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Community POTW #088

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Serebii

And, as if by magic, the webmaster appeared...
Staff member
Admin
Time for the next Pokémon of the Week and this week we have a massively liked Pokémon!

637.png


It's Volcarona!

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/637.shtml

Go nuts
 

TheIceCream

User of Ultra Beasts
Probably my favourite Pokemon, Volcarona is certainly a good one in competitive. With access to Quiver Dance and a wide selection of moves to utilise, it can be a great Pokemon to use.

Positives:
+ 135 Sp Attack is amazing and Volcarona has many ways to boost it
+ 100 Speed is solid and 105 Sp Defense is as well. With Quiver Dance, all of these stats become dangerously high.
+ A great movepool. A reliable Bug STAB in Bug Buzz whilst having multiple Fire options. Flamethrower is your standard although you could use Fiery Dance to trade some Base Power to possibly increase your Sp Attack. Then there's the already mentioned Quiver Dance, Rage Powder, Hurricane, it goes on!
+ Flame Body is a pretty nice ability
+ It's based off the sun. That is cool.

Negatives:
- Setting up is easier said than done. If Volcarona gets even 1 Quiver Dance up, it can be a massive threat although a faster threat could OHKO it before it gets the chance.
- 65 Defense isn't good at all. This can make it even harder to set up against Physical Attackers.
- 4x Rock Weakness means that you'll have troubles with Stealth Rock in Singles and Rock Slide in Doubles (And Singles to I guess). A Water and Flying weakness don't help either.
- Volcarona easily suffers from 4 Move Slot Syndrome. Running a coverage move can be hard if you are trying to run Quiver Dance too.
- Little bit of Trivia: Volcarona's Attack (60) is actually lower than its Pre-Evolution (85). Don't run this thing Physical.

Abilities:
Flame Body:
Probably its best ability. It's a semi-reliable way to neuter Physical Attacks and it can really help at times. Shame Rock Slide and Stone Edge aren't Contact moves.
Swarm: It's OK, but just run Flame Body. Getting to low HP and spamming Bug Buzz may sound like a good plan, but it really isn't. It's even more situational. Plus, it's harder to get in the games since it's Volcarona's Hidden Ability.

Counters: Stealth Rock is easily your best friend. This can strip half of Volcarona's health when it first enters battle. In doubles, since you'd generally not run Stealth Rock, a Pokemon with Rock Slide such as Lando-T usually works. However, Lando is in trouble if and Quiver Dances go off. If it gets enough Quiver Dances off, you may be in trouble so preventing the Quiver Dances are generally the best play.
 

SwiftGrovyle

Official POTW Fact Checker
Two things:
1. Carbink potw has errors! (Otherwise I wouldn't be here) Magic Guard is an ability, not a attack. You are thinking of Magic Coat, judging from the description used in the first set.
2. Additional options:
Assault Vest- Volcarona's Special defense is high, and it's typing resists Fairy moves. With Giga Drain as a mild recovery option, and Fiery Dance as a boosting move, it is arguably viable, especially when you consider it resists Fairy, Steel, and can tank hits like Gastrodon's Scald. Sadly, it means you can't use Roost and Quiver Dance.

Hurricane, and Psychic are both interesting in terms of type coverage, but are generally not used.

U-turn is interesting because it allows Volcarona the ability to gain momentum, but doesn't do much else, not to mention it's counterproductive to Quiver dance.

Z-Tailwind seems nice, but better useful on something like Togekiss or Honchkrow.
Similarly, Z-Foresight is better on Machamp, and even then it's a gimmick.
 

Mestorn

Wandering Battler
Volcarona. For those who say bug types are pathetic, this thing laughs in your face. While lacking the BST of a true Pseudolegendary, its stats are distributed in the right places to make it a massive threat in a short amount of time. Quiver Dance was made for this monster and after one, it can easily sweep through an opposing team.

Burning Sun
Volcarona
Ability: Flame Body
Item: Life Orb/Firnium Z/Bugnium Z
-Quiver Dance
-Fiery Dance
-Bug Buzz
-Psychic/Giga Drain/Hidden Power Ground
Nature: Timid (+SPD, -ATK)
EVs: 252 SATK/252 SPD/4 HP

Standard Volcarona set. Quiver Dance to turn into a monster and then go into a sweep with its Monstrous STABs. Fiery Dance is particularly devistating, enabling Volcarona to attack and further increase its massive SATK, while Bug Buzz is a decent STAB that covers threats like Tyranitar, Greninja, the Lat Twins, and Mew. Last move is up to preference. Psychic hits Mega Venasaur, and Toxapex particularly hard, Giga Drain routes Gastrodon and Tapu Fini, while HP Ground slams Toxapex and Heatran.

Blazing Aegis
Volcarona
Ability: Flame Body
Item: Leftovers/Charti Berry
-Roost
-Fiery Dance
-Will-o-Wisp
-Quiver Dance/Substitute/Light Screen/Toxic
Nature: Bold (+DEF, -ATK)
EVs: 252 HP/252 DEF/4 SATK

Gimmick Set. Volcarona can become impressively bulky on the physical side with proper investment and liberal use of Will-o-Wisp. Roost is to ward off Stealth Rock damage and keep Volcarona healthy. Fiery Dance allows Volcarona to avoid becoming Taunt bait and become a potent threat with a bit of luck on the SATK boosts. Last move is up to you. Quiver Dance is still great, boosting Volcarona's SATK, SDEF and SPD to great levels (and enables bluffing of a normal Quiver Dance set). Substitute protects Volcarona from status and can soak up hits, while Light Screen is party wide answer to SATKs. Toxic is another option for foes who don't mind being burned.

Some Calcs:
252 Atk burned Lopunny-Mega Return vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Volcarona: 81-96 (21.6 - 25.6%) -- 0.7% chance to 4HKO

4 Atk Life Orb Teravolt Kyurem-Black Fusion Bolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Volcarona: 140-166 (37.4 - 44.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

252 Atk Pure Power burned Medicham-Mega Zen Headbutt vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Volcarona: 102-121 (27.2 - 32.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

252+ Atk burned Swampert-Mega Waterfall vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Volcarona: 151-178 (40.3 - 47.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Other Options
Rage Powder -unorthodox for doubles, but may work in keeping more threatening teammates alive. However Volcarona's less than stellar DEF and weakness to Rock Slide and Surf makes this move more situational than usual.
Tailwind -Make the entire team faster! Volcarona prefers Quiver Dance for its speed boosting needs, but its teammates would appreciate the leg up.
Defog -Ahahahah... DON'T. While it may be tempting, Volcarona's 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and Vulnerability to all entry hazards makes Volcarona a poor defogger.
 

BillyBobJoe

Well-Known Member
Two major positives:
+Quiver Dance. Just Quiver Dance
+Now, you don’t need to keep it unevolved to get certain moves. The only one you may care about is Double Edge.

Biggest Naegative:
-Stealth Rocks. The meta-impacting move that I hate oh so much. Volcorona is Quad weak to it.
 

BillyBobJoe

Well-Known Member
Burning Sun
Volcarona
Ability: Flame Body
Item: Life Orb/Firnium Z/Bugnium Z
-Quiver Dance
-Fiery Dance
-Bug Buzz
-Psychic/Giga Drain/Hidden Power Ground
Nature: Timid (+SPD, -ATK)
EVs: 252 SATK/252 SPD/4 HP

This set could be used with Oricorio (but not it’s fire form). You would get off double Quiver Dances and double Fiery Dances
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
Basic Volcarona Set
Volcarona
Ability: Flame Body
Nature: Modest or Timid Nature (Either way works)
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk/ 252 Spd.
Item: Focus Sash
-Quiver Dance
-Fiery Dance
-Giga Drain
-Bug Buzz

Volcarona is one of my strongest Pokemon that I've obtained from an egg in 5th gen. Basically Volcarona's best move is undoubtedly Quiver Dance, there's no argument to it. Unfortunately Volcarona doesn't have the physical bulk and rock type moves, specifically Rock Slide, are fairly common so that's why Focus Sash exist. Focus Sash Volcarona is the safest way to play Volcarona, I do not recommend life orb at all considering Volcarona's frailty and it's almost certain in most situations that he is going to take hits that can nearly one-shot Volcarona. Life Orb = Bad Idea. Giga Drain is meant to be a strong counter on Rock-types attempting to one-shot Volcarona and is a great recovery move due to Volcarona's frailty. The only thing comes to mind as huge threats are Garchomp and Landorus who have enough bulk around if focus sash is gone. A quiver dance Volcarona can take on any of the Tapu's. Bug Buzz and Fiery Dance take advantage of his STAB. Due to stealth rocks being prevalent, it's recommended that Volcarona comes out as a lead that hits hard however Volcarona is good as a revenge backup too. Other than special tanks, like Chansey, and fairly bulky revenge killers, like Garchomp, there aren't that many threats that can stop a sweeping Volcarona.

To sum it up, if you can even get one quiver dance, Volcarona easily becomes an amazingly and annoyingly dangerous sweeper.
 

XaelOstigian

Competitive...kinda
The original Quiver Dance sweeper makes its presence known. This thing decimated teams back in generation 5, and still does an excellent job at frightening the opposition:
volcarona-8-100-lord-magmortar-happens-28025139.png

Funny thing is, Volcarona had another job back when it was first introduced in gen 5. Let's just say the Skyarrow Bridge never saw night with it's flying Flame Body:
8dd.png
 

Sceptile Leaf Blade

Nighttime Guardian
Counters: Nihilego is one of the better ones. Loads of special bulk, resists both of Volcarona's STAB moves, and has Power Gem to scare Volcarona. It does have to watch out for a potential Hidden Power Ground or Psychic.
Heatran is also solid, immune to fire and 4x resists Bug, Ice, and Grass, and it can potentially grab a Flash Fire boost if Volcarona isn't careful. Like Nihilego, Heatran does have to watch out for Hidden Power Ground.
Gyarados resists fire and bug and has plenty of special bulk, it can fight back with Waterfall. It does have to watch out for Hidden Power Electric or potential burns (either Will-o-Wisp or Flame Body).
Mega Salamence resists fire, bug, ground, and grass and fights back with Hyper Voice or Double-Edge, but has to watch out for Hidden Power Ice.
Alolan Marowak resists fire, bug (4x), ice, grass, and electric (if Lightningrod), and OHKOs with Flare Blitz or Shadow Bone (Flare Blitz OHKOs max HP Volcarona, Shadow Bone only OHKOs offensive builds), but it has to avoid Hidden Power Ground.
Tapu Fini resists fire, bug, and ice, has plenty of bulk to take the odd Giga Drain or Hidden Power Electric, and can fight back with water moves.
Toxapex resists fire, bug, and ice, and can Haze Quiver Dance away. It doesn't like taking Psychic though, mostly because it has little offensive presence.

Volcarona can't run that many coverage moves, it's usually 2 STAB moves and 1 coverage move, with the final slot going to Quiver Dance, so it will always leave several openings offensively.
 
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