Sneasel Movesets & Competitive Sets

Choice Band gives Sneasel a good amount of raw power to spam its STAB moves. Low Kick provides coverage for various Pokemon that would take longer for Sneasel to wear down, such as Regirock and Aggron. Similarly to its Swords Dance set, Sneasel has difficulty hard switching in and is therefore best brought in as a revenge killer or through pivots such as Lanturn and defensive Mesprit. Because full control over the entry hazard game is difficult, Sneasel will either want very effective entry hazard removers or setters. Capable entry hazard removers such as Silvally-Fairy and Whimsicott give Sneasel more chances to wallbreak and are better for teams that can bring it in more frequently. Entry hazard setters such as Ferroseed and Qwilfish make Sneasel more devastating each time it comes in but tend to also allow Stealth Rock on Sneasel's side of the field, limiting its switch-ins. Sweepers and cleaners such as Quiver Dance Ribombee and Swords Dance Doublade also make for good teammates, as they appreciate Sneasel's ability to deal heavy damage to opposing walls.

Due to Sneasel's weakness to Stealth Rock and susceptibility to all other entry hazards, Heavy-Duty Boots is the primary option for its held item. However, Life Orb can be used for an easier time sweeping, and Lum Berry gives Sneasel a one-time out from being crippled by status from the likes of Weezing and Jellicent. Sneasel rarely wants to directly switch into attacks, so it is best brought in as a revenge killer or through pivots such as Silvally-Fairy and Whimsicott. Both of these Pokemon are able to remove entry hazards and can also check Fighting-types like Poliwrath, which can cause trouble for Sneasel. These Fighting-types, as well as defensive threats like Weezing and Silvally-Steel, should be taken out or greatly weakened for Sneasel before it starts setting up. Wallbreakers such as Charizard and Archeops are ideal for this role. Spikes setters and Rocky Helmet users such as Qwilfish and Druddigon are also ideal for dealing chip damage to Choice Scarf users such as Togedemaru, ideally putting them into range of Sneasel's +2 Ice Shard before it starts setting up.

Moves Knock Off is strong, is spammable, and removes items from targets, often leaving them vulnerable. Icicle Crash rounds out Sneasel's STAB coverage and allows it to threaten a wider range of Pokemon than most Dark-types, as well as threaten Ice-weak foes in order to take advantage of its speedy Pursuit. Its 30% flinch chance can also come in handy in a pinch. Ice Shard picks off weakened offensive threats and frail threats weak to Ice such as Swellow as well as revenge killing potent sweepers such as Rock Polish Tyrantrum and Chlorophyll Venusaur in sun. Pursuit allows Sneasel to secure KOs on weakened foes and takes advantage of the switches Sneasel causes with its high Speed and expansive coverage to deal large chunks to or outright KO the foe as it switches out. Low Kick could be used over Pursuit to nail Mega Glalie, Gigalith, Snorlax, and Registeel, which otherwise stop Sneasel in its tracks, but Sneasel doesn't often find space to use it, as its other options are generally more valuable. Similarly, Iron Tail is an option over Pursuit to hit other switch-ins in Florges, Diancie, and Gigalith hard on the switch, but Sneasel again can't fit it onto a moveset very easily, and Pokemon like Florges and Gigalith greatly dislike Knock Off to begin with. Also, Iron Tail is somewhat unreliable due to its low accuracy. Set Details Full Speed and Attack EVs maximize Sneasel's offensive prowess, and a Jolly nature keeps Sneasel's amazing Speed tier intact, allowing it to stay faster than numerous threats such as Espeon, Heliolisk, Virizion, and Mismagius. None of its abilities are particularly practical, so Inner Focus is chosen for situational usefulness should Sneasel happen to take a weak Fake Out or another flinch-causing move. The item choice largely depends on the team: Choice Band is used for a large boost in power, makes Knock Off and Icicle Crash much more difficult to switch in to, and allows Sneasel to become a very threatening Pursuit trapper at the cost of being locked into the move afterwards. Life Orb is preferred on more offensive teams that want to take advantage of Sneasel's excellent dual STAB to break holes in the opposing team or effectively clean in the late-game, but it reduces the effectiveness of Pursuit. Black Glasses could be used to take advantage of the power boost to Pursuit and Knock Off while bluffing a Choice item, but the power is sorely missed on Ice-type moves. Usage Tips Due to its frailty and poor defensive typing, Sneasel is best used as a revenge killer or after being brought in by a slow U-turn or Volt Switch such as from Forretress. After getting Sneasel in, utilize its fantastic two-move coverage to threaten a large variety of prominent Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Goodra, Flygon, Shaymin, Donphan, and Bronzong. Use Knock Off liberally, as it has essentially no drawbacks and has the advantage of removing valuable items from foes. Also take advantage of Pursuit to trap problematic Psychic- and Ghost-types, and use the threat of Sneasel's Ice-type STAB moves to threaten out enemies weak to Ice in order to chunk them later with Pursuit. Additionally, due to Sneasel's high Speed and decent power, it can preserved for the late-game in order to act as a cleaner once its checks are sufficiently weakened. When using Sneasel, note that since Z-Crystals cannot be knocked off, so holding one reduces the Base Power of Knock Off to a paltry 65. This allows bulky foes weak to Dark such as Necrozma, Slowbro, and Cresselia to take advantage of Sneasel, as opposed to the other way around. Team Options Primary partners to Sneasel are Pokemon that can clean up after Sneasel has worn down the opposing team, such as Salazzle, Barbaracle, Swellow, and Choice Scarf Passimian. Sneasel also appreciates teammates that can break holes in the opposition for it to clean afterwards, such as Metagross, Goodra, Nidoqueen, and Salazzle. Teammates that enjoy Psychic- and Ghost-types weakened or removed, such as Roserade, Toxicroak, Snorlax, and Necrozma, value the support Sneasel brings to the table with Pursuit. Sneasel pairs well with partners that can dispatch bulky Water- and Fairy-types to allow Sneasel more room to break teams, such as Shaymin, Roserade, Toxicroak, Raikou, and Escavalier. Special mention goes to Roserade, as it threatens both of these typings and also sets up Spikes for Sneasel to capitalize on. Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Heliolisk, Rotom-H, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Passimian are practically necessary to get Sneasel on the field outside of revenge killing. As Sneasel is frail and weak to numerous common typings such as Fire, Fighting, Fairy, and Steel, partners that can easily switch into and beat Pokemon of these typings are very appreciated, such as Metagross, Ninetales, Escavalier, and Salazzle. Sneasel also likes being paired with entry hazard setters, as it enjoys the extra chip damage to help support its below-average Attack and assist it in wallbreaking, late-game cleaning, and revenge killing. The aforementioned Nidoqueen and Roserade are especially good partners, as they enjoy offensive Psychic-types being removed by Sneasel and in return threaten and weaken bulky Fairy- and Water-types that Sneasel dislikes. Nidoqueen is also a soft Steel-type check, being able to switch into the likes of Escavalier and Registeel. Mega Glalie can form a threatening Ice-type spam core with Sneasel, as Sneasel is able to weaken or remove common Ice checks in Bronzong and Registeel, while Glalie can weaken Water-types for Sneasel with Freeze-Dry and set up Spikes for it to clean or wallbreak more effectively. Sneasel also very much appreciates hazard control on its own side, as it is worn down quickly between a weakness to Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil. Rapid Spin users such as Donphan also enjoy that Sneasel can remove Ghost-types that can block Rapid Spin with its Pursuit.

Moves Return is Sneasel's main attacking move, with Refrigerate boosting its power and giving it a STAB bonus. Knock Off hits common Pokemon that resist Ice, such as Victini and Entei, as well as removing items from foes. Quick Attack gives Sneasel a boosted STAB priority move for picking off faster threats and other priority users. Swords Dance allows Sneasel to function as a late-game cleaner and helps it break through bulkier teams, while Low Kick is an option to lure in and 2HKO Steel-types such as Heatran and Ferrothorn. Pursuit can trap Pokemon weak to Dark, such as Victini, that Sneasel threatens out, but it comes at the cost of losing Swords Dance or Low Kick, making it harder to pull off late-game sweeps or hit Steel-types, respectively. Set Details Maximum Speed investment and a Jolly nature utilize Sneasel's excellent Speed tier by allowing it to outspeed and OHKO common threats such as Latios, Gengar, and Thundurus, while maximum Attack investment allows Sneasel to hit as hard as possible. Life Orb further boosts Sneasel's Attack to give it even more power, but it comes at the cost of wearing down Sneasel quickly in conjunction with Stealth Rock. Refrigerate is the preferred ability to give Sneasel a higher Base Power Ice-type STAB move in Return, as well as a boosted priority move in Quick Attack. Usage Tips Knock Off should be used more often early-game, as it can remove items to cripple teams for the late-game. Use Return frequently versus teams lacking a Pokemon with recovery and a resistance to Ice, as its high Base Power can quickly wear down even bulky Pokemon that resist Ice. Thanks to its own Ice resistance, Sneasel is capable of revenge killing some Refrigerate Extreme Speed users such as Dragonite and Genesect, but it is imperative that you make sure these Pokemon actually have Refrigerate first, because Sneasel cannot survive a neutral or super effective Extreme Speed. If using Swords Dance, avoid setting up until late-game, as most teams will have at least one check capable of preventing a sweep. If running Low Kick, try to hit Steel-types on the switch, because most of them, such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, are 2HKOed by it and can OHKO Sneasel in return. Make sure that Sneasel almost never directly switches into an attack, due to its poor bulk, and instead use double switches, free switches, and slow pivots to bring Sneasel in. Team Options Electric-types such as Thundurus and Desolate Land Pokemon such as Victini are useful for taking on bulky Water-types, which Sneasel is incapable of breaking through. Magnet Pull users such as Heatran can also trap and remove Steel-types such as Skarmory and Mega Scizor, two of Sneasel's best counters. Entry hazard removers such as Mandibuzz and Skarmory help Sneasel stay around longer by removing Stealth Rock for it, and pivots such as Baton Pass Vaporeon and U-turn Genesect can get Sneasel free switches into the field to avoid having it take an attack. Entry hazard setters such as Ferrothorn and Deoxys-D also benefit Sneasel by helping it wear down teams so that it can more easily sweep late-game. Shaymin-S is an excellent offensive partner for Sneasel, as it can break past bulky Water-types and outspeed some of the faster Pokemon that give Sneasel trouble, while Sneasel can lure Steel-types and KO Assault Vest users and special walls for Shaymin-S. Both, however, are threatened by common Choice Scarf or Extreme Speed users.

Straight out of Weavile's playbook, this set takes advantage of Sneasel's movepool and Speed to form an awesome revenge killer. Pursuit allows it to OHKO Mismagius after Stealth Rock regardless of whether or not it flees, in addition to trapping other weakened Pokemon. Punishment, meanwhile, makes it a great check to stat boosters like Venusaur. Ice Shard is great for priority and severely damages Sceptile, Dugtrio, and Swellow. Low Kick rounds out Sneasel's excellent type coverage by pounding UU's Steel- and Rock-types. Sneasel is one of the most effective and underrated revenge killers in UU. Like Weavile, its movepool lends itself very well to revenge killing and is reinforced by its dual STAB moves. Pursuit is what makes this set shine, as it becomes extremely powerful with Choice Band equipped. Even when Ghost-types stay in on Pursuit, most of them are still OHKOed by it. After Stealth Rock damage, Mismagius is OHKOed 100% of the time, while Rotom is OHKOed over half of the time. This effectively means that if Sneasel switches in on any of these Pokemon, they're toast. The only things Sneasel needs to watch out for are switching in on a Choice Scarf Rotom's Thunderbolt or Mismagius's Hidden Power Fighting (or Substitute followed by Hidden Power Fighting) and Will-O-Wisp. Ice Shard is also a given to allow Sneasel to beat other Pokemon with priority moves, as well as do heavy damage to Sceptile, Swellow, Dugtrio, and Alakazam, all of which outspeed it. Ice Punch might seem like a good idea due to Sneasel's high Speed, but Ice Shard is the better option for pure revenge killing due to its priority. In the third slot, Low Kick gets the edge over Brick Break, although Brick Break still has its uses. Low Kick is typically much better against bulkier Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Steelix, Hariyama, and the Regi trio, who Sneasel struggles to hurt with its other moves. Brick Break fares better against lightweights like Clefable and Umbreon, although Low Kick still hits the frail ones for massive damage. Punishment also makes a great move for a revenge killer, as the more boosts an opponent has accrued, the harder Sneasel hits. After three Calm Minds, it easily OHKOes the most defensive Slowbro, and does 94% minimum after two Calm Minds. It also has a chance to OHKO Venusaur and Raikou after they have used Swords Dance and Calm Mind once, respectively. The majority of Pokemon who have boosted their stats more than once will stand no chance, as they will be hit with a 140 Base Power attack (assuming they are +4) boosted by STAB and Choice Band. The exceptions are Curse users and those that resist Dark-type attacks. Anything that fears Ghost-types (other than Spiritomb, which Sneasel doesn't counter) will appreciate the company of Sneasel. Other Ghosts come to mind, such as Drifblim, as many of them fear faster Ghosts. Fighting-types, especially those running Choice Scarfs or Bands, such as Hitmonlee, will also enjoy not having Ghost-types switching into their STAB attacks with ease. Sneasel also does a great job of clearing out Spin blockers not named Spiritomb, so any Rapid Spinner will love to have Sneasel on its team and vice versa. Having a reliable check to Calm Mind users is also a great benefit to any team. As shown by the figures above, Stealth Rock is a necessity for Sneasel to OHKO Mismagius and Rotom. Donphan and Claydol can both Spin away and set up Stealth Rock, and can take many of the attacks Sneasel fears. Uxie and Slowbro both work well with Sneasel, as they can come in on the Fighting-types and bulky Pokemon whom Sneasel fears and cripple them with Thunder Wave or set up screens (in Uxie's case). Milotic and other bulky Waters also make good switch-ins to most of Sneasel's counters.

Fast, frail, and moderately powerful, Sneasel makes a natural candidate for a Swords Dance set. Its dual STAB and priority attacks come in handy here once again, although it unfortunately lacks a truly powerful attack. Ice Shard and Ice Punch provide priority and power, respectively, and either will be very valuable. Low Kick will devastate many of the bulky Pokemon who think they can shrug off Sneasel's attacks, while your Dark STAB moves comes down to Punishment, Bite, or Pursuit, depending on what function it is intended to serve. Sneasel's excellent Speed allows it to utilize Swords Dance to boost its above average Attack stat to greater heights. This set allows Sneasel to be more multi-dimensional than the Revenge Killer set, and take out some of the threats that would normally find it easy to switch into. Ice Shard is preferred over Ice Punch, since after a Swords Dance, it will become quite powerful, in addition to having priority. Ice Punch is still an option, however, as Sneasel's Speed will allow it to act first most of the time. Low Kick deals heavy damage to most Steel-types in UU, OHKOing Registeel after a Swords Dance. It also does an average of 90% to standard variants of Rhyperior and Steelix. Aggron and Magneton should just stay home. It also hits Normal-types, such as Miltank and Kangaskhan, hard, although not all Normal-types are heavy like Steel-types, so some, such as Ambipom, are hit harder by Ice Punch or a Dark-type move. Unfortunately, Night Slash is missing in action from Sneasel's movepool, so the remaining options for Dark-type moves are listed in the last slot. Each has its benefits and drawbacks: Punishment can hit for very high damage against Pokemon who have boosted their stats, but suffers from low PP; Bite is limited to 60 Base Power, but has a chance to flinch; Pursuit can help Sneasel's revenge killing ability, but can only muster 40 Base Power against Pokemon who stay in against it. Sneasel's life will be short-lived without a Rapid Spinner present, so that is a must-have for a set using Life Orb. Bulky Pokemon who are neutral to all of Sneasel's attacks are the bane of this set, and are certainly something to consider when choosing Sneasel's teammates. Entry hazards will help wear down switch-ins, and also help Sneasel achieve KOs more easily.

Sneasel makes an excellent lead in the UU metagame, thanks to its excellent Speed, movepool, and Inner Focus ability. Taunt can be a huge nuisance to leads hoping to set up entry hazards or screens. Fake Out is always a great move on a lead, as it is essentially free damage on most leads and will also get rid of Focus Sashes. Access to Inner Focus and Counter makes Sneasel a natural candidate for a lead, especially in a metagame swarming with Ambipom. Other physical attacking leads are Counter bait, and those that will attempt to Stealth Rock on the first turn will fall victim to Taunt. Special attackers often cause trouble, but will not get by without taking a Fake Out and possibly a Taunt. Physical attackers, such as Ambipom, Arcanine, and Regirock, will easily fall victim to Counter should they choose to attack. Not many players will see Counter coming, and simply Fake Out with Ambipom, which will result in an instant KO with Counter. Ice Shard is also an option over Pursuit and allows Sneasel to beat Swellow with Protect and Alakazam. Although one may be inclined to use a Hasty nature to increase Counter damage, this is largely overkill, as Sneasel's Defense is already very low. Additionally, with a Jolly nature, Sneasel can often survive a Fake Out from Ambipom with over 25% health remaining, which means it can switch in again later in the match even if Stealth Rock is up. Special attackers in general cause problems for Sneasel, especially those that are not fazed by Taunt or Pursuit. Moltres, Omastar, and Electrode are all common leads that Sneasel cannot beat, so it is better off switching after using Fake Out. Alakazam with Inner Focus can also beat Sneasel, as it is faster and will typically carry a Focus Sash. Rhyperior and Cloyster spell trouble due to Rock Blast, which will OHKO Sneasel through Focus Sash since it hits multiple times in a turn. These Pokemon, along with others that Sneasel cannot counter, such as Omastar, may still be worth using Taunt on, as they may choose to use Stealth Rock or Spikes on the first turn - but don't count on it. Uxie, meanwhile, is always a roll of the dice to face since it commonly carries Trick and U-turn, both of which Sneasel fears. Sneasel's teammates should be able to switch into the aforementioned leads that it fears. Chansey is, of course, a great switch-in to most special attackers. Milotic can also switch into Moltres, Cloyster, Omastar, and Rhyperior quite easily. Rapid Spinners are also beneficial, as they will allow Sneasel to switch out with its Focus Sash intact and have the opportunity to switch in again later without taking any damage from entry hazards.

Shadow Ball and Brick Break combine to provide perfect neutral coverage against the entire tier, and, when boosted by Swords Dance, they clean up opposing teams quite nicely. Because Shadow Ball and Brick Break do not receive STAB, Double-Edge becomes Sneasel’s strongest attack against targets that are hit neutrally by the first two attacks. Swords Dance boosts Sneasel’s Attack stat by two stages with each use and allows it to perform the role of a setup sweeper. Liechi Berry is Sneasel's best option for a held item, as it is likely to take a massive hit to activate it or use Double-Edge enough to activate it through the recoil. Both of Sneasel’s abilities are relatively useless. However, Inner Focus prevents Sneasel from flinching, which is considerably more useful than prevention of lowered accuracy, especially with Fake Out users such as Persian and Shiftry around. Maximum Speed and Attack EVs allow Sneasel to outspeed the entire tier and hit as hard as possible. A Jolly nature is utilized so that Sneasel can outspeed base 105 Speed Pokemon such as Scyther, Manectric, Rapidash, and Electabuzz. Sneasel is hard to use because it's so incredibly frail and cannot be directly switched into basically anything. As such, Sneasel should only be switched in via a slow Baton Pass or after a teammate has fainted so that it can revenge kill the foe. Furthermore, bulky attackers such as Kangaskhan and Lunatone can ease pressure off Sneasel with their ability to take a hit yet still maintain offensive momentum. Spikes setters such as Omastar are incredibly useful for chipping away at the opposing team for Sneasel to clean up later.