http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-xy/386.shtml
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Overview
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No other Pokemon epitomizes "kill or be killed" quite like Deoxys-A. Boasting insane offenses, an expansive movepool, and a blazing fast base 150 Speed stat that puts it ahead of most of the metagame, Deoxys-A is nearly unmatched in its ability to tear gaping holes in the enemy team. Deoxys-A can even act as solid offensive support lead by laying down Stealth Rock and Spikes while heavily damaging any Defog or Rapid Spin user attempting to come in. However, while Deoxys-A is extremely efficient at knocking out its foes, it is just as easily knocked out due to its nonexistent defenses, leaving Deoxys-A easily revenge killed by priority attacks and Choice Scarf users. Deoxys-A's terrible bulk also makes getting it into battle difficult without help from its teammates. These faults aside, play Deoxys-A to its strengths and few things will be able to stand in its way.
Life Orb
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name: Life Orb
move 1: Psycho Boost
move 2: Low Kick / Superpower
move 3: Knock Off / Ice Beam
move 4: Extreme Speed / Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Naive / Rash
Moves
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Psycho Boost is the main event, packing such insane power that it enables Deoxys-A to OHKO Palkia and Xerneas without needing any prior damage. It also OHKOes Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage and takes about 70% off Ho-Oh and max HP Arceus. Low Kick complements Psycho Boost nicely by destroying Psychic resistant Pokemon such as Dialga, Heatran, Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Darkrai. It also nails Blissey for a 2HKO. Superpower can also be used since it OHKOes Blissey and does more damage to lighter targets such as Jirachi and Klefki. Low Kick is generally superior since it hits for 120 BP against most Ubers and the Attack drop from Superpower weakens Deoxys-A's physical coverage moves; however, feel free to run Superpower if Deoxys-A is running mostly special attacks instead.
The last two moves should be chosen based on what Deoxys-A needs to cover for its teammates. Knock Off KOes Aegislash after switching once into Psycho Boost and destroys Jirachi and Bronzong. Knock Off also does a solid amount of damage to Lugia and Giratina and reduces their survivability later in the match by removing their Leftovers. Ice Beam is also a good option as it annihilates Yveltal switch-ins and provides for more consistent damage against Lugia and Giratina, and it also allows Deoxys-A to OHKO Groudon and Landorus-T without burning out its Special Attack by using Psycho Boost, which can make cleaning easier. For the last moveslot, Extreme Speed allows Deoxys-A to pick off weakened Choice Scarf and priority users, and it can allow Deoxys-A to revenge kill weakened sweepers such as Blaziken and Geomancy Xerneas in an emergency. Extreme Speed will also make Sucker Punch fail due to its higher priority, which can potentially allow Deoxys-A to win against weakened Yveltal with some prediction. Hidden Power Fire nails Mega Scizor for a OHKO, which can force Deoxys-A into a checkmate position with Bullet Punch and/or Pursuit. Deoxys-A can also use Ice Beam in the last moveslot if Extreme Speed or Hidden Power Fire is not necessary.
Set Details
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Deoxys-A should always fully invest in Speed and Special Attack to hit as hard as possible. Investing in bulk is pointless as even relatively weak neutral hits will still KO Deoxys-A. A Naive nature is preferred as it allows Deoxys-A to outspeed neutral base 90 Speed Pokemon using Choice Scarf and Mega Mewtwo Y; however, a Rash nature gives Psycho Boost more punch while still allowing Deoxys-A to outspeed Mewtwo and Mega Gengar. Life Orb is the preferred item, allowing Deoxys-A to hit as hard as possible. Focus Sash can also work if using this set as a lead since it guarantees Deoxys-A will survive one attack.
Usage Tips
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Deoxys-A works best on offensive teams in need of a fast, strong wallbreaker. However, switching Deoxys-A into battle is difficult due to its frailty. Try to bring Deoxys-A in on free switches generated by U-turn or Volt Switch, double switching it in, or on non-damaging moves such as Defog. Deoxys-A can also be used as a lead or brought in after one of its teammates has been KOed. Once in, use the appropriate coverage move for what the opponent might switch in to counter Deoxys-A. If the opponent does not have any Dark-types or Blissey, don't be afraid to click Psycho Boost, as even resistances will take heavy damage.
Team Options
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The best support Deoxys-A can have is U-turn and/or Volt Switch: these moves will help get it into battle to start abusing its nuclear offenses. Landorus-T, Scizor, Zekrom, Forretress, and Thundurus-I are excellent users of these moves. Aside from that, having switch-ins to common Choice Scarf users and priority attackers is great as nearly all of them will KO Deoxys-A easily. Fairy-types such as Xerneas can handle Yveltal, a particularly threatening foe since it is immune to Deoxys-A's Psycho Boost. Bulky Arceus formes with Will-O-Wisp can check Swords Dance Arceus, Mega Kangaskhan, Giratina-O, and Rayquaza decently. Fire-type Pokemon and Dialga are great options for handling Scizor and Aegislash. Common Choice Scarf users include Kyogre and Zekrom; Palkia can check the former while Ground-types such as Groudon and Landorus-T can handle the latter. Wobbuffet can also easily trap and KO most Choice Scarf users thanks to Shadow Tag.
Offensively, Deoxys-A pairs well with most sweepers since it excels at breaking walls. Geomancy Xerneas is a particularly good partner since it can potentially set up on Yveltal and appreciates Deoxys-A's tendency to lure in and heavily damage its checks. Blaziken is also a decent partner since it can set up on bulky Steel-types such as Scizor and Aegislash and sweep easily once Ho-Oh, Giratina, or Lugia have been weakened.
Sash Lead
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name: Sash Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock / Spikes
move 2: Psycho Boost
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Extreme Speed / Taunt
item: Focus Sash
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Naive
Moves
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Deoxys-A's high Speed and ability to force switches with its sheer offensive presence make it a reliable entry hazards lead. Stealth Rock is preferred since it requires only one turn to get up, but Spikes is also a great option if there is already a Stealth Rock user on Deoxys-A's team. Psycho Boost is still a powerful STAB attack that does tons of damage to Defog users such as Arceus if it attempts to anti-lead Deoxys-A. Knock Off followed by Extreme Speed allows Deoxys-A to beat Deoxys-S leads, limiting them to one entry hazard or none if they decide to use Taunt first. Knock Off is also a great disruption move for harassing walls, and it can even remove a Choice Scarf from a faster revenge killer if the opponent attempts to anti-lead Deoxys-A using one. Taunt can also be run over Extreme Speed to shut down Defog attempts at the cost of not being able to counter Deoxys-S leads.
Deoxys-A also has several other coverage moves it can run on this set that all serve specific purposes. Grass Knot severely damages Rock and Water Arceus, two common users of Defog, as well as landing a OHKO on Groudon and hurting Kyogre badly. Hidden Power Fire is useful to destroy Forretress, Defog Scizor, and Skarmory leads. Superpower wrecks Tyranitar and Dialga leads while still doing a large amount of damage to Rock Arceus. Feel free to use one of these moves in the fourth moveslot if it would better suit the team's needs.
Set Details
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Deoxys-A needs to be as fast and powerful as possible so just maximize Speed and Special Attack. Naive is the only recommended nature this time since Deoxys-A needs the extra Speed to lay hazards reliably. Focus Sash guarantees that Deoxys-A can survive one hit; using any other item on this set is not recommended.
Usage Tips
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This Deoxys-A set is an excellent lead for hyper offensive teams in need of a reliable entry hazards setter that can also beat Deoxys-S, another very common lead for hyper offense teams. The primary goal is to set up Stealth Rock or Spikes, which Deoxys-A can do easily thanks to its high Speed, so make that the first priority. This set is not terribly hard to use, but if the opponent has a Defog user such as Arceus and sends it in on Deoxys-A, either use Taunt, if Deoxys-A has it, to block Defog or try to hit them with Psycho Boost when they attempt to KO Deoxys-A. This way, when Deoxys-A goes down, you can easily revenge kill their weakened Defog user and preserve your hazards. You can also simply try to set up hazards later with Deoxys-A, but try to do so early in the match to apply as much pressure as possible. It might be worth preserving Deoxys-A in some instances since it is powerful and fast, so it can make a good revenge killer early- or mid-game.
Team Options
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Deoxys-A does not require a lot of support since it is the one doing the supporting, so instead pair it with sweepers that make good use of early-game hazards. Geomancy Xerneas is once again a particularly good partner since it punishes attempts to remove hazards later in the match by setting up on most Defog users. Mega Blaziken adores having early-game hazards to break through walls such as Ho-Oh and Lugia, and it can set up on some Defog users such as Scizor and Grass Arceus. Other sweepers such as Swords Dance Arceus and Rock Polish Groudon are also good teammates. Dialga is also a useful teammate since it can heavily pressure most users of Defog with its powerful STAB moves and wide coverage. Dialga can also set up Stealth Rock itself, allowing Deoxys-A to run Spikes.
Although Rapid Spin is rare in the metagame, it is still seen with users such as Excadrill and Cloyster, so having a Ghost-type can be handy to foil it. Mega Gengar, Ghost Arceus, and Giratina-O are solid spinblockers that fit well on hyper offensive teams.
Other Options
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Dark Pulse has the same coverage as Knock Off, but deals damage more consistently and has a 20% chance to flinch the enemy, which is somewhat handy given Deoxys-A's high Speed. Thunder Punch hurts Yveltal while doing solid damage to Ho-Oh and Kyogre without resorting to Psycho Boost, but it has little use outside of that. Thunder does the same thing as Thunder Punch with the bonus of hurting Lugia more, but its accuracy outside of rain is unreliable at best. Rock Slide can be used to get a guaranteed OHKO on Ho-Oh. Meteor Mash is available if bulky Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Xerneas are of particular concern. Psyshock is an alternative STAB that reliably 2HKOes Ho-Oh and Blissey, but it lacks the immediate power of Psycho Boost. Zen Headbutt can be used if a physical STAB is desired, but it does not accomplish much that Psycho Boost or Psyshock don't cover. Pursuit is not very strong, but it allows Deoxys-A to trap Mega Gengar which can potentially prevent it from getting a KO on another member of your team. Fire Punch is a physical alternative to Hidden Power Fire that does more damage to Jirachi and Bronzong, but it does not always OHKO bulky Mega Scizor, which is the primary reason to run a Fire-type attack. Ice Punch is a physical alternative to Ice Beam, but does not get any notable KOs Ice Beam fails to accomplish.
Checks & Counters
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**Psychic Arceus**: Psychic Arceus can handle any attack from Deoxys-A except for Dark Pulse and easily KO it with Judgment. It is the closest thing Deoxys-A has to a true counter.
**Lugia**: Lugia fears Ice Beam and Knock Off, but it can take any one hit with Multiscale up and KO Deoxys-A with Aeroblast.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal is immune to Psycho Boost and can bypass Deoxys-A's Speed with Sucker Punch. The only common move Deoxys-A runs that Yveltal fears is Ice Beam, so it is a relatively safe switch-in. Although Sucker Punch can potentially be foiled by Extreme Speed, Yveltal can easily take one and simply KO Deoxys-A with Oblivion Wing if it tries to get cheeky.
**Scizor**: Scizor can usually switch in at least once and threat to OHKO Deoxys-A with Bullet Punch or Pursuit it if it tries to flee, putting it in an uncomfortable situation. However, Scizor is OHKOed by Hidden Power Fire and still takes tremendous damage from Psycho Boost, so it needs to be careful.
**Steel / Psychic type Pokemon**: Jirachi, Bronzong, and Metagross can take anything except a Life Orb boosted Knock Off and KO Deoxys-A easily. Metagross is the best of these since it can use Bullet Punch before Deoxys-A has a chance to use Knock Off.
**Ghost-types with priority moves**: These make fine revenge killers for Deoxys-A as they are immune to Extreme Speed. Giratina-O, Ghost Arceus, and Aegislash are the best examples.
**Mega Kangaskhan**: It cannot switch into Deoxys-A directly, but otherwise revenge kills it easily with Fake Out. Parental Bond is particularly annoying as it pierces Focus Sash, allowing Kangaskhan to completely shut down lead Deoxys-A.
**Priority Moves**: Other priority moves in general wreck Deoxys-A. Rayquaza, Genesect, and Arceus are notable examples.
**Choice Scarf**: Anything that is faster than Deoxys-A will easily KO it. Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas, Palkia, and Genesect can easily revenge kill Deoxys-A, but cannot necessarily switch in.
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