[OVERVIEW]
* Strong coverage options and the ability to lure and break through Primal Groudon with the use of a Z-Crystal allow Arceus-Fire to attempt to function as an offensive balance breaker with Calm Mind.
* However, a vulnerability to every entry hazard, crippling weaknesses to Ground, Rock, and Water, and the inability to run defensive investment or recovery options mean that Arceus-Fire offers little defensive qualities outside of checking certain Steel- and Fairy- types.
* Arceus-Fire requires strong entry hazard support and chip damage in order to achieve crucial KOs against Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh while also requiring hazards to be kept off its own side of the field.
* It lacks opportunities to set up against offensive teams and quickly falls to powerful super effective or neutral attacks, and resisted moves will still leave their mark.
* It also does little against stall teams due to its inability to break past Blissey and Chansey.
* Additionally, using Arceus-Fire prevents the use of other, more useful Arceus formes or Z-Move users.
* It is outclassed as a Fire-type by Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh, as a Calm Mind Arceus forme by Arceus-Dark, Arceus-Flying, Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Fairy, and Arceus-Ground, and as a special wallbreaker by Primal Kyogre, Yveltal, and Lunala, all of which offer much more power, versatility, or defensive utility.
* Thus, Arceus-Fire should not be considered on a serious team.
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Firium Z
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Calm Mind allows Arceus-Fire to boost its Special Attack to threatening levels, allowing it to claim many key KOs it would not be able to unboosted. The Special Defense boost also allows it to set up somewhat more easily against special attackers and makes it more difficult for specially oriented Choice Scarf users to revenge kill it.
* Fire Blast is the STAB attack of choice. With Firium Z, it becomes Inferno Overdrive, a devastatingly powerful one-time nuke after being boosted by Calm Mind. Against Primal Groudon, its damage output is further boosted by harsh sunlight, dealing up to 83% to defensive Primal Groudon with a Timid nature after a boost while offensive Primal Groudon is OHKOed 50% of the time and most of the time after Stealth Rock damage taken as regular Groudon.
* Overheat's Special Attack drop heavily limits Arceus-Fire's ability to sustain a sweep. However, this move provides an even more powerful Z-Move and can be used if eliminating Primal Groudon is the main priority of this set. The increase in power is noticeable; with a Modest nature, +1 Inferno Overdrive has a small chance to outright OHKO defensive Primal Groudon after only Stealth Rock damage.
* Despite its unreliable accuracy against targets other than Primal Kyogre, Thunder is necessary to hit many specially bulky Pokemon that resist Fire, notably Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Toxapex, super effectively. After Stealth Rock, +1 Thunder KOes standard defensive Ho-Oh while dealing heavy damage to Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Toxapex.
* Ice Beam rounds out Arceus-Fire's coverage by hitting Dragon-types such as Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence while also providing a consistent way of damaging Arceus-Ground.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack investment ensures Arceus-Fire hits as hard as possible.
* Maximum Speed with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Fire to outspeed or Speed tie with as many threats as possible, notably opposing Arceus formes, Mega Salamence, and Mega Lucario. This is especially important due to Arceus-Fire's lower bulk, as it needs to outspeed and KO said threats to avoid taking heavy damage, which could easily cut a sweep attempt short.
* A Modest nature can be used to maximize damage against slower foes, especially Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, but this leaves Arceus-Fire much more vulnerable to attackers within and slightly below its Speed tier.
* Firium Z allows Arceus-Fire to use Inferno Overdrive once, a powerful nuke that breaks through Primal Groudon and other threats, especially when boosted.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to gain a free turn to set up Calm Mind against Steel-types and Fairy-types that Arceus-Fire forces out, either through double switches or by coming into a resisted attack. If possible, avoid status and Leech Seed, as they limit Arceus-Fire's effectiveness at wallbreaking, either by making it easier to revenge kill or by setting it on a timer, but it's still possible to wallbreak even when afflicted.
* Due to accumulating passive damage, Inferno Overdrive's one-time nature, and the threat of revenge killers, Arceus-Fire will often only have one attempt to set up and wallbreak, so make sure that it can make the most of it.
* Know how much damage Arceus-Fire can deal to foes such as Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, and try to wear them down into KO range with entry hazards, status or chip damage from teammates, or by chipping at them with an appropriate move as they come in.
* Targets that force Arceus-Fire to use Inferno Overdrive to KO them can bait its Z-Move by pivoting into a Fire-resistant or -immune Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre. When set up in front of such a target, consider the possibility of punishing such a switch by setting up Calm Mind again or hitting the switch-in with the appropriate coverage move. However, such predictions are extremely risky, and guessing wrong will be harshly punished.
* Against teams with Blissey or Chansey, Arceus-Fire will not be of much use by itself, as it won't be able to break through them and can only be used to force predictable switches. However, if you have ways of luring or trapping Blissey or Chansey, such as mixed Primal Kyogre, Knock Off Yveltal, and Shadow Tag users, then Arceus-Fire can be a potential wincon.
Team Options
========
* Primal Kyogre heavily appreciates the removal of Primal Groudon and can also help Arceus-Fire burst through Primal Groudon by damaging it with Earthquake or Ice Beam. Primal Kyogre can help take on Ground- and Rock-types and Ho-Oh for Arceus-Fire while inviting in Grass-types like Ferrothorn that Arceus-Fire can set up on. It can also break through Chansey and Blissey with Liquidation. While niche, Choice Scarf Kyogre can clean up teams once Primal Groudon has been lured and KOed by Arceus-Fire.
* Xerneas also enjoys Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh being heavily weakened or KOed, and it is able to chip at Primal Groudon for Arceus-Fire. Xerneas can also lure in Steel-types for Arceus-Fire to set up on.
* Giratina-O, Mega Salamence, Zygarde-C, and Celesteela defensively check Ground-types and Primal Groudon to various extents. The former two also provide entry hazard removal to alleviate Arceus-Fire's crippling Stealth Rock weakness.
* Primal Groudon offers a switch-in to Primal Kyogre as well as a powerful and consistent Stealth Rock setter and another way of checking Fairy-types.
* Necrozma-DM can also provide Stealth Rock support and is a much more solid check to Xerneas.
* Other Pokemon that can lure or trap Chansey and Blissey, such Knock Off Yveltal and Shadow Tag users such as Mega Gengar and Gothitelle, can allow Arceus-Fire to break through defensive teams once its primary checks have been removed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Flame Plate can be run with another Z-Move user, but without Firium Z, the increased difficulty of breaking through Primal Groudon renders Arceus-Fire even less viable.
* Arceus-Fire's horrible defensive typing and entry hazard weaknesses render a possible defensive set with Recover and Roar to check Geomancy Xerneas unviable. Psych Up can be run to stop Geomancy Xerneas and attempt to countersweep, but such a set serves little other purpose. Both sets are also outclassed by the already niche Arceus-Poison.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Chansey and Blissey**: Chansey and Blissey easily wall Arceus-Fire with their colossal special bulk, damage Arceus-Fire with Toxic, and prevent it from getting enough Calm Mind boosts to break through them with Confide.
**Rock-types**: Arceus-Rock, Tyranitar, and Mega Diancie all resist Fire, are not hit super effectively by Electric- or Ice-type coverage, and retaliate with super effective STAB moves.
**Primal Kyogre**: Primal Kyogre is immune to Fire due to Primordial Sea, can OHKO Arceus-Fire with its powerful Water-type attacks, and is bulky enough to easily take a Thunder. However, it can be chipped low enough for +1 Thunder to KO.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh resists Fire, can easily heal off damage from unboosted Thunders with Regenerator or Recover, and can damage Arceus-Fire with Toxic or Brave Bird in return. However, it must keep Stealth Rock off its side of the field, or else +1 Thunder will KO after Stealth Rock damage.
**Primal Groudon**: Although one of the main goals of Arceus-Fire is to lure and KO Primal Groudon, Primal Groudon can easily win one-on-one. While offensive sets can be OHKOed by a boosted Z-Move, defensive sets can survive when at full health and OHKO in return with Precipice Blades
**Arceus Ground**: Arceus-Ground's super effective Ground-type STAB moves can OHKO or 2HKO Arceus-Fire, and offensive variants Speed tie. Arceus-Ground can be KOed by +1 Inferno Overdrive depending on its bulk investment, however.
**Faster Attackers**: Ultra Necrozma outspeeds Arceus-Fire, KOes with super effective Neuroforce-boosted Earthquake or Light That Burns the Sky, and can also survive an attack to set up due to the type change gained from Ultra Burst. Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Mewtwo X outspeed Arceus-Fire, hit it for heavy damage with their STAB attacks, and can survive any unboosted attack. Marshadow can revenge kill Arceus-Fire if it is sufficiently chipped at.
**Lugia**: Lugia can easily tank a boosted attack thanks to Multiscale and phaze Arceus-Fire.
**Status** Toxic sets Arceus-Fire on a timer, and accumulating poison damage makes it easier to revenge kill. Paralysis leaves it outsped by slower threats such as Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh, which can KO Arceus-Fire or heal themselves before Arceus-Fire can attack.
* Strong coverage options and the ability to lure and break through Primal Groudon with the use of a Z-Crystal allow Arceus-Fire to attempt to function as an offensive balance breaker with Calm Mind.
* However, a vulnerability to every entry hazard, crippling weaknesses to Ground, Rock, and Water, and the inability to run defensive investment or recovery options mean that Arceus-Fire offers little defensive qualities outside of checking certain Steel- and Fairy- types.
* Arceus-Fire requires strong entry hazard support and chip damage in order to achieve crucial KOs against Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh while also requiring hazards to be kept off its own side of the field.
* It lacks opportunities to set up against offensive teams and quickly falls to powerful super effective or neutral attacks, and resisted moves will still leave their mark.
* It also does little against stall teams due to its inability to break past Blissey and Chansey.
* Additionally, using Arceus-Fire prevents the use of other, more useful Arceus formes or Z-Move users.
* It is outclassed as a Fire-type by Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh, as a Calm Mind Arceus forme by Arceus-Dark, Arceus-Flying, Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Fairy, and Arceus-Ground, and as a special wallbreaker by Primal Kyogre, Yveltal, and Lunala, all of which offer much more power, versatility, or defensive utility.
* Thus, Arceus-Fire should not be considered on a serious team.
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Firium Z
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Calm Mind allows Arceus-Fire to boost its Special Attack to threatening levels, allowing it to claim many key KOs it would not be able to unboosted. The Special Defense boost also allows it to set up somewhat more easily against special attackers and makes it more difficult for specially oriented Choice Scarf users to revenge kill it.
* Fire Blast is the STAB attack of choice. With Firium Z, it becomes Inferno Overdrive, a devastatingly powerful one-time nuke after being boosted by Calm Mind. Against Primal Groudon, its damage output is further boosted by harsh sunlight, dealing up to 83% to defensive Primal Groudon with a Timid nature after a boost while offensive Primal Groudon is OHKOed 50% of the time and most of the time after Stealth Rock damage taken as regular Groudon.
* Overheat's Special Attack drop heavily limits Arceus-Fire's ability to sustain a sweep. However, this move provides an even more powerful Z-Move and can be used if eliminating Primal Groudon is the main priority of this set. The increase in power is noticeable; with a Modest nature, +1 Inferno Overdrive has a small chance to outright OHKO defensive Primal Groudon after only Stealth Rock damage.
* Despite its unreliable accuracy against targets other than Primal Kyogre, Thunder is necessary to hit many specially bulky Pokemon that resist Fire, notably Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Toxapex, super effectively. After Stealth Rock, +1 Thunder KOes standard defensive Ho-Oh while dealing heavy damage to Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Toxapex.
* Ice Beam rounds out Arceus-Fire's coverage by hitting Dragon-types such as Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence while also providing a consistent way of damaging Arceus-Ground.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack investment ensures Arceus-Fire hits as hard as possible.
* Maximum Speed with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Fire to outspeed or Speed tie with as many threats as possible, notably opposing Arceus formes, Mega Salamence, and Mega Lucario. This is especially important due to Arceus-Fire's lower bulk, as it needs to outspeed and KO said threats to avoid taking heavy damage, which could easily cut a sweep attempt short.
* A Modest nature can be used to maximize damage against slower foes, especially Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, but this leaves Arceus-Fire much more vulnerable to attackers within and slightly below its Speed tier.
* Firium Z allows Arceus-Fire to use Inferno Overdrive once, a powerful nuke that breaks through Primal Groudon and other threats, especially when boosted.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to gain a free turn to set up Calm Mind against Steel-types and Fairy-types that Arceus-Fire forces out, either through double switches or by coming into a resisted attack. If possible, avoid status and Leech Seed, as they limit Arceus-Fire's effectiveness at wallbreaking, either by making it easier to revenge kill or by setting it on a timer, but it's still possible to wallbreak even when afflicted.
* Due to accumulating passive damage, Inferno Overdrive's one-time nature, and the threat of revenge killers, Arceus-Fire will often only have one attempt to set up and wallbreak, so make sure that it can make the most of it.
* Know how much damage Arceus-Fire can deal to foes such as Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, and try to wear them down into KO range with entry hazards, status or chip damage from teammates, or by chipping at them with an appropriate move as they come in.
* Targets that force Arceus-Fire to use Inferno Overdrive to KO them can bait its Z-Move by pivoting into a Fire-resistant or -immune Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre. When set up in front of such a target, consider the possibility of punishing such a switch by setting up Calm Mind again or hitting the switch-in with the appropriate coverage move. However, such predictions are extremely risky, and guessing wrong will be harshly punished.
* Against teams with Blissey or Chansey, Arceus-Fire will not be of much use by itself, as it won't be able to break through them and can only be used to force predictable switches. However, if you have ways of luring or trapping Blissey or Chansey, such as mixed Primal Kyogre, Knock Off Yveltal, and Shadow Tag users, then Arceus-Fire can be a potential wincon.
Team Options
========
* Primal Kyogre heavily appreciates the removal of Primal Groudon and can also help Arceus-Fire burst through Primal Groudon by damaging it with Earthquake or Ice Beam. Primal Kyogre can help take on Ground- and Rock-types and Ho-Oh for Arceus-Fire while inviting in Grass-types like Ferrothorn that Arceus-Fire can set up on. It can also break through Chansey and Blissey with Liquidation. While niche, Choice Scarf Kyogre can clean up teams once Primal Groudon has been lured and KOed by Arceus-Fire.
* Xerneas also enjoys Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh being heavily weakened or KOed, and it is able to chip at Primal Groudon for Arceus-Fire. Xerneas can also lure in Steel-types for Arceus-Fire to set up on.
* Giratina-O, Mega Salamence, Zygarde-C, and Celesteela defensively check Ground-types and Primal Groudon to various extents. The former two also provide entry hazard removal to alleviate Arceus-Fire's crippling Stealth Rock weakness.
* Primal Groudon offers a switch-in to Primal Kyogre as well as a powerful and consistent Stealth Rock setter and another way of checking Fairy-types.
* Necrozma-DM can also provide Stealth Rock support and is a much more solid check to Xerneas.
* Other Pokemon that can lure or trap Chansey and Blissey, such Knock Off Yveltal and Shadow Tag users such as Mega Gengar and Gothitelle, can allow Arceus-Fire to break through defensive teams once its primary checks have been removed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Flame Plate can be run with another Z-Move user, but without Firium Z, the increased difficulty of breaking through Primal Groudon renders Arceus-Fire even less viable.
* Arceus-Fire's horrible defensive typing and entry hazard weaknesses render a possible defensive set with Recover and Roar to check Geomancy Xerneas unviable. Psych Up can be run to stop Geomancy Xerneas and attempt to countersweep, but such a set serves little other purpose. Both sets are also outclassed by the already niche Arceus-Poison.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Chansey and Blissey**: Chansey and Blissey easily wall Arceus-Fire with their colossal special bulk, damage Arceus-Fire with Toxic, and prevent it from getting enough Calm Mind boosts to break through them with Confide.
**Rock-types**: Arceus-Rock, Tyranitar, and Mega Diancie all resist Fire, are not hit super effectively by Electric- or Ice-type coverage, and retaliate with super effective STAB moves.
**Primal Kyogre**: Primal Kyogre is immune to Fire due to Primordial Sea, can OHKO Arceus-Fire with its powerful Water-type attacks, and is bulky enough to easily take a Thunder. However, it can be chipped low enough for +1 Thunder to KO.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh resists Fire, can easily heal off damage from unboosted Thunders with Regenerator or Recover, and can damage Arceus-Fire with Toxic or Brave Bird in return. However, it must keep Stealth Rock off its side of the field, or else +1 Thunder will KO after Stealth Rock damage.
**Primal Groudon**: Although one of the main goals of Arceus-Fire is to lure and KO Primal Groudon, Primal Groudon can easily win one-on-one. While offensive sets can be OHKOed by a boosted Z-Move, defensive sets can survive when at full health and OHKO in return with Precipice Blades
**Arceus Ground**: Arceus-Ground's super effective Ground-type STAB moves can OHKO or 2HKO Arceus-Fire, and offensive variants Speed tie. Arceus-Ground can be KOed by +1 Inferno Overdrive depending on its bulk investment, however.
**Faster Attackers**: Ultra Necrozma outspeeds Arceus-Fire, KOes with super effective Neuroforce-boosted Earthquake or Light That Burns the Sky, and can also survive an attack to set up due to the type change gained from Ultra Burst. Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Mewtwo X outspeed Arceus-Fire, hit it for heavy damage with their STAB attacks, and can survive any unboosted attack. Marshadow can revenge kill Arceus-Fire if it is sufficiently chipped at.
**Lugia**: Lugia can easily tank a boosted attack thanks to Multiscale and phaze Arceus-Fire.
**Status** Toxic sets Arceus-Fire on a timer, and accumulating poison damage makes it easier to revenge kill. Paralysis leaves it outsped by slower threats such as Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh, which can KO Arceus-Fire or heal themselves before Arceus-Fire can attack.
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