Bulky Offense Absol-Mega + Magnezone
(Click on the pokemons for the pokepast)
Hello to the people that read this RMT, today, I will try to present a really unknow pokemon in the metagame: Absol-Mega. For those who speak with me on Discord, they already know that I love to waste my time on Absol-Mega. I made a lot of team with it but, for the majority, their were barely decent (and sometimes just awful). Fortunatly, I manage to build a few teams that I consider solid enough (I will share these teams at the end of this RMT) and, obviously, one of them will be the main subject of this RMT. However, I would like first detail a bit the niche of Absol-Mega in Gen 7 OU.(Click on the pokemons for the pokepast)
A presentation of Absol-Mega
Usually, when I speak about the niche of Absol-Mega, I present it in this way: Absol-Mega is Bisharp but faster and with the ability Magic Bounce. While this comparison is trivial, it easily showcases the main qualities of Absol-Mega: a good attack stat of 150, Swords Dance, access to the best dark moves (Sucker Punch, Pursuit and Knock Off), decent coverage (Iron Tail, Fire Blast, Ice Beam, Play Rough, ...) and a decent speed of 115. So, even if it can't hold an item like a Weavile, all these qualities, in my opinion, are enough to consider Absol-Team in a serious team.
However, if Absol-Mega seems pretty decent on the offensive side, its REALLY horrible bulk (65 HP / 60 Def / 60 SpDef) will always put Absol-Mega in an ankward position, where you need to be really aggresive to put a single Swords Dance (usually, you will have, at best, one or two shots to set-up Absol-Mega in a single match). Another disadvantage would be the huge 4MS of Absol-Mega. A lot of good options are possible but, you will have to make choices and the efficiency of Absol-Mega will adjust according to them (for example, if you concede Fire Blast, Scizor-Mega will be a pain to break).
Now that you know much more the pokemon, we can finally transition to the teambuilding process.
Teambuilding Process
+ 
Like I said before, depending of the coverage you choose, Absol-Mega will be unable to break certain pokemons (and, here, I really wanted to run Knock Off + Sucker Punch + Iron Tail + Swords Dance). So, to cover this weakness, I add a Magnezone. The job of Magnezone is simple: Trap steels and remove them. While the offensive value is obvious, its good to tell that Magnezone can also trap a few offensive threats (Kartana, Mawile-Mega, ...) and provide defensive value.
+ + 
I really like Garchomp here. With Absol-Mega able to lure some fairies and Magnezone removing the steels, Garchomp can freely unleash the power of Outrage after a Swords Dance (especially when you use it with the Z-Dragonium). Also, Garchomp will provide our mandatory ground, a decent fire-resist and the Stealth Rock.
+ + + 
Now it is time to patch up the defensive holes of the team. I immediatly consider Jirachi with the Choice Scarf. This set is really good to compress speed control, a decent bulky steel and a lot of supports with U-turn, Trick and Healing Wish.
+ + + + 
The support from Tapu Fini is really useful here: compress a check to Heatran and Greninja and provide Defog and fast Taunt.
+ + + + + 
Zapdos will be our main answer to physical attacker like Lopunny-Mega and Kartana, paralyze some scarfer like Landorus-Therian or Kartana with Static and, in general, being our mandatory flyer.
The sets
Absol-Mega @ Absolite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Tail
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
The purpose of this set is really obvious: maximize the offensive potential of Absol-Mega with Swords Dance. For the rest, Iron Tail is here to lure some fairies for Garchomp (Tapu Bulu, Clefable, ...), Knock Off is its main stab (and can remove key-items like Assault Vest on Magearna or Leftovers on Tapu Fini) and, finally, Sucker Punch is very useful for for the speed control (especially against the likes of Swampert-Mega on Rain and Excadrill on Sand).
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 132 Def / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch / Toxic / Thunder Wave
With Choice Specs, Magnezone becomes a great threat with its stabs Thunderbolt + Flash Cannon. Hidden Power [Fire] is mandatory to remove steels like Ferrothorn and Scizor-Mega. The last move can be a lot: Volt Switch gives us momentum, Toxic is a decent midground to cripple grounds + dragons + grass and Thunder Wave is fine to lure steels + dragons + grass.
Garchomp @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 248 Atk / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Swords Dance
- Stealth Rock
Wish we can run Substitute here. This set is pretty straight-forward: once fairies and steels are gone, Earthquake + Outrage is a powerful combination of stab and Swords Dance only makes Garchomp near impossible to stop in a defensive way. For the last slot, Stealth Rock is always mandatory in every decent teams.
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 40 Atk / 220 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Trick
- Healing Wish
One of my favorite scarfer at the moment. Iron Head is its main stab (and can scam a victory with enough luck), U-turn is useful to safely put on the field Absol-Mega, Magnezone and Garchomp (especially when Jirachi will often call Toxapex, Ferrothorn and Heatran), Trick can easily cripple its check and Healing Wish will give a second life to any other members of the team. For the spread, we outspeed Adamant Swampert-Mega under Rain with Choice Scarf, a full investement in HP to check Tapu Lele and Serperior, and 40 ev in Atk to increase the damage output from Iron Head.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 64 SpD / 100 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Defog
Scald + Moonblast are mandatory if we using Tapu Fini as our main answer to Heatran and Greninja. Defog is, a bit like Stealth Rock, almost mandatory on any decent team. I really like, in general, Taunt on Fini. The main utilities is to prevent hazards from Ferrothorn, Toxapex and Heatran and prevent recovery from passive walls like Chansey. For the spread, 248 HP + 96 Def avoid the OHKO from Z-Stone Edge at +2 from Garchomp, we outspeed Tapu Bulu Choice Band and Careful Gliscor (with minimal speed) and the rest of ev is put in SpD to resist more Heatran and Greninja.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 240 HP / 140 Def / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
Zapdos is really annoying for a lot of balance: the combination of Electric + Ice + Fire is difficult to check and, therefore, Zapdos can easily grab momentum with Volt Switch. For the rest, Heat Wave mainly hits Ferrothorn, Hidden Power [Ice] hits Garchomp, Landorus-Therian and Gliscor, and Roost will increase its staying power. For the spread, 240 HP + 140 Def with leftovers avoid the 2HKO from Return/Frustation of Lopunny-Mega, we outspeed the Gliscors that outspeed Tyranitar-Mega Dragon Dance and the Modest Nature ensures that Zapdos will always 2HKO Gliscor Careful with 252 SpD.
Threat-list
Without bulky grass, we do not have a real answer to Swampert-Mega. Fortunatly, we have some answers to rain. Zapdos can slow down Swampert with Static, Magnezone can Toxic it, Absol-Mega can revenge kill with chip damage beforehand and, in general, Garchomp Z-Outrage will easily make progress against Rain's builds.
Like every Tapu Fini's builds, Volcarona is a huge threat. The best you can is to maintain at all cost Stealth Rock and revenge kill with Sucker Punch. You can also lure Volcarona with Thunder Wave on Magnezone.
Garchomp is a pain to handle for the team. It does not have a lot of opening but, if it manages to get on the field, Garchomp is certain to put some holes on the team.
A bit like Swampert-Mega, the lack of bulky grass (or special sponge like Chansey) makes Tapu Koko delicate to handle. Overall, keeping hazards on the field is useful to wear down Tapu Koko and, with Jirachi + Garchomp, Choice Specs variant has to correctly predict to make progress (Pivot do not hit too hard, Z-Wild Charge is the same than specs but worst if you failed/sucess your predictions, Life Orb is a pain and Calm Mind is the worst).
Again, the lack of bulky grass lead to Rotom-Wash able to generate a lot of momentum (especially when Rotom-Wash can heavily punish Garchomp with Will-O-Wisp).
+ Like I said before, depending of the coverage you choose, Absol-Mega will be unable to break certain pokemons (and, here, I really wanted to run Knock Off + Sucker Punch + Iron Tail + Swords Dance). So, to cover this weakness, I add a Magnezone. The job of Magnezone is simple: Trap steels and remove them. While the offensive value is obvious, its good to tell that Magnezone can also trap a few offensive threats (Kartana, Mawile-Mega, ...) and provide defensive value.
+ + I really like Garchomp here. With Absol-Mega able to lure some fairies and Magnezone removing the steels, Garchomp can freely unleash the power of Outrage after a Swords Dance (especially when you use it with the Z-Dragonium). Also, Garchomp will provide our mandatory ground, a decent fire-resist and the Stealth Rock.
+ + + Now it is time to patch up the defensive holes of the team. I immediatly consider Jirachi with the Choice Scarf. This set is really good to compress speed control, a decent bulky steel and a lot of supports with U-turn, Trick and Healing Wish.
+ + + + The support from Tapu Fini is really useful here: compress a check to Heatran and Greninja and provide Defog and fast Taunt.
+ + + + + Zapdos will be our main answer to physical attacker like Lopunny-Mega and Kartana, paralyze some scarfer like Landorus-Therian or Kartana with Static and, in general, being our mandatory flyer.
The sets
Absol-Mega @ Absolite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Tail
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
The purpose of this set is really obvious: maximize the offensive potential of Absol-Mega with Swords Dance. For the rest, Iron Tail is here to lure some fairies for Garchomp (Tapu Bulu, Clefable, ...), Knock Off is its main stab (and can remove key-items like Assault Vest on Magearna or Leftovers on Tapu Fini) and, finally, Sucker Punch is very useful for for the speed control (especially against the likes of Swampert-Mega on Rain and Excadrill on Sand).
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 132 Def / 252 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch / Toxic / Thunder Wave
With Choice Specs, Magnezone becomes a great threat with its stabs Thunderbolt + Flash Cannon. Hidden Power [Fire] is mandatory to remove steels like Ferrothorn and Scizor-Mega. The last move can be a lot: Volt Switch gives us momentum, Toxic is a decent midground to cripple grounds + dragons + grass and Thunder Wave is fine to lure steels + dragons + grass.
Garchomp @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 248 Atk / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Swords Dance
- Stealth Rock
Wish we can run Substitute here. This set is pretty straight-forward: once fairies and steels are gone, Earthquake + Outrage is a powerful combination of stab and Swords Dance only makes Garchomp near impossible to stop in a defensive way. For the last slot, Stealth Rock is always mandatory in every decent teams.
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 40 Atk / 220 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Trick
- Healing Wish
One of my favorite scarfer at the moment. Iron Head is its main stab (and can scam a victory with enough luck), U-turn is useful to safely put on the field Absol-Mega, Magnezone and Garchomp (especially when Jirachi will often call Toxapex, Ferrothorn and Heatran), Trick can easily cripple its check and Healing Wish will give a second life to any other members of the team. For the spread, we outspeed Adamant Swampert-Mega under Rain with Choice Scarf, a full investement in HP to check Tapu Lele and Serperior, and 40 ev in Atk to increase the damage output from Iron Head.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 64 SpD / 100 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Defog
Scald + Moonblast are mandatory if we using Tapu Fini as our main answer to Heatran and Greninja. Defog is, a bit like Stealth Rock, almost mandatory on any decent team. I really like, in general, Taunt on Fini. The main utilities is to prevent hazards from Ferrothorn, Toxapex and Heatran and prevent recovery from passive walls like Chansey. For the spread, 248 HP + 96 Def avoid the OHKO from Z-Stone Edge at +2 from Garchomp, we outspeed Tapu Bulu Choice Band and Careful Gliscor (with minimal speed) and the rest of ev is put in SpD to resist more Heatran and Greninja.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 240 HP / 140 Def / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
Zapdos is really annoying for a lot of balance: the combination of Electric + Ice + Fire is difficult to check and, therefore, Zapdos can easily grab momentum with Volt Switch. For the rest, Heat Wave mainly hits Ferrothorn, Hidden Power [Ice] hits Garchomp, Landorus-Therian and Gliscor, and Roost will increase its staying power. For the spread, 240 HP + 140 Def with leftovers avoid the 2HKO from Return/Frustation of Lopunny-Mega, we outspeed the Gliscors that outspeed Tyranitar-Mega Dragon Dance and the Modest Nature ensures that Zapdos will always 2HKO Gliscor Careful with 252 SpD.
Threat-list
Without bulky grass, we do not have a real answer to Swampert-Mega. Fortunatly, we have some answers to rain. Zapdos can slow down Swampert with Static, Magnezone can Toxic it, Absol-Mega can revenge kill with chip damage beforehand and, in general, Garchomp Z-Outrage will easily make progress against Rain's builds.
Like every Tapu Fini's builds, Volcarona is a huge threat. The best you can is to maintain at all cost Stealth Rock and revenge kill with Sucker Punch. You can also lure Volcarona with Thunder Wave on Magnezone.
Garchomp is a pain to handle for the team. It does not have a lot of opening but, if it manages to get on the field, Garchomp is certain to put some holes on the team.
A bit like Swampert-Mega, the lack of bulky grass (or special sponge like Chansey) makes Tapu Koko delicate to handle. Overall, keeping hazards on the field is useful to wear down Tapu Koko and, with Jirachi + Garchomp, Choice Specs variant has to correctly predict to make progress (Pivot do not hit too hard, Z-Wild Charge is the same than specs but worst if you failed/sucess your predictions, Life Orb is a pain and Calm Mind is the worst).
Again, the lack of bulky grass lead to Rotom-Wash able to generate a lot of momentum (especially when Rotom-Wash can heavily punish Garchomp with Will-O-Wisp).
Conlusion:
Hope you will like this team. I really do think that Absol-Mega deserve more attention in SM OU and I would love to see other people building on it. Thanks for you attention and see you next time.
Other teams with Absol-Mega (might add more teams):
(click on the pokemons for the pokepasts)
Offense Absol-Mega + Life Orb Kyurem-Black + Choice Scarf Kartana
The idea here was that Kyurem-Black can lure checks of Absol-Mega. Then, once Absol-Mega and Kyurem-Black deal enough damage, Kartana will have a free field to clean.
Bulky Offense Absol-Mega + Z-Waterium Keldeo
Absol-Mega will wear down common checks to Keldeo while this latter will be able to greatly pressure a lot of balance.
Bulky Offense Absol-Mega Superpower + Z-Psychic Volcarona (S/O glimmerrdust for the team)
Absol-Mega will bait Tyranitar with Superpower and provide Magic Bounce while Volcarona will bait Toxapex and Kommo-o with Z-psychic. Moreover, Volcarona will be able to burn fattest threats for Absol-Mega like Kartana Choice Scarf or Lopunny-Mega.
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