[OVERVIEW]
Heatran has amazing defensive utility thanks to its typing and Flash Fire, which make it immune to sandstorm, Toxic, and Fire-type attacks. These qualities let it check Steel- and Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Amoonguss, and Jirachi very well. Heatran also has great support options like Stealth Rock, Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Taunt that it can easily mix and match to effectively support its team, as its sets aren't very team dependent. Its offensive presence is also fantastic thanks to high-Base Power moves like Magma Storm and Earth Power, which let it punish and effectively wear down its checks such as Water-types, Garchomp, and Tyranitar. However, Heatran has a noticeable lack of recovery outside of Leftovers that makes it very vulnerable to entry hazards, which makes it more difficult to switch into and consistently check what it needs to. This problem is further compounded by the fact some Pokemon that Heatran can normally beat such as Volcarona run coverage specifically for it, which leaves it quite pressured. Another issue is that some of the best Pokemon in the metagame, including Excadrill, Garchomp, and especially Politoed, all threaten Heatran immensely.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock / Taunt
move 2: Lava Plume
move 3: Roar / Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 248 SpD / 8 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heatran's typing and bulk let it set up Stealth Rock pretty easily against most bulky Pokemon. Lava Plume ensures Heatran isn't Taunt bait and gives it a spammable STAB move that has a good chance to burn potential switch-ins like Tentacruel and Garchomp. Roar lets Heatran phaze setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Calm Mind Jirachi, which it can struggle against under rain while also punishing the foe with more residual damage. Toxic lets Heatran cripple all its switch-ins except Tentacruel and Gliscor and synergizes well with Protect. Will-O-Wisp lets Heatran guarantee a burn on most of its switch-ins, namely Tentacruel, Latios, Tyranitar, and Garchomp, which makes it easier to wear them down. Protect lets Heatran scout Choice-locked Pokemon, recover health with Leftovers for free, and rack up residual damage. Taunt can be used over Stealth Rock, as it lets Heatran stop setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Jirachi, prevent entry hazards from Pokemon like Tyranitar, and deny use of healing moves from Pokemon like Reuniclus, Slowbro, and Slowking. However, this move is quite team specific and removes one of this set's greatest qualities in being a great Stealth Rock setter.
Set Details
========
8 Speed EVs let Heatran speed creep Poison Heal Breloom. Leftovers is Heatran's only form of recovery and works well with Protect.
Usage Tips
========
Try to keep Heatran as healthy as possible so it can switch into and wall what it needs to consistently. Be cautious about coming in directly on Pokemon Heatran appears to check, like Volcarona and Gengar, as they can punish it with super effective coverage. Try to keep entry hazards off your side off the field if possible, as they hurt Heatran's longevity and make it more difficult to switch into what it's supposed to. Set Stealth Rock up when given a free turn from a forced switch or a Pokemon Heatran walls to keep pressure on the opposing team. Use Toxic or Will-O-Wisp to cripple checks susceptible to it, mainly most Water- and Ground-types. If lacking Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, it isn't a bad idea to fish for a Lava Plume burn on the switch. Use Protect to scout Choice-locked attackers like Latios and Landorus-T, regain health from Leftovers, and potentially rack up more Toxic poison or sand damage on the foe. However, be cautious of using Protect against Pokemon that can take advantage of its use by setting up or healing. Avoid letting Heatran get paralyzed, as it will leave Heatran unable to check what it's supposed to, mainly Jirachi and Reuniclus.
