Minority
Numquam Vincar
QC Checks: Nayrz | Miyoka | CKW
GP Checks: Fireflame479 | P Squared
Brimstone breath reserved for the steel-clad ignoramus who dares to think his miserable flesh will not char
[OVERVIEW]
* Necrozma-DM is the best and most versatile Steel-type, capable of fitting on a variety of teams with an unpredictable array of sets.
* It is arguably the most ironclad and viable Xerneas check around and can check a variety of other offensive Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and Ultra Necrozma.
* Necrozma-DM's defensive typing isn't great, but it is accentuated by solid natural bulk and reinforced by Prism Armor, making it difficult to OHKO.
* Necrozma-DM has a strong base 157 Attack that is reinforced by a powerful STAB combination, good coverage options, boosting moves, and an unrestricted item slot, limiting how much momentum it relinquishes on a defensive set and allowing it to fill a variety of offensive roles.
* It can OHKO almost every Pokemon in the tier when at +2 with Searing Sunraze Smash.
* Ultra Necrozma sets allow Necrozma-DM to instantly gain some Speed, shooting up to base 129, which rises above many key Pokemon such as Arceus and Marshadow.
* Access to reliable recovery, Stealth Rock, and Toxic help make Necrozma-DM a great defensive Pokemon.
* A Toxic immunity, a Stealth Rock resistance, and the ability to hold Leftovers really cut down on the opponent's capacity to rack up residual damage on Necrozma-DM.
* The offensive typings of both Necrozma-DM and Ultra Necrozma aren't very notable, and they are reliant on brute strength and Neuroforce-boosted coverage, respectively, to break defensive Pokemon.
* Necrozma-DM is weak to common offensive types such as Ground, Dark, Ghost, and Fire.
* Ultra Necrozma is rather susceptible to revenge killing, being weak to many common faster threats such as Choice Scarf Xerneas, Mega Gengar, Marshadow, and Yveltal.
* Necrozma-DM is slow when unboosted, allowing many strong and bulky threats to easily outspeed and dent it.
[SET]
name: Double Dance
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Sunsteel Strike
item: Solganium Z / Weakness Policy
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Adamant
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Rock Polish offsets one of Necrozma-DM's greatest offensive shortcomings, allowing it to outspeed the vast majority of offensive threats.
* Swords Dance backs up Necrozma-DM's excellent Attack, allowing it to break through and punish defensive Pokemon
* Earthquake is used to hit Primal Groudon and smacks several other Steel-resistant Pokemon such as opposing Necrozma-DM, Ferrothorn, and Toxapex.
* Sunsteel Strike is the strongest physical Steel-type move Necrozma-DM has available and blasts through abilities such as Multiscale.
* Stone Edge can be used in lieu of Earthquake or Swords Dance to hit Ho-Oh, which can otherwise be hard for this set to hit, and also smacks Yveltal a bit harder.
Set Details
========
* Solganium Z turns Sunsteel Strike into an absurdly powerful attack, capable of denting even strong Pokemon that resist it when boosted.
* Weakness Policy takes advantage of Necrozma-DM's natural bulk and Prism Armor, punishing foes that have to hit it via super effective attacks.
* 220 Speed EVs allow +2 Speed Necrozma-DM to outspeed Timid Choice Scarf Yveltal and below.
* An Adamant nature is the most efficient alongside 252 Attack EVs to maximize Necrozma-DM's wallbreaking ability.
* The remaining EVs are allotted to bulk to ease setup and help reduce the potential of being revenge killed.
* An EV spread of 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe allows +2 Necrozma-DM to have higher bulk but still outpace neutral-natured Choice Scarf Yveltal and below. This higher bulk is especially helpful when utilizing Weakness Policy and allows Necrozma-DM to have a better chance at surviving Precipice Blades from Double Dance Primal Groudon, Dark Pulse from Life Orb Yveltal, and super effective moves from Arceus formes.
Usage Tips
========
* As a bulky setup sweeper, this Pokemon can be somewhat selfish, but it can still fill several defensive roles before its eventual setup, such as pivoting into Toxic or resisted attacks or checking Fairy-types.
* It's not hard to find setup opportunities, especially against defensive teams, which nearly always have some kind of defensive Pokemon that struggles to punish Necrozma-DM.
* With that said, be wary of Will-O-Wisp and paralysis, especially from defensive Pokemon such as support Arceus that appear to be harmless to Necrozma-DM.
* Do not underestimate this set's bulk. In a pinch, Necrozma-DM can set up even against strong Pokemon with type advantages such as defensive Primal Groudon, defensive Yveltal, Arceus-Ground, and Excadrill, as well as against various coverage moves, especially when using Weakness Policy.
* As with many Z-Moves, Searing Sunraze Smash must be used carefully. No Pokemon is immune to Steel, but consider what you need damage on most, and don't be afraid to juggle some attacks as your opponent tries to shift through checks and bait the Z-Move.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock is essential offensive support that aids this set's ability to get past Ho-Oh. Setters common to offense teams include Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking potential against defensive teams.
* Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Yveltal, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O provide a pivot into Ground-type moves.
* Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Diancie cover Necrozma-DM's weakness to Dark-types.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Moonlight
move 4: Sunsteel Strike
item: Leftovers
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Necrozma-DM is a strong Stealth Rock setter, able to mess with a variety of anti-hazard Pokemon thanks to its typing, Toxic, and recovery.
* Toxic is this set's best punish option for bulky Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and support Arceus formes.
* Moonlight provides recovery to maintain staying power so that Pokemon can be checked and Stealth Rock can be set for the duration of the match.
* Sunsteel Strike is used to have a way of dishing out immediate damage and hits pretty hard even with no investment thanks to the move's strength and Necrozma-DM's good base Attack.
* Swords Dance can be used instead of Toxic to be more proactive at punishing defensive Pokemon.
Set Details
========
* Leftovers is used to increase Necrozma-DM's resistance to residual damage and makes it even harder for foes to 2HKO it.
* Maximum special bulk is used to check Fairy-types and support Arceus formes and ease the damage Pokemon such as Yveltal can inflict.
* An Adamant nature ensures that +1 Z-Geomancy Xerneas is always 3HKOed and may allow Necrozma-DM to 2HKO Mega Sableye.
Usage Tips
========
* Setting Stealth Rock is the fundamental role of this set and a way to punish the opposing team. Understand your opponent's team and how well their anti-hazard options match up against this set.
* In many cases, especially if Stealth Rock is still up, Toxic will be a better way to punish incoming threats.
* Keep a close eye on Necrozma-DM's health and what it takes from the opponent to OHKO or 2HKO it.
* Do not underestimate Necrozma-DM's bulk. Pokemon such as support Arceus-Ground will fail to 2HKO it outright and can be stalled. Even strong super effective attacks can be weathered and punished in a pinch.
* Conserve Sunsteel Strike's PP, and don't pointlessly throw it around. The same applies to Moonlight, which also has very low PP for a recovery move.
Team Options
========
* Ho-Oh checks such as Fire resistant Arceus formes, Zygarde-C, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Salamence are essential, as this set cannot punish incoming Ho-Oh much outside of Toxic.
* Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Yveltal, Giratina-O, Celesteela, Ho-Oh, and Lugia provide a pivot or check to incoming Ground attacks aimed at Necrozma-DM.
* Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Dianice cover Necrozma-DM's weakness to Dark-types.
* Dark-types such as Yveltal and Arceus-Dark cover Ghost-type attacks aimed at Necrozma-DM.
* Stallbreakers such as Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Rayquaza, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh benefit from Necrozma-DM's support and are needed to break through defensive teams.
* Trappers such as Mega Gengar and Gothitelle can permanently remove opposing anti-hazard support Pokemon.
* A second Stealth Rock setter can improve the team's overall hazard matchup, as the tier has a variety of options for hazard removal.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Moonlight / Trick Room
move 3: Sunsteel Strike
move 4: Earthquake
item: Solganium Z / Weakness Policy
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* This set focuses on Swords Dance and Necrozma-DM's pure offensive might and ability to bust through defensive Pokemon that rely on passive damage to wear foes down.
* Recovery via Moonlight grants resiliency, making it harder for defensive Pokemon to break Necrozma-DM before it breaks them.
* Trick Room is used as a pseudo-Rock Polish that is able to justify high bulk alongside Swords Dance, functioning as a great anti-offense technique.
* Sunsteel Strike is Necrozma-DM's strongest Steel-type move and breaks through abilities such as Multiscale.
* Earthquake is used to complement Sunsteel Strike, hitting Primal Groudon and Steel-types.
* Stone Edge can be used to hit Ho-Oh, which can otherwise be hard for this set to hit, and also smacks Yveltal a bit harder.
* Substitute allows Necrozma-DM to set up on Pokemon such as Celesteela and Ferrothorn while also making it more difficult to revenge kill.
Set Details
========
* Solganium Z turns Sunsteel Strike into an absurdly powerful attack, capable of denting even strong Pokemon that resist it when boosted.
* Weakness Policy takes advantage of Necrozma-DM's natural bulk and Prism Armor, punishing foes that have to hit it via super effective attacks.
* 252 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature maximize Necrozma-DM's wallbreaking ability.
* 252 Speed EVs are used to beat out the crowded, bulky base 99 Speed tier and below.
* Run an EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def with a Brave nature if using Trick Room.
Usage Tips
========
* This set operates very similarly to Double Dance sets but has slightly less bulk and can be better at creeping past bulky attackers.
* The best setup opportunities will usually be against defensive Pokemon, as they can struggle to punish Necrozma-DM.
* Be wary of Will-O-Wisp and paralysis, especially from defensive Pokemon that appear to be harmless to Necrozma-DM such as support Arceus.
* Depending on the Speed of Necrozma-DM's teammates, Trick Room should be used aggressively or in a pinch. Most of all, use this move to instantly rob the momentum from offensive teams.
* You must be keen on when to use Necrozma-DM's Z-Move. No Pokemon is immune to Steel, but consider what you need damage on most, and don't be afraid to juggle some attacks as your opponent tries to shift through checks and bait the Z-Move.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock is essential offensive support that aids this set's ability to get past Ho-Oh. Setters common to offense teams include Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking potential against defensive teams.
* Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Yveltal, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O provide a pivot into Ground-type moves.
* Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Diancie cover Necrozma-DM's weakness to Dark-types.
[SET]
name: Ultra Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Earthquake / Knock Off
move 4: Stone Edge / Sunsteel Strike / Brick Break
item: Ultranecrozium Z
ability: Neuroforce
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance makes use of Ultra Necrozma's good base Speed instead of having to set up with Rock Polish or set Trick Room.
* Photon Geyser is boosted by Swords Dance and hits many bulky Pokmeon that the other Swords Dance sets can struggle to hit such as Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, Arceus-Water, and Toxapex.
* Earthquake offers coverage against Steel-types.
* Knock Off is great for Steel-types that aren't hit hard by Earthquake and can really mess with defensive Pokemon
* Stone Edge hits Ho-Oh and Yveltal hard.
* Sunsteel Strike hits most Dark-types somewhat effectively, hits Xerneas, and functions as a STAB move when coming from Necrozma-DM.
* Brick Break is specialized coverage against Pokemon such as Arceus-Dark and Steel-types that are not particularly weak to Earthquake such as Ferrothorn.
Set Details
========
* Ultranecrozium Z is required to transform into Ultra Necrozma and turns Photon Geyser into Light That Burns the Sky, a move that annihilates everything except for Dark-types and bulk Pokemon that resist it.
* Maximum Speed is required to outspeed Marshadow, which would otherwise OHKO and steal boosts via Spectral Thief.
* The remaining EVs are used to raise Ultra Necrozma's Attack.
Usage Tips
========
* The set can be highly effective at bluffing Double Dance and Swords Dance Necrozma-DM sets. Use this to your advantage by convincing the opponent that their check is faster or surprising them with Photon Geyser.
* In addition to bluffing, use Necrozma-DM to help ease setting up with Swords Dance before using Ultra Burst, as Necrozma-DM is far bulkier and further protected by Prism Armor.
* Swords Dance can be used against most defensive Pokemon that lack the capacity to paralyze, burn, or phaze and against offensive Pokemon that are slower than Ultra Necrozma that also fail to OHKO it or Necrozma-DM.
* Once Necrozma-DM transforms into Ultra Necrozma, there is no going back. Make sure that you aren't reliant on Necrozma-DM in order to check an opposing Pokemon such as Xerneas.
* Light That Burns the Sky is very strong, but be mindful that it cannot be used until transforming into Ultra Necrozma. For this reason, it helps to eliminate Dark- and Steel-types prior to transforming through Ultra Burst so you can wreak havoc.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock is essential offensive support that aids this set's ability to get past Ho-Oh. Setters common to offense teams include Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking strength against defensive teams.
* Yveltal provides some nice defensive traits such as Dark- and Ghost-type resistances while also being able to damage several defensive Pokemon that may attempt to wall Ultra Necrozma.
* Xerneas provides a Dark-type resistance and an immunity to Dragon-type moves.
* Mega Salamence can provide a check to Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Offensive Arceus formes such as Swords Dance, Calm Mind, and all-out attacker sets pair best with this set's intentions.
* Tapu Lele provides Psychic Terrain support, allowing Photon Geyser to do absurd damage and protecting Ultra Necrozma from priority; a common method of revenge killing.
[SET]
name: Ultra Special Attacker
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Power Gem / Dragon Pulse
item: Ultranecrozium Z
ability: Neuroforce
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* This set opts to go for special attacks, making it potentially more disruptive and changing the types of checks that can perform well against it.
* Calm Mind is primarily to raise Special Attack but is useful for making it harder for special attackers to revenge kill Ultra Necrozma.
* Photon Geyser is the primary STAB move.
* Heat Wave is key for coverage over the Steel-types that resist Photon Geyser.
* Power Gem hits Ho-Oh hard and Yveltal rather well.
* Dragon Pulse can function as a secondary STAB move, generally hitting Dragon-types harder.
* Earth Power complements Heat Wave to hit other Steel-types and Primal Groudon a bit harder.
* Dark Pulse can mess with some Psychic-types and Giratina-O and fish for flinches.
Set Details
========
* Ultranecrozium Z is required to transform into Ultra Necrozma and turns Photon Geyser into Light That Burns the Sky, a move that annihilates everything except for Dark-types and bulky Pokemon that resist it.
* Maximum Speed is required to outspeed Marshadow.
* The remaining EVs are used to raise Ultra Necrozma's Special Attack.
Usage Tips
========
* It's difficult for this Pokemon to bluff other sets due to having the most distinct movepool, but being one of the rarer sets makes it easier to exploit your opponent's expectations.
* Calm Mind can be set up against most defensive Pokemon that lack the capacity to paralyze or phaze and against offensive Pokemon that are slower than Ultra Necrozma and fail to OHKO it or Necrozma-DM.
* Do not set up or aim for a sweep when the opponent has a Pokemon with higher base Speed. Scout Pokemon such as Xerneas and Yveltal for Choice Scarf or Sucker Punch before attempting a sweep.
* You may boost with Calm Mind and break intermittently if the momentum allows you to dispose of a key defensive Pokemon before Necrozma-DM is revenge killed.
* Do not be too eager to transform Necrozma-DM. It is much easier to set up with Calm Mind as Necrozma-DM.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock from setters such as Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga is essential offensive support.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking strength against defensive teams.
* Yveltal provides some nice defensive traits such as Dark- and Ghost-type resistances while also being able to damage several defensive Pokemon that may attempt to wall Ultra Necrozma such as opposing Necrozma-DM, Giratina-O, Lugia, and Lunala.
* Xerneas provides a Dark-type resistance and an immunity to Dragon-type moves.
* Mega Salamence provides a check to Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Offensive Arceus formes such as Swords Dance, Calm Mind, and all-out attacker sets pair best with this set's intentions
* Tapu Lele provides Psychic Terrain support, allowing Photon Geyser to do absurd damage and protecting Ultra Necrozma from priority.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Photon Geyser on the Swords Dance set functions as a secondary STAB move, allowing Necrozma-DM to smack several Pokemon that it can otherwise struggle with such as Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Arceus-Water.
* Solganium Z can be utilized on the support set in order to yield less momentum, which can be especially helpful against Pokemon such as Gothitelle.
* Flash Cannon can be used on the Calm Mind set to hit some Fairy- and Rock-types a bit better.
* Psyshock hits Blissey and Chansey better than Photon Geyser, but it doesn't do much else.
* Outrage can be used on Swords Dance Ultra Necrozma, but it is a bad move to be locked into.
* Calm Mind with Stored Power can be used with a bulky Necrozma-DM in order to stockpile boosts and clean, but this lacks immediate power and is generally much easier to wall.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ho-Oh**: Although it dislikes Toxic, Stone Edge, and a boosted Z-Move, Ho-Oh is generally a good check to Necrozma-DM. Ultra Necrozma has a better shot and busting through it but is reliant on boosted attacks or Power Gem.
**Primal Groudon**: Although Necrozma-DM and Ultra Necrozma have options for smacking Primal Groudon, it's the most common Steel-resistant Pokemon in the tier and has many ways to destroy both formes. With that said, Primal Groudon doesn't handle Earthquake very well and loses one-on-one against Ultra Necrozma.
**Arceus-Ground**: Support Necrozma-DM can potentially outlast support Arceus-Ground, but offensive sets can dent or even OHKO Necrozma-DM under certain circumstances. Be aware that Searing Sunraze Smash can OHKO Arceus-Ground from a Speed-boosted Necrozma-DM, and Ultra Necrozma is faster.
**Primal Kyogre**: With a resistance to Steel and good natural bulk, Primal Kyogre can be tough for certain Necrozma-DM sets to handle and can hit back with strong rain-boosted Water-type moves. However, a boosted Searing Sunraze Smash can KO most Primal Kyogre sets.
**Bulky Water-types**: Support Arceus-Water and Mega Slowbro are some of the only Pokemon capable of surviving +2 Searing Sunraze Smash, and they can hit back with Water-type moves or burns.
**Zygarde-C**: Glare can prove irritating to Necrozma-DM, as it doesn't have a good way to immediately smack Zygarde-C. Zygarde-C can also threaten Necrozma-DM via setup and Thousand Arrows but is OHKOed by boosted Searing Sunraze Smash as regular Zygarde.
**Bulky Dark-types**: Yveltal and Arceus-Dark have the strength, type advantage, and bulk to weather some of what Necrozma-DM can throw at them and hit back hard.
**Steel-types**: Pokemon such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Dialga, Excadrill, and Skarmory can perform well against Necrozma-DM and Ultra Necrozma sets. However, some of these Pokemon become setup bait versus Swords Dance Necrozma-DM.
**Revenge Killers**: Pokemon such as Mega Gengar and Marshadow can be strong revenge killers to Necrozma-DM. Ultra Necrozma can be revenge killed by Choice Scarf Xerneas, Yveltal sets, Mega Gengar, Marshadow, Lunala, and even Pokemon such as Mewtwo and Deoxys-A.
**Burns**: Necrozma-DM's ability to resist residual damage is greatly reduced when burned, and it becomes much easier to wall due to its neutered Sunsteel Strike.
GP Checks: Fireflame479 | P Squared
Brimstone breath reserved for the steel-clad ignoramus who dares to think his miserable flesh will not char
[OVERVIEW]
* Necrozma-DM is the best and most versatile Steel-type, capable of fitting on a variety of teams with an unpredictable array of sets.
* It is arguably the most ironclad and viable Xerneas check around and can check a variety of other offensive Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and Ultra Necrozma.
* Necrozma-DM's defensive typing isn't great, but it is accentuated by solid natural bulk and reinforced by Prism Armor, making it difficult to OHKO.
* Necrozma-DM has a strong base 157 Attack that is reinforced by a powerful STAB combination, good coverage options, boosting moves, and an unrestricted item slot, limiting how much momentum it relinquishes on a defensive set and allowing it to fill a variety of offensive roles.
* It can OHKO almost every Pokemon in the tier when at +2 with Searing Sunraze Smash.
* Ultra Necrozma sets allow Necrozma-DM to instantly gain some Speed, shooting up to base 129, which rises above many key Pokemon such as Arceus and Marshadow.
* Access to reliable recovery, Stealth Rock, and Toxic help make Necrozma-DM a great defensive Pokemon.
* A Toxic immunity, a Stealth Rock resistance, and the ability to hold Leftovers really cut down on the opponent's capacity to rack up residual damage on Necrozma-DM.
* The offensive typings of both Necrozma-DM and Ultra Necrozma aren't very notable, and they are reliant on brute strength and Neuroforce-boosted coverage, respectively, to break defensive Pokemon.
* Necrozma-DM is weak to common offensive types such as Ground, Dark, Ghost, and Fire.
* Ultra Necrozma is rather susceptible to revenge killing, being weak to many common faster threats such as Choice Scarf Xerneas, Mega Gengar, Marshadow, and Yveltal.
* Necrozma-DM is slow when unboosted, allowing many strong and bulky threats to easily outspeed and dent it.
[SET]
name: Double Dance
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Sunsteel Strike
item: Solganium Z / Weakness Policy
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Adamant
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Rock Polish offsets one of Necrozma-DM's greatest offensive shortcomings, allowing it to outspeed the vast majority of offensive threats.
* Swords Dance backs up Necrozma-DM's excellent Attack, allowing it to break through and punish defensive Pokemon
* Earthquake is used to hit Primal Groudon and smacks several other Steel-resistant Pokemon such as opposing Necrozma-DM, Ferrothorn, and Toxapex.
* Sunsteel Strike is the strongest physical Steel-type move Necrozma-DM has available and blasts through abilities such as Multiscale.
* Stone Edge can be used in lieu of Earthquake or Swords Dance to hit Ho-Oh, which can otherwise be hard for this set to hit, and also smacks Yveltal a bit harder.
Set Details
========
* Solganium Z turns Sunsteel Strike into an absurdly powerful attack, capable of denting even strong Pokemon that resist it when boosted.
* Weakness Policy takes advantage of Necrozma-DM's natural bulk and Prism Armor, punishing foes that have to hit it via super effective attacks.
* 220 Speed EVs allow +2 Speed Necrozma-DM to outspeed Timid Choice Scarf Yveltal and below.
* An Adamant nature is the most efficient alongside 252 Attack EVs to maximize Necrozma-DM's wallbreaking ability.
* The remaining EVs are allotted to bulk to ease setup and help reduce the potential of being revenge killed.
* An EV spread of 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe allows +2 Necrozma-DM to have higher bulk but still outpace neutral-natured Choice Scarf Yveltal and below. This higher bulk is especially helpful when utilizing Weakness Policy and allows Necrozma-DM to have a better chance at surviving Precipice Blades from Double Dance Primal Groudon, Dark Pulse from Life Orb Yveltal, and super effective moves from Arceus formes.
Usage Tips
========
* As a bulky setup sweeper, this Pokemon can be somewhat selfish, but it can still fill several defensive roles before its eventual setup, such as pivoting into Toxic or resisted attacks or checking Fairy-types.
* It's not hard to find setup opportunities, especially against defensive teams, which nearly always have some kind of defensive Pokemon that struggles to punish Necrozma-DM.
* With that said, be wary of Will-O-Wisp and paralysis, especially from defensive Pokemon such as support Arceus that appear to be harmless to Necrozma-DM.
* Do not underestimate this set's bulk. In a pinch, Necrozma-DM can set up even against strong Pokemon with type advantages such as defensive Primal Groudon, defensive Yveltal, Arceus-Ground, and Excadrill, as well as against various coverage moves, especially when using Weakness Policy.
* As with many Z-Moves, Searing Sunraze Smash must be used carefully. No Pokemon is immune to Steel, but consider what you need damage on most, and don't be afraid to juggle some attacks as your opponent tries to shift through checks and bait the Z-Move.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock is essential offensive support that aids this set's ability to get past Ho-Oh. Setters common to offense teams include Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking potential against defensive teams.
* Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Yveltal, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O provide a pivot into Ground-type moves.
* Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Diancie cover Necrozma-DM's weakness to Dark-types.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Moonlight
move 4: Sunsteel Strike
item: Leftovers
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Necrozma-DM is a strong Stealth Rock setter, able to mess with a variety of anti-hazard Pokemon thanks to its typing, Toxic, and recovery.
* Toxic is this set's best punish option for bulky Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and support Arceus formes.
* Moonlight provides recovery to maintain staying power so that Pokemon can be checked and Stealth Rock can be set for the duration of the match.
* Sunsteel Strike is used to have a way of dishing out immediate damage and hits pretty hard even with no investment thanks to the move's strength and Necrozma-DM's good base Attack.
* Swords Dance can be used instead of Toxic to be more proactive at punishing defensive Pokemon.
Set Details
========
* Leftovers is used to increase Necrozma-DM's resistance to residual damage and makes it even harder for foes to 2HKO it.
* Maximum special bulk is used to check Fairy-types and support Arceus formes and ease the damage Pokemon such as Yveltal can inflict.
* An Adamant nature ensures that +1 Z-Geomancy Xerneas is always 3HKOed and may allow Necrozma-DM to 2HKO Mega Sableye.
Usage Tips
========
* Setting Stealth Rock is the fundamental role of this set and a way to punish the opposing team. Understand your opponent's team and how well their anti-hazard options match up against this set.
* In many cases, especially if Stealth Rock is still up, Toxic will be a better way to punish incoming threats.
* Keep a close eye on Necrozma-DM's health and what it takes from the opponent to OHKO or 2HKO it.
* Do not underestimate Necrozma-DM's bulk. Pokemon such as support Arceus-Ground will fail to 2HKO it outright and can be stalled. Even strong super effective attacks can be weathered and punished in a pinch.
* Conserve Sunsteel Strike's PP, and don't pointlessly throw it around. The same applies to Moonlight, which also has very low PP for a recovery move.
Team Options
========
* Ho-Oh checks such as Fire resistant Arceus formes, Zygarde-C, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Salamence are essential, as this set cannot punish incoming Ho-Oh much outside of Toxic.
* Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Yveltal, Giratina-O, Celesteela, Ho-Oh, and Lugia provide a pivot or check to incoming Ground attacks aimed at Necrozma-DM.
* Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Dianice cover Necrozma-DM's weakness to Dark-types.
* Dark-types such as Yveltal and Arceus-Dark cover Ghost-type attacks aimed at Necrozma-DM.
* Stallbreakers such as Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Rayquaza, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh benefit from Necrozma-DM's support and are needed to break through defensive teams.
* Trappers such as Mega Gengar and Gothitelle can permanently remove opposing anti-hazard support Pokemon.
* A second Stealth Rock setter can improve the team's overall hazard matchup, as the tier has a variety of options for hazard removal.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Moonlight / Trick Room
move 3: Sunsteel Strike
move 4: Earthquake
item: Solganium Z / Weakness Policy
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* This set focuses on Swords Dance and Necrozma-DM's pure offensive might and ability to bust through defensive Pokemon that rely on passive damage to wear foes down.
* Recovery via Moonlight grants resiliency, making it harder for defensive Pokemon to break Necrozma-DM before it breaks them.
* Trick Room is used as a pseudo-Rock Polish that is able to justify high bulk alongside Swords Dance, functioning as a great anti-offense technique.
* Sunsteel Strike is Necrozma-DM's strongest Steel-type move and breaks through abilities such as Multiscale.
* Earthquake is used to complement Sunsteel Strike, hitting Primal Groudon and Steel-types.
* Stone Edge can be used to hit Ho-Oh, which can otherwise be hard for this set to hit, and also smacks Yveltal a bit harder.
* Substitute allows Necrozma-DM to set up on Pokemon such as Celesteela and Ferrothorn while also making it more difficult to revenge kill.
Set Details
========
* Solganium Z turns Sunsteel Strike into an absurdly powerful attack, capable of denting even strong Pokemon that resist it when boosted.
* Weakness Policy takes advantage of Necrozma-DM's natural bulk and Prism Armor, punishing foes that have to hit it via super effective attacks.
* 252 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature maximize Necrozma-DM's wallbreaking ability.
* 252 Speed EVs are used to beat out the crowded, bulky base 99 Speed tier and below.
* Run an EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def with a Brave nature if using Trick Room.
Usage Tips
========
* This set operates very similarly to Double Dance sets but has slightly less bulk and can be better at creeping past bulky attackers.
* The best setup opportunities will usually be against defensive Pokemon, as they can struggle to punish Necrozma-DM.
* Be wary of Will-O-Wisp and paralysis, especially from defensive Pokemon that appear to be harmless to Necrozma-DM such as support Arceus.
* Depending on the Speed of Necrozma-DM's teammates, Trick Room should be used aggressively or in a pinch. Most of all, use this move to instantly rob the momentum from offensive teams.
