Meowth Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Fake Out helps to soften up Pokemon and revenge kill most weakened foes without Protect. If it is not enough to KO these, Feint can finish the job. Fake Out also breaks Sturdy and Focus Sash reliably, as well as helping against opposing priority users, such as weakened Timburr. Double-Edge is Meowth's strongest move; combined with Fake Out, it turns Meowth into a powerful wallbreaker, but it should be used sparingly due to the large amounts of recoil it can rack up. Water Pulse hits Onix, Dwebble, and Archen. With Fake Out, Meowth can beat SturdyJuice Onix and Dwebble as well. U-turn can be run over Water Pulse to escape bad matchups against Pokemon like Pawniard and Ferroseed. Additionally, not many Pokemon can tank Fake Out into Double-Edge, so Meowth can force many switches. It can take advantage of this to maintain momentum with U-turn. Knock Off can be run to weaken its checks, as Meowth can lure in Fighting- and Steel-types like Timburr and Ferroseed, which don't appreciate losing their Eviolite. Knock Off also prevents Regenerator cores from blocking Meowth. Set Details Technician increases the power of Meowth's low BP moves, and Life Orb is used to boost its otherwise lacking power. 36 SpA EVs allow Meowth to KO Archen after Fake Out chip damage, and 19 HP IVs are used to limit Life Orb recoil. A Naughty nature strengthens Meowth's STAB moves and doesn't weaken Water Pulse, but U-turn variants should run an Adamant nature and an EV spread of 236 Atk / 76 Def / 196 Spe. Usage Tips Meowth is extremely frail, so it shouldn't switch into attacks. Instead, aim to get it into the field through slow U-turns, double switches, or revenge killing opportunities. Faster Pokemon like Abra can run Protect—try to scout their sets to use Meowth's priority effectively. Feint can break through Protect, leaving them vulnerable to another Feint. Meowth can take the most advantage of its toolkit mid- or late-game when the opposing team is sufficiently weakened, so take care to preserve it until then. Always try to scout Onix and Dwebble to ensure you don't hit Weak Armor sets with Fake Out or Sturdy sets with Water Pulse. Making the right choice can potentially mean eliminating an entry hazard lead. U-turn variants should try to predict when Steel- and Fighting-types that wall Meowth, such as Pawniard and Timburr, might come in to maintain momentum. Team Options Entry hazard setters like Dwebble, Ferroseed, and Onix synergize well with Meowth chipping the opponent's team, especially if it carries U-turn. Knock Off users like Pawniard and Mienfoo allow Meowth to threaten even bulky teams, as few itemless Pokemon can take Fake Out into Double-Edge after entry hazards. Meowth appreciates having pivots such as Mienfoo and Grookey to guarantee a safe switch-in, chip foes, and maintain offensive momentum. If running Water Pulse, try pairing it with Pokemon that appreciate the removal of Rock-types like Ponyta to form wallbreaking cores. Meowth is entirely walled by Steel-types such as Pawniard, Ferroseed, and Magnemite, so partners like Mienfoo, Timburr, and Trapinch can take care of these.

Moves With Technician and STAB factored in, Meowth's Fake Out hits a Base Power of 90, making it the strongest Fake Out in LC. This can deal a hefty chunk of damage to a foe without them being able to do anything back. Feint is more reliable than Fake Out, as it works on any turn; it goes through Protect and is still boosted by STAB and Technician. However, Feint is weaker and doesn't have the flinch bonus that Fake Out does. Return is an option for more power, OHKOing Alolan Vulpix, 2HKOing Staryu, and 2HKOing offensive variants of Vullaby after Stealth Rock. If you want to take full advantage of Meowth's power, you can run Double-Edge; it OHKOes Life Orb Staryu, and Fake Out + Double-Edge KOes Ponyta. However, this wears down Meowth very quickly in tandem with Life Orb recoil. Water Pulse is an incredibly important move, KOing Dwebble and Onix after their Sturdy has been broken. It also KOes other leads like Drilbur after a Fake Out. Aerial Ace is Meowth's best way of hitting Fighting-types; Fake Out into an Aerial Ace KOes Mienfoo. Knock Off is an option, letting Meowth remove items and soften up its foes. It also hits Ghost-types that otherwise wall Meowth like Gastly and Pumpkaboo. Finally, U-turn lets Meowth do damage while switching and gain momentum, especially due to its great Speed. Set Details 19 HP IVs should be run to minimize Life Orb recoil to only 1 HP per turn. A Hasty nature allows Meowth to reach its maximum Speed at 19, outspeeding most of the unboosted metagame and Speed tying with Ponyta, Abra, and Staryu. 36 Special Attack EVs net the Water Pulse KO on Archen after a Fake Out. The combination of Technician and Life Orb boosts Meowth's power; Fake Out, Feint, Water Pulse, and Aerial Ace are all boosted by Technician. 36 Special Defense EVs let Meowth take Alolan Grimer's Fire Blast. Usage Tips Meowth is an excellent anti-lead that is able to beat Mienfoo and Onix, so leading with it is often a safe choice. If possible, try to scout whether the Onix is Weak Armor or Sturdy, as using Fake Out on the former is counterproductive. Don't switch Meowth in on attacks if you can, however, as it is very frail and best suited to come in after a slow U-turn or as a revenge killer. Feint should be played to its strengths; for example, use it against common Protect users like Carvanha. Keep Meowth healthy throughout the match, as its ability to reliably deal high amounts of damage is valuable mid- and late-game. If your team struggles against a certain sweeper, preserve Meowth so it can deal a large chunk of damage with its Fake Out and Feint. If you're running U-turn or Knock Off, be sure to use them on predicted switches to keep up momentum. Team Options Meowth is best suited for hyper offensive teams that struggle to break through setup sweepers. Fighting-type checks are incredibly helpful to Meowth. Pokemon like Snubbull and Mudbray can threaten Timburr and Croagunk, respectively. Slow, bulky Pokemon with moves like Volt Switch and U-turn help Meowth get in safely, which Meowth highly appreciates thanks to its low bulk. Examples include Mienfoo, Chinchou, and Magnemite. It's also very helpful to run a Pokemon that covers whatever weakness Meowth has from its missing coverage; for example, if you run U-turn over Aerial Ace, use a Fighting-type check like Spritzee. If you're not running Knock Off, Meowth appreciates Knock Off support; without Eviolite, few Pokemon can take Meowth's STAB priority combination. Mienfoo and Pawniard both offer good Knock Off support. Pursuit trappers like Pawniard and Alolan Grimer can remove Ghost-types that otherwise wall Meowth. Since Meowth is heavily walled by Pawniard, Pawniard checks like Mienfoo, Ponyta, and Timburr can help alleviate this weakness. Meowth appreciates entry hazard support to make Fake Out and Feint's KO chance higher. Pokemon like Onix, Archen, and Pawniard can set up Stealth Rock. Finally, other Normal-types like Doduo and Bunnelby share checks with Meowth, allowing them to all wear down their checks together.

Moves Nasty Plot doubles Meowth's Special Attack, allowing it to deal heavy damage to most of the metagame after a single boost. Round is Meowth's preferred STAB move, hitting anything that isn't resistant or immune to it hard after a Nasty Plot boost while being capable of bypassing Substitutes. Water Pulse provides great neutral coverage overall alongside Round and super effective coverage against Archen and Hippopotas, OHKOing them after a Nasty Plot boost. Hidden Power Fire OHKOes Ferroseed after Stealth Rock damage and provides stronger coverage against other Grass- and Steel-types such as Foongus, Snivy, and Honedge. Alternatively, Thunderbolt allows Meowth to OHKO Omanyte and Skrelp after a Nasty Plot boost, as well as Vullaby after Stealth Rock damage; however, this leaves the set walled by Ferroseed. Set Details The given EV spread maximizes Meowth's Special Attack and Speed, allowing it to hit as hard and as fast as possible while accounting for Hidden Power Fire's IV drops. If Meowth is not running Hidden Power Fire, a spread of 76 Def / 196 SpA / 36 SpD / 196 Spe gives it an extra point in Special Defense. A Modest nature gives Meowth the most wallbreaking potential, guaranteeing that Pokemon such as fast Mienfoo and Foongus are OHKOed at +2. Alternatively, a Timid nature may be used instead to hit 19 Speed, outspeeding Gastly and tying with Ponyta and Abra, but this comes with a noticeable drop in power. Life Orb boosts the power of all of Meowth's attacks. 19 HP IVs are used to lower Meowth's HP to 19 so that it only takes 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Technician is Meowth's best ability, giving Round, Water Pulse, and Hidden Power Fire a significant power boost. Usage Tips Due to Meowth's frailty, avoid switching it in directly. Instead, use free turns provided by moves such as Memento or forced switches to set up. Once Meowth has set up, use whatever move will do the most damage to the foe; at +2, Meowth is strong enough to OHKO much of the metagame. Team Options Entry hazard support is vital for this set to secure KOs; thus, common Stealth Rock setters such as Archen and Pawniard make excellent teammates. Spikes users such as Dwebble and Omanyte can allow Meowth to more viably run a Timid nature. Checks to Fighting-types such as Spritzee and Snubbull are useful if Meowth is forced out by one. Cottonee can provide setup opportunities for Meowth with Encore and Memento and is a decent check to Fighting-types. Pokemon capable of removing Ferroseed, such as Gothita and Magnet Pull Magnemite, are important if Meowth not running Hidden Power Fire, as Ferroseed completely walls Meowth otherwise.

Moves Meowth's Fake Out is the strongest in the metagame, letting it get significant chip damage and helping scout the foe's set based on damage output. Feint provides Meowth with STAB and Technician-boosted +2 priority, allowing it to pick off weakened Choice Scarf users and priority attackers such as Fletchling. Alternatively, Return may be used for heavier damage against neutral targets. Water Pulse hits Rock-types such as Dwebble, Onix, and Archen super effectively, KOing them after Fake Out or Stealth Rock damage. Aerial Ace deals massive damage to Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr. Knock Off cripples Meowth's switch-ins by removing their item and is Meowth's most reliable method of defeating Gastly. U-turn allows Meowth to get chip damage and switch out of foes it cannot KO outright, as well as pivot on its switch-ins. Hidden Power Fire is also an option to 2HKO Ferroseed, which doesn't take much from any of Meowth's other moves. Set Details The given EV spread with a Hasty nature maximizes Meowth's Attack and Speed, letting it hit as hard and as fast as possible. 36 Special Attack EVs ensure that Meowth's Water Pulse KOes offensive Archen after Fake Out or Stealth Rock damage. Technician boosts the power of Meowth's weaker moves such as Fake Out, Feint, Water Pulse, and Aerial Ace. Life Orb significantly boosts the power of all of Meowth's attacks. 19 HP IVs are run to reduce Meowth's HP to 19 so that it only takes 1 HP of damage from Life Orb recoil. Usage Tips Meowth is very frail and takes a lot from the weakest of neutral attacks, so avoid switching it into battle directly. Instead, use it as a lead or bring it in on a revenge kill or a slow pivoting move such as Mienfoo's U-turn. When Meowth is in play, it is a very straightforward Pokemon. Use Fake Out and Feint to revenge kill frailer Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Mienfoo and Zigzagoon, or use Meowth's wide coverage to KO whatever Pokemon it is facing, to hit switch-ins, or to serve as an anti-lead. Team Options Slow pivots with access to U-turn or Volt Switch, such as Mienfoo and Chinchou, help ensure that Meowth can enter battle safely. Checks to Fighting-types, such as Spritzee and Snubbull, are useful, as Meowth can be forced out by these Pokemon. Rock-types such as Archen and Nosepass check Fletchling while providing Stealth Rock support to help Meowth secure KOs. Knock Off users such as Pawniard help weaken the opponent's team, allowing Meowth to secure more KOs. Gothita can guarantee the removal of troublesome Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Timburr. Pursuit trappers, such as Stunky, are helpful for removing Ghost-types if Meowth is not running Knock Off.

Technician is what makes Meowth's low Attack usable by boosting the power of its attacks. Technician-boosted Fake Out is what makes this set shine, hitting a solid 135 Base Power when boosted by STAB, Technician, and Normal Gem, or a good 117 Base Power with Life Orb. U-turn comes next, letting Meowth pivot out after using its Fake Out. This embodies the hit-and-run strategy, as Meowth can often escape unscratched thanks to its high Speed. The next two moves are dependent on what Meowth is set out to do. Covet is the optimal choice for Meowth as it hits for a fair amount of damage and also steals the opponent's item after Fake Out burns Meowth's Normal Gem. It's also almost as powerful as Return, which is another attack Meowth can use in the second slot. Return doesn't have any secondary effects, but it's a lot more powerful than Covet, especially when boosted by Life Orb, which should be used if it is not necessary for Meowth to lose its item. Bite is used in the last slot to hit Ghost-types, and gets Technician-boosted to a Base Power of 90, which is enough to OHKO or 2HKO many Ghost- and Psychic-types found in LC, such as Misdreavus or Abra. The EVs are spread out to give Meowth as much offensive presence as possible. They first concentrate on Meowth's Speed, as Meowth needs to be able to outspeed as many opponents as possible so it can avoid attacks as it pivots with U-turn. Then, the EVs are invested in Attack to maximize Meowth's meager power. The remaining EVs go into Defense so Meowth can take weak hits when necessary. Taunt is another option for Meowth, as it can be used to prevent opposing Pokemon from setting up. Meowth's item depends on which moves it uses. If you choose to use Return, a Life Orb is recommended, as it provides Meowth with a sizable boost in power. If you do use a Life Orb, 0 HP IVs are also recommended because it lowers Life Orb recoil to only 1 HP. If you choose to use Covet, a Normal Gem should be used, as it lets Meowth "get rid of" its item so it can steal an opponent's with Covet while also boosting the power of its first Fake Out. Because of the hit-and-run playstyle, it enjoys the accompaniment of entry hazards and other more defensive pivots, as well as Pokemon that can take down Steel-, Rock-, and bulky Ghost-type walls. Magnemite gets a mention as it can form a VoltTurn core with Meowth and trap Steel-types that wall and are baited by Meowth. It can also hit Rock-types hard with Flash Cannon. Meowth in turn can steal the Eviolite of special walls to help Magnemite have an easier time getting past them. Larvesta is also a good partner, as it can sponge Fighting-type moves for Meowth, pivot with U-turn, and tackle Steel-types with Flare Blitz. Fighting-types are often great partners as well, as they can remove Steel- and Rock-types with their Fighting-type STAB. Mienfoo is especially good when paired with Meowth as it can sponge some Fighting-type moves, form a dual pivoting and Fake Out core to annoy the opponent, and take out the aforementioned Steel- and Rock-types that wall Meowth. Ground-types are also often great partners; Drilbur and Hippopotas can both set Stealth Rock and hit Rock- and Steel-types super effectively with Earthquake. Drilbur can also spin away entry hazards that annoy Meowth's pivoting process.

Meowth is one of the few leads that will almost always give your team an instant advantage. Thanks to its ability, Technician, Meowth can deal respectable amounts of damage to the opponent with its low Base Power moves. Fake Out makes an excellent opening move as it breaks the opponent's Focus Sash while flinching them in the process, which usually allows Meowth to finish the opponent with a STAB Return. Seed Bomb surprises Kabuto leads by 2HKOing with the combination of Fake Out and Seed Bomb. Bite hits Ghost-types, U-turn makes a great scouting move, Hypnosis puts Machop to sleep (thanks to No Guard), and Taunt deals with set up leads. Fake Out is a powerful STAB move, allowing Meowth to inflict damage at any stage of the match. Seed Bomb could replace Return if you want to catch Kabuto off-guard, since it will usually stay in expecting Meowth to escape with U-turn. As an added bonus, Seed Bomb will strike Phanpy harder than Return, and with a Life Orb, has a slight chance of 2HKOing after Fake Out. Bite allows Meowth to combat Ghost-types who would otherwise wall its STAB moves. Bite always OHKOes Gastly and has a chance to OHKO Duskull. U-turn allows Meowth to scout the opponent's next switch-in; with the combination of Fake Out and U-turn, Meowth essentially scores free hits on the opponent. This allows Meowth to stick around for the entire match to periodically inflict damage upon the opponent. U-turn also allows Meowth to escape from a possible Aron set up. The final slot depends on what you want to do. Despite its low accuracy, Hypnosis receives 100% accuracy against Machop due to its ability, No Guard. It also neutralizes slower leads, especially Bronzor, allowing Meowth to use U-turn to something that might appreciate a free setup. With 19 Speed, Meowth can use Taunt over Hypnosis on slower set up leads such as Phanpy, Kabuto, and Bronzor, preventing them from using support moves such as Stealth Rock. All in all, if Hypnosis's accuracy is making you nervous, Taunt should be a safer alternative. Focus Sash helps Meowth survive for a long time in the match since due to Fake Out and U-turn, it is usually left untouched, while Taunt shuts down Stealth Rock users, preventing them from setting up entry hazards and stripping Meowth's item off that way. Both Life Orb and Silk Scarf add power to Meowth's physical attacks. Life Orb lets Meowth grab a possible 2HKO on Gligar and Phanpy with the combination of Fake Out and Return. Silk Scarf adds power to Fake Out and Return while bluffing a Focus Sash as an added bonus. With its fantastic typing and high Defense stat, Bronzor can take a hit from Meowth and counteract with Flash Cannon for the possible 2HKO. Fire-types such as Magby and Ponyta work well with Meowth, because they can keep Bronzor away for the entire match. Duskull also troubles Meowth since it can check it with Will-O-Wisp or damage it with Blizzard. Ponyta is usually your best bet against Duskull since it can switch in on Blizzard or eat Will-O-Wisp to boost Flare Blit z's power. Aron is another problem since it could possibly use Rock Polish on the switch out. Be sure to utilize a defensive Gligar or Phanpy to deal with Aron; otherwise, it will be extremely hard to deal with Aron's Head Smash. As for offensive partners, Elekid also works well since Meowth can cause considerable damage with the combination of Fake Out and U-turn, and Elekid sweeps at its best when everything is significantly weakened. Gastly and Gligar also work well since they both provide a much needed Fighting-type switch-in for Meowth, while they could use a free turn to set up.