Monotype Viability Rankings

[Anttya]

Antt fix the link in the OP to link to my tutorial of how to get stuff in their sig :P Also I've been p. busy lately, so anyone who wants to take Aero-Mega, Empy or Mega Metagross off me, feel free to, I probs will get them done if no-one else does but I've been sitting on them for far too long

Done, and Mega Aero, Emp, and Mega Meta are up for grabs again! Get em while it's hot :D

 

[Gnief Fiar]

I believe Mandibuzz has already been done (The post is here) and Virizion too(right here). I tell you this so we can finally say that we finished Gen 5!

 

[Kotaro Fuma]

Doublade ---> Rank B (Ghost)

Doublade @ Eviolite
252HP/252DEF/4SpD
Ability: No Guard
-Shadow sneak
-Sacred Sword/Gyro Ball
-Swords Dance/Toxic
-Substitute/Protect

Explanation: Doublade in my opinion is the best physical tank of Ghost Mono, well, ghost don't have many physical walls (Aegislash and Mega Sableye aside) and Doublade can fill that role pretty well with the physical defensive set with Eviolite, and as Rank B suggests "It needs support wich may be hard to give" so the thing that Doublade can't tank there's another pokemon who can for example Gengar is immune to the earthquakes (Except the mold breaker ones), Chandelure can take advantage of fire moves with Flash Fire or just tank them with Infiltrator, and Knock Off can be tanked by Sableye Mega, the other non-boosted physical moves won't harm Doublade that much, he can even do some damage with its Swords Dance set and, Finally to the moves, Shadow sneak harm other Ghost types (mainly Gengar) sacred sword is to take out threats such as bisharp and Weavile (and tyranitar if u already have a swords dance stack or a substitute) Toxic can be used over Swords dance for people who prefer to stall, I personally use substitute over protect to predict some switches or just to set up some swords dance when possible, The main problem of Doublade is the health recover in my opinion, sometimes Special Defense EVs are used as well.

Pros:
- Good Defense stat
- Decent attack
- Access to Swords Dance

Cons:
- Earthquake does more than 50% most of the times
- Knock Off
- Low Special Defense Stat

I may edit this post to add some calcs and add some relevent information if necessary wich i can't provide at the moment. :)

 

[RedsCharizard]

Mega Metagross for S rank on Psychic and Steel

Base stats: 80 / 145 / 150 / 105 / 110 / 110
Trait: Tough Claws

Potential sets(note that there are many, but i've chosen those that have worked for me):

Agility Sweeper:

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake / Hammer Arm / Ice Punch

Power-up Punch / Hone Claws setter

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws / Power-Up Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake / Bullet Punch / Ice Punch

Special Attacker

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Grass Knot (recommended by fat Pikachuun)


Mega Metagross is an incredible Pokemon. It's fast, it has good natural bulk, powerful STABs, a movepool that offers great coverage, and an excellent ability. It covers threats such as Tyranitar, Clefable(and really any fairy at all other than Mawile), and can 2HKO almost any offensive Pokemon. It also takes on dragon teams very well thanks to Ice Punch, and is able to outspeed non-scarf Garchomp, Hydreigon and ties with Lati twins. Agility allows it to outspeed anything that hasn't also got boosted speed, even without full investment into it. Hone Claws can be used to give Meteor Mash and Zen Headbutt over 100% accuracy. Power-Up Punch doesn't boost accuracy, but it deals damage, so it's able to get a boost while using it on something that has been heavily weakened, and it also isn't affected by Taunt. A special set can also be used and will catch your opponent off-guard, but isn't recommended, as you won't be abusing Mega Metagross' ability that way.

 

[Pikachuun]

Special Attacker

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]

I would recommend slashing Grass Knot somewhere on this set for Water and/or certain Ground types as it gets the Tough Claws boost. I think this is actually even used on a few Physical sets too for Quagsire (Maybe it could be slashed on the Agility set too? I'm not sure how much Adamant Grass Knot does to Quag).

EDIT: 0- SpA Tough Claws Metagross-Mega Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Quagsire: 272-320 (69 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0- SpA Tough Claws Metagross-Mega Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Quagsire: 404-476 (102.5 - 120.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Well then. PDef gets cleanly OHKO'd while SDef gets 2HKO'd with an Adamant Nature? Sign me up!

 

[Acast]

Doublade ---> Rank B (Ghost)

Doublade @ Eviolite
252HP/252DEF/4SpD
Ability: No Guard
-Shadow sneak
-Sacred Sword/Gyro Ball
-Swords Dance/Toxic
-Substitute/Protect

Explanation: Doublade in my opinion is the best physical tank of Ghost Mono, well, ghost don't have many physical walls (Aegislash and Mega Sableye aside) and Doublade can fill that role pretty well with the physical defensive set with Eviolite, and as Rank B suggests "It needs support wich may be hard to give" so the thing that Doublade can't tank there's another pokemon who can for example Gengar is immune to the earthquakes (Except the mold breaker ones), Chandelure can take advantage of fire moves with Flash Fire or just tank them with Infiltrator, and Knock Off can be tanked by Sableye Mega, the other non-boosted physical moves won't harm Doublade that much, he can even do some damage with its Swords Dance set and, Finally to the moves, Shadow sneak harm other Ghost types (mainly Gengar) sacred sword is to take out threats such as bisharp and Weavile (and tyranitar if u already have a swords dance stack or a substitute) Toxic can be used over Swords dance for people who prefer to stall, I personally use substitute over protect to predict some switches or just to set up some swords dance when possible, The main problem of Doublade is the health recover in my opinion, sometimes Special Defense EVs are used as well.

Pros:
- Good Defense stat
- Decent attack
- Access to Swords Dance

Cons:
- Earthquake does more than 50% most of the times
- Knock Off
- Low Special Defense Stat

I may edit this post to add some calcs and add some relevent information if necessary wich i can't provide at the moment. :)

B rank is too high for Doublade. Don't get me wrong, Doublade is pretty good, but it's 100% outclassed by its evolution, Aegislash. The only advantage Doublade has over the uber sword is Eviolite so it's a little more physically bulky than its evolution, but that doesn't nearly make up for everything that Aegislash has going for it. King's Shield, awesome defensive stats when in shield form, higher attack stat when in blade form, the ability to go mixed with Shadow Ball and Flash Cannon, reliably pulling off a Weakness Policy, etc. The list goes on. As long as Aegislash is legal on Ghost teams there is little, if any, reason to use Doublade instead of it imo. Doublade just adds more weakness to special attacks and Knock Off (something Ghost desperately needs help with outside of Mega Sableye). Aegislash can thrive against both of those things with a specially bulky WP set and a bit of King's Shield prediction. There are also much better physical walls for Ghost teams. Gourgeist, Dusclops, and Cofagrigus are just a few examples besides the two that you provided.

TL;DR: Doublade is completely outclassed by its evolution in all aspects but pure physical bulk, and multiple other Ghost pokemon are better physical walls due to better support move pools.

For those reasons, I think the absolute highest that Doublade should be ranked at is C, but I believe it's more suited to D rank as long as Aegislash is around.

 

[Gnief Fiar]

I think I'll try doing a Mega Sceptile, so...I guess I'll reserve it.

 

[Kotaro Fuma]

B rank is too high for Doublade. Don't get me wrong, Doublade is pretty good, but it's 100% outclassed by its evolution, Aegislash. The only advantage Doublade has over the uber sword is Eviolite so it's a little more physically bulky than its evolution, but that doesn't nearly make up for everything that Aegislash has going for it. King's Shield, awesome defensive stats when in shield form, higher attack stat when in blade form, the ability to go mixed with Shadow Ball and Flash Cannon, reliably pulling off a Weakness Policy, etc. The list goes on. As long as Aegislash is legal on Ghost teams there is little, if any, reason to use Doublade instead of it imo. Doublade just adds more weakness to special attacks and Knock Off (something Ghost desperately needs help with outside of Mega Sableye). Aegislash can thrive against both of those things with a specially bulky WP set and a bit of King's Shield prediction. There are also much better physical walls for Ghost teams. Gourgeist, Dusclops, and Cofagrigus are just a few examples besides the two that you provided.

TL;DR: Doublade is completely outclassed by its evolution in all aspects but pure physical bulk, and multiple other Ghost pokemon are better physical walls due to better support move pools.

For those reasons, I think the absolute highest that Doublade should be ranked at is C, but I believe it's more suited to D rank as long as Aegislash is around.

I am satisfied with the argument and it makes all sense and having Aegislash and Doublade on the same team is purely stupid. Thanks for the reply :)

 

[Gnief Fiar]

Mega Sceptile for C Rank

Gecko(Sceptile)(M)@Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow (Lightning Rod after Mega Evolving)
EVs: 4 HP, 252 SpAtk, 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Giga Drain
-Focus Blast
-Dragon Pulse
-Hidden Power Fire

This set aims to be a sweeper. It can sweep, but the problem is Sceptile's Special movepool. This is the best can do. It doesn't even learn Nasty Plot or Calm Mind. Thus, Mega Sceptile is stuck doing meh damage to a lot of threatening walls. Lightining Rod is so you don't get Thunder Waved and have your Speed lowered. It's quite situational however, and Grass isn't really hit with too many Electric type moves anyways.

Since a Special set doesn't work too well, let's go physical...

Gecko(Sceptile)(M)@Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow (Lightning Rod after Mega Evolving)
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Swords Dance
-Leaf Blade
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide

This set might do you better than the Special set, but it takes less advantage of Lightning Rod. It can be a pretty good sweeper. Just hope you don't run into Choice Scarf users, burns, or a good physical wall.

Mega Sceptile is overall pretty meh. It can do about the same things with its non-Mega self without having to use your Mega slot which is better used on Venusaur. Plus, its typing doesn't really do much for Grass besides giving it a Fire neutrality. On the flip side of things, TrollFreak also gave it a x4 weakness to Ice. I personally blame pre-Gen 4 for making Grass a Special type and giving Sceptile a lot of SpAtk, but a tiny Special movepool. So I say C Rank for Mega Sceptile.

 

[n64lord]

Magnezone (steel) for B rank

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

I'm not enthusiastic about it, but it's still the most common magnezone. It is the only set that can't simply count off the stealth rock damage until a Life orb bisharp smashes it with an unboosted suckerpunc and takes scalds from wall pokemon lighty enough to switch in a few times per match, also it maximizes damage against flying team's reduced to zapdos if you can find something unable to hit him to come in on.

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Modest Magnezone's speed numbers. 84 for uninvested base 70s (scizor/skarmory) 140 for heatran, 168 for uninvested base 80s (mandibuzz) In monotype running speed creep is less popular than maxing out bulk on what few walls each type gets, so a speedy magnezone can put in far more work here than in OU, at the cost of his bulk, but that was never special to begin with. As one of the few special attackers on a steel team, magnezone is primarily cares about hitting physical walls and tanks that don't invest and speed, as they are the main obstacle to the other attackers and stall core. The specs set can easily power through the a suicune or mega sablye with one or even 2 calm minds under its belt thanks to the tremendous power of its stab. Utterly eliminates specific bulky offensive threats, but often has to watch out for moves like superpower, and the opponet fast switching to bring you in as bait.

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Like other scarfed base 60 pokemon it does reach a speed to beat 252+ nature 111s (short of 115s), and for a steel team this lets it get chip damage and get the first hit on a lot of annoying things like the keldeo group and latias. Volt switch does momentum as usual, coverage can massively speed up a game against an opposing steel team, but it can also run HP ice to snipe landorus and garchomp or at worst, put their bulky sets within range of your pokemon with priority.

Magnezone can create a ton of wiggle room for steel teams, and it's volturn is helpful for nullifying guesswork in which wall to bring out. It can also be used as a wallbreaker against the few types that can beat a steel team through stall. It's just fast enough for the problem pokemon that aren't choiced (and therefore locked into a move for you to abuse) and his trapping ability can lead to a lot of guranteed damage or stopping them from sending out a guest steel mon at all (Which may be their only wall for your mega). Sturdy and analytic are effective as well, as it is very effective at creating switches, and boosting damage everytime they do is very nice. Also allows it to hit fast things that have no choice but to 3HKO it with bad coverage to remember the encounter less warmly. Sturdy is nice for when things go horribly wrong, probbably due to a focus miss poke or some obnoxious mixed mon like garchomp. Being one of the only special attacking steel mons means you don't have to do deal with physical walls by chasing with your own or boosting MOAR on physical pokemon.

 

[Gnief Fiar]

Magnezone (steel) for A rank

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Modest Magnezone's speed numbers. 84 for uninvested base 70s (scizor/skarmory) 140 for heatran, 168 for uninvested base 80s (mandibuzz) In monotype running speed creep is less popular than maxing out bulk on what few walls each type gets, so a speedy magnezone can put in far more work here than in OU, at the cost of his bulk, but that was never special to begin with. As one of the few special attackers on a steel team, magnezone is primarily cares about hitting physical walls and tanks that don't invest and speed, as they are the main obstacle to the other attackers and stall core. The specs set can easily power through the a suicune or mega sablye with one or even 2 calm minds under its belt thanks to the tremendous power of its stab. Utterly eliminates specific bulky offensive threats, but often has to watch out for moves like superpower, and the opponet fast switching to bring you in as bait.

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Like other scarfed base 60 pokemon it does reach a speed to beat 252+ nature 111s (short of 115s), and for a steel team this lets it get chip damage and get the first hit on a lot of annoying things like the keldeo group and latias. Volt switch does momentum as usual, coverage can massively speed up a game against an opposing steel team, but it can also run HP ice to snipe landorus and garchomp or at worst, put their bulky sets within range of your pokemon with priority.

Magnezone can create a ton of wiggle room for steel teams, and it's volturn is helpful for nullifying guesswork in which wall to bring out. It can also be used as a wallbreaker against the few types that can beat a steel team through stall. It's just fast enough for the problem pokemon that aren't choiced (and therefore locked into a move for you to abuse) and his trapping ability can lead to a lot of guranteed damage or stopping them from sending out a guest steel mon at all (Which may be their only wall for your mega). Sturdy and analytic are effective as well, as it is very effective at creating switches, and boosting damage everytime they do is very nice. Also allows it to hit fast things that have no choice but to 3HKO it with bad coverage to remember the encounter less warmly. Sturdy is nice for when things go horribly wrong, probbably due to a focus miss poke or some obnoxious mixed mon like garchomp. Being one of the only special attacking steel mons means you don't have to do deal with physical walls by chasing with your own or boosting MOAR on physical pokemon.

You can probably maximize bulk and not put any Speed so you can use Analytic instead of Magnet Pull for greater power. That way, Magnezone can both tank hits and deal massive damage.

 

[Anttya]

Magnezone (steel) for A rank

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Modest Magnezone's speed numbers. 84 for uninvested base 70s (scizor/skarmory) 140 for heatran, 168 for uninvested base 80s (mandibuzz) In monotype running speed creep is less popular than maxing out bulk on what few walls each type gets, so a speedy magnezone can put in far more work here than in OU, at the cost of his bulk, but that was never special to begin with. As one of the few special attackers on a steel team, magnezone is primarily cares about hitting physical walls and tanks that don't invest and speed, as they are the main obstacle to the other attackers and stall core. The specs set can easily power through the a suicune or mega sablye with one or even 2 calm minds under its belt thanks to the tremendous power of its stab. Utterly eliminates specific bulky offensive threats, but often has to watch out for moves like superpower, and the opponet fast switching to bring you in as bait.

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Like other scarfed base 60 pokemon it does reach a speed to beat 252+ nature 111s (short of 115s), and for a steel team this lets it get chip damage and get the first hit on a lot of annoying things like the keldeo group and latias. Volt switch does momentum as usual, coverage can massively speed up a game against an opposing steel team, but it can also run HP ice to snipe landorus and garchomp or at worst, put their bulky sets within range of your pokemon with priority.

Magnezone can create a ton of wiggle room for steel teams, and it's volturn is helpful for nullifying guesswork in which wall to bring out. It can also be used as a wallbreaker against the few types that can beat a steel team through stall. It's just fast enough for the problem pokemon that aren't choiced (and therefore locked into a move for you to abuse) and his trapping ability can lead to a lot of guranteed damage or stopping them from sending out a guest steel mon at all (Which may be their only wall for your mega). Sturdy and analytic are effective as well, as it is very effective at creating switches, and boosting damage everytime they do is very nice. Also allows it to hit fast things that have no choice but to 3HKO it with bad coverage to remember the encounter less warmly. Sturdy is nice for when things go horribly wrong, probbably due to a focus miss poke or some obnoxious mixed mon like garchomp. Being one of the only special attacking steel mons means you don't have to do deal with physical walls by chasing with your own or boosting MOAR on physical pokemon.

As Gnief said, there's almost no point putting Speed EVs in Specs. In OU that might be nice, but both Electric and Steel, Scizor & Skarm are easily dealt with on both types, and because its niche is pretty much useless, I feel like Magnezone's better at B rank. (Still shares its Fighting, Ground + Fire weakness, slow asf, slow etc)

 

[Freeroamer]

Magnezone (steel) for A rank

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Modest Magnezone's speed numbers. 84 for uninvested base 70s (scizor/skarmory) 140 for heatran, 168 for uninvested base 80s (mandibuzz) In monotype running speed creep is less popular than maxing out bulk on what few walls each type gets, so a speedy magnezone can put in far more work here than in OU, at the cost of his bulk, but that was never special to begin with. As one of the few special attackers on a steel team, magnezone is primarily cares about hitting physical walls and tanks that don't invest and speed, as they are the main obstacle to the other attackers and stall core. The specs set can easily power through the a suicune or mega sablye with one or even 2 calm minds under its belt thanks to the tremendous power of its stab. Utterly eliminates specific bulky offensive threats, but often has to watch out for moves like superpower, and the opponet fast switching to bring you in as bait.

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Like other scarfed base 60 pokemon it does reach a speed to beat 252+ nature 111s (short of 115s), and for a steel team this lets it get chip damage and get the first hit on a lot of annoying things like the keldeo group and latias. Volt switch does momentum as usual, coverage can massively speed up a game against an opposing steel team, but it can also run HP ice to snipe landorus and garchomp or at worst, put their bulky sets within range of your pokemon with priority.

Magnezone can create a ton of wiggle room for steel teams, and it's volturn is helpful for nullifying guesswork in which wall to bring out. It can also be used as a wallbreaker against the few types that can beat a steel team through stall. It's just fast enough for the problem pokemon that aren't choiced (and therefore locked into a move for you to abuse) and his trapping ability can lead to a lot of guranteed damage or stopping them from sending out a guest steel mon at all (Which may be their only wall for your mega). Sturdy and analytic are effective as well, as it is very effective at creating switches, and boosting damage everytime they do is very nice. Also allows it to hit fast things that have no choice but to 3HKO it with bad coverage to remember the encounter less warmly. Sturdy is nice for when things go horribly wrong, probbably due to a focus miss poke or some obnoxious mixed mon like garchomp. Being one of the only special attacking steel mons means you don't have to do deal with physical walls by chasing with your own or boosting MOAR on physical pokemon.

I like HP Ice on the scarf set to revenge mixed Garchomp which essentially 6-0's Steel, yeah you lose to scarfchomp but that's significantly easier to play against, as you can go into skarm as an initial switchin and then scout from there, whereas the mix set 2hkoes every relevant steel type and outspeeds most too. It also removes Landorus-i which is a problem too.

 

[Gnief Fiar]

I thought I might as well write this up while the news is still new.

The great Monokip for God Rank

Lord Monokip(Mudkip)(M)@Eviolite
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP, 4 Atk, 252 Def
Impish Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Yawn/Toxic
-Waterfall
-Rain Dance/Rock Slide

This set is truly a supportive set for Lord Monokip's godly brethren. Rain Dance allows Lord Surskit and Lord Monotyke to become faster and be greater threats to those who are unfortunate enough to face the great trio. Stealth Rock makes it even easier to sweep and Toxic is for general status, while Yawn is to shuffle your opponents around.

If you want to be less of a team player, try this...

Lord Monokip(Mudkip)(M)@Eviolite
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP, 4 Atk, 252 SpDef
Careful Nature
-Curse
-Waterfall
-Rest
-Sleep Talk

Literally, more power to you if you use this set. CroKip sounds quite nice and you can do great damage at +6.

Look upon the newest member of the Monogods and tremble. As the bodyguard to Lord Monotyke himself, Lord Monokip is defensive and will shrek up anyone that dares challenge the Monogods. Therefore, because of his great contributions, adorableness (and being a Little Cup Water type), Lord Monokip shall receive a God Rank.

 

[n64lord]

As Gnief said, there's almost no point putting Speed EVs in Specs. In OU that might be nice, but both Electric and Steel, Scizor & Skarm are easily dealt with on both types, and because its niche is pretty much useless, I feel like Magnezone's better at B rank. (Still shares its Fighting, Ground + Fire weakness, slow asf, slow etc)

I almost always feel like I want magnezone back out whenever I send it in, so I speedcreep walls. Additionally, while excadrill and bisharp can get you through several walls that would be trapped by magnet pull (and shut down steel's other common attacking mons), the most important ones, ferrothorn and skarmory, can ruin either for the rest of the match if they lose at all. Playing mindgames with heatran is really not something I want to do, as a flying team skarmory gets it out with no risk whatsoever, and opposing steel teams can bring their own out, or send out some bizarre niche hybird whose only warning that it is a heatran tank is that it's a weird ass unviable pokemon. Obviously stacking hazards and whirlwinding more will always be the preffered way of getting your sweepers and cleaners into kill range of some of their checks, but a team with magnezone can punch holes in them beforehand with little risk. Magnet pull sets are also really really good at specifically covering scizor and metagross's lost coverage. It's pretty apparent that it is pointless on electric, but I want to ease problems against a couple teams prepared to brush off the damage of a common steel team.

 

[n64lord]

Antt fix the link in the OP to link to my tutorial of how to get stuff in their sig :P Also I've been p. busy lately, so anyone who wants to take Aero-Mega, Empy or Mega Metagross off me, feel free to, I probs will get them done if no-one else does but I've been sitting on them for far too long

I GOT THE HINT OKAY!?!

Reserving Wallrein ( Ice), Aerodactly Mega (flying), and Spiritomb (again)

 

[SirSkit]

Reserving Starmie (psychic)

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

Venusaur in Grass for S rank.

Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Earthquake

This pokemon is very strong for grass teams. With thick fat giving it an effective resist to both fire and ice, and its poison typing giving it a resistance to bug and poison, this pokemon is only weak to flying out of the five types super effective against grass. Although it needs to mega evolve before it can tank these hits well, once it has done there isn't much that can bring it down between good defensive stats, reliable recovery and only two weaknesses.
Moreover, its movepool allows it to threaten a number of things, with sleep powder being disliked by offensive teams, earthquake dealing heavy damage to heatran, and knock off being a general nuisance. Leech Seed and Giga Drain allow it to keep going without using up too much of synthesis' 8 pp, and its immunity to toxic also helps it stall. Combined with something like ferrothorn or cradily, it easily forms a core that can stop many of the things that threaten grass as a whole.

I'm kinda late on this but I just joined so...
Anyway, I think there are a couple other sets worthy of mention:

Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Def / 160 SpA / 96 SpD
Modest Nature
- Synthesis/Leech Seed
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]/Earthquake
This is the standard attacking set for Mega Venusaur. Synthesis is for more immediate recovery, Leech Seed is for making them lose health every turn as well as you recovering health (synthesis is usually better because it gives more recovery and leech seed doesn't work on grass types, sap sipper pokemon, pokemon behind subs, and it goes away if they spin/switch out). Giga Drain is STAB and more recovery, Sludge Wave is secondary STAB. HP Fire hits steel types hard, but leaves you walled by chandelure/heatran/dragalge. EQ also hits steels, but leaves you walled by Skarmory. Make sure to put some EVs in Attack (4-20 is probably good) from SpD or Def if you choose EQ. You can also run 92 speed to outrun 252+ speed base 50s (aggron/mega aggron/mega mawile/azumarill/chansey [please don't run 252+ Spe chansey...] etc.)

Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 232 Def / 20 SpA / 160 SpD / 92 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Synthesis
- Leech Seed
- Protect/Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain

This is my favourite set, as it is really bulky. Leech Seed recovers health while dealing damage at the same time. Synthesis is for instant recovery when you get too low. Protect allows you to stall (useful for leech seed damage/recovery), while sludge bomb is STAB. Giga Drain is mandatory STAB so you're not taunt bait and for more recovery. Be warned that if you do run protect (like me) you are hardwalled by every grass type and sap sipper pokemon. Sludge Bomb allows you to not be dead weight in these matchups and is usually preferred.
EVs are weird but here's why: 92 Spe outruns max speed base 50 pokemon, and the rest are allocated into bulk so it walls more stuff, with slight investment into SpA so Giga Drain (and Sludge Bomb if you use it) hit a little harder.


There is also a decent physical attacking Venusaur. It is useful for the surprise factor (it swept half my team, including my special wall, before I realized it was physical). 100 Base Attack is usable, although the special set or stall sets are usually better. The only reason to use it is if you want the surprise factor, or if you lack other physical pokemon (meaning you don't have Breloom, Ferrothorn, Trevenant, or Tangrowth who are all usually better as physical grass types). I'm not sure of the exact moves/EVs but I'll give it a try:

Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD or 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Synthesis/Leech Seed
- Curse/Earthquake
- Power Whip
- Knock Off/Earthquake

First move is recovery as usual. Second move is either curse (boosts attack and defense really high, making Mega Venusaur hard to kill) or EQ if you dont want the boosts. If running EQ, use the second EV set for more physical bulk (Curse boosts Def so EVs are unnecessary when using Curse). Third move is powerful STAB. Final slot is for coverage. Knock Off is for tremendous utility in removing items or EQ hits steel types and fire types hard, taking advantage of Thick Fat and hitting types that threaten grass.

Corrections/advice appreciated, but I just wanted to put this out there. Overall Articuno's write up was good and S Rank is correct as it has a variety of sets that all work well and it is mandatory on every grass team. ^_^

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

Also, I'd like to reserve Rotom Wash (Water), Jirachi (Psychic), and Gyarados (Flying). Just to double check, that's regular gyarados not mega, right?

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

I nominate Gyarados for B Rank on Flying

Pros:
- Ice neutrality
- Good setup sweeper/late game sweeper
- Powerful (mostly) unresisted coverage

Cons:
- 4x electric weak
- There are other, better setup sweepers on flying
- Faces tough competition to get into the lineup--flying has so many other excellent options

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Moxie
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch/Ice Fang/Bounce

Gyarados can be an amazing setup sweeper with Dragon Dance boosting both his attack and speed. Waterfall is necessary for strong STAB. The last two slots are coverage. EQ/Ice Fang with waterfall is perfect neutral coverage (other than Shedinja and Surskit God), Crunch is more powerful than Ice Fang and is a good move against ghost/psychic monos. Moxie is generally preferred for late game sweeping, as at 2x speed and +3 attack, Gyarados is virtually unstoppable, exempting priority. Bounce can be used as a secondary STAB if you want (hitting Mega Venusaur, Breloom, and other grass types hard), but Pokemon with protect wall it. It is also useful for not taking damage that turn and more lefties recovery. Adamant nature can also be run if you think you will be able to get enough Dragon Dances off to out-speed faster threats. Intimidate can be run, but generally people will switch to their priority users so the drop disappears.

Gyarados COULD potentially run a choice band/scarf set, but it is outclassed by the D Dance set that boosts both attack AND speed by 1.5x. If you want to run a band/scarf set it would probably look something like this:

Gyarados @ Choice Band/Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Ice Fang/Bounce

Waterfall is STAB. EQ and Crunch are mandatory coverage. Ice Fang and Bounce both complete perfect coverage with Bounce being STAB and more base power, but Ice Fang hits Dragon types and other flying types for SE damage and is not a 2-turn move.

Why B-Rank?
If Gyarados is such a good setup sweeper and can run a Choice Band/Scarf set why only B Rank? First of all is that it has too much competition on flying mono. Thundurus (with Prankster Nasty Plot), Dragonite (with Dragon Dance), and Mega Char X (also D-Dance) are usually better options as setup sweepers as they are more powerful and faster. 4x electric weak is also not something flying wants, although it does partner somewhat well with Landorus (Lando taking electric moves, Gyarados taking Ice). Even this Lando partnership is outclassed--by Skarmory, who has STAB Iron Head for hitting Ice types, and the same Ice neutrality. Skarmory is also more defensive, and so can take more hits than Gyarados could. Band/Scarf isn't that good, as well, especially as its D-Dance set outclasses both choice items by boosting attack AND speed. It is also frail, and priority out-speeds it. All in all, Gyarados is somewhat outclassed by the plethora of options flying has, but has its niche and can find a place on a hyper-offensive flying mono. This is why I think Gyarados deserves B Rank on flying, although I could be convinced about a move to A rank (but no lower than B or higher than A).

 

[all falls down]

I nominate Gyarados for B Rank on Flying

Pros:
- Ice neutrality
- Good setup sweeper/late game sweeper
- Powerful (mostly) unresisted coverage

Cons:
- 4x electric weak
- There are other, better setup sweepers on flying
- Faces tough competition to get into the lineup--flying has so many other excellent options

Gyarados @ leftovers
Ability: Moxie
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch/Ice Fang/Bounce

Gyarados can be an amazing setup sweeper with Dragon Dance boosting both his attack and speed. Waterfall is necessary for strong STAB. The last two slots are coverage. EQ/Ice Fang with waterfall is perfect neutral coverage (other than Shedinja and Surskit God), Crunch is more powerful than Ice Fang and is a good move against ghost/psychic monos. Moxie is generally preferred for late game sweeping, as at 2x speed and +3 attack, Gyarados is virtually unstoppable, exempting priority. Bounce can be used as a secondary STAB if you want (hitting Mega Venusaur, Breloom, and other grass types hard), but Pokemon with protect wall it. It is also useful for not taking damage that turn and more lefties recovery. Adamant nature can also be run if you think you will be able to get enough Dragon Dances off to out-speed faster threats. Intimidate can be run, but generally people will switch to their priority users so the drop disappears.

Gyarados COULD potentially run a choice band/scarf set, but it is outclassed by the D Dance set that boosts both attack AND speed by 1.5x. If you want to run a band/scarf set it would probably look something like this:

Gyarados @ Choice Band/Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Ice Fang/Bounce

Waterfall is STAB. EQ and Crunch are mandatory coverage. Ice Fang and Bounce both complete perfect coverage with Bounce being STAB and more base power, but Ice Fang hits Dragon types and other flying types for SE damage and is not a 2-turn move.

Why B-Rank?
If Gyarados is such a good setup sweeper and can run a Choice Band/Scarf set why only B Rank? First of all is that it has too much competition on flying mono. Thundurus (with Prankster Nasty Plot), Dragonite (with Dragon Dance), and Mega Char X (also D-Dance) are usually better options as setup sweepers as they are more powerful and faster. 4x electric weak is also not something flying wants, although it does partner somewhat well with Landorus (Lando taking electric moves, Gyarados taking Ice). Even this Lando partnership is outclassed--by Skarmory, who has STAB Iron Head for hitting Ice types, and the same Ice neutrality. Skarmory is also more defensive, and so can take more hits than Gyarados could. Band/Scarf isn't that good, as well, especially as its D-Dance set outclasses both choice items by boosting attack AND speed. It is also frail, and priority out-speeds it. All in all, Gyarados is somewhat outclassed by the plethora of options flying has, but has its niche and can find a place on a hyper-offensive flying mono. This is why I think Gyarados deserves B Rank on flying, although I could be convinced about a move to A rank (but no lower than B or higher than A).

Looks good, but Crunch isn't really a viable move for normal Gyarados; it really wants other moves. The standard moves as I see it are Dragon Dance /Waterfall/ [Substitute/taunt], [Bounce/Earthquake/Ice Fang]. Crunch is really good on mega Gyarados as it gets that important stab. Without stab, Gyarados will find itself hitting harder with its stab moves waterfall and bounce.

And there's also the defensive set that has a spread of 88 HP/192 atk/4 def/224 spe

Going even further, there is the specially defensive set of

Gyarados Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Waterfall
- Sleep talk
- Dragon Tail / Roar / Thunder Wave
- Rest

Which allows it to take ice beams without taking up a mega slot. Gyarados helps a lot in the flying vs ground matchup which can be difficult, and in my experience Gyarados can be A rank, but I can understand it being B rank because of its electric weakness and really hating stealth rock.

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

I'm actually UNreserving Jirachi (psychic). I'll reserve Kingdra and Ludicolo (water) instead, so I can test them with Rotom-W.

 

[n64lord]

I nominate Gyarados for B Rank on Flying

I see gyarados in its normal form run sub dd or taunt dd if I see it at all. It can do a lot of interesting things that the mega can't, mostly due to its items. It will also always have intimidate to proc, rather than only once like the mega. It can be lazily used with leftovers to help mitigate its SR problem and likely second role as a tank, or given life orb for the power to break through bulky teams that it can't set up twice on (probbably with 3 attacks) I ran a lum dd set a while ago to fake out pokemon like mew, who will always go for the superior oppurtunity of wisp, which lets you get a dd up >they see lum and have no need to expect you to have doubled status protection and will throw out wisp again rather than taunt> and with a sub and second dd most psychic teams will lose outright.oh and sablyes of course.

it can also run paraphasing or thunderwave+waterfall on its bulky rest talk sets. While its defensive coverage is less useful for flying teams than doing this on its mega, it can reach parts of the same effect without giving up mega zard/altaria, and and check things cabable of muscling through skarmory like medicham/gallade.

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

Which new megas still have to be done?

 

[Anttya]

Which new megas still have to be done?

Mega Gallade (Psychic)
Mega Camerupt (Fire)
Mega Swampert (Water) - Scp
Mega Swampert (Ground)
Mega Diancie (Fairy)
Mega Beedrill (Bug) - Dirpz
Mega Latias (Psychic)
Mega Latias (Dragon)
Mega Latios (Psychic)
Mega Latios (Dragon)
Mega Pidgeot (Normal)
Mega Pidgeot (Flying)
Mega Steelix (Ground)
Mega Steelix (Steel)
Mega Sharpedo (Dark)
Mega Sharpedo (Water)
Mega Glalie (Ice)

Finish what you have first, and you can only reserve one Mega at a time atm