Aegislash Analysis





My personal favorite Ghost Type in the format, Aegislash comes back from its VGC 2015 hiatus to once again serve as an offensive and supportive threat. With its signature ability, Stance Change, Aegislash can both provide an immense offensive threat while boasting high defenses.
Pros
*Stance Change allows Aegislash to effectively have 50 / 150 / 150 / 150 / 150 / 60 stats, making Aegislash a solid wall and offensive threat.
*Ghost / Steel typing complements Aegislash both defensively and offensively
*Aegislash has eight resistances and one immunity
*The introduction of Z Moves allows Aegislash to now nuke targets without having to run Life Orb, which decreases Aegislash’ longevity
*Small but efficient movepool allows Aegislash to cover many threats and targets
*Premier Wide Guard user, protecting allies from Spread moves
Cons
*The common threats of Charizard Y and Landorus-T still heavily threaten Aegislash
*Z Moves also threaten Aegislash, pushing Super Effective moves that would not normally KO Aegislash over the necessary damage threshold
*Stance Change is a double-edged sword, as while Aegislash gains offensive stats it likewise loses its defensive stats in the process
*An increase in Pokemon that underspeed Aegislash also threaten Aegislash’ longevity, as they will hit non-bulky Aegislash in Blade form
Set #1 - Offensive Aegislash
Aegislash @ Ghostium Z / Life Orb  
Ability: Stance Change  
Level: 50  
EVs: 220 HP / 4 Def / 204 SpA / 4 SpD / 76 Spe  
Modest Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Shadow Ball  
- Flash Cannon
- Substitute / Wide Guard  
- King's Shield
*A very offensive oriented spread, this Aegislash aims to deal massive damage and pick up key KO’s.
*Shadow Ball and Flash Cannon are Aegislash’ STAB moves, allowing Aegislash to hit the entire format
*Substitute is used to prolong Aegislash’ longevity, allowing you to soak up an attack or Z move
*Having a substitute up can allow you a free attack / Z move on an opponent, while avoiding major damage from slower targets
*Wide Guard can be used on Life Orb sets who can not afford to lose HP due to Substitute
*+204 SpA allows Aegislash to OHKO 4 / 0 Tapu Lele 100% of the time, and OHKO 4 / 0Mega Metagross 87.5% of the time
*+204 SpA Life Orb Aegislash Flash Cannon OHKOs 252 / 4 Tapu Bulu and 4 / 0 Mega Tyranitar
*+204 SpA Aegislash Z Shadow Ball KO’s 100 / 68 Landorus-T 100% of the time, and KO’s 220 / +92 Cresselia 87.5% of the time
*76 Speed allows Aegislash to hit 90 Speed, meaning that Aegislash can outspeed the likes of Mega Metagross and Kartana under Tailwind
Set #2 - Bulky Aegislash
Aegislash @ Leftovers  
Ability: Stance Change  
Level: 50  
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 100 SpA / 108 SpD / 4 Spe  
Calm Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball  
- Flash Cannon / Substitute / Toxic
- Substitute / Wide Guard / Toxic
- King's Shield
*This Aegislash set aims at surviving Super Effective attacks in exchange for a lot of Special Attack Investment
*Because of your lower damage output, you can forgo Flash Cannon any of the moves listed below
*Substitute, Wide Guard, and Toxic are equally viable
*Substitute allows Aegislash to stick around longer and recover with Leftovers
*Wide Guard allows Aegislash to protect both Aegislash and its ally from spread moves
*Toxic + Leftovers allows you to effectively stall out opponents and defeat Snorlax
In Blade Form,
*100 SpA KO’s Mega Gengar with Shadow Ball, while dealing 83-99% of Tapu Lele and Mega Metagross’ health (Aegislash can KO after chip damage on either)
In Shield Form,
*252 / 44 Defense allows Aegislash to survive +252 Atk Incineroar Flare Blitz 93.8% of the time, while making -1 +252 Atk Landorus-T Earthquake a 3HKO
*252 / +108 SpD allows Aegislash to survive:
*+252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Heat Wave in the Sun 100% of the time
*252 SpA Mega Gengar Shadow Ball 100% of the time
*+252 SpA Ludicolo Z Hydro Pump in the Rain 100% of the time
*Minimum Speed allows Aegislash to underspeed opposing Aegislash and KO with Shadow Ball, as well as retain Shield-Form Bulk for as long as possible
*Minimum Speed is only ran on this bulky spread because Aegislash can survive enough attacks with investment in defenses. More offensive variants run higher speed as to potentially outspeed and KO/nuking threats before going down.
Using Aegislash
*While Aegislash is quite flexible, common threats such as Charizard Y and Landorus-T threaten Aegislash’ longevity
*Aegislash appreciates partners such as Tapu Fini and Landorus, which provide coverage and Intimidate support respectively
*Landorus-T can also Earthquake freely alongside Aegislash with Wide Guard
*Tapu Koko is an excellent partner, because it nukes threats such as Charizard Y while being safe from Earthquake due to Aegislash’ Wide Guard
*Aegislash also appreciates Fake Out support to set up Substitute or nuke targets
*Aegislash serves as a solid check to Meta Lele, threatening a KO on either Metagross or Tapu Lele
*Aegislash also serves as a solid Trick Room check, as it can KO the likes of Gothitelle and Cresselia with Z Shadow Ball
*Aegislash does not function well under Trick Room because of Stance Change, as you will likely be in Blade-Form and KO’d


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