[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 13-14 points
**Overview**: Heatran is a versatile threat in Draft, possessing an auspicious typing and stat spread that allow it to be a bulwark with an offensive presence. Its movepool contributes to this, with great utility in Stealth Rock and Taunt along with potent offensive tools in Magma Storm and Z-Crystals, overall making it adept at supporting its team well while forcing progress on the opponent's team. Despite its positive traits however, Heatran's bulk is often let down by the fact most foes can simply equip the 4x effective Hidden Power Ground or Earthquake to pick it off; additionally, its lack of healing moves makes its longevity suspect as a defensive wall. Its offensive opportunities can also be wasted at times due to Magma Storm's frustrating accuracy.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Utility Wall**: Given its typing and stats, Heatran naturally can become a central defensive piece capable of supporting its team through setting up Stealth Rock and chipping down opposing Pokemon with Magma Storm and Toxic. With Taunt, it can also shut down opposing walls and potentially pick them off if they are trapped in without the use of their healing moves.
**Offensive Tank**: With offensive investment and a damage-boosting item, Heatran can directly make progress itself by firing off powerful Fire-type STAB moves and other coverage while still possessing its defensive traits and utility moves to give it more variety in its use. These sets in particular enjoy the use of Z-Crystals to immediately break through defensive answers, especially Grassium Z, which allows it to break through Water-types that otherwise wall it.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Magma Storm, Flash Cannon, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Lava Plume, Overheat
**Setup Moves**: Flame Charge
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Toxic, Protect, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, Roar
**Coverage**: Earth Power, Solar Beam, Hidden Power, Dragon Pulse, Dark Pulse, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
Niche Moves
========
**Eruption**: Eruption is mostly limited to Choice Scarf sets, since they appreciate the power and accuracy while enabling Heatran to outspeed faster threats before they can weaken Eruption. Due to in-game compatibility however, Eruption forces the use of a Quiet nature, meaning only foes up to a base Speed of 105 will be outpaced by Choice Scarf Heatran.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers gives Heatran the longevity it needs in games where it sticks around as a defensive piece, and it is also a good pairing with Protect to freely rack up extra healing and potential chip damage on the opponent.
**Z-Crystals**: Heatran can effectively use Z-Crystals to muscle through a defensive check with immediate use. Most frequently, Firium Z and Steelium Z will be used for maximum damage, with the former also letting Heatran use its most powerful Fire-type moves without the drawback of accuracy, while other Z-Crystals like Grassium Z and Groundium Z can nuke resists to Heatran’s STAB moves.
**Resistance Berries**: The Shuca, Chople, and Passho Berries can be used for Heatran to tank through super effective hits and fire back with an offensive move or set up Stealth Rock.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting items**: Items like Charcoal and Choice Specs bolster Heatran's already great damage output, letting it more easily overwhelm defensive switch-ins.
**Air Balloon**: The ubiquity of Ground-type coverage used specifically for Heatran means Air Balloon can let it initially wall out certain foes before it's popped.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf turns Heatran into a decent revenge killer by patching up its normally disappointing Speed, giving it the ability to unexpectedly outrun and take out unboosted offensive threats.
**Power Herb**: Power Herb is used to give the one-time immediate use to Solar Beam when Heatran is not a Z-Captain.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet is a good option for Heatran to absorb and punish opposing uses of U-Turn and Knock Off.
**Assault Vest*: Against especially powerful special threats, Assault Vest can be an option for Heatran to maximize its special bulk and absorb their attacks.
Draft Strategy
========
Heatran's toolset of defensive traits, useful utility, and potent offense often makes it a good addition to most teams it finds itself on. However, its low Speed, lack of reliable recovery, and common weaknesses mean it requires a well-thought out team to cover its shortcomings and capitalize on the opportunities it generates. In general, Heatran pairs well with defensive allies that have synergistic types and offensive Pokemon that appreciate the targets it is capable of softening.
**Ground-resistant Allies**: Heatran is often targeted by Ground-type moves tacked on to specifically dispatch it, so it appreciates allies that can be used to scout and tank such attacks. Flying- and Grass types like Landorus-T, Serperior, and Zapdos in particular synergize well with Heatran typing-wise. Other teammates with 4x weaknesses can force foes to choose between Hidden Power types as well.
**Fast Cleaners**: With its disruptive utility and trapping options, Heatran makes it easier for fast offensive teammates like Greninja and Tornadus-T to break through worn-down defensive answers and take over the rest of the game.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Enemy hazards can greatly cut into Heatran's longevity due to it lacking the means to reliably heal off the chip damage, so teammates like Zapdos and Blastoise are appreciated to remove them off the field. Heatran also appreciates being paired with other Pokemon capable of setting Stealth Rock like Uxie and Garchomp so that it can pass off hazard duties when it needs a vital moveslot.
**Water-type Answers**: Water-types most frequently switch in on Heatran, as they can defensively check it outside of Solar Beam or Bloom Doom, so reliable answers to them like Tapu Koko and Rotom-W ensure that Heatran can perform its role without fearing them switching in.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-type moves**: Heatran's resistance-laden typing comes at the cost of a ruinous 4x weakness to Ground, meaning most foes will use common moves like Hidden Power Ground and Earthquake to cut through its usually good bulk. While this forced moveslot can be a boon for the team, scouting for their use is vital to make sure Heatran is not picked off by surprise early.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types like Rotom-W and Toxapex typically do not fear Heatran's offensive arsenal thanks to their resistance to both of its STAB moves and indifference to its typical coverage, and many can freely use Substitute on the anticipated switch. However, these Pokemon must still be wary of a one-time use of Solar Beam or a Z-Move, while move options like Magma Storm, Taunt, and Stealth Rock make multiple encounters with Heatran potentially debilitating.
**Chip Damage**: Heatran's longevity can sometimes be let down by a lack of reliable healing outside of the gradual Leftovers, meaning longer games can overextend its longevity in the face of entry hazards and multiple strong attacks from the likes of Tapu Koko and Blacephalon.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 13-14 points
**Overview**: Heatran is a versatile threat in Draft, possessing an auspicious typing and stat spread that allow it to be a bulwark with an offensive presence. Its movepool contributes to this, with great utility in Stealth Rock and Taunt along with potent offensive tools in Magma Storm and Z-Crystals, overall making it adept at supporting its team well while forcing progress on the opponent's team. Despite its positive traits however, Heatran's bulk is often let down by the fact most foes can simply equip the 4x effective Hidden Power Ground or Earthquake to pick it off; additionally, its lack of healing moves makes its longevity suspect as a defensive wall. Its offensive opportunities can also be wasted at times due to Magma Storm's frustrating accuracy.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Utility Wall**: Given its typing and stats, Heatran naturally can become a central defensive piece capable of supporting its team through setting up Stealth Rock and chipping down opposing Pokemon with Magma Storm and Toxic. With Taunt, it can also shut down opposing walls and potentially pick them off if they are trapped in without the use of their healing moves.
**Offensive Tank**: With offensive investment and a damage-boosting item, Heatran can directly make progress itself by firing off powerful Fire-type STAB moves and other coverage while still possessing its defensive traits and utility moves to give it more variety in its use. These sets in particular enjoy the use of Z-Crystals to immediately break through defensive answers, especially Grassium Z, which allows it to break through Water-types that otherwise wall it.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Magma Storm, Flash Cannon, Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Lava Plume, Overheat
**Setup Moves**: Flame Charge
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Toxic, Protect, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, Roar
**Coverage**: Earth Power, Solar Beam, Hidden Power, Dragon Pulse, Dark Pulse, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
Niche Moves
========
**Eruption**: Eruption is mostly limited to Choice Scarf sets, since they appreciate the power and accuracy while enabling Heatran to outspeed faster threats before they can weaken Eruption. Due to in-game compatibility however, Eruption forces the use of a Quiet nature, meaning only foes up to a base Speed of 105 will be outpaced by Choice Scarf Heatran.
Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers gives Heatran the longevity it needs in games where it sticks around as a defensive piece, and it is also a good pairing with Protect to freely rack up extra healing and potential chip damage on the opponent.
**Z-Crystals**: Heatran can effectively use Z-Crystals to muscle through a defensive check with immediate use. Most frequently, Firium Z and Steelium Z will be used for maximum damage, with the former also letting Heatran use its most powerful Fire-type moves without the drawback of accuracy, while other Z-Crystals like Grassium Z and Groundium Z can nuke resists to Heatran’s STAB moves.
**Resistance Berries**: The Shuca, Chople, and Passho Berries can be used for Heatran to tank through super effective hits and fire back with an offensive move or set up Stealth Rock.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting items**: Items like Charcoal and Choice Specs bolster Heatran's already great damage output, letting it more easily overwhelm defensive switch-ins.
**Air Balloon**: The ubiquity of Ground-type coverage used specifically for Heatran means Air Balloon can let it initially wall out certain foes before it's popped.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf turns Heatran into a decent revenge killer by patching up its normally disappointing Speed, giving it the ability to unexpectedly outrun and take out unboosted offensive threats.
**Power Herb**: Power Herb is used to give the one-time immediate use to Solar Beam when Heatran is not a Z-Captain.
**Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet is a good option for Heatran to absorb and punish opposing uses of U-Turn and Knock Off.
**Assault Vest*: Against especially powerful special threats, Assault Vest can be an option for Heatran to maximize its special bulk and absorb their attacks.
Draft Strategy
========
Heatran's toolset of defensive traits, useful utility, and potent offense often makes it a good addition to most teams it finds itself on. However, its low Speed, lack of reliable recovery, and common weaknesses mean it requires a well-thought out team to cover its shortcomings and capitalize on the opportunities it generates. In general, Heatran pairs well with defensive allies that have synergistic types and offensive Pokemon that appreciate the targets it is capable of softening.
**Ground-resistant Allies**: Heatran is often targeted by Ground-type moves tacked on to specifically dispatch it, so it appreciates allies that can be used to scout and tank such attacks. Flying- and Grass types like Landorus-T, Serperior, and Zapdos in particular synergize well with Heatran typing-wise. Other teammates with 4x weaknesses can force foes to choose between Hidden Power types as well.
**Fast Cleaners**: With its disruptive utility and trapping options, Heatran makes it easier for fast offensive teammates like Greninja and Tornadus-T to break through worn-down defensive answers and take over the rest of the game.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Enemy hazards can greatly cut into Heatran's longevity due to it lacking the means to reliably heal off the chip damage, so teammates like Zapdos and Blastoise are appreciated to remove them off the field. Heatran also appreciates being paired with other Pokemon capable of setting Stealth Rock like Uxie and Garchomp so that it can pass off hazard duties when it needs a vital moveslot.
**Water-type Answers**: Water-types most frequently switch in on Heatran, as they can defensively check it outside of Solar Beam or Bloom Doom, so reliable answers to them like Tapu Koko and Rotom-W ensure that Heatran can perform its role without fearing them switching in.
Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-type moves**: Heatran's resistance-laden typing comes at the cost of a ruinous 4x weakness to Ground, meaning most foes will use common moves like Hidden Power Ground and Earthquake to cut through its usually good bulk. While this forced moveslot can be a boon for the team, scouting for their use is vital to make sure Heatran is not picked off by surprise early.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types like Rotom-W and Toxapex typically do not fear Heatran's offensive arsenal thanks to their resistance to both of its STAB moves and indifference to its typical coverage, and many can freely use Substitute on the anticipated switch. However, these Pokemon must still be wary of a one-time use of Solar Beam or a Z-Move, while move options like Magma Storm, Taunt, and Stealth Rock make multiple encounters with Heatran potentially debilitating.
**Chip Damage**: Heatran's longevity can sometimes be let down by a lack of reliable healing outside of the gradual Leftovers, meaning longer games can overextend its longevity in the face of entry hazards and multiple strong attacks from the likes of Tapu Koko and Blacephalon.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
