[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price Range**: 12-13 points
**Overview**: Jirachi's main appeal is its deep movepool between a wide array of offensive coverage and many valuable utility moves like Healing Wish and Stealth Rock. Its versatility and balanced stat spread allow it to be used in a variety of ways, but it's held back by not being excellent at any particular role. Its offensive stats and typing are subpar, and its utility sets tend to be passive. These flaws hold Jirachi back from being at the top of the draft board, but its role compression and access to rare utility still make it worth drafting.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Utility**: Jirachi's great bulk, good defensive typing, and plethora of utility moves allow it to support its team in many different ways. These sets can set Stealth Rock, restore HP to teammates with Wish and Healing Wish, spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and Body Slam, protect setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen, and pivot with U-turn.
**Revenge Killer**: By holding a Choice Scarf, Jirachi becomes a moderately fast revenge killer that makes up for its low offensive power with a high probability of landing secondary effects. Its Serene Grace + Iron Head combo is more likely to flinch than not, so slower foes must take a great risk if they stay in against Jirachi, even though they will usually survive its attack.
**Bulky Setup Sweeper**: Jirachi's versatile stat spread and wide movepool let it function as a bulky setup sweeper. Its setup options all boost its bulk in some way, which lets it survive more attacks and still increase its damage output with Stored Power. However, it requires a lot of setup to be effective, leaving it vulnerable to disruption, and it often struggles against Dark-types.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Iron Head, Meteor Mash, Flash Cannon, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Psychic Noise, Psyshock, Stored Power
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Iron Defense, Cosmic Power
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, U-turn, Healing Wish, Wish, Protect, Encore, Trick, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Light Screen, Substitute
**Coverage**: Aura Sphere, Body Slam, Dazzling Gleam, Drain Punch, Energy Ball, Fire Punch, Grass Knot, Ice Punch, Play Rough, Shadow Ball, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Doom Desire / Future Sight**: Doom Desire hits Fairy-types for super effective damage, which allows Jirachi to pressure Fairy-types in a unique way for its teammates. It should be paired with a strong Dragon-, Dark-, or Fighting-type threat to make switching into the combination of Doom Desire + one of their STAB attacks extraordinarily difficult. Future Sight isn't unique to Jirachi, but it still receives STAB and can be used as an alternative to Doom Desire in some matchups.
**Meteor Beam**: Jirachi can use a Power Herb in combination with Meteor Beam to lure in Fire-types that otherwise check it.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers gives Jirachi passive recovery, which is useful for defensive sets. It also has good synergy with Protect sets, allowing for extra recovery turns.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf is mainly used on revenge killer sets for fast Iron Head potential, but it can also be combined with Trick to disrupt defensive answers to Jirachi.
**Resistance Berries**: Jirachi has several common weaknesses, so it often uses a resistance Berry to survive an attack that targets it for super effective damage.
Niche Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Generally, Jirachi isn't bothered by entry hazards that much, but it can use Heavy-Duty Boots to stay healthy if it fears Spikes.
**Weakness Policy**: Weakness Policy is useful on setup variants of Jirachi to significantly strengthen Stored Power when triggered.
**Sitrus Berry**: Jirachi has no reliable forms of instant recovery, so it may sometimes opt for a Sitrus Berry for an immediate burst of health.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Jirachi's wide offensive movepool can be strengthened with a damage-boosting item such as Expert Belt, Choice Specs, or Choice Band. While Jirachi's offensive typing and stats are mediocre, the right damage-boosting item paired with the right coverage can sometimes make offensive Jirachi useful.
**Light Clay**: Jirachi can use Light Clay when running Reflect and Light Screen.
**Power Herb**: Power Herb is used in combination with Meteor Beam to skip its charge turn.
Tera
========
Jirachi is difficult to justify drafting as a Tera Captain, as it doesn't really need Tera to perform as a utility Pokemon, its most common use case. It already has a good defensive typing, and its offensive stats aren't high enough for Tera to significantly impact its performance, so Jirachi shouldn't be a team's first choice for a Tera Captain. With all that being said, it's not a terrible candidate for Tera, and it can work if it is drafted on a team with no better options. It will most often use a defensive Tera type like Tera Water or Fairy to enable its setup sets by removing some of its weaknesses to common types. It can also use Tera Steel on Choice Scarf sets to increase its damage output with Iron Head or Tera Ground on offensive sets to gain coverage it normally lacks.
