[SMOGON] From Shadows | Marshadow Analysis with Kris

Marshadow
Type: Ghost / Fighting
Weaknesses: Ghost / Flying / Fairy / Psychic
Resistances: Normal / Fighting / Poison / Bug
Ability: Technician
Moves with a Base Power of 60 or lower get boosted by 1.5x Power
Base Stats
HP: 90 | Attack: 125 | Defense: 80 | Special Attack: 90 | Special Defense: 90 | Speed: 125
Tier: Uber
Format: Uber

Overview
Marshadow is a Pokemon with one of the strongest typings in the Uber tier of Ghost/Fighting. Able to take on many opponents like Xerneas, Primal Groudon or Salamence's setup variants with it's signature attack of Spectral Thief to steal an opponent's stat boosts before dealing damage. Bye-bye Z-Geomancy Xerneas, Rock Polish/Bulk Up Groudon, Dragon Dance Salamence, the list goes on. It's impressive 125 Base Attack and Speed make it one of the more intimidating Ubers. Tieing with Darkrai for base Speed and being outsped by [non-mega threats] Pheromosa, Mewtwo, Shaymin-Sky and Deoxys/Deoxys-Attack/Deoxys-Speed. All of which get countered by Marshadow's STAB or coverage moves.

Set 1
Life Orb Physical Attacker
[Image: marshadow.png]

Marshadow @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature [ - SpA + Spe ]
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Shadow Sneak
- Spectral Thief

Moves
With Technician boosting Marshadow's Shadow Sneak by 1.5x Power, it's an absolute asset for this set, getting doubly boosted by Life Orb AND STAB it's Marshadow's best priority move, the other one being Sucker Punch but we don't mention that here. Bulk Up boosts Marshadow's Attack and Defense by 1 stage, not crucial but if you stay in on a Pokemon prone to setting traps like Groudon or Deoxys-Speed you can possibly get a free Bulk Up on them and steal any potential stat boost they have. Close Combat is suggested by Smogon but in this case I prefer Drain Punch. With a base 75 power AND STAB from Marshadow's Fighting typing it's able to recover any lost HP, especially useful paired with Life Orb. Spectral Thief is Marshadow's signature attack and as previously stated, steal opponent's stat boosts, then deals damage.

Damage Calculations
Offensive:

252 Atk Life Orb Marshadow Spectral Thief Vs. 0 Hp / 0 Def Mewtwo Mega X {374 - 439 Damage} Guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Marshadow Spectral Thief Vs. 184 Hp / 0 Def Metagross Mega {256 - 312 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Marshadow Spectral Thief Vs. 0 Hp / 0 Def Pheromosa {398 - 469 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Technician Marshadow Shadow Sneak Vs. 0 Hp / 0 Def Pheromosa {265 - 313 Damage} 62.5% chance to OHKO

Defensive +1 or +2 refers to the boost from Bulk Up, which is only used when needed to survive a hit

252 Atk Mewtwo Mega X Zen Headbutt Vs +2 0 Hp / 0 Def Marshadow {212 - 252 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO (A +2 from Bulk Up is needed to have Zen Headbutt 2HKO)
148 Atk Tough Claws Metagross Mega Vs 0 Hp / 0 Def Marshadow {234 - 276 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO
252 Atk+ Arceus Shadow Claw Vs. 0 Hp / 0 Def Marshadow {192 - 226 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO

Team Options

Dark Types like Darkrai or Sableye Mega are able to switch in on Mewtwo Mega X / Metagross Mega's Zen Headbutt or Mewtwo Mega Y's Psystrike and take no damage from them. In the case of Sableye Mega a Will-o-wisp on Marshadow's Physical threats will greatly help it out.
Any Pokemon with access to Heal Bell is a great addition since Marshadow still faces Burn as a threat. Sylveon and Chansey are very reliable users but Umbreon is something to consider with it being a Dark Type. However Clefable is undoubtedly a better option.
Aegislash and Magearna having the steel typing to counter Fairy types that threaten Marshadow make them a good option to consider, and Magearna having Soul Heart just applies more pressure onto opponents.
Shuckle is not a Pokemon I'd ever expected to consider pairing with Marshadow, but having access to Sticky Web AND Stealth Rock is extremely handy.
Threats, Checks and Counters
Lando-T's now popular Supersonic Skystrike OHKOes Marshadow and is able to take a hit after it Intimidates Marshadow. This only applies if Landorus-T is the lead and you incorrectly predict SD.
Mewtwo Mega X / Y both outspeed and overpower Marshadow, Shadow Sneak ends up being the only move you can use against them and does not guarantee an OHKO against X.
Magearna and Fleur Cannon just....annihilates Marshadow. Even with 0 SpA investment, Magearna's Fleur Cannon will OHKO Marshadow.

Set 2
Marshadium Z
[Image: marshadow.png]

Marshadow @ Marshadium Z

Ability: Technician

EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

- Ice Punch / Hidden Power Ice

- Drain Punch

- Bulk Up

- Spectral Thief > Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike

Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike
Marshadow gets a unique Z-Move in the form of Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. With 195 BP, it is Marshadow's strongest attack and is useful because after merely one Bulk Up, it delivers a powerful attack that threatens almost every Uber mon that doesn't resist Ghost. Even the likes of Toxapex fears this devastating Z-Move.
A little extra thing I forgot to mention is Marshadow gets access to the Elemental Punch attacks

Damage Calculaions (The +1 refers to the Bulk Up boost)
Offensive:

252 Atk +1 Marshadow Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike Vs. 252 Hp / 252 Def+ Toxapex {247 - 292 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO after recovery from Black Sludge
252 Atk +2 Marshadow Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike Vs. 252 Hp / 204 Def+ Ho-Oh {499 - 588 Damage} Guaranteed the OHKO
252 Atk +1 Marshadow Ice Punch Vs. 44 Hp / 0 Def Salamence Mega {384 - 452 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO
252 Atk +2 Marshadow Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike Vs. 248 Hp / 8 Def Primal Groudon {408 - 481 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO {Must be a +2 Bulk Up boost to OHKO}
0 SpA- Technician Marshadow Hidden Power Ice Vs. 0 Hp / 0 SpD Landorus Therian {256 - 304 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO

There's no need for me to put Defensive Calculations up since this is the same EV Spread as before.

RIGHT. Now with those nooblet sets outta the way, we can get into the REAL star of the show here. Unconventionalism FTW!

Set 3
Kris' top tier Marshadow, would recommend twice
(aka Deer Slayer)
(aka love me please)
Look at dem feet > [Image: marshadow.png]

< Look at dem feet
Marshadow @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 232 Hp / 26 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power Ice
- Calm Mind
- Spectral Thief

Set Explanation Yo
This Marshadow is really really special so we have to be nice to him. Ok attacks! Shadow Ball is a move Marshadow accidentally got, see he saw Pokemon like Pikachu playing ball and so he wanted to have fun too. Except his actually hurts Sad

Oh it's also a really good STAB move for Marshadow that has a chance to lower the target's Special Defense. Hidden Power Ice is specifically to counter Landorus Therian, Mega Salamence, Mega Garchomp and Zygarde. It also makes Marshadow even cooler. Marshadow only has a Base of 90 in the Special Attack so we need to help the little dude out with Calm Mind. It's also going to boost his Special Defense too. Spectral Thief is literally here to serve one purpose and one purpose only. To tell Xerneas to stop being mean and OP. Say you have one or two CM boosts, and Xerneas comes in to be a late game sweeper and Z-Geomancy or PH Geomancy comes in, you'll be able to take the boosts and destroy it next turn. Even with no Speed investment, this set is able to outspeed 252 Speed Adamant Landorus Therian by exactly 5 points, which is crucial because this set will fall to Supersonic Skystrike.

"But Kris! Marshadow's not a good Special Attacker" - @Literally everyone ever
Damage Calculations

Offensive: the best kind of damage

252+ SpA Life Orb Marshadow Shadow Ball Vs. 0 Hp / 0 SpD Mega Gengar {304 - 359 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO
0- Atk Life Orb Marshadow Spectral Thief Vs. 0 Hp / 4 Def Mega Gengar {330 - 390 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Marshadow Hidden Power Ice Vs. 252 Hp / 0 SpD Complete Zygarde {307 - 364 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO after recovery from Leftovers
252+ SpA Life Orb Marshadow Hidden Power Ice Vs. 4 Hp / 0 SpD Mega Garchomp {307 - 364 Damage} 12.5% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Marshadow Hidden Power Ice Vs. 0 Hp / 0 SpD Landorus Therian {354 - 416 Damage} Guaranteed to OHKO
+6 252+ SpA Life Orb Marshadow Hidden Power Ice Vs. 0 Hp / 0 SpD Level 1 Geodude {27,265 - 32,077 Damage} Guaranteed OVERKILL

Defensive:

252 SpA Mega Gengar Shadow Ball Vs. 232 Hp / 0 SpD Marshadow {350 - 414 Damage} 50% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Mega Gengar Shadow Ball Vs. 232 Hp / 0 SpD +1 Marshadow {236 - 275 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO
236+ Atk Primal Groudon Precipice Blades Vs. 232 Hp / 26 Def Marshadow {277 - 237 Damage} Guaranteed to 2HKO
252+ Atk Arceus Shadow Claw Vs. 232 Hp / 26 Def Marshadow {186 - 220 Damage} 96.1% Chance to 2HKO

Significance of this set

This set is able to OHKO Landorus Therian, a common Uber trap setter by picking out it's huge flaw of being x4 weak to Ice. Hidden Power Ice works on my second set, but the extra Special Attack investment will catch them off guard. The only problem is it only outspeeds 252 Speed Adamant Landorus Therian and not 252 Speed Jolly Landorus Therian. When it comes to it, you need to make the right prediction. Also able to stop Xerneas dead in it's tracks by stealing a Geomancy from it before it makes good use of it. Z-Geomancy gets hurt the most because you can Calm Mind the turn they charge, then steal the Z-Boost AND the Geomancy boost before they attack. Essentially, you'll have a +5 SpA Marshadow ready to sweep.

Replays: