Question about tier list

I appreciate your dedication to Metagross!

The defender tier lists will be updated soon to account for the CP rebalance. The Meta article was an aside that Ryan took while working on that, and it is a very interesting take on the "meta." It's also relevant in a post and pre Meta CD (with it returning next weekend) world where that's just a common attacker right now in everyone's collections. Expect an update to the Def tier list soon!

As for the ATL, I personally was a fan of Meta at Tier 1... but that was when Kyogre and Tyranitar were also considered Tier 1. We've since broken up the category to include a 1.5 and I believe Meta correctly finds a home there.

There's other things to consider about Machamp. 1- The CP rebalance was very good to him. 2- He remains a huge tool for lots of Tier 4 Raids. Meta is the top counter for Togetic but that is already gone. Machamp is the top counter for Aggron, Absol, Houndoom, Ttar, Ursaring, (arguably) Walrein, and probably more I'm missing. Fighting has amazing type coverage.

Meta is now a better counter for the 2 Regis it's SE against but even if they do return, Machamp can still knock them out faster in Cloudy where Meta is almost never getting boosted.

I do think Metagross is very, very good, and you should definitely Maxis one or two. It's also an amazing generalist. For my money, it might be the best in Tier 1.5. The Tier 1 attackers, though, are just so incredibly useful that you can justify maxing entire teams of them, something I can't personally say about Meta.

I guess the question is whether that article should be taken at face value.

I don't agree with the statement:
"Topping the charts as the greatest overall attacker in the game"

He doesn't beat the neutral DPS of SB Mewtwo or Rayquaza. He doesn't get the type-coverage that fighting, ghost, rock, dark, or debatably dragon & ice (since many legendaries are dragon), have.

Steel is about as useful as Ground, Grass, Poison, or Electric - i.e. useful in one or two scenarios. This really holds Metagross back, as he's not attacking super-effectively into very much. Worse yet, he's being resisted by all the base-elemental types (which are extremely common).

I think Metagross belongs in tier 1.5, behind Gengar and Tyranitar (at least until Rampardos comes out). I think Dragonite belongs in tier 1.5 as well. I question if Moltres really belongs there, but it probably does. I agree entirely that Psychic Mewtwo does NOT belong in tier 1 or even 1.5 or maybe even 2. However SB Mewtwo definitely belongs in tier 1.

However accepting the page's definitions of tiers 1, 1.5, and 2, then Psychic Mewtwo DOES belong in tier 1.5 (is the best at what it does) as do Raikou and Groudon, and one of Venusaur or Roserade, and Weavile (at least until Mamoswine comes out). Meanwhile Zapdos, Latios, and BB Charizard then belong in tier 2.

Steel just doesn't have many specialist uses. Machamp has far more and is many times over a cheaper investment. Specialists > Generalists, according to their own criteria.

Because its typing is ridiculously advantageous in Gyms. Steel resistant Pokemon are seldomly seen in gyms since you will see Normal Types the most often, then Rock, Dragon, Fairy. The most common pokemon that resists steel in gyms are Vaporeon, Metagross and Milotic which are all counterable by Shadow Ball Mewtwo and Raikou.

Machamp in the other hand can and will be caught and destroyed by nearly ALL defenders, save for Rhydon and Tyranitar. No dodge with Machamp and you die in 2 Dazzling Gleams from Blissey and 1 Play Rough from Slaking. You are better off using neutral generalist counters against them because they more often than not have more bulk and resist their attacks.