Unlike its other formes, Deoxys-D is extremely bulky and can use it to help lay down entry hazards for your team. This set functions best on stall teams, as it lessens the dependence on Forretress who usually does double duty, laying down entry hazards and spinning them away. Though Spikes are very beneficial on an offensive team, Deoxys-D has trouble keeping up with the heavy hitters in Ubers, and generally will be a wasted team position. The moveset is very straightforward and easy to understand. Once you find a safe situation to bring in Deoxys-D, you can start to lay down spikes, which will take their toll on Choice Scarf users who tend to switch in and out frequently. Recover is used to heal Deoxys-D, while Taunt is used to protect it from status or getting phazed out. Knock Off has limited uses, but can be helpful for removing Choice items. Ice Beam can hit the many Dragon-types of Ubers, specifically Rayquaza and Garchomp, but due to Deoxys-D’s low Special Attack stat, it isn’t doing a whole lot to anything else. With the given EV spread, Deoxys-D can survive a +1 Life Orb Outrage from Rayquaza and then OHKO a minimum HP and Special Defense Rayquaza with Ice Beam 63% of the time factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Deoxys-D has trouble taking powerful hits in Ubers, mostly from Rayquaza, Groudon, Kyogre, and Ho-oh, so it would be a good idea to get another wall or two, such as Giratina and Blissey, to switch into these threats. Blissey can switch into most Kyogre sets due to Spikes lowering Kyogre’s Water Spout, and Giratina can handle Ho-oh and Groudon rather well. Forretress is also a wonderful partner with Deoxys-D; using Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards and coming in on Dragon-type attacks in Ubers. Pokemon who rely on set-up moves, like Garchomp, need a layer or two of Spikes to be down if they want a solid chance at sweeping; Deoxys-D can reliably lay them down for this cause.
Normally, Deoxys-D focuses on being part of a stall team but in this set, its main goal is to help break it. Deoxys-D’s still makes use of its excellent bulk, but with some purpose. After an Agility, Deoxys-D will reach 440 Speed, making it so that no non-Choice Scarf Pokémon can touch it. Toxic and Taunt are the most crucial components of this set, respectively whittling away at the opponents health and hindering it from boosting its stats. Pokemon who would usually roar or whirlwind you out find themselves unable to do so and may find themselves crippled by poison. Now Pokémon that usually carry Whirlwind or Roar are no longer able to force you out, and also now fear you using Toxic on them. Taunt prevents your opponent from using Rest, meaning that their status absorber can no longer heal itself, and thus get KOed due to Toxic damage. Taunt also prevents your opponent from laying down entry hazards, allowing your team to switch around more freely. Recover is another great move on this set in conjunction with Deoxys-D’s ability, Pressure. With Pressure, stalling your opponent out of PP is much easier, as it takes two PP instead of one every time your opponent uses a move. Obviously Steel-types such as Dialga, Scizor, and Forretress are the bane of this set, so having a solution to each one is a good idea. Scizor and Forretress are handled rather well by Ho-oh, who resists Scizor's main attack, Bullet Punch, and can hit back with a super effective STAB Fire-type attack. Though Ho-oh has trouble with Stealth Rock on the field, having a Forretress of your own can never hurt, and is probably beneficial to your team. Dialga should be handled on a case by case basis, because it’s rather good at a lot of things. The key is to determine which set it is using and to counter correctly. Bulk Up Dialga can be beaten by a Choice Band Groudon, while the Choice Scarf Dialga can be easily countered with Wobbuffet. Mixed Dialga is a hassle to switch in on, but if you are able to get a Garchomp in then it will lose to its STAB Earthquake. Team OptionsDeoxys-D does not enjoy switching into entry hazards, so having Forretress support it is a good idea. With the extremely strong Pokemon in Ubers, Deoxys-D sometimes finds itself unable to stay in. In light of this fact, having another wall or two as back up is advised. Latias, Blissey, and Giratina all make great partners with Deoxys-D, taking the extremely powerful hits that Deoxys-D cannot. Offensively, set up sweepers love having Deoxys-D as a partner. With Taunt and Spikes, set up sweepers have a much easier time coming into the battle, setting up, and then sweeping. Garchomp, Rayquaza, and Groudon all appreciate three layers of Spikes, as some of their counters now become nothing more than flimsy checks. It is also good idea to run a Ghost-type pokemon, such as the Giratina formes, to stop your entry hazards from getting spun away by your opponent. Other OptionsDeoxys-D can make use of Calm Mind, but due to its lower HP and Special Attack stats the chance of it the chance of it sweeping is slim. Deoxys-D can also make use of Thunder Wave, paralyzing your opponent's Choice Scarf sweepers that come in on Deoxys-D. Hidden Power Fire can be used on the standard Spiker set, 2HKOing Forretress, the most common Uber user of Rapid Spin. Deoxys-D also has useful moves like Light Screen and Reflect, which can help your sweepers set up. While Deoxys-D also has access to Night Shade and Seismic Toss, which deal a constant 100 damage, you will you only have room for one of these on your moveset. Snatch can also be useful, it takes away your opponent's stat boosts and gives them to you. EVsIt’s always a good idea to maximize Deoxys-D’s HP stat first, as it’s the only thing holding it back from being a good wall. Generally you then want to add 176 EVs into Defense with a Bold nature so Deoxys-D can survive a +1 Outrage from Rayquaza. If Rayquaza doesn’t concern you put 176 into Special Defense with a Careful nature. Dump the remaining EVs into either the other defensive stat or Special Attack. OpinionWhile Deoxys-D may seem to be a great asset to its team with Spikes and Taunt, it’s not the best choice when selecting a wall for your team. It can use Toxic on some pokemon, stop them from setting up sometimes, and maybe get down three layers of Spikes, but other than that it isn’t going to be doing much. CountersScizor is Deoxys-D's biggest headache, being immune to Toxic and possessing a STAB Bug-type attack. Choice Band Heracross is another pokemon which Deoxys-D cannot handle. With STAB Megahorn and the boost it receives from Toxic, the only thing Deoxys-D can do to defend itself is use Knock Off to remove Heracross' Choice Band. Darkrai can also hurt it with super effective Dark-type attacks, though it has to be wary of coming in on Toxic. If Deoxys-D isn’t running Taunt then Blissey and Giratina-O can set up on it at will. Blissey will status Deoxys-D with its own Toxic and then let a Steel-type handle the rest. Giratina-O can set up a Substitute, protecting itself from status, and then start using Calm Mind in preparation for a sweep. Faster Taunt users, such as Mewtwo, destroy all hopes of Deoxys-D trying to be useful. It can no longer status, use Agility, or lay down Spikes and will be forced hit Mewtwo with its weak Ice Beam. Mewtwo will not like losing 100 HP a turn due to Night Shade or Seismic Toss, though. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
