Endorfins
Your Worst Nightmare
[Overview]
<p>Charles Darwin's theory of evolution states that only the strongest survive, and weaker species perish. However, Archeops is an exception. Despite its prehistoric status, Archeops boasts offensive stats that outdo even new age technologies such as Klinklang. Archeops also has two amazing STABs to work with, which, in conjunction with powerful coverage moves, means that almost nothing can escape its wrath. Unfortunately, like many other lower tier powerhouses, Archeops was cursed with a terrible ability; Defeatist halves Archeops's damage output when its HP drops below 50%. Its extreme frailty and lack of resistances don't help either, as most attacks will be more than enough to leave Archeops cowering in fear. Although Archeops requires help from its teammates to stay optimistic, the power it wields is more than enough to make your enemies the ones feeling depressed.</p>
[SET]
name: Acrobatics
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake / Earth Power
move 4: U-turn / Head Smash
item: Flying Gem
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A STAB- and Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics coming off base 140 Attack destroys almost every Pokemon in RU. Only the bulkiest of Pokemon which resist it will be able to stomach Archeops's initial assault. Even after the Flying Gem has been consumed, Acrobatics packs a huge punch while having perfect accuracy, which makes it the most reliable attack on the set. Despite its disappointing accuracy, Stone Edge is still a valuable move on this set as it smashes through the common Fire- and Flying-types of the tier. Earthquake completes the EdgeQuake combination alongside Stone Edge, scoring a super effective hit on Rock- and Steel-types such as Omastar and Klinklang. However, Earth Power can be used instead to 2HKO Qwilfish and Steelix after one layer of Spikes, both of which can normally switch into Archeops with relative impunity. Archeops's excellent Special Attack stat means that Earth Power is still strong enough to decimate Electric- and Poison-types; in addition, Earth Power hits most Rock-types on their weaker Special Defense stats. U-turn lets Archeops scout for switch-ins and ensures that it doesn't waste its Flying Gem on a death fodder or a Pokemon which resists Flying-type attacks; it also gives Archeops favorable match-ups against its checks and counters, while dealing respectable damage thanks to Archeops's sky-high Attack stat. However, Head Smash is an option instead of U-turn as it is Archeops's most powerful move on the set. With it, Archeops can hit like a nuke, but it unfortunately comes with the side effect of recoil that will quickly lower Archeops into Defeatist range.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Instead of using a Flying Gem, Archeops can use a Rock Gem if you find that you need the extra power on Stone Edge or Head Smash. Head Smash can also be used over Stone Edge as the only Rock-type STAB move; not only is it much more powerful, but when Defeatist activates it allows Archeops to remove its own remaining health due to recoil, while still packing a punch. However, Head Smash should only be used sparingly in this manner, as the recoil damage quickly cuts Archeops's health. When boosted by STAB and a Rock Gem, Head Smash has obscene power, outdamaging Aggron's Choice Band Head Smash and Moltres's Life Orb Fire Blast. However, it leaves Acrobatics with a pathetic 55 Base Power until the Gem has been used, which could potentially leave Archeops in a tight position against Pokemon such as Tangrowth. Because Archeops's biggest counters are Steelix and Qwilfish, Archeops can act as an excellent lure with its underrated special movepool. With Earth Power and a Naive nature, Archeops can easily 2HKO unsuspecting Qwilfish, while Steelix also falls after a layer of entry hazards. Ferroseed and Steelix are also 2HKOed by Focus Blast. This can pave the way for other sweepers such as Klinklang that appreciate the removal of these walls.</p>
<p>In order to facilitate Archeops's sweep and help it obtain more KOs, such as the aforementioned KO on Steelix, entry hazards on the opponent's side are very useful; Accelgor and Sandslash can set up Spikes and Stealth Rock, respectively. Rapid Spin support is mandatory when using Archeops, as after just three switches into Stealth Rock, Archeops will be reduced to only a shadow of its former self. Kabutops, Sandslash, and Hitmonchan are all reliable spinners that can support Archeops. Wish and Healing Wish support is also amazing for Archeops as it can keep its health over 50%, allowing it to be useful even after it goes into Defeatist range. Clefable and Gardevoir are both viable options for this role, with the former also being able to cure unwanted status effects with Heal Bell. Archeops is incredibly vulnerable to priority, so a Pokemon such as Cofagrigus is a good partner, as it can take Mach Punches and Aqua Jets aimed at Archeops. It also has the ability to spread around Mummy and potentially get it onto Archeops, which will negate its Defeatist ability.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Archeops's stat spread makes a Choice item a perfect fit. Thanks to its high Attack and Speed stats, Archeops can wear either a Choice Scarf or a Choice Band depending on your team's needs. With a Choice Scarf equipped, Archeops becomes a terrifying revenge killer, outspeeding every unboosted Pokemon in the tier and almost all other Choice Scarf users. However, with a Choice Band, Archeops becomes a lethal wallbreaker, being able to batter its way past Pokemon such as Cofagrigus and Tangrowth. Stone Edge is the main STAB move, having a reliable damage output and no drawbacks aside from its imperfect accuracy; Head Smash, on the other hand, is a more suicidal move that inflicts devastating recoil on Archeops. However, it can be very useful if you need extra power to break through certain walls or guarantee KOs, often at the cost of Archeops's usefulness later on. U-turn is a great move on any Choice user as it garners momentum and scouts for the opponent's reaction to Archeops's threatening presence. With it, Archeops can escape from walls such as Steelix while simultaneously switching out to a more appropriate response. Even without STAB, it hits quite hard, especially against Pokemon that are weak to it. Earthquake completes the EdgeQuake combo, which provides almost perfect coverage in RU that is only resisted by the uncommon Torterra.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The first thing you might notice on this set is that Archeops lacks a Flying-type STAB move. Unfortunately, Archeops's normally strongest Flying-type attack—Acrobatics—has only 55 Base Power when Archeops is holding an item. Archeops's other STAB Flying-type moves all either have a drawback, such as Fly's charge turn, or lack sufficient power to be viable over Archeops's listed options, as is the case with Pluck and Aerial Ace. Focus Blast and Earth Power are both viable options once again; with them, Archeops can lure out and eliminate Qwilfish, Steelix, and Ferroseed, three of its greatest enemies.</p>
<p>Rapid Spin support is almost mandatory and even more important for this set, as it will be switching in and out often with U-turn. Sandslash has the best synergy with Archeops, as it can sponge Electric- and Rock-type attacks that trouble Archeops while also setting up Stealth Rock. Kabutops, Hitmonchan, and Cryogonal are also great spinners to partner with Archeops, having some synergy one way or the other. Wish support is also recommended to keep Archeops above Defeatist range. Clefable and Alomomola can both provide large Wishes that can heal Archeops almost fully. Healing Wish is also useful to completely heal Archeops and can potentially win you the game as few teams can handle two waves of Archeops's attacks. Archeops can be used in a VoltTurn core with other U-turn and Volt Switch users. Together, they can rack up residual damage and scout each other's counters. Rotom and Manectric are great teammates for this role. Priority moves such as Mach Punch, Sucker Punch, and Aqua Jet severely damage Archeops, so a bulky teammate such as Cofagrigus or Qwilfish can be useful to sponge those attacks; the latter can also set up Spikes, which can be very useful considering the number of switches which Archeops forces.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Archeops has a huge movepool to go with its great offensive stats; with access to Focus Blast, Earth Power, and AncientPower, Archeops can run a Choice Specs set to surprise its regular counters. However, it doesn't have any decent special STAB moves and has to rely on Hidden Power or the weak AncientPower. Hone Claws and Rock Polish are both great boosting moves that Archeops can utilize; however, its frailty hinders its ability to set up effectively as it can easily be bought down when trying to set up. Although Archeops loses much of its power when it activates Defeatist, it can still inflict quite a lot of damage with Endeavor when its HP runs low, and with Quick Attack in its movepool, it can potentially finish off opponents weakened by Endeavor. Other physical attacking options Archeops can run include Rock Slide, Crunch, Dragon Claw, Return, and even Thrash! Rock Side is usable instead of Stone Edge if you are paranoid about missing, but the power loss is noticeable and Archeops cannot afford to take hits. Crunch can also be handy if you want a way to dispose of bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types, particularly Slowking and Dusknoir; however, Stone Edge is only slightly weaker against those types after factoring STAB.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Despite the huge power that it wields, Archeops is definitely not unstoppable. The first step to countering Archeops should be to lower it into Defeatist range; Stealth Rock is the best option to do this, as after only three switch-ins, Archeops will become useless. As most Archeops are partnered with a Rapid Spin user, a strong Ghost-type is also a good idea. Steelix and Qwilfish have been mentioned numerous times as great checks to most Archeops variants; however, they must be wary of its special moves, as neither can stomach Earth Power, and Steelix also hates Focus Blast. Ferroseed is in the same boat, as it has little to fear from Archeops bar Focus Blast and a Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics. After the Flying Gem has been used up, the list of counters increases slightly; Quagsire and Cofagrigus can wall any Archeops that has already used its Gem and can take out Archeops with a STAB move or burn it with Will-O-Wisp. However, Cofagrigus users must be aware that it could potentially pass Mummy to Archeops, which negates Defeatist. Because Archeops's counters are so few and far between, the best option for most teams to shut down a rampaging Archeops is to revenge kill it; priority is the best for this, as few Pokemon can naturally outspeed Archeops. Mach Punch from Hitmonchan and Aqua Jet from Feraligatr can both send Archeops into Defeatist range and possibly KO after some residual damage. Fast Choice Scarf holders can also revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Archeops; Galvantula and Rotom can both dispose of Archeops with their STAB moves.</p>
<p>Charles Darwin's theory of evolution states that only the strongest survive, and weaker species perish. However, Archeops is an exception. Despite its prehistoric status, Archeops boasts offensive stats that outdo even new age technologies such as Klinklang. Archeops also has two amazing STABs to work with, which, in conjunction with powerful coverage moves, means that almost nothing can escape its wrath. Unfortunately, like many other lower tier powerhouses, Archeops was cursed with a terrible ability; Defeatist halves Archeops's damage output when its HP drops below 50%. Its extreme frailty and lack of resistances don't help either, as most attacks will be more than enough to leave Archeops cowering in fear. Although Archeops requires help from its teammates to stay optimistic, the power it wields is more than enough to make your enemies the ones feeling depressed.</p>
[SET]
name: Acrobatics
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake / Earth Power
move 4: U-turn / Head Smash
item: Flying Gem
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A STAB- and Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics coming off base 140 Attack destroys almost every Pokemon in RU. Only the bulkiest of Pokemon which resist it will be able to stomach Archeops's initial assault. Even after the Flying Gem has been consumed, Acrobatics packs a huge punch while having perfect accuracy, which makes it the most reliable attack on the set. Despite its disappointing accuracy, Stone Edge is still a valuable move on this set as it smashes through the common Fire- and Flying-types of the tier. Earthquake completes the EdgeQuake combination alongside Stone Edge, scoring a super effective hit on Rock- and Steel-types such as Omastar and Klinklang. However, Earth Power can be used instead to 2HKO Qwilfish and Steelix after one layer of Spikes, both of which can normally switch into Archeops with relative impunity. Archeops's excellent Special Attack stat means that Earth Power is still strong enough to decimate Electric- and Poison-types; in addition, Earth Power hits most Rock-types on their weaker Special Defense stats. U-turn lets Archeops scout for switch-ins and ensures that it doesn't waste its Flying Gem on a death fodder or a Pokemon which resists Flying-type attacks; it also gives Archeops favorable match-ups against its checks and counters, while dealing respectable damage thanks to Archeops's sky-high Attack stat. However, Head Smash is an option instead of U-turn as it is Archeops's most powerful move on the set. With it, Archeops can hit like a nuke, but it unfortunately comes with the side effect of recoil that will quickly lower Archeops into Defeatist range.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Instead of using a Flying Gem, Archeops can use a Rock Gem if you find that you need the extra power on Stone Edge or Head Smash. Head Smash can also be used over Stone Edge as the only Rock-type STAB move; not only is it much more powerful, but when Defeatist activates it allows Archeops to remove its own remaining health due to recoil, while still packing a punch. However, Head Smash should only be used sparingly in this manner, as the recoil damage quickly cuts Archeops's health. When boosted by STAB and a Rock Gem, Head Smash has obscene power, outdamaging Aggron's Choice Band Head Smash and Moltres's Life Orb Fire Blast. However, it leaves Acrobatics with a pathetic 55 Base Power until the Gem has been used, which could potentially leave Archeops in a tight position against Pokemon such as Tangrowth. Because Archeops's biggest counters are Steelix and Qwilfish, Archeops can act as an excellent lure with its underrated special movepool. With Earth Power and a Naive nature, Archeops can easily 2HKO unsuspecting Qwilfish, while Steelix also falls after a layer of entry hazards. Ferroseed and Steelix are also 2HKOed by Focus Blast. This can pave the way for other sweepers such as Klinklang that appreciate the removal of these walls.</p>
<p>In order to facilitate Archeops's sweep and help it obtain more KOs, such as the aforementioned KO on Steelix, entry hazards on the opponent's side are very useful; Accelgor and Sandslash can set up Spikes and Stealth Rock, respectively. Rapid Spin support is mandatory when using Archeops, as after just three switches into Stealth Rock, Archeops will be reduced to only a shadow of its former self. Kabutops, Sandslash, and Hitmonchan are all reliable spinners that can support Archeops. Wish and Healing Wish support is also amazing for Archeops as it can keep its health over 50%, allowing it to be useful even after it goes into Defeatist range. Clefable and Gardevoir are both viable options for this role, with the former also being able to cure unwanted status effects with Heal Bell. Archeops is incredibly vulnerable to priority, so a Pokemon such as Cofagrigus is a good partner, as it can take Mach Punches and Aqua Jets aimed at Archeops. It also has the ability to spread around Mummy and potentially get it onto Archeops, which will negate its Defeatist ability.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Band
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Archeops's stat spread makes a Choice item a perfect fit. Thanks to its high Attack and Speed stats, Archeops can wear either a Choice Scarf or a Choice Band depending on your team's needs. With a Choice Scarf equipped, Archeops becomes a terrifying revenge killer, outspeeding every unboosted Pokemon in the tier and almost all other Choice Scarf users. However, with a Choice Band, Archeops becomes a lethal wallbreaker, being able to batter its way past Pokemon such as Cofagrigus and Tangrowth. Stone Edge is the main STAB move, having a reliable damage output and no drawbacks aside from its imperfect accuracy; Head Smash, on the other hand, is a more suicidal move that inflicts devastating recoil on Archeops. However, it can be very useful if you need extra power to break through certain walls or guarantee KOs, often at the cost of Archeops's usefulness later on. U-turn is a great move on any Choice user as it garners momentum and scouts for the opponent's reaction to Archeops's threatening presence. With it, Archeops can escape from walls such as Steelix while simultaneously switching out to a more appropriate response. Even without STAB, it hits quite hard, especially against Pokemon that are weak to it. Earthquake completes the EdgeQuake combo, which provides almost perfect coverage in RU that is only resisted by the uncommon Torterra.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The first thing you might notice on this set is that Archeops lacks a Flying-type STAB move. Unfortunately, Archeops's normally strongest Flying-type attack—Acrobatics—has only 55 Base Power when Archeops is holding an item. Archeops's other STAB Flying-type moves all either have a drawback, such as Fly's charge turn, or lack sufficient power to be viable over Archeops's listed options, as is the case with Pluck and Aerial Ace. Focus Blast and Earth Power are both viable options once again; with them, Archeops can lure out and eliminate Qwilfish, Steelix, and Ferroseed, three of its greatest enemies.</p>
<p>Rapid Spin support is almost mandatory and even more important for this set, as it will be switching in and out often with U-turn. Sandslash has the best synergy with Archeops, as it can sponge Electric- and Rock-type attacks that trouble Archeops while also setting up Stealth Rock. Kabutops, Hitmonchan, and Cryogonal are also great spinners to partner with Archeops, having some synergy one way or the other. Wish support is also recommended to keep Archeops above Defeatist range. Clefable and Alomomola can both provide large Wishes that can heal Archeops almost fully. Healing Wish is also useful to completely heal Archeops and can potentially win you the game as few teams can handle two waves of Archeops's attacks. Archeops can be used in a VoltTurn core with other U-turn and Volt Switch users. Together, they can rack up residual damage and scout each other's counters. Rotom and Manectric are great teammates for this role. Priority moves such as Mach Punch, Sucker Punch, and Aqua Jet severely damage Archeops, so a bulky teammate such as Cofagrigus or Qwilfish can be useful to sponge those attacks; the latter can also set up Spikes, which can be very useful considering the number of switches which Archeops forces.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Archeops has a huge movepool to go with its great offensive stats; with access to Focus Blast, Earth Power, and AncientPower, Archeops can run a Choice Specs set to surprise its regular counters. However, it doesn't have any decent special STAB moves and has to rely on Hidden Power or the weak AncientPower. Hone Claws and Rock Polish are both great boosting moves that Archeops can utilize; however, its frailty hinders its ability to set up effectively as it can easily be bought down when trying to set up. Although Archeops loses much of its power when it activates Defeatist, it can still inflict quite a lot of damage with Endeavor when its HP runs low, and with Quick Attack in its movepool, it can potentially finish off opponents weakened by Endeavor. Other physical attacking options Archeops can run include Rock Slide, Crunch, Dragon Claw, Return, and even Thrash! Rock Side is usable instead of Stone Edge if you are paranoid about missing, but the power loss is noticeable and Archeops cannot afford to take hits. Crunch can also be handy if you want a way to dispose of bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types, particularly Slowking and Dusknoir; however, Stone Edge is only slightly weaker against those types after factoring STAB.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Despite the huge power that it wields, Archeops is definitely not unstoppable. The first step to countering Archeops should be to lower it into Defeatist range; Stealth Rock is the best option to do this, as after only three switch-ins, Archeops will become useless. As most Archeops are partnered with a Rapid Spin user, a strong Ghost-type is also a good idea. Steelix and Qwilfish have been mentioned numerous times as great checks to most Archeops variants; however, they must be wary of its special moves, as neither can stomach Earth Power, and Steelix also hates Focus Blast. Ferroseed is in the same boat, as it has little to fear from Archeops bar Focus Blast and a Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics. After the Flying Gem has been used up, the list of counters increases slightly; Quagsire and Cofagrigus can wall any Archeops that has already used its Gem and can take out Archeops with a STAB move or burn it with Will-O-Wisp. However, Cofagrigus users must be aware that it could potentially pass Mummy to Archeops, which negates Defeatist. Because Archeops's counters are so few and far between, the best option for most teams to shut down a rampaging Archeops is to revenge kill it; priority is the best for this, as few Pokemon can naturally outspeed Archeops. Mach Punch from Hitmonchan and Aqua Jet from Feraligatr can both send Archeops into Defeatist range and possibly KO after some residual damage. Fast Choice Scarf holders can also revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Archeops; Galvantula and Rotom can both dispose of Archeops with their STAB moves.</p>