Deoxys-A (Update)

Iconic said:

[OVERVIEW]
<p>Fast, frail, and ferocious are all very appropriate words to that define Deoxys-A. With its incredible offenses and blistering speed, Deoxys-A is a top-tier lead in Ubers, as it is able to defeat virtually all other common leads in the tier through its attacks. In addition, with access to Stealth Rock, Deoxys-A can take a more supportive role in the lead position by setting up this crucial entry hazard for to aid its fellow teammates. Its ability to easily defeat Deoxys-S, who is by far and away the most common lead in Ubers, is a testament to how well it thrives in this position. Not only this, but Deoxys-A is also a monster of a sweeper; virtually everything in the game is OHKOed or 2HKOed by its attacks. Although it has paper-thin defenses, its sheer power more than makes up for this setback, making Deoxys-A a ferocious threat every team best should prepare for.</p>

[SET]
name: Attacking Lead
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Extremespeed
move 3: Grass Knot / Ice Beam
move 4: Superpower
item: Focus Sash
nature: Naive
evs: 220 Atk / 36 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although it's often neglected for the speedier Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A's rare combination of pace and power make it one of the most threatening anti-leads in the Uber tier. The beauty of this set is that it has the ability to deal with both bulky and suicide leads, a quality most other leads would die for. With immense attacking stats across the board, as well as priority in the form of Extremespeed, Deoxys-A can come out on top against common leads including, but not limited to, Deoxys-S, Groudon, Kyogre, Mew, and Dialga.</p>

<p>One of Deoxys-A's most alluring attributes is its ability to swiftly eliminate opposing Deoxys-S leads, as Shadow Ball followed by Extremespeed will always net the KO against 252 HP variants. Thanks to Extremespeed's priority, Deoxys-S will only be able to set up one layer of entry hazards, or none if it chooses to attack or Taunt instead. Grass Knot is Deoxys-A's preferred third attack, as it will 2HKO both Groudon and Kyogre, two of the most common bulky leads in Ubers. However, if one is concerned with lead Rayquaza is a concern, Ice Beam is a worthwhile alternative. Keep in mind that although utilizing Ice Beam maintains the 2HKO on Groudon, Deoxys-A will have no means of damaging threatening Kyogre. Superpower takes advantage of Deoxys-A's balanced offensive stats, keeping lead Dialga at bay, as well as nailing any Blissey bold enough to switch in. The listed attacks give Deoxys-A the best combination of moves to deal with common leads, but opting for a Fire-type move is a worthy consideration. Either Fire Punch or Hidden Power Fire are great ways is a great way of dealing with the omnipresent Steel-types in Ubers, especially Forretress and Scizor. If Hidden Power Fire is used, especially over Superpower, a Rash nature and 252 Special Attack EVs are recommended, as Hidden Power Fire's imperfect Speed IV makes running max Speed unnecessary.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Although the EVs may look strange on paper, they are tailored to ensure that Deoxys-A achieves important OHKOes and 2HKOes. Max Speed is necessary to force the tie against opposing Deoxys-A leads and outpacing to outpace any non-Scarf Pokemon besides Deoxys-S. The reason for the focus on Attack is that even with the minute Special Attack investment, Deoxys-A still gets all the KOes it needs. Lead Groudon and Kyogre are both 2HKOed by Grass Knot, while Mew and Giratina-O are also on average 2HKOed by Shadow Ball on average. Thanks to this, Deoxys-A can afford to pump most of its EVs into Attack. This The Attack EVs ensure that 4 HP / 252 Def Calm Blissey, the standard in Ubers, is always OHKOed by Superpower. While it may seem excessive, keep in mind that this allows Deoxys-A to perform its wall-breaking duties, and that Blissey is often hasty when switching into Deoxys-A. In addition, not only does Superpower OHKO Darkrai, but it always 2HKOes Dialga even when after factoring in the Attack drop.</p>

<p>Despite Deoxys-A's attacking prowess, there are still numerous leads and Pokmeon other Pokemon that give it trouble. Forretress and Scizor are among the biggest threats, as they take little damage from anything Deoxys-A throws at them besides the rare Fire-type move. In turn return, Forretress can freely set up entry hazards, while Scizor can threaten with an array of powerful attacks. Although Giratina-O is 2HKOed by Shadow Ball, it is immune to Extremespeed, meaning it can 2HKO Deoxys-A first with Shadow Sneak. Lead Giratina fall into a similar category, although they're even more threatening since they are only 3HKOed by Shadow Ball. If Deoxys-A is not using Ice Beam, Rayquaza will become a large threat, and conversely, any Deoxys-A lacking Grass Knot is walled by Kyogre. Focus Sash Tyranitar will emerge victorious as long as it attacks first turn, as Sandsteam Sandstorm will negate Deoxys-A's Focus Sash while keeping Tyranitar's in tact intact.</p>

<p>For these reasons, A support Dialga is a fantastic partner for Deoxys-A; it resists all common priority moves in Ubers, attacks which bypass Deoxys-A's excellent Speed and exploit its terrible defenses, while also being able to set up Stealth Rock. It can also roast any Forretress or Scizor with Flamethrower and nail Giratina-O or Giratina with Draco Meteor. Although risky, Dialga can survive a Life Orb Rayquaza's Draco Meteor and OHKO it in the process. It can also fair fare nicely against Kyogre, thanks to its handy resistance to Surf, and can dispatch the enormous whale with an appropriate attack. Although Scarf Dialga is an option to give more insurance against Lead Rayquaza, revenge killing is required to do so, and another Stealth Rock user would be required. Although slapping a Choice Scarf on Dialga is a valid option to deal with Lead Rayquaza, it would only be able to do so through revenge killing, and also would not be able to set up Stealth Rock. Support Groudon is a decent option to pair Deoxys-A with, especially if one chooses to use Scarf Dialga is chosen for your team. Groudon can set up Stealth Rock to help other sweepers, while being able to paralyze or attack Pokemon that are problematic for Deoxys-A. Since Deoxys-A excels at eliminating Deoxys-S, the premier Spiker in the tier, Pokemon who benefit from limited entry hazards make good partners. Kyogre, especially Water Spout variants, deserve special mention, Kyogre in particular gets mention, especially Water Spout variants, as continually switching into Spikes quickly weakens its power. Other Choiced Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Palkia and Choice Band Scizor, also make good partners since they have no form of recovery and tend to switch in around often.</p>

[SET]
name: Stealth Rock Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Signal Beam
move 3: Extremespeed
move 4: Grass Knot / Ice Beam
item: Focus Sash
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While similar to the Attacking Lead, this version of Deoxys-A aims to set up Stealth Rock early while also being able to deal with common leads. Deoxys-A is the second fastest Stealth Rock user in Ubers behind Deoxys-S, but unlike its slightly speedier counterpart, Deoxys-A can actually eliminate other leads thanks to its stellar offenses. Like the other lead set, opposing Deoxys-S, Groudon, Kyogre and Mew are easily dealt with, and thanks to its ability to lay down a swift Stealth Rock swiftly, Deoxys-A is an excellent choice for teams who want to set the offensive tempo early.</p>

<p>This Deoxys-A, unsurprisingly, plays very similarly to the Attacking Lead. Once again, the ubiquitous Deoxys-S leads are defeated by the combination of Signal Beam and Extremespeed. Speaking of which, Signal Beam is chosen over Shadow Ball here to OHKO Darkrai, who doesn't take much from anything else on this set due to the lack of Superpower. Signal Beam still nails Deoxys-S and Mew leads, and it's actually stronger than the Attacking Lead's Shadow Ball. The slight confusion rate can also be useful in a pinch, such as dodging and may save you from the odd Deoxys-E's Extremespeed. Grass Knot is now much more powerful, OHKOing most Groudon leads and always 2HKOing Kyogre, no matter what variant. Once again, Ice Beam is an option in order to hit Rayquaza instead of Kyogre.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>With the absence of Superpower, more Pokemon can switch in on Deoxys-A with near impunity, although Deoxys-A will almost always succeed in laying down Stealth Rock, which is after all the whole purpose of this set. Dialga resists all attacks bar Ice Beam, and doesn't even take much from it even that fails to dent it. In turn return, Dialga can set up its own Stealth Rock and easily eliminate Deoxys-A. Blissey can also switch in with virtually nothing to fear, thanks to the absence of without Superpower. Once again, Scizor and Forretress are problematic, while Giratina-O becomes even more of an issue without Shadow Ball. Depending on Deoxys-A's final attack, either Kyogre or Rayquaza will counter it. Scarf Dialga is a fantastic teammate due to its abilities to switch into and OHKO Scizor, Forretress, Giratina-O and Rayquaza, as long as it doesn’t come in on a STAB Dragon-type attack. As an offensively-oriented Pokemon, Dialga also loves having Stealth Rock set up. Rock Polish Groudon and Nasty Plot Darkrai are excellent partners, as Stealth Rock helps wear down their counters and both can easily set up and eliminate Blissey and Dialga. Even more so than the Attacking Lead, Kyogre can greatly benefit from being paired up with this version of Deoxys-A. Not only does it dispatch Deoxys-S with Signal Beam and Extremespeed to prevent Spikes from being set up, but Stealth Rock also ensures the 2HKO on Blissey from its Timid Choice Specs Water Spout, even when after factoring in Leftovers.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb Sweeper
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Thunder
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive / Rash
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

<p>This is hands down the best sweeping set for Deoxys-A. Once its few and specialized counters have been eliminated, Deoxys-A is a deadly sweeper during the late stages of a game. Life Orb is an item seemingly made for Deoxys-A; it greatly appreciates the extra power, but it’s the freedom to switch attacks that makes Deoxys-A such a frightening foe to face. Although Deoxys-A will require quite a bit of team support to successfully sweep, it’s a Pokemon that all teams best should be prepared for.</p>

<p>Along with the power and freedom to switch attacks, the coverage provided by the listed attacks makes Deoxys-A extremely difficult to switch into. Ice Beam scores super effective damage on a huge portion of the Ubers metagame, and Thunder provides great coverage in conjunction with Ice Beam, hitting everything for neutral damage bar the extremely rare Lanturn, Magnezone, and or Shedinja. Even with virtually no Attack investment, Superpower is still immensely powerful, OHKOing the standard Blissey thanks to the Life Orb boost. It also provides fantastic coverage with alongside Ice Beam and Thunder, nailing many bulky Pokemon such as Dialga super effectively. The last attack is up to very much in the air very much up to you, but Shadow Ball is the preference preferred for the ability to OHKO Mewtwo after Stealth Rock damage, while also nailing Mew and other Deoxys forms Formes. Hidden Power Fire is a worthwhile option for Scizor, Forretress and Jirachi, although they are already taking will already take huge damage from Life Orb Thunders. In addition, Hidden Power Fire can be discouraging an impediment because it requires an imperfect Speed IV as well as sun provided by Groudon Drought to be effective.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>There are two worthwhile EV spreads for this set. The first is the one listed, and is arguably the most effective. A Naive nature with 252 Speed EVs places Deoxys-A in an elite speed tier, outpacing everything up to and including +1 Adamant Rayquaza. It also, at worst, ties with opposing Deoxys and Deoxys-A, which could be the difference between getting fainted or pulling off a successful sweep in whether a not a successful sweep can be pulled off. Despite the focus on Speed, Deoxys-A still achieves most of the KOs it requires, as previously mentioned. However, a worthwhile alternative, especially when using Hidden Power Fire, is a Rash nature with a spread of 16 Atk / 252 SpA / 240 Spe. This allows Deoxys-A to hit 395 Speed, beating Timid Mewtwo by one point even when factoring the drop due to Hidden Power Fire's Speed IV. This leaves Deoxys-A at a very respectable Speed stat, while also granting far more power of on the Special side.</p>

<p>Life Orb Deoxys-A need a lot of support in order to function appropriately successfully, but given the right teammates, it can devastate teams. Due to its immense strength, there is no true counter to Deoxys-A. However, there are two types of Pokemon that do generally give Deoxys-A a hard time: Choice Scarf Pokemon and bulky Steel-types. The former can outpace and OHKO Deoxys-A with virtually anything due to its terrible defenses, while the latter can usually take a hit from anything other than Hidden Power Fire and faint Deoxys-A in the process afterwards. As such, Wobbuffet is an excellent support teammate for Deoxys-A. Wobbuffet can come in and kill almost any Choice Scarf user with either Counter or Mirror Coat; while it can also Encore a support move to give Deoxys-A a free switch in. Choice Scarf Magnezone with Hidden Power Fire can be a worthwhile partner for Deoxys-A to ensure that Steels are not a problem. Thanks to Magnet Pull, Steel-types like Forretress and Scizor will be unable to switch, making them easy targets sitting ducks for Magnezone. On top of this, fewer Pokemon in Ubers run Shed Shell since Magnezone is far less common than in standard play, making it both an effective and surprising tactic. Since most Pokemon are outpaced and 2HKOed at worst, smart switching and priority are two other effective means of beating Deoxys-A. Bringing in a counter that is normally 2HKOed by Deoxys-A on a resisted attack gives the counter an opportunity to survive the subsequent attack and retaliate. Common priority users like Scizor, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O can also survive any non-super effective attack and use their respective priority attacks to faint Deoxys-A. As such, mixed or specially-based Dialga pairs well with Life Orb Deoxys-A, as it can come in on resisted priority moves and deal with the problematic Pokemon. In addition, if Deoxys-A is able to lure and kill Blissey beforehand, it makes it much easier for Dialga to sweep.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Although Deoxys-A does not require much support as a lead, there are a few Pokemon that can help in disadvantageous cases of undesirable match-ups. As mentioned throughout this analysis, Dialga is one of the very best partners for Deoxys-A. It can set up Stealth Rock for the Attacking Lead while also dealing with Scizor, Forretress and Giratina-O. Scarf Dialga pairs especially well with the Stealth Rock Lead, dealing with the same aforementioned problematic Pokemon, while also taking advantage of Deoxys-A's ability to lay down this crucial entry hazard. Groudon falls into a similar category, and like Dialga, it can deal with troublesome Pokemon and set up Stealth Rock at the same time. Deoxys-A can also support the team by eliminating common leads, setting the pace for offensively-oriented Pokemon. Choice Specs Kyogre is a fantastic partner for Deoxys-A, taking advantage of Deoxys-A's ability to eliminate Deoxys-S leads to keep its HP and Water Spout's power at a high level. Choice Band Scizor and Choice Scarf Palkia are other examples of Pokemon that appreciate the absence of Spikes on their side of the field, and can help maintain or steal offensive momentum with U-turn and revenge killing, respectively.</p>

<p>Deoxys-A can be a monster in the right hands, but it requires good team support to handle otherwise troublesome Pokemon its various set counters. Life Orb variants absolutely love entry hazards to wear down its counters. Stealth Rock is especially helpful in handling Ho-Oh, a common switch-in to Life Orb Deoxys-A. Other Pokemon like Mewtwo can be taken down by Life Orb Deoxys-A with after Stealth Rock, while Spikes can help wear down the likes of Forretress into KO range for Thunder. Although the premier Spiker in Ubers, Deoxys-S, can’t be paired up with Deoxys-A due to Species Clause, offensive spikestackers like Qwilfish or Froslass can make good alternatives. They're guaranteed to get at least two layers of Spikes against bulky leads while also being able to defeat faster leads such as, you guessed it, Deoxys-S. Groudon or Dialga can also be a useful partner, as they can immobilize fast Choice Scarf leads that could revenge kill Deoxys-A with Thunder Wave, as well as set up Stealth Rock. Mixed Dialga pairs especially well with sweeping versions of Deoxys-A, as they synergize well defensively and offensively. Dialga can come in on common priority attacks aimed at Deoxys-A, while they and each can help punch holes in the opposing team to allow the other to sweep.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>Other than a Fire-type attack in the form of Hidden Power Fire or Fire Punch, there are only a few other optional changes for Deoxys-A to consider. Either a Choice Specs or Choice Band set can be used to deal huge damage to switch-ins, although offensive Deoxys-A's strong suit is its ability to deal super-effective damage by switching attacks, which is why Life Orb is more ideal. Giving Deoxys-A a Choice Scarf to outpace virtually anything may seem like a fun idea, but it is already fast enough, and it is still easily bypassed by priority moves. Plus, as an offensive Pokemon, Deoxys-A doesn't need anymore Speed than it already has. A Substitute a and Petaya Berry set with Ice Beam, Thunder and Superpower is an option, although it requires that there are no entry hazards and that damaging weather conditions (Sandstorm and Hail) are not present. While Deoxys-A has access to Calm Mind, it can't take full advantage of the move due to its poor defenses, and will be hard-pressed to find a time chance to set up in the first place.</p>

[Counters]
<p>Deoxys-A must be beaten by prediction and smart switch ins into resistances resistance to attacks, as there is no pure "Deoxys-A counter"; everything is OHKOed or 2HKOed by its attacks. Certain things deserve mention, though, and they are as follows.

<p>In the sun, Ho-Oh is probably the best Deoxys-A counter. Thunder only has a 50% chance of hitting when the sun is present, and Ho-Oh's stellar Special Defense lets it shrug off nearly anything Deoxys-A can throw at it. Any Deoxys-A lacking a Fire-type move is immediately threatened by Scizor, who can either Pursuit or Bullet Punch. It's fellow Bug/Steel-type, Forretress, is also quite problematic if Deoxys-A does not have Hidden Power Fire or Fire Punch. However, both are 2HKOed by a Life Orb Thunder, so hastily switching them in is not advised. Other bulky Steel-types like Metagross and Jirachi can also deal with Deoxys-A by coming in on a resisted attack and can threaten to OHKO with Meteor Mash and Iron Head, respectively. Due to Deoxys-A's high Speed and weak defenses, priority moves are excellent ways of dealing with it. In addition to Scizor, common priority users include Rayquaza, who often packs Extremespeed, and Giratina-O, who usually runs Shadow Sneak.</p>

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