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Scizor (Analysis)
- Thread starter elDino
- Start date
bloo and i have agreed that the first set should have a spread of 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SpD with leftovers as the primary item. in gen 5, bulky scizor's primary goal isn't to sweep, as it is one of the very few pokemon that can counter insane threats like reuniclus and virizion. with the listed EV spread and leftovers, you will never be 2hkoed by an unboosted focus blast from either of them, and bug bite will always 2hko 252 hp / 252 def bold reuniclus even when factoring in leftovers recovery. virizion is also 2hkoed by bug bite. leftovers is absolutely critical because scizor often finds itself switching in to latios, latias, reuniclus, virizion, etc, and the recovery is way more important than the slight boost that life orb provides.
you can also remove lum berry as a slash and just mention it in additional comments, since there is very little use for it now that darkrai is banned. same goes with brick break, as it's almost always inferior to superpower (e.g beating skarmory).
everything else looks fine. i'll stamp this once these changes are made.
@RaikouLover: you may as well be running superpower over roost and use the offensive set if you want to use life orb so badly. bulky scizor isn't a one-dimensional sweeper; it's a wall. it checks so much in this metagame as outlined above, and the leftovers recovery is critical to staying alive throughout games. sure, life orb has lots of merits, but overall leftovers is superior in my opinion on bulky scizor.
@darknessmalice: sure that spread is fine, but i'm just worried about 'hp creep' (equivalent speed creep) where we're continually reducing hp evs to hit a stealth rock number, leftovers number, etc. i'm not sure about the convention on that, but your spread works.
ok changes made yaaaaaaa
QC Approved 1/3
you can also remove lum berry as a slash and just mention it in additional comments, since there is very little use for it now that darkrai is banned. same goes with brick break, as it's almost always inferior to superpower (e.g beating skarmory).
everything else looks fine. i'll stamp this once these changes are made.
@RaikouLover: you may as well be running superpower over roost and use the offensive set if you want to use life orb so badly. bulky scizor isn't a one-dimensional sweeper; it's a wall. it checks so much in this metagame as outlined above, and the leftovers recovery is critical to staying alive throughout games. sure, life orb has lots of merits, but overall leftovers is superior in my opinion on bulky scizor.
@darknessmalice: sure that spread is fine, but i'm just worried about 'hp creep' (equivalent speed creep) where we're continually reducing hp evs to hit a stealth rock number, leftovers number, etc. i'm not sure about the convention on that, but your spread works.
ok changes made yaaaaaaa
QC Approved 1/3
I still think Life Orb has more merits over Leftovers. Scizor has Roost and resists sandstorm so why not? Life Orbed unboosted Bug Bite will actually OHKO some Rank varients no questions asked. And Life Orb Bullet Punch is 30% more powerful than Leftovers Bullet Punch to help revenge things.
Changes implemented, ready for QC checks.
Shouldn't the spread be 248 HP / 40 Atk / 220 SpD? 252 HP means you take an extra point of damage from SR, and an extra point from one layer of Spikes as well. Seeing how both are so common, 252 HP is often worse than 248 HP.
That makes no sense at all. It's the Life Orb and Roost that makes Scizor multi-dimensional. 6% healing a turn is not a good trade off for 30% power when you have Roost and resist sandstorm already.. the things you Swords Dance against you wall anyway (Nattorei, Forretress). Scizor is NOT a wall and never will be. Its base defenses are just too low. It relies on its resistances to check things. Scizor does not WALL a Draco Meteor for example, it merely "takes" them because it resists. I suggested that EV spread and Life Orb for a reason. 96 Attack EVs yields 352 Attack (jump point), and with a Life Orb does this:
Bullet Punch to Min / Min Terakion: 85-100%
Just things like that. Why trade of 30% revenge killing power just for 6 extra leftovers % against things you dont need help walling?
I agree with this. Scizor does have the ability to suprise opponents with decent bulk, but I have never seen him able to effective wall consistently, even with Roost. So why give him an item such as Leftovers when it won't do him much good anyways? The extra power does much more for him than the extra healing.
Change the first spread's EV spread to 252 HP / 56 Atk / 200 SpDef (it hits a jumppoint in Attack and you don't lose much Special bulk).
QC Approved (2/3)
EDIT: Agreeing with Iconic that if you want the power boost of Life Orb you may as well be using the offensive set!!
EDIT2: Also mention an alternative EV spread of 248/252/8 (same as CB set) on the Offensive SD sweeper in the Additional Comments.
QC Approved (2/3)
EDIT: Agreeing with Iconic that if you want the power boost of Life Orb you may as well be using the offensive set!!
EDIT2: Also mention an alternative EV spread of 248/252/8 (same as CB set) on the Offensive SD sweeper in the Additional Comments.
Theoretically, Scizor makes a poor wall. However, in practice, it is an excellent solution for offensive teams, since it helps patch up weaknesses to Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, Reuniclus and Virizion. I understand that Life Orb gives you more power, but Leftovers really is the better option on the bulky dancer IMO, since it gives Scizor slightly more longevity and allows him to switch in on the aforementioned threats with greater ease. As Iconic stated, use the more offensively oriented set if you're looking for more power.
Anyways, this looks good otherwise.
QC APPROVED (3/3)
Anyways, this looks good otherwise.
QC APPROVED (3/3)
Just for reference, Adamant Max Attack Scizor can OHKO Buru with +2 Technician Pursuit. Pursuit outclasses Night Slash 100%, as it trades that small power drop 70 v. 60, for being able to revenge-trap a Latios after it Dracoed something. That is why I suggested it on SD Scizor, even though all of my suggests fall on deaf ears it seems.
Sorry, but this has already been QCed, and the other options on the set completely outclass it. Scizor can already 2HKO Jellicent with Bug Bite anyway and whilst it can Will-O-Wisp, Jellicent can be easily removed beforehand so it isn't really needed...
thats not the point. A clean OHKO and a 2HKO + burn are two different things. Yes, they outclass it, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be slashed or at least mentioned for luring capabilities. Lures are how you win the game. Maybe you want your Scizor to beat Burungeru outright so that your Blaziken can have an easy sweep later... just saying. It's not like Burungeru is THAT easy to remove.
Just slap on a TTar. No problems. I'll give it a mention in the OC if it really makes you happy...
Thanks guys
Is there any worth in using Acrobatics on Scizor with, say, Lum Berry/xx Jewel to hit bug/fighting types? Or should I ask first, does it get the Technician boost without items?
Is Roost & bugbite still allowed even though there's no TM/tutor this gen?
Why would you? Scizor already wishes it has the moveslots for SD/Roost/Bug Bite/Bullet Punch/Superpower/Pursuit/etc., so why bother with more? It already has Bullet Punch to take down frail Bug/Fighting type Pokemon and the benefit from Acrobatics doesn't outweigh the cost from losing another potentially useful move.
Yes, you just transfer it over from a 4th gen game.
No mention of a Careful nature at all even in Other Options? I've used it and I don't mind missing the extra power, especially since you're probably boosting it up anyway with Swords Dance.