Ubers Arceus-Ghost

[Cobalt314]

So Ghost you can't even see the purple

[OVERVIEW]

* Arceus-Ghost's typing leaves few Pokemon resistant or immune to its STAB moves, and it can make a big dent to them thanks to the high power of its main STAB move.
* Extreme Killer's popularity and the nature of Team Preview make Arceus-Ghost harder to plan for before it is actually sent out.
* Solid defensive stats and typing allow it to have a favorable offensive matchup against its Normal-type forme, act as an effective spinblocker, and possibly withstand strong hits from the likes of Deoxys-A and boosted Mega Salamence.
* Multitype's updated mechanics give it access to a powerful, single-use nuclear weapon that can obliterate virtually anything after a Swords Dance boost.
* Arceus-Ghost does not appreciate the popularity of Yveltal, Choice Scarf Lunala, and Mega Gengar on teams, all of which can effectively deal with it.
* Its coverage moves are rather weak without anything apart from Swords Dance to increase their power, meaning its damage output will be quite low if it has to resort to these moves.
* Given its limited options, it is rather one-dimensional, and it is not difficult to predict what it'll try to do.
* As Never-Ending Nightmare only has one use, Arceus-Ghost has few means of taking opposing bulky Pokemon afterwards, which can successfully set up what they need to in the meantime or deal strong damage in retaliation.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Extreme Speed / Shadow Claw / Recover
item: Ghostium Z / Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Swords Dance augments its power to incredible levels, after which its attacks do considerable damage to most of the tier.
* Shadow Force is an incredibly strong Ghost-type move, capable of putting in great damage against anything that doesn't resist it after an Attack boost.
* Brick Break is not a very strong move on its own, but it's the only Fighting-type move Arceus-Ghost gets, and Ghost- and Fighting-type coverage is not resisted by any single Pokemon in the game. The ability to break the occasional Light Screen and Reflect can also come in handy, and the Extreme Killer matchup is rather favorable with the coverage it provides.
* Extreme Speed is a strong priority attack that can swiftly pick off weakened threats that would otherwise outspeed Arceus-Ghost.
* Shadow Claw can be used as a (backup) single-turn attack to take out immediate threats like Ghost-types before they have a chance to switch out.
* Recover can also be used for active healing to prolong Arceus-Ghost's longevity.

Set Details
========

* Maximum investment in Attack and Speed ensures Arceus-Ghost hits as hard as possible and, with a Jolly nature, moves as soon as possible. This allows it to at the very least Speed tie with opposing Arceus.
* Ghostium Z turns Shadow Force into Never-Ending Nightmare, which deals incredible damage to even resisted threats. After a Swords Dance, offensive Yveltal variants faint outright after Stealth Rock.
* Spooky Plate can be used instead to give a continuous power boost to all of its Ghost-type moves rather than a one-time nuke.

Usage Tips
========

* Arceus-Ghost can deal immense damage to the opposing team, so it should be saved for mid-game or late-game sweeps when Pokemon that can tank its hits are weakened. However, if you have other dedicated sweepers in the back, feel free to send it out early to start applying immediate pressure.
* Do not be hasty in using Never-Ending Nightmare. Arceus-Ghost only gets one chance at nuking something, so make sure it is a threat worth nuking, such as Primal Groudon, support Arceus, Mega Salamence, or weakened Yveltal. If you see a Normal-type Pokemon on the opponent's side, unless you know for sure it isn't Arceus-Normal, hold off on the Z-Move.
* Keep Arceus-Ghost's HP as high as possible. As the set name implies, Arceus-Ghost should be used less to tank hits from the opposing team and more to deal heavy damage to it. It appreciates all the field time it can get, and full HP ensures it can survive Gengar's Shadow Ball or Choice Scarf Lunala's Moongeist Beam and retaliate with a super effective move.
* Shadow Force only has 8 PP, one of which is consumed by its Z-Move if running Ghostium Z. Be mindful of that before you start spamming it.

