What is a good moveset for Shuckle?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Shuckle, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Shuckle Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

People answering this question: stop using 252 Def / 252 SpD. It is mathematically worse than 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD on Shuckle, and either way, splitting Def and SpD evenly is a lazy approach that overestimates Shuckle's responsibility in a team of six to fight any sort of attacker.

Answer 1

Shuckle @ Custap Berry/Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Impish/Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Power Split
- Sticky Web
- Toxic

The purpose of this build is to cripple as many opponents as possible before it faints. It can set up Sticky Web early, and use its other moves to cripple would-be early sweepers, or it can be brought in later to cripple later sweepers.

Sticky Web is shuckle's most useful move. It slows down incoming opponents and lasts until removed by an opponent. Shuckle's low speed means it'll only help shuckle's team, not shuckle itself, though, so it's usually best to use other moves first unless there's a danger of shuckle fainting before its second turn.

Power Split averages the user's attack and special attack with that of the opponent. Because of shuckle's poor attack and special attack, this will approximately halve the opponent's attack and special attack, and increase shuckle's own to the point where it might be able to almost cause moderate damage to something. Power Split will usually be more useful for reducing the opponent's attack and special attack than for increasing shuckle's own though. It can be used to weaken the opponent before shuckle switches out. It can be used to weaken would-be sweepers trying to set up. It can be used to encourage the opponent to switch out after Toxic and/or Sticky Web and/or Knock Off have been used on it. Then the next opponent can enter into the Sticky Web and be poisoned and/or have their item knocked off too.

Knock Off causes an opponent to permanently lose their item and more damage is dealt to opponents with items. Knock Off and Power Split can work together to cripple offensive sweepers carrying Life Orbs or Choice Bands. Knock Off and Toxic can work together to cripple more defensive types of sweepers carrying leftovers.
Toxic causes ever-increasing damage. This shuckle build won't usually be around for long enough for Toxic to accumulate much damage, so this build is most useful if its teammates include annoyers or delayers.
Custap Berry lets shuckle go first if its health is below 25%. This can work well with the sturdy trait when up against legendaries and powerful opponents. Leftovers may work better when fighting more offensively weak opponents though.

Answer 2

Cecilia, Roman derived from Caecilius. Latin derived from caecus, meaning "Blind". Shuckle is blind to all attacks. ^thinks of devistation^ :)

Cecilia(Shuckle) F @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Accupressure
- Power Split
- Rock Slide
- Rest

I LOVE Shuckle. It is one of the most trolly Mons I know. When I'm feeling down, I grab Shuckle and fly to Ubers. Taking Legendary's power with Shuckle's defenses can take out an entire team. This doesn't work as well anywhere else because this depends on powerful Mons in Ubers. It doesn't work in UU and is crippled in OU.

So grab Cecilia and kill the Gods of Ubers!
ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

Answer 3

Double Battle Support Shuckle (Works really well with trick room teams)

Shuckle @ Leftovers/Chesto Berry
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Shell Smash
- Guard Split
- Rest / Toxic
- Rock Slide

With Contrary, lowers your offensive stats, but increases defensive stats. Guard Split gives strong defense to an ally with lower defensive stats. Rest restores HP, with Chesto Berry you wake up instantly, Toxic is a classic staller move. Rock Slide so Shuckle isn't complete Taunt bait, and with trick room, you go first because Shuckle has the lowest speed in the game, and have that chance of flinching the opponent

Answer 4

Shuckle @ Binding Band / Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Calm Nature
- Infestation
- Shell Smash
- Sleep Talk
- Rest

Start by setting up a few shell smashes on something that won't KO or nearly KO you. Rest early if you need to and use sleep talk to try and pull off an infestation or another shell smash. If your opponent has an active infestation and you're asleep and have +6 in both defenses, don't use sleep talk to conserve PP. Otherwise, split the PP usage evenly between infestation and shell smash while your opponent is being choked to death ;) You don't need any PP ups on the moves to sweep an entire team if you're mindful of how to best conserve PP

Answer 5

A great Toxic Stall

Gen 8 AG

Shuckle @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Def / 204 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Shell Smash
- Sleep Talk/Infestation
- Rest
- Toxic

The whole purpose is to use Shell Smash to maximise your defences and use rest to heal if necessary (leftovers adds to its healing). Sleep Talk allows use of either Shell Smash (useful if you couldn't maximise defences), Rest (not so useful) or Toxic. Toxic is your main move but be careful of 'mons with Rest as the sleep effect will remove the poisoning. If you choose Infestation over Sleep Talk, then you can stall out Steel and Poison Types.

Hope this helped! :D

Comments

"with Contrary-Shell Smash you can deal maximum damage as it decreases"
I see the idea of what you're trying to do, but it won't work. Sure, Contrary Shell Smash decreases speed, but it also decreases your attack as well. That means you would have a -6 attack boost should you get max boosts from Shell Smash, meaning you'll actually do LESS damage than if you haven't used Shell Smash.
https://calc.pokemonshowdown.com/
Just put your set in here and compare the damage output from 0 and -6, and you'll see Gyro Ball does less damage the more you use Contrary Shell Smash.

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Good point. Thanks!

Answer 6

Personally, a pure stall set bores me, but I know stalling is Shuckle's specialty, so I have a Staller-Offense mix.

Shuckle @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Careful Nature
- Rollout
- Defense Curl
- Toxic
- Protect

Go with what you want, but this my favorite set on Shuckle. He is still reasonably defensive due to maxing HP, and he's gonna need all the boosts he can get to do damage anyway, so why not Rollout that doubles power every hit for 5 turns rather than a status move? And it still hits taunters, which appear a lot in Black and White.

Comments

Needs power swap.

Answer 7

Don't mess with this guy!

Shuckle @ Leftovers / Sitrus Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 165 HP / 165 Def / 165 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Sticky Web
- Stealth Rock
-Substitute
- Gyro Ball

So this is a lead (Duh) The first turn you can go for a substitute or you can just go for the entry hazards. His Ev's make him a defensive wall and Gyro Ball is just there to destroy everything and to make your terrible speed stat useful.

Comments

Sub is a waste on a shuckle. Argue until your blue in the face, but it is true. His hp does not support it. Sturdy would be better so you can get atleast one of those off because contrary to popular belief Shuckle can and will get 1hkoed.  My favorite passer is drifblim because he can pass a healthy sub with stockpiles and a will-o-wisp support. If you are non compet. you can also minimize with drifblim and make a terror of a shuckle.

Answer 8

Ahhhhhh Shuckle, my best friend indeed. If you want a stalling Pokemon, here is the master staller.

Shuckle @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Calm Nature
- Double Team
- Toxic
- Mud Slap
- Rest

The best evader. This guy can take plenty of hits up until he sets up enough double teams to avoid most attacks. Mud Slap is the only counter to steel types. This move is weak, but it still takes care of steel types slowly but surely. It also lowers opponents accuracy making this guy even more epic.

Comments

If this is to be used in Showdown, it can only be used in ranks that have no Evasion Clause, otherwise Double Team must be changed.

Answer 9

Use it in Uber. no kidding.

Shuckle @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Acupressure
- Power Split
- Rest
- Stone Edge

Sturdy because gluttony have a 0.06% of chance of being useful, if target tricks you a berry, but... and contrary will only be PREJUDICIAL.

Moves:

Accupressure: It's the main move of this set. you will have to use literally 21 Accupressure, but once your stats are maxed out, it won't be stopped unless you have a designed counter for it, such as focus sash topsy-turvy Malamar.

Power Split: Many people begin with their mega and most Mega Pokemon are really powerful. If you strike it on a foe with a very high physical attack, such as Mega Blaziken or Mega Mewtwo X, you will get really powerful, and can begin to accupressure.

Rest: You CANNOT leave your HP low, even though Shuckle is bulky as hell. Rest will bring your HP up to maximum, and Leftovers provides a low cure to heal you up while you are asleep.

Stone Edge: It is your only damage move and is a MUST. if you are maxed out in all stats, all power split rightly, as I said before, you will not be stopped unless your opponent have a designed counter for it.

many people use this Pokemon alone in their team, but if you really wanna win, you should use this along with other 5 Pokemon. You will become mostly unstoppable.