Volcarona OU QC 1/2

3d

継続は力なり
is a Tutor Alumnusis a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnus
World Defender
I saw that Sergi had given up on this so I'll be writing it up. I'll hopefully be done by Monday. Here was the 1st QC check http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/ou-volcarona-revamp.3552748/#post-6486784


[OVERVIEW]

Volcarona is a very anti-metagame pokemon, and remains as one of the meta's best sweepers. It's solid speed stat coupled with amazing special attack make it the perfect user of Quiver Dance which is arguably the best special setup move. Powerful STAB and fantastic coverage allow it do dispose of any would-be Volcarona counters.

On the other hand, it's quite frail on the physical side meaning it gets pressured by a lot that can't kill or out-speed. It's also quite hard to fit on teams with it's crippling Stealth Rock weakness. Regarding all of this, it usually only gets one chance to setup but thanks to it's offensive potential it only needs one Quiver Dance to get going.

[SET]
name: Offensive Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Giga Drain / Bug Buzz
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Ground
item: Passho Berry / Lum Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe


This is easily one of Volcarona's best sets due to unpredictable coverage, and item. This set is easily one of the best late game sweepers and can wreck teams with it's versatility. Quiver Dance is the move that defines Volcarona; boosting it's Special Attack- Special Defense, and Speed stat making it a dangerous sweeper. Bug Buzz is Volcarona's main stab as it's powerful accurate and isn't reliant on weather. Fire Blast is the preferred Fire STAB as it hits very hard, but Fiery Dance could be used for accuracy, and the 50% chance to boost Special Attack. Giga Drain can be used over Bug Buzz to help vs bulky waters i.e Gastrodon, Jellicent, and Politoed, while also giving Volcarona the ability to heal it's HP. Finally Hidden Power Ice hits pokemon such as Dragonite, Garchomp, and Salamence all of which can tank a hit at full, while Hidden Power Ground hits things like Heatran, Terrakion, and Tentacruel three common Volcarona answers.

Giga Drain + Hidden Power Ice is the most threatening variant as it's coverage is overall the best compared to Hidden Power Ground, but it is hard walled by Heatran which is fine since Volcarona is usually paired with a Heatran answer. Bug Buzz + HP Ground is also very solid, but it misses out on hitting threats including Garchomp, Keldeo, Jellicent, and Dragonite. Flamethrower is also an option which has perfect accuracy and solid power.

Passho Berry is the preferred item, as it allows Volcarona to setup on Rotom-Wash, which can't do anything back. Lum Berry can also be used to allow Volcarona to set up on Body Slam, Thunder, or Thunder Wave, as well as random sleep moves and Toxic. Timid is the preferred nature for straight up speed, but if you really want to crank up the power, Modest Nature can be used to OHKO Choice Specs Politoed at +1. Life Orb can be used with modest to 2hko 4/252 Chansey in Sun. Although, modest nature isn't preferred as you aren't faster than scarf Landorus-T at +1. Bug Gem is also an option, as it allows Volcarona to OHKO Gastrodon, Garchomp, support Tyranitar, and Politoed at +1.

The EV spread and nature are used to maximize Volcarona's offensive capabilities. A Bulkier spread with modest can be used. One example is 144 hp / 252 satk / 112 spe. The Speed is used to outpace Jolly Breloom, while the special attack is maximized, and the rest of the EVs go into HP for bulk.

Starmie is a fantastic partner as it's a spinner, while also being able to check Keldeo and Heatran both of which threaten bulk. It can also weaken bulky waters with Hydro Pump/ Thunderbolt. Garchomp, Mamoswine, and Landorus-T provide Stealth Rock and have great synergy with Volcarona. In the former's case, it can U-Turn on Skarmory allowing Volcarona to setup. Ninetales is an obvious choice, it provides Sun to fuel Volcarona's Fire STABs. Healing Wishers such as Jirachi and Latias are also great partners as they give Volcarona a second chance to sweep.

Status is horrible for Volcarona. Things like Thunder Wave Rotom-Wash, Thunder Wave Ferrothorn, and Thunder Wave Alakazam can all lure and cripple Volcarona so you must be wary when setting up vs them. Priority from things like CB Dragonite, Lucario, and Azumarill can all pick off Volcarona if it's weakened.

[SET]
name: Rain Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Bug Buzz
move 3: Hurricane
move 4: Fire Blast / Hidden Power Ground
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

While it is a fire type it does excellent with rain support. Hurricane is a really strong move that can easily be spammed in rain. Bug Buzz is self explanitory and is the main STAB move used. Bug / Flying has amazing coverage hitting things like Keldeo, Terrakion, Jellicent, or Dragonite. Fire Blast may seem weird in rain, but it handles pokemon such as Skarmory and Jirachi which otherwise wall you. Hidden Power Ground can be used to hit Heatran, and Tentacruel both of which are solid counters. Hidden Power Water is another option but it is significanlty weaker vs Heatran, and is reliant on rain. It does gurantee an OHKO vs Terrakion, and Lando-T, while also hitting rarer checks like Moltres. Substitute can be an option, allowing you to setup vs Amoonguss, Breloom, Thunder Wave Ferrothorn, and Heatran(if they're not running Roar.)

Leftovers is the item of choice as it gives Volcarona mroe survivability, and also works very well vs things like Ferrothorn and Celebi. Lum Berry has some uses as it shrugs of status letting you capitlize on Pokemon like Breloom, and Amoonguss. The EV spread is straightfowad as it maximizes speed and special attack taking full advantage of Volcarona's offensive potential. A spread of 184 Speed, with a timid nature with the rest going into HP allows Volcarona to live a +1 Psyshock coming off of Latios. Modest nature can be used to give Volcaorna the ability to 2HKO Jellicent at +1, or an OHKO vs Specially Defensive Heatran after Stealth Rock. One of the big downsides is it is slower than Choice Scarf Landorus-T making it less appealing.

Since this set is rain based Politoed is an obvious partner. Spinners are a must, Tentacruel is an amazing partner as tit benefits from the rain and also checks Heatran for Volcarona. Starmie is also another good option, not only does it appreciate the Hydro boost, but it also beats Jellicent easier with access to Thunder. Moving on from Spinners, Landorus-T checks Dragonite, Garchomp, and Terrakion; common checks to Volcarona, while also being able to setup Stealth Rock. Gyarados, Feraligatr, and Azumarill are all good partners as they attract Grass types such as Amoonguss which Volcarona can easily setup on.



[SET]
name: Bulky Quiver Dance
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Fiery Dance
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe

This set takes advantage of teams that rely on wearing down Volcarona to beat it. Quiver Dance is obvious, this is the setup move that makes Volcarona a real threat. Fiery Dance is the 1st STAB move of choice, the lack of SpAtk investment makes the 50% chance to boost Special Atack very appealing. Bug Buzz is the 2nd move of choice, benifitting of STAB, and coupled with Fiery Dance provides great coverage. Roost lets Volcarona last a lot longer making it harder to break by wearing it down.

Leftovers is the preferred item as it increases Volcarona's longevity. The EV spread tries maximizes Volcarona's physical bulk, the 16 Speed evs let Volcarona outpace Jolly Base 70s. Lum Berry is an alternative letting Volcarona shrug off status, which can be very effective during late game when trying to setup vs things like Breloom.

Spniners are a must, because of this Starmie makes for a great partner checking Heatran and proving Rapid Spin. Forretress can also be an option as it check some physical attackers, and provides Volt Switch for Volcarona to abuse. Landorus-T provides a solid answer to Terrakion, and opposing Landorus-Ts, and it also provides Stealth Rock. Anything that can deal with Heatran is also appreciated since this set is stomped by it. This set fits better on Bulkier Teams, for example slower sun teams, or balance with things like Starmie or Hippowdon.

[OTHER OPTIONS]

Rest+Chesto is a classic combo which works very well vs fat teams. Life Orb can also be a great option since it hits incredibly hard in sun, and can pose to be a great threat. A Choice Specs set with U-Turn could also be good, but you have to play smart due to it's lack of recovery. One of the smaller changes is using Morning Sun over Roost on Sun teams as it provides more recovery. A Substitute Quiver Dance + STABs set could also work very well as it sets up on status Pokemon inlucing Breloom, and Amoonguss.

[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]

- sr
- heatran (hp ground)
- gyarados can check any variant
- wearing it down by repeated hits + fast scarfers or rkillers like garchomp, keldeo and latios, alakazam, and esp scarf terrakion in sand is one of the best all around checks
- some water types: keldeo (giga drain or hurricane), jellicent (giga drain), tentacruel (hp ground)
- dragonite, garchomp and salamence (hp ice)
- chansey
- tyranitar (bug buzz), though support tar can take +1 bug buzz and ohko with rock stab
- tornadus (in rain can take +1 fire blast after sr)
- priority from azumarill and feraligatr (tho rare mons)
- status limits its setup capabilities
 
Last edited:

FNH

F is for Finchi, N is for Nator, H is for Hater
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnus
I don't know how good the set is in practice because I have yet to use it, but I have seen a Substitute/Hurricane/Hidden Power Ground/Bug Buzz Volcarona used in the rain or even a Substitute/Quiver dance/Hurricane/Bug Buzz or Hidden Power Ground. Roost>Quiver Dance might even work...maybe. The set seems on paper totally viable and bestows some merits that substitute brings, yet seems vastly inferior to the quiver dance roost sets or the quiver dance three attacks sets.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top