VoltTurn and Knock Off: An Explosive Mix

« Previous Article

Home

Next Article »

Introduction

The strategy featured in this article is based on keeping momentum and chipping away at the opponent's checks and counters little by little. VoltTurn is a tried and effective strategy that can be found on many bulky offensive or straight offensive teams, but with Knock Off added into the mix, the strategy takes a slower pace, as the goal is to take advantage of the opponent's lack of an item to weaken and eventually KO them with your VoltTurn users. A good Stealth Rock setter makes this strategy even better. For this strategy to work, you don't need a whole team of VoltTurn users and many Knock Off users, you just need enough to ensure that you can reliably wear down the opposition. For example, an effective VoltTurn + Knock Off core can have two VoltTurn users and one Knock Off user.

Pokémon to use

Gliscor

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 168 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Taunt / Knock Off / Acrobatics

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 168 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
- Earthquake / Toxic
- Knock Off
- Taunt
- Roost

Gliscor is a great Pokémon for this strategy, thanks to its access to both U-turn and Knock Off, as well as Stealth Rock, Taunt, and Toxic, all wonderful moves that provide additional passive damage or stop the opponent from healing, setting up entry hazards, and using Defog, in Taunt's case. Gliscor gets many switch-in opportunities which it can use to get the VoltTurn chain going, Knock Off some items, or set up Stealth Rock.

The first set is designed to be a Stealth Rock setter and physical pivot. Taunt lets Gliscor prevent Defog users from getting rid of Stealth Rock, making it a very effective Stealth Rock setter, a trait that is very appreciated by VoltTurn teams. Of course, you will have to catch Latios, Latias, and Starmie on the switch with U-turn to prevent them from getting in for free. Knock Off in the last slot is useful to remove items from certain Pokémon that Slowbro attracts, such as Skarmory's Shed Shell, which makes it prone to Magnezone, as well as Leftovers from Rotom-W and Slowbro, making them significantly easier to wear down.

As for the second set, it's the tried and effective specially defensive Gliscor, a terrific staller and Knock Off user, so there's no need for much explaining. Just give to this Gliscor a free switch via VoltTurn and have Stealth Rock up, and it won't disappoint you.

Tornadus-T

Tornadus-T @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 132 HP / 160 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave / Focus Blast
- Knock Off
- U-turn

Tornadus-T is another Pokémon able to effectively use both U-turn and Knock Off on its Assault Vest set, making it a great addition to this strategy. Furthermore, Tornadus-T is a very effective Knock Off user, as it scares out most Mega Evolutions with Hurricane, Heat Wave, or Focus Blast, leaving only a handful of them able to switch into Tornadus-T, such as Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Manectric, and Mega Ampharos, with the first being Stealth Rock-weak and the last two having no reliable recovery, which means that, with Stealth Rock support, Tornadus-T will be able to eventually get past them by spamming U-turn early-game. Tornadus-T's mix of special bulk, great Speed, decent offensive presence, pivoting abilities, and efficiency as a Knock Off spreader make it a prime option to consider in VoltTurn + Knock Off strategies.

Mew

Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 136 SpD / 120 Spe
Calm Nature
- Defog / Knock Off
- Softboiled
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt

Mew has two qualities that make it a great addition to this kind of strategy: being an excellent Defog and Knock Off user. Having a reliable Defog user is very important for VoltTurn teams, which are switching in and out a lot, so Stealth Rock is naturally one of their biggest enemies. Also, Mew is a very effective Knock Off spreader thanks to the combination of Taunt + Will-O-Wisp, which allows it to beat most Mega Evolutions and defensive Pokémon in general, softening up teams nicely for your offensive teammates to clean up. And if you really need it, Mew has access to both U-turn and Volt Switch too. Oh, and Mew checks Mega Medicham, a really threatening Pokémon.

Landorus-T

Landorus-T @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 140 HP / 156 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Superpower / Knock Off

Even though Landorus-T is outclassed by Gliscor as a Stealth Rock setter and Knock Off spreader, it has an excellent Choice Scarf set. Intimidate and a fast U-turn are excellent tools on VoltTurn teams, as is the ability to revenge kill problematic Dragon Dance users that managed to set up, such as Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, Dragonite, and Mega Charizard X, as well as fast Pokémon in general, some of which (Greninja, Mega Manectric, and Starmie) are quite hard to wall without using slow walls that give up momentum. Landorus-T can also use Knock Off, but it's not a particularly effective user of the move.

Bisharp

Bisharp @ Dread Plate
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Pursuit

Bisharp is the strongest Knock Off user, with strong priority and the ability to trap and weaken problematic Pokémon to VoltTurn cores. However, it is checked by quite a few Mega Evolutions, such as Mega Venusaur, Mega Charizard X, Mega Heracross, and Mega Scizor, which means that it's not very effective at removing items, but in combination with its trapping ability and access to priority, Bisharp is a very potent Pokémon for this strategy.

Rotom-W

Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave
- Pain Split / Hidden Power Ice

Rotom-W is the best user of Volt Switch, thanks to its ability to threaten Ground-types with Hydro Pump, so it's not hard to see why it fits well in VoltTurn chains. It can also spread burns very effectively, adding more passive damage to the mix. Finally, Rotom-W checks many dangerous threats, such as Mega Pinsir, Talonflame, Landorus, Azumarill, Keldeo, Sand Rush Excadrill, and Landorus-T, while also being a very effective way to bring in a Pokémon for free, thanks to Rotom-W being slower than most of the Pokémon it deals with.

Mega Scizor

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 68 Atk / 116 Def / 76 SpD
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn / Knock Off

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower / Defog
- Roost

Mega Scizor has amazing synergy with Rotom-W and is another slow pivot that can help bring in your offensive Pokémon. Thanks to its huge physical bulk, great defensive typing, and Bullet Punch, it deals with a plethora of threats, such as Excadrill, Latios, Latias, Terrakion, Mega Tyranitar, Bisharp, Mega Gardevoir, and Mamoswine. Furthermore, it can stay alive with Roost, support its team with Defog, or even attempt a late-game sweep with Swords Dance. Mega Scizor also has access Knock Off if you want, but it's not a particularly good user of it, as it has better moves to run, and many Mega Evolutions wall Mega Scizor, such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Mega Gyarados, and Hidden Power Fire Mega Venusaur.

Talonflame

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak / Choice Band
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Will-O-Wisp / Roost / Tailwind

Talonflame is one of the best revenge killers for this strategy, thanks to its access to a very strong Brave Bird and U-turn, which makes forcing out opponents and starting the VoltTurn cycle very easy. It can also use Will-O-Wisp to add more chip damage to the VoltTurn + Knock Off combo. Just make sure to use some strong anti-hazard support because Talonflame has a debilitating weakness to Stealth Rock, but, thankfully, hazard control is quite easy on a team with a lot of VoltTurn team users, thanks to the strategy's ability to have the upper hand in terms of momentum.

Mega Manectric

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Hidden Power Ice

Mega Manectric is one of the best revenge killers for this kind of team, as it combines fantastic Speed (able to outspeed +1 Mega Gyarados and Dragonite), decent power with great coverage, Intimidate, and Volt Switch. Mega Manectric is great against offensive teams and has ample switch-in opportunities with support from its VoltTurn partners, being able to clean up consistently weakened offensive teams.

Jirachi

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Atk / 168 SpD / 56 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- Fire Punch / Zen Headbutt

Jirachi checks multiple dangerous Pokémon, such as Latios, Latias, Clefable, Mega Gardevoir, Greninja, Mega Venusaur, and Thundurus, provides Stealth Rock support, and is a great pivot with U-turn. Its blend of power, utility, and bulk make it a valuable option on teams that don't have a safe switch-in to the above threats and want a Stealth Rock user with U-turn that is not a Flying / Ground type, such as Landorus-T and Gliscor.

Magnezone

Magnezone @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Fire
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

Magnezone is very useful in this metagame, as it's able to trap and eliminate almost every single Steel-type with the right set. Excadrill gets trapped by Air Balloon + Magnet Rise sets, and Heatran gets sniped by Choice Specs Hidden Power Ground sets, while more defensive Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Skarmory are easily removed by most Magnezone sets. Getting rid of Steel-types greatly helps Pokémon such as Landorus-T, Swords Dance Mega Scizor, Mega Medicham, and Excadrill, all Pokémon that fit nicely in VoltTurn teams. In addition to trapping Steel-types, Magnezone can also revenge kill a plethora of dangerous offensive Pokémon when holding a Choice Scarf, such as Keldeo, Mega Gardevoir, Terrakion, Talonflame, and Mega Pinsir, and is even able to switch into some of them thanks to its respectable bulk. Finally, Magnezone's ability to trap and KO one of the most common Mega Evolutions used on defensive teams, Mega Scizor, is greatly appreciated by Knock Off users such as Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Tornadus-T.

Mega Medicham, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Heracross

Medicham @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick / Drain Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Ice Punch / Baton Pass
- Substitute

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 24 Def / 232 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power Ground
- Taunt / Will-O-Wisp

Heracross @ Heracronite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Pin Missile
- Rock Blast
- Swords Dance

All those three Pokémon have one thing in common: they hit like a ton of bricks and need little support to function. Also, Mega Gardevoir and Mega Medicham often struggle to find switch-in opportunities, so VoltTurn partners help mitigate this. There's not much to say here, really; these three Pokémon pair amazingly with slow pivots and need little to no maintenance, making them some of the best choices for hard hitters.

Tyranitar and Excadrill

Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Fire Blast
- Pursuit / Ice Beam

Excadrill @ Life Orb / Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin / Swords Dance

This core provides anything a VoltTurn team would want, namely Stealth Rock, Rapid Spin, sand to help wear down the opponent, and an amazing cleaner in Excadrill. Also, Excadrill appreciates the VoltTurn support to come in safely against offensive teams and start wrecking havoc.

Sample Team

The team is using a VoltTurn core of physically defensive Rotom-W, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Stealth Rock Jirachi, and a Knock Off user in Bisharp. This VoltTurn core has great offensive and defensive synergy, resisting all types other than Dark and Ghost, has Stealth Rock, and a revenge killer in Choice Scarf Landorus-T. The team's wallbreaker is Mega Heracross, which takes advantage of Pokémon such as Ferrothorn, Bisharp, Chansey, Heatran, and Slowbro, Pokémon that the VoltTurn users attract, while also checking Bisharp, a troubling Pokémon for Jirachi. Pursuit Bisharp helps Mega Heracross break through defensive teams by wearing down Pokémon such as Chansey, Jirachi, and Doublade, to help Latios, Rotom-W, and Mega Heracross break through them, and also has a strong Knock Off to help wear down Pokémon such as Skarmory and physically defensive Hippowdon easier. It also provides strong priority on an relatively slow offensively team. Latios rounds out the team by taking care of threats such as Mega Charizard Y, Thundurus, Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Landorus; it also provides the team with a much needed fast attacker to help combat offensive teams.

Conclusion

As I said in the beginning, you don't need to fill your team with VoltTurn and Knock Off users. This means that a lot of Pokémon that appreciate this strategy have been left out from this article, so don't be afraid to try out your own ideas. And that's it, go read the next article :D

« Previous Article

Home

Next Article »

All guides and strategy information are © 2004 Smogon.com and its contributors. Pokémon is © 1995 Nintendo. Privacy Policy