Welcome to Jurassic Park: Fossils of Gen IV-VI

Jurassic World

The Tour Completed

Yesterday we started our tour of fossil Pokemon by looking at Omastar, Kabutops, Aerodactyl and its mega evolution, Armaldo, and Cradily.  Today, we finish our journey by looking at the rest of them.  Let’s get started!

Rampardos

Base Stats
HP: 97
Attack: 165
Defense: 60
Special Attack: 65
Special Defense: 50
Speed: 58




Abilities
Mold Breaker: Moves can be used regardless of Abilities.
Sheer Force (Hidden Ability): Attacks gain power, but lose their secondary effect.

There are Pokémon with decent Attack stats. There are Pokémon with great Attack stats. There are Pokémon with ridiculous Attack stats. And then, and only then, there is Rampardos. Sporting a mind-blowing 165 base Attack and absolutely no other noteworthy stats, the Pachycephalosaurus Pokémon was made to do one thing- Head Smash its way to victory. Head Smash, its signature move, is a 150 base power STAB Rock type move for it to nuke anything it wants. Don't get me wrong, the Skull Fossil is dangerous, but far from a good Pokémon. Its low Speed and defenses make it difficult to utilize its strength to the fullest, but make no mistake- if it gets a good switch in, it will Head Smash its way through absolutely everything.

The Skull Fossil
Rampardos
Hold Item: Choice Band
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Head Smash
Crunch
Superpower
Zen Headbutt

This is it. This is the max Attack Choice Band set we've all been waiting for. It is so powerful that even bulky Pokémon that resist it are still 2HKO'd by Head Smash.

252+ Atk Choice Band Mold Breaker Rampardos Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Golem: 192-226 (52.7 - 62%) -- guaranteed 2HKO. 

The funny thing about this set though is that you use the threat of Head Smash to draw these Pokémon out and ultimately use Band Superpower to defeat them- using Mold Breaker to OHKO even through Sturdy. Like any choice set, this is all about prediction. However, Head Smash's power cannot be understated and can bust through even the most powerful wall. Because of Rampardos's pathetic defenses, it appreciates dual screens support to survive even weak hits. It’s also susceptible to many types of priority, but if played to its way-overpowered strengths, Rampardos will be rewarding, and fun, to use.

Bastiodon

Base Stats
HP: 60
Attack: 52
Defense: 168
Special Attack: 47
Special Defense: 138
Speed: 30




Abilities
Sturdy: The Pokémon is protected against OHKO attacks.
Soundproof (Hidden Ability): Gives full immunity to all sound-based moves.

STORM THE BASTILLE! And that is exactly what's going to happen if you use Bastiodon. Its name is a combination of the French Fort the “Bastille” and the Greek word for “tooth.” It's literally a Wall Dinosaur. The binary opposition of the offensively inclined Rampardos, Bastiodon has almost no attacking stats and titanic defensive stats. Not unlike the actual Titanic, Bastiodon was made to be unsinkable, but there was one flaw Game Freak didn't account for: hubris. With a Steel/Rock typing, it is x4 weak to both Fighting and Ground types, both of which can break their way right through this wall of a Pokémon. Additionally, it has a low HP stat and no form of recovery outside of Leftovers, meaning this Pokémon is not going to stand for more than a few hits. Our friend Rampardos can even use Mold Breaker to OHKO right through Sturdy. Simply speaking, this wall can be good at its job, but probably not for very long.

The Armor Fossil
Bastiodon
Hold Item: Leftovers
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 Special Defense, 252 HP, 4 Defense
Stealth Rock
Magic Coat
Toxic
Roar

The purpose of Stealth Rock is obvious. Magic Coat is to reflect predicted status moves, hazards and Taunt. Toxic is to deal damage, because Bastiodon's attacking stats are too low to do it otherwise. Roar is to phaze set up sweepers. Bastiodon is a very straight forward defensive Pokémon who can do this very well, so long as you avoid Fighting-type Pokémon and Earthquake.

Carracosta

Base Stats
HP: 74
Attack: 108
Defense: 133
Special Attack: 83
Special Defense: 65
Speed: 32




Abilities
Solid Rock: Powers down super-effective moves.
Sturdy: The Pokémon is protected against OHKO attacks.
Swift Swim (Hidden Ability): Boosts the Pokémon's Speed in rain.

I like turtles. The prehistoric sea turtle functions very similarly to Omastar except on the physical side. Utilizing Shell Smash and an already high Attack stat, Carracosta can be incredibly powerful once set up. And the fun thing about this fossil Pokémon is that by utilizing a great Defense stat and Solid Rock, it has no trouble setting up. The biggest problem Carracosta has is its 32 base speed. Even with a Shell Smash, it can still be outsped by many Pokémon. Even so, this Pokémon is incredibly dangerous and should be prepared for.

The Cover Fossil
Carracosta
Hold Item: Life Orb
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 HP
Shell Smash
Waterfall
Stone Edge
Aqua Jet

With a 108 Attack before setting up, the turtle fossil is nothing short of terrifying after a Shell Smash. Its STABs compliment each other very well and give it great neutral coverage, allowing it to use Aqua Jet for killer priority. Bulky Grass types are still a problem for Carracosta, but once they're out of the way this Pokémon is very easy to use: set up with Shell Smash and go to town with the appropriate STAB.

Archeops

Base Stats
HP: 75
Attack: 140
Defense: 65
Special Attack: 112
Special Defense: 65
Speed: 110




Ability
Defeatist: Lowers stats when HP becomes half or less.

According to the Pokedex, Archeops is the First Bird Pokémon, but it really should be called the Defeatist Pokémon. Archeops should be in the Overused tier with offensive stats like it has (140/112/110) but thanks to its ability Defeatist, it is stuck in lower tiers. But down in lower tiers it is free to use its high offenses unrivaled. It has poor defenses and needs Stealth Rock to be off the field to operate well, but do not underestimate this bird. If you do, it will be the Defeater Pokémon.

The Plume Fossil
Archeops
Hold Item: None
Nature: Jolly/Naive
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 HP/Special Attack
Acrobatics
Stone Edge
Earthquake/Earth Power
Roost/Head Smash

Acrobatics is Archeops' best Flying-type STAB option, and because the Flying Gem is not yet released in Gen VI, Archeops' best route is to forfeit an item. If you’re thinking Weakness Policy is a good idea, don't bet on it. Archeops' defenses are too weak to survive that kind of nonsense. Stone Edge is a good secondary STAB and has good coverage alongside Acrobatics. Earthquake/Earth Power gives good coverage for hitting Steel types that resist its STAB moves. Note that most Steel types have a higher Defense than Special Defense, so it really is not a bad option. Be aware that if you choose Earth Power you should switch to a Naive nature, and switch the HP EVs to Special Attack. Roost and Head Smash are slashed with each other but actually offer totally different play styles. Roost is to prolong Archeops' lifespan and prevent it from going into Defeatist range for as long as possible. Head Smash, on the other hand, is so that once your Attack is halved from Defeatist, you can still hit hard with a high powered STAB move (and likely faint in the process - who cares, it was going down eventually anyway).

Tyrantrum

Base Stats
HP: 82
Attack: 121
Defense: 119
Special Attack: 69
Special Defense: 59
Speed: 71




Abilities
Strong Jaw: The Pokémon's strong jaw gives it tremendous biting power.
Rock Head (Hidden Ability - Not Available): Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.

Tyrantrum speaks to the child inside me - inside all of us. Game Freak must have said to themselves this generation, “Let's make a really freaking awesome Tyrannosaurus Pokémon,” and then did just that. And this T-Rex does not want to be fed; it wants to hunt. Because of its Rock/Dragon typing, it can and will do just that. With a high Attack stat, usable Speed and bulk, this dinosaur has all the tools it needs to succeed as a hunter.

The Jaw Fossil
Tyrantrum
Hold Item:Life Orb/Lum Berry
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 HP
Rock Polish/Dragon Dance
Head Smash
Earthquake
Dragon Claw

This is a basic Dragon-type boosting set, albeit with a unique twist thanks to Tyrantrum's secondary Rock typing: Rock Polish. The Despot Pokémon's 71 base Speed can be patched up in one turn, and it will be free to attempt a sweep. Of course, this does not boost Tyrantrum's great Attack stat. If you want to do that, feel free to use Dragon Dance to boost both. Be wary though, you might need to use it twice in order to outspeed common threats. If you are using Rock Polish, Life Orb is probably the best item to maximize damage output. If you decide to use Dragon Dance, Lum Berry is the way to go to allow extra turns to set up. The downsides to this set come in the form of priority moves and Steel types. Tyrantrum will have a hard time getting around bulky Steel types, and is weak to two very common priority attacks (Bullet Punch and Mach Punch).

