QC Checks 3/3 (Sweep, Fireburn, WreckDra)
GP Checks 2/2 (GatoDelFuego, Winry)
np: TwoThirds - Skywards
Overview
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The threat that Mega Salamence poses has brought out a number of Flying-resistant Pokemon on almost every team, leaving Flying Arceus easier to check. This makes Flying Arceus harder to justify using over Mega Salamence, as Flying Arceus has less usable resistances while also being weak to Stealth Rock. The decline of stall teams also hurts Flying Arceus, as its main role was to be a stallbreaker. On the upside, Primal Groudon helps Flying Arceus tremendously, as it can handle almost all of Flying Arceus's weaknesses. Flying as an offensive typing is still very potent, and Flying Arceus is still the best specially based Flying-type in the tier. It also has a cool bonus of being the only Arceus forme not hurt by both forms of Spikes.
Stallbreaker
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name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Recover
move 4: Refresh / Earth Power
ability: Multitype
item: Sky Plate
evs: 132 HP / 200 SpA / 176 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Calm Mind and Refresh allow Flying Arceus to break through stall teams and bulky threats with just its Flying-type STAB move as its only attack, as it has no immunities and not many Pokemon in Ubers resist Flying. Judgment is the most reliable and powerful Flying-type move that Flying Arceus can use, and it also comes with a decent amount of PP, which is a nice selling point for a Pokemon that is dedicated to breaking bulkier teams. Recover helps Flying Arceus stick around and consistently threaten the enemy team. Earth Power is an alternative over Refresh that hits many of the Flying-type resistances in the tier such as Aegislash, Jirachi, Mega Diancie, and Tyranitar. Substitute can be used over Refresh or Earth Power if you would rather avoid status completely, or to have some breathing room to rack up Calm Mind boosts on predicted switches. It can also help Flying Arceus avoid being phazed by Dragon Tail users.
Set Details
========
132 HP EVs give Flying Arceus the ability to live Primal Groudon's Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage while also allowing it to make 101 HP Substitutes, meaning Seismic Toss cannot break them in one hit. 200 Special Attack EVs with a Modest Nature give Judgment the power to OHKO Mega Mewtwo X and 2HKO the standard Primal Groudon set. It also has a small chance to 2HKO Latios after Stealth Rock damage. 176 Speed EVs allow Flying Arceus to outspeed anything up to Modest maximum Speed Latios and Latias.
Usage Tips
========
Flying Arceus's main role is to be a stallbreaker, which is a Pokemon that can dismantle very bulky teams without any support, as Flying is effective as the only attack type on a set because it has no immunities. Flying Arceus's great bulk also helps it accomplish this role. If facing stall or generally bulky teams, bring Flying Arceus in on predicted Ground-type moves, or status moves such as Toxic, if carrying Refresh. From there, judge if there is any immediate threat to Flying Arceus, such as the potential that the opposing Pokemon has a strong Rock-type coverage move. If things look safe and the foe will switch out, set up Calm Mind boosts and break through the foe. Some stall teams carry dedicated answers to stallbreakers such as Flying Arceus, therefore it's a good idea to keep an eye out for Pokemon such as Snatch Blissey or Calm Mind Clefable, as Flying Arceus cannot break past these Pokemon without the help of teammates. Against more offensive teams, Flying Arceus works best as a late-game cleaner once Pokemon resistant to Flying such as Tyranitar or Steel-types are worn down sufficiently. Flying Arceus can switch into specially defensive Primal Groudon with ease if carrying Refresh, but this set tends to have Roar, so don't set up Calm Mind boosts recklessly.
Team Options
========
The best partner Flying Arceus can have is Primal Groudon by a mile. Primal Groudon can check Rock-types, Steel-types, Ho-Oh if running Stone Edge, and Zekrom, and it can also handle any Electric- or Ice-type attacks thrown at Flying Arceus, all while being able to set up Stealth Rock to pressure switches. Defog users such as Giratina-O, Latios, Latias, and Mega Scizor can remove Stealth Rock that can annoy Flying Arceus. A core of a Fairy-type and a Ground-type can keep Zekrom guessing, as a wrong prediction from the Zekrom user can lead to a free switch for your team. Checks to Ho-Oh such as defensive Mega Salamence, Stone Edge Primal Groudon, and Tyranitar make for effective partners, as Flying Arceus can have trouble breaking a healthy Ho-Oh on its own. Primal Kyogre checks such as Latias, Primal Groudon, and Palkia are appreciated, as a Calm Mind set can beat Flying Arceus in a one-on-one scenario. Physical attackers such as Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence can put pressure on specially bulky walls, allowing Flying Arceus to break past them later in the match. Mega Gengar can trap and remove Clefable and other defensive Pokemon that can typically deal with Flying Arceus. Excadrill can work as a check to Electric- and Ice-type attackers, and it can also use Rapid Spin to remove Stealth Rock for Flying Arceus; pair Excadrill with Tyranitar for a nice combination that can help out Flying Arceus.
Other Options
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Thunder is a potential coverage option for Flying Arceus that allows it to take on Calm Mind Primal Kyogre, and it also hits Ho-Oh for heavy damage. Focus Blast can hit Mega Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, and Mega Diancie. Will-O-Wisp can catch an aggressive Zekrom and neutralize it for the match, and it can get chip damage on Flying Arceus's switch-ins, but is fairly niche otherwise.
Checks & Counters
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**Zekrom**: While Zekrom is uncommon in ORAS Ubers, it is the biggest counter to Flying Arceus. It can switch in on any move at least once except for the rare Will-O-Wisp and OHKO with Bolt Strike. Earth Power does considerable damage, however.
**Rock-Types**: Rock types such as Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, and Rock Arceus resist Judgment and can deal heavy damage with their STAB moves. Rock Arceus can have trouble handling Flying Arceus after a few Calm Mind boosts unless it too has Calm Mind, however. Earth Power can also hit all Rock-type switch-ins.
**Clefable**: Clefable is typically seen on stall teams, as its Calm Mind set with Unaware allows it to beat any stallbreaker Arceus. Flying Arceus is no exception, and it needs support from its teammates to bypass this Pokemon.
**Electric Arceus**: Electric Arceus has taken a big drop in viability in ORAS Ubers, and therefore isn't very common. However, it can still beat Flying Arceus with ease.
**Ice-Types**: Ice-types, namely Kyurem-W and Ice Arceus, do not resist Judgment, but can hit Flying Arceus very hard with their STAB moves. Flying Arceus needs Calm Mind boosts just to avoid being OHKOed by these Pokemon and should avoid fighting them if possible.
**Steel-Types**: Steel-type Pokemon such as Aegislash, Dialga, and Klefki can prove to be very annoying for Flying Arceus to break past without multiple Calm Mind boosts. These Steel-types tend to have trouble actually breaking though Flying Arceus on their own, however.
**Specially bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that boast good Special Defense such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh can switch into Flying Arceus and beat it.
**Darkrai**: Darkrai will outspeed Flying Arceus and can put it to sleep before it can do anything. However, if Flying Arceus already has Calm Mind boosts, Darkrai can have trouble actually winning the scenario without Nasty Plot boosts and good sleep rolls. Darkrai cannot directly switch into Flying Arceus, either.
GP Checks 2/2 (GatoDelFuego, Winry)
np: TwoThirds - Skywards
Overview
########
The threat that Mega Salamence poses has brought out a number of Flying-resistant Pokemon on almost every team, leaving Flying Arceus easier to check. This makes Flying Arceus harder to justify using over Mega Salamence, as Flying Arceus has less usable resistances while also being weak to Stealth Rock. The decline of stall teams also hurts Flying Arceus, as its main role was to be a stallbreaker. On the upside, Primal Groudon helps Flying Arceus tremendously, as it can handle almost all of Flying Arceus's weaknesses. Flying as an offensive typing is still very potent, and Flying Arceus is still the best specially based Flying-type in the tier. It also has a cool bonus of being the only Arceus forme not hurt by both forms of Spikes.
Stallbreaker
########
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Recover
move 4: Refresh / Earth Power
ability: Multitype
item: Sky Plate
evs: 132 HP / 200 SpA / 176 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Calm Mind and Refresh allow Flying Arceus to break through stall teams and bulky threats with just its Flying-type STAB move as its only attack, as it has no immunities and not many Pokemon in Ubers resist Flying. Judgment is the most reliable and powerful Flying-type move that Flying Arceus can use, and it also comes with a decent amount of PP, which is a nice selling point for a Pokemon that is dedicated to breaking bulkier teams. Recover helps Flying Arceus stick around and consistently threaten the enemy team. Earth Power is an alternative over Refresh that hits many of the Flying-type resistances in the tier such as Aegislash, Jirachi, Mega Diancie, and Tyranitar. Substitute can be used over Refresh or Earth Power if you would rather avoid status completely, or to have some breathing room to rack up Calm Mind boosts on predicted switches. It can also help Flying Arceus avoid being phazed by Dragon Tail users.
Set Details
========
132 HP EVs give Flying Arceus the ability to live Primal Groudon's Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage while also allowing it to make 101 HP Substitutes, meaning Seismic Toss cannot break them in one hit. 200 Special Attack EVs with a Modest Nature give Judgment the power to OHKO Mega Mewtwo X and 2HKO the standard Primal Groudon set. It also has a small chance to 2HKO Latios after Stealth Rock damage. 176 Speed EVs allow Flying Arceus to outspeed anything up to Modest maximum Speed Latios and Latias.
Usage Tips
========
Flying Arceus's main role is to be a stallbreaker, which is a Pokemon that can dismantle very bulky teams without any support, as Flying is effective as the only attack type on a set because it has no immunities. Flying Arceus's great bulk also helps it accomplish this role. If facing stall or generally bulky teams, bring Flying Arceus in on predicted Ground-type moves, or status moves such as Toxic, if carrying Refresh. From there, judge if there is any immediate threat to Flying Arceus, such as the potential that the opposing Pokemon has a strong Rock-type coverage move. If things look safe and the foe will switch out, set up Calm Mind boosts and break through the foe. Some stall teams carry dedicated answers to stallbreakers such as Flying Arceus, therefore it's a good idea to keep an eye out for Pokemon such as Snatch Blissey or Calm Mind Clefable, as Flying Arceus cannot break past these Pokemon without the help of teammates. Against more offensive teams, Flying Arceus works best as a late-game cleaner once Pokemon resistant to Flying such as Tyranitar or Steel-types are worn down sufficiently. Flying Arceus can switch into specially defensive Primal Groudon with ease if carrying Refresh, but this set tends to have Roar, so don't set up Calm Mind boosts recklessly.
Team Options
========
The best partner Flying Arceus can have is Primal Groudon by a mile. Primal Groudon can check Rock-types, Steel-types, Ho-Oh if running Stone Edge, and Zekrom, and it can also handle any Electric- or Ice-type attacks thrown at Flying Arceus, all while being able to set up Stealth Rock to pressure switches. Defog users such as Giratina-O, Latios, Latias, and Mega Scizor can remove Stealth Rock that can annoy Flying Arceus. A core of a Fairy-type and a Ground-type can keep Zekrom guessing, as a wrong prediction from the Zekrom user can lead to a free switch for your team. Checks to Ho-Oh such as defensive Mega Salamence, Stone Edge Primal Groudon, and Tyranitar make for effective partners, as Flying Arceus can have trouble breaking a healthy Ho-Oh on its own. Primal Kyogre checks such as Latias, Primal Groudon, and Palkia are appreciated, as a Calm Mind set can beat Flying Arceus in a one-on-one scenario. Physical attackers such as Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence can put pressure on specially bulky walls, allowing Flying Arceus to break past them later in the match. Mega Gengar can trap and remove Clefable and other defensive Pokemon that can typically deal with Flying Arceus. Excadrill can work as a check to Electric- and Ice-type attackers, and it can also use Rapid Spin to remove Stealth Rock for Flying Arceus; pair Excadrill with Tyranitar for a nice combination that can help out Flying Arceus.
Other Options
########
Thunder is a potential coverage option for Flying Arceus that allows it to take on Calm Mind Primal Kyogre, and it also hits Ho-Oh for heavy damage. Focus Blast can hit Mega Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, and Mega Diancie. Will-O-Wisp can catch an aggressive Zekrom and neutralize it for the match, and it can get chip damage on Flying Arceus's switch-ins, but is fairly niche otherwise.
Checks & Counters
########
**Zekrom**: While Zekrom is uncommon in ORAS Ubers, it is the biggest counter to Flying Arceus. It can switch in on any move at least once except for the rare Will-O-Wisp and OHKO with Bolt Strike. Earth Power does considerable damage, however.
**Rock-Types**: Rock types such as Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, and Rock Arceus resist Judgment and can deal heavy damage with their STAB moves. Rock Arceus can have trouble handling Flying Arceus after a few Calm Mind boosts unless it too has Calm Mind, however. Earth Power can also hit all Rock-type switch-ins.
**Clefable**: Clefable is typically seen on stall teams, as its Calm Mind set with Unaware allows it to beat any stallbreaker Arceus. Flying Arceus is no exception, and it needs support from its teammates to bypass this Pokemon.
**Electric Arceus**: Electric Arceus has taken a big drop in viability in ORAS Ubers, and therefore isn't very common. However, it can still beat Flying Arceus with ease.
**Ice-Types**: Ice-types, namely Kyurem-W and Ice Arceus, do not resist Judgment, but can hit Flying Arceus very hard with their STAB moves. Flying Arceus needs Calm Mind boosts just to avoid being OHKOed by these Pokemon and should avoid fighting them if possible.
**Steel-Types**: Steel-type Pokemon such as Aegislash, Dialga, and Klefki can prove to be very annoying for Flying Arceus to break past without multiple Calm Mind boosts. These Steel-types tend to have trouble actually breaking though Flying Arceus on their own, however.
**Specially bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that boast good Special Defense such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh can switch into Flying Arceus and beat it.
**Darkrai**: Darkrai will outspeed Flying Arceus and can put it to sleep before it can do anything. However, if Flying Arceus already has Calm Mind boosts, Darkrai can have trouble actually winning the scenario without Nasty Plot boosts and good sleep rolls. Darkrai cannot directly switch into Flying Arceus, either.
Overview
########
########
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Recover
move 4: Refresh / Earth Power
ability: Multitype
item: Sky Plate
evs: 132 HP / 200 SpA / 176 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
========
========
========
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- Flying as an offensive typing is very strong in the current meta
- The lack of usable resists and SR weakness hurt its defensive capabilities and switch in potential a lot
- Primal Groudon helped this mon tremendously as it made Flyceus's biggest checks (Eleceus and Zekrom) drop in viability + usage
- The drop of stall teams leaves Flyceus with little to do other than be a specially based Salamence as stallbreakers are not as necessary
- Very hard to justify over Mega Salamence, but can still do work on teams that can't use it - deciding between the two is a choice between a Mega and an Arceus forme
- Has the cool bonus of being the only Arceus forme not weak to Sticky Web, and (Toxic)Spikes
########
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Recover
move 4: Refresh / Earth Power
ability: Multitype
item: Sky Plate
evs: 132 HP / 200 SpA / 176 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
- Judgment for STAB
- Calm Mind because SD is an much inferior Salamence
- Recover for longevity
- Earth Power to hit the multiple Steel/Rock types that are running around due to Salamence usage
- Refresh can let you be a "true stallbreaker"
- Substitute can be a neat move to scout for Rock coverage or dodge status but you find that CM or attacking is better vs most teams
========
- 132 HP lets you live Primal Groudon's Stone Edge after SR damage
- 200 SpA with a Modest nature 2HKOs the standard Groudon set, OHKOes Mewtwo-X and can potentially 2HKO Latios after SR
- 176 Speed outspeeds Modest Latis
========
- Flyceus's main role is to be a stallbreaker with its excellent STAB coupled with its great bulk and movepool
- If against stall teams, break stuff - but beware of all the phaze users they tend to have
- Some stall teams have dedicated answers to Stallbreaker Arceus such as Snatch Blissey and Calm Mind Clefable, keep an eye out for these mons
- Against balance/offense use flyceus as a late game cleaner once stuff like Tyranitar and other Steels are weakened a bit
- You can switch into SpD Primal Groudon pretty easily if you have Refresh
- Switching into predicted Ground moves can give good switch in chances - just beware of possible Rock coverage
========
- Primal Groudon always - handles basically every single weakness Flyceus has while also setting SR
- ^
- ^
- Defog helps a lot to keep Stealth Rock down - Latis, Giratina-O, Scizor
- Excadrill can work as a check to Electric and Ice mons while also being able to Rapid Spin SR
- The traditional Fairy+Ground core can keep Zekrom guessing
- Checks to Ho-Oh are great as Flyceus can have trouble breaking a healthy Ho-Oh - Defensive Mence, Stone Edge Groudon, Tyranitar
- Stuff that puts heavy pressure on Special walls that can hold Flyceus back - Mega Gengar, Salamence, Primal Groudon
- A Kyogre answer is good, as Calm Mind Primal Kyogre can win 1v1 against Flyceus - Latis, Primal Groudon, Palkia
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- Will-O-Wisp
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast can hit Tyranitar + Mega Aerodactyl
- Thunder (lets you 1v1 Kyogre and helps vs Ho-Oh)
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- Zekrom
- Rock-types
- Clefable
- Blissey
- Eleceus
- Iceceus + Kyurem-W
- Specially bulky mons (Kyogre, Ho-Oh, CM Mewtwo Y)
- Bulky Steel-types
- Darkrai
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