* You must be keen on when to use Necrozma-DM's Z-Move. No Pokemon is immune to Steel, but consider what you need damage on most, and don't be afraid to juggle some attacks as your opponent tries to shift through checks and bait the Z-Move.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock is essential offensive support that aids this set's ability to get past Ho-Oh. Setters common to offense teams include Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking potential against defensive teams.
* Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Yveltal, Rayquaza, and Giratina-O provide a pivot into Ground-type moves.
* Fairy-types such as Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Diancie cover Necrozma-DM's weakness to Dark-types.
[SET]
name: Ultra Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Earthquake / Knock Off
move 4: Stone Edge / Sunsteel Strike / Brick Break
item: Ultranecrozium Z
ability: Neuroforce
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance makes use of Ultra Necrozma's good base Speed instead of having to set up with Rock Polish or set Trick Room.
* Photon Geyser is boosted by Swords Dance and hits many bulky Pokmeon that the other Swords Dance sets can struggle to hit such as Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, Arceus-Water, and Toxapex.
* Earthquake offers coverage against Steel-types.
* Knock Off is great for Steel-types that aren't hit hard by Earthquake and can really mess with defensive Pokemon
* Stone Edge hits Ho-Oh and Yveltal hard.
* Sunsteel Strike hits most Dark-types somewhat effectively, hits Xerneas, and functions as a STAB move when coming from Necrozma-DM.
* Brick Break is specialized coverage against Pokemon such as Arceus-Dark and Steel-types that are not particularly weak to Earthquake such as Ferrothorn.
Set Details
========
* Ultranecrozium Z is required to transform into Ultra Necrozma and turns Photon Geyser into Light That Burns the Sky, a move that annihilates everything except for Dark-types and bulk Pokemon that resist it.
* Maximum Speed is required to outspeed Marshadow, which would otherwise OHKO and steal boosts via Spectral Thief.
* The remaining EVs are used to raise Ultra Necrozma's Attack.
Usage Tips
========
* The set can be highly effective at bluffing Double Dance and Swords Dance Necrozma-DM sets. Use this to your advantage by convincing the opponent that their check is faster or surprising them with Photon Geyser.
* In addition to bluffing, use Necrozma-DM to help ease setting up with Swords Dance before using Ultra Burst, as Necrozma-DM is far bulkier and further protected by Prism Armor.
* Swords Dance can be used against most defensive Pokemon that lack the capacity to paralyze, burn, or phaze and against offensive Pokemon that are slower than Ultra Necrozma that also fail to OHKO it or Necrozma-DM.
* Once Necrozma-DM transforms into Ultra Necrozma, there is no going back. Make sure that you aren't reliant on Necrozma-DM in order to check an opposing Pokemon such as Xerneas.
* Light That Burns the Sky is very strong, but be mindful that it cannot be used until transforming into Ultra Necrozma. For this reason, it helps to eliminate Dark- and Steel-types prior to transforming through Ultra Burst so you can wreak havoc.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock is essential offensive support that aids this set's ability to get past Ho-Oh. Setters common to offense teams include Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking strength against defensive teams.
* Yveltal provides some nice defensive traits such as Dark- and Ghost-type resistances while also being able to damage several defensive Pokemon that may attempt to wall Ultra Necrozma.
* Xerneas provides a Dark-type resistance and an immunity to Dragon-type moves.
* Mega Salamence can provide a check to Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Offensive Arceus formes such as Swords Dance, Calm Mind, and all-out attacker sets pair best with this set's intentions.
* Tapu Lele provides Psychic Terrain support, allowing Photon Geyser to do absurd damage and protecting Ultra Necrozma from priority; a common method of revenge killing.
[SET]
name: Ultra Special Attacker
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Power Gem / Dragon Pulse
item: Ultranecrozium Z
ability: Neuroforce
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* This set opts to go for special attacks, making it potentially more disruptive and changing the types of checks that can perform well against it.
* Calm Mind is primarily to raise Special Attack but is useful for making it harder for special attackers to revenge kill Ultra Necrozma.
* Photon Geyser is the primary STAB move.
* Heat Wave is key for coverage over the Steel-types that resist Photon Geyser.
* Power Gem hits Ho-Oh hard and Yveltal rather well.
* Dragon Pulse can function as a secondary STAB move, generally hitting Dragon-types harder.
* Earth Power complements Heat Wave to hit other Steel-types and Primal Groudon a bit harder.
* Dark Pulse can mess with some Psychic-types and Giratina-O and fish for flinches.
Set Details
========
* Ultranecrozium Z is required to transform into Ultra Necrozma and turns Photon Geyser into Light That Burns the Sky, a move that annihilates everything except for Dark-types and bulky Pokemon that resist it.
* Maximum Speed is required to outspeed Marshadow.
* The remaining EVs are used to raise Ultra Necrozma's Special Attack.
Usage Tips
========
* It's difficult for this Pokemon to bluff other sets due to having the most distinct movepool, but being one of the rarer sets makes it easier to exploit your opponent's expectations.
* Calm Mind can be set up against most defensive Pokemon that lack the capacity to paralyze or phaze and against offensive Pokemon that are slower than Ultra Necrozma and fail to OHKO it or Necrozma-DM.
* Do not set up or aim for a sweep when the opponent has a Pokemon with higher base Speed. Scout Pokemon such as Xerneas and Yveltal for Choice Scarf or Sucker Punch before attempting a sweep.
* You may boost with Calm Mind and break intermittently if the momentum allows you to dispose of a key defensive Pokemon before Necrozma-DM is revenge killed.
* Do not be too eager to transform Necrozma-DM. It is much easier to set up with Calm Mind as Necrozma-DM.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock from setters such as Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, and Dialga is essential offensive support.
* Anti-offense Pokemon such as Marshadow, Choice Scarf users, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon complement this set's wallbreaking strength against defensive teams.
* Yveltal provides some nice defensive traits such as Dark- and Ghost-type resistances while also being able to damage several defensive Pokemon that may attempt to wall Ultra Necrozma such as opposing Necrozma-DM, Giratina-O, Lugia, and Lunala.
* Xerneas provides a Dark-type resistance and an immunity to Dragon-type moves.
* Mega Salamence provides a check to Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Offensive Arceus formes such as Swords Dance, Calm Mind, and all-out attacker sets pair best with this set's intentions
* Tapu Lele provides Psychic Terrain support, allowing Photon Geyser to do absurd damage and protecting Ultra Necrozma from priority.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Photon Geyser on the Swords Dance set functions as a secondary STAB move, allowing Necrozma-DM to smack several Pokemon that it can otherwise struggle with such as Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Arceus-Water.
* Solganium Z can be utilized on the support set in order to yield less momentum, which can be especially helpful against Pokemon such as Gothitelle.
* Flash Cannon can be used on the Calm Mind set to hit some Fairy- and Rock-types a bit better.
* Psyshock hits Blissey and Chansey better than Photon Geyser, but it doesn't do much else.
* Outrage can be used on Swords Dance Ultra Necrozma, but it is a bad move to be locked into.
* Calm Mind with Stored Power can be used with a bulky Necrozma-DM in order to stockpile boosts and clean, but this lacks immediate power and is generally much easier to wall.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ho-Oh**: Although it dislikes Toxic, Stone Edge, and a boosted Z-Move, Ho-Oh is generally a good check to Necrozma-DM. Ultra Necrozma has a better shot and busting through it but is reliant on boosted attacks or Power Gem.
**Primal Groudon**: Although Necrozma-DM and Ultra Necrozma have options for smacking Primal Groudon, it's the most common Steel-resistant Pokemon in the tier and has many ways to destroy both formes. With that said, Primal Groudon doesn't handle Earthquake very well and loses one-on-one against Ultra Necrozma.
**Arceus-Ground**: Support Necrozma-DM can potentially outlast support Arceus-Ground, but offensive sets can dent or even OHKO Necrozma-DM under certain circumstances. Be aware that Searing Sunraze Smash can OHKO Arceus-Ground from a Speed-boosted Necrozma-DM, and Ultra Necrozma is faster.
**Primal Kyogre**: With a resistance to Steel and good natural bulk, Primal Kyogre can be tough for certain Necrozma-DM sets to handle and can hit back with strong rain-boosted Water-type moves. However, a boosted Searing Sunraze Smash can KO most Primal Kyogre sets.
**Bulky Water-types**: Support Arceus-Water and Mega Slowbro are some of the only Pokemon capable of surviving +2 Searing Sunraze Smash, and they can hit back with Water-type moves or burns.
**Zygarde-C**: Glare can prove irritating to Necrozma-DM, as it doesn't have a good way to immediately smack Zygarde-C. Zygarde-C can also threaten Necrozma-DM via setup and Thousand Arrows but is OHKOed by boosted Searing Sunraze Smash as regular Zygarde.
**Bulky Dark-types**: Yveltal and Arceus-Dark have the strength, type advantage, and bulk to weather some of what Necrozma-DM can throw at them and hit back hard.
**Steel-types**: Pokemon such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, Dialga, Excadrill, and Skarmory can perform well against Necrozma-DM and Ultra Necrozma sets. However, some of these Pokemon become setup bait versus Swords Dance Necrozma-DM.
**Revenge Killers**: Pokemon such as Mega Gengar and Marshadow can be strong revenge killers to Necrozma-DM. Ultra Necrozma can be revenge killed by Choice Scarf Xerneas, Yveltal sets, Mega Gengar, Marshadow, Lunala, and even Pokemon such as Mewtwo and Deoxys-A.
**Burns**: Necrozma-DM's ability to resist residual damage is greatly reduced when burned, and it becomes much easier to wall due to its neutered Sunsteel Strike.
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