Shroomisaur
Smogon's fantastical fun-guy.
[Pros]
<ul>
<li>Bisharp possesses a high base Attack stat, as well as Swords Dance to boost it.</li>
<li>It has one of the strongest priority moves in the game in STAB Sucker Punch.</li>
<li>Defiant allows it to laugh at Sticky Web, Intimidate, King's Shield, and more.</li>
<li>The nerf to the Steel-type is a blessing in disguise: Bisharp no longer needs Fighting-type moves to hit opposing Steels, and is the only Steel-type in the game that still resists Ghost.</li>
<li>It has a decent Defense stat with plenty of resistances.</li>
</ul>
[Cons]
<ul>
<li>Its low base Speed makes Bisharp rely on Sucker Punch mind games with faster foes.</li>
<li>A weak Special Defense stat leaves it vulnerable to even neutral special hits.</li>
<li>Bisharp is hindered by weaknesses to common attacking types, including a crippling 4x Fighting weakness.</li>
<li>Bisharp's main moves suffer from low Base Power.</li>
</ul>
[Set Recommendations]
<p>name: Swords Dance<br />
move 1: Swords Dance<br />
move 2: Sucker Punch<br />
move 3: Iron Head<br />
move 4: Night Slash / Substitute<br />
ability: Defiant<br />
item: Dread Plate / Lum Berry / Leftovers<br />
evs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe<br />
nature: Adamant</p>
<p>Bisharp was a Pokemon firmly planted in UU last generation. Powerful priority was not enough to offset its poor Speed and mediocre defenses, and nothing seems to have improved for it in XY. However, many of the changes have indirectly worked in Bisharp's favor. Most notably, Bisharp's unique Dark / Steel typing is better than ever, as Bisharp is now the only Steel-type in the game to resist the increasingly popular Ghost-type moves. The new Fairy-type, which resists Bisharp's signature Dark-type moves, happens to be crushed by his secondary Steel-type STAB. Bisharp also possesses an ability in Defiant that allows Bisharp to laugh at moves such as Sticky Web and King's Shield, giving it a new niche in OU.</p>
<p>Bisharp's claim to fame has always been an incredibly powerful Sucker Punch combined with the boosting potential of Swords Dance. Bisharp can utilize its unique typing and decent defenses to switch into resisted attacks, and then use Swords Dance to boost its high base 125 Attack even higher. Once it has a Swords Dance under its belt, Bisharp is incredibly difficult to stop, because Sucker Punch destroys many faster threats that would otherwise threaten Bisharp. A +2 STAB Dread Plate Sucker Punch is incredibly powerful, scoring outright OHKOs on attackers such as Excadrill, Mega Charizard X, and even Garchomp after Stealth Rock damage. Against targets that resist Dark-type moves, Bisharp can use STAB Iron Head to deal heavy damage. A +2 Iron Head is scores an OHKO on every pure Fairy-type in the game, and even has a good chance to KO Azumarill after Stealth Rock. Finally, Bisharp uses Night Slash in the final slot as a reliable Dark-type move, since Sucker Punch can easily be played around by your opponent. Night Slash is most notable for guaranteeing a KO on Aegislash, while Defiant negates the King's Shield effect.</p>
<p>This set must be played carefully, because Sucker Punch is very easy to exploit. Substitute can be used over Night Slash to ease Sucker Punch prediction and protect Bisharp from status, but the lack of reliable Dark STAB will hurt against Aegislash. If Substitute is used, Leftovers should be the item of choice to provide recovery. Lum Berry is an option which allows Bisharp to keep Night Slash while protecting it from the likes of Rotom-W's Will-O-Wisp. The EVs provide maximum power, and the Speed EVs are specifically chosen to outspeed uninvested Rotom-W and 2HKO with Night Slash. The remainder is invested in HP, giving Bisharp decent bulk; it always survives Donphan's Earthquake at full HP.</p>
<p>Bisharp appreciates special attacking teammates that can take out physical walls. Starmie and Rotom-W are partners with great typing and the ability to defeat bulky Ground-types that wall Bisharp. Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y are excellent choices to defeat bulky Steel-type walls. Good defensive teammates for Bisharp should be able to cover Bisharp's Fighting weakness, and include Slowbro, Gyarados, and Gourgeist. </p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bisharp struggles with extremely bulky physical walls. Ground-types including Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Donphan can take a hit and strike back with a STAB Earthquake. Unaware Quagsire ignores Bisharp's boosts and can threaten with Scald and Earthquake. Steel-types such as Skarmory and Mega Aggron easily tank a +2 Night Slash and can phaze Bisharp out. Bisharp also possesses a crippling Fighting weakness, so bulky Fighting-types such as Conkeldurr make great counters. Mach Punch Breloom and Vacuum Wave Lucario outspeed Sucker Punch and can easily take out Bisharp. Finally, Pokemon with a faster Will-O-Wisp or Substitute can abuse Bisharp's reliance on Sucker Punch, and Dark-resistant sweepers such as Lucario and Mega Gyarados can take a hit and KO in return. </p>
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