Mega Meganium makes a return to Insurgence, still considered to be one of the bulkiest Mega Evos in the Insurgence metagame. It’s unique typing, high base 80/140/140 defenses, and a fantastic ability in Magic Bounce allows it to check a large number of offensive and defensive threats. Access to reliable recovery and a decent support movepool allow it to function well as a staller, and Magic Bounce means it does not have to fear being statused or Taunted, allowing it to support its team with ease.
Unfortunately, Mega Meganium is quite passive for a wall, lacking offensive prescence and being heavily reliant on Toxic damage or Dragon Tailing into entry hazards to provide damage. As a consequence, it suffers heavily against Poison and Steel types, which is only worsened by its disadvantageous typing against these two types. Additionally, it faces a dilemma when dealing with specific attackers depending on EV spread, as physical attackers can take out a special set and vice versa, making Meganium’s job as a wall somewhat more difficult.
Nevertheless, Mega Meganium is a very bulky wall that can singlehandedly stop entry hazard leads and a large number of threats in the metagame, but its weaknesses have to be removed from the field before it is sent out, lest it wind up as cannon fodder.
Final Verdict: UU, with some viability in OU
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Set 1: Physical Wall
Nature: Bold EV: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD Item: Meganiumite
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Toxic
- Dragon Tail/Dazzling Gleam
Synthesis is a good recovery move that allows Meganium to stay on the field without worrying too much about damage. Giga Drain is Meganium’s main offensive option, allowing it to tackle mons it counters with more ease. Toxic is a good all around move that is mostly used to punish mons Meganium can wall, as well as certain counters it can deal with. Dragon Tail is the final move, used to force out mons that could possibly use Meganium as setup fodder or possibly wall it back. Alternatively, Dazzling Gleam can be used to punish certain Pokemon such as Hydreigon, Conkeldurr, or Mega Sceptile.
Set 2: Special Wall
Nature: Calm IV: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD Item: Meganiumite
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Toxic
- Dragon Tail/Dazzling Gleam
This set functions much the same as the physical set above, with the only exception being the EV spread having been changed to deal with more specially oriented threats. Synthesis is the main healing move, Giga Drain gives it offensive presence, Toxic is used to cripple walls and other possible switch ins. Dragon Tail is useful when removing setup sweepers or mons that Meganium matches up with unfavourably, while Dazzling Gleam can smack mons that Meganium is capable of holding off, such as Hydreigon and Machamp.
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Other Options:
Aromatherapy is an option if the team requires a cleric, as Meganium is mostly resistant to status itself, but it struggles to find the moveslot to use it. Leech Seed is another option in the fourth to more reliably deal with Pokemon such as Klefki, and can also be used in tandem with Toxic or Dragon Tail. A mixed EV spread set with EVs in Defense and SpD can be considered, but Meganium prefers having a fully physically defensive or fully special defensive set in tandem with the HP EVs. Energy Ball is another option, but removing recovery from Giga Drain isn’t generally recommended.
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Checks and Counters:
Poison-types: The single biggest problem Mega Meganium faces, almost every Poison type in the tier is capable of going to town on it. Nidoking and Nidoqueen both OHKO the physical variants and heavily dent the special variants. Toxicroak easily dispatches Meganium and can use it as setup bait before KO’ing it if Meganium is not carrying Dragon Tail. Beedrill easily dispatches specially defensive variants and can dent physical variants heavily, and Roserade is notable in being resistant to both Toxic and Leech Seed.
Steel-types: Most Steel-types in the tier will give Meganium no shortage of headaches, as they can easily switch in on a predicted Toxic or Giga Drain, and proceed to hit it hard with a super-effective Steel Type move. Meganium’s only real options then are either to switch out, force it out with Dragon Tail, or status with Leech Seed, then switch out.
Fire-types: Most Fire-types can heavily dent Mega Meganium, making its job as a wall considerably more difficult. A majority of them are faster as well, meaning Meganium will often have to tank a hit if it wants to status them. None of them, however, like Toxic, so they are not guaranteed switch ins.
Flying-types: Meganium has trouble dealing with Pokemon such as Aerodactyl and Crobat, as both of them are capable of denting it heavily with their STAB moves. Crobat even sports an immunity to Toxic, letting it switch in with ease. Noivern and Tornadus are also notable threats, being capable of putting Meganium to task, even if they do not resist Toxic.
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Let me know what you think. Any suggestions are appreciated.