Overview
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Thanks to its Speed and attacking stats, Genesect is one of the premier Choice Scarf users in the Doubles metagame. It boasts access to a wide range of physical and special coverage options which hit a variety of common threats for super effective damage. Genesect's ability, Download, further helps it by boosting either its Attack or Special Attack based on what it is matched up against. U-turn makes Genesect an excellent scout, helping it to build momentum and pivot out of danger. While Genesect has a good typing which leaves it with only one weakness, its mediocre defensive stats make it hard to keep alive. In addition to this, a 4x weakness to Fire-type moves is a dangerous attribute, considering the popularity of Mega Charizard Y and Heatran
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
nature: Rash
Moves
========
U-turn is key to let Genesect survive; it can be used to capitalize on predicted switches and also get Genesect out of danger. Thanks to the Attack investment, it can 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Cresselia and Tyranitar and OHKO frailer threats like Latios. Ice Beam is great for taking down Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Salamence. With a favorable Download boost, it can even OHKO Pokemon such as Thundurus and Tornadus. Thunderbolt hits threats such as Mega Charizard Y and bulky Water-types such as Politoed and Gyarados for super effective damage, rounding off Genesect's BoltBeam coverage. Flamethrower provides more super effective coverage and hits Pokemon like Abomasnow, Aegislash, Scizor, and Bisharp for more damage than Genesect's other moves.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs let Genesect outspeed Choice Scarf Adamant Landorus-T, which is one of the fastest threats in the metagame. Special Attack investment is maximized so that Genesect can do as much damage as possible with its broad coverage. The remaining EVs are put into Attack to increase the power of U-turn. A Rash nature is preferred since Genesect can typically handle physically-based attacks better than special attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Genesect is an excellent scout with U-turn, as it can make a quick switch, change the dynamic of the field, and create a more favorable match-up. Genesect can also use its Speed and coverage to fill the role of an efficient revenge killer. With a free switch-in, Genesect can easily come in and pick off a weakened threat. Genesect is difficult to switch in otherwise, however, as even neutral hits will deal a lot of damage. It's important to look at the opposing team's lineup so Genesect won't lock itself into an unfavorable move and provide your opponent with free turns.
Special Attacker
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name: Special Attacker
move 1: Bug Buzz / U-turn
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Protect / Flamethrower
item: Expert Belt / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Due to the set being specially based, Bug Buzz is typically the preferred STAB. U-turn can also be used in this slot, as it helps Genesect scout out opposing Pokemon and also successfully bluff a Choice Scarf if it is holding an Expert Belt. Thunderbolt hits bulky Water-types such as Jellicent and Politoed for good damage, as well as Flying-types such asTalonflame, Gyarados, and Mega Charizard Y. Ice Beam completes the BoltBeam coverage and lets Genesect hit Ground-, Dragon-, and a few Flying-types that Thunderbolt is less effective against, such as Thundurus, Zapdos, and Landorus-T. Protect is a staple in Doubles since it lets Genesect avoid taking damage from oncoming attacks whilst its partner switches or attacks to put it in a more favorable position. Flamethrower is also an option for the last slot since it broadens Genesect's super effective coverage and helps deal with Pokemon like Aegislash and Ferrothorn.
Set Details
========
Special Attack and Speed EVs are maxed to hit as hard and fast as possible. A Timid nature is preferred since it gives Genesect the jump on base 100 Speed Pokemon that choose to run Modest or Adamant. By using Expert Belt, Genesect can potentially bluff a Choice Scarf whilst also having a boosted damage output, complementing its vast coverage. Life Orb further increases the damage output but reduces Genesect's longevity and leaves it unable to bluff a Choice Scarf. The use of a Douse Drive and Techno Blast is an option for rain teams over Flamethrower.
Usage Tips
========
Genesect falls just short of the multitude of base 100 Speed Pokemon that populate the metagame, so it is beneficial to eliminate these threats before using Genesect too recklessly. Most opponents will assume Genesect is a Choice Scarf variant, so it is often beneficial to avoid revealing its item until later in the game to keep your opponent in the dark. Genesect is a great revenge killer thanks to its stellar coverage, which hits almost every Pokemon for at least neutral damage.
Team Options
========
Terrakion is a great partner to Expert Belt Genesect, as it can handle Fire-types that Genesect struggles against, such as Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, and Heatran. In addition to this, Terrakion can provide Quick Guard support, which lets Genesect avoid priority moves such as Fake Out and Sucker Punch. Thundurus provides great Thunder Wave support and also softens up threats with powerful attacks to ensure that Genesect will be able to clean up effectively. Togekiss can redirect attacks using Follow Me whilst also boosting Genesect's Speed through the use of Tailwind.
Other Options
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Energy Ball is a viable option that lets Genesect handle Rotom-W and Gastrodon easily, also hitting other Water-types like Politoed for the same amount of damage as Thunderbolt. Genesect can use Flash Cannon or Iron Head to provide coverage against Fairy-types. Explosion can be used to build up momentum whilst also dealing a lot of damage to common switch-ins. Blizzard and Thunder can be used to provide more power and are recommended if you choose to run hail or rain. Genesect is an effective Choice Band user with access to Extreme Speed, Blaze Kick, Iron Head, U-turn, and many other physical attacking options. It can use Substitute to avoid crippling status such as paralysis, but this requires the loss of a coverage option. Lastly, Thunder Wave is a good support option that allows Genesect to cripple faster threats.
Checks & Counters
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**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Fire-type Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y can easily OHKO Genesect. Rotom-H and Heatran are particularly notable examples, since they resist almost everything Genesect can throw at them.
**Speed**: Due to its low bulk, faster Pokemon often have an easy job picking off Genesect. Pokemon such as Garchomp, Terrakion, and Mega Manectric all do a good job of picking off non-Choice Scarf Genesect.
**Speed Control**: Genesect is rendered useless by almost all forms of speed control. Its low bulk means that if it can't strike first, it is picked off easily, making Thunder Wave, Trick Room, and Tailwind good checks.
########
Thanks to its Speed and attacking stats, Genesect is one of the premier Choice Scarf users in the Doubles metagame. It boasts access to a wide range of physical and special coverage options which hit a variety of common threats for super effective damage. Genesect's ability, Download, further helps it by boosting either its Attack or Special Attack based on what it is matched up against. U-turn makes Genesect an excellent scout, helping it to build momentum and pivot out of danger. While Genesect has a good typing which leaves it with only one weakness, its mediocre defensive stats make it hard to keep alive. In addition to this, a 4x weakness to Fire-type moves is a dangerous attribute, considering the popularity of Mega Charizard Y and Heatran
Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
nature: Rash
Moves
========
U-turn is key to let Genesect survive; it can be used to capitalize on predicted switches and also get Genesect out of danger. Thanks to the Attack investment, it can 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Cresselia and Tyranitar and OHKO frailer threats like Latios. Ice Beam is great for taking down Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Salamence. With a favorable Download boost, it can even OHKO Pokemon such as Thundurus and Tornadus. Thunderbolt hits threats such as Mega Charizard Y and bulky Water-types such as Politoed and Gyarados for super effective damage, rounding off Genesect's BoltBeam coverage. Flamethrower provides more super effective coverage and hits Pokemon like Abomasnow, Aegislash, Scizor, and Bisharp for more damage than Genesect's other moves.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs let Genesect outspeed Choice Scarf Adamant Landorus-T, which is one of the fastest threats in the metagame. Special Attack investment is maximized so that Genesect can do as much damage as possible with its broad coverage. The remaining EVs are put into Attack to increase the power of U-turn. A Rash nature is preferred since Genesect can typically handle physically-based attacks better than special attacks.
Usage Tips
========
Genesect is an excellent scout with U-turn, as it can make a quick switch, change the dynamic of the field, and create a more favorable match-up. Genesect can also use its Speed and coverage to fill the role of an efficient revenge killer. With a free switch-in, Genesect can easily come in and pick off a weakened threat. Genesect is difficult to switch in otherwise, however, as even neutral hits will deal a lot of damage. It's important to look at the opposing team's lineup so Genesect won't lock itself into an unfavorable move and provide your opponent with free turns.
Special Attacker
########
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Bug Buzz / U-turn
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Protect / Flamethrower
item: Expert Belt / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Due to the set being specially based, Bug Buzz is typically the preferred STAB. U-turn can also be used in this slot, as it helps Genesect scout out opposing Pokemon and also successfully bluff a Choice Scarf if it is holding an Expert Belt. Thunderbolt hits bulky Water-types such as Jellicent and Politoed for good damage, as well as Flying-types such asTalonflame, Gyarados, and Mega Charizard Y. Ice Beam completes the BoltBeam coverage and lets Genesect hit Ground-, Dragon-, and a few Flying-types that Thunderbolt is less effective against, such as Thundurus, Zapdos, and Landorus-T. Protect is a staple in Doubles since it lets Genesect avoid taking damage from oncoming attacks whilst its partner switches or attacks to put it in a more favorable position. Flamethrower is also an option for the last slot since it broadens Genesect's super effective coverage and helps deal with Pokemon like Aegislash and Ferrothorn.
Set Details
========
Special Attack and Speed EVs are maxed to hit as hard and fast as possible. A Timid nature is preferred since it gives Genesect the jump on base 100 Speed Pokemon that choose to run Modest or Adamant. By using Expert Belt, Genesect can potentially bluff a Choice Scarf whilst also having a boosted damage output, complementing its vast coverage. Life Orb further increases the damage output but reduces Genesect's longevity and leaves it unable to bluff a Choice Scarf. The use of a Douse Drive and Techno Blast is an option for rain teams over Flamethrower.
Usage Tips
========
Genesect falls just short of the multitude of base 100 Speed Pokemon that populate the metagame, so it is beneficial to eliminate these threats before using Genesect too recklessly. Most opponents will assume Genesect is a Choice Scarf variant, so it is often beneficial to avoid revealing its item until later in the game to keep your opponent in the dark. Genesect is a great revenge killer thanks to its stellar coverage, which hits almost every Pokemon for at least neutral damage.
Team Options
========
Terrakion is a great partner to Expert Belt Genesect, as it can handle Fire-types that Genesect struggles against, such as Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, and Heatran. In addition to this, Terrakion can provide Quick Guard support, which lets Genesect avoid priority moves such as Fake Out and Sucker Punch. Thundurus provides great Thunder Wave support and also softens up threats with powerful attacks to ensure that Genesect will be able to clean up effectively. Togekiss can redirect attacks using Follow Me whilst also boosting Genesect's Speed through the use of Tailwind.
Other Options
########
Energy Ball is a viable option that lets Genesect handle Rotom-W and Gastrodon easily, also hitting other Water-types like Politoed for the same amount of damage as Thunderbolt. Genesect can use Flash Cannon or Iron Head to provide coverage against Fairy-types. Explosion can be used to build up momentum whilst also dealing a lot of damage to common switch-ins. Blizzard and Thunder can be used to provide more power and are recommended if you choose to run hail or rain. Genesect is an effective Choice Band user with access to Extreme Speed, Blaze Kick, Iron Head, U-turn, and many other physical attacking options. It can use Substitute to avoid crippling status such as paralysis, but this requires the loss of a coverage option. Lastly, Thunder Wave is a good support option that allows Genesect to cripple faster threats.
Checks & Counters
########
**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Fire-type Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y can easily OHKO Genesect. Rotom-H and Heatran are particularly notable examples, since they resist almost everything Genesect can throw at them.
**Speed**: Due to its low bulk, faster Pokemon often have an easy job picking off Genesect. Pokemon such as Garchomp, Terrakion, and Mega Manectric all do a good job of picking off non-Choice Scarf Genesect.
**Speed Control**: Genesect is rendered useless by almost all forms of speed control. Its low bulk means that if it can't strike first, it is picked off easily, making Thunder Wave, Trick Room, and Tailwind good checks.
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