Contest Contest-of-the-Week: Ninjask vs Shedinja

[Winterdaze]

Welcome to Contest-of-the-Week! With the release of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire on the horizon, the attention of Pokémon fans everywhere turns to Hoenn, and all the cool and interesting Pokemon that live there.

Every week, we'll be looking at a few of the many Pokémon you'll meet along your journey through the Hoenn region, and asking for your opinions on them and how they stack up next to their counterparts or rival Pokemon looking to fill the same spot on your team.

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On the other side of the Petalburg Woods lies Rustboro City, and your first gym challenge. After defeating Roxanne, you'll find that the Devon corporation worker you met in the woods has had his Devon Goods stolen by Team Aqua/Magma, who have run off to Rusturf tunnel. To get them back you'll have to pass though Route 116, which among other Pokemon is home to the Bug/Ground type Nincada.

Nincada is unique for being the only Pokemon that splits into two Pokemon when evolving, the speedy Ninjask and the empty husk Shedinja. Ninjask is famous for its peerless speed, which the Speed Boost ability can take to overkill levels. Shedinja on the other hand, is an enigmatic Pokemon that is either a complete pushover or a nightmare thanks to Wonder Guard and its 1HP, and some of the Gym Leader's ace Pokemon are unable to touch it at all.

Which Nincada evolution do you prefer, and why?

-Which has the better design?
-Which one is easier to train?
-Which is more useful throughout the game?
-Which do you think will be better in ORAS?
-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?
-Do you consider it cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it?

Let the contest begin!

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Next week: Mawile vs Sableye

 

[Lysson]

I like Shedinja's design more but if you know how to use Ninjask in battle to its fullest it is way better. (and you don't look like a cheater when using it)

I've met some Shedinjas that people have used on Showdown! and they have not been able to die even when using supereffective moves against it so I grew to loathe it and stopped using Showdown! because people kept using those types of Shedinjas.

Shedinja is probably more useful to use in-game though but not much fun to use.

 

[TaiCrunch]

Which has the better design?

Ninjask is more intimidating and kinda looks like Shadow from Final Fantasy VI. But Shedinja has the cooler concept. An empty husk that not only takes on a life of its own, but steals your soul if you look at its back? Badass! Though it's weird that I as a trainer haven't ever lost mine...

Which one is easier to train? Which is more useful throughout the game? Which do you think will be better in ORAS?

Both are rather frail, but at least Ninjask has a slightly bigger chance to survive a super-effective attack without Focus Band/Sash. But the two play such different roles that if you really want to run one, you're fine running the other.

Which is more useful in the competitive environment?

Ninjask's only real use is Baton Pass and it's completely outclassed by Scoliopede now. Shedinja, on the other hand, can check like half of Ubers.

Do you consider it cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it?

If you're running a team in this day and age that doesn't have a Ghost, Dark, Flying, Rock, or Fire move, Sandstorm, Hail, Leech Seed, Mold Breaker, Stealth Rock, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Toxic, or Will-O-Wisp, then you deserve to be beat by Shedinja.

 

[Rainami]

I guess shedinja for being so unique
and ghost types are cool

not that I like either of them

oh, questions

-Which has the better design? shedinja I guess
-Which one is easier to train? uh, I guess ninjask
-Which is more useful throughout the game? uh I don't know
-Which do you think will be better in ORAS? that would require looking into the movesets of important trainers and I can't be assed to do that right now
-Which is more useful in the competitive environment? ninjask is better though at least shedinja isn't totally outclassed by scolipede
-Do you consider it cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it? not really

 

[EvilChameleon]

I remember when I learned about Shedinja, I decided I absolutely must use one, and it got killed in my first battle. Never used it again. At least Ninjask can take some hits, and that is why it got my vote.

 

[Integra]

-Which has the better design? Sheddy.
-Which is more useful throughout the game? Sheddy. I've never used either in-game though.
-Which do you think will be better in ORAS? Ninjask.
-Which is more useful in the competitive environment? Ninjask, cuz Speed Boost. Final Gambit Shedinja is all the rage these days though.
-Do you consider it cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it? If you have 6 Pokemon * 4 Move Slots = 24 opportunities to run an offensive move of one of the 5 weakness Shedinja has and don't run any, or don't run Stealth Rock/Spikes/Toxic Spikes, there's probably a lot more than Shedinja that gives you trouble...

Overall, I like Shedinja better.

 

[Team Gaara]

I've always been more partial to Shedinja, though Ninjask is pretty cute in terms of design. I think there's not doubt that Ninjask is easier to train simply because Shedinja has 1HP. I know there are some trainers that can't touch it, but it's still likely a mess and a half to train when there's stuff like Sandstorm and Hail pretty common in Hoenn. I've never used either in-game on an actual team (just post-game for funzies and the Dex), but I can just assume it's easier to train Ninjask.

It's hard to say which is more useful. Shedinja is useful for foes that can't touch it, but again, that 1HP can make it utterly useless most of the time. I'm going with Ninjask on this one. I also think it'll still be more useful in ORAS.

Competitively, Ninjask is more useful with it's Speed Boosting, Baton Passing Shenanigans. With stuff like Stealth Rocks, Toxic Spikes, Weather, Sucker Punch...Shedinja can really have a hard time lasting very long.

I don't really think it's cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it, rather, I think it's cheap. And pretty lame. It offers no sense of challenge or anything. Then again, these would probably be the only times you can even use Shedinja, so I can see why people would do it, otherwise, they'd never be able to train it.

 

[Karpi]

I think I like Shedinja more. I made myself use it as one of my main pokemon in-game once, and it was actually a lot of fun despite the fact that lots of battles are pretty Shedinja-hostile (hello, elite 4). That was one of the pokemon I was most proud to get to level 100, because I know not a lot of people have done it. Just teach him Protect and use it even when you're only slightly worried to scout for moves.

And if you like drawing, he makes a super cute partner. When I was into doing comics he one one of my characters' walking pokemon.

Not that I don't like Ninjask, because I do. But I really recommend Shedinja to people looking for something new.

 

[Karpi]

Sorry, I seem to be double posting a lot lately.

 

[Sakuraa]

Which has the better design?
Ninjask. Shedinja seriously creeps me out.

Which one is easier to train?
Ninjask since it can survive more than one hit without the use of an item.

Which is more useful throughout the game?
I'd say Ninjask since, again, if Shedinja gets hit once without a sash it's dead.

Which do you think will be better in ORAS?
Ninjask for reasons said above.

Do you consider it cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it?
Against NPCs in game, maybe. Depends who you're fighting. Against another (real) person in a battle, I'd say no as I'd expect people who battle competitive to be prepared for most Pokemon they could come up against.

So yeah, I like Ninjask and hate Shedinja.

 

[Tyrfing]

Better design? Definitely Shedinja. Ninjask... just looks dull to me.
Easier to train? I don't understand why this is a question. It's Ninjask.
More useful in-game? This depends on the circumstances. I honestly would probably get more use out of Shedinja though.
ORAS? Probably Ninjask, what with expanded movepools on everything.
Competitive? I... don't play competitive. From what I've seen, though, probably Shedinja since I've heard it's a feasible Kyogre counter.
Cheating? It's not cheating because it legitimately can do what can. If it's hacking a Kyogre with Fire Blast, than that's cheating. Advantages aren't cheating; illegality is.

Most of my questions cater to Shedinja, and it's true; I like Shedninja more. I'll probably use it in my current Sapphire run if I don't use it in ORAS.

 

[aliveatnight]

Ninjask by a long shot. Shedninja is way too creepy. I hate those types of bugs.
I also really don't like the way Shedninja runs. While I think it's unique, it's not very fun. I haven't used either on a team, but I have always meant to raise a Ninjask. I always liked him.

 

[Stratelier]

In Emerald, I took my Shedinja through the Hoenn Elite Four, and had it survived it would've been able to wipe 4 of Wallace's 6 Pokemon unanswered. Shedinja was also instrumental in catching the entire Hoenn Weather Trio (due to the unique immunities). It's a tricky one to use, but when it works well, it totally shines.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

Ninjask over Shedinja for me. Shedinja's an... interesting Pokémon I guess, what with its typing, its ability, and its 1 HP. But all that is a little too strange for my tastes. Ninjask may be more of a classic (some might say, sucky) Bug Pokémon, but I like that it's the fastest non-legendary Pokémon (kind of reminds me of Electrode in that sense, a Pokémon that is hugely nostalgic to me) and I just think it's less gimmicky than Shedinja. Point goes to Ninjask.

 

[Peaceful Giraffe]

I really, really like the concept of Shedinja. It's a genuine ghost of a Pokémon that you actually own! That's awesome.

 

[The_Ideal_Dragon]

I've always been more partial to Shedinja, though Ninjask is pretty cute in terms of design. I think there's not doubt that Ninjask is easier to train simply because Shedinja has 1HP. I know there are some trainers that can't touch it, but it's still likely a mess and a half to train when there's stuff like Sandstorm and Hail pretty common in Hoenn. I've never used either in-game on an actual team (just post-game for funzies and the Dex), but I can just assume it's easier to train Ninjask.

It's hard to say which is more useful. Shedinja is useful for foes that can't touch it, but again, that 1HP can make it utterly useless most of the time. I'm going with Ninjask on this one. I also think it'll still be more useful in ORAS.

Competitively, Ninjask is more useful with it's Speed Boosting, Baton Passing Shenanigans. With stuff like Stealth Rocks, Toxic Spikes, Weather, Sucker Punch...Shedinja can really have a hard time lasting very long.

I don't really think it's cheating to use Shedinja against trainers that can't touch it, rather, I think it's cheap. And pretty lame. It offers no sense of challenge or anything. Then again, these would probably be the only times you can even use Shedinja, so I can see why people would do it, otherwise, they'd never be able to train it.

CUTE????? NINJASK AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEST BUG TYPE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DoctorWhy]

Ninjask.

Shedinja is really cool, interesting, and unique for sure. It's awesome. But if I were actually picking one to put on my team, it would be Ninjask. It's stronger.

 

[JustACollector]

-I like both designs but I like shednija’s look and design better.
-Ninjask has been easier to train but I loved the challenge of shedninja
-That is up for debate, it depends on your team.
-I don’t know have not played ORAS.
-Haven’t played competitively in years.
-Hell no it’s not cheating, it’s called playing competitive. If you can’t touch my Pokémon is that my fault. Nope Nope.