Taken over from Mylo Xyloto.
Overview
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Larvesta has a unique defensive typing and a cool ability in Flame Body that makes it a reliable check to Fighting-types, Grass-types, and other physical attackers like Pawniard. It also has high Attack and access to two strong STAB moves in U-Turn, which can be used to keep or generate offensive momentum, and Flare Blitz. It also benefits from the Defog buff and access to Morning Sun helps with longevity. However, because of its Bug / Fire typing, Larvesta has a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and a weakness to common Flying- and Water-type moves.
Offensive Pivot
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name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sunny Day
ability: Flame Body
item: Eviolite
evs: 76 HP / 236 Atk / 156 Def / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
U-turn is an excellent momentum grabber which allows Larvesta to pivot around Fighting-types and escape from incoming checks and counters. Flare Blitz is a powerful STAB move that hits anything that doesn't resist it very hard. Morning Sun allows Larvesta to recover some lost HP. Will-O-Wisp is used to burn physical attackers without having to rely on Flame Body. Sunny Day provides sun support for Grass-types with Chlorophyll, increases the amount of recovery from Morning Sun, boosts the power of Flare Blitz, and neutralizes Larvesta's weakness to Water-type moves. The combination of U-turn + Sunny Day provides great utility and allows Larvesta to safely bring in Chlorophyll users.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment is necessary to maintain as much power as possible, while the rest of the EVs are used to increase Larvesta's overall bulk; 76 HP EVs gives Larvesta an odd HP stat, thus enabling it to switch into Stealth Rock twice. With Flame Body, Larvesta can punish physical attackers that carry Knock Off such as Pawniard and Mienfoo.
Usage Tips
========
Larvesta fits perfectly on VoltTurn teams that lack a solid answer to Fighting-types. It should always be paired with teammates that can remove entry hazards, Stealth Rock specifically, for it so that Larvesta doesn't lose 50% of its HP upon switching in. Larvesta makes for decent switch in due to its ability; burning a foe while going down can be game changing, but you should be wary of Timburr, as Guts allows it to take advantage of a potential burn.
Team Options
========
Rapid Spin users as well as Defog users to remove entry hazards make great teammates: Staryu and Drilbur are both top notch spinners, not the mention that the former covers Larvesta's Water weakness while the latter covers its Rock weakness. Teammates that resist Flying and Water are also appreciated, of which Chinchou is a great example, as it resists both and can also form a VoltTurn core with Larvesta that can gain continuous momentum. Chinchou can also beat other Water-types with an Electric-type move and is able to take on Fletchling. Helioptile, much like Chinchou, can form a VoltTurn core with Larvesta and it gets a special mention as it can absorb Water-type attacks aimed at Larvesta with Dry Skin. Grass-types, such as Foongus, can take care of annoying Water-types. Also, Pokemon like Tirtouga that can deal with Fire-types that wall Larvesta easily are also needed. Sun support from Vulpix is appreciated as it boosts the power of Larvesta's Flare Blitz, and other teammates that can take advantage of the sun Larvesta provides are cool options; Chlorophyll sweepers like Oddish, Bulbasaur, and Bellsprout can break through the opponent's walls, while also threatening Water-types that bug Larvesta. Teammates like Ferroseed that can lay down entry hazards are appreciated as Larvesta forces a ton of switches. Ferroseed also synergizes well with Larvesta as it can take Rock-type attacks aimed at it, while Larvesta takes on Fighting-types. Other partners that can take on Rock-types include Magnemite and Pawniard. The latter gets a special mention as it can form a cool offensive core as Larvesta patches Pawniard's dreadful 4x Fighting weakness. Other Pokemon that appreciate Larvesta's ability to pressure Fighting-types like Scraggy are also options for an offensive core.
Other Options
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Wild Charge can be used to hit Water- and Flying-types on the switch and Zen Headbutt can also be used, but Flare Blitz hits Fighting-types harder. A Choice Scarf set is also decent and usable in VoltTurn teams. Toxic is also an option, but Will-O-Wisp is an overall better choice. Flame Charge can be used to boost Larvesta's mediocre Speed. Larvesta can also run a physically defensive set with maximum HP and Defense investment to improve its ability to tank physical attacks and spread burns thanks to its ability Flame Body and Will-O-Wisp.
Checks & Counters
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**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is an obvious way to counter Larvesta, as it can't switch in readily while Stealth Rock is on the field.
**Flying-types**: Fletchling can hit it hard with a priority Acrobatics, but it must be wary of a Flame Body burn.
**Water-types**: Water-types like Staryu and Chinchou can switch in and threaten Larvesta with a super effective STAB move, but the former does risk switching into Wild Charge and Larvesta can also escape from both on the switch with U-turn. Tirtouga can threaten Larvesta with a Stone Edge or set up a Shell Smash, but risks being hit with Will-O-Wisp or Wild Charge. Omanyte can also be a threat to Larvesta as it doesn't care about getting burned.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Ponyta resist Larvesta's STAB combination and can threaten it with a strong Flare Blitz.
**Rock-types and Rock-type moves**: Random Rock-type moves from Pokemon like Mienfoo can KO Larvesta and Lileep can also OHKO it with Ancient Power, but it does risk getting KOed by Flare Blitz + U-turn.
Code:
QC: [Goddess Briyella] [TCR] [Rowan]
GP: [horyzhnz] [ ]Overview
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Larvesta has a unique defensive typing and a cool ability in Flame Body that makes it a reliable check to Fighting-types, Grass-types, and other physical attackers like Pawniard. It also has high Attack and access to two strong STAB moves in U-Turn, which can be used to keep or generate offensive momentum, and Flare Blitz. It also benefits from the Defog buff and access to Morning Sun helps with longevity. However, because of its Bug / Fire typing, Larvesta has a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock and a weakness to common Flying- and Water-type moves.
Offensive Pivot
########
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sunny Day
ability: Flame Body
item: Eviolite
evs: 76 HP / 236 Atk / 156 Def / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
U-turn is an excellent momentum grabber which allows Larvesta to pivot around Fighting-types and escape from incoming checks and counters. Flare Blitz is a powerful STAB move that hits anything that doesn't resist it very hard. Morning Sun allows Larvesta to recover some lost HP. Will-O-Wisp is used to burn physical attackers without having to rely on Flame Body. Sunny Day provides sun support for Grass-types with Chlorophyll, increases the amount of recovery from Morning Sun, boosts the power of Flare Blitz, and neutralizes Larvesta's weakness to Water-type moves. The combination of U-turn + Sunny Day provides great utility and allows Larvesta to safely bring in Chlorophyll users.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment is necessary to maintain as much power as possible, while the rest of the EVs are used to increase Larvesta's overall bulk; 76 HP EVs gives Larvesta an odd HP stat, thus enabling it to switch into Stealth Rock twice. With Flame Body, Larvesta can punish physical attackers that carry Knock Off such as Pawniard and Mienfoo.
Usage Tips
========
Larvesta fits perfectly on VoltTurn teams that lack a solid answer to Fighting-types. It should always be paired with teammates that can remove entry hazards, Stealth Rock specifically, for it so that Larvesta doesn't lose 50% of its HP upon switching in. Larvesta makes for decent switch in due to its ability; burning a foe while going down can be game changing, but you should be wary of Timburr, as Guts allows it to take advantage of a potential burn.
Team Options
========
Rapid Spin users as well as Defog users to remove entry hazards make great teammates: Staryu and Drilbur are both top notch spinners, not the mention that the former covers Larvesta's Water weakness while the latter covers its Rock weakness. Teammates that resist Flying and Water are also appreciated, of which Chinchou is a great example, as it resists both and can also form a VoltTurn core with Larvesta that can gain continuous momentum. Chinchou can also beat other Water-types with an Electric-type move and is able to take on Fletchling. Helioptile, much like Chinchou, can form a VoltTurn core with Larvesta and it gets a special mention as it can absorb Water-type attacks aimed at Larvesta with Dry Skin. Grass-types, such as Foongus, can take care of annoying Water-types. Also, Pokemon like Tirtouga that can deal with Fire-types that wall Larvesta easily are also needed. Sun support from Vulpix is appreciated as it boosts the power of Larvesta's Flare Blitz, and other teammates that can take advantage of the sun Larvesta provides are cool options; Chlorophyll sweepers like Oddish, Bulbasaur, and Bellsprout can break through the opponent's walls, while also threatening Water-types that bug Larvesta. Teammates like Ferroseed that can lay down entry hazards are appreciated as Larvesta forces a ton of switches. Ferroseed also synergizes well with Larvesta as it can take Rock-type attacks aimed at it, while Larvesta takes on Fighting-types. Other partners that can take on Rock-types include Magnemite and Pawniard. The latter gets a special mention as it can form a cool offensive core as Larvesta patches Pawniard's dreadful 4x Fighting weakness. Other Pokemon that appreciate Larvesta's ability to pressure Fighting-types like Scraggy are also options for an offensive core.
Other Options
########
Wild Charge can be used to hit Water- and Flying-types on the switch and Zen Headbutt can also be used, but Flare Blitz hits Fighting-types harder. A Choice Scarf set is also decent and usable in VoltTurn teams. Toxic is also an option, but Will-O-Wisp is an overall better choice. Flame Charge can be used to boost Larvesta's mediocre Speed. Larvesta can also run a physically defensive set with maximum HP and Defense investment to improve its ability to tank physical attacks and spread burns thanks to its ability Flame Body and Will-O-Wisp.
Checks & Counters
########
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock is an obvious way to counter Larvesta, as it can't switch in readily while Stealth Rock is on the field.
**Flying-types**: Fletchling can hit it hard with a priority Acrobatics, but it must be wary of a Flame Body burn.
**Water-types**: Water-types like Staryu and Chinchou can switch in and threaten Larvesta with a super effective STAB move, but the former does risk switching into Wild Charge and Larvesta can also escape from both on the switch with U-turn. Tirtouga can threaten Larvesta with a Stone Edge or set up a Shell Smash, but risks being hit with Will-O-Wisp or Wild Charge. Omanyte can also be a threat to Larvesta as it doesn't care about getting burned.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types like Ponyta resist Larvesta's STAB combination and can threaten it with a strong Flare Blitz.
**Rock-types and Rock-type moves**: Random Rock-type moves from Pokemon like Mienfoo can KO Larvesta and Lileep can also OHKO it with Ancient Power, but it does risk getting KOed by Flare Blitz + U-turn.
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