Archeops

[Rename Card]

Pretty awesome to have an archeopteryx Pokemon, and I dig the design. When I saw its base stats and movepool it seemed like it could have some merit, but once I discovered what that God-forsaken ability did it was difficult to really merit using it.

Even if its ability only halves Atk (though I am seeing some people saying it halves all stats save HP, which makes an already terribad ability even worse) its special movepool can't compensate. Its strongest special STAB is AncientPower, with no access to Air Slash or Gale is sight.

I can honestly see this thing nose-diving right into NU.

 

[TheAussieLapras]

I really want to try this guy out because when I first saw it's sprite, I wanted to try it, sadly hindering abilities dont like to make pokemon popular and I see this pokemon although I hate to say it, not doing that well :(

 

[Batistabomb]

Pretty awesome to have an archeopteryx Pokemon, and I dig the design. When I saw its base stats and movepool it seemed like it could have some merit, but once I discovered what that God-forsaken ability did it was difficult to really merit using it.

Even if its ability only halves Atk (though I am seeing some people saying it halves all stats save HP, which makes an already terribad ability even worse) its special movepool can't compensate. Its strongest special STAB is AncientPower, with no access to Air Slash or Gale is sight.

I can honestly see this thing nose-diving right into NU.

I agree with this post.

Not Roost,not wish.....this pokemon needs NEW ABILITY in pokemon grey...that's enough.

Even an ability that decreases both the defenses? It could have more sense than Faint Hearted.

 

[WingedKnight]

Pretty awesome to have an archeopteryx Pokemon, and I dig the design. When I saw its base stats and movepool it seemed like it could have some merit, but once I discovered what that God-forsaken ability did it was difficult to really merit using it.

Even if its ability only halves Atk (though I am seeing some people saying it halves all stats save HP, which makes an already terribad ability even worse) its special movepool can't compensate. Its strongest special STAB is AncientPower, with no access to Air Slash or Gale is sight.

I can honestly see this thing nose-diving right into NU.

I'm gonna have to disagree with this post and the other naysayers. And that's not just bias, it's looking at what we know.
His ability is awful. No doubt. And he's not gonna get a new one, especially since he and the other 'handicapped' pokes have no Dream World alternative. Still, he is the best off of all Pokemon with a 'handicap' ability. Instead of being flat-out rendered useless NU-fodder like Slaking and Regigigas, he just has to adjust his strategy to a specific role.
OF COURSE, he's gonna die a lot! He's a frail sweeper to begin with! You can't keep him in against priority users, or Swift Swimmers, or blindly switch in and out with Stealth Rocks in play and then say "lawl he sux". He is built for a very specific role. Trying to shoehorn him into an Overpowered Superstar role is gonna leave you really disappointed.
Archaeos has a very specific set of tools that provide him with a very clear job which he can do very well. If you use his main advantages like Jewel/Acrobat and Claw Sharpen/Stone Edge/Focus Blast, in addition to playing smart and not just throwing him out there, he is a very potent player.
Late game sweeper/clean-up is the way to go. Just as with any poke, you have to play him to his advantages and not throw him into impossible situations, otherwise he's obviously going to be a letdown. If you work with his strengths and unique tools, however, he will NOT disappoint.
[/end wall of text]

 

[Colonel Darren]

Archaeos has a very specific set of tools that provide him with a very clear job which he can do very well. If you use his main advantages like Jewel/Acrobat and Claw Sharpen/Stone Edge/Focus Blast, in addition to playing smart and not just throwing him out there, he is a very potent player.
Late game sweeper/clean-up is the way to go. Just as with any poke, you have to play him to his advantages and not throw him into impossible situations, otherwise he's obviously going to be a letdown. If you work with his strengths and unique tools, however, he will NOT disappoint.
[/end wall of text]

This. This. This. And This.

You people are making it sound like Archeaos is coming in more than once as a type of revenge killer or all out sweeper or the like. He won't survive that at all. I find him very similar to a BellyZard or SD Lucario. You won't sweep with either unless you force an opportunity or help weaken/kill counters before you show your hand. That's what makes them devastating.

 

[A.P.]

I have to agree with the previous two posters. Archaeos may have flaws (like all Pokémon), but the best way to avoid harping on them is not to play him as you see him, but to his strengths. He's not the badass super-uber sweeper you're looking for? Don't say he's not good for anything; just find what he's good at. People have already theorymoned about this, and I have to agree.

And for the record, don't we have unblockable spin now?

 

[Colonel Darren]

And for the record, don't we have unblockable spin now?

I do not think the Aiming Mark item really helped bypass an immunity and let a free spin go off unblocked. Instead, I see it as this:

Send in Starmie.
Bluff Spin, pick Surf as Shandaara (Whom is likely to take Rotom's spinblock job) comes in.
Trollface.

 

[Azure Demon]

I agree with this post.

Not Roost,not wish.....this pokemon needs NEW ABILITY in pokemon grey...that's enough.

Even an ability that decreases both the defenses? It could have more sense than Faint Hearted.

think about what you just said and tell me what is wrong with that statement. Never mind I'll just tell you pokemon don't get new abilities during the same generation of games. So in gray sadly, his best hope is roost but until then say hi to UU and NU for me

 

[Murkglow]

And for the record, don't we have unblockable spin now?

No, Aiming Mark does not make Rapid Spin unblockable.

 

[Nastyjungle]

I don't see much happening for Archaeos, to be honest.

At a glance, 140 Attack and 110 Speed is fabulous, to say the least- but Faint of Heart really hinders any effectiveness this pokemon might of had. Getting it down to half HP won't be hard at all considering how terrible it is on the defensive side of things, it'll be a nightmare trying to keep this thing working with so many scarfers and priority moves running amok.

It has decent special attack that won't be effected by Faint of Heart, but nothing to utilize that special attack with- the potential for being a mixed sweeper is, unfortunately lost on this pokemon.

 

[Anthony Von Hertzon]

I cant see this thing bringing that much to the table. Due to its initial fraility, its ability to sweep will be limited because of its ability. I doubt we'll see much of it initially, but, it does have its niche like wingedknight said.

 

[Ericcc]

I don't see much happening for Archaeos, to be honest.

At a glance, 140 Attack and 110 Speed is fabulous, to say the least- but Faint of Heart really hinders any effectiveness this pokemon might of had. Getting it down to half HP won't be hard at all considering how terrible it is on the defensive side of things, it'll be a nightmare trying to keep this thing working with so many scarfers and priority moves running amok.

It has decent special attack that won't be effected by Faint of Heart, but nothing to utilize that special attack with- the potential for being a mixed sweeper is, unfortunately lost on this pokemon.

Obviously its special movepool isn't Octillery status, but it has just enough moves that will find their comfortable place in many of its movesets with Claw Sharpen (as mentioned above Claw Sharpen/ Stone Edge/ FB). Also has access to Earth Power, and Dragon Pulse, although the usefulness of either of the two is considerable.

 

[Nastyjungle]

Obviously its special movepool isn't Octillery status, but it has just enough moves that will find their comfortable place in many of its movesets with Claw Sharpen (as mentioned above Claw Sharpen/ Stone Edge/ FB). Also has access to Earth Power, and Dragon Pulse, although the usefulness of either of the two is considerable.

That's true. Upon further review, I suppose that it could be a fairly effective late-game sweeper, as long as it was holding a scarf.

As far as it's special movepool goes, Earth Power is the best special ground move- but I'd choose an appropriate Hidden Power over Dragon Pulse.

 

[WingedKnight]

That's true. Upon further review, I suppose that it could be a fairly effective late-game sweeper, as long as it was holding a scarf.

As far as it's special movepool goes, Earth Power is the best special ground move- but I'd choose an appropriate Hidden Power over Dragon Pulse.

I'm telling you. I cannot stress this set enough.

Archaeos @ Flying Jewel
-Claw Sharpen
-Stone Edge
-Acrobat
-Focus Blast

Late game, when you know your opponents team and have removed or weakened threats, bring him in on something he'll scare out, Claw Sharpen on the switch, and perform clean-up duty with your powerful, accurate, boosted moves. That is all.

 

[MapleSandwich]

I do not think the Aiming Mark item really helped bypass an immunity and let a free spin go off unblocked. Instead, I see it as this:

Send in Starmie.
Bluff Spin, pick Surf as Shandaara (Whom is likely to take Rotom's spinblock job) comes in.
Trollface.

Lol no, Shanderaa will not be taking spinblock duty with Bunungesu around, who takes about 33% from Starmie's Thunderbolt. Speaking of Bunungesu, I think it might be a pretty good way to counter this guy, especially once the attack stats get halved. Boiling Water just wrecks, both in terms of HP and the potential burn, and it can just watch Archaeos die slowly once the Faint-Hearted kicks in while it recovers back up to full. Thoughts?:cloud:

 

[DrunkRaccoon]

I'm telling you. I cannot stress this set enough.

Archaeos @ Flying Jewel
-Claw Sharpen
-Stone Edge
-Acrobat
-Focus Blast

Late game, when you know your opponents team and have removed or weakened threats, bring him in on something he'll scare out, Claw Sharpen on the switch, and perform clean-up duty with your powerful, accurate, boosted moves. That is all.

How many things can this guy really set up on? Assuming SR is up it's pretty easy for anything to take a 25% chunk out of it, rendering it useless.

 

[WingedKnight]

How many things can this guy really set up on? Assuming SR is up it's pretty easy for anything to take a 25% chunk out of it, rendering it useless.

Rapid Spin support is obviously really helpful for him assuming SR is as prevalent as it was last gen. Finding that opportunity to set up is admittedly tricky, but hopefully one could force a switch with something weakened and slower or something that fears his STABs. And also, while taking that chunk and activating Faint Hearted would hurt, it wouldn't be "useless". If you get that boost off you've still got base 105 attack and two 100(110 for Acrobat) BP STAB moves backing it, plus his speed and Focus Blast.

@ MapleSandwich: Jellyman is scary. Leaving Archaeos out against any Water-type is suicidal as is (unless they have no Aqua Jet and you KNOW you can OHKO them), but this guy especially would mess him up good. You have to pick your battles, and our Water/Ghost buddy is not one for Archie to be fighting.

 

[Death Phenomeno]

A Specs Archaeos in action. Notice the damage dealt and draw your own conclusions.

 

[Missingno. Master]

A Specs Archaeos in action. Notice the damage dealt and draw your own conclusions.

From the looks of things, Weak-Knee'd seems to also affect Special Attack.

CRAP.

 

[Batistabomb]

A Specs Archaeos in action. Notice the damage dealt and draw your own conclusions.

Archaeos is definitively NU. In this game it has been literally OWNED by the mole. The game freak has tried to balance this pokemon but it's not shrewed that this has made it completely inoffensive.

 

[Colonel Darren]

A Specs Archaeos in action. Notice the damage dealt and draw your own conclusions.

I swear it used Dragon Pulse on something we know is Steel. It's also not STAB, so I'm not sure what it's supposed to show other than both offensive stats going down past 50%. This only proves the point myself and Wing were discussing earlier that this thing has a very specific purpose in mind, and that is -true- lategame cleanup.

So yes, I can admit that it looks as if both offensive stats go down. However, at the very least, neither did his speed.

 

[SJCrew]

It might end up being UU like Moltres, where both cases involve a Pokemon with high offensive potential being hindered by the amount of support required for it to be effective.

 

[Colonel Darren]

It might end up being UU like Moltres, where both cases involve a Pokemon with high offensive potential being hindered by the amount of support required for it to be effective.

I don't see it more like Moltres, as Moltres can do both sweeping and a decent stalling tactic in SubRoost. I see it more akin to perhaps Bellyzard if Charizard were in UU. Powerful with the right support, but dead weight without or being played carelessly.

 

[Ericcc]

Aw geez, so it seems that Faint Hearted drops both attacking stats.

Seems like no Roost is going to have Archeos (imo) in the lower tiers...

 

[Nastyjungle]

If Faint Hearted really does drop both attack stats like that video indicates, then there's no hope for Archeos at all.

Seems like GF's attempt to balance his monstrous stats just ended up making him unusable.