[OVERVIEW]
Unlike most other Bug-types in LC, Shelmet happens to actually have decent base stats. It also has access to an important ability in Shell Armor, which pairs rather well with its boosting move Acid Armor and its nifty resistance to the common Fighting-type moves. This resistance in tandem with generally good bulk allows for Shelmet to regularly find opportunities to get up Spikes. Reliable recovery pairs well with these traits, allowing Shelmet to reliably counter Timburr and Riolu despite having a weakness to Stealth Rock. However, Shelmet's Special Attack leaves much to be desired, as does the coverage of a Bug-type STAB, culminating in a rather passive yet fairly sturdy answer to Timburr and Riolu.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Recover
move 3: Acid Armor
move 4: Bug Buzz / Hidden Power Flying
item: Eviolite
ability: Shell Armor
evs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 SpD
nature: Bold
[SET COMMENTS]
Shelmet is a one-trick pony whose main draw is its ability to counter Timburr and offensive Riolu while also being able to get up Spikes to support the team. Recover allows Shelmet to continually handle Timburr and Riolu, especially considering its Stealth Rock weakness. Likewise, Acid Armor allows Shelmet to handle Timburr and Riolu even after they boost their own Attack to sky-high levels and generally serves to somewhat compensate for Shelmet's minimal offensive presence. Shelmet does have some flexibility with its last move; Bug Buzz is the first choice due to being Shelmet's strongest STAB move and therefore being mildly powerful. However, Bug is not a great offensive typing, leaving Shelmet easily handled by much of the metagame, and Hidden Power Flying can be run instead to give Shelmet the ability to substantially damage Fighting-type Pokemon without much of a loss. Either are important options to prevent Shelmet from being rendered useless by Taunt.
[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
The EV spread maximizes Shelmet's physical bulk, allowing it to reach an impressive 18 Defense with a Bold nature. Shelmet forgoes fully investing into HP in order to hit an odd HP number, giving it another switch into Stealth Rock. The extra EVs are invested into Special Defense because investments in Speed and Special Attack would be overall less impactful than giving Shelmet the ability to better sponge the odd special attack thrown its way. However, if Hidden Power Flying is used instead, an EV spread of 120 HP / 160 Def / 40 SpA / 80 SpD should be used instead; this spread also maximizes Shelmet's physical bulk. However, since 16 Special Defense cannot be reached due to lowered IVs, Shelmet invests to reach the next highest benchmark: 14 Special Defense. The remaining EVs are invested into Special Attack to allow Shelmet to always 2HKO fast Mienfoo, always 3HKO slow Mienfoo, have a chance to 3HKO Timburr, and always 3HKO Riolu. The ability Shell Armor complements Shelmet's defensive nature, making it impossible to critical hit and consequently overwhelm it.
Shelmet is best suited to teams that have a substantial issue aptly handling Timburr and Riolu. This means that the likes of Misdreavus and Bronzor are some of Shelmet's best teammates, as not only do they provide Shelmet with a Rapid Spin immunity and a Drilbur counter, respectively, but they also can be preyed on by the two boosting Fighting-types. And while Fire-types are rare, both Bronzor and Shelmet are free switch-ins for them, and the duo also has issues with Misdreavus; both of these weaknesses can be covered fairly well with the addition of Munchlax. Munchlax makes an especially nice Shelmet partner, as its weakness to Fighting-types mandates a solid answer to Timburr and Riolu, while Shelmet's passiveness is largely made up for by Munchlax's walling abilities. Munchlax also has the plus of being able to phaze switch-ins with Whirlwind to rack up sizable damage with Shelmet's Spikes. Similarly, Hippopotas and Vullaby can also shuffle around the opponent's team to wear down their counters. Vullaby can also go on the offensive to wallbreak the opposing team, using Shelmet's Spikes to handle its few reliable counters. Shelmet's weakness to Stealth Rock and vulnerability to Spikes often require Rapid Spin support from Pokemon such as Drilbur and Staryu.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
Shelmet's other options are few and far between. Shelmet can occasionally fit Toxic on its set, which is nice to wear down opposing walls and its common counters. However, Toxic Spikes support obtains the same goal and is normally a much easier to fit on a team than Toxic is on Shelmet. On the other hand, Baton Pass can be used over either Bug Buzz or Spikes, giving it the chance to make certain sweepers super threatening with multiple Defense boosts. However, dropping any attack from Shelmet's set in favor of Baton Pass is hard to do and most often is not worth it. Encore can theoretically be used to prevent Shelmet from being setup fodder and generally act to force switches and rack up Spikes damage, but Shelmet can hardly fit it onto its moveset. Similarly, Yawn can be used to force switches and prevent Shelmet from being setup fodder, but Shelmet will very rarely have room for this option. However, Shelmet can fit Struggle Bug rather easily onto its moveset but seldom chooses to due to the move's low Base Power and circumstantially useful secondary effect.
Checks and Counters
============
Shelmet has quite a few checks and counters due to its passive nature. Misdreavus is able to switch into Shelmet with impunity, thanks to its immunity to Spikes, great natural bulk, and resistance to Bug Buzz. Misdreavus is also able to use Shelmet's passive nature to set up a Nasty Plot and become incredibly threatening. The uncommon Fire-types all wall Shelmet hard too and can use their STAB attacks to send Shelmet packing. Similarly, Vullaby is a pain in Shelmet's side, due to its reliably recovery, phazing options, and ability to set up a Nasty Plot on Shelmet. Moreover, landing a Toxic on Shelmet causes it to be severely less effective, and if coupled with hazard support, Shelmet is forced to Recover every time it switches in. Additionally, Encore users such as Cottonee can stifle Shelmet's effectiveness and force it out every time. Similarly, Whirlwind and Roar users such as Hippopotas will often come out on top against Shelmet due to its minimal offenses and weakness to entry hazards.
Unlike most other Bug-types in LC, Shelmet happens to actually have decent base stats. It also has access to an important ability in Shell Armor, which pairs rather well with its boosting move Acid Armor and its nifty resistance to the common Fighting-type moves. This resistance in tandem with generally good bulk allows for Shelmet to regularly find opportunities to get up Spikes. Reliable recovery pairs well with these traits, allowing Shelmet to reliably counter Timburr and Riolu despite having a weakness to Stealth Rock. However, Shelmet's Special Attack leaves much to be desired, as does the coverage of a Bug-type STAB, culminating in a rather passive yet fairly sturdy answer to Timburr and Riolu.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Recover
move 3: Acid Armor
move 4: Bug Buzz / Hidden Power Flying
item: Eviolite
ability: Shell Armor
evs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 SpD
nature: Bold
[SET COMMENTS]
Shelmet is a one-trick pony whose main draw is its ability to counter Timburr and offensive Riolu while also being able to get up Spikes to support the team. Recover allows Shelmet to continually handle Timburr and Riolu, especially considering its Stealth Rock weakness. Likewise, Acid Armor allows Shelmet to handle Timburr and Riolu even after they boost their own Attack to sky-high levels and generally serves to somewhat compensate for Shelmet's minimal offensive presence. Shelmet does have some flexibility with its last move; Bug Buzz is the first choice due to being Shelmet's strongest STAB move and therefore being mildly powerful. However, Bug is not a great offensive typing, leaving Shelmet easily handled by much of the metagame, and Hidden Power Flying can be run instead to give Shelmet the ability to substantially damage Fighting-type Pokemon without much of a loss. Either are important options to prevent Shelmet from being rendered useless by Taunt.
[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
The EV spread maximizes Shelmet's physical bulk, allowing it to reach an impressive 18 Defense with a Bold nature. Shelmet forgoes fully investing into HP in order to hit an odd HP number, giving it another switch into Stealth Rock. The extra EVs are invested into Special Defense because investments in Speed and Special Attack would be overall less impactful than giving Shelmet the ability to better sponge the odd special attack thrown its way. However, if Hidden Power Flying is used instead, an EV spread of 120 HP / 160 Def / 40 SpA / 80 SpD should be used instead; this spread also maximizes Shelmet's physical bulk. However, since 16 Special Defense cannot be reached due to lowered IVs, Shelmet invests to reach the next highest benchmark: 14 Special Defense. The remaining EVs are invested into Special Attack to allow Shelmet to always 2HKO fast Mienfoo, always 3HKO slow Mienfoo, have a chance to 3HKO Timburr, and always 3HKO Riolu. The ability Shell Armor complements Shelmet's defensive nature, making it impossible to critical hit and consequently overwhelm it.
Shelmet is best suited to teams that have a substantial issue aptly handling Timburr and Riolu. This means that the likes of Misdreavus and Bronzor are some of Shelmet's best teammates, as not only do they provide Shelmet with a Rapid Spin immunity and a Drilbur counter, respectively, but they also can be preyed on by the two boosting Fighting-types. And while Fire-types are rare, both Bronzor and Shelmet are free switch-ins for them, and the duo also has issues with Misdreavus; both of these weaknesses can be covered fairly well with the addition of Munchlax. Munchlax makes an especially nice Shelmet partner, as its weakness to Fighting-types mandates a solid answer to Timburr and Riolu, while Shelmet's passiveness is largely made up for by Munchlax's walling abilities. Munchlax also has the plus of being able to phaze switch-ins with Whirlwind to rack up sizable damage with Shelmet's Spikes. Similarly, Hippopotas and Vullaby can also shuffle around the opponent's team to wear down their counters. Vullaby can also go on the offensive to wallbreak the opposing team, using Shelmet's Spikes to handle its few reliable counters. Shelmet's weakness to Stealth Rock and vulnerability to Spikes often require Rapid Spin support from Pokemon such as Drilbur and Staryu.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
============
Shelmet's other options are few and far between. Shelmet can occasionally fit Toxic on its set, which is nice to wear down opposing walls and its common counters. However, Toxic Spikes support obtains the same goal and is normally a much easier to fit on a team than Toxic is on Shelmet. On the other hand, Baton Pass can be used over either Bug Buzz or Spikes, giving it the chance to make certain sweepers super threatening with multiple Defense boosts. However, dropping any attack from Shelmet's set in favor of Baton Pass is hard to do and most often is not worth it. Encore can theoretically be used to prevent Shelmet from being setup fodder and generally act to force switches and rack up Spikes damage, but Shelmet can hardly fit it onto its moveset. Similarly, Yawn can be used to force switches and prevent Shelmet from being setup fodder, but Shelmet will very rarely have room for this option. However, Shelmet can fit Struggle Bug rather easily onto its moveset but seldom chooses to due to the move's low Base Power and circumstantially useful secondary effect.
Checks and Counters
============
Shelmet has quite a few checks and counters due to its passive nature. Misdreavus is able to switch into Shelmet with impunity, thanks to its immunity to Spikes, great natural bulk, and resistance to Bug Buzz. Misdreavus is also able to use Shelmet's passive nature to set up a Nasty Plot and become incredibly threatening. The uncommon Fire-types all wall Shelmet hard too and can use their STAB attacks to send Shelmet packing. Similarly, Vullaby is a pain in Shelmet's side, due to its reliably recovery, phazing options, and ability to set up a Nasty Plot on Shelmet. Moreover, landing a Toxic on Shelmet causes it to be severely less effective, and if coupled with hazard support, Shelmet is forced to Recover every time it switches in. Additionally, Encore users such as Cottonee can stifle Shelmet's effectiveness and force it out every time. Similarly, Whirlwind and Roar users such as Hippopotas will often come out on top against Shelmet due to its minimal offenses and weakness to entry hazards.
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