Legendary Pokémon

Pokemon of the Week DP: Magnezone

Sets

Steel-type's Nemesis

Item Held

Leftovers

Ability

Magnet Pull

Nature

Modest (+Special Attack, -Attack)

Effort Points

252 Special Attack - 170 HP - 88 Speed

• Discharge / Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass / Flash Cannon
• Thunder Wave / Flash Cannon
• Substitute

This is the classic moveset that most Electric-type Pokémon use but Magnezone can pull it off far better for two reasons. Firstly, its huge Special Attack stat of 130 and, secondly, its fantastic Ability, Magnet Pull. Being able to trap some OU Steel-type Pokémon and KO them as they do nothing is certainly awesome and will give you the upper hand in most times. Discharge vs. Thunderbolt is not an easy choice and depends on your preference. More power or better chance of Paralysis? If you are using Thunder Wave though, Thunderbolt may be a better choice. Hidden Power Ice or Hidden Power Grass are here for the Ground-types that will try to wall you. If you can't get the Hidden Power you want, Flash Cannon is a weaker alternative but at least it gets STAB. Substitute protects Magnezone and you have to use it against a Water-type Pokémon as it switches out because an Electivire switch-in can be deadly. The EPs listed will give you 178 Speed (assuming max IVs), enough to outspeed a Skarmory with 4 Speed EPs, which is the standard. If you don't have a max Speed IV, take some EPs from HP.

Offensive Magnezone

Item Held

Life Orb

Ability

Magnet Pull

Nature

Mild (+Special Attack, -Defense) / Rash (+Special Attack, -Special Defense)

Effort Points

252 Special Attack - 88 Speed - 88 Attack - 82 HP

• Discharge / Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass / Flash Cannon
• Flash Cannon / Metal Sound
• Explosion

A STABed move with 95 base power coming from a Special Attack stat of 394 and boosted by Life Orb isn't something to mess with. With Magnezone's enormous Special Attack, this set can deal huge amounts of damage before it is taken down. If you cannot get Hidden Power, Metal Sound is good for damaging more some Pokémon with Flash Cannon. The 198 Attack stat (88 EPs, neutral Nature and max IVs) guarantees the OHKO in Blissey with Explosion when boosted by the Life Orb.

Thunderdancer

Item Held

Wet Rock / Leftovers

Ability

Magnet Pull

Nature

Modest (+Special Attack, -Attack)

Effort Points

252 Special Attack - 170 HP - 88 Speed

• Rain Dance
• Thunder
• Hidden Power Water / Hiden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
• Thunder Wave / Flash Cannon

Probably the best user of the Thunderdancing combo out there, Magnezone can really take advantage of Rain Dance more than any other Electric-type. It raises Thunder's accuracy to 100%, allows it to hit through Protect and Detect 25% of the time, minimizes Magnezone's weakness to Fire and keeps Ground-types away, letting you use Thunder Wave with no hesitation. Hidden Power Water can replace the two others in this set as it gets boosted by Rain Dance.

Sleep Talker

Item Held

Leftovers

Ability

Magnet Pull

Nature

Modest (+Special Attack, -Attack)

Effort Points

252 Special Attack - 170 HP - 88 Speed

• Discharge / Thunderbolt
• Hiden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
• Rest
• Sleep Talk

Magnezone has not only a really defensive typing with a nice array or resistances, but also quite good Defenses and that makes it able to use the Rest - Sleep Talk combo. Sure, it's not as effective as the other sets but at least you have a way to recover now.

Other Possible Options

Reflect and Light Screen could be used in any moveset for covering your team's weakness to Physical/Special moves. Toxic could be used as an alternative status-inducing move but then it's like you're shouting: "Hey, come here Heracross!". Mirror Coat for sending a Special move back. Hidden Power Ground could be possibly used for trapping and killing Heatran and other Magnezone but Heatran is likely to be faster than you. Finally, Magnet Rise can save your Magnezone from an Earthquake and will allow you trap Metagross without fear.

Counters

Electivire is probably the best counter. It can easily switch in any Electric-type move, become faster and OHKO with Earthquake. Other Electric-type Pokémon, especially those with Volt Absorb (Jolteon, Lanturn) can absorb some moves and set up but they won't do anything to Magnezone. Jolteon is able to start its Baton Passing job though.

Ground-types can easily beat a Magnezone without a super effective Hidden Power against them. If it runs Hidden Power Ice, Rhyperior and Swampert will work. If it has Hidden Power Grass, Garchomp and Gliscor are quite good.

After Magnezone has KOed something, Dugtrio can come in, trap it and OHKO it with Earthquake. And, of course, Blissey will wall any set lacking Explosion.

Opinion & Notes

Magnezone continues what Magneton was doing in Advance. It is sure much better than Magneton was but its trapping job got much more difficult with the generation jump due to one major addition, the Shed Shell. With this item, Skarmory, Bronzong and Forretress will be able to switch out and avoid being killed. Of course, a 4x weakness to the most common offensive move in the game, Earthquake, isn't what we all want but Magnezone can counter it with its wonderful Special Attack and a good Hidden Power. At least, in D/P, Magnezone can do something more than just KOing Skarmory, unlike Magneton in Advance.

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