Volcanion Movesets & Competitive Sets

Set Description Choice Scarf Volcanion outspeeds and surprises some of its checks like Landorus, Nihilego, Pressure Entei, and Galarian Darmanitan. Earthquake OHKOes Nihilego, while Heavy Slam beats most Tapu Lele. Fling can also be used for Avalugg. EVs The HP and Defense allow Volcanion to survive Jolly Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan’s Earthquake, with the HP giving some special bulk too. The Speed investment is for opposing Nihilego. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Attack. An alternate EV spread of 144 HP / 152 Def / 20 SpA / 192 Spe with a Modest nature can be used to tank an Earthquake from Adamant Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan. 72 HP / 64 Def / 180 SpA / 192 Spe and a Modest nature can be used to more reliably beat Assault Vest Glastrier, maximising Special Attack while still surviving Earthquake from Choice Band Avalugg. Usage Tips Choice Scarf Volcanion is very straightforward to use—if both of Volcanion's STAB moves are neutral against the foe, Overheat is almost always recommended. If Volcanion has Fling, it should be used turn 1 against an opposing Avalugg, then Overheat turn 2 to KO.

Set Description Volcanion carries a niche in 1v1 with its unique typing and good bulk, which gives it very good matchups versus two common type cores in 1v1: Fairy + Fire + Steel and Fire + Water + Grass. Sludge Bomb is used over Sludge Wave for the greater poison chance, which helps in the Sylveon matchup. Earth Power can be used for opposing Volcanion, and Hyper Beam for most Haxorus, while Fling and Water Pulse can be used for Avalugg and Pressure stall Entei, respectively. EVs 248 HP EVs and 108 Defense EVs let Volcanion survive Fake Out + Wood Hammer from Adamant Life Orb Rillaboom, as well as Earthquake from Adamant Choice Band Haxorus. The Special Defense allows it to take a Hyper Beam at -2 Special Defense from Modest Sylveon. The Speed investment outspeeds Adamant Rhyperior and some Metagross. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack. Usage Tips Choice Specs Volcanion is fairly straightforward—Overheat is almost always advised if both of Volcanion's STAB moves are neutral against the foe. If running Fling, use it versus Avalugg turn 1, then Overheat turn 2.

Set Description Custap Berry Volcanion gains positive matchups against Pokemon like Porygon-Z and Custap Berry Tapu Lele. Flame Charge helps beat Celesteela, SubSeed Venusaur, and opposing Custap Berry Pokemon, while Heavy Slam beats most Tapu Lele. Earthquake is mainly used for Nihilego. EVs The HP and Defense investment allows Volcanion to survive an Earthquake from Choice Band Avalugg, while the Speed investment allows it to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Porygon-Z, Moltres and Galarian Moltres. An alternate EV spread of 248 HP / 132 Def / 128 SpA with Earthquake can provide a somewhat reasonable Zeraora matchup. Usage Tips Endure is almost always the best move turn 1 versus threats that can OHKO Volcanion, like Galarian Darmanitan and Porygon-Z. Then, after activating Custap Berry, it can OHKO back with the appropriate move. Against Avalugg, Volcanion should use a physical move turn 1, breaking Avalugg's Sturdy without letting it land Mirror Coat. Against Venusaur, Volcanion should use Flame Charge turn 1 to reliably beat all of its sets. If the alternate EV spread is used, Volcanion can freely use Earthquake turn 1 against opposing Zeraora. If Zeraora uses Knock Off, then use Earthquake turn 2. If Zeraora uses Plasma Fists turn 1, some prediction is required. Volcanion must use Endure on Plasma Fists or Earthquake on Knock Off. However, if Zeraora's Plasma Fists brings Volcanion below 25%, you can simply use Earthquake turn 2 because Custap Berry will activate.

Set Description Sitrus Berry Volcanion trades the raw power of Choice Specs for better matchups against a few physical attackers, most notably Aggron, Sawk, Avalugg, and some Dracovish. Sitrus Berry secures the positive matchup against Choice Band Sawk and Assault Vest Urshifu-S, and it helps against Registeel. Will-O-Wisp beats various physical attackers, and Haze helps versus Registeel and Spectrier. EVs The HP and Defense EVs allow Volcanion to survive Fake Out + Wood Hammer from Adamant Life Orb Rillaboom. The Speed investment outspeeds Adamant Aggron, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Attack. Usage Tips Against opposing Aggron, Avalugg, and Sawk, Volcanion should use Will-O-Wisp turn 1 to break Sturdy and survive a hit, then Overheat on turn 2 to KO— or Steam Eruption against Aggron to minimise misses. To beat Urshifu-S, first use Will-O-Wisp to make sure it won't 2HKO Volcanion, then use Steam Eruption, and then Overheat to maximize damage output and minimize miss chances. However, if the damage Volcanion takes reveals Urshifu-S to have Choice Band, Overheat should be used immediately after Will-O-Wisp to KO it.

Volcanion is a blessing on rainless Water teams, as it is an offensive buffer against Grass-types and provides excellent role compression with Defog. Steam Eruption grants Volcanion a very powerful STAB move, can burn physical attackers such as Dragonite and Azumarill, and threatens residual burn damage on specially defensive walls like Aegislash and Galarian Slowking. Flamethrower has near-perfect coverage with Steam Eruption, checking threats such as Ferrothorn, Zarude, and Amoonguss. Sludge Bomb targets troublesome Fairy-types such as Azumarill, Tapu Fini, and Clefable, which either resist or have recovery to shrug off Steam Eruption and Flamethower. Defog lets Volcanion be an offensive entry hazard remover, forcing out hazard setters such as Ferrothorn and Heatran. 176 Speed EVs allow Volcanion to outpace Choice Specs Aegislash, while the HP EVs let it combat Tapu Bulu and Zarude better. Volcanion provides excellent entry hazard removal for teammates that lack recovery or are prone to hazard-stacking teams, such as Urshifu-R, Toxapex, and Cloyster. Swampert is essential, as it switches into Electric-type attacks from Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Zapdos, provides utility in Stealth Rock and Roar, and brings Volcanion into Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Tapu Bulu with Flip Turn. Slowking is a specially defensive wall that can switch into attacks from Nidoking and support Volcanion's wallbreaking with Future Sight and Teleport. Toxapex checks Pokemon like Tapu Bulu and Dragapult with Poison Jab and Toxic, removes held items such as Eviolite from Porygon2 and Galarian Corsola with Knock Off to ease Volcanion's wallbreaking, and helps wear down Grass-types with the aforementioned Poison Jab and Toxic. Choice Scarf Urshifu-R breaks past threats such as Kyurem and is fast enough to eliminate threats that outpace Volcanion, such as Choice Scarf Krookodile and Terrakion. Rotom-W appreciates Volcanion's Defog freeing up a moveslot for Pain Split, and in return it can switch into troublesome Ground-type attacks from the likes of Sand Rush Excadrill, Mamoswine, and Landorus-T. Golisopod provides Spikes and removes threatening Grass-types like Zarude and Rillaboom with First Impression. Additionally, Golisopod supports Volcanion with its Ground resistance and deals with walls such as Slowbro and Galarian Slowking. Tapu Fini can make up for Volcanion's middling Speed with a Choice Scarf set, letting it remove threats like Hydreigon and Garchomp. Cloyster appreciates Volcanion's hazard removal preserving its Focus Sash, and in return it breaks past Dragon-types like Latias, Dragapult, and Kommo-o. Choice Scarf Cloyster outpaces and deals with threats like Zarude, Tapu Bulu, and Nidoking while also setting Spikes for Volcanion's wallbreaking.

Volcanion's unique typing, ability in Water Absorb, and access to Defog make it a great asset for Fire teams. Steam Eruption breaks through opposing Ground- and Fire-type Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Heatran. Steam Eruption also threatens to burn foes as well, deterring physical attackers such as Dragonite and Urshifu-R from switching into it. Flamethrower alongside it leaves Volcanion difficult for most teams to switch into, allowing it to dismantle Steel, Fairy, and Flying teams by hitting Ferrothorn, Klefki, and Celesteela, respectively. Sludge Bomb lets Volcanion threaten Tapu Fini and revenge kill Azumarill after it has used Belly Drum. Earth Power deals with Fire- and Poison-types such as Heatran, Volcanion, and Toxapex, which Fire teams struggle against. 96 Speed EVs lets Volcanion outspeed Adamant Azumarill and revenge kill it with Sludge Bomb, while 168 EVs in HP allow Volcanion to survive an Earthquake from Choice Scarf Excadrill, as well as letting i to deal with threats such as Galarian Zapdos and specially defensive Landorus-T in a pinch. Cinderace serves as a great teammate, as it helps get through bulkier Pokemon that Volcanion can't always take on itself such as Tyranitar, Hydreigon, and Tapu Fini. Heatran also assists Volcanion by providing substantial bulk, giving a way to trap Mantine and Toxapex, and setting Stealth Rock. Volcarona works well with Volcanion, as it can take on many Electric-type Pokemon once boosted with Quiver Dance such as Zeraora, and it shuts down Steel teams once Volcanion has removed Heatran. Victini helps by being an incredibly strong wallbreaker, helping Fire get past troublesome bulkier Pokemon, such as Landorus-T and Mantine, while also providing pivoting in U-turn. Alolan Marowak provides an Electric immunity with Lightning Rod, helping Volcanion by dealing with Tapu Koko. Finally, Moltres provides a Ground immunity, which lets it take Choice Scarf Excadrill's and Hippowdon's Earthquakes; Moltres also spreads Toxic to wear down bulky Water-types such as Mantine, Slowbro, and Slowking, and it provides pivoting in U-turn.

Steam Eruption deals large amounts of damage to even neutral targets, and it destroys Fire- and Ground-type Pokemon like Incineroar and Landorus-T. It also can punish switch-ins with its high burn chance. Heat Wave is a spread move that hits Grass-types that resist Steam Eruption, like Rillaboom and Amoonguss. Volcanion can set up Substitute on Genesect, on Incineroar, and while next to a Fake Out user, and this allows Volcanion to attack freely without fear of attacks like Zygarde's Thousand Arrows. Earth Power is an option over Substitute to hit Volcanion, which would otherwise wall it. If Earth Power is run, Safety Goggles should be Volcanion's item to retain the ability to block Amoonguss's Spore. Protect keeps Volcanion safe so a teammate can come in and support it, such as Rillaboom with its Fake Out, while also allowing a teammate to set up ether Trick Room or Tailwind. Leftovers restores Volcanion's lost health from Substitute, while Safety Goggles allows it to switch into Amoonguss's Spore and ignore its Rage Powder when not running Substitute. Water Absorb lets Volcanion switch into Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes and completely wall it if it's Choice locked. EVs can be shifted from HP to Speed to outspeed Zeraora in Tailwind, or Volcanion can utilize a Quiet nature and 0 Speed IVs to be as fast as possible under Trick Room.

SubToxic Volcanion takes advantage of its common answers that rely on Toxic to beat it, especially Gastrodon and Vaporeon. Steam Eruption heavily damages common Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Heatran, and its high burn chance deters offensive switch-ins such as Rayquaza. Flamethrower targets Grass- and Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory and is preferred over Fire Blast thanks to the much higher PP and perfect accuracy. Substitute blocks status moves, in particular Toxic, from various passive walls such as Necrozma-DM, Gastrodon without a Ground-type attack, Heatran, and Vaporeon. Toxic cripples said Gastrodon and Vaporeon and wears them down, eventually forcing them out. Leftovers is the item of choice to maximize the number of times Volcanion can set Substitute, while Heavy-Duty Boots lets Volcanion switch in more freely throughout the game if its team lacks reliable entry hazard control. If Volcanion does not need full Speed investment, slower spreads with 220 HP allow Substitute to take two Clear Smog from Gastrodon or two Magma Storm from defensive Heatran. SubToxic Volcanion fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its ability to wear down Pokemon with shared checks. Tapu Koko and Zeraora like having opposing Gastrodon and Seismitoad weakened to clean up late game. Volcanion's vulnerability to all entry hazards means it needs teammates with strong hazard deterrence if it opts out of Heavy-Duty Boots. Landorus-T has Defog and can also check Ground- and Electric-types like Excadrill and Zeraora. On the other hand, Hatterene can block all entry hazards altogether with Magic Bounce. If run alongside a slow god such as Dialga, checks to faster offensive Pokemon like Rayquaza and Victini are required. Rotom-W can take their STAB attacks and pivot out to Volcanion on common switch-ins like Ferrothorn. Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Tangrowth check the aforementioned Ground- and Electric-types and thus synergize well with Volcanion; Rillaboom is also a great teammate, as it provides Grassy Terrain support to help keep Volcanion healthy.

Offensive Volcanion is a powerful and versatile attacker that has the tools to provide team support or circumvent its normal checks. Steam Eruption is a strong Water STAB attack that also has a high burn chance, which discourages foes that may try to take a hit and retaliate such as Rayquaza. Fire Blast hits Steel-type entry hazard setters like Skarmory and Necrozma-DM hard, as well as common Grass-types, namely Tangrowth and Rillaboom. Defog takes advantage of forced switches to clear entry hazards, and only a select few entry hazard setters, namely Seismitoad, can safely force Volcanion out. Earth Power hits Dialga, Heatran, and opposing Volcanion harder and can be used if there's another teammate with entry hazard removal. Sludge Bomb 2HKOes physically defensive Clefable and Tapu Fini, as well as potentially cripples switch-ins, in particular Gastrodon. Toxic is an alternative that pressures Gastrodon more but loses out on Clefable. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item to help Volcanion switch in consistently, especially if it is the team's entry hazard remover. Choice Scarf allows it to pick off weakened threats, and its bulk allows it to take priority attacks such as Rayquaza's Extreme Speed and Yveltal's Sucker Punch. Timid is the preferred nature, especially on Choice Scarf variants, however Modest is an option on Heavy-Duty Boots set to make Volcanion hit harder. Bulky offense builds benefit from Volcanion's defensive utility, its ability to remove entry hazards reliably. Gods with a high Speed stat like Zamazenta-C and Mewtwo allow Volcanion to force more Pokemon like Tapu Koko out. Offensive wallbreakers that like to switch in multiple times enjoy Volcanion's Defog. For example, Zygarde-10%, Rayquaza, and Victini are often forced out by faster revenge killers after getting a KO, especially the latter two when they get stat drops from using their powerful attacks. Physical threats such as Buzzwole and Kartana struggle against Skarmory and Ho-Oh, which Volcanion can deal with. For Beat Up teams, Volcanion can provide a special attacker without heavily reducing Beat Up's power. If Volcanion is paired with a slow god like Rayquaza, it's forced out by faster Pokemon, of which Zeraora and Zygarde-10% stand out. Tangrowth comfortably stomachs any hit from them and can cripple them with Stun Spore to help Volcanion. It can also deal with bulky Water-types that Volcanion can't do much to, such as Gastrodon and Slowbro. Other Ground- and Electric-type checks like Landorus-T and Rotom-W also make for great partners.

Volcanion has earned its niche through its dual STAB combination naturally staving off prominent threats Genesect, Rillaboom, and Victini. Steam Eruption is Volcanion's most consistent STAB move, hitting metagame staples like Incineroar and Landorus super effectively, as well as threatening other physical attackers like Dracovish and Galarian Zapdos with a burn. Heat Wave allows Volcanion to hit Pokemon that resist Steam Eruption such as Ferrothron and Kyurem-B while also KOing common threats such as Genesect and non-Assault Vest Rillaboom. Earth Power can be used to OHKO Naganadel and hit Dracovish and opposing Volcanion harder. Overheat ensures maximum damage output against Pokemon such as Kyurem-B and Wide Guard Celesteela in exchange for being a single target move. Sludge Bomb hits Tapu Fini, Tapu Lele, and Togekiss super effectively, while the poison chance helps break Dracovish. Sitrus Berry maintains Volcanion's longevity., while Wacan Berry is an option to surprise unsuspecting Regieleki and Zeraora and OHKO them. Life Orb can be used if the aforementioned checks are covered to maximize damage. Volcanion's great typing and bulk means that it has few consistent checks outside of Regieleki and Kyurem-B. To patch up these weaknesses, Volcanion is usually paired with Tsareena, Diancie, or Naganadel to eliminate Electric- and Dragon-types. Fake Out pressure from Incineroar or Rillaboom helps cover for Volcanion's low Speed. Zygarde is also an excellent teammate, as it checks Regieleki, Zeraora, and Tyranitar for Volcanion, which in return beats bulky Grass- and Ground-types that hinder Zygarde. Metagross also checks those same Pokemon, while threatening Dragon-types Latios, Regidrago, and Kyurem-B. Tailwind support from Talonflame can beat Nihilego and Landorus which are OHKOed by Steam Eruption. Redirection from Amoonguss enables Volcanion to beat Electric-types and Thunderbolt Genesect.

Choice Specs Volcanion is a terrifying wallbreaker on offensive teams, spouting amazing STAB moves and solid coverage options. Furthermore, its ability in Water Absorb and stellar defensive typing allow it to provide solid defensive utility on offense teams, as it can act as a soft check towards threats such as Ash-Greninja, Heatran, and Tapu Fini. However, Volcanion is fairly easy to pivot around due to all of its moves having common resistances or immunities, and it is overdependent on Toxic to break through its checks like Gastrodon and Mega Latias. These issues are compounded by Volcanion's awful longevity due to its crippling weakness to entry hazards. These factors mean that Volcanion faces severe competition from other, more effective wallbreakers such as Tapu Lele and Kartana. Steam Eruption is Volcanion's main STAB move, nailing even neutral targets such as Garchomp and Clefable for large amounts of damage. Flamethrower lets Volcanion hit common Water-resistant Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Serperior. Earth Power is Volcanion's coverage move of choice, letting it threaten Toxapex and Galarian Slowking. Toxic allows Volcanion to slowly whittle down would-be checks in Mega Latias, Slowking, and Gastrodon by badly poisoning them on the switch in. Sludge Wave can also be used as an option over Toxic to hit Tapu Fini extremely hard and deter it from switching in, as well as also being a solid midground against Grass-types, although it means that Volcanion can no longer punish Mega Latias and Gastrodon. Volcanion fits best on offensively oriented teams that appreciate its short-term defensive capabilites and its terrifying wallbreaking prowess. Teammates such as Mega Scizor, Tapu Lele, and Arctozolt appreciate Volcanion's ability to pressure bulky Water- and Steel-types, such as Corviknight, Ferrothorn, opposing Mega Scizor and Toxapex. These Pokemon baiting in Steel- and Water-types provides natural entry points for Volcanion to come in and act as a wallbreaker. Due to Volcanion's susceptibility to entry hazards, Pokemon such as Mega Diancie that can deflect it or good Defoggers such as Corviknight and Kartana make for solid partners. Pokemon that appreciate Volcanion taking the Water- and Fire-type attacks from Ash-Greninja and Heatran directed at them such as Landorus-T and Ferrothorn, respectively, are also good partners. Although Volcanion can pressure out slower Ground-types, faster ones often force it out instead, so Ground-immune Pokemon such as Corviknight and Landorus-T are excellent partners. Electric- immune Pokemon such as the aforementioned Landorus-T and Gliscor also work well due to Volcanion's tendency to be forced out by Electric-types. Lastly, due to Volcanion's inability to check the likes of Ash-Greninja and Heatran by itself, Dark- and Ground-resistant Pokemon, such as Gliscor and Tapu Koko work well with it to round off the defensive core.

Speed investment outspeeds Pangoro.

Volcanion is a powerful mixed attacker that dismantles many traditional defensive cores, such as those relying on Blissey, Corviknight, and Mew, with ease. Steam Eruption is its most powerful move and comes with a handy 30% burn chance. Once burned, would-be checks like Assault Vest Garchomp and Swampert cannot outdamage Volcanion and lose the one-on-one. Flare Blitz is the Fire-type move of choice, as it hits special walls like Blissey and Jirachi on their weaker defense while also having more PP and accuracy than other Fire-type moves. Earth Power nails Toxapex as well as Desolate Land users like Heatran and Cinderace. Substitute further increases Volcanion's wallbreaking prowess by allowing it to set up on Pokemon like Toxapex, Jirachi, and Ferrothorn lacking Power Whip and conveniently avoids the risk of its Life Orb being removed by Knock Off; alternatively, Sludge Bomb allows it to beat Tapu Fini more easily and threatens to inflict poison on Pokemon like Desolate Land Moltres and Choice Scarf Latias, which otherwise avoid the 2HKO from Volcanion. Magic Guard and Life Orb synergize well together and provide excellent longevity and power, notably giving Volcanion an immunity to entry hazards. The given EV spread ensures that Toxapex never breaks Volcanion's Substitute using Scald while maximizing Speed and power; on Sludge Bomb variants, the HP EVs can be moved to Special Attack. A Naive nature is preferred so that Volcanion can trade damage against burned Pokemon more comfortably. Volcanion fits well on pivot-heavy teams where it can get as many wallbreaking opportunities as possible. Thanks to its immunity to entry hazards, it can be brought in freely against most slower Pokemon like Corviknight and Toxapex and threaten to 2HKO them, or set up using Substitute. As such, offensive pivots like Galarian Zapdos and Zarude are prime partners, as they invite in defensive Pokemon like the aforementioned Corviknight, and can use U-turn to bring in Volcanion, preserving momentum. Furthermore, Galarian Zapdos threatens to OHKO Volcanion's checks like Chansey, Silvally-Dragon, and Swampert, while Zarude provides Grassy Terrain support, nullifying Volcanion's Ground-type weakness and providing a source of recovery. These offensive Pokemon, in turn, appreciate Volcanion's ability to punch huge holes in opposing teams so they can clean up late-game. Other offensive Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Talonflame are also useful, as they cover up Volcanion's middling Speed and can force out revenge killers such as Galarian Zapdos. Lastly, entry hazards support pairs well with Volcanion as it forces many switches, and it is useful to secure the OHKO on Jirachi and the 2HKO on non-Assault Vest Garchomp. As such, setters like Garchomp and Ferrothorn make good teammates. Dauntless Shield Mew deserves special mention as a Spikes setter, as it checks many Pokemon that outspeed and threaten Volcanion, such as Terrakion and Zygarde-10%, and can bring it in safely with Volt Switch or Teleport.

Choice Specs Volcanion is one of the strongest wallbreakers in the metagame. It distinguishes itself from other Primordial Sea users with its secondary Fire typing, which allows it to keep its STAB boost on Weather Ball if a Desolate Land user switches in, notably being able to OHKO offensive Heatran, OHKO Cinderace after minor chip, and 2HKO Moltres. Weather Ball also offers higher accuracy and PP than Steam Eruption. That said, Steam Eruption is Volcanion's strongest move in rain and 2HKOes the likes of Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Swampert and Jirachi, and OHKOes Garchomp after minor chip. Moreover, the burn chance lets it eventually 2HKO Blissey and specially defensive Ferrothorn once they are burned. Earth Power is the strongest move against Toxapex, which can otherwise stall out Steam Eruption's PP. Sludge Bomb allows Volcanion to poison its checks like Silvally-Dragon and Blastoise and also hits Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu. Choice Specs in conjunction with a Modest nature maximizes Volcanion's power. Volcanion finds home on balance and bulky offense teams in need of a strong wallbreaker, and it greatly benefits from the many slow pivots present on these types of teams, such as Corviknight and Mandibuzz, that can safely bring in Volcanion. Both are especially useful to switch into Ground-types like Garchomp and Landorus-T attempting to revenge kill Volcanion, while also crucially providing Defog, as Volcanion can be chipped down quickly from entry hazards damage. Similarly, Tapu Fini and Excadrill are great partners, as they have access to Defog and Rapid Spin, respectively; in addition, the former provides Knock Off support, while the latter is an excellent check to Tapu Koko, a prime revenge killer to Volcanion. Volcanion also pairs well with offensive pivots like Landorus-T and Tapu Koko, which invite in defensive Pokemon like Corviknight and Heatran, respectively, and can bring in Volcanion safely to wallbreak. Azelf is also a useful teammate to Volcanion, as they both have similar checks, and Azelf threatens to cripple the likes of Chansey and Silvally-Dragon with Trick or Knock Off. All three Pokemon mentioned serve as excellent revenge killers to check Pokemon like Terrakion and Zygarde-10% that can revenge kill Volcanion. Furthermore, entry hazards setters like Ferrothorn and Mew are important teammates that can help wear down the opposing team, chipping Pokemon like specially defensive Ferrothorn into 2HKO range and Garchomp into OHKO range. Entry hazards are also very important to rack up damage on Silvally-Dragon, as Volcanion can eventually outdamage its Regenerator recovery and 2HKO it using Steam Eruption.

Moves Steam Eruption is Volcanion's best Water-type STAB move, coming with high Base Power, reliable accuracy, a good chance to burn Volcanion's target, and most notably the ability to OHKO slower Ground-type Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Rhyperior, and Mega Steelix after Stealth Rock damage. Flamethrower is chosen over Fire Blast due to its higher accuracy and PP while still retaining the ability to 2HKO Mega Aggron and OHKO Doublade. Sludge Bomb is Volcanion's best option against Fairy-types, notably 2HKOing Mega Altaria and defensive Primarina, which resist Volcanion's STAB moves. It is preferable to Sludge Wave due to the higher poison chance, which helps to punish Pokemon such as Hydreigon, Latias, and Mantine for attempting to switch into Volcanion. Set Details 216 Speed EVs allow Volcanion to outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Scizor and OHKO it with Flamethrower before it can hit Volcanion with a +2 Knock Off or Superpower. Maximum Special Attack investment with a Modest nature lets Volcanion hit as hard as possible, allowing it to 2HKO defensive Primarina after Stealth Rock with Sludge Bomb and OHKO Celebi after Stealth Rock with Flamethrower. The remaining EVs are put into HP for additional bulk. Shuca Berry allows Volcanion to lure in faster Ground-types such as Mamoswine, Nidoking, and Krookodile that may attempt to revenge kill it and OHKO them with Steam Eruption. Leftovers is an alternative option that offers Volcanion a form of passive recovery, allowing it to switch into Pokemon such as Scizor and Primarina more reliably. Water Absorb offers Volcanion a way to recover its health, albeit unreliably, when switching in against targets such as Suicune and Primarina. Volcanion may opt to run 188 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outspeed offensive Mega Altaria and Adamant Bisharp or 252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine, although the loss of power is noticeable, preventing Volcanion from OHKOing Amoonguss after Stealth Rock damage, for example. Usage Tips Due to Volcanion's weakness to Stealth Rock, it should take advantage of its good matchup versus slower entry hazard setters such as Hippowdon, Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, and Nidoqueen and proactively attempt to prevent them from setting Stealth Rock. Due to its respectable bulk and Shuca Berry, it can risk switching in on the former two and forcing them out with the threat of Steam Eruption if it has high enough HP and keeping Stealth Rock off the field is a priority, although it must watch out for Toxic when doing this. Volcanion can also make use of the switches it forces against Pokemon such as Primarina and Scizor to clear entry hazards when facing Stealth Rock setters such as Terrakion, Mew, and Blissey that it cannot beat. If Volcanion is running a Shuca Berry, it can also attempt to lure and take out faster Ground-types such as Krookodile and Mamoswine. Shuca Berry can also be used to allow Volcanion to stay in against Swampert, which is otherwise risky to stay in against due to the high chance that Steam Eruption won't burn it, especially Choice Band sets, which can OHKO Volcanion from full. Due to its lack of reliable recovery, Volcanion should be kept healthy when possible in order to check Pokemon such as Primarina, non-Earthquake Mega Aggron, non-Earthquake Mega Altaria, and Scizor more reliably, especially if the opposing Stealth Rock setter has not yet fainted so it can continue to remove entry hazards. It should also watch out for coverage from these Pokemon, such as Psychic from Choice Specs Primarina and Superpower from Choice Band Scizor, as it leaves Volcanion susceptible to being 2HKOed the next time it comes in, and Primarina can survive one Sludge Bomb to 2HKO Volcanion with Psychic. If you predict a Pokemon such as Calm Mind Latias, Slowbro, or Suicune to switch in and Volcanion does not need to use Defog, it is recommended to either use Sludge Bomb to attempt to poison the opposing Pokemon or double switch to prevent Volcanion being used as setup fodder. Similarly, Volcanion should prioritize double switching when expecting Blissey to switch in to prevent offering it free turns to heal up, pass Wish, or set Stealth Rock. Volcanion should be careful about attempting to switch in against Scald users such as Empoleon, Tentacruel, and Starmie in order to attempt to regain HP due to the threat of either having its item removed by Knock Off or being hit by Toxic, the latter of which severely limits its longevity. However, if Volcanion has already used its Shuca Berry or has a teammate with Heal Bell, it can more freely attempt this and wear these Pokemon down for its teammates. Team Options Defog Volcanion fits mainly on bulky offense and balance teams that appreciate a strong offensive entry hazard remover that checks Pokemon such as Primarina and Scizor. Krookodile, Rhyperior, and Hippowdon are excellent Stealth Rock setters to pair with Volcanion, being able to check Pokemon such as Mega Manectric, Rotom-H, and Mega Aerodactyl for it. Krookodile can also shut down common entry hazard setters such as Hippowdon and Mega Steelix with Taunt, taking pressure off of Volcanion to use Defog, while Rhyperior provides a check to Flying-types such as Togekiss and Moltres, and Hippowdon can provide a switch-in to other threats to Volcanion such as Choice Scarf Krookodile while more consistently checking the above Pokemon due to having reliable recovery. In return, Volcanion offers a switch-in to Primarina, which can OHKO all of them. Steel-types such as Mega Steelix, Mega Aggron, and Doublade are great partners, as they can check threats such as Nihilego and Mega Aerodactyl, which can OHKO Volcanion after Stealth Rock damage, as well as Latias and non-Fire Blast Mega Altaria, which can freely set up on Volcanion, provided Mega Altaria has not yet Mega Evolved. Mega Steelix and Mega Aggron can also set up Stealth Rock, while Doublade can check Terrakion. In return, Volcanion can provide a switch-in to Scald users such as Empoleon, Tentacruel, and Primarina while offering a secondary Scizor check. Pursuit trappers such as Choice Scarf Krookodile, Mega Aerodactyl, and Choice Band Scizor can help alleviate some of the problems Latias causes for Volcanion. Krookodile in particular also offers a valuable Electric immunity, which helps to deal with Pokemon such as Mega Manectric and Rotom-H, while Mega Aerodactyl can help check Flying-types such as Togekiss and Moltres. Volcanion appreciates them checking threatening Pokemon such as Mega Aerodactyl and Terrakion and provides a switch-in to Primarina and Scizor in return. Fairy-types such as Sylveon, Florges, and Togekiss are able to check Hydreigon, one of Volcanion's best checks. They can also provide Heal Bell support in order to remove status such as poison and paralysis inflicted by Mega Aggron, Klefki, and Empoleon, allowing Volcanion to remove entry hazards from these setters more readily. Sylveon and Florges can also provide Wish support, alleviating Volcanion's lack of recovery and letting it check Primarina and Scizor more consistently. In return, these Fairy-types greatly appreciate Volcanion removing Steel-types such as Scizor and Doublade, which helps Togekiss in particular to sweep more easily. Mega Altaria can check and set up on Electric-types such as Zeraora and Rotom-H and deal with Calm Mind Suicune, which can set up on Volcanion. It can also help to threaten Pokemon such as Pyukumuku and Blissey, and in return, it appreciates Volcanion's ability to OHKO Scizor and Amoonguss, which can otherwise consistently check Mega Altaria and limit its sweeping potential. Hydreigon and Latias make for good partners for Volcanion, as they can check Ground-types such as Swampert, Nidoking, and, in Hydreigon's case, Krookodile for Volcanion, which can potentially allow Volcanion to forgo running Shuca Berry in favor of Leftovers for extra recovery. Furthermore, Hydreigon can run Taunt to prevent Pokemon such as Swampert, Blissey, and Krookodile from setting entry hazards, which takes pressure off Volcanion, and to help break bulkier teams featuring Pokemon such as Mantine and Pyukumuku. Hydreigon and Latias can also help to deal with Calm Mind Mega Slowbro and Suicune, which can both use Volcanion as setup fodder, and in return, they appreciate Volcanion weakening Fairy- and Steel-types such as Primarina and Mega Steelix. Pivots such as Mienshao and Scizor make for helpful partners to Volcanion. Assault Vest Mienshao in particular can switch into Hydreigon and bring Volcanion into favorable positions against common switch-ins such as Hippowdon, Primarina, Scizor, and Amoonguss. Mega Manectric also pairs well with Volcanion, appreciating it breaking bulky Ground-types such as Hippowdon that would otherwise prevent Mega Manectric from pivoting with Volt Switch, and in return, it can pressure bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Mega Slowbro that wall Volcanion while taking some pressure off Volcanion to check Scizor.

Moves Steam Eruption is Volcanion's best Water-type STAB move, featuring high Base Power and a chance to burn foes. Flamethrower is the preferred option on a bulkier set like this given its perfect accuracy, respectable damage output, and high PP. Toxic cripples common switch-ins to Volcanion like Latias, Hydreigon, and Slowbro, making them easier to deal with as the match progresses. Protect racks up damage on badly poisoned foes, also scouting the move common Choice item users such as Hydreigon and Krookodile lock into. Substitute serves a similar purpose to Protect, chipping foes in tandem with Toxic, while also taking advantage of Empoleon and Toxic targets like Mantine and Slowbro. Set Details Maximum HP investment improves Volcanion's overall bulk, letting it serve as a better check to Scizor and preventing Slowbro's unboosted Psyshock from breaking its Substitute. 216 Speed EVs allow Volcanion to outpace maximum Speed Adamant Scizor and singe it with Flamethrower before it can get off an attack. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack with a Modest nature in order to maximize Volcanion's offensive presence. Leftovers provides Volcanion with passive recovery, pairing nicely with Protect and Substitute. Water Absorb is the only usable ability, presenting Volcanion with an appreciated immunity to Water-type attacks. Usage Tips Use Volcanion early-game to spread Toxic poison and cripple its long-term answers like Latias, Hydreigon, and Seismitoad. This can be an especially easy task given that many opponents will usually assume Volcanion to be running Choice Specs if it has yet to reveal Leftovers, meaning the aforementioned Pokemon are likely to switch in initially. When facing common Choice item users like Hydreigon and Krookodile, utilize Protect to scout their move and react accordingly. If running Substitute, use it in the face of Pokemon like Scizor, Doublade, and Mega Aggron that are commonly threatened out by Volcanion, or simply against foes such as Empoleon and Mantine that are unable to break it. While weak to all entry hazards, this Volcanion set is especially weak to Toxic Spikes, making their removal a top priority if Volcanion is to function as intended. Keep Volcanion healthy if it is needed to handle a threatening foe like Scizor, Wish passing to it if need be. Poison essentially neuters Volcanion's effectiveness by ruining its longevity, meaning it is best to avoid switching into potential Toxic users like Empoleon or making it necessary for a teammate to use Heal Bell if it is to occur. Team Options Toxic Volcanion is a strong pick for balance teams as a means of spreading status and checking Scizor. Fairy-types like Sylveon, Togekiss, and Mega Altaria are great partners, checking Dragon-types, providing Heal Bell support, and Wish passing in the case of Sylveon. Hydreigon and Latias cover some of Volcanion's main weaknesses and take advantage of its ability to threaten Steel-types and cripple bulky Water-types with Toxic. Rotom-C and all the aforementioned Dragon-types can remove entry hazards with Defog, making Volcanion much more efficient in accomplishing its role on a team. Choice Scarf Krookodile shares nice type synergy with Volcanion and can pick off opposing Latias weakened by Volcanion with Pursuit. Similarly, grounded Poison-types like Nihilego, Amoonguss, and Nidoking remove the Toxic Spikes that Volcanion hates upon their entry. Nihilego appreciates Volcanion checking Scizor, while Nidoking can help wear down Volcanion hardest counter in Blissey with either Taunt or Superpower.

Moves Steam Eruption serves as Volcanion's Water-type STAB move, possessing high Base Power, solid accuracy, and a decent chance to cripple foes with burns. Fire Blast is generally Volcanion's preferred Fire-type STAB move, featuring great damage output at the cost of fairly unreliable accuracy. Flamethrower is safer, more reliable option with more PP and perfect accuracy, but it is hard to justify over Fire Blast's raw power. Earth Power offers nice coverage alongside Volcanion's STAB moves, notably netting the OHKO on opposing Volcanion while threatening Tentacruel and Empoleon more than other options. Alternatively, Hidden Power Electric punishes other Water-types like Mantine, Mega Slowbro, and Alomomola, though due to its low damage output, it can be poor to lock into. Sludge Bomb hits Fairy-types like Mega Altaria and Primarina super effectively and possesses a decent chance to cripple common switch-ins such Latias and Hydreigon with poison. Sludge Wave is a slightly more powerful option, providing a better chance to OHKO Primarina, but the extra poison chance usually makes Sludge Bomb the superior move. Set Details 252 Special Attack EVs in combination with Choice Specs let Volcanion hit as hard as possible at the cost of locking into a move. Maximum Speed investment allows Volcanion to outrun most of the tier's bulky Pokemon as well as threats like Scizor and Crawdaunt. A Modest nature offers even more damage output and gets better rolls on Pokemon like Primarina, while a Timid nature lets Volcanion at least Speed tie with other base 70 Speed Pokemon, most notably opposing Volcanion and neutral Speed-natured Mamoswine. Water Absorb is the only available ability, giving Volcanion an immunity to Water-type attacks. Usage Tips Volcanion is best used as a wallbreaker early on, throwing out powerful attacks to break down the opposing team. Steam Eruption is Volcanion's most spammable move given its high Base Power coupled with the ability to cripple its switch-ins with burns. Ideally, Volcanion is brought in safely through the use of double switches or U-turn and Volt Switch, though it is bulky enough to stomach hits if need be. However, switching directly into attacks in tandem with its vulnerability to all entry hazards tends to wear down Volcanion quickly, so be wary if it is needed to offensively check threats like Primarina and Scizor later on in the match. Clear entry hazards, most specifically Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, with teammates when given the opportunity, since they can severely hinder Volcanion's longevity and opportunities to come in and effectively perform its role. Only lock into coverage moves when completely necessary, as they can often be taken advantage of by foes. Team Options Choice Specs Volcanion fits best on bulky offense and balance teams that make use of its wallbreaking prowess and solid defensive utility. With its most common answer being Latias, Pursuit is a valuable tool alongside Volcanion, making Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl, Alolan Muk, and Choice Scarf Krookodile effective partners. Volt Switch and U-turn users like Rotom-C, Scizor, and Mega Pidgeot provide solid avenues of getting Volcanion into favorable positions safely. Scizor can also offer Pursuit support with its Choice Band set while Rotom-C can remove entry hazards and threaten bulky Water-types. Volcanion is easily taken advantage of by Dragon-types like Latias and Hydreigon, meaning switch-ins like Silvally-Steel, Sylveon, and Mega Altaria make for valuable teammates. Similarly to Rotom-C, Silvally-Steel and Mega Altaria are also able to remove entry hazards for Volcanion with Defog. Sylveon can keep Volcanion healthy with its Wish support. Fighting-types and other powerful physical attackers such as Terrakion, Cobalion, and the aforementioned Scizor are necessary to break through Volcanion's most sturdy answer in Blissey. Dragon-types like Latias and Hydreigon cover Volcanion's weaknesses to Ground- and Electric-type attacks, while appreciating its ability to punish opposing Steel- and Fairy-types. Stealth Rock setters such as Mega Aggron, Celebi, and Nihilego aid Volcanion in its wallbreaking efforts, further pressuring the switches it forces.

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Moves Steam Eruption gives Volcanion a strong single-target STAB attack, and Heat Wave gives it a strong spread STAB option. Substitute is especially viable on Volcanion due to its good defensive typing, ability to force switches, and access to strong STAB moves. When executed successfully, Substitute can give Volcanion a lot of momentum to either pressure the foe into attacking it or stall time with Protect for Leftovers recovery. Set Details The given EV spread allows Volcanion to outspeed uninvested Tapu Fini and to ensure its Substitute is never broken by Amoonguss's Giga Drain; the remaining EVs are invested into Special Attack with a Modest nature to make Volcanion hit as hard as possible. That said, the EVs can be shifted around to meet your team's specific requirements for bulk, power, and speed. On Trick Room teams, a Quiet nature is usable over Modest to minimize Speed. Most of the time, Volcanion will prefer to have a Wiki Berry equipped, as this is easily activated through Substitute and provides enough healing to make Volcanion a relevant defensive check to the threats it needs to answer. With the given HP, two uses of Substitute and a switch-in with Stealth Rock on the field will always activate Volcanion's Wiki Berry. Waterium Z may be more useful on some teams, as this weakens Incineroar's Knock Off to ensure Volcanion's Substitute isn't broken and offers a strong attack. Alternatively, Leftovers provides a consistent recovery option that can be repeatedly taken advantage of by cycling through Protect and Substitute turns. Usage Tips The main goal of this set is to position Volcanion into a situation where it can comfortably get behind a Substitute. To accomplish this, take advantage of predicted switches, passive plays, or matchups where the opposing Pokemon simply don't pose a threat to Volcanion. Similarly to more offensive sets, Substitute Volcanion is most effective mid-game after its checks have been dealt with. However, once behind a Substitute, Volcanion has more freedom to stay in on its would-be checks to fire off strong STAB attacks in retaliation. Use Protect liberally once Substitute is up to take advantage of free Leftovers recovery turns and to play mind games with the opponent, who will likely feel pressured to double target Volcanion. Water Absorb allows Volcanion to effortlessly pivot in on Water-type attacks, although Volcanion ends up in a "stalemate" situation against bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Volcanion mirrors, and Substitute Volcanion lacks the coverage moves to hit these Pokemon back. Sometimes you can take advantage of these situations to attack the Water-type's partner, but if Volcanion is feeling like dead weight, you're best off preserving it for later in the match. Volcanion has good bulk and a decent defensive typing, so it can be used as a pivot into neutral and resisted attacks. However, you generally should preserve Volcanion's HP as much as possible so it can clean up late-game or retain enough HP to use Substitute more effectively later on. Where possible, make use of speed control tactics like Tailwind, Icy Wind, and Trick Room so Volcanion can get the upper hand on faster foes like Mega Tyranitar and Landorus-T that it wants to check but can't quite outpace. Team Options Tapu Bulu is an excellent partner for Substitute Volcanion; Grassy Terrain compounds the turn-by-turn recovery Volcanion already receives from Leftovers and also mitigates Volcanion's weakness to Earthquake. Teams that struggle to beat bulky Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Aegislash also appreciate Volcanion's presence. Speed control users allow Volcanion to overcome its middling speed to become a threatening attacker: Zapdos and Mega Salamence can reliably set Tailwind and have decent type synergy with Volcanion, notably being able to deal respectable damage to bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and opposing Volcanion; Kyurem-B can reliably use Icy Wind and also hit Water-types with Fusion Bolt; and Trick Room setters such as Hoopa-U, Mega Gardevoir, and Bronzong can give Volcanion the speed control it needs if its EV spread minimizes its Speed investment. Volcanion is threatened out by Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos, Ground-types like Landorus-T and Zygarde, and Rock-types like Tyranitar, so checks to these such as Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Mega Metagross are always appreciated. Bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini, Volcanion, and Milotic completely wall Substitute Volcanion, so strong Electric- and Grass-types like Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Tapu Bulu make for great partners.

Moves Steam Eruption serves as Volcanion's strongest and most reliable single-target STAB attack. Heat Wave is Volcanion's preferred secondary STAB attack, offering spread coverage and a reliable way of dealing with Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Sludge Bomb takes on Tapu Koko, as well as several Pokemon that Volcanion generally has a positive matchup against but can't really deal significant damage to, such as Tapu Fini. Earth Power is mainly used to beat Volcanion mirrors but also serves a few other minor niches like hitting checks such as Tapu Koko or Mega Manectric on a predicted switch or with speed control. Hidden Power Ice is another coverage option that allows Volcanion to reliably hit Dragon-types like Zygarde; this works especially well in tandem with a Shuca Berry to take Zygarde's attack. Protect keeps Volcanion safe while its partners deal with any possible threats. Set Details With a Wiki Berry, Volcanion retains the ability to pivot in on weaker attacks and threaten foes throughout the match, as chipping it low will only result in Volcanion's return to health. A Wiki Berry is also its best answer to the prevalence of Stealth Rock. Shuca Berry is another decent item, allowing it to survive strong Ground-type attacks from foes like Landorus-T and Zygarde and retaliate with Steam Eruption or Hidden Power Ice. Alternatively, Waterium Z provides Volcanion with a one-time nuke attack. A Modest nature with the given EV spread allows Volcanion to survive Earth Power from any non-Life Orb Landorus-T, outspeed uninvested Tapu Fini, and hit as hard as possible, with the remaining EVs invested into Special Attack. Shuca Berry sets can still use the same EV spread, though they gain the ability to take two Stomping Tantrums from Mega Metagross—one weakened by Shuca Berry and one regularly. Volcanion's EV spread options are pretty flexible overall; the HP, Special Attack, and Speed EVs can be redistributed as you see fit. On teams with Trick Room support, a Quiet nature is usable over Modest to minimize Speed. Usage Tips Volcanion is good at applying offensive pressure in the mid- or late-game, after checks and faster attackers like Tapu Koko and Landorus-T have been dealt with, because its Fire / Water STAB coverage and coverage move allow it to clean up against many targets. This isn't to say that Volcanion can't be used as a lead or early-game pivot; its good bulk and defensive typing allow it to do this with relative ease; however, with a middling Speed tier and predictably linear movepool, Volcanion can be easy to play around and force out. Ideally, it wants to pivot in on Water-type attacks, since Water Absorb allows it to recover HP from them. That said, it can end up in a stalemate versus bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Volcanion mirrors if it doesn't have the appropriate coverage moves to deal with them. If you do deploy Volcanion early on in the game, try to preserve its HP, since it loses its effectiveness as a late-game cleaner if its HP is too low to withstand opposing attacks. Where possible, make use of speed control tactics like Tailwind, Icy Wind, and Trick Room so Volcanion can get the upper hand on faster Pokemon like Landorus-T and Mega Tyranitar; foes that Volcanion checks when it has the speed advantage but loses to when it doesn't. Team Options Teams that struggle to beat bulky Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Celesteela, and Aegislash appreciate Volcanion's presence. Speed control users allow Volcanion to overcome its middling Speed to become a threatening attacker: Zapdos and Mega Salamence can reliably set Tailwind and have decent type synergy with Volcanion, notably being able to deal respectable damage to bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and opposing Volcanion mirrors; Kyurem-B can reliably use Icy Wind and also hit opposing Water-types with Fusion Bolt; and Trick Room setters such as Hoopa-U, Mega Gardevoir, and Bronzong can give Volcanion the speed control it needs if its EV spread minimizes its Speed investment. Volcanion is threatened out by Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos, Ground-types like Landorus-T and Zygarde, and Rock-types like Tyranitar, so checks to these such as Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Mega Metagross are always appreciated. Bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini, Volcanion, and Milotic essentially wall Volcanion (though coverage moves can mitigate this a bit), so strong Electric- and Grass-types like Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Tapu Bulu make for great partners. Tapu Bulu is a notably great partner for Volcanion; the duo form a solid Fire / Water / Grass core, and Grassy Terrain mitigates Volcanion's weakness to Earthquake.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Moves Despite Steam Eruption's low PP, it is chosen over Scald due to its insane power, which can cripple the foe and allow Volcanion to muscle past and beat some of its counters. Sludge Wave hits certain Fairy-types such as Azumarill, which would otherwise switch into Volcanion with ease, and Gardevoir, whose ability Trace allows it to copy Water Absorb and become immune to Steam Eruption. Fire Blast is Volcanion's secondary STAB move, while slightly inaccurate, and hits Ferrothorn, which doesn't take much from Volcanion's other moves and can otherwise set up entry hazards with ease. It also hits Grass- and Bug-types, preventing them from safely switching into Volcanion. Rock Slide is used to hit Mega Charizard Y, one of Water's biggest threats. Set Details Choice Scarf Volcanion checks a lot of threats to Water teams, including Breloom, Serperior, and Mega Charizard Y. With it, Volcanion is able to outspeed Thundurus and +1 Dragonite, as well as Weavile. 40 EVs are put into Attack so that Volcanion gets the guaranteed KO on Mega Charizard Y with Rock Slide. The remaining EVs are put into Speed and Special Attack for speed and power. A Naive nature is chosen over Timid to boost the power of Rock Slide; it is also chosen over a Hasty nature to help Volcanion take physical priority moves. Usage Tips Because this set functions as a revenge killer, it's vital that you keep Volcanion as healthy as possible and not let it get worn down by status ailments or entry hazards. Otherwise, it becomes vulnerable to being revenge killed itself. Steam Eruption's PP is limited, so using the move sparingly is important and helps you spread burns more efficiently. Use Volcanion's other coverage moves when necessary: use Sludge Wave against Azumarill and Breloom to reliably take them out, and against Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y, use Rock Slide. Send Volcanion out early-game to spread a few burns with Steam Eruption and weaken checks with Fire Blast, as well as to use its coverage to deal with threats to your team. You can also send it out late-game to clean up after its teammates have done the hole punching. Team Options Stealth Rock support from Swampert and Empoleon is appreciated to break opposing Focus Sashes and allow Volcanion to safely check Breloom without the fear of it taking a hit. Volcanion appreciates hazard removal to assuage its Stealth Rock weakness, so Starmie, Tentacruel, and Empoleon are good partners. Tentacruel also provides Toxic Spikes support, Empoleon can take on some Dragon-types for Volcanion, and Starmie is Water's best offensive spinner. Lanturn and Swampert are good partners too, as they help mitigate Volcanion's Electric weakness, with the former also being able to cleanse Volcanion of status. It can also help spread burns with Scald, allowing Volcanion to save up Steam Eruption's PP. Physically defensive walls like Swampert, Slowbro, and Rotom-W, which can also spread burns, are appreciated to take Earthquakes for Volcanion. Gyarados is a good partner in a similar manner, as it can switch into Ground-type moves thanks to its immunity to them. Azumarill can help Volcanion deal with the Dragon-types it fails to touch. Rotom-W and Lanturn both are able to bring Volcanion in through slow Volt Switch, thus generating momentum. Mega Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo appreciate Volcanion's ability to deal with Fairy- and Grass-types.

Moves Steam Eruption is Volcanion's best STAB move thanks to its high Base Power, accuracy, and chance to burn, which is extremely useful to cripple the foe. Despite its low PP, its ability to decimat Pokemon that don't resist Water is highly beneficial. Sludge Wave hits Fairy-types for super effective damage, though it is not the only move used to do so; Fire Blast can be used against Klefki and Steam Eruption KOes Mega Diancie, preventing any Fairy-type from safely switching into Volcanion. Fire Blast is another powerful STAB move, hitting Bug- and Grass-types, most notably Ferrothorn. Ground-types immune to Water are the only Pokemon not hit neutrally by the above moves, so Hidden Power Grass is a viable coverage option. Alternatively, Earth Power can be used to hit opposing Volcanion, but it doesn't really offer unique coverage. Set Details Choice Specs turns Volcanion into a threatening wallbreaker, giving it immense power and the ability to destroy teams. Maximum Speed EVs alongside a Timid nature are used so that Volcanion Speed ties with Breloom, a huge threat to Water. However, a Modest nature can be used for extra power, though Volcanion will be unable to Speed tie with Breloom and fails to outspeed Adamant Mega Scizor and Diggersby. Usage Tips Switch Volcanion in on passive Pokemon that can't do much to it, such as Skarmory, and begin firing off attacks. Do not switch Volcanion in on strong attackers, as it becomes difficult to wallbreak at low HP. Instead, get it in on free switches or through a slow Volt Switch or U-turn. You can also switch it in on predicted Scalds or Will-O-Wisps aimed at a partner such as Azumarill. Be conscious of what move you click; don't use up all of Steam Eruption's PP to take out a Pokemon that can be dealt with using a different coverage move, as PP is limited and therefore should be preserved to deal with more important threats. Volcanion has an easy time against physical walls, so they should be Volcanion's main targets to eliminate. Make sure you play wisely when up against teams carrying Pokemon immune to one of Volcanion's coverage moves, as being locked into a move that deals no damage to the foe is useless and saps a lot of momentum. For example, against Steel, instead of using Fire Blast—if they are carrying a Heatran on their team—use Steam Eruption in case they switch into it. Send Volcanion out early-game to punch as many holes in the opposing team as possible and break through bulky cores such as Slowbro + Mew, since spreading burns early-game creates opportunities for a setup sweeper to set up and sweep later on. Team Options As with any hazard-weak Pokemon, entry hazard removal is mandatory and highly appreciated by Volcanion to allow it to switch in and out of the field easily. This can be provided by Empoleon, which provides Stealth Rock as a bonus. Starmie and Tentacruel also provide Rapid Spin support. Hazard support from Swampert in the form of Stealth Rock, which also provides an Electric immunity, and Tentacruel in the form of Toxic Spikes is appreciated to break Focus Sashes and ease wallbreaking. Volcanion breaks through physically defensive walls, so setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Mega Gyarados and Belly Drum Azumarill make for good partners, as they can easily clean the opposing team late-game. Lanturn and Rotom-W make for good teammates, as they serve as Electric checks and can spread burns with Scald. Lanturn can also use Heal Bell to rid Volcanion of status ailments like poison and paralysis, thus preventing it from being worn down. In addition, Lanturn and Rotom-W can use slow Volt Switches to bring Volcanion in safely. Choice Band Azumarill can break past Chansey which walls Volcanion. Manaphy is a good stallbreaker and can put a lot of pressure on special walls if it has multiple boosts under its belt.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Safety Goggles Volcanion is one of the best counters to Amoonguss in the metagame, circumventing its powder moves and threatening a 2HKO with Heat Wave. Earth Power is the most recommended coverage option for Volcanion, as any other move will leave it useless in the mirror matchup. Volcanion runs maximum Special Attack to pressure Amoonguss as much as possible with strong Heat Waves. An odd HP stat allows it to survive switching into Stealth Rock four times. Switching Volcanion into Amoonguss's Spore when the other foe can't threaten it is one of the strongest plays available with this set. Landorus-T and Thundurus greatly support Volcanion with their respective abilities and immunity to Ground. Specially bulky Pokemon like Sylveon, Porygon2, and Conkeldurr can switch into Thunderbolts aimed at Volcanion. Conversely, these Pokemon all greatly appreciate a partner that can ease their poor Amoonguss matchups.

Volcanion's excellent offensive coverage, backed by a base 130 Special Attack, makes it one of XY DOU's most prominent special attackers. Furthermore, its solid natural bulk coupled with Assault Vest makes it a defensive behemoth that is near impossible to take out in one hit. As a result of these excellent offensive and defensive capabilities, it's extremely difficult to trade KOs with it one for one. Steam Eruption and Heat Wave form Volcanion's core offensive suite, hitting virtually every prominent Pokemonthat isn't Water- or Dragon-type for neutral damage. Notably, Volcanion burns foes often because of the aforementioned moves' chances to inflict burns. Earth Power hits other Volcanion and other Water-types that resist its STAB attacks. Hidden Power Grass hits Gastrodon and the rare Jellicent, but it primarily flips the matchup against the former on its head. Overheat is notable for being a high-damage option, KOing Amoonguss after minimal chip damage, though the Special Attack drop greatly reduces Volcanion's offensive pressure. While more niche, Hidden Power Ice can be used to hit Mega Salamence and Hydreigon, and Sludge Bomb can hit Mega Gardevoir and Sylveon. Assault Vest Volcanion can be brought in really easily, as it often finds fields where neither opposing Pokemon threatens it too much. Removing its scariest checks, like Mega Kangaskhan and Conkeldurr, before it enters battle will make it much more menacing, however. Landorus-T is an excellent partner for Volcanion, primarily because of how well it matches up against opposing Landorus-T, weakning its Earthquake so Volcanion can use Steam Eruption much more safely. Thundurus's ability to spam Thunder Wave makes Volcanion's middling Speed much less of an issue. Volcanion will go down to two Seismic Tosses from Mega Kangaskhan; pairing it with a Rocky Helmet user like Amoonguss or Cresselia will go a long way in wearing Mega Kangaskhan down for it.