Blaziken (Update)

So, I'm taking this over for Heysup as well. His thread can be found and locked here.

franky gets credit for writing the Swords Dance set


<cluck>

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


[Overview]

<p>Blaziken is arguably the best wallbreaker in the UU metagame, thanks to its awesome mixed attacking stats (120/110/80), Fighting-type STAB to take out common special walls, and powerful Fire-type STAB to deal major damage to everything else. Unfortunately, Blaziken wishes it were faster, as its middling Speed and defenses are the main things holding it back. However, it's a very versatile Pokemon with many viable options and a useful typing that sets it apart from fellow Fire- and Fighting-types. With so many possibilities, no one can ever be sure of what set it is running until it attacks. If you need a Pokemon to break down walls, revenge kill, or sweep late-game, definitely consider Blaziken for a slot on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Choice
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Low Kick / Superpower
move 3: ThunderPunch
move 4: Stone Edge / Blaze Kick
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses on using Blaziken's excellent Attack stat and coverage to deal massive damage to opposing teams. The way to use this Blaziken is rather simple: just switch into a Pokemon whom Blaziken easily forces out, such as Registeel, and fire off any attack that your heart desires. Blaziken's main attack is Flare Blitz, which can OHKO most Pokemon who don't resist it. Low Kick and Superpower hit the Rock-types who resist Flare Blitz, such as Rhyperior, for major damage while also nailing most Water-types on the switch. ThunderPunch hits Water-types such as Milotic harder, achieving a 2HKO, and also strikes Moltres, who resists both of Blaziken's STAB attacks, for a near OHKO. Finally, Stone Edge can be used in the fourth slot to smash opposing Fire-types and Altaria super effectively, but Blaze Kick could be run instead as a great recoil-less move to sweep late-game with (especially if Blaziken is in Blaze range).</p>

<p>Superpower and Low Kick are both great moves for Blaziken, and both 2HKO Milotic, making it tough to decide between the two. While Superpower hits Pokemon such as Omastar for an OHKO, Low Kick has more consistent power and doesn’t lower Blaziken’s Attack stat. With a Choice Band, Low Kick and Superpower are both equally effective; however, the Choice Scarf set prefers Superpower because of its more reliable immediate power.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The choice of whether to use a Choice Band or Choice Scarf comes down to personal preference. Choice Band is the recommended item choice, as most of the listed OHKOs and 2HKOs are assuming a Choice Band, and it is much harder to switch into. With a Choice Scarf, however, Blaziken is much harder to revenge kill, but has weaker offense.</p>

<p>The sheer power of a Choice Band boosted Flare Blitz can OHKO a good portion of the metagame on its own, as well as 2HKOing most defensive Pokemon as well. Altaria, who would otherwise commonly switch into any of the other sets, is 2HKOed with Stealth Rock in play, and a predicted Stone Edge will easily OHKO the poor dragon. However, Slowbro can switch into this set all day, with ThunderPunch barely missing out on the 2HKO, so pairing Blaziken with a Pokemon who can easily dispose of Slowbro, such as Lanturn, is highly recommended. Grass-types, such as Venusaur and Tangrowth, can switch in on Slowbro as well as other Water-types, and threaten them with a STAB Grass-type attack. This Blaziken is also liable to get set up on by Ghost-types predicting the incoming Fighting-type attack, so packing a Skuntank or Spiritomb on your team will allow Blaziken to easily bypass those threats and continue with its wallbreaking duties. Choice Band Blaziken is prone to revenge killing by faster threats such as Alakazam, Swellow, and Scyther, so pairing Blaziken with a Pokemon who can absorb blows from these threats, such as Registeel, will greatly increase Blaziken's survivability. Spikes help this Blaziken out a lot; with Spikes and Stealth Rock, Choice Band Blaziken can actually 2HKO Slowbro with ThunderPunch, and OHKO Donphan with Flare Blitz. While holding a Choice Scarf, Blaziken will appreciate any residual damage to compensate for the lack of power.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric
move 4: Vacuum Wave / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
nature: Mild / Rash
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is designed to take advantage of Blaziken's great offensive stats to break down any wall who dares stand in its way. The strategy works likes this - send Blaziken in on a support move or a weak attack, such as Spiritomb's Will-O-Wisp or Registeel's Stealth Rock, scare off the opponent, and proceed to hit the switch-in with either Fire Blast or Superpower, before finishing it off with another hard-hitting attack.</p>

<p>Fire Blast is Blaziken's main STAB attack that can deal a devastating amount of damage to most Pokemon, while Hidden Power covers common Water-type switch-ins. Common walls such as Registeel and Steelix are easily dispatched by either of Blaziken's STAB attacks, and Chansey is easily OHKOed by Superpower, giving special sweepers on your team a new lease on life. Vacuum Wave helps Blaziken become a fairly decent revenge killer as well, nearly OHKOing dangerous Pokemon such as Omastar and Kabutops (if it does not carry Aqua Jet) in the rain. Alternatively, Stone Edge can be used over Vacuum Wave to hit Altaria, who would otherwise safely switch into this set. Vacuum Wave is generally a better choice though, taking into account Blaziken's mediocre Speed.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Max Speed allows Blaziken to outspeed Absol and tie with other base 80 Speed Pokemon. A Speed-boosting nature can be used to tie with positive-natured Venusaur and Kabutops, but the loss of power is noticeable. Alternatively, a spread of 240 Atk / 252 SpA / 16 Spe allows much more firepower, giving Blaziken more stallbreaking ability, but less use against more offensive teams. The 16 Speed EVs allow Blaziken to beat Adamant Aggron and minimum Speed Milotic. The added power will allow Superpower to OHKO Lanturn with Stealth Rock and Omastar after a Fire Blast, and have a good chance of KOing Milotic after a Hidden Power. Superpower followed by Vacuum Wave is also Blaziken's only means of 2HKOing Azumarill before getting hit by Aqua Jet. Either a Mild or Rash nature may be used depending on whether you want Blaziken to be able to switch into Houndoom's and Spiritomb's assaults or to have more protection against priority users such as Arcanine, respectively.</p>

<p>This Blaziken set is great at breaking your opponent's walls, such as Registeel, Chansey, and Slowbro, who may cause significant trouble for your sweepers. Thus, Mismagius and Alakazam make great teammates for Blaziken, because with Registeel and Chansey out of the way, they can easily set up and sweep the opponent's team. Alakazam also has the added benefit of checking Hariyama, who may cause Blaziken problems with its bulk and Thick Fat. Pokemon such as Swords Dance Drapion can take advantage of a possible Steelix or Regirock kill as well. Azumarill is another good choice to use with Blaziken, because with Slowbro out of the way, Azumarill can sweep more effectively. Stealth Rock support gives this set many more KOs, so a reliable user of it such as Uxie also makes a wonderful partner to Blaziken.</p>

<p>Defensively, Venusaur is a great Pokemon to use alongside Blaziken, as it can take the Water-type attacks aimed at Blaziken, while dealing with the bulky Water-types whom Blaziken may have trouble with. It is also recommended that you carry an Ice-type attack on your team when you use Blaziken, because Altaria severely hinders Blaziken's wallbreaking power, especially if it has Roost to heal off damage. Mismagius and other Pokemon who can switch into Ground-type attacks make great partners to Blaziken as well.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Low Kick / Superpower
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: ThunderPunch / Stone Edge / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Though the common mixed Blaziken is considered a wallbreaker, almost all UU stall teams will carry one of its counters, such as Milotic, Altaria, or Hariyama. However, this Blaziken uses Swords Dance to boost its Attack to sky-high levels, allowing it to OHKO all of its usual counters and run through unprepared stall teams.</p>

<p>Low Kick is Blaziken's main STAB move, OHKOing many walls (if Stealth Rock is on the field) without any drawbacks. However, Superpower is another option that can OHKO Milotic and defensive Altaria as well as have a chance to OHKO Donphan with Stealth Rock down (in exchange for the Attack and Defense drop). Superpower will always OHKO 252 HP / 252 Def Milotic, and 252 HP / 40 Def Altaria will take a minimum of 77.68% from a resisted Superpower, which is a guaranteed OHKO with Stealth Rock down. Even after the stat drops, Blaziken will have a +1 boost under its belt and a clear path to sweep. The secondary STAB move is a choice between Fire Punch and Flare Blitz. While Flare Blitz may sound like a dangerous choice for this set because of its recoil, its sole purpose is to grab the OHKO on bulkier Pokemon like Spiritomb, Uxie, and Claydol. On the other hand, Fire Punch provides a safer option without any negative side effects.</p>

<p>The final slot comes down to three choices that are dependent on a team's needs. Firstly, ThunderPunch comes in handy when faced with a defensive Slowbro, as it deals 73.15% - 88.83% and has a 7.69% chance to OHKO with Stealth Rock down after a single Swords Dance boost. Secondly, Stone Edge is a nice move to hit Altaria and Moltres without resorting to Superpower and having Blaziken's Attack and Defense drop. Lastly, Quick Attack provides Blaziken with a way to hit faster Pokemon such as Dugtrio and Sceptile. Though its Base Power is less than ideal, with a Swords Dance boost, it nabs some interesting KOs. To illustrate the damage output of a boosted Quick Attack, here are some damage calculations:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>+2 Quick Attack vs 0/0 Dugtrio - 96.68% - 113.74%<li>
<li>+2 Quick Attack vs 0/0 Sceptile - 59.43% - 70.11%<li>
<li>+2 Quick Attack vs 0/0 Espeon - 65.68% - 77.49%<li>
<li>+2 Quick Attack vs 0/0 Alakazam - 100.8% - 118.7%</li>
<li>+2 Quick Attack vs 0/0 Swellow - 68.2% - 80.5%</li>
</ul>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>A Jolly nature is an alternative to outpace Pokemon who linger around the base 80 Speed tier, most notably neutral-natured Venusaur, Nidoking, Kabutops, Toxicroak, and other Blaziken. However, the drop in power means Blaziken loses out on a guaranteed OHKO on Altaria with Stealth Rock down (Superpower and Flare Blitz both do a minimum of 70.90%).</p>

<p>Blaziken fits nicely on "Spike-stacking" offensive teams that use both Stealth Rock and Spikes. Stealth Rock and at least two layers of Spikes give Blaziken a higher chance to OHKO Slowbro with ThunderPunch, as well as Dugtrio and Sceptile with Quick Attack. Another way to improve Blaziken's sweep is to spread paralysis around the opponent's team. Uxie and Mesprit are great candidates for this due to their natural bulk and ability to set up Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>Blaziken usually has trouble dealing with priority users. Ambipom is a nuisance with its powerful Fake Out + Return combo, which has the power to OHKO Blaziken. Hitmontop also has Fake Out and Mach Punch to reduce Blaziken's HP to smithereens. Azumarill can threaten Blaziken with STAB Aqua Jet, while Blaziken can't even muster a 2HKO with a boosted Quick Attack. On a balanced team, Weezing makes an exceptional partner to Blaziken when it comes to handling these threats, as it can cripple these Pokemon with Will-O-Wisp as well as lure in Chansey to give Blaziken a good opportunity to get a free Swords Dance boost. Cloyster also fits in with Blaziken due to its ability to set up Spikes while scaring away Azumarill. From an offensive standpoint, Choice Scarf Rotom makes an exceptional partner because it is immune to most priority moves and can threaten foes with STAB Thunderbolt.</p>

<p>On an offensive team, Curse Registeel makes an excellent partner because Blaziken can lure in and defeat Milotic, Altaria, and Hariyama, all of whom can disrupt Registeel's setup with phazing moves or Haze. With these Pokemon out of the picture, Registeel can stack Curse boosts without fear. Feraligatr also makes a good partner because it shares many counters with Blaziken and appreciates having them significantly weakened or KOed.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Agility Sweeper
move 1: Agility
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Hidden Power Electric
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
nature: Rash
evs: 192 Atk / 252 SpA / 64 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to take advantage of Blaziken's wallbreaking abilities to sweep late-game with Agility. Fire Blast and Superpower are nearly unresisted in UU, save for a couple ofPokemon, such as Slowbro and Moltres, who are hit hard by Hidden Power. To use this set effectively, send out Blaziken on a weak or harmless attack and start wailing on the opponent's walls. Once a wall is in KO range, use Agility on the switch and begin to sweep.</p>

<p>With Fire Blast as its main sweeping attack and a base 110 Special Attack, Blaziken can leave a deep mark on most targets. Superpower deals with what Fire Blast cannot, and the drops in Attack here are not as important anymore, as Blaziken should be sweeping primarily with special moves. Finally, Hidden Power Electric covers bulky Water- and Flying-types, most notably Moltres, who is OHKOed after Stealth Rock.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Naturally, Blaziken draws out its counters, but what is remarkable about this Blaziken is that it can actually beat its counters before setting up its sweep. The EVs reflect this by allowing Blaziken to KO Milotic with Hidden Power followed by Superpower most of the time, assuming Stealth Rock in play. Maximum Special Attack allows Fire Blast to outright annihilate most Pokemon who do not resist it, and 64 Speed EVs outspeeds Adamant Torterra before an Agility and neutral-natured Choice Scarf base 90s such as Moltres after one.</p>

<p>The item choice is not easy. Life Orb is preferred because of the increased damage output against Pokemon neutral to Blaziken's attacks, such as Donphan, but Expert Belt lets it bluff a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs set before it uses Agility, and doesn't inflict recoil damage. A Rash nature is used over Mild because this set needs as much protection against priority attacks as possible.</p>

<p>This set works a lot like the previous set, but without priority; instead, it directly bypasses Blaziken's mediocre Speed stat with Agility. Since this variant of Blaziken is a standalone sweeper (as in, it breaks walls for itself), this set only has trouble with Pokemon who normally wall Blaziken with their resistances and bulk, namely Altaria, Slowking, and Hariyama. A Pokemon who can deal with Altaria is a must; Rhyperior and Steelix make good choices due to their great physical bulk and the latter's Dragon resistance. Stealth Rock also helps deal with Altaria by taking away 25% from its health every time it switches in. Even though this set functions fine without any other boosts, it can benefit greatly from Calm Mind boosts from Espeon, who can Baton Pass to Blaziken on any Bug- or Dark-type attack.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Superpower
move 3: ThunderPunch / Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Rash / Mild
evs: 84 Atk / 184 SpA / 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to reliably revenge kill as many threats as possible, while also maintaining some late-game sweeping power. Fire Blast will finish off many Pokemon quite easily, while Superpower covers the rest. With ThunderPunch or Stone Edge along with Hidden Power Ice added to the mix, Blaziken will hit many Pokemon for super effective damage, which aids Blaziken with revenge killing. This Blaziken can also be used as a late-game clean up Pokemon, as once it has taken enough damage, it can sweep with its powerful Blaze-boosted Fire Blast.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With the given Speed EVs and a Choice Scarf, Blaziken reaches a Speed stat of 384, which outspeeds every unboosted Pokemon (except Electrode) in UU. The rest of the EVs are split between Attack and Special Attack to give Blaziken as much attacking power on both sides.</p>

<p>The advantage of going mixed over a purely physical Scarf set is that Blaziken's revenge killing prowess broadens. With this set, Blaziken can open with a STAB Fire Blast to deal a lot of damage to whatever it is attempting to revenge kill, and it works well to scout your opponent's Blaziken counters. With "BoltBeam" coverage alongside its STABs, there are few Pokemon whom Blaziken will not hit for super effective damage, which is important for a Choice Scarf set.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf Blaziken works great offensively with Pokemon such as Swords Dance Drapion and Rock Polish Torterra, being able to outspeed and OHKO many of their counters, while defensively, Blaziken needs a Pokemon to sponge hits from opponents who can take a hit while also hitting Blaziken for a KO back. With the lack of a boosting item, Water-types will be even more comfortable switching into this set. Bringing a Grass-type Pokemon to the battle, such as Venusaur, can easily force them out.</p>

[Team Options]

<p>Due to Blaziken's offensive nature, any teammate who can set up Stealth Rock reliably will be greatly appreciated, as it turns some 3HKOs into 2HKOs against common switch-ins, such as Milotic and Moltres. With Stealth Rock up, a general all-out attacking Blaziken (such as the mixed Life Orb set, Choice Specs, or Choice Band) can 2HKO just about every Pokemon in the UU metagame, barring set specific counters (such as Hariyama, Altaria, and Slowbro).</p>

<p>The general function served by all Blaziken sets is to punch holes in the opponent's team and allow your other sweepers to pull off a sweep. Since Blaziken is adept at taking out special walls such as Registeel and Chansey, it makes a great teammate for special sweepers such as Mismagius, Espeon, and Alakazam, who would otherwise have trouble getting past these walls. Blaziken can also take out physical walls, such as Steelix and Regirock, which gives Pokemon such as Drapion, Hitmonlee, and Swellow an easier time sweeping.</p>

<p>Blaziken's Choice Scarf and stat boosting sweeper sets (such as Swords Dance and Agility) can have a fair bit of trouble sweeping early in the game with your opponent's bulky Water-types in play, such as Milotic, Slowbro, Slowking, and Azumarill. You can deal with these Pokemon by utilizing Sceptile, Venusaur, or Leafeon. The "BaitLix" variant of Steelix does an excellent job of luring in Water-types and Exploding on them. Pokemon such as Magmortar also do this job nicely, as Milotic may think it's switching into a Fire Blast, but can instead be severely crippled by a Life Orb or Choice Specs boosted Thunderbolt. Blaziken itself draws out the aforementioned bulky Water-types, so Grass-types will have a great time wreaking havoc against them.</p>

<p>Defensively, Blaziken appreciates teammates who can take attacks from any faster Pokemon who threatens to KO it. Pokemon such as Swellow, Drapion, Espeon, Alakazam, and Moltres are common threats to Blaziken, and Pokemon such as Registeel or Steelix can handle most of them. Regirock is also a good Pokemon for backing up Blaziken, because it can handle Moltres, since it takes little damage from its Fire- and Flying-type STAB attacks. Venusaur is a great Pokemon for taking the attacks of the Water-type Pokemon who commonly switch in on Blaziken. Poliwrath can handle Water-type Pokemon as well, courtesy of its Water Absorb ability.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Flamethrower can replace Fire Blast on any set if you dislike Fire Blast's accuracy, but there is a significant drop in power. Blaziken can replace Superpower with Sky Uppercut or Low Kick on almost any of the sets if you dislike the stat drops from Superpower or the inconsistent damage from Low Kick, but you’ll notice the decreased damage against bulky targets like Milotic. Blaziken can also run a purely physical Agility set, with the same attacks as mentioned for the Swords Dance set. It can sweep in the same fashion that the mixed Agility sweeper can, but Flare Blitz has recoil and Superpower will lower the physical Agility set’s only attacking stat. Overheat can go over Fire Blast in some places for the extra power, but it will only work effectively on Choiced sets due to their hit-and-run style.</p>

<p>There are still a few sets that Blaziken could run that are not mentioned above. For example, a Reversal set could be devastating, but without a reliable way to remove priority attackers it is very hard to pull off a sweep. A Choice Specs set is also viable because of Blaziken's great coverage and STAB attacks; however, this set is mostly outclassed by the Life Orb set due to Superpower and the ability to switch attacks.</p>

<p>Blaziken can also play the role of a Baton Passer, capable of passing Swords Dance, Agility, Bulk Up, and Substitute. It's actually very good at doing it, because Blaziken forces a lot of switches. Choice Scarf sets can take advantage of a Speed-boosting nature to outspeed Torterra after a Rock Polish. This should only be used on the physical set because the mixed Choice Scarf set has its EVs split up already, so the additional drop in power is not worth it.</p>

[Hidden Power]

<p>With many of Blaziken's sets using Hidden Power, it is important to know which ones to use and why.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Grass is one of Blaziken's commonly used Hidden Power types that can hit Water-type Pokemon. It does more damage to Lanturn, Quagsire, and Gastrodon than Superpower, and is also needed to OHKO defensive Omastar. However, when compared to Hidden Power Electric, Hidden Power Grass leaves Blaziken open to Qwilfish, Moltres, and Charizard. Hidden Power Electric hits Water-type Pokemon as well, but also hits Moltres. In comparison to Hidden Power Grass, Hidden Power Electric leaves Blaziken open to Lanturn, Gastrodon, and Quagsire. The most significant Pokemon hit super effectively by Hidden Power Electric, Moltres, can be dealt with through Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Ice has one use for Blaziken: OHKOing Altaria, who resists both of Blaziken's STAB attacks and has great Special Defense with a recovery move to boot. Using it, however, leaves Blaziken painfully vulnerable to Water-types and Moltres, so it is only recommended if you have those Pokemon covered some other way. The reason it's used on the mixed Choice Scarf set is because it is used in conjunction with ThunderPunch, which hits these Flying- and Water-type Pokemon super effectively.</p>

<p>The last viable Hidden Power option is Rock. It OHKOes Moltres and Charizard, and dents physically defensive Intimidate Arcanine more than Superpower or Stone Edge. Again, the issue is that Blaziken needs to be able to hit Water-types hard, as they are the most common switch-ins. Stone Edge is often a better option unless you're using a Choice Specs set.</p>

[Counters]

<p>Since Blaziken is such a good mixed attacker, it's hard to switch any Pokemon in safely. That being said, safe initial switch-ins include bulky Water-types such as Milotic, but they need to watch out for Hidden Power, as it lowers them into KO range from Superpower. Altaria is probably the best all around switch-in to Blaziken, as it can take any attack except for Hidden Power Ice and Stone Edge. Since it resists both of Blaziken's STABs, it is probably your best bet if you want to safely switch into Blaziken. Similarly to Altaria, Moltres can switch in on many attacks except for Stone Edge and Hidden Power Electric as long as Stealth Rock is kept off the field.</p>

<p>Slowking is an amazing counter to the Mixed Priority and Agility sets, as it takes Fire Blast and Hidden Power better than Slowbro due to its good Special Defense, while Blaziken suffers from Life Orb recoil damage. Dugtrio serves as a good check to most Blaziken sets, as it can trap and KO Blaziken with STAB Earthquake; Blaziken can only muster around 60% damage with a Life Orb Vacuum Wave.</p>

<p>Blaziken's main weaknesses are its mediocre Speed and defenses. With mediocre Speed, Blaziken can be easily revenge killed by any Pokemon with a super effective attack who has decent attacking strength. Pokemon such as Drapion can be taken out by a Fire Blast, but they can outrun and OHKO Blaziken. The key to eliminating Blaziken is by predicting an obvious Fire Blast or Superpower and then taking advantage of its base 80 Speed and fragility by either forcing it out or revenge killing it. For example, Pokemon such as Azumarill or Kabutops can switch in on a Fire Blast and then threaten to KO it with Aqua Jet or Waterfall respectively.</p>

OK, the GP check takes some explaining. Whistle had given it an official GP check, but never stamped it because Heysup never made the changes. So, I'll post Whistle's GP check here, and call it

GP CHECK 1/3

because it's official, but unofficial at the same time. And, I made all of the changes. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to have a couple more GP checks after cutting it down from the monstrosity it once was.

blue additions red deletions with explicit changes

[Overview]

<p>Blaziken is arguably one of the best wall breakers in the UU metagame, with its base 120 Attack and base 110 Special Attack. With a Fighting STAB to take out the special walls of the metagame, and a powerful Fire STAB to deal major damage, Blaziken is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Blaziken is one of the main reasons that Chansey is not used as a primary special wall as often as it should.</p>

<p>The main thing holding Blaziken back is its mediocre Speed coupled with poor defenses. Speed is very important for sweeping, and the fact that Blaziken can be easily revenge killed holds it back from sweeping effectively; Blaziken will ideally knock out one Pokemon, then be forced out or trapped by Dugtrio. However, Blaziken's offensive nature makes it very appealing for any team that needs something to break stall and balanced teams alike, while also providing some decent revenge killing power for offensive teams. Which brings up another advantage Blaziken has - it's a very versatile Pokemon with so many viable options and a unique typing that sets it apart from fellow Fire- and Fighting-types. With so many possibilities, no one can ever be sure of what set it is running until it attacks.</p>

<p>In the OU metagame, Blaziken is generally outclassed by Infernape because of the latter's superior Speed and movepool, but Blaziken's role in the UU metagame can only be filled by a select few Pokemon, though none of them are as versatile. Nidoking can be used as a wall breaker with its superior Speed and movepool, but it lacks the brute force that Blaziken brings. Magmortar can also be a good wall breaker, but it bears a weakness to Stealth Rock and lacks the physical STAB Fighting attacks and priority to pull it off as effectively as well, though it hits a little harder than Blaziken from the special side. Blaziken has the benefit of having a secondary STAB that is enhanced by Blaze for Reversal sets, an advantage over Pokemon such as Medicham and Hitmonlee. For its Agility set, an advantage over other Agility users such as Moltres is that it has a STAB Fighting attack to dispose of Chansey and Clefable. Moltres, however, is much more durable and hits a little harder from the special side.</p>

<p>If you need a Pokemon to break down walls, revenge kill, or sweep late game, definitely consider Blaziken for a slot on your team with one of its many viable sets.</p>

[SET]
name: Physical Choice
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Low Kick / Superpower
move 3: ThunderPunch
move 4: Stone Edge / Blaze Kick
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set focuses on using Blaziken's excellent Attack stat, coverage, and decent Speed. Blaziken's main attack is Flare Blitz, which will OHKO almost any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Superpower and Low Kick hit Rock-types for major damage, while also nailing most Water-types hard on the switch. ThunderPunch hits Water-types like Milotic for a 2HKO, as well as the troublesome and nails Moltres, who resists both of Blaziken's STAB attacks, for nearly an OHKO. Stone Edge is in the fourth slot because it can hit opposing Fire-types and Altaria super effectively, while Blaze Kick is a great recoil-less move to sweep with late-game (especially if you are Blaziken is in Blaze range). These moves are backed by Blaziken's excellent attack stat, which is 558 with an Adamant nature and Choice Band factored in.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Blaziken can be a powerful physical sweeper with its superior Attack stat and movepool. With two 120 Base Power STAB attacks coming off a base 120 Attack stat, many Pokemon will think twice before switching into this monster. ThunderPunch is an excellent move for Blaziken on this set, as a Choice Band boosted ThunderPunch always 2HKOs Milotic, which is one of the safer switch-ins to the other sets. The sheer power of a Choice Band boosted Flare Blitz can OHKO a good portion of the metagame on its own; there only a select few Pokemon who don't resist Flare Blitz that can survive a Flare Blitz (such as Donphan or Intimidate Hitmontop). It also 2HKOs most defensive Pokemon as well. Altaria, who would otherwise commonly switch into any of the other sets, is 2HKOed with Stealth Rock in play, and a predicted Stone Edge will even OHKO the poor dragon. The main disadvantage of using this set, however, is that Slowbro can switch into it this set all day, with ThunderPunch barely missing out on the 2HKO (main disadvantage is probably low Speed + locked into attacks, not Slowbro).</p>

<p>Superpower and Low Kick are both great moves for Blaziken, making it a tough choice to make for the second slot to decide between the two. Superpower and Low Kick They both 2HKO Milotic. Superpower hits Pokemon like Omastar for an OHKO, while Low Kick has more consistent power since it doesn’t lower Blaziken’s attack (Rhyperior takes like 90% minimum from Superpower lol so it’s still a 2HKO) gets the important 2HKO on many bulky Rock-types. With a Choice Band, Low Kick and Superpower are both effective; however, the Choice Scarf set prefers Superpower because of its more reliable immediate power.</p>

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Blaziken is a more powerful revenge killer than the mixed set, but it will not last as long due to recoil and may be set up on by a physically defensive Pokemon.</p>

<p>The reason Blaze Kick is an option on this set is because Flare Blitz comes with a price, recoil. However, Blaziken can use this recoil to its advantage and sweep teams late game with a Blaze boosted Blaze Kick, which has a nice 127.5 base power after Blaze is activated.</p>

<p>Spikes help this Blaziken set out a lot. With Spikes and Stealth Rock, Choice Band Blaziken can actually 2HKO Slowbro with ThunderPunch, and OHKO Donphan with Flare Blitz. With a Choice Scarf, Blaziken will appreciate any residual damage to compensate for the lack of power.</p>

<p>This Blaziken variant takes out many of the Pokemon that the Life Orb and Choice Specs sets cannot, such as Altaria, but gets walled by Pokemon such as Slowbro. As such, Blaziken benefits from a Pokemon who can easily switch in on Slowbro and threaten the opponent's team. A Pokemon like Venusaur, similar to the other sets, can switch in on Slowbro and threaten it with a STAB Grass attack. Blaziken is also liable to get set up on by Pokemon like Kabutops, Feraligatr, and Mismagius, especially if it has a Choice Band (since that means it cannot revenge kill the latter two).</p>

<p>Special attacking Pokemon in general appreciate the fact that Blaziken can take out many of the special walls with this set. Pokemon such as Alakazam, Espeon, Mismagius, and many other special attackers benefit from Altaria going down, as well as the other Pokemon taking their special hits with ease.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed (Priority) Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric
move 4: Vacuum Wave / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
nature: Mild / Rash
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is designed to take advantage of Blaziken's great offensive stats and break down most of the walls in UU. The strategy is simple - send Blaziken in on a support move or a weak attack, such as Spiritomb's Will-O-Wisp or Stealth Rock from Registeel’s Stealth Rock or Steelix. After this, proceed to hit the inevitable switch-in with Fire Blast or Superpower, and then finish them it off with another hard-hitting attack, or Vacuum Wave if they outspeed Blaziken. An additional slower spread can be used that sacrifices outpacing key threats in order to get more KOs with Superpower.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Fire Blast will be your main attack, and Hidden Power is for the common Water-type switch-ins. Both Hidden Powers get the important 2HKOs on bulky Water-types such Slowbro who always falls to a Fire Blast followed by Hidden Power as long as Stealth Rock is in play. Other Common walls such as Registeel and Regice are dispatched by any of Blaziken's STAB attacks, and Chansey is easily OHKOed by Superpower, which lets another special sweeper dominate. Vacuum Wave helps Blaziken become a fairly decent revenge killer as well, nearly OHKOing dangerous Pokemon such as Omastar and Kabutops (if it does not carry Aqua Jet) in the rain.</p>

<p>Alternatively, Stone Edge over Vacuum Wave is viable to hit Altaria, who otherwise can safely switch into this set. Vacuum Wave is generally a better choice though, taking into account Blaziken's mediocre Speed and Vacuum Wave's revenge killing power.</p>

<p>Max Speed allows Blaziken to outspeed notably Absol, and tie with other base 80 Speed Pokemon. A Speed-boosting nature can be used to tie with similarly natured Venusaur and Kabutops, but the loss of power is noticeable. Superpower OHKOes Chansey with no Attack investment, so the rest of the EVs can go to Special Attack to deal as much damage as possible. Alternatively, 240 Atk / 252 SpA / 16 Spe allows much more firepower, giving Blaziken more of a stall breaking ability. 16 Spe beats minimum Milotic Adamant Aggron and minimum Speed Milotic, who otherwise would counter Blaziken. Superpower will OHKO Lanturn with Stealth Rock, KO Gastrodon and Omastar after a Fire Blast, and have a good chance to KO Milotic after a Hidden Power. Superpower followed by Vacuum Wave is also Blaziken's only means of 2HKOing Azumarill before getting hit by Aqua Jet. The extra power may often benefit you over the extra Speed. Nature wise, Mild is useful if you want Blaziken to be switching into Houndoom's and Spiritomb's assaults, whereas Rash is more helpful against priority users such as Arcanine.</p>

<p>This Blaziken set is great at breaking your opponent's walls, such as Registeel, Chansey, and Slowbro, who may cause significant trouble for your sweepers. Mismagius and Alakazam make great teammates for Blaziken, because with Registeel and Chansey out of the way, they can set up a couple of Calm Minds and sweep the opponent's team. Pokemon such as Swords Dance Drapion can take advantage of a possible Steelix or Regirock kill as well, as they are solid counters to it. Azumarill is a good choice with Blaziken too, because with Slowbro out of the way, Azumarill can sweep more effectively. Stealth Rock is also needed to take advantage of this set, giving many more KOes.</p>

<p>Defensively, Venusaur is a great Pokemon to use alongside Blaziken, as it can take the Water-type attacks aimed at Blaziken, while dealing with the bulky Water-types that Blaziken may have trouble with. It is also recommended that you carry an Ice-type attack on your team when you use Blaziken, because Altaria severely hinders Blaziken's wall breaking power, especially as it's able to Roost off damage. Someone to take Ground-type attacks is appreciated as well - Mismagius makes a nice partner. It also combines well with Blaziken offensively, as Blaziken blows through Registeel, one of Mismagius's best counters. Alakazam can help eliminate Hariyama, who may otherwise give Blaziken problems with Thick Fat and great bulk.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Agility Sweeper
move 1: Agility
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Hidden Power Electric
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
nature: Rash
evs: 192 Atk / 252 SpA / 64 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This Blaziken set aims to take advantage of its wall-breaking abilities to set up a sweep for itself using late-game Agility sweep. Fire Blast and Superpower are nearly unresisted in UU, save for a couple Pokemon, such Slowbro and Moltres, who are hit hard by Hidden Power. The strategy is simple: you send out Blaziken on a weak or harmless attack and start wailing on the opponent's walls. Once a wall is in KO range, use Agility on the switch and begin to sweep.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>An oft-heard complaint about Blaziken is that while it hits hard, it lacks the Speed to actually sweep. This is remedied by utilizing Agility to take Blaziken's Speed to a whole new level, and this set is one of Blaziken’s best shots at sweeping.</p>

<p>Fire Blast will be your main sweeping attack, and it really leaves its mark coming off of base 110 Special Attack. Superpower deals with what Fire Blast cannot, and the drops in Attack are not very important as you should be sweeping primarily with special moves. Finally, Hidden Power Electric is used for coverage against bulky Water- and Flying-types. Most importantly, it allows you to beat Moltres if Stealth Rock is up.</p>

<p>Naturally, Blaziken draws out its counters, but what is remarkable about Blaziken is that it can actually beat its counters before setting up its sweep. The EVs reflect this, allowing you to KO Milotic with Hidden Power followed by Superpower most of the time, assuming Stealth Rock in play. Maximum Special Attack allows Fire Blast to outright annihilate most things that do not resist it. 64 Speed EVs outspeeds Adamant Torterra before an Agility and neutral-natured Choice Scarf base 90s such as Moltres after an Agility.</p>

<p>The item choice is slightly tricky. Life Orb is preferred because of the increased damage output against neutrally-hit Pokemon neutral to Blaziken’s attacks, such as Hariyama, but Expert Belt lets you bluff a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs set before you use Agility, and you take no doesn’t inflict recoil damage. A Rash nature is used over Mild because this set needs as much protection against priority attacks as possible.</p>

<p>This set works a lot like the previous set, but without priority; instead, it increases its Speed. Since this variant of Blaziken is a stand-alone sweeper (as in it breaks walls for itself), this set only has trouble with Pokemon like Altaria, Slowking, and Hariyama, who wall this set with their resistances and bulkiness, such as Altaria, Slowking, or Hariyama. A Pokemon who can deal with Altaria is a must. Something like Scarf Glaceon or a bulky Rock-type do well in this regard.; Rhyperior and Steelix are good choices. Stealth Rock also helps, by taking away 25% from Altaria every time it switches in. Even though this set functions fine without any other boosts, it can benefit greatly from Calm Mind boosts from Espeon, who can Baton Pass to Blaziken on any Bug- or Dark-type attack.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Superpower
move 3: ThunderPunch / Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Rash / Mild
evs: 84 Atk / 184 SpA / 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set aims to reliably revenge kill as many threats as possible, while also maintaining some late-game sweeping power. Fire Blast will finish off many Pokemon quite easily, while Superpower will finish off most of the rest that Fire Blast wouldn't. With ThunderPunch or Stone Edge along with Hidden Power Ice, Blaziken can hit many Pokemon for super effective damage, which aids Blaziken with revenge killing. Once Blaziken had has taken some residual damage or priority attacks, it can sweep late game with a Blaze boosted Fire Blast.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Blaziken's brilliant offensive stats are often offset by its mediocre Speed. This can be remedied by a Choice Scarf, which gives Blaziken a break from its usual wall breaking duties to becoming a good revenge killer and sweeper. With a Choice Scarf, Blaziken reaches 384 Speed, which outspeeds max Speed base 125s such as Swellow. (what do the rest of the EVs do?) Blaziken also boasts a STAB Fighting-type attack in Superpower, which always OHKOs Chansey and Clefable.</p>

<p>The advantage of using a mixed Scarf set over a purely physical Scarf set is that it going mixed broadens Blaziken's revenge killing spectrum prowess, though it is slightly lower in power. With this set, Blaziken can open with a STAB Fire Blast to deal a lot of damage to whatever it is attempting to revenge kill, and it works well as an opportunity to scout your opponent's Blaziken counters. With "BoltBeam" coverage alongside its STABs, there are few Pokemon that Blaziken will not hit for super effective, which is important for a choice set. Additionally, Stone Edge can be used for hitting Pokemon such as Moltres for a clean OHKO, since ThunderPunch isn't a necessity like it is on the other sets (as this set can't 2HKO Milotic anyway). After its revenge killing job is completed, Blaziken can utilize whatever residual damage it has taken and use a Blaze boosted Fire Blast to sweep your opponent.</p>

<p>This set is best used with a team that needs some revenge killing and late game sweeping power. Choice Scarf Blaziken works great offensively with Pokemon such as Swords Dance Drapion or Rock Polish Torterra, being able to outspeed and OHKO many of their counters.</p>

<p>Defensively, Blaziken needs something to sponge hits from the Pokemon who can take a hit while also hitting Blaziken for a KO back. With the lack of an attack boosting item, Water-types will be more common switch-ins to this set. Pokemon such as Venusaur can easily force them out and will greatly appreciate the free turn to set up (Toxic) Spikes for your team (ctrl-f doesn’t work for everything). Dugtrio can come in on ThunderPunch and KO Blaziken, so a strong fast Pursuit user like Swellow will help deal with Dugtrio before Dugtrio can get rid of Blaziken—if you can lure it in.</p>

[Optional Changes]

<p>Due to Blaziken having so many viable sets, there is some more ground to be covered here, as There are still a few sets that Blaziken could run that are not mentioned above.</p>

<p>For example, a Reversal set could be devastating, but without a reliable way to remove priority attackers it is very hard to pull off a sweep. A Choice Specs set is also viable because of Blaziken's great coverage and STAB attacks. However, this set is purely most outclassed by the Life Orb set due to Superpower and its ability to switch attacks. priority being more effective when you aren't locked into using them by a Choice item.</p>

<p>Flamethrower can replace Fire Blast on any set if you dislike Fire Blast's accuracy, but there is a significant drop in power. On the note of Sky Uppercut, Blaziken can replace Superpower with Sky Uppercut or Low Kick on almost any of the sets if you dislike the stat drops from Superpower, but you lose many important KOs such as Milotic on the mixed Life Orb set you’ll notice the decreased damage against bulky targets like Milotic. Blaziken can also run a purely physical Agility set, with the same attacks as mentioned for the Swords Dance set. It can sweep in the same fashion that the mixed Agility sweeper can, but the fact that Fire Blast does not have recoil and that it can effectively use Superpower without will lowering it’s main the physical Agility set’s only attacking stat makes the mixed set superior in most cases. Overheat can go over Fire Blast in some places for the extra power, but it will only work effectively on the mixed Choice Scarf set and even a Choice Specs set due to being more "hit and run" oriented on Choiced sets due to their hit-and-run style.</p>

<p>With some commonly used UU Pokemon able to learn the move Gravity (such as Alakazam, Chansey, and Clefable), Blaziken can run a powerful Gravity abusing sweeper set. 100% accurate Focus Blasts and Fire Blasts can tear through most teams, with the former OHKOing Pokemon such as Regirock, who can survive a Superpower with a small amount of HP left. With an Agility under its belt, Blaziken can pull off a quick sweep.</p>

<p>Blaziken can also play the role of a Baton Passer, capable of passing Swords Dance, Agility, and Bulk Up, along with a Substitute. It's actually very good at doing it, because Blaziken forces a lot of switches, which allows you to use Substitute and then pass along the stat boosts.</p>

<p>Blaziken can effectively pull off an Agility SubPetaya set, similar to Empoleon’s in OU, but you might as well use Reversal if you are going to get that low on health.</p>

<p>The mixed attacking set can run an alternate spread of 240 Atk / 252 SpAtk / 16 Spe. This spread is especially suggested if you opt to use Hidden Power Electric, as it allows Blaziken to KO Gastrodon, Omastar and Quagsire with Fire Blast followed by Superpower. It also gives Superpower more oomph, but the general rule of thumb is that Speed is more useful on a sweeper. The 16 Speed EVs still allow you to outrun minimum speed Milotic, which is important, as Milotic is otherwise one of Blaziken's primary counters. Adding Attack power allows Blaziken to be one of the best wall-breakers in UU, at the expense of being a bit easier for your opponent to revenge kill.</p>

<p>On the Choice Specs set, Blaziken can sacrifice some Speed EVs for bulk, due to Vacuum Wave and the fact that the Pokemon it comes in on are generally slow walls. Safely, the lowest Speed that Blaziken should be at is 201 (Modest with 20 Speed EVs), which outspeeds Milotic and max Speed Azumarill. With the remaining 152 EVs in HP, and 84 EVs put into Defense, Blaziken can survive a Choice Band boosted Aqua Jet and 2HKO Azumarill. The bulkier EV Spread looks like this: 152 HP / 84 Def / 252 SpA / 20 Spe.</p>

<p>Of the Choice Scarf sets, only the physical set can take advantage of a Jolly Speed-boosting nature to outspeed Torterra after a Rock Polish. This should only be used on the physical set because the mixed Choice Scarf set has its EVs split up already, so the additional drop sacrifice in power is not worth it. Without a boosting nature 384 Speed outruns base 125s, mainly Swellow.</p>

[Hidden Power]

<p>With many of Blaziken's sets using Hidden Power, it is important to know which ones to use and why.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Grass is one of the two of Blaziken’s commonly used Hidden Power types that hit Water-type Pokemon. It is important on many sets to hit Pokemon such as Omastar for a OHKO, who can otherwise survive and get a layer of Spikes up. It also hits the odd Gastrodon and Quagsire, who can take a couple of Superpowers and be a general annoyance to Blaziken. It hits Lanturn, Quagsire, and Gastrodon for more damage than Superpower, and is also needed to OHKO defensive Omastar. However, when compared to Hidden Power Electric, with Blaziken's STABs, Hidden Power Grass leaves you open to Altaria Qwilfish, Moltres, and Charizard.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Electric also hits Water-type Pokemon as well, but they each have different uses. Hidden Power Electric also hits Charizard and Moltres, who otherwise wall Blaziken and force it out. It also hits Omastar for super effective, but a defensive Omastar can survive and either KO Blaziken with Surf or set up Spikes. In comparison to Hidden Power Grass, Hidden Power Electric leaves you open to Lanturn, Gastrodon, and Quagsire, as well as Altaria. The most significant Pokemon hit super effectively by Hidden Power Electric, Moltres, can also be dealt with by simply using through Stealth Rock, as they are both easily 2HKOed by a combination of Fire Blast and Vacuum Wave after Stealth Rock damage.</p>

<p>Hidden Power Ice has pretty much one use in UU for Blaziken: OHKOing Altaria. Without Stone Edge, Blaziken needs Hidden Power Ice to have any chance of breaking through Altaria, who resists both of Blaziken's STAB attacks and has great Special Defense with a recovery move to boot. This leaves Blaziken painfully vulnerable to Water-types, Charizard, and Moltres, so it is only recommended if you have those Pokemon covered some other way. The reason it's used on the mixed Choice Scarf set is because it is used in conjunction with ThunderPunch, which hits these Flying- and Water-type Pokemon super effectively.</p>

<p>The last viable Hidden Power option is the Rock-type version. Hidden Power Rock It hits Moltres and Charizard for OHKOs, but also dents Altaria and dents physically defensive Intimidate Arcanine more than Superpower or Stone Edge. Again, the issue is that Blaziken needs to be able to hit Water-types hard, as they are the most common switch-ins. Stone Edge is often a better option unless it's on the you’re using the Choice Specs set.</p>

I assume Counters is just the current on-site version. you should make a note if that’s the case…

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Thanks Aeron, made most of your changes as usual. And, about the length, tell me about it. >.> Torterra is worse though, lol. :)

Okay I feel as though, after doing so many short analyses, I should do a longer, more competitive analysis

regretting it almost immediately

GP Check [2/3]

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Okay, firstly I'm short on time and secondly it's difficult to pick up mistakes without reading it several times (I'm really quite tired), so I'm going to refrain from stamping this until I'm convinced that I have properly checked it. As I am unlikely to get this done immediately, please consider this a placeholder.
EDIT: Have to go see a play. Will continue tonight.

EDIT2: In other news, the play was rubbish. On the other hand, I think I've done all I can with this.

[Surely more important for non-choice sets, where type coverage is a big advantage? I'd have thought that for a Choice set, the biggest advantage here would be high-power STAB moves that aren't resisted by much]

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Nahh, Choice Banders and Speckies want STABs not resisted by much. Scarfers want super effective coverage, so as to revenge kill more.

Thanks bmb made your changes!

bugmaniacbob said:

[I don't actually know what this means... wailing?]

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Wailing is an American term for beating on/up someone or something. I honestly don't know how it originated but it's definately a commonly used phrase.

[PLEASE STOP SAYING THAT]

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This made me lol. I honestly never use that phrase when I write an analysis, but I guess we learned that Heysup sure does... :) I'll watch for that next time.

Anyway, only 1 more GP check to go!

GP Check 3/3:
additions/changes in blue
removals in red
comments in navy


This would be basically perfect if it wasn't for a typo and spacing errors from the latest proofread (hate it when that happens). And the inconsistency between that/who, mistaking the author as the Pokemon doing the action, and my nitpicks... but anyways, yay.

Thanks Flora.

DONE.

Uploading shortly.