QC: Tricking / sparktrain / Melon
GP: P Squared / Snobalt
Bughouse thinks I'm broken!
[OVERVIEW]
Torchic is the only Pokemon in LC with access to the combination of Speed Boost and Baton Pass, giving it a valuable niche as an offensive support Pokemon. This combination in tandem with its access to Curse allows Torchic to simultaneously pass Attack, Defense, and Speed boosts to a teammate. Torchic also has usable bulk and solid offensive stats, allowing it to take a hit and retaliate back with its Fire-type STAB attacks when needed. The little chicken is held back, however, by its subpar defensive typing, which gives it weaknesses to the omnipresent Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type attacks in LC, in addition to a weakness to Stealth Rock. Furthermore, Torchic can be extremely predictable, often giving the opponent free turns.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Protect
move 2: Curse / Swords Dance
move 3: Substitute / Flame Charge
move 4: Baton Pass
item: Eviolite / Berry Juice
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Impish / Bold
evs: 36 Atk / 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Protect lets Torchic scout the foe's moves and begin accumulating Speed boosts. Curse simultaneously boosts Torchic's Attack and Defense stats, which both gives Torchic more bulk for an easier time setting up and makes the intended recipient harder to take down. The Speed drop that Curse causes is mitigated by Speed Boost. Swords Dance is a viable alternative to Curse that allows Torchic to accumulate boosts to Attack and Speed more quickly at the cost of Curse's extra bulk. Substitute can be used to allow the Baton Pass recipient to come in completely for free. Flame Charge works well in tandem with Curse; it boosts Torchic's Speed further, benefits from the Attack boost Curse provides, and prevents Torchic from being complete Taunt bait. Baton Pass lets Torchic send its accumulated boosts to another Pokemon to attempt a sweep. Fire Blast deals more damage than even a boosted Flame Charge but is still relatively weak without investment. If running Fire Blast, 36 Special Attack EVs and a Bold nature should be used.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread gives Torchic usable bulk, hitting Eviolite numbers and allowing it to survive most neutral attacks. The Speed investment gives Torchic 14 Speed, which is enough to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame at +1. The remaining 36 EVs are put into Attack to make Flame Charge marginally stronger. Both Eviolite and Berry Juice are viable options for the item slot—Eviolite provides a noticeable bulk increase, allowing Torchic to withstand attacks it normally could not such as Chinchou's Scald, while Berry Juice greatly increases Torchic's longevity, allowing it to garner more stat boosts. Speed Boost is self-explanatory, defining Torchic's niche and making it a superior user of Baton Pass compared to other Pokemon such as Mime Jr.
Usage Tips
========
Torchic has the easiest time setting up against defensive Pokemon whose STAB attacks it resists, such as Ferroseed and Spritzee. Against faster foes, use Protect first so that Torchic will outspeed them on the next turn. If using Curse, alternating between Curse and Protect is a good strategy to boost Torchic's Attack, Defense, and Speed. Once Torchic has accumulated enough boosts, Baton Pass out to the sweeper of your choice. When setting up with Torchic, beware of opposing setup sweepers, as they can use the free turns Torchic provides to set up and counter sweep. Generally, it is not a good idea to lead with Torchic, as your opponent will typically attempt to counterlead it. However, if Torchic is being used in a Baton Pass chain, leading with it is often optimal, as it can provide the crucial Speed boosts needed to start off the chain.
Team Options
========
Almost anything can sweep with Torchic's support; however, strong and bulky but slow physical attackers such as Pancham and Corphish benefit the most from the boosts Torchic provides. Pokemon like Mienfoo and Chinchou which have access to pivoting moves and lure in Pokemon that Torchic sets up on are excellent partners, providing Torchic with opportunities to set up. Cottonee is another excellent teammate, walling the Water-types that threaten Torchic and stopping setup sweepers with priority Encore. Torchic also works very well in a Baton Pass chain coupled with other Baton Pass users that can boost further or sweep with Stored Power, such as Mime Jr. and Munna, respectively.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Protect
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Rock Slide
move 4: Baton Pass / Rock Slide
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Modest / Rash
evs: 36 Def / 200 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
ivs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Protect allows Torchic to both scout the foe's moveset and ensure that it outspeeds the foe the next turn. Life Orb-boosted STAB Fire Blast coming off of 17 Special Attack hits extremely hard; for comparison, it slightly outdamages Adamant Choice Scarf Mienfoo's High Jump Kick, one of the most powerful attacks in the metagame. Hidden Power Grass hits Water- and Rock-types and provides the best possible coverage alongside Fire Blast. Rock Slide is another viable coverage option, OHKOing Berry Juice Archen and Larvesta after Stealth Rock as well as doing serious damage to Ponyta. Baton Pass allows Torchic to escape from an unfavorable matchup, granting momentum and sending Speed boosts to a teammate.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread alongside a Modest nature maximizes Torchic's Special Attack to make its main move, Fire Blast, as strong as possible. 236 Speed EVs allow Torchic to reach 14 Speed, which is enough to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame at +1. The remaining EVs are put into Torchic's defenses, allowing it to take weak priority attacks more easily. However, if running Rock Slide, an EV spread of 36 Atk / 36 Def / 200 SpA / 236 Spe with a Rash nature should be used to give Rock Slide enough power to net the KOs it's supposed to. 0 HP IVs give Torchic an HP stat of 19, reducing recoil from Life Orb to only 1 HP. Life Orb provides a noticeable power increase while still allowing Torchic to switch moves, unlike Choice items. Speed Boost makes Torchic increasingly difficult to revenge kill the longer it stays on the field and differentiates Torchic from more powerful Fire-type wallbreakers such as Houndour and Vulpix.
Usage Tips
========
Life Orb Torchic is an extremely powerful wallbreaker, momentum grabber, and late-game cleaner. Fire Blast is by far its most powerful attack, 2HKOing or even OHKOing everything that doesn't resist it. This set works best if brought in via a safe switch or after a teammate has fainted against a foe that it forces out, such as Ferroseed. Opponents will likely assume that Torchic is using a dedicated Baton Pass set; use this to your advantage by 2HKOing their switch-in. If Torchic is faced with a foe that it cannot KO and that threatens it back, Baton Passing out to a counter allows your team to preserve momentum.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate having bulky foes weakened, such as Choice Scarf Magnemite, work well with Life Orb Torchic. Entry hazard support allows Torchic to get significantly more OHKOs and 2HKOs, so Pokemon capable of setting entry hazards, such as Dwebble and Ferroseed, make for good teammates. Conversely, all types of entry hazards are detrimental to Torchic, so entry hazard removal, preferably in the form of Rapid Spin support from the likes of Drilbur and Staryu, is needed. Skrelp also makes for an excellent teammate, as it threatens nearly everything that beats Torchic with its Adaptability-boosted Water-type STAB moves and appreciates the Speed boosts that Torchic can give it via Baton Pass.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flamethrower is a secondary STAB option that is more powerful than Flame Charge and more reliable than Fire Blast; however, it lacks Fire Blast's power and Flame Charge's utility. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers, but Torchic is hard-pressed to find a moveslot for it. If Torchic is part of a Baton Pass chain, however, Will-O-Wisp is usually a better option over Curse or Swords Dance. Hone Claws and Focus Energy are more niche boosting options that can be utilized by recipients such as Deino and Remoraid, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Setup Sweepers**: Strong setup sweepers such as Shellder can capitalize on the free turns Torchic gives to counter sweep. They must beware of the Life Orb set or Will-o-Wisp, however.
**Entry Hazards**: Stealth Rock and Spikes both limit how many boosts Torchic can accumulate by lowering its HP, while Sticky Web lowers the Speed of both Torchic and the Baton Pass recipient, requiring Torchic to stay in extra turns to further boost its Speed.
**Water-types**: Powerful Water-type STAB attacks from the likes of Chinchou and Skrelp greatly threaten Torchic. Corphish can cleanly OHKO Torchic before it can move with Aqua Jet, while Carvanha is naturally faster than Torchic and also has access to Speed Boost.
**Taunt and Encore users**: Taunt and Encore both prohibit Torchic from setting up, often leaving it a sitting duck; however, most common Taunt and Encore users such as Cottonee are 2HKOed or OHKOed by the Life Orb set.
**Phazers**: Roar and Whirlwind users such as Hippopotas can force Torchic out and remove all its boosts.
GP: P Squared / Snobalt
[OVERVIEW]
Torchic is the only Pokemon in LC with access to the combination of Speed Boost and Baton Pass, giving it a valuable niche as an offensive support Pokemon. This combination in tandem with its access to Curse allows Torchic to simultaneously pass Attack, Defense, and Speed boosts to a teammate. Torchic also has usable bulk and solid offensive stats, allowing it to take a hit and retaliate back with its Fire-type STAB attacks when needed. The little chicken is held back, however, by its subpar defensive typing, which gives it weaknesses to the omnipresent Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type attacks in LC, in addition to a weakness to Stealth Rock. Furthermore, Torchic can be extremely predictable, often giving the opponent free turns.
[SET]
name: Baton Pass
move 1: Protect
move 2: Curse / Swords Dance
move 3: Substitute / Flame Charge
move 4: Baton Pass
item: Eviolite / Berry Juice
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Impish / Bold
evs: 36 Atk / 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Protect lets Torchic scout the foe's moves and begin accumulating Speed boosts. Curse simultaneously boosts Torchic's Attack and Defense stats, which both gives Torchic more bulk for an easier time setting up and makes the intended recipient harder to take down. The Speed drop that Curse causes is mitigated by Speed Boost. Swords Dance is a viable alternative to Curse that allows Torchic to accumulate boosts to Attack and Speed more quickly at the cost of Curse's extra bulk. Substitute can be used to allow the Baton Pass recipient to come in completely for free. Flame Charge works well in tandem with Curse; it boosts Torchic's Speed further, benefits from the Attack boost Curse provides, and prevents Torchic from being complete Taunt bait. Baton Pass lets Torchic send its accumulated boosts to another Pokemon to attempt a sweep. Fire Blast deals more damage than even a boosted Flame Charge but is still relatively weak without investment. If running Fire Blast, 36 Special Attack EVs and a Bold nature should be used.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread gives Torchic usable bulk, hitting Eviolite numbers and allowing it to survive most neutral attacks. The Speed investment gives Torchic 14 Speed, which is enough to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame at +1. The remaining 36 EVs are put into Attack to make Flame Charge marginally stronger. Both Eviolite and Berry Juice are viable options for the item slot—Eviolite provides a noticeable bulk increase, allowing Torchic to withstand attacks it normally could not such as Chinchou's Scald, while Berry Juice greatly increases Torchic's longevity, allowing it to garner more stat boosts. Speed Boost is self-explanatory, defining Torchic's niche and making it a superior user of Baton Pass compared to other Pokemon such as Mime Jr.
Usage Tips
========
Torchic has the easiest time setting up against defensive Pokemon whose STAB attacks it resists, such as Ferroseed and Spritzee. Against faster foes, use Protect first so that Torchic will outspeed them on the next turn. If using Curse, alternating between Curse and Protect is a good strategy to boost Torchic's Attack, Defense, and Speed. Once Torchic has accumulated enough boosts, Baton Pass out to the sweeper of your choice. When setting up with Torchic, beware of opposing setup sweepers, as they can use the free turns Torchic provides to set up and counter sweep. Generally, it is not a good idea to lead with Torchic, as your opponent will typically attempt to counterlead it. However, if Torchic is being used in a Baton Pass chain, leading with it is often optimal, as it can provide the crucial Speed boosts needed to start off the chain.
Team Options
========
Almost anything can sweep with Torchic's support; however, strong and bulky but slow physical attackers such as Pancham and Corphish benefit the most from the boosts Torchic provides. Pokemon like Mienfoo and Chinchou which have access to pivoting moves and lure in Pokemon that Torchic sets up on are excellent partners, providing Torchic with opportunities to set up. Cottonee is another excellent teammate, walling the Water-types that threaten Torchic and stopping setup sweepers with priority Encore. Torchic also works very well in a Baton Pass chain coupled with other Baton Pass users that can boost further or sweep with Stored Power, such as Mime Jr. and Munna, respectively.
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Protect
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Hidden Power Grass / Rock Slide
move 4: Baton Pass / Rock Slide
item: Life Orb
ability: Speed Boost
nature: Modest / Rash
evs: 36 Def / 200 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
ivs: 0 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Protect allows Torchic to both scout the foe's moveset and ensure that it outspeeds the foe the next turn. Life Orb-boosted STAB Fire Blast coming off of 17 Special Attack hits extremely hard; for comparison, it slightly outdamages Adamant Choice Scarf Mienfoo's High Jump Kick, one of the most powerful attacks in the metagame. Hidden Power Grass hits Water- and Rock-types and provides the best possible coverage alongside Fire Blast. Rock Slide is another viable coverage option, OHKOing Berry Juice Archen and Larvesta after Stealth Rock as well as doing serious damage to Ponyta. Baton Pass allows Torchic to escape from an unfavorable matchup, granting momentum and sending Speed boosts to a teammate.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread alongside a Modest nature maximizes Torchic's Special Attack to make its main move, Fire Blast, as strong as possible. 236 Speed EVs allow Torchic to reach 14 Speed, which is enough to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame at +1. The remaining EVs are put into Torchic's defenses, allowing it to take weak priority attacks more easily. However, if running Rock Slide, an EV spread of 36 Atk / 36 Def / 200 SpA / 236 Spe with a Rash nature should be used to give Rock Slide enough power to net the KOs it's supposed to. 0 HP IVs give Torchic an HP stat of 19, reducing recoil from Life Orb to only 1 HP. Life Orb provides a noticeable power increase while still allowing Torchic to switch moves, unlike Choice items. Speed Boost makes Torchic increasingly difficult to revenge kill the longer it stays on the field and differentiates Torchic from more powerful Fire-type wallbreakers such as Houndour and Vulpix.
Usage Tips
========
Life Orb Torchic is an extremely powerful wallbreaker, momentum grabber, and late-game cleaner. Fire Blast is by far its most powerful attack, 2HKOing or even OHKOing everything that doesn't resist it. This set works best if brought in via a safe switch or after a teammate has fainted against a foe that it forces out, such as Ferroseed. Opponents will likely assume that Torchic is using a dedicated Baton Pass set; use this to your advantage by 2HKOing their switch-in. If Torchic is faced with a foe that it cannot KO and that threatens it back, Baton Passing out to a counter allows your team to preserve momentum.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate having bulky foes weakened, such as Choice Scarf Magnemite, work well with Life Orb Torchic. Entry hazard support allows Torchic to get significantly more OHKOs and 2HKOs, so Pokemon capable of setting entry hazards, such as Dwebble and Ferroseed, make for good teammates. Conversely, all types of entry hazards are detrimental to Torchic, so entry hazard removal, preferably in the form of Rapid Spin support from the likes of Drilbur and Staryu, is needed. Skrelp also makes for an excellent teammate, as it threatens nearly everything that beats Torchic with its Adaptability-boosted Water-type STAB moves and appreciates the Speed boosts that Torchic can give it via Baton Pass.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flamethrower is a secondary STAB option that is more powerful than Flame Charge and more reliable than Fire Blast; however, it lacks Fire Blast's power and Flame Charge's utility. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers, but Torchic is hard-pressed to find a moveslot for it. If Torchic is part of a Baton Pass chain, however, Will-O-Wisp is usually a better option over Curse or Swords Dance. Hone Claws and Focus Energy are more niche boosting options that can be utilized by recipients such as Deino and Remoraid, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Setup Sweepers**: Strong setup sweepers such as Shellder can capitalize on the free turns Torchic gives to counter sweep. They must beware of the Life Orb set or Will-o-Wisp, however.
**Entry Hazards**: Stealth Rock and Spikes both limit how many boosts Torchic can accumulate by lowering its HP, while Sticky Web lowers the Speed of both Torchic and the Baton Pass recipient, requiring Torchic to stay in extra turns to further boost its Speed.
**Water-types**: Powerful Water-type STAB attacks from the likes of Chinchou and Skrelp greatly threaten Torchic. Corphish can cleanly OHKO Torchic before it can move with Aqua Jet, while Carvanha is naturally faster than Torchic and also has access to Speed Boost.
**Taunt and Encore users**: Taunt and Encore both prohibit Torchic from setting up, often leaving it a sitting duck; however, most common Taunt and Encore users such as Cottonee are 2HKOed or OHKOed by the Life Orb set.
**Phazers**: Roar and Whirlwind users such as Hippopotas can force Torchic out and remove all its boosts.
Last edited by a moderator:
