[AG] Arceus-Dark

lotiasite

undedgy
is a Forum Moderatoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
qc 3/3 zard qt thimo

gp 1/2 sobee

Overview


Arceus-Dark is one of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame thanks to its ability to sustain itself with Recover while stacking boosts. It also sports a high Speed stat and good bulk, which allow it to wall a large portion of the metagame with a few stat boosts and use Recover reliably. Arceus-Dark has a solid Dark typing, which allows it to check many common threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, Yveltal, Deoxys-A, and Arceus-Ghost. It also gives it great mono-attacking coverage, only having one common resistance in Fairy. Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably. However, Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fighting-types like Marshadow and Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas, and Arceus-Fairy; Magearna in particular can easily use Heart Swap against it to steal Arceus-Dark's boosts.

Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Recover
- Refresh / Iron Defense / Sludge Bomb

Set Comments

Moves


Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark's Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better. With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon such as Lugia and support Arceus formes. Judgment hits most foes for unresisted damage, giving it good mono-attacking coverage. Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to stay healthy, which it needs to be able to keep boosting up, and, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off. Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes. Alternatively, Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by two stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon, but it doesn't let Arceus-Dark win against Marshadow one-on-one. Another option is Sludge Bomb, which hits Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Clefable for super effective damage, removing one of Arceus-Dark's biggest worries. However, it usually isn't enough for Arceus-Dark to beat Xerneas without a lot of boosts.

Set Details

252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower. 252 HP EVs maximize Arceus-Dark's HP stat, making it more bulky.
Usage Tips

If Arceus-Dark is using Iron Defense, use it to wall opposing physical attackers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon before they can attack, then proceed to set up with Calm Mind. Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense or Sludge Bomb over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing; as such, avoid status where possible. Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until most Fairy-types are removed, as they can easily put a stop to it. Switch in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon it can beat such as Lunala and Yveltal and use them to set up Calm Mind boosts while walling them. Arceus-Dark can also become setup fodder for Pokemon such as Xerneas and Mega Lucario, so double switch when necessary.
Team Options

Checks to Fairy-type Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Steel, and Ho-Oh can be used to take them out, letting Arceus-Dark set up. Arceus-Dark can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, removing checks for Pokemon like Arceus-Ghost and allowing them to sweep. Primal Groudon can remove Magearna very reliably while also checking other Fairy-types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Lugia. Defog support from Pokemon such as Arceus-Water is appreciated, as it lets Arceus-Dark conserve Recover PP and take less damage. Arceus-Water also checks Ho-Oh, which can be an annoying Pokemon for Arceus-Dark to face. Ho-Oh is able to tank Arceus-Dark's attacks due to its high Special Defense and use Whirlwind, Toxic, Sacred Fire, or Brave Bird to cripple it further.

Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Recover
- Judgment
- Defog
Set Comments

Moves


Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up and can be used to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Primal Groudon, and support Arceus formes. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team. Recover is Arceus-Dark's only form of recovery and can be used to Toxic stall foes as well as heal off any damage it has taken. Judgment deals lots of damage with a Dread Plate and is Arceus-Dark's only attack. Defog is used to rid the field of entry hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia.
Set Details

252 HP EVs let Arceus-Dark become more bulky and get the most out of Recover. 16 Speed EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre. The rest is put into Defense alongside a Bold nature to allow Arceus-Dark to take hits from physical attackers better.

Usage Tips

Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many bulky Pokemon and setup Pokemon. Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don't damage it much, such as Arceus-Ghost. This way, it can freely remove entry hazards and Recover off damage along with getting off chip damage afterwards. This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates by removing hazards and crippling foes, making it easier for other Pokemon to set up. Avoid letting Arceus-Dark get statused, especially by Toxic, as it can easily be worn down and thus knocked out. Switch in Arceus-Dark against attacks it can easily soak up, such as Moongeist Beam and Psystrike, or on a predicted Stealth Rock or Spikes, which it can then Defog away. Arceus-Dark can also force switches against these Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark poison or weaken incoming foes.
Team Options

Pokemon that appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-Oh in particular is a great partner for this Pokemon, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna. Many setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic, whittling down walls to make it easier to sweep. Arceus-Dark also struggles against Fairy-type Pokemon, most notably Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Fairy-type Pokemon checks such as Primal Groudon and Mega Gengar should then be used to take care of Fairy-types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support. Mega Rayquaza is also a good teammate for Arceus-Dark, as it can check Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, which can both soak up hits and deal huge damage to Arceus-Dark.

Strategy Comments

Other Options


Roar is an option on the support set that can phaze set-up Pokemon or get a more favorable matchup for Arceus-Dark. A Perish trapper set with Whirlpool and Perish Song can also be used to take out specific threats; however, other than its surprise factor, it is mostly overshadowed by Gothitelle as a trapper. Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark heal off the damage easily. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them; however, it leaves Arceus-Dark extremely weak to Ho-Oh. You can also invest more Speed EVs to allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed different Pokemon: 88 EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Xerneas and Yveltal, 96 or 216 EVs with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed Adamant or Jolly Mega Rayquaza, respectively, and 252 EVs with a Timid nature enable Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes.
Checks and Counters

Fairy-types: Fairy-type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switch in, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts, halting its set up and possibly getting a KO.

Fighting-types: Fighting-types such as Mega Lucario and Marshadow can take Arceus-Dark's Judgment and hit it super effectively with Close Combat. Other Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mewtwo can also hit very hard with Superpower and Focus Blast, respectively, potentially knocking out a weakened Arceus-Dark.

Ho-Oh: Ho-Oh has a very high Special Defense stat, meaning it doesn't take much damage from Judgment; it is also able to easily heal off the damage with Recover or its ability Regenerator. It can then proceed to poison Arceus-Dark or deal huge damage with its attacks. Ho-Oh also sometimes runs Whirlwind, which phazes Arceus-Dark and wastes its boosts.

Toxic: Many Pokemon like support Arceus formes run Toxic, which racks up damage each turn. It can force Arceus-Dark to switch before taking too much damage, canceling boosts or letting the opponent gain momentum. Toxic damage can also make Arceus-Dark more susceptible to being revenge killed. However, Arceus-Dark can easily beat Toxic users if it is using Refresh, which removes status entirely.
 
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Arceus-Dark

Quality Control (0/3)

Overview
  • One of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame, able to sustain itself with Recover and get many defense boosts.
  • Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy
  • Especially weak to Magearna as it can just Heart Swap its boosts and KO Arceus-Dark in return.
  • High speed stat and good bulk allows it to wall a large majority of the meta with a few stat boosts and Recover reliably.
  • Can get extremely crippled by critical hits, which Arceus-Dark has to be wary of and can completely ruin a fully set up Pokemon.
  • Finds use on Balance and Bulky Offense playstyles
  • One of the best counters to Mega Gengar, able to OHKO it with Judgment without any investment or boosts and able to switch into a Shadow Ball or Sludge Bomb without suffering too much damage.
  • Arceus-Dark is also a reliable check to the common Arceus-Ghost, able to hit it super effectively and resist its STAB attacks.
  • Has few weaknesses, with Bug and Fighting being extremely uncommon and only Fairy being relevant.
  • Weak to Toxic, as it puts Arceus-Dark on a timer and disallows setup unless it is running Refresh.
  • Generally overshadowed by Mega Gengar as a Perish Trapper, as it has access to Shadow Tag, which eliminates the need for Whirlpool. However, Arceus-Dark’s superior bulk and access to recovery puts it above Mega Gengar in some situations.
Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Iron Defense/Refresh

Set Comments

Moves


Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s best STAB option, able to hit many opponents for unresisted damage and hitting hard with a few Calm Mind boosts.

Calm Mind - The primary stat boosting option. Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark’s Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better (especially from Fairy type Pokemon and other threats such as Primal Kyogre). With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon, like Lugia and support Arceus formes.

Recover - Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to be able to keep boosting up. Recover lets Arceus sustain itself, and can PP stall along with reliably heal if they are doing less than 50% with each hit. This, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off.

Iron Defense - Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by 2 stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Mega Rayquaza and Ho-oh.

Refresh - Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it.


Set Details
  • 216 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed max Speed Mega Rayquaza and anything slower.
  • 252 HP EVs maximises Arceus-Dark’s HP, making it more bulky.
  • 40 Special Defense EVs lets Arceus-Dark sponge hits from Fairy type Pokemon or hard hitting Special Pokemon better if it doesn’t have enough Calm Mind boosts.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark has the ability to set up on anything slower (that isn’t Fairy-type) by walling Pokemon such as Mega Rayquaza and Primal Kyogre with Defense boosts, then KOing them with Judgment.
  • It can be a powerful late game sweeper after threats (such as Xerneas and Magearna) are taken out.
  • Be wary of Destiny Bond on Mega Gengar; however, Destiny Bond can be nullified by using a setup move and KOing them after.
Team Options
  • Arceus-Dark appreciates Fairy types being taken out for it, so Mega Gengar can be switched in to trap and reliably KO them, letting Arceus-Dark set up.
  • Alternatively, Arceus-Dark can also be used to support Fairy type Pokemon by taking out opposing Mega Gengar.
  • It can also take out many threats such as Yveltal and the Primals, removing checks for other Pokemon on your team and allowing them to sweep.
  • Arceus-Dark is also a good Yveltal check, which means Pokemon weak to Yveltal, such as Arceus-Ghost, appreciate Arceus-Dark removing it.
Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp/Toxic
- Defog
- Recover
- Judgment

Set Comments

Moves


Will-O-Wisp - This status move is used to cripple opposing physical Pokemon, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark Recover off. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them.

Toxic - Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up, and does a lot more than Will-o-Wisp. It can be used to whittle opposing Pokemon, weakening them before taking them out with Judgment or with a teammate. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team.

Defog - Defog is used to rid the field of hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-oh and Lugia.

Recover - Recover is Arceus-Dark’s only form of recovery, and can be used to Toxic stall opponents as well as heal off any damage.

Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s main attack, which can deal lots of damage with a Dread Plate and STAB, and helps Arceus-Dark not become complete Taunt fodder.

Set Details
  • 252 HP EVs lets Arceus-Dark become more bulky, and get the most out of Recover.
  • 16 Speed EVs allows Arceus-Dark to speed creep 252 base 90 Speed Pokemon lacking a Speed-boosting nature, such as Ho-oh and Primal Kyogre.
  • The rest is put into Defense, to take hits from physical attackers better.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many set-up Pokemon, and with Will-O-Wisp, it can weaken physical attackers.
  • Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don’t damage it much and that it outspeeds. This way, it can freely Defog and Recover off damage, along with getting off chip damage afterwards.
  • This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates and let them setup and sweep more efficiently.
  • Arceus-Dark can also function as an anti-lead, removing any hazards and using Toxic to put the foe on a timer.
  • It is also a good check to Mega Gengar, so it should be kept healthy if any of the team’s Pokemon are weak to it.
Team Options
  • Pokemon that appreciate hazard removal, such as Ho-oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-oh in particular is a good check to Fairy-types, which can help Arceus-Dark.
  • Many setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Geomancy Xerneas, appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic and Will-o-Wisp, which can break physical attackers or whittle down walls for them.
  • This Pokemon also struggles against Fairy type Pokemon, namely Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Mega Gengar can then be used as a check to Fairy types (barring Magearna), in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support.
Other Options
  • Substitute is another option, as it can block status, Leech Seed, and let Arceus-Dark block Dragon Tail. Substitutes can also sponge critical hits.
  • Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Fairy types for super effective damage, although it is blocked by Magearna and Klefki.
  • Roar is another option that can phaze out set up Pokemon or get a more favourable matchup for Arceus-Dark.
  • A Perish Trapper set, with Whirlpool and Perish Song, can also be used to take out specific threats. However, it is mostly overshadowed by Mega Gengar.
  • 124 Speed EVs is also an option, to outspeed 252+ base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-oh.
Checks and Counters
Fairy type Pokemon
- Fairy type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna in Generation 7. Fairy types such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switchin, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark’s boosts and prepare to sweep.

Fast super effective attacks - Fast Pokemon such as Mega Mewtwo X & Y (not currently released) and Deoxys-Attack can deal huge amounts of damage with Low Kick, Superpower or Focus Blast before Arceus-Dark gets the chance to set up. Choice Scarf Genesect can also do lots of damage with U-turn, and proceed to switch into a Pokemon that can finish Arceus-Dark off.

Specially Defensive Pokemon - Pokemon with high Special Defense, such as Ho-oh, can take Arceus-Dark’s attacks and proceed to phaze it out with Whirlwind. Other Pokemon, such as Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, can take a hit or two and use Roar. Primal Groudon and Ho-oh can also run Toxic, which can cripple Arceus-Dark heavily.
You could list up a SD Darkceus set in the Other Options section. It can lure in its checks with iron tail and eq quiet efficiently and it also has an extremely strong z-dark stab (normal attack being punishment). Since you list up a perish trap set you might as well also add this underdog.

Even though it isn't that common Mega-Lucario could be listet as one of Darkceuses checks and counters. If the opponent has scouted Darkceus set and found out that it lacks Will-o-Wisp Lucario can switch into Darkceus and threaten it with its strong fighting stab. A full health Mega-Lucario also stops a Darkceus sweep since it takes a +2 judgment and revenges it with cc.

I hope my little adjustments to your overall solid analyze helped :).
 

lotiasite

undedgy
is a Forum Moderatoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
You could list up a SD Darkceus set in the Other Options section. It can lure in its checks with iron tail and eq quiet efficiently and it also has an extremely strong z-dark stab (normal attack being punishment). Since you list up a perish trap set you might as well also add this underdog.

Even though it isn't that common Mega-Lucario could be listet as one of Darkceuses checks and counters. If the opponent has scouted Darkceus set and found out that it lacks Will-o-Wisp Lucario can switch into Darkceus and threaten it with its strong fighting stab. A full health Mega-Lucario also stops a Darkceus sweep since it takes a +2 judgment and revenges it with cc.

I hope my little adjustments to your overall solid analyze helped :).
Hm, interesting points. I do agree with Mega Lucario being an Arceus-Dark check, so I'll put that in. I'll put it in with "super effective attacks" since it isn't super common and can be put alongside other fast Fighting-type attackers.

I'll put SD into OO as well.

Thanks for your suggestions ^_^
 
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You could list up a SD Darkceus set in the Other Options section. It can lure in its checks with iron tail and eq quiet efficiently and it also has an extremely strong z-dark stab (normal attack being punishment). Since you list up a perish trap set you might as well also add this underdog.

Even though it isn't that common Mega-Lucario could be listet as one of Darkceuses checks and counters. If the opponent has scouted Darkceus set and found out that it lacks Will-o-Wisp Lucario can switch into Darkceus and threaten it with its strong fighting stab. A full health Mega-Lucario also stops a Darkceus sweep since it takes a +2 judgment and revenges it with cc.

I hope my little adjustments to your overall solid analyze helped :).
Swords Dance Arceus-Dark isn't good at all. I'm iffy on perish trap sets, but swords dance definitely shouldn't be included, especially with how many better z-move users and offensive Arceus forms there are.
 
Further AM QC check:
Arceus-Dark

Quality Control (0/3)

Overview
  • One of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame, able to sustain itself with Recover and get many defense boosts.
  • Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy Put this at the bottom
  • Especially weak to Magearna as it can just Heart Swap its boosts and KO Arceus-Dark in return.
  • High speed stat and good bulk allows it to wall a large majority of the meta with a few stat boosts and Recover reliably.
  • Can get extremely crippled by critical hits, which Arceus-Dark has to be wary of and can completely ruin a fully set up Pokemon. This isn't all that relevant, yes crits are an unfortunate on setup sweepers but it def isn't overview level. Change this to something that more directly mentions the CM set.
  • Finds use on Balance and Bulky Offense playstyles And offense? It's not limited to any specific playstyle.
  • One of the best counters to Mega Gengar, able to OHKO it with Judgment without any investment or boosts and able to switch into a Shadow Ball or Sludge Bomb without suffering too much damage. It can't switch into mgar; sludge->focus Blast, focus Blast->focus Blast, hypnosis, and sub (on disable) all screw it over, massively. It's not even that good of an mgar check because after a little chip fblast koes.
  • Arceus-Dark is also a reliable check to the common Arceus-Ghost, able to hit it super effectively and resist its STAB attacks.
  • Has few weaknesses, with Bug and Fighting being extremely uncommon and only Fairy being relevant.
  • Weak to Toxic, as it puts Arceus-Dark on a timer and disallows setup unless it is running Refresh.
  • Generally overshadowed by Mega Gengar as a Perish Trapper, as it has access to Shadow Tag, which eliminates the need for Whirlpool. However, Arceus-Dark’s superior bulk and access to recovery puts it above Mega Gengar in some situations. Don't mention perish trapper in overview, it's bad.
  • I'd like to see a bullet that mentions the support set because as far as the overveiw is concerned it doesn't exist.
Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Iron Defense/Refresh

Set Comments

Moves


Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s best STAB option, able to hit many opponents for unresisted damage and hitting hard with a few Calm Mind boosts.

Calm Mind - The primary stat boosting option. Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark’s Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better (especially from Fairy type Pokemon and other threats such as Primal Kyogre). With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon, like Lugia and support Arceus formes.

Recover - Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to be able to keep boosting up. Recover lets Arceus sustain itself, and can PP stall along with reliably heal if they are doing less than 50% with each hit. This, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off.

Iron Defense - Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by 2 stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Mega Rayquaza and Ho-oh.

Refresh - Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. And lets it set up on more things such as...


Set Details
  • 216 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed max Speed Mega Rayquaza and anything slower. I'd really reccomend max speed here, 40 doesn't hit a special defense benchmark and speed tying other arceus is really important.
  • 252 HP EVs maximises Arceus-Dark’s HP, making it more bulky.
  • 40 Special Defense EVs lets Arceus-Dark sponge hits from Fairy type Pokemon or hard hitting Special Pokemon better if it doesn’t have enough Calm Mind boosts.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark has the ability to set up on anything slower (that isn’t Fairy-type) by walling Pokemon such as Mega Rayquaza and Primal Kyogre with Defense boosts, then KOing them with Judgment. Remove Parenthetical clause, also not anything slower because supportceus/pdon exist, ntm gl setting up on pogre.
  • It can be a powerful late game sweeper after threats (such as Xerneas and Magearna) are taken out. Remove parenthetical clause, just put them in the sentence
  • Be wary of Destiny Bond on Mega Gengar; however, Destiny Bond can be nullified by using a setup move and KOing them after.
  • more detail in general please.
  • Mention avoiding status if iron def is used
  • Mention not setting up at all until xern is removed.
Team Options
  • Arceus-Dark appreciates Fairy types being taken out for it, so Mega Gengar can be switched in to trap and reliably KO them, letting Arceus-Dark set up.
  • Alternatively, Arceus-Dark can also be used to support Fairy type Pokemon by taking out opposing Mega Gengar.
  • It can also take out many threats such as Yveltal and the Primals, removing checks for other Pokemon such as on your team and allowing them to sweep. Primal groudon and Primal kyogre, not the primals.
  • Arceus-Dark is also a good Yveltal check, which means Pokemon weak to Yveltal, such as Arceus-Ghost, appreciate Arceus-Dark removing it. This is just an extension of the last bullet
  • Other Fairy-type checks, particularly for magearna but also others
Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Recover
- Judgment
- Toxic / Will-O-Wisp After toxic, and put it at the bottom because it makes this set ass against hooh and pdon and is less important than the other three moves.

Set Comments

Moves


Will-O-Wisp - This status move is used to cripple opposing physical Pokemon such as, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark Recover off. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them.

Toxic - Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up, and does a lot more than Will-o-Wisp. It can be used to whittle opposing Pokemon like, give some examples, weakening them before taking them out with Judgment or with a teammate. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team.

Defog - Defog is used to rid the field of hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-oh and Lugia.

Recover - Recover is Arceus-Dark’s only form of recovery, and can be used to Toxic stall opponents as well as heal off any damage.

Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s main attack, which can deal lots of damage with a Dread Plate and STAB, and helps Arceus-Dark not become complete Taunt fodder Complete taunt fodder? it pretty mcuh stops taunt, mewtwo and deoxys arent rlly liking to taunt it with this. That's not rlly you run it either.

Set Details
  • 252 HP EVs lets Arceus-Dark become more bulky, and get the most out of Recover. elaborate, what do they let it take on or wall
  • 16 Speed EVs allows Arceus-Dark to speed creep 252 base 90 Speed Pokemon lacking a Speed-boosting nature, such as Ho-oh and Primal Kyogre. Not speed creep, just outspeed
  • The rest is put into Defense, to take hits from physical attackers such as better.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is fast Not for ag with that spread it isn't and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many set-up Pokemon, and with Will-O-Wisp, it can weaken physical attackers.
  • Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don’t damage it much and that it outspeeds such as. This way, it can freely Defog and Recover off damage, along with getting off chip damage afterwards.
  • This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates such as and let them setup and sweep more efficiently by....
  • Arceus-Dark can also function as an anti-lead not rlly, what are you suggesting it antilead against? Ig sorta pdon but like fairyceus, deo-s, etc all rlly arent that hindered., removing any hazards and using Toxic to put the foe on a timer.
  • It is also a good check to Mega Gengar, so it should be kept healthy if any of the team’s Pokemon are weak to it. no it isn't, and it being healthy wont save teammates.
Team Options
  • Pokemon that appreciate hazard removal, such as Ho-oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-oh in particular is a good check to Fairy-types, which can help Arceus-Dark.
  • Many setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Geomancy Xerneas, appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic and Will-o-Wisp, which can break physical attackers or whittle down walls for them.
  • This Pokemon also struggles against Fairy type Pokemon, namely Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Mega Gengar can then be used as a check to Fairy types (barring Magearna), in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support. remove parenthetical clause
  • other fairy type checks here
  • Status answers like Mega Sableye and Clefable
  • Pdon checks (esp vs wisp)
Other Options
  • Substitute is another option, as it can block status, Leech Seed, and let Arceus-Dark block Dragon Tail. Substitutes can also sponge critical hits. No it isn't, remove this.
  • Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Fairy types for super effective damage, although it is blocked by Magearna and Klefki. Honestly this could be a set option, but at the very least expand this (and add that it's on calm mind.
  • Roar is another option that can phaze out set up Pokemon or get a more favourable matchup for Arceus-Dark.
  • A Perish Trapper set, with Whirlpool and Perish Song, can also be used to take out specific threats. However, it is mostly overshadowed by Mega Gengar.
  • 124 Speed EVs is also an option, to outspeed 252+ base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-oh.
  • Fire Blast for magearna here imo
  • A Swords Dance set, with Z-Punishment, Poison Jab, and Earthquake, can also be run. However, it is generally overshadowed by other Swords Dance Arceus formes such as Arceus-Normal and Arceus-Ghost. Absolutely not this set is ass, don't mention it even in OO.
Checks and Counters
Fairy type Pokemon
- Fairy type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna in Generation 7. DOn't mention generation shift Fairy types such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switchin, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark’s boosts and prepare to sweep. Sweep, not prepare to sweep.

Fast super effective attacks - Fast Pokemon such as Mega Mewtwo X & Y (not currently released), remove these, if they are unreleased don't mention them Deoxys-Attack and Mega Lucario Not rlly relevant can hit with moves such as Focus Blast, Close Combat and Superpower for massive damage before Arceus-Dark gets the chance to set up. Choice Scarf Genesect bad Pokemon can also do lots of damage with U-turn, and proceed to switch into a Pokemon that can finish Arceus-Dark off. use some better mons, like scarf lunala picking off weakened sets with moonblast or mgar using focus blast.

Specially Defensive Pokemon - Pokemon with high Special Defense, such as Ho-oh, can take Arceus-Dark’s attacks and proceed to phaze it out with Whirlwind. Other Pokemon, such as Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, can take a hit or two and use Roar. Primal Groudon and Ho-oh can also run Toxic, which can cripple Arceus-Dark heavily.
 
Last edited:

MZ

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lmk when implemented and I'll look over this again
Arceus-Dark
Overview
  • One of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame, able to sustain itself with Recover while stacking defense boosts.
  • High speed stat and good bulk allows it to wall a large majority of the meta with a few stat boosts and Recover reliably.
  • This Pokemon is a decent check to Mega Gengar, yet has to be wary of Focus Blast and Hypnosis. since u cant switch into it really idk that this point is relevant at all, I'd remove
  • Arceus-Dark is also a reliable check to the common Arceus-Ghost, able to hit it super effectively and resist its STAB attacks. Just take this point and expand to how useful the dark typing can be to check top threats like deo-a/yveltal/ghosty/lunala/gar/whatever
  • Has few weaknesses, with Bug and Fighting being extremely uncommon and only Fairy being relevant. the phrasing is weird bc it's not rly necessary to talk about bug/fighting types, I'd instead use this point to say that fairy weak is p annoying for it
  • Weak to Toxic, as it puts Arceus-Dark on a timer and disallows setup unless it is running Refresh. this doesnt need an overview mention, most arc formes are and this one runs refresh a lot at least
  • Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably.
  • Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy. this gets covered in the above point
  • Especially weak to Magearna as it can just Heart Swap its boosts and KO Arceus-Dark in return. this could get covered in the above point
doesn't look bad but u really need to stress that its biggest niche here is the awesome typing for so many top threats where the only other dark doesnt cover most of them as well

Calm Mind

Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe this should be 248 / 8 / 252 for less rocks damage
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Iron Defense / Refresh I dont know why sludge bomb isn't a third slash, hitting non-gears fairies is really nice. unless there was a specific reason or u want to talk to other qc members first, I'd be adding that here and mentioning it in moves

Set Comments

Moves

this needs to be in the proper bullet point form, check the analysis skeleton to see how it should be formatted (just like all the other sections below really)


Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s best STAB option, able to hit many opponents for unresisted damage and hitting hard with a few Calm Mind boosts.

Calm Mind - The primary stat boosting option. Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark’s Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better (especially from Fairy type Pokemon and other threats such as Primal Kyogre). With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon, like Lugia and support Arceus formes. this is a bit long for a basic setup move, u dont take fairy hits that well before +4 either

Recover - Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to be able to keep boosting up. Recover lets Arceus sustain itself, and can PP stall along with reliably heal if they are doing less than 50% with each hit. This, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off. again this could really be made a lot shorter, dont split things into separate sentences if it isn't necessary and definitely cut back on info that doesn't need to be here. If you could cut out the entire last sentence, that's an issue

Iron Defense - Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by 2 stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Mega Rayquaza and Ho-oh. specific mention for pdon here

Refresh - Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes.


Set Details
  • 252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Dark to speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower.
  • 252 HP EVs maximises Arceus-Dark’s HP, making it more bulky. edit this for 248
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark has the ability to set up on many Pokemon by walling Pokemon such as Mega Rayquaza and Primal Groudon with Defense boosts, then KOing them with Judgment. this doesnt give any idea of how to use it. maybe rephrase to "use iron defense to wall strong attackers like ray and pdon" which is still a little obvious but helps more
  • It can be a powerful late game sweeper after threats such as Xerneas and Magearna are taken out. again this isn't a usage tip, more like "avoid setting up when there's a healthy gears/xern in the back since u won't sweep" but you have that later so just remove this? there are way too many redundancies in this analysis, I'd really recommend proofreading a bit before you say it's qc ready
  • Be wary of Destiny Bond on Mega Gengar; however, Destiny Bond can be nullified by using a setup move and KOing them after. this isn't a significant threat, like it can stop you but there isn't that much you can do overall? It also applies to p much every mon. I wouldnt keep this
  • Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing.
  • Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until Xerneas and Magearna are removed, as they can easily block Arceus-Dark and KO it. I can't even tell what "block and KO" means. Try to be more specific or just use general language not slang
I dont see anything here about using it to take on those mons i mentioned earlier that it beats, being aware that u can be setup fodder for fairies/mega luke, and being careful to not get caught by superpower/focus blast from deo-a/mewtwo. This is just too short

Team Options

  • Arceus-Dark appreciates Fairy types being taken out for it, so Mega Gengar can be switched in to trap and reliably KO them, letting Arceus-Dark set up.
  • Alternatively, Arceus-Dark can also be used to support Fairy type Pokemon by taking out opposing Mega Gengar. no, a well played gar will just switch and trap the fairies later. I wouldn't bother with this
  • Other Fairy type Pokemon answers, such as support/Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, can be used to take out Fairy type Pokemon if Mega Rayquaza is being used instead of Mega Gengar. Arceus-Steel can reliably take hits from Xerneas and Magearna and proceed to either set up or status them.
  • It can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, removing checks for other Pokemon on your team and allowing them to sweep. you dont need to explain how arc-steel checks fairies, but overall I dont see why fairy checks including gar, steelceus, pdon, hooh, etc cant just be one bullet
  • Arceus-Dark is also a good Yveltal check, which means Pokemon weak to Yveltal, such as Arceus-Ghost, appreciate Arceus-Dark removing it. checking? not removing so much
  • Primal Groudon is a good partner for Arceus-Dark, as it can remove Magearna very reliably as well as checking other Fairy types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Choice Band Mega Rayquaza. you already have like 4 fairy check bullets
work on condensing those bullets, also hooh checks and defog support (so u can switch into the stuff a lot more reliably and not have to recover a lot) should be mentioned

Support

Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe again should be 248 / 244 / 16 for less rocks damage
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Defog
- Recover
- Judgment

Set Comments

Moves

again, moves should also have bullets


Toxic - Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up, and does a lot more than Will-O-Wisp. It can be used to whittle opposing Pokemon, weakening them before taking them out with Judgment or with a teammate. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team. all this should say is that u can cripple support arc formes, pdon, zygarde, bulky things, etc. doesnt need to mention "does more than willo" or how it works in tandem with judgement

Defog - Defog is used to rid the field of hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-oh and Lugia.

Recover - Recover is Arceus-Dark’s only form of recovery, and can be used to Toxic stall opponents as well as heal off any damage.

Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s main attack, which can deal lots of damage with a Dread Plate and STAB.

Set Details
  • 252 HP EVs lets Arceus-Dark become more bulky, and get the most out of Recover. change to 248 bc less rocks damage
  • 16 Speed EVs allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed 252 base 90 Speed Pokemon lacking a Speed-boosting nature, such as Ho-oh and Primal Kyogre.
  • The rest is put into Defense, to take hits from physical attackers better.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many set-up Pokemon, and with Will-O-Wisp, it can weaken physical attackers. it doesnt have willo?
  • Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don’t damage it much and that it outspeeds. This way, it can freely Defog and Recover off damage, along with getting off chip damage afterwards. pokemon like who? prime example of needing to be more specific. also this should say something like remove hazards
  • This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates and let them setup and sweep more efficiently. it doesnt really do the second part so much. remove hazards and cripple things yes
  • Arceus-Dark can also function as an anti-lead against Primal Groudon, removing any hazards and using Toxic to put the foe on a timer. this is just improper use of the term anti-lead, ur not necessarily to lead against anything and neither is pdon
again inexplicably short, no mention of the things u switch into or avoiding status. this mon doesnt even need particularly long sections but there are some critical things missing

Team Options

  • Pokemon that appreciate hazard removal, such as Ho-oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-oh in particular is a good check to Fairy-types, which can help Arceus-Dark.
  • Ho-oh in particular is a great partner for Arceus-Dark, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna. you have this twice
  • Many setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Geomancy Xerneas, appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic and Will-o-Wisp, which can break physical attackers or whittle down walls for them. it doesnt have willo wisp
  • This Pokemon also struggles against Fairy type Pokemon, namely Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Mega Gengar can then be used as a check to Fairy types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support. mention more fairy checks than gar
pdon/ogre checks would be nice here

Other Options

  • When using the Calm Mind set, Sludge Bomb can be used instead of Iron Defense to hit Fairy types for super effective damage, although it is blocked by Magearna and Klefki. when bumping to full slash, dont forget to remove this
  • Fire Blast can replace Sludge Bomb just to hit Magearna, yet it doesn't take care of other Fairy type Pokemon such as Xerneas.
  • Roar is another option that can phaze out set up Pokemon or get a more favourable matchup for Arceus-Dark. specifically for support darkceus
  • A Perish Trapper set, with Whirlpool and Perish Song, can also be used to take out specific threats. However, it is mostly overshadowed by Mega Gengar.
  • 124 Speed EVs is also an option, to outspeed 252+ base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-oh. id creep 252 but not 252+, it's just not that common
  • Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark Recover off. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them.
Checks and Counters
Fairy type Pokemon
- Fairy type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy types such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switchin, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts and sweep. gears isn't sweeping, it'll stop ur sweep and maybe get a kill but if it doesnt take speed like from geomancy it's not a sweep

Fast super effective attacks - Fast Pokemon such as Deoxys-Attack and Mega Lucario can use moves such as Superpower and Close Combat for massive damage before Arceus-Dark gets the chance to set up. Choice Scarf Lunala can also pick off a weakened Arceus-Dark with Moonblast or Focus Blast. yeah I dont think this is worth a mention. because this mon isn't all that fast or a crazy sweeper c&c should talk about specific mons. this category generally applies to faster, frailer things like tapu koko

Specially Defensive Pokemon - Pokemon with high Special Defense, such as Ho-oh, can take Arceus-Dark’s attacks and proceed to phaze it out with Whirlwind. Other Pokemon, such as Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, can take a hit or two and use Roar. Primal Groudon and Ho-oh can also run Toxic, which can cripple Arceus-Dark heavily. spdef pokemon doesnt make sense either, these dont need to be generalized into as few categories as possible

What I'd do is go Fairy-type Pokemon/Mega Lucario/Ho-OhToxic. hooh is a solid check to this, luke is suspiciously absent, and this is crippled by toxic or toxic spikes. In that order too, since c&c is done by order of threat
 

MZ

And now for something completely different
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I have no power so this is on mobile and comments are in all caps. No stamp either unfortunately but 1/3 lotiasite
Arceus-Dark

Quality Control (0/3)

Overview
  • One of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame, able to sustain itself with Recover while stacking defense boosts.
  • High speed stat and good bulk allows it to wall a large majority of the meta with a few stat boosts and Recover reliably.
  • This Pokemon also has a solid Dark typing which allows it to check many common threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, Yveltal, Deoxys-Attack and Arceus-Ghost.
  • Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably.
  • Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy. Magearna in particular can easily use Heart Swap against it to steal Arceus-Dark's boosts.
Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Iron Defense / Refresh / Sludge Bomb

Set Comments

Moves

  • Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s best STAB option, able to hit many opponents for unresisted damage and hitting hard with a few Calm Mind boosts.
  • Calm Mind - Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark’s Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better. With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon, like Lugia and support Arceus formes.
  • Recover - Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to be able to keep boosting up. Recover lets Arceus sustain itself, and, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off.
  • Iron Defense - Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by 2 stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Mega Rayquaza, Ho-oh and Primal Groudon.
  • Refresh - Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes.
  • Sludge Bomb - Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-type Pokemon for super effective damage, removing one of Arceus-Dark's biggest worries.
Set Details
  • 252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Dark to speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower.
  • 248 HP EVs gives Arceus-Dark an odd HP number, which lets it takes less damage from Stealth Rock.
AND ALSO MAKES IT BULKY, DONT FORGET THAT PART

Usage Tips
  • Use Iron Defense to wall opposing physical attackers such as Mega Rayquaza and Primal Groudon, then proceed to set up with Calm Mind.
  • Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing.
  • Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until Xerneas and Magearna are removed, as they can easily put a stop to it.
  • Switch in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon it can beat such as Lunala and Yveltal, and use them to set up Calm Mind boosts while walling them.
  • Arceus-Dark can also become set up fodder for Pokemon such as Xerneas and Mega Lucario, so double switch when necessary.
Team Options
  • Checks for Fairy-type Pokemon, such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Steel, and Ho-oh can be used to take out Fairy type Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark set up.
  • It can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, removing checks for other Pokemon (such as Arceus-Ghost or Lunala) on your team and allowing them to sweep.
IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT THE POINT OF THIS BULLET IS. DARKCEUS DOESNT REMOVE THE PRIMALS AND THE PRIMALS ARENT GOOD CHECKS TO GHOSTCEUS OR LUNALA. I THINK THE MAIN POINT HERE IS INTENDED TO BE POKEMON THAT GET CHECKED BY YVELTAL LUNALA GHOSTY ETC APPRECIATE DARKCEUS SWITCHING INTO YVELTAL ETC BUT THE PRIMALS ARENT A GREAT EXAMPLE
  • Primal Groudon is a good partner for Arceus-Dark, as it can remove Magearna very reliably as well as checking other Fairy types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Choice Band Mega Rayquaza.
IT DOESNT DEAL WITH CB RAY USE SOME OTHER EXAMPLE

  • Defog support from Pokemon such as Arceus-Water is appreciated, as it lets Arceus-Dark conserve Recover PP and let it take less damage.
  • Arceus-Water also checks Ho-oh, which can be an annoying Pokemon for Arceus-Dark to face as it can Whirlwind and/or Toxic.
HAVING TOX OR WHIRL ISNT A REASON THAT DARKCEUS HATES HOOH ITS JUST A FACT ABOUT HOOH

Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Defog
- Recover
- Judgment

Set Comments

Moves

  • Toxic - Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up, and can be used to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Primal Groudon, and support Arceus formes. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team.
  • Defog - Defog is used to rid the field of hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-oh and Lugia.
  • Recover - Recover is Arceus-Dark’s only form of recovery, and can be used to Toxic stall opponents as well as heal off any damage.
  • Judgment - Arceus-Dark’s main attack, which can deal lots of damage with a Dread Plate and STAB.

Set Details
  • 248 HP EVs lets Arceus-Dark become more bulky, and get the most out of Recover while taking less Stealth Rock damage.
  • 16 Speed EVs allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed 252 base 90 Speed Pokemon lacking a Speed-boosting nature, such as Ho-oh and Primal Kyogre.
  • The rest is put into Defense, to take hits from physical attackers better.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many bulky Pokemon as well as set up Pokemon.
  • Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don’t damage it much and that it outspeeds, such Giratina. This way, it can freely remove hazards and Recover off damage, along with getting off chip damage afterwards.
  • This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates by removing hazards and crippling foes, making it easier for other Pokemon to set up.
  • Avoid letting Arceus-Dark get statused, especially by Toxic. It can easily be worn down, which can lead to Arceus-Dark being weakened and knocked out.
  • Switch in Arceus-Dark against resisted/immune attacks (such as Moongeist Beam or Psystrike), where it can Defog away hazards. Arceus-Dark can also force switches against these Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark Toxic incoming foes.
Team Options
  • Pokemon that appreciate hazard removal, such as Ho-oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog.
  • Ho-oh in particular is a great partner for Arceus-Dark, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna.
  • Many setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Geomancy Xerneas, appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic, whittling down walls to make it easier to sweep.
  • This Pokemon also struggles against Fairy type Pokemon, namely Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Fairy type Pokemon checks such as Primal Groudon and Mega Gengar can then be used to take care of Fairy types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support.
  • Mega Rayquaza is also a good teammate for Arceus-Dark, as it can check both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, which can both deal huge damage to Arceus-Dark.
Other Options
  • Fire Blast can replace Sludge Bomb just to hit Magearna, yet it doesn't take care of other Fairy type Pokemon such as Xerneas.
  • Roar is another option on the support set that can phaze out set up Pokemon or get a more favourable matchup for Arceus-Dark.
  • A Perish Trapper set, with Whirlpool and Perish Song, can also be used to take out specific threats. However, it is mostly overshadowed by Mega Gengar.
  • Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark Recover off. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them.
Checks and Counters
Fairy type Pokemon
- Fairy type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy types such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switchin, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts, halting its set up and possibly getting a kill.

Mega Lucario - Mega Lucario resists Arceus-Dark's Judgment, meaning it can usually survive a hit and use Close Combat for huge damage. Before Mega Evolving, Lucario also has access to Justified, meaning it can first get an Attack boost before Mega Evolving on the next turn and hitting with a very powerful attack. Other Pokemon such as Deoxys-Attack and Mewtwo can also hit very hard with Superpower and Focus Blast, potentially knocking out a weakened Arceus-Dark.

Ho-oh - Ho-oh has a very high Special Defense stat, meaning it doesn't take much damage from Judgment and can proceed to phaze Arceus-Dark out with Whirlwind. Ho-oh also sometimes runs Toxic, which can easily cripple Arceus-Dark. Other Pokemon such as support Arceus formes or Primal Groudon also carry Roar, which can be used to phaze Arceus-Dark out.

IF THE SECTION IS ABOUT HOOH THEN DONT TALK ABOUT PHAZERS IN GENERAL. THIS POKEMON DOESNT MIND PHAZING THAT MUCH, JUST A BIT ANNOYING. HOOH IS A GOOD CHECK BECAUSE IT TAKES VERY LITTLE FROM JUDGEMENT AND IT CAN DO A LOT, TOXIC U, AND PHAZE AWAY IRON DEF/REFRESH+CM AKA THE SETS SPAMMING ATTACKS OR TOXIC VS WONT WORK ON. THIS ISNT REALLY MADE CLEAR

Toxic - Toxic is a status condition that very heavily cripples Arceus-Dark, especially if it is not running Refresh. Toxic racks up damage as time goes on, and can force Arceus-Dark to switch before taking too much damage, canceling boosts or letting the opponent gain momentum. Toxic damage can also make Arceus-Dark more susceptible to a revenge kill from Deoxys-Attack or Xerneas.

THIS SECTION IS TOO OBVIOUS. PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT IS A STATUS CONDITION THAT FORCES YOU TO SWITCH, THE FIRST TWO SENTENCES ARE USELESS. THEY DONT KNOW POKEMON THAT RUN TOXIC AND WILL USE IT ON DARKCEUS OR TOXIC SPIKES SETTERS THAT CAN TOXIC IT INDIRECTLY. AND I DONT THINK POISON DAMAGE CHANGES XERN KILLING U, MAYBE SOMTH ELSE THERE
 
Already said most of what I want to, and Megazard covered the majority of the rest, so this check is pretty short.
Arceus-Dark

QC 1/3 (Megazard)


Overview
  • Arceus-Dark is one of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame, and is able to sustain itself with Recover while stacking boosts.
  • A high Speed stat and good bulk allow it to wall a large majority of the metagame with a few stat boosts and Recover reliably.
  • This Pokemon also has a solid Dark typing which allows it to check many common threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, Yveltal, Deoxys-A, and Arceus-Ghost. And gives it great 1-move coverage, which is one of the biggest reasons why Darkceus is such a great cmceus
  • Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably.
  • Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy. Magearna in particular can easily use Heart Swap against it to steal Arceus-Dark's boosts.
Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Recover
- Refresh / Iron Def / Sludge Bomb

Set Comments

Moves

  • Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark's Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better. With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon, such as Lugia and support Arceus formes.
  • Judgment is Arceus-Dark's best STAB option, and hits many opponents for unresisted damage while also receiving damage boosts from Calm Mind.
  • Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to be able to keep boosting up. Recover lets Arceus sustain itself, and, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off.
  • Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by 2 stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Mega Rayquaza, Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon. Put hooh first, thats the main seelling point of iron def (beating hooh which fs over most cmceus)
  • Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes. Move refresh above iron def
  • Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and clefable for super effective damage, removing one of Arceus-Dark's biggest worries, but isn't enough to actually allow Arceus-Dark to beat xerneas without multiple boosts
Set Details
  • 252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allows Arceus-Dark to speed-tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower.
  • 248 HP EVs nearly maximises Arceus-Dark's HP stat, making it more bulky while giving it an odd HP number, which slightly mitigates Stealth Rock damage.
  • put the 8 in def, its rlly minor but better vs genesect>better vs nothing.
Usage Tips
  • Use Iron Defense to wall opposing physical attackers such as Mega Rayquaza and Primal Groudon before they can attack, then proceed to set up with Calm Mind. again, go hooh first here
  • Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing.
  • Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until Xerneas and Magearna are removed, as they can easily put a stop to it.
  • Switch in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon it can beat such as Lunala and Yveltal, and use them to set up Calm Mind boosts while walling them.
  • Arceus-Dark can also become set up fodder for Pokemon such as Xerneas and Mega Lucario, so double switch when necessary.
Team Options
  • Checks for Fairy-type Pokemon, such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Steel, and Ho-Oh can be used to take them out, letting Arceus-Dark set up.
  • Arceus-Dark can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, removing checks for Pokemon such as Arceus-Ghost and allowing them to sweep.
  • Primal Groudon is a good partner for Arceus-Dark, as it can remove Magearna very reliably while also checking other Fairy-types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Lugia.
  • Defog support from Pokemon such as Arceus-Water is appreciated, as it lets Arceus-Dark conserve Recover PP and let it take less damage.
  • Arceus-Water also checks Ho-Oh, which can be an annoying Pokemon for Arceus-Dark to face. It is able to tank Arceus-Dark's attacks due to its high Special Defense and use Whirlwind or Toxic to cripple it further.
Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Defog
- Recover
- Judgment

Set Comments

Moves

  • Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up, and can be used to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Primal Groudon, and support Arceus formes. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team.
  • Defog is used to rid the field of hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-oh and Lugia.
  • Recover is Arceus-Dark's only form of recovery, and can be used to Toxic stall opponents as well as heal off any damage.
  • Judgment is Arceus-Dark's main attack, which can deal lots of damage with a Dread Plate and STAB.

Set Details
  • 248 HP EVs lets Arceus-Dark become more bulky and get the most out of Recover while taking less Stealth Rock damage.
  • 16 Speed EVs allows Arceus-Dark to outspeed 252 base 90 Speed Pokemon lacking a Speed-boosting nature, such as Ho-oh and Primal Kyogre.
  • The rest is put into Defense alongside a Bold Nature, to take hits from physical attackers better.
Usage Tips
  • Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many bulky Pokemon as well as set up Pokemon.
  • Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don’t damage it much and that it outspeeds, such Giratina. This way, it can freely remove hazards and Recover off damage, along with getting off chip damage afterwards.
  • This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates by removing hazards and crippling foes, making it easier for other Pokemon to set up.
  • Avoid letting Arceus-Dark get statused, especially by Toxic. It can easily be worn down, which can lead to it being weakened and knocked out.
  • Switch in Arceus-Dark against attacks it can easily soak up, such as Moongeist Beam and Psystrike, where it can Defog away hazards. Arceus-Dark can also force switches against these Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark Toxic or weaken incoming foes.
Team Options
  • Pokemon that appreciate hazard removal, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog.
  • Ho-Oh in particular is a great partner for this Pokemon, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna.
  • Many setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Geomancy Xerneas, appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic, whittling down walls to make it easier to sweep.
  • This Pokemon also struggles against Fairy-type Pokemon, namely Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Fairy-type Pokemon checks such as Primal Groudon and Mega Gengar can then be used to take care of Fairy-types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support.
  • Mega Rayquaza is also a good teammate for Arceus-Dark, as it can check both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, which can both deal huge damage to Arceus-Dark.
Strategy Comments

Other Options

  • Fire Blast can replace Sludge Bomb just to hit Magearna, but doesn't take care of other Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas.
  • Roar is another option on the support set that can phaze out set up Pokemon or get a more favourable matchup for Arceus-Dark.
  • A Perish Trapper set with Whirlpool and Perish Song can also be used to take out specific threats. However, it is mostly overshadowed by Mega Gengar.
  • Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark Recover off. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them. but leaves Arceus-Dark eeven more prey to Ho-Oh
Checks and Counters

Fairy-type Pokemon:
Fairy-type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switch in, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts, halting its set up and possibly getting a kill.

Mega Lucario: Mega Lucario resists Arceus-Dark's Judgment, meaning it can usually survive a hit and use Close Combat for huge damage. Before Mega Evolving, Lucario also has access to Justified, meaning it can first get an Attack boost before Mega Evolving on the next turn and hitting with a very powerful attack. Other Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mewtwo can also hit very hard with Superpower and Focus Blast, potentially knocking out a weakened Arceus-Dark.

Ho-Oh: Ho-Oh has a very high Special Defense stat, meaning it doesn't take much damage from Judgment and can proceed to phaze Arceus-Dark out with Whirlwindor deal heavy damagwe with its attacks. Ho-Oh also sometimes runs Toxic, which can easily cripple Arceus-Dark unless it is running Refresh.

Toxic - Many common Pokemon such as support Arceus formes run Toxic, and other Pokemon such as Toxapex and Tentacruel can set Toxic Spikes. pretty much irrelevant in AG Toxic racks up damage as time goes on, and can force Arceus-Dark to switch before taking too much damage, canceling boosts or letting the opponent gain momentum. Toxic damage can also make Arceus-Dark more susceptible to a revenge kill from Deoxys-Attack or Mewtwo. Mention that this mostly doesnt apply to refresh
2/3.
 
Overview

Arceus-Dark is one of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame. It is able to sustain itself with Recover while stacking boosts. It also sports a high Speed stat and good bulk, which allow it to wall a large portion of the metagame with a few stat boosts as well as using Recover reliably. Arceus-Dark also has a solid Dark typing, which allows it to check many common threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, Yveltal, Deoxys-A, and Arceus-Ghost. It also gives it great mono-attacking coverage, only having one common resistance in Fairy. Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably. However, Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy and Magearna, which in particular can easily use Heart Swap against it to steal Arceus-Dark's boosts.

Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Recover
- Refresh / Iron Defense / Sludge Bomb

Set Comments

Moves


Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark's Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better. With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon such as Lugia and support Arceus formes. Judgment hits most foes for unresisted damage while also receiving damage boosts from Calm Mindyou already mentioned this. Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to stay healthy, which it needs if it wants to be able to keep boosting up, letting it sustain itself, and, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off. Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes. Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by two stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon. Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Clefable for super effective damage, removing one of Arceus-Dark's biggest worries. However, it usually isn't enough for Arceus-Dark to beat Xerneas without a lot of boosts.

Set Details

252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower. 248 HP EVs nearly maximize Arceus-Dark's HP stat, making it more bulky while giving it an odd HP number, which slightly reduces Stealth Rock damageIt doesn't, it only reduces 1/4th residuals, and 1/6th ones in 248 HP Arceus's case such as 2 and 3 Layered Spikes and the Toxic turns of the 4th, 7th, 8th, and everything above that turns.

Usage Tips

If using Iron Defense, use it to wall opposing physical attackers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon before they can attack, then proceed to set up with Calm Mind. Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense or Sludge Bomb over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing; as such, avoid status where possible. Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until most Fairy-types are removed, as they can easily put a stop to it. Switch in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon it can beat such as Lunala and Yveltal and use them to set up Calm Mind boosts while walling them. Arceus-Dark can also become setup fodder for Pokemon such as Xerneas and Mega Lucario, so double switch when necessary.

Team Options

Checks to Fairy-type Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Steel, and Ho-Oh can be used to take them out, letting Arceus-Dark set up. Arceus-Dark can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, removing checks for Pokemon such as Arceus-Ghost and allowing them to sweep. Primal Groudon can remove Magearna very reliably while also checking other Fairy-types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Lugia. Defog support from Pokemon such as Arceus-Water is appreciated, as it lets Arceus-Dark conserve Recover PP and take less damage. Arceus-Water also checks Ho-Oh, which can be an annoying Pokemon for Arceus-Dark to face. Ho-Oh is able to tank Arceus-Dark's attacks due to its high Special Defense and use Brave Bird, Sacred Fire Whirlwind or Toxic to cripple it further.

Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Recover
- Judgment
- Defog
Switched move order, because honestly, Defog isn't as important as it may seem

Set Comments

Moves


Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up and can be used to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Primal Groudon, and support Arceus formes. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team. Defog is used to rid the field of entry hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia. Recover is Arceus-Dark's only form of recovery and can be used to Toxic stall opponents as well as heal off any damage it took. Judgment is Arceus-Dark's only attack and STAB move, which can deal lots of damage with a Dread Plate.

Set Details

248 HP EVs let Arceus-Dark become more bulky and get the most out of Recover while taking less Stealth Rock damageMakes Recover recover less HP, also, see arguments at the Calm Mind set. 16 Speed EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed 252 neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre. The rest is put into Defense alongside a Bold nature to allow Arceus-Dark to take hits from physical attackers better.

Usage Tips

Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many bulky Pokemon as well as and setup Pokemon. Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don't damage it much and that it outspeedsoutspeeding isn't mandatory, such as Arceus-GhostGiratina is a bad example, even though it does check, Arceus-Dark is prone to Toxic. This way, it can freely remove entry hazards and Recover off damage along with getting off chip damage afterwards. This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates by removing hazards and crippling foes, making it easier for other Pokemon to set up. Avoid letting Arceus-Dark get statused, especially by Toxic. It can easily be worn down, which can lead to it being weakened and knocked out. Switch in Arceus-Dark against attacks it can easily soak up, such as Moongeist Beam and Psystrike, or on hazards, which allow it to Defog away hazards. Arceus-Dark can also force switches against these Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark poison or weaken incoming foes.

Team Options

Pokemon that appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-Oh in particular is a great partner for this Pokemon, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna. Many setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Geomancy Xerneas,Xerneas and Arceus-Dark share similar checks: Ho-oh, Magearna, Chansey appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic, whittling down walls to make it easier to sweep. Arceus-Dark also struggles against Fairy-type Pokemon, most notably Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Fairy-type Pokemon checks such as Primal Groudon or Mega Gengar should be used to take care of Fairy-types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support. Mega Rayquaza is also a good teammate for Arceus-Dark, as it can check both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, which can both soak up hits and deal huge damage to Arceus-Dark.

Strategy Comments

Other Options


Fire Blast can replace Sludge Bomb just to hit Magearna but doesn't take care of other Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas.Fire Blast in general is a bad option as it doesn't provide any support except against Steel types. Magearna specificlly still soaks up a +1 hit, Heart Swap and take another one. Roar is an option on the support set that can phaze out set-up Pokemon or get a more favorable matchup for Arceus-Dark. A Perish trapper set with Whirlpool and Perish Song can also be used to take out specific threats; however, other than a suprise factor, it is mostly overshadowed by Gothitelle. Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark heal off the damage easily. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them; however, it leaves Arceus-Dark extremely weak to Ho-Oh.

Checks and Counters

Fairy-types:
Fairy-type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switch in, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts, halting its set up and possibly getting a kill.

Mega Lucario Fighting Types: Fighting types such as Mega Lucario and Mega Mewtwo X can soak up Arceus-Dark's Judgment, meaning it can live a hit and use a strong Fighting STAB for huge damage. Before Mega Evolving, Lucario also has access to Justified, meaning it can first get an Attack boost before Mega Evolving on the next turn and hitting with a very powerful attack. Other Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mewtwo can also hit very hard with Life Orb boosted Superpower and Focus Blast respectively, potentially knocking out a weakened Arceus-Dark.

Ho-Oh: Ho-Oh has a very high Special Defense stat, which along with Regenerator, means it doesn't take much damage from Judgment. It can proceed to Toxic Arceus-Dark or deal huge damage with its attacks. Ho-Oh also sometimes runs Whirlwind, which can easily cripple by Arceus-Dark by wasting it's boosts.

Toxic: Many common Pokemon such as support Arceus formes run Toxic, which racks up damage each turn. It can force Arceus-Dark to switch before taking too much damage, canceling boosts or letting the opponent gain momentum. Toxic damage can also make Arceus-Dark more susceptible to a revenge kill from Deoxys-Attack or Mewtwo. However, Arceus-Dark can easily beat Toxic users if it is using Refresh, as it gets rid of being badly poisoned entirely.
qc 3/3

edit: Megazard told Lotiasite to put 248 HP instead of 252 HP EVs on the sets, however I disagree with it. 444 is a multiple of both 4 and 6, but not 8. This means Stealth Rock damage doesn't decrease by using 248 HP EVs, all 248 does that 252 doesn't is:
  • Decrease Total HP Recover recovers from 222 to 221
  • Decrease 2 Spikes Layers damage from 74 to 73
  • Decrease 3 Spikes Layers damage from 111 to 110 <-|
  • Decrease Struggle Recoil from 111 to 110 <------------|- these 2 are the only 2 reasons why you could keep 248, because it prevents a 4hko from full
  • Decrease Binding Band Partially Trapping moves residual from 74 to 73
  • Decrease Curse Damage from 111 to 110
  • Decrease Rocky Helmet damage from 74 to 73
  • Decrease Nightmare damage when asleep from 111 to 110
  • Decrease the 4th turn of being badly poisoned from 74 to 73
  • Decrease the 8th turn of being badly poisoned from 222 to 221 <- beyond this point you really shouldn't stay in anymore
  • Decrease the 9th turn of being badly poisoned from 250 to 249
  • Decrease the 10th turn of being badly poisoned from 277 to 276
  • Decrease the 11th turn of being badly poisoned from 305 to 304
  • Decrease the 12th turn of being badly poisoned from 333 to 334
  • Decrease the 13th turn of being badly poisoned from 360 to 359
  • Decrease the 14th turn of being badly poisoned from 388 to 387
  • Decrease the 15th turn of being badly poisoned from 416 to 415
Pretty relevant right? not to mention the extra Hit Point given will nullify most of these residual damage one time.
 
Last edited:

Sobi

Banned deucer.
i think the above meant he wasn't able to do it (not that he was going to take time in checking it; sorry if you were planning to check this though D:)

Overview

Arceus-Dark is one of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame, since it is able thanks to its ability to sustain itself with Recover while stacking boosts. It also sports a high Speed stat and good bulk, which allow it to wall a large portion of the metagame with a few stat boosts and use Recover reliably. Arceus-Dark has a solid Dark typing, which allows it to check many common threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, Yveltal, Deoxys-A, and Arceus-Ghost. It also gives it great mono-attacking coverage, only having one common resistance in Fairy. Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably. However, Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas,(AC) and Arceus-Fairy; Magearna in particular can easily use Heart Swap against it to steal Arceus-Dark's boosts.

Calm Mind
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk(standard for no physical moves I think)
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Recover
- Refresh / Iron Defense / Sludge Bomb

Set Comments

Moves

Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark's Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to both hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better. With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon such as Lugia and support Arceus formes. Judgment hits most foes for unresisted damage, giving it good mono-attacking coverage. Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to stay healthy, which it needs to be able to keep boosting up, and, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off. Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes. Alternatively, Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by two stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon. Another option is Sludge Bomb, (AC) which hits Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Clefable for super effective damage, removing one of Arceus-Dark's biggest worries. However, it usually isn't enough for Arceus-Dark to beat Xerneas without a lot of boosts.

Set Details

252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower. 252 HP EVs maximize Arceus-Dark's HP stat, making it more bulky.

Usage Tips

If Arceus-Dark is using Iron Defense, use it to wall opposing physical attackers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon before they can attack, then proceed to set up with Calm Mind. Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense or Sludge Bomb over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing; as such, avoid status where possible. Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until most Fairy-types are removed, as they can easily put a stop to it. Switch in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon it can beat such as Lunala and Yveltal and use them to set up Calm Mind boosts while walling them. Arceus-Dark can also become setup fodder for Pokemon such as Xerneas and Mega Lucario, so double switch when necessary.

Team Options

Checks to Fairy-type Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Steel, and Ho-Oh can be used to take them out, letting Arceus-Dark set up. Arceus-Dark can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, removing checks for Pokemon such aslike Arceus-Ghost and allowing them to sweep. Primal Groudon can remove Magearna very reliably while also checking other Fairy-types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Lugia. Defog support from Pokemon such as Arceus-Water is appreciated, as it lets Arceus-Dark conserve Recover PP and take less damage. Arceus-Water also checks Ho-Oh, which can be an annoying Pokemon for Arceus-Dark to face. Ho-Oh is able to tank Arceus-Dark's attacks due to its high Special Defense and use Whirlwind, Toxic, Sacred Fire, or Brave Bird to cripple it further.

Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Recover
- Judgment
- Defog

Set Comments

Moves

Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up and can be used to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Primal Groudon, and support Arceus formes. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team. Recover is Arceus-Dark's only form of recovery and can be used to Toxic stall foes as well as heal off any damage it has taken. Judgment is Arceus-Dark's only attack and STAB move, which can deals lots of damage with a Dread Plate. Defog is used to rid the field of entry hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia.

Set Details

252 HP EVs let Arceus-Dark become more bulky and get the most out of Recover. 16 Speed EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre. The rest is put into Defense alongside a Bold nature to allow Arceus-Dark to take hits from physical attackers better.

Usage Tips

Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many bulky Pokemon and setup Pokemon. Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don't damage it much, such as Arceus-Ghost. This way, it can freely remove entry hazards and Recover off damage along with getting off chip damage afterwards. This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates by removing hazards and crippling foes, making it easier for other Pokemon to set up. Avoid letting Arceus-Dark get statused, especially by Toxic. I, (AC) as it can easily be worn down, which can lead to it being weakened and and thus knocked out. Switch in Arceus-Dark against attacks it can easily soak up, such as Moongeist Beam and Psystrike, or on a predicted a Stealth Rock or Spikes, whereich it can then Defog away hazards. Arceus-Dark can also force switches against these Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark poison or weaken incoming foes.

Team Options

Pokemon that appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-Oh in particular is a great partner for this Pokemon, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna. Many setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic, whittling down walls to make it easier to sweep. Arceus-Dark also struggles against Fairy-type Pokemon, most notably Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Fairy-type Pokemon checks such as Primal Groudon and Mega Gengar should then be used to take care of Fairy-types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support. Mega Rayquaza is also a good teammate for Arceus-Dark, as it can check both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, which can both soak up hits and deal huge damage to Arceus-Dark.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

Roar is an option on the support set that can phaze set-up Pokemon or get a more favorable matchup for Arceus-Dark. A Perish trapper set with Whirlpool and Perish Song can also be used to take out specific threats; however, other than its surprise factor, it is mostly overshadowed by Gothitelle as a trapper. Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark heal off the damage easily. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them; however, it leaves Arceus-Dark extremely weak to Ho-Oh. You can also invest more Speed EVs to allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed different Pokemon: 88 EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Xerneas and Yveltal, 96 or 216 EVs with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed Adamant or Jolly Mega Rayquaza,(AC) respectively, and 252 EVs with a Timid nature enable Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes.

Checks and Counters

Fairy-types: Fairy-type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switch in, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts, halting its set up and possibly getting a killKO.

Fighting-types: Fighting-types such as Mega Lucario and Mega Mewtwo X can take Arceus-Dark's Judgment and hit it super effectively with Close Combat and Low Kick, respectively. Other Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mewtwo can also hit very hard with Superpower and Focus Blast,(AC) respectively, potentially knocking out a weakened Arceus-Dark.

Ho-Oh: Ho-Oh has a very high Special Defense stat, meaning it doesn't take much damage from Judgment; it is also able to easily heal off the damage with Recover or its ability Regenerator ability. It can then proceed to poison Arceus-Dark or deal huge damage with its attacks. Ho-Oh also sometimes runs Whirlwind, which phazes Arceus-Dark and wastes its boosts.

Toxic: Many Pokemon such aslike support Arceus formes run Toxic, which racks up damage each turn. It can force Arceus-Dark to switch before taking too much damage, canceling boosts or letting the opponent gain momentum. Toxic damage can also make Arceus-Dark more susceptible to being revenge killed. However, Arceus-Dark can easily beat Toxic users if it is using Refresh, which removes status entirely.


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MZ

And now for something completely different
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
lotiasite I assume you forgot about this? You should really try to ask GP members or something if it's taking a while, I can't believe this has been sitting since May e.e
Anyway, Marshadow significantly changes this analysis. I think at this point it might be easier to upload and go back and fix later (it's not like we don't have analyses up that are way outdated for old metas that are gonna get fixed eventually see: sketchmons) but Kris's call ig
 

lotiasite

undedgy
is a Forum Moderatoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
lotiasite I assume you forgot about this? You should really try to ask GP members or something if it's taking a while, I can't believe this has been sitting since May e.e
Anyway, Marshadow significantly changes this analysis. I think at this point it might be easier to upload and go back and fix later (it's not like we don't have analyses up that are way outdated for old metas that are gonna get fixed eventually see: sketchmons) but Kris's call ig
sorta forgot about this but like not really; i could ask dbw to gp this. but yeah, marshadow kinda changes this a bunch. i'm not sure what to do with this analysis, but uploading it then if anyone e lse wants to add something to this then they can go later and do it
 
qc 3/3 zard qt thimo

gp 1/2 sobee

Overview


Arceus-Dark is one of the best Calm Mind users in the metagame thanks to its ability to sustain itself with Recover while stacking boosts. It also sports a high Speed stat and good bulk, which allow it to wall a large portion of the metagame with a few stat boosts and use Recover reliably. Arceus-Dark has a solid Dark typing, which allows it to check many common threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, Yveltal, Deoxys-A, and Arceus-Ghost. It also gives it great mono-attacking coverage, only having one common resistance in Fairy. Arceus-Dark's support set lets it status many foes, potentially crippling them for other Pokemon, such as Xerneas, to set up reliably. However, Arceus-Dark dislikes facing Fairy-types such as Magearna, Xerneas, and Arceus-Fairy; Magearna in particular can easily use Heart Swap against it to steal Arceus-Dark's boosts. Change this last sentence to also mention its fighting weakness
Calm Mind

Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Recover
- Refresh / Iron Defense / Sludge Bomb

Set Comments

Moves


Calm Mind boosts both Arceus-Dark's Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to hit harder with Judgment and take special hits better. With a few boosts, Judgment becomes extremely powerful, capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing even the most bulky Pokemon such as Lugia and support Arceus formes. Judgment hits most foes for unresisted damage, giving it good mono-attacking coverage. Recover is mandatory for Arceus-Dark to stay healthy, which it needs to be able to keep boosting up, and, coupled with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, lets Arceus-Dark become a bulky attacker that can survive even the strongest attacks and heal off. Refresh lets Arceus-Dark remove status such as Toxic and paralysis, which can cripple it. This lets it set up more, especially against bulkier Pokemon such as support Arceus formes. Alternatively, Iron Defense lets Arceus-Dark boost its Defense stat by two stages, which can be helpful versus many physical wallbreakers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon, but won't let Arceus-Dark 1v1 Marshadow. Another option is Sludge Bomb, which hits Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Clefable for super effective damage, removing one of Arceus-Dark's biggest worries. However, it usually isn't enough for Arceus-Dark to beat Xerneas without a lot of boosts.

Set Details

252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes as well as outspeed anything slower. 252 HP EVs maximize Arceus-Dark's HP stat, making it more bulky.

Usage Tips

If Arceus-Dark is using Iron Defense, use it to wall opposing physical attackers such as Ho-Oh, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon before they can attack, then proceed to set up with Calm Mind. Arceus-Dark also has to be wary of status when running Iron Defense or Sludge Bomb over Refresh, as Toxic damage can quickly rack up and paralysis makes it more suspectible to revenge killing; as such, avoid status where possible. Do not set up with Arceus-Dark until most Fairy-types are removed, as they can easily put a stop to it. Switch in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon it can beat such as Lunala and Yveltal and use them to set up Calm Mind boosts while walling them. Arceus-Dark can also become setup fodder for Pokemon such as Xerneas and Mega Lucario, so double switch when necessary. Include Marshadow forcing it out, but mention that if Iron Defense will allow Marshadow to get off a hit and weaken Marshadow should that be required.
Team Options


Checks to Fairy-type Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Arceus-Steel, and Ho-Oh can be used to take them out, letting Arceus-Dark set up. Arceus-Dark can also take out many threats such as Yveltal, removing checks for Pokemon like Arceus-Ghost and allowing them to sweep. Primal Groudon can remove Magearna very reliably while also checking other Fairy-types such as Xerneas. Arceus-Dark can also deal with Primal Groudon's checks, such as Yveltal and Lugia. Defog support from Pokemon such as Arceus-Water is appreciated, as it lets Arceus-Dark conserve Recover PP and take less damage. Arceus-Water also checks Ho-Oh, which can be an annoying Pokemon for Arceus-Dark to face. Ho-Oh is able to tank Arceus-Dark's attacks due to its high Special Defense and use Whirlwind, Toxic, Sacred Fire, or Brave Bird to cripple it further. Marshadow teammates (ArcFairy, Yveltal, Xern, etc, Arc Poison); emphasize that arc poison is also a fairy check and covers status if refresh isn't used.

Support
Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Recover
- Judgment
- Defog
Set Comments

Moves


Toxic can deal huge indirect damage if it racks up and can be used to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Primal Groudon, and support Arceus formes. Toxic can also force switches, letting Arceus-Dark poison the entire opposing team. Recover is Arceus-Dark's only form of recovery and can be used to Toxic stall foes as well as heal off any damage it has taken. Judgment deals lots of damage with a Dread Plate and is Arceus-Dark's only attack. Defog is used to rid the field of entry hazards, which can help support teammates that dislike switching into them, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia.
Set Details

252 HP EVs let Arceus-Dark become more bulky and get the most out of Recover. 16 Speed EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre. The rest is put into Defense alongside a Bold nature to allow Arceus-Dark to take hits from physical attackers better.

Usage Tips

Arceus-Dark can be useful in spreading status conditions among entire teams, as it is decently fast and bulky. With Toxic, it can cripple many bulky Pokemon and setup Pokemon. Send in Arceus-Dark against Pokemon that don't damage it much, such as Arceus-Ghost. This way, it can freely remove entry hazards and Recover off damage along with getting off chip damage afterwards. This Arceus-Dark set is mainly used to support teammates by removing hazards and crippling foes, making it easier for other Pokemon to set up. Avoid letting Arceus-Dark get statused, especially by Toxic, as it can easily be worn down and thus knocked out. Switch in Arceus-Dark against attacks it can easily soak up, such as Moongeist Beam and Psystrike, or on a predicted Stealth Rock or Spikes, which it can then Defog away. Arceus-Dark can also force switches against these Pokemon, letting Arceus-Dark poison or weaken incoming foes. We didn't have a section for fairies here, so don't add one for marsh.
Team Options


Pokemon that appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Ho-Oh and Lugia, can be paired with Arceus-Dark to take advantage of Defog. Ho-Oh in particular is a great partner for this Pokemon, as it can take care of Xerneas and Magearna. Many setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus appreciate Arceus-Dark crippling foes with Toxic, whittling down walls to make it easier to sweep. Arceus-Dark also struggles against Fairy-type Pokemon, most notably Xerneas, and can become complete setup fodder for it. Fairy-type Pokemon checks such as Primal Groudon and Mega Gengar should then be used to take care of Fairy-types, in which Arceus-Dark can continue to support. Mega Rayquaza is also a good teammate for Arceus-Dark, as it can check Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, which can both soak up hits and deal huge damage to Arceus-Dark. Do add a marsh section here, and list the more defensive optiosn; arc fairy, Toxapex, defensive hooh, etc.
Strategy Comments

Other Options


Roar is an option on the support set that can phaze set-up Pokemon or get a more favorable matchup for Arceus-Dark. A Perish trapper set with Whirlpool and Perish Song can also be used to take out specific threats; however, other than its surprise factor, it is mostly overshadowed by Gothitelle as a trapper. Will-O-Wisp can sometimes be used instead of Toxic on the support set, as it cripples opposing physical Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, reducing their damage output and letting Arceus-Dark heal off the damage easily. The burn can also render some Pokemon useless, letting others set up on them; however, it leaves Arceus-Dark extremely weak to Ho-Oh. You can also invest more Speed EVs to allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed different Pokemon: 88 EVs allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured Xerneas and Yveltal, 96 or 216 EVs with a Timid nature allow Arceus-Dark to outspeed Adamant or Jolly Mega Rayquaza, respectively, and 252 EVs with a Timid nature enable Arceus-Dark to Speed tie with other Arceus formes.
Checks and Counters

Fairy-types: Fairy-type Pokemon are the most dangerous for Arceus-Dark, especially with the introduction of Magearna. Fairy-type Pokemon such as Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy can easily take hits from Arceus-Dark and KO it in return. Arceus-Dark also gives Xerneas a free switch in, allowing it to Geomancy up. Magearna can easily Heart Swap away Arceus-Dark's boosts, halting its set up and possibly getting a KO.

Fighting-types: Fighting-types such as Mega Lucario and Mega Mewtwo X can take Arceus-Dark's Judgment and hit it super effectively with Close Combat and Low Kick, respectively. Other Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mewtwo can also hit very hard with Superpower and Focus Blast, respectively, potentially knocking out a weakened Arceus-Dark. Include Marshadow over mmx.

Ho-Oh: Ho-Oh has a very high Special Defense stat, meaning it doesn't take much damage from Judgment; it is also able to easily heal off the damage with Recover or its ability Regenerator. It can then proceed to poison Arceus-Dark or deal huge damage with its attacks. Ho-Oh also sometimes runs Whirlwind, which phazes Arceus-Dark and wastes its boosts.

Toxic: Many Pokemon like support Arceus formes run Toxic, which racks up damage each turn. It can force Arceus-Dark to switch before taking too much damage, canceling boosts or letting the opponent gain momentum. Toxic damage can also make Arceus-Dark more susceptible to being revenge killed. However, Arceus-Dark can easily beat Toxic users if it is using Refresh, which removes status entirely.
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