[Overview]
<p>Ursaring is, quite simply, a monster of a Pokemon, with a massive base 130 Attack stat and two ways to boost its power. Unlike most Pokemon, who can be combated with status moves, Ursaring has not one, but two abilities that punish an opponent for using such moves. Ursaring also sports reasonable 90 / 75 / 75 defensive stats, meaning it can take an attack or two without much duress. Unfortunately, Ursaring is most frequently let down by its unspectacular Normal typing, which leaves it with a lack of useful coverage on its STAB moves, something that offsets its useful coverage options. Furthermore, depending on the ability it chooses, Ursaring often finds itself as either being rather slow, or not quite strong enough to sweep. Despite these deficiencies, Ursaring is a grizzly of a Pokemon.</p>
[SET]
name: Village Crusher (Guts Abuse)
move 1: Facade
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Swords Dance / Protect
item: Flame Orb
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring becomes the consummate wallbreaker when Guts is activated, doubling its Attack and ensuring that no opponent leaves unscathed. Facade is the key to the set, doubling in power after the Flame Orb activates, reaching a whopping 210 Base Power after STAB. Crunch and Close Combat are the perfect coverage moves for Ursaring. Crunch hits the Ghost-type Pokemon that are immune to Facade super effectively, whereas Close Combat "combats" the Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon that resist Facade. After a Swords Dance, Ursaring's power is mind boggling, with very little able to survive an attack. However, Protect is useful to ensure that Flame Orb activates, and is also useful for scouting the opponent's move.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is straightforward: maximum Attack and Speed investment ensure that Ursaring hits the hardest and the fastest it possibly can. An Adamant nature further increases Ursaring's power, and Flame Orb is the item of choice since it activates Ursaring's Guts ability. Earthquake is a useful option that hits the same targets as Close Combat, but it does not cause Ursaring to suffer from the defense drops of the former. Stone Edge can then also be used in order to provide the famous EdgeQuake combo, which provides excellent overall coverage.</p>
<p>This Ursaring is probably the best counter to defensive Misdreavus available, being immune to its STAB moves, benefiting from being hit by Will-O-Wisp, and ultimately being able to KO it. Therefore, it effectively supports teammates such as Sawk, who would be walled by Misdreavus otherwise. As Ursaring can hardly be called the fastest bear in the forest, paralysis support is greatly appreciated in order for Ursaring to outspeed its opposition, so teammates such as Regirock and Mesprit are good choices. Mesprit is further notable for its ability to utilize dual screens, which can aid Ursaring in safely setting up a Swords Dance.</p>
[SET]
name: Quick Feet
move 1: Facade
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Swords Dance / Protect
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Quick Feet
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring can also attempt to sweep through the opposing team after its Quick Feet ability is activated, which multiplies its Speed by a factor of 1.5. Facade is the preferred STAB option, being very powerful after Toxic Orb activates. Close Combat hits Ice- and Normal-types super effectively, as well as the aforementioned Rock- and Steel-types, as Ursaring can't power through them quite as easily with Facade alone. However, Crunch still only serves to hit Ghost-type Pokemon, as a neutral Facade hits harder than a super effective Crunch. Since Ursaring can often find itself somewhat lacking in power, Swords Dance is the move of choice in order to facilitate a sweep, although Protect is still a useful option to allow Ursaring to revenge kill opposing Pokemon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Quick Feet boosts Ursaring's Speed and allows it to sweep by letting it reach 343 Speed with full EV investment and a Jolly nature. Toxic Orb is preferred over Flame Orb here, as with Quick Feet as the ability, Ursaring will suffer the Attack drop from the burn from Flame Orb. Ursaring greatly appreciates teammates that can set up entry hazards, as, without Guts, it loses much of its raw power and appreciates the residual damage entry hazards cause. For the same reason, Ursaring appreciates Fighting-type teammates, as they can remove the Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, such as Regirock and Lairon, that can defeat Ursaring.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Ursaring has a variety of useful attacking options outside its standard set that can be used to cover specific threats. Access to Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and ThunderPunch gives Ursaring excellent overall coverage, although their sub-par Base Powers are a let down. Conversely, Gunk Shot lacks any notable coverage, but provides raw power instead. Seed Bomb is an interesting option, but is generally outclassed by the combination of Close Combat and Facade. Ursaring also has a couple of other boosting moves. Belly Drum turns Ursaring into a deadly killing machine in tandem with Quick Feet, although Ursaring will rarely survive for long after using it. Bulk Up is also an option, boosting Ursaring's Attack and Defense, lessening its susceptibility to priority attacks. Finally, Ursaring can use the ultimate gimmick, Choice Specs-boosted Hyper Beam, which while being seemingly insane, actually hits harder than Altaria's Draco Meteor.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>With Ursaring's immense power, concrete counters to it are difficult to find, although some Pokemon do better than others. Regirock is probably the best counter available, taking any attack except Guts-boosted Close Combat with ease and retaliating with Drain Punch in return. Similarly, Tangela can take one Guts-boosted Facade and can severely damage Ursaring with Giga Drain. Misdreavus is a solid check, beating Ursaring as long as Misdreavus carries an offensive move besides Shadow Ball. Choice Scarf Pokemon are good checks in general, easily outspeeding even Quick Feet Ursaring and OHKOing in return. Defensive Pokemon with recovery options are capable of stalling Ursaring out of its health, as they can wait for the burn or poison damage to KO Ursaring. Similarly, faster Pokemon with Substitute can also weaken Ursaring before hitting it for the KO.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Ursaring receives Unnerve via the Dream World, which negates opposing Berry activation. The only competitive use of such an ability is to stop Harvest Exeggutor and Tropius from continuing their stall cycle (at least until Petaya, Salac, and Liechi Berry are released), but it is otherwise always outclassed by Guts.</p>
<p>Ursaring is, quite simply, a monster of a Pokemon, with a massive base 130 Attack stat and two ways to boost its power. Unlike most Pokemon, who can be combated with status moves, Ursaring has not one, but two abilities that punish an opponent for using such moves. Ursaring also sports reasonable 90 / 75 / 75 defensive stats, meaning it can take an attack or two without much duress. Unfortunately, Ursaring is most frequently let down by its unspectacular Normal typing, which leaves it with a lack of useful coverage on its STAB moves, something that offsets its useful coverage options. Furthermore, depending on the ability it chooses, Ursaring often finds itself as either being rather slow, or not quite strong enough to sweep. Despite these deficiencies, Ursaring is a grizzly of a Pokemon.</p>
[SET]
name: Village Crusher (Guts Abuse)
move 1: Facade
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Swords Dance / Protect
item: Flame Orb
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring becomes the consummate wallbreaker when Guts is activated, doubling its Attack and ensuring that no opponent leaves unscathed. Facade is the key to the set, doubling in power after the Flame Orb activates, reaching a whopping 210 Base Power after STAB. Crunch and Close Combat are the perfect coverage moves for Ursaring. Crunch hits the Ghost-type Pokemon that are immune to Facade super effectively, whereas Close Combat "combats" the Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon that resist Facade. After a Swords Dance, Ursaring's power is mind boggling, with very little able to survive an attack. However, Protect is useful to ensure that Flame Orb activates, and is also useful for scouting the opponent's move.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is straightforward: maximum Attack and Speed investment ensure that Ursaring hits the hardest and the fastest it possibly can. An Adamant nature further increases Ursaring's power, and Flame Orb is the item of choice since it activates Ursaring's Guts ability. Earthquake is a useful option that hits the same targets as Close Combat, but it does not cause Ursaring to suffer from the defense drops of the former. Stone Edge can then also be used in order to provide the famous EdgeQuake combo, which provides excellent overall coverage.</p>
<p>This Ursaring is probably the best counter to defensive Misdreavus available, being immune to its STAB moves, benefiting from being hit by Will-O-Wisp, and ultimately being able to KO it. Therefore, it effectively supports teammates such as Sawk, who would be walled by Misdreavus otherwise. As Ursaring can hardly be called the fastest bear in the forest, paralysis support is greatly appreciated in order for Ursaring to outspeed its opposition, so teammates such as Regirock and Mesprit are good choices. Mesprit is further notable for its ability to utilize dual screens, which can aid Ursaring in safely setting up a Swords Dance.</p>
[SET]
name: Quick Feet
move 1: Facade
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Swords Dance / Protect
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Quick Feet
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring can also attempt to sweep through the opposing team after its Quick Feet ability is activated, which multiplies its Speed by a factor of 1.5. Facade is the preferred STAB option, being very powerful after Toxic Orb activates. Close Combat hits Ice- and Normal-types super effectively, as well as the aforementioned Rock- and Steel-types, as Ursaring can't power through them quite as easily with Facade alone. However, Crunch still only serves to hit Ghost-type Pokemon, as a neutral Facade hits harder than a super effective Crunch. Since Ursaring can often find itself somewhat lacking in power, Swords Dance is the move of choice in order to facilitate a sweep, although Protect is still a useful option to allow Ursaring to revenge kill opposing Pokemon.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Quick Feet boosts Ursaring's Speed and allows it to sweep by letting it reach 343 Speed with full EV investment and a Jolly nature. Toxic Orb is preferred over Flame Orb here, as with Quick Feet as the ability, Ursaring will suffer the Attack drop from the burn from Flame Orb. Ursaring greatly appreciates teammates that can set up entry hazards, as, without Guts, it loses much of its raw power and appreciates the residual damage entry hazards cause. For the same reason, Ursaring appreciates Fighting-type teammates, as they can remove the Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, such as Regirock and Lairon, that can defeat Ursaring.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Ursaring has a variety of useful attacking options outside its standard set that can be used to cover specific threats. Access to Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and ThunderPunch gives Ursaring excellent overall coverage, although their sub-par Base Powers are a let down. Conversely, Gunk Shot lacks any notable coverage, but provides raw power instead. Seed Bomb is an interesting option, but is generally outclassed by the combination of Close Combat and Facade. Ursaring also has a couple of other boosting moves. Belly Drum turns Ursaring into a deadly killing machine in tandem with Quick Feet, although Ursaring will rarely survive for long after using it. Bulk Up is also an option, boosting Ursaring's Attack and Defense, lessening its susceptibility to priority attacks. Finally, Ursaring can use the ultimate gimmick, Choice Specs-boosted Hyper Beam, which while being seemingly insane, actually hits harder than Altaria's Draco Meteor.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>With Ursaring's immense power, concrete counters to it are difficult to find, although some Pokemon do better than others. Regirock is probably the best counter available, taking any attack except Guts-boosted Close Combat with ease and retaliating with Drain Punch in return. Similarly, Tangela can take one Guts-boosted Facade and can severely damage Ursaring with Giga Drain. Misdreavus is a solid check, beating Ursaring as long as Misdreavus carries an offensive move besides Shadow Ball. Choice Scarf Pokemon are good checks in general, easily outspeeding even Quick Feet Ursaring and OHKOing in return. Defensive Pokemon with recovery options are capable of stalling Ursaring out of its health, as they can wait for the burn or poison damage to KO Ursaring. Similarly, faster Pokemon with Substitute can also weaken Ursaring before hitting it for the KO.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Ursaring receives Unnerve via the Dream World, which negates opposing Berry activation. The only competitive use of such an ability is to stop Harvest Exeggutor and Tropius from continuing their stall cycle (at least until Petaya, Salac, and Liechi Berry are released), but it is otherwise always outclassed by Guts.</p>
