Archeops (QC 0/3)

[Leer]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^best xy animation ever
Overview
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• Archeops is blessed with some of the best offensive stats in the tier at 140/112/110
• The bird is the word also carries a fairly expansive movepool, with not much to be desired (except maybe special STAB)
• Archeops's offensive typing is something to be proud of, as Flying and Rock are both good offensively
• Unfortunately, Defeatist is one of the worst abilities in the game, right next to Truant and Slow Start
• Archeops is also SR weak, which contributes to Defeatist activation

Physically Mixed
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name: Physically Mixed
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: U-turn/Knock Off
ability: Defeatist
item: None
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Hasty/Naive

Moves
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• Itemless Acrobatics is a 110 base power STAB Flying-type move with not miss chance and no negative effects
• Stone Edge provides excellent Rock-type STAB
• Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge, to ensure that it hits
• Earth Power takes advantage of Archeops's nice 112 Special Attack, and combines with Stone Edge to create pseudo-EdgeQuake coverage.
• U-turn lets Archeops become a pivot, hitting a counter coming in to stop Archeops hard and letting it cleanly switch to a teammate.
• Knock Off is a great move in general, and coming from a base 140 attack it can devastate a check/counter

Set Details
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• The given EV spread and nature allows Archeops to hit as hard as possible physically and specially. Defense/Special Defense aren't needed, seeing as Archeops isn't going to be taking hits well anyways. The EV's also make sure Archeops doesn't take maximum SR damage
• No item ensures maximum power on Acrobatics, which is very important as Acro+Item=a 55 Base Power move without a secondary effect.

Usage Tips
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• U-turn/Knock off can be used to scout or cripple switch-ins, so Archeops can be used to lure Pokemon and hit them hard with and remove their item or gain a free switch
• The two moves mentioned can also be used exclusively as support when Archeops reaches Defeatist range, as even if the damage is minimal the effect can help a lot.
• Removing rocks before switching in can help significantly
• When Defeatist range is hit, use Archeops as a late game cleaner

Team Options
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• Archeops pairs well with Pokemon that can remove SR for it. x2 Rocks damage can add up to a defeatist activation pretty fast, so before switching you probably want them gone

Choice
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name: Choice
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: U-turn/Switcheroo
ability: Defeatist
item: Choice Band/Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly/Adamant

Moves
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• Acrobatics is not used, as it wont be doing much at 55 BP
• Edgequake is standard coverage
• Knock Off from a choice band can hit hard
• U-turn on a Choice set is generally great, Band can use it to hit switch-ins hard before leaving and Scarf can use U-turn to scout.
• Switcheroo can be used over U-turn to free up Archeops and cripple walls

Set Details
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• Choice band gives archeops a ton of power, scarf lets it outspeed almost everything in the tier
• An Adamant nature can be used on the scarf for more power, but Jolly is generally better for outspeeding other Archeops

Usage Tips
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• When using switcheroo, make sure not to get a life orb
• U-turn can be used to scout

Team Options
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• Pokemon that appreciate u-turn
• Rapid spin support
• Special Pokemon

Specially Mixed
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name: Specially Mixed
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Focus Blast
ability: Defeatist
item: None
evs: 4 Atk/252 SpA/252 Spe
nature: Hasty/Naive

Moves
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• Archeops has no flying STAB so acro is used
• Heat Wave, Focus Blast, and Earth Power are all great coverage

Set Details
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• The EVs and Nature allow Archeops to hit hard and fast specially but let it use Acro effectively.
• No item is for the sake of Acro's power

Usage Tips
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• Special Archeops is a great wallbreaker, so when physical pokemon come in to wall hime hit them with special attacks

Team Options
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• Hazard removal

Stealth Rock
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name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Head Smash
move 4: Endeavor
ability: Defeatist
item: Focus Sash
evs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
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• Archeops's speed allows it to set up SR fast on turn 1, outspeeding most taunters such as Qwilfish and Pokemon with multi-hit moves that could break the Sash such as Crustle
• Fast Taunt allows Archeops to shut down leads that attempt to set up hazards or status turn 1
• Head Smash hits incredibly hard coming from Archeops and can be used to wear down bulkier leads such as Uxie
• Endeavor is a surprise, as it can bring Pokemon down to 1 HP if Sash has been activated and is not affected by the Defeatist drop

Set Details
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• The EVs and nature allow Archeops to set rocks and taunt as fast as it can
• The Focus Sash ensures no OHKOs, which almost guarantees Stealth Rock

Usage Tips
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• Setting rocks up early is key. A choice scarf user can outspeed and 2HKO, so if Archeops doesn't set rocks early it can risk getting KOd before it does.
• Optionally, taunting first turn can stop opponents' leads and allow for a free turn to set rocks on the switch.

Team Options
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• Spinblockers help lead Archeops a lot, as Archeops is a suicide lead and won't be around to set rocks back up.
• Lead Archeops fits well on HO

Other Options
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• Hone claws can be used as a boost in power (and accuracy for Stone Edge), however it is overall not worth it as finding a chance for Archeops to set up is slim as it can't take too many hits before Defeatist.
• Expert Belt can be used over Choice Band, allowing you to bluff the choice item or just get the power boost without having to lock Archeops into one move. However, the power drop can be significant.
• Archeops has a ton of moves it can use. Not all are good, but many can be used for coverage or just as options

Checks & Counters
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**Strong priority** Aqua jet, sucker punch, and ice shard go first and get archeops into defeatist range

**faster Pokemon** they can, outspeed and hit archeops hard enough to get it into defeatist range

 

[Blitz]

Imo I'd include a Lead set. Something like:

Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Head Smash
- Endeavor

For use in HO, it's pretty simple and straightforward. Set up rocks, and taunt leads such as Qwilfish and Uxie. Head Smash is powerful and rips apart leads like Accelgor and Vivillon; you can possibly slash another move with it. Endeavor is a key move that catches walls off-guard by weakening them severely once you're in Defeatist range, and definitely makes some sweeper's jobs easier.

 

[Leer]

Imo I'd include a Lead set. Something like:

Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Head Smash
- Endeavor

For use in HO, it's pretty simple and straightforward. Set up rocks, and taunt leads such as Qwilfish and Uxie. Head Smash is powerful and rips apart leads like Accelgor and Vivillon; you can possibly slash another move with it. Endeavor is a key move that catches walls off-guard by weakening them severely once you're in Defeatist range, and definitely makes some sweeper's jobs easier.

I was going to include a lead set later, but thanks for an actual set to C/P, I'll edit it in later
Editing to say that I wasnt being sarcastic because it may have sounded that way

 

[Leer]

Finishing the skeleton later today Monday and I'm for real this time

 

[Leer]

Ready for QC

 

[FrankSteel]

Would Stone Edge be worth a slash on the lead set, as head smash breaks your sash, it's a huge drop in power, but it can give you an extra turn alive in some cases? I'm not sure, just throwing my 2 cents in.

 

[Blast]

Tbh I think this analysis needs a complete overhaul setwise Leer

I've never used specially based mixed, but it doesn't seem that great to me. It loses a ton of power on its main STAB and physical Archeops doesn't miss that many KOes on the switch (after an Acro). I'd appreciate some more input on this though since again, I've never used it, so if anyone has experience with it feel free to post

I'm not sold on Choice sets either. I just feel they detract from its wallbreaking capabilities so much because it doesn't let it use Acro + locks it into a move, even with the extra power from Band, since one of the main things that makes it scary is its sheer movepool and Choice sets just can't exploit that as well.

I think the physically mixed set should look something like: Acro | SE | EP | Heat Wave. I never really liked U-turn on mixed Cheops since I always considered it more of a filler option and coverage on Ferroseed is pretty important. Knock Off might be worth slashing somewhere though too. HP Grass should also be mentioned in Moves for Toad and Rhydon.

