Scizor

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antemortem

antemortem

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[OVERVIEW]

  • The introduction of a plethora of threats such as Drizzle Pelipper, Toxapex, Celesteela, Alolan Marowak, and Tapu Lele + Psychic Surge have all greatly reduced Scizor's potency in the metagame.
  • The prevalence of Pokemon running Fire-type coverage moves has expanded
  • Still a strong pivot in a VoltTurn heavy metagame.
  • Its utility in Knock Off and Defog is just as beneficial.
  • Sweeping capabilities are bolstered by reliable recovery in Roost.

[SET]
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Bullet Punch
move 4: U-turn / Superpower
item: Scizorite
ability: Technician
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 44 Atk / 16 Def / 200 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

  • Swords Dance confers Mega Scizor its sweeping capabilities while Roost maintains its longevity.
  • Bullet Punch is a mainstay priority move that, after a boost, hits many Pokemon incredibly hard.
  • U-turn is what allows Scizor to act as a great pivot.
  • Superpower offers super effective coverage for Heatran, Chansey, and Ferrothorn, as well as neutral coverage on other threats such as Magearna and Genesect.

Set Details
========

Describe the other aspects of the set such as what the EVs do and nature/item.

Usage Tips
========

Describe how to use the Pokemon in question.

Team Options
========

  • Pelipper - defensive synergy and for setting rain to weaken Fire-type moves
  • Tapu Fini - Misty Terrain protects Scizor from being crippled by burns
  • VoltTurn core mons - Scizor forms a solid VoltTurn core with the likes of Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, Pelipper, Genesect, and Pheromosa
  • Heatran - can take on the Fire- and Steel-types that threaten Scizor such as Magnezone, Celesteela, Mega Charizard, opposing Heatran, Magearna, Ferrothorn, etc.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

  • Burns loom over Scizor's head constantly so it can run Lum Berry to alleviate that issue once.
  • Iron Head allows Scizor to hit Tapu Lele without the fear of being nerfed by Psychic Terrain.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Tapu Lele**: Tapu Lele can switch in on a predicted Bullet Punch, nullify it, and then threaten to OHKO with Hidden Power Fire depending on the set. Modest Choice Specs variants will OHKO, but Modest Life Orb variants only have a 50% of OHKOing, and Modest Choice Scarf variants will only 2HKO.

**Tapu Koko**: Tapu Koko avoids being 2HKOed by Bullet Punch and, outside of rain, threatens to 2HKO Mega Scizor with Hidden Power Fire. Under rain, Thunderbolt still has a small chance of 2HKOing Mega Scizor.

**Mega Venusaur**: The common offensive variants running Hidden Power Fire can 2HKO Scizor while taking negligible damage from even boosted attacks.

**Physically Defensive Water-types**: Pelipper, Toxapex, and Rotom-Wash all tank virtually everything Scizor can throw at them and threaten to burn it in return with Scald or Will-O-Wisp.

**Fire-Types**: Mega Charizard X and Y, Heatran, Volcanion, and Alolan Marowak resist Scizor's STAB attacks and threaten to OHKO in return. Alolan Marowak can also threaten Scizor out with Will-O-Wisp or burn it on the switch in.

**Offensive Pressure**: Pheromosa is 2HKOed by Bullet Punch, but Scizor cannot switch into High Jump Kick for fear of being 2HKOed. Keldeo, Gyarados, Landorus-I, Greninja, and Genesect can absorb resisted attacks and retaliate with powerful STAB or Fire-type coverage moves, though Mega Gyarados and Greninja have to be wary of U-Turn and Superpower.
 
The overview should list the pros first, then the cons. You also need to mention Scizor's pivot utility against strong physical attackers such as Excadrill, Tapu Bulu and Mega Metagross and Buzzwole, in addition to checking Latios and Tapu Lele. In a metagame where Pokemon tend to power through their checks and counters, actually being able to take a hit (or two!) from these monsters is incredibly valuable.

  • The introduction of a plethora of threats such as Drizzle Pelipper, Toxapex, Celesteela, Alolan Marowak, and Tapu Lele + Psychic Surge have all greatly reduced Scizor's potency in the metagame.
Click to expand...

