Shroomisaur
Smogon's fantastical fun-guy.
Flamin' Hot Chicken
QC:
GP:
Overview
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- Great 125 base SpA, decent speed, and powerful STABs.
- Good defensive typing, Roost, and decent defenses.
- Counters common threats including Mega Lucario, Mega Mawile, Mega Scizor, and more.
- It's 4x SR weak, so Moltres is extremely reliant on team support to function.
- Poor movepool and redundant offensive STAB coverage limits its usefulness.
- It's weak to common Water-, Electric-, and Rock-type moves.
- Moltres faces heavy competition for teamslots, both offensively and defensively.
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name: Defensive
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Roost
move 3: Will-O-Wisp
move 4: Roar / U-turn
ability: Pressure
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
evs: 248 HP / 40 Def / 220 SpD
Moves
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- Flamethrower is the reliable STAB option with good coverage and power, capable of OHKOing Mega Lucario
- Roost keeps Moltres healthy throughout the match
- Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers, including common switch-ins such as Tyranitar, while dealing residual damage
- Roar racks up hazard damage and stops boosting sweepers
- U-turn scouts and deals chip damage while allowing Moltres to function as a bulky pivot
Set Details
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- 248 HP EVs maximize bulk while reducing Stealth Rock Damage.
- The 40 Defense EVs ensure Moltres survives a +2 Adamant Mega Lucario Close Combat.
- The remainder is invested in special bulk to better handle NP Mega Lucario and other special threats. For example, Quiet Life Orb Aegislash has under a 1% chance to 2HKO with Shadow Ball while Flamethrower easily OHKOs Blade Form.
- Timid and 96 Speed EVs can be used to outrun Jolly Breloom, but this detracts from your special bulk - the same Aegislash now always 2HKOs.
Usage Tips
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- Use defensive Moltres to counter many common attackers such as Mega Lucario, Mawile, Scizor, most Genesect, etc.
- Ensure that SR is down before bringing out Moltres
- Moltres makes a great defensive partner to Pokemon like Scizor or Bisharp that attract Will-O-Wisps, which are free switches for Moltres
- Moltres works great as a defensive pivot in a Fire-Water-Grass core, especially with U-turn.
Team Options
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- Rapid Spin / Defog support is mandatory, good choices include Excadrill, Starmie, Blastoise, Scizor, Empoleon, Latias.
- Bulky Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Chesnaught have great defensive synergy. Breloom is more offensive but is useful for destroying most Rock- and Water-types.
- Bulky Water-types such as Empoleon and Blastoise provide anti-hazard support, Vaporeon provides Wish support. Gastrodon and Quagsire have perfect synergy with Moltres. Rotom-W makes a great bulky volt-turn partner.
- Cleric support from Pokemon such as Sylveon or Blissey is appreciated.
Other Options
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- Offensive LO + Agility set
- Hidden Power Grass
- Specs/Scarf sets
- SubRoost and Toxic
- Other hidden powers (ground for heatran, ice for dragons)
- Fire Spin + Toxic
- Defog (lulz)
Checks & Counters
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- SR SR SR SR
- Heatran fears absolutely nothing, sets up SR and cripples Moltres with Toxic
- Rock-type attackers like Terrakion, Landorus, or Garchomp fear switching into Will-O-Wisp, but easily OHKO otherwise.
- Bulky water-types like Rotom-W or Gastrodon only fear Toxic or HP Grass.
- Fast & powerful threats with SE moves (keldeo, thundrus, greninja, starmie, etc)
- Special walls, especially clerics such as Blissey, Sylveon, Clefable
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