Shiftry

In a tier with plenty of viable Grass-types available, one might wonder how a Pokemon like Shiftry might stand out with its modest base stats. However, Shiftry has plenty of things going for it in the current metagame. Blessed with an outstanding offensive typing, shared only by Cacturne, and good physical and special prowess, Shiftry proves to be a versatile Pokemon. Shiftry is capable of pressuring the opponents to try and play around it, not knowing what set it might be running. Common defensive Pokemon such as Slowking and Clefable are smashed by Shiftry, making it a formidable wallbreaker. Its ability to bypass bulky opponents that its competition cannot effectively do makes it stand out from the pack.

However, this nutcracker isn't exactly the toughest to crack. It has terrible bulk, meaning any strong attack will bring Shiftry down quickly. Its great offensive typing also curses it with weaknesses to the common Bug-, Fire-, and Fighting-type moves found in the tier. The few Pokemon that can defeat Shiftry are common and they handle it extremely well, meaning it usually will not be able to function without proper team support. Finally, Shiftry Speed ties with common Pokemon such as Kabutops, Gallade, and Mesprit, causing it to run into many 50-50 situations where luck will determine whether Shiftry wins or loses. However, if you want something that can reliably do its part for your team, whether it be cleanup late-game or cripple opposing walls, you should definitely consider Shiftry.