This world is but tiny in the vastness of space…
[OVERVIEW]
Deoxys seems poised to be a great attacker. 150 base Attack and Special Attack are promising when combined with the third fastest speed in the game. Even though its defenses aren’t too horrible, they’re definitely not the best.
It’s a shame Deoxys-A exists, since the name of the game is in the forme’s name. Deoxys-A outclasses Deoxys (except for the sprites, and even that’s a debate), and even though the former has some of the worst defensive stats in the game, it also has the absolute highest offensive stats in the game too, while sharing the amazing 150 base speed of Deoxys. The only edge that Deoxys has over its attacking counterpart is the ability to always survive an uninvested Pursuit from Metagross from full HP, even if it chooses to switch out.
What semblance of a niche Deoxys has in a metagame with legal Deoxys-A is very hard to find, and the following sets are entirely outclassed by Deoxys-A.
[SET]
name: MATCHUP FISH (Pursuit)
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Pursuit
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 64 Def / 12 SpA / 180 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
Shadow Ball hits targets like Latios and Latias hard with supereffective damage. Superpower hits the normal-types immune to Shadow Ball super effectively. Thunder hits flying types and Kyogre hard, however for this set, it is for Metagross. Pursuit hits opposing Deoxys-A for supereffective damage, OHKOing any who even stay in.
Set Details
Attack is maximized for the highest amount of damage from Shadow Ball and Superpower. The given defense EVs allow it to survive a Spell Tag Deoxys-A’s Extreme Speed and OHKO back with Pursuit. 12 Special Attack EVs 3HKO 252 / 0 Metagross with Thunder, while the Speed investment outruns neutral natured base 55 Speed (Exeggutor and Omastar) Pokémon in their Speed boosting weather.
Team Options
========
Pokémon who can take hits for Deoxys and dish them back out are usually great partners. Groudon is likely its best friend, since its massive bulk allows it to take Extreme Speed from opposing Deoxys and Rayquaza and shrug off the damage, while dealing with dangerous swift swim sweepers like Kabutops and Omastar, although with the latter, it must watch for Ice Beam on the switch. Snorlax shrugs off special attacks aimed at Deoxys and proceeds to set up Curse. Rayquaza is an offensive partner who appreciates Deoxys’s ability to weaken or KO Latios and Latias.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Calm Mind set may sound good on paper, however Deoxys’s low defenses and low attacking stats compared to Deoxys-A means that it does not scare out as many Pokemon, meaning that targets Deoxys would like to set up on. Substitute + Liechi Berry sets are outclassed by Choice Band due to it taking many turns to set up, and Substitute + Petaya Berry sets are entirely outclassed by Deoxys-A.
Checks and Counters
===================
Even though it’s outclassed by its attacking counterpart, Deoxys is strong enough to have no counters by the usual terms. There is always one move its checks fear.
**Metagross**: Metagross fears nothing but Sun boosted Fire Punch, and can Pursuit Deoxys down to very low health, sometimes even KOing outright with Spikes in the picture.
**Rayquaza**: Although it must avoid Rock Slide or Ice Beam upon entry and stay pretty healthy, as long as Deoxys doesn’t have a Substitute, Extreme Speed will OHKO and force the Deoxys user to switch.
**Groudon**: Thanks to its great physical defense and immunity to Thunder, Groudon can tank every move Deoxys fires out bar Ice Beam and Fire Punch, and proceed to Earthquake it to dust.
**Deoxys-A**: Although it can’t switch into any attack at all, Deoxys-A threatens to OHKO with Shadow Ball or Extreme Speed.
**Weather Sweepers**: Weather sweepers in their respective weathers outspeed and OHKO with their STAB attacks.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sagdiyev, 548404]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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