Overview:
Torkoal’s defensive stats allow for him to become a great tank and stealth rocker. Will-o-Wisp gives it the advantage over physical attackers, letting you invest EVs in HP and special defense. Torkoal’s overall lack of speed is put to great use with Gyro Ball and a negative speed nature, letting it do massive damage to faster pokemon that could counter it, like minior or even houndoom. The banning of drought may make torkoal feel useless, but you can substitute in either White Smoke or Shell Armor to give it a bit more protection to pokemon like Silvally with parting shot or Granbull’s intimidate, and pokemon that specialize in critical hits, like Drapion or even Farfetch’d. Torkoal is also able to trap specific pokemon to either finish off or have another teammate set up on it.
Set:
Name: Tank
Torkoal @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: White Smoke / Shell Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy / Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Fire Spin
- Will-O-Wisp
- Stealth Rock
Set Details (Moves):
Gyro Ball combined with minimum IVs, EVs, and nature in speed gives torkoal a high damaging move that is able to counter one of fire type’s weaknesses and provide coverage against fairy types like Mega Audino. Fire Spin is meant to trap set up pokemon, while dealing steady damage to them for a few turns, effectively whittling them down. Torkoal can also use this move against types that other pokemon on your team resist, letting them set up without worrying about getting KOed. Will-O-Wisp is Torkoal’s main line of defense against hevay hitters like Rhydon and Hitmonlee, while applying steady damage to them. Stealth Rock is just used to set up on the opposing team and repel other fire types that torkoal would be useless against.
Set Details (Stats):
White Smoke and Shell Armor are Torkoal’s substitutes for itsbetter ability, which is banned. But, these abilities give torkoal logevity as he is no longer effected by either critical hits or negative stat changes, depending on which ability you choose. Leftovers gives Torkoal even more longevity, but can be substituted for a Rocky Helmet to punish physical attackers even more. Max SpD lets Torkoal take both physical and special attacks without getting OHKOed, while increased HP lets hit eat damage more effectively. Depending if you want Torkoal to be more of a defensive wall, or more evenly protected you can give him a Relaxed or Sassy nature respectively.
Usage Tips:
If Torkoal leads, which he should, and is matched up with a specialattacker don’t even bother with Will-O-Wisp, as they will not lose anything from the attack drop,and you will gain only a slight damage dealing status on the opposing pokemon. Since some special attackers are bulky and equiped with leftovers, the burn will do nothing. In this scenario lead with stealth rock. If you are up against a pokemon that you know is going to hit like a truck start off with Will-O-Wisp to protect yourself, and your team, from a potentially deadly sweeper. If you feel like the pokemon opposing you isn’t a huge threat you should still use stealth rock. Don’t waste a turn tring to use Gyro Ball on slow pokemon, as it will do little damage, and rather save it for faster pokemon, as Gyro Ball only has 8 uses, so use them wisely.
Team Options:
X
X
X
X
Other Options:
Running Rapid Spin instead of Fire Spin lets Torkoal counter set up pokemon effectively, rather than just trapping them, and is able to eliminate the threat of Stealth Rock. Putting EVs into Def, rather than SpD lets Torkoal eat any physical attacks, while still punishing physical sweepers, but makes special attacking water types a huge threat.
Checks and Counters:
X
X
X
X
PS: I’d love any kind of feedback or criticism, thanks.
Torkoal’s defensive stats allow for him to become a great tank and stealth rocker. Will-o-Wisp gives it the advantage over physical attackers, letting you invest EVs in HP and special defense. Torkoal’s overall lack of speed is put to great use with Gyro Ball and a negative speed nature, letting it do massive damage to faster pokemon that could counter it, like minior or even houndoom. The banning of drought may make torkoal feel useless, but you can substitute in either White Smoke or Shell Armor to give it a bit more protection to pokemon like Silvally with parting shot or Granbull’s intimidate, and pokemon that specialize in critical hits, like Drapion or even Farfetch’d. Torkoal is also able to trap specific pokemon to either finish off or have another teammate set up on it.
Set:
Name: Tank
Torkoal @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: White Smoke / Shell Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy / Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Fire Spin
- Will-O-Wisp
- Stealth Rock
Set Details (Moves):
Gyro Ball combined with minimum IVs, EVs, and nature in speed gives torkoal a high damaging move that is able to counter one of fire type’s weaknesses and provide coverage against fairy types like Mega Audino. Fire Spin is meant to trap set up pokemon, while dealing steady damage to them for a few turns, effectively whittling them down. Torkoal can also use this move against types that other pokemon on your team resist, letting them set up without worrying about getting KOed. Will-O-Wisp is Torkoal’s main line of defense against hevay hitters like Rhydon and Hitmonlee, while applying steady damage to them. Stealth Rock is just used to set up on the opposing team and repel other fire types that torkoal would be useless against.
Set Details (Stats):
White Smoke and Shell Armor are Torkoal’s substitutes for itsbetter ability, which is banned. But, these abilities give torkoal logevity as he is no longer effected by either critical hits or negative stat changes, depending on which ability you choose. Leftovers gives Torkoal even more longevity, but can be substituted for a Rocky Helmet to punish physical attackers even more. Max SpD lets Torkoal take both physical and special attacks without getting OHKOed, while increased HP lets hit eat damage more effectively. Depending if you want Torkoal to be more of a defensive wall, or more evenly protected you can give him a Relaxed or Sassy nature respectively.
Usage Tips:
If Torkoal leads, which he should, and is matched up with a specialattacker don’t even bother with Will-O-Wisp, as they will not lose anything from the attack drop,and you will gain only a slight damage dealing status on the opposing pokemon. Since some special attackers are bulky and equiped with leftovers, the burn will do nothing. In this scenario lead with stealth rock. If you are up against a pokemon that you know is going to hit like a truck start off with Will-O-Wisp to protect yourself, and your team, from a potentially deadly sweeper. If you feel like the pokemon opposing you isn’t a huge threat you should still use stealth rock. Don’t waste a turn tring to use Gyro Ball on slow pokemon, as it will do little damage, and rather save it for faster pokemon, as Gyro Ball only has 8 uses, so use them wisely.
Team Options:
X
X
X
X
Other Options:
Running Rapid Spin instead of Fire Spin lets Torkoal counter set up pokemon effectively, rather than just trapping them, and is able to eliminate the threat of Stealth Rock. Putting EVs into Def, rather than SpD lets Torkoal eat any physical attacks, while still punishing physical sweepers, but makes special attacking water types a huge threat.
Checks and Counters:
X
X
X
X
PS: I’d love any kind of feedback or criticism, thanks.
