Setup sweepers refers to offense-orientedPokemonthat rely on using stat-boosting moves to threaten opponents. Moves like Swords Dance and Nasty Plot can raise a Pokemon’s Attack and SpAtk stat respectively to a level where it can “sweep” or clean up the opposing team’s remaining Pokemon.
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Having high Base Speed stat and/or possessing Speed-boosting moves like Rock Polish or Dragon Dance ensures first strike, allowing these Pokemon to avoid getting hit by the opponents moves. Access to priority moves like Shadow Sneak and Ice Shard allows some of these Pokemon to also bypass revenge-killers that rely on Choice Scarf. Finally, type effectiveness and the availability of crucial coverage moves can influence how dangerous a particular setup sweeper is. Below are the most lethal.
9Zekrom
The introduction of Dragon Dance toZekrom’smove set has upgraded it to become a formidable setup sweeper. A Base Speed of 90 is rather unremarkable, but after a Dragon Dance, Zekrom becomes faster than most of the roster, unless they invest significant EVs on Speed.
A 150 Base Attack coupled with high Base Power moves like Bolt Strike and Outrage can easily dent if not outright KO most of the roster. Zekrom’s Electric typing also grants it immunity from paralysis, letting it switch into Glare and Thunder Wave, while Roost also allows it to recover from entry hazard damage.
Fairy-types like Xerneas and Ground-types like Groudon make it hard to mindlessly use Bolt Strike and Outrage, especially if the opponent has both of them. However, since Zekrom threatens Xerneas with boosted STAB Electric moves and Groudon cannot switch in repeatedly into Draco Meteor, it can keep the momentum going.
8Zygarde-Complete
Due to its absurdly high base HP and respectable base Defense, Zygarde is able to take hits from most physical attackers after it has transformed into its Complete Forme. It can paralyze opponents with Glare and reliably set up Dragon Dance behind a Substitute, protecting it from status effects. Its signature move, Thousand Arrows, is able to hit Flying-types and opponents with Levitate.
Alternatively, it can equip Coil to boost both its Attack and Defense, allowing it to set up in front of Swords Dance and Dragon Dance users. Scale Shot can be used to KO opponents while boosting its Speed. In contrast to other setup sweepers, Zygarde-Complete needs multiple turns to set up before it can pose a significant threat, but it has the necessary bulk and utility moves to force multiple switches.
7Marshadow
Despite its lack of immediate firepower, Marshadow is a formidable offensive threat with Technician-boostedpriority STAB Shadow Sneak. Ghost-Type moves have good neutral coverage while also being super effective against commonly used Pokemon such as Necrozma and Calyrex. Bulk Up allows it to slowly rack up its Attack and Defense and its signature move Spectral Thief allows it to steal the stat boosts of opponents such as Zygarde-Complete.
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Low Kick deals respectable damage to most Uber Pokemon, while Ice Punch can take out Zygarde before it can transform. Drain Punch is a gimmicky move that allows it to recover Life Orb damage which can be useful in certain situations. The combo of Swagger and Spectral Thief can be used to Confuse opponents and steal their boosted Attack.
6Groudon
Although normally played as a physically defensive Stealth Rock user, Groudon’s access to Swords Dance and Rock Polish allows it to tear through unsuspecting opponents. The coverage offered by Precipice Blades and Stone Edge is also pretty decent. If the opponent’s Pokemon are slower and bulkier, it’s recommended to set up using Swords Dance first for the immediate power. If your opponent has faster threats that are rather frail, Rock Polish gives Groudon a better fighting chance.
If your team has Thunder Wave or Sticky Web, Bulk Up takes advantage of Groudon’s respectable base Defense. Despite this being a non-traditional Groudon set, many teams will still have one or two Pokemon capable of taking boosted hits from Groudon. This set works best by keeping Groudon relatively healthy until the late game, while bluffing a defensive set, only to use Swords Dance when the enemy’s physical walls have been worn down sufficiently.
5Necrozma-Dusk Mane
Prism Armor and its Steel-typing augments Necrozma-Dusk Mane’s defense and allows it to be a bulkysetup sweeper, similar to Groudon. It’s not particularly fast, so it has to rely on Dragon Dance to boost its Speed. It has a superb Base Attack of 157 and can run Swords Dance instead on teams that prefer more immediate firepower. What sets Necrozma-Dusk Mane apart from other setup sweepers is how it can viably use a Weakness Policy, baiting out a super effective move (which it can survive) to subsequently raise its Attack stat even further.
Necrozma-Dusk Mane also has access to coverage moves such as Earthquake and Stone Edge. Most players will be expecting defensive and utility-focused sets on Necrozma-Dusk Mane because of its access to a myriad of utility moves like Stealth Rock, Moonlight, Thunder Wave, and Toxic. Thus, waiting for the correct moment to reveal a set-up sweeper Necrozma-Dusk Mane set is dangerous to weakened teams.
4Kartana
Kartana’s Base Attack is the third-highest on the National Dex, at 181. Its main STAB move is Leaf Blade, which has a higher chance of scoring critical hits, allowing it to occasionally deal serious damage, even on targets that resist it. Swords Dance and its Ability, Beast Boost, can increase its Attack stat even further, using Sacred Sword to cut through Pokemon that resist Leaf Blade. Even Kartana’s Knock Off can deal unexpectedly high damage to switch-ins.
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Kartana excels against teams without faster threats (using Priority moves or Choice Scarf) because out-speeding might be the only way to defeat it. Even Pokemon that are resistant to Grass-type moves struggle to take repeated hits from boosted Leaf Blade, and one critical hit may deal enough damage to KO its defensive counters.
3Weavile
Weavile is both a wall-breaker and setup sweeper in OU, sporting an excellent base Attack of 120, boosting it further using Swords Dance. It is also faster than most of the roster, sitting at a comfortable 125 base Speed, and can bypass Choice Scarf users with priority Ice Shard. Weavile can also be a fantastic offensive pivot, with excellent Ice and Dark STAB coverage, forcing out many Dragon-types, Ghost-types, and Psychic-types that would easily be KO-ed by its attacks.
It can spend the earlier stages of the match dealing chip damage to its switch-ins and using Knock Off to remove Leftovers from its checks, limiting their recovery for the rest of the match. Once the opponent’s remaining Pokemon have been weakened sufficiently to be in KO range, it can set up a Swords Dance and finish them off.
2Xerneas
Xerneasis a powerful and versatile Fairy-type Pokemon. Despite its rather middling Base SpAtk of 131, Geomancy and Fairy Aura boost the firepower of its STAB Moonblast. Xerneas can easily out-speed and KO most neutral targets in the roster after a Geomancy boost, even from full HP.
Offensive sets of Xerneas are so dangerous that competitive Uber teams will often commit at least two Pokemon on their roster to reliably keep it in check. Many defensive Pokemon, such as Ho-oh, will have their stats distributed specifically to survive boosted coverage moves from Geomancy Xerneas. Notably, Xerneas can often only set up once due to the Power Herb being consumed to use Geomancy, so it’s highly recommended to sufficiently wear down its checks first before sending it out to try and sweep.
1Calyrex-Shadow Rider
The ruler of the Ubers bracket, Calyrex-Shadow boasts a stellar Base SpAtk of 165 and a Base Speed of 150. Astral Barrage is a powerful STAB move that has a Base Power of 120, perfect accuracy, and no penalties. Unlike Xerneas, whose offensive sets are comparatively predictable, Calyrex-Shadow has the option to run Choice Scarf and Choice Specs sets with Trick and has access to other utility moves like Leech Seed and Disable. Even Pokemon such as Yveltal (who have advantages against Calyrex-Shadow) have to be wary of carelessly switching into it without scouting its moves first.
When played as a setup sweeper with Nasty Plot, Calyrex-Shadow can take advantage of the forced switches to boost its SpAtk to dangerous levels. It can use Substitute to protect itself from super effective priority moves such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch. Calyrex-Shadow also has decent coverage moves like Draining Kiss for Dark-types and Psyshock for Blissey. Most competitive teams in the Ubers bracket will have Calyrex-Shadow and that is a testament to its sheer offensive presence in the meta.
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