Martin
A monoid in the category of endofunctors
[OVERVIEW]
Xatu's practically exclusive access to Magic Bounce allows it to function as a consistent method of entry hazard control versus defensive hazard setters. Additionally, having access to U-turn, Roost, and a handful of good offensive moves like Psychic, Grass Knot, and Heat Wave lets it function as a decent pivot that is capable of taking on common Pokemon like Steelix consistently. However, it is weak to the STAB moves of a number of common Stealth Rock and Spikes users, namely including Froslass, Rhydon, and Piloswine, forcing it to play mind games with them to consistently block hazards. Its attempts to block entry hazards can also be foiled by Mold Breaker users like Druddigon. Furthermore, its very underwhelming stats leave it easily pressured, especially in conjunction with its weakness to Knock Off and Pursuit, and it is consequently very reliant on using Roost in order to continuously check the Pokemon that it needs to check. It is also heavily reliant on U-turn to maintain pressure and momentum due to its low firepower and the number of common Pokemon that resist its chosen combination of attacks, which includes Guzzlord, Houndoom, Delphox, and Incineroar.
[SET]
name: Pivot
move 1: Roost
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Grass Knot
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Roost is important to keep Xatu healthy throughout the match. U-turn allows Xatu to grab momentum versus Pokemon that it forces out, allowing it to function as a somewhat reliable pivot. Psychic is a reasonably strong STAB move that allows Xatu to hit Emboar and Hitmonlee super effectively and 2HKO the standard Garbodor set. Grass Knot hots Rhydon and Seismitoad extremely hard and also dents Steelix. Heat Wave is an option that hits Steelix harder than Grass Knot, deals heavy damage to Sneasel that try to switch in on Xatu, and 2HKOes Klinklang that try to switch in and set up on Xatu.
Set Details
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Magic Bounce allows Xatu to act as a hazard and status deterrent. The listed HP EVs minimize Stealth Rock damage when Xatu fails to prevent them from being set up, and 16 Speed EVs make Xatu faster than Adamant Emboar. Xatu's Defense is maximized to ensure consistency versus Steelix and Garbodor; it also allows Xatu to take full advantage of its defensive typing. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item because it is useful for pressuring Steelix that use Heavy Slam as Xatu switches in. Colbur Berry is an alternative that helps Xatu circumvent Knock Off and Pursuit to some degree.
Usage Tips
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Use Xatu to prevent Pokemon like Steelix from setting entry hazards, and try to keep it healthy by using Roost regularly until either the opponent's setters are removed or preventing entry hazards from getting set up no longer matters. Be wary when playing around Pursuit users like Houndoom and Skuntank, especially if Xatu doesn't carry Colbur Berry, as they fear very little from it. A special mention goes to Sneasel here due to its ability to always threaten Xatu with STAB Icicle Crash. Switch Xatu in on weak or resisted attacks whenever possible, and don't be afraid to play aggressively versus Pokemon like Rhydon, Piloswine, and Froslass to prevent them setting hazards; aggressive play also applies if Xatu isn't healthy enough to switch directly into Steelix or Garbodor. If you expect that a problematic Pokemon, such as a Pursuit user or a Pokemon that Xatu can't dent, is going to switch in, use U-turn to grab momentum and avoid being taken advantage of.
Team Options
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Togedemaru is total Steelix bait, meaning that it greatly benefits from Xatu's ability to prevent its otherwise free use of Stealth Rock. In return, Xatu benefits from Togedemaru's ability to keep Pokemon like Vikavolt, Rotom-C, and Vanilluxe firmly in check. Pokemon that are weak to Stealth Rock, such as Vikavolt, Vanilluxe, Incineroar, and Vivillon, benefit from Xatu's ability to keep the hazard off of the field. Hitmonlee, Hariyama, and other responses to Dark-types help relieve the pressure on Xatu exerted by Pokemon like Sneasel and Houndoom. Similarly, checks to Ice- and Electric-type Pokemon, such as Cryogonal, Miltank, Roost Vikavolt, Steelix, and Seismitoad, are useful to help alleviate the issues that Xatu runs into versus dangerous Pokemon like Vanilluxe, Rotom-C, and Vikavolt. Answers to Rock-types, such as Steelix and Slowbro, are good partners for similar reasons. Pokemon like Sneasel and Piloswine appreciate Xatu soft checking Hitmonlee by taking its Fighting-type attacks with ease. Klinklang benefits from Xatu’s ability to shut down Seismitoad and Steelix.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Thunder Wave can be used instead of coverage moves to catch Pokemon like Sneasel and Delphox on the switch. However, this comes at the cost of being unable to do anything of note versus Steelix other than stall for PP. Toxic is useful for crippling Pokemon that Xatu invites in, such as Incineroar, Slowbro, and Guzzlord, as they switch in while still targeting Rhydon, but it faces the same issues as Thunder Wave. Night Shade provides consistent damage regardless of type effectiveness, but Xatu prefers its non-static attacking options in this metagame. Signal Beam is an option to target Malamar while also hitting Psychic-types like Mesprit and Slowbro; Shadow Ball achieves similar things, although it trades the ability to hit Malamar and Sneasel for the ability to hit Delphox, Sigilyph, and Mismagius super effectively. Dazzling Gleam can be used to hit Guzzlord while still denting Sneasel, but it doesn't target much beyond this. A set of Calm Mind / Psyshock / Roost / Heat Wave can function as a bulky sweeper on defensive teams, compressing roles due to its ability to also function as hazard control, but it faces heavy competition from other Calm Mind users and is mostly outclassed by Sigilyph, which is already a fairly poor user of the move. An offensive set is also an option to provide role compression, but it also faces heavy competition from Sigilyph. Tailwind is an option that can be used to turn dangerous wallbreakers like Emboar into monsters versus offense, but Xatu struggles to fit it with its other moves, as it faces the same issues as Thunder Wave and Toxic and is better used by Pokemon like Whimsicott.
Checks and Counters
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**Dark-types**: Incineroar and Guzzlord fear nothing from Xatu and threaten it back with Dark-type attacks. Sneasel, Skuntank, and Houndoom all outrun Xatu and can Pursuit trap it, although Sneasel needs to be wary of Colbur Berry + Heat Wave variants.
**Offensive Pressure**: Due to Xatu's passiveness, it has a habit of inviting a large number of dangerous Pokemon in. Whether this be dangerous wallbreakers like Vanilluxe and Sigilyph, extremely strong pivots like Rotom-C and Vikavolt, or Pokemon that can use it as setup fodder and force it out, such as Mismagius, Delphox, and Klinklang, Xatu's own team is put under very heavy pressure throughout the match.
**Anti-Xatu Entry Hazard Setters**: Mold Breaker Druddigon and Pinsir can both use Stealth Rock without fearing Magic Bounce. Rhydon and Piloswine are examples of bulky Stealth Rock users that carry STAB moves to hit Xatu super effectively. Archeops and Froslass are both suicide leads that pose as threats to Xatu due to having Head Smash and Ice Beam, respectively, and Life Orb variants of Froslass OHKO Xatu with either Ice Beam and Shadow Ball. Offensive Seismitoad variants can take advantage of the fact that Xatu is a safe switch-in to defensive sets by outrunning Xatu and 2HKOing it with Hydro Pump as it switches in.
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