Why is Mega Beedrill in Gen 9 NDUU?

Question

Stellar Attack and Speed, decent STABs, awesome ability in Adaptability, can even pivot with u-turn, gets coverage like Drill Run and Throat Chop, why is it in National Dex UU? Is it because it's easily countered in OU or it's meh typing?

Comments

I love it’s great defense stat of 5
Edit: I misread, it has a Sp Atk stat of 15 and a Defense stat of 40

Answer 1

As someone who disrespects Mega Beedrill from a competitive point of view, I'm going to start off by saying that Mega Beedrill isn't even viable in National Dex UU to begin with. The reason it is even National Dex UU and not National Dex RU is because of (low) ladder players using it more than they should as well as ladder not being that active.

Most of the time, National Dex UU ladder is filled with bad teams with unviable Pokemon, including Mega Beedrill. NatDex UU Ladder not being active also plays a part in this, as the players using Mega Beedrill make this fraud bee have the usage to stay in NDUU if they keep using it too much. These players see Mega Beedrill's high speed and attack stat along with Adaptability and think: "Hmm with these traits, SURELY this means Mega Beedrill MUST be broken here in National Dex UU!!!" However, the National Dex UU meta isn't kind to this bee. You can read about why by going to National Dex UU's Viability Rankings and scrolling to D rank and click on the "reasoning" button that is below Mega Beedrill's sprite. To summarize the reasonings in the NDUU VR for Mega Beedrill, Mega Beedrill is forced to spam U-turn often because defensive Pokemon don't care about its STABs or coverage moves, which is bad for the bee due to its Stealth Rock weakness. Mega Beedrill is outclassed by Lokix as a Bug-type that can pivot, as well as faster Pokemon such as Zeraora outclassing it as a fast pivot. I'd also like to mention that if you wanted to use a Mega Pokemon that's weak to Stealth Rock, use Mega Aerodactyl, a Pokemon that can actually pose a threat and is a good revenge killer to threats such as Iron Moth and Mega Gallade. In other words, Mega Beedrill ends up being a massive noobtrap for these players in NDUU (and they don't even realize it).

TL;DR Mega Beedrill is in National Dex UU despite being unviable there is because of the (low) ladder players on NDUU Ladder using Mega Beedrill way too much on ladder to have the usage to stay in NDUU. (just like how 1 person made Grimmsnarl, Talonflame, Grafaiai, Golisopod, and Mamoswine rise to NDUU by using the same team over and over)

Answer 2

Despite its great offensive stats and Ability, Mega Beedrill is most crippled by its typing, Bug/Poison, which is far more horrendous than you may think. These types fail to break through common defensive Pokémon in the meta, such as Hippowdon, Buzzwole, and virtually any Steel-type. None of its STAB or coverage options help against Pokémon common to the meta, such as Skarmory, Celesteela, and Scizor, who all wall it. These Pokémon often force Beedrill to pivot with U-Turn, which, as a Bug-type that can't hold Heavy-Duty Boots, leaves it crippled against Stealth Rock more often than not. Therefore, Beedrill needs a lot of hazard support to both finish off their opponents and allow it to safely pivot in and out of the field, which means you've basically got to build your whole team around the bee.

Lokix far outclasses Beedrill in terms of everything, so it's best to use it instead. Not only is it not confined to using a mega stone, allowing it to run Heavy-Duty Boots as a U-Turn user and allow the use of another mega on your team, but its got better STAB types in the form of Bug/Dark. Additionally, it's actually faster as a result of access to powerful priority moves that are rendered unresisted thanks to Tinted Lens, in the forms of First Impression and Sucker Punch. Lokix is the Pokémon Mega Beedrill wishes it could be and, not relying on building your whole team around it, is a far better option on an actual team.

The National Dex UU Viability Rankings on Smogon lists Mega Beedrill as D-Rank, while Lokix is B-Rank.