[OVERVIEW]
Mega Audino's solid mixed bulk and fantastic typing with key immunities to Dragon and Ghost and a resistance to Bug allow it to be one of the best switch-ins to defensive Pokemon. This is amplified by immunities and resistances to common utility moves such as Spectral Thief, Core Enforcer, U-turn, and Knock Off, along with a low base 50 Speed that lets it underspeed most of the other defensive pivots such as Giratina, Zygarde-C, and Primal Kyogre. Its immunity to Core Enforcer also allows it to run Magic Bounce and Poison Heal very effectively without having them removed. Defensively, its typing also offers an immunity to powerful moves like Draco Meteor and Moongeist Beam and a resistance to boosted Power Trip. This allows it to run Unaware to check some setup sweepers that rely on Moongeist Beam or Power Trip to break Unaware. Its solid mixed bulk along with a neutrality to common coverage and STAB moves from -ate Pokemon also makes a Soundproof set viable. Unfortunately, Mega Audino’s typing leaves it weak to Steel- and Poison-type moves, including common coverage moves such as Sunsteel Strike and Anchor Shot, which combined with its passivity allows dangerous attackers such as Kartana, Necrozma-DM, and Mega Gengar to switch in safely. In addition, its typing doesn’t offer too many resistances and it also doesn't have spectacular bulk to offset this, meaning it doesn't provide much defensive utility against strong wallbreakers such as Sheer Force Mega Mewtwo Y, Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X, and Primal Groudon and the team might not be able to cover some offensive threats.
[SET]
name: Magic Bounce
move 1: Shore Up
move 2: U-turn / Anchor Shot / Volt Switch
move 3: Knock Off / Entrainment / Topsy-Turvy
move 4: Defog / Spectral Thief
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Magic Bounce
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
in-battle alt: Mega
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shore Up keeps Mega Audino healthy, and can get a boost to its recovery because Mega Audino is a solid switch-in to the most common Sand Stream user, Mega Tyranitar. U-turn allows Mega Audino to pivot, and with its low base 50 Speed it is able to underspeed most Pokemon and bring in a teammate safely. Alternatively, Anchor Shot allows Mega Audino to trap Imposter Pokemon and PP stall them. However, having to forgo U-turn means Mega Audino can lose momentum in situations and can no longer provide slow pivoting. Volt Switch is on option over U-turn to allow Mega Audino to be Imposter-proofed by Ground-types with trapping moves such as Primal Groudon and Zygarde-C. It also bypasses Rocky Helmet, Baneful Bunker, and Spiky Shield. Knock Off can remove defensive items like Leftovers, Rocky Helmet, and Safety Goggles, annoy offensive Pokemon by removing their boosting item, and scout for Z-Crystals. It can also notably remove Mega Gengar's Spooky Plate, letting Mega Audino act as a great check to it thanks to Magic Bounce and its immunity to Ghost-type moves. Knock Off also deters Imposter Chansey from switching in freely by threatening to remove its Eviolite. Entrainment notably allows Mega Audino to defeat Poison Heal Xerneas thanks to its solid Special Defense and immunity to Lovely Kiss, especially combined with Anchor Shot to trap and remove it, and deters other Poison Heal Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre and Regigigas from switching in. However, note that Xerneas can overwhelm Mega Audino with enough Quiver Dance boosts, so running Spectral Thief or Topsy-Turvy is recommended. Defog is a good choice for teams that lack entry hazard removal, as Magic Bounce will prevent hazards from being set again after Mega Audino uses Defog. Spectral Thief is an option to deter setup and allows Mega Audino to take on Poison Heal Xerneas better.
Set Details
========
A negative Speed nature and minimum Speed IVs allow Mega Audino to underspeed most defensive Pokemon to provide a slow pivot and gain momentum. Sassy nature lets Mega Audino take special attacks like Primal Kyogre's Revelation Dance, Normalize Mega Gengar’s Boomburst, and Poison Heal Xerneas's Moonblast better. Leftovers allows Mega Audino to mitigate chip damage. Alternatively, Rocky Helmet punishes contact moves, including the omnipresent U-turn, and also can KO Sturdy Shedinja after its Protective Pads has been removed. Lagging Tail is an option to guarantee underspeeding Imposter Pokemon and other base 50 Speed Pokemon like Registeel and Chansey. Magic Bounce makes Mega Audino a reliable switch-in to both defensive and offensive Pokemon that rely on status moves such as Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X, Giratina, and Zygarde-C.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Audino is capable of safely switching in against most defensive Pokemon thanks to its typing and Magic Bounce being able to completely wall foes like Giratina, Zygarde-C, Registeel, and Yveltal. In tandem with its low Speed, this makes Mega Audino an excellent pivot, and U-turn is generally a safe move to click. However, some defensive Pokemon run Poison Fang, which can cripple Mega Audino, so scout for it before liberally switching in. Scouting for offensive Pokemon that Mega Audino can check is important, as many Pokemon can heavily damage if not outright KO Mega Audino if they are running a different set. These include Mega Gengar, which can bluff Normalize with Adaptability, and Dark-types, which can bluff defensive sets with offensive sets carrying Sunsteel Strike. Mega Audino also needs to be careful if the opposing Pokemon's team has a wallbreaker such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X or Kartana that can threaten it, as the opposing Pokemon can double switch out or pivot with U-turn. Mega Audino can also safely switch into some offensive Pokemon such as Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X, Normalize Mega Gengar, and Poison Heal Xerneas if it carries Entrainment. Don’t attempt to stay in against powerful attackers such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Diancie, as while Mega Audino can potentially take a hit, proper checks such as Registeel are much better answers. However, if the opponent has a Pokemon that Mega Audino can recover for free on, staying in to use Knock Off or U-turn is a plausible option to remove their item or scout for the set. Keep entry hazards off the field, since Mega Audino is susceptible to all forms of them, especially Toxic Spikes. It also requires being healthy to check some offensive Pokemon such as Poison Heal Xerneas, and hazards can wear it down into KO range. While Mega Audino can prevent hazards from some Pokemon such as Giratina and Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X, other setters like Primal Groudon and Mega Diancie can force Mega Audino out. Knock Off is very spammable, because in general the opposing Pokemon will eventually want to pivot out, and thanks to Mega Audino's low Speed they will most likely fail to pivot after the Knock Off, allowing you to remove the switch-in's item. This is especially effective on Pokemon like Primal Kyogre and Aegislash that will always outspeed Mega Audino. If combined with Lagging Tail, Mega Audino will always go after the opposing Pokemon, guaranteeing the removal of the switch-in's item.
Team Options
========
Steel type Pokemon such as Registeel, Celesteela, and Aegislash are good partners because they can take on many strong wallbreakers that can pressure Mega Audino such as Mega Mewtwo Y and -ate users such as Mega Diancie and Kyurem-W. They can also take on the Poison- and Steel-type moves that threaten Mega Audino super effectively. Flash Fire Celesteela can also check Primal Groudon, while Aegislash can check Mega Mewtwo X. Bulky physical walls such as Mega Slowbro and Prankster Giratina can answer Mega Mewtwo X, Kartana, and Necrozma-DM, all of which easily force Mega Audino out. Mega Audino is weak to Mega Gengar's Poison-type STAB attacks, so specially bulky Pokemon like RegenVest Yveltal and Primal Kyogre are useful to switch in against it. Mega Audino can give opportunities for opposing Pokemon to set up, so answers to setup sweepers are needed; examples include Unaware and Prankster Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, Zygarde-C, and Giratina. Pokemon utilizing -ate abilities like Mega Diancie can also revenge kill opponent setup sweepers. Strong wallbreakers like Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Gengar appreciate Mega Audino's slow pivoting and ability to sponge common utility moves like Spectral Thief, Knock Off, and U-turn from defensive Pokemon. Imposter users can scout for opposing movesets and determine if Mega Audino can safely switch in. For example, Mega Audino is a solid switch-in to defensive variants of Mega Tyranitar, but Shell Smash variants can KO it with a boosted Sunsteel Strike. Poison Fang is another move that Imposter can scout for to prevent Mega Audino from being badly poisoned. Imposter Chansey can also switch into the dangerous attackers that Mega Audino struggles to deal with. In return, Mega Audino can bring Chansey in with a slow pivot to safely scout opposing Pokemon without fearing trapping moves. Entry hazard setters such as Giratina and Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X can pressure the opposing team and can be Imposter-proofed by Mega Audino. If Mega Audino isn't running Anchor Shot, a way to Imposter-proof it is needed. This can be Poison Heal attackers like Regigigas and Xerneas if Mega Audino doesn't have Entrainment, setup sweepers, and Shedinja. Shedinja in particular can tank all sorts of strong attacks for Mega Audino and appreciates Mega Audino's reliable Magic Bounce support. Mega Audino fails to threaten Sturdy Shedinja at all, which allows Shedinja to come in easily. As a result, Ghost-type Pokemon such as Giratina and Aegislash that can check Shedinja are needed.
[SET]
name: Poison Heal
move 1: Shore Up / Spiky Shield
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Spectral Thief / Knock Off
move 4: Defog / Stealth Rock / Will-O-Wisp
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Poison Heal
nature: Relaxed / Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
in-battle alt: Mega
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shore Up keeps Mega Audino healthy, and can get an extra recovery boost because Mega Audino is a solid switch-in to the most common Sand Stream user, Mega Tyranitar. Spiky Shield allows Mega Audino to safely activate its Toxic Orb, as well as scout moves from Pokemon with Choice items and Z-Moves and safely gain another round of Poison Heal recovery. While it cannot recover health as quickly as Shore Up, it denies Imposter users any recovery at all. Spiky Shield also prevents Sturdy Shedinja from being able to KO Mega Audino. Spiky Shield is chosen over Baneful Bunker to prevent opposing Imposter to get poisoned, while King's Shield doesn't allow a safe Toxic Orb activation due to its inability to prevent status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Trick. U-turn allows Mega Audino to pivot, and thanks to its low base 50 Speed it is able to underspeed most opposing Pokemon and bring in a teammate safely. U-turn has synergy with Spiky Shield to allow Mega Audino to pivot while being Imposter-proof. Spectral Thief deters setup and allows Mega Audino to check Poison Heal Xerneas. Knock Off can remove helpful defensive items like Leftovers, Rocky Helmet, Eviolite, and Safety Goggles, annoy offensive Pokemon, and scout for Z-Crystals. Core Enforcer is an option to suppress the opposing Pokemon’s ability thanks to Mega Audino’s low Speed, and it won't affect Mega Audino's Poison Heal when used by its Imposter thanks to its Fairy typing. However, it is unable to threaten Poison Heal Xerneas. Defog is a good choice for teams that lack entry hazard removal, as Poison Heal can mitigate some chip damage and Mega Audino has a good matchup against many setters like Giratina and Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X. Stealth Rock is a solid option on Mega Audino thanks to its good matchup against most defensive Magic Bounce users such as Giratina. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Audino to cripple otherwise dangerous physical attackers such as Mega Mewtwo X and Kartana while chipping defensive Pokemon like Registeel and Primal Kyogre. In addition, Mega Audino can burn its Imposter, helping physical wallbreakers on its team. Purify is an option to be used with Knock Off to check Poison Heal Pokemon by removing their Toxic Orb and curing their poison status. However, this does come at the cost of a utility move and requiring another Pokemon to Imposter-proof Mega Audino.
Set Details
========
A negative Speed nature and minimum Speed IVs allow Mega Audino to underspeed most defensive Pokemon to provide a slow pivot and gain momentum. A Relaxed nature lets Mega Audino always avoid the 2HKO from unboosted Poison Heal Regigigas's Facade while taking Anchor Shots from defensive Pokemon like Registeel better. On the other hand, a Sassy nature lets Mega Audino take special moves like Primal Kyogre's Revelation Dance and Poison Heal Xerneas's Moonblast better. Sassy also allows Mega Audino to stay in on -ate users better if required. A Toxic Orb in conjunction with Poison Heal gives Mega Audino status protection, sizable passive healing, and the ability to absorb Knock Off after Toxic Orb has been activated. This allows Mega Audino to counter some offensive Poison Heal Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo X, Primal Kyogre, and Xerneas and switch into defensive Pokemon better, with Poison Heal negating chip damage. In addition, Mega Audino's Fairy typing gives it an immunity to Core Enforcer, which normally forces out other Poison Heal Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Audino can safely switch in against most defensive Pokemon such as Giratina, Zygarde-C, and Registeel thanks to its typing providing immunities and resistances against common utility moves and Poison Heal providing it with a status immunity and passive healing against chip damage. It can also safely switch into some offensive Pokemon such as Poison Heal Mega Mewtwo X, Xerneas, and Primal Kyogre. Due to its low Speed and ability to completely wall Pokemon such as Giratina, Yveltal, and the aforementioned offensive Poison Heal users, Mega Audino is an excellent pivot, and U-turn is generally a safe move to click to gain momentum. If the opposing Pokemon stays in, Mega Audino can easily switch back in and recover chip damage with Poison Heal. After Toxic Orb activation, Mega Audino is also a fantastic Knock Off absorber. If Mega Audino is carrying Stealth Rock, it can force in the opposing Magic Bounce Pokemon on it, which can be easily exploited by teammates that can pressure it effectively. It also allows Mega Audino to force out opposing Pokemon that it usually cannot threaten. Don’t attempt to stay in against powerful attackers such as Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Diancie, as Mega Audino doesn’t have the defensive typing or exceptional bulk to take them on. If necessary, however, Mega Audino can avoid the OHKO from many attacks and pivot out to let in a teammate safely, as Poison Heal can allow it to recover the health quickly later on. This is risky, and should only be done if the defensive answer cannot safely switch in or the team lacks a safe switch-in. In addition, against Pokemon that have super effective STAB attacks, such as Kartana and non-Normalize Mega Gengar, Mega Audino risks getting OHKOed. Furthermore, Mega Audino can no longer reliably answer many Pokemon such as Zygarde-C and Poison Heal users until it is healthy enough. If Mega Audino is carrying Spiky Shield, leading with it and using Spiky Shield can guarantee a safe Toxic Orb activation. However, this could allow the opposing Pokemon to set up or activate its own Toxic Orb, so it should only be used if there are no Pokemon on the opposing team that can effectively threaten your team. Later on in the game, Spiky Shield can also scout for attacks from unknown movesets or Choice-locked Pokemon such as Choice Band Mega Mewtwo X. Mega Audino should also be played more aggressively with Spiky Shield and pivot frequently, since it lacks the immediate healing. Knock Off is a fairly spammable move, since most defensive Pokemon cannot threaten Mega Audino effectively, and with Mega Audino's low Speed preventing most opposing Pokemon from slowly pivoting out, Mega Audino can threaten to remove the switch-in's item. Thanks to the status immunity, it can switch into most RegenVest users, even if they carry Poison Fang, and threaten to remove their Assault Vest. If it carries Spiky Shield, it can even stay in on Sturdy Shedinja to remove its Protective Pads.
Team Options
========
Steel-type Pokemon like Registeel, Aegislash, and Celesteela are good partners because they can take on many strong wallbreakers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Pixilate Mega Diancie, and Refrigerate Kyurem-W that can pressure Mega Audino. Flash Fire Celesteela can blanket check -ate users and Primal Groudon and isn't vulnerable to Spikes compared to other Steel-types, which allows Mega Audino to run a Relaxed nature, as it no longer needs to cover -ate users for the Steel-type Pokemon. Other Flash Fire Steel-type Pokemon can also check -ate users and other wallbreaker Pokemon. They also appreciate Mega Audino's ability to take a hit to scout the set if needed. Bulky physical walls such as Mega Slowbro and Prankster Giratina can answer Mega Mewtwo X, Kartana, and Primal Groudon, all of which easily force Mega Audino out. In return, Mega Audino provides status absorption and a slow pivot to gain momentum. Mega Audino is weak to Mega Gengar, so specially bulky Pokemon like RegenVest Yveltal, Dialga, and Primal Kyogre are useful to switch in against it. In return, Mega Audino acts as a good Knock Off absorber that could remove their Assault Vests. Mega Audino can give opportunities for opposing Pokemon such as Mega Mewtwo X, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Kartana to set up, so answers to setup sweepers are needed; examples include Unaware and Prankster Pokemon such as Zygarde-C, Giratina, Registeel, and Primal Kyogre. Other slow pivots like Registeel and Mega Slowbro can let Mega Audino in safely to activate its Toxic Orb should it not carry Spiky Shield. Strong but frail wallbreakers like Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Gengar appreciate Mega Audino's ability to switch into checks such as Yveltal and Primal Kyogre and gain momentum. Imposter users can scout for opposing movesets and determine if Mega Audino can safely switch in. Imposter Chansey can also switch in to the dangerous attackers that Mega Audino struggles to deal with. In return, Mega Audino can bring Chansey in with U-turn to safely scout opposing Pokemon without fearing trapping moves as well as providing status absorption and a switch-in against Imposter-proof Poison Heal Pokemon like Xerneas and Mega Mewtwo X. Mega Audino can Imposter-proof many defensive Pokemon such as Giratina and Yveltal, which in return can check dangerous attackers that overwhelm Mega Audino; for example, Giratina can check Regigigas and Mega Mewtwo X, while Yveltal can check Mega Mewtwo Y and Mega Gengar. Since this Mega Audino set deters opposing Imposter Pokemon from switching in by being able to deny their recovery from it or cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Knock Off, Pokemon such as Sheer Force Mega Mewtwo Y that appreciate opposing Imposter Pokemon being crippled or weakened are good partners. If Purify is run, a separate way to Imposter-proof Mega Audino is needed; this can be any Pokemon that doesn't mind having its item removed, such as Registeel, Ferrothorn, or Ho-Oh.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An Unaware set with Shore Up, Spectral Thief, U-turn, and Core Enforcer is possible to check dangerous setup sweepers such as Triage Yveltal. However, due to its weakness to Sunsteel Strike it cannot effectively check physical setup attackers and also loses out on the status protection Magic Bounce and Poison Heal provide. Other setup Pokemon can also overwhelm it through strong neutral STAB attacks like Primal Kyogre's Water Spout. A Soundproof set with Shore Up, Parting Shot, Anchor Shot, and Core Enforcer is a decent check to -ate users, being able to handle Pokemon like Choice Specs Refrigerate Kyurem-B and Pixilate Mega Diancie. However, it can be worn down into -ate Extreme Speed range, and Mega Audino also doesn't like losing status protection. A Fur Coat set can check some dangerous physical attackers like Mega Garchomp. However, it is much less useful than the other sets, and Sunsteel Strike still threatens Mega Audino through Fur Coat. In addition, Mega Garchomp is uncommon, which means Mega Audino would rather have another ability the majority of the time. Prankster is another possible ability to act as a setup check while retaining Mega Audino's ability to gain momentum from Pokemon like Giratina. Most other Pokemon like Registeel and Giratina perform the job better though, with their better typing, as Mega Audino is weak to Sunsteel Strike, a common move used on setup Pokemon. Mega Audino will also be very passive with U-turn as its only damaging move. Spikes can be used over Stealth Rock to pressure the opposing team more with entry hazards, but Mega Audino prefers reliable Rapid Spin support to avoid clearing entry hazards on the opponent's side. It can also be annoying when a trapped Imposter lays them down. Purify is an option over Defog on the Magic Bounce set to defeat Poison Heal users in tandem with Knock Off. However, this comes at a cost of requiring another hazard remover and removing some Pokemon such as Poison Heal users as possible ways to Imposter-proof Mega Audino. Scald is an interesting option on the Poison Heal set as a way to burn opposing Pokemon that cannot be blocked by Magic Bounce, unlike Will-O-Wisp. However, outside of that it is much more unreliable than Will-O-Wisp with its 30% burn chance, which can be important in situations against physical attackers than can 2HKO Mega Audino. A combination of Substitute + Baton Pass can be used on the Poison Heal set to aid offensive teammates in setting up or firing strong attacks. However, Mega Audino will lose a lot of the utility provided by other moves, and Imposter Pokemon can take advantage of Substitute itself if Shore Up is chosen over Spiky Shield.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Offensive Steel-types**: Mega Audino is weak to Steel, and its passivity leaves it open to powerful Steel-types like Kartana, Necrozma-DM, and offensive Dialga firing off strong attacks or setting up.
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar threatens Mega Audino with STAB Poison-type moves. It must be careful of Knock Off though, as all Mega Gengar sets hate losing their item, whether it is Spooky Plate, Choice Scarf, or Choice Specs. Normalize Mega Gengar is also checked by the Magic Bounce set.
**Strong Wallbreakers**: Mega Audino doesn't resist a lot of common offensive typings and doesn't have exceptional bulk, so strong wallbreakers like Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Mewtwo X, and Primal Groudon can break through it. Primal Groudon also doesn't fear any of Mega Audino's moves thanks to its high bulk, immunity to burns, and reduced damage from Knock Off.
**Setup Pokemon**: Mega Audino tends to be passive, which allows Pokemon to set up on and overwhelm it. Shell Smash users can easily set up if Mega Audino isn't carrying Spectral Thief and threaten it immediately after a boost. Some setup Pokemon also carry Sunsteel Strike, which can heavily damage Mega Audino.
**Entry Hazards**: Mega Audino needs to be at high health to reliably check the Pokemon it needs to check, and entry hazards like Stealth Rock and Spikes chip it down.
**Imposter Users**: While Imposter users usually cannot hard switch into Mega Audino due to the threat of trapping, sets that do not self-Imposter-proof are very vulnerable to Imposter users switching in to freely recover and PP stall.
**Poison Fang**: Poison Fang can threaten all Mega Audino sets except for Poison Heal with Toxic status, chipping it down throughout the course of the game. This is especially problematic on the Magic Bounce set as it commonly switches into defensive Pokemon such as Giratina and Zygarde-C.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Chessking345, 355040]]
- Quality checked by: [[GL Volkner, 330455], [Gurpreet Patel (Sent you a Friend Request), 233142], [Funbot28, 255984]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Mafeking, 122460]]
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