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This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Smeargle in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Smeargle, as well as its strengths and weakness.
Smeargle - Related Guides | ||
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Evolution and Learnset | Moveset for Ranked Battle | Tera Raid Build |
List of Contents
Blueberry #40 | Type | |
---|---|---|
Smeargle | ||
Abilities | ||
Own Tempo Technician Moody (Hidden) |
||
Weak to: | ||
(2x) | ||
Damaged Normally By: |
(1x) | |
Immune to: | (0x) |
Ability Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
Own Tempo | The user cannot be confused. | |
Technician | Increases the damage of the user's moves with a Base Power less than 60 by 50%. | |
Moody (Hidden) |
The user increases a random stat by two stages and lowers another by one stage at the end of each turn. |
Stat | Value | Rank |
---|---|---|
HP | 55 | 587 |
Atk | 20 | 819 |
Def | 35 | 769 |
SpAtk | 20 | 816 |
SpDef | 45 | 678 |
Speed | 75 | 350 |
Total | 250 | 787 |
Stat | Max | 0Nat | 0EV | -Nat | Min |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
HP | 162 | 162 | 130 | 130 | 115 |
Atk | 79 | 72 | 40 | 36 | 22 |
Def | 95 | 87 | 55 | 49 | 36 |
SpAtk | 79 | 72 | 40 | 36 | 22 |
SpDef | 106 | 97 | 65 | 58 | 45 |
Spd | 139 | 127 | 95 | 85 | 72 |
Best Natures | ||
---|---|---|
Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk) |
Timid (+Spe, -Atk) |
Build Name | Recommendation |
---|---|
Focus Sash Lead | ★★★ |
Nature | Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Def 4 / Spe 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 162/ Atk 40 / Def 56 / Sp. Def 65 / Spe 139 |
Ability | Own Tempo |
Tera Type | |
Held Item | Focus Sash |
Moveset | ・
Mortal Spin
・ Nuzzle ・ Taunt ・ Sticky Web |
Can use almost every move in the game! This set is more common, so opponents will know what to expect. Will only ever survive on hit due to how frail it is. |
Ability | Held Item | |
---|---|---|
Own Tempo | Focus Sash |
The Ability chosen for this build is Own Tempo. This will prevent Smeargle from randomly getting confused.
The item chosen for this build is a Focus Sash. Since Smeargle is a very frail Pokemon, it will need a Focus Sash to survive one hit.
Mortal Spin | Nuzzle |
Taunt | Sticky Web |
Mortal Spin lets Smeargle poison the target while also removing any hazards on its side of the field.
Nuzzle is used to paralyze the target, unless they're immune to it.
Taunt will shut down any opposing leads from using their status moves.
Sticky Web reduces the Speed of grounded Pokemon on the opponent's side by one stage.
Steel Tera Type Matchup | ||
---|---|---|
Weak to: | ||
(2x) | ||
Damaged Normally By: |
(1x) | |
Resists: | (0.5x) | |
Immune to: | (0x) |
Steel is the best Tera Type for this build because it makes Smeragle immune to opposing Mortal Spins.
Alternatively, it could use a Ghost Tera so that it's immune to the less common Rapid Spin, or a Fairy Tera to help it against the many Pseudo-Legendaries that now have access to Scale Shot.
Best Steel Type Pokemon
A full 252 EVs are placed into Smeargle's Speed and HP to make it as fast and bulky as possible. The extra 4 EVs are placed in its Defense to help round its bulk.
A Jolly nature is preferred in order to maximize Smeargle's Speed without lowering the damage of Mortal Spin and Nuzzle
Alternatively, Smeargle can run an Impish or Careful nature with max Defense or Sp. Def EVs respectively if the meta is skewed towards one attacking type.
Stealth Rock
or Toxic Spikes |
Instead of Sticky Web, Smeargle can use one of these moves instead. |
---|---|
Salt Cure | A great move to punish more passive teams. This move is also amazing for Ghost-types that switch in expecting Smeargle to use Rapid Spin. |
Spore | Punishes slower leads by putting them asleep and allowing Smeargle to freely set up. |
Build Name | Recommendation |
---|---|
Disruptive Support Smeargle | ★★★★★ |
Nature | Jolly (+Spe, -Sp. Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe |
Final Stat Values | 162 HP / 36 Atk / 56 Def / 65 Sp. Def / 139 Spe |
Ability | Moody |
Tera Type | |
Held Item | Focus Sash |
Moveset | ・
Spore
・ Spiky Shield ・ Follow Me ・ Fake Out |
Has access to nearly any move in the game. Can be very disruptive with Spore, Follow Me, and Fake Out. Annoying Ability in Moody which can give it random stat boosts. |
Ability | Held Item | |
---|---|---|
Moody | Focus Sash |
Smeargle's best Ability is Moody, which can occasionally give it important stat buffs at random. It makes use of Focus Sash because of its meager defenses.
Alternatively, Smeargle can be equipped with Safety Goggles if your team is threatened by Spore, which Smeargle can redirect with Follow Me.
Spore | Spiky Shield |
Follow Me | Fake Out |
Spore is Smeargle's most disruptive move, as it can induce sleep with 100% accuracy.
Spiky Shield can protect Smeargle and deal a small amount of damage to the Pokemon attacking it. This is useful against Pokemon holding Focus Sash, such as Ice Spinner Chien-Pao.
Follow Me allows Smeargle to take heat off of its partner and redirect damage to itself, which it can handily take because of its Focus Sash. While not very bulky, a well placed Follow Me can often swing momentum in your team's favor.
Fake Out is another important move in Smeargle's arsenal, as the threat of Fake Out can often force defensive plays from the opponent, allowing Smeargle's partner to attack freely.
Ghost Tera Type Matchup | ||
---|---|---|
Weak to: | ||
(2x) | ||
Damaged Normally By: |
(1x) | |
Resists: | (0.5x) | |
Immune to: | (0x) |
Ghost is the best Tera Type for this build as it can give Smeargle an immunity to Fake Out, allowing it to disrupt the opposing team freely without fear of getting flinched. Additionally, Ghost Tera Smeargle is immune to Fighting-type Attacks.
Best Ghost Type Pokemon for Ranked Battle
A full 252 is put into Smeargle's HP stat, ensuring that it has as much HP as possible. 4 EVs are put into its Defense to give it a small bit of added physical bulk. The rest of the EVs are put into Speed, so that Smeargle can put opponents to sleep with Spore as quickly as possible.
Transform | Smeargle can transform into one of its allies, allowing it to be a win condition if necessary. |
---|---|
Electroweb | Effective means of speed control, which reduces the opposing side's Speed by 1 stage. |
Nuzzle | Is useful for paralyzing quicker opponents. |
Wide Guard | Can protect its team from spread attacks such as Earthquake and Heat Wave. |
Final Gambit | Can deal huge damage if it is able to connect at full HP. |
Trick Room | An option for reversing Trick Room, or setting it up for its team. |
Extreme Speed | A decent move for picking off low HP Pokemon. |
Minimize | Minimize can raise Smeargle's evasiveness, which when paired with Moody, can make for high variance in a match. |
Baton Pass | Smeargle can pass on its Moody stat changes to a teammate using Baton Pass. |
Beat Up | A good option for teams with Annihilape or Pokemon with Stamina. |
Smeargle can learn nearly every move in the game. This makes it so Smeargle can be customized according to what the team needs.
Smeargle has poor bulk and speed however, so disruptive and support options are best for this Pokemon, as it will be unreliable as an attacker.
Smeargle can be slot into any team, making it a huge unpredictable nuisance in best-of-one formats like on Ranked Battle. Fitting it with strong disruptive and supportive options that complements your team can often spell success for Smeargle and its teammates.
Hazards Lead | Physical Attacker | Iron Bundle |
---|---|---|
Smeargle | Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask) | Iron Bundle |
Smeargle will setup Stick Webs so that Hearthflame Ogerpon and Iron Bundle can come in and get quick uncontested knockouts.
Iron Bundle also doesn't need to run a Booster Energy anymore to outspeed Flutter Mane thanks to the Speed drop. Its item slot is now freed up for it to use more offensive items like a Choice Specs instead.
Support / Disruption | Physical Attacker |
---|---|
Smeargle | Annihilape |
Support | Support / Physical Attacker |
Incineroar | Rillaboom |
Smeargle can set up Annihilape's Rage Fist by attacking into it with Beat Up. It can also redirect Shadow Balls away from Annihilape, as well as allow it to use Bulk Up with Fake Out support.
Incineroar and its partner from Sword and Shield, Rillaboom is also good to have in the back, as it rounds out your team defensively and gives it more defensive options.
A fast Taunt user can take Smeargle out of the game. Outspeed it and disable it with Taunt.
It is often advantageous to quickly remove Smeargle from the field. Try to anticipate when it will use Fake Out and Spiky Shield, and attack accordingly, becasue Smeargle will most certainly not survive getting double-targeted.
Teams will have to protect themselves with status immunities. These may come in the form of Abilities like Good as Gold and Magic Bounce. Attacks such as Misty Terrain and Safeguard can protect your team from Spore. Items like Lum Berry can protect you from status.
Smeargle's low 75 base speed makes it so it is easily outsped by most Pokemon. Outspeed Smeargle and overwhelm it with damage.
If Smeargle stays in the match long enough and is able to accumulate a lot of Moody boosts, using Haze can remove these stat changes, bringing it back to its mediocre base stats.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Gholdengo | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Is immune to Spore. ・Is immune to Fake Out. ・Can ignore Follow me with Make it Rain as its spread attack. ▶️Gholdengo Best Movesets |
Gyarados | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Is faster than Smeargle and can lock it down with Taunt. ・Can be run with Lum Berry to have an immunity to Spore for one turn. ▶️Gyarados Best Movesets |
Grimmsnarl | Ranking: ★★★★
・Can use Misty Terrain to make its team immune to Spore ▶️Grimmsnarl Best Movesets |
Hatterene | Ranking: ★★★★
・Is immune to Spore thanks to Magic Bounce and can safely set up Trick Room in front of Smeargle. ▶️Hatterene Best Movesets |
Movesets & Best Builds for Ranked Battle
New Indigo Disk Pokemon Builds |
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New Indigo Disk Pokemon Builds |
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Returning Indigo Disk Pokemon Builds |
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Blueberry Pokedex: List of All Indigo Disk Pokemon
All Teal Mask DLC Builds |
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Kitakami Pokedex: List of All Teal Mask DLC Pokemon
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All Pokemon HOME Transferable Pokemon
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Best Treasures of Ruin Builds for Ranked Battle and Raids
All Paradox Pokemon Builds |
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Paradox Pokemon Builds for Competitive Battles and Tera Raids
All Other Gen 9 Meta Pokemon Builds |
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Gen 9 Pokemon: All New Pokemon
All Gen 1~8 Meta Pokemon Builds |
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All Off-Meta Pokemon Builds |
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Competitive Team Building for Singles Ranked Battle
Banned/Restricted Builds |
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Smeargle Movesets and Best Builds
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