[OVERVIEW]
* Torkoal is the premier support Pokemon for Fire-type teams because of its fantastic ability, amazing Defense stat, and ability to remove entry hazards.
* Torkoal's ability, Drought, provides great support by increasing the power of Fire-type attacks while weakening Water-type attacks.
* Torkoal has a high Defense stat, which combined with its decent HP allows it to switch into most physical attacks with ease.
* Due to this and its access to Rapid Spin, Torkoal is one of the best forms of hazard control on Fire-type teams.
* Furthermore, Torkoal can set up its own Stealth Rock. This is incredibly useful, as most Fire teams are offensive and Stealth Rock cripples opposing Pokemon.
* However, Torkoal has a rather lackluster Special Defense stat, which makes it vulnerable to most special attacks.
* Torkoal has no access to recovery outside of Leftovers, and this in conjunction with its weakness to Stealth Rock makes it easy to wear down.
* Torkoal also has a rather shallow movepool, which makes it predictable and vulnerable to stallbreakers.
* This shallow movepool and below average Special Attack mean Torkoal usually has a poor offensive presence that is only somewhat mitigated by Lava Plume's chance to burn and Yawn.
[SET]
name: Defensive Wall
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Lava Plume
move 4: Yawn
item: Leftovers
ability: Drought
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock deals chip damage to foes and breaks their Sturdy and Focus Sashes for its teammates.
* Rapid Spin allows Torkoal to clear away entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, from its own side of the field.
* Lava Plume is Torkoal's only attacking move and lets it fish for burns for residual damage.
* Yawn lets Torkoal stop setup sweepers by inducing sleep after two turns.
Set Details
========
* 252 EVs in Defense and HP with a Bold nature allow Torkoal to maximize its defensive capabilities.
* Leftovers is used to get residual recovery at the end of every turn.
* Drought is the preferred ability, as it increases the power of Fire-type attacks while weakening Water-type attacks. Drought also lets Torkoal stop weather sweepers like Excadrill and Kingdra by changing the weather.
* Heat Rock can be used over Leftovers to increase the duration of sun to eight turns. However, this means Torkoal loses out on passive recovery from Leftovers.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to bring in Torkoal frequently to set up sun to increase the power of its teammates' attacks and lower the power of Water-type moves.
* If Stealth Rock is up on your side of the field, remove it as soon as it is safe to do so.
* Bring in Torkoal against physical attackers to set up Stealth Rock and sun. Similarly, avoid Pokemon with special attacking moves.
* Switch in Torkoal on a predicted Stealth Rock turn to avoid taking damage from it. This is especially important on sets with Heat Rock, as Torkoal has no form of recovery on that.
* Torkoal's low Speed allows it to win all lead matchups against other weather setters such as Hippowdon, Pelipper, and Tyranitar. This gains huge momentum against sand and rain teams.
* In some cases, it might be better to allow Torkoal to faint if it means that Torkoal can Rapid Spin away Stealth Rock or set up sun.
* Avoid letting Torkoal get poisoned or badly poisoned, as it limits Torkoal's influence in a battle.
* Don't keep Torkoal in against setup sweepers with Substitute, as they can easily set one up against Torkoal, and its Lava Plume will usually fail to break it.
* Force your opponent to switch out by using Yawn. In this case, either use Yawn again to force your opponent to keep switching and taking residual damage from Stealth Rock or predict what they'll switch to, and switch out to a suitable teammate.
Team Options
========
* Torkoal's supporting capabilities allow it to be used with almost all Fire-types.
* Heatran forms a great defensive core with Torkoal. Heatran provides a solid neutrality to Rock-type attacks and is free to run a different move, as Torkoal is running Stealth Rock. Heatran also functions as a specially defensive wall for Torkoal to fall back on. Because of Torkoal's Drought, Heatran can run Solar Beam without having to waste a turn charging up.
* Mega Charizard Y hates Stealth Rock and Torkoal can remove it, allowing the former to run a different move over Defog. In return, Mega Charizard Y provides an immunity to Ground-type attacks and beats opposing Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types. It also eases pressure off Torkoal as a sun setter, being able to beat weather setters like Politoed, Hippowdon, and Tyranitar.
* Mega Charizard X is an incredible setup sweeper that appreciates Torkoal clearing away Stealth Rock and setting up sun for it. Torkoal can also create opportunities for Mega Charizard X to set up by spreading burns or inducing sleep.
* Rotom-H provides a Ground immunity and a specially defensive backbone for Torkoal. Rotom-H spreads burns as well through Will-O-Wisp and can increase Torkoal's defenses through Light Screen and Reflect. Finally, it can bring in Torkoal safely through a slow Volt Switch.
* Infernape is eased off having to run Stealth Rock because of Torkoal. This allows it to run a more offensive set to beat threats like Chansey, Tyranitar, and Heatran, all of which beat Torkoal.
* Volcarona is another setup sweeper that appreciates Stealth Rock being cleared away. Drought from Torkoal also ensures Volcarona doesn't miss out on important KOs like an OHKO on Gyarados after a Quiver Dance and Stealth Rock with Inferno Overdrive.
* Volcanion provides a solid immunity to Water-type moves. This lets it beat Water-types like Azumarill by switching into them for Torkoal.
* Victini appreciates Torkoal's Drought ability, as it turns into an incredible wallbreaker under sun with V-create. Victini can also pivot out of situations through U-turn and bring in Torkoal.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Solar Beam can be run to beat opposing weather setters like Hippowdon and Water-types like Swampert. However, this is very situational, and Torkoal prefers to have Yawn to phaze out Pokemon.
* Toxic can be is an option to cripple walls and opposing lead Pokemon like Hippowdon. This lets Torkoal gain the advantage over other Stealth Rock users by putting them on a timer.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Attackers**: Special Attackers like Landorus, Greninja, and Starmie all exploit Torkoal's weaker Special Defense stat and OHKO it with their respective super effective STAB moves.
**Heatran**: Heatran easily walls Torkoal, as it is immune to Lava Plume, can set up Stealth Rock against it, and can use Earth Power to KO it.
**Ground-types**: Excadrill, Garchomp, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon all give Torkoal a hard time with their STAB Ground-type moves. Torkoal is generally helpless against them, and the most it can do is fish for a burn with Lava Plume.
**Water-types**: Keldeo, Manaphy, and Greninja all easily KO Torkoal with their Water-type attacks. However, these attacks are significantly less powerful under sun.
**Dragon-types**: Hydreigon, Latios, Kyurem-B all take little to no damage from Torkoal and can easily KO it. Hydreigon 2HKOes Torkoal with Dark Pulse, Kyurem-B can OHKO it with Earth Power, while Latios can do the same with Surf if sun is gone.
**Substitute Sweepers**: Sweepers like Gyarados and Keldeo that pack Substitute and a setup move can easily take advantage of Torkoal's low Special Attack and start setting up behind a Substitute.
**Special Walls**: Chansey, Tapu Fini, and Gastrodon all take minimal damage from Lava Plume and can outlast Torkoal in a one-on-one situation. Chansey and Gastrodon can poison Torkoal with Toxic to put it on a timer, while Tapu Fini can slowly wear it down through Nature's Madness and Surf.
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