Magearna QC 0/3

[Anish]

[OVERVIEW]

• Magearna has a high base 130 Special Attack with an excellent movepool with access to moves like Fleur Cannon, Focus Blast, Volt Switch, Calm Mind, Shift Gear, Trick Room and Thunderbolt
• Magearna also has a great typing, which gives it resistances or immunities to common types like Fairy, Psychic, Dark, Ice, Dragon, and Flying due to its typing. This gives it multiple set up oppurtunities or allows it to function as a defensive check to multiple Pokemon
• Soul Heart gives Magearna the ability to snowball on offensive sets, meaning that Magearna can be very ominous late-game
• Defensive Magearna sets have a great move in Volt Switch, which allows Magearna to act as a pivot and gain momentum
• Magearna has a variety of checks, which mean that it has to pick and choose the Pokemon it wants to beat
• Magearna lacks any sort of reliable recovery whatsoever, meaning that Magearna can be worn down with ease. Defensive sets are especially prone to Spikes residual chip damage.

name: Dual Dance
move 1: Shift Gear
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Fleur Cannon / Ice Beam
move 4: Thunderbolt
item: Fairium Z / Leftovers
ability: Soul Heart
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe

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

• Shift Gear allows Magearna to double its speed, allowing it to function as a cleaner
• Calm Mind can help Magearna boost its Special Attack, allowing it to break past Pokemon such as Assault Vest Tangrowth and Scizor Mega.
• Fleur Cannon, especially if boosted with a Fairium Z, is an incredibly powerful nuke and can hit Ground-types like Landorus-T, Zygarde and Gliscor, along with specially defensive pokemon like Gastrodon and Tangrowth after a Calm Mind
• Thunderbolt gives Magearna coverage for Toxapex and Celesteela, which would otherwise wall this set
• Focus Blast is an alternative for Magearna, giving it coverage for Steel-type Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Heatran, as well as Tyranitar
• Flash Cannon is more consistent move for Magearna, which gives it good neutral coverage without drawbacks, and allows it to beat Calm Mind Clefable and Mega Venusaur, and also hits opposing Magearna harder
• Alternatively, Magearna can use the combination of Thunderbolt + Ice Beam with Leftovers giving it Bolt Beam coverage and hits Toxapex.

Set Details
========

• Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is chosen to be as strong
• Fairium Z works well in tandem with Fleur Cannon, giving Magearna a immensely powerful STAB attack which does not drop Special Attack, Leftovers can be chosen on Bolt Beam sets, giving it passive recovery which allows it to stay healthy and keep it out of range of priority attacks.
• An Iapapa Berry can also be run instead of Leftovers, giving it recovery in a pinch. After the Magearna activates the berry, it can be outside the range of common priority attacks such as Bullet Punch from Scizor Mega and Water Shuriken from Greninja.
• Shuca Berry is another alternative, allowing Magearna to set up on Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Gliscor and Zygarde.

Usage Tips
========

• Magearna can function either as a mid-game hole puncher or as a late game sweeper, depending on the matchup.
• If you are attempting to sweep with Magearna late game, it is important to keep it healthy, since it may need to get both a multiple boosts to win, which means that the ability to take hits is very important. In addition, keeping Magearna healthy also prevents it from being revenge killed by priority such as Ash Greninja's Water Shuriken or Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch.
• Magearna can also be used as a mid-game breaker, where it can be used more aggresively. A boosted Twinkle Tackle is extremely hard to switch into, if using a Fairium Z set.

Team Options
========

• Screens or Aurora Veil support from Tapu Koko or Ninetails gives allows Magearna to set up much easier. Tapu Koko also provides electric terrain to boost Magearna's Thunderbolts.
• Protean Greninja can wear down Steel types for Magearna and provide Spikes. Greninja can also function as a dual hazard lead on hyper offense, also providing Toxic Spikes support.
• Ash Greninja also provides Spikes support to Magearna and also appreciates Magearna's ability to bait in its checls Toxapex and Tangrowth, opening up holes for it.
• If not using Thunderbolt, pokemon to deal with Toxapex like Mega Alakazam, mega latios and hoopa unbound are good partners, which also wear down steels
• pokemon such as mega lopunny and alakazam can appreciate magearnas ability to work as a midgame breaker with calm mind so that they can help break the team.
• tornadus t can help knock off pokemon such as toxapex, av magearna and heatran, provide defog to prevent magearna from being chipped and help you by pivoting magearna onto pokemon such as zapdos which it can boost on

name: Shift Gear
move 1: Shift Gear
move 2: Fleur Cannon / Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Thunderbolt
item: Fairium Z
ability: Soul Heart
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

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

• Shift Gear helps double Magearna's speed stat, allowing it to function as a late-game Cleaner
• fleur cannon, especially if boosted w fairium z, is a very powerful stab attack, which gives coverage on pokemon like landorus t, zygarde,
• Focus Blast gives Magearna the ability to hit Steel-types such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, in addition to Tyranitar,
• thunderbolt hits toxapex, celesteela
• ice beam can be run over fleur, either w fightinium z, electrium z
• hp fire hits m scizor, also hits ferrothorn accurately
• flash cannon is accurate spammable stab attack which hits clef a bit harder, accurate move for ttar, hits opposing magearna

Set Details
========

• max spa / max speed to outspeed as much after a sg and hit as strong as possible
• fairium gives a good nuke w fleur cannon
• weakness policy can be run, especially w screens/veils, which allows mage to get to +2
• fightinium z gives strong, accurate z focus
• electrium z hits pex harder
• shuca berry allows you to be able to boost upon ground types such as scarfed lando t
• iapapa berry can help keep magearna healthy, and can also help it take priority, especially water shuriken from greninja

Usage Tips
========

• It is very important to keep Magearna healthy, out of range of common priority attacks such as Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch or Greninja's Water Shuriken
• It is important to weaken Magearna's checks like Steel-types before attempting to sweep, as they can pose major roadblocks for Magearna's sweep.
• Although Calm Mind Magearna can work better as a mid-game breaker, Shift Gear Magearna can also fire off strong hits, especially Twinkle Tackle

Team Options
========

• spikes, you can work w ash gren to wear down tang/ferro/gastrodon depending on set. protean gren can also open up holes, especially helping with breaking down steel types and spikes so u clean. dual hazard greninja is especially good for offense and also helps providing tspikes support. ferrothorn can provide spikes and good defensive utility, helping with tapu lele and opposing ash greninja
• pokemon to deal with toxapex such as mega latios,hoopa mega alakazam work very well, and they also share similar checks in steel types which can be worn down
• other pokemon which wears down steels such as mixed attackers like kyurem black are also very good because of the pressure they put on defensive teams. medicham and mawile can also abuse specially defensive pokemon like chansey and av magearna
• tapu koko provides electric terrain, which helps boost your thunderbolts, especially for toxapex. it can provide screens support for weakness policy if screens, and can always help with pivotting
• you want a secondary steel on any non ho playstyle in order to deal with mega alakazam and tapu lele better
• veil can also be nice for magearna

name: Assault Vest
move 1: Volt Switch
move 2: Fleur Cannon
move 3: HP Fire / Ice Beam
move 4: Flash Cannon
item: Assault Vest
ability: Soul Heart
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

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

• Volt Switch helps Magearna perform its role as a pivot and maintain momentum for the team.
• Fleur Cannon is Assault Vest Magearna's strongest Attack, providing good coverage for Pokemon like Zygarde and Greninja
• Hidden Power Fire allows Magearna to prevent Ferrothorn and Scizor-Mega for using it as bait to set Spikes or gain Swords Dance boosts. It also helps Magearna function as a soft Mega Scizor check.
• Flash Cannon provides coverage for Tapu Lele, Mega Mawile and Clefable, and is also its best attack to hit opposing Magearna. It allows Magearna to also avoid some of the Special Attack drops that come along with Fleur Cannon
• Ice Beam gives Magearna the ability to OHKO Ground types like Landorus-T. It also prevents Gliscor from blocking Volt Switch, since it doesnt fear Fleur Cannon
• Iron Head is an alternative for Flash Cannon, which allows Magearna to beat Calm Mind Magearna and Tapu Lele
• Focus Blast can be used on rain teams to wear down Ferrothorn, without being weakened by rain, and provide coverage for other Steel-types

Set Details
========

• Maximum Special Attack investment with a Calm Nature allows Assault Vest Magearna the ability to take special attacks the best.
• Assault Vest further maximizes special bulk
• A Sassy nature should be used with Iron Head to not reduce damage from Iron Head

Usage Tips
========

• use magearna to gain momentum with the help of volt switch
• magearna can switch into most special attackers, but it is prone to being worn down, so do not overrely on magearna as a blanket check
• try to keep spikes off if possible as they severely reduce your longetivity

Team Options
========

• defoggers like tornadus t, landorus t, tapu koko, mega latias, mega latios remove spikes for you, also form a good volt turn core with tornadus t, tapu koko, scarf landorus t which keeps off hazards for you
• wish clefable helps deal with the ground types magearna struggles with and keeps it healthy through the game
• powerful breakers such as medicham mega and kyurem black appreciate your volt switch
• good checks to heatran like zygarde, gliscor, mega alakazam, mega latis and checks to grounds like clefable and landorus t are very helpful since magearna can often let them in

name: Offensive Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Fleur Cannon / Ice Beam
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Fairium Z / Electrium Z
ability: Soul Heart
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA

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

• trick room allows magearna to make use of its low speed stat, and allows you to invest in bulk
• fleur cannon provides a very powerful nuke, with fairium z, hitting landot, zygarde, gliscor
• thunderbolt allows magearna to hit toxapex and attempt to para it
• focus blast hits ferrothorn, heatran and tyranitar
• ice beam can be chosen over fleur cannon, giving magearna the ability to run a different z crystal like electrium z for toxapex
• flash cannon can be chosen as a very consistent option, which hits av magearna and tyranitar
• hidden power fire can hit mega scizor

Set Details
========

• Maximum Special Attack investment with a Quiet nature maximizes its Special Attack, and Max HP investment allows it to better take hits from Pokemon such as Tapu Lele. Quiet Nature minimizes its speed for Trick Room.
• Fairium Z gives Magearna a very powerful Fleur Cannon which hits Ground-types like Landorus-T and Zygarde.
• Electrium Z can be chosen to boost Thunderbolt, allowing you to hit Toxapex as well as other Pokemon such as Celesteela, Mega Scizor a little harder
• Iapapa and Shuca Berries can be used as good pinch recovery to keep Magearna healthy and to give it the ability to allow it to set up on Ground types respectively

Usage Tips
========

• magearna can be used to punch holes midgame, as a late game cleaner or as a setter to get Trick Room up for its partners
• In comparison to other boosting sets, this set is able to take hits a little better than shift gear and soft check mons ok due to hp investment, so you don't need to worry as much about priority
• since trick room isnt permanent, you have to be mindful of your opponent pivotting around possibly to stall turns out

Team Options
========

• slow breakers such as mega mawile and crawdaunt fit very well with trick room and also take care of spdef walls like chansey and toxapex which magearna struggles against
• ash greninja provides spikes, and can appreciate you having the ability to lure toxapex with electrium z. protean greninja can help wear down steels and also spike. ferrothorn can provide another steel
• good countermeasure to pokemon like toxapex like mega alakazam can work well

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

* scarf is good on defensive teams since you can surprise pinsir and stuff, but you need second scarfer
* leftovers can be chosen, with moves like heart swap for reuni and mlati, pain split is also good as is protect / twave too
* metronome can be used on shift gear sets
* cm + split to break stall
* z heal bell magearna

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

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon can be a major threat to Magearna. Toxapex only fears Calm Mind + Thunderbolt, or Magearna paralyzing with Thunderbolt. Chansey eats everything except maybe boosted Twinkle Tackles since Chansey is Chansey. AV Magearna can be a good check to Shift Gear Magearna, and can also help with Calm Mind Magearna if running Iron Head. Gastrodon can block Volt Switch and take any move from Magearna well besides +1 Twinkle Tackle. Amoonguss, Mega Venusaur and Assault Vest Tangrowth can also deal with Magearna, only fearing select Calm Mind sets.

**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon can resist Magearna's STAB attacks and threaten it with super effective coverage of their own. Volcarona can take any hit reasonably well from offensive sets and kill back with Fire Blast. It can use AV Magearna as set up bait. Heatran only fears Focus Blast and can also punish AV Magearna very well. Pokemon such as Blacephalon can also take on Magearna well, though it can die to Twinkle Tackle after Stealth Rock

**Steel-types**: Pokemon such as Jirachi, Celesteela, Magearna, Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, Heatran and Mega Mawile are good checks to Magearna. Jirachi and opposing Assault Vest or Trick Room Magearna can take any hit very comfortably from Shift Gear Magearna, and Jirachi also has the ability to recover health with the combination of Wish + Protect. Celesteela only fears Gigavolt Havoc from Magearna. Mega Scizor shrugs off any attack bar Hidden Power Fire. Ferrothorn and Heatran both can take any hit bar All-Out Pummelling, though they can be heavily damaged by Focus Blast or Hidden Power Fire in Ferrothorn's case.

**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Landorus-T, Zygarde and Gliscor can potentially block Assault Vest Magearna's Volt Switch, and threaten it out with Earthquake or Thousand Arrows. Gliscor only fears taking Ice Beam from Assault Vest Magearna. However, all of them die to Shift Gear Magearna's Ice Beam or Twinkle Tackle.

 

[Leo]

Anish 48 hours

 

[Anish]

ready for qc, sorry for delays

 

[Jordy]

Before 1/3 I'd really like for you to flesh this out because every bullet is very vague right now, and it will make it much easier for us to check this. You can take a look at fleshed out analysis and what they should look like in the sub forum.