[OVERVIEW]
* Arceus-Fighting's offensive typing allows it to check threats such as Arceus, Dialga, Arceus-Dark, Tyranitar, Arceus-Rock, and Mega Lucario.
* Arceus-Fighting's weakness to Flying-type moves can be used to its advantage. Given the opportunity, it can easily lure in Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and Ho-Oh and deal severe damage to them with the appropriate coverage move.
* Unfortunately, Arceus-Fighting's poor defensive typing leaves it extremely vulnerable to dangerous Fairy-types such as Xerneas while rendering it unable to feasibly deal with Flying-types in most situations.
* Arceus-Fighting's STAB move is easily exploitable. Ghost-types are immune to it, while Fairy- and Flying-types resist it, forcing Arceus-Fighting to rely on weak coverage moves and good prediction to do much damage.
* Depending on what coverage moves it runs, Arceus-Fighting will always be walled by dangerous Pokemon.
* Arceus-Fighting also has the misfortune of being almost entirely outclassed by Mega Lucario; Mega Lucario is much stronger, has a far better matchup against defensive teams, and is able to deal with Xerneas far better than Arceus-Fighting due to its access to Steel-type STAB.
* Arceus-Fighting carries an immense opportunity cost, as it shoulders teams that choose to use it with an Arceus forme that offers very little defensive synergy. It also offers very little offensive utility over Mega Lucario or a superior Arceus forme.
[SET]
name: Offensive Utility
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Shadow Ball / Recover
item: Fist Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Judgment is Arceus-Fighting's most consistent STAB move. It OHKOes Choice Band Tyranitar and Mega Lucario and OHKOes Arceus, Arceus-Dark, and Dialga after some prior damage.
* Ice Beam OHKOes Mega Salamence and Rayquaza and 2HKOes Yveltal.
* Stone Edge deals heavy damage to Ho-Oh, OHKOing it if it has switched into Stealth Rock at least once.
* Shadow Ball allows Arceus-Fighting to lure in and deal heavy damage to Lunala and Mega Gengar, as well as do some damage to Arceus-Ghost.
* Alternatively, Recover allows Arceus-Fighting to stay healthy throughout a match, ensuring it is able to check the few Pokemon it threatens.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in Special Attack maximizes Arceus-Fighting's offensive presence.
* Maximum investment in Speed with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Fighting to Speed tie with Extreme Killer Arceus.
Usage Tips
========
* Arceus-Fighting should take advantage of the Pokemon it can hard switch into, such as Arceus-Dark, Tyranitar, Arceus-Rock, and Dialga, whenever possible so it can attempt to gain momentum for its team.
* In most situations, however, Arceus-Fighting should be switched in after a teammate faints, as keeping it at high health is important to ensure it can do its job. This is especially applicable if its forme has already been revealed, as its lack of defensive investment and subpar defensive typing leave it vulnerable to powerful attacks or double switches.
* Once it is in safely, Arceus-Fighting should aim to hit the predicted switch-in with the appropriate coverage move.
* If it is running Recover, Arceus-Fighting can attempt to regain health in some situations. Bear in mind, however, that the use of Recover runs the risk of leaving Arceus-Fighting somewhat helpless against well-timed double switches, greatly reducing the momentum it is able to provide.
* Note that Arceus-Fighting has a terrible matchup against bulkier teams, which constrains it to attempting to deal as much damage as possible before fainting.
Team Options
========
* Primal Groudon checks Xerneas for Arceus-Fighting and can set up Stealth Rock to ensure Ho-Oh is always KOed on the switch in by Arceus-Fighting's Stone Edge. Swords Dance Primal Groudon is also an option, as it can break the defensive teams that trouble Arceus-Fighting.
* Alolan Muk, Lunala, and Yveltal can deal with Ghost- and Psychic-types for Arceus-Fighting. However, Yveltal compounds the unsavory weakness to Fairy-types that Arceus-Fighting brings to teams.
* Ho-Oh can serve as a Xerneas check for Arceus-Fighting. In return, it appreciates Arceus-Fighting's ability to deal with Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar.
* Xerneas and Mega Salamence benefit from Arceus-Fighting's ability to defeat Steel-types. Xerneas further enjoys Arceus-Fighting's ability to lure and defeat Ho-Oh.
* Deoxys-A greatly appreciates Arceus-Fighting's ability to check Extreme Killer Arceus.
* Mega Gengar can deal with Clefable and some variants of Xerneas and absorb Toxic Spikes for Arceus-Fighting. Arceus-Fighting can, in turn, assist Mega Gengar by dealing with Arceus-Dark and some Pursuit trappers, such as Tyranitar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Arceus-Fighting can attempt an offensive Calm Mind set, but its very poor defensive typing renders this a subpar option. Using a moveslot on Calm Mind also forces Arceus-Fighting to sacrifice either a coverage move or Recover, which is extremely detrimental to it.
* Sludge Bomb can damage Xerneas on the switch in, but it will not 2HKO standard Geomancy Xerneas unless it has sustained some prior damage.
* Fightinium Z can be used in conjunction with Focus Blast to grant Arceus-Fighting access to a single All-Out Pummelling with a Base Power of 190. This allows Arceus-Fighting to, after a Calm Mind boost, OHKO specially defensive Primal Groudon after Stealth Rock and deal upwards of 48% damage to Geomancy Xerneas. However, Focus Blast becomes very unreliable after All-Out Pummelling is used, and Arceus-Fighting is forced to run the subpar Calm Mind to make any use of Fightinium Z.
* Despite Arceus-Fighting's resistance to Stealth Rock, Defog sets are generally ineffective due to their increased passivity inviting even more threatening Pokemon to switch into them.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Clefable completely wall Arceus-Fighting and use it as setup fodder.
**Flying-types**: Most Flying-types are shaky checks to Arceus-Fighting, as it is strong enough to do heavy damage to them with its coverage moves should they attempt to switch in. However, Lugia takes pitiful damage from Arceus-Fighting's coverage moves and can either stall it out with Roost or Toxic it. More situationally, Ho-Oh walls any Arceus-Fighting set without Stone Edge, while Choice Scarf Yveltal can switch into Ice Beam if Stealth Rock is not up and 2HKO Arceus-Fighting with Oblivion Wing.
**Ghost-types**: Arceus-Ghost beats any Arceus-Fighting, while Mega Gengar, Aegislash, and Lunala are extremely threatening to Arceus-Fighting that lack Shadow Ball. Arceus-Ghost effortlessly checks Arceus-Fighting, as it is never 2HKOed by Shadow Ball at full health and can use Arceus-Fighting as setup fodder. Mega Gengar outspeeds and traps Arceus-Fighting. Aegislash walls Arceus-Fighting and can Toxic it. Choice Scarf Lunala 2HKOes Arceus-Fighting with Psyshock, while Calm Mind variants use Arceus-Fighting as setup fodder.
**Psychic-types**: Mewtwo and Deoxys-A easily revenge kill Arceus-Fighting with their Psychic-type STAB moves. Tapu Lele does not care for anything Arceus-Fighting runs barring the uncommon Sludge Bomb, allowing it to easily switch in, set up Psychic Terrain, and either force out or KO Arceus-Fighting.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Arceus-Fighting has serious issues dealing with many bulky Pokemon, as many of them, such as Arceus-Water, Mega Sableye, Toxapex, Buzzwole, and Blissey, can easily Toxic stall it. Specially bulky Pokemon with a high offensive presence also greatly threaten Arceus-Fighting; Primal Kyogre, for instance, can easily overwhelm Arceus-Fighting with its Primordial Sea-boosted Water-type STAB moves, though it cannot easily switch into Judgment.
**Status**: Arceus-Fighting is very vulnerable to most forms of status. If Arceus-Fighting is poisoned, its longevity is greatly reduced and it becomes a worse check to Extreme Killer Arceus. While uncommon, paralysis deprives Arceus-Fighting of its Speed advantage, which means it can no longer outspeed Pokemon such as Rayquaza, Yveltal, and Mega Salamence.
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