[Overview]
<p>Behold! The mighty Arceus reveals His perception of all other life on this miserable sphere He treads upon! In His glory He takes a form mirroring that perception, and He has found you to be lacking. Bow down, like the pitiful insects He has judged you to be, and marvel at a predator that no amount of natural selection could ever produce. Even in this weakened state, Arceus strikes down the impure and defies logical thought in the same fell swoop, and the ground itself stills at His approach. Do not be lulled into a sense of false security at the sight of this aspect of the God of Pokemon, for His mere presence in any incarnation is always a terror to behold.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Stone Edge / Substitute / Cosmic Power
move 4: Recover / Earthquake
item: Insect Plate
nature: Jolly
evs: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bug Arceus has the potential to be a menacing Swords Dance user. X-Scissor and Stone Edge offer excellent coverage together, hitting nearly every Pokemon in the metagame for neutral damage, while a Jolly nature allows Bug Arceus to outpace positive base 100 Speed Pokemon. Swords Dance Bug Arceus may seem inferior to Swords Dance Ghost Arceus at first glance, however Bug Arceus has many notable strengths over its Ghost-type counterpart. Bug Arceus is not weak to Ghost- or Dark-type attacks, such as Pursuit, and can hit Dark- and Psychic-type Pokemon super effectively with one attack. In addition, no type is immune to its STAB, and its Bug typing provides an ever useful Ground-type resistance.</p>
<p>X-Scissor is the primary move on the set due to STAB. Swords Dance is the crux of the set, allowing Bug Arceus to further bolster its already solid Attack. X-Scissor's damage output may seem lackluster at first, but Bug Arceus's bulk, respectable defense typing, and Recover allow it to obtain multiple Attack boosts with Swords Dance. Stone Edge rounds off the set and gives Bug Arceus near perfect coverage; it hits Flying- and Ghost-types who resist X-Scissor for neutral damage. Earthquake can be used over Recover for coverage against Steel-types, but the lack of recovery is offsetting, especially since Bug Arceus is weak to Stealth Rock. Cosmic Power can be used over Stone Edge as it enables Bug Arceus to withstand even more hits, while Substitute is an option to block status. Dragon Claw can also be used in place of Stone Edge for a 100% accurate move to use against Dragon-type Pokemon, and it hits Palkia and Dialga for more damage. However, replacing Stone Edge means that Pokemon such as Shaymin-S, Lugia, and Ho-Oh will become much more problematic. The last option to consider is Overheat, which can be used to fry Skarmory and Forretress, who are otherwise capable of taking several hits and laying down entry hazards.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Swords Dance Bug Arceus has a few counters capable of stopping it cold. Garchomp outpaces Bug Arceus and can hit it with a super effective Stone Edge. Groudon can be an efficient partner in order to deal with Garchomp and take Rock-type attacks aimed at Bug Arceus, but its sunlight makes opposing Fire attacks stronger. Choice Scarf Kyogre can switch in on Bug Arceus and use Water Spout or Surf for devastating damage. Latios and Latias make good partners for Bug Arceus since they are able to take Water attacks from Kyogre and resist its Fire-type weakness. Dialga is able to switch in with ease and use Fire Blast to KO Bug Arceus; Giratina can also safely switch in and burn Bug Arceus with Will-O-Wisp. Skarmory can take a +2 Stone Edge and phaze Bug Arceus or set up entry hazards against it. While Forretress can't do much in return, it can also setup entry hazards. For all of these reasons, Heatran is given a nod as an excellent teammate as it can switch into Fire and Flying attacks aimed at Bug Arceus and in return, Bug Arceus can switch into the Ground attacks directed at Heatran. Wobbufett makes setting up easier and can trap Scarfed Pokemon who attempt to KO Bug Arceus. Dual screens can aid in setting up, allowing Bug Arceus to obtain multiple Swords Dance boosts with more ease. Deoxys-S and Mewtwo are capable of setting up screens quickly with their blistering Speed. Spikes and Stealth Rock can help secure some KOs, so a Spiker is recommended. Forretress and Skarmory do the job well, particularly Forretress, who can use Rapid Spin to remove enemy entry hazards. Be wary though, as both of these Pokemon share a Fire-type weakness with Bug Arceus. For this reason, suicide leads such Deoxys-S and Froslass are suitable alternatives to lay down entry hazards.</p>
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Ice Beam / Substitute / Earth Power
move 4: Recover
item: Insect Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 100 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Like all Arceus types, Bug Arceus can run a very threatening Calm Mind set. Bug Arceus easily differentiates itself from its other formes due to its defensive typing and STAB Bug-type Judgement. It is also one of the few Calm Mind Arceus types capable of beating Latias in a Calm Mind war, thanks to its super effective Judgment.</p>
<p>Judgment is obviously the primary move due to Bug Arceus receiving a STAB boost on it. Calm Mind is the crux of the set and allows Bug Arceus to boost its Special Attack and Special Defense. Thanks to its respectable defense typing and Recover, Bug Arceus can easily obtain multiple Calm Minds to boost its power. Bug Arceus has a large variety of options for the last spot, such as Ice Beam, which can hit most Flying- and Dragon-type Pokemon for super effective damage, with Ho-Oh being the exception. Substitute can be used in the same spot to provide Bug Arceus a way to block status, and Substitute also lets it beat Blissey. Earth Power can be used to net a surprise OHKO on Heatran, and it hits other grounded Steel-types super effectively, while Iron Defense enables Bug Arceus to have even more defensive staying power, Fire Blast can be used to hit Steel-type Pokemon for super effective damage. However, the biggest reason to use Fire Blast is to beat Skarmory and Forretress, who will otherwise wall this set. Roar can allow Bug Arceus to be an efficient phazer and can quickly wear down its counters with entry hazard support.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ho-Oh counters this set with ease, taking minimal damage from a +1 Ice Beam or Judgment. A Choice Scarf Kyogre's Water Spout can hit Bug Arceus for heavy damage. Bug Arceus can use Thunder to hit Kyogre and Ho-Oh for good damage but it has little use other than that. Latios and Latias make excellent counters to Kyogre with their ability to take Water-type attacks with ease; they can also absorb Ho-Oh's Fire-type attacks directed at Bug Arceus. Wobbufett makes for a good partner with its ability to trap counters to Bug Arceus. Skarmory is troublesome because it can set up entry hazards with ease while phazing Bug Arceus away or attacking with Brave Bird. Dialga has little trouble taking Bug Arceus's attacks and can threaten with a Fire-type attack. Heatran and Dialga make excellent teammates for Bug Arceus. Bug Arceus resists their Fighting and Ground weaknesses, while Dialga can take Rock-type attacks and Heatran can take Fire-type attacks. Blissey can also counter this set should Bug Arceus not use Substitute. Spikes and Stealth Rock are required to obtain certain KOs, so a Spiker is recommended. Forretress and Skarmory do the task set at hand, but Forretress gets the nudge over its competition because it can use Rapid Spin to remove the enemies' entry hazards. Be wary though, as both of these Pokemon share a Fire-type weakness with Bug Arceus. For this reason, suicide leads such Deoxys-S and Froslass can also effectively provide Bug Arceus the entry hazards it needs.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Refresh allows Bug Arceus to rid itself of status, particularly poison and paralysis, that could hinder a sweep. Bug Arceus can also spread poison around with Toxic. Reflect and Light Screen are available to support teammates, but there are better dual screen users, and it wastes a precious moveslot. Bug Arceus can also use Perish Song to put a timer on opposing Calm Minders that think they can set up on Bug Arceus, as well as to force switches. Bug Arceus can also be a viable attacking lead. Its combination of STAB X-Scissor and ExtremeSpeed allow Deoxys leads to set up only one layer of hazards. In addition, Bug Arceus has access to the move Mirror Coat, which can put opposing Darkrai leads to sleep when they attempt to do the same to you.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bug Arceus has quite a few counters. Garchomp outpaces Bug Arceus and can hit it with a super effective Stone Edge. Choice Scarf Kyogre can switch in and use Water Spout or Surf. Dialga is able to switch in with ease and Fire Blast to KO. Giratina can safely switch in and burn Bug Arceus with Will-O-Wisp. Skarmory can take a +2 Stone Edge and phaze Bug Arceus away with Whirlwind or hit it with a STAB Brave Bird, or even set up entry hazards against it. While Forretress can't do much to Bug Arceus directly, it can set up hazards. Blissey becomes a counter to Calm Mind variants of Bug Arceus that do not employ Substitute. Ho-Oh can take all of Bug Arceus's attacks, bar Stone Edge, and OHKO it with a Sacred Fire or Brave Bird; it can also set up a Substitute on it with ease.</p>
<p>Behold! The mighty Arceus reveals His perception of all other life on this miserable sphere He treads upon! In His glory He takes a form mirroring that perception, and He has found you to be lacking. Bow down, like the pitiful insects He has judged you to be, and marvel at a predator that no amount of natural selection could ever produce. Even in this weakened state, Arceus strikes down the impure and defies logical thought in the same fell swoop, and the ground itself stills at His approach. Do not be lulled into a sense of false security at the sight of this aspect of the God of Pokemon, for His mere presence in any incarnation is always a terror to behold.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Stone Edge / Substitute / Cosmic Power
move 4: Recover / Earthquake
item: Insect Plate
nature: Jolly
evs: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Bug Arceus has the potential to be a menacing Swords Dance user. X-Scissor and Stone Edge offer excellent coverage together, hitting nearly every Pokemon in the metagame for neutral damage, while a Jolly nature allows Bug Arceus to outpace positive base 100 Speed Pokemon. Swords Dance Bug Arceus may seem inferior to Swords Dance Ghost Arceus at first glance, however Bug Arceus has many notable strengths over its Ghost-type counterpart. Bug Arceus is not weak to Ghost- or Dark-type attacks, such as Pursuit, and can hit Dark- and Psychic-type Pokemon super effectively with one attack. In addition, no type is immune to its STAB, and its Bug typing provides an ever useful Ground-type resistance.</p>
<p>X-Scissor is the primary move on the set due to STAB. Swords Dance is the crux of the set, allowing Bug Arceus to further bolster its already solid Attack. X-Scissor's damage output may seem lackluster at first, but Bug Arceus's bulk, respectable defense typing, and Recover allow it to obtain multiple Attack boosts with Swords Dance. Stone Edge rounds off the set and gives Bug Arceus near perfect coverage; it hits Flying- and Ghost-types who resist X-Scissor for neutral damage. Earthquake can be used over Recover for coverage against Steel-types, but the lack of recovery is offsetting, especially since Bug Arceus is weak to Stealth Rock. Cosmic Power can be used over Stone Edge as it enables Bug Arceus to withstand even more hits, while Substitute is an option to block status. Dragon Claw can also be used in place of Stone Edge for a 100% accurate move to use against Dragon-type Pokemon, and it hits Palkia and Dialga for more damage. However, replacing Stone Edge means that Pokemon such as Shaymin-S, Lugia, and Ho-Oh will become much more problematic. The last option to consider is Overheat, which can be used to fry Skarmory and Forretress, who are otherwise capable of taking several hits and laying down entry hazards.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Swords Dance Bug Arceus has a few counters capable of stopping it cold. Garchomp outpaces Bug Arceus and can hit it with a super effective Stone Edge. Groudon can be an efficient partner in order to deal with Garchomp and take Rock-type attacks aimed at Bug Arceus, but its sunlight makes opposing Fire attacks stronger. Choice Scarf Kyogre can switch in on Bug Arceus and use Water Spout or Surf for devastating damage. Latios and Latias make good partners for Bug Arceus since they are able to take Water attacks from Kyogre and resist its Fire-type weakness. Dialga is able to switch in with ease and use Fire Blast to KO Bug Arceus; Giratina can also safely switch in and burn Bug Arceus with Will-O-Wisp. Skarmory can take a +2 Stone Edge and phaze Bug Arceus or set up entry hazards against it. While Forretress can't do much in return, it can also setup entry hazards. For all of these reasons, Heatran is given a nod as an excellent teammate as it can switch into Fire and Flying attacks aimed at Bug Arceus and in return, Bug Arceus can switch into the Ground attacks directed at Heatran. Wobbufett makes setting up easier and can trap Scarfed Pokemon who attempt to KO Bug Arceus. Dual screens can aid in setting up, allowing Bug Arceus to obtain multiple Swords Dance boosts with more ease. Deoxys-S and Mewtwo are capable of setting up screens quickly with their blistering Speed. Spikes and Stealth Rock can help secure some KOs, so a Spiker is recommended. Forretress and Skarmory do the job well, particularly Forretress, who can use Rapid Spin to remove enemy entry hazards. Be wary though, as both of these Pokemon share a Fire-type weakness with Bug Arceus. For this reason, suicide leads such Deoxys-S and Froslass are suitable alternatives to lay down entry hazards.</p>
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Ice Beam / Substitute / Earth Power
move 4: Recover