Draft Strategy
========
Jirachi is a niche support option usually taken on teams that need the valuable resistances it provides while also benefitting from its strong utility moves.
**Setup Sweepers**: Jirachi is one of the few viable Pokemon with access to Healing Wish, which is a very strong support option. Powerful setup sweepers like Ogerpon-W, Garchomp, and Ceruledge can all benefit from this support.
**Strong Dragon-types**: Jirachi resists all of Dragon's weaknesses and is well equipped to deal with Fairy-type foes that bother Dragon-types. All the support it provides helps out Dragon-types in particular, so teams with Pokemon like Roaring Moon, Dragonite, and Baxcalibur may consider drafting Jirachi.
**Other Stealth Rock Setter**: Jirachi has high set flexibility, so it would like the option to not run Stealth Rock every game. However, it doesn't mind running Stealth Rock most of the time, so Jirachi makes for a good secondary Stealth Rock setter on teams. Pokemon like Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and Landorus-T can perform different roles in battle than setting Stealth Rock, so they appreciate Jirachi taking some pressure off of them.
Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types**: Jirachi's STAB moves are resisted by Steel, and its coverage moves to hit Steel-types have relatively low Base Power. Most Steel-type Pokemon can wall Jirachi fairly comfortably unless it is a setup variant with super effective coverage for Steel-types, although they may similarly have issues hitting Jirachi for significant damage without a strong coverage move themselves.
**Fire-types**: Jirachi has no viable coverage moves to hit Fire-types super effectively aside from the aforementioned niche Meteor Beam, and Fire-types threaten Jirachi with super effective damage.
**Electric-types**: Jirachi has no viable coverage moves to hit Electric-types super effectively, and Electric-types don't fear Thunder Wave from Jirachi either, making them very comfortable pivots into Jirachi's attacks.
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Jirachi is weak to types that have common coverage moves like Ground and Dark, and its Speed tier is mediocre. As a result, most faster threats like Iron Treads, Meowscarada, and Greninja will be able to outspeed and threaten Jirachi with super effective damage.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno6377.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price Range**: 12-13 points
**Overview**: Jirachi's main appeal is its deep movepool between a wide array of offensive coverage and many valuable utility moves like Healing Wish and Stealth Rock. Its versatility and balanced stat spread allow it to be used in a variety of ways, but it's held back by not being excellent at any particular role. Its offensive stats and typing are subpar, and its utility sets tend to be passive. These flaws hold Jirachi back from being at the top of the draft board, but its role compression and access to rare utility still make it worth drafting.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Utility**: Jirachi's great bulk, good defensive typing, and plethora of utility moves allow it to support its team in many different ways. These sets can set Stealth Rock, restore HP to teammates with Wish and Healing Wish, spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and Body Slam, protect setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen, and pivot with U-turn.
**Revenge Killer**: By holding a Choice Scarf, Jirachi becomes a moderately fast revenge killer that makes up for its low offensive power with a high probability of landing secondary effects. Its Serene Grace + Iron Head combo is more likely to flinch than not, so slower foes must take a great risk if they stay in against Jirachi, even though they will usually survive its attack.
**Bulky Setup Sweeper**: Jirachi's versatile stat spread and wide movepool let it function as a bulky setup sweeper. Its setup options all boost its bulk in some way, which lets it survive more attacks and still increase its damage output with Stored Power. However, it requires a lot of setup to be effective, leaving it vulnerable to disruption, and it often struggles against Dark-types.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Iron Head, Meteor Mash, Flash Cannon, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Psychic Noise, Psyshock, Stored Power
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Iron Defense, Cosmic Power
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, U-turn, Healing Wish, Wish, Protect, Encore, Trick, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Light Screen, Substitute
**Coverage**: Aura Sphere, Body Slam, Dazzling Gleam, Drain Punch, Energy Ball, Fire Punch, Grass Knot, Ice Punch, Play Rough, Shadow Ball, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Doom Desire / Future Sight**: Doom Desire hits Fairy-types for super effective damage, which allows Jirachi to pressure Fairy-types in a unique way for its teammates. It should be paired with a strong Dragon-, Dark-, or Fighting-type threat to make switching into the combination of Doom Desire + one of their STAB attacks extraordinarily difficult. Future Sight isn't unique to Jirachi, but it still receives STAB and can be used as an alternative to Doom Desire in some matchups.
**Meteor Beam**: Jirachi can use a Power Herb in combination with Meteor Beam to lure in Fire-types that otherwise check it.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers gives Jirachi passive recovery, which is useful for defensive sets. It also has good synergy with Protect sets, allowing for extra recovery turns.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf is mainly used on revenge killer sets for fast Iron Head potential, but it can also be combined with Trick to disrupt defensive answers to Jirachi.
**Resistance Berries**: Jirachi has several common weaknesses, so it often uses a resistance Berry to survive an attack that targets it for super effective damage.
Niche Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Generally, Jirachi isn't bothered by entry hazards that much, but it can use Heavy-Duty Boots to stay healthy if it fears Spikes.
**Weakness Policy**: Weakness Policy is useful on setup variants of Jirachi to significantly strengthen Stored Power when triggered.
**Sitrus Berry**: Jirachi has no reliable forms of instant recovery, so it may sometimes opt for a Sitrus Berry for an immediate burst of health.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Jirachi's wide offensive movepool can be strengthened with a damage-boosting item such as Expert Belt, Choice Specs, or Choice Band. While Jirachi's offensive typing and stats are mediocre, the right damage-boosting item paired with the right coverage can sometimes make offensive Jirachi useful.
**Light Clay**: Jirachi can use Light Clay when running Reflect and Light Screen.
**Power Herb**: Power Herb is used in combination with Meteor Beam to skip its charge turn.
Tera
========
Jirachi is difficult to justify drafting as a Tera Captain, as it doesn't really need Tera to perform as a utility Pokemon, its most common use case. It already has a good defensive typing, and its offensive stats aren't high enough for Tera to significantly impact its performance, so Jirachi shouldn't be a team's first choice for a Tera Captain. With all that being said, it's not a terrible candidate for Tera, and it can work if it is drafted on a team with no better options. It will most often use a defensive Tera type like Tera Water or Fairy to enable its setup sets by removing some of its weaknesses to common types. It can also use Tera Steel on Choice Scarf sets to increase its damage output with Iron Head or Tera Ground on offensive sets to gain coverage it normally lacks.
Draft Strategy
========
Jirachi is a niche support option usually taken on teams that need the valuable resistances it provides while also benefitting from its strong utility moves.
**Setup Sweepers**: Jirachi is one of the few viable Pokemon with access to Healing Wish, which is a very strong support option. Powerful setup sweepers like Ogerpon-W, Garchomp, and Ceruledge can all benefit from this support.
**Strong Dragon-types**: Jirachi resists all of Dragon's weaknesses and is well equipped to deal with Fairy-type foes that bother Dragon-types. All the support it provides helps out Dragon-types in particular, so teams with Pokemon like Roaring Moon, Dragonite, and Baxcalibur may consider drafting Jirachi.
**Other Stealth Rock Setter**: Jirachi has high set flexibility, so it would like the option to not run Stealth Rock every game. However, it doesn't mind running Stealth Rock most of the time, so Jirachi makes for a good secondary Stealth Rock setter on teams. Pokemon like Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and Landorus-T can perform different roles in battle than setting Stealth Rock, so they appreciate Jirachi taking some pressure off of them.
Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types**: Jirachi's STAB moves are resisted by Steel, and its coverage moves to hit Steel-types have relatively low Base Power. Most Steel-type Pokemon can wall Jirachi fairly comfortably unless it is a setup variant with super effective coverage for Steel-types, although they may similarly have issues hitting Jirachi for significant damage without a strong coverage move themselves.
**Fire-types**: Jirachi has no viable coverage moves to hit Fire-types super effectively aside from the aforementioned niche Meteor Beam, and Fire-types threaten Jirachi with super effective damage.
**Electric-types**: Jirachi has no viable coverage moves to hit Electric-types super effectively, and Electric-types don't fear Thunder Wave from Jirachi either, making them very comfortable pivots into Jirachi's attacks.
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Jirachi is weak to types that have common coverage moves like Ground and Dark, and its Speed tier is mediocre. As a result, most faster threats like Iron Treads, Meowscarada, and Greninja will be able to outspeed and threaten Jirachi with super effective damage.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scribble.356084/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno6377.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
