Scizor

Thanks guys.

Yeah, sometimes I forget about Sucker Punch hitting priority when the Sucker Punch user is faster XD
I removed mention of Sucker Punch altogether and made changes to the Bullet Punch and Status areas.
 
I would mention a speedy swords dance set because if you remove tomohawk, speedy scizor can put in work especially if you outspeed non invested colossoil. The set would be swords/roost, superpower/bug bite, bp, bug bite/roost or something along those lines. I'm on my phone so I don't know the exact speed investment but you probably should get him to 241.
 

cbrevan

spin, spin, spin
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Khosro mentions a speedy SD set in the usage tips for Bulky SD, it explains it pretty well too.
 
I'm lazy and didn't read that far. After reading the entire article the only thing I would note is that knock off is base 65(1.5) not 130 base power. Other than that it's good. QC 2/3
 

HeaLnDeaL

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Grats on 2/3, feel free to write this up into a paragraph form soon so that I can give you your last QC c:
 

HeaLnDeaL

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Choice Band said:
Set Details
========
This set takes advantage of Scizor's impressive base 130 Attack stat, boosted to base 140 with Scizorite, and wide movepool to provide Scizor with powerful attacks to deal with a whole host of Pokémon.
This is the choice band set. Therefore even mentioning Scizorite is not something you should do.

OO said:
Thief gets Technician boost, and is viable as an inferior alternative to Knock Off
Using viable and inferior in the same sentence seems contradictory to me. I would get rid of "viable as" from the sentence. Or remove mention of thief altogether.
 

HeaLnDeaL

Let's Keep Fighting
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Alright, be prepared for GP to hit your analysis like a ton of bricks... Yeah, expect a lot in that department. At least I don't have to deal with it.
-Dusts hands off-

QC 3/3
 
Thanks!

Thankfully, I was already prepared for the onslaught of GP stuff that is to come, because of the Necturna analysis XD
(Now to go find the thread where I have to post for GP checks...)
 

P Squared

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he did post in the queue haha, but this is a pretty long analysis so I figure most of us didn't feel like doing it

GP 1/2
add / remove /
(comment)

I tried putting in comments to explain why I was changing things, but I figured they would clutter up the check so I cut down on those... but I would be happy to go over this with you if you have any questions!! As they say, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime...

Overview (ONE)
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Scizor is a powerful and versatile Pokemon, (never use the fancy e) and in Mega Scizor, it has an excellent Mega Forme (if the Pokemon's stats change, it's a forme) that increases its power further. Access to a wide movepool, consisting of a variety that includes a number (changed "consisting of" because it implies that that's all the movepool has, and changed "a variety" because you also use "variety" later in this sentence) of offensive and support options, (remove comma) allows Scizor the ability versatility to be able to perform a variety of roles to a high standard, from defensive pivot to late-game sweeper or cleaner. Scizor's ability, (remove comma) Technician, (remove comma, because Technician is not Scizor's only ability) allows it to make its turns its STAB priority move, Bullet Punch, (unlike Technician, Bullet Punch is Scizor's only STAB priority move....to my knowledge.... so yes you may keep the commas here.) into a force to be reckoned with, while STAB U-turn gives it Scizor the ability to be a great pivot. When combined with reliable recovery in Roost, as well as access to boosting moves such as Swords Dance and support options such as Defog and Baton Pass, it gives Scizor has the capability to excel both offensively and defensively.

In addition, Scizor has an excellent base 130 Attack stat, (comma) which allows it to hit very hard, which and is supported by a great defensive typing in Bug / Steel, giving it 8 eight resistances and 1 one immunity. Scizor's Technician-boosted Steel-type priority move in Bullet Punch makes it a useful check to the Fairy-types that are prominent in CAP, while Scizor's Steel typing gives it good team synergy with many CAPmons Pokemon that are weak to Fairy-type attacks. Scizor is helped further by a Mega Evolution that makes it stronger in almost all areas, most notably boosting its Attack and Defense to base 150 and base 140, respectively a boost to base 150 attack and base 140 Defence.

However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for this metal monster, as its Scizor's poor base 65 Speed, boosted to a still mediocre 75 after Mega Evolution, means that it is outsped by many Pokemon that which can wear it down, although this is somewhat mitigated by Scizor's powerful priority. This poor Speed is further compounded by a quadruple weakness to a common type in Fire, which means that Scizor can be KO'd KOed by most Fire-type attacks, limiting its defensive strength.

Defensive Pivot
########
Name: Defensive Pivot
Move 1: U-turn
Move 2: Bullet Punch
Move 3: Roost
Move 4: Defog / Knock Off
Ability: Light Metal / Technician
Item: Scizorite / Leftovers
Evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def / 8 Atk
Nature: Impish

Moves
========
U-turn might miss out on the Technician boost, but it still gets STAB and gives Scizor's teammates massive (kinda weird word choice) momentum. Bullet Punch is a STAB priority move, allowing Scizor to revenge kill and check Fairies, and unlike U-turn, it gets the Technician boost. Roost gives Scizor a form of reliable recovery, while Defog guarantees that entry hazards are cleared off the field. Alternatively, if the team already has hazard control, Knock Off (which doesn't get a Technician boost) can be used to annoy opposing Pokemon by disposing of their items, if the team already has hazard control. (idk, you mention Technician boosts a lot here but it's not even the first ability slashed on the set)

Set Details
========
This Scizor acts as a defensive pivot for the team, absorbing damage, most notably from Colossoil, and U-turning away to gain momentum. Scizor definitely prefers the Scizorite for the important stat boosts and Knock Off immunity Mega Scizor gets, but Leftovers is an alternative for passive recovery if you don't want to use up your Mega slot. Note that Light Metal means Scizor takes less damage from Grass Knot and Low Kick before Mega Evolution, but sets without Scizorite should always use Technician.

Maximum Defense investment means that Mega Scizor can easily absorb Colossoil's Knock Off and recover all the HP lost from Earthquake with Roost is easy to absorb for Mega Scizor, while Earthquake does less than what Roost can heal off. However, a specially defensive set with 252 Special Defense EVs in Special Defence and a Careful nature can be used if the team requires a specially defensive pivot; the spread and also allows Mega Scizor to just about survive fully invested Choice Specs max SpA Gothitelle's Hidden Power Fire, although it (still has a 50% chance to OHKO if after Stealth Rock is up), although, without Mega Scizor's Special Defense boost, Scizor can be slightly underwhelming. (I don't understand what you're saying in that last part) Lastly, 100 Speed EVs allow Mega Scizor you to outspeed Wall Trapper (if this is a known set name for Gothitelle, then okay. otherwise this needs to be rephrased or lowercase) Gothitelle, as well as uninvested base 86s Speed Pokemon, although this isn't recommended due to the loss in bulk.

Usage Tips
========
Be prudent with Scizordon't switch it into any special attacks or any Fire-type movesand (aka, use the emdash with no spaces around it instead of the regular dash) remember that Scizor is not invincible and can still take a lot of damage from powerful attackers. For example, (e.g. Colossoil's Earthquake has a 99.3% chance to 3HKO Mega Scizor after Stealth Rock),. (period) Make sure his Scizor's HP doesn't get too low, because losing a pivot can be disastrous for many teams. On the other hand, Scizor's job is to absorb damage and Knock Offs, (remove comma) and pivot with U-turn for the team, so don't be too afraid to send it in to absorb physical attacks, most notably against Colossoil. Try to not Defog if the opponent has a Bisharp, because Bisharp gains a +2 Attack boost if it switches into Defog it can lead to giving the Bisharp a free +2. Avoid burns, which getting burned with Scizor, it takes away from his Scizor's bulk and longevity, as well as crippling his its already uninvested attacks Attack, but note that Scizor should although still use U-turn even when burned for the momentum it gives.

Team Options
========
Scizor can be a very reliable hazard control Pokemon in VoltTurn teams/ and cores, performing as a great physical wall, pivot, and check to Fairies and pivot, while providing a Fairy check, priority and reliable hazard control, so. Therefore, common Pokemon with access to Volt Switch or U-turn, such as VoltTurners like Rotom-W, Colossoil, Talonflame, (comma) and Volkraken, (comma) are great partners; excluding Colossoil, they which also resist Scizor's horrible Fire weakness. (period) (except in Colossoil's case) while others like Mega Beedrill and Syclant also have access to U-turn and appreciate the physical bulk that Scizor brings.

Having said that, Scizor is a great defensive pivot even without the VoltTurning shenanigans, so any team that appreciates an answer to powerful physical attackers won't mind Scizor as a teammate in their team, and Scizor is not too hard to accommodate for. Pokemon that which resist Fire or have the ability Flash Fire, most notably Heatran, are great partners for Scizor, who which needs a teammate that can switch into to switch to against Fire-type attacks. Assault Vest Colossoil is also an option, who as it can take the more common special Fire-type attacks and hit their users back with Earthquake. Colossoil also has the advantage of having access to Guts and Rebound and Guts, so it can absorb or bounce back Will-O-Wisp for Scizor, or and switch into the common Lava Plume from Pokemon such as like Mollux and Heatran.

Choice Band (woo my favorite Scizor set)
########
Name: Choice Band
Move 1: Bullet Punch
Move 2: U-turn
Move 3: Knock Off / Pursuit / Acrobatics
Move 4: Superpower
Ability: Technician
Item: Choice Band
Evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Nature: Adamant

Moves
========
Bullet Punch is Scizor's Steel-type STAB move, as well as giving it a powerful priority move after the Technician boost. Choice Band Scizor has the strongest U-turn in the CAP metagame, even more powerful than Adaptability Mega Beedrill's U-turn, giving Scizor a powerful Bug-type STAB move that which hits extremely hard, as well as providing and provides momentum for its teammates. For the third moveslot, Knock Off and Pursuit are both options for Dark-type coverage, covering a lot of the same things. However,; (semicolon) Knock Off punishes switch-ins while Pursuit prevents deters Pokemon such as Gothitelle, Aurumoth, (comma) and Necturna from switching and can remove it them from play. Acrobatics is provides Flying-type coverage, hitting common Fighting- and Grass- types such as Tomohawk, Revenankh, and Pyroak and Revenankh, and is able to secure many of the same KOs Aerial Ace does, with the added benefit of more power should the Scizor lose its Choice Band be Knocked Off. Superpower gives an answer to common Steel-type switch-ins such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, as well as and is also Scizor's strongest move for common switch-ins such as Rotom-W and Volkraken. Bug Bite is also an option in the last slot alternative for; it's a powerful Bug-type STAB move that which doesn't force Scizor out, but it comes at the cost of losing a lot of coverage. ("alternative for a powerful Bug-type STAB move" makes it sound like Bug Bite should replace U-turn. I don't think that's what you meant, because replacing U-turn with Bug Bite loses exactly zero coverage.)

Set Details
========
This set takes advantage of Scizor's impressive base 130 Attack stat and wide movepool to provide Scizor with powerful attacks to deal with a whole host of Pokemon. (keep on one line) 248 HP EVs in HP give Scizor as much bulk as possible while minimizing damage from Stealth Rock. Maximum investment in Attack and an Adamant nature mean Scizor hits very hard, and the remaining 8 EVs are thrown into Special Defense, the weaker of Scizor's defenses. (no need to break this up) Choice Band is by far and away the best item for this set Scizor, as it gives Scizor the strongest power boost and it Scizor doesn't usually need to change moves anyway.

Usage Tips
========
Scizor's great defensive typing and good bulk mean it can find many opportunities to switch in. However, Choice Band Scizor lacks any recovery and can be worn down easily, especially if entry hazards are on the field, so be sure to conserve Scizor's HP when necessary.

Scizor can get easily walled by strong physically defensive walls such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, (comma) and Skarmory, so predicting these switch-ins and U-turning out, possibly at the cost of being paralyzed by Static or Rocky Helmet chip damage, can let Scizor can provide momentum to for its teammates. Note that Scizor can get paralyzed by Cyclohm's Static or hit by Rocky Helmet in the process, though. Most of the time in (you say "mostly" later in this sentence, no need to do it twice) early- to Early- and mid-game, Scizor will mostly only use U-turn to provide momentum, unless it needs to revenge kill with Bullet Punch or predict a switch-in and attack with its coverage moves. Later on in the match, Scizor can take advantage of its powerful Bullet Punch to clean up weakened Pokémon and/or teams.

Switching in Scizor against Pokemon that which are weak to Bug-type moves, such as Malaconda, Colossoil, and Aurumoth without Overheat, Malaconda and Colossoil, results a win-win situation, as Scizor will KO the Pokemon if it stays in and give momentum if it switches out. As with any Scizor, be careful to not switch it into Fire-types and Pokemon that commonly have Fire-type coverage (and obviously Fire-types too), as Scizor's x4 4x weakness to Fire means that it often is KOed by dies to even the weaker Fire-type moves.

Team Options
========
Scizor appreciates Gothitelle and Magnezone, which can trap and remove physical walls like Cyclohm and Tomohawks without Baton Pass or Shed Shell, and Ferrothorn and Skarmory, respectively, which it can lure with its powerful attacks and then U-turn to bring Goth in safely. Gothitelle is a good partner, as Scizor can lure in physical walls such as Cyclohm and Tomohawk and then use U-turn to bring Gothitelle in safely to trap and remove them, although you should note that Tomohawk sometimes runs Baton Pass or Shed Shell. Similarly, Magnezone can trap and remove Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory for Scizor. (I'm not sure I got this 100% correct; it was quite unclear) In addition, powerful special attackers such as Mollux and Choice Specs Sylveon can deal with the physical walls which that wall Scizor. (period), while Pokémon Pokemon with Rapid Spin, (comma) such as Colossoil and Tomohawk, or Defog users such as Latias, are ideal partners for Scizor, as they can deal with remove the entry hazards that wear it down.

Pokemon with Volt Switch or U-turn, VoltTurn users such as Rotom-W, Colossoil, Landorus-Therian, Kitsunoh, (comma) and Talonflame, (comma) can all form a strong VoltTurn core with Scizor. If this is the case, a late-game cleaner such as Choice Band Talonflame or Mega Sharpedo is useful for sweeping away teams that have been weakened by the VoltTurn core.

Entry hazard users such as Heatran or Tomohawk are also good teammates, (comma) as entry hazards can weaken many Scizor checks, (comma) such as Talonflame and Mollux, and can wrack rack up damage through Scizor's ability to force switches. Lastly, clerics such as Sylveon, Clefairy, (comma) and Chansey can pass Wishes to Scizor to sustain its health and heal off any status ailments that it might pick up.

Bulky Swords Dance
########
Name: Bulky Swords Dance
Move 1: Swords Dance
Move 2: Bullet Punch
Move 3: Roost
Move 4: Knock Off / Bug Bite
Ability: Light Metal / Technician
Item: Scizorite / Leftovers
Evs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 SpD
Nature: Impish

Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Scizor's already impressive Attack, enabling it to sweep through weakened teams. Bullet Punch is a STAB priority move boosted by STAB and also gets the Technician boost, while Roost lets Scizor means that it can set up on any Pokemon that anything which doesn't 2HKO it, such as Colossoil or Krilowatt. For the last moveslot, Knock Off is Scizor's best coverage move, while having the utility in removing to knock off items, and allowing it Scizor to hit Ghost-types such as Kitsunoh and Necturna. Remember that its, although it's Base Power is halved if there is no item to Knock Off, however. while On the other hand, after the Technician boost, Bug Bite is Scizor's strongest and most consistent physical attack after the Technician Boost and allows it to hit Pokemon such as things like Mega Gardevoir and Colossoil, as well as giving Scizor a consistently strong move. Superpower is also an alternative to hit Steel-types such as Heatran super effectively, but the defense drops it brings hinder Scizor's sweeping ability.

Set Details
========
176 Special Defense EVs in Special Defence give let (more concise) Mega Scizor the ability to avoid getting 2HKOed by Mega Gardevoir's Focus Blast and to be able to set up on Mega Diancies variants lacking Hidden Power not running HP Fire, while a. (period) An Impish nature allows Mega Scizor to avoid the 2HKO from maximum Attack Adamant Landorus-Therian, Colossoil, (comma) and +1 Mega Altaria. (are these all maximum Attack and Adamant? if it's just Landorus-T, then move Colossoil and Mega Altaria before Landorus-T) 248 HP EVs are used is to minimize damage from Stealth Rock while maximizing Scizor's bulk, and the rest is remaining EVs are put into Attack to give Scizor more power. The EV spread is designed for Mega Scizor, but Scizor can use other items These EVs are for a Mega Scizor, but Leftovers for passive recovery or even a Lum Berry for burns and bluffing a Mega are alternatives if you don't want to use up your Mega slot. Leftovers can be used for passive recovery, while Lum Berry can heal status once and lets Scizor bluff a Mega set. Note that Light Metal means Scizor takes less damage from Low Kick and Grass Knot before Mega Evolution, but sets without Scizorite should always use Technician. Technician can also be used on a set with Scizorite to bluff a normal Scizor.

An alternative Swords Dance spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with an Adamant nature and either Scizorite or Life Orb can be run to outspeed Pokemon such as Heatran and Rotom-W, using either Scizorite or Life Orb. This set uses should forgo Roost for an additional coverage move, a choice between Superpower, U-turn, Bug Bite, (comma) and Aerial Ace, instead of Roost and but Knock Off is still mandatory coverage. The lack of a recovery option means that Scizor has to be handled more carefully; it can only set up against Pokemon that which can't damage it much and only after once its counters have been weakened or removed or weakened. (I like it in order of, uh, seriousness I guess)

Usage Tips
========
Scizor's impressive bulk, especially after Mega Evolution, and great defensive typing mean that it can set up on a multitude of Pokémon. However, like most sweepers, it should only set up when its counters are gone or weakened enough to be KO'd KOed by a +2 attack, and when it won't get damaged too much. In this regard, watching out for Fire-type coverage is essential, as Scizor will often get OHKO'd even by weaker Fire-type attacks like Hidden Power Fire. Making sure Pokémon which commonly run Hidden Power Fire or any other Fire-type coverage move, as well as Fire-type Pokémon with Fire-type STAB moves, are gone before you sweep is a necessity.

Pokemon that have good Defense Pokémon which have good Defensive bulk and/or resist Scizor's STAB moves and can tank a Knock Off, (comma) such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, Zapdos, Skarmory, (comma) and Heatran, (comma) are good counters; stopping and can stop Scizor's sweep. Of those, Zapdos and Heatran and (and any others that I missed) can often reply with a super effective Fire-type move. In particular, Tomohawk is an excellent counter, as it can take advantage of its ability Prankster with moves such as like Haze, which eliminates Scizor's Swords Dance boosts, and Reflect, which halves the damage it takes from Scizor's physical attacks. Tomohawk also has access to Roost, which allows it to recover any damage Scizor may have dealt, and Taunt, which stops Scizor from recovering damage with Roost and boosting its Attack with Swords Dance, while resisting both Knock Off and Bug Bite. (this seems a bit too thorough for Usage Tips. imo shorten/summarize it and keep the longer descriptions for Checks & Counters. maybe something like "watch out for ___, as they can ___". and the next part, which is fine) It is important to remove these kinds of Pokemon from the battle, (remove comma) in order to allow Scizor to sweep unhindered.

Finally, Will-O-Wisp and, to a lesser extent, Thunder Wave users can cripple Scizor and prevent it from sweeping if they manage to burn or paralyze him. (implied) Note that Static users such as Cyclohm and Zapdos and Flame Body users such as like Volcarona can also do this by means of their ability, although all of the above are already good Scizor checks and prevent it from sweeping anyway.

Team Options
========
Scizor appreciates the help of Magnezone, which traps and KOes the Steel-types that which annoy Scizor (with the exception of Heatran), and Gothitelle which can trap and KO physical walls that stop Scizor from sweeping, such as like Tomohawk and Cyclohm that stop Scizor from sweeping. Moreover, pPowerful specially offensive Pokémon attackers such as Mollux and Choice Specs Sylveon can also deal with the physical walls that which trouble Scizor, while Scizor can offer an answer to some of their counters in return.

Pokemon that which resist or can tank Fire-type attacks, such as Cyclohm, Heatran, (comma) and Rotom-W, (comma) are great partners for Scizor, as they provide a reliable switch for Scizor, while Scizor's bulk and good defensive typing often cover their weaknesses in return. Heatran in particular (you say particularly right after this, so...) is a particularly good switch-in, as it absorbs Fire-type attacks and Will-O-Wisp with Flash Fire. Heatran also has Fire-type STAB moves for, while providing STAB Fire-type attacks for the Steel-types that which resist Scizor's STAB moves, and Earth Power for the Fire-types that which destroy Scizor. They have good defensive synergy, although Scizor is only neutral to Ground-type attacks which hurt hit Heatran 4x super effectively and Scizor neutrally.

Additionally, Magic Bouncers users and Rebound Colossoil can bounce back the status that threatens to cripple Scizor, while Guts and Magic Guard users can absorb these status moves. Lastly, Heal Bell users can heal Scizor from burns or paralysis which Scizor may have recieved.

Other Options
########
Scizor has access to Baton Pass, along with a host of boosting moves including Iron Defense, Agility, (comma) and most notably, Swords Dance, all of which it can either utilize itself or pass to its teammates, as well as utilise itself. Scizor also has access to a variety of support moves that which are viable but are inferior to the moves on the listed sets, such as Substitute, Tailwind, Sandstorm, Rain Dance, (comma) and Light Screen. (keep on same line) Thief gets the Technician boost, (remove comma) but is an inferior alternative to Knock Off, while. (period) Feint can be used to bypass for bypassing Protect and Detect, and Counter can be used to for absorbing Physical hits and returning the damage taken from physical attacks.

Checks & Counters
########
**Physical Walls**: Physically defensive walls such as Tomohawk, Ferrothorn, Cyclohm, (comma) and Skarmory can stop Scizor in its tracks, stopping it from sweeping and forcing force it out. However, Scizor can deal decent amounts of damage to some of these walls through coverage moves; for example, - (remove dash) Tomohawk doesn't appreciate Aerial Ace or Acrobatics, Ferrothorn is checked by Superpower, (comma) and Cyclohm is hit fairly hard by Bug Bite (Bug Bite is not a coverage move, though, so I took out the part above that called them coverage moves). Additionally, Scizor can usually lure these Pokemon and U-turn away, although Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs and Cyclohm's Static can damage or paralyze Scizor, and while many of these Pokemon often carry a Rocky Helmet, which can punish Scizor's U-turn.

**Status**: Burns, induced sleep, and paralysis, in order of descending effectiveness, will cripple any Scizor set. Burns and, to a lesser extent, paralysis cripple the Swords Dance set especially by halving its Attack or and Speed, (comma) respectively.

**Fire-types**: Scizor's 4x weakness to Fire leaves it at the mercy of even the weaker Fire-type attacks, meaning that Pokemon, (remove comma) that run Fire-type coverage moves, such as Mega Manectric, Zapdos, (comma) and Latios, which run Fire coverage, or even HP Fire, can inflict massive amounts of damage onto Scizor. As they resist both of Scizor's STABS types, Fire-type Pokemon can easily switch in on Scizor and KO it with their own Fire-type STAB moves. For example, Heatran can check Scizor sets without Superpower.

**Keldeo and Arghonaut**: (colon) These two Keldeo and Arghonaut resist both of Scizor's STABs types thanks to their typing (pretty obvious) and can counter any Scizor set without Aerial Ace or Acrobatics. Keldeo's STAB Hydro Pump hits even bulky Mega Scizor variants hard, while Scald has a chance of crippling Scizor with a burn and still hits quite hard. Thanks to Unaware, Arghonaut ignores any Swords Dance boosts Scizor might have gotten with Unaware, (comma) and the physically defensive Arghonaut sets can take any hits, except Flying-type coverage moves, that Scizor deals out, heal it the damage off with Recover, (comma) and chip Scizor down with its their STAB moves or even set up Bulk Up.

edit: tagging KhosroTheGreat in case you didn't see this
 
Last edited:

HeaLnDeaL

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Just so you know, tags don't work properly if you edit them into a post. They only work if they are part of the original post.

KhosroTheGreat, you've been ninja'd and got a magic GP check.
 

GatoDelFuego

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sparktrain I implemented P squared's check and did one of my own. This analysis is completed.
[OVERVIEW]

Scizor is a powerful and versatile Pokemon, and has an excellent Mega Evolution that increases its power further. Access to a wide movepool that includes a number of offensive and support options allows Scizor the ability to perform a variety of roles to a high standard, from defensive pivot to late-game sweeper. Technician turns Scizor's STAB priority move, Bullet Punch, into a force to be reckoned with, while STAB U-turn gives Scizor the ability to be a great pivot. With reliable recovery in Roost as well as access to boosting moves such as Swords Dance and support options such as Defog and Baton Pass, Scizor has the capability to excel both offensively and defensively.

In addition, Scizor has an excellent base 130 Attack, which allows it to hit very hard, and a great defensive typing in Bug / Steel, giving it eight resistances and one immunity. Scizor's Bullet Punch makes it a useful check to the Fairy-types that are prominent in CAP, while Scizor's Steel typing gives it good team synergy with many CAP Pokemon that are weak to Fairy-type attacks.

However, Scizor's poor base 65 Speed, boosted to a still mediocre 75 after Mega Evolution, means that it is outsped by many Pokemon that can wear it down, although this is somewhat mitigated by Scizor's powerful priority. This poor Speed is further compounded by a quadruple weakness to Fire, which means that Scizor can be KOed by most Fire-type attacks, limiting its defensive strength.

[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog / Knock Off
item: Scizorite / Leftovers
ability: Light Metal / Technician
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
U-turn might miss out on the Technician boost, but it still gets STAB and gives Scizor's teammates massive momentum. Bullet Punch is a STAB priority move, allowing Scizor to revenge kill and check Fairy-types. Roost gives Scizor a form of reliable recovery, while Defog guarantees that entry hazards are cleared off the field. Alternatively, if the team already has hazard control, Knock Off can be used to annoy opposing Pokemon by disposing of their items.

Set Details
========
This Scizor acts as a defensive pivot for the team, absorbing damage, most notably from Colossoil, and U-turning away to gain momentum. Scizor definitely prefers Scizorite for the important stat boosts and Knock Off immunity Mega Scizor gets, but Leftovers is an alternative for passive recovery if you already have a Mega Evolution. Note that Light Metal means Scizor takes less damage from Grass Knot and Low Kick before Mega Evolution, but sets without Scizorite should always use Technician.

Maximum Defense investment means that Mega Scizor can easily absorb Colossoil's Knock Off and recover all the HP lost from Earthquake with Roost. However, a specially defensive set with 252 Special Defense EVs and a Careful nature can be used if the team requires a specially defensive pivot; the spread also allows Mega Scizor to survive fully invested Choice Specs Gothitelle's Hidden Power Fire, although it has a 50% chance to OHKO if Stealth Rock is up. Lastly, 100 Speed EVs allow Mega Scizor to outspeed wall trapper Gothitelle, as well as uninvested base 86 Speed Pokemon, although this isn't recommended due to the loss in bulk.

Usage Tips
========
Be prudent with Scizor—don't switch it into any special attacks or Fire-type moves—and remember that Scizor is not invincible and can still take a lot of damage from powerful attackers. For example, Colossoil's Earthquake has a 99.3% chance to 3HKO Mega Scizor after Stealth Rock. Make sure Scizor's HP doesn't get too low, because losing a pivot can be disastrous for many teams. On the other hand, Scizor's job is to absorb damage and Knock Offs and pivot with U-turn for the team, so don't be too afraid to send it in to absorb physical attackers, most notably Colossoil. Try to not Defog if the opponent has a Bisharp, because Bisharp gains a +2 Attack boost if it switches into Defog. Avoid burns, which take away from Scizor's bulk and longevity, as well as crippling its already uninvested Attack, but note that Scizor should still use U-turn even when burned for the momentum it gives.

Team Options
========
Scizor can be a very reliable entry hazard control Pokemon in VoltTurn cores, performing as a great physical wall, pivot, and check to Fairy-types. Therefore, common Pokemon with access to Volt Switch or U-turn, such as Rotom-W, Colossoil, Talonflame, and Volkraken, are great partners; excluding Colossoil, they also resist Scizor's horrible Fire weakness. Mega Beedrill and Syclant also have access to U-turn and appreciate the physical bulk that Scizor brings.

Having said that, Scizor is a great defensive pivot even without VoltTurn shenanigans, so any team that appreciates an answer to powerful physical attackers won't mind Scizor as a teammate, and Scizor is not too hard to accommodate for. Pokemon that resist Fire or have the ability Flash Fire, most notably Heatran, are great partners for Scizor, which needs a teammate that can switch into Fire-type attacks. Assault Vest Colossoil is also an option, as it can take the more common special Fire-type attacks and hit their users back with Earthquake. Colossoil also has the advantage of having access to Guts and Rebound, so it can absorb or bounce back Will-O-Wisp for Scizor and switch into the common Lava Plume from Pokemon such as Mollux and Heatran.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Bullet Punch
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Knock Off / Pursuit / Acrobatics
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Band
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Bullet Punch is Scizor's Steel-type STAB move and gets priority. Choice Band Scizor has the strongest U-turn in the CAP metagame, giving Scizor a powerful Bug-type STAB move that hits extremely hard and provides momentum for its teammates. Knock Off and Pursuit are both options for Dark-type coverage; Knock Off punishes switch-ins while Pursuit deters Pokemon such as Gothitelle, Aurumoth, and Necturna from switching and can remove them from play. Acrobatics provides Flying-type coverage, hitting common Fighting- and Grass- types such as Tomohawk, Revenankh, and Pyroak, and is able to secure many of the same KOs Aerial Ace does with the added benefit of more power should Scizor lose its Choice Band. Superpower gives an answer to common Steel-type switch-ins such as Heatran and Ferrothorn and is also Scizor's strongest move for Rotom-W and Volkraken. Bug Bite is also an option in the last slot; it doesn't force Scizor out, but it comes at the cost of losing a lot of coverage

Set Details
========
This set takes advantage of Scizor's impressive base 130 Attack and wide movepool to deal with a whole host of Pokemon. 248 HP EVs give Scizor as much bulk as possible while minimizing damage from Stealth Rock. Maximum investment in Attack and an Adamant nature mean Scizor hits very hard, and the remaining 8 EVs are thrown into Special Defense, the weaker of Scizor's defenses. Choice Band is by far the best item for this set, as it gives Scizor the strongest power boost and Scizor doesn't usually need to change moves anyway.

Usage Tips
========
Scizor's great defensive typing and good bulk mean it can find many opportunities to switch in. However, Choice Band Scizor lacks any recovery and can be worn down easily, especially if entry hazards are on the field, so be sure to conserve Scizor's HP when necessary.

Scizor can get easily walled by strong physically defensive walls such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, and Skarmory, so predicting these switch-ins and U-turning out can let Scizor provide momentum for its teammates. Note that Scizor can get paralyzed by Cyclohm's Static or hit by Rocky Helmet in the process, though. Early- and mid-game, Scizor will mostly only use U-turn to provide momentum, unless it needs to revenge kill with Bullet Punch or predict a switch and attack with its coverage moves. Later on in the match, Scizor can take advantage of its powerful Bullet Punch to clean up weakened teams.

Switching in Scizor against Pokemon that are weak to Bug-type moves, such as Malaconda, Colossoil, and Aurumoth without Overheat, is a win-win situation, as Scizor will KO the Pokemon if it stays in and give momentum if it switches out. Be careful to not switch it into Fire-types and Pokemon that commonly have Fire-type coverage, as Scizor is KOed by even weaker Fire-type moves.

Team Options
========
Gothitelle is a good partner, as Scizor can lure in physical walls such as Cyclohm and Tomohawk and then use U-turn to bring Gothitelle in safely to trap and remove them, although you should note that Tomohawk sometimes runs Baton Pass or Shed Shell. Similarly, Magnezone can trap and remove Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory for Scizor. Powerful special attackers such as Mollux and Choice Specs Sylveon can deal with the physical walls that wall Scizor. Pokemon with Rapid Spin, such as Colossoil and Tomohawk, or Defog users such as Latias, are ideal partners for Scizor, as they can remove the entry hazards that wear it down.

Pokemon with Volt Switch or U-turn, such as Rotom-W, Colossoil, Landorus-T, Kitsunoh, and Talonflame, can all form a strong VoltTurn core with Scizor. If this is the case, a late-game cleaner such as Choice Band Talonflame or Mega Sharpedo is useful for sweeping teams that have been weakened by the VoltTurn core.

Entry hazard users such as Heatran or Tomohawk are also good teammates, as entry hazards weaken many Scizor checks, such as Talonflame and Mollux, and can rack up damage through Scizor's ability to force switches. Lastly, clerics such as Sylveon, Clefairy, and Chansey can pass Wishes to Scizor to sustain its health and heal off any status ailments that it might pick up.

[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Roost
move 4: Knock Off / Bug Bite
item: Scizorite / Leftovers
ability: Light Metal / Technician
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 SpD

Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Scizor's already impressive Attack, enabling it to sweep weakened teams. Bullet Punch is a priority move boosted by STAB and Technician, while Roost lets Scizor set up on any Pokemon that doesn't 2HKO it, such as Colossoil or Krilowatt. Knock Off is Scizor's best coverage move, having utility in removing items and allowing Scizor to hit Ghost-types such as Kitsunoh and Necturna. Remember that its Base Power is halved if there is no item to Knock Off. On the other hand, Bug Bite is Scizor's strongest and most consistent physical attack and allows it to hit Pokemon such as Mega Gardevoir and Colossoil without switching out. Superpower is also an alternative to hit Steel-types such as Heatran super effectively, but the defense drops it brings hinder Scizor's sweeping ability.

Set Details
========
176 Special Defense EVs let Mega Scizor avoid getting 2HKOed by Mega Gardevoir's Focus Blast and set up on Mega Diancie variants lacking Hidden Power Fire. An Impish nature allows Mega Scizor to avoid the 2HKO from maximum Attack Adamant Landorus-T, Colossoil, and +1 Mega Altaria. 248 HP EVs are used to minimize damage from Stealth Rock while maximizing Scizor's bulk, and the remaining EVs are put into Attack to give Scizor more power. The EV spread is designed for Mega Scizor, but Scizor can use other items if you already have a Mega Pokemon. Leftovers can be used for passive recovery, while Lum Berry can heal status once and lets Scizor bluff a Mega Scizor set. Note that Light Metal means Scizor takes less damage from Low Kick and Grass Knot before Mega Evolution, but sets without Scizorite should always use Technician. Technician can also be used on a set with Scizorite to bluff a normal Scizor.

An alternative Swords Dance spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe with an Adamant nature and either Scizorite or Life Orb can be run to outspeed Pokemon such as Heatran and Rotom-W. This set should forgo Roost for an additional coverage move, a choice between Superpower, U-turn, Bug Bite, and Aerial Ace, but Knock Off is still mandatory coverage. The lack of a recovery option means that Scizor has to be handled more carefully; it can only set up against Pokemon that can't damage it much and only after its counters have been weakened or removed.

Usage Tips
========
Scizor's impressive bulk, especially after Mega Evolution, and great defensive typing mean that it can set up on a multitude of Pokemon. However, like most sweepers, it should only set up when its counters are gone or weakened enough to be KOed by a +2 attack. In this regard, watching out for Fire-type coverage is essential, as Scizor will often get OHKOed even by weaker Fire-type attacks such as Hidden Power Fire. Making sure Pokemon which commonly run Hidden Power Fire or any other Fire-type coverage move, as well as Fire-type Pokemon, are gone before you sweep is a necessity.

Pokemon that have good Defense or resist Scizor's STAB moves and can tank a Knock Off, such as Cyclohm, Tomohawk, Zapdos, Skarmory, and Heatran, can stop Scizor's sweep. It is important to remove these kinds of Pokemon from the battle in order to allow Scizor to sweep unhindered.

Will-O-Wisp and, to a lesser extent, Thunder Wave users can cripple Scizor and prevent it from sweeping. Note that Static users such as Cyclohm and Zapdos and Flame Body users such as Volcarona can also do this by means of their ability.

Team Options
========
Magnezone traps and KOes the Steel-types that annoy Scizor (with the exception of Heatran), and Gothitelle can trap and KO physical walls that stop Scizor from sweeping, such as Tomohawk and Cyclohm. Powerful special attackers such as Mollux and Choice Specs Sylveon can also deal with the physical walls that trouble Scizor, while Scizor can offer an answer to some of their counters in return.

Pokemon that resist or can tank Fire-type attacks, such as Cyclohm, Heatran, and Rotom-W, are great partners for Scizor, as they provide a reliable switch-in for Scizor's counters, while Scizor's bulk and good defensive typing often cover their weaknesses in return. Heatran is a particularly good partner, as it absorbs Fire-type attacks and Will-O-Wisp with Flash Fire. Heatran also has Fire-type STAB moves for the Steel-types that resist Scizor's STAB moves, and Earth Power for the Fire-types that destroy Scizor.

Magic Bounce users and Rebound Colossoil can bounce back the status moves that threaten to cripple Scizor, while Guts and Magic Guard users can absorb status. Heal Bell users can heal Scizor from burns or paralysis.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Scizor has access to Baton Pass, along with a host of boosting moves including Iron Defense, Agility, and Swords Dance. Scizor also has access to a variety of support moves that are viable but inferior to the moves on the listed sets, such as Substitute, Tailwind, Sandstorm, Rain Dance, and Light Screen. Thief gets the Technician boost but is inferior to Knock Off. Feint can be used to bypass Protect and Detect, and Counter can be used to return the damage taken from physical attacks.

Checks & Counters
===================
**Physical Walls**: Physically defensive walls such as Tomohawk, Ferrothorn, Cyclohm, and Skarmory can stop Scizor from sweeping and force it out. However, Scizor can deal decent amounts of damage to some of these walls; for example, Tomohawk doesn't appreciate Aerial Ace or Acrobatics, Ferrothorn is checked by Superpower, and Cyclohm is hit fairly hard by Bug Bite. Additionally, Scizor can usually lure these Pokemon and U-turn away, although Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs and Cyclohm's Static can damage or paralyze Scizor, and many of these Pokemon often carry a Rocky Helmet, which can punish Scizor's U-turn.

**Status**: Burns, sleep, and paralysis, in order of descending effectiveness, will cripple any Scizor set. Burn and, to a lesser extent, paralysis cripple the Swords Dance set especially by halving its Attack and Speed, respectively.

**Fire-types**: Scizor's 4x weakness to Fire leaves it at the mercy of even the weaker Fire-type attacks, meaning that Pokemon that run Fire-type coverage moves, such as Mega Manectric, Zapdos, and Latios, can inflict massive amounts of damage onto Scizor. Fire-type Pokemon can easily switch in on Scizor and KO it with their Fire-type STAB moves. For example, Heatran can check Scizor sets without Superpower.

**Keldeo and Arghonaut**: Keldeo and Arghonaut resist both of Scizor's STAB types and can counter any Scizor set without Aerial Ace or Acrobatics. Keldeo's STAB Hydro Pump hits even bulky Mega Scizor variants hard, while Scald has a chance of crippling Scizor with a burn. Thanks to Unaware, Arghonaut ignores any Swords Dance boosts Scizor might have, and physically defensive Arghonaut sets can take any hit, except Flying-type coverage moves, heal the damage off with Recover, and chip Scizor down with their STAB moves or even set up with Bulk Up.

 

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