Overview

Mastione is a slow Tem with low special defense, but it has great defenses on the physical side. Unfortunately for Mastione it does not learn any zero-hold, hard-hitting Fire type moves. Mastione can still hit very hard thanks to its Pyromaniac trait, and it offers some niche utility via Cage. When paired with the right allies, Mastione's low base speed can become a strength, allowing you to use Embers and burn an opponent before it attacks or to stagger attacks and make Mastione's already high-powered moves hit even harder. Still, Mastione is a niche pick when compared with more flexible Fire types.

(1.3 DUKE'S NOTES - YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAND IT TO THE BALANCE TEAM BEING COMMITTED TO MASTIONE HAVING LESS SPECIAL DEFENSE THAN EAST ON A FIRST DATE. STILL, WITH LAVA WAVE BEING A BIT BETTER AND THE HP AND STA BUFFS, THIS THING SHOULD PERFORM BETTER)

Mastione is a very hard-hitting Fire tem that recently gained a useful secondary typing with Water. Unfortunately, this transformation did not include gaining any of the good 0-1 hold water moves, so Mastione is in a bit of an awkward spot: slow, low special defense, a decent but not fantastic defensive typing, and a Lava Wave that doesn't really appreciate being turned up in speed (but that does enjoy Pyromaniac boosting it.)

Solidifer is somewhat unexplored, but that's mostly for good reason - with nothing but Water Blade on turn one, Mastione is none too pleased to give up 15% damage on Lava Wave and Flaming Meteorite in order to...Water...Blade...things. Aqua Stone tends to get the job done for water STAB. Solidifier is a good consideration if you want to get around physical walls that are weak to water, like, say, Zizare or Rhoulder.

Mastione pairs decently well with other waters if you want Lava Wave to go fast, but a special shoutout to Turoc, who has 2x into both of Mastione's weaknesses and gets burn from Synergy Stone Ball and Rockfall. Gear-wise a stamina gear is fine, but opting for insane fire damage may suit the shark better.