item: Insect Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 100 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Like all Arceus types, Bug Arceus can run a very threatening Calm Mind set. Bug Arceus easily differentiates itself from its other formes due to its defensive typing and STAB Bug-type Judgement. It is also one of the few Calm Mind Arceus types capable of beating Latias in a Calm Mind war, thanks to its super effective Judgment.</p>
<p>Judgment is obviously the primary move due to Bug Arceus receiving a STAB boost on it. Calm Mind is the crux of the set and allows Bug Arceus to boost its Special Attack and Special Defense. Thanks to its respectable defense typing and Recover, Bug Arceus can easily obtain multiple Calm Minds to boost its power. Bug Arceus has a large variety of options for the last spot, such as Ice Beam, which can hit most Flying- and Dragon-type Pokemon for super effective damage, with Ho-Oh being the exception. Substitute can be used in the same spot to provide Bug Arceus a way to block status, and Substitute also lets it beat Blissey. Earth Power can be used to net a surprise OHKO on Heatran, and it hits other grounded Steel-types super effectively, while Iron Defense enables Bug Arceus to have even more defensive staying power, Fire Blast can be used to hit Steel-type Pokemon for super effective damage. However, the biggest reason to use Fire Blast is to beat Skarmory and Forretress, who will otherwise wall this set. Roar can allow Bug Arceus to be an efficient phazer and can quickly wear down its counters with entry hazard support.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ho-Oh counters this set with ease, taking minimal damage from a +1 Ice Beam or Judgment. A Choice Scarf Kyogre's Water Spout can hit Bug Arceus for heavy damage. Bug Arceus can use Thunder to hit Kyogre and Ho-Oh for good damage but it has little use other than that. Latios and Latias make excellent counters to Kyogre with their ability to take Water-type attacks with ease; they can also absorb Ho-Oh's Fire-type attacks directed at Bug Arceus. Wobbufett makes for a good partner with its ability to trap counters to Bug Arceus. Skarmory is troublesome because it can set up entry hazards with ease while phazing Bug Arceus away or attacking with Brave Bird. Dialga has little trouble taking Bug Arceus's attacks and can threaten with a Fire-type attack. Heatran and Dialga make excellent teammates for Bug Arceus. Bug Arceus resists their Fighting and Ground weaknesses, while Dialga can take Rock-type attacks and Heatran can take Fire-type attacks. Blissey can also counter this set should Bug Arceus not use Substitute. Spikes and Stealth Rock are required to obtain certain KOs, so a Spiker is recommended. Forretress and Skarmory do the task set at hand, but Forretress gets the nudge over its competition because it can use Rapid Spin to remove the enemies' entry hazards. Be wary though, as both of these Pokemon share a Fire-type weakness with Bug Arceus. For this reason, suicide leads such Deoxys-S and Froslass can also effectively provide Bug Arceus the entry hazards it needs.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Refresh allows Bug Arceus to rid itself of status, particularly poison and paralysis, that could hinder a sweep. Bug Arceus can also spread poison around with Toxic. Reflect and Light Screen are available to support teammates, but there are better dual screen users, and it wastes a precious moveslot. Bug Arceus can also use Perish Song to put a timer on opposing Calm Minders that think they can set up on Bug Arceus, as well as to force switches. Bug Arceus can also be a viable attacking lead. Its combination of STAB X-Scissor and ExtremeSpeed allow Deoxys leads to set up only one layer of hazards. In addition, Bug Arceus has access to the move Mirror Coat, which can put opposing Darkrai leads to sleep when they attempt to do the same to you.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Bug Arceus has quite a few counters. Garchomp outpaces Bug Arceus and can hit it with a super effective Stone Edge. Choice Scarf Kyogre can switch in and use Water Spout or Surf. Dialga is able to switch in with ease and Fire Blast to KO. Giratina can safely switch in and burn Bug Arceus with Will-O-Wisp. Skarmory can take a +2 Stone Edge and phaze Bug Arceus away with Whirlwind or hit it with a STAB Brave Bird, or even set up entry hazards against it. While Forretress can't do much to Bug Arceus directly, it can set up hazards. Blissey becomes a counter to Calm Mind variants of Bug Arceus that do not employ Substitute. Ho-Oh can take all of Bug Arceus's attacks, bar Stone Edge, and OHKO it with a Sacred Fire or Brave Bird; it can also set up a Substitute on it with ease.</p>