Jolteon is a fun Pokemon to use and here's its Update.
STATUS: Ready for upload?
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/jolteon
_________________
Changes:
-Added Charge Beam Sweeper
-Removed YawnPasser and boxxyJolt – put into Other Options
-Slight changes to some sets wording
-Added Team Options for each set
-Added Team Options at end
-Team Options in blue
___________________
[SET]
name: SpecsJolt
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Baton Pass
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Jolteon may lack the flexibility to switch attacks, which the other sets have, but it makes up for that with its incredible power.</p>
<p>After the Choice Specs boost, Jolteon's Special Attack stat climbs to a whopping 478. Thunderbolt deals massive damage to anything that does not resist it and is even capable of OHKOing max HP / max Special Defense Calm Togekiss 80% of the time, factoring in Stealth Rock. Because Thunderbolt already takes a large chunk of HP away from Salamence, Hidden Power Grass is used to more easily combat Swampert and Mamoswine, two Pokémon that otherwise wall the set. But if you do not care about those, then Hidden Power Ice will allow Jolteon to OHKO opposing Dragonite, Salamence, and Gliscor, and will provide coverage resisted only by Magnezone in OU. Shadow Ball is Jolteon's best option against the Rotom formes, and it hits Celebi hard, although it doesn't have the power to OHKO. It is also Jolteon's strongest attack against Gliscor if Jolteon opts to use Hidden Power Grass. Baton Pass may seem out of place on this set, but by "dry passing", Jolteon is capable of scouting many of its potential counters, allowing the trainer to switch in another Pokémon accordingly and predict properly the next time Jolteon is sent out. Signal Beam can be used in place of either Shadow Ball or Baton Pass, allowing Jolteon to OHKO Celebi and deal slightly more damage to Tyranitar, but its use is limited outside of that.</p>
<p>Blissey is the number one counter to this set due to its high Special Defense, so you need a Pokemon capable of combating it. Tyranitar is another problem, especially if it comes in on Shadow Ball, and it has many moves to dispose of Jolteon, while easily taking its assaults due to its high Special Defense. Snorlax is a counter for similar reasons to Blissey, and although it has less Special Defense and HP, it still can take two Thunderbolts, and then take out Jolteon. Due to Motor Drive, Electivire coming in on Thunderbolt can cause problems, and Porygon2 can similarly do well thanks to Tracing Volt Absorb. Without Hidden Power Ice, Flygon and Gliscor are problems, while without Hidden Power Grass, Swampert is a problem. Another problem is Pokemon switching in on a certain move. For example, while Salamence won’t like Thunderbolt, if it switches in on Hidden Power Grass, it can easily take the opportunity to set up a Dragon Dance, while Lucario can set up a Swords Dance on a choice locked Shadow Ball or Hidden Power.</p>
<p>Tyranitar can make a nice partner; it can trap Blissey and Celebi with Pursuit and deal with Porygon2, all of whom make it harder for Jolteon to spam Thunderbolt. Swampert can make a nice partner, as it can set up Stealth Rock, which this set appreciates, and counter Flygon, Gliscor, and Tyranitar, as well as Hidden Power Grass-less Electivire. Lucario makes a nice offensive partner, since if Jolteon is Pursuited by Tyranitar, it can set up a Swords Dance. It can also scare off Blissey, Porygon2, and Snorlax with a STAB Close Combat. Celebi can deal with Swampert thanks to STAB Grass-type moves. A Water-type, such as Starmie, Suicine, or Vaporeon, can make a good partner for dealing with Flygon and Gliscor should you lack Hidden Power Ice. A fast Choice Scarf user, such as Flygon, Gengar, Latias, or Starmie, can make a nice partner to keep in check many of the Pokemon that can set up on certain choice locked moves. Stealth Rock support from the likes of the Azelf, Infernape, or the previously mentioned Swampert is useful to hurt switch-ins.</p>
[SET]
name: SubPasser
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Thunderbolt / Charge Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>It won't come as a total shock to learn that the Electric Eeveelution we love hasn't changed too much from Advance to DP. The idea here is to employ one of the fastest Substitute / Baton Pass combinations in the game while "falling back on" a respectable 319 Special Attack stat. This provides for not only the third most powerful Thunderbolt in OU, but also a reasonably powerful Hidden Power Ice or Hidden Power Grass that will cover Jolteon's inherent weakness to Ground-type Pokémon. Hidden Power Ice is recommended because Salamence poses such an enormous threat, and it also allows a OHKO on Gliscor and reasonable damage to Celebi and Breloom. Hidden Power Ice also completes the great "BoltBeam" coverage. Rhyperior, Mamoswine, and Swampert are the only Pokémon that make HP Grass appealing; however, it is unlikely that Jolteon will OHKO the first in a Sandstorm, and even more unlikely that it will OHKO the latter two at all. Furthermore, Swampert is a prime target for Baton Passing a Substitute to a Pokémon like Gyarados or Salamence since they resist the STAB Water / Ground that it is likely to use and can become major threats with a single Dragon Dance as Swampert takes a second turn to break the Substitute.</p>
<p>Jolteon can reminisce about its GSC days and Growth with the addition of Charge Beam to its movepool. This will allow Jolteon to boost its own Special Attack stat and quickly pass boosts to the sweeper of your choice when Jolteon is threatened. Sadly, the fact that the chance to raise Special Attack is only 63%, factoring in accuracy, paired with the huge difference in power compared to Thunderbolt, makes Charge Beam an inferior option.</p>
<p>It is hard to technically counter this set, but some Pokemon can do a good job. Should you lack Hidden Power Grass, Roar Swampert makes a solid counter as it can Roar away your Substitute, and Hidden Power Ice will hardly hurt Swampert. Should Jolteon not have a Substitute up then Choice Scarf Flygon, Heatran, and Latias among others will scare it off. Blissey and Snorlax can’t technically counter it, but if they come in when Jolteon doesn’t have a Substitute up, then they can scare it off. The same Pokemon mentioned in the SpecsJolt set, such as Porygon2 and Tyranitar, can do well should Jolteon not have a Substitute up.</p>
<p>Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence are good partners for taking advantage of a Substitute and can switch in for free on Ground-type moves commonly aimed at Jolteon, making this job easier for them. Other Pokemon such as Heatran and Swords Dance Lucario may have a Ground-type weakness, but once behind a Substitute, they are deadly and therefore can make nice partners. Lucario also scares off Blissey, Porygon2, and Snorlax. Celebi and Latias can make nice partners for taking on Swampert. Celebi scares it off with STAB Grass-type moves, while Latias can set up multiple Calm Minds should Swampert lack Ice Punch. They both also can easily take the Ground-type moves Jolteon hates. Swampert makes a nice partner for dealing with Tyranitar. It can also deal with Flygon and Gliscor should you lack Hidden Power Ice. Tyranitar makes a nice partner to counter Blissey and Porygon2.</p>
[SET]
name: Charge Beam Sweeper
move 1: Charge Beam
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Charge Beam is the only way Jolteon can raise its Special Attack. This allows Jolteon to become a deadly sweeper in its own right. Charge Beam is best used as a finisher or when you expect a switch. A 63% chance of a raise in Special Attack, accounting accuracy, is decent, and should Jolteon grab a boost, its attacks will hit even harder than the SpecsJolt set. Thunderbolt is your strongest Electric-type attack and is an obvious move since Charge Beam is only for grabbing a boost, not sweeping. Shadow Ball deals with Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Celebi and Rotom-A who can otherwise be a nuisance. It also provides solid coverage with Electric. Hidden Power Grass is the preferred Hidden Power as otherwise Swampert will wall you. Most of the targets of Hidden Power Ice such as Salamence won’t like a boosted Thunderbolt anyway. Hidden Power Ice can be used, though, should you want a powerful move for Flygon and Gliscor among others, although you have to hit Flygon on the switch. This set lacks the immediate power of the SpecsJolt set, but it has the flexibility to switch attacks and is stronger in the long run thanks to Charge Beam.</p>
<p>Life Orb allows Jolteon to hit as hard as possible and makes this set the great threat it is.</p>
<p>This set has a lot of problems with Blissey and Snorlax as they have high Special Defense and can scare it off. Tyranitar can hurt this set, and Pursuit stops Jolteon from switching out. Porygon2 makes a nice counter due to Tracing Volt Absorb, and Electivire is a problem due to Motor Drive boosting its Speed when it switches into Electric-type attacks. Without Hidden Power Ice, Flygon and Gliscor are problems, while without Hidden Power Grass, Swampert is a major problem.</p>
<p>Tyranitar can make a solid partner to deal with Blissey and Porygon2. Starmie can make a nice offensive partner and can deal with Gliscor, 2HKO Tyranitar with Hydro Pump, and OHKO Swampert with Grass Knot. Suicune and Vaporeon also can deal with Gliscor, as well as Flygon. Swampert makes a solid partner to deal with Tyranitar as well as Flygon and Gliscor should Jolteon lack Hidden Power Ice, and should Electivire lack Hidden Power Grass, then Swampert can deal with it as well. It can also set up Stealth Rock to rack up damage with switches. Celebi makes a nice partner to deal with Swampert. Pokemon such as Gyarados and Salamence are nice offensive partners thanks to their Ground-type immunity, and Gyarados can lure in Electric-type attacks for Jolteon to recover health from. They can both do well at disposing of some of the more specially defensive Pokemon whom Jolteon hates. Lucario also makes a good offensive partner to scare off Blissey, Porygon2, Snorlax, and Tyranitar. Stealth Rock support from Azelf, Infernape, or the previously mentioned Swampert is useful to hurt switch-ins and build up damage. Toxic Spikes support from Roserade may be useful to have an easier time against Celebi and Tyranitar, and also should you lack Hidden Power Grass, it will help against Swampert.</p>
[SET]
name: Team Support
move 1: Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Wish
move 4: Baton Pass
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 24 SpD / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the specified EVs, Jolteon's Substitute will always survive neutral Hidden Power from 319 Special Attack (or 110 base Special Attack with a neutral nature) in addition to other notable moves like Celebi's Grass Knot and Blissey's Ice Beam. The Speed EVs ensure that Jolteon is slower than opposing Jolteon, allowing it to pass a Substitute while remaining faster than most Gyarados even after a Dragon Dance; 4 HP EVs and 8 SpD EVs can be reallocated to Speed to beat +1 max speed neutral Gyarados if it makes you feel more comfortable. Light Screen support is very welcome here to boost the durability of Jolteon's Substitutes.</p>
<p>Any Jolteon can serve as an intermediary switch to absorb Electric-type attacks or Thunder Wave, but this particular build gives Jolteon additional options to Baton Pass something useful. With such defensive EVs, Jolteon is a safe switch into Zapdos, avoiding even a 3HKO from most sets. Additionally, Zapdos's build can be determined by the damage dealt by Heat Wave: If it deals 26 - 31%, Zapdos is most likely neutral natured with 0 SpA EVs; if Heat Wave deals 35 - 42%, then Zapdos is probably positively natured with max Special Attack. Jolteon can stall out the former by alternating between Wish and Substitute, and Magnezone's Hidden Power can be treated the same way. It takes time to learn how to use this moveset effectively, but if you persevere you will be pleasantly surprised by its effectiveness.</p>
<p>Similarly to the SubPasser, it is hard to technically counter this set, but there are many Pokemon which can stop it from doing anything once in due to Thunderbolt being its only move. Snorlax can do well thanks to its high Special Defense and high Attack stat. Electivire can take advantage of Thunderbolt with Motor Drive and then scare off Jolteon with Earthquake. Gliscor can completely shut it down with Taunt, although Jolteon can Baton Pass away due to being faster. Swampert can Roar it out and is immune to Thunderbolt. Tyranitar has high Special Defense to take Thunderbolt and can scare it off with a multitude of attacks.</p>
<p>Pokemon that can take advantage of Substitute and Wish support are the best partners. Gyarados and Salamence are at the top of the list due to a Ground-type immunity giving them a simple switch in, while Wish support will let them recover health lost from Stealth Rock, and with a Substitute, they can easily set up multiple Dragon Dances and possibly sweep. Bronzong can take advantage of Wish support since it lacks reliable instant recovery and has a Ground-type immunity that lets it easily switch in. Swampert makes a nice partner; it will appreciate Wish support and can counter Gliscor and Tyranitar as well as Hidden Power Grass-less Electivire. Lucario can take advantage of Substitute and scare off Snorlax with Close Combat.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Stealth Rock support is incredibly useful for the offensive sets to gain important KOs on Salamence and Togekiss with Choice Specs Thunderbolt, for example. Swampert is perhaps the best option to set this up as it is very reliable due to its bulk and can also counter Flygon, Gliscor, and Tyranitar. Azelf, Infernape, and Smeargle are other good options for setting up Stealth Rock should you want a quick set up. Spikes support isn’t necessary, but it can help in hurting switch-ins and helping take on Tyranitar. Forretress is very reliable at setting them up, but its slow pace may not be so beneficial to Jolteon. Therefore, fast Spikes set uppers such as Froslass, Roserade, and Smeargle are good options. Toxic Spikes can help weaken Pokemon such as Celebi and Tyranitar and rack up damage, but they are not necessary. The previously mentioned Forretress can set them up, as can faster Pokemon such as Roserade and Smeargle.</p>
<p>For offensive partners, Gyarados and Salamence are among the best; they are immune to Ground-type moves, whichJolteon hates and can set up Dragon Dances with Substitute support from Jolteon. Gyarados also lures in Electric-type moves for Jolteon to absorb. Latias is another nice partner for taking Ground-type moves and works especially well as a partner to the Choice Specs set should you equip Latias with a Choice Scarf as it can check Pokemon that set up on a choice locked Jolteon. Tyranitar is a nice offensive partner as its powerful physical attacks can scare off many of the more specially orientated Pokemon, such as Blissey, which Jolteon hates. Lucario also works well as a partner, setting up on a choice locked Pursuit from Tyranitar and scaring off Blissey, Porygon2, Snorlax.</p>
<p>As for defensive partners, Swampert is probably the best. It can deal with Tyranitar, who is a big threat to Jolteon, and can take physical hits well, which Jolteon hates. Bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Vaporeon are good defensive partners to deal with Flygon and Gliscor, whom Hidden Power Ice-less Jolteon hate. Gyarados can also make a nice defensive partner as it can take Ground-type moves aimed at Jolteon and Roar out Pokemon trying to set up On Jolteon. Celebi makes a solid defensive partner; it scares off Swampert and can easily take Ground-type moves aimed at Jolteon.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Roar allows Jolteon to deal with Pokémon like Raikou and Ninjask. Thunder Wave is annoying as always, and Jolteon, unlike Blissey, can actually get away with using it on the wrong Pokémon because of its Speed and Baton Pass. Agility can work well with Baton Pass, but this strategy is better utilized by Zapdos, who is statistically better suited for that type of set (the only advantage that Jolteon has over Zapdos is its higher Speed, which is negligible after an Agility boost anyway). Signal Beam has rather limited use, but it does OHKO Celebi when boosted by Choice Specs. Yawn can be used to force switches, allowing Jolteon to set up a Substitute to Baton Pass away. Fake Tears is another option for forcing switches, and it can work well with Spikes / Toxic Spikes support. Jolteon can use Rain Dance should you be using a Rain Dance team as it provides a useful Electric-type immunity. Jolteon can also take advantage of Thunder in rain as it gains 100% accuracy.</p>
[EVs]
<p>You could make a case for 374 Speed on Jolteon, which would outspeed every unscarfed Pokémon in OU besides Aerodactyl, Weavile, and Ninjask, and would allow Jolteon an extra 20 points in any stat. However, the recent spike in Aerodactyl use, Weavile's prominence as an anti-lead and a Dragon counter, and the fact that +1 speed Adamant Gyarados sits at 391 speed are all reasons to just give Jolteon 252 EVs.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>In the massive metagame shifting caused by the changes in Diamond / Pearl, it is nice to see that Jolteon has kept not only its role from ADV, but also its tier placement. Jolteon's improved Volt Absorb, which now restores its HP by 25% of its max if hit with Thunder Wave in addition to every other electric attack, actually grants the rather frail Pokémon more switches than appear possible with its weak Defense and only-decent Special Defense. Jolteon can now switch into Pokémon like Starmie and Magnezone with little risk and set up a Substitute to pass to any team member it wants.</p>
<p>The fun part is that Jolteon, used in tandem with Pokémon like Gyarados, Salamence, Gengar, and Mismagius, can really open the doors to some fast sweeps. The fact that Blissey is (and has always been) the premier special wall in DPPt actually plays right into Jolteon's hands, as there are a number of Pokémon in DPPt that will avoid having the passed Substitute broken by an Ice Beam or Flamethrower and can set up easily in the extra turn that Blissey takes to break the Substitute. In fact, given both the change to Volt Absorb and the fact that there are many instantly-threatening options Jolteon can pass to, you should probably have something powerful in store for just about any special wall in the game.</p>
[Counters]
<p>As with Espeon, there are not many things that technically "counter" the true goals of a fast SubPasser, but there are indeed Pokémon who can both switch in to Jolteon with little to no risk and pose an immediate threat to it.</p>
<p>At the top of this list would be Electivire and its Motor Drive, which can use Jolteon's Thunderbolt against it to outspeed the charged cat and threaten an Earthquake that will OHKO. Tyranitar will shrug off Thunderbolt thanks to the Special Defense boost granted to it via Sand Stream and will indirectly counter repeated attempts to pass Substitutes thanks to that same ability. Most Jolteon do not carry Shadow Ball or Signal Beam, so Celebi is often a good switch-in since it will never take more than 40% damage from Hidden Power Ice even with no EVs in Special Defense. Porygon2 can switch into Thunderbolt by Tracing Jolteon's Volt Absorb and can proceed to wear away at it with Ice Beam while Recovering off any damage dealt to it by Hidden Power. Gardevoir too can Trace to take the Thunderbolt, and relative Hidden Powers won't do loads. Choice Specs Shadow Balls are worrying, but otherwise, Gardevoir can Calm Mind up against it.</p>
<p>Jolteon counters itself, obviously—pretty much every Electric Pokémon can switch into Jolteon without too much of a threat. Pokémon like Cresselia, Blissey, Snorlax, and Regice can switch in rather effortlessly, but I cannot stress enough that there is technically no counter to a fast SubPasser, especially one that can easily OHKO common phazers such as Skarmory, Swampert, and Suicune. Ground-types can counter Jolteon depending on the Hidden Power choice. If Jolteon lacks Hidden Power Ice; Flygon and Gliscor can counter it, while if Jolteon lacks Hidden Power Grass; Mamoswine, Swampert, and Rhyperior can deal with it.</p>
STATUS: Ready for upload?
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/jolteon
_________________
Changes:
-Added Charge Beam Sweeper
-Removed YawnPasser and boxxyJolt – put into Other Options
-Slight changes to some sets wording
-Added Team Options for each set
-Added Team Options at end
-Team Options in blue
___________________
[SET]
name: SpecsJolt
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Baton Pass
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs Jolteon may lack the flexibility to switch attacks, which the other sets have, but it makes up for that with its incredible power.</p>
<p>After the Choice Specs boost, Jolteon's Special Attack stat climbs to a whopping 478. Thunderbolt deals massive damage to anything that does not resist it and is even capable of OHKOing max HP / max Special Defense Calm Togekiss 80% of the time, factoring in Stealth Rock. Because Thunderbolt already takes a large chunk of HP away from Salamence, Hidden Power Grass is used to more easily combat Swampert and Mamoswine, two Pokémon that otherwise wall the set. But if you do not care about those, then Hidden Power Ice will allow Jolteon to OHKO opposing Dragonite, Salamence, and Gliscor, and will provide coverage resisted only by Magnezone in OU. Shadow Ball is Jolteon's best option against the Rotom formes, and it hits Celebi hard, although it doesn't have the power to OHKO. It is also Jolteon's strongest attack against Gliscor if Jolteon opts to use Hidden Power Grass. Baton Pass may seem out of place on this set, but by "dry passing", Jolteon is capable of scouting many of its potential counters, allowing the trainer to switch in another Pokémon accordingly and predict properly the next time Jolteon is sent out. Signal Beam can be used in place of either Shadow Ball or Baton Pass, allowing Jolteon to OHKO Celebi and deal slightly more damage to Tyranitar, but its use is limited outside of that.</p>
<p>Blissey is the number one counter to this set due to its high Special Defense, so you need a Pokemon capable of combating it. Tyranitar is another problem, especially if it comes in on Shadow Ball, and it has many moves to dispose of Jolteon, while easily taking its assaults due to its high Special Defense. Snorlax is a counter for similar reasons to Blissey, and although it has less Special Defense and HP, it still can take two Thunderbolts, and then take out Jolteon. Due to Motor Drive, Electivire coming in on Thunderbolt can cause problems, and Porygon2 can similarly do well thanks to Tracing Volt Absorb. Without Hidden Power Ice, Flygon and Gliscor are problems, while without Hidden Power Grass, Swampert is a problem. Another problem is Pokemon switching in on a certain move. For example, while Salamence won’t like Thunderbolt, if it switches in on Hidden Power Grass, it can easily take the opportunity to set up a Dragon Dance, while Lucario can set up a Swords Dance on a choice locked Shadow Ball or Hidden Power.</p>
<p>Tyranitar can make a nice partner; it can trap Blissey and Celebi with Pursuit and deal with Porygon2, all of whom make it harder for Jolteon to spam Thunderbolt. Swampert can make a nice partner, as it can set up Stealth Rock, which this set appreciates, and counter Flygon, Gliscor, and Tyranitar, as well as Hidden Power Grass-less Electivire. Lucario makes a nice offensive partner, since if Jolteon is Pursuited by Tyranitar, it can set up a Swords Dance. It can also scare off Blissey, Porygon2, and Snorlax with a STAB Close Combat. Celebi can deal with Swampert thanks to STAB Grass-type moves. A Water-type, such as Starmie, Suicine, or Vaporeon, can make a good partner for dealing with Flygon and Gliscor should you lack Hidden Power Ice. A fast Choice Scarf user, such as Flygon, Gengar, Latias, or Starmie, can make a nice partner to keep in check many of the Pokemon that can set up on certain choice locked moves. Stealth Rock support from the likes of the Azelf, Infernape, or the previously mentioned Swampert is useful to hurt switch-ins.</p>
[SET]
name: SubPasser
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Thunderbolt / Charge Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>It won't come as a total shock to learn that the Electric Eeveelution we love hasn't changed too much from Advance to DP. The idea here is to employ one of the fastest Substitute / Baton Pass combinations in the game while "falling back on" a respectable 319 Special Attack stat. This provides for not only the third most powerful Thunderbolt in OU, but also a reasonably powerful Hidden Power Ice or Hidden Power Grass that will cover Jolteon's inherent weakness to Ground-type Pokémon. Hidden Power Ice is recommended because Salamence poses such an enormous threat, and it also allows a OHKO on Gliscor and reasonable damage to Celebi and Breloom. Hidden Power Ice also completes the great "BoltBeam" coverage. Rhyperior, Mamoswine, and Swampert are the only Pokémon that make HP Grass appealing; however, it is unlikely that Jolteon will OHKO the first in a Sandstorm, and even more unlikely that it will OHKO the latter two at all. Furthermore, Swampert is a prime target for Baton Passing a Substitute to a Pokémon like Gyarados or Salamence since they resist the STAB Water / Ground that it is likely to use and can become major threats with a single Dragon Dance as Swampert takes a second turn to break the Substitute.</p>
<p>Jolteon can reminisce about its GSC days and Growth with the addition of Charge Beam to its movepool. This will allow Jolteon to boost its own Special Attack stat and quickly pass boosts to the sweeper of your choice when Jolteon is threatened. Sadly, the fact that the chance to raise Special Attack is only 63%, factoring in accuracy, paired with the huge difference in power compared to Thunderbolt, makes Charge Beam an inferior option.</p>
<p>It is hard to technically counter this set, but some Pokemon can do a good job. Should you lack Hidden Power Grass, Roar Swampert makes a solid counter as it can Roar away your Substitute, and Hidden Power Ice will hardly hurt Swampert. Should Jolteon not have a Substitute up then Choice Scarf Flygon, Heatran, and Latias among others will scare it off. Blissey and Snorlax can’t technically counter it, but if they come in when Jolteon doesn’t have a Substitute up, then they can scare it off. The same Pokemon mentioned in the SpecsJolt set, such as Porygon2 and Tyranitar, can do well should Jolteon not have a Substitute up.</p>
<p>Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence are good partners for taking advantage of a Substitute and can switch in for free on Ground-type moves commonly aimed at Jolteon, making this job easier for them. Other Pokemon such as Heatran and Swords Dance Lucario may have a Ground-type weakness, but once behind a Substitute, they are deadly and therefore can make nice partners. Lucario also scares off Blissey, Porygon2, and Snorlax. Celebi and Latias can make nice partners for taking on Swampert. Celebi scares it off with STAB Grass-type moves, while Latias can set up multiple Calm Minds should Swampert lack Ice Punch. They both also can easily take the Ground-type moves Jolteon hates. Swampert makes a nice partner for dealing with Tyranitar. It can also deal with Flygon and Gliscor should you lack Hidden Power Ice. Tyranitar makes a nice partner to counter Blissey and Porygon2.</p>
[SET]
name: Charge Beam Sweeper
move 1: Charge Beam
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Charge Beam is the only way Jolteon can raise its Special Attack. This allows Jolteon to become a deadly sweeper in its own right. Charge Beam is best used as a finisher or when you expect a switch. A 63% chance of a raise in Special Attack, accounting accuracy, is decent, and should Jolteon grab a boost, its attacks will hit even harder than the SpecsJolt set. Thunderbolt is your strongest Electric-type attack and is an obvious move since Charge Beam is only for grabbing a boost, not sweeping. Shadow Ball deals with Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Celebi and Rotom-A who can otherwise be a nuisance. It also provides solid coverage with Electric. Hidden Power Grass is the preferred Hidden Power as otherwise Swampert will wall you. Most of the targets of Hidden Power Ice such as Salamence won’t like a boosted Thunderbolt anyway. Hidden Power Ice can be used, though, should you want a powerful move for Flygon and Gliscor among others, although you have to hit Flygon on the switch. This set lacks the immediate power of the SpecsJolt set, but it has the flexibility to switch attacks and is stronger in the long run thanks to Charge Beam.</p>
<p>Life Orb allows Jolteon to hit as hard as possible and makes this set the great threat it is.</p>
<p>This set has a lot of problems with Blissey and Snorlax as they have high Special Defense and can scare it off. Tyranitar can hurt this set, and Pursuit stops Jolteon from switching out. Porygon2 makes a nice counter due to Tracing Volt Absorb, and Electivire is a problem due to Motor Drive boosting its Speed when it switches into Electric-type attacks. Without Hidden Power Ice, Flygon and Gliscor are problems, while without Hidden Power Grass, Swampert is a major problem.</p>
<p>Tyranitar can make a solid partner to deal with Blissey and Porygon2. Starmie can make a nice offensive partner and can deal with Gliscor, 2HKO Tyranitar with Hydro Pump, and OHKO Swampert with Grass Knot. Suicune and Vaporeon also can deal with Gliscor, as well as Flygon. Swampert makes a solid partner to deal with Tyranitar as well as Flygon and Gliscor should Jolteon lack Hidden Power Ice, and should Electivire lack Hidden Power Grass, then Swampert can deal with it as well. It can also set up Stealth Rock to rack up damage with switches. Celebi makes a nice partner to deal with Swampert. Pokemon such as Gyarados and Salamence are nice offensive partners thanks to their Ground-type immunity, and Gyarados can lure in Electric-type attacks for Jolteon to recover health from. They can both do well at disposing of some of the more specially defensive Pokemon whom Jolteon hates. Lucario also makes a good offensive partner to scare off Blissey, Porygon2, Snorlax, and Tyranitar. Stealth Rock support from Azelf, Infernape, or the previously mentioned Swampert is useful to hurt switch-ins and build up damage. Toxic Spikes support from Roserade may be useful to have an easier time against Celebi and Tyranitar, and also should you lack Hidden Power Grass, it will help against Swampert.</p>
[SET]
name: Team Support
move 1: Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Wish
move 4: Baton Pass
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 24 SpD / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the specified EVs, Jolteon's Substitute will always survive neutral Hidden Power from 319 Special Attack (or 110 base Special Attack with a neutral nature) in addition to other notable moves like Celebi's Grass Knot and Blissey's Ice Beam. The Speed EVs ensure that Jolteon is slower than opposing Jolteon, allowing it to pass a Substitute while remaining faster than most Gyarados even after a Dragon Dance; 4 HP EVs and 8 SpD EVs can be reallocated to Speed to beat +1 max speed neutral Gyarados if it makes you feel more comfortable. Light Screen support is very welcome here to boost the durability of Jolteon's Substitutes.</p>
<p>Any Jolteon can serve as an intermediary switch to absorb Electric-type attacks or Thunder Wave, but this particular build gives Jolteon additional options to Baton Pass something useful. With such defensive EVs, Jolteon is a safe switch into Zapdos, avoiding even a 3HKO from most sets. Additionally, Zapdos's build can be determined by the damage dealt by Heat Wave: If it deals 26 - 31%, Zapdos is most likely neutral natured with 0 SpA EVs; if Heat Wave deals 35 - 42%, then Zapdos is probably positively natured with max Special Attack. Jolteon can stall out the former by alternating between Wish and Substitute, and Magnezone's Hidden Power can be treated the same way. It takes time to learn how to use this moveset effectively, but if you persevere you will be pleasantly surprised by its effectiveness.</p>
<p>Similarly to the SubPasser, it is hard to technically counter this set, but there are many Pokemon which can stop it from doing anything once in due to Thunderbolt being its only move. Snorlax can do well thanks to its high Special Defense and high Attack stat. Electivire can take advantage of Thunderbolt with Motor Drive and then scare off Jolteon with Earthquake. Gliscor can completely shut it down with Taunt, although Jolteon can Baton Pass away due to being faster. Swampert can Roar it out and is immune to Thunderbolt. Tyranitar has high Special Defense to take Thunderbolt and can scare it off with a multitude of attacks.</p>
<p>Pokemon that can take advantage of Substitute and Wish support are the best partners. Gyarados and Salamence are at the top of the list due to a Ground-type immunity giving them a simple switch in, while Wish support will let them recover health lost from Stealth Rock, and with a Substitute, they can easily set up multiple Dragon Dances and possibly sweep. Bronzong can take advantage of Wish support since it lacks reliable instant recovery and has a Ground-type immunity that lets it easily switch in. Swampert makes a nice partner; it will appreciate Wish support and can counter Gliscor and Tyranitar as well as Hidden Power Grass-less Electivire. Lucario can take advantage of Substitute and scare off Snorlax with Close Combat.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Stealth Rock support is incredibly useful for the offensive sets to gain important KOs on Salamence and Togekiss with Choice Specs Thunderbolt, for example. Swampert is perhaps the best option to set this up as it is very reliable due to its bulk and can also counter Flygon, Gliscor, and Tyranitar. Azelf, Infernape, and Smeargle are other good options for setting up Stealth Rock should you want a quick set up. Spikes support isn’t necessary, but it can help in hurting switch-ins and helping take on Tyranitar. Forretress is very reliable at setting them up, but its slow pace may not be so beneficial to Jolteon. Therefore, fast Spikes set uppers such as Froslass, Roserade, and Smeargle are good options. Toxic Spikes can help weaken Pokemon such as Celebi and Tyranitar and rack up damage, but they are not necessary. The previously mentioned Forretress can set them up, as can faster Pokemon such as Roserade and Smeargle.</p>
<p>For offensive partners, Gyarados and Salamence are among the best; they are immune to Ground-type moves, whichJolteon hates and can set up Dragon Dances with Substitute support from Jolteon. Gyarados also lures in Electric-type moves for Jolteon to absorb. Latias is another nice partner for taking Ground-type moves and works especially well as a partner to the Choice Specs set should you equip Latias with a Choice Scarf as it can check Pokemon that set up on a choice locked Jolteon. Tyranitar is a nice offensive partner as its powerful physical attacks can scare off many of the more specially orientated Pokemon, such as Blissey, which Jolteon hates. Lucario also works well as a partner, setting up on a choice locked Pursuit from Tyranitar and scaring off Blissey, Porygon2, Snorlax.</p>
<p>As for defensive partners, Swampert is probably the best. It can deal with Tyranitar, who is a big threat to Jolteon, and can take physical hits well, which Jolteon hates. Bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Vaporeon are good defensive partners to deal with Flygon and Gliscor, whom Hidden Power Ice-less Jolteon hate. Gyarados can also make a nice defensive partner as it can take Ground-type moves aimed at Jolteon and Roar out Pokemon trying to set up On Jolteon. Celebi makes a solid defensive partner; it scares off Swampert and can easily take Ground-type moves aimed at Jolteon.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Roar allows Jolteon to deal with Pokémon like Raikou and Ninjask. Thunder Wave is annoying as always, and Jolteon, unlike Blissey, can actually get away with using it on the wrong Pokémon because of its Speed and Baton Pass. Agility can work well with Baton Pass, but this strategy is better utilized by Zapdos, who is statistically better suited for that type of set (the only advantage that Jolteon has over Zapdos is its higher Speed, which is negligible after an Agility boost anyway). Signal Beam has rather limited use, but it does OHKO Celebi when boosted by Choice Specs. Yawn can be used to force switches, allowing Jolteon to set up a Substitute to Baton Pass away. Fake Tears is another option for forcing switches, and it can work well with Spikes / Toxic Spikes support. Jolteon can use Rain Dance should you be using a Rain Dance team as it provides a useful Electric-type immunity. Jolteon can also take advantage of Thunder in rain as it gains 100% accuracy.</p>
[EVs]
<p>You could make a case for 374 Speed on Jolteon, which would outspeed every unscarfed Pokémon in OU besides Aerodactyl, Weavile, and Ninjask, and would allow Jolteon an extra 20 points in any stat. However, the recent spike in Aerodactyl use, Weavile's prominence as an anti-lead and a Dragon counter, and the fact that +1 speed Adamant Gyarados sits at 391 speed are all reasons to just give Jolteon 252 EVs.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>In the massive metagame shifting caused by the changes in Diamond / Pearl, it is nice to see that Jolteon has kept not only its role from ADV, but also its tier placement. Jolteon's improved Volt Absorb, which now restores its HP by 25% of its max if hit with Thunder Wave in addition to every other electric attack, actually grants the rather frail Pokémon more switches than appear possible with its weak Defense and only-decent Special Defense. Jolteon can now switch into Pokémon like Starmie and Magnezone with little risk and set up a Substitute to pass to any team member it wants.</p>
<p>The fun part is that Jolteon, used in tandem with Pokémon like Gyarados, Salamence, Gengar, and Mismagius, can really open the doors to some fast sweeps. The fact that Blissey is (and has always been) the premier special wall in DPPt actually plays right into Jolteon's hands, as there are a number of Pokémon in DPPt that will avoid having the passed Substitute broken by an Ice Beam or Flamethrower and can set up easily in the extra turn that Blissey takes to break the Substitute. In fact, given both the change to Volt Absorb and the fact that there are many instantly-threatening options Jolteon can pass to, you should probably have something powerful in store for just about any special wall in the game.</p>
[Counters]
<p>As with Espeon, there are not many things that technically "counter" the true goals of a fast SubPasser, but there are indeed Pokémon who can both switch in to Jolteon with little to no risk and pose an immediate threat to it.</p>
<p>At the top of this list would be Electivire and its Motor Drive, which can use Jolteon's Thunderbolt against it to outspeed the charged cat and threaten an Earthquake that will OHKO. Tyranitar will shrug off Thunderbolt thanks to the Special Defense boost granted to it via Sand Stream and will indirectly counter repeated attempts to pass Substitutes thanks to that same ability. Most Jolteon do not carry Shadow Ball or Signal Beam, so Celebi is often a good switch-in since it will never take more than 40% damage from Hidden Power Ice even with no EVs in Special Defense. Porygon2 can switch into Thunderbolt by Tracing Jolteon's Volt Absorb and can proceed to wear away at it with Ice Beam while Recovering off any damage dealt to it by Hidden Power. Gardevoir too can Trace to take the Thunderbolt, and relative Hidden Powers won't do loads. Choice Specs Shadow Balls are worrying, but otherwise, Gardevoir can Calm Mind up against it.</p>
<p>Jolteon counters itself, obviously—pretty much every Electric Pokémon can switch into Jolteon without too much of a threat. Pokémon like Cresselia, Blissey, Snorlax, and Regice can switch in rather effortlessly, but I cannot stress enough that there is technically no counter to a fast SubPasser, especially one that can easily OHKO common phazers such as Skarmory, Swampert, and Suicune. Ground-types can counter Jolteon depending on the Hidden Power choice. If Jolteon lacks Hidden Power Ice; Flygon and Gliscor can counter it, while if Jolteon lacks Hidden Power Grass; Mamoswine, Swampert, and Rhyperior can deal with it.</p>
