Torchic [QC: 1/3]

[dcae]

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD TORCHIC

Overview
########

Torchic has always been an underwhelming Pokemon in LC, and last generation its hidden ability went unreleased. However, this generation finally allowed Speed Boost Torchic to become reality, and made it the only Speed Boost Pokemon in LC to also have Baton Pass. This coupled with its surprising bulk allowed it to become a notable part of the metagame.


SET NAME
########
name: Speed Passer

move 1: Baton Pass
move 2: Protect
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Swords Dance
ability: Speed Boost
item: Eviolite
evs: 196 Def / 36 SpA / 36 SpD / 236 Spd
nature: Bold

Moves

========

· Baton Pass is obvious and serves to pass the garnered boosts around to the rest of the team.

· Protect is the crucial move used mainly in order to get the minimum one speed boost. It also allows you to scout and protect yourself from Fake Out.

· Fire Blast is the optimal STAB move, due to solid power output and preventing Torchic from being Taunt bait. Fire STAB's utility in the metagame also means that Torchic can clean late game.

· Swords Dance is generally the final move, using Torchic's surprising physical bulk in order to optimally get a +2 Atk +2 Spe passed to a target on your team.


Set Details

========

· The massive investment in defense allows Torchic to tank some surprising moves, notably Gligar Earthquake. Maximum Speed allows it to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame at +1

· Eviolite is the item of choice due to it increasing vital bulk

· Bold to maximize physical bulk and thus set up opportunities.

Usage Tips

========

· Torchic is best used on Pokemon that cannot OHKO it or Pokemon that cannot interfere with Torchic's set up.

· Do not lead with it as the opponent will generally use something to answer to it.

· It is best paired with Pokemon that can take a hit after the pass, have an immunity to Torchic's weaknesses, have Baton Pass, or have high power output.



Team Options

========

· Gligar is an excellent partner due to its immunity to Ground, and it also has Baton Pass. Meditite also has solid bulk with Eviolite, and has access to Baton Pass.

· Generally the best partners for Torchic are Pokemon that have Baton Pass or can immediately benefit from the passed boosts.



Other Options

########

· It can also pass a couple other boosts: Hone Claws and Focus Energy.

· a niche option is flame charge, as it is boosted by Swords Dance and makes it get speed even faster. using flame charge means you must move the special attack EVs to attack and change the nature to Impish.

· it can also support the team with Will-o-Wisp



Checks & Counters
########

· Pokemon carrying a phazing move are pretty much hard counters to what Torchic does. Notable ones are Munchlax and Vullaby.

· Priority can mess up Torchic if it is in range of KO from the said priority, thus checking Torchic.

· Taunt: any Taunt user that can take a Fire Blast can shut down Torchic as well, such as Taunt Gligar.

 

[Electrolyte]

Ok we kind of talked about it on irc so take off Substitute from the set and put it in Other Options. Sub is cool but there is no room for it.

Possibly more SpA EVs too so you can hit things with Fire Blast but that's up for discussion

 

[ryan]

Flame Charge, Hone Claws (for passing to niche stuff like Deino and Darumaka :O), Will-O-Wisp, FOCUS ENERGY are all pretty situational but still usable moves that can fit in OO.

Also, unless that 76 SpA gets you any notable KOes (which you have none listen so iunno), throw that in SpDef. Gets you +2 more SpDef total thanks to Eviolite and keeps you at an odd HP for SR.

 

[Goddess Briyella]

Awesome, dcae!

• Add Focus Energy to Other Options for BP recipients that have high crit ratio moves, which will then have a 100% critical hit chance.

• Be sure to add Shell Smashers to Checks & Counters, particularly Omanyte and Tirtouga, as they can set up alongside Torchic without fear, being 4x resistant to Torchic's only attacking move.

QC 1/3

 

[JEFLIV]

You know, a sash set would work, almost guaranteeing a +2 Attack and +1 Speed to the sweeper of your choice.

 

[Caledrith]

Sash is decent, but with eviolite and defensive EVs it can take a hit from the majority of the LC metagame.

 

[Swamp-Rocket]

Minor: EV spread should look like 196 Def / 76 SpA / 236 Spe rather than what you have now due to the formatting.

 

[dcae]

Ok I ran some extensive calcs with the notable Pokemon of the metagame and the only thing the 76 SpA EVs really affected was a large chance to OHKO Bunnelby, while no SpA EVs meant you always missed out on the OHKO. Apart from this, the added EVs merely give 4 extra percent damage against Pokemon such as Berry Juice Gligar, MixKrow, and deal the same damage to Eviolite Pokemon. I'm moving the extra EVs to SpD due to the benefit being larger.

 

[Chieliee]

EVs: 196 Def / 236 Spd / 36 SAtk / 36 SDef
Bold Nature

is the spread you are gonna want to use

 

[Ray Jay]

• "Baton Pass" > "Speed Passer" for set name
• The set is obviously pretty much perfect, but your team options is severely lacking / vague. Feel free to list different things that work well in a BP chain; you should have more specifics than Gligar and Meditite who the reader might already know of anyways. Mienfoo deserves a mention + has Baton Pass, Timburr, Snubbull, Dwebble against hazardless teams, Suction Cups Inkay, really there are tons and you need to provide an absolute ton of ideas for good things for Torchic to pass to.
• Also you need defensive / momentum teammates in this section and not just BP receivers. Volt-turn gets Torchic in really easily (esp. Chinchou who baits Grass-types) and defensively, Grass-types are appreciated to take on bulky Water-types who can handle all three of Gligar, Meditite, and Torchic and can simply ruin the game with a lucky Scald on a receiver.

Set is obviously pretty straightforwards and this is going in the right direction. QC 2/3

 

[Unowninator]

If you're using Swords Dance, then why not run a physical move like Flare Blitz?

 

[apt-get]

If you're using Swords Dance, then why not run a physical move like Flare Blitz?

It doesn't have it. Its best physical STAB option is flame charge.

 

[Unowninator]

It doesn't have it. Its best physical STAB option is flame charge.

Oh, for some reason I thought it was an egg move. Okay, thanks.

 

[Goddess Briyella]

dcae has been inactive for months, and I've given this analysis to TCR, who has made a new thread, so I'll be locking this.