[OVERVIEW]
Fairy Arceus has an incredible offensive and defensive typing that threatens many common Pokemon. It can easily take on common metagame picks such as Yveltal, Dragon Arceus, and Giratina while being the closest thing to a counter to Mega Rayquaza. Fairy Arceus has an incredible movepool that includes recovery, status, hazard removal, and amazing coverage to go along with its excellent stats. It can power through teams with Calm Mind, can reliably set up Stealth Rock by forcing out Pokemon that have Magic Bounce, and functions as an excellent glue that can fit on nearly every team. While Fairy has few weaknesses, it also has few resistances, making it hard to find opportunities to freely switch in. Furthermore, Fairy Arceus often has difficulty harming common Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, Steel Arceus, and Primal Kyogre along with having a crippling weakness to Mega Gengar.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp / Roar
move 4: Defog / Stealth Rock / Roar
item: Pixie Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Judgment is Fairy Arceus's only STAB move, coming in at an impressive 120 Base Power after the boost from Pixie Plate. Recover is necessary to keep Fairy Arceus healthy throughout the match, allowing it to maintain the bulk it needs to check certain Pokemon. Toxic hits Ho-Oh, Lugia, and support Arceus while making Fairy Arceus harder to switch in on; it puts opposing Pokemon on a timer and removes Lum Berries, at the cost of worsening Fairy Arceus's matchup versus Steel- and Poison-types. Will-O-Wisp allows Fairy Arceus to safely take on offensive Arceus formes and other physical setup sweepers, but it comes with a worse matchup against stall and Fire-types. Roar forces the opponent's Pokemon out, removing boosts and racking up chip damage should entry hazards be up. Defog removes hazards for the rest of the team, allowing for more and easier switching. Stealth Rock allows Fairy Arceus to punish switching by getting chip damage, pairing up very well with Roar.
Set Details
========
The 16 Speed EVs let Fairy Arceus outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh as well as anything slower, such as bulky Primal Groudon or Geomancy Xerneas before boosting. The remaining EVs let Fairy Arceus be as physically bulky as possible. Defense investment is used over Special Defense because Anything Goes is full of powerful physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
Early on in the game, Fairy Arceus should be spamming its status moves to cripple switch-ins for teammates. Fairy Arceus functions as a good anti-lead as well due to its excellent hazard removal and bulk. Until Mega Rayquaza is knocked out, Fairy Arceus should be kept as healthy as possible to check it. If your opponent has a Mega Gengar, aggressively double switch because Fairy Arceus is easily trapped and KOed by a super effective Sludge Wave. Fairy Arceus is a great switch-in for common Pokemon such as Yveltal, Mega Diancie, and Mega Mewtwo X. Defog should be used whenever the hazards on the field harm your team more than your opponent's team, particularly if hazards are only on your side or you are playing against a Spikes-stacking team. Stealth Rock should be set up as early as possible to break Focus Sashes and punish any switching throughout the match. If it is removed, reapply it at the next opportunity.
Team Options
========
Fairy Arceus partners well with Rock Arceus and Zekrom, as they can take on Ho-Oh without much trouble. Bulky Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Skarmory are also excellent teammates because they are able to defeat any setup sweepers that attempt to boost on Fairy Arceus. Physically bulky Pokemon such as Water Arceus and Lugia pair well with Fairy Arceus due to their ability to take on Primal Groudon, a common Fairy Arceus check. Fairy Arceus is one of the most reliable hazard removers in the tier, so Pokemon that need hazards gone, like Ho-Oh and Mega Rayquaza, have great synergy with Fairy Arceus. Should you decide to run Stealth Rock instead, Pokemon that want hazards up on the opponent's side in order to sweep, such as Darkrai and Xerneas, are great teammates. Pokemon that can take on Poison and Steel Arceus, such as Primal Groudon, Ground Arceus, and Klefki, are useful as well. However, Fairy Arceus is largely a self-sufficient Pokemon and one that can function as a glue for teams requiring its support.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Recover
move 4: Earth Power
item: Pixie Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 184 Def / 72 HP / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Judgment is Fairy Arceus's most powerful STAB move, getting further boosted by Pixie Plate and any Special Attack boosts that Fairy Arceus might acquire. Calm Mind allows Fairy Arceus to power through its checks and sweep while allowing it to take on opposing special attackers more easily; it also allows Fairy Arceus to power through most balanced and stall teams with just a few boosts. Recover allows Fairy Arceus to maintain its health while setting up, most notably letting it set up without consequence on Pokemon too weak to seriously harm it. Earth Power breaks past the Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-types that wall Fairy Arceus, only notably missing out on Ho-Oh.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Fairy Arceus to Speed tie with opposing variants of Arceus and outspeed many common threats such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Diancie. 184 Defense EVs and 72 HP EVs allow Fairy Arceus to nearly always survive a Dragon Ascent from a +1 Adamant Mega Rayquaza after Stealth Rock while maintaining respectable mixed bulk. Fairy Arceus can boost its Special Attack and Special Defense stats, making investing in them largely unneeded.
Usage Tips
======
Try to reveal as little as possible about Fairy Arceus's set in order to make the opponent believe that it is a defensive set, potentially allowing you to get two turns of setup before they bring in their answer. Once its checks have been sufficiently weakened so that they can be defeated after a Calm Mind boost, bring Fairy Arceus in on something it forces out and begin boosting. Some good Pokemon for Fairy Arceus to set up against are passive Pokemon such as Dragon Tail Giratina, Mega Sableye, and attackers such as Yveltal and Mega Mewtwo X, since they deal very little damage to it. Other relatively weak special support Pokemon such as Mega Diancie are also good setup fodder for Calm Mind Fairy Arceus. Once Fairy Arceus gets going, it is very difficult to stop, but not impossible. Don't sacrifice it against Pokemon it cannot KO such as Ho-Oh just because you don't want to lose the boosts; unlike Geomancy Xerneas, it can set up more than once. Avoid Toxic if possible; burn and paralysis let Fairy Arceus defeat Darkrai more easily, but being badly poisoned stops it from sweeping. Keeping Earth Power unrevealed can be nice to take advantage of the opponent's confidence in their Fairy-resistant Pokemon, but don't avoid using it when it is appropriate to just because you don't want them to find out.
Team Options
========
Magic Bounce Pokemon like Mega Diancie take on Klefki, a major headache for this set; they also make the opponent think twice about using Toxic. Skarmory is able to take priority attacks for Fairy Arceus when it is low on HP, as well as damaging attackers with Rocky Helmet and forcing out attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Choice Scarf Genesect. Other Steel-type counters such as Primal Groudon, Ground Arceus, Ho-Oh, and Primal Kyogre are nice to take take Steel-type attacks and retaliate by breaking holes in the opponent's team. Poison-type counters such as the aforementioned Primal Groudon and Ground Arceus are also nice, especially considering their ability to check both Poison- and Steel-types.
Stealth Rock users are very beneficial partners to Fairy Arceus, as they are able to wear down Ho-Oh and break Lugia's Multiscale. Fairy Arceus and Xerneas are good teammates because they can break down each other's checks and counters; there are usually at most one or two Pokemon that resist Fairy on a team, so any chip damage can be the difference between being KOed while trying to sweep and knocking out the opposing Pokemon. Ho-Oh, for instance, only needs 20% chip damage before it is KOed by a Thunder from a +2 Xerneas. Rock Arceus and Zekrom are easily able to come in on any attack from Ho-Oh, barring a Choice Band-boosted Earthquake, and outspeed it and OHKO with their respective Judgment and Bolt Strike, making them excellent teammates. Water Arceus can do the same, but it misses out on the OHKO.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===================
Thunder Wave cripples sweepers by greatly lowering their Speed stat, but is usually inferior to either Will-O-Wisp or Toxic. Refresh can cure status and increase longevity but it is often niche due to its inability to remove confusion and sleep. Iron Defense can be an option on Calm Mind variants to beat physical attackers, but Fairy Arceus usually prefers coverage. Magic Coat bounces back hazards and status such as Darkrai's Dark Void, but using it requires careful prediction.
Perish Song is great to beat Baton Pass teams with an Ingrain user, but it has little other utility. Thunder is also a coverage option to beat Flying-types, especially Ho-Oh and Skarmory. Unlike Thunderbolt, Thunder deals more damage to super effective targets than Judgment does.
Stone Edge can be used to OHKO Ho-Oh from full HP, but that requires Fairy Arceus to go mixed with 144 Attack EVs. Flamethrower and Fire Blast are good tricks to smack around most unsuspecting Steel-types, but Fairy Arceus often has no moveslot to spare. Fully offensive Fairy Arceus is nice for the extra power, but the lack of bulk can often be annoying. Safeguard is a great move to block status for teammates and Fairy Arceus itself, but it must be used before the opponent launches the status, thus preventing it from being used to reliably take on Darkrai or Klefki.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types can switch into Fairy Arceus's STAB Judgment. Mega Scizor in particular is able to switch in on both Fairy Arceus’s STAB and coverage moves to deal heavy damage with Bullet Punch. Skarmory can also easily take any standard coverage hit and force Fairy Arceus out, while Steel Arceus doesn't really care about any attacks that Fairy Arceus uses. No Steel-type, however, appreciates Will-O-Wisp.
**Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon**: Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon are the most offensive Fairy Arceus switch-ins and can easily wall Arceus while dishing out severe damage. Ho-Oh's typing provides resistances to both Fairy Arceus's STAB move and its main coverage options, while Primal Groudon is able to boost to knock out Fairy Arceus or phaze it with Roar. Primal Groudon risks being worn down if it lacks Rest, however, and neither Primal Groudon nor Ho-Oh appreciates Toxic or the rarer coverage options.
**Lugia**: Lugia is a very solid Fairy Arceus counter that can wall both sets with ease, even after several boosts. It checks Fairy Arceus even after six Calm Minds and can phaze it, but this shouldn't be relied upon due to the commonality of Stealth Rock. While it is not crippling, Lugia also dislikes status, as burn and poison break the protection granted by Multiscale.
**Setup Sweepers**: If Fairy Arceus lacks Roar or if the opponent is down to their final Pokemon, it is setup bait for Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Lum Berry + Magic Coat Arceus, Geomancy Xerneas, and opposing Calm Mind Arceus formes.
**Primal Kyogre**: Due to its superior stats and rain-boosted STAB moves, Primal Kyogre will nearly always win versus Fairy Arceus. It dislikes status unless it runs Rest, but it still easily powers through unless Fairy Arceus has significant boosts.
**Mega Gengar**: A super effective Sludge Wave from Mega Gengar deals heavy damage, and its ability, Shadow Tag, prevents Fairy Arceus from being withdrawn. While a boosted Fairy Arceus can potentially defeat it, Mega Gengar must be carefully played around throughout the match.
**Poison Arceus**: While it greatly dislikes Will-O-Wisp and cannot take boosted Earth Powers, Poison Arceus easily switches in on Toxic or Judgment and powers through Fairy Arceus with its super effective STAB moves.
Fairy Arceus has an incredible offensive and defensive typing that threatens many common Pokemon. It can easily take on common metagame picks such as Yveltal, Dragon Arceus, and Giratina while being the closest thing to a counter to Mega Rayquaza. Fairy Arceus has an incredible movepool that includes recovery, status, hazard removal, and amazing coverage to go along with its excellent stats. It can power through teams with Calm Mind, can reliably set up Stealth Rock by forcing out Pokemon that have Magic Bounce, and functions as an excellent glue that can fit on nearly every team. While Fairy has few weaknesses, it also has few resistances, making it hard to find opportunities to freely switch in. Furthermore, Fairy Arceus often has difficulty harming common Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, Steel Arceus, and Primal Kyogre along with having a crippling weakness to Mega Gengar.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp / Roar
move 4: Defog / Stealth Rock / Roar
item: Pixie Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Judgment is Fairy Arceus's only STAB move, coming in at an impressive 120 Base Power after the boost from Pixie Plate. Recover is necessary to keep Fairy Arceus healthy throughout the match, allowing it to maintain the bulk it needs to check certain Pokemon. Toxic hits Ho-Oh, Lugia, and support Arceus while making Fairy Arceus harder to switch in on; it puts opposing Pokemon on a timer and removes Lum Berries, at the cost of worsening Fairy Arceus's matchup versus Steel- and Poison-types. Will-O-Wisp allows Fairy Arceus to safely take on offensive Arceus formes and other physical setup sweepers, but it comes with a worse matchup against stall and Fire-types. Roar forces the opponent's Pokemon out, removing boosts and racking up chip damage should entry hazards be up. Defog removes hazards for the rest of the team, allowing for more and easier switching. Stealth Rock allows Fairy Arceus to punish switching by getting chip damage, pairing up very well with Roar.
Set Details
========
The 16 Speed EVs let Fairy Arceus outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh as well as anything slower, such as bulky Primal Groudon or Geomancy Xerneas before boosting. The remaining EVs let Fairy Arceus be as physically bulky as possible. Defense investment is used over Special Defense because Anything Goes is full of powerful physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
Early on in the game, Fairy Arceus should be spamming its status moves to cripple switch-ins for teammates. Fairy Arceus functions as a good anti-lead as well due to its excellent hazard removal and bulk. Until Mega Rayquaza is knocked out, Fairy Arceus should be kept as healthy as possible to check it. If your opponent has a Mega Gengar, aggressively double switch because Fairy Arceus is easily trapped and KOed by a super effective Sludge Wave. Fairy Arceus is a great switch-in for common Pokemon such as Yveltal, Mega Diancie, and Mega Mewtwo X. Defog should be used whenever the hazards on the field harm your team more than your opponent's team, particularly if hazards are only on your side or you are playing against a Spikes-stacking team. Stealth Rock should be set up as early as possible to break Focus Sashes and punish any switching throughout the match. If it is removed, reapply it at the next opportunity.
Team Options
========
Fairy Arceus partners well with Rock Arceus and Zekrom, as they can take on Ho-Oh without much trouble. Bulky Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Skarmory are also excellent teammates because they are able to defeat any setup sweepers that attempt to boost on Fairy Arceus. Physically bulky Pokemon such as Water Arceus and Lugia pair well with Fairy Arceus due to their ability to take on Primal Groudon, a common Fairy Arceus check. Fairy Arceus is one of the most reliable hazard removers in the tier, so Pokemon that need hazards gone, like Ho-Oh and Mega Rayquaza, have great synergy with Fairy Arceus. Should you decide to run Stealth Rock instead, Pokemon that want hazards up on the opponent's side in order to sweep, such as Darkrai and Xerneas, are great teammates. Pokemon that can take on Poison and Steel Arceus, such as Primal Groudon, Ground Arceus, and Klefki, are useful as well. However, Fairy Arceus is largely a self-sufficient Pokemon and one that can function as a glue for teams requiring its support.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Recover
move 4: Earth Power
item: Pixie Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 184 Def / 72 HP / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Judgment is Fairy Arceus's most powerful STAB move, getting further boosted by Pixie Plate and any Special Attack boosts that Fairy Arceus might acquire. Calm Mind allows Fairy Arceus to power through its checks and sweep while allowing it to take on opposing special attackers more easily; it also allows Fairy Arceus to power through most balanced and stall teams with just a few boosts. Recover allows Fairy Arceus to maintain its health while setting up, most notably letting it set up without consequence on Pokemon too weak to seriously harm it. Earth Power breaks past the Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-types that wall Fairy Arceus, only notably missing out on Ho-Oh.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Fairy Arceus to Speed tie with opposing variants of Arceus and outspeed many common threats such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Diancie. 184 Defense EVs and 72 HP EVs allow Fairy Arceus to nearly always survive a Dragon Ascent from a +1 Adamant Mega Rayquaza after Stealth Rock while maintaining respectable mixed bulk. Fairy Arceus can boost its Special Attack and Special Defense stats, making investing in them largely unneeded.
Usage Tips
======
Try to reveal as little as possible about Fairy Arceus's set in order to make the opponent believe that it is a defensive set, potentially allowing you to get two turns of setup before they bring in their answer. Once its checks have been sufficiently weakened so that they can be defeated after a Calm Mind boost, bring Fairy Arceus in on something it forces out and begin boosting. Some good Pokemon for Fairy Arceus to set up against are passive Pokemon such as Dragon Tail Giratina, Mega Sableye, and attackers such as Yveltal and Mega Mewtwo X, since they deal very little damage to it. Other relatively weak special support Pokemon such as Mega Diancie are also good setup fodder for Calm Mind Fairy Arceus. Once Fairy Arceus gets going, it is very difficult to stop, but not impossible. Don't sacrifice it against Pokemon it cannot KO such as Ho-Oh just because you don't want to lose the boosts; unlike Geomancy Xerneas, it can set up more than once. Avoid Toxic if possible; burn and paralysis let Fairy Arceus defeat Darkrai more easily, but being badly poisoned stops it from sweeping. Keeping Earth Power unrevealed can be nice to take advantage of the opponent's confidence in their Fairy-resistant Pokemon, but don't avoid using it when it is appropriate to just because you don't want them to find out.
Team Options
========
Magic Bounce Pokemon like Mega Diancie take on Klefki, a major headache for this set; they also make the opponent think twice about using Toxic. Skarmory is able to take priority attacks for Fairy Arceus when it is low on HP, as well as damaging attackers with Rocky Helmet and forcing out attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Choice Scarf Genesect. Other Steel-type counters such as Primal Groudon, Ground Arceus, Ho-Oh, and Primal Kyogre are nice to take take Steel-type attacks and retaliate by breaking holes in the opponent's team. Poison-type counters such as the aforementioned Primal Groudon and Ground Arceus are also nice, especially considering their ability to check both Poison- and Steel-types.
Stealth Rock users are very beneficial partners to Fairy Arceus, as they are able to wear down Ho-Oh and break Lugia's Multiscale. Fairy Arceus and Xerneas are good teammates because they can break down each other's checks and counters; there are usually at most one or two Pokemon that resist Fairy on a team, so any chip damage can be the difference between being KOed while trying to sweep and knocking out the opposing Pokemon. Ho-Oh, for instance, only needs 20% chip damage before it is KOed by a Thunder from a +2 Xerneas. Rock Arceus and Zekrom are easily able to come in on any attack from Ho-Oh, barring a Choice Band-boosted Earthquake, and outspeed it and OHKO with their respective Judgment and Bolt Strike, making them excellent teammates. Water Arceus can do the same, but it misses out on the OHKO.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===================
Thunder Wave cripples sweepers by greatly lowering their Speed stat, but is usually inferior to either Will-O-Wisp or Toxic. Refresh can cure status and increase longevity but it is often niche due to its inability to remove confusion and sleep. Iron Defense can be an option on Calm Mind variants to beat physical attackers, but Fairy Arceus usually prefers coverage. Magic Coat bounces back hazards and status such as Darkrai's Dark Void, but using it requires careful prediction.
Perish Song is great to beat Baton Pass teams with an Ingrain user, but it has little other utility. Thunder is also a coverage option to beat Flying-types, especially Ho-Oh and Skarmory. Unlike Thunderbolt, Thunder deals more damage to super effective targets than Judgment does.
Stone Edge can be used to OHKO Ho-Oh from full HP, but that requires Fairy Arceus to go mixed with 144 Attack EVs. Flamethrower and Fire Blast are good tricks to smack around most unsuspecting Steel-types, but Fairy Arceus often has no moveslot to spare. Fully offensive Fairy Arceus is nice for the extra power, but the lack of bulk can often be annoying. Safeguard is a great move to block status for teammates and Fairy Arceus itself, but it must be used before the opponent launches the status, thus preventing it from being used to reliably take on Darkrai or Klefki.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types can switch into Fairy Arceus's STAB Judgment. Mega Scizor in particular is able to switch in on both Fairy Arceus’s STAB and coverage moves to deal heavy damage with Bullet Punch. Skarmory can also easily take any standard coverage hit and force Fairy Arceus out, while Steel Arceus doesn't really care about any attacks that Fairy Arceus uses. No Steel-type, however, appreciates Will-O-Wisp.
**Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon**: Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon are the most offensive Fairy Arceus switch-ins and can easily wall Arceus while dishing out severe damage. Ho-Oh's typing provides resistances to both Fairy Arceus's STAB move and its main coverage options, while Primal Groudon is able to boost to knock out Fairy Arceus or phaze it with Roar. Primal Groudon risks being worn down if it lacks Rest, however, and neither Primal Groudon nor Ho-Oh appreciates Toxic or the rarer coverage options.
**Lugia**: Lugia is a very solid Fairy Arceus counter that can wall both sets with ease, even after several boosts. It checks Fairy Arceus even after six Calm Minds and can phaze it, but this shouldn't be relied upon due to the commonality of Stealth Rock. While it is not crippling, Lugia also dislikes status, as burn and poison break the protection granted by Multiscale.
**Setup Sweepers**: If Fairy Arceus lacks Roar or if the opponent is down to their final Pokemon, it is setup bait for Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Lum Berry + Magic Coat Arceus, Geomancy Xerneas, and opposing Calm Mind Arceus formes.
**Primal Kyogre**: Due to its superior stats and rain-boosted STAB moves, Primal Kyogre will nearly always win versus Fairy Arceus. It dislikes status unless it runs Rest, but it still easily powers through unless Fairy Arceus has significant boosts.
**Mega Gengar**: A super effective Sludge Wave from Mega Gengar deals heavy damage, and its ability, Shadow Tag, prevents Fairy Arceus from being withdrawn. While a boosted Fairy Arceus can potentially defeat it, Mega Gengar must be carefully played around throughout the match.
**Poison Arceus**: While it greatly dislikes Will-O-Wisp and cannot take boosted Earth Powers, Poison Arceus easily switches in on Toxic or Judgment and powers through Fairy Arceus with its super effective STAB moves.
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