[OVERVIEW]
Steelix receives notable boosts to its Attack, Defense, and Special Defense upon Mega Evolution. Most importantly, its Defense reaches a monstrous base 230 stat, tied for the highest in the game. This couples nicely with its excellent defensive typing in Steel / Ground, granting Mega Steelix eight resistances and two immunities, including a notable immunity to Toxic Spikes. These attributes combine to make Mega Steelix a solid Stealth Rock setter and a reliable physical wall against Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. However, Mega Steelix faces stiff competition for slots on UU teams given that Mega Aggron plays a similar role while possessing similar bulk and a much better ability in Filter. Mega Steelix's main selling points over Mega Aggron include its ability to block Volt Switch and marginally better offensive capabilities with its STAB Earthquake. While it is viable in its own right, Mega Steelix should really only be used over Mega Aggron if the rest of the team lacks a Ground-type to block Volt Switch, though it does find itself weak to coverage moves of some of the more common Volt Switch users in Mega Manectric and Rotom-W. Mega Steelix's main drawbacks include its lack of recovery, often forcing it to rely on Wish passing teammates to keep it healthy throughout a match, and lower Special Defense and Speed stats than it would prefer, leaving it with merely average special bulk and outsped by most other defensive Pokemon. Lastly, while Steel / Ground is a solid defensive typing, it does leave Mega Steelix weak to common offensive types such as Water, Fighting, and Ground, preventing it from reliably checking some physical threats like Crawdaunt, Terrakion, and Mamoswine.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Heavy Slam
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Toxic
item: Steelixite
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Heavy Slam is Mega Steelix's main STAB move, dealing huge damage to common targets such as Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Altaria, and Sylveon. Earthquake is a strong secondary STAB option, letting Mega Steelix threaten Electric-, Fire-, and Steel-types like Mega Manectric, Chandelure, and Cobalion that do not fear Heavy Slam. Stealth Rock is essential for every competitive team, helping to punish opposing switches with passive damage. Mega Steelix is a strong and reliable setter due to its fantastic bulk and defensive typing. Toxic lets Mega Steelix pressure Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Hippowdon, and Mantine that otherwise completely wall it. Roar is an option over Toxic that can rack up entry hazard damage on foes with Stealth Rock set up, but Toxic is generally a superior option, as it makes Mega Steelix less passive against other bulky Pokemon.
Set Details
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Maximum investment in HP improves Mega Steelix's overall bulk as much as possible. 56 Defense EVs with an Impish nature hit a jump point, making the most of its ridiculous Defense stat while allowing it to shore up its comparatively low Special Defense with the remaining EVs. While more prevalent if it is running Roar, Sturdy lets Steelix act as a panic button check to a threatening sweeper if it has yet to Mega Evolve and is at full HP. Steelixite is necessary for Steelix to Mega Evolve.
Usage Tips
========
Send in Steelix early-game to Mega Evolve as soon as possible and attain its various stat boosts, set up Stealth Rock to rack up entry hazard damage, and spread Toxic on the opposing team. However, if Steelix is at full HP and has yet to Mega Evolve, and an opposing sweeper threatens to plow through the rest of the team, Steelix can act as a one-time panic check, as it can take any one hit with Sturdy and proceed to do damage back or phaze the foe with Roar if running it. Take advantage of Mega Steelix's fantastic physical bulk and defensive typing by switching it in to check threats such as Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. Switch Mega Steelix into predicted Volt Switch to halt opposing offensive momentum and pivot out afterwards, but be wary of super effective coverage moves such as Mega Manectric's Fire moves and Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. Mega Steelix possesses no means of recovery, so heal it up with a teammate's Wish if it finds itself too weak to handle opposing threats, provided that an ideal opportunity presents itself.
Team Options
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Mega Steelix fits best on bulky balance and stall teams, as they appreciate its strong defensive typing, monstrous physical bulk, its ability to reliably set up Stealth Rock, and its ability to pressure other bulky Pokemon like Rotom-W and Mantine with Toxic. Given Mega Steelix's lack of recovery, Wish support is greatly appreciated from Pokemon such as Alomomola and Sylveon; the former can also help alleviate some of the pressure placed on Mega Steelix by threats like Mega Aerodactyl. Water-types such as Mantine and the aforementioned Alomomola make for great partners, as they can cover Mega Steelix's weakness to Water and Fire moves, while Mega Steelix can absorb the Electric moves aimed at them. Water-types also do a decent job of fending off threatening Ground-types with their super effective STAB moves. Entry hazard removers such as Mandibuzz and Togekiss are essential in clearing the Spikes that whittle down Mega Steelix throughout the course of a match. Special walls like Blissey and Alolan Muk pair nicely, as they can cover Mega Steelix's lackluster special bulk, and on the flip side, Mega Steelix can take many of the physical hits they hate. Dragon-types like Latias and Hydreigon appreciate Mega Steelix's ability to combat Fairy-types like Sylveon that threaten them, and they can switch in on Water, Ground, and Fire attacks aimed at Mega Steelix.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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A set fully investing in HP and Special Defense with a Careful nature is an option to improve Mega Steelix's somewhat shaky matchup against special attackers like Mega Manectric, though a bit of Defense investment with a beneficial nature is preferred, as it makes the most of Mega Steelix's monstrous Defense stat. Fire Fang can be used over Toxic to threaten Scizor if the rest of the team struggles with it, but it has extremely little utility otherwise.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Mega Blastoise, Rotom-W, and Swampert fear little from Mega Steelix outside of Toxic and threaten it out with their Water STAB moves.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Mega Steelix possesses average special bulk and thus fears strong special attackers like Nidoking, Choice Specs Hydreigon, and Chandelure, though they must watch out for Mega Steelix's powerful Heavy Slam and Earthquake.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Infernape and Heracross can deal large amounts of damage to Mega Steelix, even through its massive Defense stat, but they often must come in on free switches, as they take a solid amount of damage from Mega Steelix's attacking moves.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Gliscor and Krookodile can deal super effective damage to Mega Steelix and fear relatively little from its attacking moves.
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