[OVERVIEW]
There is no Pokemon that is more polarizing, matchup-based, or irritating than Shedinja, as its very existence invalidates multiple common threats like Mega Medicham, Calm Mind Magearna, and Tapu Koko, as well as common variants of Manaphy and Mega Swampert. It has the unique quality of blocking both Volt Switch and U-turn, killing momentum from the likes of Magearna, Tapu Koko, and Mega Scizor. Its immunities can also be put to use against Choice-locked attackers like Tapu Lele and Ash-Greninja, taking advantage of these foes by spreading status. Due to how Shedinja can singlehandedly remove offensive counterplay and generally bug common offense teams, it finds a strong niche on certain stall teams. However, in the same dramatic fashion that it voids these Pokemon, Shedinja is rendered useless when facing sand teams or when Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Toxic Spikes are on the field. Additionally, Shedinja is more Pursuit-weak than most, with only one escape afforded to it by its Focus Sash. The biggest nail in the coffin is how prevalent Toxic and Leech Seed are on balanced and defensive teams, meaning that Shedinja is generally only useful against certain Pokemon on those teams, like Mega Latias and Swords Dance Gliscor.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Toxic / Swords Dance
move 3: Protect / X-Scissor
move 4: Shadow Sneak / X-Scissor / Shadow Ball
item: Focus Sash
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Lonely / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def / 0 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Will-O-Wisp is the crown jewel of Shedinja's irritation of the tier; it allows Shedinja to instantly threaten out the physical attackers it doesn't wall, like Kartana and Kyurem-B, synergizing with its Focus Sash as well as punishing switch-ins like Ferrothorn. Toxic can be even more threatening than Will-O-Wisp against special attackers like Tapu Lele and Greninja and Fire-types like Mega Charizard X. However, the trade-off is not crippling physical attackers as hard and being blanked by Steel-types, meaning it should only ever be used as a secondary status move alongside Will-O-Wisp. Protect allows Shedinja to scout super effective coverage like Hidden Power Fire from Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, and Magearna while also scouting Choice-locked Pokemon such as Kartana and Ash-Greninja and synergizing with Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, racking up extra damage from status. X-Scissor and Shadow Sneak let Shedinja strike back at offensive Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Weavile, and Greninja and can even be used alongside Swords Dance to prevent bulky Pokemon like Clefable and Swords Dance Gliscor from sitting on it. The downside to these moves is that they make contact with opposing Rough Skin, Iron Barbs, Rocky Helmet, and Flame Body users, so Shedinja can use Shadow Ball, despite its dramatically lower threat level, to consistently chip away at Pokemon like Ferrothorn as they switch in, compounding with burn to very slowly wear them away.
Set Details
========
A Lonely nature lets Shedinja 2HKO Tapu Lele with X-Scissor. However, if Shedinja uses Shadow Ball, a Timid nature is better because it lets Shedinja outspeed uninvested Mega Scizor, which is more valuable than boosting the power of Shadow Ball, as Shadow Ball is already weak. Shedinja uses 0 IVs in both of its defensive stats, as it doesn't use them, and this minimizes opposing Ditto's bulk after transforming into Shedinja.
Usage Tips
========
Although there are certain Pokemon like Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny that never run coverage that can hit Shedinja, a lot of other Pokemon that Shedinja is good against, like Tapu Koko, Magearna, and Tapu Lele, do, meaning that scouting out movesets increases Shedinja's effectiveness and your confidence when switching it into the aforementioned Pokemon. Keeping entry hazards away is usually the most important task when using Shedinja, especially when faced with offensive hazard setters like Greninja and Mega Diancie that can threaten common hazard control options on stall, such as Mega Sableye and Defog Gliscor. Make sure to get the most out of Shedinja's status moves, using them liberally and allowing it to make progress against the opposing team rather than act as a passive wall. Swords Dance Shedinja can beat Swords Dance Gliscor one-on-one, OHKOing it with +6 X-Scissor after forcing it to use Roost. If using a variant with Swords Dance, do not waste time setting up if there is an opposing Pokemon with Rocky Helmet or other adverse contact effects; instead, avoid using any attacks at all costs, and aim to status the foe and wear it down. If needed, Shedinja can sacrifice its Focus Sash to spread status to setup threats like Mega Charizard X and Calm Mind Tapu Lele.
Team Options
========
Shedinja is typically only seen on stall teams, as they appreciate Shedinja walling certain stallbreakers like Calm Mind Magearna and Manaphy lacking Toxic. In return, common stall teammates like Toxapex can handle threats like Greninja and both Mega Charizard formes for Shedinja. Having very strong entry hazard removal is instrumental, with at least two methods of hazard control being optimal, such as Magic Bounce from Mega Sableye and Defog from the likes of Gliscor and Skarmory. Chansey and Gliscor can absorb Toxic and Will-O-Wisp aimed at Shedinja, and Mega Sableye can reflect them as well as Leech Seed. Chansey can additionally take on a wide range of special attackers like Ash-Greninja, Volcarona, and Mega Alakazam. Toxapex is a great teammate, as it checks Volcarona, Mega Charizard Y, and Ash-Greninja and absorbs Toxic Spikes for Shedinja, and it appreciates Shedinja blanking Mega Medicham and Tapu Koko and discouraging Choice Specs Tapu Lele from locking into a Psychic-type move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Spite can be used to efficiently stall out Pokemon Shedinja finds itself in a stalemate with; however, the amount of cases where Swords Dance wouldn't accomplish the same thing along with extra utility is very small. Weather Goggles can replace Focus Sash as an anti-sand alternative, allowing Shedinja to wall Excadrill and Alolan Ninetales and preventing it from being dead weight against sand and hail teams; however, Shedinja misses out on the scouting benefits and ability to force status from Focus Sash.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Entry Hazards**: Most entry hazards instantly OHKO Shedinja, meaning they render it useless and embolden wallbreakers like Mega Medicham while they are up.
**Sand and Hail**: Sand from the likes of Tyranitar and Hippowdon and hail from the rare Alolan Ninetales prevent Shedinja from being used safely, as weather setters are able to KO it by simply switching in as well as prevent its usage for a number of turns.
**Status and Leech Seed**: Pokemon that Shedinja would otherwise wall, like Chansey, Rotom-W, and Toxapex, can utilize status moves like Toxic and Will-O-Wisp to OHKO it. Manaphy and Mega Swampert sometimes make use of Toxic on their movesets too, surprising Shedinja with its prompt removal. Additionally, Leech Seed users like Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and the niche Mega Venusaur pose a similar threat.
**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon like Heatran, Volcarona, both Mega Charizard formes, and Victini are immune to Will-O-Wisp and can hit Shedinja super effectively. Heatran is especially egregious, as unlike other common Fire-types, it is also immune to Toxic.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit from Weavile can force Shedinja's removal, with the prospect of opening up teammates like Mega Medicham making it worth the burn Shedinja can potentially inflict on it.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon that Shedinja is accustomed to walling, like Magearna, Tapu Koko, and Tapu Lele, are no strangers to running Hidden Power Fire, preventing Shedinja from being a safe answer to them.
**Adverse Contact Effects**: Pokemon with contact-punishing abilities like Iron Barbs, Rough Skin, and Flame Body, as well as Rocky Helmet users, can severely punish Shedinja's physical attacks with a potential OHKO upon switching in. However, Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Garchomp don't appreciate being burned as they switch in.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
There is no Pokemon that is more polarizing, matchup-based, or irritating than Shedinja, as its very existence invalidates multiple common threats like Mega Medicham, Calm Mind Magearna, and Tapu Koko, as well as common variants of Manaphy and Mega Swampert. It has the unique quality of blocking both Volt Switch and U-turn, killing momentum from the likes of Magearna, Tapu Koko, and Mega Scizor. Its immunities can also be put to use against Choice-locked attackers like Tapu Lele and Ash-Greninja, taking advantage of these foes by spreading status. Due to how Shedinja can singlehandedly remove offensive counterplay and generally bug common offense teams, it finds a strong niche on certain stall teams. However, in the same dramatic fashion that it voids these Pokemon, Shedinja is rendered useless when facing sand teams or when Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Toxic Spikes are on the field. Additionally, Shedinja is more Pursuit-weak than most, with only one escape afforded to it by its Focus Sash. The biggest nail in the coffin is how prevalent Toxic and Leech Seed are on balanced and defensive teams, meaning that Shedinja is generally only useful against certain Pokemon on those teams, like Mega Latias and Swords Dance Gliscor.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Toxic / Swords Dance
move 3: Protect / X-Scissor
move 4: Shadow Sneak / X-Scissor / Shadow Ball
item: Focus Sash
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Lonely / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def / 0 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Will-O-Wisp is the crown jewel of Shedinja's irritation of the tier; it allows Shedinja to instantly threaten out the physical attackers it doesn't wall, like Kartana and Kyurem-B, synergizing with its Focus Sash as well as punishing switch-ins like Ferrothorn. Toxic can be even more threatening than Will-O-Wisp against special attackers like Tapu Lele and Greninja and Fire-types like Mega Charizard X. However, the trade-off is not crippling physical attackers as hard and being blanked by Steel-types, meaning it should only ever be used as a secondary status move alongside Will-O-Wisp. Protect allows Shedinja to scout super effective coverage like Hidden Power Fire from Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, and Magearna while also scouting Choice-locked Pokemon such as Kartana and Ash-Greninja and synergizing with Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, racking up extra damage from status. X-Scissor and Shadow Sneak let Shedinja strike back at offensive Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Weavile, and Greninja and can even be used alongside Swords Dance to prevent bulky Pokemon like Clefable and Swords Dance Gliscor from sitting on it. The downside to these moves is that they make contact with opposing Rough Skin, Iron Barbs, Rocky Helmet, and Flame Body users, so Shedinja can use Shadow Ball, despite its dramatically lower threat level, to consistently chip away at Pokemon like Ferrothorn as they switch in, compounding with burn to very slowly wear them away.
Set Details
========
A Lonely nature lets Shedinja 2HKO Tapu Lele with X-Scissor. However, if Shedinja uses Shadow Ball, a Timid nature is better because it lets Shedinja outspeed uninvested Mega Scizor, which is more valuable than boosting the power of Shadow Ball, as Shadow Ball is already weak. Shedinja uses 0 IVs in both of its defensive stats, as it doesn't use them, and this minimizes opposing Ditto's bulk after transforming into Shedinja.
Usage Tips
========
Although there are certain Pokemon like Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny that never run coverage that can hit Shedinja, a lot of other Pokemon that Shedinja is good against, like Tapu Koko, Magearna, and Tapu Lele, do, meaning that scouting out movesets increases Shedinja's effectiveness and your confidence when switching it into the aforementioned Pokemon. Keeping entry hazards away is usually the most important task when using Shedinja, especially when faced with offensive hazard setters like Greninja and Mega Diancie that can threaten common hazard control options on stall, such as Mega Sableye and Defog Gliscor. Make sure to get the most out of Shedinja's status moves, using them liberally and allowing it to make progress against the opposing team rather than act as a passive wall. Swords Dance Shedinja can beat Swords Dance Gliscor one-on-one, OHKOing it with +6 X-Scissor after forcing it to use Roost. If using a variant with Swords Dance, do not waste time setting up if there is an opposing Pokemon with Rocky Helmet or other adverse contact effects; instead, avoid using any attacks at all costs, and aim to status the foe and wear it down. If needed, Shedinja can sacrifice its Focus Sash to spread status to setup threats like Mega Charizard X and Calm Mind Tapu Lele.
Team Options
========
Shedinja is typically only seen on stall teams, as they appreciate Shedinja walling certain stallbreakers like Calm Mind Magearna and Manaphy lacking Toxic. In return, common stall teammates like Toxapex can handle threats like Greninja and both Mega Charizard formes for Shedinja. Having very strong entry hazard removal is instrumental, with at least two methods of hazard control being optimal, such as Magic Bounce from Mega Sableye and Defog from the likes of Gliscor and Skarmory. Chansey and Gliscor can absorb Toxic and Will-O-Wisp aimed at Shedinja, and Mega Sableye can reflect them as well as Leech Seed. Chansey can additionally take on a wide range of special attackers like Ash-Greninja, Volcarona, and Mega Alakazam. Toxapex is a great teammate, as it checks Volcarona, Mega Charizard Y, and Ash-Greninja and absorbs Toxic Spikes for Shedinja, and it appreciates Shedinja blanking Mega Medicham and Tapu Koko and discouraging Choice Specs Tapu Lele from locking into a Psychic-type move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Spite can be used to efficiently stall out Pokemon Shedinja finds itself in a stalemate with; however, the amount of cases where Swords Dance wouldn't accomplish the same thing along with extra utility is very small. Weather Goggles can replace Focus Sash as an anti-sand alternative, allowing Shedinja to wall Excadrill and Alolan Ninetales and preventing it from being dead weight against sand and hail teams; however, Shedinja misses out on the scouting benefits and ability to force status from Focus Sash.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Entry Hazards**: Most entry hazards instantly OHKO Shedinja, meaning they render it useless and embolden wallbreakers like Mega Medicham while they are up.
**Sand and Hail**: Sand from the likes of Tyranitar and Hippowdon and hail from the rare Alolan Ninetales prevent Shedinja from being used safely, as weather setters are able to KO it by simply switching in as well as prevent its usage for a number of turns.
**Status and Leech Seed**: Pokemon that Shedinja would otherwise wall, like Chansey, Rotom-W, and Toxapex, can utilize status moves like Toxic and Will-O-Wisp to OHKO it. Manaphy and Mega Swampert sometimes make use of Toxic on their movesets too, surprising Shedinja with its prompt removal. Additionally, Leech Seed users like Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and the niche Mega Venusaur pose a similar threat.
**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon like Heatran, Volcarona, both Mega Charizard formes, and Victini are immune to Will-O-Wisp and can hit Shedinja super effectively. Heatran is especially egregious, as unlike other common Fire-types, it is also immune to Toxic.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit from Weavile can force Shedinja's removal, with the prospect of opening up teammates like Mega Medicham making it worth the burn Shedinja can potentially inflict on it.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon that Shedinja is accustomed to walling, like Magearna, Tapu Koko, and Tapu Lele, are no strangers to running Hidden Power Fire, preventing Shedinja from being a safe answer to them.
**Adverse Contact Effects**: Pokemon with contact-punishing abilities like Iron Barbs, Rough Skin, and Flame Body, as well as Rocky Helmet users, can severely punish Shedinja's physical attacks with a potential OHKO upon switching in. However, Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Garchomp don't appreciate being burned as they switch in.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
