Deoxys (Attack) Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves STAB Psycho Boost deals massive damage to most Pokemon that don't resist it. However, the move harshly lowers Deoxys-A's Special Attack, making it prone to being forced out or being used as setup fodder afterwards. Ice Beam hits common Psychic-type switch-ins like Yveltal, Ultra Necrozma, and Lugia super effectively and OHKOes Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence. Its decently high Base Power, perfect accuracy, and good neutral coverage make it an attractive option to pick off weakened foes without incurring unnecessary stat drops from Psycho Boost. Superpower hits Dark- and Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Arceus-Dark, and Tyranitar and lets Deoxys-A muscle past Chansey and Blissey. It's preferred over Low Kick because it deals more damage to light targets like Magearna, Klefki, and Chansey and Blissey, although it has the downside of becoming weaker with each consecutive use. Pursuit lets Deoxys-A trap Mega Gengar, which it naturally forces out; Pursuit trapping utility is appreciated by teammates like Arceus-Fairy that are vulnerable to Mega Gengar. It's also useful to ensure damage on other threats such as Ultra Necrozma and Mega Mewtwo Y. Dark Pulse hits Psychic- and Ghost-types like Necrozma-DM, Lunala, and Mega Gengar super effectively. It also hits Ultra Necrozma hard whether or not it decides to Ultra Burst so Deoxys-A isn't forced to guess between Ice Beam and Superpower. Spikes is a good option to take advantage of the many switches Deoxys-A forces. A conservative opponent who constantly switches their defensive answers into Deoxys-A as it uses Spikes will find their team under substantial pressure from Spikes later in the match. It also forces Yveltal into mind games over whether or not it should use Sucker Punch. Knock Off can be used instead of Dark Pulse for its added utility of removing items. This is useful for punishing checks that hold Leftovers like Necrozma-DM, Magearna, and Lugia, as well as for Choice Scarf users like Yveltal and Lunala that may try to pivot into Deoxys-A. However, it's worse against Pokemon that hold irremovable items such as Necrozma-DM with Solganium Z or Ultranecrozium Z and Magearna with Normalium Z. Extreme Speed allows Deoxys-A to pick off faster attackers like Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal once they have been severely weakened. Set Details Maximum Speed investment with a Naive nature lets Deoxys-A outspeed Mega Mewtwo Y and +1 base forme Zygarde. A Rash nature can be used instead to give Deoxys-A more firepower while still letting it outspeed key threats like Mega Gengar, Ultra Necrozma, and Arceus formes. Notably, Deoxys-A gets a much better chance to OHKO offensive Yveltal with Ice Beam and, after Stealth Rock damage, to OHKO bulky Yveltal with Ice Beam and maximum HP Arceus formes with Psycho Boost. Life Orb boosts the damage output of Deoxys-A's attacks, making it much harder to wall. Due to its frailty, Deoxys-A doesn't mind the recoil that Life Orb inflicts. Usage Tips Deoxys-A is best used as a wallbreaker that punches holes into the opponent's team in order to give teammates an easier time cleaning up. Prediction is a key factor when utilizing this set. Using Psycho Boost as the opponent switches to a Pokemon resistant or immune to it like Necrozma-DM or Choice Scarf Yveltal will cost Deoxys-A a ton of momentum and often force it out afterwards. Be wary of creating setup opportunities for sweepers like Necrozma-DM after using Psycho Boost. If Deoxys-A's teammates cannot handle these sweepers, Deoxys-A should avoid using Psycho Boost until these threats have been removed or sufficiently weakened to the point where they can no longer set up safely. Scout for potential Choice Scarf users like Xerneas and Yveltal, since they outspeed Deoxys-A and can easily OHKO it with their attacks. Despite having a higher base Speed, Deoxys-A is generally forced out by Yveltal even if the latter has been weakened. Choice Scarf variants outspeed Deoxys-A, while non-Choice Scarf variants often carry Sucker Punch. Thus, it's best to catch Yveltal on the switch with Ice Beam or, if possible, completely remove it from play beforehand instead of confronting it directly. Deoxys-A can't really switch into attacks due to its nonexistent bulk. It's best brought in via free or double switches, pivoting moves, or the predicted use of a status move like Stealth Rock. Pursuit should be used against Pokemon that Deoxys-A naturally forces out, such as Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma. Note that Pokemon like Gothitelle and Lunala with Shadow Shield intact are likely to stay in against Deoxys-A. Setting Spikes is an aggressive play you can make when you think the opponent will try to pivot around Deoxys-A or sacrifice a Pokemon to it. A switch may be likely if the opponent has a healthy check to Deoxys-A or needs to preserve the Pokemon that they currently have on the field. Team Options Deoxys-A's frailty means that it will have few opportunities