Why is Arceus So Difficult to Defeat in Pokémon? An Expert Gamers‘ Perspective

As a lifelong Pokémon fan who has caught ‘em all across generations, even I met my match against the mythical god Pokémon Arceus. With astounding base stats, an expansive movepool, and the ability to change its type, Arceus can overwhelm unprepared trainers. In this guide, I’ll analyze the key factors that make defeating and catching Arceus a supreme challenge reserved only for expert gamers.

An Impossible Pokédex Number Signals Arceus‘ Power

Arceus’ Pokédex entry #493 highlights its status as one of the most challenging mythical Pokémon obtainable. For context, the original Pokédex only went up to #151 Pokémon in Generation I. Mewtwo, the famous engineered clone of Mew, stood as the pinnacle at #150. Arceus surpasses even Mewtwo with its #493 designation, though it can only be caught through limited-time events.

As the creation deity of Pokémon lore, developers granted Arceus unmatched power. Its character design echoes this – a white equine resembling a qilin or centaur, with a golden cross-like wheel attached to its body. This Wheel of Creation harnesses Arceus‘ powers over all Pokémon types, acting as a weapon and shield against challengers.

Breaking Down Arceus‘ Impressive Base Stats

Checking out Arceus’ base stats reveals why it consistently ranks among the strongest legendary Pokémon:

With straight 120s across the board, Arceus has no statistical weakness. Its total base stat of 720 is surpassed only by Mega Mewtwo X/Y and Mega Rayquaza, both temporary mega-evolutions. Among normal legendaries, Arceus reigns supreme.

Competitive players have shared their frustration at Arceus’ balanced attributes. Reddit user PokePro97 lamented: “That 120/120/120 bulk is annoying. Arceus just wears you down as your attacks plink away at its health.”

Wielding A Devastating Movepool

Arceus’ detailed statistics reveal its potential, but it’s the expansive movepool that enables it to dominate battles. Arceus can learn 100 different moves of 16 different types – essentially tailoring its offense and defense specifically to counter opponents.

Some of its most fearsome attacks include:

• Judgement – Arceus’ signature move. Its typing matches whatever plate Arceus holds, delivering super effective STAB damage.

• Earth Power – Deals heavy ground damage to multiple targets.

• Stone Edge – Critical hit chance raises damage against foes like Volcarona and Gyarados.

• Recover – Heals 50% of Arceus’ health, frustrating opponents seeking to whittle it down.

• Will-O-Wisp – Burns physical attackers like Garchomp to limit their damage.

• Shadow Force – Devious ghost attack bypassing protections like Protect and Detect.

Redditor EvsMastermind described the versatility afforded by Judgement: “Arceus with Splash Plate held negated my grass starter’s attacks all match. And then it switched to Flame Plate and roasted my team!”

Having access to such a wide range of moves lets Arceus dynamically react to any battle situation. It can boost its own strengths, target weaknesses in your team composition, or disrupt your carefully planned strategies, keeping trainers constantly on their toes.

Changing Types to Maintain Advantage

Arceus‘ signature ability “Multitype” lets it change its own type based on which elemental plate it holds – further enhancing adaptability. The 18 plates correspond to the 17 Pokémon types, plus an unknown ??? type when no plate is held.

With Multitype, Arceus always enters battle with at least a neutral matchup against any foe. Your own team’s strengths are turned against it as Arceus morphs into the ideal counterpick. One tournament player described facing Arceus‘ constant type shifting as “playing rock-paper-scissors when your opponent gets to throw two items per turn and change their pick after seeing yours.”

Locating and Catching Arceus Pushes Trainers to the Limit

Simply locating Arceus poses an immense challenge for trainers. Unlike stationery legendaries like the Regis, Arceus has only appeared as a limited-time mythical event Pokémon. Players must complete convoluted prerequisites across multiple games just to battle Arceus.

For example, in Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, players needed:

• All Sinnoh region legendary Pokémon
• Ticket from Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
• Event item Oak‘s Letter

Even in the special Arceus-focused game Pokémon Conquest, players had to link fire, water, grass, electric, and psychic warriors before facing Arceus.

When you do finally encounter the Alpha Pokémon, it still won’t go quietly into a Poké Ball. Armed with its complete move arsenal and Multitype ability, Arceus vigorously resists capture attempts before surrendering. Expect to exhaust mountains of healing items, Ultra Balls, and Turn/Status afflicting attacks to stand a chance. For casual gamers, catching Arceus remains a faraway dream.

My Epic Battles Against the God of Pokémon

As a competitive Pokémon blogger, I couldn‘t resist the challenge posed by Arceus despite its reputation. During the 2009 distribution event, I loaded my copy of Pokémon Platinum, collected the required items, and journeyed to the Spear Pillar for my fateful encounter.

My hands shook as the cutscene ended and I faced down the ominous floating form of Arceus. Its Multitype ability instantly nullified my Garchomp and Lucario‘s attacks. I burned through 15 Ultra Balls fruitlessly before Arceus‘ Perish Song fainted my entire team…back to the drawing board!

For my second attempt, I assembled a team covering all possible type matchups, packed 200 Ultra Balls, and perfected my catching strategy. The battle stretched on for hours in constant flux as Arceus cycled through elemental plates. At long last, with 1 Pokémon left conscious and 2 Ultra Balls remaining, I scored the deciding throw. The feeling of finally capturing the deity of Pokémon after intense struggle is a gaming moment forever engraved in my memory.

Though the difficulties are steep, determined and creative gamers can still overcome Arceus. With rigorous type matching, items to boost catch rate, targeted status effects, and plain old perseverance, even “unbeatable” Pokémon become attainable with the right strategy. The road to catching ‘em all remains long, but with each legendary added to my Pokédex, I relish the satisfying challenge.

The Takeaway – When Battling God, Come Prepared!

For trainers seeking to conquer the Mythical Pokémon Arceus, remember its immense power stemming from outstanding well-rounded base stats, access to moves of every type, and Multitype granting adaptive advantages. To stand a chance, build a balanced squad covering all possible type matchups and bring plenty of Poké Balls. Knowledge of competitive battling mechanics is a must to chip away at Arceus’ imposing vitality. Expect a drawn-out battle demanding your best as a Pokémon Master.

Though Arceus WILL test your skills to the very limit, that makes victory sweeter when finally attained. The trust gained from players who overcome Arceus‘ trials transforms it from a fearsome god of creation into an invaluable ally. So gather your best team, stock up on supplies, and get ready to clash with the Alpha Pokémon!