Deoxys-D
[Overview]
<p>With massive base 160 defenses, coupled with a great support movepool including Taunt, Spikes, Recover, and Stealth Rock, Deoxys-D can wall a great amount of UU Pokemon while supporting its team. Deoxys-D also comes with a great base 90 Speed that allows it to outspeed all common walls. However, Deoxys-D is not without flaws. Its low base 50 HP makes it not as bulky as expected, and with low attacking stats, Deoxys-D must rely on Toxic or Seismic Toss for damage. Despite these minor flaws, Deoxys-D is an excellent supporter, stallbreaker, and bulky pivot for any team.</p>
[SET]
name: Fast Spiker
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Stealth Rock / Recover
move 4: Seismic Toss / Toxic
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Due to its great natural bulk and high Speed (by UU standards), Deoxys-D becomes a sturdy yet speedy Spiker. Spikes helps to weaken the opponent overtime, which allows your other Pokemon to sweep easier. Taunt prevents the opponent from ruining Deoxys-D's plans via set-up, recovery, or status. The third moveslot is a toss-up between Stealth Rock, which can deal with Levitating or Flying-type Pokemon, or Recover, which allows Deoxys-D to restore HP. Seismic Toss can be used to prevent this set from being Taunt bait and while dealing constant damage, but Toxic allows Deoxys-D to slowly weaken the opponent, at the cost of being vulnerable to faster Taunts.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread maximizes Speed to effectively utilize Deoxys-D's fast Taunt, while maximizing HP increases its overall bulk. Because Deoxys-D is supporting its team, you should use teammates who enjoy entry hazard support, such as Weavile and Cobalion. Weavile resists Deoxys-D’s Dark- and Ghost-type weaknesses, but is weak to Stealth Rock and is naturally frail, making it difficult to switch it in sometimes. Cobalion, however, resists all of Deoxys-D’s resistances (due to Justified, it actually gets +1 Attack by switching into a Dark-type move), but overall has a low attack stat which may seem lackluster at times. Spinblockers such as Mismagius and Dusclops are useful teammates as well, since they can prevent the opponent from spinning away Deoxys-D's entry hazards.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Spiker
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Recover
move 4: Toxic / Seismic Toss
item: Leftovers
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set focuses on Deoxys-D's immense bulk, as to help with tanking hits, as well as with supporting the team. Defensive Deoxys-D can come in on a variety of threats such as Hitmontop, Mamoswine, and Flygon, and proceed to set up Spikes. Spikes cripples grounded foes on every switch in, causing severe damage as time passes by. Taunt stops slower defensive Pokemon from setting up or inflicting status upon Deoxys-D. Recover is mandatory on this set, because it allows the space virus to heal itself from residual damage. Toxic is the preferred option over Seismic Toss because Deoxys-D's huge defenses enable it to outstall a variety of threats, most importantly ones with recovery moves. Seismic Toss is better used against Poison- and Steel-type Pokemon, as well as Heracross, who can abuse the Guts boost given by Toxic.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>While a physically defensive spread is the primary EV distribution, an alternate specially defensive spread using 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe with a Careful nature is viable, although Deoxys-D’s resistances do not allow it to effectively wall special attackers such as Nidoking as well. This set should be used on bulkier stall or balanced teams, and should be supported by phazers, such as Suicune, to rack up entry hazard damage. A spinblocker such as Dusclops is also useful to prevent hazards from being spun away. In addition, this set enjoys Toxic Spikes support from Pokemon such as Roserade, allowing Deoxys-D to stall out Pokemon without having to waste a turn to use Toxic.</p>
<p>Teammates should be able to remove fast Taunt users, as well as Poison- and Steel-type Pokemon that can absorb Toxic. Steel-type Pokemon, such as Cobalion, Durant, and Empoleon, can be removed by Magneton with Magnet Pull. Many Poison-type Pokemon can be defeated by Dugtrio with Arena Trap. Crobat, a big issue with its fast Taunt and Poison typing, can be dealt with by Pokemon such as Rotom-H, Rhyperior, and Empoleon.</p>
[SET]
name: Toxic Staller
move 1: Recover
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Seismic Toss / Agility
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The premise of this set is to use Deoxys-D’s natural bulk, Speed, and access to Taunt to stall out an opponent with Toxic. Toxic is the primary move of this set, as it slowly whittles away the health of the opposing Pokemon over time. Recover is used to keep Deoxys-D alive against barrages of attacks. Taunt prevents the opponent from inflicting status upon Deoxys-D, while also preventing them from recovering themselves. The last slot is a choice between Seismic Toss or Agility. Seismic Toss allows for constant damage while also breaking Substitutes. Agility, however, may be useful to outspeed more Pokemon, enabling Deoxys-D to Taunt or Toxic the opponent before they can respond back. When using Agility, an alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 Spe with a Bold nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf base 100s while giving Deoxys-D more bulk.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set should be paired with as many trappers as possible. Magneton and Dugtrio can both remove Poison- and Steel-typed Pokemon who are immune to Toxic, especially if using Agility. Other Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Nidoking can get rid of the aforementioned threats as well, although they cannot trap them. Entry hazard support, especially Toxic Spikes support, is highly appreciated, as it allows Deoxys-D to begin stalling instantly without wasting a turn using Toxic. Spikes and Stealth Rock are also appreciated because this set causes many switches, racking up entry hazard damage.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Deoxys-D has surplus of other options, although it is generally outclassed when using them. Deoxys-D can effectively run a dual screen set, with Reflect, Light Screen, and Light Clay, although Uxie, Xatu, and Cresselia outclass it as the former has U-turn and Memento, Xatu has Magic Bounce, giving it immunity to all status moves, and Cresselia has Lunar Dance. A Cosmic Power set is viable to allow Deoxys-D to tank hits with ease, but because Sigilyph is immune to passive damage, it is naturally better at the job. A Rain Dance set with Damp Rock is also viable, allowing Swift Swim abusers such as Kingdra and Kabutops to wreak havoc. Sadly, such as set is outclassed by Uxie, who has U-turn and Memento, and Registeel, who has better bulk and typing. A Red Card Recycle set is also viable with hazard support, although it is slightly gimmicky and not effective overall.</p>
<p>All instances of Seismic Toss can be replaced with Night Shade, which will allow Deoxys-D to deal damage to Ghost-types such as Mismagius at the cost of doing no damage to Normal-types. However, because it loses to Mismagius anyway, Seismic Toss is preferred so that Deoxys-D can beat Chansey and other Normal-types. Magic Coat can be used over Taunt in all scenarios to reflect back most indirect moves, although it takes good prediction skills to use correctly. Attacks such as Fire Punch and Psychic can be used to KO certain threats, such as Fire Punch for Durant and Psychic for Heracross, but both have too much situational use to be effective.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Faster Taunters are normally the biggest concern for Deoxys-D. Once Taunted, many Pokemon can use Deoxys-D as set-up bait. Toxic is also one of the biggest issues for Deoxys-D, as it slowly whittles away its health, greatly weakening its walling capability. Crobat is one of Deoxys-D’s greatest counters, because it has reliable recovery in Roost, has a much faster Taunt, is immune to Toxic, and can continually cut its HP in half with Super Fang. Heal Bell Umbreon can Counter sets running Toxic very well, synchronizing the Toxic, and then using Heal Bell to remove its own status. Cobalion can generally use Deoxys-D as set up bait, although a +2 Iron Head fails to 2HKO bulky Deoxys-D.<space>Other checks and counters include Pokemon that can use strong Bug- and Dark-type attacks, such as Heracross, Durant, and Weavile.</p>
