I threw out the one the RNG decided for today (Weezing)
You
WHAT?!?!
It Should Have Been Weezing This Week
Chandelure@Expert Belt
Modest nature
Flash Fire
252 Sp. Atk/252 Spd/4 HP
~Flame Charge
~Flamethrower
~Shadow Ball
~Hidden Power (Fighting)
So NOW Serebii decides to go with an OU superstar, the week when the cycle of crap would have been broken by the awesomeness that is Weezing anyway. I am disappoint and offended. But still, the show must go on, so... Yes. Chandelure. This haunted light fixture is bolted right in place in the OU tier and not without good reason- specifically, dat Special Attack. This is your standard Chandelure set. Flame Charge is an absolute necessity for the Speed increase, and the other three moves are for pure and unadulterated PWNage. Flamethrower and Shadow Ball are for STAB, and Shadow Ball and HP Fighting have unresisted coverage.
Item boosts the power of Chandelure's super-effective moves, which will be the case often enough. Ability is the best currently legal one.
Why Not Weezing?
Chandelure@Leftovers
Bold nature
Flame Body/Flash Fire/Shadow Tag
252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp. Def
~Calm Mind
~Shadow Ball
~Hidden Power (Fighting)
~Flamethrower/Protect/Flame Charge
Chandelure can also run a Calm Mind set to a certain degree of success, boasting not-too-shabby defenses. Maximize the physical bulk through the nature and EVs, and allow Calm Mind to handle the rest. Shadow Ball and HP Fighting for that unresisted coverage of doom, and the last slot depends on you. Flamethrower is generally preferred, but when or if Shadow Tag Chandelure becomes legal (along with Truant Durant), Protect will be invaluable. If not with Truant Durant, then Flame Charge.
Item is obvious. Ability, any one works here. Flame Body can help to burn physical attackers, adding on to its already decent physical bulk. Flash Fire is always good for the Fire immunity. And Shadow Tag (when it becomes legal, that is) turns this thing into an utterly unstoppable monster.
Other options:
*You could slap a
Choice Scarf on Chandelure and replace Flame Charge with another move, but the need to switch constantly is detrimental to anything with a Stealth Rock weakness, and in any case, Chandelure gets perfect coverage with the moves already in that set. No, Choice Scarf is clearly inferior to the Flame Charge set.
*
Overheat could see some use on a Choice set, but as stated above, Chandelure's not really suited to those.
*
Heat Wave and
Fire Blast can replace Flamethrower on any given set, but the accuracy is a tad off-putting.
*
Pain Split is Chandelure's only reliable form of recovery (and I use the term "reliable" very, very loosely)
*
Clear Smog is a good way to bring Baton Pass teams to a screeching halt.
*If boosting Chandelure's Speed isn't quite your style, you could go the other way and make it as low as possible and run
Trick Room. That said, quite a few things can and will outrun Chandelure in Trick Room.
*
Will-O-Wisp is always a good option, especially on the Calm Mind set. Makes for a decent, albeit gimmicky, combination with
Hex.
Abilities:
*
Flash Fire: Chandelure is immune to Fire moves. When first hit by one, the power of its own Fire moves is increased by x1.5. The preferred ability on any currently legal Chandelure, as an extra immunity is always a plus.
*
Flame Body: When Chandelure is hit by a contact move, the opponent has a 30% chance of getting burned. Always a good ability, but Flash Fire usually outclasses it.
*
Shadow Tag: Chandelure's Hidden Ability, and once it's released, probably Chandelure's one-way ticket to Ubers. This thing is incredible. All you need to do is switch in a Calm Mind Chandelure with Shadow Tag on a Choice item'd Normal or Fighting move and set up like hell with Calm Mind, then Flame Charge. Assuming the Flame Charges don't KO the foe, Chandelure will be at +6 Special Attack and +6 Speed, leaving your opponent more or less at your mercy. Also bear in mind that your other two moves would be Shadow Ball and HP Fighting. Completely unresisted coverage. Yeah.
Partners:
Chandelure excels on sun teams. The bright sunlight powers up Chandelure's already incredible Fire moves and more or less eliminates its weakness to Water. You'll also want some Rapid Spin support or a Magic Bounce Espeon, because Stealth Rock is no Fire-type's friend.
Counters:
Heatran eats anything Chandelure throws at it barring HP Fighting and can hit back with Dark Pulse, potentially for the KO. Resists both of its STAB types, too. For obvious reasons, you'll want to steer clear of Blissey. Chansey can only threaten you with Toxic, but that doesn't give you a license to take her lightly.
Opinion:
Chandelure has it all; great stats, great moves, great looks... My only issue is with Serebii's apparently negative opinion of Weezing.
Prediction for next week:
Weezing. C'mon, Serebii, do the right thing.