Volcarona

[Ascalon]

Not sure I did the calcs right, but assuming Heatran switches in and you Quiver dance while he does so, you can actually set up on Heatran (barring stone edge) with Quiver Dance and Morning Sun and then kill it with a 6+ Bug Buzz and proceed to sweep, although you will need reasonable investment if the Heatran is Modest and has Choice Specs (though Choiced fire is set-up fodder for other stuff, and could be taken advantage of).

Obviously, Explosion ruins this, but that removes Heatran from play as well. I'm starting to like this set.

Edit: just ran another calculation - with HP investment but not sp.Def investment, after two Dances, Volcarona will never take more than 50% from Modest Specs Heatran Fireblast, allowing it to Dance again, call in morning sun and set up. With the same set up, it will never be 2HKOd by Eruption if Volcarona has leftovers and also be able to set up.

 

[NDenizen]

I havent faced a lethal Volcarona yet.. it's kind of depressing.

That just means you're prepared. I remember I had a ludicrous amount of 6-0s with a lead Volcarona in the early metagame.

 

[Krasnopesky]

I love reading the early speculation at the start of old threads like these, it shows just how little theorymoning can gleam as opposed to actual playing.

 

[redXabsol]

Definitely one of the best in the 5th gen. But I agree with Phadunk in saying that I haven't fought a decent Volcarona yet.

 

[Darkaxis]

I think volcarona can easily sweep through teams with a +1 butterfly dance i mean it can deafeat garchomp thats something not a lot of pokemons say i mean a +1 bug buzz timid nature could go around kicking ass and to treat the stealth rock situation you can run lead against potential SR users set up defeat them run a potential sweep then when you are in trouble just switch into rapid spin user to blow away then set up again with volcarona and continue the sweep OR dont set up at all and run a modest nature then if you want you set up and go BEAST mode or dont grab a potential sweep if not you switch.

 

[Nonary Game]

I think volcarona can easily sweep through teams with a +1 butterfly dance i mean it can deafeat garchomp thats something not a lot of pokemons say i mean a +1 bug buzz timid nature could go around kicking ass and to treat the stealth rock situation you can run lead against potential SR users set up defeat them run a potential sweep then when you are in trouble just switch into rapid spin user to blow away then set up again with volcarona and continue the sweep OR dont set up at all and run a modest nature then if you want you set up and go BEAST mode or dont grab a potential sweep if not you switch.

It needs +2 at the least to be safe and outspeed Jolly Excadrill assuming it's Timid. +1 gives enough speed and power, but some things still wall you, like Gyarados.

Yes, this thing absolutely needs support in the form of Rapid Spin and entry hazards, as they help with potential KOs. +1 Bug Buzz won't KO 252/80 Tyranitar, but SR and a layer of Spikes can push that into OHKO range.

 

[Darkaxis]

It needs +2 at the least to be safe and outspeed Jolly Excadrill assuming it's Timid. +1 gives enough speed and power, but some things still wall you, like Gyarados.

Yes, this thing absolutely needs support in the form of Rapid Spin and entry hazards, as they help with potential KOs. +1 Bug Buzz won't KO 252/80 Tyranitar, but SR and a layer of Spikes can push that into OHKO range.

Gah totally forgot of Jolly Excadrill! Lol thanks anyways!

 

[Darkaxis]

It needs +2 at the least to be safe and outspeed Jolly Excadrill assuming it's Timid. +1 gives enough speed and power, but some things still wall you, like Gyarados.

Yes, this thing absolutely needs support in the form of Rapid Spin and entry hazards, as they help with potential KOs. +1 Bug Buzz won't KO 252/80 Tyranitar, but SR and a layer of Spikes can push that into OHKO range.

but from what i have seen gyarados have pretty uncommon which means it will not appear too often but i think volcaron should BL as it´s weakness to stealth rock but it´s too good for UU huh Volcarona is a total paradox lol

 

[flashkickass]

um what? he should be uu? just because he has the stealth rock weakness? he is a very solid ou pokemon (20th in usage) i don't see why your saying he should be uu. he is infinitely better than yanmega.

 

[alphatron]

So I recently started using this guy again on a team without a magic bouncer or rapid spinner. Volcorona's dominance is completely legit. For those saying that gyarados walls you...is stone edge on gyarados still common?

At least with heatran, you risk taking a crit fire blast and dying. Most of the specially bulky mixed tyranitars don't even carry stone edge. And without stone edge, he becomes the biggest joke Volcorona has ever seen (unless he's running dragon tail or something of the sort).

 

[Darkaxis]

Compare Volcaron with HEATRAN las Gen it had a Earthquake Spikes weakness,but people still used him and now SpecsTran tears through teams with support just like Volcaron and if Ninjask is OU and Ho-Oh staying Ubers this thing could easily be a reliable sweeper!

 

[snivy101]

What's a pokemon that beats volcarona after it sets up a +1 QD?

 

[Delko]

What's a pokemon that beats volcarona after it sets up a +1 QD?

Excadrill outspeeds in sandstorm and OHKO's with Rock Slide.
Tyranitar / Terrakion can take a +1 hit and kill with Rock Slide / Stone Edge.
Gyarados / Dragonite / Salamance resist both it's STAB moves and beats it with Waterfall / Stone Edge, or set up a DD on it.
Choice Band Azumarill with Aqua Jet kills it too (even without Rain).
Specially defensive Quagsire (Unaware), Jellicent and Tentacruel can Toxic and outstall it.
Etc ...

 

[alphatron]

In sunlight, terrakion, offensive heatran, and scarfed pokemon who can outspeed it after a +1 are the only things it actually has to fear. Defensive Politoed are not going to beat Volcorona. The most common tyranitar set doesn't even carry stone edge and thus, cannot defeat bulky Volcorona variants either.

Defensive heatran does damage to the equivalent of a toothpick with a sun boosted lava plume, and will eventually lose to bug buzz. Salamence? Takes 75.8% - 89.4% which is always an ohko with stealth rock support. Being revenged by azumarill aqua jet? 31.1% - 37.5% is what you get with bulky Volcorona under sun support. This is choice band azumarril by the way (who doesn't ohko even without rain).

I believe Volcorona's bulky variants are it's best sets. Whether you're using Morning Sun, SubQD (ugh...) or chesto rest.

 

[AuraSphere]

Maybe Heatran? As long as Volcarona does not carry HP Ground, Heatran is safe.

 

[alphatron]

And as long as sunlight isn't up or heatran isn't carrying roar, then Volcorona will safely set up to +6/+6/+6

 

[Eggbert]

Taunt toxic Jellicent has stopped my Volcarona sweeps incredibly easily. Regardless of chesto berry or morning sun

 

[iLeBronz]

I use volcarona with a sun team that can also spin rocks away. I usually go into espeon set up screens and then wish, and then switch into volcarona and then go for the quiver dance. It's deadly because it pretty much live any hit and will gain it's hp back if it lost any from the rocks or the hit.

 

[TheFonz]

i did some calcs, and heatran's roar + sr beat volcarona 98% of the times

 

[PokéMontage]

^You had to do calcs to realize that Volcorona dies quickly if it switches in on Stealth Rock?

 

[V1ral]

This thing also gets Morning Sun. Holy Crap. In the sun, this guy is almost impossible to beat. Butterfly Dance -> Morning Sun -> Repeat

 

[Katakiri]

Volcarona's one of the reasons I love Sub/Shadow Ball/Clear Smog/Destiny Bond Gengar. Volca can't even dream of switching in & setting up without getting D-Bonded. It & every other Butterfly/Dragon Dancer.

Destiny Bond when they boost their stats.
Sub if they're still too slow or Clear Smog if they're faster while still having D-Bond active.

Rinse & Repeat

 

[Dr. Alex]

Anyone try a chesto rest set?

Chestomoth@chesto Berry
timid
252 Spe 56 Def 196 HP

Quiver Dance
Fiery Dance
Bug Buzz
Rest

You want to be fast, so Max speed is essential. Then I since you want to survive a long time to set up, add physical bulk, because he needs all he can get. Set up a Butterly Dance or two then rest and rape :)

As with any set with Urugomoth, Rapid spin support is neccessary

 

[alphatron]

^If the entire point of chesto rest volcorona is to gain multiple boosts, then why are you running a timid nature? People have been using chesto rest for a while by the way.

Hey kata, does clear smog hit through substitute? If it does, then I may actually consider using that gengar, as I am getting sick and tired of boosters in general. Volcorona would normally laugh when it sees an enemy gengar, but it's not doing a dang thing to that set without getting killed in the process, unless your opponent has great prediction.

 

[Jirachee]

According to Bulbapedia, Clear does not work if the foe has a sub or on steel pokemon.

Anyway I've been using Choice Specsed Volcarona a bit on a sun team to see if it could work, and it's damn effective (it fails badly without Rapid Spin though). Maybe Volcarona is best used in a set-up sweeper, but the surprise effect is deadly and nothing likes a choice specsed Fire Blast in sun. This thing is pretty damn good. Here's the set I used :

Volcarona @ Choice Specs
Nature : Modest
EVs : 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
-Fire Blast
-Bug Buzz
-Hidden Power Electric
-Solarbeam

The point is to spam Fire Blasts at the foe. Everything else is pretty filler.