Week 2 - TALONFLAME

TALONFLAME ( )

Type: Fire/ Flying

Abilities:

Flame Body - Has 30% chance of causing burn to opponents using contact attack on it.

Gale Wings - Gives +1 priority to Flying-type moves.

Stats: (HP/ Atk/ Def/ SpA/ SpD/ Spe)

78/ 81/ 71/ 74/ 69/ 126

Introduction:

It is a common tradition for Gamefreak to make the generic birds of each Generation (Pidgey, Hoothoot, Tailow, Starly, Pidove and Fletchling, to be specific) as mediocre as possible. While Swellow can be lethal in low tiers and Staraptor was BL last Generation, Talonflame, being the only non-Normal generic bird as of yet, is a true exception from the cursed norm. And that too, is for one reason and one reason only, its Hidden Ability Gale Wings. +1 priority Brave Bird. Now let that thought slowly sink into your brain as I go ramble about just how awesome the flaming hawk is.

Positives:
• Gale Wings grants Talonflame the strongest priority attack in the game, +1 priority Brave Bird.
• +1 priority Roost and Tailwind give Talonflame stuff to do when it is not busy wrecking your opponent's team.
• Because there's not really much need to invest on Speed, Talonflame can be made deceptively bulky by adding defensive EVs.
• Fire/ Flying is a great typing offensively; dealing super-effective or neutral damage to a wide range of Pokémon.
• Fire/ Flying is good defensively as well, allowing Talonflame to come into a lot of resisted attacks, including the common Earthquake that it is immune to.
• Being a Fire-type means that it can never be burned. Helps more because it's a Physical Attacker.
• Both of its most common STAB attacks have a high Base Power.
• Having a natural 126 Base Speed lets it outspeed certain threats even without the need of any positive Nature/ EV investments.
• Even though its movepool is somewhat limited, it has all it needs to be the top-tier threat that it already is.

Negatives:
• Fire/ Flying typing has a crippling x4 weakness to Rock, meaning that just one switch to a Stealth Rock will take away half of its HP.
• Added with Stealth Rock damage and Brave Bird/ Flare Blitz recoil, Talonflame will not last long without Roost.
• Base 81 Attack stat will not help you unless you boost it with Choice Band or Swords Dance.
• It has dissatisfactory defensive stats so it will be KO'd very fast if it lacks Roost/ EV investments.
• Rock-types resist both of its STAB and can OHKO with a STAB Rock Slide/ Stone Edge. Not to mention, almost all Rock-types have tremendous high Defense stats.
• Talonflame also struggles to get past through other bulky mons that resists either or both of its STAB, the prime example being Rotom-Wash.
Set #1: Sky High

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Trait: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Atk/ 4 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

If you have high expectations for Talonflame, then this set won't bring you down.
As mentioned above, Gale Wings make Talonflame faster than any Speed stat thus there is little to no reason for you to invest in Speed. Dump all the EVs in HP and Attack to make Talonflame a bulky tank.
Take hits, Roost, set up with Swords Dance, and then proceed to destroy your opponent by +1 priority +2 Attack STAB Brave Bird. Got a Steel-type blocking your way? STAB Flare Blitz it.
The true beauty of a bulky Talonflame is that it has a lot of resistance and an immunity that it can abuse to set up at least one or even two Swords Dance and then simply Roost off the damage. It can also +1 priority Roost any recoil it receives from its STAB attacks.

Leftovers help with the recovery even more, but Sky Plate is also an item worth considering if you want your attacks to have an extra oomph. Life Orb boosts attack damage too, but receiving double recoil in a single turn isn't a good idea even on paper.

60 Speed EVs can be used if you want to outspeed Excadrill and Flare Blitz it. Remember, Flare Blitz isn't a priority move so unlike Brave Bird, don't always expect it to go first, despite Talonflame's blazing speed.
Set #2: Hot Wings

Talonflame @ Choice Band
Trait: Gale Wings
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Roost

No need to sit back and take hits. Turn up the heat and start sweeping as fast as your wings can take you.
STAB Brave Bird is powerful, more so when it hits before you before your fastest Pokémon.
STAB Flare Blitz for frying opposing Steel-types.
U-Turn for scouting the opponent's team and earning a fast retreat, leaving damage in return.
Roost to heal off the damage you had taken so far. Not really a recommended move in a Choice Band set, but if you pull it off, you will have a healthy Talonflame the next time you switch it in.

Tailwind can be used here as last-ditch effort before fainting. Teammates afterwards will gain awesome Speed.
Set #3: Shahoshi Pakhi

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Trait: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 184 SpD / 76 Spe
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Bulk Up
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roost

'Because Brave Bird sounds uber cool in Bangla.Instead of being a typical set-up sweeper/ Choice Band come-and-go hitter, this brave yet careful Talonflame set distinguishes itself by being a surprising mixed tank.
The Special Defense EVs added with Bulk Up is the main difference here. With this bulky of an investment and priority Roost healing, pulling off multiple Bulk Up will not only make Talonflame a sturdy wall from the Physical side, but it will slowly gain more power in its super-fast Brave Bird smashes.
Will-o-wisp is a great support move and neuters Physical Attackers for the rest of the match. Excadrill, Tyranitar, Hippowdon and the likes, especially, do not appreciate having their Attack halved off by a Pokémon they could have otherwise checked.

The Speed EVs make Talonflame faster than Base 90s.

Taunt is a great move that can be used in this set. It catches a lot of threats off-guard and allows Talonflame to be rescued from pesky moves such as Roar, Whirlwind and Thunder Wave.
Substitute is another great option here. With an increasing Defense stat, Physical Attackers will find it very hard to break the Rhydon plushie, let alone KO Talonflame with a Rock-type move.

Damage calculations:

From Talonflame

Spoiler:

To Talonflame

Spoiler:

Other Options:

Steel Wing hits the otherwise-unbreakable Rock-types for super-effective damage. However, the low Base Power and lack of STAB means bad damage output.

Natural Gift has an updated Base Power in 6th Gen. For Talonflame especially, 100 Base Grass attack (from Liechi Berry) and 100 Base Fighting attack (from Salac Berry) helps it fight pesky counters such as Rotom-Wash, Rhyperior, Tyranitar and Heatran.

Acrobatics without an item is 110 Base Power, which is just 10 short of Brave Bird. You can opt for Acrobatics if you are extremely bothered with the recoil. Do keep in mind that Flying Gem + Acrobatics is illegal in 6th Gen because all the Gems (other than the Normal Gem) are non-existent in XY. Wait for them to be released, if ever.

Checks/ Counters:

First and foremost, Rock-types can make mincemeat out of Talonflame. Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Aerodactyl, Carbink, Regirock, Gigalith, Tyrantrum, Barbaracle... The list goes on and on. Most Rock-types are usually so bulky that not even boosted Brave Bird/ Flare Blitz will do much to them. Steel Wing somewhat helps, but Talonflame is better off relying on its teammates to get rid of these gargantuan walls.

Rotom-Wash resists both Fire and Flying attacks and both of its STABs are super-effective against Talonflame. The washing machine also has considerable bulk that can stand up to boosted attacks so a Grass-type teammate is best used to remove this threat first.

Heatran is immune to Fire and resists Flying, but can't do much to Talonflame in return except the uncommon Ancientpower or plain and old Toxic stalling.

Super bulky defensive walls such Hippowdon, Gliscor, Slowbro, Mandibuzz, Zygarde can tank Talonflame's fast and furious attacks and can retaliate back with strong attacks.

Intimidate users such as Gyarados and Landorus Therian can also serve as timely Talonflame checks.

Unaware Quagsire is resistant to Fire and ignores any boosts Talonflame can get. Stockpile + Recover and SE STAB Scald hinders any sweeping potential your Talonflame can have.

Extremespeed is +2 priority and goes before Talonflame's Brave Bird, a fact you can take advantage of at dire situations. Same goes for any Pokémon with priority moves and faster than Talonflame.

Scarfed Imposter Ditto can fire off a faster Brave Bird as a suprise Revenge Kill. Not really an important check, but a check nonetheless.

Checks/ Counters aside, STEALTH ROCK is the best way to keep Talonflame down as just 2 switch-ins is enough to KO your own Talonflame. So a Spinner/ Defogger is absolutely necessary.

stealth rock is a pain...