[Overview]
Calyrex-S is the most influential force in the metagame. Not only is it extremely strong and fast, but Astral Barrage is a highly spammable, very strong signature move with no drawbacks and one of the best STAB types in the game. As One also lets it snowball extremely well and ignore resistance Berries. To top this all off, Calyrex-S has a huge utility movepool. Trick can beat its best check, Yveltal, with a few correct predictions; Aromatherapy provides invaluable team support; Nasty Plot will boost its Special Attack to sky-high levels; and Leech Seed + Substitute can wipe out any team unprepared for it. Calyrex-S also makes for the best revenge killer in the tier, keeping hyper offense at bay. While Calyrex-S has a terrible defensive typing, leaving it easily revenge killed by Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch, its defenses are workable enough to come into battle on neutral hits. Calyrex-S is strong enough that it is the most prepared-for Pokemon in the metagame. Many teams will carry at least two, if not three, checks to it. Even still, this Pokemon has little to no flaws and should be considered for nearly every team.
[SET]
name: Choice Item
move 1: Astral Barrage
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Trick
move 4: Aromatherapy / Nasty Plot
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: As One
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This is the standard Calyrex-S set. Astral Barrage is powerful and accurate and will do massive damage to anything that's not a Dark- or Normal-type. However, you must be careful to keep its limited PP high enough. Repeatedly hitting Yveltal, Blissey, and Eternatus with it can quickly drain its PP to little effect and limit Calyrex-S's sweeping potential. Psyshock does massive damage to Blissey, which would otherwise wall Calyrex-S. Trick is the best third option by far. Yveltal, the main check to Calyrex-S, will lose its Heavy-Duty Boots, meaning Stealth Rock can repeatedly damage it when Calyrex-S forces it in. If Trick hits something other than Yveltal, that Pokemon will likely become useless and create an opening for the rest of your team to exploit. However, be careful not to use Knock Off recklessly with your teammates after this. Aromatherapy is immensely valuable, as paralysis and Toxic are very strong in Ubers, and clerics are rare. If a cleric is already on your team, Nasty Plot is effective to pressure Yveltal even further after using Trick on it. Nasty Plot works best on Choice Specs sets, as Yveltal will not gain any Speed from Trick. Choice Scarf will allow Calyrex-S to revenge kill nearly anything in the game, even if they're at +2 Speed. Choice Specs brings more damage against balance and stall teams, helping it revenge kill bulky setup Pokemon such as Groudon, but using Trick can be more dangerous if you can't catch Yveltal.
The key to using this set is deciding whether and when to use Trick. Being too hesitant will lose you momentum whenever you just waste an Astral Barrage on a Yveltal switch-in. Using Trick too early can lose Calyrex-S the power or Speed needed to take out a dangerous threat. However, if you do land Trick at the right time, it can potentially make the game basically a 6-5 matchup. It is useful to decide Trick usage by Team Preview. For example, if you are running Choice Scarf Calyrex-S and you see that the opponent has no Speed-boosting threats, then you are relatively free to use Trick without much trouble. If you have used Trick on Yveltal, setting up Stealth Rock is key to damage it over time. If Yveltal gets chipped enough, it may attempt to stay in on Calyrex-S to either use Roost or Defog; if you predict this correctly, you can gain the advantage by either using Nasty Plot and sweeping, or by using Psyshock until you predict Yveltal will switch out and using Astral Barrage on that turn. Necrozma-DM makes a great partner, as it can set up Stealth Rock and, at the same time, pressure Yveltal coming in to use Defog with Thunder Wave and Iron Head. Since Calyrex-S has no recovery and mediocre bulk, it works best if switched in by a pivot move or a double switch. Its special bulk is decent enough to switch into Pokemon like Eternatus without too much trouble, but it can't do it repeatedly. U-turn Yveltal makes a great partner to the Choice Scarf set, as not only will it allow Calyrex-S to switch in safely, but the combination of the two will give you a safe defense against an opposing SubSeed Calyrex-S. Make sure Yveltal has Attack investment for this, or else it will not break the opposing Calyrex-S's Substitute. Switch-ins to Yveltal, other Dark-types, and Marshadow are very much appreciated for this set. Eternatus, Buzzwole, and Tangrowth are good to switch into Yveltal and take Knock Off well. Physically defensive Eternatus, Buzzwole, Tangrowth, Ho-Oh, and Zygarde are some notable Marshadow switch-ins. Groudon can lure in Yveltal and KO it with Stone Edge. For the best effect, use a Groudon that is EVed to survive a Foul Play after one Swords Dance. If Calyrex-S is running Nasty Plot, Blissey, Xerneas, and Clefable are good partners to fill the cleric role instead.
name: SubSeed
move 1: Astral Barrage
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Leech Seed
item: Leftovers
ability: As One
nature: Timid
evs: 60 Def / 196 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set seeks to take advantage of Yveltal that lack Snarl, Taunt, or an Attack-invested U-turn. This matchup lets it easily sweep when given the chance, making it more matchup dependent than other Calyrex-S sets. The combination of Substitute, Leech Seed, and Leftovers means that Yveltal switch-ins will eventually have to use Roost, which gives Calyrex-S a free turn of setup with Nasty Plot. Setting up lets it eventually plow through many Dark-types with Astral Barrage, but be wary of its low PP. The given EVs ensure that Calyrex-S's Substitute will survive an 8 Attack EV Yveltal U-turn. More HP or Defense investment could be used for Attack-invested Yveltal, but running too much can compromise Calyrex-S's Special Attack or Speed.
Leech Seed can cause many switches, so it has great synergy with any teammates that can set up entry hazards or dish out status, which further wear down foes for a sweep. Necromza-DM, Groudon, Zygarde, Ferrothorn, and Blissey are some notable options. Pokemon that can lure in and KO Zarude such as Heat Crash Groudon are great teammates, as Zarude hard walls this set, never giving Calyrex-S setup turns due to its Leech Seed immunity. Blissey is also a problematic foe, since Calyrex-S cannot damage it directly; therefore, any setup Pokemon with high Attack that can switch into Blissey for free is a good partner, like Groudon, Zekrom, Necrozma-DM, or Marshadow. Since this set loses out on providing a lot of the utility of Choice-item Calyrex-S, priority users such as Marshadow and Sucker Punch Yveltal may be beneficial to revenge kill threats. Clerics such as Blissey, Xerneas, and Clefable similarly take up a role that this set drops. Whirlwind Ho-Oh is capable of forcing this set out, so Ho-Oh lures such as Rock Tomb Marshadow, Meteor Beam Eternatus, and Stone Edge Necrozma-DM can make this matchup much easier.
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Astral Barrage
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Nasty Plot
move 4: Draining Kiss
item: Focus Sash
ability: As One
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set functions the best on hyper offense teams, which can best deny opposing entry hazards to keep its Focus Sash intact. The set is fairly straightforward: set up using Nasty Plot and hopefully be able to 2HKO Yveltal with Draining Kiss, forcing Yveltal to choose between beating Calyrex-S and getting rid of entry hazards. Astral Barrage and Psyshock beat the vast majority of the metagame after a Nasty Plot boost. Draining Kiss hits the Dark-types that resist Calyrex-S's STAB attacks, and it will 2HKO any Yveltal at +2 unless it has high HP and Special Defense investment. Draining Kiss can also regain HP, so it is helpful to make Focus Sash usable if Calyrex-S takes chip damage. Modest could be run so that this set will 2HKO even the bulkiest of Yveltal, but losing the Speed tie to other Calyrex-S can be difficult to manage, especially on hyper offense teams.
One must also be wary of Sucker Punch Yveltal, which can potentially take out this set after it has used its Focus Sash. It is possible to play mind games if you know Yveltal has Sucker Punch by using Nasty Plot on its Sucker Punch turns, especially since Sucker Punch only has 8 PP, but it's better to avoid this situation if possible, as one wrong prediction lets Yveltal KO with any other attack. Slurpuff and Shuckle are natural hyper offense partners to set up Sticky Web; they also have the best chance of preventing the opponent from laying their own entry hazards. Choice Specs Kyogre makes a great partner, since it pressures teams to sacrifice their Yveltal in order to remove Sticky Web, which can create a huge opening for Calyrex-S to exploit. Weavile is notable for being able to set up if this set gets revenge killed by Choice Scarf Calyrex-S. Froslass or Aerodactyl could also be run to set up Spikes or Stealth Rock, respectively, and prevent foes from laying hazards with Taunt. Aerodactyl with Defog, Pheromosa, and Regieleki are hyper offense-specific partners that can get rid of hazards mid-game, which can be useful for this set.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
An alternative SubSeed set using Taunt and Hex is an option; notably, this prevents Taunt Yveltal, Whirlwind Ho-Oh, Blissey, and Roar Kyogre from breaking through, and it gives Calyrex-S a higher-PP attack to work with. The problem is that this set relies on teammates to spread status and set entry hazards to take off, as lacking Nasty Plot makes it harder to pressure the opposing team. Pollen Puff is a niche option to hit Zarude and Tyranitar switch-ins harder. Will-O-Wisp could be run to cripple common switch-ins such as Yveltal, but it simply does not provide as much utility as Aromatherapy or Nasty Plot does.
Checks and Counters
====
**Yveltal**: Heavy-Duty Boots Yveltal can switch into any attack and proceed to force Calyrex-S out. Yveltal lacking Choice Scarf needs to be wary of Trick, as this can force the team into very difficult situations, especially in combination with entry hazards or status. Sets lacking Snarl, Taunt, or an Attack-invested U-turn will lose to SubSeed Calyrex-S, and only the bulkiest of Yveltal will avoid the 2HKO from +2 Draining Kiss. Even still, Calyrex-S must always be wary of Sucker Punch.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types besides Yveltal such as Zarude and Tyranitar are bulky enough to take Astral Barrage and force Calyrex-S out. These Pokemon have worse recovery options than Yveltal, and they must also be wary of Trick. The rare Pollen Puff will do massive damage to them, as well. Offensive Dark-types such as Urshifu-S, Weavile, and Hydreigon can bring some security against Calyrex-S on more offensive teams.
**Normal-types**: Blissey fears Psyshock, but it can switch into a Choice-locked Astral Barrage with impunity. The rare Porygon2 completely walls most Calyrex-S. Both Pokemon are severely crippled by Trick, albeit giving Calyrex-S a useless item instead of Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Priority**: Marshadow and Giratina-O can help to keep Calyrex-S at bay with Shadow Sneak. They cannot take Astral Barrage at all and thus can only revenge kill Calyrex-S.
**Strong Special Tanks**: Ho-Oh and Kyogre have enough special bulk to force Calyrex-S out in a pinch. They can phaze SubSeed sets with Whirlwind or Roar. However, both will get 2HKOed by Choice Specs Astral Barrage and they cannot take boosted hits. Trick also severely limits them.
**PP Stalling**: Eternatus, but also some lesser-used Pokemon such as Dialga, Palkia, and Weavile, have Pressure, which can quickly lower Astral Barrage's already low 8 PP. Normal-types such as Blissey can also switch into Astral Barrage for free. This can be critical to stopping a Calyrex-S sweep.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Manaphy, 50695]]
- Quality checked by: [[Aberforth, 249382], [SiTuM, 274590]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [lotiasite, 302985]]
Calyrex-S is the most influential force in the metagame. Not only is it extremely strong and fast, but Astral Barrage is a highly spammable, very strong signature move with no drawbacks and one of the best STAB types in the game. As One also lets it snowball extremely well and ignore resistance Berries. To top this all off, Calyrex-S has a huge utility movepool. Trick can beat its best check, Yveltal, with a few correct predictions; Aromatherapy provides invaluable team support; Nasty Plot will boost its Special Attack to sky-high levels; and Leech Seed + Substitute can wipe out any team unprepared for it. Calyrex-S also makes for the best revenge killer in the tier, keeping hyper offense at bay. While Calyrex-S has a terrible defensive typing, leaving it easily revenge killed by Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch, its defenses are workable enough to come into battle on neutral hits. Calyrex-S is strong enough that it is the most prepared-for Pokemon in the metagame. Many teams will carry at least two, if not three, checks to it. Even still, this Pokemon has little to no flaws and should be considered for nearly every team.
[SET]
name: Choice Item
move 1: Astral Barrage
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Trick
move 4: Aromatherapy / Nasty Plot
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: As One
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This is the standard Calyrex-S set. Astral Barrage is powerful and accurate and will do massive damage to anything that's not a Dark- or Normal-type. However, you must be careful to keep its limited PP high enough. Repeatedly hitting Yveltal, Blissey, and Eternatus with it can quickly drain its PP to little effect and limit Calyrex-S's sweeping potential. Psyshock does massive damage to Blissey, which would otherwise wall Calyrex-S. Trick is the best third option by far. Yveltal, the main check to Calyrex-S, will lose its Heavy-Duty Boots, meaning Stealth Rock can repeatedly damage it when Calyrex-S forces it in. If Trick hits something other than Yveltal, that Pokemon will likely become useless and create an opening for the rest of your team to exploit. However, be careful not to use Knock Off recklessly with your teammates after this. Aromatherapy is immensely valuable, as paralysis and Toxic are very strong in Ubers, and clerics are rare. If a cleric is already on your team, Nasty Plot is effective to pressure Yveltal even further after using Trick on it. Nasty Plot works best on Choice Specs sets, as Yveltal will not gain any Speed from Trick. Choice Scarf will allow Calyrex-S to revenge kill nearly anything in the game, even if they're at +2 Speed. Choice Specs brings more damage against balance and stall teams, helping it revenge kill bulky setup Pokemon such as Groudon, but using Trick can be more dangerous if you can't catch Yveltal.
The key to using this set is deciding whether and when to use Trick. Being too hesitant will lose you momentum whenever you just waste an Astral Barrage on a Yveltal switch-in. Using Trick too early can lose Calyrex-S the power or Speed needed to take out a dangerous threat. However, if you do land Trick at the right time, it can potentially make the game basically a 6-5 matchup. It is useful to decide Trick usage by Team Preview. For example, if you are running Choice Scarf Calyrex-S and you see that the opponent has no Speed-boosting threats, then you are relatively free to use Trick without much trouble. If you have used Trick on Yveltal, setting up Stealth Rock is key to damage it over time. If Yveltal gets chipped enough, it may attempt to stay in on Calyrex-S to either use Roost or Defog; if you predict this correctly, you can gain the advantage by either using Nasty Plot and sweeping, or by using Psyshock until you predict Yveltal will switch out and using Astral Barrage on that turn. Necrozma-DM makes a great partner, as it can set up Stealth Rock and, at the same time, pressure Yveltal coming in to use Defog with Thunder Wave and Iron Head. Since Calyrex-S has no recovery and mediocre bulk, it works best if switched in by a pivot move or a double switch. Its special bulk is decent enough to switch into Pokemon like Eternatus without too much trouble, but it can't do it repeatedly. U-turn Yveltal makes a great partner to the Choice Scarf set, as not only will it allow Calyrex-S to switch in safely, but the combination of the two will give you a safe defense against an opposing SubSeed Calyrex-S. Make sure Yveltal has Attack investment for this, or else it will not break the opposing Calyrex-S's Substitute. Switch-ins to Yveltal, other Dark-types, and Marshadow are very much appreciated for this set. Eternatus, Buzzwole, and Tangrowth are good to switch into Yveltal and take Knock Off well. Physically defensive Eternatus, Buzzwole, Tangrowth, Ho-Oh, and Zygarde are some notable Marshadow switch-ins. Groudon can lure in Yveltal and KO it with Stone Edge. For the best effect, use a Groudon that is EVed to survive a Foul Play after one Swords Dance. If Calyrex-S is running Nasty Plot, Blissey, Xerneas, and Clefable are good partners to fill the cleric role instead.
name: SubSeed
move 1: Astral Barrage
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Leech Seed
item: Leftovers
ability: As One
nature: Timid
evs: 60 Def / 196 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set seeks to take advantage of Yveltal that lack Snarl, Taunt, or an Attack-invested U-turn. This matchup lets it easily sweep when given the chance, making it more matchup dependent than other Calyrex-S sets. The combination of Substitute, Leech Seed, and Leftovers means that Yveltal switch-ins will eventually have to use Roost, which gives Calyrex-S a free turn of setup with Nasty Plot. Setting up lets it eventually plow through many Dark-types with Astral Barrage, but be wary of its low PP. The given EVs ensure that Calyrex-S's Substitute will survive an 8 Attack EV Yveltal U-turn. More HP or Defense investment could be used for Attack-invested Yveltal, but running too much can compromise Calyrex-S's Special Attack or Speed.
Leech Seed can cause many switches, so it has great synergy with any teammates that can set up entry hazards or dish out status, which further wear down foes for a sweep. Necromza-DM, Groudon, Zygarde, Ferrothorn, and Blissey are some notable options. Pokemon that can lure in and KO Zarude such as Heat Crash Groudon are great teammates, as Zarude hard walls this set, never giving Calyrex-S setup turns due to its Leech Seed immunity. Blissey is also a problematic foe, since Calyrex-S cannot damage it directly; therefore, any setup Pokemon with high Attack that can switch into Blissey for free is a good partner, like Groudon, Zekrom, Necrozma-DM, or Marshadow. Since this set loses out on providing a lot of the utility of Choice-item Calyrex-S, priority users such as Marshadow and Sucker Punch Yveltal may be beneficial to revenge kill threats. Clerics such as Blissey, Xerneas, and Clefable similarly take up a role that this set drops. Whirlwind Ho-Oh is capable of forcing this set out, so Ho-Oh lures such as Rock Tomb Marshadow, Meteor Beam Eternatus, and Stone Edge Necrozma-DM can make this matchup much easier.
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Astral Barrage
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Nasty Plot
move 4: Draining Kiss
item: Focus Sash
ability: As One
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set functions the best on hyper offense teams, which can best deny opposing entry hazards to keep its Focus Sash intact. The set is fairly straightforward: set up using Nasty Plot and hopefully be able to 2HKO Yveltal with Draining Kiss, forcing Yveltal to choose between beating Calyrex-S and getting rid of entry hazards. Astral Barrage and Psyshock beat the vast majority of the metagame after a Nasty Plot boost. Draining Kiss hits the Dark-types that resist Calyrex-S's STAB attacks, and it will 2HKO any Yveltal at +2 unless it has high HP and Special Defense investment. Draining Kiss can also regain HP, so it is helpful to make Focus Sash usable if Calyrex-S takes chip damage. Modest could be run so that this set will 2HKO even the bulkiest of Yveltal, but losing the Speed tie to other Calyrex-S can be difficult to manage, especially on hyper offense teams.
One must also be wary of Sucker Punch Yveltal, which can potentially take out this set after it has used its Focus Sash. It is possible to play mind games if you know Yveltal has Sucker Punch by using Nasty Plot on its Sucker Punch turns, especially since Sucker Punch only has 8 PP, but it's better to avoid this situation if possible, as one wrong prediction lets Yveltal KO with any other attack. Slurpuff and Shuckle are natural hyper offense partners to set up Sticky Web; they also have the best chance of preventing the opponent from laying their own entry hazards. Choice Specs Kyogre makes a great partner, since it pressures teams to sacrifice their Yveltal in order to remove Sticky Web, which can create a huge opening for Calyrex-S to exploit. Weavile is notable for being able to set up if this set gets revenge killed by Choice Scarf Calyrex-S. Froslass or Aerodactyl could also be run to set up Spikes or Stealth Rock, respectively, and prevent foes from laying hazards with Taunt. Aerodactyl with Defog, Pheromosa, and Regieleki are hyper offense-specific partners that can get rid of hazards mid-game, which can be useful for this set.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
An alternative SubSeed set using Taunt and Hex is an option; notably, this prevents Taunt Yveltal, Whirlwind Ho-Oh, Blissey, and Roar Kyogre from breaking through, and it gives Calyrex-S a higher-PP attack to work with. The problem is that this set relies on teammates to spread status and set entry hazards to take off, as lacking Nasty Plot makes it harder to pressure the opposing team. Pollen Puff is a niche option to hit Zarude and Tyranitar switch-ins harder. Will-O-Wisp could be run to cripple common switch-ins such as Yveltal, but it simply does not provide as much utility as Aromatherapy or Nasty Plot does.
Checks and Counters
====
**Yveltal**: Heavy-Duty Boots Yveltal can switch into any attack and proceed to force Calyrex-S out. Yveltal lacking Choice Scarf needs to be wary of Trick, as this can force the team into very difficult situations, especially in combination with entry hazards or status. Sets lacking Snarl, Taunt, or an Attack-invested U-turn will lose to SubSeed Calyrex-S, and only the bulkiest of Yveltal will avoid the 2HKO from +2 Draining Kiss. Even still, Calyrex-S must always be wary of Sucker Punch.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types besides Yveltal such as Zarude and Tyranitar are bulky enough to take Astral Barrage and force Calyrex-S out. These Pokemon have worse recovery options than Yveltal, and they must also be wary of Trick. The rare Pollen Puff will do massive damage to them, as well. Offensive Dark-types such as Urshifu-S, Weavile, and Hydreigon can bring some security against Calyrex-S on more offensive teams.
**Normal-types**: Blissey fears Psyshock, but it can switch into a Choice-locked Astral Barrage with impunity. The rare Porygon2 completely walls most Calyrex-S. Both Pokemon are severely crippled by Trick, albeit giving Calyrex-S a useless item instead of Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Priority**: Marshadow and Giratina-O can help to keep Calyrex-S at bay with Shadow Sneak. They cannot take Astral Barrage at all and thus can only revenge kill Calyrex-S.
**Strong Special Tanks**: Ho-Oh and Kyogre have enough special bulk to force Calyrex-S out in a pinch. They can phaze SubSeed sets with Whirlwind or Roar. However, both will get 2HKOed by Choice Specs Astral Barrage and they cannot take boosted hits. Trick also severely limits them.
**PP Stalling**: Eternatus, but also some lesser-used Pokemon such as Dialga, Palkia, and Weavile, have Pressure, which can quickly lower Astral Barrage's already low 8 PP. Normal-types such as Blissey can also switch into Astral Barrage for free. This can be critical to stopping a Calyrex-S sweep.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Manaphy, 50695]]
- Quality checked by: [[Aberforth, 249382], [SiTuM, 274590]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [lotiasite, 302985]]
Last edited:
