Overview
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Mega Kangaskhan is an incredibly straightforward and predictable Pokemon. However, its raw bulk, Speed, and power more than make up for this. Sporting a 125 base Attack that is further boosted by Parental Bond, it can fire off awe-inspiring STAB Returns that threaten to tear through even the bulkiest of opponents. It can also contribute to the team thanks to its access to the coveted Fake Out, which gives Kangaskhan utility in any stage of the match and has the added bonus of being able to hit Ghost-types if Kangaskhan stays in its regular form for one turn. Its bulk is easy to underestimate as well; with 105 / 100 / 100 base defenses, it can afford to invest fully into its offenses and still be able to tank most neutral hits, which is what Kangaskhan is going to be taking most of the time thanks to its sole weakness to the rather rare Fighting-type, which is more manageable than ever with many teams opting to include Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp users in their lineups.
However, as previously mentioned, Kangaskhan can be quite easy to play around, as it often packs only one set of moves. The sad thing about this is that Kangaskhan really can't afford to deviate from its standard set without losing key factors that make it such a good Pokemon. This allows opponents to easily play around Kangaskhan with Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp or simply double target it in the very likely scenario that it doesn't have Protect in its moveset. To accentuate this problem further, Kangaskhan's spread moves such as Rock Slide don't hit twice with Parental Bond, effectively forcing it to stick with single-target moves and making it easy to Protect against. Don't let this deter you from using Kangaskhan, however; its combination of raw stats and just the right moves will always be something to look out for. Just be careful with it and don't count on catching anyone off-guard.
Standard
########
Set Name: Standard Mega
move 1: Return
move 2: Fake Out / Protect
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Power-Up Punch
ability: Scrappy / Inner Focus
item: Kangaskhanite
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
Even if it's resisted, Return is your go-to move for dealing damage, capping out at 102 Base Power and working off Mega Kangaskhan's base Attack of 125, further boosted by Parental Bond. Fake Out gives Kangaskhan great utility and can help you set up or KO with your partner, as well as dealing heavy chip damage to help Return nab KOs. However, if you already have Fake Out support or feel Mega Kangaskhan should be more concerned with itself than with its teammates, Protect can be used in Fake Out's place to give Kangaskhan more longevity and, more importantly, make Kangaskhan less prone to double-targeting. Sucker Punch is mainly for priority, but is occasionally good for hitting Ghost-types when they decide to attack. Power-Up Punch makes Kangaskhan a deadly force to be reckoned with, allowing Return to 2HKO Pokemon that resist it, such as Mega Mawile. It also helps Kangaskhan recover from a burn it might have suffered or multiple Intimidate Attack drops, as well as dealing chip damage for it and its partners.
Set Details
========
Scrappy is generally the more useful ability for regular Kangaskhan, allowing it to Fake Out Ghost-types such as Chandelure and Aeigislash or even Power-Up Punch them for a boost. However, Inner Focus can be useful to help a partner set up Tailwind or other such moves in the event that you need to get off a Fake Out (for instance, Talonflame might have to set up Tailwind against Tyranitar while Kangaskhan gets Faked Out by a faster user).
Either Jolly or Adamant natures will work for Kangaskhan. As Mega Kangaskhan sits at base 100 Speed along with other threats such as Charizard and Salamence, it's usually best to go with a Jolly nature to get the jump on Modest Charizard and Salamence and at worst Speed tie with Timid ones. If you value consistent power over Speed ties, Adamant is the superior option.
A bulkier EV spread is worth considering, but is usually unneeded. Thanks to Kangaskhan's natural bulk, a mere 4 HP EVs will allow Kangaskhan to survive the vast majority of common moves such as Salamence's Draco Meteor and Rotom-H's Overheat at full health. Another reason to consider a bulkier EV spread, however, is to underspeed other base 100 Speed Pokemon for use alongside Trick Room, or to make Kangaskhan more resilient when used alongside Tailwind.
Usage Tips
========
If it isn't obvious by now, unless you're making use of Scrappy or Inner Focus, you should make a point to Mega Evolve as soon as possible. From there, use Return often and keep Kangaskhan from being burned by switching out, which also resets Fake Out, allowing you to apply pressure later in the match.
You should be careful not to get greedy with Power-Up Punch boosts, especially when Kangaskhan isn't actively being supported with teammates threatening KOs or more simple support options such as Follow Me/Rage Powder. One use of Power-Up Punch at +0 will more than likely be all you need to power through opponents with Return and Sucker Punch, aside from Pokemon that resist Return, which are usually 2HKOed. Using Power-Up Punch often is not a bad idea when Kangaskhan is burned or has been Intimidated, however.
When using Protect, try to bluff having Fake Out by using Return on the first turn and switching out soon after to seem like you're trying to reset Fake Out. Since most Kangaskhan don't Protect and are usually double-targeted because of this, Protect is best used as a surprise move late-game. Additionally, make a point to put yourself into a position where you can KO or incapacitate at least one Pokemon with your partner when Protecting for the best results.
Team Options
========
The best ways to support Kangaskhan are to give it Pokemon that can easily switch with Kangaskhan and redirect and/or prevent Kangaskhan from being double-targeted. Amoonguss does all of the above, as it doesn't particularly mind being burned, can use Rage Powder and Spore, and does a good job of taking Fighting-type attacks. In the same sense, Salamence makes a good switch-in, softening later attacks with Intimidate and doing a good job of eliminating Steel-types with Fire Blast.
Chandelure, Talonflame, and Rotom-H can OHKO Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Mawile and often do a good job of checking Ghost-types as the more popular ones have a secondary type that's weak to Fire. Talonflame gets a specific mention for its ability to use Tailwind, allowing Kangaskhan to outspeed problematic Pokemon such as Kingdra in the rain and Mega Manectric, as well as its ability to straight-up OHKO Fighting-types with Brave Bird. Other offensive Pokemon such as Gardevoir, Tyranitar, and the previously mentioned Salamence appreciate Kangaskhan's Fake Out and form a hyper-offensive lead and/or core to immediately apply pressure on the opponent and punish slower teams.
Other Pokemon that take on pure supportive roles that work well with Kangaskhan include Klefki, Meowstic-Male, and Smeargle. Klefki and Meowstic-M can prevent burns altogether with Safeguard and follow it up with Swagger for free Attack boosts or use Reflect and Light Screen to make Mega Kangaskhan even more formidable. Smeargle is viable once again in VGC14 thanks to Dark Void being unbanned. Kangaskhan can Fake Out a Pokemon to allow Smeargle to fire it off, allowing Kangaskhan to comfortably use Power-Up Punch next turn. Something to watch out for when using Smeargle + Kangaskhan however are the Lum or Chesto Berries that are commonly used to check Dark Void. Another thing to keep in mind when using each of these pure supportive Pokemon is Taunt, which can completely shut down your setups.
Other Options
########
Hammer Arm can be used in place of Power-Up Punch if it would be more useful for Kangaskhan to OHKO other Kangaskhan and Tyranitar right off the bat rather than trying to boost and then KO them with Return, though outside of those two, it doesn't do much else besides lower your Speed two stages (which can actually be useful when used alongside Trick Room). Fire Blast is another situational move that can hit Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Mawile, and is actually rather powerful despite working off a base 60 Special Attack considering it receives the Parental Bond boost and isn't affected by Intimidate or burns. Crunch can be used over Sucker Punch because isn't stopped cold by non-attacking moves, allowing Mega Kangaskhan to comfortably target Ghost-types. However, both Crunch and Fire Blast suffer the same problem as Hammer Arm does; they cannot hit many other Pokemon for as much damage as the standard options do.
Moves that can be used over Return are Stomp, Dizzy Punch, and Facade. Stomp and Dizzy Punch should mainly be considered for their secondary effects, flinching and confusing, but are barely ever used because of their inherent inconsistencies. It's worth mentioning Bite if only because you can use Return and Bite in the same manner that you would use Return and Crunch. Facade suffers from inconsistencies of its own; although burning Kangaskhan is a popular method of dealing with Kangaskhan and Facade ignores its effects and still hits for 140 Base Power, relying on your opponent to burn Kangaskhan is unreliable to say the least unless you plan on burning or poisoning your own Kangaskhan, which is unadvisable for obvious reasons.
Checks & Counters
########
**Intimidate**: The most common and easy way to deal with Kangaskhan is the same as any other physical attacker: have an Intimidate user. Scrafty gets a special mention as an Intimidate user because of its Fighting-typing and ability to heal off damage with Drain Punch or OHKO Kangaskhan with the rare High Jump Kick. Other Intimidate users include Salamence, Gyarados, Mega Manectric and Krookodile. Mega Manectric and Gyarados make a great defensive core that is more than capable of using Volt Switch to rack up Intimidate drops and steadily deal damage to Kangaskhan, often forcing Kangaskhan to switch out and let its teammates take free damage or stay in and attempt to recover lost ground with Power-Up Punch.
**Will-O-Wisp**: Will-O-Wisp is most commonly used by Rotom-W and Rotom-H, but Gourgeist and Trevenant can easily switch in on Kangaskhan and burn it while avoiding Sucker Punch by using other moves such as Leech Seed or Substitute.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types in general handle Kangaskhan well; Aeigislash can't burn Kangaskhan, but can easily set up a Substitute in front of it and comfortably tank Sucker Punches while it whittles away at Kangaskhan with Flash Cannon or Sacred Sword. Mega Gengar has a field day with Kangaskhan as it easily Perish traps, burns, or attacks Mega Kangaskhan as long as it's careful not to get hit with Sucker Punch, which will often KO it without Intimidate support. As previously mentioned, Trevenant and Gourgeist can easily wait out Kangaskhan but don't have much in the way of dealing quick damage to it, making them more suited to an endgame win condition rather than a straight-up Kangaskhan check.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-type Pokemon capitalize on Kangaskhan's only weakness with their powerful STAB moves. Lucario and Mienshao both have Inner Focus, allowing them to more comfortably OHKO Kangaskhan with Close Combat or High Jump Kick/Low Kick, though regular Lucario only Speed ties at best with regular Kangaskhan and Mienshao is woefully frail and can be OHKOed through Focus Sash with the second Return provided by Parental Bond. Mega Lucario can more reliably OHKO Mega Kangaskhan with Close Combat, as a Jolly Mega Lucario has to be burned or Intimidated twice in order to miss out on an OHKO on 4 HP Kangaskhan, and even then it has the option of using a specially oriented set with Aura Sphere. Iron Fist Conkeldurr is another Fighting-type that can comfortably OHKO Mega Kangaskhan with a Fighting-type move of choice or a Life Orb-, Helping Hand-boosted Mach Punch.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are the most reliable Pokemon to tank multiple Returns. Scizor and Mega Scizor can take the opportunity to set up Swords Dance and 2HKO Mega Kangaskhan, though unfortunately neither can outpace it and Bullet Punch before being hit by Sucker Punch. While Mawile can't directly switch in to Mega Kangaskhan, if it's smart, it can come in, Intimidate it, and hit hard with a post-Mega Evolution Play Rough or Iron Head and take a pittance from subsequent attacks. Ferrothorn discourages Kangaskhan from hitting it altogether with Iron Barbs, which deals double the damage to Mega Kangaskhan because of Parental Bond, and can either deal heavy damage with Gyro Ball or sap its health with Leech Seed.
**Rocky Helmet**: While it might seem silly, Rocky Helmet is an option to stack with Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs Garchomp's Rough Skin, as Kangaskhan will be stripped of a little over half of its health every time it attacks and opens up some interesting scenarios where Ferrothorn or Garchomp will switch in and instantly KO a weakened Mega Kangaskhan.
**Double Targeting**: Finally, if all else fails, you can simply opt to double-target Kangaskhan. Powerful beatsticks of the VGC14 metagame that can accomplish this (besides the Pokemon previously mentioned) are Mega Charizard-Y with Overheat, Hydreigon with Draco Meteor, or even Zapdos with Thunder. Be wary of doing so however; as you know by now, while Kangaskhan doesn't usually carry Protect, that doesn't mean that it won't.
########
Mega Kangaskhan is an incredibly straightforward and predictable Pokemon. However, its raw bulk, Speed, and power more than make up for this. Sporting a 125 base Attack that is further boosted by Parental Bond, it can fire off awe-inspiring STAB Returns that threaten to tear through even the bulkiest of opponents. It can also contribute to the team thanks to its access to the coveted Fake Out, which gives Kangaskhan utility in any stage of the match and has the added bonus of being able to hit Ghost-types if Kangaskhan stays in its regular form for one turn. Its bulk is easy to underestimate as well; with 105 / 100 / 100 base defenses, it can afford to invest fully into its offenses and still be able to tank most neutral hits, which is what Kangaskhan is going to be taking most of the time thanks to its sole weakness to the rather rare Fighting-type, which is more manageable than ever with many teams opting to include Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp users in their lineups.
However, as previously mentioned, Kangaskhan can be quite easy to play around, as it often packs only one set of moves. The sad thing about this is that Kangaskhan really can't afford to deviate from its standard set without losing key factors that make it such a good Pokemon. This allows opponents to easily play around Kangaskhan with Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp or simply double target it in the very likely scenario that it doesn't have Protect in its moveset. To accentuate this problem further, Kangaskhan's spread moves such as Rock Slide don't hit twice with Parental Bond, effectively forcing it to stick with single-target moves and making it easy to Protect against. Don't let this deter you from using Kangaskhan, however; its combination of raw stats and just the right moves will always be something to look out for. Just be careful with it and don't count on catching anyone off-guard.
Standard
########
Set Name: Standard Mega
move 1: Return
move 2: Fake Out / Protect
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Power-Up Punch
ability: Scrappy / Inner Focus
item: Kangaskhanite
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
Even if it's resisted, Return is your go-to move for dealing damage, capping out at 102 Base Power and working off Mega Kangaskhan's base Attack of 125, further boosted by Parental Bond. Fake Out gives Kangaskhan great utility and can help you set up or KO with your partner, as well as dealing heavy chip damage to help Return nab KOs. However, if you already have Fake Out support or feel Mega Kangaskhan should be more concerned with itself than with its teammates, Protect can be used in Fake Out's place to give Kangaskhan more longevity and, more importantly, make Kangaskhan less prone to double-targeting. Sucker Punch is mainly for priority, but is occasionally good for hitting Ghost-types when they decide to attack. Power-Up Punch makes Kangaskhan a deadly force to be reckoned with, allowing Return to 2HKO Pokemon that resist it, such as Mega Mawile. It also helps Kangaskhan recover from a burn it might have suffered or multiple Intimidate Attack drops, as well as dealing chip damage for it and its partners.
Set Details
========
Scrappy is generally the more useful ability for regular Kangaskhan, allowing it to Fake Out Ghost-types such as Chandelure and Aeigislash or even Power-Up Punch them for a boost. However, Inner Focus can be useful to help a partner set up Tailwind or other such moves in the event that you need to get off a Fake Out (for instance, Talonflame might have to set up Tailwind against Tyranitar while Kangaskhan gets Faked Out by a faster user).
Either Jolly or Adamant natures will work for Kangaskhan. As Mega Kangaskhan sits at base 100 Speed along with other threats such as Charizard and Salamence, it's usually best to go with a Jolly nature to get the jump on Modest Charizard and Salamence and at worst Speed tie with Timid ones. If you value consistent power over Speed ties, Adamant is the superior option.
A bulkier EV spread is worth considering, but is usually unneeded. Thanks to Kangaskhan's natural bulk, a mere 4 HP EVs will allow Kangaskhan to survive the vast majority of common moves such as Salamence's Draco Meteor and Rotom-H's Overheat at full health. Another reason to consider a bulkier EV spread, however, is to underspeed other base 100 Speed Pokemon for use alongside Trick Room, or to make Kangaskhan more resilient when used alongside Tailwind.
Usage Tips
========
If it isn't obvious by now, unless you're making use of Scrappy or Inner Focus, you should make a point to Mega Evolve as soon as possible. From there, use Return often and keep Kangaskhan from being burned by switching out, which also resets Fake Out, allowing you to apply pressure later in the match.
You should be careful not to get greedy with Power-Up Punch boosts, especially when Kangaskhan isn't actively being supported with teammates threatening KOs or more simple support options such as Follow Me/Rage Powder. One use of Power-Up Punch at +0 will more than likely be all you need to power through opponents with Return and Sucker Punch, aside from Pokemon that resist Return, which are usually 2HKOed. Using Power-Up Punch often is not a bad idea when Kangaskhan is burned or has been Intimidated, however.
When using Protect, try to bluff having Fake Out by using Return on the first turn and switching out soon after to seem like you're trying to reset Fake Out. Since most Kangaskhan don't Protect and are usually double-targeted because of this, Protect is best used as a surprise move late-game. Additionally, make a point to put yourself into a position where you can KO or incapacitate at least one Pokemon with your partner when Protecting for the best results.
Team Options
========
The best ways to support Kangaskhan are to give it Pokemon that can easily switch with Kangaskhan and redirect and/or prevent Kangaskhan from being double-targeted. Amoonguss does all of the above, as it doesn't particularly mind being burned, can use Rage Powder and Spore, and does a good job of taking Fighting-type attacks. In the same sense, Salamence makes a good switch-in, softening later attacks with Intimidate and doing a good job of eliminating Steel-types with Fire Blast.
Chandelure, Talonflame, and Rotom-H can OHKO Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Mawile and often do a good job of checking Ghost-types as the more popular ones have a secondary type that's weak to Fire. Talonflame gets a specific mention for its ability to use Tailwind, allowing Kangaskhan to outspeed problematic Pokemon such as Kingdra in the rain and Mega Manectric, as well as its ability to straight-up OHKO Fighting-types with Brave Bird. Other offensive Pokemon such as Gardevoir, Tyranitar, and the previously mentioned Salamence appreciate Kangaskhan's Fake Out and form a hyper-offensive lead and/or core to immediately apply pressure on the opponent and punish slower teams.
Other Pokemon that take on pure supportive roles that work well with Kangaskhan include Klefki, Meowstic-Male, and Smeargle. Klefki and Meowstic-M can prevent burns altogether with Safeguard and follow it up with Swagger for free Attack boosts or use Reflect and Light Screen to make Mega Kangaskhan even more formidable. Smeargle is viable once again in VGC14 thanks to Dark Void being unbanned. Kangaskhan can Fake Out a Pokemon to allow Smeargle to fire it off, allowing Kangaskhan to comfortably use Power-Up Punch next turn. Something to watch out for when using Smeargle + Kangaskhan however are the Lum or Chesto Berries that are commonly used to check Dark Void. Another thing to keep in mind when using each of these pure supportive Pokemon is Taunt, which can completely shut down your setups.
Other Options
########
Hammer Arm can be used in place of Power-Up Punch if it would be more useful for Kangaskhan to OHKO other Kangaskhan and Tyranitar right off the bat rather than trying to boost and then KO them with Return, though outside of those two, it doesn't do much else besides lower your Speed two stages (which can actually be useful when used alongside Trick Room). Fire Blast is another situational move that can hit Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Mawile, and is actually rather powerful despite working off a base 60 Special Attack considering it receives the Parental Bond boost and isn't affected by Intimidate or burns. Crunch can be used over Sucker Punch because isn't stopped cold by non-attacking moves, allowing Mega Kangaskhan to comfortably target Ghost-types. However, both Crunch and Fire Blast suffer the same problem as Hammer Arm does; they cannot hit many other Pokemon for as much damage as the standard options do.
Moves that can be used over Return are Stomp, Dizzy Punch, and Facade. Stomp and Dizzy Punch should mainly be considered for their secondary effects, flinching and confusing, but are barely ever used because of their inherent inconsistencies. It's worth mentioning Bite if only because you can use Return and Bite in the same manner that you would use Return and Crunch. Facade suffers from inconsistencies of its own; although burning Kangaskhan is a popular method of dealing with Kangaskhan and Facade ignores its effects and still hits for 140 Base Power, relying on your opponent to burn Kangaskhan is unreliable to say the least unless you plan on burning or poisoning your own Kangaskhan, which is unadvisable for obvious reasons.
Checks & Counters
########
**Intimidate**: The most common and easy way to deal with Kangaskhan is the same as any other physical attacker: have an Intimidate user. Scrafty gets a special mention as an Intimidate user because of its Fighting-typing and ability to heal off damage with Drain Punch or OHKO Kangaskhan with the rare High Jump Kick. Other Intimidate users include Salamence, Gyarados, Mega Manectric and Krookodile. Mega Manectric and Gyarados make a great defensive core that is more than capable of using Volt Switch to rack up Intimidate drops and steadily deal damage to Kangaskhan, often forcing Kangaskhan to switch out and let its teammates take free damage or stay in and attempt to recover lost ground with Power-Up Punch.
**Will-O-Wisp**: Will-O-Wisp is most commonly used by Rotom-W and Rotom-H, but Gourgeist and Trevenant can easily switch in on Kangaskhan and burn it while avoiding Sucker Punch by using other moves such as Leech Seed or Substitute.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types in general handle Kangaskhan well; Aeigislash can't burn Kangaskhan, but can easily set up a Substitute in front of it and comfortably tank Sucker Punches while it whittles away at Kangaskhan with Flash Cannon or Sacred Sword. Mega Gengar has a field day with Kangaskhan as it easily Perish traps, burns, or attacks Mega Kangaskhan as long as it's careful not to get hit with Sucker Punch, which will often KO it without Intimidate support. As previously mentioned, Trevenant and Gourgeist can easily wait out Kangaskhan but don't have much in the way of dealing quick damage to it, making them more suited to an endgame win condition rather than a straight-up Kangaskhan check.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-type Pokemon capitalize on Kangaskhan's only weakness with their powerful STAB moves. Lucario and Mienshao both have Inner Focus, allowing them to more comfortably OHKO Kangaskhan with Close Combat or High Jump Kick/Low Kick, though regular Lucario only Speed ties at best with regular Kangaskhan and Mienshao is woefully frail and can be OHKOed through Focus Sash with the second Return provided by Parental Bond. Mega Lucario can more reliably OHKO Mega Kangaskhan with Close Combat, as a Jolly Mega Lucario has to be burned or Intimidated twice in order to miss out on an OHKO on 4 HP Kangaskhan, and even then it has the option of using a specially oriented set with Aura Sphere. Iron Fist Conkeldurr is another Fighting-type that can comfortably OHKO Mega Kangaskhan with a Fighting-type move of choice or a Life Orb-, Helping Hand-boosted Mach Punch.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are the most reliable Pokemon to tank multiple Returns. Scizor and Mega Scizor can take the opportunity to set up Swords Dance and 2HKO Mega Kangaskhan, though unfortunately neither can outpace it and Bullet Punch before being hit by Sucker Punch. While Mawile can't directly switch in to Mega Kangaskhan, if it's smart, it can come in, Intimidate it, and hit hard with a post-Mega Evolution Play Rough or Iron Head and take a pittance from subsequent attacks. Ferrothorn discourages Kangaskhan from hitting it altogether with Iron Barbs, which deals double the damage to Mega Kangaskhan because of Parental Bond, and can either deal heavy damage with Gyro Ball or sap its health with Leech Seed.
**Rocky Helmet**: While it might seem silly, Rocky Helmet is an option to stack with Ferrothorn's Iron Barbs Garchomp's Rough Skin, as Kangaskhan will be stripped of a little over half of its health every time it attacks and opens up some interesting scenarios where Ferrothorn or Garchomp will switch in and instantly KO a weakened Mega Kangaskhan.
**Double Targeting**: Finally, if all else fails, you can simply opt to double-target Kangaskhan. Powerful beatsticks of the VGC14 metagame that can accomplish this (besides the Pokemon previously mentioned) are Mega Charizard-Y with Overheat, Hydreigon with Draco Meteor, or even Zapdos with Thunder. Be wary of doing so however; as you know by now, while Kangaskhan doesn't usually carry Protect, that doesn't mean that it won't.
Overview
########
Parental Bond basically gives it a Choice Band boost with the freedom to switch moves and break Focus Sash and Substitutes
Only 1 weakness to Fighting that can be easily managed with Intimidate, Fairy-types and Will-O-Wisp, along with many previously popular Fighting-types being rather scarce at the moment
Outstanding bulk, even when uninvested
Fake Out gives it more utility in any stage of a match
Four moveslot syndrome; usually doesn't have any room for Protect, making it prone to being double targeted, which by extension is bad for switch-in synergy
Its coverage isn't outstanding, considering the weak base power of Power-Up Punch and the inconsistency of Sucker Punch; can sometimes find itself walled by Ghosts upon Mega Evolution
Susceptible to Burn status, and opposing Intimidate, although Power-Up Punch alleviates this somewhat
Standard
########
Set Name: Standard Mega
move 1: Return
move 2: Fake Out / Protect
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Power-Up Punch
ability: Scrappy / Inner Focus
item: Kangaskhanite
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
- return is reliable STAB
-suckerpunch is there so you dont get walled by ghosts and is great priority
-power up punch makes kangaskhan an incredibly deadly pokemon; it does chip damage, raises your stats, and helps mitigate burns from annoyin rotoms and ghosts
-protect can go over fake out because protect
Set Details
========
- parental bond fake out is p great for getting chip damage off on mons like rotom-a
-scrappy hits ghosts so you can flinch them or hit them with return (or even hit them with pup) and inner focus helps against enemy fake outs so you can fake out their other mon or just start using return. these two abilities are the only reason you should hold off on mega evolving unless you're using two mega-capable mons
- jolly outspeeds adamant kanga and modest charizard and adamant has more power. (someone give me some calc that shows some significance between the two plz)
-bulkier adamant ev spread could be used but 4 hp kanga lives pretty much everything not named close combat so really its only good if you wanna use it in trick room/tailwind?
Usage Tips
========
-dont get greedy with pup
-dont think that you HAVE to use fake out first turn
-use return often
-with protect, try to bluff fake out and don't use it first turn. protect from kanga should be a surprise.
Team Options
========
-amoonguss (redirects)
-salamence (intimidates, good switch synergy)
-smeargle? (dark void setup)
-rotom-h/chandelure (steels)
-meowstic-male (safeguard swagger/screens/fighting type management)
-talonflame (fighting management/tailwind/steels)
-gardevoir (baby sits baby kang)
Other Options
########
-hammer arm (ohko's other kang/ttar and makes kanga a good trick room attacker but doesn't have much use other than that)
-bite/stomp/dizzy punch (parental bond abuse)
-facade (burns)
-fire blast (burns mawile)
-crunch (bites ghosts)
-frustration
Checks & Counters
########
-kanga has mostly straightforward checks, which makes it easy to protect if your opponent is smart. if all else fails, burn it and try to get damage off on it in any way you can. kanga cannot heal itself, and rarely protects, so double-targeting is a good strategy if all else fails.
-stuff like rocky helmet and rough skin/iron barbs (garchomp/ferrothorn) really hurts kanga since it hits more than once. in fact, rocky helmet+rough skin shaves off around half of kangaskhan's health every time it attacks, so it's certainly worth considering, especially if you have good intimidate support and are strapped for good kanga checks.
- fighting types: lucario and mienshao have inner focus and can ohko kanga though regular lucario only speed ties with kanga's base form
-conkeldurr can tank a hit and drain punch away damage or snipe kanga with mach punch (iron fist life orb mach punch deals a minimum of 70%)
- ghost types: gourgeist and trevenant can burn and wait out mega kangaskhans without crunch or bite and can tank hits from regular scrappy kangaskhans rather well
-aegislash can take a sucker punch in shield stance and do lots of damage off the bat with sacred sword
-mega gengar can easily perish-trap mega kangaskhan, or regular kangaskhan if return has been disabled
-ferrothorn whittles away at kangaskhan with iron barbs thanks to parental bond, can leech seed it, or start dealing damage to it with gyro ball or power whip
-mawile can intimidate kanga, then mega evolve and deal damage with play rough while taking a pittance from resisted returns and sucker punches
########
Parental Bond basically gives it a Choice Band boost with the freedom to switch moves and break Focus Sash and Substitutes
Only 1 weakness to Fighting that can be easily managed with Intimidate, Fairy-types and Will-O-Wisp, along with many previously popular Fighting-types being rather scarce at the moment
Outstanding bulk, even when uninvested
Fake Out gives it more utility in any stage of a match
Four moveslot syndrome; usually doesn't have any room for Protect, making it prone to being double targeted, which by extension is bad for switch-in synergy
Its coverage isn't outstanding, considering the weak base power of Power-Up Punch and the inconsistency of Sucker Punch; can sometimes find itself walled by Ghosts upon Mega Evolution
Susceptible to Burn status, and opposing Intimidate, although Power-Up Punch alleviates this somewhat
Standard
########
Set Name: Standard Mega
move 1: Return
move 2: Fake Out / Protect
move 3: Sucker Punch
move 4: Power-Up Punch
ability: Scrappy / Inner Focus
item: Kangaskhanite
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
========
- return is reliable STAB
-suckerpunch is there so you dont get walled by ghosts and is great priority
-power up punch makes kangaskhan an incredibly deadly pokemon; it does chip damage, raises your stats, and helps mitigate burns from annoyin rotoms and ghosts
-protect can go over fake out because protect
Set Details
========
- parental bond fake out is p great for getting chip damage off on mons like rotom-a
-scrappy hits ghosts so you can flinch them or hit them with return (or even hit them with pup) and inner focus helps against enemy fake outs so you can fake out their other mon or just start using return. these two abilities are the only reason you should hold off on mega evolving unless you're using two mega-capable mons
- jolly outspeeds adamant kanga and modest charizard and adamant has more power. (someone give me some calc that shows some significance between the two plz)
-bulkier adamant ev spread could be used but 4 hp kanga lives pretty much everything not named close combat so really its only good if you wanna use it in trick room/tailwind?
Usage Tips
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-dont get greedy with pup
-dont think that you HAVE to use fake out first turn
-use return often
-with protect, try to bluff fake out and don't use it first turn. protect from kanga should be a surprise.
Team Options
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-amoonguss (redirects)
-salamence (intimidates, good switch synergy)
-smeargle? (dark void setup)
-rotom-h/chandelure (steels)
-meowstic-male (safeguard swagger/screens/fighting type management)
-talonflame (fighting management/tailwind/steels)
-gardevoir (baby sits baby kang)
Other Options
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-hammer arm (ohko's other kang/ttar and makes kanga a good trick room attacker but doesn't have much use other than that)
-bite/stomp/dizzy punch (parental bond abuse)
-facade (burns)
-fire blast (burns mawile)
-crunch (bites ghosts)
-frustration
Checks & Counters
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-kanga has mostly straightforward checks, which makes it easy to protect if your opponent is smart. if all else fails, burn it and try to get damage off on it in any way you can. kanga cannot heal itself, and rarely protects, so double-targeting is a good strategy if all else fails.
-stuff like rocky helmet and rough skin/iron barbs (garchomp/ferrothorn) really hurts kanga since it hits more than once. in fact, rocky helmet+rough skin shaves off around half of kangaskhan's health every time it attacks, so it's certainly worth considering, especially if you have good intimidate support and are strapped for good kanga checks.
- fighting types: lucario and mienshao have inner focus and can ohko kanga though regular lucario only speed ties with kanga's base form
-conkeldurr can tank a hit and drain punch away damage or snipe kanga with mach punch (iron fist life orb mach punch deals a minimum of 70%)
- ghost types: gourgeist and trevenant can burn and wait out mega kangaskhans without crunch or bite and can tank hits from regular scrappy kangaskhans rather well
-aegislash can take a sucker punch in shield stance and do lots of damage off the bat with sacred sword
-mega gengar can easily perish-trap mega kangaskhan, or regular kangaskhan if return has been disabled
-ferrothorn whittles away at kangaskhan with iron barbs thanks to parental bond, can leech seed it, or start dealing damage to it with gyro ball or power whip
-mawile can intimidate kanga, then mega evolve and deal damage with play rough while taking a pittance from resisted returns and sucker punches
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