[Overview]
<p>Typhlosion seems to be a fairly average Pokemon, with relatively low defensive stats and no superb offensive stats either. On top of this, it has weaknesses to Earthquake, Surf and Rock Slide, three incredibly common attacks in VGC 2012. However, being one of five VGC legal Pokemon that have access to STAB Eruption, Typhlosion is a pretty cool pick for any respectable sun team.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Eruption
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: SolarBeam / Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Protect
item: Fire Gem
ability: Blaze
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set makes use of Typhlosion's power in the sun. Typhlosion's STAB Eruption is its primary attacking option and is able to inflict massive damage to all Pokemon, even ones that resist Fire-type attacks. However, since it is an HP dependent move, Heat Wave is the second move option, for when Typhlosion is at low HP. SolarBeam or Hidden Power Ground allows for Typhlosion to hit Pokemon that can take an Eruption, such as Tyranitar, Rhyperior, and Heatran, for super effective damage. Protect gives Typhlosion a turn to avoid damage and its ally's spread moves.</p>
<p>Without sun, however, Typhlosion is fairly lacking. Eruption doesn't do as much as one might expect, since many Pokemon resist Fire-type attacks in VGC 2012. Since Eruption is the main selling point of Typhlosion, without proper sun support, it really doesn't stand much of a chance. Its weaknesses to many common spread moves aren't doing Typhlosion any favors either, which can often render it useless if opposing auto-weather starters are able to win the weather war.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As mentioned before, Typhlosion absolutely needs sun support. However, Ninetales, who sets up sun with its Drought ability, shares the same weaknesses as Typhlosion. This can make it a little dangerous to have both on the same team; however, with all the Grass-types which have Chlorophyll as their ability, a sun team can come together fairly nicely. Typhlosion also loves Tailwind support, since its 100 base Speed isn't too great. With Tailwind up, Typhlosion outspeeds common threats, and can deal tons of damage in the sun. Whimsicott is a great partner, because with Prankster it can set up both Tailwind and Sunny Day, should Ninetales lose the weather war or faint.</p>
<p>What people often underestimate is how hard Typhlosion can hit. In the sun it can 2HKO almost all of the top used Pokemon with Eruption with a Fire Gem, making it a truly dangerous Pokemon. To back this statement up, here are some damage calculations showcasing Eruption's power.</p>
<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Eruption vs. 4/0 Latios 75% - 88.5%</li>
<li>Eruption vs. 252/0 Hitmontop 149.7% - 176.4%</li>
<li>Eruption vs. 4/0 Garchomp 78.3% - 92.9%</li>
<li>Eruption vs. 252/252 Cresselia 74% - 87.2%</li>
</ul>
<p>Even though Typhlosion is able to hit hard, one of the things it lacks is being able to take hits. Rhyperior can shrug off Hidden Power Ground and then OHKO back with Earthquake, and any Pokemon Typhlosion fails to KO can often take it out or cripple it. Since Cresselia still survives Eruption, it can manage to get a Trick Room up, which can often mean trouble for your team, especially if you have Tailwind up. Because of this, Typhlosion appreciates partners that can clean up for it, and with its boosted Fire-type attacks in the sun, its partners often can. Typhlosion also appreciates Helping Hand support, since it can give it the ability to gain OHKOes it normally misses out on.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Typhlosion can also use a type-resist berry such as Shuca Berry or Charti Berry to alleviate some of the damage from Earthquake and Rock Slide, respectively. Typhlosion can also be given a Choice Scarf to give it some more Speed. Choice Scarf Typhlosion hits 250 Speed, outspeeding Metagross, Latios, Gengar, and Swift Swim boosted Ludicolo, among others. Overheat is also another option, as it hits incredibly hard in the sun, but the drop in Special Attack can be a hindrance. Hidden Power Ice can be used to hit Dragon-type Pokemon for heavy damage as well.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Tyranitar can counter it fairly well, because it can survive a SolarBeam with investment in Special Defense and can injure or OHKO Typhlosion with STAB Rock Slide, depending on the Attack investment. Rhyperior can counter Typhlosion under Trick Room, and those who change the weather on Typhlosion can also find themselves beating it. Trick Room teams also hit Typhlosion pretty hard, since its Base 100 Speed and Timid nature means it will easily be outpaced under the effects of Trick Room. Rain Teams can also cause trouble for Typhlosion, since it relies so heavily on harsh sunlight for its power. Latios and Latias can check Typhlosion well, being able to live its powerful Eruption and hit back hard with their STAB Dragon-type attacks.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Typhlosion's Dream World ability, Flash Fire, allows for it to take opposing Heat Waves and boost up its own Eruptions. If this were released, it could make Typhlosion dangerous in VGC 2012 even outside of sun. However, since Heat Wave is a HG/SS Tutor move, it wouldn't have access to that, which would cause a reliance on Eruption as the Fire-type spread move. Flamethrower would be an option to run in replacement of Heat Wave if this ability were released.</p>
<p>Typhlosion seems to be a fairly average Pokemon, with relatively low defensive stats and no superb offensive stats either. On top of this, it has weaknesses to Earthquake, Surf and Rock Slide, three incredibly common attacks in VGC 2012. However, being one of five VGC legal Pokemon that have access to STAB Eruption, Typhlosion is a pretty cool pick for any respectable sun team.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Eruption
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: SolarBeam / Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Protect
item: Fire Gem
ability: Blaze
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set makes use of Typhlosion's power in the sun. Typhlosion's STAB Eruption is its primary attacking option and is able to inflict massive damage to all Pokemon, even ones that resist Fire-type attacks. However, since it is an HP dependent move, Heat Wave is the second move option, for when Typhlosion is at low HP. SolarBeam or Hidden Power Ground allows for Typhlosion to hit Pokemon that can take an Eruption, such as Tyranitar, Rhyperior, and Heatran, for super effective damage. Protect gives Typhlosion a turn to avoid damage and its ally's spread moves.</p>
<p>Without sun, however, Typhlosion is fairly lacking. Eruption doesn't do as much as one might expect, since many Pokemon resist Fire-type attacks in VGC 2012. Since Eruption is the main selling point of Typhlosion, without proper sun support, it really doesn't stand much of a chance. Its weaknesses to many common spread moves aren't doing Typhlosion any favors either, which can often render it useless if opposing auto-weather starters are able to win the weather war.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As mentioned before, Typhlosion absolutely needs sun support. However, Ninetales, who sets up sun with its Drought ability, shares the same weaknesses as Typhlosion. This can make it a little dangerous to have both on the same team; however, with all the Grass-types which have Chlorophyll as their ability, a sun team can come together fairly nicely. Typhlosion also loves Tailwind support, since its 100 base Speed isn't too great. With Tailwind up, Typhlosion outspeeds common threats, and can deal tons of damage in the sun. Whimsicott is a great partner, because with Prankster it can set up both Tailwind and Sunny Day, should Ninetales lose the weather war or faint.</p>
<p>What people often underestimate is how hard Typhlosion can hit. In the sun it can 2HKO almost all of the top used Pokemon with Eruption with a Fire Gem, making it a truly dangerous Pokemon. To back this statement up, here are some damage calculations showcasing Eruption's power.</p>
<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Eruption vs. 4/0 Latios 75% - 88.5%</li>
<li>Eruption vs. 252/0 Hitmontop 149.7% - 176.4%</li>
<li>Eruption vs. 4/0 Garchomp 78.3% - 92.9%</li>
<li>Eruption vs. 252/252 Cresselia 74% - 87.2%</li>
</ul>
<p>Even though Typhlosion is able to hit hard, one of the things it lacks is being able to take hits. Rhyperior can shrug off Hidden Power Ground and then OHKO back with Earthquake, and any Pokemon Typhlosion fails to KO can often take it out or cripple it. Since Cresselia still survives Eruption, it can manage to get a Trick Room up, which can often mean trouble for your team, especially if you have Tailwind up. Because of this, Typhlosion appreciates partners that can clean up for it, and with its boosted Fire-type attacks in the sun, its partners often can. Typhlosion also appreciates Helping Hand support, since it can give it the ability to gain OHKOes it normally misses out on.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Typhlosion can also use a type-resist berry such as Shuca Berry or Charti Berry to alleviate some of the damage from Earthquake and Rock Slide, respectively. Typhlosion can also be given a Choice Scarf to give it some more Speed. Choice Scarf Typhlosion hits 250 Speed, outspeeding Metagross, Latios, Gengar, and Swift Swim boosted Ludicolo, among others. Overheat is also another option, as it hits incredibly hard in the sun, but the drop in Special Attack can be a hindrance. Hidden Power Ice can be used to hit Dragon-type Pokemon for heavy damage as well.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Tyranitar can counter it fairly well, because it can survive a SolarBeam with investment in Special Defense and can injure or OHKO Typhlosion with STAB Rock Slide, depending on the Attack investment. Rhyperior can counter Typhlosion under Trick Room, and those who change the weather on Typhlosion can also find themselves beating it. Trick Room teams also hit Typhlosion pretty hard, since its Base 100 Speed and Timid nature means it will easily be outpaced under the effects of Trick Room. Rain Teams can also cause trouble for Typhlosion, since it relies so heavily on harsh sunlight for its power. Latios and Latias can check Typhlosion well, being able to live its powerful Eruption and hit back hard with their STAB Dragon-type attacks.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Typhlosion's Dream World ability, Flash Fire, allows for it to take opposing Heat Waves and boost up its own Eruptions. If this were released, it could make Typhlosion dangerous in VGC 2012 even outside of sun. However, since Heat Wave is a HG/SS Tutor move, it wouldn't have access to that, which would cause a reliance on Eruption as the Fire-type spread move. Flamethrower would be an option to run in replacement of Heat Wave if this ability were released.</p>
