[OVERVIEW]
Rock
========
Omastar is one of Rock's best special sweepers thanks to Shell Smash, allowing it to sweep in matchups like Ground and Steel. Its part Water typing makes it an important asset in the Ground matchup, being able to check Ground-types like Hippowdon, Landorus, and Mamoswine, and it also gives Omastar a helpful neutrality to Steel- and Water-type attacks. With its high Defense, Omastar can easily survive physical hits to take advantage of its ability Weak Armor, granting it +4 Speed when combined with a Shell Smash, which allows it to outspeed fast threats such as Sand Rush Excadrill and Choice Scarf Latios. Unfortunately, Omastar has a terrible Special Defense stat, forcing it to rely on sand's Special Defense boost to set up against most special attackers and leaving it vulnerable to being revenge killed by Choice Scarf users like Nihilego and Gengar. After a single Shell Smash, it still ends up being outsped by common Choice Scarf Pokemon like Nihilego and Victini due to its low base 55 Speed. Its Rock / Water typing gives it a 4x weakness to Grass-type attacks, as well as other common attacking types like Ground, Fighting, and Electric. Omastar is consistently walled by specially defensive Pokemon like Chansey and Mantine and finds a lot of difficulty setting up in matchups outside of Ground and Steel.
[SET]
name: Shell Smash Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass
item: Air Balloon
ability: Weak Armor
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shell Smash is Omastar's most important move, doubling its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed while reducing its Defense and Special Defense, allowing it to become a prominent sweeper against Ground teams. Hydro Pump is Omastar’s most powerful Water-type STAB move and is used to hit Ground-types like Hippowdon and Mamoswine. Ice Beam is good coverage for hitting Dragon-, Grass-, and Flying-types like Garchomp, Tapu Bulu, and Landorus. Hidden Power Grass gives Omastar the ability to effectively handle Ground teams, being able to OHKO Ground-types that are immune to Hydro Pump such as Seismitoad and Gastrodon after a Shell Smash boost.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed with a Timid nature is used to make Omastar as fast and strong as possible. However, a Modest nature can also be used to give Omastar extra power, allowing it to always OHKO Mega Charizard Y from full health with Hydro Pump. The ability Weak Armor lowers Omastar’s Defense while doubling its Speed whenever it's hit with a physical attack, allowing it to outspeed Excadrill under sand without the need of Sticky Web. The Air Balloon is used to make sure Omastar can safely set up against Ground-types like Excadrill and Diggersby and it doesn't get easily revenge killed by Pokemon with Ground coverage, such as Gyarados and Alolan Sandslash.
Usage Tips
========
Remove or weaken Omastar's checks such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor before setting up with Omastar. For example, Omastar is best used as a late-game sweeper against Ground teams once Dugtrio's Focus Sash has been broken by Stealth Rock, and in the Steel matchup, Omastar should be used to sweep once priority users like Bisharp and Mega Scizor are defeated. Make sure to preserve Omastar's Air Balloon so that it can safely set up Shell Smash against Ground-types like Excadrill and Pokemon locked into a Ground-type move. Against Ground teams, make sure to get up Stealth Rock to break Dugtrio's Focus Sash, since it can otherwise survive a hit and revenge kill Omastar with Reversal. Keep Omastar away from status conditions such as paralysis and poison, since paralysis can make Omastar unable to outspeed common threats after Shell Smash, and poison limits the turns it has to sweep. Make sure to keep Omastar healthy, since chip damage makes it more difficult to safely set up with Shell Smash, and losing its Air Balloon takes away its ability to set up against Ground-types. It's not advised to set up against a slower Pokemon, since Omastar is at risk of taking heavy damage with its lowered defenses. In matchups such as Flying, Omastar is intended to be used more as a safe check to Ground-types like Landorus-T and Gliscor rather than as a setup sweeper.
Team Options
========
Shuckle can set up Sticky Web for Omastar, allowing it to outspeed fast revenge killers after a Shell Smash, although this isn't as effective against slower Pokemon, since Omastar finds difficulty setting up against them due to the Defense and Special Defense drops from Shell Smash. Shuckle can also use Encore on passive Pokemon to give Omastar an easier setup opportunity. Terrakion is able to break past special walls like Chansey and Mantine that can wall Omastar. In return, Omastar can beat bulky Ground-types like Hippowdon and Gastrodon. Tyranitar can trap revenge killers like Choice Scarf Gengar and Latios that outspeed Omastar after a Shell Smash and can give Omastar increased Special Defense with Sand Stream for an easier setup opportunity. Mega Diancie is a powerful mixed attacker that can check Fighting-types like Keldeo and Breloom for Omastar. Alolan Golem is able to trap bulky Steel-types like Empoleon and Celesteela that Omastar can't KO in a single hit and can also trap Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, allowing Omastar to sweep Steel teams more easily. Rhyperior can check revenge killers like Choice Scarf Terrakion that outspeed Omastar after a Shell Smash, as well as Pokemon with priority attacks like Bisharp and Mega Scizor.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rock
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Surf can be used as a more consistent option over Hydro Pump. However, without Hydro Pump's power, Omastar won't be able to OHKO physically defensive Celesteela after Stealth Rock. Waterium Z can be used to break past defensive Pokemon that a +2 Hydro Pump would only 2HKO, such as Porygon2, Celesteela, and Jirachi. However, this would come at the cost of the Ground immunity it receives with Air Balloon, which is crucial for setting up Shell Smash against Ground teams. Earth Power can be used as a means of beating Water-types that don't take much damage from Hidden Power Grass, such as Toxapex and Empoleon. However, it has very little use outside of this matchup and would come at the cost of Ice Beam to hit Dragon-types like Garchomp and Latias. Hidden Power Fire can be used check Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. However, this would come at the cost of Hidden Power Grass and the ability to defeat Water-immune Ground-types like Seismitoad and Gastrodon. Hidden Power Electric can allow Omastar to check Water-types such as non-Haze Toxapex, Mantine, and Gyarados, but similarly to Hidden Power Fire, it would require replacing Hidden Power Grass and hindering Omastar's effectiveness in the Ground matchup.
Checks and Counters
===================
Rock
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**Grass-types**: Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn can take any attack from Omastar and can proceed to OHKO it with their Grass-type STAB moves. However, Ferrothorn does have to fear a boosted Hidden Power Fire.
**Fighting-types**: Keldeo, Mega Gallade, and Heracross are capable of OHKOing Omastar with their Fighting-type STAB moves. Keldeo in particular is also able to survive any attack from Omastar even after a Shell Smash.
**Water-types**: Mantine, Suicune, and Sap Sipper Azumarill are able to survive all of Omastar's attacks after a Shell Smash and can wear it down through Scald burns. However, Mantine does have to be wary of Hidden Power Electric.
**Priority Attacks**: Breloom, Bisharp, and Mega Scizor can revenge kill Omastar after a Shell Smash with their priority STAB moves. The Defense decreases from Weak Armor also contribute to this problem.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf Terrakion, Gengar, and Victini can outspeed Omastar after a Shell Smash and OHKO it. However, Landorus-T can only revenge kill it if Omastar's Air Balloon is popped.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Celesteela can survive any of Omastar's attacks and slowly wear it down.
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