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Analysis written by RNGIsFatal.
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Magnezone

Overview

Although it has an underwhelming Speed tier, Magnezone is able to take on many threats in the current metagame such as Mega Gyarados lacking Earthquake, Magearna, Mega Mawile, Tapu Lele, and a plethora of threats with its fantastic ability Sturdy, allowing it to almost always take a hit, a good typing that provides 11 resistances and immunities total, and a base 130 Special Attack stat. However, Magnezone's disappointing weaknesses to Fire, Fighting, and Ground make it struggle against Mega Charizard X, Hitmonlee, Golem, Donphan, Stunfisk, and others. In addition, a lot of Pokemon, including Mega Metagross, Mega Gyarados, and Kyurem-B, carry a Ground-type coverage move such as Earthquake or Earth Power, meaning Magnezone usually loses to them. Especially against Fighting-types, such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Heracross, Magnezone is heavily reliant on Sturdy to take a hit and retaliate, and this may or may not be successful depending on both Magnezone's moveset and its foe's. Despite the struggles Magnezone faces, it stands as one of the best Electric-type attacker that is capable of fitting on many teams.

Air Balloon

Set Comments

Moves

Electroweb is the most important move for this set because it does decent damage with STAB and lowers target's Speed by one stage, letting Magenzone outspeed many foes such as Mega Gyarados and Kyurem-B to hit them first next turn. This succeeds thanks to Sturdy and Air Balloon letting Magnezone take at least one hit from the entire metagame. Thunderbolt is another reliable STAB move with decent power and hits Gyarados, Mega Charizard Y, and others. Flash Cannon is another STAB move and lets Magnezone deal with Fairy-types such as Mimikyu and Tapu Lele, Rock-types such as Crustle and Golem without Rock Tomb, and Choice Scarf Kyurem-B. Hidden Power Ice can be used to defeat Garchomp and always OHKO Landorus-T, while Hidden Power Fire can be used to deal with Genesect, Kartana, and Ferrothorn, if Magnezone's teammates cannot handle them.

Set Details

Maximum Special Attack investment with a Modest nature allows Magnezone to hit as hard as possible, and full investment in Speed allows Magnezone to foes many opponents after Electroweb. Air Balloon grants Magnezone an immunity to Ground-type moves before it is hit, letting it safely reduce Speed using Electroweb against Mega Gyarados, Kyurem-B, and Mega Pinsir to finish them with appropriate moves next turn.

Usage Tips

This set can be used as a lure to Gyarados, Kyurem-B, Donphan, and other foes that are reliant on Ground-type moves to defeat Magnezone, since Magnezone can defeat all of them with Electroweb and appropriate STAB moves. If the opposing team has formidably specially defensive Pokemon such as Blissey and Snorlax, it is generally not recommended to send Magnezone out. Electroweb must be used first if the foe outspeeds Magnezone so that Magnezone can survive a hit and attack first next turn.

Team Options

This set struggles with strong physical attackers that can survive Magnezone's attack such as Sawk and Mega Heracross, as they can severely dent Magnezone with their respective STAB moves. Allies that are capable of sponging strong physical hits from Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Buzzwole, like Mega Slowbro, will deal with the aforementioned threats as well. Teammates such as Tapu Lele, Mega Venusaur, and Mimikyu are capable of defeating Fighting-types, which Magnezone often struggles with. Mega Charizard X is the worst foe Magnezone can ever face, since it resists Magnezone's STAB moves and can KO it. In addition, Magnezone is not capable of defeating special walls such as Chansey, Blissey, and Umbreon. Strong physical attackers such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Crustle can help with these issues.

Choice Specs

Set Comments

Moves

When paired with Choice Specs, Thunderbolt becomes a very powerful STAB move that always OHKOes the likes of Primarina and Porygon-Z, which would otherwise survive a hit and bring trouble to Magnezone. Flash Cannon is a second STAB move that lets Magnezone OHKO Mimikyu without Curse and Whimsicott without Barbiri Berry, which would otherwise survive a hit and stall out Magnezone, as well as Tapu Lele, which can 2HKO Magnezone with Hidden Power Fire or Focus Blast. Hidden Power Ice always OHKOes Garchomp and Landorus-T with Choice Specs, and Hidden Power Fire lets Magnezone deal with opposing Magnezone and Ferrothorn much more easily. Hyper Beam is used to hit foes that resist both of MAgnezone's STAB moves such as Mega Charizard X and other Electric-types, and its sheer power often meant it OHKOes them.

Set Details

252 Special Attaack EVs with a Modest nature let Magnezone hit as hard as possible and maximize the effectiveness of Choice Specs. 212 Speed EVs are given for Magnezone to outspeed unboosted Crustle at all times. 44 EV's are put into HP to keep Magnezone's HP at an odd number to minimize the fraction-based damage and provide that much additional bulk. Choice Specs, not great as other Z-Crystals in raw power, promises consistent power for each move Magnezone possesses.

Usage Tips

Since this set locks Magnezone into one move, it is important to decide what move is the most appropriate. Magnezone with this set must be brought in against strong and frail attackers such as Pheromosa, Greninja, Tapu Koko, and others. It is best for Magnezone to avoid bulky opponents such as Mega Charizard X, which also resists both STAB's, and any foes that are commonly equipped with Fake Out or Mold Breaker to bypass Sturdy, such as Mega Gyarados, Hitmonlee, and Kyurem-B. Hyper Beam must be used with some consideration, since it leaves Magnezone unable to execute a move next turn, leaving it vulnerable to Substitute users. In addition, Mega Charizard Y survives Hyper Beam and simply 2HKOes Magnezone afterwards, making this move very prediction-reliant.

Team Options

This set's partners are relatively simple. Mega Charizard X and other Fire-types appreciate Magnezone's ability to take on Landorus-T and Water-types such as Mega Slowbro and Primarina, while other Dragon-types appreciate Magnezone's ability to take on Steel-types. Allies such as Mega Venusaur, Kartana, Keldeo and Buzzwole appreciate Magnezone's ability to eliminate Flying- and Fairy-types. They also appreciate Magnezone effectively dealing with Tapu Lele. Mega Gyarados, Mega Venusaur, and Tapu Fini can all take on Ground-type Pokemon for Magnezone.

Electrium Z

Set Comments

Moves

Although its accuracy is not as reliable as Thunderbolt's, Thunder is the best move for Magnezone to launch a powerful Z-Move with. Zap Cannon has slightly better power and allows Magnezone to OHKO foes that it cannot with Thunder. In addition, one can use this move to paralyze with some luck, letting Magnezone have better chances against foes that it would normally lose to. Flash Cannon is a second STAB move that is used to hit Golem, Kyurem-B, and others that resist or are immune to Thunder and Gigavolt Havoc. It also has more reliable accuracy. Hidden Power Ice always OHKOes Landorus-T and grants Magnezone a chance to win against Garchomp more than 50% of the time. Metal Sound is used against specially defensive foes that Magnezone cannot 2HKO with other sets such as Chansey, Umbreon, and Mega Venusaur.

Set Details

Maximum investment in Special Attack along with a Modest nature will let Magnezone hit as hard as possible. 136 Speed EVs allow Magnezone to outspeed Adamant Golem. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to let Magnezone take hits as best as possible. Electrium Z allows Magnezone to fire off an extremely powerful Gigavolt Havoc, which is strong enough to dent most that are not resistant to it.

Usage Tips

It is the best to use Gigavolt Havoc in order to finish the foe as soon as possible given that it is not Ground-type. Neutral damage from Thunder-based Gigavolt Havoc is greater than super effective Flash Cannon. Use Hidden Power Ice to defeat any foe that is 4x weak to Ice-type moves, such as Garchomp or Landorus-T. Metal Sound is used against the foes that Magnezone cannot 2HKO.

Team Options

Due to Magnezone's weakness to Ground and Fire, Water-types such as Mega Gyarados and Tapu Fini will be great partners. Most Rock-types, especially the ones with Rockium Z, deal with all Mega Charizard variants well. Allies that are always able to defeat Kyurem-B on one on one, such as bulky Mega Mawile and Mega Metagross, are good options to choose with Water-types such as Primarina or Mega Gyarados to cover for the stacked Fire weakness. Mega Heracross is an excellent partner for Magnezone in particular due to its ability to defeat Kyurem-B, Snorlax, Chansey, Mega Gyarados, Golem, and Donphan with ease.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

Mirror Coat is an interesting option to retaliate against special attackers, and it tends to work well thanks to Sturdy. It also lets Magnezone win against Meloetta and Genesect, as the former can 2HKO back using Shadow Ball or Hidden Power Fire while equipping Choice Specs and the latter can use Flamethrower twice. However, using Gigavolt Havoc is better in general, especially if the foe has a chance of carrying Substitute, which will make Magnezone simply waste a turn if it makes wrong prediction. If this move is used, Magnezone should have a Rash nature and zero Special Defense IVs to return as much damage as possible against threats like Meloetta. Steelium Z will let Magnezone use Z-Metal Sound to hinder foes' Special Defense and let Magnezone gain Special Attack, which is a great option when facing defensive opponents such as Chansey and Dusclops. Steelium Z also grants Magnezone access to Corkscrew Crash from Flash Cannon. Protect is an option to block Fake Out from Salazzle, Mega Lopunny, and Hitmonlee to make sure Sturdy is intact, but Magnezone usually has a hard time finding a moveslot for this. Toxic is an option to avoid Sucker Punch from Golem when both Magnezone and Golem are down to 1 HP, and it gives Magnezone much better chances against Calm Mind stallers or walls like Chansey and Blissey, but that's about it.

Checks and Counters

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