[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave
move 3: Stealth Rock / Taunt
move 4: Recover
item: Dread Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 Spe
tera type: Poison / Steel / Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
* Arceus-Dark's excellent typing, solid Speed tier, and access to reliable recovery make it an appealing defensive presence in the metagame, able to check all manner of offensive threats such as Dragon Dance Zygarde, Lunala, and Ultra Necrozma while possessing tremendous support options to offset its seeming passivity, thus making it a strong option on bulky offense teams.
* Foul Play serves as Arceus-Dark's main attacking move, notably punishing Zacian-C and Primal Kyogre more effectively than Judgment while also OHKOing Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM, Swords Dance Primal Groudon, and Extreme Killer Arceus after they have boosted with their respective moves.
* Toxic is useful for allowing Arceus-Dark to cripple defensive checks such as defensive Ho-Oh, and Arceus-Fairy by placing them on a timer. Additionally, the move can be useful for deterring offensive threats such as opposing Calm Mind Arceus formes, Life Orb Yveltal, and Coil Zygarde that Foul Play otherwise struggles to threaten.
* Will-O-Wisp allows for a more effective way of crippling physical attackers that can otherwise stomach a boosted Foul Play, such as against Zacian-Crowned, Dragon Dance Zygarde, and Dragon Dance Arceus-Ground, preventing them from overpowering Arceus-Dark. It also punishes Choice Band users such as Rayquaza and Chien Pao, preventing them from trading damage against Arceus-Dark.
* Alternatively, on more offensive teams, Thunder Wave allows Arceus-Dark to take a more proactive approach to crippling several of these aforementioned Pokemon, crucially punishing Zacian-C and Eternatus switch-ins by negating their Speed stats.
* Stealth Rock acts as another main draw of this set, as Arceus-Dark's positive matchups against many of the aforementioned offensive threats gives it ample opportunity to use the move. Additionally, its access to reliable recovery and the ability to threaten common Defog users such as offensive Ho-Oh and Giratina-Origin meaning it will often maintain Stealth Rock against offensive teams reliant on these Pokemon in the long term.
* Taunt provides useful synergy with Arceus-Dark's many support options, preventing slower foes from setting up, such as against Coil Zygarde and Calm Mind Primal Kyogre. It also comes in handy in specific scenarios where certain Pokemon may dedicate a support move to try and break through Arceus-Dark, such as defensive Primal Groudon and Giratina-O attempting to cripple it with Toxic or Yveltal that would otherwise stiffle Arceus-Dark through its own Taunt.
* The given EV spread allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed Chi-Yu and Life Orb Yveltal while maximising Arceus-Dark's bulk. This notably allows Arceus-Dark to survive Mega Salamence's +1 Double-Edge, not be 2HKOed by Dragon Dance Zygarde's +1 Thousand Arrows, and survive Choice Band Rayquaza's Tera Flying Dragon Ascent, all after Stealth Rock.
* Tera Poison flips Arceus-Dark's weaknesses, which is crucial against Arceus-Fairy, Marshadow, and Pheromosa, and more notably grants it a full immunity to poison, preventing opposing Arceus formes and defensive Eternatus from placing it on a timer with Toxic. Alternatively, Tera Steel trades a resistance to Fighting in exchange for resistances for Steel and Flying, allowing Arceus-Dark to handle Dragon Dance Necrozma DM's +1 Searing Sunraze Smash, and avoid a 2HKO from Choice Band Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent and Mega Salamence's +1 Double-Edge. However, it should be noted that both options render Arceus-Dark weak to Ground-types such as Swords Dance Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, as well as coverage moves from Ultra Necrozma, which it otherwise serves as an important answer to, so it must Terastalize with caution.
* Tera Fire provides Arceus-Dark with more situational defensive benefits by allowing it to resist and survive Chi-Yu's +2 Fire Blast, and become neutral to Zacian-C's +3 Tera Fighting Close Combat, while also granting it a useful immunity to burns from Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire, allowing Arceus-Dark to better check these offensive threats in a pinch. However, it should be noted that this also makes Arceus-Dark weak to Stealth Rock, worsening its ability to check Pokemon such as Choice Band Rayquaza and Life Orb Deoxys-A, which now threaten to OHKO it.
* Alternatively, in exchange for becoming weak to Zacian-C's Wild Charge and Kyurem-B's Fusion Bolt, and no longer being immune to burns from Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire, Tera Water retains the aforementioned defensive benefits and provides Arceus-Dark with a neutrality to Ground and Stealth Rock, which can be useful for ensuring that Arceus-Dark's defensive profile is prevented from being stretched too thin throughout the game. It also allows Arceus-Dark to resist attacks from wallbreaker Primal Kyogre in a pinch, allowing Foul Play to 2HKO it in return after Stealth Rock.
* Defensive Arceus-Dark provides useful role compression for various archetypes, providing a useful blanket check to many physical threats and Psychic-types. Balance and stall teams in particular love its ability to blanket check various wallbreakers like Dragon Dance Ultra Necrozma, Choice Specs Lunala, and Choice Band Rayquaza, which would otherwise threaten them long-term, and if running Stealth Rock, easily outlast common Defog users such as Mega Salamence and Giratina-O. Similarly, offensive teams benefit from Arceus-Dark's role compression and ability to check setup Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Dragon Dance Zygarde, and Extreme Killer Arceus.
* Arceus-Dark's lack of passive recovery is notable and can be exploited by entry hazards and status conditions, forcing it to use up Recover's limited PP and also making it more susceptible to being KOed by attackers such as Life Orb Deoxys-A and Choice Band Rayquaza that it would otherwise be able to stomach a hit from. As such, Arceus-Dark most appreciates teammates such as Defog Ho-Oh, Giratina, and Giratina-O that can remove entry hazards against common setters such as Ferrothorn and Primal Groudon. Furthermore, additional teammates such as Eternatus and Coil Zygarde are valuable for their ability to safely absorb status conditions that would otherwise cripple Arceus-Dark, such as Scald from Primal Kyogre, Toxic from Primal Groudon, and Thunder Wave from Ho-Oh.
* On the physical side, Arceus-Dark is most vulnerable to offensive Steel and Fighting-types such as Zacian-C, Dragon Dance Necrozma-Dusk Mane, and Marshadow, which threaten it out unless it Terastalizes, making checks to these Pokemon crucial. Primal Groudon greatly benefits from Arceus-Dark compressing Stealth Rock for it, while Coil Zygarde appreciates Arceus-Dark's ability to deter boosting from Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Mega Salamence, and Arceus-Ground, which can potentially OHKO it if it has not yet transformed after chip damage, as well as its ability to check Psychic-types such as Lunala and Ultra Necrozma that threaten it.
* Arceus-Dark necessitates answers to special attackers such as defensive Primal Kyogre and Eternatus, which otherwise use it as setup fodder. On stall teams, Chansey is an integral teammate that safely switches into these Pokemon and handles them with Confide, while also managing potential status ailments from these Pokemon with the combination of Natural Cure and Heal Bell. On more offensive teams, wallbreakers such as Zacian-C, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Chien-Pao can help maintain momentum against these special attackers while benefiting from Arceus-Dark's ability to wear down checks in defensive Primal Groudon, Arceus-Ground, and Ho-Oh.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/iride.546157/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sami.604820/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sami.604820/
*insert user here
Grammar checked by:
*insert user here
name: Defensive
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave
move 3: Stealth Rock / Taunt
move 4: Recover
item: Dread Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 Spe
tera type: Poison / Steel / Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
* Arceus-Dark's excellent typing, solid Speed tier, and access to reliable recovery make it an appealing defensive presence in the metagame, able to check all manner of offensive threats such as Dragon Dance Zygarde, Lunala, and Ultra Necrozma while possessing tremendous support options to offset its seeming passivity, thus making it a strong option on bulky offense teams.
* Foul Play serves as Arceus-Dark's main attacking move, notably punishing Zacian-C and Primal Kyogre more effectively than Judgment while also OHKOing Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM, Swords Dance Primal Groudon, and Extreme Killer Arceus after they have boosted with their respective moves.
* Toxic is useful for allowing Arceus-Dark to cripple defensive checks such as defensive Ho-Oh, and Arceus-Fairy by placing them on a timer. Additionally, the move can be useful for deterring offensive threats such as opposing Calm Mind Arceus formes, Life Orb Yveltal, and Coil Zygarde that Foul Play otherwise struggles to threaten.
* Will-O-Wisp allows for a more effective way of crippling physical attackers that can otherwise stomach a boosted Foul Play, such as against Zacian-Crowned, Dragon Dance Zygarde, and Dragon Dance Arceus-Ground, preventing them from overpowering Arceus-Dark. It also punishes Choice Band users such as Rayquaza and Chien Pao, preventing them from trading damage against Arceus-Dark.
* Alternatively, on more offensive teams, Thunder Wave allows Arceus-Dark to take a more proactive approach to crippling several of these aforementioned Pokemon, crucially punishing Zacian-C and Eternatus switch-ins by negating their Speed stats.
* Stealth Rock acts as another main draw of this set, as Arceus-Dark's positive matchups against many of the aforementioned offensive threats gives it ample opportunity to use the move. Additionally, its access to reliable recovery and the ability to threaten common Defog users such as offensive Ho-Oh and Giratina-Origin meaning it will often maintain Stealth Rock against offensive teams reliant on these Pokemon in the long term.
* Taunt provides useful synergy with Arceus-Dark's many support options, preventing slower foes from setting up, such as against Coil Zygarde and Calm Mind Primal Kyogre. It also comes in handy in specific scenarios where certain Pokemon may dedicate a support move to try and break through Arceus-Dark, such as defensive Primal Groudon and Giratina-O attempting to cripple it with Toxic or Yveltal that would otherwise stiffle Arceus-Dark through its own Taunt.
* The given EV spread allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed Chi-Yu and Life Orb Yveltal while maximising Arceus-Dark's bulk. This notably allows Arceus-Dark to survive Mega Salamence's +1 Double-Edge, not be 2HKOed by Dragon Dance Zygarde's +1 Thousand Arrows, and survive Choice Band Rayquaza's Tera Flying Dragon Ascent, all after Stealth Rock.
* Tera Poison flips Arceus-Dark's weaknesses, which is crucial against Arceus-Fairy, Marshadow, and Pheromosa, and more notably grants it a full immunity to poison, preventing opposing Arceus formes and defensive Eternatus from placing it on a timer with Toxic. Alternatively, Tera Steel trades a resistance to Fighting in exchange for resistances for Steel and Flying, allowing Arceus-Dark to handle Dragon Dance Necrozma DM's +1 Searing Sunraze Smash, and avoid a 2HKO from Choice Band Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent and Mega Salamence's +1 Double-Edge. However, it should be noted that both options render Arceus-Dark weak to Ground-types such as Swords Dance Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, as well as coverage moves from Ultra Necrozma, which it otherwise serves as an important answer to, so it must Terastalize with caution.
* Tera Fire provides Arceus-Dark with more situational defensive benefits by allowing it to resist and survive Chi-Yu's +2 Fire Blast, and become neutral to Zacian-C's +3 Tera Fighting Close Combat, while also granting it a useful immunity to burns from Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire, allowing Arceus-Dark to better check these offensive threats in a pinch. However, it should be noted that this also makes Arceus-Dark weak to Stealth Rock, worsening its ability to check Pokemon such as Choice Band Rayquaza and Life Orb Deoxys-A, which now threaten to OHKO it.
* Alternatively, in exchange for becoming weak to Zacian-C's Wild Charge and Kyurem-B's Fusion Bolt, and no longer being immune to burns from Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire, Tera Water retains the aforementioned defensive benefits and provides Arceus-Dark with a neutrality to Ground and Stealth Rock, which can be useful for ensuring that Arceus-Dark's defensive profile is prevented from being stretched too thin throughout the game. It also allows Arceus-Dark to resist attacks from wallbreaker Primal Kyogre in a pinch, allowing Foul Play to 2HKO it in return after Stealth Rock.
* Defensive Arceus-Dark provides useful role compression for various archetypes, providing a useful blanket check to many physical threats and Psychic-types. Balance and stall teams in particular love its ability to blanket check various wallbreakers like Dragon Dance Ultra Necrozma, Choice Specs Lunala, and Choice Band Rayquaza, which would otherwise threaten them long-term, and if running Stealth Rock, easily outlast common Defog users such as Mega Salamence and Giratina-O. Similarly, offensive teams benefit from Arceus-Dark's role compression and ability to check setup Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Dragon Dance Zygarde, and Extreme Killer Arceus.
* Arceus-Dark's lack of passive recovery is notable and can be exploited by entry hazards and status conditions, forcing it to use up Recover's limited PP and also making it more susceptible to being KOed by attackers such as Life Orb Deoxys-A and Choice Band Rayquaza that it would otherwise be able to stomach a hit from. As such, Arceus-Dark most appreciates teammates such as Defog Ho-Oh, Giratina, and Giratina-O that can remove entry hazards against common setters such as Ferrothorn and Primal Groudon. Furthermore, additional teammates such as Eternatus and Coil Zygarde are valuable for their ability to safely absorb status conditions that would otherwise cripple Arceus-Dark, such as Scald from Primal Kyogre, Toxic from Primal Groudon, and Thunder Wave from Ho-Oh.
* On the physical side, Arceus-Dark is most vulnerable to offensive Steel and Fighting-types such as Zacian-C, Dragon Dance Necrozma-Dusk Mane, and Marshadow, which threaten it out unless it Terastalizes, making checks to these Pokemon crucial. Primal Groudon greatly benefits from Arceus-Dark compressing Stealth Rock for it, while Coil Zygarde appreciates Arceus-Dark's ability to deter boosting from Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Mega Salamence, and Arceus-Ground, which can potentially OHKO it if it has not yet transformed after chip damage, as well as its ability to check Psychic-types such as Lunala and Ultra Necrozma that threaten it.
* Arceus-Dark necessitates answers to special attackers such as defensive Primal Kyogre and Eternatus, which otherwise use it as setup fodder. On stall teams, Chansey is an integral teammate that safely switches into these Pokemon and handles them with Confide, while also managing potential status ailments from these Pokemon with the combination of Natural Cure and Heal Bell. On more offensive teams, wallbreakers such as Zacian-C, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Chien-Pao can help maintain momentum against these special attackers while benefiting from Arceus-Dark's ability to wear down checks in defensive Primal Groudon, Arceus-Ground, and Ho-Oh.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/iride.546157/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sami.604820/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sami.604820/
*insert user here
Grammar checked by:
*insert user here
Last edited:
