Talonflame, the Scorching Pokémon. It has top-notch flying capabilities. It flies around easily, even while carrying prey that weighs more than 220 lbs. When it gets excited, it vents sparks from the gaps between its feathers. These unburnable feathers are used as a fireproof material.
Overview
The regional bird of Kalos, Talonflame has fallen far from its glory days in the sixth generation. No longer can Talonflame brutalize teams with the absurdity that is priority Brave Bird or preemptively recover with priority Roost. Without its priority Talonflame’s flaws are laid bare for all to see. Base 78 HP with 71/69 defenses is a sorry state of affairs defensively, leaving Talonflame in danger from any moderately powered attack, to say nothing of its horrid Stealth Rock weakness all but marrying Talonflame to the Heavy-Duty Boots so it can switch in more than once. Something Talonflame desperately needs given its barely usable Attack and complete inability to cover Rock types, making Talonflame rather easy to force out. Even bulky Water types, like Slowbro, Volcanion, Toxapex and Rotom Wash also can stomach a Brave Bird with ease and threaten an easy knock out with Surf.
However, with the nerf of Gale Wings, it is easy to forget that Talonflame was and is hard to outspeed in the first place. Base 126 Speed is a great place to be at with not many able to claim to be faster. Talonflame can use this speed to great effect, either to harry the opponent with Taunt and Will-O-Wisp or as an unconventional attacker with Choice Band making up for Talonflame’s low attack. This is made possible thanks to the high power of Flare Blitz and Brave Bird partially offsetting Talonflame’s low attack. Despite Fire Flying’s flaws, it is also blessed with a myriad of resistances that give Talonflame a lot of pivoting opportunities despite its lacking bulk. While Talonflame has plenty of issues, between its frailty and flawed offense, the accolades it has garnered are amazing for a common bird from Kalos.
Positives
Base 126 Speed is fantastic speed tier to sit at, with few Pokémon able to claim they are faster.
Great support movepool between U-Turn, Will-O-Wisp, Defog and Taunt, Talonflame is excellent at disrupting the opponent.
Swords Dance and access to high powered STABs in Brave Bird and Flare Blitz allow Talonflame to hit deceptively hard.
Fire Flying provides Talonflame several invaluable predominantly physical resistances, giving it a wide range of physical attackers to handle, and repeatedly at that with Roost.
Negatives
78/71/69 defenses are poor giving Talonflame little in the way of durability even before the recoil of Talonflame’s best moves and weakness to Stealth Rock.
Base 81 Attack is barely usable, forcing Talonflame to pick off weakened targets or those it has a decisive advantage against.
Hard walled by most Rock types with no answer to them outside of Will-O-Wisp burns or Terastalization.
Gale Wings no longer working at full HP greatly hurts Talonflame’s viability.
Movesets
Arrow Duty
-Taunt
-Defog
-Roost
-Brave Bird
Ability: Flame Body
Item: Heavy-Duty Boots
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Despite Talonflame's frailty, it shares a lot of defensive traits with Moltres, allowing Talonflame to operate on a similar axis. Like Moltres, being able to switch into Fighting, Fairy, Ground and Grass attacks is one thing, but being able to do so aggressively against contact attackers while threatening a Flame Body burn is incredible value. Talonflame differentiates itself from Moltres using its fantastic Speed, allowing it to land key disruption in scenarios where Moltres can't. Taunt is an excellent disruptive tool, especially with Talonflame's high speed, allowing it to deny all sorts of moves, from hazard setup, to cutting off a tank's healing or Toxic, to even deny setup sweepers their ability to boost. Defog is invaluable for hazard denial, ensuring Talonflame's teammates aren't worn down by entry hazards, allowing them to maintain positioning. Despite Talonflame's lacking defenses, Roost is important for playing the long game, keeping Talonflame healthy to continuously remove hazards and get more chances to fish for a Flame Body burn. Brave Bird is so that Talonflame is not entirely passive, and is a great clean up tool in general, allowing Talonflame to exercise its fantastic speed offensively to remove frail Flying weak targets like Infernape and Hiuian-Lilligant and pick off others like Galarian-Zapdos, Chestnaught, and Gengar.
Tera Types:
As a supporting Pokémon, Talonflame is rarely a high priority for Terastalization, generally preferring to pivot out and pick its own fights. Furthermore, Flying Fire typing offers plenty of defensive benefits that is hard for a singular typing to match. However, Flying Fire also has a lot of crippling weaknesses that can have Talonflame struggle at performing its roles, which Terastalization can help with. Tera Ghost is immensely popular. While Talonflame is good at punishing Rapid Spin with Flame Body, preventing the hazard clearing effect is even better. Also the ability to no sell common forms of priority (which are the best way to deal with Talonflame) such as Lucario and Entei's Extreme Speeds, along with no selling Maushold's Population Bomb (a guaranteed knock out). Tera Ground is another popular option, flipping Talonflame's horrendous Rock weakness into a resistance while giving it an immunity to Electric attacks. Even better, Grass types want nothing to do with Talonflame due to its STABs, making that weakness less of an issue, though the persistent Water weakness is quite the downside.
EVs and Items:
Max HP and Speed investment are recommended. This Talonflame set relies on longevity to excel so maximizing its bulk is highly recommended. However, Talonflame's biggest selling point is its incredible speed, making it difficult to fully give up Speed investment. For example, dropping to even a neutral Speed nature while still having Talonflame outrun base 110s, leaves it no longer outrunning Cyclizar, Maushold, and Noivern, greatly worsening Talonflame's matchup into such Pokémon. Yet such concessions may be necessary to improve Talonflame's bulk. 164 Speed EVs is as low as one should go, allowing Talonflame to continue outrunning base 100 Speed Pokémon like Galarian Zapdos, Jirachi, Entei, and Flygon. Heavy Duty Boots is mandatory for this set. This set is responsible for hazard clearing and Talonflame can't do so repeatedly if losing half its health to Stealth Rocks on the switch in.
Partners:
:
Given Talonflame's horrendous matchups into Rock and Water types, having Pokémon that can pivot into such moves are invaluable. Chesnaught and Wo-Chien in particular make for great allies, both easily threatening out such attackers with their Grass STAB, and both able to absorb Knock Off, which would prevent Talonflame from performing its duties. In return, Talonflame answers opposing Grass types that can give Chesnaught and Wo-Chien issues as well as maintain their durability with the physical attack reduction from Burns as well as the removal of hazards.
If running Will-O-Wisp, Special Defensive Sponges of all stripes love Talonflame's support, making them that much harder to overwhelm by covering for their low defense. Alolan-Muk, Blissey, Umbreon and Hisuian-Goodra all greatly benefit from the Burn and hazard control Talonflame provides while answer Special Attackers that Talonflame can't directly deal with itself.
Other Options:
Will-O-Wisp is a reliable Burning method that does not require gambling Talonflame's health unlike Flame Body, but it is hard to fit both Will-O-Wisp and Taunt on the same set.
U-Turn is invaluable for its pivoting prowess, allowing Talonflame to maintain positioning against predicted switches while chipping them and maintaining momentum.
Flamethrower and Flare Blitz are alternative Fire STABs if one feels that Talonflame's Flying STAB isn't needed.
Tailwind is an interesting option, giving Talonflame's teammates a bit of its vaunted Speed, though it is very easy to stall out in Singles.
Wings of Icarus
-Brave Bird
-Flare Blitz
-Tera Blast
-U-Turn
Ability: Gale Wings
Item: Choice Band
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Despite Gale Wings no longer working if Talonflame isn’t completely healthy, the prospects of a priority Brave Bird remain tantalizing nonetheless. A priority move of that power and excellent coverage is unheard of, granting Talonflame to clean up a multitude of targets with little recourse. Even with Gale Wings broken however, Choice Band Talonflame can be a passable cleaner thanks to its excellent speed stat and high-powered STABs. Flare Blitz is is secondary STAB and while not benefiting from Gale Wings, is a fantastic attack, especially with the superb coverage Fire offers against Flying resistant Steel types like Jirachi, Magnezone and Registeel. Tera Blast is for coverage given Talonflame’s otherwise exploitable movepool, hitting targets it would normally be walled or forced out by, such as Slowbro, or Rhyperior. Pivoting moves are a staple on choiced attackers and Talonflame is no exception, allowing Talonflame to punish predicted switches and chip the opponent down for easy pickings later.
Tera Types:
Despite the valuable resistances and immunities that Fire Flying normally provides, offensive Talonflame are rather beholden to Terastalization to address its poor base coverage. Tera Grass is highly recommended as a result, giving Talonflame not only valuable Water and Electric resistances along with a Rock neutrality, but the coverage to deal with the Water and Rock types that typically wall it. Tera Water, while not as adept at handling Water types, is great for Rocks and opposing Fire types like Entei looking to exploit how common Will-O-Wisp and Flame Body Burns are. If one has good Water and Rock answers elsewhere, Tera Flying is certainly tantalizing, reaching obscene damage with a one-time priority Brave Bird that has Talonflame act as a one-use ballistic missile able to pick off Pokémon like Flygon and Gyarados after just a little chip damage.
EVs and Items:
The Choice Band user’s standard array of Max Speed and Attack is recommended. Talonflame needs to outspeed as many targets as possible even after Gale Wings is broken, and its poor Attack needs as much help as it can get. Adamant nature is recommended if one wants to get the most out of the one-time Gale Wings boost, though Jolly nature is nice to outrun Cyclizar, Maushold, and Noivern without resorting to Gale Wings. Choice Band is recommended as the item to maximize that one Brave Bird. However, if running a boosting set, one can opt for Heavy-Duty Boots, so Talonflame isn’t ruined by Stealth Rocks.
Partners:
:
Given this set relies on Gale Wings, hazard control is paramount. Talonflame can’t benefit from Gale Wings if it loses it immediately to Stealth Rocks on switch in. Forretress and Cyclizar are excellent hazard removers, able to do so repeatedly while possessing potent pivoting to get Talonflame in safely. Cyclizar benefits more from Talonflame’s support, answering opposing Fighting types, especially Scarf Galarian Zapdos, while Talonflame benefits from Forretress more with its own hazards pushing targets into knock out range.
Even with Tera Grass, Grass types still make excellent partners for Talonflame, removing troublesome walls without Talonflame needing to Terastalize. Chestnaught and Hiuian-Lilligant remain particularly excellent, their STABs handling most Water and Rock types with ease. Chestnaught is the more defensive support with Spikes setup for more chip while Hisuian-Lilligant is a more offensive option, with Talonflame cleaning up what Hisuian Lilligant couldn’t.
Wish and Healing Wish users like Vaporeon and Jirachi can be considered for their ability to re-establish Gale Wings, giving Talonflame another shot at glory.
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Other Options:
Dual Wingbeat is a decently strong Flying STAB that doesn’t break Gale Wings upon use, though one really needs Tera Flying to get the most out of it.
Temper Flare is the non-recoil version of Flare Blitz, though the power drop is noticeable.
Swords Dance is an option that directly addresses Talonflame’s power issues, though it struggles to find the time to use it while keeping Gale Wings intact..
Doubles and VGC Options
Despite Gale Wings getting gutted post generation 6, Talonflame has and continues to use it to great effect in Doubles. In lower power regulations, Talonflame has made a name for itself as the fastest priority setter of Tailwind. This has made Talonflame the most reliable Tailwind setter available, outstripping opposing Prankster users like Whimsicott, Murkrow and Grimmsnarl who cannot Taunt Talonflame before it sets up. Add in a speedy non-Prankster Taunt for shutting down other support users, a swift Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical Attackers, and just the strength of Brave Bird and Flare Blitz, and Talonflame is a niche, but consistent threat.
Blazing Speed
-Tailwind
-Will-O-Wisp
-Brave Bird
-Flare Blitz
Ability: Gale Wings
Item: Covert Cloak
Tera Type: Ghost / Grass
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Talonflame has made a name for itself in Regulation H as one of the most consistent Tailwind setters around. With Gale Wings, Talonflame boasts the fastest priority Tailwind in Regulation H, outspeeding even Prankster Whimsicott. This is important as it allows Talonflame to setup Tailwind without having to worry about a pre-emptive Taunt. Add in a Covert Cloak to deny the Flinch from Fake Out and it is very difficult to stop the Tailwind setup without specific combinations of Pokémon. Will-O-Wisp is another consistent move on Talonflame and its utility is amazing, crippling physical attackers before they can even move and making them that much less dangerous. Brave Bird and Flare Blitz are so that Talonflame isn't entirely passive. While it is rare that Talonflame will be using Gale Wings Brave Bird, it is still an excellent clean up tool in the right scenarios and is great in crippling key threats such as Scarf Final Gambit Annihilape. Flare Blitz handles Steel and Tera Steel types that resist Brave Bird, especially Gholdengo.
Covert Cloak is key for this set in preventing Fake Out from setting up Tailwind at low opportunity cost. With that in mind, Tera Ghost seems redundant, but Tera Ghost is still important for a few reasons. One of the few ways to stop Tailwind is with faster priority to break Gale Wings plus a faster Taunt user. However, all of the faster priority moves (Fake Out, Upper Hand, Feint and Extreme Speed) can be nullified by Tera Ghost. If unconcerned about that specific combination, Tera Grass is another good option, granting Talonflame invaluable Water and Electric resistances while preventing its attacks from being redirected with Rage Powder. Max Speed is so that Talonflame guarantees it outspeeds as much as possible and Max Attack is so that it is less passive.
Preferred Partners:
Talonflame is a key partner to offensive teams that love rolling the opponent over in a wave of offense. Gholdengo is a key beneficiary given its middling speed becomes terrifying with Tailwind allowing it to bring its full offense to bear. Speaking of bears, Max Speed Ursaluna-Bloodmoon is another notable Tailwind recipient that loves Talonflame's positive matchup into opposing Grass types while bringing truly absurd offense to the table.
As antisynergistic as it appears, Talonflame also makes a good partner for Sand teams. Despite Tyranitar's Sandstream breaking Gale Wings after the first turn, that first turn is all Talonflame needs to setup Tailwind. Tyranitar and Garchomp become absolute nightmares under Tailwind, now able to reliably outspeed and ravage foes with Rock Slide or freely spam Earthquake without fear of harming Talonflame. In turn, Talonflame is a great answer into the Grass types that trouble such teams.
As with any fast Pokémon, Taunt is a great option invaluable in shutting down all sorts of support and disruption, especially Trick Room.
Quick Guard is a rare move that Talonflame gets that is great for one free turn of no worries about Fake Out or any other priority.
Dual-Wingbeat is an alternative Flying STAB option that doesn't break Gale Wings, though the power drop is noticeable.
Countering Talonflame
While Talonflame’s blazing speed makes its disruption aggravating, its lacking bulk, offense and coverage leaves it easily walled and rendered a non-issue.
Rock types are utter anathema to Talonflame. While it is true that few enjoy eating a Flame Body or Will-O-Wisp burn, their resistance of both STABs and generally high Defense allow them to soak up any attack Talonflame throws and OHKO with their own Rock STABs, though a burn may push that out of reach. Diancie in particular stands out, capable of being a rare Special Rock attacker unbothered by Burns, leaving Talonflame with no recourse.
Water types are just as problematic for Talonflame. While they may not resist Brave Bird, many Water types have the requisite bulk to survive multiple and easily KO with their own STABs, forcing Talonflame in another fly or die situation. Slowbro is particularly aggravating given its good physical bulk means even Brave Bird bounces off, and Regenerator rends any Taunt shenanigans moot. Swampert also does well in tanking Talonflame’s Brave Birds, though it is more prone to being worn down and dislikes Burns in general. Vaporeon, Gastrodon, Suicune and Milotic are a bit more shaky, capable of being 2HKO’d by a Choice Band Brave Bird, and are more vulnerable to being worn down by Taunt, but otherwise do well against Talonflame.
Against more conventional physical walls, Talonflame struggles to deal damage, but many such walls become setup fodder if burned or Taunted, let alone both. Rotom Heat is an exception, resisting both of Talonflame’s STABs while threatening with Electric STAB. Bellibolt, while not too found of Taunt, is quite capable of giving Talonflame a bit of its own medicine with Static clipping Talon Flame’s wings if not threatening with Electric STAB or Muddy Water.
Checking Talonflame offensively is a simple task, if one can surmount its insane Speed. Lycanroc-Dusk, while abhorring Flame Body is an otherwise perfect example with is access to the priority Accelrock, obliterating Talonflame before it can move bar ones using Gale Wings. Crawdaunt would admittedly be ruined if Burned but its Banded Aqua Jet comfortably OHKOs. Entei is a rare priority user unthreatened by Burn and can knock out Talonflame from around half health with Extreme Speed. Scarf users like Gardevoir, Chandelure, as well as the naturally faster Barraskewda can all out speed Talonflame, but barring Barraskewda require Talonflame to be damaged to finish it off safely.
Stealth Rocks are kryptonite for Talonflame placing it into easy KO range after just one switch in, let alone the recoil of Talonflame’s favored attacks. For that reason, the Defog set is especially vulnerable to Knock Off, preventing Talonflame from performing its duties, though you may have to sacrifice an attacker to do so depending on one’s Flame Body luck.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in game
Black/White:
Not in game
Black 2/White 2:
Not in game
X/Y:
Evolve Fletchinder
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Trade from X & Y
Sun/Moon:
Evolve Fletchinder
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Evolve Fletchinder
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Soothing Wetlands, Loop Lagoon, Training Lowlands
Max Raid Battles: Fields of Honor, Challenge Beach, Challenge Road, Loop Lagoon, Potbottom Desert, Workout Sea, Stepping-Stone Sea
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Not in game
Legends: Arceus:
Not in game
Scarlet/Violet:
Area Zero, Coastal Biome, Torchlit Labyrinthm South Province Area Three
Tera Raid Battles: 5 Star Raid Battles, 6 Star Raid Battles
Anime Appearences
