[OVERVIEW]
With a seemingly average defensive and offensive typing, Mega Venusaur may not seem like much, and, to be fair, this instantaneous critique isn't completely unjust. Mega Venusaur's defensive typing leaves it weak to the relatively common Flying- and Psychic-type moves in the OU metagame, which makes Mega Venusaur a liability when facing many common OU threats, including Latios, Mega Metagross, Mega Alakazam, Talonflame, and Tornadus-T, while its offensive typing makes it easily switched into by prevalent bulky Steel-types such as Jirachi, Mega Metagross, and Heatran. Furthermore, as a Mega Evolution, Mega Venusaur lacks Leftovers recovery, and, as a Pokemon with only Synthesis for reliable recovery, it is heavily hurt by sand and rain as well as entry hazards, thus making up a Pokemon very easily worn down.
Nevertheless, because of Mega Venusaur's defensive and offensive capabilities, it is a standard Pokemon on stall, balanced, and bulky offensive teams. Its defensive typing is perhaps its biggest asset, giving it resistances to Fighting-, Grass-, Water-, Electric-, and Fairy-type moves, and in tandem with its ability Thick Fat and impeccable bulk, it allows Mega Venusaur to check many common threats in OU, including Keldeo, Mega Altaria, Azumarill, Pursuit Bisharp, Clefable, Mega Diancie, Mega Gyarados, Landorus-T, Mega Lopunny, Ferrothorn, and Mega Manectric. Mega Venusaur is also relatively versatile, capable of running an offensive set, more suited to switching into and checking foes with offensive force, or a defensive set that is used more for hard walling threats.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Synthesis
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Giga Drain allows Mega Venusaur to check Pokemon such as Keldeo, Azumarill, Mega Diancie, and Landorus-T while simultaneously recovering lost HP. Sludge Bomb is a more powerful STAB move that lets Venusaur check Grass- and Fairy-type Pokemon, including Celebi, Breloom, Azumarill, Mega Altaria, and Clefable. It's also a great move to use on a predicted switch, as many Pokemon capable of switching into a Giga Drain and forcing Mega Venusaur out, such as Life Orb Tornadus-T, Latios, Thundurus, Mega Pinsir, and Talonflame, are crippled by Sludge Bomb. Hidden Power Fire lets Venusaur handle the Pokemon that don't mind Giga Drain or Sludge Bomb, including Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Synthesis gives Mega Venusaur semi-reliable recovery, which lets it continually tank hits.
Set Details
========
20 Speed EVs are used to outpace Adamant maximum Speed Azumarill accounting for Hidden Power Fire's IV drop. Maximum EVs are used in Special Attack to allow Mega Venusaur to hit as hard as possible. The rest of the EVs are put in HP so that Mega Venusaur can take hits as well as possible. 100 Speed EVs can be used to outpace Jolly Azumarill, but be aware that this cuts harshly into Mega Venusaur's bulk and that Jolly Azumarill is very rare. Chlorophyll allows Mega Venusaur to revenge kill Pokemon on the turn in Mega Evolves if it is in the sun.
Usage Tips
========
Your first goal when playing Venusaur should be to Mega Evolve as soon as possible, as without being Mega Evolved, Venusaur is hit super effectively by Fire- and Ice-type moves and also has far less bulk. Mega Venusaur does have good bulk, but it's imperative not to switch Mega Venusaur into Pokemon, even those handled by its typing, unless there wouldn't be any negative consequences or the situation is dire. Mega Venusaur has the freedom to switch into Clefable, Rotom-W, Keldeo, Alomomola, Landorus-T, Mega Manectric, and Azumarill, but it needs to be extremely wary of getting worn down, largely from the foe using U-turn or Volt Switch on it, burns, and switching Mega Venusaur into Stealth Rock. Because Mega Venusaur lacks Leftovers recovery, it gets worn down quickly from all of these elements, which severely cuts into its longevity. If you can, avoid switching Mega Venusaur directly into anything, and instead check threats when given a free switch. When selecting a move to use, Giga Drain is your best friend; Mega Venusaur is worn down quickly and really appreciates the recovery Giga Drain gives it. If you get Mega Venusaur in safely and see a Flying- or Dragon-type capable of switching into a Giga Drain and checking Mega Venusaur, use Sludge Bomb, as it does a surprising amount of damage to these potential checks. Additionally, while you can always switch Mega Venusaur safely into Ferrothorn, remember that Mega Venusaur cannot OHKO it with Hidden Power Fire. Overall, your goal with Mega Venusaur should be to switch into Pokemon it beats, deal massive damage, heal, and then switch out before it takes excessive damage. You have to be really careful with Mega Venusaur, because if you play recklessly, Pokemon that Mega Venusaur should be able to beat, such as Mega Diancie, can beat Mega Venusaur instead.
Team Options
========
Mega Venusaur absolutely despises being burned by Rotom-W and Keldeo, so Heal Bell or Aromatherapy users and burn absorbers such as Celebi, Clefable, Reuniclus, and Starmie are practically mandatory teammates. Celebi doubles as a counter to both Rotom-W and Keldeo, so it also can take the strain off of Mega Venusaur to deal with these Pokemon. Healing Wish Latias can also prove to be a great teammate, potentially healing Mega Venusaur of any unwanted burns while recovering Mega Venusaur's HP. Mega Venusaur also despises having to take entry hazard damage because entry hazards cut into Mega Venusaur's longevity, which helps Landorus-T and Mega Diancie's beat it. Entry hazard removers such as Latias, Latios, Starmie, Zapdos, Mandibuzz, and Excadrill can therefore make for good teammates. Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Latios, Latias, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Alakazam also threaten Mega Venusaur. Bronzong can wall Latios, Latias, and Gardevoir, while Bisharp can deal with all of them with either Sucker Punch or Pursuit. Flying-types such as Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Tornadus-T are also a problem for Mega Venusaur. Rhyperior can deal with the former two as well as Superpower Tornadus-T, while Zapdos can check the latter two. Tyranitar may seem like a poor teammate, due to its sand nerfing Mega Venusaur's recovery, but Choice Scarf Tyranitar is actually a great one, eliminating Latios, Latias, and Starmie with Pursuit. Similarly to Tyranitar, Hippowdon may seem like a poor teammate because of Sand Stream, but, in reality, it's a great one, checking Flying-types and VoltTurn teams while appreciating Mega Venusaur's role as a Manaphy check. Additionally, to bypass the conflict between Sand Stream and Synthesis, try to use Sand Force Hippowdon when you're using it and Mega Venusaur on the same team.
Additionally, Scizor and Conkeldurr can deal with Kyurem-B for Mega Venusaur, while Manaphy, Slowbro, and Landorus-T can deal with Heatran. Chansey is exceptionally annoying for Mega Venusaur to deal with, and as such Victini, Heracross, and Trick Gothitelle can make for great teammates. Both offensive and defensive pivots are immensely useful, as they make it easier for Mega Venusaur to switch into moves and give it more time to use Synthesis, therefore bolstering its longevity. Slowbro and Slowking are useful as more defensive pivots with Regenerator, Assault Vest Tornadus-T acts as a defensive Regenerator pivot with U-turn, and Raikou, Scizor, Rotom-W, and Landorus-T can all act as offensive pivots. Essentially, any teammate capable of dealing with a Pokemon that Mega Venusaur cannot makes for a great teammate, as Mega Venusaur's defensive abilities can prove to be a win condition in some games.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Knock Off / Leech Seed
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 144 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Giga Drain lets Mega Venusaur check Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types such as Keldeo, Azumarill, Landorus-T, and Mega Diancie while recovering some of Mega Venusaur's health. Sludge Bomb acts as a much more powerful STAB move that in spite of the lack of Special Attack investment, can hit neutrally-damaged targets such as Mega Pinsir pretty hard. However, its main purpose is to allow Mega Venusaur to check Fairy- and Grass-types such as Clefable, Sylveon, Breloom, and Serperior. Synthesis provides semi-reliable recovery, which lets Mega Venusaur easily stall out many more Pokemon. Hidden Power Fire lets Mega Venusaur deal with Scizor and Ferrothorn, although Knock Off can be used instead to hurt Latios on the switch and to allow Mega Venusaur to check Gengar while removing its Life Orb. Leech Seed is another option, whittling away at a foe's HP while simultaneously recovering Venusaur's HP.
Set Details
========
20 Speed EVs are used outpace Adamant maximum Speed Azumarill accounting for Hidden Power Fire's IV drop. However, only 16 Speed EVs are needed if you choose to run Knock Off or Leech Seed. Maximum HP investment is used for better neutral bulk, and 144 Special Defense EVs are used to cushion powerful special attackers such as Keldeo, specifically allowing it to take one Life Orb-boosted Psychic from Alakazam. The rest of the EVs are put in Defense to allow maximum physical walling potential, while Chlorophyll allows Mega Venusaur to revenge kill Pokemon in the sun.
Usage Tips
========
Defensive Mega Venusaur is a lot bulkier than offensive Mega Venusaur, so it struggles less with taking passive damage. However, Stealth Rock damage and burns still bother it immensely and should be avoided at all costs. Regardless, countering Pokemon such as Attack-invested Mega Diancie, Earth Plate Landorus-T, and Life Orb Mamoswine is a lot easier now because of the the added bulk, which gives Mega Venusaur more wiggle room in taking entry hazard damage. Still, you should try to Mega Evolve as soon as possible, because not having Thick Fat while having lower defenses is not ideal for a wall. Once in, you should use the move that'll help the most in the given scenario. It'll usually be Giga Drain, because the name of the game when playing Mega Venusaur, especially defensive Mega Venusaur, is recovering health. However, don't be afraid to use one of your other moves, namely Sludge Bomb if you're expecting a Flying-, Grass-, Fairy-, or Dragon-type switch-in, Knock Off if you're expecting Latios, Latias, or Gengar, or Leech Seed if you're expecting anything other than a Grass-type. Also, remember that when defensive, Mega Venusaur loses a lot of its offensive prowess and thus cannot OHKO or 2HKO some Pokemon that it used to be able to, such as Mega Diancie, Landorus-T, and Mega Altaria.
Team Options
========
Heal Bell, Aromatherapy, Healing Wish, and burn absorption support is crucial for Mega Venusaur's success in OU, as it'll often find itself switching into Scald and possibly Will-O-Wisp, so Celebi, Starmie, Reuniclus, Clefable, and Latias can make for good teammates. Excadrill, Starmie, Latios, Latias, Zapdos, and Mandibuzz can all remove entry hazards, and therefore can act as useful teammates for Mega Venusaur, reducing the amount of passive damage it's forced to endure. Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Latios, Latias, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Alakazam all threaten Mega Venusaur immensely. Bronzong can wall Latios, Latias, and Gardevoir while Bisharp can deal with them all with Pursuit and Sucker Punch. Flying-types such as Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Tornadus-T are also a problem; to remedy this problem, Rhyperior can be used as a teammate to deal with the former two as well as Superpower Tornadus-T, while Zapdos can be used to check the latter two. Pokemon capable of dealing with Heatran, such as Manaphy, Slowbro, and Landorus-T, can also prove to be great teammates, as can Pokemon that are able to deal with Chansey, such as Gothitelle, Heracross, Victini, and Reuniclus.
Hippowdon can also act as a great teammate, checking Flying-types as well as VoltTurn teams, which are known for being able to wear Mega Venusaur down, while appreciating Mega Venusaur's ability to act as a Manaphy check. In spite of this, be aware that Sand Stream inhibits Mega Venusaur's recovery, so Sand Force is likely the best ability choice. Slowking, Slowbro, Assault Vest Tornadus-T, Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Raikou can all act as pivots that augment Mega Venusaur's recovering capacity. The first three are able pivots thanks to Regenerator, while the latter four are great because they have access to either U-turn or Volt Switch. Basically, any teammate capable of dealing with a Pokemon that Mega Venusaur cannot makes for a great teammate.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
########
Earthquake can be used on either of the standard sets to cripple Heatran, a very common switch-in. A Life Orb sun sweeper set with Growth can be effective when paired with Mega Charizard Y. Sleep Powder is an option for the defensive set to use on a predicted switch, incapacitating the switch-in and therefore allowing momentum to switch to the side of Mega Venusaur and its team. A Swords Dance set with Power Whip and one of Knock Off or Earthquake can turn Mega Venusaur into a devastating lure and a bulky setup sweeper.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: As long as Mega Venusaur isn't running Earthquake, Heatran will always be able to wall it. However, Leech Seed and Sleep Powder annoy Heatran, and, if it's merely a specially defensive variant, Heatran won't even be able to 3HKO Mega Venusaur. However, Mega Venusaur is unable to do over 10% to it with Giga Drain and is likely to get burned, so Heatran is nevertheless a very good switch-in. Other Fire-types, in spite of Mega Venusaur having Thick Fat as its ability, also deal with it pretty well, with Victini, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Charizard X all acting as solid checks to it.
**Flying-types**: Flying-types are capable of demolishing Mega Venusaur with their STAB moves. Tornadus-T, Togekiss, Talonflame, and Mega Pinsir are all capable of crippling Mega Venusaur with their STAB moves. However, it should be noted that a well-timed Sludge Bomb or Sleep Powder from Mega Venusaur annoys all of them.
**Psychic-types**: Mega Alakazam, Alakazam, Mega Medicham, Mega Gallade, Latios, Latias, Mega Latias, Reuniclus, and Mega Gardevoir all demolish Mega Venusaur with their STAB moves.
**Chansey**: Provided that Mega Venusaur isn't running Knock Off, Chansey risks nothing by switching into it.
**Kyurem-B**: Kyurem-B's Teravolt allows it to hit Mega Venusaur super effectively with Ice Beam, and therefore it easily 2HKOes defensive variants of Mega Venusaur and OHKOes offensive variants after Stealth Rock damage.
With a seemingly average defensive and offensive typing, Mega Venusaur may not seem like much, and, to be fair, this instantaneous critique isn't completely unjust. Mega Venusaur's defensive typing leaves it weak to the relatively common Flying- and Psychic-type moves in the OU metagame, which makes Mega Venusaur a liability when facing many common OU threats, including Latios, Mega Metagross, Mega Alakazam, Talonflame, and Tornadus-T, while its offensive typing makes it easily switched into by prevalent bulky Steel-types such as Jirachi, Mega Metagross, and Heatran. Furthermore, as a Mega Evolution, Mega Venusaur lacks Leftovers recovery, and, as a Pokemon with only Synthesis for reliable recovery, it is heavily hurt by sand and rain as well as entry hazards, thus making up a Pokemon very easily worn down.
Nevertheless, because of Mega Venusaur's defensive and offensive capabilities, it is a standard Pokemon on stall, balanced, and bulky offensive teams. Its defensive typing is perhaps its biggest asset, giving it resistances to Fighting-, Grass-, Water-, Electric-, and Fairy-type moves, and in tandem with its ability Thick Fat and impeccable bulk, it allows Mega Venusaur to check many common threats in OU, including Keldeo, Mega Altaria, Azumarill, Pursuit Bisharp, Clefable, Mega Diancie, Mega Gyarados, Landorus-T, Mega Lopunny, Ferrothorn, and Mega Manectric. Mega Venusaur is also relatively versatile, capable of running an offensive set, more suited to switching into and checking foes with offensive force, or a defensive set that is used more for hard walling threats.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Synthesis
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Giga Drain allows Mega Venusaur to check Pokemon such as Keldeo, Azumarill, Mega Diancie, and Landorus-T while simultaneously recovering lost HP. Sludge Bomb is a more powerful STAB move that lets Venusaur check Grass- and Fairy-type Pokemon, including Celebi, Breloom, Azumarill, Mega Altaria, and Clefable. It's also a great move to use on a predicted switch, as many Pokemon capable of switching into a Giga Drain and forcing Mega Venusaur out, such as Life Orb Tornadus-T, Latios, Thundurus, Mega Pinsir, and Talonflame, are crippled by Sludge Bomb. Hidden Power Fire lets Venusaur handle the Pokemon that don't mind Giga Drain or Sludge Bomb, including Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Synthesis gives Mega Venusaur semi-reliable recovery, which lets it continually tank hits.
Set Details
========
20 Speed EVs are used to outpace Adamant maximum Speed Azumarill accounting for Hidden Power Fire's IV drop. Maximum EVs are used in Special Attack to allow Mega Venusaur to hit as hard as possible. The rest of the EVs are put in HP so that Mega Venusaur can take hits as well as possible. 100 Speed EVs can be used to outpace Jolly Azumarill, but be aware that this cuts harshly into Mega Venusaur's bulk and that Jolly Azumarill is very rare. Chlorophyll allows Mega Venusaur to revenge kill Pokemon on the turn in Mega Evolves if it is in the sun.
Usage Tips
========
Your first goal when playing Venusaur should be to Mega Evolve as soon as possible, as without being Mega Evolved, Venusaur is hit super effectively by Fire- and Ice-type moves and also has far less bulk. Mega Venusaur does have good bulk, but it's imperative not to switch Mega Venusaur into Pokemon, even those handled by its typing, unless there wouldn't be any negative consequences or the situation is dire. Mega Venusaur has the freedom to switch into Clefable, Rotom-W, Keldeo, Alomomola, Landorus-T, Mega Manectric, and Azumarill, but it needs to be extremely wary of getting worn down, largely from the foe using U-turn or Volt Switch on it, burns, and switching Mega Venusaur into Stealth Rock. Because Mega Venusaur lacks Leftovers recovery, it gets worn down quickly from all of these elements, which severely cuts into its longevity. If you can, avoid switching Mega Venusaur directly into anything, and instead check threats when given a free switch. When selecting a move to use, Giga Drain is your best friend; Mega Venusaur is worn down quickly and really appreciates the recovery Giga Drain gives it. If you get Mega Venusaur in safely and see a Flying- or Dragon-type capable of switching into a Giga Drain and checking Mega Venusaur, use Sludge Bomb, as it does a surprising amount of damage to these potential checks. Additionally, while you can always switch Mega Venusaur safely into Ferrothorn, remember that Mega Venusaur cannot OHKO it with Hidden Power Fire. Overall, your goal with Mega Venusaur should be to switch into Pokemon it beats, deal massive damage, heal, and then switch out before it takes excessive damage. You have to be really careful with Mega Venusaur, because if you play recklessly, Pokemon that Mega Venusaur should be able to beat, such as Mega Diancie, can beat Mega Venusaur instead.
Team Options
========
Mega Venusaur absolutely despises being burned by Rotom-W and Keldeo, so Heal Bell or Aromatherapy users and burn absorbers such as Celebi, Clefable, Reuniclus, and Starmie are practically mandatory teammates. Celebi doubles as a counter to both Rotom-W and Keldeo, so it also can take the strain off of Mega Venusaur to deal with these Pokemon. Healing Wish Latias can also prove to be a great teammate, potentially healing Mega Venusaur of any unwanted burns while recovering Mega Venusaur's HP. Mega Venusaur also despises having to take entry hazard damage because entry hazards cut into Mega Venusaur's longevity, which helps Landorus-T and Mega Diancie's beat it. Entry hazard removers such as Latias, Latios, Starmie, Zapdos, Mandibuzz, and Excadrill can therefore make for good teammates. Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Latios, Latias, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Alakazam also threaten Mega Venusaur. Bronzong can wall Latios, Latias, and Gardevoir, while Bisharp can deal with all of them with either Sucker Punch or Pursuit. Flying-types such as Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Tornadus-T are also a problem for Mega Venusaur. Rhyperior can deal with the former two as well as Superpower Tornadus-T, while Zapdos can check the latter two. Tyranitar may seem like a poor teammate, due to its sand nerfing Mega Venusaur's recovery, but Choice Scarf Tyranitar is actually a great one, eliminating Latios, Latias, and Starmie with Pursuit. Similarly to Tyranitar, Hippowdon may seem like a poor teammate because of Sand Stream, but, in reality, it's a great one, checking Flying-types and VoltTurn teams while appreciating Mega Venusaur's role as a Manaphy check. Additionally, to bypass the conflict between Sand Stream and Synthesis, try to use Sand Force Hippowdon when you're using it and Mega Venusaur on the same team.
Additionally, Scizor and Conkeldurr can deal with Kyurem-B for Mega Venusaur, while Manaphy, Slowbro, and Landorus-T can deal with Heatran. Chansey is exceptionally annoying for Mega Venusaur to deal with, and as such Victini, Heracross, and Trick Gothitelle can make for great teammates. Both offensive and defensive pivots are immensely useful, as they make it easier for Mega Venusaur to switch into moves and give it more time to use Synthesis, therefore bolstering its longevity. Slowbro and Slowking are useful as more defensive pivots with Regenerator, Assault Vest Tornadus-T acts as a defensive Regenerator pivot with U-turn, and Raikou, Scizor, Rotom-W, and Landorus-T can all act as offensive pivots. Essentially, any teammate capable of dealing with a Pokemon that Mega Venusaur cannot makes for a great teammate, as Mega Venusaur's defensive abilities can prove to be a win condition in some games.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Synthesis
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Knock Off / Leech Seed
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 144 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Giga Drain lets Mega Venusaur check Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types such as Keldeo, Azumarill, Landorus-T, and Mega Diancie while recovering some of Mega Venusaur's health. Sludge Bomb acts as a much more powerful STAB move that in spite of the lack of Special Attack investment, can hit neutrally-damaged targets such as Mega Pinsir pretty hard. However, its main purpose is to allow Mega Venusaur to check Fairy- and Grass-types such as Clefable, Sylveon, Breloom, and Serperior. Synthesis provides semi-reliable recovery, which lets Mega Venusaur easily stall out many more Pokemon. Hidden Power Fire lets Mega Venusaur deal with Scizor and Ferrothorn, although Knock Off can be used instead to hurt Latios on the switch and to allow Mega Venusaur to check Gengar while removing its Life Orb. Leech Seed is another option, whittling away at a foe's HP while simultaneously recovering Venusaur's HP.
Set Details
========
20 Speed EVs are used outpace Adamant maximum Speed Azumarill accounting for Hidden Power Fire's IV drop. However, only 16 Speed EVs are needed if you choose to run Knock Off or Leech Seed. Maximum HP investment is used for better neutral bulk, and 144 Special Defense EVs are used to cushion powerful special attackers such as Keldeo, specifically allowing it to take one Life Orb-boosted Psychic from Alakazam. The rest of the EVs are put in Defense to allow maximum physical walling potential, while Chlorophyll allows Mega Venusaur to revenge kill Pokemon in the sun.
Usage Tips
========
Defensive Mega Venusaur is a lot bulkier than offensive Mega Venusaur, so it struggles less with taking passive damage. However, Stealth Rock damage and burns still bother it immensely and should be avoided at all costs. Regardless, countering Pokemon such as Attack-invested Mega Diancie, Earth Plate Landorus-T, and Life Orb Mamoswine is a lot easier now because of the the added bulk, which gives Mega Venusaur more wiggle room in taking entry hazard damage. Still, you should try to Mega Evolve as soon as possible, because not having Thick Fat while having lower defenses is not ideal for a wall. Once in, you should use the move that'll help the most in the given scenario. It'll usually be Giga Drain, because the name of the game when playing Mega Venusaur, especially defensive Mega Venusaur, is recovering health. However, don't be afraid to use one of your other moves, namely Sludge Bomb if you're expecting a Flying-, Grass-, Fairy-, or Dragon-type switch-in, Knock Off if you're expecting Latios, Latias, or Gengar, or Leech Seed if you're expecting anything other than a Grass-type. Also, remember that when defensive, Mega Venusaur loses a lot of its offensive prowess and thus cannot OHKO or 2HKO some Pokemon that it used to be able to, such as Mega Diancie, Landorus-T, and Mega Altaria.
Team Options
========
Heal Bell, Aromatherapy, Healing Wish, and burn absorption support is crucial for Mega Venusaur's success in OU, as it'll often find itself switching into Scald and possibly Will-O-Wisp, so Celebi, Starmie, Reuniclus, Clefable, and Latias can make for good teammates. Excadrill, Starmie, Latios, Latias, Zapdos, and Mandibuzz can all remove entry hazards, and therefore can act as useful teammates for Mega Venusaur, reducing the amount of passive damage it's forced to endure. Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Latios, Latias, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Alakazam all threaten Mega Venusaur immensely. Bronzong can wall Latios, Latias, and Gardevoir while Bisharp can deal with them all with Pursuit and Sucker Punch. Flying-types such as Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Tornadus-T are also a problem; to remedy this problem, Rhyperior can be used as a teammate to deal with the former two as well as Superpower Tornadus-T, while Zapdos can be used to check the latter two. Pokemon capable of dealing with Heatran, such as Manaphy, Slowbro, and Landorus-T, can also prove to be great teammates, as can Pokemon that are able to deal with Chansey, such as Gothitelle, Heracross, Victini, and Reuniclus.
Hippowdon can also act as a great teammate, checking Flying-types as well as VoltTurn teams, which are known for being able to wear Mega Venusaur down, while appreciating Mega Venusaur's ability to act as a Manaphy check. In spite of this, be aware that Sand Stream inhibits Mega Venusaur's recovery, so Sand Force is likely the best ability choice. Slowking, Slowbro, Assault Vest Tornadus-T, Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Raikou can all act as pivots that augment Mega Venusaur's recovering capacity. The first three are able pivots thanks to Regenerator, while the latter four are great because they have access to either U-turn or Volt Switch. Basically, any teammate capable of dealing with a Pokemon that Mega Venusaur cannot makes for a great teammate.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
########
Earthquake can be used on either of the standard sets to cripple Heatran, a very common switch-in. A Life Orb sun sweeper set with Growth can be effective when paired with Mega Charizard Y. Sleep Powder is an option for the defensive set to use on a predicted switch, incapacitating the switch-in and therefore allowing momentum to switch to the side of Mega Venusaur and its team. A Swords Dance set with Power Whip and one of Knock Off or Earthquake can turn Mega Venusaur into a devastating lure and a bulky setup sweeper.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: As long as Mega Venusaur isn't running Earthquake, Heatran will always be able to wall it. However, Leech Seed and Sleep Powder annoy Heatran, and, if it's merely a specially defensive variant, Heatran won't even be able to 3HKO Mega Venusaur. However, Mega Venusaur is unable to do over 10% to it with Giga Drain and is likely to get burned, so Heatran is nevertheless a very good switch-in. Other Fire-types, in spite of Mega Venusaur having Thick Fat as its ability, also deal with it pretty well, with Victini, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Charizard X all acting as solid checks to it.
**Flying-types**: Flying-types are capable of demolishing Mega Venusaur with their STAB moves. Tornadus-T, Togekiss, Talonflame, and Mega Pinsir are all capable of crippling Mega Venusaur with their STAB moves. However, it should be noted that a well-timed Sludge Bomb or Sleep Powder from Mega Venusaur annoys all of them.
**Psychic-types**: Mega Alakazam, Alakazam, Mega Medicham, Mega Gallade, Latios, Latias, Mega Latias, Reuniclus, and Mega Gardevoir all demolish Mega Venusaur with their STAB moves.
**Chansey**: Provided that Mega Venusaur isn't running Knock Off, Chansey risks nothing by switching into it.
**Kyurem-B**: Kyurem-B's Teravolt allows it to hit Mega Venusaur super effectively with Ice Beam, and therefore it easily 2HKOes defensive variants of Mega Venusaur and OHKOes offensive variants after Stealth Rock damage.
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