°°° (Mega) Kangaskhan °°°
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As unforgiving as the most ruthless tyrant and as ferocious as an angry mother, Kangaskhan—Mega Kangaskhan, specifically—has made her mark as the most powerful physical attacker, Fake Out user, and Normal-type in the Doubles metagame. Once Mega-Evolved, Kangaskhan gains excellent 105 / 100 / 100 bulk alongside fantastic attacking prowess; however, her Parental Bond ability is where the secret to her awe-inspiring power lies. With Parental Bond, Mega Kangaskhan's attacks are essentially given a 50% power boost while attacking twice per turn, allowing her to easily deal with almost every Substitute user. The combination of Parental Bond and a grand physical movepool allows her to function as a fantastic revenge killer. With Fake Out and Sucker Punch, she is able to effortlessly take out fast, frail threats, deal with most Trick Room users, and demolish many set-up sweepers. Furthermore, Parental Bond's mechanics amplifies Power-Up Punch akin to a Swords Dance boost that can deal damage, essentially letting Mega Kangaskhan function simultaneously as a deadly setup sweeper and core smasher. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and Mega Kangaskhan possesses one noticeable flaw: a minor case of four-moveslot syndrome. Mega Kangaskhan's standard set does not have the room to utilize moves such as Drain Punch, Crunch, and even Protect. This makes Mega Kangaskhan vulnerable to certain status-inducing threats such as Mega Gengar and Gourgeist-XL when not running the much-needed coverage move Crunch, and the lack of Protect makes her susceptible to being singled out to the opposing team's onslaught. Nevertheless, this flaw does not dilute the fact that Mega Kangaskhan is a phenomenal Pokemon, but rather, it is the necessary chain that keeps this monster from devouring the tier whole.
All-Out Attacker
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name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Return / Double-Edge
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Power-Up Punch
ability: Scrappy
item: Kangaskhanite
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
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The first move, Fake Out, works exceptionally well for racking up chip damage while temporarily halting a threatening opponent or stopping a potential Trick Room user from setting up. Fake Out also gives Mega Kangaskhan's teammate a chance to set up itself, allow its teammates a free turn to put a Pokemon to sleep, or attack the less threatening target while putting frailer threats such as Mega Charizard Y into KO range for Sucker Punch. Return is Mega Kangaskhan's most consistent and drawback-free STAB; however, Double-Edge can be used to snag a few useful KOs. For example, with the combination of Fake Out + Double-Edge and an Adamant nature, Mega Kangaskhan has the chance to OHKO most variants of Togekiss and even Landorus-T through Intimidate. However, Mega Kangaskhan's power is so great that Fake Out and Return is enough to OHKO threats such as 252 / 0 Rotom-W. Sucker Punch is Mega Kangaskhan's main means of revenge killing the opponent, as the move can easily wipe out Latios and a weakened Reuniclus under Trick Room. Power-Up Punch is what allows Mega Kangaskhan to sweep and break past bulkier targets; it boosts her Attack stat to two stages, allowing her to, at worst, 2HKO the entire metagame. Once boosted, Power-Up Punch can also function as a decent coverage move against the likes of Heatran and Tyranitar.
There are a few alternate moves that Mega Kangaskhan can make use of, such as Crunch, Drain Punch, and Protect. Crunch allows Mega Kangaskhan to bust through Ghost-types without having to lean on the unreliable Sucker Punch. Drain Punch works superbly in tandem with Double-Edge by giving Mega Kangaskhan a decent coverage move for the likes of Heatran and Tyranitar, while simultaneously restoring her health. Lastly, Protect can help keep Mega Kangaskhan from being exposed to her own teammates' spread moves or targeted by the two opposing Pokemon, while allowing her partner to deal with a troublesome check so that she won't constantly be forced to switch out and possibly lose her Attack boosts. If any of these moves sound appealing, they should be used over either Power-Up Punch or Fake Out, though forgoing the previous two options takes away much of the sweeping and utility potential that Mega Kangaskhan possesses.
Set Details
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Scrappy is chosen as the main ability so that Kangaskhan can flinch a Ghost-type with Fake Out should a situation require it, such as to stop Trevenant or Jellicent from setting up Trick Room. When it comes to natures, an Adamant one is generally preferred, as it can achieve the above KOs. Furthermore, Kangaskhan has no shortage of priority moves, so the extra Speed bestowed by a Jolly nature is less necessary. However, it can be useful to get the jump on max Speed base 90s such as Landorus-T and Lucario, outspeed neutral natured base 100s such as Volcarona, have a better chance to oust opposing Fake Out Mega Kangaskhan, and Speed tie with max Speed 100s such as Charizard. As far as alternate EV spreads are concerned, Mega Kangaskhan can relinquish her Speed EVs and instead add them to HP in order to take better advantage of her naturally high bulk, which proves especially handy should Mega Kangaskhan have some form of speed control support.
Usage Tips
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It's best to bring Mega Kangaskhan in mid-game, as at that point, the opposing team will be weakened enough for her to smash through with her impressive power, or help her pull off a sweep with greater ease. However, Mega Kangaskhan can also be brought in at the start of the match to provide handy Fake Out support and/or stop the opposing team's Fake Out user. She can also make use of this move by providing her teammates an opportunity to set up themselves. Fake Out can also be used in tandem with Sucker Punch to revenge kill speed demons such as Swift Swim Kingdra or be used alone to stop the likes of Trick Room Aromatisse from setting up. Although Fake Out is obviously the first move to use once Mega Kangaskhan is sent out, it's very much dependent on the given battle conditions whether or not she should straight-up attack or attempt a sweep with Power-Up Punch. It's also good to analyze the situation at hand—whether it's worth going for a sweep or switching Mega Kangaskhan back out to utilize Fake Out again. When against less threatening targets such as Jirachi, Zygarde, or weakened Pokemon such as Abomasnow or Kyurem-B, it's the perfect time to go for Power-Up Punch; however, against slower, bulkier, and more threatening targets such as Conkeldurr or Hitmontop, it's moreso in Mega Kangaskhan's favor to go straight for the kill.
Do note that Mega Kangaskhan should not be brought in against status-wielding threats (provided that she doesn't have the right support) such as Jellicent or Klefki, as a quick burn or paralysis keeps Mega Kangaskhan from sweeping. Furthermore, it's also advised to take down the opposing team's Intimidate user, as it can continually switch in and out of Mega Kangaskhan and rob her of her Attack boosts. If the opposing team has more than one Intimidate user, then simply taking out one will suffice. Once all these unfriendly conditions are cleared, Mega Kangaskhan can use Power-Up Punch to easily sweep the opposing team and smash right through their bulky supporters.
Team Options
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Volcarona makes a fantastic partner for Mega Kangaskhan, as it can roast the likes of Trevenant, Mega Mawile, and Aegislash with Heat Wave and/or redirect Fighting-type attacks and Will-O-Wisp with Rage Powder. In return, Mega Kangaskhan can provide Fake Out support, allowing Volcarona to launch an attack without fearing a potential Rock Slide user or set up a Quiver Dance with minimal difficulty. Similarly, Talonflame works well with Mega Kangaskhan, as it can destroy Fighting-types with Brave Bird and demolish Steel-types with Flare Blitz. Talonflame can also clean up after Mega Kangaskhan finishes pulverizing the opposing team. Mega Kangaskhan can aid Talonflame by dealing with the likes of Rotom-W and bulkier threats such as Cresselia. Another good Fire-type to pair Mega Kangaskhan with is Chandelure, given that it easily beats many of her checks with its Ghost / Fire typing, which gives it fantastic dual STABs.
More support-oriented partners include Togekiss and Amoonguss. Togekiss and Amoonguss can both redirect crippling status moves and Fighting-type attacks with Follow Me and Rage Powder respectively. Moreover, Togekiss can make itself more useful by dealing with the likes of Trevenant and providing speed control support with either Thunder Wave or Tailwind. Amoonguss can also provide Spore support, which allows Mega Kangaskhan to take the time to use Power-Up Punch without having to worry about being crippled by a powerful attack. Furthermore, Amoonguss can also use Giga Drain to dent Terrakion and Jellicent. Cresselia and Klefki can also support Mega Kangaskhan in other ways. Both of these Pokemon can easily set up dual screens, which skyrockets Mega Kangaskhan's already impressive defenses. For instance, with Reflect activated, Mega Kangaskhan survives even a Life Orb-boosted Close Combat from Terrakion. This is useful as it allows her to make better use of Power-Up Punch, and in Cresselia's case, it can also provide Helping Hand support to give her attacks an even bigger kick. On the other hand, Klefki can make use of its priority Thunder Wave to easily cripple fast Fighting-types and other troublesome threats. Klefki can also utilize Prankster Swagger and Safeguard to give Mega Kangaskhan a free +2 Attack boost without the added confusion. Similarly, Latias can provide speed control support in the form of Thunder Wave or Tailwind, heal Mega Kangaskhan's HP by 50% with Heal Pulse, and boost her power with Helping Hand.
Hitmontop and Scrafty excel at providing some unique offensive support. Both of these Pokemon sport Intimidate, which makes Mega Kangaskhan very difficult to take down and gives her more setup opportunities. Both of these Pokemon can also provide Fake Out support, which also helps Mega Kangaskhan to set up more easily. Unlike Hitmontop, Scrafty can deal with Ghost-types with its STAB Crunch; however, Hitmontop's neutrality to Fighting-type moves allows it to deal with Mega Lucario more easily. Speaking of Ghost-types, two other Pokemon that deal with them are Bisharp and Aegislash. Bisharp's STAB Knock Off can OHKO almost every Ghost-type. Bisharp can even help Mega Kangaskhan deal with faster threats with its own Sucker Punch and discourage repeated use of Intimidate thanks to Defiant. Aegislash can also take on Ghost-types, but it has the added benefit of being able to counter almost every Fighting-type as well. Aegislash also provides Wide Guard support to shield the two from Heat Waves and Earthquakes. Mega Kangaskhan can return the favor by using Fake Out to provide the chance for Substitute variants to set up.
Other Options
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While it's true that Mega Kangaskhan is capable of running a few different moves and even another set, in most cases, the more effective options are located in Mega Kangaskhan's "Moves" section. Simply put, while the options below can work, they are better fit for Mega Kangaskhan's partners or more specialized teams.
By making use of her well-rounded bulk, good defensive movepool, and signature ability, Mega Kangaskhan is capable of shedding her conventional offensive role and instead act as a durable supporter. She can exploit Parental Bond's mechanics regarding Seismic Toss, as the move deals a set 200 damage. This allows her to 2HKO almost every Pokemon (sans Ghost-types) in the tier regardless of their resistances or defensive investment. Furthermore, Wish can be used to keep this defensive variant healthy and even help support its worn out teammates. Some other useful support moves are Disable, Helping Hand, Safeguard, and Foresight. Disable works well in conjunction with Protect by shielding Mega Kangaskhan from a slower threat's attack or status move and then rendering it useless. Helping Hand can find use by powering up Volcarona's Heat Wave. Safeguard can also be beneficial by temporarily halting status-wielding Pokemon such as Klefki and Trevenant. Foresight allows Mega Kangaskhan to use her STAB moves against Ghost-types.
In regards to more offensive options, Body Slam can be used over Return or Double-Edge because it is another way to take advantage of Parental Bond: with two hits, it has a 51% paralysis chance. Because Mega Kangaskhan tends to attract burns, she can utilize Facade as her main STAB move to counteract this. If your team has particular trouble with Ferrothorn or Scizor, Mega Kangaskhan can make use of Fire Punch for a clean OHKO. Likewise, Earthquake can be used to take down Heatran and act as a decent spread move, but unfortunately, spread moves are not affected by Parental Bond. If Mega Kangaskhan is used on a Trick Room team, she can make use of Hammer Arm as a decent Fighting-type coverage move that can help lower her Speed by two stages in one turn, thus helping her take better advantage of Trick Room. Lastly, Substitute can help shield Mega Kangaskhan from pesky status moves and potentially allow her to use the deadly Focus Punch.
Checks & Counters
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**Offensive Type Advantage**: Powerful, fast Fighting-types such as Terrakion, Keldeo, Mienshao, and Mega Lucario all work effectively when it comes to destroying Mega Kangaskhan. All of these Pokemon resist Sucker Punch and can either KO Mega Kangaskhan at full health or after a little prior damage. In the case of Terrakion, it even discourages the use of Sucker Punch, as it will gain a +2 Attack boost should it be healthy enough to survive the attack. Be wary, however, that Mega Kangaskhan has impressive natural bulk, so in the case of some of these Pokemon, they will not be able to KO her without a boosting item. Moreover, most of these Pokemon do not resist her main STAB, so they risk a KO themselves if they can't bring her down. If fast, frailer Fighting-types aren't your cup of tea, then more bulky Fighting-type alternatives such as Hitmontop and Conkeldurr might suffice. Courtesy of its Intimidate ability, Hitmontop can soften Mega Kangaskhan's blows for both its teammates and itself, and from there, it can OHKO with its STAB-boosted Close Combat. On the other hand, Conkeldurr has enough bulk to stomach an unboosted Return or Double-Edge at full health, and it can restore some of its own health with Drain Punch and then finish Mega Kangaskhan off with Mach Punch. Keep in mind that the above two Pokemon should not recklessly switch into Mega Kangaskhan's STABs; it's better to send them in on a predicted Sucker Punch.
Mega Kangaskhan's main means of targeting Ghost-types is through the use of Sucker Punch. As a result, Ghost-types that carry Will-O-Wisp can effectively attenuate her power. Some notable examples include Sableye, Trevenant, Jellicent, and Gourgeist-XL. Once hindered by a burn, the Ghost-types in question can proceed to attack Mega Kangaskhan without needing to face a fully powered Sucker Punch, or in the case of the latter three, they can attempt to set up Trick Room to further harry Mega Kangaskhan and her team. Other effective Ghost-type checks are Mega Gengar and Aegislash. Mega Gengar is able to burn Mega Kangaskhan with Will-O-Wisp, take away her mobility via Shadow Tag, and then proceed to safely smash Mega Kangaskhan with Focus Blast. On the other hand, Aegislash comfortably sets up a Substitute right in front of Mega Kangaskhan and can then take her out without facing the full force of her power.
**Attack Control**: Not by an means a direct counter to Mega Kangaskhan, but utilizing Intimidate users softens up Mega Kangaskhan's blows, thus making her much easier for the opposing Pokemon in question to tank an attack and hit back. Some notable examples are Mawile, Gyarados, and Landorus-T. Mawile has the distinction of resisting Mega Kangaskhan's STAB moves along with most of her coverage attacks, and once Mega-Evolved, it can easily do up to 78% minimum with Play Rough. However, Mawile can only activate Intimidate in her normal forme, so be sure not to imprudently waste that opportunity. Unlike Mawile, Gyarados and Landorus-T can consistently come in and get an Intimidate; unfortunately, they do not resist Mega Kangaskhan's STAB moves, so they risk being 2HKOed even when accounting for the Attack drop.
**Miscellaneous**: The fact that Mega Kangaskhan seldom uses Protect can be taken advantage of by double-targeting her with powerful STAB moves or focusing your Fake Out user's efforts on her. Take, for example, Salamence and Shaymin-S; individually, neither have a chance to OHKO Mega Kangaskhan, but together, they can gang up on her, taking her out with a combination of a Life Orb-boosted Draco Meteor and a STAB-boosted Seed Flare, respectively. It should be cautioned, however, that this strategy should not be attempted if Mega Kangaskhan has Follow Me or Rage Powder support, as it will make this effort void.
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