Torchic [0/3 QC] [0/2 GP]

[Astral Mythmaker]

[Overview]

• One of three pokemon in LC with Speed Boost
  • Only one with Baton Pass
• Respectable offences (60/70) + manageable bulk (45/40/50)
• Typing can be hard to work with in current meta
• Somewhat shallow movepool - Flame Charge only Physical fire move

[Set]

Support :

• Moves
  • Curse / Swords Dance / Hone Claws
  • Baton Pass
  • Flame Charge / Flamethrower / Fire Blast
  • Substitute / Protect
• Item: Berry Juice / Eviolite
• Ability: Speed Boost
• Nature: Impish / Bold
• Evs: 236 HP / 76 Def / 196 SpD

[Set Comments]

• Curse, Hone Claws, or Swords Dance add to the baton pass chain.
• Baton pass for obvious reasons.
• Flame Charge, Flamethrower, or Fire blast so it isn't completely walled by taunt
• Protect or Substitute to rack up Speed Boosts and offer status protection respectively

[Set Details]

• Although unorthodox, the EVs provide the greatest amount of bulk and the no speed EVs is somewhat mitigated by Speed Boost
  • Can also run a more standard EV set of 236 HP / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
• Standard EV set can outspeed unboosted at +1; Bulky EV can outspeed unboosted at +2
• Run Bold if using Flamethrower or Fire Blast; Impish with Flame Charge
• Eviolite gives more consistent bulk; Berry Juice gives regen for more boosts

[Usage Tips]

• Often part of a Baton Pass chain
• If using Curse alternate between it and speed boost

[Team Options]

• Slow Physical Sweepers in need of support : Munchlax, Cranidos, Trapinch, Mudbray
• Slow Volt-Turn support to allow Torchic to safely get a free Speed Boost

[Set]

Mixed Life Orb Sweeper

• Moves
  • Rock Slide
  • Hidden Power [Grass]
  • Protect
  • Flamethrower / Fire Blast

[Set Comments]

• Flamethrower / Fire Blast is for reliable STAB
• Rock Slide is to make up for its shallow movepool; strong physical attack
• Hidden Power Grass hits a lot of weaknesses : Ground, Rock, Water
• Protect for free Speed boost

[Set Details]

• Biggest advantage of Torchic is not having to run a speed boosting nature thanks to speed boost allowing for a SpA or Atk boosting nature
• Life Orb for a boost to all of its moves for added power; Could also run eviolite for extra bulk
• IVs: 0 HP / 30 Atk / 30 SpA ; IVs for Hidden Power Grass, No HP IVs means that torchic takes only 1 damage from LO recoil.
  
• EVs: 40 Atk / 200 SpA / 236 Spe ; Max Speed and Special Attack EVs with the rest poured into Atk to make Rock Slide stronger
  
• Mild or Rash Nature

[Usage Tips]

• Torchic makes a good late game cleaner or wall breaker

[Team Options]

• Any team lacking in a strong wall breaker
• Slow Volt-Turn support to allow Torchic to safely get a free Speed Boost
  
• Dewpider and Chinchou make interesting options. Chinchou in particular because it can counter all of Torchic's weaknesses and possibly absorb Water attacks aimed at it.

[Set]

Reversal Sweeper

• Moves
  • Endure
  • Reversal
  • Flame Charge / Overheat / Fire Blast
  • Quick Attack

[Set Comments]

• Endure for the synergy with Reversal
• Reversal for a powerful spammable 200 BP Move
• Flame Charge offers free Speed Boosts and is the only Physical Fire move Torchic has access to. Overheat or Fire Blast offer powerful stab moves and non-contact moves allowing to get past Ferroseed's Iron Barbs.
• Quick Attack for priority

[Set Details]

• With Speed Boost, Torchic becomes a pseudo Hitmonlee
  
• Liechi Berry along with Speed Boost and Endure allow Torchic to become very powerful
• EVs: 196 Atk / 36 SpA / 236 Spe ; The given EVs max Attack and Speed with the rest poured into Special Attack (Note : If using Flame Charge put the 36 in Def or SpD)
  
• Lonely or Naughty nature

[Usage Tips]

• Works well as a late game sweeper due to having nothing to counter its checks

[Team Options]

• Slow Volt-Turn support to allow Torchic to safely get a free Speed Boost
  
• Counters to Torchic's checks : Chinchou, Solid Electric types

[Strategy Comments]

• Could also run a Hone claws with Mega Kick, Rock Slide, and Flame Charge - Not recommended because you must run Blaze. Could also run Crush Claw or Bounce both of which would allow for Speed Boost.
• Could run Will-O-Wisp on the Baton Pass set

[Checks and Counters]

• Phazers : Can ruin the baton pass chain
• Entry Hazards : Torchic is susceptible to every form of entry hazard; as such Rapid Spin or Defog support is helpful
• Powerful Aqua Jet Users such as Corphish or Carvanha (Carvanha especially since it has its own Speed Boost and is naturally faster)
• Setup Sweepers can use the baton pass chain to set up their own sweep
• Iron Barbs and the like on the Reversal set; Can run a non-contact move to counter this.