stag party
Overview
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Physically, Xerneas's ornate antlers and regal bearing make it impressive to behold, and this resplendence extends to the battlefield — it has every bit as much power as it has poise.
Geomancy
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name: Geomancy
move 1: Geomancy
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Focus Blast
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Power Herb
evs: 88 HP / 252 SpA / 168 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Aromatherapy
move 3: Focus Blast / Thunder
move 4: Grass Knot / Thunder
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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All-Out Attacker
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name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Aromatherapy
move 3: Thunder / Rock Slide
move 4: Close Combat / Focus Blast
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Mild / Rash
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
========
Team Options
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Physically Defensive
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name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Aromatherapy / Roar
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Bold
Moves
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
Team Options
========
Other Options
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Checks & Counters
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(not all)
**Steel-types**:
**Poison-types**:
**Fire-types**:
**Blissey**:
**Clefable**:
**Ditto**:
**Priority**:

Overview
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Physically, Xerneas's ornate antlers and regal bearing make it impressive to behold, and this resplendence extends to the battlefield — it has every bit as much power as it has poise.
- Geomancy Xerneas is objectively the single most prepared-for set in the metagame, which is testament to its potency and influence
- Versatility is another of its strong suits, it can effectively wield items such as Life Orb and Choice Scarf to good effect
- Defensively no slouch, boasting excellent mixed bulk and useful support moves such as Aromatherapy and Roar
- 4MSS and a lack of powerful enough coverage moves makes it difficult for Geomancy Xerneas to sweep cleanly without a fair bit of team support, although this is partly attributed to the fact that people carry multiple checks and counters to it
- Lacks reliable recovery outside of Rest hence finds it difficult to outlast its checks
- Relies on Fairy Aura to power up its STAB; Base 131 Special Attack is slightly underwhelming, especially when paired with the aforementioned weak coverage moves
- Base 99 Speed is acceptable but leaves it unable to sweep without a boost
- Few/no real flaws (vulnerable to Shadow Tag Mega Gengar) and shapes the metagame around it
Geomancy
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name: Geomancy
move 1: Geomancy
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Focus Blast
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Power Herb
evs: 88 HP / 252 SpA / 168 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
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- Hidden Power Fire > Focus Blast hits Steel-types more accurately but misses out on Primal Groudon and Heatran
- Hidden Power Ground > Focus Blast hits Primal Groudon and Klefki more accurately but misses out on Scizor and Ferrothorn
- Psyshock > Thunder to hit the rare Poison Arceus and at +2 OHKOes non-physically defensive Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock damage
- Aromatherapy provides team support and lets a boosted Geomancy Xerneas bypass some of its checks
- Substitute lets Xerneas beat Blissey and gives it its best odds against Aegislash, which beats any other set
Set Details
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- 168 Speed EVs let +2 Xerneas outspeed Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill in sand
- 252 Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature for maximum power
- Remaining 88 EVs put in HP for some added bulk
- Investing in more Speed to outrun the rare Choice Scarf Shaymin-S/Darkrai or give you the edge vs opposing Geomancy Xerneas is not out of the question
Usage Tips
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- Only has one shot to sweep so don't fluff it; set up when checks are sufficiently weakened
- Can lure in its checks, especially with aggressive double switching, and weaken them itself in preparation for setting up Geomancy later
- Fairy-typing lets it switch in on predicted Dragon-type moves
- If sweeping looks impossible from Team Preview it can function as a good pivot into Pokemon such as Yveltal
Team Options
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- With some prediction, Mega Gengar can trap and remove problematic Pokemon such as Scizor and Klefki that would deter Xerneas from sweeping with Geomancy
- Stealth Rock support is very useful for whittling Xerneas's checks to within KO range from a +2 boosted attack. For example, Lugia is OHKOed by Moonblast, and Ho-Oh by Thunder or Psyshock after Stealth Rock damage
- Other sweepers can either soften up teams for a Xerneas sweep or take advantage of the holes Xerneas leaves in teams to finish the game. Mega Blaziken, Tailwind Zekrom, and Extreme Killer Arceus are examples of such Pokemon that synergize decently with Xerneas.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Aromatherapy
move 3: Focus Blast / Thunder
move 4: Grass Knot / Thunder
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
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- Megahorn can be used to OHKO Mega Mewtwo Y and boosted Calm Mind Lati@s
- Rock Slide lures and severely cripples Ho-Oh
- Sleep Talk lets Xerneas function as a sleep absorber; note that a set of Moonblast / Sleep Talk / Focus Blast / Megahorn lets Xerneas almost always OHKO Darkrai if it chooses to stay in
Set Details
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- A Modest nature maximizes Xerneas's power. A Timid nature can be used but it takes away from the power of Xerneas's unboosted coverage moves and hurts its ability to clean late-game with Moonblast
Usage Tips
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- Can bluff a Geomancy set and net a surprise kill on a Pokemon faster than it
- If your team is in need of it, it is useful to switch it in agressively on Pokemon it threatens out and utilize the "free turn" to get off an Aromatherapy
- Be careful with your coverage moves as they can leave Xerneas setup bait for powerful sweepers such as Mega Salamence that can come in freely after Xerneas KOes something
Team Options
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- This set is fairly self-sufficient and does not require much dedicated team support Since it shares similar checks to Geomancy Xerneas, teammates such as Mega Gengar and Yveltal are similarly appreciated
All-Out Attacker
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name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Aromatherapy
move 3: Thunder / Rock Slide
move 4: Close Combat / Focus Blast
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Mild / Rash
Moves
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- Night Slash 3HKOes Aegislash but has absolutely no use outside of that
Set Details
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- A Modest nature should be used if Xerneas ends up not carrying a physical move
Usage Tips
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- Wallbreak by spamming Life Orb-boosted Moonblast and coverage moves, which pack significantly more bite than other sets
- This set has mediocre bulk, no recovery, and gets whittled down by Life Orb, so don't be too eager in switching it in even on resisted moves such as Yveltal's Dark Pulse and Mega Mewtwo X's Low Kick
Team Options
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- U-turn support to bring it in safely. U-turn Yveltal and Landorus-T are good teammates
- Sweepers to take advantage of this set's wallbreaking capabilities. Calm Mind Arceus formes such as Ghost or Dark Arceus can clean up weakened teams
- Stealth Rock support to further pressure switch-ins
- Healing Wish support to give it a second wind
Physically Defensive
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name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Aromatherapy / Roar
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
ability: Fairy Aura
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
nature: Bold
Moves
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- Aromatherapy provides cleric support, which most teams greatly appreciate
- Roar works nicely with (Toxic) Spikes support, phazes setup sweepers, and is in general an effective move to have if Xerneas can spare the moveslot because its switch-ins are often highly predictable
Set Details
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- 252 HP and Defense EVs with a Bold nature makes the most of Xerneas's impressive natural physical bulk, letting it function as an excellent soft check to Dragon-types such as Zekrom, Salamence, and Lati@s
- A specially defensive set of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Calm nature is viable but not very useful given that Palkia is far less prominent a threat than it was before
Usage Tips
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- This set has far greater bulk than Xerneas's other commonly used sets, which translates to it finding more chances to use Aromatherapy against Pokemon such as defensive Primal Groudon and Gyro Ball Aegislash, which merely 3HKOes with Gyro Ball
- Do not use Rest indiscriminately as Xerneas is vulnerable during its sleep turns
- Remember that a sleeping Xerneas wakes up if Sleep Talk selects Aromatherapy
- Keep in mind how this set differentiates itself from other Fairy-type clerics in Sylveon and Clefable; while it has greater Speed, power and physical bulk, it loses out on Wish (Sylveon) and Unaware (Clefable)
Team Options
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- A Pursuit user to checkmate Mega Gengar is appreciated, making Scizor, Aegislash, and Mega Metagross good partners
- Entry hazard support is appareciated especially if Roar is used
Other Options
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- Misty Terrain
- Shed Shell
- Calm Mind / Moonblast / Rest / Sleep Talk set
- Pixie Plate
- Expert Belt
Checks & Counters
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(not all)
**Steel-types**:
**Poison-types**:
**Fire-types**:
**Blissey**:
**Clefable**:
**Ditto**:
**Priority**:
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