Community POTW #145

[Serebii]

Time for the next Pokémon of the Week, and to tie in with the start of the new generation, we're going for the Pokémon that myths say began it all

It's Arceus, the most powerful Pokémon in Generation V.

This Pokémon can be of any type and has an incredibly diverse movepool

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/493.shtml

Go nuts

 

[Mestorn]

Oh Arceus… The god of Pokemon… Never used it, but its excellence shines through.

Pros: Where to start… As god of Pokemon Arceus possesses the highest base stat total of any pokemon, with a perfectly even distribution. With base 120 in every stat, Arceus can perform any roll imaginable based on the virtue of stats alone. Stats are not everything though, but Arceus’ moveset comes to match, granting the mighty god access to a plethora of attacks to smite its foes with, including its signature move Judgement, an attack that always gets STAB on Arceus. With that said, it should be noted that Arceus’ typing is as versatile as its moveset, able to become any one of the 17 types of pokemon (albeit in a pure format) thanks to its ability Multitype. While this does take up the item slot and hinders Arceus from playing mind games with opponents, it increases Arceus’ versitality to the point where you could be a strategically sound team comprised solely of Arceus. Due to this there is no one solid counter for Arceus, for a pokemon that can reliably one form may be slaughtered by another.

Cons: Due to overall excellence, Arceus is banned to Ubers, sparing it from any lower tier that would bore the crap out of it. Due to this incredibly fierce environment worthy opponents for Arceus can be found. While base 120 across the board is excellent for any pokemon, there are pokemon that have higher scores in select stats, allowing their specialization to counter Arceus’ balance. Weather inducers rampage in this tier and can buff opponents to Arceus like levels. Another weakness that is somewhat common across all of Arceus’ forms is its vulnerability to residual damage. No matter what form it is, it will be hit by at least one entry hazard, be crippled by several status and so forth. Just don’t rely on such methods alone for Arceus can shrug off all of your hard work with Recover or Refresh.

The Verdict: Prepare to be smote. Unless you have the perfect counter on hand, Arceus is going to deal a heavy hit to your team for generations.

 

[Nutter t.KK]

I thought this one would NOT be on the Random Number List.

 

[Lord Zoroark]

I wonder how long it'll take for Endolise to get over here...

*Grins* No worries, man! We still love ya!

Anyways... right. Arceus. Jack of all trades and master of 'em, too. How about the Extreme Kiler set?

Arceus
Adamant Nature
EV Spread: Either 252 HP/252 Attack/4 Special Defense OR 4 HP/252 Attack/252 Speed
@ Silk Scarf/Leftovers
Moveset:
- Swords Dance
- Extremespeed
- Brick Break
- Shadow Claw


Pretty easy to understand and use, and it's one of Arceus's best sets.

 

[jireh the provider]

I thought this one would NOT be on the Random Number List.

Either it is intentional. Or not. Cannot guess at all.

So ... where do we start with this guy / gal? Since it can go with any type, I think this is gonna be a choke load to post. All of us should post every possible combination for every Arceus type. It will be very daunting indeed. And according to Smogon, Arceus is truly the king of kings. Why? If you are playing the Uber tier, say all your hate to the numerous Kyogre, Groudon, and Dragon types. They are only second place in terms of pokemon you should always be on the watch out. Arceus on the other hand, is something YOU MUST PREPARE FOR! Examining one type of Arceus is never enough. you need to learn and understand EVERY Arceus tye to win against it in any type.

But on the current metagame, Normal Arceus is the mightiest of the 17 Arceus types with only ghost tied against it. Why? Extremespeed is currently the only attack that is nigh impossible to check. Only Rock, Steel, and Ghost can evade that one deadly move.

Arceus
Item: Silk Scarf / Leftovers / Life Orb / Lum Berry
EV: 252 attack and HP
-Extreme Speed (the signature move that makes Arceus dubbed as the Extreme Killer)
-Swords Dance
-Earthquake
-Shadow Claw / Recover

 

[Spinner]

All I have to say is I agree with the above who beat me to the post- used Extreme Killer in last (official) online Ubers tournament and did very, very well, due to Arceus (earthquake, not brick break) Silk Scarf
Speed Kills.

 

[fitzy909]

wow, the god of all pokemon where to begin...

Keep calm, judgement day is here

Arceus
Item: Spooky Plate
EV: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
-Calm mind
-Judgement
-Focus blast/ flamethrower
-Recover

arceus has great bulk and speed, so it can pull off a clam mind set. calm mind makes arceus a deadly sweeper. judgement (ghost) and focus blast is unresisted, but you can use flamethrower if you want better accuracy. recover...is your recovery.

 

[Meowmeow]

Ubers are not my style, but I'll give it a try.
In my honest opinion, Arceus's ability is a gimmick. Arceus has much more potency as a Normal type over any other. Why? The one and only set that I will post should answer that question.

Meowmeow's take on the ExtremeKiller Arceus
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 attack and speed, 4 HP
@: Life Orb

Swords Dance
Extremespeed
Shadow Claw
Recover/Earthquake

What makes this set so deadly is its simplicity. Boost, STAB, and either two coverage moves or a coverage move and recovery. There is nothing fancy about it.
What makes this set even more deadly is that the STAB is Extremespeed, the game's best priority move. It is going to kill anything that is not a ghost, rock, or steel type. Want to wear it down? Good luck. Arceus is super bulky.

 

[digletman]

Just a note if you have shadow force on arceus then use that over claws

 

[SmeargleRocks]

I think some people don't know how to make correct posts for POW

Your worst nightmare poses as a dragon

Arceus
Spooky Plate
Adamant
EV's 252 HP, 200 Attack, 56 Def / Sp.def
ExtremeSpeed / Swords Dance
Shadow Force
Earthquake
Recover

Preferred set for non plated arceus
Leftovers
Impish / Careful
ExtremeSpeed
Swords Dance
Earthquake
Shadow Force / Shadow Claw

Shadow force is more powerful but takes a turn to charge BUT gives protection while charging up, Shadow Claw has a higher critical hit ratio, ExtremeSpeed is stabbed priority, the most powerful stabbed E-Speed, earthquake hits steels, however if someone brings a Skarmory to ubers (don't know who would) then you are walled until it takes you out from residual damage and hazards, only special or mixed arecus sets with flamethrower or want to go head to head with it

 

[Kiyoshi]

The wall that never dies
-Cosmic Power
-Recover
-Judgement
-Substitute/Stealth Rock/Toxic/Seismic Toss/Earth Power
Item Attached: Iron Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs and Nature: 252 HP/108 Defense/108 Special Defense/40 Special Attack; Bold (+ Defense, - Attack)/Calm (+ Special Defense, - Attack)

Been a while since I last posted, and this time the gimmick is...a set that was carefully thought over and could be more than a gimmick in the near future. Arceus can fill many roles, with the Extremespeed-abuser being its best known and most used. However, this set is designed to stall and wall and blunt offensive teams. Cosmic Power is the key to this set, boosting both defensive stats by one stage with each use. Not too common, often overlooked in favor of Bulk Up or Calm Mind (depending on the Pokemon) for the offensive boost, but Arceus' base 120 offensive stats make the sacrifice worthwhile. After a couple boosts, I would imagine that most of the Uber tier will be hard-pressed to damage you without playing the boosting game too. Recover...is self-explanitory; instantly recover 50% of your HP and because a wall without recovery never lasts. Judgement is so you're not Taunt bait; good power, STAB, good accuracy, good PP, you can get by with this as your only offensive move. The last slot is filler; Substitute protects from statuses, Stealth Rock gives you entry hazards, Toxic breaks down other walls/counters, Seismic Toss gives you a set 100 damage, and Earth Power gives coverage.
You are at this point asking yourself "okay so why give Arceus an Iron Plate?" After thinking it over, here's why. First, it makes you immune to Toxic, a necessity for any wall. And if you're not running Substitute then you will have no other way to stop it. Two, it frees up that final slot for a more useful move; although you do get Refresh, Steel-typed walls don't usually have to worry about paralysis or burn. Three, Steel resists most of the attacks used in the Uber tier. Yes you are weak to Aura Sphere, Earthquake, and Fire attacks (and Groudon stops this set hard) but resisting most everything else is too hard to ignore. And that brings me to my fourth and final point; when X & Y come out, this set WILL stop Xerneas cold. Xerneas, the first Fairy-typed Uber, is going to run virtually unchecked amongst all the Dragons and Dark types in the Uber tier, only able to be stopped by Poison and Steel types...and as of now, the only Steel type Uber is hit neutral by Fairy attacks thanks to being half-Dragon. Not only will this Arceus resist Xerneas' Geomancy but will also be able to strike back for super effective damage. That is also why I foresee this set bordering less on 'potential gimmick' and 'deserving of mainstream.' If any other set will be as capable/better at stopping Xerneas once the sixth gen battling scene gets underway, I have yet to see it.
EVs are to maximize bulk & boost your defenses with the remainder going to boost your Judgement (and potential filler).

Other options: Oh where to start? Earth Power and Seismic Toss are usable coverage fillers but Arceus has so many more. Psyshock/Psychic, Ice Beam, Thunder/bolt, Shadow Ball, Flamethrower/Fire Blast/Heat Wave, Focus Blast (have I mentioned the crap accuracy & PP with this one yet?), Energy Ball/Grass Knot/Giga Drain, Charge Beam (mostly to give you an offensive boost), Surf, Dark Pulse, Dragon Pulse, you won't hit every type for super effective damage with Steel-Judgement + 1 offensive coverage so pick what you need to cover and make sure your team can handle the gaps. If you want to run a physical coverage then Earthquake, Dragon Claw, Shadow Claw, Brick Break, Stone Edge, X-Scissor, and Waterfall can work. Just move the leftover EVs to Speed and take note that you won't be able to run a nature that will boost your defensive stats because you will be using ALL your stats roughly equally.

 

[Mestorn]

Due to the HUGE amount of sets involved, I might as well post a set of my own
Arczeus
Item @ Zap Plate
Judgement/Thunder
Ice Beam
Calm Mind
Substitute/Recover/Shadow Ball/Flamethrower/Earth Power
Modest (+SATK –ATK)
EVs: 252 SATK/252 SPD/4 HP

Does this look familiar? I admit I ripped this one off of smogon, but for good reason: Bolt-Beam is justifiably one of the most feared combinations in the game and nearly impossible to resist. While Ice Arceus can pull this off, Electric Arceus is far superior due to typing. Judgement/Thunder forms the first half of this combo, and while Judgement is far more reliable, Thunder is an ideal option with rain support due to superior power and paralysis chance. Ice Beam forms the second half of Bolt-Beam, in addition to covering the lightning god’s ground weakness. Calm Mind boosts Arceus’ special attack to new levels, allowing it to vaporize the likes of Ho-oh and Lugia in a single flash. The final move is up to preference. CM subs are a popular defensive combo that synergizes well with Bolt-Beam, especially with Arceus’ bulky subs. Recover increases Arceus’ staying power. The final three moves are extra coverage if desired. Shadow Ball and Flamethrower are to prevent Arceus from the ultimate disgrace of becoming Shedinja bait, while Flamethrower and Earth Power are there if you are that afraid of the Magnezone and Lanturn families. They each have individual merits as well; Shadow Ball fries the numerous psychics in the tier that might otherwise try to match calm mind to calm mind. Flamethrower roasts numerous steel type threats such as Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Arceus-Steel, and Ice type threats like Arceus-Ice. Earth Power again grounds Arceus-Steel but without having to worry about Rain Dance crippling your attack, as well as destroying opposing Arceus-Electric.

 

[Furret Master]

Overview:
Uh...not sure where to start. Basically, a phrase that describes Arceus is "Jack of all trades, master of all." Basically, Arceus can do almost anything, but unlike others who are also versatile, Arceus can actually do things well. With the possibility to be any type, a massive movepool, and base 120 stats across the board, I don't think it's a joke to say Arceus is the most powerful Pokemon in the game. The only possible weakness to Arceus is that it can't do everything at once, but then again, it doesn't need to because it is that strong. Or that non-Normal type Arceus can't use any other Hold Item except the plate it needs, but even that doesn't really take away from Arceus' amazing epicness.

Abilities:
Multitype: When Arceus holds a "Plate" item, its type changes to match the type of plate it is holding. This is what makes Arceus truly scary, as it can be any one of the 17 (soon to be 18 (assuming that release a plate for Fairy)) types, giving Arceus the pinnacle of versatility in the game.

Sets:

Honestly, due to the sheer number of sets that could be done, I'll stick with one that has been posted already (because it's AMAZING!) and try and come up with something by myself.

Extreme Killer
-Swords Dance
-Extremespeed
-Shadow Claw
-Earthquake/Brick Break/Recover
Item: Life Orb/Leftovers
Ability: Multitype
Arceus' Type: Normal
Nature: Adamant (+Attack, - Sp. Attack)
EVs: 88 HP, 252 Attack, 168 Speed

This is one of the greatest sets ever. I've used it quite a bit, and it is awesome. Basically, use Swords Dance to boost your Attack by 2 stages and slaughter. What makes this set so epic is the Same-Type-Attack-Bonus (STAB) that Arceus gets from Extremespeed, since in this form, Arceus is a Normal-type and Extremespeed is as well. Because Extremespeed has +2 Speed priority, the only way for a Pokemon to strike Arceus first would to be faster than Arceus AND have Extremespeed. Yikes. Shadow Claw, Earthquake, and Brick Break are all coverage moves against Ghost, Rock, and Steel types that wall Extremespeed. Yeah, it's crazy.

The item choice comes down to even more power at the cost of 10% of Arceus' max HP every time it hits (Life Orb) or gaining back 1/16 of its max HP every turn (Leftovers). Life Orb is usually preferred just to kill stuff even more effectively, but the option is there. Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs max out Attack, while the Speed EVs allow Arceus' Extremespeed to outrun Rayquaza's Extremespeed, with the rest in HP.

Arceus, the Great Wall
-Calm Mind
-Judgement
-Recover
-Will-o-Wisp/Roar/Thunder
Item: Iron Plate
Ability: Multitype
Arceus' Type: Steel
Nature: Bold (+ Defense, -Attack)
EVs: 248 HP, 252 Defense, 8 Sp. Attack

This set is similar to one of Arceus-Steel's sets, but a bit different. Basically, using the best defensive type in the game, this Arceus is very tough to take down. Calm Mind boosts Arceus' Sp. Attack and Sp. Defense by one stage each, which is good for both offense and defense (especially his "weaker" defense in this set). Judgement is a powerful move, though the offensive coverage is a bit lacking, but with so much power behind it, who cares? Recover restores Arceus' HP, making it even more difficult to take down. Will-o-Wisp inflicts "Burn" status, which also cuts the target's Attack in half as a result, allowing for even greater survivability. Roar phases out opponents such as boosting sweepers and Pokemon that are slightly more difficult to handle. Thunder should only be used if Arceus is paired with Kyogre, as Drizzle causing the weather to be Rain makes Thunder have perfect accuracy.

While a Timid (+Speed, -Attack) nature could be done on this set, I think the Bold nature is a nice twist to make Arceus have even more Defense, thus harder to take down. The EVs max out physical bulk.

Other Options:
...Other Plates. We'll just leave it at that.

Checks and Counters:

I don't think there is a good "universal counter" to Arceus, seeing as it can be any type and run many sets as each type. Honestly, it's going to depend on what set/type Arceus is, and even then, the checks and counters are still going to be a bit hard-pressed due to Arceus' amazing stats and movepool. Basically, Arceus is a Pokemon that will cause issues for you if you're up against it.

 

[Ghosts of the Forums]

Well, just pointing out, there are virtually u limited sets for arceus, so I would've recommended leaving it open longer then the norm.

That being said, I will post one no has yet before.

Arceus-Ice @Icy Plate
Timid
252Sp.Atk 252Spe 4 Hp
-Calm Mind
-Recover
-Thunderbolt
-Judgment
Meant to be niche sweeper on dedicated hail teams, which are bad, but still an option. Then again, hail isn't that bad, since abomasnow works pretty well against groudon and kyogre both, and is

Spoiler: ""

rumored to mega evolve

, but this is not about abomasnow, but instead arceus. Um, yes well, arceus is good, that is all. Begone now!

 

[grandejuan215]

My personal set I enjoy using. It is purely special and hits hard

Item: choice specs
NAture: modest. 252 Sp. Att, 252 in Speed, 4 HP
Moves: Draco Meteor
Thunder
Earth Power
Focus Blast


This set, to me, has many different combos. This is one of the main ones I use though. It catches people off guard, and hits like a train. Use Draco Meteor sparingly of course

 

[The Imposter]

Considering Arceus can effectively be any type, it is one of the most versatile Pokemon in the game. Combine that with astounding base 120 stats across the board, Arceus can function amazingly on any Ubers team. The only issue with it is that you can only use one.

Since everybody is suggesting Extreme-Killer (its most threatening set imo) I'll go a different route with normal Arceus.

Wall of Origin

Arceus @ Leftovers
Trait: Multitype
Impish Nature (+Def, -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
-Will-o-Wisp
-Return
-Recover
-Roar/Perish Song

Most people expect SD Arceus, so this is a total troll. Physical walling Arceus is a great member of stall and balance teams. Arceus has some key tools to make a functional physical wall. Those tools are Will-o-Wisp, reliable recovery, phazing, 120/120/120 bulk, and a good defensive typing. Will-o-wisp cripples physical attackers for the rest of the match, Recover heals, and phazing works great with entry hazards and eliminating boosts. Return is favored over judgement for higher BP, PP, and hitting most Uber Pokemon on their weaker physical defense. Ironically, this set is a great counter to Extreme-Killer Arceus.

Not much can counter this set, as not much resistant to Return appreciates a Will-o-Wisp. However, the really rare Chandelure is immune to the entire set.

A few options are available on this set. Reflect can go over Will-o-wisp to support teammates, but burning is part of this set's niche. Ice Beam can go over Roar or Perish Song to hit Dragons harder, but loses valuable phazing support.

 

[Mestorn]

My personal set I enjoy using. It is purely special and hits hard

Item: choice specs
NAture: modest. 252 Sp. Att, 252 in Speed, 4 HP
Moves: Draco Meteor
Thunder
Earth Power
Focus Blast


This set, to me, has many different combos. This is one of the main ones I use though. It catches people off guard, and hits like a train. Use Draco Meteor sparingly of course

There are a few problems with this set. Only Dragon-Arceus can use Draco Meteor, so choice specs is not an option. While Thunder is nice with Kyogre support, due to the presence of Groundon, it is as much a liability as it is an asset.

 

[jireh the provider]

This Arceus I'm adding next is using Grass Arceus as A Weather Summoner Check.

Arceus (Grass Plate)
Nature: Timid
EV: 252 sp. attack and speed. / 4 HP
Movesets:
-Calm Mind
-Judgement
-Flamethrower
-Spatial Rend / Hidden Powe Rock or Ice / Ice Beam / Ancient Power not sure if it learns this move) / Recover

Have you ever been bothered by Groudon and Kyogre for the most part (for me, I hate these two as much as I hate Arceus in general), Grass type Arceus can resist their stabs and retaiate back. Going with Kyogre first, while its true that Palkia is the best counter/check, oftentimes Kyogre is Choiced into the evil Water Spout of terror that dared to defy Noah by sinking his ship. Arceus as a Grass type can be a good option against it as it uses Judgement against it. Just don't switch on its Ice beam (blizzard in rare cases). Same goes to Groudon by avoiding Fire type attacks and span that Judgement. In the case of Dragons, save Dialga and potentially Rayquaza, Spatial Rend can act as a way of hurting dragons without the drawbacks of Draco Meteor. Flamethrower is there of you know how to lure Genesect and beat this metal Gear Genesect before it fights back. Other moves I posted above are options for your own convenience. Grass Arceus is oftentimes a supporter. But Grass Arceus can act as a specific killer for Kyogre and Groudon

 

[MatchMaster]

Oh Arceus, the king of possibilities. With a slightly smaller movepool than Mew, but with better all-around stats, it can take almost any role. Since there are so many possibilities, I'll only post the two most commonly used sets of all 17 formes.

ExtremeKiller (Swords Dance)
Item: Life Orb / Silk Scarf
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 49 HP / 252 Atk / 207 HP
- Swords Dance
- ExtremeSpeed
- Shadow Claw / Shadow Force
- Earthquake / Brick Break

With Swords Dance and ExtremeSpeed, Arceus becomes a deadly sweeper. Since Arceus already has a great speed tier and access to priority, Arceus can run an Adamant nature and invest a bit in bulk. This Arceus can work well in almost any uber team, so I'm not gonna go into specific teammates. The only thing I have to say about is the EV spread and nature can be adjusted to your liking, but attack should always have 252 EVs in it. The spread listed gives it enough speed to outpace everything that outruns it which would threaten it (up to the odd but dangerous choice band Genesect).

[more to be added]

 

[Mestorn]

Another day, another form

Fist of God
Item @ Fist Plate
Judgement
Toxic
Ice Beam/Thunderbolt/Dark Pulse
Recover/Substitute
252 HP/ 84 DEF/ 4 SATK / 100 SDEF/ 68 SPD
Nature: Bold (-ATK, +DEF)
Again ripping off Smogon, here is one of their defensive fighting Arceus sets. At first glance, fighting Arceus seems ludicrous: why throw a fighting type into a tier that is predominantly Flying and Psychic? Because of the abundance of Steel types. Few, if any steel types can stomach multiple STAB fighting Judgements, making the Fighting god a good steel check. Secondly, due to the overabundance of Psychics in Uber, not every psychic carries a STAB psychic move. Finally, the common psychic types mean a high prevalence of Bug and Dark moves, both of which Fighting Arceus resists, which can make it a niche defensive pivot. Stealth rock resistance doesn’t hurt either. Anyways, “Toxic is mentioned here as a counter to Fighting Arceus’ main counters; Ho-oh, Mewtwo, Latias and Lugia” (ripped right from smogon). Toxic, in tandem with Recover and/or substitute can enable Arceus to tank through opponents that would otherwise resist its moves. The third move depends on what you want to cover. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt for Flyings and Dark Pulse for Psychics.