Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
90
|
- |
321 |
384 |
- |
| Atk |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| Def |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| SpA |
90
|
194 |
216 |
279 |
306 |
| SpD |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| Spe |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
Overview
Although it has suffered in UU, Shiftry finds a unique niche for itself in Ubers. Its access to Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, STAB on both Grass-type and Dark-type moves, and blistering Speed in the sun make it a good choice on Drought-abusing teams. However, Shiftry is quite literally a fair-weather friend: if rain, sandstorm, or a Pokemon with Air Lock is on the field, expect a speedy demise for Shiftry. Even in the sun, Shiftry can be countered and walled, so do not overestimate what you can do with it. Nonetheless, if you give Shiftry the support it needs, you will be pleasantly surprised at what the Chlorophyll abuser can do.
At first glance, using Shiftry in Ubers seems to be a foolish endeavor. However, very few Ubers learn Nasty Plot, and in the sun, Shiftry is able to reach 518 Speed with a neutral nature, easily outpacing threats such as Choice Scarf Garchomp, Rock Polish Groudon, and even Deoxys-S, and OHKOing each aforementioned Pokemon with the proper move.
Dark Pulse is an excellent move to use against Pokemon such as Giratina-O, Giratina, Latias, and other Psychic-types, OHKOing all of them after a Nasty Plot. However, if you know your opponent is packing a Kyogre, you may wish to use Grass Knot first for a surprise attack, as Kyogre, who summons rain, outspeeds Shiftry outside of the sun and can end its sweep if it uses Nasty Plot. With a Life Orb, Shiftry OHKOes a 252/0 Kyogre 46.15% of the time with Stealth Rock damage (a guaranteed OHKO on any other variant). If a defensive Kyogre is not OHKOed, Shiftry can strike again with a Grass Knot, as it outpaces such a Kyogre. It's worth noting that SolarBeam is not recommended, because Grass Knot hits most Ubers for the same Base Power anyway, and if Shiftry gets stuck charging against an incoming Kyogre or Rayquaza, you will lose Shiftry.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The final slot has two potential options. Hidden Power Ice is useful if you predict a Rayquaza switch-in. Otherwise, Explosion can be employed to get past Blissey and open the door for another special attacker to sweep (use Rash over Modest if you use Explosion). Focus Blast is great against Dialga, Darkrai, and Heatran, but the inaccuracy can really be detrimental to Shiftry's sweeping chances. Substitute can help in easing prediction, and with it this set can be employed as a lure for Rayquaza with Hidden Power Ice over one of the first three moves. Hidden Power Fire can be used to surprise incoming Metagross and Scizor, OHKOing the former in the sun after Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes.
What makes this set unique is that it is not only a sweeper, but also a check to threats. Specifically, this Shiftry outpaces a standard +2 Groudon and ends its sweep with Grass Knot. Also, Shiftry doesn't fear Wobbuffet due to its Dark-typing, which grants it immunity to Mirror Coat. However, this set requires quite a bit of support to work well. First of all, Groudon is a requirement to use alongside this set: without the sun, Shiftry is dead weight on your team. Other than that, the use of Stealth Rock, and possibly Spikes, is highly recommended. Deoxys-S does an excellent job of setting up both, which can make it quite a bit easier to OHKO threats such as the aforementioned Kyogre. Shiftry is quite frail and difficult to switch in, and it is even more difficult to find the time to use Nasty Plot to ensure a sweep. Therefore, the use of Wobbuffet is recommended to get Shiftry safely on the field and ensure that you get a free turn to use Nasty Plot via Encoring a non-attacking move.
Scizor is a nightmare for this set, resisting both of Shiftry's STAB moves and OHKOing with Bullet Punch or U-turn, or even striking your switch-in and going to a counter, thus giving your opponent control of the match. Fortunately, setting up Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes and going to Groudon can make it difficult for Scizor to repeatedly do this. Other than that, defensively oriented Calm Mind users such as Giratina-O and Kyogre are a problem, and you will need to be lucky with Dark Pulse's 20% flinch chance (or its intrinsic critical hit chance) to have a shot at defeating them. Therefore, the use of Encore and Mirror Coat on Wobbuffet is once again recommended. To ensure that you are not placing too much on the blue blob's plate, you can consider using a Palkia, who can defeat Giratina-O with Outrage and Kyogre with Thunder.
Blissey walls this set without the use of Explosion, so you will need a way to get past her. Fortunately, a mixed Palkia with Outrage can 2HKO Blissey. Otherwise, you should consider the use of a mixed Dialga with Brick Break or a Scizor alongside a Tickle Wobbuffet. Finally, Rayquaza can defeat and set up on Shiftry, so make sure that you have a check for it. A defensive Groudon can defeat the Dragon Dance variant, while Swords Dance variants can be revenge killed by a Choice Scarf Dialga. Lugia and Scarf Jirachi can also handle most Rayquaza if necessary. As a last resort, Scizor can use Bullet Punch, but it will not OHKO without prior damage.
While Shiftry primarily runs a special set, it also has access to Swords Dance to hit hard from the physical side. This set plays fairly similarly to the Nasty Plot variant, though it handles Blissey and Dialga better at the cost of overall power and a worse match-up against Giratina and Rayquaza.
Shiftry's options for STAB attacks aren't stellar, but they get the job done. After a Swords Dance, Seed Bomb OHKOes Groudon, Palkia, Blissey, and Kyogre (among others). Speaking of Kyogre, this set's strategy of dealing with it is similar to that of the Nasty Plot: use Seed Bomb on the first turn. Offensive Kyogres are OHKOed, while defensive sets are outsped and 2HKOed. Your other main attack is Faint Attack, which, after a Swords Dance, OHKOes Lugia, Mewtwo, Latias, Wobbuffet, and Giratina-O. Unfortunately, it only 2HKOes Giratina, who can use Will-O-Wisp and stall Shiftry out. Finally, Low Kick is your best option against Dialga, Heatran, and Darkrai, all of whom are OHKOed after one turn of setup. Explosion is usable alongside Sucker Punch simply due to the power, but note that it hits many of the same targets as Faint Attack, so using both is redundant.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Sucker Punch, though it takes prediction to use successfully, is a viable option over Faint Attack. It is mainly useful against faster opponents and in unfavorable weather, scoring an OHKO on Palkia and offensive Kyogre. Due to the ubiquity of those two Pokemon, Sucker Punch is a solid choice. However, Faint Attack remains the superior option because it deals more consistent damage to threats who aren't guaranteed to attack you, like the aforementioned Mewtwo, Latias, Wobbuffet, and Giratina-O.
While Shiftry is a demigod in the sun, it is decidedly average outside of the sun. Kyogre can enter after a KO, cutting Shiftry's Speed in half with the rain and thus ending a possibility of a sweep. It goes without saying that your team should possess a strong Kyogre check, such as Latias or Palkia. In fact, you may even choose to consider a Kyogre lure, such as Ho-Oh with Brave Bird or Heatran with Hidden Power Grass, since Kyogre is such a threat to Drought-abusing teams. Rayquaza is also a potent threat to Shiftry (if you don't have Sucker Punch) since Air Lock nullifies the sun, but fortunately Groudon is a decent check to it. If you have additional concerns about Swords Dance or Dragon Dance Rayquaza, you should consider a Scarfed Dialga or Palkia, respectively. Finally, to defeat Steel-types such as Scizor and Metagross, you can consider a Latias or Latios with Hidden Power Fire as a lure.
Other than that, the partners for this set generally mirror those of the last set. Stealth Rock and Spikes support are recommended to neuter Scizor, who still counters this Shiftry. Deoxys-S, Froslass, and Forretress do a good job of setting up the aforementioned entry hazards, but keep in mind that Forretress has little offensive presence, and may get set up on. Groudon support is a necessity to provide the sun, and Wobbuffet is recommended to help you set up.
Other Options
Unless you are running a mixed set, there's little reason to deviate from the standard EVs. Using a positive Speed nature will let you outpace Scarfed Shaymin-S and Gengar in the sun, but they are rare enough to make the point almost moot.
There are not many other moves that wouldn't be considered rather situational. Focus Blast is viable to score an OHKO on Dialga after a Nasty Plot, but the accuracy can be disappointing, and Shiftry will often find that it cannot afford to miss. Hidden Power Fire can OHKO Scizor, Forretress, and the rare Skarmory, but has very little use outside of that. A SubSeed set is theoretically viable, but Jumpluff is a superior choice for this role because of its access to Encore and Sleep Powder.
Checks and Counters
Countering Shiftry in the sun is surprisingly difficult. If you have to defeat Shiftry in its favored weather, Scizor and Dialga make great choices, as they both laugh at Shiftry's attacks and OHKO in return. Blissey walls the Nasty Plot set, while Giratina defeats the Swords Dance one, but be wary of switching into the wrong set. If you can remove the sun, Shiftry becomes a sitting duck, and Kyogre and Rayquaza can both revenge kill Shiftry fairly easily.
