[AG] Arceus-Ground adding max def

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Arceus-Ground

Overview

  • Great support Arceus forme due to its excellent typing, which is weak to very few physical threats and has positive matchups against many, including Primal Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Arceus-Poison.
  • This typing and its support movepool give it many defensive niches, especially defogging on the premier Stealth Rock setter in Primal Groudon with confidence. Access to Recover lets it execute these throughout the match.
  • It also shines in offensive roles, sporting a good Swords Dance set that's capable of beating common counters like Ho-Oh. It has powerful and reliable STAB moves in Earthquake and Judgment as well as the tools needed to beat Pokemon not weak to Ground.
  • It is vulnerable to strong special moves, such as Primal Kyogre's Origin Pulse and Mega Rayquaza's Draco Meteor.
  • Most status, besides Thunder Wave, cripples Arceus-Ground. Toxic in particular hurts its staying power and makes Recover less effective on defensive sets.
  • While it has the tools to handle any individual Pokemon not threatened by Ground moves, it often can't handle all at once due to moveslot limitations and its desire to run support/setup moves.
Support
Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Defog
- Judgment
- Recover
- Ice Beam / Toxic

Set Comments

Moves
  • Defog removes troublesome Stealth Rock and other hazards from the field, allowing this set to switch into Primal Groudon and remove any hazards it sets.
  • Recover lets Arceus-Ground last against Pokemon it wishes to use Defog against and makes it less susceptible to chip damage.
  • Judgment is a reliable and fairly powerful STAB attack to deal consistent damage and reliably dispatch Primal Groudon.
  • Ice Beam smashes Pokemon that Judgment is useless against, like Mega Rayquaza, Zygarde-C, and Yveltal.
  • Toxic lets this set cripple bulky Pokemon that could otherwise wall or even set up on this set, such as Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and support Arceus formes.
Set Details
  • Since Groundium Z does not affect Judgment, Earth Plate is the logical choice, as it also slightly boosts Judgment's power.
  • Maximum HP investment lets Arceus take easily take most attacks and Recover off the damage or attack in return.
  • Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature lets Arceus-Ground outspeed Jolly Mega Rayquaza and smack it with Ice Beam, as well as Speed tie with other Arceus formes.

Usage Tips
  • If you expect your opponent to lead with Primal Groudon, counter lead with Arceus-Ground. Later in the match, switch it in fairly liberally on Primal Groudon and remove its hazards if needed; Arceus-Ground can also remove it with Judgment and Recover off chip damage.
  • Keep Arceus-Ground's health high with Recover to maximize its ability to check physical threats and stay out of Primal Groudon's KO range, but be careful about giving Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza and Arceus setup opportunities.
  • Bring Arceus-Ground on Pokemon that are forced out or can't outdamage Recover's healing, such as Zygarde-C and Choice-locked Lunala, and Defog if hazards are up on your side. Double switching can be useful on more balanced teams to gain momentum and setup opportunities, but stall teams probably shouldn't risk double switching.
  • Sacrificing this set to a Pokemon you can't switch into safely can be helpful, but wait until your opponent's hazard setter has fainted.
  • If at all possible, try to avoid being Toxiced by a support Arceus forme or other Pokemon, as if you lack Aromatherapy / Heal Bell support, you will be forced to play much more carefully with this set throughout the rest of the match.
  • Arceus-Ground usually can't beat Stealth Rock support Arceus formes one-on-one in an entry hazard match even if they lack Toxic, so switching out into a Pokemon more capable of doing so is advised.

Team Options
  • Ho-Oh is a natural partner, appreciating Defog support, pressure on Primal Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Zekrom, Arceus-Ground's ability to fairly reliably defeat opposing Ho-Oh, and its general ability to take physical attacks Ho-Oh can't. In return, Ho-Oh handles Ferrothorn as well as strong special attackers like Geomancy Xerneas, Yveltal, and Calm Mind Arceus-Dark and removes Lugia's Multiscale with burn or poison. This does stack a double weakness to Primal Kyogre, however.
  • Extreme Killer Arceus sets with Stone Edge pair very well, threatening responses to this set like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and offensive or weakened defensive Yveltal, appreciating the support in handling Primal Groudon and clearing hazards.
  • Although Stealth Rock sets dislike having their hazards removed, Primal Groudon checks Primal Kyogre and Ferrothorn and appreciates a partner that can reliably switch into opposing Primal Groudon and cripple support Arceus. If it's not removed, Stealth Rock also deters Ho-Oh, which often takes advantage of this set.
  • Clefable is a great backup Pokemon in case Arceus-Ground is overwhelmed by Calm Mind Arceus formes and more reliably handles boosting attackers like Arceus and Arceus-Ghost, as well as providing Heal Bell support in case Arceus-Ground is poisoned. Arceus-Ground can handle troublesome formes like Arceus-Steel and Arceus-Poison, although this pairing is quite vulnerable to Ho-Oh.
  • Arceus-Poison checks Xerneas and absorbs Toxic while capitalizing on this set's essential ability to threaten Arceus-Poison's worst enemy, Primal Groudon.
  • Arceus-Rock can check the Flying-types like Yveltal and Mega Rayquaza that are immune to Judgment, provides support with Will-O-Wisp, and can either set up Stealth Rock or use Defog for a dual Defog core with Arceus-Ground. In return, Arceus-Ground beats Primal Groudon and Arceus-Steel for it.

Swords Dance
Arceus-Ground @ Groundium Z
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Recover / Extreme Speed / Magic Coat

Set Comments

Moves
  • Swords Dance boosts an already strong Attack stat through the roof, letting Arceus-Ground sweep the opposing team.
  • Earthquake is a reliable physical STAB move; importantly, Arceus-Ground is the only Arceus forme with a drawback-free STAB attack with a high Base Power.
  • Stone Edge forms the iconic EdgeQuake combination, hitting foes like Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and especially Mega Rayquaza.
  • Since Earthquake + Stone Edge is already such good coverage, Arceus-Ground has multiple options for the final slot. The best among them is Recover, which keeps Arceus-Ground healthy in case setting up fails and helps it check Primal Groudon.
  • Extreme Speed finishes off faster threats like Mega Rayquaza and Arceus at +2.
  • Magic Coat sends Whirlwind and status moves like Will-O-Wisp and Toxic back to their user, but itrequires good prediction to use effectively, especially once revealed. It also helps Arceus antilead on occasion, using Magic Coat and Swords Dance to pressure common leads like support Arceus and Primal Groudon.
Set Details
  • Groundium Z gives Arceus-Ground a powerful 180-Base Power Tectonic Rage capable of dispatching bulkier obstacles such as support Arceus and Primal Kyogre so that Arceus-Ground can sweep.
  • Maximum Attack investment is used for a high damage output.
  • Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature ensures that Arceus-Ground outspeeds Mega Rayquaza and Speed tie with opposing Arceus. The high Base Powers of Earthquake and Stone Edge make an Attack-boosting nature less necessary.

Usage Tips
  • Use this set to catch common checks to Arceus-Ground, like Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre, off guard.
  • If Arceus-Ground isn't leading, switch it into threats that bother it minimally, such as Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Rock, which may depend on its fourth move. For example, Recover lets you switch into Primal Groudon and force it out more easily.
  • Avoid setting up if the opposing team still has a Pokemon that can force out Arceus-Ground, like Celesteela or Zygarde-C.
  • Slightly chip support Arceus formes so that Arceus-Ground can crush them with a boosted Tectonic Rage later, ensuring that it doesn't get crippled or phazed before they faint.
  • Tectonic Rage should be used when Arceus-Ground is at +2 to break past bulky threats like Arceus and Ferrothorn; however, be careful about using it, as some opponents may predict that and switch into their Flying-type.
  • Exploit the fact that your opponents don't know Arceus-Ground's fourth move and that they will often presume that it is Extreme Speed. Especially if it isn't Extreme Speed, wait to reveal it to ensure maximum surprise value.
  • In a pinch, unboosted Extreme Speed can revenge kill weakened threats like Mega Rayquaza and Xerneas.

Team Options
  • Arceus-Steel absorbs Toxic and attacks from possible counters, like Lugia, Clefable, and Quagsire, and is able to cripple Lugia with Toxic and destroy Clefable with Judgment. It does lack ways to deal with Quagsire, though, if it lacks Toxic.
  • Mega Gengar forces support Arceus to play much more carefully, and can trap them while taking advantage of them with Substitute. It also prevents Extreme Speed revenge killing, if that is a concern. It also traps the aforementioned Lugia/Clefable and eliminates them,
  • Spikes and Stealth Rock support from Pokemon like Skarmory and Ferrothorn, both of which conveniently are immune to Toxic from walls, puts support Arceus and other bulky Pokemon closer to Tectonic Rage KO range, increases the amount of things Arceus-Ground can force out, and lets you capitalize on these switches. Leech Seed support form Ferrothorn can also force switches, giving this set windows to enter, or heal it as it sets up.
  • Zygarde-C checks like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are useful to take care of Zygarde-C, which is usually able to wall and set up against Arceus-Ground.
  • Pokemon such as Yveltal and Xerneas appreciate the fact that Arceus-Ground can beat Pokemon like Ho-Oh and Arceus-Poison.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

  • A bulky support spread with a 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe and a Bold nature is viable to better check threats like Swords Dance Arceus formes, but the lack of speed is noticeably hurtful against foes like Mega Rayquaza. If this set is used, Will-o-Wisp should be the secondary option over Toxic, to make the most use of the set's increased physical bulk versus threats like LO Ekiller.
  • A Calm Mind set, particularly with Ice Beam, is also viable to use Arceus-Ground's good typing and often useful STAB move to surprise and set up on the foe. Generally, though, other specific Arceus formes use Calm Mind better due to their unique advantages, such as Arceus-Fairy's Judgment being super effective against Mega Rayquaza and Arceus-Steel's Toxic immunity.
  • The Swords Dance set has other options in the last slot. Gravity and Fire Blast let it surprise typical checks like Celesteela and Skarmory. Refresh doesn't require the prediction Magic Coat does, allows Arceus to switch into possible status moves more effectively, and cures Sacred Fire burns, but it doesn't protect against Whirlwind and Roar and doesn't cripple users of status moves.
  • Stone Edge may be tempting on the support set to lure in and KO Ho-Oh, but the reduced reliability in hurting Mega Rayquaza and inability to deter threats like Zygarde-C is problematic. Furthermore, Stone Edge is physical, and Earthquake is outclassed on this set because it damages Primal Groudon less. Toxic, which also lures such switch-ins to a degree, is usually a superior option.
  • An Adamant nature can be used on the Swords Dance set, since Extreme Speed provides priority. After a Swords Dance, only Adamant can OHKO 248/244+ Support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock before they burn you, or OHKO physically defensive Yveltal 93.8% of the time after Rocks before it kills with Foul Play.

Checks and Counters

Flying-types: Flying-types can pose problems due to their immunity to Ground Ho-Oh takes any move Arceus-Ground has to offer except Stone Edge and sets up Substitute or prepares to nail the switch-in. Skarmory and Lugia can poison Arceus-Ground, force it out with Whirlwind or Dragon Tail before it boosts enough, and heal off the damage. Celesteela ignores anything before boosts and forces an eventual switch with Leech Seed or Toxic. Yveltal beats most sets one-on-one as long as it has Toxic or Life Orb- or Choice Specs-boosted attacks, although it does fear Ice Beam and boosted Stone Edge.

Mega Rayquaza: Mega Rayquaza is immune to Ground and can try to overwhelm Arceus-Ground with Dragon Dance or surprise it with Draco Meteor, although proper prediction and full health on Arceus-Ground's behalf makes this difficult. Overall, however, it is a less reliable Flying-type check due to its distaste for Ice Beam, with Ice Beam on the switch or from a faster Arceus-Ground threatening it. Boosted Stone Edge can also threaten it, but remember that it only hits neutrally.

Kyogre: Kyogre, Primal or not, has the bulk to easily take special hits and destroy Arceus-Ground with Origin Pulse, Water Spout, or even Scald. However, Swords Dance can threaten it with boosted Earthquake or Tectonic Rage.

Giratina: Capable of phazing like the aformentioned Lugia and Skarmory, each forme has individual benefits. Regular Giratina has the bulk to tank Ice Beam, and Giratina-O is immune to Ground and can finish off weakened variants with Draco Meteor. Both formes are also capable of burning or poisoning Arceus-Ground, crippling it heavily.

Xerneas: Especially with maximum HP investment, Xerneas doesn't really fear much besides a boosted Earthquake and can set up Geomancy or Z-Geomancy. Non-boosting sets perform fine as long as they can being 2HKOed and Recover stalled, but they should be wary of Swords Dance sets.

Ferrothorn: Ferrothorn can set up Stealth Rock, use Leech Seed and Leftovers to heal off Judgment damage, and eventually force support Arceus-Ground out. Swords Dance Arceus-Ground with Recover can crush it one-on-one but must be wary of a possible Leech Seed upon switching in.

Setup Sweepers: Although the support set does possess decent physical bulk, setup sweepers can overwhelm it. This is especially true because Ground outright resists or is immune to few physical moves, with the notable exceptions of Stone Edge and Bolt Strike. Z-Moves compound the problem, particularly powerful ones like Never-Ending Nightmare from Shadow Force, which can put Arceus-Ground in KO range after boosting and pave the way for a sweep if not KO it outright.

Unaware: Clefable and Pyukumuku can use their bulk, recovery, and access to Unaware to wall and possibly poison Arceus-Ground. They don't prevent the Ssupport set from using Defog, however. Quagsire walls the Swords Dance set but fears an invested Judgment.

Chansey and Blissey: Chansey and Blissey can wall special and support sets and cripple them with Toxic, although they fear Swords Dance.
 

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