[OVERVIEW]
With a unique, good typing and useful utility movepool, Mega Altaria carves out a small niche in the tier. Its Dragon / Fairy typing lets it match up well against Ash-Greninja, Volcarona, and both of the Mega Charizard formes. In addition to this, it has great support options that include the coveted Heal Bell as well as Defog, and it has the option to stay in its pre-Mega Evolved forme in the early- to mid-game to make use of Natural Cure despite the Stealth Rock weakness and different typing. It isn't weak, either; its Pixilate-boosted Fairy-type STAB moves hit neutral targets for consistent damage and dissuade the likes of Kyurem-B from switching in. However, despite the coverage options it has, Mega Altaria can be prone to passivity considering the many different defensive answers to it that Mega Altaria requires different coverage to threaten. Secondly, the tier is crammed with Pokemon that outspeed and threaten out Mega Altaria, with Mega Mawile, Tapu Lele, and Mega Diancie all being able to OHKO it.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Roost
move 3: Roar / Earthquake
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Altarianite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Impish
evs: 240 HP / 136 Def / 76 SpD / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Pixilate-boosted Body Slam allows Mega Altaria to OHKO plenty of offensive threats such as Mega Medicham and Kommo-o, to name a few, and pester the likes of Mega Charizard X, Landorus-T, and Mega Mawile with paralysis. Roost is a necessity to keep healthy in the face of attackers like Ash-Greninja and Mega Charizard Y that it may switch into handle multiple times throughout a game, as well as healing off entry hazard damage. Roar allows Altaria to phaze out opposing Pokemon and rack up entry hazard chip damage, preventing bulky setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Gliscor from setting up freely. It's especially potent against particularly hazard-weak Pokemon like Volcarona and the Mega Charizard formes. Earthquake could be used instead to threaten Heatran and chip down Magearna and Mega Mawile at the expense of its matchup against Fire-types. Heal Bell provides Altaria's whole team with extra longevity. Additionally, non-Mega Altaria's Natural Cure takes the pressure off of Heal Bell's PP, meaning Altaria doesn't have to spend it on itself.
Set Details
========
56 Speed EVs ensure that Mega Altaria outspeeds Crawdaunt. The Special Defense investment ensures that non-Mega Altaria always avoids the 2HKO from Greninja's Dark Pulse. The rest of the EVs are pooled into Defense to better take on the likes of Mega Charizard X and Hawlucha, notably avoiding the 2HKO from Mega Heracross's Rock Blast while Mega Evolved.
Usage Tips
========
Early in the game, Altaria often prefers to hold off on its Mega Evolution to retain Natural Cure to absorb status from the likes of Toxapex, Lava Plume Heatran, and Serperior. Mega Altaria prefers to be a secondary measure against the likes of Mega Charizard X and Ash-Greninja, though these matchups are prime examples of when Altaria should Mega Evolve should your primary answer to them get overwhelmed or needs to be saved for something else. Otherwise, usage of Altaria is somewhat straightforward in that it uses its defensive typing to check the aforementioned threats when needed, and it can find plenty of Heal Bell opportunities against these Pokemon or against status-reliant Pokemon like Serperior, Toxapex, and Gliscor before Mega Evolving.
Team Options
========
Altaria is used on balance and semi-stall teams as cleric support along with its defensive profile of checking Fire-types and Ash-Greninja as well as having the Fairy typing to block Kommo-o's Clangorous Soulblaze. Steel-types like Heatran, Jirachi, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory are directly beneficial to Altaria, handling Fairy-types like Clefable, Magearna, and Mega Mawile, with Mega Altaria providing an answer to offensive Fire-types like Mega Charizard X and Volcarona in response. The cleric support that Altaria brings is great for clearing Toxic for teammates like Gastrodon and Slowbro and paralysis for Reuniclus. To alleviate Mega Altaria's passivity, entry hazards like Spikes from Ferrothorn and Skarmory, Toxic Spikes from Toxapex, and Stealth Rock from Seismitoad and Heatran are helpful. Toxapex and Seismitoad provide a solid answer to Water- and Fire-types alongside setting hazards, taking pressure off of Mega Altaria defensively, with Toxapex additionally absorbing Toxic Spikes. Bulky Ground-types like the aforementioned Seismitoad and Gastrodon are great at handling Volt Switch users like Rotom-W and Tapu Koko, preventing them from using Mega Altaria for momentum, as well as beating Heatran and Magearna. Entry hazard removal is important due to pre-Mega Altaria's weakness to Stealth Rock and lack of passive recovery, so Defoggers like Tornadus-T, Skarmory, and Zapdos or other removal like Rapid Spin Excadrill is necessary support.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hyper Voice is better for physically defensive Pokemon like Landorus-T and Rotom-W and Substitute users like Hawlucha and Serperior, OHKOing the former, but it misses out on the paralysis chance of Body Slam. On this set, Toxic is preferred over Roar, as Body Slam's paralysis won't get in the way of it, and Mega Altaria should run a Bold nature and 32 SpA EVs taken out of Defense to allow it to 2HKO Mega Charizard X with Hyper Voice. Flamethrower allows Mega Altaria to 2HKO Ferrothorn, Mega Mawile, and Mega Scizor and OHKO Kartana and pressure other Steel-types barring Heatran. Ice Beam poses a major threat to Gliscor and Landorus-T, 2HKOing even fully specially defensive Gliscor. Mega Altaria can be used as a Defogger, but using it as the sole entry hazard removal of your team is less than preferable considering that before Mega Evolution, it's weak to Stealth Rock, after Mega Evolving, it's vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and it has no passive recovery in either forme. Dragon Dance can be used to make Mega Altaria a late-game wincon; however, it requires extensive support and has lots of poor matchups.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Mega Mawile, Mega Scizor, and Excadrill find free entry and opportunities to set up with Swords Dance against Mega Altaria. Ferrothorn and Heatran also wall it and can use the opportunity to set entry hazards. Celesteela and Jirachi completely wall Mega Altaria and threaten it out with their Steel-type STAB moves. However, Mega Altaria can tack on Flamethrower to hit many of the listed Pokemon hard, notably 2HKOing Ferrothorn and Mega Mawile and OHKOing Kartana, as well as Earthquake to OHKO offensive Heatran and 2HKO its maximum HP sets.
**Ice-types and Ice-type coverage**: Weavile and Kyurem-B can threaten out Mega Altaria, with Weavile OHKOing with Icicle Crash after minimal chip and Kyurem-B vaporizing Mega Altaria with its Z-Move. However, these two don't want to switch in directly due to their weakness to Fairy. Ice Beam users like Mega Latias, Mega Latios, and Protean Greninja and Ice Punch users like Mega Swampert and Mega Medicham are significantly threatening to Mega Altaria, even more so before its Mega Evolution.
**Fairy-types**: Magearna resists Mega Altaria's STAB attacks and can bowl it over with Fleur Cannon in response. Mega Diancie and Tapu Lele outspeed Mega Altaria and threaten to OHKO it outright, with Tapu Koko only needing minimal chip to KO it with Choice Specs Dazzling Gleam and consistently removing Mega Altaria from full health with Twinkle Tackle. Clefable avoids the 2HKO from Body Slam, so it can set up on Mega Altaria with Calm Mind or otherwise waste its Roost PP with repeated Moonblasts.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers and Hazard Setters**: Bulky setup sweepers like Reuniclus, Clefable, and Swords Dance Gliscor aren't immediately threatened by Altaria and can set up on variants lacking Roar, though Gliscor must first activate its Toxic Orb lest it risk paralysis from Body Slam. Toxapex, Clefable, and the aforementioned Gliscor all find easy entry against Mega Altaria and can set entry hazards without much consequence.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
With a unique, good typing and useful utility movepool, Mega Altaria carves out a small niche in the tier. Its Dragon / Fairy typing lets it match up well against Ash-Greninja, Volcarona, and both of the Mega Charizard formes. In addition to this, it has great support options that include the coveted Heal Bell as well as Defog, and it has the option to stay in its pre-Mega Evolved forme in the early- to mid-game to make use of Natural Cure despite the Stealth Rock weakness and different typing. It isn't weak, either; its Pixilate-boosted Fairy-type STAB moves hit neutral targets for consistent damage and dissuade the likes of Kyurem-B from switching in. However, despite the coverage options it has, Mega Altaria can be prone to passivity considering the many different defensive answers to it that Mega Altaria requires different coverage to threaten. Secondly, the tier is crammed with Pokemon that outspeed and threaten out Mega Altaria, with Mega Mawile, Tapu Lele, and Mega Diancie all being able to OHKO it.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Roost
move 3: Roar / Earthquake
move 4: Heal Bell
item: Altarianite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Impish
evs: 240 HP / 136 Def / 76 SpD / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Pixilate-boosted Body Slam allows Mega Altaria to OHKO plenty of offensive threats such as Mega Medicham and Kommo-o, to name a few, and pester the likes of Mega Charizard X, Landorus-T, and Mega Mawile with paralysis. Roost is a necessity to keep healthy in the face of attackers like Ash-Greninja and Mega Charizard Y that it may switch into handle multiple times throughout a game, as well as healing off entry hazard damage. Roar allows Altaria to phaze out opposing Pokemon and rack up entry hazard chip damage, preventing bulky setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Gliscor from setting up freely. It's especially potent against particularly hazard-weak Pokemon like Volcarona and the Mega Charizard formes. Earthquake could be used instead to threaten Heatran and chip down Magearna and Mega Mawile at the expense of its matchup against Fire-types. Heal Bell provides Altaria's whole team with extra longevity. Additionally, non-Mega Altaria's Natural Cure takes the pressure off of Heal Bell's PP, meaning Altaria doesn't have to spend it on itself.
Set Details
========
56 Speed EVs ensure that Mega Altaria outspeeds Crawdaunt. The Special Defense investment ensures that non-Mega Altaria always avoids the 2HKO from Greninja's Dark Pulse. The rest of the EVs are pooled into Defense to better take on the likes of Mega Charizard X and Hawlucha, notably avoiding the 2HKO from Mega Heracross's Rock Blast while Mega Evolved.
Usage Tips
========
Early in the game, Altaria often prefers to hold off on its Mega Evolution to retain Natural Cure to absorb status from the likes of Toxapex, Lava Plume Heatran, and Serperior. Mega Altaria prefers to be a secondary measure against the likes of Mega Charizard X and Ash-Greninja, though these matchups are prime examples of when Altaria should Mega Evolve should your primary answer to them get overwhelmed or needs to be saved for something else. Otherwise, usage of Altaria is somewhat straightforward in that it uses its defensive typing to check the aforementioned threats when needed, and it can find plenty of Heal Bell opportunities against these Pokemon or against status-reliant Pokemon like Serperior, Toxapex, and Gliscor before Mega Evolving.
Team Options
========
Altaria is used on balance and semi-stall teams as cleric support along with its defensive profile of checking Fire-types and Ash-Greninja as well as having the Fairy typing to block Kommo-o's Clangorous Soulblaze. Steel-types like Heatran, Jirachi, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory are directly beneficial to Altaria, handling Fairy-types like Clefable, Magearna, and Mega Mawile, with Mega Altaria providing an answer to offensive Fire-types like Mega Charizard X and Volcarona in response. The cleric support that Altaria brings is great for clearing Toxic for teammates like Gastrodon and Slowbro and paralysis for Reuniclus. To alleviate Mega Altaria's passivity, entry hazards like Spikes from Ferrothorn and Skarmory, Toxic Spikes from Toxapex, and Stealth Rock from Seismitoad and Heatran are helpful. Toxapex and Seismitoad provide a solid answer to Water- and Fire-types alongside setting hazards, taking pressure off of Mega Altaria defensively, with Toxapex additionally absorbing Toxic Spikes. Bulky Ground-types like the aforementioned Seismitoad and Gastrodon are great at handling Volt Switch users like Rotom-W and Tapu Koko, preventing them from using Mega Altaria for momentum, as well as beating Heatran and Magearna. Entry hazard removal is important due to pre-Mega Altaria's weakness to Stealth Rock and lack of passive recovery, so Defoggers like Tornadus-T, Skarmory, and Zapdos or other removal like Rapid Spin Excadrill is necessary support.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hyper Voice is better for physically defensive Pokemon like Landorus-T and Rotom-W and Substitute users like Hawlucha and Serperior, OHKOing the former, but it misses out on the paralysis chance of Body Slam. On this set, Toxic is preferred over Roar, as Body Slam's paralysis won't get in the way of it, and Mega Altaria should run a Bold nature and 32 SpA EVs taken out of Defense to allow it to 2HKO Mega Charizard X with Hyper Voice. Flamethrower allows Mega Altaria to 2HKO Ferrothorn, Mega Mawile, and Mega Scizor and OHKO Kartana and pressure other Steel-types barring Heatran. Ice Beam poses a major threat to Gliscor and Landorus-T, 2HKOing even fully specially defensive Gliscor. Mega Altaria can be used as a Defogger, but using it as the sole entry hazard removal of your team is less than preferable considering that before Mega Evolution, it's weak to Stealth Rock, after Mega Evolving, it's vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and it has no passive recovery in either forme. Dragon Dance can be used to make Mega Altaria a late-game wincon; however, it requires extensive support and has lots of poor matchups.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Mega Mawile, Mega Scizor, and Excadrill find free entry and opportunities to set up with Swords Dance against Mega Altaria. Ferrothorn and Heatran also wall it and can use the opportunity to set entry hazards. Celesteela and Jirachi completely wall Mega Altaria and threaten it out with their Steel-type STAB moves. However, Mega Altaria can tack on Flamethrower to hit many of the listed Pokemon hard, notably 2HKOing Ferrothorn and Mega Mawile and OHKOing Kartana, as well as Earthquake to OHKO offensive Heatran and 2HKO its maximum HP sets.
**Ice-types and Ice-type coverage**: Weavile and Kyurem-B can threaten out Mega Altaria, with Weavile OHKOing with Icicle Crash after minimal chip and Kyurem-B vaporizing Mega Altaria with its Z-Move. However, these two don't want to switch in directly due to their weakness to Fairy. Ice Beam users like Mega Latias, Mega Latios, and Protean Greninja and Ice Punch users like Mega Swampert and Mega Medicham are significantly threatening to Mega Altaria, even more so before its Mega Evolution.
**Fairy-types**: Magearna resists Mega Altaria's STAB attacks and can bowl it over with Fleur Cannon in response. Mega Diancie and Tapu Lele outspeed Mega Altaria and threaten to OHKO it outright, with Tapu Koko only needing minimal chip to KO it with Choice Specs Dazzling Gleam and consistently removing Mega Altaria from full health with Twinkle Tackle. Clefable avoids the 2HKO from Body Slam, so it can set up on Mega Altaria with Calm Mind or otherwise waste its Roost PP with repeated Moonblasts.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers and Hazard Setters**: Bulky setup sweepers like Reuniclus, Clefable, and Swords Dance Gliscor aren't immediately threatened by Altaria and can set up on variants lacking Roar, though Gliscor must first activate its Toxic Orb lest it risk paralysis from Body Slam. Toxapex, Clefable, and the aforementioned Gliscor all find easy entry against Mega Altaria and can set entry hazards without much consequence.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited:
