Alter Meteor Mash into a Close Combat style move

Suggestions and Contributions
1

The current steel move pool is currently very limited in many regards. There are not many non-signature attacking steel type moves, and of the ones that remain there is a strong lack of variety in terms of move type. There are very few standout steel type moves.

I am proposing that Meteor Mash be changed from a 4-tile line to a 1-tile area, to function similarly to Close Combat. The current iteration of Meteor Mash feels both redundant and lackluster, as multiple options already exist for line-type steel moves, particularly Iron Head, Bullet Punch, and the very powerful Flash Cannon - not to mention Steel Beam, whenever that reaches the majority of pokémon. Additionally, the short line-type moves are generally lackluster in PMU, and Meteor Mash lacks the raw power to standout even among these moves. As a unique move limited to a handful of lines (Lucario, Metagross, Clefable), I feel that the move should do more to standout in its respective learnsets.

Changing Meteor Mash into a CC-like move would greatly improve variety in the steel-type movepool, as there are currently no area-type non-signature steel moves. This would would help to expand a relatively limited type.

2

+1.

If not, even a 2 tile spray would be better

1 Like
3

I wouldn’t mind MM becoming a 2-tile spray, but this would ultimately create redundancy with both Iron Tail and Metal Claw (though it would likely be marginally better than either). It would be much better to make it area.

4

the thing is. i don’t see any logic in meteor mash being aoe. at least close combat you can spin around and fight.

2 Likes
5

I don’t really feel like there is particularly compelling logic for spray vs area. I feel like the move is similar enough conceptually to CC to inherit its range stats, and honestly id rather logic be stretched a little for a more balanced/interesting move.

6

There are a few depictions of meteor mash where the punch makes a shockwave/explosion around the impact. I feel like that might be enough to justify the change to an aoe. If nothing else, it feels like it has as much reason to be an aoe as cc does

7

I see, well in that case then maybe 1 tile aoe should be the way to go over spray.

8

i just wanna add that steeI wing is another 2 tiIe spray.

so that’s yet another steeI moves with spray.

i second dray in that whiIe meteor mash isn’t outright obvious an aoe move, it aIso isn’t NOT an aoe move either?
definiteIy has enough of a reason to be aoe, as CC is. cuz ground pound or whatever.

2 Likes
9

To add to the discussion, I went ahead and checked the full (USUM) movepools of each family that learns meteor mash. Ignoring Clefable, as it isn’t steel type and doesn’t have access to a wide pool of steel moves in the first place:

Metagross gets Metal Claw (spray), Bullet Punch (short line), Gyro Ball (short line), Flash Cannon (longline), Iron Head (short line), and Meteor Mash (short line).

That’s 1 spray, 1 long line, and 4 short lines.

Lucario gets Metal Claw (spray), Flash Cannon (longline), Bullet Punch (short line), Meteor Mash (short line), Iron Tail (spray).

That’s 2 sprays, 1 long line, and 2 short lines.

The only thing that will change with the addition of SWSH movesets are Steel Beam for both, which will provide a longline alternative to Flash Cannon, and Steel Roller for Metagross which currently does not have PMU stats, though given its stats it seems likely it will end up yet another short line, or perhaps a short spray (I would guess it would mirror the range stats of rollout.)

Both would benefit from a Meteor Mash change.

1 Like