QC: dodmen / Meruu / dingbat
GP: Winry. / P Squared
Overview
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Mega Ampharos has an extremely high Special Attack stat, good bulk for an attacker, and access to good offensive STAB attacks that hit almost every type for neutral damage. However, it has a limited movepool, which prevents Ampharos from utilizing many playstyles. Furthermore, Mega Ampharos's ability, Mold Breaker is not particularly useful. Next, the release of ORAS brought many more checks to Ampharos than before, such as Mega Sceptile and Mega Swampert. It is also extremely slow for an attacker, as it has only a pitiful base 45 Speed stat.
Physically Defensive
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name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Volt Switch
move 4: Dragon Pulse / Heal Bell
ability: Static
item: Ampharosite
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
nature: Bold
Moves
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Rest provides recovery for Ampharos, and when used with Sleep Talk, Ampharos is able to use a move while asleep. Volt Switch is a decent STAB attack and keeps up momentum for the team. Dragon Pulse can be used in the fourth slot, as it is a powerful STAB attack and hits Ground-types, which are immune to Volt Switch. Heal Bell is another option, as it heals teammates' status conditions and can also wake Ampharos up from sleep if it is picked by Sleep Talk.
Set Details
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Static can paralyze foes if they make contact with Ampharos before it Mega Evolves. After Mega Evolving, Ampharos gets the ability Mold Breaker, which isn't very useful, but it does let Ampharos use Volt Switch against Mega Sceptile without boosting its Special Attack. Ampharosite allows Ampharos to Mega Evolve into Mega Ampharos. The EVs and Bold nature maximize Ampharos's Defense.
Usage Tips
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Ampharos can be sent in to wall a handful of Fire-, Steel-, and Electric-type attackers. Ampharos can also absorb sleep-inducing moves, as it has Sleep Talk and can attack while it's asleep. Volt Switch out to another Pokemon when you predict a threatening Pokemon to come in against Ampharos. However, do not recklessly spam it, as Ground-types can easily come in and force Ampharos to switch out after. Make sure to use Rest when Ampharos is getting low on health. Use Sleep Talk when asleep, as it will allow Ampharos to move during sleep. However, keep in mind that Rest puts Ampharos to sleep for two turns, so after Rest has been used, it is recommended that you use Sleep Talk for the next two turns and select another move the turn after. Use Heal Bell once a teammate has been statused and is severally crippled by it. Also, it is important to Mega Evolve as soon as possible, as Ampharos will get a huge boost in power, both offensively and defensively.
Team Options
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Suicune is an example of a good teammate because it beats most Pokemon that threaten Ampharos, and Mega Ampharos can stall out Electric- and Grass-type that threaten Suicune. Pokemon that appreciate physical attackers such as Honchkrow being removed, such as Jirachi and Machamp, make for good partners as well. U-turn users such as Flygon and Jirachi can form a VoltTurn core with Mega Ampharos and are therefore good teammates. Lastly, special walls that can take care of special attackers that threaten Mega Ampharos, such as Florges or Snorlax, are good teammates.
All-Out Attacker
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name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Dragon Pulse
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Volt Switch
ability: Static
item: Ampharosite
evs: 132 HP / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
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Thunderbolt is a very powerful STAB attack that has good neutral coverage. Dragon Pulse is another powerful STAB attack and provides great neutral coverage against Ground-type Pokemon. Focus Blast has terrifying overall coverage and hits many Pokemon, such as Snorlax, Porygon2, Rhyperior, and Umbreon, for super effective damage, but is inaccurate. Volt Switch allows Ampharos to keep up momentum for the team and switch out of its checks and counters that aren't immune to Volt Switch.
Set Details
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Static is Ampharos's ability before Mega Evolving; it can potentially paralyze a foe if the foe makes contact. Mold Breaker is Ampharos's ability after Mega Evolving, though it isn't very useful aside from letting Ampharos hit Mega Sceptile on the switch without boosting its Special Attack, as well as ignoring Mega Aggron's Filter and Rhyperior's Solid Rock. Ampharosite allows Ampharos to Mega Evolve into Mega Ampharos. The EV spread allows Mega Ampharos to outspeed uninvested base 60 Speed Pokemon, but it also lets Ampharos hit as hard as possible and gives it a small boost in bulk. The Modest nature boosts Ampharos's damage output and backs up the investment in Special Attack.
Usage Tips
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Use Volt Switch to switch out of Ampharos's checks and counters if they aren't Ground-type and to also keep up momentum. Ampharos can also be used as a slow pivot. Ampharos can switch into Electric- and Fire-types attacks very well, and it can hit the foe with one of its STAB attacks. When predicting a Ground-type to come in, switch out Ampharos, because Ground-types are immune to Volt Switch. Mega Evolve as soon as possible, as Ampharos will get a huge boost in power, both offensively and defensively.
Team Options
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Trick Room or Thunder Wave support is very appreciated for Mega Ampharos, as it allows Mega Ampharos to move first in most situations. Examples of good Trick Room setters include Bronzong and Cofagrigus. Wish support is also useful from Pokemon such as Jirachi or Blissey to boost Ampharos's longevity, as it doesn't have reliable recovery on its own. Other Volt Switch users or U-turn users such as Rotom-H and Flygon can form a VoltTurn core with Mega Ampharos. Pokemon that can reliably take care of Ground-types, such as Alomomola, Suicune, and Chesnaught, are good partners too. Finally, physically offensive attackers such as Mienshao, Lucario, and Krookodile make for good partners because they can get rid of special walls.
Agility
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name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Focus Blast
ability: Static
item: Ampharosite
evs: 32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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Agility allows Mega Ampharos to patch up its low Speed stat, hitting 400 Speed after an Agility. Thunderbolt is a powerful STAB attack that damages any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Dragon Pulse is another powerful secondary STAB attack, hitting opposing Dragon-types that threaten Mega Ampharos. Focus Blast has great Base Power along with terrifying coverage, but it has slightly low accuracy.
Set Details
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Static is Ampharos's ability before Mega Evolving and can paralyze foes if they make contact with Ampharos. Mold Breaker doesn't provide a lot of usefulness, yet it has the niche of not raising Mega Sceptile's Special Attack if it switches into Thunderbolt. It also bypasses Rhyperior's Solid Rock and Mega Aggron's Filter. Ampharosite is the standard item, as it allows Ampharos to Mega Evolve into Mega Ampharos. The invested EVs and Timid nature let Ampharos hit as hard as possible and outspeed everything up to neutral-natured base 150 Speed Pokemon after a boost, and the remaining EVs are put into HP to give a small boost to Ampharos's bulk. A Modest nature can instead be chosen to outspeed everything up to Mega Pidgeot after an Agility, and it gives a good boost to Ampharos's Special Attack.
Usage Tips
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Mega Evolve as soon as possible, as this will give Ampharos greater raw power as well as better bulk. Use Agility as foes switch out so that Mega Ampharos can get a free Speed boost without risking taking a hit. Don't spam Ampharos's STAB attacks when the opponent has a Ground- or Fairy-type available, because they can easily switch it in and force Ampharos out. This Ampharos is best used as late-game cleaner once special walls have fainted.
Team Options
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Alomomola and Florges are good teammates in particular, as they have good type synergy with Mega Ampharos and can provide Wish support to give a boost to Ampharos's longevity. Physically offensive attackers such as Mienshao or Krookodile make for good teammates, as they can beat the special walls that hinder Ampharos's sweep. Physically defensive walls such as Hippowdon and Suicune make for good partners, as they can reliably take on the physical attackers that trouble Ampharos. Lastly, Grass-types such as Chesnaught or Shaymin help Ampharos by beating Ground-types that stop it.
Other Options
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Toxic is an option to cripple the specially defensive walls that stop Ampharos, but it takes the place of a coverage attack and isn't worth it. Thunder Wave can be used to cripple physical attackers, while Cotton Guard boosts Ampharos's Defense, but Ampharos cannot afford to miss out on one of its coverage moves. Signal Beam is an option for coverage against Grass-types that resist Thunderbolt, but it lacks good power and doesn't provide good coverage aside from that either. Iron Tail is an attacking option that allows Mega Ampharos to hit Fairy-types, but it is inaccurate and doesn't hit many other Pokemon. A dual screens set is an option, but not really worth it, as non-Mega Ampharos isn't good and Mega Ampharos cannot hold Light Clay, which means it cannot lengthen the duration of the screens. Hidden Power Grass is another option to use for hitting Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Mega Swampert harder, but it lacks power, doesn't provide good coverage, and isn't worth a moveslot. Hidden Power Ice can also be used to hit specially defensive Gligar. A mixed set is an option to break through special walls better, but it usually still lacks power and means that Ampharos has to miss out on an overall stronger Special Attack, which makes the set not worth using.
Checks & Counters
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**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Krookodile, Mega Swampert, and Nidoqueen can outspeed Mega Ampharos before it Mega Evolves and can beat it with one of their STAB attacks, though none of these Pokemon like to switch into a Dragon Pulse.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Snorlax, Blissey, and Florges can take any hit and KO Mega Ampharos with one of their attacks or just stall it out.
**Faster Pokemon with Super Effective Coverage Moves**: Faster Pokemon with super effective coverage moves, such as Alakazam, Hydreigon, Mega Glalie, and Mega Sceptile, can outspeed Mega Ampharos and pick it off.
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