QC: Kl4ng / aesf / -Grim
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Genesect's diverse movepool, paired with its great mixed offensive stats and access to power-boosting abilities, means it can easily plow through slower teams and makes it very difficult for faster Pokemon to switch in. Genesect has access to Extreme Speed, which, paired with a stat-boosting ability, makes Genesect a very potent revenge killer, and sporting the second strongest U-turn in the AAA metagame, Genesect can easily maintain offensive pressure and gain momentum while taking out huge chunks of the foe's HP when it U-turns out. Genesect's typing also grants it a nice set of resistance and a single weakness to Fire-type moves.
However, Genesect often finds itself being outpaced and overpowered against hyper offensive teams, and full stall teams usually carry both physical and special walls that can wall different Genesect sets and wear it down via entry hazards pokemon dont take entry hazard damage from switching out, and switching in is obvious]. Other than that, Genesect variants that lack Extreme Speed are always forced out by the ever-present Gale Wings users and, bar variants that are immune to Fire-type moves, Fire-types also generally force Genesect out. Another downside to using Extreme Speed Genesect is that it's forced to use a Hasty nature due to Extreme Speed being an event-exclusive move. However, Genesect can effectively beat the checks and counters of one set with another one, making it very unpredictable and powerful. That, along with its ability to overpower a lot of the common walls or revenge kill a good amount of the metagame, makes Genesect easy to fit into most teams.
[SET]
name: Refrigerate Revenge Killer
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Flamethrower / Blaze Kick / Shift Gear
move 4: Techno Blast / U-turn
item: Life Orb
ability: Refrigerate
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 72 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Refrigerate-boosted Extreme Speed makes Genesect a fearsome revenge killer that OHKOes all Gale Wings users bar Skarmory and heavily damages anything that doesn't resist it. Thunderbolt completes the BoltBeam combination, giving Genesect near-perfect neutral coverage. It also allows Genesect to hit bulky Water-types, which are common switch-ins to Refrigerate Genesect. Flamethrower and Blaze Kick can be used in the third slot to hit bulky Steel-types that switch into Extreme Speed. While Blaze Kick comes off of the higher attack stat in this set, Flamethrower is preferred because most Steel-types that switch into Genesect are physically defensive and Flamethrower hits them harder; it also has the added benefit of not missing. Shift Gear can also be used in this slot, as it boosts Genesect's Speed, letting it outpace almost everything in the metagame while simultaneously boosting its Attack, turning Genesect into a fearsome late-game cleaner. Iron Head can be used in this slot to hit Fairies and KO Shuckle before it can set up both Stealth Rock and Sticky Web. In the last slot, Techno Blast can be used, as it hits extremely hard when combined [subjective but fits imo] with the Refrigerate boost, even denting special walls like RegenVest Goodra on the switch. Alternatively, U-turn is good in the last slot because Genesect forces a lot of switches, allowing it to gain momentum while doing quite a bit of damage to the opponent's switch-in. Another interesting option for the last slot is Explosion, as it hits extremely hard when combined with Refrigerate's and Life Orb's boosts and can be used as a last-resort move to deal an insane amount of damage to switch-ins or prevent entry hazard removal from working.
Set Details
========
252 Attack EVs are used to maximize the power of Extreme Speed. 184 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed Jolly Lucario, which would otherwise switch in on Extreme Speed and KO Genesect with Close Combat. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Attack to boost the power of Genesect's coverage moves. Not only does Life Orb provide a damage boost for Extreme Speed, it also powers up Genesect's coverage moves, making defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory less likely to switch into it. Pixilate can also be used instead of Refrigerate for this set to hit Dark and Fighting-types harder, but it misses the OHKO on most Gale Wings users.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to Refrigerate-boosted Extreme Speed, Genesect serves as an offensive check to all Gale Wings users. While facing an opponent with a Gale Wings user on their team, Genesect must be brought in to revenge kill it after a Pokemon has fainted or by double switching when you predict the Gale Wings user to come in. However, keep in mind that Genesect cannot safely switch into any Gale Wings users. Genesect should not be played recklessly because, while it's a great asset against faster, frailer teams, it takes a lot of damage from most moves they throw at it, which, along with its lack of recovery and susceptibility to entry hazard damage and Life Orb recoil, wears it down easily. Because Genesect will generally have to switch out after it revenge kills something, having entry hazards up on your side of the field will limit Genesect's opportunities to switch in and will wear it down very fast. Genesect appreciates having entry hazards up on the opponent's side of the field, as it breaks potential Focus Sashes and the chip damage really helps Genesect while it tries to revenge kill threats with Extreme Speed. The entry hazards will also help wear down Genesect's checks when you make double switches, predicting them switching in and forcing them to switch out.
Team Options
========
An entry hazard setter such as Mold Breaker Deoxys-S is a good partner, as it can stack entry hazards on the opponent's side while stopping the opponent from setting up their own due to Taunt, which capitalizes on Genesect's ability to force switches and wear down the opponent's team by having its checks rack up entry hazard damage. With Victini being the most common Fire-type in the AAA metagame, a Flash Fire user with Pursuit such as Doublade or Krookodile really helps Genesect out. Pokemon that resist Fire-type moves that also have access to Pursuit such as Tyranitar can also work. Wallbreakers such as Adaptability Latios and Tough Claws Victini are also good partners, as they can weaken the opponent's team enough to let Genesect clean later in the game. Genesect appreciates Healing Wish support, so Latias can also be used for the added utility and bulk, but it loses out on some power compared to Latios. A Magic Bounce user such as Gyarados can work really well with Genesect because it can beat common entry hazard setters and severely dent teams after a Dragon Dance, even breaking through Unaware walls by Mega Evolving to gain Mold Breaker, leaving them in KO range for Genesect. Primordial Sea Starmie can also work as a good partner, as it can KO most entry hazard setters with its strong STAB Water-type moves or use Rapid Spin to clear entry hazards when the entry hazard setters switch out. Starmie also dents physical walls that annoy Genesect and serves as a switch-in to Fire-types. Both Gyarados and Starmie can also serve as switch-ins to Fire-type attacks, the latter being more reliable due to it being able to switch in for free against Fire-types and KO them or force them out. Genesect greatly appreciates Sticky Web support if it lacks Shift Gear, as it patches up Genesect's matchup problem against hyper offensive teams by bringing the faster, frailer Pokemon into Genesect's Speed tier to let it overpower them, while the Flying-types that are immune to Sticky Web are KOed by Extreme Speed anyway.
[SET]
name: Sheer Force Wallbreaker
move 1: Bug Buzz
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Dark Pulse / Iron Head / Flamethrower
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Timid
evs: 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Bug Buzz 2HKOes Cresselia and most Psychic- and Dark-types in the metagame. Ice Beam hits Hippowdon, Chesnaught, and various Dragon-types that are common in AAA, KOing the ones Genesect outspeeds, such as Dragonite and Adamant Zygarde. Thunderbolt gets the 2HKO on CroCune, hits any Water-types that lack an Electric-type immunity, and completes the BoltBeam combination, giving it near-perfect neutral coverage. The last slot is basically up to you, as it'll hold a coverage move that allows Genesect to hit certain Pokemon its team needs it to hit. Dark Pulse 2HKOes Regenerator Doublade when it tries to pivot into one of Genesect's moves. Iron Head hits threats that are switching in such as RegenVest Goodra and Chansey harder than any of Genesect's other moves. Note that while using Iron Head, the nature and EVs need adjustment. Flamethrower gets the OHKO on Lucario and hits non-Fire-immune Steel-types, such as Magnezone. U-turn can be used over any one of the above moves, as Genesect has a tendency to force switches, and U-turn will let it maintain offensive momentum.
Set Details
========
200 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed unboosted base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as Jolly Lucario and Krookodile. 252 Special Attack EVs allow Genesect to hit as hard as possible, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP for taking hits slightly better. Life Orb is the best item for this set, as it boosts Genesect's power without inflicting recoil damage, thanks to Sheer Force. When using Iron Head, the EV spread should be 56 Atk / 252 SpA / 200 Spe, and the nature should be Naive or Hasty. Naive allows Genesect to check -ate ability users slightly better, while Hasty allows it to take Draco Meteors from Kyurem better.
Usage Tips
========
A huge special movepool boosted by Sheer Force makes Genesect a fearsome wallbreaker. The amazing coverage gives Genesect the ability to break most of the common special walls in the metagame bar Goodra and Chansey. However, Goodra switch-ins fall to Iron Head with some prediction, as it doesn't have recovery outside of Regenerator. Genesect also makes short work of most physical walls, as they rarely have the Special Defense necessary to avoid a 2HKO from its coverage moves. While Genesect can take a few hits and retaliate, it really appreciates staying out of the gunfire as much as possible, as it can get worn down quite easily with repeated hits and entry hazards. It performs best when it can get free switches in by double switching and slow U-turns, Baton Passes, or Volt Switches. As always, Fire-types in general are threats. Genesect should never stay in against a Fire-type unless it outspeeds and the Fire-type is weakened enough to be OHKOed by Genesect's coverage moves. Genesect appreciates entry hazard support, as it limits switches, breaks Focus Sashes, and deals extra damage to foes, helping it net KOs. Lastly, because Genesect has such a wide movepool to choose from, the opponent will often scout for certain moves. It is a good idea to sometimes hold back on revealing a coverage move so that Genesect can net a KO with it later when the opponent thinks it doesn't have said move. With Refrigerate Extreme Speed being very common on Genesect, sometimes you can bluff the Refrigerate set and hit the foe with strong coverage moves.
Team Options
========
An entry hazard-setting lead such as Focus Sash Mold Breaker Deoxys-S can work well, as it can set up entry hazards and Taunt opposing setters. Genesect cannot outspeed Jolly Vicitini or survive a Brave Bird from a Gale Wings user, so checks to those are necessary. Regenerator Regirock can fill this role, as it can reliably switch into both multiple times. Flash Fire Doublade can fill this role too, and while it struggles with the lack of recovery letting it get worn down more easily, it can Pursuit trap all Victini and -ate ability and Gale Wings users, wearing them down as they switch out. Primordial Sea Ferrothorn can be an especially good partner, as it can switch into Entei and Victini for free and set entry hazards up, which will help Genesect net KOs more easily. Flash Fire Scizor can be a good partner as well, as it can switch into Fire-type moves aimed at Genesect and provides a slow U-turn, giving Genesect a free switch in. Scizor can also remove entry hazards to increase Genesect's longevity, and it can knock off Chansey's Eviolite and Goodra's Assault Vest, making them less reliable switch-ins to Genesect. Choice Band Adaptability Tyranitar is a good partner for Genesect, as it can Pursuit trap Chansey and Goodra, which completely wall Genesect. Because bulky Steel-types give this set trouble, Tough Claws or Adaptability Fighting-types make for good partners to Genesect as well.
[SET]
name: Tough Claws BandSect
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Blaze Kick / X-Scissor
item: Choice Band
ability: Tough Claws
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Att / 56 SpD / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
U-turn should be Genesect's go-to move and can OHKO some of the frailer Pokemon it hits for neutral damage and takes a good chunk of HP out of Pokemon that resist it. Extreme Speed deals a large amount to any Pokemon bar Steel- and Rock-types, letting Genesect clean up weakened foes. The main advantage it has over any Refrigerate- or Pixilate-boosted Extreme Speed is that this Extreme Speed isn't resisted by Fire- and Water-types, although it loses the ability to revenge kill Gengar. Iron Head 2HKOes any Rock-types that may want to switch in on the predicted Extreme Speed. There are a few options for the last slot. Blaze Kick punishes non-Flash Fire variants of Skarmory or Doublade that are switching in on any of the other moves, 2HKOing offensive Skarmory and 3HKOing bulky sets. X-Scissor provides Genesect with another strong Bug-type move that it can use without having to switch out, hitting Defense-invested Cresselia, Umbreon, Mew, and Chesnaught that may be thinking about staying in to tank the U-turn. It can also clean slower teams if they have Pokemon that resist Iron Head. Special attacks such as Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Ice Beam can be used as coverage moves, depending on what you want Genesect to hit.
Set Details
========
200 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed unboosted base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as Jolly Lucario and Krookodile. Maximum Attack investment allows Genesect to hit as hard as possible, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP to take hits slightly better. A Hasty nature is necessary on this set, as Extreme Speed Genesect is an event Pokemon and therefore requires it. Choice Band is the preferred item on this set, as Genesect mainly depends on predicting the next Pokemon to be coming in and switching out with U-turn, meaning it benefits most from Choice Band maximizing U-turn's power and not taking the recoil that Life Orb would cause, increasing Genesect's longevity. A Choice Band also makes Extreme Speed stronger than Life Orb would, letting Genesect revenge kill more effectively.
Usage Tips
========
Genesect can be used as a lead in matches against Deoxys-S or any clear entry hazard-setting lead, as it can U-turn out into a teammate with Gale Wings or Defog as the foe sets up hazards. From there, the teammate can force it out while using Defog or just finish it off with an attack to prevent hazards from being setup again. Against other non-Mold Breaker entry hazard leads, Genesect can U-turn out to a Magic Bounce user or an entry hazard remover while dealing a lot of damage to the foe thanks to Choice Band- and Tough Claws-boosted U-turn. In fact, this set's main niche is U-turn. It cashes in on Genesect's ability to force switches and hits the Pokemon switching in for good damage. Genesect should keep using U-turn throughout the match, only making predictions when necessary. This means keeping entry hazards away is a must while using this Genesect variant because it will be clicking U-turn and switching out most of the time. Scout for Prankster Will-O-Wisp or Flamethrower from Mew because either can completely destroy this set. When at full health, Gale Wings users can be a problem, but Genesect can pick them off with Extreme Speed after they are weakened a bit, with the exception of Skarmory. Genesect usually forces switches, so having entry hazards up on the opponent's side is a huge advantage, as it slowly wears down their team due to entry hazard damage and U-turn. After the opposing team has been weakened, this Genesect can also function as a late-game cleaner thanks to the raw power behind Extreme Speed.
Team Options
========
Good partners to Genesect include strong Fighting- and Fire-types that can deal with the Steel-types that like to switch into it. Magnet Pull users such as Infernape and Ampharos can work really well with Genesect, as they can trap and KO Steel-types that are switching in. Ampharos might be the better choice, as it can deal with Skarmory, which is the most common switch-in to this set, more reliably than Infernape, which cannot beat all variants of Skarmory without a Focus Sash. Other partners include Magic Guard + Defog Moltres and Defog + Tinted Lens Latios. Moltres scares away Steel-types while it uses Defog, and Latios KOes Steel-types when they stay in, expecting a Defog. They can also serve as switch-ins to Fire-type moves. If you're planning on keeping entry hazards up on your opponent's side, Primordial Sea Starmie is the better partner for this, as it can switch into Fire-types Genesect hates for free, can force a switch while it spins, and beats Gengar, which is the most common Ghost-type in the AAA metagame. It also gets Thunder to hit Jellicent and strong Scalds to hit Ghost-types in general. Primordial Sea Ferrothorn is a good partner too, as it can switch into Entei and all Victini variants and proceed to set up hazards that Genesect really appreciates. On offensive teams, the popular Mold Breaker Deoxys-S can also be used as an entry hazard-setting lead. Aside from the above Primordial Sea users, Flash Fire Doublade is a great partner, as it can Pursuit trap the Fire-types that are trying to switch out of it, weakening them to Extreme Speed KO range with Pursuit. It can also serve as a spinblocker, stopping the foe from spinning entry hazards away.
[SET]
name: No Guard Special Attacker
move 1: Zap Cannon
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Life Orb
ability: No Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Zap Cannon serves as a good coverage move with high Base Power and is guaranteed to inflict paralysis. It also benefits from Refrigerate Genesect's popularity, as Water-types are popular switch-ins to Refrigerate Extreme Speed. Blizzard is the other high-powered coverage move that can take advantage of No Guard and completes the BoltBeam coverage with Zap Cannon, giving Genesect near-perfect neutral coverage. Bug Buzz allows it to hit all the Psychic- and Dark-types in the metagame for good damage. Flamethrower hits Magnezone, which the rest of this set fails to do., and it also OHKOes Lucario. Bug Buzz and Flamethrower can be replaced with U-turn and Extreme Speed; U-turn is for chip damage while switching out after paralyzing something with Zap Cannon, and Extreme Speed helps pick off weakened Pokemon. If Moltres is used as a partner, running Flash Cannon on Genesect is an option, as it can take care of Rock-types that Moltres doesn't like.
Set Details
========
200 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed unboosted base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as Jolly Lucario and Krookodile. Maximum Special Attack investment allows Genesect to hit as hard as possible and the rest of the EVs are put into HP for a bit more bulk. Life Orb allows Genesect to pack more of a punch with its coverage moves. When using Extreme Speed and U-turn, the HP EVs should be moved to Attack, and the nature must be changed to Hasty. The Hasty nature is required because Extreme Speed Genesect is an event Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
This Genesect mainly aims to spread around paralysis while dealing good damage with Zap Cannon, so most of the time, the best course of action is to click Zap Cannon. Zap Cannon has low PP, so don't use it recklessly against more defensive teams. Genesect can cripple offensive switch-ins such as Victini with Zap Cannon and then proceed to KO them with Bug Buzz the turn after. Keep entry hazards away so Genesect can remain healthy for a longer period of time. Make sure to scout some Pokemon, such as Latios and Mew, before you decide it's safe to bring in Genesect because Latios could run Tinted Lens to KO Genesect, and Mew could have a Fire-type coverage move. While spamming Zap Cannon, be wary of Pokemon that benefit from getting hit by an Electric move, such as Motor Drive Manaphy, which can sweep teams after just one Speed boost. Don't play recklessly with Genesect, as the Life Orb recoil, constant switching, and lack of recovery means it'll get worn down fast.
Team Options
========
Because Zap Cannon forces a lot of switches, entry hazard support is greatly appreciated. This makes Deoxys-S, Ferrothorn, and Forretress good partners, as they can all reliably set entry hazards, and the latter two can even serve as Fire-type switch-ins if they have Flash Fire. Forretress can even use a slow Volt Switch to give Genesect safe switches in. Gale Wings users and Fire-types can cause trouble for Genesect, so Flash Fire Doublade can be a nice partner to deal with both. Doublade also deals with Poison Heal Snorlax, which gives this set trouble, quite well. Magic Guard Moltres is an alternate Fire-type switch-in that can scare away Steel-types, keep up momentum with U-turn, and Defog away entry hazards. An alternate entry hazard remover and Fire-type switch-in is Primordial Sea Starmie. Starmie can deal solid damage to all spinblockers, switch into Fire-types for free and proceed to spin or throw out a Scald, and it deals with most Steel-types barring Ferrothorn thanks to rain-boosted Scald. Magic Bounce Gyarados can keep entry hazards off of the field while doubling as a switch-in to Fire-type moves and a wincon. Powerful wallbreakers such as Tough Claws Pangoro and Adaptability Tyranitar are good partners, as they can deal a lot of damage to the opposing team when the opponent's Pokemon are paralyzed; the paralysis also helps slow wallbreakers overcome their lack of Speed. Adaptability Tyranitar can also Pursuit trap Chansey and Goodra, both of which wall this set completely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Genesect is a naturally good Choice Scarf user thanks to its large coverage movepool and U-turn. If you're hoping to use Genesect as an offensive pivot and want longevity, Regenerator can be used over all of these abilities. Regenerator sets generally appreciate U-turn and Extreme Speed and have a wide array of special moves to choose from as coverage. Primordial Sea Genesect with Thunder and Douse Drive Techno Blast is also an option. While it's not as strong as the other Genesect sets, it's a solid switch-in to Fire-type attacks and can fit into teams thanks to its nice set of resistances and lack of weaknesses. The Tough Claws set could run Tinted Lens just as easily, boasting Genesect's ability to spam unresisted U-turns and get KOs on Steel-types with Extreme Speed. It does, however, miss the Tough Claws boost on Extreme Speed in a lot of situations. Finally, mixed sets of Genesect can actually run its original ability, Download, as it can actually outdamage some of the sets mentioned here if it gets the right boosts at the right time.
Checks and Counters
==================
**Faster Attackers**: Faster Pokemon such as Infernape, Latios, and Gengar force Genesect out, as they can threaten to outspeed and KO it, especially if they're not in Extreme Speed KO range.
**Bulky Steel-types**: When at full health, Heatran is very threatening to Genesect, as it will survive any hit from Genesect when healthy and retaliate with a Fire-type move that will KO Genesect. Ferrothorn almost always runs an ability that makes it immune to Fire-type moves, and its great mixed bulk lets it survive Genesect's moves with ease, allowing it to take a hit and cripple Genesect with Thunder Wave or Knock Off. Magnezone boasts resistances to all of Genesect's common coverage moves, barring Fire-type moves and the uncommon Dark Pulse, and can hit it very hard with Thunderbolt. Flash Fire Scizor can take a hit and set up on Genesect while recovering HP with Roost or dealing major damage with Knock Off or Superpower.
**Dedicated Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Skarmory, Chesnaught, and Doublade all wall physical Genesect sets; however, they all fall to the special variants.
**Flash Fire Steel-types**: Barring Skarmory, most Flash Fire Steel-types, such as Doublade and Ferrothorn, can take hits from most Genesect variants and threaten it with attacks or paralyze it.
**Dedicated Special Walls**: Chansey and Goodra wall all special Genesect variants. Chansey can paralyze or wear it down with Seismic Toss and recover HP with Soft-Boiled; it can even do so to win against the Iron Head variant. Goodra, however, loses to Iron Head variants of Sheer Force Genesect if it doesn't have any Defense investment, which it normally doesn't. Even Poison Heal Snorlax can greatly threaten fully special sets.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types give all Genesect variants barring Flash Fire and Primordial Sea trouble, as they can tank one hit and OHKO it in return with their Fire-type STAB moves.
**Gale Wings Users**: Gale Wings users can generally revenge kill Genesect, but they are beaten by Refrigerate variants. They are also KOed by Extreme Speed variants if they're worn down enough, with the exception of Skarmory, which can't actually revenge kill Genesect from full HP without setting up first.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Genesect's diverse movepool, paired with its great mixed offensive stats and access to power-boosting abilities, means it can easily plow through slower teams and makes it very difficult for faster Pokemon to switch in. Genesect has access to Extreme Speed, which, paired with a stat-boosting ability, makes Genesect a very potent revenge killer, and sporting the second strongest U-turn in the AAA metagame, Genesect can easily maintain offensive pressure and gain momentum while taking out huge chunks of the foe's HP when it U-turns out. Genesect's typing also grants it a nice set of resistance and a single weakness to Fire-type moves.
However, Genesect often finds itself being outpaced and overpowered against hyper offensive teams, and full stall teams usually carry both physical and special walls that can wall different Genesect sets and wear it down via entry hazards pokemon dont take entry hazard damage from switching out, and switching in is obvious]. Other than that, Genesect variants that lack Extreme Speed are always forced out by the ever-present Gale Wings users and, bar variants that are immune to Fire-type moves, Fire-types also generally force Genesect out. Another downside to using Extreme Speed Genesect is that it's forced to use a Hasty nature due to Extreme Speed being an event-exclusive move. However, Genesect can effectively beat the checks and counters of one set with another one, making it very unpredictable and powerful. That, along with its ability to overpower a lot of the common walls or revenge kill a good amount of the metagame, makes Genesect easy to fit into most teams.
[SET]
name: Refrigerate Revenge Killer
move 1: Extreme Speed
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Flamethrower / Blaze Kick / Shift Gear
move 4: Techno Blast / U-turn
item: Life Orb
ability: Refrigerate
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 72 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Refrigerate-boosted Extreme Speed makes Genesect a fearsome revenge killer that OHKOes all Gale Wings users bar Skarmory and heavily damages anything that doesn't resist it. Thunderbolt completes the BoltBeam combination, giving Genesect near-perfect neutral coverage. It also allows Genesect to hit bulky Water-types, which are common switch-ins to Refrigerate Genesect. Flamethrower and Blaze Kick can be used in the third slot to hit bulky Steel-types that switch into Extreme Speed. While Blaze Kick comes off of the higher attack stat in this set, Flamethrower is preferred because most Steel-types that switch into Genesect are physically defensive and Flamethrower hits them harder; it also has the added benefit of not missing. Shift Gear can also be used in this slot, as it boosts Genesect's Speed, letting it outpace almost everything in the metagame while simultaneously boosting its Attack, turning Genesect into a fearsome late-game cleaner. Iron Head can be used in this slot to hit Fairies and KO Shuckle before it can set up both Stealth Rock and Sticky Web. In the last slot, Techno Blast can be used, as it hits extremely hard when combined [subjective but fits imo] with the Refrigerate boost, even denting special walls like RegenVest Goodra on the switch. Alternatively, U-turn is good in the last slot because Genesect forces a lot of switches, allowing it to gain momentum while doing quite a bit of damage to the opponent's switch-in. Another interesting option for the last slot is Explosion, as it hits extremely hard when combined with Refrigerate's and Life Orb's boosts and can be used as a last-resort move to deal an insane amount of damage to switch-ins or prevent entry hazard removal from working.
Set Details
========
252 Attack EVs are used to maximize the power of Extreme Speed. 184 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed Jolly Lucario, which would otherwise switch in on Extreme Speed and KO Genesect with Close Combat. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Attack to boost the power of Genesect's coverage moves. Not only does Life Orb provide a damage boost for Extreme Speed, it also powers up Genesect's coverage moves, making defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory less likely to switch into it. Pixilate can also be used instead of Refrigerate for this set to hit Dark and Fighting-types harder, but it misses the OHKO on most Gale Wings users.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to Refrigerate-boosted Extreme Speed, Genesect serves as an offensive check to all Gale Wings users. While facing an opponent with a Gale Wings user on their team, Genesect must be brought in to revenge kill it after a Pokemon has fainted or by double switching when you predict the Gale Wings user to come in. However, keep in mind that Genesect cannot safely switch into any Gale Wings users. Genesect should not be played recklessly because, while it's a great asset against faster, frailer teams, it takes a lot of damage from most moves they throw at it, which, along with its lack of recovery and susceptibility to entry hazard damage and Life Orb recoil, wears it down easily. Because Genesect will generally have to switch out after it revenge kills something, having entry hazards up on your side of the field will limit Genesect's opportunities to switch in and will wear it down very fast. Genesect appreciates having entry hazards up on the opponent's side of the field, as it breaks potential Focus Sashes and the chip damage really helps Genesect while it tries to revenge kill threats with Extreme Speed. The entry hazards will also help wear down Genesect's checks when you make double switches, predicting them switching in and forcing them to switch out.
Team Options
========
An entry hazard setter such as Mold Breaker Deoxys-S is a good partner, as it can stack entry hazards on the opponent's side while stopping the opponent from setting up their own due to Taunt, which capitalizes on Genesect's ability to force switches and wear down the opponent's team by having its checks rack up entry hazard damage. With Victini being the most common Fire-type in the AAA metagame, a Flash Fire user with Pursuit such as Doublade or Krookodile really helps Genesect out. Pokemon that resist Fire-type moves that also have access to Pursuit such as Tyranitar can also work. Wallbreakers such as Adaptability Latios and Tough Claws Victini are also good partners, as they can weaken the opponent's team enough to let Genesect clean later in the game. Genesect appreciates Healing Wish support, so Latias can also be used for the added utility and bulk, but it loses out on some power compared to Latios. A Magic Bounce user such as Gyarados can work really well with Genesect because it can beat common entry hazard setters and severely dent teams after a Dragon Dance, even breaking through Unaware walls by Mega Evolving to gain Mold Breaker, leaving them in KO range for Genesect. Primordial Sea Starmie can also work as a good partner, as it can KO most entry hazard setters with its strong STAB Water-type moves or use Rapid Spin to clear entry hazards when the entry hazard setters switch out. Starmie also dents physical walls that annoy Genesect and serves as a switch-in to Fire-types. Both Gyarados and Starmie can also serve as switch-ins to Fire-type attacks, the latter being more reliable due to it being able to switch in for free against Fire-types and KO them or force them out. Genesect greatly appreciates Sticky Web support if it lacks Shift Gear, as it patches up Genesect's matchup problem against hyper offensive teams by bringing the faster, frailer Pokemon into Genesect's Speed tier to let it overpower them, while the Flying-types that are immune to Sticky Web are KOed by Extreme Speed anyway.
[SET]
name: Sheer Force Wallbreaker
move 1: Bug Buzz
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Dark Pulse / Iron Head / Flamethrower
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Timid
evs: 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Bug Buzz 2HKOes Cresselia and most Psychic- and Dark-types in the metagame. Ice Beam hits Hippowdon, Chesnaught, and various Dragon-types that are common in AAA, KOing the ones Genesect outspeeds, such as Dragonite and Adamant Zygarde. Thunderbolt gets the 2HKO on CroCune, hits any Water-types that lack an Electric-type immunity, and completes the BoltBeam combination, giving it near-perfect neutral coverage. The last slot is basically up to you, as it'll hold a coverage move that allows Genesect to hit certain Pokemon its team needs it to hit. Dark Pulse 2HKOes Regenerator Doublade when it tries to pivot into one of Genesect's moves. Iron Head hits threats that are switching in such as RegenVest Goodra and Chansey harder than any of Genesect's other moves. Note that while using Iron Head, the nature and EVs need adjustment. Flamethrower gets the OHKO on Lucario and hits non-Fire-immune Steel-types, such as Magnezone. U-turn can be used over any one of the above moves, as Genesect has a tendency to force switches, and U-turn will let it maintain offensive momentum.
Set Details
========
200 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed unboosted base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as Jolly Lucario and Krookodile. 252 Special Attack EVs allow Genesect to hit as hard as possible, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP for taking hits slightly better. Life Orb is the best item for this set, as it boosts Genesect's power without inflicting recoil damage, thanks to Sheer Force. When using Iron Head, the EV spread should be 56 Atk / 252 SpA / 200 Spe, and the nature should be Naive or Hasty. Naive allows Genesect to check -ate ability users slightly better, while Hasty allows it to take Draco Meteors from Kyurem better.
Usage Tips
========
A huge special movepool boosted by Sheer Force makes Genesect a fearsome wallbreaker. The amazing coverage gives Genesect the ability to break most of the common special walls in the metagame bar Goodra and Chansey. However, Goodra switch-ins fall to Iron Head with some prediction, as it doesn't have recovery outside of Regenerator. Genesect also makes short work of most physical walls, as they rarely have the Special Defense necessary to avoid a 2HKO from its coverage moves. While Genesect can take a few hits and retaliate, it really appreciates staying out of the gunfire as much as possible, as it can get worn down quite easily with repeated hits and entry hazards. It performs best when it can get free switches in by double switching and slow U-turns, Baton Passes, or Volt Switches. As always, Fire-types in general are threats. Genesect should never stay in against a Fire-type unless it outspeeds and the Fire-type is weakened enough to be OHKOed by Genesect's coverage moves. Genesect appreciates entry hazard support, as it limits switches, breaks Focus Sashes, and deals extra damage to foes, helping it net KOs. Lastly, because Genesect has such a wide movepool to choose from, the opponent will often scout for certain moves. It is a good idea to sometimes hold back on revealing a coverage move so that Genesect can net a KO with it later when the opponent thinks it doesn't have said move. With Refrigerate Extreme Speed being very common on Genesect, sometimes you can bluff the Refrigerate set and hit the foe with strong coverage moves.
Team Options
========
An entry hazard-setting lead such as Focus Sash Mold Breaker Deoxys-S can work well, as it can set up entry hazards and Taunt opposing setters. Genesect cannot outspeed Jolly Vicitini or survive a Brave Bird from a Gale Wings user, so checks to those are necessary. Regenerator Regirock can fill this role, as it can reliably switch into both multiple times. Flash Fire Doublade can fill this role too, and while it struggles with the lack of recovery letting it get worn down more easily, it can Pursuit trap all Victini and -ate ability and Gale Wings users, wearing them down as they switch out. Primordial Sea Ferrothorn can be an especially good partner, as it can switch into Entei and Victini for free and set entry hazards up, which will help Genesect net KOs more easily. Flash Fire Scizor can be a good partner as well, as it can switch into Fire-type moves aimed at Genesect and provides a slow U-turn, giving Genesect a free switch in. Scizor can also remove entry hazards to increase Genesect's longevity, and it can knock off Chansey's Eviolite and Goodra's Assault Vest, making them less reliable switch-ins to Genesect. Choice Band Adaptability Tyranitar is a good partner for Genesect, as it can Pursuit trap Chansey and Goodra, which completely wall Genesect. Because bulky Steel-types give this set trouble, Tough Claws or Adaptability Fighting-types make for good partners to Genesect as well.
[SET]
name: Tough Claws BandSect
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Blaze Kick / X-Scissor
item: Choice Band
ability: Tough Claws
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Att / 56 SpD / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
U-turn should be Genesect's go-to move and can OHKO some of the frailer Pokemon it hits for neutral damage and takes a good chunk of HP out of Pokemon that resist it. Extreme Speed deals a large amount to any Pokemon bar Steel- and Rock-types, letting Genesect clean up weakened foes. The main advantage it has over any Refrigerate- or Pixilate-boosted Extreme Speed is that this Extreme Speed isn't resisted by Fire- and Water-types, although it loses the ability to revenge kill Gengar. Iron Head 2HKOes any Rock-types that may want to switch in on the predicted Extreme Speed. There are a few options for the last slot. Blaze Kick punishes non-Flash Fire variants of Skarmory or Doublade that are switching in on any of the other moves, 2HKOing offensive Skarmory and 3HKOing bulky sets. X-Scissor provides Genesect with another strong Bug-type move that it can use without having to switch out, hitting Defense-invested Cresselia, Umbreon, Mew, and Chesnaught that may be thinking about staying in to tank the U-turn. It can also clean slower teams if they have Pokemon that resist Iron Head. Special attacks such as Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Ice Beam can be used as coverage moves, depending on what you want Genesect to hit.
Set Details
========
200 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed unboosted base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as Jolly Lucario and Krookodile. Maximum Attack investment allows Genesect to hit as hard as possible, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP to take hits slightly better. A Hasty nature is necessary on this set, as Extreme Speed Genesect is an event Pokemon and therefore requires it. Choice Band is the preferred item on this set, as Genesect mainly depends on predicting the next Pokemon to be coming in and switching out with U-turn, meaning it benefits most from Choice Band maximizing U-turn's power and not taking the recoil that Life Orb would cause, increasing Genesect's longevity. A Choice Band also makes Extreme Speed stronger than Life Orb would, letting Genesect revenge kill more effectively.
Usage Tips
========
Genesect can be used as a lead in matches against Deoxys-S or any clear entry hazard-setting lead, as it can U-turn out into a teammate with Gale Wings or Defog as the foe sets up hazards. From there, the teammate can force it out while using Defog or just finish it off with an attack to prevent hazards from being setup again. Against other non-Mold Breaker entry hazard leads, Genesect can U-turn out to a Magic Bounce user or an entry hazard remover while dealing a lot of damage to the foe thanks to Choice Band- and Tough Claws-boosted U-turn. In fact, this set's main niche is U-turn. It cashes in on Genesect's ability to force switches and hits the Pokemon switching in for good damage. Genesect should keep using U-turn throughout the match, only making predictions when necessary. This means keeping entry hazards away is a must while using this Genesect variant because it will be clicking U-turn and switching out most of the time. Scout for Prankster Will-O-Wisp or Flamethrower from Mew because either can completely destroy this set. When at full health, Gale Wings users can be a problem, but Genesect can pick them off with Extreme Speed after they are weakened a bit, with the exception of Skarmory. Genesect usually forces switches, so having entry hazards up on the opponent's side is a huge advantage, as it slowly wears down their team due to entry hazard damage and U-turn. After the opposing team has been weakened, this Genesect can also function as a late-game cleaner thanks to the raw power behind Extreme Speed.
Team Options
========
Good partners to Genesect include strong Fighting- and Fire-types that can deal with the Steel-types that like to switch into it. Magnet Pull users such as Infernape and Ampharos can work really well with Genesect, as they can trap and KO Steel-types that are switching in. Ampharos might be the better choice, as it can deal with Skarmory, which is the most common switch-in to this set, more reliably than Infernape, which cannot beat all variants of Skarmory without a Focus Sash. Other partners include Magic Guard + Defog Moltres and Defog + Tinted Lens Latios. Moltres scares away Steel-types while it uses Defog, and Latios KOes Steel-types when they stay in, expecting a Defog. They can also serve as switch-ins to Fire-type moves. If you're planning on keeping entry hazards up on your opponent's side, Primordial Sea Starmie is the better partner for this, as it can switch into Fire-types Genesect hates for free, can force a switch while it spins, and beats Gengar, which is the most common Ghost-type in the AAA metagame. It also gets Thunder to hit Jellicent and strong Scalds to hit Ghost-types in general. Primordial Sea Ferrothorn is a good partner too, as it can switch into Entei and all Victini variants and proceed to set up hazards that Genesect really appreciates. On offensive teams, the popular Mold Breaker Deoxys-S can also be used as an entry hazard-setting lead. Aside from the above Primordial Sea users, Flash Fire Doublade is a great partner, as it can Pursuit trap the Fire-types that are trying to switch out of it, weakening them to Extreme Speed KO range with Pursuit. It can also serve as a spinblocker, stopping the foe from spinning entry hazards away.
[SET]
name: No Guard Special Attacker
move 1: Zap Cannon
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Life Orb
ability: No Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Zap Cannon serves as a good coverage move with high Base Power and is guaranteed to inflict paralysis. It also benefits from Refrigerate Genesect's popularity, as Water-types are popular switch-ins to Refrigerate Extreme Speed. Blizzard is the other high-powered coverage move that can take advantage of No Guard and completes the BoltBeam coverage with Zap Cannon, giving Genesect near-perfect neutral coverage. Bug Buzz allows it to hit all the Psychic- and Dark-types in the metagame for good damage. Flamethrower hits Magnezone, which the rest of this set fails to do., and it also OHKOes Lucario. Bug Buzz and Flamethrower can be replaced with U-turn and Extreme Speed; U-turn is for chip damage while switching out after paralyzing something with Zap Cannon, and Extreme Speed helps pick off weakened Pokemon. If Moltres is used as a partner, running Flash Cannon on Genesect is an option, as it can take care of Rock-types that Moltres doesn't like.
