Mega Vikavolt
New Ability: Levitate ->
Surge Surfer
Type: Bug/Electric
New Stats:
HP: 77
Attack: 70
Defense: 90 ->
140 (+50)
Special Attack: 145
Special Defense: 75 ->
107 (+32)
Speed: 43 ->
61 (+18)
(
600 BST)
New moves: Earth Power, Electric Terrain
Description:
This is best used in Electric Terrain
(ideally with an ally with Electric Surge, but running manual Electric Terrain is an interesting twist on Agility Vikavolt, a set it has been known to use in the past), with Surge Surfer and access to Rising Voltage making it into a threatening sweeper despite its otherwise low Speed. (Remember that Surge Surfer doubles the actual Speed
stat, not the base stat! This is much more than the equivalent of base 121 - in terrain, a Modest Vikavolt can just barely outspeed base 150s with Speed-increasing natures.) The loss of Levitate also
indirectly increases its attack power by granting it Electric Terrain's 30% damage boost, further increasing its ability to take advantage of Terrain compared to its base form but without actually enhancing its Special Attack.
Incidentally, Mega Vikavolt can also act as a slow pivot outside of terrain, benefiting from its access to Roost and Volt Switch as well as its naturally low Speed and mostly bulk-oriented stat increases. Mega Vikavolt should absolutely not be run on a team that doesn't include Electric Terrain support - its base form broadly outclasses it at defensive roles, and it definitely isn't worth a Mega slot - but it's still always nice that it can serve a second purpose when its terrain runs out and doesn't become a momentum drain.
Its dependence on terrain is obviously a limiting factor in its own right - not only will many teams not have a way to set Electric Terrain, but Vikavolt sweeps are "on a timer" and reliant on team support. In return, it's hopefully a bit harder to wall thanks to its new coverage in Earth Power (though it may still prefer Energy Ball sometimes, targeting the Ground-types that resist its Rising Voltage) and the amazing raw power of its Rising Voltage when it has the support it needs.
