
Magnezone
[SET]
name: Magnezone (Analytic)
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Flash Cannon / Substitute
move 4: Volt Switch / Charge Beam
item: Choice Specs / Leftovers
ability: Analytic
nature: Modest
evs: 204 HP / 252 SpA / 52 Spd
Why this deserves to be on-site
- Magnezone's SpA is absolutely immense, and with an Analytic boost it's able to OHKO or 2HKO a large part of the game
- Not a Steel-trapper, but a very, very powerful offensive pivot
- Specs can come in on a healthy Dragonite, survive Outrage (possibly even twice) and OHKO back with HP Ice (todo: calc block inc. this)
- Volt Switch makes it into something that can devastate an opponent while switching out, with good bulk acting as a shield for the incoming Pokémon- very much like a Special Scizor; Charge Beam turns Magnezone into something with an absolutely comical amount of power behind its attacks
- It goes without saying that you never, ever, ever use Substitute or Charge Beam with Specs. Leftovers/Substitute gives Magnezone more survivability, and it still hits like a freight train.
- It's important to understand: this set is a Magnezone, but it does NOT play and should not be played "like Magnezone"; again, think of it as a Special Scizor minus the priority. If you try to use it as a Steel-trapper, it may have some success due to foes assuming it carries Magnet Pull, but that's reliant on an opponent's misplaying; if you try to play this "as Magnezone" it will die and you will lose. Hard.
Additional comments
- HP Fire gets arguably better coverage than Ice, but this set is meant to be used in the rain, and it loses you Dragon-slaying ability
- Thunder is ridiculously powerful with Rain support
- Used in Rain, Magnezone's Thunder wields an insane amount of power
- Bulky enough to hold its own against the many, many defensive Pokémon it 2HKOs. Breaks Specially Defensive Jirachi in half.
- If you can find a chance to get it in, very little can switch safely into Thunder. OHKOs most of OU- if Scizor dares use Bullet Punch (for example) you can bring in Magnezone and something is going to die.
- Losing Magnet Pull sucks, but if your team functions without Magnet Pull Magnezone this set is worth considering for it.
- Even things that resist Thunder lose half their health coming in
- Politoed is of course vital; Thunder outside of Rain is a bad move at best
- Take away the rain and Magnezone is in trouble; do not bring this out if the opponent has a healthy Tyranitar/Ninetales.
- Bulky enough to hold its own against the many, many defensive Pokémon it 2HKOs. Breaks Specially Defensive Jirachi in half.
- If you can find a chance to get it in, very little can switch safely into Thunder. OHKOs most of OU- if Scizor dares use Bullet Punch (for example) you can bring in Magnezone and something is going to die.
- Losing Magnet Pull sucks, but if your team functions without Magnet Pull Magnezone this set is worth considering for it.
- Even things that resist Thunder lose half their health coming in
- Politoed is of course vital; Thunder outside of Rain is a bad move at best
- Take away the rain and Magnezone is in trouble; do not bring this out if the opponent has a healthy Tyranitar/Ninetales.
Thunder said:SD Jirachi: 64.4% - 75.7% 2HKO
Substitute+3 Attacks Magnezone: 66.2% - 77.9% 2HKO
Choice Band Scizor: 123.9% - 145.8% OHKO
SD Heatran: 71.9% - 84.9% 2HKO, potential OHKO after Stealth Rock, guaranteed OHKO with 2+ layers of Spikes
Offensive Heatran: 94.7% - 111.5% 2HKO-OHKO, guaranteed with hazard support
Teammates & Counters
- Magnezone will bait out Ground types, Ferrothorn, and Lati@s; it's advised to run things that can deal with them. For instance, (scarf) Hydreigon is a worthy choice, as is Scizor. Ferrothorn only checks the Specs variant; it's set-up bait for Sub/Charge Beam.
- Vulnerable to revenge-killing due to its low speed; switch after a kill unless you're certain the opponent's not carrying anything super-effective; Magnezone forces the opponent to play predictably or lose something, so you can exploit this
- Gastrodon sucks to fight; this guy benefits from something which can ruin its day. Surprise HP Grass on a Water-type works- draw Gastro in and murder it. On Pokémon such as Gastrodon or Starmie (or of course Jellicent!) which receive Energy Ball, it is always a better option. Decently powerful Grass-types (Celebi, Breloom, possibly Virizion) work well too, but Gastro won't willingly come in on them. Specs Latios has a stupidly powerful Psyshock to throw at Blissey/Chansey/Gastrodon.
- In general, you really want something that can take Earthquake or Fire Blast for Magnezone.
- Magnet Pull Magnezone and Dugtrio can trap it; Dugtrio is immune to Electric, but while opposing Magnezone can cripple or kill this one with HP Fire they do so at a substantial cost to themselves- indeed, their ability to manage the kill hinges on a dice roll; it's very possible they'll come out the loser. Dugtrio just laughs at this guy, though- particularly Specs variants, which are literally helpless.
Yeah, non-Magnet-Pull Magnezone is unusual, to say the least. But this actually works really well on the right team; that SpA kills all kinds of things. I invite people to try it before passing judgment; you'll find that it's a solid choice for teams without overly-great Steel weaknesses.
(Thunder is a slash on the main set; Politoed is common enough that I think it's worth giving a slash, and the sheer offensive power is flabbergasting.)