[OVERVIEW]
**Steel**:
Magnezone's excellent Electric typing assists Steel-type teams in checking Water-type Pokemon such as Keldeo, Gyarados, and Rotom-W. Magnezone also is a great status absorber thanks to its immunity to paralysis, which enables it to freely switch into an incoming Thunder Wave. Furthermore, Magnezone's impressive Special Attack stat lets it function as an effective Choice Scarf user that can exert great offensive pressure against other teams. Magnet Pull is an excellent tool for trapping Steel-types such as Cobalion, Klefki, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor. It also allows Magnezone to disrupt the popular Flying-type core of Skarmory + Zapdos, easing the matchup for Steel-type teams. Despite the offensive capabilities it offers, Magnezone's Electric / Steel typing isn't that remarkable defensively, as it makes it very weak to Ground-type attacks. Magnezone lacks a good movepool and has very bad coverage aside from its STAB moves and Hidden Power Ice, making it easier to predict and threaten out. Magnezone's poor Speed stat and its reliance on Choice Scarf make it vulnerable to being revenge killed, and any Pokemon with a base 115 Speed stat or higher can outspeed it.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf (Steel)
move 1: Volt Switch
move 2: Flash Cannon
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Magnet Pull
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Volt Switch allows Magnezone to pivot and gain momentum for its teammates while escaping foes that it can't defeat such as Mega Venusaur and Chansey. It can help wear down checks such as Heatran and increase Magnezone's chances to potentially clean opposing teams late-game. Flash Cannon is another STAB attack used to hit Fairy-, Ice-, and Rock-types such as Mamoswine, Kyurem-B, and Mega Diancie. Thunderbolt is a secondary Electric STAB move that provides greater power to OHKO Keldeo and Mega Charizard Y. Hidden Power Ice targets Dragon- and Ground-types such as Garchomp and Landorus. Alternatively, Hidden Power Fire, in tandem with Magnet Pull, allows Magnezone to trap Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, dealing significant damage to the former and OHKOing the latter after Stealth Rock damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature lets Magnezone hit 240 Speed, and with a Choice Scarf equipped, it can function as a revenge killer and outpace key Pokemon such as Gengar, Keldeo, Mega Diancie, and Thundurus. 252 Special Attack EVs boost Magnezone's damage output. Magnet Pull is mandatory on Magnezone in order to trap other Steel-types that try to switch out such as Cobalion and Mega Scizor, especially trapping opposing Skarmory, which is important to eliminate because most Steel-types have trouble against it due to its physical bulk.
Usage Tips
========
**Steel**:
This particular set is best used for Magnezone to gain momentum and act as a pivot with Volt Switch to escape any match up that's unfavorable to it. However, Magnezone should be careful when using Volt Switch against a team that has an Electric-immune Pokemon such as Swampert on Water-type teams or Landorus-T on Flying-type teams, as Magnezone and its team will lose a lot of momentum if Volt Switch is blocked. Magnezone can be used as a lead, as it can pivot out with Volt Switch into a better teammate that can eliminate any opposing Pokemon that Magnezone has trouble defeating. With Choice Scarf, Magnezone can function as a revenge killer against Pokemon such as Keldeo, Landorus, and Mega Diancie. It's best to have entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field to let Magnezone pressure its foes with Volt Switch, constantly wearing them down for it and its teammates to KO. Make sure to utilize Magnet Pull to your advantage by trapping other utility Steel-types that set up entry hazards or support such as Skarmory, Cobalion, and Klefki. Although Magnezone takes little damage from Stealth Rock, Spikes can wear it down much quicker, as it pivots in and out continuously, so it's best to keep entry hazards off your side of the field.
Team Options
========
**Steel**:
Choice Scarf Excadrill can check Fire-types, threatening Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona with Rock Slide while its STAB Earthquake can break through Rotom-H and Entei, and take on Electric-types that wall Magnezone such as Zapdos and Rotom-W. Excadrill also has access to Rapid Spin, which gives Magnezone more freedom to pivot with Volt Switch. Magnezone appreciates entry hazard support from the likes of Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Heatran, all of which can set up Stealth Rock while the former two both can set up Spikes as well, allowing Magnezone to KO its foes more easily and pressure teams with Volt Switch. Skarmory can utilize its physical bulk to switch into physical attackers such as Heracross, and thanks to its Flying typing, it can switch into Ground-type attacks for Magnezone. Thanks to its Grass typing, Ferrothorn can take on Water-types to alleviate pressure placed on Magnezone, switch into Ground-types that threaten it, and take on Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad. Heatran makes for an efficient partner because of its Flash Fire ability, as it can utilize Magnezone's Fire-type weakness to its advantage in getting a free switch, tank special attacks, and make use of a stallbreaker set featuring Taunt to take on Chansey and Mew, both of which Magnezone has no chance of defeating.
Bisharp can take on Ghost- and Psychic-types that can defeat Magnezone such as Gengar, Chandelure, and Mew. Mega Scizor can dent special walls such as Chansey and KO Pokemon such as Kyurem-B, Terrakion, and Breloom with its powerful Bullet Punch. Bisharp and Mega Scizor both have access to Knock Off to remove Leftovers and Eviolite from item-reliant Pokemon such as Jirachi, Chansey, and Porygon2. With Eviolite removed, Porygon2 is put into range of a possible 2HKO from Thunderbolt after Stealth Rock damage. Thanks to its Ghost typing, Doublade can switch into Fighting-type moves, check key offensive Pokemon such as Mega Medicham, Latios, and Terrakion, and be an excellent spinblocker for spinners such as Armaldo and Forretress. Doublade, Bisharp, and Mega Scizor all appreciate Magnezone's ability to trap and remove Skarmory, which would otherwise wall these three.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sturdy allows Magnezone to survive a powerful attack at full health; however, entry hazards are common in the metagame and Magnezone won't appreciate taking any damage while they're on its side of the field. Sturdy Magnezone needs to be wary of opposing Pokemon that carry priority moves, which would nullify its ability, such as Mega Lopunny, Mega Medicham, Bisharp, Breloom, and Dragonite. Also, if Sturdy is used, Magnezone will be unable to trap Steel-types, which makes matchups difficult for its teammates. Choice Specs with a Modest nature maximizes Magnezone's damage output. Unfortunately, Magnezone loses out on the extra Speed that Choice Scarf and a Timid nature offers, making it susceptible to being revenge killed. Hidden Power Grass is mainly for hitting Ground-types harder such as Gastrodon, Seismitoad, and Mega Swampert; however, Ferrothorn is a more reliable check and helps open up an extra move slot for Magnezone to utilize.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel**:
**Fighting-types**: Several Choice Scarf-using Fighting-types outspeed Magnezone, and many of them such as Heracross, Terrakion, and Infernape can KO it with their STAB moves.
**Ground-types**: Magnezone has a huge weakness to Ground-types, and they're immune to its Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. Excadrill, Hippowdon, Gastrodon, and Swampert have nothing to fear from any of Magnezone's attacks. However, Gastrodon, and Swampert should be wary of a possible Hidden Power Grass.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types resist Magnezone's Flash Cannon, and most of them aren't KOed by its Electric-type attacks. Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Victini can easily eliminate Magnezone, Entei and Infernape can retaliate with Sacred Fire and Close Combat, and specially defensive Heatran can shrug off its attacks and KO it back with Lava Plume.
**Revenge Killers**: Because of its less-than-average Speed stat, Magnezone becomes a prime target for other Choice Scarf users such as Kyurem-B, Victini and Landorus-T and faster Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types resist Magnezone's STAB attacks and take little damage from Hidden Power Ice, barring Zapdos and Thundurus. Pokemon that carry coverage moves such as Mega Manectric, Mega Ampharos, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Electivire can hit Magnezone super effectively. For example, Mega Ampharos and Mega Manectric can OHKO Magnezone with Focus Blast and Overheat, respectively.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Magnezone has difficulty breaking through special walls such as Zapdos, Chansey, and Mew. Zapdos can use Heat Wave repeatedly while recovering its health with Roost, Chansey can tank several attacks and replenish its health with Soft-Boiled while using Seismic Toss, and Mew can remove Magnezone's item with Knock Off and stall with Soft-Boiled while burning it with Will-O-Wisp.
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