[OVERVIEW]
- Access to Stealth Rock, Taunt, and Endeavor make Archeops one of the best suicide leads in the tier
- Endeavor alongside Focus Sash allows it to apply pressure on any Pokemon that's slower and prevents Archeops from being walled, as opposed to Aerodactyl.
- Good Speed stat puts it above majority of the tier, allowing it to more easily do its job as a suicide lead
- Heavily outclassed in any role besides suicide lead, by the likes of Aerodactyl.
- Defeatist is an extremely terrible ability that Archeops is cursed to have, limiting its options and making it a one trick pony with the only viable set being suicide lead, and rendering it outclassed as an offensive threat by other Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Suicide Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Endeavor
move 4: Head Smash
item: Focus Sash
ability: Defeatist
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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- Stealth Rock is a mandatory entry hazard and the main reason to use Archeops
- Taunt prevents the opponent from setting up their own hazards, while also preventing recovery, set up, as well as Defog
- Endeavor can dent a huge hole in a defensive threat or bring down a Pokemon's health down to almost zero if Focus Sash is activated.
- Head Smash is a strong STAB that could hit Pokemon such as Xatu which has Magic Bounce, while the recoil allows Archeops to get KO'd after the Focus Sash is activated, preventing the use of Defog and Rapid Spin.
Set Details
========
- Straightforward max Attack max Speed EV spread.
- Focus Sash to always live a hit, which frees at least 2 turns majority of the time unless the opposing Pokemon is faster or has a priority move. This allows Archeops to either use Taunt and Stealth Rock, or set up Stealth Rock and weaken a Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
- Archeops should typically only be used as a suicide lead for offensive teams, otherwise Aerodactyl strictly outclasses offensively
- Ultimately Archeops' goal is to set Stealth Rock and prevent hazards, anything else it could do is a bonus.
- It can be tricky when you're against Xatu or Espeon, but generally speaking one should be careful of clicking Stealth Rock recklessly when they're alive. Espeon speed ties and in general it comes down to a speed tie, but both of them are OHKO'd by Head Smash, provided it's not in Defeatist range.
- When against a Pokemon that could potentially set up entry hazards such as Galvantula or Nidoqueen, Taunt should be used to prevent that
- Endeavor can be used to heavily cripple a Pokemon by bringing their HP down significantly.
- Taunt can be used to prevent Defog, opposing hazards, recovery, and set up from Pokemon such as Feraligatr and Snorlax
- Head Smash can be used to both impose offensive pressure, and to KO Archeops itself to prevent the use of Defog or Rapid Spin, while bringing a teammate in safely afterwards.
- Pokemon with priority such as Doublade can be troublesome as they limit what Archeops can do, so setting up Stealth Rock and preserving Archeops if Stealth Rock are absent from your side of the field can be a good thing to do, as it can greatly cripple a Pokemon later in the game with Endeavor.
Team Options
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- Archeops is best fitted for offensive teams that rely on momentum and pressure
- Decidueye is good since it can both act as a spinblocker and a great sweeper and wallbreaker with Swords Dance. Doublade and Mega Banette can also spinblock while providing useful utility in their own right
- Espeon can deter the opponent from setting up their own entry hazards, since it can be tough to fit hazard control on an offensive team, especially Rapid Spin.
- Spikes setters such as Roserade and Mega Glalie can double as offensive threats can work well with Archeops to form a hazard stacking core.
- Offensive Pokemon that appreciate Stealth Rock, and Archeops' ability to prevent them, appreciate having Archeops as a teammate. These can include Mega Abomasnow, Flygon, Zygarde-10%, Salazzle, and Durant.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Archeops doesn't exactly have any other options because Defeatist heavily limits what it can do, and it also has severe competition from Aerodactyl which shares the same typing and has more Speed.
- Knock Off can be used on the suicide lead set to cripple some Pokemon, but ultimately Head Smash's utility is more useful, and Endeavor already cripples Pokemon more than enough. Additionally, it can hit and cripple Ghost-types such as Doublade that would be immune to Endeavor.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Attackers & Priority**: Faster attackers such as Choice Scarf Tyrantrum, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Zygarde-10% can all 2HKO Archeops which limits its options. Priority users such as Doublade, Feraligatr, Machamp, Pangoro, and Bruxish also do the same by firing off a strong attack followed by priority to finish Archeops off.
**Multi-hit moves**: While not many of them are used, Rhyperior and Gigalith's Rock Blast bypass Focus Sash while KOing Archeops.
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