QC: (0/3)
GP: (0/1)
[OVERVIEW]
* Volcanion possesses a unique typing with a great ability in Water Absorb.
* It's blessed with great attacking stats, 130 in Special Attack and 110 in Attack, that can be used to wallbreak.
* Volcanion boasts useful resistances to Fire, Ice, and Fairy, and an immunity to Water to back up its good 80/120/90 bulk.
* It also has a great STAB signature move in Steam Eruption which burns as often as Scald.
* However, Volcanion is also relatively slow at base 70 and is weak to common attacking types such as Ground, Electric, and Rock, which unfortunately means its losing 25% of its health upon each Stealth Rock switch in.
* It has common checks in the tier in the form of bulky Water types and Dragons.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Steam Eruption
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric
move 4: Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
item: Choice Specs
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Steam Eruption is the primary STAB used to apply most of the initial pressure due to its power, a high burn chance, and good neutral coverage. Modest Specs Steam Eruption packs enough power to severely maim some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the tier if they do not resist the move, and even some that do. Among the Pokemon 2HKOed are; Specially Defensive Mew, 252/192+ Clefable, 0/0 Tsareena, 0/0 Keldeo, all variants of Swampert, all variants of Mandibuzz, 0/252 Assault Vest Conkeldurr, Assault Vest Raikou, and 252/0 +1 Reuniclus.
* Fire Blast provides a powerful secondary STAB that gives important coverage on some Steam Eruption switch ins, including Amoonguss, Celebi, Decidueye, Toxicroak, and Empoleon, while also OHKOing other Steel types that Steam Eruption would fail to OHKO. Flamethrower is a more accurate, but weaker, alternative.
* Hidden Power Electric is used mostly to hit other bulky Water types that would otherwise completely wall this set, such as Suicune, Mantine, Mega-Blastoise and Slowbro. Hidden Power Grass may also be used to hit Gastrodon, but at the cost of being able to hit other Volcanion and Mantine effectively.
* In the last slot Sludge Wave is usually preferred for further neutral coverage, most notably on Dragon types like Latias and Hydreigon, as well as a stronger hit on Primarina. Sludge Bomb is also an acceptable option as it gives you a much better chance to poison in exchange for 5 Base Power.
* Earth Power could also be used in the last slot to hit Tentacruel and other Volcanion hard and hit Empoleon slightly harder.
Set Details
========
* Modest is generally preferred to give Volcanion the power it wants to punch holes into teams, however, Timid is a valid option to speed tie positive natured Bisharp, Magneton, and potentially outspeed opposing Volcanion.
* The given EV spread is always optimal to outspeed uninvested base 100s with Modest (and tie Jolly Bisharp with Timid), as well as hit as hard as possible.
* Water Absorb is Volcanion's only ability, and it's an amazing one, not only granting Volcanion an immunity on one of the best attacking types in the game, but also the ability to recover HP from switching in on said immunity, allowing Volcanion to effectively punish opposing Scald/Steam Eruption spam
* Choice Specs is essential on this set for Volcanion to attain the aforementioned KOes. Its usually able to net a kill with every oppurtunity to attack it gets or severely damaging its few switch ins. It usually doesn't miss switching moves much either considering how effective just spamming Steam Eruption is against most teams
Usage Tips
========
* If in doubt, click Steam Eruption if no immunities are present on the opposing side, as even conventional switch ins are heavily dented and may still be burned.
* Make use of Volcanion's above average natural bulk to switch into even neutral hits and continue applying pressure with Specs boosted attacks if the opportunity arises, remember that Volcanion, unlike most other Choice users, has the potential to recover HP with Water Absorb. Because of this, an injured Volcanion isn't always automatically death fodder.
* Make note of Steam Eruption and Fire Blast's low PP, be wary of attempts to waste valuable PP on these moves.
* Also be wary of keeping this Volcanion in on potential Knock Off users, as a lot of it's usefulness is diminished if it's Specs get Knocked Off.
Team Options
========
* Pokemon with Volt Switch or U-turn make for fantastic partners to give Volcanion more opportunities to attack. Scizor, Hydreigon, Raikou, and Forretress are notable examples. Hydreigon gets an honorable mention for taking on Electric types that harass Volcanion and some of the Water types it has trouble damaging, as well as being immune to Ground.
* Scizor is an excellent teammate both for U-turn support and threatening its biggest check, Latias.
* Checks to Hydreigon and Latias in general make for good partners, such as Clefable.
* Bulky Ground types also make for excellent partners to check Electric types, set up Stealth Rocks, and switch into Rock type attacks, Hippowdon and Krookodile are both good candidates.
* Hazard control is mandatory to use Volcanion, Latias itself is an excellent partner because it also comes with an immunity to Ground.
* Sweepers that enjoy bulky Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Mew eliminated make for good Volcanion teammates. Mega-Sharpedo, Cobalion, and Alakazam are good examples.
* Pokemon vulnerable to Water type attacks obviously make for great Volcanion partners as Volcanion can recover HP off of switching into Water type attacks. Mega Aerodactyl happens to fit both this and the prior criteria to a tee.
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Steam Eruption
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
move 4: Solar Beam / Superpower
item: Grassium Z / Fightinium Z
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest / Rash
evs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Steam Eruption remains as a powerful STAB option that still packs a lot of power without boosts, still handily OHKOing most Fire types, such as Chandelure and Entei, as well as most bulky Ground types such as Krookodile and Hippowdon.
* Fire Blast covers Grass and Steel types that Steam Eruption either fails to hit hard or fails to OHKO. Pokemon such as Tsareena, Amoonguss, Decidueye, Toxicroak, and Klefki are all still easily OHKOed by a Rash Fire Blast. Flamethrower, while still an acceptable option, is less recommended on this set due to the lack of a boosting item.
* Sludge Wave or Sludge Bomb (depending on whether you value 5 extra BP or a better chance to poison) is once again in the third slot for general neutral coverage on what your STABs cannot hit and a solid 2HKO on Primarina.
* The last slot is where this set really shines, allowing Volcanion to lure in and severely damage or eliminate some of it's most conventional switch ins. Which move you end up choosing ultimately depends on your team, but Solar Beam is usually the preferred option to give Volcanion access to a powerful Bloom Doom capable of annihilating a variety of Water types that could otherwise switch into Volcanion rather comfortably. Bloom Doom from this set almost always OHKOes 252/0 Suicune from full, easily OHKOes both standard Slowbro and Mega-Blastoise, and vaporizes Gastrodon, one of Volcanion's most effective counters. Even Tentacruel gets blasted for well over 50% of its health, which is significant considering it's lack of reliable recovery.
* On the other hand, Superpower gives Volcanion access to a powerful All-Out Pummeling that is almost exclusively for Blissey and Hydreigon, but may also be used to OHKO Empoleon a majority of the time and OHKO Kyurem 25% of the time, otherwise chunking it for over 88% of its health (whereas Fire Blast fails to KO even after Stealth Rocks).
Set Details
========
* The EVs may vary depending on your moveset or preference. The displayed spread gives Volcanion just enough Speed to outspeed maximum Speed neutral natured Primarina, maximum Special Attack for as much power as possible, and the remaining 80 EVs are invested in bulk, with special attention to keeping the HP number odd for an extra Stealth Rocks switch in.
* However, if running All-Out Pummeling, those 80 HP EVs should be invested in Attack instead to always KO Bold Blissey with the combination of All-Out Pummeling and Steam Eruption.
* Modest is the preferred nature with Solarbeam to give all of Volcanion's moves a boost, especially considering the lack of a general boosting item like Life Orb or Choice Specs. If using Superpower, a Rash nature is preferred to not lower Volcanion's Attack while preserving it's good Defense stat.
* The item used depends on which move you chose to run in the second slot, Solar Beam would obviously use Grassnium Z and Superpower uses Fightinium Z. These items are essential to effectively hit what this Volcanion wants to lure.
Usage Tips
========
* This set's main advantage over the Choice Specs set is the ability to switch up moves and surprise typical switch ins to the Specs set, making this set much more suitable for methodically dismantling common balance and stall cores.
* A good strategy to discourage your opponent from scouting is to bluff the Choice item by switching out of a Pokemon you could hit with a Z-move the first time, then nail them the second time now that your opponent feels secure staying in.
* This set isn't as consistently powerful as the Specs set, relying on Super Effective hits to cripple teams, do not expect this set to be OHKOing or 2HKOing everything on a neutral hit.
Team Options
========
* Hazard control is still essential for Volcanion to be able to switch in and out without taking massive damage, both Latias and Forretress are solid picks for this role. Forretress in particular benefits from Volcanion being able to switch in on Fire type attacks directed at it and in exchange also gives Volcanion safe switch ins with Volt Switch.
* This set fits better on more balanced offense teams that need a way to break through stall or lure in and eliminate bulky Water types, depending on which move in the last slot you chose.
* Ground types such as Hippowdon and Swampert remain good partners to prevent Electric types like Raikou from taking advantage of this set and for setting up Stealth Rocks.
* Offensive Pokemon that enjoy having common bulky Water types such as Slowbro and Mega-Blastoise lured and eliminated are good partners to this set if running Bloom Doom. Entei, Gliscor, Mega-Aerodactyl, and Cobalion fit this criteria.
* Similarly, special attackers that can potentially clean up with Blissey gone greatly benefit from this set with All-Out Pummeling. Examples include Alakazam, Hydreigon, Latias, and Raikou.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A Choice Scarf set can be somewhat viable but it's below average speed lets it down, not being even close to outspeeding everything in the tier even with Timid.
* Expert Belt could be used on the All Out Attacker set with Superpower to free up the Z-Move slot, but is a noticeably weaker option.
* A defensive set with Haze is another option to make Volcanion a defensive pivot that blocks set up, but is generally outclassed in this role due to it's lack of reliable recovery and weakness to Stealth Rocks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Opposing bulky Water types**: Gastrodon, Mantine, Slowbro, and Suicune can effectively switch into most of Volcanion's moves, with Volcanion having to resort to options like Bloom Doom or Hidden Power Electric to deal with them.
**Blissey**: Blissey takes most of what Volcanion dishes out with the obvious exception of Superpower and cripples it with Toxic or otherwise beats it 1v1.
**Dragons**: The most common Dragon types in the tier, Latias and Hydreigon, are both faster than Volcanion, resist it's dual STABs and target its weaker defense. They both also have access to Roost, which they can run to avoid being worn down by Volcanion over time.
**Electric types**: The two most prominent Electrics in the tier, Magneton and Raikou, either outspeed or tie Volcanion and OHKO the wallbreaker set with their STABs, AV Raikou can even switch in.
**Fast Ground types**: Nidoking, Zygarde-10%, and Krookodile all pose an offensive threat with their STAB Ground type attacks, but can't switch in and the latter two cannot even OHKO from full without Choice Band.
**Mega Aerodactyl** Outspeeds and OHKOes the wallbreaker set with Stone Edge most of the time.
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