Move Shell Smash

[Celever]

Shell Smash

Accuracy —
PP24
Boosts Atk, SpA, Spe by 2. Lowers Def, SpD by 1

Shell Smash was regarded as one of the best boosting moves of the last generation because while it does drop your defenses that can be easily rectified with a White Herb. It faces strict competition with Quiver Dance, however Shell Smash has many fantastic users:

Notable Users:
Cloyster
Omastar
Crustle
Carracosta
Barbaracle
Gorebyss

Arguably:
Torkoal (I've been using him recently, he's actually rather anti-meta right now, being able to damage Pokemon such as Aegislash)
Huntail

Now last generation Cloyster was the only Shell Smash user in OU, but in the lower tiers Omastar and Crustle were deadly in RU whilst Carracosta and Gorebyss were amazing in NU.
So what do you guys think of this move?

Sets:

Barbaracle @ White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Stone Edge
- Cross Chop
- Razor Shell/Poison Jab

 

[Yeah Galo Sengan]

Barbaracle @ White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Stone Edge
- Cross Chop
- Razor Shell/Poison Jab

This guy looks like he could do some serious damage if permitted the turn of setup.

Smash passing with Smeargle seems like it could be extremely effective this gen with Mega pokémon waiting in the wings to receive the free boosts.

 

[perplexingpool]

Shell Smash hasn't really changed much. Avalugg beats most physical shell smashers, by tanking a hit on its ridiculous bulk and roaring them out.

 

[November Blue]

Shell Smash is a cool move, but its distribution is awful. All of the Pokemon that learn it are mediocre, by OU standards; Cloyster is largely OU because of Shell Smash.

I always thought that White Herb was a waste of an item slot. You should have power, speed, and priority after a Smash - you shouldn't be taking hits in the first place. A Lum Berry seems like a much better choice.

In Gen 6 though? Priority is everywhere. Shell Smashers are going to have trouble setting up when their speed boosts are rendered moot. Maybe White Herb is the way to go this gen?

That being said, Shell Smash is still an incredible move. A single turn can flip an entire game around, and Smashers do make excellent lategame cleaners. There are just a lot of great Pokemon with better typing and stats that can do better.

 

[Kyreth]

Aegislash is actually 2HKO'd by Icicle Spear and if it's a purely physical variant it will always lose (Sacred Sword ignores Shell Smash's defense drop so it won't do much to Cloyster).

Isn't it better to simply smack it with Shadow Sneak vs. Sacred Sword in those cases?

 

[Silver Scrapes]

If DrizzSwim is getting unbanned, is in possible that the Poke that quote, "...cannot be revenged in the rain..." (from Omastar's Ubers analysis) Omastar might make some waves in OU this gen?

I'd like to see that. People up and abandoned Rain teams this gen, and that makes me sad.

 

[Jean mi]

Talking about Shell smash, seeing that people like Barbaracle, I'm wondering what it has more above Carracosta who is a very similar pokemon.

Carracosta has the sturdy ability which is even more relevant now with the defog buff so no need for a sash
Carracosta has aqua jet to beat priority users (although it's still probably slower than max speed Talonflame...)

However, Barbaracle has the tough claw ability for stronger waterfalls to compensate the lowest attack stat from Carracosta.
Edit : Barbaracle is also faster so it can outspeed the fastest mons including some scarfers.

I think there's a solid competition between those 2, I would use Carracosta instead, unless I'm missing something amazing with Barbaracle.

 

[NotSoClutch]

Isn't it better to simply smack it with Shadow Sneak vs. Sacred Sword in those cases?

Not unless you want your aegislash to only last one turn. If you run a mixed aegislash though, shadow ball should do the trick.

 

[muramusaw8]

Talking about Shell smash, seeing that people like Barbaracle, I'm wondering what it has more above Carracosta who is a very similar pokemon.

Carracosta has the sturdy ability which is even more relevant now with the defog buff so no need for a sash
Carracosta has aqua jet to beat priority users (although it's still probably slower than max speed Talonflame...)

However, Barbaracle has the tough claw ability for stronger waterfalls to compensate the lowest attack stat from Carracosta.
Edit : Barbaracle is also faster so it can outspeed the fastest mons including some scarfers.

I think there's a solid competition between those 2, I would use Carracosta instead, unless I'm missing something amazing with Barbaracle.

Carracosta, even after a Shell Smash, is just too damn slow. It doesn't outspeed Scarf Magnezone, even with a speed-boosting nature. It was NU last generation for a reason.

Barbaracle can only use Razor Shell, not Waterfall. It can't outspeed fast Scarfers like Lati@s, Terrakion, etc, but at least it can outrun a Starmie and basically all-non Scarved 'Mons after a Shell Smash. It has a little bit more Special Defense bulk than Carracosta, too.


Cloyster, despite the lack of lots of resistances, might just be more versatile than the wet fossils. At least, with Life Orb/King's Rock and not the useless White Herb. Cloyster probably underspeeds most threatening attackers and it's not like it'll withstand a decently powerful neutrally-effective Special Attack when not investing in defenses anyways.

 

[Thorhammer]

If DrizzSwim is getting unbanned, is in possible that the Poke that quote, "...cannot be revenged in the rain..." (from Omastar's Ubers analysis) Omastar might make some waves in OU this gen?

I'd like to see that. People up and abandoned Rain teams this gen, and that makes me sad.

The thing is, even if you have a Politoed with a Damp Rock, send it out to start the rain, immediately switch to Omastar, Shell Smash, and start sweeping, you'll only have five turns left. You can do a lot of damage during that time, but there's a reason Drizzle Swim is unbanned now. It's just not the same as being able to break things continuously.

Cloyster is still the king of Shell Smash this gen, from what I've found. I've tried Focus Sash Barbaracle; it gets some nice synergy with Tyranitar and Excadrill for Sand Rush spinning without having to fear damage from Sand Stream, but Cloyster is so much more threatening even though it has to watch its sash a bit more carefully. Once the big threats are out of the way, it doesn't even have to worry much about finding a chance to set up; it can Shell Smash right in front of a special attacker like Gengar, then swoop through any vulnerable Pokemon. Steel-types give it trouble, but priority is only an issue if they can take a super-fast Ice Shard; doing enough damage to foes like Talonflame beforehand means they won't be able to stop it.