[OVERVIEW]
Monferno is one of the three best Fire-types in the tier and is the most versatile of them. Monferno's Speed, power, and coverage makes it an excellent Swords Dance sweeper that can overrun teams without sturdy Fire- and Fighting-type checks, backed up with options like Knock Off and Mach Punch. Monferno can also tap into its utility more to become an all-out attacker, becoming an elite pivot with U-turn while still having fast STAB moves and Knock Off to back it up. Lastly, its Nasty Plot sets are fantastic at luring physical walls anticipating physical sets. All of these traits make it a flexible option that can make it a great revenge killer or cleaner. Monferno, however, struggles against physical walls and Water-types like Quaxwell without a moderate amount of team support. While Monferno's Speed tier is still good, it is still vulnerable to getting outpaced by faster foes like Girafarig and Frogadier. Lastly, Monferno faces competition over its other Fire-type brethren, facing Raboot's higher Speed and more diverse coverage and Pignite's Ground coverage and raw strength.
[SET]
Swords Dance (Monferno) @ Eviolite
Ability: Blaze / Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off / Mach Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance boosts Monferno's Attack to threatening levels, able to reach thresholds like 2HKOing Water-type checks like Quaxwell and Wartortle with +2 Close Combat and +2 Flare Blitz 2HKOing Koffing and physically defensive Clefairy. Knock Off weakens checks like the aforementioned Quaxwell and Koffing while easing setup late-game while also 2HKOing Drakloak after Stealth Rock. Mach Punch is an alternative to Knock Off through dealing significant damage to faster revenge killers like Frogadier, Girafarig, and Raboot. Blaze is the preferred ability to further heighten Monferno's Flare Blitz at low HP, though Iron Fist can be used to boost Mach Punch's power.
Water-types like Quaxwell and Mareanie can extinguish Monferno's sweep early with their excellent bulk; Grass-types like Thwackey, Servine, and Ivysaur are helpful to checking these threats. Revenge killers like Girafarig, Gabite, and Choice Specs Drakloak can outspeed and pick it off without much chip damage; defensive backbones like Tinkatuff and utility Dunsparce can be helpful in soaking up damage while accumulating progress with Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave. Knock Off users like Vigoroth and Vullaby are immensely helpful for wearing down tanks and walls like Piloswine and Koffing, enabling Monferno to sweep much easier. Other wallbreakers and cleaners, like Fraxure, Thwackey, and Girafarig, can take advantage of Monferno's breaking or help it clean themselves; Thwackey also provides useful healing with Grassy Terrain.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Slack Off can be run on any of its sets to provide longevity, though it loses out on important utility in Knock Off or U-turn in doing so. Choice Scarf sets outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, helping enable slower pivots like Vullaby and Eelektrik. Monferno can even use Switcheroo to cripple walls like Quaxwell and Koffing. However, this set loses out on its flexibility and a lot of its bulk.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Quaxwell and Mareanie are Monferno's most sturdy checks, able to survive any attacks with ease and retaliate with its STAB moves or progress against it with Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes, respectively. The uncommon Seadra also More offensive Water-types, like Wartortle and Frogadier, can similarly threaten Monferno out with their STAB attacks but have trouble switching in.
**Revenge Killers**: While Monferno's Speed tier is good, it still falls short of many faster threats and is vulnerable to being OHKOed or taking significant damage from them before attacking. Examples include Girafarig, Drakloak, and Raboot.
**Physical Walls**: Defensive behemoths like Koffing and defensive Gabite can stomach at least one of Monferno's attacks before retaliating with their STAB moves; Gabite is particularly dangerous with its STAB Earthquake and Rough Skin threatening to immediately end Monferno's sweep. Hattrem can threaten a KO after Stealth Rock, but hates switching into Knock Off.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Quality checked by:
Grammar checked by:
Last edited: