Magneton
QC: [3/3] - GrilledClawitzer / dodmen / Bouff
GP: [1/1] - fleurdyleurse
[OVERVIEW]
* Magneton has the unique Magnet Pull ability, which allows it to trap and eliminate various Steel-type Pokemon such as Scizor, Empoleon, and Forretress.
* Its base 120 Special Attack and decent Steel / Electric typing make Magneton reasonably powerful even when not trapping Steel-types.
* Magneton forces the opponent to play differently to preserve their trappable Steel-type and eliminates the need for prediction once the Steel-type has been trapped.
* Below-average bulk and Speed prevent Magneton from being very useful outside of its niche, and there are often many better choices for a team that doesn't require Magneton's trapping abilities.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Choice Specs
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
*Thunderbolt is Magneton's most powerful and reliable option for a STAB move, as it hits far harder than Volt Switch, while being more accurate than Thunder.
*Flash Cannon is useful to nail Fairy-type Pokemon and provides a strong secondary STAB move.
*Volt Switch can be used to gain momentum when Magneton forces a switch.
*Hidden Power Fire is necessary to remove Scizor and Forretress upon trapping them with Magnet Pull.
Set Details
========
* A simple EV spread of maximum Special Attack and Speed maximizes Magneton's offensive presence.
* Magnet Pull is the only ability that should be used, as eliminating Steel-types is the only real reason to use Magneton.
* A Timid nature ensures that Magneton will outspeed all Choice Scarf-lacking Scizor.
Usage Tips
========
*Magneton can come in on many Steel-types with little risk but must be wary of Scizor using Superpower or escaping with U-turn and Forretress switching out with Volt Switch.
*Magneton can check Water-types, but avoid switching it in to potentially weak attacks many times, as it has mediocre bulk and is prone to being worn down quickly, even by resisted hits.
*Magneton can afford to switch into 4x resisted Flying moves from the likes of Togekiss or Crobat, and it is then able to fire off strong Flash Cannons or gain momentum from Volt Switch.
Team Options
========
*A variety of setup sweepers, such as Togekiss, Clefable, Haxorus, Celebi, Alolan Ninetales, and Latias, appreciate Magneton, as they have a much easier time setting up and sweeping with the removal of Scizor, Klefki, or Empoleon.
*A large amount of defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Amoonguss can become setup bait for Swords Dance Scizor or bait for Forretress to set Spikes, so they all appreciate Magneton's ability to remove Steel-types.
*U-turn users such as Infernape, Hydreigon, and Scizor, as well as powerful wallbreakers such as Primarina and Keldeo, all synergize well with Magneton's ability to grab momentum with Volt Switch.
*Fire-resistant Pokemon like Chandelure, Mantine, and Keldeo can alleviate Magneton's fear of taking on Fire-types.
*Having an answer to Ground-types is essential, so Levitate users or Flying-type Pokemon such as Hydreigon, Gliscor, and Togekiss make great partners for Magneton.
*Magneton invites powerful Fighting-types like Keldeo, Mienshao, and Cobalion to spam Fighting moves, so solid answers to Fighting-types like Amoonguss, Clefable, Slowbro, and Crobat also make for good partners for Magneton.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Hidden Power Fire
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
*Thunderbolt is Magneton's STAB move of choice, having both power, which Volt Switch lacks, and reliability, which Thunder lacks.
*Flash Cannon provides a secondary STAB move and a way to heavily damage Fairy-types.
*Volt Switch allows Magneton to act as a fast offensive pivot that can gain momentum.
*Hidden Power Fire eliminates Scizor and Forretress, which are trapped by Magnet Pull.
Set Details
========
*Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs maximize Magneton's offensive presence.
*Magnet Pull is the only ability that should be used, as the main reason to use Magneton is to eliminate Steel-types such as Scizor and Forretress.
*Choice Scarf in conjunction with a Timid nature is useful to outpace and soft-check Pokemon such as Cobalion, Gengar, Talonflame, and Starmie, which would typically be able to revenge kill Magneton with relative ease.
Usage Tips
========
*Magneton becomes a good deal weaker without Choice Specs, so it may not achieve the same OHKOs. This will not hinder Magneton's main role as a trapper, however, as Hidden Power Fire will still manage to OHKO most Scizor variants except for extremely specially defensive ones.
*Magneton still lacks decent bulk, so bringing it directly into potentially revenge kill targets like Starmie and Alakazam is ill-advised. However, Magneton can still switch into Flying-types such as Togekiss and Crobat with relative ease.
Team Options
========
*A number of Fairy- and Dragon-type Pokemon such as Latias, Clefable, and Primarina appreciate Magneton's ability to successfully remove Scizor or Empoleon so they are freer to spam their powerful STAB moves.
*Many slow, defensive Pokemon like Amoonguss and Hippowdon appreciate Choice Scarf Magneton for its ability to remove Scizor, which they could be setup bait for; Magneton can also revenge kill many bothersome Pokemon like Gengar, Starmie, or Alakazam.
*U-turn users synergize well with Magneton and it's teammates to pivot with Volt Switch and bring strong wallbreakers such as Krookodile, Primarina, and Hydreigon in for free.
*Fighting-resistant Pokemon such as Togekiss, Clefable, and Latias can sponge various Fighting-type moves aimed at Magneton. Most of them also appreciate the removal of bothersome Steel-types such as Scizor and Empoleon.
*Ground-resistant or -immune Pokemon such as Crobat, Hydreigon, and Celebi can help defend Magneton against Ground-types.
*A bulky Water-type like Suicune, Swampert, or Volcanion can assist Magneton by switching into Fire-type attacks, which would otherwise threaten to OHKO Magneton.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
*Eviolite can be used to increase Magneton's bulk but is often not very efficient and usually outclassed by Choice Scarf and Choice Specs, which boost its offensive prowess.
*Thunder Wave can be used on a non-Choice item set to cripple Pokemon that seek to take advantage of Magneton.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types threaten Magneton with their STAB moves, as well as blocking Magneton's Volt Switch. More offensive Ground types like Krookodile and Zygarde-10% must be wary of Flash Cannon, however. Bulkier Ground-types such as Swampert and Hippowdon can come in relatively easily on all of Magneton's coverage.
**Fighting-types**: While many Fighting-types such as Cobalion and Keldeo don't appreciate switching into Magneton, it invites them to spam their strong Fighting-type moves when they do come in.
**Fire-types**: As a Steel-type, Magneton attracts Fire-types such as Infernape, Talonflame, and Entei to switch in and threaten to OHKO it.
**Special Walls**: Pokemon with high Special Defense like Blissey, Snorlax, and Amoonguss have little to fear from Magneton, since it can't afford to run sets that bother it's conventional checks, though they must be wary of switching into Volt Switch repeatedly.
**Raikou**: Raikou's naturally high Special Defense and resistance to both of Magneton's STAB moves lets it easily overpower Magneton, and Magneton will be rendered setup fodder by Calm Mind variants.
**Residual Damage**: Though Magneton is immune to poison and paralysis and resistant to Stealth Rock, with no way to recover its lost HP, repeated damage from Spikes, Stealth Rock, U-turn, burn, and Volt Switch will quickly whittle it down.
Last edited by a moderator:
