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Moves Seed Flare allows Shaymin-S to break past walls such as Blissey and Chansey due to its 80% chance to harshly drop Special Defense. Air Slash is Shaymin-S's Flying-type STAB move of choice and has a good chance to make the foe flinch. Earth Power allows Shaymin-S to OHKO Mega Lucario, 2HKO Magearna and Necrozma-DM, and damage Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Toxapex super effectively. Hidden Power Ice can be used over Earth Power if Steel-types aren't a concern for the team and allows Shaymin-S to effectively OHKO Mega Salamence and offensive Zygarde-C before Power Construct has been activated. Healing Wish provides utility in fully healing another teammate that can be used more proficiently and can be used when Shaymin-S is at low HP or isn't required anymore in the matchup. One can decide to forgo coverage moves for Aromatherapy to relieve the team of status if the lack of coverage is sufficiently covered by other teammates. Set Details Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allow Shaymin-S to outspeed Marshadow and Darkrai along with fast support Pokemon such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Mega Salamence. Maximum Special Attack investment paired with Life Orb makes Shaymin-S as effective at wallbreaking as possible. Serene Grace complements Shaymin-S's moves greatly and increases its wallbreaking ability. Seed Flare has an 80% chance of harshly dropping Special Defense, which gives Shaymin-S a chance to break past specially defensive walls such as Blissey and Chansey, naturally bulky Pokemon like Giratina, and support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Dark. Air Slash also has a reasonable 60% flinch chance, which can help Shaymin-S bypass targets it usually wouldn't be able to or potentially deter setup from Rock Polish Primal Groudon or Geomancy Xerneas. Metronome can be used over Life Orb if the recoil is a concern. There is a noticeable difference in power, however; Metronome only surpasses Life Orb in damage output after three hits of using same move consecutively. This is only useful in uncommon situations when Shaymin-S needs to flinch down its target with Air Slash. Usage Tips Shaymin-S is rather frail and can't switch into direct attacks, so it is best to bring it in when predicting the opponent switches or after one of your Pokemon has fainted, allowing Shaymin-S to come in safely. Furthermore, Shaymin-S can get worn down quickly in games due to its frailty and susceptibility to residual damage from Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil, so it is important to make sure Shaymin-S switches in at the right moment. Shaymin-S being worn down can really reduce how effective it can actually be, as it can be easily taken out by priority attacks from Pokemon it is supposed to threaten such as Marshadow. Avoid trying to rely on multiple Air Slash flinches to KO a target; trying to flinch the foe with Air Slash once or twice is acceptable, but against healthier targets it is better for Shaymin-S to switch out. Seed Flare can force switches due to its 80% chance to drop the foe's Special Defense, so it is best to utilize any free opportunities Shaymin-S gets to use Seed Flare, such as on any targets it immediately threatens out like Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Primal Kyogre. The high chance of a Special Defense drop gives Shaymin-S a chance to break anything that immediately switches in. It can also further take advantage of this with its coverage moves such as Earth Power, which can OHKO Necrozma-DM and Magearna after a drop from Seed Flare. Once Shaymin-S has reached a low amount of HP or is no longer useful to the team, it is best to use Healing Wish to fully heal one of its teammates such as a setup sweeper like Rock Polish Primal Groudon or Necrozma-DM; however, one should avoid doing this in front of users that carry priority moves such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Marshadow, as they will knock Shaymin-S out, preventing a Healing Wish. Team Options Pokemon that deal with Mega Gengar are essential, as Shaymin-S is susceptible to being trapped and removed by it. Choice Band Tyranitar in particular has good synergy with Shaymin-S and is able to pursuit trap Mega Gengar and break down common Shaymin-S answers such as Chansey, Blissey, and Lugia. Tyranitar is also able to check Yveltal and soft check Ho-Oh. In return, Shaymin-S is able to deal with Tyranitar answers such as Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Primal Kyogre. Pursuit Marshadow and Deoxys-A are able to function on offense teams to revenge kill or Pursuit trap Mega Gengar. Pokemon such as Life Orb Yveltal, mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Geomancy Xerneas appreciate Shaymin-S's ability to wear down bulky Pokemon with its coverage and Seed Flare such as Arceus formes, Blissey, Chansey, Magearna enough so these Pokemon can break teams further. Life Orb Yveltal complements Shaymin-S well, as it is able to deal with Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma for Shaymin-S. Setup sweepers and wallbreakers such as Lunala, Primal Kyogre, Dragon Dance Zygarde, Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground that utilize offensive sets like Calm Mind or Swords Dance, offensive Primal Groudon variants, and Necrozma-DM appreciate the Healing Wish support Shaymin-S provides, giving them an extra opportunity to sweep or wallbreak in a late-game scenario. Due to Shaymin-S's weakness to Stealth Rock, entry hazard removal options are appreciated. Pokemon such as Cloyster and Excadrill make good potential partners due to their access to Rapid Spin, and they are able to set Spikes and Stealth Rock, respectively. Excadrill in particular makes it easier for Shaymin-S to deal with its switch-ins such as Ho-Oh and Lugia due to its access to Stealth Rock and Toxic. Defog users such as Giratina-O and Mega Salamence can provide an additional Ground immunity, as Shaymin-S is frail and is not sufficient in this role on its own. Mega Salamence in particular is able to check Ho-Oh with Facade. Other Defog users such as Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground are able to provide a check against Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Water is also able to check Ho-Oh. Primal Groudon has good offensive synergy with Shaymin-S and is able to set Stealth Rock and check Ho-Oh. Primal Groudon also has access to Fire-type moves to punish Steel-types such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Necrozma-DM. In return, Shaymin-S is able to deal with Pokemon that threaten Primal Groudon such as Arceus-Ground, Zygarde-C, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Water.

Moves Substitute, which can be set up on Pokemon that Shaymin-S forces out, blocks status and sponges hits to gain free turns. Leech Seed heals Shaymin-S while wearing down foes; it works well with Substitute to frustrate and break down slower teams that lack priority. Air Slash is the Flying-type STAB move of choice, as the high flinch chance helps Shaymin-S keep its Substitutes intact while gaining extra rounds of recovery from Leech Seed and Leftovers. Seed Flare forces switches and further helps to break down bulky teams with Special Defense drops. Alternately, Aromatherapy can be used to provide cleric support for teammates. Set Details SubSeed Shaymin-S functions as a stallbreaker that continually forces switches and weakens stall teams from behind a Substitute. 44 HP EVs give Shaymin-S an HP value that is divisible by 16 so that it gains slightly more recovery from Leftovers. 252 Speed EVs allow Shaymin-S to outspeed most foes up to Darkrai while at worst Speed tying with other Shaymin-S. The remaining 212 EVs are invested into Special Attack to maximize damage output from Air Slash and Seed Flare. Leftovers adds to the passive recovery that Shaymin-S gets from Leech Seed and allows it to stay healthy in spite of frequently using Substitute. Usage Tips Set up Substitute against things that do not threaten Shaymin-S; it can also be used repeatedly in hopes of a miss against foes that can only hit Shaymin-S with inaccurate moves such as Stone Edge. Try to keep a Substitute up as often as possible, as it is important for breaking down stall teams. Be careful with PP, because Leech Seed and Substitute will be used frequently and can run out quickly. Team Options Pursuit users such as Tyranitar and Aegislash can remove Mega Gengar, which is threatening to Shaymin-S. Entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes and Spikes, support Shaymin-S well, as passive damage from Toxic Spikes stacks with Leech Seed and synergizes well with Air Slash, while Spikes punishes the switches that Shaymin-S tends to cause. Rapid Spin support removes entry hazards from Shaymin-S's side while keeping them on the opposing side. Genesect, Mega Scizor, Yveltal, and Zekrom can use U-turn and Volt Switch to provide Shaymin-S with free switch opportunities. Ho-Oh switch-ins, such as Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Rock, Mega Diancie, Mega Salamence, and Lugia, make for good partners, as do Fire-types, such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, that switch into Steel-types.

Moves Air Slash is Shaymin-S's best Flying-type STAB move, and it has a nice 60% chance to cause the target to flinch thanks to Serene Grace. Seed Flare is able to force switches and punch holes in teams with its high chance of harshly lowering the target's Special Defense. Hidden Power Rock can be used to OHKO Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock damage; Hidden Power Ice can be used instead to hit Mega Salamence. Healing Wish gives Shaymin-S important utility by being able to heal one of its teammates when Shaymin-S is no longer needed late-game. Alternately, Earth Power can be used to hit Steel-types. Set Details Life Orb provides Shaymin-S with additional power, allowing it to function as a strong wallbreaker. 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Shaymin-S to outspeed everything up to Darkrai while Speed tying with other Shaymin-S. 252 Special Attack EVs maximize Shaymin-S's power to help with wallbreaking. 4 Defense EVs give Genesect a Special Attack boost while keeping an odd HP value so that Shaymin-S takes less residual damage. Usage Tips Shaymin-S is relatively frail, so directly switching it into attacks is not ideal; rather, use a free switch or immunity to get it in safely against something that it threatens to KO. After switching into something that is forced out, Shaymin-S can break down teams quickly by using Seed Flare and hoping to get a Special Defense drop on the incoming foe to force it out again. However, it is not advisable to always try to KO a foe with Air Slash flinches and Seed Flare, and if the foe cannot be KOed without numerous flinches and threatens to KO Shaymin-S in return, it is probably better to switch out. Try to limit the damage that Shaymin-S takes from foes, because damage from Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil alone adds up quickly. Healing Wish should be used when Shaymin-S is no longer necessary and a weakened teammate can be put in a good position to sweep or is necessary to prevent an opposing sweep. Team Options Entry hazard support weakens Shaymin-S's common switch-ins, with Stealth Rock getting important damage on Lugia and Ho-Oh and Spikes wearing down grounded Steel-types; Toxic Spikes also weakens foes and synergizes well with Air Slash's ability to cause foes to flinch. U-turn and Volt Switch from Genesect, Scizor, Yveltal, and Zekrom can bring Shaymin-S in for free. Ho-Oh switch-ins, such as Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Water, Mega Diancie, Mega Salamence, and Lugia, are important partners for Shaymin-S, because they can check a common switch-in to Shaymin-S. Fire-types, such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, make for good teammates, as they switch into and punish the Steel-types that check Shaymin-S. Rapid Spin from Excadrill and Forretress can clear Stealth Rock without removing important entry hazards from the opponent's side. Finally, Tyranitar and Aegislash make for good partners because they can trap Mega Gengar with Pursuit.

Moves Air Slash is a fairly spammable Flying-type STAB move with a useful high flinch chance that works well with Shaymin-S's nearly unmatched Speed thanks to Choice Scarf. Seed Flare is Shaymin-S's strongest attack and can break through and force out walls with Special Defense drops. Hidden Power Ice allows Shaymin-S to revenge kill +1 Mega Salamence. Healing Wish allows Shaymin-S to revive a teammate late-game, providing support that can set up a sweep or heal a weakened check to an opposing threat. Set Details A Choice Scarf, 252 Speed EVs, and a Timid nature allow Shaymin-S to outspeed the majority of the Ubers metagame, including most common other Choice Scarf users; they also allow Shaymin-S to outspeed Jolly Mega Salamence after a Dragon Dance. 4 Defense EVs give Genesect the Special Attack boost while keeping an odd HP value so that Shaymin-S can take an extra round of Stealth Rock damage. 252 Special Attack EVs maximize Shaymin-S's power, which is otherwise mediocre. Choice Scarf Shaymin-S primarily functions by using unmatched Speed to revenge kill threats. Usage Tips It is not advisable to mindlessly use Air Slash; instead, try to anticipate switches and hit switch-ins with the appropriate move. If Shaymin-S is needed to revenge kill a potential threat later on, try to preserve its HP by not switching too aggressively with it. In general, switch Shaymin-S out if a foe threatens it with priority. Shaymin-S can function as an anti-lead for suicide leads, such as Deoxys-S, and prevent them from setting up entry hazards with a lucky flinch; however, this strategy is unreliable and will not work consistently. Healing Wish can be used to set up or stop a sweep late-game if Shaymin-S is no longer needed. Team Options Pokemon that can set up entry hazards are important partners for Shaymin-S, as entry hazards wear down its common checks. Primal Groudon and Dialga are good Stealth Rock setters, while Klefki, Greninja, Scolipede, and Forretress can set Spikes effectively; the latter three are also able to set Toxic Spikes. Excadrill and Forretress are good Rapid Spin users that can remove Stealth Rock from Shaymin-S's side without removing entry hazards from the opponent's side. Focus Blast Mega Gengar deals with Steel- and Rock-types, which resist Air Slash, and checks Extreme Killer Arceus to an extent. Pursuit users such as Tyranitar and Aegislash make for good partners, as they can beat Mega Gengar, which otherwise threatens Shaymin-S. Ho-Oh is also very threatening to Shaymin-S, so Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Water, Mega Diancie, Mega Salamence, and Lugia make for good teammates, as they check Ho-Oh. Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon are good teammates as well, as they can switch into and punish Steel-types.

When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Shaymin-S becomes a great revenge killer, outspeeding the entire unboosted tier. It can also function as a lead, flinching threats such as Darkrai to death before they can even respond. Seed Flare is the main STAB attack, having the ability to neutralize switch-ins with a Special Defense drop. Air Slash complements this move very well, also receives STAB, and can KO opponents lacking a resistance simply through repeated flinches. Earth Power provides coverage against those that resist Seed Flare and Air Slash, namely Steel-types such as Dialga, Jirachi, and Metagross. Hidden Power Ice has the most utility on a Choice Scarf set, revenge killing other common Pokemon with a +1 boost such as Garchomp, opposing Shaymin-S, and Dragon Dance Salamence and Rayquaza. Leaf Storm is a more powerful alternative than Seed Flare right off the bat, and it is viable on a set that switches as often as this. However, it drops Shaymin-S's Special Attack by 2 stages, making additional hits very weak; repeated Seed Flares will most likely increase damage output due to the Special Defense drops it can inflict, too. Another way to augment power is with the nature. Modest is preferred for a revenge killing role, as Choice Scarf Shaymin-S outspeeds even Timid Choice Scarf Palkia. However, a Timid nature is viable if one prefers Shaymin-S to be a lead, as the extra Speed is needed to outpace Darkrai. Either way, it is a great check to standard Rock Polish Groudon, as even at +2, Groudon is outsped and OHKOed by Shaymin-S. Hidden Power Fire is an option over Hidden Power Ice to incinerate Scizor, but this choice leaves Shaymin-S vulnerable to other Shaymin-S sets. Rapid Spin support is appreciated, as Choice Scarf Shaymin-S will most likely be switching constantly. Likewise, entry hazards support is appreciated to wear down opponents. Shaymin-S must watch out for Pokemon that resist Grass-type moves or have high Special Defense, such as Rayquaza, Dialga, and Latias, as they can come in and set up with ease. Mixed Dialga is thus a good teammate since it is able to deal with Blissey, Latias, Skarmory, and Swords Dance Rayquaza for Shaymin-S.

A Choice Specs set is a different take on Shaymin-S, affording it immediate power without the recoil of Life Orb. Seed Flare maims any switch-in that does not resist Grass-type moves, and even those that do pack a resistance must be wary of the Special Defense drops; if Shaymin-S outspeeds, the opponent will inevitably fall. Air Slash provides a second STAB move, and is especially great because of its 60% chance to flinch the opponent. Due to the fact that Choice Specs powers up Shaymin-S's special attacks, less Air Slash uses would be needed than without the boost, and thus there is a higher chance the opponent will be flinched to death before it can retaliate. Earth Power provides additional coverage, hitting the Steel-types that resist Grass- and Flying-type moves, such as Dialga and Jirachi. Hidden Power Ice rounds out the coverage, OHKOing Dragon-types such as Rayquaza and Garchomp; tread carefully around Choice Scarf variants of the latter, though, as they will outspeed and deal massive damage if not OHKOed. Hidden Power Fire is an alternative in the last slot, as with it Shaymin-S will be able to beat Skarmory and Scizor. The EVs are distributed to maximize power and Speed, indicative of an offensive set; the last 4 EVs are placed in Special Defense to avoid an even HP stat, providing more switch-ins into Stealth Rock. The choice between a Modest and Timid nature depends on whether one wants the extra power afforded by the former or the extra Speed to get the jump on Darkrai and maximum Speed Arceus formes afforded by the latter. For example, Modest Choice Specs Seed Flare has a 58% chance to KO Blissey, provided the first Seed Flare inflicts the Special Defense drop. Such a feat is not possible with a Timid nature. Pokemon that can take a Seed Flare are generally the best counters to Shaymin-S. Blissey can stall it out with a combination of Wish and Protect, cripple it with Thunder Wave or Toxic, or deal massive damage with Ice Beam. Skarmory can either Whirlwind Shaymin-S or KO it with Brave Bird. Any Pokemon with a powerful STAB move can easily revenge kill Shaymin-S, such as Palkia and Kyogre. Wobbuffet is a good partner to deal with these threats. Ho-Oh is not afraid of any move Shaymin-S carries, and it can use its Fire- or Flying-type STAB to take out Shaymin-S. Ferrothorn and Bronzong can survive long enough against Seed Flare to 2HKO Shaymin-S with Gyro Ball.

With excellent Special Attack and Speed stats even by Ubers standards, as well as a movepool that gives it good coverage, Shaymin-S makes a dangerous special sweeper. Seed Flare is what makes Shaymin-S so fearsome, as with Serene Grace there is a high chance of inflicting that Special Defense drop. After that, Shaymin-S can plow through the opponent or continue to assault the switch-in with its powerful attacks. One must be wary of spamming this move, however, as the prevalence of Pressure users means its PP could drop at an alarming rate. Air Slash is a secondary STAB move that has a great flinch chance, decimating switch-ins before they can even retaliate in conjunction with the Special Defense drops which Seed Flare can cause. Earth Power provides coverage on Steel-types such as Dialga, who resist both Seed Flare and Air Slash. However, this is hardly a problem if they have been inflicted with the Special Defense drops. The final slot is given to Hidden Power Fire, which KOes Scizor and Skarmory, both of whom 4x resist Seed Flare. A few other moves can work in the last slot as well. Hidden Power Ice is one option, KOing Lugia if it has already been hit with a Special Defense drop. This also applies to Latias, Giratina, and Giratina-O, who could otherwise take Hidden Power Ice with ease. On the other hand, Growth forgoes coverage and gives Shaymin-S the ability to boost its Special Attack instead of relying upon Seed Flare's Special Defense drops. While the Attack boost would be unhelpful for the most part, +1 in Special Attack will allow Shaymin-S to take down Pokemon it would otherwise fail to KO. This becomes more useful in the sun, as Growth will grant a +2 boost to Special Attack; Shaymin-S can then proceed to decimate weakened teams with its decent three-move coverage of Seed Flare, Air Slash, and Earth Power. The EVs are straightforward here, bolstering Special Attack and Speed to their maximum levels. Once again, a Timid nature is preferred over a Special Attack-boosting nature because of Shaymin-S's unique base Speed. The final 4 EVs are placed in Special Defense to ensure the maximal number of switch-ins to Stealth Rock. The IVs serve a very particular purpose, namely to reduce Life Orb recoil, allowing Shaymin-S to survive 11 whiplashes instead of 10. Speaking of items, Life Orb is preferred to maximize damage output, which is especially devastating in conjunction with Seed Flare's effect. However, Leftovers provides passive recovery to increase Shaymin-S's survivability, especially when used with Growth, as Shaymin-S will then be powering up itself and the extra power of Life Orb is secondary. The easiest way to take down Shaymin-S is with faster attackers. Priority easily KOes this frail flier, especially after Stealth Rock damage and Life Orb recoil, as it has no priority of its own to retaliate with. Furthermore, Scizor can Pursuit a fleeing Shaymin-S, ensuring that it will die to Stealth Rock the next time it switches in. Choice Scarf users are in the same boat, especially those that resist Seed Flare and Air Slash, such as Jirachi, Metagross, Heatran, and Dialga. Once again, Wobbuffet deals with these Choice-locked opponents, and can help Shaymin set up Growth with Encore. Ho-Oh walls Shaymin-S cold, as it can easily take Air Slash with its massive Special Defense. Groudon is a helpful partner, KOing most Steel-types with Earthquake and checking Ho-Oh to an extent.

Shaymin-S can successfully employ the SubSeed strategy due to its extremely high Speed. In fact, it is outsped only by Jumpluff in the sun and Ludicolo in the rain, whereas Prankster Whimsicott has priority SubSeed. Fortunately, all three of these are relatively uncommon in Ubers, so the competition is virtually nil. While it may be tempting to use Whimsicott, remember that Shaymin-S has a great base 120 Special Attack, allowing it to take on a more offensive approach. As with all SubSeed strategies, one starts by switching in Shaymin-S to scare off certain whales or behemoths. Then, it can Substitute on the switch and begin to wreak havoc, alternating between Substitute and an attack after Leech Seed. Alternatively, Seed Flare can force switches, as the Special Defense drops cause plenty of fleeing for Shaymin-S to take advantage of. Air Slash fills the last slot to annoy any victim that stays in; its health will be slowly sapped by Air Slash, unable to fight back due to the excessive flinching. Hidden Power Fire and Earth Power are also options to hit Scizor and Dialga, respectively, but Air Slash's high flinch chance makes it too good to pass up. The EVs accentuate Shaymin-S's strong points, Special Attack and Speed. There is little use in investing in defenses, as by Uber standards, 100 / 75 / 75 is rather poor. A Timid nature takes advantage of Shaymin-S's unique Speed tier, ensuring it is not outsped by any Arceus or Darkrai; a Special Attack-boosting nature is less important because the offensive moves are used only for their secondary effects, not for damage output. Hidden Power Ice can surprise Dragon-types such as Rayquaza and Garchomp, but as mentioned, Shaymin-S will find it difficult to fit it onto its moveset. Tons of Pokemon aid Shaymin-S in endlessly annoying its opponents with SubSeed. Wobbuffet is especially notable, as it can prey on the Choice Scarf users that aim to take down speedy Shaymin-S. In addition, the blue blob can use Encore to give Shaymin-S a free opportunity to set up. Deoxys-S is another great partner, as it provides entry hazard support to whittle down the opponents' health from the number of switches the SubSeed strategy forces. Forretress also pairs well in this regard, providing Rapid Spin support and setting up Toxic Spikes to further wear down walls. Shaymin-S without Hidden Power Fire must be wary of Scizor, as its priority Bullet Punch bypasses Shaymin-S's high Speed. Skarmory also walls Shaymin-S lacking Hidden Power Fire, using Roost to heal off damage and phazing Shaymin-S out. Groudon provides necessary support to take these threats out. Rayquaza sets up on any set lacking Hidden Power Ice, outspeeding and destroying Shaymin-S after boosts from Dragon Dance. Likewise, Dialga will take advantage of any Shaymin-S set without Earth Power. Without a Special Defense drop provided by Seed Flare, both Calm Mind Giratina and Calm Mind Giratina-O have the potential to outstall Shaymin-S.

The main idea of the SubSeed strategy is to switch into Pokemon who Shaymin-S can scare out, set up Substitute as they switch, and then either attack the next switch-in or use Leech Seed. Substitute is a great scouting tool for both Shaymin-S and partners looking to answer some of its checks. Shaymin-S is the fastest Leech Seed user outside of the sun, and it can pose an offensive threat with its base 120 Special Attack and Seed Flare Special Defense drops. Leech Seeding common switch-ins such as Blissey and Giratina allows Shaymin-S to restore huge amounts of health per turn, even making up for the Substitute HP loss in the former case. Eventually, Blissey will run out of Seismic Toss PP, and Shaymin-S can then pound Blissey with Seed Flare until her battered special bulk can take no more. Seed Flare can cause a lot of switches, due to its high chance of halving the opponent's Special Defense, forcing the opponent's Pokemon to take more damage from entry hazards and Leech Seed. For the last moveslot, Air Slash is generally the best choice due to its flinches wasting Leech Seed turns. Air Slash is also super effective on two other Leech Seeders seen in Ubers, Jumpluff and Ludicolo. However, Air Slash can leave Shaymin-S open to huge threats like Bulk Up Dialga and Scizor, the latter who has Bullet Punch's priority and U-turn to break Shaymin-S's Substitute and switch out simultaneously. Because of this, Hidden Power Fire is viable to OHKO Scizor and 2HKO Metagross and Skarmory in the sun. Alternatively, Earth Power 3HKOs the standard Bulk Up Dialga, preventing it from Rest stalling Shaymin-S. Earth Power also 2HKOes Metagross and offensive Dialga. Finally, Hidden Power Ice can OHKO Rayquaza, Garchomp, and opposing Shaymin-S; Rayquaza may attempt to set up on Shaymin-S otherwise. Investing in defenses is not beneficial, as Shaymin-S's Substitutes will still be broken from most of the attacks thrown at it. Just maxing out Speed and Special Attack is recommended. This set can use 252 HP EVs to make Shaymin-S's Substitutes unbreakable by Blissey's Seismic Toss, but the power loss is often not worth it. Entry hazard support is particularly crucial to this set's success, punishing the opponent for the many switches that this set causes. Wobbuffet support is also highly recommended, as many players rely on Choice Scarf holders like Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp to defeat most Shaymin-S sets. Shaymin-S is thus an effective scout for almost all of these Pokemon with Substitute, and in turn allows Wobbuffet to revenge kill them more easily later in the match. Wobbuffet can also help Shaymin-S to find time to set up with Encore. Tickle Wobbuffet in particular can be paired with a Pursuit user, such as Tyranitar or Scizor, to eliminate Lugia. SubSeed Shaymin-S's problems are largely dependent on the last move, as mentioned earlier. In general, though, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Giratina, and Giratina-O can all stall Shaymin-S out. Tyranitar is one of the most reliable counters to Giratina-O, and can use Taunt + Dragon Dance to set up on Lugia, Skarmory, and Giratina. When using Hidden Power Fire, make sure you use Groudon with Shaymin-S, as the sun is required for the KOs on every one of these Pokemon, except Scizor.

Shaymin-S has great offensive stats to pull off a simple Life Orb set, netting many important OHKOs with its STABs and Earth Power that it cannot normally obtain on Darkrai, Kyogre, Shaymin-S, Heatran, and most Groudon, as well as 2HKOs on Garchomp, Palkia, Rayquaza, Metagross, most Dialga, most Jirachi, and Scizor assuming Stealth Rock damage. A Special Defense drop from Seed Flare can even put Lugia, Latias, Giratina, Giratina-O, and Skarmory within 2HKO range from Air Slash, though in Skarmory's case, the probability is very small. Hidden Power Ice will turn some of these 2HKOs into OHKOs, while Hidden Power Fire easily OHKOs Scizor and 2HKOs Skarmory in the sun. Alternatively, Growth can be used in the last slot, which enables Shaymin-S to net even more KOs that it would otherwise miss, turning 2HKOs on Garchomp, Palkia, and Dialga into OHKOs. In particular, +1 Earth Power OHKOes max HP Dialga 66% of the time after Stealth Rock damage. When using Growth, Leftovers becomes a viable item option, as it lets Shaymin-S survive in battle longer and a Growth boost provides more power than a Life Orb does. The Life Orb recoil compounds Shaymin-S's frailty, sometimes not even getting a chance to KO Scizor before it goes down to Bullet Punch. Scizor is best dealt with using Dialga, Palkia, or Mewtwo lures before attempting to sweep with Shaymin-S. The IVs can be reduced to 29 to reduce Stealth Rock and Life Orb damage by 1, but it will take two turns of Life Orb recoil to make up for the lost HP. There are four particular Choice Scarf holders that outspeed Shaymin-S and resist both Seed Flare and Air Slash; Dialga, Metagross, Jirachi, and Heatran. Wobbuffet and defensive Groudon are helpful against them. Kyogre and Heatran can easily switch into Jirachi's and Metagross's Ice Punches and Heatran's Fire Blast, whilst retaliating with powerful STABs. Note that none of these threats enjoy Shaymin-S's Earth Powers, so you can try hitting them on the switch.

A Choice Scarf enables Shaymin-S to become both a great revenge killer and a decent lead. It's also arguably the best offensive answer to Rock Polish Groudon, as it is immune to Earthquake, and it can outrun most Groudon even after a Rock Polish and OHKO it with its powerful STAB Seed Flare. As a lead, it should try for an Air Slash flinch against Deoxys-A and Deoxys-S leads, which will usually prevent them from setting up entry hazards, and it easily beats Groudon leads who don't invest heavily in Special Defense. Both of Shaymin-S's STABs allow it to get out of many tough situations thanks to Seed Flare's 68% overall Special Defense drop rate, as well as Air Slash's 57% overall flinch rate and neutrality against most Pokemon in the Uber environment. Earth Power 2HKOes most Steel-type switch-ins, though specially defensive Dialga will survive two Earth Powers, usually even after a Special Defense drop. Hidden Power Ice allows Shaymin-S to revenge kill Garchomp, opposing Shaymin-S, and Dragon Dance Rayquaza lacking Extreme Speed. Non-lead Shaymin-S should have a Modest nature to guarantee Seed Flare's OHKO on faster variants of Kyogre with Stealth Rock damage. The only somewhat common Pokemon in Ubers who will outspeed Modest Shaymin-S are Timid Choice Scarf Darkrai, opposing Shaymin-S, and Mewtwo. When used as a lead, Shaymin-S should be Timid so that it can outspeed the aforementioned Darkrai, another common lead. Leaf Storm is an option to use in place of Seed Flare with a Modest nature, which OHKOes both max HP Kyogre and 4 HP / 0 SpD Darkrai after Stealth Rock damage. However, this leaves Shaymin-S vulnerable to Calm Mind users like Latias and Mewtwo, and Leaf Storm lacks the Special Defense lowering effect of Seed Flare. Thus, it should only be used if Shaymin-S's team really needs the KOs that Leaf Storm provides. Don't use Leaf Storm with a Timid nature, as the only benefit to doing so is gaining an OHKO on 4 HP / 0 SpD Kyogre after Stealth Rock. Generally, Choice Scarf Shaymin-S's biggest foes resist its STABs or have extremely high special bulk. Scizor and Dialga can heavily dent Shaymin-S with most of their attacks, with Choice Band Scizor dealing at least 53% with Pursuit, which is potentially fatal with Stealth Rock in play, while Dialga can set up on Shaymin-S with Bulk Up. Lugia, opposing Shaymin-S, Rayquaza, Ho-Oh, Latios, and Latias can switch into Seed Flare and Earth Power and either threaten Shaymin-S immediately or set up. The massive defensive stats of Giratina, specially defensive Skarmory, and Blissey allow them to shrug off Shaymin-S's assaults to cripple it in various ways (e.g. status, phazing, PP stalling), as long as Seed Flare doesn't net too many Special Defense drops. Giratina-O is a more offensive check that can pick off a weakened Shaymin-S with Shadow Sneak. Finally, Wobbuffet can easily trap and revenge kill Choice Scarf Shaymin-S with Mirror Coat. In terms of teammates, mixed variants of Dialga, Palkia, and Rayquaza can lure in most of Shaymin-S's defensive checks. For a more threatening approach, Darkrai and Calm Mind Mewtwo can set up on and crush Shaymin-S's checks quite well. Alternatively, Wobbuffet can trap and KO many of Shaymin-S's checks. For Mixed Dialga, it's best to revenge kill it via Pokemon like Garchomp and Lucario. Good defensive partners include Kyogre, Groudon, Jirachi, and Blissey. Something to note about leading with Choice Scarf Shaymin-S is that it often relies on Air Slash's flinch rate to beat other leads such as Darkrai, so having a Sleep Talker waiting in the wings such as Kyogre is advisable. Hidden Power Fire is a viable option on this set to destroy Scizor leads and Forretress or Skarmory switch-ins. However, it requires Shaymin-S to lower its Speed IV to 30, meaning that opposing Choice Scarf Shaymin-S will beat it. There are also several leads that almost always beat Shaymin-S: Choice Scarf Mewtwo outspeeds Shaymin-S and OHKOs with Ice Beam, while 252 HP Kyogre, Dialga, and Tyranitar can survive one of Shaymin-S's attacks and OHKO in retaliation. Scizor leads trouble Shaymin-S that lack Hidden Power Fire, 3HKOing with Bullet Punch. An allied Blissey can easily wall lead Kyogre, Dialga, and Mewtwo, while Groudon can switch into Tyranitar and Scizor and severely damage or OHKO them with Earthquake or a Fire-type attack. Although Draco Meteor will do a huge amount of damage to Groudon, STAB Earthquake will often scare Dialga off as well. While Palkia and Latias can destroy Kyogre, several lead Kyogre carry Thunder Wave to take advantage of these switch-ins. A Dialga of your own can switch into Mewtwo, Kyogre, and Scizor, and threaten them with Draco Meteor, Thunder, and Fire Blast respectively.

Choice Specs Shaymin-S wields great power without the need to set up or the constant recoil of Life Orb. Seed Flare deals massive damage to many Pokemon, OHKOing Darkrai, Kyogre, and Groudon, while also having a chance to OHKO offensive Mewtwo and Garchomp, and even giving Rayquaza trouble in setting up. Air Slash almost always 2HKOes 252 HP / 168 SpD Careful Scizor, and always 2HKOes Rayquaza, Darkrai, Garchomp, and Palkia after Stealth Rock damage. Earth Power 2HKOes Dialga, Metagross, and Jirachi, while Hidden Power Ice almost always 2HKOes Lugia with a Modest nature. With a Timid nature, it still OHKOes Garchomp and Rayquaza and after Stealth Rock damage and 2HKOes 86 HP / 96 SpD Giratina-O 90% of the time. Alternatively, Hidden Power Fire roasts Scizor and Skarmory. Timid is the preferred nature to outspeed Darkrai, but Modest is reasonable if you have Spikes support for the very real possibility of 2HKOing Blissey, Palkia, and Rayquaza, and OHKOing Garchomp and Mewtwo with Seed Flare. The few Pokemon who can take Choice Specs Shaymin-S's Seed Flares are generally Shaymin-S's biggest threats. These include Blissey, Skarmory, Latias, Lugia, Choice Scarf Dialga, Heatran, opposing Shaymin-S, and Scizor, all of whom can immediately retaliate against Shaymin-S. Rayquaza is another check, though it will lose if Seed Flare gets a Special Defense drop. If running Modest, it is wise to have a Sleep Talker like Kyogre to deal with Darkrai. Alternatively, Choice Scarf Heracross can switch into most of Darkrai's moves and can OHKO with its STABs. Choice Scarf Dialga, Palkia, and Mewtwo are all excellent revenge killers of Darkrai.