Bisharp (Analysis) (QC 3/3)(GP 2/2)

Magcargo

Magcargo

is a Top Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
Approved by the OU QC Team
Credit to alexwolf for the original analysis skeleton
Current Progress said:
QC 3/3: Dice, shrang, alexwolf
GP 2/2: bugmaniacbob, Rohail
QC Reject:1/3 ginganinja
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Bulbepedia | Serebii | Smogon​
[Overview]

<p>Bisharp is a very unique Pokemon in OU, both competitively and aesthetically. Thanks to its high Attack stat and powerful STAB priority move, Sucker Punch, Bisharp can revenge kill a wide variety of threats, including Starmie, Latios, and Choice Scarf Gengar. Bisharp also has a unique typing, giving it resistances to several common attacking types, such as Grass, Psychic, Dragon, and Ice. This gives Bisharp a larger number of setup opportunities, especially when taking into account its reasonable bulk. Taunt is another perk that Bisharp has over other physical sweepers, allowing it to defeat common walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Moreover, Bisharp has an amazing ability in Defiant, so it cannot be stopped by Pokemon with the Intimidate ability, such as Gyarados and Landorus-T. All of this coupled with Swords Dance allows Bisharp to function as a relatively decent sweeper.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, Bisharp has many flaws that prevent it from receiving much usage in OU. Its typing is a double-edged sword, as while it gives Bisharp several important resistances, it also gives it weaknesses to Fighting-, Fire-, and Ground-type moves, thus making it difficult for Bisharp to set up at times. Its quadruple Fighting weakness is exceptionally detrimental in the current metagame, as it means that common Pokemon such as Terrakion, Breloom, and Conkeldurr can defeat Bisharp with little to no difficulty. Despite its power, Sucker Punch is a very unreliable move and makes Bisharp more vulnerable to Substitute and Trick users, such as Kyurem-B and Rotom-W, respectively. Bisharp's largest flaw, however, is that it is eclipsed by Lucario and Scizor as Swords Dance sweepers, as both have better typing and coverage, as well as more reliable priority moves. Overall, Bisharp is not an ineffective Pokemon, but you should only use it for a few niche roles.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Night Slash / Taunt
item: BlackGlasses / Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set utilizes Bisharp's unique typing and powerful priority move in the form of Sucker Punch to attempt to sweep the opposition. Even if Bisharp does not set up a Swords Dance, it still has the ability to revenge kill Pokemon such as Latios, Starmie, and Thundurus-T due to Sucker Punch's high Base Power. As such, Sucker Punch functions as Bisharp's main STAB move. Low Kick complements Sucker Punch's coverage very well, hitting Steel-, Dark-, and Rock-types for super effective damage. Night Slash might appear to be redundant on this set, as it is not only weaker than Sucker Punch, but also lacks priority; however, it serves the purpose of eliminating targets more reliably than Sucker Punch, which is especially useful in situations against a Will-O-Wisp or Substitute user. Even so, Taunt is a viable alternate, as it gives Bisharp a larger number of setup opportunities, along with ensuring that Sucker Punch will hit its target.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Using the given EVs, Bisharp gains enough Speed to outrun specially defensive Heatran, and the HP EVs allow it to take weaker super effective moves, such as Gliscor's Earthquake. While BlackGlasses is advised for the item as it has no negative side effects and Sucker Punch is the main move Bisharp will be using, Life Orb still has its own advantages, such as allowing Bisharp to 2HKO Hippowdon and OHKO Scizor and Ferrothorn after a Swords Dance and Stealth Rock damage, making it a fine option as an item. If using Life Orb, maximum Speed and Attack investment is recommended, as the Life Orb recoil subverts with Bisharp's bulk and maximum Speed investment allows Bisharp to outpace and OHKO defensive variants of Landorus-T and Rotom-W with Night Slash. A Jolly nature is an option, as it allows Bisharp to outpace defensive variants of Celebi and Jiachi, as well as to outpace Jolly Scizor and Adamant Breloom. Here are some calculations that showcase Bisharp's immense power after a Swords Dance, assuming that it is holding BlackGlasses:</p>

<ul="damage_calculation">
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 349-412 (97.48 - 115.08%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Keldeo: 182-215 (56.34 - 66.56%) -- guaranteed 2HKO</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk Bisharp Low Kick (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 48+ Def Ferrothorn: 322-380 (91.47 - 107.95%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Jirachi: 334-394 (82.67 - 97.52%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+3 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 248 HP / 244 Def Landorus-T: 357-420 (93.7 - 110.23%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 187-222 (44.52 - 52.85%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
</ul>

<p>As you can see, Bisharp appreciates entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Custap Berry Skarmory and Forretress, as it allows Bisharp to achieve many of the previously mentioned KOs. Frosslass is also a fine partner if being used alongside a Stealth Rock setter, as it can set up Spikes while also spinblocking, allowing you to preserve a teamslot for your team, as Custap Berry Skarmory and Forretress reqire the use of an alternate spinblocker. Other Swords Dance sweepers such as Scizor and Lucario are exceptional partners, as Bisharp can weaken their checks, allowing them to sweep more easily and vice versa. Latios and Latias are also good partners, as they can defeat the Fighting-types that Bisharp has a large amount of trouble with, most notably Breloom and Keldeo. While not required, having a sleep absorber such as Kyurem-B or Latios is recommended, as they are able to check Venusaur and, in Latios's case, Breloom.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Bisharp's shallow movepool leaves it with very few alternative options. Substitute can be used over Night Slash or Taunt to evade status, Trick, and to ease prediction. However, it prevents Bisharp from defeating Pokemon such as Skarmory or Hippowdon due to their access to phazing moves, making it the inferior option overall. Leftovers can be used to make use of Bisharp's decent bulk, but is inferior to BlackGlasses, which does not make it take recoil while boosting its Dark-type STAB at the same time. Iron Head can be used for a reliable secondary STAB moves, but is inferior to Low Kick due to its mediocre coverage. Bisharp also can use a support set, with moves such as Pursuit, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock, but its common weaknesses and average bulk means that it will not be able to properly pull it off. Finally, Psycho Cut can be used to hit Toxicroak, but it does not hit anything else relevant.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Despite Bisharp's high Attack, its common weaknesses and the unreliability of Sucker Punch make it relatively easy to counter. Most Fighting-types give Bisharp trouble, and Breloom and Keldeo stand out as two of Bisharp's greatest counters, as the former can take a +2 Low Kick and possesses its own priority move in Mach Punch, so it can dodge Sucker Punch entirely if faster, and the latter can withstand a +2 Low Kick or a +2 Sucker Punch and can OHKO in return with Secret Sword. Physically defensive Skarmory does an excellent job at walling non-Taunt variations of Bisharp, as it can either set up Spikes or rob Bisharp of its boost with Whirlwind. Gliscor and Hippowdon make for exceptional checks, as the former can stall Bisharp out by using the combination of Substitute and Protect alongside Poison Heal, and the latter can take a +2 Night Slash and OHKO with Earthquake after some prior damage. However, Gliscor must be wary of Taunt. Faster Pokemon that resist Bisharp's powerful Sucker Punch, such as offensive Heatran, Choice Scarf Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Hydreigon, are able to revenge kill Bisharp, even after a Swords Dance.</p>

<p>An alternate way of beating Bisharp is by taking advantage of its reliance on Sucker Punch. Pokemon that can threaten Bisharp, such as Kyurem-B, Ninetales, Rotom-W, and Gengar, can utilize either Substitute or Will-O-Wisp to avoid Sucker Punch and then proceed to crush it in comfort. Alternatively, Pokemon that Bisharp commonly sets up on, such as Choice Scarf Latios, can utilize Trick to cripple it for the rest of the match.</p>

[Overview]
  • High Attack and powerful priority move in Sucker Punch
  • Unique typing, allowing Bisharp to check threats such Latios, Alakazam, and Celebi
  • Access to Taunt, allowing Bisharp to set up on walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn
  • Defiant gives Bisharp the ability to defeat walls like Gyarados and Landorus-T
  • Common weaknesses make it hard to set up at times
  • Faces major competition from Lucario and Scizor
  • Unreliable priority move
  • Always consider your other options before using Bisharp
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Night Slash / Taunt
item: Black Glasses / Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Utilizes Bisharp's unique typing and Sucker Punch to sweep
  • Sucker Punch functions as Bisharp's main STAB move due to its High base power and priority
  • Low Kick deals with Ferrothorn, Heatran, and Tyranitar, and gets near perfect coverage with Sucker Punch, only resisted by Toxicroak in OU
  • Night Slash is the recommended option in the last slot, as it can be used for a reliable Dark-type attack in situations where using Sucker Punch is unfavorable
  • Taunt can be used to allows Bisharp to set up on walls such as Skarmory and Forretress
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
  • Given EVs outspeed minimum Speed Heatran and gives Bisharp enough bulk to take Earthquakes from Hippowdon and Gliscor
  • Black Glasses is the preferred item, as it allows Bisharp to preserve its bulk and powers up Sucker Punch and Night Slash
  • Life Orb is fine too, and lets Bisharp do some cool stuff, such as 2HKO Hippowdon at +2, OHKO any Ferrothorn, and OHKO 248 HP Scizor after SR. If using LO, go for max Atk and max Speed, as the added bulk doesn't matter with LO anyway, and you can outspeed and OHKO Adamant offensive Scizor with Low Kick, and outspeed and OHKO SpD Rotom-W and defensive Lando-T with Night Slash
  • Jolly to outspeed SpD Celebi, SpD Jirachi, Adamant Breloom, and Jolly Scizor. When faster than Breloom you can either use Sucker Punch if it goes for Mach Punch, or Low Kick if it goes for Spore, both do 75% min at +2, so they OHKO with a bit previous damage
  • Here are some calcs of a +2 BlackGlasses Sucker Punch, Night Slash, and Low Kick (everything faster than can OHKO is hit with Sucker Punch, and everything else is hit by the most effective move, while the only one that is hit with Night Slash is Hippowdon):
- vs 4/0 Garchomp: 97.48 - 115.08%, OHKO after SR
- vs 4/0 Keldeo and Terrakion: 56.17 - 66.35%
- vs 252/88+ Ferrothorn: 88.63 - 104.54%, OHKO after SR + Spikes
- vs 252/0 Jirachi: 82.67 - 97.52%, OHKO after SR + Spikes
- vs 252/252+: 75.26 - 89.06%, 93.75% chance to OHKO after SR + Spikes
- vs 200/244 Landorus-T (Intimidate gives +3 Atk boost due to Defiant): 96.74 - 113.82%, OHKO after SR
- vs 252/252+ Hippowdon: 45 - 53.09%, 2HKO after SR + Spikes
  • Bisharp loves hazard support from Pokemon such as Custap Berry Skarmory and Forretress, as it allows it to achieve many of aforementioned KOs
  • Frosslass is an excellent partner if used alongside another SR setter, as it can spinblock and setup Spikes, preserving a teamslot for your team
  • Swords Dance Scizor or Lucario are also solid partners, as both can weaken Bisharp's counters, allowing it to sweep late game
  • Latios and Latias are pretty good partners too since they can beat fighting-types such as Keldeo and Breloom
  • Pokemon that can absorb sleep, such as CB Kyurem-B and Latios with Sleep talk are also good partners, as they can check threats such as Breloom and Venusaur

[Other Options]
  • Substitute
  • Leftovers
  • Iron Head
  • Support set with moves such as Pursuit, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock
  • Psycho Cut for Toxicroak, but it has poor coverage otherwise
[Checks and Counters]
  • Keldeo and Breloom are Bisharp's greatest counters, as the former can take a Low Low Kick and OHKO with Secret Sword, while the latter can take a hit and bypass Sucker Punch's priority with Mach Punch
  • Most Fighting-types, including conkeldurr, Toxicroak, and Terrakion can check Bisharp, as they resist Sucker Punch, and can OHKO it with their STAB moves
  • Skarmory can use bisharp as Spikes fodder and phaze it out with Whirlwind, but it must watch out for Taunt
  • Gliscor and Hippowdown
  • Faster Pokemon that resist Sucker Punch, such as Offensive Heatran, Hydreigon, and Choice Scarf Tyranitar, can revenge kill Bisharp
  • Anything faster with WoW/Sub which means:
  • Ninetales
  • Kyurem-B
  • Rotom-W
  • Gengar
  • If Bisharp has not set up a Swords Dance, then Choice Scarf users with Trick such as latios an Rotom-w make good checks, as Bisharp will not only be locked into an unfavorable move, but will be crippled for the rest of the match
 
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I think the spread should be 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe. This gives you enough to outpace min Speed Heatran which is all Bisharp really needs. Min Speed Gyarados doesn't really exist and you're going to be Sucker Punching it anyway.
 
You also might want to mention Sleep absorbers, since the first thing you want to do when faced against Breloom and Venusaur is immediately avoid Spore, Mach Punch, or Sleep Powder, which is pretty much what they're guaranteed to do. Choice Band Kyurem-B is a good bet since he can take pretty much anything Venusaur aims at it, but Breloom not so much, so putting Sleep Talk on Latios can also work too.

Aside from that, everything looks cool so far. I'll try it out and see if I can get back here beforehand.
 
As I said before, I tested this before when alexwolf posted the set, found it unsuccessful then and nothing much has changed since then to warrant a change of opinion. As stated I will be rejecting this.

QC REJECTED 1/2(?)
 
Imo the reason it's getting an analysis is because it has an Ubers one, but not an OU one.
Anyway, not qc but:

  • Instead of OO, I believe Iron Head needs a heavy AC mention or even SC if slashed
  • Imo mention why psycho cut sucks(tox outspeeds you, useless w/o sub which isn't even slashed)
  • Jellicent needs a bigger mention imo in C&C. It can Will-o, taunt and stuff but if taunted loses. Still should npbe mentioned.
  • Conkeldurr imo should be moved up. Awesome physical bulk+resists sucker punch+x4 se priority means like its the best counter.
  • Base 125 attack in the Overview is irrelevant, imo just mention high attack.
Again, not qc, but js.
 
Night Slash > Taunt in the first slot, IMO. You really need a reliable STAB so stuff don't set up in your face. I know you have Taunt, but most Pokemon are faster than you, so after you get a Taunt in, the opponent would have one set up anyway. It also allows you to OHKO Jellicent straight up after an SD, instead of getting hit for significant damage with Scald and possibly burned in the process.

- vs 200/244 Landorus-T (Intimidate gives +1 Atk boost due to Defiant): 96.74 - 113.82%, OHKO after SR
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That should say +2 - you get to +3 after an Intimidate
 
Imo the reason it's getting an analysis is because it has an Ubers one, but not an OU one.
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Just because a pokemon had an uber analysis does not mean that it should have an OU analysis. The two metagames are vastly different, and it is possible for individual mons to be effective in Ubers and be ineffective in OU (if memory serves Claydol was hyped up months ago as a niche Groudon counter etc, there are very likely much better examples of this). Technically, Bisharp is "Viable" in OU, just like many things are "viable" in OU, this doesn't mean that it automatically deserves an analysis. Bisharp needs to actually be good in OU, actually has to have a purpose as to why I would use it over something else etc etc, and in my testing I was never able to feel that Bisharp ticked those boxes.

Also if you are going to mention pokemon in checks and counters, please add choice scarfers with Trick into that. As the set currently stands, Latios, Jirachi, Rotom-W and Gothitelle can all outspeed you and trick you a choice scarf, 100% royally screwing you to hell and back. This is on top of all the other common scarfers that beat you but w/e
 
intimidate only gives you +1 (-1 + 2 = +1! math ftw)
(I don't really like assuming you can SD with bisharp... it never seems to have the opportunity and no one switches land-t directly into it)

I think its decent I guess...

qc approved 1/3
 
I think I should have clarified - you end up at +3 after you get hit by Intimidate. You're at +2, -1 due to Intimidate, then +2 due to Defiant = +3. Personally, I found setting Bisharp up was relatively easy, it's actually pretty bulky.

Anyway, QC APPROVED 2/3
 
i just have a couple things on the overview, which you've written:

it's not really that unique, it just has a couple neat attributes. highlight its typing. you neglect to consider that ou's fire-types really can't check it, as sucker punch does a number. most stuff that carry fire moves in general can't take a boosted sucker punch. ground mons are generally the same, especially since bisharp loves lando-t due to defiant. fighting mons are generally hit pretty hard by a sucker punch too. it's more of a matter of these mons restricting setup opportunities. bisharp's other core weakness is sub and trick, which you cover generally well. however, you don't consider what uses trick in ou. latios will have to kamikaze to use trick. jirachi runs healing wish nowadays, but even if it runs trick as a scarfer, it still gets slammed. these are more last ditch countermeasures than anything. the prevalence of terrakion, sheer force conkeldurr, and breloom is its third biggest flaw.

when mentioning its strengths, you have to mention that sucker punch is a high powered priority move. you cover it being exploited in its weaknesses well. bisharp is insanely strong and doesn't have issues with certain typically crippling physical walls like lando-t. it's not as frail as its sd sweeper brethren

just giving a surface check of what you've got so far. check over your grammar too, there's a lot of silly mistakes that are just annoying for everyone later.
 
Taunt is another perk that Bisharp has over its competition
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What is its competition? Either be more specific (physical sweepers) or change this line to ''Taunt is another useful asset on Bisharp's repertoire''.

However, Night Slash serves the purpose of eliminating targets more reliably than Sucker Punch, including Jellicent, Celebi, and Calm Mind Latias.
Click to expand...
Explain that those Pokemon often carry status moves or Substitute and this is why Night Slash is more useful than Sucker Punch against them.

Finally, mention Terrakion in the list of faster offensive Pokemon that resist Sucker Punch and can OHKO back.


TVZ7K0M.gif


QC Approved 3/3
 
Amcheck
Additions
Subtractions
[Overview]
<p>Bisharp is a very unique Pokemon in OU, both competitively and aesthetically. Thanks to its high Attack stat and powerful priority move in Sucker Punch, Bisharp can revenge kill a wide variety of threats, including Starmie, Latios, and Choice Scarf Gengar. Bisharp also has a unique typing, giving it a resistance to several common attacking types, such as Grass, Psychic, Dragon, and Ice. This gives Bisharp a larger amount of setup opportunities, especially when accounting its great bulk. Taunt is another perk that Bisharp has over other physical sweepers, allowing it to defeat common walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Move reover(LOL), Bisharp has an amazing ability in Defiant, allowing it to defeat Pokemon with the Intimidate ability, such as Gyarados and Landorus-T. All of this coupled with Swords Dance allow Bisharp to function as a relatively decent sweeper.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Bisharp has many flaws that neglecprevent it from receiving much usage in OU. Its typing is a double-edged sword, as while it gives Bisharp several important resistances, it also gives it a weakness to Fighting-, Fire-, and Ground-type moves, thus making it difficult for Bisharp to set(space)up at times. Its Fighting weakness is exceptionally detrimental in the current metagame, as it it means that common pPokemon such as Terrakion, Breloom, and Conkeldurr(JS, conk isnt commn at all) can defeat Bisharp with little to no difficulty. Despite its power, Sucker Punch is a very unreliable move and makes Bisharp more vulnerable to Substitute and Trick users, such as Kyurem-B and Rotom-W, respectively. Bisharp's largest flaw, however,(AC) is that it is eclipsed by Lucario and Scizor as Swords Dance sweepers, as both have a better typing and coverage, as well as more reliable priority moves. Overall Bisharp is not an ineffective Pokemon, but you should only use it for a few niche roles.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Night Slash / Taunt
item: Black Glasses / Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set utilizes Bisharp's unique typing and powerful priority move in the form of Sucker Punch to sweep the opposition. Even if Bisharp does not set up a Swords Dance, it still has the ability to revenge kill Pokemon such as Latios, Starmie, and Thundurus-T due to itSucker Punch's high Base Power. As such, Sucker Punch functions as Bisharp's main STAB move due to its priority and power. Low Kick compliments Sucker Punch's coverage very well, hitting Steel-, Dark-, and Rock-types for super effective damage. Night Slash mayight appear to be redundant on this set, as it is not only weaker than Sucker Punch, but lacks priority. However, Night Slash serves the purpose of eliminating targets more reliably than Sucker Punch, which is especially useful in situations against a Will-O-Wisp or Substitute user. However, Taunt is still a viable option, as it gives Bisharp a larger amount of set(remove space)up opportunities, as well aslong with ensureing that Sucker Punch will hit its target.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Using the given EVs, Bisharp hagains enough Speed to outrun Sspecially Ddefensive Heatran, as well as to take weaker super effective moves, such as Gliscor's Earthquake. Life Orb still has many uses, such as 2HKOing Hippowdon and OHKOing Scizor and Ferrothorn after a Swords Dance and Stealth Rock damage, making it a fine item option as an item. If using the Life Orb, then maximum Speed and Attack investment is reccommended, as the Life Orb recoil counteracts with Bisharp's bulk and Mmaximum Speed invest(remove space)ment allows Bisharp to outpace and OHKO defensive variantions of Landorus-T and Rotom-W with Night Slash. A Jolly nature is an option, as it allows Bisharp to outpace defensive variantions of Celebi and Jiachi, as well as outpace Jolly Scizor and Adamant Breloom. Here are some calculations that showcase Bisharp's immense power after a Swords Dance, assuming that it is holding the Black(remove space)Glasses:</p>
<ul="damage_calculation">
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 349-412 (97.48 - 115.08%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Keldeo: 182-215 (56.34 - 66.56%) -- guaranteed 2HKO</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk Bisharp Low Kick (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 48+ Def Ferrothorn: 322-380 (91.47 - 107.95%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Jirachi: 334-394 (82.67 - 97.52%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+3 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 248 HP / 244 Def Landorus-T: 357-420 (93.7 - 110.23%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 187-222 (44.52 - 52.85%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
</ul>
<p>As you can see, Bisharp enjoys Eentry Hhazard support from Pokemon such as Custap Berry Skarmory and Forretress, as it allows Bisharp to achieve many of the afopreviously mentioned KOs. Frosslass is also a fine partner if being used alongside a Stealth Rock setter, as it can set(space)up Spikes, while also spinblocking, preserving a teamslot for your team. Other Swords Dance sweepers such as Scizor and Lucario are exceptional partners, as Bisharp can weaken their checks, allowing them to sweep more easily and vice versa. Latios and Latias are also good partners, as they can defeat the Fighting-types that Bisharp has a large amount of trouble with, most notably Breloom and Keldeo. While not required, having a Ssleep absorber such as Kyurem-B and Latios is reccommended, as they are able to check Venusaur and in Latios's case, Breloom.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Bisharp's shallow movepool leaves it with very few alternative options. Substitute can be used over Night Slash or Taunt to evade status, Trick, and ease prediction. However, Substitute prevents Bisharp from defeating Pokemon such as Skarmory or Hippowdon, making it the inferior option overall. Leftovers can be used to make use of Bisharp's decent bulk, but this iten is inferior to the Black(remove space)Glasses, which also preserves Bisharp's bulkdoes not make it take recoil while boosting its Dark-type STAB at the same time. Iron Head can be used for a reliable secondary STAB move, but it is inferior to Low Kick due to its mediocre coverage. Bisharp also can use a support set, with moves such as Pursuit, Thunder Wave,(AC) and Stealth Rock, but its common weaknesses and average bulk means that it will not be able to properly pull it off. Finally, Psycho Cut can be used to hit Toxicroak, but it does not hit anything else relevant.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Despite Bisharp's high aAttack, its common weakness and the unreliability of Sucker Punch make it relatively easy to counter. While mMost Fighting-types give Bisharp trouble, and Breloom and Keldeo stand out as two of Bisharp's greatest counters, as the former can take an unboosted Low Kick and out-(RH)prioritizes Sucker Punch with Mach Punch, while the latter can wisthstand a Low Kick and a +2 Sucker Punch and can OHKO in return with Secret Sword. Physically Ddefensive Skarmory does an excellent job at walling non-Taunt variations of Bisharp, as it can either set up Spikes or rob Bisharp of its boost with Whirlwind. Gliscor and Hippowdon make for exceptional checks, as the former can stall Bisharp out by using the combination of Substitute and Protect, while Hippowdonthe latter can take a +2 Night Slash and OHKO with Earthquake after some prior damage. However, Gliscor must be wary of Taunt. Faster Pokemon that resist Bisharp's powerful Sucker Punch, including Osuch as offensive Heatran, Choice Scarf Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Hydreigon, are able to revenge kill Bisharp, even after a Swords Dance.</p>
<p>An alternate way of beating Bisharp is by taking advantage of its reliance on Sucker Punch. Pokemon that can threaten Bisharp, such as Kyurem-B, Ninetales, Rotom-W, and Gengar, can utilize either Substitute or Will-O-Wisp to avoid Sucker Punch and cripple Bisharpit in the process. Alternatively, Pokemon that Bisharp commonly sets up on, such as Choice Scarf Latios, can utilize Trick to cripple Bisharpit for the rest of the match.</p>
 
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[Overview]

<p>Bisharp is a very unique Pokemon in OU, both competitively and aesthetically. Thanks to its high Attack stat and powerful STAB priority move in Sucker Punch, Bisharp can revenge kill a wide variety of threats, including Starmie, Latios, and Choice Scarf Gengar. Bisharp also has a unique typing, giving it a resistance resistances to several common attacking types, such as Grass, Psychic, Dragon, and Ice. This gives Bisharp a larger amount number of setup opportunities, especially when accounting taking into account its great reasonable bulk [65/100/70 isn't really "great bulk"]. Taunt is another perk that Bisharp has over other physical sweepers, allowing it to defeat common walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Moreover, Bisharp has an amazing ability in Defiant, allowing it to defeat so cannot be stopped by Pokemon with the Intimidate ability, such as Gyarados and Landorus-T. All of this coupled with Swords Dance allow allows Bisharp to function as a relatively decent sweeper.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, Bisharp has many flaws that prevent it from receiving much usage in OU. Its typing is a double-edged sword, as while it gives Bisharp several important resistances, it also gives it a weakness weaknesses to Fighting-, Fire-, and Ground-type moves, thus making it difficult for Bisharp to set up at times. Its quadruple Fighting weakness is exceptionally detrimental in the current metagame, as it means that common Pokemon such as Terrakion, Breloom, and Conkeldurr can defeat Bisharp with little to no difficulty. Despite its power, Sucker Punch is a very unreliable move and makes Bisharp more vulnerable to Substitute and Trick users, such as Kyurem-B and Rotom-W, respectively. Bisharp's largest flaw, however, is that it is eclipsed by Lucario and Scizor as Swords Dance sweepers, as both have better typing and coverage, as well as more reliable priority moves. Overall Bisharp is not an ineffective Pokemon, but you should only use it for a few niche roles.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Night Slash / Taunt
item: BlackGlasses / Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set utilizes Bisharp's unique typing and powerful priority move in the form of Sucker Punch to attempt to sweep the opposition. Even if Bisharp does not set up a Swords Dance, it still has the ability to revenge kill Pokemon such as Latios, Starmie, and Thundurus-T due to Sucker Punch's high Base Power. As such, Sucker Punch functions as Bisharp's main STAB move due to its priority and power. Low Kick compliments complements Sucker Punch's coverage very well, hitting Steel-, Dark-, and Rock-types for super effective damage. Night Slash might appear to be redundant on this set, as it is not only weaker than Sucker Punch, but also lacks priority;(semicolon) however, .(remove) However, it serves the purpose of eliminating targets more reliably than Sucker Punch, which is especially useful in situations against a Will-O-Wisp or Substitute user. However, Even so, Taunt is still a viable option alternative, as it gives Bisharp a larger amount number of setup opportunities, along with ensuring that Sucker Punch will hit its target.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Using the given EVs, Bisharp gains enough Speed to outrun specially defensive Heatran, as well as and the HP EVs allow it to take weaker super effective moves, such as Gliscor's Earthquake. While BlackGlasses is advised for the item as it has no negative side-effects and Sucker Punch is the main move Bisharp will be using, Life Orb still has many uses its own advantages, such as allowing Bisharp to 2HKO 2HKOing Hippowdon and OHKOing to OHKO Scizor and Ferrothorn after a Swords Dance and Stealth Rock damage, making it a fine option as an item. If using the Life Orb, then maximum Speed and Attack investment is recommended, as the Life Orb recoil counteracts with subverts Bisharp's bulk and maximum Speed investment allows Bisharp to outpace and OHKO defensive variants of Landorus-T and Rotom-W with Night Slash. A Jolly nature is an option, as it allows Bisharp to outpace defensive variants of Celebi and Jiachi, as well as to outpace Jolly Scizor and Adamant Breloom. Here are some calculations that showcase Bisharp's immense power after a Swords Dance, assuming that it is holding BlackGlasses:</p>

<ul="damage_calculation">
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 349-412 (97.48 - 115.08%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Keldeo: 182-215 (56.34 - 66.56%) -- guaranteed 2HKO</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk Bisharp Low Kick (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 48+ Def Ferrothorn: 322-380 (91.47 - 107.95%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Jirachi: 334-394 (82.67 - 97.52%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+3 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 248 HP / 244 Def Landorus-T: 357-420 (93.7 - 110.23%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 187-222 (44.52 - 52.85%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
</ul>

<p>As you can see, Bisharp enjoys appreciates entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Custap Berry Skarmory and Forretress, as it allows Bisharp to achieve many of the previously mentioned KOs. Frosslass is also a fine partner if being used alongside a Stealth Rock setter, as it can set(space)up set up Spikes,(remove) while also spinblocking, hence preserving a teamslot for your team. Other Swords Dance sweepers such as Scizor and Lucario are exceptional partners, as Bisharp can weaken their checks, allowing them to sweep more easily and vice versa. Latios and Latias are also good partners, as they can defeat the Fighting-types that Bisharp has a large amount of trouble with, most notably Breloom and Keldeo. While not required, having a sleep absorber such as Kyurem-B and or Latios is reccommended, as they are able to check Venusaur and,(comma) in Latios's case, Breloom.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Bisharp's shallow movepool leaves it with very few alternative options. Substitute can be used over Night Slash or Taunt to evade status, Trick, and to ease prediction. However, it prevents Bisharp from defeating Pokemon such as Skarmory or Hippowdon [I presume because of phazing? Say so if this is the case], making it the inferior option overall. Leftovers can be used to make use of Bisharp's decent bulk, but is inferior to BlackGlasses, which does not make it take recoil while boosting its Dark-type STAB moves at the same time. Iron Head can be used for a reliable secondary STAB move, but is inferior to Low Kick due to its mediocre coverage. Bisharp also can use a support set, with moves such as Pursuit, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock, but its common weaknesses and average bulk means that it will not be able to properly pull it off. Finally, Psycho Cut can be used to hit Toxicroak, but it does not hit anything else relevant.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Despite Bisharp's high attack Attack, its common weakness weaknesses and the unreliability of Sucker Punch make it relatively easy to counter. Most Fighting-types give Bisharp trouble, and Breloom and Keldeo stand out as two of Bisharp's greatest counters, as the former can take an unboosted Low Kick and outprioritizes Sucker Punch with possesses its own priority move in Mach Punch, so can dodge Sucker Punch entirely if faster, while the latter can wisthstand withstand a Low Kick and a +2 Sucker Punch and can OHKO in return with Secret Sword [hang on... Keldeo likely can't take both a +2 Low Kick and a +2 Sucker Punch consecutively... for that matter, Breloom can take a boosted Low Kick as well... not sure whether these were incorrect calculations or just weirdly worded. I would change the whole thing to: "...the former can take a +2 Low Kick and possesses its own priority move in Mach Punch, so can dodge Sucker Punch entirely if faster, while the latter can withstand a +2 Low Kick or a +2 Sucker Punch and can OHKO in return with Secret Sword"]. Physically defensive Skarmory does an excellent job at walling non-Taunt variations of Bisharp, as it can either set up Spikes or rob Bisharp of its boost with Whirlwind. Gliscor and Hippowdon make for exceptional checks, as the former can stall Bisharp out by using the combination of Substitute and Protect alongside Poison Heal, while the latter can take a +2 Night Slash and OHKO with Earthquake after some prior damage. However, Gliscor must be wary of Taunt. Faster Pokemon that resist Bisharp's powerful Sucker Punch, such as offensive Heatran, Choice Scarf Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Hydreigon, are able to revenge kill Bisharp, even after a Swords Dance.</p>

<p>An alternate way of beating Bisharp is by taking advantage of its reliance on Sucker Punch. Pokemon that can threaten Bisharp, such as Kyurem-B, Ninetales, Rotom-W, and Gengar, can utilize either Substitute or Will-O-Wisp to avoid Sucker Punch and cripple it in the process then proceed to crush it in comfort. Alternatively, Pokemon that Bisharp commonly sets up on, such as Choice Scarf Latios, can utilize Trick to cripple it for the rest of the match.</p>

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[Overview]

<p>Bisharp is a very unique Pokemon in OU, both competitively and aesthetically. Thanks to its high Attack stat and powerful STAB priority move in,(AC) Sucker Punch, Bisharp can revenge kill a wide variety of threats, including Starmie, Latios, and Choice Scarf Gengar. Bisharp also has a unique typing, giving it resistances to several common attacking types, such as Grass, Psychic, Dragon, and Ice. This gives Bisharp a larger number of setup opportunities, especially when taking into account its reasonable bulk. Taunt is another perk that Bisharp has over other physical sweepers, allowing it to defeat common walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Moreover, Bisharp has an amazing ability in Defiant, so it cannot be stopped by Pokemon with the Intimidate ability, such as Gyarados and Landorus-T. All of this coupled with Swords Dance allows Bisharp to function as a relatively decent sweeper.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, Bisharp has many flaws that prevent it from receiving much usage in OU. Its typing is a double-edged sword, as while it gives Bisharp several important resistances, it also gives it weaknesses to Fighting-, Fire-, and Ground-type moves, thus making it difficult for Bisharp to set up at times. Its quadruple Fighting weakness is exceptionally detrimental in the current metagame, as it means that common Pokemon such as Terrakion, Breloom, and Conkeldurr can defeat Bisharp with little to no difficulty. Despite its power, Sucker Punch is a very unreliable move and makes Bisharp more vulnerable to Substitute and Trick users, such as Kyurem-B and Rotom-W, respectively. Bisharp's largest flaw, however, is that it is eclipsed by Lucario and Scizor as Swords Dance sweepers, as both have better typing and coverage, as well as more reliable priority moves. Overall,(AC) Bisharp is not an ineffective Pokemon, but you should only use it for a few niche roles.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Night Slash / Taunt
item: BlackGlasses / Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set utilizes Bisharp's unique typing and powerful priority move in the form of Sucker Punch to attempt to sweep the opposition. Even if Bisharp does not set up a Swords Dance, it still has the ability to revenge kill Pokemon such as Latios, Starmie, and Thundurus-T due to Sucker Punch's high Base Power. As such, Sucker Punch functions as Bisharp's main STAB move. Low Kick complements Sucker Punch's coverage very well, hitting Steel-, Dark-, and Rock-types for super effective damage. Night Slash might appear to be redundant on this set, as it is not only weaker than Sucker Punch, but also lacks priority; however, it serves the purpose of eliminating targets more reliably than Sucker Punch, which is especially useful in situations against a Will-O-Wisp or Substitute user. Even so, Taunt is a viable alternate, as it gives Bisharp a larger number of setup opportunities, along with ensuring that Sucker Punch will hit its target.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Using the given EVs, Bisharp gains enough Speed to outrun specially defensive Heatran, and the HP EVs allow it to take weaker super effective moves, such as Gliscor's Earthquake. While BlackGlasses is advised for the item as it has no negative side-effects side effect and Sucker Punch is the main move Bisharp will be using, Life Orb still has its own advantages, such as allowing Bisharp to 2HKO Hippowdon and to OHKO Scizor and Ferrothorn after a Swords Dance and Stealth Rock damage, making it a fine option as an item. If using Life Orb, then maximum Speed and Attack investment is recommended, as the Life Orb recoil subverts with Bisharp's bulk and maximum Speed investment allows Bisharp to outpace and OHKO defensive variants of Landorus-T and Rotom-W with Night Slash. A Jolly nature is an option, as it allows Bisharp to outpace defensive variants of Celebi and Jiachi, as well as to outpace Jolly Scizor and Adamant Breloom. Here are some calculations that showcase Bisharp's immense power after a Swords Dance, assuming that it is holding BlackGlasses:</p>

<ul="damage_calculation">
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 349-412 (97.48 - 115.08%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Keldeo: 182-215 (56.34 - 66.56%) -- guaranteed 2HKO</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk Bisharp Low Kick (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 48+ Def Ferrothorn: 322-380 (91.47 - 107.95%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Jirachi: 334-394 (82.67 - 97.52%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
<li>+3 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 248 HP / 244 Def Landorus-T: 357-420 (93.7 - 110.23%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock</li>
<li>+2 252+ Atk BlackGlasses Bisharp Night Slash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 187-222 (44.52 - 52.85%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Spikes</li>
</ul>

<p>As you can see, Bisharp appreciates entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Custap Berry Skarmory and Forretress, as it allows Bisharp to achieve many of the previously mentioned KOs. Frosslass is also a fine partner if being used alongside a Stealth Rock setter, as it can set up Spikes while also spinblocking, hence preserving (opening would be more appropriate here, but I'm not sure if that's what you're trying to say; clarification would be nice) a teamslot for your team. Other Swords Dance sweepers such as Scizor and Lucario are exceptional partners, as Bisharp can weaken their checks, allowing them to sweep more easily and vice versa. Latios and Latias are also good partners, as they can defeat the Fighting-types that Bisharp has a large amount of trouble with, most notably Breloom and Keldeo. While not required, having a sleep absorber such as Kyurem-B or Latios is recommended, as they are able to check Venusaur and, in Latios's case, Breloom.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Bisharp's shallow movepool leaves it with very few alternative options. Substitute can be used over Night Slash or Taunt to evade status, Trick, and to ease prediction. However, it prevents Bisharp from defeating Pokemon such as Skarmory or Hippowdon due to their access to phazing moves, making it the inferior option overall. Leftovers can be used to make use of Bisharp's decent bulk, but is inferior to BlackGlasses, which does not make it take recoil while boosting its Dark-type STAB at the same time. Iron Head can be used for a reliable secondary STAB moves, but is inferior to Low Kick due to its mediocre coverage. Bisharp also can use a support set, with moves such as Pursuit, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock, but its common weaknesses and average bulk means that it will not be able to properly pull it off. Finally, Psycho Cut can be used to hit Toxicroak, but it does not hit anything else relevant.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Despite Bisharp's high Attack, its common weaknesses and the unreliability of Sucker Punch make it relatively easy to counter. Most Fighting-types give Bisharp trouble, and Breloom and Keldeo stand out as two of Bisharp's greatest counters, as the former can take a +2 Low Kick and possesses its own priority move in Mach Punch, so it can dodge Sucker Punch entirely if faster, while and the latter can withstand a +2 Low Kick or a +2 Sucker Punch and can OHKO in return with Secret Sword. Physically defensive Skarmory does an excellent job at walling non-Taunt variations of Bisharp, as it can either set up Spikes or rob Bisharp of its boost with Whirlwind. Gliscor and Hippowdon make for exceptional checks, as the former can stall Bisharp out by using the combination of Substitute and Protect alongside Poison Heal, while and the latter can take a +2 Night Slash and OHKO with Earthquake after some prior damage. However, Gliscor must be wary of Taunt. Faster Pokemon that resist Bisharp's powerful Sucker Punch, such as offensive Heatran, Choice Scarf Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Hydreigon, are able to revenge kill Bisharp, even after a Swords Dance.</p>

<p>An alternate way of beating Bisharp is by taking advantage of its reliance on Sucker Punch. Pokemon that can threaten Bisharp, such as Kyurem-B, Ninetales, Rotom-W, and Gengar, can utilize either Substitute or Will-O-Wisp to avoid Sucker Punch and then proceed to crush it in comfort. Alternatively, Pokemon that Bisharp commonly sets up on, such as Choice Scarf Latios, can utilize Trick to cripple it for the rest of the match.</p>

Good job :)

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