Ampha
"They don’t call me Greed for nothing!"
[OVERVIEW]
Moltres is a premier defensive pivot in the RU metagame, boasting decent bulk and having some really valuable resistances coming with its Fire/Flying typing, such as its capacity to check many of RU's premier threats such as Cobalion, Gardevoir, and Enamorus-T. Flame Body is great on Moltres as it allows it to punish the multiple physical attackers and U-turn, such as Cyclizar, Slither Wing, and Zapdos-Galar, it is also a valuable l for punishing Maushold's Population bomb and Cinccino lacking Rock Blast. Heavy-Duty Boots is Moltres's ideal item due to it providing Moltres with a valuable chance to ignore its 4x Stealth Rock weakness, but is very reliant on so, and is susceptible to Knock Off from the already mentioned, Cyclizar and Zapdos-Galar among others. Pokemon checked by Moltres can take advantage of this by pivoting through U-turn and bringing a teammate that can deal with Moltres, such as Barraskewda, Terrakion or Basculegion-F.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Roost
move 4: U-turn
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 76 Def / 184 Spe
tera type: Fairy / Dragon / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Moltres can make use of its solid typing to be good utility pivot, U-Turn is Moltres's main source of momentum, as it can make use of its resistances to enter the field and safely pivot into another teammate safely, Roost increases Moltres's longevity and allows it to stick around for longer, while Will-O-Wisp is good to spread burns to cripple physical attackers and punish opponents who try to switch-in on Moltres. A Timid nature and 184 Speed EVs allows Moltres to hit 288 Speed, which is enough to outspeed maximum Speed Gyarados and Slither Wing, the rest is distributed into its Defense to help out with physical attackers. Heavy-Duty-Boots is the prefered item of choice, as it allows Moltres to avoid Stealth Rock which would be extremely problematic otherwise. Tera Fairy allows Moltres to keep some of it's important resistances, such as fighting, while giving it important ones to dark and a immunity to dragon, Tera Dragon alternatively helps Moltres with the Water and Electric-type matchup while still allowing it to check important targets, such as Barraskewda and Volcanion, while being the best Tera typing against Rain teams. Tera Ground helps out with Moltres's quadruple weakness to stealth rock, while also giving it a important immunity to Electric.
Moltres fits best on Bulky Offense or Balance structures, which appreciate its capacity to weaken physical attackers and bring out teammates safely thanks to U-turn . Cyclizar is one of Moltres's best partners, as it can Knock Off opposing items for Moltres, while packing Rapid Spin to clean the field out of hazards for Moltres to switch in more easily, while also being one of the best switch-ins to Water and Electric-type moves, and one of the best Volcanion checks on the tier. Good Knock off absorbers are also appreaciated such as Cobalion, Hippowdon or Rhyperior, since Moltres hates having its Heavy-Duty Boots knocked. Frail wallbreakers also appreciate Moltres's capacity to pivot out safely to them and make out for good partners for Moltres, Hex Gengar is a good pair as it takes advantage of Moltres spreading burns, while Breloom or Lilligant Hisui take advantage of Moltres forcing in switch-ins to Water, Ground and Rock-type pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
Moltres can run Brave Bird as a alternative to Flamethrower to punish on switch-ins expecting Flamethrower to hit them harder, such as Tera Fire Iron Leaves and Cyclizar. Scorching Sands can be run alongside Tera Ground for a stronger STAB option with a chance to burn.
[Checks and Counters]
Item Removal: Moltres is vulnerable to Stealth Rock upon losing its Heavy-Duty Boots. Pokemon like Cyclizar, Deoxys-Defense, Okidogi and Zapdos-Galar can often take the opportunity to Knock Off Moltres thus crippling its ability to switch-in. Choice Scarf + Trick users such as Gengar, Jirachi and Gardevoir can also remove Moltres's Heavy-Duty Boots with Trick.
Rock-types and Rock-type Coverage: Rhyperior, Terrakion and Lycanroc-D can easily switch in on Flamethrower and retaliate back with strong Rock-type STAB, although they fear being burned by Will-O-Wisp. Cobalion and Mienshao which would supposedly be checked by Moltres, can carry Stone Edge on some of it's sets. Hippowdon, Breloom, and Cincinno can also carry rock coverage for Moltres, which it has to watch out for, the former two fear being burned due to being slower though, while the latter has to click Rock Blast in order to not proc Flame Body.
Electric-types: Electric types such as Rotom-H, Raikou, Magnezone can easily pressure Moltres out with Volt Switch or Electric STAB, while Rotom-H specifically resists Moltres's Fire STAB.
Water-types: Water types such as Slowbro, Volcanion and Empoleon can easily tank Moltres's Flamethrower and deal strong super effective damage, while often not carrying for Will-O-Wisp burns.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ampha.388824/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rarelyme.513635/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Grammar checked by:
Moltres is a premier defensive pivot in the RU metagame, boasting decent bulk and having some really valuable resistances coming with its Fire/Flying typing, such as its capacity to check many of RU's premier threats such as Cobalion, Gardevoir, and Enamorus-T. Flame Body is great on Moltres as it allows it to punish the multiple physical attackers and U-turn, such as Cyclizar, Slither Wing, and Zapdos-Galar, it is also a valuable l for punishing Maushold's Population bomb and Cinccino lacking Rock Blast. Heavy-Duty Boots is Moltres's ideal item due to it providing Moltres with a valuable chance to ignore its 4x Stealth Rock weakness, but is very reliant on so, and is susceptible to Knock Off from the already mentioned, Cyclizar and Zapdos-Galar among others. Pokemon checked by Moltres can take advantage of this by pivoting through U-turn and bringing a teammate that can deal with Moltres, such as Barraskewda, Terrakion or Basculegion-F.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Roost
move 4: U-turn
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Flame Body
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 76 Def / 184 Spe
tera type: Fairy / Dragon / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Moltres can make use of its solid typing to be good utility pivot, U-Turn is Moltres's main source of momentum, as it can make use of its resistances to enter the field and safely pivot into another teammate safely, Roost increases Moltres's longevity and allows it to stick around for longer, while Will-O-Wisp is good to spread burns to cripple physical attackers and punish opponents who try to switch-in on Moltres. A Timid nature and 184 Speed EVs allows Moltres to hit 288 Speed, which is enough to outspeed maximum Speed Gyarados and Slither Wing, the rest is distributed into its Defense to help out with physical attackers. Heavy-Duty-Boots is the prefered item of choice, as it allows Moltres to avoid Stealth Rock which would be extremely problematic otherwise. Tera Fairy allows Moltres to keep some of it's important resistances, such as fighting, while giving it important ones to dark and a immunity to dragon, Tera Dragon alternatively helps Moltres with the Water and Electric-type matchup while still allowing it to check important targets, such as Barraskewda and Volcanion, while being the best Tera typing against Rain teams. Tera Ground helps out with Moltres's quadruple weakness to stealth rock, while also giving it a important immunity to Electric.
Moltres fits best on Bulky Offense or Balance structures, which appreciate its capacity to weaken physical attackers and bring out teammates safely thanks to U-turn . Cyclizar is one of Moltres's best partners, as it can Knock Off opposing items for Moltres, while packing Rapid Spin to clean the field out of hazards for Moltres to switch in more easily, while also being one of the best switch-ins to Water and Electric-type moves, and one of the best Volcanion checks on the tier. Good Knock off absorbers are also appreaciated such as Cobalion, Hippowdon or Rhyperior, since Moltres hates having its Heavy-Duty Boots knocked. Frail wallbreakers also appreciate Moltres's capacity to pivot out safely to them and make out for good partners for Moltres, Hex Gengar is a good pair as it takes advantage of Moltres spreading burns, while Breloom or Lilligant Hisui take advantage of Moltres forcing in switch-ins to Water, Ground and Rock-type pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
Moltres can run Brave Bird as a alternative to Flamethrower to punish on switch-ins expecting Flamethrower to hit them harder, such as Tera Fire Iron Leaves and Cyclizar. Scorching Sands can be run alongside Tera Ground for a stronger STAB option with a chance to burn.
[Checks and Counters]
Item Removal: Moltres is vulnerable to Stealth Rock upon losing its Heavy-Duty Boots. Pokemon like Cyclizar, Deoxys-Defense, Okidogi and Zapdos-Galar can often take the opportunity to Knock Off Moltres thus crippling its ability to switch-in. Choice Scarf + Trick users such as Gengar, Jirachi and Gardevoir can also remove Moltres's Heavy-Duty Boots with Trick.
Rock-types and Rock-type Coverage: Rhyperior, Terrakion and Lycanroc-D can easily switch in on Flamethrower and retaliate back with strong Rock-type STAB, although they fear being burned by Will-O-Wisp. Cobalion and Mienshao which would supposedly be checked by Moltres, can carry Stone Edge on some of it's sets. Hippowdon, Breloom, and Cincinno can also carry rock coverage for Moltres, which it has to watch out for, the former two fear being burned due to being slower though, while the latter has to click Rock Blast in order to not proc Flame Body.
Electric-types: Electric types such as Rotom-H, Raikou, Magnezone can easily pressure Moltres out with Volt Switch or Electric STAB, while Rotom-H specifically resists Moltres's Fire STAB.
Water-types: Water types such as Slowbro, Volcanion and Empoleon can easily tank Moltres's Flamethrower and deal strong super effective damage, while often not carrying for Will-O-Wisp burns.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ampha.388824/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rarelyme.513635/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/fluff.614438/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited: