Bulky Trapper (Braixen) @ Eviolite
Ability: Magician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Spin
- Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
- Protect / Light Screen
- Wish / Rest

Notes: Braixen is a surprisingly good trapper and can work wonders against a variety of physical pokemon like Grimer-Alola, Pawniard and Klang. Access to Magician means it can also be useful for tanking Knock Offs, as it can steal the item off of the attacking pokemon through Fire Spin. Fire spin acts as its main damage option to trap any pokemon that it hits and to deal a good amount of constant damage through its chip damage. Will-O-Wisp is also used for the extra chip damage and to weaken any physical attackers, allowing Braixen to tank more hits. Protect + Wish give Braixen access to reliable recovery (and Protect also allows you to wait a turn for the opponent to take Will-O-Wisp/Fire Spin chip damage) and also a way to assist teammates who lack recovery of their own, making it a useful partner to pokemon like Marshtomp when they don't carry rest. Toxic can be used over Will-O-Wisp as it provides more damage than burn does, but it doesn't do any favours to Braixen's bulk. Light Screen can also be run as it is a useful support move and can patch up Braixen's low special bulk, while Rest can be used over Wish because it heals all of its HP instantly instead of half of it after one turn.

Checks and Counters: Special water types can easily deal with Braixen through Scald which can normally 2-3HKO, whilst they take minimal damage in return. Unless Braixen is running Toxic over Will-O-Wisp, pokemon with access to their own recovery like Togetic and Mareanie can counter the chip damage taken by Braixen's moves and attack in return. Braixen is unable to touch Clefairy and Kadabra, as Magic Guard nulls the extra damage from Will-O-Wisp and Fire Spin which Braixen is heavily reliant on. Pokemon who run substitute can usually set-up on Braixen or hit it from behind the sub without taking damage in return, as Fire Spin's low damage makes it difficult to break substitutes.

Other Options: If rest is being used, sleep talk can also be used to ensure it isn't entirely passive whilst sleeping.

Sun Sweeper (Braixen) @ Firium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
- Psychic / Overheat / Will-O-Wisp

Notes: Firium Z means it can either nuke with its primary fire STAB or set up Z-Sunny Day, giving it a boost to its speed allowing it to outspeed more pokemon, making a potential sweep more easy. A Modest nature is usually preferable as the extra power is very useful, and it doesn't miss out on outspeeding anything not scarfed after a +1. However, Timid can be run to give it more speed if it prefers to nuke with its fire STAB rather than use Z-Sunny Day. Fire Blast is its main attack, dealing heavy STAB damage inside and outside of sun. Flamethrower can be used instead as it has better accuracy, but the drop in power generally isn't worth it. Braixen gets another strong attack in Solar Beam which allows it to KO and deal with water types that could normally force it out, like Marshtomp and Wartortle. It also allows Braixen to hit Rock and Ground types for super effective damage, making it more difficult for them to switch in against it. Psychic can be used to give Braixen more coverage and a better way to hit common fighting types that resist its STAB moves, like Monferno and Combusken. Overheat can be used as it hits harder than Fire Blast, meaning it can secure some KOs that Braixen otherwise cannot get.

Checks and Counters: Lampent is able to very easily deal with anything Braixen can throw at it and hit back for decent damage through Shadow Ball. Extremely bulky special pokemon, like Togetic and Dusclops, are able to stall out Fire Blast PP without dying and then heal up the damage, stopping a sweep. Fast choice scarf users like Frogadier are able to hit Braixen hard before it can hit them or set up sun.

Other Options: Heat Rock can be used over Firium-Z for teams that are built around sun to make Braixen a more effective lead setter.