Add/Fix Remove Comment
(AC): Add Comma
2/2
(AC): Add Comma
[OVERVIEW]
Volcarona is one of BW OU's definitive sweepers. Its typing has problematic weaknesses but is an excellent offensive combination with credible defensive merit, resisting Grass, Steel, and most notably Fighting from against Breloom and Scizor. Flame Body is a good defensive perk, making up for Volcarona's low natural physical bulk by potentially neutralizing dangerous attackers like Tyranitar and Scizor. Its solid coverage options include Psychic and Giga Drain, which blow away checks such as Tentacruel, Jellicent, Keldeo, Terrakion, and Gastrodon. In addition, its solid Speed tier lets it outspeed serious threats such as Landorus-T, Excadrill, Kyurem-B, and Modest Thundurus-T. Quiver Dance is Volcarona's ace in the hole, fixing its power and longevity problems while also increasing Dance, not only fixing its power, increases its special bulk to take powerful hits like Choice Scarf Keldeo's Hydro Pump outside of rain.
Despite these incredible boons, Volcarona can't just be slapped on any team. Despite its resistances and Flame Body, its physical fraility is a concern that can prevent it from outright sweeping, and its 4x Stealth Rock weakness mandates Rapid Spin support. Because of this, Volcarona fits best on offensive teams that can provide this support and easily beat whatever its coverage fails to hit. Though +1 Volcarona's Speed is impressive, it is still outpaced by notable Choice Scarf users like Latios, Garchomp, and Keldeo and is hit hard by Dragonite's Extreme Speed.
[SET]
name: Offensive Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Bug Buzz / Giga Drain
move 4: Psychic / Giga Drain / Hidden Power Ground
item: Bug Gem / Psychic Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast hits important benchmarks such as OHKOing Thundurus-T, Gliscor, and most Landorus-T at +1, along with having favorable rolls against specially defensive Excadrill unboosted and opposing Volcarona at +1. However, if you are more confident in Volcarona's ability to that Volcarona will acquire multiple boosts and prefer reliability and PP over sheer power, Flamethrower is a suitable alternative. Bug Buzz with Bug Gem hits Pokemon resistant to Flamethrower such as Slowking, Garchomp, Latios, Tyranitar, Rotom-W, and Politoed. In addition, the boosted move decimates Latios and Latias as well as other Dragon- and Ground-types such as Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Kyurem-B. Psychic is mostly used to dish out huge damage to Tentacruel and OHKO Keldeo. Giga Drain is an option to easily OHKO Gastrodon and 2HKO Jellicent with a boost, provide longevity, and retain a strong—albeit not quite fatal—hit on Keldeo and Terrakion. Giga Drain can also be used over Bug Buzz and paired with another coverage move if Volcarona finds itself on a team that Volcarona's team is extremely confident against Tyranitar. Finally, if your team can handle Water-types effectively, Hidden Power can be a devastating surprise to an otherwise solid check. Hidden Power Ground devastates Heatran-reliant teams even without a boost. It also preserves Volcarona's ability to hit Terrakion and Tentacruel to an extent. Alternatively, Hidden Power Ice is Volcarona's best weapon against Dragonite, Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Garchomp.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Volcarona's damage output and allows it to outspeed Landorus-T, and consequently outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-T at +1. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Volcarona's HP, giving it enough bulk allowing it to survive key hits such as Fusion Bolt from Life Orb Kyurem-B and Low Sweep from Life Orb Breloom twice. Volcarona can run more or less Speed if desired. For example, 160 Speed EVs beat Excadrill, 216 Speed catches catch Jolly Kyurem-B, and maximum Speed lets Volcarona ties with opposing Volcarona and other base 100s such as Mew. Flame Body potentially incapacitates revenge killers such as Dragonite, Scizor, and Kyurem-B. Bug Gem is the preferred item, as it turns +1 Bug Buzz into a powerful nuke capable of smashing through Slowking, Garchomp, and Rotom-W, OHKOing physically defensive Politoed after Stealth Rock, and having good odds to do the same to even the most specially defensive of Tyranitar. Psychic Gem makes +1 Psychic OHKO Tentacruel, eliminating one of Volcarona's best checks, (AC) assuming Protect is played around.
Usage Tips
========
In a game where it is likely to clean up at the end, Volcarona should switch in indirectly via pivots or double switches, and only once its checks have been severely weakened or removed. If a sweep is highly unlikely, Volcarona can still be useful for its ability to check Steel-types, and Flame Body should not be discounted as a last-ditch effort to burn an out-of-control sweeper like Dragonite. Volcarona should stay away from Stealth Rock at all costs; unless it runs Giga Drain, it loses half of its HP permanently and usually forfeits the ability to set up safely. (if this is needed, you can keep it, but it doesnt feel needed?) Volcarona should set up primarily against Pokemon it forces out, such as Ferrothorn, offensive Excadrill, Breloom, Jirachi, unboosted Reuniclus, Keldeo locked into non-Water-type moves, Choice Scarf Latios locked into Dragon Pulse, and Celebi. However, Volcarona should also consider attacking them outright—many of them can have moves that hinder Volcarona while using Quiver Dance. Winning this mind game and eliminating a setup opportunity (I imagine?) may make it more difficult for Volcarona to sweep regardless, but it can dispose of a crucial threat for a teammate such as Dragonite or Starmie to capitalize on.
Team Options
========
A Rapid Spin user is necessary. Starmie can form a wonderful offensive core with Volcarona, providing Rapid Spin while pressuring Terrakion, Keldeo, Dragonite, and Heatran. In return, Volcarona mutilates mauls most of the Pokemon that trouble Starmie, such as Latios, Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Celebi, and they weaken Tyranitar and Tentacruel for one another. Despite its vulnerability to chip damage, Volcarona can find itself right at home on a sand team. It has excellent synergy with Excadrill, which provides extremely reliable Rapid Spin support and can stomach Stone Edge and Draco Meteor from Terrakion and Latios. Tyranitar checks and traps Volcarona checks such as Tornadus, Heatran, and Choice Scarf Latios, while Volcarona deals with the Steel-types, namely Jirachi and Skarmory, that plague Tyranitar. In addition, both Tyranitar and Excadrill appreciate Volcarona's ability to lure in and remove Politoed and Ground-types such as Garchomp and Landorus-T. Chief among helpful Stealth Rock setters is Landorus-T, which can take on Terrakion, Garchomp, and Dragonite and provide general Intimidate support to help Volcarona set up against physical attackers. Landorus-T can also pivot Volcarona in with U-turn. Rotom-W can do the same while taking advantage of Jellicent and Heatran and luring in Ferrothorn. Sun from Ninetales is another way to support Volcarona, boosting Fire Blast's power to nuclear levels and weakening Water-type assailants.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Rock is a seemingly plausible option that has good odds to KO Dragonite and Gyarados after Quiver Dance and Stealth Rock. However, Psychic Gem Psychic has an admittedly lower chance already has a chance, if a lower one, to do the same. Hurricane is an option that destroys Keldeo and has solid neutral coverage. Lum Berry can be used for setting up on Toxic or Thunder Wave from Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Jellicent, Gliscor, and Jirachi. Passho Berry is another option, helping Volcarona more easily stomach hits from Water-types such as Politoed, Rotom-W, and most importantly Keldeo. Volcarona can also utilize Rest and Chesto Berry with a more defensive spread. Although this forgoes a good deal of power, it increases Volcarona's longevity and allows it to resist status, giving it many more boosting opportunities.
Life Orb Volcarona is an enticing prospect due to its utterly ruthless strength after a boost, but there are a few key factors holding it back. For one, Life Orb instead of Bug or Psychic Gem causes Volcarona to miss out on sacrifices important damage rolls or KOs against Tyranitar, Politoed, or and Tentacruel. It also forces Volcarona to take far more chip damage than it is comfortable with in many cases, especially in tandem with sand, potential Toxic, and Stealth Rock, meaning Life Orb Volcarona which can prematurely end its own sweep even when it's played carefully. If one chooses to run Life Orb Volcarona, sun support is paramount; +1 Life Orb Volcarona can then 2HKO even the bulkiest special walls with Fire Blast, in particular Chansey and Tentacruel.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: Volcarona's biggest check obstacle is Stealth Rock, (AC) leaving which leaves it more vulnerable to physical attackers like Dragonite, Breloom, and Scizor.
**Chansey and Blissey**: With unmatched special bulk, Chansey and Blissey are solid long-term checks to Volcarona. Life Orb Volcaron can 2HKO them in sun, however.
**Heatran**: Heatran has the typing and bulk to handle most of Volcarona's coverage moves, although Volcarona can carry Hidden Power Ground to threaten it. However, Heatran can carry Air Balloon or Substitute, letting it land a crucial Toxic or Magma Storm.
**Rock-types**: Tyranitar and Terrakion are great answers to Volcarona that use forced switches force it out to use Swords Dance or Stealth Rock. Volcarona commonly carries Psychic and Bug Buzz and Psychic to threaten Tyranitar and Terrakion, though, leaving them significantly weakened or KOed.
**Water-types**: Choice Scarf Keldeo can outspeed +1 Volcarona and threaten to OHKO it with rain Hydro Pump, but only in rain. Gastrodon's typing and bulk allow it to deal with Volcarona and threaten it with Toxic. Tentacruel and Jellicent also fare well against most Volcarona, walling the majority of its moves and chipping it down with Scald and Toxic. However, Volcarona can bypass these answers with coverage moves such as Psychic and Giga Drain. Outside of rain, Choice Scarf Keldeo cannot KO +1 Volcarona.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [AquaVanilla, 468826], [memesketch, 537558]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zokuru, 263906], [Ophion, 433215]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Finland, 517429]]
Volcarona is one of BW OU's definitive sweepers. Its typing has problematic weaknesses but is an excellent offensive combination with credible defensive merit, resisting Grass, Steel, and most notably Fighting from against Breloom and Scizor. Flame Body is a good defensive perk, making up for Volcarona's low natural physical bulk by potentially neutralizing dangerous attackers like Tyranitar and Scizor. Its solid coverage options include Psychic and Giga Drain, which blow away checks such as Tentacruel, Jellicent, Keldeo, Terrakion, and Gastrodon. In addition, its solid Speed tier lets it outspeed serious threats such as Landorus-T, Excadrill, Kyurem-B, and Modest Thundurus-T. Quiver Dance is Volcarona's ace in the hole, fixing its power and longevity problems while also increasing Dance, not only fixing its power, increases its special bulk to take powerful hits like Choice Scarf Keldeo's Hydro Pump outside of rain.
Despite these incredible boons, Volcarona can't just be slapped on any team. Despite its resistances and Flame Body, its physical fraility is a concern that can prevent it from outright sweeping, and its 4x Stealth Rock weakness mandates Rapid Spin support. Because of this, Volcarona fits best on offensive teams that can provide this support and easily beat whatever its coverage fails to hit. Though +1 Volcarona's Speed is impressive, it is still outpaced by notable Choice Scarf users like Latios, Garchomp, and Keldeo and is hit hard by Dragonite's Extreme Speed.
[SET]
name: Offensive Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Bug Buzz / Giga Drain
move 4: Psychic / Giga Drain / Hidden Power Ground
item: Bug Gem / Psychic Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fire Blast hits important benchmarks such as OHKOing Thundurus-T, Gliscor, and most Landorus-T at +1, along with having favorable rolls against specially defensive Excadrill unboosted and opposing Volcarona at +1. However, if you are more confident in Volcarona's ability to that Volcarona will acquire multiple boosts and prefer reliability and PP over sheer power, Flamethrower is a suitable alternative. Bug Buzz with Bug Gem hits Pokemon resistant to Flamethrower such as Slowking, Garchomp, Latios, Tyranitar, Rotom-W, and Politoed. In addition, the boosted move decimates Latios and Latias as well as other Dragon- and Ground-types such as Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Kyurem-B. Psychic is mostly used to dish out huge damage to Tentacruel and OHKO Keldeo. Giga Drain is an option to easily OHKO Gastrodon and 2HKO Jellicent with a boost, provide longevity, and retain a strong—albeit not quite fatal—hit on Keldeo and Terrakion. Giga Drain can also be used over Bug Buzz and paired with another coverage move if Volcarona finds itself on a team that Volcarona's team is extremely confident against Tyranitar. Finally, if your team can handle Water-types effectively, Hidden Power can be a devastating surprise to an otherwise solid check. Hidden Power Ground devastates Heatran-reliant teams even without a boost. It also preserves Volcarona's ability to hit Terrakion and Tentacruel to an extent. Alternatively, Hidden Power Ice is Volcarona's best weapon against Dragonite, Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Garchomp.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Volcarona's damage output and allows it to outspeed Landorus-T, and consequently outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-T at +1. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Volcarona's HP, giving it enough bulk allowing it to survive key hits such as Fusion Bolt from Life Orb Kyurem-B and Low Sweep from Life Orb Breloom twice. Volcarona can run more or less Speed if desired. For example, 160 Speed EVs beat Excadrill, 216 Speed catches catch Jolly Kyurem-B, and maximum Speed lets Volcarona ties with opposing Volcarona and other base 100s such as Mew. Flame Body potentially incapacitates revenge killers such as Dragonite, Scizor, and Kyurem-B. Bug Gem is the preferred item, as it turns +1 Bug Buzz into a powerful nuke capable of smashing through Slowking, Garchomp, and Rotom-W, OHKOing physically defensive Politoed after Stealth Rock, and having good odds to do the same to even the most specially defensive of Tyranitar. Psychic Gem makes +1 Psychic OHKO Tentacruel, eliminating one of Volcarona's best checks, (AC) assuming Protect is played around.
Usage Tips
========
In a game where it is likely to clean up at the end, Volcarona should switch in indirectly via pivots or double switches, and only once its checks have been severely weakened or removed. If a sweep is highly unlikely, Volcarona can still be useful for its ability to check Steel-types, and Flame Body should not be discounted as a last-ditch effort to burn an out-of-control sweeper like Dragonite. Volcarona should stay away from Stealth Rock at all costs; unless it runs Giga Drain, it loses half of its HP permanently and usually forfeits the ability to set up safely. (if this is needed, you can keep it, but it doesnt feel needed?) Volcarona should set up primarily against Pokemon it forces out, such as Ferrothorn, offensive Excadrill, Breloom, Jirachi, unboosted Reuniclus, Keldeo locked into non-Water-type moves, Choice Scarf Latios locked into Dragon Pulse, and Celebi. However, Volcarona should also consider attacking them outright—many of them can have moves that hinder Volcarona while using Quiver Dance. Winning this mind game and eliminating a setup opportunity (I imagine?) may make it more difficult for Volcarona to sweep regardless, but it can dispose of a crucial threat for a teammate such as Dragonite or Starmie to capitalize on.
Team Options
========
A Rapid Spin user is necessary. Starmie can form a wonderful offensive core with Volcarona, providing Rapid Spin while pressuring Terrakion, Keldeo, Dragonite, and Heatran. In return, Volcarona mutilates mauls most of the Pokemon that trouble Starmie, such as Latios, Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Celebi, and they weaken Tyranitar and Tentacruel for one another. Despite its vulnerability to chip damage, Volcarona can find itself right at home on a sand team. It has excellent synergy with Excadrill, which provides extremely reliable Rapid Spin support and can stomach Stone Edge and Draco Meteor from Terrakion and Latios. Tyranitar checks and traps Volcarona checks such as Tornadus, Heatran, and Choice Scarf Latios, while Volcarona deals with the Steel-types, namely Jirachi and Skarmory, that plague Tyranitar. In addition, both Tyranitar and Excadrill appreciate Volcarona's ability to lure in and remove Politoed and Ground-types such as Garchomp and Landorus-T. Chief among helpful Stealth Rock setters is Landorus-T, which can take on Terrakion, Garchomp, and Dragonite and provide general Intimidate support to help Volcarona set up against physical attackers. Landorus-T can also pivot Volcarona in with U-turn. Rotom-W can do the same while taking advantage of Jellicent and Heatran and luring in Ferrothorn. Sun from Ninetales is another way to support Volcarona, boosting Fire Blast's power to nuclear levels and weakening Water-type assailants.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Rock is a seemingly plausible option that has good odds to KO Dragonite and Gyarados after Quiver Dance and Stealth Rock. However, Psychic Gem Psychic has an admittedly lower chance already has a chance, if a lower one, to do the same. Hurricane is an option that destroys Keldeo and has solid neutral coverage. Lum Berry can be used for setting up on Toxic or Thunder Wave from Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Jellicent, Gliscor, and Jirachi. Passho Berry is another option, helping Volcarona more easily stomach hits from Water-types such as Politoed, Rotom-W, and most importantly Keldeo. Volcarona can also utilize Rest and Chesto Berry with a more defensive spread. Although this forgoes a good deal of power, it increases Volcarona's longevity and allows it to resist status, giving it many more boosting opportunities.
Life Orb Volcarona is an enticing prospect due to its utterly ruthless strength after a boost, but there are a few key factors holding it back. For one, Life Orb instead of Bug or Psychic Gem causes Volcarona to miss out on sacrifices important damage rolls or KOs against Tyranitar, Politoed, or and Tentacruel. It also forces Volcarona to take far more chip damage than it is comfortable with in many cases, especially in tandem with sand, potential Toxic, and Stealth Rock, meaning Life Orb Volcarona which can prematurely end its own sweep even when it's played carefully. If one chooses to run Life Orb Volcarona, sun support is paramount; +1 Life Orb Volcarona can then 2HKO even the bulkiest special walls with Fire Blast, in particular Chansey and Tentacruel.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: Volcarona's biggest check obstacle is Stealth Rock, (AC) leaving which leaves it more vulnerable to physical attackers like Dragonite, Breloom, and Scizor.
**Chansey and Blissey**: With unmatched special bulk, Chansey and Blissey are solid long-term checks to Volcarona. Life Orb Volcaron can 2HKO them in sun, however.
**Heatran**: Heatran has the typing and bulk to handle most of Volcarona's coverage moves, although Volcarona can carry Hidden Power Ground to threaten it. However, Heatran can carry Air Balloon or Substitute, letting it land a crucial Toxic or Magma Storm.
**Rock-types**: Tyranitar and Terrakion are great answers to Volcarona that use forced switches force it out to use Swords Dance or Stealth Rock. Volcarona commonly carries Psychic and Bug Buzz and Psychic to threaten Tyranitar and Terrakion, though, leaving them significantly weakened or KOed.
**Water-types**: Choice Scarf Keldeo can outspeed +1 Volcarona and threaten to OHKO it with rain Hydro Pump, but only in rain. Gastrodon's typing and bulk allow it to deal with Volcarona and threaten it with Toxic. Tentacruel and Jellicent also fare well against most Volcarona, walling the majority of its moves and chipping it down with Scald and Toxic. However, Volcarona can bypass these answers with coverage moves such as Psychic and Giga Drain. Outside of rain, Choice Scarf Keldeo cannot KO +1 Volcarona.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [AquaVanilla, 468826], [memesketch, 537558]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zokuru, 263906], [Ophion, 433215]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Finland, 517429]]