Torkoal, The Coal Pokémon. It burns coal inside its shell for energy. It blows out black soot if it is endangered. You find abandoned coal mines full of them. They dig tirelessly in search of coal. It burns coal inside its shell. If it is attacked, it belches thick, black smoke and flees. It battles using energy it gets from burning coal. When loosing smoke from its nostrils, it lets off a sound that is similar to a locomotive's horn.

Overview

Torkoal... is really underwhelming, in all honesty. Great physical bulk, an acceptable movepool, pretty good offensive stats for a primarily defensive Pokémon... TERRIBLE typing, no recovery, dire Special Defence it's really struggling to look good here. It does fit into a very small group of Pokémon that have both an entry hazard and Rapid Spin, which is cute. It's a Fire type, so as a spinner constantly needs to switch into Stealth Rock. Not good. It can be “offensive” as it got Shell Smash (aka the best boosting move in the game), but running from 20 base Speed is depressing.

Abilities

White Smoke: you're immune to any stat downs. Not bad I guess, especially on the Shell Smash set but... its other ability is so much better.
Shell Armor: you're immune to critical hits, which is honestly what kills most walls. Even a resisted attack that crits will deal mega damage.

Movesets

Bulky defender

- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Yawn / Toxic / Earth Power / Will-O-Wisp
- Lava Plume / Flamethrower
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)

Rapid Spin gets rid of Stealth Rock, Spikes, that sort of deal. Shame you have to switch into it. Stealth Rock is the best entry hazard in the game, so there's no reason not to run it. Yawn can force switches or inflict sleep, Toxic cripples bulky Waters that switch into you, and Earth Power combos really well with your Fire STAB. Will-O-Wisp is an option if you want a more guaranteed burn. Lava Plume has a 30% chance to burn, whereas Flamethrower is a tad stronger.

Shell Smash?

- Shell Smash
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Grass] / Explosion
Item Attached: White Herb
Ability: White Smoke / Shell Armor
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) / Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)

Shell Smash is practically the best boosting move in the game. +2 to Speed and your offences, -1 to your defences. Flamethrower hits hard, it's reliable, no stopping it. Earth Power combos well and is one of the few moves Torkoal gets outside of Fire attacks. Hidden Power [Grass] smashes some Waters down. Explosion because +2 Explosion will be hurting a LOT.
Torkoal gets to just over 300 Speed after Shell Smash. 304 actually, which really isn't too bad. With White Herb, you have a chance of doing a lot of damage. Stick to the lower tiers with this though, because otherwise... you'll be cooked quickly.

EVs & Natures

Torkoal
Torkoal's EVs and Natures change drastically depending on what you wish to do with it. With the Shell Smash set, focus on Special Attack and Speed to monopolise on the boosts and damage you can use it to your advantage. The Bulky sets need you to focus on the defenses.

Other Options

Body Slam, Clear Smog, Gyro Ball, Rest, Toxic, Will-o-Wisp
Body Slam can do decent damage and potentially paralyse
Clear Smog will revert all status changes on the field, very handy if someone has been trying to set stuff up
Gyro Ball monopolises upon Torkoal's poor speed and does real decent damage
Rest puts Torkoal to sleep
Toxic damages the opponent each turn with increasing damage as you go, with Torkoal's high defences, you can make it sit out and wait
Will-o-Wisp damages the opponent each turn and halves their Attack. Always a useful move

Double & Triple Battle Options

Torkoal really isn't much of a Double/Triple battle Pokémon, but can withstand many hits, but gets destroyed by the common Double and Triple moves of Surf and a couple of Earthquakes so it's probably not your best bet. If you do use it, it's a decent Rapid Spinner and can do some decent damage

Partners

A partner with Trick Room would be good for Torkoal due to its Speed, this will allow Torkoal to move first and do some decent damage while still being able to withstand hits. A Sunny Day user, or Ninetales with Drought, will increase the damage of Torkoal's moves. Next, Pokémon with the ability to take out Stealth Rock and the other weaknesses of Torkoal are also a good bet such as Grass-types who can take out Ground, Rock and Water Pokémon

Countering Torkoal

While Torkoal lacks Speed, it has massive defences which need to be broken down. Thankfully, its Special Defense is pretty poor so you can push on with that. Water-type moves such as Surf will just obliterate Torkoal, and Pokémon such as Slowking have the ability to withstand Torkoal's hits and do the damage necessary. Most Ground-types and Rock-types will also be able to take out Torkoal with moves such as Ancientpower, Earthquake or Stone Edge.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Fiery Path (Ruby & Sapphire)
Fiery Path, Magma Hideout (Emerald)

FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald.

Colosseum/XD:

Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Route 227 & Stark Mountain .

HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Safari Zone.

Black/White:
Transfer from Diamond/Pearl/Platinum/HeartGold/SoulSilver
Rugged Mountain (Dream World)

Animé Appearences

Torkoal has made a fair few appearances, mostly under the control of Ash during his journey through Hoenn, Kanto Battle Frontier and Sinnoh League. # -English Episode Name- -Jap. Episode Name- Pics 331 Poetry Commotion! The New Gym Leader, Flannery! The Hole-Filled Battle Field! Pics 332 Going, Going, Yawn! Heat Badge! Win The Blazing Battle! Pics 334 All Torkoal, No Play! Breaking Through Steel Valley! Torkoal VS. Steelix! Pics 335 Manectric Charge! Return To Mauville Gym! VS. Manectric! Pics 336 Delcatty Got Your Tongue! Skitty & Delcatty! Enter the Legendary Pokémon Co-Ordinator! Pics 340 True Blue Swablu! Sky of Swablu! Spirit Of May! Pics 342 Exploud and Clear! Critical Situation! Exploud Vs. Grovyle! Pics 343 Go Go Ludicolo! Dancing Battle! Ludicolo! Pics 344 A Double Dilemma Papa is Idol?!? False Gym Leader! Pics 346 Balance of Power Petalburg Gym! The Fifth Badge!! Pics 355 Pearls Are A Spoink's Best Friend !?! Spoink's Lost Object!? Pics 358 A Shroomish Skirmish The Forest's Fighting King! Combusken VS Breloom! Pics 359 Unfair Weather Friends Castform & The Weather Institute! Pics 360 Who's Flying Now? Fortree City's Feather Carnival! Pics M7 Destiny Deoxys Visitor of the Space Fissure - Deoxys Pics P7 Not Aired Pikachu's Summer Festival Pics 362 Lights, Camerupt, Action The Film's Riding on Camerupt! Pics 363 Crazy As A Lunatone! Mystery! Pokémon From Outer Space?! Pics 364 The Garden Of Eatin'! The Snorlax in Slakoth's Banana Garden!! Pics 369 Clamperl of Wisdom Spoink & Clamperl! Seek The Pearl! Pics 375 It's Still Rocket Roll to Me Tate & Liza! Space Center Battle! Pics 378 Vanity Affair Seaman! Enter The Elite 4 Drake! Pics 382 Once In A Mawile Falling in Love With Mawile! Lombre's Flower Arrangement!! Pics 384 Absol-ute Disaster!! Absol! Creeping Shadow Of Disaster!! Pics 385 Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snorunt! Catch Snorunt! Pics 394 Berry, Berry Interesting! 'May-Delicious' Captures Munchlax Pics 395 Less Is Morrison! Rival Enters! Morrison & Beldum! Pics 397 Not Aired Ash & May! Heated Battles In Hoenn! Pics 399 Deceit And Assist! Fierce Fighting! Grand Festival! (2)! Pics 401 Island Time! Let's Go With Survival! Pics 403 Saved by the Beldum Start The Preliminaries! Morrison Appears!! Pics 404 From Brags to Riches Opening! EverGrande Tournement!! Pics 405 Shocks and Bonds To The Tournament Finals! Every Day A Heated Battle! Pics 407 Choose It or Lose It Rival Confrontation! VS Morrison! Pics 408 At the End of the Fray The Last Fierce Fighting! The Road to the Championship!! Pics 410 The Right Place at the Right Mime Oak's Laboratory! All Member's Gather! Pics 462 Overjoyed! Battle Pyramid Again! VS Registeel! Pics 524 The Keystone Pops Spiritomb & The Odd Keystone Pics 650 An Old Family Blend! The Eve of the Fierce Fighting! The Big Gathering of Ash's Pokémon! Pics 657 The Semi-Final Frontier Sinnoh League Semi-Final! Darkrai Appears! Pics