Sawsbuck Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Double-Edge, a strong STAB move with decent neutral coverage, allows Sawsbuck to hit a good portion of the tier very hard. After some prior damage, it is able to OHKO or 2HKO almost every offensive Pokemon in the tier that doesn't resist it. Horn Leech is a secondary STAB move that allows Sawsbuck to reliably revenge kill Pokemon such as Floatzel and hit other common resisters of Normal-type moves, such as Golem and Carbink, for super effective damage. It is also strong enough to 2HKO most offensive Pokemon on the switch and damage Ghost-types that try to come in, such as Misdreavus, and it has nice synergy with Double-Edge, which is able to hit Grass-, Fire-, Bug-, and Flying-type Pokemon hard as they switch in. Jump Kick is used to threaten Steel-types such as Probopass and Pawniard much harder than any other move Sawsbuck can use. Toxic, while it might look strange on a Choice Scarf user, gives Sawsbuck value in the matchup against bulkier teams by crippling potential switch-ins such as Avalugg. However, it can be risky to lock Sawsbuck into the move at times. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature is the best spread to outspeed and revenge kill as many boosted threats as possible. Sap Sipper allows Sawsbuck to safely switch into opposing Grass-types like Leafeon. Chlorophyll can also be situationally useful against Sun sweepers, specifically opposing Chlorophyll non-Choice Scarf Sawsbuck. Usage Tips This set should be used as a revenge killer against common threats, such as Ninetales, Rapidash, and Simipour. Double-Edge is a strong, spammable move and is generally hard for offensive teams to switch into. Horn Leech complements it well, and its threat is usually enough to scare Rock-types from coming in. Although Sawsbuck is fast and strong enough to revenge kill most frail setup sweepers, be aware that it won't be much help versus priority-using sweepers such as Swords Dance Monferno and Moxie Mightyena. Toxic is also to be used when predicting switches to Sawsbuck checks. Team Options This Sawsbuck set fits best in offensive and balanced teams looking for a momentum gainer and reliable revenge killer for Pokemon such as Floatzel. For example, Pelipper can handle most of the Pokemon that check Sawsbuck, such as Torkoal, and appreciates a revenge killer for Pokemon that can beat it with ease, such as Rotom-F. On more offensive teams, entry hazard users, such as Smeargle and Crustle, are also great partners, as Sawsbuck is great at forcing switches. Teammates that are able to keep entry hazards up, such as Misdreavus and Pawniard, fit in as well. Wallbreakers such as Life Orb Simipour are great partners for Sawsbuck, as they allow it to sweep later in the game by weakening walls.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Sawsbuck's Attack by two stages. Horn Leech is a strong STAB move that recovers 50% of the damage dealt. Double-Edge is a hard hitting Normal-type STAB move; Horn Leech's recovery makes up for Life Orb recoil. Jump Kick is a necessary coverage move to hit the likes of Pawniard and Probopass who otherwise take Sawsbuck moves with relative ease. Substitute can be run over Swords Dance as it protects Sawsbuck from getting afflicted by status, allows it to scout foes' moves, and keeps it from getting revenge killed. Set Details A standard offensive EV spread is used on Sawsbuck to ensure it can outspeed as many Pokemon as possible to take advantage of its good Speed tier. Life Orb is used for more power. Sap Sipper allows Sawsbuck to get an Attack boost of one stage when hit by a Grass-type move. Chlorophyll should be the ability of choice if Sawsbuck is being used in a sun team, in that case an Adamant nature is preferred since Sawsbuck doesn't miss outspeeding any notable threat with its ability activated and appreciates the extra power especially against Pokemon such as Roselia. Usage Tips Sawsbuck is best used as a mid- or late-game sweeper. Sawsbuck shouldn't be setting up to sweep until its checks and counters are weakened to the point where it can 2HKO or OHKO them. When switching into Grass-type attacks, be cautious, as it's predictable and can result in Sawsbuck fainting, such as if an opposing Roselia goes for Sludge Bomb rather than Giga Drain when you switch Sawsbuck in. Make sure to bring Sawsbuck in on Pokemon it can set up on, such as Pelipper, Relicanth, defensive Golem, and Stunfisk, although the latter has the chance of paralyzing Sawsbuck, crippling its sweeping abilities. Substitute prevents Pokemon such as Misdreavus, Vullaby and Pelipper from inflicting status, allows Sawsbuck to scout incoming attacks, and prevents revenge killers from dealing damage the first turn they come in. When using sun, it's crucial to bring in Sawsbuck right after setting it up, as it needs to take advantage of sun's few turns and set up a Swords Dance if needed. Team Options Entry hazards from Pokemon such as Roselia are appreciated, as they weaken Pokemon throughout the battle so that Sawsbuck can OHKO or 2HKO them. Wallbreakers such as Scrappy Stoutland can weaken walls to the point of getting OHKOed by Sawsbuck's attacks. A Fire / Water / Grass core including Sawsbuck has great synergy, as the members resist each other's weaknesses; Pelipper, Sawsbuck and Ninetales work especially well as partners in this case. If using Chlorophyll, teammates such as Golem and Volbeat are appreciated because they can use Sunny Day. Volbeat deserves a special mention, as it has a slow U-turn that can give Sawsbuck a free switch in. Pokemon that benefit from sun, such as Ninetales and Rapidash, make good teammates, as they are similar to Chlorophyll Sawsbuck.

Sawsbuck makes for a notable cleaner and revenge killer, getting the jump on the entire unboosted metagame and able to check fast threats like Simipour, Simisage, and Persian well. Without a damage-boosting item, Double-Edge's strength is necessary over Return's lack of recoil—the extra power allows Sawsbuck to always 2HKO Pignite without needing Stealth Rock and have a good chance of OHKOing Simisage with Stealth Rock. Jump Kick is its strongest coverage against Steel-types like Lairon and Klang. Megahorn 2HKOes Grass-types like Gogoat and Servine and is its strongest coverage move against Bronzor. Toxic puts walls like Gourgeist formes and Dusclops on a timer. As this set emphasizes Sawsbuck's Speed to let it revenge kill, it tends to struggle more against checks like the aforementioned Bronzor and bulky Poison-types. Wallbreakers like Pignite and Choice Band Lairon can threaten the opposition, making Sawsbuck's attacks even harder to switch into. Walls like Swalot and Gigalith can provide a cushion for physical attacks to give Sawsbuck opportunities to perform later into the game. Pivots like Electabuzz and Dustox can help get Sawsbuck onto the field more safely, and special attackers like Frogadier and Magmar can threaten bulky checks that it often has trouble getting past.

Sawsbuck is an excellent setup sweeper with Swords Dance, owing to its good Speed, power, and typing. Double-Edge is preferred over Return, always 2HKOing Servine and OHKOing Simisage. Return can be used instead if Sawsbuck does not wish to suffer recoil, but it misses these benchmarks. Horn Leech targets Normal-resistant and immune Pokemon like Gigalith, Carbink, and Dusclops. Jump Kick is its preferred coverage move, hitting Steel-types like Klang and Lairon harder than any of its other moves do. Sap Sipper allows Sawsbuck to pivot into Grass-type attacks freely while also enhancing its wallbreaking prowess. If used on sun teams, an Adamant nature and Chlorophyll are necessary for it to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame under sun while hitting as hard as possible. Sawsbuck does excellently on balance and offensive teams, where it can leverage its good Speed and offensive prowess to punch holes early-game as a wallbreaker or clean up late-game. It struggles the most against Bronzor and physically bulky Poison-types like Swalot and Ivysaur; checks to these threats like Magmar and Krokorok help it break through these checks more easily. Defensive backbones strong against these threats, like the aforementioned Poison-types and Duosion, can preserve Sawsbuck's health. Late-game sweepers like Simipour and Calm Mind Swoobat can help clean up the opposition and take advantage of Sawsbuck's wallbreaking. Wallbreakers like Magmar and Vanilluxe make Sawsbuck harder to stop late-game.

Sawsbuck's unique STAB combination and respectable offensive stats allow it to serve as a very effective Swords Dance sweeper. Sawsbuck's useful set of resistances and immunities offer it a variety of opportunities to set up, and with Swords Dance boosting its Attack to a potent 598 in a single turn, it quickly becomes a dangerous offensive threat. Return provides Sawsbuck with an excellent STAB option that has reasonable neutral coverage and few drawbacks. Double-Edge, while resulting in some extra recoil, provides a useful boost in power that allows Sawsbuck to comfortably KO Pokemon such as Sceptile and Scyther without a boost. Horn Leech complements Sawsbuck's Normal-type attacks rather nicely, offering it a secondary STAB that not only provides recovery but also helps it beat the various bulky Water- and Rock-types of the tier. Nature Power rounds off Sawsbuck's coverage, allowing it to hit Steel- and Fire-types particularly hard while having the added benefit of evading Sucker Punch from Absol and Spiritomb. On the other hand, while dropping Nature Power for Substitute makes Sawsbuck susceptible to Steel-types, this allows it to more effectively set up on defensively-inclined Water- and Ghost-types and also prevents it from being revenge killed as easily by faster Pokemon. An Adamant nature is a viable option, and Sawsbuck can really benefit from the extra power against Pokemon such as Tangrowth and Uxie; in exchange, Sawsbuck cannot outspeed Pokemon such as Lilligant, Moltres, and Rotom, all of whom are important to outpace. The choice between Life Orb and Lum Berry is generally that of power versus safety, as Lum Berry grants Sawsbuck added insurance switching into potential Will-O-Wisps and Scalds without fear of being crippled. In terms of alternative items, Leftovers can be used alongside Substitute to procure guaranteed HP recovery to produce more Substitutes, but usually the recovery from Horn Leech is sufficient. Salac Berry is also an interesting option with Substitute, as it allows Sawsbuck to more effectively sweep faster teams once priority users have been dispatched. If this is used, an EV spread of 12 HP / 244 Atk / 252 Spe would prove optimal, guaranteeing that the Salac Berry is activated after three uses of Substitute. Baton Pass is a viable choice in the final moveslot, as it allows Sawsbuck to maintain momentum early in the game while even having the potential to pass Attack boosts gained from Sap Sipper and / or Swords Dance. Jump Kick offers similar coverage to Nature Power, trading perfect accuracy and the ability to evade Sucker Punch for the ability to hit Ferroseed for significant damage and prevent Archeops and Aerodactyl from getting a totally free switch into Sawsbuck. Megahorn can also be used, as it allows Sawsbuck to break through bulky Grass-types such as Tangrowth with much less difficulty. Choice Scarf Emboar makes a solid partner for Sawsbuck, switching into and threatening most Steel-types comfortably and in turn baiting bulky Water-types for Sawsbuck to set up on. Magneton is also proficient at eliminating troublesome Steel-types for Sawsbuck, and its plethora of useful resistances to Bug-, Ice-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks all benefit Sawsbuck. Offensive Water-types, particularly physically-inclined ones such as Kabutops and Feraligatr, provide helpful sponges for the Ice- and Fire-type attacks Sawsbuck draws and help to wear down Tangrowth and other such shared checks over time.

By forgoing setup, Sawsbuck can function as a potent immediate attacker thanks to its assortment of unique coverage options and high-powered attacks. Return is Sawsbuck's STAB move of choice, hitting most Pokemon neutrally without any immediate negative repercussions. Double-Edge, on the other hand, offers a more powerful Normal-type STAB, but the recoil that comes with it can be detrimental to Sawsbuck's performance at times. Horn Leech offers a moderately powerful secondary STAB whose recovery allows Sawsbuck to heal passive damage acquired from switching into entry hazards and weaker attacks. Nature Power rounds off Sawsbuck's coverage, allowing it to hit Steel-types hard while also allowing it to avoid Sucker Punch from the likes of Absol and Spiritomb. Megahorn's useful super effective coverage is the icing on the cake, allowing Sawsbuck to inflict impressive damage upon common switch-ins such as Tangrowth, Uxie, and Mesprit. The choice between Choice Band and Life Orb is largely affected by what role Sawsbuck is meant to fulfill on a team. The extra power of Choice Band is invaluable for breaking through defensive Pokemon such as Steelix, Alomomola, and Tangrowth; however, the ability to switch moves makes Life Orb the superior option if Sawsbuck is meant to serve as late-game cleaner or wear down defensive cores for another Pokemon to sweep. Jump Kick can be used to thrash Ferroseed switch-ins, but Nature Power remains a far more consistent and safe attack option. Alternatively, moves such as Wild Charge and Feint Attack can be utilized to bait and wear down certain Pokemon such as Moltres, Misdreavus, and Drifblim should they be impeding another Pokemon's sweep, but Megahorn generally covers more relevant Pokemon. Baton Pass, while not immediately beating any particular threats, gives Sawsbuck the ability to scout the opponent early in the match, even passing the occasional Sap Sipper boost off to a partner. Likewise, Synthesis can be used to capitalize on the switches Sawsbuck forces, allowing it to recover its HP safely; this does mean dropping a valuable coverage option, though. Golurk is a useful partner for Sawsbuck, providing good defensive synergy with it and either supporting it with Stealth Rock or helping to overload physical walls with its powerful Choice Band set. Fire-types, such as Emboar and Moltres, both are capable of switching into and pressuring Steel-types like Escavalier and Steelix that give Sawsbuck trouble and look to Sawsbuck to take on bulky Water-types in return. Additionally, Water-types such as Kabutops and Slowking both offer solid defensive synergy with Sawsbuck and can capitalize on its ability to wear down Water- and Grass-type Pokemon.

Though commonly used for its offensive prowess, Sawsbuck can also serve as an effective team player through the use of Baton Pass. Sawsbuck's unique set of resistances and immunities, which is backed by the threat of its powerful STAB attacks, allow it to find numerous opportunities to set up a Substitute to safely pass off to a teammate or simply dish out damage on its own. Baton Pass also allows Sawsbuck to absorb a Grass-type attack with Sap Sipper and pass an Attack boost off to a partner, allowing it to effectively make use of its ability even before the Grass-type in question is in the range where a +1 Return can dispatch it. Substitute, aside from being an excellent tool for bringing in a more frail Pokemon safely, gives Sawsbuck the leeway to play around Ghost-types like Misdreavus that rely on status to combat it. Return is a very consistent STAB move and is critical for threatening Grass-types such as Lilligant and Amoonguss that Sawsbuck enjoys switching into to net an Attack boost. Horn Leech complements Return nicely, hitting Rock-types that would otherwise shrug off Return and providing recovery that allows Sawsbuck to produce more Substitutes throughout the match. A bulkier EV spread of 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe would yield bulkier Substitutes, but in doing so, Sawsbuck loses a moderate amount of offensive presence, failing to 2HKO common Pokemon such as Slowking and Moltres. Double-Edge offers Sawsbuck a slightly more powerful Normal-type STAB to work with, but the recoil is detrimental to its effectiveness as a Substitute passer. Berries used in a pinch, most notably the Salac and Liechi Berry, can be utilized over Leftovers in order to pass more significant buffs to a partner, but the consistent recovery of Leftovers allows Sawsbuck to serve a longer lasting role throughout a match. The most useful partners for this set are those that struggle to take hits well, as they benefit the most from the ability to switch in freely through Baton Pass. Absol, Archeops, and Durant all are good examples of such Pokemon, as they are not only very difficult to stop behind a Substitute, but also appreciate the potential Attack boosts passed to them through Sap Sipper. Similarly, slower Pokemon such as Aggron and Druddigon can utilize the Substitutes Sawsbuck provides to mitigate the disadvantage bestowed by their low Speed, wearing down the Steel-types that can check them. Entei is another useful partner for this set, as it is is capable of breaking through the bulky Grass- and Steel-types that bother Sawbuck and can also bait bulky Water-types that Sawsbuck can set up on.

Sawsbuck has access to Sap Sipper, which increases Sawsbuck's Attack when hit by a Grass-type move. With this in mind, Sawsbuck can switch into and effectively hard counter Amoonguss, one of the most popular and effective VGC Pokemon. Horn Leech is a good STAB move that keeps Sawsbuck's health full. Return is a good secondary STAB move, 2HKOing Thundurus, Tornadus, and Whimsicott, while 3HKOing Amoonguss. Jump Kick can OHKO Bisharp and Zoroark, 2HKO Hydreigon, and 3HKO Chople Berry Scrafty. Nature Power turns into Earthquake when used in Wi-Fi battles, which can 2HKO Chandelure, one of Sawsbuck's biggest threats. Protect is always a good to have to scout for priority moves; Fake Out can break Sawsbuck's Focus Sash while Conkeldurr's Guts boosted Mach Punch gets a clean OHKO. Protect also allows Sawsbuck's teammate to set up Tailwind, and lets it scout an opponent's moves. Sawsbuck shines with a Focus Sash, especially with Horn Leech to keep its health full. This set is very useful on Tailwind teams, as it can use the Speed boost to achieve the same effect as Chlorophyll. Whimsicott and Tornadus are the best Tailwind users, thanks to Prankster. Sawsbuck pairs up well with Tornadus, who can OHKO Conkeldurr with Flying Gem Acrobatics. A Sap Sipper Sawsbuck is also a very good teammate for Jellicent. With Tailwind support, Jellicent can outspeed and take out Chandelure with a Shadow Ball or Water Spout, while Sawsbuck takes care of Amoonguss that often threatens Jellicent. Hydreigon is another good partner; Levitate makes it immune to Nature Power, allowing Sawsbuck to take out Chandelure without harming its teammate. Bouffalant might seem like a better option than Sawsbuck in this role due to its higher defenses; however, Sawsbuck is much faster and has access to Grass-type STAB moves, making it the superior choice.

Sawsbuck is a potent threat under the sun. When Chlorophyll is activated, this deer has a Speed of 294 with Adamant and a whopping 332 Speed with Jolly, allowing Sawsbuck to outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the metagame. Horn Leech is a good STAB move that can hit popular VGC Pokemon hard while regaining health; for instance, it OHKOes Terrakion and 2HKOes maximum HP Jellicent. Return is a great secondary STAB as it dents common Pokemon that resist Horn Leech, such as Tornadus, Thundurus, Whimsicott, and maximum HP Amoonguss. Double-Edge is stronger, but Return is preferred as it OHKOes Thundurus and Tornadus, two major threats to Sawsbuck, without the recoil damage of Double-Edge. There are two good moves worth considering for the third moveslot. Jump Kick OHKOes Bisharp and Zoroark and 2HKOes Vanilluxe; however, it only 3HKOes Chople Berry Scrafty and damages Sawsbuck if the attack misses or the opposing Pokemon uses Protect. Megahorn 2HKOes Musharna and OHKOes Hydreigon; the latter is a huge threat to any sun teams due to its resistances to Fire-, Grass-, and Ghost-type moves. Protect is a very useful move to have in the VGC metagame, as it provides Sawsbuck with a guarantee of safety while its partner sets up Sunny Day or Tailwind. This can save Sawsbuck from faster threats and priority moves, such as Conkeldurr's Mach Punch, an attack that can OHKO with a Guts boost or 2HKO without one. It is also very useful for scouting out opposing moves, giving you time to react accordingly. This set is essential for sun teams, and will work better when used in conjunction with Tailwind support. Sawsbuck's best partner in this case would be Whimsicott. With Prankster, Whimsicott can set up Sunny Day quickly for Sawsbuck to sweep and also has access to Tailwind and Helping Hand. Tailwind can give Sawsbuck the advantage against other Tailwind-boosted Pokemon, while Helping Hand increases the base power of Sawsbuck's moves by 50%. Sawsbuck also works very well with other sun sweepers such as Chandelure, Lilligant, and Darmanitan. However, Chandelure and Conkeldurr counter Sawsbuck. To combat Chandelure, Hydreigon and Terrakion are good partners due to Hydreigon's access to Dark-type moves and Terrakion's Rock Slide. As for Conkeldurr, Tornadus and Amoonguss would make excellent teammates, able to defeat it with Acrobatics or the latter's Giga Drain, respectively.