Larvesta (QC 2/3)


Fiery Bug

Code:
QC: [Goddess Briyella] [TCR] [ ]
GP: [ ] [ ]

Overview
########
  • Unique defensive typing
  • Cool ability
  • Reliable check to Fighting-types due to its typing, ability and access to recovery.
  • Checks other physical attackers like Pawniard.
  • Checks Grass-types as well
  • Strong U-turn
  • The Defog buff and access to Morning Sun helps with longevity.
  • Quadruple weakness to Stealth Rock.
  • Weak to Flying and Water moves, which are common.

Offensive Pivot
########
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sunny Day
ability: Flame Body
item: Eviolite
evs: 76 HP / 236 Atk / 156 Def / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========
  • U-turn excellent momentum grabber and allows Larvesta to pivot around Fighting-types. U-turn also lets it escape from incoming checks and counters.
  • Flare Blitz hits anything that doesn't resist, hard.
  • Morning Sun allows Larvesta to recover some lost HP.
  • Will-O-Wisp burns physical attackers without having to rely on Flame Body.
  • Sunny Day provides sun support for Grass-types with Chlorophyll. It also increases the amount of recovery from Morning Sun and boosts the power of Flare Blitz.
  • The combination of U-turn + Sunny Day provides great utility and allows Larvesta to safely bring in a Chlorophyll users.

Set Details
========
  • Maximum attack EVs are necessary to maintain as much offense as possible.
  • The leftover EVs are used to increase Larvesta's overall bulk.
  • 76 HP EVs give Larvesta an odd HP stat, thus enabling it to switch into Stealth Rock twice.
  • With Flame Body Larvesta can punish Fighting-types, like Mienfoo, that often carry Knock Off as well as other users of Knock Off like Pawniard.
  • Due to Larvesta's Fire typing, it can easily switch into Steel-types, like Pawniard and Bronzor, that are becoming popular.

Usage Tips
========
  • Larvesta fits perfectly on VoltTurn teams that lack a solid answer to Fighting-types.
  • Larvesta should always be paired with pokemon that can remove hazards for it.
  • Playing recklessly should be avoided if hazards are up.
  • Entry hazards should be removed as soon as possible, so Larvesta wouldn't have to lose 50% upon switching in.
  • Larvesta makes for a decent fodder due to its ability. Burning a foe when going down could be game changing.
  • Be weary of Timburr, as it has Guts to absorb a potential burn.

Team Options
========
  • Rapid Spin users as well as Defog users, to remove entry hazards.
  • Staryu and Drilbur are both top notch spinners
  • The former covers Larvesta's Water weakness while the latter covers its Rock weakness.
  • Teammates that resist Flying and Water are appreciated.
  • Chinchou is an example, as it resist both. Chinchou and Larvesta can also form a VoltTurn core that can gain continuous momentum. Chinchou can also beat other Water-types with an Electric-type move. Chinchou can also take on Fletchling.
  • Helioptile, much like Chinchou, can form a VoltTurn core with Larvesta. It gets a special mention as it can absorb Water-type attacks aimed at Larvesta, with Dry Skin.
  • Grass-types, such as Foongus, can take care of annoying Water-types.
  • Sun support from Vulpix is appreciated as it boosts Larvesta's Flare Blitz.
  • Other teammates that can take advantage of the sun Larvesta provides are cool options. Chlorophyll sweepers like Oddish, Bulbasaur and Bellsprout can break through the opponent's walls. They can also threaten Water-types that bugs Larvesta.
  • Having teammates, like Ferroseed, that can lay down entry hazards are appreciated. Larvesta takes advantage of that as it forces a ton of switches. Ferroseed synergizes well with Larvesta as it can take Rock-type attacks aimed at Larvesta, while Larvesta takes on Fighting-types.
  • Other partners that can take on Rock-types include Magnemite, Bronzor and Pawniard.
  • Pawniard gets a special mention as it can form a cool offensive core. Larvesta also patches Pawniard's dreadful quadruple Fighting weakness.
  • Other pokemon that appreciates Larvesta's ability to pressure Fighting-typing, like Scraggy are options for an offensive core.
Other Options
########
  • Wild Charge to hit Water- and Flying-types on the switch.
  • Choice Scarf
  • Toxic
  • Flame Charge
  • Zen Headbutt, but Flare Blitz hits Fighting types harder.
  • Bug Bite > U-turn, but Berries are rare
  • Calm Mind with Fire Blast, Bug Buzz and Psychic i guess

Checks & Counters
########
  • Stealth Rock
  • Flying-types like Fletchling. It must be wary of a Flame Body burn though.
  • Water-types like Staryu and Chinchou can switch in and threaten with a Water STAB. The former does risk switching into a Wild Charge, however. Larvesta can escape both on the switch though, with U-turn.
  • Tirtouga can threat Larvesta with a Stone Edge or set up a Shell Smash, but risk being hit with a Will-O-Wisp or Wild Charge.
  • Other Fire-types, like Ponyta, resists Larvesta's STABs and can threaten Larvesta with a strong Flare Blitz.
  • Random Rock moves from pokemon like Mienfoo can KO Larvesta.
  • Lileep can OHKO Larvesta with Ancient Power, but does risk getting KOed by Flare Blitz + U-turn.
 
Last edited:
i'm not sure if wild charge is even worth it anymore. for one, a lot of the pokemon you want to hit with wild charge are faster than you, so you will have to hit them on the switch. two, the three best water-types (slowpoke, cara, chinchou) are all hit harder by u-turn. in addition, u-turn is a much safer move to use than wild charge, as even if you mispredict, you'll hopefully be able to beat the mon out with another one of your mons. wild charge basically only hits archen / tirtouga / mantyke, and while those two can be pretty annoying, wow seems like a much better option in general. you can always burn archen and tirtouga on the switch anyways, which is about as useful as wild charging them.

in my opinion, will-o-wisp is too valuable of a move for larvesta to use wild charge over it for minimal coverage, which makes me think it should be moved to OO. it's not a bad move, it's just 90% of the time when you use larvesta, you'll want to use wow > wild charge. thoughts?
 
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Yeah I'm gonna move Wild Charge to OO for the reasons posted above. If QC still wants Wild Charge as a slash on the main set then I'll re-add it.
 

Electrolyte

Wouldn't Wanna Know
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in the overview, mention how it is very reliable when it comes to checking Fighting-types. Its ability, resistance to the attacks Fighting-types usually carry, and access to Morning Sun make it one of the tier's best Meditite counters. This is one of its most important and common niches, so it needs to be listed.

In Usage Tips, stress how Flame Body makes Larvesta useful fodder as its ability has a decent chance of burning opponents as it goes down.

In Team Options, include entry hazard laying Pokemon, such as Ferroseed, or Stealth Rock Gligar / Drilbur like you already said. Larvesta forces a TON of switches, and hazards are perfect for taking advantage of that.

Other than that, looks good, Mylo Xyloto
 

FireMage

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After using larvesta for a while i've come to the summary conclusion that Sunny Day should be slashed with Will-O-Wisp and be made the primary slash.

Here are my reasonings;
1) It provides Larvesta with greater healing - it can use it's resistances to provide ample switching opportunities and can find some time to use it especially with a bulky set with Eviolite.
2) Every relevant target you want to burn with Will-O-Wisp can activate Flame Body - granted it's only chance reliant - but Will O Wisp can also miss.
3) Support it gives to Chloromons is very useful if you don't already have a Sun setter or your Vulpix has fainted.
4) Other Weather removal, too. (Although somewhat less situational in XY)

I've also found it's somewhat versatile in EV's but I haven't found a "use all" Spread.
 

Goddess Briyella

Banned deucer.
  • The combination of Sunny Day and U-turn allows Larvesta opportunities to bring in setup sweepers suited for sunlight. Since Tangela is gone, I recommend adding Chlorophyll sweepers Bulbasaur, Oddish, and Bellsprout to Team Options. Also, in addition to Ferroseed's mention, emphasize how it also resists Larvesta's huge Rock weakness, and add other potential team members to this segment that resist Rock, such as Magnemite and Bronzor. Pawniard should get a special mention since Larvesta resists its 4x Fighting weakness, while Pawniard resists Larvesta's 4x Rock weakness as well as its Flying weakness, forming a good resistance core while also maintaining offensive pressure.
  • Larvesta's resistance to Steel needs to be highlighted. This is an important change from last generation, where Steel offense was not near as notable as it is now. Important threats such as Pawniard and Bronzor are not only weak to Larvesta's Fire STAB, but Larvesta can also switch into their Steel-type attacks with little fear.
  • Flame Body's ability to punish Knock Off abusers should be emphasized, as even Fighting-types using it on a predicted switch have to run the uncomfortable risk of being burned and therefore having their offensive capabilities go out the window. Outside of Fighting-types, other important Knock Off users that run this risk include Gligar and Pawniard.
  • Helioptile, while generally outclassed by Chinchou for the role of a VoltTurn partner for Larvesta, should get a mention in Team Options solely because its Dry Skin ability allows it to heal itself by switching into the Water-type attacks aimed at Larvesta, extending the longevity of the core and making it tough to play around. In your Gligar mention, you might also highlight the fact that Gligar makes an excellent U-turn partner for it.
  • Add Lileep to Checks & Counters. It is a unique answer to Larvesta in that it's the only Grass-type in the tier that isn't weak to either of Larvesta's STABs and can also threaten it back with a STAB Ancient Power OHKO. Lileep is probably kind of forgotten about at the moment, but I recently proposed a new Hippopotas set that actually counters Vulpix, so you might expect to see more Sand teams in the future, considering that and the fact that Tangela is gone.


There was some confusion about this before, but now I'm 100% sure that the name of the set should go above the ######## line where SET NAME is shown in the template, as well as underneath it next to the "name" label like so:

Eviolite
########
name: Eviolite
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Flare Blitz
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Will-O-Wisp / Sunny Day
ability: Flame Body
item: Eviolite
evs: 76 HP / 236 Atk / 156 Def / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant


Remember this for future reference. Also, I am unable to think of a suitable one at the moment, but I think the name of this set could be more specific than "Eviolite".



Make these changes and that's QC 1/3 ♥
 
Thanks Briyella! I'm hesitant on putting Lileep in Checks and Counters though since it has a slight chance to live a combo of Flare Blitz and U-turn (I think it get KOed with SR). So Lileep can't switch in. I mentioned it though.

I also want opinions on a new Set Name, maybe something like Pivot?

anyway updated ~
 

Goddess Briyella

Banned deucer.
I was thinking Bulky Pivot but it didn't sit right with me because it does so much other than sponge Fighting-type attacks and use U-turn. It's also incredible offensively with Flare Blitz and it also has its own recovery and can function as a Sun setter... I couldn't think of a name to cover all of that. I'll let my mind wander about it. ♥
 

Expulso

Morse code, if I'm talking I'm clicking
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Maybe mention what I like to call BurnTurn, where you U-Turn out after burning a physical attacker to gain momentum, in Usage Tips?
 

tcr

sage of six tabs
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Just some formatting help, it might be more beneficial to list the pros first and the cons second, as opposed to mixing them. It helps immensely with writing it up. Obviously remove mentions of Murkrow / Meditite

Not too sure how I feel about adding in Vulpix to team options. its nice and all, but it forces so much pressure on the team to remove hazards, with so little reward. Flare Blitz is boosted yes, but afaik it scores no new OHKOs that it doesnt normally (im p sure with rocks up it scores more koes tho). Also personally I would not use Larvesta as an offensive Pokemon, more as a pivot. TBH it should focus the most on switching in on things like Mienfoo and U-turning out.

Also you can simply call the set "Offensive Pivot" as that is really what it should be doing. Also you can mention Pokemon like Scraggy being a great partner to Larvesta, as Larvesta scares away Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Croagunk. Basically teammates that can abuse Larvesta's ability to force out Fighting-types.

Lastly make some mention of Timburr being probably the only Fighting-type not too terribly worried about Larvesta, as a burn only makes it more threatening. QC 2/3
 

Celestavian

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I'd also say to remove Bronzor from the Team Options, since it's so bad this gen.

Otherwise this looks fine. QC 3/3
 
Scarf definitely needs it's own set, it's fantastic with spin or defog support.

Larvesta @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 76 Def / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Morning Sun

Morning Sun may seem odd but you'll be surprised how often you get knocked off.
Besides that great job!

-Luv Nay
 

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