Meganium / Aerodactyl Tailroom

Hello Trainers.

Pokémon Champions’ ease of access to battle ready Pokémon really dragged me back to VGC, and after a few games with my old team from Sword/Shield, I wanted to team build with Pokémon I enjoyed playing.

Team Idea

I really like Mega Meganium, from a design standpoint to its interesting talent. I’ve been playing since Red/Blue and Aerodactyl is always cool in my eyes, and from that a double Mega team was born.

Then, it was a matter of surrounding them with answers.

Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/d21d82ffbc88d2d1

Team Build

Meganium

I started with Mega-Meganium. The set is bulky, while maintaining good special damage both in spread and mono. When I bring Meganium, it’s to Mega-evolve, so I’m counting that in the spread: maximizing HP to benefit from the great defenses, and 5 Spe to speed creed some invested Pokes in Tailwind setup.

Meganium tanks steel types and answers with Weather Ball really well. Even Incineroar needs more than 22Atk / 8Atk+ to have an OHKO roll with Flare Blitz. Sharp Beak max attack Brave Bird Talonflame does OHKO most of the time, but can’t tank them all (takes insane recoil, too)

Rest is dumped in SpA to hit as hard as possible.

Meganium @ Meganiumite Ability: Leaf Guard Level: 50 EVs: 32 HP / 1 Def / 27 SpA / 1 SpD / 5 Spe Modest Nature

• Protect
• Weather Ball
• Dazzling Gleam
• Solar Beam

Aerodactyl

The option to Mega Evolve is here in case I don’t bring Meganium, like Zard-Y matchups because it’s hard for our little Hawaiian flower necklace out there… The rest is dumped in HP to live some things. Interestingly, max Atk Adamant Mega-Tyranitar Rock Slide does not OHKO Mega-Aerodactyl!

32+ Atk Mega Tyranitar Rock Slide vs. 25 HP / 0 Def Mega Aerodactyl: 144–170 (80–94.4%) — guaranteed 2HKO

Aerodactyl is both the meta and the anti-meta: I opted for Wide Guard because f**k Rock Slide spam. Still, I have Rock Slide because yay Rock Slide spam! Lastly, it’s fast enough to outspeed Sneasler and OHKO it, even outside Mega-evolution. Be aware you’re not max speed when you set up Tailwind! Anyways, the spread:

Aerodactyl @ Aerodactylite Ability: Unnerve Level: 50 EVs: 25 HP / 18 Atk / 23 Spe Jolly Nature

• Wide Guard
• Tailwind
• Dual Wingbeat
• Rock Slide

Sneasler

Sneasler is a thing, but Aerodactyl answers it cleanly in my opinion. I have a bulky spread to survive quite a lot (including usual Dual Wingbeat Aerodactyl) and have more staying power than Fake Out, Close Combat, sac’d.

Dishing out Dire Claws more increases the odds of statuses, so I like it on the bulkier side. It’s still outspeeding Mega Floette to handle it in 2 turns.

Sneasler @ White Herb Ability: Unburden Level: 50 EVs: 10 HP / 3 Atk / 23 Def / 30 Spe Adamant Nature

• Protect
• Fake Out
• Dire Claw
• Close Combat

Farigiraf

Going against fast Tailwind teams, I included Farigiraf to have answers with and against Trick Room teams, thus moving the needle from a Tailwind team to a Tailroom team. Anti priority is really impactful, too.

Colbur Berry with heavy invest in Def+ allows tanking Kowtow Cleave TWICE, including the Berry usage.

Farigiraf @ Colbur Berry Ability: Armor Tail EVs: 32 HP / 23 Def / 1 SpA / 10 SpD Relaxed Nature

• Trick Room
• Helping Hand
• Psychic
• Hyper Voice

A staple late game monster: Kingambit. It’s a solid threat with priority STAB Sucker Punch, and a menace in Trick Room. Tanks a lot, hits like a truck. I started with Black Glasses but Chople Berry is great.

Kingambit @ Chople Berry Ability: Defiant Level: 50 EVs: 32 HP / 23 Atk / 11 SpD Brave Nature

• Protect
• Sucker Punch
• Iron Head
• Kowtow Cleave

Milotic

Lastly, Coil/Hypnosis Milotic is just absurd? It tanks SO, SO much, and makes people ragequit by dishing out Coil-boosted Hypnosis. Also, another middle-finger to the face of Incin players.

Milotic @ Leftovers Ability: Competitive Level: 50 EVs: 32 HP / 22 Def / 10 SpA / 2 Spe Bold Nature

• Recover
• Coil
• Hypnosis
• Muddy Water

The Math

Aerodactyl

Offense:

18 Atk Aerodactyl Dual Wingbeat (2 hits) vs. 1 HP / 1 Def Sneasler: 168–196 (107.6–125.6%) — guaranteed OHKO

18 Atk Mega Aerodactyl Rock Slide vs. 2 HP / 0 Def Mega Charizard Y: 228–268 (147–172.9%) — guaranteed OHKO

Defense:

32+ Atk Mega Tyranitar Rock Slide vs. 25 HP / 0 Def Mega Aerodactyl: 144–170 (80–94.4%) — guaranteed 2HKO

Sneasler

Offense:

3+ Atk Sneasler Fake Out vs. 26 HP / 2 Def Mega Floette: 24–29 (13.7–16.5%)

3+ Atk Sneasler Dire Claw vs. 26 HP / 2 Def Mega Floette: 140–168 (80–96%)

3+ Atk Sneasler Close Combat vs. 32 HP / 0 Def Kingambit: 328–388 (158.4–187.4%) — guaranteed OHKO

Defense:

32 Atk Aerodactyl Dual Wingbeat (2 hits) vs. 10 HP / 23 Def Sneasler: 136–168 (82.4–101.8%) — 0.39% chance to OHKO

Meganium

Offense:

27+ SpA Mega Meganium Solar Beam vs. 2 HP / 0 SpD Basculegion: 300–354 (152.2–179.6%) — guaranteed OHKO

Defense:

32+ SpA Archaludon Flash Cannon vs. 32 HP / 1 SpD Mega Meganium: 132–156 (70.5–83.4%) — guaranteed 2HKO

32+ Atk Excadrill Iron Head vs. 32 HP / 1 Def Mega Meganium: 138–164 (73.7–87.7%) — guaranteed 2HKO

32+ SpA Aegislash-Shield Flash Cannon vs. 32 HP / 1 SpD Mega Meganium: 74–90 (39.5–48.1%) — guaranteed 3HKO

8+ Atk Incineroar Flare Blitz vs. 32 HP / 1 Def Mega Meganium: 156–186 (83.4–99.4%) — guaranteed 2HKO

Farigiraf

Defense:

32+ Atk Black Glasses Kingambit Kowtow Cleave vs. 32 HP / 23+ Def Colbur Berry Farigiraf: 96–114 (42.2–50.2%) — 0.39% chance to 2HKO