[SET]
name: Cosmic Power
move 1: Cosmic Power
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Night Shade
move 4: Recover
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Deoxys-D is a potent wincon thanks to its great bulk bolstered by Cosmic Power, a typing that has few weaknesses, and Pressure to quickly drain PP of foes trying to break it. Cosmic Power makes Deoxys-D nearly unbreakable; after a few boosts, it can even shrug off super effective damage from foes like Weavile. Above-average Speed in tandem with Taunt deters debilitating status from Melmetal, Chansey, and Landorus-T, opposing Taunt users like Heatran and Tapu Fini, and Toxapex’s attempts to remove its boosts with Haze. Taunt also denies recovery from walls like Clefable and Skarmory, allowing it to win the war of attrition. Night Shade lets Deoxys-D avoid adverse contact abilities like Iron Barbs and Static while dealing reliable damage to all but Normal-types. Maximum Speed investment gets the jump on Timid Heatran, allowing Deoxys-D to Taunt and wear it down. Rocky Helmet punishes the various physical attackers who attempt to deter Deoxys-D‘s setup, such as Mega Lopunny, Chansey, and Mega Tyranitar, making it less reliant on PP stalling them. Alternatively, Leftovers grants Deoxys-D passive healing, allowing it to negate residual damage and be less reliant on Recover.
Deoxys-D fits best on balance teams with status spreaders and entry hazard support. In return, it can check certain wallbreakers like Mega Medicham and ease the matchup against opposing balance teams with Taunt. Dark-types like Weavile and Tyranitar can often be a huge annoyance to Deoxys-D, especially if it's unboosted, so checks to them like Clefable and Mega Lopunny are greatly appreciated. The former can directly switch into Dark-type attacks and use Knock Off to remove recovery items from Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Heatran, letting Deoxys-D beat them faster, while the latter offers revenge killing services against fast offensive Pokemon that may threaten Deoxys-D, such as the aforementioned Dark-types. Defog support can mitigate Deoxys-D's weakness to entry hazards, so Gliscor, Rotom-W, and Tapu Fini are great teammates. Tapu Fini (Can't use latter with more than 2 things listed) also makes a great Weavile and Ash-Greninja check and defends against status with Misty Surge. Deoxys-D lacks utility beyond its niche and is relatively passive when unboosted, so it requires a solid defensive core composed of Pokemon like Clefable, Gliscor, Ferrothorn, and Toxapex. Ferrothorn and Skarmory are notable defensive partners that can lay down Spikes, which allows Deoxys-D to defeat Regenerator Pokemon by chipping them for more than they can heal. Offensive Heatran is also notable for luring and dealing heavy damage to Gliscor, who has the potential to outstall Deoxys-D. Clerics like Chansey and the aforementioned Clefable can cure debilitating status, letting Deoxys-D be more reckless where it wants to set up.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Seismic Toss can be run over Night Shade to hit Chansey and Mega Lopunny. However, Deoxys-D can often beat these Pokemon with Rocky Helmet, and Seismic Toss risks being affected by adverse contact effects like Static, Rocky Helmet, and Iron Barbs. Deoxys-D can run Spikes, but such a set is completely outclassed by Mew, which boasts higher Speed and more utility in Will-O-Wisp.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Weavile is capable of heavily denting Deoxys-D with Knock Off, which can also remove its item. Similarly, both Tyranitar formes can decimate it with Crunch and Ash-Greninja can 2HKO with Dark Pulse. However, all four cannot defeat Deoxys-D if it has gained enough Cosmic Power boosts, and risk losing to the combination of Rocky Helmet + Night Shade. Mega Sableye cannot directly threaten Deoxys-D, but can remove its item, burn it, and is effectively immune to Taunt.
**Chip Damage**: Chip damage from entry hazards usually cuts into Deoxys-D’s longevity too much, causing it to faint early. However, this can be avoided with solid entry hazard removal like Tapu Fini and careful play.
**Status**: Status hampers Deoxys-D's sweeping potential immensely. Paralysis slows it down and prevents it from utilizing Taunt, while burn and poison hamper its ability to stall out foes. While Taunt can stop slower status users, it cannot help against moves like Scald.
**Regenerator**: Regenerator in tandem with Pokemon like Gliscor or a Normal-type denies any progress Deoxys-D attempts to make, as foes can simply switch around its moves and status it or waste its PP.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Solaros & Lunaris, 471780]]
- Quality checked by: [[adem, 529732], [Milo, 540138]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [UT, 523866]]
Last edited:
