[OVERVIEW]
Metagross returns to DPP OU as perhaps the best glue Pokemon in the tier. Metagross's fantastic stat spread, excellent Steel / Psychic typing, versatile movepool, and item flexibility lets it fulfill almost any role, be that as a utility Pokemon, sweeper, or speed control with a Choice Scarf. Metagross is one of the best Stealth Rock users in the tier, as it has the bulk to set up the entry hazard in front of almost all foes and can punish spinners such as Starmie, Forretress, and Donphan with Explosion and Earthquake. With just 252 HP EVs, Metagross also is one of the best utility checks in the tier, as by customizing its item and moves, it can check everything from Dragon Dance sweepers such as Tyranitar, Dragonite, and Gyarados with a Shuca Berry; Breloom, Gengar, Machamp, and Jirachi with a Lum Berry; and Infernape, Heatran, and mixed Dragonite with an Occa Berry. This item flexibility makes it by far the best user of Trick + Iron Ball in the tier, as it lures in premier answers such as Skarmory, Rotom-A, and Zapdos and neuters them with an Iron Ball while opening them up to Earthquake. Even if Trick doesn’t connect with these prime targets, most offensive Pokemon do not enjoy losing their item and Speed, while defensive Pokemon often give Metagross Leftovers, making it a fantastic defensive Jirachi check.
More offensive Metagross sets are also excellent choices. Agility Metagross is one of the hardest foes to cover for offensive teams, as its bulk makes it hard to KO while in return it outspeeds and KOes frailer, faster Pokemon including most Choice Scarf users. Its ability Clear Body makes Metagross immune to Intimidate weakening it, preventing Gyarados from mitigating its offensive prowess. In addition, it can customize its coverage, including options such as Ice Punch to always OHKO Choice Scarf Flygon and hit Gliscor, Latias, and Zapdos hard and Zen Headbutt to OHKO Breloom and hit bulky Pokemon such as Rotom-A and Swampert as hard as possible. Choice Scarf also makes Metagross an excellent revenge killer, as it outspeeds neutral-natured +1 Gyarados and +1 Dragonite and can KO them with the proper coverage or Explosion. It can even use Pursuit to make it a great check to Gengar and Choice-locked Latias, especially after Latias uses Draco Meteor, as it outspeeds them and threatens to KO or heavily damage them.
Metagross's main issues in DPP OU are due to it being a jack-of-all-trades: its relatively slow Speed, poor offensive typing, and common weaknesses make it not as specialized as many other Steel-types in the tier. While Metagross is faster than many defensive Pokemon with full investment, doing so is often at the expense of crucial bulk. Choice Scarf Metagross also must be careful about Jolly Gyarados and Dragonite, as they outspeed it and can potentially KO it. Without bulk investment, Metagross struggles to fulfill defensive responsibilities of a Steel-type such as switching into Latias’s Choice Specs Draco Meteor and taking on defensive Jirachi. However, with bulk investment and especially before it uses Trick to lose its Iron Ball, Metagross is very slow, often having to take a hit before retaliating. Its attributes combine to make Metagross a fantastic utility check; however, because it lacks recovery and is easily chipped, it doesn’t work as a long-term counter to anything. Metagross’s typing also is rather poor offensively, as it often needs the threat of Explosion or Trick to scare Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Swampert, Zapdos, Suicune, and especially Rotom-A and Skarmory due to the bad coverage of Meteor Mash. Metagross cannot pick all the options—items, moves, and EV spreads—it needs to handle every threat, forcing it to either bluff having an option or sacrifice itself to take out a foe.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
As Metagross often only needs Earthquake to be effective, it has many additional options. A prominent one is to drop Explosion for Toxic and Protect with Leftovers on defensive teams alongside Magnezone or Magneton. Metagross is highly effective without Skarmory and Forretress in the picture, is a fantastic Jirachi and Clefable check with Leftovers, and can spread Toxic on defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Zapdos, and Swampert. There are many other options in the last slot alongside Meteor Mash and Explosion: some prominent ones include Pursuit with a lot special bulk to trap Latias; Endure alongside Custap Berry to always survive a hit and revenge kill sweepers without priority; Zen Headbutt to surprise Breloom, Machamp, and Rotom-A; Refresh to heal off paralysis or burns from Jirachi and Gengar; and Rest with a Chesto Berry to heal off residual damage and give Metagross a second chance. Metagross can also use an effective mixed set with options such as Hidden Power Fire for Skarmory, Scizor, and Forretress; Grass Knot for Swampert, Hippowdon, and Slowbro; and Psychic for Rotom-A, Breloom, Gengar, and Machamp. Expert Belt on such a set lets Metagross hit its targets very hard, 2HKOing Hippowdon and Skarmory and OHKOing Swampert, Scizor, and Forretress with their respective moves. Grass Knot also is good on physical sets to 2HKO Swampert and potentially physically defensive Hippowdon. Metagross can also use Hammer Arm to heavily damage Clefable and Tyranitar while also hitting Magnet Rise Magnezone and Heatran.
Choice Band seems like it would be a fantastic choice on such a strong Pokemon, but all of Metagross's attacks have drawbacks when it locks into them. Heatran, Skarmory, and physically defensive Jirachi can punish Metagross hard for using Meteor Mash, and Metagross isn't fast enough or bulky enough to get enough advantage for locking into one attack. While Explosion can now KO almost anything not immune to it, it still can’t OHKO physically defensive Skarmory. It simply doesn’t have enough utility compared to other sets.
Checks and Counters
========
**Rotom-A**: Rotom-A is the classic Metagross counter, as it resists Meteor Mash, is immune to Earthquake and Explosion, and can either burn it with Will-O-Wisp or roast it with Overheat. Even though Agility Metagross outspeeds Choice Scarf Rotom-A, Metagross still typically loses to it if both are at full health and Metagross doesn’t have Zen Headbutt. Metagross can win the matchup if it gives Rotom-A an Iron Ball, as Earthquake 2HKOes it, but Metagross still hates being burned.
**Bulky Flying-types**: Skarmory, Zapdos, and Gyarados resist Meteor Mash and are immune to Earthquake. Despite not resisting Meteor Mash, Gliscor is bulky enough to take it fairly well. Of these, physically defensive Skarmory is perhaps the best answer, as it fears almost nothing Metagross can do, heals off even Thunder Punch and Explosion, and isn’t 2HKOed by Earthquake if it is Tricked an Iron Ball. Zapdos and Gyarados can 2HKO Metagross with Heat Wave and Earthquake, respectively, while physically defensive versions of both can take repeated punishment from Meteor Mash. However, neither enjoy an Iron Ball, both are OHKOed by Explosion, and Gyarados is also OHKOed by Thunder Punch. Gliscor needs a lot of Defense investment to continually endure Metagross’s attacks, is OHKOed by Explosion, and additionally hates Ice Punch.
**Water-types**: Swampert, Suicune, Starmie, Milotic, Ludicolo, Quagsire, and Slowbro are all good answers to Metagross unless it packs Thunder Punch or Grass Knot depending on the Pokemon. Even then, they often can survive these attacks and heavily weaken Metagross or force it to use Explosion. Special Water-types like Kingdra and offensive Empoleon can overpower Metagross with Hydro Pump, especially if boosted by rain or Choice Specs.
**Ground-types**: Both offensive and defensive Ground-types threaten Metagross. Offensive Ground-types such as Mamoswine, Flygon, Swampert, and Gliscor can hit Metagross very hard with Earthquake, especially Mamoswine, which OHKOes maximum HP Metagross with a Choice Band Earthquake. Defensive Ground-types such as Hippowdon, Quagsire, and Donphan 2HKO Metagross with Earthquake and force it to use Explosion unless it has Grass Knot.
**Fire-types**: While they can’t switch in freely, Infernape and Heatran outspeed Metagross and devastate it with Fire-type attacks unless it has an Occa Berry. Choice Specs Heatran is notable in that it OHKOes Metagross through the Occa Berry.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Steel-types, especially if they aren’t hit super effectively by Earthquake, are good answers to Metagross because they resist Explosion and Meteor Mash. Bronzong is immune to Earthquake and hits it hard with Earthquake. Scizor and Forretress either set up on Metagross or hit it hard in Scizor's case. Magnezone is notable in that it often outspeeds Metagross and can trap it with Magnet Rise or KO it if it is weakened, but it needs to watch out for Iron Ball or faster Metagross.
**Residual Damage**: Metagross doesn’t have access to reliable recovery and is vulnerable to Spikes and burn. Metagross easily lets Skarmory and Forretress set up Spikes and detests getting burned. Both Gengar and Rotom-A outspeed Metagross and burn it. Any additional damage makes it harder for Metagross to be a utility counter, as many Pokemon can hit it super effectively to KO it once it’s sufficiently chipped.
**Magnet Pull** While not as susceptible to trapping as Skarmory, Metagross is often slower than Magneton and Magnezone and is prone to be revenge killed by STAB Thunderbolt. Faster Magnezone variants in particular can use Magnet Rise to suppress their Earthquake weakness, forcing Metagross to use Explosion. Although risky, Magneton and Choice Scarf Magnezone can also switch into a predicted Trick, locking Metagross into a non-damaging move and 2HKOing it.
Metagross returns to DPP OU as perhaps the best glue Pokemon in the tier. Metagross's fantastic stat spread, excellent Steel / Psychic typing, versatile movepool, and item flexibility lets it fulfill almost any role, be that as a utility Pokemon, sweeper, or speed control with a Choice Scarf. Metagross is one of the best Stealth Rock users in the tier, as it has the bulk to set up the entry hazard in front of almost all foes and can punish spinners such as Starmie, Forretress, and Donphan with Explosion and Earthquake. With just 252 HP EVs, Metagross also is one of the best utility checks in the tier, as by customizing its item and moves, it can check everything from Dragon Dance sweepers such as Tyranitar, Dragonite, and Gyarados with a Shuca Berry; Breloom, Gengar, Machamp, and Jirachi with a Lum Berry; and Infernape, Heatran, and mixed Dragonite with an Occa Berry. This item flexibility makes it by far the best user of Trick + Iron Ball in the tier, as it lures in premier answers such as Skarmory, Rotom-A, and Zapdos and neuters them with an Iron Ball while opening them up to Earthquake. Even if Trick doesn’t connect with these prime targets, most offensive Pokemon do not enjoy losing their item and Speed, while defensive Pokemon often give Metagross Leftovers, making it a fantastic defensive Jirachi check.
More offensive Metagross sets are also excellent choices. Agility Metagross is one of the hardest foes to cover for offensive teams, as its bulk makes it hard to KO while in return it outspeeds and KOes frailer, faster Pokemon including most Choice Scarf users. Its ability Clear Body makes Metagross immune to Intimidate weakening it, preventing Gyarados from mitigating its offensive prowess. In addition, it can customize its coverage, including options such as Ice Punch to always OHKO Choice Scarf Flygon and hit Gliscor, Latias, and Zapdos hard and Zen Headbutt to OHKO Breloom and hit bulky Pokemon such as Rotom-A and Swampert as hard as possible. Choice Scarf also makes Metagross an excellent revenge killer, as it outspeeds neutral-natured +1 Gyarados and +1 Dragonite and can KO them with the proper coverage or Explosion. It can even use Pursuit to make it a great check to Gengar and Choice-locked Latias, especially after Latias uses Draco Meteor, as it outspeeds them and threatens to KO or heavily damage them.
Metagross's main issues in DPP OU are due to it being a jack-of-all-trades: its relatively slow Speed, poor offensive typing, and common weaknesses make it not as specialized as many other Steel-types in the tier. While Metagross is faster than many defensive Pokemon with full investment, doing so is often at the expense of crucial bulk. Choice Scarf Metagross also must be careful about Jolly Gyarados and Dragonite, as they outspeed it and can potentially KO it. Without bulk investment, Metagross struggles to fulfill defensive responsibilities of a Steel-type such as switching into Latias’s Choice Specs Draco Meteor and taking on defensive Jirachi. However, with bulk investment and especially before it uses Trick to lose its Iron Ball, Metagross is very slow, often having to take a hit before retaliating. Its attributes combine to make Metagross a fantastic utility check; however, because it lacks recovery and is easily chipped, it doesn’t work as a long-term counter to anything. Metagross’s typing also is rather poor offensively, as it often needs the threat of Explosion or Trick to scare Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Swampert, Zapdos, Suicune, and especially Rotom-A and Skarmory due to the bad coverage of Meteor Mash. Metagross cannot pick all the options—items, moves, and EV spreads—it needs to handle every threat, forcing it to either bluff having an option or sacrifice itself to take out a foe.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
As Metagross often only needs Earthquake to be effective, it has many additional options. A prominent one is to drop Explosion for Toxic and Protect with Leftovers on defensive teams alongside Magnezone or Magneton. Metagross is highly effective without Skarmory and Forretress in the picture, is a fantastic Jirachi and Clefable check with Leftovers, and can spread Toxic on defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Zapdos, and Swampert. There are many other options in the last slot alongside Meteor Mash and Explosion: some prominent ones include Pursuit with a lot special bulk to trap Latias; Endure alongside Custap Berry to always survive a hit and revenge kill sweepers without priority; Zen Headbutt to surprise Breloom, Machamp, and Rotom-A; Refresh to heal off paralysis or burns from Jirachi and Gengar; and Rest with a Chesto Berry to heal off residual damage and give Metagross a second chance. Metagross can also use an effective mixed set with options such as Hidden Power Fire for Skarmory, Scizor, and Forretress; Grass Knot for Swampert, Hippowdon, and Slowbro; and Psychic for Rotom-A, Breloom, Gengar, and Machamp. Expert Belt on such a set lets Metagross hit its targets very hard, 2HKOing Hippowdon and Skarmory and OHKOing Swampert, Scizor, and Forretress with their respective moves. Grass Knot also is good on physical sets to 2HKO Swampert and potentially physically defensive Hippowdon. Metagross can also use Hammer Arm to heavily damage Clefable and Tyranitar while also hitting Magnet Rise Magnezone and Heatran.
Choice Band seems like it would be a fantastic choice on such a strong Pokemon, but all of Metagross's attacks have drawbacks when it locks into them. Heatran, Skarmory, and physically defensive Jirachi can punish Metagross hard for using Meteor Mash, and Metagross isn't fast enough or bulky enough to get enough advantage for locking into one attack. While Explosion can now KO almost anything not immune to it, it still can’t OHKO physically defensive Skarmory. It simply doesn’t have enough utility compared to other sets.
Checks and Counters
========
**Rotom-A**: Rotom-A is the classic Metagross counter, as it resists Meteor Mash, is immune to Earthquake and Explosion, and can either burn it with Will-O-Wisp or roast it with Overheat. Even though Agility Metagross outspeeds Choice Scarf Rotom-A, Metagross still typically loses to it if both are at full health and Metagross doesn’t have Zen Headbutt. Metagross can win the matchup if it gives Rotom-A an Iron Ball, as Earthquake 2HKOes it, but Metagross still hates being burned.
**Bulky Flying-types**: Skarmory, Zapdos, and Gyarados resist Meteor Mash and are immune to Earthquake. Despite not resisting Meteor Mash, Gliscor is bulky enough to take it fairly well. Of these, physically defensive Skarmory is perhaps the best answer, as it fears almost nothing Metagross can do, heals off even Thunder Punch and Explosion, and isn’t 2HKOed by Earthquake if it is Tricked an Iron Ball. Zapdos and Gyarados can 2HKO Metagross with Heat Wave and Earthquake, respectively, while physically defensive versions of both can take repeated punishment from Meteor Mash. However, neither enjoy an Iron Ball, both are OHKOed by Explosion, and Gyarados is also OHKOed by Thunder Punch. Gliscor needs a lot of Defense investment to continually endure Metagross’s attacks, is OHKOed by Explosion, and additionally hates Ice Punch.
**Water-types**: Swampert, Suicune, Starmie, Milotic, Ludicolo, Quagsire, and Slowbro are all good answers to Metagross unless it packs Thunder Punch or Grass Knot depending on the Pokemon. Even then, they often can survive these attacks and heavily weaken Metagross or force it to use Explosion. Special Water-types like Kingdra and offensive Empoleon can overpower Metagross with Hydro Pump, especially if boosted by rain or Choice Specs.
**Ground-types**: Both offensive and defensive Ground-types threaten Metagross. Offensive Ground-types such as Mamoswine, Flygon, Swampert, and Gliscor can hit Metagross very hard with Earthquake, especially Mamoswine, which OHKOes maximum HP Metagross with a Choice Band Earthquake. Defensive Ground-types such as Hippowdon, Quagsire, and Donphan 2HKO Metagross with Earthquake and force it to use Explosion unless it has Grass Knot.
**Fire-types**: While they can’t switch in freely, Infernape and Heatran outspeed Metagross and devastate it with Fire-type attacks unless it has an Occa Berry. Choice Specs Heatran is notable in that it OHKOes Metagross through the Occa Berry.
**Bulky Steel-types**: Steel-types, especially if they aren’t hit super effectively by Earthquake, are good answers to Metagross because they resist Explosion and Meteor Mash. Bronzong is immune to Earthquake and hits it hard with Earthquake. Scizor and Forretress either set up on Metagross or hit it hard in Scizor's case. Magnezone is notable in that it often outspeeds Metagross and can trap it with Magnet Rise or KO it if it is weakened, but it needs to watch out for Iron Ball or faster Metagross.
**Residual Damage**: Metagross doesn’t have access to reliable recovery and is vulnerable to Spikes and burn. Metagross easily lets Skarmory and Forretress set up Spikes and detests getting burned. Both Gengar and Rotom-A outspeed Metagross and burn it. Any additional damage makes it harder for Metagross to be a utility counter, as many Pokemon can hit it super effectively to KO it once it’s sufficiently chipped.
**Magnet Pull** While not as susceptible to trapping as Skarmory, Metagross is often slower than Magneton and Magnezone and is prone to be revenge killed by STAB Thunderbolt. Faster Magnezone variants in particular can use Magnet Rise to suppress their Earthquake weakness, forcing Metagross to use Explosion. Although risky, Magneton and Choice Scarf Magnezone can also switch into a predicted Trick, locking Metagross into a non-damaging move and 2HKOing it.
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