Deoxys-S

Hibiki · Jan 8, 2014

Jukain said:
Actually don't approve yet: I want opinions on a weather setter lead. Simple. It sets up SR, weather, and dies, making it a perfect Swift Swimmer/sun (Fire/Chlorophyll Pokemon) mon partner. I am inclined to include it.

Wouldn't it be forced to choose between Focus Sash and Heat/Damp Rock?

Jukain · Jan 8, 2014

Shoujo Man said:
Wouldn't it be forced to choose between Focus Sash and Heat/Damp Rock?

It runs Damp/Heat Rock. It's not a choice; I figured it was implied, sorry for not specifying.

Anyways I have the blessings to add in the set so I will.

Jukain · Jan 8, 2014

ready again for qc with the rain set

no, sunny day will not be getting a slash. don't even ask; we've concluded that sun just isn't good as in dedicated sun teams, and that's pretty much final.

Super Mario Bro · Jan 10, 2014

Now that you rearranged the slashes on the first set:

QC APPROVED 1/3

I'm skeptical that Rain Dance actually deserves a set of its own, though. I might just be underestimating Rain Hyper Offense at the moment, but it seems like the play-style has too many flaws that prevent it from consistently functioning on a competitive level. I'm leaning towards OO.

Alter · Jan 10, 2014

Magic Coat seems rather situational on the Rain Dance set. Perhaps you could slash Stealth Rock next to it as it's going to be suiciding anyway.

PK Gaming · Jan 10, 2014

QC (2/3)

Jukain · Jan 12, 2014

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Colonel M · Jan 12, 2014

So I was reading this analysis when I noticed this:

With Superpower, it's best to run full Attack investment in order to get the best possible chance to OHKO max HP with Superpower (81.3%)

And it had me thinking - why not just run max Attack when using Fire Punch too?

252 Atk Deoxys-S Fire Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 156-188 (44.3 - 53.4%) -- 33.2% chance to 2HKO

And

4 Atk Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Deoxys-S: 169-199 (55.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

And

252 Atk Deoxys-S Fire Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Excadrill: 200-236 (55.2 - 65.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

And

252+ Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Deoxys-S: 202-238 (66.4 - 78.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

If the extra 100 HP EVs aren't doing anything special (especially since you have Focus Sash anyway) it just seems really illogical to have it. The only exception is if you're running Mental Herb (which I'm surprised isn't even listed in OO - bypassing Prankster Taunt is really evil and doesn't necessarily require Mirror Coat as badly) - then running HP might make more sense to ensure Deoxys-S surviving some sort of attack.

Although it is normally recommended to run max Speed so that you at least tie with opposing Deoxys-S and thus may be able to Taunt them first, with more offensive investment you can drop some EVs from Speed. The best option is 200 EVs for Choice Scarf Genesect, which frees up 56 EVs for HP, but you can run 212 for Choice Scarf Jirachi or 236 for Choice Scarf Garchomp if you prefer.

I wouldn't really mention this IMO. To be honestly you want max Speed all the time for other Deoxys-S leads - which can be crucial in determining if you prevent Stealth Rock or lay it. The opportunity cost for minuscule returns of extra HP is just not worth it.

One question that must be addressed is the difference between this and Deoxys-D. Deoxys-D is bulkier and thus has the opportunity to set up more layers of hazards in some cases, and is not reliant on Focus Sash, but is vulnerable to being 2HKOed by the many faster and powerful threats. It also has low offenses, which limit its capabilities on that front. Deoxys-S boasts insane Speed, which makes it more difficult to stop from setting up hazards, and can eliminate the extremely popular Genesect, which is a major thorn in the side of Deoxys-D.

This seems better suited for Usage Tips - Not Set Details. At least, this is my opinion on it. As stated in the Analysis Format thread:

- Set Details

This is where EV spreads, nature selections, and items go. Obviously, you can reference the move choice here, in the common case of sets that may or may not be mixed. These are combined because stand-alone they probably wouldn't individually be enough content.

- Usage Tips

This is where the set's play will be detailed. Things like when the set can switch in, what stage of the game it's best in, when it can/should set up, what Pokemon cause it serious trouble, etc. It shouldn't cover every situation that could possibly arise, but just a general and concise idea of how the set works.

You generally want to lead and start laying hazards immediately. Start with Stealth Rock, as it the most disruptive hazard, and proceed to set up as many layers of Spikes until you die. Don't do anything besides set up hazards unless absolutely required, as you never want to risk not getting up anything, which would essentially leave you playing 5-6 against the opponent with no advantage. It is also unwise to lead against teams that carry a potential Defog user. When you lead and set up hazards, you give the Defog user the entire match to try and get rid of them; thus, you should plan to set them up at some point later in the match unless you want to waste Deoxys-S entirely.

I find this section odd because there is absolutely no description on when to use Taunt (which can be beneficial when laying down Stealth Rock) and what to do when running one of the three other moves (Superpower for 'tran and Tyranitar, Fire Punch mostly for Genesect but works on other dedicated leads, etc). This section looks really barren and Deoxys-S, though rather straightforward with its goal, does require a little more information than just this.

I could also think of another reason that being too suicidal with Deoxys-S isn't always a good idea - Rapid Spin Excadrill. Excadrill is a hard Pokemon to stop from spinning when every Ghost-type risks facing Earthquake (the bulkier ones hate +2 Earthquake too).

By the way mention how you want to use Deoxys-S over Deoxys-D on mostly offensive teams; especially Hyper Offensive teams that want hazards ASAP and need to get going (provided the opponent lacks Defog).

You can't actually block it with anything—though proper prediction and offensive pressure will help out—but you can run Bisharp, which thanks to its ability Defiant turns the evasion reduction from Defog into a +2 boost to its Attack, putting it in a position to sweep the opposing team.

the &mdashes. They hurt. lol. Else this section is fine.

Taunt is mandatory to block opposing setup and slower Taunt

Mention Defog too - Defog clears Reflect and Light Screen!

Shadow Ball is an alternative option to slaughter Espeon, which loves to lead against Deoxys-S and set up its own dual screens.

Erm...

4 SpA Deoxys-S Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Espeon: 116-138 (34.7 - 41.3%) -- 73.3% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 SpA Deoxys-S Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Espeon through Light Screen: 58-69 (17.3 - 20.6%) -- possible 7HKO after Leftovers recovery

This is where Knock Off would be more useful. Check it out:

0 Atk Deoxys-S Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Espeon: 204-240 (61 - 71.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Deoxys-S Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Espeon: 136-162 (40.7 - 48.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Deoxys-S Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Espeon through Reflect: 68-81 (20.3 - 24.2%) -- guaranteed 5HKO

Reflect would be a potential problem; however, you also limit the amount of turns the screens are up too. Most Espeon won't immediately use Reflect turn 1 either so you can possibly kill Espeon only setting up Light Screen. It's a win / win scenario!

Usage Tips
========

With this set, you will generally want to just lead and set up screens. At the point, Deoxys-S has hopefully fainted, but if it hasn't, just sac it on the third turn or switch out if the opponent is trying to stall out the turns of your screens. To set Stealth Rock, get up the screen that's going to cushion the foe's attack, set up Stealth Rock, and then set up the second screen. If you have to Taunt or Magic Coat, try and do so before you set up screens so as to maximize their longevity.

Mention Defog in here too - remember that Defog denies your Screens and potential Stealth Rock. This means that leading with Deoxys-S isn't always the best plan.

OO:

I don't think Knock Off is just limited to the Revenge Killer sets. I mentioned Dual Screens, but it works on the Deoxys-S lead sets too:

252 Atk Deoxys-S Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Deoxys-S: 188-222 (61.8 - 73%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Deoxys-S Knock Off vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Deoxys-S: 126-150 (41.4 - 49.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Knock Off also works against a lot of leads too - even against Genesect. Sure you sacrifice being able to only lay Stealth Rock possibly; however, you effectively could cripple Genesect to losing in Speed. You can also deny Leftovers from Landorus-T among other things.

Also fix the formatting please.

Everything else looks pretty solid otherwise. The general gist is pretty much explained in full detail.

Jukain · Jan 12, 2014

implemented all changes

ShadowMarioGalaxy64 · Jan 12, 2014

In regards to the Damp Rock Set, I take full responsibility on that one. When I made the Competitive Discussion thread for Deoxys-S, I tested a Damp Rock Set to some success and came to the conclusion that it was good enough to be added...I'm sorry.

Jukain · Jan 12, 2014

I didn't even look at the Competitive Discussion thread, and nothing from this analysis derives from it; it is certainly no fault of yours that the Damp Rock set went up and was moved to OO.

Colonel M · Jan 13, 2014

First one.

QC 3/3.

No fancy stamp.

Jukain · Jan 13, 2014

ok, gp time :]

StViers · Jan 13, 2014

Jukain said:
Overview
#######

Deoxys-S is one of those Pokemon that fills a specific role and excels at it [It is neither multiple pokemon nor able to fill more than 1 specific role at once, so make sure your subject and verb are the same number ;)]. After its ban last generation, it has come back to OU and made a splash. As a suicide hazard setter, no Pokemon can match Deoxys-S in reliability;it is guaranteed to set up Stealth Rock, typically gets at least one layer of Spikes, and can choose from any number of moves to wreck potential stops to it. As a revenge killer, it takes advantage of its blistering speed and incredibly wide offensive movepool (that gives it excellent super effective coverage(redundant), making it difficult to switch into. Its Speed also makes it an amazing dual screens user (I'd argue that prankster screens could rival it, so let's not hyperbolize), with its insane Speed ensuring that screens get up, which gives (using giving means that it's Deoxys being referenced again, not the dual screens) sweepers a layer of protection against opposing threats so that they can set up. The scariest part is that your opponent never knows exactly what it's going to do until it's already too late.

However, some factors have limited Deoxys-S's abilities this generation.(Personal preference, but since you brought up it's relegation to Ubers last gen, you can tie this paragraph to the least one with that--"However, there are reasons that Deoxys-S isn't still in Ubers; perhaps the most notable is the Defog buff;. With Defog everywhere, it's become harder to preserve hazards. Thundurus has returned to OU as well, bringing with him +1 priority Taunts thanks to Prankster, which are able to stop non-Magic Coat variants from setting up hazards. with its Prankster Taunt (as it was structured, was unclear syntactically what 'with taunt' was modifying). Additionally, traditional priority moves (again linking this drawback to the last thought) from the likes of Aegislash, Azumarill, Talonflame, (Mega) Scizor, and Mega Pinsir bypass Deoxys-S's excellent Speed, limiting its abilities. Despite these deterrents, Deoxys-S's terrifying versatility and efficiency cement it as one of the best Pokemon in OU.

Dedicated Hazard Lead
########
name: Dedicated Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Fire Punch / Magic Coat / Superpower
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Moves
========

What is perhaps Deoxys-S's flagship set aims to lead and set up hazards. Stealth Rock and Spikes are the hazards you set up, wearing down opposing teams so that powerful teammates can rip them to shreds. Taunt is obligatory to prevent opposing setup and slower Taunt. With these three moves enabling Deoxys-S to meet its goals, the last slot aims to stop potential blocks. Fire Punch OHKOes Hasty Genesect, the standard, with the given Attack investment, which could otherwise bring Deoxys-S down to its Focus Sash and put it in range of a priority move, limiting it to only Stealth Rock. Magic Coat is another solid option to stop Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S in addition to Prankster Thundurus and Sableye. Finally, Superpower can be run to fell Tyranitar, which with Crunch followed by sandstorm damage can KO Deoxys-S, limiting it to only Stealth Rock. Knock Off is a possible alternative to hit Espeon, which is otherwise a hard stop to Deoxys-S thanks to its ability, Magic Bounce. It also cripples virtually every non-Mega foe by removing its item. This has utility against Choice Scarf users like Genesect, bulky walls with Leftovers, and much more.

Set Details
========

Max Attack investment lets you always 2HKO Excadrill while giving a decent chance to 2HKO physically defensive Ferrothorn (33.2%) and a high chance to OHKO 4/0 Genesect (87.5%). It also gives an 81.3% probability to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower. With Magic Coat, run a Timid nature to minimize Foul Play and confusion damage, as well as max HP because you don't need any offensive investment without an attacking move. You can run Mental Herb for the item to block Prankster Taunt, eliminating the reliance on Magic Coat for this purpose.

Usage Tips
========

You generally want to lead and start laying hazards immediately. Start with Stealth Rock, as it the most disruptive hazard, and proceed to set up as many layers of Spikes ('as many as possible' or just 'set up layers') until you die. Don't do anything besides set up hazards unless absolutely required, as you never want to risk not getting up anything, which would essentially leaving you to playing 5-6 against the opponent with no advantage. It is also unwise to lead against teams that carry a potential Defog user or Rapid Spin Excadrill. When you lead and set up hazards, you give the Defog user or Excadrill the entire match to try and get rid of them; thus, you should plan to set them up at some point later in the match unless you want to waste Deoxys-S entirely.

If you carry Fire Punch, you'll want to attack against opposing Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. With Superpower, attack against Heatran and Tyranitar. Against opposing Deoxys-S leads, you'll want to use Magic Coat if you have it to block Taunt attempts and render the opposing Deoxys-S useless.

One question that must be addressed is the difference between this and Deoxys-D (This isn't a question ;) I'd say either 'one question is why you'd use this over Deoxys-D, or 'one issue is') . Deoxys-D is bulkier and thus has the opportunity to set up more layers of hazards in some cases, and is not reliant on Focus Sash, but is vulnerable to being 2HKOed by the many faster and powerful threats. It also has low offenses, which limit its capabilities on that front. Deoxys-S boasts insane Speed, which makes it more difficult to stop from setting up hazards, and can eliminate the extremely popular Genesect, which is a major thorn in the side of Deoxys-D. Overall, Deoxys-S is better at getting up hazards immediately for offensive teams (provided the opponent lacks a Defog user), which want them up that what them as soon as possible.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S caters toward hyper offense teams with powerful attackers that force many switches, such as Aegislash, Talonflame, and Latios, punishing the switches necessary to handle these Pokemon and wearing them down such that they can be defeated later in the match. (This sentance is long and confusing! Generally, the best way of handling complex thoughts is to cut down on secondary clauses, which make the reader have to re-read several times to make sure they are following. I'd suggest breaking it into two sentances, and restructuring the first half to remove the parenthetical thoughts--"This set caters to teams with powerful attackers like X,Y,and Z that force switches. Deoxys-S' entry hazards break the Study ability or sash on potential checks, as well as racking up free damage and sometimes even changing a 2 or 3HKO into a 1 or 2HKO." Without Pokemon like these, Deoxys-S is almost wasted. It is also wise to carry a spinblocker to ensure that your hazards aren't just spun away. Gengar doesn't exactly match up that well against the spinners (Especially Mold Breaker Excadrill), but at the very least can block Rapid Spin and still fits with the offensive motif of its team. Alternatively, offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus can be run, boasting some hit-taking ability and the power to sweep or at least dent opposing teams with after some Nasty Plot boosts [Much like a comment earlier, Nasty Plot isn't the thing denting the team ;)]. Finally, you'll want some way to counteract Defog. You can't actually block it with anything—though proper prediction and offensive pressure will help out—but you can run Bisharp, which thanks to its ability Defiant turns the evasion reduction from Defog into a +2 boost to its Attack, putting it in a position to sweep the opposing team. (Beside the obvious code garbling, I'd mention *how* prediction and pressure will help--namely by double switching as they go into their Defog user with a pokemon that can KO it if it goes for Defog)

Revenge Killer
########
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psycho Boost
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive
evs: 112 Atk / 160 SpA / 236 Spe

Moves
========

This set fits the role of a revenge killer and frightening attacker with its excellent super effective coverage. Psycho Boost is the STAB move of choice, punishing switch-ins expecting an unimpressive attack or none at all from some other variant of Deoxys-S. The rest of the moves outfit Deoxys-S with the necessary coverage it needs to devastate. Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar and 2HKOes unsuspecting Blissey expecting to wall this set. Ice Beam nails Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon, and is vital to revenge kill threats such as Latios, Dragonite, and Latios, as well as the rare Noivern. Finally, Fire Punch is run to smack Choice Scarf Genesect hard—this is necessary because it could otherwise take any hit and OHKO back with U-turn.

Set Details
========

The Attack EVs enable Deoxys-S to revenge kill standard 4/0 Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar with Superpower. The Speed EVs are enough to outrun Choice Scarf Garchomp, which you definitely want to do so you can hit it with Ice Beam before it kills you. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to pump up the power of Psycho Boost and Ice Beam. If you desire even more Special Attack investment, you can drop to 20 Attack EVs, which are enough to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower.

Usage Tips
========

Deoxys-S is essentially a replacement Choice Scarf user, boasting higher Speed than many sweepers at +1. Throughout the match, you will want to bring it in to revenge kill opposing threats. You can also devastate unprepared teams with its excellent coverage, wearing down checks with attacks from teammates. If you play well with it and preserve it, this Deoxys-S is one of the best late-game cleaners in existence. Finally, although it should generally be played as a mid-game revenge killer, you can lead with it and bluff the hazard setter, surprising foes focused on trying to prevent you from getting up hazards.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is one of those Pokemon that doesn't really need much support. However, generally you will want some type of entry hazards—not for any particular threat, but just to wear down opposing threats since it forces so many switches. Keeping entry hazards off your side of the field is also helpful, as in conjunction with Life Orb, they can put Deoxys-S in range of priority attacks. For this role, Stealth Rock + Rapid Spin Excadrill makes an excellent partner, murdering most spinblockers and doing exactly what Deoxys-S needs it to do. Additionally, note that this Deoxys-S isn't really fit for bulkier teams, as it offers basically nothing in the way of defensive synergy, so more offensive teams are the best fit for it.

Dual Screens
########
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock / Magic Coat
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

This set takes a different approach to supporting offensive teams—protecting setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen. In addition to the two screens, Taunt is mandatory to block opposing setup and slower Taunt. The last slot is basically filler. Stealth Rock can is typically preferred to provide the extra level of support the hazard brings, but Magic Coat can be run to ensure screens get up against opposing Deoxys-S and Prankster Taunt users. Knock Off is an alternative option to slaughter Espeon, which loves to lead against Deoxys-S and set up its own dual screens.

Set Details
========

The EVs are simple, maximizing Deoxys-S's bulk and Speed. A Timid nature minimizes Foul Play and confusion damage, while the Light Clay ensures partners have enough turns of the screens to set up and do damage.

Usage Tips
========

With this set, you will generally want to just lead and set up screens. At the point, Deoxys-S has hopefully fainted, but if it hasn't, just sac it on the third turn or switch out if the opponent is trying to stall out the turns of your screens. To set Stealth Rock, get up the screen that's going to cushion the foe's attack, set up Stealth Rock, and then set up the second screen. If you have to Taunt or Magic Coat, try and do so before you set up screens so as to maximize their longevity. Defog users are also an issue, so you may not necessarily want to lead with it lest your screens and possible Stealth Rock be immediately removed.

This set faces some competition with Deoxys-D, which can actually set up screens multiple times. However, it's nowhere near as good at getting them up immediately due to its much lower Speed, so Deoxys-S is typically preferred on the offensive teams that best utilize these screens.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is meant to support hyper offense teams with setup sweepers and frail, powerful attackers. Standouts include Crawdaunt, Aegislash, Swords Dance Talonflame, and Mega Lucario, but you can literally run any number of attackers and they will benefit from the screens. Mega Lucario in particular makes an excellent partner, as Deoxys-S lures out Tyranitar, which it can easily switch into, set up on it as it is forced out, and seriously damage the opposing team.

Other Options
########

Deoxys-S has a ton of options at its disposal. Another potential set besides the ones listed is a lead Rain Dance setter, which can support Swift Swim users, such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, and Kabutops. Another possible option is a TrickScarf set, which can
run defensive investment thanks to its increased Speed from the Choice Scarf, in order to get up the maximum layers of Spikes possible whilst boasting the ability to cripple foes via Tricking its Choice Scarf way. With Nasty Plot, Deoxys-S could theoretically pose a decent threat as a sweeper, but it relies on the full, mixed coverage of the listed revenge killer set to deal much damage as an offensive Pokemon, and setting it up isn't easy due to Deoxys-S's rather unimpressive—though usable—defenses. Hazard lead Deoxys-S can opt to run Skill Swap, which prevents Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol from bouncing back its hazards.

The revenge killer set has a myriad of potential moves, though the ones listed in the actual set are generally the best and most optimal. Knock Off can be run for the utility it has in removing the items of opponents, especially crippling to Eviolite users, such as Chansey and Porygon2, and defensive Pokemon that rely on Leftovers as their only form of recovery. It is also Deoxys-S's only way to damage Aegislash substantially. Thunderbolt is an option to revenge kill Dragon Dance Gyarados; however, it falters against Mega variants where Superpower shines, hitting it much harder. Meteor Mash has a niche in enabling Deoxys-S to bypass Sylveon.

Checks and Counters
########

**Priority**: Priority is the best way to take out revenge killer Deoxys-S. Physical Mega Lucario can survive a Psycho Boost and kill with the combined damage from Close Combat, Life Orb damage, and a Bullet Punch the following turn. Aegislash can KO with a Spooky Plate-boosted Shadow Sneak after Stealth Rock damage or two turns of Life Orb recoil whilst Deoxys-S struggles to do much in return. Talonflame OHKOes Deoxys-S if it has taken one turn of Life orb damage with its Choice Band Brave Bird. Azumarill KOs with Waterfall + Aqua Jet. Bisharp kills it with Sucker Punch. Since these Pokemon carry strong moves

**Prankster users**: Prankster Taunt prevents non-Magic Coat Deoxys-S from getting up any hazards. The most notable users are Thundurus and Sableye. Additionally, Prankster Thunder Wave from Thundurus cripples revenge killer Deoxys-S for good, taking away its trademark Speed, and makes setting up hazards more difficult.

**Damaging weather**: Sandstorm breaks Deoxys-S's Focus Sash. Tyranitar can Crunch it, bringing it down to its sash; the sand it brings finishes off Deoxys-S at the end of the turn, limiting it to just Stealth Rock if it lacks Superpower. Hail has the same effect, and Mega Abomasnow has a high chance to KO with Blizzard with hail damage; running Ice Shard ensures its death.

**Magic Bounce**: Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol bounce back Deoxys-S's hazards, rendering it basically useless. Espeon also conveniently walls all of its Life Orb-boosted attacks, while Mega Absol can KO it with a Sucker Punch.

**Hazard removal**: Excadrill, Starmie, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Latios, and Latias can all remove Deoxys-S's hazards with either Rapid Spin or Defog. With Defog, be sure to watch out for Bisharp, a common Deoxys-S partner that can devastate your team if it comes in on a predicted Defog.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Skarmory and Ferrothorn both handle Deoxys-S's Life Orb-boosted attacks pretty well. Skarmory flat walls it and can Defog and set up Stealth Rock or Spikes given the free opportunity it gets. Physically defensive Ferrothorn can switch in to anything besides Fire Punch and even take one pretty decently in a pinch, losing about half its health and eliminating it with Gyro Ball + Iron Barbs + Life Orb recoil.

**Determining Deoxys-S's set**: When facing Deoxys-S, it is often difficult to determine which set it is running and thus combat it. If it's leading, it's either laying hazards or setting up dual screens, in most cases. When you see a Deoxys-S on the opposing team, you should lead to handle the hazard setter to ensure you don't get caught in a bad scenario. If it sets up dual screens, stalling them out with moves such as Protect and forcing Deoxys-S to switch out manually is the best you can do to limit its overall effect. If it doesn't lead, it's probably running the revenge killer set, which you can then prepare to combat. Figuring out Deoxys-S's set isn't an exact science, but it can at least help so you don't go at it blindly. Also, it's not very wise to lead with Genesect or Tyranitar against it and just attempt to attack it, as if it carries the move that dooms you, then you've just been put in a bad spot. Instead, you may want to switch out to scout for it. Alternatively, you can run a Chople Berry on Tyranitar—a good item for it anyway—and safely kill it without having to worry about dying to Superpower.

I started a completely unoffical critique of it, but I think I make some good points--let me know if you want me to go through the whole thing in the same style (RemoveChangeComment). Also of general enough use to re-mention outside the tags, a reminder that the semicolon is used to separate two thoughts that can't be directly joined through a comma, but aren't distinct enough to warrant a new sentence http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon

Legitimate Username · Jan 13, 2014

Good start StViers, but your check has a lot of unecessary comments, making it difficult to read through. Also, because it's a quote within a hide tag, I can't see any of the changes you've made beyond the first paragraph (but I don't think there were many though).
Additions
~~Removals~~
(Comments)

Overview
#######

Deoxys-S is ~~one of those~~ a Pokemon that ~~fills~~ excels at the specific roles ~~and excels at them~~ it fills. After its ban last generation, it has come back to OU and made a splash. As a suicide hazard setter, no Pokemon can match Deoxys-S in reliability—it is nearly guaranteed to set up Stealth Rock and ~~typically gets~~ at least one layer of Spikes, and can run ~~any of~~ a number of moves to that can wreck potential stops to it. As a revenge killer, it takes advantage of an incredibly wide offensive movepool ~~that gives it excellent super effective coverage~~, making it difficult to switch into. It is an ~~unrivaled~~ incredible dual screens user, with its insane Speed ensuring that screens get up, ~~giving~~ which gives sweepers a layer of protection against opposing threats so that they can freely set up. The scariest part is that your opponent never knows exactly what it's going to do until it's ~~already~~ too late.

However, some factors have limited Deoxys-S's abilities this generation. Perhaps the most notable is the Defog buff~~; with Defog everywhere, it's become~~ which has made it much harder to preserve hazards. In addition, Thundurus has returned to OU ~~as well~~, and it is able to stop non-Magic Coat variants from setting up hazards with its Prankster Taunt. Additionally, priority moves from the likes of Aegislash, Azumarill, Talonflame, (Mega) Scizor, and Mega Pinsir bypass Deoxys-S's excellent Speed, limiting its abilities. Despite these deterrents, Deoxys-S's terrifying versatility and efficiency cement it as one of the best Pokemon in OU.

Dedicated Hazard Lead
########
name: Dedicated Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Fire Punch / Magic Coat / Superpower
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Moves
========

~~What is perhaps~~ Deoxys-S's flagship set aims to lead and set up hazards. Stealth Rock and Spikes are the hazards ~~you set up~~ in question, wearing down opposing teams so that powerful teammates can rip them to shreds. Taunt is obligatory to prevent opposing setup and slower ~~Taunt~~ Taunts from crippling you. With these three moves enabling Deoxys-S to meet its goals, the last slot aims to stop potential blocks. Fire Punch OHKOes standard Hasty Genesect~~, the standard,~~ with the given Attack investment, which could otherwise bring Deoxys-S down to its Focus Sash, ~~and put~~ putting it in the KO range of a priority move, and limiting it to setting up only Stealth Rock. Magic Coat is another solid option to stop Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S ~~in addition to~~ as well as Prankster Thundurus and Sableye. Finally, Superpower can be run to fell Tyranitar, which with Crunch followed by sandstorm damage can KO Deoxys-S~~, limiting it to only Stealth Rock~~ (unecessary and you've already used that phrase before). Knock Off is a possible alternative to hit Espeon, which is otherwise a hard stop to Deoxys-S thanks to its ability, Magic Bounce. It also cripples virtually every non-Mega foe by removing its item. ~~This has utility~~ This can help against Choice Scarf users like Genesect, bulky walls with Leftovers, and much more.

Set Details
========

Max Attack investment lets you always 2HKO Excadrill with Fire Punch while giving a decent chance to 2HKO physically defensive Ferrothorn (33.2%) and a high chance to OHKO 4/0 Genesect (87.5%). It also gives an 81.3% ~~probability~~ chance to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower. ~~With~~ If using Magic Coat, run a Timid nature to minimize Foul Play and confusion damage, as well as max HP because you don't need any offensive investment ~~without an attacking move~~. ~~You~~ Deoxys-S can run potentially Mental Herb ~~for~~ as the item to block Prankster Taunt, eliminating the reliance on Magic Coat for this purpose.

Usage Tips
========

You generally want to lead and start laying hazards immediately. Start with Stealth Rock, as it the most disruptive hazard, and proceed to set up ~~as many layers of~~ Spikes until you die. Don't do anything besides set up hazards unless absolutely required, as you never want to risk not getting up anything, which would essentially leave you playing 5-6 against the opponent with no advantage. It is also unwise to lead against teams that carry a potential Defog user or a Rapid Spin Excadrill. When you lead and set up hazards, you give ~~the Defog user or Excadrill~~ them the entire match to ~~try and get rid of them; thus,~~ remove your hazards, so you should plan to set them up at some point later in the match unless you want to waste Deoxys-S entirely.

If you carry Fire Punch, you'll want to attack against opposing Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. With Superpower, attack against Heatran and Tyranitar. ~~Against~~ If Deoxys-S has Magic Coat, use it against opposing Deoxys-S leads, you'll want to use Magic Coat ~~if you have it~~ to block Taunt attempts and render the opposing Deoxys-S useless.

One question that must be addressed is the difference between this and Deoxys-D. Deoxys-D is bulkier and thus has the opportunity to set up more layers of hazards in some cases, and is not reliant on Focus Sash, but is vulnerable to being 2HKOed by the many faster and more powerful threats. It also has ~~low~~ lower offenses, which ~~limit~~ limits (lower offenses seems more like one flaw than two) its capabilities on that front. Deoxys-S boasts insane Speed, which ~~makes~~ can make it more difficult to stop from setting up hazards, and can eliminate the extremely popular Genesect, which is a major thorn in the side of Deoxys-D. Overall, these benefits make Deoxys-S is better at getting up hazards immediately for offensive teams ~~(provided~~ if the opponent lacks a Defog user~~) that what them as soon as possible~~ (I have NO IDEA what you're trying to say here).

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S caters toward hyper offense teams with powerful attackers that force many switches, such as Aegislash, Talonflame, and Latios, punishing the switches necessary to handle these Pokemon and wearing them down such that they can be defeated later in the match. Without Pokemon like these, Deoxys-S is almost wasted. It is also wise to carry a spinblocker to ensure your hazards aren't just spun away. Gengar doesn't exactly match up that well against the spinners, but ~~at the very least can block spin and still~~ it can better fit with the offensive ~~motif~~ nature of its team. Alternatively, offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus can be ~~run~~ used, boasting some more ~~hit-taking~~ ability to take hits and the power to sweep or at least dent opposing teams with some Nasty Plot ~~boosts~~ boosted attacks. Finally, you'll want some way to counteract Defog. You can't actually block it with anything—though proper prediction and offensive pressure will help out—but you can run Bisharp, which thanks to its ability, Defiant, turns the evasion reduction from Defog into a +2 boost to its Attack, putting it in a position to sweep the opposing team.

Revenge Killer
########
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psycho Boost
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive
evs: 112 Atk / 160 SpA / 236 Spe

Moves
========

This set fits the role of a revenge killer and frightening attacker with its excellent super effective coverage. Psycho Boost is the STAB move of choice, punishing switch-ins expecting ~~an unimpressive~~ a weaker attack or ~~none at all~~ support move from some other variant of Deoxys-S. The rest of the moves outfit Deoxys-S with the necessary coverage it needs to devastate. Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar and 2HKOes ~~unsuspecting~~ any Blissey ~~expecting~~ that expects to wall this set. Ice Beam nails Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon, and is vital to revenge kill threats such as Latios, Dragonite, and ~~Latios~~ Latias (I know Latios is important, but I don't think you'll ever need to revenge kill it twice), as well as the rare Noivern. Finally, Fire Punch ~~is run to smack~~ smacks Choice Scarf Genesect hard—this is necessary because it could otherwise take any hit and OHKO back with U-turn.

Set Details
========

The Attack EVs enable Deoxys-S to revenge kill standard 4/0 Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar with Superpower. The Speed EVs are enough to outrun Choice Scarf Garchomp, ~~which you definitely want to do so you can hit it~~ letting Deoxys-S strike first with Ice Beam ~~before it kills you~~. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to pump up the power of Psycho Boost and Ice Beam. If you desire even more Special Attack investment, you can drop to 20 Attack EVs, which ~~are~~ leaves enough to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower.

Usage Tips
========

Deoxys-S is essentially a replacement for a Choice Scarf user, boasting higher Speed than many sweepers when they are at +1 Speed. Throughout the match, you will want to bring it in to revenge kill opposing threats. You can also devastate unprepared teams with its excellent coverage, wearing down checks with attacks from teammates. If you play well ~~with it~~ and preserve it, this Deoxys-S is one of the best late-game cleaners in existence. Finally, although it should generally be played as a mid-game revenge killer, you can lead with it and bluff the hazard setter, surprising foes that are focused on trying to prevent you from getting up hazards up.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is ~~one of those Pokemon that~~ doesn't really need much support. However, generally you will want some type of entry hazards—not for any particular threat, but just to wear down opposing threats since it forces so many switches. Keeping entry hazards off of your side of the field is also helpful, as in conjunction with Life Orb, they can put Deoxys-S in the KO range of priority attacks. For this role, Excadrill with Stealth Rock + and Rapid Spin ~~Excadrill~~ makes an excellent partner, ~~murdering~~ defeating most spinblockers ~~and doing exactly what Deoxys-S needs it to do~~ while ccomplishing the above tasks. ~~Additionally~~ In addition, note that this Deoxys-S isn't really fit for bulkier teams, as it offers basically nothing in the way of defensive synergy, so more offensive teams are the best fit for it.

Dual Screens
########
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock / Magic Coat
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

This set takes a different approach to supporting offensive teams—protecting setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen. In addition to ~~the two~~ dual screens, Taunt is mandatory to block opposing setup and slower ~~Taunt~~ Taunts. The last slot is basically filler. Stealth Rock ~~can~~ is typically preferred to provide ~~the~~ an extra level of support ~~the hazard brings~~, but Magic Coat can be run to ensure screens get up against opposing Deoxys-S and Prankster Taunt users. Knock Off is an alternative option to ~~slaughter~~ beat Espeon, which loves to lead against Deoxys-S and set up its own dual screens.

Set Details
========

The EVs are simple, maximizing Deoxys-S's bulk and Speed. A Timid nature minimizes Foul Play and confusion damage, while ~~the~~ Light Clay ensures that the screens last as long as possible for partners ~~have enough turns of the screens~~ to set up and do deal damage.

Usage Tips
========

With this set, you will generally want to just lead and set up screens. ~~At the point~~ After that, Deoxys-S ~~has~~ will have hopefully fainted, but if it hasn't, just ~~sac~~ sacrifice it on the third turn or switch out if the opponent is trying to stall out ~~the turns of~~ your screens. To set Stealth Rock, get up the screen that's going to cushion the foe's attack, set up Stealth Rock, and then set up the second screen. If you have to Taunt or Magic Coat, try and do so before you set up screens so as to maximize their longevity. Defog users are also an issue, so you may not necessarily want to lead with it lest your screens and possible Stealth Rock be immediately removed.

This set faces some competition with Deoxys-D, which can actually set up screens multiple times. However, it's nowhere near as good at getting them up immediately due to its much lower Speed, so Deoxys-S is typically preferred on ~~the~~ offensive teams ~~that best utilize these screens~~ (unecessary detail).

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is meant to support hyper offense teams with setup sweepers and frail, powerful attackers. Standouts include Crawdaunt, Aegislash, Swords Dance Talonflame, and Mega Lucario, but you can literally run any number of attackers and they will benefit from the screens. Mega Lucario in particular makes an excellent partner, as Deoxys-S lures out Tyranitar, which it can easily switch into, set up on it as it is forced out, and proceed to seriously damage the opposing team.

Other Options
########

Deoxys-S has a ton of options at its disposal. Another potential set besides the ones listed is a lead Rain Dance setter, which can support Swift Swim users, such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, and Kabutops. Another possible option is a TrickScarf set, which can run defensive investment thanks to its increased Speed from the Choice Scarf, in order to get up the maximum layers of Spikes possible whilst boasting the ability to cripple foes ~~via~~ by Tricking its Choice Scarf ~~way~~ away. With Nasty Plot, Deoxys-S could theoretically pose a decent threat as a sweeper, but it relies on the full, mixed coverage of the listed revenge killer set to deal much damage as an offensive Pokemon, and setting it up isn't easy due to Deoxys-S's rather unimpressive—though usable—defenses. Hazard lead Deoxys-S can opt to run Skill Swap, which prevents Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol from bouncing back its hazards.

The revenge killer set has a myriad of potential moves, though the ones listed in the actual set are ~~generall~~ general best and most optimal. Knock Off can be run for the utility it has in removing the items of opponents, especially crippling to Eviolite users, such as Chansey and Porygon2, and defensive Pokemon that rely on Leftovers as their only ~~form~~ means of recovery. It is also Deoxys-S's only way to damage Aegislash substantially. Thunderbolt is an option to revenge kill Dragon Dance Gyarados; however, it falters against Mega variants where Superpower shines, hitting it much harder. Meteor Mash has a niche in enabling Deoxys-S to bypass Sylveon.

Checks and Counters
########

**Priority**: Priority is the best way to take out revenge killer Deoxys-S. Physical Mega Lucario can survive a Psycho Boost and kill with the combined damage from Close Combat, Life Orb damage, and a Bullet Punch the following turn. Aegislash can KO with a ~~Spooky Plate-boosted~~ Spell Tag-boosted (why must I be so obsessive compulsive about this) Shadow Sneak after Stealth Rock damage or two turns of Life Orb recoil, whilst Deoxys-S struggles to do much in return. Talonflame OHKOes Deoxys-S if it has taken one turn of Life orb damage with its Choice Band Brave Bird. Azumarill KOs with a Waterfall + followed by an Aqua Jet. Bisharp kills it with Sucker Punch. ~~Since these Pokemon carry strong moves~~ (You may add the rest of this sentence if you were going to say something important here.)

**Prankster users**: Prankster Taunt prevents non-Magic Coat Deoxys-S from getting up any hazards. The most notable users are Thundurus and Sableye. Additionally, a Prankster Thunder Wave from Thundurus cripples revenge killer Deoxys-S for good, taking away its ~~trademark~~ high Speed, and makes setting up hazards more difficult.

**Damaging weather**: Sandstorm breaks Deoxys-S's Focus Sash. Tyranitar can hit it with Crunch it, bringing it down to its sash;, and the ~~sand~~ sandstorm it brings finishes off Deoxys-S at the end of the turn, limiting it to setting up just Stealth Rock if it lacks Superpower. Hail has the same effect, and Mega Abomasnow has a high chance to KO with Blizzard with hail damage; running Ice Shard ensures ~~its death~~ that it will faint.

**Magic Bounce**: Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol can bounce back Deoxys-S's hazards, rendering it ~~basically~~ essentially useless. Espeon also conveniently walls all of its Life Orb-boosted attacks, while Mega Absol can KO it with a Sucker Punch.

**Hazard removal**: Excadrill, Starmie, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Latios, and Latias can all remove Deoxys-S's hazards with either Rapid Spin or Defog. With Defog, be sure to watch out for Bisharp, a common Deoxys-S partner that can devastate your team if it comes in on a predicted Defog.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Skarmory and Ferrothorn both handle Deoxys-S's Life Orb-boosted attacks pretty well. Skarmory flat out walls it and can use Defog ~~and~~ or set up ~~Stealth Rock or Spikes~~ its own entry hazards ~~given the free opportunity~~ with the free turns it gets. Physically defensive Ferrothorn can switch in to anything ~~besides~~ other than Fire Punch and even take one pretty decently in a pinch, losing about half its health and eliminating it Deoxys-S with Gyro Ball + Iron Barbs + Life Orb recoil.

**Determining Deoxys-S's set**: When facing Deoxys-S, it is often difficult to determine which set it is running and thus combat it. If it's leading, ~~it's~~iit will in most cases either ~~laying~~ lay down hazards or ~~setting~~ set up dual screens~~, in most cases~~. When you see a Deoxys-S on the opposing team, you should lead to handle the hazard setter to ensure you don't get caught in a bad scenario. If it sets up dual screens, stalling them out with moves such as Protect and forcing Deoxys-S to switch out manually is the best you can do to limit its overall ~~effect~~ effectiveness. If it doesn't lead, it's probably running the revenge killer set, which you can then prepare to combat. Figuring out Deoxys-S's set isn't an exact science, but it can at least help so you don't go at it blindly. Also, it's not very wise to lead with Genesect or Tyranitar against it and ~~just~~ attempt to attack it, as if it carries the right coverage move ~~that dooms you~~, then ~~you've just been~~ you'll be put in a bad spot. Instead, you may want to switch out to scout for it. Alternatively, you can run a Chople Berry on Tyranitar—which is a good item for it anyway—and safely ~~kill~~ KO it without having to worry about dying to Superpower.

Overview
#######

Deoxys-S is a Pokemon that excels at the specific roles it fills. After its ban last generation, it has come back to OU and made a splash. As a suicide hazard setter, no Pokemon can match Deoxys-S in reliability—it is nearly guaranteed to set up Stealth Rock and at least one layer of Spikes, and can run a number of moves that can wreck potential stops to it. As a revenge killer, it takes advantage of an incredibly wide offensive movepool, making it difficult to switch into. It is an incredible dual screens user, with its insane Speed ensuring that screens get up, which gives sweepers a layer of protection against opposing threats so that they can freely set up. The scariest part is that your opponent never knows exactly what it's going to do until it's too late.

However, some factors have limited Deoxys-S's abilities this generation. Perhaps the most notable is the Defog buff which has made it much harder to preserve hazards. In addition, Thundurus has returned to OU, and it is able to stop non-Magic Coat variants from setting up hazards with its Prankster Taunt. Additionally, priority moves from the likes of Aegislash, Azumarill, Talonflame, (Mega) Scizor, and Mega Pinsir bypass Deoxys-S's excellent Speed, limiting its abilities. Despite these deterrents, Deoxys-S's terrifying versatility and efficiency cement it as one of the best Pokemon in OU.

Dedicated Hazard Lead
########
name: Dedicated Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Fire Punch / Magic Coat / Superpower
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Moves
========

Deoxys-S's flagship set aims to lead and set up hazards. Stealth Rock and Spikes are the hazards in question, wearing down opposing teams so that powerful teammates can rip them to shreds. Taunt is obligatory to prevent opposing setup and slower Taunts from crippling you. With these three moves enabling Deoxys-S to meet its goals, the last slot aims to stop potential blocks. Fire Punch OHKOes standard Hasty Genesect with the given Attack investment, which could otherwise bring Deoxys-S down to its Focus Sash, putting it in the KO range of a priority move and limiting it to setting up only Stealth Rock. Magic Coat is another solid option to stop Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S as well as Prankster Thundurus and Sableye. Finally, Superpower can be run to fell Tyranitar, which with Crunch followed by sandstorm damage can KO Deoxys-S. Knock Off is a possible alternative to hit Espeon, which is otherwise a hard stop to Deoxys-S thanks to its ability, Magic Bounce. It also cripples virtually every non-Mega foe by removing its item. For example, this can help against Choice Scarf users like Genesect, bulky walls with Leftovers, and much more.

Set Details
========

Max Attack investment lets you always 2HKO Excadrill with Fire Punch while giving a decent chance to 2HKO physically defensive Ferrothorn (33.2%) and a high chance to OHKO 4/0 Genesect (87.5%). It also gives an 81.3% chance to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower. If using Magic Coat, run a Timid nature to minimize Foul Play and confusion damage, as well as max HP because you don't need any offensive investment. Deoxys-S can run potentially Mental Herb as the item to block Prankster Taunt, eliminating the reliance on Magic Coat for this purpose.

Usage Tips
========

You generally want to lead and start laying hazards immediately. Start with Stealth Rock, as it the most disruptive hazard, and proceed to set up Spikes until you die. Don't do anything besides set up hazards unless absolutely required, as you never want to risk not getting up anything, which would essentially leave you playing 5-6 against the opponent with no advantage. It is also unwise to lead against teams that carry a potential Defog user or a Rapid Spin Excadrill. When you lead and set up hazards, you give them the entire match to remove your hazards, so you should plan to set them up at some point later in the match unless you want to waste Deoxys-S entirely.

If you carry Fire Punch, you'll want to attack against opposing Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. With Superpower, attack against Heatran and Tyranitar. If Deoxys-S has Magic Coat, use it against opposing Deoxys-S leads, you'll want to use Magic Coat to block Taunt attempts and render the opposing Deoxys-S useless.

One question that must be addressed is the difference between this and Deoxys-D. Deoxys-D is bulkier and thus has the opportunity to set up more layers of hazards in some cases, and is not reliant on Focus Sash, but is vulnerable to being 2HKOed by the many faster and more powerful threats. It also has lower offenses, which limits its capabilities on that front. Deoxys-S boasts insane Speed, which can make it more difficult to stop from setting up hazards, and can eliminate the extremely popular Genesect, which is a major thorn in the side of Deoxys-D. Overall, these benefits make Deoxys-S better at getting up hazards immediately for offensive teams if the opponent lacks a Defog user.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S caters toward hyper offense teams with powerful attackers that force many switches, such as Aegislash, Talonflame, and Latios, punishing the switches necessary to handle these Pokemon and wearing them down such that they can be defeated later in the match. Without Pokemon like these, Deoxys-S is almost wasted. It is also wise to carry a spinblocker to ensure your hazards aren't just spun away. Gengar doesn't exactly match up that well against the spinners, but it can better fit with the offensive nature of its team. Alternatively, offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus can be used, boasting some more ability to take hits and the power to sweep or at least dent opposing teams with some Nasty Plot boosted attacks. Finally, you'll want some way to counteract Defog. You can't actually block it with anything—though proper prediction and offensive pressure will help out—but you can run Bisharp, which thanks to its ability, Defiant, turns the evasion reduction from Defog into a +2 boost to its Attack, putting it in a position to sweep the opposing team.

Revenge Killer
########
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psycho Boost
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive
evs: 112 Atk / 160 SpA / 236 Spe

Moves
========

This set fits the role of a revenge killer and frightening attacker with its excellent super effective coverage. Psycho Boost is the STAB move of choice, punishing switch-ins expecting a weaker attack or support move from some other variant of Deoxys-S. The rest of the moves outfit Deoxys-S with the necessary coverage it needs to devastate. Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar and 2HKOes any Blissey that expects to wall this set. Ice Beam nails Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon, and is vital to revenge kill threats such as Latios, Dragonite, and Latias, as well as the rare Noivern. Finally, Fire Punch smacks Choice Scarf Genesect hard—this is necessary because it could otherwise take any hit and OHKO back with U-turn.

Set Details
========

The Attack EVs enable Deoxys-S to revenge kill standard 4/0 Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar with Superpower. The Speed EVs are enough to outrun Choice Scarf Garchomp, letting Deoxys-S strike first with Ice Beam. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to pump up the power of Psycho Boost and Ice Beam. If you desire even more Special Attack investment, you can drop to 20 Attack EVs, which leaves enough to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower.

Usage Tips
========

Deoxys-S is essentially a replacement for a Choice Scarf user, boasting higher Speed than many sweepers when they are at +1 Speed. Throughout the match, you will want to bring it in to revenge kill opposing threats. You can also devastate unprepared teams with its excellent coverage, wearing down checks with attacks from teammates. If you play well and preserve it, this Deoxys-S is one of the best late-game cleaners in existence. Finally, although it should generally be played as a mid-game revenge killer, you can lead with it and bluff the hazard setter, surprising foes that are focused on trying to prevent you from getting hazards up.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is doesn't really need much support. However, generally you will want some type of entry hazards—not for any particular threat, but just to wear down opposing threats since it forces so many switches. Keeping entry hazards off of your side of the field is also helpful, as in conjunction with Life Orb, they can put Deoxys-S in the KO range of priority attacks. For this role, Excadrill with Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin makes an excellent partner, defeating most spinblockers while ccomplishing the above tasks. In addition, note that this Deoxys-S isn't really fit for bulkier teams, as it offers basically nothing in the way of defensive synergy, so more offensive teams are the best fit for it.

Dual Screens
########
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock / Magic Coat
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

This set takes a different approach to supporting offensive teams—protecting setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen. In addition to dual screens, Taunt is mandatory to block opposing setup and slower Taunts. The last slot is basically filler. Stealth Rock is typically preferred to provide an extra level of support, but Magic Coat can be run to ensure screens get up against opposing Deoxys-S and Prankster Taunt users. Knock Off is an alternative option to beat Espeon, which loves to lead against Deoxys-S and set up its own dual screens.

Set Details
========

The EVs are simple, maximizing Deoxys-S's bulk and Speed. A Timid nature minimizes Foul Play and confusion damage, while Light Clay ensures that the screens last as long as possible for partners to set up and deal damage.

Usage Tips
========

With this set, you will generally want to just lead and set up screens. After that, Deoxys-S will have hopefully fainted, but if it hasn't, just sacrifice it on the third turn or switch out if the opponent is trying to stall out your screens. To set Stealth Rock, get up the screen that's going to cushion the foe's attack, set up Stealth Rock, and then set up the second screen. If you have to Taunt or Magic Coat, try and do so before you set up screens so as to maximize their longevity. Defog users are also an issue, so you may not necessarily want to lead with it lest your screens and possible Stealth Rock be immediately removed.

This set faces some competition with Deoxys-D, which can actually set up screens multiple times. However, it's nowhere near as good at getting them up immediately due to its much lower Speed, so Deoxys-S is typically preferred on offensive teams.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is meant to support hyper offense teams with setup sweepers and frail, powerful attackers. Standouts include Crawdaunt, Aegislash, Swords Dance Talonflame, and Mega Lucario, but you can literally run any number of attackers and they will benefit from the screens. Mega Lucario in particular makes an excellent partner, as Deoxys-S lures out Tyranitar, which it can easily switch into, set up on it as it is forced out, and proceed to seriously damage the opposing team.

Other Options
########

Deoxys-S has a ton of options at its disposal. Another potential set besides the ones listed is a lead Rain Dance setter, which can support Swift Swim users, such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, and Kabutops. Another possible option is a TrickScarf set, which can run defensive investment thanks to its increased Speed from the Choice Scarf, in order to get up the maximum layers of Spikes possible whilst boasting the ability to cripple foes by Tricking its Choice Scarf away. With Nasty Plot, Deoxys-S could theoretically pose a decent threat as a sweeper, but it relies on the full, mixed coverage of the listed revenge killer set to deal much damage as an offensive Pokemon, and setting it up isn't easy due to Deoxys-S's rather unimpressive—though usable—defenses. Hazard lead Deoxys-S can opt to run Skill Swap, which prevents Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol from bouncing back its hazards.

The revenge killer set has a myriad of potential moves, though the ones listed in the actual set are general best and most optimal. Knock Off can be run for the utility it has in removing the items of opponents, especially crippling to Eviolite users, such as Chansey and Porygon2, and defensive Pokemon that rely on Leftovers as their only means of recovery. It is also Deoxys-S's only way to damage Aegislash substantially. Thunderbolt is an option to revenge kill Dragon Dance Gyarados; however, it falters against Mega variants where Superpower shines, hitting it much harder. Meteor Mash has a niche in enabling Deoxys-S to bypass Sylveon.

Checks and Counters
########

**Priority**: Priority is the best way to take out revenge killer Deoxys-S. Physical Mega Lucario can survive a Psycho Boost and kill with the combined damage from Close Combat, Life Orb damage, and a Bullet Punch the following turn. Aegislash can KO with a Spell Tag-boosted Shadow Sneak after Stealth Rock damage or two turns of Life Orb recoil, whilst Deoxys-S struggles to do much in return. Talonflame OHKOes Deoxys-S if it has taken one turn of Life orb damage with its Choice Band Brave Bird. Azumarill KOs with a Waterfall followed by an Aqua Jet. Bisharp kills it with Sucker Punch.

**Prankster users**: Prankster Taunt prevents non-Magic Coat Deoxys-S from getting up any hazards. The most notable users are Thundurus and Sableye. Additionally, a Prankster Thunder Wave from Thundurus cripples revenge killer Deoxys-S for good, taking away its high Speed, and makes setting up hazards more difficult.

**Damaging weather**: Sandstorm breaks Deoxys-S's Focus Sash. Tyranitar can hit it with Crunch, bringing it down to its sash;, and the sandstorm it brings finishes off Deoxys-S at the end of the turn, limiting it to setting up just Stealth Rock if it lacks Superpower. Hail has the same effect, and Mega Abomasnow has a high chance to KO with Blizzard with hail damage; running Ice Shard ensures that it will faint.

**Magic Bounce**: Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol can bounce back Deoxys-S's hazards, rendering it essentially useless. Espeon also conveniently walls all of its Life Orb-boosted attacks, while Mega Absol can KO it with a Sucker Punch.

**Hazard removal**: Excadrill, Starmie, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Latios, and Latias can all remove Deoxys-S's hazards with either Rapid Spin or Defog. With Defog, be sure to watch out for Bisharp, a common Deoxys-S partner that can devastate your team if it comes in on a predicted Defog.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Skarmory and Ferrothorn both handle Deoxys-S's Life Orb-boosted attacks pretty well. Skarmory flat out walls it and can use Defog or set up its own entry hazards with the free turns it gets. Physically defensive Ferrothorn can switch in to anything other than Fire Punch and even take one pretty decently in a pinch, losing about half its health and eliminating Deoxys-S with Gyro Ball + Iron Barbs + Life Orb recoil.

**Determining Deoxys-S's set**: When facing Deoxys-S, it is often difficult to determine which set it is running and thus combat it. If it's leading, it will in most cases either lay down hazards or set up dual screens. When you see a Deoxys-S on the opposing team, you should lead to handle the hazard setter to ensure you don't get caught in a bad scenario. If it sets up dual screens, stalling them out with moves such as Protect and forcing Deoxys-S to switch out manually is the best you can do to limit its overall effectiveness. If it doesn't lead, it's probably running the revenge killer set, which you can then prepare to combat. Figuring out Deoxys-S's set isn't an exact science, but it can at least help so you don't go at it blindly. Also, it's not very wise to lead with Genesect or Tyranitar against it and attempt to attack, as if it carries the right coverage move, then you'll be put in a bad spot. Instead, you may want to switch out to scout for it. Alternatively, you can run a Chople Berry on Tyranitar—which is a good item for it anyway—and safely KO it without having to worry about dying to Superpower.

GP approved 1/2

Jukain · Jan 17, 2014

implemented thanks legitimate username

tehy · Jan 18, 2014

amcheck

Overview
#######

Deoxys-S is a Pokemon that excels at the specific roles it fills. After its ban last generation, it has come back to OU and made a splash. As a suicide hazard setter, no Pokemon can match Deoxys-S in reliability—it is nearly guaranteed to set up Stealth Rock and at least one layer of Spikes, and can run a number of moves that can wreck potential stops to it. As a revenge killear, it takes advantage of an incredibly wide offensive movepool, making it difficult to switch into. It is an incredible dual screens user, with its insane Speed ensuring that screens get up, which gives sweepers a layer of protection against opposing threats so that they can freely set up. The scariest part is that your opponent never knows exactly what it's going to do until it's too late.

However, some factors have limited Deoxys-S's abilities this generation. Perhaps the most notable is the Defog buff, which has made it much harder to preserve hazards. In addition, Thundurus has returned to OU, and it is able to stop non-Magic Coat variants from setting up hazards with its Prankster Taunt. A~~dditionally~~lso, priority moves from the likes of Aegislash, Azumarill, Talonflame, (Mega) Scizor, and Mega Pinsir bypass Deoxys-S's excellent Speed, limiting its abilities. Despite these deterrents, Deoxys-S's terrifying versatility and efficiency cement it as one of the best Pokemon in OU.

Dedicated Hazard Lead
########
name: Dedicated Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Fire Punch / Magic Coat / Superpower
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Moves
========

Deoxys-S's flagship set aims to lead and set up hazards. Stealth Rock and Spikes are the hazards in question, wearing down opposing teams so that powerful teammates can rip them to shreds. Taunt is obligatory to prevent opposing setup and slower Taunts from crippling you. ~~With these three moves enabling Deoxys-S to meet its goals, t~~The last slot aims to stop potential blocks. Fire Punch OHKOes standard Hasty Genesect with the given Attack investment, which could otherwise bring Deoxys-S down to its Focus Sash, putting it in the KO range of a priority move and limiting it to setting up only Stealth Rock. Magic Coat is another solid option to stop Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S, as well as Prankster Thundurus and Sableye. Finally, Superpower can be run to fell Tyranitar, which with Crunch followed by sandstorm damage can KO Deoxys-S. Knock Off is a possible alternative to hit Espeon, which is otherwise a hard stop to Deoxys-S thanks to its ability, Magic Bounce. It also cripples virtually every non-Mega foe by removing its item. ~~For example, t~~This can help against Choice Scarf users like Genesect, bulky walls with Leftovers, and much more.

Set Details
========

Max Attack investment lets you always 2HKO Excadrill with Fire Punch while giving you a decent chance to 2HKO physically defensive Ferrothorn (33.2%) and a high chance to OHKO 4/0 Genesect (87.5%). It also gives you an 81.3% chance to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower. If using Magic Coat, run a Timid nature with a 0 Attack IV to minimize Foul Play and confusion damage, as well as max HP because you don't need any offensive investment. Deoxys-S ca~~n ru~~n potentially run Mental Herb ~~as the item~~ to block ~~Prankster~~ Taunt, ~~eliminat~~in~~g the reliance on~~stead of Magic Coat ~~for this purpose~~.

Usage Tips
========

You generally want to lead and start laying hazards immediately. Start with Stealth Rock, as it the most disruptive hazard, and proceed to set up Spikes until you die. Don't do anything besides set up hazards unless absolutely required, as you never want to risk not getting up anything, which would essentially leave you playing 5-6 against the opponent with no advantage. It is also unwise to lead against teams that carry a potential Defog user or a Rapid Spin Excadrill. When you lead and set up hazards, you give them the entire match to remove your hazards, so you should plan to set them up at some point later in the match unless you want to waste Deoxys-S entirely.

If you carry Fire Punch, you'll want to attack against opposing Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. With Superpower, attack against Heatran and Tyranitar. If Deoxys-S has Magic Coat, use it against opposing Deoxys-S leads,; you'll want to use Magic Coat to block Taunt attempts and render the opposing Deoxys-S useless.

One question that must be addressed is the difference between this and Deoxys-D. Deoxys-D is bulkier and thus has the opportunity to set up more layers of hazards in some cases, and is not reliant on Focus Sash, but is vulnerable to being 2HKOed by the many faster and more powerful threats. It also has lower offenses, which limits its capabilities on that front. Deoxys-S boasts insane Speed, which can make it more difficult to stop from setting up hazards, and can eliminate the extremely popular Genesect, which is a major thorn in the side of Deoxys-D. Overall, these benefits make Deoxys-S better at getting up hazards immediately for offensive teams if the opponent lacks a Defog user.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S caters toward hyper offense teams with powerful attackers that force many switches, such as Aegislash, Talonflame, and Latios, punishing the switches necessary to handle these Pokemon and wearing them down s~~uch~~o that they can be defeated later in the match. Without Pokemon like these, Deoxys-S is almost wasted. It is also wise to carry a spinblocker to ensure your hazards aren't just spun away. Gengar doesn't exactly match up that well against the spinners, but it can better fit with the offensive nature of its team. Alternatively, offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus can be used, boasting some more ability to take hits and the power to sweep or at least dent opposing teams with some Nasty Plot boosted attacks. Finally, you'll want some way to counteract Defog. You can't actually block it with anything—though proper prediction and offensive pressure will help out—but you can run Bisharp, which, thanks to its ability, Defiant, turns the evasion reduction from Defog into a +2 boost to its Attack, putting it in a position to sweep the opposing team.

Revenge Killer
########
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psycho Boost
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive
evs: 112 Atk / 160 SpA / 236 Spe

Moves
========

This set fits the role of a revenge killer and frightening attacker with its excellent super effective coverage. Psycho Boost is the STAB move of choice, punishing switch-ins expecting a weaker attack or support move from some other variant of Deoxys-S~~. The rest of the moves outfit Deoxys-S with the necessary coverage it needs to devastate~~. Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar and 2HKOes any Blissey that expects to wall this set. Ice Beam nails Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon, and is vital to revenge kill threats such as Latios, Dragonite, and Latias, as well as the rare Noivern. Finally, Fire Punch smacks Choice Scarf Genesect and hard—this is necessary because it could otherwise take any hit and OHKO back with U-turn.

Set Details
========

The Attack EVs enable Deoxys-S to revenge kill standard 4/0 Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar with Superpower. The Speed EVs are enough to outrun Choice Scarf Garchomp, letting Deoxys-S strike first with Ice Beam. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to pump up the power of Psycho Boost and Ice Beam. If you desire even more Special Attack investment, you can drop to 20 Attack EVs, which leaves enough to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower.

Usage Tips
========

Deoxys-S is essentially a replacement for a Choice Scarf user, boasting higher Speed than many sweepers when they are at +1 Speed. Throughout the match, you will want to bring it in to revenge kill opposing threats. You can also devastate unprepared teams with its excellent coverage, wearing down checks with attacks from teammates. If you play well and preserve it, this Deoxys-S is one of the best late-game cleaners in existence. Finally, although it should generally be played as a mid-game revenge killer, you can lead with it and bluff the hazard setter, surprising foes that are focused on trying to prevent you from getting hazards up.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is doesn't really need much support. However, generally you will want some type of entry hazards—not for any particular threat, but just to wear down opposing threats, since it forces so many switches. Keeping entry hazards off of your side of the field is also helpful, as in conjunction with Life Orb, they can put Deoxys-S in the KO range of priority attacks. For this role, Excadrill with Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin makes an excellent partner, defeating most spinblockers while accomplishing the above tasks. In addition, note that this Deoxys-S isn't really fit for bulkier teams, as it offers basically nothing in the way of defensive synergy, so more offensive teams are the best fit for it.

Dual Screens
########
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock / Magic Coat
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

This set takes a different approach to supporting offensive teams—protecting setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen. In addition to dual screens, Taunt is mandatory to block opposing setup and slower Taunts. The last slot is basically filler. Stealth Rock is typically preferred to provide an extra level of support, but Magic Coat can be run to ensure screens get up against opposing Deoxys-S and Prankster Taunt users. Knock Off is an alternative option to beat Espeon, which loves to lead against Deoxys-S and set up its own dual screens.

Set Details
========

The EVs are simple, maximizing Deoxys-S's bulk and Speed. A Timid nature minimizes Foul Play and confusion damage, while Light Clay ensures that the screens last as long as possible for partners to set up and deal damage.

Usage Tips
========

With this set, you will generally want to just lead and set up screens. After that, Deoxys-S will have hopefully fainted, but if it hasn't, just sacrifice it on the third turn or switch out if the opponent is trying to stall out your screens. To set Stealth Rock, get up the screen that's going to cushion the foe's attack, set up Stealth Rock, and then set up the second screen. If you have to Taunt or Magic Coat, try and do so before you set up screens so as to maximize their longevity. Defog users are also an issue, so you may not necessarily want to lead with it lest your screens and possible Stealth Rock be immediately removed.

This set faces some competition with Deoxys-D, which can actually set up screens multiple times. However, it's nowhere near as good at getting them up immediately due to its much lower Speed, so Deoxys-S is typically preferred on offensive teams.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is meant to support hyper offense teams with setup sweepers and frail, powerful attackers. Standouts include Crawdaunt, Aegislash, Swords Dance Talonflame, and Mega Lucario, but you can literally run any ~~number of~~ attackers and they will benefit from the screens. Mega Lucario in particular makes an excellent partner, as Deoxys-S lures out Tyranitar, which it can easily switch into, set up on it as it is forced out, and proceed to seriously damage the opposing team.

Other Options
########

Deoxys-S has a ton of options at its disposal. Another potential set besides the ones listed is a lead Rain Dance setter, which can support Swift Swim users, such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, and Kabutops. Another possible option is a TrickScarf set, which can run defensive investment thanks to its increased Speed from the Choice Scarf, in order to get up the maximum layers of Spikes possible whilst boasting the ability to cripple foes by Tricking its Choice Scarf away. With Nasty Plot, Deoxys-S could theoretically pose a decent threat as a sweeper, but it relies on the full, mixed coverage of the listed revenge killer set to deal much damage as an offensive Pokemon, and setting it up isn't easy due to Deoxys-S's rather unimpressive—though usable—defenses. Hazard lead Deoxys-S can opt to run Skill Swap, which prevents Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol from bouncing back its hazards.

The revenge killer set has a myriad of potential moves, though the ones listed in the actual set are general best and most optimal. Knock Off can be run for the utility it has in removing the items of opponents, especially crippling to Eviolite users, such as Chansey and Porygon2, and defensive Pokemon that rely on Leftovers as their only means of recovery. It is also Deoxys-S's only way to damage Aegislash substantially. Thunderbolt is an option to revenge kill Dragon Dance Gyarados; however, it falters against Mega variants where Superpower shines, hitting it much harder. Meteor Mash has a niche in enabling Deoxys-S to bypass Sylveon.

Checks and Counters
########

**Priority**: Priority is the best way to take out revenge killer Deoxys-S. Physical Mega Lucario can survive a Psycho Boost and ~~kill~~take Deoxys-S out with the combined damage from Close Combat, Life Orb damage, and a Bullet Punch the following turn. Aegislash can KO with a Spell Tag-boosted Shadow Sneak after Stealth Rock damage or two turns of Life Orb recoil, whilst Deoxys-S struggles to do much in return. Talonflame OHKOes Deoxys-S if it has taken one turn of Life oOrb damage with its Choice Band Brave Bird. Azumarill KOs with a Waterfall followed by an Aqua Jet. Bisharp kills it with Sucker Punch.

**Prankster users**: Prankster Taunt prevents non-Magic Coat Deoxys-S from getting up any hazards or screens. The most notable users are Thundurus and Sableye. Additionally, a Prankster Thunder Wave from Thundurus cripples revenge killer Deoxys-S for good, taking away its high Speed, and makes setting up hazards more difficult.

**Damaging weather**: Sandstorm breaks Deoxys-S's Focus Sash. Tyranitar can hit it with Crunch, bringing it down to its sash;, and the sandstorm it brings finishes off Deoxys-S at the end of the turn, limiting it to setting up just Stealth Rock if it lacks Superpower. Hail has the same effect, and Mega Abomasnow has a high chance to KO with Blizzard with hail damage; running Ice Shard ensures that it will faint.

**Magic Bounce**: Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol can bounce back Deoxys-S's hazards, rendering it essentially useless. Espeon also conveniently walls all of its Life Orb-boosted attacks, while Mega Absol can KO it with a Sucker Punch.

**Hazard removal**: Excadrill, Starmie, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Latios, and Latias can all remove Deoxys-S's hazards with either Rapid Spin or Defog. With Defog, be sure to watch out for Bisharp, a common Deoxys-S partner that can devastate your team if it comes in on a predicted Defog.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Skarmory and Ferrothorn both handle Deoxys-S's Life Orb-boosted attacks pretty well. Skarmory flat out walls it and can use Defog or set up its own entry hazards with the free turns it gets. Physically defensive Ferrothorn can switch in to anything other than Fire Punch and even take one pretty decently in a pinch, losing about half its health and eliminating Deoxys-S with Gyro Ball + Iron Barbs + Life Orb recoil.

**Determining Deoxys-S's set**: When facing Deoxys-S, it is often difficult to determine which set it is running and thus combat it. If it's leading, it will in most cases either lay down hazards or set up dual screens. When you see a Deoxys-S on the opposing team, you should lead to handle the hazard setter to ensure you don't get caught in a bad scenario. If it sets up dual screens, stalling them out with moves such as Protect and forcing Deoxys-S to switch out manually is the best you can do to limit its overall effectiveness. If it doesn't lead, it's probably running the revenge killer set, which you can then prepare to combat. Figuring out Deoxys-S's set isn't an exact science, but it can at least help so you don't go at it blindly. Also, it's not very wise to lead with Genesect or Tyranitar against it and attempt to attack, as if it carries the right coverage move, then you'll be put in a bad spot. Instead, you may want to switch out to scout for it. Alternatively, you can run a Chople Berry on Tyranitar—which is a good item for it anyway—and safely KO it without having to worry about dying to Superpower.

Your checks and counters priority section focuses way too much on the revenge killer set;at least mention that most/all of those mons also deal with the hazards set, and maybe give a mention to which ones beat down the dual screens set?

Comments:
I feel like there must be a better word than 'blocks' when referring to stuff like Taunt and Scarf Gene.
I took out the parantheses around Mega in Mega Scizor, because you're talking about new stuff this generation.
What does Fire Punch do to scizor, by-the-by? And hey, forretress still exists too, as does ferrothorn, hell.
Since you say 'and much more' at the end, is there a reason to say 'for example'?
Mental Herb can also block taunts by opposing deo-s, or even ones bounced back by Magic Coat, so it's not just prankster taunts.
Where's your 0 atk IV at? Magic Coat and dual screens Deo-s should definitely have it.
The revenge killer set is also a beastly anti-lead, you know?
Still no Scizor mention in regards to Fire Punch?
You could mention that Mega Luke can switch into tyranitar and possibly get a Justified boost.
Taunt also blocks screens, ya know.

Kingler · Jan 18, 2014

@jewkain
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Overview
#######

Deoxys-S is a Pokemon that excels at the specific roles it fills. After its ban last generation, it has come back to OU and made a splash. As a suicide hazard setter, no Pokemon can match Deoxys-S in reliability—it is nearly guaranteed to set up Stealth Rock and at least one layer of Spikes, and can run a number of moves that can wreck potential stops to it. As a revenge killer, it takes advantage of an incredibly wide offensive movepool, making it difficult to switch into. It is an incredible dual screens user, with its insane Speed ensuring that screens get up, which gives sweepers a layer of protection against opposing threats so that they can freely set up. The scariest part is that your opponent never knows exactly what it's going to do until it's too late.

However, some factors have limited Deoxys-S's abilities this generation. Perhaps the most notable is the Defog buff,(AC) which has made it much harder to preserve hazards. In addition, Thundurus has returned to OU, and it which is able to stop non-Magic Coat variants from setting up hazards with its Prankster Taunt, has returned to OU. Additionally, priority moves from the likes of Aegislash, Azumarill, Talonflame, (Mega) Scizor, and Mega Pinsir bypass Deoxys-S's excellent Speed, limiting its abilities. Despite these deterrents, Deoxys-S's terrifying versatility and efficiency cement it as one of the best Pokemon in OU.

Dedicated Hazard Lead
########
name: Dedicated Hazard Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Fire Punch / Magic Coat / Superpower
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Moves
========

Deoxys-S's flagship set aims to lead and set up hazards. Stealth Rock and Spikes are the hazards in question, wearing down opposing teams so that powerful teammates can rip them to shreds. Taunt is obligatory to prevent opposing setup and slower Taunts from crippling you. With these three moves enabling Deoxys-S to meet its goals, the last slot aims to stop potential blocks. Fire Punch OHKOes standard Hasty Genesect with the given Attack investment, which could otherwise bring Deoxys-S down to its Focus Sash, putting it in the KO range of a priority move and limiting it to setting up only Stealth Rock. Magic Coat is another solid option to stop Taunt from opposing Deoxys-S as well as Prankster Thundurus and Sableye. Finally, Superpower can be run to fell Tyranitar, which with Crunch followed by sandstorm damage can KO Deoxys-S. Knock Off is a possible alternative to hit Espeon, which is otherwise a hard stop to Deoxys-S,(AC) thanks to its ability, Magic Bounce. It also cripples virtually every non-Mega foe by removing its item. For example, this can help against Choice Scarf users like such as Genesect, bulky walls with Leftovers, and much more.

Set Details
========

Max Maximum Attack investment lets you Deoxys-S always 2HKO Excadrill with Fire Punch while giving a decent chance (33.2%) to 2HKO physically defensive Ferrothorn (33.2%) and a high chance (87.5%) to OHKO 4/0 Genesect (87.5%). It also gives Deoxys-S an 81.3% chance to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower. If using Magic Coat, run a Timid nature to minimize Foul Play and confusion damage, as well as max HP because you don't Deoxys-S doesn't need any offensive investment. Deoxys-S can run potentially Mental Herb as the item of choice to block Prankster Taunt, eliminating the its reliance on Magic Coat for this purpose.

Usage Tips
========

You generally want to lead and start laying hazards immediately. Start with Stealth Rock, as it it's the most disruptive hazard, and proceed to set up Spikes until you die Deoxys-S is KOed. Don't do anything besides set up hazards unless absolutely required, as you never want to risk not getting up anything, which would essentially leave you playing 5-6 against the opponent with no advantage. It is also unwise to lead against teams that carry a potential Defog user or a Rapid Spin Excadrill. When you lead Deoxys-S leads and set sets up hazards, you give them the entire match to remove your hazards, so you should plan to set them up at some point later in the match unless you want to waste Deoxys-S entirely.

If you carry Deoxys-S carries Fire Punch, you'll want to attack against opposing Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. With Superpower, attack against Heatran and Tyranitar. If Deoxys-S has Magic Coat, use it against opposing Deoxys-S leads, you'll want to use Magic Coat to block Taunt attempts and render the opposing Deoxys-S useless.

One question that must be addressed is the difference between this Deoys-S and Deoxys-D. Deoxys-D is bulkier and thus has the opportunity to set up more layers of hazards in some cases, and is not reliant on Focus Sash, but is vulnerable to being 2HKOed by the many faster and more powerful threats. It also has lower offenses, which limits its capabilities on that front. Deoxys-S boasts insane Speed, which can make it more difficult to stop from setting up hazards, and can eliminate the extremely popular Genesect, which is a major thorn in the side of Deoxys-D. Overall, these benefits make Deoxys-S better at getting up hazards immediately for offensive teams if the opponent lacks a Defog user.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S caters toward hyper offense teams with powerful attackers that force many switches, such as Aegislash, Talonflame, and Latios, punishing the switches necessary to handle these Pokemon and wearing them down such that they can be defeated later in the match. Without Pokemon like these, Deoxys-S is almost wasted. It is also wise to carry a spinblocker to ensure your hazards aren't just spun away. Gengar doesn't exactly match up that well against the spinners, but it can better fit with the offensive nature of its team. Alternatively, offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus can be used, boasting some more ability to take hits and the power to sweep or at least dent opposing teams with some Nasty Plot boosted attacks. Finally, you'll want some way to counteract Defog. You can't actually block it with anything—though proper prediction and offensive pressure will help out—but you can run Bisharp, which thanks to its ability, Defiant, turns the evasion reduction from Defog into a +2 boost to its Attack, putting it in a position to sweep the opposing team.

Revenge Killer
########
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Psycho Boost
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive
evs: 112 Atk / 160 SpA / 236 Spe

Moves
========

This set fits the role of a revenge killer and frightening attacker with its excellent super effective coverage. Psycho Boost is the STAB move of choice, punishing switch-ins expecting a weaker attack or support move from some other variant of Deoxys-S. The rest of the moves outfit Deoxys-S with the necessary coverage it needs to devastate the opposition. Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar and 2HKOes any Blissey that expects to wall this set. Ice Beam nails Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon, and is vital to revenge kill threats such as Latios, Dragonite, and Latias, as well as the rare Noivern. Finally, Fire Punch smacks Choice Scarf Genesect hard—this is necessary because it could otherwise take any hit and OHKO back with U-turn.

Set Details
========

The Attack EVs enable Deoxys-S to revenge kill standard 4/0 Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar with Superpower. The Speed EVs are enough to outrun Choice Scarf Garchomp, letting Deoxys-S strike first with Ice Beam. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to pump up the power of Psycho Boost and Ice Beam. If you desire even more Special Attack investment, you can drop to 20 Attack EVs, which leaves enough to OHKO max HP Tyranitar with Superpower.

Usage Tips
========

Deoxys-S is essentially a replacement for a Choice Scarf user, boasting higher Speed than many sweepers when they are at +1 Speed. Throughout the match, you will want to bring it in to revenge kill opposing threats. You can also devastate unprepared teams with its excellent coverage, wearing down checks with attacks from teammates. If you play well and preserve it, this Deoxys-S is one of the best late-game cleaners in existence. Finally, although it should generally be played as a mid-game revenge killer, you can lead with it and bluff the hazard setter, surprising foes that are focused on trying to prevent you from getting hazards up.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is doesn't really need much support. However, generally you will generally want some type of entry hazards—not for any particular threat, but just to wear down opposing threats since , as it forces so many switches. Keeping entry hazards off of your side of the field is also helpful, as in conjunction with Life Orb, they can put Deoxys-S in the KO range of priority attacks. For this role, Excadrill with Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin makes for an excellent partner, defeating most spinblockers while ccomplishing accomplishing the above tasks. In addition, note that this Deoxys-S isn't really fit for bulkier teams, as it offers basically nothing in the way of defensive synergy, so more offensive teams are the best fit for it.

Dual Screens
########
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Stealth Rock / Magic Coat
item: Light Clay
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
========

This set takes a different approach to supporting offensive teams— (wouldn't a colon fit better here?) protecting setup sweepers with Reflect and Light Screen. In addition to dual screens, Taunt is mandatory to block opposing setup and slower Taunts. The last slot is basically filler. Stealth Rock is typically preferred to provide an extra level of support, but Magic Coat can be run to ensure screens get up against opposing Deoxys-S and Prankster Taunt users. Knock Off is an alternative option to beat Espeon, which loves to lead against Deoxys-S and set up its own dual screens.

Set Details
========

The EVs are simple, maximizing Deoxys-S's bulk and Speed. A Timid nature minimizes Foul Play and confusion damage, while Light Clay ensures that the screens last as long as possible for partners to set up and deal damage.

Usage Tips
========

With this set, you will generally want to just lead and set up screens. After that, Deoxys-S will have hopefully fainted, but if it hasn't, just sacrifice it on the third turn or switch out if the opponent is trying to stall out your screens. To set up Stealth Rock, get up the screen that's going to cushion the foe's attack, set up Stealth Rock, and then set up the second screen. If you have to Taunt or Magic Coat, try and do so before you set up screens so as to maximize their longevity. Defog users are also an issue, so you may will not necessarily want to lead with it lest your screens and possible Stealth Rock be immediately removed.

This set faces some competition with Deoxys-D, which can actually set up screens multiple times. However, it's nowhere near as good at getting them up immediately due to its much lower Speed, so Deoxys-S is typically preferred on offensive teams.

Team Options
========

This Deoxys-S is meant to support hyper offense teams with setup sweepers and frail, powerful attackers. Standouts include Crawdaunt, Aegislash, Swords Dance Talonflame, and Mega Lucario, but you can literally run any number of attackers and they will benefit from the screens. Mega Lucario in particular makes for an excellent partner, as Deoxys-S lures out Tyranitar, which it can easily switch into, set up on it as it is forced out, and proceed to seriously damage the opposing team.

Other Options
########

Deoxys-S has a ton of options at its disposal. Another potential set besides the ones listed is a lead Rain Dance setter, which can support Swift Swim users, such as Kingdra, Ludicolo, and Kabutops. Another possible option is a TrickScarf set, which can run defensive investment thanks to its increased Speed from the Choice Scarf, in order to get up the maximum layers of Spikes possible whilst boasting the ability to cripple foes by Tricking its Choice Scarf away. With Nasty Plot, Deoxys-S could theoretically pose a decent threat as a sweeper, but it relies on the full, mixed coverage of the listed revenge killer set to deal much damage as an offensive Pokemon, and setting it up isn't easy due to Deoxys-S's rather unimpressive—though usable—defenses. Hazard lead Deoxys-S can opt to run Skill Swap, which prevents Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol from bouncing back its hazards.

The revenge killer set has a myriad of potential moves, though the ones listed in the actual set are general best and most optimal. Knock Off can be run for the utility it has in removing the items of opponents, especially crippling to Eviolite users, such as Chansey and Porygon2, and defensive Pokemon that rely on Leftovers as their only means of recovery. It is also Deoxys-S's only way to damage Aegislash substantially. Thunderbolt is an option to revenge kill Dragon Dance Gyarados; however, it falters against Mega variants where Superpower shines, hitting it much harder. Meteor Mash has a niche in enabling Deoxys-S to bypass Sylveon.

Checks and Counters
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**Priority**: Priority is the best way to take out revenge killer Deoxys-S. Physical Mega Lucario can survive a Psycho Boost and kill with the combined damage from Close Combat, Life Orb damage recoil, and a Bullet Punch the following turn. Aegislash can KO with a Spell Tag-boosted Shadow Sneak after Stealth Rock damage or two turns of Life Orb recoil, whilst Deoxys-S struggles to do much in return. Talonflame OHKOes Deoxys-S if it has taken one turn of Life orb Life Orb damage with its a Choice Band Brave Bird. Azumarill KOs KOes Deoxys-S with a Waterfall followed by an Aqua Jet. Bisharp kills disposes of it with Sucker Punch.

**Prankster users**: Prankster Taunt prevents non-Magic Coat Deoxys-S from getting up any hazards. The most notable users are Thundurus and Sableye. Additionally, a Prankster Thunder Wave from Thundurus cripples revenge killer Deoxys-S for good, taking away its high Speed, and makes setting up hazards more difficult.

**Damaging weather**: Sandstorm breaks Deoxys-S's Focus Sash. Tyranitar can hit it with Crunch, bringing it down to its sash;, Focus Sash, and the sandstorm it brings finishes off Deoxys-S at the end of the turn, limiting it to setting up just Stealth Rock if it lacks Superpower. Hail has the same effect, and Mega Abomasnow has a high chance to KO Deoxys-S with Blizzard with and hail damage; running Ice Shard ensures that it will faint.

**Magic Bounce**: Espeon, Xatu, and Mega Absol can bounce back Deoxys-S's hazards, rendering it essentially useless. Espeon also conveniently walls all of its Life Orb-boosted attacks, while Mega Absol can KO it with a Sucker Punch.

**Hazard removal**: Excadrill, Starmie, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Latios, and Latias can all remove Deoxys-S's hazards with either Rapid Spin or Defog. With Defog, be sure to watch out for Bisharp, a common Deoxys-S partner that can devastate your team if it comes in on a predicted Defog.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Skarmory and Ferrothorn both handle Deoxys-S's Life Orb-boosted attacks pretty well. Skarmory flat-(AH)out walls it and can use Defog or set up its own entry hazards with the free turns it gets. Physically defensive Ferrothorn can switch in to anything other than Fire Punch and even take one pretty decently in a pinch, losing about half its health and eliminating Deoxys-S with Gyro Ball + Iron Barbs + Life Orb recoil.

**Determining Deoxys-S's set**: When facing Deoxys-S, it is often difficult to determine which set it is running and thus combat it. If it's leading, it will in most cases either lay down hazards or set up dual screens. When you see a Deoxys-S on the opposing team, you should lead to handle the hazard setter to ensure you don't get caught in a bad scenario. If it sets up dual screens, stalling them out with moves such as Protect and forcing Deoxys-S to switch out manually is the best you can do to limit its overall effectiveness. If it doesn't lead, it's probably running the revenge killer set, which you can then prepare to combat. Figuring out Deoxys-S's set isn't an exact science, but it can at least help so that you don't go at it blindly. Also, it's not very wise to lead with Genesect or Tyranitar against it and attempt to attack, as if it carries the right coverage move, then you'll be put in a bad spot. Instead, you may might want to switch out to scout for it. Alternatively, you can run a Chople Berry on Tyranitar—which is a good item for it anyway—and safely KO it without having to worry about dying to Superpower.

2/2

Jukain · Jan 18, 2014

Thanks for the check. I didn't implement everything in the check exactly as you put it; in some cases there were unnecessary changes, and in other places the changes made it sound or flow worse. Most of the stuff was good, though, and I saw where you'd spotted different things and made adjusted changes if I wasn't keen on what you had. For further explanation, open the hide tag.

Overview

- First two changes, good.
- Second change -- a comma is missing before which. I changed it in a slightly manner, keeping the 'has returned to OU' bit first and change 'and it is able to stop' to 'stopping'

Set 1 Moves

- First change is good. The second change is good, but the 'such as Genesect' bit would need to be set off by commas. I put the statement in parentheses because I didn't feel it was necessary to add semicolons over commas in each of the list items when there's only one example in the whole series.

Set 1 Set Details

- Pretty much every change is good. I just changed 'gives' to 'provides' where it says 'gives an 81.3%...) so it would sound a bit better -- actually saying Deoxys-S is unnecessary, as it's implied. The last two changes I did some slight rewording, because saying Deoxys-S doesn't need any offensive investment doesn't really sound right, and 'the item of choice' sounded kind of funky in the last sentence.

Set 1 Usage Tips

- First two changes are good. For third and fourth ones, 'you' is fine. You is referring to the trainer correctly; you lead with Deoxys-S. It would be fine either way, but 'you lead' is more direct to the reader, and thus fits better in a section meant to direct the reader. You put Fire Punch on Deoxys-S. If you have Fire Punch as an option to use in that scenario, use it. The fifth change is good too -- you spelled Deoxys-S wrong though!

Set 2 Team Options

- For the second change, I didn't put a comma before 'as'. It's not a necessary comma, and makes the latter part of the sentence sound more like an aside, which it definitely isn't! Everything else here is good.

Set 3 Usage Tips

- The first change isn't necessary. 'Set' is just fine on its own:

set 1(s

t)
v. set, set·ting, sets
v.tr.
1. To put in a specified position; place:

Stealth Rock is being put in a specified position (the opposing side of the field), or set, by your use of Stealth Rock. I just use 'set' in this instance because 'set up' would be really repetitive.

- For the second change: 'may' is fine there. It's not a given that you don't want to lead with it against a Defogger, as you may deem it more beneficial to set up your screens, bring in your sweeper, get a boost, and cut your losses, depending on the scenario.

Checks and Counters, Priority

- 'kills' is just fine. You can say that a Pokemon dies, so you can say that Bisharp kills Deoxys-S. Other changes are good.

Checks and Counters, Damaging weather

- 'sash' is just fine, especially since I say Focus Sash a sentence before; there's no confusion as to what it's referring to. idk how I ended up with a semicolon and a comma -- reworded in such a way that makes the semicolon fit.

- Stating that Mega Abomasnow can KO with Blizzard is just fine. Deoxys-S is implied; what else would Mega Abomasnow be KOing? Change after that is good.

Checks and Counters, Determining Deoxys-S's set

- The 'that' is unnecessary and just adds an extra word to the sentence. The second change is good. 'May' is fine where you changed it; there's zero reason to replace it with 'might'.

Anyways this is now done!

Kingler · Jan 19, 2014

Sorry, but i beg to differ Jukain
In the second you->deoxys-s i get what youre getting at, but deo-s is more accurate and i believe fuzznip brought this up in the 5th gen spelling and grammar standards: youre not supposed to use 'kill' instead of 'ko' in c&c at least.
For the first one i believe you meant you meant 'you lead with Deoxys-S,' so i concede i was wrong but the sentence isnt right.
For the dual screens may->will, may has to do with permission. You may not necessarily want to->you have been given permission to not necessarily want to, so imo 'will' is more accurate.
I generally put 'that' in a sentence where it is fine without it as well, as imo it's incomplete--both are fine, though. You may want to->again, you have been given permission to want to.
Idk if i missed explanations for anything else ^.^

Fuzznip · Jan 20, 2014

Do it Jukain. ^

Jukain · Jan 20, 2014

ok Kingler12345

For the first one i believe you meant you meant 'you lead with Deoxys-S,' so i concede i was wrong but the sentence isnt right.

Reworded the sentence slightly because you're right, the sentence wasn't great.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/may

c —used to indicate possibility or probability <you may be right><things you may need> ; sometimes used interchangeably with can<one of those slipups that may happen from time to time — Jessica Mitford> ; sometimes used where might would be expected <you may think from a little distance that the country was solid woods — Robert Frost>

I'm pretty sure the use of 'may' falls under this definition. There is a possibility that you won't want to lead with Deoxys-S.

That said, upon reading it over I don't think 'may' is a strong enough word. I don't want to say 'will' because it would indicate that you definitely don't want to lead with Deoxys-S. I reworded the sentence to be more clear and comprehensively cover the issue at hand.

I reworded the second instance of 'may' because again, 'may' wasn't being exactly clear. I changed 'kill' -> 'KOes'; I wasn't aware the standards had changed, and this is accounted for.

Basically, 'may' has a few possible definitions and doesn't have to refer to permission. I had to clear up areas where 'may' wasn't a strong or direct enough word, but 'may' doesn't translate directly to 'will', especially in the scenarios where you changed it; 'will' implies that something is definite, while 'may' implies possibility (or permission, or to express a purpose). When something isn't definite, 'will' is misleading.

Fuzznip · Jan 27, 2014

How is 20 Atk / 252 SpA / 236 Spe not the best spread? I don't care about not OHKOing Mega Tyranitar, it requires way too much Attack investment and reduces Psycho Boost's power; it's not like it can't be worn down either and it won't set up a DD. Furthermore, I'd imagine Hidden Power Fire to be a stronger option over Fire Punch, hitting Pokemon such as Scizor and Skarmory harder and retains the OHKO on Genesect.

Jukain · Jan 27, 2014

Originally on IRC I was confused, that you were talking about the hazards set. Changes implemented!

Fuzznip · Jan 27, 2014

Oh, sorry.

"Finally, Fire Punch smacks Choice Scarf Genesect hard—this is necessary because it could otherwise take any hit and OHKO back with U-turn—and OHKOes Scizor whilst 2HKOing Genesect, feats Fire Punch could not achieve."

Fix this, lol.

Deoxys-S

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All we ever look for

lab report ᐛ

Persona 5

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I COULD BE BORED!

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I COULD BE BORED!

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NO PLAN SURVIVES

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Banned deucer.

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!_!

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