Volcarona (At Final!) In PvP

It’s a Might warmth wave, with the just-announced Fennekin Neighborhood Day, but in addition with the LONG-awaited arrival (mainly NOW) of VOLCARONA in GO. How does this sizzling bug form up in PvP? Effectively, first we are able to summarize that in our Backside Line Up Entrance….

B.L.U.F.

• Volcarona seems good in idea, however sadly largely pales compared to different Fires which have risen over time. Be mindful the buffs to Charizard, Ho-Oh, and lots of others (Incinerate, Ember, and many others.) which have taken place since Volcarona was first added to the Gamemaster 3+ years in the past!
• It has greater than sufficient dimension to burst onto the Grasp League scene, however seems unlikely to supply something that, say, Ho-Oh doesn’t already do higher… with present strikes, not less than.
• In decrease Leagues, Volcarona’s shaky bulk and vulnerabilities to Water, Flying, and different sorts maintain it again even additional.
• That COULD change with just a little transfer tweaking. For instance, the addition of the JUST-announced Mystical Fireplace might shake issues up properly!
• Larvesta MAY be a extra worthy funding, however clearly solely within the lowest of Leagues.

Alright, now for the deeper dive….

VOLCARONA Stats and Strikes

Volcarona

BugFireplace

Nice League Stats

Extremely League Stats

Grasp League Stats

Excellent news first: Bug/Fireplace is an total favorable defensive typing, with actually twice as many resistances because it has weaknesses. Volcarona resists Bug, Fairy, Preventing, Ice, and Metal harm, and double resists Grass. It’s left weak to Water, Flying, and double weak to Rock. However nonetheless, some great things in there! Resisting Fairy AND Preventing is fairly uncommon, for one factor.

However the stats are… not ideally suited. In Nice League, Volcarona’s stats and total bulk are in the identical zip code as Primeape, Greninja, Luxray, Ursaring, and Deoxys… the Velocity Forme of Deoxys. It is extremely barely bulkier than these, however solely ever so barely. That’s not incredible firm to be amongst. Its neighbors are comparable in Extremely League, with issues like Pinsir, Houndoom, Tapu Lele (the never-seen Psychic Lele), Staraptor, and Galvantula having roughly the identical Assault, (lack of) bulk, and stat product. Yuck.

In Grasp League, the closest straight comp I can discover is Galarian Zapdos, which has the very same stat product however will get there with 10 much less Assault tha Volcarona, about the identical Protection, and eight much less HP. Maybe a extra acquainted comparability is Dragonite, which has roughly the identical Assault as Volca… however 8 extra Protection and 10 extra HP (and thus almost 200 extra CP and a Complete Stat Product greater than 700 better than Volca).

Quick Strikes

• Fireplace Spin – Fireplace sort, 3.0 DPT, 3.33 EPT, 1.5 CoolDown
• Bug Chew – Bug sort, 3.0 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 0.5 CD

So… so. Fireplace Spin is an above common transfer, not less than, if not terribly thrilling. Fireplace, in fact, has its makes use of in PvP, burning via Steels, Ices, Grasses, and Bugs particularly, however with the draw back of being resisted by the quite a few Waters and Dragons you’ll encounter in all three main Leagues (plus Rock sorts and different Fires). However Fireplace Spin, as soon as considered one of the best Fireplace-type quick transfer, is shortly creating a popularity as being one you don’t wish to be “caught” with, with the rise of Incinerate and even Ember.

Talking of Ember, not all that way back it was mainly a clone of Bug Chew, with the identical completely common 3.0 Harm and Vitality Per Flip. That may be high-quality, and there are definitely numerous very aggressive Pokémon that run off of Bug Chew or certainly one of its clones like Water Gun and Lick. (See: Forretress, Araquanid, Tapu Fini, Blastoise, Wet Castform, Snorlax, Lickitung, and many others.) However most of them have spammy cost strikes and/or bulk to make up for its common slowness. Volcarona… properly… doesn’t.

Cost Strikes

• Overheat – Fireplace sort, 130 harm, 55 power, Reduces Person Assault -2 Phases
• Bug Buzz – Bug sort, 100 harm, 60 power
• Hurricane – Flying sort, 110 harm, 65 power
• Photo voltaic Beam – Grass sort, 150 harm, 80 power

Yeeeeeeah. So right here now we have a Pokémon with a flimsy body, slow-ish power era, and not a single cost transfer costing lower than 55 power (and that one debuffs Volcarona!). It’s getting sizzling in right here, and never for good causes.

So the best way the mathematics works out, every Fireplace Spin generates 10 power. That works nice with 50-energy Blast Burn, like old-school, per-Wing Assault buff Charizard, however it’s kinda awkward with 55 power strikes like Overheat. Sure, you’ll attain the second with one much less Fireplace Spin due to the 5 leftover power of attending to 60 power together with your first six Fireplace Spins, however uh… that’s if you happen to even reside that lengthy. It doesn’t assist that every subsequent Fireplace Spin will deal solely about 70% of the harm it could have earlier than debuffing your self with Overheat.

As an alternative, you possibly can simply use all of it up on 60-energy Bug Buzz, which offers roughly 30 much less harm, however not less than comes with out a disadvantage. After that, although, we once more get considerably awkward, with Hurricane and its intriguing protection costing 5 extra power, which implies overcharging with one other Fireplace Spin. And by then, twenty one turns may have handed, or 10.5 seconds of actual time. In that very same timeframe, Galarian Stunfisk can attain two Rock Slides, Charizard can attain two Dragon Claws, Swampert can attain two Hydro Cannons, (really, these final two each occur as Fireplace Spin will get to a mere 60 power)… you get the thought.

Unhealthy bulk + common power features + 55 and up cost strikes is simply not a system for fulfillment for a PvP Pokémon, however right here we’re.

You possibly can in all probability guess that the numbers that consequence are… lower than you’d hope.

GREAT LEAGUE

So first off, you’ll be able to’t even get Volcarona in Nice League but (properly, not with out shenanigans, not less than), as a Hatch-level (Degree 20) one won’t ever, ever find yourself at 1500 CP or much less. However when (if?) we lastly get them within the wild, and even as in Analysis… it’s still not very good, even with #1 rank IVs. Sure sure, it’s clearly a nightmare for (most) Grass sorts, however of us, it is a Fireplace sort that fails to torch the likes of Registeel, Skarmory, Trevenant, and Froslass, and a Bug that can’t usually defeat issues like Protection Deoxys, Obstagoon, Scrafty, and others. To not even point out that, greater than every other League, tremendous efficient Water, Rock, and particularly Flying harm are notably prevalent in Nice League (actually about half of the core meta), holding Volca means down.

ULTRA LEAGUE

So right here’s the primary League the place you’ll be able to really deploy hatch-level Volcarona. Does it fare any higher than it (theoretically, at this level) does in Nice League?

No, not really.

Many of the wins are zero shock: Grasses, double-weak-to-Fireplace Steely Bugs, a few Fairies, a pair Ices. (No less than Walrein reveals up now.) Registeel pops into the win column now, not like Nice League, in order that’s good. Buzzwole, Greedent, Cresselia… okay, good. However that’s the top of it. This factor loses to Trevenant, Powder Snow Alolan Ninetales, the opposite notable Fires, in fact all the massive Dragons and Waters and Grounds and Poisons, and even all of the notable Fighters (protecting in thoughts it resists Preventing harm… heck, even Steely Cobalion is a loss!) and Darks (which a great Bug ought to be capable of beat). Heck, even friggin’ Heatran will get the identical variety of wins.

I wish to like Volcarona in Extremely League… it’s such a cool design and the typing SHOULD be extra fascinating. It simply can’t overcome its flaws. One thing a little cheaper like Flame Charge would assist a bit, however even that represents in all probability its finest efficiency. It’s simply an excessive amount of to beat, not less than in CP-capped Leagues.

So what if we take away the CP cap and let Volca actually stretch its wings?

MASTER LEAGUE

Volcarona goes safely north of 4000 CP, near issues like Dragonite and Lugia and different massive identify ML rivals, and better than stuff like Landorus, Hydreigon, Snorlax, Mamoswine, Gyarados and lots of others. Grasp League is the place lack of bulk may be hidden probably the most as excessive CP ‘mons flex their full may, however does that work for Volcarona?

As soon as once more… not all that well.

Fairies don’t wish to see it, not even Zacian (and it CAN beat Xerneas as properly if it goes double Overheat, and it does burn via the likes of Melmetal, Mamoswine, Zarude, and Metagross, and manages to additionally take down Snorlax and Yveltal, for what that’s value. However nope… no Dialga. And don’t even me began on (once more) all of the Dragons and Waters and Grounds that bury it. Heck, not even scared-of-Bugs Mewtwo or Lugia have something to concern. It’s a frightening, uphill climb of a meta to beat, but once more. And Volcarona is simply not geared up to make that climb.

But once more, something like Flame Charge would help, however solely to a restricted diploma. Mewtwo strikes to the win column, as does the BIG get: Dialga. Lastly. Nonetheless doesn’t actually maintain a candle to Ho-Oh, nevertheless.

Now it does look virtually sorta viable in Master League Premier, however I imply, its wins (Fairies, Grasses, Ices, Steels) are precisely what you’d count on, and its losses (Waters, Grounds, Dragons) are as properly. It does precisely nothing that’s notably particular. Heck, you’re simply as properly off with one thing like a Charizard… MUCH simpler to construct, even the Shadow version.

…BUT WAIT! A MYSTICAL FIRE BURNS! 

Simply as I’m on the brink of lastly push this text out, right here comes information that Fennekin Neighborhood Day is coming, and never simply with the anticipated Blast Burn, but in addition a 60-damage, opponent Assault nerfing new transfer Mystical Fireplace. (Three cheers for procrastination paying off… woot woot!) And sure, Volcarona can be taught it, giving it probably simply the spammy AND life-extending transfer it wants. I say “probably” as a result of we don’t know that Niantic has any intentions of truly giving it to Volcarona (or something apart from Delphox), and following previous precedent, it’s really seemingly it is going to be restricted to Delphox for not less than some time. We additionally have no idea the price, as Niantic has way back taken up the irritating follow of releasing harm OR power price of upcoming strikes, however by no means each collectively. Till the great PokeMiners discover it (or it goes reside in New Zealand… whichever comes first), we’re left to guess. However PvPoke has already made an inexpensive assumption that it’s going to price 45 power, which might make it a clone in power, harm, and debuff to Icy Wind and Lunge. Appears a secure guess. And the way about that? If Volcarona bought that form of transfer, instantly we’d be cooking with gas! Similar in ML Premier and even again down in Ultra League! Preserve your fingers crossed, of us. There could also be some life in these dying embers in spite of everything.

LARVESTA…?

Larvesta

BugFireplace

Virtually forgot about it, however yeah… LARVESTA itself has some utilization by itself, and CAN, in fact, be constructed underneath 1500 CP even from hatch dimension. It really must be pushed not less than considerably into XL territory to essentially work in Nice League, a frightening prospect that additionally takes common sweet away from the 400 it’s good to evolve a Volca within the first place.

Larvesta lacks Fireplace Spin, however as a substitute sports activities Ember, which lately offers 3.5 DPT, however generates solely the common 3.0 EPT. It additionally lacks Overheat, however as a substitute has the Flame Cost I saved pining for for Volcarona, a transfer which offers solely 65 harm for 50 power, however not less than comes cheaper than different cost strikes AND buffs Larvesta’s Assault stat.

Now on the finish of the day, it nonetheless has the identical bulk and typing points as Volcarona, and struggles similarly in Great League, although not less than it could actually outright beat Registeel, Froslass, Trevenant, and Lickitung, nice pickups that greater than make up for the Mandibuzz and Umbreon that Volcarona and its massive Overheat can overcome as a substitute.

Actually although, it’s extra prone to probably make an affect in Little League, the place it could actually finest Galarian Stunfisk, Chansey, Walrein, Toxicroak, and naturally, a rating of Grasses, Ices, Bugs, and Steels… although frustratingly, not Bronzor. (I HATE that guy!)

IN CONCLUSION

With present strikes? Nah, Volcarona doesn’t actually have it. It wants a less expensive cost transfer like Flame Cost or, seemingly finest case situation, Mystical Fireplace to emerge. May it occur? Completely. WILL it? Hopefully Niantic doesn’t simply save that for a 2024 Neighborhood Day….

Alright, that’s it for right this moment! Sorry this one took some time. however nonetheless on time, proper? Whew.

Till subsequent time, you’ll be able to at all times discover me on Twitter with near-daily PvP evaluation nuggets or Patreon.

Good searching! Keep secure on the market, and catch you subsequent time, Pokéfriends!

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