destroyer of teams... and my free time
QC 3/3 (DMDW, Cynara, Serial EKiller)
GP 2/2 (A Cake Wearing A Hat, frenzyplant)
[OVERVIEW]
* Yveltal is a commonly seen and versatile powerhouse in the tier that is capable of filling multiple different roles as a result of great attributes such as its stat distribution, typing, and damage-boosting ability, with an expansive movepool to complement all of these traits.
* Offensively, Yveltal is a very strong wallbreaker that can easily fit into offensive teams thanks to its difficult-to-handle STAB attacks, which are able to 2HKO a large amount of the tier on their own, leaving a lot of room for customization based on the team structure it is selected for.
* Yveltal is also one of the best offensive checks to many of the metagame's most threatening Pokemon, such as Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Marshadow. It is difficult for Yveltal to be of little use in battle even with offensive sets, as it adds much-needed role compression to offensive teams. Defensive sets further improve on Yveltal's ability to handle top threats and provide utility to bulkier teams.
* Yveltal's versatility allows it to be a wallbreaker, a Choice Scarf revenge killer, a dedicated stallbreaker, or even a physical wall.
* While base 99 Speed is sufficient for wallbreaking purposes, Yveltal tends to be reliant on its reasonable bulk, hit-and-run strategies, Sucker Punch, or a Choice Scarf set to avoid being revenge killed or dealt with by faster Pokemon, as many teams have a faster attacker than Yveltal that can get the better of it.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Oblivion Wing
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Sucker Punch / Toxic
item: Life Orb
ability: Dark Aura
nature: Mild
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Dark Pulse is Yveltal's primary attack. With Life Orb, Dark Aura, and a Special Attack-boosting nature, it is strong enough to 2HKO foes as bulky as support Arceus formes neutral to the move, making it a fearsome wallbreaker and forcing teams to pack a Dark-resistant Pokemon or a special wall that can handle the attack.
* Oblivion Wing has great neutral coverage alongside Dark Pulse, hitting Fairy-type switch-ins such as Xerneas for a 2HKO. Oblivion Wing also heals 75% of the damage dealt, which comes in handy to counteract the residual damage from weak attacks, status, Life Orb recoil, and Stealth Rock.
* Taunt prevents the usage of status moves against Yveltal's team, making it easier to break through bulky targets that cannot effectively deal with Yveltal's damage output. It is also helpful against offensive teams, preventing offensive Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Xerneas from using Yveltal as a setup target so that teammates can better handle them, or making a Taunted target a setup opportunity for a teammate. Taunt and Oblivion Wing can be enough to win a duel against some support Arceus formes.
* Sucker Punch further increases Yveltal's offensive abilities by letting it get the first hit in against would-be revenge killers such as Mega Gengar and adds a useful priority attack to support its team against faster threats, such as Ultra Necrozma and boosted Double Dance Necrozma-DM. Taunt and Sucker Punch can be a potent combination and can force mind games against targets if Yveltal is weakened.
* Toxic is a viable alternative to Sucker Punch that takes advantage of the many switches Yveltal can force in order to poison difficult-to-break checks such as Arceus-Dark, Tyranitar, and Arceus-Fairy, weakening their effectiveness as consistent Yveltal switch-ins over the course of the match.
* Knock Off is another viable option that gives this Yveltal variant an easier time against Ho-Oh, breaks through Chansey and Blissey more quickly, and removes most common items used on switch-ins such as Magearna and Xerneas.
* Heat Wave is a viable option to eliminate Magearna as a check, which can also help teammates such as Xerneas. Repeated use of Dark Pulse can weaken Magearna enough for it to be KOed by a surprise Heat Wave. Heat Wave also has the ability to immediately OHKO Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, avoiding a retaliation, as Dark Pulse 2HKOes them.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack investment with a Special Attack-boosting nature gives Yveltal maximum wallbreaking potential and reaches key damage benchmarks against various Arceus formes and Xerneas.
* Maximum Speed investment gets the most out of Yveltal's Speed tier, letting it outspeed threats such as Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Necrozma-DM.
* The choice of nature is an important decision to make with Life Orb Yveltal. Special Attack-boosting natures are optimal for damage output, as this set is intended to be a wallbreaker and the usage of Sucker Punch means that Speed-boosting natures are not as important. Speed-boosting natures can be useful on sets lacking Sucker Punch, as Yveltal can then outspeed Timid Lunala and Jolly Rayquaza to hit them first.
* By reducing Yveltal's Defense stat with the usage of a Mild or Hasty nature, Yveltal is more susceptible to getting OHKOed by Rayquaza, Marshadow, and physical Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage. Ultra Necrozma and Primal Groudon also gain better odds to OHKO Yveltal from full HP with Stone Edge.
* By reducing Yveltal's Special Defense stat with the usage of a Rash or Naive nature, the matchup against support Arceus formes becomes more difficult, and Yveltal's ability to offensively check Mewtwo, Giratina-O, and special variants of Primal Groudon comes with an increased risk of getting KOed.
* Life Orb is the best item to increase Yveltal's overall damage output while retaining the flexibility of switching moves, which is an important aspect behind Yveltal's threat level.
Usage Tips
========
* Life Orb Yveltal aims to break down the enemy team while providing an offensive check to threats such as Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Marshadow.
* Yveltal can find room to switch in against Ground- and Ghost-type moves or on predicted moves that don't pressure it, such as entry hazards and recovery moves.
* Keeping Yveltal sets with Sucker Punch around can be very helpful to stop setup sweepers from taking over the match. Ultra Necrozma and Mewtwo have a hard time sweeping any team with a Sucker Punch Yveltal ready to revenge kill them. Having Sucker Punch available to take down a weakened Double Dance Necrozma-DM can also save a game.
* Yveltal's matchup against most of the metagame is favorable, making it a good candidate to lead with to force the opponent to act defensively. However, this isn't a foolproof plan, as the opponent can lead with a check to Yveltal.
* Support Arceus formes can be difficult for Yveltal to overcome, depending on the forme. Arceus-Fairy is the hardest for Yveltal to take down and is best hit on the switch with an attack or Toxic before switching to a suitable teammate. Arceus-Dark, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Ground can be beaten under the right conditions, such as afflicting them with Taunt on the switch and recovering any damage with repeated use of Oblivion Wing.
* Dark Pulse is generally a safe option to use to wear down checks. Oblivion Wing is best used when Yveltal is low on health or when you predict the opponent to switch to a Dark-resistant Pokemon. Taunt is best used on defensive Pokemon to prevent entry hazards, recovery options, and status moves, but it can be used to stop a setup sweeper that Yveltal's team would be unable to handle if Yveltal switched out. Taunt + Oblivion Wing is a potent combination to sustain Yveltal and win in matchups against defensive threats. Yveltal can also use Taunt in a sacrificial way to give a teammate a free chance to set up.
* If there are no obvious Yveltal checks in Team Preview, it is likely that the opponent's unrevealed Arceus forme is capable of checking Yveltal in some way, so keep an eye out.
* In Yveltal mirror matchups, note that the slower Yveltal will usually come out on top due to receiving Oblivion Wing recovery after draining the enemy Yveltal's HP.
* While Yveltal can take advantage of Primal Groudon's use of Stealth Rock or Precipice Blades, it can still be a very risky matchup. Primal Groudon's coverage moves such as Rock Tomb, Stone Edge, and Overheat can put an aggressive Yveltal in a very bad situation, most likely leading to its KO.
Team Options
========
* Life Orb Yveltal best fits teams of an offensive nature, as it is an offensive Ground-immune Pokemon with difficult-to-handle attacks and a possible priority move.
* Primal Groudon stands out as an excellent partner, with many variants of it able to assist Yveltal and vice versa. Generally, Primal Groudon puts pressure onto the Fairy- and Rock-type Pokemon that can scare Yveltal, while Yveltal heavily threatens Primal Groudon's defensive checks such as Lugia and Giratina. Stealth Rock variants of Primal Groudon appreciate Yveltal's ability to pressure Defog users, while more offensive sets can break through the many support Arceus formes that trouble Yveltal.
* Necrozma-DM is another excellent partner that can create a potent core with Primal Groudon involved. Necrozma-DM adds additional offensive pressure and security against Fairy-types, while Yveltal can handle Dark-, Ground-, and Ghost-type attacks directed at Necrozma-DM. Necrozma-DM can also act as a Stealth Rock setter with the longevity to repeatedly take on Fairy-type threats for Yveltal.
* Xerneas adds additional wallbreaking pressure to Yveltal's team. Geomancy variants appreciate Yveltal's ability to chip away at Magearna while also threatening Necrozma-DM and Primal Groudon. Choice Scarf Xerneas offers revenge killing utility against Pokemon such as Marshadow and Ultra Necrozma along with cleric support, meaning Yveltal isn't as hard pressed to offensively check them with Sucker Punch.
* Mega Gengar can trap and remove Yveltal's biggest check in Arceus-Fairy while also threatening to trap many other support Arceus formes. It can also revenge kill Ultra Necrozma, which is helpful on teams where Yveltal opts for Toxic over Sucker Punch.
* Extreme Killer Arceus benefits offensive teams greatly by adding additional priority and therefore revenge killing potential, while Yveltal helps against the Ghost-types that can trouble it.
* Arceus-Water is a great support Arceus forme for bulkier teams that adds a check to many Primal Groudon variants, particularly special variants. It also assists against Necrozma-DM, Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, and Mega Lucario and can pivot into Primal Kyogre, all of which can help take pressure off Yveltal.
* Arceus-Ground can opt for either a Swords Dance or a Calm Mind set to act as an extra soft check to Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM for Yveltal. In return, Yveltal can heavily pressure Ground-immune Pokemon such as Celesteela, Skarmory, and Giratina-O to make room for Arceus-Ground to sweep.
* Sticky Web teams with Smeargle as the entry hazard setter can benefit from Yveltal's ability to outspeed and break through defensive cores with Sticky Web active. Arceus formes in particular become easy targets for Yveltal under Sticky Web, as the likes of Arceus-Water are vulnerable to a faster Taunt and easily 2HKOed. Yveltal's access to Taunt and Sucker Punch further reinforces its potential on Sticky Web teams, as Yveltal can Taunt many Defog users to keep Sticky Web up and prevent setup sweepers from turning the tables against Yveltal's team, with Sucker Punch as added security.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Oblivion Wing
move 4: U-turn / Defog
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Dark Aura
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Foul Play is a key move for Choice Scarf Yveltal, as one of the main purposes behind this set is to outspeed and take advantage of Swords Dance-boosted Arceus formes, Necrozma-DM, Mega Lucario, Ultra Necrozma, and Primal Groudon. It also hits Ho-Oh, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Primal Kyogre harder than Dark Pulse does on this set.
* Dark Pulse is a more consistent damage option, helpful for cleaning up weakened teams. It may lack in power against sufficiently bulky neutral targets such as most Arceus formes, however.
* Oblivion Wing on a Choice Scarf set helps to revenge kill Fighting-types such as Marshadow and clean up weakened Dark-resistant Pokemon. It also lets Yveltal recover the residual damage taken from the likes of Stealth Rock over the course of the match.
* U-turn allows Yveltal to act as a pivot by forcing out a Pokemon with the threat of its STAB attacks and using U-turn instead to let a teammate take full advantage of the free switch. Due to Choice Scarf Yveltal's lower damage output in comparison to wallbreaker sets and its locked move choices, U-turn can be a safer option than attacking with typical moves.
* Defog is a viable alternative to U-turn that adds anti-hazard measures for Yveltal's team. This can come in very handy against offensive teams that utilize a dedicated lead, as once the lead is gone, Yveltal is able to outspeed many opposing Pokemon and remove entry hazards such as Sticky Web.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment gives Yveltal the optimal stats to be a revenge killer for its team. A Modest nature is preferred to increase the power behind Yveltal's special attacks and help with cleaning up teams.
* Using a Choice Scarf with a Modest nature allows Yveltal to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame excluding Deoxys-S. The extra Speed from a Timid nature doesn't let it outspeed any additional threats of relevance outside of +1 Adamant Mega Blaziken.
* A bulkier spread of 124 Def / 200 SpA / 184 Spe with a Modest nature allows Yveltal to take a +2 Extreme Speed from Extreme Killer Arceus variants that don't use a damage-boosting item while outspeeding everything up to Timid Mega Mewtwo Y.
Usage Tips
========
* Choice Scarf Yveltal is primarily a revenge killer. This means that it is best brought in under very safe conditions to remove a problematic threat to its team. Fast attackers weak to Yveltal's STAB moves are easy targets. Most of these Pokemon are also weak to U-turn, meaning that even if they switch out, Yveltal can retain momentum for its team.
* This set can also clean groups of weakened Pokemon, but Yveltal's checks should be taken care of by its teammates first.
* Note that Yveltal's damage output can be lacking against bulky targets such as Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and support Arceus formes. Choice Scarf variants rely on Foul Play or super effective moves to pose a threat to a team. U-turn can prevent Yveltal from being a momentum sink should this become a problem, but opponents can take advantage of this by not switching out if they can afford to take the risk.
* Choice Scarf Yveltal is still slower than a couple of boosting threats, even with a Timid nature. Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM, as well as Dragon Dance Mega Salamence, will still be faster than Yveltal after a boost, so it is usually futile to attempt to revenge kill them when they are set up.
* Keep Yveltal around and healthy so that it can act against Swords Dance-boosted threats. Taking risks when potential threats such as Swords Dance Arceus formes are unrevealed can be very detrimental.
* Defog should mainly be used in situations where Yveltal has forced a Pokemon out and entry hazards must be removed at all costs. Being locked into Defog against a Pokemon unafraid of Yveltal will likely result in giving a large advantage to the enemy team.
* Remember that locking Yveltal into a move can be taken advantage of, even if the attack was the best option against Yveltal's current target. Another threat can come in right after and take advantage of a Choice-locked Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf Yveltal has a very good matchup against Psychic Terrain teams, as it will outspeed and likely be able to take out the primary wallbreakers and sweepers of such teams.
Team Options
========
* Choice Scarf Yveltal is very strong against offensive teams, but it struggles with bulkier teams due to a lack of damage output and generally finding a lower number of Pokemon to revenge kill. Teams with a clear weakness to fast threats like Ultra Necrozma and Marshadow will likely consider this variant of Yveltal.
* Primal Kyogre is a great partner for this Yveltal set, as it can soft check Necrozma-DM and mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon, two threats that can outspeed even Choice Scarf Yveltal after a Rock Polish. In return, Yveltal performs well against the fast attackers that try to KO Primal Kyogre by taking advantage of its low Speed.
* Stealth Rock + Swords Dance variants of Primal Groudon can be effective as well, setting Stealth Rock against bulky teams while using Swords Dance-boosted Precipice Blades to heavily threaten support Arceus formes that trouble this set. In return, Yveltal threatens Giratina, Lugia, and the fast attackers that can revenge kill Primal Groudon.
* Arceus-Water can play a more defensive role than Primal Kyogre, having the bulk and recovery to better check Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM while being a great option against Dragon Dance Mega Salamence, another threat that this Yveltal variant is likely to be slower than. Choice Scarf Yveltal can revenge kill the fast Psychic-type Pokemon such as Mewtwo, Deoxys-A, and Ultra Necrozma that threaten to take out Arceus-Water.
* Necrozma-DM offers much-needed help against Fairy-type Pokemon and can use Yveltal's U-turn to immediately pressure many of the opponent's Yveltal checks.
* Mega Gengar can trap and remove targets with the assistance of Yveltal's U-turn while threatening many bulky targets that take Yveltal's weaker attacks well.
[SET]
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Dark Pulse / Foul Play
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Roost
item: Dread Plate / Leftovers
ability: Dark Aura
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 72 SpD / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Dark Pulse on a stallbreaker set is rather weak in comparison to offensive sets, but it helps to wear down and break through targets more quickly. The flinch chance can prevent Pokemon from standing up to Yveltal, as well. It also helps to have an immediate damage option against offensive Pokemon, as waiting for Toxic damage to rack up can be very risky and isn't an available strategy against Poison- or Steel-type Pokemon.
* Foul Play is a viable alternative attack that takes advantage of the foe's Attack stat, dealing more damage to offensive Pokemon than Dark Pulse would without a boost, and it also lets Yveltal act as a defensive check to boosting attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Primal Groudon. Using Foul Play means that Yveltal will have a harder time taking down defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn that don't mind the damage from it or Toxic, however.
* Toxic is this set's main way to deal damage and break through defensive targets. By outlasting foes with Roost and preventing their own recovery options with Taunt, this Yveltal set can be very difficult for defensive Pokemon such as Blissey, Ferrothorn, support Arceus formes, and defensive Zygarde-C to handle.
* Taunt prevents foes from recovering, using setup moves in an attempt to power through Yveltal, and setting entry hazards.
* Roost keeps Yveltal healthy and is a superior recovery option to Oblivion Wing, as this set aims to stay in battle against defensive Pokemon. Oblivion Wing needs high damage output to offer sufficient healing, which this variant of Yveltal lacks.
Set Details
========
* Maximum HP investment makes good use of Yveltal's high base HP stat, making it difficult to break for many defensive Pokemon and some offensive Pokemon. With the additional 72 Special Defense EVs, Yveltal is capable of avoiding the 4HKO from a support Arceus's Ice Beam if factoring in Leftovers recovery.
* 184 Speed EVs and a Timid nature ensure that Yveltal will outspeed positive-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon and many other defensive Pokemon in the tier, allowing for a fast Taunt or Toxic before they can act against Yveltal.
* Maximum Speed investment is an option to outspeed Lunala and Rayquaza.
* Dread Plate allows Dark Pulse to cleanly 2HKO Mega Sableye, improving Yveltal's matchup against very defensive teams at the cost of passive recovery.
* Leftovers provides passive recovery, which is helpful to negate weak attacks and Stealth Rock damage without unnecessary Roost usage. As this set doesn't aim to be a check to specific Pokemon, Leftovers is ideal for sets that want longevity.
Usage Tips
========
* Stallbreaker Yveltal aims to be a big annoyance to bulky teams, taking weak attacks and taking down defensive Pokemon via Toxic stalling or repeated use of Dark Pulse while limiting their options to fight back with Taunt. Common targets include most defensive Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Celesteela, as well as support Arceus formes.
* This set should be spreading Toxic and using Taunt to prevent enemy Pokemon from using recovery moves or using utility options against Yveltal and its team.
* When facing bulky teams, ensure that Yveltal avoids excessive exposure to Toxic itself. This is a common move from defensive teams, and if Yveltal isn't correctly supported with a cleric, it will fall to Toxic damage before having a real impact.
* This variant can be less useful against offensive teams. Toxic stalling and weaker Dark Pulses can generally be ignored by most offensive Pokemon, but a fast Taunt or Foul Play can prevent them from taking too much advantage of Yveltal. Yveltal is still bulky enough to stand up to attacks and badly poison threatening sweepers such as Calm Mind Arceus-Ground, and wearing down threats that the team can have trouble dealing with.
* A healthy Yveltal can stand unafraid of Magearna and aim to Taunt it to prevent Heal Bell. If Yveltal takes a Fleur Cannon for the trouble, it can Roost off the damage.
* Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie are annoying for this Yveltal variant, as Magic Bounce makes Yveltal hesitant to use Taunt or Toxic. Without Dread Plate, Mega Sableye can avoid the 2HKO from Dark Pulse as well, making it more frustrating to break past. Mega Diancie can take advantage of this set rather easily but is a rare sight.
Team Options
========
* Stallbreaker Yveltal is best suited to balance teams with additional bulky Pokemon and partners that can help this Yveltal set's matchup against offensive teams. This Yveltal variant provides a good way to combat very defensive teams for balance teams that can struggle to break through them otherwise. Providing cleric support for Yveltal and playing around the potential enemy cleric is key to success.
* Primal Groudon's Swords Dance and Stealth Rock set is a great partner to pressure defensive cores and check troublesome Fairy-types for Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf Xerneas stands out as an excellent partner that tackles many offensive Pokemon, threatens Mega Sableye, and provides key cleric and Defog support for this Yveltal set.
* Heal Bell Magearna is an alternative cleric that comes with better longevity while adding the ability to check enemy Dark- and Fairy-type Pokemon.
* Spikes users such as Ferrothorn are excellent partners, as Yveltal can make great use of the switches it forces to rack up Spikes damage and stall out enemy Defog users.
* Z-Move or Life Orb Marshadow is a great revenge killer to help Yveltal against offensive teams and pressure defensive cores and Fairy-types together.
* Celesteela can help against offensive Arceus-Ground variants and Ultra Necrozma, two threats that this set can have trouble with.
* Calm Mind Arceus-Ground performs very well against offensive teams and can offensively check Swords Dance Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM, which Yveltal can't reliably check.
* Mega Gengar can make use of Yveltal's status spreading to boost Hex and trap various threats much more easily.
* Arceus-Water is one of the better support Arceus formes on bulky teams, helping Yveltal against special Primal Groudon variants, offensive Ho-Oh, Necrozma-DM, and Mega Salamence.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Dark Pulse
move 2: Oblivion Wing
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Heat Wave
item: Choice Specs
ability: Dark Aura
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Dark Pulse from Choice Specs Yveltal is deadly to teams that lack bulky Dark-resistant Pokemon, as it picks up clean 2HKOs on Mega Diancie and maximum HP Arceus formes, a 3HKO against offensive Xerneas variants, and a 3HKO on Ho-Oh without Life Orb recoil damage.
* Oblivion Wing 2HKOes offensive Xerneas and Primal Groudon, and the extra power and lack of recoil from Choice Specs boosts Yveltal's own recovery, meaning this set tends to stick around longer.
* U-turn can let you avoid guessing games between Yveltal's STAB moves and scout for the opponent's switch-ins. U-turn can also have the advantage of disguising Yveltal's set, as both Choice item sets it commonly uses are very likely to have U-turn, adding a surprise factor when Yveltal reveals its damage output against various targets.
* Heat Wave is Yveltal's preferred coverage move on this set, targeting one of the best checks to Yveltal in Magearna for a clean 2HKO and doing high damage to Klefki. It also OHKOes Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, two Pokemon that can take Yveltal's other moves at least once.
* Focus Blast is Yveltal's best option against Tyranitar, OHKOing any set that lacks Chople Berry after Stealth Rock damage. Focus Blast also deals very high damage to Arceus-Dark while retaining higher damage against Magearna than Yveltal's STAB moves, at the cost of lowered accuracy.
* Hurricane is an alternative very strong attack that can fit into the third or fourth moveslot, dealing more damage than Dark Pulse against neutral targets and 2HKOing Arceus-Dark and Arceus-Fairy, but it comes with shaky accuracy.
Set Details
========
* With maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs backed up by Choice Specs and a Timid nature, Yveltal is able to outspeed the crowded Speed tier below it and output more damage than Life Orb sets, at the cost of locked attacks.
* A Modest nature can be considered for maximum wallbreaking power, increasing the odds of Oblivion Wing 2HKOing support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock damage and increasing the odds for Focus Blast to OHKO Fighting-weak Arceus formes, while giving Dark Pulse even more power.
Usage Tips
========
* Choice Specs Yveltal aims to be a wallbreaker, exchanging move flexibility for the freedom to run a Timid nature, stronger attacks, better longevity, and the ability to generate momentum with U-turn when compared to Life Orb sets.
* This Yveltal variant punishes opponents with fewer strong checks to it, but against teams that employ strong Yveltal answers such as Arceus-Fairy, Magearna, and Tyranitar, it may be forced to use U-turn more often to avoid giving away momentum.
* Make use of the power given by Choice Specs to break through teams that employ weaker checks to Yveltal such as Ho-Oh and support Arceus formes neutral to Dark Pulse. The lack of Life Orb recoil means that Recover stalling this Yveltal variant isn't an option for bulky teams.
* A well timed Heat Wave against teams using Magearna can open a playground for Yveltal to spam Dark Pulse and force the opponent to aggressively take Yveltal down with faster attackers or else risk losing crucial walls.
* Choice Specs-boosted Oblivion Wing can make Yveltal annoying to take down due to the amount of healing it can generate for itself.
* Common Pokemon do resist Yveltal's STAB attacks, so be careful what Yveltal is locked into or things can backfire.
* If you are in doubt about the attack to choose, U-turn can be a safe play, provided Yveltal has teammates to take advantage of any momentum generated and a fallback if the opponent doesn't switch out.
Team Options
========
* Choice Specs Yveltal focuses purely on wallbreaking and momentum generation. Balance and bulky offense team structures are able to utilize some defensive teammates to help cover for this set's main weaknesses, namely Fairy-types and faster attackers.
* Mega Gengar stands out as one of the best partners to Choice Specs Yveltal. It can trap and eliminate Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas, and can do so with greater ease with the help of Yveltal's U-turn. Yveltal's ability to switch into many attacks that trouble Mega Gengar lets them pair well defensively, and the two can combine to form a formidable wallbreaking duo. An important trait that Mega Gengar brings is the ability to revenge kill Ultra Necrozma, which can be very threatening to balance teams.
* Mega Scizor can work alongside Yveltal to check Fairy-types and form a U-turn core where each member can help get the other get into battle against its ideal targets. Magearna can perform a similar role with Volt Switch.
* Defensive Zygarde-C can use Glare to slow down support Arceus formes so that this Yveltal variant can break through them, and it is also a good check to Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Ho-Oh.
* Primal Groudon always fits well with Yveltal, checking Fairy-types and Primal Kyogre while also bringing utility with Stealth Rock setting, additional wallbreaking, or sweeping potential based on the chosen set.
* Choice Scarf Xerneas can act as a check to many offensive Pokemon to help make up for Yveltal's lack of Sucker Punch while also providing cleric support.
* Arceus-Water can be a key support Arceus forme to assist Yveltal against the likes of Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, and special Primal Groudon variants.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Foul Play
move 2: Roost
move 3: Toxic / Taunt
move 4: Sucker Punch / Defog / Taunt
item: Charti Berry / Dread Plate
ability: Dark Aura
nature: Impish / Bold
evs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Foul Play is Yveltal's main method of punishing physical attackers such as Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Ultra Necrozma, as they are liable to be OHKOed by this Yveltal set before breaking past it. Foul Play also does considerable damage to Primal Kyogre, offensive Ho-Oh, and Mega Salamence, as well as foes that are weak to the attack.
* Roost keeps Yveltal healthy, which is very important to counteract Stealth Rock damage and keep Yveltal away from the KO range of many boosted attacks from the likes of Primal Groudon, Mega Salamence, and other physical attackers.
* Toxic can punish support Arceus formes and Xerneas, which otherwise switch into Yveltal's other moves easily.
* Sucker Punch can be a necessary evil to quickly finish off foes that are weakened by Yveltal or its teammates. In situations where Yveltal is slower than foes such as Ultra Necrozma or Double Dance Necrozma-DM and is in the range of a boosted attack, Sucker Punch can make all the difference.
* Defog is a potential option, as Yveltal can contend with some entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon, Skarmory and Ferrothorn and remove any Spikes or Stealth Rock set against Yveltal's team.
* Taunt is a viable option in the third or fourth moveslot, as it can combine well with any of Toxic, Sucker Punch, or Defog for various results. Taunt and Toxic can greatly annoy defensive walls, Taunt and Sucker Punch can limit foes' moves and allow Yveltal to better handle offensive Pokemon, while Taunt and Defog can prevent defensive Pokemon from using utility moves against Yveltal while it clears any set entry hazards.
Set Details
========
* 252 HP EVs and 180 Defense EVs give Yveltal maximum physical bulk with the Speed benchmark used, letting it take on many of the physical attackers in the tier. An Impish nature is preferred on sets with Sucker Punch to avoid harming its damage output, but a Bold nature works well on sets without it to reduce damage from opposing Foul Play and confusion.
* 80 Speed EVs ensure that Yveltal is faster than Adamant Necrozma-DM so that it can use Foul Play before taking an attack.
* Charti Berry is a necessary evil so that Yveltal isn't simply OHKOed by a boosted Stone Edge from the likes of Primal Groudon, Ultra Necrozma, and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground, especially if Stealth Rock damage is not avoidable.
* Dread Plate is a potential alternative that boosts the power of Foul Play to the point that it can OHKO boosted Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Lucario, at the cost of fearing boosted Rock-type moves from the aforementioned physical attackers. Dread Plate also gives Sucker Punch a very helpful power boost, giving Yveltal good odds to OHKO Ultra Necrozma after Stealth Rock damage.
* Leftovers can also be considered to help with passive recovery, but this leaves Yveltal prone to physical attackers with Rock-type coverage.
Usage Tips
========
* Physically defensive Yveltal is just as it sounds: a physical wall that aims to check numerous threatening physical attackers such as Primal Groudon, Mega Salamence, Ultra Necrozma, Marshadow, and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground.
* It should be noted that this Yveltal variant is far from a truly reliable answer to all physical attackers and acts more like a quick fix to a team's weaknesses than like a true physical wall. Yveltal's lack of resistances to many of the boosted attacks it will be taking means that any fight with one of these threats will be a very close call, and certain conditions such as Stealth Rock being up, an unexpected attack, or a lack of Charti Berry can result in Yveltal getting destroyed by the attackers it attempts to check.
* Yveltal should ideally be kept healthy and should switch into these attackers immediately to attempt to deal with them. If Yveltal comes in too late or is too weakened, it can only aim for a surprise Sucker Punch before going down. The problem with this is that without scouting the sets of Pokemon like Ultra Necrozma, Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Ground, Yveltal may well be switching into an unfavorable matchup if they are specially offensive variants. Assess carefully.
* Sucker Punch can be a surprise to opponents that see a bulky and slower Yveltal, meaning that frail and faster attackers weak to Sucker Punch may try to KO it. If Yveltal's full moveset isn't revealed, this Yveltal set can keep opponents on their toes.
* Spreading Toxic and using Taunt on slower Pokemon is still a viable way to get use out of this set. Yveltal's base Speed is higher than the majority of defensive Pokemon, and the its bulk means that taking weak attacks is easy.
Team Options
========
* Physically defensive Yveltal generally isn't meant to be built around, as it isn't reliable enough in practice and has some key weaknesses depending on the item and move choices. This Yveltal variant adds security against physical attackers to teams that find themselves vulnerable near the end of the teambuilding process. Teams that are using more creative builds can find themselves using physically defensive Yveltal to patch up obvious holes.
* Stealth Rock Primal Groudon sets offer solid checks to Fairy-types and Primal Kyogre, and the entry hazard punishes the switches this Yveltal variant will force from physical attackers.
* Necrozma-DM is a capable teammate that fits as a specially defensive wall aimed to tackle support Arceus formes and set Stealth Rock.
* Ferrothorn can check most Fairy-types and set Spikes to punish the switches that Yveltal and its team forces.
* Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can both fit as a check to special Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM. Charti Berry variants of this Yveltal set can handle Swords Dance Ultra Necrozma and Primal Groudon in return.
* Toxapex is a helpful partner to set Toxic Spikes, annoy Fairy-types, and be difficult to take down for defensive Pokemon that try to wall Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf Xerneas helps to keep Yveltal from getting overwhelmed by physical attackers such as Marshadow while providing Defog and Aromatherapy support.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A Choice Band set can pose a threat to bulky teams when combined with a trapper that can deal with support Arceus formes, but it can lack the flexibility of other sets. It also cannot fit a move that offers recovery such as Roost or Oblivion Wing, meaning that it is frailer in practice when compared to every other Yveltal set.
* Using Flyinium Z is possible with Sky Attack on a physical set or with Hurricane on a special set but lacks a real use that other sets can't already offer.
* Darkinium Z is also usable with one of Yveltal's many Dark-type STAB options but doesn't have a real purpose other than one strong attack against a target. Z-Moves are far better utilized by other Pokemon that can pair with Yveltal, such as Necrozma-DM.
* Substitute can take advantage of Yveltal's ability to force switches, and with Disable, it can punish Pokemon that only have one ideal move to break Yveltal's Substitutes. This requires using up two of Yveltal's moveslots to accomplish, however, and there are better options to consider.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Arceus-Fairy stands out as the best answer to Yveltal, outspeeding it and taking all of its attacks while only fearing Toxic or a lucky Choice Specs Yveltal that has Hurricane. U-turn can also throw a wrench into the matchup, as Yveltal has many potential partners that can easily take advantage of Arceus-Fairy such as Necrozma-DM and Mega Gengar. Xerneas is a common offensive check to Yveltal that can pivot into Dark Pulse and force Yveltal out while having Aromatherapy to deal with the potential Toxic poison Yveltal has spread, but it has to be careful about taking too much damage from an offensive set's Oblivion Wing. Magearna resists many of Yveltal's moves outside of Heat Wave and has the bulk to repeatedly switch in and Heal Bell to remove any status Yveltal has spread, but it can be taken advantage of with U-turn or worn down by repeated attacks. Mega Diancie resists both of Yveltal's STAB attacks, has Magic Bounce to mess with the utility options that various sets utilize, and generally outspeeds most sets, but it lacks the defensive stats to repeatedly stand up to offensive Yveltal's attacks.
**Rock-types**: Tyranitar and the rare Arceus-Rock make for good Yveltal checks. Tyranitar resists most of Yveltal's common attacks and takes little damage thanks to the Special Defense boost from sand, but it has to be wary of a rare Focus Blast or Yveltal using U-turn to pivot out of it. Arceus-Rock is naturally faster than Yveltal and can strike it down with Judgment while healing off Dark Pulse damage with Recover, but has the same fears as Tyranitar.
**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark's ability to outspeed Yveltal and avoid the 2HKO from all of Yveltal's standard attacks makes it a reasonable check, as it can retaliate with Ice Beam or cripple Yveltal with Toxic. Yveltal is capable of winning in various conditions, however. The Life Orb set can use a combination of Oblivion Wing, Taunt, and Toxic to break through Arceus-Dark's healing and win a fight. Choice item sets are able to use U-turn to pivot off of Arceus-Dark into a suitable teammate and eventually wear it down. Stallbreaker and physically defensive sets only fear Arceus-Dark's higher Speed, which can lead to it using Toxic on Yveltal before it can do the same to try and stall Arceus-Dark out.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh is sufficiently bulky enough to take Yveltal's special attacks and try to badly poison Yveltal before pivoting out and recovering with Regenerator. Ho-Oh can also stall with Recover until Yveltal weakens itself with Life Orb recoil, but this comes with the risk of a Dark Pulse flinch. Knock Off variants of Life Orb Yveltal can also deal a lot of damage to Ho-Oh, potentially 2HKOing it if it switches into Dark Pulse. Foul Play will also deal considerable damage to offensive Ho-Oh sets. Stealth Rock being up can massively limit Ho-Oh's ability to check Yveltal as well.
**Faster Attackers**: Pokemon with a higher base Speed than Yveltal such as Mega Salamence, Mega Lucario, Ultra Necrozma, Mewtwo, and Deoxys-A are capable of dealing enough damage to take Yveltal out. These Pokemon have to be very careful, however, as Yveltal is capable of taking a single hit from the majority of them and retaliating with a strong attack. There is also the potential of Sucker Punch from the Life Orb and physically defensive sets, and these faster attackers are also ideal targets of the Choice Scarf set, which reverses the matchup.
**Support Arceus Formes**: Maximum HP Arceus formes neutral to Dark Pulse such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Water are able to switch into Life Orb Yveltal and stall with Recover until Life Orb recoil wears Yveltal down into the KO range of an attack such as Ice Beam. Taunt variants of Life Orb Yveltal are able to trade blows with these support Arceus formes and potentially win a duel, but they will come out severely damaged. Choice Specs Yveltal can easily overpower these support Arceus formes. Choice Scarf Yveltal has the ability to pivot out with U-turn to a better-suited teammate, but its attacks struggle to break through a support Arceus forme. Stallbreaker and physically defensive Yveltal variants will only be annoyed if they are badly poisoned by Toxic first but will still stall out these Arceus formes either way.
**Blissey and Chansey**: Blissey and Chansey have the bulk to handle Yveltal's special attacks with ease, but they are only effective checks to Choice item variants, and Yveltal can still use U-turn on these sets to avoid these Pokemon. Taunt variants of Yveltal will easily shut down any attempts that Blissey and Chansey make to check it, and Taunt is commonly seen on any variant that isn't holding Choice Scarf or Choice Specs.
**Electric- and Ice-types**: Dedicated Electric- and Ice-type attackers are very rare in Ubers but make good offensive checks to Yveltal regardless. The likes of Tapu Koko, Zekrom, and Kyurem-W are more than capable of OHKOing Yveltal if given the chance, but they can struggle to switch in safely.
**Mega Sableye**: While Mega Sableye cannot stand up to offensive Yveltal's attacks, it will take Foul Play with ease, and Magic Bounce can discourage using utility moves such as Taunt and Toxic, making it more difficult to break through defensive teams. A well timed bounce can force stallbreaker and physically defensive Yveltal variants to switch, as they struggle to effectively break through other Yveltal checks such as support Arceus formes and Blissey without access to Taunt.
**Status**: Toxic poison and paralysis can be very crippling to Yveltal, with higher effectiveness depending on the set. Defensive and stallbreaker sets hate getting badly poisoned, while paralysis affects Yveltal's offensive abilities. Burns are also annoying to Foul Play Yveltal variants, as it will halve the damage of Foul Play and make it much more difficult to use it against enemy Pokemon effectively.
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