[OVERVIEW]
* Mega Metagross is a marginally decent Steel-type that cannot find a place on any competitive team. Almost every set it attempts to run is utterly outclassed by other Steel-types in both offensive and defensive aspects.
* Necrozma-DM's presence in the tier invalidates any attempt that Mega Metagross makes to perform a specific role. Necrozma-DM's access to Prism Armor and recovery makes it a far better check to Xerneas, Deoxys-A, and support Arceus formes, and such tools also help it perform much better as a Stealth Rock user. Offensively, Necrozma-DM can utilize various setup moves and Ultra Burst to overcome its shortcomings from low Speed and mediocre coverage, and Mega Metagross struggles to mimic any of these.
* There are also better Pokemon to use when attempting to make a use of Mega Metagross's Speed or access to Bullet Punch. Mega Lucario has much narrower counterplay under appropriate team support, and already niche Arceus-Steel has a better chance to pose a threat to offensive teams with better bulk and Speed.
* To only worsen this, using Mega Metagross prevents the use of other Mega Evolutions on the team, meaning Pokemon like Mega Salamence can't cover Steel-types' weaknesses against Primal Groudon and other Ground-types, and Mega Gengar cannot trap and remove problematic foes. The fact that Mega Metagross is walled by more Pokemon than it can defeat and is forced out by more Pokemon that it can switch into also serves to hinder the team's overall quality.
* The only way to somewhat salvage Mega Metagross is by taking advantage of its somewhat decent movepool and Speed, access to Bullet Punch, and ability to switch into Moonblast from Xerneas. This means Mega Metagross can be best used as a physical attacker that won't be too easy to take on by slower Pokemon and can offensively and defensively handle Xerneas. Keep in mind that none of these factors are sufficient to justify Mega Metagross's serious use.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Rock Slide / Thunder Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch / Earthquake
item: Metagrossite
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 232 HP / 56 Atk / 40 SpD / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Meteor Mash's high damage output against Fairy-types assists in offensively checking them with help from Bullet Punch.
* Access to Ice Punch sets Mega Metagross apart from other Steel-types. Unlike other Steel-types, Mega Metagross can swiftly remove Mega Salamence with Ice Punch instead of merely switching into it. More importantly, Mega Metagross becomes more hazardous for Zygarde to take advantage of.
* Rock Slide prevents Ho-Oh from easily shutting down this set by allowing Mega Metagross to OHKO it after Stealth Rock damage.
* Thunder Punch can be opted for instead of Rock Slide, trading Mega Metagross's ability to pressure Ho-Oh with a better matchup against Primal Kyogre. However, Thunder Punch's inability to 2HKO Arceus-Water and defensive Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre's greater susceptibility to repeated damage make it a far less ideal option than Rock Slide.
* Bullet Punch picks off weakened foes like Geomancy Xerneas. With this move, Mega Metagross becomes an improved check to Fairy-types that can switch into them and still do sizable damage to them when at low health.
* Earthquake can be considered to hit Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM hard on the switch, but neither of them is 2HKOed from full health.
Set Details
========
* 176 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allow Mega Metagross to outspeed everything up to maximum base 100 Speed Pokemon. The investment makes it harder for Yveltal to recklessly take on Mega Metagross should it lack Choice Scarf and enables Mega Metagross to make the first move against the less common Palkia, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Blaziken.
* 232 HP EVs and 40 Special Defense EVs combine to help Mega Metagross survive a hit from boosted Geomancy Xerneas after a layer of Spikes. This EV spread also allows Mega Metagross to survive three Moonblasts from Xerneas and a Shadow Ball from Mega Gengar from full health.
* The remainder of the EVs are invested in Attack to improve the odds that Geomancy Xerneas will be taken out by Bullet Punch after taking an uninvested Precipice Blades from Primal Groudon.
Usage Tips
========
* Mega Metagross will typically pivot into Xerneas, as Xerneas struggles to immediately overpower a healthy Mega Metagross. Mega Metagross is also a blanket check to Deoxys-A and Arceus-Fairy, but the latter can cripple Mega Metagross with Will-O-Wisp or surprise it with Fire Blast when weakened enough.
* What makes it very difficult to make the most use of Mega Metagross is the fact that it will often hand over the momentum to its switch-in after entering the field. Threatening Pokemon like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM can switch into a weak attack and essentially gain a free turn, and it will be impossible for Mega Metagross to weaken Ferrothorn or Arceus-Water. This means Mega Metagross will lack a move to hit its switch-in against a lot of teams, and even if it does, it will have to make a correct prediction to 2HKO foes like Ho-Oh and slightly weakened Primal Groudon.
* Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus-Dark are forced to recover if Mega Metagross hits them with the right move, and Arceus-Fairy lacking moves to deal with Steel-types can be an opportunity for Mega Metagross to be more useful. It is also worth noting that Extreme Killer Arceus has only a very slim chance to defeat Mega Metagross in a one-on-one situation, so a healthy Mega Metagross can also be somewhat of an insurance against it.
* As this set's entire purpose is to maximize Mega Metagross's offensive coverage, an opponent may end up with a false sense of security that it will lack a coverage move to hit certain Pokemon. Should Pokemon like Zygarde and Ho-Oh start to directly switch into Mega Metagross around mid-game, be quick to surprise and punish them with appropriate moves. Revealing these moves too early can ruin the surprise factor, so be patient until said foes end up falling to the trap.
* There is a ray of hope for Mega Metagross against offensive teams as well. Due to its Speed, slightly weakened Primal Groudon and physical Primal Kyogre can be much shakier checks to Mega Metagross with appropriate moves. While they can check Necrozma-DM as long as they successfully switch in, Mega Metagross outspeeds them and 2HKOes them on the switch. Yveltal lacking Choice Scarf is also not entirely safe from Mega Metagross for this reason. Said foes are typically offensive checks to Steel-types, or Necrozma-DM in Yveltal's case, and they can be pressured and surmounted with Stealth Rock support and predictions.
Team Options
========
* Mega Metagross draws in a lot of undesirable foes, but this also means it will cause switches. Thus, entry hazard support is needed for Mega Metagross to not pivot into attacks and gradually lose its health. Primal Groudon can set Stealth Rock and pivot into Steel-types that attempt to take advantage of Mega Metagross, and support Arceus formes can set the said entry hazard and help to reduce the damage caused by Primal Groudon or Necrozma-DM that switches into Mega Metagross depending on their typing.
* Entry hazard removers are also needed, as many Pokemon that check Mega Metagross can set them. Giratina-O is a reliable way to deal with Primal Groudon that can capitalize on Mega Metagross lacking Earthquake, and Ho-Oh can take on many support Arceus formes and force out Ferrothorn.
* Dark-types like Yveltal and Arceus-Dark appreciate Mega Metagross's defensive presence against Fairy-types, and they can offensively handle Giratina-O and some Necrozma-DM variants.
* Among Dark-types, Yveltal can be particularly helpful due to its ability to compensate for Mega Metagross's vulnerability against Ghost- and Ground-types and a disappointing matchup against defensive teams. Yveltal can run generic offensive or even stallbreaker sets to break through defensive teams, and Mega Metagross can check Fairy-types and potentially lure in Ho-Oh and punish it with Rock Slide.
* Pokemon that can cover Dark-types are also necessary, and Arceus-Dark can do this reasonably well, though Xerneas is more of a reliable option. Arceus-Fairy may sound like an acceptable choice, but note that it will be an additional Pokemon vulnerable to Mega Gengar, and its Stealth Rock support is meaningless if opposing Ho-Oh has Defog.
* Gothitelle or Gothorita can be considered to trap and neutralize Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and support Arceus formes that easily shut down Mega Metagross.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Mega Metagross has wide offensive movepool, and it may be tempting to use attacks like Hammer Arm to punish Ferrothorn and Pursuit to remove Deoxys-A from play. However, these moves have a very shallow pool of Pokemon that Mega Metagross cannot already hit hard. It is better to use Necrozma-DM to overpower defensive Steel-types, and even a niche Pursuit trapping strategy is performed much better by Mega Scizor.
* Toxic puts switch-ins like Primal Groudon and Arceus formes on a timer, but this does not improve Mega Metagross's matchup against opposing Steel-types and forces it to forgo one of its coverage moves. Punishing a switch-in with Toxic is done much more successfully by other Pokemon like Ferrothorn.
* Steel-types commonly tend to run Stealth Rock to alleviate Primal Groudon of its role in certain teams, but Mega Metagross performs terribly against just about every entry hazard remover in the tier. Stealth Rock and Explosion may sound like a usable set to use on Sticky Web teams, but this is completely outclassed by Mega Diancie, as Mega Metagross's defensive presence becomes virtually meaningless because it will have to sacrifice itself to prevent Defog, while Mega Diancie can directly threaten Defog users like Giratina-O and Ho-Oh and utilize an excellent ability in Magic Bounce.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Ferrothorn and Skarmory do not mind Mega Metagross at all and can easily set Spikes on it. Necrozma-DM avoids being 2HKOed by Earthquake and can use Mega Metagross as setup fodder.
**Fire-types**: Primal Groudon doesn't like being worn down by repeated attacks, but it avoids being 2HKOed by Earthquake and can easily shut down any Mega Metagross lacking said attack. It can easily OHKO Mega Metagross with one of its STAB moves or set up Stealth Rock against it. Ho-Oh can be problematic if Mega Metagross lacks Rock Slide, as defensive variants are not 2HKOed by Thunder Punch, and Choice Scarf variants can outspeed and pick off damaged Mega Metagross.
**Arceus-Ground**: Arceus-Ground's bulk and higher Speed make it a solid offensive check to Mega Metagross. Offensive sets using Swords Dance or Calm Mind can set up on Mega Metagross with Recover.
**Water-types**: Arceus-Water is impossible for Mega Metagross to break through on its own, as it is not even 2HKOed by Thunder Punch. Primal Kyogre can win against Mega Metagross in a one-on-one situation, and special variants can easily score an OHKO with Origin Pulse.
**Dark- and Ghost-types**: Though Mega Metagross can hit foes like Yveltal and Giratina-O decently hard with appropriate moves, they aren't 2HKOed without prior damage and can retaliate with their own moves. Arceus-Dark, Mega Sableye, and defensive Lunala are more problematic due to their access to recovery moves. Marshadow is not OHKOed by any move and can easily defeat Mega Metagross with a combination of Spectral Thief and Shadow Sneak. Mega Gengar can't switch into Mega Metagross, but it can trap and remove it with Will-O-Wisp followed by Hex or Shadow Ball if Mega Metagross has been weakened.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DMDW, 434601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Minority, 222996], [Nayrz, 212134], [Cynara, 224455]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Fireflame479, 231476]]
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