Nixon73
Scuttlebug Jamboree
[OVERVIEW]
Arceus-Rock's typing and decent bulk allow it to fulfill a unique defensive niche as a blanket check to the tier's many Flying-type Pokemon. It is perhaps the tier's best answer to Ho-Oh and Mega Salamence due to its typing and excellent Speed, and it can be a solid check to Rayquaza and Yveltal. Rock-type Judgment has solid neutral coverage and nothing is immune to it, which allows Arceus-Rock to function as an effective mono-attacking Calm Mind user. Access to Will-O-Wisp and a valuable resistance to Normal-type attacks also allow it to cripple physical attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Arceus-Ground. Furthermore, a solid support movepool including Toxic, Defog, and Refresh allows Arceus-Rock some flexibility, which can make it helpful to a variety of teams. However, Arceus-Rock's typing worsens several key matchups that can make other defensive Arceus formes more reliable for most teams. Weaknesses to common Ground- and Water-type moves leave it vulnerable to prominent Pokemon such as Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre, while weaknesses to Steel- and Fighting-type moves worsen its matchup against revenge killers such as Mega Lucario and Marshadow. Arceus-Rock is also somewhat less useful due to the increasing effectiveness of Water-types such as Primal Kyogre and Palkia as well as Aerilate's reduction in power making Mega Salamence a bit less prominent. Overall, Arceus-Rock continues to have a niche in bulky offense and balance teams as an answer to Flying-type attackers that does not come with the passivity of other options such as Zygarde-C, Lugia, and Arceus-Water.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Calm Mind
item: Stone Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Judgment is a reliable Rock-type STAB move for Arceus-Rock, providing excellent neutral coverage for it as a Calm Mind attacker. Judgment can also OHKO all commonly used sets for Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, Yveltal, and Rayquaza after Stealth Rock, allowing Arceus-Rock to check its intended targets. Recover provides Arceus-Rock with reliable recovery throughout the match, letting it switch into its targets repeatedly. Will-O-Wisp allows Arceus-Rock to cripple physical attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus. In a pinch, Will-O-Wisp can be used against threats that super effectively threaten Arceus-Rock such as Mega Lucario, physical Arceus-Ground, and Solgaleo as an emergency way to stop a sweep, although the imperfect accuracy makes this a desperate alternative that should not be relied on. Calm Mind allows Arceus-Rock to serve as an offensive threat and sweeper mid- and late-game.
Set Details
========
Full Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Rock to Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes, notably including Arceus-Ground and Extreme Killer Arceus, as well as any Mega Salamence set. Full HP investment increases Arceus-Rock's bulk, making it more effective at both checking Flying-types and taking hits while boosting. Stone Plate gives Arceus-Rock both its typing and access to STAB Judgment.
Usage Tips
========
Setting up early-game with Arceus-Rock is usually futile, as most teams carry faster attackers or bulky Ground- and Steel-types that will easily scare it out, so focus on spreading burns and dealing chip damage in preparation for late-game. Note that even though any Primal Groudon set can check Arceus-Rock, it takes significant damage from Judgment, so try to hit it on any anticipated switch. Arceus-Rock should avoid being poisoned, as it will be incapable of setting up effectively. Because of this, Arceus-Rock will often be more effective when burned, as it becomes capable of checking Toxic spreaders such as Arceus-Water. Be wary of Flying-types such as Mega Salamence and Ho-Oh carrying Ground-type coverage. Choice Band Ho-Oh's Earthquake can hit Arceus-Rock for 76%, so try to predict this attack once you reveal your Arceus to be Arceus-Rock. Finally, note that Will-O-Wisp can be used as a desperate means to stop a sweep by a Pokemon that beats Arceus-Rock such as Arceus-Ground, Mega Lucario, or boosted Extreme Killer Arceus. While this usually will cause Arceus-Rock to faint, it can be useful for balance and bulky offense to have that additional safety net.
Team Options
========
Arceus-Rock is mainly used over otherwise superior Calm Mind Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy for its ability to reliably check physical Flying-type attackers, especially Ho-Oh. As a result, Pokemon that hate these threats, such as Magearna, Ferrothorn, Lunala, and Xerneas, can appreciate support from Arceus-Rock. Primal Groudon is an excellent partner as it can handle many of Arceus-Rock's prominent checks, such as Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Blissey, Magearna and Solgaleo. Primal Kyogre can serve as a reliable check to the Ground-type attackers that scare out Arceus-Rock. Arceus-Rock hates being hit by Toxic, so a reliable Toxic absorber such as Magearna, Solgaleo, defensive Primal Kyogre, or Facade Mega Salamence can help it be more effective. Finally, Arceus-Rock will be the target of several Ground-type attacks, so Flying-type Pokemon and Pokemon with Levitate can absorb these attacks for Arceus-Rock. Giratina-O is a solid option that fits well in the balance and bulky offense teams that use Arceus-Rock and can also provide Defog support. Mega Salamence can be a more aggressive answer to these attacks and has good coverage alongside Arceus-Rock as sweepers.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Defog can be used instead of Calm Mind to make Arceus-Rock a more support-based Pokemon that can offer some useful role compression as a Defogger that reliably checks physical Flying-types. However, the Defog set is often lackluster when compared to more prominent support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Water. Toxic can be used instead of Will-O-Wisp to more effectively cripple Arceus-Rock's special checks such as special Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Water, in exchange for losing the ability to threaten physical checks. Refresh can be used to make Arceus-Rock into a more dedicated Calm Mind sweeper by allowing it to absorb Toxic, which lets it beat checks such as Arceus-Water. However, a Refresh set is inferior to Arceus-Dark for any team that isn't extremely weak to Ho-Oh. Stealth Rock can be run so that Arceus-Rock can function as a bulky setter that threatens several Defoggers with super effective coverage, but it must sacrifice much of its utility to free up a move for it. As a more aggressive alternative, a physically offensive set with Rockium Z and Swords Dance can be used, allowing Arceus-Rock to clean late-game. This set differentiates itself from Arceus-Ground in its ability to effectively handle Flying-types such as Skarmory and Celesteela. However, the Swords Dance set relies on Stone Edge for a primary STAB move, which suffers from low PP and imperfect accuracy, and it's hard countered by bulky Ground-types such as Zygarde-C, so it is generally ineffective compared to other offensive Arceus sets.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Arceus-Rock's most effective checks are Ground-types that resist its Judgment and threaten it with super effective moves. Arceus-Ground can scare out Arceus-Rock fairly easily, although physical variants must beware Will-O-Wisp. Zygarde-C can easily tank Judgment and hit Arceus-Rock with Thousand Arrows, and can use Rest to remove Will-O-Wisp burns. Primal Groudon is the most prominent Pokemon in the metagame and hard checks Arceus-Rock, although it will take severe damage from Judgment on the switch.
**Steel-types**: Most Steel-types resist Arceus-Rock's Judgment, and combined with their usual bulk this allows them to wall it pretty reliably. Magearna can easily switch into Will-O-Wisp or Judgment repeatedly and threatens to steal Calm Mind boosts with Heart Swap. Aegislash and Arceus-Steel can wall Arceus-Rock effectively, although physical variants will be severely crippled by Will-O-Wisp. Dialga and Ferrothorn get free turns from Arceus-Rock and can use them to set up entry hazards or hit it with super effective STAB moves.
**Water-types**: Offensive Water-types such as Primal Kyogre and Palkia can threaten Arceus-Rock with super effective moves and reliably set up on it. Arceus-Water can spread Toxic to cripple Arceus-Rock as a Calm Mind user.
**Special Walls**: Blissey and Chansey can easily wall Arceus-Rock, absorb burns, and scare it out with Toxic.
**Grass-types**: Though rare, Grass-type attackers such as Shaymin-S and Arceus-Grass can OHKO or 2HKO Arceus-Rock with super effective STAB moves. Ferrothorn also easily walls Arceus-Rock and can use the free turns to set up entry hazards or chip away at it.
**Revenge Killers**: Fast revenge killers such as Marshadow, Mega Gengar, Mega Lucario, Pheromosa, Deoxys-A, Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Mewtwo X, and Lunala commonly carry super effective Fighting- or Steel-type moves that will easily take out a weakened Arceus-Rock.
Arceus-Rock's typing and decent bulk allow it to fulfill a unique defensive niche as a blanket check to the tier's many Flying-type Pokemon. It is perhaps the tier's best answer to Ho-Oh and Mega Salamence due to its typing and excellent Speed, and it can be a solid check to Rayquaza and Yveltal. Rock-type Judgment has solid neutral coverage and nothing is immune to it, which allows Arceus-Rock to function as an effective mono-attacking Calm Mind user. Access to Will-O-Wisp and a valuable resistance to Normal-type attacks also allow it to cripple physical attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Arceus-Ground. Furthermore, a solid support movepool including Toxic, Defog, and Refresh allows Arceus-Rock some flexibility, which can make it helpful to a variety of teams. However, Arceus-Rock's typing worsens several key matchups that can make other defensive Arceus formes more reliable for most teams. Weaknesses to common Ground- and Water-type moves leave it vulnerable to prominent Pokemon such as Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre, while weaknesses to Steel- and Fighting-type moves worsen its matchup against revenge killers such as Mega Lucario and Marshadow. Arceus-Rock is also somewhat less useful due to the increasing effectiveness of Water-types such as Primal Kyogre and Palkia as well as Aerilate's reduction in power making Mega Salamence a bit less prominent. Overall, Arceus-Rock continues to have a niche in bulky offense and balance teams as an answer to Flying-type attackers that does not come with the passivity of other options such as Zygarde-C, Lugia, and Arceus-Water.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Judgment
move 2: Recover
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Calm Mind
item: Stone Plate
ability: Multitype
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Judgment is a reliable Rock-type STAB move for Arceus-Rock, providing excellent neutral coverage for it as a Calm Mind attacker. Judgment can also OHKO all commonly used sets for Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, Yveltal, and Rayquaza after Stealth Rock, allowing Arceus-Rock to check its intended targets. Recover provides Arceus-Rock with reliable recovery throughout the match, letting it switch into its targets repeatedly. Will-O-Wisp allows Arceus-Rock to cripple physical attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus. In a pinch, Will-O-Wisp can be used against threats that super effectively threaten Arceus-Rock such as Mega Lucario, physical Arceus-Ground, and Solgaleo as an emergency way to stop a sweep, although the imperfect accuracy makes this a desperate alternative that should not be relied on. Calm Mind allows Arceus-Rock to serve as an offensive threat and sweeper mid- and late-game.
Set Details
========
Full Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Rock to Speed tie with other maximum Speed Arceus formes, notably including Arceus-Ground and Extreme Killer Arceus, as well as any Mega Salamence set. Full HP investment increases Arceus-Rock's bulk, making it more effective at both checking Flying-types and taking hits while boosting. Stone Plate gives Arceus-Rock both its typing and access to STAB Judgment.
Usage Tips
========
Setting up early-game with Arceus-Rock is usually futile, as most teams carry faster attackers or bulky Ground- and Steel-types that will easily scare it out, so focus on spreading burns and dealing chip damage in preparation for late-game. Note that even though any Primal Groudon set can check Arceus-Rock, it takes significant damage from Judgment, so try to hit it on any anticipated switch. Arceus-Rock should avoid being poisoned, as it will be incapable of setting up effectively. Because of this, Arceus-Rock will often be more effective when burned, as it becomes capable of checking Toxic spreaders such as Arceus-Water. Be wary of Flying-types such as Mega Salamence and Ho-Oh carrying Ground-type coverage. Choice Band Ho-Oh's Earthquake can hit Arceus-Rock for 76%, so try to predict this attack once you reveal your Arceus to be Arceus-Rock. Finally, note that Will-O-Wisp can be used as a desperate means to stop a sweep by a Pokemon that beats Arceus-Rock such as Arceus-Ground, Mega Lucario, or boosted Extreme Killer Arceus. While this usually will cause Arceus-Rock to faint, it can be useful for balance and bulky offense to have that additional safety net.
Team Options
========
Arceus-Rock is mainly used over otherwise superior Calm Mind Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy for its ability to reliably check physical Flying-type attackers, especially Ho-Oh. As a result, Pokemon that hate these threats, such as Magearna, Ferrothorn, Lunala, and Xerneas, can appreciate support from Arceus-Rock. Primal Groudon is an excellent partner as it can handle many of Arceus-Rock's prominent checks, such as Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Blissey, Magearna and Solgaleo. Primal Kyogre can serve as a reliable check to the Ground-type attackers that scare out Arceus-Rock. Arceus-Rock hates being hit by Toxic, so a reliable Toxic absorber such as Magearna, Solgaleo, defensive Primal Kyogre, or Facade Mega Salamence can help it be more effective. Finally, Arceus-Rock will be the target of several Ground-type attacks, so Flying-type Pokemon and Pokemon with Levitate can absorb these attacks for Arceus-Rock. Giratina-O is a solid option that fits well in the balance and bulky offense teams that use Arceus-Rock and can also provide Defog support. Mega Salamence can be a more aggressive answer to these attacks and has good coverage alongside Arceus-Rock as sweepers.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Defog can be used instead of Calm Mind to make Arceus-Rock a more support-based Pokemon that can offer some useful role compression as a Defogger that reliably checks physical Flying-types. However, the Defog set is often lackluster when compared to more prominent support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Water. Toxic can be used instead of Will-O-Wisp to more effectively cripple Arceus-Rock's special checks such as special Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Water, in exchange for losing the ability to threaten physical checks. Refresh can be used to make Arceus-Rock into a more dedicated Calm Mind sweeper by allowing it to absorb Toxic, which lets it beat checks such as Arceus-Water. However, a Refresh set is inferior to Arceus-Dark for any team that isn't extremely weak to Ho-Oh. Stealth Rock can be run so that Arceus-Rock can function as a bulky setter that threatens several Defoggers with super effective coverage, but it must sacrifice much of its utility to free up a move for it. As a more aggressive alternative, a physically offensive set with Rockium Z and Swords Dance can be used, allowing Arceus-Rock to clean late-game. This set differentiates itself from Arceus-Ground in its ability to effectively handle Flying-types such as Skarmory and Celesteela. However, the Swords Dance set relies on Stone Edge for a primary STAB move, which suffers from low PP and imperfect accuracy, and it's hard countered by bulky Ground-types such as Zygarde-C, so it is generally ineffective compared to other offensive Arceus sets.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Arceus-Rock's most effective checks are Ground-types that resist its Judgment and threaten it with super effective moves. Arceus-Ground can scare out Arceus-Rock fairly easily, although physical variants must beware Will-O-Wisp. Zygarde-C can easily tank Judgment and hit Arceus-Rock with Thousand Arrows, and can use Rest to remove Will-O-Wisp burns. Primal Groudon is the most prominent Pokemon in the metagame and hard checks Arceus-Rock, although it will take severe damage from Judgment on the switch.
**Steel-types**: Most Steel-types resist Arceus-Rock's Judgment, and combined with their usual bulk this allows them to wall it pretty reliably. Magearna can easily switch into Will-O-Wisp or Judgment repeatedly and threatens to steal Calm Mind boosts with Heart Swap. Aegislash and Arceus-Steel can wall Arceus-Rock effectively, although physical variants will be severely crippled by Will-O-Wisp. Dialga and Ferrothorn get free turns from Arceus-Rock and can use them to set up entry hazards or hit it with super effective STAB moves.
**Water-types**: Offensive Water-types such as Primal Kyogre and Palkia can threaten Arceus-Rock with super effective moves and reliably set up on it. Arceus-Water can spread Toxic to cripple Arceus-Rock as a Calm Mind user.
**Special Walls**: Blissey and Chansey can easily wall Arceus-Rock, absorb burns, and scare it out with Toxic.
**Grass-types**: Though rare, Grass-type attackers such as Shaymin-S and Arceus-Grass can OHKO or 2HKO Arceus-Rock with super effective STAB moves. Ferrothorn also easily walls Arceus-Rock and can use the free turns to set up entry hazards or chip away at it.
**Revenge Killers**: Fast revenge killers such as Marshadow, Mega Gengar, Mega Lucario, Pheromosa, Deoxys-A, Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Mewtwo X, and Lunala commonly carry super effective Fighting- or Steel-type moves that will easily take out a weakened Arceus-Rock.
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