sorta. in ORAS hp fire diancie was sometimes run to hit scizor on the switch, which was fairly common at the time and also was a counter to hp fire-less diancie. now since protect isn't mandatory, you can freely run both, so there's no real reason to swap ep for that, especially since heatran is so good rn.Speaking of which. Is Earth Power considered a necessity, or can a pokemon that knows Ground-type moves (Like Heatran or maybe Landorus/Hydreigon) cover for that (No tutors in S/M and I didn't have the chance to use them in ORAS)?
Most likely, Diancie forces out a lot of opponents and can set it up on passive mons or something like that. It most certainly may happen.Would Rock Polish Diancie have any chance? Given it's backed up by something like Magne for the Steel-types
SR is a very important niche indeed in the current meta, though Diancie herself does not feel to me like the best rock abuser tbh. It would be interesting if SR Diancie opens up whole new ways to build teams. Afterall she is still a rather busted poke.It does make some sense. Since Talonflame nerfed and the Tapu themselves scaring off Dark-types, Diancie does need another Niche.
With that said, the only other Mega with Magic Bounce is Sableye and Diancie herself can Learn Stealth Rock, so I want to ask, would this combination with offensive stats help this pokemon get a new niche?
What makes you so certain she's busted? I'd say she isn't as good as mons like, say, Greninja.SR is a very important niche indeed in the current meta, though Diancie herself does not feel to me like the best rock abuser tbh. It would be interesting if SR Diancie opens up whole new ways to build teams. Afterall she is still a rather busted poke.
Strong stats, broken ability, above-average offensive typing with reasonable coverage, and a usable defensive typing. Power creeps did erode on her advantage though.What makes you so certain she's busted? I'd say she isn't as good as mons like, say, Greninja.
I'd like to hear your reasons for this.
If Pokemon battles were fought on paper then Mega Lopunny wouldn't be as bad as it is at the moment. I don't know about ladder effectiveness, but I can see Mega Diancie dropping as low as a flat A rank simply because the meta's best mons can all threaten it. Both S ranks have the potential to be a scary matchup, with AV Magearna in particular walling it forever. Celesteela and AV Tangrowth are also extremely common at the moment and can reliably switch into Mega Diancie, especially on a predicted resisted hit. Offensive counterplay to it is everywhere, with something as simple as a Tapu Koko Thunderbolt OHKOing Naive Mega Diancie after SR. Let's not even talk about the Greninja forms, who can even set up Spikes predicting Mega Diancie to flee, and Dugtrio, who does 94% min to Mega Diancie with the Diamond Storm boost if it runs Groundium Z. Beyond that, plenty of Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Tapu Bulu, VinCune, and virtually every Choice Scarf user can tank a hit / come in on the revenge and force Mega Diancie out. I believe Mega Diancie can certainly become the best Mega Evolution, but I definitely don't think it will end up broken; despite its great raw attributes, the metagame already has the tools to handle it in some capacity.Strong stats, broken ability, above-average offensive typing with reasonable coverage, and a usable defensive typing. Power creeps did erode on her advantage though.
Obviously pokes do not exist in a vacuum, but being a strong poke in a vacuum is always a big step into being great in the meta.
I find these reason to be bogus.Strong stats, broken ability, above-average offensive typing with reasonable coverage, and a usable defensive typing. Power creeps did erode on her advantage though.
Obviously pokes do not exist in a vacuum, but being a strong poke in a vacuum is always a big step into being great in the meta.
I mean if you read carefully enough I was at no point claiming that Diancie would be amazing at the current meta, I was claiming Diancie is a mon we should always watch out for because she is a busted mon in a vacuum. ICYMI we are NOT at the viability thread, so I see no reason to not talk a bit more than just the current meta, and I see even less reason to get chased after by patch purist for doing so.I find these reason to be bogus.
Your entire argument revolves around Diancie being "busted" because of here "Strong stats, broken ability..." However, you fail to mention any metagame advantages or disadvantages Diancie has. It's important to mention these because, like you conveniently mentioned, "pokes do not exist in a vacuum." If you don't mention these, then all you're doing is restating facts that I already know. It's like me Kyurem-B is busted because of "Strong stats, broken ability, above-average offensive typing with reasonable coverage, and a usable defensive typing." Yes, EVERYONE here knows Kyurem-B has those assets. Say something everyone DOESN'T know. Maybe say that Kyurem-B is busted because his type allows him to fight the metagame filled with Tangrowth and Tapu Koko much more better than everyone else (in other words, handling the metagame better than usual). That will be much more meaningful.
I also have no clue where you got the "usable defensive typing" idea from. What makes you think Rock/Fairy is a "usable defensive typing?" Rock is a completely SHIT defensive typing. The only reason Tyranitar can even do work is that's he so fat that Earthquake can't OHKO. However, that is not the case here – Diancie isn't that ridiculously fat (and a good thing, too, or she'd be overpowered). A simple rule of Pokemon is: if you have Rock as one of your types, that automatically disqualifies any "good defensive typing" label.
If you bother to read posts made in the past, you can see that two people here (Scarf Nihilego and Spohky) all agree that the metagame is currently revolving against Diancie; mons who can stop her are all over the place. If anything, Diancie is anything but "busted" because SM OU introduced more mons than usual who can handle Diancie, no problem.
Whoa, there. Ease up on the gas pedal, wasn't trying to be "offensive."I mean if you read carefully enough I was at no point claiming that Diancie would be amazing at the current meta, I was claiming Diancie is a mon we should always watch out for because she is a busted mon in a vacuum. ICYMI we are NOT at the viability thread, so I see no reason to not talk a bit more than just the current meta, and I see even less reason to get chased after by patch purist for doing so.
Also, check dictionary for the word "usable" before you start going offensive. Obviously being hit SE by water/ground are super annoying, but they are still easier to work around than things like a rock (thx god GF has been nerfing SR for a couple of generations straight) weakness. Plus, the rofl OP fairy definitely helps out quite a bit in this regard (even though it end up sucks to have to compete against the tapus).
I find the sentence structure to be slightly off-putting, and what I find even more baffling is why you brought up a rock weakness and nerfing Stealth Rock. Those were completely unrelated. Not too sure why you brought those up.Obviously being hit SE by water/ground are super annoying, but they are still easier to work around than things like a rock (thx god GF has been nerfing SR for a couple of generations straight) weakness."
Mew says hi.And also, where on Earth did you get the idea that Stealth Rock was being nerfed? The only real nerf I can think of is the buffing of Defog, but that matters little seeing as hazard removal is in a shoddy state in S/M (namely, almost no good Defog/Rapid Spin users in S/M).
I seriously doubt it'll be that threatening. Altaria's issue last gen was that it wasn't really that good at anything in particular. Offensive sets were slow and not very powerful outside of Pixilate STAB, while defensive sets were extremely prone to chip damage and getting worn down while inviting in Steel types for free. Not having as much burn spreading will be nice for it but its going to struggle in the exact same ways it did last gen, except that Celesteela and Magearna are gonna be a pain as well.If mega altaria is ever released, could it be any good? I could see a dragon dance/roost/return/earthquake set working but teams have more counterplay to fairy types now due to tapu omnipresence. Being a fairy weak to fairy does not help matters.
No, it's just going to flat-out suck. The pixilate nerf hurt, yes, but what really does is the rise of the fantasy core (steel/dragon/fairy). Most steels wall this thing to hell and back - physical sets are laughed at by Celesteela, Ferro and Scizor-Mega. Special sets with Fire Blast get walled by Heatran and AV Magearna and Sp Def Celesteela check it anyways:If mega altaria is ever released, could it be any good? I could see a dragon dance/roost/return/earthquake set working but teams have more counterplay to fairy types now due to tapu omnipresence. Being a fairy weak to fairy does not help matters.
That's not power creep. It's that the two types have rather mediocre synergy together.You know the Power Creep in Pokemon has gone out of control when Dragon, the classical Infinity+1 type, combined with Fairy, the new and rising Infinity+1 type, is considered a terrible defensive typing...
My only question with that spread is what exactly does Mega Altaria do back to Zardy and Volc? They resist each other's STAB attacks (unless Altaria uses Dragon type moves lol). I just see Volc using Mega Altaria as set up fodder, in particular.I think Mega Altaria can find itself a niche as a check to some of the most prominent special attackers in the tier.
For example, it's a solid switch-in to Zard Y that don't mind Dugtrio (Cant be KOed by Z-EQ, OHKO with STAB, can Roost on Sash variant) and TTar (Crunch does pitiful damage, Roost on Stone Edge till miss or switch as TTar will be choice locked, KO with STAB)
252 SpA Charizard-Mega-Y Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 156 SpD Altaria-Mega in Sun: 130-153 (36.7 - 43.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
It's also a switch-in WITH RECOVERY to Ash-Gren. Ice Beam hurts but who clicks that anw
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 156 SpD Altaria-Mega: 126-148 (35.5 - 41.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
It checks Volcarona rather well
+2 252 SpA Volcarona Inferno Overdrive (185 BP) vs. 252 HP / 156 SpD Altaria-Mega: 257-303 (72.5 - 85.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Kingdra and offensive Peliper with more defensive investment too.
I don't think it will be top tier or anything but there's a niche for it.
Toxic is certainly one solid way to damage Zard T and Volc.My only question with that spread is what exactly does Mega Altaria do back to Zardy and Volc? They resist each other's STAB attacks (unless Altaria uses Dragon type moves lol). I just see Volc using Mega Altaria as set up fodder, in particular.
Perhaps a defensive Toxic set or something, which I'm assuming is something along the lines of your set given the defensive investment. I don't see the past DD sets putting in any work in OU this gen. With Celesteela, Toxapex, physdef Tangrowth, Ferrothorn, Mew, Clefable, Lando-T, Scarf Gunk Gren, and Scarf Tapu Lele all over the place, it just has way too many adversaries to keep in mind when running a DD set, not to mention Pixilate got nerfed this gen which only hurts its damage output.