Shedinja [QC 1/3]

GMars

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QC: Subject 18, ?, ?
GP: ?, ?​

[OVERVIEW]

* Wonder Guard allows Shedinja to completely wall common threats in the OU tier, such as Mega Medicham and Manaphy. Pokemon lacking coverage to hit Shedinja can also be fully walled and chipped away at, such as Landorus-Therian and Keldeo without Stone Edge, Tapu Koko and Magearna without Hidden Power Fire, or Zygarde without Toxic.
* Shedinja is a very passive Pokemon and typically relies on damage from entry hazards or status to wear down the Pokemon it counters.
* Shedinja's base 1 HP causes it to faint from any form of damage. It will be OHKOed by entry hazards, status, weather, or a direct hit. It is extremely limited in the styles of teams it can be effective on.

[SET]
name: Wonderwall
move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Protect
item: Focus Sash
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def / 0 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Baton Pass enables Shedinja to pivot, gaining momentum. If it is slower than the Pokemon it counters, it will be able to bring in a teammate without either Shedinja or the teammate sustaining damage. When paired with a trapper such as Dugtrio, it can also PP stall Pokemon that are immune to passive damage.
* Shadow Claw has a 50% chance to OHKO Tapu Lele after entry hazard damage and prevents Shedinja from being completely shut down by Taunt. It also does a sizable chunk to Alolan Marowak if necessary.
* Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers, supporting Shedinja's team. It also provides passive damage on Toxic-immune Pokemon.
* Protect lets Shedinja scout for unexpected coverage moves that could OHKO it and also lets Shedinja scout choice-locked Pokemon.

Set Details
========

* Focus Sash allows Shedinja to survive an unexpected coverage attack or escape Pursuit a single time. It can also be used to allow Shedinja to get off a Will-O-Wisp or a Shadow Claw on a very threatening Pokemon.
* Maximum Attack investment is used to ensure Shadow Claw hits as hard as possible, dealing heavy damage to Tapu Lele and Alolan Marowak.
* A Hasty Nature with 252 Speed EVs let Shedinja outspeed Alolan Marowak and uninvested Mega Scizor, allowing it to escape Pursuit with Baton Pass. Alternatively, Shedinja's Speed should be set to make it 1 point slower than the slowest threat its team is only able to check. This way, Shedinja can absorb a hit with Wonder Guard or Focus Sash and Baton Pass into its team's check, keeping it healthy.
* 0 Defense and 0 Special Defense IVs with the Hasty nature cause Transformed Pokemon such as Ditto to be as frail as possible. This doesn't harm Shedinja, as its HP stat of 1 cannot be increased by investment.

Usage Tips
========

* Unless the opposing team has a fast Pursuit user, Shedinja can be switched directly into Pokemon that cannot damage it.
* Be wary of Pokemon that summon sand and hail. Eliminate these Pokemon early to ease prediction with Shedinja.
* Additionally, when attacking, be wary of Rough Skin or Iron Barbs pokemon, such as Garchomp and Ferrothorn, or common Rocky Helmet users like Landorus-T.
* Use Protect to scout for coverage moves, but be wary of switching Shedinja directly into Pokemon that occasionally carry damaging status such as Zygarde with Toxic.
* Use Will-O-Wisp to cripple switch-ins. Be careful not to Burn Pokemon with recovery if Shedinja's team could otherwise use Toxic on them.

Team Options
========

* Heavy hazard control is necessary to alleviate Shedinja's absolute weakness to entry hazards. Mega Sableye reflects hazards with Magic Bounce. A backup user of Defog, such as Zapdos, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, or Mantine, is often appreciated.
* Pokemon that can easily switch into damaging status such as Chansey, Mega Sableye, or Magic Guard Clefable are necessary.
* Unaware Pokemon are helpful to prevent Shedinja from being setup on when it is forced out. Pyukumuku in particular can wall Mega Charizard X and Dual Dance Landorus-T.
* Dugtrio is an exceptional partner, as it is able to eliminate Tyranitar and Chansey. It can also be used in conjunction with Shedinja to PP stall foes by absorbing a hit with Wonder Guard and using Baton Pass to switch into Dugtrio, then switching back into Shedinja. Dugtrio can eliminate most Pursuit trappers and weather setters after some prior damage as well as most Mold Breaker and Teravolt Pokemon, such as Excadrill and Kyurem-B.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
=============

* Secret Power could be used over Shadow Claw, as it is the only non-contact physical move that Shedinja can learn. While this would allow Shedinja to attack without fearing Rocky Helmet, Iron Barbs, or Rough Skin, Shedinja would lose out on the ability to deal heavy damage to Alolan Marowak and Tapu Lele. These two Pokemon are huge threats to the stall teams Shedinja works on, so having a way to deal heavy damage to them is appreciated.
* Lum Berry could be used over Focus Sash to scout for status moves on Pokemon such as Zygarde. Alternatively, Safety Goggles could be used to avoid damage from weather, helping in the matchup versus difficult-to-trap weather setters like Hippowdon. Focus Sash is generally preferred over both of these options to escape Pursuit trap and unexpected coverage options.
* Toxic could be used in conjunction with Will-O-Wisp to wear down Pokemon with recovery or Burn immunity.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Entry Hazards**: Stealth Rock and Spikes are able to OHKO Shedinja on switch in. Toxic Spikes will OHKO Shedinja at the end of the turn it is infected with Poison if it is not already Asleep or Paralyzed. Entry hazard setters that can pressure Mega Sableye, such as Spikes Protean Greninja, are especially threatening.

**Sand and Hail Setters**: Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Alolan Ninetales summon damaging weather which prevents Shedinja from switching in for 4 to 7 turns. Hippowdon in particular is difficult to trap with Dugtrio, making it a big threat.

**Pursuit Trappers**: While Shedinja can escape slower Pursuit trappers with Baton Pass, faster Pursuit trappers like Tyranitar and Weavile burn its Focus Sash or otherwise OHKO it.

**Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Leech Seed Users**: Damaging status conditions OHKO Shedinja unless it pivots on the same turn with Baton Pass, requiring cleric support before it can come back in.

**Mold Breaker and Teravolt**: Mold Breaker and Teravolt bypass Wonder Guard, allowing Shedinja to be hit with any move. Mold Breaker Excadrill can also bypass Mega Sableye's Magic Bounce and setup Stealth Rock, further limiting Shedinja. However, no common Mold Breaker or Teravolt Pokemon appreciate being burned with Will-O-Wisp.
 
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GMars

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In the overview, I'd put Mega Medicham in the list of pokemon that lose to shedinja if they don't have coverage, as it can learn Fire Punch. (Not qc)
I'm fairly sure in this meta they would much rather run High Jump Kick, and some combination of Zen, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Fake Out, and maybe Bullet Punch. Fire Punch doesn't do anything relevant that High Jump Kick + Ice Punch can't. Even in Gen 6, Fire Punch doesn't see usage at all, not showing up on the stats/moveset page for Medicham.
 
Is clef really a threat that needs to be undersped in this current meta? Wouldnt outspeeding things like a non speed invested mega scizor be better as you can escape pursuit which they sometimes run? It would also be good for support ttar if that starts getting used again. I believe clef also runs flamethrower in this current meta if it's used in ou thanks to megagross running around and fini making t-wave unreliable.
 

GMars

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Is clef really a threat that needs to be undersped in this current meta? Wouldnt outspeeding things like a non speed invested mega scizor be better as you can escape pursuit which they sometimes run? It would also be good for support ttar if that starts getting used again. I believe clef also runs flamethrower in this current meta if it's used in ou thanks to megagross running around and fini making t-wave unreliable.
Higher speed investment also allows you to outspeed Adamant Alolan Marowak which is a big threat to stall and smack it with Shadow Claw. Updated, thanks
 
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Leo

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Not QC but I think you should move Magearna from the list of mons it completely walls to the list of mons it walls lacking coverage in the first bullet of the Overview because AV usually runs hp fire. Technically some other mons there could run coverage too such as Pursuit Metagross but those are very rare imo
 

GMars

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Not QC but I think you should move Magearna from the list of mons it completely walls to the list of mons it walls lacking coverage in the first bullet of the Overview because AV usually runs hp fire. Technically some other mons there could run coverage too such as Pursuit Metagross but those are very rare imo
Thank you
 
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Though this is obvious, mention that you need to be wary of Rocky Helmet users like LandoT when trying to attack. Everything else looks fine to me. Good work as usual QC 1/3.
 

GMars

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Though this is obvious, mention that you need to be wary of Rocky Helmet users like LandoT when trying to attack. Everything else looks fine to me. Good work as usual QC 1/3.
Thanks - implemented and ready for QC 2!
 

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