Heatran Best Moveset and Build

Heatran is a versatile Pokemon in competitive play, with the ability to run both offensive and defensive sets for the team. Read on to find out the best build, the best moveset, basic information, stats and recommended partners for Heatran in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP).

Heatran - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Heatran Best Build and Moveset

Choice Specs Attacker

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Heatran	Flash Fire	Choice Specs	・Overheat ・Flash Cannon ・Earth Power ・Dragon Pulse
Nature / EVs	Modest 244 HP / 4 Def / 252 Sp.Atk / 4 Sp.Def / 4 Spd
Final Stats	197 HP / 127 Def / 200 Sp.Atk / 127 Sp.Def / 98 Spd

Using Heatran

Offensive Heatran has enough natural bulk that with just enough HP and defensive EVs, it can comfortably switch into powerful attackers such as Latios and Scizor and hit back with its powerful STAB moves.

Overheat and Flash Cannon are its strongest STAB moves and provides Heatran great neutral coverage against commonly used Pokemon such as Breloom and Togekiss. Earth Power rounds off its moves and allows Heatran to deal with opposing Fire-types or other Heatran.

Dragon Pulse is its last move and while it has relatively poor coverage, is very useful against Dragon-types such as Salamence and Dragonite that Heatran can easily wall thanks to its great dual-typing.

Other Viable Moves

Flamethrower	A weaker Fire-type move but doesn't lower Heatran's Sp.Atk, letting it stay in fights without switching out.
Lava Plume	A moderate-hitting Fire-type attack that has a 30% chance to inflict burns.
Dark Pulse	An alternative to Dragon Pulse that has better coverage and still hits Latios for super effective damage.

Bulky Trapper

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Heatran	Flash Fire	Leftovers	・Magma Storm ・Earth Power ・Substitute ・Protect
Nature / EVs	Timid 212 HP / 92 Sp.Def / Spd 204
Final Stats	193 HP / 126 Def / Sp.Atk 150 / 138 Sp.Def / 135 Spd

Using Heatran

Heatran's respectable bulk and key resistances to common attacking types make it a good support Pokemon for any team, with this build functioning as a trapper with its signature move Magma Storm. Earth Power gives it some neutral coverage and is handy at threatening opposing Fire, Rock, and Steel-types that it can also trap.

Although Heatran has no recovery move, it can reliably heal damage with careful use of Substitute and Protect to maximize Leftovers recovery.

Other Viable Moves

Taunt	This move can replace Substitute and is handy at checking defensive Pokemon such as Blissey who rely on status moves.
Lava Plume	A good alternative to Magma Storm. Instead of trapping opponents, Heatran can instead attempt to spread burns.
Will-O-Wisp	Can replace any of Heatran's support moves for a guaranteed burn, but this also leaves it susceptible to Taunt.

Heatran Basic Information

Heatran - Type

Heatran Lava Dome Pokémon
Type 1	Type 2

Heatran Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage

Heatran Abilities

Name	Description
Flash Fire	It powers up Fire-type moves if it's hit by one.

Heatran Hidden Ability

Name	Description
Flame Body	Contact with the Pokemon may burn the attacker.

Heatran Base Stats

HP	91
Atk	90
Def	106
Sp. Atk	130
Sp. Def	106
Speed	77
Total Base Stats	600

Heatran Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths	Weaknesses
✔︎ Great dual-typing gives it important resistances ✔︎ Doesn't lose offensive presence even when built defensively	✖︎ Easily walled by Bulky Water-types ✖︎ Easily checked by common Physical Attackers

Heatran's Great Defensive Typing

Heatran has a great defensive typing that lets it easily handle special attacks from common attacking types with minimal defensive investment.

A team that's in need of a Fire, Grass, Dragon, Steel, and Fairy resist will appreciate having Heatran round off the resistances of the team with its typing alone.

A Powerful Special Attacker

While Heatran's defensive prowess is often its most attractive feature, it doesn't slouch as an offensive Pokemon. With 130 Base Special Attack, it's a powerful special attacker in its own right and its Fire and Steel-type STAB gives it great neutral coverage, letting it deal super effective damage with just two moves.

Even when not trained as an attacker, Heatran still hits hard with its special attacks and is what separates it from the likes of Blissey. Unlike other static defensive Pokemon, Heatran can still deal respectable damage even with no Sp.Atk investment!

Check it with a Bulky Water-type

Despite Heatran's great defensive typing and offensive presence, it struggles against Bulky Water-type Pokmon that resists both of its STAB moves and take little damage from its other attacks.

Pokemon	Description
Gastrodon	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Resists Heatran's STAB moves and takes little damage from its coverage moves ・Can outstall defensive Heatran with Recover ・Can threaten and potentially lower Heatran's Special Defense with STAB Earth Power
Milotic	Ranking：★★★★★・ Resists Heatran's STAB moves and takes little damage from its coverage moves ・Can outstall defensive Heatran with Recover ・Milotic can benefit from burns with Marvel Scale
Gyarados	Ranking：★★★★ ・Relatively high Special Defense lets it shrug off Heatran's STAB moves ・Dragon Dance variants can use Heatran as setup fodder ・Can threaten Heatran with STAB Waterfall

Use a Faster Attacker

Heatran is relatively slow and even with Speed EV investment, there are many faster Pokemon that can easily outspeed it and potentially KO the Lava Dome Pokemon before it can set up.

Pokemon	Description
Garchomp	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Easily outspeeds Heatran and KOs with STAB Earthquake ・Can use Heatran as setup fodder if it decides to switch
Infernape	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Easily outspeeds Heatran and KOs with STAB Close Combat ・Resists both of Heatran's STAB moves and is immune to burns
Mamoswine	Ranking：★★★★ ・Can outspeed Heatran with full Speed invesetment and KOs with STAB Earthquake ・Mamoswine has difficulty switching into due to its weakness to Heatran's Fire-type moves

Best Natures for Heatran

Best Natures
Modest (Sp.Atk ↑ Atk ↓)	Timid (Spd ↑ Atk↓)	Calm (Sp.Def ↑ Atk↓)

What are Natures?

Best Partners for Heatran

Heatran

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Gliscor	Poison Heal	Toxic Orb	・Earthquake ・Ice Fang ・Swords Dance ・Protect
Nature / EVs	Jolly 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stats	151 HP / 147 Atk / 145 Def / 95 SpD / 161 Spe

Gliscor is a good partner as it's immune to Ground-type moves such as Earthquake that Heatran is weak against, and is especially great at walling physical setup sweepers such as Garchomp.

Gliscor's physical walling capabilities are very useful in particular against Breloom which, although Heatran has a type advantage, struggles against due to its mediocre speed.

Abomasnow

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Abomasnow	Snow Warning	Leftovers	・Blizzard ・Giga Drain ・Ice Shard ・Leech Seed
Nature / EVs	Sassy 252 HP / 4 Sp.Atk / 252 Sp.Def
Final Stats	197 HP / 112 Atk / 95 Def / 113 Sp.Atk / 150 Sp.Def / 72 Spe

Heatran struggles against bulky Water-types that resists both of its STAB moves and can take advantage of its 2x weakness to Water-type moves. This makes a Specially Defensive Abomasnow a good partner since it resists Water-types and can threaten with its Grass-type moves or stall them with Leech Seed.

Abomasnow is also a great check against Ground-types that may try to switch into Heatran. Even with minimal Sp.Atk investment, a 100% accurate Blizzard from Abomasnow can still do significant damage to Ground-types switching in!

Dragonite

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Dragonite	Multiscale	Lum Berry	・Dragon Dance ・Outrage ・Extreme Speed ・Thunder Punch
Nature / EVs	Jolly Atk 252 / 4 Sp.Def / 252 Spd
Final Stats	166 HP / 186 Atk / 115 Def / 121 Sp.Def / 145 Spe

Heatran's defensive typing synergizes well with Dragon-types, particularly bulky ones like Dragonite. Heatran covers Dragonite's Ice and Fairy-type weakness, while Dragonite's Multiscale Ability and natural bulk lets it easily shrug off Water and Fighting-type moves directed at Heatran.

Pokemon BDSP Related Guides

Tier List and Movesets for Competitive Battle

Strategies for Individual Pokemon

Competitive Pokemon Builds
Gyarados	Breloom	Gliscor
Scizor	Suicune	Latios
Garchomp	Gengar	Azumarill
Hippowdon	Mamoswine	Latias
Heatran	Blaziken	Wash Rotom
Metagross	Tyranitar	Dragonite
Togekiss	Cloyster	Salamence
Cresselia