Maximum Upgrade

Cobalt314

Cobalt314

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Art by Otter Power​

Step right up, step right up! Come one, come all! Welcome, to this brand new metagame! Ever felt like your Pokémon were missing out on moves that would immensely benefit them? Do you ever wish that a Pokémon had a move that was 1000 times better than the move it currently has? Well, not anymore! I present to you, the Maximum Upgrade Metagame! In this metagame, we analyze every move available in the Pokémon universe, and if there exists another move that is better than the first in every respect (except maybe for accuracy), all Pokémon that learn the worse move also learn the better move. Is your Pokémon stuck using Meditate as its only means of raising attack? How about using the much more useful Coil! Feel like Wing Attack has too low of a Base Power to do anything useful? Brave Bird would serve a much better purpose, wouldn't you agree?

For moves that have multiple options that are better, I have analyzed them all and decided to run the most balanced upgrade of them all. In this way, Pokémon that are less used because their options are limited now get a chance to shine. Here is the current list of moves and their upgrades:

  • Stun Spore, Thunder Wave —> Glare
  • Glare —> Nuzzle
  • Grass Whistle, Sing, Sleep Powder, Hypnosis —> Spore
  • Meditate, Hone Claws, Defense Curl, Sharpen, Bulk Up, Harden, Withdraw, Howl —> Coil
  • Healing Wish —> Lunar Dance
  • Calm Mind —> Quiver Dance
  • Quiver Dance —> Geomancy
  • Rock Polish, Agility, Autotomize, Dragon Dance —> Shift Gear
  • Nasty Plot —> Tail Glow
  • Barrier, Iron Defense —> Cotton Guard
  • Rage Powder —> Follow Me (For drawing in Grass-type Pokémon's attacks)
  • Haze —> Topsy-Turvy
  • Fairy Lock, Block, Mean Look —> Spider Web (Higher PP, outclasses Fairy Lock)
  • Guard Swap, Skill Swap —> Heart Swap
  • Roar —> Whirlwind
  • Moonlight, Morning Sun, Synthesis, Roost —> Recover
  • Refresh, Heal Bell —> Aromatherapy
  • Ingrain —> Aqua Ring
  • Protect —> Spiky Shield
  • Supersonic, Sweet Kiss —> Confuse Ray
  • Self-destruct —> Explosion
  • Quick Attack, Cut, False Swipe, Hold Back, Horn Attack, Mega Punch, Payday, Pound, Scratch, Slam, Strength, Tackle, Vice Grip —> Extreme Speed
  • Take down, Double Edge —> Head Charge
  • Hidden Power —> Judgment
  • Judgment —> Techno Blast
  • Hyper Voice, Sonic Boom, Round, Echoed Voice, Swift, Tri Attack —> Boomburst
  • Return, Frustration, Body Slam —> Crush Grip
  • Superpower —> Close Combat
  • Jump Kick —> High Jump Kick
  • Focus Blast —> Aura Sphere
  • Air Cutter, Gust —> Oblivion Wing
  • Oblivion Wing, Air Slash —> Aeroblast
  • Wing Attack, Aerial Ace, Drill Peck, Fly, Brave Bird —> Dragon Ascent (Now every Flying-type can unleash its inner Dragon :P)
  • Sludge Bomb —> Sludge Wave (and Vice Versa)
  • Drill Run, Magnitude, Bulldoze, Earthquake —> Earthquake
  • Earthquake —> Thousand Arrows
  • Thousand Arrows —> Thousand Waves
  • Mud Slap, Mud Bomb, Mud Shot —> Earth Power
  • Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Rock Throw, Rock Smash, Rock Tomb —> Diamond Storm
  • Ancient Power —> Power Gem
  • Fury Cutter, Fell Stinger, X-Scissor, Bug Bite, Steamroller, Twineedle, Leech Life —> Attack Order
  • Attack Order —> Megahorn
  • Signal Beam, Struggle Bug, Silver Wind —> Bug Buzz
  • Phantom Force —> Shadow Force
  • Shadow Punch, Astonish, Lick —> Shadow Claw
  • Hex, Ominous Wind —> Shadow Ball
  • Iron Head, Magnet Bomb, Metal Claw, Steel Wing —> Meteor Mash
  • Meteor Mash, Iron Tail —> Gear Grind
  • Mirror Shot —> Flash Cannon
  • Flamethrower, Lava Plume, Searing Shot, Ember, Fire Blast, Fusion Flare, Flame Burst, Heat Wave —> Blue Flare
  • Fire Spin —> Magma Storm
  • Fire Punch, Fire Fang, Blaze Kick, Flame Wheel —> Sacred Fire
  • Sacred Fire, Flare Blitz, Heat Crash —> V-Create
  • Bubble, Bubble Beam, Scald, Surf, Hydro Pump, Origin Pulse —> Steam Eruption
  • Steam Eruption —> Water Spout
  • Aqua Tail, Waterfall —> Crabhammer
  • Seed Bomb —> Leaf Blade
  • Leaf Storm, Energy Ball —> Seed Flare
  • Volt Tackle, Wild Charge, Fusion Bolt, Thunder Punch —> Bolt Strike
  • Psybeam, Confusion, Extrasensory, Psychic, Hyperspace Hole —> Psycho Boost
  • Psyshock —> Psystrike
  • Psycho Cut —> Zen Headbutt
  • Icy Wind —> Glaciate
  • Twister, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Breath —> Draco Meteor
  • Dark Pulse, Snarl —> Night Daze
  • Thief, Bite, Crunch, Feint Attack, Assurance, Payback, Night Slash, Foul Play —> Hyperspace Fury (All Pokémon will now be able to use H-Fury, not just Hoopa Unbound)
  • Dazzling Gleam —> Moonblast
  • Moonblast —> Light of Ruin
Quickbans:
  • Charizardite X
  • Landorus-T
Upgrades will stack.
Standard OU rules, clauses, and banlists are in effect.

Some questions for discussion:
  • What new threats arise as a result of the updated movesets?
  • Are some moves better off being upgraded into others? (For example, should Meditate be upgraded into Swords Dance, Shift Gear, or Coil?)
  • Am I missing anything important?
  • Should we also upgrade abilities?
Most importantly, however, I want you guys to have fun experimenting with the new and different combinations of moves! Enjoy, and if you don't meet expectations,
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Approved by Hollywood
 
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Why are there no defensive upgrades, though? I mean I dislike stall but this seems like hyper offense: the meta: the experience. Maybe something like Healing Wish ---> Lunar Dance and Water-type moves under 80 BP ---> Scald and stuff like Fire Blast ---> Blue Flare as well (ex: Wild Charge ---> Volt Tackle). Overall pretty cool but seems really offensive n_n.
 
Just want to point out that Searing Shot and Lava Plume have 30% burn rate, and Blue Flare has 20%, so one or two things don't appreciate losing them (Defensive Heatran with Lava Plume being the only one I can think of). A simple solution to this (and other possible situations like it) is to let the mons keep the "weaker" moves.
 
Vansalon said:
Just want to point out that Searing Shot and Lava Plume have 30% burn rate, and Blue Flare has 20%, so one or two things don't appreciate losing them (Defensive Heatran with Lava Plume being the only one I can think of). A simple solution to this (and other possible situations like it) is to let the mons keep the "weaker" moves.
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I'll change it so that moves that have both advantages and disadvantages will be kept, along with the upgrade (like with Lava Plume —> Blue Flare, as you mentioned)
 
Why the fuck does Sylveon keep getting Boomburst in all of these OMs?

Also for defensive things you can do

Worry Seed -> Leech Seed
Refresh -> Heal Bell
Heal Pulse, Swallow, Aqua Ring, Pain Split -> Recover
Moonlight, Synthesis, and Morning Sun -> Slack Off (gotta add variety to the recovery moves :p)
Haze -> Tospy-Turvy
Growl -> Roar (kind of a stretch but w/e)
Fairy Lock -> Mean Look
Harden, Acid Armor, Barrier, Iron Defense -> Cotton Guard
Healing Wish -> Lunar Dance
Role Play -> Skill Swap

or something idk
 
Notice how Boomburst Sylveon keeps existing in these Metas?

Ahem, how about...

Rock Slide -> Stone Edge (I was thinking about Head Smash but recoil is not something every Pokemon want)
Drill Run, Magnitude, Bulldoze -> Earthquake
Mud Slap, Mud Bomb, Mud Shot -> Earth Power
 
Vansalon said:
Earthquake > Thousand Arrows / Thousand Waves is another one. Even with slightly lower BP, their effects make them much better.
Click to expand...
I'll wait for ORAS (or whenever those moves are released) before making any final Judgments (no pun intended).

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! Not even an hour passed, and this thread is already swarming with comments.
 
Another few minor ones:

Self-Destruct -> Explosion (SUICIDE SNORLAX SQUAD!)
Fury Swipes/Fury Attack/Double Slap/Comet Punch/Barrage/Spike Cannon -> Tail Slap (The only real Pokemon to benefit from this is Ambipom)

Swallow -> Slack Off (Because Stall can use Snorlax as well!)
Stockpile -> Cosmic Power

Also, if we want to be broken more, we can give everyone that gets Calm Mind/Quiver Dance the option to use Geomancy. Plus, we should keep Calm Mind on their movesets for Trick Room shenanigans
 
First off Sludge Wave doesn't outclass Sludge Bomb (the same thing applies with Attack Order>Megahorn)
Also the Scald>Surf should be replaced with Scald>Steam Eruption with Scald Staying(better for stall because much higher PP)
Stone Edge and Rock Slide should go to Diamond Storm
Edit: Quickban Sylveon, P-Z, Gardevoirite, and Pinsirite now
 
The Reptile said:
Why the fuck does Sylveon keep getting Boomburst in all of these OMs?

Also for defensive things you can do

Worry Seed -> Leech Seed Leech Seed doesn't outclass Worry Seed, they have completely different effects.
Refresh -> Heal Bell
Heal Pulse, Swallow, Aqua Ring, Pain Split -> Recover Milk Drink is greatest Recovery move.
Moonlight, Synthesis, and Morning Sun -> Slack Off (gotta add variety to the recovery moves :p) I'll allow it. ;P
Haze -> Tospy-Turvy
Growl -> Roar (kind of a stretch but w/e) Again, completely different effects.
Fairy Lock -> Mean Look
Harden, Acid Armor, Barrier, Iron Defense -> Cotton Guard
Healing Wish -> Lunar Dance What's the difference between the 2?
Role Play, Entratainment -> Skill Swap

or something idk
Click to expand...
Also:
Mean Look, Spider Web, Block -> Thousand Waves (When released)
Physical Ground moves under 90 BP -> Thousand Waves, Thousand Arrows (When Released)
Fire Punch, Blaze Kick -> Sacred Fire
Superpower -> Close Combat
Guard Swap, Power Swap -> Heart Swap
 
I know that Growl and Worry Seed have completely different effects, but we need some more defensive buffs and spreading Roar and maybe Leech Seed was all I can come up with. That said, Growl and all the -1 attack moves should be replaced with Baby Doll Eyes because muh +1 priority.
 
The Reptile said:
I know that Growl and Worry Seed have completely different effects, but we need some more defensive buffs and spreading Roar and maybe Leech Seed was all I can come up with. That said, Growl and all the -1 attack moves should be replaced with Baby Doll Eyes because muh +1 priority.
Click to expand...
Worry Seed, Simple Beam>Entrainment
 
shouldn't scald --> Steam Eruption?

Additionally, some mons may appreciate the better accuracy X-Scissor has in comparison to Megahorn.
 
brightobject said:
shouldn't scald --> Steam Eruption?

Additionally, some mons may appreciate the better accuracy X-Scissor has in comparison to Megahorn.
Click to expand...

Attack Order > X-Scissor though. but you are correct that some pokemon would enjoy the better accuracy better.
 
brightobject said:
shouldn't scald --> Steam Eruption?

Additionally, some mons may appreciate the better accuracy X-Scissor has in comparison to Megahorn.
Click to expand...
Many Pokemon that use Scald are defensive meaning they appreciate the extra PP of Scald, but that doesn't mean they can't get both

Also, Hydro Pump -> Steam Eruption. The only reason you'd want to use Hydro Pump over Steam Eruption is to avoid burning a Guts user
 
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