Ghost Arceus (Analysis)

hamiltonion

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Ghost Arceus

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Arceus takes on an incorporeal form when it attaches the Spooky Plate to itself and assumes the Ghost-type. Arceus constantly boasts of its incredible versatility and unpredictability, but this is taken to a totally new level in this forme. Ghost Arceus is capable of filling almost any role and is also aided by its solid 120 base stats across the board. In its ghostly form, Arceus gets certain important immunities, namely, to Normal- and Fighting-type attacks, which allow it to function as a potent spinblocker. However, its lack of actual resistances and weaknesses to common offensive types don't help it. Still, a wide offensive movepool, access to a horde of support moves, including Recover, and unresisted type coverage with Ghost and Fighting make Ghost Arceus a top-class threat this generation, and every team would be wise to prepare for it or risks getting metaphorically crushed by Arceus's spectral foot.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Focus Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With better overall bulk than Groudon, and excellent base Special Attack and Speed stats, Arceus can pull of a successful Calm Mind set quite convincingly. With just 2 Calm Minds under its belt, Arceus becomes a deadly sweeper, reaching a mammoth 554 Special Attack, and with its natural bulk backed up further with the max HP EVs, it will almost always be able to bag at least two Calm Minds. STAB Judgment and Focus Blast greatly enhance Ghost Arceus's sweeping capabilities as the Ghost- / Fighting- attacking combination is unresisted throughout the entire game. Judgment hits the horde of Psychic-types in the Uber tier for super effective damage while Focus Blast rounds off the coverage perfectly by hitting Normal-, Dark-, and Steel-types super effectively. At +3 Arceus does 47.9% - 56.5% to Standard Ubers Blissey, a sure 2HKO factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Chansey fares slightly better but still takes a hefty 36.8% - 43.3% from a +3 Focus Blast. However, these are unlikely scenarios since the blobs will switch in the turn Arceus sets up the first Calm Mind. Arceus can do nothing about this besides switching out due to the threat of Toxic as the pink blobs are the best counters to it. Recover allows Arceus to heal up throughout the course of a match, but Substitute allows Arceus to scout for any of its counters and gives it a form of status protection.</p>


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ghost Arceus is plagued by its weakness to the Dark-type moves, which is very common in Ubers. Darkrai gives this set lot of trouble; it can outspeed Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void. With the new sleep mechanics this generation, it practically translates into Arceus being out of commission for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Like almost all Calm Mind Arceus variants, Ghost Arceus is stopped cold by super bulky walls with massive HP and Special Defense stats. Ho-oh can function as a good answer to Ghost Arceus, since it resists Focus Blast and laughs at Judgment, while Sacred Fire will 2HKO Arceus if sun is up. However Ho-oh loses if Stealth Rock is on the field, which Ghost Arceus incidentally prevents Rapid Spinners from removing. Blissey and Chansey can switch into a Judgment and Toxic Arceus. Unfortunately for them, they cannot stay in for long as Focus Blast will severely dent them once Arceus has got a few Calm Mind boosts up. If Arceus is running Substitute, the two pink blobs also fail to beat Arceus one-on-one. Sword Dance Garchomp can counter both Chansey and Ho-Oh, making it a great teammate. Chansey will not like taking a boosted Outrage while Ho-Oh is easily OHKOed by a Stone Edge.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force / Shadow Claw
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Out of the few Ghosts capable of running a viable physical set, Ghost Arceus separates itself from the lot by being one of few with access to Swords Dance. Couple this with Arceus's respectable bulk, Speed, and Attack, and you have a very powerful physical sweeper on your hands. A diverse physical movepool and access to Recover makes Ghost Arceus all the more deadly. Indeed, if Arceus has set up a Swords Dance, almost nothing can switch into it due to its perfect neutral coverage.</p>

<p>Shadow Force allows Ghost Arceus to cause massive amounts of damage and is the primary STAB move on this set. After a Swords Dance, Shadow Force can 2HKO the entire Uber tier, while Pokemon such as Kyogre, Rayquaza, Zekrom, Reshiram, Lugia, both formes of Giratina, and Ho-Oh are all OHKOed; even the most physically defensive of Groudon will be 2HKOed. The charge-up turn can be your undoing, however, as it gives your opponent time to switch to an appropriate counter. Shadow Claw can be used instead, but the drop in power is quite large. Brick Break enables Ghost Arceus to deal with the Normal- and Steel-types which are immune or resistant to Shadow Force, most notably Blissey and Chansey.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Arceus can also run an Adamant nature, which allows it to do even more damage. However, this is not recommended as with a Jolly nature, Arceus ties with other Arceus, and winning the subsequent speed tie can be the deciding factor in a game. Arceus can also ditch Recover and go for ExtremeSpeed to take out weakened foes. Generally however, Recover is the better option, as it allows Arceus to utilize its great bulk and makes Arceus that much more difficult to take down.</p>

<p>Skarmory is the only Pokemon which can claim to perfectly counter this set; it resists Shadow Force, takes Brick Break with ease, and can stall out Arceus with Toxic and Roost. If Ghost Arceus decides to try its luck and stay in to set up more Sword Dances, the metal bird can nonchalantly Whirlwind Arceus, along with its boosts, away. Ferrothorn can take a Shadow Force thanks to its resistance, and Leech Seed or Thunder Wave Ghost Arceus. However, it must be wary of a boosted Brick Break. Darkrai can outspeed Ghost Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void. From there, it can set up and KO Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse. Normal Arceus is not 2HKOed by +2 Brick Break and can burn Ghost Arceus. It also has access to Roar to phaze out Ghost Arceus if it tries to accumulate more Swords Dances. Forretress can also check Arceus with Toxic and Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Powerful attackers like Choice Scarf Kyogre and Zekrom can revenge kill Arceus with Water Spout and Bolt Strike, respectively. Groudon can survive a Shadow Force and phaze Ghost Arceus out with Dragon Tail. Unaware Quagsire, although rare, can use Toxic on Arceus and heal up with Recover. It takes hits very well thanks to Unaware ignoring any of Arceus's boosts.</p>

<p>Mixed Dialga and Palkia can destroy Skarmory, Blissey and Chansey. Palkia is also a good counter to other Kyogre. Offensive Mewtwo can KO Blissey or Chansey, easily thanks to Psystrike and it also takes care of Skarmory and Ferrothorn with Fire Blast. Mewtwo can also outpace and OHKO Darkrai with a Life Orbed Aura Sphere. Pokemon that carry Sleep Talk like Kyogre also handle Darkrai well. Kyogre has good synergy with Ghost Arceus can deals with Tyranitar and Ho-Oh easily. Finally, entry hazards help Ghost Arceus net several important KOes. Forretress makes a good partner and can set up entry hazards quite easily. It resists most of Ghost Arceus's weaknesses and can keep enemy entry hazards off the field while Ghost Arceus prevents its own hazards from being spun away.</p>

[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Magic Coat
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Recover / Will-O-Wisp / Stealth Rock
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Arceus's unique combination of great bulk, awesome power, and excellent Speed coupled with its humongous movepool make it a good lead for offensive as well as Stall teams. Ghost Arceus defeats the most common leads and can usually survive the clash thanks to its great bulk and pose a decent threat later in the game. STAB Judgment goes a long way in helping Ghost Arceus beat other leads. Most of the common leads including Mew, Mewtwo, and Deoxys are hit super effectively and are all 2HKOed. Furthermore, Mew is outsped and Mewtwo cannot 2HKO Arceus unless it carries Shadow Ball and Life Orb. Flamethrower roasts any Forretress, Ferrothorn or lead variants of Scizor.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus has an excellent trick up its sleeve in the form of Magic Coat. Any lead trying to Taunt Arceus or set up Spikes, Stealth Rock, or Toxic Spikes will have it reflected back. This also allows Arceus to evade status without Substitute. Recover makes sure Arceus will always survive the lead battle and can come back to pose a threat late-game. Will-O-Wisp gives Arceus a way to deal with Groudon leads. Stealth Rock can also be used on the last slot if nothing else on your team can carry it.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Darkrai, Tyranitar and Kyogre are some of the few leads who can beat Ghost Arceus in the lead position. Darkrai is resistant to Judgment and can OHKO Ghost Arceus with a boosted Dark Pulse. However, Dark Void should be avoided at all costs because of Magic Coat. Tyranitar is resistant to all of Ghost Arceus's moves and takes pitiful damage from all of them thanks to its Special Defense boost in sandstorm. A Crunch coming of Tyranitar's mammoth Attack stat will also 2HKO Ghost Arceus even without any boosts. A Hydro Pump from lead Kyogre does a massive 91.9% - 108.3% to Ghost Arceus.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus does extremely well against defensive or suicide leads but not so well against offensive leads. Offensive leads like Deoxys-A are a problem for Ghost Arceus; with Life Orb, Deoxys-A does 98.6% - 116.2% with Shadow Ball. Scarf Kyogre or Palkia can serve as good teammates, as they can outspeed and kill Deoxys-A with their high-power STAB moves.</p>

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave / Roar
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is a more bulky variant of Ghost Arceus and fuctions as an excellent spinblocker. Stall teams especially benefit from the Support set. Maximum Speed is used to tie with other Arceus. Ghost Arceus's great overall bulk and lack of common weaknesses allow it to wall several common threats in the Uber tier. Notable mentions include Terrakion, Extreme Killer Arceus, Scizor, Swords Dance Rayquaza and Heracross. Ghost Arceus has access to reliable recovery in the form of Recover, and this differentiates it from dedicated walls such as Groudon or Giratina.</p>

<p>Arceus is no slouch offensively with its 120 base Special Attack. Judgment will cause quite a bit of damage even without any investment. The ubiquitous Psychic- and Ghost-types in Ubers all take large amounts of damage from Judgment. Flamthrower deals with Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress and Excadrill. Being able to deal with with Forretress outside of Hidden Power Fire is another niche Ghost Arceus has over its spinblocking colleague, Giratina. Will-O-Wisp allows Ghost Arceus to burn powerful physical attackers such as Zekrom, Rayquaza, Groudon, Tyranitar, and Scizor. Once they have been burnt, none of them pose any real threat to Ghost Arceus.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>160 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allow Arceus to outspeed max Speed Terrakion and burn it. Maximum investment in HP allows Arceus to take hits better and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Defense. Max Defense and HP can also be used on this set, along with a Bold nature to stop Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Groudon better. Any other Pokemon with less than 108 base Speed are also outsped, which includes most of the Uber tier. Pokemon such as Forretress, Ferrothorn, and Deoxys-S love having Ghost Arceus on their teams to prevent their entry hazards from being spun away.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus is by no means invulnerable, and can still be taken out by powerful special attackers like Reshiram, Mewtwo or Darkrai. A Blue Fire from Choice Specs Reshiram will take down Ghost Arceus if it has taken Stealth Rock damage. If the sun is up, Blue Fire will OHKO regardless. Darkrai can OHKO Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse after putting it to sleep. +2 Psycho Break from Offensive Calm Mind Mewtwo will OHKO factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Scarf Garchomp or Zekrom can check both Reshiram and Darkrai with their excellent dual STABs. Mewtwo has no real counters but Scarf Kyogre and Zekrom can put an end to it with their high powered STAB moves.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>A mono-attacking Calm Mind set with Refresh can be run, but that leaves Ghost Areus helpless against Normal-types. It is recommended that the mono-attacking Calm Mind set be run with two layers of Toxic Spikes, as it allows Ghost Arceus to beat Blissey lacking Aromatherapy or Heal Bell one-on-one. Arceus can set up dual screens or use Cosmic Power but there are better users available for both. Arceus can also run Perish Song to force a lot of switches.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>Darkrai is an excellent counter to both the variants of offensive Ghost Arceus. It is resistant to Arceus's STAB Judgment and can put Arceus to sleep with a speedy Dark Void, assuming Ghost Arceus does not have Magic Coat. It can also KO Arceus outright with a Dark Pulse coming off its frightening base 135 Special Attack. Dark Arceus is also a good counter thanks to its resistance, but will loathe a boosted Focus Blast. Tyranitar is a good counter to Ghost Arceus if it lacks Focus Blast. However, Focus Blast will not OHKO anyway, while a Choice Band Crunch from Tyranitar will send Ghost Arceus to its grave.</p>

<p>Skarmory stops the Sword Dance set in its tracks; it is resistant to Shadow Force and can take a Brick Break with ease. It can use Toxic to cripple Arceus and Roost off the damage. It also gets Whirlwind to Phaze Arceus out. Ferrothorn is also a good counter to Swords Dance Ghost Arceus, resisting its STAB and with access to Thunder Wave and Leech Seed. It must watch out for Brick Break though. A Gyro Ball coming off Ferrothorn's meager Speed stat will severely dent Arceus.</p>

<p>Blissey and her sister, Chansey, can wall the Calm Mind and defensive sets with their stubby little arms tied behind their backs. They can Toxic Arceus and heal themselves up with Softboiled. Ghost Arceus despises poison as it takes away from its great bulk and reduces its longevity. Ho-Oh is also a good check thanks to its mammoth Special Defense and great Attack stat. It is resistant to Focus Blast and takes little damage from Judgment. Ho-oh can use Scared Fire to 2HKO Ghost Arceus if the sun is up. Calm Mind Kyogre, with its base 140 Special Defense, can take a Judgment once it has notched up a Calm Mind and can proceed to kill Ghost Arceus with a rain-boosted Surf. In fact, Choice Scarf Kyogre can revenge kill most variants of Ghost Arceus even without the Calm Mind boosts.</p>
 

hamiltonion

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It will end up as a full analysis obviously but first I will create a skeleton, get the QC checks and then write it up.
 
You should mention that on the first set, if it switches into one layer of Toxic Spikes, Chansey and Blissey can't really counter it effectively anymore since they can't wear it down. Also you should list CM Kyogre as a counter to the CM set since ogres huge 140 SpD and weather boosted STAB allow it to beat Ghost Arceus.
 

hamiltonion

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You should mention that on the first set, if it switches into one layer of Toxic Spikes, Chansey and Blissey can't really counter it effectively anymore since they can't wear it down. Also you should list CM Kyogre as a counter to the CM set since ogres huge 140 SpD and weather boosted STAB allow it to beat Ghost Arceus.
Ok the first option is really gimmicky and is quite improbable. I mean what do you do if have just one layer of t spikes and your spiker dead ?? Maybe I'll mention but if QC tells me to.

Sure I'll mention the 2nd one. I actually did think about mentioning that must have forgotten. Thanks for the heads up though.

Edit: Done the changes.
 
No, I meant if the opponent has one layer of Tspikes up, since Bliss/chans are common in stall teams you will often get the chance to come in on one layer of Toxic spikes. Meaning you will lose 12% a turn but it wont increase each turn.
 

hamiltonion

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No, I meant if the opponent has one layer of Tspikes up, since Bliss/chans are common in stall teams you will often get the chance to come in on one layer of Toxic spikes. Meaning you will lose 12% a turn but it wont increase each turn.
Yes I understand but how is it I mean...................oh God damnit I'll mention it(as concise as possible though :| ) EDIT: I'll add it once the QC guys tell me. It feels stupid to add that. I mean how is it under your control ?
 
Oh also you said that seismic toss will 3hko arceus if its been affecting by poison earlier but its ghost typing makes it immune to seismic toss. Same with extremekiller 2hkoing with extremespeed but Ghost Arceus is also immune to normal attacks. Remove the seismic toss mention in the part about breaking subs as well, since it is immune to it. You said mixed Palkia/Dialga will destroy Chansey, but they cant really do to much to it without signifcant entry hazard support.
 

hamiltonion

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Oh also you said that seismic toss will 3hko arceus if its been affecting by poison earlier but its ghost typing makes it immune to seismic toss. Same with extremekiller 2hkoing with extremespeed but Ghost Arceus is also immune to normal attacks. Remove the seismic toss mention in the part about breaking subs as well, since it is immune to it. You said mixed Palkia/Dialga will destroy Chansey, but they cant really do to much to it without signifcant entry hazard support.
Yeah thanks. I was copying the basic structure from my Groundceus analysis so must have missed that. Dude I must make you my typo checker you are awesome !!
 


[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Recover / Substitute
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Slash in Flamethrower over Focus Blast. It allows Arceus to OHKO Forretress and Nattorei in the sun. Since Ghost Arceus is a spinblocker, using Flamethrower to OHKO Forretress, Ubers best spinner is a valuable asset. Remove Substitute because it sucks on Ghost Arceus. Single layer Toxic Spikes will kill you even faster if you use Subsitute. With Recover, you can abuse it to get past the pink blobs.

Recover allows Arceus to heal up during the course of the game effectively increasing its chances of a sweep. Substitute allows Arceus to scout for any of its counters and gives it a way to protect itself against status. Thanks to Arceus' stellar 120 Base Hp, Arceus can make 111 Hp substitutes.
Remove mentions of Substitute, put in AC instead.

This set functions extremely similarly to Giratina-O and a cursory glance seems to yield the fact that CM Ghost Arceus is apparently outclassed by Giratina-O. However Ghost Arceus does have certain things which its ghostly sub-ordinate would die for. Arceus lacks a weakness to the omni present Dragon type moves, a far more powerful STAB move, reliable recovery in the form of recover and a fantastic base 120 Speed.
Standard Mixed Giratina-O functions differently because it lacks recovery and just dish out damage isntead of slowly setting up.

Also Arceus doesn't have a far more powerful STAB move than Giratina-O. Ever heard of Giratina-O's mighty Draco Meteor? In fact Draco Meteor will out damage Judgment easily.

Almost all Calm Mind Arceus variants are stopped cold by super bulky walls with massive Hp and Special Defense and Ghost Arceus is no exception. Ho-oh is one the best counters to Ghost Arceus. It resists Focus Blast and laughs at Judgment. Also Sacred Fire will 2HKO Arceus if sun is up.
Ho-Oh is actually only a check to Ghost Arceus. If Arceus is using Special Attack EVs, it can potentially 2HKO Ho-Oh. If Stealth Rock is out which Ghost Arceus conveniently blocks, Ho-Oh probably loses. However, since this Arceus set lacks any Special Attack EVs, Ho-Oh can check it rather well.

Blissey and Chansey can switch into a Judgment and Toxic Arceus. But they cannot stay in for long as Focus Blast will severely dent them if Arceus has got a few Calm Mind boosts up. If Arceus is running Substitute the two pink blobs fail to beat Arceus one on one.
Substitute isn't worth it over Recover. Recover is pretty important for this Arceus set since it maintains bulk and helps Arceus actually wall a lot of things. Arceus needs 3 Calm Minds to beat the pink blobs who can just Softboiled up or Protect stall out Focus Blast which already has terrible accuracy.

name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force / Shadow Claw
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Put Shadow Claw as the main option. Shadow Force is very powerful but it can easily be played around and Normal types can come in for free.

Recover allows Arceus to utilize its great bulk and makes setting up easier. It is also a major niche Arceus has over Giratina who gives this set stiff competition with its set of useful resistances and its great defenses.
Giratina doesn't give competition to this set at all. Giratina cannot setup Swords Dances and is really slow and rather weak.

Skarmory is the only pokemon which can claim to perfectly counter this set. It resists Judgment and takes a Brick Break with ease. It can Toxic Arceus and heal up with Roost.If Ghost Arceus decides to try its luck and stay in to set up more Sword Dances, the metal Bird nonchalantly Whirlwinds Arceus away. Ferrothorn can take a Shadow Force thanks to its resistance and Leech Seed or Thunder Wave Ghost Arceus. However it must be wary of a boosted Brick Break . Darkrai can outspeed Ghost Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void.From there it can set up and kill Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse.
Normal Arceus wall can survive 2 +2 Brick Breaks and burn Ghost Arceus. If Ghost Arceus gets greedy, Arceus can just Roar it out. Forretress can check Ghost Arceus with Toxic and repeated Gyro Balls.

Powerful physical attackers like ScarfChomp and Scarf Zekrom can revenge Arceus with Outrage and Lightning Strike respectively.Groudon can survive a Shadow Force and Phaze Ghost Arceus out with Dragon Tail.Unaware Quagsire though rare can Toxic Arceus and heal up with Recover. It takes hits very well thanks to Unaware ignoring any of Arceus' boosts.
Scarf Garchomp fails to 2HKO Arceus who can just stall out Outrage with Recover. Mention Scarf Kyogre as a counter because it can OHKO Ghost Arceus with Water Spout.

name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave / Roar
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 160 Spe
I rather max out Speed to at least Speed tie with other Arceus and have slightly less Defense.

This set is a more bulky variant of Ghost Arceus and is probably the best spin blocker in the entire game. Stall teams especially benefit from the Support set.
Both the Giratina formes are formidable spin blockers. Judging from the usage statistics, Ghost Arceus actually has a lower usage than either Giratina formes.

Arceus' great overall bulk and lack of common weaknesses allow to wall several common threats in the Uber Tier. Notable mentions include the musketeers especially Terakion, Extremekiller Arceus, Zekrom, Fighting Arceus, Scizor,SD Rayquaza and Heracross. Ghost Arceus has access to reliable recovery in the form of Recover and this differentiates it from dedicated walls like Groudon or Giratina.
It can't wall Zekrom only check it. Choice Band Lightning Strike will easily 2HKO. You can burn it first but Arceus cannot switch in. Fighting Arceus can just set up on you and eventually beat Ghost Arceus with boosted Dark Pulse.

Tyranitar is a counter to Ghost Arceus if it lacks Focus Blast and an unboosted Focus Blast cannot KO Tyranitar anyway. Choice Banded Crunch will OHKO Ghost Arceus.
 

firecape

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[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

  • Refresh can be run over Substitute. This allows Ghost Arceus to cure any status inflicted on it and allows CM Ghost Arceus to beat Blissey one on one.

How?

Either your using a mono Attack Cmer that doesn't have a STAB or you're not touching Blissey.

Other than that it looks fine.

 

Jibaku

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firecape sucks

firecape said:
[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

  • Refresh can be run over Substitute. This allows Ghost Arceus to cure any status inflicted on it and allows CM Ghost Arceus to beat Blissey one on one.
Use with two layers of Toxic Spikes. Blissey can't do a thing to Arceus either (except aromatherapy???), while toxic spikes kills it. Adding to that is Arceus' immunity to Rapid Spin...

Also new format for analyses is up.
 
firecape sucks


Use with two layers of Toxic Spikes. Blissey can't do a thing to Arceus either (except aromatherapy???), while toxic spikes kills it. Adding to that is Arceus' immunity to Rapid Spin...

Also new format for analyses is up.
Blissey can be used with Poison Arceus :D If the opponent realizes you have no secondary coverage move, any Normal type can come in for free. Blissey will be coming in on Ghost Arceus anyway. Heal Bell will save Blissey from Toxic Spikes :P

Mention Normal Arceus wall as a counter to Swords Dance Ghost Arceus. +2 Brick Break fails to 2HKO while Will-o-wisps will hamper Ghost Arceus's sweeping potential.
 

Ray Jay

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GP Check 1/2
Additions in Bold
Deletions in Red

notes:
Steel-type, not Steel Type or Steel type.
Speed is a stat, therefore Speed instead of speed.
Arceus is an it according to you; never call it "he".
I've noted several spacing issues with things like [delete], [backspace], [return], [space], etc.

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Arceus takes on an a incorporeal form when it attaches the Spooky Plate to itself and assumes the Ghost type. Arceus constantly boasts of its incredible versatility and unpredictability It is probably the best of all Arceus forms thanks to its versatality. The main characteristic which makes Arceus so deadly in general is its versatality. Ghost Arceus takes this to a totally new level. It is capable of filling any spot on the team. Ghost Arceus is also aided in this job by his 120 across the board Base stats. </p>

<p>In his ghostly form Arceus gets certain important immunities, namely, to Normal- and Fighting-type attacks. It also allows Arceus to function as a potent spin blocker. Ghost Arceus is weak to Dark, Ghost and is resistant to only the Bug type. Lack of key resistances and weakness to common offensive types don't help Ghost Arceus. However, do not underestimate the Alpha pokemon in any way even when it He is in his ghostly guise. A wide offensive movepool,[space]access to a horde of support moves including Recover and unresisted type coverage in the form of Ghost and Fighting make Ghost Arceus a top class threat this generation. Every team must prepare for it or else risks getting crushed by Arceus's ghostly wrath.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Focus Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Great natural bulk, 120 base Special Attack and a excellent 120 base Speed allow Arceus to pull of a Calm Mind set with ease.[space]Defensively, Arceus should not be taken lightly either possessing 120/120/120 defenses and overall bulk greater than Groudon.</p>
[backspace]

<p>With 2 Calm Minds under its belt Arceus becomes a deadly sweeper, reaching a mammoth 554 Special Attack.[space]Arceus's natural bulk and maximum investment in HP means it will always be able to bag at least two Calm Minds[backspace].</p>

<p>STAB Judgment and Focus Blast greatly enhance Ghost Arceus's sweeping capabilities as the Ghost Fighting combination is unresisted throughout the entire game. Judgment hits the horde of Psychic types in Uber tier for super effective damage while Focus Blast rounds off the coverage pretty nicely hitting Normal, Dark and Steel types super effectively[delete]. At +3 Arceus does 47.9% - 56.5% to Standard Ubers Blissey, a sure 2HKO factoring in Stealth Rock damage Damage. Chansey fares slightly better but still takes a hefty 36.8% - 43.3% from a +3 Focus Blast.</p>
[delete]
<p>Recover allows Arceus to heal up during the course of the game effectively increasing its chances of a sweep. Substitute allows Arceus to scout for any of its counters and gives it a way to protect itself against status.</p>


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ghost Arceus is plagued by its his weakness to the Dark-type Type which is very common in Ubers. Darkrai gives this set lot of trouble; it . It can outspeed Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void. With the Sleep mechanics changed this Generation, it potentially translates into Arceus being out of commission for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Almost all Calm Mind Arceus variants are stopped cold by super bulky walls with massive HP Hp and Special Defense, and Ghost Arceus is no exception. Ho-oh can function as a good answer to Ghost Arceus, since it Ho-oh is a good check to Ghost Arceus. It resists Focus Blast and laughs at Judgment, and. Also Sacred Fire will 2HKO Arceus if sun is up. However, Ho-oh loses if Stealth Rock is on the field, which incidentally Ghost Arceus blocks users of Rapid Spin from removing. Blissey and Chansey can switch into a Judgment and Toxic Arceus. Unfortunately for them, But they cannot stay in for long as Focus Blast will severely dent them if Arceus has got a few Calm Mind boosts under its belt up. If Arceus is running Substitute, the two pink blobs also fail to beat Arceus one on one.</p>

[SET]
[backspace]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force / Shadow Claw Shadow Claw / Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Out of the few Ghosts capable of running a viable Physical set, Ghost Arceus separates itself from the lot by being the only one boasting access to Swords Dance. Couple this with Arceus's respectable bulk, Speed, speed and Attack, and you have a very powerful Physical sweeper on your hands. A diverse Physical movepool and access to reliable recovery in the form of Recover makes Ghost Arceus all the more deadly. Indeed, if Arceus has set up a Swords Dance, almost nothing can switch into it due to Ghost Fighting have perfect neutral coverage.</p>

<p>Shadow Force allows Ghost Arceus to cause massive amounts of damage and is the primary STAB move. After a Swords Dance, Shadow Force can 2HKO the entire Uber tier. Kyogre, Rayquaza, Zekrom, Reshiram, Lugia, both formes of Giratina, Ho-oh are all OHKOed by a +2 Shadow Force.You name it Ghost Arceus has nailed it. Even Groudon with 252 Hp/ +252 Def will be 2HKOed.The charge up turn is undesirable as it gives your opponent time to switch to an appropriate counter. Shadow Claw can be used, but the drop in power is quite large. Brick Break enables Ghost Arceus to deal with the Normal-types and Steel-types which are immune or resistant to Shadow Force, especially Blissey and Chansey.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Arceus can also run a Adamant nature. This allows Ghost Arceus to do even more damage at the cost of a significant drop in Speed. However, this it is not recommended as with a Jolly nature Arceus ties with other Arceus, and winning the subsequent speed tie can be the deciding factor in a game. Arceus can also ditch Recover and go for ExtremeSpeed to take out weakened foes. Generally, Recover is the better option, as it allows Arceus to utilize its great bulk and makes Arceus so difficult to take down.</p>

<p>Skarmory is the only pokemon which can claim to perfectly counter this set. It resists Judgment and takes a Brick Break with ease. It can Toxic Arceus and heal up with Roost.[space]If Ghost Arceus decides to try its luck and stay in to set up more Sword Dances, the metal Bird nonchalantly Whirlwinds Arceus away. Ferrothorn can take a Shadow Force thanks to its resistance and Leech Seed or Thunder Wave Ghost Arceus. However, it must be wary of a boosted Brick Break[backspace]. Darkrai can outspeed Ghost Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void.[space]From there it can set up and kill Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse. Normal Arceus is not 2HKOed by +2 Brick Break and can burn Ghost Arceus. It also has access to Roar to PHaze out Ghost Arceus if it tries to more Swords Dances. Forretress can also check Arceus with Toxic and Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Powerful attackers like Scarf Kyogre and Scarf Zekrom can revenge Arceus with Water Spout Outrage and Lightning Strike respectively.[space]Groudon can survive a Shadow Force and Phaze Ghost Arceus out with Dragon Tail.[space]Unaware Quagsire, although rare, can use Toxic on Arceus and heal up with Recover. It takes hits very well thanks to Unaware ignoring any of Arceus's boosts.</p>

[SET]
[backspace]
name: Lead
move 1: Magic Coat
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Recover / Will-O-Wisp / Stealth Rock
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Arceus's unique combination of great bulk, awesome power and excellent Speed, speed coupled with its humongous movepool make it a good lead for Offensive as well as Stall teams. Ghost Arceus defeats the most common leads, and can usually survive the clash thanks to its great bulk and pose a decent threat later in the game. STAB Judgment does good damge even when unboosted and coupled with Flamethrower flamethrower provides good coverage. The only common pokemon resisting it are Tyranitar and Hydregion.</p>

<p>STAB Judgment goes a long way in helping Ghost Arceus beat other leads.[space]Most of the common leads including Mew, Mewtwo, Deoxys are hit super effectively and are are all 2HKOed. Furthermore, Mew is outsped and Mewtwo cannot 2HKO Arceus unless it carries Shadow Ball and Life Orb. Flamethrower roasts any Forretress, Ferrothorn or Lead variants of Scizor.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus has an excellent trick up its sleeve in the form of Magic Coat. Any lead trying to Taunt Arceus or set up Spikes,[space]Stealth Rock or Toxic Tozic Spikes will have it reflected back.This also allows Arceus to evade status without Substitute. Recover makes sure Arceus will always survive the lead battle and can come back to pose a threat late game. Will-O-Wisp gives Arceus a way to deal with Groudon leads.Stealth Rock can also be used on the last slot if it cannot be fitted on to any other pokemon on the team.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Darkrai, Tyranitar and Kyogre are the few leads who can beat Lead Ghost Arceus. Darkrai is resistant to Judgment and can OHKO Ghost Arceus with a boosted move +2 Judgment. However, Dark Void should be avoided at all costs because of Magic Coat. Tyranitar is resistant to all of Ghost Arceus's moves and takes pitiful damage from all of them thanks to its Special Defense boost in Sandstorm. A Crunch coming of Tyranitar's mammoth Attack stat will 2HKO Ghost Arceus even without any boosts. A Hydro Pump from Lead Kyogre does a huge 91.9% - 108.3% damage. Unless Ghost Arceus is able to use carrying Recover, it is maimed for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus does extremely well against defensive or suicide leads but not so well against offensive leads. Offensive leads like Deoxy-A are a problem for Ghost Arceus; with. With Life Orb, Deoxys-A does 98.6% - 116.2% with a Shadow Ball. Scarf Kyogre or Palkia serve as good teammates as they are all pokemon who can outspeed and kill Deoxys-A with their high power moves.</p>

[SET]
[backspace]
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave / Roar
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is a more bulky variant of Ghost Arceus and fuctions as an excellent spin blocker. Stall teams especially benefit from the Support set. Maximum Speed is used to tie with other Arceus. [backspace]Ghost Arceus's great overall bulk and lack of common weaknesses allow it to wall several common threats in the Uber Tier. Notable mentions include the musketeers (especially Terakion), Extremekiller Arceus, Scizor, SD Rayquaza and Heracross. Ghost Arceus has access to reliable recovery in the form of Recover, and this differentiates it from dedicated walls like Groudon or Giratina.</p>

<p>Arceus is no slouch offensively with its 120 base Special Attack. Judgment will cause quite a bit of damage even without any investment in Special Attack. The ubiquitous Psychic and Ghost types in Ubers all take large amounts of damage from Judgment. Flamthrower deals with Ferrothron, Scizor, Forretress and Excadrill. Being able to deal with with Forretress outside of Hidden Power Fie is another niche Ghost Arceus has over its ectoplasmic spin blocking colleague, Giratina.</p>
[delete]
<p>Will-O-Wisp allows Ghost Arceus to burn powerful Physical attackers like Zekrom, Rayquaza, Groudon, Tyranitar, Extremekiller Arceus and Scizor. Once they have been burnt, none of them pose any real threat to Ghost Arceus.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>160 Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature allow Arceus to outspeed max + Max Speed Terakion and burn it. Maximum investment in HP Hp allows Arceus to take hits better and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Defense. Any other Pokemon with Also all the pokemon having less than 108 base Speed are also outsped. This includes most of the Uber Tier, which is especially important against notable threats like including Zekrom, Palkia and Groudon.</p>
[backspace]
<p>Pokemon like Forretress, Ferrothorn, Deoxys-S love havingGhost Arceus on their teams to remove such Pokemon and prevent their entry hazards from being spun away.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus is by no means invulnerable, and can still be taken out by powerful Special attackers like Reshiram, Mewtwo or Darkrai. A Blue Fire from Specs Reshiram will take down Ghost Arceus if Arceus has taken Stealth Rock damage. If sun is up, Blue Fire will OHKO regardless. Darkrai can OHKO Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse after putting it to sleep. +2 Psycho Break from Offensive CM Mewtwo will OHKO factoring in Stealth Rock damage.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>A mono attacking Calm Mind set with Refresh can be run, but that leaves Ghost Arceus Areus helpless against Normal types. It is recommended that the mono-attacking Calm Mind set be run with two layers of Toxic Spikes, as it allows Ghost Arceus to beat Blissey one on one.[space]Arceus can set up Dual Screens or use Cosmic Powerm but there are better Screeners available and Ghost Arceus is generally outclassed by Steel Arceus as a who is a better user of Cosmic Power, thanks to its useful set of resistances. Arceus can also run Perish Song to force a lot of switches. Again entry hazards are very useful.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>Darkrai is an excellent counter to both the variants of offensive Ghost Arceus. It is resistant to Arceus's STAB Judgment and can put Arceus to sleep with a speedy Dark Void, assuming Ghost Arceus does not have Magic Coat of course. It can also KO Arceus outright with a Dark Pulse coming off its frightening base 135 Base Special Attack. Dark Arceus is also a good counter thanks to its resistance, . but will loathe a boosted Focus Blast. Tyranitar is a good counter to Ghost Arceus if it lacks Focus Blast. However, Focus Blast will not OHKO anyways, while a Choice Band Crunch from Tyranitar will send Ghost Arceus to its grave.</p>

<p>Skarmory stops the Sword Dance set in its tracks.[space]It is resistant to Shadow Force and can take a Brick Break with ease. It can use Toxic to cripple Arceus and Roost off up the damage. It also gets Whirlwind to PHaze Arceus out. Ferrothorn is also a good counter to SD Ghost Arceus. Resisting its STAB and with access to Thunder Wave and Leech Seed, it is a good check. It must watch out for Brick Break though. A Gyro Ball coming off Ferothorn's meager Speed stat will severely dent Arceus.</p>

<p>Blissey and her sister Chansey can wall the Calm Mind and defensive sets with their stubby little arms tied behind their backs. They can Toxic Arceus and heal themselves up with Softboiled Soft-boiled. Ghost Arceus loathes being poisoned as it takes away its great bulk and reduces its longetivity. Ho-oh is also a good check thanks to its mammoth Special defense and great Attack stat. It is resistant to Focus Blast and takes little damage from Judgment. Ho-oh can use Scared Fire to 2HKO Ghost Arceus if sun is up. Calm Mind Kyogre with its base 140 Special Defense, can take a Judgment once it has notched up a Calm Mind and can proceed to kill Ghost Arceus with a Rain boosted Surf. Scarf Kyogre can revenge most variants of Ghost Arceus thanks to a Rain-boosted Water Spout coming off its titanic 150 base Special Attack.</p>

[DREAM WORLD]

<p>Arceus does not get a Dream World ability.</p>
 
Maybe a little late to ask this, but is there any reason Focus Blast is the primary option on the Calm Mind set while it doesn't even get a mention on the Lead & Support sets? It should really get the same slash there, especially in the case of the Support set which needs it to do any damage to Lum Berry Tyranitar/Heatran. Also, regarding the Support set's EVs: Is the spread discussed in A/C supposed to be different to the one in the export?
 

hamiltonion

Nostalgic
is a Contributor to Smogonis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
The reason why Focus Blast doesnt get a mention is

1) Focus Blast does bad damage unboosted and is inaccurate.

2) Ghost Arceus being a spin blocker likes Flamethrower to burn any Forretress trying to Rapid Spin. Lum Tyranitar is non existent this generation.

3) I dont understand what you mean by export.
 
I see. And by 'the export' I meant this part in the spoiler, couldn't think of a better word for it...

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave / Roar
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
 

Aeron Ee1

Nom nom nom
is a Top Contributor Alumnus
changes in bold
removals in red
comments in bold red

[OVERVIEW]

<p>Arceus takes on an incorporeal form when it attaches the Spooky Plate to itself and assumes the Ghost-type. Arceus constantly boasts of its incredible versatility and unpredictability, but this is taken to a totally new level in this forme. Ghost Arceus is capable of filling any role, and is also aided in this job by its solid 120 base stats across the board.</p><p> In its ghostly form, (comma) Arceus gets certain important immunities, namely, to Normal- and Fighting-type attacks, which allow it to function as a potent spinblocker. Ghost Arceus is weak to Dark, Ghost and is resistant to only the Bug type. (you should always assume the reader at least knows the type chart) However, its lack of key actual resistances and weaknesses to common offensive types don't help it. However, do not underestimate the Alpha pokemon in any way even when He is in his ghostly guise. Still, a wide offensive movepool, access to a horde of support moves, (comma) including Recover, (comma)(Recover's not a support move by the way) and unresisted type coverage with Ghost and Fighting make Ghost Arceus a top-class threat this generation, and every team would be wise to prepare for it or else risk getting metaphorically crushed by Arceus's spectral foot.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Focus Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With better overall bulk than Groudon, and a excellent base Special Attack and Speed stats, Arceus can pull of a successful Calm Mind set quite convincingly. Defensively, Arceus should not be taken lightly either possessing 120/120/120 defenses and overall bulk greater than Groudon. With just two Calm Minds under its belt, (comma) Arceus becomes a deadly sweeper, reaching a mammoth 554 Special Attack, and its natural bulk backed up further with the maximum investment in HP means it will almost always be able to bag at least two Calm Minds.</p><p> STAB Judgment and Focus Blast greatly enhance Ghost Arceus's sweeping capabilities as the Ghost + Fighting combination is unresisted throughout the entire game. Judgment hits the horde of Psychic types in Uber tier for super effective damage while Focus Blast rounds off the coverage perfectly by hitting Normal-, Dark- and Steel-types super effectively. At +3 Arceus does 47.9% - 56.5% to Standard Ubers Blissey, a sure 2HKO factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Chansey fares slightly better but still takes a hefty 36.8% - 43.3% from a +3 Focus Blast. Recover allows Arceus to heal up throughout the course of the a match effectively increasing its chances of a sweep., but Substitute allows Arceus to scout for any of its counters and gives it a form of status protection.</p>


[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Ghost Arceus is plagued by its weakness to the Dark-type, (comma) which is very common in Ubers. Darkrai gives this set lot of trouble; it can outspeed Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void. With the new sleep mechanics changed this generation, it practically translates into Arceus being out of commission for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Almost all Calm Mind Arceus variants are stopped cold by super bulky walls with massive HP and Special Defense stats, and Ghost Arceus is no exception. Ho-oh can function as a good answer to Ghost Arceus, since it resists Focus Blast and laughs at Judgment, while Sacred Fire will 2HKO Arceus if sun is up. However Ho-oh loses if Stealth Rock is on the field, which Ghost Arceus incidentally blocks Rapid Spinners from removing. Blissey and Chansey can switch into a Judgment and Toxic Arceus. Unfortunately for them, they cannot stay in for long as Focus Blast will severely dent them once Arceus has got a few Calm Mind boosts up. If Arceus is running Substitute, the two pink blobs also fail to beat Arceus one-on-one.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force / Shadow Claw
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Recover
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Out of the few Ghosts capable of running a viable physical set, Ghost Arceus separates itself from the lot by being the only one with access to Swords Dance. Couple this with Arceus's respectable bulk , Speed, and Attack, (comma) and you have a very powerful physical sweeper on your hands. A diverse physical movepool and access to reliable recovery in the form of Recover makes Ghost Arceus all the more deadly. Indeed, if Arceus has set up a Swords Dance, almost nothing can switch into it due to its perfect neutral coverage.</p>

<p>Shadow Force allows Ghost Arceus to cause massive amounts of damage and is the primary STAB move. After a Swords Dance, Shadow Force can 2HKO the entire Uber tier, while Pokemon such as Kyogre, Rayquaza, Zekrom, Reshiram, Lugia, both formes of Giratina, and Ho-Oh are all OHKOed by a +2 Shadow Force; even the most physically defensive of Groudon will be 2HKOed.(space)The charge-up turn can be your undoing, however, as it gives your opponent time to switch to an appropriate counter. Shadow Claw can be used instead, but the drop in power is quite large. Brick Break enables Ghost Arceus to deal with the Normal- and Steel-types which are immune or resistant to Shadow Force, most notably Blissey and Chansey.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Arceus can also run an Adamant nature, which allows it to do even more damage at the cost of a significant drop in Speed. However, this is not recommended as with a Jolly nature, (comma) Arceus ties with other Arceus, and winning the subsequent speed tie can be the deciding factor in a game. Arceus can also ditch Recover and go for ExtremeSpeed to take out weakened foes. Generally, Recover is the better option, as it allows Arceus to utilize its great bulk and makes Arceus that much more difficult to take down.</p>

<p>Skarmory is the only Pokemon which can claim to perfectly counter this set; it resists Judgment and takes a Brick Break with ease. It can Toxic Arceus and heal with Roost. If Ghost Arceus decides to try its luck and stay in to set up more Sword Dances, the metal Bird can non-chalantly Whirlwind Arceus, along with its boosts, away. Ferrothorn can take a Shadow Force thanks to its resistance, (comma) and Leech Seed or Thunder Wave Ghost Arceus. However, (comma) it must be wary of a boosted Brick Break. Darkrai can outspeed Ghost Arceus and put it to sleep with Dark Void. From there, (comma) it can set up and KO Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse. Normal Arceus is not 2HKOed by +2 Brick Break and can burn Ghost Arceus. It also has access to Roar to phaze out Ghost Arceus if it tries to accumulate more Swords Dances. Forretress can also check Arceus with Toxic and Gyro Ball.</p>

<p>Powerful attackers like Choice Scarf Kyogre and Zekrom can revenge kill Arceus with Water Spout and Bolt Strike, (comma) respectively. Groudon can survive a Shadow Force and phaze Ghost Arceus out with Dragon Tail. Unaware Quagsire, although rare, can use Toxic on Arceus and heal up with Recover. It takes hits very well thanks to Unaware ignoring any of Arceus's boosts.</p>

[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Magic Coat
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Recover / Will-O-Wisp / Stealth Rock
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Arceus's unique combination of great bulk, awesome power, (comma) and excellent Speed coupled with its humongous movepool make it a good lead for offensive as well as Stall teams. Ghost Arceus defeats the most common leads and can usually survive the clash thanks to its great bulk and pose a decent threat later in the game. STAB Judgment does good damge even when unboosted and coupled with Flamethrower provides good coverage. The only common pokemon resisting it are Tyranitar and Hydregion.</p><p>STAB Judgment goes a long way in helping Ghost Arceus beat other leads. Most of the common leads including Mew, Mewtwo, Deoxys are hit super effectively and are all 2HKOed. Furthermore, (comma) Mew is outsped and Mewtwo cannot 2HKO Arceus unless it carries Shadow Ball and Life Orb. Flamethrower roasts any Forretress, Ferrothorn or Lead variants of Scizor.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus has an excellent trick up its sleeve in the form of Magic Coat. Any lead trying to Taunt Arceus or set up Spikes, Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes will have it reflected back.(space)This also allows Arceus to evade status without Substitute. Recover makes sure Arceus will always survive the lead battle and can come back to pose a threat late-game. Will-O-Wisp gives Arceus a way to deal with Groudon leads.(space)Stealth Rock can also be used on the last slot if nothing else on your team can carry it.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Darkrai, Tyranitar and Kyogre are some of the few leads who can beat Lead Ghost Arceus in the lead position. Darkrai is resistant to Judgment and can OHKO Ghost Arceus with a boosted Dark Pulse. However, Dark Void should be avoided at all costs because of Magic Coat. Tyranitar is resistant to all of Ghost Arceus's moves and takes pitiful damage from all of them thanks to its Special Defense boost in sandstorm. A Crunch coming of Tyranitar's mammoth Attack stat will also 2HKO Ghost Arceus even without any boosts. A Hydro Pump from Lead Kyogre does a massive 91.9% - 108.3% to Ghost Arceus. Unless Ghost Arceus is able to use Recover it is maimed for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus does extremely well against defensive or suicide leads but not so well against offensive leads. Offensive leads like Deoxy-A are a problem for Ghost Arceus; with Life Orb, Deoxys-A does 98.6% - 116.2% with a Shadow Ball. Scarf Kyogre or Palkia can serve as good teammates, then, as they can outspeed and kill Deoxys-A with their high-power STAB moves.</p>

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave / Roar
item: Spooky Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is a more bulky variant of Ghost Arceus and fuctions as an excellent spinblocker. Stall teams especially benefit from the Support set. Maximum Speed is used to tie with other Arceus. Ghost Arceus's great overall bulk and lack of common weaknesses (contradictory much?) allow it to wall several common threats in the Uber tier. Notable mentions include the musketeers (especially Terrakion), Extreme Killer Arceus, Scizor, SD Rayquaza and Heracross. Ghost Arceus has access to reliable recovery in the form of Recover, and this differentiates it from dedicated walls such as Groudon or Giratina.</p>

<p>Arceus is no slouch offensively with its 120 base Special Attack. Judgment will cause quite a bit of damage even without any investment in Special Attack. The ubiquitous Psychic- and Ghost-types in Ubers all take large amounts of damage from Judgment. Flamthrower deals with Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress and Excadrill. Being able to deal with with Forretress outside of Hidden Power Fire is another niche Ghost Arceus has over its ectoplasmic spinblocking colleague, Giratina. Will-O-Wisp allows Ghost Arceus to burn powerful physical attackers such as Zekrom, Rayquaza, Groudon, Tyranitar, Extremekiller Arceus and Scizor. Once they have been burnt, none of them pose any real threat to Ghost Arceus.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>160 Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature allow Arceus to outspeed max Speed Terrakion and burn it. Maximum investment in HP allows Arceus to take hits better and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Defense. Any other Pokemon with less than 108 base Speed are also outsped, which includes most of the Uber tier which is especially important against notable threats like Zekrom, Palkia and Groudon. Pokemon such as Forretress, Ferrothorn, and Deoxys-S love having Ghost Arceus on their teams to remove such Pokemon and prevent their entry hazards from being spun away.</p>

<p>Ghost Arceus is by no means invulnerable, and can still be taken out by powerful special attackers like Reshiram, Mewtwo or Darkrai. A Blue Fire from Choice Specs Reshiram will take down Ghost Arceus if it has taken Stealth Rock damage. If the sun is up, Blue Fire will OHKO regardless. Darkrai can OHKO Arceus with a +2 Dark Pulse after putting it to sleep. +2 Psycho Break from Offensive CM Mewtwo will OHKO factoring in Stealth Rock damage.</p>

[OTHER OPTIONS]

<p>A mono-attacking Calm Mind set with Refresh can be run, but that leaves Ghost Areus helpless against Normal-types. It is recommended that the mono-attacking Calm Mind set be run with two layers of Toxic Spikes, as it allows Ghost Arceus to beat Blissey one-on-one. Arceus can set up dual screens or use Cosmic Power but there are better users available for both and Ghost Arceus is generally outclassed by Steel Arceus as a user of Cosmic Power, thanks to its useful set of resistances. Arceus can also run Perish Song to force a lot of switches. Again entry hazards are very useful.</p>

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

<p>Darkrai is an excellent counter to both the variants of offensive Ghost Arceus. It is resistant to Arceus's STAB Judgment and can put Arceus to sleep with a speedy Dark Void, assuming Ghost Arceus does not have Magic Coat. It can also KO Arceus outright with a Dark Pulse coming off its frightening base 135 Base Special Attack. Dark Arceus is also a good counter thanks to its resistance, but will loathe a boosted Focus Blast. Tyranitar is a good counter to Ghost Arceus if it lacks Focus Blast. However, Focus Blast will not OHKO anyway, while a Choice Band Crunch from Tyranitar will send Ghost Arceus to its grave.</p>

<p>Skarmory stops the Sword Dance set in its tracks; it is resistant to Shadow Force and can take a Brick Break with ease. It can use Toxic to cripple Arceus and Roost off the damage. It also gets Whirlwind to PHaze Arceus out. Ferrothorn is also a good counter to SD Ghost Arceus. Resisting its STAB and with access to Thunder Wave and Leech Seed, it is a good check. It must watch out for Brick Break though. A Gyro Ball coming off Ferrothorn's meager Speed stat will severely dent Arceus.</p>

<p>Blissey and her sister, Chansey, can wall the Calm Mind and defensive sets with their stubby little arms tied behind their backs. They can Toxic Arceus and heal themselves up with Softboiled. Ghost Arceus despises poison as it takes away from its great bulk and reduces its longetivity. Ho-Oh is also a good check thanks to its mammoth Special Defense and great Attack stat. It is resistant to Focus Blast and takes little damage from Judgment. Ho-oh can use Scared Fire to 2HKO Ghost Arceus if the sun is up. Calm Mind Kyogre with its base 140 Special Defense, can take a Judgment once it has notched up a Calm Mind and can proceed to kill Ghost Arceus with a rain-boosted Surf. In fact, Choice Scarf Kyogre can revenge kill most variants of Ghost Arceus even without the Calm Mind boosts.</p>


  1. weather isn't capitalized.
  2. when you write up an analysis, read it out loud, and place a comma wherever you find yourself pausing in the middle of a sentence.
  3. you have to add team options to the ac of each of the sets. ac mentions of counters are actually not necessary, but you can keep them if you want.

edit: should still need a third gp check for the team stuff.
edit2: i can do this now:

(2/3)
 

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