Moltres
[Overview]
<p>It would be no exaggeration to call Moltres the most lethal Special Attacker in the RU metagame, since it has the ability to at least 2HKO the vast majority of the tier with its powerful moves. A combination of sky-high Special Attack, good bulk and Speed turn the flaming phoenix into a foe to prepare for. Sporting a limited but precise movepool, Moltres has all the tools it needs in order to be a threat. Despite this, a massive Stealth Rock weakness strips Moltres of half its HP every time it switches in, which means that Moltres must heavily rely on the support of a Rapid Spinner in order to reach its maximum potential.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Sweeper
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is easily Moltres' most dangerous set; its combination of good coverage and high power is lethal to virtually the whole RU tier. Moltres is especially dangerous because there is a conspicuous lack of heavy-duty special walls in RU, which gives it the opportunity to shine. As a matter of fact, the only Pokemon in the tier that is not decisively 2HKOed is specially defensive Slowking. Fire Blast is the move Moltres will be using most of the time, and for good reason, since even resists such as Entei are easily destroyed with entry hazard support. Air Slash is a good secondary STAB attack that allows Moltres to finish off weakened opponents; it also possesses a nifty flinch chance. Hidden Power Grass is an indispensable move on this set, allowing Moltres to deal super effective damage to the Water- and Rock-types that resist its STAB combination. Finally, to round off the set, Roost allows Moltres to replenish the HP it will inevitably lose to Life Orb recoil and passive damage.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Moltres can also run a perfectly viable offensive SubRoost set, by replacing either Air Slash or Hidden Power Grass for Substitute. Beware though that by replacing the former, Moltres will have a much harder time against other Fire-types; if you replace the latter, Moltres will be unable to deal with Water- and Rock-type Pokemon. Due to Moltres' Fire / Flying typing, it loses a whopping 50% of its health to Stealth Rock. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that entry hazards be removed from the field before Moltres is sent in. Fast Taunters are an option, but the most reliable method of keeping them off the field is by utilizing a Rapid Spinner. Claydol is highly recommended, since it's immune to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and takes paltry damage from Stealth Rock. It shares good defensive synergy with Moltres by being able to switch into Rock- and Electric-type attacks, and it can even set up Stealth Rock for its own team. More offensive Rapid Spinners are also usable; for example, Hitmonlee for example can hit special walls such as Clefable with Hi Jump Kick. Something to keep in mind is that most checks to Moltres are grounded, so Spikes support can go a long way in aiding Moltres' sweep. Qwilfish can set up both Spikes and Toxic Spikes and packs a resistance to Water-type moves, while Moltres can easily come in on Earthquakes aimed at Qwilfish.</p>
[SET]
name: SubRoost
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Roost
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Def / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Moltres may seem like a purely offensive Pokemon, this is not the case; the blazing bird can just as easily pull off a stalling moveset. Courtesy of its ability, Pressure, Moltres can easily drain the PP of moves such as Stone Edge by alternating between setting up Substitutes and Roosting the damage off, while sapping its opponent's health. Substitute allows Moltres to scout the opponent's move and react accordingly; it also protects Moltres from crippling status conditions. Roost is an invaluable move that restores HP that Moltres loses to Substitute and random attacks. Toxic is perhaps the most important move here; once an opponent is badly poisoned, Moltres can sit back and relax, alternating between Substitute and Roost to slowly but surely drain the opponent's HP. Flamethrower is Moltres' obligatory STAB move, hitting the Steel- and Poison-type Pokemon immune to Toxic. The only Pokemon in the tier that resists this combination is Qwilfish, but a low Special Defense stat, along with lack of reliable recovery, means that it is not too hard to take down with the right support.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In order for this set to reach its maximum potential, Moltres should be provided with Toxic Spikes support so it can immediately start the cycle of Substitute and Roost without having to waste a turn using Toxic. Omastar can set up all three hazards for Moltres, while Moltres covers all Omastar's weaknesses bar Electric-type moves. Other possible teammates that can set up Toxic Spikes include Qwilfish, Roselia, and Scolipede. Since Steel- and Poison-types are immune to Toxic, Dugtrio is an excellent teammate to trap and kill these Pokemon with its STAB Earthquake. As with all Moltres sets, a Rapid Spinner is recommended, the most reliable being Claydol.</p>
<p>The HP EVs on this set give Moltres some additional bulk, while enabling it to switch into Stealth Rock twice without fainting. The Speed EVs on this set allow Moltres to outspeed positive-natured base 80 Speed Pokemon, and the rest are dumped into Moltres' Defense so that it takes physical hits better. Alternatively, they can be moved to Special Attack for a slightly stronger Flamethrower, or Special Defense, to guard against the large number of special attackers in the tier.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Moltres has the perfect stat distribution for a Choice set. When equipped with a Choice Specs, it becomes an incredibly powerful wallbreaker that can massively dent all Pokemon in the RU tier, whereas a Choice Scarf turns Moltres into a highly effective revenge-killer. Fire Blast is once again the main STAB move for its combination of high Base Power and fairly reliable accuracy. However, Overheat is also a perfectly viable option due to the hit-and-run nature of Pokemon equipped with Choice items, not to mention that it possesses both higher Base Power and accuracy than Fire Blast. The former is generally preferred though, since it deals significantly more damage over two turns than Overheat. Air Slash, Moltres' secondary STAB move, is a reliable attack especially against Fighting-type opponents. Whereas the Choice Specs set will generally be nuking the opponent with its powerful Fire-type moves, Air Slash is more important on the Choice Scarf set as, due to the Speed boost, Moltres will be able to flinch a higher number of Pokemon. Hidden Power Grass is another vital move allowing Moltres to crush the Water- and Rock-type Pokemon that switch into its STAB attacks. U-turn is a move commonly seen on Choice Pokemon, as it allows you to scout for the opponent's best Moltres check and bring in a counter of your own, denting the opposing Pokemon in the process.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As Moltres can't afford to run Roost on this set, it's even more susceptible to Stealth Rock than the previous sets; therefore, a Rapid Spinner is absolutely required. Claydol is once again the most reliable of them, since it's immune to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and also resists Stealth Rock. More offensive Spinners such as Hitmonlee and Kabutops are also fine choices because they keep pressure on the opponent. Choice Specs Moltres can crush any wall that stands in its path; therefore, Pokemon that can clean up the ashes left behind make for good partners. Swellow is an excellent choice, since it outspeeds most of RU, and appreciates Pokemon such as Aggron and Steelix disposed of, a service which Moltres is happy to provide.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Moltres, like many other legendary Pokemon, is cursed with a shallow movepool. One of the first things that comes to mind when considering alternative options for a Fire-type Pokemon is a Sunny Day set with SolarBeam; these two moves can easily replace Air Slash and Hidden Power Grass on the Special Sweeper set. Such a variant is both a reliable sun starter, thanks to good bulk and instant recovery, as well as a powerful sun abuser. In the latter role, this faces stiff competition from Charizard, however, since the original RBY starter possesses higher Speed and greater power. Moltres also has two ways to boost its Speed; Flame Charge can be used to revenge kill a weakened opponent and boost Moltres' Speed in the process, whereas Agility gives Moltres a higher and more reliable Speed boost, but doesn't deal damage to the opponent. Overheat and Flamethrower are alternative Fire-type moves; the former possesses higher Base Power, while the latter has perfect accuracy. However, Fire Blast is generally the best option, being a compromise between the two. Lastly, Moltres has access to Will-O-Wisp, which is a viable option on the SubRoost set over Toxic. However, burn will wear the opponent down more slowly than Toxic will, and choosing Will-O-Wisp leaves Moltres walled by Fire-types.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>The best counter to Moltres is Stealth Rock. If you can keep this entry hazard on the field, Moltres will be hard-pressed to shine. Failing that, it can be quite difficult to find a Pokemon that can repeatedly take Moltres' assaults and live to tell the tale. Slowking is perhaps the best counter to Moltres, since a specially defensive set can avoid the 2HKO from Hidden Power Grass and can hit back hard with STAB Water-type attacks. Regirock in the sand can take any of Moltres' moves and comfortably OHKO the phoenix with its STAB Rock-type moves.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Moltres gains the ability Flame Body from the Dream World. This is the superior ability on the offensive sets, since the burn chance is always nice, but the SubRoost set relies on Pressure to sap the opponents' PP.</p>
[Overview]
<p>It would be no exaggeration to call Moltres the most lethal Special Attacker in the RU metagame, since it has the ability to at least 2HKO the vast majority of the tier with its powerful moves. A combination of sky-high Special Attack, good bulk and Speed turn the flaming phoenix into a foe to prepare for. Sporting a limited but precise movepool, Moltres has all the tools it needs in order to be a threat. Despite this, a massive Stealth Rock weakness strips Moltres of half its HP every time it switches in, which means that Moltres must heavily rely on the support of a Rapid Spinner in order to reach its maximum potential.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Sweeper
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Air Slash
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is easily Moltres' most dangerous set; its combination of good coverage and high power is lethal to virtually the whole RU tier. Moltres is especially dangerous because there is a conspicuous lack of heavy-duty special walls in RU, which gives it the opportunity to shine. As a matter of fact, the only Pokemon in the tier that is not decisively 2HKOed is specially defensive Slowking. Fire Blast is the move Moltres will be using most of the time, and for good reason, since even resists such as Entei are easily destroyed with entry hazard support. Air Slash is a good secondary STAB attack that allows Moltres to finish off weakened opponents; it also possesses a nifty flinch chance. Hidden Power Grass is an indispensable move on this set, allowing Moltres to deal super effective damage to the Water- and Rock-types that resist its STAB combination. Finally, to round off the set, Roost allows Moltres to replenish the HP it will inevitably lose to Life Orb recoil and passive damage.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Moltres can also run a perfectly viable offensive SubRoost set, by replacing either Air Slash or Hidden Power Grass for Substitute. Beware though that by replacing the former, Moltres will have a much harder time against other Fire-types; if you replace the latter, Moltres will be unable to deal with Water- and Rock-type Pokemon. Due to Moltres' Fire / Flying typing, it loses a whopping 50% of its health to Stealth Rock. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that entry hazards be removed from the field before Moltres is sent in. Fast Taunters are an option, but the most reliable method of keeping them off the field is by utilizing a Rapid Spinner. Claydol is highly recommended, since it's immune to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and takes paltry damage from Stealth Rock. It shares good defensive synergy with Moltres by being able to switch into Rock- and Electric-type attacks, and it can even set up Stealth Rock for its own team. More offensive Rapid Spinners are also usable; for example, Hitmonlee for example can hit special walls such as Clefable with Hi Jump Kick. Something to keep in mind is that most checks to Moltres are grounded, so Spikes support can go a long way in aiding Moltres' sweep. Qwilfish can set up both Spikes and Toxic Spikes and packs a resistance to Water-type moves, while Moltres can easily come in on Earthquakes aimed at Qwilfish.</p>
[SET]
name: SubRoost
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Roost
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Def / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Moltres may seem like a purely offensive Pokemon, this is not the case; the blazing bird can just as easily pull off a stalling moveset. Courtesy of its ability, Pressure, Moltres can easily drain the PP of moves such as Stone Edge by alternating between setting up Substitutes and Roosting the damage off, while sapping its opponent's health. Substitute allows Moltres to scout the opponent's move and react accordingly; it also protects Moltres from crippling status conditions. Roost is an invaluable move that restores HP that Moltres loses to Substitute and random attacks. Toxic is perhaps the most important move here; once an opponent is badly poisoned, Moltres can sit back and relax, alternating between Substitute and Roost to slowly but surely drain the opponent's HP. Flamethrower is Moltres' obligatory STAB move, hitting the Steel- and Poison-type Pokemon immune to Toxic. The only Pokemon in the tier that resists this combination is Qwilfish, but a low Special Defense stat, along with lack of reliable recovery, means that it is not too hard to take down with the right support.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In order for this set to reach its maximum potential, Moltres should be provided with Toxic Spikes support so it can immediately start the cycle of Substitute and Roost without having to waste a turn using Toxic. Omastar can set up all three hazards for Moltres, while Moltres covers all Omastar's weaknesses bar Electric-type moves. Other possible teammates that can set up Toxic Spikes include Qwilfish, Roselia, and Scolipede. Since Steel- and Poison-types are immune to Toxic, Dugtrio is an excellent teammate to trap and kill these Pokemon with its STAB Earthquake. As with all Moltres sets, a Rapid Spinner is recommended, the most reliable being Claydol.</p>
<p>The HP EVs on this set give Moltres some additional bulk, while enabling it to switch into Stealth Rock twice without fainting. The Speed EVs on this set allow Moltres to outspeed positive-natured base 80 Speed Pokemon, and the rest are dumped into Moltres' Defense so that it takes physical hits better. Alternatively, they can be moved to Special Attack for a slightly stronger Flamethrower, or Special Defense, to guard against the large number of special attackers in the tier.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 2: Air Slash
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Moltres has the perfect stat distribution for a Choice set. When equipped with a Choice Specs, it becomes an incredibly powerful wallbreaker that can massively dent all Pokemon in the RU tier, whereas a Choice Scarf turns Moltres into a highly effective revenge-killer. Fire Blast is once again the main STAB move for its combination of high Base Power and fairly reliable accuracy. However, Overheat is also a perfectly viable option due to the hit-and-run nature of Pokemon equipped with Choice items, not to mention that it possesses both higher Base Power and accuracy than Fire Blast. The former is generally preferred though, since it deals significantly more damage over two turns than Overheat. Air Slash, Moltres' secondary STAB move, is a reliable attack especially against Fighting-type opponents. Whereas the Choice Specs set will generally be nuking the opponent with its powerful Fire-type moves, Air Slash is more important on the Choice Scarf set as, due to the Speed boost, Moltres will be able to flinch a higher number of Pokemon. Hidden Power Grass is another vital move allowing Moltres to crush the Water- and Rock-type Pokemon that switch into its STAB attacks. U-turn is a move commonly seen on Choice Pokemon, as it allows you to scout for the opponent's best Moltres check and bring in a counter of your own, denting the opposing Pokemon in the process.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As Moltres can't afford to run Roost on this set, it's even more susceptible to Stealth Rock than the previous sets; therefore, a Rapid Spinner is absolutely required. Claydol is once again the most reliable of them, since it's immune to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and also resists Stealth Rock. More offensive Spinners such as Hitmonlee and Kabutops are also fine choices because they keep pressure on the opponent. Choice Specs Moltres can crush any wall that stands in its path; therefore, Pokemon that can clean up the ashes left behind make for good partners. Swellow is an excellent choice, since it outspeeds most of RU, and appreciates Pokemon such as Aggron and Steelix disposed of, a service which Moltres is happy to provide.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Moltres, like many other legendary Pokemon, is cursed with a shallow movepool. One of the first things that comes to mind when considering alternative options for a Fire-type Pokemon is a Sunny Day set with SolarBeam; these two moves can easily replace Air Slash and Hidden Power Grass on the Special Sweeper set. Such a variant is both a reliable sun starter, thanks to good bulk and instant recovery, as well as a powerful sun abuser. In the latter role, this faces stiff competition from Charizard, however, since the original RBY starter possesses higher Speed and greater power. Moltres also has two ways to boost its Speed; Flame Charge can be used to revenge kill a weakened opponent and boost Moltres' Speed in the process, whereas Agility gives Moltres a higher and more reliable Speed boost, but doesn't deal damage to the opponent. Overheat and Flamethrower are alternative Fire-type moves; the former possesses higher Base Power, while the latter has perfect accuracy. However, Fire Blast is generally the best option, being a compromise between the two. Lastly, Moltres has access to Will-O-Wisp, which is a viable option on the SubRoost set over Toxic. However, burn will wear the opponent down more slowly than Toxic will, and choosing Will-O-Wisp leaves Moltres walled by Fire-types.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>The best counter to Moltres is Stealth Rock. If you can keep this entry hazard on the field, Moltres will be hard-pressed to shine. Failing that, it can be quite difficult to find a Pokemon that can repeatedly take Moltres' assaults and live to tell the tale. Slowking is perhaps the best counter to Moltres, since a specially defensive set can avoid the 2HKO from Hidden Power Grass and can hit back hard with STAB Water-type attacks. Regirock in the sand can take any of Moltres' moves and comfortably OHKO the phoenix with its STAB Rock-type moves.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Moltres gains the ability Flame Body from the Dream World. This is the superior ability on the offensive sets, since the burn chance is always nice, but the SubRoost set relies on Pressure to sap the opponents' PP.</p>
