Overview
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A force in BW UU, Mienshao returns to XY UU with a vengeance. Sporting extremely good offensive stats with 125 Attack and 105 Speed, Mienshao cements its place in UU as one of the fastest viable Choice Scarf users. With access to powerful STAB moves in High Jump Kick, which is capable of netting the OHKO on Pokemon such as Flygon, Hydreigon, Infernape, and Mega Absol, as well as good coverage options in Knock Off, U-turn, Poison Jab, and Stone Edge, Mienshao is definitely a great addition to balanced and offensive teams. However, Mienshao does have its problems; with horrific 65/60/60 defensive stats, any strong neutral attack or even powerful resisted attacks can OHKO Mienshao with relative ease. Couple this with Mienshao's main STAB attack having quite a debilitating side effect, and Mienshao can be seen as a very high risk, high reward Pokemon. However, due to its base 105 Speed and fantastic abilities in Regenerator and Reckless as well as a high Attack stat, Mienshao is a Pokemon that can hold its ground in the UU metagame.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: High Jump Kick
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Stone Edge / Aerial Ace
ability: Reckless / Regenerator
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
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High Jump Kick is Mienshao's main STAB attack, being able to OHKO many frail threats such as Infernape and Mega Absol while also being able to take out neutral targets such as Flygon when used with Reckless. U-turn provides Mienshao with momentum when none of its other moves can OHKO a potential switch-in and can get chip damage on slower Choice Scarf users such as Jirachi in order to KO them later in the game with High Jump Kick. Knock Off hits Ghost- and Psychic-types and removes items from physical walls such as Gligar and Florges, which are normally safe switch-ins to Mienshao. The last move can be catered to whatever your team needs; Stone Edge to hit Flying-types, Poison Jab to hit Fairy-types, or Aerial Ace to score the OHKO on Heracross.
Set Details
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Maximum Attack and Speed investment takes advantage of Mienshao's fantastic offensive stats and let it OHKO or 2HKO most of the frail offensive Pokemon in the tier. Choice Scarf further bolsters Mienshao's base 105 Speed and lets it outpace basically every other Choice Scarf user, in the tier as well as setup sweepers such as Haxorus, which it can OHKO with Reckless High Jump Kick. Reckless further increases the damage output of High Jump Kick, allowing it to OHKO Flygon, Haxorus, and Mega Aerodactyl after Stealth Rock damage. Regenerator can be used instead to offset any damage Mienshao takes from entry hazards, especially versus Spike stacking teams, and increases Mienshao's longevity.
Usage Tips
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The Scarf set is very effective at keeping momentum by forcing switches and using U-turn, as well as picking off frail opponents throughout the game. Thanks to the power of a STAB Reckless High Jump Kick coming off a 125 base Attack, Scarf Mienshao can also be an effective late game cleaner.
Team Options
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Mienshao works very well when coupled with entry hazard support, particularly Spikes, which can be provided by Pokemon such as Froslass, Forretress, and Roserade. Mienshao also appreciates Pokemon that can deal with physical walls such as Hippowdon, Slowbro, Suicune, and Florges so again, Roserade gets a special mention. Pokemon such as Mega Ampharos and basically any Pokemon that can complete a VoltTurn / U-turn core. Pursuit trappers and Pokemon such as Mega Houndoom, Pursuit Heracross, Krookodile, and Mega Absol that can remove Ghost-types for Mienshao to spam High Jump Kick are also appreciated. Mienshao also appreciates the removal of Poison-types such as Nidoqueen which can easily take any of its attacks and retaliate with STAB Sludge Wave or Earth Power. Dugtrio can fill the role here very well, as U-turn allows Dugtrio to come in for free and proceed to OHKO Nidoqueen and Qwilfish with STAB Earthquake.
Life Orb
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name: Life Orb
move 1: High Jump Kick
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Fake Out / Poison Jab / Stone Edge / Drain Punch
ability: Regenerator
item: Life Orb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Regenerator
Moves
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A High Jump Kick that is boosted by a Life Orb is a very powerful STAB move, which is able to OHKO or 2HKO most Pokemon that do not resist it. U-turn is used to give Mienshao an easy escape route against Pokemon it would otherwise struggle against such as Florges. Knock Off removes the items of these troublesome Pokemon in order to make them easier to deal with later in the game. The move in the fourth slot fills the role of whatever the team requires. Fake Out can be used for priority but is rather weak against more defensive teams, Drain Punch is a 100% accurate STAB attack that offsets Life Orb Recoil somewhat, Stone Edge hits Flying-types for super effective damage but has a pretty significant chance to miss, and Poison Jab scores the 2HKO on Florges and Aromatisse but misses out on defensive Granbull.
Set Details
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Maximum Attack and Speed investment takes full advantage of Mienshao's strong points, and when coupled with Life Orb, turns Mienshao into quite a formidable wallbreaker. Life Orb also gives Mienshao the freedom to switch moves at the cost of 10% recoil each time it attacks. Regenerator is the preferred ability in order to offset Life Orb recoil every time it switches out;it also helps against more defensive teams that try to stall out Mienshao's HP using Life Orb recoil. Reckless, however, can be used in order to allow Mienshao to fire off extremely powerful attacks, but it significantly reduces Mienshao's survivability.
Usage Tips
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This set should be used to force switches throughout the game and keep momentum up. U-turn and Knock Off should be the main two moves used early game, while High Jump Kick should be used mid to late-game once Ghost-types have been removed or physical walls have been weakened.
Team Options
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Pokemon that can remove Poison-, Ghost-, and Psychic-types in order to allow Mienshao to spam High Jump Kick are much appreciated. This includes powerful wallbreakers like Choice Band Victini and mixed Life Orb Hydreigon. Partners such as Raikou, Mega-Ampharos, Rotom-Heat and Forretress that can provide momentum for Mienshao are also nice to have. Entry hazard support is also nice to turn many 3HKOs into 2HKOs, as well as to allow Mienshao to wear down walls with U-turn more easily.
Other Options
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Mienshao has the potential to go mixed with Hidden Power Ice thanks to its respectable Special Attack;it lets Mienshao hit would-be counters such as Nidoqueen and Gligar much harder. A Choice Band with Reckless lets Mienshao OHKO basically everything that doesn't resist Fighting-type moves and even a few Pokemon which do resist it too. Also, thanks to how threatening Mienshao is and how many switches it forces, it can pull off Substitute, Swords Dance, and Calm Mind Baton Pass sets to some success. Grass Knot is also an option on the Life Orb set to 2HKO (or OHKO with some investment) some physical walls such as Hippowdon, Swampert, and Slowbro. Finally, an Adamant nature can be used on all of these sets to maximize damage output at the severe cost of losing out on outspeeding base 100 Speed Pokemon.
Checks & Counters
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**Fairy-types**: Fairies such as Florges, Aromatisse, and Granbull can come in on any of Mienshao's attacks barring the rare Poison Jab and proceed to OHKO with a super effective STAB move.
**Poison-types**: Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Crobat can easily take Mienshao's STAB options and cripple it or outright KO it with their STAB moves. However, Crobat has to be wary of Stone Edge and Nidoqueen doesn't like having its item removed via Knock Off.
**Physical Walls**: Physically bulky Pokemon that can avoid the 2HKO from STAB High Jump Kick are generally good answers to Mienshao. This includes, but isn't limited to Gligar, Hippowdon, Tangrowth, Suicune, and Chesnaught.
**Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types such as Mew and Slowbro can take any of Mienshao's attacks and fire back with a Will-O-Wisp or KO with STAB Psychic/Psyshock.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types such as Sableye and Cofagrigus have an easy time coming in on Mienshao and forcing it out with the prospect of Will-O-Wisp.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Pokemon such as Focus Sash Alakazam, Choice Scarf Infernape, and Mega Aerodactyl can all OHKO Mienshao with their respective STAB moves, however, Mega Aerodactyl is slower and therefore loses to Reckless Scarf Mienshao.
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