In-battle formes
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| HP: | 85 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Attack: | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense: | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Atk: | 135 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Def: | 105 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: | 100 |
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Evolutions
- Larvesta
- Volcarona
Strategies
- en
Overview
Quiver Dance Volcarona is one of the most dangerous sweepers in ORAS OU. Its STAB moves, Giga Drain, and Hidden Power make it very difficult to switch into, its boosted attacks OHKO most Pokemon, and it outspeeds everything but a few Choice Scarf users after boosting, meaning it is more often checked than countered. Although it seems that Volcarona can sweep through a majority of teams on paper, in reality, its Stealth Rock weakness mandates entry hazard removal and limits setup opportunities. Its low bulk makes it susceptible to priority moves from Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Crawdaunt, Dragonite, and Bisharp. Volcarona's sweeps are shut down by Chansey, and without the proper coverage, it is also be walled by bulky Fire- and Dragon-types like Heatran, Volcanion, Mega Charizard X, and Dragonite.
Life Orb
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Moves
Quiver Dance increases Volcarona's Speed so that it outruns all of the unboosted metagame. Fire Blast allows it to deal massive neutral damage, greatly threatening checks like Assault Vest Tornadus-T, especially when boosted. Alternatively, Flamethrower can be run as a more accurate option while still dealing high damage. Bug Buzz hits Psychic-types like Latias, Mew, and Reuniclus as well as deals great damage to checks like Tyranitar and Dragon-types like tank Garchomp, which are otherwise good answers to Volcarona. Giga Drain allows Volcarona to hit Water-types like Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Slowbro and Ground-types like Hippowdon, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon, all while providing Volcarona with a source of recovery. Alternatively, Hidden Power Ground allows Volcarona to muscle past Heatran and most Volcanion sets which are otherwise are good Volcarona checks.
Set Details
A Modest nature guarantees an OHKO on Heatran with Hidden Power Ground and on Slowbro with Giga Drain. It also lets Volcarona OHKO specially defensive Gliscor and Tornadus-T after Stealth Rock with Fire Blast. The downside of running a Modest nature is that it leaves Volcarona than Choice Scarf Pokemon like Excadrill, Landorus-T, Kyurem-B even after a boost while also being slower than maximum Speed Excadrill, Landorus-T, Kyurem-B, Jolly Medicham, and Timid Manaphy at +0. This can be avoided by running a Timid nature, but this is at the expense of reducing the damage output and losing OHKOs on certain Pokemon.
Usage Tips
The power of this set allows Volcarona to be used at various points in the game as either an early-game or mid-game wallbreaker or as a late-game sweeper. It is especially lethal early game, since it can catch opponents off guard by immediately applying pressure as opposed to waiting until late-game scenarios to try and pull off a sweep. This lets Volcarona weaken its own checks by immediately throwing off attacks or setting up early to punch holes for teammates to come in and make use of. Avoid bringing Volcarona in against entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, to maximize Volcarona's health and let it stick around longer. Volcarona should be brought in on Pokemon it can safely set up against like Ferrothorn, non-Thunder Wave Clefable, and Steel-types like Skarmory and Magnezone.
Team Options
Entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock, are dangerous for Volcarona, so partners like Excadrill, Latias, and Zapdos that can remove hazards for it are great partners. Latias can provide Healing Wish, dual screens and Thunder Wave support to Volcarona, whereas Zapdos can bring it in safely with Volt Switch. Mega Diancie can prevent hazards with Magic Bounce and can come in on Tornadus-T, which Volcarona is threatened by. Dual screens support from Serperior also ensures that Volcarona can stay healthy for a longer duration. Clefable provides Knock Off support to remove items like Assault Vest from Tornadus-T and Tyranitar, allowing Volcarona to beat them easily. Pokemon that can take advantage of Volcarona's wallbreaking such as Manaphy and Keldeo make fantastic partners, since they benefit from Volcarona weakening their special checks in Tornadus-T and Latias while being able to deal with Volcarona's checks in Chansey and Sand Rush Excadrill.
Offensive Quiver Dance
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Moves
+1 Volcarona is faster than all relevant Pokemon bar Sand Rush Excadrill and rare Choice Scarf users like Garchomp, Terrakion, and Keldeo. Bug Buzz allows Volcarona to hit Psychic-types like Latios, Latias, Mew, and Reuniclus as well as Dark-types that resist Fire like Hydreigon and Tyranitar. Giga Drain provides some recovery and KOes Water-types like Keldeo, Gastrodon, Manaphy, Slowbro, Starmie, and Rotom-W after one or two boosts. Hidden Power Ground allows Volcarona to severely damage or KO a few Pokemon that would normally switch into it such as Heatran and Volcanion.
