Doubles Volcarona [GP 2/2]

Yuichi

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[OVERVIEW]

Volcarona's access to Quiver Dance, coupled with a decent Special Attack and Speed, allows it to function as a setup sweeper that can snowball out of control if not stopped. Its diverse coverage options allow it to choose its checks to a certain degree. However, no matter the coverage option it chooses, Volcarona is bound to be walled by a significant number of relevant threats in the Doubles metagame. Volcarona also has a variety of utility moves in its movepool, enabling it to take up a more supportive role with Rage Powder. This allows Volcarona to redirect most attacks away from teammates and makes a great combo with its Fire STAB moves, which let Volcarona remove problematic Grass-types, which cannot have their attacks redirected by Rage Powder. That being said, it is not easy to fit Volcarona onto teams due to the amount of support it requires to function to its fullest potential. Volcarona also faces stiff competition from other, more popular Fire-types, such as Incineroar, Victini, and Volcanion, which can fulfill more useful niches in teams. As a bulky supporter, it has a niche over other popular support options, thanks to its unique combo of utility moves, allowing it to act as a redirection user, provide speed control, and even act as a phazer all in one slot. However, its mediocre physical bulk and poor defensive typing mean that Volcarona can be forced out easily by common physical attackers or bulkier Pokemon that can wall it reliably. The fairly common use of Stealth Rock in the Doubles metagame also makes it hard for Volcarona to function to its fullest potential.

[SET]
name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Giga Drain / Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Firium Z / Wiki Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heat Wave is the Fire STAB move of choice, allowing Volcarona to hit both targets. Giga Drain allows Volcarona to hit bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Suicune, which otherwise wall it. Bug Buzz is another option over Giga Drain, nabbing 2HKOs on Zygarde and Tyranitar when Volcarona has set up Quiver Dance once. Quiver Dance lets Volcarona boost its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed by one stage, allowing it to function as a late-game sweeper once all of its checks have been gotten rid of. Protect is good for scouting moves and stalling out turns, especially if Volcarona has already set up and cannot afford to switch out while its partner gets rid of the threat.

Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Volcarona to outspeed Choice Scarf Genesect after a single Quiver Dance and hit as hard as possible. A bulkier spread of 60 Def / 232 SpA / 216 Spe can also be used, allowing Volcarona to take two of Zygarde's Thousand Arrows while maximizing damage output and outspeeding Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele before setup. Flame Body is the ability of choice to make opposing physical attackers think twice before attacking Volcarona. Firium Z gives Volcarona a way to break though bulkier Pokemon even without a Quiver Dance boost, such as Amoonguss and Landorus-T. However, a Wiki Berry can also be used instead to increase Volcarona's longevity and grant it more opportunities to set up.

Usage Tips
========
Volcarona can be brought in mid-game or late-game to set up Quiver Dance and try to seal the game after most of its checks have been gotten rid of. However, it is not mandatory to set up before attacking, as Volcarona can always use its Z-Move as a one-time (AH) nuke to muscle past bulkier Pokemon or to chunk a foe early-game. It should not typically be brought into the field directly, as it is vital to keep it as healthy as possible in order to set up Quiver Dance successfully, so it should only be brought in with a pivot or when an ally faints. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid switching Volcarona in when Stealth Rock is up in order to keep it as healthy as possible. Sometimes, it may also be more beneficial for Volcarona to set up a Quiver Dance instead of attacking when its health is low, as this may allow Volcarona to take another special attack and activate its Wiki Berry, restoring its health.

Team Options
========
Water- and Ground-types are often good Volcarona partners, as they help Volcarona remove Rock- and Fire-types, which could be problematic for Volcarona. Araquanid in particular deserves a special mention due to its access to Wide Guard, shielding Volcarona from spread moves such as Rock Slide and Thousand Arrows. Especially when not carrying Giga Drain, Volcarona appreciates Electric- or Grass-type partners such as Tapu Koko and Kartana, which can break through bulky Water-types with their respective STAB moves. Intimidate users like Landorus-T help prolong Volcarona's longevity by giving Volcarona an easier time setting up in front of physical attackers. Fake Out users such as Zeraora and Mew are also able give Volcarona opportunities to set up Quiver Dance. Defog users, such as Mew, Tapu Fini, and Landorus-T, are nearly mandatory on teams with Volcarona to help get rid of Stealth Rock, which poses a serious threat to Volcarona's survivability and functionality. Kyurem-B is another good partner for Volcarona, helping remove Dragon-types and physical attackers such as Landorus-T and Zygarde, allowing Volcarona to set up smoothly.


[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Heat Wave / Overheat
move 2: Rage Powder
move 3: Tailwind / Whirlwind
move 4: Protect / Whirlwind
item: Wiki Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Modest
evs: 240 HP / 168 Def / 56 SpA / 44 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heat Wave allows Volcarona to deal good damage to both foes thanks to its high base Special Attack and the move's STAB, especially against Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Kartana, which cannot have their attacks redirected by Rage Powder. Overheat can be used as an alternative option to grab a OHKO on bulkier Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Amoonguss. Rage Powder is useful for redirecting moves away from Volcarona's teammates while threatening physical attackers with a burn in the process. Tailwind lets Volcarona provide a form of speed control for its teammates. Protect helps Volcarona scout opposing sets and shields it from Fake Out. Whirlwind can also be used in place of either Tailwind or Protect in order to stop Trick Room setters such as Porygon2 and Cresselia from setting Trick Room or to remove setup sweepers such as Tapu Fini and Zygarde from the field.

Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense investments enable Volcarona to survive Mega Metagross's Psychic Terrain-boosted Zen Headbutt and activate its Wiki Berry. 44 EVs in Speed let Volcarona outspeed Choice Scarf Victini in Tailwind. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to maximize Volcarona's offensive capabilities while retaining its defensive benchmarks. Flame Body punishes contact attackers that Volcarona redirects.

Usage Tips
========
Volcarona can be brought in early-game to set up Tailwind or to stop Trick Room from getting up with Whirlwind. Volcarona can also be hard switched into resisted contact moves for a chance of inflicting burns on the attacking Pokemon thanks to Flame Body. It is also a good idea to bring Volcarona into the field to help support a setup sweeper such as Zygarde or a glass cannon such as Deoxys-A with Rage Powder. However, it is worth noting that spread moves, such as Thousand Arrows and Icy Wind, are not affected by Rage Powder, so be sure to use it wisely. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid switching Volcarona in when Stealth Rock is up in order to keep it as healthy as possible.

Team Options
========
Fairy-types such as the Island Guardians and Pokemon weak to Steel such as Kyurem-B appreciate Volcarona's ability to KO Steel-type Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Kartana. Pokemon with middling Speed tiers, such as Tapu Lele and Kyurem-B, benefit from the speed control provided by Tailwind. Defog users such as Mew and Tapu Fini make great partners with Volcarona by removing Stealth Rock, allowing Volcarona to do its job properly. Intimidate users such as Landorus-T also help make up for Volcarona's poor physical bulk and increase its longevity. Setup sweepers, especially those weak to Ice- and Fairy-type attacks such as Zygarde, Mega Latias, and Kommo-o, value Volcarona's ability to redirect such attacks away while they set up.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Buginium Z can also be used in conjunction with Swarm and Bug Buzz on the Quiver Dance set in order to net KOs on unsuspecting Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Victini at +1. Fiery Dance can be used as a more accurate alternative over Heat Wave on the Quiver Dance set as well as for a chance at getting a Special Attack boost, although it is worth noting that it has lower Base Power and will also result in a weaker Inferno Overdrive. Flamethrower and Fire Blast can also replace Heat Wave on the Quiver Dance set, with the latter being able to OHKO Mega Metagross without any boosts, though it is risky due to its low accuracy. In addition, all three fail to deal spread damage and are thus less likely to clean than Heat Wave. Hidden Power Ice can replace Giga Drain or Bug Buzz to OHKO a chipped Mega Salamence or Landorus-T. Incinerate has some use in helping to remove Berries from common Pokemon such as Tapu Fini and Incineroar.

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

**Water-types**: Water-types such as Tapu Fini, Volcanion, and Suicune are annoying for Volcarona to face, as they are able to take most of Volcarona's attacks comfortably and hit back with a strong STAB move or annoy Volcarona with Snarl. That being said, Tapu Fini and Suicune need to watch out for Quiver Dance Volcarona carrying Giga Drain to avoid getting chunked.

**Fire-types**: Pokemon such as Incineroar, Mega Charizard Y, and Victini are able to take all of Volcarona's attacks comfortably and deal reasonable damage back with their Fire-type STAB attacks.

**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Diancie are all able to take a Giga Drain or two from Volcarona and hit back with their respective STAB attacks, OHKOing Volcarona a majority of the time. Common Rock coverage users such as Landorus-T also threaten Volcarona greatly.

**Dragon-types**: Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Kommo-o often have no trouble taking Volcarona's attacks and can deal huge damage back with their STAB attacks or set up in front of Volcarona. Mega Salamence in particular can also counter both of Volcarona's sets unless Volcarona is carrying the rare Hidden Power Ice.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Volcarona's poor physical bulk means that it cannot stay in against some strong physical attackers such as Incineroar and Landorus-T. Staying in recklessly on such Pokemon means that Volcarona might get 2HKOed easily.

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is extremely threatening to Volcarona and can chunk Volcarona upon switching in, pushing it into KO range of opposing Pokemon.

**Spread Attackers**: Common spread attackers such as Zygarde and Mega Charizard Y can ignore Volcarona's attempts to redirect their respective spread STAB moves, rendering Rage Powder useless.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yuichii, 435812]]
- Quality checked by: [[Majorbowman,188164], [talkingtree, 232101]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [talkingtree, 232101]]
 
Last edited:

MajorBowman

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Overview
  • it has a wide range of coverage moves (as you said) but is pretty limited by only being able to use one of them - no matter what coverage it picks it will be walled by a significant number of relevant pokemon. possibly mention something about this
QD set
  • [SET] Set name can probably just be "Quiver Dance," possibly "Quiver Dance Sweeper" or something like that
  • [SET] Is Fiery Dance really good enough to slash? Double target damage is part of what Volcarona good and the Z move from Fiery Dance is also weaker. Keeping Fiery Dance mentioned as an option in the [Moves] section is fine though
  • [SET] I wouldn't slash Swarm here, keeping it in Other Options is fine
  • [Moves] If you're going to slash Bug Buzz in the set (which I think is fine) then you should mention it in this section
  • [Set Details] Is 0 Atk Modest Landorus-T Rock Slide really a benchmark we need to mention? Like is that even a set people even run?
  • [Usage Tips] I'm not sure what is meant by the strikethrough text but I don't think you need that bullet point about an early game setup, especially because Volcarona can't really freely setup against Tailwind Misty Seed/Whirlwind Zapdos + a water type
  • [Team Options] Can compress 2 bullets by mentioning Araquanid with other water types. Example: adding something like "araquanid gets a special mention for its access to wide guard" at the end of your current bullet on water types
Bulky Set
  • Don't need an [OVERVIEW] tag here
  • [SET] For the love of god can we please not call this set "Moth Lamp"
  • [SET] I'd argue that Rage Powder is mandatory on this set would say slashing Whirlwind in the last 2 slots (with Tailwind and Protect) makes more sense
  • [Moves] You can't redirect Leaf Blades because every Leaf Blade user (read: kartana) is Grass type. I don't think you need to specify what moves you're redirecting here
  • [Moves] If Whirlwind slashes are changed then edit the bullet on Whirlwind ("can be used in place of X or Y")
  • [Moves] Don't need Morning Sun here, probably not even in OO honestly
  • [Set Details] Again not sure what the point of the strikethrough text is here, if you're not going to include something just delete it
  • [Set Details] Isn't odd HP better so you can theoretically take 3 rounds of Stealth Rock with Wiki Berry?
  • [Team Options] First bullet implies Volcarona can redirect Kartana which isn't true. Volc is definitely great at checking Kart but make sure your wording is such that it doesn't say Kart can be Rage Powdered
  • [Team Options] "keeping its teammates healthy" somewhat implies it can heal its teammates (like heal pulse), maybe change to "keeping its teammates safe"
  • [Team Options] I guess Defog Fini is theoretically a thing but on a team with Volcarona I feel like Fini wants to be CM? This is pretty nitpicky though
Implement these and I'll check again for a stamp
 

talkingtree

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I have a Rage Powder spread that I think I prefer: 240 HP / 168 Def / 56 SpA / 44 Spe; Modest Nature. Takes Mega Metagross's Psychic Terrain-boosted Zen Headbutt with an odd HP stat for Rocks, outspeeds scarf Victini and (more importantly) scarf Genesect, and dump in SpA which hits a jump point. This gives it more SpA and SpD, and I think the only things it misses when compared to the current spread are outspeeding 252 Speed Mega Scizor and surviving 252+ Landorus-T Rock Slide, neither of which are super relevant imo.
 

talkingtree

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Overview
  • Saying Volcarona faces competition from other Fire-types is a bit misleading to me; for example, it fills an entirely different role from Incineroar or Volcanion. I think if you just reword this line to say that other Fire-types often fill more useful niches on teams then that would read more accurately
  • Instead of "The increasing prevalence" of Stealth Rock, use "The fairly common use" of Stealth Rock. This gets around timing questions and makes it so that I won't have to do extra work later to keep analyses updated
  • This is a bit more of an optional change, but I think the Overview would flow better if you went through the crucial points on QD before transitioning to RP. I'm thinking of the first few sentences laid out like this:
    • Solid SpA / Spe / access to QD makes it difficult to stop
    • many coverage options
    • whichever it picks, still bound to be walled by some decently common threat
    • can also make use of its wide movepool in a different way, with solid utility options like Tailwind and Rage Powder
    • Rage Powder stuff
  • ^That said, I don't want to steamroll your writing so please feel free to talk this through with me over Discord
Quiver Dance
Moves
  • Fiery Dance should be OO imo, it hasn't really seen the usage to justify making it a moves mention. I know Bowman told you it was fine to leave it here, but I don't think the value it provides is enough to make it worthwhile to lose spread damage
  • When you talk about Giga Drain, it's worth mentioning that even though it's a fairly weak move, it still allows +1 Volcarona to sit in front of those bulky Water-types; thanks to their defensive focus, it restores about as much health as they're able to do with their STAB attacks
  • +1 Bug Buzz doesn't 2HKO AV Incineroar, so I'd probably replace that example with Zygarde instead
Set Details
  • I have a few issues with your bulkier spread - it's bulkier than it needs to be for your given benchmarks, gives Volcarona an even HP stat, and doesn't hit the offensive benchmark you claim it does. I also think it's pretty important that +1 Volcarona outspeed Scarf Lele, so I'd only ever use 216+ Speed as the slowest.
  • All of this to say I have another bulky spread you could mention if you want: 60 Def / 232 SpA / 216 Spe; Timid Nature
    • Takes two unboosted Zygarde Thousand Arrows, outspeeds Kyu-B and Lele, dump in SpA
  • You need to talk about Volcarona's ability choice and item options here
Usage Tips
  • Volcarona doesn't have to function as an end-game cleaner, and if Stealth Rock is likely then I'd want to get it onto the field before then to hopefully pressure the opponent and get some good damage in early
  • I'd only ever switch Volcarona in directly to attempt to get a burn if it's not super valuable that game; switching it in directly on a Mega Metagross or Landorus-T, two Pokemon that could OHKO it if you've mispredicted, is far too risky to recommend in an analysis
  • You only really talk about when to use Volcarona and how to get it on the field, not what to do once it's there. Those topics could probably be handled in fewer words, making room for topics like:
    • Not always having to set up before attacking, when to use the Z, and remembering the defensive benefits of Quiver Dance
    • The last is especially pertinent for Wiki sets, since the added bulk could take a hit that would KO into range of being a hit that instead activates its berry
Team Options
  • This might seem like a nitpick but the ordering in this section is really strange to me - you should mention the most important and general categories first so that people know what's important and what's easy to fill, then go into more niche roles that mons fill. Kyu-B is a decent partner I guess but I wouldn't say that Dragon-type removal is the most important thing for Volcarona and it doesn't have a universally good matchup against all physical attackers since things like Tyranitar are still great checks to both
    • Really important roles: Intimidate, Water-type, something to cover whatever is missed by picking Giga Drain over Bug Buzz or vice versa
    • Helpful roles if you can fill them: Fake Out (you need to mention Zeraora here), Defog
    • Other notable decent teammates: Kyurem-B, Tailwind of some sort
Bulky Support <- I think I prefer this name, but I'm not going to fight you on it if you prefer "Rage Powder Support"
Moves
  • When you talk about Whirlwind make it clear that the move prevents Trick Room from being set, not just moving the setters off the field. I'd also probably use an example like Porygon2 or Cresselia instead of Stakataka, which is so threatening to Volcarona if it decides to just attack instead
Set Details
  • The Speed is for Scarf Victini, Scarf Genesect is just the natural consequence
  • You don't need to really say that odd HP was chosen for x, y, z reasons
  • Don't go into SpD benchmarks, those aren't the goal of the spread and I'm not entirely sure that your calculations are correct either
  • This section needs to also be in full sentences
Usage Tips
  • You don't talk about using Rage Powder at all here, which is the main goal of the set. This section definitely needs a line on getting Volcarona onto the field at the same time as a setup user or something else that appreciates redirection and taking advantage of its ability to protect its partner
Team Options
  • This section shouldn't be so much about what's good for Volcarona, but what makes Volcarona good for its team. Rage Powder Volcarona isn't trying to break through the opposition, it's more about supporting.
  • Setup users, especially those that are weak to Ice- and Fairy-type attacks (e.g. Zygarde, Kommo-o), work well with Volcarona
  • Intimidate should get another mention here
  • Cut the lines about removing Dragon- and Rock-types and its synergy on Rain, the first two aren't super important for Volcarona to succeed and the last isn't something I've ever seen
Other Options
  • Move Fiery Dance here, also throw in a line about Fire Blast / Flamethrower, since they have similar merits
  • Buginium Z works on the *Quiver Dance* set, not the Firium Z set
  • Wisp is bad, remove it
  • Mention Hidden Power Ice instead, it hits Zyg/Salamence and takes out Lando-T without having to use the Z
Checks & Counters
  • [Water-types] You should point out that they have to be cautious of Giga Drain QD Volc
  • [Dragon-types] Kyurem-B doesn't belong here, offensive drops to +1 Firium and it only really "checks" Volcarona thanks to its strong Fusion Bolt. Put it in Physical attackers if anything
  • [Spread Attackers] Add this tag in, spread attackers can pretty much ignore RP Volcarona's presence entirely
I know this is a lot^ but I have high standards and an eye for nitpicking, so do your best to get it all and I'll take another look
 

talkingtree

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  • [Overview] Stealth Rock doesn't just make it tough to be a switch-in, it makes it tough for Volcarona to do its job at all
  • [Set Details 1] Mention Landorus-T as another Inferno Overdrive target alongside Amoonguss, I don't want to only list something that you already have a really positive matchup against
  • [Team Options 1] When you talk about Electric- and Grass-types, point out that they're especially important teammates to Bug Buzz Volcarona, since it won't have a way to hit Fini
  • [Team Options 1] This is sort of semantic, but I'd say "nearly mandatory" for hazard removal. Some hyper offensive builds don't have room for it and don't really care if Volcarona is healthy
  • [Set Details 2] No need to mention the jump point in SpA
  • [Team Options 2] I know it was an example I gave for setup sweepers, but maybe replace Kommo-o with Mega Latias. If you'd rather just add Mega Latias to the list that's fine too
  • [Checks and Counters] **Fire-types** mention Zard Y instead of Volcanion, Volcanion belongs more in Water-types than Fire-types
  • [Checks and Counters] "Mega Salamence in particular can also counter both of Volcarona's sets unless Volcarona is carrying the rare HP Ice."
I'm impressed, you implemented and polished this analysis really well. Do the above, then send this off to GP! QC 2/2
 

Lumari

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GP 1/2
[OVERVIEW]

Volcarona's access to Quiver Dance, coupled with a decent Special Attack and Speed, allows Volcarona it to function as a setup sweeper that can snowball out of control if not stopped. It's Its diverse coverage options allow it to choose its checks to a certain degree. However, (AC) no matter the coverage option it chooses, Volcarona is bound to get walled by a significant number of relevant threats in the Doubles metagame. Volcarona also has a variety of utility moves in its movepool, enabling it to take up a more supportive role running Rage Powder. This allows Volcarona to redirect most attacks away from teammates and makes a great combo with its Fire STAB moves, letting which let Volcarona to kill remove problematic Grass-types, (AC) which cannot have their attacks redirected by Rage Powder. That being said, it is not easy to fit Volcarona onto teams due to the amount of support Volcarona it requires to function to its fullest potential. Volcarona also faces stiff competition from other, (AC) more popular Fire-types, such as Incineroar, Victini, and Volcanion, (AC) which can fufill fulfill more useful niches in teams. As a bulky supporter, it has a niche over other popular support options, thanks to its unique combo of utility moves, allowing it to act as a redirector redirection user, provide speed control, (AC) and even act as a phazer all in one slot. However, its mediocre physical bulk and poor defensive typing means mean that Volcarona can be forced out easily by common physical attackers or bulkier Pokemon that can wall it reliably. The fairly common use of Stealth Rocks Rock in the Doubles metagame also makes it hard for Volcarona to function to its fullest potential.

[SET]
name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Giga Drain / Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Firium Z / Wiki Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heat Wave is the Fire STAB move of choice, allowing it Volcarona to hit both opposing targets. Giga Drain allows Volcarona to hit bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Suicune, which otherwise walls wall it. Bug Buzz is another option over Giga Drain, nabbing 2HKOs on Zygarde and Tyranitar when Volcarona has set up Quiver Dance once. Quiver Dance lets Volcarona boost its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed by one stage respectively, allowing Volcarona it to function as a Win Condition late game late-game sweeper once all of its checks have been gotten rid of. Protect is good for scouting moves and stalling out turns, especially if Volcarona has already set up and cannot afford to switch out while its partner gets rid of the opposing threat Pokemon.

Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment allows Volcarona to outspeed Choice Scarf Genesect after a single Quiver Dance and hit as hard as possible. A bulkier spread of 60 Def / 232 SpA / 216 Spe can also be used, allowing Volcarona to live take 2 of Zygarde's Thousand Arrows (RC) while maximizing damage output and outspeeding Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele before setup. Flame Body is the ability of choice to make opposing physical attackers think twice before attacking Volcarona and threaten a potential burn. (same thing) Firium Z gives Volcarona a way to break though bulkier Pokemon even without a Quiver Dance boost, such as Amoonguss and Landorus-T. However, a Wiki Berry can also be used instead to prolong increase Volcarona's longevity and grant it more opportunities to setup.

Usage Tips
========
Volcarona can be brought in mid-game or late-game to set up Quiver Dance and try to seal the game after most of the opposing Volcarona its checks are have been gotten rid of. However, it is not mandatory to always setup set up before attacking, (AC) as Volcarona can always use its Z-Move (AH) as a one time nuke to muscle past bulkier Pokemon or to chunk a foe early-game. (AH) It should not be brought into the field directly, (AC) as it is vital to keep it as healthy as possible in order to set up Quiver Dance successfully, (comma) and so it should only be brought in with a pivot or when an ally faints. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid switching Volcarona in when Stealth Rocks are Rock is up in order to keep Volcarona it as healthy as possible. Sometimes, it may also be more beneficial for Volcarona to set up a Quiver Dance instead of attacking when its health is low, which as this may allow Volcarona to take another special attack and proc activate its Wiki Berry, restoring Volcarona's its health.

Team Options
========
Water-types and Ground-types are often good Volcarona partners, (AC) as they help Volcarona remove Rock-types and Fire-types, (AC) which could be problematic for Volcarona. Araquanid in particular deserves a special mention due to its access to Wide Guard, shielding Volcarona from spread moves such as Rock Slide and Thousand Arrows. Volcarona, Especially those when not carrying Giga Drain, Volcarona appreciates Electric-type or Grass-type partners such as Tapu Koko and Kartana, which can break through bulky Water-types with their respective STAB moves. Intimidate users like Landorus-T help prolong Volcarona's longevity by lowering opponents' opposing Pokemon's Attack, giving Volcarona an easier time setting up in front of physical attackers. Fake Out users, such as Zeraora and Mew are also able give Volcarona opportunities to click Quiver Dance, helping it set up. Defog users, such as Mew, Tapu Fini, (AC) and Landorus-T, (AC) are nearly mandatory on teams with Volcarona to help get rid of Stealth Rock, (AC) as Stealth Rock pose which poses a serious threat to Volcarona's survivability and functionality. Kyurem-B is another good partner for Volcarona, helping remove Dragon-types and physical attackers such as Landorus-T and Zygarde, allowing Volcarona to set up smoothly.


[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Heat wave / Overheat
move 2: Rage Powder
move 3: Tailwind / Whirlwind
move 4: Protect / Whirlwind
item: Wiki Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Modest
evs: 240 HP / 168 Def / 56 SpA / 44 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heat Wave allows Volcarona to deal good damage to both foes thanks to Volcarona's its high base Special Attack and the move's STAB, especially against Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Kartana, (AC) which cannot have their attacks redirected by Rage Powder. Overheat can be used as an alternative option to grab a OHKO on bulkier Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Amoonguss. Rage Powder is useful for redirecting moves away from Volcarona's teammates (RC) while threatening phyiscal physical attackers with a burn in the process. Tailwind lets Volcarona provide a form of speed control for its teammates. Protect helps Volcarona scout for opposing sets and shields Volcarona it from Fake Out. Whirlwind can also be used in place of either Tailwind or Protect in order to stop Trick Room setters such as Porygon 2 and Cresselia from setting Trick Room or to remove setup sweepers such as Tapu Fini and Zygarde from the field.

Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense investments enable Volcarona to survive Mega Metagross's Psychic Terrain-boosted Zen Headbutt and proc activate its pinch Wiki Berry. 44 EVs in Speed let Volcarona outspeed Choice Scarf Victini in Tailwind. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to maximize Volcarona's offensive capabilities while retaining its defensive benchmarks.

Usage Tips
========
Volcarona can be brought in early-game to set up Tailwind (RC) or to stop Trick Room from getting up with Whirlwind. Volcarona can also be hard switched into resisted contact moves for a chance of inflicting burns on the attacking Pokemon thanks to Flame Body. It is also a good idea to bring Volcarona into the field to help support a setup sweeper such as Zygarde (RC) or a glass cannon such as Deoxys-A with Rage Powder to keep damage away from its partner. However, (AC) it is worth noting that spread moves, such as Thousand Arrows and Icy Wind, are not affected by Rage Powder, (AC) so be sure to use Rage Powder it wisely. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid switching Volcarona in when Stealth Rocks are Rock is up in order to keep Volcarona it as healthy as possible.

Team Options
========
Fairy-types such as the Island Guardians and Steel weak Pokemon weak to Steel such as Kyurem-B appreciate Volcarona's ability to kill KO Steel-type Pokemon (RC) examples including such as Mega Metagross and Kartana. Pokemon with middling Speed tiers, such as Tapu Lele and Kyurem-B, benefit from the speed control provided by Volcarona in Tailwind. Defog users such as Mew and Tapu Fini make great partners with Volcarona by helping Volcarona remove removing Stealth Rocks Rock, allowing Volcarona to do its job properly. Intimidate users such as Landorus-T also help make up for Volcarona's poor physical defense bulk and increase its longevity. Setup users sweepers, especially those weak to Ice- (AH) and Fairy-type (AH) attacks such as Zygarde, Mega Latias, (AC) and Kommo-o, value Volcarona's ability to redirect such attacks away while they set up.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fiery Dance can be used as a more accurate alternative over Heat Wave on the Quiver Dance set and also as well as for a chance at getting a Special Attack boost on the Quiver Dance set over Heat Wave, although it is worth noting that Fiery Dance it has lower Base Power and will also result in a weaker Inferno Overdrive. Flamethrower and Fire Blast can also substitute replace Heat Wave on the Quiver Dance set, with the latter being able to OHKO Mega Metagross without any boosts, but though it is risky due to its low accuracy. Buginium Z can also be used in conjunction with Swarm and Bug Buzz on the Quiver Dance set in order to net KOs on unsuspecting Incineroars, Tyranitars and Victinis Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Victini at +1. Hidden Power Ice can be chosen to replace Giga Drain or Bug Buzz allowing Volcarona to OHKO a chipped Mega Salamence or Landorus-T. Incinerate has some use in helping to remove Berries from common Pokemon such as Tapu Fini and Incineroar.

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

**Water-types**: Water-types such as Tapu Fini, Volcanion and Suicune are annoying for Volcarona to face, (AC) as they are able to take most of Volcarona's attacks comfortably and hit back with a strong Water STAB move or annoy Volcarona with Snarl. That being said, Tapu Fini and Suicune need to watch out for Quiver Dance Volcaronas Volcarona carrying Giga Drain to avoid getting chunked.

**Fire-types**: Pokemon such as Incineroar, Mega Charizard Y, and Victini are able to take all of Volcarona's attacks comfortably and deal reasonable damage back with their Fire-type STAB attacks.

**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Diancie are all able to take a Giga Drain or two from Volcarona and hit back with their respective Rock STAB attacks, OHKOing Volcarona a majority of the time. Common Pokemon that carry Rock coverage such as Landorus-T also threaten Volcarona greatly.

**Dragon-types**: Zygarde, Mega Salamence, (AC) and Kommo-o often have no trouble taking Volcarona's attacks and can deal huge damage back with their STAB attacks or set up in front of Volcarona. Mega Salamence in particular can also counter both of Volcarona's sets unless Volcarona is carrying the rare Hidden Power Ice.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Volcarona's poor physical bulk means that it cannot stay in against some strong physical attackers such as Incineroar and Landorus-T. Staying in recklessly on such Physical attackers Pokemon also mean means that Volcarona might get 2HKOed easily. (AP)

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is extremely threatening to Volcarona (RC) and can chunk Volcarona upon switching in, pushing Volcarona it into KO range of opposing Pokemon. (AP)

**Spread Attackers**: Common spread attackers such as Zygarde and Mega Charizard Y can ignore Volcarona's attempts to redirect their respective spread STAB moves, rendering Rage Powder useless.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yuichii, 435812]]
- Quality checked by: [[majorbowman,188164], [talkingtree,232101]]
- Grammar checked by: [[name, ID], [name, ID]]
 

talkingtree

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GP 2/2 (also QC 2.5/2 because I missed a couple tiny things)
add remove comments

[OVERVIEW]

Volcarona's access to Quiver Dance, coupled with a decent Special Attack and Speed, allows it to function as a setup sweeper that can snowball out of control if not stopped. Its diverse coverage options allow it to choose its checks to a certain degree. However, no matter the coverage option it chooses, Volcarona is bound to get be walled by a significant number of relevant threats in the Doubles metagame. Volcarona also has a variety of utility moves in its movepool, enabling it to take up a more supportive role running with Rage Powder. This allows Volcarona to redirect most attacks away from teammates and makes a great combo with its Fire STAB moves, which let Volcarona remove problematic Grass-types, which cannot have their attacks redirected by Rage Powder. That being said, it is not easy to fit Volcarona onto teams due to the amount of support it requires to function to its fullest potential. Volcarona also faces stiff competition from other, more popular Fire-types, such as Incineroar, Victini, and Volcanion, which can fulfill more useful niches in teams. As a bulky supporter, it has a niche over other popular support options, thanks to its unique combo of utility moves, allowing it to act as a redirection user, provide speed control, and even act as a phazer all in one slot. However, its mediocre physical bulk and poor defensive typing mean that Volcarona can be forced out easily by common physical attackers or bulkier Pokemon that can wall it reliably. The fairly common use of Stealth Rock in the Doubles metagame also makes it hard for Volcarona to function to its fullest potential.

[SET]
name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Giga Drain / Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Firium Z / Wiki Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heat Wave is the Fire STAB move of choice, allowing Volcarona to hit both targets. Giga Drain allows Volcarona to hit bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Suicune, which otherwise wall it. Bug Buzz is another option over Giga Drain, nabbing 2HKOs on Zygarde and Tyranitar when Volcarona has set up Quiver Dance once. Quiver Dance lets Volcarona boost its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed by one stage, allowing it to function as a late-game sweeper once all of its checks have been gotten rid of. Protect is good for scouting moves and stalling out turns, especially if Volcarona has already set up and cannot afford to switch out while its partner gets rid of the opposing Pokemon threat.

Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Volcarona to outspeed Choice Scarf Genesect after a single Quiver Dance and hit as hard as possible. A bulkier spread of (remove extra space) 60 Def / 232 SpA / 216 Spe can also be used, allowing Volcarona to take 2 two of Zygarde's Thousand Arrows while maximizing damage output and outspeeding Kyurem-B and Tapu Lele before setup. Flame Body is the ability of choice to make opposing physical attackers think twice before attacking Volcarona. Firium Z gives Volcarona a way to break though bulkier Pokemon even without a Quiver Dance boost, such as Amoonguss and Landorus-T. However, a Wiki Berry can also be used instead to increase Volcarona's longevity and grant it more opportunities to setup set up.

Usage Tips
========
Volcarona can be brought in mid-game or late-game to set up Quiver Dance and try to seal the game after most of its checks have been gotten rid of. However, it is not mandatory to set up before attacking, as Volcarona can always use its Z-Move as a one-time (AH) nuke to muscle past bulkier Pokemon or to chunk a foe early-game. It should not typically be brought into the field directly, as it is vital to keep it as healthy as possible in order to set up Quiver Dance successfully, so it should only be brought in with a pivot or when an ally faints. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid switching Volcarona in when Stealth Rock is up in order to keep it as healthy as possible. Sometimes, it may also be more beneficial for Volcarona to set up a Quiver Dance instead of attacking when its health is low, as this may allow Volcarona to take another special attack and activate its Wiki Berry, restoring its health.

Team Options
========
Water-types and Ground-types are often good Volcarona partners, as they help Volcarona remove Rock-types and Fire-types, which could be problematic for Volcarona. Araquanid in particular deserves a special mention due to its access to Wide Guard, shielding Volcarona from spread moves such as Rock Slide and Thousand Arrows. Especially when not carrying Giga Drain, Volcarona appreciates Electric-type or Grass-type partners such as Tapu Koko and Kartana, which can break through bulky Water-types with their respective STAB moves. Intimidate users like Landorus-T help prolong Volcarona's longevity by lowering opposing Pokemon's Attack, (common knowledge / dex info) giving Volcarona an easier time setting up in front of physical attackers. Fake Out users (RC) such as Zeraora and Mew are also able give Volcarona opportunities to click set up Quiver Dance, helping it set up. Defog users, such as Mew, Tapu Fini, and Landorus-T, are nearly mandatory on teams with Volcarona to help get rid of Stealth Rock, which poses a serious threat to Volcarona's survivability and functionality. Kyurem-B is another good partner for Volcarona, helping remove Dragon-types and physical attackers such as Landorus-T and Zygarde, allowing Volcarona to set up smoothly.


[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Heat wave Wave / Overheat
move 2: Rage Powder
move 3: Tailwind / Whirlwind
move 4: Protect / Whirlwind
item: Wiki Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Modest
evs: 240 HP / 168 Def / 56 SpA / 44 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heat Wave allows Volcarona to deal good damage to both foes thanks to its high base Special Attack and the move's STAB, especially against Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Kartana, which cannot have their attacks redirected by Rage Powder. Overheat can be used as an alternative option to grab a OHKO on bulkier Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Amoonguss. Rage Powder is useful for redirecting moves away from Volcarona's teammates while threatening physical attackers with a burn in the process. Tailwind lets Volcarona provide a form of speed control for its teammates. Protect helps Volcarona scout opposing sets and shields it from Fake Out. Whirlwind can also be used in place of either Tailwind or Protect in order to stop Trick Room setters such as Porygon2 (remove extra space) and Cresselia from setting Trick Room or to remove setup sweepers such as Tapu Fini and Zygarde from the field.

Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense investments enable Volcarona to survive Mega Metagross's Psychic Terrain-boosted Zen Headbutt and activate its Wiki Berry. 44 EVs in Speed let Volcarona outspeed Choice Scarf Victini in Tailwind. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack to maximize Volcarona's offensive capabilities while retaining its defensive benchmarks. Flame Body punishes contact attackers that Volcarona redirects. (QC edit)

Usage Tips
========
Volcarona can be brought in early-game to set up Tailwind or to stop Trick Room from getting up with Whirlwind. Volcarona can also be hard switched into resisted contact moves for a chance of inflicting burns on the attacking Pokemon thanks to Flame Body. It is also a good idea to bring Volcarona into the field to help support a setup sweeper such as Zygarde or a glass cannon such as Deoxys-A with Rage Powder. However, it is worth noting that spread moves, such as Thousand Arrows and Icy Wind, are not affected by Rage Powder, so be sure to use it wisely. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid switching Volcarona in when Stealth Rock is up in order to keep it as healthy as possible.

Team Options
========
Fairy-types such as the Island Guardians and Pokemon weak to Steel such as Kyurem-B appreciate Volcarona's ability to KO Steel-type Pokemon such as Mega Metagross and Kartana. Pokemon with middling Speed tiers, such as Tapu Lele and Kyurem-B, benefit from the speed control provided by Tailwind. Defog users such as Mew and Tapu Fini make great partners with Volcarona by removing Stealth Rock, allowing Volcarona to do its job properly. Intimidate users such as Landorus-T also help make up for Volcarona's poor physical bulk and increase its longevity. Setup sweepers, especially those weak to Ice- and Fairy-type attacks such as Zygarde, Mega Latias, and Kommo-o, value Volcarona's ability to redirect such attacks away while they set up.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Buginium Z can also be used in conjunction with Swarm and Bug Buzz on the Quiver Dance set in order to net KOs on unsuspecting Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Victini at +1. (QC edit, but this is clearly the best of the Other Options and should go first) Fiery Dance can be used as a more accurate alternative over Heat Wave on the Quiver Dance set as well as for a chance at getting a Special Attack boost, although it is worth noting that it has lower Base Power and will also result in a weaker Inferno Overdrive. Flamethrower and Fire Blast can also replace Heat Wave on the Quiver Dance set, with the latter being able to OHKO Mega Metagross without any boosts, though it is risky due to its low accuracy. In addition, all three fail to deal spread damage and are thus less likely to clean than Heat Wave. (QC edit again oops) Buginium Z can also be used in conjunction with Swarm and Bug Buzz on the Quiver Dance set in order to net KOs on unsuspecting Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Victini at +1. Hidden Power Ice can replace Giga Drain or Bug Buzz to OHKO a chipped Mega Salamence or Landorus-T. Incinerate has some use in helping to remove Berries from common Pokemon such as Tapu Fini and Incineroar.

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

**Water-types**: Water-types such as Tapu Fini, Volcanion, (AC) and Suicune are annoying for Volcarona to face, as they are able to take most of Volcarona's attacks comfortably and hit back with a strong STAB move or annoy Volcarona with Snarl. That being said, Tapu Fini and Suicune need to watch out for Quiver Dance Volcarona carrying Giga Drain to avoid getting chunked.

**Fire-types**: Pokemon such as Incineroar, Mega Charizard Y, and Victini are able to take all of Volcarona's attacks comfortably and deal reasonable damage back with their Fire-type STAB attacks.

**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Diancie are all able to take a Giga Drain or two from Volcarona and hit back with their respective STAB attacks, OHKOing Volcarona a majority of the time. Common Pokemon that carry Rock coverage users such as Landorus-T also threaten Volcarona greatly.

**Dragon-types**: Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Kommo-o often have no trouble taking Volcarona's attacks and can deal huge damage back with their STAB attacks or set up in front of Volcarona. Mega Salamence in particular can also counter both of Volcarona's sets unless Volcarona is carrying the rare Hidden Power Ice.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Volcarona's poor physical bulk means that it cannot stay in against some strong physical attackers such as Incineroar and Landorus-T. Staying in recklessly on such Pokemon means that Volcarona might get 2HKOed easily.

**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is extremely threatening to Volcarona and can chunk Volcarona upon switching in, pushing it into KO range of opposing Pokemon.

**Spread Attackers**: Common spread attackers such as Zygarde and Mega Charizard Y can ignore Volcarona's attempts to redirect their respective spread STAB moves, rendering Rage Powder useless.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yuichii, 435812]]
- Quality checked by: [[Majorbowman,188164], [talkingtree, 232101]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [talkingtree, 232101]]
 

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