Ninjask (GP 2/2)

Endorfins

Your Worst Nightmare
is a Contributor Alumnus
Ninja'd

[Overview]

<p>Although Ninjask's stats and typing scream mediocrity, it has all the right tools to establish a niche that has made it infamous in every generation since its release. However, the coming of the fifth generation heralded Ninjask's fall from grace. Its former OU home has finally caught up with Ninjask, leaving it to wield its Speed passing abilities in NU. Ninjask's blazing Speed stat, rare Speed Boost ability, and access to Swords Dance and Baton Pass make Ninjask the ultimate sweeping assistant and a necessity in Baton Pass teams. After just a few turns of idling, Ninjask can easily turn the tide of battle, and give its team a decisive advantage.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, Ninjask has terrible defenses which force it to resort to Substitute and Protect to keep it alive. Ninjask's typing also grants it numerous weaknesses, including a dreaded 4x weakness to Stealth Rock. To make matters worse, NU has few usable Rapid Spin users, so Ninjask will struggle to switch in more than twice in a game. However, Ninjask is still a threat to prepare for; its unchecked presence can lead to a sweep in just a couple of turns.</p>

[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Protect / Swords Dance
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 224 Def / 36 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Ninjask is known for one set only. With its Speed Boost ability and access to Baton Pass, Ninjask can accumulate Speed boosts by just using Protect and Substitute. Baton Pass is the lynchpin of this set, and enables Ninjask to offload its boosts to any one of the slow yet powerful sweepers that reside in NU. Substitute is another move that Ninjask can potentially Baton Pass; it is also useful to keep Ninjask safe while it accumulates Speed boosts. Ninjask can easily set up a Substitute on Pokemon such as Tangela, Jumpluff, and Choice-locked Sawk. However, Ninjask's terrible defenses leave its Substitutes easily broken by unresisted moves, and if Ninjask is caught without a Substitute, it won't last long. Protect hoards more boosts while also letting Ninjask obtain more Leftovers recovery; when used in conjunction with Substitute, Ninjask can be extremely hard to take down. If you feel like playing Ninjask in a more offensive manner, Swords Dance can be used instead. If a physical sweeper safely receives both Speed boosts and a Swords Dance boost, the opponent will be hard-pressed to keep their team intact. X-Scissor is the only attacking move used on the set; it prevents Ninjask from being useless when Taunted and also lets it do respectable damage to targets such as Absol and Musharna.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>248 HP EVs give Ninjask as much overall bulk as possible while also letting it switch into Stealth Rock twice without fainting. 36 Speed EVs let Ninjask outspeed Jolly Swellow, one of the fastest Pokemon in NU, even without Speed boosts. The remaining EVs are placed in Defense and an Impish nature is chosen to let Ninjask safely set up a Substitute on moves such as Choice-locked Sawk's Close Combat. However, 224 Special Defense EVs and a Careful nature can help Ninjask against weak special attackers such as Tangela. If bulk is of little concern, then the defensive EVs can be placed in Attack with an Adamant nature to enable Ninjask to hit harder if necessary; with a Swords Dance boost, 252+ Ninjask's X-Scissor can OHKO even the bulkiest of Musharna after Stealth Rock damage. Leftovers is the item of choice as Ninjask can use its precious healing to create more Substitutes or switch once more into Stealth Rock. However, Focus Sash is a viable item if Ninjask is being used as a lead or if you are confident you can keep Stealth Rock off the field. With a Focus Sash, Ninjask is almost guaranteed to pass off both Attack and Speed boosts to a waiting teammate.</p>

