Talk to the (elbow)!
[Overview]
<p>One of the most prolific Pokemon in the tier, Magmortar is incredibly powerful, dangerous, and eager to burn off the faces of its opponents. Base 125 Special Attack, an excellent offensive typing, and a vast array of coverage moves allow it to threaten almost any team with its staggering offensive capabilities. Although it faces competition from rivals such as Charizard and Emboar, it lacks the former's crippling 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and has much better Speed than the latter, making it the easiest Fire-type Pokemon to use in general. Magmortar is one of the best wallbreakers in the tier and can give stall teams a lot of issues; even bulky Pokemon that resist Fire Blast, such as Quagsire, can be 2HKOed, and almost anything that isn't can be taken down with a coverage move fairly easily. Its Vital Spirit ability makes Magmortar even harder to deal with, as it can switch into sleep-inducing moves from a plethora of Grass-type Pokemon with impunity and proceed to throw out powerful Fire Blasts for free. Of course, Magmortar isn't limited to wallbreaking either; with a Choice Scarf equipped or Flame Charge in its moveset, it can outspeed and KO almost the entire unboosted tier, forcing opponents to go on the defensive.</p>
<p>Despite Magmortar's amazing attributes, it's not invincible. Its low Defense stat and slightly disappointing base 83 Speed leave it easily revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Swellow, Sawk, and Cinccino, as well as priority users such as Absol, Skuntank, and Samurott, and limit its ability to sweep entire teams without support. Furthermore, while it can defeat almost any opponent one-on-one, it can't use all of its coverage options at once, and can thus be walled by specific Pokemon depending on its choice of moves. Nonetheless, if you include responses to Magmortar's few counters and potential revenge killers on your team, it will devastate enemies with its potent arsenal of attacks, incinerating them until nothing remains.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Timid
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Choice Specs equipped, Magmortar can break through almost any wall in the tier with the correct move. Fire Blast OHKOes decently bulky foes such as offensive Gardevoir after Stealth Rock damage, and 2HKOes even resistant targets such as Quagsire and Samurott. Furthermore, Choice Specs Magmortar can threaten Water- and Rock-types with a powerful Thunderbolt or Focus Blast, respectively, as the appropriate move OHKOes Alomomola, Samurott, and Regirock. On the other hand, Choice Scarf Magmortar can outspeed all bar other Choice Scarf users while still retaining significant power, and it can act as a revenge killer instead of a wallbreaker. Even boosted opponents such as Dragon Dance Altaria will fail to outspeed it unless they can secure multiple Speed boosts. As neither of the Choice items cause recoil, Magmortar is free to switch in multiple times during the match to fire off repeated, powerful hits that can either break down defensive cores or clean up sweepers, depending on its choice of item.</p>
<p>Fire Blast is the STAB attack of choice, as the extra power helps Choice Scarf Magmortar secure OHKOs on offensive Pokemon more easily, and it lets Choice Specs Magmortar 2HKO even the bulkiest of targets. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt and Focus Blast provide excellent coverage and let Magmortar hit the Water- and Rock-type Pokemon that might normally be able to survive Magmortar's wrath; the latter also deals with bulky Normal-type Pokemon such as Lickilicky and Thick Fat Miltank more effectively. The remaining moveslot is used to deal with specific threats that can otherwise wall Magmortar; Hidden Power Ice defeats Altaria, which can otherwise tank its attacks and set up Dragon Dances, while Hidden Power Grass lets Magmortar OHKO Quagsire and Golem reliably. Bear in mind that these moves have low power against most other opponents, so only use them when you need to secure the specific KO your chosen move achieves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is straightforward: maximum Special Attack increases the amount of damage that Magmortar deals, the given Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow it to outspeed all Pokemon with base 80 Speed, and the remaining EVs are added to HP for slightly more bulk. A Modest nature gives the Choice Scarf set more power and will still allow it to outspeed Swellow, but it allows boosting opponents, such as Adamant Rock Polish Torterra and Jolly Dragon Dance Altaria, to outspeed Magmortar after their respective boosts, and is therefore less viable overall. The Choice Specs set secures a few more KOs with it (for instance, the 2HKO on offensive Altaria with Fire Blast), but similar damage output can be ensured just by providing Stealth Rock support, and Magmortar generally prefers to outspeed as many opponents as it can.</p>
<p>Magmortar can make good use of its most powerful STAB attack, Overheat, on a Choice set, as frequent switching will mitigate the Special Attack drop. However, the power increase isn't remarkable, and although it might help the Choice Scarf set secure a few more OHKOs, it lacks the ability to 2HKO bulky switch-ins that Fire Blast retains. While it's initially more powerful and accurate than Fire Blast, it also lets more opponents switch in and set up on Magmortar, and prevents Magmortar from sweeping as effectively late-game. Likewise, Flamethrower finds use due to its perfect accuracy; while the power drop is significant, it prevents Magmortar from missing against crucial targets and still hits decently hard, especially with a Choice Specs boost. Hidden Power Water is another option in the last moveslot, as is Magmortar's only way of getting past Camerupt and Flareon, and still OHKOes Golem if Sturdy has been broken. However, as Altaria and Quagsire are more common, the listed Hidden Power types are generally more useful.</p>
<p>Regardless of Magmortar's chosen item, it highly appreciates entry hazard support to help secure KOs. The Choice Specs set can use the extra damage to punish walls as they switch in, while the residual damage allows the Choice Scarf set to KO opponents despite its lower overall power. Golem and Torterra are good choices to set up Stealth Rock, as they can also punish special walls with powerful Earthquakes while simultaneously keeping Rock-types and Flash Fire Pokemon at bay. Rapid Spin users are extremely useful as well, as they allow Magmortar to switch into battle more often and continue to maintain offensive momentum; Cryogonal achieves this while defeating specially based Altaria, and Armaldo can also set up Stealth Rock to further support Magmortar's sweeping abilities. Finally, as Magmortar can only pack three coverage moves at a time, its teammates should patch up the holes in its coverage; for example, if Choice Scarf Magmortar runs Hidden Power Ice, a Grass-type Pokemon, such as Vileplume, should be used to deal with Quagsire.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt / Leftovers
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Timid
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Magmortar can use an all-out attacking set to threaten teams with its excellent coverage. This set can be extremely hard to deal with, as opponents cannot rely on switching Pokemon resistant to Fire-type moves into Fire Blast to check Magmortar; most of them are swiftly dealt with via Thunderbolt, Focus Blast, or Hidden Power on the subsequent turn. This places incredible offensive pressure on opponents, forcing them to either play defensive mind games or sacrifice a Pokemon so that a revenge killer can enter the battle. Overall, Magmortar's combination of sky-high Special Attack, access to Thunderbolt to hit Water-type Pokemon, and usable Speed stat make an all-out-attacking set extremely potent.</p>
<p>The moveset achieves the best coverage within the tier, and Magmortar is able to take better advantage of its coverage with the ability to switch moves. Substitute is a noteworthy option in the final moveslot; it comes in particularly handy against defensive opponents such as Tangela, who cannot touch Magmortar, or as a defense against revenge killers such as Sucker Punch Absol. Once Magmortar is behind a Substitute, it can release a volley of Fire Blasts without harm until the opponent breaks the Substitute, in the process blowing massive holes in the opposing team if it lacks a Flash Fire Pokemon. However, it's important not to use Substitute too early against opponents that can easily break it, as it is just a waste of HP, reveals your strategy, and makes Magmortar easier to play around.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread maximizes Magmortar's Special Attack and allows it to outrun base 80 Speed Pokemon. It's highly advised not to run a Modest nature when using this set, as Magmortar will otherwise be outsped by Jolly Altaria, Adamant Sawk, and other targets that it would normally be able to defeat, which would make it less effective as an offensive Pokemon. Furthermore, a Modest nature doesn't secure any notable KOs that a Timid one can't achieve, so it's an inferior choice overall. Fire Blast is the STAB move of choice due to the power it provides, but Flamethrower is a perfectly good alternative if you care more about missing a target than missing a KO. Magmortar can afford to use more specific niche moves to deal with specific targets; specifically, Earthquake and Hidden Power Water are both viable options in the last moveslot to deal with opposing Fire-type Pokemon. While Earthquake hits opponents such as Flareon, Lampent and opposing Magmortar for massive damage due to their low Defense stats, Hidden Power Water still 2HKOes all of them with Stealth Rock damage and a Life Orb, is more effective at breaking through Camerupt, and guarantees a consistent hit on Golem. Mach Punch is also worth consideration, as it allows Magmortar to bypass Sucker Punch users such as Absol and Skuntank, avoid taking damage, and 2HKO the former. In addition, it allows Magmortar to deal with fast, frail revenge killers that are weak to the move, such as offensive Cryogonal, Cinccino, and the rare Sneasel. When using physical moves, it's best to use a Naive or Hasty nature to avoid decreasing Magmortar's decent base 95 Attack stat unnecessarily.</p>
<p>A Life Orb increases Magmortar's damage output the most consistently, but the recoil it inflicts can wear Magmortar down quickly, especially in conjunction with Stealth Rock damage. An Expert Belt not only removes this recoil, but also lets Magmortar bluff a Choice item, making it more capable of luring in and removing opponents such as Altaria and Quagsire. It also increases the odds of using Substitute successfully against Sucker Punch users, as they are far more likely to use the move if they assume you're Choice-locked. However, as it only boosts the damage of super effective hits, it can leave the power of Magmortar's STAB move against neutral targets somewhat underwhelming. If you're using Substitute, Leftovers is also a good option, as it heals Magmortar over time and lets it make more Substitutes when necessary. While the lack of power is unfortunate, Leftovers gives Magmortar a better chance of cleaning up weakened teams late-game, where residual damage is enough to secure the required OHKOs.</p>
<p>Because of the extra residual damage Magmortar can take from Life Orb recoil, Rapid Spin support is extremely useful for removing Stealth Rock and letting Magmortar switch in and attack more often. Cryogonal can fill this role effectively; it can also use Toxic on the few opponents that Magmortar can't break through with its selected coverage moves, and Ice Beam to deal with Altaria if Magmortar lacks Hidden Power Ice. Likewise, if Magmortar is using an Expert Belt, then providing Stealth Rock support is useful for supplementing its Fire Blasts against neutral targets. Probopass and Regirock can both set up Stealth Rock while using Thunder Wave on faster Pokemon, which lets Magmortar clean them up later. If Magmortar elects to use Earthquake, then packing teammates to deal with Altaria and Quagsire, such as Bastiodon and Amoonguss, respectively, is recommended. Substitute + Swords Dance Lickilicky is another noteworthy Pokemon to use against Altaria and Quagsire, as its Substitutes aren't broken by their STAB attacks, and it can maul them both with Return and Power Whip, respectively. As Magmortar can deal with Sucker Punch users with Substitute or Mach Punch, you can also run frail sweepers, such as Haunter and Cinccino, who appreciate the removal of these threats.</p>
[SET]
name: Flame Charge
move 1: Flame Charge
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Focus Blast / Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Naive / Hasty
evs: 48 Atk / 228 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Flame Charge, Magmortar has an option for boosting its Speed without resorting to a Choice Scarf, to gain both the Speed and the access to its coverage moves that it needs to sweep late-game. With a combination of both a Life Orb boost and the ability to outspeed even Swellow, this set can become extremely dangerous if it finds the opportunity to secure a boost. While Flame Charge is admittedly weak, it isn't completely useless; with the given EV investment, it can OHKO standard Cryogonal without any residual damage, as well as 2HKO frail opponents such as Cacturne, Pinsir, Haunter, and Kadabra, who might attempt to set up on Magmortar. Due to its 100% accuracy, it's also a great attack for finishing off severely weakened opponents while scoring a free Speed boost in the process. Fire Blast is the most useful STAB attack due to its excellent power, while Thunderbolt and Focus Blast deal with Water- and Rock-type Pokemon that might attempt to block Magmortar's sweep. If you want to make sure that Flash Fire Pokemon such as Flareon and Rapidash don't interrupt Magmortar's sweep, Earthquake can be used to eliminate them decisively. It also deals decent damage to Camerupt, which can otherwise force Magmortar out.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Although the investment in Attack and Attack-neutral nature might seem frivolous, they guarantee the OHKO on 252/0 Cryogonal when Stealth Rock isn't on the field. However, if you can provide Magmortar with reliable Stealth Rock support, then feel free to use an EV spread of 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe with a Timid nature. While a Naive nature makes Magmortar less able to switch into the special Fire-, Grass-, and Ice-type attacks it resists, a Hasty nature increases the amount of damage Magmortar takes from physical priority attacks. If Magmortar is running Earthquake, then it should run an Attack-neutral nature to ensure that it can reliably OHKO opponents such as Flareon and Lampent, which have somewhat decent physical bulk after investment. Magmortar can also run a bulkier EV spread with investment in HP or Defense, as this allows it to switch in more easily and set up multiple boosts. Likewise, a Rash or Mild nature can be used to increase Magmortar's attacking power while still outspeeding Swellow at +1. However, in both of these circumstances, Magmortar will need to use Flame Charge twice before it can deal with Choice Scarf users, which is often a luxury it can't afford.</p>
<p>Hidden Power can be used in the last slot to deal with specific threats, but this leaves Magmortar vulnerable to Rock-types such as Regirock, which can easily force Magmortar out and either set up Stealth Rock or use Thunder Wave to paralyze the switch-in. Likewise, Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if you want a more accurate main sweeping move. As this Magmortar set gives up a coverage move for Flame Charge, it is even more reliant on its teammates. Grass-type Pokemon, such as Ludicolo and Sawsbuck, can easily switch into Quagsire and set up on it, while Regice can deal with most Altaria with ease. Hazard support can also help Magmortar secure KOs more easily late-game; Omanyte is able to provide both Stealth Rock and Spikes while also dealing with most Rock-types with ease. This set appreciates dual screens support from Pokemon such as Gardevoir and Serperior, as it gives Magmortar more opportunities to set up, and makes it harder to revenge kill with priority attacks.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Overall, Vital Spirit is the best ability to use on Magmortar, as it allows Magmortar to more consistently switch into Grass-type Pokemon such as Exeggutor, Tangela, and Vileplume. However, Flame Body is also an interesting option, as its ability to burn opponents that attempt to revenge kill Magmortar, such as Samurott, Absol, and Skuntank, can make them setup fodder for another sweeper on your team, such as Gorebyss or Raichu. However, it doesn't activate when the opponent uses either Stone Edge or Earthquake; this, combined with its mere 30% activation chance, makes it a risky option. Charcoal can be used instead of an Expert Belt to ensure that Magmortar's Fire Blasts are consistently powerful while still not causing any recoil damage, but Magmortar's coverage moves become weaker against targets such as Lickilicky. Air Balloon is also an option to switch Magmortar into Ground-type Pokemon more easily.</p>
<p>Magmortar has access to plenty of other attacking options that it can use against specific threats. Contrary to popular belief, Psychic doesn't hit any of its targets harder than STAB Fire Blast, and as such should only ever be considered when Magmortar is using Flamethrower. Even then, it's only really useful against specially bulky opponents such as Throh and Muk, which aren't used enough to warrant running the move. While Cross Chop and Focus Punch see a lot of use in the upper tiers for dealing with Munchlax, Chansey, and Snorlax, they largely aren't required in NU, as most Normal-type Pokemon, including Lickilicky and Audino, are hit equally hard by Focus Blast. Magmortar can use other physical attacks such as Flare Blitz and ThunderPunch, but Emboar outclasses Magmortar entirely as a physical attacker due to its better physical movepool, stats, and typing. While Belly Drum might be tempting in combination with Flame Charge, Magmortar is easily walled with only two coverage moves, and Sucker Punch users deal with the set far too easily.</p>
<p>Will-O-Wisp can be used over Hidden Power to burn targets such as Quagsire and Altaria instead of KOing them outright, but Magmortar isn't a great user of the move due to its low Speed and poor ability to take physical attacks even from burned opponents. Similarly, Magmortar can use Lava Plume as an alternative STAB option or over Hidden Power to both spread burns and still deal decent damage, but it's generally not as useful as Flamethrower as an auxiliary STAB move due to its lower Base Power. Taunt can prevent walls from healing off residual damage, providing cleric support to their teammates, or attempting to paralyze Magmortar before being 2HKOed. Finally, Sunny Day powers up Magmortar's Fire Blast to ridiculous levels, and also lets it use SolarBeam. While Magmortar is an absolute force to be reckoned with under sunny conditions, Charizard and Rapidash can pull off the set more effectively due to their immunities and higher Speed stats.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>With Magmortar's incredible power, coverage, and versatility of roles, only one Pokemon can boast the ability to check it under all circumstances: Grumpig. Specially defensive Grumpig isn't even 3HKOed by Choice Specs Fire Blast, laughs at any other attack, and can either whittle Magmortar down with Psyshock or use Thunder Wave to paralyze it or the switch-in. Even Hidden Power Dark, the pinnacle of desperation, fails to 2HKO it with Stealth Rock damage. However, as Grumpig lacks recovery of its own, it's best used in combination with Wish users such as Alomomola and Lickilicky to ensure it can continue to switch into Magmortar throughout long matches. Keeping Stealth Rock on the opponent's side of the field can help to deal with Magmortar; this stacks up residual damage and prevents Magmortar from continually switching into battle to fire off Fire Blasts.</p>
<p>If Magmortar lacks Hidden Power Grass, Quagsire and Seismitoad can switch into it and force it out fairly reliably, and the latter can set up Rain Dance and potentially sweep. However, Choice Specs Fire Blast will 2HKO both of these threats, so make sure not to switch them into Magmortar directly if you know it's running Choice Specs. Likewise, if Magmortar lacks Hidden Power Ice, Dragon-types such as Altaria, Dragonair, Shelgon, and Fraxure can switch into Fire Blasts and set up Dragon Dances, but the latter three need to be using Eviolite to switch into the Choice Specs set reliably, and the former must run bulk to avoid being 2HKOed. Flash Fire Pokemon, such as Flareon, Lampent, and Rapidash, can switch into Fire Blasts with ease, and the former two aren't troubled by any of Magmortar's moves other than the rare Earthquake. Overall, the Choice Specs set provides defensive opponents with the most problems; less powerful sets can be checked much more efficiently by the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>
<p>Thankfully, it's much easier to respond to Magmortar with offensive threats than with defensive ones. Although they can't switch into it directly, fast physical attackers, such as Cinccino, Tauros, and Swellow, can revenge kill Magmortar with ease; special attackers such as Haunter and Raichu can also do this, but they might need hazard support to secure OHKOs due to Magmortar's solid Special Defense. Choice Scarf users such as Sawk and Braviary can also outspeed and OHKO Magmortar with relative ease, should they be able to enter combat somehow. Priority attackers such as Skuntank, Absol, Samurott, and even Golem can also revenge kill Magmortar effectively, although Sucker Punch users must be played carefully, as Substitute or Mach Punch variants can get around them.</p>
Okay, this is done then. :D
[Overview]
<p>One of the most prolific Pokemon in the tier, Magmortar is incredibly powerful, dangerous, and eager to burn off the faces of its opponents. Base 125 Special Attack, an excellent offensive typing, and a vast array of coverage moves allow it to threaten almost any team with its staggering offensive capabilities. Although it faces competition from rivals such as Charizard and Emboar, it lacks the former's crippling 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and has much better Speed than the latter, making it the easiest Fire-type Pokemon to use in general. Magmortar is one of the best wallbreakers in the tier and can give stall teams a lot of issues; even bulky Pokemon that resist Fire Blast, such as Quagsire, can be 2HKOed, and almost anything that isn't can be taken down with a coverage move fairly easily. Its Vital Spirit ability makes Magmortar even harder to deal with, as it can switch into sleep-inducing moves from a plethora of Grass-type Pokemon with impunity and proceed to throw out powerful Fire Blasts for free. Of course, Magmortar isn't limited to wallbreaking either; with a Choice Scarf equipped or Flame Charge in its moveset, it can outspeed and KO almost the entire unboosted tier, forcing opponents to go on the defensive.</p>
<p>Despite Magmortar's amazing attributes, it's not invincible. Its low Defense stat and slightly disappointing base 83 Speed leave it easily revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Swellow, Sawk, and Cinccino, as well as priority users such as Absol, Skuntank, and Samurott, and limit its ability to sweep entire teams without support. Furthermore, while it can defeat almost any opponent one-on-one, it can't use all of its coverage options at once, and can thus be walled by specific Pokemon depending on its choice of moves. Nonetheless, if you include responses to Magmortar's few counters and potential revenge killers on your team, it will devastate enemies with its potent arsenal of attacks, incinerating them until nothing remains.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Timid
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Choice Specs equipped, Magmortar can break through almost any wall in the tier with the correct move. Fire Blast OHKOes decently bulky foes such as offensive Gardevoir after Stealth Rock damage, and 2HKOes even resistant targets such as Quagsire and Samurott. Furthermore, Choice Specs Magmortar can threaten Water- and Rock-types with a powerful Thunderbolt or Focus Blast, respectively, as the appropriate move OHKOes Alomomola, Samurott, and Regirock. On the other hand, Choice Scarf Magmortar can outspeed all bar other Choice Scarf users while still retaining significant power, and it can act as a revenge killer instead of a wallbreaker. Even boosted opponents such as Dragon Dance Altaria will fail to outspeed it unless they can secure multiple Speed boosts. As neither of the Choice items cause recoil, Magmortar is free to switch in multiple times during the match to fire off repeated, powerful hits that can either break down defensive cores or clean up sweepers, depending on its choice of item.</p>
<p>Fire Blast is the STAB attack of choice, as the extra power helps Choice Scarf Magmortar secure OHKOs on offensive Pokemon more easily, and it lets Choice Specs Magmortar 2HKO even the bulkiest of targets. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt and Focus Blast provide excellent coverage and let Magmortar hit the Water- and Rock-type Pokemon that might normally be able to survive Magmortar's wrath; the latter also deals with bulky Normal-type Pokemon such as Lickilicky and Thick Fat Miltank more effectively. The remaining moveslot is used to deal with specific threats that can otherwise wall Magmortar; Hidden Power Ice defeats Altaria, which can otherwise tank its attacks and set up Dragon Dances, while Hidden Power Grass lets Magmortar OHKO Quagsire and Golem reliably. Bear in mind that these moves have low power against most other opponents, so only use them when you need to secure the specific KO your chosen move achieves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is straightforward: maximum Special Attack increases the amount of damage that Magmortar deals, the given Speed EVs and a Timid nature allow it to outspeed all Pokemon with base 80 Speed, and the remaining EVs are added to HP for slightly more bulk. A Modest nature gives the Choice Scarf set more power and will still allow it to outspeed Swellow, but it allows boosting opponents, such as Adamant Rock Polish Torterra and Jolly Dragon Dance Altaria, to outspeed Magmortar after their respective boosts, and is therefore less viable overall. The Choice Specs set secures a few more KOs with it (for instance, the 2HKO on offensive Altaria with Fire Blast), but similar damage output can be ensured just by providing Stealth Rock support, and Magmortar generally prefers to outspeed as many opponents as it can.</p>
<p>Magmortar can make good use of its most powerful STAB attack, Overheat, on a Choice set, as frequent switching will mitigate the Special Attack drop. However, the power increase isn't remarkable, and although it might help the Choice Scarf set secure a few more OHKOs, it lacks the ability to 2HKO bulky switch-ins that Fire Blast retains. While it's initially more powerful and accurate than Fire Blast, it also lets more opponents switch in and set up on Magmortar, and prevents Magmortar from sweeping as effectively late-game. Likewise, Flamethrower finds use due to its perfect accuracy; while the power drop is significant, it prevents Magmortar from missing against crucial targets and still hits decently hard, especially with a Choice Specs boost. Hidden Power Water is another option in the last moveslot, as is Magmortar's only way of getting past Camerupt and Flareon, and still OHKOes Golem if Sturdy has been broken. However, as Altaria and Quagsire are more common, the listed Hidden Power types are generally more useful.</p>
<p>Regardless of Magmortar's chosen item, it highly appreciates entry hazard support to help secure KOs. The Choice Specs set can use the extra damage to punish walls as they switch in, while the residual damage allows the Choice Scarf set to KO opponents despite its lower overall power. Golem and Torterra are good choices to set up Stealth Rock, as they can also punish special walls with powerful Earthquakes while simultaneously keeping Rock-types and Flash Fire Pokemon at bay. Rapid Spin users are extremely useful as well, as they allow Magmortar to switch into battle more often and continue to maintain offensive momentum; Cryogonal achieves this while defeating specially based Altaria, and Armaldo can also set up Stealth Rock to further support Magmortar's sweeping abilities. Finally, as Magmortar can only pack three coverage moves at a time, its teammates should patch up the holes in its coverage; for example, if Choice Scarf Magmortar runs Hidden Power Ice, a Grass-type Pokemon, such as Vileplume, should be used to deal with Quagsire.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt / Leftovers
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Timid
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Magmortar can use an all-out attacking set to threaten teams with its excellent coverage. This set can be extremely hard to deal with, as opponents cannot rely on switching Pokemon resistant to Fire-type moves into Fire Blast to check Magmortar; most of them are swiftly dealt with via Thunderbolt, Focus Blast, or Hidden Power on the subsequent turn. This places incredible offensive pressure on opponents, forcing them to either play defensive mind games or sacrifice a Pokemon so that a revenge killer can enter the battle. Overall, Magmortar's combination of sky-high Special Attack, access to Thunderbolt to hit Water-type Pokemon, and usable Speed stat make an all-out-attacking set extremely potent.</p>
<p>The moveset achieves the best coverage within the tier, and Magmortar is able to take better advantage of its coverage with the ability to switch moves. Substitute is a noteworthy option in the final moveslot; it comes in particularly handy against defensive opponents such as Tangela, who cannot touch Magmortar, or as a defense against revenge killers such as Sucker Punch Absol. Once Magmortar is behind a Substitute, it can release a volley of Fire Blasts without harm until the opponent breaks the Substitute, in the process blowing massive holes in the opposing team if it lacks a Flash Fire Pokemon. However, it's important not to use Substitute too early against opponents that can easily break it, as it is just a waste of HP, reveals your strategy, and makes Magmortar easier to play around.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EV spread maximizes Magmortar's Special Attack and allows it to outrun base 80 Speed Pokemon. It's highly advised not to run a Modest nature when using this set, as Magmortar will otherwise be outsped by Jolly Altaria, Adamant Sawk, and other targets that it would normally be able to defeat, which would make it less effective as an offensive Pokemon. Furthermore, a Modest nature doesn't secure any notable KOs that a Timid one can't achieve, so it's an inferior choice overall. Fire Blast is the STAB move of choice due to the power it provides, but Flamethrower is a perfectly good alternative if you care more about missing a target than missing a KO. Magmortar can afford to use more specific niche moves to deal with specific targets; specifically, Earthquake and Hidden Power Water are both viable options in the last moveslot to deal with opposing Fire-type Pokemon. While Earthquake hits opponents such as Flareon, Lampent and opposing Magmortar for massive damage due to their low Defense stats, Hidden Power Water still 2HKOes all of them with Stealth Rock damage and a Life Orb, is more effective at breaking through Camerupt, and guarantees a consistent hit on Golem. Mach Punch is also worth consideration, as it allows Magmortar to bypass Sucker Punch users such as Absol and Skuntank, avoid taking damage, and 2HKO the former. In addition, it allows Magmortar to deal with fast, frail revenge killers that are weak to the move, such as offensive Cryogonal, Cinccino, and the rare Sneasel. When using physical moves, it's best to use a Naive or Hasty nature to avoid decreasing Magmortar's decent base 95 Attack stat unnecessarily.</p>
<p>A Life Orb increases Magmortar's damage output the most consistently, but the recoil it inflicts can wear Magmortar down quickly, especially in conjunction with Stealth Rock damage. An Expert Belt not only removes this recoil, but also lets Magmortar bluff a Choice item, making it more capable of luring in and removing opponents such as Altaria and Quagsire. It also increases the odds of using Substitute successfully against Sucker Punch users, as they are far more likely to use the move if they assume you're Choice-locked. However, as it only boosts the damage of super effective hits, it can leave the power of Magmortar's STAB move against neutral targets somewhat underwhelming. If you're using Substitute, Leftovers is also a good option, as it heals Magmortar over time and lets it make more Substitutes when necessary. While the lack of power is unfortunate, Leftovers gives Magmortar a better chance of cleaning up weakened teams late-game, where residual damage is enough to secure the required OHKOs.</p>
<p>Because of the extra residual damage Magmortar can take from Life Orb recoil, Rapid Spin support is extremely useful for removing Stealth Rock and letting Magmortar switch in and attack more often. Cryogonal can fill this role effectively; it can also use Toxic on the few opponents that Magmortar can't break through with its selected coverage moves, and Ice Beam to deal with Altaria if Magmortar lacks Hidden Power Ice. Likewise, if Magmortar is using an Expert Belt, then providing Stealth Rock support is useful for supplementing its Fire Blasts against neutral targets. Probopass and Regirock can both set up Stealth Rock while using Thunder Wave on faster Pokemon, which lets Magmortar clean them up later. If Magmortar elects to use Earthquake, then packing teammates to deal with Altaria and Quagsire, such as Bastiodon and Amoonguss, respectively, is recommended. Substitute + Swords Dance Lickilicky is another noteworthy Pokemon to use against Altaria and Quagsire, as its Substitutes aren't broken by their STAB attacks, and it can maul them both with Return and Power Whip, respectively. As Magmortar can deal with Sucker Punch users with Substitute or Mach Punch, you can also run frail sweepers, such as Haunter and Cinccino, who appreciate the removal of these threats.</p>
[SET]
name: Flame Charge
move 1: Flame Charge
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Focus Blast / Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Naive / Hasty
evs: 48 Atk / 228 SpA / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Flame Charge, Magmortar has an option for boosting its Speed without resorting to a Choice Scarf, to gain both the Speed and the access to its coverage moves that it needs to sweep late-game. With a combination of both a Life Orb boost and the ability to outspeed even Swellow, this set can become extremely dangerous if it finds the opportunity to secure a boost. While Flame Charge is admittedly weak, it isn't completely useless; with the given EV investment, it can OHKO standard Cryogonal without any residual damage, as well as 2HKO frail opponents such as Cacturne, Pinsir, Haunter, and Kadabra, who might attempt to set up on Magmortar. Due to its 100% accuracy, it's also a great attack for finishing off severely weakened opponents while scoring a free Speed boost in the process. Fire Blast is the most useful STAB attack due to its excellent power, while Thunderbolt and Focus Blast deal with Water- and Rock-type Pokemon that might attempt to block Magmortar's sweep. If you want to make sure that Flash Fire Pokemon such as Flareon and Rapidash don't interrupt Magmortar's sweep, Earthquake can be used to eliminate them decisively. It also deals decent damage to Camerupt, which can otherwise force Magmortar out.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Although the investment in Attack and Attack-neutral nature might seem frivolous, they guarantee the OHKO on 252/0 Cryogonal when Stealth Rock isn't on the field. However, if you can provide Magmortar with reliable Stealth Rock support, then feel free to use an EV spread of 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe with a Timid nature. While a Naive nature makes Magmortar less able to switch into the special Fire-, Grass-, and Ice-type attacks it resists, a Hasty nature increases the amount of damage Magmortar takes from physical priority attacks. If Magmortar is running Earthquake, then it should run an Attack-neutral nature to ensure that it can reliably OHKO opponents such as Flareon and Lampent, which have somewhat decent physical bulk after investment. Magmortar can also run a bulkier EV spread with investment in HP or Defense, as this allows it to switch in more easily and set up multiple boosts. Likewise, a Rash or Mild nature can be used to increase Magmortar's attacking power while still outspeeding Swellow at +1. However, in both of these circumstances, Magmortar will need to use Flame Charge twice before it can deal with Choice Scarf users, which is often a luxury it can't afford.</p>
<p>Hidden Power can be used in the last slot to deal with specific threats, but this leaves Magmortar vulnerable to Rock-types such as Regirock, which can easily force Magmortar out and either set up Stealth Rock or use Thunder Wave to paralyze the switch-in. Likewise, Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if you want a more accurate main sweeping move. As this Magmortar set gives up a coverage move for Flame Charge, it is even more reliant on its teammates. Grass-type Pokemon, such as Ludicolo and Sawsbuck, can easily switch into Quagsire and set up on it, while Regice can deal with most Altaria with ease. Hazard support can also help Magmortar secure KOs more easily late-game; Omanyte is able to provide both Stealth Rock and Spikes while also dealing with most Rock-types with ease. This set appreciates dual screens support from Pokemon such as Gardevoir and Serperior, as it gives Magmortar more opportunities to set up, and makes it harder to revenge kill with priority attacks.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Overall, Vital Spirit is the best ability to use on Magmortar, as it allows Magmortar to more consistently switch into Grass-type Pokemon such as Exeggutor, Tangela, and Vileplume. However, Flame Body is also an interesting option, as its ability to burn opponents that attempt to revenge kill Magmortar, such as Samurott, Absol, and Skuntank, can make them setup fodder for another sweeper on your team, such as Gorebyss or Raichu. However, it doesn't activate when the opponent uses either Stone Edge or Earthquake; this, combined with its mere 30% activation chance, makes it a risky option. Charcoal can be used instead of an Expert Belt to ensure that Magmortar's Fire Blasts are consistently powerful while still not causing any recoil damage, but Magmortar's coverage moves become weaker against targets such as Lickilicky. Air Balloon is also an option to switch Magmortar into Ground-type Pokemon more easily.</p>
<p>Magmortar has access to plenty of other attacking options that it can use against specific threats. Contrary to popular belief, Psychic doesn't hit any of its targets harder than STAB Fire Blast, and as such should only ever be considered when Magmortar is using Flamethrower. Even then, it's only really useful against specially bulky opponents such as Throh and Muk, which aren't used enough to warrant running the move. While Cross Chop and Focus Punch see a lot of use in the upper tiers for dealing with Munchlax, Chansey, and Snorlax, they largely aren't required in NU, as most Normal-type Pokemon, including Lickilicky and Audino, are hit equally hard by Focus Blast. Magmortar can use other physical attacks such as Flare Blitz and ThunderPunch, but Emboar outclasses Magmortar entirely as a physical attacker due to its better physical movepool, stats, and typing. While Belly Drum might be tempting in combination with Flame Charge, Magmortar is easily walled with only two coverage moves, and Sucker Punch users deal with the set far too easily.</p>
<p>Will-O-Wisp can be used over Hidden Power to burn targets such as Quagsire and Altaria instead of KOing them outright, but Magmortar isn't a great user of the move due to its low Speed and poor ability to take physical attacks even from burned opponents. Similarly, Magmortar can use Lava Plume as an alternative STAB option or over Hidden Power to both spread burns and still deal decent damage, but it's generally not as useful as Flamethrower as an auxiliary STAB move due to its lower Base Power. Taunt can prevent walls from healing off residual damage, providing cleric support to their teammates, or attempting to paralyze Magmortar before being 2HKOed. Finally, Sunny Day powers up Magmortar's Fire Blast to ridiculous levels, and also lets it use SolarBeam. While Magmortar is an absolute force to be reckoned with under sunny conditions, Charizard and Rapidash can pull off the set more effectively due to their immunities and higher Speed stats.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>With Magmortar's incredible power, coverage, and versatility of roles, only one Pokemon can boast the ability to check it under all circumstances: Grumpig. Specially defensive Grumpig isn't even 3HKOed by Choice Specs Fire Blast, laughs at any other attack, and can either whittle Magmortar down with Psyshock or use Thunder Wave to paralyze it or the switch-in. Even Hidden Power Dark, the pinnacle of desperation, fails to 2HKO it with Stealth Rock damage. However, as Grumpig lacks recovery of its own, it's best used in combination with Wish users such as Alomomola and Lickilicky to ensure it can continue to switch into Magmortar throughout long matches. Keeping Stealth Rock on the opponent's side of the field can help to deal with Magmortar; this stacks up residual damage and prevents Magmortar from continually switching into battle to fire off Fire Blasts.</p>
<p>If Magmortar lacks Hidden Power Grass, Quagsire and Seismitoad can switch into it and force it out fairly reliably, and the latter can set up Rain Dance and potentially sweep. However, Choice Specs Fire Blast will 2HKO both of these threats, so make sure not to switch them into Magmortar directly if you know it's running Choice Specs. Likewise, if Magmortar lacks Hidden Power Ice, Dragon-types such as Altaria, Dragonair, Shelgon, and Fraxure can switch into Fire Blasts and set up Dragon Dances, but the latter three need to be using Eviolite to switch into the Choice Specs set reliably, and the former must run bulk to avoid being 2HKOed. Flash Fire Pokemon, such as Flareon, Lampent, and Rapidash, can switch into Fire Blasts with ease, and the former two aren't troubled by any of Magmortar's moves other than the rare Earthquake. Overall, the Choice Specs set provides defensive opponents with the most problems; less powerful sets can be checked much more efficiently by the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>
<p>Thankfully, it's much easier to respond to Magmortar with offensive threats than with defensive ones. Although they can't switch into it directly, fast physical attackers, such as Cinccino, Tauros, and Swellow, can revenge kill Magmortar with ease; special attackers such as Haunter and Raichu can also do this, but they might need hazard support to secure OHKOs due to Magmortar's solid Special Defense. Choice Scarf users such as Sawk and Braviary can also outspeed and OHKO Magmortar with relative ease, should they be able to enter combat somehow. Priority attackers such as Skuntank, Absol, Samurott, and even Golem can also revenge kill Magmortar effectively, although Sucker Punch users must be played carefully, as Substitute or Mach Punch variants can get around them.</p>
Okay, this is done then. :D
