
[SET]
Gouging Fire @ Loaded Dice / Heavy-Duty Boots
Name: Dragon Dance (Fire)
Ability: Protosynthesis
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Flare Blitz / Morning Sun
- Scale Shot / Outrage / Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
[SET COMMENTS]
Dragon Dance Gouging Fire is an amazing setup sweeper for Fire teams due to its part Dragon typing and its ability to take out pesky threats like Latios, Glimmora, Gliscor, and Ogerpon-W at +1. Flare Blitz after a Dragon Dance allows Gouging Fire to take out Kleavor and Ogerpon-W while also OHKOing Gliscor and Archaludon under sun with minimal chip. Loaded Dice + Scale Shot not only boosts Gouging Fire's Speed, but it also takes out Dragonite and Raging Bolt. Scale Shot is also a nice midground option, being able to deal with the Poison matchup effectively and notably 2HKOing Toxapex. When using Heavy-Duty Boots, Outrage or Dragon Claw can be run for consistency; Outrage provides strong damage output, being able to take out physically defensive Gouging Fire at +1, whereas Dragon Claw doesn't lock Gouging Fire into a potentially disadvantageous situation. Morning Sun can be run over Flare Blitz to increase its longevity throughout the battle. Earthquake at +1 threatens non-Air Balloon Heatran, which otherwise walls both of Gouging Fire's STAB moves. Furthermore, Earthquake allows Gouging Fire to hit Steel-types without taking the recoil it would take from using Flare Blitz.
Ninetales and Torkoal are great teammates for Gouging Fire, providing sun support, which boosts Gouging Fire's Attack stat. Ninetales also provides Healing Wish support, while Torkoal sets entry hazards with Stealth Rock and removes them with Rapid Spin. The sun allows Gouging Fire to tank Water-type attacks from Choice Specs Keldeo while retaliating with Scale Shot. Ogerpon-H eases the Ground and Water matchups for Gouging Fire by dealing with pesky threats like Great Tusk, Quagsire, and Slowbro. Ceruledge after a Swords Dance takes out Psychic- and Ghost-types that threaten Gouging Fire like Iron Boulder and Dragapult with Shadow Sneak. Choice Scarf users like Cinderace, Iron Moth, and Hisuian Arcanine are all great teammates for Gouging Fire, being able to take out a plethora of threats like Ursaluna-B, Primarina, Quagsire, and Air Balloon Heatran. Heatran tanks special attacks for Gouging Fire, notably from Choice Specs Flutter Mane while OHKOing back with Heavy Slam. Volcarona after a Quiver Dance is a nice late game sweeper for Gouging Fire that takes out pesky threats like Great Tusk, Hippowdon, and Glimmora with Giga Drain and Psychic. Talonflame provides a Ground immunity while also taking out Ogerpon-W with Brave Bird. Talonflame also removes hazards with Defog and weakens physical threats like Garchomp with Will-O-Wisp.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Fire
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An alternative EV spread of 88 HP / 168 Atk / 252 Spe with a Jolly nature allows Gouging Fire to get a Speed boost under sun; this allows Gouging Fire to outspeed and take out threats like Flutter Mane and Choice Scarf Roaring Moon after a Dragon Dance while under sun. Gouging Fire at +1 while under sun still OHKOes Gliscor. However, the downside of this option is the inability to wallbreak effectively, notably needing to use Earthquake to 1v1 Toxapex.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sasha.510532/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neko.542526/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vertigo.543620/
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