Punchshroom
FISHIOUS REND MEGA SHARPEDO
Overview
########
Virizion is one of the fastest attackers in the tier and also is arguably the best offensive Grass-type available. Its STAB moves strike a lot of common defensive Pokemon for heavy damage and have respectable power behind them as well. Virizion has a many resistances, most notably to Dark-type moves, which, when combined with Justified, makes Virizion one of the best Knock Off absorbers in the tier. It also has great boosting moves in Swords Dance and Calm Mind, which increases its unpredictability factor. However, Virizion is somewhat reliant on its boosts to do damage, as it is fairly weak without them. Its STAB moves are also resisted by a good deal of threats in the tier, while Virizion has only adequate coverage at best to attempt to cover them. For all its great resistances, Virizion has some common weaknesses that are further compounded by its low Defense.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Leaf Blade
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Stone Edge / Zen Headbutt
ability: Justified
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Virizion's Attack, greatly making up for its lack of immediate power. Leaf Blade is Virizion's reliable STAB move, dealing a decent amount of damage without any downside. Close Combat is for when Virizion wants the extra kick to finish off a foe, although its side effect of lowering Virizion's defenses and low PP means one would be advised not to use it liberally. The last move is for coverage against Pokemon that resist Virizion's dual STAB attacks: Stone Edge nails Flying-types such as Moltres and Yanmega, as well as Delphox, while Zen Headbutt hits Poison-types such as Amoonguss, Weezing, and Dragalge.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and a Jolly nature allow Virizion to outrun as much as possible, as well as to Speed tie with Cobalion. Maximum Attack grants Virizion the power it really needs. The item choice is important; Lum Berry allows Virizion to set up safely against status, most notably Scald and Thunder Wave, whereas Life Orb gives Virizion a notable boost in power, snagging OHKOs after a Swords Dance boost on Pokemon that it could not before, such as Delphox after Stealth Rock and Escavalier.
Usage Tips
========
Virizion's resistances allow it to switch in rather easily and use its powerful STAB moves to threaten the opponent and attain a boost. One should scout out the opponent's Grass- and Fighting-resistant Pokemon and determine whether Virizion's coverage move can bring them down. If it can, set up using Virizion's resistances and hit them with the coverage move to sweep unhindered. If it cannot, then do not attempt to boost with Virizion at all and just throw out an unboosted attack to test the waters. As such, Virizion works best as a late-game cleaner after its counters and faster Pokemon have been removed, but it can still function as a hole puncher thanks to its STAB moves.
Team Options
========
Teammates that can defeat Doublade are essential as Virizion has no way around it; Moltres makes a good partner, as it is one of the best Doublade answers in the tier. Special Zoroark makes a great teammate, disguising itself to lure out Doublade for a swift KO with Dark Pulse. Choice Specs Zoroark even deals with other Virizion counters with its powerful coverage and access to Trick. Powerful attackers such as Emboar, Clawitzer, and Exploud can threaten to KO Doublade. Fighting-type Pokemon with Knock Off, Escavalier, and Crunch Durant can lure Doublade out and soften it up for Virizion. Stealth Rock users, such as Rhyperior and Druddigon, help keep Virizion's checks and counters, such as Moltres, Delphox, Fletchinder, and Yanmega, at bay and can even take them on to a certain extent. Slowking has decent defensive synergy with Virizion, providing a safety net against Fire-, Ice-, and Psychic-type attacks while luring in Electric-, Grass-, and Dark-types for it to set up on; Slowking can provide either defensive or offensive support depending on its set. Ideally, teammates should cover the threats that Virizion's coverage move does not beat. If using Stone Edge, Zen Headbutt targets should be covered with Psychic-type teammates: Delphox, Reuniclus, Meloetta, and Cresselia can easily handle Poison-types, while Virizion, in return, covers their Dark weakness. If using Zen Headbutt, Stealth Rock can keep Stone Edge targets in check, as they are overall trickier to counter.
Calm Mind
########
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Rock
ability: Justified
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Virizion's Special Attack and Special Defense, which works well with Giga Drain to steal a lot of the opponent's health while being harder to take down due to increased bulk. Focus Blast is inaccurate but necessary, as it serves as a powerful STAB move and an emergency nuke, especially considering this set's slower boosting pace when compared to Swords Dance. Hidden Power Fire hits Steel- and Grass-types, such as Doublade, Amoonguss, and Escavalier, while Hidden Power Rock strikes Fire- and Flying-types, such as Delphox, Moltres, and Yanmega.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature let Virizion outrun as much as possible, and maximum Special Attack gives Virizion's attacks a much-needed punch, so as to maximize health gained by boosted Giga Drains.
Usage Tips
========
Virizion can find time to set up by virtue of its great resistances. Ideally, Virizion should set up once or twice and proceed to spam Life Orb-boosted Giga Drains as much as possible. The lack of immediate power is made up for by longevity granted by Giga Drain, which keeps Virizion's health high while wearing the opponent down. Virizion is best saved until mid- or late-game, but can act as a pivot using its resistances and Giga Drain to take attacks.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock is helpful for Virizion as most of its counters are weak to it, softening them up for a possible KO. Slowking can take Fire-, Ice-, and Psychic-type attacks while luring in Electric-, Grass-, and Dark-types for Virizion, making it a great teammate. Optimal teammates can vary, depending on the Hidden Power of choice. Hidden Power Fire Virizion wants Fire-types out of the way, so bulky Pokemon that resist Fire-type moves such as Slowking, Jellicent, and Druddigon can take them on, while offensive responses such as Sharpedo and Dugtrio can quickly finish them off. Hidden Power Rock Virizion would face trouble against Steel-types and Amoonguss, making Fire-type teammates such as Moltres, Delphox, and Emboar great choices.
Other Options
########
Virizion has an incredibly barren movepool that is essentially devoid of other worthwhile attacking options. Sacred Sword is the only one worth a look, but Virizion desperately wants a stronger attack in Close Combat, especially when Leaf Blade already takes the role of a reliable attack. Taunt can stop foes from healing, but is useless against Virizion's counters and does not change the outcome of any matchups significantly. Synthesis provides healing, but Giga Drain already does this, and Virizion cannot afford to drop coverage. Defensive Virizion mainly focuses on using its resistances, but it has limited support options, and Virizion has better things to be doing than to compete with Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Virizion has access to dual screens, but other users of dual screens such as Meowstic, Cresselia, and Bronzong have better support movepools than Virizion.
Checks & Counters
########
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Regardless of Virizion's coverage option, bulky Psychic-types tend to be the most consistent counters to Virizion, as they resist its stronger STAB move. Delphox and Sigilyph have the benefit of resisting both of Virizion's STAB types, but must be wary of Stone Edge, although Delphox is pretty shaky against Swords Dance Virizion. Reuniclus and Cresselia shrug off Virizion's attacks with ease. They can also bypass Calm Mind by hitting Virizion's weaker Defense with Psyshock. Meloetta and Gallade can take on Calm Mind Virizion, but are defeated quickly by Swords Dance Virizion.
**Grass- and Fighting-type-Resistant Pokemon**: Plenty of Pokemon resist Virizion's STAB types, although how well they handle Virizion depends on the coverage move it uses. Flying-types can easily deal with Virizion if no Rock-type move is present, whereas Poison-types only really fear Zen Headbutt. Moonblast Whimsicott can prove to be annoying, especially when Encore disrupts any setup attempts on Virizion's part. The only move Doublade would fear from Virizion is +1 Hidden Power Fire, although Doublade can still do a lot of damage to Virizion in the process.
**Faster Physical Attackers**: Virizion is not easy to outspeed, but its low Defense means that it is quite vulnerable to revenge killing. Almost every physical attacker that is naturally faster than Virizion can threaten it in some way. Sticky Web is rare, but does put Virizion at a huge risk. Unburden users such as Hitmonlee and Slurpuff or Choice Scarf users such as Emboar, Psyshock Delphox, and Gallade can get the drop on Virizion as well. Virizion resists most forms of priority, but Mega Abomasnow's Ice Shard hurts, and Fletchinder's Acrobatics instantly KOes Virizion.
Last edited: