New World Order
Licks Toads
After reading your second point, I've come to the conclusion that you're new to competitive Pokemon, so I'm not going to rip apart this misinformed post like I normally would. Choice Scarf Xerneas may be better than Geomancy Xerneas at revenge killing a MMX/DDRay (did you just imply DD Ray was a joke?), but it cannot switch moves, it cannot raise it's special defence, and cannot fire off what's effectively a 190 BP nuke coming off 794 Special Attack that's resisted only by Steel-types and the oh so dominant Poison-type. That kind of power is beaten only by a Specs Ogre Water Spout. Geomancy Xerneas is a late game terror like no other, the number of Pokemon as dangerous as Xerneas late game is about the same as the number of Oscars Leonardo Di Caprio has won (okay maybe that's going too far). The fact that people considered using freaking Metagross in Ubers earlier in this thread tells you all you need to know. Choice Scarf Xerneas and Life Orb Xerneas are viable sets, but they serve completely different roles as Geomancy Xerneas. I think you should take a look at what my actual point is: Geomancy Xerneas can be utilized effectively early game if you know what you're doing, and shouldn't be kept in reserve until 2/3 of the game is already over.Any offensive dragon that anyone uses anymore (lol DDRay) carries moves that Geomancy Xerneas can't afford to switch into, and even most "set up bait" carries a move that will hurt Xerneas on the switch, whether through status or even a relatively weak attacking move (like a neutral Judgment). Add the possibility of SR and suddenly Xerneas risks becoming severely weakened in this process.
1) If your opponent repeatedly makes the same plays, has only 1 Pokemon capable of handling a (likely weakened) Geomancy Xerneas and repeatedly provides Xerneas switchin opportunities, sure. I feel like that's a lot of ifs, but maybe that's just me. Also, something like Aegislash switches into any Xerneas set not carrying HP Fire (or Ground, but lol) for days and still checks it. Handing out free turns also becomes a lot less cool when your opponent turns out to be competent.
2) Prediction is a relatively poor argument to begin with. But sure. This also does not in any way demonstrate why anyone would want to use Geomancy Xerneas; really, any set would perform this role just as well.
3) If your opponent plays poorly, they lose. Indeed. Assuming a set without a solid reason is poor or desperate play. Keeping a MMX or a DDray on a Xerneas that isn't definitely running a Choice Scarf set locked into a resisted move is either poor or desperate play. Moreover, after all these mindgames trying to bluff sets to no end, you used a Geomancy Xerneas to beat out threats against which you would've been better off with Choice Scarf Xerneas in the first place.
None of this has served to convince me of the utility of Geomancy Xerneas. All I'm getting from your arguments is "If you predict successfully a lot and/or your opponent plays poorly Geomancy Xerneas is at times more useful than any of its other sets". Not assuming you outpredict your opponent or that they decide to make poor plays, I see essentially all of its other sets usually accomplishing more than this against any skilled player. Yes, at times you may break through their checks with the rest of your team and find an opportunity to sweep successfully, but the rest of the time one of the other sets would've done more. Like providing a cleric, or having revenge killing utility, or luring and killing Ho-Oh.
What the hell did I just read? Even though it'd love a physical STAB, it has an ocean of coverage moves that can be tailor made to check most of the metagame. 99 Base Speed gives Xerneas more Speed than Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Dialga, Giratina-O, Zekrom, Reshiram, and both Kyurem forms. With a Scarf, the deer also gets a jump on all Mewtwos, Arceus, Palkia, Yveltal, Darkrai, Shaymin-S, and the Latii twins. That's pretty much all of the most dominant offensive forces in Ubers. Not to mention the fact that mono Fairy-typing dominates in a tier ruled by Dragons. And apparently Bug is a bad offensive typing in a tier filled with Psychic and Dark types now, whaa? Even Heracross is considered a legitimate Pokemon in Ubers because of it's access to a Bug-type move.You're just about the first person I ever see questioning the value of what is the without question best special sweeper in the game.
If anything I don't see what else Xerneas is good at. Its movepool is way too sparse and its stats aren't allocated in a way it can try to accomplish anything else.
Scarf? 99 base speed sucks in a tier where 100 is the bare minimum benchmark for that role (unless something has some disgustingly powerful attack like Kyogre's Water Spout).
Physical? Not only does it lack a physical STAB, but its main offensive options have severe drawbacks (Close Combat's defense drops, Megahorn awful offensive type and Outrage locking effect).
Mixed? It lacks the raw power to do that. 130~ attacking stats aren't exactly spectacular in ubers without a boost.
Defensive/support? It has Aromatherapy but lacks a reliable recovery move.
If you're trying to do anything besides Geomancy sweeping with Xerneas you'll quickly find out that Arceus-Fairy is a better option. It's a one-trick deer, but an obscenely good one at that. Not using Geomancy is a huge waste.
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