Item Name: Auxiliary Boiler
Item Effect: If held by Volcanion, increases the power of the user's Fire type and Water type attacks by the percentage of the remaining PP of the attack. When the user uses a Fire type or Water type attack, the PP of the all of the user's Fire and Water type attacks is additionally reduced by 4. This item cannot be removed from Volcanion.
Description: A boiler that fastens securely onto Volcanion, powering up its Fire and Water type attacks until it runs out of steam.
Effect:
The power of Volcanion's fire and water type attacks are increased by the percentage of the remaining PP of the attack; for example, a Steam Eruption with 8/8 PP grants a 100% boost, causing Steam Eruption to have 220 base power. A steam eruption with 5/8 PP has 178.75 base power; A steam eruption with 2/8 PP has 137.5 base power. Because the item reduces PP by 3 instead of 1, Volcanion's strongest moves can only be used 3 times each -- though if you've used them all, you've probably knocked out a lot of Pokemon. All this comes together to make a Pokemon with
pure firepower that must remain vigilant to avoid running out of steam.
For some perspective, here is how an unused Overheat compares to a Fishious Rend:
252+ SpA Volcanion Overheat vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Type: Null: 324-382 (82.2 - 96.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Fishious Rend (170 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Eviolite Type: Null: 372-438 (94.4 - 111.1%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO
Obviously, invoking the name of Dracovish is a scary prospect; I'm quite confident that Volcanion isn't the next Dracovish, however; between being item locked, slower, stealth rock weak, and being PP-restricted, Volcanion won't be able to surprise opponents, keep up with as many Pokemon, hit the field freely, or spam one move over and over again.
Signature Item Specific Justification:
Because they are locked to specific Pokemon,
signature items are our only opportunity to create items with effects that would otherwise be over-the-top if they could be used by any Pokemon. In this case, this is one of the few opportunities where it makes sense to make a steeply powerful boosting item. This also means that
this is one of the only opportunities to implement this item's gameplay mechanic -- power boosting based off of remaining PP -- because items of this type are naturally powerful unless you make the item unduly complicated by adding parts to the damage boosting equation. This is also the most enjoyable opportunity to implement a signature item of this function, as creating a mechanic that loses steam as more 'pressure' is released is
perfectly appropriate for Volcanion.
Results:
With the strongest immediate power in the metagame, Volcanion would immediately have a niche. It wouldn't be without obstacles, however -- most water and dragon types will resist its STAB moves, stealth rock and poor speed will keep it in check, and its PP-based 'steam power' will be appropriately vulnerable to interactions from Pressure and other sources. You should use this Pokemon if you are looking for the immediate power to blast through even the fattest teams.
Example Set:
Volcanion @ Auxiliary Boiler
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Overheat
- Flamethrower
- Scald / Earth Power
(Dracovish! Dracovish! Dracovish! Dracovish! Be revived and ruin OU!)