[Monotype/Fire] Volcanion [QC: 0/3][GP: 0/2]

[ChrystalFalchion]

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[Overview]

• Water Absorb gives it a key immunity to Water-type moves, something no other Fire-type has
• It is the only Pokémon legal on Fire teams that isn't weak to Water
• Great 130 base Special Attack lets it hit very hard
• Steam Eruption is a fantastic move, having high power, a 30% chance to burn and great accuracy
• Good bulk for an offensive Pokémon
• Average to low Speed
• Lacks reliable recovery
• Weak to all entry hazards

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move1: Steam Eruption
move2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move3: Hidden Power Grass
move4: Sludge Bomb / Earth Power
item: Choice Specs
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

• Steam Eruption is the main STAB, hitting extremely hard and having a 30% chance to burn
• Fire Blast is the alternate STAB, hitting the Grass-types that resist Steam Eruption for super effective damage. Flamethrower can be used instead if you prefer perfect accuracy
• Hidden Power Grass hits opposing Water-types, 2HKOing defensive Rotom-W and OHKOing Gastrodon
• Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-types super effectively; Earth Power hits opposing Fire-types and grounded Electric-types
• Toxic is another move to cripple Pokémon this set can't touch, like Porygon2

Set Details
========

• The EVs maximise Speed and power, letting Volcanion hit as hard as possible and outrun as much as possible
• An alternate spread of 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA is viable too if you prefer bulk
• A Timid nature could be used as well to at worst tie with Breloom
• Choice Specs is the item of choice, as it gives Volcanion incredible power

Usage Tips
========

• This set has 2 main functions - to absorb Water-type moves, and to wallbreak
• Generally Steam Eruption should be your go to move - it hits very hard, and has a high burn rate, discouraging physical attackers from switching in
• This set can switch in on some Water-types due to Water Absorb and its neutrality to the common Ice and Grass coverage most Water types run
• Due to Volcanion's weakness to all entry hazards, be cautious switching it in and out Stealth Rock is in place on your side

Team Options
========

• Torkoal can remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin. Volcanion can also switch in on the Water-type moves it's weak to
• Rotom-H can break through many of the bulky Water-types Volcanion struggles with, and the pair have great synergy. Rotom-H can switch in on the Ground and Electric-type moves for Volcanion, while it can switch in on the Water-type moves for Rotom-H
• Fast cleaners like Swords Dance Talonflame make good teammates, as they can clear up the remains of a team once Volcanion has made a few holes
• Mega Camerupt can wallbreak alongside Volcanion, and also set up Stealth Rock. They have decent synergy too: Mega Camerupt can switch in on the Electric-type moves Volcanion is weak to, while Volcanion can switch in on the Water-type moves Mega Camerupt is weak to
• Infernape can KO Chansey and Porygon2 for Volcanion with its Fighting STABs

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========

• A Choice Scarf can be used to outrun base 130s
• Volcanion can use physical moves, but most have drawbacks - Flame Charge is weak, Superpower has stat penalties, Flare Blitz has recoil
• A defensive set with Toxic and Haze is possible, although Rotom-H is arguably superior as it has better defensive typing and recovery in Pain Split
• Hidden Power Ice can be used to hit Dragon-types harder, while
• Splash Plate could be used to bluff a Choice Specs, although Volcanion will be noticeably weaker

Checks and Counters
========

**Fire**

**Special Walls** Volcanion can't scratch Chansey, while it can easily stall out Steam Eruption's PP and thanks to Natural Cure it doesn't fear Toxic or burn. Porygon2 can trace Water Absorb to become immune to Steam Eruption, and use Thunderbolt to wear Volcanion down. However, Toxic will cripple it. Florges can wall Volcanion, cure status with Aromatherapy, and cripple Volcanion with Toxic.

**Electric-types** Thundurus-T, Mega Manectric, Zapdos, Heliolisk and Rotom-W outrun Volcanion and can OHKO it with their super effective STABs. None of them can safely switch in however, as Steam Eruption OHKOes all of them bar Heliolisk and Rotom-W. The former is OHKOed by Fire Blast thanks to Dry Skin, and the latter is 2HKOed by Hidden Power Grass

**Bulky Dragon Types** Dragon-types resist Steam Eruption and Fire Blast, and bulkier ones like Latias don't take much damage from its coverage moves either. However, physically inclined Dragons will have to watch out for a burn from Steam Eruption

**Faster Rock- and Ground-types** Landorus, Mega Diancie and Terrakion outrun Volcanion and can OHKO with their respective super effective STABs, although none of them can switch in

**Entry Hazards** Stealth Rock alone strips Volcanion of 25% of its HP, and with no recovery bar Water Absorb, Volcanion can be worn down very quickly

 

[skies]

ChrystalFalchion – 24 until I am reassigning this.

 

[ChrystalFalchion]

Finished, now in QC phase

 

[Eien]

Hey, looking at this pretty briefly, I'm kind of worried.

First of all, it's missing the Choice Scarf and the Assault Vest sets, both of which definitely need to be here.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with Monotype because you mentioned Talonflame, which has been banned from the metagame for quite some time. It doesn't help that there's no mention of Azumarill, when Volcanion is the only real way to stop a Belly Drum Azumarill and is one of the best checks to the Pokemon in general that Fire can even field.

Looking at Team Options in the Choice Specs set, you mention Mega Camerupt, which is pretty much a horrible Pokemon for Fire teams, but not Mega Charizard Y. Yes, the weakening of Steam Eruption is a downside to Drought, but Volcanion gets a boost to its Fire Blast damage. Most importantly of all though, Volcanion greatly appreciates Mega Charizard Y's ability to use Defog and have a Ground immunity.

Other questionable things include Haze in Other Options, which really isn't viable by any stretch of the imagination, and the not competitively used Florges in Checks and Counters (along with Porygon2 in Special Walls, which is always physically defensive in Monotype and 2HKOed by Fire Blast).

So, I'll have to reject this as it is right now, sorry.
QC Rejected 1/3

 

[skies]

Reassigning.