[OVERVIEW]
Necrozma is a dangerous sweeper in UU thanks to its offensive versatility, allowing it to bypass traditional answers like Chansey and Celesteela with its unpredictability. Its Meteor Beam set is a powerful sweeper that can run through metagame staples like Rotom-W and Salamence. On the other hand, its Dragon Dance set is equally as potent, allowing it to lure in and beat answers to the Meteor Beam set like Chansey and Assault Vest Reuniclus. Its Calm Mind set can utilize its high bulk to act as a sweeper while also blanket checking threats like Lycanroc-D. Necrozma's high natural bulk and Prism Armor allow it to set up on many Pokemon like Nihilego and non-Leech Life Buzzwole as well as take super effective hits from threats like Lycanroc-D and even Aegislash. Necrozma also has a solid matchup against common entry hazard removers like Salamence and Tentacruel, letting it act as an offensive Stealth Rock setter capable of supporting its team. However, Necrozma heavily dislikes status from threats like Chansey and Aegislash, which limits its chance to sweep. Necrozma is also limited by the number of faster threats in the tier like Zarude, Krookodile, and Thundurus, which can hinder it from setting up and sweeping through teams. Overreliance on Power Herb on Necrozma's Meteor Beam set makes it hard to pull off a sweep at times with Pokemon like Krookodile being common, while both Dragon Dance and Calm Mind sets can be worn down before they can accumulate multiple boosts.
[SET]
name: Meteor Beam
move 1: Meteor Beam
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Autotomize / Stealth Rock
item: Power Herb
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
In conjunction with Power Herb, Meteor Beam is a powerful attack capable of wiping out Pokemon like Salamence, Galarian Moltres, and Incineroar while simultaneously giving Necrozma a boost to its Special Attack in one turn. Since Power Herb is single use, it should be saved until special walls like Chansey are gone. Photon Geyser is Necrozma's primary move to power through many Pokemon like Keldeo and Amoonguss. It is also able to ignore abilities like Quagsire's Unaware. Heat Wave melts Steel-types like Aegislash and Jirachi as well as Grass-types like Zarude and Tangrowth. It is also Necrozma's most reliable option for damaging Krookodile and Hatterene. Autotomize lets Necrozma boost its Speed to outpace the fastest Choice Scarf users in Zarude and Mienshao as well as Pokemon like Seismitoad under rain. Alternatively, Necrozma can utilize Stealth Rock to act as an entry hazard setter for its team thanks to its good matchup against common entry hazard removers like Salamence and Rotom-H. Modest is the preferred nature to maximize damage output, since after an Autotomize, Necrozma outspeeds the fastest Choice Scarf users. Even if Stealth Rock is chosen, Modest is still preferred, since Necrozma doesn't miss out on many important Speed tiers.
Necrozma best fits on offense teams as a late-game cleaner once its answers have been removed. Entry hazard support from Pokemon like Krookodile, Nihilego, and Kommo-o wears down Pokemon like Celesteela and Hatterene for Necrozma to break through them more easily and allows Necrozma to drop Stealth Rock for Autotomize. Krookodile and Nihilego can also cripple special walls like Assault Vest Galarian Slowbro and Reuniclus with Knock Off. Early-game wallbreakers like Belly Drum Azumarill, Life Orb Buzzwole, and Diggersby can muscle through special walls like Chansey and Assault Vest Reuniclus for Necrozma. Buzzwole in particular can break through Umbreon, a hard counter to Necrozma, as well as answer faster threats like Mienshao, Krookodile, and Zarude for it. Pivots like Thundurus and Mienshao can bring in Necrozma on Pokemon it can set up on like Amoonguss and Buzzwole. Thundurus can also remove items like Eviolite from Chansey, while Mienshao can threaten Umbreon for Necrozma. Both can take on faster threats like Galarian Moltres and Krookodile for it as well. Sticky Web support from Ribombee help offset Necrozma's average Speed tier, allowing it to forego Autotomize for Stealth Rock if the team needs to as well as outspeed and remove threats like Keldeo, Lycanroc-D, and even Barraskewda under rain if it manages to get an Autotomize off beforehand.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Earthquake
item: Lum Berry / Weakness Policy
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragon Dance boosts Necrozma's Attack to incredible levels, letting it power through Pokemon like Buzzwole, Rhyperior, and Moltres. X-Scissor OHKOes Zarude and deals great damage to Krookodile, Reuniclus, and Tangrowth, and Earthquake bypasses Steel-types such as Aegislash and Jirachi. It is also Necrozma's best option to damage threats like Hatterene and Entei. With Lum Berry, Necrozma can set up on Pokemon like Amoonguss, Rotom-W, and Chansey, which would normally stay in to cripple it with status. Alternatively, since Prism Armor lets Necrozma take weak super effective hits like Knock Off from Thundurus and Nihilego with ease, Necrozma can employ a Weakness Policy to get a huge boost to its Attack. Adamant is the preferred nature, since Necrozma outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame barring Choice Scarf users like Krookodile after a Dragon Dance.
This set also fits on offense teams as a powerful late-game sweeper. Celesteela is problematic for this particular set, so powerful wallbreakers like Buzzwole and Thundurus-T can remove it. Buzzwole also helps check Krookodile for Necrozma, and both of them can wear down walls like Aegislash, Chansey, and Primarina for Necrozma to bypass them more easily. Sticky Web support from Ribombee help offset Necrozma's average Speed tier, allowing it to outspeed Choice Scarf users like Mienshao and Zarude after a Dragon Dance. Other entry hazard support from Pokemon like Krookodile and Roserade wears down Pokemon like Celesteela and Hatterene. Zarude and the aforementioned Krookodile can also check Aegislash, a Pokemon Necrozma struggles with if it is healthy. Dark-type checks like Primarina and Azumarill make great partners for Necrozma, beating threats like Umbreon, Krookodile, and Galarian Moltres. Psychic Terrain support from Indeedee-F allows Necrozma to boost its damage output without fearing priority from Azumarill or Lycanroc-D if weakened. It also can provide Healing Wish support to patch up Necrozma, allowing it to sweep later in the game.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Moonlight
item: Colbur Berry
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 108 Def / 44 SpA / 104 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Necrozma can set up with Calm Mind against Pokemon that cannot OHKO it like Thundurus and Nihilego, making it harder to bypass with by special attacking threats such as Primarina and Salamence as well as more threatening to Aegislash. Heat Wave provides crucial coverage against Steel-types like Aegislash and Jirachi. It is also Necrozma's best option to damage Dark-types like Zarude and Krookodile. Moonlight allows Necrozma to sustain itself throughout a match, although its limited PP means it should be used conservatively. Colbur Berry allows Necrozma to take Dark-type attacks from Pokemon like Lycanroc-D and Zarude and retaliate with a powerful attack. It also can limit the power of Knock Off from Krookodile, letting Necrozma set up on it. Leftovers is an alternative option that lets Necrozma preserve more longevity as it tries setting up. Even if Necrozma's Colbur Berry gets used up, the given HP and Defense EVs allow it to avoid the 2HKO from Lycanroc-D's Crunch and Zarude's Darkest Lariat. 104 Speed EVs let Necrozma outspeed Swords Dance Aegislash, with the rest put into Special Attack to boost its damage output.
This set best fits on bulky offense and balance teams that appreciate Necrozma acting as a late-game sweeper. Dark-types like Umbreon, Krookodile, and Galarian Moltres are problematic for this set, so wallbreakers like Mienshao and Azumarill can remove them. They also have the added benefit of removing items with Knock Off and special walls like Chansey for Necrozma. Entry hazard support from Pokemon like Krookodile and Nihilego wears down threats like Aegislash and Primarina. Similarly, entry hazard removers like Salamence, Rotom-W, and Tentacruel are great for keeping Necrozma from getting worn down, allowing it to conserve Moonlight PP when absolutely needed. Tentacruel can remove items from threats like Aegislash and Chansey with Knock Off and check Chandelure, while Salamence handles Zarude. Pivots like the previously mentioned Rotom-W and Zarude can bring Necrozma in against Pokemon it can set up on like Amoonguss, Buzzwole, and Kommo-o. Rotom-W can also check Starmie, while Zarude can remove Aegislash. Heal Bell support from Togekiss allows Necrozma to not worry about its setup attempts being hindered by status. Assault Vest Tangrowth and Buzzwole can serve as great defensive pivots for Necrozma, switching in on powerful wallbreakers like Keldeo and Choice Band Krookodile.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Necrozma can run Expanding force over Photon Geyser on its Meteor Beam set on Psychic Terrain teams for more devastating damage, but the limited viability of the playstyle and reliance on Terrain being active make Photon Geyser the preferred option. It can also run a defensive utility set with Stealth Rock, Knock Off, and Thunder Wave, but Jirachi can utilize this set better with its additional Steel typing and U-turn, even if lacking Knock Off. A final option is a Stored Power set with Cosmic Power or Calm Mind to boost Necrozma's stats, but it lacks the dangerous immediate sweeping potential of Necrozma's other sets and can be inconsistent at times.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Choice Scarf Krookodile and Zarude can easily revenge kill Necrozma, even at +1 Speed from Dragon Dance. However, if Necrozma uses Autotomize, it can threaten them before they attack. Umbreon can tank hits from all sets and cripple it with Toxic. Although it must watch out for Meteor Beam, Galarian Moltres's high special bulk lets it take on Necrozma.
**Special Walls**: Special walls like Chansey and Assault Vest Reuniclus can take on the Meteor Beam set with ease. However, both must watch out for the Dragon Dance set. Celesteela walls the Dragon Dance set and can take a boosted Heat Wave while wearing down Necrozma with Leech Seed, but it can get overwhelmed easily. Hatterene can take boosted attacks from Necrozma and lower its Special Attack with Mystical Fire.
**Status**: Status is detrimental to Necrozma's attempts to sweep, so moves like Thunder Wave from Togekiss and Toxic from Aegislash and Chansey greatly hinder it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Monky25, 515132]]
- Quality checked by: [[Twilight, 344575], [Hilomilo, 313384], [KM, 180416]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Lumari, 232216], [DC, 449990]]
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