[OVERVIEW]
Magnezone has one job in the BW OU metagame, and it does that job well: trap and remove Steel-type Pokemon, particularly Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. Thanks to Magnezone's typing and ability, it can come in on most Steel-type Pokemon without much trouble and remove them. This makes Magnezone an enabler for Pokemon that are stopped by Steel-types, such as Latios, Garchomp, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Amoonguss; making it the cornerstone of the famous DragMag style, where Magnezone clears the way for a collection of Dragon-type Pokemon to fire off powerful attacks. In addition, its ability to trap common entry hazard setters such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory and a common spinner and wallbreaker in Excadrill can make it a valuable teammate and take pressure off your spinner by reducing the need to spin as soon as possible. Also, thanks to its solid bulk, it can take weaker hits or resisted attacks from Pokemon such as Politoed and Latios in a pinch and get an attack off. However, Magnezone does not have much of an offensive presence beyond removing Steel-types due to its low Speed, and it has weaknesses to common attacking types, harming its overall viability.
[SET]
name: Sunny Day
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Fire
move 3: Sunny Day
move 4: Magnet Rise
item: Air Balloon
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Magnezone to knock out Skarmory without any trouble. Hidden Power Fire is used to allow Magnezone to take out most other Steel-types, particularly Ferrothorn, Excadrill, and Jirachi. Sunny Day clears rain and sand and increases the power of Hidden Power Fire, allowing Magnezone to trap and KO Ferrothorn when it was raining previously, 2HKO Excadrill, and do significantly more damage to Jirachi. Magnet Rise in tandem with Air Balloon allows Magnezone to trap Excadrill, which can no longer hit it with Earthquake.
Set Details
========
A Modest nature is chosen to deal as much damage as possible, notably increasing the damage done to Excadrill and giving Magnezone an easier time dealing with Leech Seed + Protect Ferrothorn and Wish + Protect Jirachi, while Timid does not hit many relevant benchmarks. Air Balloon allows Magnezone to set up Magnet Rise against Excadrill so that it can be trapped and removed and also allows Magnezone to dodge stray Earthquakes. For example, the combination of Air Balloon and Magnet Rise prevents Landorus-T from revenge killing Magnezone after the latter has removed its target.
Usage Tips
========
Magnezone's role is to trap and remove Steel-types, and it should be played as such. Magnezone can come in for free against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Jirachi lacking U-turn and proceed to take them out. Magnezone should only come in on a free switch against Excadrill, however, as offensive variants can potentially pop its Air Balloon on the switch with Iron Head or Rapid Spin, allowing it to be KOed with Earthquake on the next turn before it can use Magnet Rise. In addition, in a one-on-one situation, Excadrill will use Iron Head to try to pop the Air Balloon and make Magnezone flinch, making it unable to use Magnet Rise safely. Magnezone will have to switch back out if this happens. Try to bring in Magnezone on a U-turn, Volt Switch, or double switch, as some players will bring in their Steel-type and switch it back out while Magnezone comes in to keep it at bay. After Magnezone has done its job, it can still serve a small purpose in taking a weak hit and attacking back or being sacrificed to bring in a sweeper unscathed.
Team Options
========
Any Pokemon that appreciates the removal of Steel-type Pokemon will appreciate Magnezone as a teammate. Wallbreakers such as Latios, Alakazam, Kyurem-B, and Mamoswine all appreciate the removal of Ferrothorn so that they can go to town on the other team with their powerful attacks. Gliscor, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Salamence all enjoy the removal of Skarmory, which can otherwise stop them in their tracks. In addition, entry hazard setters such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn appreciate Magnezone's ability to remove one of the best spinners in the tier in Excadrill. Bulky teammates such as Tyranitar or Jirachi will enjoy the removal of Ferrothorn and Skarmory, which can otherwise set hazards and put more pressure on your spinner. Icy Wind Jirachi both lures in Excadrill and allows Magnezone to beat it every time, as it can no longer outspeed Magnezone and hit it before it gets a chance to use Magnet Rise. Other Jirachi sets make good partners as well, as it can lure in Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory and bring in Magnezone with U-turn to trap them easily. Landorus-T and Gliscor can check Excadrill, removing some of the pressure on Magnezone to trap it, appreciate the removal of Skarmory, and can lure it in if running U-turn.
Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Dragonite, Latios, and Salamence get a special mention here, as they form the "DragMag" strategy and can quickly overwhelm an opposing team after the removal of their Dragon-type answer. In particular, Garchomp, Dragonite, and Salamence really prefer the removal of Skarmory, though removing Ferrothorn allows them to fire off Outrages without fear of being walled or taking Iron Barbs damage. Latios appreciates the removal of Ferrothorn in particular, which resists everything it runs except for the occasional Hidden Power Fire.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Flash Cannon
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Magnezone to quickly remove Skarmory. Volt Switch allows Magnezone to gain momentum on an opposing switch, allowing you to bring in your check to whatever is brought in, provided their switch-in is not a Ground-type or Thundurus-T. The choice of Hidden Power comes down to what you would rather take care of. Hidden Power Fire can be used if Ferrothorn and Scizor are very threatening. On the other hand, Hidden Power Ice is useful for revenge killing Pokemon such as Garchomp, Salamence, and Dragonite when they're locked into Outrage or lack any Speed boosts. Finally, Flash Cannon has solid neutral coverage and is therefore good for cleaning towards the end of the game, notably hitting Tyranitar and Mamoswine harder than anything else Magnezone has. Thunder Wave is another option that allows Magnezone to cripple faster Pokemon on the opposing team.
Set Details
========
The Speed boost from Choice Scarf allows Magnezone to function as a revenge killer against every relevant unboosted Pokemon up to Timid Tornadus while still letting it trap Steel-types.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Magnezone can come in for free against Skarmory and can remove it with Thunderbolt. It can also come in against Scizor locked into Pursuit or Bullet Punch and take it out with two Thunderbolts or a Hidden Power Fire if there is no rain. Additionally, Magnezone can come in and beat Ferrothorn if it's running Hidden Power Fire and there is no rain. If the opponent has no Ground-type or it is sufficiently weakened, feel free to spam Volt Switch early and often to maintain offensive momentum and chip away at the opponent's check to Magnezone, allowing it to come in later and clean up more easily against slower teams. Also, thanks to its good bulk, it is able to come in on a weaker attack and attempt to damage something or try to gain momentum with Volt Switch.
Team Options
========
Choice Scarf Magnezone is not as self sufficient as its other sets, so while it does offer support, it requires some support of its own. Nothing it has hits Ground-types really hard, outside of Hidden Power Fire against Excadrill, so strong Water- and Grass-types like Keldeo, Starmie, and Breloom can be useful in this regard. Also, if running Hidden Power Ice, Magnezone lacks the ability to deal with Ferrothorn, so checks to that are helpful. Interestingly, Breloom can fill both of these roles and is great for absorbing status for the team and punching holes. On the other hand, Magnezone provides a lot of support to its team. Choice Scarf Magnezone takes care of Skarmory and Ferrothorn with little trouble, which allows Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Latios to go nuts on the opposing team. Landorus-T can also check Excadrill, lure in Skarmory, and bring Magnezone in versus it with U-turn. Removing Skarmory and Ferrothorn also makes spinning as soon as possible a less pressing issue, as quickly KOing them with Magnezone means they will not get as many entry hazards up. Jirachi is a great partner, as it lures in Ferrothorn and Skarmory and can pivot into Magnezone with U-turn, which can then trap them easily. Gliscor checks Excadrill and Landorus-T, greatly appreciates the removal of Skarmory, and can also lure it in to bring in Magnezone if running U-turn, making it a great partner as well.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Charge Beam
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Charge Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Thunderbolt / Flash Cannon
item: Leftovers
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute allows Magnezone to set up all over Ferrothorn and get a hit in against the opponent after their Steel-type is removed, notably making them more reluctant to bring in a Ground-type like Garchomp, Gliscor, Excadrill, or Landorus-T. Charge Beam allows Magnezone to boost its Special Attack against Ferrothorn, both allowing it to be removed with ease and enabling Magnezone to trade for at least one other Pokemon on the opposing team. Hidden Power Ice has fantastic coverage alongside Charge Beam, allowing Magnezone to hit Ground-types such as Gliscor, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and specially defensive Excadrill harder than anything else it has. Do note, however, that +6 Hidden Power Ice will not OHKO specially defensive Excadrill. Thunderbolt is used in the last moveslot to take out Skarmory more quickly than Charge Beam should Magnezone's stallbreaking capabilities not be required, limiting the entry hazards it can set up, and is Magnezone's go-to move after setting up because of its greater power and perfect accuracy. Flash Cannon can be used in the last slot for its solid neutral coverage, but most of its targets are hit harder by Hidden Power Ice, with the exception of Tyranitar.
Set Details
========
Leftovers is the item of choice to allow Magnezone to set up as many Substitutes as possible and increase its longevity in case your opponent tries to chip it down. Magnet Pull traps Steel-types, allowing Magnezone to set up against them. A Modest nature improves Magnezone's damage rolls against bulky Pokemon, giving it a better chance to KO them if you are unable to reach +6. Alternatively, a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 24 SpA / 84 SpD / 144 Spe allows Magnezone to survive a Hydro Pump from Choice Specs Keldeo, endure a Hydro Pump from Choice Scarf Keldeo in rain or take a rain-boosted Surf from Choice Specs Latios and KO it with a +2 Hidden Power Ice. These Speed EVs allow Magnezone to outspeed everything up to specially defensive Heatran, including Politoed, Jellicent, and Breloom that are not running Speed investment. This spread is notably effective when run alongside Barrier, though Barrier is not particularly common.
Usage Tips
========
This Magnezone set plays as a wallbreaker and trapper. Magnezone can come in for free against almost any Ferrothorn, Skarmory, or Jirachi. Be wary of Knock Off and Leech Seed from Ferrothorn or paralysis from Jirachi's Body Slam or Thunder, as the removal of Magnezone's Leftovers or constant chip damage from Leech Seed makes it far more difficult for it to set up against them, and paralysis will severely inhibit its ability to set up. When facing Skarmory, it is best to take it out with Thunderbolt as quickly as possible, as most Skarmory will use Whirlwind after they see a Substitute, and preventing Spikes is of high priority.
This Magnezone set requires aggressive plays such as double switching, as most players will not willingly keep their Ferrothorn in when they see you have a Magnezone. Double switching is especially important because there are not many Pokemon that invite Ferrothorn in and have Volt Switch or U-turn, with the only two being Rotom-W and Jirachi. The goal with this Magnezone set is to try to apply pressure on the opposing team early and trade for Ferrothorn and at least one other to shape the game in your favor.
Team Options
========
As this set is more focused on wallbreaking and less focused on removing Steel-types efficiently, the opponent can set up more entry hazards against this Magnezone set than others. Thus, a spinner such as Excadrill or Starmie is helpful to keep entry hazards off of your side of the field. This set lacks coverage for Excadrill, so checks to it such as Landorus-T and Gliscor are helpful. In addition, Pokemon that take advantage of Steel-types being removed make great teammates, such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, Mamoswine, Kyurem-B, and Latios. Rotom-W is a good partner, as it invites Ferrothorn in and can pivot to Magnezone with Volt Switch, and it is also an excellent VoltTurn partner with Landorus-T. Rotom-W is also a good Excadrill check, but it needs to be careful of Mold Breaker variants. Please note that this set does not fit particularly well on DragMag teams but rather on rain and sand teams to remove walls and apply heavy offensive pressure afterwards with powerful boosted attacks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set consisting of Thunderbolt, Hidden Power Fire, Flash Cannon, and Thunder Wave with a Chople Berry can be used to survive a hit from Pokemon like Alakazam, Keldeo, and Terrakion and KO them with Thunderbolt or Flash Cannon or cripple them with Thunder Wave. However, it does not offer as much utility as other sets and is less consistent. Thunder Wave seems like a good option to cripple faster Pokemon that might try to come in, but none of Magnezone's sets have space for it other than Choice Scarf. Choice Specs is an option to OHKO Ferrothorn without any setup, but it is easy to take advantage of and does not really accomplish anything that Sunny Day Magnezone does not already accomplish. Barrier is also an option for the last slot on the Substitute + Charge Beam set, as it allows Magnezone to survive strong physical attacks such as Outrage from Kyurem-B, Garchomp, and Dragonite, as well as Keldeo's Secret Sword and Breloom's Drain Punch, but it promotes more long-term setup than trying to trade two Pokemon for one. Custap Berry is an option to take your opponent by surprise and KO a weakened Pokemon, as Magnezone has a tendency reach the activation benchmark over the course of a game, but it is not consistent. Salac Berry is an option on the Substitute + Charge Beam set to attempt to sweep faster teams after racking up Special Attack boosts, but it lacks consistency, still is not particularly fast, and comes with the heavy opportunity cost of Leftovers recovery. Magic Coat is an option for Magnezone to reflect Spikes back at a trapped Ferrothorn, but it usually is not worth the moveslot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Hippowdon, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon do not really care about whatever move Magnezone throws at them and can KO it with a Ground-type STAB move. Excadrill can also come in on any move other than Hidden Power Fire and KO Magnezone, but it needs to be wary of Air Balloon + Magnet Rise variants. Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T can come in easily on Electric-type moves and Hidden Power Fire and KO Magnezone, but they need to be careful of Flash Cannon or Hidden Power Ice.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Latios, Garchomp, Kyurem-B, and Hydreigon can switch in on one or more of Magnezone's moves and KO it with their move of choice.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Keldeo, Terrakion, Mienshao, and Breloom can outspeed Magnezone and KO it with their STAB Fighting-type moves. However, they cannot switch in easily against Magnezone. In addition, Chople Berry sets can invalidate these checks.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Latios, Alakazam, and Starmie can outspeed and deal heavy damage to or KO Magnezone with the correct move after chip damage.
**Magnet Pull Circumvention**: Worry Seed on Ferrothorn and Shed Shell on Skarmory can invalidate Magnet Pull and allow them to switch out of Magnezone, defeating the purpose of running it.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Heatran, Chansey, Amoonguss, and Cresselia take little damage from anything Magnezone throws at them and can chip it back or outright KO it in Heatran's case. In addition, bulky setup sweepers such as Reuniclus can shrug off most attacks from Magnezone and proceed to set up against it. Tyranitar can also come in against almost any move Magnezone has, but it needs to be careful of Flash Cannon and chip damage from Volt Switch.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ununhexium, 214836]]
- Quality checked by: [[Finchinator, 114198], [Caetano93, 394051]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Rabia, 336073]]
Magnezone has one job in the BW OU metagame, and it does that job well: trap and remove Steel-type Pokemon, particularly Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill. Thanks to Magnezone's typing and ability, it can come in on most Steel-type Pokemon without much trouble and remove them. This makes Magnezone an enabler for Pokemon that are stopped by Steel-types, such as Latios, Garchomp, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Amoonguss; making it the cornerstone of the famous DragMag style, where Magnezone clears the way for a collection of Dragon-type Pokemon to fire off powerful attacks. In addition, its ability to trap common entry hazard setters such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory and a common spinner and wallbreaker in Excadrill can make it a valuable teammate and take pressure off your spinner by reducing the need to spin as soon as possible. Also, thanks to its solid bulk, it can take weaker hits or resisted attacks from Pokemon such as Politoed and Latios in a pinch and get an attack off. However, Magnezone does not have much of an offensive presence beyond removing Steel-types due to its low Speed, and it has weaknesses to common attacking types, harming its overall viability.
[SET]
name: Sunny Day
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Fire
move 3: Sunny Day
move 4: Magnet Rise
item: Air Balloon
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Magnezone to knock out Skarmory without any trouble. Hidden Power Fire is used to allow Magnezone to take out most other Steel-types, particularly Ferrothorn, Excadrill, and Jirachi. Sunny Day clears rain and sand and increases the power of Hidden Power Fire, allowing Magnezone to trap and KO Ferrothorn when it was raining previously, 2HKO Excadrill, and do significantly more damage to Jirachi. Magnet Rise in tandem with Air Balloon allows Magnezone to trap Excadrill, which can no longer hit it with Earthquake.
Set Details
========
A Modest nature is chosen to deal as much damage as possible, notably increasing the damage done to Excadrill and giving Magnezone an easier time dealing with Leech Seed + Protect Ferrothorn and Wish + Protect Jirachi, while Timid does not hit many relevant benchmarks. Air Balloon allows Magnezone to set up Magnet Rise against Excadrill so that it can be trapped and removed and also allows Magnezone to dodge stray Earthquakes. For example, the combination of Air Balloon and Magnet Rise prevents Landorus-T from revenge killing Magnezone after the latter has removed its target.
Usage Tips
========
Magnezone's role is to trap and remove Steel-types, and it should be played as such. Magnezone can come in for free against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Jirachi lacking U-turn and proceed to take them out. Magnezone should only come in on a free switch against Excadrill, however, as offensive variants can potentially pop its Air Balloon on the switch with Iron Head or Rapid Spin, allowing it to be KOed with Earthquake on the next turn before it can use Magnet Rise. In addition, in a one-on-one situation, Excadrill will use Iron Head to try to pop the Air Balloon and make Magnezone flinch, making it unable to use Magnet Rise safely. Magnezone will have to switch back out if this happens. Try to bring in Magnezone on a U-turn, Volt Switch, or double switch, as some players will bring in their Steel-type and switch it back out while Magnezone comes in to keep it at bay. After Magnezone has done its job, it can still serve a small purpose in taking a weak hit and attacking back or being sacrificed to bring in a sweeper unscathed.
Team Options
========
Any Pokemon that appreciates the removal of Steel-type Pokemon will appreciate Magnezone as a teammate. Wallbreakers such as Latios, Alakazam, Kyurem-B, and Mamoswine all appreciate the removal of Ferrothorn so that they can go to town on the other team with their powerful attacks. Gliscor, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Salamence all enjoy the removal of Skarmory, which can otherwise stop them in their tracks. In addition, entry hazard setters such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn appreciate Magnezone's ability to remove one of the best spinners in the tier in Excadrill. Bulky teammates such as Tyranitar or Jirachi will enjoy the removal of Ferrothorn and Skarmory, which can otherwise set hazards and put more pressure on your spinner. Icy Wind Jirachi both lures in Excadrill and allows Magnezone to beat it every time, as it can no longer outspeed Magnezone and hit it before it gets a chance to use Magnet Rise. Other Jirachi sets make good partners as well, as it can lure in Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory and bring in Magnezone with U-turn to trap them easily. Landorus-T and Gliscor can check Excadrill, removing some of the pressure on Magnezone to trap it, appreciate the removal of Skarmory, and can lure it in if running U-turn.
Dragon-types such as Garchomp, Dragonite, Latios, and Salamence get a special mention here, as they form the "DragMag" strategy and can quickly overwhelm an opposing team after the removal of their Dragon-type answer. In particular, Garchomp, Dragonite, and Salamence really prefer the removal of Skarmory, though removing Ferrothorn allows them to fire off Outrages without fear of being walled or taking Iron Barbs damage. Latios appreciates the removal of Ferrothorn in particular, which resists everything it runs except for the occasional Hidden Power Fire.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Flash Cannon
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt allows Magnezone to quickly remove Skarmory. Volt Switch allows Magnezone to gain momentum on an opposing switch, allowing you to bring in your check to whatever is brought in, provided their switch-in is not a Ground-type or Thundurus-T. The choice of Hidden Power comes down to what you would rather take care of. Hidden Power Fire can be used if Ferrothorn and Scizor are very threatening. On the other hand, Hidden Power Ice is useful for revenge killing Pokemon such as Garchomp, Salamence, and Dragonite when they're locked into Outrage or lack any Speed boosts. Finally, Flash Cannon has solid neutral coverage and is therefore good for cleaning towards the end of the game, notably hitting Tyranitar and Mamoswine harder than anything else Magnezone has. Thunder Wave is another option that allows Magnezone to cripple faster Pokemon on the opposing team.
Set Details
========
The Speed boost from Choice Scarf allows Magnezone to function as a revenge killer against every relevant unboosted Pokemon up to Timid Tornadus while still letting it trap Steel-types.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Magnezone can come in for free against Skarmory and can remove it with Thunderbolt. It can also come in against Scizor locked into Pursuit or Bullet Punch and take it out with two Thunderbolts or a Hidden Power Fire if there is no rain. Additionally, Magnezone can come in and beat Ferrothorn if it's running Hidden Power Fire and there is no rain. If the opponent has no Ground-type or it is sufficiently weakened, feel free to spam Volt Switch early and often to maintain offensive momentum and chip away at the opponent's check to Magnezone, allowing it to come in later and clean up more easily against slower teams. Also, thanks to its good bulk, it is able to come in on a weaker attack and attempt to damage something or try to gain momentum with Volt Switch.
Team Options
========
Choice Scarf Magnezone is not as self sufficient as its other sets, so while it does offer support, it requires some support of its own. Nothing it has hits Ground-types really hard, outside of Hidden Power Fire against Excadrill, so strong Water- and Grass-types like Keldeo, Starmie, and Breloom can be useful in this regard. Also, if running Hidden Power Ice, Magnezone lacks the ability to deal with Ferrothorn, so checks to that are helpful. Interestingly, Breloom can fill both of these roles and is great for absorbing status for the team and punching holes. On the other hand, Magnezone provides a lot of support to its team. Choice Scarf Magnezone takes care of Skarmory and Ferrothorn with little trouble, which allows Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Latios to go nuts on the opposing team. Landorus-T can also check Excadrill, lure in Skarmory, and bring Magnezone in versus it with U-turn. Removing Skarmory and Ferrothorn also makes spinning as soon as possible a less pressing issue, as quickly KOing them with Magnezone means they will not get as many entry hazards up. Jirachi is a great partner, as it lures in Ferrothorn and Skarmory and can pivot into Magnezone with U-turn, which can then trap them easily. Gliscor checks Excadrill and Landorus-T, greatly appreciates the removal of Skarmory, and can also lure it in to bring in Magnezone if running U-turn, making it a great partner as well.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Charge Beam
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Charge Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Thunderbolt / Flash Cannon
item: Leftovers
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute allows Magnezone to set up all over Ferrothorn and get a hit in against the opponent after their Steel-type is removed, notably making them more reluctant to bring in a Ground-type like Garchomp, Gliscor, Excadrill, or Landorus-T. Charge Beam allows Magnezone to boost its Special Attack against Ferrothorn, both allowing it to be removed with ease and enabling Magnezone to trade for at least one other Pokemon on the opposing team. Hidden Power Ice has fantastic coverage alongside Charge Beam, allowing Magnezone to hit Ground-types such as Gliscor, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and specially defensive Excadrill harder than anything else it has. Do note, however, that +6 Hidden Power Ice will not OHKO specially defensive Excadrill. Thunderbolt is used in the last moveslot to take out Skarmory more quickly than Charge Beam should Magnezone's stallbreaking capabilities not be required, limiting the entry hazards it can set up, and is Magnezone's go-to move after setting up because of its greater power and perfect accuracy. Flash Cannon can be used in the last slot for its solid neutral coverage, but most of its targets are hit harder by Hidden Power Ice, with the exception of Tyranitar.
Set Details
========
Leftovers is the item of choice to allow Magnezone to set up as many Substitutes as possible and increase its longevity in case your opponent tries to chip it down. Magnet Pull traps Steel-types, allowing Magnezone to set up against them. A Modest nature improves Magnezone's damage rolls against bulky Pokemon, giving it a better chance to KO them if you are unable to reach +6. Alternatively, a spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 24 SpA / 84 SpD / 144 Spe allows Magnezone to survive a Hydro Pump from Choice Specs Keldeo, endure a Hydro Pump from Choice Scarf Keldeo in rain or take a rain-boosted Surf from Choice Specs Latios and KO it with a +2 Hidden Power Ice. These Speed EVs allow Magnezone to outspeed everything up to specially defensive Heatran, including Politoed, Jellicent, and Breloom that are not running Speed investment. This spread is notably effective when run alongside Barrier, though Barrier is not particularly common.
Usage Tips
========
This Magnezone set plays as a wallbreaker and trapper. Magnezone can come in for free against almost any Ferrothorn, Skarmory, or Jirachi. Be wary of Knock Off and Leech Seed from Ferrothorn or paralysis from Jirachi's Body Slam or Thunder, as the removal of Magnezone's Leftovers or constant chip damage from Leech Seed makes it far more difficult for it to set up against them, and paralysis will severely inhibit its ability to set up. When facing Skarmory, it is best to take it out with Thunderbolt as quickly as possible, as most Skarmory will use Whirlwind after they see a Substitute, and preventing Spikes is of high priority.
This Magnezone set requires aggressive plays such as double switching, as most players will not willingly keep their Ferrothorn in when they see you have a Magnezone. Double switching is especially important because there are not many Pokemon that invite Ferrothorn in and have Volt Switch or U-turn, with the only two being Rotom-W and Jirachi. The goal with this Magnezone set is to try to apply pressure on the opposing team early and trade for Ferrothorn and at least one other to shape the game in your favor.
Team Options
========
As this set is more focused on wallbreaking and less focused on removing Steel-types efficiently, the opponent can set up more entry hazards against this Magnezone set than others. Thus, a spinner such as Excadrill or Starmie is helpful to keep entry hazards off of your side of the field. This set lacks coverage for Excadrill, so checks to it such as Landorus-T and Gliscor are helpful. In addition, Pokemon that take advantage of Steel-types being removed make great teammates, such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, Mamoswine, Kyurem-B, and Latios. Rotom-W is a good partner, as it invites Ferrothorn in and can pivot to Magnezone with Volt Switch, and it is also an excellent VoltTurn partner with Landorus-T. Rotom-W is also a good Excadrill check, but it needs to be careful of Mold Breaker variants. Please note that this set does not fit particularly well on DragMag teams but rather on rain and sand teams to remove walls and apply heavy offensive pressure afterwards with powerful boosted attacks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set consisting of Thunderbolt, Hidden Power Fire, Flash Cannon, and Thunder Wave with a Chople Berry can be used to survive a hit from Pokemon like Alakazam, Keldeo, and Terrakion and KO them with Thunderbolt or Flash Cannon or cripple them with Thunder Wave. However, it does not offer as much utility as other sets and is less consistent. Thunder Wave seems like a good option to cripple faster Pokemon that might try to come in, but none of Magnezone's sets have space for it other than Choice Scarf. Choice Specs is an option to OHKO Ferrothorn without any setup, but it is easy to take advantage of and does not really accomplish anything that Sunny Day Magnezone does not already accomplish. Barrier is also an option for the last slot on the Substitute + Charge Beam set, as it allows Magnezone to survive strong physical attacks such as Outrage from Kyurem-B, Garchomp, and Dragonite, as well as Keldeo's Secret Sword and Breloom's Drain Punch, but it promotes more long-term setup than trying to trade two Pokemon for one. Custap Berry is an option to take your opponent by surprise and KO a weakened Pokemon, as Magnezone has a tendency reach the activation benchmark over the course of a game, but it is not consistent. Salac Berry is an option on the Substitute + Charge Beam set to attempt to sweep faster teams after racking up Special Attack boosts, but it lacks consistency, still is not particularly fast, and comes with the heavy opportunity cost of Leftovers recovery. Magic Coat is an option for Magnezone to reflect Spikes back at a trapped Ferrothorn, but it usually is not worth the moveslot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Hippowdon, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon do not really care about whatever move Magnezone throws at them and can KO it with a Ground-type STAB move. Excadrill can also come in on any move other than Hidden Power Fire and KO Magnezone, but it needs to be wary of Air Balloon + Magnet Rise variants. Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T can come in easily on Electric-type moves and Hidden Power Fire and KO Magnezone, but they need to be careful of Flash Cannon or Hidden Power Ice.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Latios, Garchomp, Kyurem-B, and Hydreigon can switch in on one or more of Magnezone's moves and KO it with their move of choice.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Keldeo, Terrakion, Mienshao, and Breloom can outspeed Magnezone and KO it with their STAB Fighting-type moves. However, they cannot switch in easily against Magnezone. In addition, Chople Berry sets can invalidate these checks.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Latios, Alakazam, and Starmie can outspeed and deal heavy damage to or KO Magnezone with the correct move after chip damage.
**Magnet Pull Circumvention**: Worry Seed on Ferrothorn and Shed Shell on Skarmory can invalidate Magnet Pull and allow them to switch out of Magnezone, defeating the purpose of running it.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Heatran, Chansey, Amoonguss, and Cresselia take little damage from anything Magnezone throws at them and can chip it back or outright KO it in Heatran's case. In addition, bulky setup sweepers such as Reuniclus can shrug off most attacks from Magnezone and proceed to set up against it. Tyranitar can also come in against almost any move Magnezone has, but it needs to be careful of Flash Cannon and chip damage from Volt Switch.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ununhexium, 214836]]
- Quality checked by: [[Finchinator, 114198], [Caetano93, 394051]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Rabia, 336073]]
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