== General == *Unique, but mostly pointless Electric/Normal typing (specifically the Normal part. Ghost immunity is nice, but otherwise...) *Acceptable movepool. *Fast, and quite powerful. *Passable special bulk, awful physical. *Two great abilities in Dry Skin and Solar Power, allowing it to be a big threat on both Rain and Sun teams, respectively. == Rain Attacker == Heliolisk @ Life Orb / Choice Scarf / Choice Specs Ability: Dry Skin EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd Timid / Modest nature -Volt Switch / Thunderbolt -Surf -Focus Blast -Grass Knot *Hits hard, hits fast, can threaten in rain or sun with the right ability. *Dry Skin works in both rain and weatherless situations. *Volt Switch for scouting, can be swapped out for Thunder(bolt) if preferred. *Surf is best coverage for Dry Skin Heliolisk, especially if it's raining. *Focus Blast hits hard, but is inaccurate. *Grass Knot hits things like Swampert for heavy damage, but it ultimately about all Heliolisk has remaining in its movepool. It can be replaced with Thunder(bolt) if needed, or an appropriate Hidden Power type. *Life Orb for cleanup sweeping, Scarf for revenge killing, Specs for wall breaking. All work similarly. Modest only for Specs, otherwise Timid. == Sun Sweeper == Heliolisk @ Life Orb / Choice Scarf / Choice Specs Ability: Solar Power EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd Timid / Modest nature -Volt Switch / Thunderbolt -Hidden Power Fire -Focus Blast -Grass Knot *Very similar to previous set, however it works well only in sun teams, whereas the other set works well in anything but sun. *Otherwise, basically the same. Same EV spread, natures, and only one move is different (HP Fire). *HP Fire is mostly for breaking into 4x weak targets, like Assault Vest Escavalier. It also gains a power boost in the sun, and can hit pretty hard even without STAB thanks to LO and Solar Power boosts. *Item choices are same as last time, however LO users must be careful; this set is worn down much more easily than the previous. == Other Options == *Standalone rain setter. Makes good use of Dry Skin and Thunder, and can support the team with Rain + Volt Switch. Damp Rock or LO for hold item. *Sand Veil. Haxxy, but useable. *Dark Pulse, different Hidden Power types. *Leftovers for increased survivability. *Random niche moves like Substitute (maybe with Charge Beam?), Dragon Tail, Toxic, Light Screen, etc. *Air Balloon, Assault Vest? *Razor Wind is its best Normal STAB. Far from viable. == Checks and Counters == *Very few solid counters, due to its Solar Power set hitting so damn hard. Assault Vest Meloetta is probably the only complete counter, as it can't be 2HKOed by anything it can throw, and can change forme with Relic Song, then OHKO with Close Combat (or just OHKO with Psyshock if preferred). Assault Vest Snorlax is the next closest, only being 2HKOed by LO/Specs Solar Power Focus Blast, but otherwise taking two of anything and OHKOing with an uninvested Earthquake. *Mega Ampharos takes everything bar Focus Blast comfortably, and can retaliate with a Focus Blast of its own for an easy OHKO. *Virizion can take two of anything but Focus Blast/HP Fire in the sun and OHKO with Close Combat. Naturally slower however. Cresselia can put up a fight if it isn't raining, but Life Orb boosted Thunders will take large chunks out of her, and can even threaten a 2HKO after prior damage (dealing ~40% per hit). Assault Vest Donphan also does well if it can avoid a Grass Knot or Surf, and if it faces the sun sweeper, it won't have to worry about the latter. *Conversely, Assault Vest Tangrowth fares very well against Heliolisk when it is raining. Only Hidden Power Fire or Focus Blasts from the sun sweeper will directly threaten, as Hidden Power Ice is uncommon. *Scarf Grounds like Flygon can take one of anything and OHKO with Earthquake. *Hippowdon gets a mention for changing the weather and ruining Heliolisk's strategy. It can't take two Surfs or Grass Knots, even with heavy investment, but it can force Heliolisk out. Same more or less applies to (Mega) Abomasnow, however it needs to watch out for Focus Blast and Hidden Power Fire on the switch in. *Things like Lanturn and (Water Absorb) Quagsire can take both Electric and Water moves, but will fold to 2 Focus Blasts and Grass Knot, respectively. Both can force out choiced Heliolisk though. Note that Lanturn can't really do much back, however. *Powerful priority like Honchkrow's Sucker Punch or Hitmontop/chan's Mach Punch can OHKO, but most can't switch in safely. *Very few things in LU can switch into every move Heliolisk uses, however note that its Dry Skin set doesn't hit nearly as hard, and its Solar Power set relies on sun to be effective, plus it gets worn down very quickly.
I think you should seperate the standard Dry Skin set which can be used on any team and the Solar Power set which can only really be used on Sun teams, and Dark Pulse isn't worth a slash on either set. Don't bother with a dedicated Rain set imo, just mention that in dedicated rain it can run Surf and Thunder in the set comments, since Dry Skin Heliolisk performs well in weatherless due to Dry Skins ability to absorb all Water attacks. Also I'd say its Normal typing is actually a benefit, since it gives it an immunity to Ghost and the weakness to fighting isnt really relevant since pretty much all Fighting types can ohko it due to its abysmal Def.
Yeah, that's basically the only reason I mentioned 'mostly' pointless on it, lol. It has no worthwhile STABs to abuse, and a Ghost immunity is useful, but nothing amazing (though fully countering Jellicent is a nice boon) So Dry Skin set, and Solar Power set huh? Sure thing, I can do that.
•Cress counters as long as rain isn't up. Without SDef evs it's shaky, but with investment it's a pretty hard counter. •Assault Vest Tangrowth hard counters it unless sun it's the Solar Power set with Sun up. •Hitmontop and Hitmonchan can also be used as checks, though they don't enjoy getting Volt Switched on. •MAmphy is also a very solid check, taking everything apart from Focus Blast very comfortably. •The Tbolt mention from the Dry Skin set's Set Comments should also exist in the solar power one. Honestly, it should be slashed in on both sets. •Assault Vest Donphan can check it outside of rain, but I'm not sure it merits a mention. Once those changes are made, I'd say this is
Ahh yeah, I had the Thunderbolt mention implied with the 'Same EV spread, natures, and only one move is different (HP Fire).' quote. I'll be adding it in properly once fully approved, but I kept it in absolute skeleton form. You're right there though, I'll just slash it after Volt Switch for simplicity. OK, I think I've got this up to scratch. :3