BH Gengar [GP 2/2] [Done]


[OVERVIEW]

Mega Gengar threatens common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with its STAB combination and effectively uses setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its slower checks. It notably can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks but also have an advantageous matchup against Imposter Chansey, differentiating itself from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat their Imposter one-on-one. This also means that Mega Gengar will not require the use of another team slot to fit in a Pokemon that has to Imposter-proof it and thus has a somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams. Mega Gengar can utilize its Ghost typing to check Sturdy Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison typing also leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which sees situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Diancie, whose Pixilate-boosted attacks only deal resisted damage, and Kartana under the right conditions. However, the popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce from Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Yveltal tends to somewhat limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets. In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to a prevalence of priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to prepare for; to specify, Normalize sets, which do not use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, forgoing Secret Sword makes Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal. Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition from Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is more multi dimensional, has slightly greater bulk and higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and is less vulnerable to the extremely common Knock Off and Spectral Thief.

[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / King's Shield
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
in-battle alt: Mega

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Shell Smash sharply boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, giving it enough power to OHKO checks like Yveltal and Mega Audino after some prior damage and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Registeel. Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack without lowering its bulk, allowing Mega Gengar to OHKO Yveltal with +3 Sludge Bomb after Stealth Rock damage and guaranteeing OHKOs on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. Tail Glow's lack of a boost in Speed makes Shell Smash generally a better option, however. Judgment is Mega Gengar's strongest attack and lets it Imposter-proof itself. Judgment's high damage output forces out Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash, as they are OHKOed with or without prior damage, and lets Mega Gengar OHKO neutral targets like Primal Groudon at +2. This move should only be used when Mega Gengar has a Spooky Plate, however. Secret Sword completes Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat Chansey for heavy damage after a boost. Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep and has increased effectiveness with Mold Breaker, as it then bypasses Magic Bounce. Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and has a guaranteed chance to OHKO non-Unaware Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost; it is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter users in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb. Running Pursuit along with Mold Breaker is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams that need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves. King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability to -ate users that can easily end its sweep if it doesn't have Dazzling. Taunt can be considered to bypass Prankster users like Registeel that do not have many ways to threaten Mega Gengar back, but Lovely Kiss is already an effective countermeasure against many defensive checks.

Set Details
========

Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire off a strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear of Imposter, and it should always be used with Judgment. Focus Sash is an option that is to be used with Moongeist Beam and ensures that Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up. This can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to set up with its horrendous bulk. A Timid nature is used to at worst Speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and opposing Mega Gengar. Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past Unaware users with boosted attacks and use Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce. Note that the ability is revealed when Mega Gengar enters the field and therefore removes the chance that Mega Gengar can force switches by bluffing a Normalize set, however. Adaptability gives more initial power, giving Mega Gengar a good chance to OHKO Giratina and Mega Audino after Stealth Rock and 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage. However, Adaptability forgoes the option to deal heavier damage to Unaware users after Mega Gengar is boosted like with Mold Breaker. Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar safety from priority moves at the cost of forgoing the aforementioned abilities that let it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Gengar's sweep can be cut short by priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated. Assault Vest users can also stop Mega Gengar if it lacks a sleep-inducing move, so try to gain information about the opposing team before planning a sweep with Mega Gengar. As Mega Gengar does not have the best bulk, it should be brought in using forced switches. Depending on the moveset, the way players have to use Mega Gengar will also differ. For example, when Mega Gengar is using Judgment and is not running Mold Breaker, it will have good chance to successfully bluff Normalize sets, but when it runs Mold Breaker, which immediately reveals its ability, an opponent will typically anticipate Mega Gengar to be a setup variant and switch out to an appropriate check. As Mega Gengar will likely draw in bulky foes from a paranoid opponent, try to put them to sleep or wear them down with Sludge Bomb's potential poison. In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore is best used with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance to sweep if its sleep move has been bounced back. However, these sleep moves are still unreliable against bulkier foes like Primal Kyogre that will require Mega Gengar to be lucky with sleep turns, so make sure they are weakened beforehand. Poison Heal users like Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can also be nuisances, as they can switch into Lovely Kiss freely after activating their Toxic Orb and survive a boosted attack from full health.

Team Options
========

Entry hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various OHKO benchmarks against foes like Yveltal and Primal Groudon and avoid having its sweep stopped by Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens non-Unaware Mega Gyarados enough to be OHKOed by Secret Sword after a Shell Smash and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as good switch-ins to priority users. Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Xerneas can threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early-game and force opponents to play more defensively. Mega Gengar can then take advantage of defensive reactions and set up on a forced switch. Mega Gengar can also threaten passive Steel-types like Registeel and offensively check Necrozma-DM for said wallbreakers. Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Unaware Pokemon with Scald or surprise them with Water Spout, while Regigigas can practically pressure any Pokemon that has enough special bulk to survive a hit from Mega Gengar. Poison Heal users' ability to absorb status and punish certain Trick users is also helpful. Imposter Chansey can help to scout Mega Gengar's setup targets to ensure that they don't carry hazardous moves like Knock Off, Spectral Thief, and Spore. Finally, Sturdy Shedinja is a considerable partner, as it threatens out a majority of the -ate users, Assault Vest pivots, and defensive Primal Kyogre that can check Mega Gengar and benefits from Mega Gengar threatening opposing Ghost-types.

[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
in-battle alt: Mega

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Entrainment replaces the foe's ability with Normalize, leaving it unable to damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves, with exceptions like Revelation Dance and Z-Moves. Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at the cost of making Mega Gengar very vulnerable to -ate users. Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage and remains a Normal-type attack for common Imposter-users that don't carry Plate items, letting Mega Gengar defeat them. Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposter users unable to retaliate. Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Audino harder than Boomburst. Its lower damage output against Yveltal can be detrimental, however. Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users like Registeel and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affects Mega Gengar even after the foe gains Normalize. Note that forgoing a Normal-type attack move is going leave Mega Gengar completely walled by Normal-types. King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they use contact move, though this move faces similar opportunity cost to Taunt.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in Speed with a Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst Speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed slower foes like Kartana. Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while also being immune to the Normal-type Judgment of common Imposter users. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.

Usage Tips
========

Before attempting to neutralize an opposing Pokemon with Entrainment, scout for foes that can effectively counter this set. This means Pokemon with Magic Bounce, Comatose, Revelation Dance, and Z-Crystals should be identified. Even when one has ensured that an opposing Pokemon cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, and Taunt, as they are still effective. Priority move users like Mega Rayquaza should also be faced with caution, as they can strike the frail Mega Gengar first. Trick and Switcheroo will still affect Mega Gengar and take its Spooky Plate away, significantly hampering its overall usefulness. Lastly, keep Mega Gengar away from any form of damage, as priority move users, even Mega Diancie, may be able stop a weakened Mega Gengar from cleaning a team lacking a proper check. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can easily finish weakened teams without much concern.

Team Options
========

Imposter Chansey is helpful to Normalize Mega Gengar due to its ability to switch into various foes and identify their movesets and abilities. Yveltal is one of the more problematic enemies for Mega Gengar, as it commonly runs Revelation Dance, so Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas should be used to guard Mega Gengar against it and other Dark-types, and they are also generally great switch-ins to Knock Off if running Poison Heal. Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which is a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can generate momentum with U-turn and switch into any offensive priority moves. Knock Off and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily. Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar. Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Stealth Rock is helpful to punish Yveltal, and Toxic Spikes can be used to wear down Chansey and Mega Audino; Mega Gengar can also remove Toxic Spikes itself in case they are bounced back. Teams lacking solid counterplay against Normalize Mega Gengar will rely on it getting slowly worn down over the match. Entry hazard removal support from Pokemon like Giratina can prevent Mega Gengar from taking unnecessary damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino and Registeel can also be considered. Magic Bounce users can also pivot into status moves like Spore or Glare that could be crippling. Mega Gengar has an unfavorable matchup against Primal Kyogre, as it commonly runs Revelation Dance and has high special bulk that can be further amplified if running Assault Vest. Effective countermeasures like Primal Groudon can become necessary for this reason. Though they are less common, Trick and Switcheroo can be problematic to deal with. Thus, aforementioned Pokemon with irremovable items, such as Giratina with Griseous Orb and Groudon with Red Orb, can be helpful. Other bulky Pokemon using Darkinium Z in tandem with Z-Parting Shot can fulfill the same role while fully restoring Mega Gengar's HP in a pinch.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Choice Specs set running Adaptability with Moongeist Beam, Sludge Bomb, Volt Switch, and Trick or Ice Beam is an interesting option due to its more immediate damage output, but the lower Base Power of the STAB moves and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to the presence of Pokemon immune to its STAB moves leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y. A Choice Scarf set can similarly be run to surprise faster Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo Y, but the lack of power may be disappointing. Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOes Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against the majority of the metagame. Ice Beam also struggles to find its place in sets other than Choice Specs, and Moonblast's lower damage output against Mega Tyranitar and inability to threaten Chansey make it an inferior option compared to Secret Sword. As the fastest Ghost-type, Mega Gengar can effectively run a suicide lead set in offensive teams with Mold Breaker to prevent any form of entry hazard removal. This set commonly runs Curse, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Taunt and also has a merit of being difficult to anticipate than other suicide leads like Deoxys-S, as this set can't be predicted well in Team Preview and before Mega Gengar reveals its moves. Contrary can surprise checks like Yveltal and Primal Kyogre, as both Unaware and Assault Vest sets can be overpowered by moves like Fleur Cannon and Leaf Storm. Prankster users will also struggle to deal with Mega Gengar due to it increasing power from boosts after each attack, so there are very few Unaware users that can avoid 2HKO from this set. A Ghost-type attack of choice, Sludge Bomb, Fleur Cannon, and Leaf Storm are run in this set, and the first move should be Judgment if running Spooky Plate or Moongeist Beam if running Focus Sash. This set, however, relies on forced switches to safely gain enough power. Perish Song can be employed by the Normalize set with Anchor Shot to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. However, many defensive foes can circumvent this set with moves like Parting Shot and Baton Pass and Pokemon like Zygarde-C can still hit Mega Gengar if their Z-Move is available. Overall, this set suffers from the inability to do anything notable to foes that conventionally check Normalize Mega Gengar. Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foes Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but Mega Gengar can neutralize a foe only once this way until it switches out. With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. However, Toxic Spikes is quite difficult to be used successfully due to the prevalence of Magic Bounce users and Imposter Chansey possibly mimicking the strategy, and the damage output is quite inconsistent with moves like Hex and Venoshock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage from Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Normalize Mega Gengar can also overpower Yveltal with Shell Smash-boosted Boombursts after Stealth Rock damage. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**RegenVest Walls**: RegenVest users tend to struggle against Normalize Mega Gengar if lacking Revelation Dance, but Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Dialga can defensively check setup variants of Mega Gengar. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment and will struggle to immediately take down Mega Gengar using Quiver Dance. Some of the RegenVest walls like Dialga are vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword as well.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running a RegenVest or Unaware set. A majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. Note that Primal Kyogre lacking Spectral Thief will struggle to check Mega Gengar running Quiver Dance due to the Special Defense boost.

**Priority Users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty by using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing its high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. Though King's Shield remedies issues with -ate to a degree, the move itself is quite difficult to fit in the first place and Triage Mega Rayquaza can still revenge kill Mega Gengar.

**Chansey**: Chansey's enormous special bulk makes it a strong check to Mega Gengar, shutting down sweep attempts unless Mega Gengar is overly lucky with sleep turns or has a combination of Mold Breaker and Secret Sword.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose Users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Registeel cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y can easily outspeed and KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if Mega Gengar has Focus Sash and cannot take on Mega Gengar if it is boosted by Shell Smash and Quiver Dance.

**Poison Heal Regigigas**: Regigigas has enough bulk to survive a +2 Secret Sword from Shell Smash Mega Gengar from full health and can OHKO back with Knock Off or Spectral Thief. It can also shut down Normalize Mega Gengar with a sleep move, which it commonly carries.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's tendency to retreat from bulky Dark-types like Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar due to its frailty and resulting hazardous matchup against them, depending on its moveset, makes Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged. They may struggle trapping Normalize variants, but they can also use Trick to throw a wrench in the matchup and cripple Mega Gengar.

**Item Removal**: Knock Off not only hits Mega Gengar super effectively but also removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. Trick and Switcheroo can also cripple Mega Gengar by removing Spooky Plate.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lotus, 434601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Funbot28, 255984], [GL Volkner, 330455], [Gurpreet Patel (Sent you a Friend Request), 233142]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Electrolyte, 148071], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Got some loads of things here but it is WIP for now so I can update this appropriately. Usage Tips and Team Options may need beefing as well.
 
scarf adaptability set should be the top bullet on other options. It runs moongeist, Volt Switch, Ice Beam, and Sludge wave, and can threaten KOs on many strong offensive pokemon ssuch as Sceptile-mega, MMX, MMY, unboosted Triage Mega Rayquaza, etc. The reason for this is because it is fast enough that it can still run a modest nature, and the power of adapt Moongeist Beam is extremely high against neutral targets. It can also deal about 60% to Eviolite Imposter, an easy 2hKO on the switchin.
 
scarf adaptability set should be the top bullet on other options. It runs moongeist, Volt Switch, Ice Beam, and Sludge wave, and can threaten KOs on many strong offensive pokemon ssuch as Sceptile-mega, MMX, MMY, unboosted Triage Mega Rayquaza, etc. The reason for this is because it is fast enough that it can still run a modest nature, and the power of adapt Moongeist Beam is extremely high against neutral targets. It can also deal about 60% to Eviolite Imposter, an easy 2hKO on the switchin.
Mega Gengar has barren options to viably use apart from the sets I have listed by far. Using Choice Scarf may alleviate its matchup against faster threats, but both Normalize and Sweeper set I have listed have setup moves which can theoretically solve the problem. Choice Scarf rather makes Mega Gengar prediction-reliant and much worse at breaking defensive teams - Choice Scarf rather ends up being a detriment to Mega Gengar instead. If anything, it will at most belong at almost the end of OO.
 

Funbot28

Banned deucer.

[OVERVIEW]

Mega Gengar is a dangerous threat that cannot be neglected when playing in Balanced Hackmons for various reasons. Mega Gengar can threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets using its STAB combination and effectively use setup moves to further pressure its defensive checks specifically mention the use of Entrainment + Normalize here as well. In addition, Mega Gengar's STAB combination is nearly unresisted and therefore it is notoriously difficult for any offensive foes to attempt to safely switch into it. What enables Mega Gengar to run setup options without much concern is its advantage when facing Imposter; Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also stand against its Imposter with no apprehension, and this differentiates Mega Gengar from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo-Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its Imposter one on one and tend to hand over momentum against it also mention how Imposterproof sets are sort of customizable, still beating Imp even when changing its moveslot a tad bit. This also means that Mega Gengar does not constrain its team's slots to fit in a Pokemon that will imposterproof it and thus can have somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams. Apart from these excellent traits as an offensive threat, an ability to run sets using Normalize and Entrainment and render majority of its checks useless makes Mega Gengar even harder to deal with conventionally, as Normalize variants and setup variants of Mega Gengar have different domain of checks. Further, Mega Gengar can utilize Ghost-typing to check Sturdy Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a situational use. A point on its high Speed should be noted as well, outpacing threats such as Mega Ray and Mega Diancie.

However, popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce tends to limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets. In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to prevalence of priority users. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against; to specify, Normalize sets, which typically cannot use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal. Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and can effectively run Contrary or Sheer Force sets to bypass some of its usual checks without being overly reliant on boosting moves.


[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst / Taunt / King's Shield / Baneful Bunker
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Entrainment replaces foe's ability with Normalize, leaving them unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves. Quiver Dance or Shell Smash can be used after Mega Gengar turns a foe into a setup fodder using Entrainment. Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a cost of being very vulnerable to priority users. Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items. Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposters unable to retaliate. Mention of Psystrike to hit specially defensive threats. Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users or block status moves such as Spore, which still affect Gengar after the foe gains Normalize also mention how it shuts down recovery moves in general against defensive threats. King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move. Baneful Bunker, while it does not weaken a foe, can help wearing down foes such as Magic Bounce users and while still punishing priority users by poisoning them on contact.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in Speed with Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed anything slower. Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.

Usage Tips
========

While it may be exhilarating and fun to use Entrainment with Mega Gengar and leave its foes helpless, this must be done with a caution. As dangerous as this set is to unprepared foes, Magic Bounce users and usage of Revelation Dance is very prevalent. Ensuring what abilities do foes have before using Entrainment is a good idea, as making a wrong move against Magic Bounce users may even lead to Mega Gengar's KO depending on what Pokemon Mega Gengar is against. Comatose users cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment as well and Z-crystal users can execute a Z-move that still hits Mega Gengar after gaining Normalize wanna mention some common Comatose / Z-move users?. Even when one has ensured that a foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare or Taunt, as they still affect it. Lastly, keep Mega Gengar safe from priority users, as majority of them can bypass Mega Gengar's excellent Speed tier and easily revenge kill it. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can be used to break down walls so that its teammates can have easier time defeating them. Entry hazards further amplify this set's usefulness by allowing Mega Gengar to take advantage of forced switches and wearing down Magic Bounce users, so be quick to analyze opposing team's security against this Mega Gengar and provide this support if needed. This is more something for Team Options so move that there.

Team Options
========

As this set doesn't have much ways to deal with Dark-types and Normal-types, Pokémon that can handle them make good partners for Mega Gengar. Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can guard Mega Gengar from Dark-type attacks, and they are generally great switch-in to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set. Fighting-types such as Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Blaziken can break through Dark-types, and depending on their moveset, they can use U-turn to bring in Mega Gengar safely. Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can switch into -ate users that threaten Mega Gengar with priority moves. Knock Of and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar easily but Taunt can easily shut it down so I generally would not consider FC Chans a good Gar check. Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar. Entry hazard is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Toxic Spikes user can be used to wear down Dark-types and Mega Audino, and Mega Gengar helps alleviating entry hazards in case they are bounced back.


[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment / Moongeist Beam
move 3: Secret Sword
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / King's Shield / Pursuit
item: Spooky Plate / Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability / Dazzling
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Shell Smash doubles Mega Gengar's Special Attack and lets it score OHKO or 2HKO on the entire metagame while outspeeding the entire tier. Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKO's on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. Judgment is the strongest Ghost-type STAB move that also lets Mega Gengar imposterproof itself. Moongeist Beam, while it is weaker and relies on speed tie and Focus Sash for Mega Gengar to defeat its Imposter, has added benefits of bypassing abilities, notably letting it do more damage to Unaware users such as? and bypass Sturdy Shedinja. Secret Sword rounds up Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar with heavy damage after the boost. Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and this is always successful with Mold Breaker except against foes with Magic Bounce dont u mean it works if its running Mbreaker against Mbounce users? Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have a good chance to OHKO Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison also mention how the option still lets it 1v1 Imposter. King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against priority users that can easily end the sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for Dazzling. Running Pursuit is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams that needs a Pokémon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy Shedinja, although forces Mega Gengar to forfeit a more useful coverage option.

Set Details
========

Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against Imposter, while Focus Sash ensures Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up, and this can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to setup with its horrendous bulk. Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using Spore and Lovely Kiss without fear of Magic Bounce users. Adaptability gives more initial power, letting Mega Gengar OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock, 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage, as well as OHKOing Yveltal using Sludge Bomb at +3 without relying on prior damage. Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a cost of forgoing aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Gengar misses important KOs on threats like Zygarde-C and Yveltal even after the boost, so it must be preserved until they are in KO range or have been eliminated. Its sweep can also be cut short by priority users unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. This means Mega Gengar should never recklessly set up, as it struggles to defeat Dark-types and essentially most bulky foes when they are healthy. However, Mega Gengar still can prove to be useful wallbreaker that can take advantage of its good STAB combination to weaken walls early, especially if it has Adaptability, and can generate setup opportunities or momentum by putting a foe to sleep using Spore in tandem with Mold Breaker. When using Moongeist Beam over Judgment and when Focus Sash is not intact, make sure Imposter has been put to sleep, paralyzed, or eliminated, as losing Mega Gengar to the Imposter can be very detrimental. Or maybe having a means to Improof through a teammate as well. In addition, Spore should preferably only be run with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance if it has been bounced back.

Team Options
========

Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various benchmarks and bypass Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support puts Mega Gyarados into a range of +2 Secret Sword combined with some prior damage, and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necro-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-in to priority users and Psychic-types. Fairy-types threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early game, while Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Choice Specs set might be interesting option, but lower base power of STAB moves, and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable leaves because both of its STABs holding immunities this role outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y. Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOs Mega Rayquaza and solves problems with Zygarde-C, while Moonblast lets Mega Gengar have better chances against Yveltal, but they have worse coverage against majority of the metagame. A trapping move and Perish Song can be employed in Normalize set to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar mention that this must be used in conjunction with Anchor Shot though. Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foe Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but this isn't as consistent. With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless.


Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**Zygarde-C**: Mega Gengar relies on landing heavy hits on neutral targets with its STAB combination to pressure defensive walls. This tendency means that Zygarde-C, which has enough bulk to survive two or more Judgments depending on the variant, makes a good defensive check to Mega Gengar. Mega Gengar has narrow options to overpower Zygarde-C without relying on Tail Glow-boosted attacks or an suboptimal Ice Beam. Normalize variants of Mega Gengar also are checked by Zygarde-C holding Groundium Z, as Tectonic Rage hits Mega Gengar even after Zygarde-C gained Normalize also Mbounce and Comatose Zyg.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running RegenVest or Unaware set. Majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well.

**Dark-types**: Other Dark-types such as Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar make good checks to Mega Gengar, as they are bulky enough to take on Mega Gengar and resists Ghost-type STAB moves, though the latter takes quadrupled damage from Secret Sword. RegenVest or Unaware variants can take on boosted Mega Gengar when healthy enough, though they are easily neutralized by Entrainment from Normalize sets. In general, given the safe switch-in, all aforementioned Dark-types can use Pursuit to guarantee Mega Gengar's removal.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as? cannot have their abilities removed and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Priority users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. However, King's Shield remedies this issue to a degree.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A can easily KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they book on Mega Gengar with Focus Sash.

**RegenVest Walls**: Due to their item, Assault Vest users like Mega Gyarados, Yveltal, and Dialga can survive boosted attack from Mega Gengar and easily end the sweep with Spectral Thief. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment, if they lack Revelation Dance, and some of the RegenVest walls are vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword. You can kinda merge this with Pogre bullet though

**Mega Audino**: Magic Bounce variants of Mega Audino are one of the hardest counters to Normalize Mega Gengar, and Unaware variants can easily take on boosted Mega Gengar, should it lack Sludge Bomb. Also mention how dino commonly runs Koff as well.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types considerably hazardous and therefore tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged.

**Knock Off**: Not only Mega Gengar has weakness to Knock Off, but also the move removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter.
Really good job, although this should be in bullet form until it reaches QC 2/3
QC 1/3
QC-Funbot28-small.gif
 

Ren

i swore lips were made for lies
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
QC Check (thanks elyte and sl for help)

[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Gengar is a dangerous threat that cannot be neglected when playing in Balanced Hackmons for various reasons. this is filler. analyses dont do filler, so please remove this. Mega Gengar can threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets this also seems unnecessary. all of mega gengar's sets threaten all of these pokemon, save for normalize and mold breaker lacking poison coverage. i'd cut this and just say the latter. using its STAB combination and effectively use setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its defensive checks while also turning offensive pokemon that are slower than it and lack a z-move or coverage move to deal with it, such as primal groudon, mega diancie etc. adding this will probably make this sentence a run-on, so handle that accordingly..
* In addition, Mega Gengar's STAB combination is nearly unresisted and therefore it is notoriously difficult for any offensive foes to attempt to safely switch into it. What enables Mega Gengar to run setup options without much concern is its advantage when facing Imposter Pokemon/Chansey; Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also stand against its Imposter with no apprehension this reads very weirdly. just say "while making sure Imposter cannot deal much damage to mega gengar, or say self-imposterproof as that's ok by gp standards., and this differentiates Mega Gengar from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its Imposter normally it would be "their Imposter" but i think this should be Imposter Pokemon anyway instead of their Imposter one on one and tend to hand over momentum against it lose momentum is preferred, don't say tend to either as they do, that's non-negotiable unless they're running some substandard lure set. This also means that Mega Gengar has a freedom to customize its movesets not exactly. while mgar has freedom against imposter, stuff like poison and secret sword coverage is pretty standard. don't say it can customize its moveset imo, because that's fairly standard as most gengars will be setup ghost judg + coverage + 2nd coverage/filler. while keeping itself imposterproof and does not constrain its team's slots to fit in a Pokemon that will imposterproof it just say it doesn't require a separate Pokemon to Imposterproof it, this one seems unnecessarily long and thus can have a somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams.
* Apart from these excellent traits as an offensive threat, an ability to run sets using Normalize and Entrainment and render majority of its checks useless i disagree. every dedicated mega gengar check in the tier should be prepared to handle a normalize set. it's why pokemon like yveltal and primal kyogre are considered checks. just say many offensive pokemon/defensive pokemon such as (examples... kart, pdon) makes Mega Gengar even harder to deal with conventionally, as Normalize variants and setup variants of Mega Gengar have different domain of checks. i'd just say normalize mega gengar has less reliable checks than setup variants, since while setup variants
* Further, Mega Gengar can utilize Ghost-typing to check Sturdy Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Rayquaza it's not a reliable check. judgment doesnt ohko and mray can ohko back, or set up and owing if triage. -ate is very common as well, i know you mention it later but i'd try to find a better example., Mega Diancie, and Kartana, should the former lack priority moves.

* However, popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce which pokemon commonly carry these that gengar should watch out for? tends to limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets it still does this though. just say that it can't take advantage of every slower foe or something.
* In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to prevalence of priority users again mention pokemon mgengar should watch out for that carry priority. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against; to specify, Normalize sets, which typically not typically, normalize should never use poison attacks period. cannot use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount unless it's normalize. i wouldnt include gyara, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal.
* Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and can effectively run Contrary or Sheer Force sets to bypass some of its usual checks without being overly reliant on boosting moves.


[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst / Taunt / King's Shield mono ghost coverage is really bad, i dont think mgar has the moveslots to be running taunt/kshield on norm. relegate both to a moves mention and mention what it loses
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Entrainment replaces foe's ability with Normalize, leaving them unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves this bullet could pack more information in it. mention which moves hurt mega gengar. Quiver Dance or Shell Smash can be used after Mega Gengar turns a foe into a setup fodder using Entrainment.
* Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. mention how it doesnt make mgar's defense worse than it already is making sure that espeed can revenge it less comfortably. in addition, discuss the consequences of it.
* Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a cost of being very vulnerable to priority users.
this should be a separate bullet Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items.
* Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposters unable to retaliate.
* Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey harder than Boomburst. mention what it loses
* Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster user such as and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affect Gengar after the foe gains Normalize. mention what it loses by not running boomburst, how it can't do much vs normal types afterwards and how it's incredibly reliant on opponent not having mbounce ghost resists, etc
* King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users like by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move. feedback for taunt bullet applies here too
* Baneful Bunker, while it does not weaken a foe, can help wearing down foes such as Magic Bounce users and while still punishing priority users by poisoning them on contact. this isnt good, i dont think this should be on here.

Set Details
========

* Maximum investment in Speed with Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed anything slower such as.
* Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.
normalize bullet

Usage Tips
========

* While it may be exhilarating and fun to use Entrainment with Mega Gengar and leave its foes helpless pointless filler. remove, this must be done with a caution also filler but idk 100% if this should be removed. up to other qc. As dangerous as this set is to unprepared foes, Magic Bounce users and usage of Revelation Dance is very prevalent mention what users it should scout for.
* Ensuring what abilities do foes have before using Entrainment is a good idea, as making a wrong move against Magic Bounce users may even lead to Mega Gengar's KO depending on what Pokemon Mega Gengar is against. either change this to a magic bounce bullet or add more abilities such as aerilate, refrigerate, galvanize, and triage.
* Comatose users cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment as well merge with previous bullet and Z-Crystal users like Zygarde-C add more examples can execute a Z-move that still hits Mega Gengar after gaining Normalize.
* Even when one has ensured that a foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, or Taunt, as they still affect it.
* Lastly, keep Mega Gengar safe from priority users, as majority of them can bypass Mega Gengar's excellent Speed tier and easily revenge kill it. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can be used to break down walls so that its teammates can have easier time defeating them.
mention vulnerability to priority users like i mentioned before. mention vulnerability to trick users.

Team Options
========

* As this set doesn't have much ways to deal with Dark-types and Normal-types every relevant normal type in the tier cannot hurt normalize mega gengar, and every relevant dark-type save for yveltal is checked by normalize as well, Pokemon that can handle them make good partners for Mega Gengar. give examples of yveltal checks. mega audino, xerneas, etc...
* Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can guard Mega Gengar from Dark-type attacks this goes with the first bullet. redundant, and they are generally great switch-in to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set. fighting-types such as Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Blaziken can break through Dark-types again only dark type mgar cant do well vs is yveltal, and depending on their moveset, they can use U-turn to bring in Mega Gengar safely say provide slow momentum. u-turn is the most common example of it, but .
* Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can switch into -ate users that threaten Mega Gengar with priority moves. such as.. also not just -ate, triage mray too. imo just say offensive priority.
* Knock Of and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily.
* Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar.
* Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Toxic Spikes user can be used to wear down Dark-types not needed, "yvel, fcchans" is better" and Mega Audino, and Mega Gengar can remove said entry hazard itself in case they are bounced back.
hazard removal bullet.
status absorber bullet.
primal kyogre bullet.
trick users bullet.



[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment / Moongeist Beam
move 3: Secret Sword slash bomb here too
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / King's Shield / Pursuit pursuit > kshield, add taunt.
item: Spooky Plate / Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability / Dazzling
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Shell Smash doubles Mega Gengar's Special Attack what about when used consecutively? just say +2 and lets it score OHKO or 2HKO on the entire metagame while outspeeding the entire tier. this bullet seems like not much effort was put into it. mention the ohkos and 2hkos it get that it couldnt get otherwise (i.e. on yvel mdino registeel)
* Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKO's on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. again mention the consequences. not outspeeding mmx mmy beedrill and mosa matters
* Judgment is the strongest Ghost-type STAB move that also lets Mega Gengar imposterproof itself. mention what kos it can get, which foes it can scare off... etc. also mention how this should only be used with spooky plate.
* Moongeist Beam, while it is weaker and relies on speed tie and Focus Sash for Mega Gengar to defeat its Imposter, has added benefits of bypassing abilities, notably letting it do more damage to Unaware users like Primal Kyogre and bypass Sturdy Shedinja without relying on Mold Breaker. mention how it fears koff/trick less too, but also mention the low pp.
* Secret Sword rounds up Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar with heavy damage after the boost. hitting chans is huge
* Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and this is always successful with Mold Breaker due the ability letting Lovely Kiss bypass Magic Bounce. can miss. just say teams atm dont have many stops for kiss so in conjunction with mold breaker it can buy mgar some free turns
* Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have a good chance to OHKO Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb.
* King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against priority users that can easily end the sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for Dazzling. just -ates, triage is still offensive priority
* Running Pursuit is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams which need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves.

Set Details
========

* Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against Imposter mention how this should exclusively be used w/ judgment, while Focus Sash ensures Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up and ditto for how it should exclusively be used w/ geist, and this can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to setup with its horrendous bulk.
* Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce users. mention how announcing itself gives away the possibility of it being normalize
* Adaptability gives more initial power, letting Mega Gengar OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock, 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage, as well as OHKOing Yveltal using Sludge Bomb at +3 without relying on prior damage. mention what it loses by forgoing moldy
* Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a cost of forgoing aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

* Mega Gengar misses important KOs on threats like Zygarde-C and Yveltal even after the boost, so it must be preserved until they are in KO range or have been eliminated. you talk a lot about how tg lets yvel get ohkoed. given that this is your first slash, i'd recommend selecting a different example or just revising your previous points.
* Its sweep can also be cut short by priority users such as unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. This means Mega Gengar should never recklessly set up, as it struggles to defeat Dark-types and essentially most bulky foes when they are healthy. but you talk about how smash lets it ohko/2hko the meta, and the meta includes pretty much every pokemon. change this, or change the smash bullet.
* However, Mega Gengar still can prove to be useful wallbreaker that can take advantage of its good STAB combination to weaken walls early, especially if it has Adaptability, i cant tell what this sentence means. do you mean it doesn't require setup to do a number to the opposing team? if so, make that clear in your previous point as well and can generate setup opportunities or momentum by putting a foe to sleep using Spore in tandem with Mold Breaker.
* When using Moongeist Beam over Judgment and when Focus Sash is not intact, make sure Mega Gengar is imposteproofed andnot and, or Imposter has been put to sleep, paralyzed, or eliminated, as losing Mega Gengar to the Imposter can be very detrimental.
* In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore should preferably only be run with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance if it has been bounced back.

Team Options
========

* Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various benchmarks and bypass Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support puts Mega Gyarados into a range of +2 Secret Sword combined with some prior damage "Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens Mega Gyarados enough to be OHKOed by Secret Sword after a Shell Smash", and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar.
* Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. merge with previous point, since spikes are hazards Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-in to priority users.
* Fairy-types threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar give examples. mega audino isnt a check to the first two, after all. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early gamewhat does this do for mega gengar adn what does mega gengar do in return, while Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks while also absorbing status for it.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Choice Specs set might be interesting option is, not might be - it runs adaptability., but lower base power of STAB moves specs is more immediately powerful than its other sets, and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to both of its STAB moves having immunities leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y. whats the set
* Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOs Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against majority of the metagame. mention what it would drop on the main set as well. also these dont really belong on mgar unless it's specs
* A trapping move and Perish Song can be employed in Normalize set with Anchor Shot redundant with "a trapping move" to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. mention why it doesn't run this (pshot/bpass, z moves, status, lacks the power of an offensive set, soundproof, most of normalize checks beating this set anyway) also give the other two moves
* Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foe Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but this isn't as consistent. mention why
* With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. why doesn't it normally run this? give examples.
contrary bullet (consistently boosts against pranksters, lures in yveltal and pogre with fleur cannon and leaf storm, beats unaware users due to its stab combo and coverage, a rare self-imposterproof contrary, can run stab moongeist at the expense of being self-improof.) set should be judgment/moongeist beam, sludge bomb, fleur cannon, and leaf storm. btw if youre running geist, sash is the item



Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar. mention how after a smash normalize boomburst can get overwhelming (+2 252 SpA Aerilate Gengar-Mega Boomburst vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Yveltal: 326-384 (71.6 - 84.3%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock) aerilate in place of normalize because they give the same boost, and boomburst does get boosted - tested out on ps. feel free to move that before the mention of av/unaware variants

**Zygarde-C**: Mega Gengar relies on landing heavy hits on neutral targets with its STAB combination to pressure defensive walls. This tendency means that Zygarde-C, which has enough bulk to survive two or more Judgments depending on the variant, makes a good defensive check to Mega Gengar. Mega Gengar has narrow options to overpower Zygarde-C without relying on Tail Glow-boosted attacks or an suboptimal Ice Beam. Normalize variants of Mega Gengar also are checked by Zygarde-C with Magic Bounce and Comatose. Variants holding Groundium Z are problematic as well, as Tectonic Rage hits Mega Gengar even after Zygarde-C gained Normalize. i dont think zygarde-c is a good check to mega gengar. it fears normalize, this: +2 252 SpA Spooky Plate Adaptability Gengar-Mega Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Zygarde-Complete: 522-616 (82 - 96.8%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery (zygc is really vulnerable to chip because it'll often be trying to check other things on the field like gigas and pdon) and it also fears specs adapt variants. magic bounce sees nice usage, which takes care of norm variants, but overall zyg fearing mgar so much after a shell smash even if it's mbounce makes me think this should be removed entirely, or the lowest check/counter if it should be kept. i really really think this should be removed though. if you dont wanna remove upgrade it to powerful bulky tanks

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running RegenVest or Unaware set. Majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. talk about how it's vulnerable to quiver dance variants of normalize, as due to the constantly increasing special bulk as well as pogre's water-type revdance mgar can actually set up on it

**Dark-types**: Other Dark-types such as Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar make good checks to Mega Gengar tyranitar really doesn't, it loses to normalize, and if it's not normalize it loses to secret sword anyways/some niche fairy coverage or w/e. you can run sucker punch but ttar has so much to be running that this isn't worth a mention. there aren't other good dark-type checks in the tier and mgyara isn't good enough to have its own mention so just keep it to regenvest or just remove it overall, it dies to +2 sword after rocks lul, as they are bulky enough to take on Mega Gengar and resists Ghost-type STAB moves, though the latter takes quadrupled damage from Secret Sword. RegenVest or Unaware variants can take on boosted Mega Gengar when healthy enough, though they are easily neutralized by Entrainment from Normalize sets. In general, given the safe switch-in, all aforementioned Dark-types can use Pursuit to guarantee Mega Gengar's removal.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Primal Kyogre you have these as separate bullets already tho ideally you wont after the zygc change, so remove pogre and replace it w/ something else cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Priority users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. However, King's Shield remedies this issue to a degree.mention how kshield doesnt remedy triage, and how mgar also often doesnt have the moveslots to run kshield

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A can easily KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they book on Mega Gengar with Focus Sash. mention how they're scared of smash variants of mgar.

**RegenVest Walls**: Due to their item, Assault Vest users like Mega Gyarados no, it fears normalize and secret sword. replace with a different example, Yveltal you have mentioned yveltal before, and Dialga can survive boosted attack from Mega Gengar and easily end the sweep with Spectral Thief regenvest walls are good if they're revdance too, sthief should never be the move you go first for on an unrevealed gar. move revdance up here, mention sthief after. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment, if they lack Revelation Dance, and some of the RegenVest walls like Mega Gyarados and Dialga are vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword.

**Mega Audino**: Magic Bounce variants of Mega Audino are one of the hardest counters to Normalize Mega Gengar, and Unaware variants can easily take on boosted Mega Gengar, should it lack Sludge Bomb. Mega Audino also runs Knock Off to better check Mega Gengar with Normalize not just normalize, in general - mega gengar is very dependent on its item across all its sets which is one of the reasons why mega audino runs knock off, and this serves as another reason why Mega Gengar must be cautious about Mega Audino.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types considerably hazardous and therefore tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged. this should have been on the dark types bullet

**Knock Off**: Not only Mega Gengar has weakness to Knock Off, but also the move removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. add trick to this as well

status users bullet (stuff like twave and sleep)


**IMPORTANT**
move the sweeper variant up before normalize. while normalize is the more common set and makes mega gengar very threatening, it is also much easier to prep for and most people prepare for it at a high level. the sweeper set is far more successful in general.
there are a lot of changes, so i'm going to hold off on giving you qc 2/3. please tag me when you have implemented this, and i'll see if further changes are necessary. thanks
 
Forgot about this after implementing half way through, expect this to be done by weekend. I didn't mean to john this
 
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Hey just wanted to give an AM QC, not the best but still some of my ideas:


[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Gengar is an offensive threat that can threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets using its STAB combination and effectively use setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its defensive checks.
* Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also have advantageous matchup against Imposter Chansey, differentiating itself from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its Imposter one on one. This also means that Mega Gengar will not constrain its team's slots to fit in a Pokemon that will imposterproof it and thus can have somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams.
* Mega Gengar can utilize Ghost-typing to check Sturdy Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Diancie, and Kartana under the right condition.
* However, popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce from Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Yveltal tends to somewhat limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets.
* In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to prevalence of priority users like Mega Rayquaza. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against; to specify, Normalize sets, which does not use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal.
* Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and can effectively run Contrary or Sheer Force sets to bypass some of its usual checks without being overly reliant on boosting moves.

[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment / Moongeist Beam
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / Pursuit / King's Shield / Taunt
item: Spooky Plate / Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability / Dazzling
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Shell Smash sharply boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, giving it enough power to OHKO checks like Yveltal and Mega Audino after some prior damage and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Registeel.
* Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKO's on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. Note that running Tail Glow over Shell Smash forgoes an option to outspeed both Mega Mewtwo formes and rarer Mega Beedrill and Pheromosa.
* Judgment is the strongest Ghost-type STAB move that lets Mega Gengar imposterproof itself. Judgment's high damage output forces out Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash, as they are OHKOed with or without prior damage and the move becomes powerful enough to OHKO neutral targets like Primal Groudon after the boost. This move should only be used when Mega Gengar has Spooky Plate.
* Moongeist Beam, while it is weaker and relies on speed tie and Focus Sash for Mega Gengar to defeat its Imposter, has added benefits of bypassing abilities, notably letting it do more damage to Unaware users like Primal Kyogre and bypass Sturdy Shedinja without relying on Mold Breaker. As Moongeist Beam will be run with Focus Sash, Mega Gengar has to worry less about Trick and Switcheroo, but it will instead have to worry about the move's low PP.
* Secret Sword rounds up Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat with heavy damage after the boost. I'm not very sure what Secret Sword has to do with Fur Coat
* Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and this is always successful with Mold Breaker due the ability letting Lovely Kiss bypass Magic Bounce.
* Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have a good chance to OHKO Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb.
* Running Pursuit is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams which need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves.
* King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against -ate users that can easily end the sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for Dazzling.
* Taunt can be considered to bypass Prankster users like Registeel that do not have much way to threaten back. Mentioning that you have to forgo a coverage move when running Taunt might be a good idea

Set Details
========

* Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against Imposter, and it should always be used with Judgment. Focus Sash, which is an item to be used with Moongeist Beam, ensures that Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up, and this can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to setup with its horrendous bulk.
* Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce users. Note that the ability is revealed when Mega Gengar enters the field and therefore removes the chance that Mega Gengar can force switches by bluffing Normalize set.
* Adaptability gives more initial power, letting Mega Gengar OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock, 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage, as well as OHKOing Yveltal using Sludge Bomb at +3 without relying on prior damage. Unlike when running Mold Breaker, Adaptability forgoes an option to do heavier damage to Unaware users after Mega Gengar is boosted.
* Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a cost of forgoing aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

* Mega Gengar's sweep can also be cut short by priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. Assault Vest users can also stop Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves, so try to gain information about opposing team before planning a sweep with Mega Gengar.
* It is rare that Mega Gengar can successfully set up without relying on forced switches. Depending on the moveset, the way players have to use Mega Gengar will also differ. For example, when Mega Gengar is using Judgment and is not running Mold Breaker, it will have good chance to successfully bluff Normalize sets, but when it runs Mold Breaker, which immediately reveals its ability, and runs Moongeist Beam, an opponent will typically anticipate Mega Gengar to be a setup variant and switch out to an appropriate check. For this reason, sets running Judgment will have more freedom to attack while seeking setup opportunities and not fully revealing its set, but sets with Focus Sash and Moongeist Beam will have to be much more cautious about entering the field against the perfect setup targets like slightly weakened Giratina or Aegislash and avoiding entry hazards to keep Focus Sash intact.
* When using Moongeist Beam over Judgment and when Focus Sash is not intact, make sure Mega Gengar is imposteproofed or Imposter has been put to sleep, paralyzed, or eliminated, as losing a boosted Mega Gengar to the Imposter can be very detrimental.
* In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore should preferably only be run with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance if it has been bounced back. Poison Heal users especially Primal Kyogre should be mentioned here as well because they are immune to Lovely Kiss unless they have activated their Toxic Orb
Unaware if not running Moongeist Beam or Mold breaker?


Team Options
========

* Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various benchmarks and bypass Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens Mega Gnegardos enough to be OHKOed by Secret Sword after a Shell Smash, and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-in to priority users.
* Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Xerneas can threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early game. They will make an opponent to be more secure about preserving their checks. As a result, they will defensively react to Mega Gengar and improve the odds that Mega Gengar can set up on forced switch.
* Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Unaware Pokemon with Scald or surprise them with Water Spout, while Regigigas can practically pressure any Pokemon that have enough special bulk to survive a hit from Mega Gengar. Poison Heal users' ability to absorb status and punish certain Trick users is also helpful.
This set kind of has trouble imposterproofing itself if not running Sash Moongeist Beam, so perhaps something that can deal with Imposted Mega Gengar, or just put something like don't set up with imposter still on foe's side in Usage Tips

[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Entrainment replaces foe's ability with Normalize, leaving them unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves with exceptions like Revelation Dance and Z-Moves. Quiver Dance or Shell Smash can be used after Mega Gengar turns a foe into a setup fodder using Entrainment.
* Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill.
* Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a cost of being very vulnerable to priority users.
* Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items.
* Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposters unable to retaliate.
* Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey harder than Boomburst. Lower damage output against Yveltal can be detrimental, however.
* Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users like Registeel and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affect Gengar after the foe gains Normalize. Note that forgoing a Normal-type attack move is going to worsen Mega Gengar's overall coverage.
* King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move, though consequence for forgoing this move applies similar to when forgoing Taunt.

Set Details
========

* Maximum investment in Speed with Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed slower foes like Kartana.
* Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.
* Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to replace foes' abilities, leaving them unable to damage Mega Gengar without specific attacks.

Usage Tips
========

* As dangerous as this set is to unprepared foes, Magic Bounce users and usage of Revelation Dance is very prevalent.
* Ensuring what abilities do foes have before using Entrainment is a good idea, as making a wrong move against Magic Bounce users may even lead to Mega Gengar's KO depending on what Pokemon Mega Gengar is against.
* Comatose users cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment as well and Z-Crystal users like Zygarde-C can execute a Z-move that still hits Mega Gengar after gaining Normalize.
* Even when one has ensured that a foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, or Taunt, as they still affect it. Priority move users like Mega Rayquaza should also be faced with caution, as they can strike frail Mega Gengar first. Trick and Switcheroo will still affect Mega Gengar and take its Spooky Plate away, significantly hampering its overall usefulness.
* Lastly, keep Mega Gengar safe from priority users, as majority of them can bypass Mega Gengar's excellent Speed tier and easily revenge kill it. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can be used to break down walls so that its teammates can have easier time defeating them.
*There should be a point about how Imposter users can use a Spooky Plate just to stop Normalize Mega Gengar, so players shoud scout for it

Team Options
========

* Yveltal is one of the more problematic Dark-types due to it commonly running Revelation Dance. Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can guard Mega Gengar from Yveltal and Dark-types, and they are generally great switch-in to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set.
* Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can provide generate momentum with U-turn and switch into any offensive priority moves.
* Knock Of and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily.
* Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar.
* Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Stealth Rock is helpful to punish Yveltal and Toxic Spikes can be used to wear down Chansey and Mega Audino. Mega Gengar can remove Toxic Spikes itself in case they are bounced back.
* Teams lacking solid counterplay against Normalize Mega Gengar will rely on it getting slowly worn down over the match. Entry hazard removal support from Pokemon like Giratina can prevent Mega Gengar from taking unnecessary damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino and Registeel can also be considered. Magic Bounce users can also pivot into status moves like Spore or Glare that should be watched out for.
* Mega Gengar may struggle to bypass Primal Kyogre, as the matchup is quite unfavorable due to Primal Kyogre commonly running Revelation Dance and having a high special bulk that can be further amplified if running Assault Vest. Effective countermeasures like Primal Groudon or Dialga can become necessary for this reason.
* Though it is less common, Trick and Switcheroo can be problematic to deal with. Aforementioned Pokemon with irremovable items, such as Giratina with Griseous Orb, Groudon with Red Orb can be helpful. Other bulky Pokemon using Darkinium Z in tandem with Z-Parting Shot can fulfill the same role while full restoring Mega Gengar's HP in a pinch.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Choice Specs set running Adaptability running Moongeist Beam, Sludge Wave, Volt Switch, and Trick or Ice Beam is an interesting option due to its more immediate damage output, but lower base power of STAB moves, and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to both of its STAB moves having immunities leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y.
* Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOs Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against majority of the metagame. Ice Beam also struggles to find its place in sets other than Choice Specs, and Moonblast's lower damage output against Mega Tyranitar and inability to threaten Chansey makes it inferior option compared to Secret Sword.
* Perish Song can be employed in Normalize set with Anchor Shot to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. However, many defensive foes can circumvent this set with moves like Parting Shot and Baton Pass and Pokemon like Zygarde-C can still hit Mega Gengar with Z-Move available. Soundproof users are also unaffected by this and typically win PP war against Mega Gengar. Overall, this set suffers from inability to do anything notable to foes that conventionally check Normalize Mega Gengar.
* Contrary can surprise checks like Yveltal and Primal Kyogre, as both Unaware and Assault Vest sets can be overpowered by moves like Fleur Cannon and Leaf Storm. Prankster users will also struggle to deal with Mega Gengar due to increasing power from boosts and combined with Mega Gengar's STAB combination, there are very few Unaware users that can avoid 2HKO from this set. A Ghost-type attack of choice, Sludge Bomb, Fleur Cannon, and Leaf Storm are run in this set, and the first move should be Judgment if running Spooky Plate or Moongeist Beam if running Focus Sash.
* Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foe Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but this isn't as consistent.
* With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. However, Toxic Spikes is quite difficult to be successfully set due to prevalence of Magic Bounce users and Imposter Chansey possibly mimicking the strategy, and the damage output is quite inconsistent with moves like Hex and Venoshock.
Even though Scarf Adapdability is subpar at most and really doesn't do much, I think it worths a mention because it can surprise normally faster Pokemon like MMY or Pheromosa

Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Normalize Mega Gengar can also overpower Yveltal with Shell Smash-boosted Boomburst after Stealth Rock damage. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running RegenVest or Unaware set. Majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. Note that Primal Kyogre lacking Spectral Thief will struggle to check Mega Gengar running Quiver Dance due to Special Defense boost.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Registeel cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker. But didn't you mention like, not to run sleep moves w/out mold breaker

**Priority users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. Though King's Shield remedies issues with -ate to a degree, the move itself is quite difficult to fit in the first place and Triage Mega Rayquaza can still revenge kill Mega Gengar.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A can easily KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they book on Mega Gengar with Focus Sash and cannot take on Mega Gengar that is boosted by Shell Smash and Quiver Dance.

**RegenVest Walls**: RegenVest users tend to struggle against Normalize Mega Gengar if lacking Revelation Dance, but Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Dialga can defensively check setup variants of Mega Gengar. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment, if they lack Revelation Dance, and some of the RegenVest walls like Dialga is vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword.

**Mega Audino**: Magic Bounce variants of Mega Audino are one of the hardest counters to Normalize Mega Gengar, and Unaware variants can easily take on boosted Mega Gengar, should it lack Sludge Bomb. Mega Audino also runs Knock Off to rid Mega Gengar of Spooky Plate or Focus Sash, and this serves as another reason why Mega Gengar must be cautious about Mega Audino.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types like Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar considerably hazardous depending on its moveset, and therefore tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged.

**Item Removal**: Not only Mega Gengar has weakness to Knock Off, but also the move removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. Trick and Switcheroo can also cripple Mega Gengar by removing Spooky Plate.
 

Ren

i swore lips were made for lies
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Hey just wanted to give an AM QC, not the best but still some of my ideas:
Most of this is good save for the part on the set having difficulty improofing itself w sashgeist so implement all that and I'll get to the rest Thursday I promise!
 
Most of this is good save for the part on the set having difficulty improofing itself w sashgeist so implement all that and I'll get to the rest Thursday I promise!
I don't intend to disrespect QC in any way, but I have to question about the AM check's quality before I proceed to implement. A lot of things that the AM checker has posted in the post look very questionable to me.

"Mention that Taunt forgoes other moves" isn't very necessary as there are a lot of coverage moves already being talked about in the section and this happens a lot in BH analyses where there are many worth-considering moves do exist apart from the ones that are slashed in the main set. Poison Heal users can't really switch in safely and Pogre isn't a safe pick either because +2 Judgment can OHKO depending on the entry hazard conditions or Mega Gengar's ability. Talking about Spooky Plate Imposter in an analysis doesn't seem too optimal when the item itself has a lot of opportunity cost in Imposter's standpoint and is completely inferior to Eviolite or Choice Scarf. Other Options is already packed with suboptimal sets and adding another doesn't seem like a good idea to me unless it is absolutely necessary that the reader has to be informed about the set.

Though I expressed disagreement a lot there, the recent thread talking and emphasizing about the brevity of analyses makes me refrain from any cherrypicks made by an AM checker - after all, I am supposed to go with the program as a writer. This means I will not be a huge fan of adding "extra" things that aren't absolutely necessary. Spelling mistakes will be pointed by GP or myself who proofread analyses about 20 times from WIP stage to the third QC. While the effort to help is appreciated, this is my stance on the type of errors that AM QC checker has pointed out. However, seeing how a QC member says most changes are acceptable, I'll reconsider the AM check.
 
I think that a Mold Breaker suicide lead set should be mentioned in OO for offensive teams. Mega Gengar is the fastest mon immune to Rapid Spin, meaning it can keep hazards down against otherwise problematic Pokemon for suicide leads like AV spinners. In addition, its role can't be discerned from team preview like Deo-S would be for example, and since Mold Breaker is commonly run on Gengar, even once it switches in it's not immediately obvious what it's going to do. These factors probably make it the metagame's best suicide lead.
 

Ren

i swore lips were made for lies
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
I don't intend to disrespect QC in any way, but I have to question about the AM check's quality before I proceed to implement. A lot of things that the AM checker has posted in the post look very questionable to me.

"Mention that Taunt forgoes other moves" isn't very necessary as there are a lot of coverage moves already being talked about in the section and this happens a lot in BH analyses where there are many worth-considering moves do exist apart from the ones that are slashed in the main set. Poison Heal users can't really switch in safely and Pogre isn't a safe pick either because +2 Judgment can OHKO depending on the entry hazard conditions or Mega Gengar's ability. Talking about Spooky Plate Imposter in an analysis doesn't seem too optimal when the item itself has a lot of opportunity cost in Imposter's standpoint and is completely inferior to Eviolite or Choice Scarf. Other Options is already packed with suboptimal sets and adding another doesn't seem like a good idea to me unless it is absolutely necessary that the reader has to be informed about the set.

Though I expressed disagreement a lot there, the recent thread talking and emphasizing about the brevity of analyses makes me refrain from any cherrypicks made by an AM checker - after all, I am supposed to go with the program as a writer. This means I will not be a huge fan of adding "extra" things that aren't absolutely necessary. Spelling mistakes will be pointed by GP or myself who proofread analyses about 20 times from WIP stage to the third QC. While the effort to help is appreciated, this is my stance on the type of errors that AM QC checker has pointed out. However, seeing how a QC member says most changes are acceptable, I'll reconsider the AM check.
the line about taunt doesnt have to be that large, just talk about how it appreciates the utility from kiss and stuff a lot more because of the potential free turns and how it inconveniences most defensive and offensive mons alike.
+2 252 SpA Spooky Plate Gengar-Mega Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Kyogre-Primal: 271-319 (67 - 78.9%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock, 1 layer of Spikes, and Poison Heal
you only have a chance to ohko after sr and spikes which is a lot less common than just sr, i think kyogre's fien as a check and so are most ph users.
you can avoid bringing up spooky imposter ye.
scarf adapt definitely has a solid niche in luring and beating faster mons thatd normally come in.

lmk when youve implemented all that plus the suicide lead part
 

[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Gengar is an offensive threat that can threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets using its STAB combination and effectively use setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its defensive checks.
* Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also have advantageous matchup against Imposter Chansey, differentiating itself from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its Imposter one on one. This also means that Mega Gengar will not constrain its team's slots to fit in a Pokemon that will imposterproof it and thus can have somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams..
* Mega Gengar can utilize Ghost-typing to check Sturdy Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Diancie, and Kartana under the right condition. I think resisting fakespeed from mega diancie is a relevant point about its niche but idk where it would fit.
* However, popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce from Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Yveltal tends to somewhat limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets.
* In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to prevalence of priority users like Mega Rayquaza. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against; to specify, Normalize sets, which does not use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal.
* Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and can effectively run Contrary or Sheer Force sets to bypass some of its usual checks without being overly reliant on boosting moves.


[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment / Moongeist Beam
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / Pursuit / King's Shield / Taunt
item: Spooky Plate / Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability / Dazzling
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Shell Smash sharply boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, giving it enough power to OHKO checks like Yveltal and Mega Audino after some prior damage and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Registeel.
* Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKO's on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. Note that running Tail Glow over Shell Smash forgoes an option to outspeed both Mega Mewtwo formes and rarer Mega Beedrill and Pheromosa.
* Judgment is the strongest Ghost-type STAB move that lets Mega Gengar imposterproof itself. Judgment's high damage output forces out Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash, as they are OHKOed with or without prior damage and the move becomes powerful enough to OHKO neutral targets like Primal Groudon after the boost. This move should only be used when Mega Gengar has Spooky Plate.
* Moongeist Beam, while it is weaker and relies on speed tie and Focus Sash for Mega Gengar to defeat its Imposter, has added benefits of bypassing abilities, notably letting it do more damage to Unaware users like Primal Kyogre and bypass Sturdy Shedinja without relying on Mold Breaker. As Moongeist Beam will be run with Focus Sash, Mega Gengar has to worry less about Trick and Switcheroo, but it will instead have to worry about the move's low PP.
* Secret Sword rounds up Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat Chansey? with heavy damage after the boost. maybe just say chansey since it applies equally or more so to unaware chansey, but it's uncommon so maybe not
* Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and this is always successful with Mold Breaker due the ability letting Lovely Kiss bypass Magic Bounce.
* Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have a good chance to OHKO Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb.
* Running Pursuit is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams which need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves. should probably specify only to be used with moldy
* King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against -ate users that can easily end the sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for Dazzling.
* Taunt can be considered to bypass Prankster users like Registeel that do not have many ways to threaten back, but Lovely Kiss is already an effective countermeasure against many defensive checks.

Set Details
========

* Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against Imposter, and it should always be used with Judgment. Focus Sash, which is an item to be used with Moongeist Beam, ensures that Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up, and this can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to setup with its horrendous bulk.
* Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce users. Note that the ability is revealed when Mega Gengar enters the field and therefore removes the chance that Mega Gengar can force switches by bluffing Normalize set.
* Adaptability gives more initial power, letting Mega Gengar OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock, 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage, as well as OHKOing Yveltal using Sludge Bomb at +3 without relying on prior damage. Unlike when running Mold Breaker, Adaptability forgoes an option to do heavier damage to Unaware users after Mega Gengar is boosted.
* Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a cost of forgoing aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

* Mega Gengar's sweep can also be cut short by priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. Assault Vest users can also stop Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves, so try to gain information about opposing team before planning a sweep with Mega Gengar.
* It is rare that Mega Gengar can successfully set up without relying on forced switches. Depending on the moveset, the way players have to use Mega Gengar will also differ. For example, when Mega Gengar is using Judgment and is not running Mold Breaker, it will have good chance to successfully bluff Normalize sets, but when it runs Mold Breaker, which immediately reveals its ability, and runs Moongeist Beam, an opponent will typically anticipate Mega Gengar to be a setup variant and switch out to an appropriate check. For this reason, sets running Judgment will have more freedom to attack while seeking setup opportunities and not fully revealing its set, but sets with Focus Sash and Moongeist Beam will have to be much more cautious about entering the field against the perfect setup targets like slightly weakened Giratina or Aegislash and avoiding entry hazards to keep Focus Sash intact.
* When using Moongeist Beam over Judgment and when Focus Sash is not intact, make sure Mega Gengar is imposteproofed or Imposter has been put to sleep, paralyzed, or eliminated, as losing a boosted Mega Gengar to the Imposter can be very detrimental.
* In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore should preferably only be run with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance if it has been bounced back. Poison Heal users like Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can also be nuisances, as they can switch into Lovely Kiss freely after activating their Toxic Orb and survive a boosted attack from full health.

Team Options
========

* Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various benchmarks and bypass Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens Mega Gnegardos enough to be OHKOed by Secret Sword after a Shell Smash, and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-in to priority users.
* Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Xerneas can threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early game. They will make an opponent to be more secure about preserving their checks. As a result, they will defensively react to Mega Gengar and improve the odds that Mega Gengar can set up on forced switch.
* Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Unaware Pokemon with Scald or surprise them with Water Spout, while Regigigas can practically pressure any Pokemon that have enough special bulk to survive a hit from Mega Gengar. Poison Heal users' ability to absorb status and punish certain Trick users is also helpful.

[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Entrainment replaces foe's ability with Normalize, leaving them unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves with exceptions like Revelation Dance and Z-Moves. Quiver Dance or Shell Smash can be used after Mega Gengar turns a foe into a setup fodder using Entrainment.
* Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. would the point about better pogre/regenvest dialga matchup make more sense here than in checks&counters?
* Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a cost of being very vulnerable to priority users.
* Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items.
* Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposters unable to retaliate.
* Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey harder than Boomburst. Lower damage output against Yveltal can be detrimental, however. if you're mentioning psystrike it wouldn't hurt to say to hit regenvest mons
* Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users like Registeel and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affect Gengar after the foe gains Normalize. Note that forgoing a Normal-type attack move is going to worsen Mega Gengar's overall coverage.
* King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move, though consequence for forgoing this move applies similar to when forgoing Taunt.

Set Details
========

* Maximum investment in Speed with Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed slower foes like Kartana.
* Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.
* Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to replace foes' abilities, leaving them unable to damage Mega Gengar without specific attacks. repeated?

Usage Tips
========

* As dangerous as this set is to unprepared foes, Magic Bounce users and usage of Revelation Dance is very prevalent.
* Ensuring what abilities do foes have before using Entrainment is a good idea, as making a wrong move against Magic Bounce users may even lead to Mega Gengar's KO depending on what Pokemon Mega Gengar is against.
* Comatose users cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment as well and Z-Crystal users like Zygarde-C can execute a Z-move that still hits Mega Gengar after gaining Normalize.
* Even when one has ensured that a foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, or Taunt, as they still affect it. Priority move users like Mega Rayquaza should also be faced with caution, as they can strike frail Mega Gengar first. Trick and Switcheroo will still affect Mega Gengar and take its Spooky Plate away, significantly hampering its overall usefulness.
* Lastly, keep Mega Gengar safe from priority users, as majority of them can bypass Mega Gengar's excellent Speed tier and easily revenge kill it. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can be used to break down walls so that its teammates can have easier time defeating them.

Team Options
========

* Yveltal is one of the more problematic Dark-types due to it commonly running Revelation Dance. Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can guard Mega Gengar from Yveltal and Dark-types, and they are generally great switch-in to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set.
* Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can provide generate momentum with U-turn and switch into any offensive priority moves.
* Knock Of and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily.
* Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar.
* Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Stealth Rock is helpful to punish Yveltal and Toxic Spikes can be used to wear down Chansey and Mega Audino. Mega Gengar can remove Toxic Spikes itself in case they are bounced back.
* Teams lacking solid counterplay against Normalize Mega Gengar will rely on it getting slowly worn down over the match. Entry hazard removal support from Pokemon like Giratina can prevent Mega Gengar from taking unnecessary damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino and Registeel can also be considered. Magic Bounce users can also pivot into status moves like Spore or Glare that should be watched out for.
* Mega Gengar may struggle to bypass Primal Kyogre, as the matchup is quite unfavorable due to Primal Kyogre commonly running Revelation Dance and having a high special bulk that can be further amplified if running Assault Vest. Effective countermeasures like Primal Groudon or Dialga can become necessary for this reason.
* Though it is less common, Trick and Switcheroo can be problematic to deal with. Aforementioned Pokemon with irremovable items, such as Giratina with Griseous Orb, Groudon with Red Orb can be helpful. Other bulky Pokemon using Darkinium Z in tandem with Z-Parting Shot can fulfill the same role while full restoring Mega Gengar's HP in a pinch.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* As the fastest Ghost-type, Mega Gengar can effectively run a suicide lead set with Mold Breaker to prevent any form of entry hazard removal. This set also has a merit of being difficult to predict than other suicide leads like Deoxys-S, as this set can't be predicted well in team preview and before Mega Gengar reveals its moves.
* Choice Specs set running Adaptability running Moongeist Beam, Sludge Wave, Volt Switch, and Trick or Ice Beam is an interesting option due to its more immediate damage output, but lower base power of STAB moves, and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to both of its STAB moves having immunities leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y.
* Choice Scarf set can be run similarly to surprise faster Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo Y, but a lack of power may be disappointing.
* Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOs Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against majority of the metagame. Ice Beam also struggles to find its place in sets other than Choice Specs, and Moonblast's lower damage output against Mega Tyranitar and inability to threaten Chansey makes it inferior option compared to Secret Sword.
* Perish Song can be employed in Normalize set with Anchor Shot to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. However, many defensive foes can circumvent this set with moves like Parting Shot and Baton Pass and Pokemon like Zygarde-C can still hit Mega Gengar with Z-Move available. Soundproof users are also unaffected by this and typically win PP war against Mega Gengar. seems a weirdly specific point when usually the ability will be removed Overall, this set suffers from inability to do anything notable to foes that conventionally check Normalize Mega Gengar.
* Contrary can surprise checks like Yveltal and Primal Kyogre, as both Unaware and Assault Vest sets can be overpowered by moves like Fleur Cannon and Leaf Storm. Prankster users will also struggle to deal with Mega Gengar due to increasing power from boosts and combined with Mega Gengar's STAB combination, there are very few Unaware users that can avoid 2HKO from this set. A Ghost-type attack of choice, Sludge Bomb, Fleur Cannon, and Leaf Storm are run in this set, and the first move should be Judgment if running Spooky Plate or Moongeist Beam if running Focus Sash.
* Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foe Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but this isn't as consistent.
* With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. However, Toxic Spikes is quite difficult to be successfully set due to prevalence of Magic Bounce users and Imposter Chansey possibly mimicking the strategy, and the damage output is quite inconsistent with moves like Hex and Venoshock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Normalize Mega Gengar can also overpower Yveltal with Shell Smash-boosted Boomburst after Stealth Rock damage. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running RegenVest or Unaware set. Majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. Note that Primal Kyogre lacking Spectral Thief will struggle to check Mega Gengar running Quiver Dance due to Special Defense boost.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Registeel cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Priority users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. Though King's Shield remedies issues with -ate to a degree, the move itself is quite difficult to fit in the first place and Triage Mega Rayquaza can still revenge kill Mega Gengar.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A can easily KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they book on Mega Gengar with Focus Sash and cannot take on Mega Gengar that is boosted by Shell Smash and Quiver Dance.

**RegenVest Walls**: RegenVest users tend to struggle against Normalize Mega Gengar if lacking Revelation Dance, but Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Dialga can defensively check setup variants of Mega Gengar. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment, if they lack Revelation Dance, and some of the RegenVest walls like Dialga is vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword.

**Mega Audino**: Magic Bounce variants of Mega Audino are one of the hardest counters to Normalize Mega Gengar, and Unaware variants can easily take on boosted Mega Gengar, should it lack Sludge Bomb. Mega Audino also runs Knock Off to rid Mega Gengar of Spooky Plate or Focus Sash, and this serves as another reason why Mega Gengar must be cautious about Mega Audino.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types like Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar considerably hazardous depending on its moveset, and therefore tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged.

**Item Removal**: Not only Mega Gengar has weakness to Knock Off, but also the move removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. Trick and Switcheroo can also cripple Mega Gengar by removing Spooky Plate.

Just a couple of things I thought of when browsing through, feel free to ignore
 

Ren

i swore lips were made for lies
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus





[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Gengar is an offensive threat that can threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets using its STAB combination and effectively use setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its defensive checks. slower offensive ones too as i said before, idk if you implemented this elsewhere but it's definitely an overview worthy point.
* Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also have advantageous matchup against Imposter Chansey, differentiating itself from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its Imposter one on one. This also means that Mega Gengar will not constrain its team's slots to fit in a Pokemon that will imposterproof it and thus can have somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams.
* Mega Gengar can utilize Ghost-typing to check Sturdy Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Diancie, and Kartana under the right condition. I think resisting fakespeed from mega diancie is a relevant point about its niche but idk where it would fit. definitely mention here that you can take on mdiancie fairly better. the reason is because you dont resist bullet punch from kart but you do from diancie, and also diancie like never runs scarf.
* However, popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce from Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Yveltal tends to somewhat limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets.
* In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to prevalence of priority users like Mega Rayquaza kyub as well.. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against; to specify, Normalize sets, which does not use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal.
* Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and can effectively run Contrary or Sheer Force sets to bypass some of its usual checks without being overly reliant on boosting moves.


[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment / Moongeist Beam
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / Pursuit / King's Shield / Taunt
item: Spooky Plate / Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability / Dazzling
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Shell Smash sharply boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, giving it enough power to OHKO checks like Yveltal and Mega Audino after some prior damage and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Registeel.
* Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKO's on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. Note that running Tail Glow over Shell Smash forgoes an option to outspeed both Mega Mewtwo formes and rarer Mega Beedrill and Pheromosa. you say this like a remark instead of a drawback, which it actually is. phrase this accordingly and be sure to give the reader the idea that smash is generally ebtter
* Judgment is the strongest Ghost-type STAB move nitpick, but id say here judgment is mega gengar's strongest attack when holding spooky plate instead of "judgment is the strongest ghost-type stab move" that lets Mega Gengar imposterproof itself if you wanna tie in these two ideas, just say "judgment is the only move" or "judgment is the move". Judgment's high damage output forces out Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash, as they are OHKOed with or without prior damage and the move becomes powerful enough to OHKO neutral targets like Primal Groudon after the boost. and sr in pdon's case. This move should only be used when Mega Gengar has Spooky Plate.
* Moongeist Beam, while it is weaker and relies on speed tie and Focus Sash for Mega Gengar to defeat its Imposter, has added benefits of bypassing abilities, notably letting it do more damage to Unaware users like Primal Kyogre and bypass Sturdy Shedinja without relying on Mold Breaker. As Moongeist Beam will be run with Focus Sash, Mega Gengar has to worry less about Trick and Switcheroo, but it will instead have to worry about the move's low PP.
* Secret Sword rounds up Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat Chansey? with heavy damage after the boost. maybe just say chansey since it applies equally or more so to unaware chansey, but it's uncommon so maybe not nah, implement this, secret sword is never used to hit fur coat in general as most fur coat users are supposed to be handled by your stab attacks.
* Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and this is always successful with Mold Breaker due the ability letting Lovely Kiss bypass Magic Bounce. has increased effectiveness, not always successful, it can miss, get walled by ph, etc.
* Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have a good chance to OHKO Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost not a good chance, a guaranteed chance to ohko non-unaware yveltal, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb.
* Running Pursuit is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams which need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves. should probably specify only to be used with moldy yes
* King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against -ate users that can easily end the sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for Dazzling.
* Taunt can be considered to bypass Prankster users like Registeel that do not have many ways to threaten back, but Lovely Kiss is already an effective countermeasure against many defensive checks.

Set Details
========

* Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against Imposter, and it should always be used with Judgment. Focus Sash, which is an item to be used with Moongeist Beam, ensures that Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up, and this can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to setup with its horrendous bulk.
* Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce users. Note that the ability is revealed when Mega Gengar enters the field and therefore removes the chance that Mega Gengar can force switches by bluffing Normalize set.
* Adaptability gives more initial power, letting Mega Gengar OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock, 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage, as well as OHKOing Yveltal using Sludge Bomb at +3 without relying on prior damage. Unlike when running Mold Breaker, Adaptability forgoes an option to do heavier damage to Unaware users after Mega Gengar is boosted.
* Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a cost of forgoing aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.
mention what threats timid beats so ppl know why not to run modest

Usage Tips
========

* Mega Gengar's sweep can also be cut short by priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. Assault Vest users can also stop Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves, so try to gain information about opposing team before planning a sweep with Mega Gengar.
* It is rare that Mega Gengar can successfully set up without relying on forced switches. Depending on the moveset, the way players have to use Mega Gengar will also differ. For example, when Mega Gengar is using Judgment and is not running Mold Breaker, it will have good chance to successfully bluff Normalize sets, but when it runs Mold Breaker, which immediately reveals its ability, and runs Moongeist Beam, an opponent will typically anticipate Mega Gengar to be a setup variant and switch out to an appropriate check. For this reason, sets running Judgment will have more freedom to attack while seeking setup opportunities and not fully revealing its set, but sets with Focus Sash and Moongeist Beam will have to be much more cautious about entering the field against the perfect setup targets like slightly weakened Giratina or Aegislash and avoiding entry hazards to keep Focus Sash intact.
* When using Moongeist Beam over Judgment and when Focus Sash is not intact, make sure Mega Gengar is imposteproofed or Imposter has been put to sleep, paralyzed, or eliminated, as losing a boosted Mega Gengar to the Imposter can be very detrimental.
* In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore should preferably only be run with Mold Breaker instead of saying only w/ moldy just say best used w/ mold, other sets like sleep too, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance if it has been bounced back. Poison Heal users like Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can also be nuisances, as they can switch into Lovely Kiss freely after activating their Toxic Orb and survive a boosted attack from full health.

Team Options
========

* Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various benchmarks like what? and bypass Focus Sash users id rephrase this to say "avoid having its sweep stopped by focus sash users". Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens Mega Gnegardos think this is gyara :p enough to be OHKOed by Secret Sword after a Shell Smash specify non-unaware variants on non moldy sets, and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-in to priority users.
* Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Xerneas can threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early game. They will make an opponent to be more secure about preserving their checks. As a result, they will defensively react to Mega Gengar and improve the odds that Mega Gengar can set up on forced switch. mention what mega gengar can do for them too
* Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Unaware Pokemon with Scald or surprise them with Water Spout, while Regigigas can practically pressure any Pokemon that have enough special bulk to survive a hit from Mega Gengar. Poison Heal users' ability to absorb status and punish certain Trick users is also helpful.
imposter
-ate, triage and kartana checks


[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Entrainment replaces foe's ability with Normalize, leaving them unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves with exceptions like Revelation Dance and Z-Moves. Quiver Dance or Shell Smash can be used after Mega Gengar turns a foe into a setup fodder using Entrainment. later sentence is a usage tip, but idt it belongs in the first place
* Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. would the point about better pogre/regenvest dialga matchup make more sense here than in checks&counters? would definitely be better here, the special defense boost doesnt do much to help it against being rked except for against triage mray owing and these two.
* Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a cost of being very vulnerable to priority users. -ate users is prob better
* Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items.
* Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposters unable to retaliate.
* Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey harder than Boomburst. Lower damage output against Yveltal can be detrimental, however. if you're mentioning psystrike it wouldn't hurt to say to hit regenvest mons agree
* Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users like Registeel and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affect Gengar after the foe gains Normalize. Note that forgoing a Normal-type attack move is going to worsen Mega Gengar's overall coverage.
* King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move, though consequence for forgoing this move applies similar to when forgoing Taunt.

Set Details
========

* Maximum investment in Speed with Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed slower foes like Kartana.
* Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.
* Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to replace foes' abilities, leaving them unable to damage Mega Gengar without specific attacks. repeated?

Usage Tips
========

* As dangerous as this set is to unprepared foes, Magic Bounce users and usage of Revelation Dance is very prevalent. turn this into an actual usage tip "scout for magic bounce users and revelation dance users", as atm it's just stating a meta trend, not really doing anything as a usage tip
* Ensuring what abilities do foes have before using Entrainment is a good idea, as making a wrong move against Magic Bounce users may even lead to Mega Gengar's KO depending on what Pokemon Mega Gengar is against.
* Comatose users cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment as well and Z-Crystal users like Zygarde-C can execute a Z-move that still hits Mega Gengar after gaining Normalize. again, not really a usage tip; "scout for z move users" or smth
* Even when one has ensured that a foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, or Taunt, as they still affect it. Priority move users like Mega Rayquaza should also be faced with caution, as they can strike frail Mega Gengar first. Trick and Switcheroo will still affect Mega Gengar and take its Spooky Plate away, significantly hampering its overall usefulness.
* Lastly, keep Mega Gengar safe from priority users, as majority of them can bypass Mega Gengar's excellent Speed tier and easily revenge kill it. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can be used to break down walls so that its teammates can have easier time defeating them.

Team Options
========

* Yveltal is one of the more problematic Dark-types due to it commonly running Revelation Dance. Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can guard Mega Gengar from Yveltal and Dark-types, and they are generally great switch-in to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set.
* Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can provide generate momentum with U-turn and switch into any offensive priority moves.
* Knock Of and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily.
* Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar.
* Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Stealth Rock is helpful to punish Yveltal and Toxic Spikes can be used to wear down Chansey and Mega Audino. Mega Gengar can remove Toxic Spikes itself in case they are bounced back.
* Teams lacking solid counterplay against Normalize Mega Gengar will rely on it getting slowly worn down over the match. Entry hazard removal support from Pokemon like Giratina can prevent Mega Gengar from taking unnecessary damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino and Registeel can also be considered. Magic Bounce users can also pivot into status moves like Spore or Glare that should be watched out for.
* Mega Gengar may struggle to bypass Primal Kyogre, as the matchup is quite unfavorable due to Primal Kyogre commonly running Revelation Dance and having a high special bulk that can be further amplified if running Assault Vest. Effective countermeasures like Primal Groudon or Dialga can become necessary for this reason.
* Though it is less common, Trick and Switcheroo can be problematic to deal with. Aforementioned Pokemon with irremovable items, such as Giratina with Griseous Orb, Groudon with Red Orb can be helpful. Other bulky Pokemon using Darkinium Z in tandem with Z-Parting Shot can fulfill the same role while full restoring Mega Gengar's HP in a pinch.
imposter

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* As the fastest Ghost-type, Mega Gengar can effectively run a suicide lead set with Mold Breaker to prevent any form of entry hazard removal. mention the set. the set i ran in omwc was curse, stealth rock, taunt and spikes This set also has a merit of being difficult to predict than other suicide leads like Deoxys-S, as this set can't be predicted well in team preview and before Mega Gengar reveals its moves. this shouldnt be the first oo, id put this above perish song. mention how this should only be used on ho teams
* Choice Specs set running Adaptability running Moongeist Beam, Sludge Wave bomb, not wave, Volt Switch, and Trick or Ice Beam is an interesting option due to its more immediate damage output, but lower base power of STAB moves, and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to both of its STAB moves having immunities leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y.
* Choice Scarf set can be run similarly to surprise faster Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo Y, but a lack of power may be disappointing.
* Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOs Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against majority of the metagame. Ice Beam also struggles to find its place in sets other than Choice Specs, and Moonblast's lower damage output against Mega Tyranitar and inability to threaten Chansey makes it inferior option compared to Secret Sword.
* Perish Song can be employed in Normalize set with Anchor Shot to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. However, many defensive foes can circumvent this set with moves like Parting Shot and Baton Pass and Pokemon like Zygarde-C can still hit Mega Gengar with Z-Move available. Soundproof users are also unaffected by this and typically win PP war against Mega Gengar. seems a weirdly specific point when usually the ability will be removed Overall, this set suffers from inability to do anything notable to foes that conventionally check Normalize Mega Gengar.
* Contrary can surprise checks like Yveltal and Primal Kyogre, as both Unaware and Assault Vest sets can be overpowered by moves like Fleur Cannon and Leaf Storm. Prankster users will also struggle to deal with Mega Gengar due to increasing power from boosts and combined with Mega Gengar's STAB combination, there are very few Unaware users that can avoid 2HKO from this set. A Ghost-type attack of choice, Sludge Bomb, Fleur Cannon, and Leaf Storm are run in this set, and the first move should be Judgment if running Spooky Plate or Moongeist Beam if running Focus Sash. put this above perish song, mention its drawbacks
* Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foe Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but this isn't as consistent.mention why it isnt as consistent
* With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. However, Toxic Spikes is quite difficult to be successfully set due to prevalence of Magic Bounce users and Imposter Chansey possibly mimicking the strategy, and the damage output is quite inconsistent with moves like Hex and Venoshock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Normalize Mega Gengar can also overpower Yveltal with Shell Smash-boosted Boomburst after Stealth Rock damage. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running RegenVest or Unaware set. Majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. Note that Primal Kyogre lacking Spectral Thief will struggle to check Mega Gengar running Quiver Dance due to Special Defense boost.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Registeel cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Priority users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. Though King's Shield remedies issues with -ate to a degree, the move itself is quite difficult to fit in the first place and Triage Mega Rayquaza can still revenge kill Mega Gengar.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A prob not worth mentioning deoa can easily KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they book on Mega Gengar with Focus Sash and cannot take on Mega Gengar that is boosted by Shell Smash and Quiver Dance.

**RegenVest Walls**: RegenVest users tend to struggle against Normalize Mega Gengar if lacking Revelation Dance, but Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Dialga can defensively check setup variants of Mega Gengar. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment, if they lack Revelation Dance, and some of the RegenVest walls like Dialga is vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword. instead of mentioning "if they lack revdance" bc 9/10 times they will have it, talk about how they're scared abt qdance

**Mega Audino**: Magic Bounce variants of Mega Audino are one of the hardest counters to Normalize Mega Gengar, and Unaware variants can easily take on boosted Mega Gengar, should it lack Sludge Bomb. Mega Audino also runs Knock Off to rid Mega Gengar of Spooky Plate or Focus Sash, and this serves as another reason why Mega Gengar must be cautious about Mega Audino. mention how mdino is scared of poison

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types like Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar considerably hazardous depending on its moveset, and therefore tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged.

**Item Removal**: Not only Mega Gengar has weakness to Knock Off, but also the move removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. Trick and Switcheroo can also cripple Mega Gengar by removing Spooky Plate.

checks and counters should go yveltal > regenvest walls > primal kyogre > priority users > mega audino > bouncers and coma > faster foes > pursuit > item removal
qc 2/3
 

cityscapes

Take care of yourself.
is a Tiering Contributoris a Community Contributor Alumnus
first off: the sweeper set should look like this (i talked to qc about this)
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / King's Shield
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

overview

mention that gar is a relatively one dimensional mon so it can have a super hard time breaking guys like ogre and yveltal

spectral/knock weakness is also major, if u dont kill gira he does a billion with spectral, knocking spooky plate makes him useless (trick too)

sweeper

put sash + moongeist in oo, leave other stuff in moves (even if it's not slashed)

moves

for shell smash, you do like 80 to registeel at +2 so id lump that under "ohko after some prior damage"

mention how lovely kiss can be super inconsistent. gar needs to get 3 turns to bypass stuff like ogre and if they wake up hes basically dead.

set details

modest still outspeeds diancie and kart, the only real reasons to run timid are to speed tie opposing gar/mmx if you rly need to.

mold breaker also kills shed

adapt sludge bomb has a chance to kill audino after rocks which is ok

usage tips

take out mentions of dazzling and the sash moongeist set

for the ph guys being annoying mention how u can wear them down with stuff like sludge bomb/judgment on the switch and hazards before going for the +2 kill

also say how u can poison ogre and friends with sludge bomb if u arent planning on putting them to sleep, allowing teammates to deal with it better. if u have sleep u can use gar as a disruptor too, just outspeeding guys and putting them to sleep so ur teammates can take advantage of it, almost no ph users can comfortably take on gar which is nice

team options

get rid of the steels at the end u mentioned them already. same for the point about poison heal users absorbing status, merge that with the ph regi point

add shed here. he can take on a lot of the guys that force gar out like ate ray and regenvest ogre, he can pivot gar in (and force in ghosts), and u can run guys imposter proofed by shed + mold breaker pursuit gar for opposing sheds.

normalize

moves

for psystrike mention other targets that get hit for less like mega audino

instead of "worsen gar's overall coverage" specifically say that its walled by normal types, because i think thats the biggest issue here (yveltal is extremely hard to bypass even with boomburst while other dark types are either similar or cant hit gar and always lose)

set details

for spooky plate mention that it lets judgment go through normalize

usage tips

the last sentence here is kinda wack. gar does not "break down walls for teammates", it's a threatening late game sweeper that wins when anything that can stop it has been sufficiently weakened or eliminated.

also say that you do NOT want mega gengar chipped at all if you can avoid it. it's extremely crucial that this mon be kept as healthy as possible to avoid dying to stuff like diancie espeed. this means getting hazards off if you need gar coming in multiple times, almost never hard switching it in, and not hastily trading with stuff like ogre revdance.

team options

how is dialga an ogre countermeasure?? not saying remove but if theres a certain set you have in mind (like tg lens steelium) specify that

mention specific hazard setters as well as more aggressive pokemon in general. mega gar needs some kind of mon to shake things up for it before it can attempt a sweep.

other options

for ice beam say that it allows imposter to somewhat threaten: +2 252 SpA Gengar-Mega Ice Beam vs. -1 252 HP / 252 SpD Gengar-Mega: 294-347 (90.7 - 107%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO

add spikes + 3 attacks, that set is good (judgment, sludge bomb, ice beam/volt switch/secret sword, mold breaker or regen). helps wear down fat teams.

checks and counters

remove mega audino, bounce isnt even the most used set anymore and sludge bomb gar is too common

say that pursuit users need to be wary of normalize, but some of them (think cb ttar) run trick so they can bypass even that

add fc chans, he wins vs everything except spore/lk and mold breaker sword

add ph regi, he can lose with chip but checks normalize gar with spore and kills setup with knock


qc 3/3
 
I don't know why I think amchecking such a long analysis is in my interest but here you go.
remove add / fix (comments) add comma (AC) remove comma (RC)


[OVERVIEW]

Mega Gengar is an offensive threat that can threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets using its STAB combination and effectively use setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its slower checks. Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also have advantageous matchup against Imposter Chansey, differentiating itself from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its their Imposter one on one. This also means that Mega Gengar will not constrain its team's slots to fit in a Pokemon that will has to imposter-proof (add hyphen) it and thus can have a somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams. Mega Gengar can utilize its Ghost-typing to check Sturdy (is this really needed to be mentioned? Shedinja don't really run anything but Sturdy) Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Diancie, which it resists Pixilate-boosted attacks from, and Kartana under the right condition. However, the popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce from Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Yveltal tends to somewhat limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets. In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to a prevalence of priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against; to specify, Normalize sets, which does not use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal. Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is more multi-dimensional, slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and less vulnerable to the extremely common Knock Off and Spectral Thief.

[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / King's Shield
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Shell Smash sharply boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, giving it enough power to OHKO checks like Yveltal and Mega Audino after some prior damage and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Registeel. Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKOs (remove apostrophe) on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. The Tail Glow's lack of boost in Speed makes Shell Smash generally a better option, however. Judgment is Mega Gengar's strongest attack, and it is the only attack that lets it imposter-proof (add hyphen) itself. Judgment's high damage output forces out Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash, as they are OHKOed with or without prior damage and the move becomes is powerful enough to OHKO neutral targets like Primal Groudon at +2. This move should only be used when Mega Gengar has a Spooky Plate. Secret Sword rounds up Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat Chansey with heavy damage after the boost. Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and has increased effectiveness with Mold Breaker due to the ability to letting Lovely Kiss bypass Magic Bounce. Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have has a guaranteed chance to OHKO non-Unaware Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb. Running Pursuit along with Mold Breaker is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams which need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy (likewise as overview) Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves. King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against -ate users that can easily end the sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for Dazzling. Taunt can be considered to bypass Prankster users like Registeel that do not have many ways to threaten back, but Lovely Kiss is already an effective countermeasure against many defensive checks.

Set Details
========

Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire a strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against Imposter, and it should always be used with Judgment. Focus Sash, which is an item to be used with Moongeist Beam, ensures that Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up, and this can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to set up (add space) with its horrendous bulk. Timid nature is used to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and the opposing Mega Gengar. Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce users. Note that the ability is revealed when Mega Gengar enters the field and therefore removes the chance that Mega Gengar can force switches by bluffing a Normalize set. Adaptability gives more initial power, letting Mega Gengar have a good chance to OHKO Giratina and Mega Audino after Stealth Rock and 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage. Unlike when running Mold Breaker, Adaptability forgoes an option to do heavier damage to Unaware users after Mega Gengar is boosted. Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a cost of forgoing aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Gengar's sweep can also be cut short by priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. Assault Vest (RegenVest?) users can also stop Mega Gengar if it lacks a sleep-inducing moves, so try to gain information about opposing team before planning a sweep with Mega Gengar. It is rare that Mega Gengar can successfully set up without relying on forced switches. (this sentence seems really random here because it's a statement. I'd change it to "As Mega Gengar does not have the best bulk, you should try and bring it in on forced switches") Depending on the moveset, the way players have to use Mega Gengar will also differ. For example, when Mega Gengar is using Judgment and is not running Mold Breaker, it will have good chance to successfully bluff Normalize sets, but when it runs Mold Breaker, which immediately reveals its ability, an opponent will typically anticipate Mega Gengar to be a setup variant and switch out to an appropriate check. As Mega Gengar will likely draw in bulky foes from a paranoid opponent, try to put them to sleep or wear down with Sludge Bomb's potential poison. In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore is the best used with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance if it has been bounced back. However, these sleep moves are still unreliable against bulkier foes like Primal Kyogre that will require Mega Gengar to be lucky with sleep turns, so make sure they are weakened beforehand. Poison Heal users like Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can also be nuisances, as they can switch into Lovely Kiss freely after activating their Toxic Orb and survive a boosted attack from full health.

Team Options
========

Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various OHKO benchmarks against foes like Yveltal and Primal Groudon and avoid having its sweep stopped by Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens non-Unaware Mega Gyarados enough to be OHKOed by non-Mold Breaker Secret Sword after a Shell Smash, and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-in to priority users. Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Xerneas can threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early-game (add hyphen). They will make an opponent to be more secure about preserving their checks. As a result, they will defensively react to Mega Gengar and improve the odds that Mega Gengar can set up on a forced switch. Mega Gengar can threaten passive Steel-types like Registeel and offensively checks Necrozma-DM. Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Unaware Pokemon with Scald or surprise them with Water Spout, while Regigigas can practically pressure any Pokemon that have enough special bulk to survive a hit from Mega Gengar. Poison Heal users' ability to absorb status and punish certain Trick users is also helpful. Imposter Chansey can help to scout Mega Gengar's setup targets to ensure that they don't carry hazardous moves like Knock Off, Spectral Thief, or Spore. Finally, Sturdy Shedinja is a considerable partner due to it threatening out majority of the -ate users, Assault Vest pivots, and defensive Primal Kyogre that can check Mega Gengar and benefiting from Mega Gengar threatening opposing Ghost-types.

[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Entrainment replaces the foe's ability with Normalize, leaving them unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves with exceptions like Revelation Dance and Z-Moves. Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a cost of being very vulnerable to -ate users. Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items. Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposters unable to retaliate. Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey and specially bulky foes like Primal Kyogre and Mega Audino harder than Boomburst. Lower damage output against Yveltal can be detrimental, however. Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users like Registeel and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affects Gengar after the foe gains Normalize. Note that forgoing a Normal-type attack move is going leave Mega Gengar completely walled by Normal-types. King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move, though consequence for forgoing this move applies similarly to when forgoing Taunt.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in Speed with Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed slower foes like Kartana. Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.

Usage Tips
========

Before attempting to neutralize a foe with Entrainment, scout for foes that can effectively counter this set. This means Pokemon with Magic Bounce, Comatose, Revelation Dance, and Z-Crystals should be identified. Even when one has ensured that a foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, or Taunt, as they still affect it. Priority move users like Mega Rayquaza should also be faced with caution, as they can strike the frail Mega Gengar first. Trick and Switcheroo will still affect Mega Gengar and take its Spooky Plate away, significantly hampering its overall usefulness. Lastly, keep Mega Gengar away from any form of damage, as priority move users, (AC) like even Mega Diancie, (AC) may be able stop weakened Mega Gengar from cleaning a team lacking a proper check. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can easily finish weakened teams without much concern.

Team Options
========

Similarly to the other set, Imposter Chansey is helpful to Normalize Mega Gengar due to its ability to switch into various foes and idenfity their movesets and abilities. Yveltal is one of the more problematic Dark-types due to it commonly running Revelation Dance. Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can guard Mega Gengar against Yveltal and Dark-types, and they are generally great switch-in to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set. Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can provide generate momentum with U-turn and switch into any offensive priority moves. Knock Off and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily. Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar. Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Stealth Rock is helpful to punish Yveltal and Toxic Spikes can be used to wear down Chansey and Mega Audino. Mega Gengar can remove Toxic Spikes itself in case they are bounced back. Teams lacking solid counterplay against Normalize Mega Gengar will rely on it getting slowly worn down over the match. Entry hazard removal support from Pokemon like Giratina can prevent Mega Gengar from taking unnecessary damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino and Registeel can also be considered. Magic Bounce users can also pivot into status moves like Spore or Glare that should be watched out for. Mega Gengar may struggle to bypass Primal Kyogre, as the matchup is quite unfavorable due to Primal Kyogre commonly running Revelation Dance and having a high special bulk that can be further amplified if running Assault Vest. Effective countermeasures like Primal Groudon can become necessary for this reason. Though it is less common, Trick and Switcheroo can be problematic to deal with. Aforementioned Pokemon with irremovable items, such as Giratina with Griseous Orb (RC) and Groudon with Red Orb can be helpful. Other bulky Pokemon using Darkinium Z in tandem with Z-Parting Shot can fulfill the same role while full restoring Mega Gengar's HP in a pinch.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Choice Specs set running Adaptability running with Moongeist Beam, Sludge Bomb, Volt Switch, and Trick or Ice Beam is an interesting option due to its more immediate damage output, but lower base power of STAB moves, and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to both of its STAB moves having immunities leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y. A Choice Scarf set can similarly be run similarly to surprise faster Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo Y, but a the lack of power may be disappointing. Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOs Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against the majority of the metagame. Ice Beam also struggles to find its place in sets other than Choice Specs, and Moonblast's lower damage output against Mega Tyranitar and inability to threaten Chansey makes it inferior option compared to Secret Sword. As the fastest Ghost-type, Mega Gengar can effectively run a suicide lead set in offensive teams with Mold Breaker to prevent any form of entry hazard removal. This set commonly runs Curse, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Taunt and also has a merit of being difficult to predict than other suicide leads like Deoxys-S, as this set can't be predicted well in team preview and before Mega Gengar reveals its moves. Contrary can surprise checks like Yveltal and Primal Kyogre, as both Unaware and Assault Vest sets can be overpowered by moves like Fleur Cannon and Leaf Storm. Prankster users will also struggle to deal with Mega Gengar due to increasing power from boosts and combined with Mega Gengar's STAB combination, there are very few Unaware users that can avoid 2HKO from this set. A Ghost-type attack of choice, Sludge Bomb, Fleur Cannon, and Leaf Storm are run in this set, and the first move should be Judgment if running Spooky Plate or Moongeist Beam if running Focus Sash. This set, however, relies on forced switches to safely gain enough power. Perish Song can be employed in Normalize set with Anchor Shot to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. However, many defensive foes can circumvent this set with moves like Parting Shot and Baton Pass and Pokemon like Zygarde-C can still hit Mega Gengar with if its Z-Move is available. Overall, this set suffers from the inability to do anything notable to foes that conventionally check Normalize Mega Gengar. Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foes Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but Mega Gengar can neutralize a foe only once in the field this way. With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. However, Toxic Spikes is quite difficult to be successfully set due to prevalence of Magic Bounce users and Imposter Chansey possibly mimicking the strategy, and the damage output is quite inconsistent with moves like Hex and Venoshock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Normalize Mega Gengar can also overpower Yveltal with Shell Smash-boosted Boomburst after Stealth Rock damage. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**RegenVest Walls**: RegenVest users tend to struggle against Normalize Mega Gengar if lacking Revelation Dance, but Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Dialga can defensively check setup variants of Mega Gengar. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment and will struggle to immediately take down Mega Gengar using Quiver Dance. Some of the RegenVest walls like Dialga is vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword as well.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running a RegenVest or Unaware set. A majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. Note that Primal Kyogre lacking Spectral Thief will struggle to check Mega Gengar running Quiver Dance due to the Special Defense boost.

**Priority users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty by using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. Though King's Shield remedies issues with -ate to a degree, the move itself is quite difficult to fit in the first place and Triage Mega Rayquaza can still revenge kill Mega Gengar.

**Chansey**: Chansey's enormous special bulk makes it a strong check to Mega Gengar, shutting down its sweep unless it is overly lucky with sleep turns or has a combination of Mold Breaker and Secret Sword.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Registeel cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y can easily outspeed KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they took on Mega Gengar with has Focus Sash and cannot take on Mega Gengar that is boosted by Shell Smash and Quiver Dance.

**Poison Heal Regigigas**: Regigigas has enough bulk to survive a +2 Secret Sword from Shell Smash Mega Gengar from full health and can OHKO back with Knock Off or Spectral Thief. It can also shut down Normalize Mega Gengar with a sleep move it commonly carries.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types like Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar considerably hazardous depending on its moveset, and therefore tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged. They may struggle trapping Normalize variants, but Trick is still going to throw a wrench in the matchup (what?).

**Item Removal**: Not only Mega Gengar has weakness is weak to Knock Off, but also the move also removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. Trick and Switcheroo can also cripple Mega Gengar by removing Spooky Plate.
 

Electrolyte

Wouldn't Wanna Know
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Me: add remove (comments)
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[OVERVIEW]

Mega Gengar is an offensive threat that can threatens (a threat that threatens...) common defensive Pokemon like Giratina and Mega Audino with appropriate sets (implied) using its STAB combination and effectively uses setup moves and Entrainment + Normalize sets to further pressure its slower checks. Mega Gengar can take advantage of its typing and use Spooky Plate in tandem with Judgment to not only fire off strong attacks, but also have an advantageous matchup against Imposter Chansey, differentiating itself from most offensive threats such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Rayquaza, as they struggle to defeat its their Imposter one-(hyphen)on-(hyphen)one. This also means that Mega Gengar will not constrain its team's slots require the use of another team slot to fit in a Pokemon that will has to Imposter-proof (add hyphen) it and thus can have has a somewhat easier time securing its place in many teams. Mega Gengar can utilize its Ghost-(no hyphen, two words) typing to check Sturdy (is this really needed to be mentioned? Shedinja don't really run anything but Sturdy) (it's fine) Shedinja with Mold Breaker if desperately needed. Its Poison-(no hyphen, two words) typing leaves Mega Gengar as one of the very few offensive threats that can absorb Toxic Spikes, which can see a sees situational use. High Speed also enables it to offensively check Mega Diancie, which it resists Pixilate-boosted attacks from, whose Pixilate-boosted attacks only deal resisted damage, and Kartana under the right conditions. However, the popularity of Revelation Dance and Magic Bounce from Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Yveltal tends to somewhat limit Mega Gengar's ability to take advantage of slower foes with Normalize sets. In addition, Mega Gengar's pitiful bulk limits its offensive capabilities as a sweeper due to a prevalence of priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B. Mega Gengar also has a very crowded moveset as an offensive threat, meaning it will be shut down by various walls depending on what foes it decides to counteract against prepare for; to specify, Normalize sets, which does not use Poison-type attacks, are easily checked by Magic Bounce Mega Audino, sets lacking Secret Sword make Mega Tyranitar impossible to surmount, and any set lacking Tail Glow, Mold Breaker, or niche coverage moves like Moonblast or Ice Beam has little chance against Yveltal. Lastly, Mega Gengar faces a slight competition with from Mega Mewtwo Y as a fast special attacker, as Mega Mewtwo Y is more multi-dimensional, slightly bulkier, has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, and less vulnerable to the extremely common Knock Off and Spectral Thief.

[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash / Tail Glow
move 2: Judgment
move 3: Secret Sword / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Lovely Kiss / Sludge Bomb / King's Shield
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Mold Breaker / Adaptability
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Shell Smash sharply boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, giving it enough power to OHKO checks like Yveltal and Mega Audino after some prior damage and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Registeel. Tail Glow, on the other hand, drastically boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack while not lowering its bulk, and boosts Mega Gengar's damage to the point where it can OHKO Yveltal with +3 Sludge Bomb at +3 after Stealth Rock damage and guarantee OHKOs (remove apostrophe) on Regigigas, Registeel, Mega Gyarados, and Dialga with +3 Secret Sword. The Tail Glow's lack of a boost in Speed makes Shell Smash generally a better option, however. Judgment is Mega Gengar's strongest attack,(RC) and it is the only attack that lets it Imposter-proof (add hyphen) itself. Judgment's high damage output forces out Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash, as they are OHKOed with or without prior damage,(AC) and the move becomes is powerful enough to lets Mega Gengar (we're still talking about the damage output, not the move itself) OHKO neutral targets like Primal Groudon at +2. This move should only be used when Mega Gengar has a Spooky Plate, however. Secret Sword rounds up completes Mega Gengar's coverage by hitting targets that are resistant or immune to Ghost-type STAB moves, notably hitting Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat Chansey with for heavy damage after the a boost. Lovely Kiss allows Mega Gengar to generate setup opportunities by putting foes to sleep, and has increased effectiveness with Mold Breaker due to the ability to letting Lovely Kiss as it then bypasses Magic Bounce. Sludge Bomb can be used to hit Mega Audino and have has a guaranteed chance to OHKO non-Unaware Yveltal after Stealth Rock with a Tail Glow boost, and is used over Sludge Wave so that Mega Gengar can attempt to wear down its checks with potential poison. Note that running Sludge Bomb does not influence Mega Gengar's matchup against Imposter users in a significant way, as Mega Gengar has a heavy resistance to Sludge Bomb. Running Pursuit along with Mold Breaker is an option to trap and remove Shedinja for teams which that need a Pokemon that compresses the role of an offensive Ghost-type and a check to Sturdy (likewise as overview) (it's okay) Shedinja, but it forces Mega Gengar to forgo one of its more useful moves. King's Shield remedies Mega Gengar's vulnerability against to -ate users that can easily end the its sweep if Mega Gengar did not opt for it doesn't have Dazzling. Taunt can be considered to bypass Prankster users like Registeel that do not have many ways to threaten Mega Gengar back, but Lovely Kiss is already an effective countermeasure against many defensive checks.

Set Details
========

Spooky Plate lets Mega Gengar fire off a strong Ghost-type STAB move while having no fear against of Imposter, and it should always be used with Judgment. Focus Sash, which is an item to be used with Moongeist Beam, ensures that Mega Gengar gets a chance to set up.(period), and This can be useful considering how hard it is for Mega Gengar to generally find an opportunity to set up (add space) with its horrendous bulk. A Timid nature is used to at worst Speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and the opposing Mega Gengar. Mold Breaker lets Mega Gengar blow past through Unaware users with boosted attacks while using and use Lovely Kiss and Spore without fear of Magic Bounce users. Note that the ability is revealed when Mega Gengar enters the field and therefore removes the chance that Mega Gengar can force switches by bluffing a Normalize set, however. Adaptability gives provides more initial power, letting giving Mega Gengar have a good chance to OHKO Giratina and Mega Audino after Stealth Rock and 2HKO Zygarde-C after some prior damage. Unlike when running Mold Breaker, However, Adaptability forgoes an the option to do deal heavier damage to Unaware users after Mega Gengar is boosted like with Mold Breaker. Dazzling, on the other hand, grants Mega Gengar a safety from priority moves at a the cost of forgoing the aforementioned abilities that lets it bypass certain defensive walls.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Gengar's sweep can also be cut short by priority users like Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B unless it chooses to run Dazzling, so it is important to ensure they have been eliminated as well. Assault Vest (RegenVest?) users can also stop Mega Gengar if it lacks a sleep-inducing moves, so try to gain information about the opposing team before planning a sweep with Mega Gengar. It is rare that Mega Gengar can successfully set up without relying on forced switches. (this sentence seems really random here because it's a statement. I'd change it to "As Mega Gengar does not have the best bulk, you should try and bring it in on forced switches") (I approve this change, but it should be "As Mega Gengar does not have the best bulk, it should be brought in using forced switches") Depending on the moveset, the way players have to use Mega Gengar will also differ. For example, when Mega Gengar is using Judgment and is not running Mold Breaker, it will have good chance to successfully bluff Normalize sets, but when it runs Mold Breaker, which immediately reveals its ability, an opponent will typically anticipate Mega Gengar to be a setup variant and switch out to an appropriate check. As Mega Gengar will likely draw in bulky foes from a paranoid opponent, try to put them to sleep or wear them down with Sludge Bomb's potential poison. In addition, Lovely Kiss or Spore is the best used with Mold Breaker, as Mega Gengar is unlikely going to have a second chance to sweep if its sleep move has been bounced back. However, these sleep moves are still unreliable against bulkier foes like Primal Kyogre that will require Mega Gengar to be lucky with sleep turns, so make sure they are weakened beforehand. Poison Heal users like Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can also be nuisances, as they can switch into Lovely Kiss freely after activating their Toxic Orb and survive a boosted attack from full health.

Team Options
========

Hazard support is mandatory for Mega Gengar to meet various OHKO benchmarks against foes like Yveltal and Primal Groudon and avoid having its sweep stopped by Focus Sash users. Stealth Rock support on top of minimal prior damage weakens non-Unaware Mega Gyarados enough to be OHKOed by non-Mold Breaker Secret Sword after a Shell Smash, and ensures Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal are punished every time they switch in to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Spikes support is vastly appreciated to wear down Zygarde-C and Steel-types like Dialga and Registeel. Bulky Steel-types such as Registeel and Necrozma-DM can set up hazards for Mega Gengar while functioning as a good switch-ins to priority users. Fairy-types like Mega Diancie and Xerneas can threaten Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B and can defeat Dark-types for Mega Gengar. Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Groudon can cause serious damage to defensive cores early-game (add hyphen) and force opponents to play more defensively. Mega Gengar can then take advantage of defensive reactions and set up on a forced switch. They will make an opponent to be more secure about preserving their checks. As a result, they will defensively react to Mega Gengar and improve the odds that Mega Gengar can set up on a forced switch. Mega Gengar can also threaten passive Steel-types like Registeel and offensively checks Necrozma-DM for said wallbreakers. Poison Heal sweepers such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas can take advantage of most of Mega Gengar's checks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Unaware Pokemon with Scald or surprise them with Water Spout, while Regigigas can practically pressure any Pokemon that haves enough special bulk to survive a hit from Mega Gengar. Poison Heal users' ability to absorb status and punish certain Trick users is also helpful. Imposter Chansey can help to scout Mega Gengar's setup targets to ensure that they don't carry hazardous moves like Knock Off, Spectral Thief, or Spore. Finally, Sturdy Shedinja is a considerable partner due to it threatening out as it threatens out a majority of the -ate users, Assault Vest pivots, and defensive Primal Kyogre that can check Mega Gengar and benefitsing from Mega Gengar threatening opposing Ghost-types.

[SET]
name: Normalize
move 1: Entrainment
move 2: Quiver Dance / Shell Smash
move 3: Judgment
move 4: Boomburst
item: Spooky Plate
ability: Normalize
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Entrainment replaces the foe's opposing Pokemon's ability with Normalize, leaving them it unable to ever damage Mega Gengar with almost any attacking moves with exceptions like Revelation Dance and Z-Moves. Quiver Dance boosts Mega Gengar's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, making it harder to revenge kill. Shell Smash is an alternative option that provides Mega Gengar with more immediate power, but it comes at a the cost of being making Mega Gengar very vulnerable to -ate users. Judgment, with Spooky Plate intact, turns into a STAB Ghost-type attack that hits any neutral target with noticeable damage, and remains a Normal-type attack for common Imposter-users which don't carry plate items, letting Mega Gengar defeat them. the move lets Mega Gengar defeat its Imposter while Imposter cannot do anything back due to their lack of plate items. Boomburst is the strongest secondary attack Mega Gengar can run to hit Normal-types that are immune to Judgment while leaving Imposter users unable to retaliate. Psystrike is an alternative option to hit specially defensive foes like Chansey,(AC) and specially bulky foes like Primal Kyogre,(AC) and Mega Audino harder than Boomburst. Its lower damage output against Yveltal can be detrimental, however. Taunt can be used to deal with Prankster users like Registeel and prevent recovery moves and status moves such as Spore, which still affects Mega Gengar even after the foe opposing Pokemon gains Normalize. Note that forgoing a Normal-type attack move is going leave Mega Gengar completely walled by Normal-types. King's Shield, on the other hand, prevents Mega Gengar from easily folding against priority users by halving their Attack stat if they used contact move, though the opportunity cost of consequence for forgoing this move applies similarly to when forgoing that of Taunt.

Set Details
========

Maximum investment in Speed with a Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to at worst Speed tie with Mega Mewtwo X and outspeed slower foes like Kartana. Spooky Plate allows Mega Gengar to use Ghost-type STAB Judgment while also being immune to the Normal-type Judgment of common Imposter users. not letting Imposter to hit itself. Normalize is needed for Mega Gengar to give foes Normalize through Entrainment, changing most of their attacking moves to Normal-type and leaving them with no way to damage Mega Gengar.

Usage Tips
========

Before attempting to neutralize an opposing Pokemon foe with Entrainment, scout for foes that can effectively counter this set. This means Pokemon with Magic Bounce, Comatose, Revelation Dance, and Z-Crystals should be identified. Even when one has ensured that an opposing Pokemon foe cannot hurt Mega Gengar in any way after gaining Normalize, be wary of status moves such as Spore, Glare, or Taunt, as they still affect it are still effective. Priority move users like Mega Rayquaza should also be faced with caution, as they can strike the frail Mega Gengar first. Trick and Switcheroo will still affect Mega Gengar and take its Spooky Plate away, significantly hampering its overall usefulness. Lastly, keep Mega Gengar away from any form of damage, as priority move users, (AC) like even Mega Diancie, (AC) may be able stop a weakened Mega Gengar from cleaning a team lacking a proper check. When these conditions of safety are met, Mega Gengar can easily finish weakened teams without much concern.

Team Options
========

Similarly to the other set, Imposter Chansey is helpful to Normalize Mega Gengar due to its ability to switch into various foes and idenfity identify their movesets and abilities. Yveltal is one of the more problematic Dark-types due to it commonly running opponents for Mega Gengar as it commonly runs Revelation Dance,(AC) so Fairy-types like Mega Audino and Xerneas can should be used to guard Mega Gengar against Yveltal it and other Dark-types, and they are also generally great switch-ins to Knock Off from various foes if running Poison Heal set. Steel-types such as Solgaleo and Kartana effectively threaten Magic Bounce Mega Audino, which would be is a serious problem for Mega Gengar to deal with. Defensive Steel-types in general are good partners, as they can provide generate momentum with U-turn and switch into any offensive priority moves. Knock Off and Poison Fang from various walls can make Fur Coat Chansey easier to handle, as its tremendous bulk lets it check Mega Gengar lacking Taunt easily. Regigigas and Shedinja appreciates Mega Gengar threatening Ghost-types like Giratina and Aegislash. The former can also switch into status moves, which defensive foes might rely on to check Mega Gengar. Entry hazard support is appreciated, as this variant of Mega Gengar forces a lot of switches. Stealth Rock is helpful to punish Yveltal and Toxic Spikes can be used to wear down Chansey and Mega Audino. Mega Gengar can remove Toxic Spikes itself in case they are bounced back. Teams lacking solid counterplay against Normalize Mega Gengar will rely on it getting slowly worn down over the match. Entry hazard removal support from Pokemon like Giratina can prevent Mega Gengar from taking unnecessary damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Magic Bounce users like Mega Audino and Registeel can also be considered. Magic Bounce users can also pivot into status moves like Spore or Glare that should be watched out for could be crippling. Mega Gengar may struggle to bypass Primal Kyogre, as the matchup is quite unfavorable due to Primal Kyogre commonly running has an unfavorable matchup against Primal Kyogre as it commonly runs Revelation Dance and having a has high special bulk that can be further amplified if running Assault Vest. Effective countermeasures like Primal Groudon can become necessary for this reason. Though it is they are less common, Trick and Switcheroo can be problematic to deal with. Aforementioned Pokemon with irremovable items, such as Giratina with Griseous Orb (RC) and Groudon with Red Orb,(AC) can be helpful. Other bulky Pokemon using Darkinium Z in tandem with Z-Parting Shot can fulfill the same role while fully restoring Mega Gengar's HP in a pinch.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A Choice Specs set running Adaptability running with Moongeist Beam, Sludge Bomb, Volt Switch, and Trick or Ice Beam is an interesting option due to its more immediate damage output, but the lower base power of the STAB moves,(RC) and the fact that Choice-locked Mega Gengar is very exploitable due to the presence of Pokemon immune to both of its STAB moves having immunities leaves this option outclassed by Mega Mewtwo Y. A Choice Scarf set can similarly be run similarly to surprise faster Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo Y, but a the lack of power may be disappointing. Ice Beam and Moonblast are alternative coverage options; Ice Beam OHKOes Mega Rayquaza, solves problems with Zygarde-C, and hits Yveltal hard, while Moonblast enables Mega Gengar to hit Yveltal while having a way to hit Mega Gyarados for considerable damage, but they have worse coverage against the majority of the metagame. Ice Beam also struggles to find its place in sets other than Choice Specs, and Moonblast's lower damage output against Mega Tyranitar and inability to threaten Chansey makes it an inferior option compared to Secret Sword. As the fastest Ghost-type, Mega Gengar can effectively run a suicide lead set in offensive teams with Mold Breaker to prevent any form of entry hazard removal. This set commonly runs Curse, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Taunt and also has a merit of being difficult to predict anticipate than other suicide leads like Deoxys-S, as this set can't be predicted well in team preview and before Mega Gengar reveals its moves. Contrary can surprise checks like Yveltal and Primal Kyogre, as both Unaware and Assault Vest sets can be overpowered by moves like Fleur Cannon and Leaf Storm. Prankster users will also struggle to deal with Mega Gengar due to it increasing power from boosts after each attack, and so combined with Mega Gengar's STAB combination, there are very few Unaware users that can avoid 2HKO from this set. A Ghost-type attack of choice, Sludge Bomb, Fleur Cannon, and Leaf Storm are run in this set, and the first move should be Judgment if running Spooky Plate or Moongeist Beam if running Focus Sash. This set, however, relies on forced switches to safely gain enough power. Perish Song can be employed in by the Normalize set with Anchor Shot to trap and remove a foe, and this can be done easily once a foe gains Normalize and cannot damage Mega Gengar. However, many defensive foes can circumvent this set with moves like Parting Shot and Baton Pass and Pokemon like Zygarde-C can still hit Mega Gengar with if its their Z-Move is available. Overall, this set suffers from the inability to do anything notable to foes that conventionally check Normalize Mega Gengar.(remove extra space) Mega Gengar can also use Skill Swap over Entrainment to give foes Normalize to cripple Magic Bounce users, but Mega Gengar can neutralize a foe only once in the field this way until it switches out. With dedicated team support, Mega Gengar can utilize No Guard and Merciless. However, Toxic Spikes is quite difficult to be used successfully set due to the prevalence of Magic Bounce users and Imposter Chansey possibly mimicking the strategy, and the damage output is quite inconsistent with moves like Hex and Venoshock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Yveltal**: Unlike other Dark-types, Yveltal can viably run Revelation Dance and takes neutral damage to from Secret Sword. Thus, it is able to check almost every variant of Mega Gengar when healthy, though it may be overwhelmed by Tail Glow-boosted attacks. Normalize Mega Gengar can also overpower Yveltal with Shell Smash-boosted Boombursts after Stealth Rock damage. Assault Vest and Unaware variants avoid concerns about boosted Mega Gengar if it lacks sleep-inducing moves and effectively handle Mega Gengar.

**RegenVest Walls**: RegenVest users tend to struggle against Normalize Mega Gengar if lacking Revelation Dance, but Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Dialga can defensively check setup variants of Mega Gengar. They are particularly hard to wear down due to their ability, and Mega Gengar is forced to rely on excessive prior damage or multiple layers of hazards to surmount them. However, all of them are neutralized by Spore and Entrainment and will struggle to immediately take down Mega Gengar using Quiver Dance. Some of the RegenVest walls like Dialga is are vulnerable to boosted Secret Sword as well.

**Primal Kyogre**: Although it does not resist Judgment, Primal Kyogre's massive special bulk allows it to tank boosted hits when running a RegenVest or Unaware set. A majority of Primal Kyogre variants also run Revelation Dance, meaning it is a good blanket check to Normalize variants as well. Note that Primal Kyogre lacking Spectral Thief will struggle to check Mega Gengar running Quiver Dance due to the Special Defense boost.

**Priority Users**: Priority users like Aerilate Mega Rayquaza and Refrigerate Kyurem-B can easily revenge kill Mega Gengar lacking Dazzling or Queenly Majesty by using Fake Out and Extreme Speed, bypassing Mega Gengar's high Speed. Although they dislike switching into Judgment, they can take out any variant of Mega Gengar after Stealth Rock damage. Though King's Shield remedies issues with -ate to a degree, the move itself is quite difficult to fit in the first place and Triage Mega Rayquaza can still revenge kill Mega Gengar.

**Chansey**: Chansey's enormous special bulk makes it a strong check to Mega Gengar, shutting down its sweep attempts unless it Mega Gengar is overly lucky with sleep turns or has a combination of Mold Breaker and Secret Sword.

**Magic Bounce and Comatose Users**: Foes with Magic Bounce or Comatose such as Zygarde-C and Registeel cannot have their abilities removed by Entrainment and can check Mega Gengar, given they can handle Judgment. They can also harshly punish Mega Gengar by bouncing back Spore from setup variants, if Mega Gengar lacks Mold Breaker.

**Faster Foes**: Faster threats like Mega Mewtwo Y can easily outspeed and KO Mega Gengar, though they will be KOed back if they took on Mega Gengar with has Focus Sash and cannot take on Mega Gengar that if it is boosted by Shell Smash and Quiver Dance.

**Poison Heal Regigigas**: Regigigas has enough bulk to survive a +2 Secret Sword from Shell Smash Mega Gengar from full health and can OHKO back with Knock Off or Spectral Thief. It can also shut down Normalize Mega Gengar with a sleep move, which it commonly carries.

**Pursuit**: Mega Gengar's frailty makes its matchup against bulky Dark-types like Mega Gyarados and Mega Tyranitar considerably hazardous depending on its moveset, and therefore so it tends to retreat from them, making Pursuit one of the viable methods to guarantee its removal or at least leave it heavily damaged. They may struggle trapping Normalize variants, but they can also use Trick is still going to throw a wrench in the matchup (what?) and cripple Mega Gengar.

**Item Removal**: Knock Off not only hits Mega Gengar super effectively, but Not only Mega Gengar has weakness is weak to Knock Off, but also the move also removes Spooky Plate, leaving Mega Gengar nearly useless and unable to take on its own Imposter. Trick and Switcheroo can also cripple Mega Gengar by removing Spooky Plate.

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