[OVERVIEW]
Emboar's above-average Attack stat combined with its ability Reckless makes it a threat to be reckoned with in 1v1. Its STAB moves alongside Head Smash allow it to OHKO common threats like Magearna, Heatran, and Mega Charizard X and Y. Choice Scarf allows Emboar to outspeed and KO some common fast threats such as Jumpluff, Naganadel, Modest Greninja, and Mega Lucario. However, defensively, Emboar's lackluster bulk alongside its Fire / Fighting typing makes it lose to common threats that can bulk for its moves, like Dragonite, Mega Gyarados, and Landorus-T. Furthermore, Emboar's lackluster Speed forces it to use a Choice Scarf to win most of its matchups. Additionally, even with the Choice Scarf boost, Emboar still can't outspeed common fast threats like Mega Lopunny, Timid Greninja, Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Zeraora, and offensive Deoxys-S. Also, because Emboar usually needs to use Choice Scarf, it fails to gain the offensive presence necessary to beat matchups that its coverage enables it to hit super effectively, like Mega Metagross and Mega Blaziken.Lastly, it faces rolls against Pokemon like bulky Victini and bulky Mega Charizard X when running a Jolly nature and is unable to outspeed Pokemon like Naganadel and Jumpluff when running Adamant.
[SET]
name: Fast Choice Scarf
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Reckless
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Head Smash is specifically for common Fire- and Flying-types, mainly Mega Charizard X and Y along with other threats such as Victini, Volcarona, Togekiss, and Archeops. Flare Blitz is Emboar's best STAB move and lets it primarily take on Steel-types such as Magearna, Celesteela, Registeel, and Mega Scizor as well as some prevalent Grass- and Bug-types such as Serperior, Ferrothorn, Genesect, Durant. Superpower is used mainly for Dark- and Normal-types like Mega Tyranitar, Incineroar, Weavile, non-Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, and Ambipom and one particular Steel-type in Heatran. Earthquake is used to KO Poison-types and some Fire-types, such as Nihilego and Infernape.
Set Details
========
252 Attack EVs give Emboar the best chance against Naganadel with Earthquake. 252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature let Emboar outspeed Naganadel when holding a Choice Scarf. However, an Adamant nature can be run to more reliably beat threats like bulky Mega Charizard X and Victini, though Emboar loses out on faster foes like Naganadel and Jumpluff. 4 EVs are invested into Special Defense to give Genesect an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack boost. Choice Scarf is used to outspeed common metagame threats and KO them, such as Mega Charizard X, and Mega Charizard Y, Jumpluff, Mega Gardevoir, and Victini. Reckless is used to boost the power of Emboar's recoil moves, Flare Blitz and Head Smash, even further.
Usage Tips
========
Emboar is mainly good at beating certain Pokemon weak to its STAB moves like Magearna, Celesteela, Genesect, Heatran, Jumpluff, and Tyranitar due to its decent but not great base stats as well as its powerful moves, though it still fails to beat some Pokemon that are weak to them like Aegislash, Magnezone, Krookodile, and Porygon2. Emboar's coverage is particularly good against common offensive threats like Mega Charizard X and Y, Normalium Z Porygon-Z, offensive Mega Metagross, Kartana, Volcarona, Mega Medicham, and Mega Pinsir, though for a lot of these matchups it relies on a 4x weakness or just frailty in general. Emboar needs to be wary against Pokemon that it needs rolls to KO, like bulky Mega Charizard X, Mega Gardevoir, and Victini, as they can all take a hit with dedicated investment and KO it back easily, so you need to bet your luck against them. Incineroar is a noteworthy matchup due to Superpower not always 2HKOing it, which may give it enough time to use a Malicious Moonsault followed by a Darkest Lariat to KO Emboar. Don't send Emboar out against Aegislash, as though Emboar has the type advantage, it can block Flare Blitz with King's Shield, lower Emboar's Attack, and can OHKO it with Never-Ending Nightmare. Be wary of common Sturdy Pokemon like Donphan, Golem, Sawk, Avalugg, Crustle, and Magnezone, as they can take a hit from Emboar and KO back with their moves. Almost all Pokemon with the ability Intimidate, such as Mega Mawile, Mega Gyarados, Landorus-T, and Salamence, can take a hit from Emboar and counter with a more powerful one, so Emboar should stay away from these Pokemon. Avoid speedier Pokemon that can outspeed Emboar even with a Choice Scarf and KO it, like Mega Lopunny, Greninja, and Choice Scarf Porygon-Z. Emboar can't deal well with FEAR or gimmick Pokemon outside of Smeargle because of its Choice Scarf locking it into a move, so stay away from them. Examples of these include Aron, Mega Alakazam, and Togedemaru. Be aware that Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Mega Metagross, and Dragonite that are weak to one of Emboar's moves may not always be KOed by it. Especially if Emboar has a Jolly nature, matchups like bulky Victini and Mega Charizard X aren't always reliable.
Team Options
========
A bulky offense Pokemon like Mega Gyarados, Dragonite, Mega Metagross, or Zygarde-C can provide an easier time versus hyper offense Pokemon like Choice Scarf Porygon-Z and Landorus-T, both of which can easily outspeed and KO Emboar; in return, Emboar can take down sleep users that these Pokemon struggle with like Jumpluff, Vivillon, and Breloom, as well as common threats like both Mega Charizard X and Y and Mega Gardevoir. Sleep inducers like Jumpluff and Mega Gengar can take down bulky Pokemon like Mega Gyarados, Dragonite, Mega Metagross, Aegislash, and Landorus-T. In return, Emboar can defeat Steel-types that these threats lose to like Ferrothorn and Genesect. Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, Tapu Bulu, and Kartana can take down the common Water- and Ground-types that Emboar loses to, such as Primarina, Tapu Fini, Donphan, and Golem. In return, Emboar can beat Mega Charizard X and Y and common Flying-types like Celesteela, Vivillon, Mega Pinsir, and Jumpluff. Tanky Pokemon, especially Steel-types such as Celesteela, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn, that can take moves from Tapu Lele, Porygon-Z, and Greninja are helpful partners for Emboar. In return, Emboar can take down Mega Charizard X and non-bulky Victini, which these are weak to.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Emboar can use a Choice Band set with an EV spread of 88 HP / 224 Atk / 96 Def / 100 SpD and an Adamant nature to take on threats like Mega Charizard X and Magearna; specifically, the 88 HP and 96 Defense EVs allow Emboar to take a hit from Mega Charizard X, and the 100 Special Defense EVs also allow it to take Magearna's Twinkle Tackle. However, it loses out on some of the matchups that Choice Scarf Emboar wins because of its Speed, like faster threats in Jumpluff, Naganadel, and Mega Medicham. Such a set can also run an EV spread of of 200 HP / 60 Atk / 248 Def and an Impish nature specifically to take Mega Metagross's Zen Headbutt and retaliate with a Flare Blitz. Emboar can also run a Firium Z set with the moves Will-O-Wisp / Blast Burn / Grass Knot / Flame Charge, an EV spread of 20 HP / 236 Def / 40 SpA / 212 Spe, and a Bold nature; this lets Emboar take a Z-Move from Donphan or Golem after they have been burned by Will-O-Wisp and KO them back with Inferno Overdrive or Grass Knot, but this is mostly a gimmick.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Hyper Offense**: Most hyper offense Pokemon such as Greninja, Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Zeraora, and Mega Lopunny can outspeed and easily KO Emboar due to its lackluster bulk.
**Physically Bulky Offense**: Most bulky offense Pokemon such as Mega Gyarados, Dragonite, Landorus-T, and Mega Metagross that aren't weak to Emboar's powerful moves, and some that are hit super effectively, can take a hit from Emboar and either set up turn one or KO it back with a powerful move.
**Sturdy Pokemon**: Almost every Pokemon with the ability Sturdy, including Mega Aggron, Crustle, Donphan, Magnezone, and Sawk, can beat Emboar by taking a hit and then retaliating with a more powerful one.
**Stall**: Pokemon like Type: Null, Mega Slowbro, Mew, and Mega Altaria that try to stall out Emboar almost always win because of most of its moves, outside of Earthquake, have a negative effect on the user like recoil or Attack drops. This can come in handy for the opponent because stall Pokemon can just use their form of recovery to compound these effects.
**Ground- and Water-types**: Most Ground- and Water-types such as Donphan, Golem, Mega Gyarados, and Primarina can take a hit from Emboar and retaliate.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[pqs, 425798]]
- Quality checked by: [[Nalei, 302951], [Alakazam, 276708], [Rosa, 239997]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Rabia, 336073]]
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