DragonWhale
It's not a misplay, it's RNG manipulation
Despite being a "starter bird" of the Kalos region, Talonflame is a popular competitive choice for having the strongest priority in the game in the form of Gale Wings and Brave Bird. Combine that with the highest Speed stat of all generation VI Pokemon, and you have a Pokemon capable of sweeping through weakened teams late-game. Although its other stats are very mediocre, Talonflame makes up for this with access to a lot of useful moves and great compatibility with numerous items.
One of Talonflame's greatest strengths is that it places a lot of restrictions on the opponent's options in Team Preview. A Flying-type check becomes mandatory, and Talonflame-weak Pokemon such as Blaziken and Lopunny are unable to move as freely because Talonflame is a great check to them. However, it's important to note that many people bring Stealth Rock support with Talonflame-weak sweepers, so don't expect an easy match just because the opponent's win condition is a Blaziken. Talonflame also does a lot of damage to itself thanks to recoil from its most common attacks and common Rocky Helmet users.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Tailwind / Will-O-Wisp / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Band
ability: Gale Wings
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 244 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird takes full advantage of Gale Wings to hit the opponent with a STAB 120 Base Power priority move. It's also the best answer the game has for Blaziken. Flare Blitz is Talonflame's other STAB option if locking into Brave Bird is not optimal, and it hits Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Scizor very hard. U-turn allows Talonflame to scout opponents and keep momentum in your favor.
The last slot is mainly filler, as you'll rarely use anything aside from the first three moves, but in certain situations, using Will-O-Wisp or Tailwind to support the next teammate is sometimes the best option. Sleep Talk is also a viable option that allows Talonflame to switch into an incoming Spore from Breloom.
Set Details
========
This set is designed to maximize Talonflame's offensive capabilities. Despite only having a measly base 81 Attack, great Attack investment with Choice Band gives it a lot of firepower and makes it easier to spam Brave Bird. Adamant is often preferred over Jolly because the boost in Attack is more important than Speed when Talonflame fires off priority moves anyway. 220 EVs in Speed let Talonflame outspeed maximum speed Liepard to beat Assist Spore. They also let Talonflame beat priority users such as Mega Kangaskhan and a lot of Talonflame variants that put more investment into HP. 44 HP EVs give Talonflame 159 HP to optimize passive damage and give it a slight boost in bulk. The rest of the EVs are put into Attack.
It's possible to sacrifice some Speed EVs for HP to increase longevity and handle recoil better, but keep in mind this can allow opposing Pokemon to outspeed Talonflame with priority. Key Pokemon to look out for are opposing Talonflames and Mega Kangaskhan (if you opt for less than 172 EVs in Speed). It will also limit Pokemon you will be able to use U-turn against.
Usage Tips
========
Ideally, this Talonflame's role is to sweep the opponent once all of their Pokemon are within KO range from Brave Bird. Until then, it can be used as a scout or pivot with U-turn, or heavily dent Pokemon that switch into Brave Bird or Flare Blitz. However, it's frail and takes a lot of recoil, so don't expect it to pull through teams it cannot take out alone. Choice Band Talonflame's matchups are usually either very good or very bad, so keep your opponent's team in mind when locking yourself into a move. Avoid bad matchups as much as possible, and make good use of U-turn predicting your opponent to switch out Talonflame-weak Pokemon and keep momentum on your side. Flare Blitz also 2HKOes non-Sitrus Berry Zapdos, which is commonly used to stop Talonflame, so if the opponent is afraid of Brave Bird and has Zapdos in their team, Flare Blitz is usually a pretty good option.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the opponent will know Talonflame is holding a Choice Band from the damage output and will plan accordingly. If you think it's in your favor to keep your Talonflame set ambiguous in a match, don't use U-turn. It rarely is the case, as many people will assume you're using a Choice Band anyway, but occasionally it makes it hard for opponents to bring in certain Pokemon when they don't know you're locked into Flare Blitz. It's also important to look out for Rocky Helmet users, as combined with move recoil it will hurt you a lot.
While not as common as in 6v6, Stealth Rock does have a decent presence in Battle Spot Singles, especially on Blaziken teams. There are also a few Pokemon that spam Roar or Whirlwind after setting up Stealth Rock, such as Hippowdon and Swampert, so don't bring Talonflame when facing a team with Hippowdon or a non-rain team Swampert. Entry hazard management is useful, but the difficulty is not really worth it. Defog users and Rapid Spin users are very limited in number, and using a turn to remove entry hazards is usually not the best option.
Team Options
========
Talonflame's ideal use is to sweep weakened teams late-game. Due to this simplicity, Talonflame works with Pokemon that deal severe damage to Pokemon that stops these sweeps. Garchomp resists a lot of Talonflame's weaknesses and clears the path very effectively with super effective Earthquakes against the three types that resist Flying, though it does struggle against Zapdos, Thundurus, Rotom-W, and Skarmory. Talonflame can also finish off teams weakened by offensive Pokemon such as Greninja, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Gengar.
[SET]
name: Bulky Rocky Helmet
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Roost
move 4: Taunt
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Gale Wings
nature: Jolly
evs: 172 HP / 244 Def / 92 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird is Talonflame's main STAB move, because you can't go wrong with a 120 Base Power STAB priority move. Will-O-Wisp completely stops physical attackers, and combined with priority Roost, a lot of opponents such as Mega Salamence and Mega Mawile will not be able to get past Talonflame. Taunt allows Talonflame to handle support Pokemon and slowly scrape off HP with burn damage while preventing bulky Pokemon from recovering HP.
Set Details
========
92 Speed EVs and Jolly nature allow Talonflame to outspeed Adamant Mega Salamence. Putting 252 EVs into Defense will give Talonflame 174 HP and will therefore go down after two switches with Stealth Rock up, so 8 EVs are shifted to HP. As a little bonus, 175 HP is optimal for handling passive damage. Rocky Helmet is for taking on opposing physical attackers. Even without any Attack investment, Brave Bird has the same damage output as a maximum Attack Scizor's Bullet Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Against tankier, stall Pokemon, Taunt allows Talonflame to get past a lot of them with relative ease. On top of that, priority Roost lets Talonflame stall out foes with burn damage. In essence, physical attackers that are unable to 2HKO Talonflame while burned will not be able to beat it. If used effectively enough, all of the opponent's Pokemon will eventually enter Brave Bird range. There is also the element of surprise in your favor, as most opponents will assume Talonflame to be a Choice Band set. This set is also very good against Pokemon that rely on Sucker Punch, such as Bisharp, Mega Mawile, and Mega Kangaskhan, as it allows Talonflame to get a free burn and cripple them.
That said, keep in mind Will-O-Wisp can miss and there are physical Pokemon that are capable of 2HKOing while burned, notably Rock-types, Rock Slide Mega Kangaskhan, and Belly Drum Azumarill. However, Rock-types deal half damage when Roosting, so don't forget to check the amount of damage the opponent does to Talonflame to avoid unnecessary accidents. This set doesn't fare too well against special attackers, so don't force yourself to stay in against them. This set is also setup fodder for Mega Sableye. Stealth Rock isn't as scary on this set if you can create opportunities to Roost back up.
Team Options
========
Garchomp is a great teammate that can switch into hits that Talonflame prefers not to take and effectively scrape off a lot of HP from the opponent. Tyranitar is also a nice teammate to have for special attackers, though keep in mind the sandstorm can sometimes affect the longevity of Talonflame. Talonflame also helps Tyranitar greatly by scaring away Fighting types and weakening physical attackers. Other specially defensive Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Cresselia make great teammates as well, especially if you plan on stalling out foes with burn damage.
[SET]
name: Flexible Attacker
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Swords Dance / U-turn
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Roost / Tailwind / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Sharp Beak
ability: Gale Wings
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird is Talonflame's best move, hitting hard with STAB 120 Base Power. Flare Blitz takes advantage of Talonflame's other STAB type, allowing it to hit opposing Steel-types or other Pokemon that would otherwise survive a Brave Bird. Swords Dance allows Talonflame to sweep through a lot of teams, especially when everything is in range of a +2 Brave Bird. Roost is another option in this slot if you want to switch Talonflame a lot during a battle, giving it more opportunities to switch into Stealth Rock, as well as mitigate the tremendous amounts of recoil done by the attacking moves, Rocky Helmet, and Life Orb. Will-O-Wisp is a handy support option that Talonflame can use against incoming switch-ins, crippling them if they're physical attackers. U-turn allows Talonflame to switch out while damaging the opponent, potentially breaking Focus Sashes or giving you the upper hand when the opponent decides to switch. Tailwind can come in handy if you want to sacrifice Talonflame to allow your next Pokemon to come in with double Speed, which can be very helpful for Pokemon that are in a mediocre Speed tier, such as Mega Heracross and Sylveon. Taunt is also a useful option to prevent the opponent from setting up entry hazards or boosts. Although it does require a fair amount of prediction, it is very effective against Pokemon such as Skarmory and Cresselia.
Set Details
========
44 HP EVs gives Talonflame 159 HP, which is a Life Orb number and optimizes passive damage. Attack is maximized to increase damage output. 212 Speed EVs let Talonflame outspeed base 105 Speed Pokemon, allowing Talonflame to Flare Blitz Manectric before it Mega Evolves, which will OHKO after a Swords Dance if Talonflame is holding a Life Orb. An Adamant nature is preferred over Jolly as it gives a 10% boost to Attack, while Talonflame doesn't necessarily need the 10% boost in Speed thanks to Gale Wings. However, a Jolly nature with 228 Speed EVs will allow Talonflame to outspeed Water Shiriken Greninja that may potentially stop its sweep as well as outspeed and OHKO Thundurus with Flare Blitz after a Swords Dance boost.
Life Orb provides Talonflame with the powerful boost it can get without locking itself to a move, allowing Talonflame to choose moves flexibly based on the opponent in front of it. Sharp Beak is also an option for this slot if you don't want to deal with Life Orb recoil on top of the recoil from the two main attacking moves, but keep in mind it will not boost Flare Blitz and Brave Bird will be slightly less powerful.
Usage Tips
========
This Talonflame is best used when the path is clear for a sweep. One key difference between this set and the Choice Band set is that Talonflame won't be locked into a move, allowing it to switch between Brave Bird and Flare Blitz, Taunt opposing support Pokemon, recover HP with Roost, burn opposing Pokemon with Will-O-Wisp, or set up a Swords Dance. Due to this flexibility, this set is capable of going up against both offensive and defensive Pokemon and provide support for the other two members in your team. Even if the opponent has a Zapdos in their team, if you set up a Swords Dance on the switch Flare Blitz can OHKO with Life Orb.
However, due to Talonflame's lackluster defensive stats, it's usually unable to fully utilize its entire moveset before going down. Therefore, whenever Talonflame is sent out, keep in mind what is needed the most in the current situation in the battle and choose its moves accordingly.
Team Options
========
This Talonflame is very flexible, so it is able to fit into almost any team. It enjoys Garchomp, Aegislash, and Mega Lucario as a partner because they can switch into incoming Rock-type moves and dish out a lot of damage. Breloom is also a good partner, as Tailwind can double its Speed to allow it to Spore faster opponents, as well as Spore slow Rock-types and defensive Pokemon. Putting Pokemon to sleep also gives Talonflame a great opportunity to set up Swords Dance. Mega Gengar is a great partner to remove Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Cresselia, which prevent Talonflame from sweeping. If you're using Perish Trap Gengar with Wobbuffet, Wobbuffet can also give Talonflame an opportunity to set up Swords Dance by Encoring the opponent into a status or Ground-type move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Natural Gift allows Talonflame to deal significant damage to its usual counters as long as it's holding the appropriate Berry. At +2, Natural Gift OHKOes Rotom-W and Heatran with the Liechi and Salac Berries, respectively. However, it's a one-time trick, and Talonflame will not be holding any items afterwards to boost its offensive capability. You can use it in conjunction with Acrobatics if you want to take advantage of the item removal and don't like Brave Bird recoil, but keep in mind that it won't deal a lot of damage without a Swords Dance boost. Overheat is also a cool option that can be used with Life Orb to catch physical walls off guard, most notably Mega Aggron, Mega Steelix, and Avalugg, although all three of these Pokemon are hardly seen in Battle Spot Singles. Protect is useful to prevent extra damage from Fake Out from Pokemon such as Mega Medicham, Mega Lopunny, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mienshao, though you lose a valuable moveslot.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: The 4x Rock weakness severely limits Talonflame's mobility throughout the match. Combine it with any defensive Pokemon and you can effectively put Talonflame into a checkmate.
**Rock-types**: If a Choice Band Talonflame doesn't use U-turn upon Rock-types switching in, they can easily take a Brave Bird or Flare Blitz and proceed to set up Stealth Rock while scaring Talonflame away. Burns won't save the Rocky Helmet set from STAB Stone Edges from Pokemon like Tyranitar and Rhyperior.
**Defensive Pokemon**: Mega Slowbro, Cresselia, Porygon2, Hippowdon, Heatran, and bulky Gyarados will tank multiple Choice Band-boosted Brave Birds and either hit back hard or recover health. Against the Rocky Helmet set, Gyarados, Hippowdon, and Cresselia will have difficulty getting through, so watch out. Porygon2 and Mega Slowbro can get through with Discharge/Thunderbolt and Scald, respectively. Heatran wins if it gets off a Toxic before getting Taunted, but get ready for a long battle if it fails to do so.
**Electric-types**: Mega Manectric, Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Zapdos can take multiple Choice Band-boosted Brave Birds and hit back extremely hard. Thundurus cannot tank two Choice Band-boosted Brave Birds, but it can check Talonflame effectively and even paralyze Talonflame with priority Thunder Wave. All of them except Rotom-A cannot take Flare Blitz too well, so don't send them in carelessly. All of them are special attackers, so burns aren't a problem.
**Bulky Offensive Pokemon**: Garchomp, Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, and Mega Kangaskhan can check Choice Band Talonflame and OHKO with any powerful attack. Against the Rocky Helmet set, Garchomp and Landorus-T can break through with Stone Edge, hold a Lum Berry, hold a Choice Scarf to beat Talonflame before getting burned, or set up Swords Dance. Mega Kangaskhan can beat Talonflame with Fake Out + burned Rock Slide or Facade, and Mega Salamence can set up Dragon Dance on the turn of Will-O-Wisp and muscle through with Double-Edge.
**Mega Sableye**: The Rocky Helmet set will not be able to beat Mega Sableye thanks to Magic Bounce preventing Taunt, and Mega Sableye will freely start setting up Calm Mind. Choice Band Talonflame can 2HKO Mega Sableye, so the only hope it has is to Recover stall until Talonflame faints from recoil damage.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash checks Talonflame thanks to King's Shield and Talonflame's main offensive options making contact. Special Aegislash don't mind getting burned either and can beat Talonflame with Shadow Ball.
**Recoil**: Recoil is an issue for Talonflame, as its main offensive options deal a third of the damage dealt on the opponent to itself. Combine that with Rocky Helmet, Iron Barbs, and Rough Skin, and Talonflame often knock themselves out.
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