Shellder** [QC 3/3]

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Ssin

Ssin

Original analysis written by Ssin. This analysis, among others, had to be completed and submitted in a hurry for Smogon's new dex. The OP here has been fully changed to reflect QC's version of this, written by Heysup. Corkscrew has already QC checked this within the LC QC project and his changes have already been implemented, and Goddess Briyella, Ray Jay, and macle have already QCed on the forums, making this QC 3/3.

Overview
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  • Average stats.
  • Selling point is Skill Link, giving it 125 Base Power multi-hit coverage moves.
  • Shell Smash.

SET NAME
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name: Shell Smash Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Rock Blast
move 3: Razor Shell / Icicle Spear
move 4: Ice Shard
ability: Skill Link
item: Eviolite
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 196 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
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  • Shell Smash can be used to monstrously boost Shellder's offensive capabilities and bypass its would-be counters.
  • Rock Blast / Razor Shell are the main attacking moves with the best coverage, however they do have shaky accuracy. Icicle Spear can be used but that means Steel-types are hard to bypass.
  • Ice Shard is necessary to hit Fletchling and Murkrow before they hit Shellder with priority. It also causes Sucker Punch to fail.


Set Details
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  • Max Attack EVs and Adamant to hit as hard as possible.
  • Enough speed to reach 26 after Shell Smash, outspeeding most common scarfers.
  • Jolly is an option, to speed tie with Scarfed Murkrow and Misdreavus, but generally it prefers the power.
  • Eviolite to grant +1 defenses pre-boost and to nullify the defenses drop.

Usage Tips
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  • Once counters are weakened, set up Shell Smash on a weaker opponent or on a switch. And proceed to sweep.
  • Shellder can bypass Focus Sashers and some Sturdy users with Rock Blast.
  • Due to its Physical defense, Shellder finds it easy to set up on many Physical attackers such as Mienfoo, Drilbur, Ponyta and Subtitute Murkrow.



Team Options
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  • If you're not running Razor Shell, Magnemite and Diglett can be useful for trapping Steel-types.
  • Knock Off support can aid Shellder in weakening bulky Fighting-types and other physical walls such as Spritzee.
  • Hazard support is greatly appreciated to remove Sturdy from the likes of Magnemite.


SET NAME
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name: Scarfed Revenge Killer
move 1: Icicle Spear
move 2: Rock Blast
move 3: Razor Shell
move 4: Ice Shard
ability: Skill Link
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 196 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
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  • Icicle Spear and Rock Blast are powerful multi-hit revenge killing moves.
  • Ice Shard lets Shellder deal with Fletchling and Murkrow before they use their priority moves.

Set Details
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  • Max Speed and Jolly are required to hit 14 speed and outpace the metagame after a Choice Scarf boost.
  • Rest of EVs go into Attack, and leftover EVs go into HP and Defense for bulk.

Usage Tips
========

  • Should be used as a revenge killer and check for offensive-based Pokemon even with a Substitute up.
  • Can be a fairly strong late-game cleaner of the opponent's Pokemon are weakened.

Team Options
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  • Fits well with something that can take hits after it successfully revenge kills something. Chinchou can take the Electric-type attacks, Magnemite can as well and also take Grass-type attacks.
  • Fighting-types are bulky enough to take Icicle Spears, so a Fighting-type counter such as Trubbish can be used.

Other Options
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  • Rapid Spin can be used as a filler move on a defensive set.
  • Surf can be used over Razor Shell for better accuracy.


Checks & Counters
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*Fighting-types*: Bulky and can heal their HP back up with Drain Punch.
**Magnemite**: Avoids KOes with Sturdy and resists Icicle Spear and Rock Blast. Can KO back with Thunderbolt or Volt Switch.
 
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tbh I would probably drop Ice Shard to Other Options. I feel like both of its multihit moves are really important, but that having a STAB move on it is also really, really crucial. If anything, you could slash Ice Shard with Icicle Spear. I'd also consider slashing Hydro Pump before Razor Shell, but I don't really think that's a crucial thing to worry about. This is your call though in the end, I'm sure you've used Shellder a lot more than I have.

Also under Team Options for the Shell Smash set, as a rule of thumb in C&C it's best only to mention Stealth Rock/any hazard as good support if you have specific examples of OHKOs it gets with the hazard damage. This is because every Pokemon ever likes hazards on the opposing side of the field, so it's kind of pointless to mention it for everything. :V

I'd probably just called the second set "Choice Scarf," but that's nitpicky.

In Set Details for Choice Scarf, I'd only mention a Naive nature because Hasty hampers its ability to take priority attacks, which is pretty relevant for a Choice Scarf user.
 
Treecko said:
tbh I would probably drop Ice Shard to Other Options. I feel like both of its multihit moves are really important, but that having a STAB move on it is also really, really crucial. If anything, you could slash Ice Shard with Icicle Spear. I'd also consider slashing Hydro Pump before Razor Shell, but I don't really think that's a crucial thing to worry about. This is your call though in the end, I'm sure you've used Shellder a lot more than I have.

Also under Team Options for the Shell Smash set, as a rule of thumb in C&C it's best only to mention Stealth Rock/any hazard as good support if you have specific examples of OHKOs it gets with the hazard damage. This is because every Pokemon ever likes hazards on the opposing side of the field, so it's kind of pointless to mention it for everything. :V

I'd probably just called the second set "Choice Scarf," but that's nitpicky.

In Set Details for Choice Scarf, I'd only mention a Naive nature because Hasty hampers its ability to take priority attacks, which is pretty relevant for a Choice Scarf user.
Click to expand...
Ice Shard can win games and I personally dont find it situational, I also personally prefer Razor Shell over Hydro Pump, because it allows me to stay 100% physical, while killing most thing (almost always 2hko on bronzor)

removed, thanks did not know that

dw I was about to call it "Sscarfed Revenge Killer"

edited, thanks
 
  • Hydro Pump does not need a slash for the fourth move because the hindering nature makes the Special Attack stat 9, and Razor Shell will therefore always outdamage it when hitting almost any target (not to mention the accuracy is notably better).
  • Ice Shard should never be considered over the only STAB attack in the set, and should be moved to Other Options as Treecko mentioned.
Make these changes and that's QC 1/3 ♥
 
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edited point #2 and #3 in.

as for #1, i tried to explain on IRC but you were AFK so i might as well post what I typed here:
11:44Ssinthe special defense investment is there for a reason
11:44Ssinmakes special defense reach 10, which will be 15 pre boost and 10 after boost
11:45Ssinwith 9 it would be 13 pre boost and 8 after boost
11:45Ssinquite the difference
11:45Ssinwhile investing that bit extra in def
11:46Ssinwould get me from 24 pre boost and 16 after to 25 pre boost and still 16 after boost

EDIT: not putting 1/3 yet cuz i didnt obey all points :p
 
Mention in Usage tips how Skill Link makes it a great anti-sturdy smash lead by OHKOing Dwebble.

In overview mention how Ice is literally one of the best attack types in the game and shellder has the added benefit of being pure water so it doesn't have to put up with the weaknesses

Also obligatory rant about Skill Link being awesome in Overview pls

Teammates need to be beefed up a bit. Ferroseed is a good teammate; Stealth Rock + Leech Seed and ability to single handedly handle almost all Shellder checks / counters is amazing. Also include a note about hazard support as per Treecko's suggestion.

Nice work Ssin
 
Ssin, after doing some calculations, I decided to withdraw my suggested change to the EVs. None of the important priority hits you'd be taking would be doing any less damage, so disregard that. ♥ You can go ahead and put 1/3 now.
 
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  • You've mentioned Pawniard under team options, but I really can't stress enough how much it needs to be emphasized. This is because Pawniard Knocks Off Mienfoo who is then easy for Shellder to handle.
  • Ice Shard deserves a mention in SS (I would give it a slash behind Razor Shell, ultimately it's your call) as its nifty to beat Sucker Punch Murkrow (you're not breaking through Pawniard anyways)
  • Mention that both sets force Gligar, easily one of the most common Pokemon, out which is a big part of what makes Shellder so good.
  • Both sets are pretty simple in how they play so I feel you've done fine explaining them
QC 2/3
 
Ray Jay said:
  • You've mentioned Pawniard under team options, but I really can't stress enough how much it needs to be emphasized. This is because Pawniard Knocks Off Mienfoo who is then easy for Shellder to handle.
  • Ice Shard deserves a mention in SS (I would give it a slash behind Razor Shell, ultimately it's your call) as its nifty to beat Sucker Punch Murkrow (you're not breaking through Pawniard anyways)
  • Mention that both sets force Gligar, easily one of the most common Pokemon, out which is a big part of what makes Shellder so good.
  • Both sets are pretty simple in how they play so I feel you've done fine explaining them
QC 2/3
Click to expand...
omfg i love you for saying ice shrd is viable, im also not sure if im drunk or high atm so im not gunna make any deits atm
 
Surf for people who don't like Hydro Pump misses but do want a special STAB.

Payback to hit ghosts on the switch (Rapid Spin set)
Click to expand...

You forgot to mention Hydro Pump on its own merit.

Also Payback doesn't double in power on the switch anymore.
 
Mention that hazards help it secure some KO's it normally wouldn't - SR is usually enough - Spikes Helps against grounded enemies.

edit: Read that as "for the coverage Move - Ice Shard / Razor Shell"
 
mention the importance of sr for the first set to break sturdy so you can kill magnemite

qc 3/3
 
Shellder @ Eviolite
Ability: Skill Link
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Atk / 116 Def / 76 SAtk / 36 Spd
Brave Nature
- Ice Shard
- Hydro Pump
- Rapid Spin
- Icicle Spear

I really like this set

basically it's a rapid spinner for people that want something that beats gligar and most offensive threats, while also being able to check Carvanha since crunch does around 40% lol, two crunches and an aqua jet doesn't kill, while icicle spear 2HKOes
it's better than staryu in some cases because it actually checks gligar, being able to always tank two acrobatics, and a +2 acrobatics while using icicle spear to break the potential sub it has
hpump is mainly for pawniard among others, and fire-types (if you meet one @_@)
ice shard revenge kills low health things, and beats gligar if you don't want to take a hit

it's basically so bulky nothing physical except a super effective STAB attack OHKOes it, and it can tank a thunderbolt from missy
 
This Pokemon, as is the case with many others, was on a list of Pokemon that were high priority and needed to have completed skeletons for Smogon's new dex as soon as possible. As such, the OP of the thread has been fully edited to reflect the QC team's writeup of this Pokemon, as it will make things run a lot faster.

Thank you for understanding. :)
 
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