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Community POTW #151

Serebii

And, as if by magic, the webmaster appeared...
Staff member
Admin
This week we're focusing on the Johto starter that is NOT in Legends: Z-A

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It's Typhlosion

 

KyogreThunder

Call of Fate
Typhlosion
Modest nature/Timid nature
@Choice Scarf/Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Speed/252 SpAtk/4 HP
-Eruption
-Flamethrower
-Scorching Sands
-Extrasensory/Shadow Ball/Solar Beam/Tera Blast
 

XaelOstigian

Competitive...kinda
As someone who started with gen 2 Pokemon Silver, Cyndaquil was technically the first Pokemon I ever received, and by extension, Typhlosion was my first ever fully evolved Pokemon. I still remember the old days of running Fire Punch and Thunder Punch with it. It got renewed attention in gen 4 when it got access to a fast STAB Eruption, but once the physical-special split happened it lost all its coverage moves outside Hidden Power and could really only use Fire attacks. Not to mention Typlosion had its reputation under fire thanks to lolicon wife-raising accusations with a human girl.
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But it beat the charges, got a new Hisuian variant, new coverage, and can still hold its own in higher tiers of play.

Lava Badger Don't Care
Ability: Flash Fire
Item: Choice Scarf/Choice Specs
Nature: Timid
EVs: (HP 4) (Sp. Attack 252) (Speed 252)
Tera Type Fire

Moves:
Eruption
Shadow Ball
Scorching Sands
Extrasensory/Fire Blast

Set Details:
Spam Eruption! It worked back in gen 4, and it still does now. Thanks to your Choice item you can either outspeed nearly anything or hit with even more insane power coming from an already high base 150 STAB at full health. When faced with a target that resists Fire, either swap out or opt use Shadow Ball and Scorching Sands for type coverage. Extrasensory is there for niche targets, but you can opt for Fire Blast instead once your health drops below two thirds. Invest everything into special attack and speed, and Flash Fire can give you a free switch in to an opponent's Fire attack all while further boosting Eruption.
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Sage Wisdom
Ability: Frisk/Blaze
Item: Life Orb
Nature: Timid
EVs: (HP 4) (Sp. Attack 252) (Speed 252)
Tera Type: Grass

Moves:
Calm Mind
Fire Blast
Shadow Ball
Tera Blast/Extrasensory

Set Details:
For the Hisuian variant we have a Calm Mind sweeper set. While not as immediately powerful as its Johto cousin with its access to Eruption, after a single Calm Mind it gains comparable power backed with a twin STAB that few targets resist. Fire Blast becomes your substitute Fire move, Shadow Ball now becomes STAB, and from there use either Tera shifted Grass Tera Blast or Extrasensory for type coverage. Life Orb gives you a little extra power, invest everything into special attack and speed again, and from there you have a choice of ability. Frisk allows you to scout an opponent's item choice, but Blaze can give you that extra oomf to Fire Blast once your health gets a little dicey.

So don't let the changes in generations or the accusations from stopping you from loving what was so many player's first Fire starter. It's swift, it's strong, and it is a warm and fuzzy floof worthy of your affection.
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Mestorn

Wandering Battler
While Typhlosion has little history in VGC, its Hisuian counterpart has made quite the splash for much the same reason Typhlosion is feared in singles: spamming Eruption. A STAB Base 150 Spread move off of base 119 Special Attack is quite potent in low power formats. Add in Sun Support from Torkoal and Hisuian-Typhlosion is effectively the Kyogre of Regulation H in power, able to obliterate teams from the word go. Hisuian Typhlosion is preferred over its Johtoian counterpart for two reasons. The extra Special Attack is a big one, but even more important is its new Ghost subtyping, preventing Hisuian-Typhlosion from being stopped by Fake Out or have Eruption's power ruined by Dragonite's Extreme Speed. A good thing too given Hisuian-Typhlosion's unimpressive defenses and as many weaknesses as resistances. Additionally Hisuian-Typhlosion's speed, while good for Regulation-H is lacking in more open formats where Flutter Mane is around and can reliably outspeed even Scarf Hisuian-Typhlosion. While Hisuian-Typhlosion is much less impressive when not spamming full power Eruptions, the instant pressure it provides cannot be discounted and must be planned for.

Pompeii Incarnate
Typhlosion-Hisui

-Eruption
-Heat Wave
-Overheat
-Shadow Ball
Ability: Frisk/Blaze
Item Attached: Choice Scarf/Choice Specs
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Tera Type: Fire

Hisuian-Typhlosion's flagship set. Come in, use Eruption, profit. Ok it is a bit more nuanced than that, as Hisuian-Typhlosion requires good team support to get the most out of Eruption, though is perfectly serviceable on its own. Heat Wave is secondary spread STAB once Hisuian Typhlosion is damaged to the point that Eruption is weaker (usually 63% or when Hisuian Typhlosion hits 96 HP on a 4 HP EV set), allowing Typhlosion to continue its destruction as the battle wears on. Overheat is a break glass in case of Wide Guard scenario, enabling Hisuian Typhlosion to still immediately apply offensive pressure and melt a target. Shadow Ball is secondary STAB, for the rare cases when overwhelming Fire power won't work, being especially good into Basculegion and Flash Fire Armarouge.

Tera Fire is recommended for when there isn't a risk of Fake Out or priority, turning Hisuian-Typhlosion's Fire STABs nuclear, especially when stacked with Sun, Helping Hand, and/or Choice Specs, allowing Hisuian-Typhlosion to maim if not knock out Fire resists. Speaking of Choice Specs, both Choice Scarf and Choice Specs are equally viable for Hisuian-Typhlosion. Choice Scarf is largely preferred, giving Hisuian-Typhlosion the jump over even the speedy Dragapult and fearsome Scarf Annihilape and is generally much more self sufficient. Choice Specs generally requires more speed support so Hisuian-Typhlosion isn't outran by the likes of Sneasler, Garchomp, Dragapult, etc. but the extra power is paramount is breaking through the likes of Assault Vest Archaludon, Ursaluna, and more with relatively little offensive support. Hisuian-Typhlosion's ability is also of interest, being reliant on whether or not you are playing with open or closed team sheet. If in a closed team sheet setting, (like the normal ladder), Frisk is invaluable in catching odd sets and off beat items, especially Covert Cloaks or Safety Goggles. However, Frisk's utility is non-existent in open team sheet, and thus Blaze is preferred, giving Hisuian-Typhlosion a potent boost to its STABs if knocked to low health, which while inconsistent, can and does come up.

Preferred Partners:
Allies that can set the sun are invaluable for Hisuian-Typhlosion, giving its Eruptions a deadly boost in power and make a lot of the obscene damage numbers possible. Torkoal is very prominent, being able to passively set the Sun with Drought, while being an answer to opposing Trick Room teams that Hisuian-Typhlosion can struggle against. Whimsicott is a more consistent partner, not only providing a Prankster Sunny Day that bypasses any switching shenanigans (but still goes before even Scarf Hisuian-Typhlosion) but also Prankster Tailwind for Speed control, ensuring that Typhlosion can outspeed everything. Access to Fake Tears to ensure a target dies to Eruption is just icing on the cake, though Torkoal can do similarly with Helping Hand.

Other Options:

Flamethrower is a more reliable single target STAB option that doesn't sink Hisuian-Typhlosion's Special Attack
Solarbeam is great with Sun support in annihilating opposing Water types and Tyranitar, but is more vulnerable to disruption from opposing weather.
Sleep Talk is a tech against Spore from Amoonguss and Smeargle as well as Jumpluff's and Hisuian-Lilligant's Sleep Powder, allowing Hisuian-Typhlosion to wreak havoc.
 
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