DPP Pyroak (OU Analysis)

Umbreon Dan · Feb 28, 2010

k you big noobs this is almost ready to go speak up if you wanna say somethin

note to self: you are perhaps the most insensitive, incendiary, and aggressively uncaring individual i've had the misfortune of having to deal with in this server

-----------------------------------

<h2>Overview</h2>

Pyroak is both bulky and a major offensive threat in one. His Rock Head ability combined with his 120 Base Power STAB attacks in Wood Hammer and Flare Blitz facilitate smashing through all of OU's premier walls, a fortiori when backed up by a Dragon Dance or two. His defensive stats and lack of common weaknesses further prevent him from being dealt with easily. Beyond sweeping, his support options span the spectrum from being one of the best SubSeeders to running mixed defensive stats akin to Swampert. Substantial versatility combined with dangerous attacking options make Pyroak a threat to prepare for.

Pyroak's flaws are few, but crippling if proper care is not taken. His Speed stat allows base 130 Speed Pokemon, such as Aerodactyl, to outspeed him even after a Speed boost and threaten back with super effective moves. Besides that, his weakness to Stealth Rock and susceptibility to all forms of passive damage, including sandstorm, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes will rapidly deplete his HP. If you're looking for a premier sweeper and wall breaker or a defensive Fire-immune pivot Pokemon, Pyroak will not disappoint.

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var set = new CAPSet();
set.name = "DDOak";
set.move[1] = "Dragon Dance";
set.move[2] = "Flare Blitz";
set.move[3] = "Wood Hammer";
set.move[4] = ["Earthquake", "Dragon Claw", "Stone Edge"];
set.item = "Life Orb";
set.ability = "Rock Head";
set.nature = ["Jolly", "Adamant"];
set.evs.HP = 56;
set.evs.Atk = 252;
set.evs.Def = 8;
set.evs.Spe = 192;
document.write(composeSet(set));
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Switch Pyroak into a resisted move or non-threatening Pokemon, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage within his STAB moves that is only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every style of team, stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first two attacks are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil thanks to Rock Head. The fourth moveslot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to his counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens Pyroak with its own Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with his STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves: Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three Dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral attack against Heatran. It is also worth noting that Stone Edge allows you to beat opposing Pyroak with Flash Fire. Synthesis is also an option to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, though it is generally unreliable and better coverage is preferred.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest Speed necessary. With Jolly, 192 Speed EVs hits 246 Speed, outrunning all Tyranitar, as well as Pokemon like Celebi that aim for the 244 or 245 Speed bracket. After a Dragon Dance, Pyroak will outspeed positive-natured base 115 Speed Pokemon (all of whom he can OHKO with a STAB move). 56 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering four switch-ins to Stealth Rock and rounding down Life Orb damage. Adamant as a nature is a possibility, although it prevents you from outpacing positive-natured base 115s, which is significant. In that case, you should run 252 Speed EVs to outrun base 110s and tie with neutral-natured Breloom and Metagross. Bulkier EV spreads can be run alongside Leftovers to turn Pyroak into a veritable defensive monster while he smashes apart your enemies. Without maximum offensive investment, though, he will miss out on outspeeding some threats and OHKOing others.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit Pyroak super effectively are Rock, Poison, and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering him up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea, such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias.

<script language="JavaScript">
var set = new CAPSet();
set.name = "LeadOak";
set.move[1] = "Flare Blitz";
set.move[2] = "Wood Hammer";
set.move[3] = "Stealth Rock";
set.move[4] = "Sleep Powder";
set.item = ["Leftovers", "Lum Berry", "Chilan Berry"];
set.ability = "Rock Head";
set.nature = "Adamant";
set.evs.HP = 252;
set.evs.Def = 224;
set.evs.Spe = 32;
document.write(composeSet(set));
</script>

This Pyroak is one of the bulkiest and most versatile leads available to the OU metagame. With the ability to OHKO or 2HKO virtually every other lead out there and put the rest to sleep, his reliability is the envy of many other leads. High-powered STAB attacks and Sleep Powder will even come in handy later in the game, if it survives to that stage.

STAB Wood Hammer and Flare Blitz play a large role in why Pyroak is so excellent as a lead, hitting other bulky leads like Swampert, Metagross, and Hippowdon super effectively. Stealth Rock is mandatory for a lead like this, as setting it up early is a boon to many teams. Finally, as if Pyroak didn't already have enough tricks up his sleeve, Sleep Powder fits perfectly into the fourth slot. All of the bulky leads except Heatran are slower than Pyroak and do not want to be put to sleep. Once asleep, Pyroak can freely set up his own Stealth Rock and then attack or switch, depending on if the opponent stays in or switches out.

Pyroak needs to be extremely physically bulky to fit into the lead slot. The EVs used reflect this and provide him with near-maximum physical bulk while giving him enough Speed to beat lead Metagross, even if it adds extra EVs to its Speed stat. Rock Head is the ability of choice to remove the recoil from Wood Hammer and Flare Blitz, while Adamant as the nature raises Pyroak's Attack to a higher level despite the lack of Attack EV investment. For the item, there are a lot of viable options that all reflect what types of opposing leads you'd like to have a greater edge over. Leftovers gives Pyroak staying power over the course of a battle and is the most reliable and valuable option, Lum Berry provides a way for Pyroak to muscle through Smeargle and Roserade leads, and Chilan Berry is actually viable to comfortably absorb any Explosion or Selfdestruct that opposing leads might use to try to bring you down.

The leads that give Pyroak the most trouble are Dragonite, Heatran, and Infernape. All of these Pokemon resist Pyroak's STAB options and will generally beat him down over multiple turns. To make matters worse, Heatran and Infernape can both get Stealth Rock in play before you can put them to sleep. Sleep Powder helps keep all of them in check, but having Pokemon on your team that can switch into them with impunity is very helpful. Latias is a superb partner for this Pyroak because she resists all of the STAB attacks that Heatran and Infernape use and can hit them all super effectively before they can attack back. Latias can also switch into anything Lead Dragonite does that isn't Draco Meteor and threaten to OHKO back with her own Draco Meteor. Aerodactyl can also give Pyroak some problems if he attacks right away, but if he is running Rock Slide over Stone Edge it will be 2HKO'd before Pyroak is taken down. Bulky Water-type Pokemon like Swampert or Vaporeon will also comfortably handle Infernape and Heatran and can also scare off Dragonite with the threat of an Ice Beam. Bulky Water-type Pokemon in general appreciate this Pyroak's ability to threaten Pokemon like Celebi, Jolteon, or Magnezone from the get-go and vice versa for the Waters' ability to handle opposing Fire- and Rock-types.

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var set = new CAPSet();
set.name = "SubSeed";
set.move[1] = ["Lava Plume", "Flamethrower"];
set.move[2] = "Leech Seed";
set.move[3] = "Substitute";
set.move[4] = ["Sleep Powder", "Protect"];
set.item = "Leftovers";
set.ability = "Flash Fire";
set.nature = "Bold";
set.evs.HP = 240;
set.evs.Def = 80;
set.evs.SpD = 188;
document.write(composeSet(set));
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SubSeed Pyroak can be quite an annoyance to your opponent once he gets the chance to set up. Pyroak can come in on an assortment of Pokemon, including virtually any of the Steel-type Pokemon in the metagame, Substitute or inflict status on the switch, and then proceed to Leech Seed stall out much of the enemy's team. One of the greatest advantages that Pyroak has over other SubSeed Pokemon is that he has STAB Lava Plume for crushing enemy Grass-types who are immune to Leech Seed. Pyroak is also blessed with being able to absorb Fire-type attacks aimed his way, something other SubSeeders like Shaymin and Abomasnow wish they could claim.

Substitute and Leech Seed are given moves, while Lava Plume is chosen over Flamethrower for its 30% chance to burn the enemy while doing some damage. Flamethrower is still a viable option, however, if you'd like the chance to 2HKO the standard Specially Defensive Skarmory. Because of Lava Plume's chance to burn, Sleep Powder is the definite choice for the fourth slot over other possible status moves like Will-O-Wisp, as this gives Pyroak the capacity to inflict crippling conditions on virtually any of his switch-ins. Protect can also be used in the last slot to scout choice-locked Pokemon as well as to gain a free turn of Leftovers and Leech Seed recovery.

240 HP EVs may look odd, but they reduce the damage inflicted by Stealth Rock by one point; this is significant on this set because it tends to switch in more often than any of the others. This also allows Leftovers recovery to fully restore the HP taken by Substitute in four turns. 80 EVs with a Bold nature give Pyroak a free Defense point, and the rest is placed into Special Defense to achieve fairly balanced defensive stats of 286 Def and 275 SpD. An alternate EV spread is 240 HP / 140 Def / 128 SpD with a Calm nature. This returns the same numbers as the above spread, but with the bias instead towards Special Defense.

This Pyroak is generally an annoyance, and is best used on teams needing a switch-in to Fire-type attacks that can spread status around. The counters list for this set is generally the same as for the MixOak and Dragon Dance sets, but many of the most common switch-ins will hate to be paralyzed or put to sleep. Furthermore, under the buffer of a Substitute, Pyroak can be very difficult to deal with. Still, Skarmory and bulky Water-types make excellent partners, and this Pyroak appreciates Rapid Spin support just as much as any of the others. As this set will force a lot of switches if played right, entry hazard support in the form of Spikes and Toxic Spikes are much more valuable here than with other Pyroak sets. Note that Lava Plume's burn change may be redundant with Toxic Spikes, so Flamethrower is the preferable STAB move.

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var set = new CAPSet();
set.name = "MixOak";
set.move[1] = "Leaf Blade";
set.move[2] = "Flamethrower";
set.move[3] = "Earthquake";
set.move[4] = ["Will-O-Wisp", "Sleep Powder"];
set.item = "Leftovers";
set.ability = "Flash Fire";
set.nature = "Relaxed";
set.evs.HP = 252;
set.evs.SpA = 32;
set.evs.SpD = 224;
document.write(composeSet(set));
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This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon who can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. He functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-O-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters. These status moves will make common checks, such as Gyarados and Salamence, think twice before switching-in.

Earthquake is necessary on this set to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out his coverage. With Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have no one else on your team using it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as that is truly what distinguishes him from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to maximize his bulk, and conveniently gives Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory the majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory works well with this Pyroak, being able to come in on many of the attacks that threaten him and set up Spikes. Bulky Water-type Pokemon appreciate having Pyroak around as well because their weaknesses to Electric and Grass are covered by Pyroak. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, he appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at him while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support him with the resistances and backup he needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in your opponent's side.

<h2>Team Options</h2>

Dragon Dance Pyroak is the very definition of bulky offense, so his partners will usually be like-minded Pokemon, such as Scizor and Latias. Steel-types in general make good partners to Pyroak, as Steel resists all three of his weaknesses (Rock, Flying, and Poison), so consider using Pokemon like Agility Metagross. In return, the Pokemon that hamper Metagross's sweep tend to be Water-typed Pokemon like Suicune and Swampert; Pyroak will have no trouble dispatching these with a solid Wood Hammer. On the defensive Pyroak sets, Steel-types and bulky Water-types will make the best teammates for their ability to cover each others' weaknesses relatively well. Vaporeon in particular makes for a good partner, being able to send Wishes Pyroak's way while Pyroak resists the Electric- and Grass-typed attacks she hates.

Pyroak loves Stealth Rock support, especially if he is not running Dragon Claw or Stone Edge, as it will take a large chunk out of common switch-ins like Salamence, Dragonite, and Togekiss. Spikes support is nice but not generally necessary, as it rarely grants Pyroak any KOs that he would not otherwise get. Bronzong is a great user of Stealth Rock who resists all of Pyroak's weaknesses. If you are using Leftovers, Spikes becomes more important, as they ensure a couple of KOs, like against Shuca Berry Heatran, but Pyroak is still fully capable of working without them. Speaking of entry hazards, Rapid Spin will increase Pyroak's lifespan monumentally, as Pyroak takes double damage from Stealth Rock as well as being hit by Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Starmie makes a good offensive Rapid Spinner, though Forretress can use both Rapid Spin and entry hazards. To remove a potential sandstorm, you may consider using a Rain Dance Kingdra, but make sure Pyroak does not try to sweep until the rain has passed, as it weakens his Fire moves. Alternatively, you could consider setting up Sunny Day for Pyroak, but Sunny Day isn't nearly as good on its own as Rain Dance Kingdra is and isn't really worth it. On the other hand, Sunny Day will give Flare Blitz a huge power boost.

note to self: add 2 dis ceckshun

<h2>Optional Changes</h2>

Pyroak has a vast movepool, and with it comes numerous options for specialized sets that any given player might want to take advantage of. Stun Spore can threaten paralysis even at Pokemon that normally don't worry about it, such as Gliscor and Jolteon. Synthesis can be used to heal yourself, possibly even being boosted if Sunny Day is active. Pyroak also has Aromatherapy to serve as a cleric if your team desperately needs one. Pyroak could run a RestTalk set, possibly using Roar, but other Pokemon will often do that better.

Pyroak can also put to use either a Choice Scarf or a Choice Band. His Stealth Rock weakness keeps him from being able to switch-in as often as he would like, though, so Rapid Spin would become even more important if those are chosen. Fire Punch and Leaf Blade can be used on Dragon Dance sets alongside Flash Fire if you need a Fire-type immunity but want to use Pyroak offensively. Stealth Rock can be used by any of the defensively-minded sets if you have nowhere else to put it. Lastly, Pyroak can also set up Sunny Day to boost his own Fire-type attacks and Synthesis.

<h2>CAP Metagame</h2>

Pyroak fares exceedingly well in the CAP metagame, threatening Kitsunoh, Syclant, Arghonaut, Cyclohm, and Colossoil with his STAB attacks and coverage moves. Fidgit and Revenankh both avoid being OHKOed by a boosted Wood Hammer or Flare Blitz, but lack anything with which they can threaten Pyroak back. Colossoil's Sucker Punches barely do upwards of 50% damage to Pyroak, so without a lot of passive damage, even the mighty narwhal will fall to Pyroak's destructive power. Arghonaut, despite negating Pyroak's attack boost, will still be put down by Wood Hammer. Stratagem threatens Pyroak the most of all of the CAP Pokemon, being able to strike him with a super effective Paleo Wave while outspeeding all variants of Pyroak even with a +1 boost to his Speed.

Pyroak's movesets should not be differing much in the CAP metagame as opposed to the OU metagame. As Salamence and opposing Pyroak tend to be the more common switch-ins to Pyroak in CAP, you may opt for running Stone Edge or Dragon Claw as the primary coverage move over Earthquake.

note to self: moremoremore i know something is missing

<h2>Counters</h2>

Heatran is easily the best counter to any Pyroak who hasn't got Earthquake, as it is immune to Fire and 4x resists Grass. Choice Scarf Heatran will also outspeed Pyroak after a Dragon Dance, and Fire Blast is an easy 2HKO (or OHKO if Pyroak switched into Stealth Rock and you snag a Flash Fire boost). Most Pyroak tend to carry Earthquake for this reason, so Salamence is generally the safest switch-in. Although Intimidate negates the boost from Dragon Dance, Flare Blitz is still capable of doing quite a bit of damage, so be sure Salamence can actually damage Pyroak if he is going to be your main answer. Latias and Dragonite also resist both of Pyroak's STAB moves, but they will be outsped and often 2HKOed by Flare Blitz.

Typically, one of the best ways to check Pyroak is to switch to a Choice Scarf user like Rotom-A and Trick him; a Pyroak locked into any one move is not at all difficult to stop. Outside of that, you can try to wear him down through intelligent switching (this is especially true if he is accumulating damage through entry hazards, sandstorm, Toxic, or Life Orb); however, a misprediction will often result in the loss of a Pokemon in a single hit, so beware.

Zystral · Feb 28, 2010

In the Counters section, the lack of Gyarados is worrying me.
Intimidate, resistance to two out of three possible attacks, and potentially up to 4 SE moves it could use (Waterfall, EQ, Stone Edge, Bounce depending on the set). Sure, it needs to look out for Stone Edge but so does Mence, which you've described as the safest switch-in. :S

Rising_Dusk and myself made quite a decent set out of Flash Fire and SubSeed the other night, and unless he wants to post that too, I'll need to fine-tune the EVs before I submit that.

There's also a number of grammatical errors in this, but I'll wait for the sets and everything else to be added first.

Frizy · Feb 28, 2010

ZystraL said:
In the Counters section, the lack of Gyarados is worrying me.

Gyarados is a horrible DDOak counter. The main reason why Mence is mentioned is because of its resistances to both Fire and Grass.

+0 Wood Hammer vs Adamant 0/4 Gyarados: 88.2% - 104.2%
+0 Wood Hammer vs Adamant 156/96 Gyarados: 70.5% - 83%
+0 Wood Hammer vs Impish 248/252 Gyarados: 51.4% - 60.6%

(These calcs assume Adamant and 252 Atk EVs for Oak) Those calculations back up my point. As you can see, Offensive DD Gyara is fucked after SR, and Bulky DD has quite a decent chance to be KO'd after SR. The only one who is guaranteed to survive (albeit barely) is RestTalk Gyara, who can't touch Oak back anyway.

Rising_Dusk · Feb 28, 2010

I wrote up the DDOak set and what I've found to be the most useful Flash Fire variant of Pyroak, MixOak (Reminiscent of MixPert). Anyways, see below and I welcome comments.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Sleep Powder / Synthesis
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Switch Pyroak into something he resists or on something that doesn't threaten it, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by dragons and fire-types across the entire CAP metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must design around or risk being obliterated by it.

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran who otherwise completely walls you and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake also rounds out its coverage, leaving only three Pokemon that completely resist Pyroak; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, while making Heatran your worst nightmare. If you can't decide which counter you want to beat, Sleep Powder is a good medium. Putting your enemy's response to Pyroak to sleep can really mess up any plans they might have had in stopping you. In case you want to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, Synthesis is also an option, though beware of malign weather rendering it ineffective.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit the hardest at the highest speed necessary. +1 speed with 204 EVs lets you hit 373 speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 120's. More speed EVs are generally unnecessary, as the only Pokemon it lets you beat are Weavile, Swellow, Neutral-Natured Choice Scarf Heatran, and +1 Adamant Gyarados. 48 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens Rock Slide and Crobat threatens Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-o-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but has a few key advantages over the mud fish that set it apart. Pyroak, unlike Swampert, can reliably beat opposing Swampert. Furthermore, Pyroak has access to both Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-o-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will think twice before switching in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends of the spectrum. 248 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except electric and rock attacks is resisted by the duo. For that reason, ground Pokemon such as Swampert make a great third member for a deadly triumvirate of resistances. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on physical rock and flying attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and support it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side of your opponents.

Zystral said:
Rising_Dusk and myself made quite a decent set out of Flash Fire and SubSeed the other night, and unless he wants to post that too, I'll need to fine-tune the EVs before I submit that.

Yeah we did. I have parts of it written up and the set sorted out, but I am really tired, so I'll finish writing it up in the morning.

Frizy · Feb 28, 2010

Just a nitpick on the DD set R_D, Sleep Powder is illegal with Dragon Dance IIRC. I also think Stone Edge should really have a slash in slot four. It gives brilliant neutrality, KO's Salamence, and basically 2hko's everything that Flare Blitz/Wood Hammer doesn't.

Umbreon Dan · Feb 28, 2010

Rising_Dusk said:
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Sleep Powder / Synthesis
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Switch Pyroak into something he resists or on something that doesn't threaten it, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by dragons and fire-types across the entire CAP metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must design around or risk being obliterated by it.

analyses are written for the ou metagame <_>

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran who otherwise completely walls you and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake also rounds out its coverage, leaving only three Pokemon that completely resist Pyroak; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, while making Heatran your worst nightmare. If you can't decide which counter you want to beat, Sleep Powder is a good medium. Putting your enemy's response to Pyroak to sleep can really mess up any plans they might have had in stopping you. In case you want to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, Synthesis is also an option, though beware of malign weather rendering it ineffective.

sleep powder is illegal with dragon dance. synthesis imo is a bit silly; pyroak needs the type coverage of a third attack. this will be an option if bulky ddoak is included though. also i think stone edge is a good move here

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit the hardest at the highest speed necessary. +1 speed with 204 EVs lets you hit 373 speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 120's. More speed EVs are generally unnecessary, as the only Pokemon it lets you beat are Weavile, Swellow, Neutral-Natured Choice Scarf Heatran, and +1 Adamant Gyarados. 48 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock.

jolly? doesn't pretty much everyone use adamant ?_? i don't really see the point of jolly when adamant is enough to beat the 115 group at +1. there are no base 120 speed mons in ou anymore.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock and Flying and poison; the steel thing still applies, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens Rock Slide and Crobat threatens Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea. this i don't really understand, could you clarify? In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-o-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but has a few key advantages over the mud fish that set it apart. Pyroak, unlike Swampert, can reliably beat opposing Swampert. yeah oak beats lots of other things that swampert doesn't and vice versa, why mention this in particular? Furthermore, Pyroak has access to both Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-o-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will think twice before switching in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends of the spectrum. 248 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. your math isnt quite correct here, 252 puts roak at 438, which takes 109 damage from sr, which is the same as you take with 437The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. do you really wanna switch in or even stay in against skarm? brave bird is ganna hurt. anyway, even with no satk evs you are doing 50.3% - 59.9% so unless its running leftovers you are 2hkoingWith a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary. weren't they meant to take a paleo wave or something like that i dont remember :C

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except electric and rock attacks is resisted by the duo. uh... pyroak resists electric, and this combination doesn't resist water, ice, or fighting... care to explain? For that reason, ground Pokemon such as Swampert make a great third member for a deadly triumvirate of resistances. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on physical rock and flying attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and support it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side of your opponents.

i made some comments, and i think i need to hear from you before i edit these in.

bugmaniacbob · Feb 28, 2010

Umbreon Dan said:
[Overview]

Pyroak is one of the most terrifying Dragon Dance users imaginable. Its 120 Base Power STABs easily allow it to smash through almost all of OU's premier physical walls and its huge defensive stats make it a challenge to deal with quickly. Pyroak's only drawback is its susceptibility to passive damage, including Stealth Rock, (Toxic) Spikes, Life Orb, and Sandstorm, but this is only a minor hindrance.

Outside of Dragon Dance, Pyroak has its uses as a defensive/supportive Pokemon, but none of these sets inspire fear in opponents the way Dragon Dance Pyroak does.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Synthesis
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into something he resists or that doesn't threaten it, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire CAP metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a quad resistance to Grass, and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. In case you want to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, Synthesis is also an option, though beware of malign weather rendering it ineffective.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. +1 speed with 204 EVs lets you hit 373 speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 120's. More speed EVs are generally unnecessary, as the only Pokemon it lets you beat are Weavile, Swellow, Neutral-Natured Choice Scarf Heatran, and +1 Adamant Gyarados. 48 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea (such as?). In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-o-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but has a few key advantages over the mud fish that set it apart. Pyroak, unlike Swampert, can reliably beat opposing Swampert. Furthermore, Pyroak has access to both Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-o-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will think twice before switching in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 248 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except Electric and Rock attacks is resisted by the duo. For that reason, Ground Pokemon such as Swampert make a great third member for a deadly triumvirate of resistances. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on physical rock and flying attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and support it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side of your opponents.

[Team Options]

Pyroak is the very definition of bulky offense, so its partners will usually be like-minded Pokemon, like Scizor or Latias. Steel-types in general make good partners to Pyroak, as Steel resists all three of its weaknesses (Rock, Flying and Poison), so consider using Pokemon like Agility Metagross. In return, the Pokemon that hamper Metagross's sweep tend to be Water-typed Pokemon like Suicune and Swampert; Pyroak will have no trouble dispatching these with a solid Wood Hammer. 

Pyroak loves Stealth Rock support, especially if it is not running Dragon Claw or Stone Edge, as it will take a large chunk out of common switch-ins like Salamence, Dragonite, and Togekiss. Spikes support is nice but not generally necessary, as it rarely grants Pyroak any KOs that it would not otherwise get. Bronzong is a great user of Stealth Rock who resists all of Pyroak's weaknesses. If you are using Leftovers, Spikes becomes more important, as they ensure a couple of KOs, like against Shuca Berry Heatran, but Pyroak is still fully capable of working without them. Speaking of entry hazards, Rapid Spin will increase Pyroak's lifespan monumentally, as Pyroak takes double damage from Stealth Rock as well as being hit by Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Starmie makes a good offensive Rapid Spinner, though Forretress can use both Rapid Spin and entry hazards. To remove Sandstorm, you may consider using a Rain Dance Kingdra, but make sure Pyroak does not try to sweep until the Rain has passed. (Sunny Day?)



[Optional Changes]

this kinda depends on which sets go in

[Counters]

Heatran is easily the best counter to any Pyroak that hasn't got Earthquake, as it is immune to Fire and doubly resists Grass. ScarfTran will also outspeed Pyroak after a Dragon Dance, and Fire Blast is an easy 2HKO (or OHKO if Pyroak switched into Stealth Rock and you snag a Flash Fire boost). Most Pyroak tend carry Earthquake, so Salamence is generally the safest switch-in. Although Intimidate negates the boost from Dragon Dance, Flare Blitz is still capable of doing quite a bit of damage, so be sure Salamence can actually damage Pyroak if that's going to be your main answer. Latias and Dragon also resist both STABs, but they will be outsped and often 2HKOed by Flare Blitz. 

Typically, one of the best ways to check Pyroak is to switch a Choice Scarf user like Rotom-A and Trick it; a Pyroak locked into any one move is not at all difficult to stop. Outside of that, you can try to wear it down through intelligent switching (this is especially true if it is accumulating damage through entry hazards, sandstorm, Toxic, or Life Orb); however, a misprediction will often result in the loss of a Pokemon in a single hit.

anyone got any new ideas for this section? I feel like i'm missing something big

Quick grammar check. Is there going to be a CAP metagame section, or does that not apply anymore?

Also, shouldn't Flash Fire Pyroak be listed in the counters section for the Dragon Dance set? 248 HP Pyroak is never 2HKOed by +1 LO Earthquake (without Stealth Rock), and can put it to sleep or possibly OHKO if it snagged a Flash Fire boost and Pyroak switched into Stealth Rock.

Other than that, looking good.

Umbreon Dan · Feb 28, 2010

oh yeah i guess i should do cap metagame. i was kinda hoping for a new standard of writing these but yeah i should do that for now at least

the reason i mentioned rain dance kingdra but not sunny day was that sunny day sucks while kingdra is pretty good on its own. its not really reasonable to set up sunny day just to avoid 7 % a turn imo (especially since it's basically a wasted moveslot if your opponent does have tyranitar/hippowdon). i guess i could give it a mention but say that its lame

Rising_Dusk · Feb 28, 2010

bugmaniacbob said:
Also, shouldn't Flash Fire Pyroak be listed in the counters section for the Dragon Dance set? 248 HP Pyroak is never 2HKOed by +1 LO Earthquake (without Stealth Rock), and can put it to sleep or possibly OHKO if it snagged a Flash Fire boost and Pyroak switched into Stealth Rock.

No, these sets are for the OU metagame. That sort of mention would be included in the CAP metagame section. That is, unless the way these things are being written is changing, in which case we'd have to rewrite every CAPmon's analyses.

Anyways, though, your comments are great. It sounds much better with your remarks edited in. Thanks a ton.

Frizy said:
Just a nitpick on the DD set R_D, Sleep Powder is illegal with Dragon Dance IIRC. I also think Stone Edge should really have a slash in slot four. It gives brilliant neutrality, KO's Salamence, and basically 2hko's everything that Flare Blitz/Wood Hammer doesn't.

It is? That should really get fixed. I still remember seeing that being used on the server and if it should be illegal it shouldn't be allowed to be used. And yeah, Stone Edge was going to get a mention, but a 5-slashed slot seemed overkill. We can replace Sleep Powder with Stone Edge now, though, since it's illegal.

Also, I agree with basically everything you said, UD. That's what proofreading is for, since jeez, 5:30AM is killer on typing. Updates to the sets below.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge / Synthesis
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into something he resists or that doesn't threaten it, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. In case you want to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, Synthesis is also an option, though beware of malign weather rendering it ineffective.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. +1 Speed with 176 EVs lets you hit 363 Speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 115's. 80 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Adamant as a nature is also possible, though it prevents you from outpacing positive-natures base 115's, which is significant. In that case, you should run 232 Speed EVs to outrun positive-natured base 110's after a Dragon Dance.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens withRock Slide and Crobat threatens withBrave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea such as such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its deadly attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-o-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-o-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except Water, Ice, and Fighting is resisted by the duo. For that reason, your own bulky Water Pokemon such as Vaporeon make a great third member. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side of your opponents.

Zystral · Feb 28, 2010

Rising_Dusk said:
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge / Synthesis
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into something he resists or isn't threatened by, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team - Stall in particular - must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth moveslot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. In case you want to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, Synthesis is also an option, though beware of incorrect weather rendering it ineffective.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. +1 Speed with 176 EVs lets you hit 363 Speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 115's. 80 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Adamant as a nature is also possible, though it prevents you from outpacing positive-natures base 115's, which is significant. In that case, you should run 232 Speed EVs to outrun positive-natured base 110's after a Dragon Dance.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokémon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokémon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea such as such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its deadly attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-o-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokémon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-o-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, as they are truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. The Special Attack EVs allows Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except Water, Ice, and Fighting is resisted by the duo. For that reason, your own bulky Water Pokémon such as Vaporeon make a great third member. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side for your opponents.

quick proofread. I don't bold things I change; so just c&p the above.

Also, that EV spread I said I'd fine tune is as thus; 244 HP / 40 SpA / 224 SpD with Bold. The EVs give for 436 HP, making 4 109HP Substitutes while 224 SpD allows Pyroak's defences to balance, making it very bulky and very difficult to kill. Rest is thrown into SpA. Substitute, Lava Plume, Leech Seed and Stun Spore / Sleep Powder @ lefties is the set iirc. Actiate Flash Fire, spread some status around and attempt to stall your foe to oblivion is possible with SubSeed.

Rising_Dusk · Feb 28, 2010

It'd be nice to know exactly what you changed, though, so I could compare it to the original and see if it's an improvement or just a style thing. I don't feel comfortable just CnPing what you've got there without knowing exactly what's different. :x

Zystral said:
Also, that EV spread I said I'd fine tune is as thus; 244 HP / 40 SpA / 224 SpD with Bold. The EVs give for 436 HP, making 4 109HP Substitutes while 224 SpD allows Pyroak's defences to balance, making it very bulky and very difficult to kill. Rest is thrown into SpA. Substitute, Lava Plume, Leech Seed and Stun Spore / Sleep Powder @ lefties is the set iirc. Actiate Flash Fire, spread some status around and attempt to stall your foe to oblivion is possible with SubSeed.

It should be at least 248 HP so you don't die on your 4th switch-in to SR. 252 HP also works, so I think the spread I listed in MixOak would probably work best for the Leech Seeder. Also, definitely agreed that Bold is the right nature for the job.

Also, after talking to UD, I guess it would make sense for Flash Fire MixOak to be a listed counter for DDOak. Thanks for bringing that up.

bugmaniacbob · Feb 28, 2010

Rising_Dusk said:
No, these sets are for the OU metagame. That sort of mention would be included in the CAP metagame section. That is, unless the way these things are being written is changing, in which case we'd have to rewrite every CAPmon's analyses.

That doesn't really make sense though - If Pyroak happens to exist in the metagame that these analyses are written for (The 'Pyroak Metagame' of playtesting) it sort of follows logically that other people are using Pyroak as well. I don't really know, so yeah...

I also highlighted the changes made by ZystraL, as I was bored, so they were easier to see. I haven't checked the content, mind, just highlighted. I also haven't highlighted the tags, which should be added. I'll add the next set in a moment.
EDIT: MixOak added

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge / Synthesis
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into something he resists or isn't threatened by, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team - Stall in particular - must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth moveslot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. In case you want to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, Synthesis is also an option, though beware of incorrect weather rendering it ineffective.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. +1 Speed with 176 EVs lets you hit 363 Speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 115's. 80 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Adamant as a nature is also possible, though it prevents you from outpacing positive-natures base 115's, which is significant. In that case, you should run 232 Speed EVs to outrun positive-natured base 110's after a Dragon Dance.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokémon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokémon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea such as such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its deadly attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-o-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokémon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-o-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-o-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, as they are truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. The Special Attack EVs allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except Water, Ice, Rock, and Fighting is resisted by the duo. For that reason, your own bulky Water Pokémon such as Vaporeon make a great third member. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side for your opponents.

Rising_Dusk · Feb 28, 2010

bugmaniacbob said:
That doesn't really make sense though - If Pyroak happens to exist in the metagame that these analyses are written for (The 'Pyroak Metagame' of playtesting) it sort of follows logically that other people are using Pyroak as well. I don't really know, so yeah...

UD brought that to my attention earlier and I agree, so I've added it in. Also, most of those changes you highlighted by Zy were in my most recent version anyways, so I'm really still unsure what he changed.

Anywho, this is where we're at now. I also typed up the SubSeed set.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Switch Pyroak into something he resists or that doesn't threaten it, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first three moves are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; those being Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. It is also worth noting that Stone Edge allows you to beat opposing Pyroak with Flash Fire. Synthesis is also an option to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, though it is generally unreliable so better coverage is preferred.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. +1 Speed with 176 EVs lets you hit 363 Speed with Jolly, outspeeding positive-natured base 115's. 80 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. Adamant as a nature is also possible, though it prevents you from outpacing positive-natures base 115's, which is significant. In that case, you should run 252 Speed EVs to outrun positive-natured base 110's and tie with neutral-natured +1 Breloom and Metagross.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock, Poison, and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea such as such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its deadly attacks.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-O-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to give Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, while still maximizing its bulk. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except Water, Ice, and Fighting is resisted by the duo. For that reason, your own bulky Water Pokemon such as Vaporeon makes a great third member. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side of your opponents.

[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Lava Plume / Flamethrower
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Sleep Powder / Stun Spore
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
SubSeed Pyroak can be quite an annoyance for your opponent once it gets the chance to set up. Pyroak can come in on an assortment of Pokemon, including virtually any of the Steel-type Pokemon in the metagame, Substitute or inflict status on the switch, and then proceed to Leech Seed stall out much of the enemy's team. One of the greatest advantages that Pyroak has over other SubSeed Pokemon is that he has STAB Lava Plume for crushing enemy Grass-types that are immune to Leech Seed. Pyroak is also blessed with being able to absorb Fire-type attacks aimed its way, something other SubSeeders like Shaymin and Abomasnow wish they could claim.

Substitute and Leech Seed are given moves, while Lava Plume is chosen over Flamethrower for its 30% chance to burn the enemy while doing some damage. Flamethrower is still a viable option, however, if you'd like the chance to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory. Because of Lava Plume's chance to burn, Sleep Powder and Stun Spore are options for the fourth slot over Will-O-Wisp, as this gives Pyroak the capacity to inflict crippling conditions on virtually any of its switch-ins. Sleep Powder is generally the more useful option, being able to put your opponent's first switch-in to Pyroak to sleep. However, Stun Spore has the benefit of being able to paralyze anything, including Ground-types and Jolteon that normally don't fear it.

The EVs are the same as the MixOak set, optimizing Pyroak's bulkiness while still giving a little extra "oomph" to his STAB Fire-type attack. 252 HP EVs allow it to switch-in to Stealth Rock four times without dying. Bold is the preferred nature here, since Pyroak won't be using its Attack stat and the defensive balance is crucial for it to survive.

This Pyroak is generally an annoyance, and is best used on teams needing a switch-in to Fire-type attacks that can spread status around. The counters list for this set is generally the same as for the MixOak and Dragon Dance sets, but many of the most common switch-ins will hate to be paralyzed or put to sleep. Furthermore, under the buffer of a Substitute, Pyroak can be very difficult to deal with. Still, Skarmory and bulky Water-types make excellent partners, and this Pyroak appreciates Rapid Spin support just as much as any of the others.

Zari · Feb 28, 2010

I think in OO we can mention 56 HP / 248 Attack / 204 Speed as an alternate spread for DD oak. 227 speed outruns all Figit after a dragon dance, and ohkos with SR: LO +1 Adamant Earthquake deals 94.9% - 112.2% to 252 HP / 0 Def Figit. With this spread you can't get encored into using dragon dance over and over. I put 4 of the attack Evs into HP, as that allows Pyroak to come into SR 5 times; using 52 HP evs gives only 4 switch-ins to SR.

I'm not certain if this is the better set or not, but I always found outspeeding Figit was worth it.

Rising_Dusk · Feb 28, 2010

In the OU analyses, we can't include CAPmon like Syclant and Fidgit. 204 Speed EVs with Jolly outruns Syclant after a DD and also Fidgit. (Beats positive-natured base 120's) That's an important landmark in the CAP metagame, but isn't so important in standard OU. I think we'll mention the 48 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe / 4 SpD EV spread in the CAP Metagame section for that reason. (I think it's important we max atk, since that lets him hit the hardest possible)

Umbreon Dan · Mar 1, 2010

zari, why would you run just enough to beat fidgit but not latias?

as for the relaxed ev spread, 252 hp / 98 def / 32 satk / 128 sdef sassy does the same spread but with two more sdef points.

lava plume + sleep powder/stun spore seems kinda nonsensical doesn't it?

also see my bolded note in the op.

Rising_Dusk · Mar 1, 2010

Umbreon Dan said:
as for the relaxed ev spread, 252 hp / 98 def / 32 satk / 128 sdef sassy does the same spread but with two more sdef points.

Good catch. Go with that, then. Keep it at 96 Def, though, since the last 2 EVs are kind of cluttering.

Umbreon Dan said:
lava plume + sleep powder/stun spore seems kinda nonsensical doesn't it?

Yes, I suppose. I like the versatility of being able to sleep/paralyze on the switch, then burn their next switch-in, but if you find it redundant, Flamethrower is a happy and more powerful choice.

Umbreon Dan said:
also see my bolded note in the op

Bolded Note said:
and rock; is this really something to brag about?

I guess it isn't something to brag about. Generally speaking, though, Skarmory takes neutral physical hits like a champ, so I guess I thought higher of it than I should have. :p

Zystral · Mar 1, 2010

Umbreon Dan said:
as for the relaxed ev spread, 252 hp / 98 def / 32 satk / 128 sdef sassy does the same spread but with two more sdef points.

lava plume + sleep powder/stun spore seems kinda nonsensical doesn't it?

spread looks good, but if we're being that conservative about EVs then move about 8-12 EVs out of both defences and make pyroak that little bit stronger.

lava plume + sleep powder isn't that far-fetched. sleep powder first, and anybody with a brain is going to run away, leaving you open to substitute and lava plume the switch in, hopefully burning the likes of Gyarados and Mence.

viol and bass · Mar 1, 2010

The EV spread for the DD set has some extra EVs.

Rising_Dusk · Mar 1, 2010

Yeah, he must've CnP'd it wrong. ~~They should be 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe.~~ 192 EVs are used to beat Jolly TTar before and after a +1 boost (with your own +1).

Zari · Mar 14, 2010

Rising_Dusk said:
Yeah, he must've CnP'd it wrong. ~~They should be 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe.~~ 192 EVs are used to beat Jolly TTar before and after a +1 boost (with your own +1).

Dunno how I didn't notice this before, but you only need 184 Spe EVs with a Jolly nature to outspeed Ttar, who only hits 243 max. The extra 8 evs can be placed in def making the DD spread 56 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Def / 184 Spe.

Rising_Dusk · Mar 14, 2010

We will probably go with 56 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Def / 188 Spe then, since you only need 184 to outspeed +1 Jolly TTar and a speed stat of 245 gives you the jump on 244 speed Pokemon such as Celebi and Zapdos.

Zystral · Mar 14, 2010

Proofreading + editing in Dusk's new EV spread.

Umbreon Dan said:
Pyroak is one of the most terrifying Dragon Dance users imaginable. Its 120 Base Power STABs easily allow it to smash through almost all of OU's premier physical walls and its huge defensive stats make it a challenge to deal with quickly. Pyroak's only drawback is its susceptibility to passive damage, including Stealth Rock, (Toxic) Spikes, Life Orb, and Sandstorm, but this is only a minor hindrance.

Outside of Dragon Dance, Pyroak has its uses as a defensive/supportive Pokémon, but none of these sets inspire fear in opponents the way Dragon Dance Pyroak does. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its deadly attacks.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 56 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Def / 188 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into a resisted move or non-threatening Pokémon, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first two attacks are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens with its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokémon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves: Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three Dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. It is also worth noting that Stone Edge allows you to beat opposing Pyroak with Flash Fire. Synthesis is also an option to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, though it is generally unreliable and better coverage is preferred.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. With Jolly, 188 Speed EVs hits 245 Speed, outrunning all Tyranitar, as well as Pokémon like Celebi that aim for the 244 bracket. After a Dragon Dance, Pyroak will outspeed positive-natured Base 115 Speed Pokémon (all of whom it can OHKO with a STAB move). 56 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock and rounding down Life Orb damage. Adamant as a nature is also possible, although it prevents you from outpacing positive-natured Base 115s, which is significant. In that case, you should run 252 Speed EVs to outrun Base 110s and tie with neutral-natured Breloom and Metagross.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super-effectively are Rock, Poison, and Flying; Steel-types are extremely valuable team-mates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokémon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokémon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea, such as such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokémon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-O-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat his counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to maximize its bulk, and conveniently gives Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory creates a particularly devastating pairing of resistances with this Pyroak, as every type of attack except Water, Ice, and Fighting is resisted by the duo. For that reason, a bulky Water Pokémon such as Vaporeon makes a great third member. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in the side of your opponents.

[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Lava Plume / Flamethrower
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Sleep Powder / Stun Spore ?_?
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

SubSeed Pyroak can be quite an annoyance for your opponent once it gets the chance to set up. Pyroak can come in on an assortment of Pokemon, including virtually any of the Steel-type Pokemon in the metagame, Substitute or inflict status on the switch, and then proceed to Leech Seed stall out much of the enemy's team. One of the greatest advantages that Pyroak has over other SubSeed Pokémon is that he has STAB Lava Plume for crushing enemy Grass-types who are immune to Leech Seed. Pyroak is also blessed with being able to absorb Fire-type attacks aimed its way, something other SubSeeders like Shaymin and Abomasnow wish they could claim.

Substitute and Leech Seed are given moves, while Lava Plume is chosen over Flamethrower for its 30% chance to burn the enemy while doing some damage. Flamethrower is still a viable option, however, if you'd like the chance to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory. Because of Lava Plume's chance to burn, Sleep Powder and Stun Spore are options for the fourth slot over Will-O-Wisp, as this gives Pyroak the capacity to inflict crippling conditions on virtually any of its switch-ins. Sleep Powder is generally the more useful option, being able to put your opponent's first switch-in to Pyroak to sleep. However, Stun Spore has the benefit of being able to paralyze anything, including Ground-types and Jolteon that normally don't fear it.

The EVs are the same as the MixOak set, optimizing Pyroak's bulkiness while still giving a little extra "oomph" to his STAB Fire-type attack. 252 HP EVs allow it to switch-in to Stealth Rock four times without dying. Bold is the preferred nature here, since Pyroak won't be using its Attack stat and the defensive balance is crucial for it to survive.

This Pyroak is generally an annoyance, and is best used on teams needing a switch-in to Fire-type attacks that can spread status around. The counters list for this set is generally the same as for the MixOak and Dragon Dance sets, but many of the most common switch-ins will hate to be paralyzed or put to sleep. Furthermore, under the buffer of a Substitute, Pyroak can be very difficult to deal with. Still, Skarmory and bulky Water-types make excellent partners, and this Pyroak appreciates Rapid Spin support just as much as any of the others.

[Team Options]

Pyroak is the very definition of bulky offense, so its partners will usually be like-minded Pokémon, like Scizor or Latias. Steel-types in general make good partners to Pyroak, as Steel resists all three of its weaknesses (Rock, Flying and Poison), so consider using Pokémon like Agility Metagross. In return, the Pokemon that hamper Metagross's sweep tend to be Water-typed Pokemon like Suicune and Swampert; Pyroak will have no trouble dispatching these with a solid Wood Hammer.

Pyroak loves Stealth Rock support, especially if it is not running Dragon Claw or Stone Edge, as it will take a large chunk out of common switch-ins like Salamence, Dragonite, and Togekiss. Spikes support is nice but not generally necessary, as it rarely grants Pyroak any KOs that it would not otherwise get. Bronzong is a great user of Stealth Rock who resists all of Pyroak's weaknesses. If you are using Leftovers, Spikes becomes more important, as they ensure a couple of KOs, like against Shuca Berry Heatran, but Pyroak is still fully capable of working without them. Speaking of entry hazards, Rapid Spin will increase Pyroak's lifespan monumentally, as Pyroak takes double damage from Stealth Rock as well as being hit by Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Starmie makes a good offensive Rapid Spinner, though Forretress can use both Rapid Spin and entry hazards. To remove Sandstorm, you may consider using a Rain Dance Kingdra, but make sure Pyroak does not try to sweep until the Rain has passed. Alternatively, you could consider setting up Sunny Day for Pyroak, but Sunny Day isn't nearly as good on its own as Rain Dance Kingdra is and isn't really worth it. On the other hand, Sunny Day will give Flare Blitz a huge power boost.



[Optional Changes]

[CAP Metagame]

[Counters]

Heatran is easily the best counter to any Pyroak that hasn't got Earthquake, as it is immune to Fire and doubly resists Grass. ScarfTran will also outspeed Pyroak after a Dragon Dance, and Fire Blast is an easy 2HKO (or OHKO if Pyroak switched into Stealth Rock and you snag a Flash Fire boost). Most Pyroak tend carry Earthquake, so Salamence is generally the safest switch-in. Although Intimidate negates the boost from Dragon Dance, Flare Blitz is still capable of doing quite a bit of damage, so be sure Salamence can actually damage Pyroak if that's going to be your main answer. Latias and Dragonite also resist both STABs, but they will be outsped and often 2HKOed by Flare Blitz, as Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed cannot KO Pyroak either.

Typically, one of the best ways to check Pyroak is to switch a Choice Scarf user like Rotom-A and Trick it; a Pyroak locked into any one move is not at all difficult to stop. Outside of that, you can try to wear it down through intelligent switching (this is especially true if it is accumulating damage through entry hazards, sandstorm, Toxic, or Life Orb); however, a misprediction will often result in the loss of a Pokémon in a single hit.

Rising_Dusk · Mar 21, 2010

We realized after the fact that the 192 Speed was for Celebi, so we'll keep the spread as it is listed.

I have finished all of the sections for Pyroak and have adjusted the set descriptions to meet the newer style requirements. Furthermore, I've taken Zy's suggestions into account and fixed those errors (as well as a few I noticed when I proofread it myself). Lastly, I've included mention of bulkier sets for Dragon Dance (without giving it its own set, since the moves and EVs would be the same) and have taken into account all of Dan's suggestions in the first post.

This should be pretty close to being done now.

[Overview]

Pyroak is one of the most terrifying Dragon Dance users imaginable. Its 120 Base Power STABs easily allow it to smash through almost all of OU's premier physical walls and its huge defensive stats make it a challenge to deal with quickly. Pyroak's only drawback is its susceptibility to passive damage, including Stealth Rock, (Toxic) Spikes, Life Orb, and Sandstorm, but this is only a minor hindrance.

Outside of Dragon Dance, Pyroak has its uses as a defensive/supportive Pokemon, but none of these sets inspire fear in opponents the way Dragon Dance Pyroak does. In conclusion, Pyroak is a devastating weapon against stall and once set up threatens a huge portion of the metagame with its deadly attacks.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 56 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def / 192 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into a resisted move or nonthreatening Pokemon, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The first two attacks are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens with its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three Dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. It is also worth noting that Stone Edge allows you to beat opposing Pyroak with Flash Fire. Synthesis is also an option to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, though it is generally unreliable and better coverage is preferred.

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. With Jolly, 192 Speed EVs hits 246 Speed, outrunning all Tyranitar, as well as Pokemon like Celebi that aim for the 244 or 245 Speed bracket. After a Dragon Dance, Pyroak will outspeed positive-natured Base 115 Speed Pokemon (all of whom it can OHKO with a STAB move). 56 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock and rounding down Life Orb damage. Adamant as a nature is a possibility, although it prevents you from outpacing positive-natured Base 115s, which is significant. In that case, you should run 252 Speed EVs to outrun Base 110s and tie with neutral-natured Breloom and Metagross. Bulkier EV spreads can be run alongside Leftovers to turn Pyroak into a veritable defensive monster while it smashes apart your enemies. Without maximum offensive investment, though, it will miss out on outspeeding some threats and OHKOing others.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock, Poison, and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea, such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-O-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat its counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to maximize its bulk, and conveniently gives Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory works well with this Pyroak, being able to come in on many of the attacks that threaten it. Bulky Water-type Pokemon appreciate having Pyroak around as well because their weaknesses to Electric and Grass are covered by Pyroak. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in your opponent's side.

[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Lava Plume / Flamethrower
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

SubSeed Pyroak can be quite an annoyance for your opponent once it gets the chance to set up. Pyroak can come in on an assortment of Pokemon, including virtually any of the Steel-type Pokemon in the metagame, Substitute or inflict status on the switch, and then proceed to Leech Seed stall out much of the enemy's team. One of the greatest advantages that Pyroak has over other SubSeed Pokemon is that he has STAB Lava Plume for crushing enemy Grass-types who are immune to Leech Seed. Pyroak is also blessed with being able to absorb Fire-type attacks aimed its way, something other SubSeeders like Shaymin and Abomasnow wish they could claim.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Substitute and Leech Seed are given moves, while Lava Plume is chosen over Flamethrower for its 30% chance to burn the enemy while doing some damage. Flamethrower is still a viable option, however, if you'd like the chance to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory. Because of Lava Plume's chance to burn, Sleep Powder is the definite choice for the fourth slot over Will-O-Wisp, as this gives Pyroak the capacity to inflict crippling conditions on virtually any of its switch-ins.

The EVs are the same as the MixOak set, optimizing Pyroak's bulkiness while still giving a little extra "oomph" to his STAB Fire-type attack. 252 HP EVs allow it to switch-in to Stealth Rock four times without dying. Bold is the preferred nature here, since Pyroak won't be using its Attack stat and the defensive balance is crucial for it to survive.

This Pyroak is generally an annoyance, and is best used on teams needing a switch-in to Fire-type attacks that can spread status around. The counters list for this set is generally the same as for the MixOak and Dragon Dance sets, but many of the most common switch-ins will hate to be paralyzed or put to sleep. Furthermore, under the buffer of a Substitute, Pyroak can be very difficult to deal with. Still, Skarmory and bulky Water-types make excellent partners, and this Pyroak appreciates Rapid Spin support just as much as any of the others. As this set will force a lot of switches if played right, entry hazard support in the form of Spikes and Toxic Spikes are much more valuable here than with other Pyroak sets.

[Team Options]

Dragon Dance Pyroak is the very definition of bulky offense, so its partners will usually be like-minded Pokemon, like Scizor or Latias. Steel-types in general make good partners to Pyroak, as Steel resists all three of its weaknesses (Rock, Flying and Poison), so consider using Pokemon like Agility Metagross. In return, the Pokemon that hamper Metagross's sweep tend to be Water-typed Pokemon like Suicune and Swampert; Pyroak will have no trouble dispatching these with a solid Wood Hammer. On the defensive Pyroak sets, Steel-types and bulky Water-types will make the best teammates for their ability to cover each other's weaknesses relatively well. Vaporeon in particular makes for a good partner, being able to send Wishes Pyroak's way while Pyroak resists the types it's weak to.

Pyroak loves Stealth Rock support, especially if it is not running Dragon Claw or Stone Edge, as it will take a large chunk out of common switch-ins like Salamence, Dragonite, and Togekiss. Spikes support is nice but not generally necessary, as it rarely grants Pyroak any KOs that it would not otherwise get. Bronzong is a great user of Stealth Rock who resists all of Pyroak's weaknesses. If you are using Leftovers, Spikes becomes more important, as they ensure a couple of KOs, like against Shuca Berry Heatran, but Pyroak is still fully capable of working without them. Speaking of entry hazards, Rapid Spin will increase Pyroak's lifespan monumentally, as Pyroak takes double damage from Stealth Rock as well as being hit by Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Starmie makes a good offensive Rapid Spinner, though Forretress can use both Rapid Spin and entry hazards. To remove Sandstorm, you may consider using a Rain Dance Kingdra, but make sure Pyroak does not try to sweep until the Rain has passed. Alternatively, you could consider setting up Sunny Day for Pyroak, but Sunny Day isn't nearly as good on its own as Rain Dance Kingdra is and isn't really worth it. On the other hand, Sunny Day will give Flare Blitz a huge power boost.

[Optional Changes]

Pyroak has a vast movepool, and with it comes numerous options for specialized sets that any given player might want to take advantage of. Stun Spore can threaten paralysis even at Pokemon that normally don't worry about it such as Gliscor or Jolteon. Synthesis can be used to heal yourself, possibly even being boosted if Sunny Day is active. Pyroak also has Aromatherapy to serve as a Cleric if your team desperately needs one.

Pyroak can also put to use either a Choice Scarf or a Choice Band. It's Stealth Rock weakness keeps it from being able to switch-in as often as it would like, so Rapid Spin would become even more important if those are chosen. Fire Punch and Leaf Blade can be used on Dragon Dance sets alongside Flash Fire, if you need a Fire-type immunity but want to use Pyroak offensively. Stealth Rock can be use by any of the defensively-minded sets if you have nowhere else to put it. Lastly, Pyroak can also set up Sunny Day to boost its own Fire-type attacks and Synthesis.

[CAP Metagame]

Pyroak fairs exceedingly well in the CAP metagame, threatening Kitsunoh, Syclant, Arghonaut, Cyclohm, and Colossoil with its STAB attacks and coverage moves. Fidgit and Revenankh both avoid being OHKOed by a boosted Wood Hammer or Flare Blitz, but lack anything with which they can threaten Pyroak back. Colossoil's Sucker Punches barely do upwards of 50% damage to Pyroak, so without a lot of passive damage even the mighty narwhal will fall to Pyroak's destructive power. Arghonaut, despite negating Pyroak's attack boost, will still be put down by Wood Hammer. Stratagem threatens Pyroak the most of all of the CAP Pokemon, being able to strike it with a super effective Paleo Wave while outspeeding all variants of Pyroak even with a +1 boost to its Speed.

Pyroak's movesets should not be differing much in the CAP metagame as opposed to the OU metagame. As Salamence and opposing Pyroak tend to be the more common switch-ins to Pyroak in CAP, you may opt for running Stone Edge or Dragon Claw as the primary coverage move over Earthquake.

[Counters]

Heatran is easily the best counter to any Pyroak that hasn't got Earthquake, as it is immune to Fire and doubly resists Grass. ScarfTran will also outspeed Pyroak after a Dragon Dance, and Fire Blast is an easy 2HKO (or OHKO if Pyroak switched into Stealth Rock and you snag a Flash Fire boost). Most Pyroak tend to carry Earthquake for this reason, so Salamence is generally the safest switch-in. Although Intimidate negates the boost from Dragon Dance, Flare Blitz is still capable of doing quite a bit of damage, so be sure Salamence can actually damage Pyroak if that's going to be your main answer. Latias and Dragonite also resist both STABs, but they will be outsped and often 2HKOed by Flare Blitz. 

Typically, one of the best ways to check Pyroak is to switch a Choice Scarf user like Rotom-A and Trick it; a Pyroak locked into any one move is not at all difficult to stop. Outside of that, you can try to wear it down through intelligent switching (this is especially true if it is accumulating damage through entry hazards, sandstorm, Toxic, or Life Orb); however, a misprediction will often result in the loss of a Pokemon in a single hit.

Fuzznip · Mar 21, 2010

I just need say that your [ADDITIONAL COMMENTS] tag is in the wrong place on the sets. Here's what it should look like:

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Wood Hammer
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 56 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def / 192 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Switch Pyroak into a resisted move or nonthreatening Pokemon, Dragon Dance on the switch, and dismantle your opponent's team. With great type coverage that's only resisted by Dragon- and Fire-types across the entire metagame, Pyroak is a force to be reckoned with and something that every team, Stall in particular, must keep in mind or risk being obliterated.

The first two attacks are necessary on the set for STAB, excellent coverage, and massive damage with no recoil due to Rock Head. The fourth move slot has numerous options, all depending on how you need Pyroak to respond to its counters. Earthquake allows it to beat Heatran easily, who is immune to Flare Blitz and has a 4x resistance to Grass, and threatens with its own Flash Fire boosted Fire Blast. Earthquake, together with its STAB moves, leaves only three Pokemon that completely resist all of Pyroak's moves; Latias, Dragonite, and Salamence. Dragon Claw lets you combat those three Dragons, but makes Heatran your worst nightmare. Stone Edge will allow you to beat Salamence while simultaneously having a neutral-hitting attack against Heatran. It is also worth noting that Stone Edge allows you to beat opposing Pyroak with Flash Fire. Synthesis is also an option to offset the Life Orb recoil a bit, though it is generally unreliable and better coverage is preferred.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is rather simple, allowing you to hit hard at the highest speed necessary. With Jolly, 192 Speed EVs hits 246 Speed, outrunning all Tyranitar, as well as Pokemon like Celebi that aim for the 244 or 245 Speed bracket. After a Dragon Dance, Pyroak will outspeed positive-natured Base 115 Speed Pokemon (all of whom it can OHKO with a STAB move). 56 EVs are placed into HP to add to Pyroak's general bulk while still offering 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock and rounding down Life Orb damage. Adamant as a nature is a possibility, although it prevents you from outpacing positive-natured Base 115s, which is significant. In that case, you should run 252 Speed EVs to outrun Base 110s and tie with neutral-natured Breloom and Metagross. Bulkier EV spreads can be run alongside Leftovers to turn Pyroak into a veritable defensive monster while it smashes apart your enemies. Without maximum offensive investment, though, it will miss out on outspeeding some threats and OHKOing others.

Pyroak is typically found on offensive teams as a stall breaker, but defensive support is welcome as well. As the only types that hit it super effectively are Rock, Poison, and Flying, Steel-types are extremely valuable teammates. Positive-natured base 130 Speed Pokemon can switch in on the turn Pyroak uses Dragon Dance and always outspeed him. Of these, Aerodactyl threatens with Rock Slide and Crobat threatens with Brave Bird. Skarmory complements Pyroak very well by being able to shrug off all of these attacks, but should be wary of Taunt. This Pyroak will gladly rip apart stall for you, so partnering it up with Pokemon that like having walls such as Bronzong, Skarmory, and Blissey removed is a great idea, such as Calm Mind Suicune or Latias.

[SET]
name: MixOak
move 1: Leaf Blade
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

This Pyroak is a defensively-inclined pivot Pokemon that can come in on Fire-type attacks with ease and immediately threaten your opponent's response. This Pyroak functions similarly to Swampert, but Pyroak has access to both Will-O-Wisp and Sleep Powder to combat its counters. These status moves will make common checks think twice before switching-in.

Leaf Blade and Flamethrower provide the highest-power STAB options available to Pyroak without Rock Head. Earthquake is necessary on the set for it to immediately threaten Heatran and to round out its coverage. With Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder, Salamence, Latias, and Dragonite will not haphazardly switch-in. Stealth Rock is an option in the last slot if you need it and have nowhere else on your team for it. It is highly recommended to use one of Pyroak's status-inducing moves, however, as it is truly what distinguishes it from Swampert.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread attempts to optimize Pyroak's defensive capacity on both ends. 252 HP EVs are used to maximize its bulk, and conveniently gives Pyroak 4 switch-ins to Stealth Rock. The Special Attack EVs are to allow Flamethrower to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory a majority of the time. With a Relaxed nature and the Special Defense EVs, Pyroak is able to take on both physical and special attacks as necessary.

This Pyroak is best used on balanced teams that have a good variety of defense and offense. Skarmory works well with this Pyroak, being able to come in on many of the attacks that threaten it. Bulky Water-type Pokemon appreciate having Pyroak around as well because their weaknesses to Electric and Grass are covered by Pyroak. Furthermore, because of Pyroak's unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, it appreciates support in the way of Rapid Spin. Forretress makes a great partner as Pyroak will absorb Fire-typed attacks aimed at it while Forretress gladly takes on Rock-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks pointed at Pyroak. If you can support it with the resistances and backup it needs, Pyroak can be a major thorn in your opponent's side.

[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Lava Plume / Flamethrower
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Sleep Powder
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpA / 224 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

SubSeed Pyroak can be quite an annoyance for your opponent once it gets the chance to set up. Pyroak can come in on an assortment of Pokemon, including virtually any of the Steel-type Pokemon in the metagame, Substitute or inflict status on the switch, and then proceed to Leech Seed stall out much of the enemy's team. One of the greatest advantages that Pyroak has over other SubSeed Pokemon is that he has STAB Lava Plume for crushing enemy Grass-types who are immune to Leech Seed. Pyroak is also blessed with being able to absorb Fire-type attacks aimed its way, something other SubSeeders like Shaymin and Abomasnow wish they could claim.

Substitute and Leech Seed are given moves, while Lava Plume is chosen over Flamethrower for its 30% chance to burn the enemy while doing some damage. Flamethrower is still a viable option, however, if you'd like the chance to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory. Because of Lava Plume's chance to burn, Sleep Powder is the definite choice for the fourth slot over Will-O-Wisp, as this gives Pyroak the capacity to inflict crippling conditions on virtually any of its switch-ins.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EVs are the same as the MixOak set, optimizing Pyroak's bulkiness while still giving a little extra "oomph" to his STAB Fire-type attack. 252 HP EVs allow it to switch-in to Stealth Rock four times without dying. Bold is the preferred nature here, since Pyroak won't be using its Attack stat and the defensive balance is crucial for it to survive.

This Pyroak is generally an annoyance, and is best used on teams needing a switch-in to Fire-type attacks that can spread status around. The counters list for this set is generally the same as for the MixOak and Dragon Dance sets, but many of the most common switch-ins will hate to be paralyzed or put to sleep. Furthermore, under the buffer of a Substitute, Pyroak can be very difficult to deal with. Still, Skarmory and bulky Water-types make excellent partners, and this Pyroak appreciates Rapid Spin support just as much as any of the others. As this set will force a lot of switches if played right, entry hazard support in the form of Spikes and Toxic Spikes are much more valuable here than with other Pyroak sets.

Also, I think you should cut down the emphasis of how amazing Pyroak is in the [Overview] section. You shouldn't try to "sell" Pyroak to the reader by explaining its pros and only slightly mentioning its cons (and you still say they are minor hinderances). So basically, you need to explain Pyroak's problems more in depth.

Cool stuff. I'll probably check over this soon.

DPP Pyroak (OU Analysis)

Umbreon Dan

Zystral

めんどくさい、な～

Frizy

dont change my ct fuckers

Rising_Dusk

Frizy

dont change my ct fuckers

Umbreon Dan

bugmaniacbob

Was fun while it lasted

Umbreon Dan

Rising_Dusk

Zystral

めんどくさい、な～

Rising_Dusk

bugmaniacbob

Was fun while it lasted

Rising_Dusk

Zari

What impossible odds?

Rising_Dusk

Umbreon Dan

Rising_Dusk

Zystral

めんどくさい、な～

viol and bass

Rising_Dusk

Zari

What impossible odds?

Rising_Dusk

Zystral

めんどくさい、な～

Rising_Dusk

Fuzznip

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