Metagross

[Cheryl.]

[OVERVIEW]

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU thanks to its Steel / Psychic typing that lets it check Rock-, Fairy-, and Flying-types, its excellent Attack, and its hard-hitting STAB moves. Unfortunately, its low base 70 Speed means it can struggle against other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and it finds itself checked by the bulky and omnipresent Ground- and Water-types in the tier. It also faces heavy competition from Cobalion, which has higher Speed, a Dark resistance, and access to moves like Swords Dance that makes it easier to fit on most teams.

[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Exposion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an essential move on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it, as it threatens many spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon. Meteor Mash is Metagross's main STAB attack, giving it decent neutral coverage against a large amount of the tier as well as hitting Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon for decent damage and provides good coverage alongside Meteor Mash. Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky Water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky Water-types neutrally and hits Fighting- and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it doesn't hit as hard as Explosion. Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff and avoid taking damage from Drain Punch. Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but the move leaves Metagross walled by Doublade and lowers its Speed stat, making it extremely slow.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack EVs augment Metagross's offensive potential and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants while also letting Metagross outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and Nidoqueen. Life Orb makes Metagross very powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky Water-types, but the recoil damage can wear it down quickly. Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the likes of Mamoswine and helping against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross prevent the burn from Scald users like Suicune so that it can use Explosion on them, but it means Metagross lacks the power of a Life Orb-boosted Explosion. Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and it also prevents Metagross from being revenge killed by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secondary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

Usage Tips
========

Metagross should be switched in on Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Sylveon and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support its team. Once it has set up Stealth Rock, Metagross can proceed to attack the opposing team with its powerful moves before finishing off with Explosion when its done punching through walls; mainly hitting bulky Water-types.

Team Options
========

Metagross fits best on offensive teams, as bulkier teams prefer a more reliable Stealth Rock setter. Therefore, more offensive teammates like Mienshao and offensive Roserade are preferred over defensive ones. Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross because they are checked by both of these Pokemon. Teammates that can handle bulky Water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Pokemon with Water Absorb or Dry Skin like Toxicroak, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but they are still useful because Metagross can only use Explosion once. Metagross can't do much to Forretress, which can just set up entry hazards in front of Metagross; hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out this problem. Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross both takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness and appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist all the types that Metagross is weak to. If Metagross runs Explosion, teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky Water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offensive teams, a playstyle that Metagross can have trouble keeping up with.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Meteor Mash hits quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and possesses a chance to raise Metagross's Attack. Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Empoleon for decent damage. Zen Headbutt hits bulky Water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Fighting- and Poison-types hard. Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to Pokemon that don't resist it. It also lets a teammate switch in safely without sacrificing momentum. Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switch-ins such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band. Bullet Punch can pick off and revenge kill fast or frail attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment lets Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and Speed tie with other neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon; this also allows it to outspeed threats such as Jolly Crawdaunt. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and OHKO it. However, Jolly Mamoswine—the most common variant of Mamoswine—still outspeeds and OHKOes Metagross, so it's usually not worth it.

Usage Tips
========

Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with its STAB moves and coverage. This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types. This variant of Metagross is a bit reliant on prediction, as none of its moves are the best to be locked into, especially if the foe resists them. Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if it doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting Metagross do massive damage to a Pokemon that doesn't resist it and let another teammate switch in safely.

Team Options
========

Volt Switch and U-Turn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to switch in safely; they also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks. While this set has an easier time against bulky Water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon that can check these Water-types such as Toxicroak and Heliolisk partner up well with Metagross. Fast cleaners such as Mega Aerodactyl appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire-type check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Pursuit might seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross's four-moveslot syndrome, it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier. Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky Water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage, but Zen Headbutt, which also hits bulky Water-types, somewhat outclasses it. A mixed set with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire can lure some of Metagross's common counters, such as Swampert, Doublade and Forretress, but is less generally useful than the other sets. Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross's other coverage options due to not hitting Swampert or other bulky Ground-types on their weaker Special Defense side. An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but Metagross then suffers from being unable to break through bulky Water-types and other defensive walls. An Assault Vest set might seem appealing due to its special bulk, letting it check threats like Sylveon, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by hazards and constantly switching in.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and their good Defense allows them to take Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well; additionally, a Choice Band-boosted Explosion can do a ton of damage to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and heal the damage off due to Regenerator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross's moves and potentially set up Calm Minds on it, and it can heal the damage off as well. Slowking resists both of Metagross's STAB moves and has Regenerator to repeatedly switch in, but it fears taking an Explosion due to its low physical bulk.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high Defense and proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being KOed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron can switch into Metagross's STAB moves and set up Stealth Rock on it, hit Metagross, or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross's hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to KO Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants. Most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to its power, but they can revenge kill it easily.

 

[Cheryl.]

QC Ready

 

[Shadestep]

Don't you think AV Metagross would be worth an actual set, or at least a spot at the top of OO? Seems like a really cool Kyurem-check, as well as not taking like anything from Fairies.

It also should be used in a different way than the other sets so I think it deserves a set; discuss it with the QC team tho

 

[dodmen]

This looks pretty good, nice work so far!

Intro: Flying is a pretty essential resistance to mention here.

Offensive SR

I would leave EQ as the only move in the third slot, no slashes. On the other hand, the fourth slot can be Explosion / Zen Headbutt, with Grass Knot and Bullet Punch mentioned in Moves. Also, you can say in Moves that Hammer Arm is an option over EQ on Colbur Berry sets, specifically to lure Hydreigon and Krookodile, but it leaves you walled by Doublade and some others. Explosion is good to hit Water-types hard with (TPunch doesn't do enough against Suicune etc, leave it to OO for Gyara) as well as other stuff like Zapdos. Life Orb is the preferred item to beat Empoleon and Cobalion and boom on waters.

The Speed should also just be maxed (Adamant is fine), which lets you more safely beat faster Suicune variants, non-Max Speed Nidoqueen and Mega Blastoise, Swampert pre-Mega, 0 speed Tentacruel, and Jolly Crawdaunt.

Incorporate the changes to Moves in Usage Tips, especially Explosion punching holes in bulky water types to help its teammates, and add these teammates to Team Options as well (Entei, Scarf Mienshao/Hera, Mega Aero)

Team Options should generally focus around bulky offense teammates, so stuff like Gastrodon and Milotic doesn't need to be there since Metagross isn't a very long-lives Stealth Rock user. Mega Blastoise and Tentacruel are good ones since Metagross invites Forretress (and possibly Chesnaught) to Spike up on it.

Choice Band

I believe the third slot should have Zen Headbutt slashed first, it lets you hit Zapdos, Rotom-H, Jellicent, and still gives a decent hit on other Water-types without having to use up a slot for Thunder Punch.

For OO, add TPunch as a possibility for the first set, add HP Fire to lure Forretress and do a ton to Doublade. Also, make Agility sound like less of a bad option; it does need significant prior damage on most teams but it's totally viable and helps that it doesn't take much from any priority except Sucker Punch.

For Checks and Counters, remove the bit about Ice Punch since that won't be on most sets, and add that Explosion does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards. Mention specific bulky Water types, Jellicemt only has to fear CB Zen Headbutt, Alomomola can easily regen off an Explosion and is only really crippled by Trick, Slowking takes a ton more from Explosion but that's it. Zapdos is a counter to the SR set as Metagross can't keep SR up on it by booming since Zapdos outspeeds. Forretress needs a specific mention in Steel types as well, as it spins on Metagross easily and doesn't take anything from EQ.

Let me know when you've implemented all this.

 

[Cheryl.]

Implemented the changes

 

[ict]

On Choice Band i think Zen Headbutt shouldn't be slashed because without it fat waters usually get a free switch, I think it should move down and Bullet Punch should be first then slashed with Earthquake because you want the hard prio for the likes of Beedrill, Aero, Mienshao etc. and like you really dont lose much dropping EQ bar like Steelix and Mega Aggron which force it out anyway. Last slot def should have slashed Ice Punch because it def is an option but on third slash after Explosion and Trick. On the first set Lum Berry should be slashed aswell if you pair it with Explosion so you can explode without fearing to get Scald burned by Suicune for example.
Gj tho.

 

[dodmen]

I don't really agree with not having EQ on there, you also can't hit opposing MEtagross, Empoleon, Doublade, Escavalier, and Forretress hard without it. I think having the last three moves (Explosion, BP, Trick) all slashed in the last slot with the other three moves remaining unslashed is ok in that case. Bullet Punch can be useful situationally, but isn't better than EQ at all. Ice Punch doesn't need to be on there cause you do a hell of a lot to Salamence with either of your STABs (no Intimidate drop thanks to Clear Body, you can OHKO offensive Salamence), and mostly everything takes more than enough from Meteor Mash otherwise.

Lum Berry can be mentioned on the first set, but not an entire slash.

Be sure to remove bulky waters (Suicune, Milotic) from Team Options from the first set. offensive Waters are fine, but like I said, Metagross will probably only be able to get up rocks once in a game, so its team should be very offensively oriented. Just remove any mention of passive mons like Florges since they invite Defog from a bunch of Pokemon and are better suited with different Stealth Rock users.

Implement this, and consider it QC 1/3.

 

[nv]

[OVERVIEW]

• Has a good typing that lets it check Fairy, Flying, Psychic, and Rock-types.
• Fits well on balanced and offensive teams due to it's ability to check threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Slurpuff.
• Has a good offensive presence, which lets Metagross threaten a good amount of the tier with it's STABs and coverage moves.
• Has Stealth Rock, unlike other offensive Steel-types like Doublade, which lets Metagross support it's team.
• Is slow for an offensive Pokemon, although STAB priority helps mitigate this somewhat.
• Even with it's coverage, it is still walled by some Pokemon depending on what coverage move it chooses, such as bulky Ground-types and bulky Water-types.
• Is weak to common attacking types, such as Fire, Ground, and Dark.
• Faces competition from Cobalion as an offensive Steel-type with Stealth Rock due to Cobalion's better dual STABs and speed.
• Also faces competition from other Steel-types like Doublade in general due to their better typings.
• Has a case of 4MSS, as it wants a lot of moves but can't fit them on the same set at once.

I would mention that the reason it faces competition from other Steel-types is the other Steel-types have more going for them in the tier such as Cobalion not only being faster, but being able to soft check Dark-types and Mamoswine since it is faster, Doublade is a more reliable Mega Beedrill check due to not having a neutrality to U-turn; basically its secondary typing is pretty bad in conjunction with its Steel-type.


[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Exposion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

• Stealth Rock is an essential tool on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it by setting it up and being able to threaten a good amount of spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon, with its coverage.
• Meteor Mash is Metagross' main STAB attack, hitting the majority of the tier for good neutral coverage, and is pretty strong with Metagross' great Attack stat. It also hits Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage.
• Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon and Mega Aggron for decent damage, and has good coverage alongside Meteor Mash.
• Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock.
• Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky water-types neutrally and hits Fighting and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it loses out on hitting Steel-types, but has an added perk of hitting Zapdos for good damage.
• Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff, rather than taking damage from Drain Punch.
• Grass Knot is a niche but decent luring option for Metagross, as it 2HKOs Swampert, a usual Metagross counter, even with an Adamant Nature. However, it doesn't provide much coverage outside of that.
• Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but leaves Metagross walled by Doulade.

Set Details
========

• Maximum Attack EVs maximizes Metagross' offensive potential, and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants, while also outspeeding Jolly Crawdaunt, Nidoqueen, Mega Blastoise, uninvested Tentacruel, and Swampert pre-mega.
• Life Orb makes Metagross pretty powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky water-types, but can leave him getting worn down easily.
• Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the like of Mamoswine and also helps Metagross in the matchup against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl.
• Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross not be burnt by Scald users like Suicune to explode on them safely.
• Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and also allows him to not be revenged by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secndary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

Usage Tips
========

• Metagross should be sent out on the Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Florges, and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support it's team.
• Meteor Mash is a pretty safe move to use, as it has great neutral coverage and can power up Metagross with a potential Attack boost.
• Metagross' coverage moves, such as Earthquake and Zen Headbutt, should be used on the appropriate target of these moves.
• Explosion is great to use to punch holes into bulky water-types to help out teammates such as Entei.
• Bullet Punch, if you use it, should be used to pick off weakened threats, such as Mega Beedrill and Roserade.

Team Options
========

• Teammates that can handle bulky water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Water absorbers like Heliolisk, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but are still useful as Metagross can only use Explosion once.
• Teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offense, a playstyle which Metagross can have trouble keeping up with.
• Metagross invites Forretress to set up hazards in front of it, so hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out this problem.
• Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness, and appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist types like Fire and Water, while also being immune to Ground moves. TauntRoost Hydreigon can even stallbreak walls like Suicune, which Metagross appreciates greatly.
• Teammates that can check Fire-types, such as Salamence, make for good teammates as Metagross hates taking Sacred Fires or Flare Blitzes.
• Water-types such as Gyarados and Mega Blastoise make for very good Metagross partners, checking the Fire and Ground-types that threaten Metagross, and can also put pressure on common hazard removers such as Forretress.
• Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross.
• Teammates that can check Dark-types, such as Heracross, make for good Metagross partners due to Metagross fearing Dark-typ moves and synergizing well with Fighting-types due to checking Flying and Fairy-types.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick / Bullet Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

• Meteor Mash is the main STAB, hitting quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and hitting a lot of the tier for good neutral coverage.
• Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron for good damage.
• Zen Headbutt hits bulky water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Pokemon like Zapdos and Rotom-Heat hard as well..
• Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to non-resistant Pokemon. It also lets a teammate get in safely without sacrificing momentum.
• Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switchins such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band.
• Bullet Punch can pick off or revenge fast or frail attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl, and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into, and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

Set Details
========

• Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment makes Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and lets it speed tie with other neutral Base 70's, also allowing it to outspeeed threats like Jolly Crawdaunt.
• An alternative spread of 136 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spe makes Metagross more bulky, and still allows it to outspeed uninvested Suicune.

You can mention a Jolly nature here to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine which can be really helpful for Metagross and since Adamant has become more common (although I think Jolly is still the norm), but it deserves a mention in my opinion.

Usage Tips
========

• Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with it's STABs and coverage.
• This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types.
• This variant of Metagross is a bit prediction-reliant, as none of it's moves like to be locked into, especially if the opponent has a resist to them.
• However, Meteor Mash is still a relatively safe move to spam if the opponent doesn't have a Pokemon who resists it.
• Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if he doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting him do massive damage to a non-resistant Pokemon and let another teammate come in safely.

Team Options
========

• VoltTurn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to be switched in safely, and the VoltTurners also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks.
• While this set has an easier time against bulky water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon like Whimsicott and Heliolisk synergize well with Metagross.
• Fast cleaners, such as Mega Aerodactyl, appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

• Pursuit may seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross' 4MSS, it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier.
• Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage.
• Hidden Power Fire can be used to lure in Forretress and Doublade and hit them for large damage. It does not provide much outside of this, however.
• Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross' other coverage options due to it not hitting Swampert and Metagross' 4MSS.
• An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but Agility Metagross suffers because of a lack of power in it's STAB moves, and being checked by a lot of things, making it usually inferior to other sweepers or cleaners like Darmanitan. It can be useful, however, as it resists most priority moves outside of Sucker Punch, making it harder to revenge kill.
• An Assault Vest set may seem appealing due to it's better special bulk and the ability to run 4 attacks, and it also makes Metagross a better Pursuit user thanks to the added bulk, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by continued switchins and hazards.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and with their good physical defense, can take a Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well, and a Choice Band Explosion can do a ton to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and can heal the damage off due to Regnergator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross' moves as well and potenitally set up Calm Minds on it, and can Rest the damage off as well.

**Zapdos**: Zapdos can counter the Stealth Rock set due to Defogging away Metagross' hazards and outspeeding it, while also hitting it decently hard with Heat Wave or Thunderbolt and can Roost off the damage it takes. It does have to worry about Choice Banded Zen Headbutts and Explosion, however.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high physical defense, and can proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants in, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being killed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch, and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron switch into Metagross' STAB moves and can set up Stealth Rocks on it, or hit Metagross or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross' hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to kill Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants, and most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to it's power, but they can revenge him easily.

Implement the changes and consider this QC 2/3.

 

[Cheryl.]

This is written and ready for the 3rd check

E: Removed Zapdos mentions

 

[Hogg]

[OVERVIEW]

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU, having a Steel/Psychic typing that lets it check Rock, Fairy, and Flying-types. It also has a great offensive prsence with it's 135 Attack stat, and with it's decent STABs and coverage, Metagross can threaten a good amount of the tier. Sadly for Metagross, it's low base 70 Speed leaves it outsped by many other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and even with it's decent coverage moves, it is still checked by bulky Ground or bulky Water-types. It also faces competition from other STeel-types that have more going for them, such as Cobalion, who has better Speed, also has Stealth Rock, and a typing that lets it resist common Dark-type moves, and is a better check to Pokemon like Mega Beedrill due to not having a Psychic typing that makes Metagross vulnerable to common attacking types such as Dark and Ghost. On top of all that, Metagross has a case of Four Moveslot Syndrome, meaning that it wants to run some moves on its sets but cannot fit them all onto one set.

This whole section is fairly wordy; I'd trim it down a bit. Something like this:

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU thanks to its Steel/Psychic typing that lets it check Rock, Fairy and Flying-types and its excellent Attack and STABs. Unfortunately, its low base 70 Speed means it can struggle against other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and it finds itself checked by the bulky Ground and Water types that are omnipresent in the tier. It also faces heavy competition from Cobalion, whose Speed, Dark resistance and access to moves like Swords Dance can make it easier to fit on most teams.

Basically, everything you're saying is good, but trim out some of the fat and focus on why Metagross is relevant in the tier. You address its 4MSS later, so that's an easy point to cut, and the rest can be condensed fairly easily.

[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Exposion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an essential tool on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it by setting it up and being able to threaten a good amount of spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon, with its coverage. Meteor Mash is Metagross' main STAB attack, hitting the majority of the tier for good neutral coverage, and is pretty strong with Metagross' great Attack stat. It also hits Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon and Mega Aggron for decent damage, and has good coverage alongside Meteor Mash. Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky water-types neutrally and hits Fighting and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it doesn't have the nuking effect of Explosion. Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff, rather than taking damage from Drain Punch. Grass Knot is a niche but decent luring option for Metagross, as it 2HKOs Swampert, a usual Metagross counter, even with an Adamant Nature. However, it doesn't provide much coverage outside of that. Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but leaves Metagross walled by Doublade and lowers it's Speed stat, making it extremely slow.

• Again, I'd trim this a bit. Instead of "...and Metagross makes good use of it by setting up and being able to threaten a good amount of spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon, with its coverage" try just saying "...and Metagross threatens many common spinners and Defoggers, such as Empoleon and Tentacruel." I'd go through this paragraph and make it more concise in general, cutting out similarly long sentences or unnecessary points.
• Standard Mega-Aggron isn't even reliably 3HKOd by LO Adamant EQ, so I'd just drop it from the reference entirely. Empoleon is good enough.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack EVs maximizes Metagross' offensive potential, and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants, while also outspeeding Jolly Crawdaunt, Nidoqueen, Mega Blastoise, uninvested Tentacruel, and Swampert pre-mega. Life Orb makes Metagross pretty powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky water-types, but can leave him getting worn down easily. Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the like of Mamoswine and also helps Metagross in the matchup against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross not be burnt by Scald users like Suicune to explode on them safely. However, it lacks the power of a Life Orb-boosted Explosion. Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and also allows him to not be revenged by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secondary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

• Same here re: trimming things down - for example, you don't need to list five 'mons that you outspeed; just a sample is enough.

Usage Tips
========

Metagross should be sent out on the Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Florges, and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support it's team. Meteor Mash is a pretty safe move to use, as it has great neutral coverage and can power up Metagross with a potential Attack boost. Metagross' coverage moves, such as Earthquake and Zen Headbutt, should be used on the appropriate target of these moves. Explosion is great to use to punch holes into bulky water-types to help out teammates such as Entei, but should only be used when Metagross isn't useful in the match anymore or if it is weakened. Bullet Punch, if you use it, should be used to pick off weakened threats, such as Mega Beedrill and Roserade.

• "Metagross' coverage moves, such as Earthquake and Zen Headbutt, should be used on the appropriate target of these moves." is pretty unnecessary IMO, and can be cut entirely. (What ELSE would you use EQ and Zen Headbutt on?) Might cut the Bullet Punch bit too.
• Similar with Explosion, you can probably cut that down to something like "Explosion is a great way to punch through bulky Water-types once Metagross has done its job."
• I actually don't think Meteor Mash has great neutral coverage in the tier, thanks to the omnipresence of Water types. Instead of saying that it has great neutral coverage, just say that it's its strongest STAB move and boasts a chance to raise his Attack.

Team Options
========

Teammates that can handle bulky water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Water absorbers like Heliolisk, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but are still useful as Metagross can only use Explosion once. Teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offense, a playstyle which Metagross can have trouble keeping up with. Metagross invites Forretress to set up hazards in front of it, so hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out this problem. Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness, and appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist types like Fire and Water, while also being immune to Ground moves. TauntRoost Hydreigon can even stallbreak walls like Suicune or Forretress, which Metagross appreciates greatly. Water-types such as Gyarados and Mega Blastoise make for very good Metagross partners, checking the Fire and Ground-types that threaten Metagross, and can also put pressure on common hazard removers such as Forretress. Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross. Teammates that can check Dark-types, such as Heracross, make for good Metagross partners due to Metagross fearing Dark-type moves and synergizing well with Fighting-types due to checking Flying and Fairy-types.

• I'd specifically mention that Metagross is best used on offensive teams, as most balanced or defensive teams prefer a more reliable Stealth Rock user.
• Not trying to sound like a broken record but again, trim things down. You mention grass types (Roserade and Mega-Sceptile) and Heliolisk multiple times in this. You manage to mention 10 different potential teammates, which seems like a bit much. I'd break it down as follows:
  • Pokemon that appreciate having a Florges/MAero check.
  • Pokemon that can reliably switch into bulky Waters (including overlap with the above).
  • Hydreigon is one of the best possible partners, as it really appreciates how Metagross punishes Florges/MAero while also resisting every one of Metagross' weaknesses.
  • If Metagross is running Explosion, teammates that enjoy seeing bulky Waters crippled work well here.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick / Bullet Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Meteor Mash is the main STAB, hitting quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and hitting a lot of the tier for good neutral coverage. Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron for good damage. Zen Headbutt hits bulky water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Fighting and Poison-types hard. Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to non-resistant Pokemon. It also lets a teammate get in safely without sacrificing momentum. Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switchins such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band. Bullet Punch can pick off or revenge fast or frail attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl, and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into, and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

• As above, I'd change "hitting a lot of the tier for good neutral coverage" with "and boasting a chance to raise Metagross' attack."
• I'd take Bullet Punch off as a slash and just keep it as a mention in set details.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment makes Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and lets it speed tie with other neutral Base 70's, also allowing it to outspeeed threats like Jolly Crawdaunt. A Jolly Nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and OHKO it. However, Jolly Mamoswine, which is the more common variant of Mamoswine, still outspeeds Metagross and OHKOs it too, so it's usually not worth it.

Usage Tips
========

Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with it's STABs and coverage. This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types. This variant of Metagross is a bit prediction-reliant, as none of it's moves like to be locked into, especially if the opponent has a resist to them. However, Meteor Mash is still a relatively safe move to spam if the opponent doesn't have a Pokemon who resists it. Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if he doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting him do massive damage to a non-resistant Pokemon and let another teammate come in safely.

• "However, Meteor Mash is still a relatively safe move to spam if the opponent doesn't have a Pokemon who resists it. " - I'm not sure those teams exist? Seriously, a UU team without a Steel, Water or Fire type is a rare sight. Might just drop this sentence.

Team Options
========

VoltTurn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to be switched in safely, and the VoltTurners also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks. While this set has an easier time against bulky water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon like Whimsicott and Heliolisk synergize well with Metagross. Fast cleaners, such as Mega Aerodactyl, appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Pursuit may seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross' 4MSS, it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier. Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage, but Zen Headbutt, which also hits bulky Water-types and more, somewhat outclasses it. Hidden Power Fire can be used to lure in Forretress and Doublade and hit them for large damage. It does not provide much outside of this, however. Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross' other coverage options due to it not hitting Swampert and Metagross' 4MSS. An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but Agility Metagross suffers because of a lack of power in it's STAB moves, and being checked by a lot of Pokemon, making it usually inferior to other sweepers or cleaners like Darmanitan. It can be useful, however, as it resists most priority moves outside of Sucker Punch, making it harder to revenge kill. An Assault Vest set may seem appealing due to it's better special bulk and the ability to run 4 attacks, and it also makes Metagross a better Pursuit user thanks to the added bulk, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by continued switchins and hazards. A dedicated Stealth Rock lead set with a moveset of Stealth Rock, Meteor Mash, Bullet Punch, and Explosion or Hidden Power Fire can be used as Metagross has a decent matchup against leads like Azelf and Aerodactyl due to hitting hard and having priority.

• Again, this is all fine but needs to be trimmed a bit. You mention 4MSS quite a lot, and it gets repetitive.
• Instead of mentioning HP Fire on its own, I'd say "A mixed set with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire can lure some of Metagross' common counters, such as Swampert, Doublade and Forretress, but is less generally useful than the other sets."
• Re: Agility, I'd just say that it may seem like a good idea, but it generally struggles to break through bulky Waters and defensive walls.
• I don't really like the dedicated lead option - it's slow, loses to Taunt and both Azelf and lead Aero commonly run Fire Blast. I'd just cut it out entirely.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and with their good physical defense, can take a Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well, and a Choice Band Explosion can do a ton to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and can heal the damage off due to Regnergator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross' moves as well and potenitally set up Calm Minds on it, and can Rest the damage off as well. Slowking resists both of Metagross' STAB moves and has Regenerator to repeatedly switch in, but it fears taking an Explosion due to it's lower physical bulk.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high physical defense, and can proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants in, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being killed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch, and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron switch into Metagross' STAB moves and can set up Stealth Rocks on it, or hit Metagross or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross' hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to kill Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants, and most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to it's power, but they can revenge him easily.

Nicely done - my main concern was just that it is a bit long, and most sections can be trimmed a bit, but the content was well done. Make these changes and you've got your third check! 3/3

 

[Cheryl.]

Implemented, ready for GP checks n_n

 

[Sobi]

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[OVERVIEW]

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU thanks to its Steel(space)/(space)Psychic typing that lets it check Rock-, Fairy- and Flying-types,(AC) and its excellent Attack,(AC) and its hard-hitting (or some sort of adjective) STABs moves. Unfortunately, its low base 70 Speed means it can struggle against other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and it finds itself checked by the bulky and omnipresent Ground- and Water-types that are omnipresent in the tier. It also faces heavy competition from Cobalion, whose Speed, Dark resistance,(AC) and access to moves like Swords Dance makes can make it easier to fit on most teams.

[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Exposion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an essential tool move on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it, as it threatens many spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon ("spinners" - Tentacruel, "Defoggers" - Empoleon, not the other way round) Empoleon and Tentacruel. Meteor Mash is Metagross's main STAB attack, hitting a good amount of the tier for good (different adjective here since you just used good) neutral coverage, (RC) and it also hits also hitting Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon for decent damage, (RC) and has good coverage alongside Meteor Mash. Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky Water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky Water-types neutrally and hits Fighting- and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it doesn't have hit as hard as the nuking effect of Explosion. Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff, rather than taking take (I kinda get what you mean here, but it still sounds confusing) damage from Drain Punch. Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but it leaves Metagross walled by Doublade and lowers it's (remove apo) Speed stat, making it extremely slow.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack EVs maximizes augment (either this because you said "Maximum Attack EVs" and saying "maximum/maximize" again sounds really weird, or "maximize") Metagross's offensive potential, and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants, while also outspeeding outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and Nidoqueen. Life Orb makes Metagross pretty very powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky Water-types, but it can leave him getting worn down easily. Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the likes of Mamoswine and also helps Metagross in the matchup against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross not be burnt by prevent the burn from Scald users like Suicune so that it can to explode on them safely use Explosion on them. However, it lacks the power of a Life Orb-boosted Explosion. Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and it also allows him to not be revenged by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secondary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

Usage Tips
========

Metagross should be sent out on the Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Florges, (RC) and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support it's (remove apo) team. Meteor Mash is a pretty safe move to use, as it is Metagross' strongest STAB moves and boasts a chance to boost it's Attack stat. Explosion is a great way to punch through bulky Water-types once Metagross has done its job. (This tells me nothing about HOW Metagross should be used; both of these points were mentioned and also belong in Moves. This section should be used to talk about: when to send out this Pokemon and why, the Pokemon's role and tips specific to it, not what its moves do. The last sentence is meh, it kinda relates to what I said, but the previous one needs to be reworded imo and also looks really bare atm)

Team Options
========

Metagross fits best on offensive teams, as bulkier teams prefer a more reliable Stealth Rock setter. So, Therefore, more offensive teammates (like?) for Metagross are preferred over defensive ones. Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross (why do they appreciate it?). Teammates that can handle bulky Water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Water absorbers like Toxicroak, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but they are still useful as Metagross can only use Explosion once. Metagross invites can't do much to Forretress, so it can just to set up hazards in front of it; (comma to semicolon) so hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out this problem. Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness, and Metagross appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist all the types that Metagross is weak to. If Metagross runs Explosion, teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky Water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offense, a playstyle which that Metagross can have trouble keeping up with.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Meteor Mash is the main STAB move, hitting quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and boasting a chance to raise Metagross's Attack. Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron for good damage. Zen Headbutt hits bulky Water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Fighting- (AH) and Poison-types hard. Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to non-resistant Pokemon that don't resist it. It also lets a teammate get in safely without sacrificing momentum. Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switch-ins (AH) such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band. Bullet Punch can pick off or and revenge kill fast or frail (either this, or "pick off or revenge kill fast and frail, not fond of two "and"'s so close to each other) attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl, (RC) and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into, (RC) and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment makes Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and lets it Speed tie with other neutral base 70's, also allowing it to outspeed threats like Jolly Crawdaunt. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and OHKO it. However, Jolly Mamoswine, which is the more common variant of Mamoswine, still outspeeds Metagross and OHKOes it too, so it's usually not worth it.

Usage Tips
========

Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with it's (remove apo) STAB moves and coverage. This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types. This variant of Metagross is a bit prediction-reliant, as none of it's moves like are the best to be locked into, especially if the opponent has a resist to foe resists them. Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if he it doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting him it do massive damage to a non-resistant Pokemon that doesn't resist it and let another teammate come in safely.

Team Options
========

VoltTurn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to be switched in safely, and the VoltTurners users also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks. While this set has an easier time against bulky Water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon like Whimsicott and Heliolisk synergize well with Metagross. Fast cleaners, such as Mega Aerodactyl, appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Pursuit may seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross's 4MSS, it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier. Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky Water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage, but Zen Headbutt, which also hits bulky Water-types and more, somewhat outclasses it. A mixed set with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire can lure some of Metagross's common counters, such as Swampert, Doublade and Forretress, but is less generally useful than the other sets. Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross's other coverage options due to it not hitting Swampert or other bulky Ground-types on their weaker Special Defense side. An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but suffers from being unable to break through bulky Water-types and other defensive walls. An Assault Vest set may seem appealing due to it's (remove apo) better special bulk letting it check threats like Sylveon, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by continued switchins and hazards. hazards and constantly switching in.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and with their good physical Defense, can take a Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well, and a Choice Band Explosion can do a ton to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and can heal the damage off due to Regnergator Regenerator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross's moves as well and potenitally set up Calm Minds on it, and can Rest heal the damage off as well. Slowking resists both of Metagross's STAB moves and has Regenerator to repeatedly switch in, but it fears taking an Explosion due to it's (remove apo) lower physical bulk.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high physical Defense, and can proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants in, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being killed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch, (RC) and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron can switch into Metagross's STAB moves, (AC) and can set up Stealth Rocks on it, or hit Metagross, (AC) or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross's hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to kill Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants, and most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to it's (remove apo) power, but they can revenge kill it him easily.

 

[Cheryl.]

Everything has been added

E: Also added Walrein's changes

 

[Ampharos]

hi friend have another amcheck
add (AC = Add Comma)
remove (RC = Remove Comma)
comments (VTA = Verb Tense Agreement)

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[OVERVIEW]

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU thanks to its Steel / Psychic typing that lets it check Rock-, Fairy- and Flying-types, its excellent Attack, and its hard-hitting STAB moves. Unfortunately, its low base 70 Speed means it can struggle against other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and it finds itself checked by the bulky and omnipresent Ground- and Water-types in the tier. It also faces heavy competition from Cobalion, whose Speed, Dark resistance, and access to moves like Swords Dance makes it easier to fit on most teams.

[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Exposion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an essential move on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it, as it threatens many spinners and Defoggers, (RC) such as Tentacruel and Empoleon. Meteor Mash is Metagross's main STAB attack, hitting a good amount of the tier for decent neutral coverage and also giving it decent neutral coverage against a large amount of the tier as well as (flows better) hitting Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon for decent damage and has provides good coverage alongside Meteor Mash. Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky Water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky Water-types neutrally and hits Fighting- and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it doesn't hit as hard as Explosion. Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff, rather than take and avoid taking damage from Drain Punch. Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but it leaves Metagross walled by Doublade and lowers its Speed stat, making it extremely slow.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack EVs augment Metagross's offensive potential, and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants, (RC) while also outspeeding (VTA) Jolly Crawdaunt and Nidoqueen. Life Orb makes Metagross very powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky Water-types, but it can leave him getting worn down wear him down (much less awkward) easily. Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the likes of Mamoswine and also helps Metagross in the matchup helping (VTA) against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross prevent the burn from Scald users like Suicune so that it can use Explosion on them. However, but (grammatically fine, but following two consecutive sentences with the same "However" aside is a bit awkward) it lacks the power of a Life Orb-boosted Explosion. Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and it also allows him to not be revenged prevents him from being revenged killed by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secondary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

Usage Tips
========

Metagross should be sent out switch in (passive->active voice)on the Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Florges and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support it's its team. Once it has set up Stealth Rock, Metagross can proceed to attack the opposing team with its powerful moves before finishing off with Explosion when it has done it's job to punch through walls, mainly bulky Water-types. it's done punching through walls—mainly bulky Water types. (mostly an awkwardness change, probably still not perfect)

Team Options
========

Metagross fits best on offensive teams, as bulkier teams prefer a more reliable Stealth Rock setter. Therefore, more offensive teammates like Mienshao and offensive Roserade are preferred over defensive ones. Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross because they are checked by both of these Pokemon. Teammates that can handle bulky Water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Water absorbers Pokemon with Water Absorb like Toxicroak, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but they are still useful as Metagross can only use Explosion once. Metagross can't do much to Forretress, so it which (clarity) can just set up hazards in front of it; hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out combat (flows better) this problem. Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross both takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness, (RC) and Metagross (helps reduce redundancy) appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist all the types that Metagross is weak to. If Metagross runs Explosion, teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky Water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offense offensive teams (clarity), a playstyle that Metagross can have trouble keeping up with.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Meteor Mash is the main STAB move, hitting quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and boasting possessing ("boasting" doesn't quite fit here) a chance to raise Metagross's Attack. Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron for good damage ("for good damage" might be unnecessary but I'll leave that up to you). Zen Headbutt hits bulky Water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Fighting- and Poison-types hard. Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to Pokemon that don't resist it. It also lets a teammate get switch in safely without sacrificing momentum. Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switch-ins such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band. Bullet Punch can pick off and revenge kill fast or frail attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment makes lets (to avoid redundancy) Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and lets it Speed tie with other neutral base 70's, (RC); this also allowing allows it to outspeed threats like Jolly Crawdaunt. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and OHKO it. However, Jolly Mamoswine, (RC)—the more common variant of Mamoswine, (RC)—still outspeeds Metagross and OHKOs it too, so it's usually not worth it.

Usage Tips
========

Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with its STABs STAB moves and coverage. This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types. This variant of Metagross is a bit prediction-reliant, as none of it's its moves are the best to be locked into, especially if the foe resists them. Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if he doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting him do massive damage to a Pokemon that don't doesn't (VTA) resist it and let another teammate come switch in safely.

Team Options
========

VoltTurn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to be switched switch in safely, and; the VoltTurn users also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks. While this set has an easier time against bulky Water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon like Whimsicott and Heliolisk synergize well with Metagross (consider another way of phrasing this since you just opened the paragraph with "Pokemon like X and Y synergize well with Metagross"). Fast cleaners, (RC) such as Mega Aerodactyl, (RC) appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire-type check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Pursuit may seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross's 4MSS Four Moveslot Syndrome (clarity, just because I've never seen that acronym before; if it's a commonly used acronym I apologize), it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier. Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky Water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage, but Zen Headbutt, which also hits bulky Water-types, somewhat outclasses it. A mixed set with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire can lure some of Metagross's common counters, such as Swampert, Doublade and Forretress, but is less generally useful than the other sets. Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross's other coverage options due to it not hitting Swampert or other bulky Ground-types on their weaker Special Defense side. An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but suffers from being unable to break through bulky Water-types and other defensive walls. An Assault Vest set may seem appealing due to its better (better than what?) special bulk letting it check threats like Sylveon, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by hazards and constantly switching in.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and with their good Defense, (RC) can take a Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well, and; additionally, a Choice Band Explosion can do a ton to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and can heal the damage off due to Regenerator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross's moves as well and potentially set up Calm Minds on it, and can heal the damage off as well. Slowking resists both of Metagross's STAB moves and has Regenerator to repeatedly switch in, but it fears taking an Explosion due to its lower physical bulk.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high Defense, (RC) and can proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants in, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being killed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron can switch into Metagross's STAB moves, can and set up Stealth Rocks on it, hit Metagross, or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross's hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to kill Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants, and most. Most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to its power, but they can revenge kill it easily.

 

[Max Exp. Trainer]

It's a great post, since mainly I use metagross anywhere I can, from Ubers to UU, and this can really help out others who want to read in depth about one of the best mons in the metagame. idk if I make a difference saying so I loved it n_n

 

[GatoDelFuego]

BrandonBeast

REMOVE CHANGE COMMENTS

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU thanks to its Steel / Psychic typing that lets it check Rock-, Fairy-, (AC) and Flying-types, its excellent Attack, and its hard-hitting STAB moves. Unfortunately, its low base 70 Speed means it can struggle against other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and it finds itself checked by the bulky and omnipresent Ground- and Water-types in the tier. It also faces heavy competition from Cobalion, whose which has higher can't say "who" in an analysis Speed, a Dark resistance, and access to moves like Swords Dance that makes it easier to fit on most teams.

[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Explosion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an essential move on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it, as it threatens many spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon. Meteor Mash is Metagross's main STAB attack, giving it decent neutral coverage against a large amount of the tier as well as hitting Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon for decent damage and provides good coverage alongside Meteor Mash. Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky Water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky Water-types neutrally and hits Fighting- and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it doesn't hit as hard as Explosion. Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff and avoid taking damage from Drain Punch. Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but it the move "it" refers to both Metagross and Hammer Arm here leaves Metagross walled by Doublade and lowers its Speed stat, making it extremely slow.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack EVs augment Metagross's offensive potential and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants, while "while" after a comma is "whereas" also outspeeding letting Metagross outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and Nidoqueen. Life Orb makes Metagross very powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky Water-types, but it can wear him Metagross down. Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the likes of Mamoswine and helping against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross prevent the burn from Scald users like Suicune so that it can use Explosion on them, but it means Metagross lacks the power of a Life Orb-boosted Explosion. Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and it also prevents him Metagross from being revenge killed by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secondary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

Usage Tips
========

Metagross should be switched in on Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Sylveon and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support its team. Once it has set up Stealth Rock, Metagross can proceed to attack the opposing team with its powerful moves before finishing off with Explosion when it's done punching through walls—mainly bulky water-types.

Team Options
========

Metagross fits best on offensive teams, as bulkier teams prefer a more reliable Stealth Rock setter. Therefore, more offensive teammates like Mienshao and offensive Roserade are preferred over defensive ones. Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross because they are checked by both of these Pokemon. Teammates that can handle bulky Water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Pokemon with Water Absorb or Dry Skin like Toxicroak, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but they are still useful as Metagross can only use Explosion once. Metagross can't do much to Forretress, so it can just set up entry hazards in front of it Metagross; hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out this problem. Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross both takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness and appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist all the types that Metagross is weak to. If Metagross runs Explosion, teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky Water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offensive teams, a playstyle that Metagross can have trouble keeping up with.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Meteor Mash is the main STAB move, hitting hits quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and possessing possesses a chance to raise Metagross's Attack. Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Empoleon for decent damage. Zen Headbutt hits bulky Water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Fighting- and Poison-types hard. Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to Pokemon that don't resist it. It also lets a teammate switch in safely without sacrificing momentum. Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switch-ins such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band. Bullet Punch can pick off and revenge kill fast or frail attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment lets Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and Speed tie with other neutral base 70 Speed Pokemon; this also allows it to outspeed threats like such as Jolly Crawdaunt. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and OHKO it. However, Jolly Mamoswine—the more common variant of Mamoswine—still outspeeds and OHKOes Metagross and OHKOes it too, so it's usually not worth it.

Usage Tips
========

Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with its STAB moves and coverage. This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types. This variant of Metagross is a bit prediction reliant, no hyphen in compound adjectives following the noun as none of its moves are the best to be locked into, especially if the foe resists them. Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if he it doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting him Metagross do massive damage to a Pokemon that doesn't resist it and let another teammate switch in safely.

Team Options
========

VoltTurn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to switch in safely; the VoltTurn users also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks. While this set has an easier time against bulky Water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon what kind of Pokemon? Can't find a link between these two like Whimsicott and Heliolisk partner up well with Metagross. Fast cleaners such as Mega Aerodactyl appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire-type check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Pursuit may might seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross's four-moveslot Syndrome, it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier. Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky Water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage, but Zen Headbutt, which also hits bulky Water-types, somewhat outclasses it. A mixed set with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire can lure some of Metagross's common counters, such as Swampert, Doublade and Forretress, but is less generally useful than the other sets. Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross's other coverage options due to not hitting Swampert or other bulky Ground-types on their weaker Special Defense side. An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but suffers from being unable to break through bulky Water-types and other defensive walls. An Assault Vest set may might seem appealing due to its special bulk letting it check threats like Sylveon, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by hazards and constantly switching in.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and with their good Defense can take a Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well; additionally, a Choice Band-boosted Explosion can do a ton of damage to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and heal the damage off due to Regenerator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross's moves as well and potentially set up Calm Minds on it, and can heal the damage off as well. Slowking resists both of Metagross's STAB moves and has Regenerator to repeatedly switch in, but it fears taking an Explosion due to its lower physical bulk.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high Defense and proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being killed KOed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron can switch into Metagross's STAB moves and set up Stealth Rocks on it, hit Metagross, or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross's hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to kill KO Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants. Most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to its power, but they can revenge kill it easily.

1/2

Walrein check out anything you missed here! But good work :)

 

[Cheryl.]

Implemented the check

 

[Haund]

add remove comments

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Metagross is a unique Pokemon in UU thanks to its Steel / Psychic typing that lets it check Rock-, Fairy-, and Flying-types, its excellent Attack, and its hard-hitting STAB moves. Unfortunately, its low base 70 Speed means it can struggle against other offensive Pokemon, such as Mamoswine and Cobalion, and it finds itself checked by the bulky and omnipresent Ground- and Water-types in the tier. It also faces heavy competition from Cobalion, which has higher Speed, a Dark resistance, and access to moves like Swords Dance that makes it easier to fit on most teams.

[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Exposion / Zen Headbutt
item: Life Orb / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is an essential move on all competitive teams, and Metagross makes good use of it, as it threatens many spinners and Defoggers, such as Tentacruel and Empoleon. Meteor Mash is Metagross's main STAB attack, giving it decent neutral coverage against a large amount of the tier as well as hitting Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types like Florges for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Empoleon for decent damage and provides good coverage alongside Meteor Mash. Explosion is a good option in the last slot that makes Metagross go out with a bang, notably hitting bulky Water-types hard and preventing hazard removers like Tentacruel from removing Stealth Rock. Zen Headbutt can be used over Explosion as a secondary STAB move that hits bulky Water-types neutrally and hits Fighting- and Poison-types such as Tentacruel and Machamp for super effective damage. However, it doesn't hit as hard as Explosion. Bullet Punch is an option in the last slot in order to pick off or revenge kill weakened and frail threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. It's also very useful to pick off a weakened Slurpuff and avoid taking damage from Drain Punch. Hammer Arm is an option on sets that utilize Colbur Berry to lure in Hydreigon and Krookodile and hit them for great damage, but the move leaves Metagross walled by Doublade and lowers its Speed stat, making it extremely slow.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack EVs augment Metagross's offensive potential and maximum Speed investment helps Metagross more safely outspeed faster Suicune variants, (RC) while whereas also letting Metagross outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and Nidoqueen. Life Orb makes Metagross very powerful, which is useful to boost up Explosion's power against bulky Water-types, but the recoil damage it can wear it him down quickly. Shuca Berry is a good option, making Metagross a one-time check to the likes of Mamoswine and helping against Earthquake Mega Aerodactyl. Lum Berry works well with Explosion, helping Metagross prevent the burn from Scald users like Suicune so that it can use Explosion on them, but it means Metagross lacks the power of a Life Orb-boosted Explosion. Colbur Berry is a decent alternative item, helping Metagross out in the matchup versus Dark-types like Mega Absol, and it also prevents Metagross from being revenge killed by Sucker Punch users. However, it isn't as effective as Shuca Berry due to some Dark-types, like Mega Houndoom, having a secondary STAB move that hits Metagross hard.

Usage Tips
========

Metagross should be switched in on Pokemon it checks, such as Fairy-types like Sylveon and Rock-types like Mega Aerodactyl, and should set up Stealth Rock on the forced switch to support its team. Once it has set up Stealth Rock, Metagross can proceed to attack the opposing team with its powerful moves before finishing off with Explosion when its it's done punching through walls; mainly hitting bulky Water-types water-types.

Team Options
========

Metagross fits best on offensive teams, as bulkier teams prefer a more reliable Stealth Rock setter. Therefore, more offensive teammates like Mienshao and offensive Roserade are preferred over defensive ones. Teammates that appreciate having a check to Mega Aerodactyl or Florges, such as Mega Sceptile and Heliolisk, make for good partners to Metagross because they are checked by both of these Pokemon. Teammates that can handle bulky Water-types, such as Grass-types like Roserade or Pokemon with Water Absorb or Dry Skin like Toxicroak, make for good partners if Metagross is not running Explosion, but they are still useful because as Metagross can only use Explosion once. Metagross can't do much to Forretress, so it which can just set up entry hazards in front of Metagross; hazard removers that can beat Forretress like Tentacruel and Mega Blastoise are appreciated to help out this problem. Hydreigon is one of the best Metagross partners, as Metagross both takes care of Hydreigon's Fairy weakness and appreciates Hydreigon being able to resist all the types that Metagross is weak to. If Metagross runs Explosion, teammates that can appreciate Metagross crippling bulky Water-types with Explosion, such as Mega Aerodactyl and Choice Scarf Mienshao, can make for good partners. These teammates can also help out against offensive teams, a playstyle that Metagross can have trouble keeping up with.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Meteor Mash hits quite hard with a Choice Band equipped and possesses a chance to raise Metagross's Attack. Earthquake is important to hit Steel-types like Cobalion and Empoleon for decent damage. Zen Headbutt hits bulky Water-types like Jellicent and Milotic for good damage and hits Fighting- and Poison-types hard. Explosion lets Metagross go out with a bang, dealing huge damage to Pokemon that don't resist it. It also lets a teammate switch in safely without sacrificing momentum. Trick is a decent option over Explosion, letting Metagross cripple switch-ins such as Suicune by Tricking them a Choice Band. Bullet Punch can pick off and revenge kill fast or frail attackers like Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl and can also stop a Slurpuff sweep. However, it isn't the best move to be locked into and doesn't have the wallbreaking utility that Trick or Explosion has.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack investment with a Choice Band makes Metagross a very powerful wallbreaker. Maximum Speed investment lets Metagross outspeed all relevant walls and Speed tie with other neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon; this also allows it to outspeed threats such as Jolly Crawdaunt. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and OHKO it. However, Jolly Mamoswine—the most common variant of Mamoswine—still outspeeds Mamoswine; the more common variant of Mamoswine; still outspeeds and OHKOes Metagross, so it's usually not worth it.

Usage Tips
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Choice Band Metagross should be played as a wallbreaker, breaking apart bulky Pokemon with its STAB moves and coverage. This set fits well on offensive teams that want a wallbreaker with some defensive utility in checking Mega Aerodactyl and Fairy-types. This variant of Metagross is a bit reliant on prediction reliant, as none of its moves are the best to be locked into, especially if the foe resists them. Explosion is a great move to use if Metagross is weakened or if it doesn't have much of a use in the game, letting Metagross do massive damage to a Pokemon that doesn't resist it and let another teammate switch in safely.

Team Options
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VoltTurn Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Heliolisk and Hydreigon synergize well with Choice Band Metagross, as Metagross likes to switch in safely; they VoltTurn users also appreciate Metagross breaking down their checks and counters with Choice Band-boosted attacks. While this set has an easier time against bulky Water-types due to the power of Choice Band and Explosion, Metagross still wants an answer to them, so Pokemon that can check these Water-types such as Toxicroak and Heliolisk partner up well with Metagross. Fast cleaners such as Mega Aerodactyl appreciate Metagross wearing down their checks and counters, and Mega Aerodactyl also can act as a soft Fire-type check if it runs Roost.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Pursuit might seem like an appealing option for Metagross at first, as it can Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Alakazam and take them down or do severe damage to them. It could also cause mind games with Bullet Punch + Pursuit for Alakazam, but the reality is that with Metagross's four-moveslot syndrome Syndrome, it has no room for Pursuit, and there are better users of the move, such as Doublade and Escavalier. Thunder Punch is an option to hit bulky Water-types, notably Gyarados, for good damage, but Zen Headbutt, which also hits bulky Water-types, somewhat outclasses it. A mixed set with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire can lure some of Metagross's common counters, such as Swampert, Doublade and Forretress, but is less generally useful than the other sets. Ice Punch hits bulky Ground-types like Gligar for big damage, but it's usually inferior to Metagross's other coverage options due to not hitting Swampert or other bulky Ground-types on their weaker Special Defense side. An Agility set can have some use as a late-game cleaner, but Metagross then suffers from being unable to break through bulky Water-types and other defensive walls. An Assault Vest set might seem appealing due to its special bulk, (AC) letting it check threats like Sylveon, but it takes away the utility of Stealth Rock and isn't very powerful. It also can get worn down quickly by hazards and constantly switching in.

Checks and Counters
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**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types are reliable Metagross checks, as they resist Meteor Mash and with their good Defense can allows them to take a Zen Headbutt or Earthquake well. However, they have to watch out for Thunder Punch, and Swampert needs to look out for Grass Knot as well; additionally, a Choice Band-boosted Explosion can do a ton of damage to them. Jellicent only has to fear Choice Band Zen Headbutt, and Alomomola can take an Explosion and heal the damage off due to Regenerator, only being really crippled by Trick. Suicune can take any of Metagross's moves as well and potentially set up Calm Minds on it, and it can heal the damage off as well. Slowking resists both of Metagross's STAB moves and has Regenerator to repeatedly switch in, but it fears taking an Explosion due to its lower physical bulk.

**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gligar and Donphan can switch into Metagross due to their high Defense and proceed to set up Stealth Rock or hit Metagross with a super effective Earthquake. They do have to watch out for Grass Knot variants, especially in Swampert's case, and Mamoswine is not a check due to being KOed by Meteor Mash or being picked off by Bullet Punch and is checked by Shuca Berry variants of Metagross. Explosion also does a ton to them and prevents Gligar and Donphan from clearing hazards.

**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types like Cobalion and Mega Aggron can switch into Metagross's STAB moves and set up Stealth Rock on it, hit Metagross, or cripple it with Thunder Wave in Mega Aggron's case. While Metagross can hit them with Earthquake, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix are bulky enough to scoff it off, and Cobalion commonly runs Shuca Berry as well. Forretress doesn't take much from Earthquake and can Rapid Spin Metagross's hazards away, only having to fear Hidden Power Fire variants.

**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Entei threaten Metagross immensely with their STAB moves being able to KO Metagross easily, but they do have to fear for Earthquake on the switch.

**Dark-types**: Like Fire-types, Dark-types like Mega Absol threaten Metagross with their STAB moves, but they have to watch out for Colbur Berry variants. Most of them cannot switch into Metagross due to its power, but they can revenge kill it easily.

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[Cheryl.]

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[IronBullet]

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