[OVERVIEW]
* Volcarona is a versatile Pokemon in VGC 2023 Series 1, able to assume both offensive and defensive roles depending on the team it's on, thanks to its excellent movepool and great stats.
* Volcarona commonly runs two equally good sets in Quiver Dance and the more support-oriented Struggle Bug. Its typing gives it good matchups against a good portion of the metagame, including, but not limited to Gholdengo, Meowscarada, and Kingambit.
* Quiver Dance gives Volcarona the immediate power required to break through much of the metagame, while the support set weakens foes for allies to capitalize on. The former is usually paired with Tailwind Corviknight and dual screens support from Grimmsnarl. The latter is used with Kingambit and Baxcalibur to create opportunities for them to set up or end the game.
[SET]
name: Quiver Dance
move 1: Heat Wave / Overheat / Fiery Dance
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers / Charcoal
ability: Flame Body
nature: Modest
tera type: Grass
evs: 252 HP / 12 Def / 76 SpA / 4 SpD / 164 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Heat Wave allows for strong spread damage after Volcarona is boosted by Quiver Dance, easing prediction. Overheat is an alternative to muscle through Amoonguss and Kingambit while ignoring Wide Guard and not getting as hurt by the Special Attack drop thanks to Quiver Dance boosts. Alternatively, Fiery Dance can make Volcarona more dangerous every time it uses it and also has the added effect of bypassing Wide Guard.
* Giga Drain synergizes well with the Grass Tera type and Leftovers and lets Volcarona hit Rock- and Water-types for solid STAB damage.
* Leftovers greatly improves Volcarona's longevity when combined with Giga Drain and lets it slowly regain HP while dealing substantial damage to opponents after being boosted by Quiver Dance.
* The bulk investment gives Volcarona enough room to begin setting up Quiver Dance while the Speed investment allows it to outspeed +1 Rotom-W. The rest is poured into Special Attack with a Modest nature to boost it further.
* The Grass Tera Type serves as an offensive tool to nigh counter otherwise difficult to hit types such as Rock and Water and has the benefit of removing both of these weaknesses while helping it take on Ground-types such as Garchomp.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Protect / Overheat / Heat Wave
move 2: Struggle Bug
move 3: Rage Powder
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Protect
item: Sitrus Berry / Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Flame Body
nature: Bold
tera type: Water
evs: 252 HP / 196 Def / 4 SpA / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Overheat bypasses the lack of offensive investment and aims to power through opponents such as Amoonguss.
* Struggle Bug is a great tool to mitigate offensive pressure from opposing Gholdengo and Hydreigon.
* Rage Powder is valuable support to allies such as Kingambit and Baxcalibur, allowing them to set up with Dragon Dance in Baxcalibur's case or dish out high amounts of damage.
* Will-O-Wisp mitigates offensive presence from Meowscarada and Kingambit, allowing allies such as Gholdengo and Sylveon to thrive.
* Sitrus Berry serves to improve Volcarona's immediate longevity while Leftovers lets it slowly regain health. Rocky Helmet takes a toll on Maushold's HP if it uses Population Bomb on Volcarona and comes with the added benefit of softening Kingambit up for allies such as Sylveon.
* The Defense EVs hit a stat jump when combined with the Bold Nature, letting it take on threats such as Garchomp and Maushold.
* The Water Tera type serves as a wonderful defensive typing, synergizing well with Volcarona's original type combination and removing its crippling weakness to Water and Rock. Gaining a resistance to Water is especially useful against Palafin, which Volcarona can then redirect attacks from, leaving it with only a weakness to Grass-type moves which would be be suboptimal to use on Volcarona which has not yet Terastallized.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sole Survivor, 518634]]
- Quality checked by: [[username, user ID]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username, user ID]]
Last edited:
