Moves
Volt Switch allows Magnemite to act as a pivot and has decent offensive potential because of Magnemite's high Special Attack and STAB. Flash Cannon is a more powerful STAB alternative that doesn't require Magnemite to switch out, and it hits most of what resists Volt Switch. It also hits the common Fairy type for super effective damage. Recycle allows Magnemite to regenerate its Berry Juice, restoring its HP to full. In the last slot, Endure can be used to ensure that Magnemite survives an attack, even if its Sturdy is broken, allowing it to regenerate its HP and get Sturdy back intact. Alternatively, if a broken Sturdy is not a concern, Hidden Power Ground can be run to hit Electric-types, such as Chinchou and opposing Magnemite, that resist Magnemite's STAB attacks.
Set Details
236 Special Attack EVs and 236 Speed EVs maximize Magnemite's offensive potential. The remaining EVs go into Defense to allow Magnemite to take on physical priority attacks somewhat better. If Hidden Power Ground is run, the EV spread should be changed to 240 SpA / 236 Spe to make up for the IV drop that running Hidden Power Ground causes. This Magnemite set doesn't need to invest significantly in bulk because the point of the set is to take advantage of Sturdy to survive attacks. Berry Juice gives Magnemite a form of recovery that can be regenerated with Recycle. A Modest nature is used to maximize Magnemite's offensive potential, but a Timid one can also be used if it is essential for Magnemite to outspeed 14 Speed Pokemon, including Weak Armor variants of Vullaby before they are boosted, and most Corphish.
Usage Tips
This set relies on avoiding Knock Off, which removes Magnemite's ability to regenerate its Berry Juice and recover HP. While some Knock Off users are obvious, such as Pawniard, others, such as Cottonee, Abra, and Ferroseed, can be more unexpected, and a mispredict against these Pokemon can lead to Magnemite being crippled for the rest of the match. Most resisted attacks can be switched into and out of throughout the match, with Magnemite using Volt Switch to pivot in and out and Recycle to recover its health. Strong neutral and super effective attacks should not be switched into if entry hazards are on the field, or if Magnemite has taken prior damage, because Sturdy will no longer be intact. Magnemite can use Endure when its Sturdy is broken but when it has an intact Berry Juice to survive a hit that would otherwise KO it and get to full health, where it will almost always survive any attack with Sturdy. However, if an opponent expects an Endure, they can use the free turn as an opportunity to boost stats, set entry hazards, or recover their own Pokemon's health.
Team Options
This Magnemite set is most suited for offensive teams that appreciate its ability to act as a last-ditch counter to setup sweepers such as Shellder, Carvanha, and Rufflet. This Magnemite set deals with Fairy-types extremely effectively, being able to hit them hard with Flash Cannon without fear of being worn down thanks to Recycle and Berry Juice. Thus, Mienfoo, Scraggy, and Timburr appreciate having Magnemite on their team. Snivy and Foongus both work well with Magnemite, as they are able to switch into Chinchou and the Ground-types that Magnemite brings in and wear them down, hopefully allowing Magnemite to spam Volt Switch more freely later in the game. Foongus works especially well due to Regenerator, which allows it to pivot in and out as Magnemite does throughout the game. Magnemite also works well with Mienfoo, Larvesta, and Vullaby to form a VoltTurn core and wear down the opponent's team. Larvesta works as a Fighting-type check, a necessity when using Magnemite due to its Fighting-type weakness and the prevalence of Knock Off among Fighting-types. Other Fighting checks include Snubbull, Spritzee, and Foongus. Magnemite appreciates Rapid Spin, which keeps hazards off of the field and thus allows Magnemite to not only pivot in and out of battle without being worn down but also keep its Sturdy intact. Staryu can somewhat handle the Ground-types that threaten Magnemite, while Drilbur can somewhat handle the Electric-types that resist Magnemite's attacks. For Magnemite to be able to pivot without fear, it appreciates having Ground- and Electric-types removed from the match. Diglett can trap and remove opposing Electric-types handily, and can also trap weakened Ground-types, albeit less effectively. With these Pokemon removed from the match, Volt Switch can be spammed more freely. Lastly, users of Toxic Spikes can spread poison to the opponent's team, allowing Magnemite to stall its foes out using Recycle as they lose HP. Mareanie and Skrelp both handle the Fire-types that give this Magnemite set trouble, and Trubbish can absorb Knock Off, which often comes directed at Magnemite, which makes all three of these Pokemon good partners.