This is a strategy guide for using Heatran in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Heatran, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Heatran - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Heatran

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Heatran
Abilities
Flash Fire	It powers up Fire-type moves if it's hit by one.
Flame Body (Hidden)	Contact with the Pokemon may burn the attacker.

Heatran Weaknesses and Resistances

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

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP	Attack	Defense	Sp. Atk	Sp. Def	Speed
91	90	106	130	106	77

Best Nature for Heatran

Best Natures
Calm (+Sp.Def, -Atk)	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
Timid (+Spd, -Atk)

Singles Movesets for Heatran

Bulky Leftovers Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Calm (+Sp.Def, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 212 / Def 4 / Sp.Atk 4 / Sp.Def 108 / Spd 180
Final Stat Values	HP 193 / Def 127 / Sp.Atk 151 / Sp.Def 154 / Spd 120
Ability	Flash Fire
Held Item	Leftovers
Moveset	・Magma Storm ・Flash Cannon ・Taunt ・Protect

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

About Heatran's Moves

Magma Storm is a strong 100 BP STAB move with the added effect of trapping the opponent. This prevents the opponent from building any momentum, while having to deal with the chip damage brought on by the attack. It also gives Heatran a chance to set up sun when Dynamaxed.

Heatran can take advantage of its high Special Attack to dish out STAB Flash Cannons. Considering how populous Fairy types are in the metagame, this is a great move to have. It also buffs Heatran's defenses when used in Dynamax.

Taunt prevents the enemy from setting up on you, while also having good synergy with Magma Storm.

Protect is a nice move to have that enables more Leftovers recovery and a way to stall out Dynamax turns. Be careful of opponents who may try to set up against you while you are protecting.

About Heatran's EV Spread

This set invests heavily on Special Defensive Bulk to handle threats like Zapdos. 212HP also maximizes Leftovers recovery while minimizing Stealth Rock damage.

About Heatran's Ability

Flash Fire gives Heatran an immunity to Fire which most Steel-types would love to have. Switching Heatran in on a fire type move will allow it to boost it's own Fire moves by 50%.

About Heatran's Held Item

Leftovers is a staple on bulky builds. Can be helpful to heal up when used in conjunction with Protect.

Other Viable Moves

Lava Plume	Can replace Magma Storm if you want to spread burns.
Stealth Rock	Can replace Taunt so that Heatran can act as a lead and set up entry hazards.

Dynamax Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread	Sp.Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4 / Spe 252
Final Stat Values	HP 166 / Def 126 / Sp.Atk 182 / Sp.Def 127 / Spd 141
Ability	Flash Fire
Held Item	Life Orb
Moveset	・Overheat ・Steel Beam ・Solar Beam ・Earth Power

Heatran is a powerful special sweeper, especially when used as the main Dynamax Pokemon - unleashing powerful Fire and Steel attacks that hit many common Pokemon in the current metagame.

About Heatran's Moves

Overheat and Steel Beam are Heatran's main STAB moves. Both inflict negative effects on Heatran, lowering its Sp.Atk or dealing recoil damage respectively, but these don't occur when used in Dynamax as the two moves become Max Flare and Max Steelspike respectively.

Its last two moves are for coverage. Solar Beam allows Heatran to hit bulky Water-types while Earth Power lets it threaten opposing Fire and Steel-types.

About Heatran's EV Spread

We're using a straightforward special attacking EV spread with full investment in Special Attack and Speed with the remaining 4 EVs in Special Defense.

About Heatran's Ability

We're using Flash Fire for this build. This ability allows Heatran to absorb Fire-type moves, which then boosts the power of its own Fire-type moves by 50%!

About Heatran's Held Item

Life Orb boosts the power of Heatran's moves by 30% at the cost of some residual damage.

Other Viable Moves

Dragon Pulse	Allows Heatran to hit Dragon-types.
Ancient Power	Allows Heatran to hit Charizard and Volcarona. It also has a 10% chance to raise all of Heatran's stats by 1 stage.
Hyper Beam	Best used during Dynamax as it becomes Max Strike which lowers the opposing team's Speed.
Taunt	Allows Heatran to threaten slower walls and prevent them from using support or recovery moves.

Stealth Rock Support Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 244 / Def 4 Sp.Atk 4 / Sp.Def 12 / Spd 244
Final Stat Values	HP 197 / Def 126 / Sp.Atk 150 / Sp.Def 128 / Spd 141
Ability	Flash Fire
Held Item	Air Balloon
Moveset	・Lava Plume ・Taunt ・Stealth Rock ・Will-O-Wisp

Heatran's unique dual typing lets it fill the role of entry hazard support surprisingly well. Unlike other hazard setters, it can threaten opposing leads with a burn from its moves.

About Heatran's Moves

Lava Plume is its main STAB and has a 30% chance to inflict a burn. Taunt lets Heatran cripple opposing support Pokemon while Will-O-Wisp lets it threaten physical attackers that might think of setting up on Heatran.

Its last move is Stealth Rock and provides great chip damage to the opposing Pokemon and helps Heatran's other teammates net KOs.

About Heatran's EV Spread

We're using a straightforward EV spread with full investment in Special Attack and Speed so that Heatran can hit as hard and fast as possible. The remaining EVs are placed in Defense to round off Heatran's natural bulkiness.

About Heatran's Ability

We're using Flash Fire for this build. This ability allows Heatran to absorb Fire-type moves, which then boosts the power of its own Fire-type moves by 50%!

About Heatran's Held Item

We're giving Heatran an Air Balloon so that it can't get hit by Ground-type moves. This item is lost when Heatran gets hit by a contact move, however.

Other Viable Moves

Rock Tomb	Allows Heatran to hit opposing Fire-types. This move also reduces an opposing Pokemon's speed by one stage..
Scorching Sands	A Ground-type coverage move that has a 30% chance to inflict a burn.

How to Use Heatran Effectively

A Great Check to Special Sweepers

Defensive Heatran is a great check to the metagame's many special sweepers. It's particularly good at walling Fairy-types since its dual typing gives it quadruple resistance to their attacks.

Because of this, it's often paired with Dragon-type sweepers such as Garchomp, Dragonite, and Dragapult as they cover each other's weaknesses.

Fills the Role of a Wall Trapper

Heatran's signature move, Magma Storm, gives it a unique niche as a trapper. Opposing Pokemon unfortunate enough to switch into Heatran can find themselves trapped, allowing Heatran to setup Stealth Rock or switch to another Pokemon.

Both offensive and defensive vairants of Heatran are especially good at trapping slow walls and whittling them down with its powerful moves.

How to Build a Team with Heatran

Heatran faces some competition as a defensive Pokemon since the metagame has a plethora of Steel-types that have more reliable recovery moves. Despite this, it has a niche as an offensive wall that can setup Stealth Rock and potentially trap threats with its signature move.

A Bulky Support Pokemon for Defensive Teams

Heatran's dual Fire/Steel typing makes it one of the best answers to the many Fairy-types in the current metagame.

Its ability to trap or spread burns make it a valuable asset in defensive teams that need a strong defensive pivot that can impede the opposing team's offensive momentum.

Example Defensive Team

Mulky Lead Attacker	Offensive Pivot	Defensive Pivot
Dragonite	Landorus (Therian Forme)	Heatran

Heatran makes an excellent partner for Dragon-type leads such as Dragonite. Thanks to its 4x resistance to Fairy-type moves, it can shrug off even boosted Play Roughs and Moonblasts from the likes of Mimikyu and Hatterene respectively.

Landorus (Therian Forme) makes an excellent partner to Heatran, as the latter also boasts a 4x resistance to Ice-type moves. Conversely, Landorus is immune to Ground-types that Heatran is weak to.

Although Dragonite fills the role of an attacker, it also provides defensive utility as it resists Water-type moves that both of its partners are weak to. It can also use Roost to recover its HP to full so that its Multiscale Ability activates.

How to Build a Defensive Team

A Bulky Attacker in Hyper Offense Teams

Both offensive and defensive variants of Heatran are popular additions in Hyper Offense teams. Even without special attack investment, Heatran hits hard with its STAB moves and its great dual typing gives it quadruple resistance to Fairy-types.

Considering most Offensive teams employ Dragon-type Pokemon, Heatran is a welcome addition, as its presence is often enough to deter would-be Dragon counters.

Example Offensive Dynamax Team

Main Dynamax	Physical Sweeper	Utility
Heatran	Rillaboom	Tapu Fini

Heatran's role in this team is that of a main Dynamax user. Thanks to its natural bulk, numerous resistances, and key immunities to poison and burns, it would be hard to take Heatran down, even with a Ground-type move.

When Dynamaxed, Heatran can set sun up for itself and its team, further empowering its Fire-type attacks and allowing for one-turn Solar Beams. Max Steelspike, on the other hand, further increases Heatran's defensive capability.

Running Solar Beam also gives Heatran access to Max Overgrowth which has great synergy for Rillaboom's Grassy Glide.

Tapu Fini rounds out the trio by offering a Fire-Water-Grass core for the team, but also offering useful utility in the form of Misty Surge. Some other notable moves include Defog which is useful for clearing hazards and screens. While Whirlpool, together with Magma Storm, can be used to trap your enemy.

How to Build an Offensive Team

Counters for Heatran

Weakness

Hit it with Strong, Super Effective Attacks!

Despite its defensive prowess, Heatran easily falls to physical moves - especially Ground-type moves which it has a quadruple weakness to.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Garchomp	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Faster than Heatran ・Easily KOs Heatran with STAB Earthquake Moveset & Best Build for Garchomp
Azumarill	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Heatran's Fire STAB and takes neutral damage from its Steel STAB ・Easily KOs Heatran with STAB Waterfall or Liquidation Moveset & Best Build for Azumarill

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
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Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

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