What is a good moveset for Espeon?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Espeon, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Expeon Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

The whole concept of this set is to utilise its great Special Attack and ability to Baton Pass at the same time.
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Reliable Baton Passer Set:

Espeon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Baton Pass
- Stored Power
- Substitute

• Calm Mind - (Boost for Stored Power and general Baton Pass)
• Baton Pass - (Baton Passing Calm Mind and possibly Subsititue too)
• Stored Power - (STAB and nice power with Calm Minds set up)
• Substitute - (Chance to be able to Baton Pass and reliable setting up tool)

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  With Calm Mind boosts, Stored Power has the potential to sweep, eveb though Espeon's set refers to Baton Pass. Behind Substitute, it can easily become a hazard to many teams.

Answer 2

Gen 8 NU

Espeon @ Grassy Seed / Electric Seed / Psychic Seed
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Dazzling Gleam
- Morning Sun

This is for use on a terrain team. Use the seed that activates with the corresponding terrain. If you use this in Grassy/Electric Terrain, Espeon gets a defense boost. If using in Psychic Terrain, Espeon gets a special defense boost. Stored Power is STAB and its power is boosted when you use Calm Mind multiple times. Dazzling Gleam deals with dark types. Morning Sun is for healing.

Answer 3

Espeon is currently being suspect tested in Gen 8 PU at the time of writing this, so I thought I'd post a few sets Espeon uses.

Gen 8 PU

Espeon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Grass Knot / Trick / Psyshock

This is the Choice Specs sets Espeon uses in Gen 8 PU. Psychic / Psyshock is used for psychic STAB, Psychic having more power while Psyshock has less power but allows you to hit specially defensive Pokemon. Shadow Ball allows you to hit Pokemon like Gallade, opposing Espeon, Articuno-Galar, and Ghost types like Palossand and Cofagrigus supper effectively. Shadow Ball allows you to chip Steel-type Pokemon in the tier. Dazzling Gleam allows you to deal with Scrafty. Grass Knot is used for Rock-types like Regirock and Gigalith, but they already don't like switching into Psychic / Psyshock. Trick can be used instead to cripple Pokemon that can check Espeon. Psyshock can be used on the 4th slot if you're running Psychic so you can have the ability to have more power for a psychic STAB and be able to hit special walls.

Answer 4

Gen 8 PU

Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam / Toxic
- Wish
- Protect / Morning Sun / Reflect

Defensive Espeon is used in Gen 8 PU as a Pokemon that can beat the common Stealth Rock setters as well as serving as a decent Fighting-type check. Psychic is used for your STAB move. Dazzling Gleam allows you to hit Dark-types like Scrafty. Toxic can be used instead to poison opposing Pokemon that aren't Steel types switching in. Wish allows you to recover HP for you and can also be used for your teammates. Protect allows you to scout opposing Pokemon and works well with Wish. Morning Sun can be used instead to have immediate HP recovery. Just, be careful of Gigalith if you decide to use Morning Sun. Reflect is also an option so you can take physical hits better.

248 HP EVs is used for bulk. 28 Speed EVs allow you to outspeed max speed base 70 Pokemon. The rest of the EVs are put in defense as well as having Bold Nature help you to be able to take physical hits better.

Answer 5

Gen 8 PU

Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Psychic / Stored Power
- Dazzling Gleam
- Morning Sun

Bulky Calm Mind Espeon set that allows you to use Pokemon like Ferroseed as setup fodder. Calm Mind is used to raise your Special Attack and Special Defense. Psychic is used for STAB with immediate power, while Stored Power gets more powerful from the boosts you get from Calm Mind. Dazzling Gleam is used to let you hit Dark-types. Morning Sun is used for recovery and should be used wisely since you only have 8 PP.

248 HP EVs is used for bulk. 28 Speed EVs allow you to outspeed max speed base 70 Pokemon. The rest of the EVs are put in defense as well as having Bold Nature help you to be able to take physical hits better.

Answer 6

Gen 8 PU

Espeon @ Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball / Grass Knot / Morning Sun

Fast offensive Calm Mind Espeon sets are used to take advantage of Espeon's coverage and high special attack. Unlike Choice Specs Espeon, fast Calm Mind sets don't have to worry about being locked into one move so it can use its coverage better. Calm Mind boosts your special attack as well as your special defense. Psychic is used for your STAB move. Dazzling Gleam allows you to hit Dark-types. Shadow Ball allows you to hit opposing Psychic-types, Ghost-types, and chip Steel-types. Grass Knot can be used to hit Rock-types like Regirock and Gigalith super effectively. Morning Sun can be used for recovery and should be used wisely since it only has 8 PP. Leftovers is used for a little HP recovery, whereas Life Orb gives your attacks a bit more power.

Answer 7

Gen 8 NU
Shuckle @ Eject Pack
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Infestation
- Sticky Web
- Toxic

Espeon @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Copycat
- Stored Power
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam

Shuckle uses shell smash, eject pack then switches, espeon comes in and then copycats the move and gets the boost.
Focus sash lets you live one turn to set up.
Stored power + Shell Smash gives you 140 base power STAB move.
Shadow ball for opposing psychics.
Dazzling Gleam for dark types.
Indeedee is anyways fainting after it sets up psychic terrain after espeon uses shell smash + stored power.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nu-1673874686
This is a replay of it sweeping. It does require support, but espeon can sweep the tier!

Comments

Maybe 4 Hp on espeon?

Answer 8

Espeon (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Grass Knot
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Hidden Power [Fighting]

Psychic for decent STAB.
Grass Knot for coverage.
Shadow Ball for coverage and dealing with ghosts.
Hidden Power Fire covers Steel, Grass, Ice, Bug.
Hidden Power Fighting covers Steel, Ice, Dark, Rock, Normal.

Comments

Grass type is weak against Bug...
But otherwise :D

Answer 9

Lorelei (Espeon) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dazzling Gleam
- Psychic
- Signal Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]

I love using this Espeon set! The coverage is pretty good, and if you predict right, you can switch into a status move, bounce it right back, and deal a hefty amount of damage with specs.

Answer 10

sry if this set is already here, but here goes:

Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 64 SpD / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Signal Beam / Shadow Ball
- Substitute
- Stored Power

calm mind(for stat boost and somehting else...)
signal beam/shadow ball(coverage)
substitute(helps set up CM)
Stored Power(risky, but will hit REALLY hard if you boosted enough)

This is actually my set in competitive. enjoy!

Answer 11

I'm not sure if this is an effective use of Espeon, but this is how I use them:

Espeon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Calm Mind
- Dazzling Gleam / Signal Beam / Shadow Ball
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Morning Sun

Calm Mind helps boost your special attack/defense even more, boosting your stats (after just one calm mind) from 359 SpA and 227 SpD, to 538 SpA to 340 SpD. I recommend using this move as many times as you think you can.

Dazzling Gleam/Signal Beam/Shadow Ball all help with type coverage. Dazzling Gleam is usually the move I go for, since it seems that more people use more Pokemon that are weak against Fairy- types. Signal Beam has two benefits--it takes out other Psychic- types, along with Grass- and Dark- types, and it has a 10% chance to confuse the target. Shadow Ball covers Psychic- and Ghost- types. Overall, any of these three moves work well

Psychic/Psyshock are STAB moves. I've used Psychic more often than Psyshock (since I fear that I'll go up against a physical wall and Psyshock will do little to no damage). They're both good moves.

Morning Sun is just a HP recovery option. I'm sure you could switch it out with another type coverage move (Dazzling Gleam/Signal Beam/Shadow Ball), but I like to have a way to recover HP. (Along with Morning Sun, you should probably have a Pokemon with the Ability Desolate Land/Drought, or a Pokemon with Sunny Day. This will increase the effectiveness of Morning Sun, since you get health back on a weather-dependent amount.)

Answer 12

Espeon (M) @Leftovers/Light Clay
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 226 HP / 30 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
- Reflect
- Morning Sun

• Psychic (Strong STAB)
• Calm Mind (Makes you tanky and hit like a truck
• Reflect (Helps you set up if enemy is physical)
• Morning sun (Keeps you alive)

This is a different moveset for Espeon. It has reasonable bulk with Reflect and Calm Mind. With Timid nature and max Spd it can outspeed many threats in the metagame, and setup. Only Dark and Steel types can negate this, and force you to switch, thats why you should have a strong Fighting-type Pokemon for counter.

Answer 13

Espeon @ Normalium Z
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Zap Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Energy

Obviously a more trolly Moveset instead of a competitive one, but still fun. Z-Focus Energy raises your Accuracy in addition to your Crit. Rate, which lets you actually have a chance of hitting something with Zap Cannon. Psyshock is just standard STAB and the choice of HP for coverage.

Answer 14

Espeon (F) @ Mind Plate / Plate Plate
Ability: Magic Bounce / Synchronize
EVs: 128 HP / 128 SpA / 252 Spe
Calm Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Calm Mind / Morning Sun

Moves:
Psychic - Psychic (good STAB, powerful) - Learnt at level 37
Shadow Ball - Ghost - (Ghost type coverage, neutral against Steel) - TM
Dazzling Gleam - Fairy - (Dark type coverage, 5 more damage than Signal Beam) - TM
Calm Mind / Morning Sun - Psychic / Normal (Good stat boost / Healing move) - TM / Learnt at level 33

Note: Even though Bug is strong against Psychic, Psychic type moves are neutral against Bug, and Bug type Pokemon usually have very low HP.

Answer 15

Eevee @ Eevium Z
Ability: Anticipation
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD
Impish Nature
- Last Resort
- Double Team
- Substitute
- Baton Pass

This set should only be used in AG, because baton pass is banned from Ubers (I think). Substitute first, then Evoboost, Baton Pass in the face of a taunter, or use Double Team and then Baton Pass. The ability Anticipation is to see if the enemy packs Fighting type moves.

Answer 16

Offensive set 1(Sun)

Espeon @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Morning Sun
- Shadow Ball / Hidden Power [Fire]

Psychic is great for STAB and does a decent amount of damage, Dazzling Gleam is for coverage against Dark types. Morning Sun to heal up, Shadow Ball has a special defense drop chance and neutral against Bug types, while Hidden Power Fire does well under the Sun and hits Bug types super effectively.

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Set-Up set 2

Espeon @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Morning Sun
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Dazzling Gleam

Works best with Sun, Sticky Web and when your opponent is burned, that way you're likely to outspeed almost everything. Morning Sun once again to heal up, Calm Mind for set up, Stored Power will be used after the set-up, Dazzling Gleam for Dark type cover.

I've hoped I've helped!

Answer 17

This is for BSS series 6

Dual Screens are not very good in BSS, unless you want to run Grimmsnarl or Lapras VMAX. Grimmsnarl has Prankster and Spirit Break, outclassing Espeon by a lot as a DS user. But I needed a Psychic Type on my team, a DS setter, I already had 2 dynamax sweepers, and I wanted Magic Bounce, so here’s what I came up with:

Espeon @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 HP / 4 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam

Answer 18

Espeon @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Zen Headbutt
- Morning Sun
- Facade
- Trick

I’m predicting this will get downvoted but here is a Physical Espeon set. Toxic Orb instead of Flame Orb so that it doesn’t hinder the attack stat. Morning sun heals off damage from the poison and works best on a sun team, although it only spares a few more turns to survive. Facade pairs up with the Toxic Orb to deal a lot of damage and trick is to pass the Toxic Orb to the opposing Pokémon, poisoning it.

I’ve hoped I’ve helped!

Answer 19

National Dex RU Z-Celebrate

Espeon @ Normalium Z
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Celebrate
- Stored Power
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Dazzling Gleam

Z-Celebrate Espeon set for NatDex RU. This set should only be used on HO teams. Celebrate with Normalium Z turns into Z-Celebrate, giving Espeon +1 stat boosts. These +1 boosts make Espeon's Stored Power have a BP of 120. Hidden Power Ground allows Espeon to hit Steel-types such as Registeel and Mega Steelix super effectively. HP Ground can also 2HKO Mega Houndoom on the switch provided you used Z-Celebrate earlier. Dazzling Gleam allows Espeon to deal super effective damage to Dark-types such as Zarude and Obstagoon.

Answer 20

catto (Espeon) @ Big Root
Ability: Magic Bounce
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Draining Kiss this is my unique draining kiss set big root + draining kiss after a couple of calm minds = alot of recovery and very good damage with a couplle of calm minds. Hope this helps!