Team Options
========
Water-types like Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Jellicent are good partners, as they can check opposing Water- and Ground-types as well as opposing Heatran and have good defensive synergy with Heatran. Pokemon that can set up Spikes make for good partners as well to punish switches from the opposing team as much as possible. Ferrothorn is a decent option, thanks to the fact that it's a good Water-type check, takes pressure off Heatran to switch into Pokemon like Latios, and can even provide Knock Off support. Tyranitar is a good partner due to it setting up sand while also checking and potentially trapping Pokemon like Jellicent, Tentacruel, and Starmie that Heatran can struggle with; this is appreciated especially for the latter two, as they can spin away the Stealth Rock Heatran sets up. Tyranitar not needing to run Stealth Rock also makes it easier to keep healthy, as it won’t need to take a hit to set them up and can instead run other sets like Choice Scarf more effectively. Amoonguss and Poison Heal Breloom provide a Water- and Ground-type check while appreciating Heatran switching into most Steel- and Dragon-types for them and setting up Stealth Rock. Excadrill and Gliscor are good partners, as they can provide Rapid Spin support and a switch into Fighting-types, respectively, while taking advantage of the poison and burn damage Heatran spreads with their own Protect. They can also spread Toxic poison in tandem with Heatran to force more residual damage on the foe. Spinners like Excadrill and Starmie work well with Heatran, as they have good offensive synergy with it and increase its longevity, making it easier to switch and pressure the opponent. Pokemon that appreciate Heatran's ability to set Stealth Rock and match up well against offense are good partners. Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Mienshao, and Keldeo pair well for this reason. Latios can soft check Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Politoed and appreciates Heatran's ability to poison or burn Tyranitar, putting it on a timer, and beat most Steel-types.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Magma Storm / Fire Blast
move 2: Protect
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers / Air Balloon
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Magma Storm lets Heatran punish its switch-ins thanks to the trapping effect and residual damage. It's especially potent in tandem with sand. Fire Blast, on the other hand, is stronger and more accurate, which makes it more consistent. Protect lets Heatran scout Choice-locked attackers like Latios and Landorus-T, get free Leftovers recovery, and get more residual damage on foes with Magma Storm. Earth Power lets Heatran hit opposing Heatran, Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Tentacruel while giving it another attack to use should Heatran need to preserve Magma Storm's PP. Will-O-Wisp lets Heatran cripple switch-ins like Garchomp, Tyranitar, Politoed, and Tentacruel and wears them down much faster. Hidden Power Ice hits the Dragon- and Ground-types of the tier, mainly Latios, Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, hard on the switch. Taunt can be used over Protect to let Heatran defeat Chansey with Magma Storm and helps a lot against sun stall teams. However, this makes Heatran unable to rack up free residual damage or Leftovers recovery and leaves it unable to scout moves from Choice-locked attackers.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment lets Heatran outspeed Adamant Breloom, Modest Politoed, and most Rotom-W, as Rotom-W typically opts for a slower spread. Leftovers is Heatran's only form of recovery; it has an easy time recovering thanks to Protect, the many switches it forces, and its immunities to sand, poison, and burn damage. Air Balloon makes Heatran a solid offensive answer to most Dragon-types, mono-Earthquake Gliscor, and most opposing Heatran; it also lets Heatran stay in on Tyranitar, meaning you could burn and weaken it for teammates like Latios or Thundurus to take advantage of, and it makes Heatran immune to Spikes.
Usage Tips
========
Try to keep Heatran as healthy as possible so it can check what it needs to consistently, take a super effective hit in a pinch, and come in to pressure the opposing team more often. Be cautious about coming in directly on Pokemon Heatran checks that have options to punish it, namely Amoonguss, Ferrothorn, and Latios as they can use Stun Spore, Knock Off, and Surf or Trick respectively. Attempt to keep entry hazards off your side of the field if possible, as they hurt Heatran's longevity and make it more difficult to switch in. Try to get and keep your own entry hazards up as they make switching into Heatran even more punishing than it already is, especially if sand is up. If Heatran is running Hidden Power Ice, it can be used if predicting a switch to a Ground- or Dragon-type if it isn't too risky to do so in a given situation. Don't be afraid to throw out Magma Storm if given a free turn, as it punishes almost everything that comes in on Heatran. However, its low PP must be kept in mind. Use Protect to scout Choice-locked attackers like Latios and Landorus-T, regain health via Leftovers, and rack up more residual damage on the foe. However, be cautious of using Protect against Pokemon that can punish its use by setting up or healing. Avoid letting Heatran get paralyzed, as it will leave Heatran very vulnerable to Pokemon like Jirachi and Breloom that it could check otherwise. If Heatran has Will-O-Wisp, use it when predicting a switch to checks like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Tyranitar is an excellent partner for this set due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock and sand while checking and potentially trapping Pokemon like Jellicent and Starmie that Heatran can struggle with. Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Jellicent are good partners as well, as they can check opposing Water- and Ground-types like Keldeo, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, while Heatran handles Grass- and Dragon-types like Amoonguss and Latios for them. They can even spread status, namely burn, to make Protect on Heatran more effective and switching into it harder. Pokemon that can set up entry hazards, like Tyranitar, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn make for good partners to punish the opposing team as much as possible. Pokemon like Tyranitar, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn are good options for this. Latios can soft check Pokemon like Keldeo, Gliscor, Rotom-W, and Politoed and appreciates Heatran's ability to weaken or cripple Tyranitar and beat most Steel-types, making Latios much more difficult to switch into. Amoonguss and Poison Heal Breloom have good offensive and defensive synergy with Heatran, as they can handle Water-types such as Politoed, Jellicent, and Keldeo. Ground-types like Gliscor and Excadrill take advantage of Heatran wearing down, crippling, or trapping their checks. Both of them can also spread Toxic, piling on the residual damage the foes have to take and suffocating them as a result. Pokemon that appreciate Heatran's balance breaking capabilities and match up well against offense are good partners. Choice Scarf users like Keldeo, Landorus-T, and Garchomp pair well with Heatran for this reason. Spinners like Excadrill and Starmie work well with Heatran, as they have good offensive synergy with it and improve its longevity, making it easier for Heatran to switch in and punish its foe.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Protect
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Protect
move 3: Lava Plume
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp / Earth Power
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpD / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute lets Heatran punish switches and take advantage of Pokemon that can't do much damage to it while making it easier for it to spread status. Protect lets Heatran scout Choice-locked Pokemon if it's not already behind a Substitute, get a free turn of Leftovers recovery, and rack up free poison and potentially sand damage in tandem with Substitute. Toxic allows Heatran to punish most of its switch-ins by putting them on a timer and synergizes well with Substitute and Protect because these moves make it easier to rack up free residual damage with the extra protection provided. Will-O-Wisp can also be used to more reliably spread burns to Pokemon like Tentacruel and Garchomp, and it synergizes well with Substitute and Protect for the same reasons as Toxic. Earth Power can be used over Toxic or Will-O-Wisp to punish opposing Heatran as well as wear Tentacruel down more quickly, although this means Heatran can't wear down other Pokemon as reliably.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment and 32 Special Defense EVs in tandem with a Calm nature make sure Rotom-W's Volt Switch does not break Heatran's Substitute, forcing Rotom-W to use Hydro Pump to break it and making Heatran adept at PP stalling Rotom-W. The rest of the EVs are used to outspeed Adamant Breloom. Leftovers helps Heatran recover health after using Substitute and works especially well in tandem with it and Protect.
Usage Tips
========
This Heatran is meant to punish standard sand teams by wearing them down while being tough to KO thanks to Substitute and Protect. Try to keep Heatran as healthy as possible so it can come in on what it checks and set up Substitute consistently. Be cautious about coming in directly on Pokemon Heatran checks that have options to punish it, like Ferrothorn and Amoonguss, as they can cripple Heatran on the switch with Knock Off and Stun Spore, respectively. Try to keep entry hazards off your side of the field if possible, as they hurt this set's longevity. Attempt to set up Substitute when given a free turn or on Pokemon that Heatran naturally beats, like Amoonguss and Jirachi, so it can more easily spread status and wear down the opposing team. Heatran can even set up Substitute on weaker Water-types like Jellicent, which can't break its Substitute in one hit. Use Toxic or Will-O-Wisp if behind a Substitute or predicting a switch to a check susceptible to it, mainly Water- and Ground-types. Lava Plume can be used if predicting a switch to a Pokemon immune to Toxic or as a catch-all play that's usually low-risk and high-reward, especially behind a Substitute. Protect should be used to scout Choice-locked attackers if Substitute isn't up, get free Leftovers recovery, and rack up more residual damage on the foe. Alongside Substitute, it also lets Heatran PP stall moves with low PP, most notably Rotom-W's Hydro Pump and Alakazam's Focus Blast; these attackers can't do anything of note to Heatran if they run out of their respective moves' PP.
Team Options
========
Tyranitar is a fantastic partner due to setting sand, which becomes incredibly suffocating alongside Heatran's methods of passive damage. Tyranitar also has the ability to set up Stealth Rock while also checking and potentially trapping Pokemon like Starmie and Tentacruel that Heatran can struggle with. Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Jellicent are good partners as well, as they can check opposing Water- and Ground-types such as Gliscor and Politoed as well as opposing Heatran, while Heatran checks most Grass-types like Amoonguss and Ferrothorn for them. They can even spread status themselves if Heatran lacks it. Entry hazard setters like Landorus-T, Ferrothorn, and Garchomp make good partners to punish the switches from the opposing team as much as possible. Pokemon that appreciate Heatran's ability to wear down, inflict status on, or outright beat bulkier Pokemon and match up well versus offense are good partners. Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Keldeo, and Garchomp pair well for this reason. Spinners like Excadrill and Starmie work well with Heatran, as their support makes it easier for Heatran to switch in and pressure their checks in return. Ground-types like Gliscor and Excadrill take advantage of Heatran wearing down and crippling their checks, namely Rotom-W and Jellicent, while providing utility in Taunt and Rapid Spin, respectively; Gliscor even switches into Fighting-types. Amoonguss and Breloom provide checks to Water- and Ground-types while appreciating Heatran handling and setting up on Steel- and Grass-types and wearing them down or potentially beating counters like Latios and Amoonguss. Latios can soft check Pokemon like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Politoed and appreciates Heatran's ability to put Tyranitar on a timer with Toxic and beat other Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
Choice Scarf is a decent option on sand teams to give Heatran a secondary form of speed control, but such a set is quickly worn down and these teams would usually prefer a bulkier set with more longevity. Choice Specs seems good on paper for wallbreaking; however, the moves this set locks into are usually extremely punishable; Heatran's defensive utility also decreases dramatically, and offensive sun teams, where this set shines best, aren't very optimal in the metagame. Such a set is also slow and easy to force out.
Checks and Counters
========
**Water-types**: Water-types like Tentacruel, Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Politoed all threaten Heatran with super effective moves and have the type advantage against it. Politoed, in particular, can summon rain to weaken Heatran's Fire-type moves while strengthening Water-type moves. However, all of these Pokemon can be worn down by status, residual damage from Magma Storm, and entry hazards over time.
**Ground-types**: Gliscor, Excadrill, Garchomp, and Landorus-T can all destroy Heatran with super effective STAB moves. They can even set up, or in Excadrill's case, spin away Stealth Rock as Heatran switches. However, Garchomp and Landorus-T hate Toxic, and all of them have a hard time against the Magma Storm set, since it wears them down. Heatran can even use Hidden Power Ice on the switch to take these Pokemon out.
**Certain Dragon-types**: Garchomp, Hydreigon, and Dragonite can beat Heatran by virtue of their higher Speed, Fire resistance, and super effective STAB or coverage moves that can take it out. These Dragon-types hate taking status and Hidden Power Ice, however, and are worn down relatively quickly.
**Chansey**: Chansey can take on Heatran thanks to Natural Cure removing poison, its special bulk letting it take all of Heatran's hits, and being able to heal with Soft-Boiled; it can also wear Heatran down with Seismic Toss, which can break a potential Substitute.
**Faster Threats**: Pokemon like Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Latios can potentially threaten Heatran and force it out. However, all of these Pokemon have a hard time switching in, and if Heatran is carrying Protect, it can scout the move they lock into if they're holding a Choice item.
**Fighting-types**: Pokemon like Mienshao, Terrakion, and especially Keldeo can hit Heatran very hard; the latter two can also take a few hits from it if need be. However, all of these Pokemon hate status and can be worn down by Heatran over time.
