the return of sharpedro
[SET]
name: Speed Boost (Physical)
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Ice Fang / Earthquake
move 4: Protect
ability: Speed Boost
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>What's scarier than a shark with a torpedo strapped on its back? Yeah, I don't know either. What is known, however, is that physically based Sharpedo is one ferocious Pokemon thanks to its great Base 120 Attack and solid dual STAB. Speed Boost is really what sets Sharpedo apart from other physical attackers, as it transforms Sharpedo from a decidedly average attacker to a flexible revenge killer and sweeper. After a single Protect, Sharpedo will outpace every OU Pokemon, bar Deoxys-S, and has an arsenal of powerful attacks to rip the field with. Surprisingly, despite only packing physical attacks, most physical walls, such as Gliscor and Skarmory, can't keep up with Sharpedo's onslaught, especially with Politoed's Drizzle support.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As with every set, Protect is the key to Sharpedo's success. Unlike most Sharpedo sets, though, this one focuses on taking full advantage of Sharpedo's physical prowess rather than attempting to break walls with mixed attacks. Waterfall is an incredibly powerful attack with great overall coverage, and with Drizzle support, virtually anything that doesn't resist it will take huge amounts of damage. Even max Defense Skarmory will be 2HKOed with Stealth Rock and Drizzle support, a rare feat for a physical attacker without the use of a super effective attack. Crunch compliments Waterfall well thanks to its ability to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively, and it is a great auxiliary move for Pokemon that resist Water-type attacks. In the last slot, Ice Fang is generally given the nod to hit the ever present Dragon-types in OU, namely Dragonite and Salamence. However, Earthquake is a decent option to hit the likes of Jirachi, Magnezone, and Metagross harder than Waterfall will in the rain. Aqua Jet also deserves mention for its ability to check Rock Polish Terrakion and Excadrill if Sharpedo hasn't been able to accumulate enough Speed Boosts, although it is generally inferior to a useful coverage attack.</p>
<p>With an Adamant nature and Life Orb equipped, Sharpedo really hits like a truck. The EVs not only allow Sharpedo to maximize its attacking power, but also lets the shark outpace a variety of threats after a Protect, such as Jolteon and +1 Adamant Dragonite. After two Protects, Sharpedo will even be able to beat Adamant Excadrill in the sand.</p>
<p>Almost nothing will enjoy eating rain-boosted Waterfalls or STAB Crunches, but one Pokemon stands defiant in the face of Sharpedo: Ferrothorn. It resists Sharpedo's main attacks, and it doesn't take all that much from a neutral coverage attack thanks to its excellent defenses. Unless Sharpedo packs Earthquake, Toxicroak and Empoleon can take any attack Sharpedo throws at them. Gyarados is another problem since it can take a Crunch due to Intimidate, although it needs to be careful with repeated switch-ins due to Stealth Rock. Priority users, especially Conkeldurr, will often lead to the death of Sharpedo because of its terrible defensive stats. Politoed is a fairly obvious partner for Sharpedo thanks to the eternal rain it provides, which makes Sharpedo even more difficult to deal with. Magnezone should undoubtedly be the next Pokemon to consider since it excels at trapping Ferrothorn and using it as set-up fodder for Charge Beam. Gliscor is a fairly solid partner since it can take most priority moves aimed at Sharpedo, especially Mach Punches and ExtremeSpeeds. Skarmory works similarly, but it has the added advantage of being able to defeat Toxicroak. In addition to these defensive pivots, Sharpedo also works well on offensive rain teams, so the likes of Thundurus, Tornadus, and Starmie should all be considered as partners.</p>