Set Details
Flame Body can punish priority users that may try to whittle Volcarona down such as Fake Out Medicham and Lopunny, which become setup fodder if burnt. Even if Volcarona is KOed, a Flame Body burn can allow other team members to set up. Lum Berry enables setup on Pokemon that can inflict status like Serperior, Amoonguss, Ferrothorn, and Slowbro. It also can save Volcarona from foes that run Prankster + Thunder Wave such as Thundurus and Klefki.
Usage Tips
When using Volcarona, always look for ways to chip its checks and counters. Volcarona enjoys Stealth Rock for wearing down checks like Talonflame and Volcanion over time and needs Stealth Rock removed from its own side before setting up. Common Pokemon that Volcarona can set up on are Ferrothorn, Serperior, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss; Volcarona can set up on Pokemon Choice locked into the wrong move such as -2 Latios and Latias locked into Draco Meteor, Magnezone locked into Hidden Power Fire, and even Keldeo locked into Secret Sword if Stealth Rock is not up. Do not underestimate Volcarona's special bulk while it is boosting. If the opponent switches to a Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Manaphy, Rotom-W, or Slowbro, Volcarona can easily use Quiver Dance again, avoiding a 2HKO while threatening to OHKO back. While Volcarona is mostly used as a mid- or late-game sweeper, it can also be used early-game to wallbreak and lure its checks into getting chipped or trapped.
Team Options
Volcarona appreciates entry hazard removal from spinners like Excadrill and Starmie and Defoggers like Latios and Latias. Excadrill can also set Stealth Rock and appreciates Volcarona's ability to deal with Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Slowbro, Tangrowth, and Skarmory. Latias is also an excellent partner outside of Defog, as it provides dual screens, Safeguard, and Healing Wish support. On more offensive teams, Volcarona appreciates partners that can switch into and overwhelm its checks and counters. Pokemon like Manaphy can switch into Aqua Jet from Azumarill and Crawdaunt, while Thundurus can switch into Talonflame and use it to set up. Manaphy can overwhelm special walls like Chansey and help eliminate Fire-types like Heatran and Talonflame as well as Dragon- and Ground-types like Mega Altaria, Dragonite, Garchomp, and Hippowdon. Thundurus can help eliminate bulky Water-types like Suicune and checks to Volcarona such as Heatran, Talonflame, and Dragonite. Serperior is a unique utility option because it can set up dual screens for Volcarona or bait in checks like Heatran and KO them with Hidden Power. Pokemon that appreciate other Steel-types being removed such as Mega Metagross, Mega Altaria, Mega Diancie, and Dragonite also pair well with Volcarona; they support Volcarona by removing Heatran with Earthquake or Earth Power. Pokemon that appreciate bulky Psychic-types being removed such as Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny pair well with Bug Buzz Volcarona. In return, they remove Chansey with High Jump Kick and bulky-Dragon-types like Dragonite and Garchomp with Ice Punch. On bulkier teams, Volcarona appreciates partners that can chip or trap its checks and counters. Knock Off users such as Bisharp, Weavile, Tornadus-T, and Clefable can help Volcarona sweep by removing items like Assault Vest from Tornadus-T, Eviolite from Chansey, and Leftovers from Heatran, specially defensive Garchomp, and Clefable. Pursuit users like Tyranitar can help Volcarona by trapping and chipping Pokemon like Heatran and Talonflame. Glare Serperior, Thunder Wave Clefable, and Starmie are great partners that can cripple bulky Water-types, Charizard, Heatran, Tornadus-T, Keldeo, Manaphy, and Clefable with status. If Volcarona's checks get paralyzed, it gets chances at free setup turns and has less to fear from opposing setup sweepers like Manaphy. Toxic from Pokemon like Gastrodon and Slowbro can be very important to wear down Talonflame, bulky Dragon-types like Garchomp, Dragonite, and Mega Altaria, and Fire-types like Volcarona and Charizard.
Sub Swarm
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Substitute beats some of Volcarona's common countermeasures such as status and priority users like Crawdaunt, Bisharp, Mega Medicham, and Mega Lopunny. With Quiver Dance, Volcarona gets the special bulk to become very hard to KO. Flamethrower is run over Fire Blast because it is easier to spam and fish for a burn, which makes Volcarona's Substitute harder to break. Bug Buzz is run along with Swarm to maximize damage output versus bulky Water- and Ground-types like Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Garchomp, which can break Volcarona's Substitute repeatedly.
Set Details
88 HP EVs prevent +1 Volcarona's Substitute from being broken by Heatran's Lava Plume, allowing it to use Heatran as setup fodder. 184 Speed EVs with a Timid nature make Volcarona faster than Adamant Mega Medicham, Modest Manaphy, and Jolly Excadrill unboosted and faster than Choice Scarf Landorus-T after boosting. 236 Special Attack EVs give Volcarona a good chance to OHKO Hippowdon and Garchomp at +1 and Gastrodon at +2 with Swarm and some prior damage. Leftovers recovers HP against weak, passive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Amoonguss while setting up.
Usage Tips
Entry hazard removal is even more important because this set relies on Leftovers recovery and multiple Quiver Dance boosts to tank hits. Since Volcarona is mostly used as a mid- or late-game sweeper, it is also important to weaken checks beforehand. This can be done with entry hazards, which weaken Heatran, Volcanion, and Talonflame, or status, which cripples foes like Garchomp and Gastrodon. Volcarona sets up Substitute on Pokemon like Amoonguss, Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, Magnezone locked into Hidden Power Fire, and -2 Latios and Latias. At +1, it can continue setting up versus Lava Plume Heatran, Scald Alomomola, defensive Zapdos, and Clefable.
Team Options
Entry hazard setters like Excadrill are good teammates for wearing down Volcarona answers like Heatran, Volcanion, and Talonflame with Stealth Rock. Knock Off users such as Clefable, Serperior, and Mega Scizor can lure in these Fire-types, Assault Vest Tornadus-T, and Eviolite Chansey. Serperior can deal with Water-types and bait in Fire-types to cripple them with Glare, chip them with Leech Seed, or outright KO them with boosted Hidden Power. Gastrodon can importantly switch into Keldeo and chip foes with Scald and Toxic. It also can combat the Fire-type setup sweepers that threaten Volcarona like Mega Charizard X and Talonflame with Toxic and Clear Smog. Partners that can help break through Chansey include Tail Glow Manaphy, Mega Lopunny, Mega Medicham, Keldeo, and Breloom.
Bulkarona
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Quiver Dance is the key move that lets Volcarona always be a scary factor. Its ability to self-boost shall not be missing on this set either, as it allows it to set up and sweep. Roost helps with longevity, as this Volcarona requires more time to set up effectively as well as to heal chip damage from the like of Mega Lopunny, Mega Scizor, and Landorus-T. Furthermore, it helps to mitigate Stealth Rock damage. Flamethrower threatens Steel-types like Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Bisharp as well as Grass-types like Serperior and Amoonguss. Giga Drain allows Volcarona to recover while hitting Water-types like Keldeo, Volcanion, and Rotom-W. Alternatively, Bug Buzz hits Psychic-types like Mega Latias and hits typical switch-ins like Tyranitar and Garchomp harder.
Set Details
60 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Volcarona to outspeed Adamant Excadrill, and after two Quiver Dance boosts, it outspeeds Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill in sand. Furthermore, after a Quiver Dance, Volcarona is faster than Mega Lopunny and Tornadus-T. The rest of the EVs are put into bulk, allowing Volcarona to soft-check physical threats it is supposed to check like Mega Lopunny, Mega Metagross, and Weavile while threatening them back with a burn through Flame Body. It is worth nothing that Volcarona is an imperfect check to those and relies on its ability to burn them. Passho Berry allows it to take hits from Water-type threats like Keldeo, Volcanion, and Crawdaunt and potentially revenge kill them. An alternative spread is 248 HP / 100 Def / 160 Spe with a Timid nature, which allows Volcarona to outspeed Mega Alakazam at +1 as well as Excadrill and Adamant Mega Medicham unboosted.
Usage Tips
Bulky Volcarona should be used with caution. Its crippling weakness to Stealth Rock can limit switch in opportunities heavily. Furthermore, it can only check foes that threaten it, such as Weavile, Mega Metagross, and Mega Lopunny, it if it's already on the field and healthy. Ideally, Volcarona is brought in safely through a pivot on weak and unthreatening moves or after a Pokemon is KOed. This allows it easier setup opportunities. Before opting for a sweep, key checks like Talonflame, Garchomp, and sand core Pokemon like Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Excadrill should be out of the way. This Volcarona works best against teams that have soft checks to it such as Fake Out Mega Lopunny and Assault Vest Tornadus-T or against teams whose strategy is to revenge kill Volcarona by the likes of Aqua Jet Crawdaunt or Azumarill, especially if Passho Berry is used as the item. Moreover, status users like Chansey, Alomomola, and Clefable should be weakened or KOed, since especially Toxic but also paralysis can cripple Volcarona and cut its sweep attempt short.
Team Options
This Volcarona fits best on bulky offensive and VoltTurn teams where it can function as a defensive check. Its Flame Body burns can enable its teammates, it can keep up pressure on the opposing team, and it can find good setup opportunities. Due its crippling weakness to Stealth Rock, it relies on its teammates to remove or prevent them. Excadrill with Rapid Spin and common Defog users like Zapdos and Latias make excellent partners. Mega Diancie can help too by keeping entry hazards off the field. Taunt users like Thundurus and Serperior can prevent the use of entry hazards while fitting well on the teams Volcarona usually finds itself on. Landorus-T can help against sand teams, switching into Tyranitar and Excadrill while delivering chip damage with Rocky Helmet and threatening them out. Thundurus and Keldeo threaten Garchomp with Hidden Power Ice or Water-type moves and Excadrill, Heatran, and Tyranitar with their Fighting-type moves.
Other Options
Hidden Power Ice can be used as a safer means of OHKOing bulky Ground-types like Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor. It also hits bulky Dragon-types like Mega Altaria and Dragonite harder. Fiery Dance can be used as a means of boosting while attacking; this is beneficial when faced with a Calm Mind sweeper like Clefable or Mega Latias. However, it is much less powerful than Fire Blast and is not as consistent as just using Quiver Dance. Life Orb Volcarona is an option that can be used to hit harder and sweep easier; however, its longevity is particularly bad given Volcarona's weakness to Stealth Rock. Unlike Timid Volcarona, +1 Modest Life Orb is able to surely OHKO Pokemon like Keldeo, Tyranitar, Rotom-W, Manaphy, Hippowdon, Gliscor, Gastrodon, and defensive Landorus-T. On hyper offense teams, Sitrus Berry can be a viable option if Stealth Rock is unable to be removed, giving Volcarona a slight boost in health to help it set up easier. Similarly, Passho Berry may allow Volcarona to set up more easily versus weak Water-types and reduce the likelihood of being revenge killed by Aqua Jet from Crawdaunt and Azumarill. Bulkier spreads with less Speed and Leftovers may also be used to increase Volcarona's longevity during a sweep. However, this increases Volcarona's chances of being outsped and severely damaged by Pokemon like Hydreigon and Excadrill while unboosted.
Checks and Counters
Chansey: Chansey's astronomical special bulk allows it to counter any variant of Volcarona and slowly KO it with Seismic Toss and Toxic.
Entry Hazards: Due to Volcarona's low physical bulk, it needs to be at full health to take a hit while boosting. With Stealth Rock or Spikes up, Volcarona risks getting KOed while boosting and is more easily revenge killed by priority users.
Strong Priority: Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Mega Medicham, Mega Lopunny, Dragonite, Crawdaunt, Azumarill, and Bisharp can all heavily chip or KO a boosted Volcarona. Talonflame is Volcarona's best check because it is immune to burn and can use Volcarona as setup fodder.
Rock-type Coverage: Bulky Pokemon like Hippowdon, Garchomp, and Tornadus can take a hit from most +1 Volcarona and dent or KO them back with Rock Slide, Rock Tomb, or Smack Down.
Bulky Fire-types: Volcarona is usually walled by the likes of Talonflame, Mega Charizard Y, and Heatran if not running the appropriate coverage.
Bulky Water-types: Pokemon like Volcanion and Suicune can take hits from Volcarona at +1 and remove its boosts with Haze or Roar.
Bulky Dragon-types: Without the appropriate coverage, Volcarona is unable to touch Mega Altaria, Mega Charizard X, and Dragonite. These Pokemon freely set up on Volcarona with Dragon Dance or simply KO it.
Credits
- Written by Anvil Head, Alpha1013, and Paprikaflow
- Quality checked by Ruffles, Savouras, mixnite, Vulpix03, Alpha1013, and Paprikaflow
- Grammar checked by dex, adorluigi, and CryoGyro
