Rei
formerly Scholar
[OVERVIEW]
Genesect has a good Special Attack stat to back up its diverse movepool. This, along with its STAB moves, allows it to take care of many Water- and Psychic-types like Mega Gyrarados, Meloetta, and Mega Slowbro. Also, Genesect's typing allows it to resist Fairy-type moves from Pokemon like Mega Diancie. Its ability Download can make Genesect gain an additional Special Attack boost if the foe has lower Special Defense than Defense and is useful to get KOs it could not get otherwise against Pokemon such as Tapu Fini. Because of Genesect's movepool, it is tricky for the opponent to predict what coverage Genesect is running. However, Fire-types like Mega Charizard Y and Heatran give Genesect trouble. Genesect is easily KOed by neutral or super effective Z-Moves from Pokemon like Zeraora and Aegislash, as Genesect is often too frail to win matchups where it is outsped or it is not strong enough to KO the opponent. Steel-types such as Aegislash and Magearna give Genesect competition due to having more bulk and Special Attack without relying on Download for the right boost.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Bug Buzz / Flash Cannon
move 4: Flamethrower / Flash Cannon
item: Choice Specs
ability: Download
nature: Timid
evs: 32 HP / 40 Def / 212 SpA / 224 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Genesect to take care of Water-types like Tapu Fini and Gyarados. Ice Beam gives Genesect a way to deal with Dragon- and Flying-types such as Zygarde, Landorus-T, and Haxorus. Bug Buzz is a powerful Bug-type STAB move that takes care of Psychic- and Dark-types like Meloetta and Hoopa-U. Flamethrower is used for taking care of Mega Metagross and Magearna. Flash Cannon can be used for common Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Tapu Lele; however, outside of that, it has limited use.
Set Details
========
Genesect runs 32 HP EVs and 40 Defense EVs in order to live Mega Gyarados's Waterfall after a Dragon Dance. 212 Special Attack EVs and 224 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Genesect to outspeed Tapu Fini, Psychium Z Tapu Lele, and Magearna before it has a chance to set up Calm Mind. Choice Specs allows Genesect's moves to take care of Pokemon like Tapu Fini, Mega Blastoise, and Landorus-T. Its ability Download allows it to get an additional Special Attack boost if the opposing Pokemon's Special Defense stat is lower than its Defense stat.
Usage Tips
========
Pick Genesect against the likes of Mega Slowbro, Mega Metagross, Mega Gyarados and Zygarde-C, as Genesect can tank an attack from all of these Pokemon and hit them back with Bug Buzz, Flamethower, Thunderbolt, or Ice Beam, respectively. It is important to note that Bug Buzz goes through Substitute, which makes Genesect able to beat Pokemon like Jumpluff. Thanks to the power boost of Choice Specs, Genesect can beat Fairium Z Magearna. Try to avoid sending Genesect in against Pokemon with Sturdy such as Donphan and Golem because it is unable to survive the combination of Z-Move + priority. Avoid sending Genesect against special walls like Chansey and Mega Sableye, as Genesect cannot take care of these Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Tapu Fini, and Heatran are good to pair with Genesect to help with Steel-types like Aegislash. Dragon- and Water-types like Haxorus, Garchomp, Mega Gyarados, Primarina, and Tapu Fini can help with Fire-types like Heatran and Charizard. Garchomp and Heatran also can take care of most Steel-type Pokemon that can give Genesect trouble like Aegislash and Pokemon that are running a Z-Move that Genesect does not resist like Zeraora. Normal-types such as Meloetta and Porygon-Z can help with Primarina as well as Ghost-types like Mega Gengar and Aegislash, and both appreciate Genesect's ability to beat Landorus-T and Tapu Lele.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Bug Buzz / Flash Cannon
move 4: Flamethrower / Flash Cannon
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Download
nature: Modest
evs: 48 HP / 56 Def / 252 SpA / 152 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Genesect to take care of Water- and Flying-types such as Mega Gyarados, Archeops, Greninja, and defensive Tapu Fini. Ice Beam lets Genesect take care of Dragon- and Ground-types like non-Choice Scarf Garchomp, Haxorus, Zygarde, and Landorus-T. Bug Buzz is an important STAB move for Psychic- and Dark-types such as Mega Slowbro and Choice Specs Greninja. Flamethrower is used to take care of Steel- and Bug-types like Mega Metagross, Mega Pinsir, Mega Scizor, and opposing Genesect. Flash Cannon hits Fairy-type such as non-Hidden Power Fire Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Mega Gardevoir.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf allows Genesect to outspeed Pokemon it usually cannot such as Greninja and non-Choice Scarf Garchomp. A Modest nature is used to make Genesect's attacks hit as hard as possible, and is preferred as there are no relevant Speed tiers Timid Genesect hits. 48 HP EVs and 56 Defense EVs allow Genesect to survive a Fake Out into High Jump Kick from Mega Lopunny and better deal with Pokemon like Skarmory. Maximum EVs in Special Attack and 152 Speed EVs make Genesect hit as strong as possible while outspeeding everything but Deoxys-S, Pheromosa, and faster Pokemon that are holding a Choice Scarf like Fire Fang Garchomp, Hoopa-U, and Modest Hydreigon. Download allows Genesect to get a boost to its Special Attack, to getting KOs on Pokemon such as Tapu Fini.
Usage Tips
========
Allow Genesect to come out in against frailer Pokemon it can hit super effectively like Choice Specs Greninja and Mega Slowbro, as Bug Buzz can easily take care of both. It can also come in against Pokemon like non-Choice Scarf Garchomp, Mega Lopunny, and Haxorus thanks to Choice Scarf. Try to keep it from being sent out when there are specially defensive Pokemon like Chansey, Blissey, and Aegislash, as Genesect's moves are easily taken by these Pokemon due to their bulk, and they can defeat Genesect in turn. Without the extra power from its item, do not send Genesect in against Magearna, as it loses even with Flamethrower. Genesect's uninvested bulk is mediocre, so avoid sending it in against Pokemon like Aegislash, Primarina, and Zeraora, which are Pokemon that Genesect cannot defeat first before they use their Z-Moves.
Team Options
========
Genesect pairs well with Dragon-types like Garchomp, Haxorus, and Naganadel, as these Pokemon help out with Charizard, Zeraora, and Mega Venusaur; however, if they are not using Choice Scarf, they all struggle with Greninja, and Garchomp and Haxorus struggle with Mega Gyarados. Water-types such as Mega Slowbro, Greninja, and Tapu Fini can help with Pokemon that Genesect cannot do anything against Mega Aggron and Naganadel. Fighting-types like Sawk and Mega Blaziken can take care of specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, Porygon2, and Blissey. Normal-types such as Porygon-Z, Mega Lopunny, and Shadow Ball Meloetta pair well with Genesect, as they can take care of threats like Aegislash and Tapu Lele.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band Genesect can be used with Blaze Kick, Iron Head, U-turn, and Gunk Shot or Return, but it will miss its BoltBeam coverage for taking care of Dragon-types like Haxorus and Water-types like Mega Blastoise. Genesect can run a more defensive set with 248 HP EVs, 228 Defense EVs, and a Bold nature to survive Donphan's and Golem's Z-Move + priority attack combo and be able to KO them; however, this results in having less Special Attack to score important KOs on Pokemon like Tapu Fini, as well as being a lot slower which prevents it from outpacing Haxorus. Genesect can run Douse Drive with Substitute, which allows it to take care of Steel-types like Heatran and Aegislash. However, this means dropping a coverage move and the power it gets from Choice Specs or the Speed it gets from Choice Scarf. Genesect can run Steelium Z with Metal Sound to take care of Pokemon like Chansey, but this means giving up coverage as well as power from Choice Specs or Speed from Choice Scarf.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Moves**: Fire-types such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Blacephalon, and Heatran can OHKO Genesect. Pokemon with Fire-type coverage like Tapu Lele, Choice Specs Margearna, Dragonite, Naganadel, and Mega Tyranitar can also take care of Genesect.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon like Chansey, Blissey, Primarina, and Aegislash can take any of Genesect's attacks well and stall it out or KO it.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Charge Zeraora, and Garchomp can beat the Choice Specs set by outspeeding and KOing it with their STAB attacks, Z-Moves, or Fire-type moves.
**Sturdy Pokemon**: Sturdy Pokemon like Sawk, Magnezone, Golem, Mega Aggron, and Donphan take care of non-bulky Choice Specs and Choice Scarf Genesect due to their ability to survive one attack from Genesect and KO it using their Z-Moves.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Magma, 393488]]
- Quality checked by: [[TDA, 276708], [Freddy Kyogre, 321529], [dom, 280380], [chickenpie2, 305552]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Fireflame479, 231476], [Electrolyte, 148071]]
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