Alolan Marowak flat out doesn't hurt Scizor's potency at all. U-turn styles all over it and it's incredibly easy to wear down. Not to mention it getting thrashed Brutal Swing / Knock off. Pelipper helps Scizor as much as it hurts it due to Scizor benefiting from Rain, though Celesteela and Toxapex are definitely big nerfs.

Unfortunately, you need way more sets. Mega Scizor is pretty damn versatile and it customized to perform for a variety of teams. I would just go ahead and import most of the sets from Gen VI wholesale.

In the Team Options section, you should specifically mention Stallbreaker Heatran with Magma Storm. On top of having fantastic defensive synergy with Mega Scizor, it lures out Toxapex and kills it. It also lures out and takes out most bulky water-types too with Bloom Doom. Tapu Fini should be mentioned for its ability to take on most fire-types first (including Charizard-X!), with Misty Terrain being the bonus. Gastrodon's a decent partner. It beats most of Scizor's checks and is fairly good at dealing against Electric-types.

In the Counters section, Tapu Lele is neither a check nor counter. It is incredibly risky for it to switch into Scizor due to its tendency to U-turn. Should they directly switch into bullet punch, it's a pretty obvious sign they're going to HP Fire, and that's really abusable on the opponents part. Psychic Terrain hinders of course and that warrants mentioning somewhere, but Scizor itself has a good matchup against Lele. Tapu Koko takes too much damage from most of its moves (with bullet punch being neutral even). It checks Scizor slightly worse than Electric-types, and it shouldn't get its own section. I wouldn't mention Pheromosa since it takes (71.3 - 84%) from 44 atk Bullet Punch, so even if Scizor can't switch in, it needs to be extremely healthy to do so (which isn't the case for the other Pokemon)

Add a physical tank section and put things like Skarmory, Mandibuz , Hippo (Hippo loses to the main set) and Celesteela. Celesteela needs to be emphasized as single greatest Mega Scizor counter in the game.
 
Quick nitpick: sets with Scizorite should be running Light Metal on the base form, since you're not gonna be attacking before you go Mega and you've got Technician anyway after you do. Light Metal will at least decrease the damage you take from stray Low Kicks you switch in on in the base form (not super common/relevant, but it's slightly better optimized this way).
 
Fireflame479 said:
The spread should be 248 HP / 60 Def / 200 SpD. The extra defense allows Mega Scizor to avoid the 2HKO from Mega Lopunny's High Jump Kick. Those 44 Atk EVs really don't do anything.

252 Atk Lopunny-Mega High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 16+ Def Scizor-Mega: 148-175 (43.1 - 51%) -- 4.7% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Lopunny-Mega High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 60+ Def Scizor-Mega: 144-169 (41.9 - 49.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Click to expand...

Mega Lopunny is not available in SM
 
Doing some random calculations it appears the current EV spread still accomplishes what you want out of Mega Scizor. You could argue having a heavier Defensive investment can help in random situations, but honestly I couldn't find many avenues where it was worthwhile. I would just keep the current EV spread honestly unless someone really has something worthwhile to add with it (heavier SpD maybe at best?):

- 200 SpD EVs make Focus Blast a 3HKO from non-Specs Tapu Lele and, if Stealth Rock is out of the equation, makes Mega Alakazam 3HKO with Focus Blast as well.
- 16 Def EVs with Impish nature does give some cushion against +1 Pheromosa High Jump Kick - making it a 2HKO at best. This one is important versus Beast Boost Scarf set and having no Def investment with a neutral nature means that Mega Scizor runs into bad gambles (+1 252+ Atk Pheromosa High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Mega Scizor: 271-321 (79 - 93.5%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock). It also means Landorus-T can't 2HKO with max Attack Adamant Earthquake (though being honest this is kind of a shady example since Scarf Landorus-T are using Jolly and Adamant Landorus can pack Soft Sand or Supersonic Strike).
- Remainder in Attack to sprinkle some offense.
- 248 HP / 164 SpD with Careful nature makes Mega Alakazam 3HKO with Focus Blast (252 SpA Mega Alakazam Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 164+ SpD Mega Scizor: 127-150 (37 - 43.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock).
- 88 Def EVs with neutral nature will still allow Mega Scizor to survive a +1 High Jump Kick from Scarf Pheromosa.

I'm kind of burnt after calculating for a while, so I'll just leave it at that.
 
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