[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards
**Price Range**: 16 points
**Overview**: Melmetal's titanic physical bulk and attack make it a lethal tank and wallbreaker, capable of breaking down most teams with its absurdly powerful Double Iron Bash while wielding an excellent defensive typing to sponge attacks, all of which also making it one of the best Pokemon in the format for trading itself for foes in one-on-one exchanges. That said, Melmetal has a bevy of flaws for foes to take advantage of with its lack of reliable recovery, low special defense, reliance on a multi-hitting contact move, and abysmal speed.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Tank**: Leaning into its defensive profile with investment and/or items like Leftovers and Assault Vest, Melmetal can comfortably switch into attacks while still wielding its usual heavy-hitting moves to neutralize offensive foes.
**Wallbreaker**: With offensive investment and a damage-boosting item like Choice Band, Melmetal can tear apart most defensive walls with Double Iron Bash, while coverage options like Thunder Punch, Earthquake, and Superpower can break through Steel-resistant foes.
**Defensive Utility**: Rather than overwhelming defensive answers with brute force, these sets make use of status to take advantage of said answers. This comes in the form of Toxic or Thunder Wave, racking up Leftovers recovery and often poison damage with Protect, and the occasional use of substitute. Acid Armor can also be employed as a way to both boost the damage of Body Press and make Melmetal near unbreakable for physical foes.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Double Iron Bash, Heavy Slam, Gyro Ball
**Setup Moves**: Acid Armor
**Utility Moves**: Toxic, Thunder Wave, Protect, Substitute, Rest, Sleep Talk, Rock Tomb, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Ice Punch, Superpower, Rock Slide, Body Press, Thunder Punch, Darkest Lariat
Niche Moves
========
**Special Coverage**: Melmetal's serviceable Special Attack allows it to use alternative coverage moves like Ice Beam, Thunder, and Solar Beam to surprise physical walls.
**Facade**: Facade can be used to maintain Melmetal's offensive presence in case of a burn.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is essential for Melmetal in any match where it needs longevity, especially since they're complimented by the switches Melmetal usually causes along with the use of Protect and status.
**Protective Pads**: With most of its attacks being contact-making, especially the crucial multi-hitting Double Iron Bash, Melmetal greatly benefits from Protective Pads to avoid being ruined by Rocky Helmet and Flame Body wielders.
**Choice Band**: Since Melmetal is most often using Double Iron Bash, Choice Band is by far the best option to give it absolute wallbreaking power.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest patches up Melmetal's shoddy special bulk, allowing it to more comfortably stomach special attacks.
Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries can be used to lure in strong attackers and either KO them back or inflict them with debilitating status.
**Other Damage-boosting items**: Items like Metal Coat and Expert Belt can give minor boosts of damage if the ability to switch moves is wanted over Choice Band's power.
**Rocky Helmet**: Melmetal's sheer physical bulk can let it easily absorb and punish common contact-making moves with Rocky Helmet.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Melmetal can use Heavy-Duty Boots if it does not want to lose excessive longevity to Spikes.
Draft Strategy
========
Melmetal cements itself in teams as an extremely bulky and powerful threat that most foes can't take down single-handedly, but it requires supportive allies to facilitate its role, as either an offensive wallbreaker or defensive piece, throughout the game and patch up its few noticeable weaknesses. For teams that want to facilitate other primary threats though, alternative steel-types with better cohesion or utility may be desired over Melmetal.
**Knock Off**: Reliable users of Knock Off, like Tornadus-T, Weavile, and Lando-T, that can remove items from multiple foes are essential teammates for Melmetal, as the removal of looming Rocky Helmets allows Melmetal to have greater freedom in its item choice without being forced into Protective Pads.
**Pivots**: Pivots like Slowbro, Cinderace, and Uxie can bring in Melmetal safely and let it fire off Double Iron Bash's on non-threatening foes.
**Special Walls**: Specially bulky Pokemon like Galarian Slowking, Tapu Fini, and Clefable can switch in on the special attacks often used for Melmetal and alleviate its need to run Assault Vest in such situations.
**Hazard Setters**: Hazards from the likes of Landorus-T, Nidoqueen, and Mew are greatly appreciated by Melmetal to soften switchins and dissuade foes from equipping Rocky Helmet over Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Healing Wish**: As a Pokemon who can break and trade with foes quite well yet lacks recovery, Melmetal appreciates the use of Healing Wish from users like Latias, Jirachi, and Mesprit for a pivotal second chance, especially if it's traded its health prior to take down an opposing check.
**Trick Room Setters**: Trick Room setters like Slowking, Porygon2, and Hatterene can turn Melmetal into an unexpected sweeper, as it can more easily change moves and tear through checks when unburdened by its usual low Speed and Special Defense.
Checks and Counters
========
**Contact Punishment**: Rocky Helmet and status-inducing contact ability wielders like Rotom-Wash, Moltres, and Zapdos are the greatest checks to non-Protective Pads Melmetal, as the easy punishment on its contact moves greatly hinders its offensive potential with either chip damage, status, or being forced out of clicking its all-important Double Iron Bash for other approaches.
**Steel-resistant Walls**: Pokemon capable of stomaching the extreme power of Double Iron Bash, like Toxapex, Celesteela, and Slowbro, can force Melmetal to rely on its coverage or status moves, while they can also inflict it with status of their own or directly chip it down.
**Powerful Special Attacks**: Special attackers like Blacephalon, Keldeo, and Thundurus-T are most suited to breaking right through Melmetal on the poorer side of its bulk, though even physical attackers like Zeraora and Dragonite may be inclined to run mixed or special sets to bypass its physical Defense.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/e-man.617175/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards
**Price Range**: 16 points
**Overview**: Melmetal's titanic physical bulk and attack make it a lethal tank and wallbreaker, capable of breaking down most teams with its absurdly powerful Double Iron Bash while wielding an excellent defensive typing to sponge attacks, all of which also making it one of the best Pokemon in the format for trading itself for foes in one-on-one exchanges. That said, Melmetal has a bevy of flaws for foes to take advantage of with its lack of reliable recovery, low special defense, reliance on a multi-hitting contact move, and abysmal speed.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Tank**: Leaning into its defensive profile with investment and/or items like Leftovers and Assault Vest, Melmetal can comfortably switch into attacks while still wielding its usual heavy-hitting moves to neutralize offensive foes.
**Wallbreaker**: With offensive investment and a damage-boosting item like Choice Band, Melmetal can tear apart most defensive walls with Double Iron Bash, while coverage options like Thunder Punch, Earthquake, and Superpower can break through Steel-resistant foes.
**Defensive Utility**: Rather than overwhelming defensive answers with brute force, these sets make use of status to take advantage of said answers. This comes in the form of Toxic or Thunder Wave, racking up Leftovers recovery and often poison damage with Protect, and the occasional use of substitute. Acid Armor can also be employed as a way to both boost the damage of Body Press and make Melmetal near unbreakable for physical foes.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Double Iron Bash, Heavy Slam, Gyro Ball
**Setup Moves**: Acid Armor
**Utility Moves**: Toxic, Thunder Wave, Protect, Substitute, Rest, Sleep Talk, Rock Tomb, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Ice Punch, Superpower, Rock Slide, Body Press, Thunder Punch, Darkest Lariat
Niche Moves
========
**Special Coverage**: Melmetal's serviceable Special Attack allows it to use alternative coverage moves like Ice Beam, Thunder, and Solar Beam to surprise physical walls.
**Facade**: Facade can be used to maintain Melmetal's offensive presence in case of a burn.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is essential for Melmetal in any match where it needs longevity, especially since they're complimented by the switches Melmetal usually causes along with the use of Protect and status.
**Protective Pads**: With most of its attacks being contact-making, especially the crucial multi-hitting Double Iron Bash, Melmetal greatly benefits from Protective Pads to avoid being ruined by Rocky Helmet and Flame Body wielders.
**Choice Band**: Since Melmetal is most often using Double Iron Bash, Choice Band is by far the best option to give it absolute wallbreaking power.
**Assault Vest**: Assault Vest patches up Melmetal's shoddy special bulk, allowing it to more comfortably stomach special attacks.
Niche Items
========
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries can be used to lure in strong attackers and either KO them back or inflict them with debilitating status.
**Other Damage-boosting items**: Items like Metal Coat and Expert Belt can give minor boosts of damage if the ability to switch moves is wanted over Choice Band's power.
**Rocky Helmet**: Melmetal's sheer physical bulk can let it easily absorb and punish common contact-making moves with Rocky Helmet.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Melmetal can use Heavy-Duty Boots if it does not want to lose excessive longevity to Spikes.
Draft Strategy
========
Melmetal cements itself in teams as an extremely bulky and powerful threat that most foes can't take down single-handedly, but it requires supportive allies to facilitate its role, as either an offensive wallbreaker or defensive piece, throughout the game and patch up its few noticeable weaknesses. For teams that want to facilitate other primary threats though, alternative steel-types with better cohesion or utility may be desired over Melmetal.
**Knock Off**: Reliable users of Knock Off, like Tornadus-T, Weavile, and Lando-T, that can remove items from multiple foes are essential teammates for Melmetal, as the removal of looming Rocky Helmets allows Melmetal to have greater freedom in its item choice without being forced into Protective Pads.
**Pivots**: Pivots like Slowbro, Cinderace, and Uxie can bring in Melmetal safely and let it fire off Double Iron Bash's on non-threatening foes.
**Special Walls**: Specially bulky Pokemon like Galarian Slowking, Tapu Fini, and Clefable can switch in on the special attacks often used for Melmetal and alleviate its need to run Assault Vest in such situations.
**Hazard Setters**: Hazards from the likes of Landorus-T, Nidoqueen, and Mew are greatly appreciated by Melmetal to soften switchins and dissuade foes from equipping Rocky Helmet over Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Healing Wish**: As a Pokemon who can break and trade with foes quite well yet lacks recovery, Melmetal appreciates the use of Healing Wish from users like Latias, Jirachi, and Mesprit for a pivotal second chance, especially if it's traded its health prior to take down an opposing check.
**Trick Room Setters**: Trick Room setters like Slowking, Porygon2, and Hatterene can turn Melmetal into an unexpected sweeper, as it can more easily change moves and tear through checks when unburdened by its usual low Speed and Special Defense.
Checks and Counters
========
**Contact Punishment**: Rocky Helmet and status-inducing contact ability wielders like Rotom-Wash, Moltres, and Zapdos are the greatest checks to non-Protective Pads Melmetal, as the easy punishment on its contact moves greatly hinders its offensive potential with either chip damage, status, or being forced out of clicking its all-important Double Iron Bash for other approaches.
**Steel-resistant Walls**: Pokemon capable of stomaching the extreme power of Double Iron Bash, like Toxapex, Celesteela, and Slowbro, can force Melmetal to rely on its coverage or status moves, while they can also inflict it with status of their own or directly chip it down.
**Powerful Special Attacks**: Special attackers like Blacephalon, Keldeo, and Thundurus-T are most suited to breaking right through Melmetal on the poorer side of its bulk, though even physical attackers like Zeraora and Dragonite may be inclined to run mixed or special sets to bypass its physical Defense.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/e-man.617175/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000
Last edited:
