Talonflame Movesets & Competitive Sets

Talonflame's niche comes from its Fire resistance, Steel resistance, access to Will-O-Wisp, and ability in Flame Body. Talonflame faces strict competition from Crobat and Noivern as fast Flying-type Pokemon, with Crobat having more useful defensive utility and Noivern being better offensively. However, Talonflame is able to check Mimikyu and certain Steel-types such as Metagross and Steelix well, unlike its Flying-type competition. Talonflame is also able to stave off Fighting-types such as Bewear and Heracross. Will-O-Wisp allows Talonflame to cripple common Flying-resistant Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Stakataka, Steel-types like Lucario and Steelix, and setup sweepers like Dragon Dance Flygon and Swords Dance Mimikyu. U-turn is helpful to keep momentum and bring in frailer wallbreakers and other teammates. Flare Blitz and Toxic can be run over Brave Bird and Will-O-Wisp to make Talonflame more immediately threatening to Steel-types and Electric-types; Toxic also makes it harder for Water-types to handle it. However, this leaves it without a move to hit Chandelure and is less threatening to Stakataka. Talonflame has the option to run a Swords Dance set with maximum Attack investment as well as Flare Blitz and Swords Dance over U-turn and Will-O-Wisp, which threatens common Flying-resistant Pokemon like Raikou and Steelix. Swords Dance Talonflame still struggles to break past most bulky Water- and Rock-types and loses immense utility by not having U-turn or Will-O-Wisp, however. 240 Speed EVs let Talonflame outspeed Ribombee. While an offensive EV spread is preferred, Talonflame can alternatively run a physically defensive EV spread of 16 HP / 252 Def / 240 Spe to more reliably check Lucario, Dhelmise, and Metagross, but it gives up the ability to guarantee a 2HKO on Chandelure. Talonflame cannot do much to the many Rock- and Water-type Pokemon like Diancie, Milotic, and Gastrodon in the tier, so Celebi, Milotic, and Roserade make good teammates that are able to switch in and threaten these Pokemon. Roserade and Celebi are especially notable, as they also handle Electric-types that threaten Talonflame like Raikou and Xurkitree. Talonflame's ability to lure in Rock- and Water-types such as Stakataka, Diancie, and Milotic can give free switches to teammates like Golurk, Decidueye, and Heracross thanks to U-turn. Talonflame appreciates cleric support from Diancie, Vileplume, and Sylveon to reliably handle Toxic users such as Metagross and defensive Stakataka. Talonflame isn't a reliable Fighting-type check on its own, so Mimikyu and Galarian Weezing make good teammates for it that are able to assist against Heracross and Pangoro. Knock Off can ruin Talonflame by removing its Heavy-Duty Boots, making it vulnerable to Stealth Rock; Knock Off absorbers like Galarian Weezing, Vileplume, and Gastrodon can take Knock Off for Talonflame. Frailer wallbreakers like Life Orb Starmie and Choice Specs Gardevoir appreciate Talonflame's ability to easily bring them in with U-turn.

Talonflame is one of the best speed control options because of Gale Wings + Tailwind and its excellent Speed tier. Tailwind provides an instant Speed boost to partners such as Regidrago, Cinderace, Genesect, and both Landorus formes, allowing them to outpace foes that would otherwise threaten them or Talonflame such as Naganadel, Zeraora, and Regieleki. Brave Bird is a powerful STAB move used to damage foes such as Galarian Zapdos, Cinderace, Victini, Naganadel, and Pheromosa. Gale Wings provides Brave Bird with +1 priority at full health, allowing Talonflame to move before faster foes such as Pheromosa and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Flare Blitz defeats Steel-types such as Metagross and Genesect and Ice-types such as Alolan Ninetales. Protect is an effective answer to Fake Out, allowing Talonflame to keep Gale Wings intact. Talonflame works very well on teams that appreciate Tailwind's instant Speed boost. Steel-types such as Genesect and Celesteela make excellent partners, as they're able to defeat Fairy- and Rock-types that Talonflame struggles with such as Tapu Fini, Diancie, and Nihilego. Genesect in particular loves Tailwind, since this allows it to get the jump on checks such as Landorus and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Regidrago also appreciates Tailwind, which enables it to fire off devastating Dragon Energies. Talonflame can defeat most of the Steel-types that resist Regidrago's attacks such as Genesect, Celesteela, and Metagross. Both Landorus formes make excellent teammates, as they're able to defeat Rock- and Electric-types for Talonflame such as Nihilego and Zeraora, and both benefit from Tailwind greatly. Rillaboom shuts down Water-types like Kingdra, Politoed, and Tapu Fini, which otherwise tear through Talonflame teams.

Talonflame has found a welcoming home in Generation 8 Almost Any Ability, being an attacker with good power and coverage that is hard to wear down. In a metagame that has few viable Rock-types, Talonflame's STAB moves provide fantastic coverage, with the only common resistant foes being Primordial Sea Zapdos or Tapu Koko and Flash Fire Corviknight. Thanks to its high Base Power moves and Life Orb, which have their recoil negated by Magic Guard, Talonflame hits surprisingly hard despite having a low Attack stat. For reference, fully physically defensive Swampert cannot safely switch into Talonflame if it is below 80% health, as it risks getting 2HKOed by Brave Bird. Talonflame possesses a great Speed tier for AAA, leaving it only outspeed by Barraskewda, Tapu Koko, and the rare Zamazenta-C. Additionally, it resists every common Triage move and Grassy Glide, making it difficult to revenge kill with priority. Swords Dance amplifies Talonflame's offensive presence, and it can often find time to set up safely against either offensive threats it forces out, like Volcarona and Zarude, or defensive stalwarts that are unable to KO it back like Corviknight and most Mew. Its power, access to setup, and longevity make it particularly effective at breaking down bulkier teams. Talonflame does really need to run maximum Attack and Speed with Jolly to maximize its offensive capabilities. Talonflame fits well on bulky offense or balance teams that want offensive pressure without having to provide much support. Since it is immune to all entry hazards, Talonflame doesn't require hazard control, and Magic Guard means it can't be worn down by stray Toxics or Rocky Helmets (although it does fear paralysis). Since its bulk is not fantastic, it does appreciate slow pivots like Swampert and Corviknight to bring it in safely; in exchange, it forces out foes like Cinderace or Volcarona that may have tried to come in on them. There are some common switch-ins that frustrate Talonflame, however; Primordial Sea Zapdos in particular can't be hit neutrally and forces it out, so teammates that can handle Zapdos like RegenVest Swampert and Blissey are always appreciated. Additionally, while Talonflame is fast, most Choice Scarf users and a few faster threats—Tapu Koko and Barraskewda—can revenge kill it reliably. Good revenge killers or solid switch-ins to those are strongly advised; Choice Scarf Azelf is especially notable as a great revenge killer that lets Talonflame in often with U-turn.

Alternate EV spread: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe For full USUM 1v1 analyses, you can check out the USUM format page.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's strongest Flying-type STAB move and is therefore used as the base move for Supersonic Skystrike. This gives it a one-time 190-Base Power priority STAB move, while Brave Bird is reasonably powerful on its own after Supersonic Skystrike has been used. However, the recoil damage means that Brave Bird will only have priority on the first use. Despite breaking Gale Wings, Flare Blitz is still Talonflame's best Fire-type STAB move, OHKOing Kartana and 2HKOing Celesteela and Metagross. Tailwind doubles the Speed of Talonflame and its allies for four turns, and thanks to Gale Wings, Talonflame virtually guarantees setting it up. Protect grants Talonflame a turn of protection while its teammate handles a threat like Tapu Koko or Nihilego. The protection from damage is also useful for keeping Gale Wings intact. Taunt allows Talonflame to stop Trick Room and opposing Tailwind from being set up. Will-O-Wisp allows Talonflame to cripple opposing physical attackers, such as Garchomp and Snorlax. Set Details Talonflame should be using an EV spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe, as it wants to be both as strong and as fast as possible, and any investment in bulk won't help it much given its frailty. Gale Wings is the only ability that Talonflame should be using, as it is what allows Talonflame to use priority Tailwind, Supersonic Skystrike, and Brave Bird. Flyinium Z is necessary to enable the use of Supersonic Skystrike. No other item should be considered on Talonflame, as access to a priority Z-Move is one of Talonflame's biggest selling points. Talonflame can afford to run an Adamant nature in order to help patch up its below-average Attack stat, as its base Speed is already so high that it outspeeds Kartana and Alolan Ninetales by exactly one point without a Speed-boosting nature, while there is nothing particularly noteworthy that Talonflame must run Jolly in order to beat. Usage Tips If you bring Talonflame to a match, it should generally be used as a lead so it can set up Tailwind as soon as possible. That being said, should the foe have very fast, offensive Pokemon like Pheromosa, Golduck, and Lilligant, or a setup sweeper like Gyarados, it's a good idea to consider keeping Talonflame in the back, keeping it at maximum HP so it can strike these threats with Supersonic Skystrike at the right moment. Leading Talonflame alongside a Fake Out user assists it in setting up Tailwind, enabling it to safely get Tailwind up even against threats like Tapu Koko. Talonflame should be brought against opposing Tailwind setters like Mandibuzz and Drifblim so that it can match their Tailwind at a minimum. Given that Flare Blitz's recoil will break Gale Wings, it's best to avoid using it unless absolutely necessary. Team Options Pretty much any Pokemon can benefit from Tailwind support, but Pokemon with low-to-average Speed like Tapu Fini, Alolan Marowak, and Alolan Muk especially benefit from Tailwind support, as it enables them to outspeed Pokemon that they otherwise wouldn't be able to. Given that Rock-types like Gigalith and Nihilego are huge thorns in Talonflame's side, Ground-, Water-, and Steel-types like Garchomp, Tapu Fini, and Kartana make for good teammates. Talonflame also allows Garchomp to use Earthquake without worrying about damaging its teammate, although it likely won't survive long enough to grant Garchomp this luxury for a whole match. Consider running a second Fire-type for an additional check to Steel-types; options include Arcanine, Alolan Marowak, and Salazzle. This allows Talonflame to use Flare Blitz as a last resort against these Pokemon, as opposed to it being the only option to handle these Pokemon. Lightning Rod support from the likes of Alolan Marowak or Togedemaru helps Talonflame by protecting it from Electric-type moves, especially those from Tapu Koko. Grass-types like Kartana and Tapu Bulu assist Talonflame by beating Water-types like Tapu Fini and Gastrodon. Using one or two of Tapu Koko, Tapu Bulu, or Tapu Fini is strongly recommended, as they can clear the field of Psychic Terrain to allow Talonflame to use Supersonic Skystrike on grounded Pokemon.

Moves Acrobatics is Talonflame's lone attacking move. Its Base Power is doubled by Talonflame not running an item on this set. The lack of recoil from Acrobatics allows it to be easily spammed against a number of Pokemon and preserves Gale Wings, which is why it's preferred over Brave Bird. Swords Dance increases Talonflame's mediocre Attack and turns it into a fantastic setup sweeper. Roost is used to ensure Talonflame can get back to full health to make use of Gale Wings. It also lets Talonflame set up against weaker walls such as Porygon2. Will-O-Wisp allows Talonflame to easily set up against and shut down physical attackers like Mega Scizor. Set Details 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature are used to maximize Talonflame's power. 252 EVs in Speed allow Talonflame to outspeed base 110 Speed Pokemon as well as Keldeo without Gale Wings. Gale Wings is run to allow Talonflame to move before the majority of the metagame with Acrobatics if it is at full health. Talonflame is running no item on this set to double the power of Acrobatics. Usage Tips Remove Stealth Rock before switching in Talonflame. Don't let Talonflame take any unnecessary damage, as it appreciates having Gale Wings for opposing Pokemon that might outspeed it normally. This includes all forms of residual damage such as Rocky Helmet, poison, Leech Seed, sandstorm, and hail. Talonflame can also be used as a revenge killer, as it has access to priority Acrobatics. The main way of setting up with Talonflame while preserving Gale Wings is to force switches, as Pokemon that stay in can deal any amount of damage to break Gale Wings. Another way is to take advantage of Talonflame's Ground immunity. Switching into a Choice-locked Ground-type move from Pokemon like Kyurem-B and Excadrill gives Talonflame the chance to freely set up. Try to set up against physical attackers, which Talonflame can burn with Will-O-Wisp to set up against them easier. Spreading burns early-game on Talonflame's switch-ins is a good way of crippling them. This may let Talonflame set up more easily later. Although preserving Gale Wings is usually the better thing to do, in some situations getting a Swords Dance might be better. However, this is only applicable if Talonflame outspeeds the opponent's remaining Pokemon. Talonflame usually shines against Fighting, Grass, and Bug teams. In these matchups, Talonflame has a number of opportunities to set up and sweep. This allows Talonflame to either break down a team early-game or clean up late-game. Team Options Having a Pokemon with entry hazard removal is absolutely crucial. Torkoal is a great defensive pivot that fits perfectly in this. Torkoal can remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin and can even set up its own Stealth Rock to break Focus Sash and Sturdy for Talonflame. Torkoal also sets up Drought to weaken Water-type moves for Talonflame and overwrites other weather, which may chip away at Talonflame. Torkoal can run Yawn and put a Pokemon to sleep to let Talonflame set up easier. Heatran is another Stealth Rock user that Talonflame greatly appreciates. Heatran can run Earth Power or Flash Cannon to remove Rock-type Pokemon that wall Talonflame. In return, Talonflame can get rid of Fighting-types for it. Heatran can also run a Bloom Doom set with to beat bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Swampert that wall Talonflame. Another reason why these two work great together is because Heatran can bait in Choice Scarf users like Terrakion and lock them into a Ground-type move. This creates an opportunity to set up for Talonflame. Mega Charizard Y can also run Defog to clear away Stealth Rock. Like Torkoal, Mega Charizard Y sets up Drought for Talonflame and weakens Water-type moves. It can also run Solar Beam to get rid of Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokemon. Mega Charizard X appreciates Talonflame's ability to cripple a team with Will-O-Wisp or by setting up. This allows Mega Charizard X to clean up or vice versa. Infernape can run a Stealth Rock set to cripple opposing Pokemon and a Taunt set to stop Stealth Rock from being set up. It can also run a wallbreaker set with Choice Band to beat Rock-types for Talonflame. In return, Talonflame with Gale Wings means Infernape does not have to run Mach Punch for priority anymore. Volcanion functions as an excellent way to deal with Water-types for Talonflame. This is proved by its ability to switch into Azumarill, which is a big threat to Talonflame. Volcanion is also a great wallbreaker that can wear down Pokemon that potentially wall Talonflame. Victini is another fantastic wallbreaker that can run Bolt Strike to beat bulky Water-types like Gyarados. Victini can also run U-turn to pivot and bring in Talonflame safely. Rotom-H can use Volt Switch to bring in Talonflame safely. Rotom-H can also run a dualscreens set to allow Talonflame to set up easier.

Moves Bulk Up allows Talonflame to set up on physical attackers, as it turns Talonflame's mediocre physical bulk into something substantial after several boosts. It also eases setup versus Foul Play users, as Foul Play can only 3HKO Talonflame at any given time. Roost allows Talonflame to heal off any damage taken. Acrobatics is the preferred attacking option, as it provides a high-Base Power STAB move while not inducing recoil damage, and the power difference between Acrobatics and Brave Bird is negligible after several boosts. Unfortunately, Acrobatics forces Talonflame to forgo the passive recovery of Leftovers, but it allows Talonflame to handle Knock Off more easily. Acrobatics receives priority from Gale Wings; this is allows Talonflame to hit would-be revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Keldeo. Brave Bird is an option if the passive recovery from Leftovers is a must, such as on sand teams, but the induced recoil from Brave Bird severely hampers Talonflame's ability to sweep and necessitates the use of Roost after knocking out high-HP targets such as Chansey, Pyroak, and Colossoil. The last moveslot is a toss-up between Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, with each one easing Talonflame's setup. Taunt allows Talonflame to safely set up on most walls, protecting it from status, phazing, and opposing Taunts. It also allows Talonflame to turn one of its would-be checks, Heatran, into setup bait, and is useful from preventing entry hazards from being set up. Will-O-Wisp allows Talonflame to augment its uninvested physical bulk by burning physical attackers, but it must be careful burning Guts users such as Colossoil. Will-O-Wisp also has less utility against Fire-types and Magic Guard users such as Clefable. Set Details The given EVs along with a Calm nature give Talonflame the most special bulk possible and allows it to set up on powerful resisted attacks such as Hyper Voices from Sylveon or Mega Altaria and Fire Blasts from Mega Charizard Y. This is especially important given that Talonflame can use Bulk Up or Will-O-Wisp to shore up its weaker Defense. Gale Wings gives Acrobatics, Brave Bird, and Roost priority. No item is necessary for the use of Acrobatics, but Leftovers can be used with Brave Bird for passive recovery. Usage Tips This Talonflame set is not meant to act as a powerful revenge killer like the Choice Band set or a sweeper like the Swords Dance set, but as a bulkier win condition that can take advantage of stall. Be careful when switching into physical attackers, as Talonflame's Defense is weak without any boosts, so try to set up on weak special threats before you face physical attackers. This set is notable because it can set up on a large number of Pokemon with ease, only fearing super effective attacks or very powerful physical attacks. For example, Talonflame can easily set up on any Sylveon set, and sets with Taunt can set up on Pyroak, Chansey, and Heatran. Team Options Talonflame will have trouble setting up if it loses half its health upon switching in, so Rapid Spin or Defog support is essential. Ground-types, such as Colossoil and Landorus-T, make for great teammates, as they can reliably beat the Electric-types that prevent Talonflame from sweeping. Electric- and Grass-types, such as Cyclohm and Mega Venusaur, can also break through the Water-types that can check Talonflame, such as Rotom-W and Keldeo. Pokemon such as Syclant, Kyurem-B, Weavile, and Keldeo make good partners with Talonflame, as they are able to handle many of the bulky Ground-types Talonflame has trouble with, mainly Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon.

Moves Swords Dance allows Talonflame to quickly boost its Attack and power through teams with its Gale Wings Flying-type STAB move. Brave Bird is the preferred option here, as the extra damage it gains from the ability to run a boosting item is greatly appreciated, as this set is more concerned with damage output than longevity. Acrobatics is an option if recoil damage is a concern, but gives up the power from a boosting item. Flare Blitz is crucial for getting past Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Cawmodore, and Electric-types, such as Zapdos and Plasmanta, that would otherwise wall Talonflame. Roost allows Talonflame to heal off both entry hazard and recoil damage, while easing setup against Pokemon such Sylveon. Set Details The recommended EV spread uses a Jolly nature to allow Talonflame to outspeed Cawmodore, which can otherwise beat Talonflame if boosted, while giving Talonflame as much power as possible. 64 EVs in Defense allows Talonflame to avoid the OHKO from Cawmodore's +6 Bullet Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Alternatively, a spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe with an Adamant nature gives Talonflame as much power as possible while allowing it to outspeed fully invested positive-natured base 110 Speed Pokemon. Gale Wings provides Talonflame with a reliable priority move in Brave Bird, allowing it to get past revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Keldeo. Sharp Beak boosts Brave Bird without causing additional recoil damage and allows Talonflame to bluff a Choice Band set. If Talonflame is using Acrobatics, it is forced to run no item. Usage Tips Use this set if you want an effective setup sweeper that can still function well as a revenge killer, as it will hit hard without a boost. This Talonflame can't break through stall effectively due to lack of Taunt or Will-O-Wisp to get past walls. Fortunately, this set will be able to sweep offensive teams easily, as it will hit hard after one boost and can function as a revenge killer even without any boosts due to investment in Attack. Try to play conservatively with this set, as switching Talonflame into neutral attacks or entry hazards repeatedly will compromise its bulk and ability to set up. Try to bring it in on resisted hits or off a free switch, preferably with Stealth Rock off your side of the field. Team Options Talonflame absolutely needs Rapid Spin or Defog to function, so any reliable user of these moves is appreciated. Colossoil makes for a great partner, as it can provide Rapid Spin support and beat the majority of the Electric- or Fire-type Pokemon that wall Talonflame. Pokemon that can get past Cyclohm, Stratagem, Rotom-W, and any other Pokemon that can take Fire- and Flying-type attacks are a must, as Talonflame will be unable to sweep if they are still in play. Other powerful Flying-types, such as Tomohawk, Mega Pinsir, and Cawmodore, can help wear down each other's checks. Tomohawk can severely weaken Cyclohm and Rotom-W with Aura Sphere, Mega Pinsir can severely weaken teams after a Swords Dance boost, and Cawmodore can blow past some of its checks after some prior damage from Talonflame. Pokemon such as Syclant, Kyurem-B, Weavile, and Keldeo make good partners with Talonflame, as they are able to handle many of the bulky Ground-types Talonflame has trouble with, mainly Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon.

Moves Brave Bird is given priority by Gale Wings to give Talonflame the hardest-hitting priority move in the tier and give this set its revenge killing abilities. Flare Blitz is Talonflame's strongest secondary STAB option that allows it to power through most Electric- and Steel-types. U-turn takes advantage of Talonflame's high Speed to switch out of a predicted check, scout early-game, and land a solid hit on Tyranitar. In the last moveslot, Talonflame can opt for Steel Wing in order to deal heavy damage to Mega Diancie and Stratagem, which would otherwise be able to switch into anything Talonflame has and KO it with their chosen Rock-type STAB move. Tailwind is also an option as a sacrificial move, allowing Talonflame to support its team before it is knocked out. This can allow heavy-hitting Pokemon such as Mega Gardevoir or Mega Metagross to have a chance to sweep. Alternatively, Roost can be used to offset Stealth Rock and recoil damage, but requires Talonflame to forgo a Choice Band. Set Details The recommended EV spread uses an Adamant nature to give Talonflame as much power as possible, while allowing it to outspeed fully invested positive-natured base 110 Speed Pokemon. Alternatively, a spread of 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe uses a Jolly nature to allow Talonflame to outspeed Cawmodore, which can otherwise beat it if boosted, while giving Talonflame as much power as possible. 64 EVs in HP help mitigate recoil damage. Gale Wings gives Talonflame access to priority Brave Bird, Tailwind, and Roost, which gives Talonflame its niche as a revenge killer. Choice Band gives Brave Bird the highest damage output possible and helps shore up Talonflame's lackluster base 81 Attack. Sharp Beak can also be used to bluff a Choice Band while still boosting Brave Bird without increasing the amount of recoil damage Talonflame takes, but gives a weaker boost then Choice Band. Usage Tips Use Talonflame on any team that needs a solid check to setup sweepers, such as Aurumoth, Mega Scizor, Cawmodore, and Mega Pinsir. Talonflame is best used conservatively, as its weakness to Stealth Rock and reliance on recoil moves can cause it to be worn down quickly. It is best used to scout early-game with U-turn, then clean up weakened teams late-game or revenge kill threatening sweepers mid-game. Try to avoid switching Talonflame into super effective or neutral attacks, as its less-than-stellar defenses will allow it to be worn down easily, which will diminish its revenge killing ability. It also pays to be careful spamming any attacks with Talonflame if Cyclohm is still alive; it's generally better to switch out of the predicted Cyclohm switch-in instead of potentially activating Static. Team Options Talonflame absolutely needs Rapid Spin or Defog to function, so any reliable user of these moves is appreciated. Colossoil makes for a great partner, as it can provide Rapid Spin support and beat the majority of the Electric- or Fire-type Pokemon that wall Talonflame. Other users of U-turn or Volt Switch, such as Rotom-W or Scizor, work well with Talonflame, as they can form VoltTurn cores. Talonflame also appreciates Stealth Rock support, as it allows Talonflame to ensure an OHKO on Pokemon such as Mollux, so Pokemon that can reliable set up Stealth Rock, such as Tomohawk, are appreciated. Other powerful Flying-types, such as Tomohawk, Mega Pinsir, and Cawmodore, can help wear down each other's checks to sweep. Tomohawk can severely weaken Cyclohm and Rotom-W with Aura Sphere, Mega Pinsir can severely weaken teams after a Swords Dance boost, and Cawmodore can blow past some of its checks after some prior damage from Talonflame. Pokemon such as Syclant, Kyurem-B, Weavile, and Keldeo make good partners with Talonflame, as they are able to handle many of the bulky Ground-types Talonflame has trouble with, mainly Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon.

Moves Brave Bird is the move that Talonflame will generally be using most of the time due to its STAB boost and Gale Wings. Flare Blitz is mainly a backup move for when locking Talonflame into Brave Bird isn't optimal, and deals with Pokemon such as Scizor and Aegislash better than Brave Bird does. U-turn is useful on this set as it allows Talonflame to escape from a bad situation and is Talonflame's best move for Tyranitar. The last moveslot is mainly filler, but there are a few options to consider. Tailwind serves the same purpose as on the standard set, and can help bluff a non-Choice set. However, Talonflame is basically forced to switch out on the following turn after using Tailwind, so it will soon be clear that Talonflame is Choice-locked. Before setting up Tailwind, Me First helps Talonflame against Pokemon such as Aerodactyl, stealing Rock Slide and OHKOing them. However, the move is a little situational. Aerial Ace can also be used in the fourth moveslot as a recoil-free way of dealing with weakened opponents, but is very weak and forces Talonflame to switch out after using it. Set Details The EVs are to outpace opposing Talonflame and maximize its firepower. An Adamant nature and Choice Band augment Talonflame's offensive capabilities, turning it into a nuke that can spam Brave Bird with little worry. A Jolly nature is worthless, as Talonflame is mostly going to spam Brave Bird. Usage Tips Brave Bird is most often the best move to use, though it should not be used recklessly. Write down the opposing team and refer to it whenever you are making decisions, as you will often find situations mid-game where Brave Bird is not the best move to use. Switch strategically to ensure that the Pokemon you are switching in takes as little damage as possible. An example includes luring a Rock Slide with Talonflame and switching into Garchomp to take the hit, allowing Talonflame to come in later and lock itself into the appropriate move. General decisions include using U-turn when Tyranitar is on the opponent's side of the field, using Flare Blitz when Aegislash or Scizor is a threat to your team, and using Talonflame's filler move when you deem it to be appropriate. Team Options Rotom-W and Rotom-H can deal with opposing Talonflame, and the latter can deal with Mega Charizard Y very well. Rotom-M, on the other hand, is a great Pokemon to deal with opposing Rotom-W and Tyranitar. Tyranitar can deal with Rotom-H, Talonflame, and Mega Charizard Y well, though it must be wary of Talonflame's U-turn and Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam. Fake Out users such as Mega Kangaskhan can prevent Rock Slides and enable Talonflame to U-turn out safely and bring in a Pokemon with a better match-up against the opponent's Pokemon. Fake Out users can also give Talonflame a turn to set up with Tailwind or utilize another move. The combination of Scizor and Talonflame is effective, as Scizor can deal with the Rock-types that wall Talonflame and Talonflame can deal with Aegislash, which can cause problems for Scizor that lack Thief. However, Scizor is walled by Rotom-W and Rotom-H, and must be wary of the former's Will-O-Wisp and the latter's Overheat. Garchomp also makes an excellent partner, as it can defeat Rotom-H, though it must be wary of Will-O-Wisp. Amoonguss is capable of dealing with Rotom-W and Tyranitar as well as supporting Talonflame with Spore and Rage Powder. However, it must be wary of Crunch and Rock Slide from Tyranitar. Lastly, Mold Breaker Haxorus can 2HKO 252 HP / 44 Def Rotom-W and always OHKO Rotom-H with Earthquake.

Moves Gale Wings is incredibly useful, as it grants Talonflame priority Tailwind and the most powerful priority move in the game in the form of Brave Bird. Brave Bird is Talonflame's main attack due to the priority it gains from Gale Wings, ripping through Pokemon such as Amoonguss. Talonflame's secondary STAB move, Flare Blitz, complements Brave Bird fairly well; the two moves form a potent combination resisted only by the Rock-type and a few other dual typings. Tailwind is a priority move that boosts the Speed of the entire team for a few turns. Protect is a staple in Doubles for its ability to scout the opponent's moves and protect the user from damage, especially important considering the ability to double target. Quick Guard can be used in the place of Tailwind or Protect as the utility it provides is incredibly handy on Talonflame. Quick Guard blocks Fake Out from the likes of Mega Kangaskhan, can give your teammate a free turn to move, and has been buffed in that it no longer fails when used in succession. Set Details The given EVs enable Talonflame to hit with as much power as possible as well as outpace max Speed Mega Kangaskhan. As a result, Talonflame can block Mega Kangaskhan's Fake Out with Quick Guard and utilize Brave Bird to nullify Sucker Punch. Talonflame can run max Speed to outpace every Fake Out user in the metagame excluding max Speed Raichu, which Speed ties with it, and max Speed Weavile, which outpaces it anyway. This also enables Talonflame to outpace most opposing Talonflame, which can be a valuable asset. However, maximum Speed investment is unadvised as Raichu and Weavile are too uncommon, and Talonflame can mess with opposing Talonflame with Quick Guard. The item of choice depends on what you want Talonflame to do: it can hold a Sky Plate for a little more survivability at the cost of power, or a Life Orb for the extra power, enabling a guaranteed 2HKO on 244 HP Bold Coba Berry Ludicolo with Brave Bird at the cost of survivability. An Adamant nature is run as there is no reason to run a Jolly nature, as Talonflame will use Brave Bird, Tailwind, Quick Guard and Protect most of the time. Usage Tips Bring Talonflame in early-game to support the team with Tailwind and Quick Guard. Make your move accordingly based around the lead match-up, using Quick Guard turn one when against a lead Kangaskhan, setting up Tailwind when you feel it is needed, such as when facing a particularly fast team, and using Brave Bird or Flare Blitz to deal with opposing threats such as Ludicolo and Scizor. As you can imagine, mirror match-ups consist of many mind games, so make sure to play conservatively in these situations, predicting your opponent's move and using your 45 seconds well. Misprediction might get Talonflame KOed, for example, by Garchomp's Rock Slide when it uses Brave Bird and the opponent uses Quick Guard. Team Options Steel-types such as Scizor and Aegislash have good synergy with Talonflame and can deal with the Rock-types that resist Talonflame's attacks. Rotom-W and Rotom-H can deal with opposing Talonflame as well as deal Mega Charizard Y, and the latter can take advantage of the sun that Mega Charizard Y summons. Rock-types such as Tyranitar and Aerodactyl can also deal with opposing Talonflame, and the former can also deal with Rotom-H. Amoonguss walls Rotom-W and threatens it with a STAB Giga Drain. Mega Charizard Y can summon sun, boosting the power of Talonflame's Flare Blitz and compensating its slight lack of power when it holds a Sky Plate. Talonflame and Garchomp create a terrifying offensive core with excellent offensive synergy; Talonflame covers Fairy-types and Ferrothorn while Garchomp covers Talonflame and Rotom-H.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's main attacking move given that it has STAB, high Base Power, and priority. Flare Blitz serves as Talonflame's secondary STAB move and has the potential to hit even harder than Brave Bird when boosted by Primal Groudon's Desolate Land. It often sees use against that which resist Flying like Electric-types or against Steel-types such as Mega Mawile. Tailwind allows Talonflame to double the Speed stat of its team for three turns, and it does so with priority thanks to Gale Wings. Quick Guard protects Talonflame and its partner from priority moves like Fake Out and Prankster Encore and Taunt. If you don't find yourself needing Quick Guard, then Taunt can be used in this slot instead to prevent the use of status moves such as Dark Void. Alternatively, if the support is not needed, then Protect is recommended in order to provide Talonflame with the ability to shield itself for a turn. Set Details A Life Orb boosts Talonflame's damage output as much as possible while still allowing it to switch moves. Gale Wings grants priority to Talonflame's Flying-type moves. The 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature are used for much the same reason as Life Orb, with the remaining EVs being placed into Speed. Investment in bulk isn't recommended, as the recoil from Brave Bird and Flare Blitz combined with that of Life Orb will render most defensive benchmarks pointless. A Jolly nature is a fine alternative it you'd prefer to block Fake Out from particularly fast users such as Weavile and to set Tailwind before Prankster Thundurus's Taunt. Usage Tips Talonflame will typically want to be brought in during the early-game to set up speed control for its partners to sweep under. Leading with a Fake Out user is common, so expect your opening play to consist of Quick Guard followed by Tailwind on the next turn. After Tailwind is set up, provided a partner doesn't need to be defended by Quick Guard against crippling Prankster moves, you'll generally want to spam Brave Bird and Flare Blitz until Talonflame faints, and you can get a free switch into a potentially more appropriate partner that's in reserve. Team Options Primal Groudon makes for an excellent partner, as Talonflame appreciates its Desolate Land to boost the power of Flare Blitz, while Primal Groudon enjoys operating under Tailwind primarily to outspeed opposing Primal Pokemon. Primal Kyogre equally enjoys Talonflame's presence for sweeping under Tailwind, and while Talonflame's Flare Blitz will be nullified by Primordial Sea, it's still able to help it out offensively by taking care of the Grass-types that Primal Kyogre struggles against. Mega Kangaskhan is also a great teammate, as Fake Out's ability to make foes flinch can help Talonflame set up Tailwind freely. Smeargle is likewise a possible Fake Out user and is particularly devastating under Tailwind with its ability to put the opposing team to sleep with Dark Void. Mega Mawile is another Pokemon that greatly appreciates Tailwind to patch up its otherwise low Speed stat. Xerneas appreciates Talonflame's Quick Guard to block Prankster Taunt, Encore, and Thunder Wave, which would otherwise impair its ability to set up and sweep. Mega Rayquaza operates very much the same way with its high Speed and potential to set up Swords Dance, and its Delta Stream ability protects Talonflame against Rock- and Electric-type attacks, while Talonflame deals with opposing Steel-types with its Flare Blitz. Bear in mind that both Rayquaza and Talonflame frequently hold Life Orb, so Focus Sash should most likely be used on Rayquaza in the event that they're paired together.

Set Details Significant bulk investment it tends to be the difference between getting to land two Brave Birds or three. 248 HP / 8 Def gives a 15/16 chance of surviving opposing Talonflame Brave Bird from full and trading. If you would rather Speed creep other Talonflame, go all the way to a spread of 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe. This also outspeeds Jolly Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch and faster bulky Thundurus with Flare Blitz. Talonflame will be noticeably less useful in other matchups, though. Talonflame needs 252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature for OHKOing bulkless Charizard and 2HKOing bulkier Landorus-T at -1, among other matchups, so don't run less. U-turn is an option for uncommon scenarios where it is safer (or greedier) than a hard switch, but it dilutes your Sleep Talk pool. Usage Tips If Stealth rock isn't up, bring in Talonflame on resisted hits or for free and KO something with Brave Bird; then, switch out of the revenge attempt. An offensive partner to guard Talonflame's flank will increase the number of situations where it can attack for free. If Stealth Rock is up, pick your time to switch in carefully, because Talonflame will be switching in once and then clicking Brave Bird until it is KOed. If you can remove opposing revenge killers (Fake Out users and healthy Pokemon that resist Flying) before switching in, you can get two KOs; otherwise, you will probably get one. Opponents will usually lead with Stealth Rock Landorus-T into Talonflame if they have it, since Intimidate neuters lead Talonflame while Stealth Rock neuters it if it switches in later. Switching in Talonflame turn 1 has incredible upside but risks getting caught off guard by Stone Edge. Sleep Talk does let Talonflame switch into Amoonguss in a pinch, but it turns off Gale Wings and randomizes Talonflame's target, so be judicious about taking this line. Team Options Talonflame always OHKOes very frail or Flying-weak Pokemon, but Helping Hand plus Stealth Rock turns it into an OHKO machine, even nabbing bulky Thundurus (with Flare Blitz), Volcanion, and Mega Kangaskhan. Landorus-T is by far the most common Stealth Rock user, but Talonflame's offensive teams can prefer niche options like Mega Swampert or Tyranitar. Traditional Helping Hand users include Raichu and Politoed, but many common Pokemon can sneak it in as a filler move.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's STAB move, and has priority thanks to Gale Wings. Will-O-Wisp cripples common physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan and helps Talonflame survive unboosted Rock Slides. Tailwind is great speed control, allowing slow Pokemon such as Sylveon to outspeed and effectively negate bad matchups, such as a Sylveon against a Bisharp. Taunt stops other status moves, notably Thunder Wave and Trick Room, which can prevent Talonflame from setting up Tailwind. Quick Guard stops priority such as Bullet Punch and other Talonflame's Brave Birds, as well as Fake Out, which can be useful to pick up surprise turn 1 KOs. Set Details The listed EV spread allows Talonflame to survive uninvested Rotom-W's Thunderbolt, non-STAB Thunderbolts from Pokemon such as Gengar, Adamant Tyranitar's Rock Slide (with a Charti Berry or after Tyranitar gets burned), and Jolly Mega Salamence's Return. It also lets Talonflame survive Choice Band Talonflame's Brave Bird and KO the opposing Talonflame in return. The Speed EVs allow Talonflame to outspeed base 110 Speed Pokemon, notably Mega Metagross. Charti Berry is insurance against Rock Slide, while Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers, notably Fake Out users and Mega Kangaskhan. More Speed investment can be used to outspeed Pokemon such as Mega Lucario or Choice Scarf Tyranitar, in which case points can be taken out of Attack. Usage Tips This Talonflame should be used as a glue for a team; as such, it's not recommended to build around it. While the EVs make Talonflame less frail, they don't make it bulky. The point of this set is, essentially, to stick around longer than offensive Talonflame sets to use both Will-O-Wisp and Tailwind, as other sets often have to settle for using one or the other before fainting. This set, with a Rocky Helmet, also works well as a Mega Kangaskhan check for teams that find themselves a little weaker to it than they'd like, though one should bear in mind that this set does not counter Mega Kangaskhan. Leading with Talonflame is key to getting the most out of it. Use Tailwind or Will-O-Wisp and let Talonflame take a few neutral hits, and use Brave Bird after it has spread burns and/or set up Tailwind. If Talonflame KOes itself with Brave Bird, you effectively give yourself a free switch to frailer threats such as Mega Gardevoir to keep momentum going with Tailwind. Team Options Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, Excadrill, and Breloom all enjoy Tailwind support and appreciate having Mega Kangaskhan checked. Quick Guard also helps Mega Metagross, Choice Scarf users, and other Pokemon that aren't used as often solely because of the threat of opposing Talonflame's Brave Birds, such as Hariyama, Conkeldurr, and Breloom. Taunt is, as always, a key option against Trick Room, Spore, and Dark Void users, and Fake Out from Kangaskhan or Ludicolo helps immensely in preventing such strategies from effectively being used. Fake Out, Follow Me, and Rage Powder help Talonflame fire off its support moves, so keep the aforementioned Ludicolo and Kangaskhan, as well as Scrafty and Clefable, in mind when teambuilding.

Moves Brave Bird is the Flying-type STAB move of choice, as Talonflame's frailty means that the recoil hardly matters. Flare Blitz hits Steel-types super effectively and is also used for other Pokemon that resist Brave Bird, such as Thundurus. U-turn is mostly filler, though it is useful for getting extra damage off while Talonflame switches and for easing matchups with Shadow Tag users. The last slot is purely filler. Will-O-Wisp is a good move to be locked into against Pokemon such as Bisharp and Mega Mawile when Talonflame is in KO range for Sucker Punch, while Sleep Talk helps slightly against sleep-inducing Pokemon, especially Smeargle. Set Details The EV spread is straightforward, giving Talonflame as much Speed and Attack as possible. Any defensive investment on offensive Talonflame is, for the most part, pointless, given Brave Bird's recoil and how weak Talonflame is when its Attack isn't maximized. Using Jolly over Adamant is only useful for outspeeding Mega Metagross and KOing it with Flare Blitz, so it's generally not recommended. Usage Tips Lead with or switch Talonflame in very carefully, and keep it away from super effective attacks. Otherwise, spam Brave Bird or use its coverage options occasionally. Team Options Kangaskhan and Talonflame make a devastating lead combination against just about any team without multiple Intimidate users, given their ability to simply spam high Base Power attacks, with Kangaskhan being able to stop Rock Slide from being used with Fake Out, a Fighting-type move, or by simply double-targeting a threat. Ludicolo is a good partner for Talonflame as well, as it has access to Fake Out and helps ward off Rotom-W, while Talonflame is good in rain teams in general because it threatens Ferrothorn and Amoonguss, two main threats to rain teams. Amoonguss can redirect Hydro Pump and Thunderbolt with Rage Powder or threaten foes with Spore, keeping Talonflame safe. Earthquake users such as Landorus-T and Excadrill enjoy spamming Earthquake alongside Talonflame; the latter is also able to KO Rotom-H and Rotom-W with Earthquake thanks to Mold Breaker. Talonflame is also useful on Trick Room teams because of its ability to strike first regardless of whether or not Trick Room is active thanks to Gale Wings. Jellicent and Cresselia are two Trick Room users that Talonflame complements, as Talonflame threatens Amoonguss and Aegislash, which are two huge threats to Trick Room teams.

Moves Brave Bird has priority thanks to Gale Wings and is a STAB move, and Flare Blitz hits most of what Brave Bird doesn't. Overheat eases predictions against Aegislash's King's Shield and isn't affected by Intimidate; the Special Attack debuff is irrelevant unless you need to use Overheat multiple times because of Brave Bird's recoil. The last two slots are utility options, so what works well there depends on the team's needs. Tailwind is a generally good move because of the speed control it offers, and Gale Wings giving it priority eases its setup. Taunt prevents the use of status moves such as Trick Room and Protect, which is quite useful. Will-O-Wisp cripples common physical attackers, such as Mega Kangaskhan. Quick Guard is a good move when leading with Talonflame to prevent the use of Fake Out, as well as other threatening priority moves such as Prankster status moves, Ice Shard, or even other Talonflame's Brave Bird. Protect allows Talonflame to stick around longer in the face of Rock Slide users, though sometimes it's best just to play smart with Talonflame due to its frailty. Set Details This set aims to give Talonflame more flexibility in its moves instead of being locked into Brave Bird, allowing it to utilize its good support movepool. Life Orb is used to provide the most power while not giving up flexibility, and while the recoil stacks with Brave Bird recoil, it doesn't make much of a difference because of Talonflame's fragility. If running Overheat, more Special Attack investment could be used to give it more power; if so, a Naive nature is worth considering so Talonflame can still outspeed Terrakion while keeping its Attack maximized, as in some cases, using Naive over Naughty will actually give Talonflame more Attack. Usage Tips Although Life Orb Talonflame has the option to use other moves more freely, Brave Bird is still Talonflame's best attack. Leading with this Talonflame to immediately start using its support options is a good idea; one should be very careful when switching Talonflame in, as it could easily be KOed due to a misprediction. Team Options Kangaskhan appreciates Tailwind support and a partner that can ward off Fighting-types, and Talonflame fits the bill perfectly. Amoonguss and Ludicolo help with Talonflame's Rotom-W (and Rotom-H in Ludicolo's case) weakness while helping Talonflame avoid dangerous attacks with Rage Powder and Fake Out, respectively. Fake Out coupled with Taunt Talonflame is also a good strategy for beating Trick Room teams. Landorus-T and Excadrill enjoy Tailwind and Talonflame's Ground immunity to spam Earthquake with ease.

Moves Brave Bird takes full advantage of Gale Wings to hit the opponent with a STAB 120 Base Power priority move. It's also the best answer the game has for Blaziken. Flare Blitz is Talonflame's other STAB option if locking into Brave Bird is not optimal, and it hits Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Scizor very hard. U-turn allows Talonflame to scout opponents and keep momentum in your favor. The last slot is mainly filler, as you'll rarely use anything aside from the first three moves, but in certain situations, using Will-O-Wisp or Tailwind to support the next teammate is the best option. Sleep Talk is also a viable option that allows Talonflame to switch into an incoming Spore from Breloom. Set Details This set is designed to maximize Talonflame's offensive capabilities. Despite only having a measly base 81 Attack, great Attack investment with Choice Band gives it a lot of firepower and makes it easier to spam Brave Bird. Adamant is often preferred over Jolly because the boost in Attack is more important than Speed when Talonflame fires off priority moves. 220 EVs in Speed let Talonflame outspeed maximum Speed Liepard to beat Assist Spore. They also let Talonflame beat priority users such as Mega Kangaskhan and a lot of Talonflame variants that put more investment into HP. 44 HP EVs give Talonflame 159 HP to optimize passive damage and give it a slight boost in bulk. The rest of the EVs are put into Attack. It's possible to sacrifice some Speed EVs for HP to increase longevity and handle recoil better, but keep in mind this can allow opposing Pokemon to outspeed Talonflame with priority. Key Pokemon to look out for are opposing Talonflame and Mega Kangaskhan (if you opt for less than 172 EVs in Speed). It will also limit Pokemon you will be able to use U-turn against. Usage Tips Ideally, this Talonflame's role is to sweep the opponent once all of their Pokemon are within KO range from Brave Bird. Until then, it can be used as a scout or pivot with U-turn, or heavily dent Pokemon that switch into Brave Bird or Flare Blitz. However, it's frail and takes a lot of recoil, so don't expect it to pull through teams it cannot take out alone. Choice Band Talonflame's matchups are usually either very good or very bad, so keep your opponent's team in mind when locking yourself into a move. Avoid bad matchups as much as possible, and make good use of U-turn predicting your opponent to switch out Talonflame-weak Pokemon and keep momentum on your side. Flare Blitz also 2HKOes non-Sitrus Berry Zapdos, which is commonly used to stop Talonflame, so if the opponent is afraid of Brave Bird and has Zapdos in their team, Flare Blitz is usually a pretty good option. Another thing to keep in mind is that the opponent will know Talonflame is holding a Choice Band from the damage output and will plan accordingly. If you think it's in your favor to keep your Talonflame set ambiguous in a match, don't use U-turn. It rarely is the case, as many people will assume you're using a Choice Band anyway, but occasionally it makes it hard for opponents to bring in certain Pokemon when they don't know you're locked into Flare Blitz. It's also important to look out for Rocky Helmet users, as combined with move recoil it will hurt you a lot. While not as common as in 6v6, Stealth Rock does have a decent presence in Battle Spot Singles, especially on Blaziken teams. There are also a few Pokemon that spam Roar or Whirlwind after setting up Stealth Rock, such as Hippowdon and Swampert, so don't bring Talonflame when facing a team with Hippowdon or a non-rain team Swampert. Entry hazard management is useful, but the difficulty is not really worth it. Defog users and Rapid Spin users are very limited in number, and using a turn to remove entry hazards is usually not the best option. Team Options Talonflame's ideal use is to sweep weakened teams late-game. Due to this simplicity, Talonflame works with Pokemon that deal severe damage to Pokemon that stop these sweeps. Garchomp resists a lot of Talonflame's weaknesses and clears the path very effectively with super effective Earthquakes against the three types that resist Flying, though it does struggle against Zapdos, Thundurus, Rotom-W, and Skarmory. Talonflame can also finish off teams weakened by offensive Pokemon such as Greninja, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Gengar.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's best move, hitting hard with STAB 120 Base Power. Flare Blitz takes advantage of Talonflame's other STAB type, allowing it to hit opposing Steel-types or other Pokemon that would otherwise survive a Brave Bird. Swords Dance allows Talonflame to sweep through a lot of teams, especially when everything is in range of a +2 Brave Bird. Roost is another option in this slot if you want to switch Talonflame a lot during a battle, giving it more opportunities to switch into Stealth Rock, as well as mitigate the tremendous amounts of recoil done by the attacking moves, Rocky Helmet, and Life Orb. Will-O-Wisp is a handy support option that Talonflame can use against incoming switch-ins, crippling them if they're physical attackers. U-turn allows Talonflame to switch out while damaging the opponent, potentially breaking Focus Sashes or giving you the upper hand when the opponent decides to switch. Tailwind can come in handy if you want to sacrifice Talonflame to allow your next Pokemon to come in with double Speed, which can be very helpful for Pokemon that are in a mediocre Speed tier, such as Mega Heracross and Sylveon. Taunt is also a useful option to prevent the opponent from setting up entry hazards or boosts. Although it does require a fair amount of prediction, it is very effective against Pokemon such as Skarmory and Cresselia. Set Details 44 HP EVs give Talonflame 159 HP, which is a Life Orb number and optimizes passive damage. Attack is maximized to increase damage output. 212 Speed EVs let Talonflame outspeed base 105 Speed Pokemon, allowing Talonflame to Flare Blitz Manectric before it Mega Evolves, which will OHKO after a Swords Dance if Talonflame is holding a Life Orb. An Adamant nature is preferred over Jolly as it gives a 10% boost to Attack, while Talonflame doesn't necessarily need the 10% boost in Speed thanks to Gale Wings. However, a Jolly nature with 228 Speed EVs will allow Talonflame to outspeed Water Shuriken Greninja that may potentially stop its sweep as well as outspeed and OHKO Thundurus with Flare Blitz after a Swords Dance boost. Life Orb provides Talonflame with the most powerful boost it can get without locking itself to a move, allowing Talonflame to choose moves flexibly based on the opponent in front of it. Sharp Beak is also an option for this slot if you don't want to deal with Life Orb recoil on top of the recoil from the two main attacking moves, but keep in mind it will not boost Flare Blitz and Brave Bird will be slightly less powerful. Usage Tips This Talonflame is best used when the path is clear for a sweep. One key difference between this set and the Choice Band set is that Talonflame won't be locked into a move, allowing it to switch between Brave Bird and Flare Blitz, Taunt opposing support Pokemon, recover HP with Roost, burn opposing Pokemon with Will-O-Wisp, or set up a Swords Dance. Due to this flexibility, this set is capable of going up against both offensive and defensive Pokemon and provide support for the other two members in your team. Even if the opponent has a Zapdos in their team, if you set up a Swords Dance on the switch Flare Blitz can OHKO with Life Orb. However, due to Talonflame's lackluster defensive stats, it's usually unable to fully utilize its entire moveset before going down. Therefore, whenever Talonflame is sent out, keep in mind what is needed the most in the current situation in the battle and choose its moves accordingly. Team Options This Talonflame is very flexible, so it is able to fit into almost any team. It enjoys Garchomp, Aegislash, and Mega Lucario as a partner because they can switch into incoming Rock-type moves and dish out a lot of damage. Breloom is also a good partner, as Tailwind can double its Speed to allow it to Spore faster opponents, as well as Spore slow Rock-types and defensive Pokemon. Putting Pokemon to sleep also gives Talonflame a great opportunity to set up Swords Dance. Mega Gengar is a great partner to remove Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Cresselia, which prevent Talonflame from sweeping. If you're using Perish Trap Gengar with Wobbuffet, Wobbuffet can also give Talonflame an opportunity to set up Swords Dance by Encoring the opponent into a status or Ground-type move.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's main STAB move, because you can't go wrong with a 120 Base Power STAB priority move. Will-O-Wisp completely stops physical attackers, and combined with priority Roost, a lot of opponents such as Mega Salamence and Mega Mawile will not be able to get past Talonflame. Taunt allows Talonflame to handle support Pokemon and slowly scrape off HP with burn damage while preventing bulky Pokemon from recovering HP. Set Details 92 Speed EVs and Jolly nature allow Talonflame to outspeed Adamant Mega Salamence. Putting 252 EVs into Defense will give Talonflame 174 HP and will therefore go down after two switches with Stealth Rock up, so 8 EVs are shifted to HP. As a little bonus, 175 HP is optimal for handling passive damage. Rocky Helmet is for taking on opposing physical attackers. Even without any Attack investment, Brave Bird has the same damage output as a maximum Attack Scizor's Bullet Punch. Usage Tips Against tankier, stall Pokemon, Taunt allows Talonflame to get past a lot of them with relative ease. On top of that, priority Roost lets Talonflame stall out foes with burn damage. In essence, physical attackers that are unable to 2HKO Talonflame while burned will not be able to beat it. If used effectively enough, all of the opponent's Pokemon will eventually enter Brave Bird range. There is also the element of surprise in your favor, as most opponents will assume Talonflame to be a Choice Band set. This set is also very good against Pokemon that rely on Sucker Punch, such as Bisharp, Mega Mawile, and Mega Kangaskhan, as it allows Talonflame to get a free burn and cripple them. That said, keep in mind Will-O-Wisp can miss and there are physical Pokemon that are capable of 2HKOing while burned, notably Rock-types, Rock Slide Mega Kangaskhan, and Belly Drum Azumarill. However, Rock-types deal half damage when Roosting, so don't forget to check the amount of damage the opponent does to Talonflame to avoid unnecessary accidents. This set doesn't fare too well against special attackers, so don't force yourself to stay in against them. This set is also setup fodder for Mega Sableye. Stealth Rock isn't as scary on this set if you can create opportunities to Roost back up. Team Options Garchomp is a great teammate that can switch into hits that Talonflame prefers not to take and effectively scrape off a lot of HP from the opponent. Tyranitar is also a nice teammate to have for special attackers, though keep in mind the sandstorm can sometimes affect the longevity of Talonflame. Talonflame also helps Tyranitar greatly by scaring away Fighting types and weakening physical attackers. Other specially defensive Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Cresselia make great teammates as well, especially if you plan on stalling out foes with burn damage.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's strongest Flying-type STAB move to take advantage of Gale Wings. It will mainly be used to revenge kill weakened Pokemon or finish off foes after stalling burn damage. Will-O-Wisp is great for wearing down Pokemon and hindering physical attackers. Taunt stops defensive Pokemon from using recovery or using Toxic on Talonflame. Roost allows Talonflame to stall Pokemon alongside burn damage, and thanks to Gale Wings, it can Roost on faster offensive Pokemon as well. Set Details The HP and Defense EVs allow Talonflame to avoid being KOed by a combination of Rock Tomb and Mach Punch from a burned Breloom so you can beat Focus Sash variants. 52 Speed EVs are used to outspeed up to Adamant maximum Speed Mega Kangaskhan, and the remaining EVs are dumped into Special Defense. A Careful nature with a lot of Special Defense investment is used to take on common special attacking walls such as Cresselia and Porygon2. The Special Defense is also helpful to take on some common offensive special attackers such as Mega Gengar and Sylveon. Lum Berry allows Talonflame to switch into defensive Pokemon, such as Cresselia and Chansey, and avoid getting poisoned by Toxic. It also helps to avoid getting put to sleep by Breloom and Mega Venusaur. Gale Wings allows Talonflame to revenge kill weakened Pokemon with Brave Bird or use priority Roost to stall out faster Pokemon, such as Latios and Mega Gengar. Usage Tips This set should be played defensively, slowly wearing down Pokemon until they get in range of a KO from Brave Bird. Bring Talonflame in against defensive Pokemon such as Cresselia, Porygon2, Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur, and wear them down with Will-O-Wisp and Taunt to limit their recovery. Taking these bulky Pokemon out or weakening them can pave the way for Talonflame's more offensive teammates to win the game. After Talonflame's Lum Berry is used, be careful switching directly into defensive Pokemon because Toxic is detrimental to this set. Once you have Pokemon such as Cresselia and Ferrothorn burned and Taunted, you can safely spam Will-O-Wisp to catch switch-ins. Since they will be doing very little damage to Talonflame, Roosting every turn isn't necessary, so you can Roost only when needed and use Will-O-Wisp on other turns. This set is mainly used as a stallbreaker, but thanks to Gale Wings it's very flexible. It can also be used against offensive teams as a check to Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Aegislash, Blaziken, and Volcarona. Priority Brave Bird can pick up revenge kills on many weakened Pokemon on offensive teams, and Will-O-Wisp is very useful against teams with a lot of strong physical attackers, such as Mega Kangaskhan and Garchomp. Team Options Talonflame works very well with many physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Mawile, Tyranitar, Garchomp, and Mamoswine, as it is able to weaken and take care of many physical walls such as Cresselia and Ferrothorn and switch into Will-O-Wisp for them. In turn, many of these physical attackers are able to deal with Thundurus and other Electric-types for Talonflame. Mega Gengar likes taking advantage of the burns Talonflame spreads with Hex. Suicune and Rotom-W like having Talonflame around as a check to Grass-types. Suicune and defensive Rotom-W variants can deal with Garchomp for Talonflame. Rotom-W can also take out bulky Water-types, such as Suicune, and use Volt Switch to get Talonflame in safely against opposing Pokemon so Talonflame doesn't need to risk switching directly in and fear taking an incoming Toxic or Sleep move.

Moves Brave Bird is Talonflame's strongest STAB Flying-type move and hits any side of the field regardless of what position it's in. Thanks to Gale Wings, Talonflame can set up Tailwind very reliably, providing speed control for your team, which is very important in Triples. Quick Guard protects your team from various moves such as Fake Out, Sucker Punch, and Flying-type attacks from opposing Talonflame. Fake Out is an especially important move to block because it's incredibly common in the metagame, and Talonflame conveniently outspeeds every unboosted user of Fake Out bar Mega-Evolved Mega Lopunny. Snatch is a very useful move in Triples, as it can stop many common moves such as Wide Guard, Quick Guard, Reflect, Light Screen, and Tailwind. Stopping your opponent from using Wide Guard and Quick Guard is especially useful for helping Talonflame's teammates use spread moves or Fake Out. If you don't need Tailwind on Talonflame, or are using it on a Trick Room team, it has many other options it can use. Protect can be used for stalling Trick Room and keeping Talonflame on the field for another crucial turn of support. Flare Blitz allows Talonflame to hit Steel-types such as Aegislash. Taunt can help prevent Wide Guard, Trick Room, and other strategies. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple many physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan. Set Details A Jolly nature with maximum Speed investment is used to at least Speed tie with other Talonflame and allows Talonflame to outspeed Weavile and Quick Guard its Fake Out. 60 EVs in HP help Talonflame survive a -1 Rock Slide from Landorus-T. The remaining EVs are put into Attack to get the best damage output possible. Sharp Beak is used to give Talonflame a better offensive presence; it is usually used over Life Orb so that Talonflame will have a little less recoil and potentially survive a turn or two longer, as well as allowing another teammate to use Life Orb if need be. If you don't mind the extra recoil and want more damage, Life Orb is still a viable option. Gale Wings is an amazing ability, allowing Talonflame to usually move first, even against opposing speed control such as Trick Room and Tailwind. Usage Tips Talonflame should utilize its support moves to give your team the biggest advantage possible. If the opposing team doesn't have any way to initially stop your speed control, Tailwind should be used. If the opponent has their own Tailwind setter, you might want to attempt to Snatch it, preventing it and using it for yourself. Snatch should also be used if you have teammates using spread attacks, such as Earthquake and Hyper Voice, against a foe that might have Wide Guard. If you need to get a Fake Out off with one of Talonflame's teammates, Snatch can also be used if you expect your opponent to use Quick Guard. You can also use Talonflame's Quick Guard when you expect opposing Fake Out or other priority moves to come your way. Successfully stopping any Fake Out will usually put a big dent in your opponent's plans. Aside from its great support, Talonflame can use its strong priority attacks to get off good damage, being especially useful for its ability to hit any side of the field. Because of this, you usually want to position Talonflame away from the center to avoid more Pokemon being able to target it. Positioning it away from the center is also nice because Talonflame can use its great natural Speed for shifting, which can be very useful for protecting Talonflame's teammates from predicted attacks. Team Options Pokemon with spread attacks, such as Earthquake and Heat Wave, really appreciate Talonflame's ability to Snatch away opposing Wide Guard. Pokemon with good spread attacks that work well with Talonflame include Sylveon, Landorus-T, Blastoise, and many more. Talonflame can also use its strong Brave Birds to weaken Pokemon for these spread attacks to clean through the opposing team. Pokemon with Wide Guard, such as Aegislash, Hitmontop, and Hariyama, can assist Talonflame by blocking Rock Slide. Hitmontop and Hariyama also appreciate Talonflame's Snatch because it helps them get off Fake Out against Quick Guard users. They can also use Feint to break Quick Guard for Talonflame's Brave Bird. Pokemon with average Speed, such as Mega Blastoise, Sylveon, and Assault Vest Landorus-T, can benefit from the Tailwind that Talonflame provides. Trick Room teams like having Talonflame as a backup fast attacker and for the support it can provide against Fake Out users that try to stop Trick Room from going up. Snatch also helps stop Wide Guard, which normally threatens most strong Trick Room sweepers such as Sylveon, Mega Camerupt, and Jellicent. Talonflame also deals with Amoonguss well, which can be a major problem for Trick Room teams. Talonflame is very frail, so Intimidate support is useful to soften some blows. Landorus-T and Hitmontop both offer Intimidate support and synergize well with Talonflame for reasons listed above. Talonflame also hates opposing Intimidate, so having Bisharp as a partner helps to play against it and discourages your opponent from leading with or bringing in their Intimidate users. Some other viable Defiant or Competitive Pokemon to accomplish this with are Milotic and Braviary. Although Braviary stacks weaknesses with Talonflame and functions similarly, having both can quickly wear down the opponent's Flying-type checks. Electric-types such as Zapdos and Rotom-W can help against bulky Water-types that Talonflame struggles with. Rotom-W can easily deal with Landorus-T and can also Snatch away Quick Guards for Talonflame.