Diancie Discussion

TheTraininator

TheTraininator

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Mega_Diancie_illustration.png

Mega Diancie is not in any way new to Sun and Moon, and should be a familiar face to any avid players of ORAS OU; however, this already top-tier offensive behemoth has been the recipient of a large amount of buffs that have completely changed how it operates.

First of all, Diancie's signature move Diamond Storm got a buff: it now has a 50% chance to boost Defense two stages instead of one, which can make it surprisingly difficult to take down for an offensive Pokemon.

ORAS Mega Diancie after one Diamond Storm buff:

252 Atk Tough Claws Mega Metagross Bullet Punch vs. +1 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Diancie: 232-276 (96.2 - 114.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

SuMo Mega Diancie after one Diamond Storm buff:

252 Atk Tough Claws Mega Metagross Bullet Punch vs. +2 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Diancie: 172-208 (71.3 - 86.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Scary enough of a direct buff in its own right, but a lot of mechanics changes have worked out in Mega Diancie's favor as well. In case you haven't heard, turn order is now decided after Mega-Evolution unlike in Gen 6, meaning Mega Diancie is now 110 base speed form turn one! This benefits Diancie a great deal more than most other Megas because in 6th gen, Diancie was essentially forced to run Protect on its all-out attacker set to guarantee a turn of safety while it Mega Evolved, which it no longer needs to do. It also means that Mega Diancie can use Rock Polish/Calm Mind without Mega Evolving to take advantage of its stronger defenses, then Mega and still have the 110 speed the turn when it attacks.

Of course, boosting moves aren't the only thing Diancie can use in that fourth moveslot, as it now can run both Earth Power and Hidden Power Fire simultaneously... but more importantly, it can run Hidden Power Fire without having to drop a point in speed and pass up on Speed ties with other 110 base speed Pokemon like Latios! In case you haven't heard, Hyper Training can artificially change a Pokemon's stats to match those of a 31 IV Pokemon, but it doesn't actually change the IVs themselves, meaning that a Pokemon can run Hidden Power of any type and still have an effective 31 IVs in every stat, including Diancie. The final notable buff Mega Diancie got was the addition of Power Gem to its movepool, allowing it to run a fully special set without having to rely on Diamond Storm, effectively making the aforementioned Calm Mind a viable boosting option.

Without further ado, here are some potential new Diancie sets in Generation 7:

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 8 Atk / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
- Hidden Power Fire
- Earth Power

This is the standard all-out attacking set from ORAS, but it now has the option to run Hidden Power Fire and Earth Power simultaneously since it no longer has need of Protect, making checks to this set fewer and farther between.

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power Fire/Earth Power
- Calm Mind

The addition to Power Gem to Mega Diancie's repetoire, as well as the changes to Mega Evolution mechanics, have allowed it to run an offensive Calm Mind set the likes of which even Mega Gardevoir is jealous of. Though Mega Diancie lacks Mega Gardevoir's STAB Psychock and ability to get past subs, Mega Diancie's better speed tier, stronger coverage, and access to Magic Bounce more than make up for it!

What are your thoughts one Mega Diancie in Generation 6, though? Do these changes significantly shake up its impact on the metagame, or will other metagame trends introduced in Sun and Moon hurt it more overall?
 
As a frequent Mega Diancie user, I feel as though these buffs are enough for it to remain strong and relevant in the SuMo meta, given that there's now more diversity in terms of running sets because we are now given the option to run a fully specially-oriented Mega Diancie as well as sets that use boosting moves (which was quite rare during ORAS). A mixed set with Diamond Storm is still perfectly viable because the defensive boost can come in all the more handy at times and can also surprise common switch-ins like Amoonguss, who takes a lot of damage from a fully-invested Diamond Storm. I think the largest buff to Mega Diancie is the fact that it's now less reliant on Protect, essentially freeing up a moveslot (making it even harder to switch in to since there's a larger probability to get hit by the coverage moves that it chooses to run) and allowing it to benefit from the higher speed tier right off the bat.
 
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Another cool option for the 4th slot is Sharpen, which makes MDiancie beat Chansey 1V1:

+1 8 Atk Mega Diancie Diamond Storm vs. 4 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 324-382 (50.4 - 59.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

I've seen some people use it in ORAS but most of the time the lack of Protect hurts your matchup against non-stall teams.
 
In the AoA set, the newly free move slot can be used on PSYCHIC/ PSYSHOCK to get past Mega Venu and Amoonguss. ENDEAVOR can be used to stallbreak on Chansey. STEALTH ROCK Mega Diancie seems solid against stall teams. HEAL BELL can be used in you're desperate for a cleric. (Earth Power, imo, is redundant with Diamond Storm/ Power Gem and HP Fire)

CALM MIND/ SHARPEN / ROCK POLISH or boosting in general with Mega Diancie seem subpar because of its poor Defenses. Although these are definitely more viable now. However, i can see some interesting plays in boosting in its regular form first, then Mega yo utilise the 50/150/150 bulk.

TAPU LELE seems like a good partner as Psychic Terrain disables Bullet Punch from Mega Scizor so it cant check Mega Diancie. Weakened Azumarill cannot revenge kill with Aqua Jet too.

TAPU BULU is another good partner to weaken EQ from Landorus (Defensive and Scraf no longer OHKO) and Garchomp (Scraf canNOT OHKO). BULU itself matches up well against these 2 anw.
 
The buff to diamond storm is massive enough to be viable on a CM set over Power gem imo.
Still no Play rough though...
 
I don't really know if Power Gem is worth losing the utility provided by Diamond Storm. Ok, you can run a Timid nature without having a SpD reducing nature, but you lose the ability to go past pink blobs with high SpD.
The fact that Diamond Storm buffs your Def by 2 levels is really nice towards Bullet Punch users if caught on the switch by a Diamond Storm which triggers the +2 Def.

I really hope that the buff on the Spe mechanic doesn't put Diancie Mega under the ban hammer in in the OU environment. P.S. Now this thing can even run a Modest nature in a Rock Polish set to outspeed 110 Spe pokemons by miles.
 
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All Hail
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Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sharpen
- Rock Polish
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rock Polish
- Moonblast
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power Fire

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power Fire
- Stealth Rock​
 
I hated to be forced to run protect when I ran frail mega evolutions and I am glad that changed. Mega Diance is even harder to switch into now since most of the time it will run HP fire and Earth power. With a new generation though there are new threats like celesteele who can easily take any move and OHKO with heavyslam or flash cannon.
 
I know it's early to make these calls but unless some other mons are a lot better I can't see this thing staying OU. The diamond storm and mega evo changes are going to make it very very powerful. The only mon that might be good enough to keep it in OU is Toxapex.
 
STEELDRAGON said:
I hated to be forced to run protect when I ran frail mega evolutions and I am glad that changed. Mega Diance is even harder to switch into now since most of the time it will run HP fire and Earth power. With a new generation though there are new threats like celesteele who can easily take any move and OHKO with heavyslam or flash cannon.
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Yeah... I have a hard time seeing many of the Ultra Beasts staying around very long for some reason, and even if Celesteele does stay around, how is that any different than running away from most steel types before?
 
Orga777 said:
Yeah... I have a hard time seeing many of the Ultra Beasts staying around very long for some reason, and even if Celesteele does stay around, how is that any different than running away from most steel types before?
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I think most of the UBs will be remain in OU or lower. Celesteele will be one of the best counters to it because its immune to Earth power and it has good special bulk and can easily KO it from the special and physical side. Most other steel types are 2koed by the appropriate coverage move. Skarmory is frail on the special side and must run Iron head.
 
Can you get Diancite in SM?
Unless Im wrong you cannot transfer items via Pokebank, so Mega Diancie might be illegal in SM OU (unless theres a way to get Diancite)
 
M Dragon said:
Can you get Diancite in SM?
Unless Im wrong you cannot transfer items via Pokebank, so Mega Diancie might be illegal in SM OU (unless theres a way to get Diancite)
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Mega Stones are available for purchase at the Battle Tree post-game. I think Diancite will be sold as well.
 
Is there even a need to run Rock coverage if there's no Talonflame? That was the main target of Diamond Storm (I guess Torn too but that thing either beats you with Iron Tail or can't touch you anyway). You may be better off running just HP Fire and Earth Power...
 
Halcyon. said:
Is there even a need to run Rock coverage if there's no Talonflame? That was the main target of Diamond Storm (I guess Torn too but that thing either beats you with Iron Tail or can't touch you anyway). You may be better off running just HP Fire and Earth Power...
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I don't think I've ever seen a single Torn-T run Iron Tail and according to usage stats no one else has. Aside from that, Diamond Storm usually takes care of the Zards (only X is effectively hit by other usual attacks), Zapdos, Heatran when you don't have Earth Power, and other threats that are simply weaker on the phys side (if you lure in a Chansey and use Knock Off as a slot on something otherwise innocuous, for example). There's more reason to use Diamond Storm now that it got a buff so Diancie gets +2 Defense on spamming it (though yes it'll still be vulnerable specially).

In the end though, recent evolutions mechanics made it so that Diancie can have ALL four moves, so I believe this is a concern only for CM sets.
 
In hindsight the RP+3 attacks Diancie I posted up the page is probably suboptimal, and there are two variants that are likely better than it: mixed and bulky.

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 216 Atk / 252 SpA / 40 Spe OR 68 Atk / 252 SpA / 188 Spe OR 252 Atk / 216 SpA / 40 Spe OR 252 Atk / 68 SpA / 188 Spe
Rash / Naughty Nature
- Rock Polish
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Earth Power

40 Spe outpaces jolly Mega Tyranitar at +0 post-mega, which extends to allow it to outpace jolly 70s before a boost if you've mega'd and to outpace scarfed 110s like Latios at +2 (i.e. outpaces all scarfers after a boost). 188 Spe outpaces jolly Excadrill, allowing you to outpace it in the sand at +2. You could probably creep Ada Drill if you want but it'll only be worth it whenever ada Drill is in fashion. Going mixed gives it a much stronger Rock-type STAB and allows it to eliminate stuff on both sides of the spectrum, which is sweet AF.

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 216 HP / 252 SpA / 40 Spe OR 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rock Polish
- Moonblast
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Earth Power

This variant takes better advantage of base Diancie's impressive bulk to allow it to set up more easily at the cost of power on it's Rock-type STAB and the matchup vs. specially bulky Pokémon. 80 Spe outpaces adamant Driller.
 
So glad Diancie finally got Power Gem, also nice that they boosted Diamond Storm (honestly I think all Signature Moves should get a look over).

So this mean the Amaura family is getting Power Gem now, right? Right? RIGHT?!
 
Pikachu315111 said:
So glad Diancie finally got Power Gem, also nice that they boosted Diamond Storm (honestly I think all Signature Moves should get a look over).

So this mean the Amaura family is getting Power Gem now, right? Right? RIGHT?!
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Considering they didn't even get Aurora Veil despite literally being based off of auroras I've lost all hope in GF ever buffing the poor sauropods.
 
Great, now Megas got a buff and with those overpowered Ultra Beasts, the powercreep is out of the roof. I wonder how Smogon intends to handle this. Some former Ubers will be freed as well such as Deoxys.
 
mertyville said:
Great, now Megas got a buff and with those overpowered Ultra Beasts, the powercreep is out of the roof. I wonder how Smogon intends to handle this. Some former Ubers will be freed as well such as Deoxys.
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Alot of Ubers get freed at the start of every generation. 90% of the time they go straight back and drag the new Broken Mons with them. This will be no different.

Will Diancie go with them? idk, depends on how the meta shapes up, but its stupidly good now, when we actually get to use it post Bank. Assuming we can find the Diancieite which apparently isn't at the battle tree?
 
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