Highlights
Pokemon fans are pushing for Game Freak to give Sceptile, a 3rd generation starter, a new ability in order to make it more competitive in battling.
The ability called Sharpness would enhance Sceptile's slicing moves by granting a 50% damage increase, which it already has a wide range of in its moveset.
Additionally, to ensure its viability in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC, Sceptile would greatly benefit from the rearrangement of its Special and regular Attack stats.
Pokemon enthusiasts are advocating for a significant alteration to the third generation starter Pokemon, Sceptile, with the aim of equipping the Grass-type creature with a new ability that would greatly enhance its prowess in competitive battles. Historically, Sceptile has not held a prominent position in the realm of Pokemon battling meta. However, the introduction of a potential new ability in Generation 9 could potentially disrupt this trend.
In a similar fashion to the post-release expansions of Pokemon Sword and Shield, the upcoming DLC for Scarlet and Violet will introduce new Pokemon, including older ones that were not previously available in the base game. While Sceptile has yet to be showcased in the Teal Mask trailers, players remain hopeful that the third generation starters will eventually be added to Scarlet and Violet. Specifically, they anticipate that Sceptile will receive modern updates that render it competitive and viable in the gaming scene.
A Reddit post by Hsiang7 on the main Pokemon community suggests the idea of Game Freak giving Sceptile the alternate ability Sharpness in modern games. Sharpness, introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, provides a significant 50% damage boost to slicing moves. The post proposes that pairing this new ability with Sceptile, a Pokemon proficient in slicing moves, could greatly enhance its power and make it a viable contender in the Scarlet and Violet battle meta. With over a thousand upvotes, the post has gained considerable popularity on the subreddit, indicating strong support from the community.
Currently, there are 23 different abilities that can benefit from Sharpness, including Sceptile's Grass-type moves Razor Leaf, Solar Blade, and Leaf Blade. It is evident that Sceptile has access to an abundance of slicing moves, making it appear as if the Sharpness ability was tailor-made for this Pokemon. Some commenters acknowledge that Game Freak rarely makes ability changes to Pokemon, citing the swap of Gengar's Levitate for Cursed Body in Generation 7 as one of the few notable instances. However, Game Freak did make adjustments to VGC to accommodate Paradox Pokemon, suggesting that they have the capability to modify abilities if desired.
Sceptile would benefit greatly from swapping its Special and regular Attack stats, making it a formidable contender in VGC. Initially, it made sense for Sceptile to have a higher Special Attack stat, but subsequent developments unequivocally indicate that it should excel as a Physical Attacker. By implementing these adjustments, Sceptile has the potential to make a significant impact in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC, prompting players to encounter it frequently.