Harpp
No rain, no flowers.
Steel
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Jirachi also has the option to utilize a bulky Calm Mind set and pose as a sturdier sweeper, taking advantage of defensive cores to set up and break Water- and Flying-type teams with more reliability compared to the Z-Happy Hour set with its one-time boost. However, Calm Mind Jirachi is vulnerable to fast revenge killers such as Landorus-T and does not immediately threaten teams.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind (Steel)
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Psychic / Psyshock
move 4: Thunderbolt
item: Leftovers
ability: Serene Grace
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 120 SpA / 136 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Substitute allows Jirachi to safely set up against defensive Pokemon such as Toxapex and makes it harder for opposing Pokemon such as Mega Sharpedo and Greninja to revenge kill. It also protects Jirachi from status moves such as Leech Seed and Thunder Wave. Calm Mind allows Jirachi to hit hard and act as a bulky sweeper due to its already decent stats, making it harder to revenge kill. Psychic is used to beat Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Toxapex, Nidoking, and Kommo-o, all of which are hard for Steel-type teams to beat. Psyshock may be used over Psychic to beat opposing Calm Mind users such as Suicune and get past dedicated special walls such as Chansey. Thunderbolt is useful for taking out Water- and Flying-types such as Mantine, Mega Sharpedo, and Celesteela that are not threatened by Psychic.
Set Details
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Maximum HP investment increases Jirachi's overall bulk and aids it in setting up. It also allows Jirachi to create 101 HP Substitutes, which cannot be broken by a Seismic Toss from Chansey. 136 Speed EVs with a Timid nature are used to outspeed Suicune, Nidoking, and Substitute Zapdos, allowing Jirachi to set up on or beat such Pokemon. The rest of the EVs are used in its Special Attack stat to make it hit harder. Leftovers gives Jirachi a form of passive recovery, allowing it to set up Calm Mind and Substitute more effectively.
Usage Tips
========
This Jirachi set works best mid- to late-game when some of its checks and counters such as Swampert, Alolan Muk, and Gliscor are weakened or taken out by its teammates. At this point, Jirachi can attempt to set up on passive Pokemon that cannot threaten it such as Toxapex, Mantine, and Mega Venusaur. Jirachi can also set up a Substitute on a forced switch against Pokemon like Mega Venusaur. Status such as Scald burns or paralysis should be avoided, as the former negates Leftovers recovery, and the latter makes Jirachi unable to act as an effective sweeper. Jirachi can set up a Substitute against defensive Pokemon such as Celesteela to safeguard itself from status moves such as Leech Seed and set up Calm Mind freely.
Team Options
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Heatran is a great teammate, as it not only provides Jirachi with a Fire-type immunity to take care of threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona but can also provide utility support in the form of Stealth Rock. In return, Jirachi takes care of Water- and Poison-types that Heatran struggles to beat like Mantine and Nidoking. Choice Scarf Excadrill can check Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y, Volcarona, Tapu Koko, and Zeraora for Jirachi. Thanks to its ability Mold Breaker, Excadrill can cripple threats to Jirachi like Mega Sableye with Toxic and help to wear down its checks. Using Leech Seed and Toxic, Celesteela can weaken defensive cores for Jirachi, take care of threats like Mega Gallade for it, and provide a crucial Ground-type immunity. Celesteela can also utilize an Assault Vest set to beat Ground-type Pokemon such as Landorus, Garchomp, and Excadrill that threaten Jirachi. Ferrothorn provides a resistance to Water and can take on Pokemon like Manaphy for Jirachi. It can additionally set up Spikes and Leech Seed to wear down opposing teams as well as beat Ground-types like Swampert and Gastrodon with Power Whip. Choice Scarf Magnezone can beat threats like Keldeo and provide Volt Switch support for Jirachi. It can check Ground-types like Gliscor and Landorus with Hidden Power Ice as well. Lucario can beat Dark- and Steel-types such as Bisharp, Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Heatran that Jirachi struggles to beat. Mega Scizor appreciates Jirachi taking care of bulky Water-type Pokemon like Toxapex and Mantine, which Mega Scizor struggles to break past. In return, Mega Scizor can act as a secondary wincon and deal with Psychic- and Dark-types such as Mega Gallade and Alolan Muk that Jirachi struggles against. Bisharp can wallbreak teams for Jirachi and beat Psychic-type Pokemon like Victini.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Steel
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Hidden Power Ice can be used over Substitute to beat threats such as Gliscor and Landorus on a switch; however, not using Substitute makes Jirachi more susceptible to revenge killers such as Mega Sharpedo and Greninja.
Checks and Counters
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Steel
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**Haze Users and Phazers:** Pokemon that can remove stat boosts pressure Jirachi. Pokemon like Toxapex and Mantine pressure it with Haze, while the likes of Swampert and Skarmory can force it out with Roar and Whirlwind. However, they should all be wary of Jirachi's Calm Mind set, as it can beat Toxapex and Mantine and wear down Pokemon such as Swampert and Skarmory throughout the battle.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Harpp, 320110]]
- Steel analysis by: [[Harpp, 320110]]
- Quality checked by: [[Maroon, 305839], [KevinELF, 314540], [Moosical, 215618]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Electrolyte, 148071], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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