This is a strategy guide for using Metagross in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Metagross, as well as its strengths and weak points.
Metagross - Related Guides | |
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Evolution and Learnset | Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
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Abilities | ||
Clear Body | Prevents other Pokemon from lowering its stats. | |
Light Metal (Hidden) | Halves the Pokemon's weight. |
Type | |
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Takes 4x damage |
|
Takes 2x damage | |
Takes 0.5x damage | |
Takes 1/4x damage | |
Takes 0x damage |
HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
80 | 135 | 130 | 95 | 90 | 70 |
Best Natures | ||
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Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk) |
Jolly (+Spd, -Sp.Atk) |
Nature | Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk) |
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EV Spread | HP 252 / Atk 252 / Spd 4 |
Final Stat Values | HP 156 / Atk 205 / Def 150 / Sp.Def 110 / Spd 91 |
Ability | Clear Body |
Held Item | Weakness Policy |
Moveset | ・Meteor Mash ・Earthquake ・Hammer Arm ・Zen Headbutt |
Metagross is a powerful physical sweeper and is arguably the best answer to Fairy-types thanks to great STAB moves and massive attack stat. It's natural bulk also makes it a great Weakness Policy Sweeper and Dynamax lead.
Meteor Mash is Metagross' main STAB move and has a 20% chance to increase its attack stat by one stage. Zen Headbutt is its secondary STAB move and has a 20% chance to flinch the target.
Earthquake is its main coverage move, hitting opposing Steel-types and Fire-types alike. It's last move is Hammer Arm, allowing it to hit opposing Steel-types and Dark-types. It also doesn't lower Metagross' speed if it becomes Max Knuckle during Dynamax.
We're using a basic bulky attacking set with full investment in HP and Attack, with the remaining 4 EVs are placed in Speed.
We're using Clear Body for this build as it gives Metagross immunity to negative stat changes inflicted by opposing Pokemon, such as Intimidate.
We're giving Metagross Choice Band for this build to boost the power of its attacks at the cost of being locked to its initial move.
Ice Punch | An alternative to Bullet Punch that gives Metagross more coverage, allowing it to hit bulky Grass-types and Dragon-types. |
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Thunder Punch | Slightly weaker than Meteor Mash but has perfect accuracy and has a 30% chance to make the target flinch. |
Facade | Allows Metagross to still hit hard even if it gets a burn. Also becomes Max Strike during Dynamax. |
Brick Break | A weaker alternative to Hammer Arm that lacks the speed drop. |
Bullet Punch | A priority move that allows Metagross to hit faster sweepers. Fails if there's a Psychic Terrain on the field. |
Rock Tomb | Lets Metagross hit Fire-types ssuch as Charizard. Also lowers the opposing Pokemon's Speed. |
Nature | Jolly (+Spd, -Atk) |
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EV Spread | HP 4 / Atk 252 / Spd 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 156 / Atk 187 / Def 150 / Sp.Def 110 / Spd 134 |
Ability | Clear Body |
Held Item | Lum Berry Assault Vest |
Moveset | ・Meteor Mash ・Zen Headbutt ・Earthquake ・Bullet Punch |
Metagross is a powerful physical sweeper and is arguably the best answer to Fairy-types thanks to great STAB moves and massive attack stat. It's natural bulk also makes it a great Weakness Policy Sweeper and Dynamax lead.
Meteor Mash is Metagross' main STAB move and has a 20% chance to increase its attack stat by one stage. Zen Headbutt is its secondary STAB move and has a 20% chance to flinch the target.
Earthquake is its main coverage move, hitting opposing Steel-types and Fire-types alike. It's last move is Bullet Punch, a priority move that lets it threaten faster and frailer sweepers.
We're using a basic attacking set with full investment in Attack and Speed, with the remaining 4 EVs placed in HP.
We're using Clear Body for this build as it gives Metagross immunity to negative stat changes inflicted by opposing Pokemon, such as Intimidate.
We're giving Metagross Lum Berry to protect it from status effects that can cripple its sweep, such as a burn from Will-O-Wisp.
Assault Vest is a good alternative, boosting Metagross' Special Defense by 50% but restricts it to just using attacking moves.
Thunder Punch | Slightly weaker than Meteor Mash but has perfect accuracy and has a 30% chance to make the target flinch. |
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Ice Punch | An alternative to Bullet Punch that gives Metagross more coverage, allowing it to hit bulky Grass-types and Dragon-types. |
Rock Tomb | Lets Metagross hit Fire-types ssuch as Charizard. Also lowers the opposing Pokemon's speed. |
Brick Break | A weaker alternative to Hammer Arm that lacks the speed drop. |
Iron Head | A more accurate STAB move that also has a chance to flinch the target. |
Hammer Arm | A powerful Fighting-type coverage move that hits Dark and Steel-types, but lowers Metagross' speed stat. |
Metagross is often overlooked due to faster and equally stronger sweepers in the metagame, but it's one of the few sweepers that can dish out and take hits equally.
It's best used as the team's bulky sweeper, and thanks to its respectable bulk, it can easily find opportunities to switch in - especially against Fairy-type Pokemon!
Metagross is a good fit for both offensive and more defensive-oriented teams, especially if said teams are looking for sweepers that can easily dispatch Fairy-type Pokemon. As a result, it's often paired with the likes of Garchomp and Dragapult in both Singles and Doubles.
Metagross is a great addition to any balance team, boasting an impressive natural bulk even without investment.
While it doesn't have the same all-encompassing coverage as other sweepers, its ability to threaten Fairy-type Pokemon and destroy terrain make it a great choice for balanced and defensive teams looking for its main sweeper.
Check out our teambuilding guide for defensive and balanced teams to learn more!
How to Build a Defensive Team
Weakness |
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Despite its great bulk, Metagross is a beat weak
on its special defense. This means it can be taken out by powerful special sweepers that can outspeed it.
Pokemon | Description |
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Dragapult | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Faster than Metagross ・Can easily KO Metagross with STAB Shadow Ball Moveset & Best Build for Dragapult |
Volcarona | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Faster than Metagross ・Can easily KO Metagross with STAB Fiery Dance ・Can leave Metagross with a Burn thanks to its Flame Body ability Moveset & Best Build for Volcarona |
Hydreigon | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can use the hard-hitting Dark-type move Dark Pulse which Metagross is weak against. ・Unaffected by Earthquake due to Levitate, and takes 0 damage from Psychic-type moves. ・Can switch with U-Turn. Moveset & Best Build for Hydreigon |
Landorus (Therian Forme) | Ranking: ★★★★
・Can one-shot Metagross with a Life Orb-boosted Earthquake. ・Can switch with U-Turn. ・Watch our for Ice Punch. Moveset & Best Build for 'Landorus (Therian Forme) |
Among all physically durable Pokemon, Celesteela and Corviknight are more effective as both of them are Steel- and Flying-types. Additionally, they take less damage from Metagross's Steel or Psychic-type attacks, which can be further improves by using Iron Defense.
However, look out for Thunder Punch, which is super-effective against Flying-types.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Celesteela | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can learn hard-hitting Fire- and Ground-type moves. ・Can recover HP with Leech Seed ・Can be built to play various roles for any team. Moveset & Best Build for Celesteela |
Corviknight | Ranking: ★★★★
・Will be able to withstand attacks with Iron Defense and Roost. Moveset & Best Build for Corviknight |
Tone down Metagross's power by using Will-O-Wisp to reduce its Attack stat. Note that these Pokemon may be easily defeated because of their typing.
Pokemon | Description |
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Heat Rotom | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Lower Attack stat with Will-O-Wisp. ・Can attack with special moves to take advantage of Metagross's low Special Defense stat ・Weak to Ground-type moves like Earthquake. Moveset & Best Build for Heat Rotom |
Dragapult | Ranking: ★★★★
・Lower Attack stat with Will-O-Wisp. Moveset & Best Build for Dragapult |
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
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Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams |
Metagross - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
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