The idea behind tortran is that very few Pokemon carry more than one attack that can severely hurt Heatran, and by using Torment on them, said Pokemon must either switch out or stay in and engage in a long, brutal stall war. Pokemon who wield a Choice item are especially affected by Torment, for they must Struggle every other turn if they choose to stay in. Substitute and Protect allows Heatran to both scout and shield itself from moves that can harm it. Lava Plume is chosen so that Heatran can slowly chip away the opponent's health. Taunt may also be useful for preventing opponents from setting up on Heatran.
