Overview
########
In every generation, the introduction of new threats and mechanics causes old favorites to fall from grace, and this time, Fighting Arceus is among the losers. The newly introduced Fairy-types resist its STAB moves and threaten it with their own, and Yveltal can outlast it with Oblivion Wing. Meanwhile, its old nemeses, Ho-Oh and Mewtwo, are empowered by the new Defog mechanics and the introduction of two Mega Evolutions, respectively. However, although it has a lot of threats hampering its effectiveness, it maintains a niche. As the only bulky Fighting-type in the tier, it alone can comfortably switch into Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan and threaten them with its STAB moves. By virtue of being an Arceus forme, it has access to well-distributed stats and an excellent movepool. Its weaknesses are pressing, but nonetheless Fighting Arceus can be an effective support Pokemon.
Support
########
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Shadow Ball / Stone Edge
item: Fist Plate
evs: 252 HP / 144 SpA / 112 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Fighting-type Judgment is the defining trait and raison d'être of Fighting Arceus, heavily damaging Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Kangaskhan, Dialga, Darkrai, and Kyurem-W. Recover allows Fighting Arceus to make the most of its substantial bulk and repeatedly check the aforementioned threats. Thunder Wave cripples many threats that otherwise switch into Fighting Arceus easily, such as Mewtwo, offensive Xerneas, and Gengar. However, Toxic can be used instead to limit activity from the likes of support Arceus and Lugia while also somewhat hampering more offensive Pokemon. Shadow Ball provides good coverage alongside Judgment, hitting Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively, notably 2HKOing Mega Gengar. Stone Edge can be used to deal heavy damage to Ho-Oh, OHKOing it after some prior damage, but will leave Fighting Arceus unable to deal significant damage to Psychic- and Ghost-types. Fighting Arceus can also use Ice Beam to OHKO Gliscor, which otherwise counters Fighting Arceus, and Landorus-T, but the attack has few other targets as a super effective Ice Beam is no more powerful than a neutral Judgment. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers, but Fighting Arceus already hits many of them hard with Judgment. It can also use Defog, as any support Arceus can, but this makes it more vulnerable to Ho-Oh and Yveltal.
Set Details
========
112 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Fighting Arceus to outspeed everything up to and including a positive-natured Garchomp. The HP investment gives it good mixed bulk, notably allowing it to survive any attack from Life Orb Extreme Killer Arceus after a Swords Dance and allowing it to wall Lustrous Orb Palkia in the absence of rain. The remaining EVs maximize its power, allowing it to heavily damage Normal Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan with Judgment. Alternatively, a spread of 144 HP / 252 SpA improves its damage output, but leaves it struggling to check Lustrous Orb Palkia.
Usage Tips
========
Due to its many weaknesses to prominent metagame threats, Fighting Arceus must be played with excellent prediction. Fairy-types, Ho-Oh, Gengar, and Mewtwo are likely to switch in and should be crippled with status moves or hit with an appropriate coverage move. Its weaknesses aside, Fighting Arceus can switch liberally into threats such as Palkia, Dialga, and Kyurem-W to wall or threaten them, although it must beware of status moves. It should not switch directly into full-health Mega Kangaskhan and Extreme Killer Arceus, though, as it cannot OHKO them without some prior damage.
Team Options
========
Fighting Arceus must be supported by a solid defensive backbone due to its many weaknesses. Steel-types such as Scizor, Aegislash, Bronzong, and Jirachi are crucial in order to check various Fairy-types. Landorus-T and Tyranitar can check Ho-Oh, and are especially important if Fighting Arceus lacks Stone Edge. A Fairy-type or Tyranitar is needed to check Yveltal, as although it cannot switch into Judgment easily, Yveltal easily outlasts Fighting Arceus one-on-one with Oblivion Wing. Stealth Rock is very important for Fighting Arceus, as it limits Ho-Oh considerably, guarantees a 2HKO with Judgment on Yveltal attempting to switch in, and weakens Mega Kangaskhan and Extreme Killer Arceus; Landorus-T, Tyranitar, and Dialga are good Stealth Rock users. Priority users such as Deoxys-A, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Scizor can finish off Extreme Killer Arceus if it survives against Fighting Arceus, while Giratina-O can serve as an effective secondary check while also helping to check Mewtwo.
Other Options
########
Fighting Arceus has access to Calm Mind and Swords Dance, but is outclassed as a sweeper by other Arceus formes and halted by Mewtwo. Calm Mind variants struggle to get around Fighting Arceus's usual checks, while Swords Dance variants lack a powerful STAB move to utilize the Attack boost. Fighting Arceus can use Thunder or Thunderbolt to hit Ho-Oh and Yveltal, but Shadow Ball generally has more utility. It can use Sludge Bomb to hit Fairy-types, but this leaves it easily walled by Poison-types and Aegislash. It also has access to the rare Perish Song, which can help stall teams to beat mono-attacking Calm Mind users, but has little other utility.
Checks and Counters
########
**Fairy-types**: Xerneas, Fairy Arceus, and Sylveon can all easily absorb any attack from Fighting Arceus and threaten it with powerful STAB moves. Xerneas and Sylveon may also run Aromatherapy, preventing Fighting Arceus from crippling them or their teammates with status.
**Ho-Oh**: Without Stone Edge, Fighting Arceus cannot deal significant damage to Ho-Oh, which can OHKO it in return with Brave Bird. Although status limits it somewhat, Regenerator and Roost allow it to heal off most Toxic damage.
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate most sets, although it is crippled by paralysis and must sacrifice itself to eliminate Fighting Arceus variants that carry Shadow Ball.
**Mewtwo**: Mewtwo and its Mega Evolutions resist Judgment, avoid 2HKOs from Shadow Ball, outspeed Fighting Arceus, and threaten it with their STAB moves. However, all Mewtwo are crippled by paralysis, and Mega Mewtwo X hates being burned.
**Yveltal**: As it is 2HKOed by Judgment, Yveltal cannot safely switch in. However, it can outlast Fighting Arceus with Oblivion Wing, as the moves deals considerable damage and heals Yveltal in the process.
**Mega Scizor**: Mega Scizor can shrug off any attacks from Fighting Arceus. It is immune to Toxic, largely unhampered by Thunder Wave due to its low Speed, has access to priority, and can stall with Toxic.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash is immune to Judgment and Toxic, is largely unhampered by Thunder Wave, and can Toxic Fighting Arceus. It also avoids a 2HKO from Shadow Ball.
**Gliscor**: Gliscor is effectively immune to status and can quite comfortably absorb neutral or resisted attacks, which are usually those which Fighting Arceus has against it. It can also cripple Fighting Arceus with Toxic.
**Status-Immune Pokemon**: Arceus formes with Calm Mind and Refresh as well as Pokemon with Rest and Sleep Talk that are not weak to Fighting-type moves can easily wall or set up on Fighting Arceus. Electric and Poison Arceus are immune to Thunder Wave and Toxic respectively and can comfortably set up against Fighting Arceus.
########
In every generation, the introduction of new threats and mechanics causes old favorites to fall from grace, and this time, Fighting Arceus is among the losers. The newly introduced Fairy-types resist its STAB moves and threaten it with their own, and Yveltal can outlast it with Oblivion Wing. Meanwhile, its old nemeses, Ho-Oh and Mewtwo, are empowered by the new Defog mechanics and the introduction of two Mega Evolutions, respectively. However, although it has a lot of threats hampering its effectiveness, it maintains a niche. As the only bulky Fighting-type in the tier, it alone can comfortably switch into Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan and threaten them with its STAB moves. By virtue of being an Arceus forme, it has access to well-distributed stats and an excellent movepool. Its weaknesses are pressing, but nonetheless Fighting Arceus can be an effective support Pokemon.
Support
########
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Shadow Ball / Stone Edge
item: Fist Plate
evs: 252 HP / 144 SpA / 112 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Fighting-type Judgment is the defining trait and raison d'être of Fighting Arceus, heavily damaging Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Kangaskhan, Dialga, Darkrai, and Kyurem-W. Recover allows Fighting Arceus to make the most of its substantial bulk and repeatedly check the aforementioned threats. Thunder Wave cripples many threats that otherwise switch into Fighting Arceus easily, such as Mewtwo, offensive Xerneas, and Gengar. However, Toxic can be used instead to limit activity from the likes of support Arceus and Lugia while also somewhat hampering more offensive Pokemon. Shadow Ball provides good coverage alongside Judgment, hitting Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively, notably 2HKOing Mega Gengar. Stone Edge can be used to deal heavy damage to Ho-Oh, OHKOing it after some prior damage, but will leave Fighting Arceus unable to deal significant damage to Psychic- and Ghost-types. Fighting Arceus can also use Ice Beam to OHKO Gliscor, which otherwise counters Fighting Arceus, and Landorus-T, but the attack has few other targets as a super effective Ice Beam is no more powerful than a neutral Judgment. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers, but Fighting Arceus already hits many of them hard with Judgment. It can also use Defog, as any support Arceus can, but this makes it more vulnerable to Ho-Oh and Yveltal.
Set Details
========
112 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Fighting Arceus to outspeed everything up to and including a positive-natured Garchomp. The HP investment gives it good mixed bulk, notably allowing it to survive any attack from Life Orb Extreme Killer Arceus after a Swords Dance and allowing it to wall Lustrous Orb Palkia in the absence of rain. The remaining EVs maximize its power, allowing it to heavily damage Normal Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan with Judgment. Alternatively, a spread of 144 HP / 252 SpA improves its damage output, but leaves it struggling to check Lustrous Orb Palkia.
Usage Tips
========
Due to its many weaknesses to prominent metagame threats, Fighting Arceus must be played with excellent prediction. Fairy-types, Ho-Oh, Gengar, and Mewtwo are likely to switch in and should be crippled with status moves or hit with an appropriate coverage move. Its weaknesses aside, Fighting Arceus can switch liberally into threats such as Palkia, Dialga, and Kyurem-W to wall or threaten them, although it must beware of status moves. It should not switch directly into full-health Mega Kangaskhan and Extreme Killer Arceus, though, as it cannot OHKO them without some prior damage.
Team Options
========
Fighting Arceus must be supported by a solid defensive backbone due to its many weaknesses. Steel-types such as Scizor, Aegislash, Bronzong, and Jirachi are crucial in order to check various Fairy-types. Landorus-T and Tyranitar can check Ho-Oh, and are especially important if Fighting Arceus lacks Stone Edge. A Fairy-type or Tyranitar is needed to check Yveltal, as although it cannot switch into Judgment easily, Yveltal easily outlasts Fighting Arceus one-on-one with Oblivion Wing. Stealth Rock is very important for Fighting Arceus, as it limits Ho-Oh considerably, guarantees a 2HKO with Judgment on Yveltal attempting to switch in, and weakens Mega Kangaskhan and Extreme Killer Arceus; Landorus-T, Tyranitar, and Dialga are good Stealth Rock users. Priority users such as Deoxys-A, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Scizor can finish off Extreme Killer Arceus if it survives against Fighting Arceus, while Giratina-O can serve as an effective secondary check while also helping to check Mewtwo.
Other Options
########
Fighting Arceus has access to Calm Mind and Swords Dance, but is outclassed as a sweeper by other Arceus formes and halted by Mewtwo. Calm Mind variants struggle to get around Fighting Arceus's usual checks, while Swords Dance variants lack a powerful STAB move to utilize the Attack boost. Fighting Arceus can use Thunder or Thunderbolt to hit Ho-Oh and Yveltal, but Shadow Ball generally has more utility. It can use Sludge Bomb to hit Fairy-types, but this leaves it easily walled by Poison-types and Aegislash. It also has access to the rare Perish Song, which can help stall teams to beat mono-attacking Calm Mind users, but has little other utility.
Checks and Counters
########
**Fairy-types**: Xerneas, Fairy Arceus, and Sylveon can all easily absorb any attack from Fighting Arceus and threaten it with powerful STAB moves. Xerneas and Sylveon may also run Aromatherapy, preventing Fighting Arceus from crippling them or their teammates with status.
**Ho-Oh**: Without Stone Edge, Fighting Arceus cannot deal significant damage to Ho-Oh, which can OHKO it in return with Brave Bird. Although status limits it somewhat, Regenerator and Roost allow it to heal off most Toxic damage.
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate most sets, although it is crippled by paralysis and must sacrifice itself to eliminate Fighting Arceus variants that carry Shadow Ball.
**Mewtwo**: Mewtwo and its Mega Evolutions resist Judgment, avoid 2HKOs from Shadow Ball, outspeed Fighting Arceus, and threaten it with their STAB moves. However, all Mewtwo are crippled by paralysis, and Mega Mewtwo X hates being burned.
**Yveltal**: As it is 2HKOed by Judgment, Yveltal cannot safely switch in. However, it can outlast Fighting Arceus with Oblivion Wing, as the moves deals considerable damage and heals Yveltal in the process.
**Mega Scizor**: Mega Scizor can shrug off any attacks from Fighting Arceus. It is immune to Toxic, largely unhampered by Thunder Wave due to its low Speed, has access to priority, and can stall with Toxic.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash is immune to Judgment and Toxic, is largely unhampered by Thunder Wave, and can Toxic Fighting Arceus. It also avoids a 2HKO from Shadow Ball.
**Gliscor**: Gliscor is effectively immune to status and can quite comfortably absorb neutral or resisted attacks, which are usually those which Fighting Arceus has against it. It can also cripple Fighting Arceus with Toxic.
**Status-Immune Pokemon**: Arceus formes with Calm Mind and Refresh as well as Pokemon with Rest and Sleep Talk that are not weak to Fighting-type moves can easily wall or set up on Fighting Arceus. Electric and Poison Arceus are immune to Thunder Wave and Toxic respectively and can comfortably set up against Fighting Arceus.
Overview
########
- Competing with Dragonceus for most screwed Arceus forme over the generation shift
- It hates Fairies and Yveltal and old nemesis Ho-Oh is more prominent than ever
- Still a decent Ekiller check and cool for Darkrai/Dialga and stuff
- Can do stuff most support Arceus can
- Still a god Pokemon
Support
########
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Shadow Ball / Stone Edge
item: Fist Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 144 SpA / 112 Spe
Moves
========
- Judgment for STAB, deals heavy damage to Ekiller and nice for Steel/Rock/Dark types
- Recover is what it says on the label
- Thunder Wave can cripple some switchins, especially Mewtwo, Gengar and Geo Xern
- Toxic is cool as it tends to be on support Arceus
- Defog is nice on support Arceus
- Shadow Ball hits Gengar, Mewtwo and Aegislash, of which the former greatly threaten Fightceus and the latter walls otherwise
- Stone Edge lures Ho-Oh and deals heavy damage
- Ice Beam OHKOs Gliscor which, which really annoys you, and Lando-T
- Will-o-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers, although you hit a lot of them (esp Ekiller) pretty hard with Judgment and you'll want Stone Edge for Ho-Oh if you use it
- You can run Defog, but Stealth Rock is great for keeping Ho-Oh/Ygod at bay
Set Details
========
- Enough speed to outspeed Garchomp
- Enough bulk to check Palkia and survive any attack from +2 LO Ekiller
- Remainder in SpA to hit Ekiller, Kanga and other stuff hard
- Can instead use 252 SpA and 144 HP to hit harder (notably you have a much better chance of 2HKOing Yveltal without SR), but you forgo checking Lustkia
Usage Tips
========
- Don't use it
- If you must use it, switch freely into Palkia/Dialga since you beat them
- You can't OHKO bulky Arceus without significant prior damage, so you have to either attack Ekiller and sac something first or sac Fightceus and then use a secondary check or faster priority user like Scarf Ekiller to finish it off
- Try to predict switches like Ho-Oh (unless you have SR up) with Stone Edge or Mewtwo with Thunder Wave, since you can't OHKO them
Team Options
========
- Steel types to check Fairies are a must, such as Scizor, Aegislash (yay two awful mons in 1 team), Bronzong or Jirachi
- Landorus-T or Tyranitar can check Ho-Oh, especially if you lack Stone Edge
- A Fairy to check Yveltal, such as Xerneas or Sylveon is also necessary
- Stealth Rock is great considering it limits flying turkey or bacon (why does the tier have so much food flying around); consider the above 2 users or Dialga
- A secondary Ekiller check or faster priority (eg Deo-A with Espeed or Kanga with Fake Out) since you can't OHKO bulky Ekiller even with SR
Other Options
########
- Calm Mind, but good luck getting around your biggest checks
- Swords Dance, but no good STAB and other Arceus formes do it better
- Perish Song is fun on support Arceus
- Thunder/bolt hits Ho-Oh/Ygod hard
- Sludge Bomb hits Fairies
Checks & Counters
########
**Fairies**: They're pink, they're annoying, they resist your STAB, they hit you hard, and some of them even have Aromatherapy to ruin your status spreading.
**Ho-Oh**: This thing will shrug off any good attacks you have and demand you dedicate a moveslot to hurting it. Otherwise its Brave Bird will obliterate you.
**Mega Gengar**: Without Shadow Ball, you cannot hurt it, while it will trap and eliminate you.
**Mewtwo**: Without Shadow Ball you cannot hurt Mewtwo (although X is crippled by burns), while all its sets can threaten with Psychic STAB.
**Yveltal**: This evil thing will happily Oblivion Wing you to death. However, Judgment has a chance of 2HKOing offensive variants, preventing it from switching in safely.
**Aegislash**: Easily shrugs off everything but Shadow Ball and Toxics you.
**Gliscor**: If you lack Ice Beam you lose.
**Status immunes**: Calm Mind + Refresh Arceus and RestTalk users that aren't weak to Fighting wall you all day long. Depending on your status move Electric or Poison Arceus also comfortably Calm Mind in your face.
########
- Competing with Dragonceus for most screwed Arceus forme over the generation shift
- It hates Fairies and Yveltal and old nemesis Ho-Oh is more prominent than ever
- Still a decent Ekiller check and cool for Darkrai/Dialga and stuff
- Can do stuff most support Arceus can
- Still a god Pokemon
Support
########
name: Support
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Shadow Ball / Stone Edge
item: Fist Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 144 SpA / 112 Spe
Moves
========
- Judgment for STAB, deals heavy damage to Ekiller and nice for Steel/Rock/Dark types
- Recover is what it says on the label
- Thunder Wave can cripple some switchins, especially Mewtwo, Gengar and Geo Xern
- Toxic is cool as it tends to be on support Arceus
- Defog is nice on support Arceus
- Shadow Ball hits Gengar, Mewtwo and Aegislash, of which the former greatly threaten Fightceus and the latter walls otherwise
- Stone Edge lures Ho-Oh and deals heavy damage
- Ice Beam OHKOs Gliscor which, which really annoys you, and Lando-T
- Will-o-Wisp can be used to cripple physical attackers, although you hit a lot of them (esp Ekiller) pretty hard with Judgment and you'll want Stone Edge for Ho-Oh if you use it
- You can run Defog, but Stealth Rock is great for keeping Ho-Oh/Ygod at bay
Set Details
========
- Enough speed to outspeed Garchomp
- Enough bulk to check Palkia and survive any attack from +2 LO Ekiller
- Remainder in SpA to hit Ekiller, Kanga and other stuff hard
- Can instead use 252 SpA and 144 HP to hit harder (notably you have a much better chance of 2HKOing Yveltal without SR), but you forgo checking Lustkia
Usage Tips
========
- Don't use it
- If you must use it, switch freely into Palkia/Dialga since you beat them
- You can't OHKO bulky Arceus without significant prior damage, so you have to either attack Ekiller and sac something first or sac Fightceus and then use a secondary check or faster priority user like Scarf Ekiller to finish it off
- Try to predict switches like Ho-Oh (unless you have SR up) with Stone Edge or Mewtwo with Thunder Wave, since you can't OHKO them
Team Options
========
- Steel types to check Fairies are a must, such as Scizor, Aegislash (yay two awful mons in 1 team), Bronzong or Jirachi
- Landorus-T or Tyranitar can check Ho-Oh, especially if you lack Stone Edge
- A Fairy to check Yveltal, such as Xerneas or Sylveon is also necessary
- Stealth Rock is great considering it limits flying turkey or bacon (why does the tier have so much food flying around); consider the above 2 users or Dialga
- A secondary Ekiller check or faster priority (eg Deo-A with Espeed or Kanga with Fake Out) since you can't OHKO bulky Ekiller even with SR
Other Options
########
- Calm Mind, but good luck getting around your biggest checks
- Swords Dance, but no good STAB and other Arceus formes do it better
- Perish Song is fun on support Arceus
- Thunder/bolt hits Ho-Oh/Ygod hard
- Sludge Bomb hits Fairies
Checks & Counters
########
**Fairies**: They're pink, they're annoying, they resist your STAB, they hit you hard, and some of them even have Aromatherapy to ruin your status spreading.
**Ho-Oh**: This thing will shrug off any good attacks you have and demand you dedicate a moveslot to hurting it. Otherwise its Brave Bird will obliterate you.
**Mega Gengar**: Without Shadow Ball, you cannot hurt it, while it will trap and eliminate you.
**Mewtwo**: Without Shadow Ball you cannot hurt Mewtwo (although X is crippled by burns), while all its sets can threaten with Psychic STAB.
**Yveltal**: This evil thing will happily Oblivion Wing you to death. However, Judgment has a chance of 2HKOing offensive variants, preventing it from switching in safely.
**Aegislash**: Easily shrugs off everything but Shadow Ball and Toxics you.
**Gliscor**: If you lack Ice Beam you lose.
**Status immunes**: Calm Mind + Refresh Arceus and RestTalk users that aren't weak to Fighting wall you all day long. Depending on your status move Electric or Poison Arceus also comfortably Calm Mind in your face.
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