Torkoal

Torkoal is the engine of Reg M-A’s sunHarsh Sunlight (Sun)weatherWeather that boosts Fire moves ×1.5 and weakens Water moves ×0.5. Activates Chlorophyll, Solar Power, and other Sun-tied abilities.Click to read more → teams. It auto-sets DroughtDroughtabilityAn ability that instantly sets permanent sun when the Pokémon enters the field.Click to read more → on switch-in, and that single trigger unlocks more downstream damage than any other weather setter in the format — sun makes Fire moves 1.5× stronger, doubles Solar Power chip on Mega Charizard YMega Charizard YmegaSummons harsh sunlight the moment it Mega Evolves, boosting Fire moves for the whole team.Click to read more →, and snaps ChlorophyllChlorophyllabilityDoubles this Pokémon's Speed under harsh sunlight.Click to read more → abusers into +1 Speed by ability alone.

Why it’s foundational

Torkoal does three things almost no other Pokémon does:

1. Auto-sets sun. Drought fires the moment Torkoal touches the field; sun lasts 5 turns, or 8 with Heat Rock. No setup turn required.
2. Eruption at full HP. EruptionEruptionmoveA Fire-type spread move with base power equal to the user's current HP percentage — hits hardest at full health.Click to read more → is a 150-power spread moveSpread MovesmechanicMoves that hit both opposing Pokémon simultaneously, at 0.75× damage — the defining mechanic of doubles offense.Click to read more → that scales with the user’s HP — at full HP and under sun, it hits both opponents for ~337 effective base power before STAB. Torkoal’s 70/140/85 bulk means it usually arrives at full HP.
3. Body Press. A Defense-based attack on a Pokémon with 140 base Defense converts its tank stat into damage — useful coverage against Dark, Rock, and Steel-types that resist Fire.

Torkoal is also slow (20 base Speed) and bulky, which makes it a natural Trick RoomTrick RoomstrategyFor 5 turns, slower Pokémon move first. Reverses the entire speed game — a strategy that builds teams around very slow attackers.Click to read more → anchor in addition to its sun role. Sun-Trick Room is a real archetype in the format because Torkoal can fill both engines on the same slot.

Common sets

• Sun anchor (most common) — Eruption, Heat Wave, Body Press, ProtectProtectmoveA move that makes the user immune to all moves for one turn. Fails if used consecutively.Click to read more →. Charcoal or Heat Rock. Quiet nature with 0 Speed IVs, full HP and Special Attack investment.
• Trick Room — Eruption, Heat Wave, Body Press, Trick Room. Bundles weather and TR setup on a single slot — slower than dedicated setters but doubles up the team’s engines.
• Helping Hand utility — Eruption, Helping HandHelping HandmoveA +5 priority move that boosts the partner's next move by 1.5× — doubles-only support that amplifies damage without attacking.Click to read more →, Heat Wave, Protect. Boosts a partner’s damage by 50% on its turn; pairs with breakers that don’t quite OHKO unboosted.

Common partners

• Mega Charizard Y — sun finisher. Solar Power doubles Charizard Y’s Special Attack while sun is up, and Heat Wave under those conditions is the most explosive damage in the format.
• Venusaur — Chlorophyll doubles Venusaur’s Speed under sun, putting it ahead of nearly every offensive Pokémon. Sleep Powder support also pairs with Torkoal’s TR option for either fast or slow team plans.
• HattereneHatterenepokemonMagic Bounce setter and Trick Room anchor. Reflects status, sets terrain, and powers slow attackers under reversed Speed.Click to read more → — second Trick Room setter. Hatterene + Torkoal lets sun-TR teams set both engines redundantly so at least one almost always lands.
• WhimsicottWhimsicottpokemonPrankster utility lead. Priority Tailwind, Encore, and Sunny Day let it dictate tempo against teams that thought they had it.Click to read more → — PranksterPranksterabilityAn ability that gives all Status moves +1 priority — they go before almost everything, even if the Pokémon is slow.Click to read more → Sunny Day backup if DrizzleDrizzleabilityAn ability that instantly summons permanent rain when the Pokémon enters the field — no move required.Click to read more → or Snow flips the weather war on switch.

What beats it

Water-type moves are 4× super effective — anything with a boosted Water move OHKOs cleanly. PelipperPelipperpokemonThe format's only practical Drizzle setter. Sets rain on switch-in, then enables Hurricane spam and 1.5× boosted Water moves across the team.Click to read more → Hydro Pump under its own rain is the most direct counter, and the rain itself replaces sun on switch-in. Ground moves hit for 2× and bypass Torkoal’s specially-skewed bulk; GarchompGarchomppokemonThe premier spread attacker under Tailwind. Earthquake hits both opponents, Scale Shot chains Speed boosts, and Dragon Claw threatens opposing dragons.Click to read more → Earthquake threatens a clean two-shot. Faster weather setters in sun mirrors (other Drought users, Sand Stream Tyranitar) can also override Torkoal’s sun by being faster on the switch.