[SET]
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Meteor Mash / Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Thunder Punch / Ice Punch
item: Lum Berry / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Agility patches Metagross’s Speed woes and lets it clean up frailer foes with its power and coverage. Earthquake is critical for Steel-types such as Heatran, Magnezone, and Empoleon and gives Metagross a niche on more offensive teams as a Jirachi check. Meteor Mash is an excellent move for Metagross, as an Attack raise can potentially allow Metagross to sweep. Metagross typically does around 70% to prominent faster Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Latias and Flygon with Meteor Mash and often fails to OHKO offensive Pokemon if it can’t hit them super effectively. However, another option is Zen Headbutt, as it crucially OHKOes Breloom and other Fighting-types, 2HKOes Choice-locked Rotom-A sets, and potentially gives Metagross a way to flinch pass bulkier targets such as offensive Suicune, Zapdos, and Swampert. Explosion immediately removes almost everything in the tier and takes advantage of Metagross’s increased Speed, as it resists most priority and there are few foes faster than it. Thunder Punch is another great option, as it instantly OHKOes Gyarados and is Metagross’s best option for Skarmory. However, when using Zen Headbutt, Metagross needs the additional coverage of Ice Punch to hit Pokemon such as Gliscor, Latias, and Flygon hard. Metagross can also opt for Zen Headbutt in its last slot for a double STAB combination, it will struggle against physical walls such as Skarmory if it does this.
Set Details
========
Metagross maximizes its Attack and Speed to outspeed slower Choice Scarf users such as Lucario, Rotom-A, and Heatran after it uses Agility. As Metagross only need 216 EVs to outspeed these Pokemon at +2, 40 EVs can be put into HP for general bulk, but they only have a marginal impact. Maximum Speed EVs help against Pokemon such as Breloom and Magnet Rise Magnezone before Metagross uses Agility. Metagross can also use a Jolly nature with 196 Speed EVs to outspeed Choice Scarf Flygon, but it fails to outspeed Latias even with maximum investment. Jolly is especially a good option alongside Ice Punch, as Flygon commonly can survive one attack and heavily weaken Metagross.
Lum Berry lets Metagross switch into Breloom’s Spore, outspeeding and KOing it afterwards, while buffering against status moves such as Thunder Wave from Choice Scarf Latias, Jirachi’s Body Slam, and Will-O-Wisp from Gengar and Rotom-A. Alternatively, Shuca Berry makes Metagross a great anti-offense tool that absorbs powerful Earthquakes from Flygon, Gliscor, Swampert, and opposing Dragon Dance users like Tyranitar, Gyarados, and Dragonite. However, other items such as Life Orb to KO frailer Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Latias after Stealth Rock and Occa Berry to withstand Fire-type moves from Heatran and Infernape are also very helpful.
Usage Tips
========
How Metagross is played depends on the matchup. Against more offensive teams, Metagross typically comes into the game fairly late to clean up weakened teams or on Breloom’s Spore, should it have a Lum Berry to reverse momentum. Offensive teams often cover Metagross with Choice Scarf Rotom-A or generic bulky Pokemon such as offensive Suicune, Swampert, Bronzong, and opposing Metagross. If these Pokemon are weakened, Metagross can easily set up using its bulk and sweep or trade two-for-one via its power and potentially Explosion. Against more defensive teams, Metagross often is walled and either tries to trade with Explosion against a wall such as Hippowdon or Zapdos or stays hidden to give a stopgap against defensive Jirachi and Clefable, depending on the flow of the game. Even against foes that wall Metagross and resist Explosion, such as Skarmory and Bronzong, using Explosion on them can weaken them for other sweepers. Beware of Skarmory predicting Explosion and using Roost or the opponent switching in Rotom-A and nullifying Explosion. Note that Metagross’s coverage moves such as Zen Headbutt and Ice Punch are often surprising and can nab unsuspecting KOs, especially against Rotom-A and Flygon, respectively.
Team Options
========
Agility Metagross is most often used alongside other sweepers such as Dragon Dance Gyarados, Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragonite, and Swords Dance Lucario. These Pokemon soften up walls and bulky Pokemon so Metagross can clean up the rest. Of these, Taunt + Dragon Dance Tyranitar is an excellent partner, as it can potentially defeat defensive teams by itself if Metagross uses Explosion on Hippowdon as well as check Rotom-A and Latias, while Metagross can handle Jirachi and Breloom for Tyranitar. Dragonite also can break open walls for Metagross either with a mixed set, a Dragon Dance set, or even an Agility set. These Pokemon also are commonly alongside very aggressive leads such as Azelf and Aerodactyl to prevent Stealth Rock, with Azelf often paralyzing and/or using Explosion on bulky Steel-types such as Jirachi, Metagross, and Heatran that can potentially survive Metagross's Earthquake and retaliate. Agility Metagross is also fantastic alongside good Rotom-A checks, as even if it has Zen Headbutt, bulkier Rotom-A sets are only 3HKOed by it after Stealth Rock. Some good examples are faster Pursuit Tyranitar sets and Swords Dance Scizor. Metagross enjoys backup from Steel-types to handle Latias and Dragonite, as very strong Dragon-type moves such as Modest Choice Specs Latias and Dragonite's +1 Outrage 2HKO it after Stealth Rock. Thus, Choice Band Scizor, Jirachi, offensive Empoleon, and Heatran are good partners. Metagross is also strong alongside Magnezone, as it can trap Skarmory, Bronzong, and Scizor so that Metagross can sweep. Some good partners for this pairing include Gengar, Choice Band Dragonite, Dragon Dance Kingdra, and Swords Dance Gliscor. Other strong offensive teammates such as Infernape and offensive Zapdos also can be nice to soften up offensive Water-types for Metagross.
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Meteor Mash / Zen Headbutt
move 4: Explosion / Thunder Punch / Ice Punch
item: Lum Berry / Shuca Berry
ability: Clear Body
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Agility patches Metagross’s Speed woes and lets it clean up frailer foes with its power and coverage. Earthquake is critical for Steel-types such as Heatran, Magnezone, and Empoleon and gives Metagross a niche on more offensive teams as a Jirachi check. Meteor Mash is an excellent move for Metagross, as an Attack raise can potentially allow Metagross to sweep. Metagross typically does around 70% to prominent faster Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Latias and Flygon with Meteor Mash and often fails to OHKO offensive Pokemon if it can’t hit them super effectively. However, another option is Zen Headbutt, as it crucially OHKOes Breloom and other Fighting-types, 2HKOes Choice-locked Rotom-A sets, and potentially gives Metagross a way to flinch pass bulkier targets such as offensive Suicune, Zapdos, and Swampert. Explosion immediately removes almost everything in the tier and takes advantage of Metagross’s increased Speed, as it resists most priority and there are few foes faster than it. Thunder Punch is another great option, as it instantly OHKOes Gyarados and is Metagross’s best option for Skarmory. However, when using Zen Headbutt, Metagross needs the additional coverage of Ice Punch to hit Pokemon such as Gliscor, Latias, and Flygon hard. Metagross can also opt for Zen Headbutt in its last slot for a double STAB combination, it will struggle against physical walls such as Skarmory if it does this.
Set Details
========
Metagross maximizes its Attack and Speed to outspeed slower Choice Scarf users such as Lucario, Rotom-A, and Heatran after it uses Agility. As Metagross only need 216 EVs to outspeed these Pokemon at +2, 40 EVs can be put into HP for general bulk, but they only have a marginal impact. Maximum Speed EVs help against Pokemon such as Breloom and Magnet Rise Magnezone before Metagross uses Agility. Metagross can also use a Jolly nature with 196 Speed EVs to outspeed Choice Scarf Flygon, but it fails to outspeed Latias even with maximum investment. Jolly is especially a good option alongside Ice Punch, as Flygon commonly can survive one attack and heavily weaken Metagross.
Lum Berry lets Metagross switch into Breloom’s Spore, outspeeding and KOing it afterwards, while buffering against status moves such as Thunder Wave from Choice Scarf Latias, Jirachi’s Body Slam, and Will-O-Wisp from Gengar and Rotom-A. Alternatively, Shuca Berry makes Metagross a great anti-offense tool that absorbs powerful Earthquakes from Flygon, Gliscor, Swampert, and opposing Dragon Dance users like Tyranitar, Gyarados, and Dragonite. However, other items such as Life Orb to KO frailer Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Latias after Stealth Rock and Occa Berry to withstand Fire-type moves from Heatran and Infernape are also very helpful.
Usage Tips
========
How Metagross is played depends on the matchup. Against more offensive teams, Metagross typically comes into the game fairly late to clean up weakened teams or on Breloom’s Spore, should it have a Lum Berry to reverse momentum. Offensive teams often cover Metagross with Choice Scarf Rotom-A or generic bulky Pokemon such as offensive Suicune, Swampert, Bronzong, and opposing Metagross. If these Pokemon are weakened, Metagross can easily set up using its bulk and sweep or trade two-for-one via its power and potentially Explosion. Against more defensive teams, Metagross often is walled and either tries to trade with Explosion against a wall such as Hippowdon or Zapdos or stays hidden to give a stopgap against defensive Jirachi and Clefable, depending on the flow of the game. Even against foes that wall Metagross and resist Explosion, such as Skarmory and Bronzong, using Explosion on them can weaken them for other sweepers. Beware of Skarmory predicting Explosion and using Roost or the opponent switching in Rotom-A and nullifying Explosion. Note that Metagross’s coverage moves such as Zen Headbutt and Ice Punch are often surprising and can nab unsuspecting KOs, especially against Rotom-A and Flygon, respectively.
Team Options
========
Agility Metagross is most often used alongside other sweepers such as Dragon Dance Gyarados, Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragonite, and Swords Dance Lucario. These Pokemon soften up walls and bulky Pokemon so Metagross can clean up the rest. Of these, Taunt + Dragon Dance Tyranitar is an excellent partner, as it can potentially defeat defensive teams by itself if Metagross uses Explosion on Hippowdon as well as check Rotom-A and Latias, while Metagross can handle Jirachi and Breloom for Tyranitar. Dragonite also can break open walls for Metagross either with a mixed set, a Dragon Dance set, or even an Agility set. These Pokemon also are commonly alongside very aggressive leads such as Azelf and Aerodactyl to prevent Stealth Rock, with Azelf often paralyzing and/or using Explosion on bulky Steel-types such as Jirachi, Metagross, and Heatran that can potentially survive Metagross's Earthquake and retaliate. Agility Metagross is also fantastic alongside good Rotom-A checks, as even if it has Zen Headbutt, bulkier Rotom-A sets are only 3HKOed by it after Stealth Rock. Some good examples are faster Pursuit Tyranitar sets and Swords Dance Scizor. Metagross enjoys backup from Steel-types to handle Latias and Dragonite, as very strong Dragon-type moves such as Modest Choice Specs Latias and Dragonite's +1 Outrage 2HKO it after Stealth Rock. Thus, Choice Band Scizor, Jirachi, offensive Empoleon, and Heatran are good partners. Metagross is also strong alongside Magnezone, as it can trap Skarmory, Bronzong, and Scizor so that Metagross can sweep. Some good partners for this pairing include Gengar, Choice Band Dragonite, Dragon Dance Kingdra, and Swords Dance Gliscor. Other strong offensive teammates such as Infernape and offensive Zapdos also can be nice to soften up offensive Water-types for Metagross.
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