Existing Abilities: Overgrow / Leaf Guard
Possible Abilities: Flower Veil / Desolate Land / Thick Fat
Notes: Starting off with the kingpin itself, Meganium. Flower Veil will be a staple on defensive Grass types. Total immunity to status and stat drops are great for switching into and handling all of the Scalds, Toxics, etc. Desolate Land could be used to not only provide immunity to Water (which Meganium doesn't really need) but also activate Leaf Guard immediately. However, one might prefer Flower Veil over Desoland due to it not amplifying Meganium's existing Fire weakness.
Existing Abilities: Blaze / Flash Fire
Possible Abilities: Storm Drain / Sheer Force / Desolate Land / No Guard
Notes: An important thing to keep in mind is that when using a secondary ability, one sacrifices an item slot to do so. Pokémon like Typhlosion might prefer to keep items like Choice Specs or Life Orb as opposed to adopting a new ability. For example, compare the damage output using the calculations below:
- 252 SpA Sheer Force Typhlosion Fire Blast vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 106-126 (16.5 - 19.6%)
- 252 SpA Choice Specs Typhlosion Fire Blast vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 121-144 (18.8 - 22.4%)
As you can tell, you output less damage under certain conditions. Typhlosion, being a Fire type, naturally benefits and appreciates Desolate Land. Immunity to a weakness and increased damage output rolled into one ability is always welcome. Storm Drain provides a Water immunity as well, but without the benefit of harsh sunlight, instead opting for a Sp. Atk boost. No Guard can be used to help Typhlosion hit dangerous but inaccurate moves such as Fire Blast, Focus Blast and Inferno.
Existing Abilities: Torrent / Sheer Force
Possible Abilities: Tough Claws / Sap Sipper / Protean / Primordial Sea / Mold Breaker / Refrigerate
Notes: Feraligatr already gets Sheer Force, so we're able to pack another good ability over it to help amplify damage output, or help bust through certain threats. Primordial Sea, Protean and Tough Claws are all there to increase damage, with little utility. Primordial Sea will grant you free switch ins into Heatran's Lava Plume without getting burned, which is a plus. Sap Sipper allows you to set up on Grass Pokémon and also potentially beat them 1v1 with Ice Punch and Dragon Dance. Mold Breaker will ensure you won't be hindered by random Water Absorb / Desolate Land users like Heatran or the aforementioned Typhlosion.
Existing Abilities: Inner Focus / Infiltrator
Possible Abilities: Gale Wings / Adaptability / Regenerator / Intimidate / Lightning Rod / Prankster / Aerilate / Delta Stream
Notes: You'll notice that some Pokémon have a natural compatibility with a lot of abilities. Crobat is certainly one of those. As a Flying type, it directly benefits from Gale Wings and Aerilate by default, two very strong abilities. More offensively oriented Crobat might want to opt for abilities like Adaptability, or Tough Claws. However, if you want to play Crobat more defensively, the abilities Regenerator (well appreciated by a Brave Bird user), Intimidate, Volt Absorb and Prankster might be chosen instead. Delta Stream is also a niche option chosen to nullify your Electric, Rock and Ice weakness, leaving you with a mere 1 weakness to the not-so-common Psychic type. A very versatily Pokémon indeed.
Existing Abilities: Volt Absorb / Illuminate / Water Absorb
Potential Abilities: Levitate / Primordial Sea / Regenerator
Notes: With Levitate, you'll possess only 1 weakness, similar to Rotom-Wash. Lanturn is more bulkier than Rotom, but suffers from a mediocre movepool and is also a lot slower, so you'll be making a heavy trade-off if you choose this mon over Rotom. Regenerator might be useful to patch up your lack of recovery, but it sees stiff competition from other similar Pokémon like the aforementioned Rotom-Wash.
Existing Abilities: Synchronize / Early Bird / Magic Bounce
Potential Abilities: Prankster / Regenerator / Magic Guard / Delta Stream
Notes: Xatu has the great benefit of acquiring Magic Bounce naturally, meaning that it does not have to waste an item slot for it. However, it's also a very mediocre Pokémon that sees competition from the likes of Espeon (with superior potential) and Mega Sableye (that fits in perfectly in the OU metagame.) Xatu, being a defensive Flying type, automatically should have Delta Stream as an option for its second ability. However, Gale Wings is not an option for this bird, because Xatu very rarely carries an offensive Flying attack. Under these conditions, Prankster is a superior ability as it will elevate all status moves to +1 priority, including Roost and many other moves commonly used on Xatu.
Existing Abilities: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
Potential Abilities: Tough Claws / Protean / Tinted Lens / Regenerator / Volt Absorb / Refrigerate / Pixilate
Notes: Azu has a ton of options for secondary abilities. It already has one of the best abilities in the game in Huge Power, anything added to that would be even greater. However, keep in mind that you'll be sacrificing the Choice Band item for these, so it's wise to calculate which ability deal more damage in which scenario. For example...
Tinted Lens deals more damage to NVE targets like Mega Venusaur, but less damage against neutral and SE targets than Choice Band:
252+ Atk Tinted Lens Huge Power Azumarill Play Rough vs. 232 HP / 0 Def Mega Venusaur: (41.7 - 49%)
252+ Atk Choice Band Huge Power Azumarill Play Rough vs. 232 HP / 0 Def Mega Venusaur: (31.1 - 36.7%)
Tough Claws does slightly less damage than Choice Band with the added benefit of being able to switch up your moves. Useful for when you desperately need access to your coverage:
252+ Atk Choice Band Huge Power Azumarill Waterfall vs. 4 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: (49 - 57.9%)
252+ Atk Tough Claws Huge Power Azumarill Waterfall vs. 4 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: (42.5 - 50.1%)
Protean does the same damage on coverage moves (EG. No Water or Fairy attacks) than the other abilities. The difference here is that you'll switch typings constantly, useful for resisting certain attacks. Your STAB attacks will be weaker, though.
252+ Atk Protean Huge Power Azumarill Superpower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Skarmory: 178-210 (53.2 - 62.8%)
252+ Atk Choice Band Huge Power Azumarill Superpower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Skarmory: 177-209 (52.9 - 62.5%)
The defensive abilities are more useful for Assault Vest or Belly Drum Azu. Volt Absorb allows for the easy set up on mons like Zapdos or Thundurus, whilst Regenerator allows for continuous switch ins into monsters like Keldeo. One might appreciate a more accurate, stronger Play Rough in Pixilate Return if you're truly worried about missing, but the superior option is Play Rough imo, to open up a slot for another ability.
Existing Abilities: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware
Potential Abilities: Regenerator / Sap Sipper / Magic Guard / Magic Bounce / Water Absorb / Pressure
Notes: Quagsire, the stall lord himself. Defensive Pokémon get a lot of useful tools in this OM, because unlike offensive Pokémon, they don't miss out on much when it comes to the item department. Losing leftovers as opposed to losing Life Orb is not that big of a deal. Well, Quagsire is one of the few physical walls to not appreciate Intimidate as an ability, thanks to its previous ability Unaware. Sap Sipper is a stellar pick in countering certain Grass sweepers like Serperior or Breloom. Also it is very useful for absorbing Grass coverage aimed specifically for it, such as Thundurus' Grass Knot. Regenerator is great for switching in repeatedly, which Quag needs to be able to do on a stall team. Magic Guard is helpful for almost be untouchable vs opposing stall teams, being immune to Toxic, hazards and the like. You're also able to Toxic the enemy freely without worrying about Magic Bounce reflecting it back. Pressure could be used as a niche pick to PP stall Pokémon like Bisharp or Mega Charizard X that attempt to break through you repeatedly. You really can't go wrong with any of these picks.
Existing Abilities: Synchronize / Inner Focus
Potential Abilities: Regenerator / Magic Bounce / Prankster / Unaware
Notes: Umbreon is one of those Pokémon that just benefits from the generic 'Bulky Pokémon Abilities' like Magic Bounce, Unaware, Prankster and Regenerator. Nothing much to say here, except that if you plan on using Magic Bounce, you will never be able to activate Synchronize, so keep that in mind.
Existing Abilities: Sturdy / Overcoat
Potential Abilities: Mold Breaker / Regenerator / Prankster / Flash Fire / Scrappy
Notes: Forretress' ability to lay down hazards and pivot in and out of fights can be amplified with the use of some new fresh abilities. Mold Breaker beats out any attempts to stop hazards, primarily Magic Bounce. This allows your team to have guaranteed hazards, when coupled with Sturdy. Flash Fire allows you to check most Fire types such as Heatran or Mega Charizard X, but you'll struggle to do much in return, and may fall to the former's Mold Breaker. Prankster can be used if you do not fear Magic Bounce and naturally complements Forry's support movepool. Lastly, Scrappy is a neat niche option if you desperately need to got off a spin against anything, though Defog exists on a multitude of better Pokémon, so maybe that's a better option.
Existing Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
Potential Abilities: Protean / Refrigerate / Primordial Sea / Tinted Lens / Tough Claws / Adaptability
Notes: The first thing you might be thinking when thinking about Scizor in any ability-related OM is "Flash Fire!" It's certainly a great ability, it grants you an immunity to Will-O-Wisp, and allows you to duel Fire types comfortably. Primordial Sea might be an inferior choice, because you enhance Water attacks against yourself, which could prove to be lethal:
252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 200 SpD Mega Scizor in Heavy Rain: 331-391 (96.5 - 113.9%)
Refrigirate Quick Attack might be a heat af option to dunk on some dragons, but otherwise falls short in comparison to the other abilities. The standard Tough Claws / Protean etc. abilities are pretty solid on Scizor, so consider them if you opt out of Flash Fire.
Existing Abilities: Sturdy / Gluttony / Contrary
Potential Abilities: Prankster / Mold Breaker
Notes: This thing, IMO, is just an inferior Forretress, and that thing itself is pretty bad. Might be decent as a suicide lead with Mold Breaker, thanks to its titanic defences it won't fall to many attacks quickly. Otherwise, I don't have much to say about this mon.
Existing Abilities: Swarm / Guts / Moxie
Potential Abilities: Speed Boost / Quick Feet / Heracronite
Notes: Speed Boost x Moxie is a pretty cool combo, if you get rolling with a kill you're looking mighty dangerous with a +1 in both Attack and Speed. Otherwise, Heracross would appreciate regular items like Choice Band, Scarf, or even Heracronite as opposed to another ability. You just can't beat 185 Attack. Quick Feet is a niche option which, coupled with Guts, allows you to benefit massively from being status'd. Too bad there isn't a quick way to inflict yourself with a status alongside having 2 abilities.
Existing Abilities: Sturdy / Keen Eye / Weak Armor
Potential Abilities: Flash Fire / Intimidate / Defiant / Gale Wings / Prankster / Volt Absorb / Unaware / Mold Breaker / Delta Stream
Notes: The AAA god itself is back, and it's as good as ever. Skarmory is just compatible with so many different abilities. Gale Wings allows for an SD set that rivals the likes of Talonflame, immunity abilities like Flash Fire and Volt Absorb allows Skamory to counter a lot more Pokémon than previously possible. Intimidate and Unaware are stall picks. They allow Skamory to counter physical sweepers a lot more comfortably. Delta Stream removes the pesky Electric weakness, leaving it with a sole weakness to Fire. It also comes with the added benefit of removing enemy weather, but Skarmory doesn't enjoy switching in on most Water / Fire types anyway, so that won't be so likely. Defiant is a weird option, but coupled with Weak Armor, it gives offensive Skarmory a nice boost in Speed and Attack every time it takes a physical attack (which will be pretty often, seeing as how beefy Skamory is). However, it may find stiff competition vs Gale Wings, so consider that. Mold Breaker is only there to counter Magic Bounce, otherwise it servers little other use. However, if your team struggles to bust through this ability, Mold Breaker might be the choice for you.
Existing Abilities: Own Tempo / Technician /
Moody
Potential Abilities: Prankster / Mold Breaker
Notes: See SHUCKLE.
Existing Abilities: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Potential Abilities: Regenerator / Unaware / Intimidate / Synchronize
Notes: Blissey, unlike Chansey, has the ability to use secondary abilities and is not restricted to simply Eviolite. However, it is a bit less bulky, so if you're prepared to make that exchange, then you'll be able to benefit from the abilities Regenerator, Unaware, etc. They'll help Blissey tank special hits a lot easier than normal. Intimidate is an option to mitigate it's appaling defense, but Blissey won't be switching in to too many physical Pokémon, so the only likely outcome in which this ability might be useful in is when the enemy is mixed. Synchronize is a niche pick that synergizes pretty well with Natural Cure. It's almost like Psycho Shift, except it doesn't happen in one turn. It might be nice if you get it to work, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Existing Ability: Pressure
Potential Abilities: Primordial Sea / Desolate Land / Refrigerate / Regenerator / Protean / No Guard / Magnet Pull / Mega Launcher
Notes: Raikou has a lot of potential abilities it can use. For example, it benefits from both primary weather in DesoLand and Prim-Sea, thanks to Weather Ball. The choice to make is do you prefer perfect Thunders, but a weaker type on your Weather Ball, or do you want a more desirable type in Fire for Weather Ball in exchange for the benefits rain gives you? The choice is yours. Other than that, if you play Raikou like a semi-bulky pivot with Assault Vest or something, you might want to consider swapping that out for a Regenerator to allow yourself to switch into hazards over and over again. Magnet Pull is a neat idea, especially on dedicated Volt-Turn teams. You can pivot into Raikou and very easily take out the bulky steels like Skarmory for your teammates.
Existing Ability: Pressure
Potential Abilities: Refrigerate / Aerilate / Desolate Land / Magic Guard / Magnet Pull
Notes: Entei and -ate go together like BP & J. Not much I can say there, refrigerate Extreme Speed is very powerful. Aerilate is probably the inferior option, only use that if, for some reason, you really need Flying coverage on your Entei. DesoLand is quite self explanatory. Sacred Fire will be hitting for a ludicrous amount of damage, even against resistances. Magnet Pull is used similarly to Raikou. Pivot in on Entei on the U-Turn / double switch and you can easily duel most steels. The major issue is Flash Fire, which most steel types may carry (Skarmory, Scizor, etc.) so beware!
Existing Ability: Pressure
Potential Abilities: Regenerator / Unaware / Primordial Sea / Magic Guard / Volt Absorb
Notes: Suicune the AAA kingpin returns, but this time it loses out on Poison Heal, which is a big blow. However, it is still able to use other very good abilities like Unaware (for guaranteed CM war wins, and acts as a great check to set up sweepers in general), Volt Absorb (excellent Electric switch-in, because Suicune resists most coverage Electric types likes to run) and Regenerator (for repeated switch-ins. Helps mitigate Suicune's lack of reliable recovery).
Existing Abilities: Sand Stream / Unnerve
Potential Abilities: Sand Rush / Protean / Regenerator / Refrigerate / Sand Force / Filter / Tyranitarite / Regular Items
Notes: Tyranitar is one of those Pokémon that appear to be very compatible with a wide range of abilities, but in practise, if you're planning on using offensive T-Tar, it really appreciates its regular items like Choice Band, Scarf and maybe even Tyranitarite. Defensive Tyranitar can make good use of Regenerator to repeatedly come in and tank things like Draco Meteors. Tyranitar is also one of the few Pokémon that can proc a speed-doubling ability (Swift Swim / Chlorophyll / Sand Rush) by itself, all it needs to do is pick the Sand Rush item and you're good to go. Permanent 442 Speed stat (Fully invested) puts it up there, outspeeding the likes of Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill.
Existing Ability: Natural Cure
Potential Abilities: Prankster / Synchronize / Filter / Regenerator / Magic Bounce / Magic Guard / Mold Breaker / Flash Fire / Flower Veil
Notes: Versatile Pokémon like Celebi naturally will have a lot of different abilities that match well with it. Being a grass type, it can use Flower Veil to good use. However, you must ask yourself if it is worth it, seeing as how you have Natural Cure already. U-Turn + Regenerator makes a great combination, pivoting in and out of battle, checking threats like Rotom-W and regaining health upon switching out. Celebi's multitude of weaknesses allow Filter to activate a lot of times, depending on how you play the Celebi:
252 Atk Adaptability Mega Beedrill U-turn vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Filter Celebi: 372-438 (92 - 108.4%)
Thanks to Filter, it has a chance to live one of the strongest U-Turns in the game. Magic Guard helps mitigate hazards damage. Although Celebi might not be weak to hazards by definition, it certainly doesn't appreciate them. Being a bulky Pokémon, it automatically can use abilities such as Regenerator, Prankster and Magic Bounce / Guard. You really can't go wrong with these abilities.
