QC: Punchshroom / boltsandbombers / Hootie
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Pyroar has great offensive presence due to its high Special Attack stat and powerful STAB moves. It also sits in a nice Speed tier, being able to outspeed the likes of Jynx and Scyther and Speed tie with Liepard. Furthermore, Pyroar has a decent defensive typing, which allows it take on Ghost-, Grass-, and Steel-types such as Rotom, Lilligant, and Klinklang. However, Pyroar has an unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock as well as a vulnerability to other forms of entry hazards, which means it can be worn down very easily. Its dual STAB combination leaves it walled by popular Rock-type Pokemon such as Archeops, Carracosta, and Rhydon, and for an offensive Pokemon, Pyroar has an extremely barren offensive movepool. As a result, Pyroar faces competition from Magmortar, which is much stronger and has a wider offensive movepool. Moreover, Pyroar is weak to common priority moves such as Mach Punch from Gurdurr and Aqua Jet from Samurott, and its average bulk does not help it at all.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Hyper Voice
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Flamethrower
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Unnerve
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast is an extremely powerful STAB move that hits any Pokemon that does not resist it for a decent amount of damage. Hyper Voice provides great neutral coverage with Fire Blast, hitting Water- and Fire-types such as Lanturn and Magmortar reasonably hard. Hidden Power Grass rounds off Pyroar's coverage, nailing Rock-types such as Kabutops and Rhydon, which would otherwise wall Pyroar. Will-O-Wisp is used to punish Thick Fat Hariyama and Archeops, two very common Pyroar switch-ins, and it also bypasses Sucker Punch users such as Shiftry, Kangaskhan, and Skuntank. Flamethrower should be used with Choice Specs and is used as a safer Fire-type STAB move that has 100% accuracy, unlike Fire Blast. Overheat can be used in the last slot for an even stronger STAB move that is useful early on in the game to weaken the opposing team severely. Taunt can be used to allow Pyroar to halt Calm Mind and Wish users such as Mega Audino while stopping entry hazard users.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment is used to give Pyroar as much offensive presence as possible. The maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature is mandatory, as fully invested Pyroar is able to outspeed many pertinent threats such as Scyther and Lilligant. Life Orb is used to amplify Pyroar's attacks, though it comes at the cost of taking recoil damage. Choice Specs can be used over Life Orb for a bigger power boost, granting Pyroar the ability to 2HKO Lanturn after Stealth Rock, and it does not have recoil damage; however, it locks Pyroar into a move. Charcoal can be used to bluff a Choice Specs set to opponents, but it only boosts Pyroar's Fire-type attacks. Unnerve, while situational, is the most useful ability out of the three available, as it can stop foes such as Linoone and Sandslash from using their Sitrus Berry and Lum Berry, respectively.
Usage Tips
========
Pyroar is mainly used as a wallbreaker to wear down the opposing team to pave a way for its teammates to clean up late-game. For a majority of the battle, Pyroar should keep using Fire Blast, as it is able to dent the opposing team very hard. If running it, Pyroar can also use Overheat early-game, as Pyroar is a hit-and-run Pokemon most of the time anyway. Because Pyroar has a decent defensive typing, it can pivot into Grass- and Ghost-types with relative ease and hit them hard. However, against Grass-types such as Vileplume and Roselia, it has to be careful of Sludge Bomb, while against Tangela and Lilligant, it has to look out for Sleep Powder. Against Ghost-types such as Rotom, it has to be wary of Thunderbolt, but it can reliably switch into Mismagius and Misdreavus, as they cannot do much against it. Pyroar should not be exposed to any status moves; poison can severely wear it down, especially in tandem with the recoil from Life Orb, while Thunder Wave cuts its Speed. Players can attempt to predict switches to Rock-types such as Rhydon and Carracosta by clicking either Hidden Power Grass to 2HKO them or Will-O-Wisp to cripple them. If using Choice Specs, Pyroar should not recklessly lock itself into Hidden Power Grass, as this gives Klinklang and Lilligant free setup opportunities against it; in general, Pyroar should not use it when there is a setup sweeper on the opponent's team.
Team Options
========
Grass-types such as Torterra and Shiftry have great defensive synergy with Pyroar, as they resist Ground-type attacks while Pyroar resists Bug-type attacks. Torterra and Shiftry are able to take on Rock- and Water-types for Pyroar easily, while Pyroar deals with the Grass- and Ice-types that they struggle with; Shiftry also has Defog to remove entry hazards, which helps Pyroar a lot. Physical wallbreakers such as Sawk, Mawile, and Kabutops work well with Pyroar, as they can wear down special walls for it. Pokemon that can deal with Rock-types are also greatly appreciated. Gurdurr and Gourgeist-S have no trouble doing so, setting up on them with Bulk Up and Substitute, respectively. Water-types such as Prinplup and Samurott also deals with the Rock-types that Pyroar has trouble with. Prinplup is also able to provide Defog support, while Samurott appreciates Pyroar's ability to weaken Vileplume and Gourgeist-S to ease setup for Samurott. Because Pyroar has some trouble getting a safe switch onto the field, it greatly benefits from a slow Baton Pass or Volt Switch from the likes of Musharna and Lanturn. Garbodor in particular works well with Pyroar, as it easily handles Fighting-types such as Hariyama and Sawk while Pyroar handles Ghost-types such as Rotom and Haunter for Garbodor. Garbodor also has the additional benefit of providing Spikes and Toxic Spikes support; two layers of Spikes guarantee the 2HKO on Prinplup with Hyper Voice. Pyroar also appreciates partners such as Xatu and Claydol, which can deter or remove entry hazards with Magic Bounce and Rapid Spin, respectively. A Ground-type such as Sandslash or Rhydon, while it shares a common Water-type weakness with Pyroar, appreciates Pyroar's ability to beat Grass-types; furthermore, the combination of the two Pokemon allows them to completely shut down Rotom by virtue of their typings.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Choice Scarf set can be used to revenge kill a weakened Rhydon or Barbaracle at +2 as well as Quiver Dance users such as Lilligant and Vivillon. Endeavor is an unexpected alternative to bring down the foe's health to match Pyroar's. Work Up boosts Pyroar's already high Special Attack, turning it into an even more fearsome wallbreaker. Sleep Talk can be used to absorb Lovely Kisses from Jynx and Sleep Powders from Vivillon and Lilligant.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Carracosta, Rhydon, Kabutops, and Regirock can easily take Hyper Voices and Fire Blasts and OHKO Pyroar with their attacks, but they have to be careful of Hidden Power Grass and Will-O-Wisp. Regirock, unlike the other three, can easily shrug off Hidden Power Grass when it is relatively healthy. Carracosta and Barbaracle can take advantage of Pyroar locked into Fire Blast or Hyper Voice and set up a Shell Smash on it. Archeops is able to outspeed Pyroar naturally and is not weak to Hidden Power Grass, but it needs to be careful of Will-O-Wisp, which cripples it by cutting its Attack. It also risks being knocked into Defeatist range by Fire Blast, which can allow Pyroar to beat it one-on-one.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Lanturn, Mantine, and Prinplup are able to take any hit from Pyroar at full health and 2HKO it with their attacks. They all, however, are not the most reliable of switch-ins, as they lack reliable recovery, which means that they can be worn down rather easily and do not appreciate taking too many Hyper Voices.
**Thick Fat Users**: Assault Vest Hariyama is one of the best counters to Pyroar because of its ability Thick Fat. It can take any hits from Pyroar with ease and OHKO it with Close Combat. It does have to be wary of Will-O-Wisp, though. Grumpig does not mind taking a Will-O-Wisp as much as Hariyama does and can slowly whittle down Pyroar with its attacks or cripple it with Thunder Wave.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users such as Mesprit and Jynx can outspeed Pyroar and 2HKO or even OHKO it after some prior damage. Priority moves such as Aqua Jet from Kabutops and Samurott, Mach Punch from Gurdurr and Hitmonchan, and Sucker Punch from Shiftry and Skuntank can easily pick off Pyroar when it is weakened. Pokemon that naturally outspeed Pyroar such as Tauros, Archeops, and Speed Boost Combusken at +2 are able to OHKO Pyroar with their powerful attacks.
**Residual Damage**: Entry hazards of all kinds, most notably Stealth Rock, are able to greatly reduce Pyroar's longevity, especially when it is equipped with a Life Orb. Pyroar is also very susceptible to poison, which can wear it down even further.
Last edited:
