Overview
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Volcarona bolsters a great base 130 Special Attack stat and access to Heat Wave. With the right investment and nature, it can speed tie with Kangaskhan and other threatening base 100. Volcarona also has access to Flame Body, which can burn physical attackers, and Swarm, which can boost its already powerful Bug Buzz. It also has access to both Rage Powder and Quiver Dance. However, Volcarona has a massive 4x weakness to rock, which is one of the most common types of attacks in VGC. On top of that, it also has a weakness to Drizzle teams weakness. Volcarona's major weakness comes from Flying-types, such as Mega Salamence and Talonflame. One last negative factor about Volcarona is that it can't really do much outside of its STAB attacks and support moves.
Quiver Dance
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name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
ability: Flame Body / Swarm
item: Lum Berry / Charti Berry
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Heat Wave is the attack you'll be using most of the time, as it is a Fire-type spread move with a chance to burn coming off a massive base 130 Special Attack. However, Quiver Dance can also be used to outspeed certain threats such as scarf Landorus-T, Timid/Jolly base 100s such as Kangaskhan, Garchomp, and Aerodactyl. Bug Buzz is to prevent you from being walled by Garchomp, Cresselia, Hydreigon, and any other Pokemon that resists Fire-type attacks. Protect helps Volcarona because it can either finish off a threat the next turn after a partner softens up the foe, or let it's partner eliminate a threat entirely.
Set Details
========
Due to Volcarona being a base 100, it needs max speed investment to be able to tie with other base 100s such as Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Charizard. The EV spread as a whole is not advanced because Volcarona thrives off as much speed and attacking power it can get. To keep up that damage-dealing potential, run Lum Berry prevents being paralyzed or slept, while Charti Berry increases your survivability, being able to take a Rock Slide from Landorus-T and 4 Atk Timid Life Orbless Tyranitar. As for Volcarona's abilities, Flame Body can be useful in the highly physical meta by burning attackers such as Kangaskhan after attacking it. Swarm on the other hand, has a niche because it makes the damage output of your Bug Buzz go through the roof. Modest nature is to maximize your Heat Wave and Bug Buzz damage, as with Quiver Dance, you'll be boosting your speed anyways
Usage Tips
========
When playing with Volcarona, you need to be very aware of if you're foe carries Rock Slide. If you need to use protect to scout, then do so. Usually if you think you're opponent has a Rock Slide user in the back, setting up with Quiver Dance is usually not an option unless you think you're partner and Volcarona can eliminate the threat before the threat eliminates it. Volcarona can be very effective against teams with a lot of Special Attackers, as Quiver Dance can boost your Special Defense. The same can be said with teams with redirection, as Heat Wave his both targets anyways.
Team Options
========
Hitmontop should be considered as it's the only Pokemon with Wide Guard, Fake Out, and Intimidate. Other Intimidate Pokemon such as Landorus-T, or Salamence can be partners to increase Volcarona's chances of taking physical attacks. Flying and Rock resistances such as Bisharp, Metagross, Tyranitar, and Rotom-W also make good partners, and Rotom-W since it makes great use of Will-o-Wisp to hinder physical attackers. Speed control Pokemon, such as Thundurus and Cresselia also put stress of the player to set up Quiver Dances. Fake-Out users, such as Mega Kangaskhan provide more windows to set up Quiver Dances, and have a physically attacking partner. Helping Hand is another great move that can support Volcarona's strong Heat Waves.
Rage Powder
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name: Rage Powder
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Rage Powder
move 4: Protect
ability: Flame Body
item: Rocky Helmet / Sitrus Berry
evs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 SpA
nature: Bold
Moves
========
Overheat is used over Heat Wave to do more direct damage, as Heat Wave, with this spread, will do minimal damage. Bug Buzz is still used for the same reason, to hit Hydreigon, Cresselia, and any other Pokemon that resists Overheat. Rage Powder is the star of this set, as it redirects all non-spread, non-Grass-type moves to Volcarona. Protect is used, allowing Volcarona's partner eliminate threats so that it can stick around longer.
Set Details
========
This Volcarona set is EV'd to survive a multitude of attacks, including Adamant Kangaskhan Double-Edge, Adamant Landorus-T Rock Slide, +2 Modest Aegislash Shadow Ball, Mega Mawile Sucker Punch, Bisharp Sucker Punch, and has a less than 1 in 5 chance of fainting to Life Orb Garchomp Rock Slide. This set can also KO standard Mega Mawile, a 50% chance of KO'ing standard Amoonguss, and can 2HKO standard Aegislash. Flame Body is the only option on this set because the increased power of Bug Buzz isn't worth giving up the chance to burn physical attackers. Rocky Helmet is to increase the damage physical attackers that makes contact on Volcarona. Sitrus Berry can be used as it's the only useable recovery Volcarona can have.
Usage Tips
========
Because of how this Volcarona is meant to play out, knowing what you can and can't survive as a crucial aspect of supporting your partner. Before you make use of Rage Powder, stop and think about what you gain and lose by taking two hits that turn. Although it's not the best tactic, bluffing an offensive set by using Bug Buzz and luring your opponent into targeting your partner and then pulling the trigger with Rage Powder.
Team Options
========
This set can support a lot of frail Pokemon such as Greninja, Weavile, or Mega Gallade. Rage Powder and impressive bulk synergizes amazingly with Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Salamence, who love Volcarona's typing and bulk.
Other Options
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Hidden Power Ground is an option to consider if your team has a hard type hitting Heatran, but other than that it can't really hit much else. Giga Drain can hit bulkier water types such as Rotom-W, Gastrodon, Suicune, and Swampert. Just note that Giga Drain doesn't have much extra power over Bug Buzz, and sometimes the coverage will leave you wide open for a Hydreigon to come in and steadily eliminate you. Hurricane is a choice if you're using Volcarona on a rain team, but there are usually better options, such as Tornadus-T for power or Amoonguss for redirection.
Checks & Counters
########
Like all Fire-type Pokemon, Rock Slide, especially when used on Pokemon faster than Volcarona, severely punishes it. Flying-types make quick work of Volcarona and it can't really do much except switch. If you're using a rain team its Heat Wave will do laughable damage. Strong physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Landorus-T, and Mega Salamence will easily take out the more offensive sets, and even the most defensive Volcarona can't survive Adamant Mega Salamence Double-Edge. Fire-type Pokemon such as Heatran, Charizard, and Rotom-H can wall Volcarona to oblivion and usually Volcarona either does little damage or is taken out before it can set up enough to deal damage.
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Volcarona bolsters a great base 130 Special Attack stat and access to Heat Wave. With the right investment and nature, it can speed tie with Kangaskhan and other threatening base 100. Volcarona also has access to Flame Body, which can burn physical attackers, and Swarm, which can boost its already powerful Bug Buzz. It also has access to both Rage Powder and Quiver Dance. However, Volcarona has a massive 4x weakness to rock, which is one of the most common types of attacks in VGC. On top of that, it also has a weakness to Drizzle teams weakness. Volcarona's major weakness comes from Flying-types, such as Mega Salamence and Talonflame. One last negative factor about Volcarona is that it can't really do much outside of its STAB attacks and support moves.
Quiver Dance
########
name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
ability: Flame Body / Swarm
item: Lum Berry / Charti Berry
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Heat Wave is the attack you'll be using most of the time, as it is a Fire-type spread move with a chance to burn coming off a massive base 130 Special Attack. However, Quiver Dance can also be used to outspeed certain threats such as scarf Landorus-T, Timid/Jolly base 100s such as Kangaskhan, Garchomp, and Aerodactyl. Bug Buzz is to prevent you from being walled by Garchomp, Cresselia, Hydreigon, and any other Pokemon that resists Fire-type attacks. Protect helps Volcarona because it can either finish off a threat the next turn after a partner softens up the foe, or let it's partner eliminate a threat entirely.
Set Details
========
Due to Volcarona being a base 100, it needs max speed investment to be able to tie with other base 100s such as Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Charizard. The EV spread as a whole is not advanced because Volcarona thrives off as much speed and attacking power it can get. To keep up that damage-dealing potential, run Lum Berry prevents being paralyzed or slept, while Charti Berry increases your survivability, being able to take a Rock Slide from Landorus-T and 4 Atk Timid Life Orbless Tyranitar. As for Volcarona's abilities, Flame Body can be useful in the highly physical meta by burning attackers such as Kangaskhan after attacking it. Swarm on the other hand, has a niche because it makes the damage output of your Bug Buzz go through the roof. Modest nature is to maximize your Heat Wave and Bug Buzz damage, as with Quiver Dance, you'll be boosting your speed anyways
Usage Tips
========
When playing with Volcarona, you need to be very aware of if you're foe carries Rock Slide. If you need to use protect to scout, then do so. Usually if you think you're opponent has a Rock Slide user in the back, setting up with Quiver Dance is usually not an option unless you think you're partner and Volcarona can eliminate the threat before the threat eliminates it. Volcarona can be very effective against teams with a lot of Special Attackers, as Quiver Dance can boost your Special Defense. The same can be said with teams with redirection, as Heat Wave his both targets anyways.
Team Options
========
Hitmontop should be considered as it's the only Pokemon with Wide Guard, Fake Out, and Intimidate. Other Intimidate Pokemon such as Landorus-T, or Salamence can be partners to increase Volcarona's chances of taking physical attacks. Flying and Rock resistances such as Bisharp, Metagross, Tyranitar, and Rotom-W also make good partners, and Rotom-W since it makes great use of Will-o-Wisp to hinder physical attackers. Speed control Pokemon, such as Thundurus and Cresselia also put stress of the player to set up Quiver Dances. Fake-Out users, such as Mega Kangaskhan provide more windows to set up Quiver Dances, and have a physically attacking partner. Helping Hand is another great move that can support Volcarona's strong Heat Waves.
Rage Powder
########
name: Rage Powder
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Rage Powder
move 4: Protect
ability: Flame Body
item: Rocky Helmet / Sitrus Berry
evs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 SpA
nature: Bold
Moves
========
Overheat is used over Heat Wave to do more direct damage, as Heat Wave, with this spread, will do minimal damage. Bug Buzz is still used for the same reason, to hit Hydreigon, Cresselia, and any other Pokemon that resists Overheat. Rage Powder is the star of this set, as it redirects all non-spread, non-Grass-type moves to Volcarona. Protect is used, allowing Volcarona's partner eliminate threats so that it can stick around longer.
Set Details
========
This Volcarona set is EV'd to survive a multitude of attacks, including Adamant Kangaskhan Double-Edge, Adamant Landorus-T Rock Slide, +2 Modest Aegislash Shadow Ball, Mega Mawile Sucker Punch, Bisharp Sucker Punch, and has a less than 1 in 5 chance of fainting to Life Orb Garchomp Rock Slide. This set can also KO standard Mega Mawile, a 50% chance of KO'ing standard Amoonguss, and can 2HKO standard Aegislash. Flame Body is the only option on this set because the increased power of Bug Buzz isn't worth giving up the chance to burn physical attackers. Rocky Helmet is to increase the damage physical attackers that makes contact on Volcarona. Sitrus Berry can be used as it's the only useable recovery Volcarona can have.
Usage Tips
========
Because of how this Volcarona is meant to play out, knowing what you can and can't survive as a crucial aspect of supporting your partner. Before you make use of Rage Powder, stop and think about what you gain and lose by taking two hits that turn. Although it's not the best tactic, bluffing an offensive set by using Bug Buzz and luring your opponent into targeting your partner and then pulling the trigger with Rage Powder.
Team Options
========
This set can support a lot of frail Pokemon such as Greninja, Weavile, or Mega Gallade. Rage Powder and impressive bulk synergizes amazingly with Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Salamence, who love Volcarona's typing and bulk.
Other Options
########
Hidden Power Ground is an option to consider if your team has a hard type hitting Heatran, but other than that it can't really hit much else. Giga Drain can hit bulkier water types such as Rotom-W, Gastrodon, Suicune, and Swampert. Just note that Giga Drain doesn't have much extra power over Bug Buzz, and sometimes the coverage will leave you wide open for a Hydreigon to come in and steadily eliminate you. Hurricane is a choice if you're using Volcarona on a rain team, but there are usually better options, such as Tornadus-T for power or Amoonguss for redirection.
Checks & Counters
########
Like all Fire-type Pokemon, Rock Slide, especially when used on Pokemon faster than Volcarona, severely punishes it. Flying-types make quick work of Volcarona and it can't really do much except switch. If you're using a rain team its Heat Wave will do laughable damage. Strong physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Landorus-T, and Mega Salamence will easily take out the more offensive sets, and even the most defensive Volcarona can't survive Adamant Mega Salamence Double-Edge. Fire-type Pokemon such as Heatran, Charizard, and Rotom-H can wall Volcarona to oblivion and usually Volcarona either does little damage or is taken out before it can set up enough to deal damage.
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