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Community POTW #48

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Serebii

And, as if by magic, the webmaster appeared...
Staff member
Admin
Time for another Pokémon of the Week

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This week we'll be doing Torkoal, one of the Hoenn Pokémon

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/324.shtml

I like Torkoal, it's a decent Pokémon, despite its size and it can do some decent things, but nobody uses it so we may get some cool sets here

Go nuts, BUT STAY ON TOPIC. If you go off topic, I'll infract you
 
My lead set:
Torkoal@Focus Sash
Ability: White Smoke
EVs: 176 HP, 80 Defense, 252 Special Defense
Nature: Calm [+ Special Defense, - Attack]
-Stealth Rock
-Rapid Spin
-Overheat
-Yawn

I tried to make the EV spread/Nature to make it so that he could take special hits as well as physical hits. Anyway, Yawn on the first turn, and make them decide if they want to keep their lead awake or not. Use Stealth Rock on the switch, or Rapid Spin away their hazards on the switch. Overheat Really just so you're not screwed by Taunt. Try to keep him for later for phazing with Yawn or for Rapid Spin support, but he's viable death fodder for a Heatran Earth Power:)
 
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Recon

11001101011101010100
Torkoal, ability-wise, it sucks. You won't see too many stat-lowering moves in OU so White Smoke is next to useless. Shell Armor could be helpful but not very, but its probably more useful.

Stat-wise, very bad speed, so you're gonna want to use Trick Room. It has a good Defense but bad Sp. Def and its Attack and Sp. Atk are exactly the same, so you could go either way with him.

Now let's take a look at its sets.

Curse it all!
-Curse
-Gyro Ball
-Earthquake
-Return/Stone Edge
EVs: 252 Atk/252 HP/4 Def
Nature:Brave
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Shell Armor
Torkal has access to Curse, which lowers its already horrible speed and gives it better defenses and attack. Gyro Ball is a great move in this case as you're dealing a bunch of extra damage with the low speed you already have and even lower thanks to curse. Earthquake is used to deal with those pesky Steels and Rocks and has a really good base attack. Return or Stone Edge can be used depending on your own preference. You could also use Trick Room with this set, but I don't know how it will affect Gyro Ball (Help needed here). There's really one problem with this set, Torkoal doesn't get any STAB moves. Since Flame Charge is the ONLY Physical STAB move Torkal gets, there's really no point in putting it on here as it gives speed, which you DON'T want.

Choice Torkoal
-Lava Plume/Flamethrower/Fire Blast
-Lava Plume/Flamethrower/Fire Blast
-Solarbeam
-Hidden Power (Suggestions for types please)
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk/252 Speed/4 HP
Nature: Modest
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Shell Armor
A basic choice set, but it can be even better if put under the sun. One-turn Solarbeam plus boosted fire-type attacks from STAB and the sun. Lava Plume has a higher chance of getting a burn, Flamethrower has a higher base power than Lava Plume, but not as much as Fire Blast, While Fire Blast has power but not that accurate. Hidden Power I'm thinking could be Grass, but Ice would be good as well. LavaSuggestions are welcome.

Support
-Will-o-Wisp
-Stealth Rock
-Swagger/Toxic
-Flamethrower
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def./4 Sp. Def
Nature: Bold or Impish
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Shell Armor
Torkoal can run Stealth Rock, which everyone knows is a critical component of the metagame. Will-o-Wisp cripples Fighting types or any physical Pokemon in general. Swagger raises attack and causes confusion meaning your opponent's Pokemon will do more damage to themselves if confused, but its best used on Pokemon like Alakazam or Reuniclus which use Sp. Atk. Toxic is good alternative, just don't use it on Steel-types or Pokemon with Poison Heal. Flamethrower is there if you get taunted.

Partners:
You'll want anything that can counter Water, Ground, and Rock types, so a Grass type would work best. Drought Ninetails is your friend, providing infinite sun and boosting STAB moves. Trick Room users can work as well.

Alternative options:
Shell Smash is one of the best Stat-boosting moves and Torkoal can use it well, just make sure it isn't up against Special users.
Flame Charge is a good way to boost your speed, but best used in a physical set, but Torkoal doesn't have that much access to Physical moves anyway.
Heat Wave is a move best used in Doubles or Triples, but make sure you don't hurt yourself too much.
Bulldoze lowers your opponent's speed, so you can be on par with them in terms of speed, but you'll probably get knocked out before then.
Overheat is a great move, doing a bunch of damage, but the stat decrease will hurt you hard, unless you have a White Herb, then it's viable, but still not by much.
 
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yay! first to post an actual moveset!

Erupsmashkoal
Torkoal @Leftovers/White Herb
Trait: White Smoke/Shell Armor
Nature: not too sure
EVs: not sure yet
Eruption
Shell Smash
Earthquake
Yawn/Clear Smog/Flamethrower

Basically, it capitalizes off the fact that Shell Smash makes you faster and Eruption destroys everything in its path. Earthquake is for another move and the ability to hit Rock types. The last move is whatever you need. I'm not good with natures and EVs, so if someone else could do that for me that would be nice.

Cursekoal
Torkoal @Leftovers/Life Orb
Trait: White Smoke/Shell Armor
Nature: Brave
EVs: not sure
Curse
Gyro Ball
Explosion/Stone Edge
Earthquake

As I was writing this post, I realized that Torkoal wouldn't be able to use STAB moves, but oh well. Anyway, this moveset uses Curse and Gyro Ball to destroy lots of Pokemon. After that, you can either go with EdgeQuake or Earthquake and Explosion (Explosion to do lots of damage). Again, I'm not sure about the EVs, so if someone else could help me with that, that would be great.
 
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10speed12

Member
;324;
Abillity:white smoke
Item: Life orb
Nature:hasty
Evs:252 Speed, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 hp
Moves:
Stealth Rock
Clear smog
Heat Wave
Electric Hidden Power
 

grantholomew

accually is dolan
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Split Torkoal
Torkoal @ Life Orb/Leftovers/White Herb
Trait: White Smoke
EVs: 252 Atk/252 SAtk/4 SDef
Sassy (+SDef, -Spd)
- Flamethrower/Heat Wave/Fire Blast/Overheat/Eruption
- Earthquake/Stone Edge
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock/Shell Smash
Okay so this is basically a split physical/special set for Torkoal, and it works really well with a Trick Room, because Torkoal is so slow. Pick a Fire move of your choice, Flamethrower, Heat Wave and Fire Blast are all good, Overheat if you want to be old school (and take advantage of the White Herb) or Eruption if you’re daring. Earthquake and Stone Edge are both good physical moves, and Earthquake is super-effective against Torkoal’s weakness to Rock. Gyro Ball takes advantage of Torkoal’s horrible speed. Stealth Rock makes Torkoal a good lead. Shell Smash raises both Attack and Special Attack, but also raises Speed (making him slower in a Trick Room, and having Gyro Ball doing less damage) and lowers both Defense and Special Defense (which can be remedied by a White Herb) so basically it can be worth it if your Torkoal has minimal Speed IV’s. IF you don’t want to do that, Life Orb and Leftovers are good items.
 

Man_of_Girth

Like A Boss
Torkoal is one of those very forgettable pokemon. It has huge defense, but its typing and other stats are so lackluster that it is never used. Torkoal would be a solid physical wall if his typing was better: weaknesses to water, ground and rock (STEALTH ROCK) are not something any wall wants. However the fifth generation did give it some useful offensive options in Flame Charge and Shell Smash to raise its abysmal speed stat. anyway, here are the only two sets I would consider:

SmashCharge
Torkoal @ Leftovers/Life Orb
-Shell Smash
-Flame Charge
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
Jolly Nature
EVs: 252atk / 4def / 252 spe

Both Flame Charge and Shell Smash on the same set? YES, have you seen torkoal's speed? it maxes out at 152, so a shell smash only brings it to 304, still fairly slow. Flame charge is there to get that speed to a more useable level without lowering its defenses anymore, and despite its 50 base power, it has STAB and will coming off a 538 atk stat after one shell smash. EdgeQuake for the lols.


Special Shell Smash
Torkoal @ Life Orb/Leftovers
-Shell Smash
-Flamethrower
-Earthpower
-Hidden Power (Rock)
Timid Nature
EVs: 4def / 252Sak / 252spe

For the special set, you have to use shell smash more than once to get your speed to an acceptable level, leaving you vulnerable for another turn and lowering your defenses. Flamethrower is STAB. Earthpower and HP Rock make special EdgeQuake. This set is particularly week to priority, as torkoal only has half his defenses once all set up.
 

Ice Blue Dragon

I belive I can fly!
A little diffrent,

Torkol@leftovers
White smoke
+Sp defense -speed
252hp/252def/4sp.def
-rapid spin
-stealth rock
-toxic/truant
-amnesia

A mixed wall/supporter. Shell armor to stop crits, amnesia to boost the poor Sp.def, toxic for water types and other walls, stealth rock for hazards, and rapid spin for hazards and to not be truant bait.

Edit: 92 people viewing POTW.
 
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Zachmac

Well-Known Member
A max speed torkoal will only reach 304 speed after a shell smash. A pokemon with base 100 speed would be at 328, so it's too slow for shell smash. If you want to use it, you'd have to get up two shell smashes, which word be extremely hard. Might work at the battle frontier, but anywhere else....The Smash Charge set listed earlier is also a gimmick, it also won't be easy to set up.

Shell Smash should not be listed as a main set, more of other options.
 

Ilan

Well-Known Member
another mostly trick room supported pokemon?

he have similar physical bulk to skarmory bad speed and typing make him much less useful he also he lacks recovery move.

physically it lacks STAB

special..he have fire blast.
here is a suggested set:
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@ white herb
trait:white smoke
nature: naive/hasty
EV: 200 attack, 252 speed, 56 sp.attack
Shell smash
Fire blast
Stone edge
Earthquake

checked his max speed stat it can reach 152 with max inversments so 152*2 = 304 good speed on UU (but if you want you can also get 2 shells smashs and then be used on OU, it also ups attacking stats to be like base 170 each and after 2 boosts like base 255

Fire blast is your special STABcause you don't have any good physical one

and then stonequake combo for coverage.

then tell everybody you totally swept a full team with torkoal who switched on ferrothorn/scizor (cause POTW is based on OU) seems little like a gimmick but it seems good with his godly defense and shell smash.
 
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Zachmac

Well-Known Member
^^I just said why Shell Smash is a Gimmick+He doesn't have the offensive stats for TR, but I guess Eruption could work if you manage to get it in at full health...Eruption Heatran is better.
 

Ilan

Well-Known Member
^^I just said why Shell Smash is a Gimmick+He doesn't have the offensive stats for TR, but I guess Eruption could work if you manage to get it in at full health...Eruption Heatran is better.

With white herb getting 2 shell smashs isn't that difficult especially when you switch on a physical attacker and 304 speed in UU is more than enough.
 

FrostFlash

Well-Known Member
Special Shell Smash Torkoal
Timid
Item: White Herb/Life Orb
Ability: White Smoke
- Fire Blast/Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power Ice/Grass
- Shell Smash
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Sp. Atk, 6 Def

Use this only against something which Torkoal can scare off, Choice-locked resisted physical attacks, etc. Idea is to take a hit, and then Shell Smash while the opponent switches. Something over other Shell Smashers is Torkoal only takes neutral damage from most priority attacks, the only it's weak to is Aqua Jet. If it had Flame Body, many priority users would risk getting burned while hitting it. (lol Magcargo)

Can only outrun Pokemon up to base 85 Speed max though, I think, and gets walled very badly against bulky Waters and Altaria, depending on what Hidden Power you choose. Shell Armor would have priority over White Smoke because Sp. Att and Speed-dropping attacks aren't very common and it doesn't protect against paralysis, but Earth Power and Shell Armor is illegal.

Mixed Shell Smash Torkoal
Naive
Item: White Herb/Life Orb
Ability: White Smoke/Shell Armor
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Shell Smash
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Atk, 6 Sp. Atk

Lack of a strong physical STAB hurts, but doesn't make a difference when you're using Torkoal, seriously. I wouldn't use Flame Charge because of its low base power, but it's up to you. Again walled badly by bulky Waters. White Smoke sees more use due to Intimidate users, but if you don't see too many of them then Shell Armor would be better against random criticals.

Support
Bold
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Shell Armor/White Smoke
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin/Flamethrower
- Yawn/Will-o-Wisp/Clear Smog/Toxic
- Yawn/Will-o-Wisp/Clear Smog/Toxic
EVs: 252 Def, 248 HP, 8 Sp. Def

Stealth Rock is a given. Yawn/Will-o-Wisp/Clear Smog for further support, choose two out of them. Rapid Spin and Flamethrower is a choice between supporting even further or having something to hit the foe with. If you choose Rapid Spin, Torkoal can't do anything against Taunt users, so you can choose to have Lava Plume to combine Flamethrower and Will-o-Wisp.

Note: Gyro Ball is useless on Torkoal, when it lacks STAB and already has STAB Fire attacks and Earthquake/Earth Power to hit Ice and Rock types super-effectively, unless you use Curse with it. Even so, it's still not a very good option when you have EdgeQuake available.
 
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Support with Rapid Spin, Stealth Rock, and random burns with Lava Plume is honestly Torkoal's best asset. Far too slow for Shell Smash, outclassed as a Curse user, and honestly not the offensive stats to abuse Trick Room. However, that physical bulk is very nice, and it has a couple of other neat little support options, like Yawn. That's where Torkoal should be focusing its efforts on.
 

Rayofquazar

Well-Known Member
Torkoal... That pokemon should be a Fire/Steel type but nevertheless it's decent... Not too good but okay!

Defensive torkoal:
Ability: White smoke
Held item: Leftovers
Nature: Sassy (You'll need to Sp DEF increase but you doesn't need the speed)
EVs: 175 Sp DEF/ 252 HP/ 77 DEF
Moves:
-Clear smog/Toxic
-Earthquake
-Flamethrower/Overheat/Eruption/Lava plume
-Gyro ball/Rapid spin/Stealth rock
Okay... Simple! This set is using torkoal's bulk. The sassy nature is that special attacks won't be taking you that easily and since you are so slow you won't mind to lose some speed. for offensive needs you have earthquake, great power, great coverage and best physical attack in the game. Torkoal can also use special moves especially fire type moves. Choose the one you think is better. For defensive means, Clear smog protects you from those who try to set up in front of you in order to sweep or baton pass while toxic can do some serious damage while you wall! both good. The final move is something that you need... If you already have a rapid spinner or a stealth rock setter go for gyro ball cz seeing torkoal's speed it will nearly always hit with maximum power! Can be handy even if steel's coverage is minimum but a 150 BP move will hurt anything in it's path!
White smoke will protect from defense lowering attacks coming from the opponent insuring that your bulk will not be disturbed. You can use amnesia, barrier or iron defense but I'd rather use some attacks with a trick room team.
 
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Zachmac

Well-Known Member
With white herb getting 2 shell smashs isn't that difficult especially when you switch on a physical attacker and 304 speed in UU is more than enough.
Have you ever read the pokemon of the week? It's always assuming you're fighting in OU.
POTW said:
While Gallade lacks many weaknesses, it also lacks resistances, with most type moves doing 1* damage on it. As such, if you hit it with powerful Physical moves, it will go down. An example of this would be a priority Technician, Choice Banded Bullet Punch from Scizor As well as this, if you can hit it with a burn such as from Will-o-Wisp, Gallade severely gets neutered and is much less of a threat than normal.
Scizor is OU. Gallade isn't.
 

TrollFreak

Pit is Awesome :P
This guy only works in the RU/NU tier, but on to the set

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[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Lava Plume
move 4: Yawn / Toxic / Earth Power
item: Leftovers
ability: White Smoke
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Torkoal's good physical bulk allows it to switch into many physical threats and use the opportunities to set up Stealth Rock, spread status, or clear the field of entry hazards with Rapid Spin. Lava Plume is a good STAB move that comes with a generous 30% burn rate, allowing Torkoal to do something if it gets Taunted. The final slot is a little more complicated, and depends on your personal preference. Yawn is helpful as it can force switches and rack up damage from entry hazards, also having the ability to disable one of Torkoal's counters for a couple of turns. Toxic can be used to wear down bulkier opponents such as Slowking on the switch, but this may clash with Lava Plume's burn rate. Finally, Earth Power can be used in the last slot to provide extra type coverage against other Fire-types that wall Torkoal, and it turns Torkoal into a more offense-oriented tank. White Smoke is used as the ability as Shell Armor is illegal with Stealth Rock.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

248 HP EVs give Torkoal a total of 343 HP, allowing it to switch into Stealth Rock four times before fainting. Maximum Defense is a given for Torkoal to survive even boosted physical attacks, while the remaining EVs are placed into Special Defense for extra bulk. Alternatively, Torkoal can run a specially defensive set with a Careful nature and shift the Defense EVs to Special Defense. The advantage of a specially defensive set is that Torkoal can take on threats such as Moltres and Sceptile a lot easier, while the loss of Defense EVs won't make a huge difference as Torkoal is physically bulky enough already. As for alternative move options, Torkoal may use Protect to gain an extra turn of Leftovers recovery, Will-O-Wisp to burn physical threats, and even Explosion when all else fails.

Using a Ghost-type of your own is helpful as it can block any attempt the opponent makes to remove Stealth Rock from their side of the field. Cofagrigus, Dusknoir, and Rotom-A are all good options due to their high defensive stats; Rotom-A also has the benefit of Levitate, making it an ideal switch-in to Ground-type moves aimed at Torkoal. Torkoal's poor typing makes the correct team support essential; Pokemon who can switch into Rock-, Ground-, and Water-type attacks are all great choices. Claydol can switch into Rock- and Ground-type moves thanks to Levitate, Poliwrath can switch into Water-type moves and restore health with Water Absorb, and Ferroseed can switch into Water- and Rock-type attacks, while providing Torkoal with Leech Seed support. On the more offensive route, Grass-types such as Sceptile, Tangrowth, and Sawsbuck are great for defeating Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types with their STAB moves, and most of them can provide support of some kind as well, whether it be status, Leech Seed, or even simply wiping out the opposing threats. The last thing to consider when using Torkoal is Wish support. Without any way to recover HP outside of Rest, Torkoal requires this support and welcomes it greatly. Clefable is the best option for this role as she has a massive selection of support moves, only one weakness, and her high Special Defense means she can also switch into common Water-type moves aimed at Torkoal.

[Other Options]
Being the newest addition to Torkoal's movepool, Shell Smash is one of those moves you must have the correct stat distribution for. Unfortunately for Torkoal, Shell Smash isn't a match made in heaven. Its lack of a usable physical Fire-type STAB is a letdown, and even after +2 boosts in Speed, Attack, and Special Attack, Torkoal's stats are still pretty average. A set comprising of Rest, Sleep Talk, Lava Plume, and Rapid Spin is viable to patch up Torkoal's lack of recovery, but this is still unreliable as it requires two turns before it is able to recover again. Curse can be used on a specially defensive set, but again, the lack of physical STAB, and Torkoal's poor defensive typing is a downfall. Body Slam can be used to abuse the paralysis rate and slow down faster opponents, while Gyro Ball can be used to take advantage of Torkoal's pitiful Speed. Clear Smog gives Torkoal a way to shut down stat boosters, though due to Torkoal's horrible Speed, it will more than likely move last and get knocked out. Overheat can be used for its high Base Power, though this forces Torkoal to switch most of the time due to the cut in Special Attack. Finally, Torkoal's decent defenses mean that it can set up Sunny Day for its teammates, and even abuse it with STAB Fire-type attacks, or if you're feeling risky, SolarBeam too.

[Checks and Counters]
When facing Torkoal, the first thing you should target is its average Special Defense and weakness to common Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type moves. Slowking is an excellent counter to Torkoal due to its high Special Defense, access to reliable recovery in Slack Off, as well as a powerful STAB Surf to KO with, only fearing Yawn and Toxic. Clefable can take on most sets which lack physical attacks; Magic Guard ensures that she won't be taking burn or poison damage, her typing means that Torkoal is unable to hit her super effectively, and she has access to Wish and Softboiled to heal off any damage taken. Mandibuzz can take on Torkoal as long as it lacks Stone Edge; its high defenses, when combined with Taunt, Whirlwind, and Toxic, allow Mandibuzz to slowly wear down Torkoal and restore health or phaze it when necessary. Most bulky Ground- and Rock-types can defeat Torkoal as long as they can avoid being burned. Krookodile and Archeops are two great examples as they can withstand a hit or two from Torkoal, and proceed to tear it apart with a super effective, STAB Earthquake or Stone Edge, respectively.

[Dream World]

Torkoal gains Shell Armor as its ability through the Dream World, which is helpful if you want to prevent critical hits on any defensive set. The only downside to this is that Shell Armor is illegal with Stealth Rock, which takes away part of Torkoal's usefulness.
 

SwordsDanceStruggle

I need to...DANCE
Stepping on hot Torkoals

Le Torkoal @ Leftovers
Ability: White Smoke
Nature: Bold/Impish/Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SpDef (like a boss)
Will-O-Wisp
Amnesia
Yawn/Stealth Rock/Rapid Spin/Attacking Move
Yawn/Stealth Rock/Rapid Spin/Attacking Move
In its tier (and higher ones) Torkoal can pretty much tank through physical attacks. He can come in on a non-STAB physical attack and either burn or Amnesia, switch or no. Running two of the three support moves is great on Torkoal, especially after the setup. Note, of course, that Yawn and Will-O-Wisp don't work together. But, if you fear Taunt or certain counters, use attacking move(s). He has so many options, it's your choice.
 
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