Volcano Moth
[Overview]
name: Standard
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Rage Powder
move 1: Heat Wave / Overheat
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Rage Powder
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry / Fire Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Offensive Tailwind
move 1: Overheat / Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Tailwind
move 4: Protect
item: Fire Gem / Bug Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[Other Options]
[Check and Counters]
- Has a great offensive typing; its STAB attacks alone can hit a ton of threats in the metagame for super-effective damage
- Resists common attacks such as Ice and Fighting
- Has a great base 135 SpA, and it is paired with a solid 100 base speed
- Additional support options in Tailwind and Rage Powder
- Lacks coverage outside of STABs, and has a nasty 4x Rock weakness
name: Standard
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Quiver Dance allows you to rip through the metagame, should you find the time to use it
- Heat Wave & Bug Buzz provide STAB coverage and Heat Wave additionally is a spread move, helping you to deal massive damage to both members of the opposition at once
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Lum Berry is the preferred item, curing you of paralysis or any other crippling status that comes your way, but Focus Sash allows you to set up with more ease, and is as such an option
- A bulkier spread with a Bold Nature can also be used, running a defensive item like Charti Berry would be an option on a bulkier spread
- In general, this set enjoys Rage Powder/Follow Me or Fake Out support, and anything that can beat Heatran is also helpful (Garchomp, Landorus, Tyranitar, Hitmontop, etc); Latios and other fast attackers can help take out threatening pokemon that are faster than Volcarona, like Terrakion and Garchomp
[SET]
name: Rage Powder
move 1: Heat Wave / Overheat
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Rage Powder
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry / Fire Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Rage Powder allows you to draw in unfriendly attacks, and key resistances to Fighting and Ice help Volcarona make use it
- Fire Gem Overheat can be used over Heat Wave for raw power, but Heat Wave is generally preferred as a spread move
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- A bulkier spread of 232 HP / 92 SpA / 184 Spe can be used (hitting a Sandstorm number and getting the jump on Landorus-Therian), allowing you to draw in attacks for longer, but the speed and offensive power is usually preferred; bulky Rage Powder abuse is better left to things like Amoonguss
- Charti Berry is an option for tanking a Rock Slide, which Volcarona could not normally do
- Lum Berry is the preferred item because it can draw in status attacks, and then cure Volcarona of them
- This set pairs well with fast and hard-hitting pokemon, and faster paced teams that hate Thunder Waves in general (special mention includes Latios), anything that can beat Heatran is, as always, very helpful
[SET]
name: Offensive Tailwind
move 1: Overheat / Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Tailwind
move 4: Protect
item: Fire Gem / Bug Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Tailwind allows you to support the team with a nifty speed boost, and lets Volcarona get past faster threats like Latios and Thundurus with more ease
- Overheat is preferred for its raw power, but Heat Wave still remains a great option
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Lum Berry can still be used, but Gems are preferred to deal as much damage as possible
- Good teammates include anything that can beat Heatran (following the pattern?), and in general, anything that would enjoy a good speed boost (and who doesn't). Like Quiver Dance, this set also enjoys Rage Powder/Follow Me or Fake Out support as well.
[Other Options]
- Hidden Power
- Hurricane
- Psychic
- Giga Drain
- Magnet Rise
- Sunny Day
[Check and Counters]
- Speedy pokemon with Rock Slide access, such as Landorus and Garchomp, make the best checks; Rock types in general will give it a lot of trouble
- Heatran walls any set (bar the rare Hidden Power) in and out, and can hit hard with Heat Wave
- Swift Swimmers, Politoed, and other Water types will be able to deal a lot of damage, they won't enjoy a boosted Bug Buzz though
- Volcarona is pretty frail overall, so it will hate opposing speed control methods of any kind, everything from Tailwind to Trick Room
[Overview]
<p>Volcarona has one of the best offensive typings in the Doubles metagame.Its STAB attacks hit everything from Cresselia to Bisharp for super effective damage, and it even gains useful resistances to Ice- and Fighting-type moves. To make life even better, it has a massive Special Attack stat, alongside a solid base Speed. It even gets additional support options in Tailwind and Rage Powder. To top it all off, it is one of the few Pokemon capable of making use of setup moves in Doubles, which it does through Quiver Dance.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, even a fire-spewing moth has its faults. It is held back in that it has a mediocre Defense and a 4x weakness to Rock-type moves, leaving it susceptible to Rock Slide. Furthermore, a Water weakness leaves it begging for mercy against the majority of rain teams. It also has little coverage outside of its STABs. Fortunately, this rare species of "Volcano Moth" is far from extinct, as its lethal STAB combination is capable of taking down many common Doubles threats, including Cresselia, Breloom, Scizor, Hydreigon, and others.</p>
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Quiver Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Volcarona is one of the few Pokemon that can successfully utilize setup moves in Doubles. After a Quiver Dance, it can rip through entire teams, as its STAB attacks get great coverage. Heat Wave provides a spread move and is lethal after a Quiver Dance boost. Bug Buzz is Volcarona's most powerful secondary STAB, dealing heavy damage to threats like Hydreigon and Cresselia. Protect allows Volcarona to evade dangerous attacks while your partner handles things.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Lum Berry is preferred, as it allows Volcarona to avoid being crippled by paralysis or sleep, but Focus Sash can be used, allowing Volcarona to survive an attack that would otherwise KO. It is almost always inferior though, as sandstorm and hail damage will KO afterwards anyway. A Modest nature can be used over the standard Timid one, but the loss in Speed is considerable, and it doesn't achieve any notable KOs. A bulkier spread using a Bold nature and a Lum or Charti Berry can be used, as it allows Volcarona to tank more hits, though the standard spread is generally better as it does not require a Quiver Dance to deal heavy damage.</p>
<p>Good teammates for this set include Rage Powder and Fake Out users, such as Amoonguss and HItmontop, which make setting up easier. Hitmontop is also capable of guarding Volcarona from dangerous spread attacks such as Muddy Water and Rock Slide with Wide Guard. Anything that can take out Heatran, such as Garchomp and Rotom-W, also makes a good partner. Fast Pokemon such as Latios also help against other fast Pokemon packing Rock Slide, such as Garchomp and Terrakion. Weavile, in particular, is good alongside this set, as it has high Speed, can provide Fake Out support, and can nail a lot of counters, such as Choice Scarf Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Garchomp for heavy damage; watch out for Tyranitar with Chople Berry, though, because it can tank a Low Kick and get a double KO with Rock Slide. Breloom and Virizion can also make solid partners, using STAB moves to take out Rock-types and bulky Water-types, both of which give Volcarona trouble, along with archetypal rain and sand teams in general. Breloom can also help shut down troublesome threats with Spore.</p>
[SET]
name: Rage Powder
move 1: Heat Wave / Overheat
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Rage Powder
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry / Fire Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rage Powder allows Volcarona to make the most of its Fighting- and Ice-type resistances by drawing in attacks that would harm its teammates. Heat Wave is the typical STAB spread move, but Overheat is also an option alongside Fire Gem, as it is more powerful than a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor from Latios, meaning that because many Pokemon are specifically EVed to tank that attack, it can score unexpected OHKOs on bulky Thundurus and others. Bug Buzz and Protect are typical moves, providing secondary STAB and protection against harmful attacks, respectively.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Lum Berry is the typical item, curing Volcarona of any status that it draws in with Rage Powder. Fire Gem should only be used if you are running Overheat, as it provides that attack with the raw power that scores a lot of unexpected KOs. Charti Berry is also an option, allowing Volcarona to live through a Rock Slide, which it could not normally do. A bulkier spread of 232 HP / 92 SpA / 184 Spe with a Timid nature can be used, as it hits a sandstorm number and gets the jump on Landorus-T, but generally Volcarona is better off running offensive support; bulky support is better left to things like Togekiss and Amoonguss. If it is run, either a Charti Berry, Passho Berry, or Sitrus Berry should be used to tank hits.</p>
<p>This set pairs well with fast and heavy-hitting Pokemon that have good defensive synergy with Volcarona such as Latios, as Volcarona draws in attacks and paralysis, allowing its teammates to live longer. Anything that can get past Heatran, such as Garchomp, Landorus, Breloom, and Gastrodon, is also very helpful, as Volcarona has a lot of trouble with it.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Tailwind
move 1: Overheat / Heat Wave
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Tailwind
move 4: Protect
item: Fire Gem / Bug Gem
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>One of Volcarona's most overlooked aspects is its ability to support its team through Tailwind. After a Tailwind boost, Volcarona is incredibly fast and can launch a Fire Gem Overheat to take out a variety of threats. Heat Wave is also a viable choice, as it can hit both of the opposing Pokemon simultaneously. Bug Buzz provides Volcarona with its most useful secondary STAB move, and Protect allows it to guard itself against dangerous attacks while its partner takes care of things.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>While Lum Berry is used on most Volcarona sets, this set prefers a Fire or Bug Gem boost, as it aims to blow a hole in something dangerous after it sets up Tailwind. A Modest nature can be used to hit even harder under Tailwind, but Timid is preferred for getting Tailwind up, and Modest will not score any important KOs that Timid cannot.</p>
<p>Good teammates for this set include Rage Powder users, such as Amoonguss, which draw attacks away from Volcarona, allowing it to set Tailwind without worrying about anything but spread attacks. Fake Out users can also support Volcarona by stopping an opponent from moving while it gets Tailwind up. Hitmontop in particular is also capable of guarding Volcarona from Muddy Water and Rock Slide with Wide Guard. Anything that can beat Heatran, the Pokemon Volcarona most despises, such as Garchomp and Landorus-T, also makes for a good partner. Fast Pokemon such as Latios also help against other fast Pokemon packing Rock Slide, such as Garchomp and Terrakion, though after Tailwind is up, a lot of Pokemon can handle these threats anyway. Breloom and Virizion can also make solid partners, using STAB moves to take out Rock-types and bulky Water-types, both of which give Volcarona trouble. Breloom, in particular, loves Tailwind support, as the Speed boost enables it to generally launch a Spore before the opposition can move, allowing it to incapacitate something dangerous. Additionally, anything that appreciates a boost in Speed and synergizes well with Volcarona is a solid partner for it.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Fire Blast and Fiery Dance can be alternate Fire STABs, as they pack more power than Heat Wave at the cost of only being able to hit one target at a time and do not have a Special Attack drop like Overheat. Hidden Power Ground can achieve coverage against Heatran and anything else Volcarona struggles to hit; however, it is lacking in power and requires giving up a moveslot. Hurricane and Psychic can be used, taking out Hitmontop and other Fighting-types, but they are generally inferior to a Fire Gem boosted Overheat, which deals more damage. Giga Drain damages Politoed and can heal Volcarona, extending its longevity. Magnet Rise can surprise the opposition with a Ground-type immunity, but it is generally outclassed by Volcarona's support options in Tailwind and Rage Powder. Finally, Sunny Day can be used to mess with weather and buff Volcarona's Fire-type STAB to incredibly powerful levels, and Solarbeam can be used alongside it, hitting Rock- and Water-type Pokemon for heavy damage.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Heatran is more or less the ultimate Volcarona counter; bar the rare Hidden Power Ground, it walls every Volcarona in and out offensively. Heatran can easily hammer Volcarona back with Heat Wave, and Substitute Heatran can set up in Volcarona's face, making it even more difficult to take down. Chandelure is also a wonderful counter to Volcarona and can do what Heatran does by walling it and hammering it with repeated Heat Waves or setting Trick Room without fear of Volcarona's attacks.</p>
<p>Faster physical attackers, such as Terrakion, Landorus, Excadrill, and Garchomp, can move first and OHKO Volcarona with Rock Slide. Volcarona can do little back to most of these, but if it has a Quiver Dance up, it can outspeed and deal heavy damage, so be cautious. Excadrill gets a special mention, as Volcarona will need two Quiver Dance boosts to beat it. One rare potential checks is Stone Edge Hitmontop, which could trick Volcarona into thinking it is not an offensive problem. It is utterly destroyed by a Fire Gem Overheat though, so it needs to be played with caution. Rain in general will also give Volcarona trouble. Swift Swim Pokemon, particularly Kabutops and Kingdra, can run right through it with their respective STABs and can tank an unboosted Bug Buzz. Volcarona additionally hates opposing speed control; in particular, Thunder Wave and Trick Room will cripple it. Once it is slowed, a variety of slow threats can pick it off.</p>
[Unreleased]
<p>Volcarona has yet to receive its hidden ability, Swarm. If released, this ability would be found on most offensive Volcarona, such as the Quiver Dance and Tailwind sets. The Rage Powder set can certainly appreciate Flame Body for its potential to inflict burns on the users of redirected physical moves, but the power boost from Bug Buzz is always a major boon for Volcarona.</p>
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