Not Your Everyday Heracross.

U DIE TONIGHT

I’ve always wanted to use Swords Dance Heracross, so I decided to build a team around him.

The Team At A Glance​
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Onto The Team​

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Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 124 HP/ 104 Def/ 148 Spd/ 132 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
~ Discharge
~ Hidden Power Ice
~ Roar​
~ Roost

Zapdos is the lead for my team, and it’s a pretty good one to. Beats all the Gyarados leads that are popping up nowadays, and outspeeds and OHKOs neutral nature non-Scarf Salamence leads. Gengar leads are a major pain in the ass though, especially since I lack a sleep taker.

I have always preferred Discharge to Thunderbolt, due to the 30% Paralysis chance, which I always seem to get. ^_^ Roost is for healing (obviously), Roar gets the jump on Ninjask leads, and is my teams only form of phasing, and Hidden Power Ice deals with Dragons and Grounds.

The EV spread and nature reach 352 HP, 231 Def, 300 Spd, and 319 SAtk. 352 HP gets maximum Leftovers recovery, 300 Spd outspeeds max speed neutral nature base 100s (mainly Salamence), and 319 OHKOs 4 HP/ 0 SDef Salamence 100% of the time with Hidden Power Ice. The rest was dumped into Defence.​

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Salamence @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 212 HP/ 60 Atk/ 196 Def/ 40 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
~ Dragon Claw
~ Wish
~ Protect
~ Aerial Ace​

Wish Salamence has always been my favourite type of Salamence, and it fits pretty well on this team IMO.

Wish is extremely self-explanatory, Protect is used for easing predictions and to help Salamence heal himself when the time arises. Dragon Claw is the main STAB move, and Aerial Ace is mainly filler, but deals with Heracross more reliably then Flamethrower and such.

The EVs reach 384 HP, 321 Atk, 245 Def, and 270 Spd. 384 HP gets maximum Leftovers recovery (if you haven’t noticed, I like my Leftovers recovery), 270 Spd outspeeds max Spd Adamant Heracross (as you should know >_>), 245 is a nice round Def number, and the rest was put into Atk. The extra Atk EVs could possibly go into Def, though.​

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Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 236 HP/ 216 Def/ 56 SAtk
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
~ Earthquake
~ Ice Beam
~ Muddy Water​
~ Stealth Rock

Standard Mixpert is standard. Although I like using Muddy Water on my Swamperts, as I enjoy the lulz from the accuracy drop, even if it doesn’t happen too often.

Swampert was mainly put onto this team to deal with the fairly substantial Tyranitar weakness, although it does help against a fair amount of other threats, and Stealth Rock is a very nice addition to the team.

And if you don’t know what these EVs do, get the hell out of my thread. ^.^ ​

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Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 180 HP/ 72 Spd/ 48 SAtk/ 208 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
~ Fire Blast
~ Rest
~ Sleep Talk
~ Hidden Power Grass​

I use to run SpecsHeatran here, but I have changed him to be a ResTalker, due to Hypnosis screwing over one of my Pokemon all the time.

Fire Blast is the main offensive and STAB move, while Hidden Power Grass is for the various Waters that always seem to be switching into Heatran, especially Swampert. Rest and Sleep Talk are self-explanatory.

The EVs give 368 HP, 208 Spd, 337 SAtk, and 300 SDef. 368 HP gets maximum Leftovers recovery, 208 Spd outspeeds max Spd +nature Marowak, 300 SDef is a nice round number to stop at, and the rest was thrown into SAtk.​


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Tentacruel @ Leftovers
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 204 HP/ 40 Spd/ 160 SAtk/ 104 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
~ Surf
~ Ice Beam
~ Giga Drain/ Hidden Power Electric
~ Rapid Spin​

I felt like I needed a Rapid Spinner in my team (as I always do lol), and Tentacruel was the only one I hadn’t tried yet. It also provides better coverage against Mixape then Salamence, due to some carrying Hidden Power Ice.

Surf is for Infernapes, Heatrans, etc, and is Tentacruel’s STAB move, Ice Beam deals with Dragons (especially Specsmence), and Grass types that resist Surf. I can’t decide whether to use Giga Drain or Hidden Power Electric. Giga Drain gives me slight recovery and hits Swampert hard, but Hidden Power Electric hits most Water types harder, and hits the ever-present Gyarados much harder than Ice Beam and Giga Drain as well. I seriously have no idea which to use. :/

The EVs give 352 HP, 246 Spd, 236 SAtk (235 if I go Hidden Power Electric), and 332 SDef. 352 HP gets maximum Leftovers recovery, 246 Spd beats the things that beat the things that beat Jolly Tyranitar, 236 SAtk OHKOs 4 HP/ 0 SDef Salamence with Ice Beam, and the rest was put into SDef.


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Heracross @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
EVs: 204 HP/ 148 Atk/ 156 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
~ Swords Dance
~ Close Combat
~ Megahorn
~ Stone Edge​

Swords Dance Heracross is an absolute beast late game, and is the main reason why I built this team, as I really wanted to use him.​

The moveset is standard and self-explanatory. So I don’t think I have to say anything about it, right?​

The EVs give 352 HP, 355 Atk, and 245 Spd. 352 HP is, surprise surprise, for maximum Leftovers recovery, and 245 Spd beats the things beating Jolly Tyranitar. Rest was dumped into Atk.​

Also the base of the team. But this team doesn’t have nearly enough Paralysis support for him as I’d like it to. ;.;​


I’m typing this up at like 9:40, so excuse any simple mistakes.​
 
with spin support, and wish support heracross can live with a burn.

Give him a flame orb and after an SD his attaqck will go to about 900.
 
Looks like you might have a Mamoswine weakness. It takes out Zapdos and Salamence with Ice STAB and takes out Heatran and Tentacruel with EQ. If it is carrying Peck, Heracross is a gonner and IIRC Swampert can be 2HKO'd by Ice Fang. One solution would be to test Bronzong in Swampert's spot, since it still lays out Stealth Rocks and can also provide an always appreciated sleeper. If the threat isn't enough for you to switch around, however, then I'm not forcing you to change. Also, to be quite honest, I can't see that Heracross doing that well. You'd have better sweeping potential with a SD LO or SD Bulky Lucario if you ask me. But thats just one man's opinion... Nice team overall.
 
If you want a Sleep Talker to help with Gengar leads, why not just change Heatran? It can run a very effective ResTalk set while retaining offensive power.

I would also say go with a Flame Orb on Heracross, but it's really up to you. I used to run a Swords Dance, Facade Heracross @ Burn Orb and it worked really well, considering a 140 BP Facade 2HKOs Gliscor after a Swords Dance.
 
Hmm.. I've never found heracross to be an effective late game sweeper, due to his lack of speed. Unless you're planning on only sweeping after everything faster than you with flying or fire attacks are dead? At any rate, with only timid/jolly base 100s leading your team, I find it to be a little on the slow side. Jolly garchomp with outrage, fire blast, stone edge, and earthquake hits and outspeed 5/6 of your team, the sole exception being swampert.
 
May I suggest

Heracross @ salac Berry
252 atk, 252 spe 6 HP

Substitute
SD
reversal
Megahorn/Stone edge/Night slash

For Late game. Works a charm for me.
 
Porky said:
with spin support, and wish support heracross can live with a burn.

Give him a flame orb and after an SD his attaqck will go to about 900.
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I will probably test the effectiveness of Flame Orb Facade Heracross at a later date.

stormtrooper said:
you have stealth rock twice on swampert if you didnt notice
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Thanks for pointing that out, can't beleive I didn't notice it lol.

Pulse said:
Looks like you might have a Mamoswine weakness. It takes out Zapdos and Salamence with Ice STAB and takes out Heatran and Tentacruel with EQ. If it is carrying Peck, Heracross is a gonner and IIRC Swampert can be 2HKO'd by Ice Fang. One solution would be to test Bronzong in Swampert's spot, since it still lays out Stealth Rocks and can also provide an always appreciated sleeper. If the threat isn't enough for you to switch around, however, then I'm not forcing you to change. Also, to be quite honest, I can't see that Heracross doing that well. You'd have better sweeping potential with a SD LO or SD Bulky Lucario if you ask me. But thats just one man's opinion... Nice team overall.
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I may actually try Bronzong over Swampert, as Mamoswine has given me a fair bit of greif when I'm not in a predicting mood.

SD Lucario could possibly become the center of the team instead of Heracross, but that would require a fairly big overhaul of the team to deal with all of Lucario's counters better, and not Heracross. Plus SD Heracross has coolness over SD Lucario.

IggyBot said:
If you want a Sleep Talker to help with Gengar leads, why not just change Heatran? It can run a very effective ResTalk set while retaining offensive power.

I would also say go with a Flame Orb on Heracross, but it's really up to you. I used to run a Swords Dance, Facade Heracross @ Burn Orb and it worked really well, considering a 140 BP Facade 2HKOs Gliscor after a Swords Dance.
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.____.
Why I never thought about that for Heatran, I have absolutely no clue whatsoever.

And as I said earlier in this post, I will test the effectiveness of Flame Orb Facade Hera at a later date.

shadydentist said:
Hmm.. I've never found heracross to be an effective late game sweeper, due to his lack of speed. Unless you're planning on only sweeping after everything faster than you with flying or fire attacks are dead? At any rate, with only timid/jolly base 100s leading your team, I find it to be a little on the slow side. Jolly garchomp with outrage, fire blast, stone edge, and earthquake hits and outspeed 5/6 of your team, the sole exception being swampert.
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Yeah, I am planning to only sweep once everything that counters and is a threat to Heracross is either gone or Paralysed.

Garchomp hasn't been too much of a problem as of late, but you never know what could happen.

Banana292 said:
May I suggest

Heracross @ salac Berry
252 atk, 252 spe 6 HP

Substitute
SD
reversal
Megahorn/Stone edge/Night slash

For Late game. Works a charm for me.
Click to expand...

252 Spd is fair overkill :/. And I will try that set (with modified EVs) after I have tested the other Hera suggested in here.

Keep the suggestions coming people. ;)
 
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