Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Yawn
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock / Earthquake
- Rock Tomb
Hippowdon is a hard counter to Mega Charizard X, and a solid check to Mega Charizard Y. However, Hippowdon is also able to switch these roles quite easily. Depending on Hippowdon's investment, either physical or special, it will be a solid counter to one or the other. This is where the rest of your team comes in! If your team struggles with Char X, then run Defense; if your team struggles with Char Y, then run Special Defense! Hippowdown is typically better suited to take on physical attacks, however, because Rock Tomb KOes Char Y. Anyways, about Hippowdon itself! Rock Tomb catches both on the switch, and Stealth Rock is nice when Hippowdon forces them out with Yawn. Flare Blitz has no chance to 2HKO Hippowdon, while Outrage does the exact same amount. +2 Flare Blitz is not a guaranteed OHKO either. Fire Blast, however, does 2HKO even in Sand. The reason Hippowdon is such a great check is because it can then pivot into a Water-type to take on Charizard Y, as Sand cancels it out. It's rough to predict, admittedly, and Hippowdon absolutely requires teammates to take on the other one if you're using it as your primary check all. Either way, Hippowdon is an excellent stop to them both and should be classified as a check for both, and a counter for both, because it can potentially do one or the other (but not both, sadly).