Introduced in generation six, with the Pokemon X and Y games, Volcanion is a dual type fire and water Pokemon. It is a standalone, legendary Pokemon which means that it does not evolve from or into any other Pokemon. Volcanion is classified by the Pokedex as the “Steam Pokemon” which may be a nod to its typing as a fire and water Pokemon. This guide will showcase Volcanion’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Volcanion.
About Volcanion
As a legendary Pokemon of generation six, Volcanion first appeared in a Pokemon movie titled Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. In this movie, it appeared as an protagonist, although it had a hatred of humans and pursued the man-made Pokemon, Magearna. Volcanion is a legendary Pokemon which means that it does not evolve from or into any other Pokemon. The Pokedex mentions its general behavior and how it tends to reside on mountains.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon X and Y |
| Region | Kalos |
| Evolution | Not known to evolve from or into any other Pokemon. |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | It lets out billows of steam and disappears into the dense fog. It's said to live in mountains where humans do not tread. |
Volcanion Base Stats
| HP | 80 |
| ATTACK | 110 |
| DEFENCE | 120 |
| SP. ATTACK | 130 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 90 |
| SPEED | 70 |
| TOTAL | 600 |
Appearance
Volcanion is a red, quadrupedal Pokemon that has large cannons attached to it. Most of its body is red, but there are orange trimmings found around its claws, face, and around the cannons that extend from its body. There are two large cannons sticking out of Volcanion’s back that can fire internal steam. While it tends to walk around on all fours, it has been shown to release incredible power from its cannons. Volcanion is fairly large for a Pokemon at 5 feet and 7 inches, or 1.7 meters, tall.
Behavior
In the movie starring Volcanion, it was shown to have a hatred of humans and targeted the Azoth Kingdom in order to take Magearna away from the researchers. The protagonists helped Volcanion recover and assist it in finding its friend. Volcanion is shown to be a protective Pokemon, fighting to extreme ends to see its friend Magearna again. While it has incredible powers, it does not seem malevolent and allowed researchers to escape before exploding the fortress.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Volcanion is powerful in many different regards. It has some of the strongest offensive potential, and a good lineup of defensive stats to extend its time in battle. While its speed stat and health pool are on the lower end, it can still cause significant damage if left unchecked. As a dual type water and fire Pokemon, Volcanion takes 2x damage from ground, rock, and electric type moves. It is, however, immune to water types and resistant against bug, steel, fire, ice, and fairy type moves.
Best Moveset
Volcanion has proven to be a menace in the competitive formats where it is legal. It is popular as an offensive Pokemon that is capable of completely countering enemy teams with no strong answer to it. With the Water Absorb ability, a strong defensive typing, and an inflated base stat total, Volcanion is capable of fulfilling many different roles on a team. Consider running Steam Eruption, Flamethrower, Sludge Bomb/Earth Power, and Hidden Power Grass/Earth power. Steam Eruption and Flamethrower benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Sludge Bomb and Earth Power are interchangeable depending on which type you need to cover more, and Hidden Power Grass is meant to cover as many types as possible.
| Steam Eruption | Flamethrower |
| Sludge Bomb/Earth power | Hidden Power Grass/Earth Power |
How to Catch Volcanion in Pokemon Go
Unfortunately, Volcanion is not currently available for capture in Pokemon Go. While some generation six Pokemon have been released into the game, the developers have yet to release this legendary Pokemon. There is no telling when exactly this will appear, but it is likely that the developers will finish generation six Pokemon before moving onto the next generations. Once Volcanion is released into the game, you can expect Volcanion to be available as part of an event as it was originally an event-exclusive Pokemon. Until Volcanion is released, we will not know for sure how exactly to obtain it, but it will likely star in an event once released.
Trivia
- Volcanion is the only Pokemon in the franchise to have the type combination of fire and water.
- The inspiration for Volcanion’s design is likely based on komainu, mythical creatures similar to lions, tigers, and dogs.
- The name Volcanion is a combination of the words lion and volcano.
Explainer Video
FAQ
Is Volcanion a Legendary Pokemon?
Volcanion is classified as a legendary Pokemon as well as a mythical Pokemon. Legendary Pokemon cannot be bred at a Pokemon Daycare, can only be encountered once per save file, and will not evolve from or into any other Pokemon. Mythical Pokemon are classified as event exclusive Pokemon where they were only available through special promotion.
How do you get Volcanion?
Volcanion was originally released as a special promotion for the movie Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. It was given to players who had pre-ordered tickets and they were given a code that gifted them a Volcanion. Several of these events were released for different regions and to obtain one today, you will likely need to trade for it.
Was Volcanion really good?
Volcanion remains one of the strongest Pokemon in the competitive formats it is allowed in. The combination of an inflated stat pool along with a powerful defensive typing makes Volcanion oppressive on any competitive team. In the formats where Volcanion is legal, you will likely need to bring your own Volcanion or a counter to Volcanion on any team to perform well.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Steam Pokemon”. Volcanion remains one of the strongest Pokemon available in competitive play and will likely remain as long as players allow it. Its unique type combination as well as impressive statline make Volcanion a formidable Pokemon. Reserve a slot on your team for Volcanion for a powerful offensive/defensive water and fire type Pokemon.
