Xatu, The Mystic Pokémon. In South America, it is said that its right eye sees the future and its left eye views the past. They say that it stays still and quiet because it is seeing both the past and future at the same time. It eyes the sun's movement all day. It has the enigmatic power of foreseeing the future. Some people in different lands have long believed that Xatu are emissaries from another world. It stands rooted and still in one spot all day long.
Overview
In the low tiers, Xatu is actually quite useful. It makes a good switch in to the powerful Fighting type, a good Wish passer, and in general is a great niche Pokémon. Not to mention, I think it is pretty cool. It looks pretty awesome, and it has a good name.
Ability
Early Bird: Not really too useful, to be honest. Xatu's other ability is much more practical.
Synchronize: Xatu gets paralysed? So does the opponent! A wall thinks it'll wear Xatu down with Toxic? That guy is trying his own poison.
Move Sets
Make a Wish
- Wish
- U-turn
- Zen Headbutt / Psychic
- Protect
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Atk, -Satk) / Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
The most common form of Xatu. Wish is an incredible move for self recovery, as well as team support. U-turn works well for scouting, but especially for passing Wish. Zen Headbutt has the chance to flinch, but Psychic hits harder. Protect stalls and gives Wish instant recovery, as the wait turn is stalled.
Psycho Shift
- Psycho Shift
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Night Shade
Item Attached: Flame Orb
Ability: Early Bird
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
A poor man's Cresselia. One time Early Bird comes in useful though. Psycho Shift is the key move of the set, throwing status around like it is painful to hold for too long. Rest works as a recovery move as well as setting up the sleep status for Psycho Shift. Sleep Talk attacks in sleep, meaning sleep can be thrown out or the enemy gets hurt by Night Shade. Flame Orb is the standard item to throw a status out, as burn is incredible, if only for the way it ruins physical sweepers.
Choice Specs
- Psychic
- Heat Wave
- Signal Beam
- Trick / U-turn
Item Attached: Choice Specs
Ability: Synchronize
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Satk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
Psychic is your standard attack, there for power, STAB, and reliability. Not to mention, the chance to take down the opponent's Special Defence can win you the game. Heat Wave ruins Steel types that would have completely walled Xatu. Signal Beam sorts out any Psychic and Dark Pokémon hoping for an easy switch in. Trick can completely ruin a Pokémon if used at the right time, but U-turn can scout and get Xatu out of danger.
Choice Band
- Drill Peck
- U-turn
- Sucker Punch
- Zen Headbutt
Item Attached: Choice Band
Ability: Synchronize
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
Drill Peck is a great attack. Strong, accurate, just a reliable move to use. U-turn is great for scouting, and hits Dark and Psychic types hard, especially combined with Choice Band. Sucker Punch works amazingly for revenge killing or getting a cheap shot before Xatu bites the dust. Zen Headbutt is another good STAB attack with the ability to flinch. Awesome.
MiXatu
- Drill Peck
- Heat Wave / Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psychic
- Grass Knot / U-turn / Signal Beam
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Synchronize
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 40 Atk / 252 SAtk / 220 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
To be honest, this set isn't that effective. I included it because MiXatu is an awesome name for the set. Yeah, no joke, that is honestly why I included it. However, it can still be used well. Drill Peck is your standard physical attack to lay the hurt on Special Walls. Heat Wave hurts Steel types, but Hidden Power [Fighting] really lays the hurt on the Steel and Rock types. Psychic is your powerful special attack, standard stuff. Grass Knot ruins Ground and Water types, but U-turn works for scouting. Signal Beam hurts Dark and Psychic types, making it great for coverage.
EVs and Nature:
Wish
248 HP lets Xatu switch into Stealth Rock safely compared to 252 HP. 216 Speed beats all base 90s, with the leftover in Defence.
Psycho Shifta
Go for max physical bulk. 252 HP, 252 Defence. You can throw some Speed in there, but it isn't really worth it..
Choice Specs
Hit hard, hit fast. You can use 216 Speed and drop the rest in HP, but I don't think it is worth it, considering the offensive nature of the set.
Choice Scarf
Hit hard, hit fast. You can use 216 Speed and drop the rest in HP, but I don't think it is worth it, considering the offensive nature of the set. You don't really want to go Jolly, Adamant is needed for power.
MiXatu
216 Speed and a positive Speed nature outruns all base 90s, but 220 is needed if you are using Hidden Power [Fighting]. Max Special Attack to hit as hard with your main moves as possible, with the remainder supporting Drill Peck. More could be put into Attack if you wanted, but this spread works.
Other Options
Baton Pass, Calm Mind, Confuse Ray, Featherdance, Haze, Screens, Roost, Thunder Wave
Baton Pass can be used as an inferior Espeon, but it'd at least be a surprise.
Calm Mind can be used for a sweeping set or on a Baton Pass set.
Confuse Ray is useful if you feel lucky... punk.
Featherdance ruins physical attackers switching in.
Haze makes Xatu a... well, a Hazer. Better done by Pokémon with stronger defences..
Reflect and Light Screen can make for a good lead set due to Xatu's nice Speed. Good for hyper offence.
Roost is instant recovery at its finest, but Wish supports the team.
Thunder Wave is a status that can ruin sweepers, really useful, but doesn't have a space on the major sets.
Toxic can mess up stall teams and walls, but doesn't fit into any of the main sets..
Countering Xatu
Steel types are great for countering Xatu. Resisting both STABs and most of Xatu's other moves, Dark and Psychic types as well, due to resisting Psychic and being able to hit back hard. Xatu lacks good offence, so anything bulky tends to take hits well. Chansey, Gastrodon, Steelix are three random Pokémon that really put Xatu in its place. Aggron, Bastiodon and Probopass all destroy Xatu, as long as they avoid Hidden Power [Fighting]. It can be revenge killed easily, and its typing is not the best. Stealth Rock takes a big chunk of life out of Xatu, making it even easier to kill. Really, Xatu isn't a threat, and it can be handled by any well designed team.
Locations in Games
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Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Safari Zone Acro Bike Area Colosseum/XD Trade from RSEFRLG (Col) Evolve Natu(XD) Fire Red/Leaf Green Evolve Natu Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Evolve Natu HeartGold/SoulSilver Evolve Natu
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Animé Appearences
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Xatu has had a handful of Animé Appearences. Its appearances have usually been in a sense of predicting the future or altering reality
Episode 236: Xatu the Future |
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