Seeing as how 70% of this writing was written by someone else, I have to give credit where it's due. So hats off to whoever you are.
[Overview]
<p>In previous generations, Sharpedo received harsh, yet justified criticism for being a generally average offensive Pokemon. Because Sharpedo was so held back by its frailty, bad defensive typing, and small movepool, it didn't receive much positive attention or usage, despite its good offensive stats and decent base 95 Speed. While Sharpedo did receive a small blessing from the Dream World in the form of, Speed Boost, it still has issues when attempting to execute a successful sweep. It's definitely not an exaggeration to say that Sharpedo is one of the frailest fully evolved Pokemon viable in OU and can be easily stopped by many bulky foes.</p>
<p>However, a blessing is a blessing; Sharpedo can actually make exceptional use of Speed Boost, which prevents it from being revenge killed as easily as it was in previous generations. Sharpedo's attacking stats are also in the range of other fierce attackers, such as Starmie and Gyarados, making it a very dangerous sweeper and revenge killer in OU after obtaining Speed boosts. Overall, there's no better Pokemon to represent the phrase "eat or be eaten" than Sharpedo.</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Based Mixed Attacker
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Ice Beam / Aqua Jet
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant / Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>What's scarier than a shark with a torpedo strapped on its back? Yeah, I don't know either. What is known, however, is that physically based Sharpedo is one ferocious Pokemon thanks to its great Attack and solid dual STABs. Speed Boost is really what sets Sharpedo apart from other physical attackers, as it transforms Sharpedo from a decidedly average threat to a flexible revenge killer and sweeper. After a single Protect, Sharpedo outpaces every unboosted OU Pokemon and can rip through the field with its arsenal of powerful attacks. Surprisingly, despite mostly packing physical attacks, most physical walls, including Gliscor and Skarmory, can't keep up with Sharpedo's onslaught, especially with Politoed's Drizzle support.</p>
<p>Protect is the key to Sharpedo's success, allowing it to accumulate enough Speed to outpace its opponent before it strikes. Waterfall is an incredibly powerful attack with great overall coverage, and with Drizzle support, virtually anything that doesn't resist it takes huge amounts of damage. Even max Defense Skarmory is 2HKOed with Stealth Rock and Drizzle support, a rare feat for a physical attacker without the use of a super effective attack. Crunch compliments Waterfall well thanks to its ability to hit Dragon- and most Grass-types for neutral damage and is a great auxiliary move against Pokemon that resist or are immune to Water-type attacks in general. In the last slot, Zen Headbutt is generally given the nod to hit Keldeo, Tentacruel, and Toxicroak for super effective damage, target many other Water-type resistances such as Venusaur, and destroy incoming checks such as Breloom. Being able to target the first three threats is especially important because of their ability to completely wall Sharpedo lacking Zen Headbutt. Ice Beam can be just as effective for its ability to outright OHKO Dragonite (once Multiscale is broken), Gliscor, and Landorus-T. A special attack might seem out of place on a physical set; however, most Pokemon that are weak to Ice-type attacks are have lower Special Defense, so Ice Beam is a great way for Sharpedo to exploit this and nab an extra KO here and there. Aqua Jet compromises Sharpedo's coverage but is especially useful to pick off weakened priority users such as Scizor. Aqua Jet also has one other distinctive advantage. When up against faster threats such as Terrakion, Sharpedo would normally Protect on the first turn before it proceeds to attack. In such situations, there also arises the possibility of the Terrakion to use Rock Polish the turn Sharpedo Protects, allowing it to outspeed and KO Sharpedo before it can attack. In order to minimize these types of nail-biting situations, Sharpedo can make use of Aqua Jet and 89% minimum in the rain to Terrakion, enough to easily pick off weakened versions.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Only utilize a Naughty nature if Sharpedo opts for Ice Beam in its arsenal; otherwise, an Adamant nature is superior in every way. The given EVs not only allow Sharpedo to maximize its attacking power but also let it outpace a variety of threats after a Protect, such as Jolteon and +1 Adamant Dragonite. After two boosts, Sharpedo can even beat Choice Scarf Terrakion and Venusaur in the sun. There's one other move that can fit in the third slot: Earthquake. Earthquake can be used to destroy Toxicroak, Tentacruel, and Jirachi and even deal neutral damage to Ferrothorn.</p>
<p>Almost nothing enjoys eating rain-boosted Waterfalls or STAB Crunches, but one Pokemon stands defiant in the face of Sharpedo: Ferrothorn. It resists Sharpedo's main attacks, and it doesn't take all that much from a neutral coverage attack thanks to its excellent defenses. Unless Sharpedo packs Earthquake, Empoleon can take any attack Sharpedo throws at it. Gyarados is another problem as it can take a Crunch due to Intimidate, although it needs to be careful with repeated switch-ins due to Stealth Rock. Priority users, especially Breloom, often lead to the death of Sharpedo because of its terrible defensive stats. Politoed is a fairly obvious partner for Sharpedo due to the eternal rain it provides, which makes Sharpedo even more difficult to deal with. Magnezone should undoubtedly be the next Pokemon to consider as it excels at trapping Ferrothorn and Empoleon. Gliscor is a fairly solid partner as it can take most priority moves aimed at Sharpedo, especially Mach Punches and ExtremeSpeeds, and can set up Stealth Rock to help break down the opposing team. Skarmory works similarly, but it has the added advantage of being able to set up Spikes and defeat Toxicroak should Sharpedo lack Zen Headbutt. In addition to these defensive pivots, Sharpedo also works well on offensive rain teams, so the likes of Tornadus, Gyarados, and Starmie should all be considered as partners. Gyarados, Starmie, and Sharpedo share the same nemesis: Ferrothorn. Together, the three Pokemon can overwhelm each other's checks and counters, paving the way for one of them to pull off a sweep. Sharpedo functions as a late-game cleaner more often than not, so it appreciates the support of Pokemon that can soften up pesky walls. Mixed Kyurem-B in particular has the capability to 2HKO the entire tier, making it an excellent partner for that very role. Hydreigon is renowned for its wallbreaking capabilities, and as such, it makes a great partner too. Swords Dance Garchomp benefits from rain support, which powers up its Aqua Tail, thus allowing it to break through Skarmory. Unlike the previous two partners, however, Garchomp doesn't conflict much with Sharpedo-synergy wise. Mixed Thundurus-T can use Thunder when given rain support; this makes it even more of a valuable partner for its ability to electrocute bulky Water-types that harry Sharpedo.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Based Mixed Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Ice Beam
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Rash
evs: 108 Atk / 252 SpA / 148 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Sharpedo's high offensive stats, good movepool, and ability, Speed Boost, make its mixed attacking set quite potent. Speed Boost allows Sharpedo to bypass many Choice Scarf users after a few boosts, and with Sharpedo's powerful attacks taken into consideration, it is difficult for the opposing team to eliminate without being severely hurt. After a Speed Boost, Sharpedo can also revenge kill many common OU Pokemon with the appropriate attack, including but not limited to Latios, Latias, Terrakion, and Starmie.</p>
<p>Hydro Pump, boosted by Life Orb, allows Sharpedo to promptly eliminate the physical walls that would normally come in to sponge Crunch, most notably Hippowdon and Skarmory. Hydro Pump is also stronger than Crunch, so despite its imperfect accuracy, it is a good clean-up move against physically defensive opponents. Crunch is the main Dark-type STAB move on this set, being a powerful, consistent clean-up move that strikes the numerous Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in OU super effectively. The third slot depends on your preference; Zen Headbutt nails the likes of Keldeo, Toxicroak, and Virizion, while Ice Beam grants Sharpedo reliable, much-needed coverage against most Grass-, Flying-, and Dragon-type Pokemon, including Hydreigon, Tangrowth, and Dragonite. Finally, Protect is used to scout incoming attacks and set up at least one Speed Boost in front of faster foes. Generally, Protect should be used on the first turn Sharpedo is out to bypass Choice Scarf users.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs and nature are specialized to take advantage of Speed Boost; with 148 Speed EVs and a neutral nature, Sharpedo can outspeed Adamant Gyarados at +0, and after two boosts, it outruns almost every OU Pokemon. Something to keep in mind is that Sharpedo lacks the ability to outspeed standard Venusaur in the sun and Choice Scarf Latios at +2, so it's key to be at +3 before attempting to attack said threats. Special Attack is maximized to put as much power into Hydro Pump as possible, while the remaining EVs are put into Attack to zest up Crunch. A Rash nature is preferred because physical priority moves are more common than special ones and it puts extra power into Sharpedo's special moves. With the given EV spread, Sharpedo is statistically stronger than Timid Life Orb Starmie. Additionally, an EV spread of 76 Atk / 216 SpA / 216 Spe exchanges a little power to outrun neutral base 90s, in addition to those in the base 130 range after one boost. One other option Sharpedo can take advantage of is Surf. Surf is not as powerful as Hydro Pump, but it is much more reliable when it comes to late-game sweeping.</p>
<p>Sharpedo doesn't have particular difficulty with many Choice Scarf users due to Speed Boost, but strong priority users, especially Breloom, can really cut Sharpedo's sweeping short. Sharpedo also has issues dealing with dedicated bulky foes, such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Gyarados. Most of these threats can stall out Sharpedo via Life Orb recoil, or outright attack to finish it off. Entry hazards might seem minor, but they all severely limit Sharpedo's time on the field.</p>
<p>Pretty much any decently powered move—resisted or not—severely damages Sharpedo, so it should usually switch in after a teammate has fainted. Sharpedo also doesn't require specific defensive synergy due to its frailty, so feel free to place it on any kind of team that requires its offensive capabilities. Teammates, however, should be able to break through Sharpedo's problem Pokemon and provide external coverage for it. All in all, Fighting-types are the best offensive teammates, as they can instantly check Chansey, Ferrothorn, and many other problematic walls with their STAB attacks and lure Psychic-type attacks for Sharpedo to switch into. There are various kinds of Fighting-types to utilize; for instance, Breloom can easily set up Swords Dance in front of bulky Water-types and other defensive foes, while Terrakion can outright punch holes with a Choice Band attached. As for other notable teammates, a Calm Mind Jirachi (specifically Superachi) can lure in and defeat many of Sharpedo's checks and counters, taking on common priority users fairly well. Magnezone can also threaten Water-types with a STAB Electric-type move, with the added benefit of trapping Steel-type Pokemon with Magnet Pull. As a special mention, Sharpedo works fantastically in rain conditions, which can be provided by a preferably offensive Drizzle Politoed. With a Choice Scarf, Politoed is also able to revenge kill Chlorophyll Pokemon such as Venusaur with Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Like any other offensive Pokemon, Sharpedo tremendously appreciates entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is essential for nullifying Skarmory's Sturdy ability, which would otherwise allow it to survive Hydro Pump and fight back with Brave Bird. With some layers of hazards, Sharpedo is also able to break down a number of defensive Pokemon, including Jellicent, Ferrothorn, and Scizor. Custap Berry Skarmory is generally the best hazard layer for fast, offensive momentum, whereas Ferrothorn and Forretress can gradually lay down entry hazards with ease. As a side note, Forretress is able to use Rapid Spin as well, eliminating the entry hazards that plague Sharpedo and its team.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>While Sharpedo doesn't have too many options to experiment with outside of its primary attacks, it has just enough to concoct pure physical and special sets. By doing this, Sharpedo can maximize both its Speed and respective attacking stat, making it more formidable and faster. Sharpedo's notable physical options include Waterfall, Earthquake, Double-Edge, and Ice Fang. Choice Band Sharpedo gets a special mention for being able to blast through teams with Drizzle support; factoring in Speed Boost, it is incredibly difficult to counter a monster spamming a double-boosted STAB Waterfall. This has competition with Gyarados, however, due to Gyarados's ability to switch into many more common moves than Sharpedo. Special sweeping sets are also somewhat better left to the likes of Keldeo and Starmie, although the ability to 2HKO Jellicent with STAB Dark Pulse is something to consider. Hidden Power Fire can be useful to destroy Ferrothorn. Keep in mind, however, that if Sharpedo uses Hidden Power Fire, then rain support simply cannot be advised, and without it, Sharpedo is significantly less powerful. Substitute lends Sharpedo a safety net to fall back on when forcing switches, making it less susceptible to priority moves. Protect is usually the superior option however, as Sharpedo will lose massive amounts of HP due to Life Orb and Substitute. Sharpedo generally must refrain from using other support moves outside of Protect, as its frailty really undermines their effectiveness.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Offensive Pokemon that can deal with Sharpedo fall under two major subdivisions. The first of which involves offensive threats that can take Sharpedo out with priority attacks. Because of Sharpedo's pathetic defenses, even resisted priority moves do a number on it. For example, Choice Band Scizor can get a clean 2HKO on Sharpedo with Bullet Punch. There is, however, a more competent priority user that can take out Sharpedo: Breloom. Breloom has the distinction of resisting Sharpedo's STABS and also has the capability to outright OHKO it with a powerful Technician-boosted STAB Mach Punch. Be careful when switching Breloom into Sharpedo though, as it is quite frail and will be OHKOed by both Ice Beam and Zen Headbutt. Other Mach Punch users include Conkeldurr and Infernape, though neither of them want to switch in on Sharpedo's Water-type STABs or a Zen Headbutt. The final two priority users worth mentioning are Dragonite and Lucario. Both of them posses a powerful ExtremeSpeed capable of OHKOing Sharpedo from the get-go after Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>The second offensive subdivision involves Pokemon that can take a hit and OHKO back. The most prominent ones that comes to mind are Keldeo and Toxicroak. Both of them resist Sharpedo's STABs and get a clean OHKO with their respective Fighting-type moves; however, both must be wary of Zen Headbutt. Kyurem-B, Rotom-W, Hydreigon, Gyarados, and Politoed can all take a hit and OHKO back. Chlorophyll users can also check Sharpedo too. Shiftry and Venusaur in particular always outspeed Sharpedo at +1 and OHKO with their STABs, although of course neither of them will enjoy taking an Ice Beam. In general, Pokemon that Sharpedo cannot outright OHKO are major headaches.</p>
<p>In terms of defensive counters, Ferrothorn stands out among the crowd. Not only can Ferrothorn take nearly every attack Sharpedo can throw at it, but Ferrothorn can even turn it into setup bait. While not as common, Empoleon can easily tank Sharpedo's conventional attacks and OHKO back as well. There are also an incredibly vast amount of defensive checks that can beat Sharpedo if it lacks a certain coverage move. If it lacks Ice Beam, Tangrowth and bulky Dragonite are both solid answers. When lacking Zen Headbutt and Earthquake, Tentacruel and bulky Toxicroak are good counters.</p>
<p>Sharpedo must also be wary of switching in, as just about any neutral, or even resisted, attack deals massive damage to it. Any form of passive damage, including sandstorm, hail, and entry hazards, also severely limits Sharpedo's presence on the battlefield, cutting short its already-brief lifespan. With Life Orb recoil added in, using prediction and switching in resistances will take out Sharpedo eventually. A final note is that sun severely diminishes Sharpedo's attacking power by weakening its Water-type STABs. With the sun, Pokemon with at least moderate bulk that are resistant to Sharpedo's Dark-type STABs can check it; Forretress and Scizor are decent checks under these conditions.</p>
[Overview]
<p>In previous generations, Sharpedo received harsh, yet justified criticism for being a generally average offensive Pokemon. Because Sharpedo was so held back by its frailty, bad defensive typing, and small movepool, it didn't receive much positive attention or usage, despite its good offensive stats and decent base 95 Speed. While Sharpedo did receive a small blessing from the Dream World in the form of, Speed Boost, it still has issues when attempting to execute a successful sweep. It's definitely not an exaggeration to say that Sharpedo is one of the frailest fully evolved Pokemon viable in OU and can be easily stopped by many bulky foes.</p>
<p>However, a blessing is a blessing; Sharpedo can actually make exceptional use of Speed Boost, which prevents it from being revenge killed as easily as it was in previous generations. Sharpedo's attacking stats are also in the range of other fierce attackers, such as Starmie and Gyarados, making it a very dangerous sweeper and revenge killer in OU after obtaining Speed boosts. Overall, there's no better Pokemon to represent the phrase "eat or be eaten" than Sharpedo.</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Based Mixed Attacker
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Ice Beam / Aqua Jet
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Adamant / Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>What's scarier than a shark with a torpedo strapped on its back? Yeah, I don't know either. What is known, however, is that physically based Sharpedo is one ferocious Pokemon thanks to its great Attack and solid dual STABs. Speed Boost is really what sets Sharpedo apart from other physical attackers, as it transforms Sharpedo from a decidedly average threat to a flexible revenge killer and sweeper. After a single Protect, Sharpedo outpaces every unboosted OU Pokemon and can rip through the field with its arsenal of powerful attacks. Surprisingly, despite mostly packing physical attacks, most physical walls, including Gliscor and Skarmory, can't keep up with Sharpedo's onslaught, especially with Politoed's Drizzle support.</p>
<p>Protect is the key to Sharpedo's success, allowing it to accumulate enough Speed to outpace its opponent before it strikes. Waterfall is an incredibly powerful attack with great overall coverage, and with Drizzle support, virtually anything that doesn't resist it takes huge amounts of damage. Even max Defense Skarmory is 2HKOed with Stealth Rock and Drizzle support, a rare feat for a physical attacker without the use of a super effective attack. Crunch compliments Waterfall well thanks to its ability to hit Dragon- and most Grass-types for neutral damage and is a great auxiliary move against Pokemon that resist or are immune to Water-type attacks in general. In the last slot, Zen Headbutt is generally given the nod to hit Keldeo, Tentacruel, and Toxicroak for super effective damage, target many other Water-type resistances such as Venusaur, and destroy incoming checks such as Breloom. Being able to target the first three threats is especially important because of their ability to completely wall Sharpedo lacking Zen Headbutt. Ice Beam can be just as effective for its ability to outright OHKO Dragonite (once Multiscale is broken), Gliscor, and Landorus-T. A special attack might seem out of place on a physical set; however, most Pokemon that are weak to Ice-type attacks are have lower Special Defense, so Ice Beam is a great way for Sharpedo to exploit this and nab an extra KO here and there. Aqua Jet compromises Sharpedo's coverage but is especially useful to pick off weakened priority users such as Scizor. Aqua Jet also has one other distinctive advantage. When up against faster threats such as Terrakion, Sharpedo would normally Protect on the first turn before it proceeds to attack. In such situations, there also arises the possibility of the Terrakion to use Rock Polish the turn Sharpedo Protects, allowing it to outspeed and KO Sharpedo before it can attack. In order to minimize these types of nail-biting situations, Sharpedo can make use of Aqua Jet and 89% minimum in the rain to Terrakion, enough to easily pick off weakened versions.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Only utilize a Naughty nature if Sharpedo opts for Ice Beam in its arsenal; otherwise, an Adamant nature is superior in every way. The given EVs not only allow Sharpedo to maximize its attacking power but also let it outpace a variety of threats after a Protect, such as Jolteon and +1 Adamant Dragonite. After two boosts, Sharpedo can even beat Choice Scarf Terrakion and Venusaur in the sun. There's one other move that can fit in the third slot: Earthquake. Earthquake can be used to destroy Toxicroak, Tentacruel, and Jirachi and even deal neutral damage to Ferrothorn.</p>
<p>Almost nothing enjoys eating rain-boosted Waterfalls or STAB Crunches, but one Pokemon stands defiant in the face of Sharpedo: Ferrothorn. It resists Sharpedo's main attacks, and it doesn't take all that much from a neutral coverage attack thanks to its excellent defenses. Unless Sharpedo packs Earthquake, Empoleon can take any attack Sharpedo throws at it. Gyarados is another problem as it can take a Crunch due to Intimidate, although it needs to be careful with repeated switch-ins due to Stealth Rock. Priority users, especially Breloom, often lead to the death of Sharpedo because of its terrible defensive stats. Politoed is a fairly obvious partner for Sharpedo due to the eternal rain it provides, which makes Sharpedo even more difficult to deal with. Magnezone should undoubtedly be the next Pokemon to consider as it excels at trapping Ferrothorn and Empoleon. Gliscor is a fairly solid partner as it can take most priority moves aimed at Sharpedo, especially Mach Punches and ExtremeSpeeds, and can set up Stealth Rock to help break down the opposing team. Skarmory works similarly, but it has the added advantage of being able to set up Spikes and defeat Toxicroak should Sharpedo lack Zen Headbutt. In addition to these defensive pivots, Sharpedo also works well on offensive rain teams, so the likes of Tornadus, Gyarados, and Starmie should all be considered as partners. Gyarados, Starmie, and Sharpedo share the same nemesis: Ferrothorn. Together, the three Pokemon can overwhelm each other's checks and counters, paving the way for one of them to pull off a sweep. Sharpedo functions as a late-game cleaner more often than not, so it appreciates the support of Pokemon that can soften up pesky walls. Mixed Kyurem-B in particular has the capability to 2HKO the entire tier, making it an excellent partner for that very role. Hydreigon is renowned for its wallbreaking capabilities, and as such, it makes a great partner too. Swords Dance Garchomp benefits from rain support, which powers up its Aqua Tail, thus allowing it to break through Skarmory. Unlike the previous two partners, however, Garchomp doesn't conflict much with Sharpedo-synergy wise. Mixed Thundurus-T can use Thunder when given rain support; this makes it even more of a valuable partner for its ability to electrocute bulky Water-types that harry Sharpedo.</p>
[SET]
name: Specially Based Mixed Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Ice Beam
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Rash
evs: 108 Atk / 252 SpA / 148 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Sharpedo's high offensive stats, good movepool, and ability, Speed Boost, make its mixed attacking set quite potent. Speed Boost allows Sharpedo to bypass many Choice Scarf users after a few boosts, and with Sharpedo's powerful attacks taken into consideration, it is difficult for the opposing team to eliminate without being severely hurt. After a Speed Boost, Sharpedo can also revenge kill many common OU Pokemon with the appropriate attack, including but not limited to Latios, Latias, Terrakion, and Starmie.</p>
<p>Hydro Pump, boosted by Life Orb, allows Sharpedo to promptly eliminate the physical walls that would normally come in to sponge Crunch, most notably Hippowdon and Skarmory. Hydro Pump is also stronger than Crunch, so despite its imperfect accuracy, it is a good clean-up move against physically defensive opponents. Crunch is the main Dark-type STAB move on this set, being a powerful, consistent clean-up move that strikes the numerous Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon in OU super effectively. The third slot depends on your preference; Zen Headbutt nails the likes of Keldeo, Toxicroak, and Virizion, while Ice Beam grants Sharpedo reliable, much-needed coverage against most Grass-, Flying-, and Dragon-type Pokemon, including Hydreigon, Tangrowth, and Dragonite. Finally, Protect is used to scout incoming attacks and set up at least one Speed Boost in front of faster foes. Generally, Protect should be used on the first turn Sharpedo is out to bypass Choice Scarf users.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs and nature are specialized to take advantage of Speed Boost; with 148 Speed EVs and a neutral nature, Sharpedo can outspeed Adamant Gyarados at +0, and after two boosts, it outruns almost every OU Pokemon. Something to keep in mind is that Sharpedo lacks the ability to outspeed standard Venusaur in the sun and Choice Scarf Latios at +2, so it's key to be at +3 before attempting to attack said threats. Special Attack is maximized to put as much power into Hydro Pump as possible, while the remaining EVs are put into Attack to zest up Crunch. A Rash nature is preferred because physical priority moves are more common than special ones and it puts extra power into Sharpedo's special moves. With the given EV spread, Sharpedo is statistically stronger than Timid Life Orb Starmie. Additionally, an EV spread of 76 Atk / 216 SpA / 216 Spe exchanges a little power to outrun neutral base 90s, in addition to those in the base 130 range after one boost. One other option Sharpedo can take advantage of is Surf. Surf is not as powerful as Hydro Pump, but it is much more reliable when it comes to late-game sweeping.</p>
<p>Sharpedo doesn't have particular difficulty with many Choice Scarf users due to Speed Boost, but strong priority users, especially Breloom, can really cut Sharpedo's sweeping short. Sharpedo also has issues dealing with dedicated bulky foes, such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Gyarados. Most of these threats can stall out Sharpedo via Life Orb recoil, or outright attack to finish it off. Entry hazards might seem minor, but they all severely limit Sharpedo's time on the field.</p>
<p>Pretty much any decently powered move—resisted or not—severely damages Sharpedo, so it should usually switch in after a teammate has fainted. Sharpedo also doesn't require specific defensive synergy due to its frailty, so feel free to place it on any kind of team that requires its offensive capabilities. Teammates, however, should be able to break through Sharpedo's problem Pokemon and provide external coverage for it. All in all, Fighting-types are the best offensive teammates, as they can instantly check Chansey, Ferrothorn, and many other problematic walls with their STAB attacks and lure Psychic-type attacks for Sharpedo to switch into. There are various kinds of Fighting-types to utilize; for instance, Breloom can easily set up Swords Dance in front of bulky Water-types and other defensive foes, while Terrakion can outright punch holes with a Choice Band attached. As for other notable teammates, a Calm Mind Jirachi (specifically Superachi) can lure in and defeat many of Sharpedo's checks and counters, taking on common priority users fairly well. Magnezone can also threaten Water-types with a STAB Electric-type move, with the added benefit of trapping Steel-type Pokemon with Magnet Pull. As a special mention, Sharpedo works fantastically in rain conditions, which can be provided by a preferably offensive Drizzle Politoed. With a Choice Scarf, Politoed is also able to revenge kill Chlorophyll Pokemon such as Venusaur with Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Like any other offensive Pokemon, Sharpedo tremendously appreciates entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is essential for nullifying Skarmory's Sturdy ability, which would otherwise allow it to survive Hydro Pump and fight back with Brave Bird. With some layers of hazards, Sharpedo is also able to break down a number of defensive Pokemon, including Jellicent, Ferrothorn, and Scizor. Custap Berry Skarmory is generally the best hazard layer for fast, offensive momentum, whereas Ferrothorn and Forretress can gradually lay down entry hazards with ease. As a side note, Forretress is able to use Rapid Spin as well, eliminating the entry hazards that plague Sharpedo and its team.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>While Sharpedo doesn't have too many options to experiment with outside of its primary attacks, it has just enough to concoct pure physical and special sets. By doing this, Sharpedo can maximize both its Speed and respective attacking stat, making it more formidable and faster. Sharpedo's notable physical options include Waterfall, Earthquake, Double-Edge, and Ice Fang. Choice Band Sharpedo gets a special mention for being able to blast through teams with Drizzle support; factoring in Speed Boost, it is incredibly difficult to counter a monster spamming a double-boosted STAB Waterfall. This has competition with Gyarados, however, due to Gyarados's ability to switch into many more common moves than Sharpedo. Special sweeping sets are also somewhat better left to the likes of Keldeo and Starmie, although the ability to 2HKO Jellicent with STAB Dark Pulse is something to consider. Hidden Power Fire can be useful to destroy Ferrothorn. Keep in mind, however, that if Sharpedo uses Hidden Power Fire, then rain support simply cannot be advised, and without it, Sharpedo is significantly less powerful. Substitute lends Sharpedo a safety net to fall back on when forcing switches, making it less susceptible to priority moves. Protect is usually the superior option however, as Sharpedo will lose massive amounts of HP due to Life Orb and Substitute. Sharpedo generally must refrain from using other support moves outside of Protect, as its frailty really undermines their effectiveness.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Offensive Pokemon that can deal with Sharpedo fall under two major subdivisions. The first of which involves offensive threats that can take Sharpedo out with priority attacks. Because of Sharpedo's pathetic defenses, even resisted priority moves do a number on it. For example, Choice Band Scizor can get a clean 2HKO on Sharpedo with Bullet Punch. There is, however, a more competent priority user that can take out Sharpedo: Breloom. Breloom has the distinction of resisting Sharpedo's STABS and also has the capability to outright OHKO it with a powerful Technician-boosted STAB Mach Punch. Be careful when switching Breloom into Sharpedo though, as it is quite frail and will be OHKOed by both Ice Beam and Zen Headbutt. Other Mach Punch users include Conkeldurr and Infernape, though neither of them want to switch in on Sharpedo's Water-type STABs or a Zen Headbutt. The final two priority users worth mentioning are Dragonite and Lucario. Both of them posses a powerful ExtremeSpeed capable of OHKOing Sharpedo from the get-go after Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>The second offensive subdivision involves Pokemon that can take a hit and OHKO back. The most prominent ones that comes to mind are Keldeo and Toxicroak. Both of them resist Sharpedo's STABs and get a clean OHKO with their respective Fighting-type moves; however, both must be wary of Zen Headbutt. Kyurem-B, Rotom-W, Hydreigon, Gyarados, and Politoed can all take a hit and OHKO back. Chlorophyll users can also check Sharpedo too. Shiftry and Venusaur in particular always outspeed Sharpedo at +1 and OHKO with their STABs, although of course neither of them will enjoy taking an Ice Beam. In general, Pokemon that Sharpedo cannot outright OHKO are major headaches.</p>
<p>In terms of defensive counters, Ferrothorn stands out among the crowd. Not only can Ferrothorn take nearly every attack Sharpedo can throw at it, but Ferrothorn can even turn it into setup bait. While not as common, Empoleon can easily tank Sharpedo's conventional attacks and OHKO back as well. There are also an incredibly vast amount of defensive checks that can beat Sharpedo if it lacks a certain coverage move. If it lacks Ice Beam, Tangrowth and bulky Dragonite are both solid answers. When lacking Zen Headbutt and Earthquake, Tentacruel and bulky Toxicroak are good counters.</p>
<p>Sharpedo must also be wary of switching in, as just about any neutral, or even resisted, attack deals massive damage to it. Any form of passive damage, including sandstorm, hail, and entry hazards, also severely limits Sharpedo's presence on the battlefield, cutting short its already-brief lifespan. With Life Orb recoil added in, using prediction and switching in resistances will take out Sharpedo eventually. A final note is that sun severely diminishes Sharpedo's attacking power by weakening its Water-type STABs. With the sun, Pokemon with at least moderate bulk that are resistant to Sharpedo's Dark-type STABs can check it; Forretress and Scizor are decent checks under these conditions.</p>
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