[OVERVIEW]
Charizard has firmly established its role in the ADV OU metagame as a strong mixed attacker. Long gone are the days when it was only seen as a gimmick Belly Drum or Sunny Day sweeper. It plays a pivotal role in many of the best mixed offense structures in the current ADV metagame. Charizard threatens some of the most important walls in Skarmory, Blissey, and Swampert with its strong Fire-type STAB moves 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
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Hidden Power [Grass]
move 3: Substitute / Dragon Claw
move 4: Focus Punch / Beat Up
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Hasty / Mild
Evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This 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 and Metagross and taking advantage of the switches Charizard forces. As a Skarmory switch-in, it has the important job of limiting the number of Spikes layers Skarmory can put down by scaring it out. This job is especially important on many of the Rapid Spin-less mixed offense teams Charizard often finds itself on. Charizard is also a wallbreaker that ideally likes to lure in and remove Blissey for its teammates with Focus Punch or Beat Up. Beat Up has been a large part of Charizard's success since jumping up to OU, as it allows Charizard to threaten a 2HKO on Blissey, making it much less reliant on prediction or having a Substitute up as Focus Punch does. Charizard serves as an excellent check to many threats such as Calm Mind Jirachi and Celebi sets as well as Metagross. Tyranitar, while having a Fire resistance and the bulk to tank Hidden Power Grass, must also be wary of Focus Punch and isn't a great check to non-Beat Up Charizard variants. An alternate EV spread with 16 Attack EVs on Focus Punch sets allows Charizard to always OHKO Tyranitar after one layer of Spikes. 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 Charizard's strong attacks. Charizard can run a few different natures; notably, it has a good base 100 Speed stat, which is crucial in the ADV metagame, as it lets Charizard speed tie with common Pokemon such as Zapdos, Salamence, and Jirachi. Beat Up sets opt for a Timid or Modest nature, since Beat Up only accounts for Charizard's base Attack stat and isn't affected by an Attack-reducing nature. 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 Blaze range. Charizard can also trade with Gengar, since Charizard can switch into Will-O-Wisp and is typically slower, meaning Gengar's Thunderbolt will put Charizard in Blaze range, and Fire Blast will OHKO Gengar in return with the boost. Blaze also allows Charizard to pull some ridiculous feats such as nabbing 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. Unlike Salamence or Moltres, Charizard 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, among many others. Charizard is a key contributor to mixed offense teams because its teammates lure in and break down Skarmory. Charizard uses Skarmory as entry to break down the other Pokemon; this is key to the beat-down approach of mixed offenses. Tyranitar is an important partner because its sand allows damage to stick on Charizard's common pivots. Dragon Dance Tyranitar sets can force damage on bulky Water-types and then pivot into Charizard. Charizard teams often will double up on Rock-resistant partners to account for its 4x weakness; Pokemon like Metagross, Swampert, and Jirachi are common alongside Charizard. Some rarer but good options for additional Rock-resistant teammates are Breloom and Flygon, and 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, and Milotic. Likewise, Charizard comes in on two of the most common Snorlax switch-ins, Skarmory and Metagross. Offensive or Rest Suicune is also very common alongside Charizard because it can check Salamence trying to pivot into Charizard, and in Dragon Dance Salamence's case, it can use Charizard as a setup opportunity. Rest variants of Suicune also deal with the defensive Water-types that shut down Charizard. Pursuit users pair well with Charizard, since it is very good at luring in Aerodactyl and Starmie and reliably chipping them. Pursuit Tyranitar can then come in on moves aimed at Charizard such as Double-Edge and Thunder Wave and then trap these foes.
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-passing teams. Charizard still breaks Skarmory, Blissey, or Swampert on these teams; however, with Spikes support or a Calm Mind boost, it can even pressure some of the bulkier Water-types on the switch. Due to how threatening Charizard is once it's in, it forces a lot of defensive pivots to rack up Spikes chip damage. Teammates on these structures can include Skarmory or Cloyster typically as the Spiker; Calm Mind Blissey for help with Suicune; Electric-types such as Zapdos and Jolteon; and Tyranitar for sand and to help break Charizard's checks as well as other various Pokemon like Swampert, Metagross, Gengar, Aerodactyl, Celebi, and Jirachi. On Calm Mind-passing teams, 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 setup opportunity. Calm Mind-passing teams with Charizard can sometimes be sand-less, 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 is a more accurate, albeit weaker, alternative to Fire Blast. However, using Flamethrower will miss out on OHKOing Skarmory and Metagross, and Charizard won't be able to trade with Pokemon like Gengar and Zapdos as easily. Hidden Power Ice can be used because of how often Charizard lures Pokemon like Salamence and Flygon, nabbing an 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 effectively and have a move that deals decent damage to Blissey if your team isn't healthy and Beat Up is weakened. A Sunny Day + Petaya Berry set 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 and is 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 are 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, as they shrug off its attacks and threaten it back with Water-type STAB moves. Milotic in particular is essentially Charizard's worst nightmare; with Milotic's tremendous bulk even when pressured with Spikes, Charizard will have a hard time getting through it without a critical hit. Other Water-types such as Suicune can use Charizard as a setup opportunity and force it out. If at high enough health to survive a Hidden Power Grass, even Swampert can be very threatening to Charizard, retaliating with a likely Torrent-boosted Water-type move.
**Rock-types**: Tyranitar, particularly Pursuit sets, can pose a major problem for Charizard without Fighting-type coverage. Hidden Power Grass is at best a 3HKO, and it's 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 also threatens to absolutely destroy Charizard, making it very easy to use moves such as Double-Edge to break Charizard's teammates.
**Salamence and Gyarados**: Salamence resists Charizard's main STAB move and its common Fighting- and Grass-type coverage, so it is often used to pivot into Charizard to check it short-term and threaten to OHKO it with options like Rock Slide and Hydro Pump. Though, Salamence must be wary of Dragon Claw or Hidden Power Ice. Gyarados, albeit rarer, is also a very good Charizard check and uses it as a setup opportunity, resisting or taking neutral damage from all its common attacks and only fearing the rare Toxic.
**Zapdos and 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 Zapdos sets. Moltres resists Charizard's Fire-type STAB moves and common coverage like Hidden Power Grass. Charizard has to be wary of using its Fire Blast to break through both foes because it can quickly run out of PP due to their Pressure ability and chance to miss.
**Flygon**: Flygon is sometimes used to pivot into Charizard because it resists its Fire-type 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.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zpanther.590983/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/kollin7.545027/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/shitrock-enjoyer.600071/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny.197240/
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