Harpp
No rain, no flowers.
[OVERVIEW]
Bug
========
Volcarona can use Psychic with Psychium Z and Hidden Power Electric to beat some of its checks, including Toxapex and Mantine, and even break troublesome defensive Flying-type cores. However, Psychium Z Volcarona is unable to beat Heatran, making Steel a rough matchup for Volcarona's team.
[SET]
name: Psychium Z
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Hidden Power Electric
item: Psychium Z
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Quiver Dance allows Volcarona to outspeed and threaten Pokemon like Tapu Koko. Fire Blast provides strong neutral hits on walls like Zapdos and Gliscor and beats Steel-types such as Celesteela. Psychic in conjunction with Hidden Power Electric allows Volcarona to beat Toxapex and Mantine, breaking Water-type teams. It also threatens other defensive cores such as that of Flying- and Poison-type teams.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment along with a Timid nature makes Volcarona outspeed Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Excadrill after a Quiver Dance boost and Zapdos in general as well as Speed tie with other base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y. Psychium Z lets Volcarona get past some of its check such as Toxapex. Flame Body is used for its chance to cripple physical attackers and possibly make them setup fodder.
Usage Tips
========
Volcarona should avoid switching into Stealth Rock, getting poisoned, and getting paralyzed to preserve its sweeping potential. It works best mid- or late-game when its checks and counters such as Nihilego, Chansey, and Alolan Muk have been taken care of by teammates like Mega Scizor and Mega Heracross. Against Water-type teams, Volcarona's decent Special Defense allows it to set up safely on Toxapex's weak Scald. It is important to scout the Toxapex set, however, as some sets utilize Toxic. Similarly, Volcarona can set up on defensive Celesteela and Mantine against Flying-type teams, but again it needs to scout for Toxic on Celesteela. Due to lack of Hidden Power Ground, Volcarona should set up only when Heatran is taken out or significantly weakened by its teammates. Volcarona can bluff a Firium Z set by not revealing its coverage move until the right moment, luring its usual checks such as Mantine and Toxapex.
Team Options
========
Armaldo and Forretress can not only clear Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin for Volcarona but also set up their own Stealth Rock so that Volcarona has easier time scoring KOs. With Stone Edge, Armaldo can check Fire-types that threaten Volcarona such as Choice Scarf Victini and Mega Charizard Y. Forretress can provide the team with slow Volt Switch pivoting and a neutrality to Rock, allowing it to take on threats like Tyranitar and Terrakion with Gyro Ball. As Psychium Z Volcarona lacks Hidden Power Ground to check Heatran and beat Steel-type teams, Mega Heracross is great teammate. Mega Scizor can take care of threatening Rock-types such as Nihilego, Terrakion, and Mega Diancie, and in return, Volcarona beats Water-types that Mega Scizor has trouble breaking such as Toxapex. Choice Band Scizor also acts as an offensive pivot with U-turn and can trap Choice Band Victini after V-create with Pursuit. Heracross or Buzzwole with a Choice Scarf can revenge kill faster threats to Volcarona such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Charizard Y. Additionally, Heracross can Pursuit trap Victini, while Buzzwole can improve the Dragon matchup. Assault Vest Araquanid can check special Fire-types such as opposing Volcarona and Z-Celebrate Victini. With Wacan Berry and Mirror Coat instead, Araquanid can take out strong special attackers like Tapu Koko so that Volcarona has easier time against Electric-type teams. Additionally, Araquanid and Galvantula can provide Sticky Web support, giving +1 Volcarona the ability to outspeed whole Water teams that use Choice Scarf Greninja. Galvantula can also check Water-and Ground-type Pokemon with Thunder and Energy Ball, alleviating pressure on Volcarona.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bug
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* Nothing new to add, remove z-move from the current OO analysis.
Checks and Counters
===================
Bug
--------
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Toxapex, Sap Sipper Azumarill, and Araquanid take little damage from Volcarona's coverage moves and whittle it down with their super effective STAB attacks. They are threatened by the Psychium Z set, however.
**Haze and Phazing Moves**: Pokemon like Toxapex, Mantine, and Garchomp carry moves such as Haze and Dragon Tail, which effectively negate Volcarona's ability to act as a setup sweeper. Toxapex and Mantine should watch out for the Psychium Z set, though.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Harpp, 320110]]
- Bug analysis by: [[Harpp, 320110]]
- Quality checked by: [[Moosical, 215618], [maroon, 305839], [Eien, 100418]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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