Project AG Matchmaking! Week 5: Arceus Poison (Sub)

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Toxapex @ Shed Shell
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Recover
- Toxic
- Scald​

Basically, you try to poison MMX's counters with TSpikes/Toxic and put them in range of its attacks. Since this MMX has Sub, it can use it to ensure crucial rolls with the extra poison damage. Toxapex can also switch into stuff that annoys MMX like Fairyceus, Marsh, defensive/Scarf Ho-oh and Scarf Xern, while being able pressure shared checks like Lunala and Yveltal via Toxic or Gar and Sab with Scald. In return, MMX can pressure some of the aforementioned checks while taking advantage of the status Toxapex spreads.

for MMX
252 Atk Mewtwo-Mega-X Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Arceus-Ground: 168-198 (37.8 - 44.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (after two rounds of poison damage)

252 Atk Mewtwo-Mega-X Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 176+ Def Yveltal: 208-246 (45.6 - 53.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery (and two rounds of toxic damage)

252 Atk Mewtwo-Mega-X Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Groudon-Primal: 172-204 (42.6 - 50.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and poison damage

252 Atk Mewtwo-Mega-X Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Kyogre: 286-337 (83.8 - 98.8%) -- 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and poison damage

252 Atk Mewtwo-Mega-X Zen Headbutt vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Arceus-Fairy: 150-177 (33.7 - 39.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock (and two rounds of poison damage)

for Toxapex
252 Atk Life Orb Marshadow Spectral Thief vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 99-118 (32.6 - 38.9%) -- 99.7% chance to 3HKO

252 Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 105-124 (34.6 - 40.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Black Sludge recovery

252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Toxapex: 84-99 (27.7 - 32.6%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Stealth Rock and Black Sludge recovery
 
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magearna.gif

Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Heart Swap
- Fleur Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell / Pain Split

Magearna helps check Fairy-, Flying-, and Psychic- type mons like Xerneas and Yveltal and Fairyceus and Lugia and other mons such as Mega Sableye and can also pivot into Lunala, all mons that give MMX headaches. Volt Switch also helps get MMX in safely against many targets. Magearna's ability to run Heal Bell also provides cleric support for MMX in case it gets statused (it hates all major status conditions). In return, MMX helps pressure some Steel-types such as Arceus-Steel and Ferrothorn (and ig blobs to an extent?) that pivot into Magearna.
 
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So MMX is a pretty bad Pokémon. It theoretically murks everything with full base power STAB Low Kick (and it is strong), but it's typing is just so bad. It's 1000% walled by defensive teams, can't break balance, can't keep up with BO, and is dead-weight versus HO. The set is essentially bad Sub Bulk Up Marshadow. It has essentially no resistances and no immunities to status. It's out-sped by every single scarfer. Among the types MMX can't hit for significant damage are Ghost, Fairy, Psychic, Bug (albeit rare), and most Flying-types. It just cannot pressure any of these types fast enough and it's just... bad. Like it loses to Lugia WITH Rock's up. It's absurd. Let's try to cover those all with one mon.

Heartbreakers (Muk-Alola) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Poison Jab
- Pursuit
- Clear Smog
- Knock Off / Shadow Sneak
Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 28 Def / 148 SpD
Brave Nature
- Pursuit
- Shadow Sneak
- Clear Smog
- Knock Off / Poison Jab

Alolan-Muk is one of my new favorite Pokémon due to it's ability to trap specific threats, spread poison, and act as a momentary stop-gap for nearly all special sweepers. Special attacks, outside Arc-Ground, BOUNCE off this mon. Geo Xern does like 60% max. Neutral Judgment has a chance to 5HKO. It's insane. The best part is Alolan-Muk doesn't need to worry about poison or burn because it's damage output isn't what's important. It just needs to spread status so MMX can begin pressuring stuff with Substitute and Zen flinches. Alolan-Muk does this pretty easily with Pursuit's 30% chance to poison thanks to Poison Touch, which also increases to 49%(!) with Poison Jab. No ghosts, outside of Marshadow, can break Alolan-Muk. Mega-Sableye does NOTHING to Alolan-Muk and has to risk a 30% poison on the switch, meaning MMX can begin applying pressure. Ghostbuster and Stallbreaker in one.

Here's a short list of Pokémon Alolan-Muk counters/doesn't lose to/poisons:
S-
Necrozma-Ultra (some special sets)
A+
Gengar-Mega
A
Arceus-Fairy
Xerneas
A-
Arceus-Dark
Arceus-Water
Lunala
Yveltal
B+
Arceus-Rock
Giratina-A
Sableye-Mega
B
Lugia
Mewtwo
Mewtwo-Mega-Y
B-
Arceus-Flying
Arceus-Ghost
C
Arceus-Grass
Ditto
D
Arceus-Electric
Arceus-Fire (???)
Clefable (???)
Giratina-O
Necrozma-Dawn-Wings
Scolipede
Slowbro-Mega
Tapu Lele
Whimsicott

In short, Alolan-Muk does this:
npzNAPF.png
 
Whoops, I completely forgot about this. haha Thanks for the reminder, Arushii.
Fairyceus
Image result for Fairy Arceus artwork


EVs and Moves:

HP: 200
Defense: 252
Special Attack: 52
Nature: Bold (+Def, -Atk)

Judgment
Recover
Calm Mind
Fire Blast

Overview/Analysis: Fairyceus is a versatile Pokémon in the AG meta, and this pairing intends to make use of some of its strengths. Fairyceus is a strong Marshadow counter, which among other reasons is why I've chosen it. While Mega Mewtwo X does indeed outspeed Marshadow (unless it's Scarfed, which would be weird lol), the potential for Marshadow to survive a hit with Focus Sash for example and steal the stat ups with Spectral Thief (which, as a reminder, penetrates through Substitutes) necessitates a better check on it. Thus, there is physically defensive Fairyceus:
--- +1 252 Atk Life Orb Marshadow Spectral Thief vs. 200 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Fairy: 177-211 (41 - 48.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO ---
Judgement will also OHKO Marshadow, so given that threat and the little amount of damage Marsh can inflict, this will grant Fairyceus a free move, which could go towards Calm Mind.

I chose to include Fire Blast on Fairyceus for a few reasons. It is not uncommon to run Fire Blast as Steelceus could threaten it otherwise; however, Low Kick from MMX could handle that threat, so there must be more. Fire Blast here can also be used effectively towards Dusk-Mane and Celesteela. The perk of this option is even if Necrozma Ultra-Bursts, Judgment will deal with it quickly without incurring fatal damage. Here are some calculations that testify to the strength of Fairyceus here:

252 Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike vs. 200 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Fairy: 240-284 (55.6 - 65.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (Indeed powerful, but not a OHKO)
52 SpA Arceus-Fairy Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 135-159 (40.2 - 47.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO --> which turns into...
+1 52 SpA Arceus-Fairy Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 201-237 (60 - 70.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Overall, Fairyceus can be a powerful partner to MMX. With Mewtwo's speed, physical attack, and Substitute, it is a weapon on its own, and with the bulk and variety of Fairyceus to back it up, this could be a formidable team.
 
vote

Gothitelle @ Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Taunt
- Confide
- Rest
- Charm
Tyranitar @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Pursuit
- Rest
- Roar
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane @ Leftovers/Solganium-Z
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sunsteel Strike
- Toxic
- Morning Sun
Toxapex @ Shed Shell
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Recover
- Toxic
- Scald
Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Heart Swap
- Fleur Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell / Pain Split
Heartbreakers (Muk-Alola) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Poison Jab
- Pursuit
- Clear Smog
- Knock Off / Shadow Sneak
HP: 200
Defense: 252
Special Attack: 52
Nature: Bold (+Def, -Atk)

Judgment
Recover
Calm Mind
Fire Blast
please vote for 3 pokemons!
voting ends soon. have fun!
 
Reserving mega-gengar
gengar-mega.gif

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Sludge Bomb
- Substitute
- Will-O-Wisp

So mega-gengar is an obvious abuser of t-spikes as it lets it fire off some powerful boosted hexes. It also traps Poisonceus, which is probably the biggest annoyance to t-spikes teams. You burn it with wisp/scald and then sub and spam hex while it can't really do much back to you. Meanwhile, pex can pivot into stuff that threaten gengar such as marsh, ho-oh and some arceus forms to scout for movesets, before switching to an appropriate answer and healing off with regenerator.
 
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There is not 1, but 2 Marshadow sets that would apprectiate toxic spikes from Toxapex.

Marshadow @ Marshadium Z
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bulk Up
- Substitute
- Spectral Thief
- Close Combat

OR

Marshadow @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Spectral Thief
- Shadow Sneak
- Pursuit

Both these sets look to take advantage of different poison Pokémon that could otherwise simply absorb Toxic Spikes. The first set is incredibly dangerous as not only does it take advantage of Poisonceus extremely easily but it can also keep subbing against something like arceus fairy until it gets into Z range at +1. The same could be said for other support arceus forms and I think Zygarde as well.

The second set looks to take advantage of Mega Gengar through the use of pursuit. Removing Mega Gengar is important as it means the opposing team loses a toxic spikes absorber and it means that Mega Gengar cannot trap Toxapex (if you chose to run black sludge over shed shell). Toxic Spikes also makes it much easier for Marshadow to 2HKO Pokémon especially in the endgame once they have been worn down and if hazards are up. Overall this is a very complimentary core and it is clear Marshadow supports Toxapex very well.

Toxapex can support Marshadow as well, most noticeably in that it is a very safe Fairyceus/Xerneas switch in. It can also act as a very comfortable chople berry Ekiller counter (as chople sets very rarely run EQ), so Marshadow + Toxapex is a very solid core for dealing with Ekiller. Toxapex can also switch in easily and get up Toxic Spikes against Waterceus which Marshadow may have trouble breaking against max def sets.
 
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reserving dd zygarde

Zygarde-Complete @ Leftovers
Ability: Power Construct
EVs: 220 Atk / 56 SpD / 232 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Substitute
- Thousand Arrows
- Dragon Dance

everyone knows that this set sweeps 20 teams on a daily basis lol, just vote for me already!!
basically u just toxic spikes with toxapex vs supportceus/ferro/other passive stuff and switch to zygarde when you can, if you get a +1 boost and your opp doesnt have a scarfer its pretty much over because zyg on toxic spikes is straight up broken. If you somehow mess this up, you can pretty safely switch back to Toxapex bc most zygarde counters are pretty weak to pex (supportceus, xern etc etc). Same goes for pex, zygarde can mostly pretty safely switch into primal groudon and ekiller.
 
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