“Ring-a-ring-a-rosies
A pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes
We all fall down”
-Ring A Ring o’ Roses, after D.Charizard came around.
Hi guys, girls, undead dragons and everything in-between! Taking a break was great for my studies, you might have noticed my innactivity for at least two days, so here I am! Juging another Pokémon for your very entertainment! Tackling what made we want to try Insurgence in the first place, let’s dive into Delta Charizard!
Be warned, since there is no competitive usage stats avaliable, I do not have any reliable ways to accurately predict the metagame. This analysis is theoretical and does not entirely reflect a Pokémon’s viability.
Typing, Stats, Ability & Movepool
Ghost/Dragon
Ability: Noctem (Spirit Call/Dark Aura(DW) before Mega)
Hp: 78
Atk: 104 (84)
Def: 78
SpA: 159 (109)
SpD: 115 (85)
Spe: 100
Great ability in Noctem and a good STAB combo in Ghost and Dragon makes Delta Charizard a great Wallbreaker. Since it keeps the same speed in both Mega and regular form, Delta Charizard does not care about the Gen 6 Mega evolution mecanics.
While Mega Delta Charizard have Noctem, it does not match up that well in full New Moon team as they often prefer Shiftry or Delta Typhlosion as their Mega. It would, like Mega Charizard Y, be a wallbreaker on a given team or a backup weather setter.
Delta Charizard have a nice movepool with great attack at its disposal, especially in the offensive department. Shadow Ball and Draco Meteor makes the primary stabs while Sludge Bomb, Flamethrower and Ice Beam makes its main coverage. However, I feel like he has more option on its physical side (#MegaD.CharizardX). It got nice support option in Will-o-Wisp, Taunt and recovery in Pain Split.
Sets suggestions
Wallbreaker
Delta Charizard @ D.Charizardite
Ability: Spirit Call
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
Timid Nature
-Shadow Ball
-Draco Meteor
-Hidden Power Fighting/Slugde Bomb/Will-o-Wisp
-Flamethrower/Ice Beam/Will-o-Wisp
Shadow Ball and Draco Meteor are the main stabs. Sludge Bomb help against weakened Clefable and Tangrowth, Flamethrower for steel types and Ice Beam for Ground types and Dragons. Will-o-Wisp help against its switch-in and cripple Sucker Punch users. Look out, Hidden Power Fighting will make you loose the speed tie against most base 100 speed like Mega Gardevoir because it drop your speed IV to 30.
SubSplit
Delta Charizard @ D.Charizardite
Ability: Spirit Call
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Shadow Ball/Lunar Canon
-Will-o-Wisp/Flamethrower
-Substitute
-Pain Split
This one help a lot against Sucker Punch users. Its a hit or miss, winning the Sucker God gives a free Will-o-Wisp while loosing makes you K.O. Plus, this one is somewhat good against Chansey? I guess? it also help A LOT against more offensive teams.
Other Options
Substitute can be used of the offensive variant, but I don’t like Substitute on Pokémon that lack good recovery.
Good teammates
- Fighting types are great teammates for dealing with Dark types. Keldeo is a very notable one as it appreciate the Surf boost.
- Stycky Web are great to patch its middling speed and let it threaten offensive teams more effectively. Shuckle and Armored Leavanny are prime example.
- Bisharp cover most of D.Charizard’s checks.
- Delta Blaziken is great at covering offensive teams with Gale Wing ArrobaGem while D.Charizard cover slower and bulkyer teams.
- Bulky Pivots are good to switch around with Delta Charizard due to its frailty. Rotom-W, Landorus-T and Tornadus-T are prime example.
- Armored Tyranitar cover Ghosts and checks many Dark types while also Pursuit Trap Alakasam. Plus, Sandstorm prevent New Moon from fading at the worst moment.
- Poison Types can prove themselves good to absorb Toxic Spikes that ruin the SubSplit set, since residual damages are starting to add up.
- To an extend, Hazards removers are very important for any teams. Defog and Rapid Spin are important partners, so Excadrill and Zapdos are good ones. Sand Rush Excadrill put immense pressure to any offensive team (#MVP) and Zapdos serves as a pivot too.
- The more I look at it, the more Zapdos become a good teammate. Bulky pivot that can deal with Scizor with Heat Wave.
Check and counters
- Fast physical attacker and Priority users make easy job of D.Charizard when it itsn’t behind a substitute. Mega Scizor, and Delta Blaziken are the most popular ones.
- Revenge Killers are dangerous for the same reason. Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Mega Alakasam… You know the drill.
- Mega Loppuny has Scrappy, outspeed and OHKO with Return. Even under Sticky web, is sometimes run double priority in Fake Out + Quick Attack.
- Bisharp reisists Ghost and Dragon while doing pesky mind games with Sucker Punch and Pursuit. Plus, New Moon gives Bisharp an immense buff to Sucker Punch and Knock Off. However, it could be managed with proper prediction and Flamethrower.
- Bulky Fairy types are a big problem for sets lacking Sludge Bomb. Calm Mind Clefable can use Delta Charizard as a setup fodder.
- Tyranitar is dominate Delta Charizard. Not only it get rid of New Moon with Sand Stream, but also next to no Tyranitar lack pursuit. This is without mentioning it resists Shadow Ball and take negligible damages from Draco meteor. Oh, also:
252 SpA Mega Delta Charizard Hidden Power Fighting vs. 248 HP / 252 SpD Armor Tyranitar in Sand: 136-160 (33.7 - 39.7%) – guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
Yeah, good luck. Oh, and there is that Choice Scarf that outspeed and OHKO.
Overall
I think Mega Delta Charizard is a good Pokémon. Its a nice Wallbreaker that put a lot of pressure to defensive teams. The prevalence of Armoured Tyranitar and Bisharp is a big problem and it have a lot of competition as a Mega Evolution, but it does fine in the metagame. I guess.
- Mega Delta Venusaur
- Mega Delta Gallade
- Clefable
- Zapdos
- Heatran
- Others