Starmie
QC: 3/3 (Hikari, IronBullet93, dodmen)
GP: 1/2 (Lucina09 + Hollywood)
Overview
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Starmie is an offensive powerhouse in the UU metagame, boasting an excellent base 115 Speed that allows it to outrun most Pokemon in UU, as well as a decent Special Attack stat backed by Analytic and various coverage options. It also learns the coveted Rapid Spin, a move highly sought after for its ability to remove entry hazards from your side of the field. Natural Cure can be used instead of Analytic to help it absorb status for the team and spin away Toxic Spikes. By virtue of its defensive typing, Starmie also checks the omnipresent Fire- and Fighting-types in UU very well. However, Starmie is fairly frail, even with invested bulk. Its defensive typing is also a double-edged sword, as it is weak to both U-turn and Volt Switch, so opposing Choice Scarf users can easily gain momentum off of it. Starmie can't cover all the threats it needs to with just 4 moveslots, and some walls, such as Umbreon, are simply too bulky for it to break. Nonetheless, Starmie should always be considered for a team that desires entry hazard control.
Offensive Rapid Spin
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name: Offensive Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Psyshock / Thunderbolt
move 4: Ice Beam
ability: Analytic / Natural Cure
item: Life Orb
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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Rapid Spin is the main reason to use Starmie, as it removes entry hazards on your side of the field while keeping strong offensive pressure. Hydro Pump is a very powerful STAB move that adds to Starmie's capabilities as a wallbreaker. Psyshock hits specially defensive Pokemon such as Blissey and Roserade, and is a powerful STAB attack. Alternatively, Thunderbolt can be used to hit bulky Water-types such as Empoleon. Ice Beam gives Starmie a fighting chance against bulky Grass-types, as well as Dragon-types such as Hydreigon and Haxorus.
Set Details
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Analytic allows Starmie to punish the many switches it forces. Alternatively, Natural Cure can be used to absorb status problems for the team, especially poison from the Toxic Spikes that Starmie spins away. It has standard EVs and nature for a fast special sweeper, and Life Orb adds to Starmie's already solid offensive capabilities.
Usage Tips
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As Starmie can be worn down easily, you should try and take out the opponent's entry hazard setter immediately. Starmie's frailty and the Life Orb recoil limit the amount of times it can use Rapid Spin throughout a match. This set makes a great revenge killer because of Starmie's high speed, as well as a great wallbreaker thanks to Analytic boosting its average Special Attack stat. Its vast coverage forces many switches, so take advantage of that if you run Analytic.
Team Options
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Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock appreciate Starmie's ability to remove entry hazards. Fire-types such as Entei appreciate the removal of entry hazards, and can also defeat the Grass-types that force Starmie out. Late-game cleaners appreciate Starmie's wallbreaking potential. Pokemon such as Mega Beedrill are great choices to finish up the weakened opposing team.
Defensive Rapid Spin
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name: Defensive Rapid Spin
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Scald
move 3: Recover
move 4: Psyshock / Ice Beam / Thunder Wave
ability: Natural Cure
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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Rapid Spin is the main reason to use Starmie, as it keeps entry hazards off your side of the field. Scald is great for any bulky Water-type because of its 30% burn chance. Recover allows Starmie to use Rapid Spin multiple times throughout the match and promotes its longevity in general. The fourth moveslot can be used for whatever coverage your team desires. Psyshock works as a STAB attack to deal with specially bulky Pokemon, such as Roserade. Ice Beam hits various Pokemon that resist Scald, such as Hydreigon, and gives Starmie a fighting chance against bulky Grass-types such as Chesnaught. Alternatively, Thunder Wave forgoes offensive pressure for greater utility, allowing Starmie to cripple Choice Scarf users such as Hydreigon and Jirachi on the switch.
Set Details
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Starmie needs full HP investment to maximize its bulk. It also needs maximum Speed and a Timid nature, as a fast Rapid Spin is its main appeal. Alternatively, an EV spread of 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 Spe with a Timid nature outspeeds Infernape and avoids the 2HKO from Choice Scarf Darmanitan's Flare Blitz, allowing Starmie to beat it one-on-one. Natural Cure is a godsend for any defensive Pokemon, allowing Starmie to absorb status problems for the team and preventing opponents from wearing it down via Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. It also removes Starmie's poisoning after it spins away Toxic Spikes. Leftovers let Starmie hang around on the battlefield for longer, making it even more difficult to take down.
Usage Tips
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Even with invested bulk, Starmie is still somewhat frail, so keep it away from super effective attacks or very strong neutral attacks. Moreover, this set is easily walled because it does not invest in Special Attack and uses a moveslot for Recover. Because of this, bulky spinblockers such as Jellicent give this set a hard time, though thankfully there are few in the UU tier. Starmie also does not like switching into Pokemon that threaten it with U-turn, particularly Darmanitan.
Team Options
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Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock appreciate Starmie's ability to remove entry hazards. Fire-types such as Entei appreciate the removal of entry hazards and can also defeat the Grass-types that force Starmie out. Spinblockers give this set trouble, so a Dark-type such as Absol or Krookodile are good partners to deal with them. A physical attacker that can break special walls for Starmie is also highly appreciated. The best candidate for the job is Mienshao, which can force out Blissey, Umbreon, Porygon2, and Snorlax with its STAB High Jump Kick.
Other Options
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Starmie can hold Choice Specs to become a fast, powerful wallbreaker, but Starmie is best utilized as a spinner because of the limited distribution of the move. Choice Scarf makes it a very fast revenge killer, but such a set lacks power. If using a Choice item, Trick works well in order to lock an opposing defensive Pokemon into a single move. Starmie also has access to dual screens and Thunder Wave, but it lacks room for those moves and is better off using its other sets. Reflect Type can be used to soften a hit from checks such as Mega Absol, but the move is very matchup-dependent. Signal Beam is an alternative coverage option to hit Celebi a bit harder, and Dazzling Gleam can be used to hit Dark-types. Dazzling Gleam also sees use against Hydreigon, but Starmie loses to Choice Scarf Hydreigon anyway.
Checks & Counters
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**Dedicated Walls**: Porygon2 and Umbreon are the two Pokemon that truly wall Starmie. Porygon2's strong mixed bulk allows it to tank Psyshocks that other special walls such as Blissey, Goodra, and Snorlax cannot, and Umbreon is immune to Psyshock.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Pokemon that commonly hold Choice Scarf, such as Krookodile, Hydreigon, and Mienshao, will outspeed Starmie and either revenge kill or KO Starmie before it has a chance to make a move.
**Sucker Punch Users**: Starmie has no priority move and is weak to Sucker Punch. Absol, Honchkrow, and Toxicroak are all good users of the move.
**Bulky Grass-types**: Specially defensive Celebi can tank even an Ice Beam from Starmie and 2HKO it back with Giga Drain. Shaymin can also OHKO it with Seed Flare, but it cannot switch into any of Starmie's moves bar a predicted Rapid Spin, or else it will be in Ice Beam KO range. Generally, Grass-types do well against defensive variants of Starmie, but not as well against offensive variants.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon that naturally outspeed Starmie, such as Noivern and Mega Aerodactyl, can deal serious damage to it very quickly and possibly OHKO it. Noivern does this easily with its Draco Meteor, but Mega Aerodactyl must carry the rare Crunch to reliably beat Starmie 1v1.
**Spinblockers**: Chandelure and Jellicent are two Ghost-types that can block Starmie's Rapid Spin. They can both beat defensive Starmie, but to beat offensive variants, Chandelure must hold Choice Scarf and Jellicent needs Shadow Ball.
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