[SET]
name: Physical Wall (Defense)
move 1: Wish
move 2: Protect
move 3: Scald
move 4: Flip Turn / Toxic / Heal Bell
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
With a Defense donation, Vaporeon becomes a sturdy physical wall that withstands attacks from dangerous threats like Necrozma-DM, Pheromosa, and Zygarde-10%. Its high HP aIso means it can pass beefy Wish to teammates. Protect is mandatory to ensure Vaporeon can recover HP against switch-ins that threaten to KO it like Tapu Koko and Magnezone, as well as scout against Choice-item users, notably Rillaboom. Scald prevents Vaporeon from becoming complete Taunt bait and threatens a burn on potential switch-ins such as Kartana. In the last moveslot, Flip Turn provides a slow pivot option and turns Vaporeon into a good Wish passer. Toxic cripples bulky Water-types, in particular Gastrodon and Volcanion, that completely wall Vaporeon otherwise. Heal Bell is another option for teams that appreciate a cleric. Heavy-Duty Boots is usually the item of choice for more safety against hazard stack, but Leftovers is an option as it synergizes well with Protect. If Vaporeon runs Flip Turn, minimum Speed investment should be run to allow a teammate to get Wish safely.
Vaporeon is usually seen on balance and bulky offense builds that appreciate its ability to heal teammates and pivot with Flip Turn while compensating for its momentum drain. Gods with high Defense like Dialga and Necrozma-DM make Vaporeon bulky enough to even handle strong physical threats, particularly Rayquaza, but even a lower donation from Kyurem-W or Ho-Oh is valuable. Weavile and Zygarde-10% can more comfortably trade damage with opposing walls with Vaporeon giving them a second wind, while Landorus-T and Dialga's lack of recovery is remedied. Grass-types in Rillaboom and Tangrowth handle Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zeraora which trouble Vaporeon. In return, Vaporeon answers Fire-types such as Ho-Oh and Choice Scarf Blacephalon for them. Grass-types themselves give Vaporeon problems, making Skarmory, Buzzwole, and the aforementioned Fire-types great partners as well, while Vaporeon can absorb Water-type attacks aimed at them. Vaporeon tends to invite special setup sweepers like Galarian Moltres and Galarian Slowking in due to its tendency to use Protect, so answers to them such as Tapu Koko and Necrozma-DM are necessary.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Haze is an option to deter setup. Vaporeon can forgo Scald for more defensive utility but becomes very passive as a result. Ice Beam surprises Grass- and Dragon-types like Rillaboom and Rayquaza, but they already fear a burn from Scald and Vaporeon has to give up an important utility move for it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Powerful Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Dracozolt, and Zapdos can dent Vaporeon, and even those that may struggle to 2HKO it such as Rotom-W and Zeraora can wear Vaporeon down with Volt Switch. However, they have to watch out for a burn or Toxic poison wearing them down.
**Grass-types**: Despite Vaporeon's bulk, Kartana, Rillaboom, and Dhelmise all threaten it with their powerful STAB attacks. They don't want to switch in directly though, as they fear a Scald burn. Choice variants also risk Vaporeon using Protect to scout their attacks.
**Taunt and Phazing**: Taunt from Tornadus-T or Yveltal shuts down Vaporeon's recovery option, while Dragon Tail, Roar, and Whirlwind from Slowking, Giratina, and Skarmory stop it from reliably getting Wish.
**Setup Sweepers**: Vaporeon is usually forced to use Protect to safely restore its HP with Wish. Thus, if Vaporeon lacks Haze, setup sweepers, particularly special ones in Galarian Slowking and Galarian Moltres, force it to switch out.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[longhiep341, 500884]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [beauts, 484270]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
name: Physical Wall (Defense)
move 1: Wish
move 2: Protect
move 3: Scald
move 4: Flip Turn / Toxic / Heal Bell
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
With a Defense donation, Vaporeon becomes a sturdy physical wall that withstands attacks from dangerous threats like Necrozma-DM, Pheromosa, and Zygarde-10%. Its high HP aIso means it can pass beefy Wish to teammates. Protect is mandatory to ensure Vaporeon can recover HP against switch-ins that threaten to KO it like Tapu Koko and Magnezone, as well as scout against Choice-item users, notably Rillaboom. Scald prevents Vaporeon from becoming complete Taunt bait and threatens a burn on potential switch-ins such as Kartana. In the last moveslot, Flip Turn provides a slow pivot option and turns Vaporeon into a good Wish passer. Toxic cripples bulky Water-types, in particular Gastrodon and Volcanion, that completely wall Vaporeon otherwise. Heal Bell is another option for teams that appreciate a cleric. Heavy-Duty Boots is usually the item of choice for more safety against hazard stack, but Leftovers is an option as it synergizes well with Protect. If Vaporeon runs Flip Turn, minimum Speed investment should be run to allow a teammate to get Wish safely.
Vaporeon is usually seen on balance and bulky offense builds that appreciate its ability to heal teammates and pivot with Flip Turn while compensating for its momentum drain. Gods with high Defense like Dialga and Necrozma-DM make Vaporeon bulky enough to even handle strong physical threats, particularly Rayquaza, but even a lower donation from Kyurem-W or Ho-Oh is valuable. Weavile and Zygarde-10% can more comfortably trade damage with opposing walls with Vaporeon giving them a second wind, while Landorus-T and Dialga's lack of recovery is remedied. Grass-types in Rillaboom and Tangrowth handle Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zeraora which trouble Vaporeon. In return, Vaporeon answers Fire-types such as Ho-Oh and Choice Scarf Blacephalon for them. Grass-types themselves give Vaporeon problems, making Skarmory, Buzzwole, and the aforementioned Fire-types great partners as well, while Vaporeon can absorb Water-type attacks aimed at them. Vaporeon tends to invite special setup sweepers like Galarian Moltres and Galarian Slowking in due to its tendency to use Protect, so answers to them such as Tapu Koko and Necrozma-DM are necessary.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Haze is an option to deter setup. Vaporeon can forgo Scald for more defensive utility but becomes very passive as a result. Ice Beam surprises Grass- and Dragon-types like Rillaboom and Rayquaza, but they already fear a burn from Scald and Vaporeon has to give up an important utility move for it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Powerful Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Dracozolt, and Zapdos can dent Vaporeon, and even those that may struggle to 2HKO it such as Rotom-W and Zeraora can wear Vaporeon down with Volt Switch. However, they have to watch out for a burn or Toxic poison wearing them down.
**Grass-types**: Despite Vaporeon's bulk, Kartana, Rillaboom, and Dhelmise all threaten it with their powerful STAB attacks. They don't want to switch in directly though, as they fear a Scald burn. Choice variants also risk Vaporeon using Protect to scout their attacks.
**Taunt and Phazing**: Taunt from Tornadus-T or Yveltal shuts down Vaporeon's recovery option, while Dragon Tail, Roar, and Whirlwind from Slowking, Giratina, and Skarmory stop it from reliably getting Wish.
**Setup Sweepers**: Vaporeon is usually forced to use Protect to safely restore its HP with Wish. Thus, if Vaporeon lacks Haze, setup sweepers, particularly special ones in Galarian Slowking and Galarian Moltres, force it to switch out.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[longhiep341, 500884]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [beauts, 484270]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
Last edited: