Manectric
"Wahahaha! The secret to good health is being willing to laugh!" - Gym Leader Wattson
BASE STATS | MAX STAT TOTAL |
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HP:
70 | 250 - 344 |
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Attack:
75 | 139 - 273 |
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Defense:
60 | 112 - 240 |
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Sp. Atk:
105 | 193 - 339 |
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Sp. Def:
60 | 112 - 240 |
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Speed:
105 | 193 - 339 |
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(I'm sorry this post took longer than I promised you all; I was tinkering with EVs and moveset options and had to do a LOT of testing. I'd also like to thank BoomFantastic for all his team-building help. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to finalize the wonderful core team combinations that I'll talk about later in the post, nor would I have discovered some of the synergies Manectric had with specific Pokemon in OU).
DISCLAIMER: MANECTRIC REQUIRES CAREFUL PREDICTION PLAY FOR BOTH ITSELF AND ITS PARTNERS AND A BROAD INNATE UNDERSTANDING OF MAINTAINING MOMENTUM AND READING YOUR OPPONENT'S POTENTIAL SWITCHES. DO NOT JUST SLAP IT ONTO A TEAM WITHOUT THINKING. IT'S A GREAT POKEMON, BUT IT REQUIRES THINKING AND A RELATIVELY BROAD GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF COMMON OR CURRENTLY TRENDING OU SETS THANKS TO MANECTRIC'S LOWER DEFENSIVE PROFILE.
Cue the shocked gasps by absolutely no one if you have seen most or really any of my large essay sized OU posts; you all know my style as a competitive player is to bring the forgotten and cool Pokemon to light with usable niches in what is (in my opinion) one of the most fun OU metagames I've ever been a part of. Moving onto Manectric, though, oh goodness, what can I say about this spiky electric wolfdoggo currently residing in the dark depths of ZU (or untiered for those who don't consider that tier official yet)? Manectric was the absolute crux of my main laddering team for the last few weeks and has been crucial in enabling powerful monsters like Specs Kyurem to swoop in and have a much easier time firing off damage along with crippling and taking out key threats. But you're probably asking yourself, "what makes Manectric work in OU like you're describing?" Let's dig into Manectric's advantages, its sets, and why it works in OU. In addition to this, I'll be sharing some FAQs I got from people on Showdown when testing and laddering with the set; along with this, we'll be talking about what playstyles suit Manectric the best, what team partners Manectric's talents enable the best, as well as what partners Manectric has a better chance of succeeding in OU with.
Manectric's Advantages and Functions:
- Manectric's ability Lightningrod combined with access to powerful moves in Switcheroo, Volt Switch, and Overheat give Manectric a very usable and dangerous niche as a Pokemon with the ability to cripple or destroy certain powerful threats such as Ferrothorn, Toxapex, stat boost, or hazard setup sets (such as Dragon Dance Multiscale Dragonite or Leftovers Defensive Landorus-T), and a wide variety of others. In addition to being an incredible momentum-based Pokemon with fantastic combined role compression.
- Lightningrod gives Manectric many possible opportunities to entirely ignore its lackluster (but in some cases underrated [which I'll get to later]) defensive profile and gain a free Special Attack boost thanks to its immunity to Electric-type attacks. This is absolutely crucial as it means Pokemon like Defensive Zapdos cannot touch Manectric and are cleanly 2HKO'd in return. Along with this, Manectric also outspeeds all variants of Zapdos (bar the extremely uncommon Scarf Zapdos), which means either the opponent is going to make the smart play and switch into something else (which you can then predict and use Switcheroo or Overheat to cripple or maim the switch-in) or stay in thinking it can tank, in which you still cripple it with Switcheroo and then you've taken out one of your opponent's keystone defensive profiles.
- Speaking of the above Switcheroo, Scarf Manectric is outspeeding most other Scarfers and boosted sweepers. Timid nature with base 105 speed means that Manectric will have a whopping 508 speed, which means that unless the opponent is running something like Scarf Dragapult, you've got the advantage. Crippling defensive profiles is absolutely key and prevents so many Pokemon from properly functioning; want to prevent Futureport Teleport Spam? Trick a Scarf, want to prevent Pokemon from utilizing Swords Dance boosts? Trick a Scarf. Want to prevent multi-hazard setters and bulky slow-mons from being able to deal with your whole team? Trick a Scarf. Ferrothorn, Toxapex, Blissey, Corviknight, some Clefable variants, Hawlucha, Defensive Heatran, Hippowdon, Mandibuzz, Substitute Arctozolt, Icy Rock Alolan Ninetales, Melmetal, Mew, Skarmory, the Slowtwins, Slowking-G, and Bulky / Quiver Dance Volcarona variants do not appreciate being crippled like this, as it gives you either great momentum opportunity, or entirely removes a Pokemon's purpose in the game. In addition to this, Manectric can then adapt to your team's specific needs depending on the item it steals from an opposing Pokemon. It's both a useful tool for scouting while maintaining momentum. In addition to this, you could forgo Switcherooing Scarf entirely to utilize Manectric's insane speed Scarfed to hit some impressive speed feats, which can work wonders in tandem with a predicted incoming Electric-type attack boosting Manectric's Special Attack up to surprisingly notable levels.
- The previously mentioned Overheat is an absolutely fantastic coverage tool, allowing even unboosted Manectric to get some impressive feats, while +1 Lightningrod boosted variants can hit some impressive damage benchmarks. This also means that the average 1500+ ELO opponent won't want to switch in certain Ground-types like Excadrill willy nilly; it puts pressure on the opponent, allowing you to score a unique opportunity to gain momentum or regain lost momentum. (I won't be putting Pokemon weak to both Thunderbolt and Overheat in these calculations, we'll get to that).
Overheat Damage Calculations:
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Arctozolt: 328-386 (102.1 - 120.2%)
-- guaranteed OHKO (also can switch into Bolt Beak without worry and gain a free Special Attack boost, pretty nifty, right?)
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Scizor: 408-480 (118.9 - 139.9%) --
guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Bisharp: 328-386 (121 - 142.4%) --
guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rillaboom: 328-386
(96.1 - 113.1%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 128 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Melmetal: 230-272 (51.9 - 61.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (If you chose to hit Melmetal on the switch-in)
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 128 HP / 252+ SpD Melmetal: 230-272
(51.9 - 61.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (If you don't have a Lightningrod boost and chose to Switcheroo on switch-in)
+1 252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 252 HP / 176+ SpD Ferrothorn: 504-596 (143.1 - 169.3%)
-- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 252 HP / 176+ SpD Ferrothorn: 340-400
(96.5 - 113.6%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 252 SpD Excadrill: 252-298
(69.8 - 82.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 252 SpD Excadrill: 376-444 (104.1 - 122.9%) --
guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Magnezone: 268-316
(95.3 - 112.4%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
-2 252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Kartana: 580-684 (223.9 - 264%) -- guaranteed OHKO (Lmao)
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Kartana: 1160-1368 (447.8 - 528.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- Before we go further, I'd like to run two scenarios by you all, specifically revolving around Manectric's Defensive profile. Manectric's 70 / 60 / 60 may seem unusable, but it's JUST enough to survive crucial hits in absolutely critical scenarios; it also has an advantageous resistance to Flying-type moves, meaning that it can take certain attacks in a pinch, an incredible Electric immunity thanks to Lightningrod, and a more niche resistance to Steel-type moves. Let's take the following scenario as an example (something that has happened to me quite a few times in my testing); let's say your opponent uses Zeraora as a fast, physical pivot, and you've already tricked your Scarf onto another Pokemon. You predict a Plasma Fists, then switch in Manectric to get the Special Attack boost. You're then thinking, well, now Zeraora is gonna decimate me because Manectric is so weak, and Zeraora is faster right? This is actually not what will happen. More often than not, by this point in the match, players will want to keep their Zeraora in to hit Close Combat as you will have likely (if you played right) taken care of the Ground-type switch-ins. So Zeraora will most of the time click Close Combat. Manectric (even with chip) survives Close Combat, and then with +1 SpA and the -1 SpD drop from Close Combat, Manectric can OHKO in return.
252 Atk Zeraora Close Combat vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 177-209 (62.9 - 74.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. -1 0 HP / 0 SpD Zeraora: 331-390
(104.4 - 123%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Well, now you're wondering, "well, there's the other common Zeraora option, Knock Off! Why not use that?" Well, you can, but the damage output does not reach the same level, and if Manectric has Switcheroo'd a Rocky Helmet onto itself (probably the most common item I've stolen in higher-level play), it puts Zeraora into critical damage ranges. In addition to this, unless your opponent calls a double bluff and uses Knock Off a second time (which rarely happens as Manectric has a chance to survive two Knock-Offs from full health), you can then switch to a Pokemon that either resists Close Combat (which will commonly be used) or is completely immune to it (such as Dragapult who is immune to Close Combat) and then you once again have momentum.
252 Atk Zeraora Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 143-169 (50.8 - 60.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Zeraora Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 96-114 (34.1 - 40.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
In addition to this, Manectric could have also been Switcheroo'd some other item. Life Orb, Choice Specs, Leftovers, the momentum is unpredictable, allowing Manectric to create these mind games. As for the second scenario, let's say you're up against Bisharp (which may seem dumb as Manectric does not like to switch into Bisharp, but this is specifically for double switching, which is key to maintaining momentum in some cases and has happened way more often than you think). Your opponent already knows that Manectric has access to Overheat (which, especially as you ladder higher up, is far more likely). Your opponent understands that they will not have the opportunity to set up a Swords Dance (if they do Swords Dance, it's curtains for Bisharp) and will likely click Sucker Punch hoping to get a smack on Manectric. But since Manectric is relatively easy to keep at full health (even more so with Wish or Grassy Terrain support), Bisharp cannot score an OHKO even with an Adamant nature, full 252 attack EV investment, and the power boost given to its STAB Priority by Blackglasses.
252+ Atk Black Glasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 220-261 (78.2 - 92.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Bisharp: 328-386 (121 - 142.4%) --
guaranteed OHKO
Even with Stealth Rock chip, the chance to OHKO Manectric is less than 50%
252+ Atk Black Glasses Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 220-261 (78.2 - 92.8%) --
37.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
These are just a few examples from dozens I could list; Manectric's defensive profile is very situational. Still, it scores critical moments that other Pokemon can't reach or don't want to risk reaching. It's also worth noting that Manectric defensively comfortably survives Choice Band Weavile's Ice Shard and can take a +2 Ice Shard from Swords Dance Weavile in a pinch, while Manectric almost always OHKOs in return with a non-boosted Overheat (we're talking about Shard here as Manectric generally wants to keep its Scarf when dealing with Weavile).
252 Atk Choice Band Weavile Ice Shard vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 139-165 (49.4 - 58.7%) -- 98.8% chance to 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Weavile Ice Shard vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manectric: 204-241 (72.5 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Weavile: 280-330 (99.6 - 117.4%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
- Manectric's impressive 508 speed with a Choice Scarf is notable, but just as notable is its speed without Choice Scarf. 339 Speed with a Timid nature means that Manectric will be faster than a wide margin of OU, including the pesky base 102 Speed Garchomp (which with a +1 Overheat has a chance to 3HKO offensive variants and 4HKOs tanky variants that have max HP investment, meaning you can Switcheroo cripple set-up sets or pick off weakened Garchomp switch-ins). This means the only Pokemon that outspeed Manectric in OU are Dragapult, Hawlucha (who doesn't like to switch into or stay in on Manectric anyways), Kartana (which is easily OHKO'd by Overheat so Scarf variants that outspeed cannot switch-in without fear of getting melted), Tapu Koko (who wouldn't want to switch-in anyways as a boosted +1 Overheat OHKOs with hazard damage), Tornadus-Therian (which cannot handle STAB Thunderbolt or Volt-Switch, and Assault Vest Variants are easily crippled by Switcheroo), Weavile (which is also melted by Overheat), and Zeraora (which does not appreciate taking a boosted Overheat or being locked into Scarf thanks to Switcheroo).
- Mono-Electric typing means that defensively, Manectric only has one weakness, Ground types. However, this weakness to Ground-type moves can easily be worked around, and in many cases, Manectric actually counts on this weakness for prediction plays. Offensively, STAB Thunderbolt is fantastic; 105 Special Attack is a solid stat, and especially with a Lightningrod boost, can 2HKO or OHKO some of the most threatening Pokemon in the OU Metagame.
Thunderbolt Damage Calculations (Neutral):
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Hawlucha: 368-434 (123.9 - 146.1%) --
guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 88 SpD Corviknight: 264-312 (66 - 78%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 204-242 (51 - 60.5%) --
89.1% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery (By this time you've most likely already Switcheroo'd Corviknight's Leftovers or Rocky Helmet, making it an assured 2HKO)
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 144 SpD Mandibuzz: 230-272 (54.3 - 64.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Skarmory: 338-398 (101.1 - 119.1%) --
guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Slowbro: 306-360 (77.6 - 91.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 170-204
(43.1 - 51.7%) -- 7.4% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 204-240 (59.3 - 69.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Tornadus-Therian: 278-330 (92.9 - 110.3%) --
62.5% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Toxapex: 144-170 (47.3 - 55.9%) --
78.5% chance to 2HKO (Even the rare fully Special Defense Calm or Careful Nature invested Toxapex has a high chance to be 2HKO'd by Thunderbolt, while every single other variants of Toxapex is cleanly 2HKO'd).
252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Urshifu-Rapid-Strike: 384-452 (112.6 - 132.5%) --
guaranteed OHKO
So uninvested base 105 Special Attack Thunderbolt's chunk a lot of dangerous OU threats, or outright KO them, while 2HKOing a lot of neutrally hit Pokemon in OU as well (meaning there are way fewer safe-switch-ins than you think for Manectric. So now, let's take that oh-so-common Lightningrod boost and apply it here to some of the specific damage thresholds we talked about in the uninvested section.
Thunderbolt Damage Calculations (+1 Lightningrod):
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 88 SpD Corviknight: 392-464
(98 - 116%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 306-360
(76.5 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 144 SpD Mandibuzz: 342-404
(80.8 - 95.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Slowbro: 456-536
(115.7 - 136%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 258-306
(65.4 - 77.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 306-360
(88.9 - 104.6%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 282-332
(92.7 - 109.2%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO (for those Toxapex with higher Special Defense investment, Manectric still has a chance to OHKO all the way up to 252 HP / 123 SpD investment)
In addition, there are other aspects such as if Manectric Switcheroo'd itself a Life Orb (which is not as common but is still easy to attain if you predict Magic Guard Life Orb Clefable switch-ins), in which case, those chanced OHKOs become assured OHKOs, and some 2HKOs have a chance to OHKO or become OHKOs themselves.
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 398-468
(115.6 - 136%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Corviknight: 398-468
(99.5 - 117%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 144 SpD Mandibuzz: 445-525
(105.2 - 124.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 335-398
(85 - 101%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 398-468
(115.6 - 136%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Toxapex: 307-361
(100.9 - 118.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Toxapex: 281-330 (92.4 - 108.5%) --
56.3% chance to OHKO
- STAB Volt Switch is absolutely crucial and a powerful part of Manectric's ability to maintain momentum. It deals a good amount of damage (not quite as much as Thunderbolt, but it will still be chunking things hard, especially at +1). Still, there's another critical advantage to Manectric's specific Volt Switches that other users don't have. First, we need to address SlowTurning or Slowporting. Many of the Pokemon who utilize SlowTurn strategies do not want to risk getting hit by Manectric at all, especially with the chip of hazards, so they're likely to switch out and allow you to Volt Switch on the Pokemon being brought in, giving you a free opportunity and regaining momentum. The only real slow-turning mon that Manectric doesn't like to deal with is Physical Pivot Flip Turn Swampert; on the
flip side (hah), Swampert itself does not appreciate getting Switcheroo'd and losing its Leftovers or Rocky Helmet and getting locked into a move with Choice Scarf. We'll talk more about specific Volt-Switch situations and Pokemon v Pokemon Utility in the FAQ section.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question 1: Why would I not use one of OU's other electric types, such as Tapu Koko, Zapdos, Zeraora, or Magnezone?
Answer: Great question. Let's tackle each of these individually, starting with Tapu Koko.
Tapu Koko has a higher speed and a great attack stat but actually lacks in two critical areas comparatively, in its Special Attack and in the specific utilization of its movepool (Manectric's base Special Attack is 105, base 10 higher than Tapu Koko's 95). Sure Electric Terrain makes Tapu Koko's Electric-type moves hit nicely. Still, that lack of power in its coverage moves and inability to hit Steel-types super effectively (or cripple them, as Tapu Koko does not get access to Switcheroo or Trick) is where Manectric shines over it, along with Manectric's useful immunity to Electric moves. In addition to this, Tapu Koko's Electric attacks actually are a perfect switch-in opportunity for Manectric, as it not only gets a +1 boost from Lightningrod absorbing Thunderbolt, Discharge, or Volt Switch, but it benefits heavily from the Electric Terrain. If Tapu Koko is chipped, it has a chance to be OHKO'd by Overheat and is comfortably 2HKO'd by Manectric's RESISTED Thunderbolt. At the same time, STAB Dazzling Gleam from Tapu Koko only 2HKOs even with chip damage on Manectric (which is even less relevant if you predict correctly). If Manectric still has its scarf, it also has the benefit of outspeeding Tapu Koko as well.
+1 252 SpA Manectric Overheat vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 231-272
(82.2 - 96.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko in Electric Terrain: 156-183
(55.5 - 65.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Manectric: 159-187 (56.5 - 66.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Second, let's talk about Zapdos. You're probably wondering, "well, Zapdos gets powerful Fire and STAB Flying coverage in Heat Wave and Hurricane respectively (along with Weather Ball in Sun, Hail, or Rain) along with having a much better Special Attack stat and a better defensive profile, why wouldn't I use Zapdos instead?" Great points; let's talk about Zapdos. Zapdos is often required to run Heavy-Duty Boots to avoid taking a quarter of its health in chip damage from Stealth Rock, meaning that it's a little easier to play around. Zapdos also falls into the crowded base 100 Speed tier, meaning that it cannot outspeed Pokemon such as Garchomp, Mew, Volcarona, opposing Zapdos, or the rarer Victini and Galarian-Zapdos. Zapdos's additional Flying-type gives it an incredible immunity to Earthquake but also means that Zapdos is absolutely clipped by Rock and Ice-type attacks while only having neutrality to Electric attacks compared to Manectric's immunity to them and its subsequent Lightningrod boost. Similar to Tapu Koko, Zapdos is an easy target for Manectric to switch in on if predicted correctly, as the Lightningrod boost is phenomenal and allows Manectric to 2HKO both Offensive and Defensive variants of Zapdos with +1 consistently and comfortably.
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 208-246
(64.7 - 76.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 208-246
(54.3 - 64.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Zapdos also does not like potentially losing its Heavy-Duty Boots, Leftovers, or Rocky Helmet to Manectric and being limited by Scarf, as it then becomes prone to chip, hazard damage, and repeated attacks. However, Manectric does not have such worries, as it's meant to zip in and out as quickly as possible and does not take a quarter of its Stealth Rock damage specifically, which is more common than Spikes or Toxic Spikes.
Third, Zeraora. "Well, Zeraora is fast, powerful, can run mixed sets, is faster than Manectric, has that fire coverage, and has Volt Absorb; why not him?" Another great set of points. Zeraora seems to outclass Manectric at first glance. However, taking a deeper look at Zeraora, it has many of the same issues that Tapu Koko has, along with some additional issues that counterbalance Koko's issues that Zeraora does not have. For example, Zeraora's Special Attack is still slightly lower than Manectric's (Zeraora's base 102 compared to Manectric's base 105), and Volt Absorb does not boost Zeraora's Special Attack, only restores HP. This means that Zeraora is most likely (bar some fringe sets) going to be losing out on comparative Special Attacking power by a wide margin compared to Manectric and does not have Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain to make up for it. In addition to this, Zeraora again does not get Switcheroo or Trick, meaning that it still does not have that niche to cripple certain Pokemon. In one of the above examples, I listed a common situation where Manectric handles Zeraora, but it goes deeper than that. While Zeraora indeed gets Fire coverage, if you'll notice, Zeraora does not get any Special Fire-Type coverage; it's all physical and with much lower base power than Manectric's Overheat. This means not only will you be missing certain damage benchmarks, but you'll be wearing down Zeraora quickly in some cases as both of its Fire-type coverage moves (Fire Punch and Blaze Kick) are contact moves. On top of this, Zeraora has a tough time slotting in Fire-type coverage due to the other moves it wants to use, such as Close Combat.
252 Atk Zeraora Blaze Kick vs. 252 HP / 80 Def Ferrothorn: 248-296 (70.4 - 84%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Zeraora Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 80 Def Ferrothorn: 176-208 (50 - 59%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Damage from Iron Barbs (and Rocky Helmet) is going to add up quickly. In addition, Zeraora's already shaky defensive profile of 88 / 75 / 80 is lowered after a Close Combat, making it squishier than Manectric. This combination and trouble with Zeraora's moveset keep Manectric's niche above Zeraora nice and solid, despite Zeraora's options.
Finally, we reach Magnezone. "Well, Magnezone hits way harder than Manectric on the Special side and can not only trap Steel-types but nail them with Body Press as well. So why would I not use Magnezone?" Another great question, let's dive into Magnezone some more. Magnezone is slow (base 60), meaning that some of the crucial Pokemon it wants to trap (Corviknight, Skarmory, and Scizor) can U-Turn out, spread more hazards, or heavily damage Magnezone before going down, respectively. Magnezone's secondary Steel typing actually works against it as well, as it means that additional common weaknesses hamper Magnezone's great 70 / 115 / 90 defensive profile to Fighting, Fire, along with a now 4x weakness to Ground. Along with this, Magnezone's reliance on Body Press means that it suffers from the same wear-down issues that Zeraora has, and without Iron Defense boosts, it's not able to hit certain damage Benchmarks.
252+ Def Magnezone Body Press vs. 252 HP / 80 Def Ferrothorn: 132-156 (37.5 - 44.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
In addition, the lack of Fire coverage (thanks to the removal of Hidden Power Fire) means that it cannot hit Steels on their Special side super effectively, which means that Steel types that Manectric would have a chance to cripple and take out (such as Melmetal who cannot be handled by Magnezone's Body Press quickly enough since Melmetal has access to Earthquake, or Specially Defensive Scizor which is neutral to all of Magnezone's attacks), cannot be anywhere near as easily handled by Magnezone. Finally, as mentioned before as well, Magnezone cannot Trick or Switcheroo its items as well, meaning that beyond a low-chance paralysis from one of its moves (or some other fringe options), Magnezone's support capabilities are more limited as well.
Question 2: Does Manectric have to use Choice Scarf? Would another item be perhaps viable?
Answer: Probably my favorite question involving Manectric, and the answer is both "yes" and "no" for a few simple reasons.
Manectric's Scarf Switcheroo set is, without a doubt, its best set (which we will get into after the FAQ, along with other parts of its movepool). However, other items have their benefits as well. For example, Choice Specs allows Manectric to hit power benchmarks immediately while easily being able to cripple Physical threats that you may feel uncomfortable giving a Scarf depending on your team building (such as Garchomp). Still, then you lose out on Manectric's incredible 508 Scarf speed benchmark. You can make this argument with Choice Band as well. Flame Orb or Toxic Orb are also interesting options as they can be incredible for shutting down certain Physical threats or wearing down stall like Blissey. Still, at the same time, this means to avoid getting status yourself, you'll only be able to switch Manectric in when a Pokemon of your own has gone down, or you'll have to run a cleric on your team to anticipate this. So while having the additional options are nice, it means you need to dedicate additional support to a Pokemon that already needs support, and thus, in my opinion (and some testing with other items), descends from Scarf Switcheroo's great niche to the other items usable but gimmick niche.
Question 3: Does Manectric gain other moves or options beyond the ones listed?
Answer: Absolutely, but we'll get into those in a moment.
Question 4: I saw your post on the forum! Can you share a Manectric team you've been using?
Answer: Of course, I'd be happy to! I hope you enjoy using it! (Also thanks to
BoomFantastic for helping me build this. This team contains Manectric, Heatran, Toxapex, Landorus-T, Corviknight, and Kyurem. Please note the special EVs on a few of the bulkier Pokemon, if you have any questions feel free to message me)! -
https://pokepast.es/5a397b29122433c9
Manectric's Main Set
Switcheroo Scarf Set
Manectric @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Switcheroo
- Volt Switch
Since we've described what this set does in painstaking detail above, let's talk about the additional movepool options Manectric has.
(As a fair warning, I do not recommend deviating too far from this set or really using another set at all, as the options I'm about to talk about while being able to work are still very niche and do ruin Manectric's niche a little bit). With a bit of investment, Ice Fang gets some surprise 2HKOs on specific threats like Garchomp but is still incredibly niche, and you really don't want to remove Special Attack EVs to accommodate the 32 or more Attack EVs you'd need to reach the 2HKO benchmark on those threats. Flamethrower is also in Manectric's movepool and can be useful in specific situations where you need to stay in on something (where the -2 drop from Overheat really doesn't appreciate that approach) along with the 100% accuracy. Still, the power drop from Overheat's 130 to Flamethrower's 90 is felt in a big way in many other damage calculations. The situations where Flamethrower's consistency and higher accuracy would be more relevant are few in number compared to Overheat's power. Roar, Toxic, Substitute, Light Screen, Protect, and Snarl are additional options, but their utility is generally not as useful on Manectric and, as a result, are generally outclassed. Thunder is a great option on Rain teams and pushes Manectric's damage output even higher, but we'll get to that. Manectric has Curse and access to a great Physical movepool, including Psychic Fangs, STAB Wild Charge, Crunch, the previously mentioned Ice Fang, and Fire Fang. Still, if this kind of gimmick were really usable beyond joke teams, we'd see Electivire everywhere. Manectric also gains Hyper Voice, which could technically be useful in some very niche situations. Still, overall Normal coverage really provides nothing for Manectric and has a tough time fitting it onto a set.
What Manectric Appreciates:
Grassy Terrain | Wish and/or Cleric Support: Are you finding that Manectric gets worn down too quickly? Grassy Terrain is absolutely incredible support for Manectric, as it passively recovers Manectric's health, along with halving the damage to Earthquake. Rillaboom as a Pokemon itself is great, thanks to Grassy Glide's priority and its nice synergy with Manectric as is, but we'll get into that later. Finally, Wish support is charming for Manectric, giving it additional longevity, and as is it partners well with Pokemon commonly used for Wish passing. In addition to this, having a dedicated Cleric (or a Pokemon that can compress Wish passing and Clerical healing into one slot) is wonderful for Manectric to stay overall healthy and avoid dipping into potentially dangerous Defensive percentage ranges.
Hazard and/or Status Support | Defog or Rapid Spin Support | Knock Off: Depending on the type of team you're building, Manectric appreciates your side of the field being clear of hazards or the opponent's side of the field having hazards planted on them. The chip from Stealth Rock, Spikes, or the status wear down of Toxic Spikes, or other status-inducing moves allow Manectric to quickly wear down your opponent's team either through repeated heavy hits or continued switch-outs with Volt Switch. Knock Off support is wonderful as it allows Manectric to deal with Leftovers, Assault Vest variants, or other pesky builds if Manectric has received an item via Switcheroo that it doesn't want to get rid of.
Rain: This may seem counterproductive given that it weakens Overheat, but in actuality, it means that Manectric can run STAB Thunder, which potentially means it could ease the burden of prediction on yourself (provided you've taken care of Landorus-T, Garchomp, etc. ahead of time) and Overheat still hits nasty useful benchmarks even when weakened a little by rain. +1 Lightningrod STAB Thunder under the rain is absolutely not to be underestimated.
Potential Manectric Partners
Disclaimer: I will only be talking about Pokemon that I have personally tested. I'm sure there are more incredible partners for Manectric out there, and if you wish to bring that up, that would be wonderful! But I'm only going to be talking about the Pokemon I have personally had good results using Manectric in conjunction with. I would also like to thank BoomFantastic for his wonderful help with Kyurem, Corviknight, Toxapex, Landorus-T, and Heatran.
Kyurem
Kyurem is an absolute monster in OU right now, and thanks to its coverage and powerful attacks, Specs variants are absolutely brutal alongside Manectric's support and bulky mon crippling abilities. Kyurem will be able to come in easier on a predicted switch thanks to Manectric's Volt Switch and be able to fire off absolutely nuclear STAB Ice Beams, STAB Freeze-Dry's, Earth Powers, and Focus Blasts. Kyurem's resistances, courtesy of being half Dragon-type, along with it being one of the few Dragons neutral to Ice, is absolutely complimentary for your team's defensive profile as well as its offensive profile. Between Kyurem and Manectric's vicious attacks, you also have the coveted STAB BoltBeam coverage that is absolutely deadly against a large portion of the metagame.
Corviknight
Corviknight handles many of the Physical threats that Manectric doesn't want to stay in on really well. It is immune to Earthquake, has access to both Defog and Roost to keep itself healthy while indirectly keeping Manectric healthy due to Defog clearing hazards off of the field (this can also patch up Overheat's accuracy thanks to Defog's evasion drop). In addition to this, Corviknight has a complimentary slow U-Turn that eases the burden of prediction on your team as well while forming the dreaded VoltTurn core. Corviknight has a wealth of additional options on the defense and support spectrums. Corviknight is one of the (arguably) best Pokemon in OU, and the synergy between Corviknight and Manectric should not be underestimated.
Swampert
Physical Pivot Swampert sets are a great partner for Manectric. Not only does Manectric's Electric / Fire offensive combination work really well with Swampert's Water / Ground offenses, but Swampert can also set up Stealth Rock, then use a slow Flip Turn out to form another variant of the VoltTurn core. Of course, Swampert itself requires support but compressing Rocks, Water/Ground typing, and slow Flip Turns into one team slot, and combining that with Manectric's support capabilities is absolutely something worth looking into.
Rillaboom
Not only is Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain wonderful in helping to keep Manectric healthy as outlined above, but having priority STAB Grassy Glide along with a wide variety of powerful coverage and utility moves such as High Horsepower, Knock Off, and Superpower are an absolute boon to Manectric's survivability thanks to Rillaboom's ability to pick off key threats with ease and severely maim others into range for Manectric to pick off with either Overheat or Thunderbolt. In addition, Rillaboom gains access to and commonly uses U-Turn, which is absolutely stellar once again, thanks to the previously mentioned VoltTurn core.
Landorus - Therian
If you think we'd be leaving off arguably the best glue in OU as a great partner for Manectric, you'd be wrong. Landorus-T not only compliments Manectric extremely well with its Ground / Flying typing, but is immune to Earthquake, has Intimidate to further deal with Physical switch-ins to Manectric, and can Defog hazards away or set up its own Stealth Rocks. Knock Off and U-Turn are both parts of Landorus-T's arsenal and provide wonderful support as well. Specially Defensive Landorus-T variants are an absolute gem as well. Still, I could go on all day about Landorus-T's presence in OU, so we'll leave the gushing about Landorus-T individually here for now. With that being said, the combination synergy between Landorus-T and Manectric can absolutely throw your opponent off balance and invalidate quite a few important cores.
Scizor
Scizor is a wonderful partner for Manectric as it can pick off troublesome Pokemon or weaken them with options such as STAB Bullet Punch, Knock Off, or Superpower. In addition to this, Scizor has reliable recovery in Roost to keep itself heavy, along with a powerful STAB U-Turn which, combined with Manectric's STAB Volt Switch, is one of the most dangerous VoltTurn variant cores in sheer damage output. Powerful priority is always a boon when supporting any defensively squishy Pokemon, and Manectric is no exception.
Heatran
Heatran has the ability to set up Stealth Rock, trap Pokemon with STAB Magma Storm, wear them down with Toxic, and has excellent coverage in Earth Power to go along with its potent Fire / Steel STABs, and is generally one of the most flexible and respected Pokemon in OU, particularly Specially Defensive variants. So while Manectric doesn't like going up against Heatran (at least not the Specially Defensive sets), it absolutely loves having it as a partner due to its combined Defensive and Support capabilities.
Toxapex
The Pex, the GOAT, the Pokemon that made people absolutely tear their hair out for years. Toxapex's Defensive and Support capabilities speak for themselves, and Manectric partners with it fantastically. Regenerator is absolutely clutch for Toxapex, keeping it healthy, along with access to Recover. So whether you need to set up Toxic Spikes, shut down setup sweepers with Haze, cripple Physical attackers with Scald, or cripple anything with Knock Off, Toxapex has you covered.
Concluding Thoughts
Manectric surprised me in how quickly it became tied for the MVP of one of my most used main teams alongside Choice Specs Kyurem, and I absolutely love Manectric from both a competitive and design standpoint. I'm also pretty
shocked (hah) that a post about Manectric's competitive OU viability became my longest Smogon post of all time (and probably one of the longest posts I've done on any forum in general). It's fast, powerful enough for what it needs to do, and absolutely deadly with the way it affects many of the common Pokemon and team archetypes jumping around OU at the moment. Manectric can be a wonderful asset for your team. If high prediction play and switch strategy are your forte, I highly recommend giving it a shot if you want a strong, reliable member of your team that can, if played properly, cripple or take down two or more of your opponent's Pokemon reliably.
"Wahahaha! A battle with you is always charged with shocking power!" - Gym Leader Wattson