Moltres (OU) [QC 2/2] [GP 2/2]

[OVERVIEW]

Moltres's position as an offensive Fire-type with a solid Speed tier and a Spikes immunity gives it quite the niche in ADV OU. Its access to STAB Flamethrower and Fire Blast allows it to pressure passive Pokemon like Skarmory and Celebi while offensively checking Metagross, Jirachi, Heracross, and Gengar. Moltres's ability to answer Metagross is particularly crucial, as it can deny Metagross momentum with the threat of a STAB Fire move, which helps protect a team's Skarmory or defensive Water-type from a potential Explosion. Furthermore, Moltres can spread burns with Will-O-Wisp for the purpose of crippling certain physical attackers, inflicting chip damage on Blissey, and forcing Snorlax and Suicune to Rest and become sitting ducks. Moltres's Speed tier of base 90 gets the jump on most of ADV's mid-ranged Speed tiers, beating out neutral-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon as well as the deadly Jolly Heracross with maximum investment, but it falls short of some of the tier's faster threats like Starmie and Jolteon. Moltres's weaknesses to Rock, Electric, and Water make it easy to force out after a KO, and thoughtlessly slapping it onto a team can exacerbate weaknesses to Pokemon like Zapdos, Starmie, and Aerodactyl. Moltres is a Pokemon that demands certain support structures to function at its best, but it serves those structures remarkably well and counters major threats that they would otherwise struggle against.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Roar / Overheat
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the standard offensive Moltres, wielding a STAB Fire-type move in conjunction with Hidden Power Grass to cover the majority of the metagame. The Fire-type move is dependent on choice—Fire Blast does more damage, securing the OHKOs against defensive Metagross and specially defensive Skarmory, whereas Flamethrower only gives favorable rolls with a Modest nature. At the same time, Flamethrower's greater PP and accuracy are hard to pass up, and it makes for a more consistent option on defensive teams. Hidden Power Grass destroys Swampert while doing decent damage to Suicune and Milotic and 3HKOing Tyranitar, warding the dinosaur off. Will-O-Wisp covers the handful of checks to Fire + Grass coverage—Salamence in particular—as well as bulkier Pokemon like Snorlax and Tyranitar that may attempt to switch in by crippling their offensive ability. The value of the chip damage that Will-O-Wisp can force onto Pokemon such as Blissey, Suicune, and Milotic cannot be overstated, especially in conjunction with sand and Spikes.

Roar is generally the preferred fourth move, phazing bulkier Water-types and Blissey that otherwise switch in freely and forcing them to repeatedly take damage from Spikes. It also interrupts semi-Baton Pass chains that rely on Celebi to set up Calm Minds freely, stops Lum Berry + Dragon Dance Tyranitar from setting up for free unless it is the last Pokemon on the field, and generally takes advantage of the free turns Moltres is good at creating. Overheat can be paired with Flamethrower as an alternate Fire-type STAB attack, and with a Modest nature it threatens certain OHKOs that Fire Blast doesn't; primarily a 25% chance to put specially defensive Gengar into range of sand, and a 75% chance to OHKO uninvested Celebi and Jirachi after they've used Calm Mind once, forcing an opponent to think twice about staying in. Having two Fire-type STAB attacks allows Moltres to chip certain Pokemon like Zapdos and weakened Blissey and lull them into a false sense of security before blasting through them with Overheat, but all of the above comes at the cost of the momentum loss due to Overheat's stat drops. Protect is another option for a fourth move that allows you to rack up burn damage and scout against Choice Band users like Salamence and Aerodactyl that may be used to force Moltres out.

The given EV spread lets Moltres Speed tie opposing Moltres while providing as much power as possible. A Modest or Timid nature can be used depending on priorities; Timid allows Moltres to outrun neutral-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon and Jolly Heracross, while Modest's power can be particularly helpful in conjunction with Fire Blast or Overheat. The choice is generally up to the player. Moltres is usually best wielded as an early-game attacker, switching into Skarmory and Metagross and threatening to fire off attacks at will, but it must wary of a potential Toxic when switching in, as Toxic ruins Moltres's longevity. Moltres can also pivot well into Will-O-Wisps from Gengar early-game to take pressure off Blissey and Tyranitar without losing momentum.

Moltres naturally draws comparisons to Charizard, which fills a similar niche but with a higher Speed tier and greater offensive presence. Charizard's access to Focus Punch allows it to single-handedly muscle through Tyranitar, Snorlax, and Blissey, all of which Moltres needs time and support to break through. Furthermore, its ability Blaze allows it to trade HP to boost Fire Blast's damage and wallbreaking power in a way Moltres can't, and its ability to Speed tie positive-natured base 100s like Zapdos and Jirachi can come in clutch. However, Charizard lacks the support options that Moltres has, and it lacks Special Attack compared to Moltres, being forced to rely on the more inaccurate Fire Blast for damage. In general, Moltres's defensive utility allows it to carve out a spot on Spikes teams, while Charizard fits better as a breaker on non-Spikes offense, although neither Pokemon is necessarily limited to said archetype.

Team Options
========

Spikes support is hugely valued considering how this set's best switch-ins are Blissey, Suicune, and Milotic, followed by Rest Snorlax and Lum Berry Tyranitar. Skarmory, Forretress, and Cloyster all work well as partners and can somewhat act as checks to physical attackers while appreciating Moltres's ability to handle Calm Mind Celebi and Jirachi and OHKO Attack-boosted Metagross. Tyranitar's sand also goes a long way towards punishing Blissey and Suicune by denying them the passive recovery of Leftovers.

Having a dedicated special wall is also hugely appreciated considering the threat that Pokemon like Zapdos, Starmie, and Jolteon pose to Moltres. All of Blissey, Snorlax, and Wish Jirachi can fill this role reasonably well. A dedicated Rock-type answer and physical defender like Swampert or Metagross, both of which can switch into Tyranitar and Aerodactyl, is just about required alongside Moltres given its severe weakness to Rock Slide users—Swampert tends to fit on more defensive lineups and also is a better overall Salamence check, while Metagross works on offense and can still thwart most of Choice Band Salamence's attacks. Additionally, Metagross can be used to demolish Blissey, which Moltres hugely appreciates. Defensive Flygon answers Tyranitar and Aerodactyl while being Spikes immune and checking Hidden Power Grass Electric-types in the short term, and it appreciates Moltres's ability to flambé Metagross, which Flygon struggles to switch into. Their shared Spikes immunity makes for a good defensive backbone for Superman-style teams, which are characterized by forgoing a Rapid Spin user or Magneton in favor of running multiple Pokemon immune to Spikes.

Electric-types like Zapdos and Jolteon can slam defensive Water-types like Milotic and enjoy Moltres's ability to bully defensive Celebi and Wish + Protect Jirachi. Celebi's defensive and offensive sets provide a more consistent check and switch-in to said Water-types while appreciating Moltres's ability to destroy Steel-types and opposing Celebi. Furthermore, Celebi's Leech Seed in conjunction with Moltres's Will-O-Wisp and the sand and Spikes that usually partner with Moltres makes for a vicious slow burn that gradually wears opposing teams down to nothing, while offensive Celebi can pass Calm Mind boosts that make Moltres even more devastating offensively.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Sunny Day can be used with Will-O-Wisp on defensive teams, with the idea being that a burned Tyranitar will eventually get whittled down and faint or be picked off by Dugtrio, allowing Moltres to dispel its sand with Sunny Day, making threats like CurseLax and Suicune much more difficult to deal with. Morning Sun works well with Sunny Day or an alternative weather removal option, as it provides a way to keep Moltres healthy throughout the game.

Substitute can be used on sets intended for early-game use, taking the pressure off choosing between Will-O-Wisp or the Fire-type attack when you don't know your opponent's switch-in. However, such sets lack longevity and generally flounder against defensive answers to Moltres like Blissey and Suicune. In a different vein, Agility can be used to boost Moltres's Speed and allow it to clean against weakened teams. However, Moltres's Fire + Grass coverage is walled by certain common Pokemon—Salamence in particular—and thus it requires stringent support to be consistent.

Checks and Counters
===================

Refresh Milotic is arguably the best check to Moltres that exists, being able to heal burns with Refresh and taking Hidden Power Grass with aplomb thanks to naturally high Special Defense and access to Recover. However, with prior chip damage as well as sand and Spikes support, Moltres can threaten to break through Milotic in a one-on-one situation; keep in mind that Milotic threatens to 2HKO Moltres with STAB Surf. Blissey easily takes all of Moltres's moves; however, it is annoyed by burn damage and can be chipped by phazing it on the switch with Spikes down. Suicune has prodigious natural special bulk combined with Calm Mind as well as Pressure to burn through Moltres' PP and Rest to heal off burns. Curse Snorlax poses a similar threat with its naturally high Special Defense, but both Pokemon cannot switch in repeatedly with sand and Spikes up and are vulnerable to being phazed if they are forced to Rest.

Tyranitar of course threatens to destroy Moltres with Rock Slide or use it to set up Dragon Dances; however, the dino gets chipped by Spikes, particularly if running a Lum Berry—without which Will-O-Wisp becomes painful to deal with—and doesn't serve as a reliable long-term check. Furthermore, a cautious Moltres player can click Roar on a predicted Dragon Dance and deny Tyranitar the boost. The primary threat is ironically enough Pursuit Tyranitar, which, while not having Rock Slide, is less affected by Will-O-Wisp due to its usually all-special moveset, and it can use Pursuit to do up to 50% to Moltres as it switches out, setting it up to be KOed at a later point in the game.

Zapdos has the special bulk to switch in once against any of Moltres's attacks, is unaffected by Spikes, and forces out Moltres with its STAB Thunderbolt. Starmie and Jolteon both outrun Moltres comfortably and threaten to dispatch it with their STAB attacks, and both can be EVed to switch in safely once. The above are primarily offensive checks though and are sometimes better used to force Moltres out after a KO rather than trading large amounts of HP to provide a one-time switchin. In a similar vein, Rock Slide Salamence and Aerodactyl can also be used to revenge kill Moltres, but they cannot switch in safely due to the risk of being burned by Will-O-Wisp.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lord Ninjax, 200040]]
- Quality checked by: [[BKC, 52012], [vapicuno, 5454]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
 
Last edited by a moderator:

vapicuno

你的价值比自己想象中的所有还要低。我却早已解脱,享受幸福
is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Past WCoP Champion
Moderator
Also can mention that Moltres pivots in on opposing Taunt gar wisp which otherwise pressures your own Blissey.
 
one of overheat's best uses is killing superachi/celebi at +1 spdef; they can't cm again because +2 psychic doesn't ko and they might get roared. this gives molt a great niche against cm spam. however, it does need modest to do this consistently against jirachi, which heals off a layer of spikes in 2 turns (whereas sand makes it stick against celebi)

252+ SpA Moltres Overheat vs. +1 0 HP / 0 SpD Jirachi: 326-384 (95.6 - 112.6%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Moltres Overheat vs. +1 72 HP / 0 SpD Celebi: 326-384 (90.8 - 106.9%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO

another big thing modest overheat does is actually threaten to ko spdef gar in sand, thus letting you make use of that taunt/wisp pivot

252+ SpA Moltres Overheat vs. 248 HP / 112 SpD Gengar: 268-316 (82.9 - 97.8%)
 

Triangles

Big Stew
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Past SPL Champion
World Defender
i know this is wip but the given ev spread actually hits 297 and not 300, might want to fix that
To be honest, no idea why it's not just maxing speed. The moltres mirror is more important than whatever some sdef does.
 
soz had this finished for a week but I guess I'm now saying that this is done, everything suggested above has been implemented and I'm open for qc and gp. hit me
 
Moltres' position as an offensive fire-type with a solid speed tier and a spikes immunity gives it quite the niche in Advanced Overused.
this makes me think there should be a section comparing moltres and charizard, since zard fits this description as well (with an even better speed tier)

Its access to STAB Flamethrower and Fire Blast allows it to pressure passive Pokemon like Skarmory and Celebi while offensively checking Metagross, Jirachi, Heracross and Gengar.
moltres' anti-metagross properties are one of its most valuable traits. instead of going to your water that doesn't immediately threaten meta and thus gives it many opportunities to blow up on it, you go to molt, keeping meta away from the water you need for mence/ttar and threatening meta with instant death - it's one of very, very few pokes that can actually ohko meta unboosted. I think this needs to be expanded on more specifically

However Moltres' weaknesses are notable - if base 90 speed is fast, it still falls short of the tier's standard at base 100, as well as faster threats like Starmie and Jolteon.
yes, but 1) many 100s run neutral natures, meaning positive molt can beat em, and 2) 90 is still quite fast - much of the metagame is more mid-paced (look at how much is in the 200s). think the way you mention its base speed could be rephrased

Moltres' weaknesses - 4x Rock as well as 2x to Electric and Water make it easy to lure
what exactly is commonly luring moltres? rock slide metagross has been seen a few times, but it's been just that, only a few times and only recently. that's about it. I don't think this is nearly enough to warrant mentioning it.

This is the standard offensive Moltres, wielding a STAB Fire move in conjunction with HP Grass to cover the majority of the metagame. The Fire move is dependent on choice - Fire Blast gives more damage (securing the OHKOs against defensive Metagross and specially defensive Skarmory), but Flamethrower's greater PP and guaranteed accuracy are hard to pass up.
it should be mentioned that modest flamethrower almost always (93.8%) ohkos full health 252 hp metagross, while timid is 43.8%

Overheat can be paired with Flamethrower as an alternate Fire STAB, securing certain OHKOs (specially defensive Gengar, as well as +1 offensive Celebi and Jirachi)
this is misleading as hell. overheat does not secure these ohkos at all. this implies that they are guarantees. reread this post again please

Protect is another option for a fourth move, that allows you to rack up Wisp damage and scout against Banded mons like Salamence and Aerodactyl which may be used to force Moltres out.
tect is great but I don't think it deserves a slash. a mention, yes, but not a slash. it's definitely not on par with roar/overheat - it doesn't do much against defensive checks like blissey/milotic whereas roar/overheat have better general use against everything

Moltres is usually best wielded as an early-game attacker, switching into Skarmory
watch out for toxic, which will completely ruin it. it's one of the most punishing pokemon to switch into a defensive celebi as it recovers as well

Suicune has prodigious natural special bulk combined with Calm Mind, as well as Pressure to burn through Moltres' PP and Rest to heal off burns. Curse Snorlax poses a similar threat (both however are vulnerable to being Roared if asleep).
should be mentioned that with sand/spikes, both are quite poor at switching in more than once even if awake
 
Last edited:
A dedicated physical defender like Swampert or Metagross, the latter of which can switch into Tyranitar and Aerodactyl while also threatening to blast Blissey, is also just about required on most teams but especially alongside Moltres given its severe weakness to Rock Slide users - Swampert tends to fit on more defensive lineups and also is a better overall Salamence check, while Metagross works on offense and can still thwart most of Choice Band Salamence's attacks. Defensive Flygon answers Tyranitar and Aerodactyl while also being Spikes immune and checking HP Grass Electrics in the short term, and it appreciates Moltres' ability to flambé Metagross, which Flygon struggles to switch into. Skarmory is also a good partner, as it sets up Spikes and checks Snorlax. Their shared spikes immunity makes for a good defensive backbone for Superman style teams, which traditionally forgo a spinner or Magneton in favor of running multiple Spikes-immunes.
I fixed this paragraph rather than nitpick it more, please use this one (or at least keep the info added).

Overheat can be paired with Flamethrower as an alternate Fire STAB, threatening certain OHKOs (specially defensive Gengar, as well as +1 offensive Celebi and Jirachi)
please elaborate on the specifics of these, they are important and should be fleshed out

Charizard's access to Focus Punch and the Attack stat to use it allow it to muscle through the tier's premier special wall Blissey
ttar

once you do these, consider this qc 1/2
 
Last edited:

vapicuno

你的价值比自己想象中的所有还要低。我却早已解脱,享受幸福
is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Past WCoP Champion
Moderator
Add the following:

Charizard's offensive and wallbreaking prowess not only comes from focus punch but also from blaze (significant difference from moltres)

Pursuit Tar, when unrevealed, can take a huge chunk of HP out of Moltres. It can then pivot back in later to survive the 1v1 and take Moltres down.

Once bkc and my changes implemented, consider it qc 2/2.
 

Rabia

is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a CAP Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator
GP & NU Leader
add
remove
comments

[OVERVIEW]

Moltres' Moltres's position as an offensive fire-type Fire-type with a solid speed Speed tier and a spikes Spikes immunity gives it quite the niche in Advanced Overused ADV OU. Its access to STAB Flamethrower and Fire Blast allows it to pressure passive Pokemon like Skarmory and Celebi while offensively checking Metagross, Jirachi, Heracross,(AC) and Gengar. Moltres' Moltres's ability to answer Metagross is particularly crucial, as it can deny Metagross momentum with the threat of a STAB Fire move while also screening,(AC) which helps protect a team's Skarmory or defensive Water-type from a potential Explosion. Furthermore, Moltres can spread Will-o-Wisp,(RC) burns with Will-O-Wisp for the purpose of crippling certain physical attackers, inflicting attrition chip damage on Blissey, and forcing Snorlax and Suicune to Rest. Moltres' speed Moltres's Speed tier of 90 outruns most of the tier's midrange average (or whatever adjective adequately describes the following) Speed Pokemon, beating out neutral-natured(AH) base 100 speed mons Speed Pokemon as well as the deadly Jolly Heracross with maxed investment (implied, but if Jolly Heracross sometimes doesn't run maximum investment, then change maxed to maximum), but it falls short of some of the tier's faster threats like Starmie and Jolteon. Moltres' weaknesses - 4x Rock as well as 2x to Electric and Water - Moltres's 4x Rock weakness and 2x Electric and Water weaknesses make it easy to force out after a kill KO, and thoughtlessly slapping the firebird it onto a team can exacerbate weaknesses to Pokemon like Zapdos, Starmie,(AC) and Aerodactyl. Moltres is a Pokemon that demands certain support structures to function at its best, but it serves those structures remarkably well and counters major threats that they would otherwise struggle against.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 2: Hidden Power [Grass] (remove the brackets)
move 3: Will-o-Wisp Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Roar / Overheat
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the standard offensive Moltres, wielding a STAB Fire-type move in conjunction with HP Hidden Power Grass to cover the majority of the metagame. The Fire-type move is dependent on choice—Fire Blast gives does more damage,(AC) securing the OHKOs against defensive Metagross and specially defensive Skarmory at full health (implied because you say they're being OHKOed), whereas Flamethrower only gives favorable rolls with a Modest nature, but Flamethrower's its greater PP and guaranteed accuracy are hard to pass up. Hidden Power Grass destroys Swampert while also doing decent damage to Suicune and Milotic and 3HKOing Tyranitar, warning warding the dinosaur off. Will-o-Wisp is the secondary crux of this moveset, as it Will-O-Wisp covers the handful of checks to the Fire-Grass combination Moltres's Fire + Grass coverage—Salamence in particular—as well as bulkier Pokemon like Snorlax and Tyranitar that may attempt to switch in and by crippling them. The value of the chip damage that Will-o-Wisp Will-O-Wisp can force onto Pokemon such as Blissey, Suicune,(AC) and Milotic cannot be overstated, especially in conjunction with sand and spikes Spikes.

Roar is generally the preferred fourth move,(hyphen -> comma) phasing out bulkier water types Water-types and Blissey that,(AC) which would otherwise switch in without fear,(AC) and forcing them to switch into Spikes again,(RC) interrupting semipass.(AP) It also interrupts semi-Baton Pass chains that rely on Celebi to set up Calm Minds freely, stopping Lum DD stops Lum Berry Dragon Dance Tyranitar from setting up for free unless it is the last Pokemon on the field, and generally abusing takes advantage of the free turns Moltres is good at creating. Overheat can be paired with Flamethrower as an alternate Fire-type STAB attack, threatening certain OHKOs with a Modest nature;(comma -> semicolon) there's a 25% chance to put specially defensive Gengar into range of sand,(RC) and a 75% chance to OHKO uninvested Celebi and Jirachi after they've Calm Minded once and thereby changing the equation on an opponent, forcing him or her used Calm Mind once. This forces the opponent to think twice about staying in (I think these changes keep the meaning of the sentence in tact? if qc disagrees let me know so we can work out a better edit). Having two Fire STABs STAB Fire-type moves allows one to chip certain mons (Zapdos, Blissey at around 40-50%) Pokemon like Zapdos and Blissey when they're below half health and lure them into a false sense of security before blasting through them with Overheat, but all of the above comes at the cost of the momentum loss that Overheat's recoil forces on you due to Overheat's stat drops. Protect is another option for a fourth move,(RC) that allows you to rack up Wisp burn damage and scout against Banded mons Choice Band Pokemon like Salamence and Aerodactyl which that may be used to force Moltres out.

The given EV spread is maximised to lets Moltres Speed tie opposing Moltres while providing as much power as possible. Modest and Timid A Modest or Timid nature can be used depending on priorities;(hyphen -> semicolon) Timid outruns neutral-natured base 100 Speed mons Pokemon and Jolly Heracross, while Modest's power can be particularly helpful in conjunction with Fire Blast or Overheat. The choice is generally up to the player. Moltres is usually best wielded as an early-game attacker, switching into Skarmory and Metagross and threatening to fire off attacks at will - be.(AP) Be wary of a potential Toxics Toxic when switching in, however, as Toxic ruins Moltres' Moltres's longevity. Moltres can also pivot well into Wisps Will-O-Wisp from Gengar in the early-game(AH, RC) to take pressure off of Blissey and Tyranitar without losing momentum.

A word on comparing Moltres and Charizard, which fills a similar niche but with a higher speed Speed tier and more greater offensive presence. Charizard's access to Focus Punch and the good (whatever adjective works) Attack stat to use it allow it to single-handedly(AH) muscle through Tyranitar, Snorlax,(AC) and Blissey,(AC) all of which Moltres needs time and support to break through, its ability Blaze allows it to trade HP to boost its Fire Blasts Blast's damage and wallbreaking power in a way Moltres can't, and its ability to tie +speed Speed tie positive-natured base 100s like Zapdos and Jirachi can come in clutch. However, Zard Charizard lacks the support options that Moltres has, and its lower special attack stat Special Attack forces it to rely on the more inaccurate Fire Blast for damage less it be to avoid being outdamaged by Moltres (is this what you mean? it isn't very clear to me). In general, Moltres' Moltres's defensive utility allows it to carve out a spot on Spikes teams,(AC) while Zard Charizard fits better as a breaker on spikeless non-Spikes offense,(AC) although neither mon Pokemon is necessarily limited to said position archetype. (I understand this comparison is necessary, but why is it being done in this section? This seems like something that should be done in the Overview and can be made more concise. "Although Charizard's greater offensive presence and access to Focus Punch and Blaze make it a superior wallbreaker, beating Pokemon such as Snorlax, Tyranitar, and Blissey that Moltres can't immediately while Speed tying other threats like Zapdos and Jirachi, Moltres's utility options and greater immediate power make it the more consistent option." is what I came up with, though whether or not that accurately gives all of the information you and QC want is obviously up for debate.)

Team Options
========

Spikes support is hugely valued considering how this set's best switch-ins(AH) are Blissey and Suicune,(AC) followed by Rest Snorlax and Lum Berry Tyranitar;(hyphen -> semicolon) Skarmory, Forretress,(AC) and Cloyster all work well as partners and can somewhat act somewhat as checks against physical threats,(RC) while appreciating Moltres' Moltres's ability to handle CM Calm Mind Celebi and Jirachi and revenge runaway kill boosted (I THINK this is what you mean by "runaway"?) Metagross. Tyranitar's sand also goes a long way towards punishing Blissey and Suicune by denying them the passive recovery of Leftovers.

Having a dedicated special wall is also hugely appreciated considering the threat that mons Pokemon like Zapdos, Starmie,(AC) and Jolteon pose to Moltres. All of Blissey, Snorlax,(AC) and Wish Jirachi can fill this role reasonably well. A dedicated rock resist Rock-type check and physical defender wall like Swampert or Metagross,(RC) (the latter of which not only switches into Tyranitar and Aerodactyl but also threatens to blast Blissey),(RC) is just about required alongside Moltres given its severe weakness to Rock Slide users;(hyphen -> semicolon) Swampert tends to fit on more defensive lineups and also is also a better overall Salamence check, while Metagross works on offense teams and can still thwart most of Choice Band Salamence's attacks. Additionally, Metagross switches into Tyranitar and Aerodactyl while threatening to blast Blissey. (moved here for better flow) Defensive Flygon answers Tyranitar and Aerodactyl while also being Spikes immune and checking HP Hidden Power Grass Electrics Electric-types in the short term, and it appreciates Moltres' Moltres's ability to flambé Metagross, which Flygon struggles to switch into. Their shared spikes Spikes immunity makes for a good defensive backbone for Superman-style teams,(AC) which are characterised characterized by forgoing a spinner or and Magneton in favor of running multiple Spikes-immunes Pokemon immune to Spikes to ignore the impact of Skarmory and its spikes Spikes.

Electrics Electric-types like Zapdos and Jolteon can slam defensive Water-types(AH) like Milotic,(RC) while appreciating Moltres' Moltres's ability to bully defensive Celebi and Wish + Protect (spacing) Rachi Jirachi. Celebi's defensive and offensive sets provide a more consistent check and switch-in(AH) to said Waters Water-types while appreciating Moltres' Moltres's ability to destroy steels Steel-types and opposing Celebi. Furthermore,(AC) Celebi's Leech Seed in conjunction with Moltres' wisp Moltres's Will-O-Wisp and the sand and spikes Spikes that usually partner with Moltres make makes for a vicious slow burn(spacing) that gradually wears opponents foes down to nothing, while offensive Celebi can pass Calm Minds Mind boosts that make Moltres even more devastating offensively.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Sunny Day can be used with Will-O-Wisp on defensive teams,(hyphen -> comma) the idea being that a burnt burned Tyranitar will eventually bleed out and die get whittled down and faint or be picked off by Dugtrio,(AC) following which Moltres can dispel its sand with Sunny Day, making threats like CurseLax and Suicune much more difficult to deal with. Morning Sun works well with Sunny Day or an alternative weather removal option, as it provides a way to keep Moltres healthy throughout the game.

Substitute can be used on sets that are intended for the early-game(AH), taking the pressure off of prediction choosing between using Will-O-Wisp and or the Fire move Fire-type attack. However it lacks,(AC) such sets lack longevity and generally flounders flounder against defensive answers to Moltres like Blissey or and Suicune. In a different vein, Agility can be used to boost Moltres' speed Moltres's Speed and allow it to clean against weakened teams. However Moltres' Fire-Grass,(AC) Moltres's Fire + Grass coverage is walled by certain mons Pokemon—Salamence in particular—and thus it requires stringent support to be consistent.

Checks and Counters
===================

Refresh Milotic is arguably the best check to Moltres that exists,(hyphen -> comma) being able to Refresh off Wisp heal off burns with Refresh and taking HP Hidden Power Grass with aplomb thanks to a naturally high Special Defense and Recover.(comma -> period) Milotic also threatens to 2HKO Moltres with STAB Surf. However,(AC) with prior chip damage as well as Sand sand and Spikes down support,(AC) Moltres can threaten to break through the serpent in a it one-on-one. Blissey easily takes all of Moltres' Moltres's moves with aplomb (repetition);(comma -> semicolon) however,(AC) it is annoyed by Wisp burn damage and can be chipped by Roaring phazing it on the switch in(RH) with Spikes down. Suicune has prodigious natural special bulk combined with Calm Mind,(RC) as well as Pressure to burn through Moltres' Moltres's PP and Rest to heal off burns. Curse Snorlax poses a similar threat with its naturally high Special Defense, but both pokemon Pokemon cannot switch in repeatedly with Sand sand and Spikes up,(RC) and are vulnerable to being Roared out phazed if they are forced to Rest.

Tyranitar of course threatens to destroy Moltres with Rock Slide or use it to set up(RH) Dragon Dances;(comma -> semicolon) however the dino,(AC) it gets chipped by Spikes, particularly if running a Lum Berry,(AC) without which Will-O-Wisp becomes painful to deal with, and doesn't serve as a reliable long-term check. Furthermore, a cautious Moltres player can click Roar on a predicted Dragon Dance and deny the Tyranitar the boost. The primary threat is ironically enough Pursuit Tyranitar, which,(AC) while not having Rock Slide,(AC) is less affected by Will-o-Wisp Will-O-Wisp due to its usually all-special movepool moveset, and it can use Pursuit to do up to 50% to Moltres as it switches out, setting it up to be killed KOed at a later point in the game.

Zapdos has the special bulk to switch in once against any of Moltres' Moltres's attacks, is unaffected by Spikes,(AC) and forces out Moltres with its STAB Thunderbolt. Starmie and Jolteon both outrun Moltres comfortably and threaten to dispatch it with their STAB attacks, and both can be EVd EVed to switch in safely once. The above are primarily offensive checks though,(RC) and are sometimes better used to force Moltres out after a kill KO rather than trading large amounts of HP to provide a one-time switch-in(AH). In a similar vein,(AC) Salamence running Rock Slide and Aerodactyl can also be used to revenge kill Moltres, but they cannot switch in safely due to the risk of being burned by Will-o-Wisp Will-O-Wisp.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lord Ninjax, ]] do these
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

removed any parentheses because we don't do those in analyses. make sure to use the method found here when implemented this. gp 1/2 once done
 

Lumari

empty spaces
is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris an Administrator Alumnus
TFP Leader
implement this via the method shown in this video pls, easiest and most foolproof way by far

also this had a bunch of double spaces, but i removed them via a find / replace all so you shouldn't have to worry about that if you implement via the above method

remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Moltres's position as an offensive Fire-type with a solid Speed tier and a Spikes immunity gives it quite the niche in ADV OU. Its access to STAB Flamethrower and Fire Blast allows it to pressure passive Pokemon like Skarmory and Celebi while offensively checking Metagross, Jirachi, Heracross, and Gengar. Moltres's ability to answer Metagross is particularly crucial, as it can deny Metagross momentum with the threat of a STAB Fire move, which helps protect a team's Skarmory or defensive Water-type from a potential Explosion. Furthermore, Moltres can spread burns with Will-O-Wisp for the purpose of crippling certain physical attackers, inflicting chip damage on Blissey, and forcing Snorlax and Suicune to Rest and become sitting ducks. Moltres's Speed tier of base 90 outruns gets the jump on most of ADV's midranged mid-ranged Speed tiers, beating out neutral-natured base 100 Speed mons Pokemon as well as the deadly Jolly Heracross with maximum investment, but it falls short of some of the tier's faster threats like Starmie and Jolteon. Moltres's weaknesses 4x weakness to Rock, (AC) as well as 2x weaknesses to Electric, (AC) and Water (or keep it as is + add "its" before 2x if you really feel the multipliers should be mentioned directly) (remove dash) make it easy to force out after a KO, and thoughtlessly slapping it onto a team can exacerbate weaknesses to Pokemon like Zapdos, Starmie, (AC) and Aerodactyl. Moltres is a Pokemon that demands certain support structures to function at its best, but it serves those structures remarkably well and counters major threats that they would otherwise struggle against.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Roar / Overheat
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the standard offensive Moltres, wielding a STAB Fire-type move in conjunction with Hidden Power Grass to cover the majority of the metagame. The Fire-type move is dependent on choice—Fire Blast does more damage, securing the OHKOs against defensive Metagross and specially defensive Skarmory, whereas Flamethrower only gives favorable rolls with a Modest nature. At the same time, (AC) Flamethrower's greater PP and accuracy are hard to pass up, and it makes for a more consistent option on defensive teams. Hidden Power Grass destroys Swampert while doing decent damage to Suicune and Milotic and 3HKOing Tyranitar, warding the dinosaur off. Will-O-Wisp is the secondary crux of this moveset, covering covers the handful of checks to the Fire + Grass combination coverage—Salamence in particular—as well as bulkier Pokemon like Snorlax and Tyranitar that may attempt to switch in by crippling their offensive ability. The value of the chip damage that Will-O-Wisp can force onto Pokemon such as Blissey, Suicune, and Milotic cannot be overstated, especially in conjunction with sand and Spikes.

Roar is generally the preferred fourth move, phasing phazing bulkier Water-types and Blissey that otherwise switch in freely and forcing them to repeatedly take damage from Spikes. It also interrupts semi-Baton Pass chains that rely on Celebi to set up Calm Minds freely, (AC) and stops Lum DD Lum Berry + Dragon Dance Tyranitar from setting up for free unless it is the last Pokemon on the field, and it generally takes advantage of the free turns Moltres is good at creating. Overheat can be paired with Flamethrower as an alternate Fire-type STAB attack, and with a Modest nature it threatens certain OHKOs that Fire Blast doesn't; primarily a 25% chance to put specially defensive Gengar into range of sand, and a 75% chance to OHKO uninvested Celebi and Jirachi after they've used Calm Mind once, forcing an opponent to think twice about staying in. Having two Fire-type STAB attacks allows Moltres to chip certain Pokemon like Zapdos or and weakened Blissey and lure lull them into a false sense of security before blasting through them with Overheat, but all of the above comes at the cost of the momentum loss due to Overheat's stat drops. Protect is another option for a fourth move that allows you to rack up burn damage and scout against Choice Banded Pokemon Band users like Salamence and Aerodactyl that may be used to force Moltres out.

The given EV spread lets Moltres Speed tie opposing Moltres while providing as much power as possible. A Modest or Timid nature can be used depending on priorities; Timid outruns allows Moltres to outrun neutral-natured base 100 Speed mons Pokemon and Jolly Heracross, while Modest's power can be particularly helpful in conjunction with Fire Blast or Overheat. The choice is generally up to the player. Moltres is usually best wielded as an early-game attacker, switching into Skarmory and Metagross and threatening to fire off attacks at will, but it must wary of a potential Toxic when switching in, as Toxic ruins Moltres's longevity. Moltres can also pivot well into Will-O-Wisps from Gengar in the early game early-game to take pressure off of Blissey and Tyranitar without losing momentum.

A word on comparing Moltres and naturally draws comparisons to Charizard, which fills a similar niche but with a higher Speed tier and greater offensive presence. Charizard's access to Focus Punch allows it to single-handedly muscle through Tyranitar, Snorlax, and Blissey, all of which Moltres needs time and support to break through. Furthermore, its ability Blaze allows it to trade HP to boost Fire Blast's damage and wallbreaking power in a way Moltres can't, and its ability to Speed tie positive-natured base 100s like Zapdos and Jirachi can come in clutch. However, Charizard lacks the support options that Moltres has, and it lacks Special Attack compared to Moltres, being forced to rely on the more inaccurate Fire Blast for damage. In general, Moltres's defensive utility allows it to carve out a spot on Spikes teams, (AC) while Charizard fits better as a breaker on non-Spikes offense, although neither Pokemon is necessarily limited to said archetype.

Team Options
========

Spikes support is hugely valued considering how this set's best switch-ins are Blissey, Suicune, and Milotic, followed by Rest Snorlax and Lum Berry Tyranitar. Skarmory, Forretress, (AC) and Cloyster all work well as partners and can somewhat act as checks to physical attackers (RC) while appreciating Moltres' Moltres's ability to handle CM Calm Mind Celebi and Jirachi and OHKO Attack-boosted Metagross. Tyranitar's sand also goes a long way towards punishing Blissey and Suicune by denying them the passive recovery of Leftovers.

Having a dedicated special wall is also hugely appreciated considering the threat that Pokemon like Zapdos, Starmie, and Jolteon pose to Moltres. All of Blissey, Snorlax, and Wish Jirachi can fill this role reasonably well. A dedicated rock resist Rock-type answer (or some other alternative that isn't "resist") and physical defender like Swampert or Metagross, both of which can switch into Tyranitar and Aerodactyl, is just about required alongside Moltres given its severe weakness to Rock Slide users—Swampert tends to fit on more defensive lineups and also is a better overall Salamence check, while Metagross works on offense and can still thwart most of Choice Band Salamence's attacks. Additionally, Metagross can be used to demolish Blissey, which Moltres hugely appreciates. Defensive Flygon answers Tyranitar and Aerodactyl while being Spikes immune and checking Hidden Power Grass Electric-types in the short term, and it appreciates Moltres's ability to flambé Metagross, which Flygon struggles to switch into. Their shared Spikes immunity makes for a good defensive backbone for Superman-style teams, which are characterized by forgoing a Rapid Spin user or Magneton in favor of running multiple Pokemon immune to Spikes.

Electric-types like Zapdos and Jolteon can slam defensive Water-types like Milotic, while appreciating and enjoy 9repetition) Moltres's ability to bully defensive Celebi and Wish + Protect Jirachi. Celebi's defensive and offensive sets provide a more consistent check and switch-in to said Water-types while appreciating Moltres's ability to destroy Steel-types and opposing Celebi. Furthermore Celebi's Leech Seed in conjunction with Moltres's Will-O-Wisp and the sand and Spikes that usually partner with Moltres makes for a vicious slow burn that gradually wears opponents opposing teams / Pokemon (whichever fits) down to nothing, while offensive Celebi can pass Calm Mind boosts that make Moltres even more devastating offensively.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Sunny Day can be used with Will-O-Wisp on defensive teams, (comma) with the idea being that a burned Tyranitar will eventually get whittled down and faint or be picked off by Dugtrio, following which allowing Moltres can to dispel its sand with Sunny Day, making threats like CurseLax and Suicune much more difficult to deal with. Morning Sun works well with Sunny Day or an alternative weather removal option, as it provides a way to keep Moltres healthy throughout the game.

Substitute can be used on sets intended for early-game use, taking the pressure off of choosing between Will-O-Wisp or the Fire-type attack when you don't know your opponent's switch-in. However, (AC) such sets lack longevity and generally flounder against defensive answers to Moltres like Blissey and Suicune. In a different vein, Agility can be used to boost Moltres's Speed and allow it to clean against weakened teams. However, (AC) Moltres's Fire + Grass coverage is walled by certain common Pokemon—Salamence in particular—and thus it requires stringent support to be consistent.

Checks and Counters
===================

Refresh Milotic is arguably the best check to Moltres that exists, (comma) being able to heal burns with Refresh and taking HP Hidden Power Grass with aplomb thanks to naturally high Special Defense and access to Recover. However, with prior chip damage as well as sand and Spikes support, Moltres can threaten to break through Milotic in a one-on-one situation; keep in mind that Milotic threatens to 2HKO Moltres with STAB Surf. Blissey easily takes all of Moltres's moves; however, (AC) it is annoyed by burn damage and can be chipped by phazing it on the switch with Spikes down. Suicune has prodigious natural special bulk combined with Calm Mind as well as Pressure to burn through Moltres' PP and Rest to heal off burns. Curse Snorlax poses a similar threat with its naturally high Special Defense, but both Pokemon cannot switch in repeatedly with sand and Spikes up (RC) and are vulnerable to being phazed if they are forced to Rest.

Tyranitar of course threatens to destroy Moltres with Rock Slide or use it to set up Dragon Dances; however, (AC) the dino gets chipped by Spikes, particularly if running a Lum Berry—without which Will-O-Wisp becomes painful to deal with—and doesn't serve as a reliable long-term check. Furthermore, a cautious Moltres player can click Roar on a predicted Dragon Dance and deny Tyranitar the boost. The primary threat is ironically enough Pursuit Tyranitar, which, while not having Rock Slide, (comma) is less affected by Will-O-Wisp due to its usually all-special moveset, and it can use Pursuit to do up to 50% to Moltres as it switches out, setting it up to be killed KOed at a later point in the game.

Zapdos has the special bulk to switch in once against any of Moltres's attacks, is unaffected by Spikes, and forces out Moltres with its STAB Thunderbolt. Starmie and Jolteon both outrun Moltres comfortably and threaten to dispatch it with their STAB attacks, and both can be EVed to switch in safely once. The above are primarily offensive checks though and are sometimes better used to force Moltres out after a KO rather than trading large amounts of HP to provide a one-time switchin. In a similar vein, (AC) Rock Slide Salamence running Rock Slide and Aerodactyl can also be used to revenge kill Moltres, but they cannot switch in safely due to the risk of being burned by Will-O-Wisp.

[CREDITS] (add userids)
- Written by: [[Lord Ninjax, ]]
- Quality checked by: [[BKC, ], [vapicuno, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, ], [, ]]
 

Rabia

is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a CAP Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator
GP & NU Leader
Gonna recommend in the future to fully implement GP checks and to not leave out changes you disagree with without consulting the checker. It makes the second check take more effort than necessary.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top