[OVERVIEW]
Grass
========
Mega Venusaur is a staple of Grass teams because of its excellent typing, offenses, and movepool with superbly balanced stats. A Grass / Poison typing and Thick Fat grant Mega Venusaur valuable neutralities to Fire-, Ice-, Bug-, and Poison-type attacks. Between this defensive utility, Synthesis, and tremendous mixed defenses, Mega Venusaur serves as a formidable sponge for both physical and special attacks and a sturdy check for threats such as Nidoking and Mega Scizor. With great offensive stats, Mega Venusaur serves the defensive core without being passive enough to take advantage of. However, Mega Venusaur relies on Synthesis for reliable recovery, which has a mere 8 PP. Thus, Mega Venusaur is susceptible to being worn down by entry hazards and chip damage and cannot take repeated hits from potent wallbreakers such as Landorus and Mega Charizard Y. Furthermore, while Poison typing offers a valuable neutrality to Poison- and Bug-type moves, it also opens up a weakness to Psychic-type attacks and makes it difficult for Mega Venusaur to manage powerful Ground-type threats such as Diggersby and Excadrill.
[SET]
name: Defensive (Grass)
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Synthesis
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Giga Drain / Leech Seed
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sludge Bomb is the main source of Mega Venusaur's offensive presence. Synthesis recovers health and is vital to keeping Mega Venusaur healthy throughout a match. Hidden Power Fire helps Mega Venusaur threaten Steel-type threats such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Giga Drain is a moderately strong Grass-type STAB attack that provides recovery on top of damage. It should be used liberally to heal off chip from tanking hits or switching in on entry hazards. Leech Seed is a good option over Giga Drain that offers a consistent source of recovery beside Synthesis for Mega Venusaur and the rest of Grass's defensive core while whittling down both offensive and defensive threats with chip damage, such as Heatran. Sleep Powder is an option for Mega Venusaur to check setup sweepers and disable both offensive and defensive threats to the team.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs and 244 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Mega Venusaur's physical bulk to make it as formidable a response as possible to threats such as Victini, avoiding a 2HKO from Choice Scarf V-create. 16 Speed EVs let Mega Venusaur outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Azumarill. Chlorophyll doubles Mega Venusaur's Speed in sun before Mega Evolving, which can have niche utility against threats such as Mega Charizard Y or Fire teams. An alternative mixed defensive spread featuring maximum HP EVs, 80 Special Defense EVs, and 160 Defense EVs with a Calm Nature can be used to allow Mega Venusaur to better manage special threats such as Nidoking and Greninja while still sporting enough physical bulk to handle Mega Scizor.
Usage Tips
========
Get Venusaur in safely to Mega Evolve as soon as possible to make immediate use of the improved bulk and Thick Fat. Make sure to preserve Mega Venusaur carefully in matchups where it is needed to check threats such as Mega Scizor. Sleep Powder, if used, should likewise be saved for dangerous threats to the team. Synthesis, while a source of reliable recovery, only has 8 PP and should only be used when absolutely necessary and not to stall out attacks, with the exception of V-create Victini. Likewise, let teammates manage threats whenever possible to preserve Mega Venusaur's limited recovery and minimize chip. However, Mega Venusaur can sponge Toxic and Toxic Spikes for the team and, since Mega Venusaur's Mega Stone cannot be removed, it is a good switch-in to Knock Off and Trick. Spam Giga Drain or Leech Seed liberally, as they provide sustained recovery to heal off chip damage without wasting Synthesis PP while whittling down the opposing team. Use Sludge Bomb to fish for the poison against Pokemon that wall Mega Venusaur, such as Zapdos and Mega Sableye.
Team Options
========
Ferrothorn helps support Mega Venusaur with its excellent Grass / Steel typing, which provides an immunity to Poison-type attacks and neutralities to Flying-, Bug-, and Ice-type attacks. It can also stack Spikes to wear down the opponent's team and synergizes well with Mega Venusaur's capacity to force switches. Cradily is a great specially defensive wall and Grass's premier sponge for Fire-type moves and Stealth Rock setter. Cradily is capable of checking special attackers that are threats to Mega Venusaur such as Quiver Dance Volcarona. Tapu Bulu is an amazing teammate for Mega Venusaur that acts as an excellent revenge killer with Choice Scarf while setting Grassy Terrain, which boosts Mega Venusaur's STAB Giga Drain. Grassy Terrain's passive recovery and Earthquake debuff also helps support Mega Venusaur defensively. Breloom is a strong physical attacker and cleaner for Grass teams that offers priority with Technician-boosted Mach Punch and valuable Spore utility. Breloom appreciates having Mega Venusaur to fall back on and wear down its checks, and it can check threats to Mega Venusaur such as Heatran and Diggersby in return. Celebi is a strong special attacker that offers valuable Psychic-type STAB to manage Poison-type threats such as Nidoking and Toxapex that Mega Venusaur struggles with while providing a resistance to Psychic-type moves to cover Mega Venusaur's weakness. Celebi's coverage in Earth Power and Hidden Power Fire helps in the Steel matchup. Rotom-C is a solid pivot and revenge killer for Grass teams that can serve as a soft check for threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Mega Pinsir when holding a Choice Scarf. Serperior is a fast special sweeper that can clean late-game with Contrary Leaf Storm and appreciates Mega Venusaur wearing down its checks. Gourgeist-XL is a decent teammate for Mega Venusaur that offers a secondary Bug- and Poison-type neutrality, a Fighting- and Normal-type immunity, Will-O-Wisp and spinblocking utility. Gourgeist-XL takes a lot of pressure off of Mega Venusaur to manage physical threats such as Swords Dance Excadrill and Mega Scizor. Whimsicott can support Mega Venusaur with speed control in Prankster Stun Spore and by disabling setup sweepers with Encore. Its Fairy-type STAB is particularly helpful against Dragon-types that threaten Mega Venusaur such as Dragonite, Kyurem-B, and Latios.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Grass
--------
The mixed defensive Mega Venusaur spread is flexible and can be fine-tuned to better manage specific threats for the team. A full specially defensive spread, 232 HP / 252 SpD / 20 Spe with a Calm nature, can also be run to specialize Mega Venusaur's bulk at the cost of broad effectiveness. A bulky offensive spread, 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe with a Modest nature, can be utilized to bolster Mega Venusaur's offensive presence. However, this spread has a much harder time managing multiple threats throughout a battle due to the lack of bulk investment. Earthquake is an option to help Mega Venusaur threaten Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-types such as Heatran, Nidoking, and Magnezone that it otherwise struggles to manage. Curse Mega Venusaur can act as a wincon against more passive teams, but it is unfortunately let down by Mega Venusaur's poor Attack and offensive coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
Grass
--------
**Psychic-types**: Mega Alakazam, Alolan Raichu, and Latios heavily threaten Mega Venusaur with STAB Psychic-type attacks.
**Fire-types**: Despite Thick Fat, Fire-types such as Victini and Mega Charizard X put extreme pressure on Mega Venusaur with potent Fire-type STAB attacks, especially in sun. Heatran can be especially threatening if it gets a Flash Fire boost from Hidden Power Fire.
**Flying-types**: Mega Pinsir, Togekiss, and Crobat threaten Mega Venusaur with their STAB Flying-type attacks. However, even without those, Flying-types such as Zapdos are bulky enough to stall Mega Venusaur out.
**Wallbreakers**: Mega Venusaur has limited recovery and is not bulky enough to tank repeated hits from potent wallbreakers such as Kyurem-B, Diggersby, and Landorus.
**Setup Sweepers**: Mega Venusaur is prone to being rendered setup bait due to its mediocre offensive coverage and must be careful so that sweepers such as Landorus-T, Mewnium Z Mew, and Volcarona don't take advantage of it to set up and sweep the team.
**Stallbreakers**: Mega Venusaur struggles with stallbreaking methods, including Taunt and Magma Storm, and can be easily shut down by stallbreakers such as Mew, Gliscor, and Heatran.
Grass
========
Mega Venusaur is a staple of Grass teams because of its excellent typing, offenses, and movepool with superbly balanced stats. A Grass / Poison typing and Thick Fat grant Mega Venusaur valuable neutralities to Fire-, Ice-, Bug-, and Poison-type attacks. Between this defensive utility, Synthesis, and tremendous mixed defenses, Mega Venusaur serves as a formidable sponge for both physical and special attacks and a sturdy check for threats such as Nidoking and Mega Scizor. With great offensive stats, Mega Venusaur serves the defensive core without being passive enough to take advantage of. However, Mega Venusaur relies on Synthesis for reliable recovery, which has a mere 8 PP. Thus, Mega Venusaur is susceptible to being worn down by entry hazards and chip damage and cannot take repeated hits from potent wallbreakers such as Landorus and Mega Charizard Y. Furthermore, while Poison typing offers a valuable neutrality to Poison- and Bug-type moves, it also opens up a weakness to Psychic-type attacks and makes it difficult for Mega Venusaur to manage powerful Ground-type threats such as Diggersby and Excadrill.
[SET]
name: Defensive (Grass)
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Synthesis
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Giga Drain / Leech Seed
item: Venusaurite
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sludge Bomb is the main source of Mega Venusaur's offensive presence. Synthesis recovers health and is vital to keeping Mega Venusaur healthy throughout a match. Hidden Power Fire helps Mega Venusaur threaten Steel-type threats such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Giga Drain is a moderately strong Grass-type STAB attack that provides recovery on top of damage. It should be used liberally to heal off chip from tanking hits or switching in on entry hazards. Leech Seed is a good option over Giga Drain that offers a consistent source of recovery beside Synthesis for Mega Venusaur and the rest of Grass's defensive core while whittling down both offensive and defensive threats with chip damage, such as Heatran. Sleep Powder is an option for Mega Venusaur to check setup sweepers and disable both offensive and defensive threats to the team.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs and 244 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Mega Venusaur's physical bulk to make it as formidable a response as possible to threats such as Victini, avoiding a 2HKO from Choice Scarf V-create. 16 Speed EVs let Mega Venusaur outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Azumarill. Chlorophyll doubles Mega Venusaur's Speed in sun before Mega Evolving, which can have niche utility against threats such as Mega Charizard Y or Fire teams. An alternative mixed defensive spread featuring maximum HP EVs, 80 Special Defense EVs, and 160 Defense EVs with a Calm Nature can be used to allow Mega Venusaur to better manage special threats such as Nidoking and Greninja while still sporting enough physical bulk to handle Mega Scizor.
Usage Tips
========
Get Venusaur in safely to Mega Evolve as soon as possible to make immediate use of the improved bulk and Thick Fat. Make sure to preserve Mega Venusaur carefully in matchups where it is needed to check threats such as Mega Scizor. Sleep Powder, if used, should likewise be saved for dangerous threats to the team. Synthesis, while a source of reliable recovery, only has 8 PP and should only be used when absolutely necessary and not to stall out attacks, with the exception of V-create Victini. Likewise, let teammates manage threats whenever possible to preserve Mega Venusaur's limited recovery and minimize chip. However, Mega Venusaur can sponge Toxic and Toxic Spikes for the team and, since Mega Venusaur's Mega Stone cannot be removed, it is a good switch-in to Knock Off and Trick. Spam Giga Drain or Leech Seed liberally, as they provide sustained recovery to heal off chip damage without wasting Synthesis PP while whittling down the opposing team. Use Sludge Bomb to fish for the poison against Pokemon that wall Mega Venusaur, such as Zapdos and Mega Sableye.
Team Options
========
Ferrothorn helps support Mega Venusaur with its excellent Grass / Steel typing, which provides an immunity to Poison-type attacks and neutralities to Flying-, Bug-, and Ice-type attacks. It can also stack Spikes to wear down the opponent's team and synergizes well with Mega Venusaur's capacity to force switches. Cradily is a great specially defensive wall and Grass's premier sponge for Fire-type moves and Stealth Rock setter. Cradily is capable of checking special attackers that are threats to Mega Venusaur such as Quiver Dance Volcarona. Tapu Bulu is an amazing teammate for Mega Venusaur that acts as an excellent revenge killer with Choice Scarf while setting Grassy Terrain, which boosts Mega Venusaur's STAB Giga Drain. Grassy Terrain's passive recovery and Earthquake debuff also helps support Mega Venusaur defensively. Breloom is a strong physical attacker and cleaner for Grass teams that offers priority with Technician-boosted Mach Punch and valuable Spore utility. Breloom appreciates having Mega Venusaur to fall back on and wear down its checks, and it can check threats to Mega Venusaur such as Heatran and Diggersby in return. Celebi is a strong special attacker that offers valuable Psychic-type STAB to manage Poison-type threats such as Nidoking and Toxapex that Mega Venusaur struggles with while providing a resistance to Psychic-type moves to cover Mega Venusaur's weakness. Celebi's coverage in Earth Power and Hidden Power Fire helps in the Steel matchup. Rotom-C is a solid pivot and revenge killer for Grass teams that can serve as a soft check for threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Mega Pinsir when holding a Choice Scarf. Serperior is a fast special sweeper that can clean late-game with Contrary Leaf Storm and appreciates Mega Venusaur wearing down its checks. Gourgeist-XL is a decent teammate for Mega Venusaur that offers a secondary Bug- and Poison-type neutrality, a Fighting- and Normal-type immunity, Will-O-Wisp and spinblocking utility. Gourgeist-XL takes a lot of pressure off of Mega Venusaur to manage physical threats such as Swords Dance Excadrill and Mega Scizor. Whimsicott can support Mega Venusaur with speed control in Prankster Stun Spore and by disabling setup sweepers with Encore. Its Fairy-type STAB is particularly helpful against Dragon-types that threaten Mega Venusaur such as Dragonite, Kyurem-B, and Latios.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Grass
--------
The mixed defensive Mega Venusaur spread is flexible and can be fine-tuned to better manage specific threats for the team. A full specially defensive spread, 232 HP / 252 SpD / 20 Spe with a Calm nature, can also be run to specialize Mega Venusaur's bulk at the cost of broad effectiveness. A bulky offensive spread, 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe with a Modest nature, can be utilized to bolster Mega Venusaur's offensive presence. However, this spread has a much harder time managing multiple threats throughout a battle due to the lack of bulk investment. Earthquake is an option to help Mega Venusaur threaten Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-types such as Heatran, Nidoking, and Magnezone that it otherwise struggles to manage. Curse Mega Venusaur can act as a wincon against more passive teams, but it is unfortunately let down by Mega Venusaur's poor Attack and offensive coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
Grass
--------
**Psychic-types**: Mega Alakazam, Alolan Raichu, and Latios heavily threaten Mega Venusaur with STAB Psychic-type attacks.
**Fire-types**: Despite Thick Fat, Fire-types such as Victini and Mega Charizard X put extreme pressure on Mega Venusaur with potent Fire-type STAB attacks, especially in sun. Heatran can be especially threatening if it gets a Flash Fire boost from Hidden Power Fire.
**Flying-types**: Mega Pinsir, Togekiss, and Crobat threaten Mega Venusaur with their STAB Flying-type attacks. However, even without those, Flying-types such as Zapdos are bulky enough to stall Mega Venusaur out.
**Wallbreakers**: Mega Venusaur has limited recovery and is not bulky enough to tank repeated hits from potent wallbreakers such as Kyurem-B, Diggersby, and Landorus.
**Setup Sweepers**: Mega Venusaur is prone to being rendered setup bait due to its mediocre offensive coverage and must be careful so that sweepers such as Landorus-T, Mewnium Z Mew, and Volcarona don't take advantage of it to set up and sweep the team.
**Stallbreakers**: Mega Venusaur struggles with stallbreaking methods, including Taunt and Magma Storm, and can be easily shut down by stallbreakers such as Mew, Gliscor, and Heatran.
Last edited: