Pyroak is often used as a Special attacker, but the combination of RockHead, STABs with recoil and servicable attack (and also the element of surprise) all come together to create an incredibly powerful Pokémon.
SET #1: CHOICE BAND
Pyroak @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 128 Atk / 132 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Wild Charge / Rock Slide / Low Kick
This is basically just the choice specs set, but as a choice band set. Simple. Also, FlareBlitz has 100% accuracy, which could guarantee a matchup that FireBlast and Overheat could also do, but they could miss and cost you the fight.
MATCHUPS!
1] GUTS COLOSSOIL
Specs: 124+ SpA Choice Specs Pyroak Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Colossoil: 378-446 (92.8 - 109.5%)
-- 56.3% chance to OHKO
Band: 124+ Atk Choice Band Pyroak Wood Hammer vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Colossoil: 488-576 (119.9 - 141.5%)
-- guaranteed OHKO
2] CHOICE BAND KITSUNOH
Admittedly this is situational, but if the opponent tries to sabotage you by tricking their Choice Band onto you, you won't be as crippled as the Choice Specs variant. Also, missing FireBlast or Overheat would pretty much lose you the battle, and Kitsunoh is faster and almost always 2HKOs with Poltergeist (252 Atk Choice Band Kitsunoh Poltergeist (110 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Pyroak: 220-259 (49.6 - 58.4%) --
98.8% chance to 2HKO)
Specs: 124+ SpA Choice Specs Pyroak Earth Power vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Kitsunoh: 278-328 (92.3 - 108.9%) --
50% chance to OHKO
Now yes, FireBlast and Overheat DO OHKO Kitsunoh if they land, and so does FlareBlitz, but the key here is
IF THEY LAND; Sure, 85% and 90% are pretty high, but they can still miss. Meanwhile, Flareblitz has 100% accuracy, and also melts Kitsunoh. Also, as we have seen above, EarthPower is literally a coinflip, and while Earthquake can't OHKO at all, the risk of EarthPower is dangerous, as you could try going for a non-miss Super Effective move, only to watch in horror as Kitsunoh survives on 1HP and kills you the next turn; The ChoiceBand set has no such weaknesses!
124+ Atk Choice Band Pyroak Flare Blitz vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Kitsunoh: 426-504 (141.5 - 167.4%) --
guaranteed OHKO!
3] CHOICE BAND REVEKANKH
The catch here is the same as against Kitsunoh - if Revenankh goes for Trick, you won't be crippled at all.
4] NAVIATHAN
Thanks to Heatproof, Naviathan actually resists Fire, and the Air Balloon makes him immune to ground, so the ChoiceSpece variant would have to rely on GigaDrain, lest the opponent would get to a frenzy with DragonDance boosts and Waterfall flinches; How much does GigaDrain do? 124+ SpA Choice Specs Pyroak Giga Drain vs. 248 HP / 16 SpD Naviathan: 201-237 (49.1 - 57.9%) -- 96.9% chance to 2HKO Yes, this is nice and all, but the chance of not 2HKOing is lurking in the shadows, and if that happens, the opposing Naviathan ends up free to either boost with DragonDance or try to flinch you the next turn with Waterfall. Not to mention, OHKOing even with Overheat is not even gonna happen most of the time! 124+ SpA Choice Specs Pyroak Overheat vs. 248 HP / 16 SpD Naviathan: 348-409 (85 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO. Oof. The ChoiceBand variant has no such worries! Even with Heatproof, Naviathan still has two moves to fear: WildCharge and LowKick, neither of them OHKO, but they do guarantee the 2HKO without having the potential to miss like FireBlast and Overheat; Speaking of which, both FlareBlitz and WoodHhammer actually do LESS than the aforementioned two options, capping in at 58.6%, while WildCharge caps at 59.1% and LowKick maxes at a record of amazing 78.2%, in fact being the only move of the set that can guarantee a 2HKO, as Earthquake is negated by AirBalloon.
5] CAWMODORE
Perhaps one of the most terrifying Pokémon to be introduced in the format, with great speed, BellyDrum, great attack, VoltAbsorb and access to priority BulletPunch, This bird is rightfully lurking in the nightmares of many players. The current set has both BellyDrum
AND Acrobatics, so you
MUST OHKO him in the 1st turn, and if you won't, nothing awaits you but
CAWlamity. Both Overheat and FireBlast absolutely fry the bird, yes, but they can miss. And if they do, well, you can already say goodbye to your ladder points. Once again, FlareBlitz comes to the rescue! 124+ Atk Choice Band Pyroak Flare Blitz vs. 28 HP / 0 Def Cawmodore: 296-350 (119.3 - 141.1%) --
guaranteed OHKO! With this one simple step, you can get free KFC with ladder points as a bonus!
CONCLUSION
The Choice Band variant differentiates itself from its Choice Specs sibling via its type variety and surprise factor, but perhaps most importantly, FireBlast and Overheat CAN miss, and FlareBlitz CAN'T, and in a game of inches like Pokémon, a miss can cost you the match, we all know it from our experience. So just imagine how easier it would be for us if we DIDN'T have to fear the 10% miss at every turn. OHKOing Cawmodore is satisfying for everyone (Except his user), but going for the kill then missing is NOT. So basically, you trade 25 points of base offense for more accuracy and type variety, which I think is a pretty fine trade off, especially considering the huge base power of the physical STAB moves Pyroak has.
Stay safe, Stay awesome!