<p>Although most Pokemon appreciate Speed and Attack boosts, there are some Pokemon that can make use of them more efficiently than others. Marowak, Rampardos and Golurk are slow, yet insanely powerful Pokemon that can use the boosts Ninjask passes to become speedy wrecking balls. Gorebyss and Exeggutor cannot make good use of Attack boosts; however, they are capable of utilizing the extra Speed to demolish common checks and revenge killers. Rapid Spin support is extremely useful as it lets Ninjask switch in without the fear of Stealth Rock. Armaldo and Wartortle are the best candidates for this task, although the less popular Torkoal, Tentacool and Sandshrew can work depending on your team. As phazers are the most common responses to Ninjask, Octillery and Cradily make good recipients thanks to their Suction Cups ability which lets them laughs at attempts to phaze them.</p>
<p>If Ninjask is being used on a dedicated Baton Pass team, good teammates include Gorebyss, Drifblim, and Mawile who can all pass it Defense boosts. Mr. Mime and Musharna can easily boost their special stats with Calm Mind while Leafeon and Sawsbuck can take some pressure off Ninjask and pass Attack boosts in its stead.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Ninjask's often forgotten base 90 Attack can be utilized more effectively with a Choice Band. A set consisting of U-turn, Aerial Ace, X-Scissor, and Night Slash can not only break through common walls such as Tangela and Musharna, but also efficiently scout the opponents response to Ninjask. Unfortunately, Ninjask cannot touch Steel-types outside of the poor Dig; Pokemon such as Probopass and Lairon can thus wall Ninjask to no end. Choice Band Ninjask also finds it difficult to switch in repeatedly as Stealth Rock will end it after just three switch ins. Roost can increase Ninjask's longevity and counteract the effects of Stealth Rock; however, Ninjask is extremely frail and finds little time to use the move effectively. Although Ninjask's HP stat isn't amazing, it can still use Final Gambit which can take out frailer Pokemon such as Cinccino if Ninjask is at full health; however, it comes at the cost of Ninjask's life and Ninjask often has better things to do. Hone Claws can be passed instead of Swords Dance if your designated recipient is either Zweilous or a Pokemon reliant on low accuracy moves such as Stone Edge.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>The biggest counter to Ninjask, as already implied, is Stealth Rock. Just by switching into the dastardly hazards, Ninjask will lose 50% of its health. The lack of viable Rapid Spin users in NU compounds this weakness and ensures that Ninjask will only have a few attempts to successfully set up a sweeper before it succumbs to its arch-enemy. Bulky Rock-types such as Golem are prime switch-ins to Ninjask as they can set up Stealth Rock or squash the bug with a 4x super effective Rock Blast that hits through Substitute and Focus Sash. Other multi-hit moves such as Cinccino's Tail Slap, can also break through Ninjask's flimsy Substitutes and KO it.</p>

<p>As Ninjask relies alot on Baton Pass and Substitute, phazing is a perfect way of rendering it useless. Not only does phazing strip Ninjask of all its boosts, it also forces Ninjask to take more Stealth Rock damage the next time it switches in. Phazers such as Bastiodon and Altaria can blow Ninjask away while taking pittance from X-Scissor. Taunt and Encore are equally disruptive as the former forces Ninjask to attack with its pathetic X-Scissor while the latter can lock it into a setup move. However, the speedy Ninjask can easily Baton Pass away before those moves take effect, and only Prankster users such as Murkrow will be able to stop it before it flees.</p>

<p>As many teams cannot reliably prevent Ninjask from passing Speed boosts, the best way to deal with it is to just hit the recipient hard. Pokemon such as Choice Band Emboar Choice Specs Charizard are useful in this regard. All in all, if you can keep Stealth Rock on the field and hit the recipient hard, Ninjask should not be too much of a problem.</p>

[Unreleased]

<p>If you can read this then you're smart enough to stay away from Infiltrator.</p>
 

breh

強いだね
I feel like protect'd go best slashed over x-scissor. That's all I can say, though.
 
I would put protect as the first slash over swords dance. Its incredibly hard for ninjask to set up Swords Dances when the opponent is going to do anything to stop it from setting up.

Quagsire isn't really a counter, but it does deserve a mention if they are running swords dance though, as it completely nullifies the boosts.
 

Django

Started from the bottom...
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Mention passing to both Octillery and Cradily, since Suction Cups is amazing.

There isn't really a lot to say about Ninjask, and you've covered most of it already. I would like to see a pure Swords Dance set in OO however. Yes it does have terrible coverage and yes it does require an incredible amount of team support, but it can be an incredibly dangerous late game sweeper if the conditions are right. Something like SD / X-Scissor / AA / Night Slash can work, but probably isn't worthy of its own set.
 

Endorfins

Your Worst Nightmare
is a Contributor Alumnus
Yeah, I always struggle to setup Swords Dances with Ninjask, as the opponent always tries to kill Ninjask no matter what
Mentioned the Swords Dance 'sweeper' in OO
 
Since CB is so popular as a "ha I'm so smart I tricked you" thing you could run U-Turn, X-Scissor, Night Slash and Aerial Ace. Redundant as fuck coverage but it definitely has a niche.
 
Maybe mention a specially defensive ev spread? Ninjask is kind of a one-trick pony but I think some special defense could help somewhere
 

jake

underdog of the year
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Having used this extensively...

First spread should be 248 HP / whatever Def / 36 Spe with a neutral nature, imo. The faster spread lets you outspeed Swellow when you aren't using Protect, but in every other situation I don't know why we're using a +Spe nature on a Pokemon who gets boosted Speed every turn anyway. 36 Speed allows you to outrun even the fastest Scarf users after a Protect (Zebstrika, Cinccino). I wouldn't even slash Focus Sash, since Leftovers is better 100% of the time and you won't be tanking Rock-type attacks to get off a boost. Rock Blast breaks the sash anyway so it's not worth it, really. Leftovers lets you PP stall stuff if you have to and can help you buy time if you need it, like stalling out weather (remember, you're faster than most abusers after a single Protect...). Protect is really the superior option in most cases and there are few times that you'll be able to actually pass SD - make sure to emphasize that, if you will. A 252 Adamant spread can also be mentioned in AC, since that allows Ninjask to actually hurt shit (it does stuff like 2HKOing 252/252+ Musharna after a bit of prior damage, OHKOing Ludicolo, nearly OHKOing Serperior, etc where the other spread fails to do most of that). It also lets Ninjask pick off some stuff towards the end of the match, if you need it. Just a decision between survivability and utility.

Mention partners that manhandle Golem and friends, since they ruin Ninjask's day. Marowak with Bonemerang will OHKO Golem and most SR setters which is pretty cool. Likewise, Torterra will mash it. Not all of these recipients have to be initially slow, either, especially since if you're using minimal investment it takes like +4 to catch Swellow. Also, potential spin support is great. Mention the difference between the two Suction Cups pkmn: Octillery poops on most Roar users (Lairon, Camerupt, Bastiodon, etc) and has insane coverage, while Cradily has more survivability post-pass with Recover and stuff like Swords Dance if you want. In a full BP team, mention the following partners: Mawile (beats birds, has Taunt and Intimidate, Iron Defense/SD to pass if you want that), Gorebyss (Agility / Iron Defense passes, scares off Camerupt + Roar users, can sweep if you want), Musharna (holy fuck CM stored power is the game winner on BP teams) and Leafeon/Sawsbuck (beat Golem, team support w/ Wish or Aromatherapy etc). It's okay to elaborate on full BP partners because Ninjask is the centerpiece of full BP in NU, and there's nowhere else for that stuff to go atm.

Uhhh outside of that I can't think of anything else. I'll stamp this once my changes have been made.
 

sandshrewz

POTATO
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After a Speed boost via Protect, Ninjask outspeeds Chlorophyll Exeggutor and can OHKO it (after SR or a LO recoil) with X-Scissor. A somewhat ok check for it I guess. Might want to add Natu as a teammate with Golem running around or a Rapid Spin user if Ninjask is not used as the lead, though it normally is. With Natu around, people might be deterred from laying up Stealth Rock recklessly, hopefully giving Ninjask a chance to switch in without halving its HP.

On a full BP team, Mawile and Gorebyss are pretty much the ones that continue the chain from Ninjask directly. They're slow and appreciate the Speed boosts and they can use Iron Defense, and Swords Dance for Mawile. Leafeon works as well with its good Defense and lols at Golem. :)
 

Django

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Ninjask hasn't really changed much with the tier shifts, nor has it gained from BW2. In my opinion this is fine to keep writing.
 

Woodchuck

actual cannibal
is a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnus
amcheck done
Overview]

<p>Although Ninjask's stats and typing scream mediocrity, Ninjask has all the right tools to establish a niche that has been infamous in every generation since its release. However, the coming of the fifth generation heralded Ninjask's fall from grace. Its former OU home has finally caught up withmoved on from Ninjask, leaving it to wield its Speed passing abilities in NU. Ninjask's blazing Speed, unique Speed Boost ability, Swords Dance, and Baton Pass, mean that it isake Ninjask the ultimate sweeping assistant and a necessity in Baton Pass teams. In just a few turns of idling, Ninjask can easily turn the tide of battle, giving your opponentits team a decisive advantage. Unfortunately, Ninjask has terrible defenses which force it to resort to Substitute and Protect to keep it alive. Ninjask's typing also grants it numerous weaknesses, including a dreaded 4x weakness to Stealth Rock.; to make matters worse, NU has few usable Rapid Spinners, which meansmeaning that Ninjask will struggle to switch in more than twice in a game. That is not to say thatHowever, Ninjask is notstill a threat to prepare for, as its unchecked presence can lead to a sweep in just a couple of turns.</p>

[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Protect / Swords Dance
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Leftovers
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 224 Def / 36 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Ninjask is known for one set only. With its Speed Boost ability and access to Baton Pass, Ninjask can accumulate Speed boosts by just by using Protect and Substitute. Baton Pass is the lynchpin of this set, and enables Ninjask to offload its payloadboosts to any one of the slow yet powerful sweepers that reside in NU. Substitute is another move that Ninjask can potentially Baton Pass,; it is also useful to keep Ninjask safe while it accumulates Speed boosts;. Ninjask can easily set up a Substitute on Pokemon such as cChoice-locked Sawk, as well as Tangela, and Jumpluff. However, Ninjask's terrible Ddefenses mean that Ninjask'its Substitutes can be easily broken by unresisted moves while, and if Ninjask is caught without a Substitute, it won't last long. Protect hoards more boosts while also letting Ninjask obtain more Leftovers recovery; when used in conjunction with Substitute, Ninjask can be extremely hard to take down. If you feel like playing Ninjask in a more offensive manner, Swords Dance can be used instead. If a physical sweeper safely receives both Speed boosts and a Swords Dance boost, the opponent will be hard-pressed to keep their team intact. X-Scissor is the only attacking move used on the set; it prevents Ninjask from being useless when Taunted while also being able to do respectable damage to targets such as Absol and Musharna.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>248 EVs are placed in HP to give Ninjask as much overall bulk as possible while also letting Ninjask switch into Stealth Rock twice without fainting. 36 EVs in Speed let Ninjask outspeed Jolly Swellow, one of the fastest Pokemon in NU, even without Speed boosts. The remaindering EVs are placed in Defense along with an Impish nature to let Ninjask safely set up a Substitute on moves such as Choice-locked Sawk's Close Combat. However, 224 Special Defense EVs and a Careful nature can help Ninjask against weak special attackers such as Tangela. If bulk is of little concern, then any Defensive EVs can be placed in Attack with an Adamant nature which lets, allowing Ninjask to hit harder if necessary; with a Swords Dance boost, a fully invested Ninjask X-Scissor can even OHKO even the bulkiest of Musharna after Stealth Rock damage. Leftovers is the item of choice as Ninjask can use its precious healing to create more Substitutes or brings its HP to a range where it will be able to switch into Stealth Rock without fainting. However, Focus Sash is a viable item choice if Ninjask is being used as a lead or if you are confident you can keep Stealth Rock off the field. With a Focus Sash, Ninjask is almost guaranteed to pass off both Attack and Speed boosts to a waiting teammate.</p>

<p>Although most Pokemon appreciate Speed and Attack boosts, there are some Pokemon that can make use of them more efficiently than others. Marowak, Rampardos and Golurk are slow, yet insanely powerful Pokemon that can use the boosts Ninjask passes to become speedy wrecking balls. Gorebyss and Exeggutor cannot make good use of Attack boosts,; however, they are capable of utilizing the extra Speed to demolish common checks and revenge killers. Rapid Spin support is extremely useful as it lets Ninjask switch in without the fear of Stealth Rock. Armaldo and Wartortle are the best candidates for this task, although the laess popular Torkoal, Tentacool and Sandshrew can work depending on your team. Since the most common responses to Ninjask are phazers, Octillery and Cradily make good recipients thanks to their Suction Cups ability which laughs at any attempt to phaze them. If Ninjask is being used as a teammate in a Baton Pass team, good teammates include Gorebyss, Drifblim, and Mawile who can all pass Defense boosts to Ninjask. Mr. Mime and Musharna can easily boost their special stats with Calm Mind while Leafeon and Sawsbuck can take some pressure off Ninjask and pass on Attack boosts in its stead.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Ninjask's often forgotten 90 base Attack can be utilized more effectively with a Choice Band. A set consisting of U-turn, Aerial Ace, X-Scissor, and Night Slash breaks through common walls such as Tangela and Musharna while also efficiently scouting the opponent's response to Ninjask. Unfortunately, Ninjask cannot touch Steel-types outside of the poor Dig, which means that Pokemon such as Probopass and Lairon can wall Ninjask to no end. Choice Band Ninjask also finds it difficult to switch in repeatedly as Stealth Rock kills it after just three switch ins. Roost can increase Ninjask's longevity and counteract the effects of Stealth Rock,; however, Ninjask is extremely frail and finds little time to use the move effectively. Although Ninjask's HP stat isn't amazing, it can still use Final Gambit, which can take out frailer Pokemon if Ninjask is at full health; however, it comes at the cost of Ninjask's life and Ninjask often has better things to do. Hone Claws can be passed instead of Swords Dance if your designated recipient is either Zweilous or a Pokemon reliant on low accuracy moves such as Stone Edge.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>If it wasn't already implied, then I can now reveal that the biggest counter to Ninjask is Stealth Rock. Just by switching into these dastardly hazards, Ninjask is forced to lose 50% of its health. The lack of viable Rapid Spinners in NU compounds this weakness and ensures that Ninjask will only have a few attempts to successfully set up a sweeper before it succumbs to its arch-enemy. Bulky Rock-types such as Golem are prime switch-ins to Ninjask as they can setup Stealth Rock or squash the bug with a 4x super effective Rock Blast that hits through Substitute and Focus Sash. Other multi-hit moves such as Cinccino's Tail Slap can also break through Ninjask's flimsy Substitutes and KO it. Since Ninjask relies a lot on Baton Pass and Substitute, phazing is a perfect way of rendering Ninjask useless. Not only does it force Ninjask to lose all its boosts, it can also rack up more Stealth Rock damage the next time it switches in. Taunt and Encore are equally disruptive, as the former forces Ninjask to attack with its pathetic X-Scissor while the latter can lock it into a setup move. However, Ninjask can easily Baton Pass away before those moves take effect, and only Prankster users will be able to stop it before it flees. As many teams cannot reliably prevent Ninjask from Baton Passing Speed boosts, the best way to deal with Ninjask is to just hit the recipient hard with Pokemon such as Choice Band Emboar or Choice Specs Charizard. If you can keep Stealth Rock on the field and hit the recipient hard then, Ninjask should not be too much of a problem.</p>

[Unreleased]

<p>If you can read this then your're smart enough to stay away from Infiltrator.</p>
 
[Overview]

<p>Although Ninjask's stats and typing scream mediocrity, Ninjask it has all the right tools to establish a niche that has been in made it famous in every generation since its release. However, the coming of the fifth generation heralded Ninjask's fall from grace. Its former OU home has finally caught up with Ninjask, leaving it to wield its Speed passing abilities in NU. Ninjask's blazing Speed stat, rare Speed Boost ability, and access to Swords Dance, and Baton Pass make Ninjask the ultimate sweeping assistant and a necessity in Baton Pass teams. In After just a few turns of idling, Ninjask can easily turn the tide of battle, giving and give its team a decisive advantage.</p>

<p>
Unfortunately, Ninjask has terrible defenses, which force it to resort to Substitute and Protect to keep it alive. Ninjask's typing also grants it numerous weaknesses, including a dreaded 4x weakness to Stealth Rock. To make matters worse, NU has few usable Rapid Spinners Rapid Spin users, meaning that so Ninjask will struggle to switch in more than twice in a game. However, Ninjask is still a threat to prepare for; its unchecked presence can lead to a sweep in just a couple of turns.</p>

[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Protect / Swords Dance
move 4: X-Scissor
item: Leftovers
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 224 Def / 36 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Ninjask is known for one set only. With its Speed Boost ability and access to Baton Pass, Ninjask can accumulate Speed boosts by just using Protect and Substitute. Baton Pass is the lynchpin of this set, and enables Ninjask to offload its boosts to any one of the slow yet powerful sweepers that reside in NU. Substitute is another move that Ninjask can potentially Baton Pass; it is also useful to keep Ninjask safe while it accumulates Speed boosts. Ninjask can easily setup set up a Substitute on Pokemon such as Tangela, Jumpluff, and Choice-locked Sawk. However, Ninjask's terrible defenses mean that leave its Substitutes can be easily broken by unresisted moves, and if Ninjask is caught without a Substitute, it won't last long. Protect hoards more boosts while also letting Ninjask obtain more Leftovers recovery; when used in conjunction with Substitute, Ninjask can be extremely hard to take down. If you feel like playing Ninjask in a more offensive manner, Swords Dance can be used instead. If a physical sweeper safely receives both Speed boosts and a Swords Dance boost, the opponent will be hard-pressed to keep their team intact. X-Scissor is the only attacking move used on the set; it prevents Ninjask from being useless when Taunted, while also being able to and also lets it do respectable damage to targets such as Absol and Musharna.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>248 HP EVs are placed in HP to give Ninjask as much overall bulk as possible while also letting Ninjask it switch into Stealth Rock twice without fainting. 36 EVs in Speed EVs let Ninjask outspeed Jolly Swellow, one of the fastest Pokemon in NU, even without Speed boosts. The remaining EVs are placed in Defense along with and an Impish nature is chosen to let Ninjask safely set up a Substitute on moves such as Choice-locked Sawk's Close Combat. However, 224 Special Defense EVs and a Careful nature can help Ninjask against weak special attackers such as Tangela. If bulk is of little concern, then any the defensive EVs can be placed in Attack with an Adamant nature allowing to enable Ninjask to hit harder if necessary; with a Swords Dance boost, a fully invested 252+ Ninjask's X-Scissor can OHKO even the bulkiest of Musharna after Stealth Rock damage. Leftovers is the item of choice as Ninjask can use its precious healing to create more Substitutes or bring its HP to a range where it will be able to switch into Stealth Rock without fainting switch once more into Stealth Rock. However, Focus Sash is a viable item if Ninjask is being used as a lead or if you are confident you can keep Stealth Rock off the field. With a Focus Sash, Ninjask is almost guaranteed to pass off both Attack and Speed boosts to a waiting teammate.</p>

<p>Although most Pokemon appreciate Speed and Attack boosts, there are some Pokemon that can make use of them more efficiently than others. Marowak, Rampardos, and Golurk are slow, yet insanely powerful Pokemon that can use the boosts Ninjask passes to become speedy wrecking balls. Gorebyss and Exeggutor cannot make good use of Attack boosts; however, they are capable of utilizing the extra Speed to demolish common checks and revenge killers. Rapid Spin support is extremely useful as it lets Ninjask switch in without the fear of Stealth Rock. Armaldo and Wartortle are the best candidates for this task, although the less popular Torkoal, Tentacool, and Sandshrew can work depending on your team. Since As phazers are the most common responses to Ninjask are phazers, Octillery and Cradily make good recipients thanks to their Suction Cups ability, which lets them laughs at any attempts to phaze them.</p>

<p>
If Ninjask is being used as a teammate in a on a dedicated Baton Pass team, good teammates include Gorebyss, Drifblim, and Mawile, who can all pass it Defense boosts to Ninjask. Mr. Mime and Musharna can easily boost their special stats with Calm Mind, while Leafeon and Sawsbuck can take some pressure off Ninjask and pass Attack boosts in its stead.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Ninjask's often-forgotten 90 base 90 Attack can be utilized more effectively with a Choice Band. A set consisting of U-turn, Aerial Ace, X-Scissor, and Night Slash breaks can not only break through common walls, such asTangela and Musharna, while but also efficiently scouting scout the opponent's response to Ninjask. Unfortunately, Ninjask cannot touch Steel-types outside of the poor Dig; which means that Pokemon such as Probopass and Lairon can thus wall Ninjask to no end. Choice Band Ninjask also finds it difficult to switch in repeatedly as Stealth Rock kills will end it after just three switch-ins. Roost can increase Ninjask's longevity and counteract the effects of Stealth Rock; however, Ninjask is extremely frail and finds little time to use the move effectively. Although Ninjask's HP stat isn't amazing, it can still use Final Gambit which can to take out frailer Pokemon (such as?) if Ninjask is at full health; however, it comes at the cost of Ninjask's life, and Ninjask often has better things to do. Hone Claws can be passed instead of Swords Dance if your designated recipient is either Zweilous or a Pokemon reliant on low accuracy moves, such as Stone Edge.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>If it wasn't already implied, I can now reveal that The biggest counter to Ninjask, as already implied, is Stealth Rock. Just by switching into these the dastardly hazards, Ninjask is forced to will lose 50% of its health. The lack of viable Rapid Spinners Rapid Spin users in NU compounds this weakness and ensures that Ninjask will only have a few attempts to successfully set up a sweeper before it succumbs to its arch-enemy. Bulky Rock-types such as Golem are prime switch-ins to Ninjask as they can setup set up Stealth Rock or squash the bug with a 4x super effective Rock Blast that hits through Substitute and Focus Sash. Other multi-hit moves, such as Cinccino's Tail Slap, can also break through Ninjask's flimsy Substitutes and KO it.</p>

<p>
Since As Ninjask relies a lot on Baton Pass and Substitute, phazing is a perfect way of rendering Ninjask it useless. Not only does it phazing force Ninjask to lose strip Ninjask of all its boosts, it can also rack up also forces Ninjask to take more Stealth Rock damage the next time it switches in. (give examples of some phazers?) Taunt and Encore are equally disruptive, as the former forces Ninjask to attack with its pathetic X-Scissor, while the latter can lock it into a setup move. However, the speedy Ninjask can easily Baton Pass away before those moves take effect, and only Prankster users will be able to stop it before it flees. (again some specific examples would be nice!) </p>

<p>
As many teams cannot reliably prevent Ninjask from Baton passing Speed boosts, the best way to deal with Ninjask it is to just hit the recipient hard. with Pokemon such as Choice Band Emboar or and Choice Specs Charizard are useful in this regard. All in all, if you can keep Stealth Rock on the field and hit the recipient hard, Ninjask should not be too much of a problem.</p>

[Unreleased]

<p>If you can read this, then you're smart enough to stay away from Infiltrator.</p>


if infiltrator is released, delete the [unreleased] section; if it's unreleased, remove the "ability: Speed Boost" line :]


some other comments:
  • "spinners" and "Rapid Spin users" are both acceptable; "Rapid Spinners" is not
  • base 90 Attack
  • Smogon uses the serial comma: "Torkoal, Tentacool, (comma) and Sandshrew" / "Tangela, Jumpluff, (hi) and Choice-locked Sawk" etc
  • don't use "since" as a synonym for "as" / "because"; "since" connotes time and should only be used in places such as "in every generation since its release"

other than that, great read! thorough as always, Endorfins :)

 

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