Wyrdeer, the Big Horn Pokémon. The black orbs shine with an uncanny light when the Pokémon is erecting invisible barriers. The fur shed from its beard retains heat well and is a highly useful material for winter clothing.

Overview

While Legends Arceus introduced many new evolutions the re-invented their pre-evolutions and shook up many formats, Wyrdeer isn’t one. Not that it isn’t a significant upgrade from Stantler, having the Psychic typing Stantler always should of and general improvements in every area except Speed. 105 offenses in both categories are viable and Wyrdeer boasts varied coverage in addition to STABs on both sides of the spectrum make Wyrdeer a rather unpredictable attacker. 103 HP is well above average and a overall marked increase to durability, especially in conjunction with Wyrdeer’s excellent defensive abilities in Intimidate and Sap Sipper.

However, Wyrdeer falters in every category. Base 103 HP means little with 72/75 defenses and next to no resistances to speak of. Offensively, base 105 Attack and Special Attack is not enough especially when considering Wyrdeer is stuck with Base 80 power moves with largely neutral coverage for its STAB options. While Wyrdeer does boast boosting options for both in Curse and Calm Mind, they aren’t the explosive boosting options one would need to make up for its low powered STABs and just usable attack. Compounding all of this is Wyrdeer’s underwhelming Base 65 Speed. It is forced to take hits on its low defenses before acting and when it does act, it is in a way that is unimpressive compared to many contemporaries. Wyrdeer is a massive step up from Stantler, but the shifting times have left it lost to history.
Positives
103 HP with two fantastic abilities in Intimidate and Sap Sipper gives Wyrdeer some hit taking ability.
105 offenses are quite usable and Wyrdeer has the STABs, coverage and boosting to make use of both, making it an unpredictable attacker..

Negatives
Normal Psychic is underwhelming offensively and defensively, leaving few coverage options and resistances to speak of. Below average defenses mitigate otherwise good HP and abilities, further reducing Wyrdeer’s hit taking ability. Base 65 Speed falters against most offensive and some defensive threats, forcing Wyrdeer to take a hit on said defenses before acting.

Movesets

Double Dancing Deer

-Calm Mind
-Agility
-Stored Power
-Tera Blast
Ability: Intimidate
Item: Leftovers
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature

Wyrdeer has seen some success as a Stored Power sweeper, accruing boosts before rolling over opponents. Calm Mind is vital for this, pushing Wyrdeer's Special Attack to threatening levels while the Special Defense boost pairs wonderfully with Intimidate for making Wyrdeer very hard to break. Agility is another move that allows Wyrdeer to gain more boosts for Stored Power, but more importantly, fixes one of Wyrdeer's biggest issues, its Speed. After an Agility, Wyrdeer outspeeds even Base 100 Choice Scarf users, leaving scarce few options that can safely outstrip Wyrdeer once it gets going. Stored Power is the star of the set, getting stronger as Wyrdeer sets up more, allowing Wyrdeer to even smash through Unaware walls with the increase in base power negating their ability to ignore boosts. Tera Blast rounds out the set, as Wyrdeer's best Special Normal STAB, hitting opposing Dark and Psychic types hard while turning into powerful coverage if Wyrdeer does Terastalize.

Tera Types:
Normal Psychic's lacking resistances means just about any Tera Type is better for the extra defenses they provide. However, Stored Power Wyrdeer prefers offensive Teras that answer the Dark types that are immune to its primary STAB and its ability to run Tera Blast without Terastalizing to great effect. Tera Fighting is popular, hitting both the Fighting and Steel types that resist Stored Power while providing valuable Dark and Bug resistances that Wyrdeer is normally weak to. Tera Fairy is the go to type for most Normal Psychic types and Wyrdeer is no exception, loving the super effective coverage against Dark types on top of the Dark and Bug resistances and the generally power of Fairy as a defensive Tera. Neither Tera type is perfect, Fighting leaving Wyrdeer exposed to opposing Psychics and Fairy exasperating the Steel matchup.

EVs and Items:
Max Speed and Special Attack are recommended to get the most out of Agility and Calm Mind. Special Attack investment is highly recommended to drop as the more Special Attack means the fewer times Wyrdeer must boost to reach a KO, though with Stored Power, more boosts tends to be the order of the day and moving investment from Special Attack to HP can suffice. Some Speed investment can be dropped if one isn't concerned about particular targets. Max Speed with a Timid Nature allows Wyrdeer to outrun Scarf Typhlosion after an Agility. 180 Speed with Timid Nature outruns Scarf Rotom, and dropping down to 116 EVs still outruns base 80 Scarf users like Passimian and Mesprit. Leftovers is heavily recommended as the item, given Wyrdeer has no recovery whatsoever, this helps it stick around as it sets up. If running a Grassy Terrain setter, Grassy Seed is a niche option, further bolstering Wyrdeer's defense with the Grassy Terrain temporarily alleviating Wyrdeer's lack of recovery while setting up.

Partners:
: Dark and Steel types remain a consistent thorn for Wyrdeer, and it cannot afford to cover every single one, so allies that can handle both are greatly appreciated. Fighting types like Scarf Passimian are key examples, able to rip chunks into the aforementioned Dark and Steel types as well as prominent sponges like Snorlax and Dudunsparce with Close Combat, softening them up for Wyrdeer to clean up later, while drawing in Ghost types that Wyrdeer can use as a free entry point. Other options include Hitmonlee, Hisuian Decuideye and Virizion, the latter two drawing in Poison types that Wyrdeer can take advantage of as well. If running Grassy Seed, Rillaboom is a must to passively setup Grassy Terrain for the Defense boost and extra healing.

Other Options:
Psychic and Psyshock are more consistent Psychic STAB options that are not beholden to Wyrdeer nabbing multiple Calm Minds to be effective, with Psyshock also doing a significant number to Snorlax. Earth Power is fantastic for hitting Steel, Tera Steel and Poison Dark types that resist Wyrdeer's Stored Power, while also still hitting Spiritomb and Sableye without having to Terastalize.

Deuro Beat

-Thunder Wave
-Psyshield Bash
-Megahorn
-Earthquake
Ability: Intimidate
Item: Choice Scarf
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Wyrdeer makes for a unique Choice Scarf user, functioning not only as a revenge killer, but with Intimidate and Thunder Wave, a speedy disruptor that can stop an opposing sweep or cripple the opposition to enable an allied sweeper to setup safely. Psyshield Bash is Wyrdeer’s signature move and between it and Intimidate makes Wyrdeer a check for most physical attackers, significantly reducing their damage output, even if it can’t get the OHKO on switch in. Megahorn covers most Dark and Psychic types that could otherwise handle Psyshield Bash. Earthquake rounds out the set, striking down most Steel and Tera Steel types that otherwise tank Wyrdeer’s STABs.

Tera Types:
Normal Psychic is a Tera hungry type combination by dint of lack of resistances, though Scarf Wyrdeer’s hit and run nature makes it less reliant on Terastalization as it prefers to switch out of bad matchups. Tera Fairy is still far and away the best option for Wyrdeer, the resistances to Bug and Dark invaluable in helping Wyrdeer to get out of bad matchups while Psyshield Bash and Earthquake are great at warding off the Poison and Steel types that could exploit Wyrdeer’s new type. Offensive Tera types are otherwise popular for helping Wyrdeer close the gap get an unexpected knock out. Tera Psychic is popular given how potent Psyshield Bash is when repeated and greatly improves Wyrdeer’s matchup against Fighting types. Tera Ground on the other hand bolsters Earthquake, helping Wyrdeer against the often very bulky Steel types. If running Sap Sipper, Tera Ground becomes even more potent, losing a normal weakness and making Wyrdeer even harder to break.

EVs and Items:
Max Speed and Attack investment are recommended for Wyrdeer to outspeeding as many targets as possible while still maintaining an offensive presence. With Max Speed investment and a Jolly Nature, Choice Scarf Wyrdeer can outrun base 120 Speed Pokémon like Sceptile. Choice Scarf is the namesake of the set and addresses Wyrdeer’s poor speed, allowing it to act against more offensive teams.

Partners:
: Due to Psyshield Bash’s and Intimidate’s efficacy against most Fighting types, allies troubled by them greatly appreciate Wyrdeer if not outright eliminating them, sabotaging them so they are no longer a threat. Lycanroc enjoys Wyrdeer’s ability to check most Fighting types while great at ripping holes that Wyrdeer can exploit. While offensive teams in generally enjoy the speedy Thunder Wave Wyrdeer spreads, setup sweepers love the Intimidate Paralysis support, greatly facilitating them getting in for free and crippling would be checks after setup from stopping them. Belly Drum Charizard loves this support, removing the few faster threats that would give it trouble and easing getting in as does Hisuian Decuideye who also threatens opposing Dark types with its own Fighting STAB.

Other Options:
Body Slam is a fine Normal STAB with a significant Paralysis chance that can hit Ground types, though such a chance is not guaranteed, making it less reliable than Thunder Wave. Hypnosis is an inaccurate if potent alternative to Thunder Wave, turning whatever it switches into a free switch for Wyrdeer. Sap Sipper is inconsistent, not as generally applicable as Intimidate, but does give Wyrdeer another immunity that it can switch in on and provides an Attack boost upon activation, making it that much more effective at cleaning up weakened targets.

Doubles and VGC Options

Wyrdeer weird tale extends to VGC as well, its middling stats have it struggle to find a niche. While its low speed would indicate some viability in Trick Room, Wyrdeer is completely outclassed by other Normal Pyschics Indeedee-F, Farigiraf and even Oranguru who are all superior Trick Room setters and abusers with built in immunity to Fake Out. Even fantastic abilities like Intimidate and Sap Sipper do not salvage Wyrdeer, who finds itself outclassed at every turn, being incredibly passive compared to every other Intimidate setter on top of getting thrashed by the most popular Intimidate user Incineroar. What niches Wyrdeer can carve out are its combination of traits. Being a Trick Room Pokémon immune to Spore makes Wyrdeer a great answer to common anti Trick Room Pokémon Amoongus, while its unique combination of Skill Swap and Intimidate allows for persistent debuffing and disruption of the opposing team.

Weird Deer

-Skill Swap
-Helping Hand
-Tera Blast
-Protect
Ability: Intimidate
Item: Leftovers
Tera Type: Fairy/Ghost
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature

Wyrdeer’s unique combination of Skill Swap and Intimidate makes for the crux of this set, allowing for Intimidate to be triggered multiple times without Wyrdeer ever leaving the field on top of making abilities like Competitive and Defiant more reliable by giving Intimidate to an opponent providing a double whammy of potential ability disruption and setup for your side. Helping Hand helps make up for Wyrdeer’s relative lack of damage by bolstering up its allies. Tera Blast is so that Wyrdeer isn’t completely passive, nor is it blunting its own offense Skill Swapping Intimidate to an opponent to activate an ally’s Defiant/Competitive. Protect finishes off the set as one of the best moves in doubles formats, scouting for Terastalizations and moves, stalling for allied setup, Leftovers recovery, stalling out opposing field conditions, punishing doubling up attempts and more.

EVs are to maximize Special Bulk with Intimidate compensating for Wyrdeer's Defense, making it as durable as possible. As with every Normal Psychic type, Wyrdeer loves Tera Fairy for giving it resistances to Dark and Bug (along with restoring its resistance to Fighting), on top of giving it a potent Fairy Tera Blast. Tera Ghost helps with the Ghost types immune to Normal Tera Blast on top of giving Wyrdeer an immunity to Fake Out.

Preferred Partners:
Terrain and Weather setting allies love this Wyrdeer's Skill Swap shenanigans in the case of Terrain and weather wars, as if their Terrain expires or is overwritten, Skill Swap can reestablish their favored Terrain in addition to resetting Intimidate. Rillaboom is the most prominent, its Grassy Terrain combining with Leftovers to give Wyrdeer incredible staying power, though Indeedee-F is potent if running Expanding Force. Allies that can take advantage of passing Intimidate to an opponent work well. Annihilape is a prime example, being a Defiant user with Fighting STAB to rock the Dark types that threaten Wyrdeer. Other notable users include Kingambit, Empoleon, and Milotic. Additionally, any Special Attacker with Adrenaline Orb can use the Intimidate for a free Speed boost. Other Intimidate users like Incineroar and Salamence also love Wyrdeer Skill Swapping with a self targeting Skill Swap triggering Intimidate twice and gutting the offense of a large majority of physical attackers.

Countering Wyrdeer

While Wyrdeer isn’t immediately threatening, its balanced offenses do make it difficult to switch on without knowing what set it is running. Dark types are a consistent issue for Wyrdeer. While it does often possess the coverage or Tera to answer them and Normal STABs do sting, Wyrdeer is most reliant on its Psychic STAB for damage and any Dark type will significantly slow it down while threatening significant damage. Spiritomb and Sableye are notable for Double Dance sets, as Wyrdeer will have to Terastalize to counter them. Sableye is particularly nightmarish thanks to Encore turning Wyrdeer into setup fodder even if it does Terastalize.

Bulky Steel types are also problematic for Wyrdeer, given they resist both STABs. Orthworm is notable for completely walling all physical variants of Wyrdeer as well as most special Wyrdeer without specifically Tera Fighting or enough Calm Mind boosts. Other Ground immune Steels like Bronzong and Tera Steel Weezing also make Wyrdeer’s life miserable, especially the latter with Taunt.

Offensively checking Wyrdeer can be a bit of a chore, not because of its Speed, but its ability to accrue defensive boosts and Intimidate. While Special Attackers like Galarian Articuno, Hisuian Braviary, Specs Goodra, can threaten Wyrdeer irrespective of Intimidate if Wyrdeer uses Calm Mind, that can start flipping the matchup. Physical Attackers face an even steeper uphill battle thanks to Intimidate, let alone Psyshield Bash or the rare Curse. If Intimidate isn’t a factor, Bombirdier, Shiftry, and physical Zoroark all threaten OHKOs with Knock Off. Intimidate can backfire, with Defiant Passimian, and Braviary can take advantage of Intimidate for a massive boost, but is contingent on predicting Wyrdeer switching in. Wyrdeer’s lack of recovery is also quite exploitable, and it cannot take big hits well..

Anime Appearences

Basculegion has made an anime appearance. This was in a flashback to the times of the Hisui region # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics PLA1 The Arceus Chronicles Arceus, the One Called a God: Ash & Goh! To the Sinnoh Fes They Go!!