Braviary [GP 2/2]

Django · Aug 22, 2012

Braviary

[Overview]

An incredibly dangerous Pokemon in NU, Braviary is famous for being among the few Pokemon in the tier that have no hard counters. This impressive feat is achieved through a combination of a gigantic 123 base Attack, as well as a decent Speed stat that allows it to outspeed all relevant defensive Pokemon. While most of the work Braviary needs to do can be done through its powerful STAB moves, it does have an ace up its sleeve: Superpower. This differentiates Braviary from its Flying- and Normal-type cousins by giving it a very easy way to break through Rock- or Steel-types, meaning Braviary can function with much less team support than some of the other birds. It also comes with a surprising amount of bulk, especially when compared to other Pokemon with the same typing. This combination of speed, power, and bulk allows Braviary to act as either a revenge killer or a wallbreaker, depending on the user's requirements. Braviary's weakness to the seemingly omnipresent Stealth Rock does clip it's wings somewhat, but access to Roost allows it to circumvent the issue to a degree. It only wishes it had an ability more consistently useful than Defiant...

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

When equipped with a Choice Band, Braviary hits like a train and, between its incredibly powerful STAB moves and Superpower, close to nothing is safe switching in. Brave Bird is Braviary's primary weapon and will maim anything that does not resist it, as well as some Pokemon that do. The amount of recoil damage can rack up very quickly though, so it should be used with caution. Return is a slightly less powerful but very useful alternative STAB move to Brave Bird, as it does not harm Braviary with recoil damage. It is very useful for certain moments when Braviary absolutely cannot take recoil damage, but it should be noted that it is easier for the opponent to take advantage of Return, primarily due to its inability to hit Ghost-types. Superpower is Braviary's not so secret weapon, and it means that even the likes of Regirock cannot safely switch in to this monster. U-turn rounds out the set and is a fantastic move for scouting what the opponent will switch into Braviary, as well as building up residual damage. This works fantastically well with entry hazards—particularly Spikes—as many of Braviary's checks are weak to them. Braviary is weak to Stealth Rock however, so U-turn's effectiveness can be severely limited if it is on the field.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is designed to outspeed all base 70 Speed Pokemon and still take advantage of Braviary's good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will not outspeed with this spread are maximum Speed Gardevoir and Jolly Absol. An Adamant nature can also be used with 252 Speed, primarily for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola, as well as to generally hit much harder. However, it should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo. Alternatively, 252 Speed EVs with Jolly can also be used to speed tie with Timid Gardevoir. If an alternative EV spread is chosen, be sure not to put the spare 4 EVs in HP, as putting them somewhere else will enable you to potentially switch into Stealth Rock four times. Braviary has very few other options for its moveset, and should almost always go with the moves listed

While this set is already incredibly dangerous, entry hazard support can take it to a completely different level. Garbodor and Cacturne can both provide Spikes support, while using Drain Punch and Seed Bomb respectively to deal with any Rock- or Steel-types attempting to trouble Braviary. Stealth Rock from the likes of Golem or Regirock will also always be appreciated, and Braviary can take advantage of Ground-type moves aimed at them. Being weak to Stealth Rock itself, Braviary will of course appreciate Rapid Spin support. Unfortunately, there are very few decent Rapid Spin users in NU, and those that are usable share poor defensive synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still decent spinners and can remove Stealth Rock from the field, but share a Rock-type weakness with Braviary which can lead to difficulty with teambuilding. Usually it is better to pair Braviary with Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off the field in the first place by threatening common users of the move. Both Marowak and Torterra spring to mind for this role; Marowak in particular can break every Sturdy Stealth Rock user with Bonemerang. This set punches massive holes in opposing teams, so a Pokemon that can take advantage of those holes makes for a fantastic teammate. Swellow is one of the most potent late game sweepers when its counters have been removed and can form an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. Absol and Cinccino are also in the same boat as Swellow, as they really appreciate the wallbreaking power of Braviary. Braviary with a Choice Band lacks solid counters so most of the time it is better to play around it. Wearing it down with Stealth Rock and recoil damage, then following up with priority moves from the likes of Absol or Zangoose is very effective, as is revenge killing it with Pokemon such as Rotom-S

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Braviary possesses a fairly average Speed stat, and, because of that, it is odd to think of the eagle as an effective Choice Scarf user. However, boosting Speed is relatively uncommon in NU (outside of Choice Scarf) and thus Scarf Braviary can find an effective niche. Fast threats such as Cinccino and Zangoose are abundant, and with a Choice Scarf Braviary can outspeed and OHKO them. Brave Bird is the STAB move of choice and still hits really hard even without a boosting item. Return is an essential reliable STAB move, which is often the best choice for sweeping late game, as it has no drawbacks. Superpower is still a great move on Braviary, as it allows you to revenge kill Rock Polish Relicanth whilst also hitting Regirock and other Normal- or Flying-type resists as they switch in. U-turn completes the set by giving Braviary an excellent way to maintain momentum and rack up damage on its checks.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Speed and Attack EVs are both necessary for Choice Scarf Braviary to get its job done. The Jolly nature ensures that Braviary will outspeed Modest Exeggutor in the sun, as well as +2 Combusken, +1 Butterfree, and standard Electrode. If these threats are not particularly relevant or threatening to your team, then by all means run Adamant for the extra power. There really are no other options for Braviary, as all the other moves it can use are outclassed.

Choice Scarf Braviary lacks the wallbreaking power of Choice Band, and as such its life can be made much easier by entry hazards. Both Cacturne and Garbodor are excellent users of Spikes, while Golem and Regirock make good teammates to use Stealth Rock. Revenge killers need to switch in and out often and Braviary can struggle to do because of its weakness to Stealth Rock. It appreciates the absence of Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal or Armaldo can make good teammates, or better yet Pokemon that can prevent Stealth Rock going up such as Marowak. Braviary also takes on the role of late game sweeper when it uses Choice Scarf, so teammates that can soften up the opposing team are very useful. Choice Band Emboar and Choice Specs Exeggutor are amongst the best wallbreakers in the tier and can easily force their way through another team. Countering Braviary itself is also much more doable when it holds Choice Scarf. Regirock is a fantastic response as it will not be broken even by Superpower, while Alomomola also easily beats Braviary.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

The new move tutors finally gave Braviary Roost, meaning it can rest its tired wings and develop a whole new dimension to the way it functions. Previously, almost all Braviary would use Choice items, but Roost gives it the flexibility to use Life Orb, which arguably makes it harder to switch into now that it can change moves. Brave Bird is still the main move Braviary will be using and can actually be used less cautiously since you can simply switch moves if the opponent brings in a Rock- or Steel-type. Return is the slightly safer, slightly weaker option, but the lack of recoil can really come in handy, considering Braviary would otherwise be taking Brave Bird and Life Orb recoil at the same time. Superpower absolutely destroys Rock- and Steel-types, and the need to predict against them drops significantly since Braviary outspeeds them. Roost is what differentiates this set from the others and allows Braviary to brush off its weakness to Stealth Rock, as well as recovering damage from Life Orb and Brave Bird recoil. Braviary forces a large number of switches anyway, so finding an opportunity to use Roost is not difficult.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is used to ensure Braviary will always outspeed base 70 Speed Pokemon while still maintaining some of its good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will miss out on outspeeding by not running maximum Speed are maximum Speed Gardevoir and the rare Jolly Absol. If your team is concerned about a fast Gardevoir then maximum Speed is still usable, while if you find Braviary to somehow be lacking in power, then an Adamant nature with 252 Speed EVs can be used. It should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Ludicolo and Samurott with their respective Speed boosting natures. Life Orb Braviary hits nearly as hard as Choice Band, but the recoil damage can really add up quickly. Leftovers can be used instead for extra survivability, but the power output is really lacking. U-Turn is a good alternative to either STAB move on this set but it gets nowhere near as much utility as it does on a Choice set, since Braviary will rarely need to switch out. Substitute can also be used over Return, which will actually let Braviary stall Pokemon such as Regirock out of Stone Edges, but missing out on a reliable STAB can hurt.

Life Orb Braviary forces switches to no end, and, as such, it absolutely loves entry hazard support. Cacturne and Garbador again make great teammates by setting up Spikes and checking some of Braviary's checks with Seed Bomb and Drain Punch. Stealth Rock should be on almost every team, and Braviary pairs well with common users such as Regirock and Golem, being able to switch in on Ground-type moves aimed at them. Life Orb Braviary is a wallbreaker, and as such it pairs well with late game sweepers that are effective once Rock- and Steel-types have been removed. Swellow in particular springs to mind and forms an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. As for specific counters, the ability to change moves really limits any potential switch-ins to Braviary. Generally you are going to have to play around Braviary, wear it down through recoil, then either revenge killing it or taking it down with priority. There are some exceptions, though. For example, Alomomola will never be 2HKOed by Adamant Life Orb Brave Bird and can easily heal itself with Wish, Protect, and Regenerator.

[Other Options]

Braviary has a very shallow movepool, and, in almost every case, the moves listed above will be the best options to go with. It can use a combination of Sheer Force and Rock Slide, but Defiant is a much better ability for Braviary since it prevents both Luxray and Tauros from using Intimidate to check it. Retaliate could be effective on the Choice Scarf set, but Return has far more utility and is more consistent. That really is the extent of Braviary's viable options, so just stick to the sets listed.

[Checks and Counters]

Actual counters to Braviary are very hard to come by, particularly for the Choice Band and Life Orb sets. Rock- or Steel-types such as Regirock, Probopass, Lairon, or Bastiodon can easily switch in on Brave Bird, but have difficulty taking a Superpower. Pairing one of these with a solid way to take Fighting-type attacks, such as Musharna or Misdreavus, and then predicting around Braviary can be effective. Bulk Up Braviary also turns many of these usual checks into set up fodder, but Roar Lairon and Power Gem Probopass can deal with it. Bulky Electric-types such as Stunfisk also take on versions carrying only Brave Bird with ease. Stealth Rock is an incredibly common move, and getting it up means that any Braviary set without Roost can only come in a maximum of four times, limiting the amount it can damage a team. Additionally, wearing it down with Brave Bird and maybe even Life Orb recoil is a very effective way to deal with it. Priority users can come in handy for finishing off a weakened Braviary, particularly Mach Punch Gurdurr, Quick Attack Zangoose, and Sucker Punch Absol. Alomomola is among the best checks to Braviary, as it can take any attack bar Adamant Choice Band Brave Bird. If it does happen to run into this, then it can simply switch out to an appropriate resist and heal itself with Regenerator.

Note to GP people: Bulk Up Braviary will be added to this once its onsite, so thats why I talk about Bulk Up in Checks and Counters.

[Overview]

Its an eagle.
Famed for having close to 0 hard counters in NU.
Gigantic Attack stat and an ok Speed stat
Combined with excellent dual STAB = death
Differentiates from Swellow / Dodrio wth Superpower
Also surprisingly bulky compared to its Flying-type cousins.
Can function as both a revenge killer and wallbreaker
Stealth Rock weakness sucks, can handle it with Roost though.
All it needs now is an ability which is actually useful...

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Hits like an absolute train. Between incredibly powerful STABs and Superpower nothing is safe switching in.
Brave Bird is Braviarys primary weapon, and will maim anything that does not resist it, and even some of those that do. The recoil can add up quickly though, so be careful when using it.
Return is another great STAB move, and very useful for those moments when you absolutely cannot take recoil damage. Easier to spam than Brave Bird, but is less powerful and easier to take advantage of with immunities.
Superpower is Braviarys not so secret weapon, meaning even the likes of Regirock are not safe switching in.
U-Turn is a fantastic move for a choice Pokemon, being able to build up residual damage on its counters and wear them down. Particularly effective with entry hazards.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe with Jolly is usable to outspeed all base 70 and below Pokemon, while retaining some extra bulk. The only notable benchmarks missing between this and maximum Speed is Gardevoir and Jolly Absol.
Adamant can be used with 252 Speed however, for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola, and generally smash face. Should be noted that Adamant is outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo.
252 Speed Jolly also usable to speed tie with Gardevoir
Not putting 4 EVs into HP means you can switch into Stealth Rock 4 times.
Choice Band just makes Braviary nigh on impossible to switch into.
Entry hazard support makes this even more menacing. Cacturne or Garbador can provide Spikes support, while both can use Seed Bomb or Drain Punch to do decent damage to Rock or Steel types attempting to trouble Braviary.
Stealth Rock from Golem or Regirock will always be appreciated, and Braviary can switch in on Ground-type attacks aimed at them.
Rapid Spin support can always be helpful, but unfortunately the common Rapid Spin users share poor synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still somewhat useful at removing Stealth Rock from the field.
Perhaps a better option is to pair Braviary with a Pokemon that stops Stealth Rock going up in the first place, like Marowak or Torterra.
This set punches huge holes in teams, so something to take advantage of that is useful. Swellow can sweep late game and form an effective double bird strategy.
Absol and Cinccino love to be on the same team as this, as Braviary can easily break through walls for them.
Actually countering this set is incredibly difficult. Most of the time it is better to play around it, wear it down with SR and recoil damage, then KO it with priority from Gurdurr or Absol, or revenge kill with something like Rotom-S

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Despite its average Speed stat, Braviary can still act as a great revenge killer in NU. Faster threats like Swellow and Cincicno are very popular, and Braviary can easily revenge them
Brave Bird is the primary STAB, still hits hard even without a boosting item.
Return is an essential reliable STAB without drawbacks, which is often the best choice for sweeping a team late game.
Superpower is still useful, despite not possesing the same wallbreaking power. It allows you to revenge kill Rock Polish Relicanth, as well as hit Regirock and other Flying or Normal resists as they come in.
U-Turn is fantastic for maintaining momentum.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Speed and Attack because yeah, thats what you want.
Jolly is needed to outspeed Modest Exeggutor in Sun, as well as +2 Combusken, +1 Butterfree and the standard Electrode. If these threats are not relevant to your team, then by all means run Adamant for the extra power.
Other options are non existant
Entry hazard support makes this even more menacing. Cacturne or Garbador can provide Spikes support, while both can use Seed Bomb or Drain Punch to do decent damage to Rock or Steel types attempting to trouble Braviary.
Stealth Rock from Golem or Regirock will always be appreciated, and Braviary can switch in on Ground-type attacks aimed at them.
Rapid Spin support can always be helpful, but unfortunately the common Rapid Spin users share poor synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still somewhat useful at removing Stealth Rock from the field.
Perhaps a better option is to pair Braviary with a Pokemon that stops Stealth Rock going up in the first place, like Marowak or Torterra.
This set is a late game cleaner / revenge killer, so something to soften up the opposing team is good. Pokemon like Specs Exeggutor and Choice Band Emboar come to mind.
Raichu and Sawsbuck can struggle with faster threats like Cinccino, so this can make a great partner.
Countering this set is much easier, since it does not hit anywhere near as hard. Regirock is a fantastic response, because Choice Scarf Superpower will not break thorugh it and is very easy to take advantage of.
Alomomola also beats it.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Braviary can finally rest its tired wings and use Roost, adding another dimension to how it is used.
This forces loads of switches, and is even harder to switch in than a Choice Band set, since it can easily hit Rock or Steel types after they switch in.
Brave Bird still hits hard as hell, even easier to spam now that you can change moves.
Return is the safer, slightly less powerful option, useful for when Life Orb + Brave Bird recoil is adding up.
Superpower destroys Rock and Steel types, and Braviary will be outspeeding them so the need to predict drops significantly.
Roost is a great move for Braviary, allowing it to brush off that Stealth Rock weakness, as well as recover damage from Brave Bird and Life Orb. This set forces a load of switches, so finding opportunities to use it is not hard

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe with Jolly is usable to outspeed all base 70 and below Pokemon, while retaining some extra bulk. The only notable benchmarks missing between this and maximum Speed is Gardevoir and Jolly Absol.
Adamant can be used with 252 Speed however, for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola, and generally smash face. Should be noted that Adamant is outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo.
252 Speed Jolly also usable to speed tie with Gardevoir
Life Orb hits almost as hard as Choice Band, but the recoil can spell a quick end for Braviary. Leftovers maintains survivability, but is much weaker.
Using U-Turn over Return or Brave Bird is possible, but is no where near as effective as on a Choice set.
Substitute is another option instead of Return, and can actually let you stall Pokemon like Regirock out of Stone Edges. Missing out on having that flawless STAB move can hurt though.
This set in particular absolutely loves entry hazard support. Cacturne and Garbador use Spikes, and can hit Rock / Steel types with Seed Bomb and Drain Punch.
Stealth Rock from Golem and Regirock is always nice, and they can lure Ground moves for Braviary to switch in on.
This set punches huge holes in teams, so something to take advantage of that is useful. Swellow can sweep late game and form an effective double bird strategy.
Specific counters are hard to come by, generally you are going to have to predict around this. Wearing it down with Stealth Rock and recoil is still a good plan, followed by revenge killing / priority.

[Other Options]

Sheer Force Rock Slide exists, but Defiant is better since it stops Defensive Luxray beating Braviary, as well as removing Intimidate Tauros as a check.
Retaliate could be useful for extra powerful revenge killing.
Not too many options, thats about it.

[Checks and Counters]

Counters are very hard to come by, expecially for the Choice Band and Life Ord set.
Regirock, Probopass, Lairon, Bastidon and other Rock / Steel types can switch in on Brave Bird, but really struggle to take Superpower. Pairing one of these with Misdreavus or Musharna and then predicting around Braivary can be effective.
Power Gem Probopass and Roar Lairon beat Bulk Up Braviary
Stealth Rock really clips Braviarys wings, and limits the amount of times it can come in to terrorise you.
Wearing it down with Brave Bird recoil is also a viable strategy
Priority can be great for beating it, particularly Mach Punch Gurdurr, Quick Attack Zangoose and Sucker Punch Absol.
Electric types can switch into Brave Bird and most can revenge kill. Rotom-S, Zebstrika, Electabuzz etc.
Alomomola with Regenerator can switch in on any attack, and if it happens to be Adamant Choice Band Brave Bird it can then switch out to the appropriate resist.
In a pinch Drifblim can take a Brave Bird, while taking nothing from any of Braviarys other attacks.

erisia · Aug 22, 2012

Say whaaaaaaaaaat.

Just call the Life Orb set "Life Orb" for now. I'm not sure about the Leftovers slash, as Braviary loves its power and you already have Roost for recovery. Braviary forces a ton of switches, so it has plenty of opportunities to use the move.

Also mention in OO that Defiant is the primary ability because it eliminates Defensive Luxray as a counter, and it prevents Choice Tauros from switching in and tanking a weakened hit. While these are niche uses, Sheer Force Rock Slide is seriously redundant, so it's worth using Defiant regardless.

Mention that Drifblim does fairly well at beating it, it takes nothing from Return and Superpower, almost nothing from U-Turn, and can take a Brave Bird in a pinch (Drifblim's high HP stat will also cause massive recoil damage to Braviary)

Django · Aug 22, 2012

OK yep agreeing with all of that. Removed Leftovers slash and put it in AC, also added Substitute mention in AC. I don't personally think its slash worthy but people may disagree.

Raseri · Aug 22, 2012

I think the order of the sets should be Choice Band > Choice Scarf > Life Orb. I've been using the Scarf set a lot recently and have been loving it, it is still quite powerful and is capable of revenge killing and cleaning up most teams. I also think the EV spread you have in AC is better, since Braviary does appreciate the extra bulk.

CrashinBoomBang · Aug 22, 2012

I agree with Raseri, Choice Scarf Braviary is a fantastic Pokemon currently, being able to revenge kill a lot of common threats such as Zangoose, Cinccino and Swellow pretty easily. I'd move it up as well.

shnen · Aug 22, 2012

I haven't used scarf before so I can't really weigh in on that but I agree with Raseri on the EVs
although mention the current spread in AC with both natures
also slash return with sub on Life Orb set or at least mention in AC

Django · Aug 22, 2012

OK I've moved up Choice Scarf, and updated the EV spreads. Should be ready for checks now

Raseri · Aug 22, 2012

I think a few more partners on all the sets would be good to have. Since you list aa lot of stuff that helps Braviary, but not stuff that Braviary helps.
Since CB Braviary does a great job at weakening physical walls like Amoonguss and Alomomola I think Absol would be a good teammate, since it struggles to break those threats on its own.
Cinccino also loves how CB Braviary breaks physical walls, making it easier to clean up.
The Choice Scarf set really helps Pokemon that struggle with fast threats such as Cinccino and Swellow, so I think frail Electric-types such as Raichu. And Swords Dance Sawsbuck would be good partners for the Choice Scarf set.
The LO set I'm not as sure about since I've never played with it, so I'll let other people talk about that.

otherwise this looks good to me. [qc]1/3[/qc]

shnen · Aug 22, 2012

[qc]2/3[/qc]

MMF · Aug 22, 2012

Strong mon Strong user

QC Approved 3/3

alexwolf · Aug 22, 2012

I don't have a lot of experience in NU, but Specially Defensive Braviary seems good in theory... Here is the set i am talking about:

Braviary @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Nature: Careful
Ability: Defiant
- Bulk Up
- Roost
- Return / Brave Bird
- Substitute

This Braviary can set-up against a lot of pokes, such as Amoonguss, CB Golurk, Alomomola, Garbodor, Miltank, Power Gem-less Probobass, Exeggutor and many many more (all the pokes i mentioned are only from the top 20). It also can lure and defeat many common checks/counters to choiced Braviary, such as Alomomola, Regirock, Golem, Eelektross, Probobass and Carracosta. Here are some calcs:

252 Atk Adamant Regirock using SE against +2 Braviary: 46.53 - 55.44%, you can easily pp stall SE with SubRoost while also avoiding the occasional T-Wave.

0 SpA Bold Amoonguss using HP Ice against Braviary: 19.3 - 22.77%, which means that you get a free Sub against it

252 Atk Jolly LO Skill Link Cinccino using RB against +1 Braviary: 59.9 - 70.79%
... with CB: 68.81 - 81.18% , which means that it can't revenge kill you from full health, while you ohko back with a +1 Return (with BB too but you die with it) unconditionally.

252 SpA Timid Gardevoir using Psychic against Braviary: 30.69 - 36.38%
... with Tbolt: 43.56 - 51.48%, so even if Gardevoir has Tbolt, it cannot revenge kill you at all, as it fails to 2hko, and gets ohkoed by a +1 Return / BB.

252 Spa Timid Choice Specs Gardevoir using Psychic against Braviary: 46.03 - 54.2%, you lose only 50% of your life while ohkoing back at +1.

0 Atk Impish Garbodor using Gunk Shot against +1 Braviary: 25.99 - 30.69%, still breaks the sub, but it doesn't matter, as Braviary can simply stall out Gunk Shot, and then set-up, or simply set-up straight ahead if Garbodor lacks Clear Smog and has Rock Blast

252 Atk Adamant Braviary using Brave Bird against +1 Braviary: 43.31 - 51.23%, never a 2hko, so you can easily set-up on it, while it kills itself

252 SpA Modest Eelektross using Tbolt against Braviary: 62.87 - 74.75%, which means that you can take a hit and 2hko back at +1 with Return

0 Atk Careful Eelektross using Wild Charge against +1 Braviary: 46.03 - 54.95%, while you 2hko back at +1 with Return, even if he uses Coil after the first Return

0 SpA Calm Probopass using Volt Switch against Braviary: 17.32 - 20.79%, so you completely wall him, and set-up on him

252 SpA Timid Rotom-F using Blizzard against Braviary: 72.77 - 86.13%, never a ohko from full health, or after using Sub and 2 turns of Lefties (Rotom-F comes in as you use Sub, you then use Bulk Up while it breaks the Sub, and then you hit with Return while tanking the hit), while Rotom-F always dies from a +1 Return after SR (77% min).

252 Atk Adamant Golem using Rock Blast (3 hits) against +2 Braviary: 37.62 - 44.55%, so set-up on that bitch already

252 Atk Adamant Carracosta using Stone Edge against +2 Braviary: 49.5 - 58.41%, pp stall him and go to town

Anyway i think that those calcs are enough. BU Braviary beats every single Rock type that could check the choiced sets easily, as well as surviving a hit from every single scarf user in NU, and ohkoing back most of the times. So after all Ghost types are elimnated, this set can easily sweep or kill 1-2 pokes on the opposing team, while being able to come in multiple times during the match, thanks to Roost and good bulk. Return is the preffered move, as with it you can ohko Rotom-F and 2hko Eelektross at +1, as well as ohko most faster pokes without killing yourslef (Braviary can't afford to both take a hit and take the recoil from killing a poke), but Brave Bird is an ok option too if you don't have something to handle Ghosts. Obviously Pursuit users are the best partners for this set.

jake · Aug 23, 2012

Alright, I went through and used the set that alexwolf talked about (though I used a bit of a different spread) because it already fit almost perfectly on a team I was already using. Thus far, it's been pretty damn amazing at what it's meant to do, which is setting up all over bulky teams. I already PP stalled out a Stone Edge Golem and broke several teams down to just Regirock / Alomomola / Amoonguss and beat them all down with that Bulk Up set. Note that standard Regirock takes like 46-53% from +6 Brave Bird (which I think should be the main option on that set; getting hard-walled by Ghost-types really really sucks, especially given how well it sets up on Golurk / Misdreavus). I even set up on a 252/252+ Musharna and proceeded to stall it until it dropped my SpD with a Psychic, activating Defiant and getting me to +6 Attack and I OHKOed it, then tanked a CB Slaking Retaliate and Roosted off the damage. The slow pace of the set is a huge difference from the Choice sets, but even with just a little bit of experimentation, it's a really fucking cool idea for a set and has been rather extraordinary versus the bulkier teams.

As far as I think the set should look:

name: Bulk Up
move 1: Brave Bird / Return
move 2: Bulk Up
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Defiant
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 196 SpD / 64 Spe

- Brave Bird has much better neutral coverage and no immunities and it's the stronger move, but Return allows you to 2HKO Electrics and has no recoil which is nice occasionally
- Speed is enough to outrun Adamant Torterra; not sure if it should be bumped up another point to outrun Misdreavus to prevent it from burning you, but idk how much that would be speed creep (i'm thinking it's a good idea though)
- amoong / alom / tang / etc will still never break your subs
- 248 hp for less rocks damage, 252 allows you to make 101 subs tho if you want that
- rest is self-explanatory

I gave MMF and Raseri my team to test it

<MMF> ZEB GODDAMN
<MMF> that braviary
<MMF> is
<MMF> A++++++
<zeb> ikr
<MMF> just did set up on amoong hp ice
<MMF> which im not sure why he was using that but anyways
<MMF> then proceeded to smash rotom after sr
<zeb> how much did it do to rotom
<MMF> 75%
<MMF> at +3 i think

Brave Bird at +3 vs Rotom-S: 181-213 (75.1 - 88.38%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

MMF · Aug 23, 2012

I'm going to echo what Zeb already said when I say that this Braviary set is worthy of being onsite. I've been using it and its managed to sweep in quite a few games. It sets up in the face of pretty much every bulky team and smashes the Regen core hard. Its a lot bulkier than I thought and is pretty strong even after 1 BU. I can definitely vouch for this set

Django · Aug 23, 2012

OK that set does look excellent, but unfortunately I've never used it. I can add it in here and write it up if you want (after playing with it of course), but its going to delay the update a bit. What I think we could be better is if someone puts that through as an individual set, so we can get this update on site as quickly as possible, and then add the other set later.

alexwolf · Aug 23, 2012

You are right about the Speed evs, outspeeding Adamant Torterra is important. But i don't agree at all with Brave Bird being the main move in the set.

Yes Return has one immunity and that sucks, but aside from Golurk, ghosts are not so common anyway, and they can easily be hanled with the best Pursuit trapper in NU, aka Skuntank. Not counting Ghost types, Normal has actually better neutral coverage than Flying, as Normal is resisted by Steel and Rock, while Flying by Steel, Flying, and Electric. Don't even get me started on the recoil... If you ohko something with Brave Bird then you will most likely be in ohko range from a faster poke, which sucks, when you can simply ohko their scarfer too, and the steamroll their team, all in the cost of using a Pursuit trapper in your team (or a lure for Golurk, such as Toxic Regirock). Also, and correct me if i am wrong, Rotom-F and Eelektross would beat you without Return, as they will switch in as you use Bulk Up / Sub, and then 2hko you while you can't ohko / 2hko, so you lose to them, while with Return you ohko Rotom-S at +1, and 2hko any Eelektross. All in all, i believe that Return is the best option by far, but you guys know best, so after reading this do what you think is better.

EDIT: Also go for 252 HP evs. This lets you set-up on S-Toss Miltank, and it doesn't really matter that you die from 4 SR switch-ins, as you have lefties and Roost.

jake · Aug 23, 2012

alexwolf said:
You are right about the Speed evs, outspeeding Adamant Torterra is important. But i don't agree at all with Brave Bird being the main move in the set.

Yes Return has one immunity and that sucks, but aside from Golurk, ghosts are not so common anyway, and they can easily be hanled with the best Pursuit trapper in NU, aka Skuntank. Not counting Ghost types, Normal has actually better neutral coverage than Flying, as Normal is resisted by Steel and Rock, while Flying by Steel, Flying, and Electric. Don't even get me started on the recoil... If you ohko something with Brave Bird then you will most likely be in ohko range from a faster poke, which sucks, when you can simply ohko their scarfer too, and the steamroll their team, all in the cost of using a Pursuit trapper in your team (or a lure for Golurk, such as Toxic Regirock). Also, and correct me if i am wrong, Rotom-F and Eelektross would beat you without Return, as they will switch in as you use Bulk Up / Sub, and then 2hko you while you can't ohko / 2hko, so you lose to them, while with Return you ohko Rotom-S at +1, and 2hko any Eelektross. All in all, i believe that Return is the best option by far, but you guys know best, so after reading this do what you think is better.

EDIT: Also go for 252 HP evs. This lets you set-up on S-Toss Miltank, and it doesn't really matter that you die from 4 SR switch-ins, as you have lefties and Roost.

I'd think that, as a bulky booster, you should avoid immunities at all costs. Yeah, you can power through resists when you're +6 / +6 (like how Electric resists Flying), but a mono-attacking Return Braviary will always lose to any Ghost-type which is more than you make it out to seem. It's also not as easy to trap Golurk as you make it sound, as Skuntank absolutely cannot switch in and Golurk can tank a full Pursuit or Crunch and then get out or KO in return. Also, mono-Return Braviary actually loses to opposing Gurdurr who can just boost up alongside it and outdamage it with Ice Punch or recover back health on Roost turns with Drain Punch. Yes, both of them have their checks and counters and their flaws, but I'd rather list a mono-attacking set that doesn't have an immunity before one where any Ghost-type fully walls you. Whoever writes it should emphasize that both moves are perfectly usable and that the require different team support (to remove Electric-types and Ghost-types, respectively), but I think that this set should mention Brave Bird before Return on immunities alone.

alexwolf · Aug 23, 2012

I get what you are saying and i agree with you, but my issue with Brave Bird is that you can't deal with 2 Braviary checks that you could with Return, Rotom-S and Eelektross. And this is important because they can immediately threaten Braviary unlike most Ghosts, and will actually switch into him, unlike Ghost types. With Brave Bird you are helpless as they switch into you, while with Return you can ohko-2hko them respectively. So what if Misdreavous walls Braviary? Misdreavous can do nothing in return too, which makes it easy for you to bring your Skuntank in. Haunter can do nothing to Braviary, and is pure Pursuit bait for Skuntank, while against CB Golurk you can scout his move with Sub, and then act accordingly... He can't use his STABs because you are immune to them, and everything else can be easily switched into. In the meantime even without Pursuit support, Golurk will be weakened bit by bit from entry hazards, while Braviary won't, due to Roost, so in the long run you will win.

Also let's not forget that with Brave Bird Braviary will die after killing a faster poke. For example let's say you face a Rotom-S and you are at +3, so you are able to ohko it after SR... But you will die after eating a Tbolt and the recoil damage. Same against Cinccino, which can't ohko Braviary at +1, while Braviary can ohko with both Return and BB, but if it uses BB it will die after eating a Rock Blast. Same against CB Adamant Sawk, which cannot kill +1 Braviary, doing 72.77 - 86.13%. If you use BB, you die with him, but if you use Return you do 84.87 - 100.34%, which is a ohko after SR + Spikes or 2 SR switch ins. Same against Jolly Zangoose, which does 65.59 - 77.47% to a +1 Braviary with Guts boosted Facade, while you can ohko back with both moves, but if you do with Brave Bird you die from recoil. I think you get the point.

But if Ghost types and Gurdurr are considered to be more important that the pros that Return provides then Brave Bird can go first...

jake · Aug 23, 2012

alexwolf said:
words

both moves are viable but since it really is up to personal preference and teambuilding i don't think the order matters

but ok, return can go first

Django · Sep 17, 2012

This took me too long to get around to ;~; anyway its written now, ready for GP.

melvni · Sep 17, 2012

Amateur GP Check. Take what you want from it. This looks good for the most part.
Additions in Blue
Subtractions in Red
Comments in Purple

Braviary

[Overview]

Braviary is an An incredibly dangerous Pokemon in NU, and Braviary is famed famous for being among the few Pokemon in the tier that have zero hard counters (My changes to this sentence are probably a bit subjective, since there isn't anything grammatically wrong with what you said; it just flows better the other way in my opinion but feel free to ignore this if you disagree). This impressive feat is achieved through a combination of a gigantic 123 base Attack, as well as a decent Speed stat that allows it to outspeed all of the relevant defensive Pokemon. While most of the work Braviary needs to do can be done through its powerful dual STAB moves, it does have an ace up its sleeve: Superpower. This differentiates Braviary from its Flying- and Normal-type cousins by giving it a very easy way to break through Rock- or Steel-types, meaning Braviary can function with much less team support than some other birds. It also comes with a surprising amount of bulk, especially when compared to other Pokemon with the same typing. This combination of speed, power, and bulk allows Braviary to act as either a revenge killer or a wallbreaker (I'm pretty sure (not 100% though) that you're supposed to have the same structure for phrases connected by conjunctions like either...or), depending on the user's requirements needs (you use Braviary in a certain way because you need it to do something, not because you are requiring it to do something). Braviary's weakness to the seemingly ever present Stealth Rock does clip it's wings somewhat, but access to Roost allows it to circumvent the issue somewhat to a degree (avoids redundancy, you use somewhat twice in one sentence when it can be avoided). It only wishes it had an ability which was more consistently useful than Defiant...

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

While equipped with a Choice Band Braviary hits like a train, and, (comma; you want and to connect to 'close to nothing it safe...) between it's its incredibly powerful STAB moves and Superpower, close to nothing is safe switching in (you could change this to 'can safely switch in' if you want to use the active voice). Brave Bird is Braviary's primary weapon, and it will maim anything that does not resist it, as well as some Pokemon that do. The amount of recoil damage can rack up very quickly though, so it should be used with caution. Return is a slightly less powerful but very useful alternative STAB move to Brave Bird, as it does not harm Braviary with recoil damage. It is very useful for certain moments when Braviary absolutely cannot take recoil damage, but it should be noted that it is easier for the opponent to take advantage of Return, primarily due to the its inability to hit Ghost-types. Superpower is Braviary's not so secret weapon, and it means that even the likes of Regirock cannot safely switch in to this monster. U-Turn rounds out the set and is a fantastic move for scouting what the opponent will switch into Braviary, as well as building up residual damage. This works fantastically well with entry hazards, particularly Spikes as many of Braviary's checks are weak to them. Braviary is weak to Stealth Rock however, so U-Turn's effectiveness can be severely limited if Stealth Rock it/that hazard/another way to phrase it is on the field (avoids the redundancy of using Stealth Rock twice in the sentence; probably not an essential change however).

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is designed to outspeed all base 70 Speed Pokemon, even those with a positive nature, (implied by all anyway) and still take advantage of Braviary's good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon that (unneeded that) Braviary will not outspeed with this spread are maximum Speed Gardevoir and Jolly Absol. An Adamant nature can also be used with 252 Speed, primarily for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola as well as to generally hit much harder (you want parallel structure in linked clauses). However, it It should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo. Alternatively, 252 Speed EVs with Jolly can also be used to speedtie with maximum Speed Gardevoir. If an alternative EV spread is chosen, be sure not to not put the spare 4 EVs in HP, which as putting them somewhere else will ensure enable you can to potentially (it's not ensured since you still will only be able to switch in three times if you take any damage/use brave bird) switch into Stealth Rock four times. Braviary has very few other options for its moveset, and should almost always go with the moves listed

While this set is already incredibly dangerous, entry hazard support can take it to a completely different level. Cacturne and Garbador can both provide Spikes support, as well as while also (better conjunction here in my opinion) using Drain Punch and Seed Bomb to deal with any Rock- or Steel-types attempting to trouble Braviary. Stealth Rock (Lol Golem's not a ninja) from the likes of Golem or Regirock will also always be appreciated, and Braviary can take advantage of Ground-type moves aimed at them. Being weak to Stealth Rock itself, Braviary of course will appreciate Rapid Spin support. Unfortunately, there are very few decent Rapid Spin users in NU, and those that are usable share poor synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still decent spinners, (no comma) and can remove Stealth Rock from the field, but... (explain the reason for your poor synergy comment here). Usually it is better to pair Braviary with Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off the field in the first place by threatening common Stealth Rock users of the move. Both Marowak and Torterra spring to mind for this role; when thinking about this, Marowak in particular as it can break every Sturdy Stealth Rock user with Bonemerang. This set punches massive holes in opposing teams, as is to be expected, and so a Pokemon that can take advantage of those holes makes for a fantastic teammate. Swellow is one of the most potent late game sweepers when its counters have been removed, (remove comma) and can form an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. Absol and Cinccino are also in the same boat as Swellow, as they really appreciate the wallbreaking power of Braviary. Braviary with a Choice Band lacks solid counters, and so most of the time it is better to play around it. Wearing it down with Stealth Rock and recoil damage, followed then following up with priority moves from the likes of Absol or Zangoose is very effective, as is revenge killing it with Pokemon such as Rotom-S

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-Turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Braviary possesses a fairly average Speed stat, and, because of that, (add commas) it is odd to think of the eagle as an effective Choice Scarf user. However, boosting Speed is relatively uncommon in NU (outside of Choice Scarf) and thus Scarf Braviary can find an effective niche. Many faster Fast (saying 'many' and 'abundant' is redundant; I changed faster to fast, because these things are just fast in general, but you can probably leave that as is if you want) threats like Cinccino and Zangoose are abundant, and, with a Choice Scarf, (commas) Braviary can outspeed and OHKO them. Brave Bird is the STAB move of choice, (remove comma) and still hits really hard even without a boosting item. Return is an essential reliable STAB move, which is often the best choice for sweeping with late game, (comma) as it has no drawbacks. Superpower is still a great move on Braviary, as it allows you to revenge kill Rock Polish Relicanth while simultaneously hitting Regirock and other Normal- or Flying-type resists as they switch in. U-Turn completes the set by giving Braviary an excellent way to maintain momentum and rack up damage on its checks.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Speed and Maximum Attack are both necessary for Choice Scarf Braviary to get its job of revenge killing done (I don't think you need the of since I'm thinking a sentence like 'Bob's job playing baseball is working out well for him' would be fine so this should be too). The Jolly nature ensures that Braviary will outspeed Modest Exeggutor in the sun, as well as +2 Combusken, +1 Butterfree and the standard Electrode. If these threats are not particularly relevant or threatening to your team, (comma) then by all means run Adamant for the extra power. There really are no other options for Braviary, it should stick to the above set. All as all the other moves it can use on this set are outclassed.

Choice Scarf Braviary lacks the wallbreaking power of Choice Band, and as such its likfe can be made much easier by entry hazards. Both Cacturne and Garbador are excellent users of Spikes, while Golem and Regirock make good teammates to use Stealth Rock. Due to the nature of a revenge killer, it needs to switch in and out often, which Braviary can struggle to do because of its weakness to Stealth Rock. It obviously appreciates not having Stealth Rock up, so Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal or Armaldo can make good teammates, or better yet Pokemon that can prevent Stealth Rock going up such as Marowak. Braviary also takes on the role of a revenge killer and (you already talked about it as a revenge killer (so this doesn't work with 'also'), and I believe that your point about softening up the other team refers more to the late game sweeper aspect of this set) late game sweeper when it uses Choice Scarf, so teammates that can soften up the opposing team are very useful. Choice Band Emboar and Choice Specs Exeggutor are amongst the best wallbreakers in the tier and can easily force their way through another team. Countering Braviary itself is also much more doable when it holds Choice Scarf. Regirock is a fantastic response as it will not be broken even by Superpower, while Alomomola also beats Braviary easily.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

The BW2 move tutors finally gave Braviary Roost, meaning it can rest its tired wings as well as adding and acquire/develop/include/tack on/another verb that means what you were trying to say a whole new dimension to it's used its usefulness/functionality/another word. Previously almost all Braviary would be choiced, but Roost gives it the flexibility to use Life Orb, which arguably makes it harder to switch into now that it can change moves. Brave Bird is still the main move Braviary will be using, and it's can actually be used less cautiously easier to use since you can simply switch moves if the opponent brings in a Rock- or Steel-type. Return is the slightly safer, slightly weaker option, but the lack of recoil can really come in handy when Braviary is taking Brave Bird and Life Orb recoil at the same time. Superpower absolutely destroys Rock- and Steel-types, and the need to predict against them drops significantly since Braviary outspeeds them. Roost is what differentiates this set, (don't use a comma between two verb phrases connected by and) and allows Braviary to brush off its weakness to Stealth Rock, as well as recovering damage from Life Orb and Brave Bird. Braviary forces a large number of switches, so finding an opportunity to use Roost is not difficult.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is used to ensure Braviary will always outspeed base 70 Speed Pokemon and anything slower than that (doesn't need to be stated, as it is simply implied by your comment about base 70 speed Pokemon), (as the while clause is at the end of the sentence, I believe you don't need a comma) while still maintaining some of its good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will miss out on outspeeding by not running maximum Speed are maximum Speed Gardevoir and the rare Jolly Absol. If your team is concerned about a fast Gardevoir then maximum Speed is still usable. If you find Braviary to somehow be lacking in power, then an Adamant nature with 252 Speed EVs can be used. It should be noted however, that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Ludicolo and Samurott with Speed boosting natures. Life Orb Braviary hits nearly as hard as Choice Band, but the recoil damage can really add up quickly. Leftovers can be used instead for extra survivability, but the power output is really lacking. U-Turn is a good alternative to either STAB move on this set, but it gets no where near as much utility as it does on a Choice set, (like the while clause earlier, this comma is unnecessary because the since clause is at the end of the sentence) since Braviary will rarely need to switch out. Substitute can also be used over Return, which will actually let Braviary stall Pokemon such as Regirock out of Stone Edges, but missing out on having a flawless fully dependable/reliable/safe STAB can hurt.

Life Orb Braviary forces switches to no end, and, as such, (commas) it absolutely loves entry hazard support. Cacturne and Garbador again make great teammates for setting up Spikes, as well as and checking some of Braviary's checks with Seed Bomb and Drain Punch. Stealth Rock should be on almost every team, and Braviary pairs well with common users such as Regirock and Golem, being able to switch in on Ground-type moves aimed at them. Life Orb Braviary is a wallbreaker, and, as such, (commas) it pairs well with late game sweepers that are effective once Rock- and Steel-types have been removed. Swellow in particular springs to mind and forms an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. As for specific counters, the ability to change moves really limits any potential switch-ins to Braviary. Generally you are going to have to play around Braviary, wearing it down through recoil, then either revenge killing it or taking it down with priority (might want to mention is does have some hard counters however (or at least one); the standard spread you have only does 45.13% max to standard 252/252+ Alomomola and 49.44% max with adamant (which won't 2HKO even with Stealth Rock due to Protect)).

[Other Options]

Braviary has a very shallow movepool, and, in almost every case, (commas) the moves listed above will be the best options to go with. Sheer Force Rock Slide does exist, but Defiant is a much better ability for Braviary since it prevents both Luxray and Tauros using Intimidate to check it Braviary (just to specify that, while there may be other mon's who would prefer Defiant to Sheer Force, this isn't always the case). Retaliate could be effective on the Choice Scarf set, but Return gets has far more utility and is more consistent. That really is the extent of Braviary's viable options, so just stick to the sets listed.

[Checks and Counters]

Actual counters to Braviary are very hard to come by, particularly for the Choice Band and Life Orb sets. Rock- or Steel-types such as Regirock, Probopass, Lairon, or Bastiodon can easily switch in on Brave Bird, but have difficulty taking a Superpower. Pairing one of these with a solid way to take Fighting-type attacks, (commas) such as Musharna or Misdreavus, and then predicting around Braviary can be effective. Bulk Up Braviary also turns many of these usual checks into set up fodder, but Roar Lairon and Power Gem Probopass can deal with it. Bulky Electric-types such as Stunfisk also take on versions carrying only Brave Bird with ease. Stealth Rock is an incredibly common move, and getting it down (do you get Stealth Rock down or up? I can never remember) means that any Braviary set without Roost can only come in a maximum of four times, limiting the amount it can damage a team. Additionally, wearing it down with Brave Bird and maybe even Life Orb recoil is a very effective way to deal with it. Priority can come in handy for finishing off a weakened Braviary, particularly Mach Punch Gurdurr, Quick Attack Zangoose, and Sucker Punch Absol. Alomomola is among the best checks to Braviary, as it can take any attack bar Adamant Choice Band Brave Bird. If it does happen to run into this, then it can simply switch out to an appropriate resist and heal itself with Regenerator.

Django · Sep 18, 2012

Implemented melvni's check, thanks for that.

aurora · Sep 20, 2012

Amateur check.

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Comments

[Overview]

An incredibly dangerous Pokemon in NU, Braviary is famous for being among the few Pokemon in the tier that have zero hard counters. This impressive feat is achieved through a combination of a gigantic 123 base Attack, as well as a decent Speed stat that allows it to outspeed all relevant defensive Pokemon. While most of the work Braviary needs to do can be done through its powerful dual STAB moves, it does have an ace up its sleeve: Superpower. This differentiates Braviary from its Flying- and Normal-type cousins by giving it a very easy way to break through Rock- or Steel-types, meaning Braviary can function with much less team support than some of the other birds. It also comes with a surprising amount of bulk, especially when compared to other Pokemon with the same typing. This combination of speed, power, and bulk allows Braviary to act as either a revenge killer or a wallbreaker, depending on the user's requirements. Braviary's weakness to the seemingly ever omnipresent Stealth Rock does clip it's wings somewhat, but access to Roost allows it to circumvent thise issue to a degree. It only wishes it had an ability more consistently useful than Defiant, though...

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-Tturn
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

While When equipped with a Choice Band Braviary hits like a train, and, between its incredibly powerful STAB moves and Superpower, close to nothing is safe switching in. Brave Bird is Braviary's primary weapon and will maim anything that does not resist it, as well as some Pokemon that do. The amount of recoil damage can rack up very quickly though, so it should be used with caution. Return is a slightly less powerful but very useful alternative STAB move to Brave Bird, as it does not harm Braviary with recoil damage. It is very useful for certain moments when Braviary absolutely cannot take recoil damage, but it should be noted that it is easier for the opponent to take advantage of Return, primarily due to its inability to hit Ghost-types. Superpower is Braviary's not so secret weapon, and it means that even the likes of Regirock cannot safely switch in to this monster. U-Tturn rounds out the set and is a fantastic move for scouting what the opponent will switch into Braviary, as well as building up residual damage. This works fantastically well with entry hazards, particularly Spikes as many of Braviary's checks are weak to them. Braviary is weak to Stealth Rock, however, so U-Tturn's effectiveness can be severely limited if it is on the field.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is designed to outspeed all base 70 Speed Pokemon and still take advantage of Braviary's good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will not outspeed with this spread are maximum Speed Gardevoir and Jolly Absol. An Adamant nature can also be used with 252 Speed, primarily for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola as well as to generally hit much harder. However, it should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo. Alternatively, 252 Speed EVs with Jolly can also be used to speed (add space) tie with maximum Speed Timid Gardevoir. If an alternative EV spread is chosen, be sure not to put the spare 4 EVs in HP, as putting them somewhere else will enable you to potentially switch into Stealth Rock four times. Braviary has very few other options for its moveset, and should almost always go with the moves listed

While this set is already incredibly dangerous, entry hazard support can take it to a completely different level. Cacturne and Garbador can both provide Spikes support, while also using Drain Punch and Seed Bomb to deal with any Rock- or Steel-types attempting to trouble Braviary. Stealth Rock from the likes of Golem or Regirock will also always be appreciated, and Braviary can take advantage of Ground-type moves aimed at them. Being weak to Stealth Rock itself, Braviary of course will appreciates Rapid Spin support. Unfortunately, there are very few decent Rapid Spin users in NU, and those that are usable share poor defensive synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still decent spinners and can remove Stealth Rock from the field, but share a Rock-type weakness with Braviary which can lead to difficulty with teambuilding. Usually it is better to pair Braviary with Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off the field in the first place by threatening common users of the move of it. Both Marowak and Torterra spring to mind for this role; Marowak in particular can break every Sturdy Stealth Rock user with Bonemerang. This set punches massive holes in opposing teams, as is to be expected, so a Pokemon that can take advantage of those holes makes for a fantastic teammate. Swellow is one of the most potent late-game sweepers when its counters have been removed and can form an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. Absol and Cinccino are also in the same boat as Swellow, as they really appreciate the wallbreaking power of Braviary. Braviary with a Choice Band lacks solid counters so most of the time it is better to play around it. Wearing it down with Stealth Rock and recoil damage then following up with priority moves from the likes of Absol or Zangoose is very effective, as is revenge killing it with Pokemon such as Rotom-S.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-Tturn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Braviary possesses a fairly average Speed stat, and, because of that, it is odd to think of the eagle as an effective Choice Scarf user. However, boosting Speed is relatively uncommon in NU (outside of Choice Scarf) and thus Scarf Braviary can find an effective niche. Fast threats like such as Cinccino and Zangoose are abundant, and with a Choice Scarf Braviary can outspeed and OHKO them. Brave Bird is the STAB move of choice and still hits really hard even without a boosting item. Return is an essential reliable STAB move, which is often the best choice for sweeping late-game, as it has no drawbacks. Superpower is still a great move on Braviary, as it allows you to revenge kill Rock Polish Relicanth whilest simultaneously also hitting Regirock and other Normal- or Flying-type resists as they switch in. U-Tturn completes the set by giving Braviary an excellent way to maintain momentum and rack up damage on its checks.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Speed and Maximum Attack are both necessary for Choice Scarf Braviary to get its job of revenge killing done. The Jolly nature ensures that Braviary will outspeed Modest Exeggutor in the sun, as well as +2 Combusken, +1 Butterfree, and standard Electrode. If these threats are not particularly relevant or threatening to your team, then by all means run Adamant for the extra power. There really are no other options for Braviary, as all the other moves it can use are outclassed.

Choice Scarf Braviary lacks the wallbreaking power of Choice Band, and as such its likfe can be made much easier by entry hazards. Both Cacturne and Garbador are excellent users of Spikes, while Golem and Regirock make good teammates to use for laying Stealth Rock. Due to the nature of a revenge killer, it As revenge killers needs to switch in and out often, which Braviary can struggle to do this because of its weakness to Stealth Rock. It Braviary obviously appreciates not having the absence of Stealth Rock up, so Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal or Armaldo can make good teammates, or better yet Pokemon that can prevent Stealth Rock going up such as Marowak. Braviary also takes on the role of late-game sweeper when it uses Choice Scarf, so teammates that can soften up the opposing team are very useful. Choice Band Emboar and Choice Specs Exeggutor are amongst the best wallbreakers in the tier and can easily force their way through another team. Countering Braviary itself is also much more doable when it holds Choice Scarf. Regirock is a fantastic response counter as it will not be broken even by Superpower, while Alomomola also easily beats Braviary easily.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

The BW2 new move tutors finally gave Braviary Roost, meaning it can rest its tired wings and develop a whole new dimension to the way it functions. Previously almost all Braviary would be choiced, but Roost gives it the flexibility to use Life Orb, which arguably makes it harder to switch into now that it can change moves. Brave Bird is still the main move Braviary will be using and can actually be used less cautiously since you can simply switch moves if the opponent brings in a Rock- or Steel-type. Return is the slightly safer, slightly weaker option, but the lack of recoil can really come in handy, when considering Braviary is would otherwise be taking Brave Bird and Life Orb recoil at the same time. Superpower absolutely destroys Rock- and Steel-types, and the need to predict against them drops significantly since Braviary outspeeds them. Roost is what differentiates this set from the others and allows Braviary to brush off its weakness to Stealth Rock, as well as recovering damage from Life Orb and Brave Bird recoil. Braviary forces a large number of switches anyway, so finding an opportunity to use Roost is not difficult.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is used to ensure Braviary will always outspeed base 70 Speed Pokemon while still maintaining some of its good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will miss out on outspeeding by not running maximum Speed are maximum Speed Gardevoir and the rare Jolly Absol. If your team is concerned about a fast Gardevoir then maximum Speed is still usable., while Iif you find Braviary to somehow be lacking in power, then an Adamant nature with 252 Speed EVs can be used. It should be noted however, that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Ludicolo and Samurott with Speed boosting natures, however. Life Orb Braviary hits nearly as hard as Choice Band, but the recoil damage can really add up quickly. Leftovers can be used instead for extra survivability, but the power output is really lacking. U-Tturn is a good alternative to either STAB move on this set but it gets nowhere (no space) near as much utility as it does on a Choice set, since Braviary will rarely need to switch out. Substitute can also be used over Return, which will actually let Braviary stall Pokemon such as Regirock out of Stone Edges, but missing out on having a reliable STAB can hurt.

Life Orb Braviary forces switches to no end, and, as such, it absolutely loves entry hazard support. Cacturne and Garbador again make great teammates for by setting up Spikes and checking some of Braviary's checks with Seed Bomb and Drain Punch. Stealth Rock should be on almost every team, and Braviary pairs well with common users such as Regirock and Golem, being able to switch in on Ground-type moves aimed at them. Life Orb Braviary is a wallbreaker, and as such it pairs well with late-game sweepers that are effective once Rock- and Steel-types have been removed. Swellow in particular springs to mind and forms an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. As for specific counters, the ability to change moves really limits any potential switch-ins to Braviary. Generally you are going to have to play around Braviary, wear it down through recoil, then either revenge killing it or takeing it down with priority. There are some exceptions, though., fFor example, Alomomola will never be 2HKOed by Adamant Life Orb Brave Bird and can easily heal itself with Wish, Protect, and Regenerator.

[Other Options]

Braviary has a very shallow movepool, and, in almost every case, the moves listed above will be the best options to go with. Braviary can use a combination of Sheer Force and Rock Slide does exist, but Defiant is a much better ability for Braviary since it prevents both Luxray and Tauros from using Intimidate to check it. Retaliate could be effective on the Choice Scarf set, but Return has far more utility and is more consistent. That really is the extent of Braviary's viable options, so just stick to the sets listed.

[Checks and Counters]

Actual counters to Braviary are very hard to come by, particularly for the Choice Band and Life Orb sets. Rock- or Steel-types such as Regirock, Probopass, Lairon, or and Bastiodon can easily switch in on Brave Bird, but have difficulty taking a Superpower. Pairing one of these with a solid way to take Fighting-type attacks, such as Musharna or Misdreavus, and then predicting around Braviary can be effective. Bulk Up Braviary also turns many of these usual checks into set up fodder, but Roar Lairon and Power Gem Probopass can deal with it. Bulky Electric-types such as Stunfisk also take on versions carrying only Brave Bird with ease. Stealth Rock is an incredibly common move, and getting it up means that any Braviary set without Roost can only come in a maximum of four times, limiting the amount it can damage a team. Additionally, wearing it down with Brave Bird and maybe even Life Orb recoil is a very effective way to deal with it. Priority users can come in handy for finishing off a weakened Braviary, particularly Mach Punch Gurdurr, Quick Attack Zangoose, and Sucker Punch Absol. Alomomola is among the best checks to Braviary, as it can take any attack bar Adamant Choice Band Brave Bird. If it does happen to run into this, then it can simply switch out to an appropriate resist and heal itself with Regenerator.

Django · Sep 20, 2012

Added most things from that check too, thanks Rory.

Some stamps would be cool :)

Nix_Hex · Oct 1, 2012

Ok.
[gp](1/2)[/gp]

RitterCat · Oct 4, 2012

[Overview]

An incredibly dangerous Pokemon in NU, Braviary is famous for being among the few Pokemon in the tier that have ~~zer~~no hard counters. This impressive feat is achieved through a combination of a gigantic 123 base Attack, as well as a decent Speed stat that allows it to outspeed all relevant defensive Pokemon. While most of the work Braviary needs to do can be done through its powerful ~~dual~~ STAB moves, it does have an ace up its sleeve: Superpower. This differentiates Braviary from its Flying- and Normal-type cousins by giving it a very easy way to break through Rock- or Steel-types, meaning Braviary can function with much less team support than some of the other birds. It also comes with a surprising amount of bulk, especially when compared to other Pokemon with the same typing. This combination of speed, power, and bulk allows Braviary to act as either a revenge killer or a wallbreaker, depending on the user's requirements. Braviary's weakness to the seemingly omnipresent Stealth Rock does clip it's wings somewhat, but access to Roost allows it to circumvent the issue to a degree. It only wishes it had an ability more consistently useful than Defiant...

