Overview
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Karrablast's ability, No Guard, gives it a 100% accurate 120 Base Power STAB move in Megahorn. It also has access to the newly buffed Knock Off, giving it a great coverage and utility move that hits Ghost-types super effectively and gets rid of Eviolite and Berry Juice held by opposing Pokemon. Both of these great moves are backed by a very good base 75 Attack stat, which reaches 18 with Adamant and max investment. Another great boon for Karrablast is its access to Swords Dance, meaning it can easily double its already decent Attack stat. Last but not least, Karrablast's Bug typing means it resists the prevalent Fighting-type moves in LC.
While Karrablast's Bug typing gives it an amazing resistance to Fighting-type moves, it also gives it weaknesses to Fletchling's Acrobatics and the ever-present Stealth Rock. Another problem is that while Karrablast resists Fighting-type moves, it has trouble taking down bulky Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr, which resist both Megahorn and Knock Off. Another problem with Karrablast is that its decent 16 Speed stat means a lot of prominent threats outspeed it if it doesn't hold a Choice Scarf, such as Abra, fast Mienfoo, Archen, and Timid Chinchou.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Drill Run
move 4: Poison Jab / Pursuit
ability: No Guard
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 236 Atk / 76 Def / 196 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
Moves
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Megahorn gives Karrablast a powerful, spammable STAB move that will never miss thanks to No Guard. Knock Off gets rid of the foe's item and hits Ghost-types, which resist Megahorn, for super effective damage. Drill Run is super effective against other types that resist Megahorn, such as Poison-, Fire-, and Steel-types, as well as hitting Rock- and Electric-types. Poison Jab is another move that hits Fairy-types, which resist Megahorn. Alternatively, Pursuit can be used over Poison Jab to trap Psychic-types, as Megahorn scares them out.
Set Details
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Choice Scarf improves Karrablast's middling Speed, allowing it to perform more effectively as a revenge killer. 236 Attack EVs are used to max out Karrablast's Attack stat, while 196 Speed EVs are used to max out its Speed stat. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Defense, allowing Karrablast to take physical priority moves more easily. No Guard is a great ability for Karrablast, allowing it to not have to worry about missing Megahorn or Drill Run. A Jolly nature is preferred, as it allows Karrablast to Speed tie with Jolly Choice Scarf Cranidos, Jolly Choice Scarf Bunnelby, +1 Jolly Carvanha, and Timid Choice Scarf Chinchou. With a Jolly nature, Karrablast also outspeeds +1 Scraggy and Timid Choice Scarf Magnemite. However, an Adamant nature can be used if these threats are handled by the rest of the team.
Usage Tips
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This set should be used as a revenge killer, especially against Pokemon that are either weakened by teammates or weak to Megahorn. Karrablast also is a reliable revenge killer, as its ability means it won't have to worry about missing a hit. This set can also force switches, as a 120 BP STAB move is going to take a chunk out of anything that doesn't resist it and/or isn't very bulky.
Team Options
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Archen is an amazing partner for Karrablast, as it takes care of the Fighting- and Flying-types that resist Karrablast's Megahorn and gets rid of Fletchling, Karrablast's main issue. Archen is also a great entry hazard setter and remover, with Stealth Rock and Defog in its arsenal. Bulky Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr can get rid of Steel-types that stop Karrablast from spamming Megahorn. Poison-types such as Foongus and Croagunk are great partners as well, as they can take down the Fairy-types that resist Megahorn. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Dwebble, Trubbish, and Ferroseed is necessary for Karrablast, securing some crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs and allowing Karrablast to continue spamming Megahorn. Tirtouga is especially helpful in this role, as it resists Flying and Fire, two of Karrablast's weaknesses, and can provide Stealth Rock support. Larvesta is a good partner, as it has a slow U-turn which can bring Karrablast in safely, and they weaken each other's counters. Due to Larvesta's ability, Flame Body, it can also take on Fighting-types a lot more easily than Karrablast can. Entry hazard removal is also necessary, as Karrablast is susceptible to all types of entry hazards. Thus, Pokemon such as Drilbur, Archen, Staryu, Tentacool, and Stunky are recommended to spin or Defog away entry hazards so that Karrablast can reliably perform its role as a revenge killer.
Swords Dance
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move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Drill Run
move 4: Knock Off
ability: No Guard / Swarm
item: Eviolite
evs: 236 Atk / 76 Def / 76 SpD / 116 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
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Swords Dance is a great boosting move, doubling Karrablast's great Attack stat. Megahorn is used as the STAB move because it doesn't miss thanks to No Guard. Drill Run is a great coverage move to hit Poison-, Steel-, and Fire-types, which resist Megahorn. Knock Off acts as a great support move to get rid of the foe's item; it also hits the Ghost-types that resist Megahorn for super effective damage.
Set Details
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The Attack EVs and nature get Karrablast to 18 Attack. The Defense and Special Defense EVs allow Karrablast to hit Eviolite numbers. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Speed to give Karrablast 14 Speed, which lets it outspeed every unboosted Pokemon after Sticky Web. Eviolite allows Karrablast to take hits while setting up Swords Dance. With Stealth Rock up, +2 Karrablast is able to OHKO Fletchling and offensive Archen, as well as defensive Chinchou and Cottonee. Karrablast can also run an Impish nature with the given EVs to survive Fletchling's Acrobatics and take it down at +2 after Stealth Rock damage. Swarm can be used in place of No Guard to make Megahorn even stronger, but Karrablast has to be really weakened for Swarm to be truly effective, and a 100% accurate Megahorn is usually better.
Usage Tips
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Karrablast may have a hard time setting up, so try to only set up on crippled Pokemon, such as a burned physical attacker or a sleeping Pokemon. Pivoting moves, such as U-turn and Volt Switch, can give Karrablast a free switch in. Even if you cannot set up, Karrablast is still powerful enough to straight-up attack.
Team Options
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Archen, Chinchou, and Magnemite are good Pokemon that can not only provide a somewhat slow Volt Switch or U-turn, but also take out Fletchling, which is a huge problem for Karrablast. Fire-types such as Houndour and Vulpix are good partners to absorb Will-O-Wisp and spread burns throughout the opposing team. Sticky Web is an essential entry hazard, as it allows Karrablast to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame; thus, Pokemon such as Surskit and Spinarak are helpful teammates. Other entry hazard support is nice as well, and Pokemon such as Dwebble and Archen can provide easy hazard support. Drilbur and Archen are good Pokemon in general and can provide entry hazard removal via Rapid Spin and Defog, respectively.
Other Options
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Aerial Ace is a good option for taking on Fighting-types, but it doesn't offer much else in terms of coverage, and bulky Fighting-types such as Mienfoo can heal back the damage with Drain Punch and Regenerator. Choice Band or Life Orb can be used over Choice Scarf; however, Karrablast's problem is its Speed stat and not its power. Double-Edge and Return are powerful, but provide no coverage. Shed Skin can get rid of a stray burn, but No Guard is the superior ability because it allows Karrablast to continue spamming Megahorn. X-Scissor can be used in conjunction with Shed Skin, but Megahorn's raw power is superior.
Checks & Counters
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**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types such as Mienfoo, Croagunk, and Timburr can all take on Karrablast, as they resist its STAB move and Karrablast tends not to run coverage for Fighting-types. Mienfoo can overpower Karrablast with a full-power Acrobatics or use U-turn to switch out to something that can reliably take out Karrablast. Croagunk 4x resists Megahorn and can hit back with a STAB Sludge Bomb or Gunk Shot. Timburr can set up in front of Karrablast and force it out.
**Flying-types**: Fletchling is a huge problem to Karrablast, as Gale Wings Acrobatics outprioritizes even the Choice Scarf set, and the Eviolite set doesn't tend to run coverage for Fletchling and still dies to an unboosted Acrobatics. Vullaby is another problem, as it can OHKO Karrablast with Brave Bird while avoiding the 2HKO from Karrablast's Megahorn if it is at full health.
**Fairy-types**: Intimidate Snubbull completely neuters Karrablast, as its resistance to Megahorn and the Attack drop mean Karrablast cannot overpower Snubbull. Spritzee is also bulky enough to take a hit and can easily set up Calm Minds in front of Karrablast.
**Fire-types**: Ponyta is a thorn in Karrablast's side, as not only does it resist Megahorn, it also has Flame Body to potentially cripple Karrablast with a burn. Intimidate Growlithe is like Snubbull in that it resists Megahorn and neuters Karrablast with the Attack drop.
**Defensive Rock-types**: Tirtouga and Archen can easily take a Megahorn and threaten Karrablast with a Rock-type STAB move. Archen can potentially have a Flying-type STAB move as well.
**Walls**: Porygon and Hippopotas can stall out Choice Scarf Karrablast's Megahorn if they haven't lost their Eviolites through Knock Off, as they both can avoid the 2HKO.
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