Deoxys-S
Type: Psychic
Abilities:
Pressure-
Base Stats:
HP: 50
Atk: 95
Def: 90
SpA: 95
SpD: 90
Spe: 180
Overview
The best way to describe Deoxys-S, is Alakazam on steroids. This beast of a pokemon spent the majority of 4th gen locked away in the dark prison of Ubers, and now is making a coming back to the OU metagame. I intend to abuse this thing for the few interrupted weeks it stays in OU, as i suspect they will ban it once it gets rediscovered. Some servers already have. Deoxys has gained a few new tools in 5th gen, most notably the
Drain Punch base power raise, and
Magic Coat.
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In Depth/Move Sets
Standard Sweeper*
@Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Hasty (+Spe, -Def) Or Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EVs: 162 Atk / 252 SpA / 96 Spe -Or- 110 Atk / 252 SpA / 148 Spe
- Superpower / Drain Punch
- Psycho Boost / Psychic
- Ice Beam / Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt / Fire Punch
Set Comments
This set, one of the most effective, takes advantage of Deoxy's amazing speed, while putting as much into attack options as possible. This variation offers the fantastic
'boltbeam' coverage, which hits dragons, flying types, ground types, bulky waters, and more. The majority of dragon dancers will be Adamant, and 92 Spe EVs (
460 speed) gives you the ability to switch in on the dragon dance, and still outspeed. 460 speed also allows you to outspeed Scarf Chandelure (max speed 426), which is always a satisfying kill. Cloyster and other shell breakers can be outsped after 1 shell break, even 2 in some cases (i have outsped a +4 closyer with this set. i really don't know how), which not a lot of things can boast. An Adamant ScarfChomp's max speed is 455, which is also an easy free kill.
Psycho Boost will OHKO Conkeldurr 100% of the time with hazards, doing 97.6% - 115% to a 252HP/SpD, which are uncommon. There is a slight chance that it could live and hit you for a super effective payback, but unlikely. Entry hazards will prevent this.
Superpower will hit Excadrill (which you will generally outspeed, even in Sandstorm. Run more speed EVs if yer worried), Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Blissey, which otherwise would completely wall this set. You also hit Hydreigon, but Ice Beam is generally the better move, because of your SpA investments, and having -2 atk when you need 0 is never a good situation to be in.
Drain Punch will score less OHKO's, but is tons more reliable with no attack drop, and health regeneration that will, at worst, balance out life orb recoil.
Anti-Priority Sweeper*
@Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Rash (+SpA, -SpD) or Lax (+Def, -SpD) (Lax will only make about a 5-8% Hp difference with priority moves)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Def -Or- 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
- Superpower / Drain Punch
- Psycho Boost / Psychic
- Ice Beam / Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt / Fire Punch
Set Comments
First, Rash natured 252 SpA
Psycho Boost will OHKO Conkeldurr 100% of the time without any hazards, which means even if he has 252 HP/SpD, he will still be transformed into white powder, which you can then use to pretty up your face, or put in a urn. If Psycho Boost misses, which it will 1 every 10 times, your defensive EVs offer you redemption, as you can OHKO the next turn, and Drain Punch back health.
Second, When you start your sweep, and your opponent surprises you with a priority move they have been saving,
you will be able to live, nearly 94% of the time (due to crits). Running 4 hp/252 def Rash will only take 56.2% - 66.9% damage from an Adamant, 252 Atk, Technician, Choice Banded Scizor's Bullet Punch. 5th gen hardly has any banded scizors, which will reduce the damage you receive significantly. Nothing with Shadow Sneak or Extreemspeed can touch the damage output a banded Scizor can without boosts, which puts you in the clear. Removing either Thunderbolt or Ice Beam for
Fire Punch might be something you want to look into with this set. Keep in mind, don't be stupid to try to abuse it's ability to live priority moves if another teammate can more effectively take the hit.
IE, unless you know you can sweep the rest of their team, factoring in Life Orb damage, switch the **** out. Drain Punch will help you regenerate some of your lost HP, but not all.
Additional Comments
Although this set generally plays like the above sweeper, 396 speed will still have it's down sides. No more outspeeding Sand Rush Excadrill in sandstorm, no more outspeeding dragon dancers, shell break might even catch you, although probably not. You can still run
Naive, but it's almost pointless without any speed EVs. The idea behind this set is to get in unharmed mid to late game, and then wreck shop. This set is also very effective revenge as revenge killing. But, if you let your opponent set up, your going to have to rely on another teammate to clear the threat (phaze, or kill) before sweeping. If you are willing to give all that up, the rewards are.. Well, surprising.
Specs
@Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk) or Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 Hp (If Modest)
- Psycho Boost / Physic
- Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball
- Ice Beam / Focus Blast
- Trick / Hidden Power Fire
Set Comments
This set plays simliar to Specs Latios. The trade off is you outspeed nearly everthing, can obtain perfect type coverage, but don't hit as hard, and won't live as long as Latios would. At Choice Spec's +1, Deoxys is able to reach 475 SpA with modest nature, and still retain 459 speed. Almost anything that does not resist Psycho Boost will be obliterated, but doing so will require you to switch out next turn due to the stat drop.
Physic can be used instead, if you want a more reliable STAB move.
Boltbeam coverage is preferred, although no where near perfect. Running
Focus Blast and
Shadow Ball will ensure you score at least neutral damage on everything.
Trick can be used to cripple walls that you may not be able to handle otherwise.
Band
@Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA) or Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 Hp (If Adamant)
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch / Pursuit
- ThunderPunch / Drain Punch
- Ice Punch / Trick
Set Comments
Since the Elemental punches don't hit as hard as Ice Beam/Thunderbolt, this set is generally less effective. The most notable thing you gain in this set, is the strongest
Fire Punch, and fire move altogether, Deoxys-S has to offer.
Drain Punch can be used for Tyranitar, who would otherwise wall this set.
Pursuit can be used for fleeing ghost and physic types, although your opponent can then switch in their own pursuiter, and hit you on the switch out.
Suicide Lead*
@Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 46 Hp / 252 SpA / 212 Spe
- Stealth Rocks
- Spikes
- Taunt / Magic Coat
- Psycho Boost / Psychic
Set Comments
I'm sure that most of us are familiar with how to use a suicide lead. The goal is to get as many entry hazards up as possible, while stopping the opponent from doing the same. Investing 212 in speed will allow you to outspeed max speed 100 base scarf leads, which are very uncommon but out there. Play around with the EV's however you would like, but remember this set gives Deoxys the fastest taunt in the game, bar pokemon with the Prankster ability.
Psychic provides reliability with STAB, and 100% accuracy, but renders you useless against a Taunt Prankster Sableye.
Magic Coat is a very effective replacement for taunt, and i suggest using it if you are familiar with how it works.
Dual Screen Lead
@Light Clay/Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 46 HP / 252 Def / 212 Spe
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt / Magic Coat
- Spikes / Stealth Rock
Set Comments
This set was taken straight from IAC's fourth gen uber analysis, and it has done decent for me in 5th gen, although i prefer the other lead. I've never liked pokemon specifically for screens, i find them to be unreliable. But, they can be extremely annoying for your opponent if you use them correctly. And, it isn't all this set has to offer.
Light Clay is the preferred item, because it will allow your screens to remain active longer.
Taunt will disallow your opponent entry hazards, and also keep you safe from getting taunted and struggling.
Spikes are preferred, because there are loads of other pokemon you can use to set up your rocks. If you decide to go with SR, because your team doesn't really need entry hazards up, you might want to consider another lead, unless you need the screens.
Additional Comments
Deciding which screen to set up first is easy; if your opponent if using a physical attacker; set up reflect. If it's less of a physical pokemon, and more of special attacker, set up light screen. You can throw the EVs around into SpD, or HP, but 493 speed, which is what 212 +Spe nature give you, is generally best. If you were to toss your speed into the garbage, 4 hp/252 def/252 spd would be your best option.
* = sets created and tested by me. i made it to 268/15333 on PokeBattle server with these sets (mostly sweepers)
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Other Options
Substitute- When your opponent switches out predicting your attack, sub up. this allows you to absorb priorities, and score 2HKOs you otherwise wouldn't be able to. Substitute also gives you the ability to switch out on foes that would normally pursuit you.
Shadow Ball- If paired with a fighting move, like drain punch, you have perfect type coverage.
Thunder- can be used instead of thunderbolt on rain dance teams.
ExtremeSpeed- If you are super paranoid about getting hit with priorities, ES has +2 priority, which is fantastic.
Energy Ball- Swampert and quagsire, common in OU, are OHKOed by this always, but psycho boost does that also.. i think.
Grass Knot- Energy ball is more reliable, in my opinion.
Charge Beam- This is all Deoxys has as far as boosting his.. her.. neutral gendered special attack goes.
Meteor Mash- I don't really know what this hits that drain punch doesn't. possibility to boost attack.
Psych Up- Used with Swagger, you could create a deadly combination.
Swagger- Use on opponent, use psych up to copy the +2 attack, then sweep.
Recover- Could be used for healing life orb damage, or used on a defensive set in order to get all your hazards up.
Knock Off- Used incase you fear your opponent tricking a choice item onto you, for defensive sets only, taunt is better.
Magic Coat- reflects taunt, entry hazards, and all other moves that don't inflict damage, even status. basically, you get espeon's dream world ability for a turn.
Counters
Deoxys-S comes across it's biggest counter often in 5th gen.. Priority moves.
ExtremeSpeed (Dragonite, Arcanine, More),
Sucker Punch (Spiritomb, Absol, Zoroark, More), and
Shadow Sneak (Spiritomb, Dusclops, Golurk, More) being notably the most devastating.
"
Spiritomb can easily take on Deoxys-S, just like he takes on most Psychic-types. Sucker Punch will do a ton to Deoxys-S, and he can punish a fleeing Deoxys-S with Pursuit.
Tyranitar can Pursuit him as well, but has no business taking on a set with Superpower.
Bronzong,
Jirachi, and
Metagross all wall the Special and mixed sets, but Fire Punch can be of great aid in taking them out." -written by i am cool
A pokemon that wasn't widely used at the time IAC wrote that,
Scizor, is also a huge thread to Deoxys. Scizor has the option to Pursuit, but more likely Bullet Punch, as it has the potential to OHKO. Running defensive EVs or a Sub set will aid you in taking down Scizor.
Ferrothorn, who can hit you hard with the strongest Gyro Balls in the game, walls most sweeper sets, which is why Fire Punch is something to consider.
Originally Posted by DDwhiscash
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