[OVERVIEW]
Mienshao's access to Knock Off, U-turn, a great ability in Regenerator, and strong coverage solidifies its place as one of the tier's best offensive pivots. Knock Off and U-turn are a tried-and-true combo at making progress by allowing Mienshao to remove items and pivot out on potential switch-ins to keep up momentum. Mienshao's coverage options in Ice Spinner, Triple Axel, and Stone Edge complement its STAB Close Combat by allowing it to hit Flying-type switch-ins in Noivern and Salamence. Mienshao's top-tier ability in Regenerator allows it to shrug off many forms of chip damage like entry hazards, Life Orb, and Rocky Helmet, and it can power through weaker attacks from Pokemon like Cyclizar and Jirachi and threaten them with a strong attack at a low cost to itself. Despite all of that, Mienshao's frailty means that even physical walls with no Attack investment like Hippowdon and Amoonguss can threaten with significant damage, and running Life Orb makes Mienshao easier to revenge kill by faster Pokemon like Cyclizar due to the recoil damage. This makes pivot support from Pokemon like Talonflame and Magnezone very valuable to allow Mienshao to safely enter the field. Furthermore, defensive Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Talonflame and Slowbro can switch into Mienshao, punish it with Flame Body and Rocky Helmet, respectively, and threaten super effective attacks to knock it out.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Ice Spinner / Stone Edge
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Regenerator
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Fighting / Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Choice Scarf allows Mienshao to outspeed the entirety of the unboosted metagame and common Choice Scarf users like Krookodile, Gardevoir, and Galarian Zapdos, making Mienshao a premier revenge killer. Knock Off punishes Close Combat switch-ins like Slowbro and Basculegion-F. Ice Spinner hits Flying- and Grass-types like Galarian Zapdos, Salamence, and Amoonguss for super effective damage. Stone Edge also hits Flying-types for super effective damage and guarantees an OHKO on Talonflame while not risking getting burnt by Flame Body. U-turn keeps up momentum by pivoting on predicted switches such as Hippowdon and Galarian Weezing. Regenerator helps increase Mienshao's longevity, letting it pivot around while healing off entry hazards damage and even switching in on weaker attacks. Tera Fighting allows Close Combat to 2HKO Jirachi, Noivern, and Quagsire. Tera Dark defensively helps Mienshao against Psychic-types such as Reuniclus and Mew and boosts Knock Off's damage to guarantee an OHKO on Armarouge and Basculegion-F.
Choice Scarf Mienshao fits best on offensive teams, acting as a great form of speed control, late-game cleaner, and a premier revenge killer by outspeeding other common Choice Scarf users like Gardevoir and Krookodile. Mienshao can find itself easily taken advantage of by Ghost-, Psychic-, and Fairy-types like Gengar, Armarouge, and Fezandipiti due to it being Choice-locked, so defensive partners that can switch into attacks from the aforementioned types like Krookodile, Empoleon, and Fezandipiti are appreciated. They, as well as bulkier options like Hippowdon and Umbreon, can further support Mienshao by setting up entry hazards or spreading toxic to soften up the opposing team and make it easier for Mienshao to clean up, while Mienshao's Knock Off can remove potential Heavy-Duty Boots to rack up residual damage with hazards set up by its aforementioned teammates. Mienshao can form strong offensive VoltTurn cores with Pokemon such as Barraskewda, Slither Wing, and Magnezone, keeping up momentum and racking up damage on switch-ins like Slowbro, Noivern, and Cyclizar, while Pokemon like Noivern and Fezandipiti lure in Steel-types such as Jirachi and Empoleon before pivoting in Mienshao to threaten them. Slow wallbreakers like Choice Specs Basculegion-F and Hisuian Goodra appreciate pivoting in safely with Mienshao's U-turn and can force out and wear down Pokemon that would otherwise check Mienshao like Slowbro and Talonflame; they can also soften the walls on the opposing team to make it easier for Mienshao to sweep. Mienshao is able to form sturdy Regenerator cores with other Pokemon like Slowbro, Reuniclus, and Cyclizar to help increase the longevity of the team. Slowbro and Reuniclus are especially appreciated, as they can provide Future Sight support to punish any Poison-types switching in on Mienshao's STAB attack like Fezandipiti and Amoonguss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Double Edge can be slotted for coverage as means to hit Galarian Weezing and Fezandipiti for neutral damage, while Regenerator heals off any recoil taken, but it misses out on coverage to deal with either Grass-types like Chesnaught and Amoonguss or Pokemon like Talonflame. This can be combined with Tera Normal to achieve a 2HKO on Fezandipiti and Galarian Weezing with Life Orb. Triple Axel can be used on Choice Scarf sets, trading accuracy for power and hitting certain foes like Fezandipiti and Amoonguss for more damage. Choice Band allows Mienshao to 2HKO Chesnaught and Hippowdon with entry hazard support, but the downside of being Choice-locked might not be worth the small boost over Life Orb, and it still leaves Mienshao vulnerable to faster revenge killers. Swords Dance can strengthen Mienshao's role as a wallbreaker by allowing it to get past annoying switch-ins such as Hippowdon and Slowbro when combined with Life Orb, but it completely takes away Mienshao's role as a pivot.
Checks and Counters
====
**Poison-types**: Fezandipiti, Galarian Weezing, and Galarian Slowbro resist most of Mienshao's moves and are bulky enough to freely switch into it, recovering any damage and threatening it back with super effective attacks or crippling status.
**Psychic-types**: Slowbro and Gardevoir can switch into Mienshao's main STAB attack or take advantage of the move its locked into if it's holding a Choice item. Slowbro and Reuniclus are both tanky enough to survive any attack from Mienshao and threaten back with super effective damage, while Choice Scarf Gardevoir can outspeed non-Choice Scarf Mienshao, copy Regenerator with Trace, and threaten an OHKO on Mienshao.
**Physical Walls**: Both Hippowdon and Chesnaught sport incredible physical bulk and are able to freely switch into Mienshao, recover any damage taken, and threaten back significant damage due to Mienshao's frail bulk. Hippowdon and Chesnaught being common Rocky Helmet users means Mienshao can get punished for using Triple Axel, and it fails to 2HKO them without any damage-boosting items.
**Burn**: Burns from Flame Body and Will-O-Wisp from Talonflame and Galarian Weezing can truly cripple Mienshao's damage output and make it way less threatening to most Pokemon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tsuki.654208/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Mienshao's access to Knock Off, U-turn, a great ability in Regenerator, and strong coverage solidifies its place as one of the tier's best offensive pivots. Knock Off and U-turn are a tried-and-true combo at making progress by allowing Mienshao to remove items and pivot out on potential switch-ins to keep up momentum. Mienshao's coverage options in Ice Spinner, Triple Axel, and Stone Edge complement its STAB Close Combat by allowing it to hit Flying-type switch-ins in Noivern and Salamence. Mienshao's top-tier ability in Regenerator allows it to shrug off many forms of chip damage like entry hazards, Life Orb, and Rocky Helmet, and it can power through weaker attacks from Pokemon like Cyclizar and Jirachi and threaten them with a strong attack at a low cost to itself. Despite all of that, Mienshao's frailty means that even physical walls with no Attack investment like Hippowdon and Amoonguss can threaten with significant damage, and running Life Orb makes Mienshao easier to revenge kill by faster Pokemon like Cyclizar due to the recoil damage. This makes pivot support from Pokemon like Talonflame and Magnezone very valuable to allow Mienshao to safely enter the field. Furthermore, defensive Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Talonflame and Slowbro can switch into Mienshao, punish it with Flame Body and Rocky Helmet, respectively, and threaten super effective attacks to knock it out.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Ice Spinner / Stone Edge
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Regenerator
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Fighting / Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Choice Scarf allows Mienshao to outspeed the entirety of the unboosted metagame and common Choice Scarf users like Krookodile, Gardevoir, and Galarian Zapdos, making Mienshao a premier revenge killer. Knock Off punishes Close Combat switch-ins like Slowbro and Basculegion-F. Ice Spinner hits Flying- and Grass-types like Galarian Zapdos, Salamence, and Amoonguss for super effective damage. Stone Edge also hits Flying-types for super effective damage and guarantees an OHKO on Talonflame while not risking getting burnt by Flame Body. U-turn keeps up momentum by pivoting on predicted switches such as Hippowdon and Galarian Weezing. Regenerator helps increase Mienshao's longevity, letting it pivot around while healing off entry hazards damage and even switching in on weaker attacks. Tera Fighting allows Close Combat to 2HKO Jirachi, Noivern, and Quagsire. Tera Dark defensively helps Mienshao against Psychic-types such as Reuniclus and Mew and boosts Knock Off's damage to guarantee an OHKO on Armarouge and Basculegion-F.
Choice Scarf Mienshao fits best on offensive teams, acting as a great form of speed control, late-game cleaner, and a premier revenge killer by outspeeding other common Choice Scarf users like Gardevoir and Krookodile. Mienshao can find itself easily taken advantage of by Ghost-, Psychic-, and Fairy-types like Gengar, Armarouge, and Fezandipiti due to it being Choice-locked, so defensive partners that can switch into attacks from the aforementioned types like Krookodile, Empoleon, and Fezandipiti are appreciated. They, as well as bulkier options like Hippowdon and Umbreon, can further support Mienshao by setting up entry hazards or spreading toxic to soften up the opposing team and make it easier for Mienshao to clean up, while Mienshao's Knock Off can remove potential Heavy-Duty Boots to rack up residual damage with hazards set up by its aforementioned teammates. Mienshao can form strong offensive VoltTurn cores with Pokemon such as Barraskewda, Slither Wing, and Magnezone, keeping up momentum and racking up damage on switch-ins like Slowbro, Noivern, and Cyclizar, while Pokemon like Noivern and Fezandipiti lure in Steel-types such as Jirachi and Empoleon before pivoting in Mienshao to threaten them. Slow wallbreakers like Choice Specs Basculegion-F and Hisuian Goodra appreciate pivoting in safely with Mienshao's U-turn and can force out and wear down Pokemon that would otherwise check Mienshao like Slowbro and Talonflame; they can also soften the walls on the opposing team to make it easier for Mienshao to sweep. Mienshao is able to form sturdy Regenerator cores with other Pokemon like Slowbro, Reuniclus, and Cyclizar to help increase the longevity of the team. Slowbro and Reuniclus are especially appreciated, as they can provide Future Sight support to punish any Poison-types switching in on Mienshao's STAB attack like Fezandipiti and Amoonguss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Double Edge can be slotted for coverage as means to hit Galarian Weezing and Fezandipiti for neutral damage, while Regenerator heals off any recoil taken, but it misses out on coverage to deal with either Grass-types like Chesnaught and Amoonguss or Pokemon like Talonflame. This can be combined with Tera Normal to achieve a 2HKO on Fezandipiti and Galarian Weezing with Life Orb. Triple Axel can be used on Choice Scarf sets, trading accuracy for power and hitting certain foes like Fezandipiti and Amoonguss for more damage. Choice Band allows Mienshao to 2HKO Chesnaught and Hippowdon with entry hazard support, but the downside of being Choice-locked might not be worth the small boost over Life Orb, and it still leaves Mienshao vulnerable to faster revenge killers. Swords Dance can strengthen Mienshao's role as a wallbreaker by allowing it to get past annoying switch-ins such as Hippowdon and Slowbro when combined with Life Orb, but it completely takes away Mienshao's role as a pivot.
Checks and Counters
====
**Poison-types**: Fezandipiti, Galarian Weezing, and Galarian Slowbro resist most of Mienshao's moves and are bulky enough to freely switch into it, recovering any damage and threatening it back with super effective attacks or crippling status.
**Psychic-types**: Slowbro and Gardevoir can switch into Mienshao's main STAB attack or take advantage of the move its locked into if it's holding a Choice item. Slowbro and Reuniclus are both tanky enough to survive any attack from Mienshao and threaten back with super effective damage, while Choice Scarf Gardevoir can outspeed non-Choice Scarf Mienshao, copy Regenerator with Trace, and threaten an OHKO on Mienshao.
**Physical Walls**: Both Hippowdon and Chesnaught sport incredible physical bulk and are able to freely switch into Mienshao, recover any damage taken, and threaten back significant damage due to Mienshao's frail bulk. Hippowdon and Chesnaught being common Rocky Helmet users means Mienshao can get punished for using Triple Axel, and it fails to 2HKO them without any damage-boosting items.
**Burn**: Burns from Flame Body and Will-O-Wisp from Talonflame and Galarian Weezing can truly cripple Mienshao's damage output and make it way less threatening to most Pokemon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tsuki.654208/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sir-tetris.655207/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
