Moltres
Meet Moltres, the worlds most underrated phoenix. Hidden under all other fire types, namely Charizard, a fire/flying brother in arms is slowly making its emergence into the scene. While it may seem like there's no point to use Moltres over Charizard you will soon see why. Boasting nice base stats and a good offensive and defensive move-pool Moltres can be a major threat to any unprepared team, bring your stealth rocks or else the battle will be over before you know it because the fire phoenix is making its move.
Base Stats: 90 HP/100 ATK/90 DEF/125 Sp.Atk/85 Sp.Def/90 SPE
Base Stat Total: 580
Typing: Fire/Flying
Weaknesses:Rock 400% Water 200% Electric 200%
Abilities:
Pressure: The standard ability of legendary pokemon, not a bad ability, helpful especially on sub-roost sets for PP stalling
Flame Body(Not Available: Great ability, when released will be #1 on all offensive sets as the burn chance will cripple physical threats.
Moves by level up
Notable moves in Bold
—Wing Attack
— Ember
8 Fire Spin
15 Agility
22 Endure
29 Ancientpower
36 Flamethrower
43 Safeguard
50 Air Slash
57 Roost
64 Heat Wave
71 Solarbeam
78 Sky Attack
85 Sunny Day
92 Hurricane
—Wing Attack
— Ember
8 Fire Spin
15 Agility
22 Endure
29 Ancientpower
36 Flamethrower
43 Safeguard
50 Air Slash
57 Roost
64 Heat Wave
71 Solarbeam
78 Sky Attack
85 Sunny Day
92 Hurricane
Moves learned by TM/HM
Notable moves in Bold
TM05 Roar
TM06 Toxic
TM10 Hidden Power
TM11 Sunny Day
TM15 Hyper Beam
TM17 Protect
TM18 Rain Dance
TM20 Safeguard
TM21 Frustration
TM22 Solarbeam
TM27 Return
TM32 Double Team
TM35 Flamethrower
TM37 Sandstorm
TM38 Fire Blast
TM40 Aerial Ace
TM42 Facade
TM43 Flame Charge
TM44 Rest
TM48 Round
TM50 Overheat
TM58 Sky Drop
TM59 Incinerate
TM61 Will-o-wisp
TM68 Giga Impact
TM87 Swagger
TM88 Pluck
TM89 U-turn
TM90 Substitute
TM94 Rock Smash
HM02 Fly
TM05 Roar
TM06 Toxic
TM10 Hidden Power
TM11 Sunny Day
TM15 Hyper Beam
TM17 Protect
TM18 Rain Dance
TM20 Safeguard
TM21 Frustration
TM22 Solarbeam
TM27 Return
TM32 Double Team
TM35 Flamethrower
TM37 Sandstorm
TM38 Fire Blast
TM40 Aerial Ace
TM42 Facade
TM43 Flame Charge
TM44 Rest
TM48 Round
TM50 Overheat
TM58 Sky Drop
TM59 Incinerate
TM61 Will-o-wisp
TM68 Giga Impact
TM87 Swagger
TM88 Pluck
TM89 U-turn
TM90 Substitute
TM94 Rock Smash
HM02 Fly
Move Tutor Moves
Tailwind
I only put in Tailwind because he naturally learns all the other moves
I only put in Tailwind because he naturally learns all the other moves
Pros
Huge offensive threat- Moltres's 125 Base Sp.Atk in combination with a strong offensive move-pool(containing good stabs in Fire Blast and Hurricane plus Solar Beam for sun teams) allows Moltres to reek havoc on on unprepared team with the sun backing it up and with Hurricane it can still perform in the rain.
Good Bulk- Moltres packs respectable 90/90/85 defenses in combination with a good defensive movepool in Substitue, Toxic and Wil-O-Wisp in combination with a great recovery move in the form of Roost and phasing capabilities in roar allow Moltres to use sub/stall sets, also it lets you know that at full HP moltres will rarely be OHKO'd by non super effective moves(unless SR damage has been taken).
Comfortable in rain- Moltres packs something every other fire type dreams it had, STAB Hurricane. Volcarona has Hurricane, it's not STAB. Charizard has Flying STAB but does it have Hurricane? No. It has Air Slash. Most people don't realize it but a Hurricane from Moltres is just as powerful as Tornadus I and I think we all know how potent that is. In addition to this, Moltres's Fire Blast should still OHKO the most common Rain wall, Ferrothorn.
Cons
STEALTH ROCKS
This is Moltres's biggest flaw BY FAR. If it wasn't for a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock I believe that Moltres would be in OU. The fact that Moltres take 50% damage when switching in to SR is crippling but not game ending. All this means is that Moltres will require spin/magic bounce support. This isn't a major problem because if used in Sun you should never be without Spin support.
Weakness to priority- Simple. Moltres is owned by priority namely Aqua Jet, this makes Moltres easily revenge killed lowering its overall effectiveness and sweeping capabilities.
Middling Speed- Moltres has a base 90 speed, while base 90 is not bad, it's not good either. It's right in the middle allowing it to be out-sped by major threats, this is easily fixed by the Choice Scarf turning Moltres into a dangerous revenge killer. All in all, not a major problem, but a problem.
Possible Sets
Choice
Moltres @ Choice Specs/Choice Scarf
4DEF/252Sp.Atk/252SPE
Nature: Modest/Timid
Fire Blast
Hurricane/Air Slash
HP Grass/ Solar Beam (only on sun teams)
U-Turn
If you pick choice specs you will see the raw, off the charts power of Moltres destroying everything in its path, especially if it has sun support. If you pick scarf then Moltres because a potent revenge killer dealing huge damage and checking many threats.
StallTres
Moltres @ Leftovers
248HP/36DEF/224SPE
Nature: Timid
Substitute
Roost
Toxic
Flamethrower
A set most people won't see coming, SubRoost Moltres is extremely dangerous. While when it comes to stalling like this while Moltres may not be your best choice, how well it catches foes off guard is the main key. Also, with a little prediction you can nail incoming steels with a flamethrower.
Sweeper
Moltres @ Life Orb/ Leftovers/ Expert Belt (?)
Timid/Modest
Fire Blast
Hurricane/Air Slash
HP Grass/Solar Beam (only on sun)
Roost/Flame Charge/HP Fighting (?)
This set abuses Moltres's abilities to run through a team. You can take the full offensive approach with a life orb, go a little defensive with leftovers, or run the EBelt. With the EBelt you must realize that this set reaches it's highest level of effectiveness under the sun where Solar Beam becomes viable allowing you to use HP Fighting for Heatran who normally walls Moltres. On other sets Flame Charge can be used to up Moltres's speed from it's average levels to off the charts letting him out-speed most of the tier. Instead, you can run Roost allowing Moltres to recover after its taken to much damage.
Conclusion
What do you guys think of Moltres in OU? Do you think it will get any use with the help of the all-mighty Ninetails backing it up with permanent sun or will SR still be such a crippling flaw to the point were Moltres is worthless?