[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to Drought, Vulpix has incredibly strong Fire-type attacks that make it a rather potent offensive pick, threatening several Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Grookey. At 17 Speed, Vulpix is just fast enough to threaten the likes of Vullaby without a Choice Scarf while being rather easy to revenge kill with unboosted Speed. There is an appeal to doubling up on Fire-type attackers with the support of Drought for dedicated wallbreakers, though a shallow movepool leaves Vulpix unable to do much to overcome its own checks and counters. Vulpix is consigned to being a one dimensional wallbreaker, but very few Pokemon can tank hits from the Fire- and Grass-type coverage that it brings to a team.
[SET]
name: Choice Item
move 1: Weather Ball
move 2: Overheat
move 3: Energy Ball
move 4: Hypnosis / Fire Blast
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drought
nature: Timid
evs: 52 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Weather Ball is Vulpix's strongest accurate STAB move when sun is up, but it requires sun to actually be useful. Overheat is incredibly strong and can be used to break through several Pokemon, such as scoring the OHKO on Vullaby. Energy Ball is chiefly for Onix and Staryu and the only coverage option worth running. Hypnosis allows for Vulpix to try to put a Pokemon to sleep on a forced switch, which can be valuable when facing teams with Mareanie or Ponyta. Fire Blast is a powerful attack, but it should be used in situations where you do not want to be locked into Overheat or Weather Ball, such as sun disappearing or having the need to switch out. That being said, running three Fire-type attacks can be cumbersome.
Set Details
========
The EV spread simply makes Vulpix as fast and powerful as possible. With a Timid nature, Vulpix reaches 17 Speed, outspeeding Vullaby and Speed tying with Mienfoo. The remaining EVs go into HP in order to give Vulpix one more switch into Stealth Rock. With Choice Scarf, Vulpix becomes one of the better revenge killers in the tier, outspeeding Dragon Dance Scraggy and Choice Scarf Pawniard. Choice Scarf also allows Vulpix to assume the role of a late-game cleaner. Choice Specs instead doubles down on Vulpix's threatening Fire-type attacks in order to make it a ferocious wallbreaker.
Usage Tips
========
Vulpix is too frail to switchin on any neutral attack and is weak to entry hazards, which consequently means that getting it into play is a challenge. Intelligent double switches or pivoting moves such as U-turn are key components to getting Vulpix in. From there, it is often as straightforward as using the appropriate Fire-type attack while occasionally using Energy Ball to catch Staryu or Onix on the switch. Vulpix can also catch common switch-ins, such as Ponyta and Mareanie, and cripple them severely with Hypnosis. Do be mindful of Drought turns, as Vulpix without sun in play is no threat at all. Vulpix is easily threatened by all faster Pokemon and priority attacks and therefore should usually be switching out of these matchups.
Team Options
========
Vulpix's success is determinant on coming in safely, making bulky Mienfoo one of the best partners for it available in the tier, as it can cripple Mareanie with Knock Off and force Onix out. Due to its ability to trap and remove all of the hard stops to Vulpix available in the tier, such as Ponyta and Mareanie, Diglett is often a very important teammate. Hazard removal is absolutely necessary, leading Vullaby and Staryu to be highly recommended teammates. As Vulpix will struggle with opposing Water-types and make great use of Stealth Rock, Ferroseed is highly recommended. Pawniard assists with Stealth Rock and Knock Off support as a more offensive option. Ponyta and Choice Scarf Charmander pair with Vulpix well, as they both are capable attackers with sun support. Choice Specs Vulpix specifically does well with Thunder Wave support, making Slowpoke and Porygon worthy teammates as well.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flame Charge is a nice option on non-Choice item sets for boosting Vulpix's Speed to outspeed the unboosted tier. Eject Pack allows Vulpix to use Overheat and immediately switch out to bring in Diglett to trap the likely Fire-resistant Pokemon on the field. Heat Rock gives additional turns of Sun, turning Vulpix into a niche support Pokemon for unorthodox picks such as Solar Blade Ponyta and Choice Scarf Charmander. This is not generally recommended, though, as these teams end up with large defensive gaps and heavily rely on being able to win with these fast Fire-types. Heavy-Duty Boots allows Vulpix to avoid taking entry hazard damage, but the benefits of Heat Rock often outweigh the advantages of it. Memento can be used in conjunction with a setup sweeper, such as Woobat or Shellder.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water-types**: As Water-types with Recover, Staryu, Mareanie, Shellos, and Frillish are all rather sturdy answers to Vulpix's sun-boosted attacks. Mareanie is particularly resilient owing to its ability Regenerator. Staryu does need to beware Choice Scarf Vulpix hitting it with Energy Ball on the switch, but this is not too troublesome.
**Ponyta**: As the main other Fire-resistant Pokemon in the tier with recovery, Ponyta is a major issue for Vulpix. Drought powers up Ponyta, making it more difficult to switch into while also causing Morning Sun to heal Ponyta for another quarter of its health. Ponyta may run Flash Fire to absorb Fire-type attacks and completely wall Vulpix, though Ponyta is still a sufficient check without it.
**Priority and Entry Hazards**: Vulpix is frail enough that taking a quarter of its health upon switching in greatly limits its potential. Onix is a common Stealth Rock setter and is able to switch into Vulpix's Fire-type attacks somewhat well. Chip damage in general is how more offensive teams will overcome Vulpix generally, as Fake Out or Sucker Punch with entry hazards up is enough to keep Vulpix from cleaning up teams throughout the game.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Fiend, 208173], [Coconut, 150971]
- Quality checked by: [[KSG, 32350], [San Tomas, 255030], [DC, 449990]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]
Thanks to Drought, Vulpix has incredibly strong Fire-type attacks that make it a rather potent offensive pick, threatening several Pokemon such as Ferroseed and Grookey. At 17 Speed, Vulpix is just fast enough to threaten the likes of Vullaby without a Choice Scarf while being rather easy to revenge kill with unboosted Speed. There is an appeal to doubling up on Fire-type attackers with the support of Drought for dedicated wallbreakers, though a shallow movepool leaves Vulpix unable to do much to overcome its own checks and counters. Vulpix is consigned to being a one dimensional wallbreaker, but very few Pokemon can tank hits from the Fire- and Grass-type coverage that it brings to a team.
[SET]
name: Choice Item
move 1: Weather Ball
move 2: Overheat
move 3: Energy Ball
move 4: Hypnosis / Fire Blast
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drought
nature: Timid
evs: 52 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Weather Ball is Vulpix's strongest accurate STAB move when sun is up, but it requires sun to actually be useful. Overheat is incredibly strong and can be used to break through several Pokemon, such as scoring the OHKO on Vullaby. Energy Ball is chiefly for Onix and Staryu and the only coverage option worth running. Hypnosis allows for Vulpix to try to put a Pokemon to sleep on a forced switch, which can be valuable when facing teams with Mareanie or Ponyta. Fire Blast is a powerful attack, but it should be used in situations where you do not want to be locked into Overheat or Weather Ball, such as sun disappearing or having the need to switch out. That being said, running three Fire-type attacks can be cumbersome.
Set Details
========
The EV spread simply makes Vulpix as fast and powerful as possible. With a Timid nature, Vulpix reaches 17 Speed, outspeeding Vullaby and Speed tying with Mienfoo. The remaining EVs go into HP in order to give Vulpix one more switch into Stealth Rock. With Choice Scarf, Vulpix becomes one of the better revenge killers in the tier, outspeeding Dragon Dance Scraggy and Choice Scarf Pawniard. Choice Scarf also allows Vulpix to assume the role of a late-game cleaner. Choice Specs instead doubles down on Vulpix's threatening Fire-type attacks in order to make it a ferocious wallbreaker.
Usage Tips
========
Vulpix is too frail to switchin on any neutral attack and is weak to entry hazards, which consequently means that getting it into play is a challenge. Intelligent double switches or pivoting moves such as U-turn are key components to getting Vulpix in. From there, it is often as straightforward as using the appropriate Fire-type attack while occasionally using Energy Ball to catch Staryu or Onix on the switch. Vulpix can also catch common switch-ins, such as Ponyta and Mareanie, and cripple them severely with Hypnosis. Do be mindful of Drought turns, as Vulpix without sun in play is no threat at all. Vulpix is easily threatened by all faster Pokemon and priority attacks and therefore should usually be switching out of these matchups.
Team Options
========
Vulpix's success is determinant on coming in safely, making bulky Mienfoo one of the best partners for it available in the tier, as it can cripple Mareanie with Knock Off and force Onix out. Due to its ability to trap and remove all of the hard stops to Vulpix available in the tier, such as Ponyta and Mareanie, Diglett is often a very important teammate. Hazard removal is absolutely necessary, leading Vullaby and Staryu to be highly recommended teammates. As Vulpix will struggle with opposing Water-types and make great use of Stealth Rock, Ferroseed is highly recommended. Pawniard assists with Stealth Rock and Knock Off support as a more offensive option. Ponyta and Choice Scarf Charmander pair with Vulpix well, as they both are capable attackers with sun support. Choice Specs Vulpix specifically does well with Thunder Wave support, making Slowpoke and Porygon worthy teammates as well.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flame Charge is a nice option on non-Choice item sets for boosting Vulpix's Speed to outspeed the unboosted tier. Eject Pack allows Vulpix to use Overheat and immediately switch out to bring in Diglett to trap the likely Fire-resistant Pokemon on the field. Heat Rock gives additional turns of Sun, turning Vulpix into a niche support Pokemon for unorthodox picks such as Solar Blade Ponyta and Choice Scarf Charmander. This is not generally recommended, though, as these teams end up with large defensive gaps and heavily rely on being able to win with these fast Fire-types. Heavy-Duty Boots allows Vulpix to avoid taking entry hazard damage, but the benefits of Heat Rock often outweigh the advantages of it. Memento can be used in conjunction with a setup sweeper, such as Woobat or Shellder.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Water-types**: As Water-types with Recover, Staryu, Mareanie, Shellos, and Frillish are all rather sturdy answers to Vulpix's sun-boosted attacks. Mareanie is particularly resilient owing to its ability Regenerator. Staryu does need to beware Choice Scarf Vulpix hitting it with Energy Ball on the switch, but this is not too troublesome.
**Ponyta**: As the main other Fire-resistant Pokemon in the tier with recovery, Ponyta is a major issue for Vulpix. Drought powers up Ponyta, making it more difficult to switch into while also causing Morning Sun to heal Ponyta for another quarter of its health. Ponyta may run Flash Fire to absorb Fire-type attacks and completely wall Vulpix, though Ponyta is still a sufficient check without it.
**Priority and Entry Hazards**: Vulpix is frail enough that taking a quarter of its health upon switching in greatly limits its potential. Onix is a common Stealth Rock setter and is able to switch into Vulpix's Fire-type attacks somewhat well. Chip damage in general is how more offensive teams will overcome Vulpix generally, as Fake Out or Sucker Punch with entry hazards up is enough to keep Vulpix from cleaning up teams throughout the game.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Fiend, 208173], [Coconut, 150971]
- Quality checked by: [[KSG, 32350], [San Tomas, 255030], [DC, 449990]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]
Last edited:
