[Overview]
<p>Mienshao has a number of traits that set
s it
self apart from its main competitor in OU, Terrakion.
PA practical immunity to passive damage thanks to Regenerator and better wallbreaking abilities thanks to the ability to use special attacks make Mienshao a better dedicated wallbreaker than Terrakion and a perfect weapon to use against defensive teams. Aside from being a better wallbreaker than Terrakion, which is Mienshao's main niche in OU, Mienshao has a few more aces
tricks? never heard this phrase before up its sleeve. Thanks to Reckless, Choice Scarf Mienshao is more powerful than Choice Scarf Terrakion and has better cleaning potential, but
it needs a ton of support, especially to remove Ghost-types
, (AC) which prevent Mienshao from spamming its main STAB
, and provides zero defensive synergy for the team. Finally, with access to Regenerator and Baton Pass
, (AC) Mienshao can provide free switches
tofor its teammates with its SubPass set, something that Terrakion can't do.</p>
<p>Although Mienshao has quite a few appealing attributes, it is not without flaws. Mienshao is extremely frail, and
thus cannot take even the weakest
of hits
that comfortably. This means that Mienshao
will always have to come in onmust get a free switch-in
to come in, forcing it to
beact as more of a hit
-(hyphen)and
-(hyphen)run attacker. Mienshao's main STAB, Hi Jump Kick, has a nasty side effect, chipping away 50% of its health each time it fails to land. With the prevalence of the move Protect and Ghost-types
, (AC) such as Jellicent and Gengar, Mienshao has to be very careful. It also faces slight competition from Terrakion for a team
(remove s
pace)slot
, (AC) as
ince they fill similar role
s,
especially sincenot to mention that Terrakion is faster than Mienshao. Nevertheless, Mienshao is very unique compared to other Fighting-types in the tier
,(RC) and can pose a huge threat to unprepared teams.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Hi Jump Kick
move 2: Grass Knot / Stone Edge
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: U-turn
item: Life Orb
ability: Regenerator
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 24 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>If there is one set that really sets Mienshao apart from the other Fighting-types in OU, it would have to be this one. This set takes all of Mienshao's useful traits and mixes them all
into
one set. Sincgether. Because Mienshao has the ability to
abusutilize its Special Attack, this set
takes full advantage ofruns special moves that
by giving itprovide coverage
againston most of its common switch-ins, such as Gliscor, Landorus-T, Jellicent, and Hippowdon. Regenerator is really useful here, as it helps
nemitigate Life Orb recoil every time Mienshao switches out. Hi Jump Kick is Mienshao's only STAB move
,(RC) and it is put to good use on this set by hitting everything very hard
;, (AC) 2HKOing and OHKOing most unresistant foes while decimating Tyranitar, Blissey, and Ferrothorn. Be cautious when using this move when Ghost-types are around, or else Mienshao's health will
be instantly
be halved by recoil.
MAlso make sure to
also be wary of using this move against Pokemon that commonly carry Protect, such as Ferrothorn, as this will also
activateincur the recoil. The next move is a tough choice between Grass Knot and Stone Edge. Grass Knot is usually preferred because it messes with Mienshao's common counters
, (AC) such as Jellicent and physically defensive Hippowdon, both
of wh
oich wall this set quite well. Stone Edge still has its merits against Volcarona and Gyarados though, so it all depends on what
threats you need Mienshao to cover. Hidden Power Ice is one of this set
's greatest selling points
, (AC) as
ince it can
stopKO Gliscor and Landorus-T
from completely walling this set,(RC) while also dealing super effective damage to Garchomp, Salamence, and Dragonite. U-turn rounds off the set by
givallowing Mienshao
to create some much
-(hyphen)needed momentum
, while als(RC) in addition to having outstanding synergy with Regenerator.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>
SincBecause this set depends a lot on Mienshao's special attack
s, a Naive nature should always be used to get the best out of both
worldoffensive stats. The EV spread is quite self
-(hyphen)explanatory.
tbh this sentence isn't "necessary" but it's your choice Fake Out is an option for dealing damage right off the bat and picking off weakened foes, but it is pitifully weak, and Mienshao misses the coverage
fromprovided by Grass Knot or Stone Edge. Reckless can be used if you want really powerful Hi Jump Kicks, but Regenerator is much more useful, as it
nemitigates Life Orb recoil. Partner
s -(hyphen)wise, Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Scizor come
s to mind
, (AC) as
ince they can Pursuit trap Ghost-types relatively easy. Bulky Psychic-types
, (AC) such as Celebi, defensive Starmie, and Latias
, (AC) are also quite problematic to this set
becaus
ince Mienshao has nothing to really hit them hard with, but Tyranitar can
solve thatdeal with them quite easily. Choice Scarf Tyranitar
also has the ability to outspeed and trap Gengar, Latias, and Latios
,(RC) while also bringing in sand for extra residual damage to help Mienshao guarantee a few 2HKOs, most notably
on physically defensive Jellicent with Grass Knot after Stealth Rock. Latias and Latios are really nice teammates
because th
atey can outspeed Keldeo and Terrakion, both
of wh
oich outspeed Mienshao and threaten it.
SincBecause Mienshao is so frail, bulky teammates
, (AC) such as specially defensive Celebi, Hippowdon, specially defensive Heatran, and Landorus-T
, (AC) are great c
andidates for the job, while alsohoices, having the added bonus of
usbeing
able to set up Stealth Rock.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Hi Jump Kick
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Reckless / Regenerator
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Choice Scarf sacrifices Mienshao's ability to switch between moves in order to
allow it to become a potent revenge killer. Mienshao's Speed stat combined with a Choice Scarf allows it to outspeed all positive
-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon at +1, letting Mienshao revenge kill the likes of Salamence, Haxorus, and Volcarona
, (AC) wh
oich commonly boost their Speed. Ability
-(hyphen)wise, Reckless is almost always preferred, as it allows Mienshao's Hi Jump Kick to 2HKO even Skarmory after Stealth Rock, a feat that Choice Scarf Terrakion would only dream of. Regenerator still has its merits though, especially if your team lacks a Rapid Spin
n user. Unlike Terrakion, Mienshao has access to U-turn
, (AC) which lets it gain much
-(hyphen)needed momentum against common switch-ins
, (AC) such as Jellicent and Hippowdon, while also dealing a huge chunk to Celebi
in the process. Hi Jump Kick hits very hard when boosted by Reckless, and often
(remove space)times Mienshao will find itself sweeping with it
inat the end
of the game, OHKOing pretty much
aneverything that's weak to it
,(RC) and 2HKOing almost everything else. A few notable 2HKOs that Hi Jump Kick boosted by Reckless achieves are
: ones on defensive Skarmory after Stealth Rock
damage, offensive Latias, and specially defensive Jirachi. Standard Ferrothorn and Breloom are always OHKOed as well. Stone Edge is very important for Gyarados and Volcarona in particular, both
of wh
oich can wall a
nyll of Mienshao's other moves, but
arthey can be OHKOed by Stone Edge. Hidden Power Ice is Mienshao's hidden weapon against Gliscor and Landorus-T,
as theywhich are very common switch-ins against Fighting-types in general. Hidden Power Ice has other uses though, such as OHKOing Dragonite after Stealth Rock and allowing Mienshao to take out Salamence 100% of the time after Stealth Rock, unlike Stone Edge, which misses quite frequently.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Naive nature should always be used on this set
since Hidden Power Icebecause Mienshao does not want
Hidden Power Ice to be weakened if it were to run Jolly.
it's mienshao not the move that cares Grass Knot is still very much viable on this set
sincbecause Jellicent and Hippowdon are both very problematic to this set, but it should only be used if you do not need Mienshao to handle Gliscor or Landorus-T. Unlike the
Aall-
Oout
Aattacking set, Choice Scarf Mienshao requires a lot more prediction
to use. Due to the prevalence of Jellicent, Gengar, and users of the move Protect, Mienshao has to be very careful when
to lock
ing itself into Hi Jump Kick, lest it
wants to receive a nasty 50% drop in health due to recoil. To remedy this, Tyranitar and Scizor are stressed even more on this set as partners. Both of them can trap Jellicent and Gengar with Pursuit, allowing Mienshao to use Hi Jump Kick without having to worry about it missing due to these Ghost-types. Not only are Scizor and Tyranitar useful for trapping Ghost-types,
but they are also useful
infor trapping bulky Psychic-types
, (AC) such as Latias and Celebi,
both wh
oich are very problematic for this set.
HEntry hazard support is stressed heavily on this set, as it secures a few important 2HKOs
, (AC) such as Skarmory and Latias, while also securing OHKOs on Keldeo and Breloom. Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Forretress are all great users of Spikes. Both Kyurem and Kyurem-B are fantastic teammates because their powerful Ic
e-type STAB lets them deal with Hippowdon and Landorus-T,
lettallowing Miensha
o to run Grass Knot over Hidden Power Ice if it wants to.
overuse of "let" and other verb forms of it</p>
[SET]
name: Baton Passer
move 1: Substitute / Swords Dance
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Hi Jump Kick
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Regenerator
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Mienshao can
abusutilize its above
-(hyphen)average Speed stat and Regenerator in order to become a great Baton Passer. The main goal of this set is to set up a Substitute or a Swords Dance on a predicted switch
,(RC) and then Baton Pass the Substitute or Swords Dance boost to a
nother recipient.
SincBecause Mienshao forces a lot of switches, it will find
a lot ofnumerous opportunities to set up. Regenerator is always preferred on this set to
nemitigate Life Orb recoil, health lost from Substitute, and because Mienshao will be switching in and out quite frequently. The choice between Substitute and Swords Dance depends on your team. If you wish to pass free protection to a sweeper
whothat can set up on its own, then Substitute is preferred
,; (add semi) however, if something on your team would appreciate a +2 Attack boost, then Swords Dance is obviously the better choice. Baton Pass is a staple on this set,
honestly I'd reword this because no duh as it allows Mienshao to pass Substitutes or Swords Dance boosts to
otherits teammates. Hi Jump Kick is
used to give Mienshao a means of attacking, KOing Tyranitar and Blissey with
no effortease. Although this set is meant to support other teammates, Mienshao can still pose a threat behind a Substitute or with a Swords Dance boost if it has to. Stone Edge is useful for all
-(hyphen)around great coverage,
keeppreventing Volcarona, Gyarados, and Salamence from setting up on Mienshao.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>There really isn't too much more to say about this set, as it is pretty straight
(remove space)forward. Mienshao can either pass boosts to other team members
,(RC) or choose to stay in and take advantage of the boosts itself. Swords Dance requires more prediction, however, especially if your opponent has a faster check to Mienshao that could keep it from Baton Passing.</p>
<p>Mienshao's teammates for this set differ depending on what you want Mienshao to be passing. If Substitute is being used, Scarf Tyranitar is one of the best teammates
(as always
) imo parentheses are needed here, being able to deal with everything that troubles Mienshao
due to its a
ndbility to com
inge in risk-free. Nasty Plot Celebi also appreciates the free protection that Substitute gives, being able to easily switch
-(add space)in on Jellicent and Hippowdon while still keeping its Substitute intact. Kyurem-B is a fantastic teammate if Mienshao runs Substitute due to Kyurem-B's great bulk and useful resistances to Water and Grass, allowing it to keep the Substitute from breaking. This will let Kyurem-B run an extra coverage move if it wants,
as
ince it
doeswouldn't have to run Substitute thanks to Mienshao. Calm Mind Latias and Reuniclus are both deadly behind a Substitute, making them both great partners to this set as well. If Mienshao is running Swords Dance, fast physical attackers are obviously preferred.
Choice Scarf Tyranitar can safely switch into fast Psychic-types
, (AC) such as Latios and Latias, threatening to decimate them with Crunch.
I'd add "or trap them with Pursuit" Poison Heal Breloom can easily switch into Scald from Politoed and Jellicent
,(RC) while posing an instant
offensive threat
to the opposing team. Dragon Dance Gyarados, especially offensive variants with Lum Berry, appreciate the boost and can easily take any move
that Hippowdon and Jellicent might throw at them
,(RC) while easily OHKOing them at +2.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are not that many other options for Mienshao, as most of its movepool is quite
barrenuseless. A Choice Band can used to power up Hi Jump Kick to even higher levels, but the Life Orb set has similar power, and this set is mostly outclassed by Terrakion anyway. A Bulk Up set sounds tempting, but Mienshao is too frail to take advantage of the Defense boost
,(RC) and will find it very hard to safely set
(add space)up. An offensive Calm Mind set could work
, (AC) seeing as Mienshao has access to Grass Knot, H
idden P
ower Ice, and Aura Sphere
,; (add semi) however, it is somewhat
I really wouldn't say somewhat -- it sounds terrible inferior to its other sets, and there are much better users of Calm Mind out there anyway. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge on all of its sets if you hate the accuracy of Stone Edge, but the loss in power is easily noticeable. Taunt can help out its Baton Passing set
,(RC) but forces it to give up a coverag
inge move.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Mienshao is extremely frail, so
a single powerful blow can easily take
it out
Mienshao, even from full health. Anything that can outspeed it
has a c
han
ce of probably check
ing it with little
to -(hyphen)to-(hyphen)no problem. Gengar can outspeed Mienshao and OHKO with Shadow Ball. Latios and Latias can threaten it with pretty much a
nyll of their moves, but they cannot reliably switch into Hi Jump Kick. Landorus-T, physically defensive Hippowdon, and Gliscor are all great counters to Choice Scarf Mienshao locked into anything
butother than Hidden Power Ice. Celebi can come in on
athe Choice Scarf
set's Hi Jump Kick, but it has to watch out for U-turn. Jellicent is by far one of Mienshao's greatest counters,
as
ince it can come in on Hi Jump Kick and threaten it with Will-O-Wisp or even Scald. Sableye is arguably even better then Jellicent,
as
ince it fears none of Mienshao's moves and cannot be Pursuit trapped by Tyranitar or Scizor. Starmie can also outpace Mienshao
,(RC) and survive a
Hi Jump Kick from the Choice Scarf
Hi Jump Kickset if need be. Tornadus can revenge kill with Hurricane as long
as Mienshao isn't
holding a Choice Scarf
ed.</p>
