[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-7 points
**Overview**: Incineroar leverages its balanced stats, good movepool, and great defensive ability in order to sponge hits from physical attackers and respond in kind with damage, utility, and stat debuffs. It can safely pivot to offensive pieces while crippling a foe's offensive stats through a combination of Intimidate, Parting Shot, and Will-O-Wisp. Incineroar's capabilities are limited due to its weakness to Stealth Rock and lack of reliable recovery, forcing it to run Heavy-Duty Boots much more often than it would like. Its low Speed does make it a useful slow pivot, but with its reliance on Flare Blitz and lack of recovery, its HP can be worn down very quickly, leaving it too slow and weak to be of much use after a few turns of chip damage.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Pivot**: Incineroar can switch in safely on many resisted or neutral physical attacks thanks to its bulk and Intimidate. Once on the field, it can opt for immediate damage with Flare Blitz or a coverage move, remove items with Knock Off, spread status with Will-O-Wisp, or pivot out with U-turn or Parting Shot.
**Wallbreaker**: Incineroar can use Taunt to find setup opportunities on passive walls with Swords Dance and Bulk Up or opt for a Choice Band to deliver instant damage with its potent STAB moves.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Flare Blitz, Fire Punch, Knock Off, Darkest Lariat
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Flame Charge, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Parting Shot, U-turn, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Roar, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Close Combat, Drain Punch, Leech Life, Iron Head, Earthquake, Thunder Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Special Fire-type moves**: Incineroar can use its passable Special Attack stat with moves like Overheat or and Fire Blast to hit some physically defensive Pokemon harder.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Incineroar needs to switch in and take hits multiple times per game to be an effective pivot, so Heavy-Duty Boots is practically a necessity in any game where the opponent is likely to set entry hazards on the field, particularly Stealth Rock.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Incineroar greatly enjoys having passive recovery from Leftovers and gains far more staying power in the rare match where it can afford to not bring Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Choice Band**: Because Incineroar forces many switches, it can use a Choice Band to punish poor positioning harder with its powerful STAB moves.
**Assault Vest**: Incineroar can don an Assault Vest to become a sturdy mixed wall, but this requires leaving Will-O-Wisp and Parting Shot on the cutting room floor.
Tera
========
While Incineroar can certainly benefit from Tera, there are usually better options in its price point. Defensively, it prefers Tera types that turn its Stealth Rock weakness into a resistance, such as Tera Steel and Ground. It can also benefit from tried-and-true defensive types like Tera Fairy and Water. Offensively, Terastallization can turn Incineroar into a more dangerous setup sweeper with Swords Dance and Bulk Up. Tera Dark can boost the power of STAB Knock Off, but it could also use Tera Fighting to gain STAB on Drain Punch to keep itself healthy while taking hits.
Draft Strategy
========
Incineroar is usually not the first line of defense for a draft team due to its poor longevity and relative lack of utility, but it can suffice as a cheap pivot that resists Ghost while also aiding balanced teams in maintaining momentum and bringing offensive pieces to the battlefield safely.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Incineroar can quickly lose precious HP from switching into hits, especially from Stealth Rock if Heavy-Duty Boots isn't present, so it appreciates Rapid Spin and Defog from Pokemon like Great Tusk, Terapagos, and Galarian Weezing.
**Setup Sweepers / Wallbreakers**: Between spreading burns and lowering foes' Attack and Special Attack stats with Intimidate and Parting Shot, Incineroar can leave opponents crippled while pivoting safely to a strong attacker that appreciates the opportunity to set up, such as Baxcalibur, Ogerpon, and Manaphy.
*Specially Defensive Pivots**: Special attackers do not fear Intimidate or burns from Will-O-Wisp, so Pokemon that fulfill Incineroar's job as a pivot against these foes like Galarian Slowking, Primarina, and Tentacruel can be helpful partners.
Checks and Counters
========
**Entry Hazards**: Incineroar's vulnerability to every form of entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock, practically necessitates the use of Heavy-Duty Boots for it to be an effective pivot, limiting the utility it can get from other useful items.
**Water-types**: While there are other types that can threaten Incineroar with super effective damage, most Ground-, Rock-, and Fighting-types are physical attackers that loathe being burned by Will-O-Wisp when switching in. On the other hand, there is no shortage of special attacking Water-types that can threaten to OHKO Incineroar with their strong STAB moves, such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Milotic.
**Clear Amulet**: Not only does Clear Amulet block the stat-lowering effects of Intimidate and Parting Shot, it completely prevents Incineroar from pivoting with the latter move, potentially turning it into setup fodder.
**Chip Damage**: Incineroar dislikes almost all forms of chip damage due to its lack of recovery, including Rocky Helmet, poison, and sandstorm.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/guertena.582655/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-7 points
**Overview**: Incineroar leverages its balanced stats, good movepool, and great defensive ability in order to sponge hits from physical attackers and respond in kind with damage, utility, and stat debuffs. It can safely pivot to offensive pieces while crippling a foe's offensive stats through a combination of Intimidate, Parting Shot, and Will-O-Wisp. Incineroar's capabilities are limited due to its weakness to Stealth Rock and lack of reliable recovery, forcing it to run Heavy-Duty Boots much more often than it would like. Its low Speed does make it a useful slow pivot, but with its reliance on Flare Blitz and lack of recovery, its HP can be worn down very quickly, leaving it too slow and weak to be of much use after a few turns of chip damage.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Pivot**: Incineroar can switch in safely on many resisted or neutral physical attacks thanks to its bulk and Intimidate. Once on the field, it can opt for immediate damage with Flare Blitz or a coverage move, remove items with Knock Off, spread status with Will-O-Wisp, or pivot out with U-turn or Parting Shot.
**Wallbreaker**: Incineroar can use Taunt to find setup opportunities on passive walls with Swords Dance and Bulk Up or opt for a Choice Band to deliver instant damage with its potent STAB moves.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Flare Blitz, Fire Punch, Knock Off, Darkest Lariat
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Flame Charge, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Parting Shot, U-turn, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Roar, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Close Combat, Drain Punch, Leech Life, Iron Head, Earthquake, Thunder Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Special Fire-type moves**: Incineroar can use its passable Special Attack stat with moves like Overheat or and Fire Blast to hit some physically defensive Pokemon harder.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Incineroar needs to switch in and take hits multiple times per game to be an effective pivot, so Heavy-Duty Boots is practically a necessity in any game where the opponent is likely to set entry hazards on the field, particularly Stealth Rock.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Incineroar greatly enjoys having passive recovery from Leftovers and gains far more staying power in the rare match where it can afford to not bring Heavy-Duty Boots.
**Choice Band**: Because Incineroar forces many switches, it can use a Choice Band to punish poor positioning harder with its powerful STAB moves.
**Assault Vest**: Incineroar can don an Assault Vest to become a sturdy mixed wall, but this requires leaving Will-O-Wisp and Parting Shot on the cutting room floor.
Tera
========
While Incineroar can certainly benefit from Tera, there are usually better options in its price point. Defensively, it prefers Tera types that turn its Stealth Rock weakness into a resistance, such as Tera Steel and Ground. It can also benefit from tried-and-true defensive types like Tera Fairy and Water. Offensively, Terastallization can turn Incineroar into a more dangerous setup sweeper with Swords Dance and Bulk Up. Tera Dark can boost the power of STAB Knock Off, but it could also use Tera Fighting to gain STAB on Drain Punch to keep itself healthy while taking hits.
Draft Strategy
========
Incineroar is usually not the first line of defense for a draft team due to its poor longevity and relative lack of utility, but it can suffice as a cheap pivot that resists Ghost while also aiding balanced teams in maintaining momentum and bringing offensive pieces to the battlefield safely.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Incineroar can quickly lose precious HP from switching into hits, especially from Stealth Rock if Heavy-Duty Boots isn't present, so it appreciates Rapid Spin and Defog from Pokemon like Great Tusk, Terapagos, and Galarian Weezing.
**Setup Sweepers / Wallbreakers**: Between spreading burns and lowering foes' Attack and Special Attack stats with Intimidate and Parting Shot, Incineroar can leave opponents crippled while pivoting safely to a strong attacker that appreciates the opportunity to set up, such as Baxcalibur, Ogerpon, and Manaphy.
*Specially Defensive Pivots**: Special attackers do not fear Intimidate or burns from Will-O-Wisp, so Pokemon that fulfill Incineroar's job as a pivot against these foes like Galarian Slowking, Primarina, and Tentacruel can be helpful partners.
Checks and Counters
========
**Entry Hazards**: Incineroar's vulnerability to every form of entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock, practically necessitates the use of Heavy-Duty Boots for it to be an effective pivot, limiting the utility it can get from other useful items.
**Water-types**: While there are other types that can threaten Incineroar with super effective damage, most Ground-, Rock-, and Fighting-types are physical attackers that loathe being burned by Will-O-Wisp when switching in. On the other hand, there is no shortage of special attacking Water-types that can threaten to OHKO Incineroar with their strong STAB moves, such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Milotic.
**Clear Amulet**: Not only does Clear Amulet block the stat-lowering effects of Intimidate and Parting Shot, it completely prevents Incineroar from pivoting with the latter move, potentially turning it into setup fodder.
**Chip Damage**: Incineroar dislikes almost all forms of chip damage due to its lack of recovery, including Rocky Helmet, poison, and sandstorm.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/guertena.582655/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
