EV
Banned deucer.
Inspired by Mega Doppelgangers
This project will test the limits of the very foundation we hold so dear in Generation VI: Mega Evolution. Each week I'll present a Pokemon and its Mega forme. Your job is to determine if that Pokemon should or shouldn't Mega evolve in a particular metagame. We'll weigh all the options: list each forme's strengths and weaknesses, provide alternatives for both, and suggest sample teammates to back up our claims. Then we can say with confidence to Mega or not to Mega.
The metagames open for analysis in this project are the ones where nearly every mega is available (i.e. not PU) and where evolution is still relevant (i.e. not Balanced Hackmons). Some of these weeks will be more straight-forward than others, but I challenge you to really dig into the merits of both Pokemon before giving your verdict. Basically, don't just regurgitate lines from the viability ranking.
(And remember, there's only one Mega slot, so could the base forme be better simply because it's not a mega? )
Open metagames:
This project will test the limits of the very foundation we hold so dear in Generation VI: Mega Evolution. Each week I'll present a Pokemon and its Mega forme. Your job is to determine if that Pokemon should or shouldn't Mega evolve in a particular metagame. We'll weigh all the options: list each forme's strengths and weaknesses, provide alternatives for both, and suggest sample teammates to back up our claims. Then we can say with confidence to Mega or not to Mega.
The metagames open for analysis in this project are the ones where nearly every mega is available (i.e. not PU) and where evolution is still relevant (i.e. not Balanced Hackmons). Some of these weeks will be more straight-forward than others, but I challenge you to really dig into the merits of both Pokemon before giving your verdict. Basically, don't just regurgitate lines from the viability ranking.
(And remember, there's only one Mega slot, so could the base forme be better simply because it's not a mega? )
Open metagames:
- STABmons
- Almost Any Ability
- Tier Shift
- Inverse Battle
- Monotype
Week 3
Gyarados
95 | 125 | 79 | 60 | 100 | 81
Ability: Intimidate (Moxie)
Weakness: Electric, Rock
Resistance: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, Water
Immunity: Ground
Tier Shift/Inverse
95 | 125 | 79 | 60 | 100 | 81
Weakness: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Ground, Steel, Water
Resistance: Electric, Rock
Mega Gyarados
95 | 155 | 109 | 70 | 130 | 81
Ability: Mold Breaker
Weakness: Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass
Resistance: Dark, Fire, Ghost, Ice, Steel, Water
Immunity: Psychic
Tier Shift/Inverse
95 | 155 | 109 | 70 | 130 | 81
Weakness: Dark, Fire, Ghost, Ice, Psychic, Steel, Water
Resistance: Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass
Step 1) Compare the formes.Gyarados
95 | 125 | 79 | 60 | 100 | 81
Ability: Intimidate (Moxie)
Weakness: Electric, Rock
Resistance: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, Water
Immunity: Ground
Tier Shift/Inverse
95 | 125 | 79 | 60 | 100 | 81
Weakness: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Ground, Steel, Water
Resistance: Electric, Rock
Mega Gyarados
95 | 155 | 109 | 70 | 130 | 81
Ability: Mold Breaker
Weakness: Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass
Resistance: Dark, Fire, Ghost, Ice, Steel, Water
Immunity: Psychic
Tier Shift/Inverse
95 | 155 | 109 | 70 | 130 | 81
Weakness: Dark, Fire, Ghost, Ice, Psychic, Steel, Water
Resistance: Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass
- What are their niches in the metagame?
- What do they check and counter?
- Where relevant (AAA), what ability should the base forme run with and without Mega evolving?
- What can fill the base forme's roles effectively?
- What can fill the Mega forme's roles effectively?
- Give the base forme a core. How does it interact with that core? What does this overall team look like?
- Give the Mega formes a core. Same as above.
- Which offers more viability and why?
Sample for Venusaur in STABmons said:1) Compare
2) Find Alternatives
- Grass and Poison typing grants some useful tools previously unavailable to Venusaur like Aromatheraphy, Spiky Shield, Toxic Spikes, and Spore. Offensively it gains a nice setup move in Coil and good attacks like Seed Flare, Gunk Shot, Sludge Wave, and Horn Leech. The typing is generally more helpful defensively where it can sponge hits from Azumarill, a major threat, plus Clefable and Diancie and threaten them back with a SE STAB attack.
- Mega Venusaur sports better overall bulk and loses the weaknesses to Fire and Ice. Base Venusaur has the option to carry a Life Orb for higher damage output or Black Sludge to regain HP each turn. Giga Drain and Synthesis remedy the loss of Black Sludge for the Mega in most instances, however.
3) Teammates
- As a defensive check to Fairy, Water, Electric, and Grass, Ferrothorn makes a great alternative. It still packs the utility of Grass moves like Spore, Leech Seed, and Aromatherapy, but it also sports more resistances and an immunity while gaining a weakness to Fighting and a double weakness to Fire. It's also notable for resisting all of Azumarill's common attack types (Water, Fairy, Normal), so it can check Azumarill even better than Mega Venusaur.
- Amoonguss has the same typing as both (though can't take neutral hits to Fire and Ice like Mega Venusaur) and a great ability in Regenerator which allows it to recover HP without designating a moveslot to Synthesis. It tends to play a more defensive role and relies on Spore to disable a target since it lacks the offensive presence necessary to scare out most attackers.
- Tangrowth has a better Defense but a much worse Special Defense and often carries an Assault Vest to patch it up. With comparable stats in Attack and Special Attack it can hit on both sides as needed and offers more offensive presence than Amoonguss or Ferrothorn. Like Amoonguss it runs Regenerator so it doesn't need Synthesis or Leech Seed to regain health.
- There aren't common offensive Grass-types other than Mega Sceptile, which is a better version of base Venusaur in nearly every scenario except it struggles with some Fairies.
4) Determination
- Both Venusaurs need to watch out for Flying-types which are common in STABmons. A partner like Rotom-H can switch into threats such as Thundurus, Landorus, Togekiss, Charizard-Y, and Talonflame, all who give Venusaur grief. Aerodactyl still gives the core trouble so a third member like fully-defensive Landorus-T or Skarmory can tank its attacks. Those two also offer Defog support, which Rotom-H appreciates and that leaves Venusaur to act as a cleric when needed.
- Possible Mega Venusaur core:
- An offensive core can build off F/W/G coverage. LO Venusaur clears out Water, Rock, and Ground Pokemon fairly well, opening up room for a Fire-type such as Talonflame to sweep. A Water-type is then helpful to get rid of those Fire Pokemon that check Venusaur and Talonflame, so adding Greninja is a good idea. Greninja also outspeeds and KOs threats like Thundurus and Landorus-I and -T, who could give the other teammates trouble.
- Possible base Venusaur core:
- I say "to Mega". Mega Venusaur faces competition from other Grass-types who can pull of similar and better roles most of the time, but it maintains a good offensive presence that some Pokemon like Ferrothorn can't pull off as effectively. It may lack the utility of Regenerator that Amoonguss and Tangrowth bring, but a stronger Giga Drain makes up for it somewhat. Base Venusaur is too outclassed by another Mega, Sceptile, to really have a solid offensive niche in STABmons, and defensively its own Mega forme outclasses it with much better bulk and two less resistances.
Week 1 - Venusaur
STABmons (see OP), Monotype 1, Monotype 2
Week 2 - Sableye
STABmons, Monotype 1 & 2
Week 3 - Scizor
Monotype 1 & 2
STABmons (see OP), Monotype 1, Monotype 2
Week 2 - Sableye
STABmons, Monotype 1 & 2
Week 3 - Scizor
Monotype 1 & 2
Last edited: