Other Viable Megas

[DDRMaster]

I haven't actually played HO yet this gen, but I did use a HO mono-Bug team in Gen 5 with a Forretress lead. I used SR/Spikes/Rapid Spin/Gyro Ball with a Custap Berry and I would always set up SR and then either Spin away their Rocks or set up Spikes with my Custap Berry. I lost my spinner right away in 90% of games, which would normally be a terrible idea with both Yanmega and Volcarona on my team, but I managed to keep so much offensive pressure on my opponent that if they ever tried to set up Rocks, they ended up losing a Pokemon right then and there.

The same should apply to Sticky Web suicide leads. Sure your opponent could use Defog at some point in the game, but that also removes any hazards they placed and you'll end up KOing one of their Pokemon. The main problem I have with going 5-6 and just getting Sticky Web up is the fact that many of the most used Pokemon don't care about it. Things like Aegislash and Scizor are slow anyway and have priority, Blaziken can still force things out at -1 and can still Protect to get to +0 (and Mega Blaziken is still pretty fast at that level), and Clear Body Pokemon and all Flying/Levitating Pokemon are immune to it.

Going back to Megas, I'm really liking Mega Absol. Magic Bounce means it doesn't care at all about all the lead Smeargle going around and a mixed set makes it a nice wall breaker.

 

[Thorhammer]

Mind you, 4HKO is enough for Shuckle to win vs Gengar with only Infestation + Binding Band, Stealth Rocks, Sandstorm and Rest. I doubt that Gengar can switch out of Infestation. (I admit, that I haven't tested this in-game yet)

Just tested this. Went to a Double Battle at Le Nah and started using Fire Spin on my own team; Hippopotas was trapped, but Aegislash was not. So no, Infestation cannot trap ghosts, Gengar included.

 

[anubite]

First of all, Switcheroo would always fail because it would deprive Manectric of its Manectite.
Secondly, why would you use it when you could just use literally anything else with a Life Orb and outpower it? LO Jolteon has a stronger Thunderbolt and Scarf Rotom-H can actually, you know, use Trick. It's shit; if not for that than because it wastes your Mega Slot.

If you read the last sentence in my post you'd see I was questioning switcheroo because I wasn't up to speed on how it interacts with megastones.

Secondly, as I've tried to point out... you can't compare apples and oranges. LO Jolteon might do more damage, but does LO Jolteon survive an Earthquake thanks to intimidate? Does LO Jolteon have access to overheat and crunch? No on both counts. Jolteon can't be a mixed attacker, Manetric could perform that role.

 

[xSilentDeviL]

anyone having any success with DD Mega tyraninitar?

 

[Disaster Area]

I've heard it rated pretty highly, and I think I can vouch for it too, using it a couple of times myself.

 

[Garchompi]

There is good reason to fear Shadow Tag. When a crappier, conditional trap move (Arena Trap) is put onto an otherwise crappy pokemon (Dugtrio has 405 BST... fewer stats than Emolga!), it shoots up into OU Tier. Switching pokemon in and out is the bread-and-butter of Pokemon.

That's quite an overstatement. Dugtrio was mid-OU in gen 3, UU in gen 4 and bottom-OU in gen 5, where its only purpose was to trap Tyranitar and Ninetales. With perma-weather gone it's nowhere near as useful as it used to be and I seriously doubt it will make OU in XY.

Since Gengar can't trap anything before it has mega evolved, there are ways to get around it, just like you can get around trapping moves such as Mean Look.
Of course nothing stops Gengar from switching out and coming in later to trap you again and that's when you should start worrying.

 

[Groudon ex]

anyone having any success with DD Mega tyraninitar?

I've toyed with it occasionally, and it is surprisingly effective. With priority users such as Scizor and Breloom a bit less common (most people use Talonflame as their revenge killer atm), Mega-TTar can sweep teams with relative ease after it pulls off a DD. Sticky Web support is incredibly helpful, as it means Mega-TTar outspeeds every common Scarf user at +1. The biggest threats to its sweep are Excadrill (which still outspeeds with Sticky Web if Jolly), Azumarril and the previously mentioned Scizor & Breloom; eliminate those and you've got a monster of a late game sweeper.

EDIT: Excadrill needs to be Jolly though; Adamant gets outsped after the Speed drop from Sticky Web.

 

[The Gentleman Gamer]

I don't think this suicide lead thing is going to pan over very well. When people play these `mon correctly (Scarf Garvantula as a revenge-check vs Gyarados: 91% Accurate CompoundEyes Thunder ain't nothing to laugh about), thats when we'll see better Sticky Web usage. You need to threaten opponents to get the free turns you need to set up these hazards.

You don't need to set up Sticky Web first... you just need to set it up sometime before your sweeper comes out. In fact, Sticky Web is probably useless in the early game when the opponent still has 6-mon who will counter any sweep attempt... that is the time where bulky-mon should be played. And bulky users don't really care about going first.

That said, the only Sticky Web user I can consider right now is Shuckle, as dumb as he is. He doesn't suicide, he accomplishes defensive feats... like coming into Mega-Gengar and gets LOL 4HKOed by Shadow Ball / 3HKOed by Parish Song. (In the sand, that turns into a 5HKO btw. If you run Leftovers instead of Binding Band, its more like a 6HKO actually). Mind you, 4HKO is enough for Shuckle to win vs Gengar with only Infestation + Binding Band, Stealth Rocks, Sandstorm and Rest. I doubt that Gengar can switch out of Infestation. (I admit, that I haven't tested this in-game yet)

Maybe Shuckle's low HP makes him a good target for Wish. But I don't see stall teams panning out well.

Except you just praised a Sticky Web user... by presenting a set which doesn't have Sticky Web.

 

[Dragontamer]

Shuckle@Binding Band
----------
Sticky Web
Rest
Infestation
Knock Off / Toxic / Encore / Power Split / Stealth Rocks (when PokeBank comes out)

I don't even know what the 4th move should be. Use with TTar or Hippo for temporary Sandstorm support. Again, its mostly theoretical, but the numbers seem to be checking out. Knock Off seems like the best choice, which cripples one of your opponent's mons. Threatening Encore discourages your opponent from setting up on you... which is necessary because Physical Shuckle is 3HKOed by Life Orb Garchomp's Outrage: Physical Attackers aren't beating Rest without setting up vs Physical Shuckle... Special Attackers aren't beating Rest without setting up vs Sp. Def. Shuckle.

Shuckle is a premier set-up bait, and Encore can help reverse the trend. Power Split effectively halves your opponent's Sp. Atk and Atk. Stealth Rocks isn't available till PokeBank comes out (and isn't available through Gen6 Breeding).

I guess Sandstorm can be run on Shuckle, but that isn't my intention. My intention is to threaten to kill an opponent's `mon with Infestation trapping + massive defenses. During the trapping process, Shuckle will have lots of free turns to Rest and set up Sticky Web. (At least, anyone weaker than Mega-Gengar on the Sp. Def side will 4HKO or worse vs Shuckle)

I'm still debating whether to run Sp. Def or Physical Def Shuckle... but I guess the metagame is too immature to think of those hypotheticals.

Of course, I don't know if it will work in practice.

 

[Game Freak201]

Is it possible to have Pokemon from gen 5 to bring their items into the PokeBank? If not, that might explain why Lati@s gets a Mega Evolution.

 

[MechPlasma]

I could see a spread like 80/100/80/170/140/130 for Latios and 80/80/100/140/170/130 for Latias.

Presumably, both of them will have the same stats after mega-evolving. It wouldn't make sense for them to mega-evolve into the same Pokémon visually without having the same attributes.

 

[Bravadorado]

Presumably, both of them will have the same stats after mega-evolving. It wouldn't make sense for them to mega-evolve into the same Pokémon visually without having the same attributes.

I'm almost positive that the mega latias we saw was just a placeholder in the games files that will be changed via patch or event, etc.

 

[Spenstar]

The Mega Lati@s we saw didn't have the mega symbol that other megas have over the "Lv" symbol. It's likely either fake or a placeholder. Plus the duo would need Dragon/Fairy and/or a 200 BST gain to be worth a look over Soul Dew Lati@s.

 

[Legitimate Username]

The lack of a Mega symbol is beacause they were hacked into the game, not properly evolved with their Mega Stone.

 

[Thorhammer]

The Mega Lati@s we saw didn't have the mega symbol that other megas have over the "Lv" symbol. It's likely either fake or a placeholder. Plus the duo would need Dragon/Fairy and/or a 200 BST gain to be worth a look over Soul Dew Lati@s.

We don't even have any indication that Soul Dew still exists. And it wouldn't give them a Speed buff, which this probably does.

 

[xSilentDeviL]

I've toyed with it occasionally, and it is surprisingly effective. With priority users such as Scizor and Breloom a bit less common (most people use Talonflame as their revenge killer atm), Mega-TTar can sweep teams with relative ease after it pulls off a DD. Sticky Web support is incredibly helpful, as it means Mega-TTar outspeeds every common Scarf user at +1. The biggest threats to its sweep are Excadrill (which still outspeeds with Sticky Web if Jolly), Azumarril and the previously mentioned Scizor & Breloom; eliminate those and you've got a monster of a late game sweeper.

EDIT: Excadrill needs to be Jolly though; Adamant gets outsped after the Speed drop from Sticky Web.

cool thanks a lot. and are you running an adamant or jolly tyranitar?

 

[MechPlasma]

I'm almost positive that the mega latias we saw was just a placeholder in the games files that will be changed via patch or event, etc.

And what makes you say that? It's clearly a complete model, and it doesn't make much sense to put in four event Pokémon but leave out a nearly-finished fifth until they download an internet-required DLC patch, rather than just... finishing it. This isn't Steam, where developers can make lots of tiny patches without affecting multiplayer because people are forced to update.

The Mega Lati@s we saw didn't have the mega symbol that other megas have over the "Lv" symbol. It's likely either fake or a placeholder.

It didn't have the mega symbol because it was made to appear in the wild, rather than by mega-evolution.

 

[Groudon ex]

cool thanks a lot. and are you running an adamant or jolly tyranitar?

Jolly since its increased Speed is the biggest advantage over regular TTar. With Jolly you can outspeeds things like Mega Gengar, Greninja and Alakazam, as well as Adamant Excadrill with Sticky Web support, which TTar can't do if it is Adamant. The loss of power isn't too significant, and besides, Mega-TTar is out-damaged by regular TTar with Life Orb anyway, but the former's superior bulk may allow it to set up an extra DD.

 

[xSilentDeviL]

Jolly since its increased Speed is the biggest advantage over regular TTar. With Jolly you can outspeeds things like Mega Gengar, Greninja and Alakazam, as well as Adamant Excadrill with Sticky Web support, which TTar can't do if it is Adamant. The loss of power isn't too significant, and besides, Mega-TTar is out-damaged by regular TTar with Life Orb anyway, but the former's superior bulk may allow it to set up an extra DD.

cool thanks a lot man...i would add conkeldurr to ur list of counters, as it resists both of tars stabs and obv the fighting weakness

 

[Bravadorado]

And what makes you say that? It's clearly a complete model, and it doesn't make much sense to put in four event Pokémon but leave out a nearly-finished fifth until they download an internet-required DLC patch, rather than just... finishing it. This isn't Steam, where developers can make lots of tiny patches without affecting multiplayer because people are forced to update.

Because it has the same model and coloration as Latios. So either it's a placeholder model and Latias will be red in the future, or maybe MegaLati@s is the same thing for both of them and it changes between a red form and blue form like Aegislash.

 

[Thorhammer]

Because it has the same model and coloration as Latios. So either it's a placeholder model and Latias will be red in the future, or maybe MegaLati@s is the same thing for both of them and it changes between a red form and blue form like Aegislash.

The only model we've seen for it is purple, which is equally associated with both Latios and Latias. It wouldn't make sense for Mega Latios to be purple and Mega Latias red, or for the purple model to exist but not show up at all with red and blue models in its place.

 

[ScraftyIsTheBest]

I don't think the mega Latis are official at all, I'm pretty sure it was a hack and there's no legit confirmation that they're real.

On the topic of viable Megas though, Mega Absol is the one I've been investing into the most, and I actually like it tbh. It hits really hard with Play Rough and Sucker Punch, especially after an SD boost, so it has a lot of power. Fire Blast is also a fun move that Absol can use with its decent SpA, and Absol is a very capable mixed attacker.

From experiences though Lucario and Gengar seem to be the most popular Megas; both are probably the most viable Megas imo.

 

[stage7_4]

We don't even have any indication that Soul Dew still exists. And it wouldn't give them a Speed buff, which this probably does.

While it's not proof that it's in the game, if you go to the rules in the battle Maison, under banned items it lists Soul Dew. So it's at least coded into the game.

But we probably shouldn't talk about theoretical stats and impacts of unreleased pokemon. At least until the end of December.

 

[xSilentDeviL]

Damn so much hate to my man Alakazam. Don't get me wrong, I agree the original is going to used more than the mega because of its revenge killing capability thanks to focus sash + magic guard (his man niche). However Megazam is still pretty cool. Anything with 175 SpAtk and 150 Spe is far from useless however, especially since it can use its awesome ability in Magic Guard to come into the game unscratched. Is it the best mega? No far from it, but it will have its uses for sure.

 

[Kairyu_Gen1]

Until this unofficial mega is released, it can't possibly be viable, so why is it on this thread. It'll almost definitely be uber, so it can't be that different from soul dew sets.