NU Flareon

bugmaniacbob

Was fun while it lasted
is an Artist Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Sorry for the delay - I was on holiday and only got your check request this afternoon

REMOVE

ADD

COMMENT


Overview
########

Flareon is a great Pokemon, both for offense and for support, due to its high Attack and Special Defense stats. It also sports an interesting movepool that allows it to take on some unique roles [such as? Otherwise this sentence is pointless]. However, it is limited as an offensive Pokemon by its poor base 65 Speed. It also lacks coverage options, and as such is forced to resort resorting to moves that damage itself in order to be an a significant offensive presence. As a defensive Pokemon,(comma) it is inhibited hindered by its poor physical bulk and weakness to Stealth Rock. However, Flareon's biggest weakness is its susceptibility to Water-types, which are incredibly common in the tier. It is incapable of damaging defensive Water-types such as Seismitoad, and offensive Water-types such as Feraligatr can quickly tear Flareon apart.

Offensive
########
name: Offensive
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Quick Attack
move 4: Sleep Talk / Baton Pass
ability: Flash Fire
item: Choice Band / Charcoal
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========

Flare Blitz is a powerful STAB move that hits the common Grass- and Steel-types extremely hard. Superpower can break through Rock-types, as well as deal neutral damage to Fire-, Water-, and Dragon-types, all of which resist Flare Blitz. Quick Attack is used to mitigate Flareon's poor Speed,(comma) which means that it can snipe .(remove) Essentially, it snipes Pokemon for the on their last bit of health,(comma) or outspeeds else outspeed some faster offensive threat. Sleep Talk can be used so that Flareon can absorb the sleep status for its team and continue fighting. Alternatively, Baton Pass allows Flareon to slowly switch out to its teammates. This makes it much easier for Flareon to counter switch [is this an accepted term? Please explain if it is not considered common parlance], as you will know what Pokemon the opponent is sending in.

Set Details
========

Max Attack and Speed investment allows Flareon to be more offensively threatening. Flash Fire allows Flareon to switch in on Fire-types, such as Magmortar and Typhlosion, which are common in the metagame. Choice Band can be used for the increased damage on every move, but at the cost of being locked into that one move. On the other hand, Charcoal only increases the damage of Flare Blitz and doesn't increase damage output as much as Choice Band, but it doesn't require that Flareon lock itself into a move. However, In addition, most of the time Flare Blitz is the best move to use anyway, so it's not a problem for it to be the only boosted move.

Usage Tips
========

Flare Blitz is most often Flareon's best option, unless it's hitting resisted Pokemon the opponent resists it. Quick Attack should be used sparingly, as being Choice-locked into such a weak attack isn't preferable. Due to the stat drops caused by Superpower, Superpower should also be used sparingly only when entirely necessary. If you're using Sleep Talk, know which Pokemon are going to use sleep moves so that you know when to switch in Flareon. For example, anti Anti-lead Vivillon often carries Sleep Powder and Jynx usually uses Lovely Kiss.

Team Options
========

Seimsitoad Seismitoad is useful for absorbing Water-type attacks, thereby negating one of Flareon's key weaknesses. Offensive Flareon is an effective wallbreaker, an attribute which is appreciated by Many many Pokemon, such as Rotom or Mesprit, who have the potential to sweep and just need once some walls are removed or weakened broken down first. Flareon is effective at breaking through these walls. Flareon does a great job switching into Fire spam Pokemon that love to spam their Fire-type STAB attacks,(comma) such as Typhlosion and Magmortar, so Pokemon that fear Fire-type attacks appreciate Flareon as a teammate [such as?]. In addition, a A Rapid Spin or Defog user that can keep entry hazards off of your side of the field makes for a good teammate. Cryogonal, in particular, pairs well with Flareon, as it can use Rapid Spin and appreciates the Flash Fire protection. Xatu provides fantastic Magic Bounce support, and it loves protection from dangerous Fire-type Pokemon. Sticky Web support from Pokemon such as Leavanny and Ariados allows Flareon to be more of a threat and mitigates its poor Speed somewhat, but cannot be used effectively alongside Defog.

Specially Defensive
########
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Wish
move 2: Protect
move 3: Roar / Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Lava Plume / Flare Blitz
ability: Flash Fire
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
nature: Careful

Moves
========

Wish allows a Pokemon to be healed the next turn. This gives Flareon the option of healing itself or another Pokemon. Protect is used necessary so that Wish can heal Flareon in safety if needed. Roar is used advised in the third slot so that setup sweepers can't easily set up on Flareon,(comma) .(remove) but Will-O-Wisp is also useful in order used to cripple physical attackers, as Flareon has little investment in Defense and is easily taken down by physical attackers without the burn. Lava Plume is a STAB attack with a 30% chance to burn the opposing Pokemon,(comma) so is helpful if not running Will-O-Wisp. Flare Blitz is a different STAB attack that could be used over Lava Plume,(comma) particularly if running Will-O-Wisp. Flare Blitz, however, deals recoil damage, which is bad on a defensive set that requires constant switching. As an alternative, Heal Bell can be used instead of Roar and or Will-O-Wisp in the third slot as it removes all status inflictions afflictions from any Pokemon on Flareon's team.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Defense allows Flareon to wall many dangerous special attackers in the tier [such as? OHKOs/2HKOs survived?]. 248 HP EVs pumps up Flareon's bulk as well, but also helps Flareon better switch into entry hazards [elaborate]. Flash Fire helps it to deal with Fire spam.(remove) Fire-type attackers;(semicolon) Typhlosion, for example, has serious trouble getting around Flareon. Leftovers allows Flareon to better deal with having to constantly switch into attacks for other Pokemon.

Usage Tips
========

By using Wish + Protect, Flareon can heal itself; by using Wish and then switching out, it can heal a teammate. Avoid powerful physical hits, regardless of whether its user has been burned. Also, avoid burning Pokemon that could potentially be carrying Guts,(comma) .(remove) as Guts Gurdurr and Hariyama with that ability will appreciate the burn.

Team Options
========

This set's most notable feature is its ability to switch into Fire-type attacks that almost no other Pokemon can. It goes well with Pokemon that are really weak to dedicated Fire-type attackers spam, such as Lilligant, Scyther, or Tangela. Physical walls go well with with Flareon to help form a defensive core;(semicolon) .(remove) for example, Granbull walls most physical attackers. Ferroseed walls Water-type attacks and appreciates the Fire spam protection from Fire-types. Flareon also appreciates Defog and Rapid Spin support. Cryogonal hates Fire-type attacks and keeps hazards off the field with Rapid Spin, and Xatu detests Fire spam and keeps the field clear as does Xatu with Magic Bounce.

Other Options
########

Flareon is capable of functioning as a Toxic Orb Guts sweeper, but it's outclassed in this role by Zangoose. Return is a physical attack that doesn't have negative side-effects like Flare Blitz and Superpower do, but it's too weak to be dependable useful. Toxic can work on the special wall set to help it stall out other walls, but all of the moves that it already struggles to fit has on there are very useful and necessary. Yawn can be used to force switches, providing Flareon with the opportunity to safely use Wish or get a free attack. Hidden Power Grass can be used to hit Seismitoad and Rhydon as well as some other common Water-types, but lacks the sheer power to be worth the moveslot.

Checks & Counters
########

**Water-types**: Feraligatr and Samurott easily OHKO Flareon with a STAB Waterfall. Offensive Qwilfish only needs 88 Attack EVs to OHKO all of the time and is able to outspeed and Taunt the defensive set. Seismitoad and defensive Qwilfish are capable of easily taking a Flare Blitz and can deal a good amount of damage in return.

**Physical Attackers**: Sawk, Tauros, Archeops, and Golem all OHKO Flareon with their powerful STAB moves. However, Golem must be wary, as even with max Speed investment, offensive Flareon outspeeds it. Gurdurr and Hariyama can take a Will-O-Wisp and hit harder, thanks to Guts, and can deal incredible damage to any Flareon set [specifics would be jolly nice].

**Entry Hazards**: As a Pokemon that either takes a lot of recoil or has to constantly switch in and out to be effective, Flareon especially hates entry hazards. Stealth Rock removes a quarter of its health, and Spikes and Toxic Spikes damage quickly adds up.

**Lampent**: Lampent is immune to Flare Blitz, Superpower, and Quick Attack. It is also immune to Will-O-Wisp, due to its Fire typing.


Not going to lie this wasn't great

Even aside from the missing information where it would have been nice to see some elaboration all of the sentences strung together like they were bullet points that someone had hurriedly removed the bullets from; none of them seemed to reference or even be aware of any other sentences in the analysis. Also, I'm not sure how important a Pokemon Flareon is in NU but the analysis itself seemed a tad lacking, particularly with regard to set explanation.

That said,


GP 2/2
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top