Archen

[Golgi Body]

Archen

Notable Moves

Earthquake
Stone Edge
Rock Slide
Acrobatics
Agility
U-Turn
Pluck
Head Smash
Crunch
Dragon Claw
Hone Claws
Quick Attack
Roost

Let's talk about Archen. Above average speed and astonishing attack make this prehistoric bird a force to be reckoned with. His major flaw is Defeatist, which halves his Attack and Special Attack when his HP goes below 50%. Note that his Speed and Defenses stay the same, only his attacking stats go down.

Most people avoid pokemon with hindering abilities, but I am attracted to them. I feel it gives a bit more depth and fun to battling. Using Archen is sort of like a gamble. I use one on my LC sand team, and he is amazing. The set I use utilizes Agility and an Oran Berry to allow me to nab a boost, then regain health and sweep at +2. Archen at +2 reaches 32 speed, outspeeding the entire tier sans Chlorophyll and Swift Swim users.
As Enix pointed out, Archen does learn Roost in B/W2.

Bronzor, Ferroseed, and other defensive pokemon stop Archen pretty easily. Note that Ferroseed cannot take a boosted Acrobatics easily, and Slowpoke can be easily Crunched. Bronzor, however, resists all of Archen's attacks except for U-Turn. Priority-abusing Fighting types, like Timburr or Croagunk scare Archen pretty well, and can neuter the bird with a Mach Punch that takes it below 50%. If Archen can land an Acrobatics though, it can easily eliminate most Fighting-types. Archen also doesn't enjoy Stealth Rocks, like most Flying types.

At first glance, Archen seems like more trouble than it's worth, but with the right kind of support, he can sweep you 6-0 in the blink of an eye.

Possible Sets

Agility
Archen @ Oran Berry
Trait: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 196 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide

Choice Scarf
Archen @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 196 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- U-Turn
- Pluck

Eviolite
Archen @ Eviolite
Trait: Defeatist
Adamant Nature
EVs: 76 HP/ 180 Atk/ 196 Spe
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Roost
- Pluck / Earthquake
- U-turn / Stealth Rock

 

[Enix]

archen does learn roost in the bw2 update...

 

[Golgi Body]

:evan: Well thanks, I forgot smogon has not updated all of their articles, I should have checked Bulbapedia. Thanks!

 

[iss]

Archen is one of my favorite new Pokemon post-B/W2, as it pretty much is the best counter to Murkrow available. Archen plays like a mini-Gligar, being pretty much the best Stealth Rock user usable on balance teams as well as having Roost and Acrobatics. However, Defeatist really really hurts it. Although the Attack drop doesn't really matter that much, dropping into Defeatist pretty much forces a Roost, giving your opponent a free turn to do whatever they want. Also, its defenses are pretty bad, making Archen a pretty shaky utility check to things other than Murkrow and Drifloon.

Did you get this approved?

 

[Superpowerdude]

Archen is a rather unorthodox pokemon in Little Cup. With the proprer support Archen is capable of dealing alot of damage to the opposition with its base 112 attack which is insanely high in Little Cup and his great offensive movepool (Acrobatics, Earthqauke, Stone Edge). As iss pointed out Archen is one of the best Murkrow counters available, and the BW2 move tutors were quite friendly to Archen giving it two great non-damaging moves in Stealth Rock and Roost. However It is no secret that despite Archens monstorous stats and movepool he is not a top tier threat due to his ridicolous ability Defeatist. With Archen having a Stealth Rock weakness and Little Cup being such a priority filled metagame it is quite easy to knock Archen's health into "Defeatist activation." Unlike its evolution Archeops, Archen is a bit lucky that with it being level 5 in Little Cup Oran Berry serves a great purpose bringing its health back way out of half way. For that reason i would have to say that Agility Archen has to be my favourite set. As mentioned in the op Archen reaches 32 speed after an Agility boost and will usually not be hindered by Defeatist due to Oran Berry. From there Archen can sweep your opponents team late game. Aside from Defeatist another factor which really ruins Archens day is Bronzor. Bronzor is a very common Little Cup pokemon and can easily wall any Archen set. However Archen did recieve Heat Wave from the BW2 move tutor and it would be interasting if that was used much like it is used on Murkrow to nail Bronzor switch ins. Archen also has a decent 74 special attack making a mixed set sound quite cool, but the ability to not hold a Life Orb effectively would really hinder Archens use as a mixed attacker.

All in all i think Archen is a very underated Little Cup pokemon and it is one that can be quite effective with proper team support ( hazards, spinning, sand), but i must say i love its turtle bretheran Tirtouga much much more :D Although not really to important i also think that Stealth Rock deserves a mention in the OP after all it does have its uses despite Defeatist and you did mention it as one of the possible moves in the Evolite set.