[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards
**Price Range**: 16-17 points
**Overview**: Mega Scizor is a versatile Mega Evolution that offers great role compression with its solid natural bulk, incredibly high Attack, and STAB U-turn. It works great with all types of teams, since it can effectively weaken foes with its incredibly powerful U-turn, especially when combined with teammates that set entry hazards. It can also become a solid late-game sweeper, boosting its already-massive Attack to insane levels to KO even resistant foes with its Technician-boosted Bullet Punch. Mega Scizor's main downside is its massive weakness to Fire, especially since foes can easily run Hidden Power Fire to check it. It also struggles against many types, including Fire and Flying, and it is relatively slow, making it hard to handle faster foes that resist Bullet Punch. It is also a Steel-type that is neutral to Stealth Rock, making it very prone to chip damage, especially when it wants to switch in frequently throughout a match.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Bulky Pivot**: Mega Scizor can reliably take hits from many foes, even with minimal investment, and it can maintain momentum with U-turn. It can also stay healthy with Roost, remove entry hazards with Defog, cripple foes that check it with Toxic, and remove items while still doing large amounts of damage with Knock Off.
**Setup Sweeper**: Mega Scizor gets lots of opportunities to use Swords Dance with its bulk, and it can easily clean up weakened teams late-game with Bullet Punch, its strong coverage options, and occasionally Quick Attack.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: U-turn, Bug Bite, Bullet Punch, Iron Head
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Curse, Agility
**Utility Moves**: Roost, Defog, Pursuit, Brick Break, Toxic
**Coverage**: Aerial Ace, Knock Off, Superpower, Quick Attack
Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: With its incredible Defense, Mega Scizor can reliably take physical hits and nuke the foe in return with Counter.
**Tailwind**: Mega Scizor can use Tailwind and pivot to a teammate to let it benefit from the temporary boost in Speed.
**Hidden Power Fire**: Although its Special Attack is mediocre, Mega Scizor can reliably beat Scizor and Forretress, and it can deal decent damage to opposing Mega Scizor.
Draft Strategy
========
Mega Scizor tends to be a great glue Pokemon on many teams. It can win games on its own, but it often works best by pivoting and wallbreaking to enable its teammates. If it's supported well, it can become an incredibly potent priority cleaner and wincon and take on more offensive roles in many matchups.
**Fire-resistant Pokemon**: Mega Scizor is extremely weak to Fire, and many foes can run Hidden Power Fire to catch it by surprise. It is best paired with teammates that can take these attacks such as Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Hydreigon, especially since Mega Scizor can easily pivot to them when incoming checks switch in.
**Entry Hazards**: Mega Scizor forces lots of switches and maintains momentum by pivoting, so forcing foes to take extra entry hazard chip damage works extremely well with it. Hazards also help weaken Fire- and Flying-types that want to check it, making it even more annoying for foes to handle. Teammates like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Uxie synergize well with it in this way.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Mega Scizor is often slower than its foes, so it can easily slow pivot to faster wallbreakers that don't want to take extra damage. Examples of these include Greninja, Zeraora, and Victini. Faster Pokemon can also use Z-Moves to nuke Mega Scizor's checks, allowing it opportunities to clean late-game.
**Other Pivots**: Mega Scizor appreciates other Pokemon that can pivot to form a solid momentum core and keep its team in a good position. This especially pairs well with entry hazards to weaken foes that come in to check the pivots. Good examples of these teammates include Rotom-W, Tapu Koko, and Zapdos.
Checks and Counters
========
**Fire-types**: Fire-types obviously blow Mega Scizor back with their STAB moves, but even without considering that, it struggles doing any damage to them. Many also have Flame Body, making it even harder for it to safely pivot when they are expected to switch in. Fire-types that effectively counter Mega Scizor include Heatran, Moltres, and Mega Charizard X.
**Flying-types**: Although Mega Scizor can deal damage with Bullet Punch, Flying-types still resist its U-turn and can often punish it with Rocky Helmet and maintain momentum with U-turn. Landorus-T, Zapdos, and Celesteela can all check it well.
**Fire-type Coverage**: Foes like Garchomp and Mega Mawile can run surprise Fire-type coverage to check Mega Scizor. Many specially offensive foes like Latios, Thundurus-T, and Nihilego can also run Hidden Power Fire to catch it off guard, which can cause it some trouble when it wants to set up on foes that it expects to wall.
**Chip Damage**: Chip damage from entry hazards and contact effects forces Mega Scizor to use Roost rather than making progress with its other moves. Chip damage can also put it in range for neutral attacks to KO it, meaning it cannot set up or use non-priority attacks.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards
**Price Range**: 16-17 points
**Overview**: Mega Scizor is a versatile Mega Evolution that offers great role compression with its solid natural bulk, incredibly high Attack, and STAB U-turn. It works great with all types of teams, since it can effectively weaken foes with its incredibly powerful U-turn, especially when combined with teammates that set entry hazards. It can also become a solid late-game sweeper, boosting its already-massive Attack to insane levels to KO even resistant foes with its Technician-boosted Bullet Punch. Mega Scizor's main downside is its massive weakness to Fire, especially since foes can easily run Hidden Power Fire to check it. It also struggles against many types, including Fire and Flying, and it is relatively slow, making it hard to handle faster foes that resist Bullet Punch. It is also a Steel-type that is neutral to Stealth Rock, making it very prone to chip damage, especially when it wants to switch in frequently throughout a match.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Bulky Pivot**: Mega Scizor can reliably take hits from many foes, even with minimal investment, and it can maintain momentum with U-turn. It can also stay healthy with Roost, remove entry hazards with Defog, cripple foes that check it with Toxic, and remove items while still doing large amounts of damage with Knock Off.
**Setup Sweeper**: Mega Scizor gets lots of opportunities to use Swords Dance with its bulk, and it can easily clean up weakened teams late-game with Bullet Punch, its strong coverage options, and occasionally Quick Attack.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: U-turn, Bug Bite, Bullet Punch, Iron Head
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Curse, Agility
**Utility Moves**: Roost, Defog, Pursuit, Brick Break, Toxic
**Coverage**: Aerial Ace, Knock Off, Superpower, Quick Attack
Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: With its incredible Defense, Mega Scizor can reliably take physical hits and nuke the foe in return with Counter.
**Tailwind**: Mega Scizor can use Tailwind and pivot to a teammate to let it benefit from the temporary boost in Speed.
**Hidden Power Fire**: Although its Special Attack is mediocre, Mega Scizor can reliably beat Scizor and Forretress, and it can deal decent damage to opposing Mega Scizor.
Draft Strategy
========
Mega Scizor tends to be a great glue Pokemon on many teams. It can win games on its own, but it often works best by pivoting and wallbreaking to enable its teammates. If it's supported well, it can become an incredibly potent priority cleaner and wincon and take on more offensive roles in many matchups.
**Fire-resistant Pokemon**: Mega Scizor is extremely weak to Fire, and many foes can run Hidden Power Fire to catch it by surprise. It is best paired with teammates that can take these attacks such as Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Hydreigon, especially since Mega Scizor can easily pivot to them when incoming checks switch in.
**Entry Hazards**: Mega Scizor forces lots of switches and maintains momentum by pivoting, so forcing foes to take extra entry hazard chip damage works extremely well with it. Hazards also help weaken Fire- and Flying-types that want to check it, making it even more annoying for foes to handle. Teammates like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Uxie synergize well with it in this way.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Mega Scizor is often slower than its foes, so it can easily slow pivot to faster wallbreakers that don't want to take extra damage. Examples of these include Greninja, Zeraora, and Victini. Faster Pokemon can also use Z-Moves to nuke Mega Scizor's checks, allowing it opportunities to clean late-game.
**Other Pivots**: Mega Scizor appreciates other Pokemon that can pivot to form a solid momentum core and keep its team in a good position. This especially pairs well with entry hazards to weaken foes that come in to check the pivots. Good examples of these teammates include Rotom-W, Tapu Koko, and Zapdos.
Checks and Counters
========
**Fire-types**: Fire-types obviously blow Mega Scizor back with their STAB moves, but even without considering that, it struggles doing any damage to them. Many also have Flame Body, making it even harder for it to safely pivot when they are expected to switch in. Fire-types that effectively counter Mega Scizor include Heatran, Moltres, and Mega Charizard X.
**Flying-types**: Although Mega Scizor can deal damage with Bullet Punch, Flying-types still resist its U-turn and can often punish it with Rocky Helmet and maintain momentum with U-turn. Landorus-T, Zapdos, and Celesteela can all check it well.
**Fire-type Coverage**: Foes like Garchomp and Mega Mawile can run surprise Fire-type coverage to check Mega Scizor. Many specially offensive foes like Latios, Thundurus-T, and Nihilego can also run Hidden Power Fire to catch it off guard, which can cause it some trouble when it wants to set up on foes that it expects to wall.
**Chip Damage**: Chip damage from entry hazards and contact effects forces Mega Scizor to use Roost rather than making progress with its other moves. Chip damage can also put it in range for neutral attacks to KO it, meaning it cannot set up or use non-priority attacks.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
