Competitive Information for Metagross [Sword/Shield]
Steel / Psychic
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Metagross? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Tapu FiniLandorus-TherianIncineroarPorygon2UrshifuRegielekiRillaboomTornadusThundurusTorkoal
Metagross is a pretty decent Steel and Psychic-typed Pokemon. It's not-uncommon to see Metagross show up as a Sword/Shield opponent. Metagross is weak to Dark, Fire, Ghost, and Ground-typed attacks.
Item: Weakness Policy / Life Orb
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Iron Head / Meteor Mash
- Ice Punch
- Stomping Tantrum / Earthquake
- Protect
Physical Tank Metagross (Popular/Trending)
Metagross is a remarkable Physical Tank for single battles. It's purpose is to take a decent amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. Weakness Policy activates if Metagross is hit by a super effective move. The Weakness Policy is consumed and its Attack and Special Attack are increased by two stages each. Life Orb boosts the power of Metagross's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Clear Body, prevents other pokemon from lowering Metagross's stat stages.
◆ Meteor Mash is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Steel-type move (20% chance to raise your Metagross's attack by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Stomping Tantrum is a physical 75-base power Ground-type move (power doubles if your Metagross's last move failed).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Metagross this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a178
Item: Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Steel Roller / Meteor Mash
- Psycho Cut / Zen Headbutt
- Ice Punch / Double-Edge
- Earthquake / Stomping Tantrum
Physical Sweeper Metagross (Clear Body)
Metagross is a decent Physical Sweeper for single battles. It's goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Choice Band will increase the damage of Metagross's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Metagross's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Clear Body, prevents other pokemon from lowering Metagross's stat stages. Ice Punch was added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Meteor Mash is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Steel-type move (20% chance to raise your Metagross's attack by 1 stage).
◆ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Zen Headbutt is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Psychic-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Stomping Tantrum is a physical 75-base power Ground-type move (power doubles if your Metagross's last move failed).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a178
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Zen Headbutt / Bullet Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Agility
- Earthquake / Stealth Rock
Metagross Physical Tank (Lando's Bane)
Metagross is an awesome Physical Tank for single battles. It's goal is to take a considerable amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. Choice Band will increase the damage of Metagross's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Clear Body, prevents other pokemon from lowering Metagross's stat stages. This is the only Pokemon that you will need to beat trainer Orlando. This is one of the best for scaling in the Pokemon tower/train.
◆ Bullet Punch is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 40-base power Steel-type move (usually goes first).
◆ Meteor Mash is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Steel-type move (20% chance to raise your Metagross's attack by 1 stage).
◆ Agility is a status move (raises your Metagross's speed by 2 stages).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Stealth Rock is a status move (hurts foes on switch-in. Factors rock weakness).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is12a178
Item: Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 248 Hp / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Moveset:
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
Metagross Physical Tank (Meteor Of Destruction)
Metagross is a stupendous Physical Tank for single battles. It's meant to take a mighty amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. With Clear Body, prevents other pokemon from lowering Metagross's stat stages. With a Assault Vest equipped to it, Metagross's sp. Def is 1.5x, but it can only select damaging moves.
◆ Bullet Punch is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 40-base power Steel-type move (usually goes first).
◆ Meteor Mash is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Steel-type move (20% chance to raise your Metagross's attack by 1 stage).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is13a178
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Metagross? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Tapu FiniLandorus-TherianIncineroarPorygon2UrshifuRegielekiRillaboomTornadusThundurusTorkoal
Item: Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 116 Atk / 140 Def
Moveset:
- Iron Head
- Bullet Punch
- Ice Punch
- Stomping Tantrum
Doubles Physical Wall Metagross (Popular VGC)
Metagross is an awesome Physical Wall for double battles. This particular build was popular during previous competitions. It is primarily designed to take a mighty amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. With Clear Body, prevents other pokemon from lowering Metagross's stat stages. With a Assault Vest equipped to it, Metagross's sp. Def is 1.5x, but it can only select damaging moves.
◆ Bullet Punch is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 40-base power Steel-type move (usually goes first).
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Stomping Tantrum is a physical 75-base power Ground-type move (power doubles if your Metagross's last move failed).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a178
Item: Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Steel Roller / Meteor Mash
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Psycho Cut / Zen Headbutt
- Rock Slide
Doubles Physical Sweeper Metagross (Clear Body)
Metagross is a spectacular Physical Sweeper for double battles. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Choice Band will increase the damage of Metagross's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Metagross's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Clear Body, prevents other pokemon from lowering Metagross's stat stages.
◆ Meteor Mash is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Steel-type move (20% chance to raise your Metagross's attack by 1 stage).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent Pokemon speed by 1 stage).
◆ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Zen Headbutt is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Psychic-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11a178
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Metagross learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Metagross can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Metagross
- Moves: Defense curl + Rollout
- Moves: Swagger + Psych up
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Body Press + Cosmic Power
- Moves: Body Press + Defense Curl
- Moves: Body Press + Iron Defense
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Meteor Beam + Item: Power Herb
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Dynamic Punch
- Moves with Priority: Ally Switch, Endure, Protect, Bullet Punch
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Toxic
Moves that boost Metagross's stats
- Agility
- Cosmic Power
- Defense Curl
- Hone Claws
- Iron Defense
- Metal Claw
- Meteor Beam
- Meteor Mash
- Power-Up Punch
- Rock Polish
Most notable and possible best moves for Metagross
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Iron Head
- Light Screen
- Meteor Mash
- Protect
- Reflect
- Rest
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock
- Steel Roller
- Stomping Tantrum
- Toxic
- Zen Headbutt
Common Effort Values for Metagross in Sword and Shield
- Adamant Nature ( 252/252/0/0/4/0 )
- Brave Nature ( 252/252/0/0/4/0 )
- Optimize Metagross's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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Here are the best movesets for Metagross. Top rated Metagross Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Metagross builds Sword/Shield. Metagross movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Metagross Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Metagross in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution