[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Iron Head
item: Black Glasses / Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its typing and access to Sucker Punch, Swords Dance Bisharp cements itself as a powerful wallbreaker and late-game cleaner. Knock Off offers high damage output and item removal, which can aid in chipping down checks that rely on their item, such as Leftovers Iron Hands. Sucker Punch offers valuable priority to revenge kill faster threats such as Latios and Alakazam, and, after a boost, Bisharp can thwart revenge killing attempts from faster Pokemon like Cinderace and Thundurus-T. Iron Head is a great complementary STAB move for Fairy-types such as Enamorus and Clefable, which otherwise resist Dark-type attacks, while being Bisharp's best neutral option versus Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Buzzwole. An Adamant nature enables Bisharp to threaten an OHKO on Clefable with minimal chip damage. Maximum Speed investment is needed to outspeed Mega Tyranitar, Celesteela, and Scizor and to Speed tie with opposing Bisharp. Swords Dance Bisharp works best on offensive teams with teammates such as Cinderace, Iron Hands, and Meowscarada that put pressure on shared checks such as defensive Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Buzzwole. Similarly, Bisharp pairs well with special attackers like Thundurus-T and Serperior by pressuring specially defensive walls such as Blissey for them. Bisharp struggles to break through bulky Fighting-types like Iron Hands and Okidogi, making partners like Slowbro, Clefable, and Mega Latias beneficial. Future Sight support from Slowbro and Slowking aids Bisharp in whittling down the latter two in range for a boosted Knock Off or Iron Head. Bisharp is an excellent partner for entry hazard setters such as Meowscarada, Mew, and Iron Treads, as Defiant deters Defog from Pokemon like Tapu Fini. In return, Bisharp appreciates hazards chipping down switch-ins like Iron Hands and Leftovers Hippowdon. Similarly, Ribombee appreciates Bisharp pressuring common Defoggers like Tapu Fini. In exchange, Sticky Web from Ribombee enables Bisharp to outspeed and significantly damage Pokemon that otherwise outspeed it, such as Excadrill, Keldeo, and Iron Treads.
[SET]
name: Pursuit Trapper
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Iron Head
item: Eviolite
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Bisharp acts as an offensive answer to common Psychic- and Ghost-types in the tier, such as Ceruledge, Blacephalon and Latios, through the combination of Pursuit and Sucker Punch. Knock Off provides strong, super effective damage to targets that may not switch out immediately, including Mega Latias, Skeledirge, and Slowbro, while removing items from walls like Heavy-Duty Boots from Buzzwole and Amoonguss. Sucker Punch provides valuable priority to pick off frail or weakened faster Pokemon such as Alakazam, Ceruledge, and Hisuian Zoroark. Iron Head is a valuable option to hit Fairy-types like Enamorus and Clefable super effectively and Pokemon like Buzzwole and Tapu Fini neutrally. Investing 184 EVs into Speed enables Bisharp to outspeed fully invested offensive Celesteela prior to Autotomize and Tyranitar. Fighting-types like Okidogi, Galarian Zapdos, Buzzwole, and Mega Heracross benefit immensely from Bisharp trapping Ghost- and Psychic-types, and they also appreciate it wearing down defensive Fairy-types like Tapu Fini. Bisharp can also benefit defensive Pokemon like Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Tangrowth by picking off frail wallbreakers such as Iron Moth and Alakazam. Pursuit Bisharp has a noticeable weakness to bulky physical walls in the tier such as Buzzwole, Hippowdon and Skarmory, so pairing it with sufficient offensive pressure from Enamorus, Mega Latias, Iron Moth, Cinderace, and Galarian Zapdos to take advantage of these foes is appreciated. Without Swords Dance, Bisharp enables offensive Fighting-types such as Keldeo, Iron Hands, Okidogi, and Hawlucha to switch in with relative impunity. Bulky Fighting-resistant partners like Mega Latias, Slowbro, Clefable, Tapu Fini, and Mega Venusaur can help pivot into these offensive threats. Finally, Bisharp can find a place on balanced hazard stack teams alongside Skarmory or Gastrodon. It can dissuade Defog via Defiant and threaten chip damage on Defoggers like Tapu Fini with its STAB moves.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/velcroc.391284/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sealoo.514772/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited: