QC: YABO / Omfuga / NV and dodmen
GP: Snobalt / Winry
[OVERVIEW]
With an amazing defensive ability in Wonder Guard, Shedinja is immune to any attack that isn't super effective against it. This ability allows Shedinja to take on numerous threats in the tier such as Suicune, Cobalion, and Snorlax. Even with the ability to take on these threats, though, Shedinja is weak to some of the other common types in the tier such as Dark, Fire, and Flying. At first glance, Shedinja's stats may also not seem that great, especially its lowly base 1 HP, which means that it is instantly KOed by passive damage from entry hazards and status moves such as Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Leech Seed. As such, Shedinja should be put on a team built around it with many entry hazard removers and possibly Magic Bounce users such as Espeon and Xatu.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance / Pivot
move 1: Swords Dance / Baton Pass
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: Protect / Will-O-Wisp
item: Focus Sash
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Shedinja to boost its Attack, making it a bigger threat. Baton Pass lets Shedinja to gain the switch advantage with a slow Baton Pass when it forces a foe out that can't hit it, but it can be PP stalled late-game by the likes of Rest Suicune. X-Scissor and Shadow Sneak are Shedinja's best STAB moves. X-Scissor hits Reuniclus and Cresselia, and Shadow Sneak provides Shedinja with some priority to pick off or revenge kill weakened foes such as Chandelure and Azelf. Protect allows Shedinja to scout for super effective attacks or status moves that could potentially threaten it. This increases its longevity by allowing it to not be caught off guard by a surprise coverage move. Will-O-Wisp cripples incoming physical attackers looking to break Shedinja's Focus Sash or OHKO it. It could also offer some residual damage on bulky Pokemon that switch into Shedinja.
Set Details
========
Shedinja's EVs are all invested into Attack and Speed to make it hit as hard and as quickly as possible. Investing in any other stat is pointless because it will faint from one hit anyway. An Adamant nature further increases Shedinja's attacking power. Focus Sash allows Shedinja to take two super effective hits from foes, giving it a second opportunity to get a KO or wear down a wall.
Usage Tips
========
It's best to play conservatively when using Shedinja, especially against Pokemon that could possibly have a move to hit it with, so scout their movesets with Protect when necessary. This really helps against Pokemon that could potentially be running Toxic, such as Porygon2 and Vaporeon. Setting up early- or mid-game is not a good idea, as Shedinja is best used as a late-game sweeper. If your opponent doesn't have many ways to combat Shedinja, try to preserve it for the late-game so that it's almost impossible for the foes to hit Shedinja. If you're running Baton Pass or Will-O-Wisp, they should be used whenever Shedinja forces a foe out, gaining momentum with Baton Pass or potentially crippling an incoming physical attacker with Will-O-Wisp.
Team Options
========
Shedinja's best partners are the entry hazard removers in the tier such as Crobat, Salamence, Tentacruel, and Mega Blastoise. Entry hazards need to be off of the field for Shedinja to be effective, so it's essential to always have spinners or Defoggers on the team. Magic Bounce users such as Xatu and Espeon also make for good teammates, switching in on any status moves or entry hazards and bouncing them back to the opponent's side. Shedinja also likes bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Mega Blastoise to help deal with Fire- and Rock-types attacks aimed at it, and in return, Shedinja can take Grass- and Electric-type moves for them. Steel-types such as Mega Aggron can absorb any Flying-type attacks aimed at Shedinja, although it has to watch out for Fire-type attacks. Slow U-turn or Volt Switch users are great teammates as well, bringing in Shedinja safely and grabbing momentum.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Shadow Claw can be used over Shadow Sneak as a Ghost-type STAB move, but Shedinja loses out on a priority move, which is huge considering that it sits at a lackluster base 40 Speed. Toxic can be used over Will-O-Wisp to wear down walls a bit faster. A Hone Claws + Baton Pass set could be used (Swords Dance and Baton Pass are incompatible) to preserve momentum as well as provide team support, giving some useful Attack and accuracy boosts to teammates. Lum Berry can act as a one-time status absorber. Safety Goggles can be used to combat Mega Abomasnow and absorb powder moves such as Sleep Powder or Spore from Venomoth and Amoonguss, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Super Effective Attacks**: Dark-, Fire-, Flying-, Ghost-, and Rock-type all hit Shedinja super effectively, breaking its Focus Sash or OHKOing it. Common Pokemon that have these types for coverage include Hydreigon, Mega Aerodactyl, and Crobat, which can be whittled down with Will-O-Wisp, as well as Entei and Chandelure, which are not affected by Will-O-Wisp due to their Fire typing.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from the likes of entry hazards, poison, burn, Leech Seed, and hail will OHKO Shedinja. Phazers pose a threat when entry hazards are on the field, having a random chance to switch into Shedinja. Also, be aware that Mega Abomasnow can come in at any time against Shedinja and KO it with hail.
**Pursuit Trappers**: Pursuit trappers such as Krookodile and Mega Aerodactyl can trap Shedinja and either break its Focus Sash on the switch or OHKO it.
**Mold Breaker Users**: Mold Breaker users such as Haxorus and Mega Ampharos ignore Shedinja's Wonder Guard and can OHKO it with any of their attacking moves.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: Rocky Helmet users such as Forretress, Arcanine, and Mandibuzz can come in on any of Shedinja's attacks and instantly KO it.
GP: Snobalt / Winry
[OVERVIEW]
With an amazing defensive ability in Wonder Guard, Shedinja is immune to any attack that isn't super effective against it. This ability allows Shedinja to take on numerous threats in the tier such as Suicune, Cobalion, and Snorlax. Even with the ability to take on these threats, though, Shedinja is weak to some of the other common types in the tier such as Dark, Fire, and Flying. At first glance, Shedinja's stats may also not seem that great, especially its lowly base 1 HP, which means that it is instantly KOed by passive damage from entry hazards and status moves such as Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Leech Seed. As such, Shedinja should be put on a team built around it with many entry hazard removers and possibly Magic Bounce users such as Espeon and Xatu.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance / Pivot
move 1: Swords Dance / Baton Pass
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: Protect / Will-O-Wisp
item: Focus Sash
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Shedinja to boost its Attack, making it a bigger threat. Baton Pass lets Shedinja to gain the switch advantage with a slow Baton Pass when it forces a foe out that can't hit it, but it can be PP stalled late-game by the likes of Rest Suicune. X-Scissor and Shadow Sneak are Shedinja's best STAB moves. X-Scissor hits Reuniclus and Cresselia, and Shadow Sneak provides Shedinja with some priority to pick off or revenge kill weakened foes such as Chandelure and Azelf. Protect allows Shedinja to scout for super effective attacks or status moves that could potentially threaten it. This increases its longevity by allowing it to not be caught off guard by a surprise coverage move. Will-O-Wisp cripples incoming physical attackers looking to break Shedinja's Focus Sash or OHKO it. It could also offer some residual damage on bulky Pokemon that switch into Shedinja.
Set Details
========
Shedinja's EVs are all invested into Attack and Speed to make it hit as hard and as quickly as possible. Investing in any other stat is pointless because it will faint from one hit anyway. An Adamant nature further increases Shedinja's attacking power. Focus Sash allows Shedinja to take two super effective hits from foes, giving it a second opportunity to get a KO or wear down a wall.
Usage Tips
========
It's best to play conservatively when using Shedinja, especially against Pokemon that could possibly have a move to hit it with, so scout their movesets with Protect when necessary. This really helps against Pokemon that could potentially be running Toxic, such as Porygon2 and Vaporeon. Setting up early- or mid-game is not a good idea, as Shedinja is best used as a late-game sweeper. If your opponent doesn't have many ways to combat Shedinja, try to preserve it for the late-game so that it's almost impossible for the foes to hit Shedinja. If you're running Baton Pass or Will-O-Wisp, they should be used whenever Shedinja forces a foe out, gaining momentum with Baton Pass or potentially crippling an incoming physical attacker with Will-O-Wisp.
Team Options
========
Shedinja's best partners are the entry hazard removers in the tier such as Crobat, Salamence, Tentacruel, and Mega Blastoise. Entry hazards need to be off of the field for Shedinja to be effective, so it's essential to always have spinners or Defoggers on the team. Magic Bounce users such as Xatu and Espeon also make for good teammates, switching in on any status moves or entry hazards and bouncing them back to the opponent's side. Shedinja also likes bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Mega Blastoise to help deal with Fire- and Rock-types attacks aimed at it, and in return, Shedinja can take Grass- and Electric-type moves for them. Steel-types such as Mega Aggron can absorb any Flying-type attacks aimed at Shedinja, although it has to watch out for Fire-type attacks. Slow U-turn or Volt Switch users are great teammates as well, bringing in Shedinja safely and grabbing momentum.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Shadow Claw can be used over Shadow Sneak as a Ghost-type STAB move, but Shedinja loses out on a priority move, which is huge considering that it sits at a lackluster base 40 Speed. Toxic can be used over Will-O-Wisp to wear down walls a bit faster. A Hone Claws + Baton Pass set could be used (Swords Dance and Baton Pass are incompatible) to preserve momentum as well as provide team support, giving some useful Attack and accuracy boosts to teammates. Lum Berry can act as a one-time status absorber. Safety Goggles can be used to combat Mega Abomasnow and absorb powder moves such as Sleep Powder or Spore from Venomoth and Amoonguss, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Super Effective Attacks**: Dark-, Fire-, Flying-, Ghost-, and Rock-type all hit Shedinja super effectively, breaking its Focus Sash or OHKOing it. Common Pokemon that have these types for coverage include Hydreigon, Mega Aerodactyl, and Crobat, which can be whittled down with Will-O-Wisp, as well as Entei and Chandelure, which are not affected by Will-O-Wisp due to their Fire typing.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from the likes of entry hazards, poison, burn, Leech Seed, and hail will OHKO Shedinja. Phazers pose a threat when entry hazards are on the field, having a random chance to switch into Shedinja. Also, be aware that Mega Abomasnow can come in at any time against Shedinja and KO it with hail.
**Pursuit Trappers**: Pursuit trappers such as Krookodile and Mega Aerodactyl can trap Shedinja and either break its Focus Sash on the switch or OHKO it.
**Mold Breaker Users**: Mold Breaker users such as Haxorus and Mega Ampharos ignore Shedinja's Wonder Guard and can OHKO it with any of their attacking moves.
**Rocky Helmet Users**: Rocky Helmet users such as Forretress, Arcanine, and Mandibuzz can come in on any of Shedinja's attacks and instantly KO it.
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