Team Options
========

* Entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock, can help Arceus-Ghost by putting more opposing Pokemon into KO range of its Z-Move. Notable hazard setters include Primal Groudon, Dialga, and Cloyster, all of which appreciate its ability to block foes from spinning their hazards away.
* Primal Groudon in particular synergizes well with Arceus-Ghost, absorbing Will-O-Wisps and Thunder Waves aimed at the latter, tanking strong physical hits with its high Defense, and weakening the opponent's team with its strong hits in retaliation.
* Xerneas appreciates this Pokemon's ability to check Steel-types like Magearna, Solgaleo, and Aegislash, and in return it helps out against the Dark-types that pester it.
* Cloyster and Excadrill help keep Arceus-Ghost safe from entry hazards with Rapid Spin. Defog users are also appreciated, but there are few, if any, Ubers-viable Defog users that do not violate Species Clause or share a weakness to common offensive typings.
* Other strong sweepers, like Deoxys-A and Mega Salamence, appreciate the damage that Arceus-Ghost deals to the opposing team, and they can also apply pressure of their own for it to come in and finish the job later. Deoxys-A enjoys Arceus-Ghost's immunity to Extreme Speed that would easily take it out, and Salamence can Intimidate physical attackers before it Mega Evolves or help wear down physically defensive Pokemon.
* Arceus-Ghost appreciates help from a strong foundation that can take on Xerneas. It cannot easily take on Xerneas on its own, even with Primal Groudon in the back, so other means of dealing with it like Mega Lucario, priority attackers, Roar on Primal Groudon, or even entry hazard stackers are appreciated.
* Chople Berry Tyranitar deserves a mention for its ability to effectively wall Yveltal and Pursuit trap fast Ghost-types.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Arceus-Ghost can run a Calm Mind or support set that makes use of its Special Attack or bulk, respectively, but it usually finds itself outclassed in these roles by other Arceus formes.
* Stone Edge can help it reliably take on Yveltal, but it loses out on some important coverage with Brick Break, and a boosted Never-Ending Nightmare is usually sufficient.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark can OHKO Arceus-Ghost with Judgment coming off only a single Calm Mind, while the latter needs two Brick Breaks at the minimum to KO the former. If the latter has less than 67% HP remaining, the former can even forgo the Calm Mind and take the KO right away.

**Yveltal**: While offensive variants cannot take a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare if they have taken Stealth Rock damage, Yveltal can easily take all of its other moves and KO in return with a strong Dark-type attack. Physically defensive variants, while rare, can take the boosted Z-Move.

**Other Dark-types**: Chople Berry Tyranitar can take a +2 Brick Break and OHKO with Foul Play in return. Darkrai can outspeed Arceus-Ghost and either try to put it to sleep and set up or deal heavy damage with Dark Pulse.

**Fast Ghost-types**: Ghost-types that can outspeed Arceus-Ghost, such as Mega Gengar and Choice Scarf Lunala, are immune to its coverage moves and can deal heavy damage to it in return. If it has taken some chip damage already in the case of the former, or simply Stealth Rock damage in the case of the latter, that heavy damage will become an OHKO.

**Normal- and Ghost-type Combination**: Continuous, well-timed switching between a Ghost-type and a Normal-type is an effective means of stalling out Arceus-Ghost's PP. Entry hazards do diminish the effectiveness of this strategy, and a Shadow Claw or a Never-Ending Nightmare on the Ghost-type will cut this method short.

**Zygarde-C**: A Zygarde-C at full HP can survive a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare and Rest off the damage afterward, causing Arceus-Ghost to waste its Z-Move, but it usually tends to be asleep at full HP. It can also Dragon Tail the latter's boosts away, or it can apply a status condition to hinder its sweep.

**Status Conditions**: Support Arceus formes can take any hit other than a boosted Z-Move and use Will-O-Wisp or Toxic in return. Pokemon with Prankster, like Klefki and non-Mega Sableye, can apply statuses of their own before Arceus-Ghost makes any move. Hex Mega Gengar naturally outspeeds Arceus-Ghost and can burn it before it uses its Ghost-type move. All of these status conditions hinder Arceus-Ghost's sweep in some way, either making it physically weaker, slowing it down, or greatly reducing its field time.

**Mega Salamence**: Bulky Mega Salamence variants can take an unboosted Shadow Force with ease, set up a Dragon Dance, and have a chance of KOing back hard with a strong Double-Edge. It should be noted that if Arceus-Ghost is already set up, a Shadow Force will deal enough damage to KO after Stealth Rock damage or a follow-up Extreme Speed.

 

[Cobalt314]

I think this is ready for QC. Turns out an extension I installed prevented me from being able to change the status of this thread, but now that I figured out the problem, I can do it on my own!

The parts of this analysis I think need the most QC input are C&C, Team Options, and Usage Tips, as these are mostly based off of what I've seen in my own playtesting. The fourth bullet in C&C will probably raise some eyebrows based on its length, and might have to be reworded more succinctly if QC deems it so.

Also, I use He and Him to refer to Arceus-Ghost. This is for flavor, as well as making it easier to understands which portions refer to this Pokémon and which ones refer to other things described

 

[Freeroamer]

Not a single mention of Calm Mind or support sets anywhere in the analysis? Even if they're not worth individual sets they should have strong features in OO, even if you have to mention why they're not too hot in SM.

While Never Ending Nightmare is amazing and definitely worthy of being the first slash, I personally still think Spooky Plate consistency is worth of being slashed on the set as an alternative.

I think your section on fast Ghost types in C&C is a little confused. All you need to say here is they're faster and immune to Espeed, and deal large amounts of damage to Arceus Ghost (84-99 for Lunala, 59-70 for Gengar). Given those calcs you should mention that Gengar will need a certain amount of chip while all Lunala need is Stealth Rock the majority of the time.

I'm not really too keen on your 4th bullet point but that's up to QC. The Yveltal section in C&C should explicitly mention that standard offensive Yveltal cannot take +2 Never Ending Nightmare after Stealth Rock, but the rare physically defensive variant can.

Mention the introduction of Never Ending Nightmare in the Overview, it's arguably the biggest change that Arc-Ghost itself has undergone.

I just looked again and I think I mentioned some stuff you already had, apologies for that.

 

[Cobalt314]

Freeroamer I changed the C&C entries for Ghost-types and Yveltal accordingly, and I'll wait for QC to decide on the wall of text one. Everything else has already been mentioned, as you noted (NEN in Overview, CM/Support and Spooky Plate in OO).

 

[Hack]

Overview - first off stop with the "He"-s and whatnot. We don't do that anymore. In general you convey very little useful information.

* Strong STAB moves, solid offensive typing, and respectable base 120 offensive stats make Him an offensive force with Whom to be reckoned.
I can read this in PS builder. Explain why the typing is good offensively etc. I disagree with the the sentiment that 120 offenses make it a big offensive threat, when it comes to Arceus its really the defenses that account for most of its threat level.

* Extreme Killer's popularity and the nature of team preview make Arceus-Ghost harder to prepare for before He is actually sent out.
Now you are confusing the reader by talking about playing ability (team preview) then mix it up with the word "prepare". Use the word "plan" in this instance. But otherwise I think this is valid.

* Solid defensive stats and typing allow Him to withstand blows from many major threats, and He tends to have a favorable matchup against his Normal-type forme.
Eh this says nothing except that it is an Ekiller check. You can either say it functions as an offensive Ekiller check or you can go into specific regarding what important "blows" it can withstand.

* Multitype's updated mechanics give Him access to a powerful, single-use nuclear weapon that can obliterate virtually anything after a Swords Dance boost.
Cool but what are the drawbacks?

* Arceus-Ghost does not appreciate Yveltal's popularity and omnipresence, nor does He appreciate the addition of Choice Scarf Lunala to the metagame.
This is good. You need to mention mega speed buff (gar) here.

* His coverage moves are rather weak without anything apart from Swords Dance to increase their power.
Yes but in what way is this a problem? We all know Brick Break has 75 base power, it's not information for the reader.

* Given His limited options, He is rather one-dimensional, and it is not difficult to predict what He'll do.
I think this is important yes.

Set
Ghostium z can't be the sole slash (it should maybe be first slash but I'm not even sure). You need to include spooky plate in every part of this analysis now.

Usage tips has a lot of lines I dislike such as:
* This Pokemon is meant to be used as a sweeper. Send Him out at the right time, set up a Swords Dance, and let 'er rip.
Says absolutely nothing.

* Arceus-Ghost can deal immense damage to the opposing team, so He should be saved for mid-game or late-game sweeps when things are weakened. However, if you have other dedicated sweepers in the back, feel free to send Him out early to start applying pressure right away.
I don't understand this. What things? Can you be more specific?

* Do not be hasty in using Never-Ending Nightmare. He only get one chance at nuking something, so make sure it's a threat worth nuking, such as Primal Groudon, support Arceus, or weakened Yveltal. If you see a Normal-type Pokemon on the opponent's side, unless you know for sure it isn't Arceus-Normal, hold off on the Z-Power.
Now this is information. Keep.

* Keep Arceus-Ghost's HP as high as possible. He appreciates all the field time He can get, and full HP ensures He can survive a hit from faster Ghost-types and retaliate with His Z-move.
What ghost moves can this even take???

In team options you overestimate the usefulness of doubling up on ghost weak mons and you don't describe the weaknesses of doing so. Giratina-O is in particular not a very good partner. Salamence needs to be mentioned.

In checks and counters you should mention Gengar. Zygarde-C seems kinda wonky. You need to be at full with the good forme but then you are likely sleeping? Should probably move down a bit.

You have a lot to work on so I'll leave you to it. When you feel done you can tag me and I'll approve.

 

[Cobalt314]

Hack Thanks for your feedback!

I expanded upon the Overview and Usage tips sections to make them convey more useful information, and dropped the reverent pronouns. I added Spooky Plate and Shadow Claw into the set, and modified other points in the analysis to reflect these changes. I made the necessary changes to team options, removing Giratina-O and adding in Mega Salamence and its benefits to the "other strong sweepers" bullet. Finally, I already had Mega Gengar under "Fast Ghost-types" (not sure if you wanted me to add non-Mega Gengar or not), but I updated Zygarde-C and also cut down on the wall of text that was once under "Normal- and Ghost-type Combo."

I think that's about everything you wanted me to update. The Other Options seem to be a bit lacking now, though. Are these changes sufficient, or should I make any other improvements?

 

[ckw]

Hi there,
Under Moves, I think you should mention how Brick Brick is ur best way of beating Extreme Killer Arceus as it usually carries Shadow Claw as coverage that can possibly 1v1 Arceus-Ghost otherwise.

Also in OO, I think you should expand the points and explain the pros and cons of using the Calm Mind and Support set.
You could mention Stone Edge in OO as it can help you cover Yveltal properly but in turn, lose more important coverage.

Under C&C, for Arceus-Dark, you might wanna mention how it actually checks Arceus-Ghost before saying what might not make it a good check. This is crucial especially since this Pokemon is at the #1 spot for Checks and Counters since, in that case, Fast Ghost-type Attackers would rather be more fitting which is not true Also please mention Will-o-Wisp too.

 

[Cobalt314]

Hi there,
Under Moves, I think you should mention how Brick Brick is ur best way of beating Extreme Killer Arceus as it usually carries Shadow Claw as coverage that can possibly 1v1 Arceus-Ghost otherwise.

Also in OO, I think you should expand the points and explain the pros and cons of using the Calm Mind and Support set.
You could mention Stone Edge in OO as it can help you cover Yveltal properly but in turn, lose more important coverage.

Under C&C, for Arceus-Dark, you might wanna mention how it actually checks Arceus-Ghost before saying what might not make it a good check. This is crucial especially since this Pokemon is at the #1 spot for Checks and Counters since, in that case, Fast Ghost-type Attackers would rather be more fitting which is not true Also please mention Will-o-Wisp too.

Made the changes to OO and C&C. For moves, as Brick Break and Shadow Force are mandatory moves and other offensive moves are optional, it would seem rather intuitive to use Brick Break on Extreme Killer if you want to deal as much damage as possible. Thanks for your input!

 

[Fireburn]

Should mention somewhere this can soft-check EKiller if needed.

QC 1/3

 

[polop]

I feel like ghostceus's fighting immunity deserves some merit because it lets it annoy Mega-luke a lot. Shadow Force will KO it with very slight previous damage and it can switch into Close Combat. It should be noted though that Brick Break won't KO it. Still, its the only ghost along side mega gengar that's faster then luke.

Its really not great outside of this defensively though. It doesn't resist anything other than poison and bug moves and the most common poison move we see is Toxic and it doesn't resist toxic. The most frequent poison type used is toxapex and Muk. You can't setup on either of them either. U-turn is the next most commonly used Bug-move, and I guess it can tank that. Its not really much though :(.

This is going to sound really odd, but is Brick Break required? I see why you feel Brick Break is nice, it pairs well with ghost coverage, but like the only thing you use it on are Arceus Normal and Yveltal, maybe tyranitar? Brick Break does some damage to arceus normal, and its really weak against Yveltal. I mean do you even want to use Brick Break against Yveltal? If it uses sucker punch when you use Brick Break, that's not ideal. I mean even ExtremeSpeed does more damage then Brick break ya know? You bypass Sucker Punch as well since ExtremeSpeed has higher priority.

I agree it hits tyranitar / Normal Arceus, but its not that strong against Normal Arceus. Like look at how much damage boosted and non-boosted Brick Break does:

+2 252 Atk Arceus-Ghost Brick Break vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 264-312 (69.1 - 81.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 Atk Arceus-Ghost Brick Break vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 134-158 (35 - 41.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Admittedly ExtremeSpeed is even weaker against it...but like I feel if your going to try to hit things that can eat Ghost-moves, the Stone Edge you listed in other options isn't half bad in comparison for nailing Yveltal and stuff on the switch-in. You really can't KO tyranitar now though, I don't really have an argument against that...

I kind of disagree with the idea of it "soft-checking Arceus". You can technically "soft check Arceus normal" but that's only if you manage to have higher speed investment and force it to go down to below half HP before coming in. If your speed tying that's not really great either, if SR is up you can't safely revenge kill it even if it is low.

+2 252 Atk Life Orb Arceus Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Arceus-Ghost: 320-377 (83.9 - 98.9%) -- 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

I acknowledge Arceus has to take some damage beforehand to setup, but I don't feel like Ghost Arceus should be added to a team with the intention that it can deal with Arceus Normal ya know? Maybe as something that can switch into ExtremeSpeed, but not as something that you can switch into (or even double switch into) it when it Swords Dances and expect it to beat it.

You listed some things that can take care of fast ghosts. I think Chople Tyranitar also deserve a mention. It tanks all of Yveltal's moves easily and can setup Stealth Rock. Choiced Lunala have to play a guessing game now since it can eat Moongeist Beam and Pursuit trap it (the sand will break its shadow shield). It can bother Mega Gengar as well because the Chople will let it get off a Pursuit.

Mega Gengar has shadow tag, but it can't trap Arceus-ghost because its a ghost. Ok, maybe this sounds silly, but I think its important to mention.

I get CM Ghost Arceus is dead because of Yveltal, but is it really that bad :/? Unlike SD Ghostceus, Judgment has a very respectable chance to one shot Mega Luke after it takes SR dmg. You can actually live Gengar's and Luna's ghost moves after a Calm Mind and one shot them back with Judgment. Focus Blast isn't accurate, but its damage is way higher then Brick Breaks. I mean you definitely need some way to prevent Yveltal from taking advantage of you. I feel like the other set has this issue too though but ExtremeSpeed / Stone Edge can remedy this issue. I guess similarly you can run Thunder / Sub to remedy it. Most teams prep for xerneas, so most of the things outside of Yveltal that you encounter trying to check it will probably be Xerneas's checks, which helps GeoXern sweep later.

 

[Cobalt314]

polop You do make some good points. However, there are several things I don't agree with:

1. Concerning its Ghost typing: The main merit of its Ghost-typing, defensively, is its immunity to priority moves like Fake Out and Extreme Speed, making it harder to revenge kill by Pokémon that commonly run these. Being able to switch into Close Combat is nice, but many Lucario run Iron Tail as well, and if the opponent predicts a switch-in and goes for IT, you're taking quite a bit of damage. Arceus-Ghost may outspeed, but as Lucario is going to be slower, it'll probably click Bullet Punch anyway. And at +2, Mega Lucario loses to both of its main offensive moves, so it's not really a problem anyway.
2. Concerning Toxapex, Alolan Muk, and Yveltal: yes, they are problematic on their own, but if you're already set up, a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare will OHKO them all after rocks. They are not Pokémon you want to set up on, but you're probably not sending it out on them in the first place.
3. Concerning Arceus-Normal: this matchup is a rather favorable one if you know how to play it correctly. Assuming both are at full HP and start out with no boosts, you're always going to either Speed tie or outspeeed it, thanks Extreme Speed immunity. Then, the 1v1 will look something like this: You SD —> EK SD or Shadow Claw —> You Brick Break at +2 (Doesn't KO)—> EK Shadow Claws (doesn't KO)—> You E Speed to KO. Yes, if you have Rocks up, Ghost is not likely to survive a LO-boosted Shadow Claw, but if EK has Rocks up, he's not guaranteed to survive Life Orb recoil and Brick Break either. I agree Arceus-Ghost should not be the first answer to deal with EKiller, but if it is already on the team, I wouldn't desperately try to find a second answer, as its matchup is already favorable enough.
4. Concerning Chople T-tar: I agree with you there. Added to Team Options.
5. Concerning CM Ghost: I haven't personally used it too much, so I can't really give any concrete evidence to why it is in OO, but you pretty much summed it up. With Yveltal's popularity, it's hard to justify its use when you're pretty much giving Y free turns to do whatever it wants to you, with only Focus Miss to deal with it, whereas SD Ghost can at least try to KO with its Z-move. With the ability to use a Z-Crystal to remove Shadow Force's charge turn and the rise of threats like Scarf Lunala and Yveltal and such, I find it hard to justify using CM Ghost over SD Ghost or another CM Arceus forme. If you want power, SD Ghost has more reliable moves (in terms of accuracy) and a potential nuke on top of it to get rid of big threats. If you want more bulk, Darkeus has an arguably better defensive typing, resisting the many Dark- and Ghost-types in the tier. Of course, it doesn't have the same Extreme Killer matchup due to not being immune to ESpeed, but then again you'd want to use SD Ghost to not have to rely on Focus Miss.

I myself am unsure about CM Ghost. From what I've heard, it seems to be only OO material, but I'll see what QC wants to do with it. Some of my other points may have shaky reasoning to them, so I'll let QC decide if my logic is sound or if I should change anything.

 

[The Gunner]

name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Extreme Speed / Shadow Claw / Recover
item: Ghostium Z / Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

In terms of viability, Shadow Claw > Recover. It should be given higher preference in move order.
After discussing with other QC, we've decided to drop Adamant as a nature option, meaning Jolly is the only option available. Remove Adamant from the set and edit it out of any description you may have included it in.

" Adamant can be used over Jolly for even more power, but then it would fail to speed tie opposing Jolly Extreme Killer, which is a very important matchup."
I may have missed a spot where you mentioned it again but make sure you remove it as an option.

[SET COMMENTS]

"Brick Break is not a very strong move on its own, but it's the only Fighting-type move Arceus-Ghost gets, and Ghost- and Fighting-type coverage is not resisted by anything in the game. The ability to break the occasional Light Screen and Reflect can also come in handy, and it makes the Extreme Killer matchup rather favorable."

This line is sort of misleading because Ghost + Fight type can be walled by Normal + Ghost cores (Ekiller Lunala / Sableye Blissey) by virtue of switching unless you're running Shadow Claw, I think you need to rephrase it.

[Usage Tips]

Do not be hasty in using Never-Ending Nightmare. It only gets one chance at nuking something, so make sure it is a threat worth nuking, such as Primal Groudon, support Arceus, (add Salamence-Mega) or weakened Yveltal. If you see a Normal-type Pokemon on the opponent's side, unless you know for sure it isn't Arceus-Normal, hold off on the Z-Power.


Team Options
========

* Fast Ghost-type Pokemon, like Choice Scarf Lunala or Mega Gengar, help take care of opposing Ghost-types that could otherwise play around Shadow Force's charge turn. They also help take down Normal-types with their coverage moves, making it safer to use Never-Ending Nightmare. Because they share common typings with Arceus-Ghost, however, they will be weak to pretty much the same threats, and would thus require a significant bit of other team support to patch up this hole.
I don't see why Arceus-Ghost + another Ghost type Pokemon would be good on any offense team. The ghost / dark weakness is too deep to fix and it's just a poor build choice in general. With Dark type being buffed this gen as well as Lunala forcing teams to run a Ghost check on every team, running two Ghost types is a very poor option. Fast Ghost type + Arceus-Ghost is not a good option and should be removed.

*Mention a strong team backbone against Xerneas when running Arceus-Ghost on hyper offense. Arceus-Ghost on hyper offense means Extreme Speed is significantly weaker, so in case Xerneas is able to set up Geomancy, it can be hard to revenge kill if Primal-Groudon is the only Xerneas answer and can only damage it once and not get it into Extreme Speed range from Arceus-Ghost, leading to a sweep. I would recommend mentioning Mega Lucario / priority pokemon / hazard stacker / roar Primal-Groudon (on specific teams) as an individual team option against Xerneas.


Checks and Counters
===================

Salamence-Mega : Bulky variants can beat Arceus-Ghost 1v1 easily, especially if Z-move is consumed.

Kindly implement the above changes, once you do you'll receive Gunner QC 2/3.

 

[oversway]

Mention Arceus-Ghost's ability to spinblock vs certain suicide leads in the overview and include teammates that appreciate this in Team Options.

* Solid defensive stats and typing allow it to withstand blows from major threats like Choice Band Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre pre-Calm Mind and give it a favorable offensive matchup against its Normal-type forme.

This is misleading and should be reworded, as Arceus-Ghost can't OHKO Ho-Oh or Primal Kyogre before a boost and can't safely switch in or set up on either of them.

Arceus-Ghost does not appreciate Yveltal's popularity and omnipresence, nor does it appreciate the addition of Choice Scarf Lunala to the metagame.

Again, this is misleading, as it implies Lunala's only set is Choice Scarf. Also elaborate on why it inhibits Arceus-Ghost's capacity to wallbreak or sweep.

name: Swords Dance

[SET COMMENTS]
"Brick Break is not a very strong move on its own, but it's the only Fighting-type move Arceus-Ghost gets, and Ghost- and Fighting-type coverage is not resisted by anything in the game. The ability to break the occasional Light Screen and Reflect can also come in handy, and it makes the Extreme Killer matchup rather favorable."

This line is sort of misleading because Ghost + Fight type can be walled by Normal + Ghost cores (Ekiller Lunala / Sableye Blissey) by virtue of switching unless you're running Shadow Claw, I think you need to rephrase it.

You didn't implement this yet so fix it please. The first bullet in the overview can be rephrased as well.

* Xerneas appreciates this Pokemon's ability to check Solgaleo, and in return it helps out against the Dark-types that pester it.

Solgaleo is good but list out some more relevant targets that Arceus is able to pressure for Xerneas too.

* Chople Berry Tyranitar deserves a mention for its ability to effectively wall and/or Pursuit trap Yveltal and fast Ghost-types.

Tyranitar can switch into most Yveltal sets, but ghosts are what it Pursuits. I get what you mean here but make it more clear.

* Defoggers and Rapid Spinners help keep Arceus-Ghost safe from entry hazards that would otherwise cut its sweep short. Excadrill and Cloyster are good Spinners, whereas there aren't too many viable Defoggers outside of Giratina-O, which does not synergize well with Arceus-Ghost.

Include why you usually don't want to run two Ghost-types on a team. I'd probably dedicate the first sentence to Rapid Spin and the second to why it's better than Defog in this case.

List Yveltal above Ghost-types in C&C since it's generally a more consistent answer, being able to OHKO Arceus-Ghost. Add a section for Dark-types and include Chople Tyranitar with Foul Play and Darkrai.
Implement these and I'll stamp

 

[Cobalt314]

Dominatio I could swear I fixed the Brick Break bullet the first time...
Regardless, everything has been implemented. I reworded the Lunala bullet in the overview, but I kept it explicitly as Choice Scarf, as that seems to be the most popular set used and other sets are outsped and OHKOed by even unboosted Shadow Force.

 

[oversway]

QC 3/3

 

[P Squared]

GP 1/1
how to implement a GP check

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[OVERVIEW]

* Arceus-Ghost's typing leaves few Pokemon resistant or immune to its STAB moves, and it can deal make a big dent to them thanks to the high power of its main STAB move.
* Extreme Killer's popularity and the nature of Team Preview make Arceus-Ghost harder to plan for before it is actually sent out.
* Solid defensive stats and typing allow it to have a favorable offensive matchup against its Normal-type forme, act as an effective spinblocker, and possibly withstand strong hits from the likes of Deoxys-A and boosted Mega Salamence.
* Multitype's updated mechanics give it access to a powerful, single-use nuclear weapon that can obliterate virtually anything after a Swords Dance boost.
* Arceus-Ghost does not appreciate the popularity of Yveltal, Choice Scarf Lunala, and Mega Gengar on teams, all of which can effectively deal with it.
* Its coverage moves are rather weak without anything apart from Swords Dance to increase their power, meaning its damage output will be quite low if it has to resort to these moves.
* Given its limited options, it is rather one-dimensional, and it is not difficult to predict what it'll try to do.
* As Never-Ending Nightmare only has one use, Arceus-Ghost has few means of taking opposing bulky Pokemon afterwards, which can successfully set up what they need to in the meantime or deal strong damage in retaliation.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Extreme Speed / Shadow Claw / Recover
item: Ghostium Z / Spooky Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Swords Dance augments its power to incredible levels, after which its attacks do considerable damage to most of the tier.
* Shadow Force is an incredibly strong Ghost-type move, capable of putting in great damage against anything that doesn't resist it after an Attack boost.
* Brick Break is not a very strong move on its own, but it's the only Fighting-type move Arceus-Ghost gets, and Ghost- and Fighting-type coverage is not resisted by any single Pokemon in the game. The ability to break the occasional Light Screen and Reflect can also come in handy, and the Extreme Killer matchup is rather favorable with the coverage it provides.
* Extreme Speed is a strong priority attack that can swiftly pick off weakened threats that would otherwise outspeed Arceus-Ghost.
* Shadow Claw can be used as a (backup) single-turn attack to take out immediate threats like Ghost-types before they have a chance to switch out.
* Recover can also be used for active healing to prolong Arceus-Ghost's longevity.

Set Details
========

* Maximum investment in Attack and Speed ensures Arceus-Ghost hits as hard as possible and, with a Jolly nature, moves as soon as possible. This allows it to at the very least Speed tie with opposing Arceus.
* Ghostium Z turns Shadow Force into Never-Ending Nightmare, which deals incredible damage to even resisted threats. After a Swords Dance, offensive Yveltal variants faint outright after Stealth Rock.
* Spooky Plate can be used instead to give a continuous power boost to all of its Ghost-type moves rather than a one-time nuke.

Usage Tips
========

* Arceus-Ghost can deal immense damage to the opposing team, so it should be saved for mid-game or late-game sweeps when Pokemon that can tank its hits are weakened. However, if you have other dedicated sweepers in the back, feel free to send it out early to start applying immediate pressure.
* Do not be hasty in using Never-Ending Nightmare. It Arceus-Ghost only gets one chance at nuking something, so make sure it is a threat worth nuking, such as Primal Groudon, support Arceus, Mega Salamence, or weakened Yveltal. If you see a Normal-type Pokemon on the opponent's side, unless you know for sure it isn't Arceus-Normal, hold off on the Z-Move Z-Power.
* Keep Arceus-Ghost's HP as high as possible. As the set name implies, Arceus-Ghost should be used less to tank hits from the opposing team and more to deal heavy damage to it. It appreciates all the field time it can get, and full HP ensures it can survive Gengar's Shadow Ball or Choice Scarf Lunala's Moongeist Beam and retaliate with a super effective move.
* Shadow Force only has 8 PP, one of which is consumed by its Z-Move if running Ghostium Z. Be mindful of that before you start spamming it.

Team Options
========

* Entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock, can help Arceus-Ghost by putting more opposing Pokemon into KO range from of its Z-Move. Notable hazard setters include Primal Groudon, Dialga, and Cloyster, all of which appreciate its ability to block foes from from spinning their hazards away.
* Primal Groudon in particular synergizes well with Arceus-Ghost, absorbing Will-O-Wisps and Thunder Waves aimed at the latter, tanking strong physical hits with its high Defense, and weakening the opponent's team with its strong hits in retaliation.
* Xerneas appreciates this Pokemon's ability to check Steel-types like Magearna, Solgaleo, and Aegislash, and in return it helps out against the Dark-types that pester it.
* Cloyster and Excadrill help keep Arceus-Ghost safe from entry hazards with Rapid Spin. Defog users are also appreciated, but there are few, if any, Ubers-viable Defog users that do not violate Species Clause or share a weakness to common offensive typings.
* Other strong sweepers, like Deoxys-A and Mega Salamence, appreciate the damage that Arceus-Ghost deals to the opposing team, and they can also apply pressure of their own for it to come in and finish the job later. Deoxys-A enjoys Arceus-Ghost's immunity to Extreme Speed that would easily take it out, and Salamence can Intimidate physical attackers before it Mega Evolves or help wear down physically defensive Pokemon.
* Arceus-Ghost appreciates help from a strong foundation that can take on Xerneas. It cannot easily take on Xerneas on its own, even with Primal Groudon in the back, so other means of dealing with it like Mega Lucario, priority attackers, Roar on Primal Groudon, or even entry hazard stackers are appreciated.
* Chople Berry Tyranitar deserves a mention for its ability to effectively wall Yveltal and Pursuit trap fast Ghost-types.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Arceus-Ghost can run a Calm Mind or support set that makes use of its Special Attack or bulk, respectively, but it usually finds itself outclassed in these roles by other Arceus formes.
* Stone Edge can help it reliably take on Yveltal, but it loses out on some important coverage with Brick Break, and a boosted Never-Ending Nightmare is usually sufficient.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark can OHKO Arceus-Ghost with Judgment coming off only a single Calm Mind, while the latter needs two Brick Breaks at the minimum to KO the former. If the latter has less than 67% HP remaining, the former can even forgo the Calm Mind and take the KO right away.

**Yveltal**: While offensive variants cannot take a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare if they have taken Stealth Rock damage, Yveltal can easily take all of its other moves and KO in return with a strong Dark-type attack. Physically defensive variants, while rare, can take the boosted Z-Move.

**Other Dark-types**: Chople Berry Tyranitar can take a +2 Brick Break and OHKO with Foul Play in return. Darkrai can outspeed Arceus-Ghost and either try to put it to sleep and set up or deal heavy damage with Dark Pulse.

**Fast Ghost-types**: Ghost-types that can outspeed Arceus-Ghost, such as Mega Gengar and Choice Scarf Lunala, are immune to its coverage moves and can deal heavy damage to it in return. If it has taken some chip damage already in the case of the former, or simply Stealth Rock damage in the case of the latter, that heavy damage will become an OHKO.

**Normal- and Ghost-type Combination**: Continuous, well-timed switching between a Ghost-type and a Normal-type is an effective means of stalling out Arceus-Ghost's PP. Entry hazards do diminish the effectiveness of this strategy, and a Shadow Claw or a Never-Ending Nightmare on the Ghost-type will cut this method short.

**Zygarde-C**: A Zygarde-C at full HP can survive a +2 Never-Ending Nightmare and Rest off the damage afterward, causing Arceus-Ghost to waste its Z-Move, but it usually tends to be asleep at full HP. It can also Dragon Tail the latter's boosts away, or it can apply a status condition to hinder its sweep.

**Status Conditions**: Support Arceus formes can take any hit other than a boosted Z-Move and use Will-O-Wisp or Toxic in return. Pokemon with Prankster, like Klefki and non-Mega Sableye, can apply statuses of their own before Arceus-Ghost makes any move. Hex Mega Gengar naturally outspeeds Arceus-Ghost and can burn it before it uses its Ghost-type move. All of these status conditions hinder Arceus-Ghost's sweep in some way, either making it physically weaker, slowing it down, or greatly reducing its field time.

**Mega Salamence**: Bulky Mega Salamence variants can take an unboosted Shadow Force with ease, set up a Dragon Dance, and have a chance of KOing back hard with a strong Double-Edge. It should be noted that if Arceus-Ghost is already set up, a Shadow Force will deal enough damage to KO after Stealth Rock damage or a follow-up Extreme Speed.

 

[Cobalt314]

P^2 Thanks for the check! Done!

 

[Nayrz]

uploaded