[OVERVIEW]
Ghost
========
Decidueye is a good defensive option on Ghost teams thanks to its access to effective utility moves. Its Grass typing and solid Special Defense allow it to switch into Ground- and Electric-types such as Landorus, Seismitoad, Tapu Koko, and Alolan Raichu. It is also the only viable Ghost-type with access to Defog, which allows it to remove entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, which would otherwise weaken Ghost's defensive core. With Spirit Shackle, Decidueye is able to trap defensive Pokemon that Ghost has difficulty dealing with like Mega Venusaur, Baneful Bunker Toxapex, and Clefable and eventually beat them after setting up with Swords Dance. However, Decidueye's Attack stat is incredibly mediocre without any boosts, leaving it unable to do any serious damage against offensive threats, and it's unable to hit Normal-types at all due to only running Spirit Shackle. Its lacking Speed stat also means that it can only check slow defensive Pokemon, and its low Defense makes it unable to switch into physical attacks from offensive Pokemon like Mega Diancie or Tapu Bulu. Decidueye also is extremely vulnerable to a plethora of defensive Pokemon, such as Mega Sableye, Alolan Muk, and Skarmory.
[SET]
name: Defensive Defog (Ghost)
move 1: Spirit Shackle
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Leftovers
ability: Long Reach
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 60 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Spirit Shackle is Decidueye's main attacking move, used to trap defensive Pokemon like Mega Venusaur, Sap Sipper Azumarill, and Ferrothorn. Roost is used to give Decidueye a form of consistent recovery. Defog allows Decidueye to fill the role of an entry hazard remover, which is helpful for teammates that are weak to Stealth Rock, such as Alolan Marowak and Blacephalon. Swords Dance augments Decidueye's offensive presence, allowing it to muscle past defensive walls like Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment is used to make Decidueye as bulky as possible. 100 EVs in Defense allow Decidueye to avoid a 2HKO from Choice Scarf Excadrill's Iron Head. 96 EVs in Speed let it outspeed Adamant Azumarill and remove Klefki's screens with Defog so a teammate like Mimikyu can safely revenge kill it. The remaining EVs are put into Special Defense with a Careful nature, allowing Decidueye to safely switch into special attackers like Tapu Koko and Landorus. Leftovers is used to give Decidueye a small amount of recovery each turn.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to keep Decidueye healthy so that it can switch into special attackers that Ghost has difficulty dealing with, such as Landorus and Tapu Koko, more easily. Against defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur, try to predict when they'll go for a non-attacking move, such as Protect or Synthesis, to safely switch in. It's best to switch in Mega Sableye against an entry hazard setter that Decidueye is unable to beat, such as Torkoal, Swampert, or Skarmory. However, to preserve Mega Sableye's health, it's best to trap and remove entry hazard setters that can beat Mega Sableye, such as Clefable. Avoid status conditions as much as possible since burn prevents Decidueye from breaking past Mega Venusaur and Azumarill, and poison quickly wears it down each turn. It's a good idea to start setting up with Swords Dance when Decidueye is at full health so that it won't have to recover with Roost as often.
Team Options
========
Mega Sableye can switch into Dark-type attacks for Decidueye and bounce back status moves such as Toxic and Will-O-Wisp. In return, Decidueye can switch into special attackers like Landorus and Tapu Koko. Gengar is able to revenge kill Diggersby, Blacephalon, and Heatran for Decidueye. It can also absorb Toxic Spikes to allow Decidueye to safely switch in against Water and Poison teams. Mimikyu can check Dark-types like Hydreigon and Tyranitar. In return, Decidueye can remove entry hazards like Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web, which would otherwise prevent Mimikyu from sweeping late-game. Alolan Marowak can switch into Fire-type attacks and beat Steel-types that Decidueye can't handle such as Skarmory and Mega Scizor. Blacephalon can break past defensive walls such as Porygon2 and Skarmory and check threatening Dragon-types like Garchomp and Dragonite with Hidden Power Ice. Jellicent can switch into and beat Fire-types like Heatran and Volcarona for Decidueye as well as switch into Ice-type attacks. It can also counter Water-types that can set up on or burn Decidueye with Scald, such as Calm Mind Keldeo and Suicune. In return, Decidueye can trap and eventually beat bulky Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur, which are immune to Jellicent's Toxic. Shedinja can switch into offensive Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and defensive Mega Scizor, both of which beat Decidueye. It also appreciates Decidueye removing entry hazards in order to keep it alive. Cofagrigus is able to cripple physical attackers like Mamoswine and Mega Aerodactyl with Will-O-Wisp and can also wear down Normal teams with Toxic Spikes.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ghost
--------
An offensive set can be used along with Leaf Blade to allow Decidueye to beat Water- and Ground-types like Swampert and Hippowdon, which would otherwise invalidate its Spirit Shackle by phazing it. However, without any defensive investment, it fails to switch into prominent offensive Pokemon like Landorus, Tapu Koko, and Excadrill. Decidium Z is an option over Leftovers to break past walls such as Celesteela and Mega Venusaur with fewer Swords Dance boosts. However, this would come at the cost of recovery each turn, making it unable to consistently survive against Clefable and Ferrothorn.
Checks and Counters
===================
Ghost
--------
**Normal-types**: Since Decidueye's only attacking move is Spirit Shackle, it's unable to do any damage against Normal-types like Chansey and Porygon2.
**Dark-types**: Hydreigon, Mandibuzz, Alolan Muk, and Bisharp easily switch into Decidueye's Spirit Shackle, and can threaten to OHKO it with their Dark STAB moves. Bisharp in particular can boost its Attack by switching into Defog thanks to Defiant.
**Fire- and Ice-types**: Blacephalon, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard Y can all outspeed and OHKO Decidueye with a STAB Fire Blast. Kyurem-B, Mamoswine, and Weavile are also able to OHKO Decidueye, with Weavile in particular being able to use Pursuit to trap Decidueye and prevent it from switching out.
**Phazers**: Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Avalugg can phaze Decidueye with Whirlwind or Roar, negating its trapping ability. Avalugg and Skarmory in particular have super effective STAB attacks to hit Decidueye with.
**Stallbreakers**: Gliscor, Heatran, and Tornadus-T are able to prevent Decidueye from recovering its health with Taunt. Heatran and Tornadus-T in particular have super effective STAB attacks to hit Decidueye with as well.
Ghost
========
Decidueye is a good defensive option on Ghost teams thanks to its access to effective utility moves. Its Grass typing and solid Special Defense allow it to switch into Ground- and Electric-types such as Landorus, Seismitoad, Tapu Koko, and Alolan Raichu. It is also the only viable Ghost-type with access to Defog, which allows it to remove entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, which would otherwise weaken Ghost's defensive core. With Spirit Shackle, Decidueye is able to trap defensive Pokemon that Ghost has difficulty dealing with like Mega Venusaur, Baneful Bunker Toxapex, and Clefable and eventually beat them after setting up with Swords Dance. However, Decidueye's Attack stat is incredibly mediocre without any boosts, leaving it unable to do any serious damage against offensive threats, and it's unable to hit Normal-types at all due to only running Spirit Shackle. Its lacking Speed stat also means that it can only check slow defensive Pokemon, and its low Defense makes it unable to switch into physical attacks from offensive Pokemon like Mega Diancie or Tapu Bulu. Decidueye also is extremely vulnerable to a plethora of defensive Pokemon, such as Mega Sableye, Alolan Muk, and Skarmory.
[SET]
name: Defensive Defog (Ghost)
move 1: Spirit Shackle
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Leftovers
ability: Long Reach
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 60 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Spirit Shackle is Decidueye's main attacking move, used to trap defensive Pokemon like Mega Venusaur, Sap Sipper Azumarill, and Ferrothorn. Roost is used to give Decidueye a form of consistent recovery. Defog allows Decidueye to fill the role of an entry hazard remover, which is helpful for teammates that are weak to Stealth Rock, such as Alolan Marowak and Blacephalon. Swords Dance augments Decidueye's offensive presence, allowing it to muscle past defensive walls like Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment is used to make Decidueye as bulky as possible. 100 EVs in Defense allow Decidueye to avoid a 2HKO from Choice Scarf Excadrill's Iron Head. 96 EVs in Speed let it outspeed Adamant Azumarill and remove Klefki's screens with Defog so a teammate like Mimikyu can safely revenge kill it. The remaining EVs are put into Special Defense with a Careful nature, allowing Decidueye to safely switch into special attackers like Tapu Koko and Landorus. Leftovers is used to give Decidueye a small amount of recovery each turn.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to keep Decidueye healthy so that it can switch into special attackers that Ghost has difficulty dealing with, such as Landorus and Tapu Koko, more easily. Against defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur, try to predict when they'll go for a non-attacking move, such as Protect or Synthesis, to safely switch in. It's best to switch in Mega Sableye against an entry hazard setter that Decidueye is unable to beat, such as Torkoal, Swampert, or Skarmory. However, to preserve Mega Sableye's health, it's best to trap and remove entry hazard setters that can beat Mega Sableye, such as Clefable. Avoid status conditions as much as possible since burn prevents Decidueye from breaking past Mega Venusaur and Azumarill, and poison quickly wears it down each turn. It's a good idea to start setting up with Swords Dance when Decidueye is at full health so that it won't have to recover with Roost as often.
Team Options
========
Mega Sableye can switch into Dark-type attacks for Decidueye and bounce back status moves such as Toxic and Will-O-Wisp. In return, Decidueye can switch into special attackers like Landorus and Tapu Koko. Gengar is able to revenge kill Diggersby, Blacephalon, and Heatran for Decidueye. It can also absorb Toxic Spikes to allow Decidueye to safely switch in against Water and Poison teams. Mimikyu can check Dark-types like Hydreigon and Tyranitar. In return, Decidueye can remove entry hazards like Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web, which would otherwise prevent Mimikyu from sweeping late-game. Alolan Marowak can switch into Fire-type attacks and beat Steel-types that Decidueye can't handle such as Skarmory and Mega Scizor. Blacephalon can break past defensive walls such as Porygon2 and Skarmory and check threatening Dragon-types like Garchomp and Dragonite with Hidden Power Ice. Jellicent can switch into and beat Fire-types like Heatran and Volcarona for Decidueye as well as switch into Ice-type attacks. It can also counter Water-types that can set up on or burn Decidueye with Scald, such as Calm Mind Keldeo and Suicune. In return, Decidueye can trap and eventually beat bulky Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur, which are immune to Jellicent's Toxic. Shedinja can switch into offensive Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and defensive Mega Scizor, both of which beat Decidueye. It also appreciates Decidueye removing entry hazards in order to keep it alive. Cofagrigus is able to cripple physical attackers like Mamoswine and Mega Aerodactyl with Will-O-Wisp and can also wear down Normal teams with Toxic Spikes.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ghost
--------
An offensive set can be used along with Leaf Blade to allow Decidueye to beat Water- and Ground-types like Swampert and Hippowdon, which would otherwise invalidate its Spirit Shackle by phazing it. However, without any defensive investment, it fails to switch into prominent offensive Pokemon like Landorus, Tapu Koko, and Excadrill. Decidium Z is an option over Leftovers to break past walls such as Celesteela and Mega Venusaur with fewer Swords Dance boosts. However, this would come at the cost of recovery each turn, making it unable to consistently survive against Clefable and Ferrothorn.
Checks and Counters
===================
Ghost
--------
**Normal-types**: Since Decidueye's only attacking move is Spirit Shackle, it's unable to do any damage against Normal-types like Chansey and Porygon2.
**Dark-types**: Hydreigon, Mandibuzz, Alolan Muk, and Bisharp easily switch into Decidueye's Spirit Shackle, and can threaten to OHKO it with their Dark STAB moves. Bisharp in particular can boost its Attack by switching into Defog thanks to Defiant.
**Fire- and Ice-types**: Blacephalon, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard Y can all outspeed and OHKO Decidueye with a STAB Fire Blast. Kyurem-B, Mamoswine, and Weavile are also able to OHKO Decidueye, with Weavile in particular being able to use Pursuit to trap Decidueye and prevent it from switching out.
**Phazers**: Hippowdon, Skarmory, and Avalugg can phaze Decidueye with Whirlwind or Roar, negating its trapping ability. Avalugg and Skarmory in particular have super effective STAB attacks to hit Decidueye with.
**Stallbreakers**: Gliscor, Heatran, and Tornadus-T are able to prevent Decidueye from recovering its health with Taunt. Heatran and Tornadus-T in particular have super effective STAB attacks to hit Decidueye with as well.
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