The first ride Pokémon of Legends Arceus, Wyrdeer seemed to be nothing but up for Stantler who has spent all of its time merely existing without much notice. Wyrdeer... sadly does not do enough to stand out. Oh yay another Normal Psychic type when two of the best Pokémon around are Indeedee and Farigiraf (and then there's Oranguru as an alternative). Not to say Wyrdeer isn't interesting in its own right. Intimidate is one of the best abilities in Doubles, and having a Trick Room Pokémon outright immune to Amoongus' Spore via Sap Sipper are both attractive traits. However, Wyrdeer is completely bodied by the best Intimidate user Incineroar, whose Dark type bodies Wyrdeer's most prominent STABs. Biggest problem is that Wyrdeer is just too bland. Above 100 offenses are barely usable and honestly good HP is let down by a typing with no meaningful resistances and below average defenses. While Wyrdeer does have interesting tricks up its sleeve, the competition is just so much better.
Weird Deer
Wyrdeer
-Skill Swap
-Helping Hand
-Tera Blast
-Protect
Ability: Intimidate
Item Attached: Leftovers
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature
Tera Types: Fairy/Ghost
This is a supportive Wyrdeer set, looking to take advantage of its unique combination of Skill Swap and Intimidate to repeatedly cycle Intimidate without leaving the field or even giving Intimidate to an opponent to not only deprive them of their ability but trigger an ally's Defiant, Competitive, or Guard Dog. Helping Hand doubles down on the support, helping compensate for Wyrdeer's passivity by bolstering its ally. Tera Blast is primary Special STAB running off of Wyrdeer's Special Attack (so it isn't kneecapping itself when Skill Swapping Intimidate to an opponent) that works best against Incineroar. Protect is Protect.
EVs are to maximize Special Bulk with Intimidate compensating for Wyrdeer's Defense, making it as durable as possible. As with every Normal Psychic type, Wyrdeer loves Tera Fairy for giving it resistances to Dark and Bug (along with restoring its resistance to Fighting), on top of giving it a potent Fairy Tera Blast. Tera Ghost helps with the Ghost types immune to Normal Tera Blast on top of giving Wyrdeer an immunity to Fake Out.
Preferred Partners:
Terrain and Weather setting allies love this Wyrdeer's Skill Swap shenanigans in the case of Terrain and weather wars, as if their Terrain expires or is overwritten, Skill Swap can reestablish their favored Terrain in addition to resetting Intimidate. Rillaboom is the most prominent, its Grassy Terrain combining with Leftovers to give Wyrdeer incredible staying power, though Indeedee-F is fun if running Expanding Force.
Allies that can take advantage of passing Intimidate to an opponent work well. Annihilape is a prime example, being a Defiant user with Fighting STAB to rock the Dark types that threaten Wyrdeer. Other notable users include Kingambit, Empoleon, and Milotic. Additionally, any Special Attacker with Adrenaline Orb can use the Intimidate for a free Speed boost.
Other Intimidate users like Incineroar and Salamence also love Wyrdeer Skill Swapping Shenanigans with a self targeting Skill Swap triggering Intimidate twice and gutting the offense of a large majority of physical attackers.
Other Options:
Psyshield Bash is Wyrdeer's signature move, but the Defense buff in conjunction with Intimidate can make Wyrdeer impossible to break physically.
Trick Room is potent speed control, but every other Normal Psychic type likes setting Trick Room as well.
Imprison pairs well with Trick Room and Protect, simultaneously denying a method of reversing Trick Room and preventing opponent from stalling out Wyrdeer's own Trick Room with Protect. Again every Normal Psychic type gets this.
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