[SET]
Standard Air Balloon (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 12 SpA / 72 SpD / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
- Taunt
- Flash Cannon
- Eruption / Overheat
- Will-O-Wisp / Metal Sound / Earth Power
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Heatran's typing and Flash Fire ability give it an unique set of resistances and immunities. An Air Balloon allows Heatran to turn the tables on Pokemon that would be able to beat it with a Ground-type move, such as Choice Scarf Metagross, Choice Band Crustle, and Steelix. Flash Cannon is spammable Steel-type STAB that hits Fairy-type Pokemon like Aromatisse, non-Focus Blast Tapu Lele, and Togekiss for super effective damage. A Fire-type move beats Steel-types like Metagross, Celesteela and Ferrothorn. Eruption is better against Choice Scarf Cresselia, but Overheat allows Heatran to defeat Choice Specs Regieleki regardless of its move on turn 1 and play around Mirror Coat Magnezone with zero risk. Taunt shuts down the status moves of Pokemon like stall Entei, stall Registeel, and SubSeed Venusaur.
Will-O-Wisp beats non-Assault Vest Rhyperior and non-Lum Berry Crustle variants. Metal Sound beats Mirror Coat Nihilego and stall Cresselia; if used alongside Overheat it also beats Eerie Impulse stall Zapdos. Earth Power should only be used alongside Eruption and allows Heatran to reliably beat Assault Vest Registeel. Earth Power is also an option that plays around Mirror Coat Magnezone and Regieleki if you wish to give up on Overheat; it is also helpful against opposing Heatran. Do not run Earth Power alongside Overheat, as it is almost entirely redundant in that case.
EVs
=============
The HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Heatran will always survive a Head Smash from Choice Band Aggron. The HP and SpD EVs let Heatran survive a Hyper Beam from maximum Special Attack Porygon-Z after it has used Nasty Plot once, provided it does not run Life Orb. 128 Speed EVs let Heatran outspeed fast Tyranitar sets. The remaining EVs have been put in Special Attack for the best chances to 2HKO Porygon-Z with Flash Cannon.
Sets with Overheat or Earth Power should move 4 EVs from Special Attack to Special Defense to always survive Regieleki's Thunder.
Usage Tips
=============
Heatran should use Taunt versus status move users like Venusaur and Celesteela, then KO them with its Fire-type move.
Against Magnezone, Heatran should be mindful of the threat of Mirror Coat. Flash Cannon can be used to safely break Magnezone's Sturdy. A set with Overheat can reliably win in this manner, while a set with Eruption loses if it uses Flash Cannon against a Choice Specs Magnezone set using Thunderbolt.
Against Aggron, Heatran should use Will-O-Wisp followed by Overheat. If it lacks either move, it should use Flash Cannon to minimize the risk of Aggron KOing back with Metal Burst. Note that if it survives Metal Burst, Heatran has to make a 50/50 prediction to win, either using Taunt on Aggron's Endure or attacking for the KO.
Against Porygon-Z, Heatran should repeatedly use Flash Cannon. Overheat should not be used, as it can miss and a Porygon-Z with Recover can exploit the stat drop. Likewise, Eruption should never be used, as Porygon-Z's powerful attacks can easily reduce the move's power and put Heatran in a position where it is unable to 2HKO.
Choice Scarf Cresselia beats Heatran unless Heatran uses Eruption on the first turn of battle. Against stall Cresselia, the first-turn move should be Taunt, followed by Metal Sound if Heatran has that move and Flash Cannon spam otherwise. However, note that stall Cresselia requires Metal Sound to beat if it is naturally faster or has Icy Wind. In either case, correctly identifying Cresselia's set is important.
[SET]
Iron Defense (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 56 HP / 212 Def / 240 Spe
Bold Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Eruption
- Taunt / Flash Cannon
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Iron Defense and Body Press allow Heatran to surprise specially bulky Pokemon like Bulldoze Assault Vest Entei, Chansey, Earthquake Goodra, and Tyranitar with a strong physical move. It is also very useful against powerful physical attackers like Lum Berry Crustle and Choice Band Rhyperior. Eruption is a powerful STAB move that beats Pokemon like Celesteela, Trick Cresselia, and Tapu Bulu. Taunt beats Leech Seed Venusaur and stall Entei, while Flash Cannon is necessary to beat Choice Scarf Gardevoir and specially defensive Aromatisse.
EVs
=============
The Speed EVs ensure that Heatran outspeeds Adamant non-Choice Scarf Dracovish and Dracozolt. The HP EVs let Heatran always survive two Electrowebs from Choice Specs Magnezone. All remaining EVs have been put in Defense to boost Body Press damage and for the best possible matchup against Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan.
Usage Tips
=============
Iron Defense should be used against special walls like Goodra and Chansey, as well as bulky physical attackers like Tyranitar, Rhyperior, and Crustle. Given the risk of Counter from all these Pokemon, Heatran should not use Body Press until the move is sure to KO. Against Crustle, it should break Sturdy with Eruption to avoid a potential Counter, though its opening move is still Iron Defense. Against Galarian Darmanitan, Heatran should use Body Press, which allows it to OHKO frail sets if it survives a Superpower.
[SET]
Custap Berry (Heatran) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 24 HP / 144 SpA / 124 SpD / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
- Endure
- Overheat
- Flash Cannon
- Taunt / Dragon Pulse / Metal Sound
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
A Custap Berry allows Heatran to beat fast threats like Galarian Darmanitan, Choice item Dragapult, and Choice Specs Zapdos. Overheat is a strong STAB attack useful against Steel- and Grass-types like Tapu Bulu, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn. Flash Cannon beats Fairy-type Pokemon like Aromatisse and Togekiss and beats non-Disable Dragapult. Dragon Pulse beats Choice Band Regidrago and Disable Dragapult. Taunt is useful against stall Entei, Leech Seed Venusaur, and Whimsicott. Metal Sound beats some bulky Pokemon, like Mirror Coat Nihilego and stall Cresselia. Note that sets with Taunt should opt for the altspread listed in the next section.
EVs
=============
The HP and Special Defense EVs let Heatran survive a Hydro Pump from Modest Choice Specs Dragapult. The Speed EVs allow it to outpace any Celesteela. All remaining EVs have been invested in Special Attack for the best possible chance to beat Pokemon like Calm Mind Tapu Koko.
Heatran can generally beat Celesteela by using Taunt T1. Sets with that move should run a slower spread with EVs of 24 HP / 232 SpA / 124 SpD / 128 Spe. This variant retains the Dragapult benchmark and still outspeeds Tyranitar. The higher Special Attack is also helpful against Choice Band Rhyperior, Life Orb Zapdos, and Choice Specs Focus Blast Tapu Lele.
A set with Dragon Pulse can run a spread of 24 HP / 120 SpA / 124 SpD / 240 Spe to outspeed Adamant Dracozolt at the cost of some Special Attack.
Usage Tips
=============
Heatran is generally bulky enough to survive one hit, attack, use Endure, and then activate its Custap Berry on the next turn. Note that against a target neutral to both moves, using Flash Cannon followed by Overheat does slightly more damage than using Overheat straight away, which helps ensure the best possible matchup against Pokemon like Galarian Moltres and Tapu Koko. Against particularly strong attackers, like Galarian Darmanitan, Urshifu-S, and Regieleki, using Endure on the first turn maximizes Heatran's chances to win these matchups. Lastly, sets with Dragon Pulse should alternate that move with Flash Cannon against Dragapult, to negate the risk of a potential Disable.
[SET]
Choice Scarf (Heatran) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 8 HP / 36 Def / 212 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Eruption
- Steel Beam
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Choice Scarf set, Heatran can outpace and KO would-be counters like Zapdos, Choice Band Haxorus, and Landorus. Eruption is a spammable Fire-type move that hits Pokemon like Metagross, Celesteela, Rillaboom and Tapu Bulu for super effective damage. Steel Beam beats some Kyurem variants, Aromatisse, and Choice Band Rhyperior. Earth Power beats stall Entei, and Dragon Pulse beats Regidrago.
EVs
=============
8 HP and 36 Defense EVs ensure that Heatran will never faint to Choice Band Regidrago's Hammer Arm. 252 Speed EVs allow Heatran to outspeed Adamant Crustle after a Shell Smash and helps ensure the best possible matchup against Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Spectrier. The remaining EVs have been invested in Special Attack for the best possible chances to beat Landorus.
Given the rarity of Choice Band Hammer Arm Regidrago, a simpler set with 252 Special Attack and 252 Speed can be used to minimize prediction in the Porygon-Z matchup.
Usage Tips
=============
Most of the time, Choice Scarf Heatran should use Eruption, with Steel Beam and Earth Power reserved for Pokemon weak to those respective types. However, it sometimes needs to use an unintuitive move in order to secure a matchup. For instance, Pokemon like Crustle, Sylveon, and Psychic Seed Tapu Lele are all weak to Steel Beam, but the optimal move in those matchups is Eruption nonetheless. All these Pokemon have ways to survive a single Steel Beam, whether through bulk, Sturdy, or Endure. This will cause Heatran to faint and lose the match after it attacks a second time. On the other hand, Steel Beam is the optimal move versus Choice Band Haxorus, rather than the super effective Dragon Pulse, as its higher damage guarantees the OHKO.
Choice Scarf Heatran should use Eruption versus Porygon-Z. However, note that a Modest Choice Scarf Porygon-Z can potentially reduce Eruption's damage with Hyper Beam to the point where Heatran cannot 2HKO.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Air Balloon sets can viably swap out their item for a Shuca Berry. Such sets no longer beat Choice Band Steelix and need Overheat to beat Choice Scarf Earthquake Metagross. However, this new item lets Heatran beat High Horsepower Rillaboom, which could ordinarily pop Heatran's Air Balloon with Fake Out and KO with High Horsepower. It also beats the rare Assault Vest Metagross with Rock Tomb and Earthquake. Note that the former of these two Pokemon can also be beaten with Protect, and the latter with Substitute. A Shuca Berry also has the advantage of not giving Heatran's set away the moment it enters.
Choice Scarf Heatran ordinarily loses to Magnezone, which survives an attack with Sturdy and either uses Mirror Coat or 2HKOes with the help of a Custap Berry. With Fire Spin, Heatran can flip this matchup. Fire Spin always 2HKOes Magnezone after trapping damage, and even on a maximum roll Heatran will survive Mirror Coat with 1 HP remaining. The trapping damage also prevents Custap Berry sets from using Endure. This is only an option for the 8 HP / 212 SpA spread; sets with less HP and/or more Special Attack may be KOed by Mirror Coat normally.
Heatran can run an Overheat set with Choice Specs or Life Orb to OHKO fast Pokemon like Life Orb Porygon-Z, offensive Zapdos, and—with the help of Dragon Pulse—frail Dragapult. These damage-boosting items are also helpful against Assault Vest Registeel, and a Life Orb Metal Sound set can generally beat Chansey. However, Life Orb sets struggle to reliably beat Regidrago while retaining enough Special Attack for the aforementioned threats, while Choice Specs sets cannot beat Entei and SubSeed Venusaur.
Dark Pulse is a theoretical option on Custap Berry sets, allowing these variants to 3HKO Choice Scarf Cresselia while still beating Disable Dragapult. It also situationally helps against Spectrier.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/here-comes-team-charm.501918/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nunnbetter.501592/
Grammar checked by:
[insert user link]
Standard Air Balloon (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 12 SpA / 72 SpD / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
- Taunt
- Flash Cannon
- Eruption / Overheat
- Will-O-Wisp / Metal Sound / Earth Power
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Heatran's typing and Flash Fire ability give it an unique set of resistances and immunities. An Air Balloon allows Heatran to turn the tables on Pokemon that would be able to beat it with a Ground-type move, such as Choice Scarf Metagross, Choice Band Crustle, and Steelix. Flash Cannon is spammable Steel-type STAB that hits Fairy-type Pokemon like Aromatisse, non-Focus Blast Tapu Lele, and Togekiss for super effective damage. A Fire-type move beats Steel-types like Metagross, Celesteela and Ferrothorn. Eruption is better against Choice Scarf Cresselia, but Overheat allows Heatran to defeat Choice Specs Regieleki regardless of its move on turn 1 and play around Mirror Coat Magnezone with zero risk. Taunt shuts down the status moves of Pokemon like stall Entei, stall Registeel, and SubSeed Venusaur.
Will-O-Wisp beats non-Assault Vest Rhyperior and non-Lum Berry Crustle variants. Metal Sound beats Mirror Coat Nihilego and stall Cresselia; if used alongside Overheat it also beats Eerie Impulse stall Zapdos. Earth Power should only be used alongside Eruption and allows Heatran to reliably beat Assault Vest Registeel. Earth Power is also an option that plays around Mirror Coat Magnezone and Regieleki if you wish to give up on Overheat; it is also helpful against opposing Heatran. Do not run Earth Power alongside Overheat, as it is almost entirely redundant in that case.
EVs
=============
The HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Heatran will always survive a Head Smash from Choice Band Aggron. The HP and SpD EVs let Heatran survive a Hyper Beam from maximum Special Attack Porygon-Z after it has used Nasty Plot once, provided it does not run Life Orb. 128 Speed EVs let Heatran outspeed fast Tyranitar sets. The remaining EVs have been put in Special Attack for the best chances to 2HKO Porygon-Z with Flash Cannon.
Sets with Overheat or Earth Power should move 4 EVs from Special Attack to Special Defense to always survive Regieleki's Thunder.
Usage Tips
=============
Heatran should use Taunt versus status move users like Venusaur and Celesteela, then KO them with its Fire-type move.
Against Magnezone, Heatran should be mindful of the threat of Mirror Coat. Flash Cannon can be used to safely break Magnezone's Sturdy. A set with Overheat can reliably win in this manner, while a set with Eruption loses if it uses Flash Cannon against a Choice Specs Magnezone set using Thunderbolt.
Against Aggron, Heatran should use Will-O-Wisp followed by Overheat. If it lacks either move, it should use Flash Cannon to minimize the risk of Aggron KOing back with Metal Burst. Note that if it survives Metal Burst, Heatran has to make a 50/50 prediction to win, either using Taunt on Aggron's Endure or attacking for the KO.
Against Porygon-Z, Heatran should repeatedly use Flash Cannon. Overheat should not be used, as it can miss and a Porygon-Z with Recover can exploit the stat drop. Likewise, Eruption should never be used, as Porygon-Z's powerful attacks can easily reduce the move's power and put Heatran in a position where it is unable to 2HKO.
Choice Scarf Cresselia beats Heatran unless Heatran uses Eruption on the first turn of battle. Against stall Cresselia, the first-turn move should be Taunt, followed by Metal Sound if Heatran has that move and Flash Cannon spam otherwise. However, note that stall Cresselia requires Metal Sound to beat if it is naturally faster or has Icy Wind. In either case, correctly identifying Cresselia's set is important.
[SET]
Iron Defense (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 56 HP / 212 Def / 240 Spe
Bold Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Eruption
- Taunt / Flash Cannon
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Iron Defense and Body Press allow Heatran to surprise specially bulky Pokemon like Bulldoze Assault Vest Entei, Chansey, Earthquake Goodra, and Tyranitar with a strong physical move. It is also very useful against powerful physical attackers like Lum Berry Crustle and Choice Band Rhyperior. Eruption is a powerful STAB move that beats Pokemon like Celesteela, Trick Cresselia, and Tapu Bulu. Taunt beats Leech Seed Venusaur and stall Entei, while Flash Cannon is necessary to beat Choice Scarf Gardevoir and specially defensive Aromatisse.
EVs
=============
The Speed EVs ensure that Heatran outspeeds Adamant non-Choice Scarf Dracovish and Dracozolt. The HP EVs let Heatran always survive two Electrowebs from Choice Specs Magnezone. All remaining EVs have been put in Defense to boost Body Press damage and for the best possible matchup against Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan.
Usage Tips
=============
Iron Defense should be used against special walls like Goodra and Chansey, as well as bulky physical attackers like Tyranitar, Rhyperior, and Crustle. Given the risk of Counter from all these Pokemon, Heatran should not use Body Press until the move is sure to KO. Against Crustle, it should break Sturdy with Eruption to avoid a potential Counter, though its opening move is still Iron Defense. Against Galarian Darmanitan, Heatran should use Body Press, which allows it to OHKO frail sets if it survives a Superpower.
[SET]
Custap Berry (Heatran) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 24 HP / 144 SpA / 124 SpD / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
- Endure
- Overheat
- Flash Cannon
- Taunt / Dragon Pulse / Metal Sound
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
A Custap Berry allows Heatran to beat fast threats like Galarian Darmanitan, Choice item Dragapult, and Choice Specs Zapdos. Overheat is a strong STAB attack useful against Steel- and Grass-types like Tapu Bulu, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn. Flash Cannon beats Fairy-type Pokemon like Aromatisse and Togekiss and beats non-Disable Dragapult. Dragon Pulse beats Choice Band Regidrago and Disable Dragapult. Taunt is useful against stall Entei, Leech Seed Venusaur, and Whimsicott. Metal Sound beats some bulky Pokemon, like Mirror Coat Nihilego and stall Cresselia. Note that sets with Taunt should opt for the altspread listed in the next section.
EVs
=============
The HP and Special Defense EVs let Heatran survive a Hydro Pump from Modest Choice Specs Dragapult. The Speed EVs allow it to outpace any Celesteela. All remaining EVs have been invested in Special Attack for the best possible chance to beat Pokemon like Calm Mind Tapu Koko.
Heatran can generally beat Celesteela by using Taunt T1. Sets with that move should run a slower spread with EVs of 24 HP / 232 SpA / 124 SpD / 128 Spe. This variant retains the Dragapult benchmark and still outspeeds Tyranitar. The higher Special Attack is also helpful against Choice Band Rhyperior, Life Orb Zapdos, and Choice Specs Focus Blast Tapu Lele.
A set with Dragon Pulse can run a spread of 24 HP / 120 SpA / 124 SpD / 240 Spe to outspeed Adamant Dracozolt at the cost of some Special Attack.
Usage Tips
=============
Heatran is generally bulky enough to survive one hit, attack, use Endure, and then activate its Custap Berry on the next turn. Note that against a target neutral to both moves, using Flash Cannon followed by Overheat does slightly more damage than using Overheat straight away, which helps ensure the best possible matchup against Pokemon like Galarian Moltres and Tapu Koko. Against particularly strong attackers, like Galarian Darmanitan, Urshifu-S, and Regieleki, using Endure on the first turn maximizes Heatran's chances to win these matchups. Lastly, sets with Dragon Pulse should alternate that move with Flash Cannon against Dragapult, to negate the risk of a potential Disable.
[SET]
Choice Scarf (Heatran) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 8 HP / 36 Def / 212 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Eruption
- Steel Beam
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Choice Scarf set, Heatran can outpace and KO would-be counters like Zapdos, Choice Band Haxorus, and Landorus. Eruption is a spammable Fire-type move that hits Pokemon like Metagross, Celesteela, Rillaboom and Tapu Bulu for super effective damage. Steel Beam beats some Kyurem variants, Aromatisse, and Choice Band Rhyperior. Earth Power beats stall Entei, and Dragon Pulse beats Regidrago.
EVs
=============
8 HP and 36 Defense EVs ensure that Heatran will never faint to Choice Band Regidrago's Hammer Arm. 252 Speed EVs allow Heatran to outspeed Adamant Crustle after a Shell Smash and helps ensure the best possible matchup against Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Spectrier. The remaining EVs have been invested in Special Attack for the best possible chances to beat Landorus.
Given the rarity of Choice Band Hammer Arm Regidrago, a simpler set with 252 Special Attack and 252 Speed can be used to minimize prediction in the Porygon-Z matchup.
Usage Tips
=============
Most of the time, Choice Scarf Heatran should use Eruption, with Steel Beam and Earth Power reserved for Pokemon weak to those respective types. However, it sometimes needs to use an unintuitive move in order to secure a matchup. For instance, Pokemon like Crustle, Sylveon, and Psychic Seed Tapu Lele are all weak to Steel Beam, but the optimal move in those matchups is Eruption nonetheless. All these Pokemon have ways to survive a single Steel Beam, whether through bulk, Sturdy, or Endure. This will cause Heatran to faint and lose the match after it attacks a second time. On the other hand, Steel Beam is the optimal move versus Choice Band Haxorus, rather than the super effective Dragon Pulse, as its higher damage guarantees the OHKO.
Choice Scarf Heatran should use Eruption versus Porygon-Z. However, note that a Modest Choice Scarf Porygon-Z can potentially reduce Eruption's damage with Hyper Beam to the point where Heatran cannot 2HKO.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Air Balloon sets can viably swap out their item for a Shuca Berry. Such sets no longer beat Choice Band Steelix and need Overheat to beat Choice Scarf Earthquake Metagross. However, this new item lets Heatran beat High Horsepower Rillaboom, which could ordinarily pop Heatran's Air Balloon with Fake Out and KO with High Horsepower. It also beats the rare Assault Vest Metagross with Rock Tomb and Earthquake. Note that the former of these two Pokemon can also be beaten with Protect, and the latter with Substitute. A Shuca Berry also has the advantage of not giving Heatran's set away the moment it enters.
Choice Scarf Heatran ordinarily loses to Magnezone, which survives an attack with Sturdy and either uses Mirror Coat or 2HKOes with the help of a Custap Berry. With Fire Spin, Heatran can flip this matchup. Fire Spin always 2HKOes Magnezone after trapping damage, and even on a maximum roll Heatran will survive Mirror Coat with 1 HP remaining. The trapping damage also prevents Custap Berry sets from using Endure. This is only an option for the 8 HP / 212 SpA spread; sets with less HP and/or more Special Attack may be KOed by Mirror Coat normally.
Heatran can run an Overheat set with Choice Specs or Life Orb to OHKO fast Pokemon like Life Orb Porygon-Z, offensive Zapdos, and—with the help of Dragon Pulse—frail Dragapult. These damage-boosting items are also helpful against Assault Vest Registeel, and a Life Orb Metal Sound set can generally beat Chansey. However, Life Orb sets struggle to reliably beat Regidrago while retaining enough Special Attack for the aforementioned threats, while Choice Specs sets cannot beat Entei and SubSeed Venusaur.
Dark Pulse is a theoretical option on Custap Berry sets, allowing these variants to 3HKO Choice Scarf Cresselia while still beating Disable Dragapult. It also situationally helps against Spectrier.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/here-comes-team-charm.501918/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nunnbetter.501592/
Grammar checked by:
[insert user link]
Last edited:
