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I'm sick of people in normal battles using power herb geomancy xerneas! I have been using an imposter choice scarf ditto to counter it, but It sometimes won't OHKO and then I get KO'd. So I wondered is there a better non-legend reliable counter for it? I don't like to use legends unless I'm sure the other person is going to be using them. Thanks in advance!

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A skarmory with whirlwind can completely cripple xerneas by forcing a switch and it loses its power herb and stat boosts.
You can try using Ferrothorn, which resists fairy and electric, but Xerneases sometimes know focus blast.

9 Answers

11 votes
 
Best answer

Aegislash

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Aegislash @ Life Orb/Leftovers
Trait: Stance Change
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- King's Shield
- Sacred Sword
- Shadow Claw
The important move here is Aegislash's Iron Head. You can change Shadow Claw and stuff for Shadow Sneak if you want. Why you ask?
>252+ Atk Life Orb Aegislash-Blade Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Xerneas: 437-515 (95.8 - 112.9%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Aegislash-Blade Iron Head vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Xerneas: 437-515 (110.9 - 130.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Unlike a lot of the previous answers, Aegislash outright OHKOs most Xerneas WITHOUT boosts
Even more importantly
>+2 252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 161-190 (49.6 - 58.6%)
+2 252+ SpA Xerneas Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 204-242 (62.9 - 74.6%)

None of Xerneas's moves will be able to OHKO Aegislash even at +2, and at best 3HKO without any boosts
This means Aegislash can switch into Xerneas with very little fear, provided it has not already got up the Geomancy - because it can easily take any unboosted move Xerneas throws at it, as well as tank a +2 if Xerneas decides to set up Geomancy on the turn you switch in.

>+2 252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Talonflame: 310-366 (104 - 122.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 252+ SpA Xerneas Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Mega Scizor: 576-680 (167.4 - 197.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Lucario: 306-361 (108.8 - 128.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

The other listed counters can still be worked around by Xerneas - Aegislash on the other hand, checks it completely, provided it doesn't try switch into a +2 HP Fire.

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Interesting! I never thought of using aegislash!
2 votes

My counter is this
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Scizor @ Scizorinite
Trait: Technician
252 attack/252speed
Adamant Nature

  • Bullet Punch
  • Bug Bite
  • Swords Dance
  • Pursuit

The idea is after a swords dance spam bullet punch

+2 252+ Atk Technician Mega Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Xerneas: 4526-5328 (1151.6 - 1355.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

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1 vote

Magearna @ Leftovers
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 136 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fleur Cannon
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Heart Swap

This is a great Pokemon that I use to not just take out Geomancy Xerneas, but to instead make its momentum its own.

Magearna with this spread tanks a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas at max HP with about 37% HP left. It then can use Heart Swap to take the Geomancy boost for itself and swap over any stat debuffs it already has, like perhaps from Moonblast itself or a Sticky Web to further cripple Xerneas.

The major issue with this set is that it lacks a reliable way to OHKO Xerneas without Fleur Cannon. It's possible to swap out Thunderbolt or Ice Beam for Flash Cannon to solve this, but the former hits Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Flying/Water, Lugia, Ho-Oh and Yveltal hard and the latter hits the vast majority of Ubers and AG Pokemon with a 4x weakness to Ice, as well as being neutral to Primal Groudon, which would normally annihilate Magearna. As such, I decided against it, as hitting a wide plethora of Pokemon is more important than just hitting Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy. But Fleur Cannon at +2 and with Fairy Aura is more than enough to kill a Xerneas with no HP or SP. DEF investment. I haven't tested it on others, though.

116 HP EVs and 136 Speed EVs is just enough to give Magearna 200 Speed, allowing it to hit 400 when it steals Xerneas's boost while retaining a good amount of bulk to hopefully survive revenge killing, making it outspeed almost everything in the tier without any boosts to Speed or a Choice Scarf, save Deoxys-Attack, Deoxys-Speed, Deoxys-Normal and Pheremosa with maximum investment. A Modest Nature and max SP. ATK EVs maximizes Magearna's sweep potential with a base 394 SP. ATK.

In addition, Magearna can be used to shut down plenty of other stat-reliant sweeps if it manages to survive the first hit it takes or to swap a -2 SP. ATK debuff onto another Pokemon. However, it's best not to attempt to swap in on Pokemon when using this set, as Magearna relies on its bulk in order to tank a shot so it can begin sweeping. Stealth Rock setters are probably a must to remove Focus Sash and Multiscale, but other than that this Magearna doesn't require too much maintenance to use.

Something I haven't really accounted for is a Xerneas with Hidden Power Fire, though, since my AG runs have never let me encounter one. If it manages to kill Magearna, let me know. I'll see if I can adjust the EVs accordingly.

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1 vote

In case you haven't noticed, steel Pokemon are horribly overrated. This is the real best counter to everything. (assuming you're playing Ubers)

100% organic cure (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: natural cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold nature
- confide
- toxic
- softboiled
- seismic toss/heal bell

The main benefit of Chansey is that it often bores the opponent to sleep, especially if you use high PP moves like seismic toss, so you can collect the timer win. If by some miracle they stays ("they" is singular here) awake,

+2 252+ SpA Xerneas Focus Blast vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 294-348 (45.7 - 54.2%) -- 53.1% chance to 2HKO

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Xerneas could come with Psyshock tho (in a very weird scenario, but it has happened)
0 votes

Who needs speed when you have priority? Gale Wings Talonflame can set up a swords dance when Xerneas uses its geomancy. Pair the swords dance with brave bird and you got xerneas down. Now you got the rest of the team to destroy >:)

>+2 252+ Atk Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Xerneas: 379-447 (104.6 - 123.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

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Most Xerneas tend to use some HP EVs since Geomancy increases the other stats high enough, so Talonflame might not always KO.
And as the lowest is 104.6% talonflame is just not good enough, but mayb choice band steel wing works provided geomancy isn't already set up
0 votes

I've found that marshadow with spectral thief is the best deterrent for xerneas. The other deterrent I've found that works well is any of the kyurem's with a high powered ice move.

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Xerneas almost always outspeeds Marshadow after using Geomancy. Also the asker said no legendaries.
Sorry I didn't see the no legends part and I'm just speaking from experience, whenever I use my xerneas people will use marshadow and wreck my entire team
0 votes

i suggest a speedy taunt user, faster then amongus. this works only in doubles, as rage power amoungus is the most commom doubles partner for xerneas. you want to taunt it then wipe the xerneas. for singles, read the other answers, as I hardly ever play singles, exept for showdown.

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0 votes

Metagross @ Metagrossite / Weakness Policy
Ability : Tough Claws / Clear Body
EVs : 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Jolly/Adamant Nature
-Meteor Mash
-Zen Headbutt / Psycho Slash
-Earthquake
-Bullet Punch

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–2 votes

I know it sounds like i'm having a laugh, but Shuckle does decent, with a 230 SpD and decent HP, it can tank after geomancy and set up power trick and then gyro ball

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That's pretty much the only thing Shuckle can do, so it's probably not worth the slot on the team.
Clearing flags. Not the best answer maybe, but it's adding something new so I'm fine leaving it here.