Overview
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Access to a ridiculously strong STAB Flare Blitz means that Flareon is an incredibly strong wallbreaker in PU. While the rest of its offensive movepool is quite barren, Flareon has what it needs to get past most of the Pokemon that resist its powerful Flare Blitz. However, Flareon has quite a few problems. For an offensive Pokemon, Flareon is quite slow. This issue is not helped by the fact that Flareon is worn down incredibly easily between its weakness to Stealth Rock and the heavy recoil that comes with using Flare Blitz. Flareon also requires prediction to bypass Rock-types and Flash Fire users, while some Pokemon such as Pelipper can almost always switch into it without fear.
Choice Band
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name: Choice Band
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Baton Pass / Double-Edge
ability: Flash Fire
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
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Flare Blitz is a ridiculously powerful STAB move that lets Flareon 2HKO anything that does not resist it. Superpower hits Carracosta, Barbaracle, Golem, and Flash Fire users that resist or are immune to Flare Blitz hard. Quick Attack is mildly useful priority in late-game situations, particularly against offensive teams. Baton Pass helps ease prediction and pivot out of counters such as Pelipper, while Double-Edge can be used to 2HKO Pelipper after Stealth Rock but isn't useful for anything else. Flame Charge lets Flareon clean late-game but it isn't too useful in general, and Sleep Talk can be useful as Flareon is a good answer to most Sleep Powder users.
Set Details
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The given spread maximizes Flareon's power and lets it take advantage of its decent Speed tier. Choice Band gives Flareon a notable boost in power, and Flash Fire provides a useful immunity and gives Flareon more opportunities to switch in.
Usage Tips
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Using this set is relatively simple. The majority of the time Flareon should be using its powerful Flare Blitz, only using its other moves on predicted switches in the case of Superpower and Baton Pass or revenge killing a weakened threat in the case of Quick Attack. Flareon should generally not be switching in on any decently strong attacks aside from predicted Fire-type moves.
Team Options
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This set works very well on sun and Sticky Web teams. The former give Flare Blitz enough power to 2HKO Pokemon that it could not otherwise, such as Pelipper and defensive Poliwrath, while the latter make Flareon much more effective against offensive teams by letting it outspeed many Pokemon. Entry hazard removal support from Swanna is useful as Flareon is weak to Stealth Rock. Similarly, Healing Wish Mr. Mime is a good partner to bring a Flareon that has been weakened by recoil back to full health, which is especially useful if its counters have since been severly weakened or eliminated. Hazards from Pokemon such as Golem and Roselia let Flareon wallbreak more effectively, while physical sweepers benefit from its ability to break walls. Finally, a Pokemon that can beat a +2 Carracosta or Barbaracle, such as Tangela and Poliwrath, is a useful partner to Flareon, as Carracosta and Barbaracle can easily set up on a Flareon locked into Flare Blitz.
Other Options
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Flareon can make use of its other ability, Guts, on a Toxic Orb set in order to be able to switch moves and have a powerful Facade. However, Flareon does not need to switch moves very often and such a set wears Flareon down even faster. Flareon can also run a specially defensive set with Wish and Heal Bell; however, its Stealth Rock weakness, mediocre base HP, and competition from Pokemon such as Lickilicky reduce the effectiveness of defensive Flareon. Finally, Flareon can use a Choice Scarf in order to make up for its low Speed, though this sacrifices much of its wallbreaking capabilities.
Checks & Counters
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**Pokemon That Resist Fire**: Pokemon that resist Fire are some of the only stops to Flareon. Pelipper is the best answer to Flareon because it resists both of Flareon's commonly used moves, though it must be wary of the rarer Double-Edge. Poliwrath is neutral to Superpower, but defensive variants are bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO and can heal off the damage with Rest. Rock-types and Flash Fire users, such as Carracosta, Golem, Ninetales, and Heatmor, can easily switch in on Flare Blitz but cannot take Superpower. It is worth noting that nothing walls Flareon in sun, as all of the Pokemon that avoid 2HKOs from Flareon's moves under normal circumstances are 2HKOed by a sun-boosted Flare Blitz.
**Faster Pokemon**: Flareon's low Speed tier means that most offensive Pokemon outspeed it, and its low physical bulk means that a lot of Pokemon can KO it without much prior damage. Examples include Scyther, Dodrio, Basculin, Purugly, Swanna, Sneasel, and Leafeon.
**Residual Damage**: Flareon's reliance on recoil moves, weakness to Stealth Rock, and common weaknesses make it very easily worn down. It usually only has enough HP to break through one or two walls before fainting, and a lot of Pokemon that cannot OHKO Flareon can easily do so if it has used Flare Blitz once.
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