Would this Magnezone set be effective in competitive play?

Question

Mod note: do not answer this question with your own moveset; there are separate questions for that.

I was wondering as I'm considering using it with this moveset:
Magnezone@Air Balloon
EVs 252 SpAtk/252 Spd/4 SpDef
Timid Nature
Ability: Sturdy
Thunderbolt
Flash Cannon
Light Screen
HP Ice

Comments

Thanks for the flag, edited to make sure this doesn’t overlap with the moveset threads.

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Thanks Fizz :)

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What format do you want to use it in?

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Anything Goes

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You should use Zapdos.
Zapdos @ Leftovers  
Ability: Pressure  
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD  
Calm Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Roost  
- Defog  
- Toxic  
- Discharge

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I'm pretty sure Magnezone's stats are too low to hit anything very hard in Anything Goes. If you want a steel Pokemon, then use Necrozma. If you want to threaten opposing steel Pokemon, then use Groudon.

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Yeah. That Zapdos looks good :)

Answer 1

I guess this moveset is okay. Air Balloon temporarily gives it immunity to ground and I guess HP Ice can also cover ground as well. However, I would probably consider segueing into a Choice Scarf set. But the thing that caught my eye the most was Sturdy. It should have Magnet Pull, a must-have ability that lets you trap steel types like Scizor, and kill them with a move like HP Fire. I can't give you exact movesets, but I would consider looking into these ones and maybe that will help you out.

Comments

I was considering Choice Scarf, but while everybody says to do Magnet Pull, it's like having no Ability when the opponent isn't a Steel type. Ground type moves just OHKO it without Sturdy. It can't handle them. I wasn't intending to do a "decent at KOing one type" moveset. I still appreciate your views, though, and I will almost definitely switch to a Choice Scarf.

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Oh ok. Just saying, Magnezone isn't just decent at KOing one type. It's great at it. Magnet Pull lets Magnezone trap and 1v1 virtually any steel type. Steel Types, like Scizor, are pretty popular. But I do understand why you would want Sturdy. There are lots of other alternatives to Magnet Pull, as shown in Magnezone's moveset thread.

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Yeah, that's true.