[SET]
name: All-Out Mixed Offense
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick / Nature Power
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Hasty
evs: 112 Atk / 220 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Splitting EVs between Shiftry's average attacking stats may seem like a bad idea, but this is not the case. Shiftry's high-powered attacks—especially Leaf Storm—make Shiftry quite the formidable wallbreaker when coupled with a Chlorophyll boost, allowing it to get past common defensive cores such as Ferrothorn / Jellicent and Gliscor / Jirachi / Rotom-W. This Shiftry fits best on sun teams, as it can take on the Pokemon that often cause trouble to these teams; Heatran and Tyranitar are taken care of with Nature Power or Low Kick, Latios and Latias are dealt with by Sucker Punch, Dragonite is taken out by Hidden Power Ice. Thanks to Chlorophyll, Shiftry can also take on offensive threats to sun teams such as Terrakion and Landorus. Under sun, Hidden Power Fire disposes of Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Forretress, preventing them from setting up hazards, all of which hamper Ninetales's ability to switch in. Since sun teams typically have no shortage of Fire-type attacks, Hidden Power Ice is a good alternative to Hidden Power Fire, as it can be used to hit Dragonite and Salamence, both of whom 4x resist Leaf Storm, 2x resist Low Kick, and are immune to Nature Power. Shiftry also has a strong, STAB priority Sucker Punch that is useful outside of weather; it is even capable of OHKOing Latios, Starmie, and Chandelure. Nature Power is an option over Low Kick; Shiftry loses the OHKO on Tyranitar, but Tyranitar gets 2HKOed with Leaf Storm followed by a Nature Power. Nature Power also ensures a 2HKO on specially defensive Jirachi, whereas HP Fire is only a 3HKO.</p>
<p>In addition to having utility on a sun team, Shiftry also functions as a reliable anti-weather lead. Here are some damage calculations against all the weather inducers seen in OU:</p>
<ul class="damage_calculations">
<li>Low Kick vs 252/0 Tyranitar 115% - 135%</li>
<li>Leaf Storm vs 252/252+ Politoed 84% - 100%</li>
<li>Leaf Storm vs 252/0 Politoed 117% - 139%<li>
<li>Leaf Storm vs 252/252+ Hippowdon 94% - 111%</li>
<li>Hidden Power Fire vs 252/0 Abomasnow 90% - 106%</li>
</ul>
<p>It's noteworthy that Shiftry can comfortably stay in on Choice Scarf variants of Politoed, as a max Special Attack Politoed falls short of the OHKO against Shiftry with Ice Beam by 2%. Shiftry must be wary of Choice Scarf Abomasnow and Chople Berry Tyranitar, though.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs and a Life Orb are required to obtain the damage shown above, while the Speed is enough to outspeed +2 Cloyster, +1 base 110s by 2 points with sun up, and Timid Politoed without sun. A Hasty nature is preferred, as Shiftry holds useful resistances to common special attacking types such as Water, Electric, and Grass. Stealth Rock is useful to break Dragonite's Multiscale, and to weaken Volcarona into Sucker Punch's KO range. Donphan and Forretress are good defensive options that can provide Stealth Rock as well as be a good fit on sun teams, while Mamoswine and Infernape are good offensive options. Ninetales is an obligatory teammate; offensive variants of Ninetales are preferred as they can check Mamoswine, who gives Shiftry some trouble, as Ice Shard makes it think twice before using Sucker Punch. Shiftry also has trouble getting past Chansey, Blissey, and Dragonite without Hidden Power Ice, so Scizor or Choice Scarf Terrakion can be used as partners to deal with them. Dragon Dance Dragonite not locked into Outrage has the potential to be difficult to revenge kill because of ExtremeSpeed, so Heatran is a good partner, as it not only provides Stealth Rock support but also takes on Scizor, ExtremeSpeed Dragonite, and specially defensive Jirachi while generally fitting well on sun teams.</p>
name: All-Out Mixed Offense
move 1: Leaf Storm
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Low Kick / Nature Power
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Hasty
evs: 112 Atk / 220 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Splitting EVs between Shiftry's average attacking stats may seem like a bad idea, but this is not the case. Shiftry's high-powered attacks—especially Leaf Storm—make Shiftry quite the formidable wallbreaker when coupled with a Chlorophyll boost, allowing it to get past common defensive cores such as Ferrothorn / Jellicent and Gliscor / Jirachi / Rotom-W. This Shiftry fits best on sun teams, as it can take on the Pokemon that often cause trouble to these teams; Heatran and Tyranitar are taken care of with Nature Power or Low Kick, Latios and Latias are dealt with by Sucker Punch, Dragonite is taken out by Hidden Power Ice. Thanks to Chlorophyll, Shiftry can also take on offensive threats to sun teams such as Terrakion and Landorus. Under sun, Hidden Power Fire disposes of Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Forretress, preventing them from setting up hazards, all of which hamper Ninetales's ability to switch in. Since sun teams typically have no shortage of Fire-type attacks, Hidden Power Ice is a good alternative to Hidden Power Fire, as it can be used to hit Dragonite and Salamence, both of whom 4x resist Leaf Storm, 2x resist Low Kick, and are immune to Nature Power. Shiftry also has a strong, STAB priority Sucker Punch that is useful outside of weather; it is even capable of OHKOing Latios, Starmie, and Chandelure. Nature Power is an option over Low Kick; Shiftry loses the OHKO on Tyranitar, but Tyranitar gets 2HKOed with Leaf Storm followed by a Nature Power. Nature Power also ensures a 2HKO on specially defensive Jirachi, whereas HP Fire is only a 3HKO.</p>
<p>In addition to having utility on a sun team, Shiftry also functions as a reliable anti-weather lead. Here are some damage calculations against all the weather inducers seen in OU:</p>
<ul class="damage_calculations">
<li>Low Kick vs 252/0 Tyranitar 115% - 135%</li>
<li>Leaf Storm vs 252/252+ Politoed 84% - 100%</li>
<li>Leaf Storm vs 252/0 Politoed 117% - 139%<li>
<li>Leaf Storm vs 252/252+ Hippowdon 94% - 111%</li>
<li>Hidden Power Fire vs 252/0 Abomasnow 90% - 106%</li>
</ul>
<p>It's noteworthy that Shiftry can comfortably stay in on Choice Scarf variants of Politoed, as a max Special Attack Politoed falls short of the OHKO against Shiftry with Ice Beam by 2%. Shiftry must be wary of Choice Scarf Abomasnow and Chople Berry Tyranitar, though.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs and a Life Orb are required to obtain the damage shown above, while the Speed is enough to outspeed +2 Cloyster, +1 base 110s by 2 points with sun up, and Timid Politoed without sun. A Hasty nature is preferred, as Shiftry holds useful resistances to common special attacking types such as Water, Electric, and Grass. Stealth Rock is useful to break Dragonite's Multiscale, and to weaken Volcarona into Sucker Punch's KO range. Donphan and Forretress are good defensive options that can provide Stealth Rock as well as be a good fit on sun teams, while Mamoswine and Infernape are good offensive options. Ninetales is an obligatory teammate; offensive variants of Ninetales are preferred as they can check Mamoswine, who gives Shiftry some trouble, as Ice Shard makes it think twice before using Sucker Punch. Shiftry also has trouble getting past Chansey, Blissey, and Dragonite without Hidden Power Ice, so Scizor or Choice Scarf Terrakion can be used as partners to deal with them. Dragon Dance Dragonite not locked into Outrage has the potential to be difficult to revenge kill because of ExtremeSpeed, so Heatran is a good partner, as it not only provides Stealth Rock support but also takes on Scizor, ExtremeSpeed Dragonite, and specially defensive Jirachi while generally fitting well on sun teams.</p>
