[OVERVIEW]
* Decidueye is capable of posing a threat in UU as a powerful setup sweeper and stallbreaker, due to its decent offensive typing and bulk for setup.
* Its access to a great Ghost-type physical STAB attack in Spirit Shackle allows it to punch holes in teams with the attack while also using it to trap and eventually KO bulky foes.
* Decidueye also makes good use of Z-moves such as Bloom Doom and Sinister Arrow Raid, as both break through specific targets for it when boosted.
* However, Decidueye's typing offers little defensively, which in tandem with its lackluster physical bulk, can complicate setup.
* Its poor Speed can also weaken its matchup against offensive teams, despite its access to Sucker Punch.
* Decidueye also struggles to set up against the Water-types that its typing would normally allow it to threaten, as burns form Scald can heavily cripple it and impede a sweep.
* Lastly, Decidueye's poor coverage outside of its STAB attacks and Sucker Punch leaves it walled by Alolan Muk and Mandibuzz, which are fairly prevalent Pokemon in the tier.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Stallbreaker
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Spirit Shackle
move 4: Sucker Punch / Roost
item: Decidium Z / Grassium Z
ability: Overgrow
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance boosts Decidueye's Attack stat by two stages, turning it into a potent physical threat.
* Leaf Blade is a powerful STAB attack that Decidueye can use to threaten the many Water-types of the tier, includign Primarina, Suicune, Alomomola, and Quagsire.
* Spirit Shackle has limited switch-ins due to the lack of Pokemon resistant to Ghost, and also has the additional benefit of trapping foes to guarantee their KO.
* Sucker Punch can be used to punish Pokemon that may try revenge killing Decidueye, such as Nihilego, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Beedrill.
* Roost is an option over Sucker Punch for restoring Decidueye's health and allowing it to more consistently stallbreak throughout a match.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in both Attack and Speed give Decidueye a good offensive presence.
* A Jolly nature is used to give it a crucial Speed advantage over Pokemon like Chandelure, Scizor, Mamoswine, and unboosted Mega Altaria.
* Decidium Z reliably powers through a few bulky Pokemon that Decidueye would otherwise struggle to defeat without sustaining major damage, such as Amoonguss, Mega Altaria, Cobalion, Scizor, and Mantine.
* Grassium Z is an option for breaking past less common Pokemon that still can tank an attack and cripple Decidueye otherwise, like Porygon2, Umbreon, and Bewear.
* Overgrow is Decidueye's only possible ability, though it is useful for powering up Leaf Blade when Decidueye is low on health.
Usage Tips
========
* Decidueye can be used as both a sweeper and wallbreaker, due to its good power and ability to easily clean up after the removal of its checks.
* It should look to set up against Pokemon that it forces out, like Seismitoad or Swampert, or against a foe that can't adequately damage it, like Gliscor or Amoonguss.
* Decidium Z should be activated against opponents that can stomach a hit and proceed to heavily damage Decidueye, such as Cobalion, Mega Altaria, and Sylveon. It should also be used to break past some of the tier's particularly physically bulky Pokemon, like Gliscor.
* Grassium Z should be used in a similar fashion, though it can also be reserved for breaking past specific targets that otherwise wall Decidueye, most notably Umbreon and Bewear.
* Sweeping should not be attempted unless Mandibuzz and Alolan Muk are removed, as both of these Pokemon entirely wall and pressure Decidueye.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock and Spikes support from Pokemon like Nihilego, Mamoswine, and Klefki can allow Decidueye to more easily break past foes.
* Dark-type checks can take on the likes of Mega Absol and Krookodile, which can both outspeed and Pursuit trap Decidueye.
* Ground-types like Mamoswine and Zygarde-10% are capable of dealing with Alolan Muk and Fire-types, which can both prove troublesome for Decidueye.
* Pivots like Rotom-W, Magneton, and Infernape can safely bring Decidueye into play, which prevents it from taking unnecesasry chip damage.
* Cleaners like Mega Sharpedo and Bruxish appreciate Decidueye's ability to weaken foes in the early-game for them to easily finish off later on.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Brave Bird alongside Flyinium Z can lure in and KO Alolan Muk and Mandibuzz, which otherwise wall Decidueye.
* Decidueye can viably run a Defog set, though this is often less than preferable due to its poor physical bulk and typing.
* Substitute is an option it can run on Swords Dance sets to punish passive Pokemon, though the fact that these Pokemon are usually already forced out by Decidueye makes Substitute generally inferior to Sucker Punch or Roost.
* A defensive set is a possibility due to Decidueye's unique typing and set of resistances, though the better mixed bulk and abilities of both Celebi and Amoonguss make this set rather outclassed.
* Nasty Plot is an interesting option that can be used to lure in physically defensive checks to Decidueye, but the lack of coverage outside of STAB attacks and Hidden Power doesn't make this a very good option.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Fast offensive Dark-types like Mega Absol and Krookodile can easily outspeed and revenge kill Decidueye. Alolan Muk and Mandibuzz are also troublesome, as their typings allow them to completely wall Decidueye.
**Physical Attackers**: Decidueye's middling physical bulk leaves it heavily pressured by strong physical attackers like Mamoswine, Scizor, Heracross, and Terrakion
**Faster Pokemon**: Decidueye's poor Speed allows for faster Pokemon like Mega Beedrill, Latias, Nihilego, and Hydreigon to easily wear Decidueye down, though some fast threats should be wary of Sucker Punch.
* Decidueye is capable of posing a threat in UU as a powerful setup sweeper and stallbreaker, due to its decent offensive typing and bulk for setup.
* Its access to a great Ghost-type physical STAB attack in Spirit Shackle allows it to punch holes in teams with the attack while also using it to trap and eventually KO bulky foes.
* Decidueye also makes good use of Z-moves such as Bloom Doom and Sinister Arrow Raid, as both break through specific targets for it when boosted.
* However, Decidueye's typing offers little defensively, which in tandem with its lackluster physical bulk, can complicate setup.
* Its poor Speed can also weaken its matchup against offensive teams, despite its access to Sucker Punch.
* Decidueye also struggles to set up against the Water-types that its typing would normally allow it to threaten, as burns form Scald can heavily cripple it and impede a sweep.
* Lastly, Decidueye's poor coverage outside of its STAB attacks and Sucker Punch leaves it walled by Alolan Muk and Mandibuzz, which are fairly prevalent Pokemon in the tier.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Stallbreaker
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Spirit Shackle
move 4: Sucker Punch / Roost
item: Decidium Z / Grassium Z
ability: Overgrow
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance boosts Decidueye's Attack stat by two stages, turning it into a potent physical threat.
* Leaf Blade is a powerful STAB attack that Decidueye can use to threaten the many Water-types of the tier, includign Primarina, Suicune, Alomomola, and Quagsire.
* Spirit Shackle has limited switch-ins due to the lack of Pokemon resistant to Ghost, and also has the additional benefit of trapping foes to guarantee their KO.
* Sucker Punch can be used to punish Pokemon that may try revenge killing Decidueye, such as Nihilego, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Beedrill.
* Roost is an option over Sucker Punch for restoring Decidueye's health and allowing it to more consistently stallbreak throughout a match.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in both Attack and Speed give Decidueye a good offensive presence.
* A Jolly nature is used to give it a crucial Speed advantage over Pokemon like Chandelure, Scizor, Mamoswine, and unboosted Mega Altaria.
* Decidium Z reliably powers through a few bulky Pokemon that Decidueye would otherwise struggle to defeat without sustaining major damage, such as Amoonguss, Mega Altaria, Cobalion, Scizor, and Mantine.
* Grassium Z is an option for breaking past less common Pokemon that still can tank an attack and cripple Decidueye otherwise, like Porygon2, Umbreon, and Bewear.
* Overgrow is Decidueye's only possible ability, though it is useful for powering up Leaf Blade when Decidueye is low on health.
Usage Tips
========
* Decidueye can be used as both a sweeper and wallbreaker, due to its good power and ability to easily clean up after the removal of its checks.
* It should look to set up against Pokemon that it forces out, like Seismitoad or Swampert, or against a foe that can't adequately damage it, like Gliscor or Amoonguss.
* Decidium Z should be activated against opponents that can stomach a hit and proceed to heavily damage Decidueye, such as Cobalion, Mega Altaria, and Sylveon. It should also be used to break past some of the tier's particularly physically bulky Pokemon, like Gliscor.
* Grassium Z should be used in a similar fashion, though it can also be reserved for breaking past specific targets that otherwise wall Decidueye, most notably Umbreon and Bewear.
* Sweeping should not be attempted unless Mandibuzz and Alolan Muk are removed, as both of these Pokemon entirely wall and pressure Decidueye.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock and Spikes support from Pokemon like Nihilego, Mamoswine, and Klefki can allow Decidueye to more easily break past foes.
* Dark-type checks can take on the likes of Mega Absol and Krookodile, which can both outspeed and Pursuit trap Decidueye.
* Ground-types like Mamoswine and Zygarde-10% are capable of dealing with Alolan Muk and Fire-types, which can both prove troublesome for Decidueye.
* Pivots like Rotom-W, Magneton, and Infernape can safely bring Decidueye into play, which prevents it from taking unnecesasry chip damage.
* Cleaners like Mega Sharpedo and Bruxish appreciate Decidueye's ability to weaken foes in the early-game for them to easily finish off later on.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Brave Bird alongside Flyinium Z can lure in and KO Alolan Muk and Mandibuzz, which otherwise wall Decidueye.
* Decidueye can viably run a Defog set, though this is often less than preferable due to its poor physical bulk and typing.
* Substitute is an option it can run on Swords Dance sets to punish passive Pokemon, though the fact that these Pokemon are usually already forced out by Decidueye makes Substitute generally inferior to Sucker Punch or Roost.
* A defensive set is a possibility due to Decidueye's unique typing and set of resistances, though the better mixed bulk and abilities of both Celebi and Amoonguss make this set rather outclassed.
* Nasty Plot is an interesting option that can be used to lure in physically defensive checks to Decidueye, but the lack of coverage outside of STAB attacks and Hidden Power doesn't make this a very good option.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Fast offensive Dark-types like Mega Absol and Krookodile can easily outspeed and revenge kill Decidueye. Alolan Muk and Mandibuzz are also troublesome, as their typings allow them to completely wall Decidueye.
**Physical Attackers**: Decidueye's middling physical bulk leaves it heavily pressured by strong physical attackers like Mamoswine, Scizor, Heracross, and Terrakion
**Faster Pokemon**: Decidueye's poor Speed allows for faster Pokemon like Mega Beedrill, Latias, Nihilego, and Hydreigon to easily wear Decidueye down, though some fast threats should be wary of Sucker Punch.
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