[OVERVIEW]
Once a standard peice of Baton Pass chain teams, Ninjask is now a niche pick for offensive teams looking for speed control. By virtue of having the highest speed stat in the generation, as well as the ability Speed Boost, Ninjask is uniquely placed to mildly inconvenience even the fastest of opponents. Since using Baton Pass and a way to raise the Speed stat is banned, Ninjask has the unique characteristic of being the only Pokemon used in OU that can learn the move, but is disqualified from using it competitively.
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Silver Wind
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Shadow Ball/Swords Dance
item: Choice Band/Leftovers
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant/Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 60 Def / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Ninjask can easily switch in on Choice Band users locked into Earthquake or Hidden Power Bug,unleashing powerful CB boosted attacks to revenge kill or call out a switch. An Adamant nature maximises Ninjask's damage output, allowing it to wear down teams every time it comes in. Hidden Power Rock is primarily to surprise Zapdos and Salamence, but threatens to OHKO Moltres and Charizard and secure big damage on other Fire-Types. Silver Wind and Ariel Ace offer STAB coverage that threaten a wide range of tier staples, notably Celebi, Starmie, Claydol, and Fighting-Types. Shadow ball is used to hit Ghosts-Types such as Gengar, which resist it's STAB boosted Silver Wind, while acting as a midground against the aforementioned Psychic-Types.
Ninjask may also utilise Leftovers to run a Swords Dance set, dropping Shadow Ball in exchange for greater power after setting up.
Adamant is the recommended nature as Ninjask outspeeds all unboosted pokemon in the tier, as well +2 Agility Metagross and most +2 Dragon Dance Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Ninjask is most commonly found on Magneton teams, due to the prevalence of Skarmory in the Metagame. Magneton's ability to remove Skarmory to open up the game for Ninjask other physically threatening team membrs such as Dragon Dance users Tyranitar, Salamence and Gyarados, as well as Agility Metagross and Aerodactyl. The swords dance set also appreciates Mixed Attackers and Dugtrio to wear down or remove physical walls such as Metagross, Swampert, and Flygon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ninjask can utilise the move Toxic to hit many of its would be switch-ins, and can combine this with the moves Protect and/or Substitute to stall out opponent's HP over the course of games. This set is more effective when paired with weather clearing strategies to maximise the number of times Ninjask can use Substitute.
Checks and Counters
===================
Skarmory completely shuts down all of Ninjask's attacks, as do all commonly used Steel Types, empsasising the need for trapping on Ninjask teams. Weezing resists Ninjask's STAB Bug moves, possesses good physical bulk and can erase its stat boosts with Haze. Refresh Swampert, Refresh Milotic, and Rest Suicune not only take very little from Ninjask's attacks, but can also shrug off any Toxic easily during a battle.
Salamence ad Gyarados can switch into a +2 Ninjask, with their intimidate bringing it down to +1. Both of these Pokemon live a +1 Hidden Power Rock and threaten to OHKO Ninjask. Likewise, Bulkier variants of Zapdos and Gengar can survive a +2 HP Rock and OHKO Ninjask.
Also, be on the watch for Quick Attack, Extreme Speed, and of course Fake Out. Choice Band Medicham's Fake Out will deal over 70% damage to 252/0 Ninjask, however it cannot switch safely into Ninjask the majority of the time. Arcanine is a potent counter to Ninjask as it not only resists Ninjask's Bug-type STAB moves, but also has Intimidate to lower Ninjask's Attack, a Fire move to beat down its Substitutes, and priority Extreme Speed to take it out for good.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zac.517019/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/kollin7.545027/
Grammar checked by:
Once a standard peice of Baton Pass chain teams, Ninjask is now a niche pick for offensive teams looking for speed control. By virtue of having the highest speed stat in the generation, as well as the ability Speed Boost, Ninjask is uniquely placed to mildly inconvenience even the fastest of opponents. Since using Baton Pass and a way to raise the Speed stat is banned, Ninjask has the unique characteristic of being the only Pokemon used in OU that can learn the move, but is disqualified from using it competitively.
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Silver Wind
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Shadow Ball/Swords Dance
item: Choice Band/Leftovers
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant/Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 60 Def / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Ninjask can easily switch in on Choice Band users locked into Earthquake or Hidden Power Bug,unleashing powerful CB boosted attacks to revenge kill or call out a switch. An Adamant nature maximises Ninjask's damage output, allowing it to wear down teams every time it comes in. Hidden Power Rock is primarily to surprise Zapdos and Salamence, but threatens to OHKO Moltres and Charizard and secure big damage on other Fire-Types. Silver Wind and Ariel Ace offer STAB coverage that threaten a wide range of tier staples, notably Celebi, Starmie, Claydol, and Fighting-Types. Shadow ball is used to hit Ghosts-Types such as Gengar, which resist it's STAB boosted Silver Wind, while acting as a midground against the aforementioned Psychic-Types.
Ninjask may also utilise Leftovers to run a Swords Dance set, dropping Shadow Ball in exchange for greater power after setting up.
Adamant is the recommended nature as Ninjask outspeeds all unboosted pokemon in the tier, as well +2 Agility Metagross and most +2 Dragon Dance Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Ninjask is most commonly found on Magneton teams, due to the prevalence of Skarmory in the Metagame. Magneton's ability to remove Skarmory to open up the game for Ninjask other physically threatening team membrs such as Dragon Dance users Tyranitar, Salamence and Gyarados, as well as Agility Metagross and Aerodactyl. The swords dance set also appreciates Mixed Attackers and Dugtrio to wear down or remove physical walls such as Metagross, Swampert, and Flygon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ninjask can utilise the move Toxic to hit many of its would be switch-ins, and can combine this with the moves Protect and/or Substitute to stall out opponent's HP over the course of games. This set is more effective when paired with weather clearing strategies to maximise the number of times Ninjask can use Substitute.
Checks and Counters
===================
Skarmory completely shuts down all of Ninjask's attacks, as do all commonly used Steel Types, empsasising the need for trapping on Ninjask teams. Weezing resists Ninjask's STAB Bug moves, possesses good physical bulk and can erase its stat boosts with Haze. Refresh Swampert, Refresh Milotic, and Rest Suicune not only take very little from Ninjask's attacks, but can also shrug off any Toxic easily during a battle.
Salamence ad Gyarados can switch into a +2 Ninjask, with their intimidate bringing it down to +1. Both of these Pokemon live a +1 Hidden Power Rock and threaten to OHKO Ninjask. Likewise, Bulkier variants of Zapdos and Gengar can survive a +2 HP Rock and OHKO Ninjask.
Also, be on the watch for Quick Attack, Extreme Speed, and of course Fake Out. Choice Band Medicham's Fake Out will deal over 70% damage to 252/0 Ninjask, however it cannot switch safely into Ninjask the majority of the time. Arcanine is a potent counter to Ninjask as it not only resists Ninjask's Bug-type STAB moves, but also has Intimidate to lower Ninjask's Attack, a Fire move to beat down its Substitutes, and priority Extreme Speed to take it out for good.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zac.517019/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/kollin7.545027/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited:
