What Are Some Good OU Counters to Single Strike Urshifu?

Question

I am.just curious because my team gets wrecked by this thing because of Unseen Fist, so I can't stall it to death. Currently I am using a Choice Scarf Galarian Rapidash, but I feel that there are better options that has a greater utility. Also, while I am at it, could you list good counters for Rapid Strike as well? Thanks in advance!

Comments

there really is no true viable counter to single strike imo

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I'd like to add a few things. There are virtually no true counters to this pokemon. Galar Weezing is the only one I can think of. Urshifu will be able to 2HKO anything if it chooses the right move. The best thing you can do is switch in a Regenerator pokemon like Toxapex or Tangrowth to figure out what they are locking into and then switch out to something that can handle the move they chose. With Regenerator, the net damage after switching out will only be about 20% so you can do this multiple times before needing to Recover/Synthesis. This only applies to choiced sets, but they are the most common right now. Another important thing to note is that Wicked Blow only has 8 pp, so it can potentially be stalled out, especially with Regenerator switching around.

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That is still assuming it's running band or scarf. Even a Life Orb set can decimate unprepared teams. And if they Gmax, the choice lock is temporarily negated as well ://

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True, but the question is asking about OU where the majority of Urshifu are running choiced items and there is no dynamaxing

Answer 1

Single Strike Counters

Clefable

OU Staple. Resists both of Urshifu's STABs, has access to recovery in Wish, and can attack back with Moonblast.

Comfey

It's certainly underrated, but it has access to priority recovery in Triage Draining Kiss, which will go before Urshifu gets to attack. It doesn't match up against the rest of the meta-game very well, though.

Talonflame

Priority STAB Brave Bird. Even if you don't have your Gale Wings due to prior chip damage, you still have the natural speed available to outspeed Urshifu, unless Urshifu has a Choice Scarf (which is very uncommon anyways).

Magearna

Bulky fairy type that is also immune to Poison Jab. If Urshifu goes for a Wicked Blow, then it's basically a single free turn of setup for Magearna (mostly to use Shift Gear).

other Urshifu-Single-Strike

Most Single-Strike Urshifu tend to run Adamant for the extra power, so if you are willing to give up a little power, you can use Jolly to guarantee outspeed them. Choice Scarf is probably sacrificing too much power for Urshifu to be usable. Dark Fighting also 4x resists Dark, so it's a Wicked Blow switch in if you feel risky.

Rapid Strike Counters

Rapid Strike Urshifu is a little more unpredictable, so it's hard to say if there is a designated counter.

Amoonguss

Bulky Grass type that can handle both of Urshifu's dual STAB and fires back with Spore and Giga Drain.

Tangrowth

Tangrowth has much higher defense, so it can make up for not resisting the fighting STAB. Basically does the same thing as Amoonguss with Sleep Powder and Giga Drain. It also gets Regenerator like Amoonguss.

Hope this helped!

Comments

Nice list, between our answers ig we got them all. Also argh I was too slow :P

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Thanks for the options!  I think I may switch to Talonflame, but I am not sure yet.

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no problem!

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Counters are pokemon that can always reliably beat another mon. Clef, comfey and talonflame ARE NOT urshifu counters. All clef and comfey get 2HKO'd by banded poison jab and talonflame gets OHKO'd by wicked blow. Mag is the best thing.

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We're aware of the difference between checks and counters but the answer still suffices

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Buzzwole is probably now one of the best counters with the release of DLC2.

Answer 2

Single Strike Urshifu

This Pokemon doesn't have hard counters that you can simply switch to when it comes into play. However it has a lot of key weaknesses which are very common in OU, so you can try them. Note that usually it is best to sack a weaker Pokemon to switch into these, because they are themselves frail, getting OHKOed or 2HKOed in most cases.

• Unburden Hawlucha with Flying Press (OHKOes every variant, including max Defense). Other good moves are Close Combat, Sky Attack (works with Unburden + Power Herb), and Acrobatics. Much faster too, specially after an Unburden boost.
• Scarf/LO Alakazam with Dazzling Gleam will OHKO every variant except for Assault Vest sets). It is also faster, so it can outspeed every set save opposing Scarf sets.
• Shift Gear Magearna with Fleur Cannon (much slower but can nuke it in a single move, if you miss though, that's gg)
• Banded Azumarill will OHKO all variants with Play Rough. Also resists both of Urshifu's STAB moves.

Rapid Strike Urshifu

This is easier to counter. Bulky Water and Grass types are aplenty now.

• Rocky Helmet Amoongus
• Rocky Helmet Tangrowth
• Toxapex
• Azumarill
• Hawlucha (same as above)
• Water Absorb Vaporeon

Comments

I wish I could select both of your answers.  Both combined cover everything perfectly.

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no problem at all, glad we could help out ^_^

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flying press hawlucha is certainly an innovative urshifu check lol

nice answer

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If something always gets 2HKO'd by something it's not a counter.

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They're not hard counters. You can't expect something this new with such a strong presence to have a perfect counter that will wall all of its attacks, specially given the nature of the moves and the ability it has. The idea here is to be able to bring in something that can threaten it, and these Pokemon can certainly threaten Urshifu and force it to get switch out or get OHKOed. The same principle applies to every broken Pokemon with every broken set, be it Dragon Gem Draco Meteor Kyurem W, or Specs Ash Gren. Sometimes revenge killing is the way to go about it, and that doesn't make them any less viable. If the moves didn't always crit, maybe we'd have beter counters.