[OVERVIEW]
Great natural bulk and a solid typing allow Incineroar to check top threats like Delphox, Houndoom, and Sneasel. A high Attack stat and nice STAB combination also allow it to hit typical Fire-type checks like Slowbro, Slowking, and Jellicent for super effective damage. While Incineroar's offensive movepool is not the largest, it has all the tools it needs to act as an effective pivot. However, Incineroar does possess a low Speed stat, which leaves it easily revenge killed by powerful offensive Pokemon like Hitmonlee and Medicham. Incineroar is also susceptible to all forms of entry hazards, in particular Stealth Rock, which hinders it greatly as a pivot.
[SET]
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Darkest Lariat
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Fake Out / Earthquake
item: Assault Vest
ability: Blaze
nature: Brave
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Darkest Lariat hits many typical bulky Water-types for super effective damage as well as hitting Ghost- and Psychic-types hard. Fire Blast is the preferred Fire-type STAB move, as its lack of recoil damage lets Incineroar last longer in the match to continuously check Pokemon like Sneasel and takes stress off hazard removal. U-turn helps Incineroar switch out against counters and gain momentum for the team. Fake Out helps rack up useful chip damage on the opposition and can KO severely weakened or frail foes in a pinch, such as Vivillon and Sceptile. However, Earthquake can be used over Fake Out to hit Rock-types that hope to check Incineroar and deals a large amount of damage to many of them bar Rhydon. It is also a quick way to dispose of Houndoom while threatening Emboar and opposing Incineroar.
Set Details
========
An Assault Vest heavily boosts Incineroar's Special Defense, allowing it to sponge hits from threatening special attackers. Maximum Attack investment ensures that Incineroar is as powerful as possible so it can OHKO non-Colbur Berry Meloetta and do as much damage to physically bulky targets like Slowbro with Darkest Lariat. Maximum HP investment helps Incineroar take less damage from the targets it's supposed to check, like Houndoom and Sneasel, so it can switch into them more consistently. No Special Attack investment is required, as Fire Blast scores the OHKO on most Pokemon it needs to, like Whimsicott and Sneasel, and others like Sceptile get put into KO range by Fake Out. A Brave nature is used to power up Incineroar's Attack while not hindering its Special Attack. A Brave nature also allows for a slower U-turn, which is nice for bringing in frailer teammates. Blaze, while somewhat situational, helps boost Fire Blast's power once Incineroar is low on health.
Usage Tips
========
Incineroar can typically switch into special attackers like Sceptile, Delphox, Mismagius, and Houndoom due to the boosted Special Defense from Assault Vest and its resistance to either both or one of their STAB moves. Incineroar can also switch into Sneasel by virtue of resisting its STAB combination and threatening it out with a Fire-type STAB move, although it doesn't particularly enjoy having its Assault Vest removed by Knock Off. Incineroar has to watch out for Focus Blast from Meloetta and Sceptile, the occasional Power Gem from Mismagius, and repeated attacks in general due to its lack of recovery. Once Incineroar is in against a Pokemon it has a favorable matchup against, either go for an attack if the opposition lacks switch-ins or U-turn out predicting the opponent to switch out to a counter. Tread carefully when entry hazards are still on your side of the field, as Incineroar wants to preserve as much health as possible to check these special attackers.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard removal is very important to help Incineroar perform its job as a pivot, as it will be switching in and out often into Pokemon like Sneasel and Houndoom. Pokemon like Golbat, Hitmontop, and Hitmonlee all have fairly good synergy with Incineroar, which even helps the latter two deal with Ghost-types. Wish support from Pokemon such as Aromatisse and Vaporeon is also highly appreciated, as it relieves pressure off hazard removal and mitigates Incineroar's susceptibility to entry hazards. Grass-types such as Rotom-C, Sceptile, Lilligant, and Vileplume that can deal with Rock- and Water-types are also highly appreciated. Vileplume in particular covers Incineroar's Fighting and Water weaknesses, and Incineroar is able to help with Vileplume's Psychic, Ice, and Fire weaknesses in return. Pokemon that resist or are immune to Fighting-type attacks like Golbat and the aformentioned Vileplume are also useful. Frail wallbreakers like Hitmonlee, Sceptile, Medicham, and Sneasel appreciate the slow U-turn Incineroar provides. Other Pokemon that use U-turn or Volt Switch like Rotom-C and Scyther are great partners as well, as they help form a VoltTurn core that capitalises on the momentum that Incineroar provides.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Flare Blitz may seem like a good option on the Assault Vest set; however, it inflicts recoil on Incineroar, which is extremely unattractive because Incineroar is already a pivot susceptible to entry hazards. Choice Band Incineroar may initially seem worthwhile and can be quite powerful in its own right, but it is almost completely outclassed by Emboar due to its Stealth Rock weakness and weaker STAB attacks. Choice Scarf can also be used with a Jolly nature to get a surprise revenge kill on Virizion, although this set is once again outclassed by Emboar. A Swords Dance set consisting of Swords Dance / Darkest Lariat / Flare Blitz / Earthquake with Incinium Z can be used to surprise traditional checks and counters like Gastrodon, Seismitoad, and Vaporeon by being able to hit them with a powerful Swords Dance-boosted attack while dealing a large amount of damage to Quagsire thanks to the massive power of the Z-Move. Will-O-Wisp can be used on some sort of support set; however, this prevents Incineroar from using Assault Vest, reducing its ability to pivot into Pokemon like Houndoom.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water-types**: While Incineroar can beat Slowking, Slowbro, and Jellicent, it struggles against other Water-types such as Seismitoad, Gastrodon, Vaporeon, Quagsire, and the occasional Pyukumuku, which can either hit it with super effective STAB attacks or use Toxic to threaten other responses.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee, Passimian, Medicham, Hariyama, and Machamp are able to OHKO Incineroar with their STAB moves, and for the most part can easily switch into Darkest Lariat. Hariyama in particular doesn't even fear a Fire-type STAB move by virtue of Thick Fat.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types, especially physically bulky ones like Rhydon, can easily come in on Incineroar and threaten it out. They do, however, have to be wary of getting chipped away by Earthquake or letting Incineroar use U-turn on their switch.
**Entry Hazards**: Hazards chip away at Incineroar each time it switches in, which, coupled with its Stealth Rock weakness and vulnerability to Spikes, makes it difficult to pivot around during the game.
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