Is Smeargle Good?

Smeargle is highly situational. In Scarlet and Violet ZU PvP, it acts as a dedicated suicide lead relying on its infinite movepool to set hazards like Sticky Web or Stone Axe. Its abysmal base stats make it completely useless in standard playthroughs or higher competitive tiers without a Focus Sash.

Smeargle trades all offensive presence for an infinite movepool, thriving solely on setting hazards before fainting.

Rating 4/10 · Tier ZU (ZeroUsed) · Role : Suicide Lead / Hazard Setter

Strengths

• Access to literally every utility and hazard move via Sketch.
• Unpredictable lead matchups due to endless move combinations.
• Can clear hazards and set them simultaneously with Mortal Spin and Stone Axe.

Weaknesses

• Abysmal base stats guarantee it dies to any neutral hit.
• Complete reliance on Focus Sash to survive a single turn.
• Hard-countered by Taunt, multi-hit moves, and priority.

In the competitive landscape of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Smeargle occupies a highly specific niche in the ZU (ZeroUsed) tier. With a meager 2.7% usage rate, it is far from a dominant meta staple. Instead, it functions exclusively as a dedicated suicide lead.

Smeargle's defining trait is Sketch, allowing it to permanently learn almost any move in the game. This infinite movepool is counterbalanced by absolutely abysmal base stats. It cannot take a hit, and it cannot deal meaningful direct damage.

Because it is guaranteed to lose any direct damage trade, Smeargle's only viable role is to disrupt the opponent and set up entry hazards. Its entire game plan revolves around surviving exactly one turn via a Focus Sash, altering the field to benefit its teammates, and then fainting to give a sweeper a free switch-in.

Looking ahead to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Smeargle's viability will largely depend on which signature moves from new Pokémon it can Sketch. However, its core identity as a fragile, single-purpose utility lead will remain unchanged.

The Focus Sash Lead Set

To get any value out of Smeargle in SV ZU, you must run it with a Focus Sash. Without this item, any standard attacker will outspeed and OHKO it before it can execute a single move. The Technician ability is preferred here, as it boosts low-base-power utility moves.

• Item: Focus Sash
• Ability: Technician
• Moves: Sticky Web / Stone Axe / Ceaseless Edge / Mortal Spin
• Tera Type: Ghost (to block Rapid Spin)

Sticky Web is Smeargle's primary selling point, slowing down grounded opponents to enable mid-speed sweepers. Instead of traditional Stealth Rock or Spikes, Smeargle uses sketched signature moves like Stone Axe and Ceaseless Edge. These moves deal chip damage while setting hazards, preventing it from being completely passive.

Mortal Spin is a crucial tech option. Boosted by Technician, it clears opposing hazards while poisoning the target, breaking their own Focus Sash. For protection, moves like Silk Trap or Burning Bulwark can be sketched to scout attacks and punish physical contact.

The Custap Berry Cheese

An alternative, albeit riskier, set utilizes a Custap Berry paired with Endeavor. After surviving a hit on 1 HP (often via Endure or a Focus Sash), the Custap Berry activates on the next turn, granting Smeargle priority.

It can then use Endeavor to instantly drop the opponent's HP to 1. This set is highly predictable once revealed but can effectively trade Smeargle for a massive chunk of a defensive wall's health.

Smeargle does not win matchups in the traditional sense; it wins by successfully executing its setup. It excels against slower, bulky leads that lack Taunt or multi-hit moves. Against passive walls, Smeargle can freely set up multiple layers of hazards or swap field effects using Court Change.

Its true value shines through the teammates it enables. Smeargle is a staple on hyper-offense teams that desperately need speed control. Malamar and Lurantis are prime examples of partners that benefit massively from Smeargle's presence.

Malamar, utilizing the Contrary ability, can snowball out of control if it doesn't have to worry about being outsped, making Sticky Web support invaluable. Similarly, Lurantis can spam Superpower to boost its stats, relying on Smeargle's hazards to break opposing Focus Sashes.

Falinks is another excellent partner. Once Smeargle faints, Falinks can safely enter the field and use No Retreat. With the opponent's speed dropped by Sticky Web, Falinks becomes a terrifying sweeping threat. Defensively, pairing Smeargle with Ghost-types like Sableye or trappers like Gothitelle ensures that the hazards Smeargle sacrifices itself to set remain on the field.

Smeargle's fatal flaw is its complete lack of raw stats. It requires perfect prediction and specific items just to function. If its Focus Sash is broken early by entry hazards or weather damage, Smeargle becomes entirely dead weight.

Multi-hit moves are Smeargle's worst nightmare. Attackers using Loaded Dice or moves like Icicle Spear and Rock Blast will bypass the Focus Sash entirely, knocking Smeargle out before it can even set a Sticky Web. Priority moves also spell doom; an opponent can simply hit Smeargle down to 1 HP, then use Extreme Speed or Mach Punch on the following turn.

Furthermore, Smeargle is hard-countered by Taunt. Because it relies almost entirely on status moves for utility, a fast Taunt user completely shuts it down, forcing it to struggle or switch out. Magic Bounce users also reflect its hazards and status moves right back at it, turning its biggest strength into a liability.

You should absolutely avoid using Smeargle for a standard story playthrough in Scarlet and Violet. The effort required to find double battles or wild Ditto just to carefully Sketch a usable moveset is incredibly tedious. Even with good moves, its stats are so low that standard NPC trainers will constantly knock it out.

In competitive play, do not draft Smeargle if you are running a bulky offense or stall team. Smeargle belongs exclusively on hyper-offense builds that can capitalize on early hazards. It provides zero defensive synergy and cannot pivot into attacks.

If you are playing in higher tiers (like OU or UU) and need a dedicated hazard lead, Glimmora is a vastly superior alternative. Glimmora sets hazards automatically via its Toxic Debris ability, has excellent Special Attack to actually threaten opponents, and boasts enough natural bulk to survive neutral hits without relying on a Focus Sash.