quziel
I am the Scientist now
[OVERVIEW]
Charizard distinguishes itself from other Fire-types in the NU tier with its exceptional utilization of Z-Sunny Day to boost its Speed and power, allowing it to sweep teams much more reliably than its competition. A Fire / Flying typing allows Charizard to effectively switch into and set up on or force out many of NU's Grass- and Fighting-types, such as Sceptile, Hitmonlee, and Vileplume. Charizard's good Speed allows it to outpace many of the tier's threats such as Hitmonlee, Drapion, and Rotom-C, although its Speed is not high enough to outpace many of the tier's faster Pokemon such as Sceptile and Sneasel. The same Fire / Flying typing also mandates very reliable hazard removal, as it takes 50% damage from Stealth Rock, preventing it from taking hits from Sceptile and Hitmonlee and reducing its setup opportunities. Charizard is also easily worn down, as it has mediocre bulk, a massive Stealth Rock weakness, and takes 12.5% damage per turn from its ability, Solar Power, leaving it often vulnerable to priority. In addition,Charizard only has one chance to sweep an opposing team, as it loses the +1 Speed boost if forced out.
[SET]
name: Z-Sunny Day
move 1: Sunny Day
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Focus Blast / Roost
item: Firium Z
ability: Solar Power
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Z-Sunny Day allows Charizard to gain +1 Speed as well as activate its ability Solar Power, which gives it 50% extra damage on all attacks; this, combined with sun's boost to Fire-type moves, allows it to hit extremely hard. Fire Blast is Charizard's primary attack. Solar Beam hits most Fire resistant Pokemon such as Rhydon and Slowking for super effective damage, although it requires Sunny Day to be active to be used effectively. Focus Blast allows Charizard to hit Incineroar and Guzzlord, which otherwise wall it, as well as hitting Rock-types outside of sun. Roost allows Charizard to capitalize on any predicted switches, mitigating Stealth Rock and Solar Power damage and adding a lot of survivability to this set.
Set Details
========
Solar Power allows Charizard to essentially gain +1 Special Attack whenever sun is active at the cost of 12.5% HP per turn. Firium Z is necessary to use Z-Sunny Day, boosting Charizard's Speed, though it can also be used to power up Fire Blast into Inferno Overdrive if the Speed boost is not needed. Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allow Charizard to outspeed Houndoom, Hitmonlee, and Drapion before boosting with Z-Sunny Day as well as Choice Scarf variants of Drapion and Hitmonlee after a boost. Maximum Special Attack investment maximizes Charizard's power.
Usage Tips
========
Charizard can function as a wallbreaker early-game due to its sheer power when sun is up and the possible threat of Inferno Overdrive. However, due to its reliance on Solar Beam to effectively damage Slowbro, it needs to find an opportunity to set up Sunny Day to effectively wallbreak in most games. If Charizard is needed in a sweeping role, it is best to preserve it until late-game when its checks and counters are weakened. Charizard should set up on Sceptile Choice-locked into any Grass-type move or Focus Blast, Choice Scarf Emboar locked into Superpower or Flare Blitz, or Pokemon fearing Charizard's attacks such as Vileplume and Whimsicott, although the latter can punish that setup with Encore if Stealth Rock is up. The choice between Z-Sunny Day and Inferno Overdrive is primarily based on whether the power of Inferno Overdrive is needed to secure a win and whether the Speed boost from Z-Sunny Day is needed. Roost should be used on predicted switches to keep Charizard's HP up, allowing it to sweep for longer and play more aggressively mid-game.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard removal is mandatory when using this set, as without it, Charizard struggles to find setup opportunities and switch in when Stealth Rock is up. Hitmonlee excels when partnered with Charizard, as it can lure in and weaken Slowbro and Slowking with Knock Off, remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin, and bring in many Fairy- and Poison-types for Charizard to set up on. Other hazard removers such as Cryogonal and Golbat also assist Charizard, though they generally do not have as much synergy.
Support from fellow Fire-types such as Emboar and Houndoom can lure in and weaken the Water- and Rock-types typically used to check Charizard. Seismitoad sets up Stealth Rock, assisting Charizard when sweeping by weakening its checks, and takes on Rock- and Water-type attacks for Charizard while bringing in Grass-types for Charizard to set up on. Rhydon also helps in this role, taking on Electric- and Rock-type attacks very well for it as well as taking on Incineroar, one of Charizard's main walls, very reliably and setting up Stealth Rock for it. Xatu's Magic Bounce can prevent Stealth Rock from being set up in the first place, and Xatu appreciates Charizard weakening Rhydon and other Rock-types for it. Pursuit support from Sneasel and Drapion helps Charizard by removing some of its better answers such as Slowking and Jellicent fairly reliably and can help weaken Incineroar for it.
Other Options
=============
Air Slash can hit Hariyama for super effective damage as well as providing an accurate STAB option, though its lack of power and redundant coverage hurt its viability. Other Z-Move sets such as Z-Celebrate and Z-Happy Hour distinguish themselves from Z-Sunny Day by offering defensive boosts, though their lack of access to Solar Beam and usefulness if Charizard is ever forced out make them often an inferior choice. Choice Specs and Choice Scarf sets can easily be used with sun support, though locking Charizard into a move leaves it vulnerable to being forced out, and Charizard needs team support that is often not available on sun teams. All-out-attacking sets such as Life Orb are possible, though they struggle to differentiate themselves from other Fire-types such as Delphox or Houndoom, which can break their checks much more easily. Physical sets such as Dragon Dance with Supersonic Skystrike from Fly or Tectonic Rage from Earthquake are possible, but they struggle to break Charizard's typical answers such as Rhydon and often lack power even once set up. The combination of Will-O-Wisp and Swords Dance on a bulkier set can work as a usable Fighting-resistant Pokemon, but it often struggles with its low bulk,which prevents it from effectively walling NU's Fighting-types.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: The mere presence of Stealth Rock on the field heavily limits Charizard's opportunities to switch in, dealing 50% of its HP every single time it comes in. Losing 50% of its HP forces Charizard to decide between attacking, setting up Sunny Day, or using Roost, which limits its flexibility.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Turtonator, Guzzlord, and Sliggoo take very little from Charizard's Fire Blast and Solar Beam,(AC) can stall out Sunny Day, and threaten Charizard with STAB Dragon-type attacks. Drampa is worth a particular mention, as it's ability Cloud Nine negates Sunny Day, and Roost gives it longevity. However, Turtonator, Drampa, and Guzzlord are threatened by possible coverage moves thanks to Turtonator's low Special Defense and Guzzlord's and Drampa's weaknesses to Focus Blast.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Incineroar, Emboar, and Delphox take little from Fire Blast and Solar Beam and can threaten Charizard with coverage moves such as Darkest Lariat, Wild Charge, and Psyshock. However, they do have to worry about possible coverage options from Charizard such as Focus Blast and Air Slash.
**Water-types**: Although they do take super effective damage from Charizard's Solar Beam, Pokemon such as Assault Vest Slowking can stall out sun turns and tank at least one hit while forcing Charizard out if sun isn't up.
**Rock-types**: While NU's Rock-types cannot hope to take on Charizard when sun is up, once it is down they only fear a possible Focus Blast and threaten Charizard with super effective Rock-type moves. Lycanroc is worth a special mention here, as it can threaten Charizard with a KO even when sun is up with Accelrock.
Charizard distinguishes itself from other Fire-types in the NU tier with its exceptional utilization of Z-Sunny Day to boost its Speed and power, allowing it to sweep teams much more reliably than its competition. A Fire / Flying typing allows Charizard to effectively switch into and set up on or force out many of NU's Grass- and Fighting-types, such as Sceptile, Hitmonlee, and Vileplume. Charizard's good Speed allows it to outpace many of the tier's threats such as Hitmonlee, Drapion, and Rotom-C, although its Speed is not high enough to outpace many of the tier's faster Pokemon such as Sceptile and Sneasel. The same Fire / Flying typing also mandates very reliable hazard removal, as it takes 50% damage from Stealth Rock, preventing it from taking hits from Sceptile and Hitmonlee and reducing its setup opportunities. Charizard is also easily worn down, as it has mediocre bulk, a massive Stealth Rock weakness, and takes 12.5% damage per turn from its ability, Solar Power, leaving it often vulnerable to priority. In addition,Charizard only has one chance to sweep an opposing team, as it loses the +1 Speed boost if forced out.
[SET]
name: Z-Sunny Day
move 1: Sunny Day
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Solar Beam
move 4: Focus Blast / Roost
item: Firium Z
ability: Solar Power
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Z-Sunny Day allows Charizard to gain +1 Speed as well as activate its ability Solar Power, which gives it 50% extra damage on all attacks; this, combined with sun's boost to Fire-type moves, allows it to hit extremely hard. Fire Blast is Charizard's primary attack. Solar Beam hits most Fire resistant Pokemon such as Rhydon and Slowking for super effective damage, although it requires Sunny Day to be active to be used effectively. Focus Blast allows Charizard to hit Incineroar and Guzzlord, which otherwise wall it, as well as hitting Rock-types outside of sun. Roost allows Charizard to capitalize on any predicted switches, mitigating Stealth Rock and Solar Power damage and adding a lot of survivability to this set.
Set Details
========
Solar Power allows Charizard to essentially gain +1 Special Attack whenever sun is active at the cost of 12.5% HP per turn. Firium Z is necessary to use Z-Sunny Day, boosting Charizard's Speed, though it can also be used to power up Fire Blast into Inferno Overdrive if the Speed boost is not needed. Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature allow Charizard to outspeed Houndoom, Hitmonlee, and Drapion before boosting with Z-Sunny Day as well as Choice Scarf variants of Drapion and Hitmonlee after a boost. Maximum Special Attack investment maximizes Charizard's power.
Usage Tips
========
Charizard can function as a wallbreaker early-game due to its sheer power when sun is up and the possible threat of Inferno Overdrive. However, due to its reliance on Solar Beam to effectively damage Slowbro, it needs to find an opportunity to set up Sunny Day to effectively wallbreak in most games. If Charizard is needed in a sweeping role, it is best to preserve it until late-game when its checks and counters are weakened. Charizard should set up on Sceptile Choice-locked into any Grass-type move or Focus Blast, Choice Scarf Emboar locked into Superpower or Flare Blitz, or Pokemon fearing Charizard's attacks such as Vileplume and Whimsicott, although the latter can punish that setup with Encore if Stealth Rock is up. The choice between Z-Sunny Day and Inferno Overdrive is primarily based on whether the power of Inferno Overdrive is needed to secure a win and whether the Speed boost from Z-Sunny Day is needed. Roost should be used on predicted switches to keep Charizard's HP up, allowing it to sweep for longer and play more aggressively mid-game.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard removal is mandatory when using this set, as without it, Charizard struggles to find setup opportunities and switch in when Stealth Rock is up. Hitmonlee excels when partnered with Charizard, as it can lure in and weaken Slowbro and Slowking with Knock Off, remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin, and bring in many Fairy- and Poison-types for Charizard to set up on. Other hazard removers such as Cryogonal and Golbat also assist Charizard, though they generally do not have as much synergy.
Support from fellow Fire-types such as Emboar and Houndoom can lure in and weaken the Water- and Rock-types typically used to check Charizard. Seismitoad sets up Stealth Rock, assisting Charizard when sweeping by weakening its checks, and takes on Rock- and Water-type attacks for Charizard while bringing in Grass-types for Charizard to set up on. Rhydon also helps in this role, taking on Electric- and Rock-type attacks very well for it as well as taking on Incineroar, one of Charizard's main walls, very reliably and setting up Stealth Rock for it. Xatu's Magic Bounce can prevent Stealth Rock from being set up in the first place, and Xatu appreciates Charizard weakening Rhydon and other Rock-types for it. Pursuit support from Sneasel and Drapion helps Charizard by removing some of its better answers such as Slowking and Jellicent fairly reliably and can help weaken Incineroar for it.
Other Options
=============
Air Slash can hit Hariyama for super effective damage as well as providing an accurate STAB option, though its lack of power and redundant coverage hurt its viability. Other Z-Move sets such as Z-Celebrate and Z-Happy Hour distinguish themselves from Z-Sunny Day by offering defensive boosts, though their lack of access to Solar Beam and usefulness if Charizard is ever forced out make them often an inferior choice. Choice Specs and Choice Scarf sets can easily be used with sun support, though locking Charizard into a move leaves it vulnerable to being forced out, and Charizard needs team support that is often not available on sun teams. All-out-attacking sets such as Life Orb are possible, though they struggle to differentiate themselves from other Fire-types such as Delphox or Houndoom, which can break their checks much more easily. Physical sets such as Dragon Dance with Supersonic Skystrike from Fly or Tectonic Rage from Earthquake are possible, but they struggle to break Charizard's typical answers such as Rhydon and often lack power even once set up. The combination of Will-O-Wisp and Swords Dance on a bulkier set can work as a usable Fighting-resistant Pokemon, but it often struggles with its low bulk,which prevents it from effectively walling NU's Fighting-types.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Stealth Rock**: The mere presence of Stealth Rock on the field heavily limits Charizard's opportunities to switch in, dealing 50% of its HP every single time it comes in. Losing 50% of its HP forces Charizard to decide between attacking, setting up Sunny Day, or using Roost, which limits its flexibility.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Turtonator, Guzzlord, and Sliggoo take very little from Charizard's Fire Blast and Solar Beam,(AC) can stall out Sunny Day, and threaten Charizard with STAB Dragon-type attacks. Drampa is worth a particular mention, as it's ability Cloud Nine negates Sunny Day, and Roost gives it longevity. However, Turtonator, Drampa, and Guzzlord are threatened by possible coverage moves thanks to Turtonator's low Special Defense and Guzzlord's and Drampa's weaknesses to Focus Blast.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Incineroar, Emboar, and Delphox take little from Fire Blast and Solar Beam and can threaten Charizard with coverage moves such as Darkest Lariat, Wild Charge, and Psyshock. However, they do have to worry about possible coverage options from Charizard such as Focus Blast and Air Slash.
**Water-types**: Although they do take super effective damage from Charizard's Solar Beam, Pokemon such as Assault Vest Slowking can stall out sun turns and tank at least one hit while forcing Charizard out if sun isn't up.
**Rock-types**: While NU's Rock-types cannot hope to take on Charizard when sun is up, once it is down they only fear a possible Focus Blast and threaten Charizard with super effective Rock-type moves. Lycanroc is worth a special mention here, as it can threaten Charizard with a KO even when sun is up with Accelrock.
Last edited: