Shubarugo

[Deck Knight]

Status: Skeleton complete, awaiting critique.

Shubarugo

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[Overview]

• Hits like a train with 135 Base Attack.
• Impressive overall bulk with 70/105/105 defenses and excellent resistances.
• Revenge kills admirably.
• Abysmal speed with insane offense and defense is ideal for Trick Room.
• Fairly shallow movepool.
• Walled to hell by Skarmory and Heatran somewhat, but few other common Steels.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Return / Double-Edge
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Rock Smash / Reversal
item: Choice Band
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 SpD

Set Comments:

• Megahorn does absurd amounts of damage, and reliably 2HKO's all variants of Metagross. Once below 33%, Megahorn gets even more ridiculously powerful, so much so it can even 2HKO Dusknoir with Stealth Rock down.
• Return preserves Shubarugo's bulk and is generally superior to Iron Head because of the many Pokemon that resist Bug + Steel attacks. Double-Edge aids in getting Shubarugo's HP down for Swarm and Reversal, and is used over Iron Head so that Fire-types cannot wall the set as easily.
• Pursuit makes Shubarugo a deadly revenge killer, and its better special bulk means it can afford to stay in on strong special attackers that Scizor couldn't.
• Rock Smash, sadly, is Shubarugo's best option to deal with Heatran, as it can 2HKO offensive sets with Stealth Rock on the field. Alternatively, Reversal becomes as powerful at 67% HP and then twice as powerful below 34%. Until Shubarugo is actually knocked out, each time it switches in it becomes more dangerous, especially under Trick Room.
• EVs are set so Shubarugo always survives Hidden Power Fire from any non-LO Speed-natured Magnezone set (most of them), allowing it to hit twice. Megahorn is a 2HKO, while Rock Smash needs either Spikes or a Defense drop to 2HKO.

Additional Comments:

• The key difference between CB Scizor and CB Shubarugo is that Scizor is a pivot while Shubarugo is a nuke. Shubarugo uses Megahorn's immense power to score 2HKOs Scizor can't manage with its reliance on U-turn.
• If utilizing with Trick Room Use Brave and set Speed IVs to zero.
• Sad but true: Shubarugo cannot even catch univested Swampert with Max Speed and Jolly, so going with a bulky spread is ideal.
• Iron Head can be used over a Fighting move to slaughter Ghost-type switch-ins, but be warned it makes it much safer for Heatran and Magezone to enter.

Teammates & Counters:

• Anything that obliterates Skarmory is Shubarugo's best friend, with Magnezone being the obvious top pick.
• Even though Heatran itself gives Shubarugo trouble, it absorbs Shubarugo's only weakness, easily dispatches Skarmory, and can set up Stealth Rock for Shubarugo.
• Rotom-W resists fire and poses a substantial threat to both Heatran and Skarmory.
• Shandera scares out Skarmory and can set up Trick Room for Shubarugo. It can address Heatran as well with Hidden Power Ground, but is not a reliable switchin.
• Slowbro is fairly effective at addressing both Skarmory and Heatran and can also set up Trick Room for Shubarugo.
• Dialga and Palkia drive away Skarmory and can set up Trick Room, they also can deal with Heatran to an extent (moreso Palkia).
• Skarmory and Heatran are the best counters to Shubarugo, easily shrugging off Megahorn and either setting up hazards or threatening a OHKO respectively.
• Physically Defensive Forretress also walls Shubarugo effectively, however unlike Skarmory it can't do anything to Shubarugo outside Pain Split.
• Giratina completely walls Shubarugo, even if it opts for Iron Head over another move.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Return / Reversal
move 4: Iron Head / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Custap Berry
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spe

Set Comments:

• Where Choice Band is immediately threatening, Swords Dance takes a turn to set up. With a massive 810 Attack, even with Shubarugo's lackluster coverage it is threatening.
• There are basically two ways to play the set, either with Return and Iron Head for generic nuetral coverage, or with Substitute and Reversal and Custap Berry to get in a brutal +2 Reversal, an attack so powerful that it can OHKO even the most defensive Skarmory and Forretress after Stealth Rock damage. Afterward, utilize Trick Room in order to blaze through opponents with the move.
• Speed EVs set to outrun Base 30 Pokemon, many of whom are weak to Reversal or Megahorn.

Additional Comments:

• X-Scissor may be used over Megahorn if accuracy is a concern, however the power drop is very steep.
• While the coverage is generally inferior, Iron Head with Substitute and Reversal poses a threat to many powerful opponents like Terakion and Giratina-O.

Teammates & Counters:

• Again, anything that takes out Skarmory and Heatran is excellent.
• Trick Room support is especially vital depending on your team, in which case run Brave and 0 Spe IVs, and use the 208 HP /252 Atk / 48 SpD spread. As mentioned previously Slowbro and Shandera are good partners for this.
• Once you get down to low HP, a Rapid Spinner can be extremely helpful so Shubaguro can come in again to Reversal. Starmie is one of the best for this role, as it resists fire, can Rapid Spin, and also sets up Trick Room.
• Skarmory still eats Shubaguro's lunch. What a fowl bird.
• Heatran needs to watch out a little more than usual for Reversal, since Reversals from 80 Base power and up (34% or below) can OHKO it.
• Giratina still walls Shubarugo mightiily, though Giratina-O is 2HKO'd by +2 Iron Head.

[SET]
name: Bait and Switch
move 1: Subtitute
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Iron Head
item: Leftovers
ability: Shell Armor
nature: Adamant
evs: 240 HP / 16 Atk / 252 SpD

Set Comments:

• Forgotten in Shubarugo's massive offensive prowess is its impeccable typing combined with extremely sturdy defenses. Few types can claim the kind of special defensive fortitude of Bug/Steel, whose only real weakness is the accursed Fire type. Most everything else has great difficulty being effective.
• Furthermore, many bulky waters have downgraded their power output by replacing Surf with Boiling Water. Even Vaporeon's Boiling Water has to roll maximum damage to break Shubarugo's Substitute, though that's without Special Attack investment.
• Substitute + Knock Off is the primary function of the set, removing Skarmory of its Leftovers or Shed Shell, Heatrans Choice Scarf, Life Orb. Basically Shubaguro lures in every nasty Steel or Fire type the opponent has and removes them of their item, rendering most of them either vulnerable to or impotent against the rest of your team.
• Iron Defense and Shell Armor combine to make Shubaguro nigh-impregnable to physical assaults. Although there are a fair few Pokemon with Mold Breaker, the likelyhood of getting a critical hit twice through a Substitute is extremely low. Alternatively, Toxic can slowly eat away at the opponent's team as they struggle to bypass Shubarugo's incredible defenses.
• Iron Head is the attack of choice because so many otherwise dangerous setup threats are either nuetral or weak to it, including Terakion, Tyranitar, and basically all of the Scarved Dragons. Shubarugo still has 341 Attack, hardly an insubstantial figure, especially as Iron Head has 100 accuracy, can flinch opponents attempting to phaze, and Shubarugo can sit in a Sandstorm to its heart's content.

Additional Comments:

• Twinneedle may be the one of Shubarugo's weakest attacks, however it can inflict Poison and opponents of all types, unlike the stronger Poison Jab. Without their item, Sandstorm and regular Poison are more than sufficient to stall most non-Steel types out.
• Shed Shell can be used over Leftovers to address Magnezone, Wobbuffett, and other trappers, but be careful as Shubaguro then loses its only means of restoring HP, requiring either Wish support or passing it something like Aqua Ring or the more permanent Ingrain.

Teammates & Counters:

• Tyranitar lavishes in switching into Heatrans without their Life Orb or Choice Scarf and beginning a Dragon Dance sweep. It also sets up Sandstorm for Shubarugo to exploit.
• Magnezone effortlessly traps and kills nearly any Steel type that has lost its Shed Shell.
• Tentacruel easily switches in on an Infernape (and even Heatran, though it still has to watch for Earth Power) that has lost its Life Orb and sets up Toxic Spikes for Shubarugo, and has Boiling Water to burn anything Toxic Spikes won't hit.
• Pokemon that utilize Rest and Sleep Talk and avoid a 2HKO can get around Shubarugo fairly easily, though most still don't appreciate the loss of their item.
• Calm Mind sweepers with Recovery and Levitate can work around a Shubarugo using Iron Defense, but if they are vulnerable to Toxic they will need Rest or Refesh to deal with that variation.

[Team Options]

• Everything and anything that defeat Skarmory and Heatran.
• Trick Room users are greatly appreciated for many sets, as usually Shubarugo can OHKO in a single shot with or without boosts.
• Stealth Rock and/or Spikes are extremely helpful for most Shubarugo sets in guaranteeing some of the more difficult KOs.

[Optional Changes]

• A Shed Shell can allow Shubaguro to switch out of Magnezone, but it has no means of recovery outside of Leftovers and most of its sets rid themselves of Maggy with a little support.
• Shubaguro does have a special movepool with a fairly nice combination of Bug Buzz, Focus Blast, Energy Ball, and Hidden Power. Oddly it doesn't get Flash Cannon or Gyro Ball.
• Shubarugo can get to a quick Reversal with Endure, but there are usually better methods available.
• Since the most common physical attack Shubarugo will be switching into is Outrage it can utilize Counter quite successfully.

[Counters]

• Skarmory is evil incarnate, walling attacks and Roosting off damage.
• Heatran is a great nuisance who requires some unorthodox methods in order to be dealt with.
• Dusknoir and Desukan are great for soaking up Megahorn and Return, but can't handle Iron Head well.
• Dialga is grating but can also be worked around with some creativity.
• Giratina and Giratina-O present similar problems (Rest > Roost), though the latter is much easier to deal with for most sets.
• Otherwise if you don't resist Megahorn and Return and have entirely stellar defenses, don't switch in. You will be annihilated.
• Revenging Shubarugo is fairly straightforward, but be careful you don't end up feeding their Heatran.

[Dream World]

• Dustproof may have some use on Bait and Switch by making it usable in Hail, but otherwise the benefit to a Sandstorm immune Pokemon is far too marginal.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

Fixed some spacing concerns, but otherwise this is good to go; marked as done.

 

[Setsuna]

Choice Band is definitely good, and the SD set looks very legit to me. I'll try this one out as well as the third set before giving my final approval.

 

[Bloo]

I'm skeptical of Shubarugo as a user of Swords Dance. It has a very low Speed stat, leaving it susceptible to revenge kills, especially since the OU metagame is currently littered by a slew of fast 'mons. To top it all off, Shubarugo has poor coverage and can't break through Steel-types Pokemon, most notably Skarmory and Heatran (the former resists every move in this guy's arsenal and can Whirlwind him away, while the latter can send Shubarugo to its grave with Fire Blast). I also fail to see what Shubarugo has to offer over, say, Swords Dance Scizor, who I've been using extensively to great success lately. It has Technician Bullet Punch which is extremely powerful after a boost / useful for picking off weakened threats. What makes Scizor really stand out, though, is its access to Superpower, which allows it to nail Heatran and Magnezone on the switch-in, while leaving a decent sized dent in Skarmory as well.

Shubarugo is fairly bulky, however, and with proper support, I can possibly see it working out decently. I'll hop on PO and ladder when I get a chance and see what Shubarugo is made of. After I've tested it thoroughly, I'll decide whether or not the SD set should be approved or rejected. Now, about the "Bait and Switch" set listed in the OP: I'm just going to flat out reject it. Again, it's just to slow to pull off such a set. Even if you manage to grab a couple of Iron Defense boosts', Heatran, Skarmory, Magnezone (and basically every Steel-type out there), will simply come in an stop any plans Shubarugo may have, so this set gets a no from me.

The Choice Band set is excellent on this guy. He has fantastic bulk and a mammoth Attack stat, making him a fitting Choice Band User. It's definitely Shubarugo's best set, and as such, I approve.

 

[Setsuna]

We talked this over, and we pretty much came to the same conclusion. The real problem about the "Bait and Switch" set is that is basically calls every single Steel-type to come in and proceed to set up with ease -- some examples of this are: Doryuuzu, Jirachi, Metagross, Skarmory, Nattorei, etcetera.

Now, Deck, you already agreed to let Lee write the the CB set (which he did and can be found here), and with the third proposition being rejected I'm going to go ahead and lock this thread. Don't worry, we have plans to test out the SD set, and we'll reflect such plans in a new thread later.