Overview
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Starly's great ability, Reckless, coupled with strong recoil-causing STAB moves in Brave Bird and Double- Edge, allows it to quickly punch holes in the opposing team. However, that is Starly's only niche, as its reliance on recoil moves to do damage quickly wears it down. It also needs Choice Scarf to function effectively, because it's slow and frail, but without a boosting item it lacks the power to defeat bulkier Pokemon. Also, most teams contain Fletchling checks, which also check Starly. Finally, Starly is outclassed by most other Flying-types, including Fletchling, Doduo, and Archen.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Hidden Power Grass / Steel Wing
ability: Reckless
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 36 SpA / 196 Spe
nature: Naive / Jolly
Moves
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Brave Bird and Double-Edge are strong STAB moves that are boosted by Reckless. U-turn allows Starly to escape unfavorable matchups, and can also be used to scout switch-ins and generate momentum. U-turn is also the only reason to use Starly over Doduo, which has better all-around stats and access to Knock Off. The last move should be one that, while not great to be locked into, can be helpful in certain situations. Hidden Power Grass hits Tirtouga and most other Rock-types for lots of damage; it is used because Starly's other options bar Steel Wing are not very effective against Rock-types, and Tirtouga itakes neutral todamage from Steel Wing. Steel Wing is also generally less effective than Hidden Power Grass, because Rock-types are usually physically bulky; however, Steel Wing does still hit Archen.
Set Details
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Reckless is the only ability of any use, boosting Brave Bird and Double-Edge to frightening levels of power. Choice Scarf lets Starly move first most of the time, allowing it to punch holes in the opposing team or quickly switch out using U-turn out. A Speed-boosting nature is used to maximize the effects of Choice Scarf. Use a Naive nature if using Hidden Power Grass, and a Jolly nature if using a physical coverage move. Attack-boosting natures can be used for more power, but Starly will be outsped by Jolly Choice Scarf Cranidos and Bunnelby, as well as Modest Clamperl and Jolly Tirtouga after Shell Smash, all of which can easily KO it. The EVs maximize Speed and Attack, before increasing HP to allow Starly to deal 3 points more damage before it faints from recoil. They also increase Special Attack, so that Starly does more damage with the Hidden Power of choice. If using a physical coverage move and a Jolly nature, move the 36 Special Attack EVs to Defense, so that Starly takes less damage from priority moves.
Usage Tips
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Starly can be brought in at any time in the game, provided it is safe to do so, but try to bring it in late-game as a suicidal cleaner when all of its checks are gone. Because it's so frail, bring it in through slow pivoting moves, such as Volt Switch from Chinchou or, U-turn from Mienfoo, or into a predicted Ground- or Ghost-type move so that it doesn't take damage. Don't switch Starly into Stealth Rock too many times, as it will quickly be worn down. Starly is also not a good wallbreaker, so don't play it as one.
Team Options
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Stealth Rock removers, such as Drilbur, Archen, and Staryu, are a must, as they prevent a quarter of Starly's health from being stripped off every time it enters the field. Ground-types, such as Drilbur and Diglett, can get rid of the Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon that resist Brave Bird. Drilbur can also use Rapid Spin awayto clear Stealth Rock, while Diglett can trap grounded Pokemon that trouble Starly. Starly can be used in a VoltTurn core, with pivots such as Chinchou, Larvesta, Magnemite, and Mienfoo, or in a bird spam core with other Flying-types, such as Fletchling, Doduo, and Archen. Finally, entry hazards from setters, such as Dwebble and Drilbur, can help Starly clean up.
Other Options
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With Choice Scarf, Starly's Endeavor will nearlygo first almost always go first, letting it deal a lot of damage to an opposing Pokemon when it's low on health; h. However, Starly isn't able to switch moves at the crucial time to properly cripple foes with Endeavor. Choice Band or Life Orb can be used for more power; however, Starly is too slow to use them, as its low Speed means that it must take hits, which hamper its ability to sweep, because it uses recoil moves to deal damage. Sleep Talk can be used to allow Starly to act as a pseudo-sleep absorber and fire off random moves, though its circumstantiality makes it unreliable.
Revenge hits Steel- and Rock-types hard, but it has negative priority, so Starly will be open to taking hits. Pursuit can be used to hit Ghost- and Psychic-types super effectively, but it's weak, and U-turn gains more momentum on a switching foe anyway. Thief is more powerful than Pursuit, and can steal a foe's item, though most Pokemon can KO Starly with Knock Off already. Quick Attack can help in a pinch against foes on their last legswhich are close to fainting, as Starly will usually outprioritize a foe due to its Choice Scarf, but it is weak and otherwise useless. Hidden Power Fighting can be used to hit Pawniard and other Steel-types, but it has no function outside of this, and Hidden Power Grass is usually better for hitting Rock-types. Hidden Power Ground and Heat Wave are super effective against Pokemon that resist Brave Bird, but other special options are usually better, and Heat Wave is incompatible with Reckless.
Checks & Counters
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**Priority Attacks (I thought this should be added to clarify but is optional really)**: Because it is so frail, a weakened Starly is easily revenged by priority attacks, which bypass its Choice Scarf. Examples of strong priority moves are Zigzagoon's Extreme Speed, Fletchling's Acrobatics, Pawniard's Sucker Punch, and Carvanha's Aqua Jet, all of which can outprioritize and KO Starly after some prior damage.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types resist both of Starly's STAB moves. Pawniard has priority in Sucker Punch, Magnemite 4x resists Brave Bird and can punish Starly with a super effective Electric-type move, and Ferroseed deals recoil damage backto Starly with Iron Barbs.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types, such as Archen, Dwebble, and Tirtouga, resist both of Starly's STAB moves, and can hit it back with super effective STAB moves. Starly can punish most of them with Hidden Power Grass, though.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Starly is unable to break through certain Pokemon, such as Vullaby, that invest in Defense and are not weak to Brave Bird. Additionally, even some Pokemon weak to Brave Bird can hold Eviolite to avoid the OHKO and hit Starly back hard.
