Heracross Discussion

[smashlloyd20]

A thread for all discussion of Heracross in the Gen V UU metagame.

Base Stats:

HP: 80
ATK: 125
DEF: 75
SPA: 40
SPD: 95
SPE: 85

Here are some example sets Heracross can run:

Heracross (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Substitute

A basic Substitue +3 Attacks set. Destroys the common Psychic-type walls along with Chansey/Blissey, especially as it is immune to status. It can also bust through Steel-types such as Registeel, and has Stone Edge for additional coverage.

Heracross (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Facade
- Swords Dance

Swords Dancer. This thing packs inanse power, OHKOing almost all of UU after a boost. It's pretty frail and slow however, so it's kind of tough to keep alive.

 

[iDunno]

Yeah this thing is going to be essential to keeping pretty much every overpowered cunt (i.e. every Psychic-type and Kyurem) at bay.

 

[Focus]

Looks like Scarf Heracross will dominate, given that all practically all of the dangerous Psychics are faster and can hit it super effectively:

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Adamant
112 HP / 252 Atk / 242 Spe

Close Combat
Megahorn
Night Slash
Stone Edge

Enough speed to get past Azelf, max Attack. Just spitballin'.

Edit: Blast! Scarf Kyurem ruins everything... Stallbreaker time it is! It destroys Chansey and Deoxys-D with its STAB attacks and actually enjoys their status conditions. Maybe something more like:

Heracross @ Choice Band
Adamant
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe

Close Combat
Megahorn
Night Slash
Pursuit

Edit #2: It will be interesting to see what the fate of Heracross will be. Two weeks from now, I will probably read this post and laugh.

 

[wilson46]

All Heracross is doing to Kyurem is force it out, and that's only if you're carrying a Scarf. Otherwise it tears your shit up with its ridiculous offensive stats and high - powered moves.

On another note, Heracross back in UU again looks promising. Keeping defensive behemoths like Chansey, Tangrowth, Slowbro, and Deoxys - D at bay is a great asset.

 

[smashlloyd20]

Hera can beat almost every wall in UU. Mew, Chansey, Slowbro, Deoxys-D, Registeel...they all crumble. It can't even be statused. The only hard part is keeping it alive.

 

[Engineer Pikachu]

Like the other people before me have said, Heracross isn't going to be doing much sweeping until late-game unless it has a scarf. 85 Speed is decent, but it's not quite enough.

As a late-game cleaner, Scarf Heracross with Moxie might actually work (it's released, right). Bring it in for a revenge kill, pick a move that hits everything neutrally, and deal a whole crapload of damage. Win.

That being said, status can still catch Heracross on the switch-in. In fact, if you bring it in after a teammate dies, you're still giving your opponent a free turn to status it, providing that the opponent is faster or you attempt to Swords Dance.

 

[Zebstrika]

I don't think people will want to risk statusing Heracross until they see it has Moxie. And if you Swords Dance, Guts/Swarm will probably be better.

 

[kingdra22]

Heracross's presence will definitely be felt, especially with Psychic-types dominating Gen V UU. However, with Drought Vulpix, its only way of dealing with Victini is by equipping a Choice Scarf.

 

[asbestos]

Here are some example sets Heracross can run:

Heracross (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Substitute

A basic Substitue +3 Attacks set. Destroys the common Psychic-type walls along with Chansey/Blissey, especially as it is immune to status. It can also bust through Steel-types such as Registeel, and has Stone Edge for additional coverage.

Heracross (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Facade
- Swords Dance

Swords Dancer. This thing packs inanse power, OHKOing almost all of UU after a boost. It's pretty frail and slow however, so it's kind of tough to keep alive.

flame orb* that way it will lose a set amount of life instead of an increasing amount. you could also run leftovers to cancel out burn damage and to fake a moxie set so the opponent statuses you.
as for a scarf, i cannot think of any pokemon that revenge kills like heracross in UU except for kyurem: high offensive stats and high BP moves like megahorn and close combat. though with the possible domination of sun, heracross might lose the chlorophyll sweepers.

 

[TM13IceBeam]

You can't hold Lefties and Flame Orb at the same time. AKA Hera must switch into Wisp.

 

[SJCrew]

I have high hopes for Scarfed Moxie Hera. Otherwise, I don't see it standing out all that well. Especially considering he will be having major competition from the likes of Gurrdurr and Cobalion. Hitmonlee might even make it back on the radar with his better HJK and Reckless. Medicham, too.

 

[Pratty]

Anyone like the idea of Sub Heracross? Sub/Megahorn/Close Combat or Focus Punch/Move, you can switch in on walls that wouldn't like Heracross high BP, possibly STAB moves lets you set up a Sub and fire them off of whatever. There's no Gliscor as a hard counter(Gligar, though), so that kind of helps, too. Not to mention everyone will expect it Scarfed.

 

[sharkz]

FUK YEA HERABOSS IS BACK

It still reminds me of Gen 4 UU hera, where any remotely defensive team is demolished but offensive teams pick its teeth with it. Victini is bad news also. Also outsped by a lot of sun sweepers.

Still, revenge killing is still the best way to stop it, since all the walls are raped.

 

[Forte.EXE]

I'm liking Heracross in UU this Gen. It holds a lot, and I do mean a lot, of shit at bay. Slowbro can't just fire off Scald/Toxic when you've got a Heracross on your team, especially Scarf, or shit's gonna get fucked up fast. Same thing with Chansey. All it's got is Toxic and Thunder Wave in lieu of actual offensive stats, and while Thunder Wave might be a bit more annoying, Toxic is a bit more common. Heraboss, all day, every day.

 

[smashlloyd20]

I have high hopes for Scarfed Moxie Hera. Otherwise, I don't see it standing out all that well. Especially considering he will be having major competition from the likes of Gurrdurr and Cobalion. Hitmonlee might even make it back on the radar with his better HJK and Reckless. Medicham, too.

....are you kidding me? It's not Hera's Fighting type that makes it so go(o)d, it's the STAB Megahorn. That's what rapes the 900000 Psychic'types in UU.

 

[Conflict]

Heracross (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 42 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat/Stone Edge
- Megahorn/Stone Edge
- Rest
- Sleeptalk

or with defensive EVs, Low Kick instead CC and Leftovers. I think sdef or defheracross may be better than the offensive variant. Too lazy for a good EV-Spread though.

 

[MMF]

I actually find that the Choice Band set is for me personally the best set Hera has.
Run Jolly and 252 in both Atk and Speed and let him do work.

 

[Gerard]

Why did hera is using Toxic Orbs in every set? guts negates burn's attack drop and if you're gonna sweep you're better with a that end of the turn damage, and it's true, without a scarf heracross can only thing about sweeping since the thing he should be killing (mostly psyquics) outspeed him at base 100 and kill him with psyquic/air slash/flamethrower/etc...

 

[Expeditious]

Why did hera is using Toxic Orbs in every set? guts negates burn's attack drop and if you're gonna sweep you're better with a that end of the turn damage, and it's true, without a scarf heracross can only thing about sweeping since the thing he should be killing (mostly psyquics) outspeed him at base 100 and kill him with psyquic/air slash/flamethrower/etc...

Toxic Orb does less damage than Flame Orb if Hera only stays in 1-2 rounds, and the same if it stays 3. It only does more damage if Hera stays in 4 or more rounds. How likely is that to happen?

 

[Expeditious]

For a choice set, I agree that Toxic is probably wiser since you just want to come in, wreck something, and run away. For Swords Dance, the longevity of Flame Orb might make a difference if you plan on needing Heracross earlier in the game.

How are you equipping both a Choice item and a Flame/Toxic Orb at the same time?

 

[gabezj]

For a choice set, I agree that Toxic is probably wiser since you just want to come in, wreck something, and run away. For Swords Dance, the longevity of Flame Orb might make a difference if you plan on needing Heracross earlier in the game.

For a choice set, you cant use either orb.

Edit: ninja'd

 

[SJCrew]

For a choice set, I agree that Toxic is probably wiser since you just want to come in, wreck something, and run away. For Swords Dance, the longevity of Flame Orb might make a difference if you plan on needing Heracross earlier in the game.

No, Flame Orb is just not a good idea. You need four turns for it to accumulate less damage than Toxic Orb, and Heracross simply won't survive 4 turns of combat in one sitting.

 

[Jediment]

pardon how absolutely retarded my last post was. was not exactly in a clear frame of mind at the time.

I tried running both Flame and Toxic orbs on a 3 attacks + sub set. OP and SJcrew make the correct point; heracross won't live past 4 turns, even against a fairly defensive team.

 

[Thorhammer]

I actually find that the Choice Band set is for me personally the best set Hera has.
Run Jolly and 252 in both Atk and Speed and let him do work.

Why would you ever run Choice Band over Toxic Orb?

 

[MMF]

I think he has more survivability with CB.