OU Spotlight: Heatran

Art by aXl.

Introduction

Ever since Heatran's introduction in Diamond and Pearl, it has been one of the best Pokémon in today's metagame, being one of the few top-tier Pokémon every generation. Sporting one of the best defensive typings in the game in Fire / Steel grants it a total of nine resistances and one immunity, letting it check Pokémon like Ferrothorn, Mega Mawile, and Magearna. On top of that, it gets an amazing ability in Flash Fire, making it immune to Fire-type attacks too. Heatran also has a very good Special Attack stat of 130 backed up by high-Base Power moves, making it not too passive. Heatran is one of the best Pokémon to utilize Stealth Rock, since it shuts down opposing slower Stealth Rock users with Taunt, can beat Mega Sableye one-on-one depending on the set it's using,and can also prevent Defog users from removing Stealth Rock with Taunt.

Hot Sets

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic / Stealth Rock / Substitute

Utility Heatran is one of Heatran's best and most common sets and for good reason, too. With the combination of Magma Storm, Taunt, and Toxic, it can consistently wear down the foe to the point where it's so weakened that Heatran can break through them. Earth Power is an absolute must on Heatran, allowing it to hit opposing Heatran and Toxapex, which can completely wall Heatran's dual STAB combination. Stealth Rock is one of the best moves in the game because it provides consistent chip damage on opposing Pokémon, and Heatran is a very good Pokémon to utilize the move because it can pressure opposing entry hazard setters and Defog users. Heatran can set up a Substitute on switches that it forces to ease up prediction; due to its typing and ability, it can also set up a Substitute on Pokémon like Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Mega Scizor. Leftovers is Heatran's only way to recover health, preventing it from getting worn down too fast.

/ Heatran @ Firium Z / Groundium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Toxic / Stealth Rock
- Taunt

Heatran can also be used in conjunction with a Z-Crystal, utilizing Firium Z or Groundium Z to break through Mega Sableye or Toxapex after Magma Storm chip damage, respectively. Magma Storm is a really powerful STAB move that also provides really useful utility in the sense that it can trap and wear down the foe. In conjunction with Firium Z, Magma Storm becomes a powerful nuke that can net really impressive KOs on Pokémon like Tapu Lele, Landorus-T, Kyurem-B, and Zapdos after Stealth Rock damage. Earth Power allows Heatran to hit Heatran and Toxapex, and Groundium Z allows Heatran to OHKO Toxapex after minor chip damage. Toxic in conjunction with Taunt and Firium Z enables Heatran to break through stall archetypes, and it also allows Heatran to do exceptionally well against balance and bulky offense archetypes. Once again, Stealth Rock can be used because of Heatran's ability to set it up against stall teams and consistently wear down the team, but this does worsen its ability to break through Chansey.

Niche Sets

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 220 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
- Protect / Taunt
- Stealth Rock

Heatran can utilize a specially defensive spread to allow it to take on special attackers like Blacephalon and Tapu Lele a lot better. On this set, it is a lot more efficient to use Lava Plume instead of Magma Storm; since this set is relatively slow, it cannot afford to miss a Magma Storm, so while the extra chip damage is appreciated, Lava Plume is 100% accurate and can burn foes to chip them down and cripple them if they're physical attackers. Toxic can be used on targets that don't mind being burned and can wear down the foe consistently. Will-O-Wisp gives Heatran a more consistent way to cripple physical attackers. Protect allows Heatran to scout moves and recover health without risking anything, and it also helps rack up burn or poison damage. Stealth Rock is a bit shakier with this Heatran set considering how slow it is, meaning it is unable to pressure Defog users as the other sets can.

Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Stone Edge

Choice Scarf is a very niche Heatran set that allows Heatran to net surprise KOs on Pokémon like Landorus-T, Mega Charizard Y, Tyranitar, and Tapu Lele. Fire Blast is Choice Scarf Heatran's main STAB move and does a lot of damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Flash Cannon lets Heatran surprise Pokémon like Tapu Lele and Tyranitar, which would be able to survive anything else that Heatran might use on them. Earth Power prevents Toxapex and Heatran from completely walling this set. The last slot is rather variable because it is really team dependent; if your team needs a way to lure in and KO Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y, Stone Edge can be used. Hidden Power Ice can be used to surprise Landorus-T, Garchomp, Gliscor, and Zygarde, but it can't guarantee an OHKO on any of these Pokémon. Will-O-Wisp is yet another option in the last slot, allowing Heatran to cripple physical attackers, mainly Mega Mawile. Lastly, if Mantine is a big problem for the team, Hidden Power Electric can be used to KO it after it has been lured in, since Mantine is pretty comfortable with switching into Heatran otherwise.

Good Cores

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic / Stealth Rock / Substitute

/ Firium Z Tapu Bulu @ Rockium Z / Fightinium Z
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Stone Edge / Wood Hammer

This core works very well on teams ranging from bulky offense to balance. Tapu Bulu and Heatran have very good type synergy, being a great start to a Fire / Water / Grass core and a Fairy / Dragon / Steel core. Grassy Surge sets up Grassy Terrain, which weakens Earthquake for Heatran and gives it extra passive recovery. Heatran can set up Stealth Rock, greatly supporting Tapu Bulu and allowing it to break through Pokémon like Mega Venusaur and Tangrowth. Assault Vest Tapu Bulu can be used, providing a reliable switch-in to Pokémon like Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Keldeo for Heatran, which it tends to struggle with. However, this core also has a few cons; it is very weak to Mega Pinsir because it can use Swords Dance to boost its Close Combats and Earthquakes, and Rock-types are just as big of an issue as Mega Pinsir, since neither Pokémon resists Rock, which Pokémon like Tyranitar and Terrakion can easily take advantage of.

Heatran @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Toxic
- Taunt

/ Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power Ice
- U-turn

Despite this core's obvious Water-type weakness, it's very effective in the current metagame. Heatran is able to pressure stall a lot and remove Mega Sableye from the match, allowing Landorus-T to set up Stealth Rock against stall so Heatran can muscle through the opposing team. They also have good type synergy, as Landorus-T can switch into Ground-type attacks, while in return Heatran can switch into Ice-type attacks. Landorus-T can also safely bring in Heatran via U-turn.

Conclusion

Heatran has been one of the best Pokémon in OU ever since its introduction thanks to its variety of viable sets, good offensive and defensive typing, and useful utility, which all in all allow it to offer good utility to the team. Heatran fits very well on balance and bulky offensive teams, being a good pick to begin and end with. Heatran will probably stay relevant in the OU metagame for a long time; only time can tell.

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