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Sharpedo
[Overview]
<p>Sharpedo is as close to a "classic sweeper" as you can get. It has great base 120 Attack, base 95 Special Attack, and base 95 Speed. While that Speed stat is below that all-important base 100 threshold, access to Speed Boost means Speed is the least of Sharpedo's worries. The shark's dual STAB is not perfect, but Water / Dark coverage is still very good since only a few Pokemon in RU resist the combo. Outside of its STAB moves, one may notice Sharpedo has few coverage options—Earthquake, Hidden Power, and Ice Beam are the only other notable moves. However, Sharpedo has little room, and little need, for such moves. In the classic sweeper sense, unfortunately, Sharpedo has pathetic defenses. Any strong move, whether it be resisted, neutral, or super effective, will KO Sharpedo. Furthermore, it has no way to boost its offensive stats, meaning even weak walls can stop and KO it. In any case, Sharpedo can still pose a huge threat as a late game sweeper, and should not be neglected in that sense.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Protect
move 2: Hydro Pump / Waterfall
move 3: Crunch / Dark Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Rash
evs: 132 Atk / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Mixed attacking Sharpedo is one set the shark pulls off exceptionally well in RU, as there is not an excess of bulky opponents. Protect ensures a Speed Boost, which is important since Sharpedo is outsped by a variety of threats such as Swellow, Charizard, Sneasel, and Entei. Protect also can stall out field effects, such as Trick Room and Sunny Day. Hydro Pump is the primary STAB move, hitting the many Pokemon weak to Water-type moves, such as Fire-types, Gligar, Krookodile, and Claydol. It also bypasses Qwilfish with Intimidate, and Hydro Pump can actually 2HKO some variants! Waterfall is an alternative, but doesn't hit Pokemon such as Gligar as hard. Crunch is the best secondary STAB move to use, crushing specially bulky Pokemon such as Claydol and Gallade. However, Dark Pulse is useful in that it can flinch the opponent, which works well with Sharpedo's superior Speed. Keep in mind that Dark Pulse is illegal with Hydro Pump, however. The last slot is reserved for a Hidden Power. Hidden Power Fire decimates Tangrowth and Ferroseed, the latter which resists all the other moves on this set. However, Hidden Power Grass is a safer alternative against Ground-types due to Hydro Pump's shaky 80% accuracy; it also leaves any Quagsire variant no chance of survival.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>There are a couple of other viable moves for Sharpedo. Aqua Jet is useful since other priority attacks will still take down Sharpedo. However, the move is relatively weak and makes Sharpedo's coverage rather shallow. Ice Beam is another coverage option in the last slot; with Life Orb, Rash, and 252 Special Attack EVs, it will always OHKO Tangrowth with 252 HP / 4 SpD EVs. However, Hydro Pump and Hidden Power Fire achieve a clean 2HKO, meaning Tangrowth cannot reliably switch in anyway. Those Special Attack EVs can be moved around, though, if Tangrowth is not an issue and you want Sharpedo's physical attacks to KO certain opponents. The Speed should stay relatively fixed, however, as it allow the shark at +1 to outspeed base 125s, most notably Swellow. A Rash nature is best—the boost in Special Attack is welcome, and a positive Speed nature is unimportant due to Speed Boosts. Similarly, Life Orb is chosen for the most power; Sharpedo does not have the coverage to effectively use Expert Belt, whereas the recoil from Life Orb is hardly important since Sharpedo is so frail anyway.</p>
<p>Sharpedo actually has few problems beating opponents. However, bulky Fighting-types, particularly Poliwrath and Throh, are problematic. Poliwrath is immune to Hydro Pump and resists both Crunch and Hidden Power Fire. Throh takes a hefty amount of damage from Hydro Pump, but at full health, it is not 2HKOed and can smack Sharpedo with a STAB Fighting-type move. Psychic-types, such as Slowking or Jynx (provided she avoids the strong physical attacks), and Flying-types are good partners to nail these two threats. Munchlax is also a problem, taking little damage from Sharpedo's attacks and being able to phaze it out. However, it can be taken down with repeated hits. Alomomola is also a problem with its high Defense and HP, so Grass- and Electric-types, especially special attackers such as Roselia and Galvantula, are good partners to take it out. Roselia can also provide Spikes support, turning many near OHKOes into sure OHKOes. Likewise, Stealth Rock support is helpful as well. Support Kabutops can provide both this and Rapid Spin support, which is useful since Sharpedo might be forced out many times, and it won't enjoy the passive damage. If needed, Kabutops can also provide rain support, which makes Hydro Pump hit much harder.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Protect
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Aqua Jet / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 68 Def / 64 SpD / 124 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is slightly different in that it focuses on Sharpedo's excellent Attack stat. Protect serves the same function: stall for Speed Boosts and maybe waste field effect turns. Waterfall is the main STAB move, maiming the majority of threats and even 2HKOing physically defensive Gligar! Crunch provides another STAB move, and hits Slowking and Jynx, which would otherwise stop Sharpedo. The last slot is a toss up. Aqua Jet is useful for picking off weakened threats that have priority moves of their own, such as Hitmonchan. However, Earthquake, although it gives little outside of coverage, provides a way to deal with Qwilfish and Pokemon with a Water / Rock typing. Earthquake will also deal the most damage to enemy Sharpedo.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The Attack EVs and an Adamant nature maximize Sharpedo's Attack, which differentiates this set from the mixed sweeper. While it may be odd that EVs are invested in the defenses, Sharpedo's base 70 / 40 / 40 defenses means direct defense investment is more efficient statistically. Secondly, Sharpedo might be able to survive the odd resisted, neutral, or priority move with these EVs, though there is no exact intention. There are a few Pokemon that still give Sharpedo troubles, even with this EV spread. While Throh and Poliwrath can now be 2HKOed with Earthquake, physically defensive Quagsire, Alomomola, and Tangrowth will cause problems. The first two can be taken out with strong Grass- or Electric-type special attackers, such as Rotom-C and Galvantula. The latter will usually fall to neutral special attacks or Hidden Power Ice, which Rotom-C and Galvantula can provide. Kabutops is again a good partner since it can provide both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin support.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are a couple of other moves Sharpedo can make use of. Hidden Power Rock hits Fire-types more reliably than Hydro Pump, but provides less coverage and has less power. Ice Beam can OHKO Tangrowth, but the undergrowth is already 2HKOed by Hydro Pump. There are very few Dragon-types that Ice Beam can maim regardless. Substitute can be used in tandem with or over Protect; it eases prediction and stalls for multiple Speed Boosts in a row. However, Sharpedo must set up against a slower opponent, which is difficult in a fast paced metagame. Choice items are an option (not Choice Scarf, obviously), but Floatzel pulls that role off better, as the otter has access to Switcheroo and is not as frail.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Any Pokemon that can survive Sharpedo's moves, especially those that resist its dual STAB such as Poliwrath and Ferroseed, can KO Sharpedo as long as the shark doesn't carry a super effective move. Furthermore, opponents that can survive its attacks, such as Hariyama, Quagsire, and Primape, are able to destroy the shark. While Cofagrigus and Dusknoir are hit by Sharpedo's Dark-type moves super effectively, they have such high Defense that they can survive and retaliate. Cofagrigus's Mummy ability will also remove Sharpedo's Speed Boost, which could hinder a lategame sweep. Pokemon that can somehow manage to outspeed Sharpedo even after a Speed boost can revenge kill Sharpedo. However, this is rare, since Protect usually ensures that Sharpedo will outspeed any Choice Scarf user. Priority moves not named Ice Shard and Bullet Punch will KO Sharpedo, as with Life Orb recoil, Sharpedo will never be at full health for very long.</p>
Sharpedo
[Overview]
<p>Sharpedo is as close to a "classic sweeper" as you can get. It has great base 120 Attack, base 95 Special Attack, and base 95 Speed. While that Speed stat is below that all-important base 100 threshold, access to Speed Boost means Speed is the least of Sharpedo's worries. The shark's dual STAB is not perfect, but Water / Dark coverage is still very good since only a few Pokemon in RU resist the combo. Outside of its STAB moves, one may notice Sharpedo has few coverage options—Earthquake, Hidden Power, and Ice Beam are the only other notable moves. However, Sharpedo has little room, and little need, for such moves. In the classic sweeper sense, unfortunately, Sharpedo has pathetic defenses. Any strong move, whether it be resisted, neutral, or super effective, will KO Sharpedo. Furthermore, it has no way to boost its offensive stats, meaning even weak walls can stop and KO it. In any case, Sharpedo can still pose a huge threat as a late game sweeper, and should not be neglected in that sense.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Protect
move 2: Hydro Pump / Waterfall
move 3: Crunch / Dark Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Rash
evs: 132 Atk / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Mixed attacking Sharpedo is one set the shark pulls off exceptionally well in RU, as there is not an excess of bulky opponents. Protect ensures a Speed Boost, which is important since Sharpedo is outsped by a variety of threats such as Swellow, Charizard, Sneasel, and Entei. Protect also can stall out field effects, such as Trick Room and Sunny Day. Hydro Pump is the primary STAB move, hitting the many Pokemon weak to Water-type moves, such as Fire-types, Gligar, Krookodile, and Claydol. It also bypasses Qwilfish with Intimidate, and Hydro Pump can actually 2HKO some variants! Waterfall is an alternative, but doesn't hit Pokemon such as Gligar as hard. Crunch is the best secondary STAB move to use, crushing specially bulky Pokemon such as Claydol and Gallade. However, Dark Pulse is useful in that it can flinch the opponent, which works well with Sharpedo's superior Speed. Keep in mind that Dark Pulse is illegal with Hydro Pump, however. The last slot is reserved for a Hidden Power. Hidden Power Fire decimates Tangrowth and Ferroseed, the latter which resists all the other moves on this set. However, Hidden Power Grass is a safer alternative against Ground-types due to Hydro Pump's shaky 80% accuracy; it also leaves any Quagsire variant no chance of survival.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>There are a couple of other viable moves for Sharpedo. Aqua Jet is useful since other priority attacks will still take down Sharpedo. However, the move is relatively weak and makes Sharpedo's coverage rather shallow. Ice Beam is another coverage option in the last slot; with Life Orb, Rash, and 252 Special Attack EVs, it will always OHKO Tangrowth with 252 HP / 4 SpD EVs. However, Hydro Pump and Hidden Power Fire achieve a clean 2HKO, meaning Tangrowth cannot reliably switch in anyway. Those Special Attack EVs can be moved around, though, if Tangrowth is not an issue and you want Sharpedo's physical attacks to KO certain opponents. The Speed should stay relatively fixed, however, as it allow the shark at +1 to outspeed base 125s, most notably Swellow. A Rash nature is best—the boost in Special Attack is welcome, and a positive Speed nature is unimportant due to Speed Boosts. Similarly, Life Orb is chosen for the most power; Sharpedo does not have the coverage to effectively use Expert Belt, whereas the recoil from Life Orb is hardly important since Sharpedo is so frail anyway.</p>
<p>Sharpedo actually has few problems beating opponents. However, bulky Fighting-types, particularly Poliwrath and Throh, are problematic. Poliwrath is immune to Hydro Pump and resists both Crunch and Hidden Power Fire. Throh takes a hefty amount of damage from Hydro Pump, but at full health, it is not 2HKOed and can smack Sharpedo with a STAB Fighting-type move. Psychic-types, such as Slowking or Jynx (provided she avoids the strong physical attacks), and Flying-types are good partners to nail these two threats. Munchlax is also a problem, taking little damage from Sharpedo's attacks and being able to phaze it out. However, it can be taken down with repeated hits. Alomomola is also a problem with its high Defense and HP, so Grass- and Electric-types, especially special attackers such as Roselia and Galvantula, are good partners to take it out. Roselia can also provide Spikes support, turning many near OHKOes into sure OHKOes. Likewise, Stealth Rock support is helpful as well. Support Kabutops can provide both this and Rapid Spin support, which is useful since Sharpedo might be forced out many times, and it won't enjoy the passive damage. If needed, Kabutops can also provide rain support, which makes Hydro Pump hit much harder.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Protect
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Aqua Jet / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 68 Def / 64 SpD / 124 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is slightly different in that it focuses on Sharpedo's excellent Attack stat. Protect serves the same function: stall for Speed Boosts and maybe waste field effect turns. Waterfall is the main STAB move, maiming the majority of threats and even 2HKOing physically defensive Gligar! Crunch provides another STAB move, and hits Slowking and Jynx, which would otherwise stop Sharpedo. The last slot is a toss up. Aqua Jet is useful for picking off weakened threats that have priority moves of their own, such as Hitmonchan. However, Earthquake, although it gives little outside of coverage, provides a way to deal with Qwilfish and Pokemon with a Water / Rock typing. Earthquake will also deal the most damage to enemy Sharpedo.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The Attack EVs and an Adamant nature maximize Sharpedo's Attack, which differentiates this set from the mixed sweeper. While it may be odd that EVs are invested in the defenses, Sharpedo's base 70 / 40 / 40 defenses means direct defense investment is more efficient statistically. Secondly, Sharpedo might be able to survive the odd resisted, neutral, or priority move with these EVs, though there is no exact intention. There are a few Pokemon that still give Sharpedo troubles, even with this EV spread. While Throh and Poliwrath can now be 2HKOed with Earthquake, physically defensive Quagsire, Alomomola, and Tangrowth will cause problems. The first two can be taken out with strong Grass- or Electric-type special attackers, such as Rotom-C and Galvantula. The latter will usually fall to neutral special attacks or Hidden Power Ice, which Rotom-C and Galvantula can provide. Kabutops is again a good partner since it can provide both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin support.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are a couple of other moves Sharpedo can make use of. Hidden Power Rock hits Fire-types more reliably than Hydro Pump, but provides less coverage and has less power. Ice Beam can OHKO Tangrowth, but the undergrowth is already 2HKOed by Hydro Pump. There are very few Dragon-types that Ice Beam can maim regardless. Substitute can be used in tandem with or over Protect; it eases prediction and stalls for multiple Speed Boosts in a row. However, Sharpedo must set up against a slower opponent, which is difficult in a fast paced metagame. Choice items are an option (not Choice Scarf, obviously), but Floatzel pulls that role off better, as the otter has access to Switcheroo and is not as frail.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Any Pokemon that can survive Sharpedo's moves, especially those that resist its dual STAB such as Poliwrath and Ferroseed, can KO Sharpedo as long as the shark doesn't carry a super effective move. Furthermore, opponents that can survive its attacks, such as Hariyama, Quagsire, and Primape, are able to destroy the shark. While Cofagrigus and Dusknoir are hit by Sharpedo's Dark-type moves super effectively, they have such high Defense that they can survive and retaliate. Cofagrigus's Mummy ability will also remove Sharpedo's Speed Boost, which could hinder a lategame sweep. Pokemon that can somehow manage to outspeed Sharpedo even after a Speed boost can revenge kill Sharpedo. However, this is rare, since Protect usually ensures that Sharpedo will outspeed any Choice Scarf user. Priority moves not named Ice Shard and Bullet Punch will KO Sharpedo, as with Life Orb recoil, Sharpedo will never be at full health for very long.</p>
