[OVERVIEW]
Mega Gengar is the preeminent trapper in Anything Goes and, as such, cannot be ignored when building and playing in the metagame. Its incredible versatility and plethora of utility options give it the unique ability to support essentially all relevant sweepers in the metagame by removing their checks, such as Arceus-Fairy for Zygarde and Marshadow. Its typing and excellent base 130 Speed in tandem with its base 170 Special Attack allow it to eliminate several notable threats, such as non-Choice Scarf Mega Rayquaza, Ultra Necrozma, and Arceus formes. It also has an immunity to Extreme Speed, blocks Rapid Spin, and easily switches into Toxic-reliant walls like Lugia and Skarmory. An immediate offensive presence and a more consistent performance against offense serve to distinguish Mega Gengar from the metagame's other prominent trapper in Gothitelle. A movepool that includes a wide array of utility options allows Mega Gengar to bypass many of its would-be checks. However, its extreme fragility and lack of reliable recovery mean that Mega Gengar can sometimes find difficulty coming into play versus foes like support Arceus formes, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela, is often reliant on prediction, and is much more vulnerable to being Pursuit trapped when compared to Gothitelle. There arises a question of opportunity cost in the use of Mega Gengar, as it prevents one from using other Mega Evolutions such as Mega Rayquaza in particular, and therefore it cannot fit into every build. Lastly, Mega Gengar's prevalence in Anything Goes means that certain otherwise trappable Pokemon sometimes elect to run coverage to handle it, while defensive teams tend to equip their passive walls with Shed Shell or use Pursuit trappers to hinder its effectiveness.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trapper
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Taunt / Focus Blast
move 4: Substitute / Taunt / Destiny Bond
Item: Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball eliminates Ultra Necrozma and deals significant damage to the likes of Necrozma-DM, Lugia, and Primal Groudon. Sludge Wave eliminates Fairy-types, most notably Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas, and is Mega Gengar's strongest STAB move. Taunt prevents Mega Gengar from being used as setup fodder, allows it to have a positive matchup against passive Pokemon, and prevents it from being phazed by Roar or Whirlwind from Pokemon like Lugia. It is also required to successfully eliminate the common Arceus-Poison. Substitute allows Mega Gengar to scout the opponent's initial switch-in to it on the turn it Mega Evolves and forces Choice item users to lock into a move. It also allows Mega Gengar to escape from Pursuit users, play around a weakened Yveltal's Sucker Punch, and avoid debilitating status such as Nuzzle from Smeargle. Focus Blast removes Tyranitar and improves the matchup against Extreme Killer Arceus, Arceus-Dark, and Ferrothorn. Destiny Bond can allow for a trade with a problematic Pokemon and is generally easy to utilize owing to Mega Gengar's frailty, though the move is somewhat reliant on prediction. It is also Mega Gengar's best tool against would-be checks such as Yveltal and Primal Kyogre that it cannot otherwise threaten. Finally, it allows Mega Gengar to situationally serve as a check to certain setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Arceus formes.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to outspeed Ultra Necrozma and anything slower. Maximum Special Attack investment in tandem with a potent STAB combination in Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave allows it to OHKO threats like Ultra Necrozma and unboosted Xerneas while dealing massive damage to support Arceus-Fairy. Likewise, support Tyranitar is always OHKOed by Focus Blast. Shadow Tag prevents the foe from switching out, thereby allowing for the removal of a sufficiently weakened threat.
Usage Tips
========
Owing to its fragility, Mega Gengar should usually not be switched into attacks, excluding weak resisted hits like support Arceus-Fairy's Judgment and Arceus-Poison's Poison Jab. Rely on free switches, double switches, or, rarely, support from pivots such as Magearna and Yveltal to get it into play. It can also be brought in on a predicted use of Toxic from support Arceus formes or walls, but this is risky. Mega Gengar should use its positive matchup against several common support Arceus formes, most notably Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Poison, to break the defensive backbone of teams that lack other answers to threatening sweepers such as Zygarde-C and Marshadow. If using Destiny Bond, assess early-game which problematic member of the opponent's team should be removed by Destiny Bond and what can be eliminated by coverage. Try to preserve Mega Gengar to check the former, as Destiny Bond can potentially remove a threat that has a strongly positive matchup against Mega Gengar's team as a whole. Be very careful in revealing Destiny Bond and err on the side of delaying its use, as often enough, unsuspecting opponents will assume that Mega Gengar will not stay in against a check and are thus inclined to set up, set entry hazards, or use other status moves. Taunt in conjunction with Destiny Bond can remedy this, but requires a risky prediction. Use Substitute to stall out residual damage, such as from Toxic or Leech Seed, and also to rack up Life Orb recoil and Special Defense drops on Mega Rayquaza. Mega Gengar's efficacy increases dramatically upon scouting the opponent's sets. For example, while Ferrothorn is normally able to check Mega Gengar due to Gyro Ball 2HKOing it, sets that have been shown to forego this move for Grass-type coverage or otherwise can be trapped and eliminated by Focus Blast. Conversely, coverage moves such as Earth Power and Roar on support Arceus formes result in a losing matchup; be sure to have teammates that take advantage of the loss in utility that these Pokemon trade for the ability to handle Mega Gengar. For example, Earth Power variants of Arceus-Poison typically cannot fit Stealth Rock, which is advantageous for Defog users that are threatened by it such as Arceus-Fairy. It is important to be extremely cautious in the use of Mega Gengar if the opponent has a Pursuit trapper such as Tyranitar, as a single well-timed double switch can immediately result in Mega Gengar's removal. If the opponent makes a move that is seemingly a mistake against a team utilizing Mega Gengar, it is likely a lure and should not be capitalized on immediately. Substitute can be used on the turn Gengar Mega Evolves to ensure safety in such a matchup. Note that Focus Blast variants of Mega Gengar can be used effectively to lure and KO one of its common Pursuit trappers in Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Mega Gengar can be tailored to support almost every sweeper in the tier depending on the team's need. Defensive Zygarde has excellent defensive synergy with Mega Gengar, providing a switch-in for the likes of Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon while appreciating the removal of Fairy-types. Mega Gengar can also handle Choice Band and mixed variants of Mega Rayquaza, which threaten to break through Zygarde. In a similar vein, Dragon Dance Zygarde appreciates the removal of its primary checks in support Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Water lacking Judgment. Taunt from Mega Gengar also enables it to set up on targets like support Arceus-Poison that would otherwise cripple it with status. Zygarde may also use Thousand Waves to trap support Arceus-Fairy on the switch, thereby allowing Mega Gengar to safely eliminate it without fearing a potential double switch. Marshadow appreciates the removal of support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Fairy. Yveltal checks Marshadow and appreciates the removal of its Fairy-type checks, which it effectively lures. It may also provide U-turn support to safely bring Mega Gengar into play. Entry hazard setters such as Ferrothorn appreciate this set's ability to prevent Defog via Taunt and its good matchup against several common Defoggers such as support Arceus formes. Ferrothorn and Celesteela can also situationally provide Leech Seed support for Mega Gengar, thereby allowing it to stall out certain threats such as Calm Mind Arceus formes in conjunction with Taunt and Substitute. Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas can check problematic Pokemon such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and Marshadow for Mega Gengar. Geomancy Xerneas also appreciates one of its common checks in Arceus-Poison being disposed of. Mega Gengar can also lure and use Taunt on Arceus-Dark, thereby allowing Xerneas to set up on it without fear of Toxic or Perish Song. Ho-Oh walls support Arceus-Ground and Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, both of which are difficult for Mega Gengar to take on.
[SET]
name: Status Inducer
move 1: Hex
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Taunt / Substitute
Item: Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hex doubles in Base Power against statused foes and is capable of 2HKOing statused support Arceus formes, Ferrothorn, and offensive Zygarde-C. It should be noted that unboosted Hex falls short of an OHKO on Ultra Necrozma. Sludge Bomb complements Hex well with a significant chance to poison foes while maintaining Mega Gengar's ability to remove Fairy-types and deal greater damage to unstatused foes. Will-O-Wisp cripples prominent physical attackers and gives Mega Gengar a reliable method to boost the power of Hex. It also allows for the removal of Arceus-Poison and specially defensive Necrozma-DM, both of which are 2HKOed by boosted Hex and can't OHKO Mega Gengar once burned. Taunt shuts down passive Pokemon and is particularly useful against clerics such as Blissey. Substitute, in addition to its usual roles of helping Mega Gengar scout switch-ins and avoid Pursuit trapping, allows it to capitalize on status support such as free turns created by full paralysis.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment are required to make full use of Mega Gengar's offensive potential. Shadow Tag prevents the foe from switching out, thereby allowing for the removal of a sufficiently weakened threat.
Usage Tips
========
Sludge Bomb can be used in an attempt to poison foes like Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and Zygarde-C in situations where this is safe, such as when Mega Gengar is behind a Substitute. Mega Gengar's teammates should aggressively inflict status on enemy Pokemon to allow for liberal use of boosted Hex. Specific support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Water are prime targets for this set and are easily eliminated upon being statused. Besides directly boosting the power of Hex, Will-O-Wisp significantly reduces the damage Mega Gengar takes from some weaker physical hits, allowing it to stay in on certain threats it would otherwise be unable to handle. These hits include support Necrozma-DM's Sunsteel Strike and Ferrothorn's Power Whip—the latter move will not break Mega Gengar's Substitute after a burn. While this Mega Gengar variant has room to play more aggressively with attempting to directly trap support Necrozma-DM, one should be careful of Earthquake in this specific matchup. One can also pivot Mega Gengar into foes that utilize Rest for recovery, notably Zygarde-C and Primal Kyogre, and inflict massive damage with Hex. In certain matchups, Will-O-Wisp can be used to attempt to burn Pursuit trappers on the switch when Gengar Mega Evolves.
Team Options
========
Defensive Zygarde is a premier partner for Mega Gengar; it spreads status of its own via Glare or Toxic, thus boosting the power of Hex, and appreciates the removal of Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas. In return, Mega Gengar appreciates a switch-in for the likes of Primal Groudon and Marshadow. Dragon Dance Zygarde can paralyze foes as well and finds it easier to set up on targets that have been burned or otherwise crippled. Similarly, Ho-Oh has a significant chance to inflict burns through Sacred Fire and walls support Arceus-Ground and Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, which are otherwise able to eliminate Mega Gengar if unstatused. Marshadow appreciates the removal of its common checks in Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Fairy. The Marshadium Z set may also find additional setup opportunities on targets that have been burned by Will-O-Wisp. Geomancy Xerneas is another example of a sweeper for which Will-O-Wisp support can possibly provide a more favorable setup condition. Mega Gengar is also capable of outright eliminating some of the common checks to Xerneas, namely Arceus-Poison and support Necrozma-DM. Spikes support from the likes of Ferrothorn and Skarmory in conjunction with potential Sludge Bomb poisoning can accumulate considerable chip damage on foes. Likewise, Stealth Rock support from Primal Groudon and Arceus formes inflicts significant damage to Yveltal that attempt to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Miscellaneous status users such as various support Arceus formes and support Primal Groudon prove useful in supporting this Mega Gengar variant as well. The latter is also capable of checking boosted Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, both of which can break through Mega Gengar. Offensive Primal Groudon variants can lure in support Arceus-Water for Mega Gengar as well.
[SET]
name: Perish Trapper
move 1: Perish Song
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Disable
move 4: Shadow Ball / Sludge Bomb
Item: Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Perish Song synergizes with Shadow Tag to guarantee the removal of a passive foe. It can also put problematic sweepers or the last member of a team on a timer, preventing them from otherwise winning in some instances. Substitute helps stall for Perish Song turns and shields Mega Gengar from status. It can also be used to waste a predicted Z-Move. Disable prevents the foe from accessing its most recently used move and, in conjunction with Substitute, allows Mega Gengar to easily remove slower mono-attackers such as certain support Arceus formes and Choice-locked Pokemon. It may also provide a setup opportunity for a teammate by locking a trapped foe out of a threatening move. Shadow Ball allows Mega Gengar to revenge kill certain dangerous offensive threats that are difficult to stall out with Perish Song, such as Ultra Necrozma. Sludge Bomb can be used in its place to immediately eliminate Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, preventing Defog from the latter.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment allow Mega Gengar to outspeed and nearly always OHKO Ultra Necrozma. Shadow Tag prevents the foe from switching out, thereby allowing Mega Gengar to remove threats that it can stall out for the duration of Perish Song.
Usage Tips
========
This Mega Gengar variant has the ability to easily overcome Arceus-Dark and defensive Yveltal, which are normally able to check it. When using this set, luring them in and setting a Substitute against a target typically forced out by Mega Gengar can prove effective. Note that Yveltal often carries Choice Scarf or Life Orb, which should be scouted for prior to attempting to trap it. Against slower Choice item users, use Disable immediately. Against foes that have only one way to significantly damage Mega Gengar, set a Substitute prior to the use of Disable to force the use of the appropriate move. Afterwards, it is generally safe to use Perish Song unless you suspect the foe is a Z-Move user. Note that early-game, Mega Gengar will typically want to switch out on the turn prior to the Perish Song counter expiring in order to avoid fainting. This must be done with some care, as the trapped target can cripple the switch-in with a status affliction or by other means and then freely go to a check upon fainting, leading to a massive loss in momentum. When choosing to switch Mega Gengar out on the turn the Perish Song counter reaches zero, make a careful analysis to determine whether this is in fact worthwhile, or whether trading Mega Gengar with the immediate threat instead will better preserve momentum. Take care in scouting for potential coverage options on otherwise easily trappable targets, such as Earth Power on Arceus-Poison, phazing moves on support Arceus formes and Ho-Oh, and Earthquake on Necrozma-DM. In particular, be very careful of potential Z-Move users, as Z-Moves ignore their base move being disabled. The most common targets for this set that often run a Z-Move are Arceus-Water and support Necrozma-DM—telltale signs of this are Liquidation on Arceus-Water and a lack of Leftovers recovery on Necrozma-DM. These threats can be handled by setting an extra Substitute after their base attacking move has been disabled. If Mega Gengar's set has been scouted beforehand, these threats may even predict Disable and immediately use their Z-Move, so exercise caution in these situations. Additionally, this set can remove most variants of Ferrothorn, but it will likely accumulate multiple layers of entry hazards in the process, usually necessitating Defog support from a partner. One should note that the lack of Taunt on this set means that phazers like Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Skarmory cannot be stalled out with Perish Song, though the latter two take heavy damage from Shadow Ball. It is also important to keep in mind that if Disable is used prior to Perish Song, the foe will not be disabled on the last turn of the counter and can therefore proceed to hit the switch-in hard on the turn it faints.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon and Ferrothorn appreciate the removal of almost every common Defogger in the tier. One of these, Arceus-Water, is often employed as the primary check to offensive Primal Groudon sets as well. The removal of Ferrothorn enables Primal Kyogre to more easily dismantle the defensive core of balance teams. Zygarde-C appreciates the elimination of its usual checks in Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Water. Ultra Necrozma benefits from the removal of its common checks in defensive Yveltal and Arceus-Dark. These particular threats are very easily lured in and KOed by Mega Gengar, leading to excellent synergy between Ultra Necrozma and this set. Offensive Lunala also appreciates the removal of these two threats as well, as they are often the primary checks to it on a typical team. This set easily eliminates Arceus-Poison and support Necrozma-DM, two common checks to Geomancy Xerneas. This aids greatly in facilitating a Xerneas sweep late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mega Gengar possesses a number of esoteric coverage options that improve its matchup against specific threats. Thunder 2HKOes Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, and Celesteela and deals heavy damage to Ho-Oh, while Hidden Power Ice KOes base forme Zygarde after Stealth Rock damage. Icy Wind is a weaker alternative to Hidden Power Ice that additionally provides speed control, which can prove useful against healthy Dragon Dance variants of Mega Rayquaza and Zygarde that try to set up on Mega Gengar. However, these options are difficult to fit. One can opt for various mono-attacking sets in conjunction with Mega Gengar's plethora of utility options aside from the mentioned Perish Song set. A set utilizing Taunt / Substitute / Destiny Bond / Shadow Ball or Sludge Bomb allows for more reliable use of Destiny Bond while maintaining Mega Gengar's general utility with Substitute. Additionally, one can opt for Disable over a coverage move; this trades coverage for the ability to remove slower mono-attackers. Toxic can be used on the status-inducing set to cripple several of Mega Gengar's common checks that are immune to or do not mind Will-O-Wisp, such as Ho-Oh. Hypnosis is yet another status-inducing option and is quite difficult to handle should it hit its targets. Its inconsistency, however, should be stressed. Reflect Type prevents Mega Gengar from being Pursuit trapped and gives it a positive matchup against Ferrothorn variants carrying Gyro Ball. Protect guarantees safe Mega Evolution against foes like Marshadow and Choice Scarf Yveltal and can be used to help stall out Perish Song turns. However, it is usually outclassed by the other mentioned utility options and is punished more by mispredictions than Substitute. Pain Split is an option for defensive teams that wish to extend Mega Gengar's longevity. Unfortunately, this move is of questionable overall value relative to Mega Gengar's other utility options. Finally, Taunt can be used over Shadow Ball or Sludge Bomb on the Perish Trapper set to make Mega Gengar an extremely potent stallbreaker, as it can even eliminate phazers like defensive Ho-Oh with proper prediction. However, this makes the set overly passive and often useless in other matchups and is therefore not generally recommended.
Checks and Counters
===================
As Shadow Tag allows Mega Gengar to force matchups, it in fact has no counters. Its checks are generally comprised of revenge killers and Pokemon that cannot be trapped.
**Faster Threats and Priority**: Most of the metagame's Choice Scarf users such as Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal outspeed Mega Gengar and easily eliminate it owing to its fragility. While Mega Gengar is immune to Extreme Speed, other forms of priority, most notably from Marshadow and Yveltal, easily KO it. Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A are examples of the few viable Pokemon that naturally outspeed Mega Gengar and therefore easily eliminate it, though they do not serve as suitable switch-ins on the turn Gengar Mega Evolves. Even base forme Mewtwo can force Mega Gengar out, as the latter usually cannot afford to risk a Speed tie.
**Pursuit Trappers**: Pursuit users such as Tyranitar, Marshadow, Deoxys-A, and Alolan Muk can eliminate a fleeing Mega Gengar, though Mega Gengar must lack Focus Blast in Tyranitar's case. Note that Marshadow must make a risky prediction, especially if the Mega Gengar user is aware that it carries Pursuit. Additionally, Mega Gengar is capable of eliminating slower Pursuit trappers with Destiny Bond.
**Bulky Offensive Threats**: The likes of Primal Kyogre, Zygarde-C, Ho-Oh, and specially defensive Primal Groudon all escape the 2HKO from any of Mega Gengar's commonly seen coverage moves and easily remove it with their STAB moves. They can only be overcome by the use of Destiny Bond, boosted Hex, or, in some cases, the Perish Song set. Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Dark are also able to accomplish this but are shakier checks—Mega Gengar often runs coverage specifically to handle Arceus-Dark.
**Pokemon that are Immune to Shadow Tag**: Ghost-types are immune to Shadow Tag, and therefore Mega Gengar proves ineffective in eliminating passive Ghost-type Pokemon such as Giratina. Defensive teams also have the option of equipping passive walls with Shed Shell in order to escape from Shadow Tag; pivoting moves such as Magearna's Volt Switch accomplish the same.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Zayele, 471586]]
- Quality checked by: [[pichus, 374620], [ice-master-523, 464176]]
- Grammar checked by: [[bigtalk, 466663], [lotiasite, 302985]]
Mega Gengar is the preeminent trapper in Anything Goes and, as such, cannot be ignored when building and playing in the metagame. Its incredible versatility and plethora of utility options give it the unique ability to support essentially all relevant sweepers in the metagame by removing their checks, such as Arceus-Fairy for Zygarde and Marshadow. Its typing and excellent base 130 Speed in tandem with its base 170 Special Attack allow it to eliminate several notable threats, such as non-Choice Scarf Mega Rayquaza, Ultra Necrozma, and Arceus formes. It also has an immunity to Extreme Speed, blocks Rapid Spin, and easily switches into Toxic-reliant walls like Lugia and Skarmory. An immediate offensive presence and a more consistent performance against offense serve to distinguish Mega Gengar from the metagame's other prominent trapper in Gothitelle. A movepool that includes a wide array of utility options allows Mega Gengar to bypass many of its would-be checks. However, its extreme fragility and lack of reliable recovery mean that Mega Gengar can sometimes find difficulty coming into play versus foes like support Arceus formes, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela, is often reliant on prediction, and is much more vulnerable to being Pursuit trapped when compared to Gothitelle. There arises a question of opportunity cost in the use of Mega Gengar, as it prevents one from using other Mega Evolutions such as Mega Rayquaza in particular, and therefore it cannot fit into every build. Lastly, Mega Gengar's prevalence in Anything Goes means that certain otherwise trappable Pokemon sometimes elect to run coverage to handle it, while defensive teams tend to equip their passive walls with Shed Shell or use Pursuit trappers to hinder its effectiveness.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trapper
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Taunt / Focus Blast
move 4: Substitute / Taunt / Destiny Bond
Item: Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball eliminates Ultra Necrozma and deals significant damage to the likes of Necrozma-DM, Lugia, and Primal Groudon. Sludge Wave eliminates Fairy-types, most notably Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas, and is Mega Gengar's strongest STAB move. Taunt prevents Mega Gengar from being used as setup fodder, allows it to have a positive matchup against passive Pokemon, and prevents it from being phazed by Roar or Whirlwind from Pokemon like Lugia. It is also required to successfully eliminate the common Arceus-Poison. Substitute allows Mega Gengar to scout the opponent's initial switch-in to it on the turn it Mega Evolves and forces Choice item users to lock into a move. It also allows Mega Gengar to escape from Pursuit users, play around a weakened Yveltal's Sucker Punch, and avoid debilitating status such as Nuzzle from Smeargle. Focus Blast removes Tyranitar and improves the matchup against Extreme Killer Arceus, Arceus-Dark, and Ferrothorn. Destiny Bond can allow for a trade with a problematic Pokemon and is generally easy to utilize owing to Mega Gengar's frailty, though the move is somewhat reliant on prediction. It is also Mega Gengar's best tool against would-be checks such as Yveltal and Primal Kyogre that it cannot otherwise threaten. Finally, it allows Mega Gengar to situationally serve as a check to certain setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Arceus formes.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Mega Gengar to outspeed Ultra Necrozma and anything slower. Maximum Special Attack investment in tandem with a potent STAB combination in Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave allows it to OHKO threats like Ultra Necrozma and unboosted Xerneas while dealing massive damage to support Arceus-Fairy. Likewise, support Tyranitar is always OHKOed by Focus Blast. Shadow Tag prevents the foe from switching out, thereby allowing for the removal of a sufficiently weakened threat.
Usage Tips
========
Owing to its fragility, Mega Gengar should usually not be switched into attacks, excluding weak resisted hits like support Arceus-Fairy's Judgment and Arceus-Poison's Poison Jab. Rely on free switches, double switches, or, rarely, support from pivots such as Magearna and Yveltal to get it into play. It can also be brought in on a predicted use of Toxic from support Arceus formes or walls, but this is risky. Mega Gengar should use its positive matchup against several common support Arceus formes, most notably Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Poison, to break the defensive backbone of teams that lack other answers to threatening sweepers such as Zygarde-C and Marshadow. If using Destiny Bond, assess early-game which problematic member of the opponent's team should be removed by Destiny Bond and what can be eliminated by coverage. Try to preserve Mega Gengar to check the former, as Destiny Bond can potentially remove a threat that has a strongly positive matchup against Mega Gengar's team as a whole. Be very careful in revealing Destiny Bond and err on the side of delaying its use, as often enough, unsuspecting opponents will assume that Mega Gengar will not stay in against a check and are thus inclined to set up, set entry hazards, or use other status moves. Taunt in conjunction with Destiny Bond can remedy this, but requires a risky prediction. Use Substitute to stall out residual damage, such as from Toxic or Leech Seed, and also to rack up Life Orb recoil and Special Defense drops on Mega Rayquaza. Mega Gengar's efficacy increases dramatically upon scouting the opponent's sets. For example, while Ferrothorn is normally able to check Mega Gengar due to Gyro Ball 2HKOing it, sets that have been shown to forego this move for Grass-type coverage or otherwise can be trapped and eliminated by Focus Blast. Conversely, coverage moves such as Earth Power and Roar on support Arceus formes result in a losing matchup; be sure to have teammates that take advantage of the loss in utility that these Pokemon trade for the ability to handle Mega Gengar. For example, Earth Power variants of Arceus-Poison typically cannot fit Stealth Rock, which is advantageous for Defog users that are threatened by it such as Arceus-Fairy. It is important to be extremely cautious in the use of Mega Gengar if the opponent has a Pursuit trapper such as Tyranitar, as a single well-timed double switch can immediately result in Mega Gengar's removal. If the opponent makes a move that is seemingly a mistake against a team utilizing Mega Gengar, it is likely a lure and should not be capitalized on immediately. Substitute can be used on the turn Gengar Mega Evolves to ensure safety in such a matchup. Note that Focus Blast variants of Mega Gengar can be used effectively to lure and KO one of its common Pursuit trappers in Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Mega Gengar can be tailored to support almost every sweeper in the tier depending on the team's need. Defensive Zygarde has excellent defensive synergy with Mega Gengar, providing a switch-in for the likes of Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon while appreciating the removal of Fairy-types. Mega Gengar can also handle Choice Band and mixed variants of Mega Rayquaza, which threaten to break through Zygarde. In a similar vein, Dragon Dance Zygarde appreciates the removal of its primary checks in support Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Water lacking Judgment. Taunt from Mega Gengar also enables it to set up on targets like support Arceus-Poison that would otherwise cripple it with status. Zygarde may also use Thousand Waves to trap support Arceus-Fairy on the switch, thereby allowing Mega Gengar to safely eliminate it without fearing a potential double switch. Marshadow appreciates the removal of support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Fairy. Yveltal checks Marshadow and appreciates the removal of its Fairy-type checks, which it effectively lures. It may also provide U-turn support to safely bring Mega Gengar into play. Entry hazard setters such as Ferrothorn appreciate this set's ability to prevent Defog via Taunt and its good matchup against several common Defoggers such as support Arceus formes. Ferrothorn and Celesteela can also situationally provide Leech Seed support for Mega Gengar, thereby allowing it to stall out certain threats such as Calm Mind Arceus formes in conjunction with Taunt and Substitute. Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas can check problematic Pokemon such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and Marshadow for Mega Gengar. Geomancy Xerneas also appreciates one of its common checks in Arceus-Poison being disposed of. Mega Gengar can also lure and use Taunt on Arceus-Dark, thereby allowing Xerneas to set up on it without fear of Toxic or Perish Song. Ho-Oh walls support Arceus-Ground and Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, both of which are difficult for Mega Gengar to take on.
[SET]
name: Status Inducer
move 1: Hex
move 2: Sludge Bomb
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Taunt / Substitute
Item: Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hex doubles in Base Power against statused foes and is capable of 2HKOing statused support Arceus formes, Ferrothorn, and offensive Zygarde-C. It should be noted that unboosted Hex falls short of an OHKO on Ultra Necrozma. Sludge Bomb complements Hex well with a significant chance to poison foes while maintaining Mega Gengar's ability to remove Fairy-types and deal greater damage to unstatused foes. Will-O-Wisp cripples prominent physical attackers and gives Mega Gengar a reliable method to boost the power of Hex. It also allows for the removal of Arceus-Poison and specially defensive Necrozma-DM, both of which are 2HKOed by boosted Hex and can't OHKO Mega Gengar once burned. Taunt shuts down passive Pokemon and is particularly useful against clerics such as Blissey. Substitute, in addition to its usual roles of helping Mega Gengar scout switch-ins and avoid Pursuit trapping, allows it to capitalize on status support such as free turns created by full paralysis.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment are required to make full use of Mega Gengar's offensive potential. Shadow Tag prevents the foe from switching out, thereby allowing for the removal of a sufficiently weakened threat.
Usage Tips
========
Sludge Bomb can be used in an attempt to poison foes like Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and Zygarde-C in situations where this is safe, such as when Mega Gengar is behind a Substitute. Mega Gengar's teammates should aggressively inflict status on enemy Pokemon to allow for liberal use of boosted Hex. Specific support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Water are prime targets for this set and are easily eliminated upon being statused. Besides directly boosting the power of Hex, Will-O-Wisp significantly reduces the damage Mega Gengar takes from some weaker physical hits, allowing it to stay in on certain threats it would otherwise be unable to handle. These hits include support Necrozma-DM's Sunsteel Strike and Ferrothorn's Power Whip—the latter move will not break Mega Gengar's Substitute after a burn. While this Mega Gengar variant has room to play more aggressively with attempting to directly trap support Necrozma-DM, one should be careful of Earthquake in this specific matchup. One can also pivot Mega Gengar into foes that utilize Rest for recovery, notably Zygarde-C and Primal Kyogre, and inflict massive damage with Hex. In certain matchups, Will-O-Wisp can be used to attempt to burn Pursuit trappers on the switch when Gengar Mega Evolves.
Team Options
========
Defensive Zygarde is a premier partner for Mega Gengar; it spreads status of its own via Glare or Toxic, thus boosting the power of Hex, and appreciates the removal of Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas. In return, Mega Gengar appreciates a switch-in for the likes of Primal Groudon and Marshadow. Dragon Dance Zygarde can paralyze foes as well and finds it easier to set up on targets that have been burned or otherwise crippled. Similarly, Ho-Oh has a significant chance to inflict burns through Sacred Fire and walls support Arceus-Ground and Calm Mind Arceus-Steel, which are otherwise able to eliminate Mega Gengar if unstatused. Marshadow appreciates the removal of its common checks in Arceus-Poison and Arceus-Fairy. The Marshadium Z set may also find additional setup opportunities on targets that have been burned by Will-O-Wisp. Geomancy Xerneas is another example of a sweeper for which Will-O-Wisp support can possibly provide a more favorable setup condition. Mega Gengar is also capable of outright eliminating some of the common checks to Xerneas, namely Arceus-Poison and support Necrozma-DM. Spikes support from the likes of Ferrothorn and Skarmory in conjunction with potential Sludge Bomb poisoning can accumulate considerable chip damage on foes. Likewise, Stealth Rock support from Primal Groudon and Arceus formes inflicts significant damage to Yveltal that attempt to revenge kill Mega Gengar. Miscellaneous status users such as various support Arceus formes and support Primal Groudon prove useful in supporting this Mega Gengar variant as well. The latter is also capable of checking boosted Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, both of which can break through Mega Gengar. Offensive Primal Groudon variants can lure in support Arceus-Water for Mega Gengar as well.
[SET]
name: Perish Trapper
move 1: Perish Song
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Disable
move 4: Shadow Ball / Sludge Bomb
Item: Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Perish Song synergizes with Shadow Tag to guarantee the removal of a passive foe. It can also put problematic sweepers or the last member of a team on a timer, preventing them from otherwise winning in some instances. Substitute helps stall for Perish Song turns and shields Mega Gengar from status. It can also be used to waste a predicted Z-Move. Disable prevents the foe from accessing its most recently used move and, in conjunction with Substitute, allows Mega Gengar to easily remove slower mono-attackers such as certain support Arceus formes and Choice-locked Pokemon. It may also provide a setup opportunity for a teammate by locking a trapped foe out of a threatening move. Shadow Ball allows Mega Gengar to revenge kill certain dangerous offensive threats that are difficult to stall out with Perish Song, such as Ultra Necrozma. Sludge Bomb can be used in its place to immediately eliminate Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy, preventing Defog from the latter.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment allow Mega Gengar to outspeed and nearly always OHKO Ultra Necrozma. Shadow Tag prevents the foe from switching out, thereby allowing Mega Gengar to remove threats that it can stall out for the duration of Perish Song.
Usage Tips
========
This Mega Gengar variant has the ability to easily overcome Arceus-Dark and defensive Yveltal, which are normally able to check it. When using this set, luring them in and setting a Substitute against a target typically forced out by Mega Gengar can prove effective. Note that Yveltal often carries Choice Scarf or Life Orb, which should be scouted for prior to attempting to trap it. Against slower Choice item users, use Disable immediately. Against foes that have only one way to significantly damage Mega Gengar, set a Substitute prior to the use of Disable to force the use of the appropriate move. Afterwards, it is generally safe to use Perish Song unless you suspect the foe is a Z-Move user. Note that early-game, Mega Gengar will typically want to switch out on the turn prior to the Perish Song counter expiring in order to avoid fainting. This must be done with some care, as the trapped target can cripple the switch-in with a status affliction or by other means and then freely go to a check upon fainting, leading to a massive loss in momentum. When choosing to switch Mega Gengar out on the turn the Perish Song counter reaches zero, make a careful analysis to determine whether this is in fact worthwhile, or whether trading Mega Gengar with the immediate threat instead will better preserve momentum. Take care in scouting for potential coverage options on otherwise easily trappable targets, such as Earth Power on Arceus-Poison, phazing moves on support Arceus formes and Ho-Oh, and Earthquake on Necrozma-DM. In particular, be very careful of potential Z-Move users, as Z-Moves ignore their base move being disabled. The most common targets for this set that often run a Z-Move are Arceus-Water and support Necrozma-DM—telltale signs of this are Liquidation on Arceus-Water and a lack of Leftovers recovery on Necrozma-DM. These threats can be handled by setting an extra Substitute after their base attacking move has been disabled. If Mega Gengar's set has been scouted beforehand, these threats may even predict Disable and immediately use their Z-Move, so exercise caution in these situations. Additionally, this set can remove most variants of Ferrothorn, but it will likely accumulate multiple layers of entry hazards in the process, usually necessitating Defog support from a partner. One should note that the lack of Taunt on this set means that phazers like Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Skarmory cannot be stalled out with Perish Song, though the latter two take heavy damage from Shadow Ball. It is also important to keep in mind that if Disable is used prior to Perish Song, the foe will not be disabled on the last turn of the counter and can therefore proceed to hit the switch-in hard on the turn it faints.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon and Ferrothorn appreciate the removal of almost every common Defogger in the tier. One of these, Arceus-Water, is often employed as the primary check to offensive Primal Groudon sets as well. The removal of Ferrothorn enables Primal Kyogre to more easily dismantle the defensive core of balance teams. Zygarde-C appreciates the elimination of its usual checks in Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Water. Ultra Necrozma benefits from the removal of its common checks in defensive Yveltal and Arceus-Dark. These particular threats are very easily lured in and KOed by Mega Gengar, leading to excellent synergy between Ultra Necrozma and this set. Offensive Lunala also appreciates the removal of these two threats as well, as they are often the primary checks to it on a typical team. This set easily eliminates Arceus-Poison and support Necrozma-DM, two common checks to Geomancy Xerneas. This aids greatly in facilitating a Xerneas sweep late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mega Gengar possesses a number of esoteric coverage options that improve its matchup against specific threats. Thunder 2HKOes Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, and Celesteela and deals heavy damage to Ho-Oh, while Hidden Power Ice KOes base forme Zygarde after Stealth Rock damage. Icy Wind is a weaker alternative to Hidden Power Ice that additionally provides speed control, which can prove useful against healthy Dragon Dance variants of Mega Rayquaza and Zygarde that try to set up on Mega Gengar. However, these options are difficult to fit. One can opt for various mono-attacking sets in conjunction with Mega Gengar's plethora of utility options aside from the mentioned Perish Song set. A set utilizing Taunt / Substitute / Destiny Bond / Shadow Ball or Sludge Bomb allows for more reliable use of Destiny Bond while maintaining Mega Gengar's general utility with Substitute. Additionally, one can opt for Disable over a coverage move; this trades coverage for the ability to remove slower mono-attackers. Toxic can be used on the status-inducing set to cripple several of Mega Gengar's common checks that are immune to or do not mind Will-O-Wisp, such as Ho-Oh. Hypnosis is yet another status-inducing option and is quite difficult to handle should it hit its targets. Its inconsistency, however, should be stressed. Reflect Type prevents Mega Gengar from being Pursuit trapped and gives it a positive matchup against Ferrothorn variants carrying Gyro Ball. Protect guarantees safe Mega Evolution against foes like Marshadow and Choice Scarf Yveltal and can be used to help stall out Perish Song turns. However, it is usually outclassed by the other mentioned utility options and is punished more by mispredictions than Substitute. Pain Split is an option for defensive teams that wish to extend Mega Gengar's longevity. Unfortunately, this move is of questionable overall value relative to Mega Gengar's other utility options. Finally, Taunt can be used over Shadow Ball or Sludge Bomb on the Perish Trapper set to make Mega Gengar an extremely potent stallbreaker, as it can even eliminate phazers like defensive Ho-Oh with proper prediction. However, this makes the set overly passive and often useless in other matchups and is therefore not generally recommended.
Checks and Counters
===================
As Shadow Tag allows Mega Gengar to force matchups, it in fact has no counters. Its checks are generally comprised of revenge killers and Pokemon that cannot be trapped.
**Faster Threats and Priority**: Most of the metagame's Choice Scarf users such as Mega Rayquaza and Yveltal outspeed Mega Gengar and easily eliminate it owing to its fragility. While Mega Gengar is immune to Extreme Speed, other forms of priority, most notably from Marshadow and Yveltal, easily KO it. Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A are examples of the few viable Pokemon that naturally outspeed Mega Gengar and therefore easily eliminate it, though they do not serve as suitable switch-ins on the turn Gengar Mega Evolves. Even base forme Mewtwo can force Mega Gengar out, as the latter usually cannot afford to risk a Speed tie.
**Pursuit Trappers**: Pursuit users such as Tyranitar, Marshadow, Deoxys-A, and Alolan Muk can eliminate a fleeing Mega Gengar, though Mega Gengar must lack Focus Blast in Tyranitar's case. Note that Marshadow must make a risky prediction, especially if the Mega Gengar user is aware that it carries Pursuit. Additionally, Mega Gengar is capable of eliminating slower Pursuit trappers with Destiny Bond.
**Bulky Offensive Threats**: The likes of Primal Kyogre, Zygarde-C, Ho-Oh, and specially defensive Primal Groudon all escape the 2HKO from any of Mega Gengar's commonly seen coverage moves and easily remove it with their STAB moves. They can only be overcome by the use of Destiny Bond, boosted Hex, or, in some cases, the Perish Song set. Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Dark are also able to accomplish this but are shakier checks—Mega Gengar often runs coverage specifically to handle Arceus-Dark.
**Pokemon that are Immune to Shadow Tag**: Ghost-types are immune to Shadow Tag, and therefore Mega Gengar proves ineffective in eliminating passive Ghost-type Pokemon such as Giratina. Defensive teams also have the option of equipping passive walls with Shed Shell in order to escape from Shadow Tag; pivoting moves such as Magearna's Volt Switch accomplish the same.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Zayele, 471586]]
- Quality checked by: [[pichus, 374620], [ice-master-523, 464176]]
- Grammar checked by: [[bigtalk, 466663], [lotiasite, 302985]]
Last edited:
GP 1/2
