Battle Spot Metagross Balance Offence

cant say

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meta fini balance - shadow and glow (fixed cropping).png

This has been my go-to team for the last 2 months or so, and even though it fell to DragonWhale in the deciding game of our quarterfinal matchup in BSSC3 I think it's pretty good. Those familiar with OU may think Metagross is a pretty boring / OP choice to build around, however in BSS it's actually pretty mediocre compared to other mega options, but those are the kinds of mons I like to build around so I find myself using Meta in lots of teams.

This team is just a simple Meta + Lando-T core, Raikou used to be the go-to Electric type with this core but Tapu Koko came along and made Raikou pretty much obsolete in every way. Tapu Fini and Porygon2 provide extra bulk for the team and answers to scary mons like Mamoswine, Hippowdon, (Mega) Gyarados, and Greninja. Volcarona gives some much needed offence with Quiver Dance and a Z move, and has good synergy with the team.

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Metagross @ Metagrossite | Clear Body
Jolly | 124 HP / 156 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 220 Spe
Iron Head | Ice Punch | Thunder Punch | Earthquake

Star of the team. Has sick coverage and hurts almost everything. Thunder Punch and Earthquake are used over Bullet Punch and Zen Headbutt (or Hammer Arm) to hit things like Celesteela, (Mega) Gyarados, Mega Mawile and Excadrill, since these are things that usually come in on Meta and use the predicted switch out to get a free turn of set up. The EV spread is designed to outspeed adamant Mega Salamence, and tank an Earthquake from scarf Landorus-T (and Mence / Excadrill / Garchomp / Mamoswine / banded Dragonite etc) so it can win the 1v1.


Landorus-Therian @ Mago Berry | Intimidate
Careful | 244 HP / 36 Def / 228 SpD
Earthquake | Rock Tomb | U-turn | Stealth Rock

Lando forms a core with Metagross by providing a ground resistance while Meta helps against ice moves. Intimidate is also insanely helpful for checking things like boosted Mega Salamence and Excadrill, as well as Mimikyu, Blaziken and Charizard X. Stealth Rock, while usually unnecessary in BSS, is good for helping Metagross pick up KOes, especially with its lower attack investment. Specially defensive was chosen to tank moves from Charizard Y (and anything weaker) and KO with Rock Tomb.


Tapu Fini @ Wiki Berry | Misty Surge
Bold | 236 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpA / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Moonblast | Surf | Nature's Madness | Taunt

Fini fills what would have been the Suicune slot in ORAS because Misty Terrain is so good. Stopping Scald burns or random Thunder Waves / Glares from ending a Meta sweep, or Sash + Spore Breloom from being so obnoxious is pretty dope. Water-Fairy is also an amazing typing and basically hard walls Blaziken, which is super important since mixed Hidden Power Ice sets tear apart my primary core. The SpA investment is to get the OHKO on Blaziken, since Swords Dance sets 2HKO Fini otherwise and you lose.


Porygon2 @ Eviolite | Analytic
Sassy | 244 HP / 124 Def / 140 SpD
Return | Foul Play | Ice Beam | Recover

DUCK.pkm has got to be the best bulky mon in the game, it's able to check a whole bunch of scary threats when you mess up and let them boost. Return seems like an odd choice but it is used to beat things like Charizard Y and Volcarona. This used to be Download with Thunder Wave over Foul Play until Jhon convinced me to try Analytic, it worked out pretty well in practice so I kept it. The EVs are for surviving a +2 Twinkle Tackle from adamant Mimikyu, with the rest dumped into SpD.


Volcarona @ Buginium Z | Swarm
Modest | 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Fiery Dance | Bug Buzz | Substitute | Quiver Dance

The team really needs a booster to pose a threat offensively. Quiver Dance Volc is one of those things that can get out of control after just one boost. It's also the undisputed king of Z moves in the meta, it has 6 viable Z move types, combine that with all the regular items it can use like Sash, Lum, Life Orb, and Choice items, and you have a super unpredictable mon. I like Z Bug Buzz because of the combination with Swarm, Substitute is also an amazing move on its own but also synergises with Swarm really well. +1 Swarm-boosted Z Bug Buzz does such stupid damage, it OHKOes things like Mega Salamence, Mega Charizard X, Landorus-T, Gyarados, and gets close to it on Tapu Fini!


Tapu Koko @ Life Orb | Electric Surge
Timid | 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Volt Switch | Dazzling Gleam | Hidden Power Fire | Grass Knot

This is used to form a VoltTurn core with Landorus, so you can switch around and try to get yourself in a favourable position with Volcarona so you can set up, or punch holes with Metagross. I'll admit not using reliable electric STAB is a bit weird, but I don't really miss it too much, but you can run it over Grass Knot if anything. I like Grass Knot though for things like Hippowdon and Mamoswine in case I can't bring Fini due to a bad matchup. Hidden Power Fire is also necessary for chunking Ferrothorn which walls this team pretty hard otherwise. I've been criticised for using a shiny Koko because they're nature-locked into Timid and that gives away information to my opponents, but Timid is by far the best and most common nature, and I think the shiny sprite looks dope so it's a risk I'm willing to take, lol.

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So that's the team! Feel free to give it a try if you're new to BSS or not and just want another fun team to ladder with. The threatlist and importable are below for those that need them. If you've got any suggestions or questions then please don't hesitate to post them

Just a huge threat to anything really. You can stay in and attack to break its disguise, or switch and give it a free Swords Dance. You decide. P2 is pretty good at handling it since it tanks a +2 Twinkle Tackle and OHKOes with Foul Play, and Metagross can also flinch it if you're lucky. You really want to catch it with Landorus-T so you can U-turn out while breaking its Disguise.

Z move is scary as hell, Metagross doesn't OHKO it and lacks Bullet Punch to pick it off (you can run Bullet Punch if you want btw). Landorus-T handles them pretty well if they don't have Hidden Power Ice though. P2 can also stall out electric terrain with Recover and eventually win.

This thing punches pretty big holes. Scarf Shadow Ball can pick off Metagross, and Psychic does big damage to the rest of the team. Porygon2 is pretty good at beating this with Return, but Specs Lele overwhelms it (but is subsequently beaten by Metagross).

Haven't got a real good way to hurt this without setting off its Weakness Policy. Tapu Fini is pretty decent with Taunt and Surf and can make revenging it easy enough. Porygon2 can also Ice Beam and Recover Stall if they aren't running SubToxic, and KO it with Foul Play if they get into range.

I have answers to it but if they go down this thing just wrecks. Z Solar Beam and Z Thunder Punch are especially annoying since they take out Fini and sweep the rest of my team.

Yeah Volcarona laughs at this, but seeing this at team preview basically forces me to bring it, which makes predicting a little easier for my opponent. If Volc goes down (not hard with Stealth Rock in play) then I have to get it with Koko or lose.

Again, apart from Volc I don't have much to deal with this.

Yeah I have Fini and Koko to stop sleep shenanigans but both freaking hate Bullet Seed. If they go down it can hide away until the terrain is gone and sleep my team. Meta is pretty good against it, though.

Nasty Plot + Z move is mega strong. Meta outspeeds and bops it which is good though.

Lucky I have Volc, right? Fini can also win with Taunt while whittling it down, but apart from that it's bulky enough to wall the rest of my team easily
Polygon 2 (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Analytic
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 244 HP / 124 Def / 140 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Return
- Foul Play
- Ice Beam
- Recover

Cap-Re-hire (Tapu Fini) @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 236 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpA / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Surf
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt

Meta Gloss (Metagross) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 124 HP / 156 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpD / 220 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Earthquake

Randorosu Spirit (Landorus-Therian) @ Mago Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 244 HP / 36 Def / 228 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Tomb
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock

Urugamosu (Volcarona) @ Buginium Z
Ability: Swarm
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Substitute
- Quiver Dance

Cap-Kokeko (Tapu Koko) @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
 

cant say

twitch.tv/jakecantsay
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
retired the team by winning the 'official' BSS tour in the tours room tonight. I did get insanely lucky in the semi final (didn't save the replay, dodged a gunk shot on the penultimate turn to win) but we take those. the early rounds were a bit boring so not posting them.

tour room:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotsingles-578567928
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotsingles-578569088
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotsingles-578575919

bssc:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotsingles-563867251
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotsingles-558301353
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotsingles-561026705
 
Nice team buddy. Actually i'm pretty surprised that i've never seen it in action before..
Now i know that you are retiring this team, but i'll still share my thoughts down here, with the things i'd change, so if you ever want to use it again they maybe might be helpful. (or just because i need to fulfill the need of rating something lol)

I was thinking, could Landorus-T help more vs that threat list if we turn it into a Defensive set with RH? It would help vs Mimikyu and physical Blaziken a lot, and anyway you have you're p2 that it's more focussed on SpDef.

You could use this:
@ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 172 Def / 92 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Tomb
- U-turn

It outspeeds Loom, that is one of mons the threads in the list.
Or just go with a full HB spread

Also, how do you deal with Water-types? I see that Tpunch on Metag that fits perfectly in your team, but aren't those still hard to get down?
Maybe, even if that Volc set is heat, you could try this one:
@ Grassium Z
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Solar Beam
- Quiver Dance

Or just go straight forward turning it into a CharY, with its Sun + Solar Beam.


This being said, great team so far and as always, very aesthetic .
 
Last edited:

cant say

twitch.tv/jakecantsay
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Nice team buddy. Actually i'm pretty surprised that i've never seen it in action before..
Now i know that you are retiring this team, but i'll still share my thoughts down here, with the things i'd change, so if you ever want to use it again they maybe might be helpful. (or just because i need to fulfill the need of rating something lol)

I was thinking, could Landorus-T help more vs that threat list if we turn it into a Defensive set with RH? It would help vs Mimikyu and physical Blaziken a lot, and anyway you have you're p2 that it's more focussed on SpDef.

You could use this:
@ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 172 Def / 92 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Tomb
- U-turn

It outspeeds Loom, that is one of mons the threads in the list.
Or just go with a full HB spread

Also, how do you deal with Water-types? I see that Tpunch on Metag that fits perfectly in your team, but aren't those still hard to get down?
Maybe, even if that Volc set is heat, you could try this one:
@ Grassium Z
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Solar Beam
- Quiver Dance

Or just go straight forward turning it into a CharY, with its Sun + Solar Beam.


This being said, great team so far and as always, very aesthetic .
Thanks for the reply, knew I could count on you to lol. I have thought about changing Lando to a Helmet set, but the meta this gen is predominantly special attacking, and the bulk on that side has been incredibly helpful against things like Lele, Char-Y, Mega Gengar, Volcarona, and Aegislash (wins 1v1 by living +2 Shadow Ball and 2HKOing with Earthquake). I feel like by changing it to physdef to improve my matchup with physical Blaziken worsens my matchup with those other things which feels kinda unnecessary when I have Fini for it which only really loses to the gimmicky Z moves.

As for water types, which ones look particularly threatening to the team? Gyarados gets bopped by Meta is if non-mega, and Fini stops mega. Meta 2HKOes Fini / Primarina, and Koko forces them out. Metagross walls Cloyster that aren't using Z Hydro Pump / Razor Shell. Toxapex is bad. I guess Suicune is kinda annoying, but I don't think Z Giga Volc is the best answer to that (def not a bad idea though). I think just running a good Electric move on Koko is probably best!

At least I passed the aesthetics test lol
 

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