good point, but as it is weak and will pobably get ohko'ed it needs the sash. your idea would work iff it had sturdy but unfortunately it dosent. :/Why shell smash? Can't you just Geomancy + power herb on Smeargle? I personally find the negative effects of Shell Smash contrary to Xerneas's natural bulk
Tail glow + bp is the way to go in that case. Only problem is xerneas is taking far more hits than it'll have to, in order to use this which would make it more priority weak.also, quick idea for switching in xerneas.
use a smeargle which has shell smash and baton pass and is equipped with a focus sash, this allows you to keep xerneas completely safe untill it is ready to destroy everything.
gives you full hp serneas with effects of a geomancy.
this works due to the fact that everybody in ubers will know that they have to smash xerneas while it is setting up, thereby neutralising the massive threat posed by a fully geomanced xerneas
Who cares about predictability if you can't stop it. A mon could be predictable and still be incredibly hard to stop cough breloom cough ekiller cough. Overall predictability isn't an argument whatsoever.It's a shame it doesn't get Swords Dance. A Physical Xerneas is an anti-metagame Pokemon that hits most Ubers in their weaker physical side.
So far, I see Xerneas as extremely predictable. As soon as it switches in, go into whirlwind ho-oh. There, you move-blocked Xerneas. What is it going to do? I doubt a +2 Psyshock will take care of the big bird and then it can easily whirlwind. Problem solved, Xerneas lost its ability to set up efficiently.
Who cares about predictability if you can't stop it. A mon could be predictable and still be incredibly hard to stop cough breloom cough ekiller cough. Overall predictability isn't an argument whatsoever.
You make using power herb xerneas sound like a bad thing. Is it incredibly predictBle? Sure. Is it incredibly hard to stop? Also yes. I really don't see your point here. There are only a select handful of things that can stand up to xerneas at +2 and any competent player will only send xerneas in when they're guaranteed the free turn.
No. It doesn't even stop it. Copycat would imitate either moonblast or geomancy. Neither of which scare xerneasWon't Prankster Riolu be a counter? With Roar? Even though I don't think anyone will run Riolu it's still an option :)
I meant with Roar, so whenever Xerneas switches in, you swap to Riolu. When Xerneas uses Geomancy, Riolu gets switched in and on the next turn, Riolu uses Priority Roar to get rid of Xerneas.No. It doesn't even stop it. Copycat would imitate either moonblast or geomancy. Neither of which scare xerneas
I meant with Roar, so whenever Xerneas switches in, you swap to Riolu. When Xerneas uses Geomancy, Riolu gets switched in and on the next turn, Riolu uses Priority Roar to get rid of Xerneas.
1. Xerneas switches in
2. Geomancy and at the same turn you respond with switching in Riolu
3. Prankster Riolu roars Xerneas away
-1 priority, but yeah, it still should have that.That doesn't work. You need to set up Roar through Prankster Copycat for it to work, and I think it was nerfed this Generation so that you couldn't +1 shuffle entire teams anymore.
Otherwise, Prankster Roar has still -6 priority, if I'm not mistaken.
why is xerneas scared of geomancy riolu again? =/I meant with Roar, so whenever Xerneas switches in, you swap to Riolu. When Xerneas uses Geomancy, Riolu gets switched in and on the next turn, Riolu uses Priority Roar to get rid of Xerneas.
1. Xerneas switches in
2. Geomancy and at the same turn you respond with switching in Riolu
3. Prankster Riolu geomancy Xerneas away
+2 252+ SpA (custom) Focus Blast vs. +1 252 HP / 148+ SpD Heatran: 290-342 (75.12 - 88.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKOHeatran is wrecked by Close Combat so it can't be considered a true counter.
Xerneas is perfectly capable of running a mixed set as well, so it's not nearly as monodimensional as it may seem.
why is xerneas scared of geomancy riolu again? =/
That doesn't work. You need to set up Roar through Prankster Copycat for it to work, and I think it was nerfed this Generation so that you couldn't +1 shuffle entire teams anymore.
Otherwise, Prankster Roar has still -6 priority, if I'm not mistaken.