Aegislash Discussion Thread

[TheoPL]

You should add base stats if that's ok.

It is rather beastly, but there are ways to play around it.

Because it relys heavily on shield/blade form and to switch in and out of them, you can predict against it if you have the right tools to do so. One Pokemon that ironically can take a hit on the physical side rather well is Golurk, who can counter with STAB Earthquake and Iron Fist-based Shadow Punch. Although I think Aegislash outspeeds it and gets enough damage out of Shadow Sneak to negate priority.

In fact, fellow ghosts that outspeed Aegislash and make good checks too. Gengar comes to mind as a prime example that can go toe to toe with the sword and shield. Same with Gourgeist, although again its mostly checks rather than counters...

I also think that Golurk may work well against Aegislash, especially in Trick Room team, it's bulky and strong enough.

 

[jesusfreak94]

I'd be really careful about trying to check Aegislash with other Ghosts. In fact, I'd probably not even risk it at all. In both regular and Pokebank OU on Pokemon Showdown! last month, nearly 90% of all Aegislash were running Shadow Sneak, which is going to heavily damage (if not outright KO) most opposing Ghost-types. The only Aegislash sets that have no use for Shadow Sneak are those with Autotomize, which are probably going to outspeed you anyway and hit even harder with Shadow Claw or Shadow Ball. If you want a really good answer to Aegislash, try Mandibuzz. Physically defensive Mandibuzz honestly cares very little about the fact that Aegislash exists. Mixed sets are completely shut down. Only Life Orb HP Ice can really 2HKO, and Mandibuzz can stall it out easily with Roost until Aegislash is in KO range for Foul Play (doesn't take too long). Swords Dance sets are outsped and OHKO'd by Foul Play if they are at +2. Even specially defensive Mandibuzz cares very little about Aegislash. It's best shot at 2HKOing Mandibuzz is a 252+ LO Iron Head, and even then it only has a 13.28% chance to do so.

 

[WhyBuffet]

Greetings, my fellow Aegislash enthusiasts. So nice to see so much love for an awesome Pokémon.

I find myself with a bit of a dilemma. Right now, I have (what I think is a) fairly solid, if not predictable Aegislash set:

Aegislash
@ Leftovers
252 HP/252 Atk/4 Sp Def

King's Shield
Shadow Sneak
Sacred Sword
Swords Dance

However, I cannot decide on whether to give it an Adamant nature, or a Brave one. At first I thought a Brave nature would be better, since the way you want to play this Aegislash is to have it attack last, so as to take hits better in Shield Forme.
However, I considered two Pokémon: Mawile and Azumarill. Both of these Pokémon have base 50 Speed, access to priority that Aegislash does not resist, and access to Huge Power (Mega Mawile). Keep in mind that Aegislash's base Speed is 60.
Now, if I were to run a Brave Aegislash, then that means his priority moves would move AFTER Azumarill's or Mawile's, whereas if he were Adamant, his priority would move BEFORE theirs. So, if for instance my opponent had a low HP Azumarill and I had a low HP Aegislash, Brave Aegislash would have slower priority and get KO'd, whereas Adamant Aegislash would have faster priority and GET the KO.

My question then is, is this kind of instance EXTREMELY situational, or is it a noteworthy and worth considering? I guess an amendment to that question is what are some concrete examples of where a Brave nature would be advantageous over an Adamant one?

 

[LinksOcarina]

I forget Mandibuzz now gets foul play for an egg move.

It is a better full on counter to Aegislash, but its also one that will have trouble holding on against it in the long run, not to mention the liklihood of rocks on the field, although defog can cure that.

Anyone know if we can calculate how much foul play does against Aegislash?

 

[MuhFugginMoose]

I forget Mandibuzz now gets foul play for an egg move.

It is a better full on counter to Aegislash, but its also one that will have trouble holding on against it in the long run, not to mention the liklihood of rocks on the field, although defog can cure that.

Anyone know if we can calculate how much foul play does against Aegislash?

In shield forme: (51.14 - 60.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (As long as they only have 4EVs invested in HP.)
So, in sword Forme: Ohko.

 

[ModelT]

A nice taunt stops pretty handily any King's Shield relient set up. Let's not forget how potent Will O Wisp can be to neuter this guy's attack, even through King's Shield. I'm not sure there's any perfect stop to him though, since he's got great/mutable stats, awesome move coverage, and can be deviously tricky.

 

[ghost_dog97]

prankster sableye counters aegislash well though with taunt and will-o-wisp... and priority recover

 

[Divine Retribution]

prankster sableye counters aegislash well though with taunt and will-o-wisp... and priority recover

Sableye takes Shadow Ball horribly, and that annoying SubSD Aegislash set craps on it too.

 

[ghost_dog97]

Sableye takes Shadow Ball horribly, and that annoying SubSD Aegislash set craps on it too.

might I remind you? does priority recover mean anything to you?

 

[KillerDraco]

might I remind you? does priority recover mean anything to you?

No, it doesn't. Because Recover can only regain 50% HP total. Sabeleye can't take a hit for beans, and Aegislash's blade form's raw power will absolutely wreck Sableye; assuming Sableye actually survives the first Shadow Ball, pretty sure it'll be taken out by the second even after a recover. Too lazy to math but I seriously think you overestimate Sableye's bulk. Prankster + Recover may stall a bit but it's not something Sableye can maintain against something with as much raw power as Aegislash.

 

[ghost_dog97]

No, it doesn't. Because Recover can only regain 50% HP total. Sabeleye can't take a hit for beans, and Aegislash's blade form's raw power will absolutely wreck Sableye; assuming Sableye actually survives the first hit, pretty sure it'll be taken out by the second even after a recover. Too lazy to math but I seriously think you overestimate Sableye's bulk. Prankster + Recover may stall a bit but it's not something Sableye can maintain against something with as much raw power as Aegislash.

I love aegislash as much as the next guy (heck, hes my new fav steel type!) but after will-o-wisp, aegislash wont have anything to fall back on if its a physical set. sableye has 300+ HP with around 275 Def at max so im pretty sure it can take a hit from a burned aegislash. may I remind you, azumarill can be considered a tank but its defenses are at around 280. now I know that sableye SpD could use some help but with prankster, sableye didn't become uber for nothing

 

[KillerDraco]

I love aegislash as much as the next guy (heck, hes my new fav steel type!) but after will-o-wisp, aegislash wont have anything to fall back on if its a physical set. sableye has 300+ HP with around 275 Def at max so im pretty sure it can take a hit from a burned aegislash. may I remind you, azumarill can be considered a tank but its defenses are at around 280. now I know that sableye SpD could use some help but with prankster, sableye didn't become uber for nothing

He specifically said Shadow Ball, meaning it was in reference to a mixed set. A burn isn't going to stop any special attacks in the slightest. Sableye can't really switch into Aegislash either unless it predicts a Sacred Sword. Sableye is hardly a counter, he's a check to physical variants at best.

And since when was Sableye Uber? He was UU in Gen 5 when he got Prankster, and nothing has really changed since then. Usable in Uber is different than being banned to Uber.

 

[Divine Retribution]

He specifically said Shadow Ball, meaning it was in reference to a mixed set. A burn isn't going to stop any special attacks in the slightest. Sableye can't really switch into Aegislash either unless it predicts a Sacred Sword. Sableye is hardly a counter, he's a check to physical variants at best.

And since when was Sableye Uber? He was UU in Gen 5 when he got Prankster, and nothing has really changed since then. Usable in Uber is different than being banned to Uber.

Sableye actually took quite a hit, gaining a weakness to Fairy. With new Pranksters like Klefki around, I think he'll be lucky to even stay in UU this time around. RU is more likely.

 

[CmmtThis2Mmry]

Sableye takes Shadow Ball horribly, and that annoying SubSD Aegislash set craps on it too.

Why would an Aegislash have Shadow Ball to begin with? Isn't it a physical attacker?

 

[KillerDraco]

Why would an Aegislash have Shadow Ball to begin with? Isn't it a physical attacker?

On the contrary, Blade Form gives him fantastic mixed stats with 150 Attack AND Special Attack. True, his only boosting move is Swords Dance, which is for physical sets, but that amazing 150 Special Attack makes him a deadly mixed attacker who's difficult to wall. A mixed set forgoes boosting for immediate wall-breaking power from both sides of the spectrum.

Edit: Okay apparently it learns Autotomize too but I digress.

 

[CmmtThis2Mmry]

On the contrary, Blade Form gives him fantastic mixed stats with 150 Attack AND Special Attack. True, his only boosting move is Swords Dance, which is for physical sets, but that amazing 150 Special Attack makes him a deadly mixed attacker who's difficult to wall. A mixed set forgoes boosting for immediate wall-breaking power from both sides of the spectrum.

Wow. I never noticed it had that high if a SpAtk.
But since, as far as I know, it's mostly used as a physical attacker, correct? If so, it most often has Shadow Sneak. Would a Sableye be able to survive a hit from that?

 

[ghost_dog97]

Wow. I never noticed it had that high if a SpAtk.
But since, as far as I know, it's mostly used as a physical attacker, correct? If so, it most often has Shadow Sneak. Would a Sableye be able to survive a hit from that?

sableye WOULD survive the hit as it is not very effective and as its a physical move

 

[Ixeilon]

Sableye does not resist ghost- his part ghost type makes him neutral. He will survive an unboosted Shadow Sneak, unsure about +2 :/

 

[ghost_dog97]

But wouldn't its second typing, Dark, make that Shadow Sneak do regular amount of damage?

That's what neutral is

 

[MuhFugginMoose]

Iron head, shadow sneak, kings shield, swords dance
typical aegislash set =P

Also, a horrible moveset.
Your faith in Sableye is a bit overzealous.
W/ LO, since Aegislash is naturally faster, I shadow sneak first, you will-o-wisp.
I shadow ball until you realize your Sableye is going to die regardless.
I have more Shadow Balls than you have Recovers, so, if you want to run the clock, so be it.