Lucariojr, myself, and others worked on this in private until we were happy with it. Consider this QC 2/2 and ready to move directly to Copyediting
Overview
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An incredible typing sporting a slew of useful resistances, good base stats, with mediocre Speed being its only downfall, and a powerful STAB spread attack in the form of Heat Wave all make Heatran a nice answer to many of VGC's best Pokemon. Heatran's weaknesses to Ground, Fighting, and Water are problematic, but are really all that challenge Heatran. If the foe can't hit Heatran for super effective damage, chances are it can't touch it.
Special Attacker
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name: Special Attacker
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Substitute / Flash Cannon / Taunt
move 4: Protect
ability: Flash Fire
item: Leftovers / Shuca Berry
evs: 180 HP / 252 SpA / 72 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Heat Wave is a great STAB spread move, and Earth Power is Heatran's best coverage option. Heatran causes a lot of switches, so setting up a Substitute while the foe switches to a Heatran answer can be extremely rewarding. Flash Cannon is viable due to the abundance of Fairy-types that Heatran deals with nicely. Taunt shuts down foes' support options, such as Tailwind and Trick Room. Protect prevents Heatran from being double targeted and allows it to guard itself while a teammate deals with a threat to Heatran.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Heatran to outspeed uninvested Rotom-A. Maximum investment in Special Attack ensures that Heatran can dish out powerful hits, and the leftover EVs go in HP. Rotom-A often run Speed creep EVs, so it's recommended you transfer some investment from HP to Speed to outrun it. However, Heatran's EV spread is very flexible; feel free to rearrange them to better suit what your team needs. 204 Speed EVs with a Modest nature allow Heatran to outrun max Speed Adamant Bisharp and KO it with Heat Wave. If you want Heatran to outrun Jolly Bisharp, it should use the same investment with a Timid nature. Heatran's resistances and access to Substitute make it a good Leftovers user. A Shuca Berry will let Heatran live an Adamant Choice Scarf Landorus-T's Earthquake once, though Heatran won't be able to create a Substitute afterwords without more defensive investment.
Usage Tips
========
Heatran is a Pokemon of extremes, as foes generally either can destroy Heatran or can't touch it. The general course of action for using Heatran is to switch it in when it can wall or isn't threatened by either opposing Pokemon, then set up a Substitute and start using Heat Wave.
Team Options
========
Heatran loathes Landorus-T and Rotom-W and appreciates partners that can deal with them. A partner Rotom-W is a great answer to Landorus-T. A core of Rotom-W and Heatran is hard to break, though other Water-types such as Suicune for its Tailwind support, Gastrodon for its Storm Drain support, and Swampert for its Wide Guard support are also useful. Amoonguss can deal with Rotom-W and redirect single target super effective hits. Offensively, Heatran forms a dangerous pair with most specially oriented Dragon-types, such as Hydreigon, Mega Salamence, and Latios. Heatran often gives more team support than it receives, and is generally great to add to your team whenever you need a Pokemon that resists Dragon, Fire, or Fairy.
Other Options
########
Hidden Power Grass and Ice allow Heatran to target and deal solid damage to Water-types and Dragon-types, respectfully which it normally has trouble beating. However a Hidden Power is generally not worth a slot over Earth Power or Substitute. Overheat can be used over either Heat Wave or any of the moves in the third slot. Ancient Power lets Heatran take on Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, and Rotom-H, but it's very weak and not too useful outside of those targets. Chople Berry is nice for sponging powerful Fighting-type attacks, but VGC 2015 doesn't see too many of them. Choice items are somewhat viable, but Heatran faces stiff competition as a Choice user from Rotom-H, which has mostly better coverage options. Also, most Trick Room sets Heatran could run in previous years are now better done by Mega Camerupt.
Checks & Counters
########
**Strong STAB Earthquakes**: Landorus-T, Garchomp, and other STAB Earthquake users are trouble for Heatran. Other Earthquake users are also problematic, but Heatran can usually survive most weaker Earthquakes.
**Strong Fighting-type Attacks**: Terrakion's Close Combat destroys Heatran. Hariyama's Close Combat does the job too, and Hariyama can also run Thick Fat to sponge Heat Waves. Mega Kangaskhan gets a mention as well, as its Low Kick and Drain Punch can break Heatran's Substitute and hit Heatran directly.
**Rotom-W**: All Heatran can use to touch Rotom-W is a weak Hidden Power Grass. In return, Rotom-W can take Heat Waves just fine and Hydro Pump Heatran for the KO.
**Rotom-H**: Rotom-H walls Heatran and can hit it with a moderately powerful Thunderbolt. Other Ground-immune Fire-types can wall Heatran as well, but most of them can't do anything back.
Overview
########
An incredible typing sporting a slew of useful resistances, good base stats, with mediocre Speed being its only downfall, and a powerful STAB spread attack in the form of Heat Wave all make Heatran a nice answer to many of VGC's best Pokemon. Heatran's weaknesses to Ground, Fighting, and Water are problematic, but are really all that challenge Heatran. If the foe can't hit Heatran for super effective damage, chances are it can't touch it.
Special Attacker
########
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Substitute / Flash Cannon / Taunt
move 4: Protect
ability: Flash Fire
item: Leftovers / Shuca Berry
evs: 180 HP / 252 SpA / 72 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Heat Wave is a great STAB spread move, and Earth Power is Heatran's best coverage option. Heatran causes a lot of switches, so setting up a Substitute while the foe switches to a Heatran answer can be extremely rewarding. Flash Cannon is viable due to the abundance of Fairy-types that Heatran deals with nicely. Taunt shuts down foes' support options, such as Tailwind and Trick Room. Protect prevents Heatran from being double targeted and allows it to guard itself while a teammate deals with a threat to Heatran.
Set Details
========
The given Speed EVs allow Heatran to outspeed uninvested Rotom-A. Maximum investment in Special Attack ensures that Heatran can dish out powerful hits, and the leftover EVs go in HP. Rotom-A often run Speed creep EVs, so it's recommended you transfer some investment from HP to Speed to outrun it. However, Heatran's EV spread is very flexible; feel free to rearrange them to better suit what your team needs. 204 Speed EVs with a Modest nature allow Heatran to outrun max Speed Adamant Bisharp and KO it with Heat Wave. If you want Heatran to outrun Jolly Bisharp, it should use the same investment with a Timid nature. Heatran's resistances and access to Substitute make it a good Leftovers user. A Shuca Berry will let Heatran live an Adamant Choice Scarf Landorus-T's Earthquake once, though Heatran won't be able to create a Substitute afterwords without more defensive investment.
Usage Tips
========
Heatran is a Pokemon of extremes, as foes generally either can destroy Heatran or can't touch it. The general course of action for using Heatran is to switch it in when it can wall or isn't threatened by either opposing Pokemon, then set up a Substitute and start using Heat Wave.
Team Options
========
Heatran loathes Landorus-T and Rotom-W and appreciates partners that can deal with them. A partner Rotom-W is a great answer to Landorus-T. A core of Rotom-W and Heatran is hard to break, though other Water-types such as Suicune for its Tailwind support, Gastrodon for its Storm Drain support, and Swampert for its Wide Guard support are also useful. Amoonguss can deal with Rotom-W and redirect single target super effective hits. Offensively, Heatran forms a dangerous pair with most specially oriented Dragon-types, such as Hydreigon, Mega Salamence, and Latios. Heatran often gives more team support than it receives, and is generally great to add to your team whenever you need a Pokemon that resists Dragon, Fire, or Fairy.
Other Options
########
Hidden Power Grass and Ice allow Heatran to target and deal solid damage to Water-types and Dragon-types, respectfully which it normally has trouble beating. However a Hidden Power is generally not worth a slot over Earth Power or Substitute. Overheat can be used over either Heat Wave or any of the moves in the third slot. Ancient Power lets Heatran take on Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, and Rotom-H, but it's very weak and not too useful outside of those targets. Chople Berry is nice for sponging powerful Fighting-type attacks, but VGC 2015 doesn't see too many of them. Choice items are somewhat viable, but Heatran faces stiff competition as a Choice user from Rotom-H, which has mostly better coverage options. Also, most Trick Room sets Heatran could run in previous years are now better done by Mega Camerupt.
Checks & Counters
########
**Strong STAB Earthquakes**: Landorus-T, Garchomp, and other STAB Earthquake users are trouble for Heatran. Other Earthquake users are also problematic, but Heatran can usually survive most weaker Earthquakes.
**Strong Fighting-type Attacks**: Terrakion's Close Combat destroys Heatran. Hariyama's Close Combat does the job too, and Hariyama can also run Thick Fat to sponge Heat Waves. Mega Kangaskhan gets a mention as well, as its Low Kick and Drain Punch can break Heatran's Substitute and hit Heatran directly.
**Rotom-W**: All Heatran can use to touch Rotom-W is a weak Hidden Power Grass. In return, Rotom-W can take Heat Waves just fine and Hydro Pump Heatran for the KO.
**Rotom-H**: Rotom-H walls Heatran and can hit it with a moderately powerful Thunderbolt. Other Ground-immune Fire-types can wall Heatran as well, but most of them can't do anything back.
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