Another Grass type analysis from yours truly. This time its the god of all grass types: Grass Arceus.
First time posting a skeleton analysis. So do mention any mistakes regarding the skeleton.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/arceus
Status:Done(?), currently awaiting possible third check.
GP checks: 2/2
Approval Stamps:3/3
Changes to consider:
-EDIT: Final opinion reached, JM is getting the slash.
====================
[Overview]
<p>The Creator dons a more soothing color when holding a Meadow Plate, and appears as though He's only the Master of zen and harmony. Don't be fooled by this welcoming appearance; the Mighty One is as quick to react to potential prey as the venus fly trap. Grass Arceus's Judgment crushes His behemoth children, Kyogre and Groudon, and He stands as sturdy as the statuesque sequoia. Grass Arceus may be green with envy of the defensive prowess of His other types, but He has a niche of resisting both Earthquake and Thunder. Quiver like a frail leaf in a mighty storm before the Master of the forest!</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Recover
move 3: Grass Knot / Judgment
move 4: Flamethrower / Earth Power / Ice Beam
item: Meadow Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 100 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Due to Grass Arceus's great bulk, resistances to common attacks in Ubers, and great utility in Thunder Wave, it can pull off a defensive set with ease. Grass Arceus possesses the ability to beat many common threats in the Uber metagame, such as Kyogre, Groudon, and Palkia. The backbone of this set however, is Thunder Wave. Grass Arceus's Grass typing can easily scare off the Ground-types that could otherwise absorb the incoming Thunder Wave. As a result, Thunder Wave is unrestricted in a sense, which means that it can easily cripple powerful threats without fearing potential Ground-type switch-ins. Arceus can also utilize its great bulk with Recover.</p>
<p>Grass Knot is preferred over Judgment for the ability to hit some of the more common Uber threats harder due to their general heavy stature. For example, with Judgement, Grass Arceus is unable to grab the guaranteed 2HKO on most Palkia that's provided by Grass Knot. Grass Knot also has higher PP than Judgment, which will often come in handy when so many threats have Pressure for an ability. The choice in the last slot depends on what you want to hit harder. Flamethrower helps to deal with Scizor and prevents Forretress from setting up Spikes, while Earth Power hits Heatran and Fire Arceus. Ice Beam hits Rayquaza and provides Arceus a way to damage Flying Arceus; both of the listed Pokemon are unable to come in on a Thunder Wave. A Bold nature can also be considered in lieu of Timid, since Thunder Wave allows Grass Arceus to outspeed most threats anyway.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Considering Grass Arceus's weakness to Fire-type attacks and inability to hit Steel-types (if you don't have Flamethrower), Kyogre makes an excellent partner for it. Kyogre has excellent synergy with Arceus, and can clean up the majority of its counters, such as Ho-Oh and most Steel-types. Scizor and Jirachi are also good partners to Arceus, as they are great counters against Blissey and Shaymin-S who would otherwise either cripple Arceus with a status ailment or, in Shaymin-S's case, KO Grass Arceus with Air Slash.</p>
<p>Ho-Oh is arguably this set's biggest fear, as it doesn't mind Thunder Wave, easily walls most of its attacks, and can heavily damage Arceus with a Brave Bird or Sacred Fire. Fire or Flying Arceus can also set up Calm Minds on Grass Arceus and threaten it with their respective Judgment; although, they risk being crippled by Thunder Wave. Defensive variants of Heatran don't really mind Thunder Wave, and can wall most of its attacks bar Earth Power with relative ease. Should you run Earth Power in the last slot, Pokemon such as Forretress and Skarmory can rack up multiple layers of Spikes on Grass Arceus without minding the paralysis from Thunder Wave. Scizor can also take advantage of the absence of Flamethrower and KO Grass Arceus with U-turn.</p>
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Recover
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Ice Beam / Earth Power / Flamethrower
item: Meadow Plate
nature: Timid
evs:100 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Grass Arceus works best as a defensive supporter, it is no slouch offensively. With its impressive bulk and pure Grass typing, Grass Arceus has the ability to rack up a few Calm Minds before securing a sweep. Additionally, its immunity to Trick means that it won't need to worry about being crippled for the rest of the match with a Choice item. Grass Arceus's typing isn't especially impressive offensively, particularly with the large number of Steel- and Dragon-types in the Uber metagame. However, Grass-type Judgment beats both Kyogre and Groudon at once, and allows Arceus to free up a moveslot.</p>
<p>Since beating Wobbuffet is much more important for Grass Arceus with Calm Mind, Judgment is usually the preferred option over Grass Knot. The choice of move in the last slot generally depends on which Pokemon are more important to hit. Ice Beam allows Arceus to hit Dragon-types who would otherwise force Arceus out, such as Rayquaza, Latias, and Latios, although hitting Latias and Latios is fairly less significant, since Grass Arceus will usually lose to them anyway. Earth Power hits Heatran and Fire Arceus, and Flamethrower hits Scizor and Forretress. Alternatively, Grass Arceus can utilize Thunder to kill Ho-Oh and deal considerable damage against most Steel-types.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Kyogre works well as a teammate since it gets rid of Grass Arceus's main counters and complements it well in terms of synergy. Additionally, Pokemon such as Jirachi and Scizor help greatly against Latias and Latios and help eliminate Blissey and Shaymin-S; any of these Pokemon otherwise have a field day with Grass Arceus. Choice Scarf Palkia and Dialga are also good alternatives to revenge kill Latias and Latios; the former also drowns Steel-types with Surf.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Most of Grass Arceus's main options have already been listed. Thunder is a usable option to hit Ho-Oh, Grass Arceus's biggest fear. It also deals decent damage against most Steel-types and severely damages Flying Arceus. A mono-attacking Calm Mind set is plausible due to the fact that Arceus can create 101 HP substitutes, but it is generally not recommended; this is better off left to other Arceus types due to the mediocre coverage of Grass-type Judgment.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Ho-Oh is arguably Grass Arceus's biggest counter, as it can take the majority of its hits and threaten it with either Brave Bird or Sacred Fire. Fire or Flying Arceus can also come in and set up multiple Calm Minds in Grass Arceus's face, although they have to watch out for Earth Power and Ice Beam, respectively. Scizor can come in on any set lacking Flamethrower and U-turn out, hitting for super effective damage. Skarmory and Forretress also laugh in the face of Grass Arceus who lack Flamethrower, and can dole out Spikes as it struggles to deal any damage. Blissey fairs well against most sets, and can cripple Grass Arceus with Thunder Wave or Toxic, and repeatedly use Seismic Toss to wear Arceus down. Giratina can do well against variants not packing Ice Beam, and can either set up Calm Minds or Roar it out. Shaymin-S has trouble switching in on Thunder Wave and Ice Beams, but if it manages to switch in safely, can kill Grass Arceus with repeated Air Slashes. Latias and Latios dislike coming in on a Thunder Wave from Support Grass Arceus, but can come in on anything Calm Mind Grass Arceus can throw at it, and threaten to set up a sweep with their own Calm Mind.</p>
First time posting a skeleton analysis. So do mention any mistakes regarding the skeleton.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/arceus
Status:Done(?), currently awaiting possible third check.
GP checks: 2/2
Approval Stamps:3/3
Changes to consider:
-EDIT: Final opinion reached, JM is getting the slash.
====================
[Overview]
<p>The Creator dons a more soothing color when holding a Meadow Plate, and appears as though He's only the Master of zen and harmony. Don't be fooled by this welcoming appearance; the Mighty One is as quick to react to potential prey as the venus fly trap. Grass Arceus's Judgment crushes His behemoth children, Kyogre and Groudon, and He stands as sturdy as the statuesque sequoia. Grass Arceus may be green with envy of the defensive prowess of His other types, but He has a niche of resisting both Earthquake and Thunder. Quiver like a frail leaf in a mighty storm before the Master of the forest!</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Recover
move 3: Grass Knot / Judgment
move 4: Flamethrower / Earth Power / Ice Beam
item: Meadow Plate
nature: Timid
evs: 100 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Due to Grass Arceus's great bulk, resistances to common attacks in Ubers, and great utility in Thunder Wave, it can pull off a defensive set with ease. Grass Arceus possesses the ability to beat many common threats in the Uber metagame, such as Kyogre, Groudon, and Palkia. The backbone of this set however, is Thunder Wave. Grass Arceus's Grass typing can easily scare off the Ground-types that could otherwise absorb the incoming Thunder Wave. As a result, Thunder Wave is unrestricted in a sense, which means that it can easily cripple powerful threats without fearing potential Ground-type switch-ins. Arceus can also utilize its great bulk with Recover.</p>
<p>Grass Knot is preferred over Judgment for the ability to hit some of the more common Uber threats harder due to their general heavy stature. For example, with Judgement, Grass Arceus is unable to grab the guaranteed 2HKO on most Palkia that's provided by Grass Knot. Grass Knot also has higher PP than Judgment, which will often come in handy when so many threats have Pressure for an ability. The choice in the last slot depends on what you want to hit harder. Flamethrower helps to deal with Scizor and prevents Forretress from setting up Spikes, while Earth Power hits Heatran and Fire Arceus. Ice Beam hits Rayquaza and provides Arceus a way to damage Flying Arceus; both of the listed Pokemon are unable to come in on a Thunder Wave. A Bold nature can also be considered in lieu of Timid, since Thunder Wave allows Grass Arceus to outspeed most threats anyway.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Considering Grass Arceus's weakness to Fire-type attacks and inability to hit Steel-types (if you don't have Flamethrower), Kyogre makes an excellent partner for it. Kyogre has excellent synergy with Arceus, and can clean up the majority of its counters, such as Ho-Oh and most Steel-types. Scizor and Jirachi are also good partners to Arceus, as they are great counters against Blissey and Shaymin-S who would otherwise either cripple Arceus with a status ailment or, in Shaymin-S's case, KO Grass Arceus with Air Slash.</p>
<p>Ho-Oh is arguably this set's biggest fear, as it doesn't mind Thunder Wave, easily walls most of its attacks, and can heavily damage Arceus with a Brave Bird or Sacred Fire. Fire or Flying Arceus can also set up Calm Minds on Grass Arceus and threaten it with their respective Judgment; although, they risk being crippled by Thunder Wave. Defensive variants of Heatran don't really mind Thunder Wave, and can wall most of its attacks bar Earth Power with relative ease. Should you run Earth Power in the last slot, Pokemon such as Forretress and Skarmory can rack up multiple layers of Spikes on Grass Arceus without minding the paralysis from Thunder Wave. Scizor can also take advantage of the absence of Flamethrower and KO Grass Arceus with U-turn.</p>
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Recover
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Ice Beam / Earth Power / Flamethrower
item: Meadow Plate
nature: Timid
evs:100 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Grass Arceus works best as a defensive supporter, it is no slouch offensively. With its impressive bulk and pure Grass typing, Grass Arceus has the ability to rack up a few Calm Minds before securing a sweep. Additionally, its immunity to Trick means that it won't need to worry about being crippled for the rest of the match with a Choice item. Grass Arceus's typing isn't especially impressive offensively, particularly with the large number of Steel- and Dragon-types in the Uber metagame. However, Grass-type Judgment beats both Kyogre and Groudon at once, and allows Arceus to free up a moveslot.</p>
<p>Since beating Wobbuffet is much more important for Grass Arceus with Calm Mind, Judgment is usually the preferred option over Grass Knot. The choice of move in the last slot generally depends on which Pokemon are more important to hit. Ice Beam allows Arceus to hit Dragon-types who would otherwise force Arceus out, such as Rayquaza, Latias, and Latios, although hitting Latias and Latios is fairly less significant, since Grass Arceus will usually lose to them anyway. Earth Power hits Heatran and Fire Arceus, and Flamethrower hits Scizor and Forretress. Alternatively, Grass Arceus can utilize Thunder to kill Ho-Oh and deal considerable damage against most Steel-types.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Kyogre works well as a teammate since it gets rid of Grass Arceus's main counters and complements it well in terms of synergy. Additionally, Pokemon such as Jirachi and Scizor help greatly against Latias and Latios and help eliminate Blissey and Shaymin-S; any of these Pokemon otherwise have a field day with Grass Arceus. Choice Scarf Palkia and Dialga are also good alternatives to revenge kill Latias and Latios; the former also drowns Steel-types with Surf.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Most of Grass Arceus's main options have already been listed. Thunder is a usable option to hit Ho-Oh, Grass Arceus's biggest fear. It also deals decent damage against most Steel-types and severely damages Flying Arceus. A mono-attacking Calm Mind set is plausible due to the fact that Arceus can create 101 HP substitutes, but it is generally not recommended; this is better off left to other Arceus types due to the mediocre coverage of Grass-type Judgment.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Ho-Oh is arguably Grass Arceus's biggest counter, as it can take the majority of its hits and threaten it with either Brave Bird or Sacred Fire. Fire or Flying Arceus can also come in and set up multiple Calm Minds in Grass Arceus's face, although they have to watch out for Earth Power and Ice Beam, respectively. Scizor can come in on any set lacking Flamethrower and U-turn out, hitting for super effective damage. Skarmory and Forretress also laugh in the face of Grass Arceus who lack Flamethrower, and can dole out Spikes as it struggles to deal any damage. Blissey fairs well against most sets, and can cripple Grass Arceus with Thunder Wave or Toxic, and repeatedly use Seismic Toss to wear Arceus down. Giratina can do well against variants not packing Ice Beam, and can either set up Calm Minds or Roar it out. Shaymin-S has trouble switching in on Thunder Wave and Ice Beams, but if it manages to switch in safely, can kill Grass Arceus with repeated Air Slashes. Latias and Latios dislike coming in on a Thunder Wave from Support Grass Arceus, but can come in on anything Calm Mind Grass Arceus can throw at it, and threaten to set up a sweep with their own Calm Mind.</p>