Shuckle

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[OVERVIEW]

* Shuckle's main role on a team is to set up Sticky Web, which helps the offense matchup.
* Shuckle has many moves to help it do its job such as Toxic and Encore.
* Shuckle's ability, Sturdy allows a guaranteed survival of a move, opening up an item slot.
* Having 230 defenses means that Shuckle is bulkier than most hyper-offense leads.
* However, Shuckle has base 20 HP, which makes its bulk not as good as it seems.
* Shuckle is completely shut down by Magic Bounce, as it can do almost nothing to those Pokemon.
* It also faces competition with Smeargle, which can remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and having moves such as Spore and Nuzzle to help it set up Sticky Web.

[SET]
name: Sticky Web Lead
move 1: Sticky Web
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Rock Tomb
move 4: Encore
item: Mental Herb
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP/ 132 Def/ 124 SpD

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

* Sticky Web is the hazard Shuckle will be setting up, slowing down grounded Pokemon.
* Toxic cripples Pokemon that come in against Shuckle.
* Rock Tomb slows down Flying-types, which somewhat makes up for their immunity to Sticky Web.
* Encore allows Shuckle to set up easier and gives a teammate an easier chance to switch in.

Set Details
========
* Since Shuckle is bulkier than most leads and has Sturdy, Mental Herb will be used in order to prevent Taunt and Encore for a turn, guaranteeing a chance for setting up Sticky Web against Taunt users.
* Max HP increases Shuckle's maximum bulk and compensates for the low HP it has.
* 124 Special Defense EVs allows it to prevent a 2HKO from a Life Orb Yveltal's Dark Pulse and max invested Moonblast from Xerneas.
* The rest of the EVs and a Bold Nature are used to invest into physical bulk, allowing it to tank physical moves from Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Necrozma-Dusk-Mane better.
* Sturdy is used in order to guarantee a survival of moves that KO Shuckle.

Usage Tips
========

* Shuckle can lead and get Sticky Web up almost every game. However, don't switch it in if Magic Bounce users, Rapid Spin users, or Mega Gengar is on the opposing team, as those Pokemon can either reflect,
* Switch a Ghost-type in against a predicted Rapid Spin, as Ghost-types are immune to Rapid Spin, thus negating the hazard removal.
* To stop Defog while Shuckle is not in play, either use Taunt or hard hitters to pressure Defog users, preventing or punishing them from using Defog.
* Use Toxic to punish switch-ins and checks, such as Support-Arceus forms.
* Use Rock Tomb on Flying-types, as the speed drop acts like they have been affected by Sticky Web.
* Use Encore on non-attacking moves, such as set up moves or cleric moves.

Team Options
========

* Almost any wallbreaker appreciates Sticky Web, as Sticky Web handles the offense matchup. Examples of wallbreakers are Rayquaza, SD Necrozma-Dusk-Mane, and Mega Lucario.
*

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Infestation can be run over another move to trap the active Pokemon, allowing Shuckle to set up hazards easier without having to worry about its checks.

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

**Magic Bounce**: Magic Bounce from Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie completely shut down Shuckle as Magic Bounce reflects Sticky Web, Toxic, and Encore, forcing it to switch.

**Rapid Spin**: Rapid Spin from Excadril and Cloyster can be a problem to Shuckle, as they can set up their own hazards and then spinning it away with ease.

**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can easily eliminate Shuckle from the game by Taunting it and removing it with its STAB moves. If Mega Gengar has a Defog user on its team, then they can now freely use Defog, as Shuckle is eliminated from the game.

**Defog**: Defog Mega Salamence is one of the biggest nuisances to Shuckle, as it is immune to Sticky Web and can doesn't mind status if it has Facade or Refresh. Other Defoggers, such as Support Arceus forms, Giratina forms, and Xerneas can work, but they either affected by Sticky Web, or get crippled by Toxic

**Other Anti-Lead Moves**: Magic Coat from Smeargle and Deoxys-S can easily reflect Sticky Web, although it can be played around with good play. Although incredibly rare, sleep moves from users such as Darkrai and Lunala can shut Shuckle down.
 
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AM QC, implement what you agree / care

Overview:

- The reason why Shuckle is used over Smeargle as a web setter is its ability to take couple hits (20 / 230 / 230 is sufficient) and access to Sturdy, meaning unlike Smeargle, it has a room for Mental Herb
- Thanks to aforementioned traits it is guaranteed to set up Sticky Web against anything that doesn't have Magic Bounce, also it has access to Stealth Rock
- Due to its abysmal offensive stats it is very one-dimentional

Moveset:

- Slash Stealth Rock
- Mention physically defensive EV spread are possible to improve matchup against Primal Groudon and Sunsteel Strike users while surviving two Double-Edge from Adamant Mega Salamence majority of the time.
 

Stoward

Ah, you're finally awake
Hi, before this is ready for QC, I feel like there are a couple of other things that need mentioning

1. In team options, it's important to elaborate why those Pokemon make good partners. What they enjoy shuckle's ability to set hazards and why shuckle enjoys having them as partners

2. Use * instead of • for dot points, otherwise it screws things up when the skeleton gets uploaded

3. Infestation should at least be in other options, as it allows shuckle to easily trap opponents and set hazards/spread status more easily. If anything, if your opponent switches into something that can deal with shuckle, it prevents them from double switching and keeps you in control, which is important for the hyper offense sort of squads that shuckle belongs on. Furthermore, infestation can trap support arceus formes and combining that with toxic and encore means that you can potentially remove them from the field.

4. Deoxys-S is also a common Magic Coat user and deserves a mention.

5. Elaborating from what DawnManeDuskWings said, Stealth Rock is useful on Shuckle as it frees up that slot so that Primal Groudon can run a more offensive set.

6. I think the EVs might be worth discussing, since I'm not entirely sure running max SpD on shuckle is necessarily it's best set. I mean sure, running bulk for Ygod might be useful, but Xerneas typically is meant to act as a late-game cleaner, and max SpD calm Shuckle still takes 71-84% from a +2 Xerneas. I can understand investing enough SpD to avoid being 2HKO'd by a non-boosted Xerneas, as then you're able to more effectively risk a 50/50 by clicking encore and then setting webs (which at the end of the day, that's all it's meant to do). The analysis is meant to tell people how to use Shuckle to the best of its potential. Play around with the EV spread on the damage calc. Test Shuckle out and discuss things with QC. It'll make you a lot more confident about your analysis and make it a lot easier to write it up.

7. I don't think that the one-dimensional comment should be in the other options section. Nor do I think it's been communicated effectively. As it's been mentioned before, Shuckle can also run Stealth Rock and Infestation. There is certainly no doubt that Shuckle is one-dimensional, and I think it's worth mentioning in the overview, I just don't think it should be implied that Shuckle doesn't have many moves that it can run, it has more than enough moves in its movepool, it just has to make too many sacrifices and potentially loses matchups if it tries to use them instead of other things in its movepool.

Anyway, I hope you find this feedback useful, and good luck with your analysis :)
 
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One thing probably worth noting in usage tips or checks and counters is that Sunsteel Strike (or rather Searing Sunraze Smash, Sunsteel typically doesn't have enough damage) can OHKO Shuckle through Sturdy thanks to the move's mold breaker effect.

Another thing that may be worth expanding on in the defog section of checks and counters is that non-grounded defoggers, in particular fast defog mega salamence are a big nuisance as they can switch in on webs and ignore the speed drop, so it can defog before stuff like yveltal taunt or eruption don, which are often the main ways webs teams rely on dealing with defoggers
 
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* Shuckle can lead and get Sticky Web up almost every game. However, don't switch it in if Magic Bounce users, Rapid Spin users, or Mega Gengar is on the opposing team.
explain why
* Max HP and Special Defense allows Shuckle help withstand special attackers such as Yveltal and Xerneas.
note why this is important
* To stop Defog while Shuckle is not in play, either use Taunt or hard hitters to pressure Defog users, preventing them from using Defog.
preventing OR punishing them for using it
* Use Toxic to punish switch-ins and checks.
like who?
* Use Rock Tomb on Flying-types, as the speed drop acts like they have been affected by Sticky Web.
Just flying types? Who else?
* Use Encore on non-attacking moves, such as set up moves or cleric moves.
In what situations is this the best play?

Team Options needs a LOT more elaboration.
* A physically defensive EV set can be run to tank physical moves better.
This is a common problem at this point. What is it doing in practice? You never elaborate on any statements you make.

I'll take another look after I see more work from your end.
 
Ok so this is sitting at the bottom of the forum and there's been a severe lack of effort to fix this. I don't think this is acceptable and your other rejected stuff in the past has left me with little faith that this stuff is getting anywhere. Step it up in the future.

QC Rejected 1/3
 

Cynara

Banned deucer.
Team options is literally empty, too much time has been poured into this analysis and you've not really implemented any of these users suggestions. There are a lot of mistakes and there is little effort for a 2 and a half month old analysis which is not even QC ready

QC Rejected 2/3
 

ckw

Tired
is a Top Tutor Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Yeah, too much work here. Would be easier to write this myself than QC.

QC Rejected 3/3
 
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