Mega Charizard X

Mega Charizard X is one of the best Pokemon in the 1v1 metagame. It has great offensive and defensive typing in Dragon/Fire allowing it to check abundant Steel-, and Dragon-type Pokemon while resisting a lot of types, to name a few: Electric, Grass and Steel which are represented by Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Ferrothorn, Magearna, and Mega Mawile. It is also gifted with balanced stats covering both its offensive and defensive side making it a great bulky attacker. Furthermore, upon mega-evolving it has a great ability in Tough Claws allowing it to fully utilize Flare Blitz and Outrage. Speaking of these moves, they are high base power moves with minimal opportunity cost as opposed in other metagames. Mega Charizard X shares the surprise factor with its counterpart Mega Charizard Y before mega-evolving, as the opponent have to guess which mega stone does Charizard carry. However, Mega Charizard X isn't that bulky on the specially defensive side, making it weak to bulky Choice Specs users like Tapu Fini or Meloetta, or faster Choice Specs users like Greninja. Even though its typing have a defensive potential, it is still weak to common Dragon- and Ground-type Pokemon such as Garchomp, and Donphan after mega-evolving though they cannot risk using their Ground-type moves first turn. Also, Mega Charizard X is also weak to Rock-type moves which is also super effective against Mega Charizard Y, this weakness can be easily exploited with Pokemon that are either Rock-type or runs a Rock-type move such as Crustle and Terrakion.
=Offensive Dragon Dance=
Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Flare Blitz
- Substitute / Will-O-Wisp
==Set Comments==
===Moves===
Dragon Dance boosts Mega Charizard X both Attack and Speed stats allowing it to outspeed and heavily damage a good portion of the metagame. Outrage is a great move which when combined with Tough Claws and Mega Charizard X's can deal heavy damage if not OHKO a good portion of the metagame, especially if boosted by Dragon Dance. Flare Blitz is the other STAB move of Mega Charizard X which also takes advantage of its ability and stats. Substitute is used to block rechargeable moves like Hyper Beam from Meloetta, and the usage of status moves that harm it such as Charm and Toxic. In addition, it can also stop a Z-move from being unleashed on it. Will-O-Wisp can be used instead of Substitute to stop physically offensive Pokemon such as Dragonite and Sawk on their track in dealing great damage to Mega Charizard X allowing the Pokemon in question to retaliate back with a stronger attack. Will-O-Wisp also breaks Sturdy and F.E.A.R Pokemon.
===Set Details===
Maximized Attack, Speed and a Jolly nature allow Mega Charizard X to go through most defensive walls in the 1v1 metagame such as Chansey and Mega Venusaur, it also allows it to outspeed other threats like Genesect, Porygon-Z and Mimikyu. Tough Claws is an amazing ability due to its effect on boosting Mega Charizard X's attacking power allowing it to deal more damage.
===Usage Tips===
You should make use of the mega evolution surprise factor to your advantage seeing what your opponent might or not send out, be careful though team preview might give out your mega evolution. Do not mega evolve directly against Ground-, and Dragon-type Pokemon because they might you with their super effective attacks. Usually Ground-types do not use their STAB move at the first turn allowing you to either Will-O-Wisp or Dragon Dance. For Dragon-types, you can directly Outrage unless its Dragonite where Will-O-Wisp should be used on regular form to break the Multiscale then Outrage. Mega Charizard X doesn't really like bulky specially offensive Pokemon such as Tapu Fini, Primarina, and Meloetta, so try not to send it against them. Mega Charizard X heavily threatens abundant Steel-types and rare Bug-type Pokemon that mean your opponent will think twice before sending them out. Use Substitute against slow Z-moves abusers to negate the heavy damage it will cause, also use it against foes that use rechargeable moves. Will-O-Wisp is better use against slow physically offensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot OHKO such as Sawk, Dragonite, and Magnezone. Always use Substitute when facing Porygon-Z as Specs Porygon-Z is the only set which Zard X can defeat while Choice Specs Porygon-Z is usually bulky enough to tank an Outrage, doing so would force Porygon-Z to recharge. When matched up against Aegislash, it's safer to start with Substitute and the predict the right turn on which Zard X can fire off Flare Blitz without getting blocked by King's Shield.
===Team Options===
Rock-type Pokemon or coverage moves are Mega Charizard-X's weakness so Water- and Ground-type Pokemon like Primarina, Mega Gyarados and Donphan are great teammates to Mega Charizard-X as they can either hit Rock-type Pokemon super effectively like Crustle or resist the Rock-type coverage from Donphan. Bulky special attackers are also problematic to Mega Charizard X since its not as bulky on the special side as it is on the special side even with maximal HP, Pokemon such as Tapu Lele, Meloetta and Porygon-Z can get through it easily. Pokemon such as Crustle and Magearna can tank these hits easily, making them great teammates to Mega Charizard X. Furhermore, Water-type Pokemon may also give Mega Charizard X some hard time just as Primarina, Tapu Fini and Mega Gyarados so using a Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Kartana and Mega Venusaur gives it a great advantage. Mega Charizard X is a physical attacker so its prone to be walled by physically defensive Pokemon so using a special attacker beside it allows the team to cover various threats. Pokemon that can be used with Mega Charizard X are Tapu Lele, Magearna, Meloetta, Tapu Koko to count a few. Mega Charizard X is one of the best Steel-type Pokemon check in the metagame so Pokemon that appreciate them being fended off want it by there side. These Pokemon include Tapu Lele, Mega Pinsir, and Porygon-Z. Mega Heracross is also a great teammate for Mega Charizard X as it can take on most of its checks such as Terrakion, Donphan, Crustle, Mega Gyarados, Mega Slowbro, Primarina and others while Mega Charizard X can deal with Mega Heracross's checks such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, Mimikyu, Mega Charizard Y and others. Magnet Rise Mega Metagross can also be a good partner for Mega Charizard X, thanks to Magnet Rise it can evade Ground-type attacks, it also resists Rock-type moves and has enough bulk to tank hits from Pokemon that threatens Mega Charizard X like Tapu Fini and Meloetta and can retaliate back. 
=Strategy Comments=
==Other Options==
Belly Drum is an inferior choice but can be used to maximize Mega Charizard X capability on defeating Stall Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Chansey, and Mega Slowbro immediately. It can be ran with some bulk to check on Pokemon that might usually beat it like Primarina. Though it loses to most offensive threats unlike its other set. Flame Charge can be used on the offensive set to break through Mimikyu's disguise, Substitute Tapu Koko, Rock Tomb Sawk, Magnezone and Flail Mega Lopunny. Endure is another move that can be used that allows it to take on Pokemon with recharge moves such as Porygon-Z, Greninja, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Lopunny. Maximized HP and Defense with Impish nature allows Zard X to sponge a hit from the scariest physical hitters in the metagame such as Kyurem-Black, Garchomp and opposing Zard X and nail them with the Counter. Though, if you're afraid of using Counter, the bulky EVs allows it to set up easily against the same Pokemon and move first if they aren't Choice Scarfed. However, this EV spread fails cause a lot of damage on bulkier Pokemon like physically defensive Mega Venusaur and Chansey. It can also make use of Will-O-Wisp instead of counter to have an easier team setting up against the foe or defeating F.E.A.R Pokemon easier. Bulky Charizard should be paired with faster Pokemon such as Scarf Porygon-Z, Mega Pinsir, Kartana to patch its speed weakness. This set can also defeat the non Curse Mega Aggron set, by using Counter on Head Smash or if WoW then use that and setup Dragon Dance and then Flare Blitz.
==Checks and Counters==
*Rock-type Z-moves and Pokemon: Rock-type Pokemon essentially have STAB moves that can easily take on Mega Charizard X like Crustle. While Rock-type moves are, most of the time, boosted by a Rockium-Z giving Mega Charizard X a hard time surviving it, Rockium-Z Donphan is an example. Though, the bulky set can deal with Donphan.
*Water-type Pokemon: Water-type Pokemon in the tier are either Pokemon bulky enough to survive hits from Mega Charizard X such as Mega Gyarados, Tapu Fini and Primarina and retaliate back or hard hitters like Greninja. Though, the opponent can be scared of a potential Mega Charizard Y and hesitate on sending them.
*Some Specially Offensive Pokemon: They come in two forms, either bulky offensive Pokemon that can sponge hits and retaliate back like Primarina, Tapu Lele and Meloetta or faster hard hitters that can effectively OHKO Mega Charizard X like Choice Scarf Porygon-Z.
*Physically defensive Pokemon: Pokemon that don't mind Mega Charizard X boosting moves and can efficiently bulk through its moves such as Mega Slowbro can takes on Mega Charizard X but they can't risk it being Mega Charizard Y.
Category:Analyses