I felt like putting an Assault Vest on a Torkoal because it happened to be the only Fire Type that learns Rapid Spin; and since Rapid Spin is considered a damaging move....
Woah, boi; put it simple, I found these most staggering results:
Torkoal's SpD W/o Assault Vest and 0+ SpD Evs: 176+
Torkoal's SpD W/o Assault Vest and 252+ SpD Evs and Positive Nature: 262+
Torkoal's SpD W/ Assault Vest and 0+ SpD Evs: 264+
Torkoal's SpD W/ Assault Vest and 252+ SpD Evs and Positive Nature: 396+
(If I have made any mistakes, please, tell me)
Put in short, Torkoal is now Heatran's younger cousin; and now, he is starting to grow up to be more like him, without entirely cloning Heatran's lifestyle (If that makes any sense at all).
(Yes, I'm overhyping Torkoal way too much, but you guys seem to like overhyping Xerneas like he is the goddamn Messia- oh wait).
So here is my custom built set (NOTE: Not tested, but it won't surely 100% backfire in every possibly wrong way):
Gamera; Defender of The Universe, and Niche User of Rapid Spin:
Torkoal (M) @ Assault Vest
Trait: White Smoke (It won't gain any stat boosts, but it won't loose any, either) / Shell Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe OR 48 HP / 96 Atk / 172 SpA / 192 Spe OR As Suggested by Shroomisaur, 248 HP / 96 Def / 164 SpD
Mild / Careful / Gentle / Calm / Relaxed Nature (Depending on Movepool)
- Earthquake / Earth Power
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower / Heat Wave / Flame Charge / Lava Plume
- Sludge Bomb / Skull Bash / Superpower / Clear Smog
- Rapid Spin
While Torkoal's Movepool can be considered "shallow" at best, it has a few choice moves at disposal to compliment with it's Offensive Typing, while demolishing 1/3 of the Type Chart; for example, Torkoal can easily destroy Ferrothorn and Forrertress with Fire Blast, and disable their efforts with Rapid Spin, use Skull Bash and Flame Charge, to raise stats without the usage of support moves, Earthquake and Earth Power, to deal with the omnipresent Heatran (Even if it's considerably weak to even face a Heatran head on, alone, especially with it's own Assault Vest), or can use Superpower to deal with other Rock and Steel Types; Torkoal is no hassle with an Offensive Movepool, especially with the threats were dealing with currently (E.G: Scizor, and the already mentioned Tyranitar and Heatran).
It's Speed EVs is mostly maxed, to counteract with it's terribly low BST Speed (If it has Flame Charge, it's probably fine as is). As for it's Sp Attack and Attack, it can be considered a mixed bag, so we'll just leave it there. As for it's HP, it should be either almost maxed out completely, or a chunk of EVs, so it can tank hits more often.
Torkoal W/ Assault Vest can deal with most of the present threats that were in B/W, but as of Pokebank X/Y, it's going to have some problems, most likely with Heatran and Tyranitar; while Torkoal can deal with a Non-Mega Variant of Tyranitar, it might not be able to handle with Heatran (Who also happens to have the same Ground Type move's of it's more Defense oriented cousin), Gardevoir, Bulky Rock Types, and it's new found arch enemy, Guiro-erh, Barbaracle, and it's now older arch enemy, Zigr- erh, I mean, Jellicent. (Yes, I had to make those references, but how could not think the same as I when I was making this article?)
Support Pokemon, such as Clerics, and Stealth Rock users such as Blissey, Slurpuff, Aromatisse, Ferrothorn, Forrertress, or even Umbreon might be able to help out Torkoal, in terms of trying to heal the damage it has tanked/setup Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes; Ferrothorn and Forrertress are viable due to the former, while Blissey can easily deal with the "big bully" that is Heatran. Kyurem B might be able to help Torkoal deal with the more stronger Defensive threats that Torkoal deals with. Trappers, such as Magnezone, can make Steel Types even more setup fodder for Torkoal to spin/deal Fire Type damage to, while Mega Gengar, and Arena Trap Dugtrio can essentially do the job, only 18x better. Finally, Bulky Pokemon, such as Virizion and Rotom-W, can deal with other Bulky Rock and Water Types, such as Barbaracle and Jellicent.
Overall, Torkoal got a large improvement in terms of it's movepool, has alot more bulk now, and can deal with Steel and slower Rock Types; but that doesn't mean it deserves an Honor roll for all of these improvements. We have just witnessed a piece of what the future has what to come for Torkoal and hopefully, Game Freak, the gods they are, will bless Torkoal and other NU Pokemon even more in the years to come.
Woah, boi; put it simple, I found these most staggering results:
Torkoal's SpD W/o Assault Vest and 0+ SpD Evs: 176+
Torkoal's SpD W/o Assault Vest and 252+ SpD Evs and Positive Nature: 262+
Torkoal's SpD W/ Assault Vest and 0+ SpD Evs: 264+
Torkoal's SpD W/ Assault Vest and 252+ SpD Evs and Positive Nature: 396+
(If I have made any mistakes, please, tell me)
- Torkoal now has (somewhat) more Defense capabilities than an Heatran W/o an Assault Vest; while Torkoal's Single Fire Typing, which isn't considered Defensive in any means, and the fact that it's other stats are still subpar, it can still (somewhat) tank hits.
- Torkoal has access to Rapid Spin, and is the Only Fire Type that does learn Rapid Spin (At this point), as said above. It also has access to Earthquake, Sludge Bomb, Fire Blast, Eruption, Gyro Ball, Iron Tail, Fire Spin, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Superpower, Skull Bash, and Rock Tomb; most of these moves, one way or another, have gotten improved with the latest changes from Gen VI's introduction, and Torkoal has enough Attack and Sp. Attack to pull off these moves off pretty nicely, and can deal with 1/3 of the Steel Type Uprising that the Fairy Type has suddenly awakened.
- While Torkoal won't have Stealth Rock, Shell Smash, Protect and Yawn anymore, it's Sp. Def boost is worth it; besides, there are more better Stealth Rock users out there (Ferrothorn and Forrertress, I'm looking at you two) that can team up with Torkoal.
- Torkoal may have (a very low chance) of finally see some usage in the higher tiers.
Put in short, Torkoal is now Heatran's younger cousin; and now, he is starting to grow up to be more like him, without entirely cloning Heatran's lifestyle (If that makes any sense at all).
(Yes, I'm overhyping Torkoal way too much, but you guys seem to like overhyping Xerneas like he is the goddamn Messia- oh wait).
So here is my custom built set (NOTE: Not tested, but it won't surely 100% backfire in every possibly wrong way):
Gamera; Defender of The Universe, and Niche User of Rapid Spin:
Torkoal (M) @ Assault Vest
Trait: White Smoke (It won't gain any stat boosts, but it won't loose any, either) / Shell Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe OR 48 HP / 96 Atk / 172 SpA / 192 Spe OR As Suggested by Shroomisaur, 248 HP / 96 Def / 164 SpD
Mild / Careful / Gentle / Calm / Relaxed Nature (Depending on Movepool)
- Earthquake / Earth Power
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower / Heat Wave / Flame Charge / Lava Plume
- Sludge Bomb / Skull Bash / Superpower / Clear Smog
- Rapid Spin
While Torkoal's Movepool can be considered "shallow" at best, it has a few choice moves at disposal to compliment with it's Offensive Typing, while demolishing 1/3 of the Type Chart; for example, Torkoal can easily destroy Ferrothorn and Forrertress with Fire Blast, and disable their efforts with Rapid Spin, use Skull Bash and Flame Charge, to raise stats without the usage of support moves, Earthquake and Earth Power, to deal with the omnipresent Heatran (Even if it's considerably weak to even face a Heatran head on, alone, especially with it's own Assault Vest), or can use Superpower to deal with other Rock and Steel Types; Torkoal is no hassle with an Offensive Movepool, especially with the threats were dealing with currently (E.G: Scizor, and the already mentioned Tyranitar and Heatran).
It's Speed EVs is mostly maxed, to counteract with it's terribly low BST Speed (If it has Flame Charge, it's probably fine as is). As for it's Sp Attack and Attack, it can be considered a mixed bag, so we'll just leave it there. As for it's HP, it should be either almost maxed out completely, or a chunk of EVs, so it can tank hits more often.
Torkoal W/ Assault Vest can deal with most of the present threats that were in B/W, but as of Pokebank X/Y, it's going to have some problems, most likely with Heatran and Tyranitar; while Torkoal can deal with a Non-Mega Variant of Tyranitar, it might not be able to handle with Heatran (Who also happens to have the same Ground Type move's of it's more Defense oriented cousin), Gardevoir, Bulky Rock Types, and it's new found arch enemy, Guiro-erh, Barbaracle, and it's now older arch enemy, Zigr- erh, I mean, Jellicent. (Yes, I had to make those references, but how could not think the same as I when I was making this article?)
Support Pokemon, such as Clerics, and Stealth Rock users such as Blissey, Slurpuff, Aromatisse, Ferrothorn, Forrertress, or even Umbreon might be able to help out Torkoal, in terms of trying to heal the damage it has tanked/setup Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes; Ferrothorn and Forrertress are viable due to the former, while Blissey can easily deal with the "big bully" that is Heatran. Kyurem B might be able to help Torkoal deal with the more stronger Defensive threats that Torkoal deals with. Trappers, such as Magnezone, can make Steel Types even more setup fodder for Torkoal to spin/deal Fire Type damage to, while Mega Gengar, and Arena Trap Dugtrio can essentially do the job, only 18x better. Finally, Bulky Pokemon, such as Virizion and Rotom-W, can deal with other Bulky Rock and Water Types, such as Barbaracle and Jellicent.
Overall, Torkoal got a large improvement in terms of it's movepool, has alot more bulk now, and can deal with Steel and slower Rock Types; but that doesn't mean it deserves an Honor roll for all of these improvements. We have just witnessed a piece of what the future has what to come for Torkoal and hopefully, Game Freak, the gods they are, will bless Torkoal and other NU Pokemon even more in the years to come.
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