[OVERVIEW]
Decidueye is an incredibly powerful physical attacker, using Swords Dance-boosted Spirit Shackle, Poltergeist, and Leaf Blade to do massive damage to opposing walls, such as Amoonguss, Registeel, and Gligar, and revenge killing faster foes like Munkidori and Chandelure with Shadow Sneak. It also serves as one of the few viable users of Defog in the tier, taking advantage of the fear its powerful physical sets create to find turns to clear entry hazards. Its typing allows it to switch in on common attackers like Paldean Tauros-W, Breloom, and Flygon, and it often finds turns to set up in front of common defensive Water-types like Gastrodon, Vaporeon, and Milotic. Its ability to throw out powerful attacks is only enhanced by Long Reach, which allows it to avoid the threats of Chandelure's Flame Body, Bellibolt's Static, and Rocky Helmet. Decidueye does struggle with its mediocre Speed though, particularly on offensive sets. Even Swords Dance-boosted Shadow Sneak does not often pick off neutral targets from full HP without Tera Ghost, leaving Decidueye open to being revenge killed by many faster and Ghost-immune foes such as Cinccino, Porygon-Z, and Tera Normal Toxtricity. Decidueye's STAB types are also walled by several common Pokemon, namely Overqwil, Alolan Muk, and Incineroar. Defog sets must also be careful of several Competitive and Defiant Pokemon, such as Kilowattrel, Galarian Articuno, Milotic, and Tornadus.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Spirit Shackle / Poltergeist
move 3: Leaf Blade
move 4: Shadow Sneak
item: Spell Tag
ability: Long Reach
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Ghost / Fairy / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Spirit Shackle lets Decidueye hit and trap foes without fear of missing, while +2 Poltergeist lets it potentially OHKO checks like Amoonguss after Stealth Rock damage. However, Poltergeist limits Decidueye's teammates' ability to utilize Knock Off, as it requires the foe to have an item. Shadow Sneak lets Decidueye pick off and revenge kill faster foes, particularly Ghost-weak ones like Chandelure, Hisuian Typhlosion, and Munkidori. Tera Ghost lets Shadow Sneak OHKO Inteleon, Kilowattrel, and, after Stealth Rock damage, Flamigo, while Tera Fairy and Water act defensively to give Decidueye a chance to set up in front of Dark-types like Scrafty and Fire-types like Incineroar, respectively.
Decidueye appreciates teammates like Munkidori and Chandelure that are also checked by Dark- and Fire-types, since it can work together with these partners to wear down shared checks like Alolan Muk and Incineroar. Particularly when using Spirit Shackle over Poltergeist, entry hazard support from teammates like Froslass, Diancie, and Bronzong can be helpful to wear down checks and guarantee KOs. Backup physical attackers can work to overwhelm solid physical walls like Amoonguss and Bellibolt, so the Paldean Tauros formes, Toxicroak, and Flygon can support Decidueye very well. On top of that, they can capitalize on Pokemon that Decidueye might faint against like Incineroar, Overqwil, and Alolan Muk. Decidueye can occasionally find getting a turn to set up difficult, so teammates that facilitate opportunities, such as Encore users like Cinccino and Scream Tail and Memento Chandelure, can be very helpful.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Poltergeist / Spirit Shackle
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band / Spell Tag
ability: Long Reach
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Ghost / Fairy / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Choice Band- or Spell Tag-boosted Poltergeist provides the most immediate power, but it can miss and limits Decidueye's teammates' ability to use Knock Off. Spirit Shackle provides a completely accurate Ghost-type STAB move and allows Decidueye's teammates to use Knock Off more freely. U-turn allows Decidueye to pivot out on potential checks like Overqwil and Incineroar. Tera Ghost further boosts its powerful Ghost-type STAB moves, letting it 2HKO Gligar with Poltergeist. Tera Fairy and Tera Water work defensively to allow Decidueye to survive attacks from powerful Dark- and Fire-types, respectively, such as Scrafty and Chandelure.
Decidueye requires teammates that can switch in on powerful Fire- and Dark-type attacks from foes like Chandelure and Incineroar, so Vaporeon, Milotic, and Diancie can be valuable. Other physical attackers like Flamigo, Flygon, and Paldean Tauros-W appreciate Decidueye's ability to weaken opposing physical walls like Amoongus and Bellibolt. Special attackers, particularly ones that can pivot like Munkidori and Kilowattrel, can also combine with Decidueye to repeatedly pivot on checks and wear them down. Decidueye does not resist Stealth Rock and is not immune to Spikes, so entry hazard removers like Avalugg, Altaria, and Scyther are appreciated to ensure Decidueye can repeatedly enter the field and threaten foes.
[SET]
name: Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Roost
move 3: Giga Drain / Leaf Storm / Shadow Ball
move 4: U-turn / Shadow Ball
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Overgrow
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe
tera type: Fairy / Water / Poison
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Giga Drain, along with Roost, provides Decidueye with additional longevity, but Leaf Storm can provide immediate power to surprise opponents expecting physically offensive Decidueye sets. U-turn allows Decidueye to pivot on opposing Competitive Pokemon like Kilowattrel and Galarian Articuno that might otherwise take advantage of Defog, but Decidueye can also choose to run Shadow Ball to hit Grass-resistant Pokemon like Kilowattrel and Tornadus for neutral damage. With an Impish nature, Knock Off can be run as Decidueye's main attack, since it lets Decidueye threaten item-reliant Pokemon like Kilowattrel, Tornadus, and Incineroar that would otherwise easily take advantage of it. The given EV spread allows Decidueye to outspeed Adamant Incineroar, which otherwise threatens it with Knock Off. Tera Fairy allows Decidueye to resist Dark-type attacks from foes like Incineroar, Scrafty, and Toxicroak, as well as Flamigo's Scrappy Close Combat, while Tera Water protects it from Fire-types like Chandelure and Infernape. Tera Poison is an all-around solid defensive option, removing all of Decidueye's original weaknesses and specifically letting it resist Flamigo's Scrappy Close Combat and Poison-type attacks from foes like Alolan Muk.
Decidueye requires teammates capable of checking Incineroar, as Defog lets it in for free. Vaporeon, Milotic, and Diancie resist Incineroar's STAB moves and can patch up Decidueye's weakness to Fire- and Flying-types like Chandelure and Kilowattrel. Entry hazard-weak teammates appreciate Decidueye's Defog, particularly Fire- and Flying-types like Choice Specs users such as Chandelure as well as Alolan Ninetales and itemless Tornadus. Decidueye also checks Paldean Tauros-W, which Water- and Fighting-weak Pokemon like Diancie, Gligar, Incineroar, and Porygon-Z appreciate.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Decidueye can run Low Kick instead of Leaf Blade or Shadow Sneak in order to hit Incineroar, other Dark-types, and Registeel for super effective damage, but it loses either priority or its Grass-type STAB move in return. Decidueye can also run a special attacking set of Nasty Plot / Shadow Ball / Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, or Energy Ball / Roost or Tera Blast Ground, but this set can be easily revenge killed because it lacks priority.
Checks and Counters
====
**Dark-types and Dark-type Attacks**: Common Dark-types like Alolan Muk, Overqwil, and Incineroar wall Decidueye's STAB moves, and the latter two weaken it further with Intimidate. Many other Pokemon such as Grafaiai, Toxicroak, and Cinccino threaten Decidueye with Knock Off as well.
**Fire-types and Fire-type Attacks**: Fire-types, such as the previously mentioned Incineroar along with Chandelure and Hisuian Typhlosion, threaten to blow Decidueye away with powerful Fire-type attacks. However, the latter two can be threatened with Shadow Sneak. Speedy attackers like Scream Tail and Flygon can also run Fire Blast to threaten Decidueye.
**Flying-types**: Decidueye must be wary of powerful Flying-type Pokemon like Scyther, Kilowattrel, Galarian Articuno, and Tornadus. The latter three also threaten Defog sets with Competitive and Defiant boosts. However, none of them want to switch into Poltergeist and Spirit Shackle, and they can also be picked off with Shadow Sneak.
**Ice-types**: Alolan Ninetales can survive most of Decidueye's attacks with the Defense boost from snow, threatens it back with Blizzard and Freeze-Dry, and can lock it into Swords Dance with Encore. Avalugg can also tank hits from physically attacking sets and threaten Decidueye back with Ice Spinner and Avalanche.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
Decidueye is an incredibly powerful physical attacker, using Swords Dance-boosted Spirit Shackle, Poltergeist, and Leaf Blade to do massive damage to opposing walls, such as Amoonguss, Registeel, and Gligar, and revenge killing faster foes like Munkidori and Chandelure with Shadow Sneak. It also serves as one of the few viable users of Defog in the tier, taking advantage of the fear its powerful physical sets create to find turns to clear entry hazards. Its typing allows it to switch in on common attackers like Paldean Tauros-W, Breloom, and Flygon, and it often finds turns to set up in front of common defensive Water-types like Gastrodon, Vaporeon, and Milotic. Its ability to throw out powerful attacks is only enhanced by Long Reach, which allows it to avoid the threats of Chandelure's Flame Body, Bellibolt's Static, and Rocky Helmet. Decidueye does struggle with its mediocre Speed though, particularly on offensive sets. Even Swords Dance-boosted Shadow Sneak does not often pick off neutral targets from full HP without Tera Ghost, leaving Decidueye open to being revenge killed by many faster and Ghost-immune foes such as Cinccino, Porygon-Z, and Tera Normal Toxtricity. Decidueye's STAB types are also walled by several common Pokemon, namely Overqwil, Alolan Muk, and Incineroar. Defog sets must also be careful of several Competitive and Defiant Pokemon, such as Kilowattrel, Galarian Articuno, Milotic, and Tornadus.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Spirit Shackle / Poltergeist
move 3: Leaf Blade
move 4: Shadow Sneak
item: Spell Tag
ability: Long Reach
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Ghost / Fairy / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Spirit Shackle lets Decidueye hit and trap foes without fear of missing, while +2 Poltergeist lets it potentially OHKO checks like Amoonguss after Stealth Rock damage. However, Poltergeist limits Decidueye's teammates' ability to utilize Knock Off, as it requires the foe to have an item. Shadow Sneak lets Decidueye pick off and revenge kill faster foes, particularly Ghost-weak ones like Chandelure, Hisuian Typhlosion, and Munkidori. Tera Ghost lets Shadow Sneak OHKO Inteleon, Kilowattrel, and, after Stealth Rock damage, Flamigo, while Tera Fairy and Water act defensively to give Decidueye a chance to set up in front of Dark-types like Scrafty and Fire-types like Incineroar, respectively.
Decidueye appreciates teammates like Munkidori and Chandelure that are also checked by Dark- and Fire-types, since it can work together with these partners to wear down shared checks like Alolan Muk and Incineroar. Particularly when using Spirit Shackle over Poltergeist, entry hazard support from teammates like Froslass, Diancie, and Bronzong can be helpful to wear down checks and guarantee KOs. Backup physical attackers can work to overwhelm solid physical walls like Amoonguss and Bellibolt, so the Paldean Tauros formes, Toxicroak, and Flygon can support Decidueye very well. On top of that, they can capitalize on Pokemon that Decidueye might faint against like Incineroar, Overqwil, and Alolan Muk. Decidueye can occasionally find getting a turn to set up difficult, so teammates that facilitate opportunities, such as Encore users like Cinccino and Scream Tail and Memento Chandelure, can be very helpful.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Poltergeist / Spirit Shackle
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Shadow Sneak
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band / Spell Tag
ability: Long Reach
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Ghost / Fairy / Water
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Choice Band- or Spell Tag-boosted Poltergeist provides the most immediate power, but it can miss and limits Decidueye's teammates' ability to use Knock Off. Spirit Shackle provides a completely accurate Ghost-type STAB move and allows Decidueye's teammates to use Knock Off more freely. U-turn allows Decidueye to pivot out on potential checks like Overqwil and Incineroar. Tera Ghost further boosts its powerful Ghost-type STAB moves, letting it 2HKO Gligar with Poltergeist. Tera Fairy and Tera Water work defensively to allow Decidueye to survive attacks from powerful Dark- and Fire-types, respectively, such as Scrafty and Chandelure.
Decidueye requires teammates that can switch in on powerful Fire- and Dark-type attacks from foes like Chandelure and Incineroar, so Vaporeon, Milotic, and Diancie can be valuable. Other physical attackers like Flamigo, Flygon, and Paldean Tauros-W appreciate Decidueye's ability to weaken opposing physical walls like Amoongus and Bellibolt. Special attackers, particularly ones that can pivot like Munkidori and Kilowattrel, can also combine with Decidueye to repeatedly pivot on checks and wear them down. Decidueye does not resist Stealth Rock and is not immune to Spikes, so entry hazard removers like Avalugg, Altaria, and Scyther are appreciated to ensure Decidueye can repeatedly enter the field and threaten foes.
[SET]
name: Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Roost
move 3: Giga Drain / Leaf Storm / Shadow Ball
move 4: U-turn / Shadow Ball
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Overgrow
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe
tera type: Fairy / Water / Poison
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Giga Drain, along with Roost, provides Decidueye with additional longevity, but Leaf Storm can provide immediate power to surprise opponents expecting physically offensive Decidueye sets. U-turn allows Decidueye to pivot on opposing Competitive Pokemon like Kilowattrel and Galarian Articuno that might otherwise take advantage of Defog, but Decidueye can also choose to run Shadow Ball to hit Grass-resistant Pokemon like Kilowattrel and Tornadus for neutral damage. With an Impish nature, Knock Off can be run as Decidueye's main attack, since it lets Decidueye threaten item-reliant Pokemon like Kilowattrel, Tornadus, and Incineroar that would otherwise easily take advantage of it. The given EV spread allows Decidueye to outspeed Adamant Incineroar, which otherwise threatens it with Knock Off. Tera Fairy allows Decidueye to resist Dark-type attacks from foes like Incineroar, Scrafty, and Toxicroak, as well as Flamigo's Scrappy Close Combat, while Tera Water protects it from Fire-types like Chandelure and Infernape. Tera Poison is an all-around solid defensive option, removing all of Decidueye's original weaknesses and specifically letting it resist Flamigo's Scrappy Close Combat and Poison-type attacks from foes like Alolan Muk.
Decidueye requires teammates capable of checking Incineroar, as Defog lets it in for free. Vaporeon, Milotic, and Diancie resist Incineroar's STAB moves and can patch up Decidueye's weakness to Fire- and Flying-types like Chandelure and Kilowattrel. Entry hazard-weak teammates appreciate Decidueye's Defog, particularly Fire- and Flying-types like Choice Specs users such as Chandelure as well as Alolan Ninetales and itemless Tornadus. Decidueye also checks Paldean Tauros-W, which Water- and Fighting-weak Pokemon like Diancie, Gligar, Incineroar, and Porygon-Z appreciate.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Decidueye can run Low Kick instead of Leaf Blade or Shadow Sneak in order to hit Incineroar, other Dark-types, and Registeel for super effective damage, but it loses either priority or its Grass-type STAB move in return. Decidueye can also run a special attacking set of Nasty Plot / Shadow Ball / Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, or Energy Ball / Roost or Tera Blast Ground, but this set can be easily revenge killed because it lacks priority.
Checks and Counters
====
**Dark-types and Dark-type Attacks**: Common Dark-types like Alolan Muk, Overqwil, and Incineroar wall Decidueye's STAB moves, and the latter two weaken it further with Intimidate. Many other Pokemon such as Grafaiai, Toxicroak, and Cinccino threaten Decidueye with Knock Off as well.
**Fire-types and Fire-type Attacks**: Fire-types, such as the previously mentioned Incineroar along with Chandelure and Hisuian Typhlosion, threaten to blow Decidueye away with powerful Fire-type attacks. However, the latter two can be threatened with Shadow Sneak. Speedy attackers like Scream Tail and Flygon can also run Fire Blast to threaten Decidueye.
**Flying-types**: Decidueye must be wary of powerful Flying-type Pokemon like Scyther, Kilowattrel, Galarian Articuno, and Tornadus. The latter three also threaten Defog sets with Competitive and Defiant boosts. However, none of them want to switch into Poltergeist and Spirit Shackle, and they can also be picked off with Shadow Sneak.
**Ice-types**: Alolan Ninetales can survive most of Decidueye's attacks with the Defense boost from snow, threatens it back with Blizzard and Freeze-Dry, and can lock it into Swords Dance with Encore. Avalugg can also tank hits from physically attacking sets and threaten Decidueye back with Ice Spinner and Avalanche.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
Last edited:
