Mega Metagross

[SacredLatias]

[OVERVIEW]

Mega Metagross suffers the same issues as its fellow Steel and Psychic-types, as it is outclassed by Dusk Mane Necrozma, Solgaleo, and Mega Lucario as an offensive steel type. While Mega Metagross is faster with access to Bullet Punch, Dusk Mane Necrozma is bulkier and more powerful while not requiring a mega slot. Solgaleo is bulkier, with Web Immunity and a much better match up with Xerneas as a dedicated check. Mega Lucario has a higher base speed, with Adaptability and general flexibility of sets, allowing for unpredictability and a less severe weakness to Will-O-Wisp. Mega Metagross isn't completely useless though, as its great movepool and Tough Claws allow it to pick up big damage on Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, Zygarde-C, and Ho-oh.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Rock Slide/Thunder Punch
move 2: Meteor Mash
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Bullet Punch / Earthquake
item: Metagrossite
ability: Tough Claws
nature: Jolly
EVs: 232 HP / 68 Atk / 40 SpD / 168 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

• Bullet punch is a STAB priority move, allowing for Mega Metagross to hit faster Pokemon such as Pheromosa, Naganadel, and Deoxys-A for massive damage without having to take chip beforehand.
• Meteor Mash is a high powered stab move with a 20% chance to raise Mega Metagross' attack stat by one stage, allowing it to have a chance to power up without using a turn to set up, allowing for Mega Metagross to bust through otherwise problematic Pokemon, such as Dusk Mane, Zygarde-C, along with Arceus Ground, Fairy, and Ghost.
• Rock Slide is ran exclusively to OHKO Ho-oh, but still achieves good damage numbers on other prominent flying types such as Yveltal and Lugia and has the chance to flinch as well.
• Thunder Punch is your primary option for the bulky water and flying types of the tier, able to 2HKO Primal Kyogre, 3HKO Arceus water after Stealth Rocks, and 2HKOs offensive Yveltal after Stealth Rocks
• Ice Punch is a must on Mega Metagross to be able to beat Zygarde-C, Rayquaza, and Mega Salamence. Otherwise, Mega Metagross loses to these threats.

Set Details
========

This set runs 232 HP and 40 SpD to help take the many heavy hits of the tier, Including Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Yveltal. The rest goes into Speed and attack to exert an offensive presence, and outspeed the many base 90 speed pokemon in the tier.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Metagross is most commonly used as an answer to Xerneas, so switching in is recommended. Watch out for Focus Blast though, as it will put a massive dent in Mega Metagross.

Team Options
========

Describe some teammates that would be a good idea to pair with this Pokemon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

List some options for the Pokemon user that are plausible but not always recommended due to either being not consistent enough or too outclassed by other Pokemon in the metagame.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Insert Threat Here**: Describe why the Pokemon is a threat.

**Insert Threat Here**: Describe why the Pokemon is a threat.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[, ]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

 

[shrang]

Anyway, I've tried to make the case a few times on Discord. Mega Metagross doesn't have much of a niche. Its only real use is to role compress 1) Xern check 2) SR user 3) able to prevent Defog on 4) Webs. Pretty much everything else it's outclassed by either Dusk Mane or Lucario. The idea is that you can set up SR on your Webs team, then Explode as things try to Defog, outside of things you can't stop like fast Mega Mence and Prankster users. Common Arceus/Ho-oh/Gira-O/ScarfXern are easily stopped. Something simple like:

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 88 SpD / 168 Spe
Nature: Jolly
- Stealth Rock
- Meteor Mash
- Ice Punch / Earthquake
- Explosion

EVs let you outspeed +ve Speed Yveltal so you can blow up on that too. Ice Punch lets you break Zyg Subs although you can just Explode on that too if you have no more need for Metagross

Also lets you use a properly good offensive Dusk Mane or Dawn Wings UNecro without having to role compress SR onto it too

 

[SacredLatias]

Anyway, I've tried to make the case a few times on Discord. Mega Metagross doesn't have much of a niche. Its only real use is to role compress 1) Xern check 2) SR user 3) able to prevent Defog on 4) Webs. Pretty much everything else it's outclassed by either Dusk Mane or Lucario. The idea is that you can set up SR on your Webs team, then Explode as things try to Defog, outside of things you can't stop like fast Mega Mence and Prankster users. Common Arceus/Ho-oh/Gira-O/ScarfXern are easily stopped. Something simple like:

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 88 SpD / 168 Spe
Nature: Jolly
- Stealth Rock
- Meteor Mash
- Ice Punch / Earthquake
- Explosion

EVs let you outspeed +ve Speed Yveltal so you can blow up on that too. Ice Punch lets you break Zyg Subs although you can just Explode on that too if you have no more need for Metagross

Also lets you use a properly good offensive Dusk Mane or Dawn Wings UNecro without having to role compress SR onto it too

I'll change what I have.Thanks for taking your time to help me out shrang!

 

[Lotus]

I'm not entirely sure if Stealth Rock + Explosion should be the pick here. I understand the set has been brought up in Discord a few times and Mega Metagross is the one of the few Pokemon that has access to such combination of moves, but there is a better option for it that a few of us agree on: Mega Diancie. Personally I see little reason to write an analysis about Mega Metagross's "possibility" as an SR user in Sticky Web teams when it is better off to differentiate it from other Steel-types that can switch into a resisted attack and use its somewhat wide movepool to maximize the number of foes it can hit.

Common Arceus/Ho-oh/Gira-O/ScarfXern are easily stopped.

Mega Diancie easily outspeeds them all assuming Sticky Web has been set... and it offensively threatens some of the Pokemon in the given list.

EVs let you outspeed +ve Speed Yveltal so you can blow up on that too. Ice Punch lets you break Zyg Subs although you can just Explode on that too if you have no more need for Metagross

This further makes SR + Explosion Mega Metagross a questionable set to display in smogdex page when Mega Diancie just has better matchup against them. Let's not forget that Mega Diancie also has a Magic Bounce to deny entry hazards from the opposing team and retains much more usefulness against slower teams.

To me, it seems that there has been increasingly more attempts to find a room for innovation when the Pokemon in question is unviable by being outclassed by other prominent Pokemon. Contrary to what outsiders say and believe about Ubers C&C section, I was around to witness a few analyses on unviable (and less viable) Pokemon getting rejected because of the writer's attempt to showcase sets that do not help to accomplish anything other than just "getting them out of the way", not because we had to question about writer's metagame knowledge the first time we read the analysis. In my standards, reject-worthy analyses are 'needless' ones that don't inform reader with anything valuable and I question the quality of the content next. I always felt that Ubers is a tier with a bigger room of innovation with most Pokemon in the tier being marginally useful at worst, but I don't think that should be used to justify a completely outclassed sets like this. I would say we have to write analyses on sets that show the Pokemon's position in the metagame instead of featuring 'a cool set that can work on paper' and completely ignoring the fact that better Pokemon exists. As of now the rest of the QC team isn't too fond of the set shrang has posted so I would talk to the team if I were you. It would be more effort on your part to implement the suggestion above and having to go back to square one in an event we ask you to stick with the Physical Attacker set you currently have in OP.

 

[SacredLatias]

Understood, I'll talk to you guys about it later.

 

[shrang]

Diancie can't check Xerneas though. They check different things. 168 Spe isn't always necessary vs Yveltal, but it's nice to have especially when it can potentially Defog on you.

Also come on, you really can't tell me a generic 4 attacks Metagross whose only niche over Dusk Mane is Bullet Punch (and therefore not good for anything, really) is a more appropriate set than something which is actually optimised for specific builds (trust me I've run a team where I had Dusk Mane in the same spot as Mega Metagross and Metagross was just a better fit because it was the only Pokemon that could do the things I listed). I can show you the team I built if you want, and why Metagross just fitted better.

 

[Lotus]

Why does it matter for Mega Metagross to check Xerneas when it is never going to last more than a few turns in the field as SR + boom user anyway? The set you are arguing over is meant to be used in the early game to get SR up so its defensive presence shouldn't be considered if you are attempting to justify it over Mega Diancie that can do way more useful things with its better offensive presence.

The team you said to have Mega Metagross fit better has Araquanid... and I don't think that's a valid source to back up your claim for any reason. A few other QC members agreed that Mega Metagross will be a horrendous Pokemon to use regardless of its set, and I think you believe the same. I think Nayrz further clarified on 4 Attack set's advantage of having a better matchup against Primal Kyogre and Ho-Oh, which many offensive Steel-type do not have. I am more than open to suggestions about adding / changing / removing sets for analysis and will gladly inform other members, but when the Pokemon in question is that low in viability, I don't believe that automatically justifies a room for something completely meaningless to fit in.

 

[Nayrz]

regardless of set... this analysis is taking far too long to get out of WIP and i'll need to see this with significant progress in the next 48 hours. the overview should be in bullet format btw - see our other uploaded analyses for an indication.

SacredLatias

edit: fair enough

 

[SacredLatias]

I will be dropping Mega Metagross, as I wish to spend time with family instead