So yeah, I tested Staryu, and have mixed results. One thing that is noteworthy is that it actually is pretty good at what it's meant to do: Rapid Spin. I successfully OHKOd a Golurk and then proceeded to spin, in the other matches my opponents never had a Ghost-type so I couldn't test that part out in practise. Staryu is cool and unique in the fact that it's a fast spinner, so just bring it in on something slower and and do the hoca coca. Spikers aren't always accompanied by a spinblocker in NU, so that kind of works to Staryu's advantage. I basically had a team of more or less Flying-types with Spikes support, and while it did win me every game I played, it wasn't really my style. But that's nothing to do with Staryu. What I didn't like about my Staryu was how one dimensional it was. Hydro Pump is not the best move to rely on at ALL, especially as your only attack. And it was weak. And incredibly frail, even with Eviolite. But I was using a set of Hydro Pump, Signal Beam, Recover and Rapid Spin with max SpA. Let me just say that I don't recommend it to anyone. You will get off a Rapid Spin, but to be honest not much else. Your teammates really have to pick up the slack for what is essentially a wasted team slot.
However, I think that I used Staryu the wrong way. If I'm using it as a team supporter, I should dedicate the entire set to that purpose, and not some weird hybrid of support and weak offense like what I was previously using. I scouted some battles where DTC used a far more interesting Staryu set. Here it is:
Staryu @ Eviolite
Nature: Timid
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Scald
- Thunder Wave
DTC used a status platform. With the added bulk, Staryu should be able to take more punishment, and the burn from Scald and the crippling paralysis of Thunder Wave will benefit your team far more in the long run than Hydro Pump and Signal Beam ever could. You still outspeed and 2HKO Golurk anyway, and Haunter can be Thunder Waved. The HP EVs should allow Staryu to take most moderate power hits and live. From pure theorymon, this set looks far more useful than the one I was using, and I intend to put it into practise as well.
In short: don't use offensive Staryu. It's not worth it. The bulkier model should provide you with far more team support.
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