[OVERVIEW]
Fire
========
Heatran compresses many useful roles for Fire teams due to its all-around good stats and unique typing. Exclusive access to Magma Storm combined with Taunt lets Heatran trap and break walls like Chansey found on balanced teams that otherwise can be major obstructions for its teammates. Heatran's Steel typing grants it a key neutrality to Rock-type moves, letting it check massive threats to Fire teams like Mega Diancie and Choice Scarf Nihilego. Heatran's wide movepool can also let it fill other roles for a team, such as providing Stealth Rock or spreading status, though it faces competition from Torkoal in these areas. However, Heatran's 4x weakness to Ground forces it to use Air Balloon to check Earth Power Mega Diancie and leaves it forced out by defensive Ground-types like Swampert and Gliscor after its Air Balloon is popped, preventing it from effectively stallbreaking teams while these Pokemon are healthy enough to switch into it. Heatran also has a very mediocre Speed stat and is slower than some faster walls like Zapdos and Gliscor even with maximum Speed investment.
[SET]
name: Utility Attacker
move 1: Magma Storm
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Flash Cannon / Toxic
item: Air Balloon
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Magma Storm serves as Heatran's strongest STAB move and prevents the target from switching while under its effect, preventing double switching and lets Heatran trap passive walls that can't apply significant offensive pressure to it. Earth Power provides valuable coverage for many key targets like Toxapex, Tyranitar, Nihilego, and opposing Heatran. Taunt lets Heatran shut down passive walls like Toxapex that it has trapped, preventing them from from using healing moves or setting entry hazards while Heatran whittles them down. Flash Cannon serves as a more reliable secondary STAB move and lets Heatran reliably OHKO Mega Diancie, as well as KOing other Rock-types such as Shuckle more easily. Toxic is an option over Flash Cannon to cripple walls like Porygon2 and Mantine by putting them on a timer, letting Heatran stallbreak more effectively. Heatran can serve as a Stealth Rock user if the team needs one, but other Pokemon typically fulfill this role on Fire teams.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack EVs increase Heatran's offensive presence, while 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature let it outspeed threats like Adamant Diggersby and Timid Volcanion as well as Speed tie with other Timid Heatran. Air Balloon protects Heatran from Ground-type attacks until it is hit once, giving it more survivability early-game.
Usage Tips
========
Heatran should be switched into passive walls that can't deal major damage to it like Staraptor and Mandibuzz in order to trap them. Magma Storm's residual damage and trapping makes it easily spammable and hard to switch into, dealing solid chunks of damage even to Pokemon that resist it like Garchomp and Azumarill, and it should be used liberally when Heatran has a free turn. Magma Storm's residual damage combined with Taunt can also let Heatran trap and slowly wear down bulky walls like Chansey and Toxapex. Taunt prevents Heatran's team from being worn down by stopping Pokemon like Armaldo from setting Stealth Rock. It also prevents Pokemon such as Zapdos from Defogging if you have set Stealth Rock. It is important to preserve Heatran's Air Balloon so it can deal with certain threats like Hippowdon on Ground teams and Mega Diancie on Fairy teams, which can OHKO Heatran after it is popped. Heatran should avoid getting paralyzed, as it is unable to effectively stallbreak walls when it cannot use Taunt before they heal. It is important to keep Heatran healthy enough to check a threat like Choice Scarf Nihilego in the Poison matchup; Heatran is very instrumental against these teams because it can trap Toxapex and check Nihilego and should be played carefully against them and kept healthy early-game. If Heatran is carrying Toxic, it should be used on a bulky target trapped by Magma Storm like Chansey, Porygon2, or Mantine so the rest of the team can deal with the foe more easily, as well as to cripple threats such as Swampert and Tyranitar that can force Heatran out as they switch in.
Team Options
=======
Heatran serves as a good offensive check to Rock-types as well as an effective stallbreaker, making it a good choice on any Fire team. Torkoal compresses several roles by removing entry hazards, functioning as a physical wall, and setting sun and Stealth Rock. Heatran greatly appreciates the sun weakening Water-type attacks so that it can trap Pokemon like Toxapex more easily. Infernape and Victini with either Choice Scarf or Choice Band can serve as revenge killers or physical wallbreakers, helping against Dark and Normal teams, and both can lure in checks like Toxapex and bring in Heatran with U-turn to trap them. Blacephalon serves as a powerful special attacker that appreciates Heatran's ability to soften up special walls like Chansey and Mantine, as well as Heatran's ability to switch into Choice Scarf Latios to aid the Psychic matchup. Mega Charizard X and Volcarona are potent setup sweepers that can clean teams late-game and appreciate Heatran's ability to trap and weaken checks like Porygon2. Mega Charizard Y and Volcanion are powerful special wallbreakers that can help deal with Water-types like Keldeo for Heatran, with Solar Beam and Water Absorb, respectively. In return, Heatran can trap and weaken their defensive checks like Mantine. Rotom-H serves as a good switch-in to Ground- and Electric-types, which Heatran struggles with, while also being able to bring Heatran in safely with Volt Switch.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Heatran can run a defensive set with a spread of 252 HP / 20 Def / 192 SpD / 44 Spe, a Calm nature, and Leftovers. This spread allows Heatran to capitalize on its defensive capabilities and switch into Rock types more easily, outspeed fast Mantine and Taunt it before it uses Defog, avoid a 2HKO from Choice Scarf Terrakion's Stone Edge after Stealth Rock, and survive Mega Diancie's Earth Power from full health most of the time. A Choice Scarf with a moveset of Fire Blast, Flash Cannon, Earth Power, and Hidden Power Ice lets Heatran surprise some of its usual checks like Garchomp with its boosted Speed tier and broad coverage, as well as immediately force Mega Diancie out after switching into a predicted Diamond Storm. However, this set faces competition from much more reliable Choice Scarf users like Infernape, Blacephalon, and Victini.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-types**: Heatran's 4x weakness to Ground-type moves makes it unable to stand up to defensive and offensive Ground-types alike such as Gliscor, Swampert, Landorus, and Mamoswine.
**Fighting-types**: Pokemon such as Mega Gallade and Mega Lopunny can outspeed and blast through Heatran with their Fighting-type STAB moves.
**Offensive Water-types**: Offensive Water-types such as Keldeo and Kingdra blow past Heatran, while it can't do much to threaten them back.
**Chip Damage** Heatran lacks reliable recovery and has to stay healthy to check Rock-types and stallbreak, so it is very vulnerable to being worn down by entry hazards and weak attacks.
**Revenge Killers and Faster Attackers** Heatran's underwhelming Speed makes it susceptible to being forced out or KOed by faster threats such as Mega Gallade, Kyurem-B, and Greninja.
**Special Walls** Certain special walls that resist Magma Storm like Mantine and Tyranitar can switch into Heatran and outlast it under most conditions, but Heatran can cripple them with Toxic and then switch out to a teammate, while others like Chansey can be beaten due to Taunt if Heatran is healthy enough.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Guwahavel, 446329]]
- Fire analysis by: [[Guwahavel, 446329]]
- Quality checked by: [[Maroon, 305839], [Moosical, 215618], [Eien, 100418]]
- Grammar checked by: [[martha, 384270], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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