Shiftry (Analysis)

[JRank]

Shiftry

QC Checks: 2/2
GP Checks: 2/2

[Overview]

<p>Possessing great attacking stats and an excellent ability in Chlorophyll, Shiftry is built for high-octane offense. Two great STABs in Dark and Grass further aid its ability to hit hard and deal damage. Unfortunately, Shiftry is weak to two very common spread moves: Blizzard and Heat Wave, the latter boosted by the very condition that supports Shiftry! Despite this, Shiftry still deserves to be put on a sun team, and with the right support, it can be deadly indeed.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Explosion / Protect
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Fake Out is a great move for disrupting the opponent, forcing them to Protect or get flinched, wasting a turn either way. The few Pokemon that outspeed Shiftry are hit hard by its priority STAB Sucker Punch. Sucker Punch is one of the best STAB priority moves in the metagame, hitting the common Ghost- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. Seed Bomb is Shiftry's secondary STAB, landing a super effective hit on some Pokemon that resist Sucker Punch, such as Terrakion, and gives Shiftry a reliable backup attack if the opponent chooses not to attack. The last slot is somewhat controversial. Many insist that with Explosion's recent nerf, it is no longer a viable option. However, Explosion is a fantastic move for clearing the field when Shiftry is low on HP, or, should Shiftry be dead weight in a battle, get some last-ditch damage off on the opposing team. However, unless Shiftry's partner is a Ghost-type or uses Protect, Explosion is extremely risky. Protect is a great move for any Pokemon in VGC metagames, and the best choice if Explosion is unappealing.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Shiftry can make great use of Life Orb, which boosts its damage output and allows it to get important OHKOs, such as on 4 HP Terrakion with Seed Bomb. Unfortunately, a Life Orb is better used by a teammate, in which case a Focus Sash can be used to keep Shiftry alive for an additional turn. Chlorophyll doubles Shiftry's Speed in sun, allowing it to outspeed nearly every Pokemon in the metagame. Because of this, Shiftry may use an Adamant nature without fear of being outsped. Shiftry needs all the Attack and Speed it can get, and the EV spread reflects that.</p>

<p>Sun support is critical to Shiftry, and Ninetales is the perfect Pokemon to provide it. Ninetales's ability, Drought, brings permanent sun to the field and doubles Shiftry's Speed, making for a great teammate. Due to Shiftry's trouble with spread moves, Hitmontop is an excellent partner, providing Wide Guard support and Intimidating physical attackers attempting to hit Shiftry hard.</p>

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Protect / Substitute
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>In addition to a great physical set, Shiftry can run an excellent specially-oriented set. Once again, the usefulness of Fake Out must be emphasized for disrupting the opponent and giving Shiftry's teammate a chance to attack. Leaf Storm is a powerful Grass-type STAB move, and with a sky-high 140 Base Power it wrecks anything that doesn't resist it. Unfortunately, Leaf Storm cuts Shiftry's Special Attack in half when it is used, so it should only be used if absolutely necessary. Dark Pulse covers Shiftry's other STAB, and gives it a chance to flinch the opponent, too. With Protect, Shiftry can shield itself from all assaults while its partner deals with a problem Pokemon, or uses a multi-hit move such as Earthquake. Shiftry can utilize Substitute to good effect, giving it a facade to take hits and stay relatively safe, firing off shots of its own. If Substitute is used, however, a Life Orb is the appropriate item choice, because Substitute negates Focus Sash's effect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>In sun, Shiftry has almost no fear of being outsped, so a Modest nature is used to boost Shiftry's Special Attack stat. With Shiftry's lackluster defenses, it will not be staying on the field for extended periods of time, so a Life Orb can only help it. If one wishes to preserve Shiftry past the first few turns, however, a Focus Sash is a suitable alternative. Chlorophyll and 252 Speed EVs keep Shiftry going as fast as it can in sun, and 252 Special Attack EVs help it hit as hard as possible.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Ice grants coverage on Dragon- and Flying-types, to which Shiftry often struggles to damage. However, Dark Pulse deals with both Latias and Latios anyway, so the additional coverage is not vital. Likewise, Hidden Power Fire helps Shiftry damage Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, but on a sun team, Shiftry is often partnered with Fire-types such as Ninetales and Charizard, so using this move is generally unnecessary.</p>

<p>As before, Shiftry greatly appreciates sun support, which Ninetales is more than happy to provide. Psychic-types such as Latios work well alongside Shiftry to take on the Fighting-type Pokemon that threaten Shiftry. Again, Hitmontop provides Shiftry with Intimidate and Wide Guard support, potentially changing the course of a match by allowing Shiftry time to attack.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Tailwind is an option to double Shiftry's and its team's Speed for 4 turns, allowing it to provide some support of its own. However, Shiftry's frail defense and the presence of Pokemon with Prankster such as Whimsicott and Tornadus make Tailwind a gimmicky option. Low Kick could be used on the physical set, hitting such Pokemon as Scrafty and Metagross for more damage than its other moves; however, the additional coverage is not great enough to warrant use in most situations. Shiftry has Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, and Growth, which one may be attracted to. However, given the fast-paced nature of double battles, Shiftry would rather attack than waste time boosting. Shiftry gets several other physical moves such as Rock Slide and X-Scissor. However, they offer no additional benefit over Shiftry's main STAB moves. If the Special Attack drop of Leaf Storm is unattractive, Giga Drain and Solarbeam are alternate options, though Giga Drain is rather weak and Solarbeam is too unreliable in doubles without sun being active.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Zapdos takes little from Shiftry's assaults and hits back hard with a super effective Heat Wave. Most other Flying-types are able to counter Shiftry by taking its attacks and damaging Shiftry in return with their STAB Flying-type moves. Fire-types such as Chandelure and Ninetales can hit Shiftry hard with a STAB Heat Wave, although the former must be wary of Sucker Punch. Hitmontop, Machamp, and other Fighting-types threaten with their super effective STAB Fighting-type moves. Abomasnow changes the weather to hail, slowing Shiftry down and making Abomasnow's super effective Blizzard have 100% accuracy, taking Shiftry out of the game.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Shiftry gets the ability Pickpocket from the Dream World, which has yet to be released. Chlorophyll is such a fantastic option that Pickpocket would rarely, if ever, see use.</p>

 

[JRank]

Written and ready for QC

 

[breh]

mention jolly and timid in OO for outrunning venusaurs/shiftries that oppose you?

IMO don't mention energy ball in OO; just mention giga drain.

abomasnow in counters?

is icy wind OO-worthy?

mention random gems (dark especially) in OO?

not much else to say.

 

[JRank]

mention jolly and timid in OO for outrunning venusaurs/shiftries that oppose you?

IMO don't mention energy ball in OO; just mention giga drain.

abomasnow in counters?

is icy wind OO-worthy?

mention random gems (dark especially) in OO?

not much else to say.

You're not doing much to opposing Shiftry or Venusaur anyway, not much point in it. For some reason I thought there was an obstacle to Shiftry getting Giga Drain, I'll swap the two. I'll put Abomasnow in counters, I don't know why I missed that. Icy Wind basically goes alongside Tailwind, Shiftry's too frail for supporting and Tailwind is better anyway, doubling your team's Speed is superior to dropping the foe's stats, they can easily switch out and replace it. I have already gone over the inclusion of Gems with the QC members at length, and we have decided not to include them in the analysis, a Life Orb or a Focus Sash is a far superior option.

 

[cosmicexplorer]

Tested this and found it very very useful on a sun team. Switch the order of Focus Sash and Life Orb; against a number of opponents (bulky Pokemon not weak to Shiftry's STAB and most Steel-types), Shiftry can't do too much damage, and Focus Sash just makes it dead weight for more turns, while Life Orb allows it to do more damage with the time it has on the field, and get a few significant KOes, most notably an OHKO on 4 HP Terrakion with Seed Bomb. Also, Hidden Power isn't mentioned at all in this analysis. Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Ice both work wonders on the special set; while Hidden Power Fire is usually superfluous with Ninetales as a partner, it does hit Steel-types, and Hidden Power Ice hits Dragon- and Flying-types a lot harder, 2HKOing the majority of them (although since Shiftry has Dark Pulse for Latios and Latias it also has issues with overlapping coverage).

Make those changes and QC 1/2

 

[Solace]

QC 2/2

 

[JRank]

Tested this and found it very very useful on a sun team. Switch the order of Focus Sash and Life Orb; against a number of opponents (bulky Pokemon not weak to Shiftry's STAB and most Steel-types), Shiftry can't do too much damage, and Focus Sash just makes it dead weight for more turns, while Life Orb allows it to do more damage with the time it has on the field, and get a few significant KOes, most notably an OHKO on 4 HP Terrakion with Seed Bomb. Also, Hidden Power isn't mentioned at all in this analysis. Hidden Power Fire and Hidden Power Ice both work wonders on the special set; while Hidden Power Fire is usually superfluous with Ninetales as a partner, it does hit Steel-types, and Hidden Power Ice hits Dragon- and Flying-types a lot harder, 2HKOing the majority of them (although since Shiftry has Dark Pulse for Latios and Latias it also has issues with overlapping coverage).

Make those changes and QC 1/2

QC 2/2

Changes made and stuff, thanks for the check! Ready for GP Checks now.

 

[Nix_Hex]

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[Overview]

<p>Possessing great attacking stats,(no comma) and a great ability in Chlorophyll, Shiftry is built for high-octane offense. Two great STABs in Dark and Grass further aid its ability to hit hard and deal damage. Unfortunately, Shiftry is weak to two very common spread moves: Blizzard and Heat Wave, and the latter is boosted by the very condition that supports it! Despite this, Shiftry still deserves to be put on a sun team, and with the right support,(comma) it can be deadly indeed.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Explosion / Protect
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Fake Out is a great move for disrupting the opponent, forcing them to Protect or get flinched, wasting a turn either way. The few Pokemon that outspeed Shiftry are hit hard by its STAB Sucker Punch, going first when they choose to attack. Sucker Punch also has the benefit of being a Dark-type, possessing one of the best STABs in the metagame, hitting the common Ghost- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. Seed Bomb is Shiftry's secondary STAB, landing a super effective hit on Pokemon that resist Sucker Punch such as Terrakion, and giving Shiftry a reliable backup if the opponent chooses not to attack. The last slot is somewhat controversial,.(semicolon) many insist that with Explosion's recent nerf,(comma) it is no longer a viable option,.(period) and those people contend that Protect is the superior option. Despite these naysayers, However, Explosion is a fantastic move for clearing the field when Shiftry is low on HP, or, should Shiftry be dead weight in a battle, get off some last-ditch damage on the opposing team. The prospect that Shiftry's teammate will be injured if it does not Protect or is not a Ghost-type, however, makes many people skittish of the move. For those people, Protect is a viable alternative to keep Shiftry alive and give time for its partner to eliminate a threat. However, unless Shiftry's partner is a Ghost-type or uses protect, Explosion is extremely risky.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Shiftry takes advantage can make great use of a Life Orb, which boosts its damage output and allows it to get OHKOes, important OHKOs such as on 4/0 4 / 0 Terrakion with Seed Bomb. Unfortunately, a Life Orb is not always available, and in this which case a Focus Sash can be used to keep Shiftry alive for an additional turn. Chlorophyll doubles Shiftry's Speed in sun, allowing Shiftry it to outspeed nearly every Pokemon in the metagame. Because of this,(comma) Shiftry may use an Adamant nature without fear of being outrun.(period) by foes. Shiftry needs all the Attack and Speed it can get, and the EV spread reflects that.</p>

<p>Sun support is critical to Shiftry, and Ninetales is the perfect Pokemon to provide it. Ninetales's ability,(comma) Drought,(comma) brings permanent sun to the field and doubles Shiftry's Speed, making for a great teammate. Due to Shiftry's trouble with spread moves, Hitmontop is a great partner, providing Wide Guard support and Intimidating physical attackers who look to hit Shiftry hard.</p>

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Protect / Substitute
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>In addition to a great physical set, Shiftry can switch sides and run a great specially oriented set. Once again,(comma) the usefulness of Fake Out must be impressed, emphasized for disrupting the opponent and giving Shiftry's teammate a chance to attack. Leaf Storm is a powerful Grass-type STAB move, with sky-high 140 BP Base Power, wrecking anything that doesn't resist it. Unfortunately, Leaf Storm cuts Shiftry's Special Attack in half when it is used, forcing it to be used rarely. so it should only be used if absolutely necessary. Dark Pulse covers Shiftry's other STAB,(no comma) Dark-type, and gives it a chance to flinch the opponent, too. With Protect, Shiftry can shield itself from all assaults while its partner deals with a problem Pokemon, or uses a multi-hit move such as Earthquake. Shiftry can utilize Substitute to good effect, giving it a facade to take hits and stay relatively safe, firing off shots of its own. If Substitute is used, however, a Life Orb is the appropriate item choice, because Substitute negates Focus Sash's effects.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>In sun, Shiftry has almost no fear of being outsped, and a Modest nature is used because of this, boosting so a Modest nature is used to boost Shiftry's Special Attack stat. Shiftry's lackluster defenses keep it from staying on the field for extended periods of time, which means the recoil from a Life Orb is not very detrimental to Shiftry's ability to attack, instead, it aids it. With Shiftry's lackluster defenses, it will not be staying on the field for extended periods of time, so a Life Orb can only help it. If one wishes to preserve Shiftry past the first few turns, however, a Focus Sash is a suitable alternative. Chlorophyll and 252 Speed EVs keep Shiftry going as fast as it can in sun, and 252 Special Attack EVs help it hit as hard as possible.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Ice grants coverage on Dragon- and Flying-types, something Shiftry struggles to damage, to which Shiftry often struggles to damage. However,(comma) Dark Pulse deals with both Latias and Latios anyway, so the additional coverage is not so superb. vital. Likewise, Hidden Power Fire helps Shiftry damage Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, but on a sun team,(comma) Shiftry is often partnered with Fire-types in such as Ninetales and Charizard, giving it more of a niche status.</p>

<p>As before, Shiftry greatly appreciates sun support, which Ninetales is more than happy to provide. Psychic-types such as Latios work well alongside Shiftry to take on the Fighting-type Pokemon that threaten Shiftry. Again, Hitmontop provides Shiftry with Intimidate and Wide Guard support, potentially changing the course of a match by allowing Shiftry time to attack.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Of note is Tailwind, doubling Tailwind is an option to double Shiftry's and its team's Speed for 3 turns, allowing Shiftry it to give provide some support of its own. However, Shiftry's frail defense and the presence of Pokemon with Prankster such as Whimsicott and Tornadus give Tailwind on Shiftry more of a gimmick status. make Tailwind a gimmick option. Low Kick could be an option used on the physical set, hitting such Pokemon as Scrafty and Metagross for more damage than its other moves; however, the additional coverage is not great enough to warrant its use in most situations. Shiftry gains Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, and Growth, which one may be attracted to. Unfortunately, the fast-paced nature of double battles leave little time for boosting; Shiftry would often be better off attacking. However, given the fast-paced nature of double battles, Shiftry would rather attack than waste time boosting. Shiftry gets several other physical moves such as Rock Slide and X-Scissor,.(period) However, they offer no additional benefit over Shiftry's main STAB moves. If the Special Attack drop of Leaf Storm is unattractive, Giga Drain and Solarbeam provide a different option, are alternate options, though Giga Drain is rather weak and Solarbeam relies on sun being active. is too unreliable in doubles without sun being active.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Zapdos takes little from Shiftry's assaults and hits back hard with a super effective Heat Wave. Most other Flying-types are able to counter Shiftry, as well, by taking its attacks and damaging Shiftry in return with their STAB Flying-type moves. Fire-types such as Chandelure and Ninetales can hit Shiftry hard with a STAB Heat Wave, although the former must be wary of Sucker Punch,.(period) which is super effective on Chandelure. Hitmontop, Machamp, and other Fighting-types are hit by Shiftry's ineffective moves and threaten with their super effective STAB Fighting-type move. Abomasnow changes the weather to hail, slowing Shiftry down and making Abomasnow's super effective Blizzard have 100% accuracy, taking Shiftry out of the game.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Shiftry gets the ability Pickpocket from the Dream World, which has yet to be released. Even if it had been released, however it is a mediocre ability at best, and Chlorophyll such a fantastic one that Pickpocket would rarely be used. Chlorophyll is such a fantastic option that Pickpocket would rarely, if ever, see use.</p>

[GP 1/2]

 

[Tobes]

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Shiftry

QC Checks: 2/2
GP Checks: 1/2

[Overview]

<p>Possessing great attacking stats and a great an excellent ability in Chlorophyll, Shiftry is built for high-octane offense. Two great STABs in Dark and Grass further aid its ability to hit hard and deal damage. Unfortunately, Shiftry is weak to two very common spread moves: Blizzard and Heat Wave, the latter boosted by the very condition that supports Shiftry it! Despite this, Shiftry still deserves to be put on a sun team, and with the right support, it can be deadly indeed.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Explosion / Protect
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Fake Out is a great move for disrupting the opponent, forcing them to Protect or get flinched, wasting a turn either way. The few Pokemon that outspeed Shiftry are hit hard by its priority STAB Sucker Punch, going first when they choose to attack. Sucker Punch also has the benefit of being a Dark-type, possessing is one of the best STAB priority moves in the metagame, hitting the common Ghost- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. Seed Bomb is Shiftry's secondary STAB, landing a super effective hit on some Pokemon that resist Sucker Punch, (add comma) such as Terrakion, and gives Shiftry a reliable backup attack if the opponent chooses not to attack. The last slot is somewhat controversial. Many insist that with Explosion's recent nerf, it is no longer a viable option. However, Explosion is a fantastic move for clearing the field when Shiftry is low on HP, or, should Shiftry be dead weight in a battle, get off some last-ditch damage off on the opposing team. However, unless Shiftry's partner is a Ghost-type or uses Protect, Explosion is extremely risky. Protect is a great move for any Pokemon in VGC metagames, and the best choice if Explosion is unappealing.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Shiftry can make great use of Life Orb, which boosts its damage output and allows it to get important OHKOs, such as on 4 HP Terrakion with Seed Bomb. Unfortunately, a Life Orb is not always available is better used by a teammate, in which case a Focus Sash can be used to keep Shiftry alive for an additional turn. Chlorophyll doubles Shiftry's Speed in sun, allowing it to outspeed nearly every Pokemon in the metagame. Because of this, Shiftry may use an Adamant nature without fear of being outsped. Shiftry needs all the Attack and Speed it can get, and the EV spread reflects that.</p>

<p>Sun support is critical to Shiftry, and Ninetales is the perfect Pokemon to provide it. Ninetales's ability, Drought, brings permanent sun to the field and doubles Shiftry's Speed, making for a great teammate. Due to Shiftry's trouble with spread moves, Hitmontop is an excellent great partner, providing Wide Guard support and Intimidating physical attackers who look attempting to hit Shiftry hard.</p>

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Protect / Substitute
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>In addition to a great physical set, Shiftry can run a great powerful specially-oriented set. Once again, the usefulness of Fake Out must be emphasized for disrupting the opponent and giving Shiftry's teammate a chance to attack. Leaf Storm is a powerful Grass-type STAB move, and with a sky-high 140 Base Power it wrecks anything that doesn't resist it. Unfortunately, Leaf Storm cuts Shiftry's Special Attack in half when it is used, so it should only be used if absolutely necessary. Dark Pulse covers Shiftry's other STAB, and gives it a chance to flinch the opponent, too. With Protect, Shiftry can shield itself from all assaults while its partner deals with a problem Pokemon, or uses a multi-hit move such as Earthquake. Shiftry can utilize Substitute to good effect, giving it a facade to take hits and stay relatively safe, firing off shots of its own. If Substitute is used, however, a Life Orb is the appropriate item choice, because Substitute negates Focus Sash's effect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>In sun, Shiftry has almost no fear of being outsped, so a Modest nature is used to boost Shiftry's Special Attack stat. With Shiftry's lackluster defenses, it will not be staying on the field for extended periods of time, so a Life Orb can only help it. If one wishes to preserve Shiftry past the first few turns, however, a Focus Sash is a suitable alternative. Chlorophyll and 252 Speed EVs keep Shiftry going as fast as it can in sun, and 252 Special Attack EVs help it hit as hard as possible.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Ice grants coverage on Dragon- and Flying-types, to which Shiftry often struggles to damage. However, Dark Pulse deals with both Latias and Latios anyway, so the additional coverage is not vital. Likewise, Hidden Power Fire helps Shiftry damage Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, but on a sun team, Shiftry is often partnered with Fire-types such as Ninetales and Charizard, so using this move is generally unnecessary giving it more of a niche status.</p>

<p>As before, Shiftry greatly appreciates sun support, which Ninetales is more than happy to provide. Psychic-types such as Latios work well alongside Shiftry to take on the Fighting-type Pokemon that threaten Shiftry. Again, Hitmontop provides Shiftry with Intimidate and Wide Guard support, potentially changing the course of a match by allowing Shiftry time to attack.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Tailwind is an option to double Shiftry's and its team's Speed for 4 turns, allowing it to provide some support of its own. However, Shiftry's frail defense and the presence of Pokemon with Prankster such as Whimsicott and Tornadus make Tailwind a gimmicky option. Low Kick could be used on the physical set, hitting such Pokemon as Scrafty and Metagross for more damage than its other moves; however, the additional coverage is not great enough to warrant use in most situations. Shiftry gains has Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, and Growth, which one may be attracted to. However, given the fast-paced nature of double battles, Shiftry would rather attack than waste time boosting. Shiftry gets several other physical moves such as Rock Slide and X-Scissor. However, they offer no additional benefit over Shiftry's main STAB moves. If the Special Attack drop of Leaf Storm is unattractive, Giga Drain and Solarbeam are alternate options, though Giga Drain is rather weak and Solarbeam is too unreliable in doubles without sun being active.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Zapdos takes little from Shiftry's assaults and hits back hard with a super effective Heat Wave. Most other Flying-types are able to counter Shiftry by taking its attacks and damaging Shiftry in return with their STAB Flying-type moves. Fire-types such as Chandelure and Ninetales can hit Shiftry hard with a STAB Heat Wave, although the former must be wary of Sucker Punch. Hitmontop, Machamp, and other Fighting-types are hit by Shiftry's ineffective moves and threaten with their super effective STAB Fighting-type moves. Abomasnow changes the weather to hail, slowing Shiftry down and making Abomasnow's super effective Blizzard have 100% accuracy, taking Shiftry out of the game.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Shiftry gets the ability Pickpocket from the Dream World, which has yet to be released. Chlorophyll is such a fantastic option that Pickpocket would rarely, if ever, see use.</p>

You use the word "great" way too often, but other than that nice work.

