|
-
Pressure
- Enemy attacks lose one extra PP. Increases wild encounter rate.
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Level 50 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
50
|
- |
125 |
157 |
- |
| Atk |
180
|
180 |
200 |
232 |
255 |
| Def |
20
|
36 |
40 |
72 |
79 |
| SpA |
180
|
180 |
200 |
232 |
255 |
| SpD |
20
|
36 |
40 |
72 |
79 |
| Spe |
150
|
153 |
170 |
202 |
222 |
Overview
Fast, frail, and ferocious are all very appropriate words to define Deoxys-A. With its incredible offenses and blistering Speed, Deoxys-A is a top-tier lead in Ubers, able to defeat virtually all other common leads in the tier. In addition, with access to Stealth Rock, Deoxys-A can take a more supportive role in the lead position by setting up this crucial entry hazard to aid its fellow teammates. Its ability to easily defeat Deoxys-S, who is by far the most common lead in Ubers, is a testament to how well Deoxys-A thrives in this position. Not only this, but Deoxys-A is also a monster of a sweeper; virtually everything in the game is OHKOed or 2HKOed by its attacks. Although it has paper-thin defenses, its sheer power more than makes up for this setback, making Deoxys-A a ferocious threat every team should prepare for.
Although it's often rejected for the speedier Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A's rare combination of pace and power make it one of the most threatening attacking leads in the Uber tier. The beauty of this set is that it has the ability to deal with both bulky and suicide leads, a quality most other leads would die for. With immense attacking stats across the board as well as priority in the form of ExtremeSpeed, Deoxys-A can come out on top against common leads including, but not limited to, Deoxys-S, Groudon, Kyogre, Mew, and Dialga.
One of Deoxys-A's most alluring attributes is its ability to swiftly eliminate opposing Deoxys-S leads, as Shadow Ball followed by ExtremeSpeed will always net the KO against 252 HP variants. Thanks to ExtremeSpeed's priority, Deoxys-S will only be able to set up one layer of entry hazards, or none if it chooses to attack or Taunt instead. Grass Knot is Deoxys-A's preferred third attack, as it will 2HKO both Groudon and Kyogre, two of the most common bulky leads in Ubers. However, if lead Rayquaza is a concern, Ice Beam is a worthwhile alternative. Keep in mind that although utilizing Ice Beam maintains the 2HKO on Groudon, Deoxys-A will have no means of threatening Kyogre. Superpower takes advantage of Deoxys-A's balanced offensive stats, keeping lead Dialga at bay, as well as nailing any Blissey bold enough to switch in. The listed attacks give Deoxys-A the best combination of moves to deal with common leads, but opting for a Fire-type move is worth consideration. Either Fire Punch or Hidden Power Fire is a great way of dealing with the omnipresent Steel-types in Ubers, especially Forretress and Scizor. If Hidden Power Fire is used, especially over Superpower, a Rash nature and 252 Special Attack EVs are recommended, as Hidden Power Fire's imperfect Speed IV makes running max Speed unnecessary.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Although the EVs may look strange on paper, they are tailored to ensure that Deoxys-A achieves important OHKOs and 2HKOs. Max Speed is necessary to force the speed-tie with opposing Deoxys-A leads and to outpace any non-Scarf Pokemon besides Deoxys-S. The reason for the focus on Attack is that even with the minute Special Attack investment, Deoxys-A still gets all the KOs it needs. Lead Groudon and Kyogre are both 2HKOed by Grass Knot, while Mew and Giratina-O are also on average 2HKOed by Shadow Ball. The Attack EVs ensure that 4 HP / 252 Def Calm Blissey, the standard in Ubers, is always OHKOed by Superpower. While it may seem excessive, keep in mind that this allows Deoxys-A to perform its wall-breaking duties, and that Blissey is often hasty when switching into Deoxys-A. In addition, not only does Superpower OHKO Darkrai, but it always 2HKOes Dialga even after factoring in the Attack drop.
Despite Deoxys-A's attacking prowess, there are still numerous leads and other Pokemon who give it trouble. Forretress and Scizor are among the biggest threats, as they take little damage from anything Deoxys-A throws at them besides the rare Fire-type move. In return, Forretress can freely set up entry hazards, while Scizor can threaten Deoxys-A with an array of powerful attacks. Although Giratina-O is 2HKOed by Shadow Ball, it is immune to ExtremeSpeed, meaning it can 2HKO Deoxys-A first with Shadow Sneak. Lead Giratina falls into a similar category, although it's even more threatening since it is only 3HKOed by Shadow Ball. If Deoxys-A is not using Ice Beam, Rayquaza will become a large threat, and conversely, any Deoxys-A lacking Grass Knot is walled by Kyogre. Focus Sash Tyranitar will emerge victorious as long as it attacks on the first turn, as sandstorm will negate Deoxys-A's Focus Sash while keeping Tyranitar's intact.
A support Dialga is a fantastic partner for Deoxys-A; it resists all common priority moves in Ubers, while also being able to set up Stealth Rock. It also roasts Forretress and Scizor with Flamethrower, while nailing Giratina-O and Giratina with Draco Meteor. Although risky, Dialga can survive a Life Orb Rayquaza's Draco Meteor and OHKO it in the process. It can also fare nicely against Kyogre thanks to its handy resistance to Surf and can dispatch of the enormous whale with the appropriate attack. Although slapping a Choice Scarf on Dialga is a valid option to deal with lead Rayquaza, it would only be able to do so through revenge killing, and would also not be able to set up Stealth Rock adequately. Support Groudon is a decent option to pair with Deoxys-A, especially if Scarf Dialga is chosen for your team. Groudon can set up Stealth Rock to help other sweepers, while being able to paralyze or attack Pokemon who are problematic for Deoxys-A. Since Deoxys-A excels at eliminating Deoxys-S, the premier Spikes user in the tier, Pokemon who benefit from limited entry hazards make good partners. Kyogre, especially Water Spout variants, deserve special mention, as continually switching into Spikes quickly weakens its power. Other Choiced Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Palkia and Choice Band Scizor, also make good partners since they have no form of recovery and tend to switch around often.
While similar to the Attacking Lead, this version of Deoxys-A aims to set up Stealth Rock early while maintaining its ability to deal with common leads. Deoxys-A is the second fastest Stealth Rock user in Uber behind Deoxys-S, but unlike its slightly speedier counterpart, Deoxys-A can actually eliminate other leads thanks to its stellar offensive stats. Like the other lead set, opposing Deoxys-S, Groudon, Kyogre, and Mew are easily dealt with, and thanks to its ability to lay down Stealth Rock swiftly, Deoxys-A is an excellent choice for teams that want to set the offensive tempo early.
This Deoxys-A plays very similarly to the Attacking Lead. Once again, the ubiquitous Deoxys-S leads are defeated by the combination of Signal Beam and Extremespeed. Signal Beam is chosen over Shadow Ball here to OHKO Darkrai, who doesn't take much damage from anything else on this set due to the lack of Superpower. Signal Beam still nails Deoxys-S and Mew leads, and it's actually stronger than the Attacking Lead's Shadow Ball. The slight confusion rate can also be useful in a pinch, and may save you from the odd Deoxys-S's ExtremeSpeed. Grass Knot is now much more powerful, OHKOing most Groudon leads and always 2HKOing Kyogre, no matter the variant. Once again, Ice Beam is an option in order to hit Rayquaza instead of Kyogre.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
With the absence of Superpower, more Pokemon can switch in on Deoxys-A with near impunity, although Deoxys-A will almost always succeed in laying down Stealth Rock. Dialga resists all attacks bar Ice Beam, and even that fails to do substantial damage. In return, Dialga can set up its own Stealth Rock and easily eliminate Deoxys-A. Blissey can also switch in with nothing to fear thanks to the absence of Superpower. Once again, Scizor and Forretress are problematic, while Giratina-O becomes even more of an issue without Shadow Ball. Depending on Deoxys-A's final attack, either Kyogre or Rayquaza will counter it. Choice Scarf Dialga is a fantastic teammate due to its ability to switch into and OHKO Scizor, Forretress, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza, as long as it doesn't come in on a STAB Dragon-type attack. As an offensively oriented Pokemon, Dialga also loves having Stealth Rock set up. Rock Polish Groudon and Nasty Plot Darkrai are excellent partners, as Stealth Rock helps wear down their counters and both can easily set up and eliminate Blissey and Dialga. Kyogre can greatly benefit from being paired up with this version of Deoxys-A. Not only does it dispatch Deoxys-S with Signal Beam and ExtremeSpeed to prevent Spikes from being set up, but Stealth Rock also ensures the 2HKO on Blissey from its Timid Choice Specs Water Spout, even after factoring in Leftovers.
This is hands down the best sweeping set for Deoxys-A. Once its few and specialized counters have been eliminated, Deoxys-A is a deadly sweeper during the late stages of a game. Life Orb is an item seemingly made for Deoxys-A; it greatly appreciates the extra power, but it's the freedom to switch attacks that makes Deoxys-A such a frightening foe to face. Although Deoxys-A will require quite a bit of team support to successfully sweep, it can wreak absolute havoc if said support is successful in enabling Deoxys-A's sweep.
Along with the power and freedom to switch attacks, the coverage provided by the listed attacks makes Deoxys-A extremely difficult to switch into. Ice Beam scores super effective damage on a huge portion of the Ubers metagame, while Thunder provides great coverage in conjunction with Ice Beam, hitting everything for neutral damage bar the extremely rare Lanturn, Magnezone, and Shedinja. Even with virtually no Attack investment, Superpower is still immensely powerful, OHKOing standard Blissey thanks to the Life Orb boost. It also provides fantastic coverage alongside Ice Beam and Thunder, nailing many bulky Pokemon such as Dialga for super effective damage. The last attack is very much up to you, but Shadow Ball is preferred for the ability to OHKO Mewtwo after Stealth Rock damage, while also nailing Mew and other Deoxys formes. Hidden Power Fire is a worthwhile option for Scizor, Forretress, and Jirachi, although they will already take huge damage from Life Orb Thunders. In addition, Hidden Power Fire can be an impediment because it requires an imperfect Speed IV as well as sun to be effective.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
There are two worthwhile EV spreads for this set. The first is the one listed, and is arguably the most effective. A Naive nature with 252 Speed EVs places Deoxys-A in an elite speed tier, outpacing everything up to and including +1 Adamant Rayquaza. It also, at worst, ties with opposing Deoxys and Deoxys-A, which could be the difference between getting KOed or pulling off a successful sweep. Despite the focus on Speed, Deoxys-A still achieves most of the KOs it requires. However, a worthwhile alternative, especially when using Hidden Power Fire, is a Rash nature with a spread of 16 Atk / 252 SpA / 240 Spe. This allows Deoxys-A to hit 395 Speed, beating Timid Mewtwo by one point even when factoring in the drop due to Hidden Power Fire's Speed IV. This leaves Deoxys-A at a very respectable Speed stat, while also granting far more power on the special side.
Life Orb Deoxys-A needs a lot of support in order to function successfully, but given the right teammates, it can devastate teams. Due to its immense strength, there is no true counter to Deoxys-A. However, there are two types of Pokemon who do generally give Deoxys-A a hard time: Choice Scarf users and bulky Steel-types. The former can outpace and OHKO Deoxys-A with virtually anything due to its terrible defenses, while the latter can usually take a hit from anything other than Hidden Power Fire and KO Deoxys-A afterwards. As such, Wobbuffet is an excellent support teammate for Deoxys-A. Wobbuffet can come in and KO almost any Choice Scarf user with either Counter or Mirror Coat; it can also Encore a support move to give Deoxys-A a free switch in. Choice Scarf Magnezone with Hidden Power Fire can be a worthwhile partner for Deoxys-A to ensure that Steels are not a problem. Thanks to Magnet Pull, Steel-types like Forretress and Scizor will be unable to switch, making them sitting ducks for Magnezone. On top of this, fewer Pokemon in Ubers run Shed Shell since Magnezone is far less common than in standard play, making it both an effective and surprising tactic. Since most Pokemon are outpaced and 2HKOed at worst, smart switching and priority are two other effective means of beating Deoxys-A. Bringing in a counter that is normally 2HKOed by Deoxys-A on a resisted attack gives the counter an opportunity to survive the subsequent attack and retaliate. Common priority users like Scizor, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O can survive any non-super effective attack and use their respective priority attacks to KO Deoxys-A. As such, mixed or specially-based Dialga pairs well with Life Orb Deoxys-A, as it can come in on resisted priority moves and deal with the problematic Pokemon. In addition, if Deoxys-A is able to lure and KO Blissey beforehand, it will make it much easier for Dialga to sweep.
Other Options
Other than a Fire-type attack in the form of Hidden Power Fire or Fire Punch, there are only a few other usable options for Deoxys-A to consider. Choice Specs or Choice Band can be used to deal huge damage to switch-ins, but offensive Deoxys-A's strong suit is its ability to deal super effective damage by switching attacks, which is why Life Orb is ideal. Giving Deoxys-A a Choice Scarf to outpace virtually anything may seem like a fun idea, but it is already fast enough, and it is still easily bypassed by priority moves. A Substitute and Petaya Berry set with Ice Beam, Thunder, and Superpower is an option, although it requires there be no entry hazards and that damaging weather conditions—that is, sandstorm and hail—are not present. While Deoxys-A has access to Calm Mind, it can't take full advantage of the move due to its poor defenses and will be hard-pressed to find a chance to set up in the first place.
Checks and Counters
Deoxys-A must be beaten by prediction and smart switch-ins into resistances, as it is impossible to hard counter; everything is OHKOed or 2HKOed by its attacks. Certain things deserve mention, though, for being able to handle themselves well. In the sun, Ho-Oh is probably the best Deoxys-A check. Thunder only has a 50% chance of hitting when the sun is present, and Ho-Oh's stellar Special Defense stat lets it shrug off nearly anything Deoxys-A can throw at it. Any Deoxys-A lacking a Fire-type move is immediately threatened by Scizor, who can use either Pursuit or Bullet Punch to end Deoxys-A's life. Forretress is also quite problematic if Deoxys-A does not have Hidden Power Fire or Fire Punch. However, both are 2HKOed by a Life Orb Thunder, so hastily switching them in is not advised. Other bulky Steel-types like Metagross and Jirachi can deal with Deoxys-A by coming in on a resisted attack and then threatening an OHKO with Meteor Mash and Iron Head, respectively. Due to Deoxys-A's high Speed and poor defenses, priority moves are excellent ways of dealing with it. In addition to Scizor, common priority users include Rayquaza, who often packs ExtremeSpeed, and Giratina-O, who usually runs Shadow Sneak.
