Everyone's favorite power ranger.
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QC: Fuzznip, PK, SMB
GP: blitzlefan (Jukain), Legitimate Username
Overview
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Although it was firmly planted in UU last generation, Bisharp benefited from many of the changes that XY brought and is now a prominent threat. Bisharp possesses incredibly powerful priority in Sucker Punch as well as both power and utility in Knock Off. The new Fairy-type, which resists Bisharp's signature Dark-type moves, is crushed by its Steel-type STAB attacks. Bisharp's ability, Defiant, allows it to laugh at stat-lowering moves and abilities such as Defog, Sticky Web, King's Shield, and Intimidate. Unfortunately, Bisharp still suffers offensively from its low base Speed. Its reliance on Sucker Punch can also backfire on occasion, making it easy to exploit sometimes. Defensively, its poor Special Defense and nasty weaknesses to several common attacks prevent it from making the most of its unique Dark / Steel typing. However, Bisharp's ability to threaten Defog users and apply huge offensive pressure gives it a new niche in OU.
Defiant Attacker
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name: Defiant Attacker
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Pursuit / Swords Dance
ability: Defiant
item: Black Glasses / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
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Bisharp's primary move is the newly buffed Knock Off, a powerful and reliable STAB move that weakens nearly any target through both damage and item removal. Sucker Punch is a staple on Bisharp and one of the most powerful priority moves in the tier. After a boost, Bisharp can use Sucker Punch to eliminate many faster threats and nearly anything without a resistance to Dark-type moves. Iron Head is a reliable Steel-type STAB move that deals with targets that resist Dark-type attacks, most notably Fairy-types. Bisharp can make use Pursuit in the last slot to trap many popular threats, most notably Aegislash, as Defiant negates the Attack drop from King's Shield. Pursuit can also eliminate Defog users such as Latias or Latios, ensuring that your hazards will be safe for the rest of the match. Swords Dance allows Bisharp to boost its solid base 125 Attack even higher and attempt a sweep. A +2 Bisharp is extremely threatening to most offensive teams. Substitute is also a good choice on Bisharp, especially for teams that already have plenty of boosting sweepers. Substitute eases prediction with Sucker Punch, and can and block status moves aimed at Bisharp.
Set Details
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An Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs maximizes Bisharp's Attack, while maximum Speed is used to outrun as many threats as possible, including defensive Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Mega Venusaur. Bisharp greatly appreciates an item that boosts its damage output, and Black Glasses can be used to avoid recoil while still boosting Bisharp's more commonly used Dark-type moves. However, Life Orb provides a boost in power to all of Bisharp's moves. For example, Life Orb guarantees the 2HKO on Azumarill with Iron Head. Low Kick can be used to OHKO Tyranitar, Heatran, and opposing Bisharp, and is also the best option against Mega Aggron. An Assault Vest with an EV spread of 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 SpD is an interesting option for Bisharp that allows it to survive powerful special attacks and reliably trap Defog Latios by using Pursuit.
Usage Tips
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Bisharp is best used to apply heavy offensive pressure to your opponent. Switch in using Bisharp's resistances or a predicted switch, and use Knock Off to weaken any switch-in early in the match. Defiant forces your opponent to play carefully with Intimidate Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Defog users such as Latias, because Bisharp can gain a free boost with clever switching. Later in the match, when Bisharp's counters have been removed, use Swords Dance against something Bisharp can force out in order to sweep. Once it gains a boost, Bisharp is incredibly difficult to stop. However, Sucker Punch must be used carefully, as it is predictable and very easy to exploit.
Team Options
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Great offensive teammates for Bisharp include Pokemon that can defeat bulky physical walls. Water-types such as Starmie and Rotom-W pair well with Bisharp and can defeat Hippowdon and Gliscor. Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y can defeat bulky Steel-types such as Skarmory and Mega Aggron. Defensively, Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Slowbro, Gyarados, Trevenant, and Gourgeist cover Bisharp's Fighting-type weakness very well. Hazard setters, most notably Deoxys-D, are also great teammates, as they can support Bisharp with hazards and bait a Defog for Bisharp to switch in on. In return, Bisharp's offensive presence discourages the opponent from using Defog to remove your hazards.
Other Options
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Thunder Wave and Stealth Rock are excellent support moves, but Bisharp is generally best for applying offensive pressure. Power-Up Punch can be used to OHKO opposing Bisharp and gain a +1 boost in the process, but is quite gimmicky because Low Kick can KO many additional threats. There are a few other items that Bisharp can utilize as well. If Bisharp is carrying Swords Dance, a Lum Berry can protect Bisharp from status and allow it to continue its onslaught. If it is carrying Substitute, Leftovers can offset the residual damage and offers Bisharp better survivability. However, in both cases, Bisharp will greatly miss the boost in power granted by an offensive item.
Checks & Counters
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**Physical Walls**: Bisharp can't break through extremely bulky physical walls. Ground-types such as Hippowdon, Gliscor, Donphan, and Unaware Quagsire are especially good counters, as they can hit Bisharp hard with STAB Earthquake. Mega Aggron can easily take boosted hits, doesn't fear Knock Off, and can strike back with Earthquake or phaze Bisharp out. Physically defensive Mega Venusaur can do the same, although it takes hefty damage from Iron Head. Skarmory can take a boosted hit and phaze Bisharp, but can't threaten it directly.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types resist Bisharp's Sucker Punch and can exploit Bisharp's crippling 4x weakness to their STAB moves. Infernape, Keldeo, and Lucario are great choices as they resist both of Bisharp's STABs. Terrakion and Heracross work well if they can avoid switching into Iron Head. Mach Punch users such as Breloom and Conkeldurr can also dispose of Bisharp.
**Fast Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, and Encore Users**: Faster Substitute and Will-O-Wisp users can take advantage of Bisharp's reliance on Sucker Punch to set up a Substitute or cripple Bisharp. Encore users can force Bisharp to switch out if it uses Sucker Punch, Swords Dance, or Substitute.
**Dark-type Resistant Attackers**: Sweepers that resist Dark-type moves, such as Mega Gyarados and Hydreigon, can take a +2 Sucker Punch and KO in return with their powerful attacks.
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