[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to its ability Drought, Vulpix has a very important niche in Little Cup as both a sun supporter and a wallbreaker, making it a staple on sun teams. In addition to Vulpix's incredibly powerful Drought-boosted attacks, it has access to Energy Ball to blast through the Water- and Rock-types that resist its STAB moves, and it can cripple other potential switch-ins with Will-O-Wisp, Hypnosis, or Toxic, making Vulpix a very difficult Pokemon to switch into. Drought is also useful to allow Vulpix to tank some weaker Water-type attacks, such as Chinchou's Scald, and retaliate back with Energy Ball. Though Vulpix boasts great power, it suffers from its low bulk, especially physically, which makes it susceptible to being revenge killed by opposing priority users and faster Pokemon. Furthermore, Vulpix's weakness to Stealth Rock and susceptibility to all entry hazards can reduce its longevity, so it must be played carefully, especially when it's being relied on to provide Drought support for its teammates throughout the match.
[SET]
name: Sun Support
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Energy Ball
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Hypnosis / Toxic
move 4: Quick Attack / Hidden Power Rock
item: Heat Rock
ability: Drought
nature: Timid
evs: 52 HP / 196 SpA / 240 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast hits anything that doesn't resist it very hard under the sun. Energy Ball provides important coverage against Water- and Rock-types such as Tirtouga, Omanyte, Chinchou, and Slowpoke. Will-O-Wisp cripples switch-ins to Vulpix such as Munchlax and Archen. Will-O-Wisp also prevents Pawniard from revenge killing Vulpix with Sucker Punch and ensures that SturdyJuice Tirtouga will be crippled if it tries to use Vulpix as setup bait. After putting a foe to sleep, Hypnosis provides a free turn for teammates that can take advantage of the sun, such as Bellsprout, to switch in. Toxic wears down bulky Fire-types such as Ponyta. Quick Attack, though lacking in power, is still quite useful for breaking Focus Sash on faster Pokemon such as Abra and Diglett, allowing another teammate, such as a Chlorophyll user, to easily sweep past them later in the match. Quick Attack also has many other situational uses, such as picking off weakened Choice Scarf users and KOing weakened Fletchling before it can strike back with priority Acrobatics. Hidden Power Rock provides coverage against Fire-type switch-ins, most notably Flash Fire Houndour, which doesn't mind most of the other attacks on the set. Hidden Power Rock also hits Archen a bit harder than any of the other attacking moves on the set. Flamethrower can be run in the third or fourth slot, as having a 100% accurate move to clean up with late-game can prove useful.
Set Details
========
Drought and Heat Rock provide Vulpix and its team with eight turns of sunlight. A Timid nature and 240 Speed EVs are used so that Vulpix hits 17 Speed, outspeeding Jolly Pawniard and tying with several other Pokemon such as Archen and Drilbur. 196 EVs in Special Attack ensure that Vulpix can hit as hard as possible. The remaining EVs are put into HP so that Vulpix can switch into Stealth Rock four times.
Usage Tips
========
Vulpix shouldn't be directly switched into many attacks other than resisted hits due to its frailty; it's very important to keep Vulpix alive so that it can set up sun as many times as needed throughout the match. As such, it's preferable to either lead with Vulpix, bring it in to revenge kill a slower foe, or bring it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch user, which ensures that the sun is set up safely. If Pokemon that resist Fire are still present on the opposing team, which is often the case early- and mid-game, consider using Energy Ball, Will-O-Wisp, Hypnosis, or another option to catch them as they switch in, as this will open up more opportunities later in the game to take advantage of Vulpix's strong Fire-type attacks. If Vulpix's attacks aren't powerful enough to KO the foe it's facing or it is being threatened by a strong priority user or faster Pokemon, it's almost always in your best interest to switch to a pivot that can better handle the foe, as keeping Vulpix alive is of the utmost importance to its teammates.
Team Options
========
As Vulpix is a sun supporter, its best teammates are those that can take full advantage of the sun. Bellsprout is the most viable of the Chlorophyll sweepers with its high offensive stats and access to Weather Ball. Other Chlorophyll users such as Bulbasaur, Oddish, and Deerling can also take advantage of the sun very well. A bulky Fighting-type such as Mienfoo or Timburr can help check nuisances to Vulpix such as Munchlax and Houndour. Drilbur makes for a great teammate, as it can provide Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock support and can help take on opposing Fire- and Rock-types for Vulpix. Drilbur in turn enjoys Vulpix's ability to destroy Grass-types such as Pumpkaboo-XL and Ferroseed. Archen makes for an excellent teammate, as it can provide Stealth Rock and Defog support, check Fire-types, and check Fletchling, which is a large threat to common sun cores. Other Fletchling checks such as Magnemite, Onix, and Pawniard can pair well with Vulpix. Magnemite can bring in Vulpix in safely with a slow Volt Switch and check numerous setup sweepers. Onix provides the team with a fast Taunt and Stealth Rock support. Pawniard provides Knock Off support and can also act as a Stealth Rock setter. Diglett is a useful partner, as it can trap opposing Ponyta, Skrelp, and other various nuisances to sun teams. Vulpix can be paired with other Fire-types, such as Houndour and Ponyta, as they can all benefit from Drought and wear down one another's checks; just be wary of their shared weaknesses.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Energy Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Overheat / Flamethrower / Hypnosis / Will-O-Wisp
item: Life Orb
ability: Drought
nature: Timid
evs: 40 Def / 196 SpA / 240 Spe
ivs: 23 HP / 30 Def / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Boosted by both Drought and Life Orb, Fire Blast hits tremendously hard; even some Pokemon that resist the move will have trouble switching in. Energy Ball provides excellent coverage alongside Fire Blast, hitting Water- and Rock-types such as Tirtouga, Omanyte, Chinchou, and Slowpoke super effectively. Hidden Power Rock hits opposing Fire-types, most importantly Flash Fire Houndour, which could otherwise switch in with little-to-no trouble and potentially get a Special Attack boost. Overheat is incredibly powerful, and it is very useful in late-game scenarios thanks to its higher power and accuracy when compared to Fire Blast. Even the bulkiest variants of Mienfoo risk being KOed by a Life Orb-boosted Overheat after entry hazard damage, and many variants are simply OHKOed with no prior damage at all. Flamethrower provides Vulpix with a more reliable cleaning tool late-game thanks to its accuracy. Hypnosis cripples some of the few Pokemon that can claim to switch into Life Orb Vulpix's powerful attacks, providing a free turn to switch to a teammate better equipped to handle the situation. Will-O-Wisp cripples and wears down switch-ins such as Munchlax and Archen.
Set Details
========
Drought and Life Orb give Vulpix's attacks incredible power, making it a very potent wallbreaker and quite difficult to switch into. A Timid nature and 240 Speed EVs let Vulpix hit 17 Speed, allowing it to outspeed foes such as Jolly Pawniard and Speed tie with several other Pokemon in the same Speed tier. 196 EVs in Special Attack allow Vulpix to hit as hard as possible. The preferred IV spread is 23 HP / 30 Def / 30 SpD / 30 Spe, which gives Vulpix Hidden Power Rock as well as 19 HP, minimizing Life Orb recoil. The remaining EVs give Vulpix a point in Defense, allowing it to tank physical hits a little better.
Usage Tips
========
Ideally, bring Vulpix in to revenge kill or bring it in safely with a slow Volt Switch or U-turn, as this set is prone to being worn down rather quickly. Once Vulpix is in safely, threaten the foe with Vulpix's powerful Fire-type moves. If there are still healthy foes that resist Fire remaining on the opposing team, use the opportunity to smack them with Energy Ball, Hidden Power Rock, or a status move as they switch in. Oftentimes, if the opposing Fire-resistant foes have been weakened enough, you can just click Fire Blast anyway because it hits so hard with the boost from Drought and Life Orb.
Team Options
========
Vulpix pairs well with other heavy-hitting Fire-types, especially Houndour, as they can benefit from Drought and share very similar checks, allowing one or the other to eventually clean up late-game. Stealth Rock users such as Archen, Onix, and Pawniard can pair up well with Vulpix, helping to ensure that Vulpix can get KOs more easily, and also serving as checks to Fletchling. Archen can also provide Defog support if needed. If looking for Rapid Spin support instead, Drilbur pairs quite well with Vulpix; it can take on opposing Fire- and Rock-types for Vulpix, while Vulpix can easily take on the Grass-types that threaten Drilbur. Bulky Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr can check Munchlax, Houndour, and Lickitung for Vulpix, and they can also provide Knock Off support, which makes it much easier for Vulpix to break past walls. Mienfoo also provides a slow U-turn, which is an excellent way to get Vulpix onto the battlefield safely. On a similar note, Magnemite pairs well with Vulpix as a slow user of Volt Switch. Diglett makes for a useful partner, trapping and eliminating opposing Fire-types, as well as Skrelp. Pokemon with Chlorophyll, most notably Bellsprout, but also Bulbasaur, Oddish, and Deerling, can take advantage of the sun, but they aren't absolutely necessary as teammates; they'll generally prefer being paired with Heat Rock Vulpix to maximize their effectiveness.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Energy Ball
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Overheat / Flamethrower / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Drought
nature: Modest
evs: 52 HP / 196 SpA / 240 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast is a potent option for revenge killing, especially when boosted by Drought. Energy Ball greatly enhances Vulpix's coverage by hitting Water- and Rock-types super effectively, such as Tirtouga, Omanyte, Chinchou, and Slowpoke. Hidden Power Rock ensures that Flash Fire Houndour doesn't get a free switch in against Vulpix, and it also hits Fire-types a bit harder than any of Vulpix's other moves. Overheat's incredible power gives Vulpix even more revenge killing potential against bulky foes, dealing even greater damage than Fire Blast to bulky Fighting-types, Porygon, Fairy-types, and more. Keep in mind that the Special Attack drop that occurs afterward will likely force Vulpix to switch out the next turn, however. Flamethrower is a much more reliable move for late-game cleaning, providing Vulpix with a 100% accurate Drought-boosted move to lock itself into as opposed to Fire Blast or Overheat. Sleep Talk allows Vulpix to switch into sleep inducers, most notably Foongus, and still retain the ability function as a revenge killer. If running Sleep Talk, it's a viable option to forgo coverage moves so that Vulpix is more likely to pick Fire-type attacks while asleep.
Set Details
========
Drought is a necessity, as it summons sunlight and boosts the power of Vulpix's Fire-type moves. The EV spread maximizes Vulpix's power and Speed. With Choice Scarf and a Modest nature, Vulpix hits 24 Speed. A Timid nature could be used get the jump on Choice Scarf Chinchou, but the lower damage output against foes such as Mienfoo and Porygon is quite noticeable. 52 HP EVs are used so that Vulpix can switch into Stealth Rock four times.
Usage Tips
========
Vulpix should primarily be used to revenge kill threats as needed throughout the game. Bringing Vulpix in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch is helpful as well. Using Energy Ball or Hidden Power Rock to hit foes that resist Fire on the switch is nice, but keep in mind that being locked into them can potentially provide a free turn of setup for the opponent, especially if Vulpix's Choice Scarf has already been revealed, so be cautious when locking Vulpix into a move, especially early- and mid-game.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock users such as Archen, Drilbur, Onix, and Tirtouga pair well with Vulpix, allowing it to clean up late-game more easily. Archen and Drilbur can also provide Defog and Rapid Spin support, respectively. Diglett is excellent partner, as it can trap opposing Ponyta, Skrelp, and Tentacool, allowing Vulpix to use its strong Fire-type attacks more freely. Bulky Fighting-types such as Timburr and Mienfoo can serve as checks to Munchlax, Houndour, and Lickitung, which can be troublesome foes for Vulpix. Additionally, Timburr has useful priority in Mach Punch to help check setup sweepers, while Mienfoo can provide Vulpix with a slow U-turn to bring it in safely. Magnemite also makes for a good partner, as it has a slow Volt Switch to bring Vulpix in safely. Life Orb Houndour is a useful offensive partner for Vulpix, as they share very similar checks; one can wallbreak, allowing the other one to sweep later in the game. Pokemon with Chlorophyll, most notably Bellsprout, but also Bulbasaur, Oddish, and Deerling, appreciate having sun support, but they usually would rather be paired up with Heat Rock Vulpix, as they prefer having as many turns of sunlight as possible.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs can be used over Life Orb for even higher damage output at the cost of being locked into a single move. Extrasensory hits Skrelp and Tentacool harder than any of Vulpix's other moves. Hidden Power Electric hits Mantyke, which can otherwise switch into Vulpix with ease. Roar phazes opposing Torchic, and it ensures that Vulpix doesn't become setup bait against opposing setup sweepers. Pain Split gives Vulpix a form of recovery and can take advantage of Pokemon with high HP, most notably Munchlax, but it's a rather inconsistent option. Flame Charge can set Vulpix up for a sweep late-game.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Pokemon with high Special Defense such as Munchlax, Mantyke, and Tentacool can switch into Vulpix fairly safely and retaliate. Munchlax won't appreciate being burned, however. Other bulky Pokemon such as Porygon can tank a hit and retaliate, but they won't be able to switch directly into Fire Blast.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Ponyta and Flash Fire Houndour can comfortably switch into Vulpix. Houndour in particular can benefit from switching into a Fire-type move thanks to Flash Fire, and it only fears Hidden Power Rock. Ponyta can withstand Hidden Power Rock if it's healthy enough and heal off the damage with Morning Sun, which is enhanced by Vulpix's Drought. Ponyta dislikes being crippled by Toxic, however.
**Archen**: Archen's resists Vulpix's STAB moves and is only hit neutrally by Energy Ball, allowing it to take on Vulpix and threaten back with its Rock-type move. It strongly dislikes Will-O-Wisp, however.
**Faster Pokemon**: Vulpix's bulk is rather lackluster, so it's vulnerable to being picked off by Pokemon that outspeed it such as Gastly, Diglett, and various Choice Scarf users. However, very few of these Pokemon will be able to switch in safely.
**Priority Users**: Vulpix is also prone to being picked off by strong priority moves; Fletchling's Acrobatics, Timburr's Mach Punch, and several other priority moves can put a serious dent in Vulpix and KO it after it has been worn down.
**Entry Hazards**: Vulpix's weakness to Stealth Rock and vulnerability to all entry hazards can wear it down quickly, limiting the number of times it can switch in.
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