Cynara
Banned deucer.
QC: Minority / Serial Ekiller / Melee Mewtwo
GP: Fireflame479 / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
* Shaymin-S's relatively high Speed, ability, and unique typing give it the potential to be very annoying for bulkier teams to handle.
* Its Grass / Flying typing in particular can give teams a lot of offensive pressure against Arceus-Ground and Primal Kyogre, though it lacks a resistance to Zygarde-C's Thousand Arrows until after taking the attack once.
* Shaymin-S's movepool further complements the above traits, and it offers strong utility options such as Healing Wish and Aromatherapy.
* However, Shaymin-S is rather frail with a poor defensive typing, meaning it cannot reliably switch into attacks except on predicted Ground-type attacks. Furthermore it suffers from a Stealth Rock weakness, meaning it can be worn down very quickly when combined with potential Life Orb recoil. This also makes it vulnerable to priority attacks from the likes of Marshadow and Extreme Killer Arceus.
* The reliance on luck with flinches and Special Defense drops from Seed Flare to break through very bulky Pokemon can make Shaymin-S inconsistent as a wallbreaker, and despite a good Speed tier, it will be easily forced out or revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Deoxys-A, and Ultra Necrozma.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Seed Flare
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Earth Power / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Life Orb / Metronome
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Seed Flare allows Shaymin-S to break past walls such as Blissey and Chansey due to its 80% chance to harshly drop Special Defense.
* Air Slash is Shaymin-S's Flying-type STAB move of choice and has a good chance to make the foe flinch.
* Earth Power allows Shaymin-S to OHKO Mega Lucario, 2HKO Magearna and Necrozma-DM, and damage Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Toxapex super effectively.
* Hidden Power Ice can be used over Earth Power if Steel-types aren't a concern for the team and allows Shaymin-S to effectively OHKO Mega Salamence and offensive Zygarde-C before Power Construct has been activated.
* Healing Wish provides utility in fully healing another teammate that can be used more proficiently and can be used when Shaymin-S is at low HP or isn't required anymore in the matchup.
* One can decide to forgo coverage moves for Aromatherapy to relieve the team of status if the lack of coverage is sufficiently covered by other teammates.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allow Shaymin-S to outspeed Marshadow and Darkrai (RC) along with fast support Pokemon such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Mega Salamence.
* Maximum Special Attack investment paired with Life Orb makes Shaymin-S as effective at wallbreaking as possible.
* Serene Grace complements Shaymin-S's moves greatly and increases its wallbreaking ability. Seed Flare has an 80% chance of harshly dropping Special Defense, which gives Shaymin-S a chance to break past specially defensive walls such as Blissey and Chansey, naturally bulky Pokemon like Giratina, and support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Dark. Air Slash also has a reasonable 60% flinch chance, which can help Shaymin-S bypass targets it usually wouldn't be able to or potentially deter setup from Rock Polish Primal Groudon or Geomancy Xerneas.
* Metronome can be used over Life Orb if the recoil is a concern. There is a noticeable difference in power, however; Metronome only surpasses Life Orb in damage output after three hits of using same move consecutively. This is only useful in uncommon situations when Shaymin-S needs to flinch down its target with Air Slash.
Usage Tips
========
* Shaymin-S is rather frail and can't switch into direct attacks, so it is best to bring it in when predicting the opponent switches or after one of your Pokemon has fainted, allowing Shaymin-S to come in safely.
* Furthermore, Shaymin-S can get worn down quickly in games due to its frailty and susceptibility to residual damage from Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil, so it is important to make sure Shaymin-S switches in at the right moment. Shaymin-S being worn down can really reduce how effective it can actually be, as it can be easily taken out by priority attacks from Pokemon it is supposed to threaten such as Marshadow.
* Avoid trying to rely on multiple Air Slash flinches to KO a target; trying to flinch the foe with Air Slash once or twice is acceptable, but against healthier targets it is better for Shaymin-S to switch out.
* Seed Flare can force switches due to its 80% chance to drop the foe's Special Defense, so it is best to utilize any free opportunities Shaymin-S gets to use Seed Flare, such as on any targets it immediately threatens out like Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Primal Kyogre. The high chance of a Special Defense drop gives Shaymin-S a chance to break anything that immediately switches in. It can also further take advantage of this with its coverage moves such as Earth Power, which can OHKO Necrozma-DM and Magearna after a drop from Seed Flare.
* Once Shaymin-S has reached a low amount of HP or is no longer useful to the team, it is best to use Healing Wish to fully heal one of its teammates such as a setup sweeper like Rock Polish Primal Groudon or Necrozma-DM; however, one should avoid doing this in front of users that carry priority moves such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Marshadow, as they will knock Shaymin-S out, preventing a Healing Wish.
Team Options
========
* Pokemon that deal with Mega Gengar are essential, as Shaymin-S is susceptible to being trapped and removed by it. Choice Band Tyranitar in particular has good synergy with Shaymin-S and is able to pursuit trap Mega Gengar and break down common Shaymin-S answers such as Chansey, Blissey, and Lugia. Tyranitar is also able to check Yveltal and soft check Ho-Oh. In return, Shaymin-S is able to deal with Tyranitar answers such as Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Primal Kyogre. Pursuit Marshadow and Deoxys-A are able to function on offense teams to revenge kill or Pursuit trap Mega Gengar.
* Pokemon such as Life Orb Yveltal, mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Geomancy Xerneas appreciate Shaymin-S's ability to wear down bulky Pokemon with its coverage and Seed Flare such as Arceus formes, Blissey, Chansey, Magearna enough so these Pokemon can break teams further. Life Orb Yveltal complements Shaymin-S well, as it is able to deal with Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma for Shaymin-S.
* Setup sweepers and wallbreakers such as Lunala, Primal Kyogre, Dragon Dance Zygarde, Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground that utilize offensive sets like Calm Mind or Swords Dance, offensive Primal Groudon variants, and Necrozma-DM appreciate the Healing Wish support Shaymin-S provides, giving them an extra opportunity to sweep or wallbreak in a late-game scenario.
* Due to Shaymin-S's weakness to Stealth Rock, entry hazard removal options are appreciated. Pokemon such as Cloyster and Excadrill make good potential partners due to their access to Rapid Spin, and they are able to set Spikes and Stealth Rock, respectively. Excadrill in particular makes it easier for Shaymin-S to deal with its switch-ins such as Ho-Oh and Lugia due to its access to Stealth Rock and Toxic.
* Defog users such as Giratina-O and Mega Salamence can provide an additional Ground immunity, as Shaymin-S is frail and is not sufficient in this role on its own. Mega Salamence in particular is able to check Ho-Oh with Facade. Other Defog users such as Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground are able to provide a check against Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Water is also able to check Ho-Oh.
* Primal Groudon has good offensive synergy with Shaymin-S and is able to set Stealth Rock and check Ho-Oh. Primal Groudon also has access to Fire-type moves to punish Steel-types such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Necrozma-DM. In return, Shaymin-S is able to deal with Pokemon that threaten Primal Groudon such as Arceus-Ground, Zygarde-C, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Water.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* With a Normalium Z, Shaymin-S is able to utilize Z-Celebrate to increase all of its stats by one stage, which can allow it to function as a late-game cleaner, though it has to give up a moveslot for Celebrate. Furthermore, its checks have to removed or significantly weakened before it can sweep. In a similar vein, Z-Growth can be considered for a +2 Special Attack boost, which makes it easier for Shaymin-S to break slower teams when compared to Z-Celebrate; however, Shaymin-S loses out on the +1 Speed boost that Z-Celebrate provides and thus fails to outspeed Mega Gengar, Ultra Necrozma, and Deoxys-A.
* A Choice Scarf set turns Shaymin-S into a capable revenge killer, as it allows Shaymin-S to outspeed Pokemon that it wouldn't otherwise be able to such as +2 Geomancy Xerneas, Ultra Necrozma, +1 Mega Salamence, and Mega Gengar, all threats it would otherwise struggle against; however, the lack of power from Life Orb means it is unable to function as a wallbreaker, which is a large downside.
* Choice Specs can be used over a Life Orb for more power and makes Shaymin-S deal greater amounts of damage while removing the issue of Life Orb recoil, but it makes Shaymin-S unable to switch moves and easier for Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Magearna to switch into.
* A set with Substitute and Leech Seed is possible to put some pressure on bulkier teams, being able to use Substitute on passive Pokemon and Leech Seed on switch-ins to wear them down and heal Shaymin-S's HP back, but this set takes away Shaymin-S's coverage options and ability to do any significant damage due to swapping out Life Orb for Leftovers. This set also struggles against offense teams that Shaymin-S is usually able to take care of, and due to its poor bulk, maintaining a Substitute can be difficult.
* Hidden Power Fire can be considered to hit Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, but it is hard to justify over Shaymin-S's other coverage moves such as Earth Power and Hidden Power Ice, as Shaymin-S is already strapped for moveslots.
* Hidden Power Rock can be considered for OHKOing Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock, though it doesn't have any other worthwhile targets and is inferior to Hidden Power Ice and Earth Power.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh is able to switch into Shaymin-S with ease and easily takes Air Slash and Seed Flare. Ho-Oh only fears the rare Hidden Power Rock and is able to OHKO Shaymin-S back with Sacred Fire or Brave Bird.
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar easily traps Shaymin-S and OHKOes it with Sludge Wave or Icy Wind. Mega Gengar has to be wary of the rare Choice Scarf set, though, as Shaymin-S is able to 2HKO it with Air Slash if it decides to switch in or OHKO it with Earth Power after some chip damage.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and specially defensive Necrozma-DM can take Shaymin-S's STAB attacks with ease. Ferrothorn is able to set up entry hazards or do a large amount of damage with Gyro Ball but has to be aware of the rare Hidden Power Fire. Necrozma-DM is able to set up Stealth Rock against Shaymin-S or hit it hard with Sunsteel Strike, but specially defensive Necrozma-DM has to take caution, as it can't handle Shaymin-S after Special Defense drops if it is carrying Earth Power.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Ultra Necrozma, Mewtwo, Pheromosa, Deoxys-A, and common Choice Scarf users like Xerneas and Yveltal are able to revenge kill Shaymin-S easily with their strong STAB moves or super effective coverage.
**Priority**: Shaymin-S is frail and can fall to strong priority moves such as Marshadow's Shadow Sneak, Yveltal's Sucker Punch, and Extreme Killer Arceus and Life Orb Rayquaza's Extreme Speed if it has been chipped enough.
**Residual damage**: Shaymin-S is weak to Stealth Rock, and, when combined with Life Orb recoil, the hazards will wear it down very quickly.
GP: Fireflame479 / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
* Shaymin-S's relatively high Speed, ability, and unique typing give it the potential to be very annoying for bulkier teams to handle.
* Its Grass / Flying typing in particular can give teams a lot of offensive pressure against Arceus-Ground and Primal Kyogre, though it lacks a resistance to Zygarde-C's Thousand Arrows until after taking the attack once.
* Shaymin-S's movepool further complements the above traits, and it offers strong utility options such as Healing Wish and Aromatherapy.
* However, Shaymin-S is rather frail with a poor defensive typing, meaning it cannot reliably switch into attacks except on predicted Ground-type attacks. Furthermore it suffers from a Stealth Rock weakness, meaning it can be worn down very quickly when combined with potential Life Orb recoil. This also makes it vulnerable to priority attacks from the likes of Marshadow and Extreme Killer Arceus.
* The reliance on luck with flinches and Special Defense drops from Seed Flare to break through very bulky Pokemon can make Shaymin-S inconsistent as a wallbreaker, and despite a good Speed tier, it will be easily forced out or revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Deoxys-A, and Ultra Necrozma.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Seed Flare
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Earth Power / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Life Orb / Metronome
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Seed Flare allows Shaymin-S to break past walls such as Blissey and Chansey due to its 80% chance to harshly drop Special Defense.
* Air Slash is Shaymin-S's Flying-type STAB move of choice and has a good chance to make the foe flinch.
* Earth Power allows Shaymin-S to OHKO Mega Lucario, 2HKO Magearna and Necrozma-DM, and damage Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Toxapex super effectively.
* Hidden Power Ice can be used over Earth Power if Steel-types aren't a concern for the team and allows Shaymin-S to effectively OHKO Mega Salamence and offensive Zygarde-C before Power Construct has been activated.
* Healing Wish provides utility in fully healing another teammate that can be used more proficiently and can be used when Shaymin-S is at low HP or isn't required anymore in the matchup.
* One can decide to forgo coverage moves for Aromatherapy to relieve the team of status if the lack of coverage is sufficiently covered by other teammates.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allow Shaymin-S to outspeed Marshadow and Darkrai (RC) along with fast support Pokemon such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Mega Salamence.
* Maximum Special Attack investment paired with Life Orb makes Shaymin-S as effective at wallbreaking as possible.
* Serene Grace complements Shaymin-S's moves greatly and increases its wallbreaking ability. Seed Flare has an 80% chance of harshly dropping Special Defense, which gives Shaymin-S a chance to break past specially defensive walls such as Blissey and Chansey, naturally bulky Pokemon like Giratina, and support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Dark. Air Slash also has a reasonable 60% flinch chance, which can help Shaymin-S bypass targets it usually wouldn't be able to or potentially deter setup from Rock Polish Primal Groudon or Geomancy Xerneas.
* Metronome can be used over Life Orb if the recoil is a concern. There is a noticeable difference in power, however; Metronome only surpasses Life Orb in damage output after three hits of using same move consecutively. This is only useful in uncommon situations when Shaymin-S needs to flinch down its target with Air Slash.
Usage Tips
========
* Shaymin-S is rather frail and can't switch into direct attacks, so it is best to bring it in when predicting the opponent switches or after one of your Pokemon has fainted, allowing Shaymin-S to come in safely.
* Furthermore, Shaymin-S can get worn down quickly in games due to its frailty and susceptibility to residual damage from Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil, so it is important to make sure Shaymin-S switches in at the right moment. Shaymin-S being worn down can really reduce how effective it can actually be, as it can be easily taken out by priority attacks from Pokemon it is supposed to threaten such as Marshadow.
* Avoid trying to rely on multiple Air Slash flinches to KO a target; trying to flinch the foe with Air Slash once or twice is acceptable, but against healthier targets it is better for Shaymin-S to switch out.
* Seed Flare can force switches due to its 80% chance to drop the foe's Special Defense, so it is best to utilize any free opportunities Shaymin-S gets to use Seed Flare, such as on any targets it immediately threatens out like Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Primal Kyogre. The high chance of a Special Defense drop gives Shaymin-S a chance to break anything that immediately switches in. It can also further take advantage of this with its coverage moves such as Earth Power, which can OHKO Necrozma-DM and Magearna after a drop from Seed Flare.
* Once Shaymin-S has reached a low amount of HP or is no longer useful to the team, it is best to use Healing Wish to fully heal one of its teammates such as a setup sweeper like Rock Polish Primal Groudon or Necrozma-DM; however, one should avoid doing this in front of users that carry priority moves such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Marshadow, as they will knock Shaymin-S out, preventing a Healing Wish.
Team Options
========
* Pokemon that deal with Mega Gengar are essential, as Shaymin-S is susceptible to being trapped and removed by it. Choice Band Tyranitar in particular has good synergy with Shaymin-S and is able to pursuit trap Mega Gengar and break down common Shaymin-S answers such as Chansey, Blissey, and Lugia. Tyranitar is also able to check Yveltal and soft check Ho-Oh. In return, Shaymin-S is able to deal with Tyranitar answers such as Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Primal Kyogre. Pursuit Marshadow and Deoxys-A are able to function on offense teams to revenge kill or Pursuit trap Mega Gengar.
* Pokemon such as Life Orb Yveltal, mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Geomancy Xerneas appreciate Shaymin-S's ability to wear down bulky Pokemon with its coverage and Seed Flare such as Arceus formes, Blissey, Chansey, Magearna enough so these Pokemon can break teams further. Life Orb Yveltal complements Shaymin-S well, as it is able to deal with Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma for Shaymin-S.
* Setup sweepers and wallbreakers such as Lunala, Primal Kyogre, Dragon Dance Zygarde, Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground that utilize offensive sets like Calm Mind or Swords Dance, offensive Primal Groudon variants, and Necrozma-DM appreciate the Healing Wish support Shaymin-S provides, giving them an extra opportunity to sweep or wallbreak in a late-game scenario.
* Due to Shaymin-S's weakness to Stealth Rock, entry hazard removal options are appreciated. Pokemon such as Cloyster and Excadrill make good potential partners due to their access to Rapid Spin, and they are able to set Spikes and Stealth Rock, respectively. Excadrill in particular makes it easier for Shaymin-S to deal with its switch-ins such as Ho-Oh and Lugia due to its access to Stealth Rock and Toxic.
* Defog users such as Giratina-O and Mega Salamence can provide an additional Ground immunity, as Shaymin-S is frail and is not sufficient in this role on its own. Mega Salamence in particular is able to check Ho-Oh with Facade. Other Defog users such as Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground are able to provide a check against Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Water is also able to check Ho-Oh.
* Primal Groudon has good offensive synergy with Shaymin-S and is able to set Stealth Rock and check Ho-Oh. Primal Groudon also has access to Fire-type moves to punish Steel-types such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Necrozma-DM. In return, Shaymin-S is able to deal with Pokemon that threaten Primal Groudon such as Arceus-Ground, Zygarde-C, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Water.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* With a Normalium Z, Shaymin-S is able to utilize Z-Celebrate to increase all of its stats by one stage, which can allow it to function as a late-game cleaner, though it has to give up a moveslot for Celebrate. Furthermore, its checks have to removed or significantly weakened before it can sweep. In a similar vein, Z-Growth can be considered for a +2 Special Attack boost, which makes it easier for Shaymin-S to break slower teams when compared to Z-Celebrate; however, Shaymin-S loses out on the +1 Speed boost that Z-Celebrate provides and thus fails to outspeed Mega Gengar, Ultra Necrozma, and Deoxys-A.
* A Choice Scarf set turns Shaymin-S into a capable revenge killer, as it allows Shaymin-S to outspeed Pokemon that it wouldn't otherwise be able to such as +2 Geomancy Xerneas, Ultra Necrozma, +1 Mega Salamence, and Mega Gengar, all threats it would otherwise struggle against; however, the lack of power from Life Orb means it is unable to function as a wallbreaker, which is a large downside.
* Choice Specs can be used over a Life Orb for more power and makes Shaymin-S deal greater amounts of damage while removing the issue of Life Orb recoil, but it makes Shaymin-S unable to switch moves and easier for Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Magearna to switch into.
* A set with Substitute and Leech Seed is possible to put some pressure on bulkier teams, being able to use Substitute on passive Pokemon and Leech Seed on switch-ins to wear them down and heal Shaymin-S's HP back, but this set takes away Shaymin-S's coverage options and ability to do any significant damage due to swapping out Life Orb for Leftovers. This set also struggles against offense teams that Shaymin-S is usually able to take care of, and due to its poor bulk, maintaining a Substitute can be difficult.
* Hidden Power Fire can be considered to hit Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, but it is hard to justify over Shaymin-S's other coverage moves such as Earth Power and Hidden Power Ice, as Shaymin-S is already strapped for moveslots.
* Hidden Power Rock can be considered for OHKOing Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock, though it doesn't have any other worthwhile targets and is inferior to Hidden Power Ice and Earth Power.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh is able to switch into Shaymin-S with ease and easily takes Air Slash and Seed Flare. Ho-Oh only fears the rare Hidden Power Rock and is able to OHKO Shaymin-S back with Sacred Fire or Brave Bird.
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar easily traps Shaymin-S and OHKOes it with Sludge Wave or Icy Wind. Mega Gengar has to be wary of the rare Choice Scarf set, though, as Shaymin-S is able to 2HKO it with Air Slash if it decides to switch in or OHKO it with Earth Power after some chip damage.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and specially defensive Necrozma-DM can take Shaymin-S's STAB attacks with ease. Ferrothorn is able to set up entry hazards or do a large amount of damage with Gyro Ball but has to be aware of the rare Hidden Power Fire. Necrozma-DM is able to set up Stealth Rock against Shaymin-S or hit it hard with Sunsteel Strike, but specially defensive Necrozma-DM has to take caution, as it can't handle Shaymin-S after Special Defense drops if it is carrying Earth Power.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Ultra Necrozma, Mewtwo, Pheromosa, Deoxys-A, and common Choice Scarf users like Xerneas and Yveltal are able to revenge kill Shaymin-S easily with their strong STAB moves or super effective coverage.
**Priority**: Shaymin-S is frail and can fall to strong priority moves such as Marshadow's Shadow Sneak, Yveltal's Sucker Punch, and Extreme Killer Arceus and Life Orb Rayquaza's Extreme Speed if it has been chipped enough.
**Residual damage**: Shaymin-S is weak to Stealth Rock, and, when combined with Life Orb recoil, the hazards will wear it down very quickly.
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