taken over from scpinion
[OVERVIEW]
* Sharpedo is an excellent option for the Mega Evolution slot on Water teams. The combination of Speed Boost before Mega Evolving and Strong Jaw after Mega Evolving makes it an excellent late-game sweeper.
* Sharpedo commonly utilizes Protect to acquire Speed Boosts while in its base forme. After one Speed Boost, Mega Sharpedo can outspeed most of the Monotype metagame. After two, only niche sets and priority moves can enable an opposing Pokemon to move before Mega Sharpedo.
* Strong Jaw boosts many of Mega Sharpedo's attacks, including Crunch, Psychic Fangs, and Ice Fang. Strong Jaw-boosted Crunch enables Mega Sharpedo to break through most defensive Pokemon and OHKO many offensive threats after little residual damage such as Mega Charizard Y and Thundurus. Strong Jaw-boosted Psychic Fangs enables Mega Sharpedo to offensively check Mega Venusaur, netting a KO after some prior damage.
* However, Mega Sharpedo still relies heavily on team support for chipping enemies down to allow it to sweep late-game and struggles to get past many physical walls on its own.
* While Mega Sharpedo is an excellent offensive Pokemon, it provides minimal defensive utility to the team. Poor HP, Defense, and Special Defense stats leave it unable to survive most attacks, and it should almost never switch in on an expected attack.
* Mega Sharpedo faces competition with Mega Gyarados for the Mega slot on a Water-type team. Mega Sharpedo is the superior offensive Pokemon but contributes nothing to the team's defensive synergy. In contrast, Mega Gyarados contributes defensively on a Water-type team due to its Flying-type and Intimidate before Mega Evolving while also being able to stallbreak with Substitute or Taunt.
[SET]
name: Mega Sharpedo
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Protect
move 3: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
move 4: Psychic Fangs
item: Sharpedonite
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Crunch is Mega Sharpedo's main source of dealing damage and should be used on Pokemon that do not resist Dark-type attacks.
* Protect is used to acquire Speed Boosts when Sharpedo is in its base forme.
* Waterfall is Mega Sharpedo's preferred Water-type attack, dealing significant damage to opposing Ground- and Fire-types such as Landorus, Excadrill, and Heatran.
* Hydro Pump may be used over Waterfall to allow Sharpedo to 2HKO defensive Skarmory and Hippowdon; however, it has the potential to miss, unlike Waterfall.
* Psychic Fangs enables Mega Sharpedo to significantly damage Fighting- and Poison-type Pokemon that would otherwise stop a sweep. Notably, it OHKOes Heracross and Keldeo and 2HKOes defensive Mega Venusaur and Toxapex. It also breaks Reflect and Light Screen, which enables Sharpedo to annoy Klefki and deny setup opportunities for other Fairy-type Pokemon.
Set Details
========
* Sharpedonite lets Sharpedo Mega Evolve, granting it an increase in every stat except HP.
* Speed Boost is used to increase Sharpedo's Speed before Mega Evolving.
* Strong Jaw is Mega Sharpedo's ability and boosts the power of Crunch and Psychic Fangs.
* Maximum Speed EVs and a Jolly nature enable Mega Sharpedo to outspeed common Choice Scarf users at +1, such as Victini, Jirachi, and Kyurem-Black.
* Maximum Attack EVs maximize Mega Sharpedo's offensive potential.
* Naive should be used with Hydro Pump to give Sharpedo a good chance to 2HKO defensive Skarmory.
* Naive is preferred over Hasty because Mega Sharpedo often has to take physical priority attacks from Pokemon like Choice Band Dragonite.
Usage Tips
========
* Mega Sharpedo is primarily a late-game sweeper. It should utilize Protect to acquire Speed Boosts prior to Mega Evolving and sweep weakened teams.
* Mega Sharpedo generally only gets one opportunity to sweep because it loses Speed Boost after Mega Evolving.
* Sharpedo's Dark typing makes it immune to Prankster moves. Pokemon such as Sableye, Whimiscott, Thundurus, and Klefki cannot utilize Prankster to deny a sweep. However, most Pokemon with Prankster can carry other moves that severely threaten Sharpedo, such as Moonblast on Whimsicott.
* Despite losing its sweeping potential after Mega Evolving and switching out, Mega Sharpedo remains a potent offensive threat that sits at an excellent Speed tier without a Speed boost, outpacing offensive threats such as Garchomp, Landorus, and the crowded base 100 Speed tier.
* Strong Jaw-boosted Crunch enables Mega Sharpedo to function as a wallbreaker in matchups where it might struggle to sweep. Notably, Crunch can weaken specific Pokemon that are troublesome for a Water-type team, such as Ferrothorn.
* Protect can be used for more than just acquiring Speed Boosts. For instance, it can scout an opponent's moveset or deny chip damage from moves like Fake Out.
* Sharpedo can attempt to double Protect as a last resort against opposing sweepers that still outspeed it after one boost. Choice Scarf Gengar, Modest Alolan Raichu under Electric Terrain, and Choice Band Sand Rush Excadrill are all common threats that can pressure a Water-type team into such a situation.
* Sharpedo does not always have to Mega Evolve to threaten the opponent, especially early-game. It can use Protect to boost its Speed and attempt to net a revenge KO or force some Pokemon out.
* Priority moves are a common method of revenge killing Mega Sharpedo. It should avoid taking damage from entry hazards and other weak attacks early-game so it can reliably sweep late-game.
* Sharpedo's poor bulk prevents it from switching in on almost every attack, so it relies on its teammates, a KO, or well-timed double switches to safely enter the battle.
* Sharpedo should also avoid switching into any threats that can status it, as all forms of status prevent Sharpedo from sweeping properly.
Team Options
========
* Mega Sharpedo is a late-game cleaner that offers little defensive synergy, so it should be paired with Pokemon that help enable a sweep late-game.
* Entry hazard setters such as Empoleon, Swampert, and Toxapex are crucial for Mega Sharpedo to net certain KOs.
* Wallbreakers such as Manaphy, Greninja, Keldeo, and Azumarill are excellent partners due to their ability to soften up the opponent's team.
* Partners that can take on common priority such as Slowbro, Mantine, and Toxapex work well in tandem with Mega Sharpedo.
* Tapu Fini gets a special mention because it can use Defog, stallbreak, deny status moves with Misty Terrain, and take common priority attacks on more offensive teams that can't afford passive Pokemon.
* Pivots enable Mega Sharpedo to safely enter the battle if it is needed as a wallbreaker. Lanturn, Mantine, Rotom-W, and U-turn Greninja fill other important roles while also supporting Mega Sharpedo.
* Mantine can also provide support in the form of rain to boost the power of Hydro Pump and Waterfall.
* Rapid Spin support is worth considering, as Mega Sharpedo can get worn down, but it needs hazards on the opponent's side of the field to sweep. Notable users of Rapid Spin are Tentacruel and Starmie.
* Mega Venusaur is a nuisance for every Water-type team, and Mega Sharpedo needs it to be weakened to enable a late-game sweep. Mega Venusaur checks such as Bounce Gyarados and Psychic Manaphy on offensive builds or Mantine on balanced builds are important to pair Mega Sharpedo with.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A Life Orb set with Protect, Hydro Pump, Dark Pulse, and Ice Beam can be used to utilize Mega Sharpedo's special coverage options, but it is completely outclassed by other offensive Water-type Pokemon such as Manaphy and Greninja and shouldn't be used.
* Ice Fang is an option over Psychic Fangs to primarily hit specific Dragon-type Pokemon and Tapu Bulu for significant damage. Ice Fang ensures an OHKO on Dragonite after Stealth Rock damage, OHKOes Salamence even after an Intimidate, and prevents Hydreigon from completely walling Mega Sharpedo. However, Water teams have no lack of Ice coverage, while Psychic coverage is rarely used except on Starmie and Psychic Manaphy.
* An Adamant nature is an option for Water-type teams that need Mega Sharpedo to have a good chance to OHKO Z-Hypnosis Xurkitree without any prior damage. However, it limits Mega Sharpedo's abilities as a revenge killer, making it slower than base 100 Speed Pokemon equipped with a Choice Scarf, such as Victini, at +1.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Priority Attacks**: Breloom and Infernape threaten an OHKO with Mach Punch, while Choice Band Dragonite does at least 70% with Extreme Speed.
**Faster Pokemon**: Choice Scarf users that require Sharpedo to get to +2 can force it to rely on a double Protect to sweep. Latios, Terrakion, and Keldeo sometimes hold a Choice Scarf and outspeed Jolly Mega Sharpedo after one Speed boost. Similarly, Alolan Raichu and Excadrill outspeed Mega Sharpedo when their Speed is boosted by Electric Terrain and sand, respectively.
**Colbur Berry**: Colbur Berry is routinely found on defensive Psychic-type Pokemon such as Celebi and Slowbro to prevent Mega Sharpedo from easily sweeping a Psychic-type team. They can threaten Mega Sharpedo with an attack that OHKOes or Thunder Wave.
**Bulky Attackers**: Mega Sharpedo has terrible defenses and relies on OHKOing opposing Pokemon. Pokemon that can eat a hit and attack back with an unresisted attack, such as Tapu Fini and Zapdos, prevent Mega Sharpedo from sweeping.
**Defensive Grass-types**: Common defensive Grass-type Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Cradily can eat a hit from Mega Sharpedo and threaten it with an attack or status move.
**Fairy-types**: Most Fairy-type Pokemon are bulky enough survive a hit from Mega Sharpedo and threaten it with a STAB attack. However, they must be wary of getting worn down by entry hazards and Mega Sharpedo's teammates. Magic Guard Clefable cannot be worn down by hazard damage and Mega Sharpedo cannot significantly damage it, however.
**Physical Walls**: While Strong Jaw-boosted Crunch is a very strong attack, it is unable to break some physical walls such as Porygon2 and Alomomola.
[OVERVIEW]
* Sharpedo is an excellent option for the Mega Evolution slot on Water teams. The combination of Speed Boost before Mega Evolving and Strong Jaw after Mega Evolving makes it an excellent late-game sweeper.
* Sharpedo commonly utilizes Protect to acquire Speed Boosts while in its base forme. After one Speed Boost, Mega Sharpedo can outspeed most of the Monotype metagame. After two, only niche sets and priority moves can enable an opposing Pokemon to move before Mega Sharpedo.
* Strong Jaw boosts many of Mega Sharpedo's attacks, including Crunch, Psychic Fangs, and Ice Fang. Strong Jaw-boosted Crunch enables Mega Sharpedo to break through most defensive Pokemon and OHKO many offensive threats after little residual damage such as Mega Charizard Y and Thundurus. Strong Jaw-boosted Psychic Fangs enables Mega Sharpedo to offensively check Mega Venusaur, netting a KO after some prior damage.
* However, Mega Sharpedo still relies heavily on team support for chipping enemies down to allow it to sweep late-game and struggles to get past many physical walls on its own.
* While Mega Sharpedo is an excellent offensive Pokemon, it provides minimal defensive utility to the team. Poor HP, Defense, and Special Defense stats leave it unable to survive most attacks, and it should almost never switch in on an expected attack.
* Mega Sharpedo faces competition with Mega Gyarados for the Mega slot on a Water-type team. Mega Sharpedo is the superior offensive Pokemon but contributes nothing to the team's defensive synergy. In contrast, Mega Gyarados contributes defensively on a Water-type team due to its Flying-type and Intimidate before Mega Evolving while also being able to stallbreak with Substitute or Taunt.
[SET]
name: Mega Sharpedo
move 1: Crunch
move 2: Protect
move 3: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
move 4: Psychic Fangs
item: Sharpedonite
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Crunch is Mega Sharpedo's main source of dealing damage and should be used on Pokemon that do not resist Dark-type attacks.
* Protect is used to acquire Speed Boosts when Sharpedo is in its base forme.
* Waterfall is Mega Sharpedo's preferred Water-type attack, dealing significant damage to opposing Ground- and Fire-types such as Landorus, Excadrill, and Heatran.
* Hydro Pump may be used over Waterfall to allow Sharpedo to 2HKO defensive Skarmory and Hippowdon; however, it has the potential to miss, unlike Waterfall.
* Psychic Fangs enables Mega Sharpedo to significantly damage Fighting- and Poison-type Pokemon that would otherwise stop a sweep. Notably, it OHKOes Heracross and Keldeo and 2HKOes defensive Mega Venusaur and Toxapex. It also breaks Reflect and Light Screen, which enables Sharpedo to annoy Klefki and deny setup opportunities for other Fairy-type Pokemon.
Set Details
========
* Sharpedonite lets Sharpedo Mega Evolve, granting it an increase in every stat except HP.
* Speed Boost is used to increase Sharpedo's Speed before Mega Evolving.
* Strong Jaw is Mega Sharpedo's ability and boosts the power of Crunch and Psychic Fangs.
* Maximum Speed EVs and a Jolly nature enable Mega Sharpedo to outspeed common Choice Scarf users at +1, such as Victini, Jirachi, and Kyurem-Black.
* Maximum Attack EVs maximize Mega Sharpedo's offensive potential.
* Naive should be used with Hydro Pump to give Sharpedo a good chance to 2HKO defensive Skarmory.
* Naive is preferred over Hasty because Mega Sharpedo often has to take physical priority attacks from Pokemon like Choice Band Dragonite.
Usage Tips
========
* Mega Sharpedo is primarily a late-game sweeper. It should utilize Protect to acquire Speed Boosts prior to Mega Evolving and sweep weakened teams.
* Mega Sharpedo generally only gets one opportunity to sweep because it loses Speed Boost after Mega Evolving.
* Sharpedo's Dark typing makes it immune to Prankster moves. Pokemon such as Sableye, Whimiscott, Thundurus, and Klefki cannot utilize Prankster to deny a sweep. However, most Pokemon with Prankster can carry other moves that severely threaten Sharpedo, such as Moonblast on Whimsicott.
* Despite losing its sweeping potential after Mega Evolving and switching out, Mega Sharpedo remains a potent offensive threat that sits at an excellent Speed tier without a Speed boost, outpacing offensive threats such as Garchomp, Landorus, and the crowded base 100 Speed tier.
* Strong Jaw-boosted Crunch enables Mega Sharpedo to function as a wallbreaker in matchups where it might struggle to sweep. Notably, Crunch can weaken specific Pokemon that are troublesome for a Water-type team, such as Ferrothorn.
* Protect can be used for more than just acquiring Speed Boosts. For instance, it can scout an opponent's moveset or deny chip damage from moves like Fake Out.
* Sharpedo can attempt to double Protect as a last resort against opposing sweepers that still outspeed it after one boost. Choice Scarf Gengar, Modest Alolan Raichu under Electric Terrain, and Choice Band Sand Rush Excadrill are all common threats that can pressure a Water-type team into such a situation.
* Sharpedo does not always have to Mega Evolve to threaten the opponent, especially early-game. It can use Protect to boost its Speed and attempt to net a revenge KO or force some Pokemon out.
* Priority moves are a common method of revenge killing Mega Sharpedo. It should avoid taking damage from entry hazards and other weak attacks early-game so it can reliably sweep late-game.
* Sharpedo's poor bulk prevents it from switching in on almost every attack, so it relies on its teammates, a KO, or well-timed double switches to safely enter the battle.
* Sharpedo should also avoid switching into any threats that can status it, as all forms of status prevent Sharpedo from sweeping properly.
Team Options
========
* Mega Sharpedo is a late-game cleaner that offers little defensive synergy, so it should be paired with Pokemon that help enable a sweep late-game.
* Entry hazard setters such as Empoleon, Swampert, and Toxapex are crucial for Mega Sharpedo to net certain KOs.
* Wallbreakers such as Manaphy, Greninja, Keldeo, and Azumarill are excellent partners due to their ability to soften up the opponent's team.
* Partners that can take on common priority such as Slowbro, Mantine, and Toxapex work well in tandem with Mega Sharpedo.
* Tapu Fini gets a special mention because it can use Defog, stallbreak, deny status moves with Misty Terrain, and take common priority attacks on more offensive teams that can't afford passive Pokemon.
* Pivots enable Mega Sharpedo to safely enter the battle if it is needed as a wallbreaker. Lanturn, Mantine, Rotom-W, and U-turn Greninja fill other important roles while also supporting Mega Sharpedo.
* Mantine can also provide support in the form of rain to boost the power of Hydro Pump and Waterfall.
* Rapid Spin support is worth considering, as Mega Sharpedo can get worn down, but it needs hazards on the opponent's side of the field to sweep. Notable users of Rapid Spin are Tentacruel and Starmie.
* Mega Venusaur is a nuisance for every Water-type team, and Mega Sharpedo needs it to be weakened to enable a late-game sweep. Mega Venusaur checks such as Bounce Gyarados and Psychic Manaphy on offensive builds or Mantine on balanced builds are important to pair Mega Sharpedo with.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A Life Orb set with Protect, Hydro Pump, Dark Pulse, and Ice Beam can be used to utilize Mega Sharpedo's special coverage options, but it is completely outclassed by other offensive Water-type Pokemon such as Manaphy and Greninja and shouldn't be used.
* Ice Fang is an option over Psychic Fangs to primarily hit specific Dragon-type Pokemon and Tapu Bulu for significant damage. Ice Fang ensures an OHKO on Dragonite after Stealth Rock damage, OHKOes Salamence even after an Intimidate, and prevents Hydreigon from completely walling Mega Sharpedo. However, Water teams have no lack of Ice coverage, while Psychic coverage is rarely used except on Starmie and Psychic Manaphy.
* An Adamant nature is an option for Water-type teams that need Mega Sharpedo to have a good chance to OHKO Z-Hypnosis Xurkitree without any prior damage. However, it limits Mega Sharpedo's abilities as a revenge killer, making it slower than base 100 Speed Pokemon equipped with a Choice Scarf, such as Victini, at +1.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Priority Attacks**: Breloom and Infernape threaten an OHKO with Mach Punch, while Choice Band Dragonite does at least 70% with Extreme Speed.
**Faster Pokemon**: Choice Scarf users that require Sharpedo to get to +2 can force it to rely on a double Protect to sweep. Latios, Terrakion, and Keldeo sometimes hold a Choice Scarf and outspeed Jolly Mega Sharpedo after one Speed boost. Similarly, Alolan Raichu and Excadrill outspeed Mega Sharpedo when their Speed is boosted by Electric Terrain and sand, respectively.
**Colbur Berry**: Colbur Berry is routinely found on defensive Psychic-type Pokemon such as Celebi and Slowbro to prevent Mega Sharpedo from easily sweeping a Psychic-type team. They can threaten Mega Sharpedo with an attack that OHKOes or Thunder Wave.
**Bulky Attackers**: Mega Sharpedo has terrible defenses and relies on OHKOing opposing Pokemon. Pokemon that can eat a hit and attack back with an unresisted attack, such as Tapu Fini and Zapdos, prevent Mega Sharpedo from sweeping.
**Defensive Grass-types**: Common defensive Grass-type Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Cradily can eat a hit from Mega Sharpedo and threaten it with an attack or status move.
**Fairy-types**: Most Fairy-type Pokemon are bulky enough survive a hit from Mega Sharpedo and threaten it with a STAB attack. However, they must be wary of getting worn down by entry hazards and Mega Sharpedo's teammates. Magic Guard Clefable cannot be worn down by hazard damage and Mega Sharpedo cannot significantly damage it, however.
**Physical Walls**: While Strong Jaw-boosted Crunch is a very strong attack, it is unable to break some physical walls such as Porygon2 and Alomomola.
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