Sharpedo {Analysis}

V0x said:

[Overview]

<p>Since the third generation, Sharpedo was has always been outclassed by other offensive Water-types and shoved aside to the lower tiers. In Black and White, however, GameFreak blessed Sharpedo with Speed Boost via the Dream World. Now It now poses a legitimate threat to unprepared or weakened teams, slowly speeding up to the point where it becomes difficult to can hardly be revenge kill without priority. Sharpedo's STAB moves, complemented by coverage moves such as Earthquake, Ice Beam, and Hidden Power, all help it tear through teams. However, the downside to using Sharpedo is its frailty. With 70/40/40 defenses, it is almost impossible for Sharpedo to switch in, even on a resisted move, without taking significant damage. Sharpedo is also easily revenge killed by priority from the likes of Hitmontop and Arcanine,(comma) thus, it must be supported well and played cautiously for it to be effective.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Sweeper
move 1: Protect
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk / 88 Def / 84 SpD / 84 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to take advantage of Sharpedo's offensive prowess, and is best used late game when it can clean weakened teams. Protect stalls for Speed Boosts, enables Sharpedo to nab one a Speed Boost before it begins battle; thus, fewer Speed EVs are required. It is also useful a few turns later, safely boosting to outspeed fast Choice Scarf users aiming to revenge kill the shark before the time it's too late. Sharpedo's dual-STAB have provides good coverage in UU: Crunch rends the various Psychic-types such as Celebi, Alakazam, and Azelf and Waterfall nails Ground-types such as Donphan. Earthquake provides further coverage, hitting Steel-types such as Registeel and Empoleon for super effective damage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs maximize Sharpedo's Attack and give it enough Speed to outpace positive base 100s using Choice Scarf after two boosts. The rest is split into defenses, as with base 70 HP and base 40 in each defense, this is the best way to maximize Sharpedo's bulk. Contrary to the look of those defenses, Sharpedo can actually take weak or resisted hits and is never be OHKOed by maximum Attack Life Orb Arcanine's ExtremeSpeed, even when Stealth Rock is factored in. Some EVs can be freely taken out to give Sharpedo 152 Speed EVs, allowing it to outrun the entire unboosted UU tier after one boost. Life Orb is the preferred item, as it further augments Sharpedo's power; unfortunately, it is unable to boost its offenses. Rain support will also bolster its attacks to make it harder to wall. Despite its power, bulky Water-types such as Milotic wall Sharpedo handily, taking little damage from Crunch, bar a Defense drop. Roserade makes a good partner to take out these Water-types, scaring them off with STAB moves and setting up hazards to ease Sharpedo's efforts. Chansey is also problematic, as Sharpedo is unable to 2HKO it(I'm not sure if you'd like to refer to Chansey as 'her', as she is 100% female)without a critical hit. Murkrow is a great partner for getting rid of this pink blob and other bulky walls, using the Perish Trap strategy to easily doom them. FeatherDance variants can help Sharpedo against Hitmontop, which revenge kills the shark with Mach Punch. Aqua Jet is an option to bypass the priority moves of other Pokemon, but is significantly weaker than Waterfall.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Sweeper
move 1: Protect
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Earthquake / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Rash
EVs: 212 Atk / 212 SpA / 84 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set takes a different approach to Sharpedo, splitting its offenses to hit some common switch-ins harder. Protect is still necessary, allowing it to speed up in safely. Hydro Pump is able to KO Arcanine, something Waterfall cannot do due to Initimidate's effect. Sharpedo must still watch out for ExtremeSpeed, however, which leaves Sharpedo doomed if it has taken too much prior damage or Hydro Pump misses. Crunch is Sharpedo's physical STAB move of choice, defeating frail Psychic-types such as Azelf and Alakazam. It also maims Gastrodon aiming to get a Storm Drain boost. However, Crunch cannot OHKO Physically Defensive Slowbro, so Dark Pulse is a viable alternative if one's team really needs Slowbro gone. Regardless, there are a couple of options for the last slot. Earthquake dents Steel-types such as Registeel and Empoleon; both resist Dark-type moves, and Empoleon brushes off Hydro Pump or Waterfall. However, Ice Beam provides great coverage with Sharpedo's Water-type moves to hit opposing Grass-types, and, after two Speed Boosts, it destroys any Flygon seeking to revenge kill.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Hidden Power Grass is an option in the last slot to hit Gastrodon, but the sea slug is maimed by Crunch anyway. The EVs split Sharpedo's offensive capabilities, and 80 Speed functions to outpace positive base 100 Choice Scarf users after two boosts. A Rash nature optimizes Hydro Pump's power, sacrificing Sharpedo's rather useless defenses. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Blastoise still wall Sharpedo, taking even Hidden Power Grass without much effort. Grass-types such as Roserade will deal with these and set up hazards to ease Sharpedo's attacks. Murkrow is also a good choice to take care of bulky opponents, employing the Perish Trap strategy with relative ease. Hitmontop, with its STAB Mach Punch, threatens Sharpedo, bypassing the Speed boosts. Aqua Jet is a viable alternative to counteract opposing priority users, but is much weaker than Waterfall or Hydro Pump.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Sharpedo can equip a Choice Band to power up Aqua Jet, but this set plays differently, and something as frail as Sharpedo won't enjoy the inability to switch moves. Return or Frustration is an option, attaining the Water-Normal-type neutral coverage,(comma) however, Dark-type moves attain about the same coverage with Water-type moves, so this is not advised. On the mixed set, Scald is a possibility as a Water-type STAB, but is rather weak. One can forgo a coverage move for Toxic to wear down bulky Water-types, but some such as Milotic absorb status due to Rest. Taunt and Torment are interesting support moves, but Sharpedo lacks to the defenses to use these effectively.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Hitmontop is arguably the best counter to Sharpedo. Its Intimidate neuters the shark, and can KO with a STAB Fighting-type move. Alternatively, with Technician, Hitmontop can nail Sharpedo with a powerful Mach Punch, ignoring any Speed boosts. Other priority users will defeat Sharpedo as well. Quick Attack Scyther and ExtremeSpeed Arcanine come to mind, easily eliminating Sharpedo after rounds of Life Orb recoil. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic, Suicune, and Blastoise readily wall this dark shark, and can retaliate with status or a phazing move. Chansey is overall bulky, and takes little damage from Sharpedo's attacks. Offensive Grass- or Electric-types are great for eliminating the former group, while Murkrow preys on both with a Perish Song and Mean Look combo.(Isn't this supposed to be in 'Additional Comments') The mixed set encounters problems depending on which coverage move is chosen. The lack of Earthquake leaves Sharpedo useless against Empoleon, Registeel, Toxicroak, and others, while the lack of Hidden Power Grass means Quagsire and Gastrodon have a field day. The former must watch out for Hydro Pump, however. Without Ice Beam, Sharpedo will have trouble dealing with Grass-type opponents. Therefore, one should choose the coverage move based on which set of Pokemon one's team can handle.(Again, this sounds like Additional Comments, this and the previous one should be removed in my opinion)</p>

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