OMotM / LCotM Spotlight: Frantic Fusions & Cross Evolution

By April. Released: 2025/03/07
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OMOTM/LCOTM: Frantic Fusions & Cross Evolution Art

Art by anundeadboy.

What is an OMotM/LCotM?

The OMotM, or Other Metagame of the Month, is the metagame that is voted by the players to have a ladder for a specific month. The LCotM, or Leader's Choice of the Month, is a second ladder that is chosen specifically by OM Forum Mods. For the most part, the LCotM is a metagame that needs more love, as it may not be able to compete with the others that get nominated for the OMotM voting.

For March, the OMotM is Frantic Fusions, while the Leader's Choice is Cross Evolution!

Introduction to Frantic Fusions

Frantic Fusions is a metagame where any Pokémon can fuse with another Pokémon, gaining 1/4 of its base stats (barring HP) and its abilities, just by choosing it as its nickname. For example, Iron Crown normally has the ability Quark Drive and a stat spread of 92/72/100/122/108/96. When fusing with Tornadus-T, though, it gains access to Regenerator and turns its stat spread to 92/97/120/149/130/128. Donors like Porygon-Z and Clefable are extremely common for giving fantastic abilities in Adaptability and Magic Guard, while other donors like Regice, Regirock, and Rampardos give ludicrous stats for Pokémon that want to keep their ability like Alomomola, Galarian Slowking, and Meowscarada. At the same time, otherwise underwhelming Pokémon like Swampert, Azelf, and Scream Tail are able to rise to the forefront of the metagame as bases thanks to their overall good typings, movepools, and stats. This versatility of options makes Frantic Fusions a deeply creative metagame where any Trainer is free to let their ideas run wild!

Threats in Frantic Fusions

Latios Porygon-Z

Adaptability-boosted Draco Meteor. Latios is one of the absolute best Pokémon in Frantic Fusions, and perhaps its best fusion is Porygon-Z. Porygon-Z gives Latios a better Speed tier, but most importantly, it gives Latios a massive Special Attack buff and access to Adaptability, letting it be either a terrifying wallbreaker with Choice Specs or an excellent cleaner with Choice Scarf. Luster Purge is useful to fish for a Special Defense drop against would-be counters like Corviknight and Hisuian Goodra, but Psyshock is an option for Choice Specs sets to more immediately threaten special walls like Blissey and RegenVest Swampert. Aura Sphere is preferred on Choice Specs sets to threaten Steel-types like Kingambit, Excadrill, and Iron Treads, while Choice Scarf sets can use Trick to burden foes like Hisuian Goodra and Corviknight with Choice Scarf.

Kingambit Hatterene

You thought Kingambit was annoying before? Kingambit can fuse with Hatterene to get a significant boost to its bulk, a surprisingly high Attack boost, and, crucially, access to Magic Bounce to be an excellent disruptor, blocking foes from setting entry hazards or forcing Kingambit out with Roar or Whirlwind. Kingambit's immunity to Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave (barring Mold Breaker) and existing poison immunity also make it an excellent status absorber, able to reliably switch in and set up Swords Dance. Low Kick is the preferred third move for its ability to hit Archaludon, Hisuian Goodra, and especially Ting-Lu super effectively, but Iron Head is an option to hit foes like Primarina, Enamorus-T, and Scream Tail. Losing Supreme Overlord is a notable downside, but it's more than made up for by allowing Kingambit to be immediately threatening early- and mid-game!

Archaludon Pelipper

Electro Shot with Drizzle is all you need to know. Despite Damp Rock being banned, Archaludon manages to stand tall anyway by fusing with Pelipper and setting the rain up itself! Archaludon can reasonably fuse with either Politoed or Pelipper for Drizzle; Pelipper was chosen for its slightly higher Special Attack and Defense. Dragon Pulse is preferred to avoid the Special Attack drop of Draco Meteor and better synergize with Electro Shot, but Draco Meteor is still an option if you want Archaludon to hit as hard as possible. Electro Shot is a nuclear move in its own right, shredding through foes like Corviknight and Gholdengo while making Archaludon's other moves stronger each time it's used. Aura Sphere can be used to hit Iron Treads, Excadrill, and Hisuian Goodra, which otherwise switch in incredibly easily, while Stealth Rock is an option to take advantage of the switches Archaludon forces.

Introduction to Cross Evolution

Cross Evolution is another nickname-based metagame where almost any not fully evolved Pokémon can gain the stat and typing changes, movepool, and abilities of any corresponding evolution. All evolutions must follow the correct stages; Gligar, a first-stage Pokémon, can evolve into any second-stage Pokémon like Pelipper or Chansey to gain their traits, but not a third-stage Pokémon like Charizard or Hydrapple. Similarly, a second-stage Pokémon like Magneton can only evolve into a third-stage Pokémon like Hydreigon or Vivillon, not a fellow second-stage like Gyarados. For example, Kubfu cross-evolved into Gyarados gains a whopping 340 BST, a secondary Flying typing, and access to Intimidate or Moxie. The high power level of the tier means that otherwise broken Pokémon like Calyrex-S and Koraidon are not only free, but they're often underwhelming! The sheer versatility of options—barring Eviolite, which no longer works on cross-evolved Pokémon—makes Cross Evolution an infinitely creative metagame where any Trainer is free to explore as many options as they'd like.

Threats in Cross Evolution

Zorua-Hisui Toxtricity

STAB-boosted Boomburst. That's the Pokémon. Wait, where did I hear this before? Cross-evolving into Toxtricity gives Hisuian Zorua access to the incredibly powerful Boomburst boosted further by Punk Rock and a whopping +60 Special Attack. Boomburst is a ludicrously powerful move with Choice Specs equipped, able to cleanly 2HKO Normal-resistant Pokémon like Bisharp-Dragonite through Multiscale. Volt Switch is the preferred pivoting move for its ability to threaten Water-types like Slowpoke and Frogadier, but U-turn is an option to safely pivot on Ground-types like Hippopotas and Toedscool. Trick allows Hisuian Zorua to burden a foe like Gligar or Bisharp with its Choice Specs, but if it's dropping Volt Switch, Overdrive is an option to take advantage of Punk Rock and threaten the aforementioned Water-types.

Bisharp Tinkaton

Gigaton Hammer is a pretty strong move. Bisharp is a pretty strong Pokémon. A match made in heaven! Cross-evolving into Tinkaton grants Bisharp a modest Attack boost and a bit of extra bulk, but what really stands out is Mold Breaker and the exceptionally powerful Gigaton Hammer and Knock Off. Mold Breaker allows Bisharp to disrupt even Magic Bounce users like Chansey-Hatterene with Taunt, making it an excellent stallbreaker and general nuisance while enabling it to set up with Swords Dance. Mold Breaker is also notable for bypassing Fluffy, meaning even Houndstone evolutions like Gligar and Dunsparce aren't safe! Sucker Punch helps Bisharp bypass its mediocre Speed and be a potent revenge killer, while Knock Off is an option to more immediately threaten foes like Slowpoke, Electabuzz, and Dunsparce.

Misdreavus Breloom

Physical Misdreavus? Cross-evolving into Breloom gives Misdreavus a whopping base Attack of 150, access to the excellent Technician ability, and a secondary Fighting typing. Combined with its existing priority move in Shadow Sneak, Misdreavus turns into a terrifying revenge killer and wallbreaker. Mach Punch and Shadow Sneak have near-perfect coverage and—with Misdreavus's beefy Attack stat, Swords Dance, and a Technician boost—are immediately threatening in their own right, able to reliably tear through any weakened team. Close Combat gives Misdreavus some much-appreciated immediate power and allows it to tear through foes like Dunsparce, Rhydon, and Hisuian Qwilfish with a boost.

Final Thoughts

Both Frantic Fusions and Cross Evolutions are metagames with endless possibilities and boundless creativity, giving Trainers nearly unlimited options to explore and optimize. To learn about and discuss these metagames and more, why don't you pop into the Other Metagames room on Pokémon Showdown! or the official Other Metagames Discord to see everything our section has to offer?

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