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Heat Crash gives Gouging Fire a powerful Fire STAB move, reaching its max power of 120 BP against common foes like Chien-Pao, Ogerpon and Gholdengo, being Gouging Fire's main offensive outlet.
Breaking Swipe allows for Gouging Fire to cripple opposing physical attackers, sucha s Ogerpon and Iron Hands, whilst dealing sizeable chip damage, particularly against opposing Dragon-types like Raging-Bolt and Roaring Moon which resist Heat Crash.
Howl enables both Gouging Fire and its partner offensively, allowing for both it and its common physical partners to sweep, whilst offsetting the Attack drop from Intimidate.
Burning Bulwark can heavily punish physical attackers targeting Gouging Fire with a Burn, most notably Fake Out from the likes of Iron Hands and Rillaboom.
Booster Energy activates Protosynthesis to give Gouging a vitally important boost to speed, allowing for it to outspeed the majority of the metagame.
The Attack investment allows for Protosynthesis to boost speed whilst maximising Gouging Fire's damage output, the remaining EVs being place in HP.
Tera Fairy provides an immunity to Dragon-Type moves, namely Draco Meteor from Raging Bolt, Dragon Energy from Regidrago, Breaking Swipe from both Roaring Moon and opposing Gouging Fire, whilst also resisting Fighting- and Dark-Type moves from the likes of Iron Hands, Chien-Pao and Chi-Yu.
Gouging Fire is best utilised as a support piece for physical attackers, using its offensive and defensive support pieces to enable them succesfully. However, Gouging Fire can be abused for its lack of immediate damage output, particularly against heavy foes that take minimal damage from Heat Crash, and so its important to position partners to maintain strong offensive pressure throughout the game.
Gouging Fire is also seriously threatened by special attackers, namely of Landorus-I, Raging Bolt and Glimmora, and thus it greatly appreciates partners that can improve its survivability, whether through damage reduction, redirection or healing to help alleviate such pressure.
Chien-Pao pairs phenomenally with Gouging Fire, as it can threaten Landorus-I and Raging Bolt for Gouging Fire, whilst also bolstering it's damage output with Sword of Ruin, and in turn Gouging Fire can threaten the opposing Steel- and Ice-Types that resist Chien-Pao's Ice STAB like Kingambit and Ninetales-A, whilst furthering Chien-Pao's offensive presence with Howl. Landorus-I also pairs potently with Gouging Fire, as Landorus can threaten Diancie and Incineroar for Gouging Fire, which hits Ice-Types like Chien-Pao for Landorus-I. Dragonite is a powerful recipient of Howl, particularly for boosted Extreme Speed, whilst it can pivot into Ground-Type moves like Earth Power from Landorus-I.
Ogerpon-W and Rillaboom also greatly benefitting from Howl, whilst providing Gouging Fire support in redirection and Fake Out respectively, and in the case of Ogerpon-W it also threatens common checks to Gouging Fire in Landorus-I, Glimmora and offer a way to remove Incineroar. Ting Lu is able to shore up Gouging Fire's weaker special bulk, whilst Gouging Fire can reduce physical damage through Breaking Swipe and Burning Bulwark, forming a potent duo defensively that can both deal sizeable damage, particularly when amplified by Howl, whilst Gouging Fire greatly threatens Rillaboom which can be problematic for both Ting Lu and Ogerpon-W. (mention feels a little clunky but unsure how to reorganise)
Heat Crash gives Gouging Fire a powerful Fire STAB move, reaching its max power of 120 BP against common foes like Chien-Pao, Ogerpon and Gholdengo, being Gouging Fire's main offensive outlet.
Breaking Swipe allows for Gouging Fire to cripple opposing physical attackers whilst dealing sizeable chip damage, particularly against opposing Dragon-types like Raging-Bolt and Roaring Moon which resist Heat Crash (mention common physical attackers like Ogerpon formes and Iron Hands)
Howl enables both Gouging Fire and its partner offensively, allowing for both it and its common physical partners to sweep, whilst offsetting the Attack drop from Intimidate.
Burning Bulwark can heavily punish physical attackers targeting Gouging Fire with a Burn, most notably Fake Out from the likes of Iron Hands and Rillaboom.
Booster Energy activates Protosynthesis to give Gouging a vitally important boost to speed, allowing for it to outspeed the majority of the metagame.
The Attack investment allows for Protosynthesis to boost speed whilst maximising Gouging Fire's damage output, the remaining EVs being place in HP.
Tera Fairy provides an immunity to Dragon-Type moves, namely Draco Meteor from Raging Bolt, Dragon Energy from Regidrago, Breaking Swipe from both Roaring Moon and opposing Gouging Fire, whilst also resisting Fighting- and Dark-Type moves from the likes of Iron Hands, Chien-Pao and Chi-Yu.
Gouging Fire is best utilised as a support piece for physical attackers, using its offensive and defensive support pieces to enable them succesfully. However, Gouging Fire can be abused for its lack of immediate damage output, particularly against heavy foes that take minimal damage from Heat Crash, and so its important to position partners to maintain strong offensive pressure throughout the game.
Gouging Fire is also seriously threatened by special attackers, namely of Landorus-I, Raging Bolt and Glimmora, and thus it greatly appreciates partners that can improve its survivability, whether through damage reduction, redirection or healing to help alleviate such pressure.
Chien-Pao pairs phenomenally with Gouging Fire, as it can threaten Landorus-I and Raging Bolt for Gouging Fire, whilst also bolstering it's damage output with Sword of Ruin, and in turn Gouging Fire can threaten the opposing Steel- and Ice-Types that resist Chien-Pao's Ice STAB like Kingambit and Ninetales-A, whilst furthering Chien-Pao's offensive presence with Howl.
Ogerpon-W and Rillaboom also greatly benefitting from Howl, whilst providing Gouging Fire support in redirection and Fake Out respectively, and in the case of Ogerpon-W it also threatens common checks to Gouging Fire in Landorus-I, Glimmora and offer a way to remove Incineroar. Ting Lu is able to shore up Gouging Fire's weaker special bulk, whilst Gouging Fire can reduce physical damage through Breaking Swipe and Burning Bulwark, forming a potent duo defensively that can both deal sizeable damage, particularly when amplified by Howl. (a part of Ting Lu and Ogerpon-W pair being great is that Gouging fire almost OHKOs Rillaboom)
I would also add Landorus-I and Dragonite as partners, the first can remove Diancie and Incineroar, while the second can switch into Landorus-I and enjoys Extreme Speed boosted by howl.
Heat Crash gives Gouging Fire a powerful Fire STAB move, reaching its max power of 120 BP against common foes like Chien-Pao, Ogerpon and Gholdengo, being Gouging Fire's main offensive outlet.
Breaking Swipe allows for Gouging Fire to cripple opposing physical attackers whilst dealing sizeable chip damage, particularly against opposing Dragon-types like Raging-Bolt and Roaring Moon which resist Heat Crash (mention common physical attackers like Ogerpon formes and Iron Hands)
Howl enables both Gouging Fire and its partner offensively, allowing for both it and its common physical partners to sweep, whilst offsetting the Attack drop from Intimidate.
Burning Bulwark can heavily punish physical attackers targeting Gouging Fire with a Burn, most notably Fake Out from the likes of Iron Hands and Rillaboom.
Booster Energy activates Protosynthesis to give Gouging a vitally important boost to speed, allowing for it to outspeed the majority of the metagame.
The Attack investment allows for Protosynthesis to boost speed whilst maximising Gouging Fire's damage output, the remaining EVs being place in HP.
Tera Fairy provides an immunity to Dragon-Type moves, namely Draco Meteor from Raging Bolt, Dragon Energy from Regidrago, Breaking Swipe from both Roaring Moon and opposing Gouging Fire, whilst also resisting Fighting- and Dark-Type moves from the likes of Iron Hands, Chien-Pao and Chi-Yu.
Gouging Fire is best utilised as a support piece for physical attackers, using its offensive and defensive support pieces to enable them succesfully. However, Gouging Fire can be abused for its lack of immediate damage output, particularly against heavy foes that take minimal damage from Heat Crash, and so its important to position partners to maintain strong offensive pressure throughout the game.
Gouging Fire is also seriously threatened by special attackers, namely of Landorus-I, Raging Bolt and Glimmora, and thus it greatly appreciates partners that can improve its survivability, whether through damage reduction, redirection or healing to help alleviate such pressure.
Chien-Pao pairs phenomenally with Gouging Fire, as it can threaten Landorus-I and Raging Bolt for Gouging Fire, whilst also bolstering it's damage output with Sword of Ruin, and in turn Gouging Fire can threaten the opposing Steel- and Ice-Types that resist Chien-Pao's Ice STAB like Kingambit and Ninetales-A, whilst furthering Chien-Pao's offensive presence with Howl.
Ogerpon-W and Rillaboom also greatly benefitting from Howl, whilst providing Gouging Fire support in redirection and Fake Out respectively, and in the case of Ogerpon-W it also threatens common checks to Gouging Fire in Landorus-I, Glimmora and offer a way to remove Incineroar. Ting Lu is able to shore up Gouging Fire's weaker special bulk, whilst Gouging Fire can reduce physical damage through Breaking Swipe and Burning Bulwark, forming a potent duo defensively that can both deal sizeable damage, particularly when amplified by Howl. (a part of Ting Lu and Ogerpon-W pair being great is that Gouging fire almost OHKOs Rillaboom)
I would also add Landorus-I and Dragonite as partners, the first can remove Diancie and Incineroar, while the second can switch into Landorus-I and enjoys Extreme Speed boosted by howl.
