OU Staraptor

This is only an amateur check! I spoke to one of the GP guys last night who said I was ok to do this as an amateur.

Things that need changing are in red - ideas and changes to be made are in green.






BL for 3 generations straight and counting!

Overview
########
Despite its ridiculous power, Staraptor is often ignored because of its unimpressive Speed and horrific frailty. While its STAB Brave Bird 2HKOes nearly every Pokemon in the entire game, Staraptor struggles to take even resisted hits. In addition, it is weak to Stealth Rock and relies heavily on recoil moves, so it wears itself down very quickly. Staraptor is very one-dimentional (dimensional) in nature; in nearly every match, it uses Brave Bird a few times, OHKOes or 2HKOes a couple of opponents, and dies to recoil in the process. It is also one of the best partners to Talonflame, as it has the raw power to easily break through the walls that Talonflame struggles to get past on its own. While it may not stick around for very long, Staraptor's ability to hit everything that dares to step in its way like a wrecking ball ensures that its impact on the game is very hard to ignore.

Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit / Quick Attack
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
Staraptor's Brave Bird is ridiculously powerful. It can OHKO or 2HKO nearly every Pokemon in the entire game that does not resist it (nearly every Pokemon that does not resist it), and quite a considerable number that do. Double Edge has the same power as Brave Bird, but it has more common resists and an immunity, so it should be used sparingly, as Brave Bird is most often the better choice. Close Combat is another situational move.: Its its main targets are Heatran and Tyranitar, though nearly every Pokemon that Close Combat would be used to hit is 2HKOed by Brave Bird anyway, so predicting the switch is usually unnecessary. U-turn should only be used in specific situations, as Staraptor rarely gets a chance to safely switch in and attack, so making the most of these few opportunites is important in order to use Staraptor to its fullest potential. Final Gambit is great for crippling Skarmory, which is Staraptor's most reliable defensive check, and allowing another Pokemon to come in for free. Quick Attack is an option in order to revenge kill severely weakened faster threats, but it is a horrible move to be locked into and Staraptor is better off leaving the revenge killing duties to another Pokemon, such as Talonflame.

Set Details
========
Max Attack and Speed EVs are used because as a frail offensive Pokemon, Staraptor's main purpose in life is to hit things fast and hard. A Jolly nature is preferred because Staraptor cannot afford to be outsped in most cases, so it needs as much Speed as possible. The extra power of an Adamant nature doesn't gain many notable KOs, but the Speed drop means that Staraptor will miss out on a ton of important Pokemon from around base 90 Speed and up. However, an Adamant nature can still be used to get a few OHKOs and 2HKOes that Jolly does not. The most significant of these are: the 2HKO on Heatran and Rotom-W after Stealth Rock with Brave Bird, and the OHKO on both of them with Close Combat and Double Edge, respectively. Choice Band is the perfect item for Staraptor. It only really needs to use Brave Bird in most situations, so there's no real need for it to switch moves, while the 1.5x power boost makes Staraptor that much more threatening.

Usage Tips
========
Click Brave Bird and watch things die (faint, KO?). There's no secret to using Staraptor; Brave Bird is the best play in almost every circumstance. Double Edge and Close Combat should only be used to hit specific Pokemon that resist Brave Bird, such as Rotom-Wash and Tyranitar, respectively. U-turn should mainly only be used if the opponent has an Aegislash or Skarmory, but it can be useful early on if there's a specific wall you want to save Staraptor for. Staraptor is so frail that it cannot comfortably switch into even resisted attacks. This means that when it does get in for free, it usually wants to deal as much damage as possible before going down, as it may not get many more chances to come in.

Team Options
========
Talonflame is by far Staraptor's best partner. Staraptor can lure in and remove checks to Talonflame such as: Heatran, Rotom-W, or Tyranitar, giving Talonflame free reign to clean late game. Pinsir is another great partner, as it pairs with Staraptor and Talonflame to create a nearly unwallable triple "bird" core. Excadrill can provide much needed Rapin (Rapid)Spin support. It can also set up Stealth Rock, which turns a few 2HKOes into OHKOes, such as on Heatran and Rotom-W. Defog support from the likes of Latios, Scizor, or Latias, is also useful to remove Stealth Rock. Latias also has Healing Wish, which can give Staraptor or one of its allies a second chance to tear through the opposing team. Additionally, any Pokemon that either appreciates specific walls or walls in general being removed is a good teammate for Staraptor, because Staraptor is proficient at breaking down nearly every defensive Pokemon in OU.

Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
Like usual, Brave Bird is the only move Staraptor ever needs to use in most circumstances. However, as this set has quite a noticeable power drop when compared to the Choice Band set, Double Edge and Close Combat are often handy to gain 2HKOes that Brave Bird cannot, such as on defensive Rotom-Wash and Heatran, respectively. U-turn is once again very situational, as Staraptor would rather just use Brave Bird most of the time. However, the momentum it provides is rather nice. Final Gambit is useful because it lets Staraptor dent Pokemon it cannot hope of getting (cannot get) past, such as Skarmory.

Set Details
========
252 Attack and Speed EVs are used to hit hard and fast. A Jolly nature is used to tie with +1 base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as +1 Mega Charizard X. Choice Scarf makes Staraptor a great late-game cleaner against offensive teams by boosting its disappointingly low Speed, which can otherwise prevent it from being overly effective against offense.

Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Staraptor isn't that great of a revenge killer due to its frailty, succeptability ( susceptibility ) to priority, and Stealth Rock weakness. Where it truly shines, however, is as a late-game cleaner. Once all of their Flying-type resistant Pokemon have been removed, offensive teams can do very little to stop Staraptor from cleaning up. Choice Scarf Staraptor should usually be saved for late in the game, and themn brought in once it has a good opportunity to clean. Once again, all of Staraptor's moves not named Brave Bird are fairly situational. Nearly every time Staraptor is out, Brave Bird is the best play.

Team Options
========
Talonflame is once again Staraptor's best partner. In fact, if you aren't using this set with Talonflame, you're better off just using Choice Band Talonflame. However, Choice Scarf Staraptor and Choice Band Talonflame make great partners as late-game cleaners against offensive teams. Excadrill is the best user of Rapid Spin in OU and has decent synergy with both Staraptor and Talonflame. Stealth Rock reduces the amount of time Staraptor can use Brave Bird (read: kill things), so having a reliable way to remove it is essential. Defog support is good for the same reason, and in some ways is even better because it cannot be blocked.

Other Options
########
Staraptor is a very straightforward Pokemon with few other options. It can run a Life Orb set to take advantage of Roost, however it is much better suited to running Choice sets since it rarely ever needs to switch moves. A SubRoost set with Intimdate (Intimidate) is usable, as Staraptor is good at forcing switches, but Staraptor is horribly frail and not that fast, so this is mediocre at best and a waste of Staraptor's potential.

Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Due its great typing, Aegislash is one of the only offensive Pokemon in the game capable of avoiding a 2HKO from any of Staraptor's moves. It also has access to King's Shield, which lets it deter Staraptor from staying in and attacking it.

**Skarmory**: Skarmory is by far the best defensive counter to Skarmory Staraptor?, if not the only one. It cannot be 2HKOed by any of Staraptor's moves and can easily stall it out with Roost.

**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: Since Staraptor is pitifully frail, the best way to deal with it is often just to attack it with a faster Pokemon or one with priority moves. Almost any attack will do huge amounts of damage to Staraptor.

**Rocky Helmet/Iron Barbs**: Since Staraptor gets worn down incredibly easily, Pokemon with Rocky Helmet, such as Garchomp or Ferrothorn, force it to take massive amounts of damage by simply attacking them.

**Mega Aggron**: With its insane defenses and Filter, Mega Aggron fears very little from Staraptor. However, if it has not yet Mega Evolved, it is easily dealt with by Close Combat, so it is not the most reliable switch-in unless it has Mega Evolved.

**Rhyperior**: Rhyperior can switch into Staraptor's STAB moves with ease and can OHKO it in return, but it can still be worn down by multiple Close Combats.
 

blitzlefan

shake it off!
I'd like to point out that you have a very nice grasp of PokeGrammar - the analysis is very well written. One thing though - "Staraptor 2HKOes Rotom-W with Double Edge", while "Staraptor gains extra KOs with an Adamant nature" - KOes is a verb while KOs is a noun.

Overview
########
Despite its ridiculous power, Staraptor is often ignored because of its unimpressive Speed and horrific frailty. While its STAB-boosted Brave Bird 2HKOes nearly every Pokemon in the tier, Staraptor struggles to take even resisted hits. In addition, it is weak to Stealth Rock and relies heavily on recoil-inducing moves, so it is worn down very quickly. Staraptor is very one-dimensional in nature; in nearly every match, it uses Brave Bird a few times, OHKOes or 2HKOes a couple of opponents, and dies to recoil in the process. It is one of the best partners to Talonflame, as it has the raw power to easily break through the walls that Talonflame struggles to get past on its own. While Staraptor may not stick around for very long, its ability to hit everything that dares to step in its way with the strength of a wrecking ball ensures that its impact on the game is very hard to ignore.


Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit / Quick Attack
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
Staraptor's Brave Bird is ridiculously powerful; it can OHKO or 2HKO nearly every Pokemon that does not resist it and a considerable number of Pokemon that do. Double Edge has the same power as Brave Bird, but it has more common resistances and an immunity, so it should be used sparingly, as Brave Bird is most often the better choice. Close Combat is another situational move, and its main targets are Heatran and Tyranitar. Nearly every Pokemon that Close Combat hits is 2HKOed by Brave Bird, so predicting switch-ins is usually unnecessary. U-turn should only be used in specific situations, as Staraptor rarely gets a chance to safely switch in and attack, so making the most of these few opportunities is important in order to use it to its full potential. Final Gambit is great for crippling Skarmory, Staraptor's most reliable defensive check, and allows another Pokemon to come in for free. Quick Attack is an option to revenge kill severely weakened faster threats, but it is a horrible move to be locked into and Staraptor is better off leaving revenge killing duties to another Pokemon such as Talonflame.

Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are run because as a frail offensive Pokemon, Staraptor's main purpose is to hit things hard and fast. Staraptor needs as much Speed as possible as it cannot afford to be outsped in most cases, so a Jolly nature is preferred. The extra power of an Adamant nature doesn't help it attain many more notable KOs, but the Speed drop means that Staraptor will be outsped a ton of important Pokemon from around base 90 Speed and up. However, an Adamant nature can still be used to get a few OHKOs and 2HKOs that Jolly cannot. The most significant of these are the 2HKOes on Heatran and Rotom-W after Stealth Rock with Brave Bird and the OHKOes on them with Close Combat and Double Edge, respectively. Choice Band is the perfect item for Staraptor, as the 1.5x boost to its Attack makes it much more threatening. Furthermore, it only uses Brave Bird in most situations so there's no real need for it to be able to switch moves.

Usage Tips
========
Click Brave Bird and watch things faint. There's no secret to using Staraptor; Brave Bird is the best attack in almost every circumstance. Double Edge and Close Combat should only be used to hit specific Pokemon that resist Brave Bird, such as Rotom-W and Tyranitar, respectively. U-turn should usually only be used if the opponent has an Aegislash or Skarmory, but it can be useful early on if there's a specific wall you want to save Staraptor for. Staraptor is so frail that it cannot comfortably switch into even resisted attacks, so when it does get in, it should be used to deal as much damage as possible before going down, as it may not get many more chances to come in.

Team Options
========
Talonflame is by far Staraptor's best partner. Staraptor can lure in and remove checks to Talonflame such as Heatran, Rotom-W, and Tyranitar, giving Talonflame free reign to clean late-game. Pinsir is another great partner, as it combos with Staraptor and Talonflame to create a nearly unwallable triple "bird" core. Excadrill can provide much needed Rapid Spin support and set up Stealth Rock, which turns a few 2HKOs into OHKOs, for example on Heatran and Rotom-W. Defog support from the likes of Latios, Scizor, or Latias, is also useful in removing Stealth Rock from the playing field. Latias also has Healing Wish, which can give Staraptor or one of its allies a second chance to tear through the opposing team. Additionally, any Pokemon that appreciates specific walls or walls in general being removed is a good teammate for Staraptor, as Staraptor is proficient at breaking down nearly every defensive Pokemon in OU.

Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
In most circumstances, Brave Bird is the only move Staraptor ever needs to use. However, as this set has quite a noticeable drop in power when compared to the Choice Band set, Double Edge and Close Combat are often handy to gain 2HKOs that Brave Bird cannot, such as on defensive Rotom-W and Heatran, respectively. The momentum that U-turn provides is very beneficial, but the move is very situational as Brave Bird is usually the best move to use. Staraptor can utilize Final Gambit to dent Pokemon it cannot hope to get past, such as Skarmory.

Set Details
========
252 Attack and Speed EVs are run to maximize Staraptor's offensive capabilities. A Jolly nature is used so that Staraptor can Speed tie with +1 base 100s such as Mega Charizard X after a Dragon Dance boost. Choice Scarf makes Staraptor a great late-game cleaner against offensive teams by boosting its disappointingly low Speed, which can otherwise prevent it from being overly effective against them.

Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Staraptor isn't that great of a revenge killer due to its frailty, susceptibility to priority, and weakness to Stealth Rock. Where it truly shines, however, is as a late-game cleaner. Once all of the opponent's Flying-type resistant Pokemon have been removed, offensive teams can do very little to stop Staraptor from cleaning up. Choice Scarf Staraptor should usually be saved for late in the game and then brought in when it has a good opportunity to clean. Once again, all of Staraptor's moves not named Brave Bird are fairly situational; nearly every time Staraptor is out, Brave Bird is the best play.

Team Options
========
Talonflame is Staraptor's best partner. In fact, if you aren't using Choice Scarf Staraptor alongside Talonflame, you're better off just using Choice Band Talonflame. However, Choice Scarf Staraptor and Choice Band Talonflame make great partners as late-game cleaners against offensive teams. Excadrill is arguably the Rapid Spinner in OU and has decent synergy with both Staraptor and Talonflame. Stealth Rock reduces the number of times Staraptor can use Brave Bird (read: KO Pokemon), so having a reliable way to remove the entry hazard is essential. Defog support is good for the same reason, and in some ways is even better because it cannot be spinblocked.


Other Options
########
Staraptor is a very straightforward Pokemon with few other options. It can run a Life Orb set to take advantage of Roost, but it is much better suited to running Choice sets since it rarely ever needs to switch moves. A SubRoost set with Intimidate is usable as Staraptor is good at forcing switches. However, Staraptor is horribly frail and not that fast, so a SubRoost set is mediocre at best and is a waste of its potential.


Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Due its great typing, Aegislash is one of the only offensive Pokemon in the game capable of avoiding a 2HKO from any of Staraptor's moves. It also has access to King's Shield, allowing it to deter Staraptor from staying in and attacking it.

**Skarmory**: Skarmory is by far the best defensive counter to Staraptor, if not the only one. It cannot be 2HKOed by any of Staraptor's moves and can easily stall it out with Roost.

**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: As Staraptor is pitifully frail, the best way to deal with it is often to attack it with a faster Pokemon or one with priority. Almost any attack will do huge amounts of damage to Staraptor.

**Rocky Helmet**: Staraptor gets worn down incredibly easily, and Pokemon with Rocky Helmet, such as Garchomp or Ferrothorn, exacerbate this issue by forcing it to take massive amounts of damage when it attacks.

**Mega Aggron**: With its insane defenses and Filter, Mega Aggron fears very little from Staraptor. However, if Aggron has not yet Mega Evolved, it is easily dealt with by Close Combat, so it is not the most reliable switch-in.

**Rhyperior**: Rhyperior can switch into Staraptor's STAB moves with ease and OHKO it, but can be worn down by multiple Close Combats.


Overview
########
Despite its ridiculous power, Staraptor is often ignored because of its unimpressive Speed and horrific frailty. While its STAB-boosted Brave Bird 2HKOes nearly every Pokemon in the entiere game, Staraptor struggles to take even resisted hits. In addition, it is weak to Stealth Rock and relies heavily on recoil-inducing moves, so it wears itselfis worn down very quickly. Staraptor is very one-dimentsional in nature; in nearly every match, it uses Brave Bird a few times, OHKOes or 2HKOes a couple of opponents, and dies to recoil in the process. It is also one of the best partners to Talonflame, as it has the raw power to easily break through the walls that Talonflame struggles to get past on its own. While itStaraptor may not stick around for very long, Staraptor'its ability to hit everything that dares to step in its way likwith the strength of a wrecking ball ensures that its impact on the game is very hard to ignore.

Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit / Quick Attack
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
Staraptor's Brave Bird is ridiculously powerful. I; it can OHKO or 2HKO nearly every Pokemon in the entire game that does not resist it, and quite a considerable number of Pokemon that do. Double Edge has the same power as Brave Bird, but it has more common resistances and an immunity, so it should be used sparingly, as Brave Bird is most often the better choice. Close Combat is another situational move. I, and its main targets are Heatran and Tyranitar, though n. Nearly every Pokemon that Close Combat would be used to hits is 2HKOed by Brave Bird anyway, so predicting the switch-ins is usually unnecessary. U-turn should only be used in specific situations, as Staraptor rarely gets a chance to safely switch in and attack, so making the most of these few opportunities is important in order to use Staraptorit to its fullest potential. Final Gambit is great for crippling Skarmory, which is Staraptor's most reliable defensive check, and allowings another Pokemon to come in for free. Quick Attack is an option in order to revenge kill severely weakened faster threats, but it is a horrible move to be locked into and Staraptor is better off leaving the revenge killing duties to another Pokemon, such as Talonflame.

Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are usedrun because as a frail offensive Pokemon, Staraptor's main purpose in life is to hit things fasthard and hard. A Jolly nature ifast. Staraptor needs as much Spreferred because Staraptoras possible as it cannot afford to be outsped in most cases, so it needs aa Jolly nature is much Spreferred as possible. The extra power of an Adamant nature doesn't ghelp it attain many more notable KOs, but the Speed drop means that Staraptor will missbe out onsped a ton of important Pokemon from around base 90 Speed and up. However, an Adamant nature can still be used to get a few OHKOs and 2HKOes that Jolly does cannot. The most significant of these are the 2HKOes on Heatran and Rotom-W after Stealth Rock with Brave Bird and the OHKOes on both of them with Close Combat and Double Edge, respectively. Choice Band is the perfect item for Staraptor. I, as the 1.5x boost tonly its Attack makes it much more threally needs totening. Furthermore, it only uses Brave Bird in most situations, so there's no real need for it to switch moves, whibe able the 1.5x power booswit makes Staraptor that much more threateningves.

Usage Tips
========
Click Brave Bird and watch things diefaint. There's no secret to using Staraptor; Brave Bird is the best playattack in almost every circumstance. Double Edge and Close Combat should only be used to hit specific Pokemon that resist Brave Bird, such as Rotom-Wash and Tyranitar, respectively. U-turn should mainusually only be used if the opponent has an Aegislash or Skarmory, but it can be useful early on if there's a specific wall you want to save Staraptor for. Staraptor is so frail that it cannot comfortably switch into even resisted attacks. This means that, so when it does get in for free, it usually wantsshould be used to deal as much damage as possible before going down, as it may not get many more chances to come in.

Team Options
========
Talonflame is by far Staraptor's best partner. Staraptor can lure in and remove checks to Talonflame such as Heatran, Rotom-W, orand Tyranitar, giving Talonflame free reign to clean late -game. Pinsir is another great partner, as it paircombos with Staraptor and Talonflame to create a nearly unwallable triple "bird" core. Excadrill can provide much needed Rapind Spin support. It can alsod set up Stealth Rock, which turns a few 2HKOes into OHKOes, such asfor example on Heatran and Rotom-W. Defog support from the likes of Latios, Scizor, or Latias, is also useful toin removeing Stealth Rock from the playing field. Latias also has Healing Wish, which can give Staraptor or one of its allies a second chance to tear through the opposing team. Additionally, any Pokemon that either appreciates specific walls or walls in general being removed is a good teammate for Staraptor, because Staraptor is proficient at breaking down nearly every defensive Pokemon in OU.

Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========
Like usualIn most circumstances, Brave Bird is the only move Staraptor ever needs to use in most circumstances. However, as this set has quite a noticeable drop in power drop when compared to the Choice Band set, Double Edge and Close Combat are often handy to gain 2HKOes that Brave Bird cannot, such as on defensive Rotom-Wash and Heatran, respectively. The momentum that U-turn is once againprovides is very situationbeneficial, as Staraptor would rather just usebut the move is very situational as Brave Bird most ofis usually the time. However, thebest momentum it provides is rather nice.ve to use. Staraptor can utilize Final Gambit is useful because it lets Staraptor dent Pokemon it cannot hope tof getting past, such as Skarmory.

Set Details
========
252 Attack and Speed EVs are usedrun to hit hard and fastmaximize Staraptor's offensive capabilities. A Jolly nature is used so that Staraptor can Speed tie with +1 base 100 Speed Pokemon,s such as +1 Mega Charizard X after a Dragon Dance boost. Choice Scarf makes Staraptor a great late-game cleaner against offensive teams by boosting its disappointingly low Speed, which can otherwise prevent it from being overly effective against offensethem.

Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Staraptor isn't that great of a revenge killer due to its frailty, sucsceptaibility to priority, and weakness to Stealth Rock weakness. Where it truly shines, however, is as a late-game cleaner. Once all of their opponent's Flying-type resistant Pokemon have been removed, offensive teams can do very little to stop Staraptor from cleaning up. Choice Scarf Staraptor should usually be saved for late in the game, and themn brought in oncewhen it has a good opportunity to clean. Once again, all of Staraptor's moves not named Brave Bird are fairly situational. N; nearly every time Staraptor is out, Brave Bird is the best play.

Team Options
========
Talonflame is once again Staraptor's best partner. In fact, if you aren't using this set withChoice Scarf Staraptor alongside Talonflame, you're better off just using Choice Band Talonflame. However, Choice Scarf Staraptor and Choice Band Talonflame make great partners as late-game cleaners against offensive teams. Excadrill is the best user ofarguably the Rapid Spinner in OU and has decent synergy with both Staraptor and Talonflame. Stealth Rock reduces the amountnumber of times Staraptor can use Brave Bird (read: kill thingsKO Pokemon), so having a reliable way to remove itthe entry hazard is essential. Defog support is good for the same reason, and in some ways is even better because it cannot be spinblocked.


Other Options
########
Staraptor is a very straightforward Pokemon with few other options. It can run a Life Orb set to take advantage of Roost, howeverbut it is much better suited to running Choice sets since it rarely ever needs to switch moves. A SubRoost set with Intimidate is usable, as Staraptor is good at forcing switches, but. However, Staraptor is horribly frail and not that fast, so thisa SubRoost set is mediocre at best and is a waste of Staraptor'its potential.


Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Due its great typing, Aegislash is one of the only offensive Pokemon in the game capable of avoiding a 2HKO from any of Staraptor's moves. It also has access to King's Shield, which lets itallowing it to deter Staraptor from staying in and attacking it.

**Skarmory**: Skarmory is by far the best defensive counter to Skarmtaraptory, if not the only one. It cannot be 2HKOed by any of Staraptor's moves and can easily stall it out with Roost.

**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: SinceAs Staraptor is pitifully frail, the best way to deal with it is often just to attack it with a faster Pokemon or one with priority. Almost any attack will do huge amounts of damage to Staraptor.

**Rocky Helmet**: Since Staraptor gets worn down incredibly easily, and Pokemon with Rocky Helmet, such as Garchomp or Ferrothorn, exacerbate this issue by forceing it to take massive amounts of damage by simplywhen it attacking thems.

**Mega Aggron**: With its insane defenses and Filter, Mega Aggron fears very little from Staraptor. However, if itAggron has not yet Mega Evolved, it is easily dealt with by Close Combat, so it is not the most reliable switch-in unless it has Mega Evolved.

**Rhyperior**: Rhyperior can switch into Staraptor's STAB moves with ease and can OHKO it in return, but it can still be worn down by multiple Close Combats.

GP 1/2
 
Last edited:

Electrolyte

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Overview
########

Despite its ridiculous power, Staraptor is often ignored because of its unimpressive Speed and horrific frailty. While its STAB-boosted Brave Bird 2HKOes nearly every Pokemon in the tier, Staraptor struggles to take even resisted hits. In addition, it is weak to Stealth Rock and relies heavily on recoil-inducing moves, so it is worn down very quickly. Staraptor is very one-dimensional in nature; in nearly every match, it uses Brave Bird a few times, OHKOes or 2HKOes a couple of opponents, and dies to recoil in the process. It is one of the best partners to Talonflame, as it has the raw power to easily break through the walls that Talonflame struggles to get past on its own. While Staraptor may not stick around for very long, its ability to hit everything that dares to step in its way with the strength of a wrecking ball ensures that its impact on the game is very hard to ignore.

Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit / Quick Attack
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========

Staraptor's Brave Bird is ridiculously powerful; it can OHKO or 2HKO nearly every Pokemon that does not resist it and a considerable number of Pokemon that do. Double Edge has the same power as Brave Bird, but it is resisted by more common types has more common resistances and fails to touch another due to their an immunity, so it should be used sparingly, as Brave Bird is most often the better choice. Close Combat is another situational move, and its main targets are Heatran and Tyranitar. Nearly every Pokemon that Close Combat hits is 2HKOed by Brave Bird, so predicting switch-ins is usually unnecessary. U-turn should only be used in specific situations, as Staraptor rarely gets a chance to safely switch in and attack, so making the most of these few opportunities is important in order to use it to its full potential. Final Gambit is great for crippling Skarmory, Staraptor's most reliable defensive check, and allows another Pokemon to come in for free. Quick Attack is an option to revenge kill severely weakened faster threats, but it is a horrible move to be locked into and Staraptor is better off leaving revenge killing duties to another Pokemon such as Talonflame.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are run invested because,(AC) as a frail offensive Pokemon, Staraptor's main purpose should be is to hit things hard and fast. Staraptor needs as much Speed as possible as it cannot afford to be outsped in most cases, so a Jolly nature is preferred. The extra power of an Adamant nature doesn't help it attain many more notable KOs, but the Speed drop means that Staraptor will be outsped by a ton of important Pokemon from around base 90 Speed and up. However, an Adamant nature can still be used to get a few OHKOs and 2HKOs that Jolly cannot. The most significant of these are the 2HKOs 2HKOes (plural noun form, not verb form) on Heatran and Rotom-W after Stealth Rock with Brave Bird and the OHKOs OHKOes on them with Close Combat and Double Edge, respectively. Choice Band is the perfect item for Staraptor, as the 1.5x boost to its Attack makes it much more threatening. Furthermore, it only uses Brave Bird in most situations so there's no real need for it to be able to switch moves.

Usage Tips
========

Click Brave Bird and watch things faint. There's no secret to using Staraptor; Brave Bird is the best attack in almost every circumstance. Double Edge and Close Combat should only be used to hit specific Pokemon that resist Brave Bird, such as Rotom-W and Tyranitar, respectively. U-turn should usually only be used if the opponent has an Aegislash or Skarmory, but it can be useful early on if there's a specific wall you want to save Staraptor for. Staraptor is so frail that it cannot comfortably switch into even resisted attacks, so when it does get in, it should be used to deal as much damage as possible before going down, as it may not get many more chances to come in.

Team Options
========

Talonflame is by far Staraptor's best partner. Staraptor can lure in and remove checks to Talonflame such as Heatran, Rotom-W, and Tyranitar, giving Talonflame free reign to clean late-game. Pinsir is another great partner, as it combos with Staraptor and Talonflame to create a nearly unwallable triple "bird" core. Excadrill can provide much needed Rapid Spin support and set up Stealth Rock, which turns a few 2HKOs into OHKOs, for example on most notably against Heatran and Rotom-W. Defog support from the likes of Latios, Scizor, or Latias,(RC) is also useful in removing Stealth Rock from the playing field. Latias also has Healing Wish, which can give Staraptor or one of its allies a second chance to tear through the opposing team. Additionally, any Pokemon that appreciates specific walls or walls in general being removed is a good teammate for Staraptor, as Staraptor is proficient at breaking down nearly every defensive Pokemon in OU.

Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: U-turn / Final Gambit
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly

Moves
========

In most circumstances, Brave Bird is the only move Staraptor ever needs to use. However, as this set has quite a noticeable drop in power when compared to the Choice Band set, Double Edge and Close Combat are often handy to gain 2HKOs that Brave Bird cannot, such as on against defensive Rotom-W and Heatran, respectively. The momentum that U-turn provides is also very beneficial, but the move is very situational as Brave Bird is usually the best move to use. Staraptor can utilize Final Gambit as well to dent Pokemon it cannot hope to get past, such as Skarmory.

Set Details
========

252 Attack and Speed EVs are run used to maximize Staraptor's offensive capabilities. A Jolly nature is used so that Staraptor can Speed tie with +1 base 100s 100 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X after a Dragon Dance boost. Choice Scarf makes Staraptor a great late-game cleaner against offensive teams by boosting its disappointingly low Speed, which can otherwise prevent it from being overly effective against them.

Usage Tips
========

Choice Scarf Staraptor isn't that great of a revenge killer due to its frailty, susceptibility to priority, and weakness to Stealth Rock. Where it truly shines, however, is as a late-game cleaner. Once all of the opponent's Flying-type resistant Pokemon have been removed, offensive teams can do very little to stop Staraptor from cleaning up. Choice Scarf Staraptor should usually be saved for late in the game and then brought in when it has a good opportunity to clean. Once again, all of Staraptor's moves not named Brave Bird are fairly situational; nearly every time Staraptor is out, Brave Bird is the best play.

Team Options
========

Talonflame is Staraptor's best partner. In fact, if you aren't using Choice Scarf Staraptor alongside Talonflame, you're better off just using Choice Band Talonflame. However, Choice Scarf Staraptor and Choice Band Talonflame make great partners as late-game cleaners against offensive teams. Excadrill is arguably the Rapid Spinner in OU and has decent synergy with both Staraptor and Talonflame. Stealth Rock reduces the number of times Staraptor can use Brave Bird (read: KO Pokemon), so having a reliable way to remove the entry hazard is essential. Defog support is good for the same reason, and in some ways is even better because it cannot be spinblocked.


Other Options
########
Staraptor is a very straightforward Pokemon with few other options. It can run a Life Orb set to take advantage of Roost, but it is much better suited to running Choice sets since it rarely ever needs to switch moves. A SubRoost set with Intimidate is usable as Staraptor is good at forcing switches. However, Staraptor is horribly frail and not that fast, so a SubRoost set is mediocre at best and is a waste of its potential.


Checks & Counters
########
**Aegislash**: Due its great typing, Aegislash is one of the only offensive Pokemon in the game capable of avoiding a 2HKO from any of Staraptor's moves. It also has access to King's Shield, allowing it to deter Staraptor from staying in and attacking it.

**Skarmory**: Skarmory is by far the best defensive counter to Staraptor, if not the only one. It cannot be 2HKOed by any of Staraptor's moves and can easily stall it out with Roost.

**Fast Offensive Pokemon**: As Staraptor is pitifully frail, the best way to deal with it is often to attack it with a faster Pokemon or one ones with priority. Almost any attack will do huge amounts of damage to Staraptor.

**Rocky Helmet**: Staraptor gets worn down incredibly easily, and Pokemon with Rocky Helmet, such as Garchomp or Ferrothorn, exacerbate this issue by forcing it to take massive amounts of damage when it attacks.

**Mega Aggron**: With its insane defenses and Filter, Mega Aggron fears very little from Staraptor. However, if Aggron has not yet Mega Evolved, it is easily dealt with by Close Combat, so it is not the most reliable switch-in.

**Rhyperior**: Rhyperior can switch into Staraptor's STAB moves with ease and OHKO it, but can be worn down by multiple Close Combats.


Nice work, Magnemite!
As blitzlefan pointed out, there were very few errors.


GP 2/2
 
In fact, if you aren't using Choice Scarf Staraptor alongside Talonflame, you're better off just using Choice Band Talonflame. However, Choice Scarf Staraptor and Choice Band Talonflame make great partners as late-game cleaners against offensive teams. Excadrill is arguably the Rapid Spinner in OU
This part of the team options section doesn't make much sense. You're saying that using scarf staraptor and Talonflame is pointless but then you follow it up by saying the putting scarf staraptor and Talonflame together is an amazing combo. Additionally, I think you meant to say excadrill is arguably the *best* rapid spinner rather than excadrill is arguably the rapid spinner.
 
This part of the team options section doesn't make much sense. You're saying that using scarf staraptor and Talonflame is pointless but then you follow it up by saying the putting scarf staraptor and Talonflame together is an amazing combo. Additionally, I think you meant to say excadrill is arguably the *best* rapid spinner rather than excadrill is arguably the rapid spinner.
The point is that if you're not using both, then you should be using CB Talonflame and not Scarf Staraptor. The only reason to run Scarf Staraptor is to use it alongside Choice Band Talonflame.

Good catch on the Excadrill thing, I'll remove "arguably" while I'm at it
 

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