rs
STANDING ON BUSINESS
qt user anto said I could finish this
Taken over from Valmanway, Mega Chomp and Mega Garde done by Aragorn the King
QC by myself and Snowy.
GP by TDP / Haund, fleurdyleurse, P Squared
Introduction:
Pokemon X and Y brought us the power of Mega Evolution, which has made some Pokemon much more viable in OU while being simply equipped with a Mega Stone. Either way, Mega Evolution has certainly become a very significant and almost centralizing aspect in the metagame, and it's very easy to see why. With several top-tier threats that happen to be Mega Evolutions, such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Sableye, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Metagross, it's all too clear that Mega Evolutions have really defined the metagame. But Mega Evolutions aren't flawless, as they do have two restrictions that prevent them from becoming broken. First, you're only allowed to have one Mega Evolution on your team. This means you can't have a whole team of Mega Evolutions sweeping your opponent; you have to decide which Mega Evolution you want on your team, and then you have to stick with it the whole match. And second, a Mega Evolution can't hold an item, since they're already holding their Mega Stone, so no Choice Band for Mega Scizor, no Life Orb for Mega Charizard X, and no Black Sludge for Mega Venusaur. This guide will hopefully give you some insight on how every Mega Evolution fares in OU, as well as showing if Mega Evolution makes a bad Pokemon worth using.
Mega Venusaur:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Venusaur is such a good tank thanks to its typing, as it not only blesses it with a Toxic immunity but also grants it resistances to Fighting-, Water-, Electric-, Grass-, and Fairy-type moves, and Thick Fat rids it of its Fire and Ice weaknesses. This, combined with its respectable 80 / 123 / 120 bulk, lets it easily wall some big names in OU, including Keldeo, Azumarill, Weavile, Landorus-T, and Mega Manectric. Its movepool is also good, with useful tools like Knock Off, Synthesis, Sleep Powder, and Leech Seed, as well as more offensive options like Giga Drain, Sludge Bomb, Hidden Power Fire, and Earthquake to avoid being too passive.
Sadly, Mega Venusaur has plenty of flaws keeping it at bay. Much like most other Mega Evolutions, Venusaur needs to find the opportunity to Mega Evolve, but this weighs especially against Mega Venusaur due to its multiple weaknesses and lower defenses before Mega Evolving. Even after Mega Evolving, Mega Venusaur still has to deal with its flawed recovery, since Synthesis is drastically nerfed when in the rain or sand and Leech Seed is a slow process, meaning its staying power is limited. Its weaknesses to Flying- and Psychic-type moves leaves it open to Mega Alakazam, Latios, Talonflame, Tornadus-T, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Medicham, making it easy to find an answer to it. It's also relatively weak to status, as burn and paralysis are carried on a wide variety of Pokemon it checks. Finally, its defensive set is very passive, since nearly every Steel-type can get a free switch in and do as it pleases.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Regular Venusaur can be used as a Chlorophyll sweeper, and it's actually not bad at what it does. Having good defenses, decent power, a usable movepool, and Growth can make Venusaur a powerful sweeper. The only real flaws here are the lack of good sun setters for teammates, as Mega Charizard Y can't hold a Heat Rock and everything else has no business setting up sun in OU, and its susceptibility to being revenge killed by Talonflame. Regular Venusaur isn't going to be a common sight, but it does have its uses. Limited uses, but uses nonetheless.
Mega Charizard X:
Pros:
Cons:
Where do I even begin with this one? Mega Charizard X has so much to offer; nearly perfect neutral coverage in its dual STAB types; setup moves in Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, and Tailwind; recovery in Roost; and an immunity to burns. Its stats are also very good, with base 130 Attack and base 100 Speed to sweep teams after a boost and 78 / 111 / 85 bulk to give it some setup opportunities. While it's true that Mega Evolutions can't hold items, Tough Claws still gives it a huge power boost, so it can pack one hell of a punch. Its defensive set is nothing to scoff at either, as it can use Will-O-Wisp to burn would-be switch-ins like Azumarill, Tyranitar, Landorus-T, and Mega Altaria.
Mega Charizard X certainly sounds like a menace, but it has some serious shortcomings that prevent it from completely dominating OU. For one, its Stealth Rock weakness limits its opportunities to switch in, especially before Mega Evolving, and its vulnerability to Spikes and Ground-type moves after Mega Evolving makes this problem worse, so an entry hazard remover and an answer to Ground-types are mandatory when teambuilding. It also has severe four-moveslot syndrome, sometimes preventing it to hit common checks like Mega Altaria and Heatran.
Mega Charizard Y:
Pros:
Cons:
While not quite as popular as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y is still quite a threat to face in battle. Thanks to Drought, Mega Charizard Y has an intimidating offensive presence, especially when backed by a base 159 Special Attack and Fire Blast; even most Pokemon that resist Fire-type moves will lose large chunks of their health. Drought also has the benefit of reducing the power of Water-type moves, thus temporarily removing its Water weakness and causing Pokemon that would normally threaten Mega Charizard Y, such as Keldeo, Azumarill, and Manaphy, to miss out on would-be OHKOs. Solar Beam and Focus Blast are great coverage moves, threatening the Water- and Rock-types that would threaten Mega Charizard Y, respectively.
Mega Charizard Y is not without its faults, though. First, it has a 4x Stealth Rock weakness to constantly worry about, meaning entry hazard removal support is absolutely mandatory. Second, it lacks a move to boost its Special Attack, so if it can't 2HKO a wall that has recovery, it'll get stalled out. And third, Drought is temporary, which means it'll lose its use for Solar Beam, its Fire-type moves will see a noticeable drop in power, and it'll be weak to Water-type moves again after sun runs out.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Charizard has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Charizard, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Blastoise:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Blastoise is an interesting case, as it seems to have the makings of a truly good spinner. Between its great base 135 Special Attack and rather impressive 79 / 120 / 115 bulk, it's quite clear that it can take a hit and retaliate hard. Sadly, the problem with using it is its complete lack recovery. It can take hits pretty well, but having no form of recovery is a painful sight, especially when looking at those solid defenses. Its vulnerability to burns and Toxic don't help the cause either, and being vulnerable to every hazard is even worse.
But despite all this, Mega Blastoise still has some usefulness, since it can tank hits well and OHKO the likes of Bisharp, Excadrill, Talonflame, and Terrakion, and it can threaten walls such as support Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, Heatran, Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Latias, Gliscor, and Skarmory. Its resistances to Ice-, Water-, Fire-, and Steel-type moves are also very convenient, and its niche as a spinner that can beat out most Ghost-types isn't unnoticed.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Blastoise has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Blastoise, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Beedrill:
Pros:
Cons:
Though this offensive ability seems phenomenal at first, it's flaws are gaping. While its Adaptability-boosted attacks are naturally powerful, Poison / Bug coverage is easily walled by Steel-types, meaning it must run either Drill Run or Brick Break to threaten them, both of which are somewhat weak. Mega Beedrill also has to deal with mediocre Speed before Mega Evolving, and its pitiful defenses aren't improved after Mega Evolving either, leaving it vulnerable to bulky attackers. But the final nail in the coffin is how often if switches, leaving vulnerable to all entry hazards, including a weakness to Stealth Rock.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Beedrill has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Beedrill, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Pidgeot:
Pros:
Cons:
When looking for sweepers, Mega Pidgeot usually isn't the first to come to mind, but it is still one that can easily sweep unprepared teams. Its biggest quality is its ability to fire off perfectly accurate and hax-inducing Hurricanes thanks to No Guard, which is often the reason why people use it in the first place, as the move's high Base Power makes up for its middling base 135 Special Attack. But Mega Pidgeot also has some tools to make its job easier, such as Heat Wave to threaten Steel-types, U-turn to maintain offensive momentum and punish switches, Roost to heal off any damage received, and even Work-Up to do a little wallbreaking in the case of emergencies as well as make late-game sweeps a bit easier.
Of course, Mega Pidgeot is heavily threatened by opposing sweepers and revenge killers due to their greater natural Speed, such as Weavile, Mega Manectric, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Alakazam. Being weak to Stealth Rock is also pretty bad when repeatedly revenge killing and pivoting out with U-turn, as it cuts down on Mega Pidgeot's valuable opportunities to switch in. Mega Pidgeot also faces fierce competition from Tornadus-T, which has the same Speed tier, has much greater power thanks to its ability to use Life Orb, doesn't cost the team its Mega Evolution, and can actually threaten Rock-types with its Fighting coverage. While perfectly accurate Hurricanes with No Guard are a nice luxury, rain can make this happen as well, making Mega Pidgeot's place in OU somewhat niche.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Pidgeot has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Pidgeot, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Alakazam:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Alakazam is a very potent threat in OU and should never be taken lightly. For one, it has one of the highest base Speed stats in the game, as well as a monumental base 175 Special Attack, thus posing a threat to offense. Trace is the real selling point, though, as it allows Mega Alakazam to revenge kill, sweep, and possibly even switch into Pokemon in ways that would otherwise be impossible or at least very dangerous. For example, Mega Alakazam can switch into Heatran's Fire-type moves by copying Flash Fire and can revenge kill Excadrill by copying Sand Rush. Its movepool, while small, is just enough to threaten the tier, with Psyshock to wear down special walls, Focus Blast to bust down Dark-, and Steel-types, Shadow Ball to threaten Psychic-types, and Encore to cripple setup sweepers and walls.
Sadly, losing Magic Guard to ignore passive damage like Toxic and Stealth Rock is a shame, and having to stay in a turn to Mega Evolve is a gamble, since if Mega Alakazam fails to KO its target, it has to take a hit, and its bad 55 / 65 / 95 defenses usually fail it unless it's taking resisted hits. A vulnerability to priority move users makes these meager defenses even more exploitable, with good examples being Talonflame, Bisharp, and Choice Band Scizor; it's worth noting that the latter two also carry Pursuit, so they can trap Mega Alakazam. Mega Alakazam is also fairly easy to read, as its one set has little variation to it, so approaching it isn't a strenuous challenge when you have a counter.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: While Mega Alakazam is the better of the two by a good margin, regular Alakazam is still a very viable Pokemon. Base 120 Speed is very good, base 135 Special Attack lets it hit slightly harder than Mega Alakazam when holding a Life Orb, and Magic Guard is incredibly useful for keeping its health up by ignoring Life Orb recoil and entry hazard damage. The Focus Sash set also benefits greatly from Magic Guard, as it lets Alakazam revenge kill very reliably without having to worry about being OHKOed by a priority move.
Mega Slowbro:
Pros:
Cons:
When looking for physical bulk, Mega Slowbro is one of the first Pokemon to come to mind, and for good reason; it is one of the most physically bulky Pokemon in the game, as it sports a respetable base 95 HP and a monumental base 180 Defense, letting it reach up to 504 Defense with maximum investment! As if this weren't enough physical bulk, Mega Slowbro has Slack Off for good recovery and comes packed with great resistances to Fire-, Ice-, Fighting-, Water-, and Psychic-type moves, letting it take on a wide array of physical sweepers and even some wallbreakers. But Mega Slowbro isn't just a punching bag that winds up being setup bait, as it sports a hefty base 130 Special Attack to defend itself with, as well as some great offensive options like Calm Mind, Psyshock, Scald, Flamethrower, Ice Beam, and Grass Knot.
But while Mega Slowbro is a spectacular physical wall, its meager base 80 Special Defense leaves it easily targeted by special attackers. Mega Slowbro is also weak to some common offensive types like Electric, Dark, Ghost, and Bug, several of which are commonly used by special attackers. While Shell Armor has its uses with setup sets, a critical hit immunity is a negligible and often forgotten quality, which also makes approaching Mega Slowbro somewhat easy compared to some other walls. But perhaps the biggest flaw is just how slow Mega Slowbro is, as even though this poor Speed has its uses on Trick Room teams (and it can set up Trick Room on its own), outside of such teams, Mega Slowbro is almost always being outsped by offensive Pokemon with few exceptions, and even most defensive Pokemon can outrun it.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: While Mega Slowbro is used mostly as a filler Mega Evolution, its regular forme definitely has some pros over it. For one, it gets to keep its fantastic ability Regenerator, which allows it to continuously sponge hits from OU's plethora of physical attackers by pivoting in and out of play. In a lot of cases, most players opt to use its regular forme over its Mega due to not having to pass over other Mega Evolutions.
Mega Pinsir:
Pros:
Mega Pinsir is one of the most fearsome sweepers to face and a threat that teams must have an answer to. A massive base 155 Attack and access to Swords Dance are such a beautiful combination, and that decent 105 base Speed lets it outrun some pretty dangerous threats, such as Landorus, Garchomp without a Choice Scarf, and Charizard. Its power is further boosted by Aerilate, which acts as a Life Orb for Normal-type moves and changes them to Flying-type moves, so factoring STAB and Aerialate, Quick Attack becomes a 72-BP priority attack to sweep offensive teams, and Return becomes an amazing wallbreaking move backed by a whopping 199 Base Power! As if that weren't enough, it also gets Earthquake to deal with most Rock- and Steel-types that would hope to switch into a Flying-type move.
However, its Stealth Rock weakness is an ever-looming problem that absolutely mandates Rapid Spin or Defog support, since losing half its health with every switch in severely restricts its opportunities to set up. It also has some Speed problems, since, despite base 105 being a decent Speed tier, there are faster sweepers that can take a Quick Attack and OHKO it back, such as Mega Diancie, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Mega Manectric, Choice Scarf Tyranitar, and Raikou. Furthermore, its defensive typing also leaves it with nasty Fire, Electric, Ice, and Flying weaknesses, and despite gaining some pretty solid defenses, they won't hold when taking hits backed by STAB.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Absolutely not. Regular Pinsir may have Moxie and Mold Breaker, but these are far from worth giving up Mega Pinsir. Its Speed is rather bad, and Choice Scarf sets are stopped fairly easily with Fairy-types running around. You COULD fake a player out and pretend that you have Mega Pinsir when you actually have another Mega Pokemon, such as Gyarados or Scizor, but such a tactic can easily backfire. Honestly, just use Mega Pinsir.
Mega Gyarados:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Gyarados is one of the bulkiest Dragon Dance sweepers in the game, and it hits quite hard as well. Thanks to its 95 / 109 / 130 bulk, Mega Gyarados can easily find the chance to set up a Dragon Dance or two and proceed to sweep with a massive base 155 Attack stat and decent base 81 Speed. Mega Gyarados is different from most other Mega Evolutions for two reasons. For one, Mold Breaker lets it act more freely, such as using Earthquake to ignore Levitate users and ignoring Unaware to threaten Quagsire and Clefable. Additionally, Mega Gyarados is one of the few commonly seen Mega Evolutions that have a different typing from its original forme, meaning you can create mind games before Mega Evolving to possibly trick the enemy. Furthermore, Gyarados can run Intimidate before Mega Evolving, which can provide safe setup opportunities against a wide variety of physical attackers.
However, Gyarados faces a good deal of competition as a Dragon Dance sweeper, since Mega Altaria has a better defensive typing and recovery, and Mega Charizard X has both more Speed and Tough Claws. Attempting to play mind games can also backfire, such as Diancie counterpredicting you and going for Diamond Storm instead of Moonblast. The Dark typing leaves it with three additional weaknesses, two of which replace resistances to Fighting- and Bug-type moves, meaning Pokemon like Azumarill, Keldeo, and Mega Altaria give it a hard time.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?:
Regular Gyarados may not be as good as its Mega counterpart, but it's still plenty viable when you already have a Mega Evolution on your team. Intimidate and the ability to hold Leftovers mean that Substitute and support sets do better in the long run, carving a niche of sorts over its Mega Evolution. Offensively, Moxie Gyarados can surprise opponents that expect Mega Gyarados and is still a fairly viable threat. But if you can, it's greatly advised to just use Mega Gyarados over the original.
Mega Aerodactyl:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Aerodactyl's worth in OU is questionable at times, but rest assured— it can do its job just fine. What first catches the eyes of many is its blistering base 150, which lets it outspeed a wide variety of sweepers and revenge killers, such as Tornadus-T, Weavile, Mega Manectric, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Beedrill. Tough Claws is also a very useful ability to have, giving Mega Aerodactyl a usable Flying-type move in Aerial Ace, as well as powering up most of its coverage moves, such as Aqua Tail, Iron Head, and Fire Fang.
Unfortunately, Aerodactyl still has some major issues that hinder its performance. First off, being weak to Stealth Rock is never a good thing, weaknesses to Water-, Steel-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves leave it with few safe switches in, and rather mediocre bulk before Mega Evolving makes getting a chance to Mega Evolve challenging at times. While Tough Claws powers up some of its coverage options, they're generally not too strong to begin with, such as the elemental fangs and Aerial Ace, and some of its strongest moves, such as Stone Edge and Earthquake, don't receive the boost, limiting its power somewhat.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Some people could argue that regular Aerodactyl still has some merit, but its use is very limited. Aerodactyl can work as a Focus Sash-carrying suicide lead that can lay down Stealth Rock and Taunt the opposing lead. However, the suicide lead is used purely for the surprise factor, as regular Aerodactyl should never go offensive, whether or not your team already has a Mega Evolution. Besides, Aerodactyl can't really leave much of an impression after fainting, as it's easy to remove entry hazards. Unless you want to surprise some people, just use Mega Aerodactyl.
Mega Ampharos:
Pros:
Mega Ampharos has a tough time standing out in OU, and it's pretty easy to see why. Its Speed is simply atrocious, both before and after Mega Evolving, meaning it's always going last against teams with any kind of Speed; even some defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, Sylveon, and Clefable can outspeed and threaten it. Its defensive typing leaves it with weaknesses to Ground, Dragon, Ice, and Fairy, meaning teams almost always have a way to easily threaten Mega Ampharos out. Mold Breaker, while allowing it to hurt Pokemon with Volt Absorb, Sturdy, and Lightning Rod, has no use anywhere else, meaning it's often effectively left without an ability. Finally, Ampharos is a very one-dimensional Pokemon, as its all-out attacker set is its best chance at threatening teams, and even though it has Agility, it has to run a Timid nature just to match base 76 Choice Scarf users, and you have to factor in the resulting loss of power, especially considering the fact that Mega Ampharos can't hold an item such as a Life Orb.
But it would simply be a false statement if you said Mega Ampharos doesn't have some positives that can allow it to survive in OU. While very slow, it more often than not can survive a hit and retaliate accordingly, and being the slowest Volt Switch user in the game usually guarantees safe switches for teammates. Offensively speaking, Mega Ampharos has an incredible base 165 Special Attack, as well as excellent neutral coverage with just its STAB moves alone; the only relevant Pokemon that resist them are Excadrill, Mega Altaria, Magnezone, and Ferrothorn. Due to its terrible Speed, it makes for a fairly good Trick Room sweeper, as it can easily threaten offensive teams with its high power and good bulk.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Ampharos should only ever be used for its Mega Evolution. Regular Ampharos has little to no place in OU and should never be used on a serious team.
Mega Scizor:
Pros:
Mega Scizor is one of the more threatening Mega Evolutions that OU has to offer and has many qualities that let it excel in OU. First, its stats are exceptional, with what seems like buffs everywhere, from getting base 150 Attack, to getting 140 / 100 defenses, to getting base 75 Speed. Its excellent defensive Bug / Steel typing grants it a plethora of resistances at the cost of one weakness, granting it a good number of favorable matchups. Mega Scizor also has a method to preserve its excellent bulk in Roost, a way to increase its already destructive power to insane levels with Swords Dance, and the ability to support its team with Defog, giving it a lot of flexibility. Mega Scizor has a good STAB move in Technician-boosted Bullet Punch, as well as coverage moves in Knock Off and Superpower to hit a wide variety of Pokemon.
However, Mega Scizor does have difficulty setting up when the opponent still has a Fire-type or a means of inflicting burns alive, and with Gengar, Rotom-W, Keldeo, Slowbro, Heatran, and both Mega Charizard formes as common as they are, Mega Scizor will need a good deal of team support. Mega Scizor also lacks any good STAB attacks outside of Bullet Punch, Bug Bite, and U-turn, somewhat limiting its effectiveness. Defensive sets are also very passive considering the lack of coverage, with notable setup sweepers that can take advantage of them including Mega Charizard X, Manaphy, Excadrill, Keldeo, and Talonflame.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Scizor is a Pokemon that's completely outclassed by its Mega Evolution, though it still has its uses on a team. For example, if your team already has a Mega Evolution, Scizor can still be a good choice, since it can run most sets that Mega Scizor can and, unlike Mega Scizor, can use a Choice Band for immediately powerful attacks. But if your team lacks a Mega Evolution when you decide to add Scizor to it, unless you want to use the Choice Band set, you really should just use Mega Scizor.
Mega Heracross:
Pros:
When looking for a wallbreaker to add to the team, Mega Heracross is the first, or at least one of the first, Pokemon that come to mind for good reason. First and foremost, Mega Heracross has even more Attack than Deoxys-A, having a gargantuan base 185 Attack which is always the eye-catcher for people just learning about it. To go along with that incredible power, Mega Heracross also has rather impressive bulk combined with several resistances, allowing it to take a few hits before going down. With Skill Link, Mega Heracross is able to use Pin Missile over Megahorn and Rock Blast over Stone Edge, both of which are stronger and more accurate than the moves that they replace. As if this weren't enough, Mega Heracross also has access to Swords Dance, thus diminishing any hopes at walling it without using a Pokemon with Unaware. All of this makes Mega Heracross one of the most feared wallbreakers in the entire game, and it is one of the reasons that stall teams don't do too well these days.
But Mega Heracross has some very fatal shortcomings that prevent it from being a top-tier threat. Being weak to Flying-, Fire-, Fairy-, and Psychic-type moves can really offset its solid defenses, and with the likes of Talonflame, Latios, Mega Diancie, and Charizard as common as they are, Mega Heracross will often be forced out, making entry hazards are an issue. Losing out on Speed after Mega Evolving can also affect its performance, as Mega Heracross fails to outspeed the likes of Gallade, Gardevoir, and Medicham even before they Mega Evolve, as well as Mega Altaria, Mega Venusaur, and Gyarados, all of which can threaten it easily. While its Attack is massive, Will-O-Wisp and Scald are massive problems, since a burned Mega Heracross is a useless one.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Whenever I mention that Mega Heracross is vulnerable to burns, some people may be annoyed by the fact that I never mention Heracross having Guts before Mega Evolving. Heracross can use Guts as its ability to punish those that throw burns around recklessly before it Mega Evolves so it can hit noticeably harder than Mega Heracross. Guts is the reason why some people choose Megahorn and Stone Edge over Pin Missile and Rock Blast, respectively, as then Heracross getting burned isn't all that bad. This power even tempts people to use a Toxic Orb set, as it acts as a nice status absorber as well as a powerful wallbreaker, though this set has situational use.
Mega Houndoom:
Pros:
Mega Houndoom is a risky Pokemon to use nowadays, as it has some great qualities but also some flaws that can't be overlooked. For the positives, Mega Houndoom sits at a very comfortable base 115 Speed, allowing it to outpace the base 110s that frequent the metagame, such as Mega Metagross, Latios, Gengar, and Mega Gallade, as well as some Pokemon above that threshold, like Thundurus and Serperior. Mega Houndoom also carries a unique Fire / Dark STAB combination that super effectively damages many sweepers and walls alike, with notable examples including but not being limited to Ferrothorn, Latios, Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, Gengar, Mew, Skarmory, Slowbro, Jirachi, and Klefki. This typing also gives it a slight advantage defensively, as it's immune to burns and Psychic-type moves and resists Fire-, Ice-, Steel-, Ghost-, and Dark-type moves, potentially giving it an opportunity to Mega Evolve or set up against weaker attackers. Aside from its STAB attacks, Mega Houndoom also has access to Taunt to cripple walls, Will-O-Wisp to threaten physical switch-ins, Destiny Bond to potentially remove a counter, and Nasty Plot to crush walls.
While Mega Houndoom's offensive potential can make it seem very threatening, it has some serious flaws that keep it from being a relevant threat. While its defensive typing brings it unique benefits, it also burdens it with some crippling weaknesses, namely to Water-, Ground-, Rock-, and Fighting-type moves, letting Pokemon like Mega Altaria, Azumarill, Keldeo, Tyranitar, and Garchomp easily revenge kill it. 75 / 90 / 90 bulk is rather middling, so Mega Houndoom can only switch into resisted attacks, which is made even more challenging by a Stealth Rock weakness. Finally, Houndoom has horrible stats before Mega Evolving, namely awful 70 / 50 / 80 bulk and lacking base 90 Speed, meaning it not only must be switched in carefully but also must be switched in against something it both outspeeds and KOes.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Houndoom has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Houndoom, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Tyranitar:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Tyranitar is a Pokemon with a lot of problems, but it can demolish teams when given the right support. Its amazing 100 / 150 / 120 bulk makes it the bulkiest Dragon Dance sweeper in OU, and useful resistances to Flying-, Normal-, Ghost-, and Dark-type moves and a Psychic immunity can make setting up even easier. The sand summoned by Sand Stream gives it a 50% boost to its Special Defense, making its defenses outrageous, and can also chip away at the health of most Pokemon, making it harder to wall. Its STAB coverage is pretty solid, and its good coverage moves in Ice Punch, Fire Punch, and Superpower make it even harder to wall.
But Mega Tyranitar is heavily outclassed as a Dragon Dancer for several reasons. While its defenses are titanic, its 4x weakness to Fighting-type moves combined with its weaknesses to Ground-, Water-, Grass-, Bug-, Fairy-, and Steel-type moves dramatically devalues its bulk. Its base 71 Speed makes it the slowest of all the viable Dragon Dancers in OU, as Mega Tyranitar fails to outspeed Pokemon with at least base 135 Speed even when it's at +1.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: While most Mega Evolutions are superior to their original formes, Tyranitar is one of the exceptions to this pattern. Its ability to hold items makes all the difference, since Smooth Rock lets it provide more turns for sand for Excadrill and the rest of its team, Choice Scarf acts as a useful revenge killer, and a Choice Band lets it bust down walls without needing to set up. So long story short, yes, non-Mega Tyranitar is plenty usable.
Mega Sceptile:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Sceptile is one of the few sweepers in OU that don't fear Prankster Thunder Wave, which gives it a huge niche. This is thanks to its ability Lightning Rod, which lets it freely switch into Electric-type moves, including Volt Switch, thus posing a potential threat to VoltTurn cores. But Mega Sceptile isn't just an Electric absorber, as it has some traits that make most other sweepers envious, such as a massive base 145 Speed to outrun Mega Manectric and Mega Lopunny with, as well as a powerful STAB move in Leaf Storm for that extra power needed to revenge kill or KO a wall. Its other notable moves include STAB Giga Drain to attack and heal, STAB Dragon Pulse for coverage and the ability to hit Dragon-types, and Focus Blast and Earthquake to hit Steel-types, and it also has respectable 110 / 145 offenses to use these moves with.
However, Mega Sceptile has some rather glaring flaws for a sweeper. For one, its lack of powerful STAB attacks outside of Leaf Storm means it doesn't hit as hard as one might think, since Leaf Storm's side effect kills momentum whether the opponent's Pokemon was KOed or not. It's also vulnerable to Talonflame, which is already a huge problem for a sweeper, and is easily threatened by Ice Shard, which is a fairly common sight given Weavile's popularity.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Sceptile has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Sceptile, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Swampert:
Pros:
Cons:
Mega Swampert is one of those Pokemon that do their job well but just don't do it as well as others. For the positives, Mega Swampert is easily the bulkiest of the Swift Swimmers, boasting meaty 100 / 110 / 110 defenses, as well as a nice defensive typing that lets it resist Rock-, Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-type moves and provides it with an Electric immunity. This immunity gives it a huge niche over most other Swift Swimmers, since it prevents Thunder Wave Klefki and Thundurus from acting as checks to it. Mega Swampert also has a massive base 150 Attack to throw around, and good STAB attacks in Earthquake and Waterfall, as well as access to Ice Punch, give it great coverage. Finally, Mega Swampert is capable of beating out Tyranitar and Hippowdon, two of the biggest problems for rain teams to face, and can do so even in the sand.
As for the negatives, lacking any means to raise its Attack outside of the weak Power-Up Punch means walls can potentially stall out both Mega Swampert and the rain, which is a problem that Kabutops doesn't face thanks to Swords Dance. Mega Swampert also requires a turn to Mega Evolve before it can take advantage of Swift Swim, potentially making it dead weight if it fails to Mega Evolve in time. Finally, Mega Swampert locks you out of using other Mega Evolutions when facing teambuilding issues. For example, Mega Medicham is a great Mega Evolution for rain teams, and other Swift Swimmers can be used alongside Mega Medicham, something Mega Swampert can't do.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Swampert has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Swampert, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Gardevoir:
Pros
Despite being so good on paper, Mega Gardevoir has two major flaws that prevent it from being dominant in OU. The first is its terrible physical bulk, as 68 / 65 is beyond salvageable. Even resisted physical hits often will 2HKO it. Gardevoir's second major flaw is its mediocre Speed. It's outsped by almost every notable attacker in OU, and almost all of the ones that don't outspeed it Speed tie with it. Gardevoir's two flaws show why it isn't that effective against offense; it's easily revenge killed by faster physical attackers such as Terrakion, Garchomp, and Talonflame. None of these threats stand a chance switching in, but if given a free switch, they will destroy Gardevoir.
Is the Original Still Worth Using?: Non-Mega Gardevoir is a very niche Pokemon in OU. Its Moonblast is significantly weaker than Mega Gardevoir's Hyper Voice, and so it seems useless. However, the ability to use a Choice Scarf makes it worth a teamslot on select teams. With a maximum of 328 Speed, Mega Gardevoir is the second fastest unboosted Fairy-type in the tier. Thus, Pokemon weak to Fairy such as Terrakion and Keldeo never have to worry about being revenge killed by Gardevoir. However, Choice Scarf Gardevoir reaches 426 Speed, and so it is able to revenge kill these Pokemon, as well as everything up to Mega Manectric. While Mega Gardevoir is significantly better than its regular counterpart, if your team requires the support of a Fairy-type revenge killer, look no further than Gardevoir.
Taken over from Valmanway, Mega Chomp and Mega Garde done by Aragorn the King
QC by myself and Snowy.
GP by TDP / Haund, fleurdyleurse, P Squared
Introduction:
Pokemon X and Y brought us the power of Mega Evolution, which has made some Pokemon much more viable in OU while being simply equipped with a Mega Stone. Either way, Mega Evolution has certainly become a very significant and almost centralizing aspect in the metagame, and it's very easy to see why. With several top-tier threats that happen to be Mega Evolutions, such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Sableye, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Metagross, it's all too clear that Mega Evolutions have really defined the metagame. But Mega Evolutions aren't flawless, as they do have two restrictions that prevent them from becoming broken. First, you're only allowed to have one Mega Evolution on your team. This means you can't have a whole team of Mega Evolutions sweeping your opponent; you have to decide which Mega Evolution you want on your team, and then you have to stick with it the whole match. And second, a Mega Evolution can't hold an item, since they're already holding their Mega Stone, so no Choice Band for Mega Scizor, no Life Orb for Mega Charizard X, and no Black Sludge for Mega Venusaur. This guide will hopefully give you some insight on how every Mega Evolution fares in OU, as well as showing if Mega Evolution makes a bad Pokemon worth using.
Mega Venusaur:
Pros:
- Great 80 / 123 / 120 bulk, as well as a respectable base 122 Special Attack to hit hard with if needed;
- Has a good defensive presence thanks to a good typing, Thick Fat removing two weaknesses, and a Toxic immunity;
- Has several methods of regaining health, so it has good longevity.
Cons:
- Needs a turn to Mega Evolve, so it can't switch into Fire- and Ice-type moves straight away;
- Limited recovery;
- Weak to Flying- and Psychic-type moves;
- Its defensive set is very passive.
Mega Venusaur is such a good tank thanks to its typing, as it not only blesses it with a Toxic immunity but also grants it resistances to Fighting-, Water-, Electric-, Grass-, and Fairy-type moves, and Thick Fat rids it of its Fire and Ice weaknesses. This, combined with its respectable 80 / 123 / 120 bulk, lets it easily wall some big names in OU, including Keldeo, Azumarill, Weavile, Landorus-T, and Mega Manectric. Its movepool is also good, with useful tools like Knock Off, Synthesis, Sleep Powder, and Leech Seed, as well as more offensive options like Giga Drain, Sludge Bomb, Hidden Power Fire, and Earthquake to avoid being too passive.
Sadly, Mega Venusaur has plenty of flaws keeping it at bay. Much like most other Mega Evolutions, Venusaur needs to find the opportunity to Mega Evolve, but this weighs especially against Mega Venusaur due to its multiple weaknesses and lower defenses before Mega Evolving. Even after Mega Evolving, Mega Venusaur still has to deal with its flawed recovery, since Synthesis is drastically nerfed when in the rain or sand and Leech Seed is a slow process, meaning its staying power is limited. Its weaknesses to Flying- and Psychic-type moves leaves it open to Mega Alakazam, Latios, Talonflame, Tornadus-T, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Medicham, making it easy to find an answer to it. It's also relatively weak to status, as burn and paralysis are carried on a wide variety of Pokemon it checks. Finally, its defensive set is very passive, since nearly every Steel-type can get a free switch in and do as it pleases.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Regular Venusaur can be used as a Chlorophyll sweeper, and it's actually not bad at what it does. Having good defenses, decent power, a usable movepool, and Growth can make Venusaur a powerful sweeper. The only real flaws here are the lack of good sun setters for teammates, as Mega Charizard Y can't hold a Heat Rock and everything else has no business setting up sun in OU, and its susceptibility to being revenge killed by Talonflame. Regular Venusaur isn't going to be a common sight, but it does have its uses. Limited uses, but uses nonetheless.
Mega Charizard X:
Pros:
- One of the most powerful Dragon Dance sweepers in OU;
- Has a unique Fire / Dragon typing that provides near-perfect neutral coverage and fantastic coverage moves in Earthquake and Iron Tail if needed;
- Has several good sets that function differently from each other;
- Tough Claws makes up for the lack of an item.
Cons:
- Has a 4x Stealth Rock weakness before Mega Evolving, and a 2x weakness after;
- Loses immunity to Spikes and Ground-type moves after Mega Evolving.
Where do I even begin with this one? Mega Charizard X has so much to offer; nearly perfect neutral coverage in its dual STAB types; setup moves in Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, and Tailwind; recovery in Roost; and an immunity to burns. Its stats are also very good, with base 130 Attack and base 100 Speed to sweep teams after a boost and 78 / 111 / 85 bulk to give it some setup opportunities. While it's true that Mega Evolutions can't hold items, Tough Claws still gives it a huge power boost, so it can pack one hell of a punch. Its defensive set is nothing to scoff at either, as it can use Will-O-Wisp to burn would-be switch-ins like Azumarill, Tyranitar, Landorus-T, and Mega Altaria.
Mega Charizard X certainly sounds like a menace, but it has some serious shortcomings that prevent it from completely dominating OU. For one, its Stealth Rock weakness limits its opportunities to switch in, especially before Mega Evolving, and its vulnerability to Spikes and Ground-type moves after Mega Evolving makes this problem worse, so an entry hazard remover and an answer to Ground-types are mandatory when teambuilding. It also has severe four-moveslot syndrome, sometimes preventing it to hit common checks like Mega Altaria and Heatran.
Mega Charizard Y:
Pros:
- Has Drought to make Fire-type moves hit exceptionally hard and temporarily remove Water weakness;
- Can wallbreak teams fairly easily with one of the highest Special Attack stats in the tier;
- Has good coverage options in Solar Beam and Focus Blast.
Cons:
- Has a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock;
- Lacks a Special Attack-boosting move;
- Drought is temporary and will nerf any Water-types on your team;
- Easily revenge killed due to its relatively average Speed stat and low defenses.
While not quite as popular as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y is still quite a threat to face in battle. Thanks to Drought, Mega Charizard Y has an intimidating offensive presence, especially when backed by a base 159 Special Attack and Fire Blast; even most Pokemon that resist Fire-type moves will lose large chunks of their health. Drought also has the benefit of reducing the power of Water-type moves, thus temporarily removing its Water weakness and causing Pokemon that would normally threaten Mega Charizard Y, such as Keldeo, Azumarill, and Manaphy, to miss out on would-be OHKOs. Solar Beam and Focus Blast are great coverage moves, threatening the Water- and Rock-types that would threaten Mega Charizard Y, respectively.
Mega Charizard Y is not without its faults, though. First, it has a 4x Stealth Rock weakness to constantly worry about, meaning entry hazard removal support is absolutely mandatory. Second, it lacks a move to boost its Special Attack, so if it can't 2HKO a wall that has recovery, it'll get stalled out. And third, Drought is temporary, which means it'll lose its use for Solar Beam, its Fire-type moves will see a noticeable drop in power, and it'll be weak to Water-type moves again after sun runs out.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Charizard has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Charizard, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Blastoise:
Pros:
- Mega Launcher makes moves like Dark Pulse, Aura Sphere, and Water Pulse very powerful;
- Mega Launcher Dark Pulse gives it a niche as a spinner that can hit Ghost-types super effectively;
- Has well-rounded offenses and defenses;
- Has a good typing.
Cons:
- Lacks recovery of any kind;
- Has a low Speed stat, often taking a hit before delivering one.
Mega Blastoise is an interesting case, as it seems to have the makings of a truly good spinner. Between its great base 135 Special Attack and rather impressive 79 / 120 / 115 bulk, it's quite clear that it can take a hit and retaliate hard. Sadly, the problem with using it is its complete lack recovery. It can take hits pretty well, but having no form of recovery is a painful sight, especially when looking at those solid defenses. Its vulnerability to burns and Toxic don't help the cause either, and being vulnerable to every hazard is even worse.
But despite all this, Mega Blastoise still has some usefulness, since it can tank hits well and OHKO the likes of Bisharp, Excadrill, Talonflame, and Terrakion, and it can threaten walls such as support Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, Heatran, Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Latias, Gliscor, and Skarmory. Its resistances to Ice-, Water-, Fire-, and Steel-type moves are also very convenient, and its niche as a spinner that can beat out most Ghost-types isn't unnoticed.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Blastoise has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Blastoise, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Beedrill:
Pros:
- Has an amazing base 145 Speed to sweep and a massive base 150 Attack to hit hard;
- Adaptability makes its STAB moves very powerful;
- Powerful U-turns let it hit hard and retreat at the same time.
Cons:
- Poison / Bug coverage is awful, forcing Mega Beedrill to use weak coverage moves in Drill Run and Brick Break;
- Nonexistent stats before Mega Evolving and horrible defenses regardless force Mega Beedrill to run Protect and waste a moveslot;
- Being forced to use U-turn makes Stealth Rock a huge problem;
- Weak to any form of priority due to its almost nonexistent defenses.
Though this offensive ability seems phenomenal at first, it's flaws are gaping. While its Adaptability-boosted attacks are naturally powerful, Poison / Bug coverage is easily walled by Steel-types, meaning it must run either Drill Run or Brick Break to threaten them, both of which are somewhat weak. Mega Beedrill also has to deal with mediocre Speed before Mega Evolving, and its pitiful defenses aren't improved after Mega Evolving either, leaving it vulnerable to bulky attackers. But the final nail in the coffin is how often if switches, leaving vulnerable to all entry hazards, including a weakness to Stealth Rock.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Beedrill has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Beedrill, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Pidgeot:
Pros:
- Has an excellent base 121 Speed to outpace many unboosted Pokemon, as well as a decent base 135 Special Attack to deal damage;
- No Guard allows Mega Pidgeot to use Hurricane with no worries of missing;
- Has a passable movepool that includes Heat Wave, U-turn, Roost, and Work Up.
Cons:
- Has severe competition from Tornadus-T, which has several similar qualities but doesn't take up a Mega slot;
- Weak to Stealth Rock;
- Outran by several common Mega Evolutions, as well as some other non-Mega Evolutions, such as Weavile and Sand Rush or Swift Swim sweepers.
When looking for sweepers, Mega Pidgeot usually isn't the first to come to mind, but it is still one that can easily sweep unprepared teams. Its biggest quality is its ability to fire off perfectly accurate and hax-inducing Hurricanes thanks to No Guard, which is often the reason why people use it in the first place, as the move's high Base Power makes up for its middling base 135 Special Attack. But Mega Pidgeot also has some tools to make its job easier, such as Heat Wave to threaten Steel-types, U-turn to maintain offensive momentum and punish switches, Roost to heal off any damage received, and even Work-Up to do a little wallbreaking in the case of emergencies as well as make late-game sweeps a bit easier.
Of course, Mega Pidgeot is heavily threatened by opposing sweepers and revenge killers due to their greater natural Speed, such as Weavile, Mega Manectric, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Alakazam. Being weak to Stealth Rock is also pretty bad when repeatedly revenge killing and pivoting out with U-turn, as it cuts down on Mega Pidgeot's valuable opportunities to switch in. Mega Pidgeot also faces fierce competition from Tornadus-T, which has the same Speed tier, has much greater power thanks to its ability to use Life Orb, doesn't cost the team its Mega Evolution, and can actually threaten Rock-types with its Fighting coverage. While perfectly accurate Hurricanes with No Guard are a nice luxury, rain can make this happen as well, making Mega Pidgeot's place in OU somewhat niche.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Pidgeot has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Pidgeot, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Alakazam:
Pros:
- Base 150 Speed is one of the highest natural Speed stats in the game, and base 175 Special Attack is incredible;
- Trace can copy abilities to provide safe switches in by gaining immunities or resistances to attack types or power up Mega Alakazam's moves;
- Passable movepool with good coverage;
- Easily one of the best cleaners in the tier due to its fantastic coverage and Speed stat.
Cons:
- If it fails to KO the foe, it may get KOed itself due to its bad defenses;
- Very predictable;
- Vulnerable to priority.
Mega Alakazam is a very potent threat in OU and should never be taken lightly. For one, it has one of the highest base Speed stats in the game, as well as a monumental base 175 Special Attack, thus posing a threat to offense. Trace is the real selling point, though, as it allows Mega Alakazam to revenge kill, sweep, and possibly even switch into Pokemon in ways that would otherwise be impossible or at least very dangerous. For example, Mega Alakazam can switch into Heatran's Fire-type moves by copying Flash Fire and can revenge kill Excadrill by copying Sand Rush. Its movepool, while small, is just enough to threaten the tier, with Psyshock to wear down special walls, Focus Blast to bust down Dark-, and Steel-types, Shadow Ball to threaten Psychic-types, and Encore to cripple setup sweepers and walls.
Sadly, losing Magic Guard to ignore passive damage like Toxic and Stealth Rock is a shame, and having to stay in a turn to Mega Evolve is a gamble, since if Mega Alakazam fails to KO its target, it has to take a hit, and its bad 55 / 65 / 95 defenses usually fail it unless it's taking resisted hits. A vulnerability to priority move users makes these meager defenses even more exploitable, with good examples being Talonflame, Bisharp, and Choice Band Scizor; it's worth noting that the latter two also carry Pursuit, so they can trap Mega Alakazam. Mega Alakazam is also fairly easy to read, as its one set has little variation to it, so approaching it isn't a strenuous challenge when you have a counter.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: While Mega Alakazam is the better of the two by a good margin, regular Alakazam is still a very viable Pokemon. Base 120 Speed is very good, base 135 Special Attack lets it hit slightly harder than Mega Alakazam when holding a Life Orb, and Magic Guard is incredibly useful for keeping its health up by ignoring Life Orb recoil and entry hazard damage. The Focus Sash set also benefits greatly from Magic Guard, as it lets Alakazam revenge kill very reliably without having to worry about being OHKOed by a priority move.
Mega Slowbro:
Pros:
- One of the physically bulkiest Pokemon available in the game;
- Great resistances to Fighting-, Fire-, Ice-, Water-, and Psychic-type moves;
- Has a high base 130 Special Attack stat to not be complete setup bait;
- A wide movepool that includes good moves like Scald, Psyshock, Slack Off, Calm Mind, Flamethrower, Ice Beam, and Trick Room.
Cons:
- Base 80 Special Defense is only passable at best, as powerful special attackers can easily take advantage of it;
- Shell Armor is a nearly useless ability;
- Weak to Electric-, Dark-, Ghost-, and Bug-type moves;
- Is one of the slowest relevant walls in OU, which leaves it outrun by nearly everything, even most opposing walls.
When looking for physical bulk, Mega Slowbro is one of the first Pokemon to come to mind, and for good reason; it is one of the most physically bulky Pokemon in the game, as it sports a respetable base 95 HP and a monumental base 180 Defense, letting it reach up to 504 Defense with maximum investment! As if this weren't enough physical bulk, Mega Slowbro has Slack Off for good recovery and comes packed with great resistances to Fire-, Ice-, Fighting-, Water-, and Psychic-type moves, letting it take on a wide array of physical sweepers and even some wallbreakers. But Mega Slowbro isn't just a punching bag that winds up being setup bait, as it sports a hefty base 130 Special Attack to defend itself with, as well as some great offensive options like Calm Mind, Psyshock, Scald, Flamethrower, Ice Beam, and Grass Knot.
But while Mega Slowbro is a spectacular physical wall, its meager base 80 Special Defense leaves it easily targeted by special attackers. Mega Slowbro is also weak to some common offensive types like Electric, Dark, Ghost, and Bug, several of which are commonly used by special attackers. While Shell Armor has its uses with setup sets, a critical hit immunity is a negligible and often forgotten quality, which also makes approaching Mega Slowbro somewhat easy compared to some other walls. But perhaps the biggest flaw is just how slow Mega Slowbro is, as even though this poor Speed has its uses on Trick Room teams (and it can set up Trick Room on its own), outside of such teams, Mega Slowbro is almost always being outsped by offensive Pokemon with few exceptions, and even most defensive Pokemon can outrun it.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: While Mega Slowbro is used mostly as a filler Mega Evolution, its regular forme definitely has some pros over it. For one, it gets to keep its fantastic ability Regenerator, which allows it to continuously sponge hits from OU's plethora of physical attackers by pivoting in and out of play. In a lot of cases, most players opt to use its regular forme over its Mega due to not having to pass over other Mega Evolutions.
Mega Pinsir:
Pros:
- Has one of the highest Attack stats in the game;
- Aerilate powers up Return and Quick Attack;
- Has good coverage options with Earthquake and Close Combat;
- Has great bulk to set up reliably.
- Has a 2x Stealth Rock weakness before Mega Evolving, and a 4x weakness after;
- 105 base Speed isn't low, but it leaves it slower than many common sweepers;
- Has common weakness in Fire, Ice, Electric, and Flying.
Mega Pinsir is one of the most fearsome sweepers to face and a threat that teams must have an answer to. A massive base 155 Attack and access to Swords Dance are such a beautiful combination, and that decent 105 base Speed lets it outrun some pretty dangerous threats, such as Landorus, Garchomp without a Choice Scarf, and Charizard. Its power is further boosted by Aerilate, which acts as a Life Orb for Normal-type moves and changes them to Flying-type moves, so factoring STAB and Aerialate, Quick Attack becomes a 72-BP priority attack to sweep offensive teams, and Return becomes an amazing wallbreaking move backed by a whopping 199 Base Power! As if that weren't enough, it also gets Earthquake to deal with most Rock- and Steel-types that would hope to switch into a Flying-type move.
However, its Stealth Rock weakness is an ever-looming problem that absolutely mandates Rapid Spin or Defog support, since losing half its health with every switch in severely restricts its opportunities to set up. It also has some Speed problems, since, despite base 105 being a decent Speed tier, there are faster sweepers that can take a Quick Attack and OHKO it back, such as Mega Diancie, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Mega Manectric, Choice Scarf Tyranitar, and Raikou. Furthermore, its defensive typing also leaves it with nasty Fire, Electric, Ice, and Flying weaknesses, and despite gaining some pretty solid defenses, they won't hold when taking hits backed by STAB.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Absolutely not. Regular Pinsir may have Moxie and Mold Breaker, but these are far from worth giving up Mega Pinsir. Its Speed is rather bad, and Choice Scarf sets are stopped fairly easily with Fairy-types running around. You COULD fake a player out and pretend that you have Mega Pinsir when you actually have another Mega Pokemon, such as Gyarados or Scizor, but such a tactic can easily backfire. Honestly, just use Mega Pinsir.
Mega Gyarados:
Pros:
- Has a different typing from its regular forme, creating mind games before Mega Evolving;
- Has an excellent base 155 Attack and usable base 81 Speed;
- Has Mold Breaker to ignore certain abilities;
- Having Intimidate before Mega Evolving can create more setup opportunities.
Cons:
- Has multiple weaknesses, including a Stealth Rock weakness before Mega Evolving;
- Mind games before Mega Evolving can backfire;
- Faces competition from Mega Tyranitar and Mega Charizard X X as a Dragon Dance sweeper.
Mega Gyarados is one of the bulkiest Dragon Dance sweepers in the game, and it hits quite hard as well. Thanks to its 95 / 109 / 130 bulk, Mega Gyarados can easily find the chance to set up a Dragon Dance or two and proceed to sweep with a massive base 155 Attack stat and decent base 81 Speed. Mega Gyarados is different from most other Mega Evolutions for two reasons. For one, Mold Breaker lets it act more freely, such as using Earthquake to ignore Levitate users and ignoring Unaware to threaten Quagsire and Clefable. Additionally, Mega Gyarados is one of the few commonly seen Mega Evolutions that have a different typing from its original forme, meaning you can create mind games before Mega Evolving to possibly trick the enemy. Furthermore, Gyarados can run Intimidate before Mega Evolving, which can provide safe setup opportunities against a wide variety of physical attackers.
However, Gyarados faces a good deal of competition as a Dragon Dance sweeper, since Mega Altaria has a better defensive typing and recovery, and Mega Charizard X has both more Speed and Tough Claws. Attempting to play mind games can also backfire, such as Diancie counterpredicting you and going for Diamond Storm instead of Moonblast. The Dark typing leaves it with three additional weaknesses, two of which replace resistances to Fighting- and Bug-type moves, meaning Pokemon like Azumarill, Keldeo, and Mega Altaria give it a hard time.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?:
Regular Gyarados may not be as good as its Mega counterpart, but it's still plenty viable when you already have a Mega Evolution on your team. Intimidate and the ability to hold Leftovers mean that Substitute and support sets do better in the long run, carving a niche of sorts over its Mega Evolution. Offensively, Moxie Gyarados can surprise opponents that expect Mega Gyarados and is still a fairly viable threat. But if you can, it's greatly advised to just use Mega Gyarados over the original.
Mega Aerodactyl:
Pros:
- Has Tough Claws to power up its good coverage options, which include Fire Fang, Aqua Tail, and Iron Head;
- Very high base 150 Speed after Mega Evolving and base 130 Speed before.
Cons:
- Has several exploitable weaknesses, including to Stealth Rock;
- Most moves powered up by Tough Claws have low Base Power to begin with, including Aerial Ace as its only good Flying-type move;
- Has lackluster defenses before Mega Evolving.
Mega Aerodactyl's worth in OU is questionable at times, but rest assured— it can do its job just fine. What first catches the eyes of many is its blistering base 150, which lets it outspeed a wide variety of sweepers and revenge killers, such as Tornadus-T, Weavile, Mega Manectric, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Beedrill. Tough Claws is also a very useful ability to have, giving Mega Aerodactyl a usable Flying-type move in Aerial Ace, as well as powering up most of its coverage moves, such as Aqua Tail, Iron Head, and Fire Fang.
Unfortunately, Aerodactyl still has some major issues that hinder its performance. First off, being weak to Stealth Rock is never a good thing, weaknesses to Water-, Steel-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves leave it with few safe switches in, and rather mediocre bulk before Mega Evolving makes getting a chance to Mega Evolve challenging at times. While Tough Claws powers up some of its coverage options, they're generally not too strong to begin with, such as the elemental fangs and Aerial Ace, and some of its strongest moves, such as Stone Edge and Earthquake, don't receive the boost, limiting its power somewhat.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Some people could argue that regular Aerodactyl still has some merit, but its use is very limited. Aerodactyl can work as a Focus Sash-carrying suicide lead that can lay down Stealth Rock and Taunt the opposing lead. However, the suicide lead is used purely for the surprise factor, as regular Aerodactyl should never go offensive, whether or not your team already has a Mega Evolution. Besides, Aerodactyl can't really leave much of an impression after fainting, as it's easy to remove entry hazards. Unless you want to surprise some people, just use Mega Aerodactyl.
Mega Ampharos:
Pros:
- Has excellent neutral coverage with its STAB moves alone;
- Has great bulk for taking hits;
- Has an incredible base 165 Special Attack to hammer foes with;
- Has a niche as a powerful Trick Room sweeper;
- Is the slowest user of Volt Switch, which can create some advantageous switches.
- Has miserably low Speed, both before and after Mega Evolving;
- Has several common weaknesses;
- Has a very situational ability;
- Very one-dimensional, as it lacks recovery and only has Agility as a boosting move.
Mega Ampharos has a tough time standing out in OU, and it's pretty easy to see why. Its Speed is simply atrocious, both before and after Mega Evolving, meaning it's always going last against teams with any kind of Speed; even some defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, Sylveon, and Clefable can outspeed and threaten it. Its defensive typing leaves it with weaknesses to Ground, Dragon, Ice, and Fairy, meaning teams almost always have a way to easily threaten Mega Ampharos out. Mold Breaker, while allowing it to hurt Pokemon with Volt Absorb, Sturdy, and Lightning Rod, has no use anywhere else, meaning it's often effectively left without an ability. Finally, Ampharos is a very one-dimensional Pokemon, as its all-out attacker set is its best chance at threatening teams, and even though it has Agility, it has to run a Timid nature just to match base 76 Choice Scarf users, and you have to factor in the resulting loss of power, especially considering the fact that Mega Ampharos can't hold an item such as a Life Orb.
But it would simply be a false statement if you said Mega Ampharos doesn't have some positives that can allow it to survive in OU. While very slow, it more often than not can survive a hit and retaliate accordingly, and being the slowest Volt Switch user in the game usually guarantees safe switches for teammates. Offensively speaking, Mega Ampharos has an incredible base 165 Special Attack, as well as excellent neutral coverage with just its STAB moves alone; the only relevant Pokemon that resist them are Excadrill, Mega Altaria, Magnezone, and Ferrothorn. Due to its terrible Speed, it makes for a fairly good Trick Room sweeper, as it can easily threaten offensive teams with its high power and good bulk.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Ampharos should only ever be used for its Mega Evolution. Regular Ampharos has little to no place in OU and should never be used on a serious team.
Mega Scizor:
Pros:
- Has great power and very solid defenses;
- Has a great defensive typing with only one weakness;
- Has useful moves such as Roost, Swords Dance, and Defog;
- Technician makes up for the lack of strong STAB attacks and provides a very powerful priority move.
- Is drastically hindered by burns;
- Has very few coverage options;
- Its only weakness is a 4x weakness to Fire, a common offensive type.
Mega Scizor is one of the more threatening Mega Evolutions that OU has to offer and has many qualities that let it excel in OU. First, its stats are exceptional, with what seems like buffs everywhere, from getting base 150 Attack, to getting 140 / 100 defenses, to getting base 75 Speed. Its excellent defensive Bug / Steel typing grants it a plethora of resistances at the cost of one weakness, granting it a good number of favorable matchups. Mega Scizor also has a method to preserve its excellent bulk in Roost, a way to increase its already destructive power to insane levels with Swords Dance, and the ability to support its team with Defog, giving it a lot of flexibility. Mega Scizor has a good STAB move in Technician-boosted Bullet Punch, as well as coverage moves in Knock Off and Superpower to hit a wide variety of Pokemon.
However, Mega Scizor does have difficulty setting up when the opponent still has a Fire-type or a means of inflicting burns alive, and with Gengar, Rotom-W, Keldeo, Slowbro, Heatran, and both Mega Charizard formes as common as they are, Mega Scizor will need a good deal of team support. Mega Scizor also lacks any good STAB attacks outside of Bullet Punch, Bug Bite, and U-turn, somewhat limiting its effectiveness. Defensive sets are also very passive considering the lack of coverage, with notable setup sweepers that can take advantage of them including Mega Charizard X, Manaphy, Excadrill, Keldeo, and Talonflame.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Scizor is a Pokemon that's completely outclassed by its Mega Evolution, though it still has its uses on a team. For example, if your team already has a Mega Evolution, Scizor can still be a good choice, since it can run most sets that Mega Scizor can and, unlike Mega Scizor, can use a Choice Band for immediately powerful attacks. But if your team lacks a Mega Evolution when you decide to add Scizor to it, unless you want to use the Choice Band set, you really should just use Mega Scizor.
Mega Heracross:
Pros:
- Has one of the highest Attack stats in the game with a base 185 Attack, as well as some of the strongest STAB moves to use it with;
- Has solid 85 / 115 / 105 bulk to tank hits;
- Skill Link makes Pin Missile, Rock Blast, and Bullet Seed powerful and reliable attacks;
- Has Swords Dance to more easily wallbreak.
- Has common weaknesses to Fire-, Fairy-, and Flying-type moves, with the latter being a 4x weakness;
- Speed decreases after Mega Evolution;
- Is very vulnerable to burns.
When looking for a wallbreaker to add to the team, Mega Heracross is the first, or at least one of the first, Pokemon that come to mind for good reason. First and foremost, Mega Heracross has even more Attack than Deoxys-A, having a gargantuan base 185 Attack which is always the eye-catcher for people just learning about it. To go along with that incredible power, Mega Heracross also has rather impressive bulk combined with several resistances, allowing it to take a few hits before going down. With Skill Link, Mega Heracross is able to use Pin Missile over Megahorn and Rock Blast over Stone Edge, both of which are stronger and more accurate than the moves that they replace. As if this weren't enough, Mega Heracross also has access to Swords Dance, thus diminishing any hopes at walling it without using a Pokemon with Unaware. All of this makes Mega Heracross one of the most feared wallbreakers in the entire game, and it is one of the reasons that stall teams don't do too well these days.
But Mega Heracross has some very fatal shortcomings that prevent it from being a top-tier threat. Being weak to Flying-, Fire-, Fairy-, and Psychic-type moves can really offset its solid defenses, and with the likes of Talonflame, Latios, Mega Diancie, and Charizard as common as they are, Mega Heracross will often be forced out, making entry hazards are an issue. Losing out on Speed after Mega Evolving can also affect its performance, as Mega Heracross fails to outspeed the likes of Gallade, Gardevoir, and Medicham even before they Mega Evolve, as well as Mega Altaria, Mega Venusaur, and Gyarados, all of which can threaten it easily. While its Attack is massive, Will-O-Wisp and Scald are massive problems, since a burned Mega Heracross is a useless one.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Whenever I mention that Mega Heracross is vulnerable to burns, some people may be annoyed by the fact that I never mention Heracross having Guts before Mega Evolving. Heracross can use Guts as its ability to punish those that throw burns around recklessly before it Mega Evolves so it can hit noticeably harder than Mega Heracross. Guts is the reason why some people choose Megahorn and Stone Edge over Pin Missile and Rock Blast, respectively, as then Heracross getting burned isn't all that bad. This power even tempts people to use a Toxic Orb set, as it acts as a nice status absorber as well as a powerful wallbreaker, though this set has situational use.
Mega Houndoom:
Pros:
- Has a high base 115 Speed to outrun some common sweepers;
- Fire / Dark typing provides good neutral coverage;
- Immune to burns;
- Has useful moves like Taunt, Nasty Plot, Will-O-Wisp, and Destiny Bond to provide unique support.
- Weak to several common offensive types, including Fighting, Rock, Water, and Ground;
- Somewhat frail, especially with a Stealth Rock weakness;
- Base 90 Speed before Mega Evolving is only useful for outrunning walls and most wallbreakers.
Mega Houndoom is a risky Pokemon to use nowadays, as it has some great qualities but also some flaws that can't be overlooked. For the positives, Mega Houndoom sits at a very comfortable base 115 Speed, allowing it to outpace the base 110s that frequent the metagame, such as Mega Metagross, Latios, Gengar, and Mega Gallade, as well as some Pokemon above that threshold, like Thundurus and Serperior. Mega Houndoom also carries a unique Fire / Dark STAB combination that super effectively damages many sweepers and walls alike, with notable examples including but not being limited to Ferrothorn, Latios, Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, Gengar, Mew, Skarmory, Slowbro, Jirachi, and Klefki. This typing also gives it a slight advantage defensively, as it's immune to burns and Psychic-type moves and resists Fire-, Ice-, Steel-, Ghost-, and Dark-type moves, potentially giving it an opportunity to Mega Evolve or set up against weaker attackers. Aside from its STAB attacks, Mega Houndoom also has access to Taunt to cripple walls, Will-O-Wisp to threaten physical switch-ins, Destiny Bond to potentially remove a counter, and Nasty Plot to crush walls.
While Mega Houndoom's offensive potential can make it seem very threatening, it has some serious flaws that keep it from being a relevant threat. While its defensive typing brings it unique benefits, it also burdens it with some crippling weaknesses, namely to Water-, Ground-, Rock-, and Fighting-type moves, letting Pokemon like Mega Altaria, Azumarill, Keldeo, Tyranitar, and Garchomp easily revenge kill it. 75 / 90 / 90 bulk is rather middling, so Mega Houndoom can only switch into resisted attacks, which is made even more challenging by a Stealth Rock weakness. Finally, Houndoom has horrible stats before Mega Evolving, namely awful 70 / 50 / 80 bulk and lacking base 90 Speed, meaning it not only must be switched in carefully but also must be switched in against something it both outspeeds and KOes.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Houndoom has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Houndoom, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Tyranitar:
Pros:
- Has gargantuan 100 / 150 / 120 defenses to set up with, making it the bulkiest Dragon Dance sweeper in OU;
- Sand Stream gives it a way to wear down walls and gives it a 50% boost to Special Defense;
- Rock / Dark STAB coverage is decent, despite being resisted by most Fighting-types;
- Has nifty resistances to Flying-, Normal-, Dark-, and Ghost-type moves, as well as a Psychic immunity;
- Good coverage moves in Ice Punch, Fire Punch, and Superpower to take out certain key threats with.
Cons:
- Rock / Dark leaves it weak to Fighting-, Ground-, Fairy-, Bug-, Water-, Grass-, and Steel-type moves;
- Base 71 Speed is very slow before boosting, and it can't outrun base 135s and up even after one boost.
Mega Tyranitar is a Pokemon with a lot of problems, but it can demolish teams when given the right support. Its amazing 100 / 150 / 120 bulk makes it the bulkiest Dragon Dance sweeper in OU, and useful resistances to Flying-, Normal-, Ghost-, and Dark-type moves and a Psychic immunity can make setting up even easier. The sand summoned by Sand Stream gives it a 50% boost to its Special Defense, making its defenses outrageous, and can also chip away at the health of most Pokemon, making it harder to wall. Its STAB coverage is pretty solid, and its good coverage moves in Ice Punch, Fire Punch, and Superpower make it even harder to wall.
But Mega Tyranitar is heavily outclassed as a Dragon Dancer for several reasons. While its defenses are titanic, its 4x weakness to Fighting-type moves combined with its weaknesses to Ground-, Water-, Grass-, Bug-, Fairy-, and Steel-type moves dramatically devalues its bulk. Its base 71 Speed makes it the slowest of all the viable Dragon Dancers in OU, as Mega Tyranitar fails to outspeed Pokemon with at least base 135 Speed even when it's at +1.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: While most Mega Evolutions are superior to their original formes, Tyranitar is one of the exceptions to this pattern. Its ability to hold items makes all the difference, since Smooth Rock lets it provide more turns for sand for Excadrill and the rest of its team, Choice Scarf acts as a useful revenge killer, and a Choice Band lets it bust down walls without needing to set up. So long story short, yes, non-Mega Tyranitar is plenty usable.
Mega Sceptile:
Pros:
- Has an incredible base 145 Speed, as well as 110 / 145 mixed offenses to complement it;
- STAB Leaf Storm gives it a great revenge killing tool, with other notable moves including Dragon Pulse, Giga Drain, Earthquake, and Focus Blast;
- Lightning Rod gives Mega Sceptile a way to punish the use of Electric-type moves.
Cons:
- Base 145 Special Attack isn't all that high without a boost, so Leaf Storm is the only way for it do deal sizable damage when the foe isn't weak to its coverage, and there's a large number of Pokemon that resist Leaf Storm;
- Vulnerable to some priority moves like Ice Shard and Talonflame's Brave Bird.
Mega Sceptile is one of the few sweepers in OU that don't fear Prankster Thunder Wave, which gives it a huge niche. This is thanks to its ability Lightning Rod, which lets it freely switch into Electric-type moves, including Volt Switch, thus posing a potential threat to VoltTurn cores. But Mega Sceptile isn't just an Electric absorber, as it has some traits that make most other sweepers envious, such as a massive base 145 Speed to outrun Mega Manectric and Mega Lopunny with, as well as a powerful STAB move in Leaf Storm for that extra power needed to revenge kill or KO a wall. Its other notable moves include STAB Giga Drain to attack and heal, STAB Dragon Pulse for coverage and the ability to hit Dragon-types, and Focus Blast and Earthquake to hit Steel-types, and it also has respectable 110 / 145 offenses to use these moves with.
However, Mega Sceptile has some rather glaring flaws for a sweeper. For one, its lack of powerful STAB attacks outside of Leaf Storm means it doesn't hit as hard as one might think, since Leaf Storm's side effect kills momentum whether the opponent's Pokemon was KOed or not. It's also vulnerable to Talonflame, which is already a huge problem for a sweeper, and is easily threatened by Ice Shard, which is a fairly common sight given Weavile's popularity.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Sceptile has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Sceptile, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Swampert:
Pros:
- The bulkiest Swift Swim user in the game;
- Has Ice Punch and STAB Earthquake, unlike most other Swift Swim users;
- Ground typing protects it from Electric-type moves like Thunder Wave and Volt Switch;
- Can threaten Tyranitar and Hippowdon nicely regardless of weather;
- Is one of the few Swift Swim users able to set up its own Rain Dance safely.
Cons:
- Lacks a boosting move outside of Power-Up Punch;
- Doesn't get the Swift Swim boost before Mega Evolving, thus delaying a sweep;
- Faces competition with other Swift Swim sweepers due to taking up the Mega slot.
Mega Swampert is one of those Pokemon that do their job well but just don't do it as well as others. For the positives, Mega Swampert is easily the bulkiest of the Swift Swimmers, boasting meaty 100 / 110 / 110 defenses, as well as a nice defensive typing that lets it resist Rock-, Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-type moves and provides it with an Electric immunity. This immunity gives it a huge niche over most other Swift Swimmers, since it prevents Thunder Wave Klefki and Thundurus from acting as checks to it. Mega Swampert also has a massive base 150 Attack to throw around, and good STAB attacks in Earthquake and Waterfall, as well as access to Ice Punch, give it great coverage. Finally, Mega Swampert is capable of beating out Tyranitar and Hippowdon, two of the biggest problems for rain teams to face, and can do so even in the sand.
As for the negatives, lacking any means to raise its Attack outside of the weak Power-Up Punch means walls can potentially stall out both Mega Swampert and the rain, which is a problem that Kabutops doesn't face thanks to Swords Dance. Mega Swampert also requires a turn to Mega Evolve before it can take advantage of Swift Swim, potentially making it dead weight if it fails to Mega Evolve in time. Finally, Mega Swampert locks you out of using other Mega Evolutions when facing teambuilding issues. For example, Mega Medicham is a great Mega Evolution for rain teams, and other Swift Swimmers can be used alongside Mega Medicham, something Mega Swampert can't do.
Is The Original Still Worth Using?: Swampert has no practical use over anything available in OU. If you wish to succeed in OU with Swampert, either use the Mega Evolution or just stay away.
Mega Gardevoir:
Pros
- Insanely powerful;
- Great three-move coverage with Hyper Voice, Psyshock or Psychic, and Focus Blast;
- Can beat potential checks and counters with Taunt and Will-O-Wisp;
- Can use Trace before Mega Evolving to its benefit.
- Relatively slow;
- Very physically frail.
Despite being so good on paper, Mega Gardevoir has two major flaws that prevent it from being dominant in OU. The first is its terrible physical bulk, as 68 / 65 is beyond salvageable. Even resisted physical hits often will 2HKO it. Gardevoir's second major flaw is its mediocre Speed. It's outsped by almost every notable attacker in OU, and almost all of the ones that don't outspeed it Speed tie with it. Gardevoir's two flaws show why it isn't that effective against offense; it's easily revenge killed by faster physical attackers such as Terrakion, Garchomp, and Talonflame. None of these threats stand a chance switching in, but if given a free switch, they will destroy Gardevoir.
Is the Original Still Worth Using?: Non-Mega Gardevoir is a very niche Pokemon in OU. Its Moonblast is significantly weaker than Mega Gardevoir's Hyper Voice, and so it seems useless. However, the ability to use a Choice Scarf makes it worth a teamslot on select teams. With a maximum of 328 Speed, Mega Gardevoir is the second fastest unboosted Fairy-type in the tier. Thus, Pokemon weak to Fairy such as Terrakion and Keldeo never have to worry about being revenge killed by Gardevoir. However, Choice Scarf Gardevoir reaches 426 Speed, and so it is able to revenge kill these Pokemon, as well as everything up to Mega Manectric. While Mega Gardevoir is significantly better than its regular counterpart, if your team requires the support of a Fairy-type revenge killer, look no further than Gardevoir.
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