[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 2-4 points
**Overview**: Shiftry boasts a wide and eclectic movepool as well as two excellent abilities in Chlorophyll and Wind Rider, which give it high potential as a very unique setup sweeper at an inexpensive price point. It can swap between physical, special, and mixed offensive stats and use its variety of coverage options and boosting moves to suit the matchup. However, its bad defensive stats, vulnerable type combination, incredibly average Speed, and mediocre offenses limit its capabilities.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Chlorophyll Sweeper**: Although it is generally outclassed by other Pokemon that can fulfill this role, Shiftry can be used on sun teams to fire off Solar Beam and Solar Blade at a more affordable price; however, its poor bulk makes finding opportunities to set up Growth a challenge. Even if it does not find setup opportunities, it can be a solid cleaner and revenge killer under sun with its many coverage moves.
**Setup Sweeper**: Shiftry is the only Pokemon with the combination of Wind Rider and Tailwind, essentially giving it access to a bootleg version of Shift Gear. Swords Dance and Nasty Plot are options if raw power is necessary, but its poor base stats make utilizing these moves highly challenging.
**Offensive Utility**: Defog, Leech Seed, Toxic Spikes, and Will-O-Wisp would be an astonishingly useful array of support moves on a Pokemon with better stats and typing, but unfortunately Shiftry must be very crafty to take advantage of these given its shortcomings. It can also use Knock Off to remove foes' items, Sucker Punch to catch foes off-guard with strong priority, and Taunt to interrupt opposing utility Pokemon and setup sweepers.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Leaf Storm, Leaf Blade, Petal Blizzard, Dark Pulse, Knock Off, Sucker Punch, Throat Chop
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Growth, Nasty Plot, Tailwind
**Utility Moves**: Brick Break, Defog, Leech Seed, Substitute, Synthesis, Taunt, Toxic Spikes, Will-O-Wisp
**Coverage**: Air Slash, Extrasensory, Focus Blast, Heat Wave, Hurricane, Icy Wind, Low Kick, Rock Slide, Shadow Ball, Vacuum Wave, Weather Ball, X-Scissor
Niche Moves
========
**Sunny Day**: Chlorophyll sets can bring their own sun if need be, perhaps as a response to opponents’ attempts to change the weather themselves.
**Explosion**: In situations where Shiftry lacks the power and coverage to break through the enemy, Explosion can punch an immediate hole in the opponent’s team, preserve momentum, and pass the torch to a different sweeper that may be able to take advantage of the remaining turns of harsh sunlight or Tailwind.
**Solar Beam / Solar Blade**: Solar Beam and Solar Blade are the most powerful Grass-type moves Shiftry has access to, but they are relegated to Chlorophyll sets in harsh sunlight.
**Whirlwind**: Shiftry does not typically have the stats to take advantage of Whirlwind, but by virtue of its Dark typing, it can check and force out some Stored Power sweepers.
Common Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Shiftry often needs items like Life Orb and Expert Belt to hit KO thresholds that its average offensive stats cannot reach.
Niche Items
========
**Choice Band / Specs**: Chlorophyll Shiftry can eschew setup and try to break through enemy walls unboosted, but its dependence on its coverage movepool can make it easy for foes to take advantage of once it is locked into a move.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry can help Shiftry avoid status ailments from passive walls that it attempts to set up on.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Shiftry is a poor choice for a Defogger, but Heavy-Duty Boots can give it a few more opportunities to switch in on entry hazards and attempt to remove them on offensive utility sets.
**Choice Scarf**: Without sun support, Choice Scarf helps Shiftry function as a decent revenge killer.
**Focus Sash**: Shiftry can use Focus Sash for a guaranteed turn to set up Growth or Tailwind, barring entry hazard damage or multi-hit attacks. However, this makes it especially vulnerable to priority attacks.
Tera
========
Shiftry can be a solid secondary Tera Captain, especially on sun teams, but it is generally outclassed by other higher-priced Pokemon that are usually more threatening users of Tera. Tera Grass and Dark can increase the potency of its strong STAB moves to respectable levels, but Shiftry benefits more from types that can allow it to set up easier. Tera Flying, Fairy, Steel, and Poison can reverse its weakness to U-turn and offer it a few more coverage options, but Tera Fire synergizes the best with its role as a Chlorophyll sweeper and increases the damage of its sun-boosted Heat Wave even further.
Draft Strategy
========
Shiftry is not the centerpiece of any draft, even on sun teams. It lacks the power and stats to be a reliable wincon, despite its impressive set diversity. However, on teams that can cover for its weaknesses and support its strengths, it may be able to surprise foes with its unique and potentially game-winning set of traits.
**Sun Setters**: To take full advantage of Chlorophyll, Torkoal or Ninetales is a necessary partner. Shiftry should not be the only sun Pokemon on teams like this, as it is not sufficient to justify dedicating points to the sun archetype on its own.
**U-turn Answers**: Due to its massive weakness to Bug, Shiftry wants teammates that do not fear U-turn and can punish the use of it with contact effects or Rocky Helmet, such as Landorus-T, Talonflame, and Zapdos.
**Wallbreakers**: Shiftry’s coverage options are not infinite, and its stats can be insufficient to deal with strong walls, especially those with good mixed defenses. Pokemon with immediate power like Great Tusk, Raging Bolt, and Chi-Yu can punch holes in teams for Shiftry to attempt to clean up afterwards.
**Pivots**: Shiftry hesitates to switch in on most moves except when it thinks it can take advantage of Wind Rider, so pivots such as Tornadus-T, Galarian Slowking, and Empoleon can help it hit the field safely.
Checks and Counters
========
**U-turn**: U-turn deals more damage than a non-STAB Explosion to Shiftry and lets the opponent preserve momentum against almost any switch-in; as such, it is the bane of Shiftry’s existence. Almost any user of U-turn can turn it into a massive momentum sink or force it to Terastallize if it is a Tera Captain and deprive a likely stronger teammate of the option.
**Naturally Bulky Pokemon**: Shiftry can strike foes on both the physical and special side with the right EVs and coverage, but many Pokemon can shrug it off and KO it in return, such as Gliscor, Goodra, and Enamorus-T.
**Strong Priority**: Shiftry is vulnerable to several common forms of priority such as Ice Shard, Mach Punch, and Vacuum Wave. It can also easily be revenge killed by most priority moves when brought to low HP by entry hazards, Life Orb recoil, and damage taken while setting up.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/guertena.582655/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 2-4 points
**Overview**: Shiftry boasts a wide and eclectic movepool as well as two excellent abilities in Chlorophyll and Wind Rider, which give it high potential as a very unique setup sweeper at an inexpensive price point. It can swap between physical, special, and mixed offensive stats and use its variety of coverage options and boosting moves to suit the matchup. However, its bad defensive stats, vulnerable type combination, incredibly average Speed, and mediocre offenses limit its capabilities.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Chlorophyll Sweeper**: Although it is generally outclassed by other Pokemon that can fulfill this role, Shiftry can be used on sun teams to fire off Solar Beam and Solar Blade at a more affordable price; however, its poor bulk makes finding opportunities to set up Growth a challenge. Even if it does not find setup opportunities, it can be a solid cleaner and revenge killer under sun with its many coverage moves.
**Setup Sweeper**: Shiftry is the only Pokemon with the combination of Wind Rider and Tailwind, essentially giving it access to a bootleg version of Shift Gear. Swords Dance and Nasty Plot are options if raw power is necessary, but its poor base stats make utilizing these moves highly challenging.
**Offensive Utility**: Defog, Leech Seed, Toxic Spikes, and Will-O-Wisp would be an astonishingly useful array of support moves on a Pokemon with better stats and typing, but unfortunately Shiftry must be very crafty to take advantage of these given its shortcomings. It can also use Knock Off to remove foes' items, Sucker Punch to catch foes off-guard with strong priority, and Taunt to interrupt opposing utility Pokemon and setup sweepers.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Leaf Storm, Leaf Blade, Petal Blizzard, Dark Pulse, Knock Off, Sucker Punch, Throat Chop
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Growth, Nasty Plot, Tailwind
**Utility Moves**: Brick Break, Defog, Leech Seed, Substitute, Synthesis, Taunt, Toxic Spikes, Will-O-Wisp
**Coverage**: Air Slash, Extrasensory, Focus Blast, Heat Wave, Hurricane, Icy Wind, Low Kick, Rock Slide, Shadow Ball, Vacuum Wave, Weather Ball, X-Scissor
Niche Moves
========
**Sunny Day**: Chlorophyll sets can bring their own sun if need be, perhaps as a response to opponents’ attempts to change the weather themselves.
**Explosion**: In situations where Shiftry lacks the power and coverage to break through the enemy, Explosion can punch an immediate hole in the opponent’s team, preserve momentum, and pass the torch to a different sweeper that may be able to take advantage of the remaining turns of harsh sunlight or Tailwind.
**Solar Beam / Solar Blade**: Solar Beam and Solar Blade are the most powerful Grass-type moves Shiftry has access to, but they are relegated to Chlorophyll sets in harsh sunlight.
**Whirlwind**: Shiftry does not typically have the stats to take advantage of Whirlwind, but by virtue of its Dark typing, it can check and force out some Stored Power sweepers.
Common Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Shiftry often needs items like Life Orb and Expert Belt to hit KO thresholds that its average offensive stats cannot reach.
Niche Items
========
**Choice Band / Specs**: Chlorophyll Shiftry can eschew setup and try to break through enemy walls unboosted, but its dependence on its coverage movepool can make it easy for foes to take advantage of once it is locked into a move.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry can help Shiftry avoid status ailments from passive walls that it attempts to set up on.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Shiftry is a poor choice for a Defogger, but Heavy-Duty Boots can give it a few more opportunities to switch in on entry hazards and attempt to remove them on offensive utility sets.
**Choice Scarf**: Without sun support, Choice Scarf helps Shiftry function as a decent revenge killer.
**Focus Sash**: Shiftry can use Focus Sash for a guaranteed turn to set up Growth or Tailwind, barring entry hazard damage or multi-hit attacks. However, this makes it especially vulnerable to priority attacks.
Tera
========
Shiftry can be a solid secondary Tera Captain, especially on sun teams, but it is generally outclassed by other higher-priced Pokemon that are usually more threatening users of Tera. Tera Grass and Dark can increase the potency of its strong STAB moves to respectable levels, but Shiftry benefits more from types that can allow it to set up easier. Tera Flying, Fairy, Steel, and Poison can reverse its weakness to U-turn and offer it a few more coverage options, but Tera Fire synergizes the best with its role as a Chlorophyll sweeper and increases the damage of its sun-boosted Heat Wave even further.
Draft Strategy
========
Shiftry is not the centerpiece of any draft, even on sun teams. It lacks the power and stats to be a reliable wincon, despite its impressive set diversity. However, on teams that can cover for its weaknesses and support its strengths, it may be able to surprise foes with its unique and potentially game-winning set of traits.
**Sun Setters**: To take full advantage of Chlorophyll, Torkoal or Ninetales is a necessary partner. Shiftry should not be the only sun Pokemon on teams like this, as it is not sufficient to justify dedicating points to the sun archetype on its own.
**U-turn Answers**: Due to its massive weakness to Bug, Shiftry wants teammates that do not fear U-turn and can punish the use of it with contact effects or Rocky Helmet, such as Landorus-T, Talonflame, and Zapdos.
**Wallbreakers**: Shiftry’s coverage options are not infinite, and its stats can be insufficient to deal with strong walls, especially those with good mixed defenses. Pokemon with immediate power like Great Tusk, Raging Bolt, and Chi-Yu can punch holes in teams for Shiftry to attempt to clean up afterwards.
**Pivots**: Shiftry hesitates to switch in on most moves except when it thinks it can take advantage of Wind Rider, so pivots such as Tornadus-T, Galarian Slowking, and Empoleon can help it hit the field safely.
Checks and Counters
========
**U-turn**: U-turn deals more damage than a non-STAB Explosion to Shiftry and lets the opponent preserve momentum against almost any switch-in; as such, it is the bane of Shiftry’s existence. Almost any user of U-turn can turn it into a massive momentum sink or force it to Terastallize if it is a Tera Captain and deprive a likely stronger teammate of the option.
**Naturally Bulky Pokemon**: Shiftry can strike foes on both the physical and special side with the right EVs and coverage, but many Pokemon can shrug it off and KO it in return, such as Gliscor, Goodra, and Enamorus-T.
**Strong Priority**: Shiftry is vulnerable to several common forms of priority such as Ice Shard, Mach Punch, and Vacuum Wave. It can also easily be revenge killed by most priority moves when brought to low HP by entry hazards, Life Orb recoil, and damage taken while setting up.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/guertena.582655/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
