Not QCing myself because that's tacky. Also somewhat WIP.
[OVERVIEW]
Blaziken is, without a doubt, one of the premier offensive threats in Battle Spot Singles, and for multiple good reasons – it is powerful, fast, and versatile. It gets STAB on two of the most formidable offensive types in the game, backed up by having access to high Base Power attacks on top of strong offensive stats (increased even further in its Mega forme). To top it all off, it has access to one of the best abilities in the game, Speed Boost, which helps patch up its rather average base Speed, allowing it to truly exercise its immense raw power and also function as a revenge killer. The possibilities don't end there – Blaziken is devastating in both Mega and non-Mega formes, allowing for flexible teambuilding, and can even pull off a supporting role with Baton Pass.
As strong as Blaziken is, however, it is quite frail and is weak to some common types, meaning that if Blaziken does not KO its target, it will often be subject to serious retaliation. Its STAB moves also have drawbacks that can be taken advantage of, making Blaziken somewhat prediction-reliant. They are also contact moves, meaning Rocky Helmet can be a nuisance. Despite Blaziken being blindingly fast with Speed Boost, its weaknesses to Water and Flying mean that it can be revenge killed by Aqua Jet and Gale Wings Brave Bird. Its reliance on Protect + Speed Boost to cover its rather average initial Speed can also be taken advantage of in the form of a free switch in. Nevertheless, Blaziken simply has too many advantages to be taken lightly. It has proven from time to time, with its consistent appearance in the top 12 of the PGL usage stats, that it is an omnipresent threat, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
[SET]
name: Mega Sweeper
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Superpower / High Jump Kick
move 3: Knock Off / Swords Dance / Stone Edge / Thunder Punch
move 4: Protect
ability: Speed Boost
item: Blazikenite
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Flare Blitz and Superpower / High Jump Kick serve as powerful STAB moves, backed by Blaziken's titanic base 160 Attack. Superpower is more reliable than High Jump Kick, but the Attack drop deters repeated usage and can make sweeping difficult. High Jump Kick offers even more power and no stat drawbacks, but it can miss and severely cripple Blaziken, often leading to its demise. It is important to keep in mind common Protect users and Ghost-type Pokemon when using that move.
Regardless, the sheer strength of these moves often demand opponents to have Pokemon that either resist both or pack extremely high physical bulk. Even then, Blaziken has options around those. Knock Off smashes apart Latios, non-mega Latias, and Chandelure and deals solid damage to Cresselia and Slowbro. It can remove Rocky Helmet, relieving the passive pressure Blaziken gets from repeatedly using contact moves. Stone Edge destroys Talonflame and Mega Charizard Y and can make Salamence, Gyarados, and Dragonite think twice before switching in. However, its accuracy can be rather problematic, so it may be wise to run Rock Slide instead. Thunder Punch can be used to smash Gyarados and Azumarill, although it hits no other notable targets. If the bonus coverage is not needed, Blaziken can use Swords Dance to boost its Attack into sky-high levels, allowing it to sweep with ease. Protect is mandatory in order to guarantee a turn of Speed Boost, especially during the turn Blaziken Mega Evolves.
Set Details
========
As with most glass cannon sweepers, maximizing Attack and Speed is recommended to hit as hard and as quickly as possible. With maximum Speed, Mega Blaziken can attempt to Speed tie with the likes of Mega Charizard X and Volcarona, potentially pulling a clutch victory. Adamant is recommended over Jolly, as Blaziken outruns every relevant unboosted Pokemon anyways at +1 Speed.
Both Blaze and Speed Boost are viable abilities to choose from for the base Blaziken. Blaze may sound odd at first, but if you're going to Mega Evolve Blaziken anyways, having Speed Boost on the base forme can be pointless. With Blaze, Blaziken has an incentive to not immediately mega evolve. Sometimes odd scenarios in which Blaze is more useful can happen, such as the enemy Porygon2 being able to potentially Trace Speed Boost and coming out clutch, or times when Blaziken needs the power boost from Blaze to KO something. Regardless, these situations are incredibly rare. Speed Boost allows for more teambuilding flexibility - some teams will prefer having two Mega Pokemon but may often not use them together. In the cases where both Pokemon are required in one squad, Blaziken can forgo its Mega Evolution and remain relevant due to Speed Boost.
In short, choose Blaze if Blaziken will be your only Mega Evolution on the team and choose Speed Boost if you have another potential Mega Evolution.
Usage Tips
========
As a Mega Pokemon, Blaziken will often be the center of your team's focus. Evaluate the number of enemies Blaziken can defeat in Team Preview before deciding to bring it in, then bring the appropriate amount of support once you decide on that. It may not be the best idea to bring it if your opponent has two or more Blaziken checks or two or more Pokemon that can outduel it. For example, a team with Cresselia / Azumarill / Talonflame / Aegislash / Garchomp / Mega Kangaskhan is probably not something you should bring Blaziken into.
Due to the side effects of Blaziken's STAB moves combined with its frailty, it is important to note that mispredictions can be immediately costly. Be careful with using High Jump Kick if there are enemy Ghost-types around, or if Blaziken is facing a common Protect user such as Heatran or enemy Blaziken. Speaking of Protect, try not to be predictable when using it, as it can lead to the opponent getting a free switch to a check.
Blaziken's sheer offensive strength allows it to be used as both a wallbreaker and a cleaner, although it is more proficient at the latter. With that and its resistances, switching Blaziken into direct attacks is possible, despite its overall frailty. However, Blaziken should primarily be switching in to revenge kill a fallen teammate so it does not take too much damage and subsequently knock itself out via Flare Blitz recoil.
Team Options
========
Zapdos and Rotom-W cover most of Blaziken's checks, such as Azumarill, Salamence, Gyarados, Slowbro, and Talonflame. Both of them can use Volt Switch to help bring Blaziken in easier. In turn, Blaziken can threaten Grass-types that beat Rotom-W and can defeat certain Pokemon that give Zapdos issues, such as Greninja, Tyranitar, and Gengar. Ferrothorn can defeat Water-types such as Suicune, threaten Cresselia with passive damage, and set up Stealth Rock to aid Blaziken's sweep. Zapdos's Fighting resistance helps turn the trio of Zapdos / Blaziken / Ferrothorn into a solid balanced squad. Blaziken / Rotom-W / Ferrothorn is also another great core, featuring the Fire / Water / Grass combination. Thundurus can fulfill a somewhat similar role as Zapdos and offers more power in exchange for reduced durability.
Stealth Rock in general can aid Blaziken massively. A number of Blaziken's checks are weak to it (most notably Talonflame). Furthermore, Stealth Rock ensures that Blaziken will 2HKO Suicune with High Jump Kick. A few notable Stealth Rock users include Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Ferrothorn.
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Superpower / High Jump Kick
move 4: Protect
ability: Speed Boost
item: Life Orb
evs: 52 Atk / 244 SpA / 212 Spe
ivs: 30 HP / 30 Def
nature: Naive
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Overheat batters physically bulky Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Zapdos. It reliably destroys Aegislash as well and, (AC) because it is special, it won't be affected by Mawile's Intimidate. Hidden Power Ice OHKOes Landorus-T, Gliscor, Garchomp, and Mega Salamence. Superpower and High Jump Kick are strong STAB options despite lacking full investment. Protect is a necessity to quickly patch Blaziken's mediocre Speed.
Set Details
========
Blaziken's talents extend to its non-Mega usage. With a mixed set, Blaziken can carve out an offensive niche that is not outclassed by its Mega Evolution. Sporting formidable 120 / 110 offenses backed by Life Orb, Blaziken can still dish out tremendous amounts of damage and even slightly outclass its Mega Evolution power-wise if it attempts to pull off the same set. Here are some calculations to demonstrate Blaziken's power.
Usage Tips
========
This set can function as a lure, so it may be in your best interest to carry a Pokemon that appreciates certain checks baited and removed by Blaziken. However, some people may expect it if you don't Mega Evolve Blaziken. Try predicting your opponent's usual check to it on the switch before he or she suspects something is up and punishes you for it. Remember that this Blaziken's Fighting-type STAB move is not as powerful, so enemies such as Suicune and Azumarill can be sent in more comfortably.
Team Options
========
Because this set does not require Blaziken to Mega Evolve, feel free to use Mega Pokemon in conjunction with it. Mega Gengar can destroy Mega Slowbro and threaten Cresselia and Azumarill, while Blaziken scares off Dark-type Pokemon such as Bisharp and Hydreigon. Mega Salamence appreciates Blaziken's ability to threaten Skarmory, Tyranitar, Zapdos, and Porygon2.
As mentioned before, Blaziken can lure enemies with this set. There are some Pokemon that can take advantage of a successful bait. For example, Aegislash and Mega Kangaskhan appreciate Blaziken dealing severe damage to Hippowdon, and Mega Venusaur can have a field day if Blaziken can successfully bait and destroy Mega Salamence.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Swords Dance / Bulk Up
move 2: Protect
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: High Jump Kick / Blaze Kick
ability: Speed Boost
item: Focus Sash / Weakness Policy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Impish
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance and Protect allow Blaziken to quickly stack stat boosts to Baton Pass to teammates. Bulk Up + Weakness Policy is also viable for greater payoff potential, but this strategy is less reliable. High Jump Kick lets Blaziken hurt foes if it absolutely needs to, but it should be used sparingly, especially because missing or hitting a Rocky Helmet Pokemon will waste its Focus Sash. Substitute with Leftovers is viable if your recipient Pokemon requires multiple Speed boosts. It can also block predicted Thunder Waves, allowing for a safer pass. It also blocks Imposter so Ditto doesn't turn the boosts against the recipient.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs are used for the best overall bulk because this set will not be attacking much. Maximum Speed allows Blaziken to Baton Pass away with minimum Speed boosts, assuming the recipient does not require multiple boosts. There is also the fact that there really aren't better stats to invest the EVs in, assuming Jolly.
Impish is also viable with maximum HP and Defense EVs. Blaziken can take a Choice Band-boosted Brave Bird from Talonflame after a Bulk Up, activate Weakness Policy, and Baton Pass away. It will also be guaranteed to survive Garchomp's Earthquake without any defensive boosts.
Usage Tips
========
This set can work quite well as a lead, but beware if the enemy has potential phazers such as Suicune. Priority moves can also ruin Baton Pass. If you anticipate the foe having a priority move, make sure Blaziken uses Baton Pass in a healthy state before its HP gets too low and it can be picked off. Don't make your Baton Passes predictable. Oftentimes, you may want to Baton Pass as soon as Blaziken gains sufficient boosts. You don't always have to Baton Pass only when you're unable to find room to boost any longer, because that guarantees that your next turn will be Baton Pass. This means your opponent can easily punish your recipient.
Team Options
========
Mega Kangaskhan is the best recipient for Blaziken's boosts. It is bulky enough to take most incoming punishment and possesses the raw strength to simply batter defensive threats with a boost. It also bypasses Sturdy and Focus Sash thanks to Parental Bond. Mega Mawile is another fearsome ally - a speedy Mega Mawile can be terrifying due to how much raw damage it deals. It also resists Brave Bird, Ice Shard, Sucker Punch, and Extreme Speed and is bulky enough to withstand Aqua Jets and Mach Punches, making revenge killing it difficult. Generally, any physical attacker will work as a teammate depending on the situation. For example, Blaziken can Baton Pass to Mega Salamence to avoid Earthquake, or Baton Pass to Garchomp to avoid Thunder Wave.
Mega Latias deserves a special note for being able to act as an unexpected partner. With sufficient boosts, Mega Latias can deal tremendous amounts of damage with Stored Power. Use the Bulk Up / Weakness Policy set with this.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rock Slide is a viable alternative to Stone Edge if accuracy is a concern. If you don't care too much about opposing Salamence or Gyarados, the power drop will not be a huge issue. Toxic can be used to wear down bulky, sustaining checks such as Mega Slowbro, Cresselia, and Hippowdon. Note that regular Slowbro can still be an issue due to Regenerator, however. Low Kick can be used if High Jump Kick's and Superpower's drawbacks are too much, but its lower Base Power against certain important targets such as Rotom-W and Garchomp can be a problem. Will-O-Wisp is an unusual choice to weaken Azumarill, Salamence, Gyarados, and Dragonite and can be used to cripple some enemies in a pinch. Brave Bird may seem appealing, but it only hits Mega Venusaur.
On the mixed set, Hidden Power Electric and Grass are viable alternatives - the former smashes Gyarados and the latter takes down Quagsire, Swampert, and Gastrodon. Both options also deal respectable damage to Slowbro. Fire Blast can be used instead of Overheat for a more consistent damage output, but it might fail to OHKO Aegislash. On the Baton Pass set, Blaziken can surprise enemy phazers by carrying Roar.
Blaziken can utilize Scope Lens + Focus Energy for fun. This amplifies Blaziken's critical hit rate on regular moves to 100% and, because critical hits ignore stat drops, Blaziken can freely spam Overheat and Superpower at 150% damage without suffering from the offensive stat drops unless it hits a foe that has Shell Armor or Battle Armor or is shielded by Lucky Chant. It is not as good as it sounds, however, as the turn Blaziken uses to set up Focus Energy can be used for something more productive, such as setting up a Swords Dance. However, Baton Passing Focus Energy and Speed boosts to Sniper Kingdra can be devastating.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pokemon that Resist Blaziken's STAB Moves**: Slowbro, Salamence, Gyarados, Talonflame, Azumarill, Mega Latias, Mega Altaria, and Dragonite can tank Blaziken's STAB attacks easily. Mega Slowbro will completely wall Blaziken if it lacks a super effective Hidden Power.
**Suicune**: Although High Jump Kick can 2HKO Suicune with high rolls, Suicune can easily handle everything else Blaziken throws at it. Rocky Helmet can knock Blaziken to Scald's KO range and Roar can nullify the Baton Pass set very easily.
**Cresselia**: Cresselia is bulky enough to withstand every attack Blaziken throws at it and can threaten back with Thunder Wave and Psychic. It can also heal off the damage Blaziken dealt with Moonlight. Knock Off can nullify the threat of Cresselia's Rocky Helmet, however.
**Hippowdon**: High physical bulk, access to reliable recovery, a phazing move, and a STAB Earthquake can make short work of Blaziken's Mega and Baton Pass sets. If nothing else, Rocky Helmet and Sand Stream can both quickly deplete Blaziken's health.
**Priority**: Note that while Blaziken resists most priority moves, it is weak to Flying and Water, making priority users such as Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Azumarill, and Crawdaunt tremendous issues. Similarly, Prankster Thunder Wave can shut down Blaziken's sweeping attempt, although it will often come at the cost of that Pokemon.
**Pokemon with Rocky Helmet**: Blaziken typically runs contact moves, meaning Rocky Helmet can punish it, especially when combined with Flare Blitz's recoil.
**Prediction**: Correctly predicting Blaziken's Fighting-type STAB move and responding to it appropriately can severely weaken Blaziken. Sending a Zapdos into Blaziken's Superpower, for example, lowers its Attack so that Zapdos can comfortably stall it. Likewise, sending a Ghost-type Pokemon into High Jump Kick will quickly make Blaziken regret the turn.
[OVERVIEW]
Blaziken is, without a doubt, one of the premier offensive threats in Battle Spot Singles, and for multiple good reasons – it is powerful, fast, and versatile. It gets STAB on two of the most formidable offensive types in the game, backed up by having access to high Base Power attacks on top of strong offensive stats (increased even further in its Mega forme). To top it all off, it has access to one of the best abilities in the game, Speed Boost, which helps patch up its rather average base Speed, allowing it to truly exercise its immense raw power and also function as a revenge killer. The possibilities don't end there – Blaziken is devastating in both Mega and non-Mega formes, allowing for flexible teambuilding, and can even pull off a supporting role with Baton Pass.
As strong as Blaziken is, however, it is quite frail and is weak to some common types, meaning that if Blaziken does not KO its target, it will often be subject to serious retaliation. Its STAB moves also have drawbacks that can be taken advantage of, making Blaziken somewhat prediction-reliant. They are also contact moves, meaning Rocky Helmet can be a nuisance. Despite Blaziken being blindingly fast with Speed Boost, its weaknesses to Water and Flying mean that it can be revenge killed by Aqua Jet and Gale Wings Brave Bird. Its reliance on Protect + Speed Boost to cover its rather average initial Speed can also be taken advantage of in the form of a free switch in. Nevertheless, Blaziken simply has too many advantages to be taken lightly. It has proven from time to time, with its consistent appearance in the top 12 of the PGL usage stats, that it is an omnipresent threat, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
[SET]
name: Mega Sweeper
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Superpower / High Jump Kick
move 3: Knock Off / Swords Dance / Stone Edge / Thunder Punch
move 4: Protect
ability: Speed Boost
item: Blazikenite
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Flare Blitz and Superpower / High Jump Kick serve as powerful STAB moves, backed by Blaziken's titanic base 160 Attack. Superpower is more reliable than High Jump Kick, but the Attack drop deters repeated usage and can make sweeping difficult. High Jump Kick offers even more power and no stat drawbacks, but it can miss and severely cripple Blaziken, often leading to its demise. It is important to keep in mind common Protect users and Ghost-type Pokemon when using that move.
Regardless, the sheer strength of these moves often demand opponents to have Pokemon that either resist both or pack extremely high physical bulk. Even then, Blaziken has options around those. Knock Off smashes apart Latios, non-mega Latias, and Chandelure and deals solid damage to Cresselia and Slowbro. It can remove Rocky Helmet, relieving the passive pressure Blaziken gets from repeatedly using contact moves. Stone Edge destroys Talonflame and Mega Charizard Y and can make Salamence, Gyarados, and Dragonite think twice before switching in. However, its accuracy can be rather problematic, so it may be wise to run Rock Slide instead. Thunder Punch can be used to smash Gyarados and Azumarill, although it hits no other notable targets. If the bonus coverage is not needed, Blaziken can use Swords Dance to boost its Attack into sky-high levels, allowing it to sweep with ease. Protect is mandatory in order to guarantee a turn of Speed Boost, especially during the turn Blaziken Mega Evolves.
Set Details
========
As with most glass cannon sweepers, maximizing Attack and Speed is recommended to hit as hard and as quickly as possible. With maximum Speed, Mega Blaziken can attempt to Speed tie with the likes of Mega Charizard X and Volcarona, potentially pulling a clutch victory. Adamant is recommended over Jolly, as Blaziken outruns every relevant unboosted Pokemon anyways at +1 Speed.
Both Blaze and Speed Boost are viable abilities to choose from for the base Blaziken. Blaze may sound odd at first, but if you're going to Mega Evolve Blaziken anyways, having Speed Boost on the base forme can be pointless. With Blaze, Blaziken has an incentive to not immediately mega evolve. Sometimes odd scenarios in which Blaze is more useful can happen, such as the enemy Porygon2 being able to potentially Trace Speed Boost and coming out clutch, or times when Blaziken needs the power boost from Blaze to KO something. Regardless, these situations are incredibly rare. Speed Boost allows for more teambuilding flexibility - some teams will prefer having two Mega Pokemon but may often not use them together. In the cases where both Pokemon are required in one squad, Blaziken can forgo its Mega Evolution and remain relevant due to Speed Boost.
In short, choose Blaze if Blaziken will be your only Mega Evolution on the team and choose Speed Boost if you have another potential Mega Evolution.
Usage Tips
========
As a Mega Pokemon, Blaziken will often be the center of your team's focus. Evaluate the number of enemies Blaziken can defeat in Team Preview before deciding to bring it in, then bring the appropriate amount of support once you decide on that. It may not be the best idea to bring it if your opponent has two or more Blaziken checks or two or more Pokemon that can outduel it. For example, a team with Cresselia / Azumarill / Talonflame / Aegislash / Garchomp / Mega Kangaskhan is probably not something you should bring Blaziken into.
Due to the side effects of Blaziken's STAB moves combined with its frailty, it is important to note that mispredictions can be immediately costly. Be careful with using High Jump Kick if there are enemy Ghost-types around, or if Blaziken is facing a common Protect user such as Heatran or enemy Blaziken. Speaking of Protect, try not to be predictable when using it, as it can lead to the opponent getting a free switch to a check.
Blaziken's sheer offensive strength allows it to be used as both a wallbreaker and a cleaner, although it is more proficient at the latter. With that and its resistances, switching Blaziken into direct attacks is possible, despite its overall frailty. However, Blaziken should primarily be switching in to revenge kill a fallen teammate so it does not take too much damage and subsequently knock itself out via Flare Blitz recoil.
Team Options
========
Zapdos and Rotom-W cover most of Blaziken's checks, such as Azumarill, Salamence, Gyarados, Slowbro, and Talonflame. Both of them can use Volt Switch to help bring Blaziken in easier. In turn, Blaziken can threaten Grass-types that beat Rotom-W and can defeat certain Pokemon that give Zapdos issues, such as Greninja, Tyranitar, and Gengar. Ferrothorn can defeat Water-types such as Suicune, threaten Cresselia with passive damage, and set up Stealth Rock to aid Blaziken's sweep. Zapdos's Fighting resistance helps turn the trio of Zapdos / Blaziken / Ferrothorn into a solid balanced squad. Blaziken / Rotom-W / Ferrothorn is also another great core, featuring the Fire / Water / Grass combination. Thundurus can fulfill a somewhat similar role as Zapdos and offers more power in exchange for reduced durability.
Stealth Rock in general can aid Blaziken massively. A number of Blaziken's checks are weak to it (most notably Talonflame). Furthermore, Stealth Rock ensures that Blaziken will 2HKO Suicune with High Jump Kick. A few notable Stealth Rock users include Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Ferrothorn.
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Superpower / High Jump Kick
move 4: Protect
ability: Speed Boost
item: Life Orb
evs: 52 Atk / 244 SpA / 212 Spe
ivs: 30 HP / 30 Def
nature: Naive
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Overheat batters physically bulky Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Zapdos. It reliably destroys Aegislash as well and, (AC) because it is special, it won't be affected by Mawile's Intimidate. Hidden Power Ice OHKOes Landorus-T, Gliscor, Garchomp, and Mega Salamence. Superpower and High Jump Kick are strong STAB options despite lacking full investment. Protect is a necessity to quickly patch Blaziken's mediocre Speed.
Set Details
========
Blaziken's talents extend to its non-Mega usage. With a mixed set, Blaziken can carve out an offensive niche that is not outclassed by its Mega Evolution. Sporting formidable 120 / 110 offenses backed by Life Orb, Blaziken can still dish out tremendous amounts of damage and even slightly outclass its Mega Evolution power-wise if it attempts to pull off the same set. Here are some calculations to demonstrate Blaziken's power.
- 244 SpA Life Orb Blaziken Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 182-218 (99.4 - 119.1%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO [this doesn't change with 252 SpA]
- 244 SpA Life Orb Blaziken Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Mega Salamence: 177-208 (104.1 - 122.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- 52 Atk Life Orb Blaziken Superpower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Heatran: 203-242 (102.5 - 122.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- 52 Atk Life Orb Blaziken Superpower vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Kangaskhan: 218-257 (102.8 - 121.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- 244 SpA Life Orb Blaziken Overheat vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 179-213 (107.1 - 127.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
- 244 SpA Life Orb Blaziken Overheat vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 140-165 (71 - 83.7% + 35.5 - 42.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
- 244 SpA Life Orb Blaziken Overheat vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Mega Gengar: 134-160 (98.5 - 117.6%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
Usage Tips
========
This set can function as a lure, so it may be in your best interest to carry a Pokemon that appreciates certain checks baited and removed by Blaziken. However, some people may expect it if you don't Mega Evolve Blaziken. Try predicting your opponent's usual check to it on the switch before he or she suspects something is up and punishes you for it. Remember that this Blaziken's Fighting-type STAB move is not as powerful, so enemies such as Suicune and Azumarill can be sent in more comfortably.
Team Options
========
Because this set does not require Blaziken to Mega Evolve, feel free to use Mega Pokemon in conjunction with it. Mega Gengar can destroy Mega Slowbro and threaten Cresselia and Azumarill, while Blaziken scares off Dark-type Pokemon such as Bisharp and Hydreigon. Mega Salamence appreciates Blaziken's ability to threaten Skarmory, Tyranitar, Zapdos, and Porygon2.
As mentioned before, Blaziken can lure enemies with this set. There are some Pokemon that can take advantage of a successful bait. For example, Aegislash and Mega Kangaskhan appreciate Blaziken dealing severe damage to Hippowdon, and Mega Venusaur can have a field day if Blaziken can successfully bait and destroy Mega Salamence.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Swords Dance / Bulk Up
move 2: Protect
move 3: Baton Pass
move 4: High Jump Kick / Blaze Kick
ability: Speed Boost
item: Focus Sash / Weakness Policy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Impish
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance and Protect allow Blaziken to quickly stack stat boosts to Baton Pass to teammates. Bulk Up + Weakness Policy is also viable for greater payoff potential, but this strategy is less reliable. High Jump Kick lets Blaziken hurt foes if it absolutely needs to, but it should be used sparingly, especially because missing or hitting a Rocky Helmet Pokemon will waste its Focus Sash. Substitute with Leftovers is viable if your recipient Pokemon requires multiple Speed boosts. It can also block predicted Thunder Waves, allowing for a safer pass. It also blocks Imposter so Ditto doesn't turn the boosts against the recipient.
Set Details
========
252 HP EVs are used for the best overall bulk because this set will not be attacking much. Maximum Speed allows Blaziken to Baton Pass away with minimum Speed boosts, assuming the recipient does not require multiple boosts. There is also the fact that there really aren't better stats to invest the EVs in, assuming Jolly.
Impish is also viable with maximum HP and Defense EVs. Blaziken can take a Choice Band-boosted Brave Bird from Talonflame after a Bulk Up, activate Weakness Policy, and Baton Pass away. It will also be guaranteed to survive Garchomp's Earthquake without any defensive boosts.
Usage Tips
========
This set can work quite well as a lead, but beware if the enemy has potential phazers such as Suicune. Priority moves can also ruin Baton Pass. If you anticipate the foe having a priority move, make sure Blaziken uses Baton Pass in a healthy state before its HP gets too low and it can be picked off. Don't make your Baton Passes predictable. Oftentimes, you may want to Baton Pass as soon as Blaziken gains sufficient boosts. You don't always have to Baton Pass only when you're unable to find room to boost any longer, because that guarantees that your next turn will be Baton Pass. This means your opponent can easily punish your recipient.
Team Options
========
Mega Kangaskhan is the best recipient for Blaziken's boosts. It is bulky enough to take most incoming punishment and possesses the raw strength to simply batter defensive threats with a boost. It also bypasses Sturdy and Focus Sash thanks to Parental Bond. Mega Mawile is another fearsome ally - a speedy Mega Mawile can be terrifying due to how much raw damage it deals. It also resists Brave Bird, Ice Shard, Sucker Punch, and Extreme Speed and is bulky enough to withstand Aqua Jets and Mach Punches, making revenge killing it difficult. Generally, any physical attacker will work as a teammate depending on the situation. For example, Blaziken can Baton Pass to Mega Salamence to avoid Earthquake, or Baton Pass to Garchomp to avoid Thunder Wave.
Mega Latias deserves a special note for being able to act as an unexpected partner. With sufficient boosts, Mega Latias can deal tremendous amounts of damage with Stored Power. Use the Bulk Up / Weakness Policy set with this.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Rock Slide is a viable alternative to Stone Edge if accuracy is a concern. If you don't care too much about opposing Salamence or Gyarados, the power drop will not be a huge issue. Toxic can be used to wear down bulky, sustaining checks such as Mega Slowbro, Cresselia, and Hippowdon. Note that regular Slowbro can still be an issue due to Regenerator, however. Low Kick can be used if High Jump Kick's and Superpower's drawbacks are too much, but its lower Base Power against certain important targets such as Rotom-W and Garchomp can be a problem. Will-O-Wisp is an unusual choice to weaken Azumarill, Salamence, Gyarados, and Dragonite and can be used to cripple some enemies in a pinch. Brave Bird may seem appealing, but it only hits Mega Venusaur.
On the mixed set, Hidden Power Electric and Grass are viable alternatives - the former smashes Gyarados and the latter takes down Quagsire, Swampert, and Gastrodon. Both options also deal respectable damage to Slowbro. Fire Blast can be used instead of Overheat for a more consistent damage output, but it might fail to OHKO Aegislash. On the Baton Pass set, Blaziken can surprise enemy phazers by carrying Roar.
Blaziken can utilize Scope Lens + Focus Energy for fun. This amplifies Blaziken's critical hit rate on regular moves to 100% and, because critical hits ignore stat drops, Blaziken can freely spam Overheat and Superpower at 150% damage without suffering from the offensive stat drops unless it hits a foe that has Shell Armor or Battle Armor or is shielded by Lucky Chant. It is not as good as it sounds, however, as the turn Blaziken uses to set up Focus Energy can be used for something more productive, such as setting up a Swords Dance. However, Baton Passing Focus Energy and Speed boosts to Sniper Kingdra can be devastating.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pokemon that Resist Blaziken's STAB Moves**: Slowbro, Salamence, Gyarados, Talonflame, Azumarill, Mega Latias, Mega Altaria, and Dragonite can tank Blaziken's STAB attacks easily. Mega Slowbro will completely wall Blaziken if it lacks a super effective Hidden Power.
**Suicune**: Although High Jump Kick can 2HKO Suicune with high rolls, Suicune can easily handle everything else Blaziken throws at it. Rocky Helmet can knock Blaziken to Scald's KO range and Roar can nullify the Baton Pass set very easily.
**Cresselia**: Cresselia is bulky enough to withstand every attack Blaziken throws at it and can threaten back with Thunder Wave and Psychic. It can also heal off the damage Blaziken dealt with Moonlight. Knock Off can nullify the threat of Cresselia's Rocky Helmet, however.
**Hippowdon**: High physical bulk, access to reliable recovery, a phazing move, and a STAB Earthquake can make short work of Blaziken's Mega and Baton Pass sets. If nothing else, Rocky Helmet and Sand Stream can both quickly deplete Blaziken's health.
**Priority**: Note that while Blaziken resists most priority moves, it is weak to Flying and Water, making priority users such as Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Azumarill, and Crawdaunt tremendous issues. Similarly, Prankster Thunder Wave can shut down Blaziken's sweeping attempt, although it will often come at the cost of that Pokemon.
**Pokemon with Rocky Helmet**: Blaziken typically runs contact moves, meaning Rocky Helmet can punish it, especially when combined with Flare Blitz's recoil.
**Prediction**: Correctly predicting Blaziken's Fighting-type STAB move and responding to it appropriately can severely weaken Blaziken. Sending a Zapdos into Blaziken's Superpower, for example, lowers its Attack so that Zapdos can comfortably stall it. Likewise, sending a Ghost-type Pokemon into High Jump Kick will quickly make Blaziken regret the turn.
Last edited:
