[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to Incineroar's great Attack, incredibly wide movepool containing many support and coverage options, and ability Intimidate, it is a very flexible Pokemon in the NU metagame, being able to function as either a potent wallbreaker or a useful pivot. High base Attack and wide coverage make Incineroar one of NU's most potent offensive threats, which is only boosted by its access to the exclusive Z-Move Malicious Moonsault, which lets it OHKO nearly any Pokemon that doesn't resist it after a Swords Dance boost. A good defensive typing and great defensive stats combined with Intimidate mean that Incineroar has the natural bulk to take on Fire-, Ice-, and Dark-types. Intimidate also allows it to function as a very useful pivot, increasing its physical bulk, and helping it to support its team. However, a weakness to passive damage and no recovery moves means that it is easily worn down, which, combined with its low Speed stat, leaves it easily revenge killed.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Darkest Lariat / Knock Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Flare Blitz
item: Incinium Z / Groundium Z / Firium Z
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Incineroar to increase its impressive Attack to even higher levels, making it incredibly hard to wall. Darkest Lariat is a very reliable move and can be boosted by Incinium Z to become a very powerful nuke. Knock Off hits harder than Darkest Lariat if the enemy has an item but cannot be boosted by Incinium Z and does lackluster damage if the foe does not have an item to be removed. Earthquake hits Diancie and Rhydon for super effective damage and hits Guzzlord for respectable damage, allowing Incineroar to eliminate them after a Swords Dance boost if they are slightly worn down. Flare Blitz is Incineroar's hardest-hitting move in general, 2HKOing Passimian unboosted.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and maximum Speed EVs allow Incineroar to hit as hard as possible while outspeeding most of NU's defensive Pokemon, including Blastoise and Diancie. A Jolly nature allows Incineroar to outspeed uninvested base 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Silvally-Steel, as well as positive Speed nature base 50 Pokemon, such as Timid Diancie and Scrafty. Alternatively, an Adamant nature allows Incineroar to 2HKO Quagsire with the combination of Darkest Lariant and Malicious Moonsault but leaves it outsped by Scrafty. Intimidate allows Incineroar to reduce an enemy's Attack upon switching in, providing it with an opportunity to set up while taking less damage. Incinium Z turns Darkest Lariat into Malicious Moonsault, a 195-Base Power attack that can generally KO or heavily dent any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Groundium Z lets Incineroar OHKO Pokemon that resist its Dark-type attacks, such as Hariyama, Guzzlord, and Diancie after a Swords Dance, as well as OHKOing Pokemon such as Rhydon, which can normally take a Malicious Moonsault. Firium Z allows Incineroar to OHKO Passimian on the switch; however, its usage must be timed extremely well.
Usage Tips
========
Even unboosted Incineroar hits very hard, so it is often helpful to throw out strong attacks early-game. Flare Blitz can 2HKO Passimian unboosted, so it is often useful to use it if you expect Passimian to switch in, as removing Passimian means Incineroar is significantly harder to revenge kill. If Incineroar needs to set up Swords Dance to break the opponent's team, its HP must be preserved, so avoid switching it into unnecessary attacks. As Incineroar cannot typically break past its checks, such as Rhydon and Quagsire, without significant prior damage or a Z-Move, time its Z-Move usage very carefully.
Team Options
========
As Incineroar is often walled or revenge killed by Fighting-types, Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Slowbro and Garbodor are incredibly helpful. Entry hazard removal makes it significantly easier to use Incineroar, so partners such as Blastoise and Rotom are appreciated. Pokemon that can take on Ground-types for Incineroar such as Slowbro, Rotom, and Decidueye are also ideal partners. Pokemon such as Houndoom and Braviary that appreciate Incineroar's ability to weaken enemy Rock-types are often good partners. Given Incineroar's prominent weakness to Water, Pokemon that can handle Water-type moves such as Vaporeon and Sceptile can be great partners. Intimidate can be used as a last-ditch effort to weaken a foe that Incineroar's team can't otherwise take on, so letting Incineroar be KOed to get an Intimidate off can occasionally be justified.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: U-Turn
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Will-O-Wisp
item: Iapapa Berry
ability: Intimidate
nature: Sassy
evs: 248 HP / 132 Def / 128 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off lets Incineroar remove items from enemies and also deals respectable damage, being especially useful against Pokemon such as Rhydon. U-turn combined with Incineroar's low Speed stat allows it to pivot out of bad matchups and bring in teammates without them taking damage. Fire Blast takes advantage of Steelix and Passimian's lower Special Defense, 2HKOing the former outright and 2HKOing the latter after Stealth Rock most of the time. Earthquake is Incineroar's strongest attack against opposing Incineroar and Diancie, which would otherwise be difficult to damage. Alternatively, Will-O-Wisp lets Incineroar support its team by crippling switch-ins such as Passimian and Rhydon. Fire Punch can be used with full Attack investment to OHKO Vanilluxe at the cost of significant bulk.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs maximize Incineroar's HP while minimizing Stealth Rock damage. 128 Special Defense EVs and a Sassy nature mean that Incineroar does not get 2HKOed by Blizzard from enemy Vanilluxe after Stealth Rock and hail, allowing it to use its Iapapa Berry to restore Incineroar's HP. Intimidate minimizes the damage Incineroar takes when switching into physical attackers, increasing its survivability. 132 Defense EVs minimize any physical damage Incineroar takes, letting it switch into enemy Pokemon such as Sneasel with less risk. Iapapa Berry restores 50% of Incineroar's HP when it is low and gives it a substantial increase in bulk. Thanks to Incineroar's weakness to passive damage, the Berry's effect often comes into play.
Usage Tips
========
This set functions primarily as a pivot and, as such, Incineroar should aim to come in on attacks it takes little damage from and either throw off a safe attack or U-turn out, bringing a teammate in. Will-O-Wisp should be used when expecting a physical attacker to switch in that threatens Incineroar out, such as Rhydon or Passimian. Knock Off is generally a fairly safe move to use and can be thrown out without much risk if the opponent doesn't have a clear play. Stealth Rock and other forms of passive damage can be taken advantage of to guarantee that Incineroar consumes its Iapapa Berry, but in general, Incineroar's teammates should keep the field clear of hazards. Using Intimidate to reduce a foe's Attack and then using U-turn to switch out to an appropriate teammate is often a good strategy to help wall an opposing Pokemon and reduce the damage Incineroar's team takes. Incineroar can often freely U-turn out against enemies it expects to switch out, such as Decidueye and Rotom, giving its team momentum. Intimidate can be used as a last-ditch effort to weaken a foe that Incineroar's team can't otherwise take on, so letting Incineroar be KOed to get an Intimidate off can occasionally be justified.
Team Options
========
As Fighting-types resist Incineroar's safest move in Knock Off, having a Pokemon that resists Fighting such as Slowbro or Garbodor is very helpful. U-turn and Volt Switch users can capitalize on Incineroar's usage of U-turn to continuously put the opponent into a disadvantageous position. Entry hazard removal makes it significantly easier to use Incineroar, allowing it to pivot with more freedom, so partners such as Blastoise and Rotom are great. Incineroar appreciates friendly Ground-resistant Pokemon or Pokemon that can otherwise take Ground-type attacks such as Slowbro, Rotom, and Whimsicott. Given Incineroar's prominent weakness to Water-type attacks, partners such as Vaporeon and Sceptile can be effective. Wallbreakers such as Vanilluxe and Medicham appreciate Incineroar's slow U-turn, allowing them to come in with significantly less risk.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set of Bulk Up / Power Trip / Drain Punch / Flame Charge with Weakness Policy turns Incineroar into a very terrifying sweeper when used with dual screens support, but it is very high risk, is quite vulnerable without dual screens, and is fairly easily worn down. This set can additionally use Rest instead of Drain Punch to improve its matchup against stall teams at the cost of flexibility. Taunt allows Incineroar to bypass Pyukumuku and generally improves its matchup against stall, but giving up a valuable coverage move allows foes such as Passimian and Diancie to come in for little risk. Flame Charge can be used on the Swords Dance set to give Incineroar a significantly better matchup against offensive teams at the cost of useful coverage or Flare Blitz. Assault Vest offers a very large increase in special bulk and will always work against enemy attacks, as opposed to the artificial increase in bulk that Iapapa Berry provides, but leaves Incineroar significantly more vulnerable to passive damage due to a lack of healing. Rest and Sleep Talk can be used with Bulk Up and a move of choice, such as Power Trip, to turn Incineroar into a late-game sweeper; however, the lack of utility early-game and the reliance on a singular attack make this set unreliable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon such as Diancie and Rhydon generally can take a hit from Incineroar and threaten it back with super effective attacks and threaten to set up Stealth Rock, which severely limits Incineroar's lifespan. Aerodactyl cannot switch in as safely but threatens to easily OHKO Incineroar with a Stone Edge.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Passimian and Hariyama take little damage from Incineroar's Dark-type attacks while having the speed and bulk, respectively, to KO it in return. Hariyama in particular fears little except a Tectonic Rage thanks to Thick Fat letting it resist Flare Blitz and threatens it back with Close Combat or Toxic.
**Faster Pokemon**: Thanks to Incineroar's low Speed, Pokemon such as Passimian, Sceptile, and Heliolisk can generally revenge kill it if it is missing much HP.
**Entry Hazards**: Incineroar takes very heavy damage from Stealth Rock, which is only compounded further if Spikes are set up, and this damage limits its switch-in and setup opportunities.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Vaporeon can threaten Incineroar with a STAB Scald, while Incineroar is forced to use its Z-Move to KO them, with the pivot set not being able to KO them. Slowbro is weak to Incineroar's Dark-type attacks, but with a Colbur Berry, it generally has the bulk to threaten it.
Thanks to Incineroar's great Attack, incredibly wide movepool containing many support and coverage options, and ability Intimidate, it is a very flexible Pokemon in the NU metagame, being able to function as either a potent wallbreaker or a useful pivot. High base Attack and wide coverage make Incineroar one of NU's most potent offensive threats, which is only boosted by its access to the exclusive Z-Move Malicious Moonsault, which lets it OHKO nearly any Pokemon that doesn't resist it after a Swords Dance boost. A good defensive typing and great defensive stats combined with Intimidate mean that Incineroar has the natural bulk to take on Fire-, Ice-, and Dark-types. Intimidate also allows it to function as a very useful pivot, increasing its physical bulk, and helping it to support its team. However, a weakness to passive damage and no recovery moves means that it is easily worn down, which, combined with its low Speed stat, leaves it easily revenge killed.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Darkest Lariat / Knock Off
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Flare Blitz
item: Incinium Z / Groundium Z / Firium Z
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Incineroar to increase its impressive Attack to even higher levels, making it incredibly hard to wall. Darkest Lariat is a very reliable move and can be boosted by Incinium Z to become a very powerful nuke. Knock Off hits harder than Darkest Lariat if the enemy has an item but cannot be boosted by Incinium Z and does lackluster damage if the foe does not have an item to be removed. Earthquake hits Diancie and Rhydon for super effective damage and hits Guzzlord for respectable damage, allowing Incineroar to eliminate them after a Swords Dance boost if they are slightly worn down. Flare Blitz is Incineroar's hardest-hitting move in general, 2HKOing Passimian unboosted.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and maximum Speed EVs allow Incineroar to hit as hard as possible while outspeeding most of NU's defensive Pokemon, including Blastoise and Diancie. A Jolly nature allows Incineroar to outspeed uninvested base 95 Speed Pokemon, such as Silvally-Steel, as well as positive Speed nature base 50 Pokemon, such as Timid Diancie and Scrafty. Alternatively, an Adamant nature allows Incineroar to 2HKO Quagsire with the combination of Darkest Lariant and Malicious Moonsault but leaves it outsped by Scrafty. Intimidate allows Incineroar to reduce an enemy's Attack upon switching in, providing it with an opportunity to set up while taking less damage. Incinium Z turns Darkest Lariat into Malicious Moonsault, a 195-Base Power attack that can generally KO or heavily dent any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Groundium Z lets Incineroar OHKO Pokemon that resist its Dark-type attacks, such as Hariyama, Guzzlord, and Diancie after a Swords Dance, as well as OHKOing Pokemon such as Rhydon, which can normally take a Malicious Moonsault. Firium Z allows Incineroar to OHKO Passimian on the switch; however, its usage must be timed extremely well.
Usage Tips
========
Even unboosted Incineroar hits very hard, so it is often helpful to throw out strong attacks early-game. Flare Blitz can 2HKO Passimian unboosted, so it is often useful to use it if you expect Passimian to switch in, as removing Passimian means Incineroar is significantly harder to revenge kill. If Incineroar needs to set up Swords Dance to break the opponent's team, its HP must be preserved, so avoid switching it into unnecessary attacks. As Incineroar cannot typically break past its checks, such as Rhydon and Quagsire, without significant prior damage or a Z-Move, time its Z-Move usage very carefully.
Team Options
========
As Incineroar is often walled or revenge killed by Fighting-types, Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Slowbro and Garbodor are incredibly helpful. Entry hazard removal makes it significantly easier to use Incineroar, so partners such as Blastoise and Rotom are appreciated. Pokemon that can take on Ground-types for Incineroar such as Slowbro, Rotom, and Decidueye are also ideal partners. Pokemon such as Houndoom and Braviary that appreciate Incineroar's ability to weaken enemy Rock-types are often good partners. Given Incineroar's prominent weakness to Water, Pokemon that can handle Water-type moves such as Vaporeon and Sceptile can be great partners. Intimidate can be used as a last-ditch effort to weaken a foe that Incineroar's team can't otherwise take on, so letting Incineroar be KOed to get an Intimidate off can occasionally be justified.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: U-Turn
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Will-O-Wisp
item: Iapapa Berry
ability: Intimidate
nature: Sassy
evs: 248 HP / 132 Def / 128 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off lets Incineroar remove items from enemies and also deals respectable damage, being especially useful against Pokemon such as Rhydon. U-turn combined with Incineroar's low Speed stat allows it to pivot out of bad matchups and bring in teammates without them taking damage. Fire Blast takes advantage of Steelix and Passimian's lower Special Defense, 2HKOing the former outright and 2HKOing the latter after Stealth Rock most of the time. Earthquake is Incineroar's strongest attack against opposing Incineroar and Diancie, which would otherwise be difficult to damage. Alternatively, Will-O-Wisp lets Incineroar support its team by crippling switch-ins such as Passimian and Rhydon. Fire Punch can be used with full Attack investment to OHKO Vanilluxe at the cost of significant bulk.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs maximize Incineroar's HP while minimizing Stealth Rock damage. 128 Special Defense EVs and a Sassy nature mean that Incineroar does not get 2HKOed by Blizzard from enemy Vanilluxe after Stealth Rock and hail, allowing it to use its Iapapa Berry to restore Incineroar's HP. Intimidate minimizes the damage Incineroar takes when switching into physical attackers, increasing its survivability. 132 Defense EVs minimize any physical damage Incineroar takes, letting it switch into enemy Pokemon such as Sneasel with less risk. Iapapa Berry restores 50% of Incineroar's HP when it is low and gives it a substantial increase in bulk. Thanks to Incineroar's weakness to passive damage, the Berry's effect often comes into play.
Usage Tips
========
This set functions primarily as a pivot and, as such, Incineroar should aim to come in on attacks it takes little damage from and either throw off a safe attack or U-turn out, bringing a teammate in. Will-O-Wisp should be used when expecting a physical attacker to switch in that threatens Incineroar out, such as Rhydon or Passimian. Knock Off is generally a fairly safe move to use and can be thrown out without much risk if the opponent doesn't have a clear play. Stealth Rock and other forms of passive damage can be taken advantage of to guarantee that Incineroar consumes its Iapapa Berry, but in general, Incineroar's teammates should keep the field clear of hazards. Using Intimidate to reduce a foe's Attack and then using U-turn to switch out to an appropriate teammate is often a good strategy to help wall an opposing Pokemon and reduce the damage Incineroar's team takes. Incineroar can often freely U-turn out against enemies it expects to switch out, such as Decidueye and Rotom, giving its team momentum. Intimidate can be used as a last-ditch effort to weaken a foe that Incineroar's team can't otherwise take on, so letting Incineroar be KOed to get an Intimidate off can occasionally be justified.
Team Options
========
As Fighting-types resist Incineroar's safest move in Knock Off, having a Pokemon that resists Fighting such as Slowbro or Garbodor is very helpful. U-turn and Volt Switch users can capitalize on Incineroar's usage of U-turn to continuously put the opponent into a disadvantageous position. Entry hazard removal makes it significantly easier to use Incineroar, allowing it to pivot with more freedom, so partners such as Blastoise and Rotom are great. Incineroar appreciates friendly Ground-resistant Pokemon or Pokemon that can otherwise take Ground-type attacks such as Slowbro, Rotom, and Whimsicott. Given Incineroar's prominent weakness to Water-type attacks, partners such as Vaporeon and Sceptile can be effective. Wallbreakers such as Vanilluxe and Medicham appreciate Incineroar's slow U-turn, allowing them to come in with significantly less risk.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set of Bulk Up / Power Trip / Drain Punch / Flame Charge with Weakness Policy turns Incineroar into a very terrifying sweeper when used with dual screens support, but it is very high risk, is quite vulnerable without dual screens, and is fairly easily worn down. This set can additionally use Rest instead of Drain Punch to improve its matchup against stall teams at the cost of flexibility. Taunt allows Incineroar to bypass Pyukumuku and generally improves its matchup against stall, but giving up a valuable coverage move allows foes such as Passimian and Diancie to come in for little risk. Flame Charge can be used on the Swords Dance set to give Incineroar a significantly better matchup against offensive teams at the cost of useful coverage or Flare Blitz. Assault Vest offers a very large increase in special bulk and will always work against enemy attacks, as opposed to the artificial increase in bulk that Iapapa Berry provides, but leaves Incineroar significantly more vulnerable to passive damage due to a lack of healing. Rest and Sleep Talk can be used with Bulk Up and a move of choice, such as Power Trip, to turn Incineroar into a late-game sweeper; however, the lack of utility early-game and the reliance on a singular attack make this set unreliable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types**: Rock-type Pokemon such as Diancie and Rhydon generally can take a hit from Incineroar and threaten it back with super effective attacks and threaten to set up Stealth Rock, which severely limits Incineroar's lifespan. Aerodactyl cannot switch in as safely but threatens to easily OHKO Incineroar with a Stone Edge.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Passimian and Hariyama take little damage from Incineroar's Dark-type attacks while having the speed and bulk, respectively, to KO it in return. Hariyama in particular fears little except a Tectonic Rage thanks to Thick Fat letting it resist Flare Blitz and threatens it back with Close Combat or Toxic.
**Faster Pokemon**: Thanks to Incineroar's low Speed, Pokemon such as Passimian, Sceptile, and Heliolisk can generally revenge kill it if it is missing much HP.
**Entry Hazards**: Incineroar takes very heavy damage from Stealth Rock, which is only compounded further if Spikes are set up, and this damage limits its switch-in and setup opportunities.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Vaporeon can threaten Incineroar with a STAB Scald, while Incineroar is forced to use its Z-Move to KO them, with the pivot set not being able to KO them. Slowbro is weak to Incineroar's Dark-type attacks, but with a Colbur Berry, it generally has the bulk to threaten it.
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