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[OVERVIEW]
Vaporeon stands out as the best
Still, though, Vaporeon is very slow, which can leave it vulnerable to Wrap from Dragonite or Tentacruel. Worse still, if Vaporeon is low on HP, this Wrap use will deny it from healing off damage with Rest. Vaporeon's reliance on Rest will also let heavy-hitting Pokemon like Persian, Kangaskhan, and Dugtrio safely switch in on the turn Rest is used, putting Vaporeon in a very precarious position. Being outrun by every sleeper in the tier, bar Tangela, can also make Vaporeon easy to put to sleep again after Rest if Sleep Clause isn't active. Finally, Vaporeon lacks coverage for opposing Water-types, though its higher damage output does tend to let it win prolonged interactions.
[SET]
name: Bulky Special Attacker
move 1: Surf
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Body Slam
move 4: Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
The combination of Surf and Blizzard is resisted only by Water-types and allows Vaporeon to deal significant damage to teams thanks to its incredible Special. STAB Surf is very powerful, 3HKOing Pokemon like Kangaskhan, Kadabra, and Persian. Crucially, it also lets Vaporeon consistently OHKO Dugtrio, making it a very important check. Blizzard 2HKOes Venusaur and Dodrio, as well as possibly OHKOing Dragonite. Body Slam enables Vaporeon to hit Water-types and thus the entire tier for neutral damage and scout for switch-ins, critically Tentacruel, which can flip the situation on its head if they get paralyzed. Tentacruel becomes much more manageable if it gets paralyzed, because it has to use Rest much earlier, so Body Slam denies it free entry. Rest gives Vaporeon significant longevity while removing the paralysis it will likely absorb early-game. Vaporeon's combined great offensive pressure and bulk warps the opponent's offensive play as well; this should be exploited to force out their key offensive Pokemon while getting free turns to scout with Body Slam.
Vaporeon fits on a variety of teams. Pairing Vaporeon with almost any Flying-type Pokemon, like Dodrio or Aerodactyl, is a good choice thanks to its Ice resistance allowing it to check Articuno for them. Dragonite works particularly well, providing Vaporeon with an Electric neutrality and Grass resistance to fall back on. The two also offer each other essential paralysis support, as Vaporeon can use Body Slam against targets such as Tentacruel and Kadabra, while Dragonite can use Thunder Wave against offensive Normal-type Pokemon. Moreover, Vaporeon paired with any Flying-type Pokemon is a particularly good way to keep Dugtrio wavering between Earthquake, Rock Slide, and Slash. Oftentimes, Dugtrio is forced to use Slash, which is far easier to play around, at least compared to its nuclear Earthquake. Other Ice-weak Pokemon, such as Venusaur and Dugtrio, also appreciate Vaporeon's presence for similar reasons. Vaporeon makes a particularly potent defensive core alongside the ubiquitous Hypno as well; Vaporeon handles Dugtrio and Normal-types, while Hypno handles Electric-types and Venusaur.
Teams that struggle against Wrap, particularly those with frailer Pokemon like Kadabra, will also benefit greatly from Vaporeon's presence, since it can take a massive amount of chip damage before it's in KO range for anything. Vaporeon can also be used alongside other bulky Water-types, such as Tentacruel, Gyarados, and Omastar, to make teams even more resilient to Wrap and offensive pressure. During Rest, remember that being trapped by Wrap still depletes sleep turns, which makes Vaporeon deceptively easy to wake up and therefore very effective for these types of teams. Vaporeon's HP must be carefully managed when against Wrap users, however.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hydro Pump is an immensely strong option that allows Vaporeon to 2HKO almost any Pokemon that doesn't resist it, with some standout calculations being 2HKOs on Electabuzz, Persian, and Kangaskhan. However, its accuracy and PP leave much to be desired, making what should be the team's anchor very inconsistent. This also makes it easier for opposing Rest users to PP stall Vaporeon. Acid Armor lets Vaporeon wall physical attackers like Dodrio and Kangaskhan as well as take much less chip damage from Wrap, which can define late-game scenarios when its checks are removed. However, since it doesn't help against Persian or special attackers, which are just as common, it's difficult to justify.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Gyarados**: Gyarados resists Surf and takes 27.7% maximum from Blizzard, all while possessing coverage in Thunderbolt to 4HKO Vaporeon, which can be turned into a 3HKO with Hyper Beam. Vaporeon simply can't risk contending with a healthy Gyarados and will be forced out by it frequently. Furthermore, the best counterplay to Vaporeon is to switch in on a predicted Rest to give it what for, and Gyarados is among the best punishes to a resting Vaporeon in the tier thanks to its offensive prowess.
**Venusaur**: Venusaur outspeeds Vaporeon and threatens it with either an uncontested Sleep Powder or a 2HKO from Razor Leaf. Venusaur is a particularly heavy punish to a resting Vaporeon as a result. The punish especially hurts if it's running Swords Dance, allowing it to set up and still get the 2HKO before Vaporeon can act. However, Venusaur really doesn't want to switch into Blizzard, which deals up to 60%, adding a degree of risk to the prediction game.
**Haunter**: Haunter is capable of switching in on Vaporeon's Body Slam and can 3HKO with Thunderbolt about half the time. Additionally, if necessary, Explosion KOes Vaporeon from half HP. Since it's faster, Haunter can also threaten Vaporeon with Hypnosis.
**Normal-type Attackers**: Strong physical attackers, like the tier's resident Normal-types, are great at switching in on and punishing Vaporeon's Rest. Persian is the most reliable method of dispatching Vaporeon, 3HKOing it with Slash. While less consistent overall, Dodrio and Kangaskhan can KO Vaporeon after two Body Slams followed by Hyper Beam. However, none of these Pokemon want to contest Vaporeon's nuclear attacks, especially if it runs Hydro Pump, which 2HKOes all of them. Even without Hydro Pump, Surf and Blizzard alike have odds to 2HKO them as well.
**Electric-types**: Electabuzz, Raichu, and the rare Electrode can switch in on Rest and 3HKO Vaporeon with STAB Thunderbolt. Plus, thanks to their high Speed stats, a critical hit from any of them is reasonably likely and can be difficult for Vaporeon to recover from later. In a tight spot, Electrode also guarantees a 2HKO using Thunderbolt + Explosion. However, they all take significant damage from Surf, which they can't afford in the long run. In fact, if they switch in on Surf, they're liable to lose the one-on-one, making them deceptively shaky checks.
**Swords Dance Tentacruel**: If using a Swords Dance set, Tentacruel can swiftly chip Vaporeon down through Wrap damage and KO it from half HP with a +2 Hyper Beam. However, Tentacruel can't afford to switch into Body Slam, lest it gets forced into Rest much earlier than usual, and the Swords Dance set rarely runs Rest anyway. If Tentacruel doesn't have Swords Dance, however, Vaporeon can absolutely fish for a Wrap miss to either try for Body Slam paralysis or use Rest to PP stall. Ergo, standard Tentacruel sets should not be considered reliable Vaporeon checks.
**Dewgong**: If using Ice Beam, Dewgong can engage in a freeze war with Vaporeon which, given it exhausts all its PP, has an 81.98% chance of succeeding. Since its Ice typing makes it immune to being frozen itself, and its Water typing lets it resist Vaporeon's STAB moves, Dewgong is a serviceable answer to Vaporeon. However, Dewgong is less bulky than Vaporeon, making it more difficult to wake up from Rest in the long run. This also causes it to fail to outdamage Vaporeon in prolonged interactions.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[Volk, 530877], [phoopes, 96315]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Muk, 33374]]
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