Clown McThreat — 02/04/2022: aegi is the kyurem of uu
TMG Gang Admin Mareanie — 02/04/2022: mfw we actually had kyurem
[SET]
name: Substitute + Toxic
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Toxic
move 3: King's Shield
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Leftovers
ability: Stance Change
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 80 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Incredible base stats, an amazing defensive typing, and a nearly unresisted STAB combination make Aegislash one of the most versatile and dominant forces in the metagame. Its immense bulk in Shield forme and many resistances create crucial setup opportunities against common Pokemon such as Nihilego lacking Knock Off and Skarmory, and this moveset allows it to wear down and outlast most of its checks with ease. Substitute exploits passive Pokemon, invalidates status inducers like Scald Slowking and Spore Amoonguss, eases prediction, and racks up Toxic damage on Pokemon like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Krookodile lacking Taunt. King's Shield complements all of this by racking up Leftovers recovery and even more Toxic damage, as well as scouting potentially lethal attacks from Choice-locked foes like Primarina, Zarude, and Pursuit users such as Choice Band Scizor and Krookodile. Shadow Ball threatens the few Pokemon unaffected by Toxic, such as Skarmory and Magic Guard Reuniclus. 176 Speed EVs allow Aegislash to outrun Azumarill.
This set's ability to force damage on some of its usual checks and other important bulky targets makes it a solid fit on team styles from balance to semi-stall. Walls such as Tangrowth and Hippowdon can use Knock Off or set up entry hazards to increase the amount of passive damage that Aegislash can spread, and they also provide extra defensive integrity against possible answers to Aegislash, like Zeraora and Krookodile. Fire-types like Moltres and Rotom-H appreciate Aegislash wearing down specially defensive Ground-types like Hippowdon, Swampert and Gastrodon, and in return, they can handle Steel-types such as Scizor and Celesteela while pivoting Aegislash into their few counters in Nihilego and Slowking. Powerful wallbreakers, such as Life Orb Buzzwole and Life Orb Mienshao, can also handle Steel-types while providing extra coverage against the offensive Pokemon that don't mind this set, like non-Choice Scarf Zarude and Bisharp. Finally, Defog support from the likes of Rotom-W, Salamence, and Volcanion improves Aegislash's longevity and gives it more chances to set up Substitutes by taking Spikes damage out of the picture. These Defoggers also appreciate Aegislash consistently wearing down bulky pivots such as Assault Vest Tangrowth and Slowking in return.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Toxic
move 4: King's Shield
item: Spell Tag / Ghostium Z
ability: Stance Change
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Aegislash can sacrifice some of its defensive capabilities to become a terrifying early- and mid-game wallbreaker, easily entering the battlefield against the likes of Nihilego and Deoxys-D to cause havoc. Its near-perfect coverage and offensive item allow it to power through makeshift checks in Amoonguss and Scizor commonly used to switch around Aegislash. Close Combat is used to hit Dark-types that resist Shadow Ball, preventing Pokemon like Zarude and Bisharp from taking advantage of it. Toxic cripples other Pokemon like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Moltres, putting them into range of Shadow Ball and Never-Ending Nightmare, especially because King's Shield racks up poison damage. King's Shield is additionally valuable to limit revenge killing attempts from other offensive Pokemon such as Mienshao and Krookodile. Spell Tag is the item of choice on this set, allowing Shadow Ball to 2HKO Amoonguss and bulky Scizor trying to pivot into it with negligible drawback. Alternatively, Ghostium Z gives Aegislash access to a potentially devastating Never-Ending Nightmare, outright KOing bulkier Pokemon like Hippowdon and Swampert that have already taken a Shadow Ball after Stealth Rock, However, lacking Spell Tag stops Aegislash from threatening other pivots and reaching certain benchmarks consistently, which generally makes Aegislash more unreliable as a wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment gives Aegislash the best possible chance at beating opposing Aegislash, as well as giving it the jump on other notable targets like Gligar and Seismitoad. A Modest nature is used as to not worsen Aegislash's impressive bulk, as Close Combat still hits Dark-types for reasonable damage.
This set excels on bulky offense and balance teams that can afford to stay on the backfoot to provide Aegislash the openings it needs to get in safely and wallbreak, and they appreciate its good matchups versus certain threats such as Deoxys-D and Nihilego. Pivots such as Moltres and Zeraora are great options to generate momentum for Aegislash, as they can also pressure checks like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Swampert with STAB moves or Knock Off, respectively, greatly limiting their ability to switch into Aegislash. This set can still struggle to break through certain specially defensive Pokemon like Celesteela and Galarian Moltres, so strong physical wallbreakers like Urshifu-R and Mamoswine are much appreciated. Stealth Rock support from the likes of Swampert and Nihilego is very useful for allowing Aegislash's Shadow Ball to 2HKO Pokemon like Amoonguss and Hippowdon. Finally, late-game cleaners such as Dragon Dance Mega Altaria and Swords Dance Scizor should be used in order to take advantage Aegislash pressuring their common roadblocks in Amoonguss and Assault Vest Tangrowth.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: King's Shield
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Close Combat / Flash Cannon
item: Leftovers
ability: Stance Change
nature: Modest
evs: 212 HP / 252 SpA / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Aegislash's great attacking stats and solid defensive presence allows it to act as a potent mixed attacker. This set's longevity helps it survive attacks from a huge portion of the offensive metagame when its health is managed properly, with even Pokemon like Salamence and Tapu Bulu running super effective coverage struggling to consistently wear it down unscathed. Toxic cripples Pokemon such as Salamence and Krookodile attempting to switch in and weaken it. King's Shield, besides racking up heavy Toxic damage and maximizing Leftovers recovery, scouts otherwise dangerous attacks from Choice-locked Pokemon such as Primarina and Keldeo. Shadow Ball hits popular Pokemon like opposing Aegislash, Galarian Slowbro, and Skarmory, dealing solid damage and providing great coverage against the metagame at large. Close Combat punishes Dark-types trying to pivot into Shadow Ball or Toxic, like Zarude and Bisharp. Alternatively, Flash Cannon avoids dropping Aegislash's defenses, making it less vulnerable to revenge-killing attempts, while also allowing it to deal with the likes of Mega Altaria, Terrakion and Tapu Bulu better. However, it leaves Aegislash completely blanked by Bisharp and serves little additional use. 44 Speed EVs allow Aegislash to outspeed uninvested Scizor and Alomomola.
This set fits best on bulky offense teams, which appreciate its unique blend of defensive flexibility and offensive capability. Since Aegislash is very reliant on Leftovers recovery, teammates that can absorb Knock Off for it such as Mega Altaria and Amoonguss make for good choices. Other offensive Pokemon such as Zeraora, Urshifu-R, and Mamoswine can whittle down or remove common roadblocks to this set in Celesteela and Galarian Moltres. Zeraora is especially notable, as it shares common switch-ins with Aegislash in Assault Vest Tangrowth, Swampert, and Krookodile, and it can use Knock Off or coverage options in Grass Knot and Close Combat to force in and weaken these switch-ins for it. Defensive pivots like Moltres and Slowking let Aegislash enter the field safely, preserving its HP while appreciating its ability to check Pokemon such as Nihilego and Terrakion in return. Finally, late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Mienshao and Nasty Plot Azelf enjoy having Aegislash to wear down and threaten bulky Psychic-types in Deoxys-D and Reuniclus, which would normally prevent them setting up and sweeping late-game.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Shadow Sneak
item: Ghostium Z / Air Balloon
ability: Stance Change
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance Aegislash is a menacing wallbreaker and offensive terror on fast-paced teams. It can easily get going against the plethora of Pokemon that its typing allows it to safely set up on, ranging from the likes of Terrakion lacking Earthquake to Choice-locked Scizor. Due to its enormous bulk for a sweeper in Shield forme, Aegislash becomes very useful at supporting its team against dangerous revenge killers such as Nihilego and Choice Scarf Mienshao, helping to preserve the sweeping chances of other setup teammates like Meteor Beam Celesteela and Dragon Dance Mega Altaria. Shadow Claw deals good neutral damage against the majority of the tier at +2. Close Combat is Aegislash's strongest physical attack overall, gives Aegislash perfect coverage, and hits the Dark-types like Zarude and Krookodile that Shadow Claw misses out on. Shadow Sneak provides Aegislash with useful priority that stops Pokemon such as Zeraora, Azelf, and Azumarill from revenge killing it safely. Ghostium Z allows Aegislash to OHKO walls such as Hippowdon and Celesteela after a boost, somewhat making up for its terrible bulk in Blade forme by removing the need to take an attack from these Pokemon. It also KOes Pokemon like Assault Vest Tangrowth and defensive Scizor often sent to check special Aegislash sets. Air Balloon can be a very good alternative that gives Aegislash setup opportunities against Pokemon like Hippowdon and Rhyperior relying on Earthquake, although that set's lack of initial power can often leave much to be desired against other walls.
This set can be a valuable addition to offense or hyper offense teams, providing a strong wallbreaker and setup sweeper with impeccable defensive utility against some of the archetype's biggest threats in Nihilego and Terrakion. Pivots such as Moltres, Rotom-W, and Swampert can help bring Aegislash onto the field safely, preserving its health to set up for it to take super effective hits such as Zarude's Darkest Lariat and Mega Altaria's Fire Blast in a pinch. Additional setup sweepers like Nasty Plot Rotom-H and Galarian Moltres appreciate Aegislash wearing down Pokemon such as Nihilego and Rhyperior for them to overpower late-game. Faster Pokemon that can hit Aegislash hard while not minding Shadow Sneak, such as Urshifu-R and Krookodile, are massive threats, so other offensive Pokemon like Mega Altaria and Tapu Bulu that can deal with them, make for good teammates. Both also appreciate Aegislash setting up on and wearing down shared checks in Tangrowth and Celesteela, for them to take advantage of afterwards. Tapu Bulu in particular stands out for providing Grassy Terrain, weakening Earthquakes and providing Aegislash with passive recovery to support its setup. Lastly, entry hazards can greatly benefit Aegislash; Roserade and Deoxys-D provide Spikes, and the latter alongside other options such as Nihilego and Krookodile can set up Stealth Rock. Both hazards secure more KOs and stop Skarmory from using Sturdy to phaze a boosted Aegislash. While Ribombee provides Sticky Web support to stop faster Pokemon such as Urshifu-R and Nidoking from revenge killing it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band supplies physical Aegislash some much-needed power, allowing it to 2HKO walls such as Celesteela and Galarian Moltres commonly used to check it, and such a set can slot in Pursuit to maximize Aegislash's typing and trap Pokemon such as Nihilego and Slowking. This role can open the door for other Pokemon such as offensive Moltres to thrive. However, this set is extremely susceptible to being Pursuit trapped itself and will struggle to consistently damage the likes of Intimidate users like Salamence and Krookodile, as well as Moltres due to Flame Body and Rotom-W due to Will-O-Wisp. Similarly, Choice Specs can be used over Spell Tag or Ghostium Z for the extra power boost, notably allowing Shadow Ball to 2HKO Assault Vest Tangrowth and specially defensive Hippowdon after Stealth Rock, but this set is similarly to vulnerable to Pursuit trapping and revenge killing attempts due to lacking King's Shield. Furthermore, it's often unnecessary with how Toxic is already able to wear down these targets. A bulkier Swords Dance set with Leftovers and King's Shield can also work, as this allows gives Aegislash solid defensive utility while not being checked by the same pool of Pokemon, but it has an inconsistent damage output against bulky pivots, since it is very slow, easy to exploit, and fairly weak without a boost. Lastly, Autotomize + Weakness Policy can be used to give Aegislash a shot to sweep against weaker super effective moves such as Flamethrower from Salamence, since it can then outspeed and threaten to KO Pokemon such as Krookodile and Nidoking. This set is unreliable though, since it is almost always forced to take a hit beforehand in order to try and activate its Weakness Policy, and it's still easily being KOed by Choice Scarf users such as Zarude and priority moves from the likes of Bisharp and Azumarill afterwards.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Defensive Steel-types:** Bulky Steel-types such as defensive Celesteela and defensive Scizor are especially bothersome for most Aegislash sets, since they are immune to Toxic, don't mind most of its attacks, and can then proceed to wear down Aegislash with Flamethrower or Knock Off, respectively. However, none of these Pokemon can take boosted physical attacks reliably, and Scizor will also struggle to take repeated Shadow Balls from Spell Tag or Ghostium Z variants of Aegislash.
**Dark-types:** Aegislash can't do much of note against Dark-types such as Galarian Moltres, Zarude, Bisharp, and Krookodile once they get in. It often runs Close Combat to punish them for getting too careless, but they cripple or nail Aegislash in return, staying healthy with Rest or Jungle Healing in the case of the former two. Choice Band Bisharp also stands out for trapping Aegislash with Pursuit, since Defiant will counteract the Attack drop from King's Shield, making Aegislash unable to scout its move and safely switch out beforehand. Krookodile can threaten Aegislash similarly while using Taunt to shut down setup or stalling attempts, but it must also be wary of switching into Toxic or any of Aegislash's coverage moves.
**Mixed Walls:** Mixed walls such as Assault Vest Tangrowth, defensive Moltres, Swampert, and Gligar all have the bulk and longevity needed to hinder most Aegislash sets from consistently making progress throughout the game, since these Pokemon can also threaten to cripple or KO Aegislash in return. However, most of these Pokemon can easily be knocked into KO range by Aegislash's offensive sets with prior chip damage, and the former three will also get worn down quickly by the combination of King's Shield + Toxic.
**Burn and Knock Off:** Since bulkier Aegislash sets often rely on recovery from Leftovers, burn or Knock Off can severely compromise it, making it much easier to wear down with constant attacks and Stealth Rock damage. To make matters worse, these threats can also be found on Pokemon such as Slowking, Nihilego, and Deoxys-D that Aegislash is otherwise free to take advantage of, making switching in a much scarier prospect. Spell Tag variants don't like losing their item either, since they will no longer be able to 2HKO Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Scizor with Shadow Ball.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Pubo, 535121], [Niadev, 282732]]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
TMG Gang Admin Mareanie — 02/04/2022: mfw we actually had kyurem
[SET]
name: Substitute + Toxic
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Toxic
move 3: King's Shield
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Leftovers
ability: Stance Change
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 80 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Incredible base stats, an amazing defensive typing, and a nearly unresisted STAB combination make Aegislash one of the most versatile and dominant forces in the metagame. Its immense bulk in Shield forme and many resistances create crucial setup opportunities against common Pokemon such as Nihilego lacking Knock Off and Skarmory, and this moveset allows it to wear down and outlast most of its checks with ease. Substitute exploits passive Pokemon, invalidates status inducers like Scald Slowking and Spore Amoonguss, eases prediction, and racks up Toxic damage on Pokemon like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Krookodile lacking Taunt. King's Shield complements all of this by racking up Leftovers recovery and even more Toxic damage, as well as scouting potentially lethal attacks from Choice-locked foes like Primarina, Zarude, and Pursuit users such as Choice Band Scizor and Krookodile. Shadow Ball threatens the few Pokemon unaffected by Toxic, such as Skarmory and Magic Guard Reuniclus. 176 Speed EVs allow Aegislash to outrun Azumarill.
This set's ability to force damage on some of its usual checks and other important bulky targets makes it a solid fit on team styles from balance to semi-stall. Walls such as Tangrowth and Hippowdon can use Knock Off or set up entry hazards to increase the amount of passive damage that Aegislash can spread, and they also provide extra defensive integrity against possible answers to Aegislash, like Zeraora and Krookodile. Fire-types like Moltres and Rotom-H appreciate Aegislash wearing down specially defensive Ground-types like Hippowdon, Swampert and Gastrodon, and in return, they can handle Steel-types such as Scizor and Celesteela while pivoting Aegislash into their few counters in Nihilego and Slowking. Powerful wallbreakers, such as Life Orb Buzzwole and Life Orb Mienshao, can also handle Steel-types while providing extra coverage against the offensive Pokemon that don't mind this set, like non-Choice Scarf Zarude and Bisharp. Finally, Defog support from the likes of Rotom-W, Salamence, and Volcanion improves Aegislash's longevity and gives it more chances to set up Substitutes by taking Spikes damage out of the picture. These Defoggers also appreciate Aegislash consistently wearing down bulky pivots such as Assault Vest Tangrowth and Slowking in return.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Toxic
move 4: King's Shield
item: Spell Tag / Ghostium Z
ability: Stance Change
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Aegislash can sacrifice some of its defensive capabilities to become a terrifying early- and mid-game wallbreaker, easily entering the battlefield against the likes of Nihilego and Deoxys-D to cause havoc. Its near-perfect coverage and offensive item allow it to power through makeshift checks in Amoonguss and Scizor commonly used to switch around Aegislash. Close Combat is used to hit Dark-types that resist Shadow Ball, preventing Pokemon like Zarude and Bisharp from taking advantage of it. Toxic cripples other Pokemon like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Moltres, putting them into range of Shadow Ball and Never-Ending Nightmare, especially because King's Shield racks up poison damage. King's Shield is additionally valuable to limit revenge killing attempts from other offensive Pokemon such as Mienshao and Krookodile. Spell Tag is the item of choice on this set, allowing Shadow Ball to 2HKO Amoonguss and bulky Scizor trying to pivot into it with negligible drawback. Alternatively, Ghostium Z gives Aegislash access to a potentially devastating Never-Ending Nightmare, outright KOing bulkier Pokemon like Hippowdon and Swampert that have already taken a Shadow Ball after Stealth Rock, However, lacking Spell Tag stops Aegislash from threatening other pivots and reaching certain benchmarks consistently, which generally makes Aegislash more unreliable as a wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment gives Aegislash the best possible chance at beating opposing Aegislash, as well as giving it the jump on other notable targets like Gligar and Seismitoad. A Modest nature is used as to not worsen Aegislash's impressive bulk, as Close Combat still hits Dark-types for reasonable damage.
This set excels on bulky offense and balance teams that can afford to stay on the backfoot to provide Aegislash the openings it needs to get in safely and wallbreak, and they appreciate its good matchups versus certain threats such as Deoxys-D and Nihilego. Pivots such as Moltres and Zeraora are great options to generate momentum for Aegislash, as they can also pressure checks like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Swampert with STAB moves or Knock Off, respectively, greatly limiting their ability to switch into Aegislash. This set can still struggle to break through certain specially defensive Pokemon like Celesteela and Galarian Moltres, so strong physical wallbreakers like Urshifu-R and Mamoswine are much appreciated. Stealth Rock support from the likes of Swampert and Nihilego is very useful for allowing Aegislash's Shadow Ball to 2HKO Pokemon like Amoonguss and Hippowdon. Finally, late-game cleaners such as Dragon Dance Mega Altaria and Swords Dance Scizor should be used in order to take advantage Aegislash pressuring their common roadblocks in Amoonguss and Assault Vest Tangrowth.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: King's Shield
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Close Combat / Flash Cannon
item: Leftovers
ability: Stance Change
nature: Modest
evs: 212 HP / 252 SpA / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Aegislash's great attacking stats and solid defensive presence allows it to act as a potent mixed attacker. This set's longevity helps it survive attacks from a huge portion of the offensive metagame when its health is managed properly, with even Pokemon like Salamence and Tapu Bulu running super effective coverage struggling to consistently wear it down unscathed. Toxic cripples Pokemon such as Salamence and Krookodile attempting to switch in and weaken it. King's Shield, besides racking up heavy Toxic damage and maximizing Leftovers recovery, scouts otherwise dangerous attacks from Choice-locked Pokemon such as Primarina and Keldeo. Shadow Ball hits popular Pokemon like opposing Aegislash, Galarian Slowbro, and Skarmory, dealing solid damage and providing great coverage against the metagame at large. Close Combat punishes Dark-types trying to pivot into Shadow Ball or Toxic, like Zarude and Bisharp. Alternatively, Flash Cannon avoids dropping Aegislash's defenses, making it less vulnerable to revenge-killing attempts, while also allowing it to deal with the likes of Mega Altaria, Terrakion and Tapu Bulu better. However, it leaves Aegislash completely blanked by Bisharp and serves little additional use. 44 Speed EVs allow Aegislash to outspeed uninvested Scizor and Alomomola.
This set fits best on bulky offense teams, which appreciate its unique blend of defensive flexibility and offensive capability. Since Aegislash is very reliant on Leftovers recovery, teammates that can absorb Knock Off for it such as Mega Altaria and Amoonguss make for good choices. Other offensive Pokemon such as Zeraora, Urshifu-R, and Mamoswine can whittle down or remove common roadblocks to this set in Celesteela and Galarian Moltres. Zeraora is especially notable, as it shares common switch-ins with Aegislash in Assault Vest Tangrowth, Swampert, and Krookodile, and it can use Knock Off or coverage options in Grass Knot and Close Combat to force in and weaken these switch-ins for it. Defensive pivots like Moltres and Slowking let Aegislash enter the field safely, preserving its HP while appreciating its ability to check Pokemon such as Nihilego and Terrakion in return. Finally, late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Mienshao and Nasty Plot Azelf enjoy having Aegislash to wear down and threaten bulky Psychic-types in Deoxys-D and Reuniclus, which would normally prevent them setting up and sweeping late-game.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Claw
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Shadow Sneak
item: Ghostium Z / Air Balloon
ability: Stance Change
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance Aegislash is a menacing wallbreaker and offensive terror on fast-paced teams. It can easily get going against the plethora of Pokemon that its typing allows it to safely set up on, ranging from the likes of Terrakion lacking Earthquake to Choice-locked Scizor. Due to its enormous bulk for a sweeper in Shield forme, Aegislash becomes very useful at supporting its team against dangerous revenge killers such as Nihilego and Choice Scarf Mienshao, helping to preserve the sweeping chances of other setup teammates like Meteor Beam Celesteela and Dragon Dance Mega Altaria. Shadow Claw deals good neutral damage against the majority of the tier at +2. Close Combat is Aegislash's strongest physical attack overall, gives Aegislash perfect coverage, and hits the Dark-types like Zarude and Krookodile that Shadow Claw misses out on. Shadow Sneak provides Aegislash with useful priority that stops Pokemon such as Zeraora, Azelf, and Azumarill from revenge killing it safely. Ghostium Z allows Aegislash to OHKO walls such as Hippowdon and Celesteela after a boost, somewhat making up for its terrible bulk in Blade forme by removing the need to take an attack from these Pokemon. It also KOes Pokemon like Assault Vest Tangrowth and defensive Scizor often sent to check special Aegislash sets. Air Balloon can be a very good alternative that gives Aegislash setup opportunities against Pokemon like Hippowdon and Rhyperior relying on Earthquake, although that set's lack of initial power can often leave much to be desired against other walls.
This set can be a valuable addition to offense or hyper offense teams, providing a strong wallbreaker and setup sweeper with impeccable defensive utility against some of the archetype's biggest threats in Nihilego and Terrakion. Pivots such as Moltres, Rotom-W, and Swampert can help bring Aegislash onto the field safely, preserving its health to set up for it to take super effective hits such as Zarude's Darkest Lariat and Mega Altaria's Fire Blast in a pinch. Additional setup sweepers like Nasty Plot Rotom-H and Galarian Moltres appreciate Aegislash wearing down Pokemon such as Nihilego and Rhyperior for them to overpower late-game. Faster Pokemon that can hit Aegislash hard while not minding Shadow Sneak, such as Urshifu-R and Krookodile, are massive threats, so other offensive Pokemon like Mega Altaria and Tapu Bulu that can deal with them, make for good teammates. Both also appreciate Aegislash setting up on and wearing down shared checks in Tangrowth and Celesteela, for them to take advantage of afterwards. Tapu Bulu in particular stands out for providing Grassy Terrain, weakening Earthquakes and providing Aegislash with passive recovery to support its setup. Lastly, entry hazards can greatly benefit Aegislash; Roserade and Deoxys-D provide Spikes, and the latter alongside other options such as Nihilego and Krookodile can set up Stealth Rock. Both hazards secure more KOs and stop Skarmory from using Sturdy to phaze a boosted Aegislash. While Ribombee provides Sticky Web support to stop faster Pokemon such as Urshifu-R and Nidoking from revenge killing it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band supplies physical Aegislash some much-needed power, allowing it to 2HKO walls such as Celesteela and Galarian Moltres commonly used to check it, and such a set can slot in Pursuit to maximize Aegislash's typing and trap Pokemon such as Nihilego and Slowking. This role can open the door for other Pokemon such as offensive Moltres to thrive. However, this set is extremely susceptible to being Pursuit trapped itself and will struggle to consistently damage the likes of Intimidate users like Salamence and Krookodile, as well as Moltres due to Flame Body and Rotom-W due to Will-O-Wisp. Similarly, Choice Specs can be used over Spell Tag or Ghostium Z for the extra power boost, notably allowing Shadow Ball to 2HKO Assault Vest Tangrowth and specially defensive Hippowdon after Stealth Rock, but this set is similarly to vulnerable to Pursuit trapping and revenge killing attempts due to lacking King's Shield. Furthermore, it's often unnecessary with how Toxic is already able to wear down these targets. A bulkier Swords Dance set with Leftovers and King's Shield can also work, as this allows gives Aegislash solid defensive utility while not being checked by the same pool of Pokemon, but it has an inconsistent damage output against bulky pivots, since it is very slow, easy to exploit, and fairly weak without a boost. Lastly, Autotomize + Weakness Policy can be used to give Aegislash a shot to sweep against weaker super effective moves such as Flamethrower from Salamence, since it can then outspeed and threaten to KO Pokemon such as Krookodile and Nidoking. This set is unreliable though, since it is almost always forced to take a hit beforehand in order to try and activate its Weakness Policy, and it's still easily being KOed by Choice Scarf users such as Zarude and priority moves from the likes of Bisharp and Azumarill afterwards.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Defensive Steel-types:** Bulky Steel-types such as defensive Celesteela and defensive Scizor are especially bothersome for most Aegislash sets, since they are immune to Toxic, don't mind most of its attacks, and can then proceed to wear down Aegislash with Flamethrower or Knock Off, respectively. However, none of these Pokemon can take boosted physical attacks reliably, and Scizor will also struggle to take repeated Shadow Balls from Spell Tag or Ghostium Z variants of Aegislash.
**Dark-types:** Aegislash can't do much of note against Dark-types such as Galarian Moltres, Zarude, Bisharp, and Krookodile once they get in. It often runs Close Combat to punish them for getting too careless, but they cripple or nail Aegislash in return, staying healthy with Rest or Jungle Healing in the case of the former two. Choice Band Bisharp also stands out for trapping Aegislash with Pursuit, since Defiant will counteract the Attack drop from King's Shield, making Aegislash unable to scout its move and safely switch out beforehand. Krookodile can threaten Aegislash similarly while using Taunt to shut down setup or stalling attempts, but it must also be wary of switching into Toxic or any of Aegislash's coverage moves.
**Mixed Walls:** Mixed walls such as Assault Vest Tangrowth, defensive Moltres, Swampert, and Gligar all have the bulk and longevity needed to hinder most Aegislash sets from consistently making progress throughout the game, since these Pokemon can also threaten to cripple or KO Aegislash in return. However, most of these Pokemon can easily be knocked into KO range by Aegislash's offensive sets with prior chip damage, and the former three will also get worn down quickly by the combination of King's Shield + Toxic.
**Burn and Knock Off:** Since bulkier Aegislash sets often rely on recovery from Leftovers, burn or Knock Off can severely compromise it, making it much easier to wear down with constant attacks and Stealth Rock damage. To make matters worse, these threats can also be found on Pokemon such as Slowking, Nihilego, and Deoxys-D that Aegislash is otherwise free to take advantage of, making switching in a much scarier prospect. Spell Tag variants don't like losing their item either, since they will no longer be able to 2HKO Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Scizor with Shadow Ball.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Arishem, 546157]]
- Quality checked by: [[Pubo, 535121], [Niadev, 282732]]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Last edited:
