bigtalk
Banned deucer.
[SET]
name: Bulky Choice Scarf
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Defog / Knock Off
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Dark Aura
nature: Jolly
evs: 72 HP / 252 Def / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Foul Play allows Yveltal to revenge kill setup sweepers like Ultra Necrozma, Primal Groudon, and Swords Dance Arceus formes.
* U-turn generates momentum for Yveltal's team, allowing a teammate to take advantage of the switches that it forces.
* Toxic cripples many Pokemon that would otherwise switch into this set for free, such as support Arceus formes, Xerneas lacking Aromatherapy, and opposing Yveltal.
* In the last slot, Defog can be used to remove entry hazards for Yveltal's team; Choice Scarf Yveltal is a particularly effective Defogger because of its high speed and immunity to Sticky Web.
* Alternatively, Knock Off cripples defensive Pokemon such as Magearna, Ferrothorn, and Blissey and removes Xerneas's Power Herb. It also OHKOes Mega Gengar from full health, which Foul Play cannot do.
* Oblivion Wing can be used alongside a Timid nature to recover health from checks like Arceus-Fairy, helping Yveltal offset residual damage from the likes of Stealth Rock. However, without Special Attack investment, it is extremely lacking in damage output; for example, it falls well short of OHKOing Marshadow from full health.
Set Details
========
* 184 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allow Yveltal to outpace Choice Scarf Ho-Oh as well as Jolly Primal Groudon and Excadrill after a Speed drop from Rock Tomb.
* The rest of the EVs are invested into its defenses, letting it survive attacks such as Searing Sunraze Smash from Necrozma-DM, +2 Stone Edge from Arceus-Ground, and +1 Double-Edge from Mega Salamence from full health. Yveltal also survives Close Combat followed by Shadow Sneak from Life Orb Marshadow, as well as +2 Extreme Speed from Extreme Killer Arceus, after Stealth Rock damage.
* Investing fully in Defense rather than HP proves to be beneficial for this set, as Yveltal already has a high base HP stat, and the Pokemon that it checks are mostly physical attackers. A fully HP-invested EV spread of 248 HP / 76 Def / 184 Spe allows Yveltal to handle Lunala and Mega Gengar better and can be useful for getting an emergency Toxic off versus support Arceus formes, but there is a noticeable loss in physical bulk, and Yveltal will fail to meet many of the above benchmarks.
Usage Tips
========
* Bulky Choice Scarf Yveltal is an anti-offense Pokemon that can function both as a pivot and revenge killer.
* Yveltal should switch into Pokemon that it checks, such as Necrozma-DM and Marshadow, and force them out with the threat of Foul Play.
* Ideally, it should be brought in on resisted hits or a status move like Stealth Rock. It can also punish the use of Swords Dance from threats like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, which may attempt to use a more passive Pokemon as setup bait.
* Versus bulkier teams, Yveltal should aim to cripple the opponent's check to it with Toxic or Knock Off. This will make it harder for that Pokemon to switch into Yveltal the next time it comes in.
* It's often safer to use U-turn instead of Foul Play against threats like Ultra Necrozma and Deoxys-A if the opponent still has a healthy answer to Yveltal.
* If Yveltal is still needed to check a particular threat, conserve its health as much as possible. Unlike other sets, this variant lacks a source of recovery, meaning that it is more prone to being worn down by Stealth Rock and other sources of residual damage over time.
* Be wary of coverage moves such as Rock Tomb from Marshadow, Stone Edge from Ultra Necrozma, and Ice Beam from Deoxys-A.
Team Options
========
* Bulky Choice Scarf Yveltal fits on balanced and offensive teams looking for a Pokemon that can act as a revenge killer while also providing some defensive utility as a switch-in to common Psychic-, Ghost-, and Ground-types. It has a good matchup versus offensive teams but can struggle quite a lot versus bulkier ones. Therefore, it needs teammates that can help with its matchup versus the latter.
* Mega Gengar is an excellent partner, as it can trap and remove Fairy-types and support Arceus formes that Yveltal would otherwise rely on Toxic to break through. It greatly appreciates how Yveltal covers all of its weaknesses, gets it in safely with the assistance of U-turn, and afflicts status on foes to boost the power of its Hex.
* Necrozma-DM offers a strong check to Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, and it appreciates Yveltal bringing it in on them via U-turn. Offensive variants get a free turn to set up, while defensive variants provide a blanket check to support Arceus formes and can set Stealth Rock to support Yveltal's team.
* Calm Mind Primal Kyogre can dismantle bulky teams and soft check certain special attackers that overwhelm Yveltal, such as mixed Primal Groudon and Calm Mind Arceus-Ground. In return, Yveltal makes up for Kyogre's poor matchup against offense and switches into many of its revenge killers like Primal Groudon, Ultra Necrozma, and Marshadow. Kyogre also enjoys Yveltal removing the items of Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Chansey.
* Ferrothorn can set Spikes to rack up damage on checks to Yveltal like support Arceus formes, Magearna, and Xerneas; it comfortably switches into most of these checks as well. In return, Yveltal takes care of many setup sweepers that tend to overwhelm Ferrothorn, such as Necrozma-DM, Ultra Necrozma, and Swords Dance Arceus formes.
* Magearna checks Fairy- and Dark- types such as Xerneas, opposing Yveltal, and Arceus-Dark. It can use Heal Bell to cure status inflicted on Yveltal by the likes of support Necrozma-DM and Zygarde-C, allowing it to switch into said attackers more liberally.
* Swords Dance or mixed Primal Groudon can set Stealth Rock and pressure bulky teams' defensive cores while providing a backup check to Fairy-types.
* Fighting-types like Marshadow and Mega Lucario take advantage of U-turn support and can threaten Pokemon like Arceus-Dark, Tyranitar, and Blissey that wall this set.
* If Yveltal is not running Defog itself, a teammate must provide entry hazard removal support to mitigate its Stealth Rock weakness, as this Yveltal variant is unable to heal off the damage with Oblivion Wing or Roost. Pokemon like Giratina-O, Arceus-Ground, and Excadrill can help with this.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[bigtalk, 466663]]
- Quality checked by: [[Nayrz, 212134], [Cynara, 224455], [Melee Mewtwo, 75110]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Fireflame479, 231476], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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