Meganium Movesets & Competitive Sets

With the ability to take both physical and special hits somewhat well combined with the ability to support its team via healing status effects and phazing, Meganium has what it takes to be a good supporter for its team. Aromatherapy lets Meganium cure its team of status, possibly giving teammates a second chance if they were crippled by it. It also ensures Meganium is not worn down by Toxic, which would ruin its staying power otherwise. Dragon Tail allows Meganium to phaze opponents, and it works well with entry hazards in order to rack up damage. Phazing also prevents Meganium from being setup fodder for sweepers unless they are using Substitute. Giga Drain is Meganium's STAB move of choice and lets Meganium keep itself healthy while damaging foes such as Kabutops. For the final slot, Synthesis provides useful instant recovery to let Meganium last longer, but Toxic is a viable alternative in order to wear down other Pokemon. A specially defensive spread is chosen in order to allow Meganium to take moves such as Scald and Volt Switch better, as well as an Ice coverage move if the need arises. Although Meganium's Dragon Tail suffers from a Calm nature, avoiding this is not worth lowering Meganium's surprisingly decent Speed stat that can allow it to use Aromatherapy in a pinch, and the amount of damage dealt with Dragon Tail is not overly important as it is not meant to hit very hard in the first place and struggles to break Substitutes regardless. A physically defensive nature is usable to sponge Earthquakes and Waterfalls more easily, but as most of Meganium's resistances are primarily used as special attacks, a corresponding EV spread comes in handy more often. There are other moves worth considering that can occasionally come in handy. Leech Seed is always a cool option in order to wear down the foe while getting recovery, but unfortunately, Dragon Tail cancels this effect. Meganium can also support its team via dual screens, but as that means giving up Aromatherapy, Dragon Tail, or Giga Drain, it can be tough to fit both moves onto Meganium. Finally, Grass Whistle has the reward of inflicting the always-useful sleep, but its poor accuracy makes it risky, and there are many sleep absorbers that already get free switches into Meganium. As Dragon Tail itself isn't the most powerful attack, entry hazard support is useful as the passive damage makes phazing much more devastating. Toxic Spikes in particular can be very useful as it allows Meganium to run Synthesis over Toxic without any problems. As a result, Qwilfish makes a very good partner, as it is an effective dual Spiker and can take Bug and Fire moves that might be directed at Meganium. Defensive Omastar can play a similar role, except it doesn't resist Bug. It does, however, get access to Stealth Rock to wear down Fire-type switch-ins. Alomomola and Poliwrath can also switch into Fire attacks and provide support for Meganium; Alomomola can provide Wish support, which helps Meganium if it's running Toxic and, as a result, has no instant recovery. Poliwrath can switch into Durant and Escavalier without much of a problem, and can also provide additional phazing via Circle Throw. Poliwrath also appreciates Aromatherapy support to make its typical RestTalk strategy more reliable. Finally, Escavalier and Durant cover many of Meganium's weaknesses and can usually destroy some of Meganium's common checks, such as Amoonguss, Cryogonal, and Roselia. Both also become utterly useless if inflicted with a burn (and for Durant, paralysis as well), so they appreciate Aromatherapy giving them a second chance. Note that the two weaknesses Bug and Steel do not cover, Flying and Fire, can be worn down by Stealth Rock, and Flying STAB moves are uncommon in RU.

Meganium functions as a surprisingly effective wallbreaker with Choice Specs, rattling bulky Pokemon like Leafeon, Arbok, and physically defensive Clefairy with high-powered Leaf Storms. Giga Drain gives extra longevity and does not drop Meganium's Special Attack, unlike Leaf Storm. However, it doesn't 2HKO the aforementioned Pokemon or OHKO the likes of Lairon and Pelipper. Hidden Power Fire lures and OHKOes Wormadam-S and Leafeon after Stealth Rock while also 2HKOing Ivysaur and Gloom. Hidden Power Ground 2HKOes Muk and Arbok while also OHKOing Simisear and Pawniard after Stealth Rock damage; however, the latter is hit by Hidden Power Fire as well, and Simisear is barely able to survive Meganium's STAB attacks even with its resistance. Ancient Power functions as Meganium's strongest option against Emolga and Vullaby. A Timid nature allows it to Speed tie with Grumpig and Arbok as well as outspeed threats it doesn't with Modest like Jolly Kingler and Pikachu. However, Modest packs as much power as possible, whereas Timid misses out on the aforementioned benchmarks. Physical sweepers and attackers like Arbok and Kingler greatly appreciate Meganium breaking down walls like Wormadam-S and Frillish; in return, they can deal with Meganium's traditional checks, like Muk and Munchlax. Without defensive investment, Meganium requires more support to hit the field safely; VoltTurn pivots like Persian and Mienfoo can preserve its health to fire off attacks without risk. In return, Meganium can surprise Grass-types expecting its standard defensive set like Leafeon and Ivysaur and help facilitate the aforementioned physical attackers in sweeping mid- to late-game. Muk and Clefairy can make great partners, since they can take on special attackers that threaten Meganium like Simisear, Ivysaur, and Gastly. Wormadam-S and Solrock can help Meganium take care of threatening physical attackers that it has a hard time dealing with like Arbok, Muk, and Shelgon. When choosing between Hidden Power types, Meganium has to be aware that it becomes weaker to certain matchups. With Hidden Power Fire, it has a better matchup against Leafeon but struggles against Arbok, and vice versa with Hidden Power Ground. This is helpful when deciding on partners to help cover this weakness, like Vullaby to handle Leafeon and Hippopotas to deal with Arbok. Choice Specs Meganium is very reliable at dealing damage to Muk and forcing a healing turn on Clefairy; teammates that take advantage of these interactions like Mienfoo, Emolga, and your own Muk really appreciate this.

Swords Dance lures unsuspecting checks off guard, surprising them with boosted attacks. At +2, Seed Bomb can OHKO offensive Grumpig and 2HKO specially defensive Clefairy and Hippopotas after Stealth Rock. Earthquake 2HKOes Poison-types like Muk and Arbok after Stealth Rock while also 2HKOing Lairon and Pawniard. It also OHKOes Emolga that have used Roost, as well as Raichu after Stealth Rock. Return is an alternative, being its strongest option against Emolga, Leafeon, and opposing Meganium. Synthesis gives it extra longevity as a sweeper. In addition to fitting on balance teams, this set can also fit well on offensive teams to highlight its offensive prowess. It can lure unsuspecting targets like Muk and Pawniard, though more caution is required to not take their attacks due to Meganium's relative lack of bulk. Faster attackers like Simisear and Emolga remain problematic, so dedicated walls like Frillish and Hippopotas are appreciated to give Meganium a safety net against those attackers. Special attackers like Grumpig and Simisear can help break through walls like Muk, Wormadam formes, and opposing Meganium. Stallbreakers like Persian, Emolga, and Frillish can all use Taunt to prevent walls from using status, enabling Meganium to have a much easier time wallbreaking or cleaning.

Meganium is the best cleric ZU has to offer, owing to its great bulk, utility, and access to reliable recovery. Giga Drain can make up for Meganium's passivity, discouraging threats like Persian and Kingler from staying in on it. Aromatherapy allows Meganium to sponge status while supporting status-vulnerable teammates like Solrock, Frillish, and Leafeon. Dragon Tail racks up residual damage and stops sweepers not running Substitute, like Grumpig, Leafeon, and Pawniard. Alternatively, Earthquake provides a stronger hit against Steel-, Poison-, and Fire-types like Lairon, Muk, and Simisear. Meganium is a staple on balance and defensive teams alike, bringing great bulk and cleric support to the table. To shore up its vulnerability to physical attackers, physical walls like Solrock, Wormadam-S, and Shelgon are recommended to switch into physically offensive Pokemon like Mienfoo, Arbok, and Emolga. In return, Meganium can keep special attackers and status spreaders like Grumpig, Raichu, Staryu, and Frillish at bay. Even with Earthquake, Meganium is vulnerable to Simisear and Poison-types like Arbok and Muk; Frillish stands out as an excellent partner thanks to resisting both of their types and providing great mixed defenses. Pokemon resistant to Fire or Poison, like Grumpig or Hippopotas, can shield Meganium from said attacks. Entry hazard setters like Solrock, Wormadam-S, and Hippopotas can help rack up more residual damage, which synergies well with Dragon Tail and makes it more difficult for sweepers not carrying Substitute, like Leafeon and Grumpig, to stay healthy and set up. Although Spikes setters like Shelmet and Pineco are very niche, they can mix well with Meganium phazing foes with Dragon Tail.

With great physical bulk and access to Aromatherapy, Meganium can successfully fend off dangerous physical threats such as Azumarill, Feraligatr, and Donphan while clearing your team of status. Energy Ball is a reliable STAB move on the special side, but Seed Bomb can be used instead to break the Substitutes of physically frail Pokemon such as Mismagius. Synthesis helps Meganium recover lost health, which is very useful for any supporting Pokemon. In the last slot, Leech Seed is helpful for sapping the opponent's health while restoring Meganium's own health; it can also help your switch-in regenerate some health should your opponent stay in. Toxic can be used over Leech Seed in order for Meganium to cripple Pokemon whom it would not normally threaten, such as Tangrowth, Arcanine, and Moltres. Meganium's most common counters are hard-hitting Fire-types, so bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Milotic make great teammates. Milotic is also the best defensive teammate to pair up with Meganium, as they can defeat most of each other's counters. Meganium is a great lure for Swellow and Scyther, so take advantage of this by using Pokemon who can set up on them, such as Rhyperior, Aggron, and Registeel. The 4 Speed EVs are just enough Speed to outpace Rhyperior before it uses Rock Polish. Meganium can use Grass Knot over Energy Ball to hit heavier Pokemon such as Milotic and Rhyperior with higher Base Power, but don't expect either to be staying in on Meganium. Light Screen could be used over Aromatherapy to protect Meganium and its team from special attacks if status isn't a concern. By using Light Screen, Meganium has more chances to use Leech Seed or Toxic on foes whom it would otherwise have to switch out on.

Meganium's sturdy defenses make it a great dual screens user, and once it has the right screen up, it will be taking minimal damage from most attacks, even super effective ones. Energy Ball is a reliable STAB move to attack with, and also makes sure that Meganium is not completely shut down by Taunt. Seed Bomb is an option to hit specially bulky Pokemon for more damage. If Seed Bomb is the chosen option, an Impish nature should be used. Synthesis allows Meganium to preserve its HP throughout the match and have more chances to set up dual screens. Aromatherapy is also a good option to heal your team of status; however, Meganium's longevity is greatly affected since it will be running neither Leftovers nor Synthesis. Grass Knot is a good option over Energy Ball to hit heavier foes, but Energy Ball is more consistent, making it the better choice in most situations. Meganium is weak to Bug-, Fire-, Ice-, and Flying-type attacks, so Pokemon who can set up on those attacks will greatly benefit from Meganium's support. For example, Dragon Dance Feraligatr and Swords Dance Blaziken are great teammates, both resist Fire- and Ice-type attacks while the latter also resists Bug-type attacks. Rock Polish Rhyperior and Aggron also have good synergy with Meganium, and will definitely benefit from Meganium's support. Pokemon with Taunt can shut down Meganium, preventing it from performing its job, while also being able to set up in the process. Mismagius is a good example, having access to Taunt, Calm Mind, and Nasty Plot, so packing a Pokemon such as Drapion in your team can help eliminate Mismagius with Pursuit.

With this set, Meganium's goal is to switch into an attack it resists, set up a Swords Dance, and smash through the opposition. However, this set plays more like a stallbreaker, as the lackluster investment in Speed will only allow Meganium to outpace slow walls. Swords Dance is the main focus of this set, boosting Meganium's 264 Attack to a more reasonable 528. Synthesis gives Meganium a form of instant recovery, which allows it more chances to set up Swords Dances. If you feel that Synthesis is unnecessary, then Substitute can be a valuable replacement so that Meganium can block status, which gives it more opportunities to set up Swords Dance. The choice between Earthquake and Return is a tough one. Earthquake allows Meganium to hit most of its most common counters such as Steel- and Fire-type Pokemon for super effective damage, while Return gives it greater overall type coverage, hitting almost all Pokemon in UU for neutral damage. If another coverage move is necessary, then Meganium can forgo Synthesis and Substitute and instead use Earthquake or Return (whichever move is not being used in the last slot). Faster Fire-type Pokemon who take little damage from Meganium's attacks, such as Arcanine and Moltres, are troublesome. Meganium greatly benefits from bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Milotic or Blastoise in order to get rid of such threats. Weezing can also counter this set well due to its great physical bulk; moreover, it can break Meganium's Substitute with Flamethrower or burn it if it lacks Substitute. Strong Fire-type Pokemon such as Houndoom and Arcanine can help stop Weezing. Aromatherapy may be used over Substitute and Synthesis to cure Meganium and its teammates of status. Life Orb can be used over Leftovers for more power, but the bulk gained from Leftovers is important. The EV spread maximizes Meganium's bulk, which means that it can set up Swords Dance much more easily. 136 Speed EVs allow Meganium to reach 230 Speed, outspeeding all Pokemon with a base Speed of 60 and below. The remaining EVs are dumped into Attack for more power.

Counter is great on Meganium, 100 base in both defenses works excellently. For pseudo-passing and the 50% recovering Synthesis the same cool defenses are a big benefit. Leech Seed is a move every Grass-type should use, can give your team healing support. Too bad Meganium doesn't have better offensive moves. Counter works best with Light Screen, as it will protect you on the Special side while you kill them if they hit you physically.