[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Will-O-Wisp / Hurricane / Roar
move 3: U-turn / Roar
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fairy / Grass
ability: Flame Body
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 12 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moltres is an excellent defensive Pokemon, being able to function as a sturdy physical wall and a pivot. Its typing and ability let it punish a multitude of physical attackers in the tier, threatening a burn with Flame Body to stop pivoting from U-turn or reliably walling the likes of Zamazenta lacking Stone Edge, Great Tusk, Enamorus, and Iron Valiant. Flamethrower and Hurricane deter Pokemon like Iron Treads, Ogerpon-W, and Landorus-T from switching into Moltres. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers like Kingambit, Ogerpon-W, and Dragonite. Roar stops potential setup sweepers like Iron Defense Zamazenta and Gouging Fire, as well as being a good way to deal passive damage if entry hazards are up. U-turn lets Moltres get in teammates safely. Scorching Sands is a good coverage move that lets it hit foes like Gouging Fire and Heatran and can fish for burns against most physical attackers. Tera Fairy is a solid defensive typing that gives Moltres a Dark resistance while keeping its natural Fighting resistance, maintaining its positive matchup versus Zamazenta. This lets Moltres check Dark-type physical attacker like Weavile and Kingambit in a pinch and allows it to get critical burns off on targets such as Ogerpon-W. Tera Grass flips Moltres's weakness to Water into a resistance, giving it an easier rain matchup, as well as taking various hits like Hydro Steam from Walking Wake, Ivy Cudgel from Ogerpon-W, and Water-type moves from Primarina to Roar out Calm Mind variants. Terastallization allows Moltres to ease its weakness to Knock Off and Stealth Rock, letting it not fear huge chip damage from them.
Moltres is a great fit on offensive teams and more bulky teams. Its great typing and its ability to spread burn help its teammates against prominent physical attackers. Partners like Clefable and Kingambit appreciate it being able to check threats like Great Tusk and Gouging Fire, while Clefable and Kingambit are able to switch into threats to Moltres, such as Weavile and Roaring Moon. Offensive partners like Ogerpon-W and Zamazenta appreciate Moltres's pivoting, forcing in Pokemon like Garganacl and Heatran, which have bad matchups against the aforementioned teammates. Zamazenta is also able to check Ogerpon-W with its ability's initial Defense boost. Darkrai and Weavile are also potent offensive partners, being able to amend Moltres's bad matchups such as Gliscor and Galarian Slowking by threatening huge damage on both targets. Threats to Moltres are potent attackers such as Primarina, Kyurem, and Ogerpon-W. A partner like Galarian Slowking works well with Moltres, as it enjoys burns allowing it to switch into physical attackers, such as a burned Zamazenta, as well as being able to switch into attacks from Primarina and Kyurem. Offensive threats like Ogerpon and Dragapult can check Ogerpon-W, either helping in taking attacks, revenge killing, or crippling it with status. Defensive partners such as Gliscor, Great Tusk, and Corviknight can switch into Knock Off for Moltres, with Gliscor itself being able to use Knock Off and set Spikes, which pairs well with Roar variants of Moltres. Great Tusk and Corviknight offer entry hazard removal. Ground-types like Clodsire and Ting-Lu are able to cover Moltres's bad matchups against Electric-types like Raging Bolt and Zapdos, as well as providing hazards, which make Moltres's phazing more of a threat.
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/matte.634393/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/magcargo.177111/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dreadfury.408271/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
name: Defensive
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Will-O-Wisp / Hurricane / Roar
move 3: U-turn / Roar
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fairy / Grass
ability: Flame Body
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 12 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moltres is an excellent defensive Pokemon, being able to function as a sturdy physical wall and a pivot. Its typing and ability let it punish a multitude of physical attackers in the tier, threatening a burn with Flame Body to stop pivoting from U-turn or reliably walling the likes of Zamazenta lacking Stone Edge, Great Tusk, Enamorus, and Iron Valiant. Flamethrower and Hurricane deter Pokemon like Iron Treads, Ogerpon-W, and Landorus-T from switching into Moltres. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers like Kingambit, Ogerpon-W, and Dragonite. Roar stops potential setup sweepers like Iron Defense Zamazenta and Gouging Fire, as well as being a good way to deal passive damage if entry hazards are up. U-turn lets Moltres get in teammates safely. Scorching Sands is a good coverage move that lets it hit foes like Gouging Fire and Heatran and can fish for burns against most physical attackers. Tera Fairy is a solid defensive typing that gives Moltres a Dark resistance while keeping its natural Fighting resistance, maintaining its positive matchup versus Zamazenta. This lets Moltres check Dark-type physical attacker like Weavile and Kingambit in a pinch and allows it to get critical burns off on targets such as Ogerpon-W. Tera Grass flips Moltres's weakness to Water into a resistance, giving it an easier rain matchup, as well as taking various hits like Hydro Steam from Walking Wake, Ivy Cudgel from Ogerpon-W, and Water-type moves from Primarina to Roar out Calm Mind variants. Terastallization allows Moltres to ease its weakness to Knock Off and Stealth Rock, letting it not fear huge chip damage from them.
Moltres is a great fit on offensive teams and more bulky teams. Its great typing and its ability to spread burn help its teammates against prominent physical attackers. Partners like Clefable and Kingambit appreciate it being able to check threats like Great Tusk and Gouging Fire, while Clefable and Kingambit are able to switch into threats to Moltres, such as Weavile and Roaring Moon. Offensive partners like Ogerpon-W and Zamazenta appreciate Moltres's pivoting, forcing in Pokemon like Garganacl and Heatran, which have bad matchups against the aforementioned teammates. Zamazenta is also able to check Ogerpon-W with its ability's initial Defense boost. Darkrai and Weavile are also potent offensive partners, being able to amend Moltres's bad matchups such as Gliscor and Galarian Slowking by threatening huge damage on both targets. Threats to Moltres are potent attackers such as Primarina, Kyurem, and Ogerpon-W. A partner like Galarian Slowking works well with Moltres, as it enjoys burns allowing it to switch into physical attackers, such as a burned Zamazenta, as well as being able to switch into attacks from Primarina and Kyurem. Offensive threats like Ogerpon and Dragapult can check Ogerpon-W, either helping in taking attacks, revenge killing, or crippling it with status. Defensive partners such as Gliscor, Great Tusk, and Corviknight can switch into Knock Off for Moltres, with Gliscor itself being able to use Knock Off and set Spikes, which pairs well with Roar variants of Moltres. Great Tusk and Corviknight offer entry hazard removal. Ground-types like Clodsire and Ting-Lu are able to cover Moltres's bad matchups against Electric-types like Raging Bolt and Zapdos, as well as providing hazards, which make Moltres's phazing more of a threat.
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/matte.634393/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/magcargo.177111/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dreadfury.408271/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited by a moderator: