[OVERVIEW]
* Marshadow is an offensive powerhouse that is capable of revenge killing with ease, cleaning up weakened teams, and breaking through walls.
* Marshadow has decent Attack and a great Speed tier in base 125. These above-average offensive stats combined with Marshadow's unresisted combination of strong Ghost- and Fighting-type STAB attacks make it an all-around strong offensive Pokemon.
* Its unique typing gives a number of immunities and resistances, most notably an immunity to Extreme Speed, making it great versus offensive teams, as it cannot be revenge killed easily.
* Marshadow's great Speed tier and Technician-boosted Shadow Sneak make Marshadow great at revenge killing and cleaning up weakened teams, making it a potent anti-offense Pokemon.
* Spectral Thief's ability to steal stat boosts from foes can cause trouble for opposing setup Pokemon, especially physical ones. Additionally, it dissuades foes from trying to set up on teams with Marshadow, causing even more trouble to offense teams.
* Marshadow's access to Bulk Up and a strong Z-Move in Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike allows it to wallbreak effectively.
* Technician-boosted coverage moves like Rock Tomb and Hidden Power Ice round off Marshadow's excellent offensive movepool.
* However, Marshadow's overall damage output is not great when it is not using its Z-Move, and it relies heavily on opposing Pokemon being weakened beforehand in order to KO them.
* Unimpressive defenses make it weak to any Pokemon that it can't KO outright. For example, a healthy Primal Groudon can take any hit from Marshadow and OHKO Marshadow in return with Precipice Blades.
* Faster Pokemon and Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas and Yveltal can pose a threat to it.
[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Spectral Thief
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: Rock Tomb / Hidden Power Ice
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Spectral Thief and Close Combat are Marshadow's strongest STAB moves. Spectral Thief also goes through Substitute, which lets Marshadow steal stat boosts from Pokemon that try to set up behind a Substitute.
* Shadow Sneak provides a strong option to beat or revenge kill faster Pokemon that could otherwise threaten Marshadow such as Mega Gengar, which is OHKOed. Shadow Sneak can also KO most variants of Mewtwo after some chip damage and weakened Choice Scarf Xerneas.
* Rock Tomb can take down Flying-type Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, while Hidden Power Ice hits threats like Mega-Salamence and Zygarde-C. Rock Tomb can also slow down Choice Scarf users, allowing Marshadow to outspeed them. For example, Dark Pulse from Choice Scarf Yveltal fails to OHKO Marshadow, and Yveltal is outsped by Marshadow after one hit from Rock Tomb.
* Pursuit is an alternative option in the fourth slot. It complements Marshadow's revenge killing capabilities, as it can take down Pokemon that are threatened and forced out by Marshadow's offensive presence like Gengar and Gothitelle. Pursuit also can finish off weakened Pokemon that try switching out to avoid being revenge killed.
Set Details
========
* Life Orb provides the extra damage that Marshadow desperately needs.
* 252 Attack EVs are used to maximize damage output.
* 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly or Naive nature are used to outspeed Arceus formes and Speed tie with other Marshadow.
* A Naive nature should only be used on sets with Hidden Power Ice, as it sacrifices bulk in exchange for ensuring that Hidden Power Ice KOes its targets.
Usage Tips
========
* It is generally best to bring Marshadow in for free through a fainted Pokemon or a use of U-turn or Volt Switch; it cannot take many hits with its mediocre bulk.
* Marshadow performs best late-game when the opponent's checks to it are weakened and in KO range. Otherwise, Marshadow struggles to avoid being revenge killed by Pokemon that can survive its attacks.
* This is especially true when opposing Pokemon like Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex are still healthy — they can come in to easily take hits while wearing down Marshadow through Life Orb damage and robbing your team of any momentum.
* Marshadow's immunities can provide opportunities for it to come in on a predicted Normal- or Fighting-type attack. However, this should be done cautiously, as Marshadow's lack of bulk means it can fall easily to mispredictions. Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Lucario, and Rayquaza with Extreme Speed can potentially be predicted, switched into, and forced out, as they have no good way to deal with Marshadow's Speed.
* Extreme Killer Arceus with an unrevealed item can also be a threat — Chople Berry sets can come in on a Ghost-type move or on a free switch, survive Close Combat, and KO Marshadow in return with Shadow Claw.
* Hidden Power Ice should generally only be used on a weakened Zygarde, as it does not OHKO from full health and puts Zygarde into its Complete forme. Zygarde can then switch out and come in later to use Rest and recover its health. However, even in Complete forme, Zygarde is 2HKOed by Hidden Power Ice.
Team Options
========
* Marshadow is best used on offensive teams as a revenge killer and cleaner.
* Entry hazards weaken the opponent's checks to Marshadow while also punishing the many switches that Marshadow can force. Marshadow also outspeeds and offensively pressures common Defoggers and has the typing to spinblock, which helps keep hazards up. Some teammates that can set and control hazards include Excadrill, Cloyster, and Deoxys-S. Excadrill and Cloyster can clear hazards via Rapid Spin, while Deoxys-S can prevent these hazards from being set up in the first place via an extremely fast Taunt. Bulkier teams may find Pokemon such as Necrozma-DM, Primal Groudon, and Ferrothorn more suitable, as they have the longevity to come in repeatedly to set up hazards over the course of the game.
* Pokemon with access to U-turn, such as Yveltal, can help safely bring in Marshadow.
* Partners that can beat bulky Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, such as Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon, can help clear a path for Marshadow to finish the game.
* Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre can break other defensive Pokemon that Marshadow might not have the coverage for such as Toxapex, Zygarde-C, and Ho-Oh. Primal Groudon can easily break through Toxapex and Ho-Oh, while Primal Kyogre can break through all three, provided it carries Thunder for Toxapex.
* Mega Gengar and Gothitelle can trap and remove checks such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex. However, these two Pokemon share common weaknesses with Marshadow.
* Special wallbreakers especially complement Marshadow, as defensive Pokemon can rarely survive the onslaught of both strong physical and special attacks.
* On less offensive teams, Magearna is a strong partner, as it can easily come in on Yveltal and Xerneas. In addition, Magearna has access to a relatively slow Volt Switch, allowing for more opportunities to safely bring in Marshadow and maintain momentum.
* Using Sticky Web is an option that allows Marshadow to beat Choice Scarf users, although it fails to affect Choice Scarf Yveltal, one of Marshadow's greatest threats.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Spectral Thief
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Shadow Sneak / Substitute
item: Marshadium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Bulk Up provides the extra damage Marshadow needs to break through Pokemon that would normally check it.
* Close Combat and Spectral Thief are Marshadow's preferred STAB attacks.
* Spectral Thief also goes through Substitute, allowing Marshadow to steal stats from Pokemon that try to set up behind a Substitute.
* Spectral Thief also lets Marshadow use the Z-Move Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, which further boosts its wallbreaking capabilities, especially in combination with a Bulk Up boost. After a single Bulk Up, Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike can OHKO many of Marshadow's checks, such as support Arceus formes that don't resist it like as Arceus-Fairy, -Ground, and -Water after Stealth Rock, Toxapex after Stealth Rock damage, offensive or weakened defensive Ho-Oh, and more.
* Shadow Sneak can revenge kill or finish off severely weakened threats.
* Substitute takes advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces and allows Marshadow to more safely set up while being protected from things like status and Dragon Tail phazing, which is especially helpful versus defensive teams. Despite Marshadow's mediocre defenses, its Substitute can survive some weak attacks from defensive Pokemon, such as Ice Beam from Lugia.
* Rock Tomb is a potential option over Substitute or Shadow Sneak, as it provides Marshadow with an extra way to beat defensive Ho-Oh, which can survive a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Hidden Power Ice can be used for Mega Salamence and Zygarde but is fairly weak and fails to OHKO both.
Set Details
========
* Even with Substitute, Attack and Speed are maximized to optimize offensive capability. Investment in bulk does not affect Marshadow's defensive capabilities significantly.
* A Jolly Nature allows Marshadow to outspeed fast defensive Pokemon such as maximum Speed Timid Arceus formes and Speed tie with other Marshadow.
* Marshadium Z gives Marshadow access to Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
Usage Tips
========
* Marshadow can be used early-game to break through walls for the rest of your team or late-game to clean up a weakened team.
* Take advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces by setting up either Substitute or Bulk Up.
* However, be cautious about using Bulk Up, as Marshadow is quite frail even with the boost in Defense and can still be crippled by status such as paralysis or burn.
* Take care in using Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, as Marshadow's other attacks are relatively weak, especially without Bulk Up boosts. Opponents may try to predict the Z-Move by switching into Normal- or Dark-types, which Marshadow can punish with Close Combat.
* Be cautious of faster Pokemon or Speed-boosting sweepers; the diminished power from not having a Life Orb means Marshadow struggles to revenge kill with Shadow Sneak. In particular, Shadow Sneak now misses the OHKO on Gengar without Stealth Rock. Close Combat also cannot KO Arceus and Arceus-Dark with HP investment, even after Stealth Rock.
* Substitute can be used to deter foes from setting up Dragon Dance or punish greedy Pokemon like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza that may try to set up with Dragon Dance. After Dragon Dance, opposing Pokemon become faster than Marshadow, and Marshadow can steal their stat boosts while they break the Substitute.
* With Substitute, Marshadow can set up extra boosts on Zygarde-C in an attempt to break through it, even without Hidden Power Ice. By correctly predicting Rest, Glare, or Toxic, Marshadow can set up a Substitute for free and begin boosting. At +1 Defense, Dragon Tail fails to break the Substitute, while Thousand Arrows fails to break the Substitute a small percentage of the time. At +2 Defense, Thousand Arrows will also require two hits to break the Substitute. However, Zygarde-C's monstrous bulk means that Marshadow will require at least 5 boosts in order to always OHKO it with Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. As such, it is generally a good idea to keep Zygarde in its regular forme before attacking it with a boosted hit, doing some damage beforehand without crossing the 50% HP threshold. In this case, you will require much less damage to KO it. For example, +1 Close Combat will almost always keep Zygarde above 50% HP after Stealth Rock damage and Leftovers recovery. Marshadow can then finish off Zygarde with Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
* If you have not yet attacked, you can bluff a Life Orb set to threaten out Pokemon that may be concerned about falling to coverage moves such as Ho-Oh and Mega Salamence. Marshadow can then take advantage of the switch by setting up Substitute or Bulk Up, and then potentially break through the check that the opponent has sent in with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock support is crucial for extra chip damage, which allows Marshadow to KO Pokemon such as support Arceus with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Even then, support Arceus formes with some Defense investment can survive a small percentage of the time, so Spikes support from Pokemon such as Cloyster, Deoxys-S, and Ferrothorn may also be helpful.
* Setup sweepers like Geomancy Xerneas and Dragon Dance Salamence pair nicely with this set, as Marshadow can break through many of their checks, such as special walls and Steel-types like Necrozma-DM.
* Pokemon that can beat Mega Salamence and Choice Scarf Yveltal are greatly appreciated, especially as this set generally does not run coverage. Furthermore, the Intimidate Attack drop from Salamence can be problematic. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can generally handle Yveltal and Mega Salamence offensively, as they can OHKO both of these threats with their STAB attacks. More defensive options include support Arceus formes like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground, which have no trouble taking hits from these Pokemon and can fire back with either Ice Beam or Toxic to wear them down.
* Ho-Oh checks are also very helpful for Marshadow, as Marshadow struggles to break through it without the use of a boosted Z-move. Ho-Oh can be dealt with using defensive checks such as Zygarde-C and support Arceus formes, and its 4x weakness to Rock can be exploited by offensive checks such as Primal Groudon.
* Although it is possible for Marshadow to beat Zygarde-C, it relies heavily on correct predictions and may not work some of the time. Therefore, it may be necessary to send in another Pokemon that can break Zygarde-C, such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, or a Pokemon running Ice Beam.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Choice Band can provide immediate extra power without taking Life Orb damage. However, this set is easily exploitable, as Marshadow's attacks all have common checks. Becoming Choice-locked into a move that the opponent has an answer for can lead to losing massive amounts of momentum.
* Bulk Up and Poison Jab combined with Poisonium Z can be used to break through Fairy-type checks.
* Choice Scarf can surprise opponents by stealing boosts from Speed-boosted Pokemon like Mega Salamence, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Geomancy Xerneas, as people generally do not give the latter two Pokemon enough Speed EVs to outspeed a Pokemon as fast as Choice Scarf Marshadow. However, this has the problem of locking Marshadow into exploitable moves and also severely lacks power.
* A bulky set with Bulk Up, Substitute, and Drain Punch may potentially be able to break through bulkier teams while staying healthy. However, this set lacks any sort of offensive power without significant boosts from Bulk Up, which are generally very difficult to obtain.
* Low Kick is an alternative to Close Combat for a Fighting-type STAB attack, with the advantage of not dropping Marshadow's defenses, making it less prone to being revenge killed. Most of the Pokemon commonly used in the Ubers tier are heavy enough that they are eligible for Low Kick's maximum 120 Base Power. However, some Pokemon such as Blissey, Chansey, Mega Diancie, and Genesect are light enough to take significantly less damage, allowing them to survive what would be an OHKO from Close Combat.
* Force Palm is another alternative to Close Combat that can potentially paralyze threats, making it difficult for them to perform their roles. Furthermore, it is boosted by Technician and does not drop Marshadow's defenses. However, even after the Technician boost, it has significantly lower power than Close Combat and misses many valuable KOs that Close Combat provides, such as an OHKO on Extreme Killer Arceus and a 2HKO on 252 HP Primal Groudon.
* Swagger is an option to disrupt opposing teams, as the threat of Spectral Thief stealing the +2 Attack boost can easily force out afflicted foes. This is especially true for weaker special attackers, which cannot make use of the Attack boost. The possibility of self-inflicting damage through confusion combined with the increased Attack stat further incentivizes opposing Pokemon to switch out. These forced switches can rack up entry hazard damage and potentially provide opportunities for Marshadow to set up a Substitute or Bulk Up.
* Other Hidden Power attacks can be used for coverage on problematic Pokemon, such as Hidden Power Flying for Buzzwole, which can comfortably survive Marshadow's other attacks and recover its health with Roost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Defensive Fairy-types like Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas can only be OHKOed by a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Otherwise, they easily survive any attack and OHKO in return.
**Support Arceus Formes**: Defensive Arceus formes like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can survive two Close Combats from Marshadow and in turn take it down with a combination of Toxic and Recover or a Judgment on a Marshadow weakened by Close Combat drops. However, because Marshadow outspeeds them, they must be in healthy condition in order to safely come in on Marshadow.
**Yveltal**: When given a free switch, Yveltal can easily threaten Marshadow while surviving any of Marshadow's unboosted attacks. Yveltal can, in turn, OHKO with Oblivion Wing or threaten to revenge kill a weakened Marshadow with Sucker Punch. Choice Scarf Yveltal easily outspeeds Marshadow and OHKOes it with Oblivion Wing. Defensive Yveltal sets can survive two Close Combats without Stealth Rock, even with the Life Orb boost. It can then heal off the damage with Roost and hit back with a Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play, which OHKOes Marshadow after just one Defense drop from Close Combat.
**Zygarde-C**: Without Hidden Power Ice, Marshadow struggles greatly to break through Zygarde-C, as it fails to 4HKO a healthy Zygarde-C without boosts. Bulk Up sets require many boosts to be able to OHKO or even 2HKO it.
**Mega Salamence**: The combination of Intimidate in its base forme, good defenses in its Mega-evolved forme, access to Dragon Dance, and the ability to OHKO Marshadow with any Aerilate-boosted attack means Mega Salamence is very threatening to Marshadow. Mega Salamence can even take a hit from Marshadow if Marshadow does not have Hidden Power Ice or Rock Tomb, set up Dragon Dance, and OHKO Marshadow, while Marshadow never has the opportunity to steal the boosts.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Choice Scarf users that don't mind Shadow Sneak, like Xerneas and Yveltal, outspeed Marshadow and easily OHKO it.
**Ho-Oh**: If Stealth Rock is not set on Ho-Oh's side of the field, Ho-Oh easily survives any unboosted attack from Marshadow except Rock Tomb. Defensive sets can potentially even survive a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. In return, Ho-Oh can outright OHKO Marshadow with Brave Bird, replenish its health with Roost, Recover, or Regenerator, or cripple Marshadow with a Sacred Fire burn.
**Priority**: Although Marshadow is immune to Extreme Speed, there are many other common forms of priority that threaten it. Shadow Sneak from Giratina-O OHKOes Marshadow, and Giratina-O easily takes Shadow Sneak from Marshadow itself. Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and Mega Scizor and Sucker Punch from Yveltal can KO a Marshadow that is weakened or has had its defenses lowered by Close Combat.
**Primal Groudon**: Primal Groudon's strong defensive stats allow even offensive sets to easily survive any unboosted attack from Marshadow. In return, it can OHKO with many of its attacks, set up Stealth Rock, or even set up stat boosts of its own. However, it cannot switch in on Marshadow's Life Orb-boosted Close Combat if Stealth Rock is up. Furthermore, due to its lack of reliable recovery, Primal Groudon can be worn down over time.
**Toxapex**: Toxapex easily survives any unboosted hit from Marshadow while using Recover and Regenerator to remain healthy. If Marshadow has Bulk Up, Toxapex can nullify any boosts with Haze. However, if Marshadow finds an opportunity to use Bulk Up, it can OHKO Toxapex with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
**Landorus-T**: Intimidate lessens Marshadow's offensive presence, and Landorus-T can be problematic if Marshadow does not carry Hidden Power Ice. Landorus-T can then freely set up Stealth Rock or use U-turn to gain momentum.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye can survive any hit bar a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, and recover the damage. In return, it can cripple Marshadow with Will-O-Wisp or wear it down with a combination of Toxic and Foul Play.
**Ultra Necrozma**: Ultra Necrozma avoids an OHKO from Shadow Sneak, even with its reduced defenses in comparison to its Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings formes. In return, it outspeeds and OHKOes Marshadow with ease.
* Marshadow is an offensive powerhouse that is capable of revenge killing with ease, cleaning up weakened teams, and breaking through walls.
* Marshadow has decent Attack and a great Speed tier in base 125. These above-average offensive stats combined with Marshadow's unresisted combination of strong Ghost- and Fighting-type STAB attacks make it an all-around strong offensive Pokemon.
* Its unique typing gives a number of immunities and resistances, most notably an immunity to Extreme Speed, making it great versus offensive teams, as it cannot be revenge killed easily.
* Marshadow's great Speed tier and Technician-boosted Shadow Sneak make Marshadow great at revenge killing and cleaning up weakened teams, making it a potent anti-offense Pokemon.
* Spectral Thief's ability to steal stat boosts from foes can cause trouble for opposing setup Pokemon, especially physical ones. Additionally, it dissuades foes from trying to set up on teams with Marshadow, causing even more trouble to offense teams.
* Marshadow's access to Bulk Up and a strong Z-Move in Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike allows it to wallbreak effectively.
* Technician-boosted coverage moves like Rock Tomb and Hidden Power Ice round off Marshadow's excellent offensive movepool.
* However, Marshadow's overall damage output is not great when it is not using its Z-Move, and it relies heavily on opposing Pokemon being weakened beforehand in order to KO them.
* Unimpressive defenses make it weak to any Pokemon that it can't KO outright. For example, a healthy Primal Groudon can take any hit from Marshadow and OHKO Marshadow in return with Precipice Blades.
* Faster Pokemon and Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas and Yveltal can pose a threat to it.
[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Spectral Thief
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: Rock Tomb / Hidden Power Ice
item: Life Orb
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Spectral Thief and Close Combat are Marshadow's strongest STAB moves. Spectral Thief also goes through Substitute, which lets Marshadow steal stat boosts from Pokemon that try to set up behind a Substitute.
* Shadow Sneak provides a strong option to beat or revenge kill faster Pokemon that could otherwise threaten Marshadow such as Mega Gengar, which is OHKOed. Shadow Sneak can also KO most variants of Mewtwo after some chip damage and weakened Choice Scarf Xerneas.
* Rock Tomb can take down Flying-type Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, while Hidden Power Ice hits threats like Mega-Salamence and Zygarde-C. Rock Tomb can also slow down Choice Scarf users, allowing Marshadow to outspeed them. For example, Dark Pulse from Choice Scarf Yveltal fails to OHKO Marshadow, and Yveltal is outsped by Marshadow after one hit from Rock Tomb.
* Pursuit is an alternative option in the fourth slot. It complements Marshadow's revenge killing capabilities, as it can take down Pokemon that are threatened and forced out by Marshadow's offensive presence like Gengar and Gothitelle. Pursuit also can finish off weakened Pokemon that try switching out to avoid being revenge killed.
Set Details
========
* Life Orb provides the extra damage that Marshadow desperately needs.
* 252 Attack EVs are used to maximize damage output.
* 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly or Naive nature are used to outspeed Arceus formes and Speed tie with other Marshadow.
* A Naive nature should only be used on sets with Hidden Power Ice, as it sacrifices bulk in exchange for ensuring that Hidden Power Ice KOes its targets.
Usage Tips
========
* It is generally best to bring Marshadow in for free through a fainted Pokemon or a use of U-turn or Volt Switch; it cannot take many hits with its mediocre bulk.
* Marshadow performs best late-game when the opponent's checks to it are weakened and in KO range. Otherwise, Marshadow struggles to avoid being revenge killed by Pokemon that can survive its attacks.
* This is especially true when opposing Pokemon like Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex are still healthy — they can come in to easily take hits while wearing down Marshadow through Life Orb damage and robbing your team of any momentum.
* Marshadow's immunities can provide opportunities for it to come in on a predicted Normal- or Fighting-type attack. However, this should be done cautiously, as Marshadow's lack of bulk means it can fall easily to mispredictions. Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Lucario, and Rayquaza with Extreme Speed can potentially be predicted, switched into, and forced out, as they have no good way to deal with Marshadow's Speed.
* Extreme Killer Arceus with an unrevealed item can also be a threat — Chople Berry sets can come in on a Ghost-type move or on a free switch, survive Close Combat, and KO Marshadow in return with Shadow Claw.
* Hidden Power Ice should generally only be used on a weakened Zygarde, as it does not OHKO from full health and puts Zygarde into its Complete forme. Zygarde can then switch out and come in later to use Rest and recover its health. However, even in Complete forme, Zygarde is 2HKOed by Hidden Power Ice.
Team Options
========
* Marshadow is best used on offensive teams as a revenge killer and cleaner.
* Entry hazards weaken the opponent's checks to Marshadow while also punishing the many switches that Marshadow can force. Marshadow also outspeeds and offensively pressures common Defoggers and has the typing to spinblock, which helps keep hazards up. Some teammates that can set and control hazards include Excadrill, Cloyster, and Deoxys-S. Excadrill and Cloyster can clear hazards via Rapid Spin, while Deoxys-S can prevent these hazards from being set up in the first place via an extremely fast Taunt. Bulkier teams may find Pokemon such as Necrozma-DM, Primal Groudon, and Ferrothorn more suitable, as they have the longevity to come in repeatedly to set up hazards over the course of the game.
* Pokemon with access to U-turn, such as Yveltal, can help safely bring in Marshadow.
* Partners that can beat bulky Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, such as Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon, can help clear a path for Marshadow to finish the game.
* Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre can break other defensive Pokemon that Marshadow might not have the coverage for such as Toxapex, Zygarde-C, and Ho-Oh. Primal Groudon can easily break through Toxapex and Ho-Oh, while Primal Kyogre can break through all three, provided it carries Thunder for Toxapex.
* Mega Gengar and Gothitelle can trap and remove checks such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex. However, these two Pokemon share common weaknesses with Marshadow.
* Special wallbreakers especially complement Marshadow, as defensive Pokemon can rarely survive the onslaught of both strong physical and special attacks.
* On less offensive teams, Magearna is a strong partner, as it can easily come in on Yveltal and Xerneas. In addition, Magearna has access to a relatively slow Volt Switch, allowing for more opportunities to safely bring in Marshadow and maintain momentum.
* Using Sticky Web is an option that allows Marshadow to beat Choice Scarf users, although it fails to affect Choice Scarf Yveltal, one of Marshadow's greatest threats.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Spectral Thief
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Shadow Sneak / Substitute
item: Marshadium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Bulk Up provides the extra damage Marshadow needs to break through Pokemon that would normally check it.
* Close Combat and Spectral Thief are Marshadow's preferred STAB attacks.
* Spectral Thief also goes through Substitute, allowing Marshadow to steal stats from Pokemon that try to set up behind a Substitute.
* Spectral Thief also lets Marshadow use the Z-Move Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, which further boosts its wallbreaking capabilities, especially in combination with a Bulk Up boost. After a single Bulk Up, Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike can OHKO many of Marshadow's checks, such as support Arceus formes that don't resist it like as Arceus-Fairy, -Ground, and -Water after Stealth Rock, Toxapex after Stealth Rock damage, offensive or weakened defensive Ho-Oh, and more.
* Shadow Sneak can revenge kill or finish off severely weakened threats.
* Substitute takes advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces and allows Marshadow to more safely set up while being protected from things like status and Dragon Tail phazing, which is especially helpful versus defensive teams. Despite Marshadow's mediocre defenses, its Substitute can survive some weak attacks from defensive Pokemon, such as Ice Beam from Lugia.
* Rock Tomb is a potential option over Substitute or Shadow Sneak, as it provides Marshadow with an extra way to beat defensive Ho-Oh, which can survive a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Hidden Power Ice can be used for Mega Salamence and Zygarde but is fairly weak and fails to OHKO both.
Set Details
========
* Even with Substitute, Attack and Speed are maximized to optimize offensive capability. Investment in bulk does not affect Marshadow's defensive capabilities significantly.
* A Jolly Nature allows Marshadow to outspeed fast defensive Pokemon such as maximum Speed Timid Arceus formes and Speed tie with other Marshadow.
* Marshadium Z gives Marshadow access to Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
Usage Tips
========
* Marshadow can be used early-game to break through walls for the rest of your team or late-game to clean up a weakened team.
* Take advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces by setting up either Substitute or Bulk Up.
* However, be cautious about using Bulk Up, as Marshadow is quite frail even with the boost in Defense and can still be crippled by status such as paralysis or burn.
* Take care in using Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, as Marshadow's other attacks are relatively weak, especially without Bulk Up boosts. Opponents may try to predict the Z-Move by switching into Normal- or Dark-types, which Marshadow can punish with Close Combat.
* Be cautious of faster Pokemon or Speed-boosting sweepers; the diminished power from not having a Life Orb means Marshadow struggles to revenge kill with Shadow Sneak. In particular, Shadow Sneak now misses the OHKO on Gengar without Stealth Rock. Close Combat also cannot KO Arceus and Arceus-Dark with HP investment, even after Stealth Rock.
* Substitute can be used to deter foes from setting up Dragon Dance or punish greedy Pokemon like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza that may try to set up with Dragon Dance. After Dragon Dance, opposing Pokemon become faster than Marshadow, and Marshadow can steal their stat boosts while they break the Substitute.
* With Substitute, Marshadow can set up extra boosts on Zygarde-C in an attempt to break through it, even without Hidden Power Ice. By correctly predicting Rest, Glare, or Toxic, Marshadow can set up a Substitute for free and begin boosting. At +1 Defense, Dragon Tail fails to break the Substitute, while Thousand Arrows fails to break the Substitute a small percentage of the time. At +2 Defense, Thousand Arrows will also require two hits to break the Substitute. However, Zygarde-C's monstrous bulk means that Marshadow will require at least 5 boosts in order to always OHKO it with Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. As such, it is generally a good idea to keep Zygarde in its regular forme before attacking it with a boosted hit, doing some damage beforehand without crossing the 50% HP threshold. In this case, you will require much less damage to KO it. For example, +1 Close Combat will almost always keep Zygarde above 50% HP after Stealth Rock damage and Leftovers recovery. Marshadow can then finish off Zygarde with Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
* If you have not yet attacked, you can bluff a Life Orb set to threaten out Pokemon that may be concerned about falling to coverage moves such as Ho-Oh and Mega Salamence. Marshadow can then take advantage of the switch by setting up Substitute or Bulk Up, and then potentially break through the check that the opponent has sent in with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock support is crucial for extra chip damage, which allows Marshadow to KO Pokemon such as support Arceus with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Even then, support Arceus formes with some Defense investment can survive a small percentage of the time, so Spikes support from Pokemon such as Cloyster, Deoxys-S, and Ferrothorn may also be helpful.
* Setup sweepers like Geomancy Xerneas and Dragon Dance Salamence pair nicely with this set, as Marshadow can break through many of their checks, such as special walls and Steel-types like Necrozma-DM.
* Pokemon that can beat Mega Salamence and Choice Scarf Yveltal are greatly appreciated, especially as this set generally does not run coverage. Furthermore, the Intimidate Attack drop from Salamence can be problematic. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can generally handle Yveltal and Mega Salamence offensively, as they can OHKO both of these threats with their STAB attacks. More defensive options include support Arceus formes like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground, which have no trouble taking hits from these Pokemon and can fire back with either Ice Beam or Toxic to wear them down.
* Ho-Oh checks are also very helpful for Marshadow, as Marshadow struggles to break through it without the use of a boosted Z-move. Ho-Oh can be dealt with using defensive checks such as Zygarde-C and support Arceus formes, and its 4x weakness to Rock can be exploited by offensive checks such as Primal Groudon.
* Although it is possible for Marshadow to beat Zygarde-C, it relies heavily on correct predictions and may not work some of the time. Therefore, it may be necessary to send in another Pokemon that can break Zygarde-C, such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, or a Pokemon running Ice Beam.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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* Choice Band can provide immediate extra power without taking Life Orb damage. However, this set is easily exploitable, as Marshadow's attacks all have common checks. Becoming Choice-locked into a move that the opponent has an answer for can lead to losing massive amounts of momentum.
* Bulk Up and Poison Jab combined with Poisonium Z can be used to break through Fairy-type checks.
* Choice Scarf can surprise opponents by stealing boosts from Speed-boosted Pokemon like Mega Salamence, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Geomancy Xerneas, as people generally do not give the latter two Pokemon enough Speed EVs to outspeed a Pokemon as fast as Choice Scarf Marshadow. However, this has the problem of locking Marshadow into exploitable moves and also severely lacks power.
* A bulky set with Bulk Up, Substitute, and Drain Punch may potentially be able to break through bulkier teams while staying healthy. However, this set lacks any sort of offensive power without significant boosts from Bulk Up, which are generally very difficult to obtain.
* Low Kick is an alternative to Close Combat for a Fighting-type STAB attack, with the advantage of not dropping Marshadow's defenses, making it less prone to being revenge killed. Most of the Pokemon commonly used in the Ubers tier are heavy enough that they are eligible for Low Kick's maximum 120 Base Power. However, some Pokemon such as Blissey, Chansey, Mega Diancie, and Genesect are light enough to take significantly less damage, allowing them to survive what would be an OHKO from Close Combat.
* Force Palm is another alternative to Close Combat that can potentially paralyze threats, making it difficult for them to perform their roles. Furthermore, it is boosted by Technician and does not drop Marshadow's defenses. However, even after the Technician boost, it has significantly lower power than Close Combat and misses many valuable KOs that Close Combat provides, such as an OHKO on Extreme Killer Arceus and a 2HKO on 252 HP Primal Groudon.
* Swagger is an option to disrupt opposing teams, as the threat of Spectral Thief stealing the +2 Attack boost can easily force out afflicted foes. This is especially true for weaker special attackers, which cannot make use of the Attack boost. The possibility of self-inflicting damage through confusion combined with the increased Attack stat further incentivizes opposing Pokemon to switch out. These forced switches can rack up entry hazard damage and potentially provide opportunities for Marshadow to set up a Substitute or Bulk Up.
* Other Hidden Power attacks can be used for coverage on problematic Pokemon, such as Hidden Power Flying for Buzzwole, which can comfortably survive Marshadow's other attacks and recover its health with Roost.
Checks and Counters
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**Fairy-types**: Defensive Fairy-types like Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas can only be OHKOed by a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Otherwise, they easily survive any attack and OHKO in return.
**Support Arceus Formes**: Defensive Arceus formes like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can survive two Close Combats from Marshadow and in turn take it down with a combination of Toxic and Recover or a Judgment on a Marshadow weakened by Close Combat drops. However, because Marshadow outspeeds them, they must be in healthy condition in order to safely come in on Marshadow.
**Yveltal**: When given a free switch, Yveltal can easily threaten Marshadow while surviving any of Marshadow's unboosted attacks. Yveltal can, in turn, OHKO with Oblivion Wing or threaten to revenge kill a weakened Marshadow with Sucker Punch. Choice Scarf Yveltal easily outspeeds Marshadow and OHKOes it with Oblivion Wing. Defensive Yveltal sets can survive two Close Combats without Stealth Rock, even with the Life Orb boost. It can then heal off the damage with Roost and hit back with a Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play, which OHKOes Marshadow after just one Defense drop from Close Combat.
**Zygarde-C**: Without Hidden Power Ice, Marshadow struggles greatly to break through Zygarde-C, as it fails to 4HKO a healthy Zygarde-C without boosts. Bulk Up sets require many boosts to be able to OHKO or even 2HKO it.
**Mega Salamence**: The combination of Intimidate in its base forme, good defenses in its Mega-evolved forme, access to Dragon Dance, and the ability to OHKO Marshadow with any Aerilate-boosted attack means Mega Salamence is very threatening to Marshadow. Mega Salamence can even take a hit from Marshadow if Marshadow does not have Hidden Power Ice or Rock Tomb, set up Dragon Dance, and OHKO Marshadow, while Marshadow never has the opportunity to steal the boosts.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Choice Scarf users that don't mind Shadow Sneak, like Xerneas and Yveltal, outspeed Marshadow and easily OHKO it.
**Ho-Oh**: If Stealth Rock is not set on Ho-Oh's side of the field, Ho-Oh easily survives any unboosted attack from Marshadow except Rock Tomb. Defensive sets can potentially even survive a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. In return, Ho-Oh can outright OHKO Marshadow with Brave Bird, replenish its health with Roost, Recover, or Regenerator, or cripple Marshadow with a Sacred Fire burn.
**Priority**: Although Marshadow is immune to Extreme Speed, there are many other common forms of priority that threaten it. Shadow Sneak from Giratina-O OHKOes Marshadow, and Giratina-O easily takes Shadow Sneak from Marshadow itself. Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and Mega Scizor and Sucker Punch from Yveltal can KO a Marshadow that is weakened or has had its defenses lowered by Close Combat.
**Primal Groudon**: Primal Groudon's strong defensive stats allow even offensive sets to easily survive any unboosted attack from Marshadow. In return, it can OHKO with many of its attacks, set up Stealth Rock, or even set up stat boosts of its own. However, it cannot switch in on Marshadow's Life Orb-boosted Close Combat if Stealth Rock is up. Furthermore, due to its lack of reliable recovery, Primal Groudon can be worn down over time.
**Toxapex**: Toxapex easily survives any unboosted hit from Marshadow while using Recover and Regenerator to remain healthy. If Marshadow has Bulk Up, Toxapex can nullify any boosts with Haze. However, if Marshadow finds an opportunity to use Bulk Up, it can OHKO Toxapex with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.
**Landorus-T**: Intimidate lessens Marshadow's offensive presence, and Landorus-T can be problematic if Marshadow does not carry Hidden Power Ice. Landorus-T can then freely set up Stealth Rock or use U-turn to gain momentum.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye can survive any hit bar a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, and recover the damage. In return, it can cripple Marshadow with Will-O-Wisp or wear it down with a combination of Toxic and Foul Play.
**Ultra Necrozma**: Ultra Necrozma avoids an OHKO from Shadow Sneak, even with its reduced defenses in comparison to its Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings formes. In return, it outspeeds and OHKOes Marshadow with ease.
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