[Overview]
<p>With the departure of Deoxys-D leaving OU, Xatu's niche may have fallen but that still doesn't mean it is useless. Magic Bounce is still effective as ever by bouncing back entry hazards, status, and also being a nuisance to stall teams. The transition to BW2 brought Technician Breloom and the bird is one of the best checks to it by bouncing back Spore and resistance to both of its STAB moves. Unlike other flying-types, Xatu's stealth rock weakness is alleviated as well with correct prediction. However, it is still forced out by a couple of offensive stealth rock users such as Terrakion and Landorus-T. Even with max investment, Xatu still has mediocre defenses and is simultaneously weak to Pursuit. It even suffers competition with Espeon who is one tier above it. After hearing all these flaws, it looks like you're saying, "Xatu stinks and Espeon is way better". Well, to say that would be an overstatement. Unlike Espeon, Xatu actually has reliable recovery in Roost unlike that weather-dependent morning sun and actually doesn't slow down the team's momentum. Xatu also can take down the majority of steels in the metagame with Heat Wave. It may seem Xatu is the new soul of hyper-offense. Although Xatu has these flaws, it shall not disappoint.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Toxic
move 2: Roost
move 3: Heat Wave / Night Shade
move 4: U-turn
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is Xatu's peanut butter and jelly. The main role of this set is to bounce back hazards, scatter status, prevent hazards from going on your side, healing, and gaining momentum. Toxic is the main move on the set that lets it break down walls like Hippowdon, Chansey, Donphan. Toxic is very useful move for Xatu because all it will be doing will be sitting there and having stalemate without it. Roost is for healing off damage you may have taken. Roost also lets you stall PP from move such as Stone Edge, Gyro Ball, and Extremespeed. The attacking move is a hard pick. Heat Wave lets you take down steels who are immune to Toxic, but Night shade allows you to cause consistent damage. Remember to run Impish nature when using Night Shade. On a sun team, Heat Wave is preferred because it gets a pseudo-STAB boost. U-turn is that last move and is very useful to gain momentum and helping take less hit points from Scarf Tyranitar's Pursuit.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p> The following speed EVs let it out speed neutral-natured base 70s like Breloom and also retain maximum physical bulk as possible. Most of these pokemon are hitted with super-effective damage by Heat Wave. Xatu is mainly viable on offensive teams because it allows no momentum loss while also providing entry hazard support. Thunder Wave is an option over Toxic because it lets you slow down some fast paced pokemon but note that some are immune to Thunder Wave namely Garchomp and Landorus. Psychic is an option over Heat Wave or Night Shade because it has STAB and can hurt fighting-types and poison-types. If outspeeding Adamant Breloom isn't a priority, you can use 16 IVs and Relaxed nature to be slower than Heatran to make sure your U-turn goes last. Leftovers provides short-term recovery but Rocky Helmet is always an option as well. Rocky Helmet breaks down Dragonite's Multiscale, break focus sashes, and is useful when sacking Xatu which is very helpful to sun teams. Pursuit can be avoided by using Reflect instead of U-turn in the last slot.</p>
<p>Good teammates are Dugtrio and Scarf Rotom-W. Dugtrio traps all of Xatu's counter bar Landorus-T and can retaliate back with Earthquake or Reversal. Because Xatu like to spam U-turn, it is pretty easy to get Dugtrio in battle. Dugtrio is pretty much mandatory for sun teams regardless because it traps Politoed and Tyranitar which sun teams struggle with. Choice Scarf Rotom-W is another option. While it doesn't trap Xatu's counters, it still hits all of the for super-effective damage forcing to switch or faint. It also can check rain teams that aim mostly at Xatu's special defense. Terrakion is a good teammate with it to as it can beat most of Xatu's counter one on one. Ninetales is a good teammate because it gives Xatu pseudo-STAB Heat Wave.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Xatu honestly have any other good viable options. A dual screens set with tailwind can work but is outclassed by Tornadus and Espeon. Xatu has wish but you are only giving your teammates 166 HP and is not a lot. Haze can stop set-up sweepers from setting up on you and stop baton pass chains. Hidden Power Ice is a move you can try to attack dragon-types hard and prevnt them from setting-up on you. However, it is outclassed by Heat Wave. You can try the annoying Parfusion combo by using confuse ray, but Xatu has little room for it and is one of those pokemon that seriously suffer from four move slots and is better off ran by using Jirachi. Sunny Day is an interesting option same with Rain Dance because it help you to win the weather wars. Trick and a choice item is the last option you can try but after that it has no use.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>While Xatu is hard for walls to take down, there are several stealth rock users that force Xatu out. Examples are Terrakion, Heatran, and Tyranitar. However, they must watch out for Dugtrio as it can trap and KO all of them. Scizor can check Xatu with Pursuit, but will be fried with Heat Wave. Landorus-T also 2HKOes Xatu with Stone Edge and isn't trapped by Dugtrio. The miraculous power of a choice item can knock Xatu off the map. Xatu's special bulk isn't impressive at all and a rain-boosted Surf or sun-boosted Flamethrower can easily OHKO to 2HKO Xatu. Gengar is immune to Toxic and can OHKO Xatu with Shadow Ball. Lucario can use its coverage moves to hurt it badly. Volt Switch users like Thundurus-T and Jolteon can take a Toxic and Volt Switch and won't lose any health from poison because they switch out immediately. Specially Defensive Jirachi is also a good counter because it can take any of Xatu's attacks and flinch the bird to death. If Xatu uses Night Shade, steel-types can counter but the fight will be stalemate most of the time.</p>
