Scraggy Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves High Jump Kick is an extremely powerful STAB move that can severely dent even the Pokemon that resist it. Knock Off is a far more reliable Dark-type STAB move that Scraggy can spam more freely, and it still hits the majority of the metagame for significant damage while maintaining terrific offensive synergy with High Jump Kick by hitting the Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon that resist Fighting. It even comes with the useful side effect of removing foes' items. Poison Jab is Scraggy's most generally useful coverage move, as it hits the Fairy-types that resist its STAB combination and comes with a useful chance of inflicting poison. Drain Punch is an alternate STAB move that can be used when the power of High Jump Kick is not necessary or its chance of missing should not be risked, especially early-game. Zen Headbutt is an alternative that can hit Pokemon such as Croagunk and Foongus that might switch in predicting a resisted hit. Set Details The given EV spread maximizes Scraggy's Attack and Speed so that it can be as fast as possible while still hitting hard. With a Jolly nature, Scraggy reaches 15 Speed, which, with a Choice Scarf, is enough to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, and some slower Choice Scarf users such as Mudbray and Modest Magnemite. This turns Scraggy into a powerful revenge killer. The remaining EVs are used to boost Scraggy's HP, improving its mixed bulk as much as possible. Moxie makes Scraggy into an especially threatening revenge killer, as it gets an Attack boost just by revenge killing something, and can give it the ability to clean opposing teams in the late-game. Usage Tips Throughout the majority of the game, Scraggy should be used to revenge kill foes. Scraggy can bluff a Dragon Dance set early in the game, which will make Ghost-types less likely to switch into it for fear of Knock Off. After Scraggy's Choice Scarf has been revealed, Knock Off and Drain Punch are the safest moves to spam early in the game to wear down opposing teams if there are Ghost-types on the opponent's team. Ghost-types should be defeated before Scraggy locks itself into Drain Punch, but if there are no Ghost-types remaining on the field, Scraggy should lock itself into High Jump Kick when possible, as it is by far its most powerful attack. Be careful, however, of Protect users, such as Spritzee and Carvanha, when locking Scraggy into High Jump Kick, especially if Scraggy has revealed its Choice Scarf. Poison Jab, and Zen Headbutt if it is run, should only be used when absolutely necessary to weaken the Pokemon they are super effective against, as High Jump Kick will almost always hit harder. Late in a game, when the opponent's Fighting-type switch-ins have been worn down, Scraggy can use its Choice Scarf to clean an opposing team with High Jump Kick. The most efficient way to allow Scraggy to clean is to send it in when it can KO a foe and get a Moxie boost, as it immediately becomes very hard to switch into. Although it has decent bulk, Scraggy should usually not be switched in on opposing attacks, as if it is worn down it will be vulnerable to priority moves when attempting to clean late-game. Team Options The best teammates for Scraggy are those that can give it the support it needs to clean opposing teams in the late-game. Pursuit trappers, such as Alolan Grimer and Pawniard, are essential to remove Ghost-types so that Scraggy can safely use High Jump Kick to clean teams. Both of these Pokemon, along with Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr, are able to use Knock Off, which is also beneficial to Scraggy because it wears down foes for Scraggy to be able to clean late in a game. Pokemon that share checks with Scraggy, such as Carvanha, Vullaby, Timburr, and Mienfoo, can bring in and wear down these checks for Scraggy, again allowing Scraggy to clean opposing teams without fear of these checks. Checks to Fairy-types, such as Foongus, Pawniard, and Alolan Grimer, are useful to take out opposing Spritzee and Snubbull. Finally, entry hazard support from the likes of Ferroseed and Dwebble can wear down opposing Pokemon and get them within range of a KO from Scraggy.

Moves With Dragon Dance, Scraggy becomes a threatening sweeper, able to boost its Attack and Speed to dangerous levels in a single turn. High Jump Kick is an extremely powerful STAB move that Scraggy can use after a boost to break down teams. However, it comes with a risk of missing and taking crash damage. Drain Punch is a decently alternative STAB option that gives Scraggy a form of recovery while it attempts to sweep, and it is more reliable than High Jump Kick. Knock Off is another powerful STAB move with the added utility of removing foes' items, allowing Scraggy to cripple opposing teams for itself and its teammates. It has terrific coverage alongside Drain Punch, hitting the entire metagame aside from Fairy-types and Croagunk at least neutrally. In Scraggy's final slot, it has a choice of various coverage moves. Zen Headbutt hits Poison-types, such as Foongus and Croagunk, and Fighting-types, which tend to be some of the most common answers to Scraggy. Poison Jab can be run instead to hit Fairy-types for super effective damage, and it comes with a decent poison chance, which can be helpful in wearing down foes. Drain Punch is an option here if Scraggy's team can handle its checks well enough to warrant not running a coverage move, giving it access to both recovery with Drain Punch and power with High Jump Kick. Set Details Scraggy's EV spread gives it enough defensive investment to optimize its bulk with Eviolite, with the remainder invested in Attack and Speed to maximize its sweeping potential. Eviolite couples well with the defensive investment, giving Scraggy the bulk to take hits when necessary while setting up with Dragon Dance, including usually avoiding the OHKO from Vullaby's Brave Bird and always avoiding the KO from Mienfoo's Drain Punch. Scraggy's nature can be Jolly, which allows it to outspeed threats such as Corphish after Dragon Dance and tie with Choice Scarf Magnemite and +2 Tirtouga. Alternatively, Adamant can be run to give Scraggy more attacking power, at the expense of being outsped by the aforementioned threats. Even with an Adamant nature, it should be noted that Scraggy outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame after a Dragon Dance Speed boost. Scraggy's ability is a choice between Shed Skin and Moxie. The former makes it less worried about status, giving it the ability to set up against Will-O-Wisp users such as Ponyta and shrug off other statuses that would cripple most sweepers, such as paralysis and sleep. The latter leaves Scraggy comparably more susceptible to status-inducing moves but makes it very difficult to stop after it gets a KO, which means that after it does set up, Scraggy has a much easier time sweeping. Usage Tips Dragon Dance Scraggy is a late-game sweeper and should be somewhat preserved throughout a match. It is primarily checked by Fairy-types, which resist both of its STAB attacks, and bulky Fighting- and Poison-types, such as Croagunk, Foongus, Timburr, and Mienfoo, so these Pokemon should be weakened and, if possible, hit by Knock Off before Scraggy attempts to sweep. Additionally, when choosing when to set up, keep in mind that Scraggy's coverage moves, especially Poison Jab, aren't particularly powerful even after a boost, so its checks should be weakened as much as possible even if Scraggy does carry a super effective coverage move. However, that doesn't mean it should not be used at all before attempting a sweep: early- to mid-game, Scraggy can lure in its checks and use Knock Off to weaken them for a sweep later in the game. After said checks have been weakened over the course of a battle, Scraggy should be brought in against a Pokemon that can't hit it super effectively, such as Ferroseed or Slowpoke, to set up and then sweep. Be careful, however, about letting Scraggy get worn down too much too early in a match, as if this happens, Scraggy will be susceptible to priority later in the game. Team Options Scraggy is a terrific choice for type spam cores, as Pokemon that share one of its types can bring in foes that check it and weaken them for Scraggy to sweep late in the game. Timburr and Mienfoo make good Fighting-type partners to Scraggy, as they can draw in Poison- and Fairy-types and weaken them with Knock Off. Vullaby and Carvanha form a potent Dark-type core with Scraggy and can similarly wear down Scraggy's checks over the course of a match. Alolan Grimer makes an especially notable choice, as it is able to come in on and Pursuit trap Focus Sash Abra, hit Fairy-type Pokemon that aim to check Scraggy super effectively, and use Knock Off and Pursuit to weaken Choice Scarf users that outspeed Scraggy even after a Dragon Dance so that Scraggy doesn't need to worry about them later in a match. Other Poison-types also make good partners, able to take on both Fairy- and Fighting-type Pokemon that can threaten Scraggy. Foongus, Croagunk, and Skrelp make good choices for this, with the first also able to bring in Steel-types that Scraggy can set up on.

This is arguably Scraggy's best set in the NU metagame, as its solid bulk with Eviolite and its useful typing allow it to grab Bulk Up boosts as it likes. It stands out from its biggest competitor, Gurdurr, with its Dark typing, which allows it to take on Psychic- and Ghost-types decently. It is also bulky enough that, after a number of boosts, even super effective moves, such as Sawk and Primeape's Close Combats, are unable to OHKO it. Its ability, Shed Skin, is excellent, as it lets Scraggy become an excellent counter to Musharna and Misdreavus. Bulk Up is Scraggy's form of boosting, bolstering its bulk and power to tremendous levels. Drain Punch is Scraggy's primary STAB move, and also provides it with a decent form of recovery. Crunch is Scraggy's secondary STAB move, providing excellent coverage with Drain Punch, and is part of what makes Scraggy an excellent Musharna and Misdreavus counter. Finally, Rest is a form of recovery should Scraggy be low on health; Shed Skin also makes it more reliable than it would normally be. A specially defensive spread is chosen as Scraggy's typing allows it to better check special attackers and its Defense is getting boosted by Bulk Up anyway. Payback is a usable option over Crunch, as Scraggy is very slow and can usually use it at full power. However, running it means Scraggy cannot effectively counter Musharna. Garbodor and Golurk make viable options for partners, resisting Fighting-type moves and providing entry hazard support. Musharna has excellent defensive synergy with Scraggy and can spread paralysis to make its job easier. Rotom-S also has excellent defensive synergy and offensive synergy, as it is capable of eliminating Primeape, Sawk, and Swellow, which all trouble Scraggy.

Scraggy stands out from other Dragon Dance users with its excellent coverage in its STABs alone and its access to Shed Skin. Scraggy is also fairly bulky with Eviolite, and its typing, which grants it useful resistances to Psychic- and Rock-type moves, allows it to grab boosts with relative ease. Although its Speed doesn't look too great, it is good enough for Scraggy to succeed. Dragon Dance is the main move of the set, as Scraggy aims to be a sweeper with it. High Jump Kick is chosen as the main STAB move for its raw power. Crunch complements it well, pummeling Musharna and Misdreavus while giving Scraggy effectively perfect coverage. Finally, Drain Punch is a reliable move that also allows Scraggy to heal its HP. The EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed to make the most out of Dragon Dance. A Jolly nature is chosen to make sure Scraggy can outspeed base 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Haunter and Sawsbuck, after a boost from Dragon Dance. Shed Skin is the preferred ability to makes sure Scraggy doesn't get crippled by status as it boosts. Moxie is a useful alternative to grab more Attack boosts and make it easier for Scraggy to sweep after a boost. However, this means Scraggy is more vulnerable to status. Ice Punch is a usable option over Drain Punch to deliver a harder blow to Rotom-S and Altaria, but this rarely is helpful over the recovery provided by Drain Punch, as Crunch provides enough coverage in most situations. As Scraggy is a sweeper, it appreciates entry hazard support; Garbodor is a solid option for providing this, as it resists Fighting-type moves and can attract Psychic- and Rock-type moves for Scraggy to set up on. Rotom-S has excellent defensive and offensive synergy with Scraggy and can also use Volt Switch to send it in safely. Finally, Musharna is a great choice for its synergy and can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave to help Scraggy deal with faster threats such as Choice Scarf Primeape and Charizard.