Cynara
Banned deucer.
[OVERVIEW]
Ghost Arceus possesses a myriad of positive traits, including a solid offensive and defensive typing along with the ability to handle common threats to offense such as Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Kangaskhan, and Latios, making it a good choice for offensive teams that require a solid setup sweeper that is able to handle these common threats. With base 120 stats across the board, Ghost Arceus naturally has a good Speed tier and strong offensive prowess, combined with the ability to use both Swords Dance and Calm Mind sets backed up by solid high-Base Power STAB attacks in Shadow Force and Judgment that allow it to break down common walls in the Uber tier such as Lugia and Giratina-O. Unlike other Swords Dance variants of Arceus such as Extreme Killer, it is able to escape from Shadow Tag users such as Mega Gengar, therefore avoiding being revenged killed or trapped.
However, Ghost Arceus suffers from being vulnerable to Dark-types, a somewhat common offensive typing in the Ubers metagame, and Pokemon such as Yveltal and Darkrai are able to easily dispatch of Ghost Arceus or force it to switch out. Swords Dance Ghost Arceus in particular is blocked by Yveltal due to its natural bulk, and Yveltal's Dark / Flying typing means Ghost Arceus's Brick Break does very little to it. Dark Arceus is also able to handle both Ghost Arceus sets and scare it out.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Extreme Speed / Shadow Claw
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance provides Ghost Arceus with the ability to set up and potentially threaten a sweep backed by Shadow Force, which is able to OHKO the majority of the tier at +2; however, the charge turn makes Ghost Arceus very prone to momentum loss and can allow a free switch to a Pokemon immune to it such as Extreme Killer Arceus. Brick Break is an obligatory coverage move in order to hit Normal-types such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan and to gain super effective coverage on Dark-types such as Darkrai that tend to switch in; however, it is relatively weak and should only be used for these desired targets. Extreme Speed gives Ghost Arceus a form of priority and helps dispatch of common threats to offense such as Deoxys-A or pick off weakened faster targets such as Darkrai, and it can even help to win against Extreme Killer in one-on-one situations. Shadow Claw can be used in place of Extreme Speed on the final slot, if you're concerned about the unreliability or lack of PP that Shadow Force possesses, providing for a weaker but more reliable STAB move that can prevent wasted usage of Shadow Force PP where Shadow Claw could OHKO a threat instead or prevent the opponent continuously switching between a Ghost- and Normal-type due to sets lacking Shadow Claw being blocked by this.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack EVs enable Ghost Arceus to maximize its offensive prowess, and a Jolly nature is used so Ghost Arceus can at least Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes such as Extreme Killer Arceus, as well as outspeed other offensive threats such as Latios, Mega Lucario, and Gengar before it Mega Evolves. Gengar also is unable to Mega Evolve safely, or it risks being OHKOed by Shadow Force due to its ability to break Protect. An Adamant nature can be chosen for more power on specific team builds such as Sticky Web teams, which somewhat compensate for its very noticeable drop in Speed; however, Ghost Arceus is then still outsped by the likes of Latios due its immunity to Sticky Web.
Usage Tips
========
Preserving Ghost Arceus is the most effective way for the Swords Dance set to be threatening, and it tends to be a later-game wincon. Never set up if the opponent still has healthy answers to Ghost Arceus such as Dark-types; Yveltal in particular needs to be either weakened or removed before Ghost Arceus can threaten a sweep, even if it has set up with Swords Dance, and Shadow Force leaves Ghost Arceus vulnerable to Sucker Punch from Yveltal on the charge turn, meaning it will take heavy damage if it tries to take on Yveltal head on. Once Ghost Arceus checks have been weakened or removed, you can set up Swords Dance and proceed to sweep. Lugia and Giratina-O are common physical walls that are weak to Ghost, making them somewhat good targets for setup. Ghost Arceus can also offensively threaten Latios, Mewtwo, and Mega Kangaskhan.
Team Options
========
Fairies such as Xerneas and Mega Diancie make good partners for their ability to take care of common answers to Ghost Arceus; Choice Scarf Xerneas especially makes a good partner, being able to absorb sleep from Darkrai's Dark Void and easily dispatch of Darkrai. Ghost Arceus has a good defensive typing for an offensive Arceus and has an immunity to Extreme Speed, a common priority move in the metagame. Deoxys-A appreciates this immunity because it falls to any strong priority move from the likes of Extreme Killer Arceus and Rayquaza; in return, it helps to break walls to allow Ghost Arceus to sweep late-game or dispatch of faster threats on opposing offense. Darkrai is a threatening offensive partner with good synergy, being able to cripple switch-ins with Dark Void, putting them to sleep and thus potentially giving Ghost Arceus an opportunity to set up, and to help pressure common Defoggers such as support Arceus formes and Giratina-O. Darkrai also appreciates Ghost Arceus's immunity to Superpower and Extreme Speed from the likes of Deoxys-A, which tends to be a common revenge killer or anti-lead to it; if you predict either of these moves, Ghost Arceus can switch in and try to scare Deoxys-A out. Rayquaza variants such as mixed and Choice Band sets make good partners due to their ability to help break down walls and pressure common Defoggers such as support Arceus formes; in return Rayquaza appreciates Ghost Arceus's ability to check Extreme Speed users such as Arceus and Deoxys-A. Toxic Spikes offense builds are also a good idea, with setters such as Cloyster and Greninja being the most common, while Ghost Arceus provides spinblocking utility thanks to its Ghost typing; one of the other main applications is the ability to rack up additional poison damage from Toxic Spikes and slowly put pressure on opposing teams with Shadow Force due to it being a two-turn move. Primal Groudon is usually the Stealth Rock setter of choice for Ghost Arceus teams, with an offensive set being most effective. However, Rock Polish Primal Groudon can also help with opposing offense builds, while Swords Dance sets help break apart defensive cores. With a Rock Polish or Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Dialga with Shuca Berry makes a solid alternative offensive Stealth Rock setter, providing a Mega Salamence check for offense teams, as well as the ability to beat all Magic Bounce users and consistently get up Stealth Rock against them. Mega Salamence is able to help weaken defensive Yveltal variants with Double-Edge or OHKO offensive variants. Mega Salamence also gives more security versus Extreme Killer Arceus, taking some pressure off Ghost Arceus.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Substitute / Recover
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind Allows Ghost Arceus to boost its Special Attack and Special Defense simultaneously, providing it with potential to sweep while making it harder for special attackers to break through. Judgment is a reliable 100-Base Power STAB move, and Focus Blast provides Ghost Arceus with perfect coverage, notably allowing it to hit Extreme Killer Arceus and Kangaskhan while denting switch-ins such as Tyranitar. Substitute helps protect Ghost Arceus from crippling status moves such as Thunder Wave and Toxic.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs give Ghost Arceus maximum offensive prowess, and a Timid nature means it at least Speed ties with opposing Arceus formes such as Extreme Killer Arceus; maximum Special Attack is used to deal as much damage as possible and so Arceus Ghost can sweep with as few Calm Mind boosts as possible.
Usage Tips
========
It is best to utilize Ghost Arceus late-game to threaten a sweep if it's the main wincon; otherwise, it can help break the opposing team early- and mid-game. Setting up Calm Minds helps out Ghost Arceus offensively and defensively, giving it good sweeping potential. Substitute enables Ghost Arceus to set up Calm Mind much more safely by blocking status, which is a common response to a Calm Mind Arceus; the move can also be used to help counteract or even scout for aggressive play, which is generally much safer than just firing off Focus Blast; however, Ghost Arceus can also lure in certain checks such as Tyranitar and Darkrai and dent them with Focus Blast on the switch in.
Calm Mind Ghost Arceus is actually really effective at dismantling stall teams; however, a healthy Multiscale Lugia can phaze Ghost Arceus attempting to sweep, so it's essential to make sure Lugia has Multiscale broken first. Therefore, try to have Stealth Rock up versus stall so Lugia can't come in on Ghost Arceus. Blissey and Chansey are common on stall and can be used as fodder for Substitute, though Ghost Arceus will have a tough time setting up Calm Minds due to Snatch.
Team Options
========
Setters of entry hazards such as Toxic Spikes make a good team option, with Greninja and Cloyster being good examples; Ghost Arceus backs them up with its spinblocking ability, while Toxic Spikes help pressure support Arceus formes to force them to Recover and subsequently allow Ghost Arceus to get a Calm Mind boost and then a Substitute. Primal Groudon is the most consistent Stealth Rock setter for Calm Mind Ghost Arceus teams; special Ghost Arceus sets tend to struggle against Ho-Oh without Stealth Rock being up and can't effectively break Lugia if Multiscale is intact. Rock Polish sets can also be considered with an alternative Stealth Rock setter such as Dialga; in return Dialga provides a more defined Mega Salamence check. Offensive variants of Yveltal can provide a breaker with immediate power and good offensive synergy along with a Ground immunity; Yveltal can help break down Ghost Arceus checks and help it sweep late-game. Xerneas is a Fairy-type to consider to check Darkrai and Yveltal—either a Choice Scarf set to absorb sleep from Dark Void or Geomancy Xerneas with another Darkrai answer. Mega Diancie is also another option to consider to check Darkrai and Yveltal that also has the option to run Stealth Rock as an effective anti-lead to Deoxys-S and Darkrai, especially on hazard-stacking builds such as Toxic Spikes offense. Rayquaza sets such as MixQuaza, Dragon Dance, and Choice Band make effective wallbreakers paired with Ghost Arceus to apply pressure on Defoggers, and Rayquaza appreciates the immunity to Extreme Speed Ghost Arceus provides; Rayquaza also helps out against sand offense teams due to Air Lock. Mega Salamence is another Dragon type to consider as a wallbreaker with Double-Edge or even as a secondary wincon, being able to weaken common threats such as defensive Yveltal as well as providing a Primal Groudon check. Deoxys-A and Darkrai really appreciate Ghost Arceus's ability to check Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan due to their weakness to strong priority, and they can help with revenge killing due to their high Speed; Deoxys-A is especially useful for dispatching of faster threats on opposing offense, due to its insanely high offensive stats enabling it to dent the opposition considerably. Darkrai is able to cripple switch-ins with Dark Void.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ghost Arceus can attempt a support set with Defog and Will-O-Wisp and maximum Speed and HP on specific teambuilds that already have Ho-Oh covered, but it's best left to other support Arceus formes such as Water and Dragon Arceus, which can check Ho-Oh, have a superior defensive typing, and generally fit on a greater variety of team builds. Thunder can be used over Focus Blast to hit Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre harder; however, Ghost Arceus loses out on perfect coverage and the ability to hit Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey for any reasonable amount of damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Darkrai**: Darkrai can cripple Ghost Arceus with Dark Void or revenge kill it with Dark Pulse, though it has to be wary of Brick Break or Focus Blast while trying to switch in.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal generally walls Swords Dance sets, and defensive Yveltal prevents Swords Dance Ghost Arceus from executing a sweep. Ghost Arceus takes a lot from Dark Pulse on offensive variants and can be picked off by Sucker Punch when weakened.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh gives special variants of Ghost Arceus a hard time due to its high Special Defense, especially if Stealth Rock isn't up; physical Ghost Arceus also has to be wary of Sacred Fire burns.
**Dark Arceus**: Albeit rare, Dark Arceus can take on both Ghost Arceus sets and scare it out or even try to set up Calm Mind on it, taking little from an unboosted Brick Break, though it has to take caution switching into Focus Blast.
**Mega Gengar**: Gengar can't switch in or Mega Evolve safely on Ghost Arceus; however, it can revenge kill a weakened Ghost Arceus if it has Mega Evolved. Note, though, that Ghost Arceus is able to escape Shadow Tag.
**Giratina-O**: While Giratina-O can't switch in on Ghost Arceus, it does a considerable amount of damage with Shadow Sneak, so it can pick off weakened ones; additionally, Ghost Arceus lacking Shadow Claw could potentially lose to Shadow Force Giratina-O due to Giratina being slower. Giratina-O is 2HKOed by Judgment and Shadow Claw, however.
**Blissey and Chansey**: Blissey and Chansey can cripple Ghost Arceus with Toxic, though they are setup fodder for Substitute sets and lose to Swords Dance variants.
Ghost Arceus possesses a myriad of positive traits, including a solid offensive and defensive typing along with the ability to handle common threats to offense such as Extreme Killer Arceus, Mega Kangaskhan, and Latios, making it a good choice for offensive teams that require a solid setup sweeper that is able to handle these common threats. With base 120 stats across the board, Ghost Arceus naturally has a good Speed tier and strong offensive prowess, combined with the ability to use both Swords Dance and Calm Mind sets backed up by solid high-Base Power STAB attacks in Shadow Force and Judgment that allow it to break down common walls in the Uber tier such as Lugia and Giratina-O. Unlike other Swords Dance variants of Arceus such as Extreme Killer, it is able to escape from Shadow Tag users such as Mega Gengar, therefore avoiding being revenged killed or trapped.
However, Ghost Arceus suffers from being vulnerable to Dark-types, a somewhat common offensive typing in the Ubers metagame, and Pokemon such as Yveltal and Darkrai are able to easily dispatch of Ghost Arceus or force it to switch out. Swords Dance Ghost Arceus in particular is blocked by Yveltal due to its natural bulk, and Yveltal's Dark / Flying typing means Ghost Arceus's Brick Break does very little to it. Dark Arceus is also able to handle both Ghost Arceus sets and scare it out.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Extreme Speed / Shadow Claw
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance provides Ghost Arceus with the ability to set up and potentially threaten a sweep backed by Shadow Force, which is able to OHKO the majority of the tier at +2; however, the charge turn makes Ghost Arceus very prone to momentum loss and can allow a free switch to a Pokemon immune to it such as Extreme Killer Arceus. Brick Break is an obligatory coverage move in order to hit Normal-types such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan and to gain super effective coverage on Dark-types such as Darkrai that tend to switch in; however, it is relatively weak and should only be used for these desired targets. Extreme Speed gives Ghost Arceus a form of priority and helps dispatch of common threats to offense such as Deoxys-A or pick off weakened faster targets such as Darkrai, and it can even help to win against Extreme Killer in one-on-one situations. Shadow Claw can be used in place of Extreme Speed on the final slot, if you're concerned about the unreliability or lack of PP that Shadow Force possesses, providing for a weaker but more reliable STAB move that can prevent wasted usage of Shadow Force PP where Shadow Claw could OHKO a threat instead or prevent the opponent continuously switching between a Ghost- and Normal-type due to sets lacking Shadow Claw being blocked by this.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Attack EVs enable Ghost Arceus to maximize its offensive prowess, and a Jolly nature is used so Ghost Arceus can at least Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes such as Extreme Killer Arceus, as well as outspeed other offensive threats such as Latios, Mega Lucario, and Gengar before it Mega Evolves. Gengar also is unable to Mega Evolve safely, or it risks being OHKOed by Shadow Force due to its ability to break Protect. An Adamant nature can be chosen for more power on specific team builds such as Sticky Web teams, which somewhat compensate for its very noticeable drop in Speed; however, Ghost Arceus is then still outsped by the likes of Latios due its immunity to Sticky Web.
Usage Tips
========
Preserving Ghost Arceus is the most effective way for the Swords Dance set to be threatening, and it tends to be a later-game wincon. Never set up if the opponent still has healthy answers to Ghost Arceus such as Dark-types; Yveltal in particular needs to be either weakened or removed before Ghost Arceus can threaten a sweep, even if it has set up with Swords Dance, and Shadow Force leaves Ghost Arceus vulnerable to Sucker Punch from Yveltal on the charge turn, meaning it will take heavy damage if it tries to take on Yveltal head on. Once Ghost Arceus checks have been weakened or removed, you can set up Swords Dance and proceed to sweep. Lugia and Giratina-O are common physical walls that are weak to Ghost, making them somewhat good targets for setup. Ghost Arceus can also offensively threaten Latios, Mewtwo, and Mega Kangaskhan.
Team Options
========
Fairies such as Xerneas and Mega Diancie make good partners for their ability to take care of common answers to Ghost Arceus; Choice Scarf Xerneas especially makes a good partner, being able to absorb sleep from Darkrai's Dark Void and easily dispatch of Darkrai. Ghost Arceus has a good defensive typing for an offensive Arceus and has an immunity to Extreme Speed, a common priority move in the metagame. Deoxys-A appreciates this immunity because it falls to any strong priority move from the likes of Extreme Killer Arceus and Rayquaza; in return, it helps to break walls to allow Ghost Arceus to sweep late-game or dispatch of faster threats on opposing offense. Darkrai is a threatening offensive partner with good synergy, being able to cripple switch-ins with Dark Void, putting them to sleep and thus potentially giving Ghost Arceus an opportunity to set up, and to help pressure common Defoggers such as support Arceus formes and Giratina-O. Darkrai also appreciates Ghost Arceus's immunity to Superpower and Extreme Speed from the likes of Deoxys-A, which tends to be a common revenge killer or anti-lead to it; if you predict either of these moves, Ghost Arceus can switch in and try to scare Deoxys-A out. Rayquaza variants such as mixed and Choice Band sets make good partners due to their ability to help break down walls and pressure common Defoggers such as support Arceus formes; in return Rayquaza appreciates Ghost Arceus's ability to check Extreme Speed users such as Arceus and Deoxys-A. Toxic Spikes offense builds are also a good idea, with setters such as Cloyster and Greninja being the most common, while Ghost Arceus provides spinblocking utility thanks to its Ghost typing; one of the other main applications is the ability to rack up additional poison damage from Toxic Spikes and slowly put pressure on opposing teams with Shadow Force due to it being a two-turn move. Primal Groudon is usually the Stealth Rock setter of choice for Ghost Arceus teams, with an offensive set being most effective. However, Rock Polish Primal Groudon can also help with opposing offense builds, while Swords Dance sets help break apart defensive cores. With a Rock Polish or Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Dialga with Shuca Berry makes a solid alternative offensive Stealth Rock setter, providing a Mega Salamence check for offense teams, as well as the ability to beat all Magic Bounce users and consistently get up Stealth Rock against them. Mega Salamence is able to help weaken defensive Yveltal variants with Double-Edge or OHKO offensive variants. Mega Salamence also gives more security versus Extreme Killer Arceus, taking some pressure off Ghost Arceus.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Substitute / Recover
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind Allows Ghost Arceus to boost its Special Attack and Special Defense simultaneously, providing it with potential to sweep while making it harder for special attackers to break through. Judgment is a reliable 100-Base Power STAB move, and Focus Blast provides Ghost Arceus with perfect coverage, notably allowing it to hit Extreme Killer Arceus and Kangaskhan while denting switch-ins such as Tyranitar. Substitute helps protect Ghost Arceus from crippling status moves such as Thunder Wave and Toxic.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs give Ghost Arceus maximum offensive prowess, and a Timid nature means it at least Speed ties with opposing Arceus formes such as Extreme Killer Arceus; maximum Special Attack is used to deal as much damage as possible and so Arceus Ghost can sweep with as few Calm Mind boosts as possible.
Usage Tips
========
It is best to utilize Ghost Arceus late-game to threaten a sweep if it's the main wincon; otherwise, it can help break the opposing team early- and mid-game. Setting up Calm Minds helps out Ghost Arceus offensively and defensively, giving it good sweeping potential. Substitute enables Ghost Arceus to set up Calm Mind much more safely by blocking status, which is a common response to a Calm Mind Arceus; the move can also be used to help counteract or even scout for aggressive play, which is generally much safer than just firing off Focus Blast; however, Ghost Arceus can also lure in certain checks such as Tyranitar and Darkrai and dent them with Focus Blast on the switch in.
Calm Mind Ghost Arceus is actually really effective at dismantling stall teams; however, a healthy Multiscale Lugia can phaze Ghost Arceus attempting to sweep, so it's essential to make sure Lugia has Multiscale broken first. Therefore, try to have Stealth Rock up versus stall so Lugia can't come in on Ghost Arceus. Blissey and Chansey are common on stall and can be used as fodder for Substitute, though Ghost Arceus will have a tough time setting up Calm Minds due to Snatch.
Team Options
========
Setters of entry hazards such as Toxic Spikes make a good team option, with Greninja and Cloyster being good examples; Ghost Arceus backs them up with its spinblocking ability, while Toxic Spikes help pressure support Arceus formes to force them to Recover and subsequently allow Ghost Arceus to get a Calm Mind boost and then a Substitute. Primal Groudon is the most consistent Stealth Rock setter for Calm Mind Ghost Arceus teams; special Ghost Arceus sets tend to struggle against Ho-Oh without Stealth Rock being up and can't effectively break Lugia if Multiscale is intact. Rock Polish sets can also be considered with an alternative Stealth Rock setter such as Dialga; in return Dialga provides a more defined Mega Salamence check. Offensive variants of Yveltal can provide a breaker with immediate power and good offensive synergy along with a Ground immunity; Yveltal can help break down Ghost Arceus checks and help it sweep late-game. Xerneas is a Fairy-type to consider to check Darkrai and Yveltal—either a Choice Scarf set to absorb sleep from Dark Void or Geomancy Xerneas with another Darkrai answer. Mega Diancie is also another option to consider to check Darkrai and Yveltal that also has the option to run Stealth Rock as an effective anti-lead to Deoxys-S and Darkrai, especially on hazard-stacking builds such as Toxic Spikes offense. Rayquaza sets such as MixQuaza, Dragon Dance, and Choice Band make effective wallbreakers paired with Ghost Arceus to apply pressure on Defoggers, and Rayquaza appreciates the immunity to Extreme Speed Ghost Arceus provides; Rayquaza also helps out against sand offense teams due to Air Lock. Mega Salamence is another Dragon type to consider as a wallbreaker with Double-Edge or even as a secondary wincon, being able to weaken common threats such as defensive Yveltal as well as providing a Primal Groudon check. Deoxys-A and Darkrai really appreciate Ghost Arceus's ability to check Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Kangaskhan due to their weakness to strong priority, and they can help with revenge killing due to their high Speed; Deoxys-A is especially useful for dispatching of faster threats on opposing offense, due to its insanely high offensive stats enabling it to dent the opposition considerably. Darkrai is able to cripple switch-ins with Dark Void.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ghost Arceus can attempt a support set with Defog and Will-O-Wisp and maximum Speed and HP on specific teambuilds that already have Ho-Oh covered, but it's best left to other support Arceus formes such as Water and Dragon Arceus, which can check Ho-Oh, have a superior defensive typing, and generally fit on a greater variety of team builds. Thunder can be used over Focus Blast to hit Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre harder; however, Ghost Arceus loses out on perfect coverage and the ability to hit Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey for any reasonable amount of damage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Darkrai**: Darkrai can cripple Ghost Arceus with Dark Void or revenge kill it with Dark Pulse, though it has to be wary of Brick Break or Focus Blast while trying to switch in.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal generally walls Swords Dance sets, and defensive Yveltal prevents Swords Dance Ghost Arceus from executing a sweep. Ghost Arceus takes a lot from Dark Pulse on offensive variants and can be picked off by Sucker Punch when weakened.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh gives special variants of Ghost Arceus a hard time due to its high Special Defense, especially if Stealth Rock isn't up; physical Ghost Arceus also has to be wary of Sacred Fire burns.
**Dark Arceus**: Albeit rare, Dark Arceus can take on both Ghost Arceus sets and scare it out or even try to set up Calm Mind on it, taking little from an unboosted Brick Break, though it has to take caution switching into Focus Blast.
**Mega Gengar**: Gengar can't switch in or Mega Evolve safely on Ghost Arceus; however, it can revenge kill a weakened Ghost Arceus if it has Mega Evolved. Note, though, that Ghost Arceus is able to escape Shadow Tag.
**Giratina-O**: While Giratina-O can't switch in on Ghost Arceus, it does a considerable amount of damage with Shadow Sneak, so it can pick off weakened ones; additionally, Ghost Arceus lacking Shadow Claw could potentially lose to Shadow Force Giratina-O due to Giratina being slower. Giratina-O is 2HKOed by Judgment and Shadow Claw, however.
**Blissey and Chansey**: Blissey and Chansey can cripple Ghost Arceus with Toxic, though they are setup fodder for Substitute sets and lose to Swords Dance variants.
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