QC approvals: 3/3 (kokoloko, PK Gaming, FlareBlitz)
GP approvals: 2/2 (NixHex, melvni)
[Overview]
<p>When looking at Rotom-H, the first thing that comes to mind is it's a floating microwave oven wearing oven mitts. At second glance, you realize it's the only Levitating Fire-type, which means it's immune to Ground-type moves but its Stealth Rock weakness is not increased. Its unique typing also grants it seven resistances and only two weaknesses, along with an amazing STAB combination resisted by very few Pokemon in the Underused metagame. It also has nice defenses, which allow it to survive weak super effective moves such as from uninvested Blastoise and Milotic. However, Rotom-H does have its drawbacks, being weak to Stealth Rock and having to rely on Overheat for a STAB move, which only adds to the hazard damage it's going to have to take by forcing it to switch out. It also has four-moveslot syndrome, as it can't run Volt Switch and Thunderbolt together without losing important coverage on certain Pokemon.</p>
<p>With all of that taken into account, Rotom-H can actually perform really well with the right support. Its amazing STAB combination makes most bulky Water-types hesitant to switch in, it has good support moves in Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Toxic, and it has a form of recovery in Pain Split, allowing it to take advantage of its normal switch-ins. Additionally, its ability to run three different sets with good results make it hard for the opponent to predict correctly, since it can punish the counters to one with Will-O-Wisp, Trick, or a super effective coverage move. It also has the added benefit of checking many prominent special attacking threats, such as Tornadus, Zapdos, Nidoking, and Yanmega. Overall, Rotom-H is a very good Pokemon, something that should be considered for any team needing its abilities.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs makes Rotom-H's Overheat hit weaker resists like Flygon extremely hard. Volt Switch gives it good momentum and also packs some firepower, while Thunderbolt hits much harder and allows it to beat bulky Water-types more reliably. Hidden Power Grass is the coverage move of choice, helping Rotom-H deal with Rhyperior, Swampert, and Quagsire OHKOing them on the switch. Trick allows it to cripple Snorlax, Umbreon, and Porygon2, three Pokemon that take little from its STAB moves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set is mostly used on offensive teams due to hitting like a truck, but it can also work as a pivot for bulky offense and semi-stall. Choice Specs augments Rotom-H's offensive presence, allowing it to 2HKO most of the Underused metagame even with the power drop from Overheat. A Timid nature allows it to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Heracross and Nidoking, without losing much power, but a Modest nature can work; however, it will not turn 2HKOes into OHKOes, just improve the chances. Rotom-H can run a more defensive spread to act as a tank, with 252 HP EVs and a Modest nature. However, it loses its ability to counter Nidoking reliably. Thanks to its seven resistances and one immunity, Rotom-H gets a lot of opportunities to switch in, such as on a Choiced Earthquake or U-turn from Flygon or Thunderbolt or Volt Switch from Raikou or Zapdos. Substitute versions of Raikou beat it one on one, though. Besides the given moves, Rotom-H can also run Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers. It can be used instead of Hidden Power Grass—since neither Rhyperior nor Swampert enjoy being burnt—or Trick, to force Snorlax to Rest. Rotom-H can also run Hidden Power Ice over Hidden Power Grass to beat Flygon and Druddigon that try to switch in on it, but Overheat already does a lot to them, and Hidden Power Grass is overall better.</p>
<p>As for teammates, since Rotom-H is a hit-and-run Pokemon with a Stealth Rock weakness, it needs Rapid Spin support to perform effectively. Notable ones are Blastoise and Hitmontop, the former resisting Water and the latter Rock. It should be noted, however, that both take precious momentum from your team, so you can always run Xatu instead, which can bounce back Stealth Rock due to its ability and form a nice VoltTurn core with Rotom-H. In order to beat Rhyperior and Swampert, a Grass-type Pokemon can help. Shaymin is probably the best one at doing that, taking little from their moves, but Virizion is also an option as it also resists Rock; it's much frailer on the physical side, though. Finally, since this Rotom-H is mostly used as a wallbreaker, Pokemon that enjoy the removal or weakening of things like Gligar and Slowbro, such as Choice Scarf Darmanitan, make great partners for it.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Scarf Rotom-H is a top tier revenge killer. Overheat packs less power without Choice Specs, but it still OHKOes many fast threats such as Mienshao, Weavile and Choice Scarf Heracross. Volt Switch takes advantage of this set's Speed to switch out unscathed to something that takes advantage of the other Pokemon and allows Rotom-H to maintain momentum. Thunderbolt does have more power, though, so it's a viable alternative. Hidden Power Grass hits Swampert and Rhyperior hard, but it should be noted that it's not always going to score the OHKO, so it can be taken advantage of for a free switch-in for something else. Trick rounds out the set, allowing Rotom-H to cripple Snorlax and Umbreon, among others, and force them to do little for the rest of the match.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is fairly self-explanatory, with the remaining 4 EVs dropped into Special Defense to give Porygon2 and Porygon-Z an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack one. While a Modest nature helps compensate for the lack of immediate power, Timid is needed to outpace and revenge kill Jolly Choice Scarf Heracross and Timid Choice Scarf Nidoking. Hidden Power Ice can be used over Hidden Power Grass to revenge kill Choice Band Flygon—especially if it's locked into Outrage—, but it's a lesser option outside of that. Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave are nice options for crippling threats such as Choice Band Rhyperior and Swampert and non-Substitute Raikou, respectively, allowing teammates to deal with them more easily; however, Rotom-H can easily run into problems if it uses these, since being locked into a non-attacking move gives free switches to threats such as Guts Heracross and Flash Fire Chandelure.</p>
<p>As for teammates, since Rotom-H is used as a revenge killer it can fit on both offensive and balanced teams. However, being Stealth Rock weak and being forced out with ease due to Overheat mean Rapid Spin support is almost mandatory. Blastoise and Hitmontop are good options for this, each resisting one of Rotom-H's weaknesses. If you can't fit them into your team due to the loss of momentum they force, Magic Bounce Xatu can be used, forming a speedy VoltTurn core with Rotom-H. Spikes stacking also works well with this Rotom-H, since its offensive presence keeps Rapid Spinners on their toes. Roserade and Qwilfish both do a decent job at this, while also being able to switch in on Water-type moves aimed at Rotom-H from Pokemon that switched in on Overheat, such as Slowbro and Suicune; Roserade has the added benefit of easily beating them.</p>
[SET]
name: Non-Choice Attacker
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Rotom-H variant works best on balanced teams. It sacrifices the power from Choice Specs and Speed from Choice Scarf for durability and the ability to cripple its usual switch-ins without having to predict correctly. Overheat is the main STAB move, still hitting decently hard. Volt Switch is the secondary move and hits bulky Water-types hard while gaining momentum. Thunderbolt is stronger, but since Water-types will usually switch into Overheat, its power will be severely diminished and could lead to Rotom-H's defeat. Of the few Pokemon that resist Rtom-H's STAB combination—Swampert, Rhyperior, and Flygon being the most worth mentioning— none like to eat a Will-O-Wisp to the face; Hidden Power Grass is a nice alternative to dealing with the first two, but again, if they switch into Overheat, even the 4x modifier will not be enough. Pain Split rounds out the set, offering Rotom-H a semi-reliable recovery move that can be used to take advantage of the high HP of the Pokemon that it draws out, notable ones being Swampert, Rhyperior, Snorlax and Umbreon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs maximize Rotom-H's offensive prowess, with a Timid nature to outspeed Life Orb Nidoking, Timid Togekiss, and non-Choice Scarf Heracross, as well as Kingdra—allowing it to Volt Switch out of the latter. The 4 EVs in Special Defense give Porygon2 and Porygon-Z that switch in on it an Attack boost. Rotom-H can also run a more defensive spread, with enough Speed to outpace Adamant Honchkrow and a Modest nature, using Will-O-Wisp to get around the threat of Sucker Punch. Life Orb can be used over Leftovers to deal more damage, pariring well with Pain Split. Rotom-H can run other status moves, such as Thunder Wave and Toxic, to cripple faster threats that don't mind burns much. However, since most of its switch-ins are immune to or don't mind Thunder Wave and Toxic can be run by many other Pokemon, Will-O-Wisp is usually the better option. Additionally, both moves can be counterproductive against Umbreon due to Synchronize, since it usually has Heal Bell to cure itself from status while leaving Rotom-H poisoned or paralyzed—that's not a problem for Will-O-Wisp.</p>
<p>As for partners, Rapid Spin support is nice but not as mandatory as with the Choice sets. Hitmontop and Blastoise are the best options. Xatu can also work due to Magic Bounce preventing Stealth Rock from being set up, though it requires prediction, especially against Rhyperior, which is the most threatening hazard user for Rotom-H. Since Snorlax walls Rotom-H completely, Fighting-types such as Mienshao and Heracross make great teammates due to Volt Switch, while Hitmontop can also work due to Intimidate.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Rotom-H has several different options it can run. For starters, a RestTalk set gives it better recovery and takes advantage of its good coverage between two moves, however sleep mechanics make it unviable. Rotom-H can run a Substitute+Pain Split set similarly to Chandelure, but being essentially forced to run Overheat makes Rotom-H have to switch out much more often. Discharge is an option over Volt Switch and Thunderbolt on all of its sets, but it's mostly a lesser choice due to the loss of momentum from the former and more power from the latter. Additionally, the things that switch in on it usually won't mind the paralysis anyway; that's why Thunder Wave is also generally worse than Will-O-Wisp. Toxic can be used instead of Will-O-Wisp, since none of Rotom-H's common switch-ins like being badly poisoned. However, since it has a much wider distribution, it's a weaker alternative. Rotom-H also has access to Shadow Ball and Signal Beam to beat Psychic-types, just like the other electric appliances. However, Overheat is initially more powerful against them, except for Slowbro and Slowking, both of which are weak to Electric-type moves anyway.</p>
<p>Finally, although gimmicky, Rotom-H can run a Trick+Flame Orb set, being able to cripple its usual switch-ins, such as Snorlax, Swampert, Rhyperior, and Flygon, due to the fact that the item doesn't activate on Fire-types and can therefore be used to feign a Choice item. A Tricked Flame Orb has the added benefit of not being curable by using Rest or having a cleric as a partner, unlike Will-O-Wisp; however, since it's one-time use and requires perfect prediction, it's usually not worth it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Due to the different sets it can run and how it can punish its switch-ins with ease, it's hard to counter Rotom-H. That said, Rhyperior, Swampert, Flygon, and Quagsire resist Overheat and are immune to Electric-type moves, so they can switch in on its STABs with ease. However, none of them like being crippled with a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and Rotom-H can also deal with them with a Hidden Power of choice. Hidden Power Grass beats all of them bar Flygon, which dislikes Hidden Power Ice and also can't switch in with ease on a Choice Specs Overheat. Snorlax takes little damage from Overheat thanks to its immense special bulk and Thick Fat, while Volt Switch actually does the same amount of damage. It can also threaten to Pursuit it on the switch out. However, non-Choice Band versions hate being tricked a Choice item, and Will-O-Wisp will force it to Rest or completely cripple those that do have a Choice Band.</p>
<p>With that in mind, it's not really hard to deal with Rotom-H due to Overheat's massive drawback. With the right prediction, those that resist or are immune to the move, such as Chandelure, can actually use Rotom-H as setup fodder. Additionally, since it can be forced out with ease, the best way to deal with it is to ensure Stealth Rock is laid on the field.</p>
GP approvals: 2/2 (NixHex, melvni)
[Overview]
<p>When looking at Rotom-H, the first thing that comes to mind is it's a floating microwave oven wearing oven mitts. At second glance, you realize it's the only Levitating Fire-type, which means it's immune to Ground-type moves but its Stealth Rock weakness is not increased. Its unique typing also grants it seven resistances and only two weaknesses, along with an amazing STAB combination resisted by very few Pokemon in the Underused metagame. It also has nice defenses, which allow it to survive weak super effective moves such as from uninvested Blastoise and Milotic. However, Rotom-H does have its drawbacks, being weak to Stealth Rock and having to rely on Overheat for a STAB move, which only adds to the hazard damage it's going to have to take by forcing it to switch out. It also has four-moveslot syndrome, as it can't run Volt Switch and Thunderbolt together without losing important coverage on certain Pokemon.</p>
<p>With all of that taken into account, Rotom-H can actually perform really well with the right support. Its amazing STAB combination makes most bulky Water-types hesitant to switch in, it has good support moves in Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Toxic, and it has a form of recovery in Pain Split, allowing it to take advantage of its normal switch-ins. Additionally, its ability to run three different sets with good results make it hard for the opponent to predict correctly, since it can punish the counters to one with Will-O-Wisp, Trick, or a super effective coverage move. It also has the added benefit of checking many prominent special attacking threats, such as Tornadus, Zapdos, Nidoking, and Yanmega. Overall, Rotom-H is a very good Pokemon, something that should be considered for any team needing its abilities.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs makes Rotom-H's Overheat hit weaker resists like Flygon extremely hard. Volt Switch gives it good momentum and also packs some firepower, while Thunderbolt hits much harder and allows it to beat bulky Water-types more reliably. Hidden Power Grass is the coverage move of choice, helping Rotom-H deal with Rhyperior, Swampert, and Quagsire OHKOing them on the switch. Trick allows it to cripple Snorlax, Umbreon, and Porygon2, three Pokemon that take little from its STAB moves.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>This set is mostly used on offensive teams due to hitting like a truck, but it can also work as a pivot for bulky offense and semi-stall. Choice Specs augments Rotom-H's offensive presence, allowing it to 2HKO most of the Underused metagame even with the power drop from Overheat. A Timid nature allows it to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Heracross and Nidoking, without losing much power, but a Modest nature can work; however, it will not turn 2HKOes into OHKOes, just improve the chances. Rotom-H can run a more defensive spread to act as a tank, with 252 HP EVs and a Modest nature. However, it loses its ability to counter Nidoking reliably. Thanks to its seven resistances and one immunity, Rotom-H gets a lot of opportunities to switch in, such as on a Choiced Earthquake or U-turn from Flygon or Thunderbolt or Volt Switch from Raikou or Zapdos. Substitute versions of Raikou beat it one on one, though. Besides the given moves, Rotom-H can also run Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers. It can be used instead of Hidden Power Grass—since neither Rhyperior nor Swampert enjoy being burnt—or Trick, to force Snorlax to Rest. Rotom-H can also run Hidden Power Ice over Hidden Power Grass to beat Flygon and Druddigon that try to switch in on it, but Overheat already does a lot to them, and Hidden Power Grass is overall better.</p>
<p>As for teammates, since Rotom-H is a hit-and-run Pokemon with a Stealth Rock weakness, it needs Rapid Spin support to perform effectively. Notable ones are Blastoise and Hitmontop, the former resisting Water and the latter Rock. It should be noted, however, that both take precious momentum from your team, so you can always run Xatu instead, which can bounce back Stealth Rock due to its ability and form a nice VoltTurn core with Rotom-H. In order to beat Rhyperior and Swampert, a Grass-type Pokemon can help. Shaymin is probably the best one at doing that, taking little from their moves, but Virizion is also an option as it also resists Rock; it's much frailer on the physical side, though. Finally, since this Rotom-H is mostly used as a wallbreaker, Pokemon that enjoy the removal or weakening of things like Gligar and Slowbro, such as Choice Scarf Darmanitan, make great partners for it.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Scarf Rotom-H is a top tier revenge killer. Overheat packs less power without Choice Specs, but it still OHKOes many fast threats such as Mienshao, Weavile and Choice Scarf Heracross. Volt Switch takes advantage of this set's Speed to switch out unscathed to something that takes advantage of the other Pokemon and allows Rotom-H to maintain momentum. Thunderbolt does have more power, though, so it's a viable alternative. Hidden Power Grass hits Swampert and Rhyperior hard, but it should be noted that it's not always going to score the OHKO, so it can be taken advantage of for a free switch-in for something else. Trick rounds out the set, allowing Rotom-H to cripple Snorlax and Umbreon, among others, and force them to do little for the rest of the match.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is fairly self-explanatory, with the remaining 4 EVs dropped into Special Defense to give Porygon2 and Porygon-Z an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack one. While a Modest nature helps compensate for the lack of immediate power, Timid is needed to outpace and revenge kill Jolly Choice Scarf Heracross and Timid Choice Scarf Nidoking. Hidden Power Ice can be used over Hidden Power Grass to revenge kill Choice Band Flygon—especially if it's locked into Outrage—, but it's a lesser option outside of that. Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave are nice options for crippling threats such as Choice Band Rhyperior and Swampert and non-Substitute Raikou, respectively, allowing teammates to deal with them more easily; however, Rotom-H can easily run into problems if it uses these, since being locked into a non-attacking move gives free switches to threats such as Guts Heracross and Flash Fire Chandelure.</p>
<p>As for teammates, since Rotom-H is used as a revenge killer it can fit on both offensive and balanced teams. However, being Stealth Rock weak and being forced out with ease due to Overheat mean Rapid Spin support is almost mandatory. Blastoise and Hitmontop are good options for this, each resisting one of Rotom-H's weaknesses. If you can't fit them into your team due to the loss of momentum they force, Magic Bounce Xatu can be used, forming a speedy VoltTurn core with Rotom-H. Spikes stacking also works well with this Rotom-H, since its offensive presence keeps Rapid Spinners on their toes. Roserade and Qwilfish both do a decent job at this, while also being able to switch in on Water-type moves aimed at Rotom-H from Pokemon that switched in on Overheat, such as Slowbro and Suicune; Roserade has the added benefit of easily beating them.</p>
[SET]
name: Non-Choice Attacker
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Rotom-H variant works best on balanced teams. It sacrifices the power from Choice Specs and Speed from Choice Scarf for durability and the ability to cripple its usual switch-ins without having to predict correctly. Overheat is the main STAB move, still hitting decently hard. Volt Switch is the secondary move and hits bulky Water-types hard while gaining momentum. Thunderbolt is stronger, but since Water-types will usually switch into Overheat, its power will be severely diminished and could lead to Rotom-H's defeat. Of the few Pokemon that resist Rtom-H's STAB combination—Swampert, Rhyperior, and Flygon being the most worth mentioning— none like to eat a Will-O-Wisp to the face; Hidden Power Grass is a nice alternative to dealing with the first two, but again, if they switch into Overheat, even the 4x modifier will not be enough. Pain Split rounds out the set, offering Rotom-H a semi-reliable recovery move that can be used to take advantage of the high HP of the Pokemon that it draws out, notable ones being Swampert, Rhyperior, Snorlax and Umbreon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs maximize Rotom-H's offensive prowess, with a Timid nature to outspeed Life Orb Nidoking, Timid Togekiss, and non-Choice Scarf Heracross, as well as Kingdra—allowing it to Volt Switch out of the latter. The 4 EVs in Special Defense give Porygon2 and Porygon-Z that switch in on it an Attack boost. Rotom-H can also run a more defensive spread, with enough Speed to outpace Adamant Honchkrow and a Modest nature, using Will-O-Wisp to get around the threat of Sucker Punch. Life Orb can be used over Leftovers to deal more damage, pariring well with Pain Split. Rotom-H can run other status moves, such as Thunder Wave and Toxic, to cripple faster threats that don't mind burns much. However, since most of its switch-ins are immune to or don't mind Thunder Wave and Toxic can be run by many other Pokemon, Will-O-Wisp is usually the better option. Additionally, both moves can be counterproductive against Umbreon due to Synchronize, since it usually has Heal Bell to cure itself from status while leaving Rotom-H poisoned or paralyzed—that's not a problem for Will-O-Wisp.</p>
<p>As for partners, Rapid Spin support is nice but not as mandatory as with the Choice sets. Hitmontop and Blastoise are the best options. Xatu can also work due to Magic Bounce preventing Stealth Rock from being set up, though it requires prediction, especially against Rhyperior, which is the most threatening hazard user for Rotom-H. Since Snorlax walls Rotom-H completely, Fighting-types such as Mienshao and Heracross make great teammates due to Volt Switch, while Hitmontop can also work due to Intimidate.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Rotom-H has several different options it can run. For starters, a RestTalk set gives it better recovery and takes advantage of its good coverage between two moves, however sleep mechanics make it unviable. Rotom-H can run a Substitute+Pain Split set similarly to Chandelure, but being essentially forced to run Overheat makes Rotom-H have to switch out much more often. Discharge is an option over Volt Switch and Thunderbolt on all of its sets, but it's mostly a lesser choice due to the loss of momentum from the former and more power from the latter. Additionally, the things that switch in on it usually won't mind the paralysis anyway; that's why Thunder Wave is also generally worse than Will-O-Wisp. Toxic can be used instead of Will-O-Wisp, since none of Rotom-H's common switch-ins like being badly poisoned. However, since it has a much wider distribution, it's a weaker alternative. Rotom-H also has access to Shadow Ball and Signal Beam to beat Psychic-types, just like the other electric appliances. However, Overheat is initially more powerful against them, except for Slowbro and Slowking, both of which are weak to Electric-type moves anyway.</p>
<p>Finally, although gimmicky, Rotom-H can run a Trick+Flame Orb set, being able to cripple its usual switch-ins, such as Snorlax, Swampert, Rhyperior, and Flygon, due to the fact that the item doesn't activate on Fire-types and can therefore be used to feign a Choice item. A Tricked Flame Orb has the added benefit of not being curable by using Rest or having a cleric as a partner, unlike Will-O-Wisp; however, since it's one-time use and requires perfect prediction, it's usually not worth it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Due to the different sets it can run and how it can punish its switch-ins with ease, it's hard to counter Rotom-H. That said, Rhyperior, Swampert, Flygon, and Quagsire resist Overheat and are immune to Electric-type moves, so they can switch in on its STABs with ease. However, none of them like being crippled with a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and Rotom-H can also deal with them with a Hidden Power of choice. Hidden Power Grass beats all of them bar Flygon, which dislikes Hidden Power Ice and also can't switch in with ease on a Choice Specs Overheat. Snorlax takes little damage from Overheat thanks to its immense special bulk and Thick Fat, while Volt Switch actually does the same amount of damage. It can also threaten to Pursuit it on the switch out. However, non-Choice Band versions hate being tricked a Choice item, and Will-O-Wisp will force it to Rest or completely cripple those that do have a Choice Band.</p>
<p>With that in mind, it's not really hard to deal with Rotom-H due to Overheat's massive drawback. With the right prediction, those that resist or are immune to the move, such as Chandelure, can actually use Rotom-H as setup fodder. Additionally, since it can be forced out with ease, the best way to deal with it is to ensure Stealth Rock is laid on the field.</p>
[Overview]
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Non-Choice Attacker
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[Other Options]
[Checks and Counters]
- Unique typing coupled with Levitate gives it seven resistances and one immunity
- Cool STAB combination resisted by very few Pokémon
- Nice bulk for a Fire-type combined with great offensive presence
- Having to rely on Overheat as its main attacking move makes it have to switch a lot
- Weakness to Stealth Rock, combined with the fact that it's usually a hit-and-run Pokemon, makes it less appealing
- 4MSS is there, it would really like to have Thunderbolt and Volt Switch on the same set but it would leave it completely useless against certain Pokemon
- Shaky recovery in the form of Pain Split
- Access to Trick for its Choice sets, and excellent supporting moves in Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave are great perks over other Fire- and Electric-types
- Capable of checking/countering things like Nidoking, Tornadus, Raikou, Zapdos and Special Virizion is worthy of mention
- Overall a very good Pokemon, capable of succeeding more than decently with just the right amount of support
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Amazing STAB combination; Overheat is extremely powerful, hitting weaker resists like Arcanine and Flygon for more than half their full health
- Volt Switch gives it good momentum and hits many things relatively hard, while Thunderbolt has much more firepower and helps it beat Milotic, among other Bulky Waters, more reliably
- Hidden Power Grass offers it coverage against Rhyperior, Swampert, Lanturn and Quagsire (not sure if the latter two should be mentioned, but they're completely usable in UU so...), OHKOing all bar Lanturn on the switch, predicting a STAB move
- Trick is its only real way of harming special walls Snorlax, Umbreon and Uxie, crippling them for the rest of the match
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Mostly used on offensive teams, but it can also be a pivot for bulky Offense or semi-Stall
- Choice Specs gives it amazing offensive presence, hitting like a truck before the power drop and being able to 2HKO a good deal of UU Pokemon
- A Timid nature makes it a good switch to non-Scarf Heracross and LO Nidoking (this is exceptionally good, since it can tank even a Sludge Wave and OHKO with Overheat) without losing much power thanks to Specs. A Modest nature still works, though, but there's no real KO you'll get with it – it just improves your chances after SR
- Rotom-H can use a bulkier EV spread with Choice Specs to act as a tank. With 252 HP EVs and a Modest nature, it can switch in on one of the many moves it resists and threaten the opponent with a Specs Overheat, which is sure to hurt everything bar Snorlax, Milotic and Flash Fire Pokemon
- Thanks to its seven resistances and one immunity, Rotom-H generally has many opportunities to switch in. Notable ones are on Earthquake or U-turn from Flygon and Thunderbolt or Volt Switch from Raikou or Zapdos. The Substitute version of the former beats it one on one, though
- Will-O-Wisp is a good option to cripple physical attackers. It can be used instead of Hidden Power Grass (since neither Rhyperior nor Swampert like to be burnt) or Trick, being especially effective against Snorlax, forcing it to Rest
- As for partners, a hit-and-run Pokemon with a Stealth Rock weakness is almost crying for a Spinner to come and help it out. Blastoise and Hitmontop are probably the best ones, the former switching into Water moves aimed at Rotom-H and the latter resisting Rock and beating Snorlax one on one
- A bulky Water is always a good option. Blastoise was already mentioned, but Swampert (which resists Rock and takes little from Water), Slowbro and Milotic are also worthy of mention
- Since Specs Rotom-H is mainly a wallbreaker, Pokemon that enjoy the removal or weakening of things like Gligar, Rhyperior, and Slowbro, such as Choice Scarf Darmanitan, make great partners for this set
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Top tier revenge killer. Overheat has less power without Specs, but it still does a lot on the first hit, allowing Rotom-H to outspeed and OHKO fast theats such as Choice Scarf Heracross, Mienshao, and Weavile
- Volt Switch makes good use of its Speed, allowing it to maintain momentum and get away from super-effective moves thrown at it unscathed. Thunderbolt does have more power, though
- Hidden Power Grass allows Rotom-H to beat its best counters, Swampert and Rhyperior, one on one
- Trick allows it to cripple Special walls, namely Snorlax and Umbreon, that could switch in on it with nigh impunity either way
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- The EV spread is pretty obvious; the leftover 4 EVs go to Special Defense to help give Porygon2 and Porygon-Z get an Attack boost instead of a Special Attack one
- While a Modest nature gives it more firepower and gets along well with Choice Scarf, Timid stands out as it allows Rotom-H to revenge kill Choice Scarf Jolly Heracross, one of the biggest threats to the current metagame
- Hidden Power Ice can be used to revenge kill Flygon (not locked into Outrage for Scarf variants), but its a lesser option outside of that
- Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave are options for crippling threats such as Rhyperior or non-Substitute Raikou, respectively, allowing teammates to deal with them more easily; however they can be easily worked around, since being locked into a non-attacking move equals free setup opportunities for very destructive things, SD Guts Heracross standing out
- Speaking of teammates, Rotom-H's role of a revenge killer means it can fit with ease on offensive teams, but more balanced ones don't dislike it, though. However, being Stealth Rock weak and being a hit-and-run Pokemon means Rapid Spin support is almost mandatory. This can be provided by Blastoise or Hitmontop, each resisting one of its weaknesses, too. If you can't fit a Rapid Spinner on your team, Magic Bounce Xatu is a good partner, bouncing back Stealth Rocks and forming a VoltTurn core with Rotom-H
- Spikes stacking also works well with it, since its offensive presence keeps Rapid Spinners on their toes. Roserade and Qwilfish do a decent job, while also being able to switch in on Water-type moves aimed at it, from Pokemon that switched in on Overheat, such as Slowbro or Suicune — both being easily dealt with by Roserade
[SET]
name: Non-Choice Attacker
move 1: Overheat
move 2: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Pain Split
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Better on more balanced teams; sacrifices power and Speed for bulk, semi-reliable recovery and the ability to switch moves, while also packing a status move to support its team
- Overheat is the main move, being harder to use than on the Choice Specs set since it will be extremely weakened after the first blow
- Volt Switch gets STAB and gives it a good way of escaping from Water-types; Thunderbolt hits all bulky Waters bar Swampert, Lanturn and Quagsire for more damage, though, but since they'll usually switch into Overheat, its power will be severely diminished and could lead to Rotom-H's defeat
- Of the few Pokemon that resist its STAB combination (Swampert, Rhyperior, and Flygon standing out), none want to eat a Will-O-Wisp to the face - except for opposing Rotom-H; Hidden Power Grass is another option to deal with the first two better
- Pain Split gives it a form of recovery, being extremely useful against Snorlax and Umbreon, both of which like to come in on Rotom-H too often
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- EVs maximize Rotom-H's offensive prowess, combined with a Timid nature to outpace LO Nidoking, Timid Togekiss, and non-Scarf Heracross, as well as Kingdra – allowing it to escape with Volt Switch from the latter, after it switched into any of its other moves
- It can also run a more defensive spread (with 120 HP EVs and a Modest nature), both physically and specially, to get a better use of its resistances and force even more switches. That way, it can outrun Adamant Honchkrow and force it to Sucker Punch, though probably the best option against it is to Will-O-Wisp anyway
- Life Orb is an option over Leftovers, stacking well with Pain Split and allowing Rotom-H to deal more damage with its STAB moves
- Discharge can be used instead of Thunderbolt for the increased paralysis chance, however it loses a lot of power - similarly to Water-types choosing between Scald and Surf
- Rotom-H can run other status moves, such as Thunder Wave and Toxic, to cripple faster threats that don't mind burns so much. However, most of its switch-ins are immune or don't mind Thunder Wave, and Toxic can be run by many more Pokemon than Will-O-Wisp, so it's better left to something else. Additionally, both of these status moves can be counter-productive with Mew and Umbreon running around, since they both have Synchronize and have access to Heal Bell to cure their own status
- As for partners, Rapid Spin support is nice, though not as mandatory as with the Choice sets. Hitmontop and Blastoise are the best options
- Xatu also makes a great teammate, thanks to Magic Bounce allowing it to come in on Stealth Rock or Toxic aimed at Rotom-H, while also forming a nice VoltTurn core
- Since Snorlax walls Rotom-H completely, Fighting-types such as Mienshao and Hitmontop deserve a mention
[Other Options]
- A RestTalk set gives it better recovery than Pain Split, however the sleep mechanics make it unviable
- Substitute can be used instead of Will-O-Wisp, working in a similar fashion to Chandelure's SubSplit set, however it can be forced out more easily due to Overheat's Special Attack drop, and Will-O-Wisp is otherwise better against physical attackers (this could be mentioned in AC of the bulky attacker, I suppose)
- Discharge is a viable option instead of Thunderbolt with a 30% chance to paralyse the opponent, however most of the things that like to switch on Thunderbolt won't mind the paralysis (Rhyperior, Swampert, and Shaymin, for example)
- Although gimmicky, Rotom-H can run Trick+Flame Orb as an item, being able to feign a Choice set and possibly cripple common switch-ins such as Snorlax, Swampert, Rhyperior, and Flygon, due to the fact that the opponent can't tell what you're running as opposed to Magic Guard Pokemon, where the burn is inflicted but they take no damage. Unlike Will-O-Wisp, though, it's a one-time use so it requires predicting correctly, but the burn can't be cured by using Rest or having a Cleric as a partner
- Rotom-H, just as the other electric appliances, has access to Shadow Ball and Signal Beam to beat Psychic-types. However, Overheat is initially more powerful against them (except for the Slow brothers, both of which are weak to Electric-type moves)
- Toxic can be used instead of Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, since none of the things that usually switch in on Rotom-H like being badly poisoned. However, since this move has a much wider distribution, it's a lesser option
[Checks and Counters]
- Rhyperior, Swampert and Quagsire are immune to Electric-type moves and resist Overheat, so they can easily switch in on its STABs. However none likes to be crippled with a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and Hidden Power Grass OHKOs all but the most specially defensive variants
- Snorlax takes little damage from Overheat thanks to its massive special bulk and Thick Fat, and it can catch it on the (Volt) switch with Pursuit. However, non-Choice Band versions hate being tricked a Choice item, and Will-O-Wisp will force it to Rest or be crippled for the rest of the match if it lacks it
- Flygon is immune to Electric-type moves and resists Overheat. However, Specs Overheat does above half of its max HP and leaves it vulnerable to revenge-killing, while Will-O-Wisp from non-Choice sets also severely hampers its effectiveness
- Due to Overheat being its main STAB and having a massive drawback, it can be baited from Choice sets and easily revenge killed or set up on
- Although not exactly a counter, Stealth Rock really limits its ability to switch in and out, so this is probably the least risky way of dealing with Rotom-H