Now that Shedinja stall is (slightly) in the ZU spotlight and people will be overpreparing for it, it seems like a good idea to share my team(s) that have had some success on ladder over the last few months. I say teams and not team because Silvally-Ground was sadly banned recently, resulting in its replacement by the inferior Altaria.
The proof:
The squad:
This team was made because
a) Shedinja is cool and not used enough
b) I hadn't really made stall before and wanted to see what it was like
It took me a while to find the right partners for Shedinja - I think I ran through about 10 team iterations before settling on the below - but overall I made a team that works pretty well most of the time and can even be quite fun to pilot. It's weird having a stall setup with no actual hazard moves or Audino but Hattrem can obviously bounce SR and spikes back, while everything bar Shedinja has recovery, so lack of wishpassing isn't a problem.
The peak team:
Shedinja @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Wonder Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
IVs: 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Swords Dance
- Poltergeist
- Shadow Sneak
- X-Scissor
Shedinja is the centrepoint of the team, and I went with a fairly aggressive set which aims to whittle down switchins as much as possible. Shedinja definitely has 4MSS in that it would also like to run Protect, Will-O-Wisp and Toxic but overall I found that bug/ghost coverage and the ability to set up was generally more useful than status moves. Protect is great for scouting but normally you can achieve the same result by switching into something else and seeing what the opponent does. This mon is actually super useful on stall as it can safely switch in to a number of threats that the playstyle otherwise finds difficult to deal with, such as non-acrobatics Flapple, non-crunch CB Perrserker, Specs Jynx and NP Frostom. Furthermore, Shedinja can also deal nicely with Galardash and Alcremies that lack Mystical Fire and 'clean' late on when everything is in sneakin' range. There are some matchups where Sheddy is vulnerable against every mon but these are few and far between.
Hattrem (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rest
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
- Mystical Fire
To be honest, Hattrem is the most expendable mon in the team. That being said, it provides great utility in coming in on 80% of hazard setters: with max defence and Eviolite, it can shrug off attacks from Qwilfish, Sandslash-Alola, Piloswine, non-boosted Rhydon, Shuckle, Stunfisk, etc. Even after taking a knock it's normally bulky enough to fulfil its role. It also completely shuts down opposing Pyukumuku which is nice. Rest in combination with Alcremie's Aromatherapy provides longevity while CM means the hat can act as a wincon (especially vs opposing stall). Mystical Fire is necessary to stop dark and steel types switching in for free.
Pyukumuku @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Toxic
- Block
- Soak
There's not much to say about Pyukumuku other than Unaware is pretty much mandatory on stall, especially with the myriad Silvally formes running about. Pyu counters pretty much every setup mon that lacks taunt, sub or a STAB SE move as well as checking checking strong physical and mixed attackers like Kangaskhan and Arctovish. I went for a Toxic / Soak combo over Spite as this better punishes switchins (e.g. Black Sludge Skuntank suddenly becoming water type) and most sub attackers can be dealt with by Sableye.
Alcremie (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aromatherapy
- Recover
- Dazzling Gleam
- Calm Mind
Alcremie is the workhorse of the team, and 80% of the time will also be the wincon. Stall teams need a reliable thievul and fighting type switchin - Alcremie offers both while not being overly passive throughout the game. I went with this set as unlike double dance variants, CM gleam Alcremie is better positioned to dip in and out of the battle, gradually weakening opposing poison and steel types before sweeping in the endgame. Aromatherapy is a must have to keep itself and teammates healthy (and wake up Hattrem + Silvally), while rocky helmet punishes U-Turns and Cinccino.
Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Encore
- Night Shade
- Toxic
Sableye is here for one thing and one thing only: Prankster Encore. The team so far is fairly vulnerable to Sub + Setup mons and Stored Power + Shed coverage users; Sableye is able to switch in on, say, a NPing Rotom or CMing Swoobat and beat it / force it out with Encore. Sp Def is prioritised over Phys Def as it means you don't have to worry about taking an unboosted thunderbolt or air slash. You can use night shade or knock off but the former better punishes dark switchins.
Silvally-Ground @ Ground Memory
Ability: RKS System
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Multi-Attack
- Defog
- Rest
This ended up being the last slot I filled, and I realised I needed a tonne of things: a volt switch immunity, a hazard remover, and a Skuntank switchin. Luckily bulky Silv-G ticked all of these boxes: it can safely switch in vs. Rotom, Manectric etc. without having to worry about being tricked a choice scarf, it has defog, and it can come in on any Skuntank move and OHKO with Multi-Attack. Rest is unfortunately required to keep it healthy but Alcremie is generally able to wake it up before it wastes two turns.
The Silv-G replacement:
Altaria @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 208 SpD / 48 Spe
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Defog
- Roost
After Silvally-Ground was (unfairly) banned from ZU I had to find a replacement. Unfortunately nothing quite ticked all the boxes: Vibrava has defog and blocks volt switches but struggles vs Skuntank, especially if it has lost its Eviolite. In the end I went with Altaria as although it's not immune to electric is doesn't take much damage from volt switch and can often tempt opposing Rotoms and Manectrics to trick their choice items, leaving Alcremie with an easier clean up job. EQ 3HKOs Skuntank which is not great but a little chip can turn this into a 2HKO, potentially saving the game. The speed EVs are to outspeed max speed Marowak so you can at least get a Toxic away.
Pre Silv-G ban, the key threats to the team were grass spam (band thwackey + band trev), Marowak, and strong, well-played banded/hustle Pokemon that could hit Shedinja (like Crunch Perrserker and Acro Flapple). The replacement of Silv-G with Altaria made the team much weaker to VoltTurn and NP Skuntank.
Let me know what you think and watch this space for Sheddy HO