Statistics
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
90
|
- |
321 |
384 |
- |
| Atk |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| Def |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| SpA |
90
|
194 |
216 |
279 |
306 |
| SpD |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| Spe |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
Hidden Power Fire sends Skarmory and crew to the shadow realm (and it can survive 200 Attack Skarmory's Drill Peck with Mild Nature and Min HP / Defense) while Hidden Power Ice deals with Salamence, though unlike the other Sunnybeamers, you don't have to fear it when using Hidden Power Fire since you can blow up on its face when necessary. Brick Break might seem bad but it is kind of useful with all those Tyranitar around, though the Hidden Powers / Explosion are handy in more situations.
Nothing resists Shadow Ball + Brick Break, Choice Band Explosion HURTS and Quick Attack / Fake Out if you need to finish off something. You need prediction, like every Choice Bander. The lack of STAB hurts, but you have the element of unpredictability. Ability won't matter all that much, Early Bird can help sopping up Sleep status and still be able to wake up before the match is over, Chlorophyll if you can get your opponent or one of your other Pokémon to use Sunny Day.
A lot like the last set, except with Swords Dance this time over Choice Band.
The EVs given are if you do not have Hidden Power. If you do, you'll need 4 more Speed EVs at the cost of HP to make sure you stay faster than +Speed Deoxys-A in the Sun. Choice Band is helpful because Shiftry can only come in on a very limited number of Pokémon and needs to 2HKO the switch in to survive.
If you feel you can set up with Shiftry, it learns Swords Dance, which is really helpful.
Other Options
Growth and Synthesis, but don't use them, they are just the other mediocre moves Shiftry learns. Better go with the above sets.
EVs
With 259 Attack (92 EVs) it has a sure OHKO on max Defense, max HP Blissey (but feel free to put more Attack) with Explosion. With 202 Speed (28 EVs) it is faster than everything but Ninjask after Sunny Day, including Jolly Aerodactyl, Timid Jolteon, and Salaced Adamant Heracross, but you can give it some more Speed to maybe Explode on something at a critical station. Put the rest to max Special Attack as well as boosting it with a Nature, maybe put some to HP but not much. On the Choice Bander, max Attack and give it quite a lot of Speed.
Opinion
It is indeed a very cool UU, and has some potential to be used in OU play. You'll have trouble getting it in, but once you do and get the Sunny Day, it's a menace to get rid of. I don't know why it got Grass type since it's a Tengu, a bird-like evil spirit, but it's a good thing it did. It also has some use in ubers, paired with Groudon for the Speed boost, so it can just abuse Shadow Ball to hit all the Psychic ubers.
Counters
You can out-predict its Explosion to switch to something resistant / immune, but beware as it still has 250 power even if it's not very effective. Tyranitar stops the Sunnybeamer, but watch out for Brick Break. Ninjask might give you some trouble if your Shiftry is slow. Since most Shiftry are the Sunnybeam version, they have to waste a turn getting the Sunny Day up, giving you a free attack. You can also use something that hits hard since Shiftry's Defenses aren't that good (It has fine HP that covers the defenses, though). Lastly, Thunder Wave makes Shiftry rather useless except it can still Explode.
