Pastelle
we're all star stuff
003
[OVERVIEW]
With the ability Chlorophyll as well as base 80 Speed, Venusaur can outspeed virtually anything when the sun is up. Venusaur has a great movepool with access to powerful STAB attacks as well as the useful support move Sleep Powder. Its non-Mega Chlorophyll set takes advantage of its high Speed to deal good damage and spread sleep, and it has strong offensive synergy with Mega Charizard Y. When Mega-Evolved, Mega Venusaur has the ability Thick Fat, which neuters Fire- and Ice-type moves, making it only weak to Flying-, Psychic-, and Teravolt Ice-type attacks. The combination of Thick Fat and its increased stats makes Mega Venusaur a fantastic tank, especially against rain teams, and as a win condition, meaning it's great at winning the game if you remove its checks. However, both formes are weak to common Fire- and Psychic-type threats, such as Talonflame and Cresselia, and are also reliant on Sleep Powder and Leech Seed to do anything against Steel-types.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Giga Drain / Leaf Storm
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Sleep Powder
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Moves
========
Sludge Bomb is Venusaur's strongest STAB move, allowing it to deal with threatening Fairies and opposing Grass-types while also having a chance to poison. Giga Drain's recovery adds to Venusaur's already impressive bulk and offsets Venusaur's Life Orb damage. Leaf Storm can be used instead to achieve OHKOs that Venusaur wouldn't normally get against Pokemon such as Landorus-T. Sleep Powder is an excellent support move in the Doubles metagame, where there is no Sleep Clause, and Venusaur is almost always guaranteed to go before your target in the sun. It has less-than-ideal accuracy, but it helps maintain momentum by stopping Pokemon which Venusaur cannot KO and makes Venusaur useful against Steel-types, which wall its STAB attacks. Protect keeps Venusaur safe while its partner deals with any potential threats and while Charizard Mega Evolves to get sun up.
Set Details
========
The Speed investment makes Venusaur one of the fastest Pokemon in the game while sun is up, outspeeding nearly all of the common Choice Scarf users. It also lets Venusaur outspeed maximum Speed Deoxys-A. Full investment in Special Attack, a Modest nature, and a Life Orb allow Venusaur to become a powerful offensive threat. The remaining EVs are put into HP to allow Venusaur to make the most of its good defensive typing and ability to switch in on Water-types, especially Politoed.
Usage Tips
========
Sun is essential for Venusaur to reach its full potential, as its Speed is its greatest asset. It functions best as a lead to apply offensive pressure or to sleep spam threats, allowing you to gain momentum. It's also great at walling Pokemon such as Amoonguss, as its Grass typing makes Venusaur immune to powder moves. Lastly, be cautious against foes that might have Safety Goggles, such as Rotom-H and Cresselia.
Team Options
========
Venusaur should always be paired with Mega Charizard Y, as it's the only viable Drought user in the tier. Venusaur and Mega Charizard Y also have excellent synergy. Venusaur checks Rock-types, particularly Mega Diancie and Terrakion, for Mega Charizard Y, as well as Water-types that resist Mega Charizard Y's Fire-type attacks, particularly Politoed, which can replace the sun, and serves as a Trick Room check with Sleep Powder. In return, Mega Charizard Y checks Steel-types, such as Aegislash and Ferrothorn, for Venusaur. Venusaur can also put Pokemon that threaten both Mega Charizard Y and Venusaur to sleep. If the sun is up, Venusaur can switch into resisted hits, as well as Amoonguss and Breloom thanks to Venusaur's immunity to powder moves. Heatran and Talonflame checks are extremely important because they counter both Venusaur and Mega Charizard Y. Good checks include Gyarados, Rotom-W, Quick Guard Keldeo, Landorus-T, and Terrakion. Terrakion checks Rotom-H, Talonflame, and Heatran and has its Water weakness removed in the sun. Venusaur in return checks Fairy- and Water-types that threaten it.
[SET]
name: Mega Tank
move 1: Giga Drain
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Sleep Powder / Leech Seed / Synthesis
move 4: Protect
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Modest
evs: 200 HP / 252 SpA / 56 Spe
Moves
========
Giga Drain's recovery adds to Mega Venusaur's already impressive bulk. Sludge Bomb is Mega Venusaur's strongest STAB move, allowing it to deal with threatening Fairies and also possibly poison foes to aid residual damage from Leech Seed. Sleep Powder is an excellent support move in the Doubles metagame, which doesn't have a Sleep clause, and thanks to Mega Venusaur's improved bulk, it's great at spreading sleep. Leech Seed can be used instead of Sleep Powder as a means of both passive damage and recovery for Mega Venusaur and its teammate's switch-ins. Synthesis is another option, as it provides more reliable recovery and adds to Mega Venusaur's already great bulk. Protect keeps Mega Venusaur safe while its partner deals with any possible threats, such as Talonflame.
Set Details
========
Venusaurite is required in order for Venusaur to Mega Evolve. Thick Fat neutralizes Mega Venusaur's biggest weaknesses, Fire- and Ice-type moves, making it only weak against Psychic- and Flying-type attacks. Maximum Special Attack investment with a Modest nature allows Venusaur to deal the most damage possible, as well as maximizing health restored from Giga Drain. 56 Speed EVs are enough to outspeed standard Rotom-W to hit before Will-o-Wisp. The remaining EVs are put into HP to improve overall bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Venusaur works excellently late-game, as it walls most weakened Pokemon and can then stall with Leech Seed or Synthesis or spam Sludge Bomb. With Sleep Powder, it also can be used early-game to put threats to sleep, allowing you to gain momentum. Mega Venusaur is a fantastic rain counter, able to wall or defeat big rain threats such as Mega Swampert, Kingdra, and Ludicolo. Choosing to not Mega Evolve Venusaur can also help you get an edge against opposing sun teams.
Team Options
========
Heatran is a good partner to Mega Venusaur due to the fact that it can dish out a super-effective Heat Wave versus Steel-types that Mega Venusaur would normally have some trouble against, such as Aegislash, Genesect, and Ferrothorn. Heatran also brings some useful resists to the table that Mega Venusaur appreciates, most notably resistances to Psychic- and Flying-type attacks. Mega Venusaur also helps Heatran in return by being arguably the best counter to Rain teams in the metagame, against which Heatran is often dead weight. Quick Guard users such as Keldeo or Terrakion can assist Mega Venusaur by protecting it from Talonflame's Brave Bird. Keldeo and Terrakion are also capable of getting rid of Mega Kangaskhan, who hits Mega Venusaur too hard to be tanked, and Kyurem-B, who hits Mega Venusaur with a super effective STAB Ice Beam, thanks to Teravolt. Terrakion in particular also helps remove Mega Charizard Y. Furthermore, Keldeo, Terrakion, or other Fire-type resists like Suicune can get rid of certain Fire-types that Mega Venusaur does not fare well against, especially Heatran. In return, Mega Venusaur helps Terrakion and Keldeo by easily switching into Mega Diancie and bulky waters. Rotom-W, Thundurus, or other Electric-types can switch into Flying-types for Mega Venusaur, increasing its longevity. Powerful Dark- and Ghost-types such as Bisharp, Aegislash, and Darkrai can get rid of Psychic-type threats, specifically Latios and Cresselia.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Growth can be run on either set to make Venusaur a huge offensive threat, but it's typically not worth sacrificing a moveslot for. Leaf Storm can be run on Mega Venusaur to get OHKOes it wouldn't achieve with Giga Drain (such as against Rotom-W or Politoed), but it's pretty team-specific and not as reliable as Giga Drain overall. Wide Lens can be used instead of Life Orb to increase Sleep Powder's accuracy, but the decrease in power is very noticeable. String Shot can be run on either set for speed control. Hidden Power Ground is one of Venusaur's few coverage options to hit Steel-types, mainly Heatran, but this is a weakness that's typically better covered by another teammate, since Venusaur does not want to give up any of its moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Typing Advantage**: Powerful Fire-types such as Mega Charizard Y and Heatran threaten non-Mega Venusaur. Flying- and Psychic-types such as Latios and Talonflame also greatly threaten both regular and Mega Venusaur. Talonflame not only has a typing advantage but outspeeds even Venusaur in sun thanks to Gale Wings. Common Steel-types such as Escavalier, Ferrothorn, Mega Metagross, and Aegislash are immune to Venusaur's Poison-type moves and resist Grass. Many are also immune to Sleep Powder. Kyurem-B easily handles both formes of Venusaur, as Teravolt ignores Thick Fat.
**Opposing Weather**: Sand, rain, and hail remove Venusaur's Speed boost. However, Venusaur fares pretty well against Politoed one-on-one.
**Strong Physical Attackers**: Mega Kangaskhan fares well against Mega Venusaur, as it doesn't care about Mega Venusaur's resistances and deals too much damage for Mega Venusaur to tank, KOing with Fake Out + Double-Edge. However, Mega Kangaskhan doesn't like Sleep Powder.
**Utility Moves**: Taunt users such as Thundurus and Sableye disable Venusaur's essential support moves.
**Speed Control**: Trick Room and paralysis users such as Cresselia, Thundurus, and Jirachi neuter Venusaur's high Speed and put it at a disadvantage.
**Safety Goggles**: Common Safety Goggles users such as Aegislash, Rotom-H, and Cresselia shut down Venusaur's sleep spam strategies, and many of the common Safety Goggles users also have typing advantages against Venusaur.
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