Braviary
[Overview]
<p>Braviary is one of the few Normal- and Flying-type birds that was blessed with a decent stat distribution and movepool, allowing it to threaten a variety of Pokemon. This is mostly due to its great base Attack stat of 123 and solid HP stat. Braviary got a huge boost from BW2, gaining access to Roost through the tutors. Its great ability, Defiant, makes Braviary a menace, raising its Attack when one of its stats is lowered, making Pokemon with Intimidate as an ability think twice about switching in. However, Braviary is still burdened by its middling Speed and lackluster base 75 defenses. Despite its flaws, Braviary is very strong and should be considered when building a team in UU.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Braviary becomes a solid revenge killer when equipped with a Choice Scarf, as it outspeeds the entire unboosted tier. Brave Bird and Return get STAB, hitting anything not named Gligar, Cofagrigus, Rhyperior, Bronzong, Registeel, or Empoleon for heavy damage. With only a single Defiant boost, Braviary can 2HKO or OHKO the whole tier with either Brave Bird or Return, bar the last four Pokemon mentioned in the above list. Superpower is Braviary's best bet against Rock- and Steel-types, nailing them hard for super effective damage, allowing Braviary to theoretically break through every Pokemon available in UU. U-turn allows Braviary to scout the opposing team and help its own team build momentum.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The age-old debate between Jolly and Adamant, power or Speed, applies here. Using a Jolly nature, however, will allow Braviary to keep pace with Adamant +1 Kingdra, Choice Band Crobat, and Choice Scarf Chandelure. Because of its typing, Braviary loathes Stealth Rock, especially considering it's going to be bouncing in and out of a match frequently, so it wants to be paired up with Pokemon with access to Rapid Spin, such as Blastoise and Hitmontop. Braviary prefers the removal of Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, as they are the main things that prevent it from sweeping, and Superpower isn't usually strong enough to OHKO Rhyperior, Registeel, and other Rock- or Steel-types found in the tier. Fighting-type partners such as Mienshao, Heracross, and Cobalion can fulfill this role and tear holes in the opposing team for Braviary to take adantage of and vice-versa. Braviary likes having entry hazard support from Froslass, Roserade, and/or Rhyperior, as they facilitate the removal of bulkier foes.</p>
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band / Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Braviary functions as a terrifying and efficient wallbreaker when given a Choice Band or Life Orb, as it fails to 2HKO only a select few Pokemon in UU. After a Defiant boost or two, nothing in the tier is capable of switching in on Braviary. Brave Bird and Return provide powerful STAB that decimate the majority of the tier. Superpower provides excellent coverage against Rock- and Steel-type opponents, creating perfect neutral coverage. U-turn is there for scouting purposes, allowing Braviary to switch out and bring in another teammate.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The argument between a Jolly and an Adamant nature also applies here, depending on whether you want a faster Braviary or a stronger Braviary. If you are using a Life Orb, you can use Roost over U-turn to increase Braviary's longevity for the entire match. With Stealth Rock on the field, Braviary will be hard-pressed to get its job done, as the 25% cut in HP can cost it dearly. Therefore, Claydol, Blastoise, and Hitmontop make for excellent partners because they can spin away Stealth Rock, keeping Braviary safe when it switches in. Pokemon capable of removing Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon are also great teammate choices. Magneton and Fighting-types such as Cobalion and Mienshao are capable of beating Steel-types, with the Fighting-types also helping against Rock-types. Entry hazard support from Rhyperior, Registeel, Qwilfish, and/or Roserade is also appreciated, as the additional residual damage can turn many of Braviary's 2HKOs into OHKOs.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A set utilizing Substitute and Bulk Up is viable, allowing Braviary to set up on weaker defensive checks, such as Toxic Swampert or Slowbro. Rock Slide could be used over Superpower in conjunction with Sheer Force, as it hits Zapdos and Rotom-H harder than STAB Return does. However, that's the only thing that Rock Slide and Sheer Force does for Braviary, making it a waste of a slot. Defiant is the superior ability anyways, preventing Braviary from being crippled by Intimidate users. Shadow Claw could be used in certain situations over U-turn if your team struggles against Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Braviary has access to moves such as Substitute, Roost, Toxic, and Sky Drop and could play a more defensive, supporting role, but due to its typing, it is better off sticking to offense. Tailwind could be used over U-turn on the wallbreaker set if a Life Orb is chosen as the item, patching up Braviary's middling Speed. However, it won't be easy for Braviary to set up, as many threats in UU carry a Rock-, Electric-, or Ice-type coverage move that will seriously hurt it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Stealth Rock is one of the better checks to Braviary, as it will discourage Braviary from switching in. Bulky Pokemon that resist Brave Bird and Return, such as Rhyperior, Bronzong, Registeel, and Empoleon, are also excellent checks, as they don't mind having to take Superpower either. Other bulky Pokemon, such as Slowbro, Dusclops, Cofagrigus, and Gligar, can all cause problems for Braviary through status, such as burn or poison. Defensive Zapdos serves as a solid check to variants lacking the rare Rock Slide, taking only roughly 50% from Choice Scarf Braviary's Return. Sableye can utilize Prankster Will-O-Wisp and burn Braviary before getting wrecked by a STAB Brave Bird, crippling it for the rest of the match. Faster Choice Scarf users, such as Raikou, Zapdos, and Krookodile, pose a threat to Braviary, as they carry moves that will cause it major pain.</p>
Last edited: