Genesect Chill

 

 

Type: Bug/Steel

 

Base Stats:
Attack: 252

Defense: 199

HP: 174

 

Level 40 / 41:

Max CP: 3353 / 3396

Max Stat Product: 5317 / 5421

 

Level 50 / 51:

Max CP: 3791 / 3836

Max Stat Product: 6375 / 6491

 

 

Overview

 

Genesect’s other Drives haven’t really made an impact in Open Master League, but if there’s one that might, it’s the Chill Drive. Ice is an incredibly deadly offensive type thanks to the metagame’s centralization around Dragon-, Ground-, and Flying-type Pokemon. Genesect Chill combines this strength with an excellent defensive typing, bypassing a crippling drawback that true Ice-type Pokemon suffer from. However, Genesect is quite fragile and relies on its resistances to make up for its rather poor stat product.

 

Projected Viability: Either 3/6 or 4/6 - Open Meta Niche or Viable. Genesect will likely not be meta warping or meta centric, but it has enough unique traits to be viable in Open Master League. 

 

 

Recommended Moveset 

 

Fury Cutter + Techno Blast (Chill)* and X-scissor or Magnet Bomb

 

Fury Cutter is Genesect’s best Fast Attack option due to Metal Claw being currently underwhelming. While not an excellent move by any means, Fury Cutter’s strong energy gain and 1-turn duration allows Genesect to reach its Techno Blast consistently.

 

Both X-scissor and Magnet Bomb are viable secondary Charged Attacks. X-scissor is the cheapest option and provides reliable coverage against Mewtwo and Metagross. However, its DPE is rather underwhelming. Magnet Bomb is more expensive, but it allows Genesect to damage Zacian and Primarina more reliably.

 

 

Role and Teammates

 

Role:  Offensive Steel

Ideal Teammates: Giratina Origin, Palkia, Zekrom, Garchomp

 

Steel-type Pokemon naturally pair well with Dragon-type Pokemon due to their ability to take on Dialga, Lugia, and Fairy-type Pokemon. Genesect can take on that role to an extent; it may struggle to actually defeat Dialga head on, it keeps the matchup very close and is reliable at it. Additionally, unlike Excadrill and Melmetal, Genesect is not weak to Zacian’s Close Combat, allowing it to anchor Dragon-Steel cores without being broken as easily. In turn, these Dragon-type Pokemon can provide Genesect protection against Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Melmetal.

 

But perhaps what makes Genesect shine compared to other Steel-type Pokemon is its ability to threaten some traditional anti-Steel Pokemon. Landorus Therian, Garchomp, and Giratina Origin will have to tread carefully against the threat of a super effective Techno Blast. Genesect is not just a Steel-type anchor on teams - it can be a deadly sweeper as well. Using its numerous resistances, Genesect can find opportunities to overload on energy and fire off multiple Techno Blasts, with each shot heavily denting those that don’t resist it. 

 

 

Drawbacks

 

Genesect’s biggest drawback is its frailty and low stat product. Its overall bulk is around halfway between Excadrill and Mewtwo, and pretty much exactly as much as Darkrai. Its stat product is one of the lowest as far as viable Master League Pokemon go, being only slightly higher than Excadrill’s. Thankfully, Genesect’s Steel typing can mitigate some of this weakness, but Genesect will fall apart if it’s forced to take neutral attacks. Kyogre can quickly wash it down with Waterfalls and Surfs, while Giratina Origin’s Shadow Ball is almost a lights out. Even Mewtwo’s Psystrike will almost 2HKO Genesect, while a Focus Blast will pretty much delete Genesect in a single hit. This frailty can make it challenging for Genesect to convincingly win matchups. Additionally, while Genesect’s Attack stat is respectable, it is merely average. Perhaps most cripplingly, it is lower than Zacian’s Attack stat, preventing Genesect from reliably taking advantage of Zacian’s Defense drops after it uses Close Combat or Wild Charge.

 

Unlike other Steel-type Pokemon in the Master League, Genesect does not have a reliable positive matchup vs either Dialga or Zacian, only that it comes close to beating them. While this is sufficient for safe swapping purposes, it’s not ideal for maintaining switch advantage. To do so, the lead Pokemon must weaken those Pokemon to the point where Genesect can finish them off. This issue is exacerbated by Genesect’s poor bulk, and the last thing it wants is to be at a shield disadvantage while hard counters such as Kyogre and Ho-Oh are waiting to farm it down. Unlike Excadrill, a farmed Genesect lacks the power and coverage to maintain progress against its bad matchups when at a shield disadvantage.

 

Finally, Fury Cutter and X-Scissor are drawbacks on their own. Fury Cutter’s DPT is quite low, and is further exacerbated by the Bug type being resisted by many Pokemon. This often results in Genesect lacking the Fast Attack pressure needed to farm down some weakened Pokemon. X-scissor’s 45 damage for 35 energy is below average DPE wise, forcing Genesect to rely heavily on Techno Blast for most of its damage.

 

 

Matchups

 

Key Positive matchups 

 

Mewtwo, Togekiss, Primarina, Yveltal, Zekrom, Landorus Therian, Zarude, Garchomp, Meloetta

 

Because of Genesect’s frailty, many of these matchups can swing in different shield scenarios and slight energy differences. Beware of going into some of these matchups without a shield - some Pokemon, like Mewtwo and Zekrom, possess a coverage move that can easily eliminate Genesect when given a small energy lead. Additionally, Togekiss (and Mewtwo, though not as commonly seen) can use Flamethrower to easily OHKO Genesect.

 

Checks & Counters 

 

Ho-Oh: By far Genesect’s worst enemy, Ho-Oh can KO it in just 5 Incinerates. Genesect won’t even reach a second Techno Blast to even attempt to force a shield.

 

Kyogre: Wielding far superior stats, a resistance to Techno Blast, and relentless Fast Attack pressure, Kyogre has no issues dispatching Genesect.

 

Melmetal: It resists all of Genesect’s attacks and can retaliate with speedy Rock Slides and Superpowers, dominantly winning this matchup.

 

Groudon: Groudon may be weak to Ice, but it can reach its Fire Punch much more quickly than Genesect can reach its Techno Blast.

 

 

IV considerations

 

Attack: Genesect has no breakpoints between 10 to 15 Attack. However, 14 Attack is the minimum that it should have, as it ensures that Genesect will win CMP vs Yveltal and Meloetta. It will also futureproof Genesect against Xerneas, if the latter ever becomes viable.

 

Defense: 

15 + Best Buddy: Groudon (Dragon Tail)

14 + Best Buddy: Primarina

14: Mamoswine

 

Additionally, in Master League Open only, having both 15 HP and at least 14 Defense allows Genesect to survive 2 Psycho Cut + Psystrike rotations. Combined with X-Scissor, Genesect can defeat Mewtwo in the 0s even if it has a Psycho Cut energy lead. This situational benefit enables Genesect to maintain switch advantage against a Mewtwo safe swap without having to sacrifice a shield - provided that the Mewtwo does not have Focus Blast or Flamethrower.

 

 

Future

 

Genesect has no future forms or any other signature move. However, nothing is truly set in stone with move rebalances and updates down the line. For example, Genesect could benefit from a buff to the currently underwhelming X-scissor and Metal Claw. In the main series, Genesect also has access to Lock-On, and if given in Pokemon GO, will turn it into the spammiest Pokemon to ever exist. Lock-On will also allow Genesect’s Magnet Bomb to outpace Zacian’s Close Combat and Wild Charge.

 

Genesect currently competes for a Steel-type role on teams alongside Excadrill, Melmetal, and Metagross. This role will only get more crowded as other Steel-type Pokemon such as Solgaleo, Kartana, Necrozma Dusk Mane, and Magearna get released. Due to the looming competition ahead, Genesect’s viability in Open Master League may not be futureproof. However, most other future Steel-type Pokemon do not learn a strong Ice-type Attack, so Genesect Chill will likely always have that niche going forward.