[OVERVIEW]
Volcanion is one of the most punishing wallbreakers in RU because of its superb Special Attack stat and good offensive typing. Volcanion also has a strong STAB Steam Eruption with a high chance to burn and can cripple its few switch-ins with Toxic. Furthermore, its excellent natural bulk and good defensive typing give it ample opportunities to get in and wreak havoc while also letting it take a hit from strong foes like Life Orb Mienshao and Roserade. Volcanion's effectiveness at forcing switches and good matchups against common entry hazard setters such as Metagross, Registeel, and Stakataka make it one of the better Defoggers in the tier. However, Volcanion's low Speed and weakness to common typings in Electric, Ground, and Rock leave it vulnerable to common Pokemon such as Raikou and Flygon and coverage moves like Metagross's Earthquake and Mienshao's Stone Edge. Volcanion is also heavily reliant on Toxic to break through bulkier foes like Gastrodon, so it can struggle to make progress against them if they are paired with cleric support.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Steam Eruption
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Protect / Defog
move 4: Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Protect scouts Choice-locked Pokemon like Flygon, Mienshao, and Xurkitree and racks up extra poison or burn damage. Alternatively, Volcanion can opt for Defog to remove entry hazards on forced switches. Substitute is another option to take advantage of bulky Water-types like Milotic and forced switches to pose a threat against faster foes. Toxic cripples common switch-ins such as Noivern, Gastrodon, and Assault Vest Reuniclus. Water Absorb comes in handy by blocking Flip Turn from Barraskewda. Heavy-Duty Boots lets Volcanion take full advantage of its typing and bulk by preventing entry hazard damage. A Modest nature is preferred to maximize Volcanion's wallbreaking prowess while only missing out on outspeeding Modest Toxtricity when comparing to a Timid nature.
Despite having Water Absorb, Volcanion loses to most Water-types in RU due to them commonly running Toxic, so checks to them such as Roserade, Celebi, and Raikou are needed. Roserade and Celebi can also check Gastrodon and Seismitoad, which Volcanion can't touch outside of Toxic; the former also provides Spikes to wear down switch-ins like Assault Vest Reuniclus, while the latter provides free switches with U-turn. Ground-types such as Steelix, Gastrodon, and Flygon help with troublesome Electric-types like Raikou, Xurkitree, and Toxtricity. Volcanion can also scout Choice Specs Toxtricity and Choice Scarf Xurkitree with Protect before switching into a Ground-type teammate. Pokemon such as Raikou, Barraskewda, and Flygon enjoy Volcanion putting Gastrodon and Seismitoad on a timer with Toxic. Noivern and Dragalge can quite comfortably pivot into Volcanion and threaten it. Fairy-types like Togekiss help with Noivern, and Steel-types such as Registeel, Bronzong, and Stakataka deal with both foes. Assault Vest Reuniclus provides Future Sight support, which can bring devastating results, as next-to-nothing can comfortably switch into one of Volcanion's STAB moves and Future Sight. In return, Defog Volcanion can clear entry hazards, allowing Reuniclus to fully utilize Regenerator.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Solar Beam + Power Herb is an option to lure and KO Gastrodon and Seismitoad, but it comes with the cost of forgoing Heavy-Duty Boots. Flame Charge boosts Volcanion's Speed and lets it clean late-game, but Protect helps it wallbreak more easily, which is its main role. Earth Power hits Dragalge and opposing Volcanion but lacks any other relevant targets. Sludge Bomb is a neutral hit on Dragon-types like Noivern, but Volcanion's STAB moves together with Toxic damage are usually enough to wear them down.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Gastrodon and Seismitoad**: Gastrodon and Seismitoad are resistant to Volcanion's Fire-type STAB move and immune to Steam Eruption, but they need to watch out for Toxic if they don't have cleric support.
**Dragon-types**: Noivern and Dragalge can switch into and threaten Volcanion. However, Noivern dislikes Toxic because it will struggle to check Volcanion in the long run, and Dragalge will be worn down by a potential burn from Steam Eruption.
**Faster Threats**: Common Pokemon like Raikou, Noivern, and Flygon outspeed and threaten Volcanion. Noivern can even threaten it behind Substitute due to Infiltrator.
**Status Absorbers**: Pokemon such as Snorlax and Starmie can take Volcanion's STAB moves with ease and, thanks to Rest and Natural Cure respectively, they don't have to worry about Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[GoldCat, 359771]]
- Quality checked by: [[Mac3, 291087], [phantom, 180300]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659], [DC, 449990]]
Volcanion is one of the most punishing wallbreakers in RU because of its superb Special Attack stat and good offensive typing. Volcanion also has a strong STAB Steam Eruption with a high chance to burn and can cripple its few switch-ins with Toxic. Furthermore, its excellent natural bulk and good defensive typing give it ample opportunities to get in and wreak havoc while also letting it take a hit from strong foes like Life Orb Mienshao and Roserade. Volcanion's effectiveness at forcing switches and good matchups against common entry hazard setters such as Metagross, Registeel, and Stakataka make it one of the better Defoggers in the tier. However, Volcanion's low Speed and weakness to common typings in Electric, Ground, and Rock leave it vulnerable to common Pokemon such as Raikou and Flygon and coverage moves like Metagross's Earthquake and Mienshao's Stone Edge. Volcanion is also heavily reliant on Toxic to break through bulkier foes like Gastrodon, so it can struggle to make progress against them if they are paired with cleric support.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Steam Eruption
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Protect / Defog
move 4: Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Protect scouts Choice-locked Pokemon like Flygon, Mienshao, and Xurkitree and racks up extra poison or burn damage. Alternatively, Volcanion can opt for Defog to remove entry hazards on forced switches. Substitute is another option to take advantage of bulky Water-types like Milotic and forced switches to pose a threat against faster foes. Toxic cripples common switch-ins such as Noivern, Gastrodon, and Assault Vest Reuniclus. Water Absorb comes in handy by blocking Flip Turn from Barraskewda. Heavy-Duty Boots lets Volcanion take full advantage of its typing and bulk by preventing entry hazard damage. A Modest nature is preferred to maximize Volcanion's wallbreaking prowess while only missing out on outspeeding Modest Toxtricity when comparing to a Timid nature.
Despite having Water Absorb, Volcanion loses to most Water-types in RU due to them commonly running Toxic, so checks to them such as Roserade, Celebi, and Raikou are needed. Roserade and Celebi can also check Gastrodon and Seismitoad, which Volcanion can't touch outside of Toxic; the former also provides Spikes to wear down switch-ins like Assault Vest Reuniclus, while the latter provides free switches with U-turn. Ground-types such as Steelix, Gastrodon, and Flygon help with troublesome Electric-types like Raikou, Xurkitree, and Toxtricity. Volcanion can also scout Choice Specs Toxtricity and Choice Scarf Xurkitree with Protect before switching into a Ground-type teammate. Pokemon such as Raikou, Barraskewda, and Flygon enjoy Volcanion putting Gastrodon and Seismitoad on a timer with Toxic. Noivern and Dragalge can quite comfortably pivot into Volcanion and threaten it. Fairy-types like Togekiss help with Noivern, and Steel-types such as Registeel, Bronzong, and Stakataka deal with both foes. Assault Vest Reuniclus provides Future Sight support, which can bring devastating results, as next-to-nothing can comfortably switch into one of Volcanion's STAB moves and Future Sight. In return, Defog Volcanion can clear entry hazards, allowing Reuniclus to fully utilize Regenerator.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Solar Beam + Power Herb is an option to lure and KO Gastrodon and Seismitoad, but it comes with the cost of forgoing Heavy-Duty Boots. Flame Charge boosts Volcanion's Speed and lets it clean late-game, but Protect helps it wallbreak more easily, which is its main role. Earth Power hits Dragalge and opposing Volcanion but lacks any other relevant targets. Sludge Bomb is a neutral hit on Dragon-types like Noivern, but Volcanion's STAB moves together with Toxic damage are usually enough to wear them down.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Gastrodon and Seismitoad**: Gastrodon and Seismitoad are resistant to Volcanion's Fire-type STAB move and immune to Steam Eruption, but they need to watch out for Toxic if they don't have cleric support.
**Dragon-types**: Noivern and Dragalge can switch into and threaten Volcanion. However, Noivern dislikes Toxic because it will struggle to check Volcanion in the long run, and Dragalge will be worn down by a potential burn from Steam Eruption.
**Faster Threats**: Common Pokemon like Raikou, Noivern, and Flygon outspeed and threaten Volcanion. Noivern can even threaten it behind Substitute due to Infiltrator.
**Status Absorbers**: Pokemon such as Snorlax and Starmie can take Volcanion's STAB moves with ease and, thanks to Rest and Natural Cure respectively, they don't have to worry about Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[GoldCat, 359771]]
- Quality checked by: [[Mac3, 291087], [phantom, 180300]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659], [DC, 449990]]
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