**Lure Sets**: Pokemon like Volcarona that Heatran would otherwise beat often run coverage moves like Hidden Power Ground to lure in and KO Heatran.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ophion, 443215]]
- Quality checked by: [[Mannat, 144451], [M Dragon, 21345]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073 ], [deetah, 297659]]
Heatran has amazing defensive utility thanks to its typing and Flash Fire, which make it immune to sandstorm, Toxic, and Fire-type attacks. These qualities let it check Steel- and Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Amoonguss, and Jirachi very well. Heatran also has great support options like Stealth Rock, Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Taunt that it can easily mix and match to effectively support its team, as its sets aren't very team dependent. Its offensive presence is also fantastic thanks to high-Base Power moves like Magma Storm and Earth Power, which let it punish and effectively wear down its checks such as Water-types, Garchomp, and Tyranitar. However, Heatran has a noticeable lack of recovery outside of Leftovers that makes it very vulnerable to entry hazards, which makes it more difficult to switch into and consistently check what it needs to. This problem is further compounded by the fact some Pokemon that Heatran can normally beat such as Volcarona run coverage specifically for it, which leaves it quite pressured. Another issue is that some of the best Pokemon in the metagame, including Excadrill, Garchomp, and especially Politoed, all threaten Heatran immensely.
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock / Taunt
move 2: Lava Plume
move 3: Roar / Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 248 SpD / 8 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heatran's typing and bulk let it set up Stealth Rock pretty easily against most bulky Pokemon. Lava Plume ensures Heatran isn't Taunt bait and gives it a spammable STAB move that has a good chance to burn potential switch-ins like Tentacruel and Garchomp. Roar lets Heatran phaze setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Calm Mind Jirachi, which it can struggle against under rain while also punishing the foe with more residual damage. Toxic lets Heatran cripple all its switch-ins except Tentacruel and Gliscor and synergizes well with Protect. Will-O-Wisp lets Heatran guarantee a burn on most of its switch-ins, namely Tentacruel, Latios, Tyranitar, and Garchomp, which makes it easier to wear them down. Protect lets Heatran scout Choice-locked Pokemon, recover health with Leftovers for free, and rack up residual damage. Taunt can be used over Stealth Rock, as it lets Heatran stop setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Jirachi, prevent entry hazards from Pokemon like Tyranitar, and deny use of healing moves from Pokemon like Reuniclus, Slowbro, and Slowking. However, this move is quite team specific and removes one of this set's greatest qualities in being a great Stealth Rock setter.
Set Details
========
8 Speed EVs let Heatran speed creep Poison Heal Breloom. Leftovers is Heatran's only form of recovery and works well with Protect.
Usage Tips
========
Try to keep Heatran as healthy as possible so it can switch into and wall what it needs to consistently. Be cautious about coming in directly on Pokemon Heatran appears to check, like Volcarona and Gengar, as they can punish it with super effective coverage. Try to keep entry hazards off your side off the field if possible, as they hurt Heatran's longevity and make it more difficult to switch into what it's supposed to. Set Stealth Rock up when given a free turn from a forced switch or a Pokemon Heatran walls to keep pressure on the opposing team. Use Toxic or Will-O-Wisp to cripple checks susceptible to it, mainly most Water- and Ground-types. If lacking Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, it isn't a bad idea to fish for a Lava Plume burn on the switch. Use Protect to scout Choice-locked attackers like Latios and Landorus-T, regain health from Leftovers, and potentially rack up more Toxic poison or sand damage on the foe. However, be cautious of using Protect against Pokemon that can take advantage of its use by setting up or healing. Avoid letting Heatran get paralyzed, as it will leave Heatran unable to check what it's supposed to, mainly Jirachi and Reuniclus.
Team Options
========
Water-types like Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Jellicent are good partners, as they can check opposing Water- and Ground-types as well as opposing Heatran and have good defensive synergy with Heatran. Pokemon that can set up Spikes make for good partners as well to punish switches from the opposing team as much as possible. Ferrothorn is a decent option, thanks to the fact that it's a good Water-type check, takes pressure off Heatran to switch into Pokemon like Latios, and can even provide Knock Off support. Tyranitar is a good partner due to it setting up sand while also checking and potentially trapping Pokemon like Jellicent, Tentacruel, and Starmie that Heatran can struggle with; this is appreciated especially for the latter two, as they can spin away the Stealth Rock Heatran sets up. Tyranitar not needing to run Stealth Rock also makes it easier to keep healthy, as it won’t need to take a hit to set them up and can instead run other sets like Choice Scarf more effectively. Amoonguss and Poison Heal Breloom provide a Water- and Ground-type check while appreciating Heatran switching into most Steel- and Dragon-types for them and setting up Stealth Rock. Excadrill and Gliscor are good partners, as they can provide Rapid Spin support and a switch into Fighting-types, respectively, while taking advantage of the poison and burn damage Heatran spreads with their own Protect. They can also spread Toxic poison in tandem with Heatran to force more residual damage on the foe. Spinners like Excadrill and Starmie work well with Heatran, as they have good offensive synergy with it and increase its longevity, making it easier to switch and pressure the opponent. Pokemon that appreciate Heatran's ability to set Stealth Rock and match up well against offense are good partners. Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Mienshao, and Keldeo pair well for this reason. Latios can soft check Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Politoed and appreciates Heatran's ability to poison or burn Tyranitar, putting it on a timer, and beat most Steel-types.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Magma Storm / Fire Blast
move 2: Protect
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers / Air Balloon
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Modest
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Magma Storm lets Heatran punish its switch-ins thanks to the trapping effect and residual damage. It's especially potent in tandem with sand. Fire Blast, on the other hand, is stronger and more accurate, which makes it more consistent. Protect lets Heatran scout Choice-locked attackers like Latios and Landorus-T, get free Leftovers recovery, and get more residual damage on foes with Magma Storm. Earth Power lets Heatran hit opposing Heatran, Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Tentacruel while giving it another attack to use should Heatran need to preserve Magma Storm's PP. Will-O-Wisp lets Heatran cripple switch-ins like Garchomp, Tyranitar, Politoed, and Tentacruel and wears them down much faster. Hidden Power Ice hits the Dragon- and Ground-types of the tier, mainly Latios, Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, hard on the switch. Taunt can be used over Protect to let Heatran defeat Chansey with Magma Storm and helps a lot against sun stall teams. However, this makes Heatran unable to rack up free residual damage or Leftovers recovery and leaves it unable to scout moves from Choice-locked attackers.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment lets Heatran outspeed Adamant Breloom, Modest Politoed, and most Rotom-W, as Rotom-W typically opts for a slower spread. Leftovers is Heatran's only form of recovery; it has an easy time recovering thanks to Protect, the many switches it forces, and its immunities to sand, poison, and burn damage. Air Balloon makes Heatran a solid offensive answer to most Dragon-types, mono-Earthquake Gliscor, and most opposing Heatran; it also lets Heatran stay in on Tyranitar, meaning you could burn and weaken it for teammates like Latios or Thundurus to take advantage of, and it makes Heatran immune to Spikes.
Usage Tips
========
Try to keep Heatran as healthy as possible so it can check what it needs to consistently, take a super effective hit in a pinch, and come in to pressure the opposing team more often. Be cautious about coming in directly on Pokemon Heatran checks that have options to punish it, namely Amoonguss, Ferrothorn, and Latios as they can use Stun Spore, Knock Off, and Surf or Trick respectively. Attempt to keep entry hazards off your side of the field if possible, as they hurt Heatran's longevity and make it more difficult to switch in. Try to get and keep your own entry hazards up as they make switching into Heatran even more punishing than it already is, especially if sand is up. If Heatran is running Hidden Power Ice, it can be used if predicting a switch to a Ground- or Dragon-type if it isn't too risky to do so in a given situation. Don't be afraid to throw out Magma Storm if given a free turn, as it punishes almost everything that comes in on Heatran. However, its low PP must be kept in mind. Use Protect to scout Choice-locked attackers like Latios and Landorus-T, regain health via Leftovers, and rack up more residual damage on the foe. However, be cautious of using Protect against Pokemon that can punish its use by setting up or healing. Avoid letting Heatran get paralyzed, as it will leave Heatran very vulnerable to Pokemon like Jirachi and Breloom that it could check otherwise. If Heatran has Will-O-Wisp, use it when predicting a switch to checks like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Tyranitar.
Team Options
========
Tyranitar is an excellent partner for this set due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock and sand while checking and potentially trapping Pokemon like Jellicent and Starmie that Heatran can struggle with. Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Jellicent are good partners as well, as they can check opposing Water- and Ground-types like Keldeo, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, while Heatran handles Grass- and Dragon-types like Amoonguss and Latios for them. They can even spread status, namely burn, to make Protect on Heatran more effective and switching into it harder. Pokemon that can set up entry hazards, like Tyranitar, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn make for good partners to punish the opposing team as much as possible. Pokemon like Tyranitar, Garchomp, and Ferrothorn are good options for this. Latios can soft check Pokemon like Keldeo, Gliscor, Rotom-W, and Politoed and appreciates Heatran's ability to weaken or cripple Tyranitar and beat most Steel-types, making Latios much more difficult to switch into. Amoonguss and Poison Heal Breloom have good offensive and defensive synergy with Heatran, as they can handle Water-types such as Politoed, Jellicent, and Keldeo. Ground-types like Gliscor and Excadrill take advantage of Heatran wearing down, crippling, or trapping their checks. Both of them can also spread Toxic, piling on the residual damage the foes have to take and suffocating them as a result. Pokemon that appreciate Heatran's balance breaking capabilities and match up well against offense are good partners. Choice Scarf users like Keldeo, Landorus-T, and Garchomp pair well with Heatran for this reason. Spinners like Excadrill and Starmie work well with Heatran, as they have good offensive synergy with it and improve its longevity, making it easier for Heatran to switch in and punish its foe.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Protect
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Protect
move 3: Lava Plume
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp / Earth Power
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 32 SpD / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute lets Heatran punish switches and take advantage of Pokemon that can't do much damage to it while making it easier for it to spread status. Protect lets Heatran scout Choice-locked Pokemon if it's not already behind a Substitute, get a free turn of Leftovers recovery, and rack up free poison and potentially sand damage in tandem with Substitute. Toxic allows Heatran to punish most of its switch-ins by putting them on a timer and synergizes well with Substitute and Protect because these moves make it easier to rack up free residual damage with the extra protection provided. Will-O-Wisp can also be used to more reliably spread burns to Pokemon like Tentacruel and Garchomp, and it synergizes well with Substitute and Protect for the same reasons as Toxic. Earth Power can be used over Toxic or Will-O-Wisp to punish opposing Heatran as well as wear Tentacruel down more quickly, although this means Heatran can't wear down other Pokemon as reliably.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment and 32 Special Defense EVs in tandem with a Calm nature make sure Rotom-W's Volt Switch does not break Heatran's Substitute, forcing Rotom-W to use Hydro Pump to break it and making Heatran adept at PP stalling Rotom-W. The rest of the EVs are used to outspeed Adamant Breloom. Leftovers helps Heatran recover health after using Substitute and works especially well in tandem with it and Protect.
Usage Tips
========
This Heatran is meant to punish standard sand teams by wearing them down while being tough to KO thanks to Substitute and Protect. Try to keep Heatran as healthy as possible so it can come in on what it checks and set up Substitute consistently. Be cautious about coming in directly on Pokemon Heatran checks that have options to punish it, like Ferrothorn and Amoonguss, as they can cripple Heatran on the switch with Knock Off and Stun Spore, respectively. Try to keep entry hazards off your side of the field if possible, as they hurt this set's longevity. Attempt to set up Substitute when given a free turn or on Pokemon that Heatran naturally beats, like Amoonguss and Jirachi, so it can more easily spread status and wear down the opposing team. Heatran can even set up Substitute on weaker Water-types like Jellicent, which can't break its Substitute in one hit. Use Toxic or Will-O-Wisp if behind a Substitute or predicting a switch to a check susceptible to it, mainly Water- and Ground-types. Lava Plume can be used if predicting a switch to a Pokemon immune to Toxic or as a catch-all play that's usually low-risk and high-reward, especially behind a Substitute. Protect should be used to scout Choice-locked attackers if Substitute isn't up, get free Leftovers recovery, and rack up more residual damage on the foe. Alongside Substitute, it also lets Heatran PP stall moves with low PP, most notably Rotom-W's Hydro Pump and Alakazam's Focus Blast; these attackers can't do anything of note to Heatran if they run out of their respective moves' PP.
Team Options
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Tyranitar is a fantastic partner due to setting sand, which becomes incredibly suffocating alongside Heatran's methods of passive damage. Tyranitar also has the ability to set up Stealth Rock while also checking and potentially trapping Pokemon like Starmie and Tentacruel that Heatran can struggle with. Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Jellicent are good partners as well, as they can check opposing Water- and Ground-types such as Gliscor and Politoed as well as opposing Heatran, while Heatran checks most Grass-types like Amoonguss and Ferrothorn for them. They can even spread status themselves if Heatran lacks it. Entry hazard setters like Landorus-T, Ferrothorn, and Garchomp make good partners to punish the switches from the opposing team as much as possible. Pokemon that appreciate Heatran's ability to wear down, inflict status on, or outright beat bulkier Pokemon and match up well versus offense are good partners. Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Keldeo, and Garchomp pair well for this reason. Spinners like Excadrill and Starmie work well with Heatran, as their support makes it easier for Heatran to switch in and pressure their checks in return. Ground-types like Gliscor and Excadrill take advantage of Heatran wearing down and crippling their checks, namely Rotom-W and Jellicent, while providing utility in Taunt and Rapid Spin, respectively; Gliscor even switches into Fighting-types. Amoonguss and Breloom provide checks to Water- and Ground-types while appreciating Heatran handling and setting up on Steel- and Grass-types and wearing them down or potentially beating counters like Latios and Amoonguss. Latios can soft check Pokemon like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Politoed and appreciates Heatran's ability to put Tyranitar on a timer with Toxic and beat other Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Choice Scarf is a decent option on sand teams to give Heatran a secondary form of speed control, but such a set is quickly worn down and these teams would usually prefer a bulkier set with more longevity. Choice Specs seems good on paper for wallbreaking; however, the moves this set locks into are usually extremely punishable; Heatran's defensive utility also decreases dramatically, and offensive sun teams, where this set shines best, aren't very optimal in the metagame. Such a set is also slow and easy to force out.
Checks and Counters
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**Water-types**: Water-types like Tentacruel, Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Politoed all threaten Heatran with super effective moves and have the type advantage against it. Politoed, in particular, can summon rain to weaken Heatran's Fire-type moves while strengthening Water-type moves. However, all of these Pokemon can be worn down by status, residual damage from Magma Storm, and entry hazards over time.
**Ground-types**: Gliscor, Excadrill, Garchomp, and Landorus-T can all destroy Heatran with super effective STAB moves. They can even set up, or in Excadrill's case, spin away Stealth Rock as Heatran switches. However, Garchomp and Landorus-T hate Toxic, and all of them have a hard time against the Magma Storm set, since it wears them down. Heatran can even use Hidden Power Ice on the switch to take these Pokemon out.
**Certain Dragon-types**: Garchomp, Hydreigon, and Dragonite can beat Heatran by virtue of their higher Speed, Fire resistance, and super effective STAB or coverage moves that can take it out. These Dragon-types hate taking status and Hidden Power Ice, however, and are worn down relatively quickly.
**Chansey**: Chansey can take on Heatran thanks to Natural Cure removing poison, its special bulk letting it take all of Heatran's hits, and being able to heal with Soft-Boiled; it can also wear Heatran down with Seismic Toss, which can break a potential Substitute.
**Faster Threats**: Pokemon like Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Latios can potentially threaten Heatran and force it out. However, all of these Pokemon have a hard time switching in, and if Heatran is carrying Protect, it can scout the move they lock into if they're holding a Choice item.
**Fighting-types**: Pokemon like Mienshao, Terrakion, and especially Keldeo can hit Heatran very hard; the latter two can also take a few hits from it if need be. However, all of these Pokemon hate status and can be worn down by Heatran over time.
**Lure Sets**: Pokemon like Volcarona that Heatran would otherwise beat often run coverage moves like Hidden Power Ground to lure in and KO Heatran.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ophion, 443215]]
- Quality checked by: [[Mannat, 144451], [M Dragon, 21345]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073 ], [deetah, 297659]]
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