[SET]
name: Deoxys "stopper" #1
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Filler
move 4: Filler
item: Bug Plate
nature: Calm
evs: 252hp/208spatk/48spdef
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the closest you can get to a Deoxys-F "counter" and still have good attacking power. Thunder from a Choice Specs Deoxys-F with a speed-boosting nature does a maximum of 49% to Arceus, and you can Recover off the damage. To survive two Thunders from a Deoxys-F with a special attack boosting nature, you need to be Calm with EVs of 252HP/96SpAtk/160SpDef. The downside is, of course, Thunder's 30% paralysis chance. You have to be careful with Stealth Rock too, but if your opponent is silly enough to waste a turn setting up Stealth Rock in ubers you should be on the ball enough to use the opportunity to get out your own fast and powerful sweeper, crippling or destroying their team.</p>
<p>If your opponent uses a Deoxys-F with Psycho Boost, there is nothing you can do. It would need close to minimum damage on both attacks for even max HP, max special defense Arceus to survive, even against a Deoxys-F with a speed-boosting nature. You can survive two Psycho Boosts from a Life Orb Deoxys-F with a speed-boosting nature with max HP, max special defense, and you can even survive two from a Deoxys-F with a special attack boosting nature and Life Orb if it rolls under average damage for each hit. This sort of Arceus is really the best counter for such a Deoxys-F, a real testament to its ridiculous power.</p>
<p>The filler on the set depends on the rest of your needs; Arceus gets so many moves you can go many ways with this. If you want to be more offensive, especially with the more defensive EV spreads given above, you can go Calm Mind and Dragon Pulse like on the anti-metagame sweeper set. Arceus can also support the team with pseudopassing, Thunder Wave, and other such options. It all depends on what you're looking for.</p>
[SET]
name: Deoxys "stopper" #2
move 1: Dragon Claw
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Light Screen / Reflect
move 4: Recover
item: Steel Plate
nature: Careful
evs: 252hp/208def/48spdef
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Steel Plate Arceus fixes the Psycho Boost problem from the Bug Plate Arceus but introduces an unfortunate Superpower weakness. Still, this Arceus will survive two Superpowers from Deoxys-F without significant investments in attack EVs (taking the attack drop into account). If you use 252HP/160SpDef to survive two Thunders from a special attack boosting Deoxys-F like above you'll be left with a mere 96 EVs for Defense, which allows Arceus to be 2HKOed by minimum attack Deoxys-F's Superpower if it rolls maximum damage both times. Life Orb Deoxys-F will thrash you: even max HP, max defense (including a defense-boosting nature) Arceus will be 2HKOed by a minimum attack Deoxys-F about 30% of the time. Stick to the above Bug Plate Arceus and pack a Metagross if you need a Life Orb Deoxys-F "counter".</p>
<p>This Arceus is also very nice for countering the new masses of dragon attacks in ubers, and it makes a particularly nice switch in for the Lati twins. The moves that aren't Recover are basically up to preference; Dragon Claw hurts the aforementioned Lati twins and this sort of defensive Arceus makes a good pseudopasser.</p>
