QC=In Colonel M's thread.
GP= Redew, bugmaniacbob
Progress: Done.
[Overview]
<p>Metagross is a Pokemon with four important shortcomings. For starters, its typing grants it only mediocre STAB coverage, which prevents it from being able to brutalize some of the popular threats in the tier, such as Rotom-W and Skarmory. Secondly, a base 70 Speed stat is underwhelming in a fast-paced metagame, and many threats can outspeed and cripple Metagross before it does anything. Thirdly, four-moveslot syndrome is a problem for many Pokemon, but in Metagross's case, it can often leave one wishing desperately for a fifth moveslot; you'll want ThunderPunch for Gyarados and bulky Water-types, but it may not be worth giving up Hammer Arm, especially when you'll need STAB moves and Earthquake to cover your other threats. Finally, though it only has two weaknesses, both Fire- and Ground-type moves are commonly seen, notably on Volcarona and Landorus, which means Metagross's staying power is limited. These issues are not enough to keep Metagross down, however. It has the bulk to set up Stealth Rock quite easily and a gargantuan Attack stat to smash some heads in. The quad core supercomputer may have taken a hit in its effectiveness, but Metagross is still a great check to the myriad of Dragons locking themselves into Outrage.</p>
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Earthquake / Hammer Arm
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 96 Atk / 160 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the standard set for Metagross in the OU metagame. Its typing and bulk allow it to set up Stealth Rock with ease. Afterwards, Metagross has the option of slugging an opponent with the bone-crushing power of Meteor Mash. In addition to being its STAB move of choice, the chance of raising Attack is always a boon for something with such a high Attack stat. In order to complement its bulk, Pursuit and Earthquake are added in the other moveslots. Latios and Latias are popular choices in OU, but their typings beg Metagross to switch in on a resisted hit and chase them down with Pursuit. This tactic is a useful one if they are locked in on a resisted move by a Choice item; it also helps out against Celebi and Gengar.</p>
<p>Earthquake has the benefit of smacking around Jirachi, who would otherwise wall Metagross and do as it pleases. It also serves as a deterrent to any Tentacruel trying to Rapid Spin entry hazards away and any Heatran not holding an Air Balloon on the switch. However, if one would prefer an easier time against Ferrothorn while keeping pressure on all manner of Heatran, Hammer Arm is an acceptable choice. Although you only neutrally hit Jirachi and now miss out on any meaningful damage against Tentacruel, you also have a better move to hit Rotom-W with as it switches in.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In order to retain as much bulk as possible, Leftovers is really the only item to consider. Metagross is meant to lay down Stealth Rock when needed thanks to its handy resistances and excellent bulk. There are other choices if you would prefer to survive a super effective hit; an Occa Berry lessens the damage from Specially Defensive Heatran's Lava Plume and lets Metagross survive a Fire Blast from offensive Heatran. However, both are swiftly KOed by Earthquake anyway. When Occa Berry is paired with Rock Slide, it makes quick work of Volcarona attempting to set up and sweep. With a Shuca Berry and Ice Punch, Metagross can survive a Life Orb-boosted Earthquake from Landorus in sand most of the time (90.65 - 107.96%) and KO back. Ice Punch also lets Metagross hit Dragonite, Haxorus, Salamence, and Garchomp locked into Outrage. For an added bonus, Life Orb Salamence with no other boosts to its Attack fails to KO Metagross with Earthquake, dealing 70.05 - 82.96%; in other words, a healthy Metagross can remain on the field and eliminate a threatening foe. Gliscor is also deterred from switching into Metagross. This should, however, only be considered if Metagross isn't being used to KO Pokemon with Pursuit or if you have solid checks to Calm Mind Jirachi. Air Balloon can be used instead of Shuca Berry to give Metagross a temporary immunity; meanwhile, a Lum Berry can be used to shake off an annoying burn from the likes of Tentacruel's Scald. However, these items are inferior to Leftovers in ensuring a long lasting supercomputer as both are one-time use items.</p>
<p>If you wish for more Attack, consider an older spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe. You lose special bulk, but gain more power behind your attacks. There is also the option of outrunning 0 Spe Heatran by distributing 60 EVs into Metagross's Speed, thus enabling it to get the jump on Heatran for the quick KO. If you wish to take Metagross in a more suicidal role, Normal Gem plus Explosion can be considered with max Attack EVs for a near OHKO on Gliscor switch-ins, dealing 84.18% - 99.15%; with Stealth Rock on the field, Explosion would have a 75% chance to OHKO. Life Orb can give Metagross more power behind its moves, but longevity is thrown out of the window. Bullet Punch is an option to let Metagross revenge kill threats such as Mamoswine and Weavile. Unfortunately, it just doesn't hit very hard even with that awesome 135 Attack stat backing it and STAB.</p>
<p>Skarmory and Forretress are the largest pests for Metagross. Because it rarely carries ThunderPunch, Skarmory can come in on Metagross and set up Spikes or simply Whirlwind it away; Forretress fears very little from Earthquake, can also set up entry hazards of its own, and can simply Rapid Spin away Metagross's Stealth Rock. It can even deal some damage with an Earthquake of its own. Donphan's great Defense and high HP make it an excellent switch-in, and it can spin Stealth Rock away or set up its own, not to mention wallop Metagross with STAB Earthquake. Bulky Water-types, such as Vaporeon and Jellicent, can take repeated Hammer Arms and Earthquakes and burn with Scald, or in Jellicent's case, Will-O-Wisp; rain-boosted Scald makes the situation a little worse. In terms of offensive Pokemon, Life Orb Starmie deals 53.84 - 63.46% outside of the rain and does 80.76 - 95.32% in the rain with Hydro Pump. With all of these Pokemon factored in, Celebi is a great partner for Metagross. Hidden Power Fire takes care of Skarmory and Forretress while STAB Giga Drain or Leaf Storm makes easy work of the myriad of Water-types and Donphan. If Celebi carries Hidden Power Ice, Gliscor is also easily taken care of, with defensive Celebi capable of a 2HKO thanks to dealing 72.31 - 85.87% damage. It should be noted that Leaf Storm also does a good number to Gliscor, with offensive versions of Celebi capable of a OHKO. Thunder Wave support also helps Metagross take on faster threats.</p>
<p>If you're playing with Metagross in the rain, Tornadus-T and Thundurus-T can shred most of these Pokemon with their STABs while possibly switching in freely thanks to their immunity to Earthquake. If you're using Tornadus-T, it needs Focus Blast for Skarmory, though Heat Wave works if any other weather besides rain is out on the field. Choice Scarf Terrakion can revenge kill a +1 Volcarona and can put some dents in some of the bulky Water-types. Rotom-W complements nicely with Metagross; Rotom-W takes away some of the pain of dealing with bulky Water-types, resists Fire-type attacks, and is immune to Ground-type attacks thanks to Levitate. Meanwhile, Rotom-W appreciates Metagross's resistance to Grass-type attacks from foes such as Celebi that lack Earth Power or Hidden Power Fire. Finally, the usual support that helps most Pokemon is greatly appreciated, such as Wish support from the likes of Vaporeon or Latias, entry hazards in the form of Spikes provided by Deoxys-D, Ferrothorn, or Froslass, and spinblocking from Jellicent and Sableye. The latter two can also provide burn support, lessening the damage from physical Ground-type attacks.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Pursuit / ThunderPunch
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 92 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>If you'd prefer to hit like a nuke right off the bat, this Metagross set is programmed to do just that. As mentioned before, base 135 Attack is horrifying to face, and when backed by Choice Band, Metagross wields nealy unmatched power. Meteor Mash remains Metagross's primary STAB move, hitting a great number of opponents hard. The chance to raise its Attack, though rare, makes the prospect of a further boosted Choice Band Metagross possible. Bullet Punch might seem somewhat redundant with Metagross wielding a much more powerful STAB move, but there are a few good reasons it belongs on this set. Though weaker than CB Scizor's Bullet Punch, it is still strong enough to deal significant damage to potential threats such as Mamoswine and Terrakion. It also serves as a way to bypass Metagross's underwhelming Speed, allowing it to double as a revenge killer. As a better choice for hitting Mamoswine and Terrakion—not to mention Jirachi and Heatran—on the switch, Hammer Arm takes precedence in the third spot. The Speed drop can also be beneficial in one-on-one situations with Skarmory. If Skarmory decides to Roost, a Choice Band Hammer Arm will deal 64.07 - 75.44% damage.</p>
<p>In the final slot, there are three possibilities. Zen Headbutt serves as a secondary STAB move and it makes sure Conkeldurr doesn't survive. It also serves to batter bulky Water-types such as Jellicent and Rotom-W. In addition, it is the best choice to combat Volcarona aside from the rare Rock Slide. If such threats are covered by another teammate, Pursuit can be used to increase Metagross's utility value; if you opt for Pursuit though, it is recommended you go with maximum HP EVs. Finally, ThunderPunch is an option to hit Slowbro while maintaining coverage on both Skarmory and Jellicent. The given EV Spread also lets Metagross outrun defensive Gyarados, making ThunderPunch a viable commodity for a quick KO. However, do note that Metagross will then have more difficulty against Gastrodon and there is no guarantee of a 2HKO against Slowbro; ThunderPunch deals 47.71 - 56.34% damage to Slowbro, so Stealth Rock damage is required for the guaranteed 2HKO.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ice Punch is viable to hit an incoming Gliscor or Garchomp hard. It is also a more reliable option to hit Dragon-types locked into Outrage. Though the nerf to it from BW is a bit disappointing, a Choice Band powered Explosion is not to be scoffed at, leaving a massive dent or being an outright KO on Pokemon that don't resist it. Trick is also an option if you want to cripple a wall, but Metagross appreciates the boost provided by Choice Band too much to want to lose it. Trick is better served on a set with Choice Scarf in any case.</p>
<p>Slowbro is one of the best counters to Metagross, as it only fears ThunderPunch. Pursuit does mediocre damage unless Slowbro switches out; in any case, due to Regenerator, Slowbro can easily recover off any damage taken by simply switching out. Bulky Steel- and Water-types can switch into a predicted Meteor Mash or Bullet Punch and take advantage of the situation quickly with their entry hazards, STAB Scalds, or Will-O-Wisp. Heatran can easily incinerate Metagross with Fire Blast. Because this Metagross locks itself into one move, it is susceptible to being revenge killed, particularly from trappers such as Magnezone, Magneton, Wobbuffet, and Dugtrio.</p>
<p>With these problems in mind, entry hazard support, particularly Stealth Rock, is essential in keeping the KOs consistent. Celebi comes to mind yet again, easily handling Slowbro and other bulky Water-types thanks to STAB Leaf Storm or STAB Grass Knot. It also has access to Earth Power, which can help out against Heatran in spite of sharing the same weakness to Fire as Metagross. With Psychic, Substitute + Protect Gliscor is prevented from impeding Metagross while also combating troublesome bulky Fighting-types such as Bulk Up Conkeldurr. Celebi can even set up Stealth Rock on its own if it needs to support its team, not to mention use Heal Bell if Metagross is crippled with a burn. Rotom-W is another great partner because it breaks bulky Water-types as well as most Steel-types thanks to its excellent dual STABs. Being immune to Earthquake and resisting Fire-type attacks provides great type synergy with Metagross, who returns the favor with its resistance to Grass-type attacks. On the offensive side Hydreigon is a great Pokemon to pair with Metagross; while Fire Blast can possibly be nerfed in the rain, Hydreigon carries two powerful STAB types that rip through most of Metagross's issues. In return, Metagross handles the faster, frailer Pokemon that threaten Hydreigon as well as taking Ice-type attacks. Surf can also be used if you're pairing Metagross and Hydreigon with a rain team. While an awkward pairing, Magnezone can trap some of the troublesome Steel-types that plague Metagross's stampede while handling bulky Water-types nicely.</p>
[SET]
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Zen Headbutt
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Meteor Mash / Ice Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Agility makes Metagross run twice as fast, and with a Jolly nature, it enables Metagross to outspeed both Scarf Terrakion and neutral natured Venusaur under the sun. Combine this with Metagross's awesome resistances to most priority attacks and you have a very scary sweeper for opponents to handle, provided they aren't careful and also happen to be running a fully offensive team. Zen Headbutt is the primary STAB move in order to nail Thundurus-T, Rotom-W, Virizion, and Keldeo while preventing Conkeldurr from setting up any Bulk Ups. It also carries a somewhat useful 20% flinch rate which can come in handy in a pinch. Earthquake prevents Heatran and Jirachi from stopping your sweep, as both would be able to take on any other move Metagross would otherwise carry. Meteor Mash rounds out the set, providing a much more powerful hit against the likes of Landorus, Latios, and Latias, while Tyranitar and Mamoswine are easily dispatched by the powerful STAB move. The chance of gaining an Attack boost (which shouldn't be relied on) only furthers the prospect of a very scary sweeper indeed.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given spread enables a +2 Metagross to outspeed a positive natured base 108 Speed Pokemon wielding a Choice Scarf. This group includes the Musketeer trio, Keldeo, and Infernape. Unfortunately, it falls one point short of a Speed tie with positive natured base 110 Speed Pokemon with Choice Scarf such as Gengar, Latios, and Latias. However, should any of those bring along Hidden Power Fire, Metagross will outspeed them by one point. Alternatively, one could run an Adamant nature instead. This makes Ice Punch a viable choice versus defensive Gliscor, as with the aid of Stealth Rock it is guaranteed a OHKO. The increase in power comes at the cost of only outspeeding positive nature base 95 Speed Pokemon carrying Choice Scarf, though. Metagross is a happy recipient of Baton Pass chains, particularly Shell Smash, though it won't say no to a Substitute or Swords Dance, either. If passing Shell Smash, Agility can be dropped and ThunderPunch can be inserted to take on Slowbro; with Stealth Rock on the field, Metagross has 6.25% chance of OHKOing it. Two layers of Spikes along with Stealth Rock guarantees the OHKO.</p>
<p>Ice Punch is only noteworthy because Gliscor can be a major pain for a team to take out. If used over Zen Headbutt, Keldeo becomes a serviceable check to Metagross. It also equals Meteor Mash's Base Power if Meteor Mash hits neutrally and Ice Punch hits for 2x super effective damage. ThunderPunch can be considered over Zen Headbutt if you're completely desperate to hit bulky Water-types or Starmie during the sweep. On that topic, ThunderPunch is really only useful against Starmie and Gyarados as Starmie can take an Earthquake and put a severe dent in Metagross with a Life Orb-boosted Hydro Pump. Gyarados is immune to Earthquake and resists Meteor Mash, so with its decent bulk it can KO a weakened Metagross. Slowbro will still laugh at the damage taken from ThunderPunch and easily heal or deal significant damage to Metagross. This is also true for Adamant variants, given that Slowbro only takes up to 48.73% damage from an Adamant Life Orb ThunderPunch.</p>
<p>Bulky Steel-types and bulky Water-types such as Slowbro really prove to be a pain to this Metagross. This is emphasized heavily because this Metagross is attempting to sweep teams. In fact, any teams that have considerable amounts of bulk—Stall teams—are going to give Metagross hell, especially since it can't always rely on a boost to its Attack. Gliscor, once again, sticks out its tongue at Metagross as this is the least flexible set, so Ice Punch is even less feasible, though Meteor Mash can still hit it for decent damage. Slowbro and Skarmory carry the award for "biggest blocks" to this Metagross set, especially if it lacks ThunderPunch. Celebi is once again a premier partner, being able to set up Stealth Rock and clear out bulky Water-types. Hydreigon also partners well, because it carries Fire Blast and/or Earth Power for Steel-types and scares Slowbro away with STAB Dark Pulse. Rotom-W's synergy with Metagross proves useful yet again, crippling Scizor with Will-O-Wisp and creating an opening for Metagross to set up Agility on the weakened bug. Its Electric typing is a boon too, clearing the path of most Water-types in a similar manner to Celebi, not to mention handling most Steel-types thanks to STAB Hydro Pump.</p>
<p>Entry hazards are necessary in order to make the most of this particular set. When it comes to setting up entry hazards, Deoxys-D is probably your best bet; it doesn't share the nasty weaknesses that Metagross, Hydreigon, and Rotom-W suffer from and can also set up Stealth Rock if necessary. As an added bonus, it can run Hidden Power Fire or Thunderbolt to take care of Ferrothorn or Skarmory. Deoxys-D can also use Superpower to dent Ferrothorn enough to start up Metagross's sweep. Magnezone can prove to be a huge help for Metagross since it traps the nasty Steel-types that otherwise nerf this set even harder. In fact, Steel trappers in general aren't a bad idea to carry for Metagross's team as they can help make sweeps easier by removing most of the problematic Pokemon. Wobbuffet has an added bonus of using Encore to lock a Pokemon onto a move that Metagross can, more than likely, set up on.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Meteor Mash
move 2: Hidden Power Fire
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty
evs: 252 Atk / 228 SpA / 24 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is a rather interesting twist on the normal Metagross, making use of that nice base 95 Special Attack. In doing so, it allows it to beat some of its counters. Meteor Mash should be familiar to many at this point, as it is Metagross's most powerful STAB move. Because most Steel-types are comfortable taking an Earthquake or Hammer Arm, they forget about Metagross's special moveset. Hidden Power Fire handles most of these problems, 2HKOing Physically Defensive Skarmory and Ferrothorn while OHKOing both Physically Defensive Forretress and Scizor. Specially Defensive Skarmory has a 66.41% chance of being 2HKOed by Hidden Power Fire while Specially Defensive Forretress requires Stealth Rock on the field for the guaranteed OHKO. This combo is resisted by bulky Water-types, though, so Grass Knot makes for a nasty surprise. It is useful for the 2HKO achieved on physically bulky Pokemon such as Jellicent, Slowbro, and Hippowdon. In the final slot, another physical attack is the best choice, with Zen Headbutt easily dispatching Conkeldurr and Tentacruel. It is also the better choice against Rotom-W, who laughs at every other move Metagross throws at it, even Grass Knot. If you'd rather take on Heatran and Jirachi, Earthquake is an option. It also retains super effective coverage against Tentacruel.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given spread enables Metagross to remain an offensive presence, both physically and specially. Meanwhile, 28 Speed EVs prevent it from being outsped by max Speed Wobbuffet. This ensures not locking Metagross in an undesirable move when forced to battle Wobbuffet one on one. If you wish to outspeed specially defensive Heatran, 60 EVs are necessary; it is best to pull those from Metagross's Attack EVs. This also makes Earthquake the better move in the fourth slot. If you would prefer to take care of Gliscor and Garchomp more easily, Ice Punch is available. However, this makes Rotom-W difficult to defeat, as Grass Knot will not be hitting it hard enough. This also makes Heatran a rock-solid counter.</p>
<p>Expert Belt is an option to retain Metagross's durability in the long run. However, recall that the boost from Expert Belt is only granted if a move hits super effectively. As mentioned previously, Heatran or Rotom-W will really hamper this set. Gliscor can too without Ice Punch, and lack of Zen Headbutt or Earthquake also makes Tentacruel laugh at Metagross. Therefore, depending on what Metagross brings to the table, it needs these potential threats taken care of. Tyranitar or Hydreigon can handle Heatran well enough, as both carry moves that severely dent it. Tyranitar must be wary of the potential burn which can cut the power of Earthquake or Low Kick. Tyranitar gets the added bonus of keeping Hidden Power Fire's Base Power intact, eliminating infinite rain thanks to Sand Stream. Hydreigon with Surf or Draco Meteor can easily crush most variants of Gliscor. Celebi, meanwhile, handles Rotom-W nicely. If it carries Psychic or, better yet, Psyshock, it becomes a deterrent to any Tentacruel attempting to wall Metagross.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Metagross has a plethora of other moves that can be programmed into its hard drive. First off, Gravity, while gimmicky, robs the Ground-type immunity granted by Skarmory's secondary type and Rotom-W and Bronzong's Levitate ability. It turns those three serviceable counters into Earthquake fodder while patching up Meteor Mash and Zen Headbutt's accuracy. Trick can be utilized alongside either Choice Band or Choice Scarf to cripple a bulky wall, but Choice Scarf Metagross is rather mediocre. It requires a Jolly nature to be effective, and even then, it loses to Jolteon by one point. Choice Band Metagross is rather satisfied with its coverage moves and already has problems giving up a slot for Trick. You can also Trick an Iron Ball, but do bear in mind that it only removes Levitate, not a Flying typing, from a Pokemon.</p>
<p>Hone Claws was briefly mentioned on the Agility set, but it can be used on its own as well. It does fix the accuracy issues of Meteor Mash and Zen Headbutt while also raising Metagross's Attack stat, but it certainly won't make Metagross faster. Be sure to have paralysis support or be able to Baton Pass an Agility boost or two to make the move worthwhile. Rock Slide also appreciates Hone Claw, but its usefulness is limited. It does retain coverage against Dragonite, Gyarados, and a good number of Fire-types, but its Base Power is quite low and Earthquake is usually the better choice to combat Fire-types, particularly Heatran and Infernape. RestTalk might seem like a good idea, but Metagross's typing leaves it with underwhelming STAB moves and switching out can be costly due to the sleep mechanics in this generation. In a similar vein, Reflect and Light Screen are best left to other Pokemon, such as Xatu and Espeon, who can block Taunt thanks to Magic Bounce.</p>
