[SET]
Bulky Setup Sweeper (Volcarona) @ Leftovers / Covert Cloak / Safety Goggles
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass / Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 68 SpA / 12 SpD / 84 Spe or 252 HP / 92 Def / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 148 Spe
Nature: Modest
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Heat Wave
- Giga Drain
- Protect
[SET COMMENTS]
- Volcarona utilizes the bulk, power, and Speed granted by Quiver Dance, the recovery from Giga Drain, and Terastallization, which lets it work its way around its checks, to become difficult to take down and take over games as a result.
- Heat Wave and Giga Drain give Volcarona great coverage, letting it hit most foes in the metagame with its boosted attacks.
- Leftovers gives Volcarona passive recovery, augmenting the recovery that Giga Drain provides to be at higher HP to survive more attacks. Covert Cloak lets Volcarona ignore Fake Out to set up or throw out its attacks more freely. If Volcarona does not use Tera Grass, Safety Goggles is an alternative that lets it ignore Amoonguss's support options.
- Tera Grass gives Volcarona a resistance to Water- and Electric-type attacks like Basculegion's Wave Crash and Archaludon's Electro Shot, removes its weakness to Rock-type attacks like Glimmora's Meteor Beam and Tyranitar's Rock Slide, makes it immune to Amoonguss's Spore, and powers up Giga Drain, which not only lets it do more damage to Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types like Paldean Tauros-W, Ursaluna-B, and Tyranitar but also lets it restore more HP in the process, making it more likely to sweep games. Tera Dragon gives Volcarona similar defensive benefits and doesn't make it weak to Pelipper's Hurricane and Fire-type attacks like Armarouge's Armor Cannon and Incineroar's Flare Blitz, though it becomes weak to Dragon-type attacks like Dragapult's Dragon Darts and Dondozo's Order Up.
- 252 HP EVs and 92 Defense EVs ensure that Dondozo's Wave Crash 4HKOes a Terastallized Leftovers Volcarona, Choice Band Dragapult's Dragon Darts 2HKOes a non-Tera Dragon Leftovers Volcarona, and non-Adaptability Basculegion-M's 100 Base Power Last Respects 2HKOes Volcarona. Volcarona will still have enough special bulk to survive Pelipper's Hurricane; after a Quiver Dance, it will take a Blood Moon from Tera Normal Life Orb Ursaluna-B or a Choice Specs Tera Fire Overheat from Hisuian Typhlosion in sun.
- 68 Special Attack EVs and Modest nature ensure that +1 Volcarona nearly always OHKOes Gholdengo and Kingambit with Heat Wave and 3HKOes a +2 Special Defense Unaware Leftovers Dondozo with Tera Grass Giga Drain, and the 84 Speed EVs let Volcarona outspeed Adamant Basculegion-M.
- Even with only 4 Special Attack EVs, though, a +1 Volcarona will still OHKO bulkless Basculegion-M and maximum HP Ursaluna-B with Giga Drain with the aid of either Tera Grass or Grassy Terrain, OHKO Primarina with +1 Giga Drain with both of these multipliers, and OHKO Amoonguss with a +2 Heat Wave. 148 Speed EVs allow Volcarona to outspeed Modest Glimmora.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Setup Volcarona fits well on balance teams, as it requires utility and defensive support to enable it to sweep.
- Rillaboom is an excellent teammate, as it uses Fake Out to give Volcarona room to set up and sets up Grassy Terrain that augments Volcarona's passive recovery and powers up Giga Drain. Redirectors like Clefable draw attacks away from Volcarona, letting it set up more easily. Intimidate users like Paldean Tauros-W and Incineroar supplement Volcarona's ability to enhance its special bulk by reducing the damage of physical attackers.
- Kingambit is a common teammate on the balance teams that Volcarona fits on. Assault Vest variants threaten foes like Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Dragapult that Volcarona struggles against.
- Volcarona, before Terastallizing, hates Water- and Rock-types like Basculegion-M and Tyranitar, so Grass-types like Rillaboom give it leeway against them. Additionally, Volcarona's coverage does not extend to Fire- and Dragon-types like Incineroar and Dragapult; Water-types like Paldean Tauros-W threaten the former, while Fairy-types like Clefable assist against the latter. Primarina fulfills both of these categories. Dragon-types like Dragapult are also able to threaten opposing Dragon-types for Volcarona.
Strategy Comments
============
- As a setup sweeper, Volcarona wants Fake Out support and redirection to give it breathing room to set up. The earlier in the game Volcarona can get set up, the more difficult it will be to remove it from the field, as a boosted Volcarona will be able to stay healthy more easily with its powerful Giga Drain. Intimidate cycling assists in this, as it reinforces Volcarona's physical bulk to complement Quiver Dance, which boosts its special bulk.
- Volcarona is actually one of the greatest adversaries of rain teams, as with redirection support and Terastallization, it can boost to a level where it takes the special attacks of the rain attackers with ease. From there, its boosted attacks will rip apart these rain attackers and completely deny them the ability to revenge kill it. In these matchups, it's better to avoid using too many attacks on Archaludon, as its Stamina-boosted Body Press will eventually become too strong for Volcarona to handle. Early in the game, Pelipper threatens Volcarona with both of its STAB moves, so redirection will prevent Volcarona from being KOed by Pelipper before it can get set up. Additionally, Swift Swim Basculegion-M is a threat before Volcarona has set up, easily outspeeding and overwhelming it with rain-boosted Water-type attacks.
- Volcarona lacks coverage to threaten Dragon-types, so the likes of Dragapult and Dragonite can take it on effectively. This extends to Tera Dragon Pokemon like Gholdengo, which gain the ability to resist its attacks. Similarly, Fire-types like Incineroar and Tera Fire users like Rillaboom resist both of its attacks, and they are also immune to burns from Heat Wave and Flame Body. Trick Room teams invalidate Volcarona's Speed boost, though the Special Defense boost enables it to take attacks from the special attackers on these teams. Another useful tactic is to use physical attackers, as it has worse Defense and cannot improve it with Quiver Dance.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/soulboyvgc.558405/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ipetbigfoot.645750/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Bulky Setup Sweeper (Volcarona) @ Leftovers / Covert Cloak / Safety Goggles
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass / Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 68 SpA / 12 SpD / 84 Spe or 252 HP / 92 Def / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 148 Spe
Nature: Modest
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Heat Wave
- Giga Drain
- Protect
[SET COMMENTS]
- Volcarona utilizes the bulk, power, and Speed granted by Quiver Dance, the recovery from Giga Drain, and Terastallization, which lets it work its way around its checks, to become difficult to take down and take over games as a result.
- Heat Wave and Giga Drain give Volcarona great coverage, letting it hit most foes in the metagame with its boosted attacks.
- Leftovers gives Volcarona passive recovery, augmenting the recovery that Giga Drain provides to be at higher HP to survive more attacks. Covert Cloak lets Volcarona ignore Fake Out to set up or throw out its attacks more freely. If Volcarona does not use Tera Grass, Safety Goggles is an alternative that lets it ignore Amoonguss's support options.
- Tera Grass gives Volcarona a resistance to Water- and Electric-type attacks like Basculegion's Wave Crash and Archaludon's Electro Shot, removes its weakness to Rock-type attacks like Glimmora's Meteor Beam and Tyranitar's Rock Slide, makes it immune to Amoonguss's Spore, and powers up Giga Drain, which not only lets it do more damage to Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types like Paldean Tauros-W, Ursaluna-B, and Tyranitar but also lets it restore more HP in the process, making it more likely to sweep games. Tera Dragon gives Volcarona similar defensive benefits and doesn't make it weak to Pelipper's Hurricane and Fire-type attacks like Armarouge's Armor Cannon and Incineroar's Flare Blitz, though it becomes weak to Dragon-type attacks like Dragapult's Dragon Darts and Dondozo's Order Up.
- 252 HP EVs and 92 Defense EVs ensure that Dondozo's Wave Crash 4HKOes a Terastallized Leftovers Volcarona, Choice Band Dragapult's Dragon Darts 2HKOes a non-Tera Dragon Leftovers Volcarona, and non-Adaptability Basculegion-M's 100 Base Power Last Respects 2HKOes Volcarona. Volcarona will still have enough special bulk to survive Pelipper's Hurricane; after a Quiver Dance, it will take a Blood Moon from Tera Normal Life Orb Ursaluna-B or a Choice Specs Tera Fire Overheat from Hisuian Typhlosion in sun.
- 68 Special Attack EVs and Modest nature ensure that +1 Volcarona nearly always OHKOes Gholdengo and Kingambit with Heat Wave and 3HKOes a +2 Special Defense Unaware Leftovers Dondozo with Tera Grass Giga Drain, and the 84 Speed EVs let Volcarona outspeed Adamant Basculegion-M.
- Even with only 4 Special Attack EVs, though, a +1 Volcarona will still OHKO bulkless Basculegion-M and maximum HP Ursaluna-B with Giga Drain with the aid of either Tera Grass or Grassy Terrain, OHKO Primarina with +1 Giga Drain with both of these multipliers, and OHKO Amoonguss with a +2 Heat Wave. 148 Speed EVs allow Volcarona to outspeed Modest Glimmora.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Setup Volcarona fits well on balance teams, as it requires utility and defensive support to enable it to sweep.
- Rillaboom is an excellent teammate, as it uses Fake Out to give Volcarona room to set up and sets up Grassy Terrain that augments Volcarona's passive recovery and powers up Giga Drain. Redirectors like Clefable draw attacks away from Volcarona, letting it set up more easily. Intimidate users like Paldean Tauros-W and Incineroar supplement Volcarona's ability to enhance its special bulk by reducing the damage of physical attackers.
- Kingambit is a common teammate on the balance teams that Volcarona fits on. Assault Vest variants threaten foes like Incineroar, Tyranitar, and Dragapult that Volcarona struggles against.
- Volcarona, before Terastallizing, hates Water- and Rock-types like Basculegion-M and Tyranitar, so Grass-types like Rillaboom give it leeway against them. Additionally, Volcarona's coverage does not extend to Fire- and Dragon-types like Incineroar and Dragapult; Water-types like Paldean Tauros-W threaten the former, while Fairy-types like Clefable assist against the latter. Primarina fulfills both of these categories. Dragon-types like Dragapult are also able to threaten opposing Dragon-types for Volcarona.
Strategy Comments
============
- As a setup sweeper, Volcarona wants Fake Out support and redirection to give it breathing room to set up. The earlier in the game Volcarona can get set up, the more difficult it will be to remove it from the field, as a boosted Volcarona will be able to stay healthy more easily with its powerful Giga Drain. Intimidate cycling assists in this, as it reinforces Volcarona's physical bulk to complement Quiver Dance, which boosts its special bulk.
- Volcarona is actually one of the greatest adversaries of rain teams, as with redirection support and Terastallization, it can boost to a level where it takes the special attacks of the rain attackers with ease. From there, its boosted attacks will rip apart these rain attackers and completely deny them the ability to revenge kill it. In these matchups, it's better to avoid using too many attacks on Archaludon, as its Stamina-boosted Body Press will eventually become too strong for Volcarona to handle. Early in the game, Pelipper threatens Volcarona with both of its STAB moves, so redirection will prevent Volcarona from being KOed by Pelipper before it can get set up. Additionally, Swift Swim Basculegion-M is a threat before Volcarona has set up, easily outspeeding and overwhelming it with rain-boosted Water-type attacks.
- Volcarona lacks coverage to threaten Dragon-types, so the likes of Dragapult and Dragonite can take it on effectively. This extends to Tera Dragon Pokemon like Gholdengo, which gain the ability to resist its attacks. Similarly, Fire-types like Incineroar and Tera Fire users like Rillaboom resist both of its attacks, and they are also immune to burns from Heat Wave and Flame Body. Trick Room teams invalidate Volcarona's Speed boost, though the Special Defense boost enables it to take attacks from the special attackers on these teams. Another useful tactic is to use physical attackers, as it has worse Defense and cannot improve it with Quiver Dance.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/soulboyvgc.558405/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ipetbigfoot.645750/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
