[SET]
name: Rain Wallbreaker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Scorching Sands
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Analytic
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Volkraken is a niche, albeit threatening, special wallbreaker on rain teams. Its powerful, rain- and Analytic-boosted Hydro Pump allows it to power through nearly every Pokemon in the metagame, including those that resist Water or are specially bulky like Toxapex, Tapu Fini, Ferrothorn, and Galarian Slowking. It is worth noting, however, that Flamethrower still outdoes Hydro Pump when targeting Ferrothorn, even when rain is up, giving a more consistent 2HKO. Scorching Sands is used to hit Toxapex harder outside of rain while hitting Volcanion hard. U-turn is used over Flip Turn to do more damage to Slowking and also successfully pivot on the rarer Gastrodon. A Timid nature is preferred to at least Speed tie Timid Tapu Lele and outspeed Colossoil; however, a Modest nature lets Volkraken more consistently 2HKO Blissey in rain with Hydro Pump.
Volkraken's immense power is further augmented by rain; accordingly, Pelipper and Barraskewda are must-have teammates. Volkraken additionally appreciates Pelipper removing Stealth Rock, while Barraskewda loves Volkraken potentially eliminating Toxapex or Ferrothorn. Ferrothorn is an excellent defensive teammate that can pressure the two Pokemon that can consistently switch into Volkraken, Slowking and Gastrodon, while setting up entry hazards to further boost Volkraken's ability to ensure KOs. Volkraken also appreciates Ferrothorn checking Choice Scarf Kartana, a notoriously difficult Pokemon for rain teams to deal with. Other offensive Pokemon that fit on rain teams, like Thundurus-T, offensive Zapdos, Tapu Lele, and Nihilego, all enjoy Volkraken KOing bulky Pokemon like Toxapex and Ferrothorn. Thundurus-T comes with the added benefit of situationally switching into Electric-types like Zapdos and Tapu Koko that threaten to revenge kill Volkraken.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Volkraken can run a Choice Scarf set alongside Infiltrator on bulky offense teams to improve the archetype's matchup against dual screens hyper offense and hail; however, this set requires a lot of support in entry hazard removal and slow pivoting to properly work, and Volkraken's offensive presence is much weaker without rain boosting its Hydro Pump. Choice Specs Volkraken is workable outside of rain, but it is largely outclassed by Volcanion, which sports better coverage and attacks, including Sludge Bomb and Steam Eruption, and an immunity to Water. Volkraken is also incapable of breaking through numerous bulky Water-types like Toxapex and Slowbro without rain.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Gastrodon and Volcanion can switch into Volkraken's Hydro Pump thanks to their Water immunities. Both can effectively switch into any of Volkraken's moves, barring Scorching Sands for Volcanion.
**Slowking**: Slowking is essentially the only non-Water-immune Pokemon that can safely switch into Volkraken's Hydro Pump when rain is up. However, U-turn does appreciable damage to it.
**Stealth Rock**: Due to Volkraken's reliance on Choice Specs, it is unable to run Heavy-Duty Boots, leaving it weak to Stealth Rock. Keeping Stealth Rock up limits Volkraken's switch-in opportunities.
**Revenge Killers**: Volkraken's mediocre Speed leaves it vulnerable to common revenge killers like Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, Dragapult, and Zeraora. Its weakness to Stealth Rock compounds this fact, as the more chip damage it takes, the more foes are able to effectively force it out. For example, Choice Specs Dragapult OHKOes Volkraken with Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock, but not before.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[dex, 277988]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Rain Wallbreaker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Scorching Sands
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs
ability: Analytic
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Volkraken is a niche, albeit threatening, special wallbreaker on rain teams. Its powerful, rain- and Analytic-boosted Hydro Pump allows it to power through nearly every Pokemon in the metagame, including those that resist Water or are specially bulky like Toxapex, Tapu Fini, Ferrothorn, and Galarian Slowking. It is worth noting, however, that Flamethrower still outdoes Hydro Pump when targeting Ferrothorn, even when rain is up, giving a more consistent 2HKO. Scorching Sands is used to hit Toxapex harder outside of rain while hitting Volcanion hard. U-turn is used over Flip Turn to do more damage to Slowking and also successfully pivot on the rarer Gastrodon. A Timid nature is preferred to at least Speed tie Timid Tapu Lele and outspeed Colossoil; however, a Modest nature lets Volkraken more consistently 2HKO Blissey in rain with Hydro Pump.
Volkraken's immense power is further augmented by rain; accordingly, Pelipper and Barraskewda are must-have teammates. Volkraken additionally appreciates Pelipper removing Stealth Rock, while Barraskewda loves Volkraken potentially eliminating Toxapex or Ferrothorn. Ferrothorn is an excellent defensive teammate that can pressure the two Pokemon that can consistently switch into Volkraken, Slowking and Gastrodon, while setting up entry hazards to further boost Volkraken's ability to ensure KOs. Volkraken also appreciates Ferrothorn checking Choice Scarf Kartana, a notoriously difficult Pokemon for rain teams to deal with. Other offensive Pokemon that fit on rain teams, like Thundurus-T, offensive Zapdos, Tapu Lele, and Nihilego, all enjoy Volkraken KOing bulky Pokemon like Toxapex and Ferrothorn. Thundurus-T comes with the added benefit of situationally switching into Electric-types like Zapdos and Tapu Koko that threaten to revenge kill Volkraken.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Volkraken can run a Choice Scarf set alongside Infiltrator on bulky offense teams to improve the archetype's matchup against dual screens hyper offense and hail; however, this set requires a lot of support in entry hazard removal and slow pivoting to properly work, and Volkraken's offensive presence is much weaker without rain boosting its Hydro Pump. Choice Specs Volkraken is workable outside of rain, but it is largely outclassed by Volcanion, which sports better coverage and attacks, including Sludge Bomb and Steam Eruption, and an immunity to Water. Volkraken is also incapable of breaking through numerous bulky Water-types like Toxapex and Slowbro without rain.
Checks and Counters
====
**Water-immune Pokemon**: Gastrodon and Volcanion can switch into Volkraken's Hydro Pump thanks to their Water immunities. Both can effectively switch into any of Volkraken's moves, barring Scorching Sands for Volcanion.
**Slowking**: Slowking is essentially the only non-Water-immune Pokemon that can safely switch into Volkraken's Hydro Pump when rain is up. However, U-turn does appreciable damage to it.
**Stealth Rock**: Due to Volkraken's reliance on Choice Specs, it is unable to run Heavy-Duty Boots, leaving it weak to Stealth Rock. Keeping Stealth Rock up limits Volkraken's switch-in opportunities.
**Revenge Killers**: Volkraken's mediocre Speed leaves it vulnerable to common revenge killers like Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, Dragapult, and Zeraora. Its weakness to Stealth Rock compounds this fact, as the more chip damage it takes, the more foes are able to effectively force it out. For example, Choice Specs Dragapult OHKOes Volkraken with Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock, but not before.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[dex, 277988]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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