GP Approved 2/2

 

[JRank]

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Hide

[Overview]

<p>Possessing great attacking stats,(no comma) and a great ability in Chlorophyll, Shiftry is built for high-octane offense. Two great STABs in Dark and Grass further aid its ability to hit hard and deal damage. Unfortunately, Shiftry is weak to two very common spread moves: Blizzard and Heat Wave, and the latter is boosted by the very condition that supports it! Despite this, Shiftry still deserves to be put on a sun team, and with the right support,(comma) it can be deadly indeed.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Explosion / Protect
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Fake Out is a great move for disrupting the opponent, forcing them to Protect or get flinched, wasting a turn either way. The few Pokemon that outspeed Shiftry are hit hard by its STAB Sucker Punch, going first when they choose to attack. Sucker Punch also has the benefit of being a Dark-type, possessing one of the best STABs in the metagame, hitting the common Ghost- and Psychic-types for super effective damage. Seed Bomb is Shiftry's secondary STAB, landing a super effective hit on Pokemon that resist Sucker Punch such as Terrakion, and giving Shiftry a reliable backup if the opponent chooses not to attack. The last slot is somewhat controversial,.(semicolon) many insist that with Explosion's recent nerf,(comma) it is no longer a viable option,.(period) and those people contend that Protect is the superior option. Despite these naysayers, However, Explosion is a fantastic move for clearing the field when Shiftry is low on HP, or, should Shiftry be dead weight in a battle, get off some last-ditch damage on the opposing team. The prospect that Shiftry's teammate will be injured if it does not Protect or is not a Ghost-type, however, makes many people skittish of the move. For those people, Protect is a viable alternative to keep Shiftry alive and give time for its partner to eliminate a threat. However, unless Shiftry's partner is a Ghost-type or uses protect, Explosion is extremely risky.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Shiftry takes advantage can make great use of a Life Orb, which boosts its damage output and allows it to get OHKOes, important OHKOs such as on 4/0 4 / 0 Terrakion with Seed Bomb. Unfortunately, a Life Orb is not always available, and in this which case a Focus Sash can be used to keep Shiftry alive for an additional turn. Chlorophyll doubles Shiftry's Speed in sun, allowing Shiftry it to outspeed nearly every Pokemon in the metagame. Because of this,(comma) Shiftry may use an Adamant nature without fear of being outrun.(period) by foes. Shiftry needs all the Attack and Speed it can get, and the EV spread reflects that.</p>

<p>Sun support is critical to Shiftry, and Ninetales is the perfect Pokemon to provide it. Ninetales's ability,(comma) Drought,(comma) brings permanent sun to the field and doubles Shiftry's Speed, making for a great teammate. Due to Shiftry's trouble with spread moves, Hitmontop is a great partner, providing Wide Guard support and Intimidating physical attackers who look to hit Shiftry hard.</p>

[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Protect / Substitute
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>In addition to a great physical set, Shiftry can switch sides and run a great specially oriented set. Once again,(comma) the usefulness of Fake Out must be impressed, emphasized for disrupting the opponent and giving Shiftry's teammate a chance to attack. Leaf Storm is a powerful Grass-type STAB move, with sky-high 140 BP Base Power, wrecking anything that doesn't resist it. Unfortunately, Leaf Storm cuts Shiftry's Special Attack in half when it is used, forcing it to be used rarely. so it should only be used if absolutely necessary. Dark Pulse covers Shiftry's other STAB,(no comma) Dark-type, and gives it a chance to flinch the opponent, too. With Protect, Shiftry can shield itself from all assaults while its partner deals with a problem Pokemon, or uses a multi-hit move such as Earthquake. Shiftry can utilize Substitute to good effect, giving it a facade to take hits and stay relatively safe, firing off shots of its own. If Substitute is used, however, a Life Orb is the appropriate item choice, because Substitute negates Focus Sash's effects.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>In sun, Shiftry has almost no fear of being outsped, and a Modest nature is used because of this, boosting so a Modest nature is used to boost Shiftry's Special Attack stat. Shiftry's lackluster defenses keep it from staying on the field for extended periods of time, which means the recoil from a Life Orb is not very detrimental to Shiftry's ability to attack, instead, it aids it. With Shiftry's lackluster defenses, it will not be staying on the field for extended periods of time, so a Life Orb can only help it. If one wishes to preserve Shiftry past the first few turns, however, a Focus Sash is a suitable alternative. Chlorophyll and 252 Speed EVs keep Shiftry going as fast as it can in sun, and 252 Special Attack EVs help it hit as hard as possible.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Ice grants coverage on Dragon- and Flying-types, something Shiftry struggles to damage, to which Shiftry often struggles to damage. However,(comma) Dark Pulse deals with both Latias and Latios anyway, so the additional coverage is not so superb. vital. Likewise, Hidden Power Fire helps Shiftry damage Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, but on a sun team,(comma) Shiftry is often partnered with Fire-types in such as Ninetales and Charizard, giving it more of a niche status.</p>

<p>As before, Shiftry greatly appreciates sun support, which Ninetales is more than happy to provide. Psychic-types such as Latios work well alongside Shiftry to take on the Fighting-type Pokemon that threaten Shiftry. Again, Hitmontop provides Shiftry with Intimidate and Wide Guard support, potentially changing the course of a match by allowing Shiftry time to attack.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Of note is Tailwind, doubling Tailwind is an option to double Shiftry's and its team's Speed for 3 turns, allowing Shiftry it to give provide some support of its own. However, Shiftry's frail defense and the presence of Pokemon with Prankster such as Whimsicott and Tornadus give Tailwind on Shiftry more of a gimmick status. make Tailwind a gimmick option. Low Kick could be an option used on the physical set, hitting such Pokemon as Scrafty and Metagross for more damage than its other moves; however, the additional coverage is not great enough to warrant its use in most situations. Shiftry gains Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, and Growth, which one may be attracted to. Unfortunately, the fast-paced nature of double battles leave little time for boosting; Shiftry would often be better off attacking. However, given the fast-paced nature of double battles, Shiftry would rather attack than waste time boosting. Shiftry gets several other physical moves such as Rock Slide and X-Scissor,.(period) However, they offer no additional benefit over Shiftry's main STAB moves. If the Special Attack drop of Leaf Storm is unattractive, Giga Drain and Solarbeam provide a different option, are alternate options, though Giga Drain is rather weak and Solarbeam relies on sun being active. is too unreliable in doubles without sun being active.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Zapdos takes little from Shiftry's assaults and hits back hard with a super effective Heat Wave. Most other Flying-types are able to counter Shiftry, as well, by taking its attacks and damaging Shiftry in return with their STAB Flying-type moves. Fire-types such as Chandelure and Ninetales can hit Shiftry hard with a STAB Heat Wave, although the former must be wary of Sucker Punch,.(period) which is super effective on Chandelure. Hitmontop, Machamp, and other Fighting-types are hit by Shiftry's ineffective moves and threaten with their super effective STAB Fighting-type move. Abomasnow changes the weather to hail, slowing Shiftry down and making Abomasnow's super effective Blizzard have 100% accuracy, taking Shiftry out of the game.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Shiftry gets the ability Pickpocket from the Dream World, which has yet to be released. Even if it had been released, however it is a mediocre ability at best, and Chlorophyll such a fantastic one that Pickpocket would rarely be used. Chlorophyll is such a fantastic option that Pickpocket would rarely, if ever, see use.</p>

[GP 1/2]

You use the word "great" way too often, but other than that nice work.

GP Approved 2/2

Thanks guys, this is finished!