Let me preface this post by saying that I do not support banning things until after OMPL is over, as shaking up the metagame midway does not sound like a good idea. However, once OMPL has concluded, I believe that
Scizorite should be banned from STABmons. Mega Scizor is, quite frankly, a step ahead of every other Pokemon in the current metagame bar maybe Darkrai. With impeccable bulk 70 / 140 / 100, backed by a stellar typing that leaves Mega Scizor with a resistance to Normal-, Ice-, Fairy-, and Dragon-type moves which are prevalent in the current metagame. Furthermore, it has an insane base Attack stat of 150. What sets Mega Scizor out is the combination of Shift Gear + Gear Grind. This is a very potent combination in a metagame which naturally allows for Mega Scizor to find ways to set up and attempt a sweep or cause insanely massive damage to the opponent. Mega Scizor also has non-Mega sets and Defensive sets, but those are nowhere near broken so I will not commenting on them. Mega Scizor is broken because it fulfills the criteria of what is broken. According to the STABmons council's opening post:
- It is broken, since:
- It's capable of KO'ing the majority of the metagame with little effort, OR
- It facilitates the sweep of the majority of the metagame for another Pokemon with little effort, OR
- It walls a majority of the metagame with little effort.
- It is over-centralizing:
- It requires multiple checks and counters per team, OR
- It requires the use of obscure checks/counters that are otherwise unviable or expose its allies to unnecessary risk.
- Using the Pokemon can give an unskilled player the advantage over a normally higher skilled player, because:
- Its moves are incredibly difficult to counter since little to no prediction is required, OR
- The strategies it excels in abusing create 50/50s all too often.
Let's dissect this, shall we?
It's capable of KO'ing the majority of the metagame with little effort
In just one turn, Mega Scizor is able to hit an Attack stat of 657. Gear Grind naturally hits at 150 power, thanks to Technician boosting its power. This is enough to KO the large majority of the metagame, and even 2HKO most of the metagame that isn't OHKOed! Furthermore, all it needs is Superpower and it does OHKO everything in the metagame bar a very select group of Pokemon.
It facilitates the sweep of the majority of the metagame for another Pokemon with little effort
Mega Scizor just needs one turn, and it is able to sweep an entire metagame. In one fell swoop, or click of a button if you've decided to take the boring route, you've ended a game. If the opponent does not have Thundurus, or if the opponent's "checks" to Mega Scizor are weakened / out of the picture, then Mega Scizor can easily sweep with little to no effort.
It walls a majority of the metagame with little effort
That's the thing about Mega Scizor: it walls a
lot. Landorus-T, Azumarill, Kangaskhan, Stoutland, Braviary, every other Normal-type; they are not breaking Mega Scizor any time soon. While its ability to wall is not why it's broken, it is a factor in my opinion. This stands out when it receives
competition from uh... Excadrill? Mega Scizor has the bulk to take a hit and set up, and even recover to set up more and more.
It requires multiple checks and counters per team
This is a big one. All of my teams lately have been "do I have a solid Mega Scizor counter?'... and then I get swept by one!
'Pokémon A checks Pokémon B if, when Pokémon A is given a free switch into Pokémon B, Pokémon A can win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax.'
Pokemon B is Mega Scizor in this scenario. Let's look for checks to Mega Scizor. Unboosted, all Fire-types check it; that's a given. However, after just one boost, everything changes. The following Pokemon are able to come in on Mega Scizor as it boosts:
Thundurus, Sableye, Gyarados, Ditto, Hippowdon, Skarmory, Garchomp
Thundurus is able to come in, paralyze Mega Scizor, and move on. In this process, you sack Thundurus, but at the expense of your team not being swept. However, Thundurus has to be very careful. Unboosted Gear Grind will OHKO Thundurus after Stealth Rock + one round of LO damage. Sableye can come in and either cripple with Will-O-Wisp, Dark Void, or Topsy-Turvy. As with Thundurus, Mega Scizor can OHKO with Gear Grind after Stealth Rock, so it can't switch directly in. Ditto is very obvious. I'm pretty sure it gets overwhelmed, however... Gyarados is one of the most consistent and solid Mega Scizor checks. Intimidate negates the boost from Gear Grind, and it can paralyze with Thunder Wave. Hippowdon has been my latest Mega Scizor check. Unboosted Gear Grind is more likely than not going to 2HKO Hippowdon, but that risk is still there (44%). +1 Gear Grind does a hell of a lot, but Huppowdon can Whirlwind it out and that will save your team in a risky situation. Skarmory can Whirlwind, but any set lacking it will fall eventually. Garchomp, while not as obvious, can punish with Rocky Helmet + Rough Skin, live a Gear Grind with just a slight bit of health, and KO in return with Fire Blast. This is grasping at straws, mind you. Besides these above Pokemon, Landorus-T, Heatran, Gliscor, and Quagsire are shaky checks. Landorus-T is overwhelmed and cannot 2HKO certain sets, leaving it set up on and overwhelmed. Heatran plays mindgames, but loses to Superpower. Gliscor is the same boat as Landorus-T, but it's weaker. But stallier. Quagsire walls non-Pin Missile sets.
'Pokémon A counters Pokémon B if Pokémon A can manually switch into Pokémon B and still win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax.'
Again, Mega Scizor is Pokemon B. However, I do not believe a counter exists... If I had to think of one, I would say it's Gyarados. It can switch in on Gear Grind with ease, and cripple with Thunder Wave. It can switch in on Shift Gear, take a +0 Gear Grind, and proceed to paralyze it. I'm really, really, really hoping someone corrects me on this. It is 2 AM, mind you, so I'm likely forgetting a counter that's very obvious. Whatever. There has to be one, right? All I see are dedicated checks, and a lot of them are flat out overwhelmed / killed in the process. You're gonna need all the help you can get to beat Mega Scizor! Offensive pressure, I'd say, is the most reliable. But even that is not enough sometimes because of Mega Scizor's bulk and typing.
It requires the use of obscure checks/counters that are otherwise unviable or expose its allies to unnecessary risk
Well, regular Gyarados wasn't used as much as I thought until Mega Scizor became so dominant. That's a thing. Not every team runs Hippowdon, Skarmory, TankChomp, or Gyarados. Thundurus, Ditto, and Sableye fit on offensive teams. I don't think any
uncommon checks / counters are there, it's just the lack thereof.
Its moves are incredibly difficult to counter since little to no prediction is required
Considering Gear Grind 2HKOes a large majority of the metagame unboosted, yes, no prediction is required. Mega Scizor can click a move and win, it's just that easy. Shift Gear and Gear Grind are both clickable, and push Mega Scizor into an uncharted territory. Incredibly easy to use.
The strategies it excels in abusing create 50/50s all too often
Not the case for Mega Scizor. Unless you count Gear Grind (50/50) to be an abuse of 50/50s ;).
Mega Scizor fits the criteria of a broken Pokemon, in my opinion. I feel that it's unhealthy for the metagame because it's just so simply easy to abuse. Should be after OMPL. Also, Darkrai. That needs to leave as well. However, it's 2 AM and I don't want to make a post about that. Pinging
Kl4ng, as I know he uses Darkrai a lot / wants it banned. So yeah. Discuss. Should Mega Scizor, more specifically Scizorite, be banned from STABmons?