Status: Completed, but additional proofreading is always welcome!
Changes:
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/shedinja
You might be wondering why I deleted the Baton Pass set. This is because Baton Pass teams are fast-paced and if Shedinja switches into Stealth Rock or Spikes then any chance of a BP chain is as good as dead. So many leads these days run Stealth Rock; do BP teams really have time for Rapid Spinners? Also, it can't pass Swords Dance or Agility, which really turns it off. If you think removing this set is foolish, please state so.
Other than that, behold...it's Shedinja! Also, I would like to apologize for the countless content in the Swords Dancing Exoskeleton set. There's so much to talk about (it has so many counters, and thus, partners), so bear with me :P
Finally, school starts on Monday so I won't be contributing as frequently. A toast to the last few days of the holidays!
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[SET]
name: Swords Dancer
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak / Shadow Claw
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
item: Focus Sash / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Shedinja is a nearly forgotten Pokemon and is regularly regarded as the inferior of the two Nincada evolutions. While its brother, Ninjask, shines in the OU tier, Shedinja is unfortunately condemned to thrive in the lower tiers. However, it isn't all bad news for this ghostly bug. Despite only having 1 HP and no more than that, Shedinja has a number of tricks up its sleeve. One important feature that makes Shedinja appealing to use is its Wonder Guard ability, which prevents anything except super effective damage (and a number of other effects that will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs) from being able to hit it. Combine its 12 immunities with Swords Dance and a decent base 90 Attack stat, and Shedinja is more than able to pack a punch against anything that decides to stand in its way.</p>
<p>Swords Dance is Shedinja's best bet to prepare for a rare but possible sweep. After a single Swords Dance boost, Shedinja's Attack is increased to a stat of 612, which is amazingly powerful in the low tiers where it dwells in. Sadly, Shedinja's offensive movepool isn't great, and for this reason it must rely on the few attacking options that are available to it. X-Scissor is its most powerful move, earning a bonus from its Bug-type STAB, and is used to eliminate most Dark-, Grass-, and Psychic-types. After a Swords Dance, X-Scissor is capable of wrecking many walls in the UU metagame. Examples of these are Claydol (who Shedinja OHKOes), Tangrowth, Slowbro, Milotic, and Uxie (who are all 2HKOed with Stealth Rock in play). Next, Sucker Punch is a welcoming priority move that temporarily ignores Shedinja's pathetic Speed, allowing it to strike first. A Swords Dance boosted Sucker Punch OHKOes 48 HP Mismagius, 40 HP Dugtrio, and 252 HP Rotom. However, since Sucker Punch can commonly strike up unfavorable prediction wars between Shedinja and its opponent, Shadow Sneak is a weaker but safer option that provides the same exact coverage as Sucker Punch does. If you decide to neglect the use of a priority move, Shadow Claw is another particularly strong, STAB-boosted move that Shedinja has at its disposal. As far as physical attacking goes, however, those are only the decent choices of moves that Shedinja can employ. Attempting to use more powerful options like Return will seriously minimize the very limited type coverage Shedinja is already cursed with having. Thankfully, it was presented the ability to use either Toxic or Will-O-Wisp to inflict nasty status effects on a range of opponents. These status effects can catch opponents, particularly Steel-types that tend to wall Shedinja's attacks with ease, off guard. While Will-O-Wisp cripples physically oriented Pokemon that are looking to finish Shedinja off with Pursuit or any super effective move in general, Toxic can be used to infect anything that isn't a Steel- or Poison-type that might be bold enough so as to switch into Shedinja's attacks. The use of status moves on this set is more than rewarding as it means that nothing can safely switch into Shedinja's attacks without being enfeebled in some way. The EV spread maximizess Shedinja's Attack and Speed, the only two stats worth investing EVs into. The only reason Shedinja should have a Defense IV of 0 is that a Porygon-Z switching into Shedinja will receive an Attack instead of a Special Attack boost from Download.</p>
<p>Despite its whole bunch of immunities, there is one prime reason that describes why many people dislike wielding Shedinja on their teams: it requires an innumerable amount of support to shine. Because of this, Shedinja is a pokemon to build a team around, not a pokemon that can be randomly placed in a team and expected to succeed. Before knowing what support to give it, however, one must be familiar with absolutely everything that can kill it. Although Wonder Guard prevents non-super effective attacks from hitting Shedinja, it does not prevent a wide range of other things from bringing this bug down. Shedinja can actually be unbelievably easy to counter. Firstly, Flying-, Rock-, Ghost-, Fire-, and Dark-type moves will butcher Shedinja in a split second. If Shedinja fears getting hit by these attacking types, which are by no means rare, it can choose to equip a Focus Sash to be able to withstand one hit and take another before dying. Focus Sash, however, will not save Shedinja from the second way of countering it: entry hazards on its side of the field. Switching into Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Toxic Spikes pronounces Shedinja's swift and immediate death sentence. Thirdly, the residual damage of poison, burn, Leech Seed, sandstorm, hail, and any form of recoil (whether it comes from Double-Edge or Life Orb) will produce an effect similar to if Shedinja switches into entry hazards - Focus Sash will not save it, and it will perish instantaneously. Although it cannot save Shedinja from the likes of hail's pelting damage or confusion's backfiring damage, Lum Berry can cure the effects of poison and burn off Shedinja, making it just as useful an item as Focus Sash is. The fourth problem Shedinja has is dealing with a number of abilities - Rough Skin, Bad Dreams, Aftermath, and Liquid Ooze (if Shedinja uses a health-absorbing move) damage can take it down. Thankfully, not too many Pokemon possess these abilities. The fifth strategy that can defeat Shedinja is the use of the Mold Breaker ability to neutralize Wonder Guard. Foresight and Gastro Acid are also moves that can take advantage of Shedinja. Finally, it must beware of a number of moves, including Perish Song, Future Sight, and Curse coming from a Ghost-type. Struggle will also eliminate Shedinja, so it must watch out if an opponent is running low on PP.</p>
<p>In summary, an example of an effective defensive core that features Shedinja would be similar to something as follows: Shedinja + Steel-type + something that resists Fire-type moves, where each of its partners must be able to Rapid Spin, nullify any weather in play, and absorb status. For example, in UU, a Shedinja + Registeel + Blastoise combo is excellent, while in OU, a Shedinja + Forretress / Heatran + Heatran / Tentacruel combo is solid enough. Shedinja can have more than two partners aiding it, but the whole core must still be able to fulfill the purposes described in this paragraph as a force. Offensively, Shedinja requires very different support. Offensive partners that can help it are those that can take down the Steel-type walls that trouble it. As such, Fighting- and Fire-type partners, like Infernape or Heatran, can assist it immensely. Steel-type trappers like Magnezone fulfill roles similar to ones that of the aforementioned Fighting- and Fire-types. On offensive teams that rely on entry hazards to win, Shedinja can help, too. Wonder Guard renders it immune to Normal-type moves, and by foiling all Rapid Spinning attempts, it can provide pretty decent team support. A special mention must go to the very successful Grass + Fire + Water combo in UU. Shedinja usually does away with Grass-types with X-Scissor, and Water-types usually cannot touch it except if they have access to Toxic. This leaves only Fire-types to be worried about. Together with a fellow Water-type, Shedinja can block this core. Blastoise is an effective partner as it can Rapid Spin as well. Any Fire-type attacks directed at Shedinja can be sponged by Blastoise, while any Grass- (except Leech Seed), Electric-, or Water-type attacks are useless against Shedinja.</p>
<p>It certainly cannot be argued that Shedinja requires an insane amount of support to work well, but if used properly it can cause more than nightmares to an opponent's team. Shedinja loves doing battle with specific types of Pokemon. Firstly, it has no problem with Water-types that rely on a Water + Electric + Ice + Grass combination to win (which almost all Water-types do), since it is immune to all these attacking types. Another combo it is happy enough to face is a Normal- + Water-type move combination (usually used by Pokemon like Bibarel or Azumarill) resisted by few in the game. Because of resistances to these popular offensive combos, Shedinja can wall a large number of opponents without much effort. Is a +6 Calm Mind Kyogre causing problems? Is that +6 Swords Dance Scizor ripping your team apart? Is that pesky +6 Calm Mind Suicune tanking around like a boss? Well, with a little help from our sleepy bug here, these threats and many more can be defeated eventually, as they're nothing Shedinja can't handle. Shedinja may be weak, but give it the necessary team support and it can even rival (or can be better than) many other threats in today's metagame and finally get the little glory it deserves.</p>
<p>The next few paragraphs examine in-depth Shedinja counters and supportive options in both the OU and UU tier.</p>
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Shedinja is arguably less effective in OU than in UU, but it can still funtion with enough support. Given the dragging list of what Shedinja is weak to, it has a number of specific counters in OU that it hates with a burning passion. Skarmory is one of the better Pokemon that can take advantage of Shedinja to set up entry hazards. Brave Bird can kill Shedinja, and Skarmory takes little damage from the likes of X-Scissor and Sucker Punch. It is immune to Toxic and doesn't gravely mind getting burnt. Other bulky Steel-types follow Skarmory's footsteps; they don't take much damage from any of Shedinja's attacks. Next, Tyranitar, Abomasnow, and Hippowdon can have a sandstorm or hailstorm brewing to make short work of Shedinja. Tyranitar has the added bonus of being able to use Pursuit, which can trap Shedinja if it decides to escape. Tyranitar must, however, watch out for both X-Scissor and Will-O-Wisp. Probably Shedinja's best counter, though, is Heatran. With immunities to both Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, a 4x resistance to X-Scissor, and a 2x resistance to either Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak, or Sucker Punch, Heatran's presence in any match will severely limit what Shedinja is able to do. It is lucky enough if it can escape with its life, as Heatran's Fire Blast will roast this bug without hesitation. Other solid examples of Shedinja counters are Rest + Sleep Talkers. Machamp is excellent at the job, resisting both Sucker Punch and X-Scissor, while able to absorb a Will-O-Wisp and select either Payback or Stone Edge to OHKO Shedinja through the use of Sleep Talk. Finally, Normal-Flying Pokemon like Togekiss and Staraptor resist Shedinja's X-Scissor and are immune to its Ghost-type moves as well. This will often allow them to use Nasty Plot or Substitute respectively to set up on Shedinja, which can cause problems for your whole team if they are not dealt with quickly.</p>
<p>The lengthy list of Shedinja counters must all be remedied if it wishes to even manage to come face-to-face with an opponent. It is impossible for Shedinja to effectively function with only one partner; it must have a number of teammates ready to provide aid. A Steel-type partner helps it defensively, cushioning most attacking types that Shedinja is weak to. In OU, Heatran is Shedinja's best friend, as it is immune to poison and burn, while resisting all of the attacks Shedinja is weak to. Heatran has the additional bonus of gaining a Flash Fire boost if Fire-type attacks hit it. Similarly, Forretress can accomplish a number of jobs for Shedinja - Rapid Spin, resist three of five attacking types it's weak to, and absorb poison. However, they have mutual weaknesses to Fire-type moves, and that must be carefully watched out for. Next, it is a rule that in every team that sports Shedinja in it, a Rapid Spinner or two must be present. The abundance of Stealth Rock in everyday play means that Shedinja is treading on thin ice in whichever tier it may be. In OU, Forretress has already been mentioned - it is a star at the job, thanks to being partly Steel-type. Another form of support that can greatly aid Shedinja's survival is the removal of sandstorm or hail from the field. Teams that have Shedinja in them must always be prepared for any of these weather effects, no matter what tier it is. A Pokemon should always be prepared to use either Sunny Day or Rain Dance to replace sandstorm and hail with sunny and rainy weather, which are not harmful to Shedinja at all. Finally, another way to protect Shedinja is to Baton Pass a Substitute to it. Shedinja can ironically be partnered with Ninjask, who can set up not only a Substitute but also a number of Swords Dances along the way. Bulkier options include Umbreon or Vaporeon. When selecting a Baton Passing partner, make sure that Shedinja's weaknesses are different than those of the Baton Passer. This will allow Shedinja to switch in on an attack that cannot harm it, while it sits safely behind a protective Substitute and its very valuable item.</p>
<h4>UU</h4>
<p>Although the UU metagame is very different than the OU metagame in terms of defensive and offensive threats, Shedinja pretty much requires the same types of support as it does in OU. A large difference in UU is that Shedinja must pay close attention to Grass-types like Vileplume and Roserade; most of them tend to have a whole arsenal of status-inducing moves with them, along with Leech Seed and the occasional Hidden Power Fire. Grass-types are usually paired with Water-types; a partnership of Roserade and Milotic is not uncommon in the lower tiers. Thankfully, most Water-types cannot do anything to Shedinja, as they have no super effective moves with which to touch it; Shedinja can also use X-Scissor to catch any Grass-type switch-ins off guard.</p>
<p>Shedinja's counters in UU are also very similar to its OU ones. Steel-types like Registeel and Steelix are immune to Toxic and don't greatly mind getting burnt. Both of them take pitiful damage from any of Shedinja's attacking moves, and can use Toxic or Stone Edge respectively to do away with it for good. They can even set up Stealth Rock in the process to make sure that Shedinja isn't able to switch in again. Next, Pursuit Pokemon seal Shedinja's fate unless it has a Substitute Baton Passed to it. Drapion is great at the job, since 252 HP versions only take a maximum of 70% from a boosted X-Scissor and even less from anything else Shedinja fires at it. Shedinja must also watch out for the rare but existent Hippopotas. Fire-types that can take a hit or two, like Moltres or Torkoal, can use their immunities to Will-O-Wisp and resistances to X-Scissor to blast Shedinja away with moves like Fire Punch or Fire Blast. Rest + Sleep Talkers that don't mind getting inflicted by the effects of Will-O-Wisp or Toxic can also make fine Shedinja counters. Rest Shuckle is a fantastic Shedinja counter - it can use Encore to lock Shedinja into Swords Dance, while taking a maximum of only 41% from a +2 X-Scissor. Shuckle can then use Knock Off to kill Shedinja or swipe off its ever-useful item. As in OU, Shedinja will face problems against Normal-/Flying-type Pokemon; the most prominent example is Swellow, who actually benefits from getting inflicted by status, and takes little damage from any of Shedinja's other moves.</p>
<p>Probopass or Magneton are excellent partners, as not only are they able to take Flying-, Rock-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks with ease, but they are also able to trap any Steel-types that may be causing problems for Shedinja. Probopass is a better defensive partner compared to the likes of Registeel because it is not weak to Fire-type moves, but Registeel's typing is obviously much better than Probopass'. Next comes the need for a Rapid Spinner partner. Hitmontop is a solid choice of Rapid Spinner, resisting Dark- and Rock-type moves. With the use of Foresight, its Rapid Spin will be able to hit even Ghost-types if they switch in. Shared weaknesses to Flying-type attacks may seem like a letdown, but moves like Air Slash and Brave Bird are far from ubiquitous. Next, to protect Shedinja from potential Pursuit users, Substitutes can be Baton Passed to it. In UU, Blaziken makes a solid Baton Passing partner with its immunity to Will-O-Wisp and ability to take care of Steel-types. Blaziken has the added bonus of being resistant to Dark- and Fire-type attacks as well. It can even pass an Agility or Swords Dance if it has time.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick
move 1: Trick
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak / Shadow Claw
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic / Swords Dance
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Equipping a Choice Band onto Shedinja allows it to possess more immediate attacking power without having to worry about using Swords Dance. However, if prediction is an important element of the game in Shedinja's previous set, this set requires much more. One wrong prediction can bring Shedinja down - Pursuit users, especially Choice Banded ones, can be highly threatening to this set. If Shedinja is locked onto Trick or a not-very-effective move, the same Pursuit user can wastes Shedinja's presence on any team. This set is also much easier to wall than the Swords Dancer, as Shedinja's dismal type coverage means that a large number of opponents can easily switch in and begin setting up on it.</p>
<p>Trick is what binds this set together. By using it, Shedinja can cripple some of its most common counters and switch-ins, like Registeel, Heatran, and Shuckle. All of these tend to loathe receiving a Choice Band. Next, Shedinja's moveset hasn't really changed from its Swords Dancing variant. X-Scissor is its most powerful attack, gaining a STAB boost from Shedinja's part Bug-typing. Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak can both make up for Shedinja's low Speed stat; Sucker Punch requires more prediction to use, but Shadow Sneak is weaker. Because of Shedinja's seriously poor type coverage, status moves can be used in the last slot. Will-O-Wisp and Toxic can both cripple a range of Shedinja switch-ins, like Pursuit users or bulky walls. Swords Dance is also a viable option here; once Shedinja has tricked its Choice Band away, it can use Swords Dance to try to sweep an opponent's team. Shedinja can even play guessing games with its opponent by using Swords Dance even if it still has its Choice Band. The desired effect if such a move is used is to see what your opponent will switch into Shedinja. The next time it comes into play, Shedinja can instead blast it away with a more powerful X-Scissor, Sucker Punch, Shadow Claw, or Shadow Sneak. Besides these options, it also has a number of other slightly gimmicky choice of moves that can nevertheless be used on this set. Dig covers Steel-types, but since it is a two-turn move it will give an opponent a chance to set up on you. Return is even more powerful than Sucker Punch, but doesn't help Shedinja at all in terms of type coverage. When considering to use these moves, put them in Shedinja's fourth move slot. It desperately needs the moves listed in its second and third move slots to be efficient at making the most out of its Choice Band.</p>
<p>This set encounters the same problems as the previous set does - the many strategies and moves used to take Shedinja down. In a nutshell, these include super effective moves, recoil damage, residual damage from status and weather, entry hazards, and a number of other things that can be found in the Counters section. Besides these, Shedinja still has its precise counters. Although Steel-types like Steelix and Registeel won't like switching into this set for fear of obtaining a Choice Band, many other Pokemon do. Physically Choiced Pokemon like Dugtrio and Absol can absorb Shedinja's Trick, while threatening it with Pursuit. If Shedinja does use Trick and receives either a Choice Band, Choice Specs, or Choice Scarf in return, it is either continuously forced to use Trick or switch out. This makes it unmistakable Pursuit bait, and switching back in and out is not on the top of Shedinja's list of favorite things. If it is locked onto any other move, the previously mentioned Steel-types, along with Fighting-types, can switch into Shedinja without worrying at all. Because of this, Shedinja's greater rivals in UU are the following: Hariyama (because of its ability to use Whirlwind and Payback while sporting resistances to X-Scissor and Sucker Punch; it doesn't mind a Choice Band either), Dugtrio (because it actually likes a Choice Band and can set up on or survive a Shadow Sneak or Sucker Punch), and Registeel (while it does hate a Choice Band, it loves absorbing Shedinja's other moves). In OU, Shedinja despises Gyarados (it is fine with a Choice Band and takes little damage from X-Scissor or anything else), Tyranitar (it can survive an X-Scissor while resisting Sucker Punch or Shedinja's Ghost-type moves; it doesn't mind a Choice Band and has Pursuit), Scizor and Metagross (because of reasons similar to Tyranitar). It also despises Normal-Flying Pokemon that resist or are immune to its STAB moves - examples are Swellow (in UU), Togekiss, and Staraptor (in OU). One thing to note is that Shedinja is extremely vulnerable to Choiced Pursuit in whatever tier it is being used, and many players will use this to their advantage.</p>
<p>As always, a Rapid Spinner is Shedinja's most important partner. In the lower tiers, Blastoise is a fine choice of partner, resisting any Fire-type moves that can easily crisp Shedinja. Shedinja in turn sports immunities to Water- and Grass-types that are super effective against Blastoise. In OU, Forretress is an obvious choice, resisting three out of five of Shedinja's weaknesses. It can also absorb Toxic and is not too fazed by the likes of Leech Seed and burn, moves that can make short work of Shedinja. Tentacruel, however, can be an excellent defensive partner as well, since it can withstand any attacks Heatran might throw at Shedinja. In return, Shedinja can help either Tentacruel or Forretress by preventing opponents from blowing any Spikes or Toxic Spikes that they might have set up on the field. With Wonder Guard, Shedinja is immune to Rapid Spin. Offensively, have a partner that can set up if an opponent is locked onto a Choiced Pursuit. Since Shedinja is easily revenge killed by even the weakest of Pursuits, having a partner that can set up and takes little to no damage from the same Pursuit can help your team obtain a sweep. In the lower tiers, examples of such Pokemon are Toxicroak and Drapion. In OU, examples include Lucario and Empoleon. What makes these Pokemon appealing choices as partners are because they can help Shedinja defensively, too. Toxicroak, while being able to set up on a Choiced Pursuit, resists Rock- and Dark-type attacks. Drapion resists Dark- and Ghost-type attacks aimed at Shedinja and can use Pursuit on some of Shedinja's typical revenge killers like Dugtrio. Lucario takes 1/4 damage from Pursuit and has important resistances to the Ghost-, Dark-, and Rock-type moves that Shedinja is weak against. The same applies with Empoleon, who has resistances to Ghost-, Dark-, Rock-, and Flying-type attacks. All of these partners are immune to poison. Also, offensive Shedinja partners should be able to deal with the Steel-type Pokemon that it loathes. All of the four discussed partners have their own ways of dealing with any Steel-type wall that decides to prevent a Shedinja sweep. Because of the addition of Trick on this set, trapping Steel-types is made much easier. Shedinja can catch opponents like Steelix and Registeel off guard; when they decide to harm Shedinja with moves like Stone Edge and Toxic, Magneton can be sent in to finish them off. Dugtrio also makes a solid choice to revenge kill Steel-types that are low on health, or even Pokemon locked onto a relatively well-powered Pursuit, but the fact that both Pokemon are unbelievably frail should be considered before placing them on the same team.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Shedinja's movepool is rather limited. Baton Pass can be used to escape the clutches of a Pursuit user, while functioning as a reasonable scouting move. Don't expect Baton Pass Shedinja to be effective, though; entry hazards will greatly limit the number of times it will be able to switch in. Protect is another good option that can help Shedinja analyze what the opponent is about to do to it, which can make predicting significantly easier. Sand Attack and Flash can both be used to reduce the accuracy of opposing Pokemon. Swagger and Confuse Ray can both inflict confusion upon an opponent, allowing Shedinja to switch out of Pursuit users if they hit themselves in the process. Both moves can also cause problems to all of Shedinja's switch-ins that cannot be confused; thus, it can be substituted for Toxic or Will-O-Wisp on any Shedinja set. Thief can be used to steal an item if Shedinja's own item has been used.</p>
<p>In terms of offense, it has few better options that what has already been listed. Its Special Attack is so low that you shouldn't even be touching moves like Shadow Ball and Bug Buzz. Dig is a useful move that can deal with Steel-types to some degree, but being a two turn move means that opponents will gladly set up on Shedinja's Dig if they find any remote chance to do so. Return doesn't provide any additional type coverage but hits particularly hard. Bug Bite can steal the occasional Salac, Lum, or Liechi Berry, but you should stick with X-Scissor due to its extra power.</p>
<p>Finally, a Jolly nature is viable when paired with Agility. Don't rely on Agility Shedinja to sweep teams, though.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Having only 1 HP means that investing EVs into HP useless. It also makes the ability to take hits useless. If you haven't figured it out yet, leave its HP, Defense, and Special Defense alone. Shedinja's base 30 Special Attack is pitiful and should also be ignored. This leaves investing EVs into its Attack and Speed worthwile. In fact, a direct spread of 252 Atk / 252 Spe are the only EVs you should think of using on this bug. The remaining 4 EVs, which don't matter at all, should go into one of its defenses.</p>
<p>As mentioned before, an Adamant nature with a Defense IV of 0 on Shedinja makes sure that if a Porygon-Z with the Download ability switches in, it obtains an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack one.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Before even considering to pair Shedinja up with any partner or two, you must first know each and every single effect in the game that can kill it. These can be found in the Counters section. After you have done that, it's time to scratch the content off of that list. The idea is that by doing so, nothing that can kill Shedinja will appear, and it can turn into a long-living, immortal Pokemon. Also, note that a typical defensive Shedinja core looks something like this: Shedinja + Steel-type + a Pokemon that resists Fire-type moves. One (or even better, two) of Shedinja's partners should be able to use Rapid Spin and Rain Dance or Sunny Day. A typical offensive Shedinja core looks something like this: Shedinja + Fighting-type + Rock-type. Fighting-types help take care of Steel-types that can wall Shedinja entirely. Both of Shedinja's Fighting- and Rock-type partners are usually bulky enough to be able to set up on a Choiced Pursuit in the event that Shedinja is revenge killed. These are the general ideas of cores that you should use when featuring Shedinja in your team. More in-depth details of partners are provided in the upcoming two paragraphs.</p>
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Steel-types resist four of the five super effective moves Shedinja is weak to. They also have the added bonus of being immune to poison, and if they are defensively-oriented then they will not mind getting burnt too much. They are also immune to Sandstorm's constant damage. Good Steel-type partners that function effectively with Shedinja in OU include Heatran, Lucario, Magnezone, and Forretress. Defensively, Heatran can take absolutely everything that is directed at Shedinja, even gaining a Flash Fire boost from time to time if it is hit with the many Fire-type moves that plague the bug. It is immune to both status effects that can knock Shedinja out - poison and burn. Offensively, it can use powerful Fire Blasts or Earth Powers to weaken Steel-types that effortlessly switch right into Shedinja's face, expecting to wall its attacking moves and Toxic. In return, Shedinja helps Heatran out too - defensively, it is immune to Water-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks, attacking types that deal super effective damage to Heatran. Offensively, it can threaten common Heatran counters, like Latias and bulky Water-types that usually can't touch Shedinja, with a powerful X-Scissor. Together, Heatran and Shedinja can take down the infamous Grass + Water + Fire combo. Empoleon is very much like Heatran, but it does not resist Fire-type moves, and Heatran is generally a better Shedinja partner overall. Lucario is a more offensively-minded partner with the ability to set up if Shedinja is killed by a Choice Banded Pursuit. Although both Pokemon share a Fire-type weakness, they cannot be disregarded as a supportive core - Lucario cushions Rock-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks aimed at Shedinja, while Shedinja is immune to Ground- and Fighting-type attacks that destroy Lucario. Magnezone is another good option because it can trap the annoying Steel-types that wall Shedinja, like Registeel, Metagross, and Scizor. If Shedinja is revenge killed by Pursuit coming from the likes of Metagross and Scizor, Magnezone can come in and use a Magnet Rise + Thunderbolt combo to eventually KO Metagross. Scizor is dealt with by Hidden Power Fire. However, the star of the show seems to be Forretress. The simple reason is because Forretress can achieve to things: set up entry hazards and Rapid Spin. Rapid Spin allows Shedinja to switch into an opponent without having to worry about getting hurt by Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes. Next, if Forretress has managed to set up a coupe of entry hazards, guess who can become a spin blocker! That's right - Shedinja is immune to Rapid Spin, preventing any attempts made by opponents to blow away the entry hazards Forretress has set up on the field. Steel-types aren't all, though. Because of Shedinja's and most Steel-types' shared weakness to Fire-type moves, it never hurts to place something like Kingdra in your team. Opposing Steel-types are often paired with Water-types, and Kingdra has 1/4 resistances to both Fire- and Water-type moves! This makes it easy to set up on something that can threaten a Shedinja + Steel-type core, like Heatran or Gyarados. With a few Dragon Dances under Kingdra's belt, it can even perform a sweep. Other bulky Water-types like Suicune are also great choices to wall the same enemies of the Shedinja + Steel-type core. Next, if you do not like the idea of Magnezone trapping opponents' Steel-types, Dugtrio can be used. Dugtrio can also trap and kill some problematic Pokemon like Tyranitar and Heatran - these usually have nasty ideas of what to do to Shedinja, and Shedinja will appreciate having them removed from the match. Finally, remember that you should always have a Pokemon that can use Rain Dance or Sunny Day, just to be safe and clear any sandstorm or hailstorm that may be continuously going.</p>
<h4>UU</h4>
<p>It's not too different in UU, too. Shedinja can be thankful that the presence of Pursuit is not as common as it is in OU, but it must still watch out for the occasional Absol or Drapion. Defensively, you will want another Steel-type that has been emphasized as excellent Shedinja partners - bulky Steel-types in UU range from Registeel and Steelix to Probopass and Magneton. The first two are more defensively dedicated options, while the latter two are designed to trap other Steel-types. Whatever Steel-type you use, they can all counter one of Shedinja's dreaded enemies: Swellow, who resists Ghost-type moves and X-Scissor, while earning a Guts Boost if it switches into Shedinja's Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Next, neutralize the shared Fire-type weakness by adding another teammate to your core - this must be a Pokemon that resists Fire-type attacks, like Milotic or Blastoise. It is not a good idea to add a slow Fire-type Pokemon, since Dugtrio will make a mess of your core otherwise. Bulky Water-types are the way to go: Milotic can defeat Dugtrio and other Fire-types with powerful Surfs, while Blastoise can do the same, with the added access to Rapid Spin. Adding a Poison-type to your team won't hurt, too - Poison-types can help Shedinja absorb Toxic and Toxic Spikes. If you are not fond of supporting Shedinja too defensively, try a Shedinja + Fighting-type + Rock-type combo. This combo relies on the fact that if Shedinja is revenge killed by the likes of a Choiced Pursuit or Flamethrower, its Fighting-type or Rock-type partner can switch in and get a free turn to do whatever they want. For example, Toxicroak can use Nasty Plot if an opponent is locked onto Pursuit, while Relicanth can use Rock Polish if an opponent is locked onto a Fire- or Flying-type move. Shedinja can also be a fantastic counter to the fairly common UU Rain Dance teams - Ludicolo (without Leech Seed), Omastar, Lanturn, Gorebyss, and Floatzel (without Crunch) all can't touch it at all! Shedinja can then keep firing off X-Scissor comfortably from the sanctuary provided by Wonder Guard. Watch out for Kabutops, though.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>DPP has not been particularly kind to Shedinja because of sandstorm and hail, Pursuit, and entry hazards (namely Stealth Rock) running around everywhere. Furthermore, Shedinja requires an insane amount of support to succeed, let alone switch in multiple times in one match. Shedinja is best used in the late game, after all its counters are eliminated. If the remaining opponent's Pokemon are unable to deal any damage to it, they are basically done for. However, if you reveal it too early in the match, it is without doubt that your opponents will keep their Shedinja-swatters hidden until they serve their purposes. This defeats the point of Shedinja's immunities.</p>
<p>It is true that Shedinja needs a mountain of support to actually be able to deal any damage at all, but provide such support and Shedinja can drive opponents to the verge of madness. Just remember that Wonder Guard is not invincible and never will be unless typical Shedinja counters are taken care of first.</p>
[Counters]
<p>First, know what can kill Shedinja. This will make finding a counter much easier. Refer to this list:</p>
<ul>
<li>Super Effective Moves (Fire-, Rock-, Ghost-, Dark-, and Flying-type moves)</li>
<li>Recoil Damage (Life Orb, Double-Edge, Confusion, etc.)</li>
<li>Residual Damage (Sandstorm, Leech Seed, Poison, Entry Hazards, etc.)</li>
<li>Damage Dealing Abilities (Rough Skin, Bad Dreams etc.)
</li>
<li>Nullifying or Changing Wonder Guard (Mold Breaker, Worry Seed etc.)</li>
<li>Type-Ignorant Attacks (Doom Desire, Curse, Struggle etc.) (Struggle, Future Sight, Doom Desire, Curse)</li>
</ul>
<p>With this list in mind, let us go through a number of its most effective counters.</p>
<h4>OU</h4>
Heatran is arguably Shedinja's best counter - immunities to both Will-O-Wisp and Toxic and resistances to X-Scissor and Shedinja's Dark- or Ghost-type moves means that Heatran will have an easy time with Shedinja. Heatran can also take it down with Fire Blast; it must, however, beware of the occasional Dig. It doesn't like a Choice Band, either. Skarmory functions similarly to Heatran - it resists all of Shedinja's attacking moves, doesn't mind a Will-O-Wisp or Toxic, and it can use Brave Bird for super effective damage against Shedinja. Skarmory can take it one step further by setting up entry hazards that can potentially prevent Shedinja from switching into play again. Although Tyranitar and Abomasnow are both weak to X-Scissor, their Sand Stream and Snow Warning abilities can KO Shedinja after just one turn of the "harmful" weather, and not even a Focus Sash can save it. The abundance of Pursuit in OU makes it hard for either of Shedinja's sets to function effectively if the same Pursuit users are not eliminated fast enough. Scizor, Metagross, and Weavile all don't mind Choice Bands; Scizor and Metagross can take an X-Scissor, while all three can take Sucker Punches, Shadow Sneaks, or Shadow Claws. Although they must beware of Will-O-Wisp, Pursuit will still make short work of Shedinja. The bulk that Scizor and Metagross possess make them ideal Shedinja counters, in addition to their immunity to Toxic. Weavile is a riskier option, but if played correctly, it can be just as deadly as other prominent Pursuit users are.</p>
<h4>UU</h4>
<p>In UU, Pursuit and harmful weather effects are less common, but Shedinja must still watch out for them. If Shedinja locks into the wrong move, especially on its Trick + Choice Band set, Pokemon like Absol and Drapion will switch in on Shedinja with smiles on their faces. It is not necessary to describe what happens next; most of the time, Shedinja will not escape alive. Bulky Steel-types in general can wall Shedinja to no end, resisting all of its offensive moves except Dig. Registeel and Steelix are solid forces that must be taken care of before Shedinja switches in; otherwise, they can and will use whatever moves they have in their arsenal to KO it, while taking minimal damage from attacks Shedinja fires at them. The same applies to Fighting-types like Hariyama and Blaziken. Hariyama can wall Shedinja's moves with its enormous defensive potential, while retaliating with either Payback to KO it or Whirlwind to pHaze it. Obviously, Shedinja becomes threatened by any present entry hazards the next time it decides to switch it. Blaziken can use super effective Fire-type moves against Shedinja or even set up an Agility (or two) to take advantage of it. Normal-Flying Pokemon are also excellent choices to defend against Shedinja's Bug/Ghost offensive attacking combination; an example is Swellow, who can switch in on a status move to activate its Guts ability, killing two birds with one stone.</p>
<p>A special counter is Porygon2, who can Trace Shedinja's Wonder Guard ability and use Toxic to bring Shedinja down. Porygon2 can then abuse its newly obtained Wonder Guard ability; good luck defeating it if you don't have Toxic or a super effective Fighting-type move!</p>
Changes:
- "Team Options" in brown
- I completely rewrote all sets
- I deleted the "Baton Pass" set - read more about this after Shedinja's sprite
- I rewrote all Sub-Sections and included a "Team Options" one
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/shedinja
You might be wondering why I deleted the Baton Pass set. This is because Baton Pass teams are fast-paced and if Shedinja switches into Stealth Rock or Spikes then any chance of a BP chain is as good as dead. So many leads these days run Stealth Rock; do BP teams really have time for Rapid Spinners? Also, it can't pass Swords Dance or Agility, which really turns it off. If you think removing this set is foolish, please state so.
Other than that, behold...it's Shedinja! Also, I would like to apologize for the countless content in the Swords Dancing Exoskeleton set. There's so much to talk about (it has so many counters, and thus, partners), so bear with me :P
Finally, school starts on Monday so I won't be contributing as frequently. A toast to the last few days of the holidays!
------------------------------------------------------
[SET]
name: Swords Dancer
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak / Shadow Claw
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
item: Focus Sash / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Shedinja is a nearly forgotten Pokemon and is regularly regarded as the inferior of the two Nincada evolutions. While its brother, Ninjask, shines in the OU tier, Shedinja is unfortunately condemned to thrive in the lower tiers. However, it isn't all bad news for this ghostly bug. Despite only having 1 HP and no more than that, Shedinja has a number of tricks up its sleeve. One important feature that makes Shedinja appealing to use is its Wonder Guard ability, which prevents anything except super effective damage (and a number of other effects that will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs) from being able to hit it. Combine its 12 immunities with Swords Dance and a decent base 90 Attack stat, and Shedinja is more than able to pack a punch against anything that decides to stand in its way.</p>
<p>Swords Dance is Shedinja's best bet to prepare for a rare but possible sweep. After a single Swords Dance boost, Shedinja's Attack is increased to a stat of 612, which is amazingly powerful in the low tiers where it dwells in. Sadly, Shedinja's offensive movepool isn't great, and for this reason it must rely on the few attacking options that are available to it. X-Scissor is its most powerful move, earning a bonus from its Bug-type STAB, and is used to eliminate most Dark-, Grass-, and Psychic-types. After a Swords Dance, X-Scissor is capable of wrecking many walls in the UU metagame. Examples of these are Claydol (who Shedinja OHKOes), Tangrowth, Slowbro, Milotic, and Uxie (who are all 2HKOed with Stealth Rock in play). Next, Sucker Punch is a welcoming priority move that temporarily ignores Shedinja's pathetic Speed, allowing it to strike first. A Swords Dance boosted Sucker Punch OHKOes 48 HP Mismagius, 40 HP Dugtrio, and 252 HP Rotom. However, since Sucker Punch can commonly strike up unfavorable prediction wars between Shedinja and its opponent, Shadow Sneak is a weaker but safer option that provides the same exact coverage as Sucker Punch does. If you decide to neglect the use of a priority move, Shadow Claw is another particularly strong, STAB-boosted move that Shedinja has at its disposal. As far as physical attacking goes, however, those are only the decent choices of moves that Shedinja can employ. Attempting to use more powerful options like Return will seriously minimize the very limited type coverage Shedinja is already cursed with having. Thankfully, it was presented the ability to use either Toxic or Will-O-Wisp to inflict nasty status effects on a range of opponents. These status effects can catch opponents, particularly Steel-types that tend to wall Shedinja's attacks with ease, off guard. While Will-O-Wisp cripples physically oriented Pokemon that are looking to finish Shedinja off with Pursuit or any super effective move in general, Toxic can be used to infect anything that isn't a Steel- or Poison-type that might be bold enough so as to switch into Shedinja's attacks. The use of status moves on this set is more than rewarding as it means that nothing can safely switch into Shedinja's attacks without being enfeebled in some way. The EV spread maximizess Shedinja's Attack and Speed, the only two stats worth investing EVs into. The only reason Shedinja should have a Defense IV of 0 is that a Porygon-Z switching into Shedinja will receive an Attack instead of a Special Attack boost from Download.</p>
<p>Despite its whole bunch of immunities, there is one prime reason that describes why many people dislike wielding Shedinja on their teams: it requires an innumerable amount of support to shine. Because of this, Shedinja is a pokemon to build a team around, not a pokemon that can be randomly placed in a team and expected to succeed. Before knowing what support to give it, however, one must be familiar with absolutely everything that can kill it. Although Wonder Guard prevents non-super effective attacks from hitting Shedinja, it does not prevent a wide range of other things from bringing this bug down. Shedinja can actually be unbelievably easy to counter. Firstly, Flying-, Rock-, Ghost-, Fire-, and Dark-type moves will butcher Shedinja in a split second. If Shedinja fears getting hit by these attacking types, which are by no means rare, it can choose to equip a Focus Sash to be able to withstand one hit and take another before dying. Focus Sash, however, will not save Shedinja from the second way of countering it: entry hazards on its side of the field. Switching into Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Toxic Spikes pronounces Shedinja's swift and immediate death sentence. Thirdly, the residual damage of poison, burn, Leech Seed, sandstorm, hail, and any form of recoil (whether it comes from Double-Edge or Life Orb) will produce an effect similar to if Shedinja switches into entry hazards - Focus Sash will not save it, and it will perish instantaneously. Although it cannot save Shedinja from the likes of hail's pelting damage or confusion's backfiring damage, Lum Berry can cure the effects of poison and burn off Shedinja, making it just as useful an item as Focus Sash is. The fourth problem Shedinja has is dealing with a number of abilities - Rough Skin, Bad Dreams, Aftermath, and Liquid Ooze (if Shedinja uses a health-absorbing move) damage can take it down. Thankfully, not too many Pokemon possess these abilities. The fifth strategy that can defeat Shedinja is the use of the Mold Breaker ability to neutralize Wonder Guard. Foresight and Gastro Acid are also moves that can take advantage of Shedinja. Finally, it must beware of a number of moves, including Perish Song, Future Sight, and Curse coming from a Ghost-type. Struggle will also eliminate Shedinja, so it must watch out if an opponent is running low on PP.</p>
<p>In summary, an example of an effective defensive core that features Shedinja would be similar to something as follows: Shedinja + Steel-type + something that resists Fire-type moves, where each of its partners must be able to Rapid Spin, nullify any weather in play, and absorb status. For example, in UU, a Shedinja + Registeel + Blastoise combo is excellent, while in OU, a Shedinja + Forretress / Heatran + Heatran / Tentacruel combo is solid enough. Shedinja can have more than two partners aiding it, but the whole core must still be able to fulfill the purposes described in this paragraph as a force. Offensively, Shedinja requires very different support. Offensive partners that can help it are those that can take down the Steel-type walls that trouble it. As such, Fighting- and Fire-type partners, like Infernape or Heatran, can assist it immensely. Steel-type trappers like Magnezone fulfill roles similar to ones that of the aforementioned Fighting- and Fire-types. On offensive teams that rely on entry hazards to win, Shedinja can help, too. Wonder Guard renders it immune to Normal-type moves, and by foiling all Rapid Spinning attempts, it can provide pretty decent team support. A special mention must go to the very successful Grass + Fire + Water combo in UU. Shedinja usually does away with Grass-types with X-Scissor, and Water-types usually cannot touch it except if they have access to Toxic. This leaves only Fire-types to be worried about. Together with a fellow Water-type, Shedinja can block this core. Blastoise is an effective partner as it can Rapid Spin as well. Any Fire-type attacks directed at Shedinja can be sponged by Blastoise, while any Grass- (except Leech Seed), Electric-, or Water-type attacks are useless against Shedinja.</p>
<p>It certainly cannot be argued that Shedinja requires an insane amount of support to work well, but if used properly it can cause more than nightmares to an opponent's team. Shedinja loves doing battle with specific types of Pokemon. Firstly, it has no problem with Water-types that rely on a Water + Electric + Ice + Grass combination to win (which almost all Water-types do), since it is immune to all these attacking types. Another combo it is happy enough to face is a Normal- + Water-type move combination (usually used by Pokemon like Bibarel or Azumarill) resisted by few in the game. Because of resistances to these popular offensive combos, Shedinja can wall a large number of opponents without much effort. Is a +6 Calm Mind Kyogre causing problems? Is that +6 Swords Dance Scizor ripping your team apart? Is that pesky +6 Calm Mind Suicune tanking around like a boss? Well, with a little help from our sleepy bug here, these threats and many more can be defeated eventually, as they're nothing Shedinja can't handle. Shedinja may be weak, but give it the necessary team support and it can even rival (or can be better than) many other threats in today's metagame and finally get the little glory it deserves.</p>
<p>The next few paragraphs examine in-depth Shedinja counters and supportive options in both the OU and UU tier.</p>
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Shedinja is arguably less effective in OU than in UU, but it can still funtion with enough support. Given the dragging list of what Shedinja is weak to, it has a number of specific counters in OU that it hates with a burning passion. Skarmory is one of the better Pokemon that can take advantage of Shedinja to set up entry hazards. Brave Bird can kill Shedinja, and Skarmory takes little damage from the likes of X-Scissor and Sucker Punch. It is immune to Toxic and doesn't gravely mind getting burnt. Other bulky Steel-types follow Skarmory's footsteps; they don't take much damage from any of Shedinja's attacks. Next, Tyranitar, Abomasnow, and Hippowdon can have a sandstorm or hailstorm brewing to make short work of Shedinja. Tyranitar has the added bonus of being able to use Pursuit, which can trap Shedinja if it decides to escape. Tyranitar must, however, watch out for both X-Scissor and Will-O-Wisp. Probably Shedinja's best counter, though, is Heatran. With immunities to both Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, a 4x resistance to X-Scissor, and a 2x resistance to either Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak, or Sucker Punch, Heatran's presence in any match will severely limit what Shedinja is able to do. It is lucky enough if it can escape with its life, as Heatran's Fire Blast will roast this bug without hesitation. Other solid examples of Shedinja counters are Rest + Sleep Talkers. Machamp is excellent at the job, resisting both Sucker Punch and X-Scissor, while able to absorb a Will-O-Wisp and select either Payback or Stone Edge to OHKO Shedinja through the use of Sleep Talk. Finally, Normal-Flying Pokemon like Togekiss and Staraptor resist Shedinja's X-Scissor and are immune to its Ghost-type moves as well. This will often allow them to use Nasty Plot or Substitute respectively to set up on Shedinja, which can cause problems for your whole team if they are not dealt with quickly.</p>
<p>The lengthy list of Shedinja counters must all be remedied if it wishes to even manage to come face-to-face with an opponent. It is impossible for Shedinja to effectively function with only one partner; it must have a number of teammates ready to provide aid. A Steel-type partner helps it defensively, cushioning most attacking types that Shedinja is weak to. In OU, Heatran is Shedinja's best friend, as it is immune to poison and burn, while resisting all of the attacks Shedinja is weak to. Heatran has the additional bonus of gaining a Flash Fire boost if Fire-type attacks hit it. Similarly, Forretress can accomplish a number of jobs for Shedinja - Rapid Spin, resist three of five attacking types it's weak to, and absorb poison. However, they have mutual weaknesses to Fire-type moves, and that must be carefully watched out for. Next, it is a rule that in every team that sports Shedinja in it, a Rapid Spinner or two must be present. The abundance of Stealth Rock in everyday play means that Shedinja is treading on thin ice in whichever tier it may be. In OU, Forretress has already been mentioned - it is a star at the job, thanks to being partly Steel-type. Another form of support that can greatly aid Shedinja's survival is the removal of sandstorm or hail from the field. Teams that have Shedinja in them must always be prepared for any of these weather effects, no matter what tier it is. A Pokemon should always be prepared to use either Sunny Day or Rain Dance to replace sandstorm and hail with sunny and rainy weather, which are not harmful to Shedinja at all. Finally, another way to protect Shedinja is to Baton Pass a Substitute to it. Shedinja can ironically be partnered with Ninjask, who can set up not only a Substitute but also a number of Swords Dances along the way. Bulkier options include Umbreon or Vaporeon. When selecting a Baton Passing partner, make sure that Shedinja's weaknesses are different than those of the Baton Passer. This will allow Shedinja to switch in on an attack that cannot harm it, while it sits safely behind a protective Substitute and its very valuable item.</p>
<h4>UU</h4>
<p>Although the UU metagame is very different than the OU metagame in terms of defensive and offensive threats, Shedinja pretty much requires the same types of support as it does in OU. A large difference in UU is that Shedinja must pay close attention to Grass-types like Vileplume and Roserade; most of them tend to have a whole arsenal of status-inducing moves with them, along with Leech Seed and the occasional Hidden Power Fire. Grass-types are usually paired with Water-types; a partnership of Roserade and Milotic is not uncommon in the lower tiers. Thankfully, most Water-types cannot do anything to Shedinja, as they have no super effective moves with which to touch it; Shedinja can also use X-Scissor to catch any Grass-type switch-ins off guard.</p>
<p>Shedinja's counters in UU are also very similar to its OU ones. Steel-types like Registeel and Steelix are immune to Toxic and don't greatly mind getting burnt. Both of them take pitiful damage from any of Shedinja's attacking moves, and can use Toxic or Stone Edge respectively to do away with it for good. They can even set up Stealth Rock in the process to make sure that Shedinja isn't able to switch in again. Next, Pursuit Pokemon seal Shedinja's fate unless it has a Substitute Baton Passed to it. Drapion is great at the job, since 252 HP versions only take a maximum of 70% from a boosted X-Scissor and even less from anything else Shedinja fires at it. Shedinja must also watch out for the rare but existent Hippopotas. Fire-types that can take a hit or two, like Moltres or Torkoal, can use their immunities to Will-O-Wisp and resistances to X-Scissor to blast Shedinja away with moves like Fire Punch or Fire Blast. Rest + Sleep Talkers that don't mind getting inflicted by the effects of Will-O-Wisp or Toxic can also make fine Shedinja counters. Rest Shuckle is a fantastic Shedinja counter - it can use Encore to lock Shedinja into Swords Dance, while taking a maximum of only 41% from a +2 X-Scissor. Shuckle can then use Knock Off to kill Shedinja or swipe off its ever-useful item. As in OU, Shedinja will face problems against Normal-/Flying-type Pokemon; the most prominent example is Swellow, who actually benefits from getting inflicted by status, and takes little damage from any of Shedinja's other moves.</p>
<p>Probopass or Magneton are excellent partners, as not only are they able to take Flying-, Rock-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks with ease, but they are also able to trap any Steel-types that may be causing problems for Shedinja. Probopass is a better defensive partner compared to the likes of Registeel because it is not weak to Fire-type moves, but Registeel's typing is obviously much better than Probopass'. Next comes the need for a Rapid Spinner partner. Hitmontop is a solid choice of Rapid Spinner, resisting Dark- and Rock-type moves. With the use of Foresight, its Rapid Spin will be able to hit even Ghost-types if they switch in. Shared weaknesses to Flying-type attacks may seem like a letdown, but moves like Air Slash and Brave Bird are far from ubiquitous. Next, to protect Shedinja from potential Pursuit users, Substitutes can be Baton Passed to it. In UU, Blaziken makes a solid Baton Passing partner with its immunity to Will-O-Wisp and ability to take care of Steel-types. Blaziken has the added bonus of being resistant to Dark- and Fire-type attacks as well. It can even pass an Agility or Swords Dance if it has time.</p>
[SET]
name: Trick
move 1: Trick
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak / Shadow Claw
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic / Swords Dance
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Equipping a Choice Band onto Shedinja allows it to possess more immediate attacking power without having to worry about using Swords Dance. However, if prediction is an important element of the game in Shedinja's previous set, this set requires much more. One wrong prediction can bring Shedinja down - Pursuit users, especially Choice Banded ones, can be highly threatening to this set. If Shedinja is locked onto Trick or a not-very-effective move, the same Pursuit user can wastes Shedinja's presence on any team. This set is also much easier to wall than the Swords Dancer, as Shedinja's dismal type coverage means that a large number of opponents can easily switch in and begin setting up on it.</p>
<p>Trick is what binds this set together. By using it, Shedinja can cripple some of its most common counters and switch-ins, like Registeel, Heatran, and Shuckle. All of these tend to loathe receiving a Choice Band. Next, Shedinja's moveset hasn't really changed from its Swords Dancing variant. X-Scissor is its most powerful attack, gaining a STAB boost from Shedinja's part Bug-typing. Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak can both make up for Shedinja's low Speed stat; Sucker Punch requires more prediction to use, but Shadow Sneak is weaker. Because of Shedinja's seriously poor type coverage, status moves can be used in the last slot. Will-O-Wisp and Toxic can both cripple a range of Shedinja switch-ins, like Pursuit users or bulky walls. Swords Dance is also a viable option here; once Shedinja has tricked its Choice Band away, it can use Swords Dance to try to sweep an opponent's team. Shedinja can even play guessing games with its opponent by using Swords Dance even if it still has its Choice Band. The desired effect if such a move is used is to see what your opponent will switch into Shedinja. The next time it comes into play, Shedinja can instead blast it away with a more powerful X-Scissor, Sucker Punch, Shadow Claw, or Shadow Sneak. Besides these options, it also has a number of other slightly gimmicky choice of moves that can nevertheless be used on this set. Dig covers Steel-types, but since it is a two-turn move it will give an opponent a chance to set up on you. Return is even more powerful than Sucker Punch, but doesn't help Shedinja at all in terms of type coverage. When considering to use these moves, put them in Shedinja's fourth move slot. It desperately needs the moves listed in its second and third move slots to be efficient at making the most out of its Choice Band.</p>
<p>This set encounters the same problems as the previous set does - the many strategies and moves used to take Shedinja down. In a nutshell, these include super effective moves, recoil damage, residual damage from status and weather, entry hazards, and a number of other things that can be found in the Counters section. Besides these, Shedinja still has its precise counters. Although Steel-types like Steelix and Registeel won't like switching into this set for fear of obtaining a Choice Band, many other Pokemon do. Physically Choiced Pokemon like Dugtrio and Absol can absorb Shedinja's Trick, while threatening it with Pursuit. If Shedinja does use Trick and receives either a Choice Band, Choice Specs, or Choice Scarf in return, it is either continuously forced to use Trick or switch out. This makes it unmistakable Pursuit bait, and switching back in and out is not on the top of Shedinja's list of favorite things. If it is locked onto any other move, the previously mentioned Steel-types, along with Fighting-types, can switch into Shedinja without worrying at all. Because of this, Shedinja's greater rivals in UU are the following: Hariyama (because of its ability to use Whirlwind and Payback while sporting resistances to X-Scissor and Sucker Punch; it doesn't mind a Choice Band either), Dugtrio (because it actually likes a Choice Band and can set up on or survive a Shadow Sneak or Sucker Punch), and Registeel (while it does hate a Choice Band, it loves absorbing Shedinja's other moves). In OU, Shedinja despises Gyarados (it is fine with a Choice Band and takes little damage from X-Scissor or anything else), Tyranitar (it can survive an X-Scissor while resisting Sucker Punch or Shedinja's Ghost-type moves; it doesn't mind a Choice Band and has Pursuit), Scizor and Metagross (because of reasons similar to Tyranitar). It also despises Normal-Flying Pokemon that resist or are immune to its STAB moves - examples are Swellow (in UU), Togekiss, and Staraptor (in OU). One thing to note is that Shedinja is extremely vulnerable to Choiced Pursuit in whatever tier it is being used, and many players will use this to their advantage.</p>
<p>As always, a Rapid Spinner is Shedinja's most important partner. In the lower tiers, Blastoise is a fine choice of partner, resisting any Fire-type moves that can easily crisp Shedinja. Shedinja in turn sports immunities to Water- and Grass-types that are super effective against Blastoise. In OU, Forretress is an obvious choice, resisting three out of five of Shedinja's weaknesses. It can also absorb Toxic and is not too fazed by the likes of Leech Seed and burn, moves that can make short work of Shedinja. Tentacruel, however, can be an excellent defensive partner as well, since it can withstand any attacks Heatran might throw at Shedinja. In return, Shedinja can help either Tentacruel or Forretress by preventing opponents from blowing any Spikes or Toxic Spikes that they might have set up on the field. With Wonder Guard, Shedinja is immune to Rapid Spin. Offensively, have a partner that can set up if an opponent is locked onto a Choiced Pursuit. Since Shedinja is easily revenge killed by even the weakest of Pursuits, having a partner that can set up and takes little to no damage from the same Pursuit can help your team obtain a sweep. In the lower tiers, examples of such Pokemon are Toxicroak and Drapion. In OU, examples include Lucario and Empoleon. What makes these Pokemon appealing choices as partners are because they can help Shedinja defensively, too. Toxicroak, while being able to set up on a Choiced Pursuit, resists Rock- and Dark-type attacks. Drapion resists Dark- and Ghost-type attacks aimed at Shedinja and can use Pursuit on some of Shedinja's typical revenge killers like Dugtrio. Lucario takes 1/4 damage from Pursuit and has important resistances to the Ghost-, Dark-, and Rock-type moves that Shedinja is weak against. The same applies with Empoleon, who has resistances to Ghost-, Dark-, Rock-, and Flying-type attacks. All of these partners are immune to poison. Also, offensive Shedinja partners should be able to deal with the Steel-type Pokemon that it loathes. All of the four discussed partners have their own ways of dealing with any Steel-type wall that decides to prevent a Shedinja sweep. Because of the addition of Trick on this set, trapping Steel-types is made much easier. Shedinja can catch opponents like Steelix and Registeel off guard; when they decide to harm Shedinja with moves like Stone Edge and Toxic, Magneton can be sent in to finish them off. Dugtrio also makes a solid choice to revenge kill Steel-types that are low on health, or even Pokemon locked onto a relatively well-powered Pursuit, but the fact that both Pokemon are unbelievably frail should be considered before placing them on the same team.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Shedinja's movepool is rather limited. Baton Pass can be used to escape the clutches of a Pursuit user, while functioning as a reasonable scouting move. Don't expect Baton Pass Shedinja to be effective, though; entry hazards will greatly limit the number of times it will be able to switch in. Protect is another good option that can help Shedinja analyze what the opponent is about to do to it, which can make predicting significantly easier. Sand Attack and Flash can both be used to reduce the accuracy of opposing Pokemon. Swagger and Confuse Ray can both inflict confusion upon an opponent, allowing Shedinja to switch out of Pursuit users if they hit themselves in the process. Both moves can also cause problems to all of Shedinja's switch-ins that cannot be confused; thus, it can be substituted for Toxic or Will-O-Wisp on any Shedinja set. Thief can be used to steal an item if Shedinja's own item has been used.</p>
<p>In terms of offense, it has few better options that what has already been listed. Its Special Attack is so low that you shouldn't even be touching moves like Shadow Ball and Bug Buzz. Dig is a useful move that can deal with Steel-types to some degree, but being a two turn move means that opponents will gladly set up on Shedinja's Dig if they find any remote chance to do so. Return doesn't provide any additional type coverage but hits particularly hard. Bug Bite can steal the occasional Salac, Lum, or Liechi Berry, but you should stick with X-Scissor due to its extra power.</p>
<p>Finally, a Jolly nature is viable when paired with Agility. Don't rely on Agility Shedinja to sweep teams, though.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Having only 1 HP means that investing EVs into HP useless. It also makes the ability to take hits useless. If you haven't figured it out yet, leave its HP, Defense, and Special Defense alone. Shedinja's base 30 Special Attack is pitiful and should also be ignored. This leaves investing EVs into its Attack and Speed worthwile. In fact, a direct spread of 252 Atk / 252 Spe are the only EVs you should think of using on this bug. The remaining 4 EVs, which don't matter at all, should go into one of its defenses.</p>
<p>As mentioned before, an Adamant nature with a Defense IV of 0 on Shedinja makes sure that if a Porygon-Z with the Download ability switches in, it obtains an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack one.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Before even considering to pair Shedinja up with any partner or two, you must first know each and every single effect in the game that can kill it. These can be found in the Counters section. After you have done that, it's time to scratch the content off of that list. The idea is that by doing so, nothing that can kill Shedinja will appear, and it can turn into a long-living, immortal Pokemon. Also, note that a typical defensive Shedinja core looks something like this: Shedinja + Steel-type + a Pokemon that resists Fire-type moves. One (or even better, two) of Shedinja's partners should be able to use Rapid Spin and Rain Dance or Sunny Day. A typical offensive Shedinja core looks something like this: Shedinja + Fighting-type + Rock-type. Fighting-types help take care of Steel-types that can wall Shedinja entirely. Both of Shedinja's Fighting- and Rock-type partners are usually bulky enough to be able to set up on a Choiced Pursuit in the event that Shedinja is revenge killed. These are the general ideas of cores that you should use when featuring Shedinja in your team. More in-depth details of partners are provided in the upcoming two paragraphs.</p>
<h4>OU</h4>
<p>Steel-types resist four of the five super effective moves Shedinja is weak to. They also have the added bonus of being immune to poison, and if they are defensively-oriented then they will not mind getting burnt too much. They are also immune to Sandstorm's constant damage. Good Steel-type partners that function effectively with Shedinja in OU include Heatran, Lucario, Magnezone, and Forretress. Defensively, Heatran can take absolutely everything that is directed at Shedinja, even gaining a Flash Fire boost from time to time if it is hit with the many Fire-type moves that plague the bug. It is immune to both status effects that can knock Shedinja out - poison and burn. Offensively, it can use powerful Fire Blasts or Earth Powers to weaken Steel-types that effortlessly switch right into Shedinja's face, expecting to wall its attacking moves and Toxic. In return, Shedinja helps Heatran out too - defensively, it is immune to Water-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks, attacking types that deal super effective damage to Heatran. Offensively, it can threaten common Heatran counters, like Latias and bulky Water-types that usually can't touch Shedinja, with a powerful X-Scissor. Together, Heatran and Shedinja can take down the infamous Grass + Water + Fire combo. Empoleon is very much like Heatran, but it does not resist Fire-type moves, and Heatran is generally a better Shedinja partner overall. Lucario is a more offensively-minded partner with the ability to set up if Shedinja is killed by a Choice Banded Pursuit. Although both Pokemon share a Fire-type weakness, they cannot be disregarded as a supportive core - Lucario cushions Rock-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks aimed at Shedinja, while Shedinja is immune to Ground- and Fighting-type attacks that destroy Lucario. Magnezone is another good option because it can trap the annoying Steel-types that wall Shedinja, like Registeel, Metagross, and Scizor. If Shedinja is revenge killed by Pursuit coming from the likes of Metagross and Scizor, Magnezone can come in and use a Magnet Rise + Thunderbolt combo to eventually KO Metagross. Scizor is dealt with by Hidden Power Fire. However, the star of the show seems to be Forretress. The simple reason is because Forretress can achieve to things: set up entry hazards and Rapid Spin. Rapid Spin allows Shedinja to switch into an opponent without having to worry about getting hurt by Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes. Next, if Forretress has managed to set up a coupe of entry hazards, guess who can become a spin blocker! That's right - Shedinja is immune to Rapid Spin, preventing any attempts made by opponents to blow away the entry hazards Forretress has set up on the field. Steel-types aren't all, though. Because of Shedinja's and most Steel-types' shared weakness to Fire-type moves, it never hurts to place something like Kingdra in your team. Opposing Steel-types are often paired with Water-types, and Kingdra has 1/4 resistances to both Fire- and Water-type moves! This makes it easy to set up on something that can threaten a Shedinja + Steel-type core, like Heatran or Gyarados. With a few Dragon Dances under Kingdra's belt, it can even perform a sweep. Other bulky Water-types like Suicune are also great choices to wall the same enemies of the Shedinja + Steel-type core. Next, if you do not like the idea of Magnezone trapping opponents' Steel-types, Dugtrio can be used. Dugtrio can also trap and kill some problematic Pokemon like Tyranitar and Heatran - these usually have nasty ideas of what to do to Shedinja, and Shedinja will appreciate having them removed from the match. Finally, remember that you should always have a Pokemon that can use Rain Dance or Sunny Day, just to be safe and clear any sandstorm or hailstorm that may be continuously going.</p>
<h4>UU</h4>
<p>It's not too different in UU, too. Shedinja can be thankful that the presence of Pursuit is not as common as it is in OU, but it must still watch out for the occasional Absol or Drapion. Defensively, you will want another Steel-type that has been emphasized as excellent Shedinja partners - bulky Steel-types in UU range from Registeel and Steelix to Probopass and Magneton. The first two are more defensively dedicated options, while the latter two are designed to trap other Steel-types. Whatever Steel-type you use, they can all counter one of Shedinja's dreaded enemies: Swellow, who resists Ghost-type moves and X-Scissor, while earning a Guts Boost if it switches into Shedinja's Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Next, neutralize the shared Fire-type weakness by adding another teammate to your core - this must be a Pokemon that resists Fire-type attacks, like Milotic or Blastoise. It is not a good idea to add a slow Fire-type Pokemon, since Dugtrio will make a mess of your core otherwise. Bulky Water-types are the way to go: Milotic can defeat Dugtrio and other Fire-types with powerful Surfs, while Blastoise can do the same, with the added access to Rapid Spin. Adding a Poison-type to your team won't hurt, too - Poison-types can help Shedinja absorb Toxic and Toxic Spikes. If you are not fond of supporting Shedinja too defensively, try a Shedinja + Fighting-type + Rock-type combo. This combo relies on the fact that if Shedinja is revenge killed by the likes of a Choiced Pursuit or Flamethrower, its Fighting-type or Rock-type partner can switch in and get a free turn to do whatever they want. For example, Toxicroak can use Nasty Plot if an opponent is locked onto Pursuit, while Relicanth can use Rock Polish if an opponent is locked onto a Fire- or Flying-type move. Shedinja can also be a fantastic counter to the fairly common UU Rain Dance teams - Ludicolo (without Leech Seed), Omastar, Lanturn, Gorebyss, and Floatzel (without Crunch) all can't touch it at all! Shedinja can then keep firing off X-Scissor comfortably from the sanctuary provided by Wonder Guard. Watch out for Kabutops, though.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>DPP has not been particularly kind to Shedinja because of sandstorm and hail, Pursuit, and entry hazards (namely Stealth Rock) running around everywhere. Furthermore, Shedinja requires an insane amount of support to succeed, let alone switch in multiple times in one match. Shedinja is best used in the late game, after all its counters are eliminated. If the remaining opponent's Pokemon are unable to deal any damage to it, they are basically done for. However, if you reveal it too early in the match, it is without doubt that your opponents will keep their Shedinja-swatters hidden until they serve their purposes. This defeats the point of Shedinja's immunities.</p>
<p>It is true that Shedinja needs a mountain of support to actually be able to deal any damage at all, but provide such support and Shedinja can drive opponents to the verge of madness. Just remember that Wonder Guard is not invincible and never will be unless typical Shedinja counters are taken care of first.</p>
[Counters]
<p>First, know what can kill Shedinja. This will make finding a counter much easier. Refer to this list:</p>
<ul>
<li>Super Effective Moves (Fire-, Rock-, Ghost-, Dark-, and Flying-type moves)</li>
<li>Recoil Damage (Life Orb, Double-Edge, Confusion, etc.)</li>
<li>Residual Damage (Sandstorm, Leech Seed, Poison, Entry Hazards, etc.)</li>
<li>Damage Dealing Abilities (Rough Skin, Bad Dreams etc.)
</li>
<li>Nullifying or Changing Wonder Guard (Mold Breaker, Worry Seed etc.)</li>
<li>Type-Ignorant Attacks (Doom Desire, Curse, Struggle etc.) (Struggle, Future Sight, Doom Desire, Curse)</li>
</ul>
<p>With this list in mind, let us go through a number of its most effective counters.</p>
<h4>OU</h4>
Heatran is arguably Shedinja's best counter - immunities to both Will-O-Wisp and Toxic and resistances to X-Scissor and Shedinja's Dark- or Ghost-type moves means that Heatran will have an easy time with Shedinja. Heatran can also take it down with Fire Blast; it must, however, beware of the occasional Dig. It doesn't like a Choice Band, either. Skarmory functions similarly to Heatran - it resists all of Shedinja's attacking moves, doesn't mind a Will-O-Wisp or Toxic, and it can use Brave Bird for super effective damage against Shedinja. Skarmory can take it one step further by setting up entry hazards that can potentially prevent Shedinja from switching into play again. Although Tyranitar and Abomasnow are both weak to X-Scissor, their Sand Stream and Snow Warning abilities can KO Shedinja after just one turn of the "harmful" weather, and not even a Focus Sash can save it. The abundance of Pursuit in OU makes it hard for either of Shedinja's sets to function effectively if the same Pursuit users are not eliminated fast enough. Scizor, Metagross, and Weavile all don't mind Choice Bands; Scizor and Metagross can take an X-Scissor, while all three can take Sucker Punches, Shadow Sneaks, or Shadow Claws. Although they must beware of Will-O-Wisp, Pursuit will still make short work of Shedinja. The bulk that Scizor and Metagross possess make them ideal Shedinja counters, in addition to their immunity to Toxic. Weavile is a riskier option, but if played correctly, it can be just as deadly as other prominent Pursuit users are.</p>
<h4>UU</h4>
<p>In UU, Pursuit and harmful weather effects are less common, but Shedinja must still watch out for them. If Shedinja locks into the wrong move, especially on its Trick + Choice Band set, Pokemon like Absol and Drapion will switch in on Shedinja with smiles on their faces. It is not necessary to describe what happens next; most of the time, Shedinja will not escape alive. Bulky Steel-types in general can wall Shedinja to no end, resisting all of its offensive moves except Dig. Registeel and Steelix are solid forces that must be taken care of before Shedinja switches in; otherwise, they can and will use whatever moves they have in their arsenal to KO it, while taking minimal damage from attacks Shedinja fires at them. The same applies to Fighting-types like Hariyama and Blaziken. Hariyama can wall Shedinja's moves with its enormous defensive potential, while retaliating with either Payback to KO it or Whirlwind to pHaze it. Obviously, Shedinja becomes threatened by any present entry hazards the next time it decides to switch it. Blaziken can use super effective Fire-type moves against Shedinja or even set up an Agility (or two) to take advantage of it. Normal-Flying Pokemon are also excellent choices to defend against Shedinja's Bug/Ghost offensive attacking combination; an example is Swellow, who can switch in on a status move to activate its Guts ability, killing two birds with one stone.</p>
<p>A special counter is Porygon2, who can Trace Shedinja's Wonder Guard ability and use Toxic to bring Shedinja down. Porygon2 can then abuse its newly obtained Wonder Guard ability; good luck defeating it if you don't have Toxic or a super effective Fighting-type move!</p>
