[OVERVIEW]
Mega Charizard Y shines in OU as the best sun setter in the tier thanks to its ability Drought and a premier attacker with its strong coverage options, allowing it to rip through offensive teams. Not only does it take advantage of its own sun thanks to its high Special Attack, Fire typing, and access to Solar Beam, Mega Charizard Y also enables a wide array of different Pokemon, be it Synthesis, Moonlight, and Morning Sun users or Fire-types seeking to fire off boosted versions of their STAB moves and to face weakened Water-type moves. Moreover, Mega Charizard Y is blessed with an extensive movepool, allowing it to run strong options such as Focus Blast to hit Mega Tyranitar and Heatran, and it has access to Roost to improve its staying power, which meshes well with its immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes provided by its Flying typing. Finally, its ability Drought is a formidable tool against teams relying on weather other than sun to function such as rain and sand, allowing Mega Charizard Y to stop some threats seen in those structures such as Mega Swampert and Excadrill. However, its Fire / Flying typing is also a curse; Stealth Rock, a move present on virtually every team, cuts Mega Charizard Y's HP in half once it enters the field. Additionally, its average Speed makes it prone to being easily revenge killed by offensive threats such as Mega Diancie and Tapu Koko. Despite Mega Charizard Y being a hard hitter, it is still walled by common balance picks such as Toxapex, Chansey and Mega Latias.
[SET]
Name: Drought Wallbreaker
move 1: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 2: Focus Blast / Hidden Power Ground
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Roost
item: Charizardite Y
ability: Blaze
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Flamethrower, boosted by sun, allows Mega Charizard Y to deal significant damage to Pokemon neutral to Fire such as Gliscor, Clefable, and Zapdos. Moreover, the high amount of PP with the odds to inflict burn makes it the most consistent option during longer matchups against Pokemon such as Toxapex, Chansey, and Mega Latias. However, the higher Base Power of Fire Blast can be vital, since it allows Mega Charizard Y to reach better rolls and OHKO the likes of Tapu Lele, Zapdos, and defensive Landorus-T. Focus Blast lets Mega Charizard Y OHKO Mega Tyranitar and 2HKO specially defensive Heatran. Hidden Power Ground, on teams where Mega Charizard Y doesn't need to hit Tyranitar hard, keeps the 2HKO on Heatran and has more PP and perfect accuracy. Solar Beam complements Drought superbly, giving Mega Charizard Y an option to hit Water-types such as Gastrodon, Tapu Fini, and Rotom-W. Roost greatly improves Mega Charizard Y's longevity, allowing it to better handle the likes of Mega Mawile and Mega Swampert and to heal off damage from Stealth Rock.
Set Details
========
Blaze is preferred over Solar Power to avoid taking damage from opposing sun setters before Mega Evolving. A Timid nature with maximum Speed investment is preferred to outpace Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele and ensure it Speed ties with other base 100 Speed Pokemon like Mega Medicham and Manaphy.
Usage Tips
========
A fundamental aspect with Mega Charizard Y is to understand Drought is the main enabler that allows its teammates to thrive. To allow this dynamic, the field must be free of Stealth Rock, letting Mega Charizard Y access the field without issue. Against offensive teams, Mega Charizard Y should be brought safely onto the field as many times as possible via the support of U-turn and Volt Switch as well as taking advantage of Mega Charizard Y's typing to make aggressive switches on specific situations such as Kartana using its STAB moves and more passive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and defensive Landorus-T setting up entry hazards. Its ability to wallbreak and the lack of real checks to it in those matchups mean Mega Charizard Y will often claim a KO, quickly disassembling those structures and giving opportunities to its teammates to clean up. However, during long-drawn matches, Mega Charizard Y has to be used more carefully, using its immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, Roost, Flamethrower, and other teammates to slowly drain PP from its checks' recovery moves until it can finally break through. When facing opposing weather teams, Mega Charizard Y is essential with its ability to turn the weather into sun and shut down the main threats in those teams such as Mega Swampert and Excadrill.
Team Options
========
Mega Charizard Y fits best on balance and bulky offense, since they are the main playstyles able to provide the necessary support. When it comes to Mega Charizard Y, having two ways of removing entry hazards is generally necessary. The best candidates for that role are Kartana, Gliscor, and Tapu Fini, with Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Excadrill able to act as secondary hazard removal. Kartana can also remove items from the likes of Toxapex and Chansey with Knock Off, and it appreciates Mega Charizard Y clearing other weathers, boosting the amount of HP recovered by Synthesis. Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Excadrill provide an essential immunity to Electric, with Excadrill able to set up Stealth Rock and Landorus-T and Gliscor able to bring Mega Charizard Y onto the field more easily thanks to U-turn. Although it's not intuitive, Tapu Fini is not always dependant of the power of its Water-type moves to function, so its ability to act as a check for the likes of Ash-Greninja and Heatran is still valid in the context of sun. Moreover, a trapper set, with Nature's Madness, Whirlpool, and Taunt, makes for a good partner with Mega Charizard Y, since it can remove the likes of Toxapex and Chansey for it. Pursuit support from the likes of Weavile and Tyranitar, although not mandatory, is appreciated to deal with the likes of Mega Latias and Chansey more effectively. Weavile is helpful to threaten Dragon-types such as Garchomp and Kommo-o and remove Toxapex and Chansey's items with Knock Off, with Mega Charizard Y able to pressure Mega Scizor and Fairy-types for Weavile. The ability of Tyranitar to chip down Mega Charizard Y's counters such as Chansey and Toxapex with sand is a nice addition, especially if Excadrill is used in the mix, as sand allows Excadrill to provide additional speed control thanks to Sand Rush. Since Mega Charizard Y brings sun on the field, users of recovery moves dependant on weather such as Cresselia, Necrozma, and Serperior are all good partners. Cresselia can act as a late-game wincon thanks to Calm Mind or support Mega Charizard Y with Future Sight for Toxapex and Thunder Wave to slow down faster threats such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir, while Mega Charizard Y can pressure Steel-types for Cresselia. Necrozma can set up Stealth Rock and is able to threaten out Toxapex with Photon Geyser and Heatran with Earth Power. Serperior can harass Mega Charizard Y's counters with Glare, Knock Off, and Taunt. In the same logic, Fire-types, having the power of their STAB moves boosted thanks to Drought, form a deadly core with Mega Charizard Y, able to overwhelm shared checks. The best examples of this are Heatran and Victini. Heatran provides a useful Fire-type immunity, sets up Stealth Rock, and can trap Toxapex and Chansey with Magma Storm and Taunt for Mega Charizard Y. Victini can not only act as a nuclear warhead under sun with V-create but also lure the likes of Toxapex and Mega Latias to KO them with Final Gambit, greatly helping Mega Charizard Y. Certain offensive Dragon-types make for decent partners with Mega Charizard Y; Garchomp is a Ground-type that can set up Stealth Rock and potentially lure Mega Latias to KO it with Devastating Drake. Kyurem pressures Toxapex with Earth Power and Mega Latias with Ice Beam, and it can also drain Chansey's PP with a combination of Pressure, Substitute, and Roost, helping Mega Charizard Y break through it long-term.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Overheat is the highest-Base Power viable STAB move available for Mega Charizard Y, but the following Special Attack drop means that it can't be used as a main option and needs to be coupled with Flamethrower, meaning Mega Charizard Y is giving up a coverage moveslot for it. Surprisingly, Mega Charizard Y can be a decent secondary Defog user against the likes of Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Gliscor. Toxic is an option to punish common switch-ins to Mega Charizard Y such as Kommo-o and Mega Latias, but it's useless against the likes of Chansey and Toxapex. Will-O-Wisp, while still not helpful against the aforementioned Pokemon, allows Mega Charizard Y to punish offensive Stealth Rock setters such as Garchomp, Kommo-o, and Mega Swampert and avoids shenanigans from Sucker Punch users such as Mega Mawile and Bisharp. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 148 Def / 108 Spe with a Bold nature lets Mega Charizard Y block the likes of Kartana and Mega Mawile more effectively and outpace Mega Swampert out of rain. However, the losses of power and Speed worsen its wallbreaking ability a lot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Threats**: Tapu Koko outspeeds and OHKOes Mega Charizard Y with its STAB Thunderbolt. Mega Lopunny can OHKO it with Fake Out followed by Frustration. Mega Pinsir can also OHKO it with Frustration boosted by Aerilate. However, most offensive threats are unable to switch into Mega Charizard Y directly.
**Dragon-types**: Mega Latias walls Mega Charizard Y, heals off any damage taken, and spreads paralysis with Thunder Wave. Mega Latios, even without bulk investment, is able to switch into any hit from Mega Charizard Y and, thanks to its better Speed, can heal off the damage and force it out with its STAB moves. Kommo-o resists Mega Charizard Y's STAB Fire-type moves and Solar Beam and is immune to Focus Blast thanks to Bulletproof, but it must be wary of the rare Air Slash. Kommo-o can also set up Stealth Rock. Garchomp can stomach some attacks, force Mega Charizard Y out with a faster Devastating Drake or Continental Crush, and set up Stealth Rock. Hydreigon, with bulk investment, walls Mega Charizard Y variants lacking Focus Blast and heals off any damage taken. Dragonite, especially with Multiscale, can take any hit from Mega Charizard Y and threaten it with Supersonic Skystrike. While uncommon, Mega Altaria walls Mega Charizard Y, heals off any damage taken, and spreads paralysis with Body Slam.
**Water-types**: Toxapex walls Mega Charizard Y and can threaten it back with Toxic. Volcanion with Assault Vest can take a few hits, allowing it to chip away at Mega Charizard Y and put it in the range of Explosion. Pelipper, thanks to Drizzle, weakens the power of Mega Charizard Y's STAB Fire-type moves, allowing Pelipper to either force it out with a boosted Scald or bring a rain-oriented threat on the field such as Ash-Greninja or Mega Swampert with a slower U-turn. Moreover, Pelipper is able to lock down Mega Charizard Y using Solar Beam.
**Rock-types and Rock-type coverage**: Mega Diancie resists Mega Charizard Y's STAB moves, outpaces it, and threatens an OHKO with Diamond Storm, additionally being able to set up Stealth Rock. The uncommon Mega Aerodactyl does the same thing but with the advantage of healing off damage thanks to Roost. Mega Charizard Y should be especially aware of not locking itself with Solar Beam if facing Tyranitar, as Tyranitar can OHKO it with Rock Slide. Moreover, Tyranitar can outpace Mega Charizard Y with Choice Scarf and potentially punish it with Pursuit. Mega Charizard Y also has to keep an eye on Rock-type coverage such as Stone Edge, commonly used by the likes of Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Tapu Bulu.
**Chansey**: Thanks to its bulk boosted by Eviolite, Chansey walls Mega Charizard Y and can set up Stealth Rock and spread paralysis and poison with Thunder Wave and Toxic, respectively.
**Stealth Rock**: Due to its quadruple weakness to Rock, the presence of Stealth Rock greatly limits the ability of Mega Charizard Y to switch in and wallbreak.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Mega Charizard Y shines in OU as the best sun setter in the tier thanks to its ability Drought and a premier attacker with its strong coverage options, allowing it to rip through offensive teams. Not only does it take advantage of its own sun thanks to its high Special Attack, Fire typing, and access to Solar Beam, Mega Charizard Y also enables a wide array of different Pokemon, be it Synthesis, Moonlight, and Morning Sun users or Fire-types seeking to fire off boosted versions of their STAB moves and to face weakened Water-type moves. Moreover, Mega Charizard Y is blessed with an extensive movepool, allowing it to run strong options such as Focus Blast to hit Mega Tyranitar and Heatran, and it has access to Roost to improve its staying power, which meshes well with its immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes provided by its Flying typing. Finally, its ability Drought is a formidable tool against teams relying on weather other than sun to function such as rain and sand, allowing Mega Charizard Y to stop some threats seen in those structures such as Mega Swampert and Excadrill. However, its Fire / Flying typing is also a curse; Stealth Rock, a move present on virtually every team, cuts Mega Charizard Y's HP in half once it enters the field. Additionally, its average Speed makes it prone to being easily revenge killed by offensive threats such as Mega Diancie and Tapu Koko. Despite Mega Charizard Y being a hard hitter, it is still walled by common balance picks such as Toxapex, Chansey and Mega Latias.
[SET]
Name: Drought Wallbreaker
move 1: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 2: Focus Blast / Hidden Power Ground
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Roost
item: Charizardite Y
ability: Blaze
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Flamethrower, boosted by sun, allows Mega Charizard Y to deal significant damage to Pokemon neutral to Fire such as Gliscor, Clefable, and Zapdos. Moreover, the high amount of PP with the odds to inflict burn makes it the most consistent option during longer matchups against Pokemon such as Toxapex, Chansey, and Mega Latias. However, the higher Base Power of Fire Blast can be vital, since it allows Mega Charizard Y to reach better rolls and OHKO the likes of Tapu Lele, Zapdos, and defensive Landorus-T. Focus Blast lets Mega Charizard Y OHKO Mega Tyranitar and 2HKO specially defensive Heatran. Hidden Power Ground, on teams where Mega Charizard Y doesn't need to hit Tyranitar hard, keeps the 2HKO on Heatran and has more PP and perfect accuracy. Solar Beam complements Drought superbly, giving Mega Charizard Y an option to hit Water-types such as Gastrodon, Tapu Fini, and Rotom-W. Roost greatly improves Mega Charizard Y's longevity, allowing it to better handle the likes of Mega Mawile and Mega Swampert and to heal off damage from Stealth Rock.
Set Details
========
Blaze is preferred over Solar Power to avoid taking damage from opposing sun setters before Mega Evolving. A Timid nature with maximum Speed investment is preferred to outpace Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele and ensure it Speed ties with other base 100 Speed Pokemon like Mega Medicham and Manaphy.
Usage Tips
========
A fundamental aspect with Mega Charizard Y is to understand Drought is the main enabler that allows its teammates to thrive. To allow this dynamic, the field must be free of Stealth Rock, letting Mega Charizard Y access the field without issue. Against offensive teams, Mega Charizard Y should be brought safely onto the field as many times as possible via the support of U-turn and Volt Switch as well as taking advantage of Mega Charizard Y's typing to make aggressive switches on specific situations such as Kartana using its STAB moves and more passive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and defensive Landorus-T setting up entry hazards. Its ability to wallbreak and the lack of real checks to it in those matchups mean Mega Charizard Y will often claim a KO, quickly disassembling those structures and giving opportunities to its teammates to clean up. However, during long-drawn matches, Mega Charizard Y has to be used more carefully, using its immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, Roost, Flamethrower, and other teammates to slowly drain PP from its checks' recovery moves until it can finally break through. When facing opposing weather teams, Mega Charizard Y is essential with its ability to turn the weather into sun and shut down the main threats in those teams such as Mega Swampert and Excadrill.
Team Options
========
Mega Charizard Y fits best on balance and bulky offense, since they are the main playstyles able to provide the necessary support. When it comes to Mega Charizard Y, having two ways of removing entry hazards is generally necessary. The best candidates for that role are Kartana, Gliscor, and Tapu Fini, with Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Excadrill able to act as secondary hazard removal. Kartana can also remove items from the likes of Toxapex and Chansey with Knock Off, and it appreciates Mega Charizard Y clearing other weathers, boosting the amount of HP recovered by Synthesis. Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Excadrill provide an essential immunity to Electric, with Excadrill able to set up Stealth Rock and Landorus-T and Gliscor able to bring Mega Charizard Y onto the field more easily thanks to U-turn. Although it's not intuitive, Tapu Fini is not always dependant of the power of its Water-type moves to function, so its ability to act as a check for the likes of Ash-Greninja and Heatran is still valid in the context of sun. Moreover, a trapper set, with Nature's Madness, Whirlpool, and Taunt, makes for a good partner with Mega Charizard Y, since it can remove the likes of Toxapex and Chansey for it. Pursuit support from the likes of Weavile and Tyranitar, although not mandatory, is appreciated to deal with the likes of Mega Latias and Chansey more effectively. Weavile is helpful to threaten Dragon-types such as Garchomp and Kommo-o and remove Toxapex and Chansey's items with Knock Off, with Mega Charizard Y able to pressure Mega Scizor and Fairy-types for Weavile. The ability of Tyranitar to chip down Mega Charizard Y's counters such as Chansey and Toxapex with sand is a nice addition, especially if Excadrill is used in the mix, as sand allows Excadrill to provide additional speed control thanks to Sand Rush. Since Mega Charizard Y brings sun on the field, users of recovery moves dependant on weather such as Cresselia, Necrozma, and Serperior are all good partners. Cresselia can act as a late-game wincon thanks to Calm Mind or support Mega Charizard Y with Future Sight for Toxapex and Thunder Wave to slow down faster threats such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir, while Mega Charizard Y can pressure Steel-types for Cresselia. Necrozma can set up Stealth Rock and is able to threaten out Toxapex with Photon Geyser and Heatran with Earth Power. Serperior can harass Mega Charizard Y's counters with Glare, Knock Off, and Taunt. In the same logic, Fire-types, having the power of their STAB moves boosted thanks to Drought, form a deadly core with Mega Charizard Y, able to overwhelm shared checks. The best examples of this are Heatran and Victini. Heatran provides a useful Fire-type immunity, sets up Stealth Rock, and can trap Toxapex and Chansey with Magma Storm and Taunt for Mega Charizard Y. Victini can not only act as a nuclear warhead under sun with V-create but also lure the likes of Toxapex and Mega Latias to KO them with Final Gambit, greatly helping Mega Charizard Y. Certain offensive Dragon-types make for decent partners with Mega Charizard Y; Garchomp is a Ground-type that can set up Stealth Rock and potentially lure Mega Latias to KO it with Devastating Drake. Kyurem pressures Toxapex with Earth Power and Mega Latias with Ice Beam, and it can also drain Chansey's PP with a combination of Pressure, Substitute, and Roost, helping Mega Charizard Y break through it long-term.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Overheat is the highest-Base Power viable STAB move available for Mega Charizard Y, but the following Special Attack drop means that it can't be used as a main option and needs to be coupled with Flamethrower, meaning Mega Charizard Y is giving up a coverage moveslot for it. Surprisingly, Mega Charizard Y can be a decent secondary Defog user against the likes of Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Gliscor. Toxic is an option to punish common switch-ins to Mega Charizard Y such as Kommo-o and Mega Latias, but it's useless against the likes of Chansey and Toxapex. Will-O-Wisp, while still not helpful against the aforementioned Pokemon, allows Mega Charizard Y to punish offensive Stealth Rock setters such as Garchomp, Kommo-o, and Mega Swampert and avoids shenanigans from Sucker Punch users such as Mega Mawile and Bisharp. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 148 Def / 108 Spe with a Bold nature lets Mega Charizard Y block the likes of Kartana and Mega Mawile more effectively and outpace Mega Swampert out of rain. However, the losses of power and Speed worsen its wallbreaking ability a lot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Threats**: Tapu Koko outspeeds and OHKOes Mega Charizard Y with its STAB Thunderbolt. Mega Lopunny can OHKO it with Fake Out followed by Frustration. Mega Pinsir can also OHKO it with Frustration boosted by Aerilate. However, most offensive threats are unable to switch into Mega Charizard Y directly.
**Dragon-types**: Mega Latias walls Mega Charizard Y, heals off any damage taken, and spreads paralysis with Thunder Wave. Mega Latios, even without bulk investment, is able to switch into any hit from Mega Charizard Y and, thanks to its better Speed, can heal off the damage and force it out with its STAB moves. Kommo-o resists Mega Charizard Y's STAB Fire-type moves and Solar Beam and is immune to Focus Blast thanks to Bulletproof, but it must be wary of the rare Air Slash. Kommo-o can also set up Stealth Rock. Garchomp can stomach some attacks, force Mega Charizard Y out with a faster Devastating Drake or Continental Crush, and set up Stealth Rock. Hydreigon, with bulk investment, walls Mega Charizard Y variants lacking Focus Blast and heals off any damage taken. Dragonite, especially with Multiscale, can take any hit from Mega Charizard Y and threaten it with Supersonic Skystrike. While uncommon, Mega Altaria walls Mega Charizard Y, heals off any damage taken, and spreads paralysis with Body Slam.
**Water-types**: Toxapex walls Mega Charizard Y and can threaten it back with Toxic. Volcanion with Assault Vest can take a few hits, allowing it to chip away at Mega Charizard Y and put it in the range of Explosion. Pelipper, thanks to Drizzle, weakens the power of Mega Charizard Y's STAB Fire-type moves, allowing Pelipper to either force it out with a boosted Scald or bring a rain-oriented threat on the field such as Ash-Greninja or Mega Swampert with a slower U-turn. Moreover, Pelipper is able to lock down Mega Charizard Y using Solar Beam.
**Rock-types and Rock-type coverage**: Mega Diancie resists Mega Charizard Y's STAB moves, outpaces it, and threatens an OHKO with Diamond Storm, additionally being able to set up Stealth Rock. The uncommon Mega Aerodactyl does the same thing but with the advantage of healing off damage thanks to Roost. Mega Charizard Y should be especially aware of not locking itself with Solar Beam if facing Tyranitar, as Tyranitar can OHKO it with Rock Slide. Moreover, Tyranitar can outpace Mega Charizard Y with Choice Scarf and potentially punish it with Pursuit. Mega Charizard Y also has to keep an eye on Rock-type coverage such as Stone Edge, commonly used by the likes of Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Tapu Bulu.
**Chansey**: Thanks to its bulk boosted by Eviolite, Chansey walls Mega Charizard Y and can set up Stealth Rock and spread paralysis and poison with Thunder Wave and Toxic, respectively.
**Stealth Rock**: Due to its quadruple weakness to Rock, the presence of Stealth Rock greatly limits the ability of Mega Charizard Y to switch in and wallbreak.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
