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[SET]
name: Bulky Dragon Dance
move 1: Frustration
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Roost
move 4: Dragon Dance
item: Altarianite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 16 Atk / 76 Def / 100 SpD / 64 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Mega Altaria can be a potent wincon and also sports excellent defensive utility. Mega Altaria's solid natural bulk, Roost, and solid resistances make it a great check to Ash-Greninja, Zapdos, and non-Ice Beam Mega Latias, setting up freely on them. However, its average Speed tier and relatively poor damage output without multiple boosts make it mediocre in practice. Frustration is Mega Altaria's best attacking move, its already solid Base Power further bolstered by Pixilate and STAB, denting even resistant foes like Ferrothorn and Corviknight hard when boosted. Earthquake allows Mega Altaria to pressure Steel- and Poison-types, which resist Fairy, such as Toxapex, Heatran, and Melmetal. The given EV spread allows Mega Altaria to 2HKO defensive Clefable at +1, survive two Mega Lopunny Frustrations—allowing Mega Altaria to set up on it—and outspeed Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Kyurem after a Dragon Dance. The remaining EVs are placed in Special Defense to take hits from Zapdos, Mega Charizard Y, and Ash-Greninja better.
Mega Altaria fits on bulky teams that can wear down its checks like Ferrothorn, Melmetal, and Mega Scizor to facilitate a late-game sweep. Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Toxapex, Ferrothorn, Slowbro, and Landorus-T all appreciate Mega Altaria's unique defensive utility; it either secondarily checks or outright handles threats like Ash-Greninja, Heatran, Mega Charizard Y, and Zapdos that force them out. force them out. In return, these Pokemon provide a solid defensive backbone against Steel- and Ice-types such as Mega Scizor, Melmetal, and Weavile. Entry hazards such as Spikes from Greninja and the aforementioned Ferrothorn enormously benefit Mega Altaria, as they help wear down its checks into range of its boosted attacks. Pokemon such as Heatran and Fightinium Z Kartana work extremely well with Mega Altaria, as they force out, pressure, and force damage on the Steel-types that check it. Magnezone in particular deserves a special mention, as it can instantly trap and remove pesky Steel-types such as Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, paving the way for a Mega Altaria sweep. Volcarona with Psychic, Electrium Z Rotom-W, and Groundium Z Greninja bait in and remove Toxapex, which Mega Altaria can struggle to break through.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fire Blast can be run over Roost to lure in and break through Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor; however, this trades away most of Mega Altaria's defensive utility for a mediocre sweeper set that's relatively easy to revenge kill and wear down, making this only a worthwhile option on hyper offense teams. Heal Bell or Refresh over Earthquake allows Mega Altaria to care much less about status, although the coverage loss is often not worth it. Other STAB options such as Facade and Body Slam can be used over Frustration, with the former letting Mega Altaria take advantage of being statused, and the latter spreading paralysis, although these are much more situational and inconsistent, making them less useful overall. Lastly, a bulky special attacking set utilizing Hyper Voice, Flamethrower, and a utility move could hone in on Mega Altaria's unique defensive capabilities but gets worn down incredibly easily and doesn't make much progress.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Mega Scizor and Skarmory hard wall Mega Altaria, taking negligible damage from both its attacks and healing up safely, and they can take advantage of it by either using Swords Dance or laying down Spikes. Other Steel-types such as Melmetal and Ferrothorn are also solid checks, but they are prone to being worn down by entry hazards and repeated Earthquakes.
**Status Effects**: Status completely neutralizes Mega Altaria. Poison and burn sink its longevity and damage output, and, although less detrimental than the former two, paralysis makes it much easier to revenge kill and reduces its setup opportunities. The rare Facade, Heal Bell, and Refresh make Mega Altaria much more resilient to status.
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to its middling Speed tier even at +1, Mega Altaria is still outsped and forced out by a plethora of faster Pokemon such as Weavile, Protean Greninja, Kartana, and common Choice Scarf users like Tapu Lele and Landorus-T after a boost. However, none of these Pokemon can safely switch in.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable can take unboosted hits from Mega Altaria and pressure it out with Moonblast and Thunder Wave, although it falters to two boosted Frustrations. Mega Mawile and Tapu Fini can take a boosted attack and retaliate if healthy but are unable to switch in safely. Other Fairy-types such as Mega Diancie and Tapu Koko outspeed it after a Dragon Dance and force it out if brought in safely, but they can't switch in on their own due to their frailty.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[adem, 529732]]
- Quality checked by: [[Sulo, 528036], [Kaede, 483087]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
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