Sceptile
Sceptile is a Grass-type Pokémon, the Forest Pokémon, number 254 (#0254) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 1.7 m tall and weighs 52.2 kg.
Sceptile is the Forest Pokémon, a jungle fighter with razor-sharp leaves on its arms, and the Pokédex says it has no equal in jungle combat. Its Mega Evolution can fire its own tail like a missile and grow it back.
How to pronounce Sceptile
Sceptile is pronounced SEP-tile. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Sceptile said out loud:
In Japanese it is ジュカイン (Jukain).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Sceptile is a lanky reptile, 1.7 m tall and 52.2 kg, with a long neck, two crests on its head, yellow eyes with red rims and a red lower jaw. Two rows of yellow seeds run down its back, its tail is shaped like a palm branch, and each long arm carries two sharp leaves and three claws. It controls its body temperature by sunbathing.
Behaviour
Despite its blades, Sceptile is gentle with plants. The Pokédex says it raises the trees of its forest with loving care, and that the seeds on its back are packed with nutrients that can revive trees. Bulbapedia, citing Pokémon Sleep, says the seeds are believed to help saplings grow while it sleeps.
Habitat
The Pokédex habitat is forest, and its entries place Sceptile in the jungle. In Scarlet and Violet it comes from evolving a Grovyle in The Indigo Disk.
Powers
Overgrow strengthens its Grass moves at low HP, and Unburden doubles its Speed after it loses a held item. It learns Leaf Blade as it evolves, then Leaf Storm, with Dragon Claw and X-Scissor by TM. Using Sceptilite, introduced in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it becomes Mega Sceptile, a Grass and Dragon type with Lightning Rod and base Speed and Special Attack of 145. It detonates seeds on its back to launch its spiked tail tip, then regrows it while Mega Evolution lasts. Base Special Attack 105 makes it a fast special attacker.
Name origin
Sceptile may combine 'scepter' (the forest king), 'scissors' (its wrist blades), Sceptridium, a grape-fern genus, and 'reptile'. The Japanese name is Jukain (ジュカイン), which may derive from 樹海 jukai, meaning dense woodland.
Design inspiration
Bulbapedia says its leaf-tailed gecko traits are joined by a dinosaur look, particularly Dilophosaurus. Mega Sceptile's launching tail may nod to autotomy, the way lizards shed and regrow tails. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Sceptile evolves from Grovyle at level 36 and is the final form of the Treecko line.
In the games
Sceptile is a playable fighter in Pokkén Tournament, where it Mega Evolves in Synergy Burst, and it debuted in Ruby and Sapphire as the final stage of Hoenn's Grass starter. In the Mega Dimension DLC of Legends: Z-A it appears in 4-star and 5-star Grass-type wild zones of Hyperspace Lumiose.
In the anime
Sceptile debuted in 'Shocks and Bonds', owned by Tyson, who later used it against Ash in his match. Ash's Grovyle became a Sceptile in 'Odd Pokémon Out!', and Sawyer's can Mega Evolve, as 'Valuable Experience for All!' revealed.
Fun facts
- Bulbapedia says Sceptile alone could learn Leaf Blade before Generation IV.
- Its base Speed of 120 made it the fastest Grass type of Generation III, and its total of 530 was the highest.
- In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Emerald picks Sceptile as a rental in his Battle Factory challenge, then realises a third party smuggled it in and takes it as his own.
Base stats
- HP: 70
- Attack: 85
- Defense: 65
- Sp. Atk: 105
- Sp. Def: 85
- Speed: 120
Sceptile’s base stat total is 530. Its highest stat is Speed.
Type matchups
What is Sceptile weak to?
Sceptile takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Ice (2×), Poison (2×), Flying (2×), Bug (2×) moves.
It resists Water (½×), Electric (½×), Grass (½×), Ground (½×).
Evolution
What does Sceptile evolve from?
Sceptile evolves from Grovyle at level 36.
Sceptile is the final stage of its evolution family.
The whole family: Treecko, Grovyle, Sceptile.
Forms
- Mega Sceptile (Mega): Grass/Dragon-type, base stat total 630 (HP 70, Attack 110, Defense 75, Sp. Atk 145, Sp. Def 85, Speed 145). Ability: Lightning Rod.
Abilities
- Overgrow: Strengthens Grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
- Unburden (hidden ability): Doubles Speed upon using or losing a held item.
Moves
Moves Sceptile learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo | Leaf Blade | Grass | Physical | 90 |
| 1 | Pound | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Quick Attack | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | Leafage | Grass | Physical | 40 |
| 5 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 40 |
| 12 | Detect | Fighting | Status | — |
| 15 | Quick Guard | Fighting | Status | — |
| 20 | Assurance | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 25 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 |
| 30 | Slam | Normal | Physical | 80 |
| 35 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — |
| 42 | Screech | Normal | Status | — |
| 49 | Endeavor | Normal | Physical | — |
| 56 | Leaf Storm | Grass | Special | 130 |
“Evo” means Sceptile learns the move the moment it evolves: Leaf Blade.
TM moves (63)
Sceptile can learn 63 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Protect, Low Kick, Acrobatics, Thief, Trailblaze, Facade, Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Swift, Magical Leaf, Rock Tomb, Low Sweep, Fling, Dragon Tail, Endure, Sunny Day, Dig, Bullet Seed, False Swipe, Brick Break, Body Slam, Thunder Punch, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Drain Punch, Dragon Claw, Grass Knot, Rest, Rock Slide, Swords Dance, Dragon Dance, Substitute, X-Scissor, Crunch, Giga Drain, Dragon Pulse, Energy Ball, Helping Hand, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Earthquake, Giga Impact, Frenzy Plant, Outrage, Focus Blast, Leaf Storm, Hyper Beam, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Vacuum Wave, Solar Blade, Focus Punch, Grassy Glide, Scale Shot, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Throat Chop, Breaking Swipe, Dragon Cheer, Upper Hand.
Egg moves (13):Absorb, Double Kick, Dragon Breath, Energy Ball, False Swipe, Fury Cutter, Leech Seed, Night Slash, Shed Tail, Slash, Synthesis, Worry Seed, X-Scissor.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
- Egg groups: Monster, Dragon.
- Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
- Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 3 Speed effort values.
- Base experience yield: 239.
Pokédex entries
Sceptile has seeds growing on its back. They are said to be bursting with nutrients that revitalize trees. This Pokémon raises the trees in a forest with loving care. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)
The leaves growing on Sceptile's body are very sharp edged. This Pokémon is very agile - it leaps all over the branches of trees and jumps on its foe from above or behind. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)
It agilely leaps about the jungle and uses the sharp leaves on its arms to strike its prey. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, Y)
The leaves that grow on its arms can slice down thick trees. It is without peer in jungle combat. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)
The leaves on its forelegs are as sharp as swords. It agilely leaps about the branches of trees to strike. (FireRed, LeafGreen)
In the jungle, its power is without equal. This Pokémon carefully grows trees and plants. It regulates its body temperature by basking in sunlight. (Emerald)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ジュカイン |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Jukain |
| French | Jungko |
| German | Gewaldro |
| Spanish | Sceptile |
| Italian | Sceptile |
| Korean | 나무킹 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 蜥蜴王 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 蜥蜴王 |
Trivia
- Fastest Grass type in Gen 3: 120 Speed.
- Highest base stat total among Grass types in Gen 3: 530.
- Taller than 80% of all Pokémon (1.7 m).
- Heavier than 68% of all Pokémon (52.2 kg).
- Base stat total 530, ranked #163 of 1,025.
- Its best stat is Speed, ranked #38 of 1,025.
- One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 130 green Pokémon.
- Number 3 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 85 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Has 1 alternate form.
- Appears in 6 distinct Pokédex entries.
Sources and fact-checking
- Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
- Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Sceptile (Pokémon), Serebii: Sceptile (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (SEP-tile): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Grass-type Pokémon · Sceptile vs Venusaur · Sceptile vs Blaziken · Sceptile vs Swampert · Sceptile vs Rillaboom · Sceptile vs Decidueye · Hoenn region guide · Overgrow ability · Unburden ability · Compare Sceptile · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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