Sharpedo (Analysis)

[Chillarmy]

Pokedex
Status: Skeleton
Koffing (QC Approvals) (x3) - Bloo; PK Gaming; Delta 2777

[Overview]

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• Sharpedo, along with Blaziken, gained one the best abilities in the game: Speed Boost
• With scary offenses, great (neutral) coverage in its dual STAB, and new ability, Sharpedo is definitely a threat to look out for
• On the other hand, Sharpedo's defenses are very bad, making it almost impossible to switch in, not to mention that most priority attacks will destroy it
• There's also Sharpedo's weak physical movepool, almost forcing it to go mixed in order to be effective

[SET]
name: Speed Boost (Mixed)
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Ice Beam
move 4: Protect
ability: Speed Boost
item: Life Orb
nature: Mild
evs: 148 Atk / 252 SAtk / 108 Spd

[SET COMMENTS]

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• With respectable offenses, a decent Speed stat, great dual STAB and Speed Boost, Sharpedo makes for an excellent mixed sweeper
• Akin to Blaziken, Sharpedo's dual STAB options allow it to ram through weakened teams or cause a load of damage before fainting
• Crunch is Sharpedo's primary STAB option, absolutely destroying Lati@s and causing a huge amount of damage to Reuniclus
• Hydro Pump is highly recommended so Sharpedo can net an OHKO on physically defensive Skarmory after SR damage, but Surf is perfectly viable due to its much more reliable PP and accuracy
• Hidden Power Fire nets an easy 2HKO on specially defensive Ferrothorn, who otherwise walls this set to hell and back, and also OHKOes Scizor and Forretress attempting to switch in and sponge a Crunch
• Ice Beam is an option over Hidden Power Fire if Ferrothorn is of little concern, giving Sharpedo much needed coverage, hitting most Dragon-types for an OHKO as well as Thundurus and Virizion for higher damage
• Protect gives Sharpedo the ability to scout for various priority attacks and gain an extra speed boost, making it incredibly useful to Sharpedo

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

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• Earthquake and HP Electric for coverage
• EVs - 120 Attack almost always ensures that 252 HP Latias is OHKOed by Crunch after SR; 220 Speed beats neutral Luke before a boost, but can be dropped to 160, outpacing Timid Choice Scarf Thundurus at +2
• Watch out for priority and scarfers, though the latter can be beaten through an extra speed boost from Protect
• Entry hazards. Ferrothorn does a very good job at getting them up and synergizes with Sharpedo pretty well
• Gliscor can take on Conkeldurr, resists almost all of Sharpedo's weaknesses, and can run U-turn to compensate for Sharpedo's terrible defenses; Wobbuffet takes out priority users / scarfers with relative ease, and can weaken "tough" walls with Tickle
• Speaking offensively, Scizor is one of Sharpedo's best partners, weakening potential threats with its powerful STAB U-turn and "finishing" Sharpedo's sweep with Bullet Punch

[Other Options]

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• Substitute lets Sharpedo attack with a safety net to fall back on, but between the massive HP loss due to Life Orb recoil and Sharpedo's substitutes being easily broken, Protect will usually be the superior option
• Screech can create a pseudo attack boost for Sharpedo while racking up entry hazard damage, but is a high-risk, medium-reward option because Sharpedo lacks much the needed bulk and defensive typing to risk taking a hit
• Double-Edge, HP Psychic / Flying and Earthquake for extra coverage
• Aqua Jet is an interesting option, bypassing speed boosts from Blaziken and Excadrill, and KOing both after a bit of residual damage, but Azumarill will usually be suited better for such as task
• Pure physical and special sets can be used if one doesn't like the EV split and wishes for Sharpedo to take on specific threats, but those sets will ultimately fall behind the mixed set in terms of utility
• Choice Band Sharpedo can be an excellent wallbreaker or a fantastic late-game sweeper with its dual STAB and awesome base 120 attack
• Taunt is there, but Sharpedo, again, can't risk taking a hit

[Checks and Counters]

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• Empoleon outright counters Sharpedo if it lacks Earthquake
• Dragon-types usually do the job if Ice Beam isn't present
• Ferrothorn and Conkeldurr can take a hit and OHKO back with their respective STAB attacks
• Priority users can prey on Sharpedo's 'awesome' defenses
• Thundurus can run a Choice Scarf and surprise Sharpedo with a speedy Thunderbolt, or cripple it with its priority Thunder Wave

[Dream World]

<p>Speed Boost Carvanha has already been released and thus the analysis is based on Sharpedo's Dream World ability.</p>​

 

[Lucario_Guy]

Remove any mentions of Zen Headbutt on any set with Speed Boost. As it is a 4th Gen move tutor move, it is illegal with Speed Boost.

 

[Darkamber8828]

Where's Dark Pulse on the special set? Could be slashed with Ice Beam.

 

[Chillarmy]

Where's Dark Pulse on the special set? Could be slashed with Ice Beam.

Dark Pulse is a 4th gen TM, so it's illegal with Speed Boost

Remove any mentions of Zen Headbutt on any set with Speed Boost. As it is a 4th Gen move tutor move, it is illegal with Speed Boost.

Oh ha, completely forgot. Thanks for that catch

 

[Darkamber8828]

Damn.

Uh, maybe mention Screech ala Screech Flygon and Metal Sound Zapdos? Forces switches, which lets you get speed boosts and entry hazard damage, and kill some stuff you couldn't before.

Also, lead set with Taunt/Protect/Waterfall/Crunch?

 

[Chillarmy]

Damn.

Uh, maybe mention Screech ala Screech Flygon and Metal Sound Zapdos? Forces switches, which lets you get speed boosts and entry hazard damage, and kill some stuff you couldn't before.

Also, lead set with Taunt/Protect/Waterfall/Crunch?

Sharpedo doesn't have the defenses or typing (or for that matter, ability) to effectively run Screech; Speed Boost is really all it needs to pull off a sweep. Though, I'll give Screech a mention in OC "just because" Sharpedo lacks a method of boosting its attack.

Also, dedicated lead sets are pretty bad this gen due to team preview.

 

[ParaChomp]

Replace Ice Fang on the physical set with Earthquake, then again, Balloon's popularity could be a problem. Aqua Jet deserves a mention somewhere.

 

[Chillarmy]

Replace Ice Fang on the physical set with Earthquake, then again, Balloon's popularity could be a problem. Aqua Jet deserves a mention somewhere.

OHKOing Dragonite, Salamence and the like is much more important than hitting a few Steels for higher damage, so I'll slash Earthquake instead. Also, keep in mind that both of the latter sets are subject to be removed if they prove to be less effective than the mixed set.

 

[Bad Ass]

Okay, before anything, IMO Pure Special and Pure Physical should be removed. Pure special is running off a weaker SAtk stat, and pure Physical is running off of low BP moves that are affected by Intimidate. I'd like some more input on this, and I'll resolve my queries with the Mixed set after that's sorted out.

 

[IcyMan28]

I'm with Bad Ass on this one. Scrap the pure Special / pure Physical sets and make the mixed set be Hydro Pump / Crunch / HP Fire / Ice Beam as the main options - failing to OHKO physically defensive Skarmory when you have that in your repertoire is shameful.

Meanwhile, Ice Beam is needed to hit Garchomp, Salamence, Dragonite, Thundurus, and Virizion harder than the other moves would, and helps with accuracy issues against Gliscor. Sharpedo needs the coverage as it rarely has more than one opportunity to come in with those paper defenses.

 

[Aerodactyl Legend]

I think he could get away with the physical set being up there (though stressed on the problems it'll face), but the Special set should definitely be removed.

 

[GameMaster0000]

I'm with Bad Ass on this one. Scrap the pure Special / pure Physical sets and make the mixed set be Hydro Pump / Crunch / HP Fire / Ice Beam as the main options - failing to OHKO physically defensive Skarmory when you have that in your repertoire is shameful.

Meanwhile, Ice Beam is needed to hit Garchomp, Salamence, Dragonite, Thundurus, and Virizion harder than the other moves would, and helps with accuracy issues against Gliscor. Sharpedo needs the coverage as it rarely has more than one opportunity to come in with those paper defenses.

WTF!! 120 attack isn't good enough hit anything?

Really don't want to try this because of Sharpedo's weak physical movepool but w/e 2HKOing Blissey is kind of cool I guess.

I thing special is worst than physical. He has Surf and Ice beam and must use hidden power for coverage while physical he can run dual STAB and has icefang and EQ for coverage.

 

[am zane ok.]

WTF!! 120 attack isn't good enough hit anything?



I thing special is worst than physical. He has Surf and Ice beam and must use hidden power for coverage while physical he can run dual STAB and has icefang and EQ for coverage.

Er. The problem isn't his base stat. It's the base power of all his moves. I mean, 80 BP STAB moves aren't too impressive, and Ice Fang's 65 BP is terrible outside of 4x weaknesses. I feel like the best remedy, if you're really itching for a pure physical set, is a late-game Choice Band sweeper set. I mean, its STABs offer good neutral coverage.

-Zane

 

[Chillarmy]

Good news everyone,

- Removed pure physical / special Speed Boost after 1. Needing HP Fire and Crunch on the same set while using Sharpedo and 2. Reading some of the input in this thread

- Made Ice Beam the primary option on the mixed set and finished the skeleton

 

[ParaChomp]

Kind of a pain that Endure is no longer a TM, Sharpedo could of used it as a makeshift Protect coupled with a Liechi Berry for a power boost. Then there are the disgusting amount of priority moves this generation which would make it almost useless.

I'm bummed that there's no physical set. You could run Double-Edge, Earthquake, Waterfall and Protect but there's no point in arguing.

We have to live with what people give you so it's up to us whether we use these sets or not...unless we're using a simulator.

 

[Chillarmy]

I'm bummed that there's no physical set. You could run Double-Edge, Earthquake, Waterfall and Protect but there's no point in arguing.

In all honesty, that's kind of depressing. If you're sure a change needs to be made to this analysis, then feel free to argue in favor of it, and if you make a good enough point, someone will listen and eventually agree with you.

Yes, Sharpedo's base 120 attack and access to great neutral coverage make it tempting to run a fully physical set, but because Sharpedo isn't running Hydro Pump or HP Fire, it's going to have a tougher time getting past physically bulky Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Conkeldurr, Skarmory, Forretress, thereby forcing Sharpedo to switch more often than it should.

 

[ParaChomp]

In all honesty, that's kind of depressing. If you're sure a change needs to be made to this analysis, then feel free to argue in favor of it, and if you make a good enough point, someone will listen and eventually agree with you.

Know when you're going to lose. I have a feeling that if I try to argue, I'll only be cussed at.

Yes, Sharpedo's base 120 attack and access to great neutral coverage make it tempting to run a fully physical set, but because Sharpedo isn't running Hydro Pump or HP Fire, it's going to have a tougher time getting past physically bulky Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Conkeldurr, Skarmory, Forretress, thereby forcing Sharpedo to switch more often than it should.

Why did Crawdaunt get Dragon Dance and not Sharpedo? There it is right there, you don't want to switch...I think it's best if we add a physical set in the near future when Dream World Chandelure is released. It resists a majority of what those Pokemon dish out and it can destroy them easliy. Then again, knowing Wobbuffet, I bet its Dream World will get banned. There's my stance, I think physical Dream World Sharpedo should only be used alongside Dream World Chandelure as it can trap and defeat all of physical Sharpedo's common counters.

 

[Bloo]

This looks good. Mixed is definitely the best set Sharpedo can run. The only thing I'll say is this: mention Politoed as a partner when running physically based sets. Politoed's rain is great for powering up Sharpedo's Waterfall!

QC APPROVED (1/3)

 

[PK Gaming]

Good job!

QC APPROVED 2/3

 

[Delta 2777]

Looks good, Sharpedo seems viable enough in OU but the lower tiers are where I really expect to see him shine. Anyway just mention a Choice Band set in Other Options and it looks good.

QC Approved (3/3)

 

[Chillarmy]

Done, done and thanks.

I'll have this written up by Friday

 

[Condor]

we have a thread in the OU for Sharpedo?! and Blasoise's got taken down? are you kidding, he can get taken out with a single priority move he is so fragile and his ability is great but he has to survive one round (which isn't likely) for it to take effect.

 

[jrp]

Because sharpedo gets a good ability in 5th gen, while Blastoise loses its uses in 5th gen.
All you need to do is run Protect to gain the speed. Plus, sharpedo isn't exactly slow at a base 95 speed

 

[Condor]

i don't think he is OU worthy, I would love it if my opponet used Sparpedo... waaste of a team slot

 

[jrp]

Then you cry when it sweeps you.
Good attacking stats, plus good stab. Have fun