http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/shedinja
Hey, i'm trying to tone down the amount I write for analysises so this should be pretty quick. If there is any credit due, it goes to Earthworm for showing me how viable Baton Pass is on Shedinja.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Toxic / Will-o-Wisp
move 3: Heal Block
move 4: Shadow Sneak / X-Scissor
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Baton Pass, even with nothing to pass, is a viable move on Shedinja as it allows it to scout for counters, and then immediately follow up with a slower switch-in, giving you the more favourable match up.</p>
<p>Without Swords Dance to boost Shedinja's barely passable attack stat, Toxic is its best way of dealing damage outside of any entry hazards caused by Shedinja's knack for forcing switches. Heal Block in conjuction with Toxic will make sure your opponent does not simply stall you out of PP by resting off any damage accumulated by Toxic.</p>
<p>However, Poison or Steel-type pokemon, as well as those with the Immunity ability, will be unaffected by Toxic, effectively stopping Shedinja cold. With Baton Pass, Shedinja can immediately retreat and bring in a suitable counter for free, Dugtrio and Magnezone deserving special mention. This pair can come in handy as Magnezone can trap and kill most Steel-types, while Dugtrio's STAB Earthquake hits Poison and Steel-types for super effective damage.</p>
<p>Will-o-Wisp is an option for the aforementioned Steel and Poison-types but the process will be much longer and more arduous as a burn's damage is constant. However any offensive move, particularly Shadow Sneak or X-Scissor may be used in its place if you are afraid of Taunt. Although any move, even specialised Hidden Powers can be used to counter specific Taunters (such as Hidden Power Electric for Gyarados).</p>
--
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Toxic / Will-o-Wisp
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Shadow Sneak
item: Focus Sash
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Taking advatange of Shedinja's only passable stat, Attack, this set aims to increase it to higher levels courtesy of Swords Dance. Thanks to Shedinja's variety of immunities and its knack for forcing switches, it is more than likely you will be able to at least raise your attack once before switching out. Shadow Sneak and X-Scissor are STAB moves chosen for priority purposes and high base power, respectively.</p>
<p>Due to Shedinja's limited movepool, a status move, either Toxic or Will-o-Wisp makes an appearance to cripple any incoming pokemon that might be carrying a super effective attack. Toxic is generally the superior move against walls that carry a move capable of swatting Shedinja while Will-o-Wisp can effectively neuter any physical threat including what is arguably, Shedinja's greatest threat; Pursuit-users such as Metagross and Scizor.</p>
---
[Counters]
<p>Let’s go through the complete list of everything that can kill Shedinja.</p>
<p>Fire/ Flying / Dark / Ghost / Rock moves, non-Fighting / Normal attacks from a Mold Breaker Pokémon, Poison, Burn, Leech Seed, Confusion damage, Sandstorm, Hail, Spikes / Stealth Rock, Nightmare, Darkrai’s Bad Dreams, Life Orb recoil, Double-Edge recoil, Struggle, Struggle recoil, Destiny Bond, Perish Song, Aftermath, Rough Skin, Future Sight / Doom Desire, Ghost-type Curse, Jaboca/Rowap Berry recoil, and absorbing health against a Pokémon with Liquid Ooze.</p>
<p>In OU-level play, Heatran can threaten Shedinja with a super effective fire attack while resisting both of Shedinja's STAB moves and absorbing Toxic and Will-o-Wisp. Skarmory can also come in on ease, threaten with a flying attack (Brave Bird or Drill Peck) or simply setting up Spikes or Stealth Rock forbidding Shedinja from coming back in. Finally, Tyranitar can switch in on support moves like Heal Block and Swords Dance but will be troubled by either Will-o-Wisp, Toxic or X-Scissor. Also, as long as Shedinja doesn't Baton Pass away during the turn Sandstream activates, it will instantly faint regardless of a Focus Sash.</p>
<p>In Uber-level play, Darkrai, Groudon and Giratina are the most threatening pokemon to any Shedinja-user. Darkrai can come in freely on a Shadow Sneak or support move, then immediately threaten with Dark Void and it's unique trait, Bad Dreams. Groudon's high Defense and Speed (in proportion to Shedinja's at least) allows it to threaten with Fire Punch or Toxic, while setting up Stealth Rock preventing from Shedinja coming back in. Giratina, threatens Shedinja by combining a status effect in Will-o-Wisp as well as sky-high defensive prowess. Incidentally, Giratina can also use Rest to alleviate it of any status condition (barring a Heal Block) while simultaneously blocking Rapid Spin if any entry hazards are on the field.</p>
<p>Anything with Pursuit is an automatic death sentence for Shedinja, unless it has a Substitute Baton Passed to it to protect itself. In fact, this is a useful tactic for it to protect itself from status and Leech Seed as well.</p>
---
[EVs]
<p>If Shedinja is not running any offensive moves and you happen to have a pokemon that can pass along substitutes on your team, placing 252 EVs in either defensive stat is an option worth considering since it effectively gives you an "extra life" as well as it protects you from status and pseudo-status like Toxic and Leech Seed.</p>
---
If there's anything redundent or unnecessary in the Set Comments, please tell me as, even I think it's bloated enough as is and won't fit in too well with the others sets.
Also, just checking out for typoes, spelling errors, mistakes in the SCMS formatting would be much appreciated.
Thanks. Nitpick away!
Hey, i'm trying to tone down the amount I write for analysises so this should be pretty quick. If there is any credit due, it goes to Earthworm for showing me how viable Baton Pass is on Shedinja.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Toxic / Will-o-Wisp
move 3: Heal Block
move 4: Shadow Sneak / X-Scissor
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Baton Pass, even with nothing to pass, is a viable move on Shedinja as it allows it to scout for counters, and then immediately follow up with a slower switch-in, giving you the more favourable match up.</p>
<p>Without Swords Dance to boost Shedinja's barely passable attack stat, Toxic is its best way of dealing damage outside of any entry hazards caused by Shedinja's knack for forcing switches. Heal Block in conjuction with Toxic will make sure your opponent does not simply stall you out of PP by resting off any damage accumulated by Toxic.</p>
<p>However, Poison or Steel-type pokemon, as well as those with the Immunity ability, will be unaffected by Toxic, effectively stopping Shedinja cold. With Baton Pass, Shedinja can immediately retreat and bring in a suitable counter for free, Dugtrio and Magnezone deserving special mention. This pair can come in handy as Magnezone can trap and kill most Steel-types, while Dugtrio's STAB Earthquake hits Poison and Steel-types for super effective damage.</p>
<p>Will-o-Wisp is an option for the aforementioned Steel and Poison-types but the process will be much longer and more arduous as a burn's damage is constant. However any offensive move, particularly Shadow Sneak or X-Scissor may be used in its place if you are afraid of Taunt. Although any move, even specialised Hidden Powers can be used to counter specific Taunters (such as Hidden Power Electric for Gyarados).</p>
--
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Toxic / Will-o-Wisp
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Shadow Sneak
item: Focus Sash
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Taking advatange of Shedinja's only passable stat, Attack, this set aims to increase it to higher levels courtesy of Swords Dance. Thanks to Shedinja's variety of immunities and its knack for forcing switches, it is more than likely you will be able to at least raise your attack once before switching out. Shadow Sneak and X-Scissor are STAB moves chosen for priority purposes and high base power, respectively.</p>
<p>Due to Shedinja's limited movepool, a status move, either Toxic or Will-o-Wisp makes an appearance to cripple any incoming pokemon that might be carrying a super effective attack. Toxic is generally the superior move against walls that carry a move capable of swatting Shedinja while Will-o-Wisp can effectively neuter any physical threat including what is arguably, Shedinja's greatest threat; Pursuit-users such as Metagross and Scizor.</p>
---
[Counters]
<p>Let’s go through the complete list of everything that can kill Shedinja.</p>
<p>Fire/ Flying / Dark / Ghost / Rock moves, non-Fighting / Normal attacks from a Mold Breaker Pokémon, Poison, Burn, Leech Seed, Confusion damage, Sandstorm, Hail, Spikes / Stealth Rock, Nightmare, Darkrai’s Bad Dreams, Life Orb recoil, Double-Edge recoil, Struggle, Struggle recoil, Destiny Bond, Perish Song, Aftermath, Rough Skin, Future Sight / Doom Desire, Ghost-type Curse, Jaboca/Rowap Berry recoil, and absorbing health against a Pokémon with Liquid Ooze.</p>
<p>In OU-level play, Heatran can threaten Shedinja with a super effective fire attack while resisting both of Shedinja's STAB moves and absorbing Toxic and Will-o-Wisp. Skarmory can also come in on ease, threaten with a flying attack (Brave Bird or Drill Peck) or simply setting up Spikes or Stealth Rock forbidding Shedinja from coming back in. Finally, Tyranitar can switch in on support moves like Heal Block and Swords Dance but will be troubled by either Will-o-Wisp, Toxic or X-Scissor. Also, as long as Shedinja doesn't Baton Pass away during the turn Sandstream activates, it will instantly faint regardless of a Focus Sash.</p>
<p>In Uber-level play, Darkrai, Groudon and Giratina are the most threatening pokemon to any Shedinja-user. Darkrai can come in freely on a Shadow Sneak or support move, then immediately threaten with Dark Void and it's unique trait, Bad Dreams. Groudon's high Defense and Speed (in proportion to Shedinja's at least) allows it to threaten with Fire Punch or Toxic, while setting up Stealth Rock preventing from Shedinja coming back in. Giratina, threatens Shedinja by combining a status effect in Will-o-Wisp as well as sky-high defensive prowess. Incidentally, Giratina can also use Rest to alleviate it of any status condition (barring a Heal Block) while simultaneously blocking Rapid Spin if any entry hazards are on the field.</p>
<p>Anything with Pursuit is an automatic death sentence for Shedinja, unless it has a Substitute Baton Passed to it to protect itself. In fact, this is a useful tactic for it to protect itself from status and Leech Seed as well.</p>
---
[EVs]
<p>If Shedinja is not running any offensive moves and you happen to have a pokemon that can pass along substitutes on your team, placing 252 EVs in either defensive stat is an option worth considering since it effectively gives you an "extra life" as well as it protects you from status and pseudo-status like Toxic and Leech Seed.</p>
---
If there's anything redundent or unnecessary in the Set Comments, please tell me as, even I think it's bloated enough as is and won't fit in too well with the others sets.
Also, just checking out for typoes, spelling errors, mistakes in the SCMS formatting would be much appreciated.
Thanks. Nitpick away!
