Metagross

Metagross, The Iron Legs Pokémon. Because the magnetic powers of these Pokémon get stronger in freezing temperatures, Metagross living on snowy mountains are full of energy. Metagross is the result of the fusion of two Metang. This Pokémon defeats its opponents through use of its supercomputer-level brain.

Overview

Metagross may be mourning the loss of its Mega Evolution and Pursuit, but the new Dynamax Mechanic may be an even bigger buff than Mega Evolution ever was, giving Metagross a host of new boosting options. Additionally, Fairy types remain as popular as ever, meaning that Metagross has no lack of targets for its powerful Steel STABs. However, Knock Off is more popular than ever as well with no Mega Stones and Z-Crystals to soften the initial blow.
Positives
-Massive Base 135 Attack alongside a varied movepool means Metagross has an answer for most situations.
-130 Defense plus the Steel Psychic typing makes Metagross impressively durable and able to take a few hits before going down.
Negatives
-Common weaknesses in Ground, Fire and Dark alongside an average Special Defense ensures that nearly every team has an answer for Metagross
-Base 70 speed is an awkward speed tier, being too fast for Trick Room but too slow for just about everything else.
-Lack of reliable recovery in conjunction with the above flaws means that Metagross can be worn down quickly

Movesets

Living Fortress

-Meteor Mash
-Earthquake
-Thunder Punch/Hammer Arm
-Bullet Punch
Item Attached: Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk /4 SDef
Adamant Nature

This set acts as a bulky pivot, coming on many attacks and firing back with its own. Meteor Mash is fantastic, being a STAB move with the chance of raising Metagross’ Attack even higher. Earthquake provides great coverage against opposing Steel and Fire types. Thunder Punch hits Skarmory, Gyarados and Celesteela harder than anything else Metagross has, while Hammer Arm hits Ferrothorn, Urshifu Single and Porygon 2 incredibly hard. Bullet Punch gives Metagross valuable priority, allowing it to pick off or chip faster targets that would otherwise KO it without retaliation.

DYNAMAX:
Metagross is a fantastic abuser of Dynamax, as the massive bulk increase, and Metagross’ tendency to run STAB Max Steelspike and Max Quake can make it ludicrously hard to take down. Max Knuckle Hammer Arm gives Metagross an option to boost its Attack while Dynamaxed. The added power on a Max Thunder to muscle through Skarmory and Celesteela is appreciated as well.

EVs and Items:
Max HP and Attack are necessary to make Metagross as bulky as possible while still providing an immense offensive threat. Assault Vest patches up Metagross’ main weakness in its Special Defense, with Meteor Mash and Dynamax enabling Metagross to setup even with the Assault Vest.

Partners:
Clefable can pass on Wishes to keep Metagross healthy over a long battle, enabling it to take even more hits and serves as a reliable pivot into Dark moves.
Blissey is another Wish passer that also absorbs Special attacks similar to how Metagross absorbs physical attacks for a pseudo SkarmBliss core.
Galarian Moltres can pivot into Ground, Dark and Ghost moves with ease and can blow by physical walls with its Special moves
Tapu Fini setting up Misty Terrain gives Metagross status protection and serves as a reliable pivot into Fire and Dark moves.

Anti-Kaiju Weapon

-Agility
-Iron Head
-Ice Punch
-Earthquake/Thunder Punch
Item Attached: Weakness Policy
Ability: Clear Body
EVs and Nature:
44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature

Agility patches up Metagross’ speed, enabling it to outspeed everything and take out weakened teams with ease. Iron Head is the preferred STAB here, being more accurate and having a healthy flinch chance on top of it. Ice Punch provides great coverage, hitting Dragonite, Garchomp, and Landorous-Therian incredibly hard as well as generally being a safe option to click. Earthquake and Thunder Punch provide anti-Steel type coverage, the former getting Heatran especially hard, while the latter deals with Skarmory and Celesteela.

DYNAMAX:
Agility Metagross is perhaps even a more terrifying Dynamax sweeper. The bulk increase alongside STAB Max Steelspike and Max Quake make Metagross incredibly difficult to revenge kill after setup and near ensures a Weakness Policy activation. The increase in power to Thunder Punch and Ice Punch is appreciated as well.

EVs and Items:
212 Speed EVs and Jolly nature is necessary to outspeed Neutral Regieleki and Scarf Garchomp after an Agility. Maximizing Attack is mandatory if trying to go for a sweep while putting the remainder in HP gives Metagross a modicum of bulk.

Partners:
Hippowdon makes for an excellent partner in the early game, chipping many targets with Sandstream, Stealth Rock and Whirlwind and can take out prospective counters with Yawn. Tapu Fini setting up Misty Terrain gives Metagross status protection when setting up and serves as a reliable pivot into Fire and Dark moves.

Other Options

Zen Headbutt -Alternate STAB that becomes even stronger under Psychic terrain that provides great neutral coverage as opposed to the oft resisted Steel STABs

VGC & Double Battle Options

Metagross finds its niche still going strong in doubles. Clear Body is fantastic, avoiding stat drops from the numerous Intimidates, Bulldozes, Icy Winds and Max Moves in the flying around. Combine that with being a vicious Weakness Policy abuser who can easily setup with an Ally’s Bulldoze and Metagross remains a strong option.

Steely Vanguard

-Iron Head
-Protect
-Stomping Tantrum
-Ice Punch/Rock Slide
Item Attached: Weakness Policy
Ability: Clear Body
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk /4 SDef
Adamant Nature

Metagross operates similarly in doubles as in singles as a terrifying bulky Dynamax Sweeper. Iron Head is preferred STAB for reliability and can nab flinches with Speed Control from a partner. Stomping Tantrum replaces Earthquake, as having a ground type move that doesn’t hit your partner and becomes even more powerful if Metagross was flinched the previous turn. Ice Punch and Rock Slide hit many flying types such as Thundurus, Yvetal and Tornadus. Ice Punch can also land hard hits on Landorus-Therian and various dragons, while Rock Slide is a spread move that can cause Flinching and is a secondary option for Fire types.

Just like in Singles, Metagross is very flexible in its EV spread. Max HP and Attack are preferred to get the most out of a Dynamax, but extra speed investment allows Metagross to outspeed more targets after a Bulldoze

Other Options & Team Ideas

-Landorus Therian and Salamence provide an excellent combo in Intimidate and Bulldoze, reducing the opponent’s attack and speed while triggering the Weakness Policy boost that can be easily tanked with a Dynamax. Their ability to dispatch opposing Fire types like Incineroar is a boon as well.
-Incineroar and Yveltal provide Snarl support, patching up Metagross’ average Special Defense and enabling mind games if the Metagross carries Ally Switch, tanking Super Effective Dark moves for it as well as Fire moves for Incineroar and Stomping Tantrum for Yveltal.
-Rillaboom and Tapu Bulu’s Grassy Terrain weakens Earthquake and provides greatly appreciated passive recovery

Countering Metagross

Metagross is an incredibly versatile Pokémon, but cannot cover everything that threatens it, and will have gaps in its movesets that allow Pokémon to hard counter it.
Slowbro, Skarmory, Moltres, and Celesteela do well against any Metagross lacking Thunderpunch, able to outlast it with their recovery moves, burn it with Scald in the case of Slowbro and setup and wear it down. Gyarados also performs well but needs to be healthy.
Garchomp and Landorus-Therian deal well with sets lacking Ice Punch, but need a safe switch in as they are less frail than the above.
Heatran and Excadrill can take on any Metagross lacking Earthquake and Hammer Arm and strike back with their STAB super effective moves.
Hippowdon does well against any Metagross that has not setup, easily taking its attacks and massively damaging it with STAB Earthquake.
Buzzwole can take any attack except Zen Headbutt and easily KO back with Earthquake.
Dragapult can’t take an attack, but will utterly hinder Metagross with Will-o-Wisp or outright KO with STAB Shadow Ball
Many of the above also naturally outspeed Metagross and can come in to revenge KO as Metagross is often worn down, taking hits as it switches and attacks.

Locations in Games

Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game

Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Evolve Metang

FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Colosseum/XD:
Snagged from Cipher Nascour in Realgam Tower Colosseum

Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve Metang

HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Evolve Metang

Black/White:
Giant Chasm

Black 2/White 2:
Giant Chasm

X/Y:
Evolve Metang

Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Metang

Sun/Moon:
Evolve Metang

Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Evolve Metang

Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game

Sword/Shield:
Snowslide Slope
Max Raid Battles: Giant's Bed, Snowslide Slope, Path to the Peak, Frigid Sea, Ballimere Lake

Anime Appearences

Metagross has made a few appearances in the anime. Most of these, however, have been cameos but many prominent trainers such as Alain & Steven Stone have used one.

# -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics
M7 Destiny Deoxys Visitor of the Space Fissure - Deoxys Pics
402 Like a Meowth to a Flame EverGrande City Arrival! Meowth in Boots!? Pics
407 Choose It or Lose It Rival Confrontation! VS Morrison! Pics
408 At the End of the Fray The Last Fierce Fighting! The Road to the Championship!! Pics
446 Talking A Good Game Salon Maiden Anabel Enters! Pics
447 Second Time's the Charm Battle Tower! Telepathy Battle! Pics
519 Glory Blaze Chimchar VS Zangoose! Battle of Fate! Pics
585 Noodles: Roamin' Off Team Rocket Breakup!? Pics
626 Regaining the Home Advantage! Explosion! Magnezone vs Metagross!! Pics
M13 Zoroark - Master of Illusions Phantom Champion Zoroark Pics
S28 TBC Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Introduction Pics
S37 Pokémon Mega Evolution Special I Strongest Mega Evolution ~Act II~ Pics
S38 Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Mega Special Animation Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Mega Special Animation Pics
S37 Pokémon Mega Evolution III Strongest Mega Evolution ~Act III~ Pics
878 Rivals: Today and Tomorrow! A Best-of-Three Rival Battle! Aim Towards Tomorrow!! Pics
933 Finals Not for the Faint-Hearted! The Finals! Ash VS Alain!! Pics
934 Down to the Fiery Finish Kalos League Victory! Ash's Ultimate Match!! Pics
936 Coming Apart at the Dreams! The Shocking Zygarde VS Zygarde! The Breaking World!! Pics
937 The Right Hero for the Right Job! Attack on Lumiose Gym! The Clembot Forever!! Pics
938 Rocking Kalos Defenses! The Megalith Advances! A Fight to Protect Kalos!! Pics
939 Forming a More Perfect Union! Zygarde Fights Back! The Final Battle for Kalos!! Pics
943 Till We Compete Again A Zero With No End! Till the Day We Meet Again!! Pics
1072 Battle Royal 151 Brawl! Battle Royal 151!! Pics
1073 Battling Besties! Mallow & Lana! A Fully Powered Battle of Friendship!! Pics
1096 Serving Up the Flute Cup! The Hoenn Region, Site of Fierce Fights! The Battle Frontier Challenge!! Pics
1203 Friends, Rivals, Lend Me Your Spirit! Fire Training Battle! Ash VS Paul!! Pics
1207 Battling as Hard as Stone! Ash Heads Into Battle! VS Steven!! Pics
1210 TBC The Climax Begins: Ash's Masters Tournament Experience Pics
1217 TBC Climax! The Night Before the Decisive Match: Ash VS Leon!! Pics
3 For Sure! Cause Sprigatito's with Me! As Long As I'm With Sprigatito... Pics
5 Found You, Fuecoco! I Found You, Fuecoco Pics
6 The Ancient Poké Ball! The Ancient Poké Ball Pics
7 Special Training with Cap! Training! Captain Pikachu Pics
9 Welcome to Paldea! Arrival in Paldea! Pics
12 The Future I Choose! The Future I Choose Pics
18 Flying Pikachu, Rising Higher and Higher! The Sky Is The Limit For Flying Pikachu! Pics
19 The Bittersweet Truth The Truth About Alcremie Pics
25 Rivals in the Dark of Night! Rivals in the Moonless Night Pics
26 Terapagos's Adventure! Terapagos' Adventure Pics
27 As Long as I'm with My Friends As Long As I'm With My Companions Pics
29 Orla and the Poké Ball Smith Orla & The Poké Ball Craftsman Pics
30 Slip and Crash! A Mystery Pokémon?! The Mystery Pokémon Behind the Slipping and Clanging?! Pics
38 The SOS is from Tandemaus? The SOS Comes from Tandemaus? Pics
39 Tinkatink's Ideal Hammer Tinkatink and its Choice Hammer Pics
40 Farewell, Sprigatito? Farewell, Sprigatito Pics
43 A Challenge from the Explorers A Letter of Challenge from the Explorers Pics
46 Welcome to Naranja Academy! How Thrilling! Naranja Academy! Pics
49 Dot and Nidothing Dot & Nidothing Pics
68 TBC Taking to New Skies! The Brave Olivine!! Pics
69 TBC I'm a Pokémon and You're Me?! Pics
76 TBC Wynaut? Sohdayo! Pics