Status: Completed
Changes:
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/shuckle
I like this thing...
However, I had a little problem. Sets 2 and 3 (Acupressure and Wrap) are really good, but they require very little team support than what Shuckle would benefit from (Spin support, entry hazard support). As such, those sections are a little lacking in content; I apologize!
Credits: Xia (Grammar/Spell Check), Eo Ut Mortus (Grammar / Spell Check), Jibaku/ThePowerWithin (EV Clarifications)
------------------------------------------------------
[SET]
name: Durable Turtle
move 1: Rest
move 2: Encore
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Knock Off / Protect / Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
ability: Gluttony
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When it comes to walling attacks that come from both the physical and special spectrums, Shuckle is one-of-a-kind. For one, its pathetic HP is balanced by its insane defenses. Although its offensive stats are almost nonexistent, Shuckle has a number of handy supportive moves in its arsenal. It is of high importance that this set is paired with a constantly brewing sandstorm that can be supplied by any of the three available Sand Stream Pokemon in the game; Hippopotas is exclusive in the lower tiers, while Hippowdon and Tyranitar comfortably reside in OU. The sole reason for having Shuckle operate in sandstorm, besides its immunity to the residual damage every turn, is the defensive boost its typing provides. Due to being partly Rock-type, Shuckle gains a 1.5x Special Defensive boost with sandstorm in play. This attribute makes Shuckle unbelievably more difficult to take down than it already is and differentiates it from a selection of other Ground- and Steel-type walls that also perform well in the sandy weather.</p>
<p>Most walls almost always have a method of recovery, and with Shuckle, this is no exception. The inability to use an instant recovery move is a pain, so Shuckle must make use of Rest and Leftovers recovery to keep itself healthy. Encore is an extremely welcoming move to something whose offenses are as weak as Shuckle's. Shuckle can use Encore to help its team by foiling the attempts of those attempting to set up on it; examples of these would be a Calm Mind Slowbro or a Swords Dance Absol. Most Pokemon that have been locked into an unfavorable move are forced to switch out, and this can come in useful at certain points of a match. Toxic is Shuckle's main method of harming an opponent. With the residual damage of both sandstorm and Toxic preying on a foe, it is certain to fall eventually if the foe in question is not immune to poison or the buffeting of the sand. Knock Off is a great move to have - whether a Life Orb, Choice item, Leftovers, or any other item is swiped off an opponent, the same opponent is bound to be crippled in some way. While Knock Off is arguably the best choice for the final move slot, Shuckle has two other options that it can viably use. Protect helps it scout for what the opponent is trying to attack it with, while also giving an extra turn for both the residual damage of sandstorm and Toxic to take their toll on Shuckle's opponent. Next, with its monstrous defenses, Shuckle also makes a reliable Stealth Rock user. However, you are better off going with either Knock Off or Protect, since Shuckle will always want to be able to do something on the extra turns it has. A combination of Rest + Toxic + Encore is highly effective because the first two moves allows it to stall out non-Poison- and non-Steel-types, while Encore is used to cripple Pokemon that tend to be undeterred by the effects of Toxic (Rest + Sleep Talkers, Substitute users, and so on).</p>
<p>In order to defeat Shuckle, one must not be fooled by its low HP, but rather take advantage of it in all ways possible. A useful asset that can be used against Shuckle is Stealth Rock, which removes 25% of its health right off the bat. Next, if you find that you seem unable to deal massive damage to the turtle in one go, a maximum of three uses of moves like Seismic Toss or Night Shade will bring the Shuckle down in no time at all. Chansey is generally a star at the job; even if Shuckle knocks its item away, it will still be able to heal through moves like Softboiled and Wish. Chansey can then repeatedly use Seismic Toss or Toxic to send Shuckle cowering into its shell. Taunt users will shut Shuckle down, rendering all of its moves except Knock Off useless. Therefore, Taunt users that don't particularly mind getting their items knocked off are generally excellent Shuckle counters. Taunt + set up move Pokemon will always beat Shuckle one-on-one; bulky Taunt Gyarados is a perfect example of something Shuckle truly fears if it is playing in OU. Thankfully, Taunt + set up move Pokemon are not abundant in the lower tiers. Yet another way to defeat Shuckle is to focus on moves that are super effective on it. This is because in Shuckle's dictionary, "relatively well-powered attacks" translates to "Stop tickling me!" Attacking types that will immediately threaten it include Rock, Water, and Steel. Focus on using moves like Stone Edge and Surf to attack Shuckle; it might not take much damage from anything else. While hard-hitting Steel-type moves are uncommon in the lower tiers, Shuckle must still beware of attacks like Scizor's Bullet Punch. Also, devastating attacks like Relicanth's Head Smash will do more damage to it than you think. One of Shuckle's greater counters is Muk. With its Sticky Hold ability, immunity to Toxic, and access to Taunt, Muk completely shuts Shuckle down and can begin Cursing up to increase its Attack and Defense. Yet another way to defeat Shuckle is to nullify any sandy weather in play. Since Shuckle relies on sandstorm to boost its specially defensive tanking potential, replacing the field with either Sunny Day, Rain Dance, or Hail will seriously threaten its status as a special wall. Furthermore, STAB attacks boosted by Sunny Day and Rain Dance will 2HKO, if not OHKO, Shuckle. The bottom line is - something that doesn't mind having its item knocked off and can do reasonable damage to Shuckle so that it is forced to either switch out or die, makes a fine Shuckle counter.</p>
<p>Bulky Water-types are Shuckle's greatest partners. Examples of these include Milotic and Quagsire. Their ability to cushion Water-, Steel-, and Rock- (to a certain extent) type attacks aimed at Shuckle is more than it can ask for. Having a pHazer on your side is also a fantastic idea; if Shuckle is set up on, particularly by the ever-threatening Substitute + Taunt combo, then a pHazer can send the opponent out of play before it can devastate your team. Whirlwind Hariyama is a good partner because of its resistance to Rock-type attacks, and Thick Fat helps it shield moves like Ice Beam and Fire Blast that can potentially take a large chunk out of Shuckle's HP. Shuckle's best defensive partner in OU is Empoleon, as it resists everything Shuckle is weak to. For a more supportive option, a Spinner can elevate Shuckle's tanking ability as it will not take 25% from Stealth Rock anymore. Successful Spinners that work well with Shuckle include Hitmontop (who is able to deal with Steel-types that are immune to Toxic), Claydol (who is able to wall a Rock-type attack and hit Rock-types back hard with Earth Power), and Blastoise (who is a bulky Water that helps Shuckle take Water- and Steel-type attacks). Shuckle's lack of instant recovery moves makes Wish support coming from its teammates absolutely beneficial. Wish support can come from a Chansey of your own - Chansey is more than able to shield special elemental attacks that are meant to hurt Shuckle, while Shuckle is capable of taking hits from physical attacks that are meant to make short work of Chansey. Shuckle proves to be an especially useful member of UU stall teams. A defensive core of Shuckle + bulky Water-type + bulky Steel-type can prove to be moderately difficult to take down, as long as each partnered Pokemon is able to heal in some way. Shuckle also causes a lot of switches, and it will not take long for it to dawn upon opponents that the inevitable death caused by varying forms of residual damage is not far away. For this reason, opponents will choose to send in Steel-types that are immune to the residual damage of both Sandstorm and Toxic. Having Dugtrio or Magneton on your side is not a bad idea, as these Pokemon can effectively trap and finish off Steel-types. Next, remember to check opponents that can clear sandstorm off the field and replace it with another weather effect. It is therefore critical to have either Hippopotas (in the lower tiers), Hippowdon, or Tyranitar (in the OU tier) in your team. Since Shuckle is one of the greatest defensive weapons that UU stall teams can possess, do your best to keep it alive. Do not hesitate to switch it out of perilous attacks that can 3HKO Shuckle and prevent it from using Rest to stall (examples are Feraligatr's Waterfall, Ludicolo's Surf, and Armaldo's Stone Edge). Keep it healthy, and Shuckle will cause a mountain of problems to your opponent's team with no questions asked.</p>
[SET]
name: Acupressure
move 1: Acupressure
move 2: Rest
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers
ability: Gluttony
nature: Adamant / Impish / Careful
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set strays away from providing team support and instead focuses on beefing Shuckle up with the use of Acupressure. The move Acupressure randomly raises one of Shuckle's five non-HP stats, accuracy, or evasion by two stages. This means that if Shuckle repeatedly uses this move and grows more powerful with each use, it can literally turn into an invincible and unparalleled tank, if not insanely difficult to defeat.</p>
<p>The idea behind this set is simple and direct: send Shuckle in during a late point in the game (against something that can't touch it, of course), and begin using Acupressure. Pray for a boost in any stat except Shuckle's Special Attack and accuracy, and pray that you don't get hit by a critical hit. Once it has accumulated enough boosts in the necessary stats, Shuckle can begin using its other three moves. Rest is Shuckle's only method of recovery and heals it of any damage it might have taken in the process of strengthening itself. Stone Edge is Shuckle's strongest STAB Attack, but its low PP might be disadvantageous, especially in the late game. Consequently, Rock Slide is a fine substitution over Stone Edge, but it really is a question between PP or power. Earthquake completes the infamous EdgeQuake STAB, resisted by few Pokemon in UU, and allows Shuckle to combat Steel-types. Leftovers is the preferred item to keep Shuckle healthy. Shuckle has a choice of three available natures that it can use for this set. Since you're praying for Acupressure to eventually boost Shuckle's Attack to the max stage, an Adamant nature can help it top off at 520, as opposed to if you assume an Impish or Careful nature (your Attack will max out at 476). An Adamant nature is also an agreeable choice because Acupressure might further boost Shuckle's already impressive defenses anyway, and Shuckle enjoys any extra power that it can get. However, Impish and Careful natures can also be used should you wish for Shuckle to maintain more bulk. The EVs are designed to allow Shuckle to take hits from both sides of the spectrum, while maximizing its overall attacking power.</p>
<p>Once Shuckle has set up and has +6 Defense, Special Defense, Evasion, Attack, and even Speed, it's safe to say that it can triumph against anything that might be bold enough to stand in its way. However, Shuckle must still pay close attention to the opponent's party. The reason that Acupressure Shuckle should be used late in the game is to prevent it from being pHazed. Always use this Shuckle when it's the only Pokemon left. If not, Shuckle will greatly benefit from Ingrain support that can sadly only be provided by Smeargle. Other than that, it may seem that this set requires very little support to function; Shuckle can heal itself with Rest and attack when it has enough Attack boosts. However, this is not always the case. Shuckle may be godlike in terms of taking hits, but when it comes to launching hits, it's a whole different story. Eliminating physical walls that can stall Shuckle out will help it out immensely. Dugtrio can be used to trap physically defensive opponents with heavy defensive EV investment, like Regirock, Registeel, and Steelix in UU. Pokemon like Slowbro, Rhyperior, Torterra, and Claydol should not be the last Pokemon to duel with Shuckle. To deal with them and the likes of Milotic, Tangrowth, and Donphan, Venusaur is an excellent teammate. It should be noted that Shuckle's teammates for this set do not help it defensively, but rather offensively. Once all these threats that usually cause problems are eliminated, Shuckle can be sent in to finish the job.</p>
<p>Toxic Spikes can also help this set; the lack of a status-inducing move means that opponents will, sooner or later, be defeated anyway. Poison is useful to chip off opponents' health while Shuckle begins using Acupressure to hopefully boost the stats it needs boosts in. Once opponents are low on health, Shuckle can finish them off with a powerful Stone Edge, Rock Slide, or Earthquake. Toxic Spikes support can be provided by special attacking Nidoking, who can take out many of Shuckle's physically defensive counters.</p>
[SET]
name: Wrap Trap
move 1: Wrap
move 2: Encore
move 3: Bide
move 4: Rest / Toxic
item: Grip Claw
ability: Gluttony
nature: Careful / Impish
evs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Shuckle is obviously not a Pokemon known for KOing opponents, but this set defies that logic. A combination of Wrap + Encore transforms it into something similar to Wobbuffet, with defenses that even rival the Uber itself. This Shuckle, however, relies on moves that can only 4HKO it to win. If opponents have access to moves that can 3HKO it, then this set is nothing but worthless against them.</p>
<p>The strategy to execute is simple - use Wrap to prevent an opponent from switching out while neutralizing their Leftovers recovery at the same time, and have a little fun. Encore is an important move to have on this set - if an opponent decides to set up, you can switch out to a Pokemon of your own to ensure a favorable match-up. If an opponent attacks, have Shuckle use Rest and Bide accordingly - Bide is the icing on the cake. After three turns, it combines any damage that Shuckle might have received (which is guaranteed to keep an opponent attacking, thanks to Encore), and retaliate double the damage to the opponent. The opponent usually dies or is left with very low health; by this point, you can finish it off with a trapper or by repeating the Bide strategy once again. Toxic can be used in the place of Rest, as a combination of Wrap + Toxic + Rest can stall an opponent out if it is not immune to poison. Grip Claw is the preferred item as it ensures that Wrap will always last 5 turns, allowing Shuckle to successfully have enough time to use Bide. Leftovers can also be used to keep Shuckle in good shape, but Grip Claw is the better option most of the time. The EV spread is designed so that bulky Water-types that don't invest many EVs in Special Attack can only 4HKO Shuckle at the very best; examples of these are Lanturn, Quagsire, and Phione.</p>
<p>As previously stated, Shuckle encouters problems against Pokemon that can use powerful moves to 3HKO it. Examples of these Pokemon include Milotic, Rampardos, Armaldo, and Ludicolo. It is not recommended to have Shuckle do battle with these foes, since it will probably get killed in the process. Baton Passing a few defensive boosts can help aid Shuckle's survivability, but it should, for the most part, stay out of the way of these Pokemon, especially without the recovery provided by Leftovers. Stealth Rock will also limit Shuckle's tanking ability, as 25% of its health can seriously make a big difference. Pokemon equipped with a Shed Shell can also be problematic, as they can deal damage to Shuckle and switch out without having to worry about the effects of neither Wrap nor Bide.</p>
<p>Entry hazard support, namely Toxic Spikes, is infinitely useful on this set for simple reasons - Wrap prevents the opponent from switching out, and if they lack a recovery move, Shuckle can just keep using Wrap + Rest repeatedly and wait until the poison takes its opponent out. Another important partner to have on this set is a trapper, such as Magneton or Dugtrio. They are useful because if Encore does force an opponent to continue using a set up move, Dugtrio or Magneton can kill these off while they are able to do nothing in return. Furthermore, if Shuckle is KOed by an opponent after it has used Bide, chances are that the opponent is low on health. Pursuit users and trappers, like Drapion, Dugtrio, and Spiritomb can prevent these opponents from ever troubling your team again. This Shuckle also benefits from Wish support from Pokemon like Chansey - it will want instant recovery whenever it is low on health and switches in; sometimes it isn't fast enough to use Rest. Wish support is also useful if Grip Claw is used instead of Leftovers. Similarly, Rapid Spin support provided by the likes of Hitmontop and Claydol can blow away any entry hazards that can take slabs out of Shuckle's health, which is something it greatly detests. On most occasions, however, this Shuckle is a one-man army because it rarely requires any support except from what has already been mentioned. The best thing teammates can do is to aid Shuckle by replenishing its health from moves like Healing Wish, Wish, and Leech Seed so that it can repeat the Wrap + Encore + Bide strategy should opportunities arise.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Shuckle's movepool isn't wide, and because of this, many of the other options it has are nothing but gimmicks. Power Trick reverses its defenses with its offenses, making Shuckle a foe to truly fear - this can be used in tandem with Acupressure to reach a godlike offensive state. A Defense Curl + Rollout combo is viable, but Shuckle is too slow to pull it off, and without any Attack boosts, it usually has too little power to be able to deal much damage anyway. Bug Bite helps it steal a Berry, but it doesn't really benefit from offensive Berries anyway. Protect + Dig + Toxic can be used to stall poison. Mud Slap can be used to reduce the opponent's accuracy and make Shuckle harder to hit. Body Slam is a supportive option that can paralyze an opponent.</p>
[EVs]
<p>The rule of thumb: Shuckle should have 248 HP EVs first before touching anything else. Do not maximize its HP, as you will limit its chances of bing able to switch repeatedly into Stealth Rock. Then, focus on its Defense and Special Defense. On the Durable Turtle set, Defense EVs are maximized since Shuckle already gains a 1.5x boost from sandstorm (which should be used at all costs). To balance Shuckle's defenses, use a Careful or Impish nature and an EV spread of 248 HP / 228 x / 32 y, where x refers to the stat the nature does not boost, and y refers to the stat the nature does boost.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Different Shuckle sets require very different forms of support, but all sets benefit from these: Rapid Spin support, Wish support, and sandstorm support. Stealth Rock takes away 25% of Shuckle's health whenever it switches in, and this will cause it to fall easier than if entry hazards were not in play at all. Successful spinners that pair well with Shuckle include Hitmontop (because it is able to deal with Steel-types that tend to be able to cause stall wars with Shuckle) and Blastoise (being a bulky Water-type, it helps Shuckle take Water- and Steel-type attacks it is weak to). Shuckle's best Wish partner is Chansey, as she is able to wall any forms of special attacks directed at Shuckle, like Surf, while Shuckle can take a few physical attacks directed at Chansey, like Brick Break and Earthquake. As mentioned before, Sandstorm increases Shuckle's Special Defense by 1.5x, which can greatly help it take moves like Surf, Ice Beam, and Flamethrower. Always have Hippopotas, Tyranitar, or Hippowdon on your side. Shuckle's defensive typing is nothing to be proud of, and it really could have benefited from more resistances that the ones it already has. Dual screens can also help it take hits like a complete champion, but most of the time Reflect and Light Screen are geared towards more offensive play.</p>
<p>On the first set (Durable Turtle), where Shuckle is meant to be used as a wall, bulky Water-types are the perfect partners. Shuckle can without question wall a number of Grass Knots and Thunderbolts directed at any Water-type, like Milotic or Blastoise, while the Water-types are in turn able to take Iron Heads, Surfs, and even Stone Edges aimed at Shuckle. In OU, Vaporeon is a perfect partner as it can provide not only Wish but also excellent defensive support. A pHazer is also useful since it can send anything that managed to set up on Shuckle and is at a +6 stat boost flying away. On the second set (Acupressure), where Shuckle generally requires very little support, offensive support can still assist it. Strong special attackers such as Moltres should be used to bring down your everyday physical walls, opponents that Shuckle hate to battle. In OU, Smeargle can help Baton Pass Ingrain, making it invincible once it has obtained a reasonable number of defensive boosts through the repeated use of Acupressure. On the third set (Wrap Trap), where Shuckle is meant to take hits, tank around, and retaliate, entry hazard support is the best. Even though entry hazards benefit offensively-oriented Pokemon most of the time, Shuckle can still make use of them - it can simply stall opponents out with a combination of Wrap + Rest. Besides entry hazard support, Pursuit and trap support should also be used on the same set. Pokemon like Dugtrio and Drapion can destroy any chances for weakened Pokemon to switch out, while being able to trap them if they are forced to use set up moves due to Encore's lasting effect.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Many walls are hard to defeat, but Shuckle is even harder to, as long as it is kept in good shape. A common misconception about Shuckle is that because of its nonexistent attack power, other Pokémon are free to set up on it to sweep. This is not entirely the case. Shuckle can Encore these stat-up moves, forcing their users to switch out or allowing you to bring in another Pokémon to attack. Even if you end up Encoring an attack move, Shuckle still has the godly defenses to take hits, and you can switch to something that resists it. This makes Shuckle very useful to teams that rely on resistances rather than walls. However, make sure that your incoming Pokémon is something that can really resist the move.</p>
<p>Shuckle works best with a certain amount of skill and prediction. For example, determining whether or not your opponent will use Substitute is key to determining whether to use Knock Off / Body Slam or Encore next. This determination is something that comes with experience.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Anything that doesn't mind having its item knocked off and can do an acceptable amount of damage to Shuckle is a good counter to it. Powerful Surfs and Stone Edges can also take it down; these come from Pokemon like Milotic and Marowak. Ghost-types can wall the Wrap set with ease, but will still risk being trapped by Encore coming from Shuckle + Pursuit coming from something like Absol. Taunt + set up move users win against Shuckle all the time; an example is Gyarados. Steel-types are immune to Toxic, which is probably Shuckle's greatest weapon in terms of dealing damage to opponents, but they will still risk having their items knocked off. Muk makes a great Shuckle counter because of its Sticky Hold ability and immunity to Toxic. Dugtrio can trap Shuckle even if it has its Substitute Encored; Shuckle's Knock Off will take a minimum of six hits to break it. Gastrodon can come in on Knock Off because of its Sticky Hold ability, but must still beware of Toxic. Pokemon that can nullify a brewing sandstorm and replace it with other forms of weather, whether rain, shine, or snow, will limit Shuckle's tanking ability. Shuckle will face problems against Sunny Day and Rain Dance teams if sandstorm is not brought into play again once it has already been cleared. Therefore, Pokemon like Abomasnow, Ludicolo, and Exeggutor should be checked before Shuckle is sent in.</p>
Changes:
- "Team Options" in purple
- I completely rewrote all sets
- I rewrote all Sub-Sections (except Opinion) and included a "Team Options" one
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/shuckle
I like this thing...
However, I had a little problem. Sets 2 and 3 (Acupressure and Wrap) are really good, but they require very little team support than what Shuckle would benefit from (Spin support, entry hazard support). As such, those sections are a little lacking in content; I apologize!
Credits: Xia (Grammar/Spell Check), Eo Ut Mortus (Grammar / Spell Check), Jibaku/ThePowerWithin (EV Clarifications)
------------------------------------------------------
[SET]
name: Durable Turtle
move 1: Rest
move 2: Encore
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Knock Off / Protect / Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
ability: Gluttony
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When it comes to walling attacks that come from both the physical and special spectrums, Shuckle is one-of-a-kind. For one, its pathetic HP is balanced by its insane defenses. Although its offensive stats are almost nonexistent, Shuckle has a number of handy supportive moves in its arsenal. It is of high importance that this set is paired with a constantly brewing sandstorm that can be supplied by any of the three available Sand Stream Pokemon in the game; Hippopotas is exclusive in the lower tiers, while Hippowdon and Tyranitar comfortably reside in OU. The sole reason for having Shuckle operate in sandstorm, besides its immunity to the residual damage every turn, is the defensive boost its typing provides. Due to being partly Rock-type, Shuckle gains a 1.5x Special Defensive boost with sandstorm in play. This attribute makes Shuckle unbelievably more difficult to take down than it already is and differentiates it from a selection of other Ground- and Steel-type walls that also perform well in the sandy weather.</p>
<p>Most walls almost always have a method of recovery, and with Shuckle, this is no exception. The inability to use an instant recovery move is a pain, so Shuckle must make use of Rest and Leftovers recovery to keep itself healthy. Encore is an extremely welcoming move to something whose offenses are as weak as Shuckle's. Shuckle can use Encore to help its team by foiling the attempts of those attempting to set up on it; examples of these would be a Calm Mind Slowbro or a Swords Dance Absol. Most Pokemon that have been locked into an unfavorable move are forced to switch out, and this can come in useful at certain points of a match. Toxic is Shuckle's main method of harming an opponent. With the residual damage of both sandstorm and Toxic preying on a foe, it is certain to fall eventually if the foe in question is not immune to poison or the buffeting of the sand. Knock Off is a great move to have - whether a Life Orb, Choice item, Leftovers, or any other item is swiped off an opponent, the same opponent is bound to be crippled in some way. While Knock Off is arguably the best choice for the final move slot, Shuckle has two other options that it can viably use. Protect helps it scout for what the opponent is trying to attack it with, while also giving an extra turn for both the residual damage of sandstorm and Toxic to take their toll on Shuckle's opponent. Next, with its monstrous defenses, Shuckle also makes a reliable Stealth Rock user. However, you are better off going with either Knock Off or Protect, since Shuckle will always want to be able to do something on the extra turns it has. A combination of Rest + Toxic + Encore is highly effective because the first two moves allows it to stall out non-Poison- and non-Steel-types, while Encore is used to cripple Pokemon that tend to be undeterred by the effects of Toxic (Rest + Sleep Talkers, Substitute users, and so on).</p>
<p>In order to defeat Shuckle, one must not be fooled by its low HP, but rather take advantage of it in all ways possible. A useful asset that can be used against Shuckle is Stealth Rock, which removes 25% of its health right off the bat. Next, if you find that you seem unable to deal massive damage to the turtle in one go, a maximum of three uses of moves like Seismic Toss or Night Shade will bring the Shuckle down in no time at all. Chansey is generally a star at the job; even if Shuckle knocks its item away, it will still be able to heal through moves like Softboiled and Wish. Chansey can then repeatedly use Seismic Toss or Toxic to send Shuckle cowering into its shell. Taunt users will shut Shuckle down, rendering all of its moves except Knock Off useless. Therefore, Taunt users that don't particularly mind getting their items knocked off are generally excellent Shuckle counters. Taunt + set up move Pokemon will always beat Shuckle one-on-one; bulky Taunt Gyarados is a perfect example of something Shuckle truly fears if it is playing in OU. Thankfully, Taunt + set up move Pokemon are not abundant in the lower tiers. Yet another way to defeat Shuckle is to focus on moves that are super effective on it. This is because in Shuckle's dictionary, "relatively well-powered attacks" translates to "Stop tickling me!" Attacking types that will immediately threaten it include Rock, Water, and Steel. Focus on using moves like Stone Edge and Surf to attack Shuckle; it might not take much damage from anything else. While hard-hitting Steel-type moves are uncommon in the lower tiers, Shuckle must still beware of attacks like Scizor's Bullet Punch. Also, devastating attacks like Relicanth's Head Smash will do more damage to it than you think. One of Shuckle's greater counters is Muk. With its Sticky Hold ability, immunity to Toxic, and access to Taunt, Muk completely shuts Shuckle down and can begin Cursing up to increase its Attack and Defense. Yet another way to defeat Shuckle is to nullify any sandy weather in play. Since Shuckle relies on sandstorm to boost its specially defensive tanking potential, replacing the field with either Sunny Day, Rain Dance, or Hail will seriously threaten its status as a special wall. Furthermore, STAB attacks boosted by Sunny Day and Rain Dance will 2HKO, if not OHKO, Shuckle. The bottom line is - something that doesn't mind having its item knocked off and can do reasonable damage to Shuckle so that it is forced to either switch out or die, makes a fine Shuckle counter.</p>
<p>Bulky Water-types are Shuckle's greatest partners. Examples of these include Milotic and Quagsire. Their ability to cushion Water-, Steel-, and Rock- (to a certain extent) type attacks aimed at Shuckle is more than it can ask for. Having a pHazer on your side is also a fantastic idea; if Shuckle is set up on, particularly by the ever-threatening Substitute + Taunt combo, then a pHazer can send the opponent out of play before it can devastate your team. Whirlwind Hariyama is a good partner because of its resistance to Rock-type attacks, and Thick Fat helps it shield moves like Ice Beam and Fire Blast that can potentially take a large chunk out of Shuckle's HP. Shuckle's best defensive partner in OU is Empoleon, as it resists everything Shuckle is weak to. For a more supportive option, a Spinner can elevate Shuckle's tanking ability as it will not take 25% from Stealth Rock anymore. Successful Spinners that work well with Shuckle include Hitmontop (who is able to deal with Steel-types that are immune to Toxic), Claydol (who is able to wall a Rock-type attack and hit Rock-types back hard with Earth Power), and Blastoise (who is a bulky Water that helps Shuckle take Water- and Steel-type attacks). Shuckle's lack of instant recovery moves makes Wish support coming from its teammates absolutely beneficial. Wish support can come from a Chansey of your own - Chansey is more than able to shield special elemental attacks that are meant to hurt Shuckle, while Shuckle is capable of taking hits from physical attacks that are meant to make short work of Chansey. Shuckle proves to be an especially useful member of UU stall teams. A defensive core of Shuckle + bulky Water-type + bulky Steel-type can prove to be moderately difficult to take down, as long as each partnered Pokemon is able to heal in some way. Shuckle also causes a lot of switches, and it will not take long for it to dawn upon opponents that the inevitable death caused by varying forms of residual damage is not far away. For this reason, opponents will choose to send in Steel-types that are immune to the residual damage of both Sandstorm and Toxic. Having Dugtrio or Magneton on your side is not a bad idea, as these Pokemon can effectively trap and finish off Steel-types. Next, remember to check opponents that can clear sandstorm off the field and replace it with another weather effect. It is therefore critical to have either Hippopotas (in the lower tiers), Hippowdon, or Tyranitar (in the OU tier) in your team. Since Shuckle is one of the greatest defensive weapons that UU stall teams can possess, do your best to keep it alive. Do not hesitate to switch it out of perilous attacks that can 3HKO Shuckle and prevent it from using Rest to stall (examples are Feraligatr's Waterfall, Ludicolo's Surf, and Armaldo's Stone Edge). Keep it healthy, and Shuckle will cause a mountain of problems to your opponent's team with no questions asked.</p>
[SET]
name: Acupressure
move 1: Acupressure
move 2: Rest
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers
ability: Gluttony
nature: Adamant / Impish / Careful
evs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set strays away from providing team support and instead focuses on beefing Shuckle up with the use of Acupressure. The move Acupressure randomly raises one of Shuckle's five non-HP stats, accuracy, or evasion by two stages. This means that if Shuckle repeatedly uses this move and grows more powerful with each use, it can literally turn into an invincible and unparalleled tank, if not insanely difficult to defeat.</p>
<p>The idea behind this set is simple and direct: send Shuckle in during a late point in the game (against something that can't touch it, of course), and begin using Acupressure. Pray for a boost in any stat except Shuckle's Special Attack and accuracy, and pray that you don't get hit by a critical hit. Once it has accumulated enough boosts in the necessary stats, Shuckle can begin using its other three moves. Rest is Shuckle's only method of recovery and heals it of any damage it might have taken in the process of strengthening itself. Stone Edge is Shuckle's strongest STAB Attack, but its low PP might be disadvantageous, especially in the late game. Consequently, Rock Slide is a fine substitution over Stone Edge, but it really is a question between PP or power. Earthquake completes the infamous EdgeQuake STAB, resisted by few Pokemon in UU, and allows Shuckle to combat Steel-types. Leftovers is the preferred item to keep Shuckle healthy. Shuckle has a choice of three available natures that it can use for this set. Since you're praying for Acupressure to eventually boost Shuckle's Attack to the max stage, an Adamant nature can help it top off at 520, as opposed to if you assume an Impish or Careful nature (your Attack will max out at 476). An Adamant nature is also an agreeable choice because Acupressure might further boost Shuckle's already impressive defenses anyway, and Shuckle enjoys any extra power that it can get. However, Impish and Careful natures can also be used should you wish for Shuckle to maintain more bulk. The EVs are designed to allow Shuckle to take hits from both sides of the spectrum, while maximizing its overall attacking power.</p>
<p>Once Shuckle has set up and has +6 Defense, Special Defense, Evasion, Attack, and even Speed, it's safe to say that it can triumph against anything that might be bold enough to stand in its way. However, Shuckle must still pay close attention to the opponent's party. The reason that Acupressure Shuckle should be used late in the game is to prevent it from being pHazed. Always use this Shuckle when it's the only Pokemon left. If not, Shuckle will greatly benefit from Ingrain support that can sadly only be provided by Smeargle. Other than that, it may seem that this set requires very little support to function; Shuckle can heal itself with Rest and attack when it has enough Attack boosts. However, this is not always the case. Shuckle may be godlike in terms of taking hits, but when it comes to launching hits, it's a whole different story. Eliminating physical walls that can stall Shuckle out will help it out immensely. Dugtrio can be used to trap physically defensive opponents with heavy defensive EV investment, like Regirock, Registeel, and Steelix in UU. Pokemon like Slowbro, Rhyperior, Torterra, and Claydol should not be the last Pokemon to duel with Shuckle. To deal with them and the likes of Milotic, Tangrowth, and Donphan, Venusaur is an excellent teammate. It should be noted that Shuckle's teammates for this set do not help it defensively, but rather offensively. Once all these threats that usually cause problems are eliminated, Shuckle can be sent in to finish the job.</p>
<p>Toxic Spikes can also help this set; the lack of a status-inducing move means that opponents will, sooner or later, be defeated anyway. Poison is useful to chip off opponents' health while Shuckle begins using Acupressure to hopefully boost the stats it needs boosts in. Once opponents are low on health, Shuckle can finish them off with a powerful Stone Edge, Rock Slide, or Earthquake. Toxic Spikes support can be provided by special attacking Nidoking, who can take out many of Shuckle's physically defensive counters.</p>
[SET]
name: Wrap Trap
move 1: Wrap
move 2: Encore
move 3: Bide
move 4: Rest / Toxic
item: Grip Claw
ability: Gluttony
nature: Careful / Impish
evs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Shuckle is obviously not a Pokemon known for KOing opponents, but this set defies that logic. A combination of Wrap + Encore transforms it into something similar to Wobbuffet, with defenses that even rival the Uber itself. This Shuckle, however, relies on moves that can only 4HKO it to win. If opponents have access to moves that can 3HKO it, then this set is nothing but worthless against them.</p>
<p>The strategy to execute is simple - use Wrap to prevent an opponent from switching out while neutralizing their Leftovers recovery at the same time, and have a little fun. Encore is an important move to have on this set - if an opponent decides to set up, you can switch out to a Pokemon of your own to ensure a favorable match-up. If an opponent attacks, have Shuckle use Rest and Bide accordingly - Bide is the icing on the cake. After three turns, it combines any damage that Shuckle might have received (which is guaranteed to keep an opponent attacking, thanks to Encore), and retaliate double the damage to the opponent. The opponent usually dies or is left with very low health; by this point, you can finish it off with a trapper or by repeating the Bide strategy once again. Toxic can be used in the place of Rest, as a combination of Wrap + Toxic + Rest can stall an opponent out if it is not immune to poison. Grip Claw is the preferred item as it ensures that Wrap will always last 5 turns, allowing Shuckle to successfully have enough time to use Bide. Leftovers can also be used to keep Shuckle in good shape, but Grip Claw is the better option most of the time. The EV spread is designed so that bulky Water-types that don't invest many EVs in Special Attack can only 4HKO Shuckle at the very best; examples of these are Lanturn, Quagsire, and Phione.</p>
<p>As previously stated, Shuckle encouters problems against Pokemon that can use powerful moves to 3HKO it. Examples of these Pokemon include Milotic, Rampardos, Armaldo, and Ludicolo. It is not recommended to have Shuckle do battle with these foes, since it will probably get killed in the process. Baton Passing a few defensive boosts can help aid Shuckle's survivability, but it should, for the most part, stay out of the way of these Pokemon, especially without the recovery provided by Leftovers. Stealth Rock will also limit Shuckle's tanking ability, as 25% of its health can seriously make a big difference. Pokemon equipped with a Shed Shell can also be problematic, as they can deal damage to Shuckle and switch out without having to worry about the effects of neither Wrap nor Bide.</p>
<p>Entry hazard support, namely Toxic Spikes, is infinitely useful on this set for simple reasons - Wrap prevents the opponent from switching out, and if they lack a recovery move, Shuckle can just keep using Wrap + Rest repeatedly and wait until the poison takes its opponent out. Another important partner to have on this set is a trapper, such as Magneton or Dugtrio. They are useful because if Encore does force an opponent to continue using a set up move, Dugtrio or Magneton can kill these off while they are able to do nothing in return. Furthermore, if Shuckle is KOed by an opponent after it has used Bide, chances are that the opponent is low on health. Pursuit users and trappers, like Drapion, Dugtrio, and Spiritomb can prevent these opponents from ever troubling your team again. This Shuckle also benefits from Wish support from Pokemon like Chansey - it will want instant recovery whenever it is low on health and switches in; sometimes it isn't fast enough to use Rest. Wish support is also useful if Grip Claw is used instead of Leftovers. Similarly, Rapid Spin support provided by the likes of Hitmontop and Claydol can blow away any entry hazards that can take slabs out of Shuckle's health, which is something it greatly detests. On most occasions, however, this Shuckle is a one-man army because it rarely requires any support except from what has already been mentioned. The best thing teammates can do is to aid Shuckle by replenishing its health from moves like Healing Wish, Wish, and Leech Seed so that it can repeat the Wrap + Encore + Bide strategy should opportunities arise.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Shuckle's movepool isn't wide, and because of this, many of the other options it has are nothing but gimmicks. Power Trick reverses its defenses with its offenses, making Shuckle a foe to truly fear - this can be used in tandem with Acupressure to reach a godlike offensive state. A Defense Curl + Rollout combo is viable, but Shuckle is too slow to pull it off, and without any Attack boosts, it usually has too little power to be able to deal much damage anyway. Bug Bite helps it steal a Berry, but it doesn't really benefit from offensive Berries anyway. Protect + Dig + Toxic can be used to stall poison. Mud Slap can be used to reduce the opponent's accuracy and make Shuckle harder to hit. Body Slam is a supportive option that can paralyze an opponent.</p>
[EVs]
<p>The rule of thumb: Shuckle should have 248 HP EVs first before touching anything else. Do not maximize its HP, as you will limit its chances of bing able to switch repeatedly into Stealth Rock. Then, focus on its Defense and Special Defense. On the Durable Turtle set, Defense EVs are maximized since Shuckle already gains a 1.5x boost from sandstorm (which should be used at all costs). To balance Shuckle's defenses, use a Careful or Impish nature and an EV spread of 248 HP / 228 x / 32 y, where x refers to the stat the nature does not boost, and y refers to the stat the nature does boost.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Different Shuckle sets require very different forms of support, but all sets benefit from these: Rapid Spin support, Wish support, and sandstorm support. Stealth Rock takes away 25% of Shuckle's health whenever it switches in, and this will cause it to fall easier than if entry hazards were not in play at all. Successful spinners that pair well with Shuckle include Hitmontop (because it is able to deal with Steel-types that tend to be able to cause stall wars with Shuckle) and Blastoise (being a bulky Water-type, it helps Shuckle take Water- and Steel-type attacks it is weak to). Shuckle's best Wish partner is Chansey, as she is able to wall any forms of special attacks directed at Shuckle, like Surf, while Shuckle can take a few physical attacks directed at Chansey, like Brick Break and Earthquake. As mentioned before, Sandstorm increases Shuckle's Special Defense by 1.5x, which can greatly help it take moves like Surf, Ice Beam, and Flamethrower. Always have Hippopotas, Tyranitar, or Hippowdon on your side. Shuckle's defensive typing is nothing to be proud of, and it really could have benefited from more resistances that the ones it already has. Dual screens can also help it take hits like a complete champion, but most of the time Reflect and Light Screen are geared towards more offensive play.</p>
<p>On the first set (Durable Turtle), where Shuckle is meant to be used as a wall, bulky Water-types are the perfect partners. Shuckle can without question wall a number of Grass Knots and Thunderbolts directed at any Water-type, like Milotic or Blastoise, while the Water-types are in turn able to take Iron Heads, Surfs, and even Stone Edges aimed at Shuckle. In OU, Vaporeon is a perfect partner as it can provide not only Wish but also excellent defensive support. A pHazer is also useful since it can send anything that managed to set up on Shuckle and is at a +6 stat boost flying away. On the second set (Acupressure), where Shuckle generally requires very little support, offensive support can still assist it. Strong special attackers such as Moltres should be used to bring down your everyday physical walls, opponents that Shuckle hate to battle. In OU, Smeargle can help Baton Pass Ingrain, making it invincible once it has obtained a reasonable number of defensive boosts through the repeated use of Acupressure. On the third set (Wrap Trap), where Shuckle is meant to take hits, tank around, and retaliate, entry hazard support is the best. Even though entry hazards benefit offensively-oriented Pokemon most of the time, Shuckle can still make use of them - it can simply stall opponents out with a combination of Wrap + Rest. Besides entry hazard support, Pursuit and trap support should also be used on the same set. Pokemon like Dugtrio and Drapion can destroy any chances for weakened Pokemon to switch out, while being able to trap them if they are forced to use set up moves due to Encore's lasting effect.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Many walls are hard to defeat, but Shuckle is even harder to, as long as it is kept in good shape. A common misconception about Shuckle is that because of its nonexistent attack power, other Pokémon are free to set up on it to sweep. This is not entirely the case. Shuckle can Encore these stat-up moves, forcing their users to switch out or allowing you to bring in another Pokémon to attack. Even if you end up Encoring an attack move, Shuckle still has the godly defenses to take hits, and you can switch to something that resists it. This makes Shuckle very useful to teams that rely on resistances rather than walls. However, make sure that your incoming Pokémon is something that can really resist the move.</p>
<p>Shuckle works best with a certain amount of skill and prediction. For example, determining whether or not your opponent will use Substitute is key to determining whether to use Knock Off / Body Slam or Encore next. This determination is something that comes with experience.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Anything that doesn't mind having its item knocked off and can do an acceptable amount of damage to Shuckle is a good counter to it. Powerful Surfs and Stone Edges can also take it down; these come from Pokemon like Milotic and Marowak. Ghost-types can wall the Wrap set with ease, but will still risk being trapped by Encore coming from Shuckle + Pursuit coming from something like Absol. Taunt + set up move users win against Shuckle all the time; an example is Gyarados. Steel-types are immune to Toxic, which is probably Shuckle's greatest weapon in terms of dealing damage to opponents, but they will still risk having their items knocked off. Muk makes a great Shuckle counter because of its Sticky Hold ability and immunity to Toxic. Dugtrio can trap Shuckle even if it has its Substitute Encored; Shuckle's Knock Off will take a minimum of six hits to break it. Gastrodon can come in on Knock Off because of its Sticky Hold ability, but must still beware of Toxic. Pokemon that can nullify a brewing sandstorm and replace it with other forms of weather, whether rain, shine, or snow, will limit Shuckle's tanking ability. Shuckle will face problems against Sunny Day and Rain Dance teams if sandstorm is not brought into play again once it has already been cleared. Therefore, Pokemon like Abomasnow, Ludicolo, and Exeggutor should be checked before Shuckle is sent in.</p>
