[Overview]
Volcarona is one of the best sweepers in the tier because of its access to Quiver Dance, great offensive stats, and ability to pick its checks and counters. Thanks to Volcarona's STAB combination, coverage options in Giga Drain and Psychic, and access to Safeguard, it can customize its checks according to its team support. Volcarona's decent Speed tier allows it to outpace common Pokemon such as Hydreigon, Kyurem, and Tapu Lele before a Speed boost while out every unboosted Pokemon in OU after a single Quiver Dance. This gives Volcarona more setup opportunities and an easier job cleaning. However, Volcarona is left vulnerable to many physical attackers, including Garchomp, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R, which can either take a hit and OHKO it back or revenge kill it with strong priority. Its coverage can also be taken advantage of by common Pokemon resistant to it, most notably Heatran.
[SET]
name: Bulkarona
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Roost
move 3: Flamethrower
move 4: Psychic / Safeguard / Bug Buzz
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 156 Def / 16 SpA / 88 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
A bulkier set allows Volcarona to use bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini, Slowking, and Slowbro as set up fodders, as their respective Water-type moves will not do significant damage after many Special Defense boosts. Roost greatly improves Volcarona's longevity, which makes it a more reliable tank and gives it more setup opportunities. Volcarona's defensive typing and access to Flame Body lets it take advantage of Pokemon like Kartana and easily switch into threats like Melmetal, Kyurem, Scizor, and Rillaboom. Safeguard lets it handle status users like Blissey, Clefable, Tank Garchomp, and Landorus-T. Alternatively, Psychic allows it to hit Urshifu-R and Toxapex for super effective damage. Bug Buzz can be used to hit Garchomp and Tyranitar more reliably. 88 Speed EVs allow Volcarona to outspeed Zeraora after one Quiver Dance. The 16 Special Attack EVs allow it to always OHKO Rillaboom without boosting. 248 HP EVs and 156 Defense EVs let Volcarona survive an Aqua Jet from Choice Band Crawdaunt.
Common Defoggers like Corviknight, Zapdos, and Tapu Fini can remove entry hazards as well as check Flying-types like Dragonite and Hawlucha. Landorus-T is a great offensive partner because it brings Volcarona in on Steel-types like Skarmory, which Volcarona can set up on. Landorus-T can also potentially KO Toxapex and Heatran, easing Volcarona's job in sweeping. Tapu Fini can switch into Urshifu-R, Heatran, and the aforesaid Flying-types and cripple the latter with Knock Off. Volcarona appreciates entry hazard and Knock Off support to chip potential checks like Heatran and Blissey. Volcarona also likes being paired with pivots like Zeraora, Tornadus-T, Slowking, and Slowbro. Trick Clefable and Tapu Fini can lure Heatran and Toxapex and give them an unfavorable item, making them easier to set up on.
[SET]
name: Offensive Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Flamethrower / Fire Blast
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Psychic / Giga Drain
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Quiver Dance's Special Defense boosts become especially problematic for special wallbreakers like Hydreigon and Dragapult, which could normally threaten Volcarona. Fire Blast guarantees an OHKO on defensive Landorus-T after a Quiver Dance at the cost of less accuracy and PP. Fiery Dance is an option that makes it easier to snowball with its high Special Attack raise chance, but Fire Blast and Flamethrower are often better choices because they offer more immediate damage. Psychic can deal hefty damage to Toxapex and Urshifu-R, but Giga Drain can be used instead to punish Water- and Ground-types like Swampert, Tapu Fini, Hippowdon, and Gastrodon, as well as providing gradual recovery it can offer during a sweep. Heavy-Duty Boots negates damage from entry hazards, namely Stealth Rock. This greatly enhances Volcarona's longevity and setup opportunities.
This Volcarona set is commonly seen on offensively oriented teams because it likes being paired with strong wallbreakers, preferably physical attackers, as they can more reliably hit specially defensive walls allowing Volcarona to sweep as soon and reliably as possible. Examples are Urshifu-R, Garchomp, and Landorus-T, which can all remove Heatran and severely damage Blissey and Tyranitar. Urshifu-R and Landorus-T can also pivot on Skarmory and Tangrowth, which Volcarona can set up on. Urshifu-R is also really good at luring and chipping away at Slowking and Tapu Fini, which can both limit Volcarona's sweeping potential if healthy. Landorus-T and Garchomp can set up Stealth Rock to wear down Heatran and other defensive checks. Rillaboom can safely bring Volcarona into incoming Skarmory, Corviknight, and Scizor and provide passive healing with its Grassy Terrain, weakening Earthquake from common Volcarona switch-ins like Landorus-T and Garchomp. Other Knock Off users like Clefable and Ferrothorn can lure and dispatch Heatran of recovery and the latter two can set up entry hazards to further pressure it. Tapu Lele is a great partner because it can help Volcarona overwhelm their shared checks, specifically Heatran. Tapu Lele can also block priority moves and power up Volcarona's Psychic with Psychic Terrain. Nasty Plot Tornadus-T can lure and 2HKO both Heatran and Stealth Rock Tyranitar, opening up Volcarona's sweeping potential late-game.
Other Options
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On top of its already present 4MSS, Volcarona's options can't be replaced by any other moves.
Checks and Counters
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**Revenge Killers** Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Garchomp often carry Rock-type coverage in the form of Stone Edge, which will OHKO Volcarona. However, these Pokemon are prone to be outpaced and overwhelmed after a Quiver Dance boost. Urshifu-R's Aqua Jet and Bisharp's Sucker Punch can revenge kill Volcarona if it is already weakened.
**Heatran**: Heatran is a hard counter to Volcarona. It resists both of its main coverage options, as well as being immune to its Fire-type STAB moves. Heatran is also capable of shutting it down with Taunt and putting it on a timer with Toxic. However, Heatran lacking Toxic can still lose to Roost Volcarona because of its incapability to break it after the Special Defense boosts and its lack of recovery.
**Water-types**: Urshifu-R and Crawdaunt can easily force out Volcarona or potentially KO it with Aqua Jet. However, neither want to switch in, as Volcarona can nail both of them super effectively. Haze Toxapex, Calm Mind Tapu Fini, Gastrodon, and Swampert can shut down Volcarona lacking the right coverage moves.
**Special Walls**: Blissey can comfortably beat non-Safeguard Volcarona variants, which otherwise uses it as setup fodder, as Blissey is very reliant on status to beat Volcarona. Tyranitar is capable of removing Volcarona with its Rock-type STAB, it can also take Volcarona's Bug-type STAB move reasonably well unboosted. Haze Toxapex can easily outlast Non-Psychic Volcarona.
- Written by: [[vNatFly, 540444]]
- Quality checked by: [[ausma, 360720], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Milak, 262594], [bandkrook,301217]]
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