[OVERVIEW]
Jirachi's wide movepool, great utility options like Healing Wish, and amazing ability in Serene Grace make it a potent and versatile force in UU. Serene Grace gives Iron Head a high chance to flinch slower foes like Hydreigon, making Choice Scarf Jirachi extremely difficult to deal with for offensive teams. Additionally, Jirachi's above average bulk and great defensive typing allow it to check threats like Nihilego and Hatterene. Jirachi can fulfill a wide variety of roles on teams, whether it's revenge killing threats like Azelf with Choice Scarf, providing great utility in the form of Stealth Rock and Healing Wish, or healing its team with Wish. However, Jirachi's reliance on Leftovers for checking Pokemon like Salamence and Hatterene makes it susceptible to Knock Off from Nihilego and Tangrowth. Jirachi has only average offensive stats, making it very reliant on Iron Head flinches to make progress against foes it lacks coverage for, with common defensive staples like Aegislash, Excadrill, and Amoonguss walling it regardless.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Trick / Ice Punch
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Scarf Jirachi is a potent revenge killer, outspeeding threats like Lycanroc-D, Azelf, and +1 Dragon Dance Gyarados. Iron Head can OHKO Pokemon like Nihilego and Lycanroc-D and, in conjunction with Serene Grance, possibly break through Pokemon like Hydreigon and Primarina with flinches. U-turn gets momentum against switch-ins like Aegislash and Excadrill as well as Pokemon it may not have coverage for like Gyarados and Thundurus-T. Trick lets Jirachi cripple defensive Pokemon like Chansey and Slowking, but losing Choice Scarf compromises Jirachi's ability to revenge kill Pokemon like Azelf and Zarude, so it should be used wisely. Ice Punch is an option to nail Thundurus-T and Salamence, while Thunder Punch more reliably beats Gyarados and Azumarill. Zen Headbutt lets Jirachi slam Amoonguss and Conkeldurr. However, locking into coverage moves leaves Jirachi open to threats like Aegislash and Excadrill. Jirachi can utilize Healing Wish late-game to give a teammate another chance to sweep or defensively answer a threat.
Choice Scarf Jirachi fits on balance and bulky offense teams, which appreciate its revenge killing capabilities and Healing Wish. Zarude makes an excellent partner for it, completely blanking Slowking and Substitute + Toxic Aegislash , threatening Excadrill, and absorbing status and Knock Off. Amoonguss can also absorb Knock Off and can check faster threats like Choice Scarf Zarude. Wallbreakers like Thundurus-T, Conkeldurr, and Hydreigon can be brought in via U-turn on checks like Moltres, Excadrill, and Tangrowth. They all can benefit from Healing Wish too. Moltres forms a solid pivoting core with Jirachi, with each bringing the other in on their answers. Moltres also helps check Celesteela, Excadrill, and Amoonguss, while Jirachi can revenge kill threats like Nihilego and Lycanroc-D. Moltres and Excadrill can provide entry hazard control to keep Jirachi from getting worn down. Entry hazard support from Nihilego and Krookodile helps Jirachi wear down Pokemon like Primarina and Hatterene more easily. Nihilego can also check Mandibuzz, while Krookodile can revenge kill Aegislash and Excadrill.
[SET]
name: Wish + Protect
move 1: Wish
move 2: Protect
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: U-turn
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 16 SpD / 240 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Wish keeps Jirachi healthy throughout a match, allowing it to check threats like Salamence and Hatterene more reliably. Jirachi can pass Wish to teammates that lack reliable recovery like Swampert. It distinguishes itself from Umbreon in this role thanks to U-turn, which makes passing Wishes easier. U-turn also allows Jirachi to pivot out against threats like Aegislash and Mandibuzz. Protect ensures Jirachi will receive its Wishand nets more Leftovers recovery. It also lets Jirachi scout Choice-locked threats like Zygarde-10% and Primarina. 240 Speed EVs let Jirachi outspeed Hydreigon, with the remaining EVs put in Special Defense and HP to better check Pokemon like Salamence and Nihilego.
This set best fits on balance teams, which appreciate Jirachi healing the team with Wish while bringing teammates in safely with U-turn. Wallbreakers that get worn down easily like Mamoswine and Conkeldurr greatly enjoy Wish, and U-turn can bring them in on targets like Celesteela and Aegislash. Rhyperior, Diancie, and Swampert check threats like Galarian Moltres, Thundurus-T, and Rotom-H. They enjoy Jirachi offsetting their lack of recovery with Wish support in return. The former two can also act as secondary checks to Salamence and Togekiss, with Diancie supporting Jirachi with Heal Bell as well. Amoonguss can check Zarude and absorb Knock Off for Jirachi. Moltres also checks Zarude and can beat Steel-types like Aegislash and Skarmory that Jirachi lures in. Zarude can bring Jirachi in safely to use Wish against Zarude's checks like Togekiss while also removing Aegislash and Slowking. Rotom-W forms a great defensive core with Jirachi, being able to check threats like Moltres and Starmie. It also enjoys having the freedom to run Defog or Will-O-Wisp over Pain Split. Tentacruel and Excadrill can clear Spikes, while Jirachi can offset their lack of recovery.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 16 SpD / 240 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
U-turn generates momentum against switch-ins like Aegislash and Moltres. Jirachi can easily get Stealth Rock up against many Pokemon it forces out like Nihilego and Mamoswine, making it a solid Stealth Rock setter. Healing Wish is used late-game to enable a teammate's sweep or ability to check a threat. Body Slam can be used over Healing Wish to cripple switch-ins like Moltres and Swampert. Thunder Wave can be used for its greater consistency and to cripple Moltres without risking a Flame Body burn, but Jirachi will be unable to cripple Ground-types like Krookodile and Nidoking, making Body Slam preferred. Psychic can be used to 2HKO Conkeldurr, Amoonguss, and Nidoking. 240 Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature let Jirachi outspeed Hydreigon, with the rest put in Special Defense and HP to better answer Nihilego and Salamence.
This set works best on bulky offense teams, which appreciate Jirachi's supportive capabilities. Salamence is an excellent partner for Jirachi, pressuring Pokemon like Excadrill and Tangrowth. In return, Jirachi helps take on Fairy- and Rock-types like Hatterene, Togekiss, and Nihilego. Amoonguss can absorb Knock Off for Jirachi and check threats like Zarude and Swampert. Wallbreakers like Thundurus-T and Choice Specs Primarina appreciate Jirachi's U-turn getting them in against Pokemon like Celesteela and Moltres. They also appreciate Jirachi providing Stealth Rock to soften up checks like Tapu Bulu and Slowking. Jirachi can form a potent VoltTurn core with Rotom-H and Rotom-W, as they can force out threats to Jirachi like Moltres and Celesteela. They can also provide Defog support to prevent Spikes from wearing Jirachi down. Late-game sweepers like Galarian Moltres and Gyarados appreciate Jirachi's Healing Wish and, in return, can KO Aegislash and Moltres.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder is an option on Jirachi's Stealth Rock set to spread paralysis and allows Jirachi to beat Moltres and Skarmory, but it is difficult to fit over more useful moves. Jirachi can run a Substitute + Toxic set to wear down switch-ins like Rotom-W and Tangrowth, with Iron Head flinches accelerating Toxic damage, but it requires lots of team support, including removing Rocky Helmet and dealing with Toxic walls like Tentacruel and Zarude. Additionally, Jirachi faces heavy competition from SubToxic Aegislash due to it having better defensive stats and King's Shield to make progress. Jirachi can utilize a special attacker set with Meteor Beam to lure in and remove common switch-ins like Moltres and Rotom-H. However, this set struggles cover everything. Jirachi can use Calm Mind sets to sweep on hyper offense teams, but these also struggle to choose their coverage. Jirachi can utilize a mixed set, which can notably KO Amoonguss with Psychic while nailing Hatterene with Iron Head, but it lacks in power compared to other offensive Psychic-types like Azelf. Jirachi can run Stored Power sets with Calm Mind and Weakness Policy to accumulate many boosts and sweep, but these sets struggle to get past Aegislash and can be ineffective without many boosts.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Rotom-H, Moltres, and Chandelure take very little from Jirachi's attacks and can force it out with their powerful STAB attacks. Jirachi especially dislikes a burn from Moltres's Flame Body. However, none of them like Jirachi using Trick to remove their Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Steel-types**: Celesteela takes very little from Jirachi's attacks and can wear it down with Leech Seed + Flamethrower. Aegislash walls Jirachi and can use it as setup fodder or force it out. Excadrill also walls Jirachi and can devastate it with Earthquake. Cobalion and Skarmory can set entry hazards in front of Jirachi and chip it with Rocky Helmet recoil, though they dislike Trick and Thunder Wave.
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types like Rotom-W, Seismitoad, and Swampert take very little from Jirachi's attacks and can cripple it or decently damage it. Volcanion quadruply resists Jirachi's Iron Head and can force it out. Slowking only fears Trick from Jirachi and can cripple it with a Scald burn.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types like Zarude, Krookodile, and Hydreigon offensively threaten Jirachi and force it out. Zarude and Choice Scarf sets of the latter two can revenge kill non-Choice Scarf Jirachi, with Choice Scarf Zarude outspeeding Choice Scarf variants as well. Mandibuzz and Umbreon don't mind Iron Head much and can wear it down with Foul Play. The latter also uses Inner Focus to block flinches and freely pass Wish to its teammates.
**Knock Off**: Pokemon carrying Knock Off like Tangrowth and Azelf can remove Leftovers to cripple defensive Jirachi, especially sets without Wish. Choice Scarf Jirachi becomes a much worse revenge killer without its item and can struggle to use Trick and Healing Wish effectively.
**Residual Damage and Status**: Due to Jirachi lacking reliable one-turn recovery, it is prone to getting worn down by entry hazards like Spikes as well as Rocky Helmet users like Skarmory, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss. Jirachi also hates burns and paralysis from Pokemon like Moltres and Rotom-W, with paralysis making it hard to outspeed threats like Krookodile and leverage U-turn.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Monky25, 515132]]
- Quality checked by: [[Twilight, 344575], [Hilomilo, 313384], [Estarossa, 461329], [KM, 180416]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
Last edited:
