[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 13-14 points
**Overview**: Victini stands out as a solid offensive force that very few Pokemon can switch into safely. It has great set flexibility due to its uniform stats, deep coverage, and utility movepool that it can take advantage of to hit the entire metagame with super effective damage, but it excels in wallbreaking due to its access to nuclear attacks such as V-create and Blue Flare. Despite its good qualities, Victini relies on these nuclear attacks to leave some sort of mark on the foe, which come at the cost of stat drops and missing the foe. Finally, Victini prefers to use Choice items and tends to act as a hit-and-run attacker, leaving it vulnerable to being Pursuit trapped and constantly taking chip damage from entry hazards.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Equipped with a Choice Band or Choice Specs, V-create or Blue Flare, and coverage moves, Victini will be able to tear down the sturdiest of walls with the click of a button.
**Revenge Killer**: Victini can act as a revenge killer while equipped with a Choice Scarf and catch faster foes off guard.
**All-out Attacker**: With a plethora of high-power coverage moves, Victini can use other damage-boosting items to put more offensive pressure on foes.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: V-create, Blue Flare, Zen Headbutt, Psyshock, Psychic
**Setup Moves**: Flame Charge
**Utility Moves**: Brick Break, Toxic, Thunder Wave, Will-O-Wisp, Trick, Taunt, U-turn, Final Gambit
**Coverage**: Bolt Strike, Thunderbolt, Dazzling Gleam, Glaciate, Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Signal Beam
Niche Moves
========
**Searing Shot / Flare Blitz**: Though these moves are typically outclassed by Blue Flare and V-create, respectively, Victini can use these alternative Fire-type STAB moves if Blue Flare or V-create runs out of PP.
**Quick Attack**: Quick Attack gives Victini some form of priority to chip a foe down in an emergency and allow a teammate to finish off later.
**Stored Power**: If equipped with Weakness Policy, Victini can utilize Stored Power alongside boosts from both consuming the item and Flame Charge, dealing immense amounts of damage to foes.
Common Items
========
**Choice Band**: Choice Band gives Victini the immediate power it needs to muscle through most foes, potentially taking them down in one hit with V-create.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf gives a boost to Victini's not-so-stellar Speed stat to revenge kill foes, as well as keeping up momentum with U-turn. Choice Scarf also allows Victini to trade with a foe it has a poor matchup against with Final Gambit.
**Choice Specs**: Similar to using a Choice Band, Victini can take advantage of Blue Flare and its special coverage moves to pick off foes that might be expecting a physical set.
Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting Items**: Victini can utilize Life Orb or Expert Belt to give it amazing set flexibility, potentially running mixed sets to target problematic foes. Charcoal can also be used to power up its Fire-type STAB moves further without being choice-locked.
**Resistance Berries**: Victini suffers from being weak to common types such as Water and Dark. Passho Berry can be used to deal with Water-types that resist Victini's Fire-type STAB moves, and Colbur Berry can be utilized to not fall immediately to Pursuit.
**Weakness Policy**: Weakness Policy sets Victini up as a wincon if timed correctly, which it can use somewhat effectively due to its common weaknesses and good bulk, allowing it to clean up late-game.
**Pinch Berries**: Pinch Berries give Victini a fair amount of recovery to offset the damage caused by Stealth Rock or faster foes, allowing it to maintain its presence on the field.
Draft Strategy
========
Victini likes to be able to support faster teammates by opening a path for them with its nuclear wallbreaking power. It should be paired with teammates that can bring it in safely, as well as teammates that can support it better, whether that be dealing with entry hazards or foes that Victini cannot handle by itself.
**Entry Hazard Removers**: Victini's Stealth Rock weakness means that it appreciates being paired with Pokemon that can remove hazards on its side of the field, such as Rotom-W, Zapdos and Excadril, so that it can pivot around more easily.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Victini appreciates having teammates such as Landorus-T, Skarmory, and Steelix, which can set up hazards and make it easier for Victini to KO foes with wallbreaking or revenge killing sets.
**Checks to Fire-Resistant Pokemon**: Victini wants to use V-create or Blue Flare as much as possible. Teammates such as Garchomp, Tapu Fini, and Serperior can answer the Rock-, Dragon-, and Water-types that may come in to check Victini and give it more opportunities to wallbreak or revenge kill.
**Faster Teammates / Pivots**: Victini's base 100 Speed stat is average at best, so it appreciates teammates such as Zeraora, Thundurus, and Greninja that are faster and can clean up teams late-game, and they also have pivoting options should they find an opportunity to bring Victini in safely.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Without a Choice Scarf, Victini becomes outpaced by naturally faster threats such as Garchomp, Mega Diancie, and Greninja, all of which can deal super effective damage to Victini.
**Priority / Pursuit**: Victini's great offensive typing is hindered by it being weak to common priority options in Aqua Jet, Sucker Punch, and Shadow Sneak, which means it has to tread carefully on which Pokemon it can come in to deal heavy damage against. It also has to be wary of being Pursuit trapped by the likes of Alolan Muk and Krookodile that can come in to revenge kill Victini.
**Opposing Dragon- and Water-types**: Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X, Zygarde, and Latios can switch in and take reduced damage from Victini's V-create and little or no damage from other powerful moves under its toolkit such as Bolt Strike, which can force it out. Bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Rotom-W can also switch in safely against Victini's Fire-type STAB moves and switch momentum to their favor, especially if Victini is Choice-locked.
**Chip Damage**: Victini's weakness to Stealth Rock and wanting to pivot in and out constantly leave it vulnerable to taking chip damage and getting worn down quickly, which can make it easier for a foe to revenge kill Victini.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
**Draft Order**: Round 3 onwards
**Price Range**: 13-14 points
**Overview**: Victini stands out as a solid offensive force that very few Pokemon can switch into safely. It has great set flexibility due to its uniform stats, deep coverage, and utility movepool that it can take advantage of to hit the entire metagame with super effective damage, but it excels in wallbreaking due to its access to nuclear attacks such as V-create and Blue Flare. Despite its good qualities, Victini relies on these nuclear attacks to leave some sort of mark on the foe, which come at the cost of stat drops and missing the foe. Finally, Victini prefers to use Choice items and tends to act as a hit-and-run attacker, leaving it vulnerable to being Pursuit trapped and constantly taking chip damage from entry hazards.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Equipped with a Choice Band or Choice Specs, V-create or Blue Flare, and coverage moves, Victini will be able to tear down the sturdiest of walls with the click of a button.
**Revenge Killer**: Victini can act as a revenge killer while equipped with a Choice Scarf and catch faster foes off guard.
**All-out Attacker**: With a plethora of high-power coverage moves, Victini can use other damage-boosting items to put more offensive pressure on foes.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: V-create, Blue Flare, Zen Headbutt, Psyshock, Psychic
**Setup Moves**: Flame Charge
**Utility Moves**: Brick Break, Toxic, Thunder Wave, Will-O-Wisp, Trick, Taunt, U-turn, Final Gambit
**Coverage**: Bolt Strike, Thunderbolt, Dazzling Gleam, Glaciate, Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Signal Beam
Niche Moves
========
**Searing Shot / Flare Blitz**: Though these moves are typically outclassed by Blue Flare and V-create, respectively, Victini can use these alternative Fire-type STAB moves if Blue Flare or V-create runs out of PP.
**Quick Attack**: Quick Attack gives Victini some form of priority to chip a foe down in an emergency and allow a teammate to finish off later.
**Stored Power**: If equipped with Weakness Policy, Victini can utilize Stored Power alongside boosts from both consuming the item and Flame Charge, dealing immense amounts of damage to foes.
Common Items
========
**Choice Band**: Choice Band gives Victini the immediate power it needs to muscle through most foes, potentially taking them down in one hit with V-create.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf gives a boost to Victini's not-so-stellar Speed stat to revenge kill foes, as well as keeping up momentum with U-turn. Choice Scarf also allows Victini to trade with a foe it has a poor matchup against with Final Gambit.
**Choice Specs**: Similar to using a Choice Band, Victini can take advantage of Blue Flare and its special coverage moves to pick off foes that might be expecting a physical set.
Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting Items**: Victini can utilize Life Orb or Expert Belt to give it amazing set flexibility, potentially running mixed sets to target problematic foes. Charcoal can also be used to power up its Fire-type STAB moves further without being choice-locked.
**Resistance Berries**: Victini suffers from being weak to common types such as Water and Dark. Passho Berry can be used to deal with Water-types that resist Victini's Fire-type STAB moves, and Colbur Berry can be utilized to not fall immediately to Pursuit.
**Weakness Policy**: Weakness Policy sets Victini up as a wincon if timed correctly, which it can use somewhat effectively due to its common weaknesses and good bulk, allowing it to clean up late-game.
**Pinch Berries**: Pinch Berries give Victini a fair amount of recovery to offset the damage caused by Stealth Rock or faster foes, allowing it to maintain its presence on the field.
Draft Strategy
========
Victini likes to be able to support faster teammates by opening a path for them with its nuclear wallbreaking power. It should be paired with teammates that can bring it in safely, as well as teammates that can support it better, whether that be dealing with entry hazards or foes that Victini cannot handle by itself.
**Entry Hazard Removers**: Victini's Stealth Rock weakness means that it appreciates being paired with Pokemon that can remove hazards on its side of the field, such as Rotom-W, Zapdos and Excadril, so that it can pivot around more easily.
**Entry Hazard Setters**: Victini appreciates having teammates such as Landorus-T, Skarmory, and Steelix, which can set up hazards and make it easier for Victini to KO foes with wallbreaking or revenge killing sets.
**Checks to Fire-Resistant Pokemon**: Victini wants to use V-create or Blue Flare as much as possible. Teammates such as Garchomp, Tapu Fini, and Serperior can answer the Rock-, Dragon-, and Water-types that may come in to check Victini and give it more opportunities to wallbreak or revenge kill.
**Faster Teammates / Pivots**: Victini's base 100 Speed stat is average at best, so it appreciates teammates such as Zeraora, Thundurus, and Greninja that are faster and can clean up teams late-game, and they also have pivoting options should they find an opportunity to bring Victini in safely.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Without a Choice Scarf, Victini becomes outpaced by naturally faster threats such as Garchomp, Mega Diancie, and Greninja, all of which can deal super effective damage to Victini.
**Priority / Pursuit**: Victini's great offensive typing is hindered by it being weak to common priority options in Aqua Jet, Sucker Punch, and Shadow Sneak, which means it has to tread carefully on which Pokemon it can come in to deal heavy damage against. It also has to be wary of being Pursuit trapped by the likes of Alolan Muk and Krookodile that can come in to revenge kill Victini.
**Opposing Dragon- and Water-types**: Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X, Zygarde, and Latios can switch in and take reduced damage from Victini's V-create and little or no damage from other powerful moves under its toolkit such as Bolt Strike, which can force it out. Bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Rotom-W can also switch in safely against Victini's Fire-type STAB moves and switch momentum to their favor, especially if Victini is Choice-locked.
**Chip Damage**: Victini's weakness to Stealth Rock and wanting to pivot in and out constantly leave it vulnerable to taking chip damage and getting worn down quickly, which can make it easier for a foe to revenge kill Victini.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