It’s worth pointing out that Tyrantrum’s unreleased ability is Rock Head, which would allow no recoil on Head Smash; a great combination to say the least. Too bad it's not available yet. Though they aren't mentioned on this set, Tyrantrum does get Crunch and the elemental fangs (Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Thunder Fang) to take advantage of Strong Jaw, but the coverage provided by them is inferior compared to the given set.

Aurorus

Base Stats
HP: 123
Attack: 77
Defense: 72
Special Attack: 99
Special Defense: 92
Speed: 58




Abilities
Refrigerate: Normal-type moves become Ice-type moves.
Snow Warning (Hidden Ability - Not Available): The Pokémon summons a hailstorm in battle.

There are a lot of weird Pokémon out there, and Aurorus would be a contender for one of the weirdest. I honestly don't know what to make of this thing. Immune to both Sandstorm and Hail, access to the coveted Bolt/Beam combination, dual screens, and a great offensive typing are some of the pros of this sauropod. Conversely, sub-par offensive and defensive stats, a comparatively shallow movepool, a horrendous defensive typing leaving it with a weakness to Stealth Rock and x4 weakness to Bullet Punch, Vacuum Wave and Mach Punch (and you thought Tyrantrum had it bad) are some of the cons. Here is my best guess at a set, but honestly, I’m really not 100% sure where to go with this fella.

The Sail Fossil
Aurorus
Hold Item: Choice Specs
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 Special Attack, 252 HP, Special Defense
Nature Power*
Thunderbolt
Freeze Dry
Psychic

*In battling conditions, Nature Power is Tri-Attack which is Ice Type thanks to Aurorus' ability Refrigerate.

The main goal of this set is to capitalize on the Tundra Pokémon's usable Special Attack stat and great coverage. Nature Power is the go-to STAB because of the power provided by Refrigerate. Thunderbolt hits most Pokémon that resist Ice for either neutral or super-effective damage. Freeze Dry might seem redundant alongside Thunderbolt (which hits Water types super-effectively) and Nature Power (which is an Ice-type STAB), but it has more utility than you'd think. It hits Pokémon like Quagsire, Gastrodon, and Swampert for a surprising x4 super-effectiveness. Psychic is for nailing Fighting types that get too cocky and switch in.

It’s worth noting that Aurorus' unreleased Dream World ability is Snow Warning, which summons a Hail Storm that provides a perfect accuracy STAB Blizzard. Once the ability gets released, Blizzard will be the STAB move of choice.

And that's all of them!

I have one very important question: who caught all of my Jurassic Park references? Can you point them out? And of course, what's your favorite Fossil Pokémon? For me, it has been Aerodactyl since Gen I. And of course, these are just the basics. If you want me to go into more depth on any of these, just let me know on Facebook or in the comments.

Bringing you back to the Land Before Time,

- Alltheginjoints.

Welcome to Jurassic Park: Fossils of Gen I-III

World Tour of Fossil Pokémon

Part 1

Back when I was a kid, I knew I was going to be a paleontologist. I just knew it. Of course, I ended up becoming a filmmaker, but that’s beside the point. Dinosaurs and fossils have captured the imagination of all kinds of children around the world and because of this, it is no accident that fossil Pokémon continue to be a popular staple of the franchise. And so, on request, we’re going to look at the fossils of the Pokémon world.

All Rock types, fossils are one of the most interesting aspects of the Pokémon world. Brought back to life after being killed off by who knows what, these Pokémon are all different and each offers a distinct playing style. We here at SplashAttack are proud to present a quick analysis on all of them. Hold onto your butts everyone, because over the next two days we have 11 Pokémon to cover. Let's get started.

Omastar

Base Stats
HP: 70
Attack: 60
Defense: 125
Special Attack: 115
Special Defense: 70
Speed: 55




Abilities
Swift Swim: Boosts the Pokémon's Speed in rain.
Shell Armor: The Pokémon is protected against critical hits.
Weak Armor (Hidden Ability): When hit with physical attacks its Defense is lowered, but its Speed is increased.

The God of TwitchPlaysPokémon is the first fossil we are going to look at. Omastar is a tricky case. With all around good stats and movepool, it’s somewhat of a mystery why it does not see much usage in higher tiers. There are probably a few reasons, but the simple explanation is actually just that it’s just barely outclassed. Like many others, Omastar is a good Pokémon who has the same role as a Pokémon with slightly different stats or movepool. In this case, that Pokémon is Cloyster. All that being said, with good coverage and great stats, Omastar can be a very rewarding Pokémon to use in both lower and higher tiers.

(All Praise) The Helix Fossil
Omastar
Hold Item: Life Orb
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Special Attack, 4 HP
Shell Smash
Hydro Pump
Ice Beam
Hidden Power Grass

Omastar is a great Shell Smash Pokémon. It has a high Defense and a usable Speed stat, giving it good chances to set up. And once it has, watch out. If you are not carrying a dedicated special wall, Omastar will wreck house. Hydro Pump, save for the accuracy, is a reliable STAB move with great power and good synergy with Ice Beam. Hidden Power Grass is for Water types that resist the aforementioned moves. Blissey and Chansey will be problems for this set, as will less common walls like Jellicent, so a Pokémon like Conkeldurr is great to pair with Omastar to muscle through them.

Kabutops

Base Stats
HP: 60
Attack: 115
Defense: 105
Special Attack: 65
Special Defense: 70
Speed: 80



Abilities
Swift Swim: Boosts the Pokémon's Speed in rain.
Battle Armor: The Pokémon is protected against critical hits.
Weak Armor (Hidden Ability): When hit with physical attacks its Defense is lowered, but its Speed is increased.

To the loyal patrons of TwitchPlaysPokémon, using Kabutops is nothing short of sacrilege. However, once you go the dark side, you'll learn that Kabutops, with a little rain support, is nothing short of terrifying. Using its good Attack stats, decent movepool, and great Ability, Kabutops is capable of ripping holes right through entire teams. While it may be difficult to find time to set up due to Kabutops' half-decent defenses, Kabutops can be surprisingly effective even against well-prepared teams.

The Dome Fossil
Kabutops
Hold Item: Life Orb
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 HP
Swords Dance
Waterfall
Stone Edge
Aqua Jet/Low Kick

When I said this set can tear through entire teams, I wasn't kidding. With rain on the battlefield and a Swords Dance, this Pokémon can tear holes straight through any Pokémon it feels like - even would-be counters.

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Kabutops Low Kick (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 338-400 (96 - 113.6%) -- 75% chance to OHKO.

Pokémon who have Sturdy, like Skarmory, can survive a hit and phase with Whirlwind, but that only works once and relies on Stealth Rock not being up. That’s right, I said it. Kabutops has a 31% chance to OHKO Skarmory in rainy weather, and it’s a guaranteed 2KO even without it. Kabutops likes two kinds of support: Rain support (obviously) and Stealth Rock support. Politoad is the obvious candidate for rain, but Tornadus with Prankster Rain Dance gets an honorable mention - especially in combination with 100% accuracy Hurricane to take out the Grass and Fighting types which would give Kabutops so much trouble.

Aerodactyl

Base Stats/Mega Stats
HP: 80/80
Attack: 105/135
Defense: 65/85
Sp. Attack: 60/70
Sp. Def: 75/95
Speed: 130/150



Abilities
Rock Head: Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.
Pressure: The Pokémon raises the foe's PP usage.
Unnerve (Hidden Ability): The opponent Pokémon will never use their held Berry while the Pokémon is in battle


Mega Ability
Tough Claws: Powers up moves that make direct contact.

Aerodactyl is my personal favorite fossil Pokémon. Blazing fast speed and a usable Attack make Aerodactyl an incredibly threatening Pokémon. The Fossil Pokémon can generally run two kinds of sets - a dedicated lead Stealth Rock setter and an attacking set utilizing its newfound mega evolution, both of which can be very effective. All is not peachy for the prehistoric reptile, though, as it has some of the least impressive defenses out there, especially for a Rock type. This is partially mitigated by its mega evolution, but not enough to be noteworthy. Either way, Aerodactyl may face a lot of competition in this new generation for a mega and team slot, but the dinosaur can still pull its weight.

Old Amber
Aerodactyl
Hold Item: Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 HP
Stealth Rock
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Taunt

With a ridiculously high 130 base speed and access to both Stealth Rock and Taunt, Aerodactyl is one of the best dedicated leads in the whole game, being capable of setting up Stealth Rock under almost any circumstance, fearing only Magic Bounce users like Espeon and Xatu. The strategy is simple: start with the Fossil Pokémon and use Stealth Rock. Once set up, use Stone Edge or Earthquake until you perish. It's pretty easy. Some would recommend changing the set slightly so that it’s Hasty Nature, 252 Speed, 156 Special Attack and 100 Attack with Fire Blast instead of Taunt. This also works as it baits and defeats the common Ferrothorn, Scizor, Skarmory, and the less-common Forretress, but this type of play style is more suited to last generation where dedicated leads were more obvious.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. However, if you want Aerodactyl to play a more important attacking role, perhaps this set will be more to your liking:



Old Amberite
Aerodactyl
Hold Item: Aerodactylite
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 HP
Stone Edge
Crunch
Earthquake
Aerial Ace/Hone Claws

Remember when I called Aerodactyl's 130 base Speed ridiculously high? Well, for its mega evolution, they gave the fossil Pokémon a 150 base Speed, which you might be thinking is a tad excessive. However, in combination with the improved Attack stat, Aerodactyl can function as a Choice Scarf user without a Choice Scarf. Yeah, it's that fast. Additionally, if your opponent thinks you are running the Stealth Rock set and switches to Espeon, they will be in for quite the surprise when they’re hit by a Tough Claws-boosted Crunch (which, for the record, is a guaranteed OHKO). The biggest problem with Mega Aerodactyl is that neither Stone Edge nor Earthquake receive a boost from Tough Claws and the Ability is kind of wasted on it. It does make Aerial Ace usable, as with STAB and Tough Claws it is more threatening, but you still might want to substitute for Hone Claws. Once boosted, there are not many Pokémon who would want to switch into Aerodactyl because of the increased Attack and the increased accuracy on Stone Edge. Just keep in mind that anything with Bullet Punch can, and probably will, make short work of Aerodactyl.

Armaldo

Base Stats

HP: 75
Attack: 125
Defense: 100
Special Attack: 70
Special Defense: 80
Speed: 45




Abilities
Battle Armor: The Pokémon is protected against critical hits.
Swift Swim (Hidden Ability): Boosts the Pokémon's Speed in rain.

I don't know about anyone else out there, but I picked the Claw Fossil in a heart beat. Armaldo is a pretty awesome-looking Pokémon. Admittedly, it’s got mediocre capabilities and does not see use in higher tiers. This is primarily due to the fact that, while it has a great Attack stat and a decent Defense stat, it does not have the Speed or typing to really take advantage of it. However, it does have some options which allow it to see use in lower tiers.

The Claw Fossil
Armaldo
Hold Item: Choice Band
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 HP, 4 Defense
X Scissor
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Aqua Tail/Rapid Spin

Because of Armaldo's beefy Attack stat and good STAB combination, a bulky Choice Band set is about the best Armaldo can do. The only thing really worth explaining is the choice between Aqua Tail and Rapid Spin. Rapid Spin is a rare and valuable commodity - something that Armaldo... can't effectively take advantage of. It's weak to Stealth Rock and is not immune to Spikes or Toxic Spikes. In most cases, Aqua Tail is the better choice (Band), but Rapid Spin might be needed as a backup to clear hazards. It's up to you.

Cradily

Base Stats
HP: 86
Attack: 81
Defense: 97
Special Attack: 81
Special Defense: 107
Speed: 43



Abilities
Suction Cups: Negates moves that force switching out.
Storm Drain (Hidden Ability): The Pokémon draws in all Water-type moves.

Yes, I'll admit it. I overlooked Cradily for a very long time. It looks weird, and like the million-year-old sea plant it is, it doesn't look like it does much. That was my mistake. It actually has a few things going for i: an interesting defensive type combination, good mixed bulk, an immunity to Wate-type moves thanks to Storm Drain, reliable recovery and a great supporting movepool. Yeah, Cradily is actually pretty awesome. Like all Pokémon, though, it has its downfalls. The sandstorms which would give it an awesome boost to its Special Defense are all locked away in tiers Cradily can't go and it's slower than a glacier (not literally though – Avalugg's base speed is 16 points lower). However, Cradily can be a tough nut to crack if played well.

The Root Fossil
Cradily
Hold Item: Leftovers
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Defense, 252 HP, 4 Special Defense
Stealth Rock
Recover
Energy Ball
Toxic

With maximum investment in Defense and HP, Cradily is very bulky. While its Special Defense stat is higher than its Defense, its typing makes physical bulk more valuable to this Pokémon, capable of shirking off attacks from powerful physical Water types such as Gyarados and Feraligatr. Once in, you want to set up Stealth Rock and use a combination of Toxic and Recover to damage as many Pokémon as possible. Energy Ball makes for a good STAB move that hits many Pokémon for x4 damage. You want to watch out for powerful Ice-type special attacks, as they could plow through the Root's uninvested Special Defense and score a OHKO or 2HKO.

That’s all for today folks. Tomorrow we’ll cover the rest of the fossil Pokemon, starting with the Sinnoh fossils.

- Alltheginjoints

Blaze

In-Game Text: Powers up Fire-type moves in a pinch.

In-Depth Description: Fire-type moves have their power increased by 50% when the Pokémon’s HP falls below ⅓ of its maximum.

Like Overgrow and Torrent, Blaze is the signature ability for the Fire-type starter Pokémon. Though useful under certain circumstances, most of the Fire-type starters have much better Hidden Abilities, such as Speed Boost on Blaziken, Reckless on Emboar, and Iron Fist on Infernape.

Charizard used to make good use of this ability with a Belly Drum set and a Salac Berry to increase its Speed, but even Solar Power is a far superior ability to Blaze, granting Charizard exceptionally powerful attacks at the sacrifice of some HP.

Now that Charizard has been given two mega evolutions, Blaze is even less useful than it was before, as both of Charizards mega forms are far superior to its normal form.

Though the added power is useful if you are making a last-ditch effort at dealing some damage before going down, you are almost always better off using a different ability, if you can.

There is one Pokémon, though, that can take advantage of this ability: Infernape.  Infernape has some dedicated lead sets that equip it with Focus Sash and the moves Stealth Rock, Fake Out, Overheat, and Close Combat.  Once Infernape is knocked down to 1 HP because of the Focus Sash, Blaze activates and hits like a truck.

Pokémon With This Ability Available
Charmander
Charmeleon
Charizard
Cyndaquil
Quilava
Typhlosion
Torchic
Combusken
Blaziken
Chimchar
Monferno
Infernape
Tepig
Pignite
Emboar
Fennekin
Braixen
Delphox
Pansear (Hidden Ability)
Simisear (Hidden Ability)

Overgrow

In-Game Text: Powers up Grass-type moves in a pinch.

In-Depth Description: Grass-type moves have their power increased by 50% when the Pokémon’s HP falls below ⅓ of its maximum.

This is the standard ability for all of the Grass-type starter Pokémon and their evolutions. Unfortunately, it’s not that useful on most of them, as they tend to be on the more defensive side of things, or they simply have better Hidden Abilities. One example of this is Venusaur, which gains Chlorophyll, and even Thick Fat upon Mega Evolution, making Overgrow an afterthought. Meganium is far too bulky and slow to do any decent damage in the first place. Torterra might be able to make some use out of it with a Rock Polish/Seed Bomb set, if you’re lucky. Serperior has Contrary, which is far superior (haha, get it?), and Chesnaught has Bulletproof, which makes it almost a perfect Gengar counter. That leaves Sceptile as the only decent user of Overgrow.

One common way I’ve seen this set utilized is through Substitute and a “pinch” berry, which activates when your Pokémon’s HP drops below a set amount. Petaya Berry Sceptile makes use of this to hit the foe with nuclear-powered Leaf Storms, but it can only do so much damage before switching out or being taken down itself. This is the only acceptable use of Overgrow that I can think of, and even in this case, Unburden is a better Ability choice, for the Speed boost it provides for Sceptile is far more beneficial in the long run.

Now that Mega Sceptile has been revealed, Overgrow is looking far less useful, as Lightning Rod gives Sceptile an immunity to Thunder Wave, making its sweeps much more difficult to stop.

Pokémon With This Ability Available:
Bulbasaur
Ivysaur
Venusaur
Chikorita
Bayleef
Meganium
Treecko
Grovyle
Sceptile
Turtwig
Grotle
Torterra
Snivy
Servine
Serperior
Chespin
Quilladin
Chesnaught
Pansage (Hidden Ability)
Simisage (Hidden Ability)

Mega Sableye Details Confirmed

Mega Sableye has been confirmed to retain its Dark/Ghost typing and gain the ability Magic Bounce. It also gains a boost to its Defense and Special Attack stats, though its Speed is decreased. We don't have any exact numbers yet, but we'll be sure to let you know when we do!

Also, it might be interesting to note its design - Mega Sableye carries a giant red gem, a ruby, perhaps. It makes me wonder whether there will be an Omega Ruby mega evolution and an Alpha Sapphire mega evolution.

What are your thoughts on the creepy little gem-encrusted imp?

- J.

On the Road to the Elite Four - An X/Y Walkthrough

The Elite Four and the Pokémon League Champion are the final threshold that all Pokémon Trainers strive to gain during the endgame of their journey. They are far stronger than the average trainer, and have been a recurring staple of the series ever since the beginning. While the members vary by region, one thing is for certain - they are the toughest of the tough, and it will take a lot more than just luck to beat them.

Welcome to the Endgame itself, the gauntlet that either crushes your dreams or makes them a reality.

In the olden days of yore, you had to fight them in a predetermined order, one after another. There are no PCs, Pokémon Centers, or PokéMarts in between each trainer. You are allowed to save and use items on your Pokémon in between each fight, and that’s it. Once you step through the door, it shuts behind you, and it won’t open until you vanquish your foes. However, in recent games, you are allowed to choose the order that you wish to fight them in, and their levels don’t jump around too much, making the fights easier to prepare for. Traditionally, each member usually specializes in one specific type, and the Champion typically has a mix.

Northeast Corridor: Malva - Fire
Southeast Corridor: Siebold - Water
Northwest Corridor: Wikstrom - Steel
Southwest Corridor: Drasna - Dragon

They’ve all got really weird names (seriously, who’d name their kid “Wikstrom”?), but they’re all really tough and masters of their respective types. Fortunately for us, their quasi-religious devotion to their one specific type easily becomes their undoing, allowing the player to exploit that weakness completely. All you really need is one strong counter to each type, and you’re pretty much set. Of course, you could just train your team to a high enough level and fight them head-on, but why make it hard on yourself? Here’s the team that I used, and their levels:

Azathoth’s Team
Lv. 63 Yveltal
Lv. 58 Dragonite
Lv. 63 Greninja
Lv. 63 Gengar@Gengarite
Lv. 63 Charizard@Charizardite-Y
Lv. 63 Gogoat@Miracle Seed

As you can see, my team has a variety of different types that can exploit numerous Pokémon’s vulnerabilities. Here they are, a few levels later:

J, who played through Pokémon X, also had some thoughts on how to deal with the Elite Four in Pokémon X/Y, and his thoughts will be in bold throughout this article.

J’s Team
Lv. 64 Greninja
Surf
Ice Beam
Dark Pulse
Grass Knot
Lv. 65 Charizard@Charizardite-X
Swords Dance
Flare Blitz
Dragon Claw
Earthquake
Lv. 64 Gardevoir
Psychic
Moonblast
Thunderbolt
Focus Blast
Lv. 66 Pangoro
Power-up Punch
Hammer Arm
Crunch
Poison Jab

These levels are a rough estimate, as it has been a long time since I have fought the Elite Four and having it not be a blowout win. As you can see by the attacks on this set, I opted for Pokémon with good type coverage that can hit a lot of different types super-effectively. Compared to Azathoth, I sacrificed two slots on my team for HM users, as I find moves like Fly to be ineffective in the long run. By concentrating on only four of the six possible slots, I was able to focus more on them and make sure they were in optimal shape for the final showdown.

I’ll be using my team as examples, but you’re absolutely free to do this however you want. Similar typing would be good, though, since I pretty much breezed through the Elite Four with this team, even though they were pretty much all a lower level than those I faced. I’m actually pretty sure they were all lower than I just listed, too, and they just gained some levels by crushing the Elite Four under their type-advantaged heel.

Preparation
I’d recommend buying a lot of Max Potions and Revives beforehand. Like I said, there’s no way to heal or buy items once you begin the onslaught, so the items will have to pick up the slack and last until the end. You don’t have to drain your wallet, but make sure you buy plenty. It’s always better to have a surplus.

Let the Games Begin
You’re free to go about his any way you want, I’m just letting you know what worked for me. I started with the Fire-type trainer, Malva.

Malva
Lv. 63 Pyroar
Lv. 63 Torkoal
Lv. 63 Talonflame
Lv. 65 Chandelure

The Fire Queen’s Pokémon are all weak to both Rock and Water-type attacks, so I sent out Greninja first. I pretty much just spammed Surf the entire battle and OHKOed each of them.

Yeah, pretty much what Azathoth said. I also had a Greninja at this point, and it was invaluable during the fight. If you didn’t start with Greninja, basically any Water-type Pokémon will work for this fight. Some of my personal favorites are Gyarados, Clawitzer, and Starmie, who all have similar utility and great type coverage for this fight.

Heal up, if need be, and then continue. I typically save before each battle so that I could give it another shot if I lose (I’m a bit of a glutton for punishment, and I like to give it a few tries before I give up), but that’s up to you.

I vote for not saving quite yet - if you are underleveled, you might want the option to be able to start over before you left for the Elite Four.

Siebold
Lv. 63 Clawitzer
Lv. 63 Gyarados
Lv. 63 Starmie
Lv. 65 Barbaracle

The Master of the Oceans has quite a fierce setup going, mainly because he uses a Gyarados. My Gogoat managed to take them all out with Leaf Blade and Horn Leech without much trouble, except for Gyarados. It is the only one that isn’t weak to Grass-type attacks. Electric would have been a much safer bet, since all four are weak to it. This is easily fixed though, since Gogoat can learn Wild Charge via TM93. Stupid me, though. I didn’t do that, and made the entire ordeal much harder on myself, and had to keep switching around and hitting until Gyarados finally fainted. Use a Pokémon with a Grass or Electric-type attack, and you’ll be all set.

I personally fought Siebold last, and I didn’t have a Pokémon with a STAB Grass or Electric-type attack, which normally would have made this battle significantly harder for me than the other fights. My Greninja knew Grass Knot, but its power is based off of the weight of the opposing Pokémon, and none of Siebold’s team is really heavy except for maybe Barbaracle.

Instead, I relied on my Gardevoir, which knew Thunderbolt. Since Gardevoir’s Special Attack stat is much higher than that of the average Pokémon, it was able to rip through most of Siebold’s team. This also eliminated the danger of Gyarados quickly. Other Pokémon, like Chesnaught, Roserade, and Venusaur will also do well against most of these Pokémon, though they should watch out for Gyarados. It knows Dragon Dance, so it can set up on you and sweep through your team if you aren’t careful. Heliolisk in particular is a great Pokémon for this fight, as its ability Dry Skin renders it immune to Water-type attacks.

Wikstrom
Lv. 63 Klefki
Lv. 63 Scizor
Lv. 63 Probopass
Lv. 65 Aegislash

The Chivalrous Knight (aka “Dork” or “NEEEERRRRDDD”) wields Steel-type Pokémon, which are very sturdy Pokémon. Klefki, Scizor, and Aegislash are all weak to Fire, though, so send out Charizard (or your Fire-type of choice) and Flamethrower them into oblivion. Probopass is a different story, though. It isn’t weak to Fire. It is, however, weak to Fighting, Ground, and Water-type attacks. Can you guess what comes next? Yep, Surf that Compass Pokémon into an early, watery grave.

This guy had me laughing out loud during the fight, yay verily. I’m assuming he’s based off of some Germanic medieval knight, seeing how this particular game is centered around medieval and European archetypes. But anyway, this guy has a bunch of great Pokémon, some of them even being used competitively. Klefki will drive you nuts with its priority status moves, thanks to Prankster. Scizor has high Attack, as does Aegislash, who is extremely dangerous if allowed to get the jump on you. Any Fire-type Pokémon, such as Charizard, Pyroar, and Delphox will roast these Pokémon.

Honestly, I just destroyed Wikstrom’s team with my Charizard. The first turn, I mega evolved and used Swords Dance. Afterward, I pretty much just blew away his entire team with a combination of Flare Blitz and Earthquake. Yawn.

Drasna
Lv. 63 Dragalgae
Lv. 63 Altaria
Lv. 63 Druddigon
Lv. 65 Noivern

Drasna, also known as “Not Lance” uses some of the worst Dragon-type Pokémon available. She doesn’t even use the good Dragons, like Salamence and Garchomp. This is the fight that gave me the most trouble, since my Dragonite was the lowest level out of all of my Pokémon and it is also weak to Dragon-type attacks.  It still managed to either knock off huge chunks of health or take opponents out of the fight entirely.

Fortunately, Dragons have a few other weaknesses that can be exploited. There’s the new Fairy type, though Dragalge isn’t weak to it, and Ice-type attacks. Greninja, or almost any other Water type, can most likely learn some kind of Ice-type move, if you want to avoid the hassle of being hit super-effectively. My stupid strategy also used most of my Full Restores and Revives, so you’re probably better off using Ice-type moves.

Honestly, Drasna’s Dragons aren’t even that scary. Dragalgae looks far cooler than it actually is. Its stats aren’t that dangerous, but it is fairly resilient. Druddigon is super slow and isn’t that bulky. Noivern is very fast, and can be dangerous if left alone, while Altaria is laughably pitiful. I basically did the same thing that I did versus Wikstrom - Swords Dance with Charizard, mega evolve, sweep with Earthquake and Dragon Claw. Very easy.

Of course, not everyone is using Mega Charizard-X. As Azathoth mentioned, Ice-type attacks work pretty well against these guys, too, and Fairy types are immune to Dragon-type attacks. Gardevoir is a great choice for taking on Drasna’s team, as it hits Dragalgae with a STAB Psychic and the others with a STAB Moonblast, effectively winning the battle on its own. You can also try to use Azumarill or Florges for the battle, as well, though you should watch out for Dragalgae’s STAB Poison-type attacks.

The Very Best
And here we go. The final threshold. The final battle between you and the Hall of Fame, between you and ultimate victory.

I saved here (I think I may have twice, just to be sure)

Diantha
Lv. 64 Hawlucha
Lv. 65 Tyrantrum
Lv. 65 Aurorus
Lv. 65 Gourgeist
Lv. 66 Goodra
Lv. 68 Gardevoir

Don’t even mega evolve your Pokémon until Gardevoir comes out – trust me. I’ll get to that soon. Here we go. Hawlucha is weak to Flying, Electric, Psychic, Ice, and Fairy-type attacks. So, feel free to use any of these types. I used Charizard and obliterated it with Fly.

Basically, anything faster than Hawlucha with a super-effective attack probably has a good chance of coming out on top. Just watch out for Flying Press, which hits for both Fighting-type and Flying-type coverage. An Electric type is a good choice for this fight, as it resists Flying Press and hits back hard with Thunderbolt, though Heliolisk isn’t the sturdiest of Pokémon (and also takes neutral from it, due to its weird Normal/Electric typing).

Tyrantrum goes down pretty easily with Fighting, Ground, Steel, Ice, Dragon, and Fairy-type attacks. You can pretty much take it down the same way you took down “Not-Lance.” I think I used Dragonite and hit it with either Dragon Tail or Dragon Rush, but it’s your call.

You probably have something that can hit Tyrantrum for super-effective damage. Despite the connotation of being solid as a rock, the Rock type is an extremely poor defensive typing. I just obliterated it with Charizard’s Dragon Claw, but you have tons of options. You can use the Mega Lucario you got way back when, or your own Fighting type (I had Pangoro, but it didn’t really see much action). 

Aurorus has a x4 weakness to Fighting and Steel-type attacks, and a weakness to Ground, Rock, Water, and Grass-type attacks (all common types), so any of those would be a good choice. Like I did against Siebold, I sent out Gogoat and obliterated it with Leaf Blade/Horn Leech.

Again, Rock/Ice is a horrendous defensive typing, and half of all types hit it super-effectively. Just hit it with a Fighting or Steel-type attack and watch it go down.

Gourgeist faints against Flying, Ghost, Fire, Ice, and Dark-type attacks. It’s funny, because that’s half of my team right there, so there’s plenty of options. There’s Charizard, who could hit it with Flamethrower or Fly. Greninja, who could use Ice Beam, Blizzard, Dark Pulse…you name it. For fun, there’s always Gengar, who could destroy it with with Shadow Ball. Still, don’t mega evolve yet.

Gourgeist is yet another strange new X/Y addition, and it has a high Defense and HP stat, but not much else. You’ll easily outspeed it with whatever Flying or Fire-type attacks you are using, and take it out before it causes too much trouble. You can also opt to use Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse from any number of Pokémon to take advantage of its lower Special Defense stat.

Goodra comes in and then goes right back out with the same strategy you used against “Not-Lance” and Tyrantrum. It’s weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy-type attacks, so any of those would work. It does have a very high Special Defense stat, though, so don’t expect it to go down with one hit, unless you exploit its lower Defense stat.

Goodra is probably one of the more deadly Pokémon on this team, and for good reason. It's Special Defense is through the roof, and it has a wide variety of attacks at its disposal. Your best bet is to use a physical attack that hits it super-effectively, like Dragon Claw or Ice Shard.

Now comes the hardest part – Gardevoir. “What’s the big deal?” you ask. “Just send out Gengar and kill it. Stop complaining, you’re a terrible trainer.” Well, hurtful reader, it would be that easy if Diantha didn’t mega evolve it. Yeah, bet you take back all those insults now, huh? No? Alright...

Initially, I mega evolved my Gengar at the same time she mega evolved her Gardevoir. Of course, Mega Gengar was faster, so I hit it with Shadow Ball right from the get go. I watch as the health bar drops like a Lv. 2 Pidgey hit with a nuclear-powered Hyper Beam.

And then it stops.

In the red.

It’s still alive.

Then it hits Mega Gengar with Psychic and there goes my heavy hitter. I tried attacking it and reviving Gengar, but Diantha used Full Restore, so I pretty much had no hope after that, since a level 63 regular Gengar is slower than a level 68 Mega Gardevoir.

Actually, in terms of base stats, normal Gengar is still much faster than Mega Gardevoir, but Azathoth’s team likely isn’t effort value optimized (I know my in-game team never is).

Fast forward a bit – all of my Pokémon faint, I drop my money in a panic, pass out, and wake up in the hospital. I turn the game off and back on (this is why I save) and I’m right in front of her again.

But I’m ready this time.

I fight my way through (no use explaining all that again, since I just did), and she sends out her Gardevoir. I send out Gengar. Again, I mega evolve it, but instead of going straight for Shadow Ball, I use Hypnosis. Hypnosis only has 60% Accuracy, so I had to cross my fingers, but it worked. Mega Gardevoir falls asleep – passes right the hell out. Instead of using Shadow Ball now – and risk another turn for Diantha to use a Full Restore – I hit her with Hex. Hex’s base power is 65, but it doubles to 130 if the target is affected by a major status condition, such as poison, paralysis, burn, and sleep.

The entire reason my Pangoro knows Poison Jab is to take out Fairies. Too bad he’s super slow and won’t be doing any Fairy-slaying anytime soon (especially against Mega Gardevoir).

I don’t remember having this much trouble with Diantha. Due to the overall incredible coverage that my team had in terms of super-effectiveness, I was able to hit her entire team for super-effective damage. I basically swept through her team, again, with Mega Charizard-X. Boosting moves are very powerful tools that you can take advantage of. Another favorite is Dragon Dance, which can be used by Gyarados for a mean sweeper with great coverage.

With a +2 Attack, Mega Charizard was able to rip the Champion’s team a new one. Tyrantrum went down to Dragon Claw, Aurorus to Earthquake, Gourgeist to Flare Blitz, Goodra to Dragon Claw, and Mega Gardevoir to, yet again, Flare Blitz. Fun times, folks.

I hope this helped somewhat. Obviously, your team and your experience will be different, but knowing just a bit about what you’re walking into could help you prepare.  I didn’t do anything with EVs or IVs. I kind of just bull-rushed my way through.

You don't have to have competitive knowledge to take the Elite Four by storm. All you need to do is play intelligently. The computer is extremely predictable, and you can take advantage of this by switching strategically to a Pokémon that resists the attacking type. If you are having difficulty, please, reach out to us, and we'll be able to help you get through it with minimal frustration.

Good luck, and may Arceus be with you.

Azathoth/J

Chlorophyll

In-Game Text: Boosts the Pokémon’s Speed in sunshine.

In-Depth Description: The Pokémon’s Speed stat is doubled when either Sunny Day or the ability Drought are active on the battlefield.

This is a phenomenal ability to use on a Sunny Day-themed team, alongside Drought Ninetails, Mega Charizard-Y, or Groudon. However, unlike Swift Swim users, which get the speed boost in addition to STAB on their powerful Water-type attacks, all users of Chlorophyll are Grass-type users, which makes them even more vulnerable to Fire-type attackers. Regardless, the Speed boost provided by Chlorophyll is very welcome to the majority of its users, and allows them a second lease on life in most cases.

One obvious trick is to use a no-charge Solarbeam in conjunction with Chlorophyll, and this is a great strategy for Grass-type Pokémon with high Special Attack stats, such as Exeggutor and Vileplume. Venusaur in particular rose to glory with help from a buffed Growth (now providing a +2 boost to both Attack and Special Attack in the sun), and was one of the most devastating users of Chlorophyll in the Generation V Overused tier. Shiftry is also a particularly nasty Sun sweeper in Ubers when used alongside Groudon, with access to STAB Dark-type attacks that hit the many Psychic-type Pokémon in the tier super-effectively. Furthermore, it can boost either its Attack or Special Attack with Swords Dance or Nasty Plot, respectively, making it difficult to switch into if you aren’t using Kyogre or Politoed to get rid of the sunlight, as Shiftry outspeeds both of them naturally even without help from the sun.

As of Generation VI, the sunlight brought with Drought is no longer permanent and lasts five turns (eight if using Heat Rock as a hold item), and the popularity of weather tactics has diminished slightly. However, it is still a very viable tactic with the proper support.

Pokémon With This Ability Available
Oddish
Gloom
Vileplume
Bellsprout
Weepinbell
Victreebel
Exeggcute
Exeggutor
Tangela
Bellossum
Hoppip
Skiploom
Jumpluff
Sunkern
Sunflora
Seedot
Nuzleaf
Shiftry
Tropius
Cherubi
Tangrowth
Sewaddle
Swadloon
Leavanny
Petilil
Lilligant
Maractus
Deerling
Sawsbuck
Bulbasaur (Hidden Ability)
Ivysaur (Hidden Ability)
Venusaur (Hidden Ability)
Leafeon (Hidden Ability)
Cottonee (Hidden Ability)
Whimsicott (Hidden Ability)

Zygarde, Order Incarnate: The Snake of Disappointment

Type: Dragon/Ground

Base Stats
HP: 108
Attack: 100
Defense: 121
Special Attack: 81
Special Defense: 95
Speed: 95


Abilities
Aura Break: The effects or Aura Abilities are reversed.

Ever since Pokémon Gold and Silver, there have been two legendaries at the opposite ends of a particular spectrum. However, when Ruby and Sapphire were released, a third legendary Pokémon was revealed. This legendary was Rayquaza, and it was its duty to balance out the forces of Groudon and Kyogre. This started a tradition of two opposing forces, vying for control over a particular part of nature, and this third Pokémon would balance them out. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, this legendary was Giratina, who controlled the area between Time and Space, the Distortion World (i.e. the Underworld). In Black and White, there was Kyurem, who was said to fuse together with Reshiram and Zekrom to create a legendary Dragon Pokémon of old. Now, in X and Y, there is Xerneas, the Pokémon of Life, and Yveltal, the Pokémon of Destruction. What did Nintendo create to balance these two out?

A weird… snake… thing.

Zygarde is, in my opinion, the most disappointing third legendary of them all. All of the previously mentioned Pokemon see Ubers play in some way or another, and many of them have unique niches in it, to boot, allowing them to shape the metagame around them. Zygarde does not, and falls short in every aspect of this norm. Its typing is abysmal, and it has no hope of countering either Xerneas or Yveltal; Yveltal is immune to its Ground-type STAB while Xerneas is immune to its Dragon-type STAB. On top of this, Zygarde has a base stat total that is 100 points less than both of the box art legendary Pokémon.

And, just to add insult to injury, Zygarde’s signature move, Land’s Wrath, is a complete joke. You’d think that something with such an epic-sounding name would be awesome, but no; it is strictly worse than Earthquake in all ways, being 10 base power points less than the staple Ground-type attack. There are no cool side-effects at all, either, making the only reason to use Land’s Wrath be its name. All of this has led Zygarde to be the first legendary in the counter/balance position to be put into the Underused tier (though it is certainly viable in Overused - just don’t expect it to fulfill the same role as its brethren Dragon/Ground type, Garchomp).

Which brings us to its… unique properties. Despite being almost totally outclassed for a sweeper role by Garchomp, with its monstrous Attack and unique Speed tier, Zygarde is able to operate in Overused, albeit a different manner than Garchomp. Zygarde has been blessed with a boosting move that Garchomp can only wish to get - Dragon Dance. Additionally, Zygarde also has unique support options available to it such as Safeguard, and can phaze stronger setup sweepers who would come in on its mediocre attacks with Dragon Tail, or slap them with Haze. It also has access to a unique boosting move- Coil, which remedies Stone Edge’s unreliable accuracy, and Glare, a Normal-type equivalent of Thunder Wave (that can hit Ground types). Add Extremespeed to the mix, and Zygarde might actually be kind of threatening if used properly.

Before I get to the sets, it is important to note a couple things. Pokémon X and Y have not even been out for a full year, and a third installment isn’t out of the question yet. In Generation III, we had Emerald, which centered around Rayquaza. In Generation IV, we had Platinum, following the story of Giratina. So, it’s still a very real possibility that we’ll see what Zygarde has to offer in the near future with a third game centered around it. This gives Zygarde the opportunity to really make a turnaround, especially since its base stat total is conveniently 100 less than its contemporaries. You want to know what adds 100 points to a Pokémon’s base stat total?

Mega evolution.

A mega evolution could be just what Zygarde needs to get back in the Ubers metagame, as without it, it falls too short to be of any real use. Whether Zygarde receives a mega evolution is total speculation, but seeing the convenient stat discrepancies and the fact that X and Y are the first games to create mega evolution, it seems rather plausible.

Double-Boosting Dragon of Doom!
Zygarde
Hold Item: Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense, 4 Attack
Coil
Dragon Dance
Stone Edge
Earthquake

This set aims to boost its Attack, Defense, Accuracy, and Speed in an attempt to sweep through the enemy’s unsuspecting team. Zygard is fairly bulky and can take a couple of hits while boosting, and the EV spread is made to optimize its ability to take specially-based hits, as Coil boosts Zygarde’s already beefy Defense stat substantially. Leftovers rounds out the bulk, giving Zygarde some much-needed recovery while it gets multiple boosts; something that Zygarde desperately needs in order to sweep.

Coil, in my opinion, is one of the coolest boosting moves that the Pokémon games have given us yet, and I’m surprised to see that this move isn’t used more often (though its distribution is laughable). This move is incredibly underrated despite its excellent capabilities. Not only does it make Zygarde hit harder and resist hits better, but the Accuracy boost is invaluable, especially because Stone Edge’s shaky Accuracy can cost you a lot of games. This little tidbit will actually infuriate opponents as you sweep through their team with a powerhouse move that normally misses every other go. Dragon Dance is to boost its okay, but rather slow Speed, and because there is no Speed investment for this set, Zygarde really needs the boost to get the jump on other dangerous Pokémon in the same speed tier as him (a good example is Arcanine).

The remainder of its movepool forms the fabled Edge-Quake combo, known for its almost perfect coverage. If Earthquake doesn’t hit it super-effectively, there’s a pretty good chance that Stone Edge does. Despite STAB on Earthquake, Stone Edge is the preferred spammable move on this set - despite its low powerpoints and lack of STAB, the perfect accuracy (thanks to Coil) will let you benefit from its great overall super-effective coverage and critical hit rate.

Zygarde is a big fish in a little pond if there ever was one. He is a legendary when it comes down to it, and his base stats are much higher than others in the tier. A great Pokémon to pair Zygarde with is Galvantula. The spider helps Zygarde’s Speed problem by laying down Sticky Web, which goes a long way toward allowing Zygarde to sweep. Main problems for Zygarde are any Ice-type attacks, ever, because its x4 weakness will leave it out in the cold when you need it to come through for you most. Common Ice types in the tier that give Zygarde a run for its money are Cloyster, Weavile, and Kyurem’s base forme. All of these can one shot Zygarde without boosts and can take a few hits from the Order Pokémon, barring Weavile, who has the Attack and Speed to ruin Zygarde regardless.

The following sets are based on Zygarde's unique traits, and are for the sake of using it in Overused. However, these sets themselves are probably perfectly viable in lower tiers as well, though they might be a waste of Zygarde's potential in Underused.

Medusa’s Gaze
Zygarde
Hold Item: Leftovers
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense, 4 Defense
Glare
Dragon Tail
Rest/Earthquake
Sleep Talk/Stone Edge

Outside of Leftovers, Zygarde has little to no natural recovery moves, so Rest is really the only viable option for it. Thankfully, its Defense is naturally high enough to not need too much investment to make it bulky. The goal of this set is to spread Paralysis to as many opponents as possible, making it much easier for other Pokémon to sweep later in the game. Glare now has perfect accuracy, and can also hit Ground-type sweepers that might give others trouble later on, such as Landorus. Dragon Tail is for phazing, and helps with spreading paralysis (so long as Fairies stay away). Sleep Talk lets you use the two moves while recovering away status, such as Toxic, that might otherwise put a halt to your stalling plans.

This particular set really benefits from entry hazards being on the field, as the damage can rack up very fast when you are using Dragon Tail a lot. Forettress can take any hits aimed at Zygarde and either lay down Spikes or Stealth Rock, or spin away your own entry hazards.

As mentioned before, Fairy types that don’t care about paralysis are the best options for taking out Zygarde. Whimsicott can come in and essentially ignore paralysis due to Prankster, Taunt Zygarde, and force it to switch out. As painful as this is to say, Dedenne (who should never see competitive play, ever) is a perfect counter to this set, being immune to paralysis and Dragon Tail. Electric-type Pokémon can also come in on Glare and avoid the paralysis while hitting back with Hidden Power Ice, but they should be wary of a STAB Earthquake, should Zygarde choose to run it. An exception is Rotom-F, who can avoid Earthquake with Levitate and hit back with STAB Blizzard.

That being said, if Zygarde chooses to run attacking moves on this set, they won’t be extraordinarily powerful. A base 100 Attack stat and STAB can only get you so far in an extremely offensive metagame.

The Dancing Dragon of Niflheim
Zygarde
Hold Item: Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Dragon Dance
Outrage
Earthquake
Extremespeed

That being said, a support moveset wouln’t be putting Zygarde’s great boosting moves to use. The goal of this set is to boost with Dragon Dance and then sweep with your powerful STABs and Extremespeed. Unfortunately, in a predominantly fast metagame like Overused, even after a Dragon Dance there will be things that outspeed and OHKO you regardless. It’s important to know when Zygarde has a shot at sweeping and when it doesn’t.

Earthquake is a STAB of choice, unless the opponent isn’t running a Fairy-type Pokémon. If they are, it’s best to stay away from Outrage in order to prevent Azumarill from getting a Belly Drum in. Extremespeed is for priority against priority (Extremespeed has a +2 priority, while other basic priority attacks like Aqua Jet, Ice Shard, and Talonflame’s Brave Bird have +1), and lets you get the jump on common priority abusers like Talonflame and Azumarill, though you should never keep Zygarde in on threats like Azumarill in the first place.

See the pattern? In Overused, Zygarde is simply too little, too late. Everything it can do, Dragonite can do better. Heck, it can even run a similar moveset to the paralysis spreader set with Thunder Wave, Dragon Tail, Roost, and a filler move, AND it has better overall bulk because of Multiscale. Sorry to say that Zygarde isn’t the epic serpent it was meant to be (or at least not yet - let’s hope for a mega evolution).

All in all, I expect more out of Zygarde in the future, but have accepted where it is now. While it is a little cheap in the Underused tier, it definitely has challengers that give it some trouble. If you don’t mind using legandaries outside of Ubers, which I have noticed is a common thinking pattern among players, then Zygarde isn’t the right Pokémon for you, and using it might almost seem unfair at times. On the other hand, if you don’t mind dominating with legandaries, you may have found a new best friend.

- JaydenSilver

Xerneas, Fairy of Doom: An Ubers Analysis

Type: Fairy

Base Stats
HP: 126
Attack: 131
Defense: 95
Special Attack: 131
Special Defense: 98
Speed: 99


Abilities
Fairy Aura: Powers up each Pokémon's Fairy-type moves.

Xerneas, while boasting several potential sets, is one of those Pokémon in Ubers that really only has one set that shines. This is its greatest strength and weakness because, simply put, this particular set is incredibly powerful. If not countered correctly, this legendary will rip through entire teams with ease. Its stats are, quite literally, a carbon copy of Yveltal (or is Yveltal a carbon copy of Xerneas…?). Boasting twin 131 attacking stats and a semi-unique base 99 Speed stat, it has the potential to be a dangerous mixed sweeper if given the opportunity to set up with Geomancy. And with a great base HP stat of 126 and passable 95/98 defenses, Xerneas has quite a few opportunities to do this.

Even better is Xerneas’s typing, which allows it to switch into predicted Dragon-type attacks and get a free turn to set up. Pure Fairy-types only have two fairly-uncommon weaknesses to Steel and Poison-type attacks, and the latter of which is practically non-existent in the current metagame. The only thing Xerneas really needs to look out for are Steel-types with strong STABs, like Scizor’s Bullet Punch, or Dialga’s Iron Head/Flash Cannon.

However, without proper planning or careless switching, our rainbow steed will find itself quite useless for the entire battle. To put it bluntly, this Pokémon will either go big or go home; you either get it all, or go home broke. I won’t beat around the bush any longer, folks. Geomancy is the gem that makes Xerneas shine, but is also its permanent crutch.

And You Thought Quiver Dance was Good? Ha!
Xerneas
Hold Item: Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 Special Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Geomancy
Moonblast
Psyshock/ Focus Blast/Hidden Power Fire
Thunder/ Horn Leech/Grass Knot

Let’s get down to business (to defeat the Huns). Power Herb is the key to the whole set. It makes a bad move usable. Yeah I said it. Geomancy is a bad move, but that shouldn’t be news to anyone. Anything that forces you to wait a turn is bad for competitive play, as that turn gives your opponent a chance to bring in a counter and neutralize the threat. The Power Herb gives Xerneas a chance to let loose the power of the Earth with Geomancy in one turn, giving Xerneas a +2 boost to Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed - the equivalent of two Quiver Dances.

Obviously, if it goes off, Geomancy can make Xerneas a near-unstoppable force, but the extra setup turn is too huge a disadvantage to ignore, forcing Xerneas to forego other boosting items - such as the Life Orb - for the Power Herb, which gives Xerneas the one-turn boost it needs to compete with the big boys. Moonblast is your go-to STAB move and is your primary damage-dealer. It cripples almost everything. Even dedicated special walls can’t take more than two hits from a boosted Moonblast. Psyshock provides coverage on random Poison types you may rarely come across, as well as hitting Pokémon with a lower physical Defense than Special Defense should the need arise. Focus Blast, while somewhat unreliable due to low Accuracy, is for taking out tricky Steel types that are looking to OHKO with Gyro Ball after you Geomancy (I’m looking at you, Ferrothorn and Forretress). Thunder provides great coverage alongside its other attacks, and with the popularity of Kyogre in Ubers, rainy weather is almost omnipresent. With the new game reveals we can only assume it will grow more popular. Horn Leech is an option for some “meh” recovery on some sets who think they are tricky, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The recovery is nice, and if you run Hidden Power Fire over Psyshock the physical damage can be nice. Still though, overall Grass isn’t a good coverage move in the tier unless you want to run Grass Knot for a clean OHKO on Groudon and Kyogre (and even then, Thunder is a better option overall).

If you are looking for a hard stop to Xerneas after it has set up Geomancy, good luck. Not much can put a stop to its sweep. Those random Poison types I mentioned earlier don’t amount to much in the Ubers tier. In fact, the only one worth mentioning is the odd Poison Arceus. Yes, that’s right - Poison Arceus is a thing. Even better, Poison Arceus is actually popular. Why is this? Solely because of Xerneas’s sweeping potential. This is the reason we carry Psyshock, folks. It makes quick work of Arceus, but its STAB-boosted Poison Jab can be extremely dangerous to Xerneas.

Speaking of our multi-type God, Steel Arceus is still around this generation and still creates problems, particularly for Xerneas. The issue is that you can only be prepared for one kind of Arceus; Psyshock hits Poison Arceus while Focus Blast hits Steel Arceus. Personally, I like Psyshock for its much higher Accuracy and its ability to hit dedicated special walls hard.

The last, and greatest, counter I will talk about is my personal favorite winged wall of awesomeness, Lugia. Lugia presents a big problem for our Xerneas. With Multiscale up, Lugia can take a boosted hit fine and strike back with Whirlwind. Even without Multiscale, it can survive one Moonblast after Stealth Rock damage and Whirlwind the rainbow stag away, a feat that nothing else can boast about. Although it is seriously injured in each circumstance, Lugia is gifted with a high base 110 Speed, which is very speedy compared to others Ubers, most of which sit at base 90 Speed. This allows it to outspeed the incoming Pokémon and Roost off the damage more often than not. This is extremely difficult to deal with, and the best course of action is to not try and sweep with Xerneas until after a Lugia is dealt with, lest you get stuck with an itemless, boost-less Xerneas.

Great teammates for Xerneas include Mega Gengar and Zekrom. Mega Gengar is able to trap opposing Pokémon with Shadow Tag and defeat counters to Xerneas, namely Lugia. Zekrom, on the other hand, is another powerhouse that takes things into its own hands with an ability that negates Multiscale and a powerful STAB Bolt Strike. A lot of Zekrom’s counters are easy setup material for Xerneas, while Zekrom can plow through Pokemon that give Xerneas a hard time, making the two very compatible for an offensive core in Ubers.

All in all, Xerneas is a lot of fun to use and is a riot once it takes off. However, it is mostly a one-trick pony (er… stag?), and most Xerneas you encounter will probably try to abuse Geomancy. If you’re looking to experiment with the new Fairy type, Xerneas won’t disappoint. It can take down entire teams if not dealt with properly.

- JaydenSilver

But wait folks, there's more!

FAIRIES!

A Second Opinion by Alltheginjoints

I’d like to make this clear from the get-go: JaydenSilver is definitely right about the Geomancy set. It is almost unparalleled in how destructive it is after one turn of setup, and that the Power Herb/Geomancy set is, without a doubt, the most unique and effective set Xerneas can run. However, if you've got a little bit of crazy in you (like good old Mr. Crockpot - I mean, Crocker - from Nickelodeon's The Fairly OddParents), there are some other sets Xerneas can run.

Wanda - Calm, Cool, and Collected
Xerneas
Hold Item: Leftovers
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 HP, 4 Special Attack
Calm Mind
Moonblast
Psyshock/Focus Blast
Thunderbolt/Thunder

Calm Mind? Why would anyone in their right mind use Calm Mind when they could use Geomancy! JaydenSilver said it best: the problem with the Geomancy set is that once you set up, you are basically forced to either stay in and face the music, switch out and waste the Power Herb, or wait until you get phased out by Lugia or other walls. You have one shot at sweeping your opponent, and that’s it. Once you’ve used your Power Herb, Geomancy is not a useful boosting move, or even economical. In addition to that, while the immediate boosting is awesome stuff, you are somewhat limited after that by not being able to boost further. Call me a greedy man, but why stop at a +2/+2 boost to Special Attack and Special Defense? With Calm Mind, yes, you are certainly slower than with Geomancy, but you have the capability of accumulating boosts again if you fail for some reason, giving Xerneas a second lease on life that it wouldn’t get if it were to run Geomancy.

Cosmo - the Crazy Fool
Xerneas
Hold Item: Choice Scarf/Specs
Nature: Modest/Timid
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Special Attack 4 HP
Moonblast
Focus Blast
Psyshock
Hidden Power Fire

Fairy is a downright great type for a Choice item user. Since it hits most types for neutral damage and has a resistance to Dark, Fighting, and Bug types - and is Dragon immune - Fairy Xerneas makes a great Choice user in Ubers. This set functions like any other Choice set, so I won’t waste your time, but it is worth noting that the other premiere Scarf user in Ubers is Genesect, who shares the same speed bracket - so running Timid nature is essential for a speed tie.

Jorgen Von Strangle - Fairy Smash!
Xerneas
Hold Item: Life Orb
Naive Nature
EVs: 252 Speed, 100 Attack, 152 Special Attack
Moonblast
Close Combat
Psyshock
Rock Slide

I know you’re thinking it - yes, Rock Slide is exclusively for Ho-oh. (Oh… you weren’t thinking that?) This set is the best for catching many of Xerneas’s counters on the switch in. The Life Pokemon’s Attack stat is actually just as good as its Special Attack, so a mixed set is very viable. While this set does not have the sweeping potential of the Calm Mind or Geomancy set, it does have an immediate power that can break through many walls and leave the opposing team crippled for the entire match.

Anyway, I didn’t go into too much detail because, in all seriousness, if you are using Xerneas, you’re probably using the Geomancy set. But that’s not all the Fairy King can do and so, there are a few more options to consider. These are just my thoughts.

Signing off for now,

-Alltheginjoints

Yveltal, Destroyer of Worlds: An Ubers Analysis

Type: Dark/Flying

Base Stats
HP: 126
Attack: 131
Defense: 95
Special Attack: 131
Special Defense: 98
Speed: 99


Abilities
Dark Aura: Powers up each Pokémon's Dark-type moves.

Did anyone else see Yveltal during the first Pokémon X/Y leaks and immediately want to get Y? I know I did. I definitely would have, too, if they didn’t showcase Mega Charizard-X, too. I once read a story about how the three legendaries of X/Y are based off of Norse mythology, with Xerneas portraying Midgard (the mortal realm), Yveltal portraying Asgard (the heavenly realm), and Zygarde portraying Niflheim, where Hel is located, deep underground. Not only is Yveltal epic-looking and cool-sounding, but it also has the stats and movepool it needs to back its awesomeness.

When you first look at Yveltal’s base stats, you’ll notice that it doesn’t particularly excel in one or two particular stats, like Groudon, Kyogre, or other Ubers threats do. Instead, it has a bunch of strange, obscure numbers assigned to each stat, and the result is… interesting. With identical 131 Attack and Special Attack stats, Yveltal is just begging to be used as a mixed attacker/sweeper. It has the bulk to play a little more defensively if it wishes to, with 126 HP, 95 Defense, and 98 Special Defense. But perhaps the most important of its strange stat distribution is its unique 99 base Speed, which puts it in a unique Speed tier that outspeeds most other dangerous Ubers Pokémon under normal circumstances (Groudon, Kyogre, Ho-oh, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Reshiram, Zekrom… the list goes on).

Yveltal’s typing is also a huge blessing, giving it an immunity to the common Ground-type attacks and less-common Psychic-type attacks that plague the Ubers tier. However, the real strength lies in its amazing dual STABs and access to a great ability in Dark Aura, giving its Dark-type attacks a 33.3% boost in power. Its signature move, Oblivion Wing (while sounding freaking awesome) also has a great added ability of letting Yveltal recover 75 percent of the damage inflicted to its own HP - a great boon, considering that it is weak to Stealth Rock and often wields a Life Orb for the extra power boost. It also has access to a strong, STAB-boosted priority in Sucker Punch, making Yveltal fairly difficult to take down.

However, even the Destruction Pokémon can meet its match. In this case, it happens to be Xerneas, who seems to be outrageously well-equipped to fight the wyvern. Even worse, it has a Stealth Rock weakness that can be exploited, and many Pokémon in Ubers carry Ice-type attacks to deal with the crazy amount of dragons infesting the tier. What is Yveltal’s best chance at making an impact? Probably a mixed attacking set:

Mixed Oblivion
Yveltal
Hold Item: Life Orb
Nature: Mild/Hasty
EVs: 224 Speed, 252 Special Attack, 32 Attack
Dark Pulse
Oblivion Wing
Sucker Punch
Roost/U-turn

Thanks to Yveltal’s wonderful mixed sweeping stats and great STAB options, it is capable of running a mixed attacking set with few opponents standing in its way. When it comes to nature, you either want Mild (increases Special Attack) or Hasty(increases Speed). It comes down to preference, but either way, Yveltal should outspeed most threats that try to come in on it by investing only 224 EVs into its Speed stat, thanks to its niche Speed tier of 99. The rest of the EVs go into Attack to make Sucker Punch hit harder.

Dark Pulse and Sucker Punch, while both being STAB attacks that get a boost from Dark Aura, have different functions on this set. Dark Pulse is the harder-hitting of the two on this set, thanks to the Special Attack investment, while Sucker Punch is primarily used for priority. Oblivion Wing is a strong Special Flying-type attack that helps Yveltal heal off Life Orb recoil and has great neutral coverage. The last move depends on what you want Yveltal to do - if you want a bulkier harbinger of doom, run Roost, but U-Turn lets you scout for the opponent’s Yveltal counter and hopefully eliminate it, as even the Destruction Pokémon has its equals.

Yveltal’s biggest nemeses in the current metagame are the plethora of Fairy-types introduced in X/Y. Xerneas itself resists Yveltal’s STAB Dark-type moves and can set up with Geomancy right in the Destruction Pokémon’s face, OHKOing with an insanely powerful Moonblast. Another Pokémon to look out for is Zekrom. While normally outsped by Yveltal, it commonly carries a Choice Scarf, letting Zekrom get the jump on it and effectively OHKO with Bolt Strike. Ho-oh can also switch in on any of Yveltal’s special attacks and set up with Flame Charge, or hit back hard with a powerful Sacred Fire.

Another option for taking out Yveltal is Assault Vest Tyranitar or, honestly, any specially defensive variant (even Mega) who can tank any of Yveltal’s STAB moves and hit back with STAB Stone Edge, though it must be wary of U-Turn and the odd Focus Blast.

Doom Delivered on Fell Wings
Yveltal
Choice Specs
Nature: Modest/Timid
EVs: 252 Special Attack, 224 Speed, 32 HP
Hurricane/Oblivion Wing
Dark Pulse
Focus Blast
U-turn

This set aims to deal as much damage as possible before going down utilizing the fantastic coverage offered by its STAB attacks and Focus Blast. The EV spread is optimized to outspeed any relevant un-Scarfed threat and hit them with Specs-boosted special attacks, or scout with U-Turn.

The choice between Hurricane and Oblivion Wing is a tough one, but it should be noted that Hurricane is far stronger than Oblivion Wing, albeit far less accurate. Yveltal’s signature attack also lets it hit most of the Ubers tier neutrally for a ton of damage, and grants it more staying power than the average Choice Specs sweeper. The rest of its movepool is straightforward - Dark Pulse for a super-strong STAB and Focus Blast for additional coverage on Dialga, Tyranitar, and other Pokémon who would normally put a stop to the Destruction Pokémon’s shenanigans.

Since Yveltal will be switching out a lot with this set, hazard removal from Rapid Spin and Defog is appreciated. Good users in the Ubers tier are Excadrill, who can threaten all Pokémon bar Ho-oh who will try to take out Yveltal, though it should fear Xerneas’s wrath after it has used Geomancy.

You can tell when Yveltal is using Choice Specs easily enough. A dedicated special wall is able to switch into its attacks fairly easily, and can then scout with Protect for a U-Turn. If it is a basic switch-out, you know that you’re dealing with a much more predictable Choice Specs set.

Overall, Yveltal is definitely a worthy new foe in the Ubers tier.  It can threaten a lot of Pokémon with its powerful STAB Dark-type attacks, and has valuable staying power with its high HP and great STAB recovery in Oblivion Wing. Be sure to let us know how you like to use Yveltal in the comments or on the forums!

- J.