Project OU Next Best Thing: Cycle 87 - Not hosted anymore

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Okay, the voting phase is over! The winner of Cycle 14 is Weather Ball by ReadTheMango. Congratulations! Your submission will be added to the Hall of Fame soon. Now, let's move on to the next Cycle!

Cycle Fifteen - Aegislash
:ss/aegislash:

Thanks to Aegislash's ability to both tank hits and dish out massive damage in its Shield and Blade form respectively, it has been able to find a place on many a team throughout the generation. While it is able to function very well as a wallbreaker on both sides of the offensive coin, be it physical with Choice Band or special with Choice Specs, it can also utilize a Swords Dance set, which tends to have more late-game potency. Less common but also deadly is its Substitute + Toxic set. At the end of the day, Aegislash is a very unique Pokemon and we hope to see many unique sets for it as well!

Banned Sets
:choice band:|:air balloon:|:scope lens:|:choice specs:|:leftovers:|:metronome:
Yeah, this Pokemon has a lot of viable items mentioned in its analysis.

The deadline is Wednesday 22nd of April. Good luck!​
 
Fuck Hippowdon
:aegislash: > :hippowdon:
Aegislash @ Power Herb
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Sneak
- Iron Head / Close Combat
- Solar Blade

+2 252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 406-478 (96.6 - 113.8%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Leftovers recovery

Also fuck Seismitoad. Once you reveal you're an SD set lacking Air Balloon, people will be very inclined to bring in Hippowdon against you, at which point you just kill them lol.
 
Imagine using Metronome in April 2020

Anyway, Autotomize + Destiny Bond

Aegislash @ Life Orb
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Destiny Bond
- Autotomize
- Shadow Ball
- Iron Head / Close Combat

Boost your speed with Autotomize, then when you're against something you can't KO, Destiny Bond and take it down with you. Life Orb not only gives you more power, but lowers your HP to help put you in KO range of some walls if need be. Shadow Ball is used because it's Aegislash's strongest Ghost STAB. Iron Head vs Close Combat comes down to whether you want to blow up Clefable and every other Fairy, or blow up Dark and Normal types like Hydreigon, Bisharp, Obstagoon, and Snorlax. It's worth noting that Bisharp can't use its priority to get around Destiny Bond, as Sucker Punch will fail on the turn Destiny Bond is used, and if an attack is used, Sucker Punch will KO before Destiny Bond wears off.
 
Mixed Spell Tag

:ss/Aegislash-Blade:

Aegislash @ Spell Tag
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
-Shadow Ball
-Flash Cannon
-Shadow Sneak
-Close Combat

Mixed Spell Tag Aegislash serves as a wallbreaker and plays similarly to the Specs set, but trades some power for the ability to bluff Choice Specs and to switch moves. These factors combine to help Aegislash bait and remove its checks. The moveset is the same as that of Specs Aegislash. A Rash Nature (+Spa, -SpD) is used to maximize Special Attack while retaining Shadow Sneak's Spell Tag-boosted damage. Fun fact: Shadow Sneak from the standard Specs Aegi EV spread can never 2HKO Dragapult from full. Rash > Modest every day.

252+ SpA Spell Tag Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 135-159 (44.4 - 52.3%) -- 76.6% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Black Sludge recovery

252+ SpA Spell Tag Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Ferrothorn: 160-189 (45.4 - 53.6%) -- 38.7% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Spell Tag Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4+ SpD Corviknight: 189-223 (47.2 - 55.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Spell Tag Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Seismitoad: 229-271 (55.3 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Aegislash-Blade Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Kommo-o: 145-172 (40.9 - 48.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Aegislash-Blade Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable: 236-278 (59.8 - 70.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery (high chance to die after eating a Shadow Ball on the switch)

4 Atk Spell Tag Aegislash-Blade Shadow Sneak vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 176-210 (55.5 - 66.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Here's a more in-depth explanation of the bluff aspect. Shoutouts to DrPumpkinz for bringing up a valid concern regarding its effectiveness.
https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/simple-questions-simple-answers-thread.3656259/post-8434253
 
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Trick Room Sweeper

Aegislash @ Air Balloon
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Iron Head / Gyro Ball
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak

While Trick Room isn't as prevalent a playstyle this generation since the loss of Dynamax (when Hat was broken as all hell), Aegislash can act as a strong Breaker / Sweeper depending on matchup. The extra longevity provided from not having to invest in Speed is fantastic, and is an added boon to Aegislash's already fantastic ability to take hits in Shield form.

While Gyro Ball is more powerful than Iron Head against faster threats, against a lot of the bulkier, slower Pokemon in the game, Iron Head is a much better option. Aegislash hits 112 speed at the minimum, which is good for Trick Room. However, it's not as good for Gyro Ball. The rest of the moves are standard, with Sneak over Shadow Claw for priority if Trick Room ends.

I might be a bit sad that Solar Blade was taken so early.
 
Double Dance Aegislash (Autotomize + Swords Dance)

Aegislash @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shadow Claw
- Iron Head
- Autotomize
- Swords Dance


General idea

Aegislash has a defensive typing good enough to try to set-up once and even twice or more times a match.
Autotomize helps towards faster builds and Swords Dance towards bulkier builds: so why not both in the same movepool?
With this moveset you can choose the preferred option in both matchup you are in.
The dual STAB combo is chosen in order to dish out the maximum damage possible with the maximum coverage possible. It is a shame that I have to drop Close Combat, but we have only 4 moveslots available. No Shadow Sneak because we try to be faster than our target anyway.
Keep in mind that this Aegislash is not a sweeper, but a cleaner that is able to KO already-weakened threats.

EVs (spread) and item

The maximum Spe points we are able to reach with a Jolly nature + 252 EVs are 240, so after a +2 we reach a niche total of 480. 480 points are enough to outspeed +2 Spe Cloyser, Ludicolo and Mantine.
The Colbur Berry is chosen in order to tank better a random Knock Off and to set-up once more when you are facing Dark-type moves users.

Calcs:
+2 252 Atk Aegislash Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Prism Armor Necrozma: 360-424 (90.4 - 106.5%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
252 Atk Aegislash Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dragapult: 306-362 (96.5 - 114.1%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO
+2 252 Atk Aegislash Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Zeraora: 306-361 (96.5 - 113.8%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 252 Atk Aegislash Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mew: 482-570 (119.3 - 141%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 Atk Aegislash Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Kyurem: 302-356 (77.2 - 91%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Aegislash Iron Head vs. 100 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 254-302 (69.3 - 82.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Team(mates) support

A way to get past buky Ground types and bulky Earthquake users in general is recommended because they are able to stop you unless weakened.
Stealth Rock is mandatory to ensure some KOs.
 
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readytolose said:
Fuck Hippowdon
:aegislash: > :hippowdon:
Aegislash @ Power Herb
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Sneak
- Iron Head / Close Combat
- Solar Blade

+2 252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 406-478 (96.6 - 113.8%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Leftovers recovery

Also fuck Seismitoad. Once you reveal you're an SD set lacking Air Balloon, people will be very inclined to bring in Hippowdon against you, at which point you just kill them lol.
Click to expand...

the calculator doesn't take into account the halved damages in sandstorm tho
 
magnet rise

:ss/Aegislash:
Aegislash @ Leftovers
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Claw
- Iron Head / Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
- Magnet Rise

due to excadrill and hippo are being huge threats to aegislash and the air ballon can be popped by attacking it with stone edge from hippo and iron head from excadrill i went with magnet rise as magnet rise prevents aegislash from getting hit by super effective ground-type attacks coming at it and it goes on for 5 turns, which protects aegislash entirely during that time. other threats are the defensive variant of kommo-o which tends to run earthquake too so it can hit steel-types especially aegislash for super effective damage and the same mention goes to the big physical wallbreaker terrakion, which otherwise will hit it via an eq.​
 
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readytolose said:
Solar Blade gets halved by sandstorm too? Aw fuck, just throw my whole set out then
Click to expand...
In my opinion, it is better to keep the item Power Herb and give up the match up with Hippodown. In my opininion you don't want to waste a moveslot for Sunny Day only to deal properly with Hippowdon.
Power Herb + Solar Blade is still useful towards other bulky Grounds and Waters; some examples:
252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Seismitoad: 548-648 (132.3 - 156.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 252 HP / 104 Def Gastrodon: 752-888 (176.5 - 208.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Drednaw: 688-812 (214.3 - 252.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 252 HP / 148 Def Milotic: 324-382 (82.2 - 96.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Vaporeon: 312-368 (67.2 - 79.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Aegislash-Blade Solar Blade vs. 240 HP / 0 Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 378-447 (87.7 - 103.7%) -- 25% chance to OHKO after Leftovers recovery

I think that your set is still a thing, even though not as much as you thought to be.
 
Metal Sound Aegislash

Aegislash @ Life Orb
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Metal Sound
- King's Shield

Metal Sound is used to break walls who think you can't boost after seeing you're special. You can take advantage of free switches to fire off free LO-boosted STAB attacks. King's Shield is the other important part of the set, letting you beat whatever comes in on you to revenge kill. A bulky spread is used to take damage better and mitigate LO recoil.
 
Surprise Scarf Aegislash

Aegislash @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive / Rash Nature
- Steel Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Destiny Bond
- Reversal / Close Combat

With a scarf, it hits 360 speed which is by no means exceptional but gets a jump on most mons. The goal is simple, you want to keep your scarf hidden while dishing out as much damage as you can with Steel Beam. Noone in their right mind would expect a scarf on this thing and steel beam is, at best, uncommon, so you can easily get at least one surprise KO, either through the sheer damage of steel beam which KOs most switch-ins after just a bit of chip, even without specs, or through a sneaky dbond or just straight up outspeeding something that it shouldn't.
Reversal is mostly there for the meme since you can hit 1 hp after 2 beams and dish out 200 BP reversals but CC is fine too.
Rash nature lets a few more things require less chip to get cleanly KO'd by steel beam (guarantees clean KO on clef) but you outspeed quite a few less mons, only reaching 328 speed and tying with base 100s, so meh.
 
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