Tangela solo counters
Accomplished my first Tangela solo today. It's in Cloudy weather and fortunately it's having Solar Beam instead of Sludge Bomb (it's rare to have two different charge move with same initials).
My team consists of 1 level 38.5 FF/FT Arcanine, 1 level 37 perfect FF/FB Arcanine, 1 level 39.5 FC/XS Scizor, 1 level 35 FS/FT Flareon, 1 level 34 PJ/GS Muk and 1 maxed DT/Hu Dragonite. I missed previous charmander CD so I don't have BB Charizard, and didn't power up any Moltres or Entei. Obviously I'm lacking good Fire attackers.
The raid proved my point. With my second Arcanine fainted with a almost full energy bar (FB), I felt I was gonna lose it. However, Scizor comes to the rescue. It's consecutive XS and resisting Solar Beam save the time back. It's pretty surprised Scizor is not recommended in the Tangela Solo Guide as many trainers may have one for Mewtwo raid. Anyway, I was able to finish the boss with a smash of Gunk using my Muk a few seconds before the bell rings.
I think I would be much easier to accomplish the raid in Clear weather with a full Fire team, or in Windy weather with strong Scizor and Dragonite. But Cloudy weather facing a Sludge Bomb Tangela could be a nightmare.
Answers
Today I tried to solo a boosted Sludge bomb...like 5 or 6 seconds short the 3 attempts (coincidence my timer starts at 175sec). 3102 Entei, 3000 Moltres, 2811 Moltres, 100% Level 30 Fire Blaziken, 2600 OH Flareon, 2500 FT Flareon. Damage sketchy, surviving also sketchy.
Tried the 3 times, then got my 3yo to help me and we won. Traded for each other and got lucky—turned out ok.
Wow, cool team you have got. I would invest into a Moltres after Moltres day and maybe a Entei as well as they being the favor of the Month. Although articles are saying they will possibly be outclassed by Heatron from Gen 4, I believe it's still a long story and I need some elite Fire attackers now. Shame that I missed the BB Charizard.
I agree that Flareon is ranked top non-legendary Fire attacker above Arcanine. I actually have a few low level (20 - 30) Flareon with very high iv (90+), but never determined to invest into them. Impression from early days when Confusion Exeggcutors are still killer Gym defenders has it that Arcanine seems to be the only viable/accessible attackers (Flareon at that time only learns Ember with lower stamina are often fainted before taking down eggy). Later with the updates of battle system Arcanine was kicked off by many other mons including Flareon but I still didn't max out any, mainly because there's no urge and Legendaries are coming out sitting/flying above it. I have been waiting to evolve a perfect Eevee into Flareon and then max it. Yet after getting 2 Vaps, 1 Jolteon, 1 Espeon and 1 Umbreon all perfect, the only remaining is Flareon. Long story.
I wouldn't really advocate spending stardust on a Flareon unless you're really in a pinch, as like you said legendaries are better and so are fire starters with Blast Burn. But the beauty is that Eevees are fairly easy to catch weatherboosted from the wild which may let you get useable attackers without any stardust investments. Same applies to Jolteon which is also the best currently available non-legendary of its type.
Arcanine is actually only the fourth best non-legendary fire type nowadays. Flareon, Blaziken and Charizard are all better.
