Xatu (offensive)




[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Grass Knot
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Psychic provides Xatu with a decently strong, reliable STAB attack that allows it to deal significant damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it. However, if hitting Mantine, Hariyama, and Magmortar harder is more useful to your team, Psyshock can be used in its stead. Grass Knot is chosen to hit Ground-types such as Rhydon and Golurk. Heat Wave provides Xatu with much-needed coverage to hit Steel-types, particularly Steelix, Ferroseed, and Klinklang. Roost provides Xatu with means of recovery, furthering its longevity. Hidden Power Ground can be used in place of Roost to 2HKO Skuntank, a common switch-in to Xatu; however, it hits nothing outside of that. Signal Beam can be used to hit Malamar, which otherwise walls Xatu; however, this hardly provides any additional utility. Tailwind can be used in place of Roost to temporarily boost the Speed of Xatu and its teammates.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in both Special Attack and Speed ensures Xatu hits as fast and as hard as possible. Life Orb gives Xatu a much-needed boost in power, but it comes at the cost of recoil after each attack. Magic Bounce is an amazing ability, allowing Xatu to reflect back entry hazards and status moves, such as Garbodor's Spikes and Steelix's Toxic.

Usage Tips
========

Typically, Xatu will be using Psychic, as it is its most powerful move, using its powerful coverage moves to heavily damage Pokemon that comfortably switch into other, more passive, Xatu sets, such as Steelix and Rhydon. When using offensive Xatu, it should be kept in mind that this set lacks the bulk that other Xatu variants have, meaning it will not be able to defensively check foes such as Sawk and Garbodor as effectively as its other sets would. This, combined with a poor defensive typing, means that Xatu will typically want to be brought in via a free switch, such as after a slow Volt Switch or U-turn or after a teammate has fainted.

Team Options
========

More than other Xatu sets, offensive Xatu fits best on offensive teams that appreciate Pokemon like Steelix and Rhydon lured and hit with its powerful coverage moves in addition to a form of entry hazard control. While Xatu does provide a form of hazard control, it should be noted that it should not be relied upon as the sole source of hazard removal for Pokemon that need it to perform effectively, like Vivillon and Scyther, as Xatu cannot reliably keep entry hazards off the field. Ground-types such as Rhydon, Steelix, and Camerupt are immune to the Electric-type moves that burden Xatu, check Skuntank, and can provide Stealth Rock to whittle down the opposing team, thus allowing Xatu to have an easier time creating holes in the opponent's defensive cores. Fighting-types like Sawk and Hitmonchan make for effective partners, as they can handle the Dark- and Rock- types that plague Xatu. Hitmonchan in particular makes for an effective teammate to Xatu, as together they create an excellent core that can effectively keep hazards off their side of the field.
 
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Blast

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Tailwind in Moves

Don't say Magic Bounce is for Musharna's T-Wave since Synchronize just paras you right back. Also in UT I don't like Mushy being mentioned as a mon that can't threaten Xatu, any CM variants just set up all over you.

Mention in TO that's it's less reliable at blocking hazards than bulky sets, so don't stack up super hazard-weak mons unless you have an additional way of removing them

QC 1/3
 
Ground-types also take down Skuntank, which is a otherwise a huge threat to this set because it doesn't run Colbur. When you mention Sawk and Hitmonchan, be sure to note they both appreciate things like Garbodor and Weezing being broken down.

2/3
 
HP Ground could be slashed with Heat Wave. Hits Klinklang and Skuntank (pretty sure GK hits Steelix just as hard).
 

Lumari

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ok fine i should be able to squeeze this one in quick

GP 1/2
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Grass Knot
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Psychic provides Xatu with a decently strong, reliable STAB attack that allows it to deal significant damage to most Pokemon who that don't resist it. However, if hitting Hariyama or Magmortar is better suited for more useful to your team, Psyshock can be used in place of Psychic its stead. Grass Knot is chosen to hit Ground-types such as Rhydon and Golurk. Heat Wave provides Xatu with much-needed coverage to hit Steel-types, particularly Steelix, Ferroseed, and Klinklang. Roost provides Xatu with means of recovery, furthering its longevity. Hidden Power Ground can be used in place of Roost as to 2HKO Skuntank, a common switch-in to Xatu; (SC) however, (AC) it hits nothing outside of that. Signal Beam can be used to hit Malamar, who which otherwise walls Xatu; (SC) however, (AC) this hardly provides any other utility outside of that.(less repetitive) Tailwind can be used in place of Roost to temporarily boost the Speed of Xatu and its teammates.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in both Special Attack and Speed ensures Xatu hits as fast and as hard as possible. Life Orb gives Xatu a much-needed boost in power, however but it comes at the cost of recoil after an attack. Magic Bounce is an amazing ability, allowing Xatu to reflect back entry hazards and status moves, such as Garbodor's Spikes or and Steelix's Toxic, respectively. (overusing "respectively", I doubt there were any poor saps around this "respectively" would have made go all like "omg i thought Toxic was an entry hazard, ty astro for saying respectively" :p)

Usage Tips
========

Typically, Xatu will be using Psychic, as it is its most powerful move, using its powerful coverage moves to heavily damage pokemon that would otherwise comfortably switch into other, more passive, Xatu sets, such as Steelix or and Rhydon. When using offensive Xatu, it should be kept in mind that this set lacks the bulk that other Xatu variants do have, meaning it will not be able to defensively check foes such as Sawk and Garbodor as effectively from a defensive standpoint as the other sets would do. (w/ implied "be able to", but that's repetitive) This, combined with a poor defensive typing, (comma) means that Xatu will typically want to be brought in via a free switch-in oppurtunity, such as after a slow Volt Switch or U-turn from a teammate, (RC) or after a teammate has fainted.

Team Options
========

More than other Xatu sets, offensive Xatu fits best on offensive teams that appreciate it Pokemon like Steelix and Rhydon lured and hit with its powerful coverage moves, as well as in addition to a form of entry hazard control. While Xatu does provide a form of hazard control, it should be noted that it should not be relied upon as the sole source of hazard removal for Pokemon that rely on it to perform effectively, like Vivillion or Vivillon and Scyther, as Xatu cannot reliably keep entry hazards off the field. Ground-types such as Rhydon, Steelix, and Camerupt resist are immune to the Electric-type moves that burden Xatu, check Skuntank, and can provide Stealth Rock to whittle down the opposing team, thus allowing it Xatu to have an easier time creating holes in the opponent's (apostrophe) defensive cores. Fighting-types like Sawk and Hitmonchan make for effective partners, as they can handle the Dark- and Rock- types that plague Xatu. Hitmonchan in particular makes for an effective teammate to Xatu, as together they create an excellent core that can effectively keep hazards off their side of the field.
 
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P Squared

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how tall are you astroboy

GP 2/2
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Psychic / Psyshock
move 2: Grass Knot
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Psychic provides Xatu with a decently strong, reliable STAB attack that allows it to deal significant damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it. However, if hitting Mantine, Hariyama, (AC) and Magmortar harder is more useful to your team, Psyshock can be used in its stead. Grass Knot is chosen to hit Ground-types such as Rhydon and Golurk. Heat Wave provides Xatu with much-needed coverage to hit Steel-types, particularly Steelix, Ferroseed, and Klinklang. Roost provides Xatu with means of recovery, furthering its longevity. Hidden Power Ground can be used in place of Roost as to 2HKO Skuntank, a common switch-in to Xatu; however, it hits nothing outside of that. Signal Beam can be used to hit Malamar, which otherwise walls Xatu; however, this hardly provides any additional utility. Tailwind can be used in place of Roost to temporarily boost the Speed of Xatu and its teammates.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in both Special Attack and Speed ensures Xatu hits as fast and as hard as possible. Life Orb gives Xatu a much-needed boost in power, but it comes at the cost of recoil after an each attack. Magic Bounce is an amazing ability, allowing Xatu to reflect back entry hazards and status moves, such as Garbodor's Spikes and Steelix's Toxic.

Usage Tips
========

Typically, Xatu will be using Psychic, as it is its most powerful move, using its powerful coverage moves to heavily damage Pokemon that would otherwise comfortably switch into other, more passive, Xatu sets, such as Steelix and Rhydon. When using offensive Xatu, it should be kept in mind that this set lacks the bulk that other Xatu variants have, meaning it will not be able to defensively check foes such as Sawk and Garbodor as effectively as its other sets would. This, combined with a poor defensive typing, means that Xatu will typically want to be brought in via a free switch, such as after a slow Volt Switch or U-turn or after a teammate has fainted.

Team Options
========

More than other Xatu sets, offensive Xatu fits best on offensive teams that appreciate Pokemon like Steelix and Rhydon lured and hit with its powerful coverage moves in addition to a form of entry hazard control. While Xatu does provide a form of hazard control, it should be noted that it should not be relied upon as the sole source of hazard removal for Pokemon that need rely on (repetitive) it to perform effectively, like Vivillon and Scyther, as Xatu cannot reliably keep entry hazards off the field. Ground-types such as Rhydon, Steelix, and Camerupt are immune to the Electric-type moves that burden Xatu, check Skuntank, and can provide Stealth Rock to whittle down the opposing team, thus allowing Xatu to have an easier time creating holes in the opponent's defensive cores. Fighting-types like Sawk and Hitmonchan make for effective partners, as they can handle the Dark- and Rock- types that plague Xatu. Hitmonchan in particular makes for an effective teammate to Xatu, as together they create an excellent core that can effectively keep hazards off their side of the field.
 
Last edited:

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