QC: Dominatio, Fireburn, Nayrz
GP: Kris
[OVERVIEW]
* Magearna's solid bulk and excellent defensive typing allow it to check threats such as Xerneas, Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, Deoxys-Attack, Arceus-Rock, Darkrai, and Arceus-Fairy.
* Its access to Heart Swap prevents it from being setup fodder for the Pokemon that it checks by threatening to take their stat boosts.
* Magearna lacks a reliable recovery move and is forced to rely on Pain Split for longevity, which can be easily taken advantage of.
* Its limited movepool and lack of Toxic means that it invites in Fire- and Steel-types like Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and Ferrothorn.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Heart Swap
move 2: Fleur Cannon
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Pain Split
item: Leftovers
ability: Soul-Heart
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Heart Swap allows Magearna to steal the stat boosts off of setup sweepers like Xerneas and Arceus-Dark, letting it turn the tables on them and preventing them from sweeping. It also synergizes well with Fleur Cannon, as Magearna can simply trade the resulting Special Attack drop over to a foe.
* Fleur Cannon is a powerful Fairy-type move and Magearna's strongest attack, allowing Magearna to defeat the Dark-types that it checks, like Yveltal and Arceus-Dark. However, it drops the user's Special Attack by two stages after each use.
* Flash Cannon allows Magearna to deal super effective damage to Fairy-types like Xerneas, as well as Arceus-Rock.
* Pain Split is Magearna's best means of recovering HP, and it can also take a fairly large chunk out of Pokemon with high HP stats, like Blissey and Zygarde-C.
Set Details
========
* Leftovers improves Magearna's longevity by passively healing it every turn.
* Maximum investment in HP and Special Defense with a Calm nature allows Magearna to check a wide variety of special threats.
* Soul-Heart causes Magearna's Special Attack to raise one stage when an opposing Pokemon faints.
Usage Tips
========
* Magearna needs to remain at relatively high health to prevent threats like Xerneas from being able to break though after wearing Magearna down. Use Pain Split to remain topped off throughout a game so that Magearna can stop a sweep at any time.
* Heart Swap can be used to cripple a special attacker if it is used subsequently after Fleur Cannon. Be careful about using it too much, as it can give a free switch-in to physical attackers.
* Magearna simply cannot touch threats like Primal Groudon, Ferrothorn, and Ho-Oh, so making a double switch as you predict something that Magearna struggles against to come in allows you to conserve momentum.
Team Options
========
* Magearna is typically used on slower teams that need a check to troublesome Calm Mind and Geomancy users. Using Magearna can turn over a lot of momentum, so it is important to bring teammates that can check the threats that Magearna invites in. Special attackers that are setup fodder for threats like Geomancy Xerneas and Calm Mind Arceus-Dark appreciate Magearna's ability to switch into and defeat these threats. Lunala is easily set up on and defeated by Arceus-Dark, making Magearna a great partner. A special Dragon-type like Giratina-O, Dialga, and Kyurem-W can often be setup fodder for Xerneas, meaning that Magearna's ability to switch in on Xerneas is necessary.
* A teammate that can switch in on Fire- and Ground-type attacks from the likes of Primal Groudon is an excellent teammate. Giratina-O is a solid check to Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground that can support the team with Defog, and it appreciates Magearna's ability to switch in on Fairy- and Dark-types. Arceus-Water can check Ground-types well and wear them down with Toxic, making them more hard-pressed to switch into Magearna repeatedly. Zygarde-C is a solid check to Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh, being able to switch in easily and threaten them out with Thousand Arrows. Arceus-Ground can offensively check Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, making Magearna's job easier. Primal-Kyogre can switch in on any Fire attacks and can OHKO Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Setting up Stealth Rock helps pressure Ho-Oh, one of Magearna's biggest counters. It also helps wear down Primal Groudon. Dialga or Primal Groudon are good choices for Stealth Rock users.
* Entry hazard control helps Magearna stay healthy enough to check the things that it needs to. A Defog user like Giratina-O or a support Arceus forme can remove the Stealth Rock and Spikes that wear Magearna down.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Volt Switch can be used to pivot out of switches and gain momentum. However, it is worthless if a Ground-type like Primal Groudon switches in.
* Hidden Power Fire can be used to pressure Steel types, especially Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, but it doesn't do enough to other targets and is not generally worth the moveslot.
* Shadow Ball can do significant damage to Lunala and Gengar, as well as wearing down Solgaleo, Bronzong, and Aegislash.
* Magearna makes a decent user of Trick Room thanks to its bulk and resistances, and it can outspeed most of the metagame while it's up.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types resist Magearna's STAB attacks and can hit back with super effective Fire-type moves. Primal Groudon easily switches in on Magearna and can inflict massive damage with its STAB moves, or it can use Magearna as setup fodder to either acquire Swords Dance or Rock Polish boosts or set up Stealth Rock. Ho-Oh can switch in on Magearna easily and fire off powerful attacks while not being worn down thanks to Regenerator and recovery.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types resist Magearna's STAB attacks and can use it as setup fodder, or they can take a Fleur Cannon and then pivot out to a different threat. Ferrothorn takes pittance from Magearna's attacks and can use Leech Seed or set up entry hazards. Celesteela can wear down Magearna with Leech Seed and severely dent it with Heavy Slam. Bronzong can switch in and set up Stealth Rock without caring about anything Magearna can do. Klefki can afflict Magearna with paralysis and set up layers of Spikes, although repeated Flash Cannons can wear it down. Solgaleo can switch in on Magearna with little fear and attack or heal up if running Morning Sun. Mega Scizor can switch in and set up, use Roost with little fear, or grab momentum with U-turn.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types can easily break through Magearna with their Ground attacks. Primal Groudon is an excellent switch-in to Magearna that can easily take advantage of it. Arceus-Ground can destroy Magearna with a powerful Earthquake or Ground-type Judgment, and it can set up on Magearna with Swords Dance or Calm Mind. Excadrill can switch in on Magearna and easily KO it with Earthquake. Landorus-T can KO Magearna with Earthquake, although it is hard-pressed to switch in. Dugtrio can revenge kill Magearna, and if Magearna is worn down enough, Dugtrio doesn't need to use its Z-Move.
**Ground- and Fire-type Coverage**: Pokemon that use moves like Earthquake and Fire Blast as part of their coverage can defeat Magearna easily. Sweepers like Arceus, Rayquaza, and Mega Salamence can deal considerable damage to Magearna with Earthquake, especially if boosted by Swords Dance or Dragon Dance. Mega Salamence cannot setup against Magearna, however. In addition to Earthquake, Rayquaza learns V-create, which can OHKO Magearna at any range without boosts. Dialga, Palkia, and certain Arceus formes can carry Fire Blast, which often 2HKOes Magearna, although Palkia and the Arceus formes, depending on type, may need to be wary of Magearna's attacks. Solgaleo can use either Earthquake or Flare Blitz to hit Magearna hard. Yveltal, which Magearna can otherwise check, learns Heat Wave, which is capable of 2HKOing Magearna as it switches in if running Life Orb or Choice Specs.
**Physical Setup Sweepers**: Physical setup sweepers aren't as troubled by Heart Swap, as Magearna can't actually make use of the boosts stolen. Swords Dance sweepers such as Arceus, Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Ghost can easily take Magearna's attacks while setting up.
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