This is an idea that I came up with trying to get to sleep one night (My brain is weird). I consider it my personal goal to make it the best it can be. As of right now, I think this is it. I present... the
Shedinja Team!!!
...Not impressed? I guess I can't blame you. While on the surface it seems like a jerk move by some noob who just wanted to see the reactions of people upon seeing six Shedinja (which isn't entirely untrue), I actually put quite a bit of thought into these sets. There's a method behind the madness. Here are three Shedinja sets that I find work really well together.
Shedinja @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Bounce
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Endeavor
- Extreme Speed
- Odor Sleuth
- Gastro Acid
This first Shedinja is going to be your lead. Its job is to keep hazards and status conditions off the field. I found that Rocks and Spikes (obviously) killed this team. Not only that, but it counters itself quite nicely by bouncing its own Odor Sleuth and Gastro Acid back at anything running Imposter. You want to keep this one alive long enough to take down everything that wants to set up entry hazards. If it can take out Will-O-Wisp users as well, that can also help.
Shedinja @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Endeavor
- Extreme Speed
- Odor Sleuth
- Gastro Acid
If you can't get all the entry hazards off the field, the battle isn't entirely over. I Magic Guard is one of the most recent additions to the team. The reason I added it in the first place was actually to stop poison and burns from destroying the team. I hadn't known that it also stopped hazards, so that was a great bonus. Weather is also a good way to stop Shedinja, so this guy is a response to that, as well.
Shedinja @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Endeavor
- Extreme Speed
- Odor Sleuth
- Gastro Acid
Of course, no Shedinja set would be complete without the classic Sturdy Shedinja. The main point of interest on this one is actually the item. I've seen the Lum Berry used on Shedinja, and while that is a great option for preventing status conditions, I like the Safety Goggles better. I find that people seem to like using powder moves, namely Spore. The Safety Goggles not only stop that but weather as well.
And I may or may not have had a noob moment in the creation of this team and thought Safety Goggles stopped entry hazards. But that's irrelevant.
Each of the three Shedinja appear in my team twice. Why? Because I'm uncreative and didn't know what else to do. But that's also irrelevant. In any case, having two Magic Bouncers works better than one, because if the first can't handle the entry hazards, the second can pick up the slack. Also, should the opponent get off Stealth Rocks or Spikes at some point when your Magic Bouncer is not out for some reason, it used to demolish the team. Having two Shedinja with Magic Guard means your team is crippled, rather than demolished.
As for the moves, Endeavor is used as a FEAR-like strategy. The attacking move needs to be a priority move to keep the opponent from knocking out the Focus Sash holders. I tried out several priority moves and finally decided on Extreme Speed, for one reason: It doesn't affect Ghosts. That helps keep Imposter Chansey in line. Before Extreme Speed, I needed to set up an Odor Sleuth to make sure Endeavor hit, then use Endeavor, then use the priority move, while it was just a pair of Aqua Jets from Chansey on the Focus Sash users. With a move that doesn't affect Shedinja itself, I force to opponent to set up a bit more, and sometimes that's all it takes.
Speaking of not affecting Ghosts, that's what Odor Sleuth is for. I added it because I had been watching balanced Hackmons before I came up with the idea for the team, and I saw the popularity of Giratina. I needed a way to take that out. As it would turn out, Mega Gengar makes an appearance in BH quite a bit, from what I've seen.
Finally, Gastro Acid. Sturdy Shedinja shows up in BH on its own. Shedinja's FEAR strategy doesn't work on itself all that well. gastro Acid will supress Sturdy. The downside is that you'll also have to set up an Odor Sleuth before you can take down an opposing Shedinja, while it usually won't have to.
I put EVs on the only stats that matter: Attack and Speed. They're Jolly Nature so they can outspeed... Shuckle? I dunno. Not like there's a better stat to improve.
I have a few replays of the team in practice. One thing to note is that most of these replays end in forfeits. That is the Shedinja Team's main goal: to annoy the opponent to the point where they throw up their hands and say "Screw it." While it can take out some teams, It works more efficiently if the opponent gives up.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/balancedhackmons-263123951
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/balancedhackmons-263173613
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/balancedhackmons-263186933
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/balancedhackmons-263188407
I'm not sure what to say about this next replay. It shows exactly how Magic Guard saves you from hazards, and how hazards can still kill this team. that being said, I should have lost this match. You'll see why if you watch it.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/balancedhackmons-263189252
The team, of course, isn't invulnerable. Imposter will be my first example, since I have a replay of it. If the opponent leads with the Imposter user, it will bounce back your Gastro Acid and Odor Sleuth, and this could happen.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/balancedhackmons-263175445
Don't watch the whole thing.
Once again, hazards can do a number on the team if you let them get set up. Weather will take out your Magic Bouncers, as well. Moves that do residual damage, such as Whirlpool, will hit the team pretty hard. Status conditions can take down a solid third of the team. Mold Breaker is nasty, as is circumvents both Sturdy and Magic Bounce (I'm not sure about Magic Guard. Someone let me know). Pretty much any strategy that takes out a normal Shedinja takes a chunk out of the team.
Of course, the fact that there is more than one Shedinja means that it's a lot harder to take the team down. Strategies that work against one Shedinja usually don't work on the entire team. Maybe a reason to include some kind of species clause in BH? Just saying.
Anyway, comments, constructive criticism, suggestions, and cries of outrage are helpful. Maybe eventually, I'll be able to make a team so OP, Shedinja will be banned from BH! But for now, I think I like the team the way it is.
