with the approval of Cant Say, i'll try this one again. Credits to Fischgrat for helping me with my horrible english (even tho i'm a -little- better now)
[OVERVIEW]
When talking about Espeon, the thing that immediately comes to mind is its fantastic ability Magic Bounce, which bounces back status moves, particulary Taunt, Swagger, and most phazing moves. However, Magic Bounce is not the only reason to use Espeon, as it has a good Speed stat that enables it to outspeed common threats like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan and Speed tie with Gengar. Espeon also has a good offensive movepool with moves such as Stored Power, Dazzling Gleam, Shadow Ball, and Grass Knot, alongside a great Special Attack stat that aids in sweeps, and a handy defensive movepool, having access to Calm Mind, Yawn, dual screens, and a recovery move in its signature Morning Sun. With the combination of these tools, Espeon carves itself a niche in the Battle Spot Singles metagame as a Calm Mind sweeper, a fast dual screen user, or simply one of the best Baton Pass recipients in the game. What really keeps Espeon from being more than a niche Pokemon, though, is its lacking physical Defense and HP stats, leaving it vulnerable to many common physical attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Mawile, and Talonflame, and Sucker Punch users due to its Psychic typing. Even on the special side, it is weak against common threats like Aegislash and Greninja that can easily take care of it. Because of its frailness, Espeon greatly suffers competition for a slot on the team from bulkier Calm Mind sweepers such as Mega Sableye, Suicune, and Raikou, and from dual screen users like Klefki, which has Prankster and a better defensive typing.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind Sweeper
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Stored Power / Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Morning Sun / Substitute
item: Leftovers / Kee Berry
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 164 HP / 92 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind is Espeon's form of setup, reducing damage from special attacks and boosting its already great Special Attack. Stored Power capitalizes on the boosts Espeon gets, and it's the preferred option if using Espeon as a Baton Pass recipient. Psychic is an alternative for immediate power, since Stored Power needs two Calm Minds to be stronger than it, while Psyshock can be used to hit common Assault Vest users such as Conkeldurr. Dazzling Gleam covers Dark-types and has good coverage; however, Hidden Power Fighting can be used instead if targeting Steel-types is required while still hitting Dark-types, but it is weaker. Morning Sun gives Espeon recovery to ease setup, while Substitute guards it from status-inducing moves such as Scald and Discharge or from priority moves like Sucker Punch.
Set Details
========
Magic Bounce lets Espeon set up without fear of status or phazing. The EV spread allows for optimum Leftovers recovery, while maximum Speed aids sweeping with Calm Mind or set up a fast Substitute. The rest of the EVs are invested into Defense to patch up Espeon's average physical bulk, allowing it to survive attacks like Jolly Garchomp's Outrage. Keep in mind that running Hidden Power Fighting means that Espeon will fail to Speed tie with Gengar. In this case, if using a Timid nature, a 164 HP / 116 Def / 28 SpD / 200 Spe spread can be used in order to outspeed Jolly Garchomp and all base 100s while having good chances to survive Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird and Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball. 236 HP / 76 Def can be used in order to always survive a maximum Attack Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird, while 196 Speed EVs still let Espeon outspeed maximum Speed Garchomp and all base 100s. A Modest nature with a 236 HP / 76 Def / 4 SpA / 28 SpD / 164 Spe spread is an alternative to allow Espeon to outspeed maximum Speed Jolly Heracross and survive maximum Attack Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird and Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball while having a more offensive presence. On Baton Pass teams, Espeon could run very bulky EV spreads such as 252 HP / 252 Def with a Bold nature in order to mitigate its physical frailness. Leftovers and Morning Sun increase Espeon's longevity, but Kee Berry can be an option to increase its bulk and Stored Power's base damage.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Espeon's frailness, avoiding unnecessary damage is mandatory. Fainted teammates are a good way of bringing in Espeon. Capitalize on Magic Bounce by switching in on predicted status moves, entry hazards, or Pokemon that often rely on residual damage or support moves. A good idea is to use special attackers such as Cresselia and Rotom-A as setup fodders, since Espeon can take hits from them and heal back the HP it lost. Likewise, support Pokemon like Chansey and Whimsicott are setup bait thanks to Magic Bounce. Knowing when to set up is very important, since you don't want to start setting up too early and be forced out after taking a bit of damage. A good way to maximize Espeon's chances to sweep is to deal with potential threats in the early stages of the game and try to set up in the latter part of the match. Keep in mind that Espeon needs a couple of boosts to successfully attempt a sweep.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can handle Steel-, Dark-, and Dragon-types such as Blaziken, Heatran, Mawile, and Sylveon are good partners for Espeon. Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny and Conkeldurr help against Mega Kangaskhan and Steel-types. Blaziken in particular can also pass Speed boosts, further strengthening Stored Power while also allowing Espeon to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame and all common Choice Scarf users. Other Pokemon that can Baton Pass boosts to Espeon like Smeargle, Scolipede, and Drifblim make for good partners, as well as support Pokemon like Klefki, which sets up screens and can paralyze threats with Thunder Wave. Umbreon deserves a special mention, being able to pass evasion to Espeon and to switch in on Ghost- and Dark-type attacks, while threatening strong attackers with Foul Play. Rotom-W can handle Talonflame and Greninja, and it also provides Will-O-Wisp support against strong physical attackers. Powerful physical attackers like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan can weaken opposing teams to allow Espeon to sweep, especially removing Pokemon that Espeon has trouble with like Steel-types such as Aegislash or Mawile.
[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Reflect
move 3: Light Screen
move 4: Yawn / Dazzling Gleam
item: Light Clay
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is the main STAB move, dealing decent chip damage to anything that doesn't resist it and hitting common threats like Breloom, Gengar, and Venusaur hard. Reflect and Light Screen make up the main role of this set, boosting Defense or Special Defense for all of the Pokemon on your side for eight turns. Yawn forces switches and stops opposing setup sweepers to further help Espeon's supporting role, and Dazzling Gleam offers good coverage as well as preventing Espeon from being completely walled by Dark-types.
Set Details
========
Thanks to Magic Bounce, Espeon can ignore Taunt, status moves, and annoying Swagger strategies. 236 HP EVs and 76 Defense EVs allow it to always survive maximum Attack Life Orb Adamant Talonflame's Brave Bird before setting up Reflect and have a great chance to survive Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball even if not covered by Light Screen. 196 Speed EVs with a Timid nature is used to outspeed positive-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as Mega Kangaskhan, and maximum Speed Jolly Garchomp. Behind dual screens, Espeon becomes pretty bulky, being able to survive attacks like Adamant Conkeldurr's Knock Off, +1 Jolly Mega Salamence's Double-Edge, and even Adamant Mega Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch or Double-Edge (although the combination of Fake Out and Double Edge will still KO Espeon) while shielded by Reflect; maximum Special Attack Quiet Aegislash's Shadow Ball and maximum Special Attack Timid Life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse if behind Light Screen. Light Clay is required to prolong the turns of Reflect and Light Screen.
Usage Tips
========
The main goal of this set is to put up dual screens and maximize Espeon's teammates' chances to sweep or set up. Bringing Espeon as your lead is in general the best idea, since it doesn't like to switch in and take hits. Try to set up one screen and then use Yawn to gain the momentum for a switch out or to spread chip damage on switch-ins. Setting up both screens will often lead Espeon to faint, but it could still be worth it, giving a free switch into your sweeper. Letting Espeon go down after setting up one or both screens is especially good on hyper offense teams, since Pokemon on these teams don't need many turns to set up. Yawn can be used to stop foes from setting up in front of Espeon, but keep in mind that using it in front of a Prankster + Substitute user such as Thundurus or Klefki could lead to a wasted turn.
Team Options
========
This Espeon set fits well on offensive teams and pairs well with setup sweepers. Dragon Dance Mega Salamance and Quiver Dance Volcarona are both good partners thanks to the dual screen support from Espeon as well as Magic Bounce that prevents entry hazards. Mega Kangaskhan is another good partner, being able to switch in on and check Ghost-types with Sucker Punch and Crunch while checking Steel-types with Earthquake. Azumarill gives Espeon a handy switch-in to Dark- and Bug-type attacks and appreciates the dual screen support that can allow it to easily set up Belly Drum. Blaziken is also a good choice for helping against Steel-types and Tyranitar. Mega Gyarados resists Ghost-type moves and can set up with Dragon Dance. Dragonite can be extremely bulky with the combination of Multiscale and the dual screens while setting up Dragon Dances. In general, strong, hard-hitting Pokemon will all appreciate dual screen support from Espeon. Other examples of good partners are Mega Heracross, Mega Mawile, Greninja, and Sylveon.
[SET]
name: Choice Attacker
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Dazzling Gleam
move 3: Grass Knot / Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is Espeon's strongest STAB move. Psyshock can be used to hit special walls or Calm Mind users harder. Dazzling Gleam covers Dark-types and has good overall coverage. Grass Knot smashes common leads like Mamoswine and Hippowdon, and Shadow Ball can be used to hit most Steel-types and deal super effective damage to Aegislash and Gengar. Hidden Power Ice is an option to deal huge damage to 4x Ice-weak Dragons like Salamence and Garchomp, even having a chance to OHKO them, and OHKO non-bulky variants of Landorus. Trick is a great option for the fouth moveslot, allowing Espeon to lock Pokemon into a single move.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Espeon's Special Attack and provides enough Speed to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, other Choice Scarf user, and even Blaziken at +1, if running a Choice Scarf. If running Choice Specs, the EV spread will allow Espeon to Speed tie with Gengar and outspeed common threats like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan. Magic Bounce guards Espeon from status that could otherwise stop it from sweeping, like paralysis and confusion from Swagger. A Modest nature could be used to obtain more firepower. If running Modest Espeon, 28 Speed EVs and a Choice Scarf are enough to outspeed base 130s such as Mega Gengar, so the remaining EVs could be invested to increase its bulk. Keep in mind that this could leave Espeon vulnerable to other Choice Scarf Pokemon or with poor Speed after using Trick.
Usage Tips
========
Espeon can be used as the lead to deal as much damage as it can or mess up foes with Trick, locking them into a supporting move or restricting their choice to a single move, crippling Pokemon like Cresselia and Porygon2, and giving momentum to the team. It can also be used as a late-game cleaner thanks to its high Speed, but keep in mind that Espeon is vulnerable to priority attackers like Talonflame or Kangaskhan.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can handle Steel- and Dark-types, such as Fire-type Pokemon like Blaziken or Fighting-type Pokemon like Mega Lopunny, are good partners for Espeon. Mega Kangaskhan is another good partner, being able to switch in on and check Ghost-types with Sucker Punch and Crunch while also checking Steel-types with Earthquake. Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Mega Mawile give Espeon handy switch-ins to Dark- and Bug-type attacks. An answer to common priority users such as Talonflame and Mega Kangaskhan may facilitate Espeon's sweeping role. Rotom-W or Rotom-H, Zapdos, and Garchomp can all fulfill this role. Pokemon with the ability Justified such as Lucario or Terrakion can switch Dark-type attacks and gain a free Attack boosts if Espeon Tricks a foe into a Dark-type move while also being able to take Bug-type attacks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Hidden Power Fire is an option to hit Ferrothorn as well as Scizor, while Hidden Power Ground could help the Choice set deal heavy damage to Heatran. Espeon can run Baton Pass as well, setting up fast Substitutes or Calm Minds and then passing them to a partner. White Herb is the mandatory item if you are using Smeargle as your Baton Pass user to offset all the negative boosts from Moody and Shell Smash. Bright Powder can be used to increase evasion even further if building a team around evasion-passing strategies.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Gengar hits Espeon very hard with its STAB Shadow Ball, threatening both the Calm Mind and the dual screen set, while Mega Lopunny KOes those sets with the combination of Fake Out and Return. Choice Band Talonflame and Life Orb Greninja both have good chances to OHKO Espeon. Common Choice Scarf users such as Hydreigon, Garchomp, and Landorus-T could also threaten Espeon if it is not running a Choice Scarf itself.
**Bulky Setup Pokemon**: Volcarona can use Quiver Dance in front of either the dual screen set, ignoring Yawn if having a Lum Berry, and the Calm Mind set, becoming faster than Espeon and usually going out of control. Mega Salamance can take an attack from Espeon even after a Calm Mind boost and then Dragon Dance and Roost or attack.
**Priority Users**: Sucker Punch users such as Mega Kangaskhan, Bisharp, and Mega Mawile can OHKO the Calm Mind set and the Choice set and deal heavy damage to the dual screen set. Dragonite and Lucario both can pressure Espeon and deal good damage with Extreme Speed. Talonflame can OHKO the Choice set with a priority Brave Bird.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Aegislash can easily threaten all of Espeon’s sets, easily tanking Psychic-type moves, Dazzling Gleam, and even Shadow Ball or Hidden Power Fire after one or two Calm Mind boosts, KOing it back with the combination of Shadow Ball and Shadow Sneak. Mega Mawile laughs at Espeon's attacks, even if its running Hidden Power Fire, being able to use Sword Dance or just Knock Off in return. Scizor and Ferrothorn can both be very hard to deal with if Espeon doesn't run Hidden Power Fire.
**Dark-types**: Espeon usually needs a few Calm Mind boosts before being able to OHKO Dark-types with Dazzling Gleam. Tyranitar deserves a special mention, being able to easily threaten Espeon, surviving Dazzling Gleam or Hidden Power Fighting even if Espeon is at +2, and halving Morning Sun's healing power with the sand up.
[OVERVIEW]
When talking about Espeon, the thing that immediately comes to mind is its fantastic ability Magic Bounce, which bounces back status moves, particulary Taunt, Swagger, and most phazing moves. However, Magic Bounce is not the only reason to use Espeon, as it has a good Speed stat that enables it to outspeed common threats like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan and Speed tie with Gengar. Espeon also has a good offensive movepool with moves such as Stored Power, Dazzling Gleam, Shadow Ball, and Grass Knot, alongside a great Special Attack stat that aids in sweeps, and a handy defensive movepool, having access to Calm Mind, Yawn, dual screens, and a recovery move in its signature Morning Sun. With the combination of these tools, Espeon carves itself a niche in the Battle Spot Singles metagame as a Calm Mind sweeper, a fast dual screen user, or simply one of the best Baton Pass recipients in the game. What really keeps Espeon from being more than a niche Pokemon, though, is its lacking physical Defense and HP stats, leaving it vulnerable to many common physical attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Mawile, and Talonflame, and Sucker Punch users due to its Psychic typing. Even on the special side, it is weak against common threats like Aegislash and Greninja that can easily take care of it. Because of its frailness, Espeon greatly suffers competition for a slot on the team from bulkier Calm Mind sweepers such as Mega Sableye, Suicune, and Raikou, and from dual screen users like Klefki, which has Prankster and a better defensive typing.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind Sweeper
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Stored Power / Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Morning Sun / Substitute
item: Leftovers / Kee Berry
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 164 HP / 92 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind is Espeon's form of setup, reducing damage from special attacks and boosting its already great Special Attack. Stored Power capitalizes on the boosts Espeon gets, and it's the preferred option if using Espeon as a Baton Pass recipient. Psychic is an alternative for immediate power, since Stored Power needs two Calm Minds to be stronger than it, while Psyshock can be used to hit common Assault Vest users such as Conkeldurr. Dazzling Gleam covers Dark-types and has good coverage; however, Hidden Power Fighting can be used instead if targeting Steel-types is required while still hitting Dark-types, but it is weaker. Morning Sun gives Espeon recovery to ease setup, while Substitute guards it from status-inducing moves such as Scald and Discharge or from priority moves like Sucker Punch.
Set Details
========
Magic Bounce lets Espeon set up without fear of status or phazing. The EV spread allows for optimum Leftovers recovery, while maximum Speed aids sweeping with Calm Mind or set up a fast Substitute. The rest of the EVs are invested into Defense to patch up Espeon's average physical bulk, allowing it to survive attacks like Jolly Garchomp's Outrage. Keep in mind that running Hidden Power Fighting means that Espeon will fail to Speed tie with Gengar. In this case, if using a Timid nature, a 164 HP / 116 Def / 28 SpD / 200 Spe spread can be used in order to outspeed Jolly Garchomp and all base 100s while having good chances to survive Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird and Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball. 236 HP / 76 Def can be used in order to always survive a maximum Attack Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird, while 196 Speed EVs still let Espeon outspeed maximum Speed Garchomp and all base 100s. A Modest nature with a 236 HP / 76 Def / 4 SpA / 28 SpD / 164 Spe spread is an alternative to allow Espeon to outspeed maximum Speed Jolly Heracross and survive maximum Attack Adamant Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird and Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball while having a more offensive presence. On Baton Pass teams, Espeon could run very bulky EV spreads such as 252 HP / 252 Def with a Bold nature in order to mitigate its physical frailness. Leftovers and Morning Sun increase Espeon's longevity, but Kee Berry can be an option to increase its bulk and Stored Power's base damage.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Espeon's frailness, avoiding unnecessary damage is mandatory. Fainted teammates are a good way of bringing in Espeon. Capitalize on Magic Bounce by switching in on predicted status moves, entry hazards, or Pokemon that often rely on residual damage or support moves. A good idea is to use special attackers such as Cresselia and Rotom-A as setup fodders, since Espeon can take hits from them and heal back the HP it lost. Likewise, support Pokemon like Chansey and Whimsicott are setup bait thanks to Magic Bounce. Knowing when to set up is very important, since you don't want to start setting up too early and be forced out after taking a bit of damage. A good way to maximize Espeon's chances to sweep is to deal with potential threats in the early stages of the game and try to set up in the latter part of the match. Keep in mind that Espeon needs a couple of boosts to successfully attempt a sweep.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can handle Steel-, Dark-, and Dragon-types such as Blaziken, Heatran, Mawile, and Sylveon are good partners for Espeon. Fighting-types such as Mega Lopunny and Conkeldurr help against Mega Kangaskhan and Steel-types. Blaziken in particular can also pass Speed boosts, further strengthening Stored Power while also allowing Espeon to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame and all common Choice Scarf users. Other Pokemon that can Baton Pass boosts to Espeon like Smeargle, Scolipede, and Drifblim make for good partners, as well as support Pokemon like Klefki, which sets up screens and can paralyze threats with Thunder Wave. Umbreon deserves a special mention, being able to pass evasion to Espeon and to switch in on Ghost- and Dark-type attacks, while threatening strong attackers with Foul Play. Rotom-W can handle Talonflame and Greninja, and it also provides Will-O-Wisp support against strong physical attackers. Powerful physical attackers like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan can weaken opposing teams to allow Espeon to sweep, especially removing Pokemon that Espeon has trouble with like Steel-types such as Aegislash or Mawile.
[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Reflect
move 3: Light Screen
move 4: Yawn / Dazzling Gleam
item: Light Clay
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is the main STAB move, dealing decent chip damage to anything that doesn't resist it and hitting common threats like Breloom, Gengar, and Venusaur hard. Reflect and Light Screen make up the main role of this set, boosting Defense or Special Defense for all of the Pokemon on your side for eight turns. Yawn forces switches and stops opposing setup sweepers to further help Espeon's supporting role, and Dazzling Gleam offers good coverage as well as preventing Espeon from being completely walled by Dark-types.
Set Details
========
Thanks to Magic Bounce, Espeon can ignore Taunt, status moves, and annoying Swagger strategies. 236 HP EVs and 76 Defense EVs allow it to always survive maximum Attack Life Orb Adamant Talonflame's Brave Bird before setting up Reflect and have a great chance to survive Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball even if not covered by Light Screen. 196 Speed EVs with a Timid nature is used to outspeed positive-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as Mega Kangaskhan, and maximum Speed Jolly Garchomp. Behind dual screens, Espeon becomes pretty bulky, being able to survive attacks like Adamant Conkeldurr's Knock Off, +1 Jolly Mega Salamence's Double-Edge, and even Adamant Mega Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch or Double-Edge (although the combination of Fake Out and Double Edge will still KO Espeon) while shielded by Reflect; maximum Special Attack Quiet Aegislash's Shadow Ball and maximum Special Attack Timid Life Orb Greninja's Dark Pulse if behind Light Screen. Light Clay is required to prolong the turns of Reflect and Light Screen.
Usage Tips
========
The main goal of this set is to put up dual screens and maximize Espeon's teammates' chances to sweep or set up. Bringing Espeon as your lead is in general the best idea, since it doesn't like to switch in and take hits. Try to set up one screen and then use Yawn to gain the momentum for a switch out or to spread chip damage on switch-ins. Setting up both screens will often lead Espeon to faint, but it could still be worth it, giving a free switch into your sweeper. Letting Espeon go down after setting up one or both screens is especially good on hyper offense teams, since Pokemon on these teams don't need many turns to set up. Yawn can be used to stop foes from setting up in front of Espeon, but keep in mind that using it in front of a Prankster + Substitute user such as Thundurus or Klefki could lead to a wasted turn.
Team Options
========
This Espeon set fits well on offensive teams and pairs well with setup sweepers. Dragon Dance Mega Salamance and Quiver Dance Volcarona are both good partners thanks to the dual screen support from Espeon as well as Magic Bounce that prevents entry hazards. Mega Kangaskhan is another good partner, being able to switch in on and check Ghost-types with Sucker Punch and Crunch while checking Steel-types with Earthquake. Azumarill gives Espeon a handy switch-in to Dark- and Bug-type attacks and appreciates the dual screen support that can allow it to easily set up Belly Drum. Blaziken is also a good choice for helping against Steel-types and Tyranitar. Mega Gyarados resists Ghost-type moves and can set up with Dragon Dance. Dragonite can be extremely bulky with the combination of Multiscale and the dual screens while setting up Dragon Dances. In general, strong, hard-hitting Pokemon will all appreciate dual screen support from Espeon. Other examples of good partners are Mega Heracross, Mega Mawile, Greninja, and Sylveon.
[SET]
name: Choice Attacker
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Dazzling Gleam
move 3: Grass Knot / Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psychic is Espeon's strongest STAB move. Psyshock can be used to hit special walls or Calm Mind users harder. Dazzling Gleam covers Dark-types and has good overall coverage. Grass Knot smashes common leads like Mamoswine and Hippowdon, and Shadow Ball can be used to hit most Steel-types and deal super effective damage to Aegislash and Gengar. Hidden Power Ice is an option to deal huge damage to 4x Ice-weak Dragons like Salamence and Garchomp, even having a chance to OHKO them, and OHKO non-bulky variants of Landorus. Trick is a great option for the fouth moveslot, allowing Espeon to lock Pokemon into a single move.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Espeon's Special Attack and provides enough Speed to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, other Choice Scarf user, and even Blaziken at +1, if running a Choice Scarf. If running Choice Specs, the EV spread will allow Espeon to Speed tie with Gengar and outspeed common threats like Garchomp and Mega Kangaskhan. Magic Bounce guards Espeon from status that could otherwise stop it from sweeping, like paralysis and confusion from Swagger. A Modest nature could be used to obtain more firepower. If running Modest Espeon, 28 Speed EVs and a Choice Scarf are enough to outspeed base 130s such as Mega Gengar, so the remaining EVs could be invested to increase its bulk. Keep in mind that this could leave Espeon vulnerable to other Choice Scarf Pokemon or with poor Speed after using Trick.
Usage Tips
========
Espeon can be used as the lead to deal as much damage as it can or mess up foes with Trick, locking them into a supporting move or restricting their choice to a single move, crippling Pokemon like Cresselia and Porygon2, and giving momentum to the team. It can also be used as a late-game cleaner thanks to its high Speed, but keep in mind that Espeon is vulnerable to priority attackers like Talonflame or Kangaskhan.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can handle Steel- and Dark-types, such as Fire-type Pokemon like Blaziken or Fighting-type Pokemon like Mega Lopunny, are good partners for Espeon. Mega Kangaskhan is another good partner, being able to switch in on and check Ghost-types with Sucker Punch and Crunch while also checking Steel-types with Earthquake. Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Mega Mawile give Espeon handy switch-ins to Dark- and Bug-type attacks. An answer to common priority users such as Talonflame and Mega Kangaskhan may facilitate Espeon's sweeping role. Rotom-W or Rotom-H, Zapdos, and Garchomp can all fulfill this role. Pokemon with the ability Justified such as Lucario or Terrakion can switch Dark-type attacks and gain a free Attack boosts if Espeon Tricks a foe into a Dark-type move while also being able to take Bug-type attacks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Hidden Power Fire is an option to hit Ferrothorn as well as Scizor, while Hidden Power Ground could help the Choice set deal heavy damage to Heatran. Espeon can run Baton Pass as well, setting up fast Substitutes or Calm Minds and then passing them to a partner. White Herb is the mandatory item if you are using Smeargle as your Baton Pass user to offset all the negative boosts from Moody and Shell Smash. Bright Powder can be used to increase evasion even further if building a team around evasion-passing strategies.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Gengar hits Espeon very hard with its STAB Shadow Ball, threatening both the Calm Mind and the dual screen set, while Mega Lopunny KOes those sets with the combination of Fake Out and Return. Choice Band Talonflame and Life Orb Greninja both have good chances to OHKO Espeon. Common Choice Scarf users such as Hydreigon, Garchomp, and Landorus-T could also threaten Espeon if it is not running a Choice Scarf itself.
**Bulky Setup Pokemon**: Volcarona can use Quiver Dance in front of either the dual screen set, ignoring Yawn if having a Lum Berry, and the Calm Mind set, becoming faster than Espeon and usually going out of control. Mega Salamance can take an attack from Espeon even after a Calm Mind boost and then Dragon Dance and Roost or attack.
**Priority Users**: Sucker Punch users such as Mega Kangaskhan, Bisharp, and Mega Mawile can OHKO the Calm Mind set and the Choice set and deal heavy damage to the dual screen set. Dragonite and Lucario both can pressure Espeon and deal good damage with Extreme Speed. Talonflame can OHKO the Choice set with a priority Brave Bird.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Aegislash can easily threaten all of Espeon’s sets, easily tanking Psychic-type moves, Dazzling Gleam, and even Shadow Ball or Hidden Power Fire after one or two Calm Mind boosts, KOing it back with the combination of Shadow Ball and Shadow Sneak. Mega Mawile laughs at Espeon's attacks, even if its running Hidden Power Fire, being able to use Sword Dance or just Knock Off in return. Scizor and Ferrothorn can both be very hard to deal with if Espeon doesn't run Hidden Power Fire.
**Dark-types**: Espeon usually needs a few Calm Mind boosts before being able to OHKO Dark-types with Dazzling Gleam. Tyranitar deserves a special mention, being able to easily threaten Espeon, surviving Dazzling Gleam or Hidden Power Fighting even if Espeon is at +2, and halving Morning Sun's healing power with the sand up.
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