Community POTW #45

[Vandslaux]

Really, just use Sucker Punch. It's stronger than STAB Shadow Sneak, hits Arceus, and lets you hit Mewtwo harder, even though he's meh in Ubers, is he any better anywhere else?

[Ice Blue Dragon]

Really, just use Sucker Punch. It's stronger than STAB Shadow Sneak, hits Arceus, and lets you hit Mewtwo harder, even though he's meh in Ubers, is he any better anywhere else?

^agreed. I'ts only place that it is good is ubers.

That gimmick triples set could work, but as BH said, it only works 1/10 times.

[M4zz]

Abilities:
Wonder Guard-The Pokemon can only be hit by Super-Effective moves. May I add that it's also hit by weather and Entry Hazards. And Life Orb recoil

This ability would have been great on anything else. Honestly. Shedinja has such unbalanced stats and a fairly poor movepool, that what viability you can attempt to drag out of it is better left for something, well, more. Such as a Gengar and Scizor duo, having the same amd more types, more moves, more balance, fairly similar resitances, and HP.

Overview:

If Shedinja's severe lack of HP didn't screw it enough, it's typing did, at least defensively. Weak to some fairly common types in Fire, Ghost, Flying, Rock, and Dark. Fortunately, it's ability gave it something it can brag about that no one else can. The ability to resist three quarters of the types in the game of Pokemon. The HP still sucks though. A lot. 1 HP isn't much to work with, especially with the insane amount of Sand Teams in OU, and Hail Teams in UU. However, the offensive typing is fairly decent, as his STAB hits Psychic, Dark, Ghost, and Grass types. Unfortunately, it's movepool is so small, that options to hit what resist and or "check" it are very few and far between. Not to mention the prevailence of Entry Haxards in the entire metagame. Regardless, there are ways to "abuse" the Shed Pokemon. I won't bother posting the overposted Focus Sash set, as you don't need 40 or so people screaming the same thing.


What is this I don't even.


Shedinja@Choice Band
Jolly Nature
252 Speed / 252 Atk / 4 Anything
~Shadow Sneak / Sucker Punch
~X-Scissor
~Aerial Ace / Metal Claw
~Shadow Claw

This set is beyond wierd, but viable. Given that you've spun away the Hazards, there and killed off any Fire / Rock / Ghost / Flying / Dark types, this thing can become a hell of a late-game sweeper, outspeeding standard Celebi and other low investment base 100's. Shadow Sneak or Sucker Punch are for "Revenge Killing" and picking off severely weakened Pokemon. X-Scissor is reliable STAB, and if played right with a Politoed, can be used to do in a Tyranitar. Aerial Ace won't miss, and it "helps" with the likes of Fighting Types, whereas Metal Claw may raise the Attack stat of this... thing. Shadow Claw is also reliable STAB, and can be used to fend off Jelicent and, erm, opposing Shedinja? I don't know. This Pokemon itself is beyond troll.

Defensive-Stall Bug?


Shedinja@Leftovers
Jolly Nature
252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 Anything
~Will-O-Wisp
~Protect
~Substitute
~Shadow Claw / X-Scissor

Yeah, another, how do I say this, odd set. But, it works, but of course, with the correct setup, hell, it might just work. Set up the Substitute after coming in onto a predicted move of a Choice'd Pokemon, Will-O-Wisp the switch-in, Protect, attack, you know the drill. This set is slower, and only manages to outspeed CB Scizor by about 35 points. It's not as viable, but hell, this Pokemon isn't viable.

Baton Pass Demon


Shedinja@Expert Belt
Adamant Nature
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Anything
~X-Scissor
~Shadow Claw
~Night Slash / Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak
~Return / Dig

When you see a BP team, you can expect an Espeon at it's helm. Most people don't think of adding one of these bastards to a BP team due to the fact it's not seen as viable. With everything at +4, +5, or +6, like any other Pokemon, it wrecks. Shadow Claw and X-Scissor are the main STAB, and have fairly decent coverage, missing out on any Steel type not paired with Psychic, Grass, or Dark for a secondary type, or Normal / Flying types. The third move is open for one's chosing, having the ability to keep trust in your Speed and have a normal Priority attack, or a form of Priority to pick off, and surprisingly outspeed any other Priority move, opponents. The fourth move is simply filler, having a solid attack out of Return, or Dig, which hits those damned Steel Types. It's very predictable, but with those kinds of stats, is okay enough, as odds are you can just crush it with one of the other three moves. Unfortunately, it provides nothing to a Baton Pass team outside a potentially lethal sweeper.


Will add more later.

[Blue Harvest]

Can you guess how many Substitutes Shedinja can make with one HP.

[MetalCrow]

^ well, with the right EV spread........ZERO!!!
...Final Gambit trolls better than Substitute...

[Kraleck]

Distribution of EVs - Shedinja's Conundrum
Shedinja has no use for HP (ever) nor Defense and Sp.Def (unless you build Stats for a Transform user). Sp.Atk is "useless" with the low base and far superior Attack, but every little bit helps if you decide to have Struggle Bug and/or Mud-Slap as support (I guess). Barring both Transform and Struggle Bug, you may as well plug the leftover EVs into either of your defenses and pray you run into someone using a Ditto.

Having three-and-a-half useless stats out of 6 is simultaneously harsh and helpful on EV spreads. It almost always leaves you with 306/279 Attack and 179/196 Speed by boosting Attack/Speed with your Nature (respectively). Very few Pokemon can be outsped by Shedinja, barring Trick Room, so 306 Attack and 179 Speed is the likely choice (Adamant).

However, Trick Room gives the option for maxing out Attack and Sp.Atk, giving mildly-better Struggle Bug and Mud-Slap output. As a full-blown mix, you may want to go with something like this:

Trick Room Mix-Up Mayhem
Stats: Brave Nature, 252 to both attacks, rest to either defense (for a Transform user), lowest Speed possible
Item: Focus Sash/Iron Ball/EV Training Item/Rocky Helmet (for Sucker Punch/Shadow Sneak opponents)
Moves: Shadow Sneak/Shadow Claw, three of the following - Struggle Bug, Mud-Slap, Toxic, Will-o-Wisp, Sandstorm, Grudge, Spite, Dig, X-Scissor, Heal Block, Confuse Ray, Protect, Endure

The sets I like to draw from these Moves are:
-Annoying - Shadow Sneak, Mud-Slap, Confuse Ray, Spite
-Debilitating - Shadow Claw, Struggle Bug, Will-o-Wisp, Heal Block
-Suicidal - Shadow Claw, Struggle Bug, Dig, Grudge
-Obnoxious - Shadow Sneak, Dig, Toxic/WoW, Mud-Slap
-Die Already! - Shadow Claw, Struggle Bug, Protect, Endure
-Banzai Charge - Shadow Sneak, Mud-Slap, X-Scissor, Grudge
-Tunnel Rat - Shadow Claw, Dig, Spite, Endure/Protect

All of these require Trick Room support and knowing Shed' won't survive for long. However, you'll definitely give them something memorable if you can survive for long enough...

[chuckeroo777]

Very few Pokemon can be outsped by Shedinja, barring Trick Room.

You are mistaking it for its co-evolution ninjask.
shedninja is slow as a discarded exoskeleton.

[Zachmac]

You are mistaking it for its co-evolution ninjask.
shedninja is slow as a discarded exoskeleton.

Read the post you quoted again...That's what it was saying.

Defensive-Stall Bug?


Shedinja@Leftovers
Jolly Nature
252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 Anything
~Will-O-Wisp
~Protect
~Substitute
~Shadow Claw / X-Scissor

Yeah, another, how do I say this, odd set. But, it works, but of course, with the correct setup, hell, it might just work. Set up the Substitute after coming in onto a predicted move of a Choice'd Pokemon, Will-O-Wisp the switch-in, Protect, attack, you know the drill. This set is slower, and only manages to outspeed CB Scizor by about 35 points. It's not as viable, but hell, this Pokemon isn't viable.

Leftovers with 1 HP? Sash it.

The focus sash is the number one item for shedinja.

[ClefairyRox]

Use 252 Defense / 252 Special Defense Shedinja in triples paired with a Mew. Let Mew Transform into Shedinja. Then have a third Pokemon use Guard Swap.. maybe Latias, Claydol or Cofagrigus.

BAM. 404 HP Shedinja.. with about 75% the defense of whatever Guard Swapped with you. Swords Dance / Rest freely. You can be more of a jerk and use Soak + Mud Sport to effectively leave Mewinja with only a weakness to Grass.

Useless gimmick of course and totally destroyed by Terracott / good players but could be fun the 1 in 10 times you sweep with it.

I think you meant Guard Split there. Guard Swap switches changes in Def and Sp. Def.

[SoulMuse]

Largely speaking while it does have moments of shining brillance, Shedinja is largely useless, even in Ubers simply due to that fact the no matter now you teams are spead out, you want to have a counter to every single type you can. As such is isn't hard to render this poor little bug useless, even putting aside weather and entry hazards.

Heck once I raised a Shedinja on the actaul game to use and even then it has almost no use, due to the fact that if something hits it once, it dies.

[The_Heir_of_Madness]

I love gimmicky pokemon like shedinja, and provided you prepare for it shedinja can be a game changer even in OU.

The key is to use shedinja mid-battle after you believe you've taken out threats to it thus allowing a game winning sweep... the question is have you taken out all the threats to it

Always have a weather pokemon to cancel sand and hail
Always have a Rapid Spinner
Setting up a safeguard (and I know youre thinking safeguard who uses that) helps
Also Zoroark makes great ambushes disguised as a Shedinja

Now on to the actual Shedinja

Shedinja
Wonder Guard
Adamant
Focus Sash
252 atk/252 spd

Shadow Sneak
Sucker Punch
X-Scissor
Swords Dance

Nothing new you've seen this a thousand times already on this thread but it really is the best set for Shedinja

[Tyson9182]

Specially Made Shedinja
Bug Buzz
Shadow Ball
Hidden Power(Rock)
Giga Drain/Agility
Item:Focus Sash
Ev's:255 Attack 255 Speed
Nature :Modest (+Sp.Atk-Atk)

Here's A New One, Special Shedinja!Bug Buzz And Shadow Ball For STAB,Hidden Power Rock For Normal-Flying That Resist Your STAB Moves,Giga Drain For Rocks And Agility For Extra Speed.

[Ilan]

Specially Made Shedinja
Bug Buzz
Shadow Ball
Hidden Power(Rock)
Giga Drain/Agility
Item:Focus Sash
Ev's:255 Attack 255 Speed
Nature :Modest (+Sp.Atk-Atk)

Here's A New One, Special Shedinja!Bug Buzz And Shadow Ball For STAB,Hidden Power Rock For Normal-Flying That Resist Your STAB Moves,Giga Drain For Rocks And Agility For Extra Speed.

use it's crappy special attack! anyway 252 special attack not attack..

with 55 special attack better use pikachu

I hope there won't be any special set on POTW cause it's secial attack sucks

[Vandslaux]

I predict a defensive set of WoW/Shadow Sneak/Toxic/Protect.

[sbktdreed]

Personal Moveset
Item: Focus Sash/Choice Band/Choicd Scarf/Muscle Band
Nature: Lonely/Naughty (for offence) OR Hasty/Naive (for speed)
EVs: (255 Attack OR 85-130 Attack + 125-170 Sp Attack) + 255 Speed)
Shadow Ball/Shadow Claw
X-scissor
Dig
Aerial Ace

Partners: Any pokemon that protects parners from weather and status attacks.

Countering: As one of the pokemon I expect to go up against, here's some tips, espically for high defence normal/steel-type:
Have a fire/flying/rock/ghost/dark-type attack
know Leech Seed, Sandstorm, hail or any other similar move or ability.
have a move or ability that changes the opponent's ability like worry seed, skill swap, or simple beam.

[FrostFlash]

No mention of Trick? Choice sets mentioned without Trick?

[girazard]

[QUOTE=Kraleck;13719320]Distribution of EVs - Shedinja's Conundrum
Shedinja has no use for HP (ever) nor Defense and Sp.Def (unless you build Stats for a Transform user). [QUOTE]

In that case, the default EV/IV distribution for Shedinja's defences should be as low as possible. Most of the time this won't make a difference, but it's better to sporadically screw up Mews/Imposter Dittos than to never get any use out of its defences at all.