|
-
Flash Fire
- Grants immunity to Fire-type moves and increases the power of Fire-type moves by 50% when hit by a Fire-type move.
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Flame Body
- 30% chance to burn when struck by a contact move. Halves the number of steps required to hatch Eggs.
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Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
91
|
- |
323 |
386 |
- |
| Atk |
90
|
194 |
216 |
279 |
306 |
| Def |
106
|
223 |
248 |
311 |
342 |
| SpA |
130
|
266 |
296 |
359 |
394 |
| SpD |
106
|
223 |
248 |
311 |
342 |
| Spe |
77
|
171 |
190 |
253 |
278 |
Overview
Heatran left DPP as the most-used Pokemon in OU. This comes as no surprise, for Heatran's impressive defensive stats, Fire / Steel typing, and useful ability enable it to combat a huge portion of the metagame. It is no slouch offensively, either—a base 130 Special Attack stat combined with a good offensive movepool makes even dedicated counters wince. In this generation, things appear to be even better for it. Air Balloon, a new item, allows it to switch into Ground-type moves safely. The popularity of Pokemon such as Ferrothorn enables Heatran to switch in with ease and shift the momentum in your favor.
However, with the nerf to Explosion, Blissey and Chansey are now the perfect counters to Heatran. Heatran also has to deal with Latios and Latias, previous Ubers who now find themselves in the same tier as Heatran. In addition, Fighting-type Pokemon are extremely popular, so it may have more trouble making an impact than it used to. Nevertheless, it is clear that Heatran will remain a top threat for quite a while.
Although Heatran at first glance looks like it would be primarily used as an offensive Pokemon, one should not forget about its defensive options. Base 106 defenses, immunity to Toxic, and a wide support movepool make it a powerful wall. A specially defensive set is used over a physically defensive set because Lava Plume's high burn rate enables Heatran to shrug off physical hits most of the time. In addition, the most common physical moves aimed at Heatran are usually high-powered moves such as Close Combat, Hi Jump Kick, and Earthquake, attacks that would easily OHKO or 2HKO Heatran regardless of investment in Defense.
Lava Plume is chosen due to its high 30% burn rate, which makes Heatran incredibly difficult to take down on the physical side. Stealth Rock makes it easier for offensive teammates to sweep the opponent's team, whereas Roar is useful for phazing out an enemy sweeper or troublesome wall. Roar is more suited for stall teams that already have a Stealth Rock user, and because Heatran is notorious for causing switches, Roar will allow it to accumulate a lot of Spikes damage. Protect is an excellent utility move on Heatran to scout for Choice users, gain Leftovers recovery, and accumulate status damage on the opponent. Finally, Toxic enables it to dispose of Chansey, Blissey, bulky Water-type Pokemon, and other defensive Pokemon who would otherwise wall Heatran. Will-O-Wisp is still a good option to nail incoming Tyranitar, although Lava Plume means that Toxic is generally the superior option. Since Pokemon immune to Toxic, such as Tentacruel, Gliscor, and opposing Heatran, can trouble Heatran if it chooses to run these moves, Earth Power and Hidden Power Ice are options over Protect to take out threats.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The Special Defense EVs are used to allow Heatran to tank special attacks to the best of its ability. Earth Power can be used in place of a status move, giving Heatran the edge versus other defensive Heatran, while simultaneously providing an even stronger check against many sun teams.
Team support is vital in order to get full mileage out of specially defensive Heatran. For starters, Heatran greatly appreciates Toxic Spikes support, as this enables it to forgo Toxic for another move. Forretress can lay down Toxic Spikes (and other entry hazards) and attracts Fire-type attacks for Heatran to soak up. Tentacruel can also do the same job, and resists Heatran's Fighting-type weakness in exchange for sharing a weakness to Ground-type moves. If this is done, then a spinblocker is also required. Jellicent is a good candidate due to its excellent synergy with Heatran. Wish support is also recommended because Heatran has no form of recovery outside of Rest and Leftovers. Chansey does a good job at this, but one must be wary of their shared weakness to Fighting-type moves. Vaporeon works well too, as she can literally absorb any Water-type attacks aimed at Heatran. Although a bit unorthodox, Wish + Dragon Tail Salamence has excellent synergy with Heatran and should also be considered.
One common Pokemon who counters this set almost entirely is Guts Conkeldurr, who can easily abuse burn or Toxic damage to power up its Attack, while uninvested Heatran can't do much to it. Gliscor deals with Conkeldurr easily and, as a bonus, is immune to the Ground-type attacks that Heatran loathes. A strong special attacker that resists Mach Punch, such as Tornadus or Starmie, also works. If Heatran does not run Roar, then Calm Mind Reuniclus can slowly work its way up to +6 Special Attack, and deal severe damage with Focus Blast. However, Reuniclus can be beaten by powerful, super effective physical attacks from the likes of Scizor or Tyranitar.
Heatran's typing enables it to switch into a variety of attacks, and its acceptable movepool also allows it to threaten many Pokemon at once. Air Balloon takes this to a whole new level by allowing Heatran to switch into Earthquake, a move that used to send chills down its spine. For example, with Air Balloon, it can check Gliscor pretty reliably. However, Air Balloon is instantly popped if Heatran is hit by an attack, and while the introduction of team preview makes prediction easier, caution must still be exercised to ensure that Heatran does not use up its item for nothing.
Fire Blast is a wickedly powerful STAB move, easily destroying anything that does not resist it. As the 85% accuracy is troublesome, however, Flamethrower is a viable alternative, but the loss of power may be very noticeable. Earth Power is useful for dealing with other Heatran, as well as in situations where using Fire Blast is not a good idea, such as against Drizzle teams. The choice of Hidden Power depends on which Pokemon trouble your team most. Hidden Power Ice takes out Gliscor, and Landorus, although it will need to attack the latter on the switch or while its Air Balloon is still intact. Hidden Power Grass is more suitable for dealing with Water-types such as Quagsire and Gastrodon. Heatran is also one of the few Pokemon who can happily use Stealth Rock without any compatibility issues.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The EVs are very simple and allow Heatran to deal as much damage as possible. A Modest nature is suggested because there are few notable Pokemon that can be outsped with Timid. Nevertheless, feel free to use Timid if outspeeding a certain Pokemon, such as Gliscor with 72 EVs in Speed, is necessary. If Heatran already has a teammate that uses Stealth Rock, then Flame Charge, Taunt, or Substitute may go in the last slot. Flame Charge boosts Heatran's only mediocre stat, enabling it to sweep quite easily late-game once its checks and counters are removed. Taunt is notable for stopping Chansey and Blissey from setting up on Heatran, although even then it cannot do much to them in return. Substitute gives Heatran a safeguard from status effects and allows it to scout the opponent. Be aware, though, that Substitute does not prevent Air Balloon from being popped if the Substitute takes a hit.
Pokemon who naturally draw Fire-type attacks make good partners. Ferrothorn and Skarmory are some examples. These Pokemon also support Heatran by laying down entry hazards, giving it a better chance at sweeping and getting past walls. Scizor also naturally draws in Fire-type attacks, and can easily take on Chansey and Blissey. Celebi and Sigilyph have good defensive synergy with Heatran, and both either resist or are immune to the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks that pester Heatran. Heatran also makes a viable addition to sun teams, as it prevents opponents from abusing the sun by absorbing Fire-type attacks.
Heatran is not without its fair share of counters, though. With the nerf to Explosion, special walls such as Chansey and Blissey can easily wall this set to kingdom come. Luckily, these two walls fall to powerful physical attacks. Scizor deserves a special mention here, as not only can it use Superpower to take care of them, it also naturally draws in Fire-type attacks for Heatran to take advantage of. Latios and Latias can also use their special bulk to shrug off most attacks (although Hidden Power Ice will hurt) and pummel Heatran with Surf. For this reason, a Tyranitar wielding a Choice Scarf may be a useful teammate. Surf will sting Tyranitar, but it can outspeed, trap, and OHKO Latios and Latias. Kingdra and Gyarados take, at worst, neutral damage from Heatran's attacks, and can beat it with their STAB Water-type attacks. If Heatran lacks Hidden Power Grass, Rotom-W can also cause it some problems. Terrakion can outspeed Heatran and proceed to attack with Close Combat, making it a notable threat. Gliscor can switch into Close Combat easily and does not mind Terrakion's other attacks. Gliscor also can switch into any Ground-type move aimed at Heatran.
Considering the existence, not to mention the popularity, of Drought Ninetales in OU, the use of Sunny Day Heatran requires some explanation. The actual purpose of this set is not to set up sun for sun-reliant Pokemon (a role Ninetales is superior in), but rather to reverse the momentum of the match against opposing weather teams and conventional Heatran counters. To explain how this works, consider this: the sight of Ninetales usually prompts many opponents into keeping their own Tyranitar, Hippowdon, or Politoed alive, often leading to time-consuming weather wars. Sunny Day Heatran, however, tends to avoid these types of situations. Without the threat of Ninetales, the opponent has little incentive to maintain their automatic weather inducer, and thus, after these Pokemon have been weakened or eliminated, Heatran can instantly turn the battle around in its favor by summoning sun. All things considered, this Heatran is best used on a weatherless team, where it can disguise itself as one of its other sets and fire off powerful Fire Blasts, with and without sun.
As stated before, Heatran may also win against its usual counters. As long as the sunlight is in effect, all Water-type moves are weakened and SolarBeam loses its charge-up period. These factors allow Heatran to survive powerful assaults from and retaliate against a number of counters. To put this in perspective, Timid Rotom-W's Hydro Pump, which would normally deal 99.1% - 117.6% in clear skies, will only manage 50.2% - 59.4% in sunlight. Assuming Heatran carries Leftovers, it can return the favor with SolarBeam, which will deal a massive amount of damage to—if not OHKO—Rotom-W. This situation applies to many of Heatran's Water-type counters, most of whom risk being weakened by Sunny Day and KOed with SolarBeam. It should be noted that an unboosted SolarBeam is stronger than a Life Orb Hidden Power Grass, giving Heatran the freedom to choose Hidden Power Ice rather than waste it on Grass. If opposing Heatran still prove to be a problem, Earth Power is always an option.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Despite what you may think, Heatran doesn't lose any notable KOs in the sun with Leftovers and a Timid nature. The Timid nature allows it to outrun and possibly KO neutral-natured Dragonite and Rotom-W, so using a Modest nature isn't particularly recommended for the extra power. Furthermore, if Heatran uses Hidden Power Ice, it does not require maximum Speed EV investment, simply because it has no way of bypassing other Heatran. An alternative EV spread is 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe, which places Heatran above all max Speed positively natured base 70s, including Breloom and, more importantly, Politoed. Another move to consider on this set is Magma Storm; Sunny Day Heatran has the ability to use this attack more effectively than other sets because it gains the ability to trap and then KO weather inducers for its own purposes.
As far as the item of choice is concerned, Sunny Day Heatran has several options. As explained above, it doesn't lose out on important KOs without specific boosting items. The recovery gained from Leftovers not only keeps Heatran healthy in the long run, but also puts it under the guise of the Specially Defensive set. Of course, Life Orb deserves a mention; the power boost, when combined with the sunlight's benefits, turns Heatran into an offensive juggernaut with few safe switch-ins. Even Blissey and Latios face a potential 2HKO from a sun-boosted Fire Blast with entry hazard support. Other items to consider are Air Balloon, Heat Rock, Expert Belt, and Flame Plate, all of which come with their own obvious benefits.
Rather than question what your team can do for Heatran, ask what Heatran can do for your team. Heatran's ability to set up sun opens opportunities for Pokemon that can benefit from the elimination of other weathers and certain Pokemon. For example, with Heatran being able to lure in and KO several bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon and Jellicent, the likes of Dragonite and Infernape can start their own sweep without a hitch. Eliminating other weather, particularly hail and sandstorm, also lessens the amount of damage and recoil these sweepers take every turn. Heatran, of course, requires some support to function effectively. Using Sunny Day too early will result in a weather war, with the opponent determined to keep his or her weather inducer alive. Therefore, having a way to dispose of offensive Politoed, Tyranitar, and Hippowdon early in the game is highly recommended so the weather is in your team's favor. Reversal Dugtrio does the job fairly well; it can also trap and eliminate opposing Heatran who would otherwise threaten this set. Simply wearing these Pokemon down with Choice item-wielding attackers—such as Dragonite, Salamence, and Terrakion, among others—and entry hazards is also a satisfactory alternative.
While Heatran is usually seen either flaunting its offensive capabilities or using its defensive prowess to help lay hazards and wall Dragons, it can also function effectively as a trapper. Sun teams by nature are weak to sand and rain because both Tyranitar and Politoed have an edge over Ninetales. However, Heatran works very well in trapping and crippling those two due to its signature move, Magma Storm. While this might require some explanation due to the type advantage that both Tyranitar and Politoed have over Heatran, it is actually quite simple. Heatran works as an efficient lure for the two due to their typing advantages and can hit them on the switch-in with either Will-O-Wisp or Toxic. Either of these debilitating status conditions will cripple any opposing weather starter for the entire match, making it easier for Ninetales to win the weather war.
While Heatran cannot effectively beat down opposing weather starters in just one sitting, it will almost certainly do it in two. Magma Storm lets Heatran effectively trap the opposing Pokemon for four to five turns, as opposed to a minimum of two in DPP, giving it several turns with which to simply do damage with Earth Power while the opponent cannot switch out. After the opponent faints, Ninetales can come in and set up Drought unscathed. Taunt works very well because opponents such as Tyranitar will often try to set up Stealth Rock against Heatran, only to be thwarted by Heatran's superior Speed. However, Substitute is also a viable option to shield Heatran from Thunder Wave and revenge killing attempts that might follow.
The choice between Will-O-Wisp and Toxic depends on the team's capability to keep physical behemoths in check. If a team is weak to Terrakion, Landorus, or Gyarados, who are all common switch-ins to Heatran, Will-O-Wisp is the recommended move as it enables Heatran to handle these threats with more ease. However, Toxic is more effective against Blissey and Chansey, who pack massive Special Defense stats to counter Heatran. While it cannot cripple weather starters, Hidden Power Ice deals out massive damage to Dragon-types such as Dragonite, Salamence, and Haxorus.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Heatran's offensive EV spread is best suited for its trapping purpose, as it allows Heatran to deal maximum damage and outspeed neutral natured Dragonite, Gyarados, and Breloom. Additionally, it allows Heatran to fire off fast Taunts so that it does not become setup fodder. However, an alternate EV spread of 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpA works well for taking physical hits such as Tyranitar's Superpower. Since Heatran is naturally faster than Politoed and Tyranitar, two of Magma Storm Heatran's main targets, Speed investment for the sole purpose of trapping is not always necessary. However, Heatran will be slower than Choice Specs Politoed and some variants of Tyranitar that run Speed EVs, so one should always play with caution.
The choice of item again depends on the type of team one is using Heatran on. Leftovers preserves Heatran's bulk and is a superior option for teams that depend heavily on sun for support, such as those with several Chlorophyll users, as they will not want to lose Heatran too early in a match. However, Life Orb grants Heatran many handy KOs, such as the OHKO on Haxorus with Hidden Power Ice after Stealth Rock damage. In addition, Life Orb Heatran has a chance of 2HKOing Blissey after Stealth Rock damage with Magma Storm in the sun, and specially based Chlorophyll sweepers, such as Venusaur and Victreebel, will always appreciate the removal of specially based walls. Air Balloon is another great item because it gives Heatran a momentary answer to Landorus, one of the biggest threats to Drought teams. However, it is only a temporary solution, and becomes useless when broken. Wide Lens is another option as Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Magma Storm could all do with an accuracy boost, but it neither adds power to Heatran's moves nor increases its survivability, so it should only be used on teams that cannot afford to lose a battle because of a miss.
Ninetales is the best partner to this set, as it appreciates Heatran's trapping skills and access to Taunt. Taunt stops opponents from laying Stealth Rock, which would otherwise limit Ninetales's switch-in opportunities. Ninetales also provides Drought support to boost Heatran's Fire STAB moves, so the relationship is mutually favorable. Additionally, Chlorophyll sweepers appreciate Heatran's ability to remove opposing weather inducers, so packing Venusaur or Victreebel is never a bad idea. Grass-type Chlorophyll sweepers also tank Politoed's Water STAB attacks well and cover the Water weakness Ninetales and Heatran share. While it might seem redundant, Dugtrio can also work very well as a partner because Heatran can cripple the opponent and Dugtrio can finish the job. While Magma Storm Heatran does not have to be played on a Drought team, it is best used to help Drought teams win weather wars. Nonetheless, it can be used on any team that needs a good check to all forms of weather, sun included.
While Heatran can take down Blissey, the same does not always apply to Chansey. If Heatran lacks Taunt, Chansey will be able to stall Heatran out with either Softboiled or Wish. Thus, a strong Fighting-type Pokemon, such as Terrakion or Conkeldurr, is recommended as their massive Attack stats complement Heatran's high Special Attack. Additionally, both of these Fighting-types fare well against Tyranitar in case Heatran is not able to get the job done. Infernape is a great partner because it not only beats the aforementioned threats, but also gets its Fire STAB boosted by Drought. If Heatran lacks Hidden Power Ice, it will be setup fodder to Lum Berry Dragonite and Haxorus, so they must be played against cautiously.
Heatran is a Pokemon that can force out many different Pokemon with its high Special Attack and useful resistances, and this set aims to make use of those free turns to set up a Substitute. This lets it take down switch-ins that can outspeed and KO it, such as Terrakion and Landorus, without relying on guesswork. Substitute also makes Heatran harder to revenge kill, as Pokemon have to break its Substitute without being OHKOed by any of its attacks. Substitute along with Toxic allows Heatran to cripple common switch-ins to Heatran that would otherwise easily wall it, including Jellicent, Rotom-W, and Dragonite. Using Substitute makes the opponent take another round of Toxic damage, and after a few turns, either Fire Blast or Earth Power can 2HKO. Heatran also makes for a good Toxic user in general, as it is able to take down most Steel- and Poison-types with STAB Fire Blast or Earth Power.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
252 Speed EVs and a Timid nature enable Heatran to outrun standard Gyarados and Dragonite and take them down with a combination of Toxic and Substitute. Maximum Special Attack makes Heatran as threatening as possible, but a bulkier spread can also work. If you decide to use such a spread, you should shift some Special Attack EVs—not Speed EVs—into HP or Special Defense, as the ability to outrun Gyarados and Dragonite and to Speed tie with other Heatran is extremely vital to this set's success. Roar can replace Toxic on Spikes-stacking teams, as the entry hazard damage can pile up quickly, but the ability to cripple common switch-ins is usually preferred. Will-O-Wisp is another option in the last slot as it halves the Attack of Dragonite and Gyarados, but Toxic is mostly superior as it can't be stalled out with Recover or Roost, as well as having superior accuracy.
Because two of the most common switch-ins to Heatran—Politoed and Tyranitar—are weather starters and are worn down by Toxic, this set functions excellently on sand and sun teams as it greatly helps with winning the weather war. Thanks to Substitute and its decent Speed, Heatran can easily Toxic stall both Tyranitar and Politoed, enabling your own weather starter to have complete control. Heatran also pairs well with Pokemon that appreciate bulky Water-types being poisoned, such as Dragonite. Dragon Dance Dragonite is able to set up on poisoned Water-types, while Toxic wears them down and puts them range of being KOed by Outrage or Dragon Claw. It's worth noting that there are two Water-types that don't mind Toxic, namely Starmie and Hydration Vaporeon. Therefore, a teammate that can deal with those Pokemon, such as Rotom-W or Ferrothorn, makes for an excellent choice.
Heatran's Speed stat has always been a severe letdown. However, with a Choice Scarf attached, it now becomes a blazing fast Pokemon that reaches 417 Speed with a Timid nature, enabling it to check or revenge kill many Pokemon. Overheat is a powerful STAB attack that dents almost any Pokemon who dares to switch in to Heatran. It may be strange to have Flamethrower in the second slot, as Overheat hits the same threats that Flamethrower does. However, Overheat's Special Attack drop makes it inadvisable in some situations, and Flamethrower allows it to cleanup in the endgame if necessary. Earth Power gives Heatran a way to deal with opposing Heatran, and is your best option against Steels if Fire-type moves are inadvisable, such as if facing a Drizzle team. Hidden Power Ice suits this set nicely by enabling Heatran to destroy Landorus, Gliscor, and Dragon-type Pokemon who are 4x weak to Ice-type moves. Dragon Pulse is an alternative to hit Latios, Latias, and Hydreigon for more damage; however, Hidden Power Ice is usually the better choice of the two.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
A Timid nature and 252 EVs in Speed enable Heatran to outspeed Pokemon with a base Speed of 130 and below. However, if these Pokemon are not huge threats, Heatran can opt to use a Modest nature instead. One important thing to notice is that this set is more risky to use than the Offensive set, as Choice Scarf can allow the foe to switch in and set up an appropriate sweeper with ease. Therefore, prediction is vital to using Scarf Heatran to the fullest extent. Thankfully, team preview makes prediction much easier.
Although fast, Choice Scarf Heatran is not quite as powerful as the Offensive or Choice Specs set, so teammates who can soften up the opposing team make wonderful partners for Heatran. There are quite a few Pokemon who can do this, but some notable examples include Latios, Gyarados, Celebi, and Scizor, all of whom share excellent defensive synergy with Heatran. Another problem that Heatran has are bulky Water-type Pokemon. Suicune, Swampert, Quagsire, and others can switch into Overheat or Flamethrower with ease and proceed to threaten Heatran with powerful Water-type attacks. Ferrothorn does not mind Water-types much and can proceed to set up entry hazards and Leech Seed on them. On the offensive side, Virizion and Celebi can hammer away at these Pokemon with their powerful attacks. Heatran can even opt to run Hidden Power Grass over Flamethrower to deal with them. The loss of Hidden Power Ice would not be too severe since Gliscor and Landorus take heavy damage from Overheat, although it does leave Heatran unable to hurt the dragons. Chansey and Blissey once again wall this set, but they are fairly easy to deal with using other Pokemon. Powerful physical attacks should take care of them in no time.
This is the notorious Torment Heatran set that once upon a time made players rip their hair, gouge out their eyeballs, and jump out of a window as soon as they encountered it. The idea behind the set is that very few Pokemon carry more than one attack that can severely hurt Heatran, and by using Torment on them, said Pokemon must either switch out or stay in and engage in a long, brutal stall war. Pokemon who wield a Choice item are especially affected by Torment, for they must Struggle every other turn if they choose to stay in. Substitute and Protect allows Heatran to both scout and shield itself from moves that can harm it. Lava Plume is chosen so that Heatran can slowly chip away the opponent's health.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
The HP EVs give Heatran the highest possible Leftovers number, and the Speed EVs ensure that Heatran will outspeed Jolly Tyranitar. Like the specially defensive set, Toxic Spikes support is recommended. All three of Roserade, Scolipede, and Forretress can accomplish this and draw in Fire-type attacks for Heatran to soak up if it uses Lava Plume. Sandstorm support is also recommended, but not required. Hippowdon is recommended because it functions better on stall and semi-stall teams than Tyranitar. Tyranitar and Heatran also share three weaknesses together. Pokemon who can phaze Heatran out and Rest off the damage, such as RestTalk Suicune, Gyarados, and Vaporeon are troublesome. Rotom-W and Celebi can take care of them with their powerful STAB Thunderbolt and Leaf Storm, respectively. In addition, be aware that there are many Pokemon who outspeed Heatran, and can land a dangerous attack on Heatran if it loses its Substitute or does not use Protect in time. Prediction is extremely important to make this set work.
Unlike the Choice Scarf set, the task of this set is to tear, rip, and burn massive holes into the opponent's team, leaving other Pokemon to clean up the remainder. With a Choice Specs attached, Overheat becomes a terrifying move. For example, Overheat cleanly 2HKOes Latios after Stealth Rock damage. Unfortunately, Overheat's Special Attack drop forces Heatran to become a hit-and-run Pokemon, although this is how a Choice Specs set would generally play anyway. Fire Blast enables Heatran to stay in longer, at the cost of having a lower accuracy and Base Power. Dragon Pulse and Earth Power are there primarily for coverage, the former hitting Dragon-type Pokemon while the latter is useful for opposing Heatran. Hidden Power Grass takes care of bulky variants of Rotom-W and other Water-types. If Heatran already has teammates that can take care of them, then Flamethrower is an alternative. It may seem redundant to run two Fire-type moves on one set; however, keep in mind that both Fire Blast and Overheat have negative qualities about them that may make using those moves unsuitable in certain scenarios.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
As with the offensive set, maximum Special Attack and a Modest nature are desirable so Heatran can wreak as much havoc as possible. A Timid nature may be useful if a certain threat, notably the standard Gliscor set, needs to be outsped. Since Heatran will hopefully cause massive damage to the opponent's team, Pokemon who can clean up and pick off any survivors make good teammates. Conkeldurr, Scizor, and Azumarill can use their powerful priority attacks to accomplish this. Choice Scarf users and naturally fast Pokemon, such as Latios and Starmie, also make good cleaners.
Once again, Chansey and Blissey can sponge Heatran's attacks, although repeated attacks will quickly wear them down. Due to the sheer power of Choice Specs, bulky Water-type Pokemon may have some difficulty switching in. However, if Heatran does not run Hidden Power Grass, then Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Quagsire, and Suicune can usually survive an attack and retaliate. Beside these, this set shares similar checks and counters to the Stealth Rock set. The only difference, though, is that counters will have a hard time switching in without losing a massive chunk of health.
When used in conjunction with Sunny Day, Heatran can take advantage of its signature move, Magma Storm, to help sun teams win the weather war. The premise of the set is that when Heatran can predict a slower opposing weather inducer switching in, it can hit them with Magma Storm. From there, Heatran can Sunny Day before the opponent can attack. Politoed's STAB moves will no longer hit for super effective damage, and Tyranitar will no longer receive a Special Defense boost from its sand. This sets up Heatran to use a chargeless SolarBeam, either OHKOing or 2HKOing the opponent before Heatran can be 2HKOed in response. In this event, Ninetales can be brought in after Sunny Day wears off, guaranteeing permanent sunlight so long as the opponent does not have an alternative source of weather. It is important to note, though, that Heatran will not always win agaisnt an opposing weather inducer. Outside of a Magma Storm miss, Choice Scarf Politoed can outspeed and OHKO Heatran before it can use Sunny Day. Choice Scarf Tyranitar will similarly outspeed Heatran and 2HKO with Superpower or Stone Edge, or flat-out OHKO with Earthquake. However, these two variants are easy enough to deal with using specialized team support. Be wary of Shed Shell users as well. Fortunately, this set functions as a powerful special attacker even outside of its trapper role, allowing it to serve multiple uses and rarely become a liability. It can also trap Pokemon that operate independently of weather should sun be up, such as Jellicent and Starmie. It should be noted that while this Heatran is put to best use on sun teams, it can also be used to good effect on teams utilizing other weather or no weather at all, in order to combat certain weathers.
The first three moves are of course all staples, but the last moveslot is dependant on team support. Earth Power is the default move, because without it it is impossible to harm opposing Heatran. This set functions by forcing switches to opposing Pokemon that resist its powerful Fire-type STAB, so if the opponent has a Pokemon that can switch into this set with absolute impunity, then it largely ceases to function. Because of this, Earth Power is absolutely necessary, with one exception: a partnered Dugtrio. Dugtrio's unparalleled ability to easily dispose of opposing Heatran is an incredible asset for this set; it not only frees up the fourth moveslot as Earth Power is no longer a strict necessity, but it also effortlessly disposes Choice Scarf Tyanitar, one of the Pokemon that can give this set trouble. Just be wary of Air Balloon Heatran or the rare Choice Scarf Heatran, as the two of them must be carefully played around. Hidden Power Ice allows Heatran to become a trapper of Dragon-types as well. Adamant Dragonite, for example, will always have its Multiscale broken if it switches into Magma Storm, and is then outsped and easily OHKOed with Hidden Power Ice. Should sun be up, Latios can also fall victim to Heatran, being 2HKOed by either a double Magma Storm or a Magma Storm followed up by a Hidden Power Ice, while Surf fails to OHKO Heatran. Hidden Power Ice also gives Heatran a reliable way to hit Gliscor, Tornadus-T, and Breloom without relying on the shaky accuracy of Magma Storm.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
An Air Balloon gives the most utility when being used on a sun team, as they can have difficulties in handling Ground-type attacks. Air Balloon allows Heatran to take on the likes of Gliscor more reliably, and also lets Heatran act as a more effective Dragon-type trapper. For example, a Salamence switching into Magma Storm in the sun will be 2HKOed, while it is unable to OHKO Heatran with Earthquake first because of the Air Balloon. The Air Balloon also prevents Dugtrio from trapping Heatran. This, combined with Magma Storm's ability to OHKO Dugtrio through Focus Sash, makes it difficult for Dugtrio to handle Heatran. Chople Berry is another viable item, making it far easier for Heatran to deal with opposing Tyranitar, and giving it the ability to tank Breloom Mach Punches and Tornadus-T Superpowers. Life Orb is another option for Heatran's raw destructive power in the sun, and also allows Heatran to KO a 252 HP / 252 SpD Careful Tyranitar that has switched into Magma Storm after Stealth Rock with SolarBeam (Superpower will fail to OHKO Heatran even after two rounds of Life Orb recoil while it uses Sunny Day). It's an impressive feat. An alternative EV spread of 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe can be used if Heatran is running Hidden Power Ice, as it no longer needs to attempt to outspeed opposing Heatran. The bulk increase is minimal but makes Leftovers an appealing option for both greater longevity and feigning a defensive set, which can more easily lure in Politoed. Taunt is also an option in the fourth slot to shut down a trapped Blissey's recovery, allowing a partnered Dugtrio to tag-team it and take it out with little trouble. Just be sure that two Seismic Tosses will put Dugtrio in maximum Reversal range when building your team.
Stealth Rock support is very important for this set in order to ensure the deaths of opposing weather inducers; with it and Magma Storm's recoil the opponent will effectively be taking Heatran's hits with only 75% health, and Stealth Rock pushes the combination of Magma Storm and SolarBeam agaisnt some weather inducers into the "pseudo-OHKO" range of SolarBeam. It is especially important for dealing with Choice Specs Politoed and Choice Band Tyranitar, as Heatran does not have the time to 2HKO them with SolarBeam. This set is of course designed to support sun teams, so generally this set should be partnered with Ninetales. The support of Dugtrio or Wobbuffet can be invaluable for dealing with the few variants of weather inducers that give this set trouble. Pokemon that can easily abuse permanent sun, including Chlorophyll Pokemon such as Venusaur or Sawsbuck, or hard-hitting Fire-types, such as Volcarona and Infernape, greatly appreciate this set's support. This set can struggle with some threats, such as fast Pokemon that resist Heatran's Fire-type STAB and can outspeed and destroy Heatran. For example, Terrakion in the sand fears little from this set, so consider packing a partner such as Scizor or Dugtrio that can handle it. Though it can be very daunting to switch into this Heatran, it can also be forced out fairly easily after it has accomplished its job. Be sure to have partners that can take a Ground- or Fighting-type attack, such as Landorus-T or Latios. Additionally, be careful that the opponent does not have a Pokemon that can change the weather back before sacrificing this set or Ninetales, as a well-timed Rain Dance from Tornadus-T or Starmie can undo all of your efforts.
Other Options
There aren't too many other options that Heatran has. Moves such as Flash Cannon and Dark Pulse sound appealing, but a STAB Fire Blast or Overheat will usually outdamage these moves, even if they are super effective. Heatran can opt to use Eruption with a Quiet nature on a Trick Room team. If this is done, it is advised to carry another Fire-type move, as repeated damage slowly makes Eruption useless. Finally, Heatran can run a RestTalk set to tank hits and recover health at the same time.
Checks and Counters
Heatran has trouble dealing with most specially-based walls, especially bulky Water-types. Jellicent, Gastrodon, and Gyarados all give Heatran that do not carry Hidden Power Grass or Hidden Power Electric a hard time. While all of these can be ruined by Toxic, they can OHKO or 2HKO Heatran in return. Tentacruel also does well because it can use Rapid Spin to rid the field of Stealth Rock that Heatran lays and attack back with Water-type STAB moves. However, Tentacruel must watch out for Earth Power due to its secondary Poison typing. Other specially-based walls such as Chansey and Blissey can waltz on Heatran by simply attacking it with Seismic Toss or crippling it with Thunder Wave. Chansey and Blissey do have to watch out for TormentTran and Magma Storm Heatran, though, because these sets are capable of beating the pink blobs in one-on-one situations, as the former can shut down Seismic Toss for a turn and the latter can prevent the blobs' escape and recovery.
Fighting-types give Heatran heavy trouble if they can tank a hit or outspeed it. Pokemon such as Lucario and Terrakion are two threats that can boost their stats as Heatran switches or OHKO with Close Combat. Conkeldurr can absorb Will-O-Wisp or tank a hit that isn't Fire Blast or Magma Storm and either retaliate with a powerful Drain Punch or set up while Heatran switches out. Other great checks to Heatran include Landorus, who can come in on Earth Power or Protect and wreak havoc with Earthquake. Choice Scarf Landorus does not work well as a check because specially defensive variants of Heatran can scout moves with Protect and react accordingly, but Expert Belt Landorus can bluff a Choice Scarf and ruin the opponent's reaction. Heatran that carry an Air Balloon can conveniently escape from Landorus early on, but once the Air Balloon pops, Landorus has free reign. Ironically, opposing Heatran equipped with Air Balloon are also good checks, as they are immune to Fire-type moves and Earth Power does not damage them. Reuniclus, Hydreigon, and Gliscor can come in on nonthreatening moves and either set up or do major damage to Heatran. However, Gliscor and Hydreigon must make sure to avoid Hidden Power Ice.
Politoed is arguably one of the best Pokemon in dealing with Heatran, as it summons rain, halving the power of Heatran's Fire STAB. It immediately puts Heatran at a disadvantage, as without its Fire STAB, Heatran is forced to rely on Earth Power and Hidden Power on offensive sets or status-inflicting moves on defensive sets. Starmie, another common offensive Water-type, does well against Heatran because it can use Rapid Spin to get rid of Stealth Rock and use Hydro Pump to blast away Heatran. Additionally, Starmie has the ability to OHKO or 2HKO most Rapid Spin blockers in the metagame, so Heatran is often hard-pressed to retain momentum once Starmie switches in. Rotom-W does well in dealing with Heatran, though Choice-locked sets can often backfire against Heatran that carry Protect. For this reason, the best Rotom-W sets that work effectively against Heatran are those that can switch moves but attack with authority, such as the bulky attacker.
Unreleased
Heatran's Dream World ability is Flame Body. This may be useful on some defensive sets in order to buff up Heatran's defense. In addition, Flame Body prevents the rare, but incredibly annoying, Trace Gardevoir and Porygon2 from setting up on it. However, Flash Fire is usually the better option, otherwise, it would be taking neutral damage from Fire-type attacks. The more resistances, the better.
