Is Choice Scarf the best item in the game?

[Psycho Cut]

The Choice Scarf isn't the best item, but it is very, very useful.

The reason why is so useful is that you can stick it onto a Pokemon and suddenly it will help to check or counter so many other Pokemon. If your team is having trouble with a certain offensive Pokemon that is outspeeding and doing heavy damage to all yours, then giving one of your Pokemon a choice scarf will often allow it to outspeed and OHKO that threat. For example, Tornadus-T outspeeds most Pokemon in the game, but if you were then to stick a Scarf on, say, your Terrakion, Terrakion would then be able to oustpeed and OHKO it. Like BH said, it's very useful for offensive teams as they don't have to look for slow, bulky Pokemon to wall the fast, offensive Pokemon they're having trouble with, they can give something a Scarf to outspeed it. Finally, a lot of people include a Scarf User to be a good revenge killer, to outspeed and OHKO fast Pokemon, or ones that have set up or even, if they're powerful enough, to 'clean up' a weakened team.

[Dragonicwari]

Well the best example I can think of right now is genesect. The pokemon that was too overpowered for OU and got sent to ubers recently. In ubers, Genesect can counter top threats such as Mewtwo, Deoxys-A, and Darkrai thanks to choice scarf. Without it, gene is pretty useless against them. Almost nobody uses genesect in ubers without a scarf because it isn't viable in ubers without one.

In Ubers about 72% use scarfe. While that is an overwhelming amount, a lot of things with less usage find reasons to be used over things with more usage as the meta progresses. Lets not forget that gene has only been there a month so it's best sets have yet to be discovered

Flygon in OU last gen. Sure, you could use it with a CB for shock value, but there was almost always a better choice for the job that this would accomplish. At the end of 4th gen OU, Flygon was arguably one of the top scarfers in the game, yet was effectively never seen in the tier without the item.

I didn't play much of 4th gen's meta, so I can't really say and I'm to lazy to look up statistics, so I'll give this argument to you

[Divine Retribution]

Well the best example I can think of right now is genesect. The pokemon that was too overpowered for OU and got sent to ubers recently. In ubers, Genesect can counter top threats such as Mewtwo, Deoxys-A, and Darkrai thanks to choice scarf. Without it, gene is pretty useless against them. Almost nobody uses genesect in ubers without a scarf because it isn't viable in ubers without one.

I find Rock Polish Genesect is superior to ScarfSect anyways, almost purely due to shock value. Switching out to protect your Mewtwo might now cost you the whole game.

[PokéMaster Forever]

In Ubers about 72% use scarfe. While that is an overwhelming amount, a lot of things with less usage find reasons to be used over things with more usage as the meta progresses. Lets not forget that gene has only been there a month so it's best sets have yet to be discovered

Genesect has been used in DW/No Preview Ubers ever since the release of Generation V, and Choice Scarf has remained as by far its most-used set from then up to now.

[SoulCross]

There really isn't a "best item" in the game. That's true. All items have their ups and downs, and the Scarf is one of those. Boosting 50% of your Pokémon's speed, say, Scizor, can make it impossible to outrun, probably the entire unboosted metagame. You may or might ask why. Necessary speed to outrun the tier, further boosted by the EVs, and now you put in a Choice Scarf and there, you get a Pokémon that is, like mentioned before, impossible to outrun. Being locked into a move..does it matter? Nope, Scarf Pokémon are just there to hit and switch.
If you're worried enough of a Scarfed Pokémon, example: Tyranitar, why just not use a check or counter that resists its attacks? Breloom can resist T-Tar's attacks and hit back with a devastating Mach Punch/Bullet Seed, because of Technician's boost. Using Choice items, just makes it think the opponent's Pokémon is running a Life Orb, but it isn't---it's running another item. On another note, since most of the Pokémon in Ubers have around 90 base Speed, the player would just slap the Scarf and hit hard as possible. Naming one Pokémon in that tier who uses the Scarf in Ubers: Kyogre.
All in all, it comes to preference. Whether it is a Choice Band, Specs, or Scarf, it has its pros and cons. Like some in this thread said before, there's no such thing as the best item in the game.

[Soperman]

The reason why the Choice Scarf is so helpful is that it gives a Pokemon a chance to sweep. It's helpful. Beyond that, I'd actually say it was useless. Here are so many Pokemon who don't use or just straight up find it useless (like Scizor mentioned above) that it is easily not the best item in the game.
Plus only being able to use one move sucks.

[Fallen Icarus]

Choice scarf is definitely not the best item in the game, but one of the greatest.
Its so good because say a pokemon that is faster then all your pokemon is sweeping.
Then you can get out your say terrakion with choice scarf and eliminate it.

Its useful because it allows you to stop pokemon you normally wouldn't have been able to stop

[Joltik-Kid]

Given certain circumstances, Choice Scarf can be one of the best items...otherwise it's just an okay item at best. I'd personally say that Focus Sash, Leftovers, and Life Orb/Expert Belt are overall the better items because of their benefits. Choice Scarf isn't gonna help you beat a Sword Dance Scizor (or any strong priority user) unless you resist it's moves and either cripple it or flat out KO.

The reason why the Choice Scarf is so helpful is that it gives a Pokemon a chance to sweep. It's helpful. Beyond that, I'd actually say it was useless. Here are so many Pokemon who don't use or just straight up find it useless (like Scizor mentioned above) that it is easily not the best item in the game.
Plus only being able to use one move sucks.

I actually find Scarfed Scizor to be amazing... getting off an unexpectedly fast U-Turn can surprise the opponent to no end. In place of Bullet Punch you have Iron Head which appreciates the added flinch and overall power.

[your boss]

In terms of revenge killing defenitely since you can take out any weakened Thundurus-T, Venasaur, etc but in terms of offensive/defensive boosting/utilities no since you basically don't obtain the needed power of a Choice Band or get the recovery you need from leftovers. So in conclusion each item is great in a certain category. Who knows, maybe the Choice Scarf may get a buff or debuff in X and Y.

[AnakBae]

You can say that, its obviously one of the best item in competitive scene. Free +1 speed with the cost of being restricted into one move is a pretty damn good deal if u ask me!
That's why every team mostly have at least 1 choice scarfers, whether its for revenge killing purpose or to avoid avoid being swept by naturally fast sweepers.
Also, with Trick you can turn walls into junk.

[T-Bolt]

The effectiveness of an item depends on the pokemon that uses it.

That's what most of the people here are saying anyway.

/end discussion.

[Cyrius]

Of course its not the best, some pokemon like Dancers and Calm Minders need to be able to use all of their moves in order to have coverage and even attack. leftovers is arguably the best item, but there are some pokemon that dont use it like Glass cannons and Dual Screeners.

[tokyo/seven]

Yeah I would not say its the best item mainly because well you can only use one move but it is easily one of the most useful especially when the metagame right now is a very offensive and fast paced one. I mean with it lets you revenge kill outspeed where you normally would not etc. But it falls short because of the fact you can only use one move. As someone else said this is why a lot of the time I prefer moves like Agility or Rock Polish over a Choice Scarf because I am then free to use any move I wish and in most cases after Agility or RP you will actually be faster if your opponent has the scarfed Pokemons. So yeah basically that one move trade off is what makes choice items fall short. But it is for good reason I mean if you could still use any move and still have the stat boost from a choice item I wonder if the item would even stay legal aha...

[UbersSuck20]

Choice Scarf is definitely not the best item, but it's still very good.

[Pookey-man]

It's great, but worse than Focus Sash. An item that can prevent ANY pokemon from dying in one hit, even when hit by a super-effective move or by a pokemon with a massive attack stat. That item has no competition.

[tokyo/seven]

It's great, but worse than Focus Sash. An item that can prevent ANY pokemon from dying in one hit, even when hit by a super-effective move or by a pokemon with a massive attack stat. That item has no competition.

Take in account that Focus Sash is ruined by Fake Out and entery hazards and some status. As you probably know entery hazards bacame a huge part of the metagame. Choice Scarf and Choice items in general are not the best as has been said 9001 times by now but they are for sure better than Focus Sash which I see is becoming less and less useful because of hazards etc. Basically what I mean is to say a Focus Sash has no competition is silly when the pros are very outweighed by the cons.

[AnakBae]

It's great, but worse than Focus Sash. An item that can prevent ANY pokemon from dying in one hit, even when hit by a super-effective move or by a pokemon with a massive attack stat. That item has no competition.

Other than using Focus sash for a lead, which will only last for less than 4 turns, common residual damages such as stealth rock, spikes, and sandstorm will turn your focus sash into a pain in the ***. Choice Scarf gives you a lot of benefits from the beginning to the end of a match, which is better in my point of view.

[Seraphina]

I always saw it as a way to give slower pokemon a way to sweep. Personally I do not use it much. I hate being limited to just one move. I agree though. Many people online have choice scarfed pokemon but it will not always give them the advantage. You can easily cripple them with trick in a single battle. When Chandelure with shadow tag is released and somebody is locked into choice scarf with a move that has no effect or little to no effect on Chandelure well guess what? It is goodbye for the most part.

[Mystical Jackal]

Choice Scarf isn't the best item game because it doesn't benefet every Pokemon that holds it. However, it is one of the best if you consider that most of the overused Pokemons are sweepers. Choice Scarf is a nice acessory for fast-offensive Pokemons like Infernape, Blaziken, Garchomp, Espeon, Gengar, etc, but it can screw you in the other hand if foe launches a Pokemon which type is resistant to the last move your Pokemon used. On that way, the item can harm you if don't have a nice counter in your team. Choice Scarf will help you a lot if your opponent uses a monotyped team, but this rarely or never happens in the competitive enviroment.

[marioluigifan05]

I don't really like the choice items, what good is the boost if the one move you're locked in is rendered useless?