<p>Magnet Rise sounds cool until you realize Metagross already suffers more than enough from four-moveslot syndrome, not to mention that the effects of Magnet Rise are not permanent. If you're really annoyed by Meteor Mash, there are two other options for a Steel-type STAB. The first is using Iron Head, which has a considerable power drop; it really should only be considered on the Agility set to take advantage of the flinch rate. The second is Gyro Ball, which forces Metagross to use an Iron Ball to make it worthwhile, and as such make it considerably slow. Block and Explosion with a Normal Gem can be used for a trapping Metagross. Finally, it has been mentioned that Metagross sports a good base 95 Special Attack. However, while STAB Flash Cannon and Psyshock / Psychic sound appealing, the only other special attacks available are Grass Knot, Shadow Ball, Icy Wind, Signal Beam, and Hidden Power. Aside from Hidden Power, a lot of Steel-types stop it cold too easily and Metagross has no way to boost its Special Attack.</p>
[Check and Counters]
<p>How do you confound a supercomputer? You pit it against a slowpoke, otherwise known as Slowbro. The worst Slowbro can take is a Choice Band ThunderPunch, and even then, that damage is mitigated thanks to Regenerator and Slack Off. Slowbro can stay in and cripple Metagross with Thunder Wave or fire off repeated Scalds, fishing for the chance to burn it, or, with access to Fire Blast, it can severely damage Metagross. While it can't pierce Metagross's defenses, Skarmory is an able check, fearing only the rare ThunderPunch. While Brave Bird won't do anything, Skarmory can take the opportunity to set up Spikes or Whirlwind it away. With the combination of Substitute, Protect, and the ability Poison Heal, Gliscor is a source of grief for any Metagross lacking Ice Punch, which is one of the few reason it carries it at all. Choice Band Meteor Mash can clock in over 50% damage on Gliscor, so it must be wary of it, particularly if it lacks Roost. Rotom-W returns as twice the bugger that it was in DPP; because of its typing switch, Metagross can hit Rotom-W with Hammer Arm, but this combined with the dominant weather of rain make STAB Hydro Pump and STAB Thunder or Thunderbolt painful for Metagross to take. If that wasn't enough, Will-O-Wisp can completely eliminate any chance of Metagross carrying out a sweep. Zen Headbutt can be painful for Rotom-W to face, though, so it must be wary on the switch.</p>
<p>While it can't switch into Earthquake and Hammer Arm, Heatran can prove to be troublesome to Metagross; it can burn Metagross with Will-O-Wisp or fish for the opportunity with STAB Lava Plume or go for the kill on offensive sets with STAB Fire Blast. Choice Band Metagross, in particular, must be careful in the presence of Magnezone, Magneton, and Wobbuffet. A wrong move can prove the end for Metagross. Donphan can stomach a Meteor Mash from a non-Choice Band Metagross and scare it away with STAB Earthquake. Mixed variants are risky due to their propensity to carry Grass Knot. Other bulky Water- and Steel-types can be a major pain to Metagross depending on its move choices. Rain-boosted Scalds can be annoying for Metagross to take, especially when there's a 30% chance for Metagross to have its Attack halved. Jellicent can Will-O-Wisp Metagross and use Recover to help keep itself alive. Steel-types, such as Ferrothorn and Forretress, can set up their entry hazards to further annoy Metagross's team. Ferrothorn can be a major drag with Leech Seed and the occasional Thunder Wave, while Forretress can take most abuse from Metagross while wearing it down with Earthquake if it carries it.</p>
<p>Weather teams are a particular nuisance to the Metagross's sheen. Sun teams help in diminishing the power of Water-type moves, but it is a double-edged sword as it doubles Metagross's Fire-type weakness. Venusaur can use the Chlorophyll boost to put Metagross to sleep and set up with Growth. Rain teams don't do it any favors either besides eliminating Metagross's Fire-type weakness. While comfortable in sandstorm, Metagross faces significant threats here. Sandslash can revenge kill most offensive variants of Metagross; a Jolly LO Sandslash deals 93.7 - 110.92%, so with a layer of Spikes, Metagross is done for. Landorus, an already threatening foe, becomes more frightening thanks to the Sand Force boost under sandstorm. Special variants of Landorus are popping up too thanks to the release of Sheer Force; these variants target Metagross' weaker Special Defense stat. A max HP and Defense Impish Hippowdon can take most abuse from Metagross and either Slack Off the damage or threaten Metagross with STAB Earthquake.</p>