to switch in and wallbreak. Thus, it fits primarily on fast-paced offensive teams. Teammates that can pressure Deoxys-A's checks make for good offensive partners. Primal Groudon, Marshadow, and Calm Mind Arceus-Ground pressure Steel-types for Deoxys-A, while Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas deal with Dark-types for it. Setup sweepers like Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Trick Room Necrozma-DM, and Dragon Dance Mega Salamence have an easier time cleaning up once Deoxys-A has punched holes in the opposing team. Geomancy Xerneas and Naganadel are notable partners, since they share checks with Deoxys-A in Necrozma-DM and Magearna. Deoxys-A or its partner can get damage on these checks to increase the likelihood that the other one will sweep. Pokemon that can deal with Deoxys-A's revenge killers are appreciated. Arceus-Fairy and Choice Scarf Xerneas can deal with Marshadow and Yveltal, two of the most common ones. Marshadow offensively checks common priority users such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Lucario. Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus lures Marshadow and Mega Lucario for Deoxys-A and can pivot into Choice Scarf Lunala. Tapu Lele provides Psychic Terrain support for Deoxys-A, which augments its wallbreaking and sweeping capabilities. Psychic Terrain negates a key weakness to priority moves and substantially increases the power of Psycho Boost to the point where it can overwhelm even bulky Psychic-resistant Pokemon, such as Magearna and Mega Scizor. Bulky offensive teams can provide VoltTurn support to bring Deoxys-A in safely. Magearna can pivot into Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal, two of Deoxys-A's most common revenge killers, and use Volt Switch to get Deoxys-A in safely. Choice Scarf Yveltal can pivot into Ghost-type attacks from Marshadow and Lunala, while Mega Scizor handily checks Xerneas, and they can use U-turn to bring Deoxys-A in. Entry hazard support is great for wearing down Deoxys-A's checks. Stealth Rock setters like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Fairy keep Pokemon like Ho-Oh and Yveltal in line. Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Klefki are viable Spikes setters, and while some of them don't fit on offensive teams, they can still pair nicely with Deoxys-A. Skarmory can easily handle Necrozma-DM and Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn can switch into Magearna and support variants of Necrozma-DM, and Klefki can pivot into Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal for Deoxys-A.

Moves This set aims at exploiting Deoxys-A's high base 150 Speed in order to make an effective lead. The choice of entry hazard is up to the player: Stealth Rock is useful to have on any team, as it is able to damage any and every Pokemon that switches in, while Spikes, although not as universally useful as Stealth Rock, is able to deal more consistent damage to grounded Pokemon, can be set up in multiple layers, and can be used if there is already a Pokemon with Stealth Rock on the team. What sets apart Deoxys-A from most suicide leads is that, after using its high Speed to set up hazards, it can use its even higher offensive stats and STAB Psycho Boost to deal major damage to opponents. Knock Off can be used to cripple opposing Pokemon, and it serves as an anti-lead measure in certain cases. For the final moveslot, Extreme Speed allows Deoxys to get a hit on faster threats before going down, while Taunt can be used to inhibit Pokemon that rely heavily on status moves. Taunt is also useful in stopping early-game Defog attempts and setup opportunities. Set Details The lead set requires as much Speed as possible, even to the point of creating a Speed tie with opposing Deoxys-A if necessary, so a Naive nature and 252 Speed EVs are optimal. The rest of the EVs are put into Special Attack to increase the damage output from Psycho Boost. As with all suicide leads, a Focus Sash is mandatory to ensure at least one layer of entry hazards is set up. Usage Tips This set is best used as a lead on offensive and hyper offensive teams. Because Deoxys-A is always going out first, and usually staying out until it gets knocked out, there is really no need to do anything else with it. However, if it is already able to get its entry hazards set up without breaking its Focus Sash, and it could prove useful later, feel free to switch it out. This should only be done sparingly, however, and usually it's best to keep it out until it faints. Team Options As this set is a lead that doesn't care about getting knocked out, there isn't any truly obligatory team support. However, it is always useful to have Pokemon that help prevent Deoxys-A's setup from being ruined. There are still plenty of viable Pokemon with access to Rapid Spin, so a Ghost-type such as Mega Gengar or Arceus-Ghost is helpful. Primal Groudon is also worth a mention, as its Desolate Land removes opposing weather and its typing grants it an immunity to Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave.

Moves Equipped with a Life Orb and four offensive moves, Deoxys-A becomes the epitome of mass destruction. Its main STAB move, Psycho Boost, puts a major dent into every Pokemon that isn't a Dark-, Psychic-, or Steel-type. Superpower handles many of the Pokemon in the tier that Psycho Boost cannot, and deals considerable damage to Klefki, but causes an Attack and Defense drop as well. Low Kick can be used as an alternative to Superpower if the stat drop is worrisome, hitting many of the Pokemon in the tier with 120 Base Power. Ice Beam is used to handle many of the Flying- and Dragon-types in the tier, most notably Yveltal and Mega Salamence. Knock Off is an alternative move that hits Psychic-types hard and cripples any Pokemon that heavily relies on an item to succeed; specifically, specially defensive Giratina, Latios and Latias, and Lugia. Extreme Speed is a great priority move to finish off weakened foes, and, combined with Psycho Boost, is able to achieve some nice KOs on many threatening Pokemon. Knock Off is another option that can be used in the last slot if not already on the moveset. Set Details As this is an all-out attacking set, the natural item of choice is the Life Orb, boosting all of Deoxys-A's attacks and making it that much more powerful. However, if survival for more than one turn is necessary, then Focus Sash is a viable alternative. Focus Sash also enables Deoxys-A to carry out a lead role, or potentially bluff a lead set if opting to save it for later. In terms of EVs and nature, the recommended spread is 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with a Rash or Mild nature to make Deoxys-A hit as hard as possible with Psycho Boost while also being faster than base 130 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Gengar and Mewtwo. Alternatively, a Naive or Hasty nature can be used to outspeed Mega Mewtwo Y and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, as well as Speed tie at worst with opposing Deoxys-A, benchmarks that a neutral Speed nature misses out on. The choice between -Def and -SpD natures is ultimately up to the user, as neither of them provides much of a difference in a match. Usage Tips Deoxys-A is best used as a sweeper or late-game cleaner on offensive teams in need of a strong attacker. Send out teammates to weaken opposing threats, then bring out Deoxys-A to KO the rest with Psycho Boost or the appropriate move. Even though Deoxys-A's field time is short, it is not advisable to send it out into damaging weather, entry hazards, or when an opponent is expected to inflict a status condition, especially if holding a Focus Sash. It is also recommended to take care of its checks and counters before sending it out, or Deoxys-A will not be able to do anything useful in the battle. Team Options Deoxys-A does not need much team support, as it has enough power by itself, and it can usually accomplish its task before being easily KOed. Variants without Hidden Power Fire will be at a loss when facing Pursuit Scizor, and in such an instance, having Hidden Power Fire Mega Gengar as a teammate is recommended. When running Focus Sash, a Defogger such as Latios, Latias, Giratina, or support Arceus is a good idea, but Deoxys-A is usually played as a lead in this case. Damaging weather, although quite uncommon, and status conditions severely inhibit Deoxys-A's lifespan and offensive ability. For this reason, Primal Groudon is a great teammate, removing weather on the switch and absorbing Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave. Pokemon with Magic Bounce, such as Mega Diancie and Mega Sableye, are also helpful in bouncing back status conditions. Deoxys-A also needs to be able to battle without having to worry about its checks and counters. Therefore, Pokemon capable of handling Extreme Killer Arceus and Xerneas, such as Yveltal and Mega Scizor, respectively, are good options to consider.

For a Pokemon that can't take a hit but has unparalleled power, what better item is there than Life Orb? Such an attacking set is one of Deoxys-A's best options, and its execution is simple: simply select the correct coverage move and decimate the opponent. Psycho Boost is the preferred move, as it provides STAB and acts much like Latios's Draco Meteor in OU: spam it and things die. Ice Beam is useful for its great coverage over the tier, OHKOing Pokemon such as Groudon, Rayquaza, Shaymin-S, Garchomp, and Zekrom without resorting to Psycho Boost, while also giving Deoxys-A the best chance to 2HKO specially defensive Giratina and hitting Latios and Latias hard. Dark Pulse, on the other hand, allows Deoxys-A to defeat all of its Psychic brethren, 2HKOing Deoxys-D and Cresselia, Pokemon that Deoxys-A otherwise struggles to defeat, while also hitting Latios hard and even OHKOing offensive Mewtwo. It is also Deoxys-A's only move aside from Shadow Ball that can OHKO offensive Mewtwo. Superpower allows Deoxys-A to OHKO Chansey, Darkrai, and Blissey while providing Deoxys-A with the ability to hit Steel-types super effectively. The final slot is a toss-up; Hidden Power Fire provides coverage against Ferrothorn in situations where the Attack drop from Superpower is not welcome and OHKOes Forretress outside of Sturdy, but it only nabs the OHKO on both in neutral or sunny weather. If Ferrothorn and Forretress are not issues, Extreme Speed is a great option to take down weakened revenge killers. Because Deoxys-A is so versatile, its moveset can be molded to suit your team. Thunder, Grass Knot, Spikes, and Ice Punch are all good alternative moves that Deoxys-A can use. Thunder, although reliant on weather, allows Deoxys-A to hit enemy Steel- and Psychic-types hard. It is also Deoxys-A's best move against Skarmory and Lugia in the rain, as it can OHKO both after Stealth Rock. Grass Knot hits Kyogre and Groudon hard without the need for Psycho Boost stat drops, but its lack of coverage outside of hitting the two often makes it a poor choice. Ice Punch might seem outclassed by Ice Beam at first glance, but it gives Deoxys-A the best chance at OHKOing Latios and Latios, who avoid the OHKO from Ice Beam thanks to Soul Dew; it should be mentioned that it also hits Giratina and Lugia a lot less harder though. Spikes might seem awkward on a set designed to destroy its enemies, but Deoxys-A's massive potential for destruction gives it time to set up multiple layers of Spikes. Do be careful if you use Spikes though, as predicting incorrectly will result in a dead Deoxys-A. Deoxys-A has some alternative natures and spreads it can use aside from those listed. Maximum Speed along with a Naive nature enables Deoxys-A to outspeed everything up to +1 neutral-natured base 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf and Dragon Dance Rayquaza. A Rash or Mild nature is completely viable. An alternate spread of 24 Atk / 252 SpA / 232 Spe and a Mild nature provides more power at the cost of speed, allowing Deoxys-A to OHKO and 2HKO threats that it had trouble with earlier, such as specially defensive Giratina, as well as Multiscale-less Lugia, and Latias without the need for Stealth Rock. Deoxys-A can also invest in its Attack stat, as its special attacks already have a lot of power. A set of 184 Atk / 88 SpA / 236 Spe is viable, as it provides a massive boost to Superpower and Extreme Speed, giving the former a chance to OHKO support Dialga, Ferrothorn, and Chansey. It is recommended to use a Rash nature with this though, as a Rash Psycho Boost boosted by 88 Special Attack EVs is stronger than a Naive Psycho Boost boosted by 252 Special Attack EVs. There are a few partners that Deoxys-A always enjoys having on its side. As it is susceptible to revenge killing, Wobbuffet is a good partner to get rid of Choice Scarf users; it can also Encore harmless moves to give Deoxys-A a safe switch-in. Steel-types can cause trouble for Deoxys-A, especially in rain, as several of them are hit neutrally by Superpower, so Magnezone is another good partner, trapping these Pokemon and potentially setting up on them with Substitute and Charge Beam or OHKOing them with Thunder. Deoxys-A's frailty greatly hurts its ability to get in safely, so partners that can get Deoxys-A safely in with U-turn or Volt Switch—namely Genesect, Scizor, Forretress, and Zekrom—are welcome. Deoxys-A has the tendency to cause a lot of switches in a match and wants as much residual damage on the team as possible so that it can have the best chance to sweep. This means Deoxys-A appreciates having a partner that can use entry hazards such as Ferrothorn. Forretress can do this job well too. It can setup multiple hazards and allow Deoxys-A to switch back in easily thanks to its slow Volt Switch and Explosion.

Deoxys-A's ability to force many switches and access to entry hazards, coupled with the ability to destroy all users of Rapid Spin and Magic Bounce, allows it to become a fantastic user of Stealth Rock and Spikes. The decision between Stealth Rock and Spikes is based on your team's needs. Stealth Rock takes only one turn to setup, and affects all types of Pokemon. Spikes, on the other hand, deals consistent damage to all non-Flying-type Pokemon. Psycho Boost hits extremely hard, and allows Deoxys-A to deal heavy damage to enemy leads. The third slot is reserved for Deoxys-A's coverage needs. Both moves allow Deoxys-A to hit Steel-types, but both have their notable attributes. Superpower allows Deoxys-A to dent Dialga and OHKO enemy Tyranitar, while Hidden Power Fire can bring Forretress down to Sturdy and OHKO enemy Ferrothorn. It should be noted that both Superpower and Hidden Power Fire can take up the last two slots if you wish to have insurance against Tyranitar, Dialga, Forretress, and Ferrothorn. The last slot is also based on the team's needs. Ice Beam allows Deoxys-A to OHKO Rayquaza and crush Groudon without resorting to Psycho Boost. Extreme Speed 2HKOes Deoxys-S, and limits the amount of hazards it can setup. Lastly, Dark Pulse provides solid coverage against enemy Psychic-types, notably Deoxys-D, who would otherwise have no problem setting up hazards against Deoxys-A. As a suicide lead, Deoxys-A doesn't really need teammates to help it do its job, but there are many teammates that appreciate hazards on the field. Sweepers such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Extreme Killer Arceus enjoy having hazards on the opponent's side of the field, as it greatly helps them sweep the opposition. This coupled with Deoxys-A's ability to prevent hazards from going up on its side of the field (thanks to the fact its foes will try to knock it out to avoid getting mauled), allows Deoxys-A to even better help a Pokemon sweep. There are, however, a few teammates Deoxys-A needs. A spinblocker such as Giratina or Arceus-Ghost is needed so that the hazards Deoxys-A sets up will not be spun away. Additionally, Pokemon that can switch into priority moves, such as Shadow Sneak or Extreme Speed, are welcome. Dialga, in particular, makes a great partner. It can easily switch into a Shadow Sneak from Giratina and threaten to OHKO back with Draco Meteor. Dialga can also threaten any users of Rapid Spin with Fire Blast and Draco Meteor and provide Stealth Rock support, which allows Deoxys-A to run Spikes. Deoxys-A can run moves not listed on the set, but note that Deoxys-A will lose coverage. There is only one viable move not listed, and that is Thunder, which can be used in the fourth slot as a hybrid between Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fire. Thunder is Deoxys-A's strongest move against Skarmory, and allows Deoxys-A to hit enemy Psychic- and Steel-types neutrally, hitting Forretress a lot harder than Superpower. Thunder, however, is reliant on rain, and as this Deoxys-A is designed to lead, it might be impossible to make Thunder accurate.

Presenting Deoxys-A's bread and butter set, one of the tier's premier offensive anti-leads. This set can take on most leads in the current metagame and come out on top. If you thought Draco Meteor spam was impressive, think again: Deoxys-A's Psycho Boost is even more powerful, and does an immense amount of damage to anything that isn't outright immune to Psychic. For reference, Psycho Boost does 90.6% - 106.8% to Rayquaza! Ice Beam and Dark Pulse both improve Deoxys-A's coverage by allowing it to hit Latios and Latias. The former also provides Deoxys-A with a move to hit Rayquaza and Groudon outside of Psycho Boost while the latter allows Deoxys-A to hit its Psychic brethren, namely Deoxys-S, Deoxys, and Cresselia, super effectively, all the while providing a handy 20% flinch chance. Superpower is a move similar to Psycho Boost, albeit physically based, and hits Steel- and Dark-types that resist or are immune to Psycho Boost for super effective damage. This notably allows Deoxys-A to revenge kill non-Focus Sash Darkrai. Hidden Power Fire allows Deoxys-A to quickly OHKO Forretress and Ferrothorn. It should be noted that if Deoxys-A lacks Hidden Power Fire, then it will have great difficulty hurting Forretress, as it resists all other moves Deoxys-A can throw at it barring Superpower—which it easily absorbs thanks to its high Defense. However, without Superpower, Deoxys-A will find itself walled by Chansey. Extreme Speed is great for taking out weakened opponents such as Focus Sash Deoxys-S, and lands a decent hit on Choice Scarf users attempting to revenge kill Deoxys-A. It also provides mid-game revenge killing utility should Deoxys-A survive that long, which happens surprisingly often. However, it can be replaced with a coverage move if your team doesn't have much trouble with revenge killers and doesn't mind Deoxys-S nabbing an extra layer of Spikes on you. Max Speed and Special Attack with a Naive nature are used to make the most of Deoxys-A's amazing offensive stats, as its Defense is so poor that it will not survive any hits; in any case, it utilizes a Focus Sash. The remaining 4 EVs should go into Attack to boost Superpower and Extreme Speed. In particular, this Speed investment allows Deoxys-A to outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Kyogre and other neutral-natured base 90 Speed Choice Scarf users. A Rash nature, however, is also usable. An alternative spread of 16 Atk / 252 SpA / 240 Spe with a Rash nature allows Deoxys-A to still outpace Mewtwo and other base 130 Speed Pokemon, taking into account Hidden Power Fire's imperfect Speed IV. Using max Speed in tandem with Hidden Power Fire with a Rash nature is not advised, as the point lost in Speed will prevent a Speed tie with opposing Deoxys-A, the only common Pokemon with base 150 Speed, so dropping to 395 Speed (just above the base 130 Speed tier) and shifting the remaining EVs to Attack is the preferred choice. Deoxys-A also has the option of running Magic Coat, Fire Punch, Thunder, Grass Knot, or Ice Punch. Magic Coat allows Deoxys-A to reflect Spikes and Dark Void back at Deoxys-S and Darkrai respectively, if you can predict correctly. Fire Punch provides solid coverage while preserving perfect IVs, but it will be slightly weaker than Hidden Power Fire due to unequal offensive investment. Thunder is reliant on rain, but it allows Deoxys-A to hit enemy Deoxys, Forretress, Kyogre, Lugia, and Ho-Oh hard. Grass Knot allows Deoxys-A to always OHKO defensive Groudon without the Psycho Boost stat drops, but its inability to hit Steel-types burdens Deoxys-A. Lastly, Ice Punch can be used over Ice Beam solely for enemy Latios and Latias. As a dedicated lead, Deoxys-A does not require much support from the team. Should you forgo Magic Coat, a sleep absorber will be necessary, as Choice Scarf Darkrai will outspeed and incapacitate Deoxys-A with Dark Void before it can use Superpower. RestTalk + Calm Mind Kyogre is a great teammate in this regard as it does not mind being put to sleep and can retaliate with Sleep Talk, either drowning Darkrai with Scald or setting up for an early sweep with Calm Mind. Beware of switching Kyogre into a Trick, however, as a Choice item will cripple it. If Deoxys-A lacks Hidden Power Fire, lead Scizor can also cause problems; fortunately, a defensive Kyogre is generally an apt switch-in to most Scizor as well. Though not commonly seen as leads, Giratina-O and Extreme Killer Arceus can take Deoxys-A out with consecutive Shadow Sneaks and Extreme Speeds respectively, but Psycho Boost will deal severe damage to them. Dialga can easily switch into a resisted Shadow Sneak and scare Giratina-O out or OHKO with STAB Dragon-type moves. While entry hazards might seem odd on an attacking lead, the immense offensive threat Deoxys-A presents can often force switches, which gives it an opportunity to get Stealth Rock or a layer of Spikes onto the field.

Moves Spikes allows Deoxys-A to support its teammates by passively wearing away at opposing Pokemon, and its Focus Sash ensures it can get one layer of Spikes and then attack against most leads. Signal Beam is important for hitting both Deoxys-S and Darkrai, while Shadow Ball is a bit stronger and 2HKOes Giratina-O in exchange for not hitting Darkrai nearly as well. Both do comparable amounts of damage to Deoxys-S, and either can be used with Spikes to get more utility out of Deoxys-A or instead of Spikes to let it function as an all-out attacker. Extreme Speed is incredibly important, as it lets Deoxys-A limit Deoxys-S to one layer of entry hazards if running Signal Beam or Shadow Ball and break Focus Sash on lead Rayquaza after setting Spikes. Thunder is useful for taking on Kyogre and Ho-Oh, 2HKOing both of them or simply racking up some damage after setting Spikes. Psycho Boost sacrifices a bit of power against Kyogre in exchange for better accuracy and more widespread application, such as combining with Extreme Speed to KO lead Rayquaza and more reliably hitting Ho-Oh. Superpower helps out against Tyranitar when Deoxys-A isn't running Spikes, as Focus Sash Tyranitar will limit Deoxys-A to either attacking it once or getting one layer of Spikes. Hidden Power Fire provides useful coverage for Forretress and can OHKO it, preventing bulkier teams from setting too many entry hazards early-game. Set Details Maximum Special Attack is ideal, since Extreme Speed and Superpower don't need the boost in power for what they're meant to do. Since Deoxys-A doesn't have any defensive utility to begin with, a Rash nature is best to use all of its power without giving up any Attack needlessly. This also allows Deoxys-A to threaten Forretress without the need for Hidden Power Fire in addition to hitting Kyogre significantly harder. Focus Sash ensures Deoxys-A can both set entry hazards and attack versus most other leads. Usage Tips The plan against most leads is simple: set a layer of Spikes then attack. This sequence works against many of the most common leads, and the few Rapid Spin leads in Forretress and Tentacruel are 2HKOed by Thunder anyway. Against Deoxys-S, it's better to attack first to check for a potential Taunt, especially when running Signal Beam. If Taunt isn't used on the first turn, setting Spikes turn 2 then using Extreme Speed is ideal for that interaction. Tyranitar's primary mechanism as an anti-lead is using sand damage to finish off Deoxys-A after bringing it to 1 HP, so the best move is to use Spikes turn 1 rather than attack with Superpower and possibly activate Tyranitar's own Focus Sash. Psycho Boost sets are better off KOing Rayquaza and then trying to set Spikes; all other sets should set Spikes turn 1, since no other combination of moves will consistently 2HKO Rayquaza. Team Options As an anti-lead, Deoxys-A functions independently of its teammates, so it's a great fit for any offense team wanting an anti-lead for Deoxys-S or a Spikes lead, with the former being the main draw compared to Deoxys-S. Teammates that fear being worn down quickly by entry hazards, such as Darkrai, Palkia, and Kyogre, appreciate Deoxys-A limiting what Deoxys-S and Forretress are able to accomplish early-game. Additionally, Deoxys-A should be paired with a Pokemon that can reliably set Stealth Rock, as Spikes is the only hazard that should be run on Deoxys-A, and Stealth Rock is very important to have on every team.

Moves Thunder and Ice Beam provide Deoxys-A with excellent coverage, hitting everything except the rare Magnezone at least neutrally. Thunder hits important bulky targets like Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Lugia super effectively and hits several of the Ice-resistant Steel-types quite well. Ice Beam helps out against the many great Dragon-types in the tier, such as Giratina, Latios, Latias, Rayquaza, and Garchomp, while also giving Deoxys-A a far better way to hit Groudon. Superpower patches up the few remaining holes by hitting Dialga, Darkrai, Blissey, and Heatran super effectively, ensuring Deoxys-A is nearly impossible to safely switch into. Extreme Speed is able to pick off any Pokemon with boosted Speed at low health and can put out good damage in its own right versus frailer targets like Darkrai and Latios. This also helps mitigate the impact of the otherwise ruinous paralysis on Deoxys-A. Hidden Power Fire is an alternative to Extreme Speed for extra insurance against Steel-types like Forretress, Bronzong, and Jirachi, OHKOing or 2HKOing them outside of rain. Psycho Boost can be used in place of a coverage move for its ability to hit most Pokemon neutrally. With Life Orb and Deoxys-A's incredible Special Attack, Psycho Boost KOes defensive staples like Giratina and support Groudon after just a little bit of chip damage, and frailer pokemon like Palkia are OHKOed from any HP range. Shadow Ball is another alternative specifically for handling defensive Mewtwo sets, since it's favored to KO Mewtwo after Stealth Rock damage. Extreme Speed is the only move that Shadow Ball should replace, since, unlike Psycho Boost, it doesn't quite have the power to justify leaving a coverage move behind. Set Details Life Orb is the best choice for Deoxys-A's item, since the boost in power allows it to score massive damage on top Pokemon like Kyogre, Dialga, and Mewtwo, always 2HKOing them from full health. Not being confined by a Choice item to the first move selected helps it not need to switch out of battle constantly, especially when it can't switch into any attacks to begin with. 236 Speed EVs let Deoxys-A outrun Mewtwo; however, this should be bumped up to 240 EVs if running Hidden Power Fire due to the drop in Speed IVs. Maximum Special Attack with a Rash nature is ideal, since the Pokemon that fear Superpower, like Dialga and Blissey, already take massive damage anyway, and the Special Attack investment is necessary for targets such as Kyogre and Groudon. Usage Tips Deoxys-A will almost always enter the field after another Pokemon is sacrificed, with the only exceptions being against particularly passive Pokemon like Blissey or simply switching aggressively into moves like Stealth Rock. Make sure entry hazards have been set and mid-game priority attack users have been dealt with or put into range of Extreme Speed, as those conditions greatly increase the amount of damage Deoxys-A can do to a team. Once Deoxys-A comes in, doing damage as efficiently as possible is key, since every time Deoxys-A is switched out, it'll either have to come in after another teammate goes down or be sacrificed for tempo itself. Ideally, it should be used as a mid-game wallbreaker to remove the opponent's defensive Pokemon for the benefit of its teammates in the back. Team Options Deoxys-A belongs on fast-paced offense teams, working well with teammates that can either set up and sweep through teams or facilitate those sweeps. Darkrai is an excellent partner, as its Dark Void can deal with the few Pokemon capable of beating Deoxys-A, and it can either heavily damage or remove Pokemon like Giratina-O, Groudon, Latios, and Latias. In return, Deoxys-A helps take care of specially defensive threats to Darkrai like Dialga, Kyogre, and Blissey. Rayquaza appreciates Deoxys-A wearing down physically defensive Pokemon like Groudon or Bronzong for it to sweep late-game with Swords Dance or Dragon Dance sets; it returns the favor by using Air Lock to handle the Swift Swim sweepers that would otherwise check Deoxys-A. Tyranitar is often the best Stealth Rock lead to use, since with a Focus Sash it reliably sets entry hazards against most other leads or can KO them in return if they have Taunt. A good Steel-type like Bronzong is important to switch into and wear away at Dialga, which Deoxys-A cannot OHKO at full health. Dialga itself, as well as either Latios or Latias, pairs well with Deoxys-A too: these Pokemon can either heavily damage or remove Kyogre, which is another very important target that Deoxys-A needs just a bit of chip damage to OHKO. Wobbuffet can enable Deoxys-A's true offensive potential by either removing Choice Scarf users or using Encore to lock certain Pokemon into using non-damaging moves, giving Deoxys-A the perfect opportunity to enter and start spreading damage quickly. Deoxys-A also has the issue of giving up momentum to Giratina-O, since Shadow Sneak will always threaten a KO, so it's very important to have teammates that can safely switch into and beat Giratina-O.

Set Description Spell Tag gives a small power boost to Deoxys-A's Shadow Ball, which lets Deoxys-A always OHKO Latios and substantially increases its chance at KOing a chipped Latias, while still allowing it to switch between moves. This lets it unleash a surprise coverage move and clean or wallbreak more flexibly. Extreme Speed grants some protection against the few Pokemon capable of revenge killing Deoxys-A, such as Rayquaza, Omastar, Qwilfish, Kabutops, Exeggutor, Shiftry, and opposing Deoxys-A. In addition to Latios and Latias, Shadow Ball also hits Mewtwo, Lugia, Gengar, Shedinja, and Dusclops. Superpower is how Deoxys-A smacks Normal- and Steel-types and is Spell Tag Deoxys-A's strongest move. Rock Slide is great for teams that need to more easily handle Ho-Oh, and it can fish for free turns when paired with paralysis spreaders. Fire Punch pairs with sun teams to deal major damage to conventional Deoxys-A checks such as Forretress, Skarmory, Metagross, and Jirachi. Thunder is a good counterpart for rain teams, making surprising use of Deoxys-A's high Special Attack against Pokemon such as Kyogre and Skarmory. Solar Beam is also an option for teams that really need Deoxys-A to blast through Groudon, and Pursuit helps it securely revenge kill Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, Mewtwo, and potentially other Deoxys-A. Extreme Speed can be potentially dropped for another coverage move on teams that don't necessarily need the extra revenge killing potential. A Jolly nature may be used to provide additional protection against opposing Deoxys-A. Run a Lonely nature if using a special attack such as Fire Punch, Thunder, Solar Beam, or Pursuit. Team Options Spell Tag Deoxys-A fits on a wide range of teams, from hyper offense to bulky offense and balance teams, and it requires no specific support. Because Spell Tag Deoxys-A is somewhat customizable in regards to what threats it can bypass, its teammates more often determine the set than the other way around. Common major obstacles for Deoxys-A are Steel-types, most notably Pursuit Metagross, so Magneton and Dugtrio are good choices to trap them, and they make a move choice such as Rock Slide more appealing. A full-health Kyogre or Groudon is an effective check when not running Thunder or Solar Beam, so Spikes setters such as Forretress, Skarmory, Omastar, and Qwilfish are highly effective, and they double as a way to get residual damage on Steel-types. Physical attackers that place strain on defensive Kyogre, Groudon, defensive Latias, and/or Steel-types are also good partners, such as Curse Snorlax, offensive Groudon sets, and Choice Band users such as Metagross, Snorlax, Ho-Oh, Heracross, Rayquaza, and Lugia. Deoxys-A also appreciates a team structure that can combat opposing weather sweepers, so running Groudon, Kyogre, or both is highly recommended.

Set Description Substitute eases Deoxys-A's reliance on prediction and also allows it to activate Petaya Berry, which turns it into a powerful specially-based cleaner. BoltBeam covers most of the tier, and with maximum Special Attack investment, Ice Beam even OHKOes Latios when boosted. Superpower bypasses BoltBeam checks such as Blissey, Snorlax, Tyranitar, Regice, and Umbreon. A Hasty nature allows Deoxys-A to outspeed standard Salac Berry Groudon and Heracross at the cost of some power, which is notable for teams weak to these threats. 30 HP IVs are utilized to activate Petaya Berry on the third Substitute. Thunderbolt can be used instead of Thunder if using this set without rain support, but it is substantially less likely to secure KOs on Kyogre and Ho-Oh. Team Options This set functions best when using Thunder, which entails a rain team with Kyogre, and like with physical Deoxys-A, this set also appreciates Kyogre helping neutralize sun sweepers. A rain sweeper such as Omastar or Qwilfish can provide a defense against opposing Deoxys-A. SubPetaya Deoxys-A cannot hit Shedinja, so Spikes support from Forretress, Skarmory, Omastar, or Qwilfish is essential, and this also helps pressure Steel-types. Steel-types that take neutral damage from Superpower and Thunder, like Metagross, are also effective checks to this set, so running Magneton or Dugtrio to trap them is also effective.

Set Description Choice Band maximizes Deoxys-A's power to bust through bulky threats, especially Kyogre and Groudon, when cleaning or wallbreaking. Extreme Speed grants some protection against the few Pokemon capable of revenge killing Deoxys-A, such as Rayquaza, weather sweepers, and opposing Deoxys-A. Shadow Ball is mainly for Latios and Latias, but it also hits Mewtwo, Lugia, Gengar, Shedinja, and Dusclops, and it is fairly spammable if Normal-types have been eliminated. Superpower is how Deoxys-A breaks through Normal- and Steel-types, but it can be unfavorable to lock into due to Ghost-types, Latios, Latias, and the Attack drops. Double-Edge is the strongest reliable move available to Deoxys-A, dealing high damage to key targets such as Kyogre, Groudon, and Ho-Oh without locking Deoxys-A into Superpower or Shadow Ball, moves which more common foes are resistant or immune to. Rock Slide is for teams that need to more easily bypass Ho-Oh, and it can fish for free turns when paired with paralysis spreaders. Fire Punch can be used on sun teams to surprise typical Choice Band Deoxys-A switch-ins, such as Forretress, Skarmory, Metagross, and Jirachi. Pursuit is also a worthy option to securely revenge kill Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, Mewtwo, and potentially other Deoxys-A. A Jolly nature may be used to provide additional protection against opposing Deoxys-A. Run a Lonely nature if using a special attack such as Fire Punch or Pursuit. Team Options Choice Band Deoxys-A fits on hyper offense and bulky offense teams as the most immediately powerful cleaner around. The major obstacles for its cleaning are Pokemon that deny it from easily clicking Double-Edge or Shadow Ball, which are primarily Steel-types, especially Pursuit Metagross. Magneton, Dugtrio, and Spikes setters, such as Forretress, Skarmory, Omastar, and Qwilfish, are highly effective at trapping and removing them or chipping them down. Physical attackers that place strain on defensive Kyogre, Groudon, defensive Latias, and/or Steel-types are also good partners, softening up these targets for Deoxys-A to clean; Curse Snorlax, offensive Groudon sets, and Choice Band users such as Metagross, Snorlax, Ho-Oh, Heracross, Rayquaza, and Lugia all accomplish this. Some of the few Pokemon that can outspeed Deoxys-A are weather sweepers, so running Groudon, Kyogre, or both is highly recommended to help keep the weather in your favor. Blissey is also a notable partner, as it can stonewall most Latios and Latias sets, giving Deoxys-A a safe switch into these threats if it's locked into Superpower.