[SET]
Bulky Support (Incineroar) @ Safety Goggles / Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
Tera Type: Ghost / Grass
EVs: 236 HP / 12 Atk / 100 Def / 76 SpD / 84 Spe
Careful Nature
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Flare Blitz / Taunt / Will-O-Wisp
- Parting Shot
[SET COMMENTS]
- Incineroar excels as a support Pokemon and pivot thanks to its vast supportive movepool, Intimidate, and great typing, providing Incineroar with resistances to Gholdengo’s, Rillaboom’s, and Kingambit’s STAB moves.
- Incineroar can utilize Taunt over Flare Blitz to shut down support Pokemon like Amoonguss and Trick Room from Porygon2. Incineroar can also use Will-O-Wisp over Flare Blitz to weaken physical attackers like Garchomp and especially Kingambit, which punishes Intimidate.
- Safety Goggles is preferred, so Incineroar can reliably check and ignore Amoonguss. Sitrus Berry’s burst healing helps Incineroar avoid 2HKOs from attacks like Choice Specs Gholdengo’s Make it Rain and Pelipper’s Weather Ball after Terastallization.
- Tera Ghost is preferred to grant Incineroar an immunity to Sneasler’s Close Combat and Dragonite’s Extreme Speed as well as a crucial immunity to Fake Out from opposing Incineroar and Rillaboom. Tera Grass can be used instead to grant Incineroar resistances to Water- and Ground-type moves such as Basculegion’s Wave Crash and Garchomp’s Stomping Tantrum. Tera Grass also provides an immunity to Spore and Rage Powder from Amoonguss if Safety Goggles have been removed with Knock Off or Incineroar is using Sitrus Berry.
- The defensive EVs allow Incineroar to survive Garchomp’s Life Orb-boosted Stomping Tantrum and, after using Tera Ghost, Gholdengo’s Life Orb-boosted Shadow Ball and Choice Band Basculegion’s 100-Base Power Last Respects after Intimidate.
[SET]
Assault Vest (Incineroar) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 244 HP / 60 Atk / 44 Def / 44 SpD / 116 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- Fake Out
- U-turn
[SET COMMENTS]
- Assault Vest Incineroar is a fantastic pivot thanks to its exceptional defenses and access to Fake Out. The extra bulk enables Incineroar to play more offensively with respectable Attack and Speed investment.
- Assault Vest helps Incineroar take attacks from Pelipper, Ursaluna-B, and Archaludon.
- Tera Grass is preferred due to the Spore and Rage Powder immunity on top of the valuable resistances to Ground- and Water-type moves, such as Basculegion’s Wave Crash and Garchomp’s Stomping Tantrum.
- The Attack EVs allow Incineroar to almost always 2HKO Kingambit with Flare Blitz after Intimidate. The defensive investment ensures that Incineroar takes Annihilape’s +1 Drain Punch and avoids the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Hisuian Typhlosion’s Heat Wave after Terastallization. The Speed EVs enable Incineroar to outspeed Sneasler under Tailwind.
- Bulky support Incineroar is more flexible and can use Parting Shot as its pivot move of choice. Assault Vest Incineroar trades this flexibility in exchange for vastly more special bulk and offensive prowess. Bulky support Incineroar doesn’t have to burn Terastallization to handle Amoonguss and can use Tera Ghost instead.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Teambuilding
============
- Amoonguss works exceptionally well with Incineroar, protecting it from Water- and Fighting-type attacks such as Basculegion’s Wave Crash and Annihilape’s Drain Punch. Amoonguss also provides Incineroar with much appreciated healing. In return, Incineroar can handle Gholdengo and switch into Fire-types like Talonflame and Volcarona as well as removing opposing Safety Goggles with Knock Off.
- Incineroar also works well with Gholdengo, providing Intimidate and Fake Out support to help it set up safely. Gholdengo also takes advantage of Incineroar’s ability to do great damage to Kingambit, considering Gholdengo can blow up Clefable and Sneasler that may attempt to protect Kingambit.
- Porygon2 and Ursaluna can set up Trick Room and Substitute more easily thanks to Incineroar’s support. Ursaluna can then blow up Pokemon Incineroar struggles to damage like Archaludon and opposing Incineroar.
- Incineroar can struggle to do its job against Pokemon that threaten it such as Pelipper, the Ursaluna formes, and Annihilape. Bulky support Incineroar can also feel passive at times because of its lackluster damage output, especially when it can’t use Parting Shot because of redirection or Taunt. Therefore, offensive Pokemon like Gholdengo and Ursaluna that can take on these threats and make up for Incineroar’s poor damage output are greatly appreciated.
Strategy Comments
============
- Incineroar is an effective support Pokemon and pivot thanks to Fake Out, Intimidate, and its pivoting moves. This makes Incineroar strongest when it can switch in and slow down threats like Sneasler and Rillaboom. When using Taunt or Will-O-Wisp, Incineroar can shut down opposing wincons like Porygon2’s Trick Room and Kingambit. Rage Powder from Amoonguss makes it easier for Incineroar to pivot in and out.
- Incineroar is strong throughout the entire game; it's usually preserved throughout the game, as even switching it in is impactful, and a late-game Fake Out can be crucial regardless of how injured Incineroar is. Incineroar is notably strongest as a lead where it can threaten Fake Out and weaken opposing threats without risking any damage. Against Annihilape and Kingambit however, Incineroar likes to be paired with pieces that force them out before coming in, such as Gholdengo and Ursaluna. Assault Vest Incineroar can afford to stay in and do invaluable damage as an offensive piece occasionally, though it notably has to be a lot more careful against Amoonguss.
- Incineroar’s biggest weaknesses are Annihilape and Kingambit, as they take advantage of Intimidate and can prove to be dangerous wincons with support. Pelipper and Ursaluna-B also prove troublesome, (AC) as they are powerful attackers unaffected by Intimidate. Incineroar relies on teammates such as the aforementioned Gholdengo and Ursaluna to handle these threats along with Fake Out support. When Incineroar pivots in, it can also lead to a loss of momentum against setup Pokemon that can’t be flinched with Fake Out, such as Bulk Up Annihilape, Nasty Plot Gholdengo, and Substitute Ursaluna, so it must be careful when pivoting. Bulky support Incineroar’s damage output can often feel underwhelming, especially against opposing Incineroar. Assault Vest Incineroar has a tougher time providing support, notably having more trouble getting setup sweepers into position, since it lacks Parting Shot. This can make the mirror matchup tougher, as opposing Incineroar can position their threatening allies better.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lovelyluna.641287/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/soulboyvgc.558405/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ipetbigfoot.645750/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
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