[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Protect / Explosion / Toxic
move 3: Lava Plume / Fire Blast
move 4: Earth Power / Dragon Pulse
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Timid / Hasty
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heatran is fantastic at forcing switches, and Substitute is one of the best ways to take advantage of that. Substitute eliminates Heatran's need to predict switches, blocks status and Knock Off, and scouts for super effective coverage. With Protect + Leftovers, Heatran maximizes its survivability to make more Substitutes, and it's especially effective with Toxic Spikes to wear down foes such as Tyranitar, Blissey, and various Water-types. However, another option is to make Heatran a full-on lure with Explosion. Few expect Heatran to use Explosion behind a Substitute, and the difficulty of surviving its attacks after Substitute invites in special walls such as Clefable, Blissey, and Latias. Heatran can also use both Explosion and Protect, with the latter replacing Earth Power, but you should watch out for opposing Heatran and Lum Berry Tyranitar. There are several other strong options for this moveslot as well: Toxic is a fantastic choice to manually spread status onto Water-types—Substitute both makes it easier to spread and stalls for more damage. Roar spreads entry hazard damage should Heatran force a switch and set up Substitute. Taunt optimizes Heatran's Clefable matchup and stops Latias from phazing it.
Lava Plume is the best STAB option with Substitute, which stalls for burn damage alongside Protect. Offensive teams despise switching into burns, especially since Substitute forces any switch-in to risk burn again before hitting Heatran—there is basically a 50% chance that two Lava Plumes inflict a burn. Despite its lack of of power, with investment, it KOes foes weak to Fire such as Breloom, physically defensive Skarmory, and Scizor reliably. Fire Blast is another option for general firepower; behind a Substitute, Heatran can threaten frailer attackers that outspeed and otherwise OHKO it, such as Gengar and Mamoswine. Magma Storm can also work, as Substitute prevents status from trap targets like Clefable, slow Latias, and Blissey while giving Magma Storm a second chance should it miss. Earth Power prevents opposing Heatran from walling Heatran and helps break through Fire-resistant, potentially burned attackers such as Swampert, Tyranitar, and Kingdra. Especially alongside Magma Storm, Dragon Pulse is an excellent option to take advantage of Latias: if Heatran has Taunt or sets up a Substitute when Latias comes in, it can trap and defeat it. Dragon Pulse also is excellent for taking down mixed Flygon trying to switch into Heatran, as it OHKOes after Stealth Rock and either burn damage or Life Orb recoil.
Set Details
========
Using maximum Speed EVs with a Timid nature, or Hasty if using Explosion, lets Heatran get Substitute up as quickly as possible. Substitute and Protect alleviate Heatran’s lack of bulk with no defensive investment. With Magma Storm, running a Modest nature is possible to 2HKO defensive Latias with Dragon Pulse and Magma Storm damage. Leftovers is by far the most common item to set up more Substitutes and passively heal, but Charcoal is helpful on more aggressive sets to, once behind a Substitute, guarantee a 2HKO on Clefable with Fire Blast.
Usage Tips
========
Heatran should set up Substitute once it comes in on some foe it forces out, such as Scizor, Breloom, or Jirachi. From here Heatran can freely use any move. Especially with entry hazards up, a Heatran behind a Substitute using Lava Plume or Toxic is very difficult for offensive teams to handle, as they really hate status, and their options to break the Substitute are easy to wear down. Beware of being too predictable with Protect and using Substitute too much, as opponents can exploit this to set up or wear Heatran down, respectively. With more offensive options such as Magma Storm, Explosion, or Charcoal, Heatran should set up Substitute to draw in walls and mislead opponents on Heatran's power level; opponents probably won’t predict Heatran behind a Substitute using Explosion or 2HKOing Clefable, for example.
Team Options
========
Substitute Heatran loves entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, which helps wear down soft checks vulnerable to status such as Tyranitar, Infernape, Swampert, Suicune, and Blissey. With Protect and Substitute, Heatran can wear them down very quickly, even through Lum Berry due to Lava Plume’s high burn chance. Roserade is one of its best partners, as it can lay down Toxic Spikes and Spikes while also being a great check to Water-types. Skarmory and Forretress can also set Spikes and have good type synergy with Heatran, while Tentacruel and Nidoqueen can set up Toxic Spikes. This Heatran set is an excellent candidate for a Fire / Water / Grass core alongside Swampert or Suicune. Both can help Heatran deal with Ground-types and Dragon Dance sweepers that threaten it, and they enjoy Roserade absorbing Toxic Spikes. Suicune appreciates more offensive versions of Substitute Heatran eliminating Latias and Clefable. With all variants, other Steel-types that can absorb Heatran's defensive responsibilities so it can conserve its health, such as Metagross and Jirachi, are also helpful. Both of these can threaten Clefable, which walls Substitute + Protect + Lava Plume Heatran. Choice Band Tyranitar and Scizor can Pursuit trap Roar Latias and potentially Clefable, as well as Blissey for the former—all three targets can give Substitute Heatran problems. Tyranitar can check Zapdos and draw in physical Jirachi, allowing Heatran to switch in, while Fire-type moves aimed at Scizor can grant Heatran a free switch and a Flash Fire boost.
Ghost-types, such as Will-O-Wisp + Taunt or Explosion Gengar and offensive Rotom-A, are great at keeping entry hazards up and provide different kinds of utility; Gengar heavily threatens Clefable, while Rotom-A with Pain Split can stay in indefinitely on Clefable, and both Pokemon can spread burns effectively to assist Heatran. Other Ground-types such as Hippowdon and Gliscor can help against Lum Berry + Dragon Dance Tyranitar and Gyarados, while Heatran may even assist Gliscor in sweeping by wearing down Water-types. Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Flygon and Rotom-A can backstop the team against more offensive threats, which Heatran can commonly let set up if they carry a Lum Berry or Heatran cannot status them.
Substitute Heatran also fits alongside more defensive teammates such as Latias and Clefable, as Heatran threatens the Steel-types that beat them such as Jirachi. With Skarmory's Spikes, it also fits well alongside offensive Spikes teammates such as mixed Flygon, especially if Heatran baits in Clefable and uses Explosion on it or 2HKOes it with Fire Blast. Other strong defensive teammates such as Celebi and Bronzong can also switch into Heatran's type weaknesses, and they appreciate it pressuring more offensive teams. Starmie can spin away entry hazards to give Heatran more HP to use Substitute.
name: Substitute
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Protect / Explosion / Toxic
move 3: Lava Plume / Fire Blast
move 4: Earth Power / Dragon Pulse
item: Leftovers
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Timid / Hasty
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heatran is fantastic at forcing switches, and Substitute is one of the best ways to take advantage of that. Substitute eliminates Heatran's need to predict switches, blocks status and Knock Off, and scouts for super effective coverage. With Protect + Leftovers, Heatran maximizes its survivability to make more Substitutes, and it's especially effective with Toxic Spikes to wear down foes such as Tyranitar, Blissey, and various Water-types. However, another option is to make Heatran a full-on lure with Explosion. Few expect Heatran to use Explosion behind a Substitute, and the difficulty of surviving its attacks after Substitute invites in special walls such as Clefable, Blissey, and Latias. Heatran can also use both Explosion and Protect, with the latter replacing Earth Power, but you should watch out for opposing Heatran and Lum Berry Tyranitar. There are several other strong options for this moveslot as well: Toxic is a fantastic choice to manually spread status onto Water-types—Substitute both makes it easier to spread and stalls for more damage. Roar spreads entry hazard damage should Heatran force a switch and set up Substitute. Taunt optimizes Heatran's Clefable matchup and stops Latias from phazing it.
Lava Plume is the best STAB option with Substitute, which stalls for burn damage alongside Protect. Offensive teams despise switching into burns, especially since Substitute forces any switch-in to risk burn again before hitting Heatran—there is basically a 50% chance that two Lava Plumes inflict a burn. Despite its lack of of power, with investment, it KOes foes weak to Fire such as Breloom, physically defensive Skarmory, and Scizor reliably. Fire Blast is another option for general firepower; behind a Substitute, Heatran can threaten frailer attackers that outspeed and otherwise OHKO it, such as Gengar and Mamoswine. Magma Storm can also work, as Substitute prevents status from trap targets like Clefable, slow Latias, and Blissey while giving Magma Storm a second chance should it miss. Earth Power prevents opposing Heatran from walling Heatran and helps break through Fire-resistant, potentially burned attackers such as Swampert, Tyranitar, and Kingdra. Especially alongside Magma Storm, Dragon Pulse is an excellent option to take advantage of Latias: if Heatran has Taunt or sets up a Substitute when Latias comes in, it can trap and defeat it. Dragon Pulse also is excellent for taking down mixed Flygon trying to switch into Heatran, as it OHKOes after Stealth Rock and either burn damage or Life Orb recoil.
Set Details
========
Using maximum Speed EVs with a Timid nature, or Hasty if using Explosion, lets Heatran get Substitute up as quickly as possible. Substitute and Protect alleviate Heatran’s lack of bulk with no defensive investment. With Magma Storm, running a Modest nature is possible to 2HKO defensive Latias with Dragon Pulse and Magma Storm damage. Leftovers is by far the most common item to set up more Substitutes and passively heal, but Charcoal is helpful on more aggressive sets to, once behind a Substitute, guarantee a 2HKO on Clefable with Fire Blast.
Usage Tips
========
Heatran should set up Substitute once it comes in on some foe it forces out, such as Scizor, Breloom, or Jirachi. From here Heatran can freely use any move. Especially with entry hazards up, a Heatran behind a Substitute using Lava Plume or Toxic is very difficult for offensive teams to handle, as they really hate status, and their options to break the Substitute are easy to wear down. Beware of being too predictable with Protect and using Substitute too much, as opponents can exploit this to set up or wear Heatran down, respectively. With more offensive options such as Magma Storm, Explosion, or Charcoal, Heatran should set up Substitute to draw in walls and mislead opponents on Heatran's power level; opponents probably won’t predict Heatran behind a Substitute using Explosion or 2HKOing Clefable, for example.
Team Options
========
Substitute Heatran loves entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, which helps wear down soft checks vulnerable to status such as Tyranitar, Infernape, Swampert, Suicune, and Blissey. With Protect and Substitute, Heatran can wear them down very quickly, even through Lum Berry due to Lava Plume’s high burn chance. Roserade is one of its best partners, as it can lay down Toxic Spikes and Spikes while also being a great check to Water-types. Skarmory and Forretress can also set Spikes and have good type synergy with Heatran, while Tentacruel and Nidoqueen can set up Toxic Spikes. This Heatran set is an excellent candidate for a Fire / Water / Grass core alongside Swampert or Suicune. Both can help Heatran deal with Ground-types and Dragon Dance sweepers that threaten it, and they enjoy Roserade absorbing Toxic Spikes. Suicune appreciates more offensive versions of Substitute Heatran eliminating Latias and Clefable. With all variants, other Steel-types that can absorb Heatran's defensive responsibilities so it can conserve its health, such as Metagross and Jirachi, are also helpful. Both of these can threaten Clefable, which walls Substitute + Protect + Lava Plume Heatran. Choice Band Tyranitar and Scizor can Pursuit trap Roar Latias and potentially Clefable, as well as Blissey for the former—all three targets can give Substitute Heatran problems. Tyranitar can check Zapdos and draw in physical Jirachi, allowing Heatran to switch in, while Fire-type moves aimed at Scizor can grant Heatran a free switch and a Flash Fire boost.
Ghost-types, such as Will-O-Wisp + Taunt or Explosion Gengar and offensive Rotom-A, are great at keeping entry hazards up and provide different kinds of utility; Gengar heavily threatens Clefable, while Rotom-A with Pain Split can stay in indefinitely on Clefable, and both Pokemon can spread burns effectively to assist Heatran. Other Ground-types such as Hippowdon and Gliscor can help against Lum Berry + Dragon Dance Tyranitar and Gyarados, while Heatran may even assist Gliscor in sweeping by wearing down Water-types. Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Flygon and Rotom-A can backstop the team against more offensive threats, which Heatran can commonly let set up if they carry a Lum Berry or Heatran cannot status them.
Substitute Heatran also fits alongside more defensive teammates such as Latias and Clefable, as Heatran threatens the Steel-types that beat them such as Jirachi. With Skarmory's Spikes, it also fits well alongside offensive Spikes teammates such as mixed Flygon, especially if Heatran baits in Clefable and uses Explosion on it or 2HKOes it with Fire Blast. Other strong defensive teammates such as Celebi and Bronzong can also switch into Heatran's type weaknesses, and they appreciate it pressuring more offensive teams. Starmie can spin away entry hazards to give Heatran more HP to use Substitute.
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