I made an interesting Agility-Metagross set earlier and I really wanted to try it out. So, I built a team around it and the result is pretty cool.
At a Glance
Obviously, if I was going to build a team around Metagross, I should have it. It is one of the most powerful Pokemon in OU with a max Attack of 405. The only below average stat was his Speed, but with Agility, I had a feeling that he would be a powerful, speedy force.
I then had to counter what Metagross couldn't, a few main Pokemon being Ferrothorn and Jellicent. Chandelure was the man for the job, being a threat to these Pokemon. Add a Scarf to outspeed a whole lot more, and you had yourself one deadly Pokemon.
At this point I realized I had no sure-fire counter to one of the most popular offensive threats in OU, Chandelure. I could counter with my own Chandelure, but what if it wins the speed tie or runs a Timid Nature instead? I thought for a while and finally my mind decided on one thing- Heatran. It would be Specially Bulky, giving it the win against Specially oriented Pokemon most of the time. This is one of the true counters to Chandelure, the only thing that would be effective is HP Ground.
I then realized that I had a HUGE Ground weakness, and my team would fall apart if it ran into a Sandstorm team. When I ran my Sand team, the one Pokemon that annoyed me the most was Gliscor. So, I put that on my team and it worked wonders against the sand, forcing several ragequits, not knowing how easy it would be to win after they took down Gliscor.
I knew that the Ground weakness was still there, so another Flying type went onto the team. I would use one of the more popular spreads for Zapdos, giving it defensive capabilities. It's combination of T-Bolt and Heat Wave were hard to counter, and even though there was no Special Attack investment, it still does a respectable amount because of its natural stat.
Finally, a lead was in order. Since Stealth Rocks are already covered, I eliminated that requirement from the list. I decided upon one of my favorite Pokemon of the Gen, Mienshao. With great Attack and Speed stats, along with U-Turn and Regenerator, this thing is amazing. It gets rid of Ferrothorn in one blow, giving Metagross a huge boost from that.
The Ground weakness was really starting to come back and hurt me. I decided to try out a Pokemon I had never used before, that being Virizion. I didn't have a Grass or Fighting type, and it would definatly help me in the matchup against the rain. It was pretty strong, pretty fast, and had alright defenses. Virizion has been a great replacement for Chandelure.
In-Depth Look
Mienshao (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
This is a very simple, yet effective set. Fake Out to break sashes/get extra damage, then Hi Jump Kick them if they're weak to it. If not, U-Turn out and let something else handle it. Stone Edge is to hit Flying types on the switch, along with predicted Chandelures that resist/are immune to the rest of the set. The EVs are fairly obvious, 252 Attack for max damage, and 252 Speed to be super fast. The reasoning on the 4 EVs in Sp.Def in contrast to putting them in HP or Defense, is to make sure that Genesect, a fairly common lead, does not get the Sp.Atk boost from Download. Jolly nature is used over Adamant is because his speed is lower compared to his Attack, and even without Adamant, he still hits 349 Attack.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Toxic
- Heat Wave
This set helps out a lot. The set is very defensively bulky. Thunderbolt hits those waters. Heat Wave hits Ferrothorn and Bug/Steels. Roost is to recover and take away the Rock and Ice weaknesses for a turn. Toxic is there to simply Toxic-stall opponents out.
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Protect
This is a rather unique set I found somewhere. Its a specially bulky Heatran that many don't expect. Flamethrower is for STAB. Stealth Rocks is because I don't have any entry hazards anywhere else. Toxic is to, again, Toxic-stall opponents out. Protect is to troll Hi Jump Kick users and stack Toxic damage. Protect also scouts moves and can see what move your opponent wants lock themselves into, if you suspect them of being Choiced in some way.
Gliscor (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Ice Fang
- Swords Dance
This is Swords Dance Gliscor. It is also my main counter to stall, having Taunt and a Set-up move. Not many things resist the combo of Ground and Ice, and coming from a +2 Gliscor, it can be very scary if you can't combat it well. I'm using this set over the standard bulky one because I already had walls on both sides of the spectrum, Zapdos for Physical, and Heatran for Special. EQ is for STAB. Ice Fang is for the Dragons and other opposing Gliscor.
Virizion @ Leftovers
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
The replacement for Chandelure has worked out nicely. It definatly helps against the Rain and Sandstorm matchups, as well as taking Ground attacks much easier. It all around has better bulk and the set up is pretty nice. Giga Drain is the main form of recovery, also giving STAB. Focus Blast hit the steels who resist the Giga Drain, however much it may miss. Finally, HP Ice is to hit dragons and Gliscor really hard. Timid nature is used to be speedy, since you can boost your Special Attack. It may not be the bulkiest EV Spread, but it does get the job done.
Metagross @ Life Orb
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Agility
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Ice Punch
This is the team's central focus, setting up a Metagross sweep. The Max Attack is obvious, and the 88 Speed ensures that the only things that outspeed you after an Agility (not including Ubers) are Ninjask, Electrode, and Accelgor. The rest of the EVs are dumped into HP for extra bulk. Iron Head is chosen over Meteor Mash for the extra Accuracy, and it gives you the chance of flinching. Earthquake is pretty standard for any Metagross, to cover those Steel types and stuff like that. The last slot is Ice Punch, to hit Dragons and Gliscor harder.
Team Strategy
First, you start with Mienshao. It is a very versitile lead, and it can switch out using U-Turn. Fake Out for damage, HJK to kill everything its Super Effective against. Once you're done wrecking havok, just U-Turn out and regain some HP on the way. Then just switch in the the appropriate counter. Whenever you see something that can threaten a Metagross sweep, eliminate it ASAP. Those would probably be Ferrothorns, Jellicents, Chandelures, Excadrill, etc. Heatran takes care of Ferrothorn and walls all Chandlure that don't carry HP Ground. Jellicents are taken on best by Zapdos, and Gliscor or Virizion can both take on Excadrill nicely. When you find a Pokemon easy to set up on, like a Chansey/Blissey, switch in Metagross, and Agility while they do whatever, probably switch. Then just sweep their team, because if you've beaten out those counters, there isn't much else that can stop you.
At a Glance
Obviously, if I was going to build a team around Metagross, I should have it. It is one of the most powerful Pokemon in OU with a max Attack of 405. The only below average stat was his Speed, but with Agility, I had a feeling that he would be a powerful, speedy force.
I then had to counter what Metagross couldn't, a few main Pokemon being Ferrothorn and Jellicent. Chandelure was the man for the job, being a threat to these Pokemon. Add a Scarf to outspeed a whole lot more, and you had yourself one deadly Pokemon.
At this point I realized I had no sure-fire counter to one of the most popular offensive threats in OU, Chandelure. I could counter with my own Chandelure, but what if it wins the speed tie or runs a Timid Nature instead? I thought for a while and finally my mind decided on one thing- Heatran. It would be Specially Bulky, giving it the win against Specially oriented Pokemon most of the time. This is one of the true counters to Chandelure, the only thing that would be effective is HP Ground.
I then realized that I had a HUGE Ground weakness, and my team would fall apart if it ran into a Sandstorm team. When I ran my Sand team, the one Pokemon that annoyed me the most was Gliscor. So, I put that on my team and it worked wonders against the sand, forcing several ragequits, not knowing how easy it would be to win after they took down Gliscor.
I knew that the Ground weakness was still there, so another Flying type went onto the team. I would use one of the more popular spreads for Zapdos, giving it defensive capabilities. It's combination of T-Bolt and Heat Wave were hard to counter, and even though there was no Special Attack investment, it still does a respectable amount because of its natural stat.
Finally, a lead was in order. Since Stealth Rocks are already covered, I eliminated that requirement from the list. I decided upon one of my favorite Pokemon of the Gen, Mienshao. With great Attack and Speed stats, along with U-Turn and Regenerator, this thing is amazing. It gets rid of Ferrothorn in one blow, giving Metagross a huge boost from that.
The Ground weakness was really starting to come back and hurt me. I decided to try out a Pokemon I had never used before, that being Virizion. I didn't have a Grass or Fighting type, and it would definatly help me in the matchup against the rain. It was pretty strong, pretty fast, and had alright defenses. Virizion has been a great replacement for Chandelure.
In-Depth Look
Mienshao (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
This is a very simple, yet effective set. Fake Out to break sashes/get extra damage, then Hi Jump Kick them if they're weak to it. If not, U-Turn out and let something else handle it. Stone Edge is to hit Flying types on the switch, along with predicted Chandelures that resist/are immune to the rest of the set. The EVs are fairly obvious, 252 Attack for max damage, and 252 Speed to be super fast. The reasoning on the 4 EVs in Sp.Def in contrast to putting them in HP or Defense, is to make sure that Genesect, a fairly common lead, does not get the Sp.Atk boost from Download. Jolly nature is used over Adamant is because his speed is lower compared to his Attack, and even without Adamant, he still hits 349 Attack.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Toxic
- Heat Wave
This set helps out a lot. The set is very defensively bulky. Thunderbolt hits those waters. Heat Wave hits Ferrothorn and Bug/Steels. Roost is to recover and take away the Rock and Ice weaknesses for a turn. Toxic is there to simply Toxic-stall opponents out.
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Protect
This is a rather unique set I found somewhere. Its a specially bulky Heatran that many don't expect. Flamethrower is for STAB. Stealth Rocks is because I don't have any entry hazards anywhere else. Toxic is to, again, Toxic-stall opponents out. Protect is to troll Hi Jump Kick users and stack Toxic damage. Protect also scouts moves and can see what move your opponent wants lock themselves into, if you suspect them of being Choiced in some way.
Gliscor (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Ice Fang
- Swords Dance
This is Swords Dance Gliscor. It is also my main counter to stall, having Taunt and a Set-up move. Not many things resist the combo of Ground and Ice, and coming from a +2 Gliscor, it can be very scary if you can't combat it well. I'm using this set over the standard bulky one because I already had walls on both sides of the spectrum, Zapdos for Physical, and Heatran for Special. EQ is for STAB. Ice Fang is for the Dragons and other opposing Gliscor.
Virizion @ Leftovers
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
The replacement for Chandelure has worked out nicely. It definatly helps against the Rain and Sandstorm matchups, as well as taking Ground attacks much easier. It all around has better bulk and the set up is pretty nice. Giga Drain is the main form of recovery, also giving STAB. Focus Blast hit the steels who resist the Giga Drain, however much it may miss. Finally, HP Ice is to hit dragons and Gliscor really hard. Timid nature is used to be speedy, since you can boost your Special Attack. It may not be the bulkiest EV Spread, but it does get the job done.
Metagross @ Life Orb
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Agility
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Ice Punch
This is the team's central focus, setting up a Metagross sweep. The Max Attack is obvious, and the 88 Speed ensures that the only things that outspeed you after an Agility (not including Ubers) are Ninjask, Electrode, and Accelgor. The rest of the EVs are dumped into HP for extra bulk. Iron Head is chosen over Meteor Mash for the extra Accuracy, and it gives you the chance of flinching. Earthquake is pretty standard for any Metagross, to cover those Steel types and stuff like that. The last slot is Ice Punch, to hit Dragons and Gliscor harder.
Team Strategy
First, you start with Mienshao. It is a very versitile lead, and it can switch out using U-Turn. Fake Out for damage, HJK to kill everything its Super Effective against. Once you're done wrecking havok, just U-Turn out and regain some HP on the way. Then just switch in the the appropriate counter. Whenever you see something that can threaten a Metagross sweep, eliminate it ASAP. Those would probably be Ferrothorns, Jellicents, Chandelures, Excadrill, etc. Heatran takes care of Ferrothorn and walls all Chandlure that don't carry HP Ground. Jellicents are taken on best by Zapdos, and Gliscor or Virizion can both take on Excadrill nicely. When you find a Pokemon easy to set up on, like a Chansey/Blissey, switch in Metagross, and Agility while they do whatever, probably switch. Then just sweep their team, because if you've beaten out those counters, there isn't much else that can stop you.
