Stats:
HP: 90
Atk: 108
Def: 80
SpA: 100
SpD: 65
Spe: 85
Abilities: Torrent / Sharpness
Type: Water/Dark
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Main Moves:
- Ceaseless Edge
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Razor Shell
- Aqua Cutter
- Flip Turn
- Aqua Jet
- Sacred Sword
- Swords Dance
- Taunt
- Encore
Other Options:
- Aerial Ace
- Ice Beam
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Changes in Champions that benefit Hisuian Samurott:
Hisuian Samurott has just enough Speed to outspeed even the fastest Pokemon in the tier in Mega Alakazam when holding a Choice Scarf, making it a formidable user of the item that naturally beats some of the biggest threats in the tier such as Mega Gengar, Mega Alakazam, Mega Delphox, Dragapult, Mega Meowstic, and Mega Starmie, spamming Ceaseless Edge to set Spikes and threaten OHKOes. Its fantastic Water/Dark typing allows it to switch into these threats safely once, or even several times. Its movepool is excellent at threatening a ton of opponents for super effective damage: Ceaseless Edge for the aforementioned Pokemon, Aqua Cutter for Mega Glimmora and Mega Golurk, Sacred Sword for Mega Lopunny and Kingambit, Ice Beam for Garchomp and Dragonite, and even niche options like Aerial Ace for Mega Chesnaught. These traits allow Hisuian Samurott to fit into many archetypes, ranging from HO to Balance. Since Boots aren't in the game yet, Spikes are much more threatening than in SV OU.
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Main sets:
Choice Scarf
Samurott-Hisui @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sharpness
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly / Naive Nature
- Ceaseless Edge
- Aqua Cutter
- Sacred Sword
- Flip Turn / Ice Beam
With a Choice Scarf equipped, Hisuian Samurott outspeeds even the fastest unboosted Pokemon in the tier, Mega Alakazam. Since Pokemon Champions sees the return of Mega Stones and Boots aren't in the game, we can simply run Ceaseless Edge as our sole Dark STAB and forgo Knock Off to open up a slot for a coverage move.
Lead
Samurott-Hisui @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sharpness
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ceaseless Edge
- Aqua Cutter
- Aqua Jet
- Taunt / Encore / Knock Off / Ice Beam
Aqua Jet picks off Glimmora, who is one of the main leads in the smaller dex of Champions. TankChomp and LeadChomp sets could become popular picks, so Ice Beam is an option to target them.
Black Glasses
Samurott-Hisui @ Black Glasses
Ability: Sharpness
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Tera Type: Dark
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Ceaseless Edge
- Razor Shell
- Sucker Punch
In a metagame with Item Clause, running a set that does not use Choice Scarf or Leftovers is compelling. The increase in damage from Black Glasses combined with Swords Dance allows Hisuian Samurott to be much more threatening to Corviknight and Skarmory and potentially ensure that Spikes aren't removed.
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Checks & Counters
The steel birds can switch into Hisuian Samurott handily and Defog away Spikes, though they do need to play more carefully against Black Glasses Swords Dance variants. Avalugg can do the same, spinning away Spikes, though its usage will quickly dwindle.
Bulky Dark resistances can switch into Ceaseless Edge and threaten Hisuian Samurott back, especially if locked into the move.
Hisuian Samurott lacking Sacred Sword, Taunt, or Encore is complete setup bait to Mega Gyarados, one of the most dangerous setup sweepers in the game. Choice Scarf sets in particular have to be extremely careful when facing a Gyarados who has not Mega'd yet, as a bad Ceaseless Edge click can have devastating consequences.
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Potential teammates
Dragapult can spinblock and threatens both Skarmory and Corviknight, the two main Defoggers of the tier. While the Rotoms cannot spinblock, they have great matchups into Excadrill, the main spinner of the tier, while having excellent matchups into the steel birds. They can form a VoltTurn core with Hisuian Samurott.
Cleaners love Spikes support to chip at the enemy team to prepare for a sweep late game.
Hisuian Samurott is vulnerable to all entry hazards. Excadrill is poised to be the best Spinner in the tier, greatly helping Samurott's longevity. Excadrill is a great switch-in to the bulky Fairy-types that have good matchups into Samurott. It can switch into Electric type attacks as well, but those are rare and tied to Pokemon that threaten Excadrill such as Overheat Mega Manectric or Rotom Wash.
Despite all the speed benchmarks Scarf Hisuian Samurott reaches, it is still slower than the majority of Speed-boosting sweepers. As such, ample preparations to these threats is necessary. Scizor, Dragonite, Weavile and Mega Lopunny boast strong priorities, and Mimikyu can stop many setup sweepers in a pinch.
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Hisuian Samurott is poised to be a top choice in Champions OU and be even better than in SV OU. Its offensive and defensive profile coupled with Choice Scarf makes it an excellent choice all around, threatening a slew of new and old faces all while setting Spikes aggressively and keeping momentum through Flip Turn. Boots being cut from the game make the Spikes Samurott sets that much more threatening.
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