Mega Speculation: Mega Evolutions and Their Potential Impact

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Introduction

Mega Evolutions are one of the latest features introduced by Game Freak in Pokémon. These mysterious transformations are brought on by items categorized as "Mega Stones" and, as far as it is known, have names that contain the final evolution of a chain (e.g. Blazikenite, Lucarionite). These forms also seem to have a lot more leeway on their combination of stats and abilities. The result? A Pokémon game next generation that might focus even more on protecting your key Pokémon or getting them out at the appropriate time.

Mechanics and Assumptions

Like any good speculation article, I like to set my parameters first. From what we know, a Pokémon must be in battle to activate their Mega Evolution, and all they need to do is hold the proper Mega Stone item and select an additional button before launching their attack. Since only one Pokémon can be Mega Evolved during battle, the transformation likely lasts the duration of the battle. Here are the other mechanics that are known, followed by ones I'm assuming:

Known Mechanics

• Only one Mega Evolution may be activated per battle.
• From all appearances, Mega Evolutions are designed to be awe-inspiringly powerful, thus the aforementioned one-Pokémon limit.
• Mega Evolutions are activated when the Pokémon attacks during a turn in which it is already out on the playing field.

Assumptions

• Mega Evolution takes place at the highest possible priority in a round of actions, meaning a Pokémon with a Mega Stone must switch in the first time (or lead) with their regular form's defenses, then use the Mega Stone once. Mega Evolution thus activates before even the charge on Focus Punch, and calculates the Speed of the Mega Evolution upon attacking, even if the Mega Evolution happened that action.
• Mega Evolution provides a boost to non-HP stats in varying degrees (likely 30 to 40 BST), and to be competitively viable the items might also provide a 20% boost to STABs like Griseous Orb does for Giratina-O. (At this point, concrete stat boosts are speculative.)
• Mega Evolution abilities completely override the Pokémon's ordinary ability with that of the Mega Evolution.
• Mega Stones are not susceptible to Trick, Switcheroo, and other item-nullifying or -removing effects and moves.
• I will get to other assumptions that might be helpful later down the road, but these are the baseline for the potential impact of Mega Evolution. Note that all stats below are speculative.

The critical components of a Mega Evolution's value are the fact that it can change the user's type; the fact that it changes their ability, allowing for maximum flexibility on Pokémon with type immunity abilities or switch-in abilities such as Intimidate; and the fact that its boosts to base stats allow Pokémon more flexibility via Speed without resorting to Choice Scarf.

New Type Chart Information

As just confirmed by CoroCoro, the following changes to types have occurred:

• Steel no longer resists Ghost and Dark, and resists Fairy.
• Fairy is super effective against Fighting, Dark, and Dragon. It resists Bug, Dark, and Fighting, and is immune to Dragon. It is resisted by Fire, Poison, and Steel.

Potential MegaThreats

Known Pokémon

Magic Bounce is an incredibly powerful ability, and with the power boosts its Mega Stone will bring, Absol will be even more frightening. Imagine, if you will, an Absol with 150 base Attack, a 20% boost on Dark moves, and of course Swords Dance along with STAB Sucker Punch and Pursuit. Magic Bounce lets Absol set up much more easily, and protects it from most forms of status induction as well. This will make Absol incredibly aggravating to take out, and will also make it an ideal lead as it can set up Swords Dance while digivolving into the ultimate engaging Mega Evolution.

Blaziken is so powerful in this generation that it became the first starter ever to be sent to Ubers. It's now getting an upgrade and according to Game Freak, this particular Mega Evolution wouldn't ordinarily be accessible in-game. Mega Blaziken will probably do nothing but get sent to Ubers as well. Not only does it auto-lock in Speed Boost, but because it overrides Blaziken's other abilities, it means a Baton Pass Blaziken from Generation III can now legally Baton Pass both Swords Dance and Speed Boost boosts. Combine this with the increases in Attack and Special Attack likely to come from Blazikenite, as well as the 20% STAB boosts, and Mega Blaziken is just as strong as its regular counterpart while receiving a new niche.

Fanboys everywhere screamed with delight (including GenWunners) when it was revealed that Mega Charizard was getting Drought. Its problems with Stealth Rock notwithstanding, Charizard will make an awesome offensive Drought user with its incredible Special Attack and good Speed. Although Charizard often finds itself outpaced, an additional Drought user with a Spikes immunity will definitely have a place in the metagame. Charizard's access to Dragon Dance can resolve some of these problems, and also gives it an incredible boost to its physical Fire attacks as well.

Garchomp was already a fearsome opponent, and its Mega Evolution will take the sand offense playstyle to a whole new level. The recent release suggests Garchomp will gain Attack and Special Attack, but lose Speed, so it can be surmised that Mega Garchomp will focus on raw destructive power rather than Speed. Whether this will be enough to give it usage remains to be seen.

Kangaskhan has always been one of those solid Pokémon that could never catch a break, and its Mega Evolution might just change that. By making each attack hit twice, Parental Bond works in theory a lot like Huge Power in that it effectively doubles physical attack power. This makes Return an excellent and efficient breaker of Substitutes, and would also aid moves that are often thwarted by Substitute, such as Circle Throw. Crush Claw's Defense drop could also activate on the first hit, enabling the second hit to do even more damage. Counter might also hit twice and therefore do four times as much damage to the opponent. It will depend on the particulars, but the concept itself is very threatening, and if Kangaskhan gets a Speed boost as well, it will be even more effective.

Mega Lucario's benefits are the least exciting, but straightforward doesn't mean bad. If you add Adaptability to the assumed 20% type boosts, Lucario is going to be doing massive damage to anything in the path of its STAB attacks. While current news seems to indicate only Lucario's Attack will rise, it was also seen striking Hydreigon with Close Combat, so the idea that Lucario's Speed would increase is not impossible. Since Lucario has STAB priority in Vacuum Wave and Bullet Punch, it will be able to utilize those attacks to revenge kill opponents more easily.

You all knew a Fairy had to get in here somewhere. With its new typing and ability to slay Dragons via Fairy STAB, as well as have what appears to be decent neutral coverage with its STABs, Mawile goes from an obscure failure of a Pokémon to one that could change the outcome of a match instantly. Mega Evolution's mechanics factor into this heavily. For example, when Mawile switches in after an opponent's KO, Intimidate will activate on the opponent. Then, Mawile will select an attack and activate its Mega Stone. Because Mega Evolution acts before any other action on a turn, Mawile's attack (say, Sucker Punch) will get the benefit from Huge Power. As a bonus, it will have increased defenses as well (I would bet about 20 points each). With maximum investment, Huge Power Mawile has a staggering 590 Attack, and it has enough coverage without Fairy moves already to threaten most of OU with that kind of power. Don't laugh at the mad maw; getting Intimidate and a permanent Swords Dance (which is even further stackable with further Swords Dance setup) with a damaging attack in a single action is no joke.

The new type chart means that Mawile will, in addition to its current resistances, be immune to Dragon; 4x resistant to Bug and 2x resistant to Dark; and neutral to Fighting, Ghost, and Steel.

New Threats

Arbok is one of those Pokémon that got a lot of face-time in the anime, but in-game was completely terrible. Yet, there is a lot of potential for Arbok given the proper Mega Stone mechanics. Arbok is another Pokémon that can switch in with help from Intimidate, then use its Mega Evolution to buff one of its unique moves. In Arbok's case, that move is Coil, which along with Simple will allow Arbok to double its Attack and Defense, and make accuracy a non-issue in a single move. Stat boosts to its Attack and Speed, as well as Dragon typing (which is now supplemented by Earthquake and STAB Poison coverage for Fairies) will make Arbok difficult to take down.

Pinsir has always been in the shadow of Heracross, and it's always been odd that it gets more Fighting moves than anything else, but no STAB boost to them. Mega Evolution can fix that problem, and it also gives Pinsir an interesting niche in that Pinsir can enter battle with Moxie, score a KO with its large Attack, and then use Mega Evolution to increase its Attack and Speed while adding Fighting STAB. Another option for Pinsir, since Intimidate would be very popular with Mega Evolution-using Pokémon, is for Pinsir to have Hyper Cutter to negate Attack drops until its user decides to Mega Evolve.

Lapras looks so good on paper, but falls short of its target due to average stats all around (excluding HP). With a boost to its defenses, augmented by its already immense HP, Lapras could be a very formidable opponent. To supplement that, one of the newly released abilities, called Refrigerate, changes Normal-type moves into Ice-type moves. It just so happens that Lapras has absolutely no useful physical Ice attacks, even though all of its stat-boosting moves boost its physical stats. Enter Refrigerate, and all of a sudden Curse Lapras and Dragon Dance Lapras with Body Slam become a lot more threatening. The loss of Leftovers recovery in exchange for the Mega Stone is a big hit to take, but Lapras can still switch in with Water Absorb or Hydration to keep healthy before making the jump. Rest / Sleep Talk / Curse / Body Slam would not be a bad set with Refrigerate and Lapras's huge bulk.

Feraligatr is one of those Pokémon with an unreleased Dream World ability: Sheer Force, which provides a great buff to Feraligatr's most commonly used attacks. For Mega Feraligatr, this power boost works very well with Waterfall, and the increased Attack and Speed make Feraligatr's Swords Dance and Dragon Dance sets even more dangerous. Although standard Feraligatr is likely to use a Life Orb set, Mega Feraligatr could outmatch it with this stat arrangement.

Blistering Speed has always been Crobat's trademark, and its Mega Evolution is no exception. Working under the assumption that Mega Stone is temporarily consumed and so activates abilities such as Unburden, this means Mega Crobat is item-free and can now use Acrobatics as its main STAB move, gaining nearly the same power as Brave Bird without the damaging recoil. Infiltrator allows Crobat to use its high Speed to break through dual screen users even if they can get the screen up. While flinch is rarely an issue for Crobat, it can avoid Fake Out by using its Mega Evolution after the first attack is used by starting the match with Inner Focus.

A big defensive buff from Mega Evolution combined with Unaware and Recover will make Quagsire an even bigger pain for stat-boosting opponents. The huge boosts to its defenses along with Mega Evolution's offensive benefits will make Mega Quagsire a Pokémon that can take hits as well as dish them out competently. As Quagsire can still have Water Absorb as its ability on the switch, you can maximize Quagsire's potential by Mega Evolving at just the right time.

Mawile and Absol are proof that Game Freak has given Mega Evolutions a lot of leeway. Stantler is an oft-forgotten Pokémon as it has never been able to differentiate itself from other threats, and Mega Evolution would be one way to emphasize its positive traits. No Guard is perfect for a Pokémon introduced with the theme of Hypnosis, and gives Stantler perfect accuracy with the move. The Attack boost and Psychic STAB would also boost its Normal and Psychic physical attacks, and Stantler also has Megahorn and Jump Kick for inaccurate coverage moves. Stantler, like Mawile, would also benefit from Mega Evolution mechanics by switching in with Intimidate, then Mega Evolving with top-priority, immediately boosting its Speed and applying its Mega ability.

Mega Sceptile is a potential threat that would rely a lot on mechanics, but for its case we can assume that Mega Stones are consumed when the Pokémon evolves, but like items attached to Pokémon in Battle Tower, reappear on the Pokémon at the end of the battle. As such, when Sceptile activates its Mega Evolution, its Unburden ability activates, doubling its Speed. This makes it faster than any Choice Scarf Pokémon and much more dangerous, especially with Dragon STAB to strike other Dragons with. Sceptile already learns Dragon attacks, and might even be able to learn Draco Meteor through something like Super Training allowing it to learn Tutor Moves while in battle.

Mega Milotic would be a special wall like no other, with only two weaknesses (Fairy and Dragon) and the ability to restore health with Recover and Rest. It could also retaliate against special attackers with Mirror Coat, and dish out massive damage. Its dual STABs would ensure good offensive coverage against most threats. It might even start using Aqua Ring for passive recovery, as its specially-defensive prowess is so good.

Banette always had some offensive presence, but it really lacked the defenses to utilize Cursed Body. The addition of Fairy typing (which is not assumed throughout the Banette line), can allow it to learn viable Fairy-type attacks that can super effectively hit Dark-, Fighting-, and Dragon-types. Thanks to the new type chart, Banette's Ghost STAB is no longer resisted by Steel. Defensively, it gains an immunity to Dragon, neutrality to Dark, and sufficient defenses to use the typing effectively. Additionally, Banette could use Frisk as its ability to gain information about the opponent's item before initiating the Mega Evolution. Banette is quite a mischievous Pokémon so the new typing fits, and the new offensive combination of Ghost and Fairy could hit a lot of threats quite effectively.

Metagross is another solid Pokémon that fell to the wayside in Generation V, but a Mega Evolution could improve its effectiveness substantially. With Iron Fist, Metagross's iconic Meteor Mash becomes even stronger, as do a lot of its other moves, including Bullet Punch, Hammer Arm, Ice Punch, and ThunderPunch. Clear Body would protect Metagross from losing Attack on an opposing switch-in with Intimidate, and allow it to use the full force of its offense on foes. The Mega Stone and Iron Fist boosts would provide as much power as a Life Orb without the drawbacks, allowing Metagross to retain its natural bulk. While this would do little for its Psychic typing, Psychic at least gives Metagross its much-needed Fighting neutrality, and with Fairy being weak to Steel, the 2x resistance to Fairy will come in handy.

Mega Infernape's blistering Speed could make it a huge threat. Where Mega Blaziken will probably be sent to Ubers, Mega Infernape is likely to remain in OU and utterly terrorize it, much like Infernape originally did in Generation IV. Iron Fist and the Attack boost work well together to give its punching attacks more power, and the 20% boost to its STABs due to its Mega Stone will make Life Orb unappealing.

Most people probably don't know what Lumineon is or what it can do, because the answer to that right now is: not much. However, Lumineon is a perfect Pokémon to take advantage of Mega Evolution. Storm Drain allows it to switch in on Water attacks and boost its Special Attack. Then it uses Mega Evolution, summoning its own rain, and starts doing massive damage with its boosted Water attacks and incredible Speed. Additionally, Lumineon is a great candidate for a Fairy typing—either applied to the line throughout or as a Mega Evolution add-on—giving it more offensive and defensive prowess at little cost. The resistances to Bug, Dark, and Fighting as well as immunity to Dragon will serve it well.

Weavile is one of those Pokémon that had a lot going for it, but was lacking in one area or another, thus keeping it from being truly viable. With Mega Stone, Weavile gets an ability that can supplement its offensive prowess. Technician boosts not only Weavile's Ice Shard, but also buffs its Dark STAB to make Bite legitimately threatening and Pursuit less risky, as well as raise the power of Low Kick and Low Sweep to consistent and credible levels. Since Mega Evolutions take absolute priority, Weavile can also use Fake Out on the turn it switches in, and get the Technician boost on that as well. Not only that, but a general increase in its Attack will make each of these more viable, and not leave Weavile wanting for a Life Orb or Choice Band. Weavile will also benefit from the new type chart, as the most common answers to its attacks previously were Steel-types, which no longer resist its Dark STAB. While Fairy-types will present a challenge as they resist both Dark and Fighting, Weavile may get some new physical Ice STAB to address this problem.

Mega Serperior might compete with Mega Sceptile typing-wise, but where Mega Sceptile attempts to dominate through blistering Speed, Serperior still outspeeds many threats but relies on Contrary boosts to provide it with the power necessary to plow through bulkier foes. With Fairy's immunity to Dragon, Draco Meteor no longer becomes a safe move on Choice item sets, allowing opponents to play around Serperior. Mega Serperior would gain defensive stat buffs, and the offensive boosts (hopefully) provided by Mega Stone would make it worth using as well.

Escavalier is one of those Pokémon plagued by a lack of coverage to go with its otherwise excellent stats. No Guard, along with a Mega Evolution boost, is an intriguing way around this weakness. With No Guard, Megahorn and Focus Blast will never miss their targets and will provide Escavalier with the coverage it always needed. Fairy-types resist both Bug and Fighting attacks, but are conveniently weak to Steel, giving Escavalier a three-attack combination with excellent super effective coverage. Escavalier's defenses are mostly good just for switching in; it's always been an offensive Pokémon, as its pre-evolution (which also has No Guard) demonstrates.

Mega Jellicent could be a very disruptive defensive force, being able to switch in and potentially disable an opponent's move with Cursed Body. Afterward, it can use Mega Evolution to gain not only the Water immunity it would have from Water Absorb, but also passive healing in the rain, the cherry on top of the cake. Increased Speed and Special Defense would make it harder to take down, and allow it to use Taunt against more foes.

Mega Chandelure could be incredibly nasty by unlocking its Hidden Ability Shadow Tag and, for the rest of the match, being able to isolate and pick apart foes with its massive Special Attack and boosted Ghost and Fire attacks. The boost in Speed allows Chandelure to set up a Flame Charge and outrun all of OU while keeping a positive Special Attack nature. Best of all, Chandelure can switch in, absorb a Fire-type attack with Flash Fire, and even maintain the Flash Fire boost after it changes abilities. Truly nasty.

Mega Stunfisk's cry will soon be that of victory. The whoopee cushion currently has three banned or nearly useless (considering its type) abilities, but Water Absorb would patch that up quite nicely. With Water Absorb, Stunfisk would be immune to or resist all attacks commonly seen on rain offense, with only Ferrothorn being much of a bother. The enhanced Special Attack along with Stunfisk's plethora of special moves including Scald, Muddy Water, and Surf would make it an ideal anti-rain Pokémon. It'd just have to watch out for stray boosted Ice Beams. All I know is, OU needs more Stunfisk cries.

Conclusion

There will be new threats added in Generation VI, including what is likely to be a slew of competitive Fairy-type Pokémon. While these new threats are unknown, they don't change the fundamental factors behind good Pokémon, which is a combination of stats, ability, and movepool that make them relevant to the threats around them. Mega Evolution provides a unique pathway for turning a match around, and is an excellent point for discussion because of the drastic changes it can make to the Pokémon utilizing it. This can include both offensive and defensive threats, especially if Mega Stones provide the kind of offensive buffs speculated here. Even if they do not, raising the threshold on base stats can be enough of a power boost, and with the right abilities backing the Pokémon up, a nearly unlimited amount of strategies might present themselves.

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