[SET]
name: Wonder Guard Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Freeze-Dry / Moonblast / Secret Sword / Gastro Acid / Taunt
move 4: Lava Plume / Secret Sword / Earth Power / Scald / Bug Buzz
item: Iron Plate
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Modest
evs: 180 Def / 252 SpA / 76 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Xerneas's solid Special Attack, adequate Speed, good bulk, and excellent typing make it an effective Wonder Guard Shell Smash sweeper. Wonder Guard in tandem with Iron Plate Judgment makes Xerneas Imposter-proof and immune to most forms of revenge killing; coverage moves mostly make up for the lack of Mold Breaker by hitting opposing Wonder Guard users super effectively. Iron Plate Judgment also lets Xerneas easily beat Fairy-type Wonder Guard users such as Mega Audino and opposing Xerneas. Freeze-Dry hits Water-type Wonder Guard users like Primal Kyogre, Mega Swampert, and Gyarados and 3HKOes Mega Gyarados. Moonblast OHKOes Mega Mewtwo X with slight chip damage, OHKOes Giratina and Mega Gyarados at +2, and hits Wonder Guard Mega Sableye. Secret Sword hits Wonder Guard Blissey, Slaking, and Arceus. Gastro Acid's ability suppression potentially allows Xerneas to beat Wonder Guard users it lacks coverage for and makes it immune to Mold Breaker users' non-super effective attacks. Taunt shuts down slower Wonder Guard users, preventing them from pivoting around Xerneas, preventing them from phazing it, and possibly forcing them to switch out. Lava Plume hits Wonder Guard users such as Mega Beedrill and Mega Scizor, as well as the occasional Aegislash and Mega Metagross. Earth Power also threatens the latter two, OHKOes Primal Groudon at +2, and hits Wonder Guard users such as Mega Manectric and Drapion. Scald OHKOes Primal Groudon without any setup, which is especially useful for removing Mold Breaker variants before they hit Xerneas through Wonder Guard, and it hits niche Wonder Guard users like Volcarona and Ho-Oh. Bug Buzz hits Wonder Guard users such as Cresselia, Deoxys-A, and Mega Mewtwo Y. 76 Speed EVs let Xerneas outspeed Deoxys-S after Shell Smash.
Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas is an effective wincon for balance, bulky offense, and offense teams. Huge Power Mega Gyarados can Pursuit trap Prankster Giratina, which Xerneas has trouble with if it lacks Moonblast. Xerneas is unable to handle No Guard users on its own, so pair it with a second Wonder Guard user—one that does not share its weaknesses—or a revenge killer, such as Shadow Tag Slaking or Pixilate Mega Diancie. Bulky Wonder Guard users, such as Primal Kyogre and Blissey, can also provide Xerneas with Wish recovery. Moreover, Prankster Giratina, revenge killers, and bulky Wonder Guard users can beat fast and strong Mold Breaker users such as Mega Rayquaza, Primal Groudon, and Mega Gengar, which give Xerneas a hard time safely setting up. Mold Breaker, Shadow Tag, Huge Power, and Protean users, such as Primal Groudon, Mega Mewto Y, Mega Mewtwo X, and Mega Latios, can KO Wonder Guard users Xerneas lacks coverage for so it may clean up; Choice Band + Mold Breaker Primal Groudon notably OHKOes Wonder Guard Blissey and Mega Beedrill with Pursuit.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/wrathoftheleopard.511181/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aerobee.515077/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rl.554093/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas has many options for its first moveslot. Shell Smash lets it pass boosts to a threatening teammate and can be run with a spread of 248 HP / 184 SpA / 76 Spe and a Modest nature to let it outspeed non-Choice Scarf Deoxys-S at +2. Defog and Aromatherapy are also decent support options, and Spikes can be used over Stealth Rock, as two of the most prominent Spikes-immune Pokemon, Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal, lose to Xerneas. Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web provide great support for a team as well, although Poison-types like Mega Gengar, Skuntank, and Drapion can absorb Toxic Spikes. Steam Eruption OHKOes Primal Groudon, though it doesn't threaten much else; if Xerneas runs Steam Eruption, an alternative spread of 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe with a Modest nature lets it outspeed Adamant Primal Groudon. Wish is an option over Recover, but it makes Xerneas healing itself safely more difficult. King's Shield forces out Choice Band Mold Breaker Primal Groudon and Mega Rayquaza. Spore is usable over Dark Void because it has higher accuracy and gives Xerneas an easier time against Magic Bounce and Imposter users if it opts to run Safety Goggles, but Spore similarly doesn't affect foes with Safety Goggles. Knock Off is a fringe option that potentially removes Leftovers or Lum Berry from Primal Groudon and threatens Plate users like Mold Breaker Mega Gengar, Mega Diancie, and Dialga if Xerneas has a Substitute up. Magic Coat burns Prankster Giratina's Encore PP and bounces back Whirlwind but faces stiff competition from Taunt. Gastro Acid can be used to suppress Mold Breaker users' abilities on the switch, giving Xerneas a free turn to set up Substitute in most instances. Mail can prevent Trick users from crippling Xerneas, but Mail sets are generally forced into running Recover in the first moveslot.
Mold Breaker Xerneas can effectively make use of Dark Void or Taunt over Spore on sets with Pixie Plate Judgment as its only attack. However, these moves invalidate Safety Goggles users and slow, passive Pokemon as methods of Imposter-proofing Xerneas. Xerneas can run Earth Power over Steam Eruption for the occasional Mega Metagross, Registeel, and Mega Steelix, though it doesn't OHKO Primal Groudon when unboosted. Secret Sword OHKOes Blissey when unboosted and 2HKOes Eviolite Chansey and Registeel at +2—all of which can switch into Mold Breaker Xerneas and phaze it or deprive it of its Pixie Plate with Knock Off. Recover and Substitute are alternatives to King's Shield that similarly augment Xerneas's survivability; the former allows Mold Breaker Xerneas to potentially set up multiple times during a game, while the latter protects Xerneas from revenge killers. Entry hazards are decent options on single-attack sets. Utilizing Moonblast over Pixie Plate Judgment allows Xerneas to make use of items like Leftovers, Lum Berry, Mental Herb, Shed Shell, and Safety Goggles; however, the loss in power is noticeable and forgoing Judgment makes Xerneas more difficult to Imposter-proof.
Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas can run Thousand Arrows to hit Air Balloon Wonder Guard users; Searing Shot to guarantee an OHKO on Aegislash at +2, which Lava Plume fails to do; Steam Eruption to deal more damage than Scald to Steel-resistant, non-Wonder Guard targets, such as Mega Metagross and Aegislash; Quiver Dance to improve the matchup against Mold Breaker users such as Mega Rayquaza; and Spore or Dark Void to safely set up on a sleeping foe. Xerneas can run other coverage moves depending on the team's needs.
On teams running several Xerneas, Xerneas can run more unconventional and generally outclassed sets like Huge Power, Prankster, No Guard, Magic Bounce, and Imposter to take advantage of the surprise factor these teams provide.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Primal Groudon**: Mold Breaker Primal Groudon, especially if it is holding Leftovers, can force Xerneas out with relative ease because of its resistance to Moonblast and offensive presence. However, Xerneas running Glare or Dark Void can debilitate non-Lum Berry Primal Groudon, the rare Scald and Steam Eruption OHKO it unboosted, Earth Power OHKOes it at +2, and Gastro Acid nullifies its ability to bypass Wonder Guard.
**Choice Item Mold Breaker Users**: Choice item Mold Breaker Pokemon, especially ones with powerful STAB moves, like Primal Groudon, Mega Rayquaza, and Mega Mewtwo Y, can force Xerneas out. However, they can usually only come in when safely pivoted in, as most must be wary of Xerneas's attacks.
**Shadow Tag Users**: Shadow Tag users can trap non-Shed Shell Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas and eliminate it. Bulky Perish Song trappers, like Lugia and Arceus, can set up three layers of Spikes and remove Xerneas if pivoted in when it uses any move but Glare, Dark Void, or Baton Pass. Offensive Shadow Tag users—notably Primal Groudon and Mega Mewtwo X—can KO Xerneas with coverage moves like Gunk Shot, Gear Grind, and Sludge Wave. However, they require pivoting support to get in safely against sets running Glare or Dark Void, often only secure a KO against Xerneas users that play carelessly, and require considerable support to threaten Shed Shell Xerneas.
**Item Manipulation**: Trick users—especially Pokemon Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas ordinarily switches into, like No Guard users, Wonder Guard Mega Beedrill, and rare Choice item Wonder Guard users—can severely hinder its ability to support its team by giving it a detrimental item. Choice items virtually force Xerneas into using Baton Pass, as its team loses momentum if it uses any other move, and Black Sludge effectively puts it on a timer. However, rare Mail variants of Xerneas are immune to Trick. Non-Moonblast Mold Breaker Xerneas relies on its Pixie Plate to deal decent damage, and Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas relies on its Iron Plate to Imposter-proof itself and hit Fairy-type Wonder Guard users, so removing either via Trick or Knock Off is also severely debilitating.
**Wonder Guard Users**: Without super effective coverage, Taunt, or Gastro Acid, Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas is unable to touch Wonder Guard users. Whirlwind Wonder Guard users, such as Primal Kyogre, Slaking, and Cresselia, can also phaze Xerneas, disrupting its Substitute-passing or setup attempts. Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas can somewhat circumvent this with Glare, however, as it can pass a Substitute if the foe gets fully paralyzed for one turn, and Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas can prevent Whirlwind with Taunt. Additionally, three of the best Wonder Guard Shell Smash sweepers, Xerneas, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Lucario, virtually always run coverage for Fairy-type Wonder Guard users like Xerneas and Mega Audino. However, Xerneas with Glare can survive a hit and debilitate the opposing Wonder Guard Shell Smash user with paralysis.
**Magic Bounce Users Not Weak To Moonblast**: While fairly rare, Moonblast-resistant Magic Bounce users, such as Registeel, Mega Steelix, and Mega Venusaur, can prevent most Xerneas from supporting its team through any means other than passing a Substitute. However, these Magic Bounce users are generally setup bait for Shell Smash Xerneas unless they run Perish Song.
**Coverage Move Users**: If Huge Power, Protean, or rare Parental Bond users are carrying coverage to hit Xerneas, careful play must be accomplished to bring either Prankster Giratina or a powerful revenge killer, such as Sucker Punch Mega Gyarados, in and force the offensive Pokemon out. While rare, No Guard foes running Steel- or Poison-type coverage moves necessitate extremely offensive play by revenge killers and Mold Breaker users to have a chance at winning before the opponent does.
**Special Walls**: Extremely specially bulky Pokemon like Blissey, Eviolite Chansey, Registeel, and the rare RegenVest Primal Kyogre can stomach boosted Judgment from Mold Breaker Xerneas and phaze it or remove its Pixie Plate. Niche Toxic Orb Poison Heal variants of such Pokemon cause even more problems for Mold Breaker Xerneas, as it can't even break past them with sleep luck. In particular, Toxic Orb Magic Guard Ho-Oh is the most effective check to Mold Breaker Xerneas that forgo Steam Eruption, having ample time to force Xerneas out with Whirlwind or Perish Song. Although extremely niche, Mega Venusaur can similarly put a stop to all but rare Fire-type coverage sets thanks to its good bulk, resistances to both Fairy and Water, and immunity to Spore.
**Plate Imposter Users**: Though extremely niche, Iron Plate, Spooky Plate, and Pixie Plate Imposter users directly counter the most common methods of Imposter-proofing Judgment Xerneas.
**Prankster Giratina**: Although Giratina must be wary of Moonblast and Taunt, Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas's other attacks at most 3HKO it, and it can use Encore to punish Xerneas for setting up. While much risker, it can similarly use Encore to lock Mold Breaker Xerneas into a predicted Shell Smash or halt its sweep with Spore, Glare, or Destiny Bond.
name: Wonder Guard Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Freeze-Dry / Moonblast / Secret Sword / Gastro Acid / Taunt
move 4: Lava Plume / Secret Sword / Earth Power / Scald / Bug Buzz
item: Iron Plate
ability: Wonder Guard
nature: Modest
evs: 180 Def / 252 SpA / 76 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
Xerneas's solid Special Attack, adequate Speed, good bulk, and excellent typing make it an effective Wonder Guard Shell Smash sweeper. Wonder Guard in tandem with Iron Plate Judgment makes Xerneas Imposter-proof and immune to most forms of revenge killing; coverage moves mostly make up for the lack of Mold Breaker by hitting opposing Wonder Guard users super effectively. Iron Plate Judgment also lets Xerneas easily beat Fairy-type Wonder Guard users such as Mega Audino and opposing Xerneas. Freeze-Dry hits Water-type Wonder Guard users like Primal Kyogre, Mega Swampert, and Gyarados and 3HKOes Mega Gyarados. Moonblast OHKOes Mega Mewtwo X with slight chip damage, OHKOes Giratina and Mega Gyarados at +2, and hits Wonder Guard Mega Sableye. Secret Sword hits Wonder Guard Blissey, Slaking, and Arceus. Gastro Acid's ability suppression potentially allows Xerneas to beat Wonder Guard users it lacks coverage for and makes it immune to Mold Breaker users' non-super effective attacks. Taunt shuts down slower Wonder Guard users, preventing them from pivoting around Xerneas, preventing them from phazing it, and possibly forcing them to switch out. Lava Plume hits Wonder Guard users such as Mega Beedrill and Mega Scizor, as well as the occasional Aegislash and Mega Metagross. Earth Power also threatens the latter two, OHKOes Primal Groudon at +2, and hits Wonder Guard users such as Mega Manectric and Drapion. Scald OHKOes Primal Groudon without any setup, which is especially useful for removing Mold Breaker variants before they hit Xerneas through Wonder Guard, and it hits niche Wonder Guard users like Volcarona and Ho-Oh. Bug Buzz hits Wonder Guard users such as Cresselia, Deoxys-A, and Mega Mewtwo Y. 76 Speed EVs let Xerneas outspeed Deoxys-S after Shell Smash.
Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas is an effective wincon for balance, bulky offense, and offense teams. Huge Power Mega Gyarados can Pursuit trap Prankster Giratina, which Xerneas has trouble with if it lacks Moonblast. Xerneas is unable to handle No Guard users on its own, so pair it with a second Wonder Guard user—one that does not share its weaknesses—or a revenge killer, such as Shadow Tag Slaking or Pixilate Mega Diancie. Bulky Wonder Guard users, such as Primal Kyogre and Blissey, can also provide Xerneas with Wish recovery. Moreover, Prankster Giratina, revenge killers, and bulky Wonder Guard users can beat fast and strong Mold Breaker users such as Mega Rayquaza, Primal Groudon, and Mega Gengar, which give Xerneas a hard time safely setting up. Mold Breaker, Shadow Tag, Huge Power, and Protean users, such as Primal Groudon, Mega Mewto Y, Mega Mewtwo X, and Mega Latios, can KO Wonder Guard users Xerneas lacks coverage for so it may clean up; Choice Band + Mold Breaker Primal Groudon notably OHKOes Wonder Guard Blissey and Mega Beedrill with Pursuit.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/wrathoftheleopard.511181/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aerobee.515077/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rl.554093/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas has many options for its first moveslot. Shell Smash lets it pass boosts to a threatening teammate and can be run with a spread of 248 HP / 184 SpA / 76 Spe and a Modest nature to let it outspeed non-Choice Scarf Deoxys-S at +2. Defog and Aromatherapy are also decent support options, and Spikes can be used over Stealth Rock, as two of the most prominent Spikes-immune Pokemon, Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal, lose to Xerneas. Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web provide great support for a team as well, although Poison-types like Mega Gengar, Skuntank, and Drapion can absorb Toxic Spikes. Steam Eruption OHKOes Primal Groudon, though it doesn't threaten much else; if Xerneas runs Steam Eruption, an alternative spread of 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe with a Modest nature lets it outspeed Adamant Primal Groudon. Wish is an option over Recover, but it makes Xerneas healing itself safely more difficult. King's Shield forces out Choice Band Mold Breaker Primal Groudon and Mega Rayquaza. Spore is usable over Dark Void because it has higher accuracy and gives Xerneas an easier time against Magic Bounce and Imposter users if it opts to run Safety Goggles, but Spore similarly doesn't affect foes with Safety Goggles. Knock Off is a fringe option that potentially removes Leftovers or Lum Berry from Primal Groudon and threatens Plate users like Mold Breaker Mega Gengar, Mega Diancie, and Dialga if Xerneas has a Substitute up. Magic Coat burns Prankster Giratina's Encore PP and bounces back Whirlwind but faces stiff competition from Taunt. Gastro Acid can be used to suppress Mold Breaker users' abilities on the switch, giving Xerneas a free turn to set up Substitute in most instances. Mail can prevent Trick users from crippling Xerneas, but Mail sets are generally forced into running Recover in the first moveslot.
Mold Breaker Xerneas can effectively make use of Dark Void or Taunt over Spore on sets with Pixie Plate Judgment as its only attack. However, these moves invalidate Safety Goggles users and slow, passive Pokemon as methods of Imposter-proofing Xerneas. Xerneas can run Earth Power over Steam Eruption for the occasional Mega Metagross, Registeel, and Mega Steelix, though it doesn't OHKO Primal Groudon when unboosted. Secret Sword OHKOes Blissey when unboosted and 2HKOes Eviolite Chansey and Registeel at +2—all of which can switch into Mold Breaker Xerneas and phaze it or deprive it of its Pixie Plate with Knock Off. Recover and Substitute are alternatives to King's Shield that similarly augment Xerneas's survivability; the former allows Mold Breaker Xerneas to potentially set up multiple times during a game, while the latter protects Xerneas from revenge killers. Entry hazards are decent options on single-attack sets. Utilizing Moonblast over Pixie Plate Judgment allows Xerneas to make use of items like Leftovers, Lum Berry, Mental Herb, Shed Shell, and Safety Goggles; however, the loss in power is noticeable and forgoing Judgment makes Xerneas more difficult to Imposter-proof.
Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas can run Thousand Arrows to hit Air Balloon Wonder Guard users; Searing Shot to guarantee an OHKO on Aegislash at +2, which Lava Plume fails to do; Steam Eruption to deal more damage than Scald to Steel-resistant, non-Wonder Guard targets, such as Mega Metagross and Aegislash; Quiver Dance to improve the matchup against Mold Breaker users such as Mega Rayquaza; and Spore or Dark Void to safely set up on a sleeping foe. Xerneas can run other coverage moves depending on the team's needs.
On teams running several Xerneas, Xerneas can run more unconventional and generally outclassed sets like Huge Power, Prankster, No Guard, Magic Bounce, and Imposter to take advantage of the surprise factor these teams provide.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Primal Groudon**: Mold Breaker Primal Groudon, especially if it is holding Leftovers, can force Xerneas out with relative ease because of its resistance to Moonblast and offensive presence. However, Xerneas running Glare or Dark Void can debilitate non-Lum Berry Primal Groudon, the rare Scald and Steam Eruption OHKO it unboosted, Earth Power OHKOes it at +2, and Gastro Acid nullifies its ability to bypass Wonder Guard.
**Choice Item Mold Breaker Users**: Choice item Mold Breaker Pokemon, especially ones with powerful STAB moves, like Primal Groudon, Mega Rayquaza, and Mega Mewtwo Y, can force Xerneas out. However, they can usually only come in when safely pivoted in, as most must be wary of Xerneas's attacks.
**Shadow Tag Users**: Shadow Tag users can trap non-Shed Shell Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas and eliminate it. Bulky Perish Song trappers, like Lugia and Arceus, can set up three layers of Spikes and remove Xerneas if pivoted in when it uses any move but Glare, Dark Void, or Baton Pass. Offensive Shadow Tag users—notably Primal Groudon and Mega Mewtwo X—can KO Xerneas with coverage moves like Gunk Shot, Gear Grind, and Sludge Wave. However, they require pivoting support to get in safely against sets running Glare or Dark Void, often only secure a KO against Xerneas users that play carelessly, and require considerable support to threaten Shed Shell Xerneas.
**Item Manipulation**: Trick users—especially Pokemon Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas ordinarily switches into, like No Guard users, Wonder Guard Mega Beedrill, and rare Choice item Wonder Guard users—can severely hinder its ability to support its team by giving it a detrimental item. Choice items virtually force Xerneas into using Baton Pass, as its team loses momentum if it uses any other move, and Black Sludge effectively puts it on a timer. However, rare Mail variants of Xerneas are immune to Trick. Non-Moonblast Mold Breaker Xerneas relies on its Pixie Plate to deal decent damage, and Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas relies on its Iron Plate to Imposter-proof itself and hit Fairy-type Wonder Guard users, so removing either via Trick or Knock Off is also severely debilitating.
**Wonder Guard Users**: Without super effective coverage, Taunt, or Gastro Acid, Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas is unable to touch Wonder Guard users. Whirlwind Wonder Guard users, such as Primal Kyogre, Slaking, and Cresselia, can also phaze Xerneas, disrupting its Substitute-passing or setup attempts. Substitute + Baton Pass Xerneas can somewhat circumvent this with Glare, however, as it can pass a Substitute if the foe gets fully paralyzed for one turn, and Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas can prevent Whirlwind with Taunt. Additionally, three of the best Wonder Guard Shell Smash sweepers, Xerneas, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Lucario, virtually always run coverage for Fairy-type Wonder Guard users like Xerneas and Mega Audino. However, Xerneas with Glare can survive a hit and debilitate the opposing Wonder Guard Shell Smash user with paralysis.
**Magic Bounce Users Not Weak To Moonblast**: While fairly rare, Moonblast-resistant Magic Bounce users, such as Registeel, Mega Steelix, and Mega Venusaur, can prevent most Xerneas from supporting its team through any means other than passing a Substitute. However, these Magic Bounce users are generally setup bait for Shell Smash Xerneas unless they run Perish Song.
**Coverage Move Users**: If Huge Power, Protean, or rare Parental Bond users are carrying coverage to hit Xerneas, careful play must be accomplished to bring either Prankster Giratina or a powerful revenge killer, such as Sucker Punch Mega Gyarados, in and force the offensive Pokemon out. While rare, No Guard foes running Steel- or Poison-type coverage moves necessitate extremely offensive play by revenge killers and Mold Breaker users to have a chance at winning before the opponent does.
**Special Walls**: Extremely specially bulky Pokemon like Blissey, Eviolite Chansey, Registeel, and the rare RegenVest Primal Kyogre can stomach boosted Judgment from Mold Breaker Xerneas and phaze it or remove its Pixie Plate. Niche Toxic Orb Poison Heal variants of such Pokemon cause even more problems for Mold Breaker Xerneas, as it can't even break past them with sleep luck. In particular, Toxic Orb Magic Guard Ho-Oh is the most effective check to Mold Breaker Xerneas that forgo Steam Eruption, having ample time to force Xerneas out with Whirlwind or Perish Song. Although extremely niche, Mega Venusaur can similarly put a stop to all but rare Fire-type coverage sets thanks to its good bulk, resistances to both Fairy and Water, and immunity to Spore.
**Plate Imposter Users**: Though extremely niche, Iron Plate, Spooky Plate, and Pixie Plate Imposter users directly counter the most common methods of Imposter-proofing Judgment Xerneas.
**Prankster Giratina**: Although Giratina must be wary of Moonblast and Taunt, Wonder Guard sweeper Xerneas's other attacks at most 3HKO it, and it can use Encore to punish Xerneas for setting up. While much risker, it can similarly use Encore to lock Mold Breaker Xerneas into a predicted Shell Smash or halt its sweep with Spore, Glare, or Destiny Bond.
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