[OVERVIEW]
Charizard has firmly established its role in the ADV OU metagame as a strong mixed attacker. Long gone are the days where its only seen as a gimmick belly drum or sunny day sweeper. It plays a pivotal role on many of the best mixed offense structures in the current meta of ADV. Charizard threatens some of most important defensive walls in ADV in Skarmory, Blissey and Swampert with its strong fire stab and options like focus punch, beat up and hidden power grass. It also fills an important role as a Metagross switch in, forcing switches and making progress with its powerful attacks.
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
Fire Blast
Hidden power [Grass]
Substitute / Dragon Claw
Focus Punch / Beat Up
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Hasty/Mild
Evs: 4 Atk/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
The Mixed Attacker Charizard set is able to threaten most of the tier with its good coverage. Getting the most out of Charizard typically involves using it to pivot into Pokemon such as Skarmory or Metagross and taking advantage of the switches it forces. As a Skarmory switch in, it has an important job of limiting the amount of spikes Skarmory can put down by scaring it out. This is especially important on many of the spin-less mixed offense teams Charizard often finds itself on. Its a wallbreaker that ideally likes to lure in and remove blissey for its teammates with focus punch or beat up. Beat up is a large part of Charizards success since jumping up to OU, it allows Charizard to threaten a 2HKO on Blissey. Making it much less reliant on prediction or having a sub up as focus punch does. Beat up sets opt for a Timid or Modest nature since beat up only takes in account the base attack stat and isn't affected by a minus attack nature.
It serves as an excellent check to many threats such as the calm mind Jirachi and Celebi sets as well as Metagross. Tyranitar while having a fire resistance and bulk to tank hidden power grass must also be wary of focus punch and isnt a great check to the non beat up variants.
As an option,16 atk EVs on Focus Punch sets allow you to OHKO Tyranitar after 1 spike everytime.
Flamethrower and dragon claw are common options on Charizard. Dragon claw is most often found on sets along with Beat up as an option to hit Salamence and Flygon which are sometimes used to pivot into Charizards strong attacks. It can run a few different natures. Notably it has a good base 100 speed stat which is crucial in the adv metagame tying with common pokemon such as Zapdos, Salamence and Jirachi. Faster Celebi sets often run hidden power fire meaning Charizard is typically faster due to the lowered speed IV Celebi has. Charizard often likes switching into attacks from Metagross and Celebi or bringing its own health down with substitute to get into range of blaze. Blaze can be used to trade with an opposing Gengar as well since Charizard can enter on will o wisp and is typically slower meaning Gengars thunderbolt will put you in blaze and Fireblast will OHKO in return with the boost. Blaze allows Charizard to do some ridiculous things such as nab a 2HKO on the Majority of Salamence sets. This is very notable because Salamence is often used to pivot into Charizard in a check by committee approach or outright if it carries hydro pump or rock slide.
Team Options
========
Charizard is now a staple Pokemon on mixed offense teams notably taking the role that mixed Salamence used to fill on the old mixed offense structures. Charizard, unlike Salamence or Moltres, can threaten the very common core of Skarmory and Blissey without the need of spikes. Similar to Salamence however, it pairs nicely with Pokemon such as Snorlax, Metagross, Suicune, Tyranitar, Celebi and even Salamence itself amongst many others. Charizard is a key contributor to this style of team because its teammates lure in and break down Skarmory. Charizard uses Skarmory as entry to break down the other opposing Pokemon. This is key to the beat down approach of mixed offenses. Tyranitar is an important partner for Charizard because its sand allows damage to stick on its common pivots. Dragon Dance Tyranitar sets can force damage on bulky waters than pivot into Charizard. Often Charizard Teams will double up on rock resists to account for its 4x weakness. Pokemon like Metagross, Swampert and Jirachi are common alongside Charizard. Some rarer but good options for additional rock resists with Charizard are Breloom and Flygon. Charizard can come into will o wisp or Ice Punch aimed at them. Snorlax can come in on and check water types that may give Charizard difficulty such as Suicune, Starmie or Milotic. Likewise Charizard comes in on two of the most common snorlax switch ins Skarmory and Metagross. Offensive and rest Suicune is also very common alongside Charizard because it can check Salamence's trying to pivot into Charizard and in DD Salamence’s case use Charizard as a set up opportunity. Rest variants of Suicune also deal with the defensive waters that shut down Charizard. Pursuit users pair well with Charizard. Charizard is a very good at luring in Aerodactyl and Starmie reliably chipping them. Pursuit Tyranitar can come in on moves aimed at Charizard such as double edge and thunder wave and then trap them.
Charizard is not seen exclusively on mixed offense although that is its bread and butter, It's also a very strong option on spikes and calm mind pass teams. Typically those that lean toward a faster pace and are more offensive in nature. Charizard still does its break Skarmory, Blissey, Swampert role on these teams however with spike support or a calm mind boost it can even pressure some of the bulkier waters on switch in. Due to how threatening Charizard is once its in, it forces a lot of defensive pivots racking up spike chip damage. Teammates on these structures can include Skarmory or Cloyster typically as the spiker, calm mind Blissey for Suicune help or electric types such as Zapdos or Jolteon, Tyranitar for sand but also to help break Charizard's checks and other various Pokemon like Swampert, Metagross, Gengar, Aerodactyl, Celebi and Jirachi. On calm mind pass Charizard is one of the most dangerous boost recipients in the metagame and is a staple on such teams. Celebi makes a great partner for Charizard as it can use the water types that switch into Charizard as a set up opportunity. Calm mind pass with Charizard can sometimes be sandless though the majority of Charizard teams will have Tyranitar.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flamethrower, Hidden power ice, toxic and brick break are rare options sometimes used on Charizard. Flamethrower can be used as a more accurate albeit weaker alternative to fire blast. However using flamethrower will miss out on one hit Kos on Skarmory and Metagross and Charizard wont be able to trade with Pokemon like Gengar and Zapdos as easily. Hidden power ice is used because of how often Charizard lures Pokemon like Salamence and Flygon nabbing a OHKO or putting them at very low health. Toxic can be used to punish potential pivoting around Charizard's coverage. Brick break is seen sometimes alongside beat up as a way to also threaten Tyranitar more and have a move that deals decent damage to Blissey if your team isn't healthy and beat up is weakened. Sunny day sets with Petaya Berry is a niche choice you can use on Charizard. A Fire blast or Blast Burn boosted by Sun, Blaze and a Petaya berry can allow charizard to force through even its toughest checks like Milotic.
Belly Drum is also a rarely seen option on Charizard in the current meta mostly regarded as a gimmick set from the past. The lack of quality coverage alongside belly drum and the inconsistency of setting it up to sweep being the main reasons for its scarcity. Dragon Dance is an option on Charizard sets alongside Brick break to pressure Tyranitar and Blissey.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water Types**: Bulky water types especially those with recovery such as Milotic and Starmie are very strong answers to Charizard. Shrugging off its attacks and threatening it back with stab water moves. Milotic in particular is essentially Charizard’s worst nightmare with its tremendous bulk even when paired with spikes Charizard will have a hard time getting through it without a critical hit. Other waters such as Suicune can use Charizard as a set up opportunity and force it out. Even Swampert, if at high enough health to live a hidden power grass can be very threatening to Charizard retaliating with a likely torrent boosted water move.
**Rock Types**: Tyranitar, particularly pursuit sets can pose a major problem for Charizards without fighting coverage. Hidden power grass is at best a 3HKO and its often best to switch out of Tyranitar resulting in Charizard getting pursuit trapped. Aerodactyl likewise resists Charizard's main stab move and can take any of its common coverage moves decently well. Aerodactyl threatens to absolutely destroy charizard making it very easy to click moves such as double edge to break Charizard's teammates.
**Salamence & Gyarados**: Salamence resits Charizard's main stab move and its common fighting and grass coverage so is often used to pivot into Charizard and check it short term. Threatening to OHKO Charizard with options like rock slide and hydro pump. Although Salamence must be weary of dragon claw or hidden power ice. Gyarados, albeit more rare, is also a very good Charizard check resisting or neutral to all its common attacks only fearing the rare toxic and uses Charizard as setup opportunity.
**Zapdos & Moltres**: Zapdos can switch into Charizard and force it out. Since they are tied in base speed and Zapdos Threatens to OHKO with thunderbolt the interaction is not in Charizard's favor, however it can force through Zapdos over time, even bulkier sets. Moltres resists Charizards fire stab and common coverage like hidden power grass. Charizard has to be weary of using its Fire blasts to break through both birds because due to their Pressure ability and chance to miss you can quickly run out of pp.
**Flygon**: Flygon is sometimes used to pivot into Charizard because it resists its stab fire moves and is neutral to hidden power grass. It must however be careful of dragon claw and hidden power ice from Charizard. Flygon can threaten Charizard with moves like rock slide which is a roll to OHKO or toxic which weakens Charizard's beat up.
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