[OVERVIEW]
Mega Steelix serves as one of the tier's defensive titans, sporting a gargantuan base 230 Defense stat, usable HP and Special Defense, and a solid defensive typing in Steel / Ground, allowing Mega Steelix to provide an Electric immunity and serve as a Normal-, Flying-, and Psychic-type attack sponge capable of switching into a multitude of the tier's offensive threats, such as Gardevoir, Swellow, and Espeon. Mega Steelix is also capable of supporting its team by setting up Stealth Rock and providing offensive pressure thanks to its naturally high Attack stat coupled with access to Earthquake and Heavy Slam, the latter of which maintains a high Base Power against most of the tier. Unfortunately, Mega Steelix lacks reliable recovery, meaning it is prone to getting worn down throughout the course of the battle. Running Mega Steelix also forces your team to be wary of Grass- and Ice-types, as Steelix's secondary Ground typing leaves it more vulnerable to Pokemon such as Mega Glalie, Mega Abomasnow, Rotom-C, and Tsareena compared to other Steel-type options such as Doublade and Registeel. Additionally, common walls such as Milotic and Gligar can prove problematic for Mega Steelix to break through and maintain Stealth Rock at the same time. Lastly, Mega Steelix is threatened by a plethora of strong Fire-types, Water-types, and Fighting-types in the tier, such as Bewear, Virizion, Pangoro, Feraligatr, Araquanid, Moltres, and Salazzle.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Heavy Slam
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Curse / Toxic
item: Steelixite
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 36 Atk / 220 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heavy Slam provides Mega Steelix with a strong STAB move, sporting 120 Base Power against most of the tier and being capable of threatening switch-ins such as Flygon for massive damage. Earthquake provides Steelix with an alternative STAB move against Pokemon that Heavy Slam is weak or resisted against, such as Doublade, Feraligatr, and Rhyperior. Stealth Rock provides entry hazard support for the team, providing valuable offensive pressure in the long run. Curse allows Steelix to boost its Attack to break through Pokemon such as CurseLax and Gligar, the latter of which could otherwise wall it and Defog Stealth Rock indefinitely. Toxic is an alternative option to cripple switch-ins Steelix otherwise could barely touch, such as Moltres and Rotom-H, as well as preventing Pokemon such as Virizion from sweeping after attempting to set up on Mega Steelix.
Set Details
========
36 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Mega Steelix to OHKO Swellow, potentially OHKO Honchkrow and Zygarde-10%,and effectively beat Gligar after two Curse boosts with Heavy Slam. The rest of the EVs are poured into HP and Special Defense, as Steelix's naturally high Defense already leaves it capable of taking most neutral physical hits in the tier. Sturdy should be run to allow Steelix to serve as an emergency check to a sweeper, such as Salazzle, before Mega Evolving.
Usage Tips
========
Play with Steelix carefully to preserve its HP in order to continually check the Pokemon it needs to mid- and late-game, such as Swellow, Honchkrow, Linoone, Mega Glalie, Meloetta, Gardevoir, and Tyrantrum. Setting Stealth Rock is generally the optimal move when Steelix is not threatened; even if your opponent can use Defog safely, this makes for an opportunity to gain momentum by switching into something that can threaten them.
Team Options
========
Mega Steelix appreciates cleric support from a Pokemon such as Umbreon and Florges to patch up its lack of reliable recovery. Florges also has great defensive synergy with Steelix, as it naturally checks Rotom-H, Moltres, Kommo-o, and Bewear, which all threaten Mega Steelix, thanks to its typing and Special Defense. Milotic makes a good Water-type partner for Steelix, as it is capable of switching into the Fire-type attacks that threaten Mega Steelix as well as strong Water-types such as Feraligatr and Araquanid.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Roar allows Mega Steelix to phaze a potentially dangerous setup sweeper, such as Cloyster, while dealing entry hazard chip damage to the opposing team as your opponent attempts to switch into their Steelix checks, proving especially detrimental for teams reliant on their Fire-types. Stone Edge allows Mega Steelix to hit Rotom-H, Moltres, and Golisopod on the switch, which it would otherwise rely on Toxic for, while OHKOing Yanmega; however, Heavy Slam and Earthquake are generally more reliable offensive moves, being boosted by STAB and hitting the rest of the Pokemon in the tier. Rest could be used in the last slot when paired with cleric support to serve as pseudo-recovery, but doing so would result in a massive loss of momentum, and Mega Steelix is better suited as a temporary switch-in used on balance teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire types such as Salazzle, Moltres, and Rotom-H are able to threaten Mega Steelix with their strong Fire-type STAB moves. The latter two are especially problematic for Steelix, as it is largely unable to threaten them on the switch, and they are capable of using Defog to get rid of the Stealth Rock Mega Steelix sets.
**Water-types**: Strong offensive Water-types such as Araquanid and Feraligatr threaten Steelix out and are often difficult to switch into.
**Fighting-types**: Strong Fighting-types, such as Bewear, Virizion, and Pangoro, can all switch into Mega Steelix at least once and threaten it with their super-effective STAB moves.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types deal neutral damage to Mega Steelix thanks to its typing, and Steelix can struggle to switch into strong Grass-type attacks such as Seed Flare and Leaf Storm from Life Orb Shaymin and Roserade, respectively. Rotom-C can be annoying in particular, as its typing allows it to switch in on Mega Steelix without fearing its STAB moves and use Defog while threatening massive damage with Bloom Doom.
**Gligar and Refresh Milotic**: Gligar is capable of stalling out and chipping away at Mega Steelix before it is able to set up multiple Curses, and Refresh Milotic walls Toxic variants indefinitely
Mega Steelix serves as one of the tier's defensive titans, sporting a gargantuan base 230 Defense stat, usable HP and Special Defense, and a solid defensive typing in Steel / Ground, allowing Mega Steelix to provide an Electric immunity and serve as a Normal-, Flying-, and Psychic-type attack sponge capable of switching into a multitude of the tier's offensive threats, such as Gardevoir, Swellow, and Espeon. Mega Steelix is also capable of supporting its team by setting up Stealth Rock and providing offensive pressure thanks to its naturally high Attack stat coupled with access to Earthquake and Heavy Slam, the latter of which maintains a high Base Power against most of the tier. Unfortunately, Mega Steelix lacks reliable recovery, meaning it is prone to getting worn down throughout the course of the battle. Running Mega Steelix also forces your team to be wary of Grass- and Ice-types, as Steelix's secondary Ground typing leaves it more vulnerable to Pokemon such as Mega Glalie, Mega Abomasnow, Rotom-C, and Tsareena compared to other Steel-type options such as Doublade and Registeel. Additionally, common walls such as Milotic and Gligar can prove problematic for Mega Steelix to break through and maintain Stealth Rock at the same time. Lastly, Mega Steelix is threatened by a plethora of strong Fire-types, Water-types, and Fighting-types in the tier, such as Bewear, Virizion, Pangoro, Feraligatr, Araquanid, Moltres, and Salazzle.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Heavy Slam
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stealth Rock
move 4: Curse / Toxic
item: Steelixite
ability: Sturdy
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 36 Atk / 220 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heavy Slam provides Mega Steelix with a strong STAB move, sporting 120 Base Power against most of the tier and being capable of threatening switch-ins such as Flygon for massive damage. Earthquake provides Steelix with an alternative STAB move against Pokemon that Heavy Slam is weak or resisted against, such as Doublade, Feraligatr, and Rhyperior. Stealth Rock provides entry hazard support for the team, providing valuable offensive pressure in the long run. Curse allows Steelix to boost its Attack to break through Pokemon such as CurseLax and Gligar, the latter of which could otherwise wall it and Defog Stealth Rock indefinitely. Toxic is an alternative option to cripple switch-ins Steelix otherwise could barely touch, such as Moltres and Rotom-H, as well as preventing Pokemon such as Virizion from sweeping after attempting to set up on Mega Steelix.
Set Details
========
36 Attack EVs with an Adamant nature allow Mega Steelix to OHKO Swellow, potentially OHKO Honchkrow and Zygarde-10%,and effectively beat Gligar after two Curse boosts with Heavy Slam. The rest of the EVs are poured into HP and Special Defense, as Steelix's naturally high Defense already leaves it capable of taking most neutral physical hits in the tier. Sturdy should be run to allow Steelix to serve as an emergency check to a sweeper, such as Salazzle, before Mega Evolving.
Usage Tips
========
Play with Steelix carefully to preserve its HP in order to continually check the Pokemon it needs to mid- and late-game, such as Swellow, Honchkrow, Linoone, Mega Glalie, Meloetta, Gardevoir, and Tyrantrum. Setting Stealth Rock is generally the optimal move when Steelix is not threatened; even if your opponent can use Defog safely, this makes for an opportunity to gain momentum by switching into something that can threaten them.
Team Options
========
Mega Steelix appreciates cleric support from a Pokemon such as Umbreon and Florges to patch up its lack of reliable recovery. Florges also has great defensive synergy with Steelix, as it naturally checks Rotom-H, Moltres, Kommo-o, and Bewear, which all threaten Mega Steelix, thanks to its typing and Special Defense. Milotic makes a good Water-type partner for Steelix, as it is capable of switching into the Fire-type attacks that threaten Mega Steelix as well as strong Water-types such as Feraligatr and Araquanid.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Roar allows Mega Steelix to phaze a potentially dangerous setup sweeper, such as Cloyster, while dealing entry hazard chip damage to the opposing team as your opponent attempts to switch into their Steelix checks, proving especially detrimental for teams reliant on their Fire-types. Stone Edge allows Mega Steelix to hit Rotom-H, Moltres, and Golisopod on the switch, which it would otherwise rely on Toxic for, while OHKOing Yanmega; however, Heavy Slam and Earthquake are generally more reliable offensive moves, being boosted by STAB and hitting the rest of the Pokemon in the tier. Rest could be used in the last slot when paired with cleric support to serve as pseudo-recovery, but doing so would result in a massive loss of momentum, and Mega Steelix is better suited as a temporary switch-in used on balance teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-types**: Fire types such as Salazzle, Moltres, and Rotom-H are able to threaten Mega Steelix with their strong Fire-type STAB moves. The latter two are especially problematic for Steelix, as it is largely unable to threaten them on the switch, and they are capable of using Defog to get rid of the Stealth Rock Mega Steelix sets.
**Water-types**: Strong offensive Water-types such as Araquanid and Feraligatr threaten Steelix out and are often difficult to switch into.
**Fighting-types**: Strong Fighting-types, such as Bewear, Virizion, and Pangoro, can all switch into Mega Steelix at least once and threaten it with their super-effective STAB moves.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types deal neutral damage to Mega Steelix thanks to its typing, and Steelix can struggle to switch into strong Grass-type attacks such as Seed Flare and Leaf Storm from Life Orb Shaymin and Roserade, respectively. Rotom-C can be annoying in particular, as its typing allows it to switch in on Mega Steelix without fearing its STAB moves and use Defog while threatening massive damage with Bloom Doom.
**Gligar and Refresh Milotic**: Gligar is capable of stalling out and chipping away at Mega Steelix before it is able to set up multiple Curses, and Refresh Milotic walls Toxic variants indefinitely
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