QC: (Snunch, Oglemi, PK Gaming)
GP: (, , , )
Jolteon
- Sort of outclassed by Zapdos, who boasts higher special attack, better bulk and typing and better movepool options.
- However, Jolteon's incredible speed, immunity to Thunder Wave with Volt Absorb and lack of weakness to Stealth Rock make it a more effective Choice item user. A Life orb set is also great since he can revenge quite a few pokémon with Charge Bream and sweep from there.
- Support options such as Baton Pass, Work Up, Yawn, Fake Tears etc are also cool.
Name: Choice Specs
Move 1: Thunderbolt
Move 2: Shadow Ball
Move 3: Hidden Power Ice
Move 4: Volt Change
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Volt Absorb
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
- With the above set, Jolteon has the equivalent of 478 Special Attack and 394 Speed, which is enough to revenge kill a lot of pokémon. Jolteon can come in on the death of a teammate or any Electric Attack and pose an immediate threat to enemies without Speed boosts.
- Thunderbolt is great STAB as usual. Hidden Power Ice gives it great coverage in UU, OHKOing threats such as Flygon and Nidoking on the switch. Be careful around Flygon however since Scarf sets are common. Shadow Ball is the only other reasonable coverage attack that Jolteon can use; at least it hits Victini hard. Volt Change allows Jolteon to hit and run with a powerful STAB attack, although it doesn't help if the opponent switches in a ground type. Thus Hidden Power Ice is useful to hit them hard should you predict.
- The EV spread is simple and standard. It gives Jolteon enough speed to outrun the entire metagame, and lets it speed tie against foes like Crobat and Aerodactyl which it can OHKO with a STAB move. It also gives Jolteon respectable Special Attack.
- Chansey doesn't even counter this set in the traditional sense, since Jolteon can just Volt Change out if it predicts correctly and bring in an effective check, such as Hitmontop or Staraptor. Staraptor has particularly good synergy and can hit a switch in ridiculously hard with CB Brave Bird. Alternatively, it can continue the Scouting with U-Turn.
- Signal Beam can be used to OHKO Celebi, but its coverage overlaps with Jolteons other moves and it's generally an inferior option otherwise.
- Hidden Power Grass can be used to hit Mamoswine hard, but it doesn't OHKO without Stealth Rock or Spikes support. It also hits Gastrodon and Quagsire, who can otherwise wall Jolteon hard.
- Heal Bell gives you something to do if you predict a Chansey switch in, and can be useful in general if you don't like using two STAB moves. Wish is also there but with Jolteon's poor HP it's not doing much other than negating Seismic Toss.
- Baton Pass can be used to scout instead of Volt Change if you fear the opponent switching in a Ground type and getting a free turn.
[Set]
Name: Life Orb
Move 1: Thunderbolt
Move 2: Shadow Ball
Move 3: Hidden Power Ice
Move 4: Charge Beam / Substitute
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
- Using a Life Orb allows Jolteon to switch attacks midflow, letting it rely less on prediction whilst also giving it more support options.
- Same three main attacks and EV spread as before. The only change is that Jolteon loses some offensive power and may need hazard support to secure the OHKO's it could previously get.
- Charge Beam gives Jolteon a way to boost its Special Attack whilst still being able to revenge kill weakened pokémon, and it's great at abusing this power due to its fantastic speed and good coverage.
- Substitute can be used as a buffer against priority attacks should you have the opprtunity to set one up, and lets Jolteon take out bulky foes that could otherwise kill Jolteon easily, such as Nidoking who isn't quite OHKOed by Hidden Power Ice without prior damage. It also helps to ease prediction in crucial situations, which is often worth the cost of 25% of Jolteon's health.
- Yawn is an option, letting you phase and scout to an extent whilst giving you a better option against Chansey, but if Jolteon Yawns whilst the opponent stays in then it's effectively a wasted turn, which Jolteon can not afford.
- Protect can be used alongside Yawn, remove either Shadow Ball or Hidden Power depending on your team's needs. It's great if you've Yawn'd an opponent and they stay in to try and hit you with a powerful priority move like Technitop's Mach Punch or Mamoswine's Ice Shard.
- Volt Change can also be used on this set, since it lets you scout for Chansey and gives you momentum as usual. Just make sure to avoid using it when Ground types are up and about.
Name: Baton Pass
Move 1: Substitute
Move 2: Baton Pass
Move 3: Thunderbolt / Volt Change
Move 4: Hidden Power Ice
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
- Jolteon's ability to force frail, slower sweepers such as Azelf, Mismagius and others out combined with its natural speed allows it set up a Substitute and pass it off usually unscathed. Since Jolteon is so good at grabbing momentum from the opponent with its great speed and threatening offensive, it can make a great scout in a similar way to Flygon.
- Baton Pass allows Jolteon guaranteed escape from any situation, combined with Leftovers and Substitute and Jolteon's blazing speed, it can actually be quite hard to hit Jolteon without priority moves. It lets you pass off a Substitute, possibly other boosts and is great at luring in Ground types who may try to switch in on a possible Volt Change. Then you can just nail them with something like Celebi or Mamoswine.
- Thunderbolt works as great primary STAB, whilst Volt Change can also be used should you want to deal damage whilst scouting. However, since Ground types are quite inclined to switch in on Jolteon this can often just give the opponent a free turn, so use with discretion.
- Hidden Power Ice is the primary coverage option since it deals more directly with Ground and Grass types types such as Flygon and Roserade who can threaten your momentum otherwise.
- Boosting moves such as Charge Beam and the new Work Up can be used on this set if you'd prefer to actually pass something to your teammates, but the primary purpose of BP Jolteon is to steal momentum and give you the advantage when faced with an otherwise threatening sweeper. Jolteon doesn't really have the bulk or even the boosting movepool to try and stack boosts effectively. Work Up + Baton Pass can work well when you force a switch and can give anything you switch in some immediate power without drawbacks.
- Hidden Power Grass can be used to deal heavy damage to Mamoswine (although it fails to OHKO), Gastrodon and Quagsire, who can otherwise wall you pretty easily.
- Signal Beam OHKO's most Celebi and hits Grass types hard but has little use otherwise. Illegal with Quick Feet.
- Discharge can be used if you'd like an increased chance of paralysis with your STAB move, but with Jolteon's lack of bulk it's generally better to just try and kill things outright with Thunderbolt.
- Fake Tears can be used in a similar way to Screech on Flygon, either forcing opponents to switch or hitting them hard with your Volt Switch. However, because of Jolteon's relative frailty, lack of resistances and a less useful immunity its slightly harder to pull this off as well as Flygon can. It's also a way to deal with Chansey slightly more effectively.
- Quick Feet can be used on any set; with electric attacks being uncommon in this metagame Volt Absorb isn't that good, and Quick feet can be used to outspeed all Scarfers and some Agility / Rock Polish users like offensive Empoleon. Running Life Orb and switching into Toxic or Will o Wisp is better than running Toxic Orb imo, as Jolteon lacks power otherwise.
- Rain Dance is a decent option, with STAB Thunder and Jolteon's immunity to Electric helping out Rain teams.
- Agility lets Quick Feet Jolteon reach a speed of 2364, which is pretty fast.
- Depend on the Hidden Power type. Mamoswine, Quagsire and Gastrodon can come in on Jolteon if it lacks HP Grass, whilst Flygon and Roserade are problematic if it lacks HP Ice.
- Hitmontop can take one of Jolteon's moves with ease and can 2HKO back with a combination of Technician Fake Out + Mach Punch.
- If it can get in for free, possibly on a Shadow Ball, then Bisharp can be a royal pain to Jolteon, either OHKOing with Sucker Punch if it predicts and attack, or OHKOing with Pursuit if it predicts a switch, or setting up a Substitute or Swords Dance if Jolteon attempts to stall. It requires great prediction to be an effective check but may be worth it.
- Chansey walls it, but if Jolteon Volt Changes or Baton Passes out as Chansey switches in then you've got a pretty big advantage. Registeel also isn't 3HKO'd by even Specs Thunderbolt, and can set up or 2HKO with Earthquake in the meantime.
- Jolteon's hidden ability, Quick Feet, has been released. Whilst it's slightly more gimmicky than Volt Absorb, Electric attacks are not common in UU and Jolteon rarely gets a chance to abuse Volt Absorb. If Jolteon switches into a status attack, it will have enough speed to outspeed most Scarfers whilst also being able to switch moves, and it will often abuse most Agility users. A Toxic Orb can also be used with Quick Feet for the speed boost of a Choice Scarf alongside the ability to switch moves, but without a Life Orb Jolteon severely lacks power.
I'll post more when I get around to testing this more thoroughly. Let me know about other viable sets! Also try not to post things that are straight outclassed by Zapdos.
