Decidueye [QC: 0/3]

[Taptricity]

[OVERVIEW]

• Decidueye’s unique STAB combo of Grass and Ghost in conjunction with Swords Dance allows it to have a decent niche in the UnderUsed metagame as an offensive Grass type.
• After a Swords Dance boost, the amount of Pokemon that can come in on Decidueye’s dual coverage is very limited.
• Decidueye also received a unique move Spirit Shackle, which traps the opposing Pokemon if the move doesn’t land the KO. It even gets a signature Z move, Sinister Arrow Wave, which is an effective Ghost nuke.
• With Substitute, Decidueye can set up on much more passive threats such as Blissey and Alomomola without Knock Off, which allows it to be a decent stallbreaker.
• Alternatively, Shadow Sneak lets Decidueye be a strong wallbreaker.
• However, Decidueye’s poor speed combined with its lackluster bulk lets it get revenge killed easily.
• Decidueye’s Ghost typing also attracts the many Pursuit trappers that are lurking in the tier.
• Decidueye also lacks any sort of offensive pressure without a Swords Dance boost, so it needs a turn to set up before dealing any damage.

[SET]
name: Late Game Cleaner
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Spirit Shackle
move 4: Substitute/Shadow Sneak
item: Decidium Z
ability: Overgrow
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

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

• Swords Dance is Decidueye’s main boosting move and it is necessary so that Decidueye gains offensive pressure.
• Leaf Blade and Spirit Shackle are Decidueye’s two strongest STAB moves. These two moves are just as mandatory as Swords Dance. Spirit Shackle also gives you the added benefit of trapping the opposing Pokemon in if you fail to KO it.
• Substitute is used so that Decidueye gains more opportunities to set up on more passive Pokemon like Blissey, Quagsire, Alomomola without Knock Off, and Pyukumuku.
• Shadow Sneak is another option for Decidueye if you prefer priority to hit faster Pokemon like Latias, Gengar, Chandelure, and Starmie for super effective damage.

Set Details
========

• It is mandatory for Decidueye to have max investment into its Attack stat so that it can make the most out of a Swords Dance boost.
• Max Speed with a Jolly nature is just as necessary so that Decidueye can outspeed bulkier variants of Togekiss and Mega Altaria as well as also being able to speed tie Volcanion.
• Decidium Z is a unique Z crystal that only Decidueye can use. The move, Sinister Arrow Raid, can even put massive holes in the tier’s common Ghost resists.
• Overgrow while not providing much, can boost your Lead Blade in the event that Decidueye is at low health.

Usage Tips
========

• Decidueye should be preserved for the late-game, where any revenge killers that can stop Decidueye’s sweep have been removed. This should be your late game cleaner as it wins you the match through one final sweep.
• Decidueye should also be kept healthy so that its fraility isn’t completely exposed when it’s on the field. Also while it’s not completely necessary, having hazards removed on your side of the field can greatly benefit Decidueye.
• Decidueye requires an immediate Swords Dance boost before exerting any offensive pressure onto your opponent. Without a Swords Dance, Decidueye lacks any power to do anything.
• Decidueye needs a turn to set up a Swords Dance, so it should set up on more passive Pokemon or Pokemon that are locked into a Fighting type move due to a Choice item like Choice Band Terrakion as an example.
• Decidueye setting up a Substitute before a Swords Dance is also doable. The Substitute should be set up in front of more passive threats like Blissey, Alomomola without Knock Off, Empoleon without Ice Beam, and Quagsire.

Team Options
========

• Decidueye is a Pokemon that usually needs to be built around it however it can fit on a Sticky Webs team. With Webs slowing everything down, Decidueye doesn’t have to heavily rely on priority in order to hit certain threats.
• Much like any other sweeper, Decidueye needs Stealth Rocks and Spikes support to some extent so that Decidueye gets immediate chip on opposing Pokemon which will give it a much easier time breaking through them.
• Decidueye appreciates Moltres’s ability in being able to check Infernape and Krookodile that lacks Stone Edge since they are two of Decidueye’s most common revenge killers.
• Mega Blastoise is a Pokemon that Decidueye is also able to rely on. Mega Blastoise while being more niche, gives Rapid Spin support, can stop opposing Decidueye answers, and forms a strong type core with Decidueye and Moltres.

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

• Instead of Decidium Z, Decidueye can run a Life Orb if you don’t want to use up a Z move on Decidueye. Without Sinister Arrow Raid, you will be unable to break through threats in one hit like Hydreigon or Alolan Muk.
• Sucker Punch is a viable 4th option for stronger priority however, it is often not advised due to Sucker Punch often creating too many mindgames while also punishing you against Cobalion and Terrakion who receive an Attack boost because of Justified.
• Roost is also doable for reliable recovery but it’s usually not a good option due to Decidueye using up a turn to heal up which is something that it usually can’t afford using.

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

Revenge Killers: Decidueye’s poor speed paired with its fraility lets it get easily exploited by the tier’s common revenge killers. Infernape, Choice Scarf Krookodile, Hydreigon, Mega Sharpedo, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Manectric all easily come in on Decidueye after it nabs a KO and can all KO back.

Dark Types: The Dark types in the tier all resist Decidueye’s Spirit Shackle and hit Decidueye for super effective damage, but they all have to be wary of Sinister Arrow Raid. Hydreigon, Alolan Muk, and Mega Houndoom can come in and shut Decidueye down. Krookodile and Mega Sharpedo both need to be wary of Leaf Blade but they can come and revenge kill. Mandibuzz and Umbreon while both being more niche Pokemon, can both wall Decidueye.

Fire Types: The Fire types in the tier bar Volcanion all resist Decidueye’s Leaf Blade and hit back for super effective damage. Defensive Moltres and Rotom-H can be a strong check to Decidueye while Infernape can easily revenge kill. Mega Houndoom, Darmanitan, and Entei also can be a headache for Decidueye.

Flying Types: The Flying types in the tier resist Decidueye’s Leaf Blade and all hit back for super effective damage. Togekiss, Moltres, and Mandibuzz are defensive checks, Mega Pidgeot and Talonflame can shut down Decidueye on the offensive side, and Crobat bypasses Decidueye’s Substitute with Infiltrator.

Dragon Types: The Dragon types in the tier all resist Decidueye’s Leaf Blade but some are more wary of Spirit Shackle like Latias. Hydreigon, Mega Altaria, Kommo-o and Haxorus all resist Leaf Blade and hit hard right back.

 

[Adaam]

I think Sneak should be the primary fourth move on Decidueye. Sub bolsters it’s stallbreaking abilities, but in any other matchup, the priority is more useful for threats like Lati, Chandelure, Gengar, and general weakened Pokemon.

 

[Taptricity]

I think Sneak should be the primary fourth move on Decidueye. Sub bolsters it’s stallbreaking abilities, but in any other matchup, the priority is more useful for threats like Lati, Chandelure, Gengar, and general weakened Pokemon.

Added. Hopefully this should be finished by Thursday if I give myself the time to do this.

 

[Taptricity]

Alright I think that this is ready for QC. Sorry for the delay though. This is my first analysis so I’ll be very open to criticism.

 

[Surgeon]

hi am check

overview

After a Swords Dance boost, the amount of Pokemon that can come in on Decidueye’s dual coverage is very limited.

Decidueye also received a unique move Spirit Shackle, which traps the opposing Pokemon if the move doesn’t land the KO. It even gets a signature Z move, Sinister Arrow Wave, which is an effective Ghost nuke.

With the way these two sentences are written you're not rly providing the reader with a lot of useful information that can't be found elsewhere. I think you should merge those two bullet points into one and talk about how those features allow it to pressure bulky teams fairly easily, and just say in the Substitute line that Substitute can further improve its matchup against bulky teams since in reality that's not the main reason as to why Decidueye is a decent breaker, it's just a way to solidify it.

Alternatively, Shadow Sneak lets Decidueye be a strong wallbreaker.

This is misleading. Shadow Sneak doesn't have anything to do with Decidueye's ability to break through teams, it's just a priority move that allows it to threaten faster threats like Latias and Gengar, so if you want to mention it say that instead.

However, Decidueye’s poor speed combined with its lackluster bulk lets it get revenge killed easily.

Mention how it also means that it has a poor matchup vs offensive teams because of this.

I'd add a point about how Decidueye is very dependent on its Z-Move and after it has used it, certain bulkier mons like Mega Aggron can take advantage of it.

moves

Swords Dance is Decidueye’s main boosting move and it is necessary so that Decidueye gains offensive pressure.

Would be helpful to the reader if you mentioned some of the Pokemon that SD allows Decidueye to break through like Empoleon and Blissey.

Leaf Blade and Spirit Shackle are Decidueye’s two strongest STAB moves. These two moves are just as mandatory as Swords Dance. Spirit Shackle also gives you the added benefit of trapping the opposing Pokemon in if you fail to KO it.

I'd turn Leaf Blade into a bullet point of its own, and mention some of the targets like Ground- and Water-types such as Hippowdon, Krookodile, and Alomomola to give the reader an idea of what it actually hits.

set details

Max Speed with a Jolly nature is just as necessary so that Decidueye can outspeed bulkier variants of Togekiss and Mega Altaria as well as also being able to speed tie Volcanion.

Decidueye still outspeeds bulky variants of Togekiss and Mega Altaria without a Jolly nature, so remove those examples and replace them with something like Adamant Mamoswine.

usage tips

Decidueye should be preserved for the late-game, where any revenge killers that can stop Decidueye’s sweep have been removed. This should be your late game cleaner as it wins you the match through one final sweep.

This is somewhat misleading too, since Decidueye's more so a breaker rather than a late-game cleaner without Shadow Sneak, and Substitute is the main slash on the actual set so I'd talk about its ability to break through bulky builds instead. You can include this later on and phrase it a little differently, something like "If using Shadow Sneak, Decidueye could try to act as a late-game cleaner..."

Decidueye should also be kept healthy so that its fraility isn’t completely exposed when it’s on the field. Also while it’s not completely necessary, having hazards removed on your side of the field can greatly benefit Decidueye.

I assume you're trying to say that Decidueye's very frail, so I'd definitely mention that it shouldn't be brought into attacks directly because of this, since that might be one of the things that newer players might try to do wrongly, and instead be brought in through pivots or when a Pokemon has fainted. I'd also mention that that hinders its ability to set up. So something along the lines of "Decidueye should not be brought into attacks directly, as it's quite frail and that hinders its ability to set up. Instead it should be brought in through pivots or when a Pokemon has fainted..."

Decidueye requires an immediate Swords Dance boost before exerting any offensive pressure onto your opponent. Without a Swords Dance, Decidueye lacks any power to do anything.

Again, this isn't really the type of useful information that a newer player would benefit from reading on how to use the Pokemon in question. You already talk about when to use SD in the next line, so I'd just cut this line entirely, as it doesn't add anything substantial to this specific part of the analysis.

I'd also add a point about when to use the Z-Move Sinister Arrow Raid by mentioning some specific targets and highlighting how it should be used carefully since it's a one time move so it should only be used against Pokemon that it otherwise cannot break through.

Would also add another one about how it's not advised to set up before its checks are either weakened or removed.

team options

Decidueye is a Pokemon that usually needs to be built around it however it can fit on a Sticky Webs team. With Webs slowing everything down, Decidueye doesn’t have to heavily rely on priority in order to hit certain threats.

I don't think it's a good idea to put webs as the first point, as that might indicate that Decidueye should only or mostly be used in those types of builds. Instead just making a more general statement, and saying that it fits best on offensive teams instead of bulkier ones due its poor defensive capabilities makes more sense. You can mention webs later on.

I think this is the more bare-boned and lackluster section of the analysis as far as overall content goes with hazards and only two Pokemon being mentioned as good partners. There's a lot of stuff missing honestly, like Flying resists (Empoleon/Nihilego), Dark-type checks (Cobalion/Fairies in general). Cleaners like Sharpedo/Scizor also pair well with Decidueye since it can pave the way for them to sweep. Klefki could easily get a special mention instead of Pokemon like Blastoise for its ability to set up Spikes and sharing good synergy with Decidueye by checking Pokemon like Hydreigon, Pidgeot, Sharpedo, etc, and crippling faster threats with Thunder Wave. VoltTurn users also deserve a mention somewhere since Decidueye has a hard time coming into play. Overall, I just think this section just needs to be fleshed out a little bit more because it's just lacking in terms of content.

other options

Sucker Punch is a viable 4th option for stronger priority however, it is often not advised due to Sucker Punch often creating too many mindgames while also punishing you against Cobalion and Terrakion who receive an Attack boost because of Justified.

Mention how Sucker Punch has the ability to OHKO Latias from full at +2

checks and counters

Dark Types: The Dark types in the tier all resist Decidueye’s Spirit Shackle and hit Decidueye for super effective damage, but they all have to be wary of Sinister Arrow Raid. Hydreigon, Alolan Muk, and Mega Houndoom can come in and shut Decidueye down. Krookodile and Mega Sharpedo both need to be wary of Leaf Blade but they can come and revenge kill. Mandibuzz and Umbreon while both being more niche Pokemon, can both wall Decidueye.

Remove Muk since it does not appreciate taking a +2 Sinister Arrow Raid. It actually has a pretty decent chance of OHKOing after rocks.

Fire Types: The Fire types in the tier bar Volcanion all resist Decidueye’s Leaf Blade and hit back for super effective damage. Defensive Moltres and Rotom-H can be a strong check to Decidueye while Infernape can easily revenge kill. Mega Houndoom, Darmanitan, and Entei also can be a headache for Decidueye.

I think you should be a little more specific with the examples. I'd reorder them as follows: Pokemon that can come into any attack and OHKO it (moltres/rotom) > Pokemon that can come into an attack and OHKO it (nape, chand) > Pokemon that can revenge kill it (darm, doom). I'd also mention that a lot of these are unable to actively check Decidueye if rocks are up, and I'd remove Entei since this would already be very heavy with examples and it's incredibly niche anyway.

This is definitely not terrible for a first analysis, the only thing I think you really need to wrap around your head around is that unnecessary fluff and information that you can usually find elsewhere doesn't need to be included. You only really need what a newer player would benefit from reading, so for example on an overview you usually want to go straight to the point as far as what's the Pokemon's role and niche in the current meta, while on usage tips you're gonna want to highlight how to avoid common mistakes and do nots that newer plays might be used to do, and recommend better plays. I'd also recommend checking out the grammar standards, just so you can make GP's life easier (ex: Fire-types / Fire- and Flying-types). You're also gonna want to fix the formatting in c&c (**Revenge Killers**: instead of Revenge Killers:), and add credits. This is obviously just an am check, so it'd be better to wait for QC to go over all of this first, but definitely do this one bit and read through the stuff I linked, it'll instantly improve this analysis.
Good luck