[OVERVIEW]
Combusken stands out thanks to an incredible ability in Speed Boost, causing it to be more and more difficult to revenge kill as turns pass and making it an effective mid- to late-game cleaner. Combusken also sports high-Base Power STAB moves that are nearly unresisted on their own, and with the flexibility to run both special and physical sets, it can be quite the terror for offensive and balanced teams alike to switch into. Its Fire / Fighting typing is also beneficial defensively, helping it check some particularly threatening Pokemon such as Shiftry, Abomasnow, and Liepard and making it one of the few physical attackers in the tier immune to burn. However, without Eviolite, Combusken's bulk is rather mediocre, making it relatively easy to take down, especially with a priority user such as Samurott or Kabutops. Combusken's base Speed is also very lacking, which causes it to still be outsped by some prominent offensive Pokemon even at +1 such as Tauros, Archeops, and Sceptile. While its STAB moves do possess high Base Power, its low offensive stats ultimately hold it back against bulkier Pokemon such as Musharna and Mega Audino, both of which can use Combusken as setup fodder depending on the set.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Protect
move 4: Baton Pass / Hidden Power Electric
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast has good neutral coverage, targeting Pokemon such as Sceptile, Steelix, and Scyther. Focus Blast nails Rock-types that resist Fire Blast such as Rhydon, Barbaracle, and Regirock, and lands solid damage against the likes of Lanturn, Poliwrath, Samurott, and Hariyama. Protect is primarily used to stall a turn out so that Combusken can gain a free Speed boost, but it also is useful for scouting for the foe's next move. Baton Pass allows Combusken to pass its boosts to a teammate and maintain offensive momentum. Hidden Power Electric is an alternative to target Mantine, Pelipper, and Charizard, both of which can otherwise switch into Combusken's STAB combination. Will-O-Wisp lets Combusken cripple physical attackers such as Hariyama and Kangaskhan on the switch and lets it bypass Sucker Punch.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs and a Timid nature are crucial for Combusken to outspeed Liepard and Pyroar after +1, while maximum Special Attack EVs ensure it hits as hard as possible. Speed Boost is absolutely necessary, as it enables Combusken to gradually gain boosts to its Speed at the end of each turn, making it the threat it is to many offensive teams. Life Orb is used to boost Combusken's power further and lets it switch its moves. Eviolite is also an option to give Combusken additional bulk to let it better pivot into certain Pokemon such as Shiftry and Vileplume at the cost of some power. Running Eviolite generally works better on teams where another Pokemon, such as Musharna can pass Special Attack boosts.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Combusken's bad defenses, it's generally advised not to bring it directly into attacks; rather, it should be brought in with U-turn or Volt Switch or after a Pokemon has fainted. Once it's brought in, use Protect to gain a Speed boost, letting Combusken outspeed faster offensive Pokemon on the following turn. Protect also has use in scouting for the foe's next move; this is especially helpful for Choice item users such as Sawk and Aurorus or Fake Out users such as Hariyama and Kangaskhan. Be wary when using Protect against a Pokemon that can set up, as the free turn can give the foe an opening to sweep. Baton Pass can be used either to maintain offensive momentum, scout for potential switch-ins, or pass Speed boosts that Combusken has attained to a teammate. Just be aware that the foe can react to a switch to another teammate by double switching themselves or using a coverage move that deals significant damage. When pinned up against Samurott or Kabutops, do not stay in or use Protect as both revenge kill Combusken no matter how fast it is with Aqua Jet and can set up a Swords Dance should they force Combusken out.
Team Options
========
Grass-types such as Sceptile and Lilligant are great offensive checks to the likes of Samurott, Lanturn, and Kabutops. Both are also capable of repeatedly wearing down Hariyama, while the former can threaten Magmortar with a Life Orb-boosted Earthquake. Baton Pass Musharna pivots into many Pokemon that give Combusken trouble, such as Mesprit, Lanturn, and Hariyama, and uses them to set up Calm Mind, which can be passed to Combusken for devastating effects. Combusken also makes for a good recipient thanks to its typing that lets it switch into Dark-type Pokemon that threaten Musharna. Malamar can use bulky Pokemon that switch into Combusken as setup fodder and is incredibly difficult for the opposing team to find an answer to when it has Speed boosts. Slower offensive Pokemon such as Samurott, Kabutops, and Sawk are capable of breaking through specially bulky Pokemon that give Combusken trouble, while Combusken passes Speed boosts to them in return, making them even more devastating. Moreover, Combusken is able to take down the likes of Vileplume and Ferroseed for the former two.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Protect
item: Eviolite
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance increases Combusken's Attack significantly, letting it easily sweep through weakened teams. Flare Blitz is Combusken's strongest, and most reliable, physical Fire-type STAB move, heavily denting any Pokemon that does not resist it, though it comes with the cost of recoil damage. Low Kick lets Combusken nail Rhydon, Barbaracle, and Hariyama, all of which switch into Flare Blitz with ease. Protect lets Combusken gain a free Speed boost, letting it revenge kill some offensive Pokemon before a boost. Brick Break can be used over Low Kick to hit Lanturn, but this is generally not advised because it misses out on a lot of power versus Rhydon and Hariyama. Thunder Punch can be used over Protect to hit Pelipper, Mantine, and Charizard, all of which wall this set otherwise. Just note that giving up Protect makes Combusken significantly easier to revenge kill.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed EVs with a Jolly nature let Combusken outspeed Pyroar and Liepard after +1, while maximum Attack EVs are used to ensure it hits as hard as possible. An Adamant nature is also an option for additional power if Combusken doesn't mind missing out on outspeeding a few select Pokemon. Speed Boost is necessary to let Combusken outspeed more and more Pokemon after each turn, making it difficult to revenge kill with several boosts outside of priority. Eviolite is used to increase Combusken's bulk significantly, giving it more opportunities to set up and sweep the opposing team.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to its typing and decent Eviolite-boosted bulk, Combusken can find setup opportunities against Pokemon such as Shiftry, Skuntank, Vileplume, Choice-locked Sceptile, and Lilligant. Passive Pokemon such as Audino and Ferroseed can also make for good setup bait; just watch out for Thunder Wave from the latter. Generally, Combusken should not be brought in until the mid- or late-game, as it needs all the HP it can preserve in order to set up easily later. Use Protect in order to gain a free Speed boost, allowing Combusken to outspeed its foe and potentially KO it. Protect is also useful to scout for any stray status or coverage moves the foe may have, as well as evade being hit by Fake Out from the likes of Hariyama and Kangaskhan.
Team Options
========
Grass-types such as Sceptile, Lilligant, and Shiftry are all able to threaten Water-types such as Lanturn, Quagsire, Pelipper, and Mantine. Shiftry is also notable for its ability to threaten bulky Psychic-types such as Musharna and Mesprit with Knock Off. Rotom threatens both Mantine and Pelipper with its STAB moves and pressures Lanturn with the combination of Will-O-Wisp and Hex. It also performs well against Psychic-types, most notably Xatu, which can otherwise take a hit from Combusken and OHKO it back with Psychic. Entry hazard support from the likes of Mesprit and Ferroseed helps soften up checks to Combusken, with Stealth Rock putting a lot pressure on Pelipper and Mantine. In addition, Mesprit can give Combusken a second shot at sweeping with Healing Wish and threaten Garbodor, which can significantly wear down Combusken with Rocky Helmet and Aftermath. Ferroseed can also can switch into other bulky Water-types and cripple Musharna with Toxic. Lanturn can pivot into Mantine, Pelipper, and other Water-types and also tends to invite Grass-types in, which Combusken can use as set up bait.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A dedicated Speed passing set with Protect, Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, and Baton Pass lets Combusken efficiently pass Speed boosts to its teammates, but using this set sacrifices its offensive qualities. Focus Energy is also a viable option, as Combusken can pass Speed boosts to teammates alongside it, making the recipient incredibly threatening.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Mantine and Pelipper both resist Combusken's STAB combination, with the former being a more consistent check to its Life Orb set and the latter to its Swords Dance set. Both, however, need to watch out for Hidden Power Electric, as it OHKOes Pelipper and 2HKOes Mantine. Lanturn can switch into both sets relatively well and does not fear any coverage move Combusken carries. More offensive Water-types such as Samurott and Kabutops cannot switch in safely, but with prior damage, they can revenge kill Combusken with Aqua Jet, regardless of how fast it is.
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to Combusken's very lacking base Speed, fast Pokemon such as Tauros, Floatzel, Sceptile, and Swellow can outspeed and revenge kill it at +1. Some Choice Scarf users such as Jynx, Haunter, and Rotom are all capable of outspeeding Combusken at +2 and KOing it with their respective STAB moves.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Specially bulky Pokemon such as Altaria, Grumpig, Sliggoo, Mega Audino, and Clefairy all can switch into any of Life Orb Combusken's moves thanks to their resistances or raw bulk. Assault Vest Hariyama and Magmortar can both switch into Combusken's specially based set with ease, making them solid checks; however, they will fall to Swords Dance sets, as both are OHKOed by a +2 Low Kick.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Quagsire hard counters Combusken's Swords Dance set, taking a pittance from all of its moves and ignoring its Swords Dance boosts thanks to Unaware. Though Garbodor takes a significant amount of damage from a +2 Flare Blitz, the combination of Rocky Helmet, Aftermath, and Flare Blitz recoil wears down Combusken to the point where it's heavily weakened or KOes itself. Do note, though, that both of these Pokemon are swiftly taken down by its special set.
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