The Most Iconic Gen 6 Pokemon is Ruining Pokemon Legends: Z-A Battles

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a truly groundbreaking Pokemon game, fundamentally changing battles and how much control players have. Traditionally, Pokemon battles rely on strategic team building and move choices, considering factors like battle format and each Pokemon’s role. Pokemon Legends: Z-A still includes these elements, but presents them in a completely new way, both in the story and online. However, one particular Pokemon from Generation 6 is currently causing major problems for fans, making some battles nearly impossible to enjoy.

Okay, so not every Mega Evolution made it into Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but the really strong teams still usually have the same powerhouses – you know, Metagross, Gyarados, Greninja, and that crew. But things have seriously shaken up online battles since Season 2 dropped last week. Xerneas is the reason why! There are a couple of big things going on that make it so dominant…

  • Xerneas became playable in Ranked Battles with Season 2 alongside Yveltal and Mega Delphox, as Delphoxite is a reward for reaching Rank S. This means there’s novelty in using Xerneas in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
  • Xerneas is one of the best Fairy-type Pokemon in the series, and even without its signature ability, it still has incredible stats and a powerful move in Geomancy. In PLZA, Geomancy is particularly strong because it also increases Xerneas’ movement speed, meaning it can dodge non-homing attacks more easily.
  • Dragon-type Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A are extremely common in online battles, meaning it’s easy to lead with Xerneas and take care of them or force opponents to switch.
  • Xerneas has incredible coverage moves and great accompanying stats, meaning it can deal with even some of its best counters.
  • One of the best Xerneas counters is Metagross, currently. However, most Metagross movesets run Heavy Slam, which does little damage to Xerneas due to the latter’s weight. Since it’s often not optimal to use two Steel moves, Xerneas can dodge Heavy Slam with increased movement speed and leave Metagross hanging.

Xerneas is often considered the most recognizable Pokémon from the sixth generation. This is largely because it was the featured Pokémon for Pokémon X, which proved more popular than Pokémon Y upon their initial release.

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Xerneas is incredibly powerful, boasting a base stat total of 680 – a number usually reserved for top-tier Legendary Pokémon. Its stats are exceptionally well-rounded: 126 HP, 131 Attack, 95 Defense, 131 Special Attack, 98 Special Defense, and 99 Speed. This means Xerneas often outperforms even Pokémon that have temporarily transformed using Mega Evolution.

Xerneas is powerful both physically and with special attacks, so it can be built to focus on either. However, if you’re using the move Geomancy – and you really should – Special Attack is the better option. Geomancy quickly boosts Xerneas’s Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed simply by targeting an opponent and using the move.

Geomancy is different from typical moves in Pokémon battles. Instead of raising Special Attack and Special Defense by two levels, it only raises them by one. It also boosts the Pokémon’s movement speed rather than its Speed stat. While it takes a little longer to use than a normal move, it doesn’t require a full turn to charge up like some other moves do.

Xerneas can be incredibly difficult to defeat, even when hit with moves that are super effective, thanks to investments in its Special Attack, HP, and potentially its Defense or Special Defense. The Plus Moves introduced in Pokemon Legends: Z-A further enhance Xerneas’s power, allowing it to use these powerful attacks even without a Mega Evolution. Here’s a strong moveset for Xerneas in PLZA:

  • Geomancy
  • Moonblast
  • Focus Blast
  • Thunderbolt

The Best Xerneas Counters in Pokemon Legends: Z-A Explained

Beating Xerneas can be challenging, even with a well-built team. Fortunately, Mega Scizor in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a strong opponent because Xerneas can’t use Fire-type attacks, which are super effective against Scizor. The move Bullet Punch is also useful – both Metagross and Scizor can learn it, and its speed and priority can help you quickly attack Xerneas.

Xerneas can be effectively countered by Pokémon that use the moves Dig and Fly, as these attacks automatically track and hit their target. In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Mega Skarmory and Mega Excadrill are excellent choices because they learn Fly and Dig, respectively, and can then finish off Xerneas with a powerful Steel-type attack. Using Swords Dance beforehand makes them even more effective. Here are some of the best Pokémon to use against Xerneas in Pokémon Legends: Z-A:

  • Doublade with Eviolite, Swords Dance, and physical Steel moves
  • (Mega) Excadrill with Swords Dance and Dig/Steel moves
  • (Mega) Dragalge with high Sp. Def and Poison moves
  • Galarian Slowbro with physical Poison moves
  • (Mega) Metagross with physical Steel moves
  • Pokemon with Toxic, which deals damage over time
  • (Mega) Scizor with Swords Dance and Bullet Punch/Steel moves
  • (Mega) Scolipede with Swords Dance and Poison moves
  • (Mega) Skarmory with Swords Dance and Fly/Steel moves

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2025-11-12 04:05