[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: 18-19 points
**Overview**: Deoxys-S is one of the fastest Pokemon in the format, providing elite speed control as well as executing a range of roles at a high level. It serves as an incredible lead due to its access to Stealth Rock, Spikes, dual screens, and Taunt, which paired with unmatched Speed allow it to kick off games fantastically. Deoxys-S can also be a fantastic offensive piece, as it has a variety of effective setup options and a diverse mixed attacking movepool. With its ability to heavily invest in bulk, it can often survive neutral hits to set up the required boosts to clean a team or wallbreak mid-game. Due to this flexibility and the value of Speed, Deoxys-S finds itself at the top of draft boards, only held back by its lack of bulk and weaker unboosted attacking stats.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Deoxys-S can boost its Special Attack with Nasty Plot to add strength to its elite Speed and become a powerful threat. Due to its wide range of special coverage, ability to run bulky sets due to its natural Speed, and strong STAB options, a well-supported Deoxys-S can set up with relative ease and is often able to hit an entire opposing team powerfully while outspeeding any unboosted Pokemon or +1 Speed Pokemon below base 104 Speed.
**Dedicated Lead**: Deoxys-S is an elite lead Pokemon, as its Speed paired with a Focus Sash allows it to set up entry hazards with ease and potentially shut down an opposing lead with Taunt. It can also perform a similar role with Light Clay, as it has access to dual screens.
**All-Out Attacker** Deoxys-S can easily afford to run dual-invested mixed attacking sets with damage-boosting items, as it rarely requires investment into its Speed stat. These sets typically run four attacks and leverage its wealth of coverage to strongly hit entire teams.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psycho Boost, Psychic, Psyshock, Psychic Noise, Zen Headbutt
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot, Meteor Beam, Calm Mind, Iron Defense, Cosmic Power
**Utility Moves**: Spikes, Stealth Rock, Reflect, Light Screen, Knock Off, Thunder Wave, Taunt, Recover, Trick, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Focus Blast, Superpower, Low Kick, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Thunder Punch, Stomping Tantrum
Niche Moves
========
**Stored Power**: Stored Power is used on setup sets, often defensive dual dance ones with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, taking advantage of teams with a poor Dark-type or lack of one and sweeping after some boosts. These sets can pair well with a Weakness Policy to stomach a super effective hit and gain immediate power.
**Mirror Coat / Counter**: Mirror Coat and Counter can be found on lead or Focus Sash sets to trade with a foe.
**Extreme Speed**: Although Deoxys-S is incredibly fast, Extreme Speed can be a means of avoiding being revenge killed by opposing priority moves on all-out attacker sets. It is particularly useful against Sucker Punch and Thunderclap, as Extreme Speed goes first and makes these attacks fail.
**Future Sight**: Future Sight can be used to put pressure on opposing teams and allow Deoxys-S's teammates to find themselves in favorable positions.
Common Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: As Deoxys-S is relatively weak, damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Expert Belt allow it to hit out-of-reach damage thresholds on setup or all-out attacking variants.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash pairs excellently with dedicated lead sets and setup sets to ignore Deoxys-S's weak natural bulk and give it an extra turn to either set entry hazards or boost its stats.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots allows Deoxys-S to gain some extra longevity by avoiding entry hazard chip damage, especially since it typically wants other moves over Recover.
Niche Items
========
**Eject Pack**: Paired with Psycho Boost and less frequently Superpower, Eject Pack can be used as a way to dish out a powerful attack and maintain momentum.
**Power Herb**: Power Herb in conjunction with Meteor Beam can provide Deoxys-S with an effective and powerful means of setup as well as strong Rock-type coverage.
**Resistance Berry Berries**: Resistance Berries can be useful to make up for the Deoxys-S's weaknesses and allow it an extra turn to set up, use its utility moves, or lure and trade with a foe.
**Light Clay**: Light Clay is useful on lead sets that wish to set dual screens to extend their duration and support their team more effectively.
**Sitrus Berry**: To avoid being KOed by certain attacks, Sitrus Berry can occasionally prove useful for increasing Deoxys-S's longevity.
**Weakness Policy**: Weakness Policy can be found on bulky setup Stored Power sets to boost Deoxys-S's power tremendously.
Tera
========
Due to its unparalleled Speed, great movepool, and abundance of viable setup moves, Deoxys-S is essentially never allowed to use Tera. If one were to make Deoxys-S their Tera Captain, they could use Tera types such as Tera Fighting, Fairy, and Ground to give it needed coverage to effectively counter its typical checks. More defensively-oriented Tera types such as Tera Steel, Water, and Dark could also be useful to facilitate setup sets. Tera Ghost could also be used to deny opposing Rapid Spin on entry hazard lead sets.
Draft Strategy
========
Deoxys-S is an incredibly versatile Pokemon that has a defined and strong role in almost any given matchup. It can function as an excellent supportive piece to your team with its speed control, entry hazard setting, dual screens setting, and wide utility. If supported well, it can become a centerpiece of your draft with its ability to set up and clean teams.
**Wallbreakers**: Strong wallbreaking teammates are a necessity for Deoxys-S to weaken opposing teams and clean games with its setup sets and elite Speed. In turn, wallbreakers also can greatly benefit from Deoxys-S reliably stacking entry hazards for them and setting dual screens to facilitate their wallbreaking. Strong wallbreakers such as Urshifu-S, Iron Hands, and Roaring Moon fit well with Deoxys-S.
**Pivots**: Due to its natural frailty, Deoxys-S appreciates bulkier teammates that can allow it to hit the field reliably and set up or powerfully attack. Reliable pivots such as Rotom-W, Cinderace, and Landorus-T complement it nicely.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Deoxys-S appreciates teammates that can remove pressure from it to be a dedicated entry hazard lead and allow it more item flexibility by removing hazards. Great Tusk, Iron Treads, Hisuian Samurott, and Gliscor are all good teammates that control various components of the hazard war.
**Bulk**: With low defenses despite its ability to invest in them, Deoxys-S enjoys bulkier walls to fall back on when it cannot net a KO. Pokemon such as Ting-Lu and Corviknight can provide a defensive backbone.
Checks and Counters
========
**Speed-boosted Pokemon**: Although Deoxys-S may outspeed +1 Speed Pokemon at 104 base Speed or lower, faster Choice Scarf and Speed Booster Energy Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Greninja, and Roaring Moon, can outspeed and KO Deoxys-S.
**Strong Attackers**: Due to its lack of bulk, many strong neutral wallbreakers can endure an interaction with Deoxys-S and use their raw power to KO it. Strong attackers such as Darkrai, Raging Bolt, and Ogerpon-W can all potentially survive a hit and overpower Deoxys-S if they are not weakened.
**Priority Attackers**: Strong priority attackers such as Rillaboom, Urshifu-S, and Scizor can revenge kill Deoxys-S without having to worry about its Speed.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: As dedicated entry hazard lead sets are very prominent, facing reliable opposing hazard removal can render these less effective. Foes such as Iron Treads, Terapagos, and Great Tusk can shut down these lead sets.
**Dark-types**: Deoxys-S can often struggle against common Dark-type foes, as it relies heavily on its STAB moves to deal the damage it desires and is forced to use the suboptimal Focus Blast or Superpower to hit them. Dark-types such as Ting-Lu, Hisuian Samurott, and Roaring Moon are all strong against Deoxys-S.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf2.608304/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: 18-19 points
**Overview**: Deoxys-S is one of the fastest Pokemon in the format, providing elite speed control as well as executing a range of roles at a high level. It serves as an incredible lead due to its access to Stealth Rock, Spikes, dual screens, and Taunt, which paired with unmatched Speed allow it to kick off games fantastically. Deoxys-S can also be a fantastic offensive piece, as it has a variety of effective setup options and a diverse mixed attacking movepool. With its ability to heavily invest in bulk, it can often survive neutral hits to set up the required boosts to clean a team or wallbreak mid-game. Due to this flexibility and the value of Speed, Deoxys-S finds itself at the top of draft boards, only held back by its lack of bulk and weaker unboosted attacking stats.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: Deoxys-S can boost its Special Attack with Nasty Plot to add strength to its elite Speed and become a powerful threat. Due to its wide range of special coverage, ability to run bulky sets due to its natural Speed, and strong STAB options, a well-supported Deoxys-S can set up with relative ease and is often able to hit an entire opposing team powerfully while outspeeding any unboosted Pokemon or +1 Speed Pokemon below base 104 Speed.
**Dedicated Lead**: Deoxys-S is an elite lead Pokemon, as its Speed paired with a Focus Sash allows it to set up entry hazards with ease and potentially shut down an opposing lead with Taunt. It can also perform a similar role with Light Clay, as it has access to dual screens.
**All-Out Attacker** Deoxys-S can easily afford to run dual-invested mixed attacking sets with damage-boosting items, as it rarely requires investment into its Speed stat. These sets typically run four attacks and leverage its wealth of coverage to strongly hit entire teams.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psycho Boost, Psychic, Psyshock, Psychic Noise, Zen Headbutt
**Setup Moves**: Nasty Plot, Meteor Beam, Calm Mind, Iron Defense, Cosmic Power
**Utility Moves**: Spikes, Stealth Rock, Reflect, Light Screen, Knock Off, Thunder Wave, Taunt, Recover, Trick, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Focus Blast, Superpower, Low Kick, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Thunder Punch, Stomping Tantrum
Niche Moves
========
**Stored Power**: Stored Power is used on setup sets, often defensive dual dance ones with Iron Defense and Calm Mind, taking advantage of teams with a poor Dark-type or lack of one and sweeping after some boosts. These sets can pair well with a Weakness Policy to stomach a super effective hit and gain immediate power.
**Mirror Coat / Counter**: Mirror Coat and Counter can be found on lead or Focus Sash sets to trade with a foe.
**Extreme Speed**: Although Deoxys-S is incredibly fast, Extreme Speed can be a means of avoiding being revenge killed by opposing priority moves on all-out attacker sets. It is particularly useful against Sucker Punch and Thunderclap, as Extreme Speed goes first and makes these attacks fail.
**Future Sight**: Future Sight can be used to put pressure on opposing teams and allow Deoxys-S's teammates to find themselves in favorable positions.
Common Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: As Deoxys-S is relatively weak, damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Expert Belt allow it to hit out-of-reach damage thresholds on setup or all-out attacking variants.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash pairs excellently with dedicated lead sets and setup sets to ignore Deoxys-S's weak natural bulk and give it an extra turn to either set entry hazards or boost its stats.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots allows Deoxys-S to gain some extra longevity by avoiding entry hazard chip damage, especially since it typically wants other moves over Recover.
Niche Items
========
**Eject Pack**: Paired with Psycho Boost and less frequently Superpower, Eject Pack can be used as a way to dish out a powerful attack and maintain momentum.
**Power Herb**: Power Herb in conjunction with Meteor Beam can provide Deoxys-S with an effective and powerful means of setup as well as strong Rock-type coverage.
**Resistance Berry Berries**: Resistance Berries can be useful to make up for the Deoxys-S's weaknesses and allow it an extra turn to set up, use its utility moves, or lure and trade with a foe.
**Light Clay**: Light Clay is useful on lead sets that wish to set dual screens to extend their duration and support their team more effectively.
**Sitrus Berry**: To avoid being KOed by certain attacks, Sitrus Berry can occasionally prove useful for increasing Deoxys-S's longevity.
**Weakness Policy**: Weakness Policy can be found on bulky setup Stored Power sets to boost Deoxys-S's power tremendously.
Tera
========
Due to its unparalleled Speed, great movepool, and abundance of viable setup moves, Deoxys-S is essentially never allowed to use Tera. If one were to make Deoxys-S their Tera Captain, they could use Tera types such as Tera Fighting, Fairy, and Ground to give it needed coverage to effectively counter its typical checks. More defensively-oriented Tera types such as Tera Steel, Water, and Dark could also be useful to facilitate setup sets. Tera Ghost could also be used to deny opposing Rapid Spin on entry hazard lead sets.
Draft Strategy
========
Deoxys-S is an incredibly versatile Pokemon that has a defined and strong role in almost any given matchup. It can function as an excellent supportive piece to your team with its speed control, entry hazard setting, dual screens setting, and wide utility. If supported well, it can become a centerpiece of your draft with its ability to set up and clean teams.
**Wallbreakers**: Strong wallbreaking teammates are a necessity for Deoxys-S to weaken opposing teams and clean games with its setup sets and elite Speed. In turn, wallbreakers also can greatly benefit from Deoxys-S reliably stacking entry hazards for them and setting dual screens to facilitate their wallbreaking. Strong wallbreakers such as Urshifu-S, Iron Hands, and Roaring Moon fit well with Deoxys-S.
**Pivots**: Due to its natural frailty, Deoxys-S appreciates bulkier teammates that can allow it to hit the field reliably and set up or powerfully attack. Reliable pivots such as Rotom-W, Cinderace, and Landorus-T complement it nicely.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Deoxys-S appreciates teammates that can remove pressure from it to be a dedicated entry hazard lead and allow it more item flexibility by removing hazards. Great Tusk, Iron Treads, Hisuian Samurott, and Gliscor are all good teammates that control various components of the hazard war.
**Bulk**: With low defenses despite its ability to invest in them, Deoxys-S enjoys bulkier walls to fall back on when it cannot net a KO. Pokemon such as Ting-Lu and Corviknight can provide a defensive backbone.
Checks and Counters
========
**Speed-boosted Pokemon**: Although Deoxys-S may outspeed +1 Speed Pokemon at 104 base Speed or lower, faster Choice Scarf and Speed Booster Energy Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Greninja, and Roaring Moon, can outspeed and KO Deoxys-S.
**Strong Attackers**: Due to its lack of bulk, many strong neutral wallbreakers can endure an interaction with Deoxys-S and use their raw power to KO it. Strong attackers such as Darkrai, Raging Bolt, and Ogerpon-W can all potentially survive a hit and overpower Deoxys-S if they are not weakened.
**Priority Attackers**: Strong priority attackers such as Rillaboom, Urshifu-S, and Scizor can revenge kill Deoxys-S without having to worry about its Speed.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: As dedicated entry hazard lead sets are very prominent, facing reliable opposing hazard removal can render these less effective. Foes such as Iron Treads, Terapagos, and Great Tusk can shut down these lead sets.
**Dark-types**: Deoxys-S can often struggle against common Dark-type foes, as it relies heavily on its STAB moves to deal the damage it desires and is forced to use the suboptimal Focus Blast or Superpower to hit them. Dark-types such as Ting-Lu, Hisuian Samurott, and Roaring Moon are all strong against Deoxys-S.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf2.608304/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/olivia.620359/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
