[OVERVIEW]
Mega Medicham is one of the most feared wallbreakers in the metagame thanks to its solid Speed stat, offensive STAB combination, coverage options, and sky-high Attack stat backed by Pure Power. Its Speed stat enables it to outpace key Pokemon like Tapu Lele, Kyurem-B, and Landorus-T. Mega Medicham can also utilize two solid priority moves in Fake Out and Bullet Punch to become an effective revenge killer by wearing down and picking off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Koko, Greninja, and boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Gyarados, and Dragonite. However, Mega Medicham is held back by its frailty, forcing it to rely on smart sacrifices, pivot support, and aggressive switches to come in safely. It also struggles against bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus, and is outpaced and revenge killed by faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Greninja, and Tornadus-T. Additionally, all of Mega Medicham's attacking options force it to make contact to deal damage, leaving it vulnerable to contact punishers like Garchomp and Rocky Helmet users like Tornadus-T and Zapdos.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: High Jump Kick
move 2: Fake Out
move 3: Ice Punch / Bullet Punch
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Thunder Punch
item: Medichamite
ability: Telepathy
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
High Jump Kick smashes and OHKOes key targets like Heatran, Ferrothorn, Mega Tyranitar, and Kyurem-B, and deals huge damage to neutral targets like Magearna, Rotom-W, Manaphy, and Mega Scizor. Fake Out helps Mega Medicham wear down and pick off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Mega Swampert under the rain, and boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Gyarados. Ice Punch complements High Jump Kick and breaks through Mega Latias and Flying-types like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Bullet Punch threatens Mega Diancie, which otherwise forces Mega Medicham out; it also pairs well with Fake Out, enabling it to more effectively finish off the aforementioned faster targets that are put within KO range by Fake Out. Zen Headbutt threatens Toxapex with an OHKO and hits neutral targets like Clefable hard. Lastly, Thunder Punch is Mega Medicham's strongest option against Slowbro and should mainly be used if it is paired with Tapu Koko because a boosted Thunder Punch threatens Slowbro with a 2HKO.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature is recommended to Speed tie with Mega Charizard Y and outspeed Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele. An Adamant nature is an option for maximizing Mega Medicham's damage output and OHKO defensive Landorus-T with Ice Punch after Stealth Rock and 2HKO Tapu Fini with Zen Headbutt. Telepathy is Medicham's preferred pre-Mega ability for its situational use to prevent Ditto from copying its damage output in a pinch. Medicham has no use of Telepathy otherwise, since it will regain Pure Power anyway after Mega Evolving.
Usage Tips
========
The main goal for Mega Medicham is to bring it onto the field safely to wreak havoc against the opposing team. Due to its frailty, Mega Medicham cannot afford to come in against strong neutral attacks. Therefore, it is best to bring Mega Medicham in via aggressive switches, pivot support from U-turn and Volt Switch, or after a teammate has fainted. If Mega Medicham is up against boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X and Gyarados, it can switch in repeatedly via smart sacrifices and use Fake Out to wear them down and eventually pick them off, preventing them from finishing off the rest of Mega Medicham's team. It is important to keep in mind that Ferrothorn and Heatran, both of which are prime victims of High Jump Kick, occasionally run Protect; therefore, it is a good idea to scout for Protect on these two so that Mega Medicham can reduce the risk of mistiming the use of High Jump Kick and take them down. If Mega Medicham has Thunder Punch, try to send it in after Tapu Koko sets up Electric Terrain in order to weaken bulky teams that have Pokemon like Mega Sableye, Clefable, and threaten Slowbro with a 2HKO.
Team Options
========
Mega Medicham finds its home on hyper offense, offense, and bulky offense teams, which capitalize on its wallbreaking capabilities so that its teammates can clean up later in the game. Pivot support from Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Zapdos, Rotom-W, and Magearna synergizes perfectly with Mega Medicham, as they can bring it in via U-turn and Volt Switch, setting the stage for Mega Medicham to cause havoc. Additionally, Magearna reliably handles Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele, while the others remove entry hazards from their side of the field with Defog. Zapdos also has the benefit of taking on Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, baiting in Chansey and Mega Tyranitar for Mega Medicham to take down, and punishing opposing U-turn with Static. Tapu Koko pairs well with Mega Medicham for similar reasons and summons Electric Terrain to boost the power of Thunder Punch, allowing Mega Medicham to plow through Slowbro, which otherwise solidly answers it. Kyurem-B clears a path for Mega Medicham by smashing through Flying-type answers like Zapdos and Tornadus-T, while Mega Medicham, in return, steamrolls Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Magearna. Tapu Lele summons Psychic Terrain to boost the power of Mega Medicham's Zen Headbutt and protect it from priority moves like Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, and together, they overwhelm each other's defensive answers. Keep in mind that Mega Medicham is unable to use Fake Out and Bullet Punch against grounded targets while Psychic Terrain is active. Hawlucha also forms a solid core with Mega Medicham despite adding up on the Fighting typing, with Mega Medicham softening shared Fairy-type answers like Clefable and Tapu Fini, paving a way for Hawlucha to clean up late-game. Ash-Greninja sets up Spikes to further enable both it and Mega Medicham's wallbreaking capabilities and it handles bulky Psychic-types that Mega Medicham struggles against, like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain pairs beautifully with Mega Medicham, protecting it from attempted status ailments like Toxic or Scald burns from Toxapex and paralysis from Zapdos's Static. Volcarona enjoys Mega Medicham's ability to break past Chansey, Toxapex, and Heatran, paving the way for Volcarona to sweep late-game. Weavile traps and eliminates bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus with Pursuit, removing a major obstacle for Mega Medicham to wallbreak. Offensive Grass-types like Kartana, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu also pair well with Mega Medicham, as they can smash through defensive answers like Slowbro and Cresselia and overwhelm each other's shared checks like Tornadus-T. Choice Scarf variants of Kartana provide a solid cleaning option against faster targets like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Koko, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, while Choice Band and Swords Dance sets work together with Mega Medicham in heavily pressuring bulky structures. Serperior provides paralysis support with Glare, letting Mega Medicham threaten faster checks like Tornadus-T. Additionally, both Kartana and Serperior provide Knock Off support to remove items like Leftovers from Clefable and Rocky Helmet from Skarmory, allowing Mega Medicham to break through them more easily.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Drain Punch and Psycho Cut are more accurate alternatives to High Jump Kick and Zen Headbutt to extend Mega Medicham's longevity and avoid worrying about contact punishes, respectively. However, both of these moves are weaker, while Psycho Cut causes Mega Medicham to miss out on the flinch chance from Zen Headbutt. Substitute eases prediction and allows Mega Medicham to more easily punish switch-ins and Protect users with heavy damage; however, this forces it to ditch Fake Out, making it less effective as a revenge killer. Recover is an option to keep Mega Medicham healthy. However, this forces Mega Medicham to forgo crucial moves like Zen Headbutt and Thunder Punch; not to mention its frailty means it rarely finds a safe opportunity to heal itself.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Mega Medicham fares badly against bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus, as they resist both STAB options, heal off any damage taken, and can either threaten it with status or use it as setup fodder. While Slowbro can handle Mega Medicham with its bulk and Scald, it is often more manageable if Mega Medicham runs Thunder Punch supported by Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain. On the other hand, Cresselia doesn't come close to being 2HKOed by a boosted Thunder Punch, while Reuniclus has a small chance to avoid a 2HKO.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable and Tapu Fini are bulky enough to survive Zen Headbutt and fire back with Moonblast; however, neither of them can directly switch into Zen Headbutt as they both risk being 2HKOed, Tapu Fini lacks reliable recovery outside of Leftovers, and Mega Medicham can potentially break through them with a chance to flinch. Defensive variants of Magearna often invest in enough bulk to survive High Jump Kick after Stealth Rock and retaliate with Fleur Cannon. All of these Fairy-types cannot safely switch into Mega Medicham's attacks and require proper positioning from fainted teammates to come in and take it down.
**Ghost-types**: The mere presence of any Ghost-type on the opposing team is enough to discourage Mega Medicham from using High Jump Kick recklessly and risk taking crash damage as a result. Mega Sableye completely stops Mega Medicham in its tracks due to its immunity to both STAB options and Fake Out, isn't 2HKOed by its coverage options, and threatens it back with Will-O-Wisp.
**Faster Threats and Priority**: Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, Tornadus-T, and Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T and Tapu Lele outpace Mega Medicham and threaten it with major damage. If Mega Medicham lacks Bullet Punch, Mega Diancie can chase it out with Moonblast. Additionally, Mega Lopunny can come in via sacrifices and use its own Fake Out to put it within KO range from Frustration.
**Passive Damage and Contact Punishment**: Mega Medicham does not enjoy being worn down by entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, as the accumulated chip damage leaves it prone to being picked off by moves like Earthquake from Choice Scarf Landorus-T. As Mega Medicham is forced to rely on contact moves to deal damage, it is susceptible to contact punishers like Garchomp and Rocky Helmet users like Zapdos and defensive Landorus-T. Zapdos is especially troublesome for Mega Medicham, as it can also potentially cripple Mega Medicham with paralysis from Static. Volcarona deserves a mention because while Mega Medicham can revenge kill it with Fake Out and Bullet Punch, it must do so at its own risk due to the chance of being burned by Flame Body. Toxapex, one of Mega Medicham's most common victims, sometimes runs Baneful Bunker to punish it with poison and put it on a timer.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Mega Medicham is one of the most feared wallbreakers in the metagame thanks to its solid Speed stat, offensive STAB combination, coverage options, and sky-high Attack stat backed by Pure Power. Its Speed stat enables it to outpace key Pokemon like Tapu Lele, Kyurem-B, and Landorus-T. Mega Medicham can also utilize two solid priority moves in Fake Out and Bullet Punch to become an effective revenge killer by wearing down and picking off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Koko, Greninja, and boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Gyarados, and Dragonite. However, Mega Medicham is held back by its frailty, forcing it to rely on smart sacrifices, pivot support, and aggressive switches to come in safely. It also struggles against bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus, and is outpaced and revenge killed by faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Greninja, and Tornadus-T. Additionally, all of Mega Medicham's attacking options force it to make contact to deal damage, leaving it vulnerable to contact punishers like Garchomp and Rocky Helmet users like Tornadus-T and Zapdos.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: High Jump Kick
move 2: Fake Out
move 3: Ice Punch / Bullet Punch
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Thunder Punch
item: Medichamite
ability: Telepathy
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
High Jump Kick smashes and OHKOes key targets like Heatran, Ferrothorn, Mega Tyranitar, and Kyurem-B, and deals huge damage to neutral targets like Magearna, Rotom-W, Manaphy, and Mega Scizor. Fake Out helps Mega Medicham wear down and pick off faster Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Mega Swampert under the rain, and boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Gyarados. Ice Punch complements High Jump Kick and breaks through Mega Latias and Flying-types like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Bullet Punch threatens Mega Diancie, which otherwise forces Mega Medicham out; it also pairs well with Fake Out, enabling it to more effectively finish off the aforementioned faster targets that are put within KO range by Fake Out. Zen Headbutt threatens Toxapex with an OHKO and hits neutral targets like Clefable hard. Lastly, Thunder Punch is Mega Medicham's strongest option against Slowbro and should mainly be used if it is paired with Tapu Koko because a boosted Thunder Punch threatens Slowbro with a 2HKO.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature is recommended to Speed tie with Mega Charizard Y and outspeed Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele. An Adamant nature is an option for maximizing Mega Medicham's damage output and OHKO defensive Landorus-T with Ice Punch after Stealth Rock and 2HKO Tapu Fini with Zen Headbutt. Telepathy is Medicham's preferred pre-Mega ability for its situational use to prevent Ditto from copying its damage output in a pinch. Medicham has no use of Telepathy otherwise, since it will regain Pure Power anyway after Mega Evolving.
Usage Tips
========
The main goal for Mega Medicham is to bring it onto the field safely to wreak havoc against the opposing team. Due to its frailty, Mega Medicham cannot afford to come in against strong neutral attacks. Therefore, it is best to bring Mega Medicham in via aggressive switches, pivot support from U-turn and Volt Switch, or after a teammate has fainted. If Mega Medicham is up against boosted sweepers like Mega Charizard X and Gyarados, it can switch in repeatedly via smart sacrifices and use Fake Out to wear them down and eventually pick them off, preventing them from finishing off the rest of Mega Medicham's team. It is important to keep in mind that Ferrothorn and Heatran, both of which are prime victims of High Jump Kick, occasionally run Protect; therefore, it is a good idea to scout for Protect on these two so that Mega Medicham can reduce the risk of mistiming the use of High Jump Kick and take them down. If Mega Medicham has Thunder Punch, try to send it in after Tapu Koko sets up Electric Terrain in order to weaken bulky teams that have Pokemon like Mega Sableye, Clefable, and threaten Slowbro with a 2HKO.
Team Options
========
Mega Medicham finds its home on hyper offense, offense, and bulky offense teams, which capitalize on its wallbreaking capabilities so that its teammates can clean up later in the game. Pivot support from Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Zapdos, Rotom-W, and Magearna synergizes perfectly with Mega Medicham, as they can bring it in via U-turn and Volt Switch, setting the stage for Mega Medicham to cause havoc. Additionally, Magearna reliably handles Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele, while the others remove entry hazards from their side of the field with Defog. Zapdos also has the benefit of taking on Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, baiting in Chansey and Mega Tyranitar for Mega Medicham to take down, and punishing opposing U-turn with Static. Tapu Koko pairs well with Mega Medicham for similar reasons and summons Electric Terrain to boost the power of Thunder Punch, allowing Mega Medicham to plow through Slowbro, which otherwise solidly answers it. Kyurem-B clears a path for Mega Medicham by smashing through Flying-type answers like Zapdos and Tornadus-T, while Mega Medicham, in return, steamrolls Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Magearna. Tapu Lele summons Psychic Terrain to boost the power of Mega Medicham's Zen Headbutt and protect it from priority moves like Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, and together, they overwhelm each other's defensive answers. Keep in mind that Mega Medicham is unable to use Fake Out and Bullet Punch against grounded targets while Psychic Terrain is active. Hawlucha also forms a solid core with Mega Medicham despite adding up on the Fighting typing, with Mega Medicham softening shared Fairy-type answers like Clefable and Tapu Fini, paving a way for Hawlucha to clean up late-game. Ash-Greninja sets up Spikes to further enable both it and Mega Medicham's wallbreaking capabilities and it handles bulky Psychic-types that Mega Medicham struggles against, like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain pairs beautifully with Mega Medicham, protecting it from attempted status ailments like Toxic or Scald burns from Toxapex and paralysis from Zapdos's Static. Volcarona enjoys Mega Medicham's ability to break past Chansey, Toxapex, and Heatran, paving the way for Volcarona to sweep late-game. Weavile traps and eliminates bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus with Pursuit, removing a major obstacle for Mega Medicham to wallbreak. Offensive Grass-types like Kartana, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu also pair well with Mega Medicham, as they can smash through defensive answers like Slowbro and Cresselia and overwhelm each other's shared checks like Tornadus-T. Choice Scarf variants of Kartana provide a solid cleaning option against faster targets like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Koko, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, while Choice Band and Swords Dance sets work together with Mega Medicham in heavily pressuring bulky structures. Serperior provides paralysis support with Glare, letting Mega Medicham threaten faster checks like Tornadus-T. Additionally, both Kartana and Serperior provide Knock Off support to remove items like Leftovers from Clefable and Rocky Helmet from Skarmory, allowing Mega Medicham to break through them more easily.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Drain Punch and Psycho Cut are more accurate alternatives to High Jump Kick and Zen Headbutt to extend Mega Medicham's longevity and avoid worrying about contact punishes, respectively. However, both of these moves are weaker, while Psycho Cut causes Mega Medicham to miss out on the flinch chance from Zen Headbutt. Substitute eases prediction and allows Mega Medicham to more easily punish switch-ins and Protect users with heavy damage; however, this forces it to ditch Fake Out, making it less effective as a revenge killer. Recover is an option to keep Mega Medicham healthy. However, this forces Mega Medicham to forgo crucial moves like Zen Headbutt and Thunder Punch; not to mention its frailty means it rarely finds a safe opportunity to heal itself.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Mega Medicham fares badly against bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Cresselia, and Reuniclus, as they resist both STAB options, heal off any damage taken, and can either threaten it with status or use it as setup fodder. While Slowbro can handle Mega Medicham with its bulk and Scald, it is often more manageable if Mega Medicham runs Thunder Punch supported by Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain. On the other hand, Cresselia doesn't come close to being 2HKOed by a boosted Thunder Punch, while Reuniclus has a small chance to avoid a 2HKO.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable and Tapu Fini are bulky enough to survive Zen Headbutt and fire back with Moonblast; however, neither of them can directly switch into Zen Headbutt as they both risk being 2HKOed, Tapu Fini lacks reliable recovery outside of Leftovers, and Mega Medicham can potentially break through them with a chance to flinch. Defensive variants of Magearna often invest in enough bulk to survive High Jump Kick after Stealth Rock and retaliate with Fleur Cannon. All of these Fairy-types cannot safely switch into Mega Medicham's attacks and require proper positioning from fainted teammates to come in and take it down.
**Ghost-types**: The mere presence of any Ghost-type on the opposing team is enough to discourage Mega Medicham from using High Jump Kick recklessly and risk taking crash damage as a result. Mega Sableye completely stops Mega Medicham in its tracks due to its immunity to both STAB options and Fake Out, isn't 2HKOed by its coverage options, and threatens it back with Will-O-Wisp.
**Faster Threats and Priority**: Pokemon like Mega Alakazam, Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, Tornadus-T, and Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T and Tapu Lele outpace Mega Medicham and threaten it with major damage. If Mega Medicham lacks Bullet Punch, Mega Diancie can chase it out with Moonblast. Additionally, Mega Lopunny can come in via sacrifices and use its own Fake Out to put it within KO range from Frustration.
**Passive Damage and Contact Punishment**: Mega Medicham does not enjoy being worn down by entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, as the accumulated chip damage leaves it prone to being picked off by moves like Earthquake from Choice Scarf Landorus-T. As Mega Medicham is forced to rely on contact moves to deal damage, it is susceptible to contact punishers like Garchomp and Rocky Helmet users like Zapdos and defensive Landorus-T. Zapdos is especially troublesome for Mega Medicham, as it can also potentially cripple Mega Medicham with paralysis from Static. Volcarona deserves a mention because while Mega Medicham can revenge kill it with Fake Out and Bullet Punch, it must do so at its own risk due to the chance of being burned by Flame Body. Toxapex, one of Mega Medicham's most common victims, sometimes runs Baneful Bunker to punish it with poison and put it on a timer.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
