Heatran (specially defensive)

Status: Uploaded. Good job Delko

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/heatran

[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Lava Plume / Flamethrower
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Protect
move 4: Roar
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
ability: Flash Fire

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses more on Heatran's decent bulk and unique typing instead of his offensive power. As such, this Heatran is best used on teams with a stall-based approach. Although Heatran lacks an instant recovery move, which is usually preferred on a special sponge, he is sturdy enough to take a couple of special hits. Besides, Heatran's base 130 Special Attack stat makes him a very difficult Pokemon to switch into, even without EV investment.</p>

<p>Lava Plume is Heatran's preferred attack move, as it has high PP and a 30% chance to burn the opponent, which is always beneficial for specially defensive Pokemon. Flamethrower is also an option due to its higher Base Power. Earth Power is a great move to use alongside Heatran's STAB move as it provides decent coverage, especially against opposing Heatran trying to obtain a Flash Fire boost. Protect has two functions: it allows Heatran to scout Choice users, reducing the need for prediction, and it gives him an additional turn for Leftovers recovery, while in the meantime letting your opponent take extra residual damage. Roar is another useful move on this set, especially with entry hazard support. Heatran forces a lot of switches, so phazing your opponent's team will cause even more residual damage. Roar also allows you to scout your opponent's team.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Below are some damage calculations which effectively portray Heatran's amazing special bulk:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Scarftran Earth Power - 70.5% - 83.9%</li>
<li>Scarf Shaymin Earth Power - 59.1% - 70.5%</li>
<li>LO Shaymin Earth Power - 76.7% - 91.2%</li>
<li>LO Gengar Focus Blast - 61.1% - 72%</li>
<li>LO Jolteon HP Fighting - 31.6% - 37.3%</li>
<li>Specs Jolteon Thunderbolt - 37.3% - 43.8%</li>
</ul>

<p>An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 156 SpD / 100 Spe is usable, and a Calm nature will still give Heatran decent defensive capabilities, while the extra Speed allows him to outrun Rotom-A who run no Speed EVs. With this spread, Heatran can take out weakened versions before they can hit him.</p>

<p>Heatran has a huge number of support moves he can utilize. Either Toxic or Will-O-Wisp can easily fit over Protect or Roar. Take note that if you decide to use Will-O-Wisp, Flamethrower should be your main offensive move. Stealth Rock is an option on Heatran as well if you desperately need someone to lay it down. Taunt is also useful, and can find its way into this Heatran's moveset. Taunt almost completely shuts down opposing stall teams and prevents status moves from being used on Heatran and his teammates. Rest provides Heatran with a somewhat reliable recovery move, but two turns of sleep is a letdown, and makes Heatran set-up fodder for a variety of Pokemon.</p>

<p>Offensively, Heatran also has access to a variety of useful moves. Fire Blast or Overheat can be used if you want a more powerful STAB move, but on a defensive Pokemon like this Heatran variant, a reliable move with decent PP is preferred over sheer power. Using Dragon Pulse instead of Earth Power can help against Dragonite and Flygon who are locked into Outrage. Hidden Power Electric and Hidden Power Grass can also help against Gyarados and Swampert, respectively.</p>

<p>Since this is a defensive variant of Heatran, Toxic Spikes are greatly appreciated. A Rapid Spin user is also nice, as Heatran needs as much HP as possible to maintain his defensive capabilities. Forretress does both of these things while also luring Fire-type moves so that Heatran can get a safe switch-in, making Forretress a great teammate. Since Heatran lacks a reliable recovery move, Wish support is a good idea. Vaporeon and Blissey can do this, but, in Blissey's case, watch out for the shared weakness to Fighting-type moves. RestTalk Roar Gyarados also makes a great teammate as he covers Heatran's weaknesses quite well, while his Intimidate also helps in covering Heatran's weaker Defense.</p>

Wasn't there quite a similar set up a while ago but got taken down?? It was like Burn Support or something, with Will-O-Wisp. Anyway, I'm using a very similar set, except with Explosion over Earth Power to lure Blissey with. The EVs could be better. Heatran doesn't need Calm, in my opinion. With just 252 HP/16 SpA/240 SpD Modest, he can take Focus Blast from Gengar and OHKO with Overheat. It can still take Earth Powers from unboosted Heatran as well.

Okay Shrang thanks for the feedback. ^^
I added your EV spread. Is Overheat really that useful on a defensive Heatran?

I feel like Lava Plume should be slashed because of the 30% burn rate. (Heatran's counter's like Tyranitar, Gyarados and Swampert hate getting burned). The burn can also help wear down the opponent's Pokemon which is really useful for stall and offensive teams. Lava Plume is also worth it because can support it's team more effectively. Definitely worth a slash in my opinion.

i liked the current evs posted. also i would slash in sub and wow for the sr and roar spots. it was featured in the smog and was a very good set burning in common heatran switchins such as gyrados and flygon. sub allowed prediction to be minimized. ive seen wow and sub used in tandem, sub and roar, and even wow and roar.

Thanks, updated the OP.

I was doing come Damage calcs, and 252/252 HP/SpD and Calm is optimal, as with that spread scarf tran only does 88.1% - 104.7%, rarely OHKOing you with earthpower. If you go with modest it does 96.4% - 114%-a lot more OHKO's happening there. I would stick with Calm, as well as the current EV spread. Also, I highly doubt 4 SpA gives you any important (Or any at all?) kills. I would switch that to Speed to outspeed the very very rare 0 Spe Tran. Most use those 4 EVs can be. Also make sure to add the fact it is the only Heatran that can survive a 252/neutral nature Earth power from another Heatran, while being able to OHKO back.

Thanks Despotar, moved the 4 leftover EV's to speed.

I think Taunt would work very well on this set to prevent Blissey from Thunder Waving you and what not. It can also prevent Suicune from Roaring you out or setting up on you, and also being a decent move to use on the switch.

Added Taunt, thanks MetaNite!

Protect doesn't necessarily have to be paired with Toxic. I've seen multiple people use this set with Protect used in place of Stealth Rock. The extra Leftovers recovery and the ability to scout sets / choice attacks is pretty valuable. Heatran has the added advantage of being immune to sandstorm damage, so it gets the extra Leftovers recovery even when paired with Tyranitar or Hippowdon. If used with Lava Plume it can also be used to rack up additional burn damage. I would really like Protect to at least be slashed alongside Stealth Rock.

I also agree with shrang about the EVs.

Good point Stellar, I shall slash in Protect.

You should definitely slash Substitute with Stealth Rock and Protect. It lets you ease prediction and it has AMAZING synergy with Roar.

2 things:

1: Lava Plume as main slash. This set pulls in physical attackers like crazy, so getting that burn chance is huge.

2: Post some calcs in the AC of the analysis showing the ridiculous defensive prowess of this set. For example:

Vs. 252/252 Calm Heatran:
Scarftran Earth Power- 70.5% - 83.9%
Scarf Shaymin Earth Power- 59.1% - 70.5%
LO Shaymin Earth Power- 76.7% - 91.2%
LO Gengar Focus Blast- 61.1% - 72%

Or you can run 252 HP / 160 Spe / 96 SpD and actually outrun all Scizor (wouldn't it suck to lose to him because your trying to be a special wall which you arent). This also outspeeds all other phazers.

And lose the ability to never die to top stuff like Shaymin and Heatran? No thanks.

Setsuna brought that spread up on IRC earlier, but we decided against it.

The EV spread needs major work for this type of tran but I do like the idea of it, earthworm gave me his stall team with tran and ive had sucess running 252hp / 24 speed / 232 SpD @ timid, i run it for defensive rotoms that dont run any speed.

remlabmez said:

The EV spread needs major work for this type of tran but I do like the idea of it, earthworm gave me his stall team with tran and ive had sucess running 252hp / 24 speed / 232 SpD @ timid, i run it for defensive rotoms that dont run any speed.

Click to expand...

Running a calm nature gives better stats given that you are boosting a higher stat. So it would be 252hp 156spdef 100spe @ calm.
Also, I have seen Phil's Torment Tran spread being used for this sort of thing.

Edit - I agree with Super Mario Bro about slashing Sub. That set is fantastically irritating to face.

Okay, thank you all for your imput.
OP has updated! (added Calcs)

EDIT: You're right jc104. I'll change that.

I don't agree with adding Sub to this set. The point of the set is surviving huge attacks with its bulk, and Substitute just limits your coverage and costs you HP. Besides, I don't see a reason to run SubRoar with anything other than just a full offensive spread. You want to be able to threaten things behind the sub, and Subbing down also threatens your ability to check stuff like Gengar later in the game.

A side note: How the hell is SubRoar not on site already? I might need to fix that.

You made a good point SDS, Substitute is added to AC instead of being slashed.

the reason for sub was mentioned in the smog 9 in the underrated movesets section by reverb. ill quote it here.

"Substitute is one of the best moves in the game. It provides a free turn to scout the opponent and respond to them. It can throw off opposing Heatran who think they are going to get a Flash Fire boost. Once under the Substitute, many Pokémon expect Heatran to be running Roar, so Pokémon like Gyarados and Tyranitar opt to stay in while breaking the Substitute only to be phazed away. However, instead of being phazed away, they are completely crippled by Will-O-Wisp. With their Attack cut in half, physical attackers are effectively neutralized. Flamethrower is the best STAB move for this particular set. Its high PP and Base Power afford Heatran another way to wear down its opponents. Earth Power is there to cover anything that resists Heatran's main STAB, namely other Heatran and Tyranitar. The two moves together cover a wide spectrum of types while the Pokémon who resist both attacks are crippled by burn."

while there is good logic in not using sub, i feel its worth a slash. but this quote is also assuming that the user is using will o wisp. i personally would use will o wisp over SR/Protect on a set (seeing that there are many physical attackers who switch into heatran) like this but if qc determines wisp isnt worth a slash i guess sub isnt worth it either

The set you are talking about was on site until a little while ago (I think it was called Burn support or something).
Anyway, I think that adding Substitute (and Will-o-wisp) to AC is good enough, this way they are still mentioned but without having 5 slashes or so after each move.

oh i wasnt aware it was taken down, im suprised too seeing as i thought it was pretty good

It was decent but Phil removed it.
For reference, the burn support set looked something like this:

Heatran @ leftovers/ calm/ flash fire
252 HP /16 SpA /240 SpD

- Substitute
- Will-o-wisp
- Earth Power
- Overheat/ Fire Blast

The set looks the same but since it uses Substitute it cannot counter alot of the threats that the one in this threat actually does.