What is a good moveset for Arceus?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Arceus, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for Arecus of any type can and should only be posted on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Arceus Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

Does arceus have the best state total?

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Apart from both Mega Mewtwos, yes.

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Just a reminder, Poison Arceus (or any other than the Normal) can't hold any item, as it has to hold the respective Plate to change the type anyway, so there's no slot for an item.

Answer 1

Arceus-Steel @ Iron Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 Def/ 252 SpD / 4 HP
Bold Nature
- Recover
- Flash Cannon
- Iron Defense
- Calm Mind

I have used this set several times and have even defeated Primal Groudon with this. Maybe I'm just lucky but this seems like a good set. Basically spam Iron Defense/Calm Mind until maxed, using Recover when needed. Then spam Flash Cannon like no tomorrow until everyone dies. Obviously not perfect with Imposter dittos around, critical hits, and Taunt being a problem. Overall its had huge success on my end but again, maybe I'm just lucky.

Comments

Why not Judgment than Flash Cannon?

Answer 2

Arceus-Electric @ Zap Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Judgment
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower

Covers A LOT of types. When they send in Groudon, which is what people normally switch into once they figure out you're an Electric type Arceus, use Earth Power. Also, this is specially defensive, so you should be able to take a good Earth Power or two. Alternatively, you could split Defense and Special Defense evenly to make for a more evenly spaced out bulk Pokemon.

Answer 3

Format: National Dex Anything Goes

Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Sp.Def / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
- Judgment
- Recover
- Refresh
- Calm Mind
Unlike normal sets which have 160 Def, they are shifted to Sp.Def to allow Arceus Dark stall out Calyrex-S, Yveltal, etc. while 96 Spe makes along with Timid allows to outsped all 330> Pokemon. However, a more bulkier spread of 252 HP/ 252 Sp.Def/ 4 Spe can be chosen to take attacks from Yveltal and Calyrex-S far easier, but if that is done then support moves like Defog aren't recommended. Refresh allows it combat status better, but if you have Heal Bell support then go for other moves like Toxic/Defog (though Ho-Oh does that better). Will-o-Wisp can be interesting choice as it allows to burn Zacian-C on switch-in, shifting important momentum to your side.

Apart from Calm Mind stalling, there's not much Arceus-Dark can do. Yveltal and Tyranitar are doing the job better because: Yveltal has no weakness to Pollen Puff and gets Sucker Punch, Tyranitar is much more bulkier despite super effective moves, it can also provide Stealth Rock support and also Pursuit trapping.

Some important calculations:

+2 252 SpA Calyrex-Shadow Pollen Puff vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus-Dark: 298-352 (67.1 - 79.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Be prepared for people like me who use Baton Pass and Buginium Z.

+2 252 SpA Calyrex-Shadow Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus-Dark: 578-682 (130.1 - 153.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

This can be quite tricky. Fairium Z isn't that used on Calyrex-S, so sadly Yveltal shines and Tyranitar too on this spot.

+2 252 SpA Calyrex-Shadow Savage Spin-Out (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Yveltal: 332-391 (72.8 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers

That's it. While Tyranitar and yveltal do the job million times better, I guess we can use this :P

Answer 4

Darkceus set for Gen 7 AG

Arceus-Dark @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Judgment
Will-o-Wisp cripples physical attackers and makes it hard for them to hit you. Calm Mind boosts Special Attack and Special Defense, making it hard for Special mons to hit you. Judgment is STAB, and can do a lot of damage with the Special Attack boosts. Recover is for healing.

Comments

What format?

Answer 5

Gen 7 AG / National Dex AG

Use this on Sticky Web teams.

Arceus-Ghost @ Ghostium Z / Spooky Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spe or 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Force
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge / Brick Break
- Recover / Substitute

Shadow Force is STAB. The 2 turn effect is annoying, but you can somewhat fix that via Ghostium Z. Ghostium Z also makes the move even stronger. Swords Dance is set up. Stone Edge is for Yveltal, but Brick Break can be used for Arceus-Dark. Recover is recovery, Substitute allows Arceus to set up Swords Dance more easily. The EVs for the first spread are used to be slower than a neutral nature 252 Speed Yveltal (if Yveltal switches as Arceus uses Shadow Force, and Arceus is slower, instead of hitting 1st on Shadow Force's 2nd turn and then dying to Dark Pulse / Knock Off, Dark Pulse won't hit and you'll be able to follow up with a Stone Edge or Brick Break for a KO.) while still outspeeding Calyrex-Shadow after its speed has been lowered by Sticky Web.

Comments

Usually I’ve seen Extreme Speed on the last slot, but in USUM AG xd

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EKiller is generally better than GhostCeus imo in Nat Dex AG. It only has a niche in USUM, but has seen far lower usage in DNAG after Calyrex-Shadow came. Its not forced to a 1v1 matchup against Yveltal / DarkCeus if not having Stone Edge or Brick Break respectively. If you still insist, then Spooky Plate > Ghostium as you can Dynamax fwiw.

Answer 6

Nat Dex AG

Arceus-Fairy @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Judgment
- Recover
- Earth Power

A defensive set. Wisp cripples Physical attackers that aren't Primal Groudon, Judgment is STAB and hits mons like Yveltal and Mray, Recover is to heal, and Earth Power hits Primal Groudon and Zacians switching in for super-effective damage.

Answer 7

Format: Gen 7 Ubers

Arceus-Dragon @ Draco Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Judgement
- Calm Mind
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power

Judgement for STAB, Calm Mind to sweep, Flash Cannon to hit Xerneas and Earth Power to hit Necrozma-Dusk Mane and Primal Groudon.

Comments

I changed the "counter" to "hit", the former is a bit misleading when used over here.

Answer 8

The god of all Pokémon, and the first mythical Pokémon to be a game mascot. Arceus will bring devastation to all kinds of teams.

Gen VII Ubers/ National Dex AG
The Power of the GROUND
Arceus-Ground @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature/ Modest Nature
- Calm Mind/ Stealth Rock
- Judgment
- Ice Beam/ Thunder
- Recover

Ground Arceus is well known for being a great anti-metagame pick, destroying even its most poweful creations like Zacian, Eternatus, Zekrom and Primal Groudon

Calm Mind is setup, Stealth Rock support it's teammates
Judgment is a very poweful STAB move
Ice Beam and Thunder cover flying types
Recover keeps it healthy to better check the dangerous Ubers and AGs that it must handle.

Comments

Thunder is usually preferred over Thunderbolt in higher tiers for the increased damage output (against an increased overall bulk of the higher tier), and the gamble is usually worth it.
E: Is the Gen VII OU a typo because Arceus is banned in USM OU? Did you mean USM Ubers?

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Yes, I was meant to put Ubers, my bad

Answer 9

With the release of SV, Arceus got alot of new toys to play with, One of those is Taunt.

Arceus @ Dread /Pixie / Splash Plate
Timid Nature
Evs: 248 HP / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Taunt
- Recover

Back in the day, Calm Mind Arceus is stonewalled by Pink Blobs because of Confide, and Mirror MU means games heavily depends on PP Stall or lucky crit entirely. Taunt changes that.
With it, say good bye to Confide Blobs and Cm Arceus Formes, all that while avoiding Status!
The rest is self-explanatory, Max Spe so you creep or at worst speed tie with other Max Speed arceus formes while Max HP so you have an easier time shrugging of Seismic Toss from Blobs.

Have fun with G9 ^^

Comments

Dread gets walled by fairy's and Splash gets walled by Water Absorb or Storm Drain.

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Yes, but despite that, Its been a metagame staple for years now. CM RE RE Darkceus is almost always partnered with either Primal Groudon, NDM or Zacian-Crowned all of which doesn't care about Arceus-Fairy aside from Toxic on the former and Will-O-Wisp on the latter. This is set is only really walled by CM RE RE version of Fairy Arceus which all of them takes advantage of. While yes, Speaking of Arceus-Water, its Stonewalled by Primal Groudon but its often paired with Arceus-Ground, Mega Rayquaza or a status spreading teammate like the aforementioned Arceus-Fairy so you can forcibly eliminate it and wreak havoc.
Pdon is the only relevant water immune as everything else is just too weak for the Anything goes standards.

Answer 10

I know that Arceus-Grass is bad, this is Arceus-Grass just because there are no other Arceus-Grass movesets here and I feel bad for him.

GEN 9 UBERS Calm Mind

Grasseus (Arceus-Grass) @ Meadow Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Grass / Ground
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Earth Power
- Recover / Ice Beam / Power Gem

Calm Mind to boost SpA and SpD. Judgement for obvious reasons. Earth Power covers for a bunch of important mons like P-Don, Eternatus, and DMNecrozma. Recover is to heal, but Ice Beam or Power Gem can be used as more coverage. Now we only have 4 missing Arceus forms, yay.

Have fun using it!

Answer 11

arceus-normal @ Life orb
Ability: multiply
evs: 144 HP/ 252 Atk / 114 Spe
modest nature
recover
extreme speed
judgement
thunderbolt

Arceus without life orb is simply amazing, but with life orb... he becomes the GOAT! For longer battle is recommended recover bcs of the life orb. judgment is a great move and you can change his plates and still is great. thunderbolt is a great move, deals a lot of dmg + if your opponent is immune against electric moves, you can still use extreme speed and judgment.

Comments

Why 2 special moves with no SpA EV's? Why Modest with Extreme Speed, when Modest lowers your Attack?

Answer 12

Gen 9 AG Support

Arceus-Fairy @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 8 SpD/ 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave
- Recover

Thunder Wave shuts down every fast mon, making them easy targets for teammates. Taunt shuts down set up mons and Minimize spam. Recover helps with longevity and Judgment deals solid damage. Tera Water lets it tank Zacian's Behemoth Blade, letting it paralyze the bladed puppy. EV spread lets it easily wall Scarf Koraidon and tank moves in general.

Comments

This EV spread can not wall Scarf Koraidon because Flare Blitz should have a very high chance of 2HKOing. Timid 160 Spe EVs is excessively fast without reaching any notable benchmarks.

252+ Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 96 Def Arceus-Fairy in Sun: 232-274 (52.2 - 61.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

It does not beat SD Ekiller if it SDs on switchin too for example because the lack of bulk makes you easily 2HKOed by Extreme Speed after a Swords Dance boost. Also, this spread gets OHKOed most of the time by Zacian-C Behemoth Blade after Intrepid Swords boost. Not even Tera Water is really saving you because Zacian has a favourable roll to OHKO Terastalized Water Arceus-Fairy with Wild Charge after a Swords Dance boost. This also performs pitifully vs DD Arceus Ground as you're 2HKOed by +1 Atk Earthquake.

+2 252+ Atk Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 96 Def Arceus-Fairy: 213-252 (47.9 - 56.7%) -- 88.3% chance to 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Behemoth Blade vs. 252 HP / 96 Def Arceus-Fairy: 428-506 (96.3 - 113.9%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO
+3 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 96 Def Tera Water Arceus-Fairy: 430-506 (96.8 - 113.9%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

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Your calcs use Adamant Scarf Korai, which is a lot less used than Jolly. Tera Water can also deal with Flare Blitz. Albeit, there could be more investment in Defense and/or a change to Bold Nature.

+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Behemoth Blade vs. 252 HP / 164+ Def Arceus-Fairy: 372-438 (83.7 - 98.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 164+ Def Tera Water Arceus-Fairy: 222-262 (50 - 59%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 164+ Def Arceus-Fairy in Sun: 183-216 (41.2 - 48.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+2 252+ Atk Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 164+ Def Arceus-Fairy: 184-217 (41.4 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

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It matters not that ladder uses Jolly Scarf Koraidon more, because that is very suboptimal and inferior to Adamant most of the cases.

252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Flare Blitz vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Calyrex-Shadow in Sun: 324-382 (95 - 112%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Outrage vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Ho-Oh: 208-246 (50.1 - 59.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Ting-Lu: 440-522 (85.6 - 101.5%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO

Seriously, always use Adamant Scarf Koraidon unless your team is so weak to opposing Miraidon and Koraidon that you've to rely on a speed tie to beat them (the former after Webs and the latter at +1).

Also, I don't like the idea of having to Tera my Fairyceus to tank Flare Blitz when any good player could just switch out and your Tera is wasted. This set has too much speed for no notable reason, it's not hitting a single important benchmark. As for the new spread, that's better but outspeeding Glimmora is not worth it (because it just Mortal Spins + Mud Shots you). I'd say running random spreads is not a good idea when you've not messed up the relevant calcs enough; it's more important to tank Adamant Koraidon than outspeed a lead vs which you're not good to begin with.

Answer 13

Gen 9 Ubers

Arceus-Steel @ Iron Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Psychic

This guy is pretty cool to use! A lot of resistances paired with his titanic movepool is amazing. Judgement is always the ideal STAB for special Arceus. Also, thanks to Surf + Psychic, he can cover all weaknesses, meaning approaching him safely can prove a challenge. Calm Mind sets him up for sweeping... mostly, because he's more bulky than fast. Do be aware of other steel types. Once again, this set isn't extremely speedy, so bring Arceus-S out only if there's a safe opportunity. Tera Water is for defensive purposes, but can also power up Surf as a nice bonus.

Answer 14

Generation 9 National Dex Ubers

Arceus-Ghost (Arceus-Fairy) @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 172 SpA / 224 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Shadow Force
- Work Up
- Judgment
- Stone Edge / Earthquake

"Arceus-Ghost" frustrates its conventional stymie in Arceus-Dark, Yveltal, Dondozo, and Zygarde with Fairy-type Judgment. Work Up augments Judgment as it does Shadow Force and one of Stone Edge or Earthquake. Stone Edge kills Ho-Oh; Earthquake shreds Primal Groudon and Zacian-Crowned.

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Arceus-Ground (Arceus-Fairy) @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Ground / Water / Stellar
EVs: 36 HP / 88 Atk / 160 SpA / 224 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Stone Edge
- Work Up
- Judgment
- Earthquake

"Arceus-Ground" devastates its textbook hindrance in Giratina-Origin, Dondozo, and Zygarde with Fairy-type Judgment. Work Up bolsters Earthquake and Stone Edge as it will Judgment.

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Yveltal (Arceus-Dark) @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Gunk Shot / Stone Edge
- Foul Play

"Yveltal" employs Foul Play to once-only deploy a mighty Black Hole Eclipse that can efface Ho-Oh and Zygarde. Earthquake strikes Primal Groudon, Zacian-C, Fezandipiti, and Necrozma-DM. Gunk Shot targets Arceus-Fairy and confers a serviceable move to utilize after expending the Z-Crystal; Stone Edge destroys Ho-Oh.

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Xerneas (Arceus-Fairy) @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Tera Blast

"Xerneas" lays waste to its traditional answers in Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, Fezandipiti, Chansey, Necrozma-DM, and Zacian-Crowned. Swords Dance augments Attack; Earthquake cleaves Primal Groudon, Fezandipiti, Necrozma-DM, and Zacian-Crowned; Stone Edge annihilates Ho-Oh; Tera Blast proffers a physical Fairy-type STAB upon activating Terastal, greatly injuring Giratina-Origin, Alomomola, and Zygarde.

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Hyeonbi Po (Arceus) @ Ganlon Berry / Chople Berry
Ability: Multitype
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake / Shadow Claw
- Natural Gift / Brick Break

Swords Dance elevates Attack; Extreme Speed confers priority and STAB; Earthquake cleaves Garganacl, Necrozma-DM, Zacian-Crowned, and Primal Groudon; Natural Gift with Ganlon Berry assassinates Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-Origin after Tera Stellar, otherwise Brick Break to injure the Garganacl, Ferrothorn, and Tera Steel Giratina-Origin.

Chople Berry impairs a super-effective Fighting move once.

Tera Stellar bestows a one-time boost to Extreme Speed and the mesh.

Utilize Shadow Claw if opting for Brick Break.