[OVERVIEW]
- Necrozma got some cool new moves in USUM, including new coverage options in moves such as Knock Off and Heat Wave.
- It also received an incredible new STAB move in Photon Geyser, which can be either physical or special, allowing it to run a variety of new sets effectively.
- Unfortunately, Necrozma is still held back by its godawful pure Psychic typing, which leaves it checked by common UU threats such as Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP/8 SpA/252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Stealth Rock allows Necrozma to support its team and damage foes that switch in, making them easier to wear down.
- Photon Geyser is a special move this time, but it's still a powerful and quite useful STAB attack.
- Heat Wave allows Necrozma to defeat Steel-types, which is useful since Scizor in particular could otherwise come in without fear and remove its hazards.
- Knock Off allows Necrozma to provide utility for its team by removing items from bulky Pokemon such as Alomomola, crippling them and making them easier to wear down.
Set Details
========
- 248 HP EVs maximize Necrozma's longevity, with Leftovers helping to keep it healthy throughout the match.
- Prism Armor is even more beneficial here, since it allows Necrozma to stay in the game for longer and provides it with more opportunities to set up Stealth Rock.
- 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allows Necrozma to be as fast as possible and get up its Stealth Rocks quickly.
Usage Tips
========
- Set up Rocks early-game
- Use your offensive moves primarily against Scizor and other Defoggers
- Again, stay away from Dark-types
Team Options
========
- Bulky Pokemon appreciate Stealth Rock support to wear down their checks easier
- Conversely, offensive Pokemon such as Heracross appreciate SR support to wear down bulky opponents like Blissey
- Clerical support is again important to help rid Necrozma of status. Heal Bell Mega Altaria can force out Dark-types with Pixilate Hyper Voice, so it makes a great teammate.
- Dark-types are still very threatening to Necrozma, so Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Mega Beedrill and Azumarill make great teammates for their ability to check them.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Knock Off/Stone Edge
item: Groundium Z
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk/4 SpD/252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Swords Dance is fairly self-explanatory, but it allows Necrozma to become a threatening physical attacker that can potentially 2HKO most of the tier.
- Because this Necrozma's Attack is higher than its Special Attack, Photon Geyser becomes a powerful physical STAB move.
- Earthquake breaks Steel-types such as Scizor and Mega Aggron, as well as Alolan Muk, that would otherwise shut this set down. A +2 Tectonic Rage off of Earthquake can potentially OHKO most Scizor sets.
- Knock Off provides extra utility with the ability to remove Life Orb to weaken stronger opponents like Serperior, or to remove passive recovery from bulky Pokemon such as Blissey. It also provides a way to hit Starmie super effectively and allows Necrozma to cripple Doublade.
- Stone Edge, while inaccurate, provides perfect coverage with Earthquake and can hit bulky Flying-types such as Mantine and Mandibuzz for greater damage.
Set Details
========
- Groundium Z allows turns Necrozma's Earthquake into a powerful Z-Move that can break past or at least weaken Steel-types such as Mega Aggron and Klefki.
- Prism Armor is Necrozma's only Ability, and is useful for surviving moves such as Scizor's U-Turn that would normally OHKO it.
- 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature ensures that Necrozma is as fast as possible, allowing it to outspeed max Speed Feraligatr and uninvested Heracross.
- 252 Attack EVs maximizes Necrozma's wallbreaking potential, allowing it to 2HKO a majority of the tier at +2.
Usage Tips
========
- Use as an early- to mid-game wallbreaker
- Set up on passive Pokemon such as Blissey
- Spam Photon Geyser
- Save your Z-Move for when you are up against a Steel-type such as Mega Aggron that can tank a Photon Geyser and won't take much from a standard EQ
- Stay away from Dark-types at all costs, as Necrozma won't be doing much to them with any of its moves (except maybe Earthquake).
Team Options
========
- Checks to Dark-types are important, since most Dark-types wall Necrozma unless it uses its Z-move. Primarina, Azumarill and Mega Altaria force out Dark-types with their powerful Fairy STAB attacks, so they make good teammates.
- Cleric support from the likes of Alomomola or Healing Wish Latias is appreciated to allow Necrozma to come in multiple times during the match, since this set lacks recovery.
- Late-game cleaners such as Zygarde-10% appreciate Necrozma's ability to clear away the bulky Pokemon that would completely wall them.
[SET]
Name: Choice Specs
Move 1: Photon Geyser
Move 2: Earth Power
Move 3: Heat Wave
Move 4: Signal Beam
Item: Choice Specs
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA/4 SpD/252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=============
Set Details
=============
Usage Tips
=============
Team Options
=============
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Calm Mind is an option since Necrozma does have quite a wide array of special coverage moves such as Earth Power and Heat Wave, plus an excellent STAB with Photon Geyser.
- Signal Beam provides the advantage of beating most Dark-types, while also granting Necrozma the ability to check other Psychic-types such as Latias.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Unless said Dark-types happen to be weak to one of Necrozma's coverage moves, they can completely shut it down. Bulkier Dark-types such as Mandibuzz can stall it out easily, while more offensive ones such as Hydreigon and Mega Absol can outspeed it and revenge kill it.
**Status**: Necrozma has no way to deal with being poisoned or burned, meaning Pokemon that can afflict it with these conditions such as Alolan Muk can check it quite easily.
- Necrozma got some cool new moves in USUM, including new coverage options in moves such as Knock Off and Heat Wave.
- It also received an incredible new STAB move in Photon Geyser, which can be either physical or special, allowing it to run a variety of new sets effectively.
- Unfortunately, Necrozma is still held back by its godawful pure Psychic typing, which leaves it checked by common UU threats such as Hydreigon and Mega Sharpedo.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Knock Off
item: Leftovers
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP/8 SpA/252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Stealth Rock allows Necrozma to support its team and damage foes that switch in, making them easier to wear down.
- Photon Geyser is a special move this time, but it's still a powerful and quite useful STAB attack.
- Heat Wave allows Necrozma to defeat Steel-types, which is useful since Scizor in particular could otherwise come in without fear and remove its hazards.
- Knock Off allows Necrozma to provide utility for its team by removing items from bulky Pokemon such as Alomomola, crippling them and making them easier to wear down.
Set Details
========
- 248 HP EVs maximize Necrozma's longevity, with Leftovers helping to keep it healthy throughout the match.
- Prism Armor is even more beneficial here, since it allows Necrozma to stay in the game for longer and provides it with more opportunities to set up Stealth Rock.
- 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allows Necrozma to be as fast as possible and get up its Stealth Rocks quickly.
Usage Tips
========
- Set up Rocks early-game
- Use your offensive moves primarily against Scizor and other Defoggers
- Again, stay away from Dark-types
Team Options
========
- Bulky Pokemon appreciate Stealth Rock support to wear down their checks easier
- Conversely, offensive Pokemon such as Heracross appreciate SR support to wear down bulky opponents like Blissey
- Clerical support is again important to help rid Necrozma of status. Heal Bell Mega Altaria can force out Dark-types with Pixilate Hyper Voice, so it makes a great teammate.
- Dark-types are still very threatening to Necrozma, so Pokemon such as Mega Altaria, Mega Beedrill and Azumarill make great teammates for their ability to check them.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Photon Geyser
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Knock Off/Stone Edge
item: Groundium Z
ability: Prism Armor
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk/4 SpD/252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Swords Dance is fairly self-explanatory, but it allows Necrozma to become a threatening physical attacker that can potentially 2HKO most of the tier.
- Because this Necrozma's Attack is higher than its Special Attack, Photon Geyser becomes a powerful physical STAB move.
- Earthquake breaks Steel-types such as Scizor and Mega Aggron, as well as Alolan Muk, that would otherwise shut this set down. A +2 Tectonic Rage off of Earthquake can potentially OHKO most Scizor sets.
- Knock Off provides extra utility with the ability to remove Life Orb to weaken stronger opponents like Serperior, or to remove passive recovery from bulky Pokemon such as Blissey. It also provides a way to hit Starmie super effectively and allows Necrozma to cripple Doublade.
- Stone Edge, while inaccurate, provides perfect coverage with Earthquake and can hit bulky Flying-types such as Mantine and Mandibuzz for greater damage.
Set Details
========
- Groundium Z allows turns Necrozma's Earthquake into a powerful Z-Move that can break past or at least weaken Steel-types such as Mega Aggron and Klefki.
- Prism Armor is Necrozma's only Ability, and is useful for surviving moves such as Scizor's U-Turn that would normally OHKO it.
- 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature ensures that Necrozma is as fast as possible, allowing it to outspeed max Speed Feraligatr and uninvested Heracross.
- 252 Attack EVs maximizes Necrozma's wallbreaking potential, allowing it to 2HKO a majority of the tier at +2.
Usage Tips
========
- Use as an early- to mid-game wallbreaker
- Set up on passive Pokemon such as Blissey
- Spam Photon Geyser
- Save your Z-Move for when you are up against a Steel-type such as Mega Aggron that can tank a Photon Geyser and won't take much from a standard EQ
- Stay away from Dark-types at all costs, as Necrozma won't be doing much to them with any of its moves (except maybe Earthquake).
Team Options
========
- Checks to Dark-types are important, since most Dark-types wall Necrozma unless it uses its Z-move. Primarina, Azumarill and Mega Altaria force out Dark-types with their powerful Fairy STAB attacks, so they make good teammates.
- Cleric support from the likes of Alomomola or Healing Wish Latias is appreciated to allow Necrozma to come in multiple times during the match, since this set lacks recovery.
- Late-game cleaners such as Zygarde-10% appreciate Necrozma's ability to clear away the bulky Pokemon that would completely wall them.
[SET]
Name: Choice Specs
Move 1: Photon Geyser
Move 2: Earth Power
Move 3: Heat Wave
Move 4: Signal Beam
Item: Choice Specs
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA/4 SpD/252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=============
Set Details
=============
Usage Tips
=============
Team Options
=============
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Calm Mind is an option since Necrozma does have quite a wide array of special coverage moves such as Earth Power and Heat Wave, plus an excellent STAB with Photon Geyser.
- Signal Beam provides the advantage of beating most Dark-types, while also granting Necrozma the ability to check other Psychic-types such as Latias.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Unless said Dark-types happen to be weak to one of Necrozma's coverage moves, they can completely shut it down. Bulkier Dark-types such as Mandibuzz can stall it out easily, while more offensive ones such as Hydreigon and Mega Absol can outspeed it and revenge kill it.
**Status**: Necrozma has no way to deal with being poisoned or burned, meaning Pokemon that can afflict it with these conditions such as Alolan Muk can check it quite easily.
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