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Serene Grace
- This Pokémon's secondary effect chances are doubled.
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Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
100
|
- |
341 |
404 |
- |
| Atk |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| Def |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| SpA |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| SpD |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| Spe |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
Overview
Jirachi awakens from its thousand-year-long hibernation in time for Generation IV, which brings Jirachi an expanded movepool, the new, abusable Choice Scarf, and a variety of new Pokemon to face off against and partner up with. With a widened physical movepool that now includes a STAB flinching move, Jirachi can run a plethora of different sets equally effectively. Its options include, but certainly aren't limited to, the time-tested Calm Mind sweeper from Advance, the Choice Scarf revenge killer and lead, the team supporter with dual screens and Wish, and the all-around status platform with Thunder Wave and a mixture of attacking options.
Its nicely rounded stats allow Jirachi to make 101 HP Substitutes, Speed tie with the likes of Zapdos and Flygon, and more. On top of this, Jirachi's Steel and Psychic typing provides fantastic immunities to sandstorm and Toxic Spikes and resistances to many types. All of this makes Jirachi one of the most fearsome Pokemon around and an enigma on the battlefield until your opponent completely figures out what moves Jirachi is packing.
With a Choice Scarf equipped, Jirachi becomes an effective check to some of the metagame's largest threats, such as Dragon Dance Dragonite and Swords Dance Lucario. Jirachi's exceptional type coverage is what makes this set so potent. Fire Punch is great for taking down the Steel-types that like to switch into Iron Head, such as Scizor and Metagross. Ice Punch lets Jirachi pummel Gliscor and other Ground-types, as well as Dragonite and Flygon locked into Outrage. Lastly, ThunderPunch helps Jirachi defeat Gyarados, but won't KO any other bulky Water-types such as Suicune or Vaporeon. U-turn can scout for counters, which is especially helpful if you have entry hazards with which to weaken them, while Trick can be an effective way of dealing with stall teams or stat-boosting sweepers like Calm Mind Suicune. Use Trick with caution, however, since losing its speed makes Jirachi a much less effective revenge killer.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
This set can also be run to great effect as a lead with the moves Iron Head, Stealth Rock, Trick / U-turn, and one of Fire Punch, ThunderPunch, and Ice Punch. Fast leads such as Azelf and Aerodactyl will find themselves severely hampered by this set, since Iron Head not only scores a clean 2HKO, but has a 60% flinch rate, meaning that there is a good chance that they won't get a move in at all. Slower leads like Swampert or Tyranitar will suddenly find themselves crippled if Tricked a Choice Scarf, especially since most of the time they'll be locked into Stealth Rock, meaning you can bring in a Pokemon for free. However, U-turn can be used over Trick, since it makes Jirachi an extremely effective scout, especially if the opponent switches in something like Magnezone. In the lead slot, Jirachi doesn't need dedicated team support as much as other sets. However, when using Trick, it may find itself on the receiving end of Heatran's Fire Blast or Metagross's Earthquake instead of Stealth Rock. Having something that can set up on these Choice-locked threats is extremely useful. Pokemon like Gyarados and Dragonite can come in once Fire Blast or Earthquake has KOed Jirachi and set up a Dragon Dance as the opponent switches. As a bonus, they can begin their sweep at full HP thanks to Jirachi's keeping Stealth Rock out of play.
Despite Jirachi's coverage, you have to be mindful of your opponent's team and which move you're locking Jirachi into. Heatran, Swampert, and Rotom-A all resist Iron Head and aren't hit super effectively by any of Jirachi's other attacks, meaning that they can take advantage of Jirachi. Swampert is an effective teammate for Jirachi, as it resists Heatran's main STAB and can retaliate with its own STAB Earthquake, although it must be wary of Toxic or Hidden Power Grass. Opposing Swampert are dealt with by anything that can switch into Earthquake or Waterfall. Suicune is an ideal switch-in, since it can Calm Mind up and proceed to throw boosted Surfs at Swampert; however, it must be wary of getting phazed by Roar. Suicune also has the added benefit of being able to threaten Heatran as well, provided it watches out for Explosion or Toxic. Rotom-A is trickier to deal with since it can run a variety of sets, although anything that can take on Shadow Ball and Thunderbolt can generally do well. Again, Swampert is a candidate since it can 2HKO most variants with Hydro Pump and is generally unaffected by Will-O-Wisp, but must switch out of Rotom-C's Leaf Storm.
The list of Pokemon that can set up on Jirachi while it is locked into an attack is sadly quite long. Dragon Dance Gyarados, Calm Mind Suicune, Scizor, and even Lucario can switch into Iron Head and proceed to set up. Rotom-A can deal with most of these threats with its STAB Thunderbolt, but must watch out for Crunch from Lucario. Heatran and Dragon-types can set up with Substitute or Dragon Dance, respectively, on Fire Punch. Fortunately, these can be dealt with by using a bulky Water-type, which can also take care of the Steel-types setting up on Ice Punch and the Ground-types switching into ThunderPunch.
By utilizing Calm Mind and Wish on the same set, Jirachi can act as both a sweeper and a supporter. Because of its Steel typing, Jirachi, unlike most other Calm Mind sweepers, does not have to worry about Toxic putting an expiration date on its sweep, giving it the freedom to use Wish over Substitute. This set can prove particularly difficult for stall teams to eliminate, as Jirachi has the ability to heal itself and an immunity to Toxic. Against offensive teams, Jirachi provides a useful Dragon-type resistance and can use Wish to keep its teammates healthy. After scouting and eliminating the few Pokemon that can actually stop this set, Jirachi can start using Calm Mind to set up a sweep, healing itself with Wish when necessary. It is best to set up Jirachi's sweep against Pokemon that primarily use special attacks, as Calm Mind will reduce the damage that Jirachi takes. However, setting up against Pokemon that are locked into a resisted attack is also an effective strategy.
Wish and Calm Mind form the backbone of this set. Thunderbolt and Psychic provide Jirachi with respectable type coverage, only being resisted by Pokemon with unique type combinations, such as Magnezone and Celebi. Flash Cannon is an option to consider over Psychic despite its lower Base Power, as it provides Jirachi with an answer for Pokemon like Tyranitar and Celebi.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Because Jirachi does not have Substitute to help it absorb attacks, it is necessary to invest EVs into its Defense to give it physical bulk. This spread allows Jirachi to survive a +1 Adamant Life Orb Earthquake from Gyarados when at full health, while providing Jirachi with enough Speed to outpace max Speed Tyranitar. Alternatively, 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe with a Bold nature allows Jirachi to outspeed any base 90 Pokemon with a neutral nature, most notably Lucario.
Although this set provides Jirachi with the ability to support its team with Wish, it also becomes more vulnerable to being crippled without Substitute. In addition, the lack of Substitute also means that Jirachi is exposed to Trick. The most effective way to set up this particular Jirachi is to alternate between Wish and Calm Mind, as this combo provides a pseudo-safety net against critical hits. Finally, although Jirachi is immune to Toxic, it can still be paralyzed and burned, which can hinder its sweeping ability. Despite the aforementioned problems, Wish is still a valuable asset on any team, and it allows Jirachi to take on the role of a team supporter. Jirachi also tends to attract Fire- and Ground-type attacks, which provide the perfect opportunity to bring in Pokemon that otherwise have trouble doing so due to Stealth Rock, such as Dragonite and Gyarados. If Jirachi pulls off a Wish, these huge threats can come in at full health and attempt sweeps of their own.
There are a few Pokemon that work particularly well with this Jirachi set that should be considered for your team. First of all, a Choice Band or Choice Scarf Tyranitar with Pursuit can assist in eliminating threats that attempt to Trick their Choice items onto Jirachi. Trick is predominantly used by Ghost- and Psychic-types, so Tyranitar can score some free KOs with Pursuit by switching in as your opponent's Pokemon uses Trick. This may clear the path for an eventual Jirachi sweep. Starmie is also a great teammate because it can beat Heatran and Infernape, the two most common Pokemon that can offensively stop Jirachi's sweep. As a bonus, Starmie also resists Fire-type attacks, making it another good Wish recipient to switch in on those pesky Fire-types. Finally, as mentioned earlier, Dragonite and Gyarados are effective offensive partners for this particular Jirachi. If you can time Jirachi's Wish properly to let these Pokemon come in at full health, negating Stealth Rock damage, they become very hard to stop. You should also take into consideration Jirachi's set when selecting teammates. For example, if Jirachi uses Thunderbolt and Psychic, it is recommended that you carry a check for Tyranitar, who can wall Jirachi; Gliscor and Swampert can beat most Tyranitar. If Jirachi is using Flash Cannon over Psychic, you should consider packing something that can beat Electric-type Pokemon such as Raikou and Jolteon; Choice Scarf Flygon does an excellent job at this and also makes for a good Wish recipient, considering its typing and ability. Finally, adding a teammate that can burn opposing Pokemon with Will-O-Wisp will increase the effectiveness of this Jirachi, as dampening blows from physical attacks can allow Jirachi to set up with greater ease.
This Jirachi can set up on a large range of Pokemon in OU and proceed to sweep the opponent's team after a few Calm Mind boosts. Jirachi is usually used as a physical attacker, so this set can catch the opponent off guard. Normally, Jirachi has an easier time setting up when it switches into a resisted attack, such as Scizor's Bullet Punch. From there, the main course of action should be to use Substitute, as it allows you to scout for your opponent's response to Jirachi. After that, Jirachi has two options: set up with Calm Mind if your opponent brings in a special attacker, or outright attack if your opponent brings in a Pokemon that poses an immediate threat.
Flash Cannon is the STAB move of choice for this set, as it allows Jirachi to beat Tyranitar and Celebi one-on-one. Without Flash Cannon, Tyranitar can come in and wear down Jirachi with STAB Crunch or super effective Earthquakes, while Celebi can use Perish Song to force Jirachi to switch. Psychic can also be considered if you want Jirachi to handle Swampert, Rotom-A, and Infernape better. Thunderbolt is the best option for the second slot, as it has excellent neutral coverage when paired with either Flash Cannon or Psychic. Thunderbolt's main use is hitting bulky Water-types, like Suicune, and Skarmory for super effective damage. Thunderbolt also allows Jirachi to hit other counters, such as Heatran, for some decent damage.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Max Speed is used to maximize Jirachi's offensive capability, outpacing Adamant Flygon and Jolly Lucario and forcing a Speed tie with non-Choice Scarf Flygon. This is to stop Jirachi from being potentially revenge killed by Earthquakes or Close Combats when sufficiently weakened. 252 HP EVs is absolutely required on Substitute Jirachi in order to set up on Seismic Toss Blissey. Alternatively, you can drop Jirachi's Speed to 308, 280, or 244 and boost Defense instead, allowing Jirachi to set up on weaker physical attackers like Bronzong.
Jirachi's biggest weaknesses are against Ground- and Fire-type attacks, so Pokemon with a resistance or immunity to both are the best teammates for Jirachi, type-wise. Bulky Gyarados is a good teammate for several reasons: it has the ability to set up on Heatran and Swampert, both common Calm Mind Jirachi counters, and Jirachi can, in turn, set up on a majority of Gyarados's counters, such as Celebi and Vaporeon. Using Taunt on Gyarados means that Jirachi can freely switch in on a resisted attack, likely forcing the opposing Pokemon to switch out. Dragonite makes a good partner to Jirachi type-wise as well, but offers very little direct offensive support.
Pokemon with counters that can be beaten by Calm Mind Jirachi are also acceptable teammates. CroCune and mono-attacking Swampert are good examples, as both share counters in Pokemon like Celebi, which Jirachi beats one-on-one. Jirachi can switch into Celebi with its handy resistance to Grass-type attacks and proceed to set up Calm Mind. However, Jirachi will be required to run Flash Cannon over Psychic to reliably beat Celebi. In return, Suicune and Swampert both can set up on Jirachi's common switch-ins as mentioned in the previous paragraph. Essentially, one Pokemon aims to weaken the other's counters so the other can sweep and vice-versa.
Another support option to consider is Toxic Spikes, since they allow Jirachi to stall out Blissey while also crippling Swampert and Celebi, all of which like to switch into Jirachi. By repeatedly using Substitute, Toxic Spikes will progressively decrease the opposing Pokemon's HP until it is in KO range for either of Jirachi's attacks. In addition to Toxic Spikes support, Stealth Rock and Spikes are also recommended. Both forms of entry hazards discourage counters immune to Toxic Spikes from repeatedly switching in. Stealth Rock is preferred, as it is easily set up and hits Flying-types and Levitating Pokemon that are immune to Spikes. Rotom-A is a good choice for a spinblocker, thanks to its durability and limited weaknesses. Jirachi can also eliminate Blissey and Tyranitar, two major counters to Substitute + Charge Beam Rotom-A, allowing it to sweep more easily.
Superachi functions as both a sweeper and an excellent lure that baits and KOes Calm Mind Jirachi's usual checks. The likes of Heatran, Swampert, and Tyranitar are taken by surprise and KOed by the respective super effective move, leaving Jirachi free to tear down the rest of the team.
Psychic is Jirachi's standard STAB move and, despite not having good coverage by itself, hits most Pokemon reasonably hard. Fortunately, this is where the other moves come in. Thunderbolt complements Psychic's coverage and skewers Skarmory and bulky Water-types alike. However, depending on preference and your team's needs, you can use Grass Knot to take out Swampert in one shot, as well as hit Tyranitar (who isn't afraid of even Hidden Power Ground) and Hippowdon harder. The fourth move is Hidden Power Ground because it OHKOes Calm Mind Jirachi's number one counter, Heatran, after one Calm Mind. It also hits Magnezone and grounded Steel-types fairly hard. Hidden Power Ground has great utility and is always the better option with Thunderbolt, but when using Grass Knot, Hidden Power Fire becomes a very alluring option. Hidden Power Fire, despite lowering Jirachi's Speed IV by 1, hits many notable threats for major damage, including Scizor, Forretress, Celebi, and Shaymin.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The EVs are straightforward offensive EVs, with a Timid nature and 252 Speed EVs to tie with the numerous other base 100 Speed Pokemon in OU and outspeed Timid Roserade and Jolly Lucario. Investing 252 Special Attack EVs maximizes Jirachi's offensive potential, letting it hit with surprising force. Giving Leftovers to Jirachi helps keep it alive, and is preferable over Life Orb, which detracts from Jirachi's excellent natural bulk. Most Calm Mind Jirachi carry Leftovers as well, which helps you to further the illusion. If you prefer the power boost and are willing to sacrifice some of Jirachi's longevity, though, you can use Life Orb.
While effective as a stand-alone sweeper, this set's real value lies in what it can do for its team. Superachi does a fantastic job of luring and KOing prominent OU threats like Heatran if running Hidden Power Ground, which many Pokemon can benefit from. Electric-types, such as Rotom-A and Zapdos, appreciate this the most, as do Grass-types with Heatran removed and Tyranitar with Swampert gone. To support Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Jirachi's powerful Psychic can eliminate Fighting-types while Grass Knot can remove Swampert; provided Tyranitar carries Shuca Berry or you have a Flygon check, the combination is particularly deadly. Make sure to pack a Stealth Rock user such as Heatran, since Jirachi needs Stealth Rock to score some KOs.
One thing the user has to take into consideration is that Shuca Heatran is a very common lead, and is even seen outside of the lead slot. You can specialize and add Occa Berry for this if you really need to, though it isn't recommended; also note that the lack of Leftovers, which are normally on Calm Mind Jirachi, may well alert your opponent to the fact that you're running Superachi. Another alternative is Shuca Berry for Flygon, Gliscor, Tyranitar, and Dragonite. For example, you can do a lot of damage to Flygon with Psychic, then switch to a Flying-type of your own, such as Dragonite with ExtremeSpeed, to take the next Earthquake. Flygon is forced to switch if it has a Choice Scarf, letting you snatch a Dragon Dance, while ExtremeSpeed finishes it off should it come back in.
This set is walled by Blissey and Snorlax, so Explosion Heatran, Tyranitar, or any strong physical attacker is recommended as a companion. This set has trouble with Celebi if running Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ground, so packing Heatran on your team may be worthwhile as well. Other options for crippling these walls are Toxic Spikes and Trick. Forretress and Roserade are good Toxic Spikes users, though they share Jirachi's weakness to Fire-type attacks. Starmie is a good choice for a Trick user; the threat of Hydro Pump wards off typical Pursuit users, and because Starmie is rarely seen with Trick, unsuspecting Blissey are easily crippled. It also beats Infernape, which outspeeds Superachi and has a super effective STAB.
By utilizing paralysis and Iron Head's boosted flinch rate with Serene Grace, Jirachi can leave its opponents with a mere 30% chance to successfully hit with a 100% accurate move. This set takes full advantage of these odds by providing Jirachi with the ability to heal itself with Leftovers every time the opponent gets flinched or is fully paralyzed. Substitute allows Jirachi to safely attempt to flinch opponents that would otherwise OHKO it. With Leftovers, Jirachi fully regains its lost health from Substitute after successfully preventing the opponent from attacking four times.
Unlike most other sets, this set should be played with long-term planning in mind. It often takes two switch-ins for this Jirachi to be as successful as possible. The first time Jirachi comes in, it should paralyze its counter and then switch out. The next time Jirachi finds an opening to come in, it should use Substitute while your opponent switches back to the same paralyzed counter, and then begin to wreak havoc. Of course, Jirachi could attempt to keep using Substitute the first time it comes out until its opponent is fully paralyzed, but this is not a reliable strategy.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
176 Speed EVs and a Jolly nature allow Jirachi to outpace all positive nature base 90 Speed Pokemon, most notably Lucario. 168 Attack EVs allow Jirachi to OHKO Lucario with Fire Punch after Life Orb recoil and a Defense drop. Even without max Attack, this spread still allows Jirachi to get the OHKOs and 2HKOs that it would get with 252 EVs. The rest of the EVs are thrown into HP and give Jirachi a nice amount of bulk to round out the set; however, if you want even more bulk, a 252 HP / 220 Atk / 36 Spe spread works too. The 252 HP EVs give Jirachi 101 HP Substitutes that aren't broken by Seismic Toss. For that spread, a Careful, Impish, or Adamant nature will work; the choice of nature really depends on what you need. A Careful nature allows Jirachi to take attacks from Starmie and other special attackers more easily. An Impish nature does the same, except for physical attackers like Machamp. An Adamant nature gives Jirachi a nice boost in Attack. Since Jirachi should be paralyzing most switch-ins, max Speed is generally not needed, making this secondary spread just as viable as the original. If you want to maximize Jirachi's offensive power, you may also use a spread of 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe with a Jolly nature.
Although this set is incredibly difficult for people to play around, it does have some hard counters. Pokemon that are immune to Thunder Wave or resist Iron Head and Fire Punch usually fit the bill. Such Pokemon include Hippowdon, Swampert, Gliscor, and Flygon. They each are immune to Thunder Wave, take little from Iron Head, and can hit back with powerful Ground-type attacks. Starmie is also a good counter because it resists Jirachi's attacks, and can easily switch out to rid itself of paralysis thanks to Natural Cure. Suicune also resists Jirachi's attacks, can set up Calm Minds, and use Rest to rid itself of paralysis. Heatran is a decent counter as well; Jirachi is able to paralyze it, but it still takes very little from Jirachi's attacks and can hit back hard with Fire Blast or Flamethrower. Jolteon is also a good check because he is immune to Thunder Wave, resists Iron Head, and can break through Jirachi's Substitutes with STAB Thunderbolt and not have to worry about being flinched with his superior Speed.
Because Jirachi should be behind a Substitute most of the time, the opponent will be eager to break it. That makes any Pokemon who resists Fire- and Ground-type attacks a solid partner for Jirachi. Dragonite and Gyarados are both excellent choices. Mixed Dragonite can switch in on either of those types of attacks and use Draco Meteor to force out bulky Ground- and Water-types, while Gyarados loves getting free switch-ins so it can set up with Dragon Dance. Gyarados's STAB Water-type attacks can also scare off the Ground- and Fire-types that hinder Jirachi. Jirachi will also appreciate a Heatran with Toxic on its team. Heatran is a great lure for the same Pokemon who stop Jirachi, like Swampert and Vaporeon., and Toxic will make them essentially useless when facing Jirachi. Specially Defensive Skarmory walls Pokemon like Hippowdon and Vaporeon and appreciates the extra turns to set up Spikes. Any Pokemon that benefit from a paralyzed opponent, such as Machamp and Dragonite, will work great with this set too.
Jirachi may not seem like the best Choice Specs user around, but it has one enormous advantage over other Choice Specs users: Doom Desire. The lack of typing allows Jirachi to have perfect neutral coverage, while hitting two turns later allows it to help its team break through walls by hitting twice in one turn. With Doom Desire, Jirachi can deal damage to Pokemon that would normally counter it, such as Heatran. Few things can take an unresisted 120 base power move coming off of 492 SpA. As if this weren't enough, Doom Desire is calculated with the Special Defense of the Pokemon it is used against, not the Pokemon it hits. This means that not even Blissey can switch into this special attack if it was initiated against something like Skarmory.
Aside from Doom Desire, Jirachi gets useful coverage moves for hitting certain opponents very hard and immediately. Thunderbolt and Grass Knot allow you to hit bulky Water-type Pokemon. Thunderbolt usually does more damage and has better neutral coverage, but Grass Knot is especially useful for an OHKO against Swampert. Both of Jirachi's STABs are annoying to be locked into, but it is worth carrying one of them for the ability to sweep later on after walls have been broken. Psychic provides Jirachi with good type coverage, while Flash Cannon, despite its lower Base Power, hits pokemon such as Tyranitar and Celebi for major damage. Lastly, Trick allows you to limit the effectiveness of Pokemon such as Blissey, as well as allowing you to use Doom Desire and then attack.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Max Special Attack gives Jirachi maximum attacking potential. 32 Speed EVs allow it to outrun Jolly Tyranitar. The rest are put into HP to increase overall bulk. A Modest nature powers up Jirachi's Doom Desire even further, and is well worth it despite the loss of a Speed-boosting nature. A faster EV spread of 16 HP / 252 SpA / 240 Spe can be useful for outspeeding Timid Suicune, Adamant Lucario, and slower threats, letting Jirachi nail them with a powerful Psychic or Thunderbolt.
To demonstrate the potential of this set, here are some damage calculations:
- Thunderbolt vs 4/0 Suicune: 73.7% - 87.1%
- Thunderbolt vs 188/68 Vaporeon: 61.6% - 72.8%
- Thunderbolt vs 0/4 Heatran: 46.4% - 54.8%
- Thunderbolt vs 248/0 Scizor: 49.9% - 58.9%
- Psychic vs 156/0 Gyarados: 54.6% - 64.3%
- Psychic vs 4/0 Lucario: 96.4% - 113.5%
- Psychic vs 0/0 Dragonite: 69.7% - 82%
- Psychic vs 4/0 Rotom-A: 78.8% - 93.4%
- Flash Cannon vs 4/0 Tyranitar: 105.3% - 124.6%
- Flash Cannon vs 252/0 Tyranitar: 89.1% - 105.4%
- Flash Cannon vs 4/0 Shaymin: 52.6% - 62.3%
- Doom Desire vs Heatran: 189 - 223
- Doom Desire vs Scizor: 216 - 255
- Doom Desire vs Gengar: 227 - 268
While Doom Desire is devastating, it has some downfalls. Magnezone easily counters this set, as it only takes an attack every three turns if it switches into Doom Desire, and resists Thunderbolt, Grass Knot, Psychic, and Flash Cannon. Dugtrio does the same, but is easily KOed by any attack other than Thunderbolt and Doom Desire. Pokemon such as Snorlax, Blissey, and Tyranitar, who possess gigantic HP and Special Defense, take negligible damage, but only if they switch into Doom Desire directly. Tyranitar must be wary of Grass Knot and Flash Cannon as well. Although they cannot switch in directly, Infernape, Heatran, and Flygon carry powerful super effective attacks that will destroy Jirachi. Heatran has decent Special Defense, and a resistance to everything but Thunderbolt and Doom Desire, making it a fairly good switch-in as well.
Strong attackers with bulk, like Choice Band Tyranitar and Choice Band Snorlax, are great teammates. They lure in strong physical walls, which can be broken with a Choice Banded attack followed by Doom Desire's hit. Since this set will cause a lot of switching, Spikes support is also recommended. Finally, as Jirachi and the bulky Choice Banders have no form of recovery, but can take multiple hits, Wish Vaporeon and other Wish support Pokemon make great partners. Roar Vaporeon gets a special mention due to its ability to abuse entry hazards, as well as the ability to hit a random Pokemon on the opponent's team hard with Doom Desire.
While Jirachi is typically seen either running Calm Mind or carrying Choice Scarf, this set is an excellent alternative which acts as both a mid-game wallbreaker and a late-game sweeper. Be warned though, this is not a Pokemon who can be haphazardly thrown onto a team with the expectation of it functioning well. It serves a very specific role and should only be used if your team is capable of supporting it.
Jirachi's main purpose here is as a mid-game wallbreaker. Like most mixed wallbreakers, this Jirachi relies on excellent type coverage; however, unlike its companions Infernape and Dragonite, Jirachi relies not on large damage output, but on surprise value. Expert Belt along with physical attacks will often cause the opponent to assume that Jirachi is holding a Choice Scarf and send in something like Skarmory, Swampert, or Dragonite to take the opportunity to set up. Jirachi's oft overlooked 100 base Speed only makes it easier to create this illusion.
Even without bluffing Choice Scarf, however, the oddity of this set is often enough to work your opponent into a corner. If you manage to double-switch into something like Scizor, Swampert, or Dragonite, it is unlikely that your opponent will switch out, and you can go for an easy OHKO. Similarly, Jirachi is perfect for sending in after a double KO via Explosion or recoil damage. Besides being a powerful wallbreaker with its coverage and a useful late-game sweeper with a 60% flinch rate attack and 100 base Speed, this Jirachi also serves as a useful check against a number of common OU threats. Most notable among these is Lucario, which is outsped and takes a minimum of 78% damage from Fire Punch, a sure OHKO after a Defense drop from Close Combat.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
There are two Pokemon to look out for when using this Jirachi. The first is Heatran, who either 4x resists or is immune to every one of this set's attacks and can easily OHKO Jirachi with Fire Blast. If your team demands it, Hidden Power Ground can be used over Grass Knot or Ice Punch in order to quickly deal with Heatran and Magnezone; however, this will open Jirachi up to even more threats that are difficult to deal with than the generally predictable Heatran. The second Pokemon to look out for is Gyarados, which will not take much more than 30% from Grass Knot and can easily set up with Dragon Dance. If you are more worried about Gyarados than Swampert, then you can exchange Grass Knot for Thunderbolt, though that will make Jirachi less effective against both Suicune and bulky Ground-type Pokemon. In reality, any combination of these moves can be effective; the key is knowing exactly what your team needs Jirachi to eliminate.
As Heatran and Gyarados can switch into this set with ease, pairing Jirachi with a bulky Water-type is highly recommended. Vaporeon is a good choice, as it can repeatedly switch into Heatran with its high Special Defense and simultaneously carry Hidden Power Electric to take out Gyarados after Stealth Rock. Vaporeon also packs a resistance to Fire-type attacks aimed at Jirachi, which can in turn switch into Grass-type attacks aimed at Vaporeon. Apart from complementary typing, Vaporeon can also pass Wishes to Jirachi. If using Thunderbolt over Grass Knot, Ground-types will give this set the most trouble. Flying-types such as Gliscor work well against most Ground-types, especially if the opposing Pokemon lacks a Rock- or Ice-type attack. Swampert, another common switch-in, can be dealt with by bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Gyarados.
Offensively, this set should be paired with Pokemon that can take advantage of the holes Jirachi leaves on the opponent's team. Dragon Dance Dragonite is often the best choice as a teammate for several reasons. First, Dragonite can easily switch into the Fire- and Ground-type attacks normally aimed at Jirachi, usually netting it a free turn of setup, while Jirachi can switch into the Dragon-, Rock-, and Ice-type attacks aimed at Dragonite. Secondly, this Jirachi can eliminate Scizor and Swampert, two of Dragon Dance Dragonite's biggest checks since neither will think of switching out against what is likely a standard Choice Scarf set. If running Thunderbolt over Grass Knot, Swords Dance Lucario is a good offensive partner for this set - it will usually have no trouble sweeping once its three biggest counters, Gyarados, Dragonite, and Gliscor, have been taken out, while the dispatching of Scizor is also a nice bonus. Do watch out for the shared Fire- and Ground-type weaknesses that Lucario has, however.
This set is tailored to use Jirachi's resistances and great defenses to pass Wishes around to other members of your team. The general strategy is to Wish and then U-turn to scout or take a hit from a faster Pokemon while healing something else on the team. If the opposing Pokemon is faster and can KO Jirachi, such as Mamoswine, you should opt to switch rather than use U-turn. Jirachi is best used to nurse Pokemon that resist Jirachi's Fire- and Ground-type weaknesses, like Dragonite and Gyarados, back to health.
The other moves on this set allow Jirachi to provide even more support while beating certain threats. Body Slam is an awesome move on Jirachi, dealing some damage with a 60% chance of paralyzing anything but Ghost-types. This is especially annoying if you manage to paralyze a Ground-type like Mamoswine or Flygon that normally doesn't have to worry about losing its Speed. Thunder Wave is still available if you want to guarantee paralysis, but Body Slam is usually better. The fourth slot gives this Jirachi a little offensive power. Iron Head provides basic STAB, as well as allowing for an effective paraflinch combo after a successful paralysis from the third move. On the other hand, Ice Punch can deal massive damage to Dragonite. Jirachi always survives two Adamant +1 LO Outrages, even with Stealth Rock damage factored in, and Ice Punch can allow Jirachi to deal with Dragonite directly without relying on Wish or paralysis.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
240 HP EVs allows Jirachi to hit 401 HP, giving Jirachi optimal Leftovers recovery as well as granting it the ability to take 5 consecutive Seismic Tosses. Running 32 Speed EVs beats Jolly Tyranitar and Timid Magnezone, allowing this Jirachi to escape Choice Specs Magnezone's clutches unharmed. The rest of the EVs are split between the defenses, with enough put into Defense so Jirachi isn't 2HKOed by Adamant Dragonite's Life Orb Outrage after a Dragon Dance. A spread of 240 HP / 76 Def / 160 SpD / 32 Spe with an Impish nature gives considerable defenses on both sides, as well as hitting 244 Speed, which outpaces Timid Magnezone and Jolly Tyranitar. Alternatively, a 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe Jolly spread can be used to outspeed and paralyze Jolly Lucario, crippling it for the remainder of the match.
Gyarados is a good partner for this set because it can come in on both Fire- and Ground-type attacks. Since Gyarados not only lacks recovery, but also has a Stealth Rock weakness, Wish will greatly increase its longevity. Additionally, Jirachi can come in on Rock-type attacks aimed at Gyarados, although it has trouble switching into direct Gyarados counters such as Rotom-A. Dragonite also benefits from Wish support due to having similar problems as Gyarados, and can hit harder off the bat instead of having to set up, giving your opponent less of a chance to regain the momentum. Swampert is also a good partner because it can switch into all of the Pokemon who usually force out Jirachi, such as Heatran and Rotom-A, and can force them out in return. As a general note though, Jirachi has trouble fitting into fully offensive teams because it will be very difficult to repeatedly pass Wishes around, so using Jirachi on a more defensive team (one that can repeatedly switch into different attacks and not get too worn down) is highly recommended. If you're feeling gutsy, Thunder can be used over Thunder Wave and Body Slam to stave off Skarmory and Gyarados while spreading paralysis, but its 70% chance of hitting makes its 42% chance of paralysis less than appealing.
Another interesting quality about this set is its ability to lure in certain Pokemon, only to paralyze them with Body Slam or Thunder Wave. Examples of such Pokemon include Gyarados, Gliscor, and Magnezone, all of which run a specific Speed stat to outpace certain threats. Lucario is an excellent sweeper that takes advantage of the above scenario. After a Swords Dance, Lucario can opt to use the stronger 90 Base Power Close Combat (when resisted) over the 80 Base Power ExtremeSpeed to take down its counters, provided that they have been weakened sufficiently.
Jirachi is a fantastic user of the dual screen strategy. Bring in Jirachi during the middle of the game on something that it can force out, such as Choice Band Tyranitar locked into Stone Edge. The process from there, depending on your team, is very linear. It is recommended that Jirachi uses Light Screen first, as most Pokemon that threaten Jirachi attack from the special side; use Reflect next, and then U-turn to a Baton Passer such as Celebi or Gliscor or a set up sweeper such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Thanks to Light Clay boosting the length of both Reflect and Light Screen to 8 turns instead of 5, your setup and attempted sweep should be much easier to accomplish. Jirachi differs from other dual screen users because of Wish and U-turn. When used with no Speed EVs, U-turn becomes a great method of insuring that your chosen target comes into the field taking as little damage as possible. Wish completes the set, as it is a brilliant way for Jirachi to support itself or the team.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The given EVs make Choice Scarf Heatran's Flamethrower a 3HKO after Light Screen is up, and also gives good physical bulk after a Reflect as well. No Speed EVs are recommended on this set in order to get the maximum benefit out of U-turn and to allow Jirachi to be as bulky as possible. While some may feel that Speed EVs are necessary, remember that Jirachi will often be acting as one link in a chain, and that it is generally better to get your Baton Passer or setup sweeper in at full health than to have them take a hit that will reduce their chances of pulling off a successful sweep.
This set aims to allow other teammates to set up safely behind dual screens. Two Pokemon that accomplish this task well are Gliscor and Kingdra. The former, having only weaknesses to Water- and Ice-type attacks, can set up both Rock Polish and Swords Dance with little difficulty and Baton Pass them to a worthy recipient such as Metagross. Additionally, Gliscor finds little difficulty switching into Ground-type attacks aimed at Jirachi, and Fire-type attacks will not be doing much damage either with the screens in place. Kingdra also benefits from dual screens because it only has a weakness to Dragon-type attacks (the users of which will be unlikely to switch into Kingdra) and has perfectly balanced defenses to help it easily set up multiple Dragon Dances. Not only that, but Kingdra also 4x resists Fire-type attacks aimed at Jirachi, and the combination of Water- and Dragon-type attacks goes unresisted in OU except for Empoleon. Really though, any Pokemon with a good set of resistances and defenses can benefit from this set.
With a Careful nature and large investment in both Special Defense and HP, Jirachi is able to switch into many special attackers without being 2HKOed. Even Life Orb Starmie's Hydro Pump and Choice Specs Jolteon's Thunderbolt will fail to 2HKO Jirachi. The only other offensive Pokemon with this level of special bulk is Snorlax, whose typing and low Speed may not be enough for some teams. Unlike Blissey and Snorlax, however, Jirachi cannot switch into special attacks randomly and must constantly use Wish in order to stay healthy.
By paralyzing its foes with Thunder Wave, Jirachi becomes faster than them, letting it abuse Iron Head's 60% flinch rate in tandem with paralysis. If your team has a problem with Pokemon who are immune to Thunder Wave, Body Slam can be used instead, sporting a 60% chance to paralyze. However, Jirachi will lose its ability to check Rotom-A if it runs Body Slam. Jirachi can keep itself in good condition with the steady recovery from Leftovers while periodically using Wish to regain 50% of its health. Iron Head helps Jirachi buy itself turns until it can safely use Wish. It is also Jirachi's strongest attack, and while not that powerful, its low damage output won't matter after a few hits. Wish is Jirachi's healing move, and works well in conjunction with Iron Head and Thunder Wave. Wish can also help Jirachi support its team later in the game. Protect is a useful move that may be used over Wish to scout Choice item users and to pick up additional Leftovers recovery. Lastly, Fire Punch helps Jirachi by hitting foes who resist Iron Head, preventing Jirachi from becoming setup fodder against these opponents.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The EVs prevent Jirachi from being 2HKOed by a myriad of threatening special attackers, including, but not limited to, Life Orb Gengar and Lead Azelf. Jirachi can also act as a one-time stop to many physical stat-uppers, because it can switch in and paralyze the stat booster, allowing the rest of your team to take out the weakened opposing Pokemon. 32 Speed EVs let Jirachi outspeed Jolly max Speed Tyranitar, which can be invaluable when facing down Dragon Dance or fast Choice Band variants. Jirachi can also run an EV spread of 176 HP / 136 SpA / 176 SpD / 20 Spe along with a Calm nature and a moveset of Psychic, Thunderbolt, Wish, and Icy Wind. These changes will allow Jirachi to better handle Starmie, Jolteon and Dragon-types. However, Jirachi loses a significant portion of its bulk and the ability to combat most physical threats due to the lack of Thunder Wave. Only choose to run this variant if your team really struggles with Starmie and Jolteon.
Sandstorm helps Jirachi when it is trying to stall opponents, making Tyranitar and Hippowdon important teammates because of their Sand Stream abilities. In order for Jirachi to win against Starmie, Jirachi needs a fair amount of luck. Jirachi also loses to Jolteon because Jirachi cannot paralyze it without Body Slam; therefore, back-up checks to Jolteon and Starmie will come in handy. Tyranitar is useful in this regard, as it can survive an attack from either and retaliate with Earthquake and STAB Crunch, respectively. The only special attackers whom Jirachi cannot reliably stand up to are Fire-types, so bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Vaporeon are great teammates. Finally, defensive Water-types can stall out Jirachi, so an Electric- or Grass-type teammate will come in handy; good candidates for this role include Rotom-A and Shaymin. Use Jirachi on balanced and bulky offensive teams. Typically, both of these team styles fare poorly against fast and powerful special attackers, and will therefore appreciate the Wish and paralysis support that Jirachi offers.
Other Options
Jirachi's movepool is extremely vast, and even all the sets listed do not cover every notable option. Icy Wind can be used to hit, slow down, and 2HKO Dragon-types; Serene Grace-boosted Charge Beam has a 100% chance of giving Jirachi a Special Attack boost, but struggles to find its way onto a set due to access to Calm Mind and Thunderbolt; Drain Punch provides Fighting-type coverage as well as some small healing for Jirachi, but its low power is rather off-putting; Signal Beam can be used to maul both Celebi and Tyranitar at the same time, but provides little coverage outside of that.
On the supporting side, Jirachi has a few tricks up its sleeve that can find their way onto assorted sets. Cosmic Power boosts both Jirachi's Defense and Special Defense simultaneously, which combines with Jirachi's excellent defensive typing to create a formidable tank that can be incredibly difficult to break. Safeguard can be pseudo-passed along with Wish to provide immunity to status for other Pokemon. Gravity is an interesting attack that can be used to set up a sweeper with powerful Ground-type STAB, such as Rhyperior, Mamoswine, or Flygon, and allows them to easily beat Skarmory without depending on prediction. Rain Dance deserves a special mention, as it eliminates Jirachi's Fire-type weakness, provides Thunder with perfect accuracy as well as a 60% paralysis rate thanks to Serene Grace, and boosts the damage on Water Pulse, which has a boosted confusion rate, also thanks to Serene Grace.
Checks and Counters
Jirachi's ridiculous versatility, as well as the effectiveness of each set, means it is virtually impossible to hard counter instantly. The Substitute + Calm Mind sets are arguably the most difficult to counter. Even the be-all, end-all counter to special offense, Blissey, is unable to stop Jirachi, given its possession of 101 HP Substitutes and Serene Grace for the possibility of Special Defense drops. Perish Song Celebi is undoubtedly the best counter to Substitute + Calm Mind Jirachi, forcing Jirachi to switch out or die as Celebi Recovers in its face. Barring that, the most efficient counter depends on Jirachi's choice of moves. Psychic-based movesets are mainly countered by Tyranitar, which is immune to Psychic and takes squat from the filler attack thanks to its sandstorm-boosted Special Defense. Skarmory can come in and Whirlwind it away. Zapdos can come in and do likewise with Roar. Blissey boasts a much better chance of beating Flash Cannon sets, though it still has the same problem of being unable to break Jirachi's Substitutes in a single turn.
The offensive Calm Mind set without Substitute has the potential to be more destructive, but also has its problems. Blissey easily beats this set with its seemingly infinite HP and gargantuan Special Defense. Likewise, Snorlax can come in and threaten Jirachi with either a powerful Fire Punch, paralysis from Body Slam, or a super effective Earthquake. Tyranitar fails to be OHKOed by any attack from Jirachi, even after a Calm Mind boost, and threatens with a powerful Earthquake. Sets without Thunderbolt can be Whirlwinded away by Skarmory. Without Hidden Power Ground or Fighting, Magnezone can switch in, resisting the entire moveset, and then trap and kill Jirachi at its leisure.
Choiced sets have a few more notable counters. The Physical Choice set's biggest counter is Magnezone, which resists its entire moveset barring Fire Punch, traps it, and kills it. Bulky Water-types in general are very effective at beating physical Jirachi variants, but fear switching into ThunderPunch. Swampert takes it one step further by boasting an immunity to ThunderPunch, thus resisting the entire moveset with the exceptions of Zen Headbutt and U-turn. Hippowdon lacks the Fire- and Steel-type resistances, but its gargantuan Defense and access to reliable healing lets it shrug off Jirachi's blows easily. Skarmory resists Iron Head, Zen Headbutt, and U-turn, and can easily heal off damage, though switching into a Banded Fire Punch or ThunderPunch can be hazardous. Tyranitar boasts excellent physical durability and immunity to Zen Headbutt, though it fears Iron Head and U-turn. Heatran resists everything Jirachi can throw at it besides a neutral ThunderPunch, and threatens with STAB Fire Blast. Metagross also boasts high physical durability, though it fears Fire Punch. Gyarados resists Fire Punch, Iron Head, and U-turn, but fears ThunderPunch.