Camerupt

Camerupt, The Eruption Pokémon. The volcanoes on its back have a major eruption every 10 years--or whenever it becomes really angry. If angered, the humps on its back erupt in a shower of molten lava. It lives in the craters of volcanoes. Camerupt has a volcano inside its body. Magma of 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit courses through its body. Occasionally, the humps on this Pokémon's back erupt, spewing the superheated magma. The humps on Camerupt's back are formed by a transformation of its bones. They sometimes blast out molten magma. This Pokémon apparently erupts often when it is enraged.

Overview

Camerupt has always been a rather interesting Pokémon that is somewhat both hindered by its typing and benefiting from it. Being Fire/Ground-type means that it is 4x weak to Water-type, which has seen a resurgence of late due to Scald and various other strategies. It's a slow Pokémon, making it a prime option in Trick Rooms, and it has decent bulk of 75/70/70 which lets it be a decent tank, but really there are some Pokémon that are a bit better. That's not to say that Camerupt is a bad Pokémon, as it has a great movepool and decent offensive stats, but outside of Trick Rooms, you're going to have a bad time. However, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire have gifted it with a Mega Evolution, so it has suddenly become a bit more useful, but that's not to say that standard Camerupt is useless.
Positives
+Great Movepool
+Works well in Trick Room
+Can be a tank
+Decent offensive stats of 100/105, allowing it to be used two ways
+Only weak to two types: Water and Ground. Resists six types.

Negatives
-Too slow to be working in non-Trick Room teams
-4x weak to Water

Abilities

Magma Armor: This Pokémon cannot be Frozen while having this ability. - Next to useless on this Pokémon. Very few will use Ice-type moves on Camerupt and the Frozen status is rarely used as is
Solid Rock: Damage by super-effective moves is reduced by 25%. - Always a handy ability, but with only two Weaknesses, it doesn't help it as much as it could, but with the Water-type weakness, it really takes the edge off. It's the best of Camerupt's abilities
Hidden Ability (Available):
Anger Point: Increases Attack to maximum level upon taking a critical hit. - When set off, this is fantastic, but it's way too situational. It could be used in a gimmick set in Doubles next to someone with Frost Breath, but outside of that, it's way too reliant on random .aspects

Movesets

Cameruption

-Eruption / Overheat
-Earth Power
-Lava Plume/Flamethrower/Fire Blast
-Flash Cannon / Hidden Power [Grass]
Item Attached: Choice Specs
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SAtk/252 HP/4 Def
Modest OR Quiet Nature

You have a standard Choice Specs set here. Eruption is a decent option, especially in Trick Rooms so Camerupt can move first unencumbered by health loss, causing ridiculous damage that will OHKO practically everything weak to it, or 2HKO most of the things that don't resist it. Alternatively, you can use Overheat for similar power but it will result in a reduction of power. Earth Power is a great way to get the Ground-type STAB. Lava Plume, Flamethrower and Fire Blast provide alternate Fire-type STAB options without any of the drawbacks of Eruption and Overheat. Flash Cannon and Hidden Power provide coverage for other types.

Eyjafjallajökull

-Stone Edge / Rock Slide
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast / Flamethrower
-Earth Power
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SAtk/252 Atk/4 Def
Quiet Nature

This set is more of a mixed attacker, using both of the Attack stats of Camerupt to its full advantage. We start off with Stone Edge or Rock Slide, to wreck Flying-types (hence the name of the set) and various other Pokémon that can cause Camerupt some grief. Stone Edge is more powerful but less accurate while Rock Slide is a decent option if you have set up a Trick Room, as it can cause the opponent to flinch. Earthquake is self-explanatory...Ground-type STAB with 100% accuracy and 100 damage. Not too shabby. Fire Blast and Flamethrower are your Special Fire-type options and Earth Power provides Special Ground-type moves.

Other Options

Choice Band could be the way to go, but as it has no physical Fire-type moves aside from Flame Charge, it limits your possibilities somewhat
Curse is another option if used in a Trick Room, boosting Attack and Defense but lowering Speed. Not as useful as on Numel when it had Simple, but quite useful.
Heat Wave is an alternate option to the Fire-type moves, but far more useful in Doubles
Iron Head is a decent option for physical Camerupt, as it has a decent chance of taking out Fairy-type Pokémon.
Rest/Chesto Berry is an often used combo to help Camerupt recover health. Aside from Leftovers, it's the only way to do it
Rock Polish can boost its Speed up to a respectable level.
Stealth Rock is a decent option, as Camerupt has got the bulk to survive most hits to allow for it to set it up

Stockpile is a good way to boost Camerupt's defenses, to make it an absolute tank

Double & Triple Battle Options

Quite simply, aside from Mega Evolving or having one of Camerupt's abilities retconned to Desolate Land... Camerupt won't work. Trick Room teams use absurdly powerful yet absurdly slow Pokemon to deal the heavy damage needed to destroy faster but frailer teams. Camerupt is absurdly slow, but base 100 offenses won't break anything unfortunately. For the most part the only non mega Camerupt you'll encounter are from opponents who are still playing XY or haven't found Cameruptite yet in ORAS.

Countering Camerupt

Water-type moves really. Camerupt hates water, and just hitting it with Water-type moves, even with Solid Rock, would result in a likelihood of fainting within a couple of turns. Hitting with Pokémon such as Milotic, Ludicolo, Politoed, Kyogre, Feraligatr etc. will just destroy Camerupt. Alternatively, going for Ground-type moves is good. With the predominance of Earthquake, Camerupt does shudder as faster Pokémon will just destroy it. That's where you have to focus, be faster and hit with those super effective moves and Camerupt will fall with relative ease. Don't let it set itself up with some defensive boosts.

Mega Corner

Overview

Now we're talking. Mega Camerupt is an absolute beast. While it trades away its ability that helps reduce the dreaded Water-type weakness, it adds Sheer Force as its ability and has a decent increase of stats to make it a force to be reckoned with. It is one of the ultimate Trick Room Pokémon, as well. With a Speed stat of just 20, when in a Trick Room it will outspeed almost all Pokémon. If you're running a Trick Room team, you'll want this to be your Mega Evolution, without a doubt
Positives
+Base 145 Special Attack. That puts it so high up
+120 physical attack is nothing to shrug off either
+Defenses of 100/105 give it considerable bulk
+Its Speed is perfect for Trick Room sets

Negatives
-It is 4* weak to Water still
-Sheer Force is good, but better with the Life Orb which Mega Camerupt can't handle
-Still lacks a decent physical Fire-type move

Abilities

Sheer Force: Moves with a secondary effect are increased in power by 33% but lose their secondary effect - A very good ability, essentially giving a Life Orb equivalent boost. It does have a negative in that moves such as Rock Slide won't have their secondary effect, but I'd say the increased power is a worthy tradeoff

Movesets

Magma Head

-Earth Power
- Hidden Power Ice / Protect
- Flamethrower / Heat Wave
- Rock Slide
Item Attached: Cameruptite
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 4Att / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature

There's not really much to explain as each of the moves lose their special effect, but these moves all hit hard and fast in a Trick Room. Earth Power, thanks to the Sheer Force boost and Mega Camerupt's Special Attack stat is a far better option over the general Earthquake. Hidden Power Ice provides some decent coverage against various Pokémon while Protect lets you scout. Flamethrower and Heat Wave can deal with most threats, even Trick Room threats like Amoongus and Steelix, and Rock Slide can help cover the Flying-types.

Magma Head

-Stealth Rock / Ancient Power
- Toxic
- Flamethrower / Heat Wave
- Earth Power
Item Attached: Cameruptite
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature

Another self explanatory set. Stealth Rock can help you decimate various opponents, being able to deal up to 50% damage, but mostly it'll just be chipping away at opponents. Alternatively, use Ancient Power for some Rock-type coverage. Toxic works as it always has. Flamethrower, Heat Wave and Earth Power provide STAB move coverage, all boosted by Sheer Force. It's a pretty standard set, but it works

Other Options

Eruption is a decent option in a Trick Room. It doesn't get a Sheer Force boost, but it is powerful if you move first.
Iron Head is a decent option for physical Camerupt, as it has a decent chance of taking out Fairy-type Pokémon. It gets the Sheer Force boost as well!
Overheat is another option that doesn't get the boost, but is powerful enough
Curse is another option if used in a Trick Room, boosting Attack and Defense but lowering Speed. Not as useful as on Numel when it had Simple, but quite useful.
Rock Polish can boost its Speed up to a respectable level.
Stockpile is a good way to boost Camerupt's defenses, to make it an absolute tank

Double & Triple Battle Options

Base 145 Special Attack and base 20 speed with Sheer Force? That's the kind of power that will absolutely destroy under prepared teams before Trick Room's time is up!

Wednesday

Earth Power
Heat Wave
Protect
Eruption / Flamethrower / Hidden Power Ice
Item Attached: Cameruptite
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Satk, 4 SDef
Quiet Nature

The set is as straightforward as it gets. Earth Power and Heat Wave are Camerupt's STABs that are also boosted by Sheer Force. Protect is to keep Camerupt safe while the partner sets up a Trick Room and the last slot is dependant on what Camerupt should cover according to your team. Eruption at full health deals more damage than Heat Wave, but is a little difficult to preserve the damage output as Camerupt's health dwindles. Flamethrower is a reliable single target attack as a means of simply dealing more damage than a multi target Heat Wave or dodging Wide Guards. Hidden Power Ice is a solid option for hitting Salamence hard who otherwise resists Camerupt's STABs.

Camerupt will perform its best when under Trick Room, so its partners need to reflect that. Cresselia is by far the sturdiest setter of Trick Room, but if you need a partner that sweeps fairly well under Trick Room than Quiet Sylveon is a great choice too, as Camerupt eats the Steel type for breakfast, most of Sylveon's Hyper Voices will go unresisted.

Because Camerupt is very dependent on Trick Room, should the Trick Room set up to be prevented then Camerupt's ability to smash things before getting smashed itself is gone. When using Camerupt, one needs to have multiple reliable ways of getting Trick Room set up to allow it to do its job. Otherwise Camerupt will be no more a threat to the opponent than it was in game against Team Magma.

Countering Mega Camerupt

Break a Trick Room. If you stop that team being in a Trick Room, then you can do significant damage on Camerupt before it can even do any damage. Go in for the Water-type moves and Mega Camerupt, despite its bulk, will collapse with ease. A non-boosted Milotic can OHKO it, and many Water-type Pokémon can just wreck it with such ease. An Azumarill can do decent damage even without Belly Drum. Alternatively, as with standard Camerupt, go for the Ground-type moves and just keep hitting it. Mega Gyarados and Mega Aerodactyl are great choices at checking Camerupt. Camerupt has no form of recovery outside of Rest so it's just a matter of time before it falls


Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Evolve Numel

FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Colosseum/XD:
Evolve Numel (XD)
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald (Colosseum)

Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Route 227, Stark Mountain

HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Evolve Numel

Black/White:
Trade from White 2

Black 2/White 2:
Reversal Mountain (White 2)
Trade from White 2 (Black 2)

X/Y:
Friend Safari

Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Numel

Animé Appearences

Camerupt has made a few appearances in the anime. Most of its appearance have been cameos, but Ash has encountered a couple in battle.

# -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics
M6 Jirachi - Wish Maker The Wishing Star of Seven Nights - Jirachi Pics
322 Candid Camerupt! Winstrate Family! 4 Vs. 4! Pics
347 A Six Pack Attack! Prof. Oak & Prof. Birch! Secret Base Battle!! Pics
362 Lights, Camerupt, Action The Film's Riding on Camerupt! Pics
380 A Cacturne for the Worse Izabe Island Pokémon Contest! Beware the Rival! Pics
412 Numero Uno Articuno First Battle! Battle Factory (Part 1) Pics
437 Harley Rides Again! Munchlax's Battle Debut! Harley & Taking the Game Seriously! Pics
559 One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team! The Final Showdown! Pokémon Triathlon! Pics
608 Historical Mystery Tour Natu, Xatu...Mysterious Forest! Pics
639 Dawn of a Royal Day! Dancing Togekiss! Pokemon Contest Princess!! Pics
M13 Zoroark - Master of Illusions Phantom Champion Zoroark Pics
S37 Pokémon Mega Evolution Special I Strongest Mega Evolution ~Act II~ Pics
S38 Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Mega Special Animation Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Mega Special Animation Pics
M19 Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel Volcanion & The Ingenious Magearna Pics
1173 An Adventure of Mega Proportions! The Lucarionite! Adventure on Mega Island!! Pics
1183 Suffering the Flings and Arrows! The Heracross Loss and the Pinsir in Love Pics
1196 Big Brother to the Rescue! Help Us, Big Bro Yamper! Pics
1224 Heroes Unite! Pokémon! I Am Glad I Got To Meet You Pics
1225 These Could be the Start of Something Big! Ash and Goh! Setting Off Anew!! Pics
1230 A Squad Worth of Passion! Enter the Squirtle Fire Brigade! Pics