Lastly there should probably be a Taunt + Roost set added. I don't have much experience with it personally, but I know Brawlfest and Soulgazer have used it to good success (see here) so they can give you some good advice on that most likely :]

 

[soulgazer]

I will most likely post more about this later as I am feeling sleepy, but the sets should be

taunt roost. Acrobatics Earthquake Taunt Roost is really nice against Balance. Both Adamant and Jolly works really well; Jolly for Speed, while Adamant Acrobatics 2HKO Physically Defensive Seismitoad, Rotom-S/F with SR, etc.. resists arent safe. Also hurts stuff with EQ more with Adamant. I like Taunt Roost as Audino is pmuch a free switch-in, and Archeops can easily shut it down and 2HKO stuff. It doesn't fully 6-0 stall though, but Archeops is annoying for stall. Also can prevent entry hazards and stuff.

physically based mix. Stone Edge | Earthquake/Earth Power | Hidden Power Grass | Roost with Life Orb is what I run as Special moves are quite weak without Life Orb, and it doesn't really mind not having Acrobatic.

lead

choice band/scarf are bad. lead is also honestly really bad in this meta as its kind of a waste of a teamslot in my opinion, but eh.

 

[Leer]

Tbh I think this analysis needs a complete overhaul setwise Leer

I've never used specially based mixed, but it doesn't seem that great to me. It loses a ton of power on its main STAB and physical Archeops doesn't miss that many KOes on the switch (after an Acro). I'd appreciate some more input on this though since again, I've never used it, so if anyone has experience with it feel free to post

I'm not sold on Choice sets either. I just feel they detract from its wallbreaking capabilities so much because it doesn't let it use Acro + locks it into a move, even with the extra power from Band, since one of the main things that makes it scary is its sheer movepool and Choice sets just can't exploit that as well.

I think the physically mixed set should look something like: Acro | SE | EP | Heat Wave. I never really liked U-turn on mixed Cheops since I always considered it more of a filler option and coverage on Ferroseed is pretty important. Knock Off might be worth slashing somewhere though too. HP Grass should also be mentioned in Moves for Toad and Rhydon.

Lastly there should probably be a Taunt + Roost set added. I don't have much experience with it personally, but I know Brawlfest and Soulgazer have used it to good success (see here) so they can give you some good advice on that most likely :]

Alright thanks, this was written a little bit ago and I didn't get to many suggestions or anything. I'll update it now with some of the suggestions you posted+explain some things tomorrow morning

 

[Ares]

I used scarf way back in the day on one of my first teams and I quite liked it, of course this was still when there was Durant, Doublade, and Virizion in the tier. At the time I needed a fast flying type or levitate that learned uturn and archeops fit that quite nicely. I think I had something like uturn/eq/stone miss/ and pluck or switcheroo. Unfortunately pluck is the best option when running a choice item and a flying move was needed for Virizion.

Pretty much I'm saying scarf gets some nice things, has edge quake for moves, has uturn for momentum, has switcheroo for crippling walls, and on a lesser note is also immune to sticky web. Have not played with it in a long time, and have no idea how it plays in the current meta, but from what I remember it wasn't half bad.

So a bit of theory-moning here, scarf archeops outspeeds all swift swim abusers (unless there is one faster than kabutops). Having scarf archeops could be a pretty good stop to rain. Pluck kills ludi with rocks up and eq kills Kabutops. Just something to think about for anyone testing it out.

 

[soulgazer]

Montsegur That only deserves a OO mention at best lol. Archeops is frail, hates priority (especially without Roost), and is kinda weak below 50% (again, without Roost,,). It is also gonna be locked into one move, which just makes Archeops so much easier for the opponent to handle it lol. It also has to use Pluck, and I don't think I need to explain why thats bad =/

Theorymonning might be cool, but I can't see Archeops using Choice Scarf or Band being worth it when its main selling point is that it can outspeed most of the tier already and can 2HKO or OHKO almost everything thanks to its stats and movepool without even needing an item.. and if it's using Life Orb (which is rly nice on mix btw), Stone Edge is gonna hurt.

 

[Leer]

This is above me tbh, giving it up

just kidding! im not

 

[Ares]

Leer this needs to be gone through and stuff needs to be added in, atm there are points where there is only one bullet point under sections. I would suggest rereading through the entire thing and updating things accordingly. Please reply back when this has been updated.

Edit: talked with Leer and he said he will be testing out Archeops in the current meta more thoroughly, he will reply when he is done.

 

[Raseri]

dropped