[OVERVIEW]
Mega Metagross has access to great typing in Steel and Psychic, allowing it to effectively trade with many of the metagame's top threats, such as Serperior, Mega Alakazam, and Clefable. With its high Attack stat, access to Tough Claws, and great coverage options, Mega Metagross can be quite difficult to wall, especially before all four moves are revealed. Its Speed makes it faster than the majority of the non-boosted metagame, and with high stats in Defense and Special Defense, it can take one or two hits with no investment in its bulk. However, its low Speed pre-Mega can leave it vulnerable the turn it Mega Evolves. Although it has access to a ton of incredible coverage options, they can't all fit in one set, making it often walled by a lack of coverage rather than a lack of power. Finally, with much of its damage based in Tough Claws, it struggles against strategies that punish contact-based moves such as Static, Rough Skin, and Rocky Helmet.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Meteor Mash / Bullet Punch
move 3: Hammer Arm / Power-Up Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / Thunder Punch
item: Metagrossite
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Zen Headbutt is a staple move on offensive Mega Metagross, as it has great neutral coverage, hitting Pokemon like Rotom-W, Volcanion, and Volcarona. Meteor Mash can hit foes that don't resist Steel hard. Bullet Punch can be used as a priority option, which is especially useful in threatening Weavile. Hammer Arm hits Steel-types, such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. Ice Punch rounds off the set, hitting typical Metagross checks such as Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Garchomp. Alternatively, Mega Metagross can run a sweeper set instead of an all-out attacker set with Power-Up Punch, which hits the aforementioned Steel-types while boosting its Attack. Thunder Punch rounds off Mega Metagross's coverage, making it harder to wall. Finally, Bullet Punch gives Mega Metagross a strong priority option, making it more difficult to revenge kill.
Set Details
=========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are chosen to make Mega Metagross hit hard while being as fast as possible, making the most out of the Speed tier. Clear Body is chosen as Mega Metagross's pre-Mega ability, as it gives it immunity to Intimidate the turn it Mega Evolves.
Usage Tips
=========
Mega Evolve Metagross early for the increased stats, particularly in Speed. Mega Metagross is a great hit-and-run attacker that can fire off strong hits every time it's on the field. It can also be used as a late-game cleaner once its checks are weakened, which is especially true for the Power-Up Punch set. Since Mega Metagross can run a variety of coverage moves, be sure to only reveal its entire moveset as late as possible to keep the opponent guessing.
Team Options
=========
Mega Metagross greatly appreciates teammates with access to Knock Off, as they can remove Rocky Helmet from enemy Pokemon that can otherwise put a timer on Mega Metagross's lifespan. Teammates that can give it longevity, such as Healing Wish Latias and Lunar Dance Cresselia are also great teammates, as they can give Mega Metagross another chance after it its checks are weakened. If not running Meteor Mash, Mega Metagross needs another teammate that can take shut down Clefable, such as Talonflame, Gliscor, or Excadrill, as Bullet Punch does not do enough.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock / Pursuit
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch / Pursuit
move 4: Meteor Mash / Zen Headbutt
item: Metagrossite
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Stealth Rock is a great utility move on Mega Metagross, as it keeps them against most entry hazard removers such as Excadrill, Latias, and Zapdos. Earthquake gives Mega Metagross the ability to hit bulky Steel- and Fire-types, such as Excadrill, opposing Mega Metagross, and Volcanion. It also gives Metagross good neutral coverage while bypassing contact. Ice Punch is great for bulky Ground-types such as Garchomp and Landorus-T to prevent them from setting up Stealth Rock while also hitting Defog users such as Latias and Zapdos to keep Stealth Rock up. Meteor Mash is Mega Metagross's strongest move, while Zen Headbutt provides a more neutral coverage. Finally, Pursuit can be used over Stealth Rock to trap Latios, Latias, or other weakened Pokemon to support the team. It can also be used alongside Stealth Rock and Zen Headbutt for maximum utility at the cost of coverage and offensive pressure.
Set Details
========
Clear Body is the chosen ability pre-Mega, as it makes Mega Metagross immune to Intimidate on the turn it Mega Evolves. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are chosen to make Mega Metagross as fast as possible and hit hard.
Usage Tips
========
Utility Mega Metagross is a great early-game threat that can weaken its checks while setting up Stealth Rock for its teammates. It can also be used as a backup check to threats such as Serperior, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Diancie due to its high natural bulk and good typing, which makes it excellent at trading blows.
Team Options
========
Utility Mega Metagross appreciates teammates that can take advantage of its fast pace and excellent trading ability. Fast and strong Pokemon such as Serperior, Keldeo, and Thundurus are all great examples that can keep up and take advantage of the momentum and high-pace trading Mega Metagross provides.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hone Claws can be used instead of Power-Up Punch to gain an accuracy boost alongside it, ensuring Meteor Mash, Hammer Arm, and Zen Headbutt hit. Explosion can be used on the Stealth Rock set to provide immediate damage and momentum. Brick Break can be used over Hammer Arm or Earthquake for a better matchup againstdual screens . Rock Slide can be used to hit Zapdos without making contact to avoid Static. Grass Knot is boosted by Tough Claws and can be used to hit bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Seismitoad, and Slowbro. Finally, other setup moves like Agility, Refresh, and Magnet Rise are niche but viable options. Adamant nature, while very tempting, will lead to Metagross being slower to many key threats which can be detrimental.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Contact Effects**: Rocky Helmet is Mega Metagross's biggest counter, as almost all of its moves are contact based. Combining Rocky Helmet with an anti-contact ability user, such as Static Zapdos, Rough Skin Garchomp, or Iron Barbs Ferrothorn, makes it even more difficult for Mega Metagross.
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Cresselia, Mew, and Mega Latias completely wall Mega Metagross without Meteor Mash and can status it in return, rendering it much less effective.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Mega Scizor are all great answers to Mega Metagross, as they can survive multiple hits and chip it back or use it to for setup.
**Physical Walls**: Volcanion, Slowbro, Tangrowth, Cofagrigus, Hippowdon, and Landorus-T are all good examples of physical walls that can buy enough time against Mega Metagross. However, they can all potentially be overwhelmed by it with the right coverage.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rufflespro.193716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/paprikaflow.591583/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/alpha1013.565035/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mixnite.663475/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Mega Metagross has access to great typing in Steel and Psychic, allowing it to effectively trade with many of the metagame's top threats, such as Serperior, Mega Alakazam, and Clefable. With its high Attack stat, access to Tough Claws, and great coverage options, Mega Metagross can be quite difficult to wall, especially before all four moves are revealed. Its Speed makes it faster than the majority of the non-boosted metagame, and with high stats in Defense and Special Defense, it can take one or two hits with no investment in its bulk. However, its low Speed pre-Mega can leave it vulnerable the turn it Mega Evolves. Although it has access to a ton of incredible coverage options, they can't all fit in one set, making it often walled by a lack of coverage rather than a lack of power. Finally, with much of its damage based in Tough Claws, it struggles against strategies that punish contact-based moves such as Static, Rough Skin, and Rocky Helmet.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Zen Headbutt
move 2: Meteor Mash / Bullet Punch
move 3: Hammer Arm / Power-Up Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / Thunder Punch
item: Metagrossite
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Zen Headbutt is a staple move on offensive Mega Metagross, as it has great neutral coverage, hitting Pokemon like Rotom-W, Volcanion, and Volcarona. Meteor Mash can hit foes that don't resist Steel hard. Bullet Punch can be used as a priority option, which is especially useful in threatening Weavile. Hammer Arm hits Steel-types, such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. Ice Punch rounds off the set, hitting typical Metagross checks such as Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Garchomp. Alternatively, Mega Metagross can run a sweeper set instead of an all-out attacker set with Power-Up Punch, which hits the aforementioned Steel-types while boosting its Attack. Thunder Punch rounds off Mega Metagross's coverage, making it harder to wall. Finally, Bullet Punch gives Mega Metagross a strong priority option, making it more difficult to revenge kill.
Set Details
=========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are chosen to make Mega Metagross hit hard while being as fast as possible, making the most out of the Speed tier. Clear Body is chosen as Mega Metagross's pre-Mega ability, as it gives it immunity to Intimidate the turn it Mega Evolves.
Usage Tips
=========
Mega Evolve Metagross early for the increased stats, particularly in Speed. Mega Metagross is a great hit-and-run attacker that can fire off strong hits every time it's on the field. It can also be used as a late-game cleaner once its checks are weakened, which is especially true for the Power-Up Punch set. Since Mega Metagross can run a variety of coverage moves, be sure to only reveal its entire moveset as late as possible to keep the opponent guessing.
Team Options
=========
Mega Metagross greatly appreciates teammates with access to Knock Off, as they can remove Rocky Helmet from enemy Pokemon that can otherwise put a timer on Mega Metagross's lifespan. Teammates that can give it longevity, such as Healing Wish Latias and Lunar Dance Cresselia are also great teammates, as they can give Mega Metagross another chance after it its checks are weakened. If not running Meteor Mash, Mega Metagross needs another teammate that can take shut down Clefable, such as Talonflame, Gliscor, or Excadrill, as Bullet Punch does not do enough.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Stealth Rock / Pursuit
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch / Pursuit
move 4: Meteor Mash / Zen Headbutt
item: Metagrossite
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Stealth Rock is a great utility move on Mega Metagross, as it keeps them against most entry hazard removers such as Excadrill, Latias, and Zapdos. Earthquake gives Mega Metagross the ability to hit bulky Steel- and Fire-types, such as Excadrill, opposing Mega Metagross, and Volcanion. It also gives Metagross good neutral coverage while bypassing contact. Ice Punch is great for bulky Ground-types such as Garchomp and Landorus-T to prevent them from setting up Stealth Rock while also hitting Defog users such as Latias and Zapdos to keep Stealth Rock up. Meteor Mash is Mega Metagross's strongest move, while Zen Headbutt provides a more neutral coverage. Finally, Pursuit can be used over Stealth Rock to trap Latios, Latias, or other weakened Pokemon to support the team. It can also be used alongside Stealth Rock and Zen Headbutt for maximum utility at the cost of coverage and offensive pressure.
Set Details
========
Clear Body is the chosen ability pre-Mega, as it makes Mega Metagross immune to Intimidate on the turn it Mega Evolves. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are chosen to make Mega Metagross as fast as possible and hit hard.
Usage Tips
========
Utility Mega Metagross is a great early-game threat that can weaken its checks while setting up Stealth Rock for its teammates. It can also be used as a backup check to threats such as Serperior, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Diancie due to its high natural bulk and good typing, which makes it excellent at trading blows.
Team Options
========
Utility Mega Metagross appreciates teammates that can take advantage of its fast pace and excellent trading ability. Fast and strong Pokemon such as Serperior, Keldeo, and Thundurus are all great examples that can keep up and take advantage of the momentum and high-pace trading Mega Metagross provides.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hone Claws can be used instead of Power-Up Punch to gain an accuracy boost alongside it, ensuring Meteor Mash, Hammer Arm, and Zen Headbutt hit. Explosion can be used on the Stealth Rock set to provide immediate damage and momentum. Brick Break can be used over Hammer Arm or Earthquake for a better matchup againstdual screens . Rock Slide can be used to hit Zapdos without making contact to avoid Static. Grass Knot is boosted by Tough Claws and can be used to hit bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Seismitoad, and Slowbro. Finally, other setup moves like Agility, Refresh, and Magnet Rise are niche but viable options. Adamant nature, while very tempting, will lead to Metagross being slower to many key threats which can be detrimental.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Contact Effects**: Rocky Helmet is Mega Metagross's biggest counter, as almost all of its moves are contact based. Combining Rocky Helmet with an anti-contact ability user, such as Static Zapdos, Rough Skin Garchomp, or Iron Barbs Ferrothorn, makes it even more difficult for Mega Metagross.
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Cresselia, Mew, and Mega Latias completely wall Mega Metagross without Meteor Mash and can status it in return, rendering it much less effective.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Mega Scizor are all great answers to Mega Metagross, as they can survive multiple hits and chip it back or use it to for setup.
**Physical Walls**: Volcanion, Slowbro, Tangrowth, Cofagrigus, Hippowdon, and Landorus-T are all good examples of physical walls that can buy enough time against Mega Metagross. However, they can all potentially be overwhelmed by it with the right coverage.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rufflespro.193716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/paprikaflow.591583/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/alpha1013.565035/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mixnite.663475/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
