[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 6-8 points
**Overview**: Jolteon is most commonly drafted to be a team's premier Speed option. With a blistering 130 base Speed, it is often the fastest Pokemon in the matchup and thus can provide utility as a fast revenge killer or pivot for a team. Unfortunately, Jolteon's lack of strong coverage combined with its frailty, especially against Pokemon that resist Electric, leads to its cheap price point. While it is a good Tera Captain on paper, more expensive ones can often get more mileage.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Revenge Killer**: Thanks to its Speed tier, Jolteon can come in and revenge kill most Pokemon with a little chip damage.
**Calm Mind Sweeper**: With access to Calm Mind, Jolteon is one of the fastest options for performing a Calm Mind sweep, although it struggles to truly steamroll due to its bulk.
**Pivot**: Jolteon can offer premier positioning with its access to a fast Volt Switch that can pressure and capitalize on defensive switches.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Thunderbolt, Thunder, Volt Switch, Discharge
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Agility
**Utility Moves**: Thunder Wave, Light Screen, Yawn, Substitute
**Coverage**: Alluring Voice, Shadow Ball, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Roar**: Phazing can be useful to prevent setup sweeps, especially by opposing Ground-types that Jolteon may struggle with, but it may be done at the price of losing it if the foe just attacks.
**Weather Ball**: On weather teams, access to strong coverage, especially with rain or snow support can be very helpful.
**Charm**: Jolteon's Speed can allow it to use Charm to weaken physical attackers before they can hit it, or as it is about to faint to allow a teammate to set up.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Jolteon frequently comes in and out of battle, so avoiding entry hazard chip with Heavy-Duty Boots can be really nice, especially if it is making use of a tera type like Tera Ice.
**Choice Specs**: If Jolteon is planning on spamming Volt Switch, Choice Specs allows for a stronger option to pressure foes.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: On Calm Mind sets, Leftovers can be useful in allowing Jolteon to regain health from attacks or Substitutes.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Due to Jolteon's limited coverage, boosting its attacks can be useful with Magnet or Life Orb to help muscle through checks.
**Flame Orb**: Jolteon's hidden ability, Quick Feet, can pair well with Flame Orb to allow it to be even faster in revenge killing roles.
**Choice Scarf**: Similar to Flame Orb but allows Jolteon to keep Volt Absorb and not get chipped by burn at the cost of not being able to switch moves.
**Air Balloon**: Air Balloon can allow Jolteon a one-time entry against Ground-type foes while combining with Volt Absorb and Tera to potentially wall foes like Sandy Shocks completely.
Tera
========
Jolteon is one of the premier cheap Tera options. It has many types it can use, but usually prefers types like Tera Ice, Grass, and Water to muscle its way through an opposing Ground-type offensively. Tera Water has extra benefit alongside types like Tera Flying, since one of their weaknesses gets turned into an immunity thanks to Volt Absorb. Tera Fairy is another useful option, since it can power up Jolteon's Alluring Voice while giving it a better defensive type.
Draft Strategy
========
Jolteon should not be the focal point of a draft but rather a complementary piece. It works well as a fast option for a team, but it should not be relied on every game, especially if paired with a more expensive Tera-reliant option.
**Ground-type Checks**: Since Ground-types block Jolteon's Volt Switch, having Pokemon that can reliably switch in on them like Latias, Tornadus-T, and Ogerpon helps immensely.
**Bulky Pivots**: Because Jolteon is frail, a bulky pivot is often required to get it in, especially ones with slow momentum like the Slowking formes.
**Physical Wall Breakers**: Thanks to the momentum Jolteon can grab, a wallbreaker that struggles to get in is a great partner, like Urshifu or Baxcalibur. Physical wall breakers also help break Pokemon that wall Jolteon's hits.
**Entry Hazard Support**: Jolteon benefits from entry hazards chipping the other team into range, especially Spikes for Ground-type foes. Glimmora and Gliscor can set hazards to weaken foes, former pressuring them and latter checking opposing Ground-types.
Checks and Counters
========
**Electric-immune Pokemon**: Jolteon is not known for its coverage and often times an Electric-immune Pokemon can stifle progress. Pokemon like Landorus-T and Great Tusk can stop the Volt Switch spam while taking its other attacks and threatening KOs back.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Jolteon's power isn't off the charts, and its bulk isn't the best, so a Pokemon that can take a blow and OHKO it back can often be a reliable strategy. Many Pokemon can fill this role for relatively cheap, including both formes of Goodra, Fezandipiti, and Scream Tail.
**Faster Foes**: Although there are only a few faster Pokemon like Iron Bundle that can force Jolteon out, Slower Pokemon may be looking to get the jump on it and surprise it by outspeeding like Garchomp and Keldeo with Choice Scarf, and Iron Moth with a Booster Energy. Strong priority attacks like Kingambit's Sucker Punch and Dragonite's Extreme Speed may also threaten it out.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jesse504.512785/
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**: 6-8 points
**Overview**: Jolteon is most commonly drafted to be a team's premier Speed option. With a blistering 130 base Speed, it is often the fastest Pokemon in the matchup and thus can provide utility as a fast revenge killer or pivot for a team. Unfortunately, Jolteon's lack of strong coverage combined with its frailty, especially against Pokemon that resist Electric, leads to its cheap price point. While it is a good Tera Captain on paper, more expensive ones can often get more mileage.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Revenge Killer**: Thanks to its Speed tier, Jolteon can come in and revenge kill most Pokemon with a little chip damage.
**Calm Mind Sweeper**: With access to Calm Mind, Jolteon is one of the fastest options for performing a Calm Mind sweep, although it struggles to truly steamroll due to its bulk.
**Pivot**: Jolteon can offer premier positioning with its access to a fast Volt Switch that can pressure and capitalize on defensive switches.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Thunderbolt, Thunder, Volt Switch, Discharge
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind, Agility
**Utility Moves**: Thunder Wave, Light Screen, Yawn, Substitute
**Coverage**: Alluring Voice, Shadow Ball, Tera Blast
Niche Moves
========
**Roar**: Phazing can be useful to prevent setup sweeps, especially by opposing Ground-types that Jolteon may struggle with, but it may be done at the price of losing it if the foe just attacks.
**Weather Ball**: On weather teams, access to strong coverage, especially with rain or snow support can be very helpful.
**Charm**: Jolteon's Speed can allow it to use Charm to weaken physical attackers before they can hit it, or as it is about to faint to allow a teammate to set up.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Jolteon frequently comes in and out of battle, so avoiding entry hazard chip with Heavy-Duty Boots can be really nice, especially if it is making use of a tera type like Tera Ice.
**Choice Specs**: If Jolteon is planning on spamming Volt Switch, Choice Specs allows for a stronger option to pressure foes.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: On Calm Mind sets, Leftovers can be useful in allowing Jolteon to regain health from attacks or Substitutes.
**Damage-boosting Items**: Due to Jolteon's limited coverage, boosting its attacks can be useful with Magnet or Life Orb to help muscle through checks.
**Flame Orb**: Jolteon's hidden ability, Quick Feet, can pair well with Flame Orb to allow it to be even faster in revenge killing roles.
**Choice Scarf**: Similar to Flame Orb but allows Jolteon to keep Volt Absorb and not get chipped by burn at the cost of not being able to switch moves.
**Air Balloon**: Air Balloon can allow Jolteon a one-time entry against Ground-type foes while combining with Volt Absorb and Tera to potentially wall foes like Sandy Shocks completely.
Tera
========
Jolteon is one of the premier cheap Tera options. It has many types it can use, but usually prefers types like Tera Ice, Grass, and Water to muscle its way through an opposing Ground-type offensively. Tera Water has extra benefit alongside types like Tera Flying, since one of their weaknesses gets turned into an immunity thanks to Volt Absorb. Tera Fairy is another useful option, since it can power up Jolteon's Alluring Voice while giving it a better defensive type.
Draft Strategy
========
Jolteon should not be the focal point of a draft but rather a complementary piece. It works well as a fast option for a team, but it should not be relied on every game, especially if paired with a more expensive Tera-reliant option.
**Ground-type Checks**: Since Ground-types block Jolteon's Volt Switch, having Pokemon that can reliably switch in on them like Latias, Tornadus-T, and Ogerpon helps immensely.
**Bulky Pivots**: Because Jolteon is frail, a bulky pivot is often required to get it in, especially ones with slow momentum like the Slowking formes.
**Physical Wall Breakers**: Thanks to the momentum Jolteon can grab, a wallbreaker that struggles to get in is a great partner, like Urshifu or Baxcalibur. Physical wall breakers also help break Pokemon that wall Jolteon's hits.
**Entry Hazard Support**: Jolteon benefits from entry hazards chipping the other team into range, especially Spikes for Ground-type foes. Glimmora and Gliscor can set hazards to weaken foes, former pressuring them and latter checking opposing Ground-types.
Checks and Counters
========
**Electric-immune Pokemon**: Jolteon is not known for its coverage and often times an Electric-immune Pokemon can stifle progress. Pokemon like Landorus-T and Great Tusk can stop the Volt Switch spam while taking its other attacks and threatening KOs back.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Jolteon's power isn't off the charts, and its bulk isn't the best, so a Pokemon that can take a blow and OHKO it back can often be a reliable strategy. Many Pokemon can fill this role for relatively cheap, including both formes of Goodra, Fezandipiti, and Scream Tail.
**Faster Foes**: Although there are only a few faster Pokemon like Iron Bundle that can force Jolteon out, Slower Pokemon may be looking to get the jump on it and surprise it by outspeeding like Garchomp and Keldeo with Choice Scarf, and Iron Moth with a Booster Energy. Strong priority attacks like Kingambit's Sucker Punch and Dragonite's Extreme Speed may also threaten it out.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jesse504.512785/
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:
