[OVERVIEW]
Metagross is one of the most fearsome attackers in the Doubles OU metagame thanks to its great offensive stats, expansive movepool and strong ability. Metagross’s high base stats across the board make it both an offensive and defensive asset to any team, especially given its positive matchups vs some of the most common pokemon in the tier such as Landorus-t, Mega Salamence, Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini and Kyurem-B. Great coverage options such as Ice Punch, Stomping Tantrum and Hammer arm allow Metagross to choose its own checks and counters despite its relatively limited Super Effective coverage with its Stab options. Despite its great coverage Metagross will often find itself walled by common Steel-types such as Ferrothorn or Aegislash while also experiencing 4 moveslot syndrome where it must leave out effective options from its moveset.
[SET]
name: Mega Attacker
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Zen Headbutt
move 3: Ice Punch / Hammer Arm / Stomping Tantrum
move 4: Protect
item: Metagrossite
ability: Clear Body
nature: Jolly
evs: 28 HP / 216 Atk / 12 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Iron Head is the main stab and is important for hitting pokemon such as Kyurem-b, Hoopa-U, Tapu Bulu and Tapu lele as well as its 30% chance to flinch while having a reliable 100% accuracy. Meteor Mash is a less reliable option but with a great upside in its extra BP and chance to raise Attack. Slower variants of Metagross are also less likely to invest in Attack or to go after flinches, making Meteor Mash a decent option on these sets. Zen Headbutt is the secondary STAB and allows Metagross to hit steel resists neutrally, aside from other steels, and also become especially powerful in Psychic-terrain. Ice Punch allows Metagross to OHKO Landorus-t even after an Intimidate drop and to KO Salamence at +0. Hammer Arm is a great option to hit opposing Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Stakataka and Kartana while also having great neutral coverage for Metagross with its STABs. Stomping Tantrum allows Metagross to hit Fire-types and Steel-types such as Heatran, Volcanion, Aegislash and Stakataka. Protect keeps Mega Metagross safe while its partners deal with any possible threats.
Set Details
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The given EV spread allows Mega Metagross to hit as hard and fast as possible while ensuring that it always survives a Life Orb-boosted Spectral Thief from Marshadow. A Jolly nature is used on Metagross in order to outspeed pokemon such as Ninetales-Alola and Kartana, as well as Base 100s such as Mega Charizard-Y. A bulkier Metagross is another option and with 176 HP and 12 SpD Mega-Metagross can survive a -1 Soul Stealing Seven Star Strike from Marshadow or a Shadow Ball from Mega Gengar. It can sometimes be worthwhile to run an Adamant Metagross instead of Jolly as the extra speed can often be unnecessary. On an Adamant Metagross 216 Spe EVs allows Mega-Metagross to outspeed Jolly or Timid Landorus-T and retain the power from an Adamant nature. Clear Body is the ability of choice pre-mega evolution as it allows Metagross to ignore Intimidate and Icy Wind speed drops.
Usage Tips
========
Metagross's great defensive typing allows it to operate early and mid-game effectively as its able to survive multiple neutral hits. It can be used to break open teams in the early and mid-game effectively because of its defensive utility but its HP should be preserved when needed as it lacks recovery. The excellent bulk Metagross has allows it to pivot into many attacks, which makes Metagross a great pokemon to bring in on a neutral hit and immediately threaten the opponent with its strong offenses. This bulk often lets Metagross create scenarios where the user can trade more than 1 for 1 with metagross and an opposing pokemon or two, allowing Metagross to really punch holes in teams in the midgame. The combination of speed and power let Metagross also act as a sweeper in the late game. Preserving Clear Body and not mega evolving until necessary can help Metagross hit harder as it can avoid Intimidate drops, so protecting Metagross in regular form can be useful to not yield momentum to your opponent. Using Psychic Terrain to boost Zen Headbutt's damage output can be devastating to an opponents team as even a not very effective hit can do loads of damage. Switching in a Tapu Lele on the same turn that Metagross clicks Zen Headbutt can help control terrain and ensure maximum damage; the same can be done on Thunder Punch variants with Tapu Koko.
Team Options
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Tapu Lele is one of the most potent offensive partners for Metagross as it boosts Metagross’s Zen Headbutt with Psychic Surge. Metagross also appreciates teammates that can remove Steel-types making pokemon such as Volcanion, Heatran and Landorus-t good partners. Marshadow in particular makes for a great partner thanks to its ability to beat all Steel-types aside from Mega Scizor, which it still threatens. Metagross benefits from Speed Control options from many partners, including Icy Wind from Tapu Fini or Kyurem-B as well as Tailwind setters such as Zapdos which also checks many common Metagross answers such as Ferrothorn and Celesteela. Pokemon that remove Fire-types for Metagross are a great asset, making Tapu Fini a great partner which also provides heal pulse support. Intimidate users such as Scrafty and Landorus-T are great for reducing damage from Pokemon such as Marshadow, Landorus-T and Zygarde; especially important for the bulkier Metagross variants that want to survive a Marshadow Z-move after an Intimidate. Tapu Koko can make a good partner thanks to its speed and ability to chip pokemon down into range of Metagross's attacks. Metagross also fits well on Rain teams as its Fire- and Ground-type weaknesses are aided by Rain and Metagross is able to remove common Rain checks such as Kyurem-B or Amoonguss.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Thunder Punch lets Metagross hit Tapu Fini for super effective damage as well as Celesteela while Bullet Punch allows Metagross to take out weakened and faster threats, but can conflict with Psychic terrain. Psych-Up is a niche option that can let Metagross copy an ally's stat boosts or deter setup from an opponent. Stealth Rock is an option as well on Metagross but it is often not the best setter for a team as taking a turn to set Stealth Rock is rarely worth at the cost of its pure damage output.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Bulky Steel types such as Aegislash, Ferrothorn, Heatran, Mega Scizor and Celesteela can all be problematic for Metagross to break through depending on its coverage. Aegislash and Heatran are also immediately threatening offensively to Metagross with super-effective STAB moves. Mega Scizor is especially threatening as it walls all variants of Metagross and can set up in front of it with Swords Dance.
**Ghost-types**: Marshadow, Aegislash, and Mega-Gengar are able to outspeed and potentially KO Metagross with their STAB Shadow Ball and Z-Spectral Thief respectively.
**Fire-types**: Strong Fire-types such as Volcanion, Heatran, and Mega Charizard-Y all threaten Metagross and without Psychic-terrain or appropriate coverage will be able to survive one of Metagross's attacks. Metagross does have ability to KO these mons with the proper coverage such as Psychic-terrain boosted Zen Headbutt or Stomping Tantrum.
**Ground-types**: Landorus-t and Zygarde both can threaten Metagross, especially when moving before Metagross with either Dragon Dance, Choice Scarf or Tailwind support, with powerful Thousand Arrows and Earthquakes respectively. These checks, however, must be weary of Ice Punch from Metagross.
**Dark Types**: Hoopa-U and Tyranitar, while slower, both can threaten to OHKO Metagross with strong STAB Dark-type attacks, but have to watch out for Metagross's speed and its super effective attacks vs Tyranitar.
**Intimidate**: While Clear Body makes Metagross immune to Intimidate prior to mega evolution, after it mega evolves Metagross can be worn down by Intimidate users such as Landorus-t and Salamence.
**Opposing Speed Control**: While Metagross's bulk is an asset in surviving through opposing speed control, many scenarios can be deadly for Metagross. Zapdos is a tailwind setter that can threaten Metagross with strong Thunderbolts or super effective Heat Waves; Hoopa-U is a Trick Room setter that renders protect useless and can KO Metagross with Hyperspace Fury; and bulky trick room setters such as Bronzong and Necrozma can set Trick Room in front of Metagross relatively consistently.
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