[OVERVIEW]
Voltorb sits at the coveted 20 Speed tier. Tying only with Elekid and Diglett, as well as holding the record for the fastest Explosion and Thunder-Wave in the metagame. This allows Voltorb to reliably revenge kill, and trade with a large portion of the tier. In addition to its Speed, Voltorb’s strong offensive typing allow it to check powerful threats such as Abra, Doduo, Wailmer, and Gastly. However, Voltorb is held back by the prominence of Diglett and Trapinch, and is often forced into clicking Explosion against them, preventing it from checking the aforementioned Pokemon long term. Voltorb’s damage output can sometimes let it down, with it struggling to break through bulkier Pokemon such as Chinchou, Pineco, and Porygon, with Explosion missing the KO against the latter two from full.
[SET]
Offensive Pivot (Voltorb) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Static
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Atk / 116 Def / 80 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder-Wave/Thief/Substitute
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Explosion
[SET COMMENTS]
The defense investment allows Voltorb to always survive Earthquake from mixed bulky attacker Wailmer. 40 Attack EVs with a Timid nature is used to guarantee Explosion OHKOes Trapinch and Wailmer. Thunder-Wave is Voltorb’s best form of speed control, effectively neutering slower Pokemon such as Abra, Anorith, and Gastly. Thief gives Voltorb a recovery option while also letting it cripple opposing Pokemon. Substitute is used to punish status attempts from slower Pokemon such as Porygon and Chinchou, giving Voltorb a free turn to attack or cripple the opposing pokemon. Hidden Power Grass OHKOes Rock/Ground-types such as Larvitar and Onix, and lets Voltorb fight Electric immunes without committing to Explosion. It is also worth mentioning Hidden Power Grass into Thunderbolt KOes mixed bulky attacker Wailmer. Finally, Explosion OHKOes most of the tier, preventing troublesome pokemon like Abra and Bagon from snowballing out of control, and allowing it to beat otherwise strong checks in Chinchou and opposing Voltorb. Caution should be taken however, in order not to use Explosion into a Ghost-type.
Voltorb pairs well with Pokemon that have trouble with Diglett and Trapinch, such as Houndour, Abra, and Elekid. Forcing them out early, as well as having the potential to trade with them albeit unreliably. Elekid in particular forms a potent offensive core with Voltorb, overloading their shared checks and smothering offense with their speed and support options, with Light Screen, Thunder-Wave, and Rain Dance to name a few. Wailmer is a good teammate as it can struggle into Doduo,Staryu, and Gastly, and loves to come in against offensive Ground-types. Voltorb has strong synergy with Cacnea as it can spike against Diglett, Cubone, Trapinch, and Chinchou lacking Ice Beam. Voltorb in turn switches into Doduo locked into Drill Peck. Lastly Porygon and Trapinch can reliably remove Diglett in the event that Voltorb loses the speed tie, while freeing health for both to check Abra or Elekid later in the match.
[Other Options]
Mirror Coat can be used to land surprise KOs against special attackers but is difficult to make use of in practice as the list of special attackers that would like to stay in against Voltorb is small. Taunt can deny utility like Cacnea and Pineco’s spikes and weather from Exeggcute. Rain Dance and Light Screen are viable options to support setup sweepers such as Horsea, Larvitar, and Bagon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Offensive Ground-types**: Unless chipped, Voltorb is forced to use Explosion against Diglett,Trapinch, and Cubone. Having to win a Speed tie against Diglett, and the latter two commonly carrying Protect. This means Voltorb will have to gamble if it wants to get anything out of the interaction.
** Electric Resists**: Voltorb’s attacks do very little to pokemon that resist Electric-type attacks. Cacnea and Bagon can set up against Voltorb and do not mind absorbing Explosion from more important teammates. Magnemite and Lileep care even less about Voltorb as they resist Explosion on top of Thunderbolt.
**Paralysis**: Paralysis ruins Voltorb. Most of Voltorb’s utility comes from the fact that it is one of only three Pokemon that reach 20 Speed. Voltorb only has average bulk at best so it has to take caution against opposing Voltorb and Porygon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cawil-maxamad.652526/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Grammar checked by
Voltorb sits at the coveted 20 Speed tier. Tying only with Elekid and Diglett, as well as holding the record for the fastest Explosion and Thunder-Wave in the metagame. This allows Voltorb to reliably revenge kill, and trade with a large portion of the tier. In addition to its Speed, Voltorb’s strong offensive typing allow it to check powerful threats such as Abra, Doduo, Wailmer, and Gastly. However, Voltorb is held back by the prominence of Diglett and Trapinch, and is often forced into clicking Explosion against them, preventing it from checking the aforementioned Pokemon long term. Voltorb’s damage output can sometimes let it down, with it struggling to break through bulkier Pokemon such as Chinchou, Pineco, and Porygon, with Explosion missing the KO against the latter two from full.
[SET]
Offensive Pivot (Voltorb) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Static
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Atk / 116 Def / 80 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder-Wave/Thief/Substitute
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Explosion
[SET COMMENTS]
The defense investment allows Voltorb to always survive Earthquake from mixed bulky attacker Wailmer. 40 Attack EVs with a Timid nature is used to guarantee Explosion OHKOes Trapinch and Wailmer. Thunder-Wave is Voltorb’s best form of speed control, effectively neutering slower Pokemon such as Abra, Anorith, and Gastly. Thief gives Voltorb a recovery option while also letting it cripple opposing Pokemon. Substitute is used to punish status attempts from slower Pokemon such as Porygon and Chinchou, giving Voltorb a free turn to attack or cripple the opposing pokemon. Hidden Power Grass OHKOes Rock/Ground-types such as Larvitar and Onix, and lets Voltorb fight Electric immunes without committing to Explosion. It is also worth mentioning Hidden Power Grass into Thunderbolt KOes mixed bulky attacker Wailmer. Finally, Explosion OHKOes most of the tier, preventing troublesome pokemon like Abra and Bagon from snowballing out of control, and allowing it to beat otherwise strong checks in Chinchou and opposing Voltorb. Caution should be taken however, in order not to use Explosion into a Ghost-type.
Voltorb pairs well with Pokemon that have trouble with Diglett and Trapinch, such as Houndour, Abra, and Elekid. Forcing them out early, as well as having the potential to trade with them albeit unreliably. Elekid in particular forms a potent offensive core with Voltorb, overloading their shared checks and smothering offense with their speed and support options, with Light Screen, Thunder-Wave, and Rain Dance to name a few. Wailmer is a good teammate as it can struggle into Doduo,Staryu, and Gastly, and loves to come in against offensive Ground-types. Voltorb has strong synergy with Cacnea as it can spike against Diglett, Cubone, Trapinch, and Chinchou lacking Ice Beam. Voltorb in turn switches into Doduo locked into Drill Peck. Lastly Porygon and Trapinch can reliably remove Diglett in the event that Voltorb loses the speed tie, while freeing health for both to check Abra or Elekid later in the match.
[Other Options]
Mirror Coat can be used to land surprise KOs against special attackers but is difficult to make use of in practice as the list of special attackers that would like to stay in against Voltorb is small. Taunt can deny utility like Cacnea and Pineco’s spikes and weather from Exeggcute. Rain Dance and Light Screen are viable options to support setup sweepers such as Horsea, Larvitar, and Bagon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Offensive Ground-types**: Unless chipped, Voltorb is forced to use Explosion against Diglett,Trapinch, and Cubone. Having to win a Speed tie against Diglett, and the latter two commonly carrying Protect. This means Voltorb will have to gamble if it wants to get anything out of the interaction.
** Electric Resists**: Voltorb’s attacks do very little to pokemon that resist Electric-type attacks. Cacnea and Bagon can set up against Voltorb and do not mind absorbing Explosion from more important teammates. Magnemite and Lileep care even less about Voltorb as they resist Explosion on top of Thunderbolt.
**Paralysis**: Paralysis ruins Voltorb. Most of Voltorb’s utility comes from the fact that it is one of only three Pokemon that reach 20 Speed. Voltorb only has average bulk at best so it has to take caution against opposing Voltorb and Porygon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cawil-maxamad.652526/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Grammar checked by
Last edited: