[SET]
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Psycho Boost / Skill Swap
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
tera type: Ghost / Steel
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
With its unmatched Speed stat, access to both Spikes and Stealth Rock, and ability to shut down opposing leads with Taunt, Deoxys-S is a premier entry hazard-setting lead for hyper offense teams in the OU metagame. Taunt is its greatest virtue, allowing it to prevent leads like Glimmora and Ting-Lu from setting their own hazards. This also serves to deny dual screens from opposing Deoxys-S and Alolan Ninetales, stop setup sweepers like Volcarona, Gouging Fire, Raging Bolt, and Kingambit from using it as setup fodder, and prevent Cinderace from using Court Change on its hazards. Deoxys-S's last moveslot is more flexible; Psycho Boost gives Deoxys-S a high power STAB option to reliably deal damage, notably improving the matchup against lead Glimmora by preventing it from using Mortal Spin against Deoxys-S for free while also threatening to OHKO Great Tusk. Alternatively, Skill Swap is an option that allows for Deoxys-S to get up entry hazards against Hatterene by removing its Magic Bounce while also having the potential to remove Gliscor's Poison Heal and Serperior's Contrary to give a partner free turns to set up after Deoxys-S goes down, particularly in conjunction with Taunt to deny their Toxic and Glare respectively. Focus Sash is Deoxys-S's best item choice, potentially allowing it to set up multiple layers of hazards while also giving it insurance to take a hit and safely use Taunt on an opposing lead, but Mental Herb can instead be considered to block Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S and win the lead matchup. An EV spread maximizing Speed with a Timid nature is optimal for the tie with opposing Deoxys-S, while maximum Special Attack is selected to power up a set using Psycho Boost; for Skill Swap Deoxys-S, maximum HP is used instead. Tera Ghost is optimal on Deoxys-S for its ability to block Rapid Spin from Iron Treads, Torkoal, and Excadrill, while Tera Steel is a more niche option that grants it an immunity to Glimmora's Mortal Spin.
Deoxys-S is an excellent fit on hyper offense teams that appreciate both entry hazards being set on the opponent's side of the field and hazards being denied in return by Taunt. This makes setup sweepers like Raging Bolt, Gouging Fire, and Kingambit great pairings, as hazards can be used to wear down their checks like Ting-Lu and Great Tusk; these Pokemon themselves also enjoy hazards being kept off of their side of the field, with the latter two in particular appreciating the freedom to use a boosting item or Leftovers. Another offensive threat that enjoys hazards being able to wear down switch-ins is Dragon Dance Roaring Moon, itself able to remove Heavy-Duty Boots from targets like Dondozo with Knock Off to take full advantage of Deoxys-S's hazards. Many other offensive sweepers benefit greatly from hazard support from Deoxys-S, with Volcarona, Darkrai, and Iron Valiant all being fantastic partners that take advantage of checks like Ting-Lu, Heatran, and Primarina being forced to take hazard damage. Deoxys-S's strongest partner in this regard though is Gholdengo, which crucially blocks Rapid Spin from the likes of Great Tusk and Iron Treads along with Defog from Corviknight to ensure that Deoxys-S's hazards remain on the field for the rest of the game even after Deoxys-S goes down. Gholdengo additionally benefits from hazard support itself, as both Ting-Lu and Kingambit taking hazards upon switching into it can assist it greatly with breaking through a team. Unfortunately, despite Deoxys-S possessing the highest unboosted Speed in the tier, it does have some less than positive lead matchups; Booster Energy Iron Treads is able to outrun Deoxys-S and set up Stealth Rock against it while being able to remove Deoxys-S's hazards with Rapid Spin unless it chooses to Tera Ghost, and Hisuian Samurott can set Spikes with Ceaseless Edge regardless of Taunt before potentially picking Deoxys-S off with Aqua Jet after bringing it down to its Focus Sash. Forms of hazard removal that are still able to fit well onto a hyper offensive team are therefore appreciated, with Bulk Up Great Tusk able to provide excellent role compression as both a sweeper and a hazard remover with Rapid Spin. Strong priority users like Rillaboom and Dragonite can also choose to lead off and prevent Deoxys-S from being able to get up a second layer of hazards with their priority attacks; Booster Energy Iron Boulder can use Swords Dance on Deoxys-S before it can use Taunt without fearing a Psycho Boost; and specially defensive Pelipper is able to safely use U-turn on Deoxys-S to break its Focus Sash, bring in a Swift Swim user like Barraskewda, and deny more than one layer of hazards. Hence, offensive checks to these Pokemon such as Rillaboom and Dragonite themselves, Great Tusk, and Kingambit can help to patch up those matchups, with the latter three able to not only force out these threats but take advantage of them with their own setup options.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/kd458.633798/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zastra.558636/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/marnie.493260/
name: Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Psycho Boost / Skill Swap
item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
tera type: Ghost / Steel
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
With its unmatched Speed stat, access to both Spikes and Stealth Rock, and ability to shut down opposing leads with Taunt, Deoxys-S is a premier entry hazard-setting lead for hyper offense teams in the OU metagame. Taunt is its greatest virtue, allowing it to prevent leads like Glimmora and Ting-Lu from setting their own hazards. This also serves to deny dual screens from opposing Deoxys-S and Alolan Ninetales, stop setup sweepers like Volcarona, Gouging Fire, Raging Bolt, and Kingambit from using it as setup fodder, and prevent Cinderace from using Court Change on its hazards. Deoxys-S's last moveslot is more flexible; Psycho Boost gives Deoxys-S a high power STAB option to reliably deal damage, notably improving the matchup against lead Glimmora by preventing it from using Mortal Spin against Deoxys-S for free while also threatening to OHKO Great Tusk. Alternatively, Skill Swap is an option that allows for Deoxys-S to get up entry hazards against Hatterene by removing its Magic Bounce while also having the potential to remove Gliscor's Poison Heal and Serperior's Contrary to give a partner free turns to set up after Deoxys-S goes down, particularly in conjunction with Taunt to deny their Toxic and Glare respectively. Focus Sash is Deoxys-S's best item choice, potentially allowing it to set up multiple layers of hazards while also giving it insurance to take a hit and safely use Taunt on an opposing lead, but Mental Herb can instead be considered to block Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S and win the lead matchup. An EV spread maximizing Speed with a Timid nature is optimal for the tie with opposing Deoxys-S, while maximum Special Attack is selected to power up a set using Psycho Boost; for Skill Swap Deoxys-S, maximum HP is used instead. Tera Ghost is optimal on Deoxys-S for its ability to block Rapid Spin from Iron Treads, Torkoal, and Excadrill, while Tera Steel is a more niche option that grants it an immunity to Glimmora's Mortal Spin.
Deoxys-S is an excellent fit on hyper offense teams that appreciate both entry hazards being set on the opponent's side of the field and hazards being denied in return by Taunt. This makes setup sweepers like Raging Bolt, Gouging Fire, and Kingambit great pairings, as hazards can be used to wear down their checks like Ting-Lu and Great Tusk; these Pokemon themselves also enjoy hazards being kept off of their side of the field, with the latter two in particular appreciating the freedom to use a boosting item or Leftovers. Another offensive threat that enjoys hazards being able to wear down switch-ins is Dragon Dance Roaring Moon, itself able to remove Heavy-Duty Boots from targets like Dondozo with Knock Off to take full advantage of Deoxys-S's hazards. Many other offensive sweepers benefit greatly from hazard support from Deoxys-S, with Volcarona, Darkrai, and Iron Valiant all being fantastic partners that take advantage of checks like Ting-Lu, Heatran, and Primarina being forced to take hazard damage. Deoxys-S's strongest partner in this regard though is Gholdengo, which crucially blocks Rapid Spin from the likes of Great Tusk and Iron Treads along with Defog from Corviknight to ensure that Deoxys-S's hazards remain on the field for the rest of the game even after Deoxys-S goes down. Gholdengo additionally benefits from hazard support itself, as both Ting-Lu and Kingambit taking hazards upon switching into it can assist it greatly with breaking through a team. Unfortunately, despite Deoxys-S possessing the highest unboosted Speed in the tier, it does have some less than positive lead matchups; Booster Energy Iron Treads is able to outrun Deoxys-S and set up Stealth Rock against it while being able to remove Deoxys-S's hazards with Rapid Spin unless it chooses to Tera Ghost, and Hisuian Samurott can set Spikes with Ceaseless Edge regardless of Taunt before potentially picking Deoxys-S off with Aqua Jet after bringing it down to its Focus Sash. Forms of hazard removal that are still able to fit well onto a hyper offensive team are therefore appreciated, with Bulk Up Great Tusk able to provide excellent role compression as both a sweeper and a hazard remover with Rapid Spin. Strong priority users like Rillaboom and Dragonite can also choose to lead off and prevent Deoxys-S from being able to get up a second layer of hazards with their priority attacks; Booster Energy Iron Boulder can use Swords Dance on Deoxys-S before it can use Taunt without fearing a Psycho Boost; and specially defensive Pelipper is able to safely use U-turn on Deoxys-S to break its Focus Sash, bring in a Swift Swim user like Barraskewda, and deny more than one layer of hazards. Hence, offensive checks to these Pokemon such as Rillaboom and Dragonite themselves, Great Tusk, and Kingambit can help to patch up those matchups, with the latter three able to not only force out these threats but take advantage of them with their own setup options.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/kd458.633798/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zastra.558636/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/marnie.493260/
Last edited:
