[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to its excellent bulk and great defensive typing, Mega Scizor can act as a solid offensive check to threats such as Mimikyu, Mega Metagross, Tapu Bulu, and Mamoswine. Access to reliable recovery in Roost allows Mega Scizor to not only stay healthy throughout the match but also set up Swords Dance more easily. It can use its Technician-boosted Bullet Punch to easily revenge kill weakened threats, particularly Focus Sash users. Mega Scizor can further support its teammates with utility moves like Knock Off to hinder walls and U-turn to gain momentum on predicted switches. In addition, Mega Scizor can utilize its bulk, access to Roost, and immunity to Toxic to proactively punish the likes of Gliscor, Ferrothorn, Cresselia, and defensive variants of Landorus-T by using them as setup fodder. However, Mega Scizor's offensive capabilities are limited due to the popularity of Hidden Power Fire and the presence of several Fire-types capable of checking it. Furthermore, Mega Scizor's mediocre Speed forces it to rely on Bullet Punch to threaten offensive teams, which leaves Mega Scizor checked by faster foes such as Mega Salamence, Zapdos, and Thundurus, and Mega Scizor is hard checked by a number of common defensive Pokemon such as Heatran, Celesteela, Zapdos, and Toxapex. Lastly, the prevalence of Tapu Lele is detrimental to Mega Scizor; while Tapu Lele itself can't do much back without Hidden Power Fire, Psychic Terrain prevents Mega Scizor from using Bullet Punch, leaving it unable to sweep and much easier to revenge kill.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: U-turn / Knock Off / Thief / Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Scizorite
ability: Technician
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 116 Atk / 24 Def / 116 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Swords Dance boosts Mega Scizor's Attack and lets it clean weakened teams and break through walls with brute force. Bullet Punch, factoring STAB and Technician, is a very strong priority move and Scizor's primary tool for sweeping. The third move can vary depending on what Mega Scizor needs to accomplish. U-turn allows Mega Scizor to pivot out of unfavorable matchups while doing chip damage and is extremely handy to gain momentum on forced switches. Knock Off hits Aegislash, which otherwise walls this set, and removes important items such as Leftovers and Eviolite from foes. Thief is an alternative option that allows Scizor to consistently use 90-Base Power Dark-type attack at the cost of being unable to remove items, while Superpower allows Mega Scizor to heavily damage and in some cases KO Heatran, Mega Lucario, Magnezone, Kartana, and Stakataka on switch as well as dent Blaziken. Roost allows Mega Scizor to stay healthy throughout the match while setting up Swords Dance against passive threats.
Set Details
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The given EV spread with Adamant nature ensures that Mega Scizor OHKOes Mega Gengar and Naganadel with +2 Bullet Punch and OHKOes Tapu Koko and Volcarona the same way after Stealth Rock damage. Defensively, the spread allows Mega Scizor to avoid the 2HKO from Mega Gengar's Shadow Ball and Adamant Landorus-T's Earthquake and also lets it take a Hydro Pump from offensive Tapu Fini after being hit by Nature's Madness. The EV spread is very flexible depending on which threats Mega Scizor needs to check; 44 Defense EVs allow Mega Scizor to take two +2 Shadow Claw from Adamant Mimikyu, while 148 Special Defense EVs allow Mega Scizor to avoid the 2HKO from Timid Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Psychic at a significant cost in power. A straightforward EV spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed with an Adamant nature is a viable option that allows Mega Scizor to OHKO Mega Charizard Y and the rare Blacephalon with +2 Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage and outspeed Modest Magnezone and Adamant Breloom. The spread also allows it to make faster and more aggressive play in general.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Scizor's performance is very dependent on the matchup, and careful decisions must be made in Team Preview. It is not a good idea to use Mega Scizor in the first place if a Fire-type from opposing team is likely to be chosen unless the rest of Mega Scizor's team is sufficiently prepared for it. Picking Mega Scizor is a promising idea against offensive teams so that it can pick off weakened threats with Bullet Punch and set up Swords Dance to effectively sweep. It is also a good idea to take advantage of passive walls like defensive Landorus-T and Ferrothorn. U-turn generates momentum on switches, so it is a good move to use when the opponent is likely to send in a physical wall or one of Mega Scizor's counters. Knock Off should be used to rid foes like Heatran, Zapdos, and Toxapex of their items while scouting potential Z-Crystals from other switch-ins. Especially against defensive teams, it is not a good idea to mindlessly start setting up Swords Dance until Mega Scizor's checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened or eliminated. Lastly, be wary of Hidden Power Fire users such as Porygon2 and Mega Venusaur, as they easily 2HKO Mega Scizor.
Team Options
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Dragon-types tend to pair well with Mega Scizor because they can switch into Fire-type moves for it and Mega Scizor can take Dragon-, Fairy-, and Ice-type attacks for them in return. Naganadel and Latios are good partners in this regard. Naganadel can either severely weaken opposing teams with brute force from Nasty Plot-boosted attacks or break walls that Mega Scizor weakens or hinders with Knock Off, while Latios works as a great revenge killer with Choice Scarf, threatens Toxapex, and can provide Mega Scizor better setup opportunities by crippling a wall with Trick. Ground-types like Landorus-T and Garchomp threaten Steel-types and set Stealth Rock for Mega Scizor. Landorus-T in particular weakens foes with Intimidate and uses U-turn to bring Mega Scizor in safely, and physically defensive variants are excellent switch-ins to Pokemon like Mega Charizard X and Blaziken that immensely threaten Mega Scizor. Island Guardians remove Psychic Terrain for Mega Scizor to freely use Bullet Punch. Tapu Koko shuts down passive walls with Taunt, threatens Water-types, and brings Mega Scizor in safely with Volt Switch or U-turn. Tapu Fini is a great check to Mega Charizard X and Blaziken that also sets Misty Terrain, which blocks Will-O-Wisp and prevents burns from Scald.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Quick Attack is another Technician-boosted priority move that hits Fire- and Water-types harder than Bullet Punch, but Mega Scizor mostly prefers the utility from U-turn or Knock Off. Bug Bite is a stronger Bug-type STAB move that can also take advantage of pinch Berry users such as defensive Landorus-T and Celesteela but does not generate momentum like U-turn does. Using Mega Scizor as a defensive pivot by forgoing Swords Dance and running Toxic or Iron Defense looks good on paper, but Skarmory outclasses Mega Scizor in this role.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Blaziken, and Heatran force Mega Scizor out and can advantage of the free turn. They can also easily survive a boosted Bullet Punch if they haven't taken excessive damage beforehand. However, they do not like losing their items to Knock Off, taking sizable damage from Thief, or losing momentum via U-turn as Mega Scizor switches into their counter.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Some Steel-types are problematic for Mega Scizor to bypass due to their resistance to Bullet Punch and high bulk. Celesteela is a hard stop to any Mega Scizor variant and is able to easily 2HKO it with Flamethrower and annoy potential switch-ins with Leech Seed. Aegislash hopelessly shuts down variants of Mega Scizor lacking Dark-type attack and forces variants with said moves into mind games due to King's Shield. Magnezone only fears Superpower and can 2HKO Mega Scizor in return with Analytic-boosted Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Defensive teams commonly run Skarmory, which can beat Mega Scizor thanks to Iron Defense.
**Water-types**: Toxapex and Milotic easily take any attack from Mega Scizor and remove its boosts with Haze. Gyarados can use Mega Scizor as a setup fodder due to Intimidate, its typing, and the fact that it carries irremovable items in most instances to take even boosted Dark-type moves. Swampert can take hits from Mega Scizor well thanks to its good bulk and can with force Mega Scizor out with Yawn. Suicune is even harder to take down with brute force and can phaze Mega Scizor with Roar. Pelipper heavily damages Mega Scizor with rain-boosted attacks and easily switches in thanks to its typing. In general, it is risky for Mega Scizor to stay in against Water-types due to a potential burn from Scald.
**Electric-types**: Zapdos and Mega Manectric have enough bulk to handle boosted Bullet Punch and hit back with Heat Wave and Flamethrower, respectively. All Rotom formes naturally outspeed Mega Scizor and easily take any boosted hit after burning it with Will-O-Wisp. Thundurus-T can easily revenge kill Mega Scizor or use it as setup fodder thanks to its resistance to Bullet Punch. However, Electric-types that do not resist U-turn take notable chunk of damage from it if they are switched in carelessly.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Mega Salamence is relatively unfazed even by boosted Bullet Punch thanks to Intimidate and its great natural bulk, and it can 2HKO Mega Scizor in return using Double-Edge or OHKO it after a Dragon Dance. Mega Mawile is similarly advantaged against Mega Scizor and can remove it very easily if using Fire Fang.
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