Ubers Marshadow

[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.
 
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3 days have passed but this seems to be getting worked on as I make this post. Keep on top of time in the future.
 
life orb attacker

moves:
i would ideally like to see pursuit here rather than OO. the life orb attacking set is best at revenge killing or cleaning and pursuit helps heavily with revenge killing. this move obviously shouldn't be in the slashing but you can use suit instead of rock tomb/hp ice to help deal with goth, gar, psychics and picking off low health mons that might try to switch.

usage tips:
life orb marshadow is incapable of breaking pokemon like arceus-fairy or toxapex so usually its best to avoid bringing marsh in until these mons are chipped, since you'll be hard walled, lose momentum, and take life orb recoil. however, if you have a trapper such as mega gengar or gothitelle you can try to force these in with marshadow so you can trap them.

be weary of chople berry ekiller. if they bring ekiller into a ghost type attack theres a decent chance that they may be luring you into close combatting. this will allow shadow claw to KO you back after they eat a close combat. you can always switch to an alternate ekiller check to preserve marsh for other threats if needed. don't get lured.

spectral thief goes through substitute! a really important mechanic that needs to be mentioned since you can revenge kill and steal boosts from pokemon like sub + sd groundceus. you can also hard switch and catch some sub mons like lugia if they try to sub on a teammate.

team options:
magearna is a strong option to take on both of the 2 main ubers scarfs, yveltal and xerneas. it also has access to volt switch which potentially allows marshadow to come in off pivots, if they elect to keep their primal groudon healthy and switch to a non ground type pokemon. other steels and fairies help with xern/yveltal but magearna can take on both at once!

trappers such as mega gengar and gothitelle can get rid of annoying walls like support arceus, fairies, non shed shell pex and more. must be noted that they stack some weaknesses.

bulk up marshadow

set:
not a big fan of rock tomb in the slashing. pretty niche and doesn't particularly belong on the set often since ho-oh is better dealt with stealth rock or chip. sub/sneak are basically always going to be better. im ok with you mentioning it in set details but please explain that its generally outclassed.

usage tips:
you mention sneak's inability to revenge kill, with the lack of life orb. more importantly, i'd like to see mention of ko's you specifically miss out on. hp invested ekiller/darkceus with cc for example. sneak vs gengar for example.

in your zyg-c blurb i feel its important to mention you ideally want to keep zyg in 50% form. you can chip it to help secure a ko with +1 z move though you ideally want to keep it from entering complete form if possible.

substitute can also be effective to prevent dragon dance users from getting greedy vs marshadow. if you sub as they DD, you'll be slower and able to steal their stat boosts as they break your sub.

mention bluffs! sure its more advanced play and isn't guaranteed but because the life orb set runs 2 forms of coverage, if you haven't revealed a lack of life orb, you can always trick your opponent to condition a switch and get a nasty bulk up!

strategy comments

other options:
talked about it earlier but reminding you-- lets take pursuit out of this category since its actually a strong and viable option on the life orb set.

swagplay definitely deserves mention here. sub swagger can actually force a lot of switches if they want to avoid from giving you a +2 spectral boosts, which makes this set incredibly nasty with hazards.

force palm probably should be mentioned here as well since it takes advantage of technician and gives you the ability to paralyze checks and we all know para can break mons on its own lol... but fr on some other sites that do set analysis, force palm is mentioned as the main fighting attack instead of close combat. while intuitive to newer players, it is important to explain to newbies that cc nets ko's on many pokemon that force palm doesnt.

checks and counters:
this might need some re-ordering but needs discussion between qc members. i'll try to remember to bring it up but please remind the person who does the next check to follow up on this.



there was a decent amount to add but you honestly did a really good job covering most important info, marshadow is just a unique mon and has a lot of interactions to cover. implement these changes and let me know when you're finished so i can check it off!
 
added all the changes mentioned, thanks! also added in a little more info about hidden power ice vs zygarde in both sets, and added a bit on defensive ygod in c&c
 

ckw

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Moves (LO)

* Spectral Thief and Close Combat are the standard STABs, doing good damage.
* Spectral Thief also goes through Substitutes, allowing Marshadow to steal stats from Pokemon that try and set up behind a Substitute.
* Technician boosted Shadow Sneak provides a strong option to beat faster Pokemon that could otherwise threaten Marshadow.
* Rock Tomb can take down Flying pokemon (such as Ho-Oh), while Hidden Power Ice takes down threats like Mega-Salamence and Zygarde-C.
* Rock Tomb can also slow down Scarfed pokemon and allow Marshadow to outspeed them (e.g. Dark Pulse from Scarf Yveltal fails to kill, and is outsped by Marshadow after one Rock Tomb).
* Pursuit is an option to replace Rock Tomb and Hidden Power Ice. Pursuit complements Marshadow's revenge killing capabilities, as it can take down Pokemon like Gengar and Gothitelle, that are threatened and forced out by Marshadow's offensive presencce. Pursuit also can clean up weakened Pokemon that try and switch out to avoid being revenge killed.
- Merge the first two points about Spectral Theif. You are talking about the same move so no reason to make another point for it.
- Mention a few KOs that Shadow Sneak lets you nab with Marshadow.
- Merge the two points about Rock Tomb and make a seperate point for HP Ice.


Usage Tips
* Normal/Fighting immunities can provide opportunities for Marshadow to come in on a prediction, but should be done cautiously, as Marshadow's lack of bulk means it can fall easily to mispredicts.
Talk about offensive threats that use Extreme Speed like Rayquaza, Ekiller, and Fighting attack users here for a better understanding.

* Entry hazards weaken opponent checks, while also punishing the many switches that Marshadow can force, while also outspeeding and offensively pressuring common defoggers.
* Marshadow's ghost type also allows it to block Rapid Spin, helping keep hazards up.
Good info here, try merging the two and please add teammates. Excadrill, Deoxy-S, and Cloyster make good partners on offense while Necrozma-DM, Primal Groudon, and Ferrothorn are ideal on bulkier teams.

Moves (Bulk Up)

* Spectral Thief also allows access to the incredibly powerful Z-Move Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, further boosting wallbreaking capabilities, especially in combination with a Bulk Up boost.
- Mention a few OHKO's Marshadow can grab with Soul Stealing 7-Star Strike when used in conjunction with Bulk Up.

Team Options

Overall there's a lack of content written in this section compared to other parts of the analysis. A couple of points from the Team Option of the Life Orb set also goes for this set as well. The 3rd needs to be further explained (I'm not gonna tell you to add Rockceus now!). Arceus-Fairy can deal with Mega Salamence and Yveltal while Ho-Oh can be dealt with Zygarde and offensive checks like Primal Groudon. The 4th point can be further explained as well. Xerneas, support Arc formes like Arceus-Water, Arceus-Fairy, and Arceus-Ground can be added here.


Good job here. Highly recommend you to remove a couple of these brackets and explain instead.

QC 2/3
 

Minority

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Spectral Thief stealing stats can cause trouble for opposing setup Pokemon (especially physical ones), and dissuades opposing Pokemon from trying to set up on teams with Marshadow
Minor, but mention this point in the intro before you talk about Bulk Up and Z Move as it's more important.

Pretty good analysis for a n00b.


QC: 3/3
 

A Cake Wearing A Hat

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Community Leader
Hey, this is an amcheck, implement what you want but it's not official!
add/change remove comments
[(AC)=Add Comma, (AH)=Add Hyphen, (AP)=Add Period, (RC)=Remove Comma, (RH)=Remove Hyphen]
[OVERVIEW]

* Marshadow is an offensive powerhouse, capable of revenge killing with ease, cleaning up weakened teams, and breaking through walls.
* Marshadow has a decent base 125 Attack, (RC) and a great speed tier with base 125 Speed,. (RC, AP) combined These above average offensive stats in conjunction with its unresisted combination of high-powered Ghost- and Fighting-type STABs attacks being unresisted, (RC) with access to strong options for both, (RC) making make it an all-around (AH) strong offensive Pokemon.
* Its unique typing gives a number of immunities and resistances, most notably an immunity to Extreme Speed, making it difficult for some Pokemon to revenge kill, making which makes Marshadow great versus opposing offensive teams due to how it cannot be revenge killed easily.
* Marshadow's great Speed tier, (RC) as well as and its access to Technician boosted Shadow Sneak make Marshadow great at revenge killing or cleaning up weakened teams, making letting it be a potent anti-offense Pokemon.
* Spectral Thief's ability to stealing stats boosts from foes can cause trouble for opposing setup Pokemon (especially physical ones), (RC) and. (AP) It also dissuades opposing Pokemon from trying to set up on teams with containing Marshadow, giving which causes even more trouble to opposing offense offensive teams.
* Marshadow's access to Bulk Up combined with and a strong Z-move in Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike allows for great wallbreaking capabilities it to wallbreak effectively.
* Marshadow's excellent offensive movepool is rounded off by Technician boosted on good coverage moves like Rock Tomb/ and Hidden Power Ice rounds off its 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 (Before what?).
* Marshadow's unimpressive defenses make it weak to any Pokemon that it can't kill KO outright. (AP)
* Faster and Choice Scarfed Pokemon and Choice Scarf users can pose a threat to Marshadow.

[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 the standard Marshadow's strongest STAB moves, (RC) doing good damage. Spectral Thief also goes through Substitutes, allowing which lets Marshadow to steal stats boosts from Pokemon that try and set up behind a Substitute.
* Technician boosted Shadow Sneak provides a strong option to beat or revenge kill faster Pokemon that could otherwise threaten Marshadow, (RC) such as Mega Gengar. (AP) (an OHKO), (RC) Shadow Sneak can also KO all variants of Mewtwo and its mega formes Choice Scarf variants of Xerneas (after some chip damage), (RC) and weakened Scarf Xerneas.
* Rock Tomb can take down Flying-type Pokemon (such as Ho-Oh), while Hidden Power Ice takes down hits threats like Mega- (RH) Salamence and Zygarde-C. Rock Tomb can also slow down Scarfed Pokemon and allow Choice Scarf users so Marshadow to can outspeed them. For example, Dark Pulse from Choice Scarf Yveltal fails to OHKO Marshadow, and Yveltal is outsped by Marshadow after one Rock Tomb.
* Pursuit is an alternative option to replace Rock Tomb and Hidden Power Ice in the fourth slot. Pursuit complements Marshadow's revenge killing capabilities, as it can take down Pokemon like Gengar and Gothitelle that are threatened and forced out by Marshadow's offensive presence. Pursuit also can clean up weakened Pokemon that try and switch out to avoid being revenge killed.

Set Details
========

* Life Orb provides the extra damage that Marshadow desperately needs.
* 252 Attack EVs for maximum are used to maximize damage output.
* 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly or Naive nature are used to beat outspeed Arceus and to Speed tie with other Marshadows.
* A Naive is nature should only for be used on sets with Hidden Power Ice, as it sacrifices bulk, (RC) but in exchange for ensuring Hidden Power Ice kills KOes the appropriate Pokemon.

Usage Tips
========

* It is generally best to bring it Marshadow in for free (e.g. to revenge kill, or off of a U-Turn or Volt Switch); it cannot take many hits with its mediocre bulk.
* Marshadow Best performs best in the late-game when the opponent's checks are weakened and in KO range, otherwise or else Marshadow struggles with 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 Normal- and Fighting-type immunities can provide opportunities for Marshadow it to come in on a prediction predicted Normal- or Fighting-type attack, but this should be done cautiously, as Marshadow's lack of bulk means it can fall easily to mispredicts misprediction. Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Lucario, and Rayquaza with Extreme Speed can potentially be predicted against, 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-in, survive a Close Combat, and KO Marshadow in return with a Shadow Claw.
* Hidden Power Ice should generally only be used on a weakened Zygarde: (Remove colon) because it does not OHKO from full health (0 SpA Life Orb Technician Marshadow Hidden Power Ice vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Zygarde: 322-385 (76.6 - 91.6%)), (RC) and puts Zygarde into its Complete forme. Zygarde can then switch out and come in later to Rest and recover its health. However, even in its Complete forme, Zygarde cannot survive two hits of is 2HKOed by Hidden Power Ice from Marshadow.


Team Options
========

* Marshadow is best used on offensive teams as a revenge killer or and cleaner.
* Entry hazards weaken the opponent's checks to Marshadow, (RC) while also punishing the many switches that Marshadow can force. Marshadow also outspeeds and offensively pressures common defoggers. Marshadow's Ghost typing also allows it to block Rapid Spin, helping 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 that may be cleared over the course of the game.
* Pokemon with access to U-Turn (such as Yveltal) can help by safely bringing in Marshadow.
* Partners such as Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon that can beat bulky Fairies Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, (RC) such as Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon, (RC) can help clear a path for Marshadow to finish the game.
* Pokemon like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre that can break other defensive Pokemon such as Toxapex, Zygarde-C, Ho-Oh (assuming Marshadow does not carry the appropriate coverage) are very helpful. Primal- (RH) Groudon can easily break through Toxapex and Ho-Oh, while Primal- (RH) 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, such as other Ghost-types or Yveltal.
* Special Attacking wallbreakers especially complement Marshadow, as defensive Pokemon can rarely survive the onslaught of attacks from both strong physical and special attacks.
* On less offensive teams, Magearna is a good partner because 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 maintaining momentum.
* Sticky Web is an option which allows Marshadow to beat Choice Scarfed pokemon users, although it fails to affect Choice Scarf Yveltal, one of Marshadow's greatest threats.


[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Spectral Thief
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Shadow Sneak / Substitute
move 4: Bulk Up
item: Marshadium Z
ability: Technician
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Bulk Up provides the extra damage it Marshadow needs to break through Pokemon that would normally check it.
* Close Combat and Spectral Thief are the standard STABs Marshadow's preferred STAB attacks.
* Spectral Thief also goes through Substitute, allowing Marshadow to steal stats from Pokemon that try and set up behind a Substitute.
* Spectral Thief also allows access to the incredibly powerful Z-Move lets Marshadow use Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, which further boosting 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 its Marshadow's checks, such as non-resisted support Arceus sets after Stealth Rock (e.g. Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water), and Toxapex after Stealth Rock damage, offensive Ho-Oh (if not specifying offensive, this info clashes with the point below about defensive Ho-Oh), and more.
* Shadow Sneak can revenge kill or clean up severely weakened threats.
* Substitute takes advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces, and allows it Marshadow to more safely set up Bulk Up boosts while being safe to protected against things like status and Dragon Tail phazing, which is especially helpful versus defensive teams. Despite Marshadow's weaker 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 option to beat defensive Ho-Oh, which can survive a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. Hidden Power Ice can be used for Mega Salamence or and Zygarde, but its reduced damage without the Life Orb means it is much less effective is generally rather weak and ineffective. (Edit this one however you want, just don't cross-reference sets)

Set Details
========

* Even with Substitute, Attack and Speed are maximized in order to maximize optimize offensive capability, (RC) which is always the first priority (fluff). Increasing investment in bulk does not affect its defensive capabilities significantly.
* 252 Speed A Jolly nature (you already talked about the Speed EVs but had yet to mention the nature) allows it Marshadow to outspeed fast defensive Pokemon such as max maximum Speed Timid Arceus, and ties it also allows it to Speed tie with other Marshadow.
* Marshadium Z allows gives Marshadow access to Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.

Usage Tips
========

* This set Marshadow can be used in the early-game to break through opposing walls for the rest of your team, or used in the late-game to clean up a weakened team.
* Take advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces by either setting up a Substitute or a Bulk Up boost.
* However, be cautious in using Bulk Up, as Marshadow is still quite frail, even after the boost in Defense, and can still be crippled by status such as paralysis or burn.
* Take care in using your Z-Move Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, as your Marshadow's attacks are relatively weak without it, especially without Bulk Up boosts. Opponents may try and predict this by switching into Normal- (AH) or Dark-types (AH), which you Marshadow can punish with Close Combat.
* Be cautious of faster Pokemon or opposing set-up (RH) sweepers that boost Speed (i.e. Dragon Dance or Rock Polish users): the diminished power from not having a Life Orb means Marshadow struggles to revenge kill faster threats easily with Shadow Sneak. Without the Life Orb, (RC) Marshadow's Shadow Sneaknow misses the OHKO on does not OHKO Mega Gengar with Shadow Sneak without Stealth Rock damage. Close Combat also no longer KOs Marshadow does not OHKO HP invested Arceus-Normal and Arceus-Dark formes with Close Combat, even after Stealth Rock. (Edit this how you feel fit, don't cross-reference sets or mention not having a Life Orb.)
* Substitute can be used to deter opponents from setting up Dragon Dance, or to punish greedy opponents that try to set up with Dragon Dance, (RC) e.g. on like Mega Salamence or Rayquaza. After a single Dragon Dance, Marshadow becomes slower than the opposing Pokemon becomes faster than Marshadow, and Marshadow can steal the opponent's stat boosts while the opponent breaks the Substitute.
* With Substitute, this set Marshadow can set- (RH) 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. After +1 Defense, Dragon Tail fails to break the Substitute, while Thousand Arrows fails to break the Substitute a small percentage of the time. After +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 Bulk Up boosts in order to guaranteed OHKO it from full health with Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. As such, it is generally a good idea to keep Zygarde in 50% 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 healing 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 with coverage, and threaten out Pokemon that may be concerned about falling to coverage moves (such as Ho-Oh or Mega Salamence). You Marshadow can then take advantage of the switch by setting up a Substitute or Bulk Up boost, and then it can potentially break through the check that they have the opponent sent in with a boosted Z-move using Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. (talking about bluffing a different set is fine)

Team Options
========

* Stealth Rock support is crucial for the extra chip damage to allow inflicted on opponents, which allows Marshadow to KO Pokemon such as support Arceus with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, which would otherwise survive. Even then, support Arceus with some EVs invested in Defense investment can survive a small percentage of the time, so Spikes support may also be helpful, from Pokemon such as Cloyster, Deoxys-S, and Ferrothorn.
* Setup sweepers like Xerneas or Dragon Dance Salamence pair nicely with this set Marshadow, as Marshadow can break through many of the checks for common sweepers their checks, such as special walls or Steel-types like Dusk-Mane, (RC) for Xerneas and Dragon Dance Salamence.
* Pokemon that can beat Mega Salamence and Choice Scarfed Yveltal and Mega Salamence are greatly appreciated, especially as this set generally does not run coverage, and the Intimidate Attack drop from Salamence can be problematic. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can generally handle Yveltal and Mega Salamence offensively, with OHKOs on as they can OHKO both of these threats with their primary STABs. A More defensive team options includes support Arceus formes like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground, which have no trouble taking hits from these Pokemon, and can fire back with either an 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 or support Arceus, and its 4x weakness to Rock-type moves can be exploited by offensive checks such as Primal- (RH) Groudon.
* Although it is possible 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 other 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 (AH) onto into a move that the opponent has an answer for can lead to massive losses in losing large amounts of momentum.
* Bulk Up boosted 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 (AH) Pokemon like Mega Salamence, Rock Polish Primal- (RH) Groudon, and Geomancy Xerneas (people generally do not EV the latter two Pokemon to outspeed a Pokemon as fast as Scarf Marshadow). However, this again suffers the problem of locking Marshadow onto into exploitable moves, and it is also severely lacks killing lacking in power.
* A bulky set with Bulk Up, Substitute, and Drain Punch may be potentially be able to break through bulkier teams, (RC) while keeping its life total up staying healthy. However, this set lacks any sort of offensive power without significant boosts from Bulk Up, which is are generally very difficult to achieve obtain.
* Low Kick is an alternative to Close Combat for a Fighting-type STAB, 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 hit for Low Kick's full 120 Base Power. However, some Pokemon are light enough to take significantly less damage, allowing them to survive what would otherwise be an OHKO from Close Combat. These Pokemon include Blissey, Chansey, Mega- (RC) Diancie, and Genesect.
* Force Palm is another alternative to Close Combat for a Fighting-type STAB. It can potentially paralyze opposing 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 lacks offensive power has significantly less Base Power than Close Combat, and misses many valuable KOs that Close Combat provides, such as the OHKO on even 0 HP EV variants of Extreme Killer Arceus (even 0 HP variants do not fall without Stealth rock or some chip damage), or the 2HKO on max 252 HP Primal Groudon.
* Swagger is an option to disrupt opposing teams, as the threat of Spectral Thief stealing the +2 Attack boost is very threatening can easily force out afflicted foes (Reducing redundancy). This is especially true for weaker special attacking Pokemon, which cannot make use of the Attack boost, and are essentially forced to switch. Furthermore, the possibility of self-damage through confusion, combined with the increased Attack stat, further incentivizes opposing Pokemon to switch out. These forced switches can rack up entry hazards damage, as well as providing potential 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 otherwise comfortably survive Marshadow's attacks with ease, (RC) and constantly recover its health with Roost. (Removed several line breaks)

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 the attack, (RC) and very easily OHKO in return.

**Other support Arceus**: Defensive Arceus sets 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 Judgement on a Marshadow weakened by Close Combat drops. However, because Marshadow outspeeds it, Arceus must be in a healthy condition, (RC) with full or near-full health in order to safely come in on Marshadow.

**Yveltal**: Given a free switch-in, 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 Scarfed Yveltal easily outspeeds and OHKOes Marshadow with Oblivion Wing. Defensive Yveltal sets can survive two Close Combats without Stealth Rock, even with the Life Orb boost. It can then Roost off the damage, and hit back with a Dark- (RH) 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, with none of its unboosted options killing a full health Zygarde-C in less than 5 hits as without any boosts it is unable to 4HKO a healthy Zygarde-C. Bulk Up sets require many boosts to be able to OHKO or even 2HKO it.

**Mega- (RH) Salamence**: The combination of Intimidate in its base forme before Salamence Mega Evolves, good defenses in its Mega-evolved forme, access to Dragon Dance, and the threat of an OHKO from any Aerilate boosted attack creates many problems for Marshadow ability to easily OHKO Marshadow with any Aerilate-boosted attack means Mega Salamence is very threatening to Marshadow. Mega Salamence can even take a hit from Marshadow (so long as Marshadow if Marshadow does not have Hidden Power Ice or Rock Tomb), set up a Dragon Dance boost, and with its increased speed, (RC) OHKO Marshadow, while Marshadow never has the opportunity to steal these boosts.

**Choice Scarf users**: Choice Scarf users that don't mind Shadow Sneak, like Xerneas or Yveltal, outspeed Marshadow and can easily OHKO it.

**Ho-Oh**: If there is no not Stealth Rock 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 kill OHKO Marshadow with Brave Bird, replenish its health with Roost/, (AC) Recover or Regenerator, or cripple Marshadow with a Sacred Fire burn.

**Priority**: Although Marshadow is immune to Extreme Speed, there are many other commons forms of priority that threaten Marshadow. Shadow Sneak from Giratina-O OHKOes Marshadow, while easily surviving Shadow Sneak from Marshadow itself. Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch or Yveltal's Sucker Punch from Yveltal can kill KO a weakened Marshadow, or a Marshadow with significant Defense drops from 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 Precipice Blades (or and many other offensive moves), set up Stealth Rock, or even set up offensive stat boosts of its own. However, it cannot switch in on Marshadow's Life Orb boosted Close Combat if Stealth Rock is up. Furthermore, without 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 keep its life total up remain healthy. If Marshadow has Bulk Up, Toxapex can nullify these boosts with Haze. However, if Marshadow finds an opportunity to use Bulk Up, and has not used its Z-Move yet, it can OHKO Toxapex with a boosted Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike.

**Landorus-T**: Again, Intimidate cripples lessens Marshadow's offensive power presence. Landorus-T can then freely set up Stealth Rock, or U-Turn out and 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 a Will-O-Wisp, or wear it down with a combination of Toxic and Foul Play.

**Ultra Necrozma**: Ultra Necrozma survives a avoids the 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.[/QUOTE]
 
Not qc, but buzzwole probably deserves a mention in checks and counters if it's on the vr and mentioned in other options for hp flying
 

GP 1/2
remove add comments

[OVERVIEW]

* Marshadow is an offensive powerhouse, (comma) that is capable of revenge killing with ease, cleaning up weakened teams, and breaking through walls.
* Marshadow has a decent base 125 Attack and a great Speed tier with in base 125 Speed. These above average offensive stats, (comma) in conjunction combined with its Marshadow's unresisted combination of strong Ghost- and Fighting-type STAB attacks, (comma) 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 Marshadow it great versus opposing offensive teams, as it cannot be revenge killed easily.
* Marshadow's great Speed tier, (comma) as well as and Technician-(hyphen)boosted Shadow Sneak make Marshadow great at revenge killing or and at 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, (comma) (especially physical ones). Additionally, it dissuades opposing Pokemon foes from trying to set up on teams with Marshadow, causing even more trouble to opposing offense teams.
* Marshadow's access to Bulk Up and a strong Z-move in Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike allows for it to wallbreak effectively.
* Technician-(hyphen)boosted coverage moves like Rock Tomb and Hidden Power Ice rounds 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.
* Faster Pokemon and Choice Scarf users can pose a threat to Marshadow 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 Substitutes, which lets Marshadow steal stat boosts from Pokemon that try and to set up behind a Substitute.
* Shadow Sneak provides a strong option with which to beat or revenge kill faster Pokemon that could otherwise threaten Marshadow such as Mega Gengar, (comma) which is OHKOed (an OHKO). Shadow Sneak can also KO most variants of Mewtwo (after some chip damage), (comma) 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, (comma) and allowing Marshadow to outspeed them. For example, Dark Pulse from Choice Scarf Yveltal fails to OHKO Marshadow, and is outsped by Marshadow after one hit from Rock Tomb.
* Pursuit is an alternative option in the fourth slot. Pursuit It complements Marshadow's revenge killing capabilities, as it can take down Pokemon like Gengar and Gothitelle that are threatened and forced out by Marshadow's offensive presence like Gengar and Gothitelle. Pursuit also can clean up finish off weakened Pokemon that try and 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 and to Speed tie with other Marshadows.
* A Naive nature should only be used on sets with Hidden Power Ice, as it sacrifices bulk in exchange for ensuring Hidden Power Ice KOes the appropriate Pokemon.

Usage Tips
========

* It is generally best to bring Marshadow in for free (e.g. to revenge kill, or off of a U-Turn or Volt Switch) through a fainted teammate 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 with 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, (comma) while wearing down Marshadow through Life Orb damage, (comma) 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 against, 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-in, survive Close Combat, and KO Marshadow in return with a Shadow Claw.
* Hidden Power Ice should generally only be used on a weakened Zygarde, as it does not OHKO from full health (0 SpA Life Orb Technician Marshadow Hidden Power Ice vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Zygarde: 322-385 (76.6 - 91.6%)) 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 from Marshadow.


Team Options
========

* Marshadow is best used on offensive teams as a revenge killer and cleaner.
* Entry hazards weaken the opponent's checks to Marshadow, (comma) while also punishing the many switches that Marshadow can force. Marshadow also outspeeds and offensively pressures common Defoggers. (per) Marshadow's Ghost typing also allows it to block Rapid Spin 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 that may be cleared over the course of the game.
* Pokemon with access to U-turn, such as Yveltal, can help safely bring in Marshadow.
* Partners such as Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon that can beat bulky Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, (comma) 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 that can break through other defensive Pokemon that Marshadow might not have the coverage for such as Toxapex, Zygarde-C, and Ho-Oh (assuming Marshadow does not carry the appropriate coverage) are very helpful. 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, (comma) such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex. However, these two Pokemon share common weaknesses with Marshadow, such as other Ghost-types or Yveltal.
* 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, (comma) and maintaining 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: Spectral Thief
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Shadow Sneak / Substitute
move 4: Bulk Up
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 and 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 non-resisted support Arceus sets after Stealth Rock (e.g. Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water) support Arceus formes that don't resist it like 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 clean up finish off severely weakened threats.
* Substitute takes advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces, (comma) and allows Marshadow to more safely set up Bulk Up boosts while protected against 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 option 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. Increasing investment in bulk does not affect its Marshadow's defensive capabilities significantly.
* A Jolly nature allows Marshadow to outspeed fast defensive Pokemon such as maximum Speed Timid Arceus, (comma) and speed ties 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 opposing walls for the rest of your team, (comma) or used late-game to clean up a weakened team.
* Take advantage of the many switches that Marshadow forces by either setting up a either Substitute or a Bulk Up boost.
* However, be cautious in about using Bulk Up, as Marshadow is still quite frail, (comma) even after with the boost in Defense, (comma) 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 without it, especially without Bulk Up boosts. Opponents may try and to predict this the Z-Move by switching into Normal- or Dark-types, which Marshadow can punish with Close Combat.
* Be cautious of faster Pokemon or opposing set-up sweepers that boost Speed (i.e. Dragon Dance or Rock Polish users): and Speed-boosting sweepers; the diminished power from not having a Life Orb means Marshadow struggles to revenge kill with Shadow Sneak. Without the Life Orb, Marshadow's Shadow Sneak now misses the OHKO on In particular, this Marshadow's Shadow Sneak fails to OHKO Gengar without Stealth Rock. Close Combat also no longer KOs HP invested cannot KO Arceus and Arceus-Dark formes that have HP investment, even after Stealth Rock.
* Substitute can be used to deter opponents foes from setting up Dragon Dance, (comma) or to punish greedy opponents Pokemon like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza that try to set up with Dragon Dance, e.g. on Mega Salamence or Rayquaza. After a single Dragon Dance, opposing Pokemon becomes faster than Marshadow, and Marshadow can steal the opponent's such a Pokemon's stat boosts while the opponent said Pokemon breaks 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, (comma) or Toxic, Marshadow can set up a Substitute for free, (comma) and begin boosting. After At +1 Defense, Dragon Tail fails to break the Substitute, while Thousand Arrows fails to break the Substitute a small percentage of the time. After 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 Bulk Up boosts in order to guaranteed always OHKO it from full health 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, (comma) 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 with coverage, (comma) and to threaten out Pokemon that may be concerned about falling to coverage moves (such as Ho-Oh or and Mega Salamence). Marshadow can then take advantage of the switch by setting up a Substitute or Bulk Up boost, 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, which would otherwise survive. Even then, support Arceus with some Defense investment can survive a small percentage of the time, so Spikes support may also be helpful, 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 or 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 primary STABs attacks. More defensive options include support Arceus formes like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground, which have no trouble taking hits from these Pokemon, (comma) and can fire back with either an 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 or and support Arceus, and its 4x weakness to Rock-type moves 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 other 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-(hyphen)locked onto 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 EV give the latter two Pokemon enough Speed EVs to outspeed a Pokemon as fast as Choice Scarf Marshadow. However, this again suffers the problem of locking Marshadow onto exploitable moves, and also severely lacks killing power.
* A bulky set with Bulk Up, Substitute, and Drain Punch may be 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 hit eligible for Low Kick's full maximum 120 Base Power. However, some Pokemon are light enough to take significantly less damage, allowing them to survive what would otherwise be an OHKO from Close Combat. These Pokemon include Blissey, Chansey, Mega Diancie, and Genesect.
* Force Palm is another alternative to Close Combat for a Fighting-type STAB. It can potentially paralyze opposing threats, making it difficult for them to perform their roles. Furthermore, it is boosted by Technician, (comma) and does not drop Marshadow's defenses. However, even after the Technician boost, it has significantly lower base power than Close Combat, (comma) and misses many valuable KOs that Close Combat provides, such as the an OHKO on Extreme Killer Arceus, (comma) even on 0 HP variants, or the 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 attacking Pokemon attackers, which cannot make use of the Attack boost, and are essentially forced to switch. Furthermore, The possibility of self-damage through confusion, (comma) combined with the increased Attack stat, (comma) further incentivizes opposing Pokemon to switch out. These forced switches can rack up entry hazard damage, (comma) as well as providing potential 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 otherwise 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.

**Other Support Arceus**: Defensive Arceus sets like Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can survive two Close Combats from Marshadow, (comma) and in turn take it down with a combination of Toxic and Recover, (comma) or a Judgement on a Marshadow weakened by Close Combat drops. However, because Marshadow outspeeds, Arceus must be in healthy condition with full or near-full health in order to safely come in on Marshadow.

**Yveltal**: When given a free switch-in, Yveltal can easily threaten Marshadow, (comma) while surviving any of Marshadow's unboosted attacks. Yveltal can, in turn, OHKO with Oblivion Wing, (comma) or threaten to revenge kill a weakened Marshadow with Sucker Punch. Choice Scarf Yveltal easily outspeeds and OHKOes Marshadow with Oblivion Wing. Defensive Yveltal sets can survive two Close Combats without Stealth Rock, even with the Life Orb boost. It can then Roost heal off the damage, (comma) with Roost and hit back with a Dark Aura-(hyphen)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 or and Yveltal, outspeed Marshadow and can 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, (comma) or Regenerator, or cripple Marshadow with a Sacred Fire burn.

**Priority**: Although Marshadow is immune to Extreme Speed, there are many other commons forms of priority that threaten Marshadow it. Shadow Sneak from Giratina-O OHKOes Marshadow, while easily surviving and Giratina-O easily takes Shadow Sneak from Marshadow itself. Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and Mega Scizor or and Sucker Punch from Yveltal can kill a weakened Marshadow, or a Marshadow with significant Defense drops from Close Combat 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 Precipice Blades (or many other offensive moves) 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-(hyphen)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, (comma) while using Recover and Regenerator to remain healthy. If Marshadow has Bulk Up, Toxapex can nullify these any boosts with Haze. However, if Marshadow finds an opportunity to use Bulk Up, and has not used its Z-Move yet, 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, (comma) or U-Turn out and use U-turn to gain momentum.

**Mega-(hyphen)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, (comma) or wear it down with a combination of Toxic and Foul Play.

**Ultra Necrozma**: Ultra Necrozma avoids the 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.

Please proofread more thoroughly using the Standards in the future; there were a lot of easily avoided mistakes. The better your proofreading, the more willing we are to check.
 
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also Serial EKiller i'm not sure if buzzwole does fully warrant a mention in c&c because of its relative rarity nowadays, i just wanted to give an example for a case where an oddball hidden power could be effective, but i can certainly add it in if any qc member thinks it should be there
 

Fireflame

Silksong when
is a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[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-(AH)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 at 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 rounds 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. (give a couple of examples)
* Faster Pokemon and Choice Scarf users (such as?) 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 SubstitutesSubstitute, which lets Marshadow steal stat boosts from Pokemon that try to set up behind a Substitute.
* Shadow Sneak provides a strong option with which 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-(RH)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 (Arceus = Arceus-Normal) and to 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 the appropriate Pokemonits 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 healthythey 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 threatChople 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,(RC) 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 that may be cleared 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 (move descriptions need to match order of set slashes, and putting Bulk Up first makes the most sense)
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..(period) (remove extra period)
* 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 sets 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,(RC) but is fairly weak and fails to OHKO both.

Set Details
========

* Even with Substitute, Attack and Speed are maximized to optimize offensive capability. Increasing 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, this Marshadow's (naturally) Shadow Sneak now misses the OHKO on Gengar without Stealth Rock. Close Combat also cannot KOs KO Arceus and Arceus-Dark with HP investment, even after Stealth Rock.
* Substitute can be used to deter foes from setting up Dragon Dance,(RC) or to punish greedy Pokemon like Mega Salamence or and Rayquaza that may try to set up with Dragon Dance. After Dragon Dance, opposing Pokemon become faster than Marshadow, and Marshadow can steal such Pokemon's their stat boosts while said Pokemon breaks they break ("opposing Pokemon become" implies that "Pokemon" here is plural) 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 with coverage 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,(RC) 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 formes 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,(RC) 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 onto 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 suffers has the problem of locking Marshadow onto into exploitable moves,(RC) and also severely lacks power.
* A bulky set with Bulk Up, Substitute, and Drain Punch may be 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. These Pokemon include Blissey, Chansey, Mega Diancie, and Genesect.
* Force Palm is another alternative to Close Combat.(RC) It 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 sets 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 Judgement Judgment on a Marshadow weakened by Close Combat drops. However, because Marshadow outspeeds them, Arceus 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 Marshadow 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,(RC) 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.
GP 2/2
 

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