Heracross [GP 2/2]


Heracross
Credits to kokoloko for the original analysis


[Overview]

<p>Blessed with a base 125 Attack stat and two great abilities in Guts and Moxie, Heracross is a wrecking ball that can demolish unprepared teams. Heracross's famous dual 120 Base Power STAB moves in Close Combat and Megahorn are part of what makes this stag beetle so dangerous. Heracross has always been one of the best revenge killers in the UU metagame, and now with Moxie it has become one of the best late-game sweepers too. From a Choice Scarf set to a Swords Dance set, Heracross has a large amount of options for a Pokemon that only hits physically. However, a middling base 85 Speed and a dependence on the inaccurate Stone Edge mean this wrecking ball will sometimes miss its target. Nevertheless, Heracross is one of the biggest threats in the UU tier and is to be underestimated at your own peril.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie / Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Using a Choice Scarf, Heracross becomes one of the best revenge killers in the entire UU metagame, and with Moxie released it can double as a potent late-game sweeper. Heracross's two powerful STAB moves, Close Combat and Megahorn, are part of the reason Heracross is such a wrecking ball, being able to 2HKO most of the tier that doesn't resist them. Stone Edge is a brilliant coverage move for Heracross, as it allows it to hit the pesky Flying-types such as Zapdos and Crobat that resist Heracross's STAB moves. While using Earthquake with Close Combat might seem redundant due to their similar coverage, it can get useful coverage on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Qwilfish, the former two of which resist every other move on the set. Heracross can also absorb sleep that comes from Pokemon such as Roserade by using Sleep Talk, but getting Heracross to sleep isn't guaranteed and it can sometimes be dead weight on the movepool.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross's EVs are dumped into Attack and Speed for maximum damage output and Speed. While an Adamant nature provides extra power for it, a Jolly nature gives Heracross the Speed to outpace both Adamant Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Adamant Choice Scarf Krookodile. Pursuit is an option on this set to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf and Chandelure, but it is a horrible move to get locked into in the current metagame with an influx of Fighting-types, and the aforementioned targets can be handled easily with Heracross's other moves too. Night Slash can be used to hit the bulky Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops that would normally wall it, although they are quite uncommon in UU and with the amount of Fighting-types in UU it's not a good move to get locked into. Aerial Ace may seem weird, but it's useful for opposing Heracross that might come your way, and also quite useful for other Fighting-types in UU, but most are hit harder by Close Combat anyway.</p>

<p>Moxie is generally the preferred ability on the Choice Scarf set as it allows Heracross to keep on garnering boosts, making it more efficient as a late-game sweeper, but Guts can also be used, not only benefiting from status but getting an Attack boost from a burn that would normally cripple it. Heracross is a great partner for Chandelure because it is capable of taking out its two counters: Snorlax and Porygon2. Heracross needs a teammate to take out Gligar as it is completely walled by it; bulky Water-types such as Slowbro and Milotic are good for this job. Cofagrigus and Dusclops also give Heracross trouble, so using Pokemon that can take them out such as Chandelure or offensive variants of Froslass are good teammates; Froslass can also set up Spikes to help Heracross sweep.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross has access to Swords Dance, one of the best boosting moves in the game for a physical attacker. Megahorn and Close Combat are dangerous to most of the metagame unbooosted, and at +2 almost nothing can withstand them. Stone Edge is the best coverage move for Heracross as it clips the wings of pesky Flying-types that resist its STAB moves, such as Zapdos and Crobat. Leftovers is just used to give Heracross some extra longevity.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While the EVs given are obvious in use, Heracross can also run a potent defensive Swords Dance set with an EV spread of 208 HP / 136 Atk / 20 Def / 144 Spe. Using Heracross's often-unexplored bulk and defensive typing, this set aims to check most Fighting-types in the metagame. Although this Heracross might appear to lack power, an Adamant nature and the aforementioned EV spread provides more power than 252 Attack EVs and a neutral nature. The speed given is enough to outspeed Adamant Honchkrow. The bulk really helps Heracross out, allowing it to survive revenge killing attempts from the likes of Flygon and Sharpedo; it even has the capacity to stand its ground against a Heat Wave from Life Orb Zapdos and retaliate with a powerful Stone Edge.</p>

<p>An Adamant nature is used for extra power, but a Jolly nature gets the jump on Timid Togekiss and Timid Chandelure, which is quite important. Guts is the best ability on this set due to Heracross not being fast enough to properly take advantage of the Attack boosts that Moxie would provide. Heracross finds it hard to sweep due to its lackluster Speed, but provides team support by destroying walls and aiding its teammates to sweep through the opponent's team; that said, if all Pokemon that outspeed Heracross are taken out and Heracross gets up a Swords Dance, it is nigh impossible to stop it. As with all offensive Pokemon, Heracross appreciates hazard support; with Stealth Rock up Heracross gets the guaranteed OHKO on both physically defensive Milotic and physically defensive Arcanine with a +2 Close Combat. Heracross can be used alongside Mienshaoto beat your opponent's Fighting-type checks by simply overwhelming them. Teammates that can take out Gligar are needed because even at +2, Heracross still has trouble getting through it; bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro are good choices for handling Gligar. The aforementioned Mienshao can also beat Gligar with Hidden Power Ice</p>

<p>Using a Toxic Orb and Facade alongside Swords Dance gives Heracross the power to destroy the entire UU metagame, even beating Gligar, but this sacrifices Heracross's longevity due to entry hazards and the poison&mdash;racking up damage very fast&mdash;while in most cases Swords Dance provides enough power. If using a Toxic Orb, Wish support can help Heracross out, but is hard to come by, the best Wish passer in the tier being Umbreon.</p>


[SET]
name: Choice Band
move1: Close Combat
move2: Megahorn
move3: Stone Edge
move4: Sleep Talk / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band further improves Heracross's amazing Attack stat, allowing to destroy almost everything without setup. Close Combat and Megahorn give Heracross great coverage and incredible power to go with the Choice Band. Stone Edge is by far the best coverage move for Heracross, hitting most of the Pokemon that resist its STAB moves super effectively. Sleep Talk helps both Heracross and your team against sleep-inducers, turning Heracross into a sleep absorber that can fire off Guts-boosted attacks. However, Earthquake can be used over Sleep Talk to get powerful hits on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Quilfish.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs give Heracross the most Attack and Speed it can achieve. Pursuit is an option to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf, Chandelure, and Mismagius, but it is not a good move to get locked into, and if your opponent knows Heracross is a Choice Band set, they can just stay in and beat Heracross rather than switching out. Night Slash hits Ghost-types that wall Heracross such as Dusclops and Cofagrigus hard but has little use otherwise. Aerial Ace could be useful in taking out opposing Heracross and other Fighting-types, although Close Combat hits most Fighting-types harder and a Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge deals hefty damage to opposing Heracross already.</p>

<p>Guts is the superior ability on this set because Heracross isn't fast enough to take advantage of the boosts received from Moxie, while Guts gives it a consistent boost if it manages to get statused; however, Moxie has its merits if you have a teammate that can take care of faster threats to Heracross. Any teammates that benefit from the removal Porygon2 and Snorlax such as Chandelure and Raikou can benefit from Heracross. Chandelure can also help Heracross by taking out Dusclops and Cofagrigus. Gligar, the ever present thorn in Heracross's side, hard walls Heracross even with the boost from Choice Band. Bulky Water-types can take care of it for Heracross.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute
move1: Substitute
move2: Close Combat
move3: Megahorn
move4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Moxie
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set takes advantage of the switches caused by Heracross to set up a Substitute and smash the switch-in with the appropriate move. Close Combat and Megahorn's coverage and power are the reasons why this set is viable, allowing Heracross to hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage. Stone Edge hits most of the Pokemon that Close Combat and Megahorn do not hit very hard. If you manage to set up a Substitute late-game, Heracross has a clear shot at sweeping a weakened team as the Moxie boosts stack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs are tailored for maximum damage output and Speed. An Adamant nature can be used to achieve more power, but a Jolly nature allows Heracross to jump the gun on Timid Togekiss and Chandelure, which is quite important. Heracross can use a Salac Berry over Leftovers to pick up a Speed boost late-game, further aiding its sweeping capabilities. It can also use an Expert Belt to fake a Choice item and give it a bit more power if it's hitting a foe super effectively. Focus Punch over Close Combat can be used on this set to recreate the classic Subsitute + Focus Punch strategy; while it's not as reliable since it's not always guaranteed that you'll have a Substitute up, it brings immense power to the table.</p>

<p>When using this Heracross set it's advised to have Rapid Spin support, as the set hates all hazards, especially Toxic Spikes. It is absolutely necessary to have a teammate to take out Gligar or the purpose of this set is lost. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro are best suited for this role. Blastoise can also do this job and has the added advantage of providing Rapid Spin support. Like Gligar, Dusclops and Cofagrigus are also necessary to take out; Chandelure a good teammate for this job. Guts and Toxic Orb in conjunction with Substitute throws all hopes of longevity out of the window, but if you manage to get a Substitute up, Heracross can wreck the opponent's team while they try to break the Substitute.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Heracross can run a classic RestTalk set from the days of old, utilizing a more defensive spread, but it is less effective than the other sets listed. For those who don't want to use Swords Dance or Substitute but also don't want to get locked into one move, Heracross can run 4 attacks with a Toxic Orb or a Life Orb. Finally, Heracross can use Bulk Up with a defensive EV spread, but getting Bulk Up boosts is harder than getting Swords Dance boosts; Heracross can also use Bulk Up + RestTalk using Megahorn as its only attack, but due to the many Fighting-types and generally mediocre coverage, it won't get you very far.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Although Heracross's hard counters are hard to come by, there are a few, along with quite a few checks. Heracross's best counter is Gligar; this ever-present thorn in Heracross's side can take anything that Heracross can dish out and nullify the damage with Roost, slowly wearing Heracross down. While Gligar gives Heracross trouble, it is also hard walled by Dusclops and Cofagrigus, whose Will-O-Wisp can cripple Heracross that use Moxie. Flying-types such as Zapdos, Crobat, and Yanmega can take Heracross's STAB attacks but get hit hard by Stone Edge. Nidoking and Nidoqueen resist all of Heracross's common moves except for Earthquake and can just retaliate with a Sheer Force boosted Fire Blast. Qwilfish is another check to Heracross, resisting its STAB moves coupled with Intimidate to further weaken Heracross's attacks. Arcanine also has Intimidate to soften Heracross's blows, so physically defensive variants can check Heracross and hit back with a STAB Flare Blitz, but it must be wary of Stone Edge. Weezing can take anything that Heracross could care to dish out bar a +2 Facade with Guts activated and has Fire Blast to hurt Heracross with. With the Choice sets, prediction is the best counter. When all other options are gone, Heracross can be revenge killed by fast Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Darmanitan.</p>​
 
Just wondering, is the CB set really neccesary? Guts provides he same boost And you can switch moves
 

destinyunknown

Banned deucer.
I'm not a QC member but w/e. The skeleton looks good, if only you should probably slash pursuit on the scarf set since it's very useful to get fleeing pokemon like Chandelure or Azelf which allow Heracross to remove Fighting resistances so it can sweep late game.

On SD Heracross you could probably slash Adamant since its role is wallbreaking and you aren't beating much more stuff with Adamant (and without stone edge you lose to Chandelure anyway)

Does Moxie have much merit on the CB set? I mean Guts is better in almost any respect since it's too slow to get use of the boosts and you're probably being forced out after a kill anyway. I would say just mention it on AC
 
Thanks for the input its appreciated

I'm not a QC member but w/e. The skeleton looks good, if only you should probably slash pursuit on the scarf set since it's very useful to get fleeing pokemon like Chandelure or Azelf which allow Heracross to remove Fighting resistances so it can sweep late game.

idk bout this PK Gaming told me on irc to move it to AC and I agree being locked into pursuit is a bane in the current meta but if QC tells me to slash it I will

On SD Heracross you could probably slash Adamant since its role is wallbreaking and you aren't beating much more stuff with Adamant (and without stone edge you lose to Chandelure anyway)

Yeah you're right it doesnt beat much with Jolly I guess it slipped my mind to will do
EDIT: With Toxic Orb and at +2 Chandy gets 2HKOed by Megahorn


Does Moxie have much merit on the CB set? I mean Guts is better in almost any respect since it's too slow to get use of the boosts and you're probably being forced out after a kill anyway. I would say just mention it on AC

Yeah Guts is superior to Moxie on the CB set by a long way atleast imo idk why I slashed it, removing it
 
Didn't read everything in great detail yet, but I'd like to see a mention of aerical ace in AC of the scarf set to beat other heracross. Not sure about the ability, but I think guts deserves either a slash or a strong AC mention on the scarf set.
 
Didn't read everything in great detail yet, but I'd like to see a mention of aerical ace in AC of the scarf set to beat other heracross. Not sure about the ability, but I think guts deserves either a slash or a strong AC mention on the scarf set.
Put in these changes into the skeleton
 

kokoloko

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I'm gonna have to ask you to de-slash Toxic Orb and Facade from the Swords Dance set and make a Status Orb set. You can then either mention the possibility of using a status orb on the SD's set's AC or slash SD in the new status Orb set.

Status orbs should also get a mention on the Substitute set, btw. It kills any semblance of longevity Heracross ever had to run Sub + Orb, but if it gets that free Sub, it's going to kill half a team easily.
 

FlareBlitz

Relaxed nature. Loves to eat.
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
...you know, I'm really tempted to propose adding a defensive Swords Dance set. I actually run a defensive SD Heracross set in this metagame:

Heracross @ Leftovers
Adamant
Guts
208 HP / 136 Atk / 20 Def / 144 Spe
-Swords Dance
-Megahorn
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge

And it's great for checking Scarf Mienshao / Heracross / Scrafty better while also avoiding revenge kill attempts from flygon, sharpedo, etc. Note that it actually has more Atk than Jolly Heracross, even with the minimal investment. The speed outpaces everything up to Adamant Honchkrow, and the bulk is super nice (you survive LO Zapdos' Heat Wave, for reference, and can take Moxie Krow Sucker Punches a lot better). This can also beat non-Aerial Ace Gligar (+2 Megahorn / Stone Edge 2hko after SR) and NP TR Cofagrigrus (you 2hko with +2 Stone Edge, Cofag fails to ohko with +2 Shadow Ball) switch ins. It's treated me pretty well. I guess someone can test it

I am not a fan of status orb sets on heracross at all, especially not in this metagame (where it can serve as a very good check to all the Fighting-types) but if other people have had success with it...
 
Ok I implemented most of koko's changes but he told me on irc not to put in a Toxic Orb set and the defensive Heracross set. I play tested it and I found it really good but it's too similar to the SD set to get its own so I'm putting in a strong AC on it that I'll flesh out in the write up
 

kokoloko

what matters is our plan!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
You'll need to flesh out your Checks and Counters section a bit during write-up, but other than that, this is good.

QC Approved 1/3
 

Nas

Banned deucer.
On the Choice Scarf set, you have Guts slashed but Sleep Talk is in AC? If you're using Guts, then Sleep Talk becomes the best choice in the fourth slot so it should be slashed next to Earthquake.

Again, for the Choice Band set, Sleep Talk should be the first option for the fourth moveslot, with Earthquake slashed next to it. Note that with the guts boost, Heracross can OHKO Nidoking with one of its stabs and 2HKO Qwilfish if it has taken a little prior damage, making Earthquake unnecessary. Heracross makes the perfect sleep absorber so you should take advantage of that whenever you use Guts over Moxie on Choice sets.

Once those changes are made,

QC Approved 3/3
 

kokoloko

what matters is our plan!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
I dunno about that man. Sleep Talk is definitely good, but Earthquake has consistent utility while Sleep Talk... doesn't. If sleepers were as common as they were in DP, I'd probably agree with you, but as it stands, hitting the three common grounded Poison-types is far more valuable than absorbing sleep from Sleep Powder Roserade (which isn't all that common to begin with).

I'd prefer it to be AC on both Choice sets, but I wouldn't make a fuss if they we're slashed after Earthquake. Earthquake should definitely stay as the primary slash, though.
 

Nas

Banned deucer.
Sleep is common enough, imo. In addition to Roserade, there's still Amoonguss, Venomoth, and Lilligant (Hell, even Smeargle), and considering that with the BW sleep mechanics a sleeping pokemon is effectively removed from the game, Sleep Talk is very valuable on Heracross.

here's some calcs of a Guts boosted CC against the Nido's and Qwilfish:

vs 252/252+ Nidoqueen: (48.17 - 56.77%) -- 2HKO after Stealth Rock (keep in mind no one even uses defensive Nidoqueen anymore, but it still 2HKOes)

vs 4/0 Nidoking: (95.72 - 112.82%) -- OHKO after SR

vs 252/252+ Qwilfish at -1 Atk: (40.41 - 47.6%) -- 5.86% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock

So yeah, I just don't see the point of Earthquake when you defeat all these guys anyway after you absorb a WoW/Toxic/Sleep Powder, just my two cents.
 
GP comin' atcha ^.^

[Overview]

<p>Blessed with a 125 Attack stat and two great abilities in Guts and Moxie, Heracross is a wrecking ball that can demolish unprepared teams. Heracross's famous dual 120 Base Power STAB moves in Close Combat and Megahorn are part of what makes this stag beetle so dangerous. Heracross has always been one of the best revenge killers in the UU metagame,(comma) and now with Moxie the stag beetle becomes one of the best late game sweepers too. From Choice Scarf to a Swords Dance set,(comma) Heracross has a large amount of options for a Pokemon that only hits from only one side of the spectrum physically. A middling base 85 Speed and a dependence on the inaccurate Stone Edge mean this wrecking ball will sometimes miss its target. In spite of these flaws,(comma) Heracross is one of the biggest threats in the UU tier and is to be underestimated at your own peril.(period)</p>

[SET]
name: Chioce Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk (spaces before+after /)
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie / Guts (spaces before+after /)
nature: Jolly / Adamant (spaces before+after /)
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe (spaces before+after /)

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Using a Choice Scarf,(comma) Heracross becomes one of the best revenge killers in the entire UU metagame, and with Moxie released it can double up as a potent late game sweeper. Heracross's two powerful STAB moves Close Combat and Megahorn are part of the reason Heracross is such a wrecking ball,(comma) being able to 2HKO most of the tier that doesn't resist them. Stone Edge is a brilliant coverage move for Heracross as it allows it to hit the pesky Flying-types such as Zapdos and Crobat who that resist Heracross's STAB moves. While using Earthquake with Close Combat might seem redundant,(comma) it can get useful coverage on Nidoking, Nidoqueen,(comma) and Qwilfish, the former two of which resist every other move on the set. Heracross can also absorb sleep coming from sleep inducers such as Roserade by using Sleep Talk especially the way that sleep works now, but getting Heracross to sleep isn't guaranteed and it can sometimes be deadweight on the movepool</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross's EVs are dumped into Attack and Speed for maximum damage output and speed. While Adamant provides extra power for the stag beetle, Jolly gives Heracross the Speed to outpace both Adamant Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Adamant Choice Scarf Krookodile. Pursuit is an option on Heracross to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf and Chandelure,(comma) but is a horrible move to get locked into in the current metagame with an influx of Fighting-types and the aforementioned targets can be handled easily with Heracross's other moves too. Night Slash can be used on Heracross to hit the bulky Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops that normally wall Heracross it, although they are quite uncommon in UU and with the amount of Fighting-types in UU it's not a good idea move to get locked into. Aerial Ace may seem weird but it's useful for opposing Heracross that might come your way, and also quite useful for other Fighting-types in UU,(comma) but most are hit harder by Close Combat anyway</p>

<p>Moxie is generally the preferred ability on the Choice Scarf set as it allows Heracross to keep on garnering boosts, making it more efficient as a late game sweeper,(comma) but Guts can be used not only just benefiting from status but getting a boost from a burn that would normally cripple it. Heracross is a great partner to Chandelure,(comma) taking out its two counters:;(colon) Snorlax and Porygon2. Heracross needs a teammate to take out Gligar for it as it is completely walled by it; bulky Water-types, Bulky waters such as Slowbro and Milotic are good for this job. Cofagrigus and Dusclops also give Heracross trouble,(comma) so using Pokemon that can take it them out such as Chandelure or offensive variants of Froslass are good teammates;(semi) for Heracross, Froslass can also set up Spikes helping to help Heracross to sweep.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant (spaces before+after /)
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe (spaces before+after /)

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross has access to Swords Dance,(comma) one of the best boosting moves in the game if you're for a physical attacker and Heracross is no exception. Megahorn and Close Combat are dangerous to most of the metagame unbooosted, and at +2 almost nothing can withstand them. Stone Edge is the best coverage move for Heracross as it clips the wings of pesky Flying-Types that resist its STAB moves, such as Zapdos and Crobat. Leftovers is just used to give Heracross some extra longevity.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While the EVs given are obvious in use, Heracross can also run a potent defensive Swords Dance set with the EVs 208 HP / 136 Atk / 20 Def / 144 Spe. Using Heracross's unexplored bulk and defensive typing,(comma) this set aims to check most Fighting-types in the metagame which is very useful due to the new Fighting-types in UU. Although this Heracross might appear to lack power, an Adamant nature and the aforementioned EV spread provides more power than 252 Attack EVs and a neutral nature. The speed given is enough to outspeed Adamant Honckrow. The bulk really helps Heracross out,(comma) allowing it to survive revenge kill attempts from the likes of Flygon and Sharpedo; it even has the capacity to stand it's ground against a Heat Wave from a Life Orb Zapdos and retaliate with a powerful Stone Edge. To summarise a defensive Swords Dance using Heracross' usually unexplored bulk acts as an amazing check to all the new Fighting-types in UU.</p>

<p>Adamant is used for extra power,(comma) but Jolly gets the jump on Timid Togekiss and Timid Chandelure,(comma) which is quite important. Guts is the best ability on this set due to Heracross not being fast enough to properly take advantage of the boosts. Heracross finds it hard to sweep due to its lackluster Speed,(comma) but provides team support by destroying walls and aiding its teammates to sweep through the opponents team; that said, although if all Pokemon that outspeed Heracross are taken out and Heracross gets up a Swords Dance,(comma) it is nigh impossible to stop him it. As with all offensive Pokemon,(comma) Heracross appreciates hazard support; with Stealth Rock up, as it allows Heracross to gets the guaranteed OHKO on both physically defensive Milotic and physically defensive Arcanine with Stealth Rock up and at +2. Heracross can be used alongside Mienshao to beat the opponent's check by overwhelming them it. Teammates that can take out Gligar are needed because even at +2,(comma) Heracross still has trouble getting through it;,(semi) bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro can beat are good choices for handling Gligar.</p>

<p>Using a Toxic Orb and Facade alongside Swords Dance gives Heracross the power to destroy the entire UU metagame,(comma) even beating Gligar, but this sacrifices Heracross's longevity due to entry hazards and the poison which rack up damage very fast,(comma) and in most cases Swords Dance provides enough power. If using a Toxic Orb,(comma) Wish passing support can help Heracross out but is hard to come by, the best Wish passer in the tier being Umbreon. </p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move1: Close Combat
move2: Megahorn
move3: Stone Edge
move4: Sleep Talk / Earthquake (spaces before+after /)
item: Choice Band
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe (spaces before+after /)

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band further improves on Heracross's amazing Attack stat,(comma) allowing to destroy almost everything without setup. Close Combat and Megahorn give Heracross great coverage and incredible power to go with the Choice Band. Stone Edge is by far the best coverage move for Heracross,(comma) hitting most of the Pokemon that its STAB moves don't super effectively. Sleep Talk helps Heracross and your team against sleep inducers, turning Heracross into a sleep absorber rather than being useless while sleeping, Heracross that can fire off Guts boosted attacks. Eartquake can be used over Sleep Talk to get powerful hits on Nidoking, Nidoqueen,(comma) and Quilfish</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs give Heracross the most Attack and Speed it can achieve. Pursuit is an option to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf, Chandelure,(comma) and Mismagius,(comma) but pursuit it is not a good move to get locked into especially in the current metagame, besides and if your opponent knows Heracross is banded,(comma) then they can just stay in and beat Heracross rather than switching out. Night Slash hits Ghost-types that wall Heracross such as Dusclops and Cofagrigus hard,(comma) but has not much little use so is quite situational in use otherwise. Aerial Ace could be useful in taking out opposing Heracross's and other Fighting-types,(comma) although Close Combat hits them harder and Stone Edge already hits opposing Heracross's hard with the boost from the Choice Band most Fighting-types harder and Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge deals hefty damage to opposing Heracross already.</p>

<p>Guts is a superior ability on this set because Heracross isn't fast enough to take advantage of the Moxie boosts, while with Guts you have gives it a consistent boost if you it manages to get statused;(semi) however,(comma) Moxie has its merits if you have a teammate that can take care of faster threats to Heracross. Any teammates that benefit from the removal of Porygon2 and Snorlax, such as Chandelure and Raikou, gone can benefit from Heracross. such as Chandelure and Raikou, Chandelure can also help Heracross by taking out Dusclops and Cofagrigus that give Heracross trouble to get through. Gligar the ever present thorn in Heracross' needs to be taken out for Heracross that hard walls Heracross even with the Choice Band boost, bulky Water-types can take care of this for Heracross Gligar, the ever present thorn in Heracross's side, hard walls Heracross even with the boost from Choice Band. Bulky Water-types can take care of it for Heracross.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute
move1: Substitute
move2: Close Combat
move3: Megahorn
move4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly / Adamant (spaces before+after /)
ability: Moxie
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set takes advantage on of the switches caused by Heracross to set up a Substitute and smash the switch-in with the appropriate move. Close Combat and Megahorn's coverage and not to mention power are the reasons why this set is viable,(comma) allowing Heracross to hit super effectively or at least neutrally more often than not. Stone Edge hits most of the Pokemon that Close Combat and Megahorn do not. This set can also scout but is nit very good in doing so. If you manage to set up a Substitute late game, Heracross has a clear shot at sweeping a weakened team as the Moxie boosts stack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>EVs are tailored for maximum damage output and Speed. Adamant can be used to achieve more power, but Jolly allows Heracross to jump the gun on Timid Togekiss and Chandelure,(comma) which are is quite important. Heracross can use a Salac Berry over Leftovers to pick up a Speed boost late game,(comma) further aiding its sweeping capabilities. It can also use an Expert Belt to fake a Choice item and give it a bit more power while hitting super effectively. Focus Punch over Close Combat on this set would recreate the old classic Focus Punch + Substitute;(semi) while its not as reliable and not always guaranteed you'll have a Substitute up,(comma) it brings immense power to the table.</p>

<p>When using this Heracross set it's advised to have Rapid Spin support,(comma) as the set hates all hazards, especially Toxic Spikes. It is absolutely necessary to have a teammate to take out Gligar or the purpose of this set is lost., bBulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro could are best suited for this role. Blastoise can also do this job just not as well but and has the added advantage of providing spin support. Like Gligar, Dusclops and Cofagrigus are also necessary to take out; Chandelure is an option that can do a good teammate for this job. Guts and Toxic Orb in conjuncture with Substitute throws all hopes of longevity out of the window,(comma) but if you manage to get a Substitute up,(comma) Heracross can wreck the opponents team while they try to break the doll.

[Other Options]

<p>Heracross can run a classic RestTalk set from the days of old, utilizing a more defensive spread, but it less effective than the others sets listed. even though it's not as effective now as it was back then but with a defensive spead it can work, but it isn't better than the other sets Heracross can run. For those who don't want to use Swords Dance or Substitute but also don't want to get locked into one move, Heracross can run 4 attacks with a Toxic Orb or a Life Orb. Finally,(comma) Heracross can use Bulk Up with a defensive spread,(comma) but getting Bulk Up boosts is harder than getting Swords Dance boosts;(semi) Heracross can also use Bulk Up + RestTalk, using Megahorn as its only attack,(comma) but due to the new fighting types many Fighting-types in UU and general coverage,(comma) it won't get you very far.</p>

[Checks and Counter]

<p>Although Heracross's hard counters are hard to come by,(comma) there are a few,(comma) along with and there are quite a few checks. Heracross's best counter is Gligar;(semi) this ever present thorn in Heracross's side can take anything that Heracross can dish out and nullify the damage with Roost,(comma) slowly wearing Heracross down. While Gligar gives Heracross trouble,(comma) it is also hard walled by Dusclops and Cofagrigus,(comma) whose Will-O-Wisp can cripple Heracross's with Moxie. Flying-types such as Zapdos, Crobat,(comma) and Yanmega can take Heracross's STAB attacks but get hit hard by Stone Edge. Nidoking and Nidoqueen resist all of Heracross's common moves except for Earthquake and can just retaliate with a Sheer Force-boosted Fire Blast. Quilfish is another check to Heracross,(comma) resisting its STAB moves coupled with Intimidate to further weaken Heracross's attacks.</p>

<p>Arcanine also has Intimidate to soften Heracross's blows, so physically defensive variants can check Heracross and hit back with a STAB Flare Blitz,(comma) but it must be wary of Stone Edge. Weezing can take anything that Heracross could care to dish out bar a +2 Facade with Guts activated and has Fire Blast to hurt Heracross with. With the Choice sets,(comma) prediction is the best counter. When all other options are gone,(comma) Heracross can be revenge killed by fast Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Darmatian.</p>

Glad to see you're first analysis, Wobb ^.^ I would recommend reviewing the Spelling and Grammar Standards thread and proofreading for your next one; there were quite a few simple mistakes that a quick proofread could have picked up on >.>

That said, good work, and I'm happy to see you've starting writing for Smogon, mate ^.^
[gp]1/2[/gp]
 
I implemented all of Jellis check except for "Will-O-Wisp can cripple Heracross's with Moxie"
Because guts Heracross get a boost with it
Thanks for the check Jelli ^.^

Anyway ready for check 2
 

JockeMS

formerly SuperJOCKE
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Yeah, that's true and all, but you need to change Heracross's to just Heracross. Pokémon in plural don't have any s in the end. One Heracross, two Heracross. It's in the Grammar Standards thread as well.
 

complete legitimacy

is it cold in the water?
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus
[Overview]

<p>Blessed with a base 125 Attack stat and two great abilities in Guts and Moxie, Heracross is a wrecking ball that can demolish unprepared teams. Heracross's famous dual 120 Base Power STAB moves in Close Combat and Megahorn are part of what makes this stag beetle so dangerous. Heracross has always been one of the best revenge killers in the UU metagame, and now with Moxie the stag beetleit (we're trying to move away from naming Pokemon after animals and the like) has becomes one of the best late -game sweepers too. From a Choice Scarf set to a Swords Dance set, Heracross has a large amount of options for a Pokemon that only hits physically. AHowever, a middling base 85 Speed and a dependence on the inaccurate Stone Edge mean this wrecking ball will sometimes miss its target. In spite of these flawNevertheless, Heracross is one of the biggest threats in the UU tier and is to be underestimated at your own peril.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie / Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Using a Choice Scarf, Heracross becomes one of the best revenge killers in the entire UU metagame, and with Moxie released it can double up as a potent late -game sweeper. Heracross's two powerful STAB moves, Close Combat and Megahorn, are part of the reason Heracross is such a wrecking ball, being able to 2HKO most of the tier that doesn't resist them. Stone Edge is a brilliant coverage move for Heracross, as it allows it to hit the pesky Flying-types such as Zapdos and Crobat that resist Heracross's STAB moves. While using Earthquake with Close Combat might seem redundant due to their similar coverage, it can get useful coverage on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Qwilfish, the former two of which resist every other move on the set. Heracross can also absorb sleep coming from sleep inducersthat comes from Pokemon such as Roserade by using Sleep Talk, but getting Heracross to sleep isn't guaranteed and it can sometimes be dead weight on the movepool.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross's EVs are dumped into Attack and Speed for maximum damage output and sSpeed. While an Adamant nature provides extra power for the stag beetle, Jollyit, a Jolly nature gives Heracross the Speed to outpace both Adamant Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Adamant Choice Scarf Krookodile. Pursuit is an option on Heracrossthis set to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf and Chandelure, but it is a horrible move to get locked into in the current metagame with an influx of Fighting-types, and the aforementioned targets can be handled easily with Heracross's other moves too. Night Slash can be used on Heracross to hit the bulky Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops that would normally wall it, although they are quite uncommon in UU and with the amount of Fighting-types in UU it's not a good move to get locked into. Aerial Ace may seem weird, but it's useful for opposing Heracross that might come your way, and also quite useful for other Fighting-types in UU, but most are hit harder by Close Combat anyway.</p>

<p>Moxie is generally the preferred ability on the Choice Scarf set as it allows Heracross to keep on garnering boosts, making it more efficient as a late -game sweeper, but Guts can also be used, not only just benefiting from status but getting an Attack boost from a burn that would normally cripple it. Heracross is a great partner tofor Chandelure, because it is capable of taking out its two counters: Snorlax and Porygon2. Heracross needs a teammate to take out Gligar as it is completely walled by it; bulky Water-types such as Slowbro and Milotic are good for this job. Cofagrigus and Dusclops also give Heracross trouble, so using Pokemon that can take them out such as Chandelure or offensive variants of Froslass are good teammates; Froslass can also set up Spikes to help Heracross sweep.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross has access to Swords Dance, one of the best boosting moves in the game for a physical attacker. Megahorn and Close Combat are dangerous to most of the metagame unbooosted, and at +2 almost nothing can withstand them. Stone Edge is the best coverage move for Heracross as it clips the wings of pesky Flying-Ttypes that resist its STAB moves, such as Zapdos and Crobat. Leftovers is just used to give Heracross some extra longevity.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While the EVs given are obvious in use, Heracross can also run a potent defensive Swords Dance set with the EVsan EV spread of 208 HP / 136 Atk / 20 Def / 144 Spe. Using Heracross's often-unexplored bulk and defensive typing, this set aims to check most Fighting-types in the metagame. Although this Heracross might appear to lack power, an Adamant nature and the aforementioned EV spread provides more power than 252 Attack EVs and a neutral nature. The speed given is enough to outspeed Adamant Honchkrow. The bulk really helps Heracross out, allowing it to survive revenge killing attempts from the likes of Flygon and Sharpedo; it even has the capacity to stand it's ground against a Heat Wave from a Life Orb Zapdos and retaliate with a powerful Stone Edge.</p>

<p>An Adamant nature is used for extra power, but a Jolly nature gets the jump on Timid Togekiss and Timid Chandelure, which is quite important. Guts is the best ability on this set due to Heracross not being fast enough to properly take advantage of the boostsAttack boosts that Moxie would provide. Heracross finds it hard to sweep due to its lackluster Speed, but provides team support by destroying walls and aiding its teammates to sweep through the opponent's team; that said, if all Pokemon that outspeed Heracross are taken out and Heracross gets up a Swords Dance, it is nigh impossible to stop it. As with all offensive Pokemon, Heracross appreciates hazard support; with Stealth Rock up Heracross gets the guaranteed OHKO on both physically defensive Milotic and physically defensive Arcanine with and at +2 +2 Close Combat (i think this is what you meant to put here but if not than just put "at +2" in place of "with a +2 Close Combat). Heracross can be used alongside Mienshao to beat the opponent'syour opponent's Fighting-type check by simply overwhelming it (you might also want to mention that Mienshao can beat Gligar with HP Ice). Teammates that can take out Gligar are needed because even at +2, Heracross still has trouble getting through it; bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro are good choices for handling Gligar.</p>

<p>Using a Toxic Orb and Facade alongside Swords Dance gives Heracross the power to destroy the entire UU metagame, even beating Gligar, but this sacrifices Heracross's longevity due to entry hazards and the poison which &mdash;racking up damage very fast, and&mdash;while in most cases Swords Dance provides enough power. If using a Toxic Orb, Wish passing support can help Heracross out, but is hard to come by, the best Wish passer in the tier being Umbreon.</p>


[SET]
name: Choice Band
move1: Close Combat
move2: Megahorn
move3: Stone Edge
move4: Sleep Talk / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band further improves Heracross's amazing Attack stat, allowing to destroy almost everything without setup. Close Combat and Megahorn give Heracross great coverage and incredible power to go with the Choice Band. Stone Edge is by far the best coverage move for Heracross, hitting most of the Pokemon that resist its STAB moves don't super effectively. Sleep Talk helps both Heracross and your team against sleep -inducers, turning Heracross into a sleep absorber that can fire off Guts -boosted attacks. However, Earthquake can be used over Sleep Talk to get powerful hits on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Quilfish.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs give Heracross the most Attack and Speed it can achieve. Pursuit is an option to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf, Chandelure, and Mismagius, but it is not a good move to get locked into, and if your opponent knows Heracross is bandeda Choice Band set, they can just stay in and beat Heracross rather than switching out. Night Slash hits Ghost-types that wall Heracross such as Dusclops and Cofagrigus hard but has little use otherwise. Aerial Ace could be useful in taking out opposing Heracross and other Fighting-types, although Close Combat hits most Fighting-types harder and a Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge deals hefty damage to opposing Heracross already.</p>

<p>Guts is athe superior ability on this set because Heracross isn't fast enough to take advantage of the Moxie boosts received from Moxie, while Guts gives it a consistent boost if it manages to get statused; however, Moxie has its merits if you have a teammate that can take care of faster threats to Heracross. Any teammates that benefit from the removal Porygon2 and Snorlax such as Chandelure and Raikou can benefit from Heracross. Chandelure can also help Heracross by taking out Dusclops and Cofagrigus. Gligar, the ever present thorn in Heracross's side, hard walls Heracross even with the boost from Choice Band. Bulky Water-types can take care of it for Heracross.</p>


[SET]
name: Substitute
move1: Substitute
move2: Close Combat
move3: Megahorn
move4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Moxie
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set takes advantage of the switches caused by Heracross to set up a Substitute and smash the switch-in with the appropriate move. Close Combat and Megahorn's coverage and power are the reasons why this set is viable, allowing Heracross to hit supereffectivly or at least neutrally more often than notmost of the metagame for at least neutral damage. Stone Edge hits most of the Pokemon that Close Combat and Megahorn do not hit very hard. If you manage to set up a Substitute late -game, Heracross has a clear shot at sweeping a weakened team as the Moxie boosts stack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs are tailored for maximum damage output and Speed. An Adamant nature can be used to achieve more power, but a Jolly nature allows Heracross to jump the gun on Timid Togekiss and Chandelure, which is quite important. Heracross can use a Salac Berry over Leftovers to pick up a sSpeed boost late -game, further aiding its sweeping capabilities. It can also use an Expert Belt to fake a Choice item and give it a bit more power whileif it's hitting a foe super effectively. Focus Punch over Close Combat can be used on this set wouldto recreate the old classic Subsitute + Focus Punch + Substitutestrategy; while it's not as reliable andsince it's not always guaranteed that you'll have a Substitute up, it brings immense power to the table.</p>

<p>When using this Heracross set it's advised to have Rapid Spin support, as the set hates all hazards, especially Toxic Spikes. It is absolutely necessary to have a teammate to take out Gligar or the purpose of this set is lost. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro are best suited for this role. Blastoise can also do this job and has the added advantage of providing sRapid Spin support. Like Gligar, Dusclops and Cofagrigus are also necessary to take out,; Chandelure a good teammate for this job. Guts and Toxic Orb in conjunctureion with Substitute throws all hopes of longevity out of the window, but if you manage to get a Substitute up, Heracross can wreck the opponent's team while they try to break the dollSubstitute.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Heracross can run a classic RestTalk set from the days of old, utilizing a more defensive spread, but it is less effective than the others sets listed. For those who don't want to use Swords Dance or Substitute but also don't want to get locked into one move, Heracross can run 4 attacks with a Toxic Orb or a Life Orb. Finally, Heracross can use Bulk Up with a defensive EV spread, but getting Bulk Up boosts is harder than getting Swords Dance boosts; Heracross can also use Bulk Up + RestTalk using Megahorn as its only attack, but due to the many Fighting-types and generally mediocre coverage, it won't get you very far.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Although Heracross's hard counters are hard to come by, there are a few, along with quite a few checks. Heracross's best counter is Gligar; this ever -present thorn in Heracross's side can take anything that Heracross can dish out and nullify the damage with Roost, slowly wearing Heracross down. While Gligar gives Heracross trouble, it is also hard walled by Dusclops and Cofagrigus, whose Will-O-Wisp can cripple Heracross withthat use Moxie. Flying-types such as Zapdos, Crobat, and Yanmega can take Heracross's STAB attacks but get hit hard by Stone Edge. Nidoking and Nidoqueen resist all of Heracross's common moves except for Earthquake and can just retaliate with a Sheer Force boosted Fire Blast. Quwilfish is another check to Heracross, resisting its STAB moves coupled with Intimidate to further weaken Heracross's attacks.</p>

<p>
Arcanine also has Intimidate to soften Heracross's blows, so physically defensive variants can check Heracross and hit back with a STAB Flare Blitz, but it must be wary of Stone Edge. Weezing can take anything that Heracross could care to dish out bar a +2 Facade with Guts activated and has Fire Blast to hurt Heracross with. With the Choice sets, prediction is the best counter. When all other options are gone, Heracross can be revenge killed by fast Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Darmanitan.</p>
[Overview]

<p>Blessed with a base 125 Attack stat and two great abilities in Guts and Moxie, Heracross is a wrecking ball that can demolish unprepared teams. Heracross's famous dual 120 Base Power STAB moves in Close Combat and Megahorn are part of what makes this stag beetle so dangerous. Heracross has always been one of the best revenge killers in the UU metagame, and now with Moxie it has become one of the best late-game sweepers too. From a Choice Scarf set to a Swords Dance set, Heracross has a large amount of options for a Pokemon that only hits physically. However, a middling base 85 Speed and a dependence on the inaccurate Stone Edge mean this wrecking ball will sometimes miss its target. Nevertheless, Heracross is one of the biggest threats in the UU tier and is to be underestimated at your own peril.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie / Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Using a Choice Scarf, Heracross becomes one of the best revenge killers in the entire UU metagame, and with Moxie released it can double as a potent late-game sweeper. Heracross's two powerful STAB moves, Close Combat and Megahorn, are part of the reason Heracross is such a wrecking ball, being able to 2HKO most of the tier that doesn't resist them. Stone Edge is a brilliant coverage move for Heracross, as it allows it to hit the pesky Flying-types such as Zapdos and Crobat that resist Heracross's STAB moves. While using Earthquake with Close Combat might seem redundant due to their similar coverage, it can get useful coverage on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Qwilfish, the former two of which resist every other move on the set. Heracross can also absorb sleep that comes from Pokemon such as Roserade by using Sleep Talk, but getting Heracross to sleep isn't guaranteed and it can sometimes be dead weight on the movepool.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross's EVs are dumped into Attack and Speed for maximum damage output and Speed. While an Adamant nature provides extra power for it, a Jolly nature gives Heracross the Speed to outpace both Adamant Choice Scarf Darmanitan and Adamant Choice Scarf Krookodile. Pursuit is an option on this set to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf and Chandelure, but it is a horrible move to get locked into in the current metagame with an influx of Fighting-types, and the aforementioned targets can be handled easily with Heracross's other moves too. Night Slash can be used to hit the bulky Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Dusclops that would normally wall it, although they are quite uncommon in UU and with the amount of Fighting-types in UU it's not a good move to get locked into. Aerial Ace may seem weird, but it's useful for opposing Heracross that might come your way, and also quite useful for other Fighting-types in UU, but most are hit harder by Close Combat anyway.</p>

<p>Moxie is generally the preferred ability on the Choice Scarf set as it allows Heracross to keep on garnering boosts, making it more efficient as a late-game sweeper, but Guts can also be used, not only benefiting from status but getting an Attack boost from a burn that would normally cripple it. Heracross is a great partner for Chandelure because it is capable of taking out its two counters: Snorlax and Porygon2. Heracross needs a teammate to take out Gligar as it is completely walled by it; bulky Water-types such as Slowbro and Milotic are good for this job. Cofagrigus and Dusclops also give Heracross trouble, so using Pokemon that can take them out such as Chandelure or offensive variants of Froslass are good teammates; Froslass can also set up Spikes to help Heracross sweep.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Heracross has access to Swords Dance, one of the best boosting moves in the game for a physical attacker. Megahorn and Close Combat are dangerous to most of the metagame unbooosted, and at +2 almost nothing can withstand them. Stone Edge is the best coverage move for Heracross as it clips the wings of pesky Flying-types that resist its STAB moves, such as Zapdos and Crobat. Leftovers is just used to give Heracross some extra longevity.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While the EVs given are obvious in use, Heracross can also run a potent defensive Swords Dance set with an EV spread of 208 HP / 136 Atk / 20 Def / 144 Spe. Using Heracross's often-unexplored bulk and defensive typing, this set aims to check most Fighting-types in the metagame. Although this Heracross might appear to lack power, an Adamant nature and the aforementioned EV spread provides more power than 252 Attack EVs and a neutral nature. The speed given is enough to outspeed Adamant Honchkrow. The bulk really helps Heracross out, allowing it to survive revenge killing attempts from the likes of Flygon and Sharpedo; it even has the capacity to stand its ground against a Heat Wave from Life Orb Zapdos and retaliate with a powerful Stone Edge.</p>

<p>An Adamant nature is used for extra power, but a Jolly nature gets the jump on Timid Togekiss and Timid Chandelure, which is quite important. Guts is the best ability on this set due to Heracross not being fast enough to properly take advantage of the Attack boosts that Moxie would provide. Heracross finds it hard to sweep due to its lackluster Speed, but provides team support by destroying walls and aiding its teammates to sweep through the opponent's team; that said, if all Pokemon that outspeed Heracross are taken out and Heracross gets up a Swords Dance, it is nigh impossible to stop it. As with all offensive Pokemon, Heracross appreciates hazard support; with Stealth Rock up Heracross gets the guaranteed OHKO on both physically defensive Milotic and physically defensive Arcanine with a +2 Close Combat (i think this is what you meant to put here but if not than just put "at +2" in place of "with a +2 Close Combat). Heracross can be used alongside Mienshao to beat your opponent's Fighting-type check by simply overwhelming it (you might also want to mention that Mienshao can beat Gligar with HP Ice). Teammates that can take out Gligar are needed because even at +2, Heracross still has trouble getting through it; bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro are good choices for handling Gligar.</p>

<p>Using a Toxic Orb and Facade alongside Swords Dance gives Heracross the power to destroy the entire UU metagame, even beating Gligar, but this sacrifices Heracross's longevity due to entry hazards and the poison&mdash;racking up damage very fast&mdash;while in most cases Swords Dance provides enough power. If using a Toxic Orb, Wish support can help Heracross out, but is hard to come by, the best Wish passer in the tier being Umbreon.</p>


[SET]
name: Choice Band
move1: Close Combat
move2: Megahorn
move3: Stone Edge
move4: Sleep Talk / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>A Choice Band further improves Heracross's amazing Attack stat, allowing to destroy almost everything without setup. Close Combat and Megahorn give Heracross great coverage and incredible power to go with the Choice Band. Stone Edge is by far the best coverage move for Heracross, hitting most of the Pokemon that resist its STAB moves super effectively. Sleep Talk helps both Heracross and your team against sleep-inducers, turning Heracross into a sleep absorber that can fire off Guts-boosted attacks. However, Earthquake can be used over Sleep Talk to get powerful hits on Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Quilfish.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs give Heracross the most Attack and Speed it can achieve. Pursuit is an option to trap frail Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Azelf, Chandelure, and Mismagius, but it is not a good move to get locked into, and if your opponent knows Heracross is a Choice Band set, they can just stay in and beat Heracross rather than switching out. Night Slash hits Ghost-types that wall Heracross such as Dusclops and Cofagrigus hard but has little use otherwise. Aerial Ace could be useful in taking out opposing Heracross and other Fighting-types, although Close Combat hits most Fighting-types harder and a Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge deals hefty damage to opposing Heracross already.</p>

<p>Guts is the superior ability on this set because Heracross isn't fast enough to take advantage of the boosts received from Moxie, while Guts gives it a consistent boost if it manages to get statused; however, Moxie has its merits if you have a teammate that can take care of faster threats to Heracross. Any teammates that benefit from the removal Porygon2 and Snorlax such as Chandelure and Raikou can benefit from Heracross. Chandelure can also help Heracross by taking out Dusclops and Cofagrigus. Gligar, the ever present thorn in Heracross's side, hard walls Heracross even with the boost from Choice Band. Bulky Water-types can take care of it for Heracross.</p>

[SET]
name: Substitute
move1: Substitute
move2: Close Combat
move3: Megahorn
move4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Moxie
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set takes advantage of the switches caused by Heracross to set up a Substitute and smash the switch-in with the appropriate move. Close Combat and Megahorn's coverage and power are the reasons why this set is viable, allowing Heracross to hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage. Stone Edge hits most of the Pokemon that Close Combat and Megahorn do not hit very hard. If you manage to set up a Substitute late-game, Heracross has a clear shot at sweeping a weakened team as the Moxie boosts stack.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs are tailored for maximum damage output and Speed. An Adamant nature can be used to achieve more power, but a Jolly nature allows Heracross to jump the gun on Timid Togekiss and Chandelure, which is quite important. Heracross can use a Salac Berry over Leftovers to pick up a Speed boost late-game, further aiding its sweeping capabilities. It can also use an Expert Belt to fake a Choice item and give it a bit more power if it's hitting a foe super effectively. Focus Punch over Close Combat can be used on this set to recreate the classic Subsitute + Focus Punch strategy; while it's not as reliable since it's not always guaranteed that you'll have a Substitute up, it brings immense power to the table.</p>

<p>When using this Heracross set it's advised to have Rapid Spin support, as the set hates all hazards, especially Toxic Spikes. It is absolutely necessary to have a teammate to take out Gligar or the purpose of this set is lost. Bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Slowbro are best suited for this role. Blastoise can also do this job and has the added advantage of providing Rapid Spin support. Like Gligar, Dusclops and Cofagrigus are also necessary to take out; Chandelure a good teammate for this job. Guts and Toxic Orb in conjunction with Substitute throws all hopes of longevity out of the window, but if you manage to get a Substitute up, Heracross can wreck the opponent's team while they try to break the Substitute.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Heracross can run a classic RestTalk set from the days of old, utilizing a more defensive spread, but it is less effective than the other sets listed. For those who don't want to use Swords Dance or Substitute but also don't want to get locked into one move, Heracross can run 4 attacks with a Toxic Orb or a Life Orb. Finally, Heracross can use Bulk Up with a defensive EV spread, but getting Bulk Up boosts is harder than getting Swords Dance boosts; Heracross can also use Bulk Up + RestTalk using Megahorn as its only attack, but due to the many Fighting-types and generally mediocre coverage, it won't get you very far.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Although Heracross's hard counters are hard to come by, there are a few, along with quite a few checks. Heracross's best counter is Gligar; this ever-present thorn in Heracross's side can take anything that Heracross can dish out and nullify the damage with Roost, slowly wearing Heracross down. While Gligar gives Heracross trouble, it is also hard walled by Dusclops and Cofagrigus, whose Will-O-Wisp can cripple Heracross that use Moxie. Flying-types such as Zapdos, Crobat, and Yanmega can take Heracross's STAB attacks but get hit hard by Stone Edge. Nidoking and Nidoqueen resist all of Heracross's common moves except for Earthquake and can just retaliate with a Sheer Force boosted Fire Blast. Qwilfish is another check to Heracross, resisting its STAB moves coupled with Intimidate to further weaken Heracross's attacks. Arcanine also has Intimidate to soften Heracross's blows, so physically defensive variants can check Heracross and hit back with a STAB Flare Blitz, but it must be wary of Stone Edge. Weezing can take anything that Heracross could care to dish out bar a +2 Facade with Guts activated and has Fire Blast to hurt Heracross with. With the Choice sets, prediction is the best counter. When all other options are gone, Heracross can be revenge killed by fast Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Darmanitan.</p>


Talk to someone more experienced in GPing about the &mdash; since I'm not 100% sure I did it right. Otherwise,

[GP]2/2[/GP]
 

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