross, and Clefairy harder. Hidden Power Fire hits Alolan Sandslash and Ferroseed, which would otherwise wall Exeggutor. Giga Drain gives Exeggutor a secondary STAB attack used when Leaf Storm's power isn't needed. It also partially negates chip damage Exeggutor takes. Sleep Powder is another option, as it can cripple Exeggutor's checks, such as Audino, and Articuno, although being locked into it can result in a huge loss in momentum. Set Details A Modest nature allows Exeggutor to hit as hard as possible whereas a Timid nature allows it to outspeed threats such as Jolly Aggron, specially defensive Articuno, and Modest Choice Specs Jellicent. Usage Tips Exeggutor should be used to wallbreak early- to mid-game for a partner to clean. It can also be used to switch into threats such as Mudsdale, Regirock, and Lurantis thanks to its bulk and typing and proceed to wallbreak, although it has to be cautious of Toxic when switching in. However, even if it can come in directly on certain threats, Exeggutor really appreciates being brought it in via U-turn or Volt Switch. Be cautious of what move you lock Exeggutor into, as using a Psychic move can be costly if your opponent has a Dark-type such as Skuntank, which would Pursuit trap Exeggutor. Locking Exeggutor into Sleep Powder is also not recommended if there's a Pokemon that could take advantage of that, such as Bellossom. Even if Exeggutor is rather slow, it can be used to revenge kill threats such as Aggron and even faster threats like Jellicent and Aurorus if it's using a Timid nature. Team Options Physical wallbreakers work really well alongside Exeggutor. Stoutland is a perfect example, as it can deal with Exeggutor's checks like Articuno, while Exeggutor can deal with Stoutland's checks, such as Regirock. Volt Switch and U-turn users work really well alongside Exeggutor due to their ability to bring in Exeggutor safely. Both Scyther and Primeape work well alongside Exeggutor, and they have a solid offensive synergy. Scyther and Primeape also lure in their checks, such as Regirock, for Exeggutor to deal with. In exchange, they can deal with Dark-types, and the latter can handle Steel-types for Exeggutor. Another good example is Eelektross, which can punish the checks Exeggutor and it have in common with Knock Off. Entry hazards greatly help Exeggutor and make it even harder to switch into. Mudsdale can help check physical attackers like Primeape and Scyther that try and pressure Exeggutor, while Regirock lures in Gurdurr for Exeggutor and takes care of Skuntank. Lastly, Exeggutor appreciates answers to the threats it invites depending on what it locks itself in. Regirock, Mudsdale, and Gurdurr can deal with Skuntank, while Oricorio-E can deal with Scyther.

Moves Solar Beam is an extremely powerful, consistent Grass-type attack during sunlight that OHKOes most offensive Pokemon and 2HKOes most that resist it, such as Lilligant. Psyshock lets Exeggutor deal more damage to specially defensive targets such as Assault Vest Hariyama and Magmortar, in addition to Sliggoo. On the other hand, Psychic provides more consistent KOs against physically defensive targets such as Weezing and Garbodor. Hidden Power Fire is boosted by sun and lets Exeggutor deal more damage to Grass-, Bug-, and Steel-types that resist Solar Beam, such as Gourgeist-XL, Scyther, and Klinklang. Sleep Powder gives Exeggutor a good chance of crippling its foes and is a good way of using the last turn of sun, providing teammates with opportunities to set it up again. Alternatively, Sunny Day lets Exeggutor start its own sweeps, if you'd rather use it as a standalone sweeper than with team support or if its supporters are out of commission. However, Exeggutor cannot use the move consistently due to its low Speed and multiple weaknesses, and the lack of Sleep Powder makes it less threatening against Skuntank in particular. Explosion can alternatively be used to inflict heavy damage on Skuntank and Grumpig as they switch in. Set Details Special Attack and Speed EVs are maximized to give Exeggutor as much offensive presence and sweeping potential as possible. A Modest nature is used for the extra power, as Exeggutor still has enough Speed to outspeed Swellow and doesn't outspeed many notable targets with a Timid nature, aside from tying with +2 Timid Omastar. Chlorophyll is mandatory to give Exeggutor the boost to Speed in sun it needs to be an effective sweeper and cleaner. A Life Orb is necessary to give Exeggutor the power it needs to sweep effectively. Heat Rock can be used alongside Sunny Day so that Exeggutor can sweep for longer by itself, but it packs a lot less power than Life Orb and makes Exeggutor less threatening against balanced teams. Usage Tips Exeggutor should be brought into battle as soon after a teammate sets sunlight as possible to ensure that it has the maximum amount of time to utilize Chlorophyll. This should be either by switching into a resisted or weak attack, such as Steelix's Earthquake or Hariyama's Fake Out, or by using U-turn or Volt Switch on a slow pivot such as Mesprit or Lanturn to bring it in without taking any damage. Alternatively, a teammate can use a self-KO move such as Regirock's Explosion or Mismagius's Memento to give Exeggutor an opportunity to enter battle unscathed. While sun is up, Exeggutor should use its attacking moves to break through the opponent's defensive cores, before finishing with a Sleep Powder or Explosion when sun is about to run out. Make sure not to spam Solar Beam and Sleep Powder while the opponent has Sap Sipper Pokemon on their team, to avoid giving them Attack boosts and momentum. Make sure to remove Xatu and Magmortar as well before trying to use Sleep Powder against obvious targets such as Skuntank. Exeggutor should be used sparingly when sun isn't active, either switching into a defensive Pokemon to set up sunlight for itself or into a slow Pokemon so that it has time to fire off a powerful Psyshock. Do not attempt to use Solar Beam without sun being active. If Exeggutor is setting its own sun, it should generally do this late-game to have the best shot at cleaning. Team Options Exeggutor should almost always be teamed with additional Sunny Day users, even if it uses the move itself, to ensure that it has consistent opportunities to sweep in any matchup. Liepard all but guarantees at least one sunny spell due to Prankster and can also cripple opponents with Thunder Wave if required, while Mesprit and Regirock are bulkier users of Sunny Day that can use U-turn and Explosion, respectively, to bring Exeggutor into combat safely while also being able to provide Stealth Rock support. Stealth Rock support from these two is extremely useful for wearing down checks such as Charizard and Scyther, as well as Xatu if they manage to play around its Magic Bounce. Fire-type Pokemon such as Magmortar, Pyroar, and Charizard should be used to complement Exeggutor's Speed with the raw power of their STAB Fire-type attacks in sunlight, breaking through bulkier defensive walls such as Mega Audino that can take a hit from Exeggutor otherwise. Charizard is especially good, as it gains an extra power boost in sunlight due to Solar Power, having good synergy with the rest of Exeggutor's team. Ninetales and Flareon are also notable for having Flash Fire, being able to switch into Fire-type attacks aimed at Exeggutor with impunity, even during sun. Other Chlorophyll users can also help overwhelm typical Grass-type checks; Victreebel and Sawsbuck can sweep easily once Exeggutor manages to blow holes in the opposing team while also catching faster threats such as Choice Scarf Primeape that outspeed Exeggutor in sun. Teammates that provide counterplay against other weather teams, such as rain and hail teams, can also be highly useful. Kangaskhan and Hariyama can use Fake Out and priority attacks to stall out weather turns and KO opposing weather sweepers such as Ludicolo and Kabutops, while Assault Vest Hitmonchan can threaten Omastar, Aurorus, and Abomasnow effectively while also providing Rapid Spin support for other teammates.

This set takes advantage of all of Exeggutor's best qualities: Harvest, good bulk, and exceptional power. Lum Berry coupled with Harvest essentially makes Exeggutor impervious to status afflictions, as the combination allows Exeggutor to fully heal itself in one turn with Rest. Exeggutor's recovery and stats make it a good counter to many walls such as Alomomola, Tangela, and Seismitoad. Sleep Powder makes Exeggutor even more annoying to deal with by enabling it to cripple incoming Pokemon that can actually deal with its stalling ordeals, such as Mandibuzz. Giga Drain is the preferred STAB move because of its respectable power and ability to regain copious amounts of HP from the likes of Alomomola. Lastly, Psychic is a great secondary STAB option and hits many Grass-type resists. The EV spread listed above allows Exeggutor to survive Choice Band Sawk's Ice Punch, Life Orb Samurott's Ice Beam, Choice Scarf Primeape's U-turn, and also allows Exeggutor to outspeed the likes of Alomomola, effectively countering it. While Alomomola has no business staying in on Exeggutor, this prevents things such as last minute Wish passing as Exeggutor can Giga Drain before Alomomola gets a chance to do anything. Exeggutor works well with Pokemon that struggle to beat cores consisting of Alomomola or Seismitoad paired with Tangela or Roselia. For example, Carracosta, Golurk, Kangaskhan, and Samurott are all rather threatening sweepers that appreciate Exeggutor's ability to take down all variants of this core and can provide teams with an imminent sweeping force once the core is eliminated. Probopass is also an excellent choice to partner with Exeggutor because it can set up Stealth Rock and trap opposing Metang with Magnet Pull. Overall, Exeggutor's ability to apply offensive pressure to teams with bulky Water-types make it a great partner alongside any sweeper in need of some extra wallbreaking support.

SubSeed is Exeggutor's most annoying set and has the potential to stall out an opponent's team thanks to Harvest. Harvest makes this set possible, as it gives Exeggutor back its Sitrus Berry 50% of the time, allowing it to continually stall out its opponent. Substitute and Leech Seed help keep Exeggutor afloat while whittling down the opponent's health, and Psychic is Exeggutor's best STAB to deal with Grass-types immune to Leech Seed such as Sawsbuck and Roselia. Protect can be used to further stall for Leech Seed recovery and even scout for moves, while Sleep Powder gives Exeggutor a free turn to set up and incapacitates one of the few Pokemon that can deal with this set, Mandibuzz. If given the opportunity, Exeggutor has the potential to outstall Pokemon that would normally beat it, such as Jynx, Charizard, Scolipede, and Skuntank. The physically defensive spread is best used to capitalize on Exeggutor's great bulk and resistances, and the 84 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed uninvested base 65 Speed Pokemon such as Roselia and Alomomola. By investing in Defense, Exeggutor can take hits from Pokemon such as Sawk and Primeape especially well and begin to set up accordingly. Paralysis and Toxic Spikes support are very helpful when using SubSeed Exeggutor. Paralysis allows for Exeggutor to get a Leech Seed in easily, while Toxic Spikes support helps stack the damage accumulated by Leech Seed stalling. Scolipede and Garbodor are the best partners to help set Toxic Spikes up, and both also provide Toxic Spikes absorption to keep Exeggutor healthy. Liepard and Rotom-S are good choices to provide paralysis support and have decent synergy alongside Exeggutor. There are also defensive partners to Exeggutor such as Alomomola and Metang, which appreciate Exeggutor's ability to take on Electric- and Ground-type attacks respectively. Alomomola in particular can help take on Scolipede, which is a common response and threat to many teams packing Exeggutor. Lastly, Heal Bell support in the form of Audino or Lickilicky can help as a random Scald burn can greatly hinder Exeggutor's ability to stall effectively.

While Exeggutor has rather abysmal Speed, the combination of Sunny Day and Chlorophyll helps alleviate this problem and makes it a threatening sweeper in the sun. Sunny Day not only doubles Exeggutor's Speed, but also supports Fire-type Pokemon and attacks, thus making Exeggutor a team supporter as well as an established sweeper. Solar Beam is Exeggutor's main attack as it can be used constantly with no drawbacks in the sun, and Psychic nails Pokemon such as Braviary, Charizard, and Scolipede. Sleep Powder is generally preferred so Exeggutor can dodge Sucker Punch from Skuntank, Shiftry, and Kangaskhan, but Hidden Power Fire also has its uses in dealing with Steel-types such as Metang, as well as hitting Grass-types a bit harder when Sunny Day is up. A Modest nature is preferred to maximize Exeggutor's offenses, although it fails to ensure Exeggutor outspeeds Choice Scarf Braviary, Sawk, and Rotom-A to name a few. Thus, a Timid nature can be used to outspeed these threats, but most dedicated sun teams carry a faster sun sweeper anyway. On sun teams, Heat Rock is an option over Life Orb for teams that need Exeggutor to be more of a supporter than a sweeper. Giga Drain can also be used over Solar Beam as a more reliable Grass-type STAB when sun is not up. Nature Power can be used to deal with Metang and Skuntank, and also has the added benefit of causing Sucker Punch to fail. Substitute is another option to consider in order to make Exeggutor harder to revenge kill and protect it from priority. Stealth Rock support is rather important in snagging useful KOs on Pokemon such as Rotom-S with Psychic; Golem, Carracosta, Metang, and Probopass are all great users of Stealth Rock that also have good synergy with Exeggutor. Exeggutor can act as a stand-alone sweeper or can be a part of a dedicated sun team; if it is on a sun team, then Volbeat, Regirock, and Liepard are all great options to set up Sunny Day. Regirock in particular can both set up Stealth Rock and Sunny Day and lures in Pokemon that Exeggutor can switch into, such as Golem and Sawk. Other useful sun teammates include Charizard, which can get past Skuntank and Metang, and Shiftry, which can take out bulkier Psychic-types such as Gardevoir and Musharna more easily.

Exeggutor has the capability of 2HKOing the entire tier, barring Mandibuzz, when running a Choice Specs set. Leaf Storm barrels through nearly everything, including Pokemon that resist it, such as Skuntank. Psychic gives Exeggutor a consistent, hard-hitting move that also heavily damages many Pokemon that can switch into Grass-type attacks, such as Roselia, Scolipede, Charizard, and Sap Sipper Sawsbuck and Miltank. Hidden Power Ground is used to target bulky Pokemon that resist both of Exeggutor's STAB moves, such as Metang. As for the last slot, Sleep Powder might seem odd on a Choice Specs set, but it gives Exeggutor more of an offensive presence as it guarantees that there will be no safe switch-ins to Exeggutor. When using Choice Specs Exeggutor, one must be wary that the Special Attack drop from Leaf Storm makes it setup fodder for many common threats such as Charizard and Scolipede; therefore, Giga Drain can also be considered as a reliable backup STAB move to Leaf Storm that can keep Exeggutor healthy over the course of a battle. The Speed EVs allow Exeggutor to outspeed max Speed Golem and either put it to sleep or OHKO it. However, max Speed with a Timid nature is also viable if one wishes to outspeed uninvested Misdreavus and other various Pokemon that try to Speed creep slower versions of Exeggutor. However, a Modest nature is generally preferred so Exeggutor can hit as hard as possible and break holes in an opponent's team. Choice Specs Exeggutor forces switches extremely well, so Stealth Rock support is highly recommended, especially as many common switch-ins to Leaf Storm—most notably Charizard, Braviary, and Scolipede—are weak to Stealth Rock. Regirock and Carracosta work well alongside Exeggutor as it resists Ground-, Water-, Grass-, and Fighting-type moves and they can provide Exeggutor with the entry hazards it needs to truly put pressure on the opponent. Probopass has access to Stealth Rock as well and also provides trapping capabilities and a slow Volt Switch to bring Exeggutor in safely. Offensive Seismitoad also pairs well with Exeggutor as the two cover each other's weaknesses quite well while maintaining offensive synergy. Choice Scarf Fighting-types such as Sawk and Primeape make good partners as well because they can sweep through teams easily after Exeggutor is done weakening the opponent's team with repeated hits. For the same reasons, faster threats such as Swellow benefit from Exeggutor's ability to weaken opposing threats, as they often lack the power needed to completely sweep an opponent's team.

This set allows Exeggutor to patch up its middling Speed with Sunny Day by means of Chlorophyll. This set can work as both a supporter of Sunny Day or a sweeper; the former can take advantage of the free switch granted by Sleep Powder to set up Sunny Day (for eight turns thanks to Heat Rock), while the latter can deal huge damage with Life Orb-boosted attacks. Like the other sets, this set is difficult to switch into due to the power it provides. Psychic and Solar Beam severely damage most of the UU metagame, Registeel and Chansey the most notable exceptions. The added Speed means that smart switching through abusing resistances will not work as well against Exeggutor, as it can fire off the appropriate move the next turn. The choice in the final slot depend entirely on how you decide to use Exeggutor. Sleep Powder is favored over Explosion if you want it to mainly be a Sunny Day supporter, while Explosion is preferred if you wish to purely sweep instead. Explosion will hit most things for hard damage and can OHKO Chansey. Exeggutor is a useful asset on a Sunny Day team as it has a powerful secondary STAB in the form of Psychic, which can be used to get rid of opposing Grass/Poison and Fire-types that stand in the way of more typical sun sweepers. Hidden Power Fire will gain a pseudo-STAB boost in the sun, and can deal with Registeel. Fire-types with Solar Beam are great partners if you want to use this on something other than a full sun-based team; Moltres, Arcanine, or Houndoom can all wreck bulky Waters with super effective Solar Beams and most other things with boosted Fire Blasts, while Exeggutor is great at luring and taking out opposing Fire-types and Chansey. Chlorophyll users such as Victreebel, Tangrowth, and Shiftry can make use of the eight turns of sun Exeggutor can provide.

Exeggutor makes a very reliable Trick Room user, as it can almost guarantee a free turn to set up by using Sleep Powder. It can then hit hard with a Life Orb boosted Leaf Storm off its enormous base 125 Special Attack stat or simply get out of the way with Explosion in order to let in another Trick Room sweeper. Exeggutor is relatively bulky and is by no means obliged to explode straightaway: it can try to sweep by itself with Leaf Storm more than once in a game. Rhyperior and Marowak both lure in Grass- and Water-type moves on which Exeggutor can set up. Octillery can draw in Grass- and Electric-type moves, and once Exeggutor has provided Trick Room support, Octillery can sweep with Water Spout.

The combination of Sleep Powder, dual screens, and Explosion makes Exeggutor a brilliant support Pokemon. It gets many opportunities to switch in on one of its six resistances and support the team. Explosion is an absolute staple on this set, as it allows Exeggutor to safely bring in the next Pokemon after providing dual screens. If you prefer to keep Exeggutor for the entire match, then you can swap Explosion with Leaf Storm; however, one might find it too difficult to switch in Exeggutor the second time due to its low Speed, and the dual screening process will be more difficult now that your opponent knows you have Exeggutor in the wings. Leaf Storm can also be used over Sleep Powder if you have another sleep inducer elsewhere on your team; it is still a powerful attack without any Special Attack investment. Jolly should obviously be used if Explosion is the only attack, but if you're running Leaf Storm as well then it is up to personal preference whether you choose to weaken your Leaf Storm or your Explosion with your nature. Rhyperior and Houndoom both work really well with this Exeggutor since they are both excellent at drawing in moves that Exeggutor resists, giving it opportunities to switch in. Additionally, both of these threats are exceptionally deadly behind dual screens--Houndoom is not OHKOed by Milotic's Surf or Azumarill's Aqua Jet and can take them out in return with boosted Dark Pulses. With the combination of natural bulk, Solid Rock, and dual screens, Rhyperior is a vicious threat and can set up Substitute or Rock Polish. Swords Dance Kabutops also works in the same manner as Rhyperior, but it is more potent offensively after a Swords Dance boost.

This set is perhaps one of the most difficult sets to switch into due to the raw power it commands. Life Orb provides an extra kick to Exeggutor's attacks, allowing it to muscle its way through soft checks such as Houndoom (who even has a chance of being OHKOed by Leaf Storm with Stealth Rock in play), Arcanine, and Mismagius. As opposed to the previous set, Leaf Storm can be used more freely since Life Orb allows it to take a sizable chunk from most Pokemon's HP, even when resisted. This set utilizes a "hit-and-run" strategy, so using your best attack when the opportunity arises is preferable. Sleep Powder is a given on this set as it allows Exeggutor to place its initial switch-in into a deep slumber. Leaf Storm and Psychic are Exeggutor's obligatory STAB moves. Low Kick can be squeezed in the last slot to hit Registeel or Chansey on the switch or to damage them while they are asleep. Low Kick deals 47% average to 252 HP/ 0 Def Registeel and 41% average to 4 HP / 252 SpD Chansey, while also hitting Houndoom for super effective damage. Explosion can be used over Low Kick to go out with a bang once Exeggutor's health has been significantly reduced. Its huge power ensures that it will dent most Pokemon who don't resist it. However, Low Kick is the safer and more reliable option for the most part. Running a Speed-boosting nature is an option to outspeed Adamant Torterra, Jolly Aggron, and minimum Speed Drapion, Uxie, and Rotom, but is inadvisable as the power loss generally isn't worth it. This set focuses more on punishing slower teams, and Exeggutor needs all the power it can get. There is no safe switch-in to this set due to the massive power Exeggutor holds and its ability to hurt everything with the appropriate move. However, one can exploit Exeggutor through smart switching and utilizing resistances, and take advantage of its relatively low Speed to threaten it. For example, if you predict the Leaf Storm, you should withdraw to Moltres or Venusaur; predict the Psychic, and you should bring in Absol, Drapion, or Houndoom. Uxie and Scyther can also switch into Psychic or Leaf Storm, respectively, and threaten Exeggutor with a fast U-turn. Choice Band Spiritomb can also switch into both Psychic and Low Kick and scare it off with the threat of Shadow Sneak or Sucker Punch, potentially catching it with Pursuit. Offensive Milotic pairs with this very well, as it has trouble with opposing Chansey and bulky Waters, both of which Exeggutor can weaken or take out, consequently paving the way for Milotic to sweep. Defensively, special defensive Clefable is a good partner as it draws in Fighting-type moves to give Exeggutor switch-ins, while also providing Wish support to Exeggutor to heal Life Orb or other residual damage.

This set exploits Exeggutor's ability to deal high damage to nearly anything. Exeggutor's valuable resistances to Water-, Fighting-, and Ground-type moves allow it to switch in on many common Pokemon and begin attacking. Many of these Pokemon happen to be slower than Exeggutor, which makes up for its relatively low Speed. There are only a few safe switch-ins to this set, the most reliable being the easily-exploitable Chansey and Registeel. Psychic and Leaf Storm are strong STAB moves to work with and have pretty good coverage alongside each other. Psychic is the better move to fire off the bat as it can hit many of Exeggutor's soft-counters, like Fire-types and Venusaur, for high damage. Leaf Storm hits the selection of Pokemon who can withstand Psychic, such as Milotic and Spiritomb. Sleep Powder allows Exeggutor to neutralize potential counters, and Synthesis allows Exeggutor to replenish its health, making it more difficult to take down. Leech Seed can be an alternate option if you want to wear down Registeel and Chansey while they are asleep. The 252 Special Attack EVs maximize Exeggutor's damage output, while the given Speed allows it to comfortably outpace Adamant Aggron. Placing a few additional EVs into Speed can be used to safely outpace the other Pokemon who linger around 200 Speed, such as defensive Milotic and Venusaur. The remaining EVs are placed in HP to give Exeggutor more bulk. An alternate spread of 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 Spe with a Modest nature can be used if you really need to make use of Exeggutor's resistances to combat physical threats like Torterra, Leafeon, Azumarill, Feraligatr, and Fighting-types. It still has a very respectable 314 Special Attack stat even with no investment, which ensures that Exeggutor doesn't turn into an inferior Tangrowth. While this set might seem outclassed by Venusaur due to its lower Speed, Exeggutor has a couple of niches that make it the better choice for certain teams. It boasts a Ground-type resistance and better physical bulk than Venusaur, allowing it to more easily switch into Donphan, Torterra, and Rhyperior. Psychic is also a better STAB move to pair with Leaf Storm than Sludge Bomb in terms of type coverage. Chansey and Registeel are the safest switch-ins to this set. The former has a high Special Defense stat and can easily beat Exeggutor with Thunder Wave or Toxic, while the latter resists both of Exeggutor's STAB moves and can beat it with Thunder Wave and repeated Iron Heads. Therefore, Substitute Torterra makes a good offensive partner to Exeggutor, as it can easily switch into and threaten out both Registeel and Chansey, taking advantage of the predicted switch to create a Substitute. Furthermore, Registeel is commonly paired with Milotic, and Torterra can easily break this core apart with its dual STAB moves. Exeggutor is rather slow and specially frail, and it won't enjoy taking super effective attacks from Fire- and Ghost-types or from specially oriented Venusaur. For this reason, Exeggutor pairs up well with the infamous Registeel and Milotic core, which can easily deal with the most common combination of offensive threats that Exeggutor has trouble blowing off. These include Rotom, Mismagius, Venusaur, and Arcanine, to name a few. Both of them also provide opportunities for Exeggutor to switch in on--Milotic draws in physical Grass-types, while Registeel attracts Ground- and Fighting-type moves.

This Exeggutor can be very annoying to fight due to Leech Seed and Sleep Powder. Dark-types can counter this, but if Exeggutor hits them with a Leech Seed on the switch, it'll still be in a good position. Eventually, your opponent will have to switch in one of their special tanks, such as Blissey or Snorlax; Exeggutor can then surprise them with Explosion. Giga Drain is good for Swampert and Tyranitar, though watch out for Crunch and Ice Beam. Adamant might seem like a weird choice of nature, but it can power up Explosion. With regard to EVs, Exeggutor should invest less in Speed and more in its defenses as it will be taking hits.

Sunny Day on the first turn, then use Solar Beam or Hidden Power to take down threats, or use Sleep Powder on opponents Exeggutor can't directly defeat. Hidden Power Ice is recommended as it hits Flying-types, Salamence in particular, but Hidden Power Fire can be used if Metagross is a concern. Exeggutor can also use Psychic over Sleep Powder or Hidden Power. Leftovers is recommended, but if you're worried about paralysis screwing it over, Exeggutor is able to use Lum Berry as well.

This set can be a one-man army against some teams when coupled with Spikes support. The classic combination of Substitute and Leech Seed enables Exeggutor to stay in against even Pokemon that hit it super effectively, thanks to the Speed drop from Stun Spore ensuring Exeggutor can always put up Substitute first. While Leech Seed in GSC only deals damage immediately after the seeded Pokemon attacks rather than at end-of-turn, it still forces switches like nobody's business. Very little can take repeated hits from Exeggutor's Psychic while also losing an eighth of their HP per turn from Leech Seed, so theoretically, Exeggutor can freely spread its Stun Spore across the enemy team as the opponent helplessly tries to run Exeggutor out of PP, all the while taking significant residual damage. Exeggutor can also drop Substitute for Explosion, potentially catching a crucial Pokemon by surprise and also raising Exeggutor's utility significantly in the event something goes wrong. In terms of teammates, because this Exeggutor is one of the most effective paralysis spreaders in the tier, slow but powerful sweepers such as Machamp and Marowak or Belly Drum users such as Snorlax and Charizard make excellent choices. There are good reasons this is not Exeggutor's main set, however. Phazers that aren't hit hard by Psychic, such as Steelix, Skarmory, and Tyranitar, can put an end to its antics even if it has a Substitute up. This can be a problem, since Exeggutor sometimes struggles to find a good opportunity to come back in. Spikers and spinners like Forretress and Starmie may also be eager to take advantage of Exeggutor's lack of coverage to gain an advantage in the Spikes game, particularly if they are supported by Heal Bell users that can undo all of Exeggutor's hard work such as Blissey and Miltank.

First, pick your status move of choice—opponents won't want to risk a Pokemon without Sleep Talk taking Sleep Powder, so using Stun Spore can be an excellent way to paralyze sleep absorbers such as Zapdos, potentially setting up another sweeper or sleep move user on your team for success. However, Sleep Powder is of course very powerful and is an easy choice if your team lacks another sleep move user. Psychic is Exeggutor's main attacking move, dealing solid damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it and even potentially threatening Snorlax with its chance to drop Special Defense. Giga Drain threatens Water-types and gives Exeggutor a chance against Tyranitar, healing off Crunch or Fire Blast damage and preventing it from trapping Exeggutor with Pursuit. On the other hand, Hidden Power Fire disintegrates Forretress and dents Skarmory, which walls Giga Drain variants, although dropping Giga Drain makes Pursuit Tyranitar much more dangerous and comes at the cost of 25 HP, 2 Attack points, and 6 Defense points due to DV requirements. Rounding off the set is Explosion, which can secure OHKOs on most Pokemon that don't resist it (Suicune, one of the most physically bulky Pokemon in the tier, takes up to 92% from Exeggutor's Explosion), making switching into Exeggutor quite risky at any point in the game. This Exeggutor set is one of the best enablers in the tier, handily setting up Machamp, Marowak, Charizard, or Tentacruel for a potential sweep with its Stun Spore on Raikou and Zapdos or removing said Electric-types for Vaporeon with its Explosion. It can be used as a lead to begin spreading status immediately or even attempt to take something out with its Explosion on turn one. While it is more of an offensive Pokemon, it can also be put to use as a check against Machamp (although it should be noted that Machamp Speed ties Exeggutor and can have Hidden Power Bug), Vaporeon, Marowak, Rhydon, or Steelix and find ways to wreak havoc from there. A well-played Explosion Exeggutor can literally blow through an opponent's defenses, leaving them open to a wide variety of possible threats.

