Ginger Princess
Girl moding so hard rn
[OVERVIEW]
Mega Charizard X has an excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with Tough Claws and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. It also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which give it the tools needed to beat several threats it couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. Thanks to its natural power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, which gives it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Mega Lopunny's Fake Out + Giga Impact and Greninja's Hydro Cannon. It can also wait on Mega Evolving to avoid super effective damage from Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dragonite and Ground-type attacks such as the first hit of Thousand Arrows. Furthermore, as it appears as a regular Charizard in Team Preview, an opponent won't know if you are running Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, so you can have a free turn of setup on turn one if they predict wrong. Unfortunately, Charizard has a weakness to Rock-type moves both before and after Mega Evolving, so powerful Rock-type moves are able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, such as Continental Crush from Golem, Crustle, and Donphan, as well as Diamond Storm from Mega Diancie. Mega Charizard X can also be walled by Pokemon that can tank both Outrage and Flare Blitz, such as Primarina, Charm Mega Venusaur, and Tapu Fini.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Flame Charge
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute / Flare Blitz
item: Charizardite X
ability: Blaze
nature: Adamant
evs: 216 HP / 48 Atk / 92 Def / 152 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Outrage is Mega Charizard X's main STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kommo-o, and Mega Charizard Y. Flame Charge serves the dual purpose of not only boosting Mega Charizard X's Speed but also breaking Substitute from Flail and Reversal Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir and from stall Pokemon like Jumpluff. Note that Flame Charge has low Base Power and fails to beat some bulky Pokemon even if it hits them super effectively, like Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Whimsicott. Swords Dance gives Mega Charizard X the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can set up in its face, such as bulky Zygarde and Mega Sableye. Dragon Dance can be used either as an alternative to or in tandem with Swords Dance and Flame Charge and doesn't allow Pokemon such as Dragonite and bulky Mega Gyarados to potentially outspeed and overpower Mega Charizard X with their own Dragon Dance. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Charizard X to halve its target's Attack, letting it tank some of the strongest physical attacks in the game, such as physical Dragonite's Devastating Drake and boosted Zygarde's Thousand Arrows, when it has not Mega Evolved. It also serves the purpose of breaking abilities like Sturdy and Multiscale without actually dealing damage, so it can be useful against Pokemon such as Magnezone and Dragonite. Substitute allows Mega Charizard X to escape powerful Z-Moves and a possible loss against Toxic stall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. Flare Blitz can be used if you need a more powerful Fire-type STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against Magearna and Mega Metagross. It can also be used over Flame Charge if running Dragon Dance. However, the recoil damage can be problematic against hard-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute + Swarm Volcarona.
Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out followed by a Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats such as bulky Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir, and bulky Zygarde when it has not Mega Evolved. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Mega Lopunny after a Flame Charge and outspeed Smeargle without a Speed boost. The rest of the EVs go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need huge investment in Attack to secure KOs.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Charizard X is designed to tank physical hits and KO the opposing Pokemon by boosting when necessary and hitting hard. Mega Charizard X has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Magnezone, Genesect, Kommo-o, Celesteela, and Hoopa-U, it can just attack immediately without boosting. For physically defensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, it should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or their ability to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z-Move followed by Extreme Speed, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde, which runs maximum or near-maximum bulk, Mega Charizard X should use Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed without Mega Evolving so that it can avoid super effective damage from attacks like Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Substitute should be used to avoid powerful one-time attacks like Z-Moves or to avoid status conditions. Avoid sending Mega Charizard X in against strong Rock-type Pokemon like Terrakion and Nihilego, as they will knock it out immediately, or against Pokemon that can stall it out, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Pyukumuku.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can tank special moves from threats such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja pair well with Mega Charizard X, as they patch up its unreliability in these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully in this role. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: Will-O-Wisp
item: Charizardite X
ability: Blaze
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 52 Atk / 144 SpD / 64 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Mega Charizard X the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, namely Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage lets Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon that resist Fire-type attacks, such as bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y, and Kommo-o. Flare Blitz works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, hitting Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn. However, Flare Blitz's recoil damage can be particularly damaging against heavy-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute Volcarona. Will-O-Wisp makes up for Mega Charizard X's relative lack of bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opposing Pokemon's Attack but also chipping away at its health at the same time, helping against bulky Multiscale Dragonite and boosted Zygarde.
Set Details
========
The given HP and Special Defense EVs let Mega Charizard X tank hits from Modest Choice Specs Greninja, and 64 Speed EVs let it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs also let Mega Charizard X lure in and beat special attackers such as special Dragonite, Choice Specs Naganadel, and bulky Meloetta. The HP EVs also give Mega Charizard X sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Lucario. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need much Attack investment to secure KOs.
Usage Tips
========
This set beats special attackers such as Greninja, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Mega Blastoise. Against faster special attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always use Dragon Dance on turn one, and attack on turn two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes and the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which outspeeds Charizard at +1 but is OHKOed by a +1 Charizard's Outrage. Make sure to not Mega Evolve against Naganadel in order to avoid super effective damage. For slower bulky special attackers such as bulky Meloetta, Mega Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as Mega Charizard X is faster anyway and tanks any hit they throw out. Against a Pokemon like bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. Against bulky Zygarde, use Will-O-Wisp immediately without Mega Evolving, which will force Zygarde to use Thousand Arrows at some point if it wants to damage Charizard with Tectonic Rage as well as force it to start boosting with Coil, allowing Charizard to set up with Dragon Dance until Zygarde finally chooses to use Thousand Arrows. On the turn after Zygarde uses Thousand Arrows, Mega Evolve Charizard, and either attack if Zygarde is has low enough HP, or boost again if it does not, waiting for burn damage to get Zygarde in Outrage's KO range. Thankfully, if the burn damage has not gotten Zygarde in range yet, this also means Zygarde has not gotten enough Attack boosts from Coil, ensuring it cannot KO Mega Charizard X in time.
Team Options
========
Powerful, bulky Psychic-type Pokemon such as Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mew, and Will-O-Wisp Mega Gardevoir all have tools at their disposal that allow them to tank attacks from and overpower hyper offense and stall Pokemon such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z, Mega Venusaur, Tapu Fini, Golem, Donphan, and Mega Altaria, which all can be a problem for Mega Charizard X. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mega Charizard X can run a defensive 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature. This spread causes Mega Charizard X to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but in exchange it lets Mega Charizard X beat certain niche threats, such as Haxorus, fast Kommo-o, and fast physical Dragonite. You can also use a specially defensive 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature, which sacrifices reliability against Modest Greninja and Modest Naganadel but lets Mega Charizard X beat Jolly Mega Lopunny. As Mega Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option. Belly Drum can give Mega Charizard X an answer to many of the stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however, as this puts Mega Charizard X in range of attacks that would otherwise not threaten it. Earthquake, often paired with Rock Tomb, has a niche role of beating Heatran, which is normally one of the safest Mega Charizard X counters in the metagame. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Rock Tomb and Earthquake is completely overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. Counter with 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def and an Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice item users that normally give Mega Charizard X trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Choice Scarf and Choice Band Garchomp, Choice Band and Choice Scarf Haxorus, and Choice Band and Choice Scarf Durant.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Mega Charizard X is with powerful Rock-type moves, made all the better with Z-Moves. These include Donphan's and Crustle's Continental Crush, Aggron's Head Smash, and Mega Diancie's Diamond Storm.
**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types naturally have an edge when fighting Mega Charizard X, as they usually resist Flare Blitz and beat Mega Charizard X before it can set up and KO them. Even with specially defensive Mega Charizard X, some Water-types are still too bulky to break through or offensive enough to KO it. Pokemon such as Primarina, Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Mega Swampert all excel against Mega Charizard X.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence do very well in defeating it, especially if Mega Charizard X cannot hit the Pokemon super effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mega Altaria, and Heatran.
**Stall**: Mega Charizard X can naturally be handled effectively by stall Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Chansey, Blissey, stall Necrozma, and PP stall Deoxys-S. These Pokemon effectively neutralize Mega Charizard X's Attack with moves like Iron Defense and Charm. They need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Mega Charizard X, which can simply overpower their defenses if it sets up, and Substitute Mega Charizard X, which can hinder Pokemon that rely on Charm or Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TDA, 276708]]
- Quality checked by: [[charizard8888, 333554], [Freddy Kyogre, 321529], [yogi, 252106]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Mega Charizard X has an excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with Tough Claws and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. It also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which give it the tools needed to beat several threats it couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. Thanks to its natural power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, which gives it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Mega Lopunny's Fake Out + Giga Impact and Greninja's Hydro Cannon. It can also wait on Mega Evolving to avoid super effective damage from Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dragonite and Ground-type attacks such as the first hit of Thousand Arrows. Furthermore, as it appears as a regular Charizard in Team Preview, an opponent won't know if you are running Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, so you can have a free turn of setup on turn one if they predict wrong. Unfortunately, Charizard has a weakness to Rock-type moves both before and after Mega Evolving, so powerful Rock-type moves are able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, such as Continental Crush from Golem, Crustle, and Donphan, as well as Diamond Storm from Mega Diancie. Mega Charizard X can also be walled by Pokemon that can tank both Outrage and Flare Blitz, such as Primarina, Charm Mega Venusaur, and Tapu Fini.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Flame Charge
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Substitute / Flare Blitz
item: Charizardite X
ability: Blaze
nature: Adamant
evs: 216 HP / 48 Atk / 92 Def / 152 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Outrage is Mega Charizard X's main STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kommo-o, and Mega Charizard Y. Flame Charge serves the dual purpose of not only boosting Mega Charizard X's Speed but also breaking Substitute from Flail and Reversal Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir and from stall Pokemon like Jumpluff. Note that Flame Charge has low Base Power and fails to beat some bulky Pokemon even if it hits them super effectively, like Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Whimsicott. Swords Dance gives Mega Charizard X the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can set up in its face, such as bulky Zygarde and Mega Sableye. Dragon Dance can be used either as an alternative to or in tandem with Swords Dance and Flame Charge and doesn't allow Pokemon such as Dragonite and bulky Mega Gyarados to potentially outspeed and overpower Mega Charizard X with their own Dragon Dance. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Charizard X to halve its target's Attack, letting it tank some of the strongest physical attacks in the game, such as physical Dragonite's Devastating Drake and boosted Zygarde's Thousand Arrows, when it has not Mega Evolved. It also serves the purpose of breaking abilities like Sturdy and Multiscale without actually dealing damage, so it can be useful against Pokemon such as Magnezone and Dragonite. Substitute allows Mega Charizard X to escape powerful Z-Moves and a possible loss against Toxic stall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. Flare Blitz can be used if you need a more powerful Fire-type STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against Magearna and Mega Metagross. It can also be used over Flame Charge if running Dragon Dance. However, the recoil damage can be problematic against hard-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute + Swarm Volcarona.
Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out followed by a Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats such as bulky Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir, and bulky Zygarde when it has not Mega Evolved. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Mega Lopunny after a Flame Charge and outspeed Smeargle without a Speed boost. The rest of the EVs go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need huge investment in Attack to secure KOs.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Charizard X is designed to tank physical hits and KO the opposing Pokemon by boosting when necessary and hitting hard. Mega Charizard X has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Magnezone, Genesect, Kommo-o, Celesteela, and Hoopa-U, it can just attack immediately without boosting. For physically defensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, it should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or their ability to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z-Move followed by Extreme Speed, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde, which runs maximum or near-maximum bulk, Mega Charizard X should use Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed without Mega Evolving so that it can avoid super effective damage from attacks like Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Substitute should be used to avoid powerful one-time attacks like Z-Moves or to avoid status conditions. Avoid sending Mega Charizard X in against strong Rock-type Pokemon like Terrakion and Nihilego, as they will knock it out immediately, or against Pokemon that can stall it out, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Pyukumuku.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can tank special moves from threats such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja pair well with Mega Charizard X, as they patch up its unreliability in these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully in this role. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: Will-O-Wisp
item: Charizardite X
ability: Blaze
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 52 Atk / 144 SpD / 64 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Mega Charizard X the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, namely Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage lets Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon that resist Fire-type attacks, such as bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y, and Kommo-o. Flare Blitz works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, hitting Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn. However, Flare Blitz's recoil damage can be particularly damaging against heavy-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute Volcarona. Will-O-Wisp makes up for Mega Charizard X's relative lack of bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opposing Pokemon's Attack but also chipping away at its health at the same time, helping against bulky Multiscale Dragonite and boosted Zygarde.
Set Details
========
The given HP and Special Defense EVs let Mega Charizard X tank hits from Modest Choice Specs Greninja, and 64 Speed EVs let it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs also let Mega Charizard X lure in and beat special attackers such as special Dragonite, Choice Specs Naganadel, and bulky Meloetta. The HP EVs also give Mega Charizard X sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Lucario. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need much Attack investment to secure KOs.
Usage Tips
========
This set beats special attackers such as Greninja, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Mega Blastoise. Against faster special attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always use Dragon Dance on turn one, and attack on turn two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes and the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which outspeeds Charizard at +1 but is OHKOed by a +1 Charizard's Outrage. Make sure to not Mega Evolve against Naganadel in order to avoid super effective damage. For slower bulky special attackers such as bulky Meloetta, Mega Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as Mega Charizard X is faster anyway and tanks any hit they throw out. Against a Pokemon like bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. Against bulky Zygarde, use Will-O-Wisp immediately without Mega Evolving, which will force Zygarde to use Thousand Arrows at some point if it wants to damage Charizard with Tectonic Rage as well as force it to start boosting with Coil, allowing Charizard to set up with Dragon Dance until Zygarde finally chooses to use Thousand Arrows. On the turn after Zygarde uses Thousand Arrows, Mega Evolve Charizard, and either attack if Zygarde is has low enough HP, or boost again if it does not, waiting for burn damage to get Zygarde in Outrage's KO range. Thankfully, if the burn damage has not gotten Zygarde in range yet, this also means Zygarde has not gotten enough Attack boosts from Coil, ensuring it cannot KO Mega Charizard X in time.
Team Options
========
Powerful, bulky Psychic-type Pokemon such as Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mew, and Will-O-Wisp Mega Gardevoir all have tools at their disposal that allow them to tank attacks from and overpower hyper offense and stall Pokemon such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z, Mega Venusaur, Tapu Fini, Golem, Donphan, and Mega Altaria, which all can be a problem for Mega Charizard X. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mega Charizard X can run a defensive 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature. This spread causes Mega Charizard X to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but in exchange it lets Mega Charizard X beat certain niche threats, such as Haxorus, fast Kommo-o, and fast physical Dragonite. You can also use a specially defensive 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature, which sacrifices reliability against Modest Greninja and Modest Naganadel but lets Mega Charizard X beat Jolly Mega Lopunny. As Mega Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option. Belly Drum can give Mega Charizard X an answer to many of the stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however, as this puts Mega Charizard X in range of attacks that would otherwise not threaten it. Earthquake, often paired with Rock Tomb, has a niche role of beating Heatran, which is normally one of the safest Mega Charizard X counters in the metagame. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Rock Tomb and Earthquake is completely overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. Counter with 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def and an Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice item users that normally give Mega Charizard X trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Choice Scarf and Choice Band Garchomp, Choice Band and Choice Scarf Haxorus, and Choice Band and Choice Scarf Durant.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Mega Charizard X is with powerful Rock-type moves, made all the better with Z-Moves. These include Donphan's and Crustle's Continental Crush, Aggron's Head Smash, and Mega Diancie's Diamond Storm.
**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types naturally have an edge when fighting Mega Charizard X, as they usually resist Flare Blitz and beat Mega Charizard X before it can set up and KO them. Even with specially defensive Mega Charizard X, some Water-types are still too bulky to break through or offensive enough to KO it. Pokemon such as Primarina, Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Mega Swampert all excel against Mega Charizard X.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence do very well in defeating it, especially if Mega Charizard X cannot hit the Pokemon super effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mega Altaria, and Heatran.
**Stall**: Mega Charizard X can naturally be handled effectively by stall Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Chansey, Blissey, stall Necrozma, and PP stall Deoxys-S. These Pokemon effectively neutralize Mega Charizard X's Attack with moves like Iron Defense and Charm. They need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Mega Charizard X, which can simply overpower their defenses if it sets up, and Substitute Mega Charizard X, which can hinder Pokemon that rely on Charm or Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TDA, 276708]]
- Quality checked by: [[charizard8888, 333554], [Freddy Kyogre, 321529], [yogi, 252106]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Last edited: