[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
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to a great STAB combination that only a few Pokemon resist, a great boosting move in Swords Dance, a useful ability in Long Reach, and a good defensive typing, Decidueye is one of PU's strongest physical wallbreakers and sweepers. While Spirit Shackle is generally preferred for its increased accuracy, Poltergeist can be opted instead for its higher power, allowing Decidueye to OHKO Bellibolt with Tera Ghost after a Swords Dance, although its anti-synergy with Knock Off can make it unappealing. Shadow Sneak is useful priority to pick off faster weakened threats like Inteleon, Salazzle, and Delphox. Knock Off can be used to give Decidueye extra utility and punish common switch-ins like Staraptor and Wo-Chien, but it is very hard to justify using it over other moves, and it does not work well with Poltergeist. Spell Tag lets Decidueye OHKO Toxtricity with unboosted Poltergeist and Inteleon with +2 Shadow Sneak. Decidueye's choice of Tera type is flexible; Tera Ghost boosts the power of its Ghost-type STAB moves and gives Decidueye a better defensive typing, (ac) allowing it to spinblock Alolan Sandslash and set up on Pokemon like Delphox and Salazzle, while Tera Fairy allows Decidueye to take on Dark-type Pokemon like Zoroark and Scrafty.
Decidueye excels on offensive or balance teams looking for a strong wallbreaker with sweeping and cleaning potential. Faster Normal-types like Staraptor, Meloetta, and Ambipom cannot be swept by Shadow Sneak and can threaten Decidueye in return, so checks to these Pokemon like Bellibolt and Gligar make good partners. Decidueye is also relatively frail, so slow pivots like Bellibolt, Gligar, and Milotic can help bring it in safely. Florges, Mudsdale, Paldean Tauros-W, and Skuntank can help switch into Decidueye's checks like opposing Skuntank, Bombirdier, Scrafty, and Galarian Articuno. Decidueye can struggle against offensive Fire-types like Arcanine and Paldean Tauros-F, so Pokemon like Mudsdale and Milotic make excellent partners. Decidueye's ability to beat common physical walls like Mudsdale, Galarian Slowbro, and Bellibolt make other physical sweepers like Arcanine, Ambipom, and Paldean Tauros-W valuable teammates. In turn, these three can take out Decidueye's offensive checks, like Staraptor and Zoroark, with priority to complement Decidueye's Shadow Sneak.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hera.414072/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/s1nn0hc0nfirm3d.231074/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sapphiree.567354/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
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
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to a great STAB combination that only a few Pokemon resist, a great boosting move in Swords Dance, a useful ability in Long Reach, and a good defensive typing, Decidueye is one of PU's strongest physical wallbreakers and sweepers. While Spirit Shackle is generally preferred for its increased accuracy, Poltergeist can be opted instead for its higher power, allowing Decidueye to OHKO Bellibolt with Tera Ghost after a Swords Dance, although its anti-synergy with Knock Off can make it unappealing. Shadow Sneak is useful priority to pick off faster weakened threats like Inteleon, Salazzle, and Delphox. Knock Off can be used to give Decidueye extra utility and punish common switch-ins like Staraptor and Wo-Chien, but it is very hard to justify using it over other moves, and it does not work well with Poltergeist. Spell Tag lets Decidueye OHKO Toxtricity with unboosted Poltergeist and Inteleon with +2 Shadow Sneak. Decidueye's choice of Tera type is flexible; Tera Ghost boosts the power of its Ghost-type STAB moves and gives Decidueye a better defensive typing, (ac) allowing it to spinblock Alolan Sandslash and set up on Pokemon like Delphox and Salazzle, while Tera Fairy allows Decidueye to take on Dark-type Pokemon like Zoroark and Scrafty.
Decidueye excels on offensive or balance teams looking for a strong wallbreaker with sweeping and cleaning potential. Faster Normal-types like Staraptor, Meloetta, and Ambipom cannot be swept by Shadow Sneak and can threaten Decidueye in return, so checks to these Pokemon like Bellibolt and Gligar make good partners. Decidueye is also relatively frail, so slow pivots like Bellibolt, Gligar, and Milotic can help bring it in safely. Florges, Mudsdale, Paldean Tauros-W, and Skuntank can help switch into Decidueye's checks like opposing Skuntank, Bombirdier, Scrafty, and Galarian Articuno. Decidueye can struggle against offensive Fire-types like Arcanine and Paldean Tauros-F, so Pokemon like Mudsdale and Milotic make excellent partners. Decidueye's ability to beat common physical walls like Mudsdale, Galarian Slowbro, and Bellibolt make other physical sweepers like Arcanine, Ambipom, and Paldean Tauros-W valuable teammates. In turn, these three can take out Decidueye's offensive checks, like Staraptor and Zoroark, with priority to complement Decidueye's Shadow Sneak.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hera.414072/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/s1nn0hc0nfirm3d.231074/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sapphiree.567354/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Last edited: