[OVERVIEW]
Metagross excels in the Uber metagame thanks to its excellent offenses, bulk, and defensive typing, giving it a strong case for being included on nearly any kind of team. Offensively, its mighty Meteor Mash is one of the most difficult attacks in the tier to switch into, and it has all of the coverage it could ask for to complement it and threaten common switch-ins. In addition, its Explosion is among the most powerful attacks in the game, threatening to OHKO nearly any foe that doesn't resist it, and it can also be a menacing late-game cleaner with Agility. Defensively, Metagross's Steel / Psychic typing and great natural bulk let it check several of the most terrifying threats in the tier, such as Deoxys-A, Snorlax, Latios, and Latias, and its access to Pursuit makes it the most popular choice for trapping Deoxys-A. However, although it's great at performing many roles, Metagross is also notable for not being the best at any single thing: as an attacker, it's overshadowed by Groudon in terms of Speed, bulk, and sheer power, and Forretress offers more on the defensive side due to its superior Defense, Bug and Ghost resistances and access to Spikes and Rapid Spin. Metagross's Speed is also on the lower side by Uber standards, leaving it outsped and threatened by many of the tier's heaviest hitters.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Pursuit / Rock Slide
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 116 Atk / 24 Def / 116 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Meteor Mash is an incredibly spammable STAB move, boasting excellent neutral coverage in Ubers that lets it 2HKO common Pokemon such as offensive Mewtwo, Latios, Heracross, and Blissey. It also has a 20% chance to raise Metagross's Attack, providing a way to break through Pokemon that otherwise force it to switch out or use Explosion, such as Groudon, Deoxys-D, and even Lugia if it's been paralyzed. Earthquake is important coverage for Pokemon that might attempt to switch into Meteor Mash such as Kyogre, Forretress, Jirachi, and Magneton, although the former two are only hit neutrally by it. Pursuit is important for reliably KOing Deoxys-A, and its extreme frailty means Metagross can utilize the move without Special Attack investment. Finally, Explosion is an obscenely powerful nuke that Metagross can use if its team needs to quickly remove an opposing Pokemon or if its health has dropped too low to be useful in other ways. However, Explosion shouldn't be used recklessly, since Skarmory and Forretress, two of this set's best answers, both resist it. If your team is more concerned about Ho-Oh than Deoxys-A, Rock Slide can potentially be slotted over Pursuit, but it's usually more efficient to use Metagross as your Deoxys-A answer.
Metagross's naturally great offenses mean it doesn't need full Attack investment to pose a threat; this leaves it free to put more EVs into bulk, making it a better answer to common threats such as Snorlax and Deoxys-A. The given EV spread provides Metagross with enough bulk to reliably fill its defensive roles. Maximum HP and 24 Defense EVs let Metagross avoid a 2HKO from Choice Band Deoxys-A's Shadow Ball, even with a layer of Spikes in play; it also guarantees survival against a Choice Band- or Dragon Dance-boosted Earthquake from Rayquaza. 116 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature ensure Metagross can OHKO bulkless Latios with Meteor Mash if it gains an Attack boost beforehand while also securing 2HKOs against Blissey and maximum HP Latias and ensuring an OHKO on maximum HP Groudon with Explosion. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Defense to help Metagross withstand various special attacks from Pokemon it's tasked with defeating, such as Thunder from Latios, Deoxys-A, and Mewtwo, as well as Kyogre's Surf in a pinch. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 116 Atk / 48 Def / 92 SpD is viable to guarantee that Metagross survives Adamant Groudon's Earthquake from full health, letting it consistently trade with Explosion.
Team Options
========
Latios is a classic teammate for Metagross thanks to their excellent synergy. Latios checks Groudon and Kyogre and pressures other Metagross checks such as Skarmory, Lugia, and Ho-Oh; in exchange, Metagross provides a switch-in to Snorlax, Deoxys-A, Mewtwo lacking Fire Blast, and opposing Latios while also threatening Blissey. Kyogre is an excellent partner for both of these Pokemon, as the rain it summons can negate Metagross's Fire weakness, scare away Ho-Oh, and allow Latios to run Thunder for the aforementioned Flying-types. Fitting a Spikes user alongside Metagross can make it significantly harder to switch into; Forretress and Omastar are both solid choices for this. The former also brings Rapid Spin to prevent Metagross from being worn down by opposing Spikes, and the latter checks Ho-Oh and makes for a threatening win condition alongside Kyogre. Metagross can also benefit from the support of Magneton on its team, as its Magnet Pull is the most reliable way to remove Skarmory and Forretress. Teams utilizing Magneton might want to stack additional Self-Destruct and Explosion users alongside Metagross to facilitate a fast-paced, trade-heavy playstyle; Curse Snorlax, lead Mewtwo, Swords Dance Mew, Gengar, and Forretress can all contribute to this while also bringing other utility. Although they share several common checks, Groudon and Metagross are still potentially a great pairing; Groudon can provide a backup check to physical Deoxys-A sets, an insurance policy against rain sweepers like Omastar, and a lure for opposing Steel-types with Overheat. Offensive Groudon sets also appreciate Metagross's help in overwhelming shared checks like Lugia and defensive Kyogre.
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Hidden Power Fire
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Explosion
item: Leftovers
ability: Clear Body
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 116 Atk / 24 Def / 96 SpA / 20 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Instead of going all-in on physical power, this Metagross variant attempts to lure some of its usual checks by tapping into its respectable Special Attack stat. Meteor Mash remains the STAB move of choice here, hitting a majority of the tier for significant neutral damage and threatening 2HKOs against common targets such as Latios, Mewtwo, Blissey, and Heracross; its 20% chance to boost Metagross's Attack is also useful for punching holes in various bulky Pokemon. Hidden Power Fire is what makes this set stand out: when boosted by Groudon's sunlight, the move has decent odds to OHKO all variants of Forretress, and it will always KO in conjunction with Meteor Mash on the following turn. The move also comfortably 2HKOes Skarmory when sun-boosted, which would otherwise wall Metagross with little effort. Pursuit lets Metagross fill its usual role of switching into and trapping Deoxys-A, although this set has more trouble with Fire Punch and SubPetaya variants due to the low Special Defense investment. Pursuit is also more useful against other targets (most notably Gengar) on this set due to the Special Attack EVs, although it's more of a tool for securing chip damage on forced switches than a reliable method of trapping anything besides Deoxys-A. Explosion hits any target that doesn't resist it extremely hard, likely OHKOing said target on the spot unless they've accrued a Defense boost or hidden themselves behind a Substitute. It's worth noting that since Skarmory and Forretress are usually the best tools for absorbing a Metagross Explosion, this set's ability to lure and remove or heavily chip them makes Explosion even more scary.
96 Special Attack EVs guarantee that the combination of Hidden Power Fire and Meteor Mash will always KO Forretress under sunlight. 252 HP and 24 Defense EVs ensure Metagross's survival against two Shadow Balls from Choice Band Deoxys-A after one layer of Spikes. 116 Attack EVs with a positive nature guarantee Meteor Mash will OHKO bulkless Latios at +1, 2HKO Blissey, and 2HKO maximum HP Latias. A Brave nature is used instead of Adamant to avoid hindering the power of Hidden Power Fire; thankfully, the resulting drop in Speed only hurts Metagross against opposing Metagross and the occasional Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Groudon is mandatory alongside mixed Metagross, since its Drought summons the sunlight required for Hidden Power Fire to hit its damage benchmarks. Groudon itself also greatly benefits from this set's talents, as Skarmory is usually a significant thorn in its side. Ho-Oh is another great Pokemon under sun that can also bring the pain to Kyogre switch-ins with Thunder or a Choice Band set; it even checks Jirachi, Bulk Up Mewtwo, and opposing Metagross, giving it considerable defensive synergy. Choice Band Deoxys-A loves this Metagross acting as a Steel-type lure, letting it spam Shadow Ball with reckless abandon. Latios is always a welcome teammate for Metagross, and on sun teams it provides much-needed insurance against Kyogre. Chlorophyll sweepers also enjoy anti-Steel-type measures that keep them from having to run Hidden Power Fire themselves; this is especially true for Exeggutor, which, much like Metagross, hates Skarmory and Forretress switching into its Explosion.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Pursuit / Rock Slide
move 4: Explosion
item: Choice Band
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Metagross has an excellent STAB move in Meteor Mash, solid coverage, and plenty of resistances it can leverage to get on the field, which combine to give it one of the scariest Choice Band sets in the game. A Choice Band-boosted Meteor Mash is hilariously strong, shredding through Latios and Mewtwo in a single hit and 2HKOing every other neutral target except Lugia; even bulky Pokemon that might otherwise be safe from Metagross's assaults, such as Deoxys-D, are not safe from this monster. A Steel resistance doesn't guarantee safety, either, as Earthquake will reduce Magneton to atoms while OHKOing Jirachi and 2HKOing most Kyogre if Spikes are on the field. Pursuit still lets Metagross act as a solid Deoxys-A trapper despite the lack of Leftovers and reduced bulk investment, although those factors make it more difficult to use in the role without sacrificing a Pokemon first. If Pursuit isn't needed, Rock Slide is a great alternative that hammers Ho-Oh and provides a slightly more accurate option against Rayquaza, Salamence, and Skarmory. Finally, Explosion is upgraded from a nuke to an orbital bombardment with a Choice Band equipped, wiping basically anything not named Gengar or Dusclops off the face of the earth. Even Lugia and Forretress, the only two Pokemon capable of withstanding Choice Band Metagross's other attacks, are felled by Explosion, making the set truly unwallable with proper play.
The given EV spread is the simplest and most reliable: maximum Attack and HP investment lets Metagross hit as hard as possible while still retaining defensive utility against the likes of Snorlax, Latios, Deoxys-A, and several other threats. However, maximum Speed investment can also be quite useful, since it means that Groudon, Kyogre, and Deoxys-D are not only unable to switch into a Choice Band Metagross that predicts them, but they also won't be able to fire off a powerful attack before being KOed, or in Deoxys-D's case, stall for time with Recover. Jirachi and slower variants of Rayquaza can be caught out by this as well, and if Metagross is running Rock Slide, this also completely turns the tables on most Ho-Oh.
Team Options
========
Choice Band Metagross makes a great addition to offensive teams that enjoy its brutal, immediate progress-making ability; such teams usually play at a pace that negates this set's lowered resilience on the defensive side. These teams benefit from aggressively overloading the defensive pieces of the opposing team and seizing early momentum, which can be accomplished by a threatening Explosion lead such as Mew or Mewtwo. Since Choice Band Metagross has a tendency to shred through some Pokemon that might solidly check its other sets, such as Groudon, the range of offensive teammates it can work with is very wide; however, Magneton is still a great asset to it, since Metagross still can't reliably deal with Skarmory and Forretress without sacrificing itself. Pokemon that take advantage of Ho-Oh and Lugia are also important, especially since Metagross has a tendency to lock itself into moves that give Ho-Oh free turns; Calm Mind Latios has an excellent matchup against both Pokemon, especially if it uses Thunder alongside Kyogre to hit them as hard as possible. If you'd prefer to run a Latios set that can't fit Thunder, or the team is using Groudon but not Kyogre, Substitute + Calm Mind Mewtwo is another great win condition that similarly helps Metagross against its checks. Gengar can shut down Lugia with its classic Taunt + Will-O-Wisp combination while also blocking Forretress's attempts to remove Spikes with Rapid Spin. Aerodactyl is a formidable late-game wincon that dominates Ho-Oh and can work with Metagross to break down their shared checks; it also appreciates Metagross trapping one of its few reliable revenge killers in Deoxys-A. Curse Snorlax is a formidable endgame threat that appreciates Metagross's ability to remove or severely weaken Groudon, Lugia, and Steel-types; Snorlax can also run a Choice Band set of its own to maximize wallbreaking power, but this often makes the team unacceptably weak to special threats like Latios and Mewtwo.
[SET]
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Earthquake / Rock Slide
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Agility gives Metagross the Speed advantage it needs to clean up games, letting it outrun the entire unboosted metagame after a single turn of setup and clobber weakened teams with Meteor Mash. Metagross's Steel typing affords it a resistance to the most common priority moves in Ubers, namely Extreme Speed from Deoxys-A and Rayquaza; this gives it a key advantage over other fast setup sweepers, such as Rayquaza itself as well as Mewtwo and Salac Berry Groudon and Kyogre. Explosion is retained on this set so that Metagross can still deal excellent damage in the event it is unable to clean by itself. Earthquake lets Metagross function as a team's main sweeper, letting it blow past Meteor Mash switch-ins such as Jirachi, Magneton, Qwilfish, and weakened Kyogre. Rock Slide is a coverage option that specifically invalidates Ho-Oh as a check, although this is more of a specific tech compared to Earthquake.
The given EV spread lets Metagross hit exactly 400 Speed after using Agility, outpacing neutral-natured Deoxys-A by a single point. Maximum Attack EVs with an Adamant nature are necessary, since Metagross has no way of reliably boosting its Attack stat further. The remaining EVs are dumped into HP to preserve as much of Metagross's bulk as possible, ensuring it's still a decent answer to Snorlax and neutral-natured Deoxys-A. Leftovers are the default item to give Metagross as much staying power as possible, but Lum Berry can be a lifesaver against Pokemon that can take a hit from Metagross and cripple it with paralysis, such as Thunder Wave variants of Groudon and Blissey.
Team Options
========
Agility Metagross works best on offensive builds that use multiple strong win conditions that synergize with it. As a faster sweeper that relies on Speed to clean up teams, Metagross particularly needs help against stall cores that rely more on bulk than Speed; such teams commonly check it with Skarmory, Forretress, or Lugia, so it's preferable to have a teammate which deals with these. Calm Mind Latios is a great candidate, as it boasts perfect defensive synergy with Metagross and easily overwhelms its checks with boosted Thunder. Substitute + Calm Mind Kyogre is similarly effective, and it also provides rain to help Metagross's team against Ho-Oh as well as Fire coverage from Mewtwo and Deoxys-A. Magneton is also a reliable way of clearing out Steel-types for Metagross's benefit, but such a build would require a different solution against Lugia; again, Latios and Kyogre are both easy to recommend, as are dedicated stallbreakers such as Taunt + Toxic Mewtwo. Spikes are extremely useful for weakening checks such as Groudon, Kyogre, and Forretress into range of Metagross's attacks; Forretress, Deoxys-D, and Skarmory are all serviceable in this role. Forretress also supports Metagross with Rapid Spin, Deoxys-D piles on the passive damage with Toxic and Knock Off, and Skarmory amplifies the effects of Spikes with Whirlwind. Since Agility Metagross is unable to fit Pursuit, an alternative Deoxys-A check is extremely important; Rayquaza is a great candidate for this thanks to its access to Extreme Speed and resistance to Superpower, and it can shred holes in bulkier teams with a Dragon Dance or Choice Band set.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic cripples several Pokemon that commonly switch into Meteor Mash, such as Kyogre, Lugia, and Ho-Oh, but since Steel-types such as Skarmory and Forretress are some of Metagross's best answers, it is an inconsistent choice even with Hidden Power Fire or Magneton support. Shadow Ball is a potent coverage option that could fit on the Choice Band set, giving Metagross its strongest and most accurate hit against the many Psychic-types in Ubers, but Meteor Mash hits most of these targets hard enough already. Ice Punch is an interesting choice for the mixed set that deals more damage against Groudon, Rayquaza, and Salamence, but Hidden Power Fire is usually more useful for surprising common Metagross checks. Liechi Berry can give the Agility set a better chance at sweeping, since Metagross is often knocked down to low health as it sets up, and Clear Body means the Attack boost can't be wasted by Salamence's Intimidate; ; however, Metagross cannot fit Substitute to consistently activate it, and the opportunity cost of dropping other items is significant.
On the Agility set, an alternative EV spread of 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe can allow Metagross to outspeed positive-natured Deoxys-A variants after a boost. This spread also beats uninvested base 90 Speed Pokemon before using Agility, which can be useful if Metagross needs to use Explosion on Kyogre or Ho-Oh in an emergency.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Kyogre**: Kyogre resists Meteor Mash and packs enough bulk to withstand multiple Earthquakes; its rain-boosted Water-type attacks also pose a major threat to Metagross in return, and Drizzle effectively forces the mixed set to play with three moveslots. However, Choice Band Metagross can still 3HKO Kyogre with Meteor Mash, and all sets can take a Surf if necessary and respond with Explosion. The opponent has to respect this threat whenever Metagross is on the field, as many rain-centric teams can't afford to lose their Kyogre in the mid-game. However, many Kyogre variants run Hydro Pump as their STAB move of choice, partially because it OHKOes Metagross; therefore, Metagross does not fare nearly as well against those sets.
**Steel-types**: Skarmory and Forretress are some of the sturdiest Metagross switch-ins in the tier, taking little damage from its physical attacks and setting up Spikes in its face. Despite this, it's worth noting that Forretress can be overwhelmed by Spikes damage and repeated Earthquakes, especially against the Choice Band set, and both Pokemon live in fear of Hidden Power Fire while sun is active. Jirachi walls mixed Metagross and forces the Choice Band set into prediction games, but it must respect Earthquake. Magneton can trap Choice Band Metagross if it locks into any move besides Earthquake, but it will not beat any of its other sets if healthy; rather, it can pick them off at low health or chip them to a point where they can no longer switch into a threatening teammate like Deoxys-A.
**Groudon**: Groudon's excellent physical bulk lets it switch into Metagross's unboosted attacks with relative ease, and Earthquake will threaten a KO if Metagross isn't in pristine condition. Substitute sets can also play around the threat of Explosion if they have the Speed advantage, which they will more often than not. However, Metagross's Explosion still poses a major threat to Groudon, and the Choice Band set can simply plow through it with boosted Meteor Mashes.
**Lugia**: Lugia's ridiculous physical bulk combined with Reflect and Recover means it has little to fear even from Choice Band Metagross, easily PP stalling it with Pressure. However, Metagross's Toxic immunity makes it hard for Lugia to directly force damage on it, leaving it with little to do besides PP stalling and forcing Spikes damage on it with Whirlwind, and a well-timed Explosion can still remove it in many situations, most notably if Lugia is paralyzed and cannot re-set Reflect when it needs to. In addition, Choice Band Lugia is actually checked by Metagross due to its Aeroblast resistance.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh easily switches into Metagross's standard coverage combination of Meteor Mash + Earthquake and threatens it out regardless of the active weather, as Sacred Fire will still deal heavy damage and potentially cripple Metagross with a burn even in rain. However, Ho-Oh's 4x Rock weakness means its trainer must scout Metagross's set for Rock Slide, especially if Metagross is EVed to outspeed it, and Explosion can trade with it on a predicted switch-in if necessary.
**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio can remove Metagross from the game after some chip damage with its Choice Band-boosted Earthquake, although it can't switch into any physical attack besides Rock Slide, making it more of a revenge killer than a true check.
**Burns**: As a strong physical attacker, Metagross loathes getting burned. While Gengar can't dream of switching into Meteor Mash, its Earthquake and Explosion immunities make it annoying for Metagross to play around, and its Will-O-Wisp will cripple Metagross for the rest of the game. Dusclops can switch into any move besides Meteor Mash and cripple Metagross with its own Will-O-Wisp.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/stupidflandrs48.633500/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sea.306959/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/inspirited.127823/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aurora.109385/
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