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Decidueye‘s Ghost Typing: A Statistical and Competitive Analysis of This Unique Starter

As explored previously, Decidueye‘s part Ghost-typing represents a dramatic deviation from starter Pokémon conventions that delighted and surprised fans. But how does this twist impact Decidueye‘s competitive viability? What makes this specific starter uniquely positioned as a grass/ghost dynamo?

By analyzing Decidueye‘s stats, movepool synergies, ability mechanics, and team role, we can appreciate the impressive power tucked behind this owl‘s non-living exterior.

How Decidueye‘s Stats Complement Its Typing

Right away, the spread of Decidueye‘s base stats indicate solid offensive orientation despite its starter status. With 107 Attack and 100 Special Attack, Decidueye wields substantial physical and special striking capacity – perfectly blending with Ghost‘s neutral offensive coverage. 

Decidueye
HP: 78
Attack: 107  
Defense: 75
Sp. Atk: 100
Sp. Def: 100  
Speed: 70
Total: 530

For comparison, fellow ghost owl starter Hisuian Decidueye also utilizes a mixed attacking stat profile. But standard Decidueye edges out the ancient variant with a faster Speed tier and better boosting potential via Swords Dance.

When mathing out potential damage outputs, these statistical differences give our Alolan specter impressive sweeping potential:

Move Base Power Decidueye Attack Stat STAB Bonus Target Defense Stat Damage Range
Shadow Claw 70 107 1.5x 75 84 – 99
Leaf Blade 90 107 1.5x 75 131 – 154

And that‘s not even factoring in skill link boosts or possible Swords Dance setups!

Optimal Abilities and Movepool Synergy

Beyond raw numbers, Decidueye also differentiates itself through its hidden ability Long Reach. This allows Decidueye to strike opponents without making direct contact – perfectly fitting the image of an owl sniper.

Long Reach also provides unique utility in letting Decidueye bypass effects like Rocky Helmet, Iron Barbs, Rough Skin, Flame Body, and Static. This improves Decidueye‘s survivability while pivoting and makes it incredibly difficult to revenge kill.

When combined with Decidueye‘s extensive attacking coverage across Spirit Shackle, Leaf Blade, Sucker Punch, U-turn, Brave Bird and more, Long Reach enables numerous mixed sweeping and wallbreaking sets:

Decidueye @ Ghostium Z  
Ability: Long Reach  
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe  
Jolly Nature  
- Swords Dance
- Spirit Shackle  
- Leaf Blade
- Sucker Punch

The synergy present across Decidueye‘s statistical distribution, hidden ability, and wide movepool directly benefits from its Ghost AND Grass typing. Truly a stellar competitive mix!

Community Excitement Around Another Grass/Ghost Starter

Beyond just Decidueye itself, the Pokémon competitive community expressed lots of enthusiasm simply for Decidueye continuing the Grass/Ghost starter tradition.

The only other official Grass/Ghost remains Chesnaught‘s Kalos companion Trevenant. So Ghost owl represented the first secondary option bringing back the uncommon dual typing.

As a core competitive type tandem, Grass and Ghost cover each other‘s weaknesses exceptionally well. Ghost handles Dark, Psychic, and Fighting – all of which threaten Grass. Meanwhile, Grass resists Ground, Rock, Water, and Electric – common coverage types to beat Ghost.

Decidueye gave teams a new method to build strong defensive synergy across the core meta. And influencial VGC stalwarts like Aaron Zheng spoke to the anti-meta potential:

"Assuming Decidueye gets Spirit Shackle, I can see a nasty dual-STAB combo with Leaf Blade or Giga Drain smashing the Tapus and top threats like Arcanine and Garchomp."

This specialist flexibility is all thanks to Decidueye repping the ghost/grass phenotype so effectively!

Comparisons to Extinct Ghostly Owls Strengthen Decidueye‘s Backstory

Expanding the cryptozoology connections with Decidueye‘s ghost typing reveals some chilling and convincing comparisons that build its sinister backstory.

The Strix gulgula examined earlier seems like just the tip of the iceberg. Decidueye also closely aligns with undead owls described in Anishinaabe folk tales that herald doom through repetitive hoots. These "deendedo" prey on victims by inducing panic – similar to Decidueye‘s signature move Spirit Shackle.

Looking deeper, Decidueye seems extremely inspired by the frightening Giant Mimicker. This massive owl-like predator from South American legends possessed giant wings that enabled silent stalking much like Decidueye. And it weaponized these wings to slice victims just as our Ghost-infused starter launches feather darts!

Across these correlations to ghostly cryptids, GameFreak clearly modeled Decidueye after actual specters of owlish legend in a terrifying twist! It solidifies Decidueye‘s status as the franchise‘s creepiest archer.

Final Analysis: An Optimal Intersection of Competitive Potential and Thematic Design

Through an extensive examination of Decidueye‘s statistics, ability mechanics, community perceptions, ancestral connections, and duel grass/ghost synergies, Decidueye stands tall as:

  • A uniquely viable mixed sweeper/wallbreaker
  • A flexible team support Pokémon with excellent type coverage
  • A delightful expansion on starter conventions and expectations
  • A wonderfully chilling homage to ghostly owl folklore

So in the end, Decidueye‘s surprise ghost typing intersects stellar competitive power with thematic excellence in a showcase of masterful Pokémon design. This Halloween owl has certainly earned its ghostly status!

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