Set Details
========
200 Speed EVs allow Genesect to outspeed unboosted base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as Jolly Lucario and Krookodile. Maximum Special Attack investment allows Genesect to hit as hard as possible and the rest of the EVs are put into HP for a bit more bulk. Life Orb allows Genesect to pack more of a punch with its coverage moves. When using Extreme Speed and U-turn, the HP EVs should be moved to Attack, and the nature must be changed to Hasty. The Hasty nature is required because Extreme Speed Genesect is an event Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
This Genesect mainly aims to spread around paralysis while dealing good damage with Zap Cannon, so most of the time, the best course of action is to click Zap Cannon. Zap Cannon has low PP, so don't use it recklessly against more defensive teams. Genesect can cripple offensive switch-ins such as Victini with Zap Cannon and then proceed to KO them with Bug Buzz the turn after. Keep entry hazards away so Genesect can remain healthy for a longer period of time. Make sure to scout some Pokemon, such as Latios and Mew, before you decide it's safe to bring in Genesect because Latios could run Tinted Lens to KO Genesect, and Mew could have a Fire-type coverage move. While spamming Zap Cannon, be wary of Pokemon that benefit from getting hit by an Electric move, such as Motor Drive Manaphy, which can sweep teams after just one Speed boost. Don't play recklessly with Genesect, as the Life Orb recoil, constant switching, and lack of recovery means it'll get worn down fast.
Team Options
========
Because Zap Cannon forces a lot of switches, entry hazard support is greatly appreciated. This makes Deoxys-S, Ferrothorn, and Forretress good partners, as they can all reliably set entry hazards, and the latter two can even serve as Fire-type switch-ins if they have Flash Fire. Forretress can even use a slow Volt Switch to give Genesect safe switches in. Gale Wings users and Fire-types can cause trouble for Genesect, so Flash Fire Doublade can be a nice partner to deal with both. Doublade also deals with Poison Heal Snorlax, which gives this set trouble, quite well. Magic Guard Moltres is an alternate Fire-type switch-in that can scare away Steel-types, keep up momentum with U-turn, and Defog away entry hazards. An alternate entry hazard remover and Fire-type switch-in is Primordial Sea Starmie. Starmie can deal solid damage to all spinblockers, switch into Fire-types for free and proceed to spin or throw out a Scald, and it deals with most Steel-types barring Ferrothorn thanks to rain-boosted Scald. Magic Bounce Gyarados can keep entry hazards off of the field while doubling as a switch-in to Fire-type moves and a wincon. Powerful wallbreakers such as Tough Claws Pangoro and Adaptability Tyranitar are good partners, as they can deal a lot of damage to the opposing team when the opponent's Pokemon are paralyzed; the paralysis also helps slow wallbreakers overcome their lack of Speed. Adaptability Tyranitar can also Pursuit trap Chansey and Goodra, both of which wall this set completely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Genesect is a naturally good Choice Scarf user thanks to its large coverage movepool and U-turn. If you're hoping to use Genesect as an offensive pivot and want longevity, Regenerator can be used over all of these abilities. Regenerator sets generally appreciate U-turn and Extreme Speed and have a wide array of special moves to choose from as coverage. Primordial Sea Genesect with Thunder and Douse Drive Techno Blast is also an option. While it's not as strong as the other Genesect sets, it's a solid switch-in to Fire-type attacks and can fit into teams thanks to its nice set of resistances and lack of weaknesses. The Tough Claws set could run Tinted Lens just as easily, boasting Genesect's ability to spam unresisted U-turns and get KOs on Steel-types with Extreme Speed. It does, however, miss the Tough Claws boost on Extreme Speed in a lot of situations. Finally, mixed sets of Genesect can actually run its original ability, Download, as it can actually outdamage some of the sets mentioned here if it gets the right boosts at the right time.
Checks and Counters
==================
**Faster Attackers**: Faster Pokemon such as Infernape, Latios, and Gengar force Genesect out, as they can threaten to outspeed and KO it, especially if they're not in Extreme Speed KO range.
**Bulky Steel-types**: When at full health, Heatran is very threatening to Genesect, as it will survive any hit from Genesect when healthy and retaliate with a Fire-type move that will KO Genesect. Ferrothorn almost always runs an ability that makes it immune to Fire-type moves, and its great mixed bulk lets it survive Genesect's moves with ease, allowing it to take a hit and cripple Genesect with Thunder Wave or Knock Off. Magnezone boasts resistances to all of Genesect's common coverage moves, barring Fire-type moves and the uncommon Dark Pulse, and can hit it very hard with Thunderbolt. Flash Fire Scizor can take a hit and set up on Genesect while recovering HP with Roost or dealing major damage with Knock Off or Superpower.
**Dedicated Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Skarmory, Chesnaught, and Doublade all wall physical Genesect sets; however, they all fall to the special variants.
**Flash Fire Steel-types**: Barring Skarmory, most Flash Fire Steel-types, such as Doublade and Ferrothorn, can take hits from most Genesect variants and threaten it with attacks or paralyze it.
**Dedicated Special Walls**: Chansey and Goodra wall all special Genesect variants. Chansey can paralyze or wear it down with Seismic Toss and recover HP with Soft-Boiled; it can even do so to win against the Iron Head variant. Goodra, however, loses to Iron Head variants of Sheer Force Genesect if it doesn't have any Defense investment, which it normally doesn't. Even Poison Heal Snorlax can greatly threaten fully special sets.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types give all Genesect variants barring Flash Fire and Primordial Sea trouble, as they can tank one hit and OHKO it in return with their Fire-type STAB moves.
**Gale Wings Users**: Gale Wings users can generally revenge kill Genesect, but they are beaten by Refrigerate variants. They are also KOed by Extreme Speed variants if they're worn down enough, with the exception of Skarmory, which can't actually revenge kill Genesect from full HP without setting up first.
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