Arceus-Ghost [QC 0/3]

Status
Not open for further replies.
[OVERVIEW]
* With access to a 120 BP physical Ghost-type move and a setup move in Swords Dance. Arceus-Ghost is by far one the most fearsome sweepers in this tier. This combined with Ghostium-Z can wreak havoc with a 190 BP Never-Ending Nightmare.
* With its decent natural bulk, it can block Rapid Spin and check the likes of Mega Lucario and Mega Mewtwo X and also act as an emergency check to Extreme Killer Arceus.
* With threats like Marshadow and Yveltal running haywire, the viability of Arceus-Ghost has waned.
* Compared to Extreme Killer Arceus or Arceus-Ground variants, Arceus-Ghost seems more of a niche variant that is almost exclusively seen in Hyper Offense teams; a playstyle that Marshadow can very well replace it for.


[SET]
name: Black Sabbath (Swords Dance)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Shadow Force
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Shadow Claw / Extreme Speed
item: Ghostium-Z
ability: Multitype
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance raises it Attack to nuclear levels. Making its presence fearsome in the field. This lets it deals severe amount of damage to the opposition with the right choice of moves.
* Shadow Force is the main STAB move and should be used often as even when unboosted it is able to 2HKO relevant targets such as Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre and, Necrozma-DM.
* Brick Break covers for threat that generally resist its STAB moves such as Tyranitar and Arceus-Dark. At +2, it is also more reliable to use against the likes of Mega Lucario. It also hits Extreme Killer Arceus for super-effective damage.
* The last slot could either have Shadow Claw which is much more reliable than the two-turn Shadow Force as it lets walls like Chansey and Blissey to freely move into it. This is more relevant when the opponent is running a defensive core with Blissey/Chansey and Mega Sableye. Extreme Speed can be used to pick off foes, this is especially useful against more offensive playstyles.

Set Details
========
* A standard spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe with a Jolly nature maximizes its attacking potential while letting it tie with max speed Arceus and Mega Salamence.
* Ghostium-Z with Shadow Force lets it fire off a 190 BP Never-Ending Nightmare that OHKOs offensive Yveltal and Mega Salamence (after Stealth Rock damage) at +1. At +2 it OHKOs Necrozma-DM and has a slight chance to OHKO both Defensive Primal Groudon and Zygarde-C.
* (Anything else....)

Usage Tips
========
* It is best in offensively oriented playstyles such as Hyper Offense as it fits in as an offensive check to threats like Mega Lucario, Giratina, and Ultra Necrozma. It also helps in spin-blocking which very important in an offensive team.
* It can used early on in the game as a wallbreaker or as a late-game sweeper. It could come in on Rapid Spin from Excadrill and Pheromosa which also saves your team from your hazards getting removed.
* Spamming Shadow Claw early game is generally suggested as due Shadow Force having just 8 PP, it is better preserved for late game. The same goes for its Z-Move, only use it when you have setup and it is necessary to remove a threat.
* Shadow Claw in conjunction with Brick Break is generally the way to go against Stall cores that consist of Blissey/Chansey + Mega Sableye or teams that consists of status spammer like Support Arceus formes.
* Extreme Speed is generally used better against more aggressive teams and combined with Swords Dance, is a very threatening such teams. Extreme Speed can be easily used to pick off weakened foes such as Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus.

Team Options
========
* Choice Scarf or Geomancy variants of Xerneas dispatch threatening opponents like Yveltal, Arceus-Dark and, Marshadow which otherwise spell doom for Arceus-Ghost. Arceus-Ghost in return takes care of threats like Ho-Oh, Lugia, Necrozma-DM, and Primal Groudon for it.
* Hazard setters like Deoxys-S, Excadrill and, Primal Groudon help ease Arceus-Ghost's sweep by supporting it with Stealth Rock which puts threats into KO range. Sticky Webs setters like Shuckle and Smeargle slows threats like Darkrai and Marshadow making them susceptible to an OHKO.
* (Others....)



[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A Defog Variant of Arceus-Ghost with a spread of 248 HP / 68 Def / 192 Spe and a Timid with Judgment / Defog / Toxic / Recover can be used to check Giratina-O, Lugia, Necrozma and, Mega Lucario. However it is completely outgunned by other support Arceus formes like Arceus-Ground or Arceus-Dark.
* A Calm Mind set can be also be utilized with Judgment / Toxic (or Will-O-Wisp) / Recover with a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe and a Timid nature. However this sets loses very easily against Ho-Oh and Dark-types.
* Recover can be used as the fourth move in the Swords Dance to increase Arceus' staying power in the field.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Ghost-Types**: Marshadow being faster and able to steal its Swords Dance boost using Spectral Thief, it can downright OHKO Arceus-Ghost with it. Also with it being immune to Arceus' coverage options, it very easily can come in on a predicted move and dispatch it. While Mega Gengar it can't OHKO from full. It is faster and can annoy it with Will-O-Wisp or just downright take it down after some chip damage with Shadow Ball.

**Dark-Types**: Dark-Types such as Arceus-Dark and Yveltal greatly threaten Arceus-Ghost due to their resistance to its STAB moves and they are able to hit it hard with Arceus unable to do much against them.
 
Last edited:
There is a lot of overhyping of this mon (it is far from "one of the most fearsome sweepers in the tier"), the SD set is probably not what I'd use on it, and there is also what seems to be outright missing content in a few areas like Team Options and C&C. Arceus-Ghost isn't the most in-depth mon these days but there's still more to it than this.

It would take a pretty long post to get this to a QC standard. I suggest starting on edits with more/better details that are also closer to reality, and give the set an evaluation.

QC rejected 1/3
 

Minority

Numquam Vincar
is a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Tutor Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
I've been a huge fan of SD Arceus-Ghost in XY, ORAS, and SM pre-Marshadow, but I'm not convinced that the set this analysis purposes is the best set right now in USM. For example, offensive with Substitute or a support set might actually be better. I think this Pokemon should be handled by someone who's very keen on what the most viable set is and who's explored these other possibilities in their teams.

QC Rejected: 2/3
 
Will changing to Sub/SD/Shadow Force/Stone Edge as the main set be better off in this case? If not then I don't mind dropping this.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top