QC Checks: Sweep / Shrang / WreckDra
GP Checks: Snobalt / P Squared
Drag Joke Dragon Tales
[OVERVIEW]
Holding the ancient Draco Plate, Arceus transforms into a mighty Dragon, gaining useful resistances to Water- and Fire-type moves. Dragon Arceus is the fastest Uber Dragon-type, allowing it to revenge kill Giratina-O, Latios, Latias, and Palkia. Its pure Dragon typing combined with Arceus' all-around solid stats grant it the ability to soft check Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Rayquaza. Furthermore, Dragon Arceus retains all the resources available to an Arceus forme, including all its coverage options and boosting moves. Due to rarely being utilized, Dragon Arceus is a highly unexpected threat, meaning that your opponent might sacrifice their checks to it if Arceus's type is not revealed. Primal Groudon helps Dragon Arceus pressure Fairy-types, but despite Dragon Arceus's resistance to Origin Pulse, it doesn't actually fare well against Primal Kyogre due to how it commonly runs Ice Beam and Calm Mind. Dragon as an offensive type is also not great, with Fairy- and Steel-types being common and effective checks. Due to the nature of its STAB attack, Dragon Arceus is unable to have enough room for all the coverage it wants to run, leaving it susceptible to being checked by certain Pokemon. Dragon Arceus is also hampered by being affected by all types of entry hazards and by all non-volatile status conditions, reducing its ability to bring much defensive synergy to a team. The primary reason Dragon Arceus is underutilized is because it takes up a team's Arceus slot, which is commonly utilized with a forme that has more utility, defensive capability, or offensive presence.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Recover
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Judgment
item: Draco Plate
ability: Multitype
evs: 248 HP / 84 SpA / 176 Spe
nature: Timid
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Due to not being able to distinctly check any big threats defensively or fare well against most setters of Stealth Rock, Dragon Arceus can only assume an offensive role. Calm Mind is the best boosting move for Dragon Arceus, as Judgment is a special move and more safe to throw around than Outrage. Recover prevents Dragon Arceus from being worn down throughout a match and aids it in using Calm Mind. Fire Blast hits most Steel-types that resist Dragon Arceus's Judgment, such as Klefki, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, Aegislash, Skarmory, and Mega Metagross. Judgment is the strongest special STAB attack available to Dragon Arceus that is also reliable. Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre, Ho-Oh, Yveltal, Lugia, Water Arceus, Skarmory, and Tentacruel while still dealing neutral damage to most Steel-types. Earth Power is an option to hit Primal Groudon, Dialga, Klefki, Aegislash, and a few other Steel-types. Flash Cannon can also be used to hit Xerneas, Mega Diancie, Fairy Arceus, and Clefable.
Set Details
========
Draco Plate turns Arceus into Dragon Arceus and makes Judgment a Dragon-type move while boosting its power. 248 HP EVs are used to increase Dragon Arceus's overall bulk in order to more effectively use Recover and set up Calm Mind. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Dragon Arceus to outspeed fully invested base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, and Gengar before Mega Evolution. The remaining 84 EVs are used to boost the Special Attack stat, which ensures the OHKO on Rayquaza and standard Mega Salamence with Judgment. Maximum Speed is certainly an option to Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes.
Usage Tips
========
Dragon Arceus should be kept hidden for as long as possible. If your opponent doesn't know that you have it, they are more likely to play their Fairy- and Steel-types aggressively after they have fulfilled their primary purpose; this makes it much easier for Dragon Arceus to get surprise sweeps late in a match. Keeping Dragon Arceus hidden goes hand-in-hand with keeping it healthy, which is especially important if you intend to use it as a secondary check to threats such as Mega Salamence and Rayquaza. Only at full HP does Dragon Arceus always survive a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence Return after Stealth Rock; however, even at maximum HP, Dragon Arceus only survives maximum Attack Double-Edge if there are no entry hazards present. Dragon Arceus can only afford to run a single moveslot for coverage, so taking this moveslot into consideration is of high importance. Effort should be placed on eliminating the threats that Dragon Arceus cannot bypass rather than focusing on the ones it can. For example, if Dragon Arceus is running Fire Blast, ensuring that Skarmory is removed is not as important as ensuring that Clefable is removed. This means you should make plays that favor applying pressure to Clefable while perhaps making more defensive plays against Skarmory.
It is usually a poor choice to set up Calm Mind if the opponent still has a Pokemon that can counter Dragon Arceus; this leads to wasted turns because Dragon Arceus is forced to switch right after setting up Calm Mind. When in a situation where Dragon Arceus is able to set up several Calm Minds, always keep its HP at a comfortable level so that it isn't knocked out by a surprise critical hit or Speed tie. Dragon Arceus is susceptible to burns, poison, and paralysis. Both burns and poison severely reduce Dragon Arceus's longevity. Paralysis robs Dragon Arceus of its Speed, which is one of its greatest advantages compared to other Dragon-types.
Team Options
========
Primal Groudon performs well against Fairy- and Steel-types, both of which resist Dragon Arceus's Judgment. Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate defensive Fairy-types that Dragon Arceus has trouble breaking through, such as Fairy Arceus, Clefable, and Xerneas. Although Ho-Oh mandates entry hazard removal, it can smash the Fairy- and Steel-types that pressure Dragon Arceus. Dialga can take down Steel- and Fairy-types as well, with its STAB Flash Cannon cutting through Pokemon such as Clefable and Fire Blast knocking out Steel-types. Klefki is an excellent setter of Spikes, which helps wear down the opposing team for a Dragon Arceus sweep; it also serves as a check to Xerneas. Other entry hazard setters such as Forretress are also good partners, as entry hazards deal residual damage and wear down Dragon Arceus's checks. Checks to Fairy-types, such as Mega Scizor, Genesect, Jirachi, and Mega Metagross, provide safe switch-ins for Dragon Arceus. Entry hazard removal is useful, as Dragon Arceus is affected by all types of entry hazards, but make sure that you are not simultaneously running a suicide entry hazard lead and a Defogger.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Untouchable)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Iron Tail / Extreme Speed
item: Draco Plate
ability: Multitype
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
This offensive set makes use of Swords Dance, possibly allowing Arceus-Dragon to clean late in a match. Outrage is the strongest physical STAB attack available to Dragon Arceus; while it is powerful and accurate, its locking effect means that it should not be used until enemy Fairy-types have been eliminated. Earthquake is used for the Steel-types that resist Outrage, although it also hits other targets such as Primal Groudon. Iron Tail gives Dragon Arceus a method of hitting Fairy-types hard, being able to deal upwards of 75% to the bulkiest Fairies around when at +2. Extreme Speed is an option instead of Iron Tail that gives some utility in priority and a method of blowing past weakened revenge killers. Overheat and Fire Blast are options that can hit some defensive threats such as Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Skarmory.
Set Details
========
A Draco Plate is the necessary held item to transform into Dragon Arceus, and slightly boosts the power of Outrage. 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are used to maximize Dragon Arceus's Speed, allowing it to beat relevant base 110 Speed threats and Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes. 252 Attack EVs are necessary to fully raise Dragon Arceus's damage output. The remaining 4 EVs are placed into Defense to ensure that Genesect gets a Special Attack boost from Download.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance Dragon Arceus should be treated as a late-game cleaner to capitalize on both the use of Outrage and its unexpected nature. +2 Iron Tail is very strong and can be used as an intermediate wallbreaking method to clear away defensive Fairy-types in the middle of a match. Dragon Arceus can then clean at a later time when other threats have been eliminated or damaged enough for it to break through; note that using Dragon Arceus to immediately wallbreak in such a manner has the cost of revealing the set. Iron Tail is strong enough to deal massive damage to even defensive Xerneas and Fairy Arceus, but not enough to OHKO them from full health. Don't underestimate Outrage's power; it hits significantly harder than Extreme Killer Arceus's Extreme Speed and is able to OHKO defensive Yveltal and 248 HP Arceus after Stealth Rock when at +2. Entry hazards often make the difference for ensuring OHKOs with Dragon Arceus, as they help to whittle down the foe into KO range. For these reasons, maintaining an entry hazard advantage can justify offensive play from other teammates in order to help ensure that Dragon Arceus can clean later on. Stay away from burns and paralysis; the former cripples Dragon Arceus to the point where it will struggle to clean and the latter gives up Dragon Arceus's Speed advantage, making it significantly easier to revenge kill.
Team Options
========
Primal Groudon offensively checks just about every Pokemon that Dragon Arceus can't break past. Primal Groudon also offers a switch-in for Fairy-type moves on an offensive team and can set Stealth Rock. Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate defensive Fairy-types and Arceus formes, which are common threats that can prevent an Dragon Arceus sweep. Suicide or offensive entry hazard setters help Dragon Arceus ensure a variety of KOs and fit well on an offensive team; Deoxys-S, Dialga, Forretress, Greninja, and Mega Aerodactyl are some examples of these. An offensive Xerneas check is mandatory to provide a switch-in to Fairy-type attacks and to prevent a Geomancy sweep. Ho-Oh is a good partner due to its ability to offensively check Fairy- and Steel-types, but do not use it if using a suicide hazard lead, as using Ho-Oh mandates entry hazard removal.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Will-O-Wisp is a possible option to run on the Calm Mind set to cripple common Steel-type switch-ins, but it is usually better to have Fire Blast, which can outright OHKO several Steel-types. Iron Head and Poison Jab are options instead of Iron Tail on the Swords Dance set due to their higher accuracy and secondary effects, but the drop in power is significant. Sludge Bomb is an option on the Calm Mind set to hit Fairy-types hard and spread poison; however, it leaves Dragon Arceus unable to touch Steel-types. Stone Edge can be utilized to nail Ho-Oh, but it does not hit much else. Spacial Rend can be used on the Calm Mind set to exchange 5% accuracy for a high critical hit rate, though the move's lower PP means that it is usually not worth it. A Defog support set is possible, but it is outclassed by other Arceus formes, which perform better against common Stealth Rock setters and can check a wider range of threats.
Checks & Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Fairy Arceus, Clefable, Diancie, Klefki, and Mega Mawile are immune to Dragon Arceus's STAB attack and can retaliate with STAB-boosted super effective moves.
**Steel-types**: Although Steel-types fear Fire Blast from Calm Mind Dragon Arceus and Earthquake from Swords Dance variants, they still resist Dragon Arceus's STAB attack. Common Steel-types include Dialga, Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, Genesect, Jirachi, Aegislash, Skarmory, Mega Metagross, and Steel Arceus.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh has the special bulk to comfortably switch into Calm Mind Dragon Arceus and hit back with a powerful Brave Bird or aim for a burn with Sacred Fire. Standard Ho-Oh cannot afford to come into Dragon Arceus's Outrage, however.
**Lugia**: With its massive bulk, Lugia can switch into both of Dragon Arceus's sets and then proceed to poison it with Toxic or phaze it with Whirlwind.
**Choice Scarf Zekrom and Choice Scarf Kyurem-W**: Both Choice Scarf Zekrom and Kyurem-W are able to revenge kill both Dragon Arceus sets. However, they cannot switch directly into Dragon Arceus in fear of its Dragon-type STAB move.
**Mewtwo**: All of the Mewtwo formes are fast and powerful enough to revenge kill Dragon Arceus, though they cannot switch into Swords Dance Dragon Arceus's Outrage.
**Cloyster**: Cloyster can deal significant damage to Dragon Arceus with Icicle Spear; however, it cannot switch into Judgment and loses if its Focus Sash is not intact.
**Ice Arceus**: Ice Arceus can defeat Dragon Arceus one-on-one due to its typing advantage.
GP Checks: Snobalt / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Holding the ancient Draco Plate, Arceus transforms into a mighty Dragon, gaining useful resistances to Water- and Fire-type moves. Dragon Arceus is the fastest Uber Dragon-type, allowing it to revenge kill Giratina-O, Latios, Latias, and Palkia. Its pure Dragon typing combined with Arceus' all-around solid stats grant it the ability to soft check Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Rayquaza. Furthermore, Dragon Arceus retains all the resources available to an Arceus forme, including all its coverage options and boosting moves. Due to rarely being utilized, Dragon Arceus is a highly unexpected threat, meaning that your opponent might sacrifice their checks to it if Arceus's type is not revealed. Primal Groudon helps Dragon Arceus pressure Fairy-types, but despite Dragon Arceus's resistance to Origin Pulse, it doesn't actually fare well against Primal Kyogre due to how it commonly runs Ice Beam and Calm Mind. Dragon as an offensive type is also not great, with Fairy- and Steel-types being common and effective checks. Due to the nature of its STAB attack, Dragon Arceus is unable to have enough room for all the coverage it wants to run, leaving it susceptible to being checked by certain Pokemon. Dragon Arceus is also hampered by being affected by all types of entry hazards and by all non-volatile status conditions, reducing its ability to bring much defensive synergy to a team. The primary reason Dragon Arceus is underutilized is because it takes up a team's Arceus slot, which is commonly utilized with a forme that has more utility, defensive capability, or offensive presence.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Recover
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Judgment
item: Draco Plate
ability: Multitype
evs: 248 HP / 84 SpA / 176 Spe
nature: Timid
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Due to not being able to distinctly check any big threats defensively or fare well against most setters of Stealth Rock, Dragon Arceus can only assume an offensive role. Calm Mind is the best boosting move for Dragon Arceus, as Judgment is a special move and more safe to throw around than Outrage. Recover prevents Dragon Arceus from being worn down throughout a match and aids it in using Calm Mind. Fire Blast hits most Steel-types that resist Dragon Arceus's Judgment, such as Klefki, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, Aegislash, Skarmory, and Mega Metagross. Judgment is the strongest special STAB attack available to Dragon Arceus that is also reliable. Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre, Ho-Oh, Yveltal, Lugia, Water Arceus, Skarmory, and Tentacruel while still dealing neutral damage to most Steel-types. Earth Power is an option to hit Primal Groudon, Dialga, Klefki, Aegislash, and a few other Steel-types. Flash Cannon can also be used to hit Xerneas, Mega Diancie, Fairy Arceus, and Clefable.
Set Details
========
Draco Plate turns Arceus into Dragon Arceus and makes Judgment a Dragon-type move while boosting its power. 248 HP EVs are used to increase Dragon Arceus's overall bulk in order to more effectively use Recover and set up Calm Mind. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Dragon Arceus to outspeed fully invested base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, and Gengar before Mega Evolution. The remaining 84 EVs are used to boost the Special Attack stat, which ensures the OHKO on Rayquaza and standard Mega Salamence with Judgment. Maximum Speed is certainly an option to Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes.
Usage Tips
========
Dragon Arceus should be kept hidden for as long as possible. If your opponent doesn't know that you have it, they are more likely to play their Fairy- and Steel-types aggressively after they have fulfilled their primary purpose; this makes it much easier for Dragon Arceus to get surprise sweeps late in a match. Keeping Dragon Arceus hidden goes hand-in-hand with keeping it healthy, which is especially important if you intend to use it as a secondary check to threats such as Mega Salamence and Rayquaza. Only at full HP does Dragon Arceus always survive a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence Return after Stealth Rock; however, even at maximum HP, Dragon Arceus only survives maximum Attack Double-Edge if there are no entry hazards present. Dragon Arceus can only afford to run a single moveslot for coverage, so taking this moveslot into consideration is of high importance. Effort should be placed on eliminating the threats that Dragon Arceus cannot bypass rather than focusing on the ones it can. For example, if Dragon Arceus is running Fire Blast, ensuring that Skarmory is removed is not as important as ensuring that Clefable is removed. This means you should make plays that favor applying pressure to Clefable while perhaps making more defensive plays against Skarmory.
It is usually a poor choice to set up Calm Mind if the opponent still has a Pokemon that can counter Dragon Arceus; this leads to wasted turns because Dragon Arceus is forced to switch right after setting up Calm Mind. When in a situation where Dragon Arceus is able to set up several Calm Minds, always keep its HP at a comfortable level so that it isn't knocked out by a surprise critical hit or Speed tie. Dragon Arceus is susceptible to burns, poison, and paralysis. Both burns and poison severely reduce Dragon Arceus's longevity. Paralysis robs Dragon Arceus of its Speed, which is one of its greatest advantages compared to other Dragon-types.
Team Options
========
Primal Groudon performs well against Fairy- and Steel-types, both of which resist Dragon Arceus's Judgment. Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate defensive Fairy-types that Dragon Arceus has trouble breaking through, such as Fairy Arceus, Clefable, and Xerneas. Although Ho-Oh mandates entry hazard removal, it can smash the Fairy- and Steel-types that pressure Dragon Arceus. Dialga can take down Steel- and Fairy-types as well, with its STAB Flash Cannon cutting through Pokemon such as Clefable and Fire Blast knocking out Steel-types. Klefki is an excellent setter of Spikes, which helps wear down the opposing team for a Dragon Arceus sweep; it also serves as a check to Xerneas. Other entry hazard setters such as Forretress are also good partners, as entry hazards deal residual damage and wear down Dragon Arceus's checks. Checks to Fairy-types, such as Mega Scizor, Genesect, Jirachi, and Mega Metagross, provide safe switch-ins for Dragon Arceus. Entry hazard removal is useful, as Dragon Arceus is affected by all types of entry hazards, but make sure that you are not simultaneously running a suicide entry hazard lead and a Defogger.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Untouchable)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Iron Tail / Extreme Speed
item: Draco Plate
ability: Multitype
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
This offensive set makes use of Swords Dance, possibly allowing Arceus-Dragon to clean late in a match. Outrage is the strongest physical STAB attack available to Dragon Arceus; while it is powerful and accurate, its locking effect means that it should not be used until enemy Fairy-types have been eliminated. Earthquake is used for the Steel-types that resist Outrage, although it also hits other targets such as Primal Groudon. Iron Tail gives Dragon Arceus a method of hitting Fairy-types hard, being able to deal upwards of 75% to the bulkiest Fairies around when at +2. Extreme Speed is an option instead of Iron Tail that gives some utility in priority and a method of blowing past weakened revenge killers. Overheat and Fire Blast are options that can hit some defensive threats such as Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Skarmory.
Set Details
========
A Draco Plate is the necessary held item to transform into Dragon Arceus, and slightly boosts the power of Outrage. 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are used to maximize Dragon Arceus's Speed, allowing it to beat relevant base 110 Speed threats and Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes. 252 Attack EVs are necessary to fully raise Dragon Arceus's damage output. The remaining 4 EVs are placed into Defense to ensure that Genesect gets a Special Attack boost from Download.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance Dragon Arceus should be treated as a late-game cleaner to capitalize on both the use of Outrage and its unexpected nature. +2 Iron Tail is very strong and can be used as an intermediate wallbreaking method to clear away defensive Fairy-types in the middle of a match. Dragon Arceus can then clean at a later time when other threats have been eliminated or damaged enough for it to break through; note that using Dragon Arceus to immediately wallbreak in such a manner has the cost of revealing the set. Iron Tail is strong enough to deal massive damage to even defensive Xerneas and Fairy Arceus, but not enough to OHKO them from full health. Don't underestimate Outrage's power; it hits significantly harder than Extreme Killer Arceus's Extreme Speed and is able to OHKO defensive Yveltal and 248 HP Arceus after Stealth Rock when at +2. Entry hazards often make the difference for ensuring OHKOs with Dragon Arceus, as they help to whittle down the foe into KO range. For these reasons, maintaining an entry hazard advantage can justify offensive play from other teammates in order to help ensure that Dragon Arceus can clean later on. Stay away from burns and paralysis; the former cripples Dragon Arceus to the point where it will struggle to clean and the latter gives up Dragon Arceus's Speed advantage, making it significantly easier to revenge kill.
Team Options
========
Primal Groudon offensively checks just about every Pokemon that Dragon Arceus can't break past. Primal Groudon also offers a switch-in for Fairy-type moves on an offensive team and can set Stealth Rock. Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate defensive Fairy-types and Arceus formes, which are common threats that can prevent an Dragon Arceus sweep. Suicide or offensive entry hazard setters help Dragon Arceus ensure a variety of KOs and fit well on an offensive team; Deoxys-S, Dialga, Forretress, Greninja, and Mega Aerodactyl are some examples of these. An offensive Xerneas check is mandatory to provide a switch-in to Fairy-type attacks and to prevent a Geomancy sweep. Ho-Oh is a good partner due to its ability to offensively check Fairy- and Steel-types, but do not use it if using a suicide hazard lead, as using Ho-Oh mandates entry hazard removal.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Will-O-Wisp is a possible option to run on the Calm Mind set to cripple common Steel-type switch-ins, but it is usually better to have Fire Blast, which can outright OHKO several Steel-types. Iron Head and Poison Jab are options instead of Iron Tail on the Swords Dance set due to their higher accuracy and secondary effects, but the drop in power is significant. Sludge Bomb is an option on the Calm Mind set to hit Fairy-types hard and spread poison; however, it leaves Dragon Arceus unable to touch Steel-types. Stone Edge can be utilized to nail Ho-Oh, but it does not hit much else. Spacial Rend can be used on the Calm Mind set to exchange 5% accuracy for a high critical hit rate, though the move's lower PP means that it is usually not worth it. A Defog support set is possible, but it is outclassed by other Arceus formes, which perform better against common Stealth Rock setters and can check a wider range of threats.
Checks & Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Fairy Arceus, Clefable, Diancie, Klefki, and Mega Mawile are immune to Dragon Arceus's STAB attack and can retaliate with STAB-boosted super effective moves.
**Steel-types**: Although Steel-types fear Fire Blast from Calm Mind Dragon Arceus and Earthquake from Swords Dance variants, they still resist Dragon Arceus's STAB attack. Common Steel-types include Dialga, Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, Genesect, Jirachi, Aegislash, Skarmory, Mega Metagross, and Steel Arceus.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh has the special bulk to comfortably switch into Calm Mind Dragon Arceus and hit back with a powerful Brave Bird or aim for a burn with Sacred Fire. Standard Ho-Oh cannot afford to come into Dragon Arceus's Outrage, however.
**Lugia**: With its massive bulk, Lugia can switch into both of Dragon Arceus's sets and then proceed to poison it with Toxic or phaze it with Whirlwind.
**Choice Scarf Zekrom and Choice Scarf Kyurem-W**: Both Choice Scarf Zekrom and Kyurem-W are able to revenge kill both Dragon Arceus sets. However, they cannot switch directly into Dragon Arceus in fear of its Dragon-type STAB move.
**Mewtwo**: All of the Mewtwo formes are fast and powerful enough to revenge kill Dragon Arceus, though they cannot switch into Swords Dance Dragon Arceus's Outrage.
**Cloyster**: Cloyster can deal significant damage to Dragon Arceus with Icicle Spear; however, it cannot switch into Judgment and loses if its Focus Sash is not intact.
**Ice Arceus**: Ice Arceus can defeat Dragon Arceus one-on-one due to its typing advantage.
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