Ninjask Discussion:
This is not a post supporting or opposing Ninjask usage in Ubers. My tests on him were inconclusive, because Ninjask could often readily pass boosts, but the recipient would often fail to capitalize on the advantage (or maybe I was doing it wrong...). The purpose of this is to get documentation on the bug, whereas none exists right now. We've all heard people say at one point or another something to the effect that if usage stats were weighted, Ninjask would be UU. But Ninjask is probably better in Ubers than in OU for the following reasons:
Less Physical Priority: The only users of physical priority in Ubers are Rayquaza, Deoxys-A, and Scizor. If a Rayquaza enters the field (assuming you have used Substitute), you can stil complete a pass to a recipient who consequently outspeeds it. Granted, all you have passed is Speed, but that can still potentially be deadly. Scizor is often choiced, and many Ubers enjoy taking advantage of a Choiced Bullet Punch. Deoxys-A is a problem, but I go over dealing with it later.
Less Phazing: Swampert, Hippowdon, Gyarados, and their brethren aren't showing their heads any time soon in Ubers, at least not controlled by a skilled player. The only regularly seen phazers are Groudon and Latias. The latter fails to phaze without risking a X-Scissor to the ass.
Different Taunt Users: Taunt users in OU are Aerodactyl and Gyarados, who also wall Ninjask. Taunt users in Ubers are all Psychic and Dark-types, who all get 2HKOed by X-Scissor.
All of this combines to make it easier for Ninjask to complete its mission of successfully Baton Passing boosts. So why isn't Ninjask exploited more in Ubers?
Stealth Rock: The best move in the game ensures that your Baton Passing (mis)adventure will often be a one-time deal.
Wobbuffet: Can often limit you to just passing limited amounts of Speed via the threat of Encore.
The Recipient: Ubers hit hard. If the speed recipient doesn't get a safe switch-in via a Substitute that consequently breaks (or better yet, doesn't!), it really gets blasted, which sets you back.
Revealed Plan: Ninjask isn't exactly the most subtle Pokemon, and your opponent often can figure out your plan, which sets you back. If, for example, you're passing to Groudon and your opponent has a tankish Kyogre (who counters RPDon), there's a problem.
So all of these are the pros and cons of using Ninjask. Now let's go over strategy in battle. Ninjasks probably works best as a lead (to circumvent Stealth Rock) in perhaps one of the following movesets.
Ninjask (M) @ Liechi Berry / Leftovers
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 226 Atk/108 Def/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Swords Dance / Protect
- X-Scissor
- Baton Pass
---
The V1 set is Ninjask's classic, and since you outspeed non-scarf Darkrai, you can Sub before it attacks or attempts a sleeping move. Taunt Deoxys-E and Mew lose to 2 X-Scissors. Against Kyogre, you complete your mission of passing Speed to a recipient, although you do lose to ScarfOgre, who outspeeds you initially. Look on the bright-side: Many ubers, such as Scizor, Dialga, and Forretress, can take advantage of an unboosted Ice Beam, and Palkia can easily handle an unboosted Water Spout. The biggest problems with this variant are Groudon, who often has Roar, and Deoxys-A, who can also outspeed and kill you.
Ninjask (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 226 Atk/108 Def/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Baton Pass
---
This is the V3 set. It is EV'd to outspeed Deoxys-A, letting it beat immediate damage leads, although the Stealth Rocker still beats you with Extremespeed. Unfortunately, you lose to Darkrai, which isn't cool. I'm really not too sure about this fellow, or why I'd use him over a set with Substitute. But Focus Sash does let you live an attack and get off a Swords Dance, and although its a gamble, it can pay off.
Recipients for Ninjask's Boosts:
Dialga: blocks Bullet Punch and Extremespeed. Has excellent typing and solid defenses, and it has Bulk Up to boost its attack if you didn't pass it any. The problem here is that the attack stat is mediocre by Ubers standards, and you don't do anything substantive to a support Groudon without Draco Meteor.
Groudon: solid physical defense also helps stop priority. A Groudon with +2 Atk and +2 Speed can sweep through anything. Unfortunately, typing isn't so great, and tactical possibilities are limited.
Rayquaza: Formidable mixed capabilities and sky-high attack stats, not to mention that it can easily work as a self-contained sweeper should your plan fail. But it doesn't handle priority moves too well.
Palkia: can block Bullet Punch and come in on a ScarfOgre. But that, unfortunately, is pretty much it, as it doesn't have much over Dialga otherwise.
Sample Team:
Ninjask (M) @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 226 Atk/108 Def/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Baton Pass
---
Rayquaza @ Lum Berry
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 242 Atk/252 Spd/16 SAtk
Naughty nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Extremespeed
- Flamethrower
---
Deoxys-e @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 6 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spd
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Signal Beam
---
Mewtwo @ Light Clay
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- Selfdestruct
---
Mew @ Lum Berry
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP/68 Spd/190 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Swords Dance
- Rock Polish
- Taunt
- Baton Pass
---
Dialga @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bulk Up
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
---
This is not a post supporting or opposing Ninjask usage in Ubers. My tests on him were inconclusive, because Ninjask could often readily pass boosts, but the recipient would often fail to capitalize on the advantage (or maybe I was doing it wrong...). The purpose of this is to get documentation on the bug, whereas none exists right now. We've all heard people say at one point or another something to the effect that if usage stats were weighted, Ninjask would be UU. But Ninjask is probably better in Ubers than in OU for the following reasons:
Less Physical Priority: The only users of physical priority in Ubers are Rayquaza, Deoxys-A, and Scizor. If a Rayquaza enters the field (assuming you have used Substitute), you can stil complete a pass to a recipient who consequently outspeeds it. Granted, all you have passed is Speed, but that can still potentially be deadly. Scizor is often choiced, and many Ubers enjoy taking advantage of a Choiced Bullet Punch. Deoxys-A is a problem, but I go over dealing with it later.
Less Phazing: Swampert, Hippowdon, Gyarados, and their brethren aren't showing their heads any time soon in Ubers, at least not controlled by a skilled player. The only regularly seen phazers are Groudon and Latias. The latter fails to phaze without risking a X-Scissor to the ass.
Different Taunt Users: Taunt users in OU are Aerodactyl and Gyarados, who also wall Ninjask. Taunt users in Ubers are all Psychic and Dark-types, who all get 2HKOed by X-Scissor.
All of this combines to make it easier for Ninjask to complete its mission of successfully Baton Passing boosts. So why isn't Ninjask exploited more in Ubers?
Stealth Rock: The best move in the game ensures that your Baton Passing (mis)adventure will often be a one-time deal.
Wobbuffet: Can often limit you to just passing limited amounts of Speed via the threat of Encore.
The Recipient: Ubers hit hard. If the speed recipient doesn't get a safe switch-in via a Substitute that consequently breaks (or better yet, doesn't!), it really gets blasted, which sets you back.
Revealed Plan: Ninjask isn't exactly the most subtle Pokemon, and your opponent often can figure out your plan, which sets you back. If, for example, you're passing to Groudon and your opponent has a tankish Kyogre (who counters RPDon), there's a problem.
So all of these are the pros and cons of using Ninjask. Now let's go over strategy in battle. Ninjasks probably works best as a lead (to circumvent Stealth Rock) in perhaps one of the following movesets.
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 226 Atk/108 Def/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Swords Dance / Protect
- X-Scissor
- Baton Pass
---
The V1 set is Ninjask's classic, and since you outspeed non-scarf Darkrai, you can Sub before it attacks or attempts a sleeping move. Taunt Deoxys-E and Mew lose to 2 X-Scissors. Against Kyogre, you complete your mission of passing Speed to a recipient, although you do lose to ScarfOgre, who outspeeds you initially. Look on the bright-side: Many ubers, such as Scizor, Dialga, and Forretress, can take advantage of an unboosted Ice Beam, and Palkia can easily handle an unboosted Water Spout. The biggest problems with this variant are Groudon, who often has Roar, and Deoxys-A, who can also outspeed and kill you.
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 226 Atk/108 Def/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Baton Pass
---
This is the V3 set. It is EV'd to outspeed Deoxys-A, letting it beat immediate damage leads, although the Stealth Rocker still beats you with Extremespeed. Unfortunately, you lose to Darkrai, which isn't cool. I'm really not too sure about this fellow, or why I'd use him over a set with Substitute. But Focus Sash does let you live an attack and get off a Swords Dance, and although its a gamble, it can pay off.
Recipients for Ninjask's Boosts:
Dialga: blocks Bullet Punch and Extremespeed. Has excellent typing and solid defenses, and it has Bulk Up to boost its attack if you didn't pass it any. The problem here is that the attack stat is mediocre by Ubers standards, and you don't do anything substantive to a support Groudon without Draco Meteor.
Groudon: solid physical defense also helps stop priority. A Groudon with +2 Atk and +2 Speed can sweep through anything. Unfortunately, typing isn't so great, and tactical possibilities are limited.
Rayquaza: Formidable mixed capabilities and sky-high attack stats, not to mention that it can easily work as a self-contained sweeper should your plan fail. But it doesn't handle priority moves too well.
Palkia: can block Bullet Punch and come in on a ScarfOgre. But that, unfortunately, is pretty much it, as it doesn't have much over Dialga otherwise.
Sample Team:
Ninjask (M) @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 226 Atk/108 Def/176 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Baton Pass
---
Rayquaza @ Lum Berry
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 242 Atk/252 Spd/16 SAtk
Naughty nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Extremespeed
- Flamethrower
---
Deoxys-e @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 6 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spd
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Signal Beam
---
Mewtwo @ Light Clay
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- Selfdestruct
---
Mew @ Lum Berry
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP/68 Spd/190 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Swords Dance
- Rock Polish
- Taunt
- Baton Pass
---
Dialga @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bulk Up
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
---