Checks & Counters
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**Specially Defensive Fire Arceus**: Specially defensive Fire Arceus outspeeds Xerneas, can take any move, boosted or unboosted, and phaze it out. It can set up six Calm Minds on every Xerneas variant except for defensive Xerneas with Roar.

**Specially Defensive Kyogre**: Specially defensive Kyogre can take any move, even a Geomancy-boosted Thunder, and phaze Xerneas out. It does not struggle with any particular Xerneas set but does not enjoy facing Calm Mind variants, as repeated Calm Mind and Life Orb-boosted Thunders will overwhelm it. It should be noted that specially defensive Kyogre walls defensive Xerneas and vice versa, as Xerneas cannot overcome Kyogre with Moonblast while Kyogre cannot hit it very hard with Scald. Rest places the two in a gridlock, as they can both heal off the damage they've taken from each other's attacks. Xerneas running either Ingrain or Roar alongside a boosting move will overwhelm Kyogre.

**Chansey and Blissey**: Chansey and Blissey can completely wall Geomancy Xerneas and use Toxic to damage it, but they fear Close Combat from Life Orb Xerneas. They are walled by defensive Xerneas, but also wall it in return. This is because Chansey and Blissey can heal off the damage they take from Moonblast while Xerneas can Rest off the damage dealt to it by Toxic and Seismic Toss. However, they are complete setup bait for Calm Mind Xerneas running Substitute or RestTalk.

**Lugia**: If Stealth Rock has not been set up, Lugia can take any hit from a boosted Xerneas and Whirlwind it out. Lugia can status Xerneas variants that don't set up, and can wall them as long as Stealth Rock is not up. It should be noted that defensive Xerneas will keep Lugia in a gridlock and Calm Mind or Geomancy Xerneas with Ingrain will overwhelm it.

**Aegislash**: Aegislash's huge defenses and Steel typing let it take pittance from every move Xerneas can throw at it. In return, Aegislash can poison Xerneas with Toxic or utilize a strong Iron Head or Gyro Ball which if used repeatedly, will overwhelm it. However, Aegislash is setup bait for physically defensive variants of Xerneas with Calm Mind. It does not enjoy taking a Night Slash or a sun-boosted Hidden Power Fire either. It also has difficulty with Calm Mind Xerneas running Substitute, as it will have to predict if Xerneas will attack it while it is in Blade forme. Aegislash does not take too much damage from a defensive Xerneas's Moonblast, but does not do much in return with Gyro Ball, so they essentially wall each other.

**Ho-Oh**: If Stealth Rock is not up, Ho-Oh can tank an attack from Geomancy or Calm Mind Xerneas and retaliate with a sun-boosted Sacred Fire, damage it with a Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird, or phaze it out with Whirlwind. However, Ho-Oh hates Rock Slide and will succumb to a boosted Psyshock or Thunder after Stealth Rock damage.

**Bronzong**: Bronzong is like Aegislash, except that it's weaker, not as bulky, and hit neutrally by Focus Blast. However, it is slower than Aegislash, which lets it deal a bit more damage with Gyro Ball. It can also run Light Screen to cushion hits and help the rest of its team take out Xerneas in the event that it goes down.

**Amoonguss**: Amoonguss with Sludge Bomb and Clear Smog completely stops all Xerneas sets lacking Psyshock, but it is OHKOed by the move. Defensive Xerneas does not take much damage from Amoonguss's Sludge Bomb and can use Rest to recover HP. At the same time though, its Moonblast will deal pitiful damage to Amoonguss, so both Pokemon essentially wall each other.

**Poison Arceus**: Poison Arceus resists Moonblast, can hit Xerneas hard with a super effective Sludge Bomb or Judgment, and doesn't really fear any of Xerneas's moves, so it can set up with Calm Mind against Xerneas. A Calm Mind- or Geomancy-boosted Psyshock is the only way Xerneas can really hurt it.

**Scizor**: Mega Scizor and Choice Band Scizor can tank non-super effective hits from Geomancy Xerneas and 2HKO it with Bullet Punch. However, they will be severely weakened in the process. Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, if fully invested, can 3HKO the most physically bulky Xerneas, which prevents Mega Scizor from being setup bait and allows it to defeat Xerneas running Rest.

**Priority**: Xerneas is fairly bulky, but priority moves can take out a weakened Xerneas or cripple a healthy one, regardless of the boosts it has obtained. Arceus can use a Life Orb- or Silk Scarf-boosted Extreme Speed to pick off weakened Xerneas. As a last resort, Mega Kangaskhan can spam Fake Out and switch out if needed to wear down and KO it. However, this will require Xerneas to have been heavily weakened beforehand or else it will take out a majority of Mega Kangaskhan's team. Thundurus can paralyze Geomancy Xerneas even if it has set up, but is useless against other variants, which don't fear much and can just switch out. Additionally, a Substitute can completely nullify Thundurus's effectiveness as a check, and it should be noted that most defensive Xerneas don't mind facing Thundurus at all.

**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can trap all Xerneas and smash them with a super effective Sludge Bomb or Sludge Wave. However, a Geomancy-boosted Xerneas outspeeds and easily OHKOes Mega Gengar with Psyshock. Note that Gengar cannot switch into Xerneas directly or Mega Evolve in front of it. A Shed Shell also renders all of Mega Gengar's attempts to revenge kill Xerneas useless.

**Klefki**: Klefki resists Moonblast due to its Steel typing, and thanks to Prankster it can paralyze Geomancy Xerneas, allowing its teammates to pick Xerneas off. Against defensive Xerneas, it can set up Spikes. It really only fears Xerneas that run Substitute with either Calm Mind or Geomancy.

**Lucario**: Mega Lucario can outspeed and OHKO even the most defensive variants of Xerneas with Iron Tail. It can also pick off weakened Xerneas with Bullet Punch. However, it cannot switch in on Moonblast and is troubled by Xerneas with Substitute. If it has not received too much damage, a Geomancy-boosted Xerneas can OHKO Mega Lucario and avoid being KOed.

**Clefable**: Clefable can wall all Xerneas, thanks to Unaware, that do not hold a Life Orb if Stealth Rock is not up. It can then proceed to status Xerneas and hurt it with Seismic Toss. If the opposing Xerneas does hold a Life Orb or if Stealth Rock is up, however, then Clefable will be unable to avoid getting 2HKOed by Moonblast. It should also be noted that Clefable cannot break through defensive Xerneas, but at the same time defensive Xerneas can do nothing to it.

**Ditto**: Ditto can copy Xerneas that have used Geomancy and threaten to sweep. It should be noted that Ditto cannot switch into Geomancy Xerneas and is completely useless against any other set.

**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users such as Genesect with a STAB super effective move such as Iron Head can OHKO Xerneas that have yet to set up with Geomancy.