qc:Minority, Nayrz, Fireburn
gp:Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
* Giratina-O is a very solid Defogger due to its bulk and ability while maintaining an offensive presence due to strong offensive moves.
* The combination of its typing and Levitate gives it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, a neutrality to Stealth Rock, the utility of spinblocking, and the ability to prevent Mega Gengar from trapping it.
* Giratina-O also provides a check to Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, potent threats in the metagame.
* However, the prevalence of Dark- and Ghost-types hurt its defensive utility a lot.
* Giratina-O is also easily worn down due to having no reliable form of recovery.
[SET]
name: Physical Defog
move 1: Shadow Sneak
move 2: Dragon Tail
move 3: Shadow Force / Earthquake
move 4: Defog
item: Griseous Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Defog serves as Giratina-O's main purpose, granting it entry hazard removal for its team.
* Shadow Sneak is a reliable priority move capable of picking off weakend Lunala, Deoxys-A, and Mega Gengar.
* Dragon Tail allows Giratina-O to serve as a phazer, dealing nice amounts of damage to non-Fairy-type switch-ins and racking up potential hazard damage.
* Shadow Force is a very potent move, boasting a lot of power with the drawback of taking 2 turns. It has huge utility in chunking Xerneas, should it attempt to set up on Giratina-O.
* Earthquake can be used to provide coverage against Magearna and Tyranitar and provide more immediate damage on Primal Groudon.
* Stone Edge is an option over Shadow Force to hit Ho-Oh, but it doesn't hit any other significant targets.
* Will-O-Wisp or another status move are viable options but rarely worth foregoing a different move, except if you possess few sufficient checks for physical threats.
Set Details
========
* Griseous Orb is Giratina-O's only possible item.
* The given EVs and nature ensure that Giratina-O is able to check physical threats and also remain a potent offensive force, with the bulk needed to survive a Swords Dance boosted Shadow Claw from Adamant Arceus after Stealth Rock.
* Due to Giratina-O's high base HP, its less profitable to invest EVs in Giratina-O's HP, as investing into Defense provides more effective protection.
Usage Tips
========
* Giratina-O primarily serves as a Defog user and a counter to Primal Groudon, so keep it healthy for these situations.
* Be careful when phazing foes with Dragon Tail if the opponent possesses a Fairy-type, as they can come in on a Dragon Tail and threaten Giratina-O. Another issue is that due to negative priority of Dragon Tail, Giratina-O is susceptible to being weakened.
* Giratina-O is able to work as a check for weakened threats and frail Pokemon like Deoxys-A, but keep in mind Giratina-O is not primarily a revenge killer and is required to be kept healthy as long as its targets remain relevant to the battle.
Team Options
========
* Fairy-type switch-ins are important due to this set being checked by Fairy-types, so Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Solgaleo, Mega Scizor, and Magearna can fit this role.
* Stealth Rock is extremely valuable for this set due to Giratina-O being able to rack up more passive damage via phazing, so Primal Groudon, Dialga, and Tyranitar are valued.
* Dark-type counters are vital to Giratina-O's success, thus Fairy-types like Magearna and Xerneas are very valuable.
* Answers for Ghost-types are useful. While Giratina-O is able to pick off Lunala even when slightly weakened and Mega Gengar when sufficiently damaged, it still appreciates the possibility of switching out of them, making Tyranitar, Arceus-Dark, and Yveltal nice additions.
* Ho-Oh is an appreciated asset, taking many special attackers Giratina-O fears while enjoying the Defog support Giratina-O provides.
* Steel-types are valued partners, granting Giratina-O's team Toxic immunities and Fairy-type checks. Prime examples are Mega Lucario, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn.
[SET]
name: Utility Attacker
move 1: Hex
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Toxic / Thunder Wave
move 4: Defog
item: Griseous Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Defog is used to remove entry hazards for Giratina-O's team, serving as its main utility tool.
* Draco Meteor chunks opposing Pokemon like Primal Groudon and Yveltal heavily, but it leaves Giratina-O as setup-(RH)bait for Arceus-Dark or Xerneas.
* Hex is Giratina-Os Giratina-O's spammable offensive move that, while being relatively weak unboosted, deals a lot of damage to statused targets.
* Toxic is an potent status move able to cripple threats like Primal Groudon, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Ground and enabling Giratina-O to spam boosted Hexes.
* Thunder Wave is a viable option that cripples switch-ins like Xerneas and Yveltal, but it misses out on the possibility to status Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground.
* Shadow Sneak is an option on the special set over Draco Meteor due to its ability to revenge kill weakened Ghost-types like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Deoxys-A. However, when opting for this attack, Giratina-O has to use a Rash nature, weakening its special bulk.
* Will-O-Wisp is a an alternative status move, enabling Giratina-O to cripple Arceus and physical Arceus-Ground more effectively. It doesn't have any effect against other physical threats like Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, however, making it less desirable in most cases.
Set Details
========
* Griseous Orb is Giratina-O's only possible item.
* The given EVs and nature ensure that Giratina-O can be a potent threat with its high Special Attack while still giving it optimal physical bulk to ensure it being able to keep Primal Groudon, Arceus, and physical Arceus-Ground in check.
Usage Tips
========
* With Giratina-O's Ground immunity, it serves as a Primal Groudon counter and should be switched in quickly to prevent Swords Dance variants from setting up or to prevent defensive variants from keeping up entry hazards.
* Giratina-O checks a lot of physical attackers when necessary, like Extreme Killer Arceus, physical Arceus-Ground, and even Mega Salamence.
* To avoid being worn down easily by switching into Stealth Rock continuously, try coming in on a Stealth Rock setter Giratina-O checks, like Primal Groudon, to be able to immediately Defog.
* Be careful not to let Giratia-O be worn down when unneccecary, as it will have trouble checking what it is supposed to if it is sufficiently weakened.
Team Options
========
* A dedicated answer for Dark-types is absolutely required, as they threaten Giratina-O quite a bit. Fairy-types like Xerneas and Magearna can serve as answers to Yveltal and Arceus-Dark.
* A Stealth Rock setter is quite useful, as they hurt Yveltal and Ho-Oh, common switch-ins to Giratina-O. Primal Groudon, Dialga, and Tyranitar can fit this role quite nicely.
* While Giratina-O is able to cripple Xerneas if it switches in, a dedicated answer to it is required, since Giratina-O ends up as setup fodder after a Draco Meteor quite easily. Magearna, Solgaleo, and Primal Groudon can help alleviate that problem.
* A Ho-Oh check like Arceus-Water or Zygarde is a nice addition, since they can not only switch into Ho-Oh, but they have the additional utility of statusing the opposing team, allowing Giratina-O to spam more powerful Hexes.
* Giratina-O requires a switch-in for enemy Ghost-types. Arceus-Dark and Yveltal are well suited for this, as they threaten Lunala and Mega Gengar quite easily.
* Ho-Oh is a nice partner, functioning as a switch-in to special attackers while greatly benefiting from Giratina-O's Defog.
* Steel-types can be useful partners, being immune to Toxic and able to check Fairy-types. Examples of these are Mega Lucario, Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Arceus-Steel.
* Pokemon that spread status in general are useful additions, as they enable Giratina-O to spam more powerful Hexes much more easily. Examples are Arceus-Water, Klefki, and Ho-Oh.
* Mega Gengar can form a nice Hex core with Giratina-O and is also able to profit from status on the opposing team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Magic Coat can be used to antilead against Deoxys-S and bounce back status.
* Roar can be used to phaze Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas if they try to set up on Giratina-O.
* Iron Tail on the physical set can surprise Fairy-types after they are lured in.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark takes everything Giratina-O can throw at it with ease, even status, and threatens to KO Giratina-O or set up. Giratina-O can do nothing to it but phaze it on a switch in.
**Dark-types**: While neither Yveltal nor Darkrai enjoys switching into a Thunder Wave, Toxic, or a Draco Meteor, they can threaten Giratina-O heavily. Tyranitar serves as a more bulky switch-in and can threaten it with a STAB move or Pursuit it, posing as another threat.
**Fairy-types**: Not only are Fairy-types immune to Giratina-Os dragon moves, Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can set up on it and are only afraid of status, while Magearna takes little damage from an unboosted Hex and is immune to Toxic. Xerneas and Magearna need to be careful of the physical set, however, as Xerneas is able to be heavily chunked if attempting to set up, while Magearna needs to fear Earthquake.
**Ghost-types**: Faster Ghost-types like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Arceus-Ghost threaten Giratina-O with their STAB moves. However, Lunala and Mega Gengar need to be wary of Shadow Sneak from the physical set.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types like Dialga, Palkia, and Zekrom, while unable to tank Giratina-O's Draco Metor, can threaten it out with their STAB moves.
**Ho-Oh**: Though disliking status, Ho-Oh can come in on Giratina-O due to its massive special bulk and chunk its limited health, truly fearing only the rare Stone Edge.
**Status**: Due to lacking recovery, Toxic and burns wear down Giratina-O incredibly fast.
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