6th Gen XY Megas compared to ORAS Megas

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    On August 8, 2013, 65 days before the release of Pokémon X & Y, Game Freak gave fans one new taste of what the new upcoming games' would bring to the table: Mega Evolution. this new form of evolution allowed exclusive Pokémon to reach their full potential with the help of its Mega Stone, a trainer's Key Stone, and "the bond between both individuals". The first batch of Megas brought us very powerful Pokémon, like Mega Blaziken, Mega Gengar, Mega Mawile, Mega Lucario, Mega Kangaskhan, both Mega Charizards, both Mega Mewtwos, Mega Pinsir, and my favorite: Mega Medicham. Mega Ampharos, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Heracross, and Mega Gardevoir were also very powerful.




    But since November 21st of this year (soon to be last year), many new extremely powerful were brought to the table. There's Mega Rayquaza, the most broken of them all, there's Mega Salamence, with powerful Double-Edges that even the bulkiest of Pokémon fear. There's Mega Pidgeot, spamming powerful Hurricanes, and there's Mega Glalie, who's Explosions are sure to blast the opposition. There's Mega Sceptile, who completely wrecks teams, and there's Mega Swampert, who destroys all. There's Mega Diancie, who is both powerful and elegant, and there's Mega Gallade, who follows Mega Diancie's steps. There's Mega Beedrill, who stings like a truck, and there's Mega Steelix, who will shake the ground under the sand. There's Mega Sharpedo, who munches Chanseys for breakfast, and there's Mega Camerupt, who will erupt flames on the opposition. Mega Altaria will happily Return the damage you did to it, while Mega Slowbro will calmly destroy your team.



    Anyways, how I'll the original Megas stand up to this new batch of powerful 'mons? Obviously now you will mainly see ORAS Megas since the Metagame is still new, and people are still trying out the fun new Megas (heck, I haven't even used half myself!). But as the Metagame develops over time, and we even start seeing the light of Pokémon Z or possibly Generation 7, do you believe some of them will even be used at all?
     
    I think that a few here and there can be put to good use. Mega Salamence can be run potentially thanks to its aerialate ability granting it a superpowered STAB flying Return or somesuch. Beedrill can find its place on a few niche teams. Swampert and Septile can both easily hold their own in the competition especially if Swampert is run on a rain dance team. One could possibly even run Mega Audino in OU doubles. Although the rest of he megas seem like they are outclassed by other pokemon who get items and even have better move pools.
     
    I think I'd post most of the new Megas on equal footing with XY's Megas, there's some really amazing ones but there's also some that fall short. Although I do love most of the designs of the ORAS Megas a bit more, they gave some really good ones in my opinion.

    In terms of the good ORAS Megas so far, Swampert is a powerful wrecker in rain while Sceptile partners well with Water and Flying Pokemon in Doubles/Triples since Lighting Rod causes him to absorb all Electric moves, and becomes a fast sweeper under the right conditions.

    Altaria is fairly versatile, with the ability to run offensive and defensive sets along with Pixilate giving it a hard-hitting move that gains automatic STAB, plus its super adorable!

    Lopunny is a fast physical attacker that can wreck a lot since its ability ignores the Ghost-type's immunity to Normal and Fighting moves, plus it has elemental punches for extra coverage options.
     
    I think the fact that they made new Megas for ORAS - apart from the Mega Hoenn starters and Mega Latios/Latias that we all knew were coming - is amazing on its own. Instead of complaining about not enough new Megas we should be glad that we even got that many new Megas in the same Generation of games.

    As for the new Megas themselves, I like most of them both design-wise and in terms of competitive viability. While GF doesn't really care about the banlists of Smogon and other similar communities, they seem to have realised that Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Lucario might have been way too good. Apart from Mega Rayquaza and Mega Salamence, the rest of the new Megas seem pretty balanced. They're good - some of them very good - but not broken enough to 6-0 teams on their own.
     
    I would say that ORAS' Mega Evolutions, between ones like Salamence, Beedrill, Altaria, Lopunny, and Gallade were among some of the strongest, or most creative uses, that we've had. But at the same time the strongest of XY's Megas, like Kangaskhan, Gengar, Pinsir, both Charizards, Gyarados to an extent, Mawile and Lucario outrank them in total.
     
    I am not against the quality as there are several Megas right now that are really good to use and some that are just plain clever to look out. M-Rayquaza even got banned from Uber which says something.

    It's the quantity I am really disappointed at.

    I'll just make the point that quality usually comes w/ less quantity. Right now, each Mega generally has its own place. Just look at the plethora of normal species to see how too many in one style of play results in less quality because you end up with so many options, it becomes a race to the best or its overused with so many options you end up with a mess of clones in practice.

    Less is more and I'm glad Game Freak realized this for Megas. My only complaint is the lack of Megas for the Gen 2, 4, 5, and 6 starters.
     
    Well, let me rephrase that. More Megas aside from the Megas they revealed during the months following to the release? It left me with nothing to be excited in that area.

    That I agree with. I think in particular, that Pigeotite would have been best revealed through its in-game miniquest.
     
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