0908 Meowscarada

Leafage benefits from STAB and has above average parameters. Charm can find uses in limited cups, but its lack of STAB greatly reduces its potential.

Night Slash is recommended as it is Meowscarada's cheapest Charged Attack and only Dark STAB option. Grass Knot ensures that Meowscarada can deal solid Grass-type damage, as Leafage alone may not be enough. Energy Ball is almost strictly inferior to Grass Knot; its 10% Defense debuff chance is not worth the 5 Energy Cost increase. Play Rough can offer some coverage, but the move's below average parameters makes this an extremely situational choice.

Meowscarada has a fairly rare Grass/Dark typing, allowing it to corebreak certain teams around Water- and Ghost-type Pokemon. It competes heavily with Shiftry in that role, however, due to the latter's access to Leaf Blade and superior energy generation in Snarl. Like Shiftry, Meowscarada is incredibly fragile and requires heavy shield investment to succeed. Nevertheless, Meowscarada's damage output is arguably more consistent than Shiftry thanks to Leafage having more DPT, and its moderately spammy Night Slash can lend to some game-stealing moments with timely boosts.

Meowscarada's a bit bulkier in the Ultra League and can still provide value with its typing, although this is yet another league where it competes with Shiftry.

Its stats fall a little flat for this league I'm afraid.