Sleep Powder is an extremely threatening move, as incredibly dangerous Pokemon such as Tauros can switch on a sleeping Pokemon with little risk and cause havoc; counterplay to Exeggutor is often centered around absorbing it and containing its effects. Psychic is a powerful attack that threatens significant damage to anything other than special sponges, and is Exeggutor's main weapon against threats such as Snorlax. Explosion is an incredibly useful move that allows Exeggutor to bring something down with it and can create incredibly favorable situations if used correctly; however, the user must be careful of its Explosion being too predictable, as there are a number of ways to neutralize it, such as with Rock- or Ghost-type Pokemon, or sacrificing a Pokemon already affected by a strong status condition such as sleep or freeze. The fourth slot is the most contentious, as none of the four moves listed clearly outshine the other options. Double-Edge is a strong attack capable of breaking down paralyzed Jynx or Alakazam with minimal previous damage, an excellent tool to have at your disposal because both of these Pokemon commonly switch in on Exeggutor to absorb its Sleep Powder. Stun Spore allows Exeggutor to continue to cripple potential answers even after Sleep Clause is activated; this is especially useful when facing teams with multiple special sponges. Despite Mega Drain's pitiful Base Power, it ends up being Exeggutor's best tool against Starmie, and while the move is otherwise relatively useless, Starmie is another very common answer to Exeggutor, so Mega Drain has its merits. Finally, Hyper Beam is capable of sniping Starmie, Alakazam, Jynx, and even Chansey if they have taken sufficient damage before attempting to switch in into Exeggutor, but it is entirely useless if they have not, and it can have terrible drawbacks if predicted correctly by the opponent; nevertheless, its utility against every common special sponge should not be underestimated. Thanks to this set, Exeggutor is able to answer tier titans such as Chansey and Snorlax and apply huge amounts of pressure on the opponent's team. While its lack of recovery and susceptibility to status makes it a fairly difficult piece to maneuver with, the options in its toolbox make it a difficult threat to answer. Exeggutor players should try to damage or KO paralyzed opposing Pokemon that are able to block Sleep Powder in order to clear the way for it, as landing a Sleep Powder is often game-changing. The easiest and most common ways to find opportunities to send Exeggutor out on the field are on a predicted Chansey using Soft-Boiled or Snorlax using Rest; the former will have to respect the Sleep Powder threat and switch out, while the latter is not only scared of the sleep threat, but also vulnerable to Psychic itself. Once Exeggutor is on the field, the threat that Sleep Powder poses generates strong momentum for the player using it, but it must be followed up by strong predictions to progress the game favorably; using Sleep Powder on an incoming paralyzed Pokemon is simply a wasted turn, but so is Double-Edge on a Snorlax. The stress of prediction can be eased by sending Exeggutor on the field before paralyzing any foes, such as by leading with it. Although landing Sleep Powder this way is much easier, it is also less rewarding due to having to absorb early pressure, status, or damage on Exeggutor. The last detail to touch on is the usage of Explosion. Although most players are tempted to keep Explosion as a tool to get value out of a low health Exeggutor, one should try to recognize when such a line of play might be too greedy. For example, in situations where Exeggutor would not be able to make much progress at all even with a full health bar, it can be advantageous to use Explosion earlier on, when it is harder to predict and therefore more likely to hit the intended target. However, you should be careful of your matchup against Rhydon when choosing to get rid of your Exeggutor early, as it can be very dangerous to get rid of your sturdiest defensive answer to it. It's also possible to use Explosion to get rid of a Sleep Powder answer for a secondary sleeper on your team, most commonly Lapras, but this is a last resort option only in most cases.