NU Vaporeon

[Rabia]

[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to its high all-around bulk and access to utility moves such as Wish, Toxic, and Heal Bell, Vaporeon is a premier defensive Water-type in the tier, checking prominent physical attackers such as Incineroar, Passimian, Sneasel, and Rhydon as well as special attackers such as Guzzlord, Houndoom, and Assault Vest Slowbro. The combination of Wish + Protect lets Vaporeon both serve as an amazing support Pokemon, keeping Pokemon that don't have access to reliable recovery like Incineroar, Whimsicott, Dhelmise, and Silvally-Steel healthy, and maintain its own health. Because of its ability Water Absorb, Vaporeon is capable of handling opposing bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Slowking while also checking offensive Water-types like Samurott and Omastar. Unfortunately, although Vaporeon has a high HP stat, its physical bulk is lacking, making it easy for Pokemon like Medicham and Dhelmise to pressure it. Additionally, Vaporeon's passivity and reliance on Toxic for damage invite in threatening setup Pokemon like Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary, Taunt + Calm Mind Comfey, and Bulk Up Scrafty that can circumvent Toxic in some way. While Vaporeon's special bulk is great, it can still struggle with common specially offensive Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, Heliolisk, and Rotom.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Heal Bell
move 3: Wish
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Scald is Vaporeon's most spammable STAB move and possesses a 30% chance to burn the foe, letting Vaporeon dissuade physical attackers like Passimian, Decidueye, Braviary, and Dhelmise from switching in. Toxic allows Vaporeon to threaten bulky Water-types like Slowbro, Slowking, and opposing Vaporeon while also crippling Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Comfey. Alternatively, Heal Bell can be used to help prevent Vaporeon from being badly poisoned by Pokemon like Slowbro, Golbat, and defensive Hariyama and provide its team with cleric support. However, Vaporeon relies heavily on Toxic to damage opposing bulky Water-types, and the lack of Toxic makes Vaporeon even more passive. Wish gives Vaporeon a source of active recovery and supports Vaporeon's teammates well thanks to Vaporeon's high base HP stat, meaning Wish will restore more HP. Protect lets Vaporeon scout opposing Choice item Pokemon, recover free health with Leftovers and Wish, and rack up Toxic damage on opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Protect lets Vaporeon take boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

Set Details
========

252 HP EVs and 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Vaporeon's physical bulk, letting it better handle physical attackers like Passimian, Hariyama, and Klinklang. Leftovers provides Vaporeon with passive recovery, and it can take advantage of this further with Protect. Water Absorb restores Vaporeon's health when it is hit by a Water-type move and gives it an immunity to Water, which aids it in checking Pokemon such as Slowbro, Slowking, and Samurott.

Usage Tips
========

Vaporeon should look to spread status early-game through the use of Scald and Toxic to cripple the opposing team for its teammates and punish Pokemon such as Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Heliolisk for switching in in an attempt to gain momentum. Additionally, Vaporeon should always prioritize using Toxic if the opponent has a bulky Water-type like Slowbro on the field, as badly poisoning it is much more valuable than burning it in order to cripple its longevity. Although Heal Bell variants of Vaporeon can remove status such as Toxic poison, non-Heal Bell Vaporeon must watch out for Toxic from Pokemon like Slowbro and Steelix, as being badly poisoned greatly limits Vaporeon's longevity. Vaporeon can be switched into defensive Pokemon that cannot do much harm to it such as Diancie and Palossand in order to gain momentum and have an easier time passing a Wish to a teammate. Be mindful of switching Vaporeon into Pokemon like Incineroar, Sneasel, and Passimian, as while Vaporeon can stomach hits from these Pokemon well, it risks losing its Leftovers to a Knock Off. Additionally, while Vaporeon is an effective check to physical attackers like the aforementioned Pokemon, its low physical bulk can lead to it being overwhelmed by stronger physical wallbreakers like Medicham and force it to use Wish simply to sustain itself rather than to support its team. If the opponent has a Pokemon that doesn't mind Toxic and Scald such as Vileplume, Blastoise, or Ferroseed, it is very likely they will switch into Vaporeon. Therefore, switching into a Pokemon that can take advantage of such a play like Electrium Z Magmortar or Grassium Z Delphox is a good idea. Vaporeon should use Protect when it is up against a Choice item user like Vanilluxe or Passimian to scout what move they are going to use, gain free passive recovery via Leftovers, and guarantee recovery from Wish.

Team Options
========

Vaporeon fits best on balanced teams that appreciate its ability to provide Wish support and pivot into threatening wallbreakers like Incineroar and Guzzlord. Entry hazard support from the likes of Rhydon, Palossand, and Torterra synergizes well with Vaporeon chipping down foes with Toxic and repetitive uses of Scald. Grass-types like Whimsicott and Vileplume work well alongside Vaporeon, being able to take Electric- and Grass-type attacks while also appreciating Vaporeon's ability to punish bulky Water-types with Toxic. Decidueye and Dhelmise appreciate Vaporeon being able to switch into Incineroar and Sneasel. Whimsicott, Decidueye, and Dhelmise all appreciate receiving Wishes from Vaporeon, as it allows them to better use their resistances to Water and Fighting to pivot in. Incineroar is a great partner for Vaporeon, as Vaporeon handles both problematic Rock- and Ground-types like Diancie, Aerodactyl, and Rhydon and Fighting-types like Passimian and Hariyama. Furthermore, due to Incineroar's lack of sustainability outside of a potential Berry, it appreciates being able to receive large Wishes from Vaporeon. In return, Incineroar deals with Grass-types like Decidueye and Whimsicott for Vaporeon and can switch into Choice item Vanilluxe to scout what move it will use. Steel-types such as Steelix and Silvally-Steel appreciate Vaporeon checking Fire-types like Incineroar, non-Grassium Z Delphox, and Houndoom and providing Wish support. Additionally, Steelix and Silvally-Steel check Grass-type wallbreakers like Whimsicott and Dhelmise for Vaporeon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vaporeon can use Celebrate in conjunction with Normalium Z to boost all of its stats with Z-Celebrate, turning it into an effective late-game sweeper. Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed with a Timid nature lets Vaporeon hit as hard as possible and be as fast as possible, notably outspeeding up to Sceptile after a Z-Celebrate. The coverage provided by the combination of Hydro Pump, Shadow Ball, and Ice Beam lets Vaporeon hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. However, Vaporeon isn't impressively fast even after setting up, being outsped by Choice Scarf users like Passimian, Braviary, and Rotom. Additionally, Vaporeon can only set up once with Z-Celebrate and wants to preserve its health for setting up, greatly limiting its early- and mid-game presence. A Choice Specs set is possible thanks to Vaporeon's solid base 110 Special Attack stat, but Vaporeon's movepool is shallow, and being Choice-locked into any of its moves is not ideal, as they are all easily exploited by setup sweepers like Decidueye, Klinklang, and Braviary. Furthermore, Vaporeon faces strong competition as a specially offensive Water-type from the likes of Samurott and Clawitzer, both of which sport better coverage. In addition, the former is not reliant on a Choice item to wallbreak effectively, and the latter makes better use of one than Vaporeon. Roar helps to prevent Vaporeon from being used as setup fodder by the likes of Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Bulk Up Scrafty, but Vaporeon heavily relies on Toxic to threaten bulky Water-types.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: Whimsicott and Sceptile can come in easily on Vaporeon's weak Scald and hit it with strong Grass-type moves. Decidueye and Dhelmise threaten Vaporeon out with a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, although they must be wary of a burn from Scald. Vileplume easily takes on Vaporeon, as it does not mind a burn from Scald. Torterra struggles to switch into Vaporeon because of the risk of a burn from Scald, but it threatens to OHKO Vaporeon with Bloom Doom.

**Electric-types**: Heliolisk is immune to Vaporeon's STAB attacks thanks to its ability Dry Skin, although it doesn't appreciate being badly poisoned by Toxic. Rotom can cripple Vaporeon with Trick or simply threaten solid damage with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. Vikavolt can tank Vaporeon's weak Scald fairly well, pressure Vaporeon with its Electric-type moves, and recover health with Roost.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can set up on Vaporeon, as Scald will not break its Substitute. Guts Hariyama takes little from Scald, doesn't mind a burn, and threatens heavy damage with Close Combat. Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power, a strong Fighting-type STAB attack in High Jump Kick, and Electric-type coverage in Thunder Punch, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn and cannot freely use High Jump Kick, as Vaporeon can use Protect against it. Gallade can set up Swords Dance and threaten Vaporeon with a strong Close Combat or Leaf Blade, but it doesn't appreciate a burn from Scald at all.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey, Samurott, and Golbat, as it is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald, while Samurott takes little from Scald, can use Taunt to prevent Vaporeon from recovering health with Wish, and can 3HKO Vaporeon with Grass Knot.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Earlier versions by: [[banks, 379208]]
- Quality checked by: [[Punchshroom, 169054], [poh, 298730], [Blast, 191846]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]

 

[Rabia]

this is ready for first check, but I am very unhappy with usage tips for the z celebrate set. it's so linear - you wait until mid- to late-game to set up once checks are weakened/eliminated and then you set up. I would like some help in potentially adding more info, even if it's super basic like "use surf once boosted" because I may be overlooking obvious things >.>

 

[Rabia]

ok this is now super ready for an update -> move z cele to other options and added a taunt users section to c&c

 

[Punchshroom]

* Protect lets Vaporeon scout opposing Choice item Pokemon, recover free health with Leftovers and Wish, and stack up Toxic damage on opposing Pokemon.

Protect also allows Vaporeon to stomach boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

* Vaporeon can use Celebrate in conjunction with Nomalium Z to boost all of its stats with Z-Celebrate, turning it into a solid sweeper. However, Vaporeon faces fierce competition for the slot of a Z-Crystal from the likes of Slowbro and Braviary, which find more opportunities to set up thanks to their typings and have an easier time breaking through checks.

- Z-Celebrate doesn't suffer so much from competition; it suffers primarily from its poor Speed which greatly limits its early/midgame presence (since it wants health to set up and can't afford prematurely trading blows) as well as still getting outsped by Choice Scarf users even after setting up. It also only sets up once which makes setting up a huge commitment as it becomes pretty deadweight after that.
- If you insist on bringing up competition, I would suggest more explosive setup sweepers instead of the slower ones you have here. Examples would include Klinklang and Shell Smash Omastar, or even other Celebrate users like Malamar and Charizard.

* A Choice Specs set is possible thanks to Vaporeon's solid base 110 Special Attack, but Vaporeon's movepool is shallow and being Choice locked into a move is not ideal, as Vaporeon's moves are easily abused by setup sweepers like Decidueye, Klinklang, and Braviary.

On the other hand, this set is the one more held back by its competition. Samurott and Clawitzer have superior coverage and either are not reliant on the Choice item or make better use of it, respectively.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: Whimsicott and Sceptile can come in easily on Vaporeon's weak Scald and hit it with strong Grass-type moves. Decidueye and Dhelmise threaten Vaporeon out with a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, although must be wary of a burn from Scald. Vileplume easily takes on defensive Vaporeon, as it does not mind a burn from Scald. Torterra struggles to switch into Vaporeon because of the risk of a burn from Scald, but threatens to OHKO Vaporeon with Bloom Doom.

This implies there's another variant of Vaporeon on-site, which there isn't.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power and a strong Fighting-type STAB attack in High Jump Kick, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn. Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can setup on defensive Vaporeon, as a Scald from it will not break Braviary's Substitute. Gallade can set up Swords Dance and threaten Vaporeon with a strong Close Combat, although doesn't appreciate a burn from Scald at all.

I thought you'd have mentioned Guts Hariyama here, as its disregard for Scald should warrant mention.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey and Golbat, as Vaporeon is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald.

While Samurott is a rather rare user of Taunt, it does warrant mention as it allows Rott to beat down Vaporeon with Grass Knots when it otherwise wouldn't.

QC 1/3

 

[Rabia]

Protect also allows Vaporeon to stomach boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

- Z-Celebrate doesn't suffer so much from competition; it suffers primarily from its poor Speed which greatly limits its early/midgame presence (since it wants health to set up and can't afford prematurely trading blows) as well as still getting outsped by Choice Scarf users even after setting up. It also only sets up once which makes setting up a huge commitment as it becomes pretty deadweight after that.
- If you insist on bringing up competition, I would suggest more explosive setup sweepers instead of the slower ones you have here. Examples would include Klinklang and Shell Smash Omastar, or even other Celebrate users like Malamar and Charizard.

On the other hand, this set is the one more held back by its competition. Samurott and Clawitzer have superior coverage and either are not reliant on the Choice item or make better use of it, respectively.

This implies there's another variant of Vaporeon on-site, which there isn't.

I thought you'd have mentioned Guts Hariyama here, as its disregard for Scald should warrant mention.

While Samurott is a rather rare user of Taunt, it does warrant mention as it allows Rott to beat down Vaporeon with Grass Knots when it otherwise wouldn't.

QC 1/3

implemented, ready for 2nd check

 

[Punchshroom]

Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power and Electric-type coverage in Thunder Punch, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn.

Medicham can still threaten Vaporeon with High Jump Kick (for even more damage), though obviously mention the risk of Protect.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey, Samurott, and Golbat, as Vaporeon is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald, while Samurott can beat Vaporeon with Taunt, taking little from Scald and retaliating with a super effective Hidden Power Grass.

Mind the redundancy; instead mention Samurott primarily focusing on denying Wish and Toxic in order to beat Vaporeon down. Also, there's no reason for Rott to run HP Grass when Grass Knot hits just as hard.

 

[Rabia]

Medicham can still threaten Vaporeon with High Jump Kick (for even more damage), though obviously mention the risk of Protect.

Mind the redundancy; instead mention Samurott primarily focusing on denying Wish and Toxic in order to beat Vaporeon down. Also, there's no reason for Rott to run HP Grass when Grass Knot hits just as hard.

this too

 

[poh]

Usage Tips: You can grab momentum if the opponent has a Blastoise, Ferroseed or Vileplume (resist scald, don't care about toxic). They're most likely gonna hardswitch it when they see a vaporeon. It's easy to predict that.
Team Options: list some more mons that don't have recovery that appreciate a fat wish, you don't need to make a separate bulletpoint just try to implement it (steelvally, most offensive grass types,..)
OO: implement the whole z-cele set:
Vaporeon @ Normalium Z
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Celebrate
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball

Very well done QC 2/3

 

[Rabia]

Usage Tips: You can grab momentum if the opponent has a Blastoise, Ferroseed or Vileplume (resist scald, don't care about toxic). They're most likely gonna hardswitch it when they see a vaporeon. It's easy to predict that.
Team Options: list some more mons that don't have recovery that appreciate a fat wish, you don't need to make a separate bulletpoint just try to implement it (steelvally, most offensive grass types,..)
OO: implement the whole z-cele set:
Vaporeon @ Normalium Z
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Celebrate
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball

Very well done QC 2/3

implemented, will write up tonight

 

[Rabia]

written up and ready for final qc check

 

[Blast]

Very thorough work, QC 3/3

 

[Rabia]

Very thorough work, QC 3/3

finally got the fabeled "yep good to me" comment. :] will read through this one more time after I write up decidueye and then this will be sent to gp!

 

[Lumari]

remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 1/2

check

[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to its high all-around bulk and access to utility moves such as Wish, Toxic, and Heal Bell, Vaporeon is a premier defensive Water-type in the tier, checking prominent physical attackers such as Incineroar, Passimian, Sneasel, and Rhydon as well as special attackers such as Guzzlord, Houndoom, and Assault Vest Slowbro. The combination of Wish + Protect lets Vaporeon both serve as an amazing support Pokemon, keeping Pokemon that don't have access to reliable recovery like Incineroar, Whimsicott, Dhelmise, and Silvally-Steel healthy, and maintain its own health. Because of its ability Water Absorb, Vaporeon is capable of handling opposing bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Slowking while also checking offensive Water-types like Samurott and Omastar. Unfortunately, although Vaporeon has a high HP stat, its physical defense bulk is lacking, making it easy for Pokemon like Medicham and Dhelmise to pressure it. Additionally, Vaporeon's passivity and reliance on Toxic for damage invites invite in threatening setup Pokemon like Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary, Taunt + Calm Mind Comfey, and Bulk Up Scrafty that can circumvent Toxic in some way. While Vaporeon's special bulk is great, it can still struggle with common specially offensive Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, Heliolisk, and Rotom.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Heal Bell
move 3: Wish
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Scald is Vaporeon's most spammable STAB move and possesses a 30% chance to burn the foe, letting Vaporeon dissuade physical attackers like Passimian, Decidueye, Braviary, and Dhelmise from switching in. Toxic allows Vaporeon to threaten bulky Water-types like Slowbro, Slowking, and opposing Vaporeon while also crippling Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Comfey. Alternatively, Heal Bell can be used to help prevent Vaporeon from being badly poisoned by Pokemon like Slowbro, Golbat, and defensive Hariyama and provide its team with cleric support. However, Vaporeon relies heavily on Toxic to damage opposing bulky Water-types, and the lack of Toxic makes Vaporeon even more passive. Wish gives Vaporeon a source of active recovery and supports Vaporeon's teammates well thanks to Vaporeon's high base HP stat, meaning Wish will restore more HP. Protect lets Vaporeon scout opposing Choice item Pokemon, recover free health with Leftovers and Wish, and stack rack up Toxic damage on opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Protect lets Vaporeon take boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

Set Details
========

252 HP EVs and 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Vaporeon's physical bulk, letting it better handle physical attackers like Passimian, Hariyama, and Klinklang. Leftovers provides Vaporeon with passive recovery and synergizes well with Protect, as Vaporeon can generate free recovery from Leftovers with Protect. Water Absorb gives Vaporeon an immunity to Water-type moves, restores Vaporeon's health when it is hit by a Water-type move, and aids it in checking Pokemon such as Slowbro, Slowking, and Samurott.

Usage Tips
========

Vaporeon should look to spread status early-game through the use of Scald and Toxic to cripple the opposing team for its teammates and to punish Pokemon such as Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Heliolisk for switching into Vaporeon in an attempt to gain momentum. Additionally, Vaporeon should always prioritize using Toxic if the opponent has a bulky Water-type like Slowbro on the field, as badly poisoning it is much more valuable than a burn in order to cripple its longevity. Although Heal Bell variants of Vaporeon can remove status such as a poison from Toxic, non-Heal Bell Vaporeon must watch out for Toxic from Pokemon like Slowbro and Steelix, as being badly poisoned greatly limits Vaporeon's survivability longevity. Vaporeon can be switched into defensive Pokemon that cannot do much harm to it such as Diancie and Palossand in order to gain momentum and have an easier time passing a Wish to a teammate. Be mindful of switching Vaporeon into Pokemon like Incineroar, Sneasel, and Passimian, as while Vaporeon can stomach hits from these Pokemon well, it risks losing its Leftovers to a Knock Off. Additionally, while Vaporeon is an effective check to physical attackers like the aforementioned, its low physical defense bulk can lead to it being overwhelmed by stronger physical wallbreakers like Medicham and force it to use Wish simply for self-sustain (AH) rather than to support its team. If the opponent has a Pokemon that doesn't mind Toxic or Scald such as Vileplume, Blastoise, and or Ferroseed, it is very likely they will switch into Vaporeon. Therefore, switching into a Pokemon that can take advantage of such a play like Electrium Z Magmortar and or Grassium Z Delphox is a good idea. Vaporeon should use Protect when it is up against a Choice item user like Vanilluxe and or Passimian to scout what move they are going to use, to gain free passive recovery via Leftovers, and to guarantee a free self-heal from Wish.

Team Options
========

Vaporeon fits best on balanced teams that appreciate its ability to provide Wish support and pivot into threatening wallbreakers like Choice item Vanilluxe and Guzzlord. Entry hazard support from the likes of Rhydon, Palossand, and Torterra synergizes well with Vaporeon chipping down foes with Toxic and repetitive uses of Scald. Grass-types like Whimsicott and Vileplume work well alongside Vaporeon, being able to take Electric- and Grass-type attacks while also appreciating Vaporeon's ability to punish bulky Water-types with Toxic. Decidueye and Dhelmise appreciate Vaporeon being able to switch into Incineroar and Sneasel. Whimsicott, Decidueye, and Dhelmise all appreciate receiving Wishes from Vaporeon, as it allows them to better use their resistances to Water and Fighting to pivot in. Incineroar is a great partner for Vaporeon, as Vaporeon handles both problematic Rock- and Ground-types like Diancie, Aerodactyl, and Rhydon and Fighting-types like Passimian and Hariyama. Furthermore, due to Incineroar's lack of sustain outside of a potential pinch Berry, it appreciates being able to receive large Wishes from Vaporeon. In return, Incineroar deals with Grass-types like Decidueye and Whimsicott for Vaporeon and can switch into Choice item Vanilluxe to scout what move it will use. Steel-types such as Steelix and Silvally-Steel appreciate Vaporeon checking Fire-types like Incineroar, non-Grassium Z Delphox, and Houndoom and providing Wish support. Additionally, Steelix and Silvally-Steel check Grass-type wallbreakers like Whimsicott and Dhelmise for Vaporeon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vaporeon can use Celebrate in conjunction with Normalium Z to boost all of its stats with Z-Celebrate, turning it into an effective late-game sweeper. Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed with a Timid nature lets Vaporeon hit as hard as possible and be as fast as possible, notably outspeeding up to Sceptile after a Z-Celebrate. The coverage provided by the combination of Hydro Pump, Shadow Ball, and Ice Beam lets Vaporeon hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. However, Vaporeon isn't impressively fast even after setting up, being outsped by Choice Scarf users like Passimian, Braviary, and Rotom. Additionally, Vaporeon can only set up once with Z-Celebrate and wants to preserve its health for setting up, greatly limiting its early- and mid-game presence. A Choice Specs set is possible thanks to Vaporeon's solid base 110 Special Attack stat, but Vaporeon's movepool is shallow, (AC) and being Choice locked into any of its moves is not ideal, as Vaporeon's moves they are all easily exploited by setup sweepers like Decidueye, Klinklang, and Braviary. Furthermore, Vaporeon faces strong competition as a special attacking offensive Water-type from the likes of Samurott and Clawitzer, both of which sport better coverage and are either not while the former is not reliant on a Choice item to wallbreak effectively or make and the latter makes better use of one than Vaporeon, respectively. Roar helps to prevent Vaporeon from being used as setup fodder by the likes of Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Bulk Up Scrafty, but Vaporeon heavily relies on Toxic to threaten bulky Water-types. Yawn is an interesting option that prevents Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, and Comfey from switching in easily, but a poison from Toxic is a more effective way to dissuade switch-ins.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: Whimsicott and Sceptile can come in easily on Vaporeon's weak Scald and hit it with strong Grass-type moves. Decidueye and Dhelmise threaten Vaporeon out with a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, although must be wary of a burn from Scald. Vileplume easily takes on Vaporeon, as it does not mind a burn from Scald. Torterra struggles to switch into Vaporeon because of the risk of a burn from Scald, but it threatens to OHKO Vaporeon with Bloom Doom.

**Electric-types**: Heliolisk is immune to Vaporeon's STAB attacks thanks to its ability Dry Skin, although doesn't appreciate being badly poisoned by Toxic. Rotom can cripple Vaporeon with Trick or simply threaten solid damage with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. Vikavolt can tank Vaporeon's weak Scald fairly well, pressure it with its Electric-type moves, and recover health with Roost.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can setup set up on Vaporeon, as a Scald from it will not break Braviary's its Substitute. Guts Hariyama takes little from Scald, doesn't mind a burn thanks to Guts, and threatens heavy damage with Close Combat. Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power, a strong Fighting-type STAB attack in High Jump Kick, and Electric-type coverage in Thunder Punch, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn (RC) and cannot freely click High Jump Kick, as Vaporeon can use Protect against it. Gallade can set up Swords Dance and threaten Vaporeon with a strong Close Combat or Leaf Blade, but it doesn't appreciate a burn from Scald at all.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey, Samurott, and Golbat, as Vaporeon it is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald, while Samurott takes little from Scald, can use Taunt Vaporeon thus preventing it to prevent Vaporeon from recovering health with Wish, and can 3HKO Vaporeon with Grass Knot.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[Punchshroom, 169054], [poh, 298730], [Blast, 191846]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

 

[Rabia]

remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 1/2

check

[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to its high all-around bulk and access to utility moves such as Wish, Toxic, and Heal Bell, Vaporeon is a premier defensive Water-type in the tier, checking prominent physical attackers such as Incineroar, Passimian, Sneasel, and Rhydon as well as special attackers such as Guzzlord, Houndoom, and Assault Vest Slowbro. The combination of Wish + Protect lets Vaporeon both serve as an amazing support Pokemon, keeping Pokemon that don't have access to reliable recovery like Incineroar, Whimsicott, Dhelmise, and Silvally-Steel healthy, and maintain its own health. Because of its ability Water Absorb, Vaporeon is capable of handling opposing bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Slowking while also checking offensive Water-types like Samurott and Omastar. Unfortunately, although Vaporeon has a high HP stat, its physical defense bulk is lacking, making it easy for Pokemon like Medicham and Dhelmise to pressure it. Additionally, Vaporeon's passivity and reliance on Toxic for damage invites invite in threatening setup Pokemon like Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary, Taunt + Calm Mind Comfey, and Bulk Up Scrafty that can circumvent Toxic in some way. While Vaporeon's special bulk is great, it can still struggle with common specially offensive Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, Heliolisk, and Rotom.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Heal Bell
move 3: Wish
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Scald is Vaporeon's most spammable STAB move and possesses a 30% chance to burn the foe, letting Vaporeon dissuade physical attackers like Passimian, Decidueye, Braviary, and Dhelmise from switching in. Toxic allows Vaporeon to threaten bulky Water-types like Slowbro, Slowking, and opposing Vaporeon while also crippling Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Comfey. Alternatively, Heal Bell can be used to help prevent Vaporeon from being badly poisoned by Pokemon like Slowbro, Golbat, and defensive Hariyama and provide its team with cleric support. However, Vaporeon relies heavily on Toxic to damage opposing bulky Water-types, and the lack of Toxic makes Vaporeon even more passive. Wish gives Vaporeon a source of active recovery and supports Vaporeon's teammates well thanks to Vaporeon's high base HP stat, meaning Wish will restore more HP. Protect lets Vaporeon scout opposing Choice item Pokemon, recover free health with Leftovers and Wish, and stack rack up Toxic damage on opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Protect lets Vaporeon take boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

Set Details
========

252 HP EVs and 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Vaporeon's physical bulk, letting it better handle physical attackers like Passimian, Hariyama, and Klinklang. Leftovers provides Vaporeon with passive recovery and synergizes well with Protect, as Vaporeon can generate free recovery from Leftovers with Protect. Water Absorb gives Vaporeon an immunity to Water-type moves, restores Vaporeon's health when it is hit by a Water-type move, and aids it in checking Pokemon such as Slowbro, Slowking, and Samurott.

Usage Tips
========

Vaporeon should look to spread status early-game through the use of Scald and Toxic to cripple the opposing team for its teammates and to punish Pokemon such as Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Heliolisk for switching into Vaporeon in an attempt to gain momentum. Additionally, Vaporeon should always prioritize using Toxic if the opponent has a bulky Water-type like Slowbro on the field, as badly poisoning it is much more valuable than a burn in order to cripple its longevity. Although Heal Bell variants of Vaporeon can remove status such as a poison from Toxic, non-Heal Bell Vaporeon must watch out for Toxic from Pokemon like Slowbro and Steelix, as being badly poisoned greatly limits Vaporeon's survivability longevity. Vaporeon can be switched into defensive Pokemon that cannot do much harm to it such as Diancie and Palossand in order to gain momentum and have an easier time passing a Wish to a teammate. Be mindful of switching Vaporeon into Pokemon like Incineroar, Sneasel, and Passimian, as while Vaporeon can stomach hits from these Pokemon well, it risks losing its Leftovers to a Knock Off. Additionally, while Vaporeon is an effective check to physical attackers like the aforementioned, its low physical defense bulk can lead to it being overwhelmed by stronger physical wallbreakers like Medicham and force it to use Wish simply for self-sustain (AH) rather than to support its team. If the opponent has a Pokemon that doesn't mind Toxic or Scald such as Vileplume, Blastoise, and or Ferroseed, it is very likely they will switch into Vaporeon. Therefore, switching into a Pokemon that can take advantage of such a play like Electrium Z Magmortar and or Grassium Z Delphox is a good idea. Vaporeon should use Protect when it is up against a Choice item user like Vanilluxe and or Passimian to scout what move they are going to use, to gain free passive recovery via Leftovers, and to guarantee a free self-heal from Wish.

Team Options
========

Vaporeon fits best on balanced teams that appreciate its ability to provide Wish support and pivot into threatening wallbreakers like Choice item Vanilluxe and Guzzlord. Entry hazard support from the likes of Rhydon, Palossand, and Torterra synergizes well with Vaporeon chipping down foes with Toxic and repetitive uses of Scald. Grass-types like Whimsicott and Vileplume work well alongside Vaporeon, being able to take Electric- and Grass-type attacks while also appreciating Vaporeon's ability to punish bulky Water-types with Toxic. Decidueye and Dhelmise appreciate Vaporeon being able to switch into Incineroar and Sneasel. Whimsicott, Decidueye, and Dhelmise all appreciate receiving Wishes from Vaporeon, as it allows them to better use their resistances to Water and Fighting to pivot in. Incineroar is a great partner for Vaporeon, as Vaporeon handles both problematic Rock- and Ground-types like Diancie, Aerodactyl, and Rhydon and Fighting-types like Passimian and Hariyama. Furthermore, due to Incineroar's lack of sustain outside of a potential pinch Berry, it appreciates being able to receive large Wishes from Vaporeon. In return, Incineroar deals with Grass-types like Decidueye and Whimsicott for Vaporeon and can switch into Choice item Vanilluxe to scout what move it will use. Steel-types such as Steelix and Silvally-Steel appreciate Vaporeon checking Fire-types like Incineroar, non-Grassium Z Delphox, and Houndoom and providing Wish support. Additionally, Steelix and Silvally-Steel check Grass-type wallbreakers like Whimsicott and Dhelmise for Vaporeon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vaporeon can use Celebrate in conjunction with Normalium Z to boost all of its stats with Z-Celebrate, turning it into an effective late-game sweeper. Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed with a Timid nature lets Vaporeon hit as hard as possible and be as fast as possible, notably outspeeding up to Sceptile after a Z-Celebrate. The coverage provided by the combination of Hydro Pump, Shadow Ball, and Ice Beam lets Vaporeon hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. However, Vaporeon isn't impressively fast even after setting up, being outsped by Choice Scarf users like Passimian, Braviary, and Rotom. Additionally, Vaporeon can only set up once with Z-Celebrate and wants to preserve its health for setting up, greatly limiting its early- and mid-game presence. A Choice Specs set is possible thanks to Vaporeon's solid base 110 Special Attack stat, but Vaporeon's movepool is shallow, (AC) and being Choice locked into any of its moves is not ideal, as Vaporeon's moves they are all easily exploited by setup sweepers like Decidueye, Klinklang, and Braviary. Furthermore, Vaporeon faces strong competition as a special attacking offensive Water-type from the likes of Samurott and Clawitzer, both of which sport better coverage and are either not while the former is not reliant on a Choice item to wallbreak effectively or make and the latter makes better use of one than Vaporeon, respectively. Roar helps to prevent Vaporeon from being used as setup fodder by the likes of Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Bulk Up Scrafty, but Vaporeon heavily relies on Toxic to threaten bulky Water-types. Yawn is an interesting option that prevents Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, and Comfey from switching in easily, but a poison from Toxic is a more effective way to dissuade switch-ins.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: Whimsicott and Sceptile can come in easily on Vaporeon's weak Scald and hit it with strong Grass-type moves. Decidueye and Dhelmise threaten Vaporeon out with a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, although must be wary of a burn from Scald. Vileplume easily takes on Vaporeon, as it does not mind a burn from Scald. Torterra struggles to switch into Vaporeon because of the risk of a burn from Scald, but it threatens to OHKO Vaporeon with Bloom Doom.

**Electric-types**: Heliolisk is immune to Vaporeon's STAB attacks thanks to its ability Dry Skin, although doesn't appreciate being badly poisoned by Toxic. Rotom can cripple Vaporeon with Trick or simply threaten solid damage with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. Vikavolt can tank Vaporeon's weak Scald fairly well, pressure it with its Electric-type moves, and recover health with Roost.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can setup set up on Vaporeon, as a Scald from it will not break Braviary's its Substitute. Guts Hariyama takes little from Scald, doesn't mind a burn thanks to Guts, and threatens heavy damage with Close Combat. Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power, a strong Fighting-type STAB attack in High Jump Kick, and Electric-type coverage in Thunder Punch, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn (RC) and cannot freely click High Jump Kick, as Vaporeon can use Protect against it. Gallade can set up Swords Dance and threaten Vaporeon with a strong Close Combat or Leaf Blade, but it doesn't appreciate a burn from Scald at all.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey, Samurott, and Golbat, as Vaporeon it is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald, while Samurott takes little from Scald, can use Taunt Vaporeon thus preventing it to prevent Vaporeon from recovering health with Wish, and can 3HKO Vaporeon with Grass Knot.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[Punchshroom, 169054], [poh, 298730], [Blast, 191846]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

implemented

 

[A Cake Wearing A Hat]

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[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to its high all-around bulk and access to utility moves such as Wish, Toxic, and Heal Bell, Vaporeon is a premier defensive Water-type in the tier, checking prominent physical attackers such as Incineroar, Passimian, Sneasel, and Rhydon as well as special attackers such as Guzzlord, Houndoom, and Assault Vest Slowbro. The combination of Wish + Protect lets Vaporeon both serve as an amazing support Pokemon, keeping Pokemon that don't have access to reliable recovery like Incineroar, Whimsicott, Dhelmise, and Silvally-Steel healthy, and maintain its own health. Because of its ability Water Absorb, Vaporeon is capable of handling opposing bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Slowking while also checking offensive Water-types like Samurott and Omastar. Unfortunately, although Vaporeon has a high HP stat, its physical bulk is lacking, making it easy for Pokemon like Medicham and Dhelmise to pressure it. Additionally, Vaporeon's passivity and reliance on Toxic for damage invite in threatening setup Pokemon like Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary, Taunt + Calm Mind Comfey, and Bulk Up Scrafty that can circumvent Toxic in some way. While Vaporeon's special bulk is great, it can still struggle with common specially offensive Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, Heliolisk, and Rotom.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Heal Bell
move 3: Wish
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Scald is Vaporeon's most spammable STAB move and possesses a 30% chance to burn the foe, letting Vaporeon dissuade physical attackers like Passimian, Decidueye, Braviary, and Dhelmise from switching in. Toxic allows Vaporeon to threaten bulky Water-types like Slowbro, Slowking, and opposing Vaporeon while also crippling Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Comfey. Alternatively, Heal Bell can be used to help prevent Vaporeon from being badly poisoned by Pokemon like Slowbro, Golbat, and defensive Hariyama and provide its team with cleric support. However, Vaporeon relies heavily on Toxic to damage opposing bulky Water-types, and the lack of Toxic makes Vaporeon even more passive. Wish gives Vaporeon a source of active recovery and supports Vaporeon's teammates well thanks to Vaporeon's high base HP stat, meaning Wish will restore more HP. Protect lets Vaporeon scout opposing Choice item Pokemon, recover free health with Leftovers and Wish, and rack up Toxic damage on opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Protect lets Vaporeon take boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

Set Details
========

252 HP EVs and 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Vaporeon's physical bulk, letting it better handle physical attackers like Passimian, Hariyama, and Klinklang. Leftovers provides Vaporeon with passive recovery and synergizes well with Protect, as Vaporeon can generate free recovery from Leftovers with Protect, (AC) and it can take advantage of this further with Protect. (Helps reduce repetitiveness and helps w conciseness) Water Absorb gives Vaporeon an immunity to Water-type moves, restores Vaporeon's health when it is hit by a Water-type move and gives it an immunity to Water, and which aids it in checking Pokemon such as Slowbro, Slowking, and Samurott.

Usage Tips
========

Vaporeon should look to spread status early-game through the use of Scald and Toxic to cripple the opposing team for its teammates and to punish Pokemon such as Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Heliolisk for switching in in an attempt to gain momentum. Additionally, Vaporeon should always prioritize using Toxic if the opponent has a bulky Water-type like Slowbro on the field, as badly poisoning it is much more valuable than a burn burning it in order to cripple its longevity. Although Heal Bell variants of Vaporeon can remove status such as a poison from Toxic poison, non-Heal Bell Vaporeon must watch out for Toxic from Pokemon like Slowbro and Steelix, as being badly poisoned greatly limits Vaporeon's longevity. Vaporeon can be switched into defensive Pokemon that cannot do much harm to it such as Diancie and Palossand in order to gain momentum and have an easier time passing a Wish to a teammate. Be mindful of switching Vaporeon into Pokemon like Incineroar, Sneasel, and Passimian, as while Vaporeon can stomach hits from these Pokemon well, it risks losing its Leftovers to a Knock Off. Additionally, while Vaporeon is an effective check to physical attackers like the aforementioned Pokemon, its low physical bulk can lead to it being overwhelmed by stronger physical wallbreakers like Medicham and force it to use Wish simply for self-sustain to sustain itself rather than to support its team. If the opponent has a Pokemon that doesn't mind Toxic or and Scald such as Vileplume, Blastoise, or Ferroseed, it is very likely they will switch into Vaporeon. Therefore, switching into a Pokemon that can take advantage of such a play like Electrium Z Magmortar or Grassium Z Delphox is a good idea. Vaporeon should use Protect when it is up against a Choice item user like Vanilluxe or Passimian to scout what move they are going to use, to gain free passive recovery via Leftovers, and to guarantee a free self-heal recovery from Wish.

Team Options
========

Vaporeon fits best on balanced teams that appreciate its ability to provide Wish support and pivot into threatening wallbreakers like Choice item Vanilluxe Incineroar (talked w rabia about this) and Guzzlord. Entry hazard support from the likes of Rhydon, Palossand, and Torterra synergizes well with Vaporeon chipping down foes with Toxic and repetitive uses of Scald. Grass-types like Whimsicott and Vileplume work well alongside Vaporeon, being able to take Electric- and Grass-type attacks while also appreciating Vaporeon's ability to punish bulky Water-types with Toxic. Decidueye and Dhelmise appreciate Vaporeon being able to switch into Incineroar and Sneasel. Whimsicott, Decidueye, and Dhelmise all appreciate receiving Wishes from Vaporeon, as it allows them to better use their resistances to Water and Fighting to pivot in. Incineroar is a great partner for Vaporeon, as Vaporeon handles both problematic Rock- and Ground-types like Diancie, Aerodactyl, and Rhydon and Fighting-types like Passimian and Hariyama. Furthermore, due to Incineroar's lack of sustain sustainability outside of a potential Berry, it appreciates being able to receive large Wishes from Vaporeon. In return, Incineroar deals with Grass-types like Decidueye and Whimsicott for Vaporeon and can switch into Choice item Vanilluxe to scout what move it will use. Steel-types such as Steelix and Silvally-Steel appreciate Vaporeon checking Fire-types like Incineroar, non-Grassium Z Delphox, and Houndoom and providing Wish support. Additionally, Steelix and Silvally-Steel check Grass-type wallbreakers like Whimsicott and Dhelmise for Vaporeon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vaporeon can use Celebrate in conjunction with Normalium Z to boost all of its stats with Z-Celebrate, turning it into an effective late-game sweeper. Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed with a Timid nature lets Vaporeon hit as hard as possible and be as fast as possible, notably outspeeding up to Sceptile after a Z-Celebrate. The coverage provided by the combination of Hydro Pump, Shadow Ball, and Ice Beam lets Vaporeon hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. However, Vaporeon isn't impressively fast even after setting up, being outsped by Choice Scarf users like Passimian, Braviary, and Rotom. Additionally, Vaporeon can only set up once with Z-Celebrate and wants to preserve its health for setting up, greatly limiting its early- and mid-game presence. A Choice Specs set is possible thanks to Vaporeon's solid base 110 Special Attack stat, but Vaporeon's movepool is shallow, and being Choice locked Choice-locked into any of its moves is not ideal, as they are all easily exploited by setup sweepers like Decidueye, Klinklang, and Braviary. Furthermore, Vaporeon faces strong competition as a special attacking specially offensive Water-type from the likes of Samurott and Clawitzer, both of which sport better coverage, (RC) and while. (AP) In addition, (AC) the former is not reliant on a Choice item to wallbreak effectively, (AC) and the latter makes better use of one than Vaporeon. Roar helps to prevent Vaporeon from being used as setup fodder by the likes of Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Bulk Up Scrafty, but Vaporeon heavily relies on Toxic to threaten bulky Water-types. Yawn is an interesting option that prevents Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, and Comfey from switching in easily, but a poison from Toxic is a more effective way to dissuade switch-ins.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: Whimsicott and Sceptile can come in easily on Vaporeon's weak Scald and hit it with strong Grass-type moves. Decidueye and Dhelmise threaten Vaporeon out with a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, although they (", although" must be followed by an independent clause) must be wary of a burn from Scald. Vileplume easily takes on Vaporeon, as it does not mind a burn from Scald. Torterra struggles to switch into Vaporeon because of the risk of a burn from Scald, but it threatens to OHKO Vaporeon with Bloom Doom.

**Electric-types**: Heliolisk is immune to Vaporeon's STAB attacks thanks to its ability Dry Skin, although it doesn't appreciate being badly poisoned by Toxic. Rotom can cripple Vaporeon with Trick or simply threaten solid damage with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. Vikavolt can tank Vaporeon's weak Scald fairly well, pressure it Vaporeon with its Electric-type moves, (don't use "it" to refer to both vika and vaporeon in the same clause) and recover health with Roost.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can set up on Vaporeon, as a Scald will not break its Substitute. Guts Hariyama takes little from Scald, doesn't mind a burn, and threatens heavy damage with Close Combat. Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power, a strong Fighting-type STAB attack in High Jump Kick, and Electric-type coverage in Thunder Punch, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn and cannot freely click use (click=no good) High Jump Kick, as Vaporeon can use Protect against it. Gallade can set up Swords Dance and threaten Vaporeon with a strong Close Combat or Leaf Blade, but it doesn't appreciate a burn from Scald at all.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey, Samurott, and Golbat, as it is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald, while Samurott takes little from Scald, can use Taunt to prevent Vaporeon from recovering health with Wish, and can 3HKO Vaporeon with Grass Knot.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Earlier versions by: [[banks, 379208]]
- Quality checked by: [[Punchshroom, 169054], [poh, 298730], [Blast, 191846]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]

2/2

 

[Rabia]

add remove comments

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to its high all-around bulk and access to utility moves such as Wish, Toxic, and Heal Bell, Vaporeon is a premier defensive Water-type in the tier, checking prominent physical attackers such as Incineroar, Passimian, Sneasel, and Rhydon as well as special attackers such as Guzzlord, Houndoom, and Assault Vest Slowbro. The combination of Wish + Protect lets Vaporeon both serve as an amazing support Pokemon, keeping Pokemon that don't have access to reliable recovery like Incineroar, Whimsicott, Dhelmise, and Silvally-Steel healthy, and maintain its own health. Because of its ability Water Absorb, Vaporeon is capable of handling opposing bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Slowking while also checking offensive Water-types like Samurott and Omastar. Unfortunately, although Vaporeon has a high HP stat, its physical bulk is lacking, making it easy for Pokemon like Medicham and Dhelmise to pressure it. Additionally, Vaporeon's passivity and reliance on Toxic for damage invite in threatening setup Pokemon like Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary, Taunt + Calm Mind Comfey, and Bulk Up Scrafty that can circumvent Toxic in some way. While Vaporeon's special bulk is great, it can still struggle with common specially offensive Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, Heliolisk, and Rotom.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Heal Bell
move 3: Wish
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Scald is Vaporeon's most spammable STAB move and possesses a 30% chance to burn the foe, letting Vaporeon dissuade physical attackers like Passimian, Decidueye, Braviary, and Dhelmise from switching in. Toxic allows Vaporeon to threaten bulky Water-types like Slowbro, Slowking, and opposing Vaporeon while also crippling Pokemon such as Whimsicott, Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Comfey. Alternatively, Heal Bell can be used to help prevent Vaporeon from being badly poisoned by Pokemon like Slowbro, Golbat, and defensive Hariyama and provide its team with cleric support. However, Vaporeon relies heavily on Toxic to damage opposing bulky Water-types, and the lack of Toxic makes Vaporeon even more passive. Wish gives Vaporeon a source of active recovery and supports Vaporeon's teammates well thanks to Vaporeon's high base HP stat, meaning Wish will restore more HP. Protect lets Vaporeon scout opposing Choice item Pokemon, recover free health with Leftovers and Wish, and rack up Toxic damage on opposing Pokemon. Additionally, Protect lets Vaporeon take boosted Z-Moves from the likes of Incineroar, Klinklang, and Houndoom, allowing it to survive their subsequent attacks and retaliate with Scald.

Set Details
========

252 HP EVs and 252 Defense EVs with a Bold nature maximize Vaporeon's physical bulk, letting it better handle physical attackers like Passimian, Hariyama, and Klinklang. Leftovers provides Vaporeon with passive recovery and synergizes well with Protect, as Vaporeon can generate free recovery from Leftovers with Protect, (AC) and it can take advantage of this further with Protect. (Helps reduce repetitiveness and helps w conciseness) Water Absorb gives Vaporeon an immunity to Water-type moves, restores Vaporeon's health when it is hit by a Water-type move and gives it an immunity to Water, and which aids it in checking Pokemon such as Slowbro, Slowking, and Samurott.

Usage Tips
========

Vaporeon should look to spread status early-game through the use of Scald and Toxic to cripple the opposing team for its teammates and to punish Pokemon such as Decidueye, Dhelmise, and Heliolisk for switching in in an attempt to gain momentum. Additionally, Vaporeon should always prioritize using Toxic if the opponent has a bulky Water-type like Slowbro on the field, as badly poisoning it is much more valuable than a burn burning it in order to cripple its longevity. Although Heal Bell variants of Vaporeon can remove status such as a poison from Toxic poison, non-Heal Bell Vaporeon must watch out for Toxic from Pokemon like Slowbro and Steelix, as being badly poisoned greatly limits Vaporeon's longevity. Vaporeon can be switched into defensive Pokemon that cannot do much harm to it such as Diancie and Palossand in order to gain momentum and have an easier time passing a Wish to a teammate. Be mindful of switching Vaporeon into Pokemon like Incineroar, Sneasel, and Passimian, as while Vaporeon can stomach hits from these Pokemon well, it risks losing its Leftovers to a Knock Off. Additionally, while Vaporeon is an effective check to physical attackers like the aforementioned Pokemon, its low physical bulk can lead to it being overwhelmed by stronger physical wallbreakers like Medicham and force it to use Wish simply for self-sustain to sustain itself rather than to support its team. If the opponent has a Pokemon that doesn't mind Toxic or and Scald such as Vileplume, Blastoise, or Ferroseed, it is very likely they will switch into Vaporeon. Therefore, switching into a Pokemon that can take advantage of such a play like Electrium Z Magmortar or Grassium Z Delphox is a good idea. Vaporeon should use Protect when it is up against a Choice item user like Vanilluxe or Passimian to scout what move they are going to use, to gain free passive recovery via Leftovers, and to guarantee a free self-heal recovery from Wish.

Team Options
========

Vaporeon fits best on balanced teams that appreciate its ability to provide Wish support and pivot into threatening wallbreakers like Choice item Vanilluxe Incineroar (talked w rabia about this) and Guzzlord. Entry hazard support from the likes of Rhydon, Palossand, and Torterra synergizes well with Vaporeon chipping down foes with Toxic and repetitive uses of Scald. Grass-types like Whimsicott and Vileplume work well alongside Vaporeon, being able to take Electric- and Grass-type attacks while also appreciating Vaporeon's ability to punish bulky Water-types with Toxic. Decidueye and Dhelmise appreciate Vaporeon being able to switch into Incineroar and Sneasel. Whimsicott, Decidueye, and Dhelmise all appreciate receiving Wishes from Vaporeon, as it allows them to better use their resistances to Water and Fighting to pivot in. Incineroar is a great partner for Vaporeon, as Vaporeon handles both problematic Rock- and Ground-types like Diancie, Aerodactyl, and Rhydon and Fighting-types like Passimian and Hariyama. Furthermore, due to Incineroar's lack of sustain sustainability outside of a potential Berry, it appreciates being able to receive large Wishes from Vaporeon. In return, Incineroar deals with Grass-types like Decidueye and Whimsicott for Vaporeon and can switch into Choice item Vanilluxe to scout what move it will use. Steel-types such as Steelix and Silvally-Steel appreciate Vaporeon checking Fire-types like Incineroar, non-Grassium Z Delphox, and Houndoom and providing Wish support. Additionally, Steelix and Silvally-Steel check Grass-type wallbreakers like Whimsicott and Dhelmise for Vaporeon.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Vaporeon can use Celebrate in conjunction with Normalium Z to boost all of its stats with Z-Celebrate, turning it into an effective late-game sweeper. Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed with a Timid nature lets Vaporeon hit as hard as possible and be as fast as possible, notably outspeeding up to Sceptile after a Z-Celebrate. The coverage provided by the combination of Hydro Pump, Shadow Ball, and Ice Beam lets Vaporeon hit the entire tier for at least neutral damage. However, Vaporeon isn't impressively fast even after setting up, being outsped by Choice Scarf users like Passimian, Braviary, and Rotom. Additionally, Vaporeon can only set up once with Z-Celebrate and wants to preserve its health for setting up, greatly limiting its early- and mid-game presence. A Choice Specs set is possible thanks to Vaporeon's solid base 110 Special Attack stat, but Vaporeon's movepool is shallow, and being Choice locked Choice-locked into any of its moves is not ideal, as they are all easily exploited by setup sweepers like Decidueye, Klinklang, and Braviary. Furthermore, Vaporeon faces strong competition as a special attacking specially offensive Water-type from the likes of Samurott and Clawitzer, both of which sport better coverage, (RC) and while. (AP) In addition, (AC) the former is not reliant on a Choice item to wallbreak effectively, (AC) and the latter makes better use of one than Vaporeon. Roar helps to prevent Vaporeon from being used as setup fodder by the likes of Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Bulk Up Scrafty, but Vaporeon heavily relies on Toxic to threaten bulky Water-types. Yawn is an interesting option that prevents Pokemon like Whimsicott, Sceptile, and Comfey from switching in easily, but a poison from Toxic is a more effective way to dissuade switch-ins.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: Whimsicott and Sceptile can come in easily on Vaporeon's weak Scald and hit it with strong Grass-type moves. Decidueye and Dhelmise threaten Vaporeon out with a 2HKO and OHKO, respectively, although they (", although" must be followed by an independent clause) must be wary of a burn from Scald. Vileplume easily takes on Vaporeon, as it does not mind a burn from Scald. Torterra struggles to switch into Vaporeon because of the risk of a burn from Scald, but it threatens to OHKO Vaporeon with Bloom Doom.

**Electric-types**: Heliolisk is immune to Vaporeon's STAB attacks thanks to its ability Dry Skin, although it doesn't appreciate being badly poisoned by Toxic. Rotom can cripple Vaporeon with Trick or simply threaten solid damage with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. Vikavolt can tank Vaporeon's weak Scald fairly well, pressure it Vaporeon with its Electric-type moves, (don't use "it" to refer to both vika and vaporeon in the same clause) and recover health with Roost.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can set up on Vaporeon, as a Scald will not break its Substitute. Guts Hariyama takes little from Scald, doesn't mind a burn, and threatens heavy damage with Close Combat. Life Orb Medicham overwhelms Vaporeon easily thanks to Pure Power, a strong Fighting-type STAB attack in High Jump Kick, and Electric-type coverage in Thunder Punch, although Medicham cannot safely switch into Vaporeon because of Scald's chance to burn and cannot freely click use (click=no good) High Jump Kick, as Vaporeon can use Protect against it. Gallade can set up Swords Dance and threaten Vaporeon with a strong Close Combat or Leaf Blade, but it doesn't appreciate a burn from Scald at all.

**Taunt Users**: Vaporeon is vulnerable to being Taunted by Pokemon like Comfey, Samurott, and Golbat, as it is heavily reliant on using Toxic to cripple foes and Wish to heal itself and teammates. Additionally, Comfey can set up with Calm Mind, fearing little from Vaporeon's Scald, while Samurott takes little from Scald, can use Taunt to prevent Vaporeon from recovering health with Wish, and can 3HKO Vaporeon with Grass Knot.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Earlier versions by: [[banks, 379208]]
- Quality checked by: [[Punchshroom, 169054], [poh, 298730], [Blast, 191846]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]

2/2

implemented and ready for uploading