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

When equipped with a Choice Band, Braviary hits like a train, and, between its incredibly powerful STAB moves and Superpower, close to nothing is safe switching in. Brave Bird is Braviary's primary weapon and will maim anything that does not resist it, as well as some Pokemon that do. The amount of recoil damage can rack up very quickly though, so it should be used with caution. Return is a slightly less powerful but very useful alternative STAB move to Brave Bird, as it does not harm Braviary with recoil damage. It is very useful for certain moments when Braviary absolutely cannot take recoil damage, but it should be noted that it is easier for the opponent to take advantage of Return, primarily due to its inability to hit Ghost-types. Superpower is Braviary's not so secret weapon, and it means that even the likes of Regirock cannot safely switch in to this monster. U-turn rounds out the set and is a fantastic move for scouting what the opponent will switch into Braviary, as well as building up residual damage. This works fantastically well with entry hazards, —particularly Spikes —as many of Braviary's checks are weak to them. Braviary is weak to Stealth Rock however, so U-turn's effectiveness can be severely limited if it is on the field.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is designed to outspeed all base 70 Speed Pokemon and still take advantage of Braviary's good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will not outspeed with this spread are maximum Speed Gardevoir and Jolly Absol. An Adamant nature can also be used with 252 Speed, primarily for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola, as well as to generally hit much harder. However, it should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo. Alternatively, 252 Speed EVs with Jolly can also be used to speed tie with Timid Gardevoir. If an alternative EV spread is chosen, be sure not to put the spare 4 EVs in HP, as putting them somewhere else will enable you to potentially switch into Stealth Rock four times. Braviary has very few other options for its moveset, and should almost always go with the moves listed

While this set is already incredibly dangerous, entry hazard support can take it to a completely different level. ~~Cacturne and Garbador~~Garbodor and Cacturne can both provide Spikes support, while ~~also~~ using Drain Punch and Seed Bomb respectively to deal with any Rock- or Steel-types attempting to trouble Braviary. Stealth Rock from the likes of Golem or Regirock will also always be appreciated, and Braviary can take advantage of Ground-type moves aimed at them. Being weak to Stealth Rock itself, Braviary will of course appreciate Rapid Spin support. Unfortunately, there are very few decent Rapid Spin users in NU, and those that are usable share poor defensive synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still decent spinners and can remove Stealth Rock from the field, but share a Rock-type weakness with Braviary which can lead to difficulty with teambuilding. Usually it is better to pair Braviary with Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off the field in the first place by threatening common users of the move. Both Marowak and Torterra spring to mind for this role; Marowak in particular can break every Sturdy Stealth Rock user with Bonemerang. This set punches massive holes in opposing teams, so a Pokemon that can take advantage of those holes makes for a fantastic teammate. Swellow is one of the most potent late game sweepers when its counters have been removed and can form an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. Absol and Cinccino are also in the same boat as Swellow, as they really appreciate the wallbreaking power of Braviary. Braviary with a Choice Band lacks solid counters so most of the time it is better to play around it. Wearing it down with Stealth Rock and recoil damage, then following up with priority moves from the likes of Absol or Zangoose is very effective, as is revenge killing it with Pokemon such as Rotom-S

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Braviary possesses a fairly average Speed stat, and, because of that, it is odd to think of the eagle as an effective Choice Scarf user. However, boosting Speed is relatively uncommon in NU (outside of Choice Scarf) and thus Scarf Braviary can find an effective niche. Fast threats such as Cinccino and Zangoose are abundant, and with a Choice Scarf Braviary can outspeed and OHKO them. Brave Bird is the STAB move of choice and still hits really hard even without a boosting item. Return is an essential reliable STAB move, which is often the best choice for sweeping late game, as it has no drawbacks. Superpower is still a great move on Braviary, as it allows you to revenge kill Rock Polish Relicanth whilst also hitting Regirock and other Normal- or Flying-type resists as they switch in. U-turn completes the set by giving Braviary an excellent way to maintain momentum and rack up damage on its checks.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Speed and ~~Maximum~~ Attack EVs are both necessary for Choice Scarf Braviary to get its job ~~revenge killing~~ done. The Jolly nature ensures that Braviary will outspeed Modest Exeggutor in the sun, as well as +2 Combusken, +1 Butterfree, and standard Electrode. If these threats are not particularly relevant or threatening to your team, then by all means run Adamant for the extra power. There really are no other options for Braviary, as all the other moves it can use are outclassed.

Choice Scarf Braviary lacks the wallbreaking power of Choice Band, and as such its life can be made much easier by entry hazards. Both Cacturne and Garbaodor are excellent users of Spikes, while Golem and Regirock make good teammates to use Stealth Rock. Revenge killers need to switch in and out often and Braviary can struggle to do because of its weakness to Stealth Rock. It appreciates the absence of Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal or Armaldo can make good teammates, or better yet Pokemon that can prevent Stealth Rock going up such as Marowak. Braviary also takes on the role of late game sweeper when it uses Choice Scarf, so teammates that can soften up the opposing team are very useful. Choice Band Emboar and Choice Specs Exeggutor are amongst the best wallbreakers in the tier and can easily force their way through another team. Countering Braviary itself is also much more doable when it holds Choice Scarf. Regirock is a fantastic response as it will not be broken even by Superpower, while Alomomola also easily beats Braviary.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

The new move tutors finally gave Braviary Roost, meaning it can rest its tired wings and develop a whole new dimension to the way it functions. Previously, almost all Braviary would ~~be choiced~~use Choice items, but Roost gives it the flexibility to use Life Orb, which arguably makes it harder to switch into now that it can change moves. Brave Bird is still the main move Braviary will be using and can actually be used less cautiously since you can simply switch moves if the opponent brings in a Rock- or Steel-type. Return is the slightly safer, slightly weaker option, but the lack of recoil can really come in handy, considering Braviary would otherwise be taking Brave Bird and Life Orb recoil at the same time. Superpower absolutely destroys Rock- and Steel-types, and the need to predict against them drops significantly since Braviary outspeeds them. Roost is what differentiates this set from the others and allows Braviary to brush off its weakness to Stealth Rock, as well as recovering damage from Life Orb and Brave Bird recoil. Braviary forces a large number of switches anyway, so finding an opportunity to use Roost is not difficult.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is used to ensure Braviary will always outspeed base 70 Speed Pokemon while still maintaining some of its good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will miss out on outspeeding by not running maximum Speed are maximum Speed Gardevoir and the rare Jolly Absol. If your team is concerned about a fast Gardevoir then maximum Speed is still usable, while if you find Braviary to somehow be lacking in power, then an Adamant nature with 252 Speed EVs can be used. It should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Ludicolo and Samurott with their respective Speed boosting natures. Life Orb Braviary hits nearly as hard as Choice Band, but the recoil damage can really add up quickly. Leftovers can be used instead for extra survivability, but the power output is really lacking. U-Turn is a good alternative to either STAB move on this set but it gets nowhere near as much utility as it does on a Choice set, since Braviary will rarely need to switch out. Substitute can also be used over Return, which will actually let Braviary stall Pokemon such as Regirock out of Stone Edges, but missing out on ~~having~~ a reliable STAB can hurt.

Life Orb Braviary forces switches to no end, and, as such, it absolutely loves entry hazard support. Cacturne and Garbador again make great teammates by setting up Spikes and checking some of Braviary's checks with Seed Bomb and Drain Punch. Stealth Rock should be on almost every team, and Braviary pairs well with common users such as Regirock and Golem, being able to switch in on Ground-type moves aimed at them. Life Orb Braviary is a wallbreaker, and as such it pairs well with late game sweepers that are effective once Rock- and Steel-types have been removed. Swellow in particular springs to mind and forms an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. As for specific counters, the ability to change moves really limits any potential switch-ins to Braviary. Generally you are going to have to play around Braviary, wear it down through recoil, then either revenge killing it or taking it down with priority. There are some exceptions, though. For example, Alomomola will never be 2HKOed by Adamant Life Orb Brave Bird and can easily heal itself with Wish, Protect, and Regenerator.

[Other Options]

Braviary has a very shallow movepool, and, in almost every case, the moves listed above will be the best options to go with. It can use a combination of Sheer Force and Rock Slide, but Defiant is a much better ability for Braviary since it prevents both Luxray and Tauros from using Intimidate to check it. Retaliate could be effective on the Choice Scarf set, but Return has far more utility and is more consistent. That really is the extent of Braviary's viable options, so just stick to the sets listed.

[Checks and Counters]

Actual counters to Braviary are very hard to come by, particularly for the Choice Band and Life Orb sets. Rock- or Steel-types such as Regirock, Probopass, Lairon, or Bastiodon can easily switch in on Brave Bird, but have difficulty taking a Superpower. Pairing one of these with a solid way to take Fighting-type attacks, such as Musharna or Misdreavus, and then predicting around Braviary can be effective. Bulk Up Braviary also turns many of these usual checks into set up fodder, but Roar Lairon and Power Gem Probopass can deal with it. Bulky Electric-types such as Stunfisk also take on versions carrying only Brave Bird with ease. Stealth Rock is an incredibly common move, and getting it up means that any Braviary set without Roost can only come in a maximum of four times, limiting the amount it can damage a team. Additionally, wearing it down with Brave Bird and maybe even Life Orb recoil is a very effective way to deal with it. Priority users can come in handy for finishing off a weakened Braviary, particularly Mach Punch Gurdurr, Quick Attack Zangoose, and Sucker Punch Absol. Alomomola is among the best checks to Braviary, as it can take any attack bar Adamant Choice Band Brave Bird. If it does happen to run into this, then it can simply switch out to an appropriate resist and heal itself with Regenerator.

[Overview]

An incredibly dangerous Pokemon in NU, Braviary is famous for being among the few Pokemon in the tier that have no hard counters. This impressive feat is achieved through a combination of a gigantic 123 base Attack, as well as a decent Speed stat that allows it to outspeed all relevant defensive Pokemon. While most of the work Braviary needs to do can be done through its powerful STAB moves, it does have an ace up its sleeve: Superpower. This differentiates Braviary from its Flying- and Normal-type cousins by giving it a very easy way to break through Rock- or Steel-types, meaning Braviary can function with much less team support than some of the other birds. It also comes with a surprising amount of bulk, especially when compared to other Pokemon with the same typing. This combination of speed, power, and bulk allows Braviary to act as either a revenge killer or a wallbreaker, depending on the user's requirements. Braviary's weakness to the seemingly omnipresent Stealth Rock does clip it's wings somewhat, but access to Roost allows it to circumvent the issue to a degree. It only wishes it had an ability more consistently useful than Defiant...

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

When equipped with a Choice Band, Braviary hits like a train and, between its incredibly powerful STAB moves and Superpower, close to nothing is safe switching in. Brave Bird is Braviary's primary weapon and will maim anything that does not resist it, as well as some Pokemon that do. The amount of recoil damage can rack up very quickly though, so it should be used with caution. Return is a slightly less powerful but very useful alternative STAB move to Brave Bird, as it does not harm Braviary with recoil damage. It is very useful for certain moments when Braviary absolutely cannot take recoil damage, but it should be noted that it is easier for the opponent to take advantage of Return, primarily due to its inability to hit Ghost-types. Superpower is Braviary's not so secret weapon, and it means that even the likes of Regirock cannot safely switch in to this monster. U-turn rounds out the set and is a fantastic move for scouting what the opponent will switch into Braviary, as well as building up residual damage. This works fantastically well with entry hazards—particularly Spikes—as many of Braviary's checks are weak to them. Braviary is weak to Stealth Rock however, so U-turn's effectiveness can be severely limited if it is on the field.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is designed to outspeed all base 70 Speed Pokemon and still take advantage of Braviary's good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will not outspeed with this spread are maximum Speed Gardevoir and Jolly Absol. An Adamant nature can also be used with 252 Speed, primarily for the ability to 2HKO Alomomola, as well as to generally hit much harder. However, it should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Timid Samurott and Ludicolo. Alternatively, 252 Speed EVs with Jolly can also be used to speed tie with Timid Gardevoir. If an alternative EV spread is chosen, be sure not to put the spare 4 EVs in HP, as putting them somewhere else will enable you to potentially switch into Stealth Rock four times. Braviary has very few other options for its moveset, and should almost always go with the moves listed

While this set is already incredibly dangerous, entry hazard support can take it to a completely different level. Garbodor and Cacturne can both provide Spikes support, while using Drain Punch and Seed Bomb respectively to deal with any Rock- or Steel-types attempting to trouble Braviary. Stealth Rock from the likes of Golem or Regirock will also always be appreciated, and Braviary can take advantage of Ground-type moves aimed at them. Being weak to Stealth Rock itself, Braviary will of course appreciate Rapid Spin support. Unfortunately, there are very few decent Rapid Spin users in NU, and those that are usable share poor defensive synergy with Braviary. Torkoal and Armaldo are still decent spinners and can remove Stealth Rock from the field, but share a Rock-type weakness with Braviary which can lead to difficulty with teambuilding. Usually it is better to pair Braviary with Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off the field in the first place by threatening common users of the move. Both Marowak and Torterra spring to mind for this role; Marowak in particular can break every Sturdy Stealth Rock user with Bonemerang. This set punches massive holes in opposing teams, so a Pokemon that can take advantage of those holes makes for a fantastic teammate. Swellow is one of the most potent late game sweepers when its counters have been removed and can form an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. Absol and Cinccino are also in the same boat as Swellow, as they really appreciate the wallbreaking power of Braviary. Braviary with a Choice Band lacks solid counters so most of the time it is better to play around it. Wearing it down with Stealth Rock and recoil damage, then following up with priority moves from the likes of Absol or Zangoose is very effective, as is revenge killing it with Pokemon such as Rotom-S

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Braviary possesses a fairly average Speed stat, and, because of that, it is odd to think of the eagle as an effective Choice Scarf user. However, boosting Speed is relatively uncommon in NU (outside of Choice Scarf) and thus Scarf Braviary can find an effective niche. Fast threats such as Cinccino and Zangoose are abundant, and with a Choice Scarf Braviary can outspeed and OHKO them. Brave Bird is the STAB move of choice and still hits really hard even without a boosting item. Return is an essential reliable STAB move, which is often the best choice for sweeping late game, as it has no drawbacks. Superpower is still a great move on Braviary, as it allows you to revenge kill Rock Polish Relicanth whilst also hitting Regirock and other Normal- or Flying-type resists as they switch in. U-turn completes the set by giving Braviary an excellent way to maintain momentum and rack up damage on its checks.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

Maximum Speed and Attack EVs are both necessary for Choice Scarf Braviary to get its job done. The Jolly nature ensures that Braviary will outspeed Modest Exeggutor in the sun, as well as +2 Combusken, +1 Butterfree, and standard Electrode. If these threats are not particularly relevant or threatening to your team, then by all means run Adamant for the extra power. There really are no other options for Braviary, as all the other moves it can use are outclassed.

Choice Scarf Braviary lacks the wallbreaking power of Choice Band, and as such its life can be made much easier by entry hazards. Both Cacturne and Garbodor are excellent users of Spikes, while Golem and Regirock make good teammates to use Stealth Rock. Revenge killers need to switch in and out often and Braviary can struggle to do because of its weakness to Stealth Rock. It appreciates the absence of Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal or Armaldo can make good teammates, or better yet Pokemon that can prevent Stealth Rock going up such as Marowak. Braviary also takes on the role of late game sweeper when it uses Choice Scarf, so teammates that can soften up the opposing team are very useful. Choice Band Emboar and Choice Specs Exeggutor are amongst the best wallbreakers in the tier and can easily force their way through another team. Countering Braviary itself is also much more doable when it holds Choice Scarf. Regirock is a fantastic response as it will not be broken even by Superpower, while Alomomola also easily beats Braviary.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

The new move tutors finally gave Braviary Roost, meaning it can rest its tired wings and develop a whole new dimension to the way it functions. Previously, almost all Braviary would use Choice items, but Roost gives it the flexibility to use Life Orb, which arguably makes it harder to switch into now that it can change moves. Brave Bird is still the main move Braviary will be using and can actually be used less cautiously since you can simply switch moves if the opponent brings in a Rock- or Steel-type. Return is the slightly safer, slightly weaker option, but the lack of recoil can really come in handy, considering Braviary would otherwise be taking Brave Bird and Life Orb recoil at the same time. Superpower absolutely destroys Rock- and Steel-types, and the need to predict against them drops significantly since Braviary outspeeds them. Roost is what differentiates this set from the others and allows Braviary to brush off its weakness to Stealth Rock, as well as recovering damage from Life Orb and Brave Bird recoil. Braviary forces a large number of switches anyway, so finding an opportunity to use Roost is not difficult.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

The EV spread is used to ensure Braviary will always outspeed base 70 Speed Pokemon while still maintaining some of its good natural bulk. The only notable Pokemon Braviary will miss out on outspeeding by not running maximum Speed are maximum Speed Gardevoir and the rare Jolly Absol. If your team is concerned about a fast Gardevoir then maximum Speed is still usable, while if you find Braviary to somehow be lacking in power, then an Adamant nature with 252 Speed EVs can be used. It should be noted that Adamant Braviary will be outsped by Ludicolo and Samurott with their respective Speed boosting natures. Life Orb Braviary hits nearly as hard as Choice Band, but the recoil damage can really add up quickly. Leftovers can be used instead for extra survivability, but the power output is really lacking. U-Turn is a good alternative to either STAB move on this set but it gets nowhere near as much utility as it does on a Choice set, since Braviary will rarely need to switch out. Substitute can also be used over Return, which will actually let Braviary stall Pokemon such as Regirock out of Stone Edges, but missing out on a reliable STAB can hurt.

Life Orb Braviary forces switches to no end, and, as such, it absolutely loves entry hazard support. Cacturne and Garbador again make great teammates by setting up Spikes and checking some of Braviary's checks with Seed Bomb and Drain Punch. Stealth Rock should be on almost every team, and Braviary pairs well with common users such as Regirock and Golem, being able to switch in on Ground-type moves aimed at them. Life Orb Braviary is a wallbreaker, and as such it pairs well with late game sweepers that are effective once Rock- and Steel-types have been removed. Swellow in particular springs to mind and forms an effective "double-bird" strategy with Braviary. As for specific counters, the ability to change moves really limits any potential switch-ins to Braviary. Generally you are going to have to play around Braviary, wear it down through recoil, then either revenge killing it or taking it down with priority. There are some exceptions, though. For example, Alomomola will never be 2HKOed by Adamant Life Orb Brave Bird and can easily heal itself with Wish, Protect, and Regenerator.

[Other Options]

Braviary has a very shallow movepool, and, in almost every case, the moves listed above will be the best options to go with. It can use a combination of Sheer Force and Rock Slide, but Defiant is a much better ability for Braviary since it prevents both Luxray and Tauros from using Intimidate to check it. Retaliate could be effective on the Choice Scarf set, but Return has far more utility and is more consistent. That really is the extent of Braviary's viable options, so just stick to the sets listed.

[Checks and Counters]

Actual counters to Braviary are very hard to come by, particularly for the Choice Band and Life Orb sets. Rock- or Steel-types such as Regirock, Probopass, Lairon, or Bastiodon can easily switch in on Brave Bird, but have difficulty taking a Superpower. Pairing one of these with a solid way to take Fighting-type attacks, such as Musharna or Misdreavus, and then predicting around Braviary can be effective. Bulk Up Braviary also turns many of these usual checks into set up fodder, but Roar Lairon and Power Gem Probopass can deal with it. Bulky Electric-types such as Stunfisk also take on versions carrying only Brave Bird with ease. Stealth Rock is an incredibly common move, and getting it up means that any Braviary set without Roost can only come in a maximum of four times, limiting the amount it can damage a team. Additionally, wearing it down with Brave Bird and maybe even Life Orb recoil is a very effective way to deal with it. Priority users can come in handy for finishing off a weakened Braviary, particularly Mach Punch Gurdurr, Quick Attack Zangoose, and Sucker Punch Absol. Alomomola is among the best checks to Braviary, as it can take any attack bar Adamant Choice Band Brave Bird. If it does happen to run into this, then it can simply switch out to an appropriate resist and heal itself with Regenerator.

[gp]2/2[/gp]

Braviary [GP 2/2]

Started from the bottom...

Innovative new design!

Started from the bottom...

außerirdisch, anunnaki

שוני

Started from the bottom...

שוני

Give me the strength to part this sea

lurks in the shadows

underdog of the year

Give me the strength to part this sea

Started from the bottom...

lurks in the shadows

underdog of the year

lurks in the shadows

underdog of the year

Started from the bottom...

Started from the bottom...

Started from the bottom...

Uangaana kasuttortunga!

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