[OVERVIEW]
Braviary can effectively perform the role of a wallbreaker, late-game sweeper, or revenge killer thanks to its access to utility moves like Bulk Up and U-turn, above average Speed, and great Attack. In addition, its great coverage between just Brave Bird and Superpower leaves it walled by very few Pokemon, meaning it can be very difficult to answer defensively. Braviary can also provide great support for its team, since U-turn lets it bring in dangerous wallbreakers, while its ability Defiant dissuades and punishes the use of Defog. Additionally, the sheer special bulk of the Substitute + Bulk Up set lets Braviary check Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott as well as other special attackers like Guzzlord and Accelgor. Unfortunately, Bulk Up variants of Braviary are easy to check defensively with Pokemon such as Diancie, Rhydon, and Steelix and rely on moves that cut into their longevity, leaving them more easily revenge killed. Choice Scarf Braviary is harder to revenge kill but is much weaker, since it cannot boost. Braviary also deals with a weakness to Stealth Rock, limiting the number of turns it can safely switch in before having to recover with Roost and thus providing the foe with a free turn. Faster offensive Pokemon like Heliolisk and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe also give Braviary problems, as they can easily take advantage of Braviary's lesser Speed and OHKO it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Bulk Up
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Bulk Up
move 4: Roost
item: Fightinium Z / Flyinium Z
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird is a strong Flying-type STAB attack with the ability to blow past even the sturdiest of physical walls with the help of Bulk Up and Flyinium Z. Superpower rounds out Braviary's coverage well, hitting most Flying-resistant Pokemon such as Steelix, Diancie, and Rhydon for at least neutral damage. Alongside Fightinium Z, it gives Braviary a more reliable way of dealing with these Pokemon itself. Bulk Up enables Braviary to become either a fearsome wallbreaker or sweeper while also making it difficult for traditional revenge killers, such as Choice Scarf Passimian, to defeat. Roost provides Braviary with a source of recovery and lets it potentially take advantage of weaker, resisted moves like Torterra's Wood Hammer to gain opportunities to switch in as well as stay healthy.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature improve Braviary's offensive presence and let it outspeed Pokemon like Decidueye and Choice Specs Vanilluxe. Defiant lets Braviary deter the use of Defog and Parting Shot, granting it an Attack boost whenever it switches into either move. Fightinium Z gives Braviary a better matchup against Rock- and Steel-types such as Diancie, Rhydon, and Steelix, although All-Out Pummeling has much worse neutral coverage than Supersonic Skystrike. Alternatively, Flyinium Z allows Braviary access to an extremely strong Supersonic Skystrike that lets it break walls such as Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Druddigon and prevents it from taking recoil damage. However, it leaves Braviary with no reliable way to manage Rock- and Steel-types.
Usage Tips
========
Braviary is best used early- and mid-game to wallbreak for its teammates with its boosted attacks. Braviary gets good opportunities to set up against Pokemon like Torterra, Palossand, and non-Toxic Mega Audino that are incapable of threatening it. Additionally, Braviary can use Roost to repeatedly take advantage of and switch into these Pokemon. However, Braviary can instead opt to just fire off unboosted attacks at switch-ins to weaken them for later, as Brave Bird and Superpower hit incredibly hard even unboosted and doing so lets Braviary more effectively wallbreak mid- to late-game with its Bulk Up-boosted attacks. Braviary should save its Z-Move for Pokemon such as Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Weezing that can severely punish Braviary for not OHKOing them. If no opportunities to safely use Bulk Up present themselves, Braviary can try to get an Attack boost by switching into Defog from the likes of Decidueye, Golbat, and Silvally-Steel. However, be careful of switching into Rotom, as it outspeeds Braviary and can punish it with Will-O-Wisp or super effective damage. When using Fightinium Z, Braviary can break Steel- and Rock-types such as Steelix and Diancie much more reliably for its teammates.
Team Options
========
Braviary appreciates entry hazard support from the likes of Diancie and Garbodor, as it assists Braviary in breaking defensive switch-ins such as Slowbro and Rhydon. Braviary can even act as a form of entry hazard control, since Defiant deters the use of Defog. Late-game cleaners like Comfey, Choice Scarf Passimian, and Klinklang appreciate Braviary's ability to wallbreak early- and mid-game. Pivot support from the likes of Heliolisk, Rotom, and Silvally-Steel goes well alongside Braviary, since it helps Braviary switch in safely. Heliolisk and Rotom in particular work well with Braviary, since they commonly draw in special walls like Vileplume and Slowking that Braviary can easily defeat. Pokemon such as Vileplume and Torterra are excellent partners for Braviary, since they can easily switch into faster Electric-types for it and also can dispatch of Rock-types. Similarly, Fire-types like Incineroar and Magmortar help to deal with faster Ice-types such as Sneasel and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe. Since Rotom is a massive problem for Braviary, checks to it like Incineroar, Heliolisk, and Sneasel make for excellent teammates.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Bulk Up
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Bulk Up
move 3: Brave Bird
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute prevents Braviary from being badly poisoned by Pokemon such as Slowbro, Xatu, and Mega Audino and lets Braviary take advantage of passive Pokemon like Seismitoad and Miltank that cannot break Substitute easily. Bulk Up lets Braviary function as a late-game sweeper and makes it difficult for physical revenge killers such as Sneasel, Choice Scarf Passimian, and Choice Scarf Braviary to successfully defeat it. Brave Bird is Braviary's best STAB option due to its great neutral coverage, which prevents Braviary from ever being completely walled. Roost provides Braviary with a source of recovery and lets Braviary make use of its solid special bulk to switch into certain hits like Sceptile's Leaf Storm and Whimsicott's Energy Ball. Roost also lets Braviary PP stall attacks such as Steelix's Heavy Slam and Garbodor's Gunk Shot.
Set Details
========
96 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are crucial so that Braviary outspeeds Jolly Incineroar and most Xatu, while 252 HP EVs prevent Braviary's Substitute from being broken by Miltank's Seismic Toss. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Defense and make it more difficult for weak Scald users like Slowbro and Seismitoad to break Braviary's Substitute. Defiant lets Braviary assist in keeping entry hazards up by dissuading opposing Defoggers from using Defog, since it gives Braviary an Attack boost. It also prevents Silvally-Steel from safely using Parting Shot. Leftovers provides Braviary with passive recovery, meaning it doesn't have to use Roost as often and regains some of the health lost from using Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
Braviary is best preserved for late-game, as it will struggle to defeat its checks before they are adequately worn down or removed, and it must be healthy to reliably set up. However, Braviary can be pivoted into certain special attacks like Sceptile's Leaf Storm, Alolan Exeggutor's Leaf Storm, and Whimsicott's Moonblast thanks to its good bulk and Roost. Braviary should look to set up Substitute against passive Pokemon incapable of breaking it, such as Palossand, Mega Audino, and Miltank. From there, Braviary can look to use Bulk Up. Although Substitute shields Braviary from status conditions from the likes of Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Rotom, it is imperative that Braviary be careful against Golbat. Golbat can badly poison Braviary with Toxic no matter what thanks to its ability Infiltrator. It is also important to keep Braviary at high HP against Choice Specs Heliolisk, as Hyper Voice bypasses Substitute and does a large number.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard support from Pokemon like Rhydon, Steelix, and Garbodor is mandatory in helping wear down Braviary's switch-ins. In particular, Garbodor is an excellent teammate, since Spikes help wear down Rock- and Steel-types for Braviary, while Toxic Spikes synergizes well with Braviary's combination of Substitute and Roost. In return, Braviary assists in keeping hazards up thanks to Defiant. Since Braviary struggles to break Pokemon like Steelix and Rhydon, Pokemon such as Sceptile, Magmortar, and Accelgor help to wear them down. In addition, Accelgor can provide Spikes support for Braviary. Hazard control from the likes of Rotom, Cryogonal, and Silvally-Steel prevents Braviary from being worn down by Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, these Pokemon can check Heliolisk effectively for Braviary, while Cryogonal and Silvally-Steel are also solid stops to Vanilluxe. Pokemon such as Slowbro and Vaporeon are excellent to pair alongside Braviary, as they can switch into physical attackers well. Vaporeon can also provide Heal Bell support for Braviary, while it checks Grass-types for the aforementioned.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird is Braviary's strongest STAB attack and lets it easily threaten Pokemon such as Sceptile, Whimsicott, and Vivillon. Return is a reliable secondary option, since it lacks harmful secondary effects and possesses respectable power. U-turn lets Braviary function as a pivot out of lackluster matchups against Pokemon such as Diancie and defensive Slowbro. Superpower rounds off Braviary's coverage, giving it a way to do meaningful chip damage to Rock- and Steel-types like Rhydon and Steelix.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs alongside a Jolly nature and Choice Scarf augment Braviary's offensive presence and let it revenge kill fast threats like Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Whimsicott. Defiant enables Braviary to function as a deterrent to Defog, since it boosts Braviary's Attack when a foe uses Defog. Defiant also lets Braviary punish Silvally-Steel for using Parting Shot against it.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to the Speed boost from Choice Scarf, this Braviary set functions as a great revenge killer for fast threats such as Sceptile, Choice Specs Heliolisk, and Whimsicott. Braviary can also function as a late-game cleaner with its strong STAB attacks once its checks are weakened or removed. Since Defiant provides Braviary with a large Attack boost if it switches into Defog, Braviary should attempt to gain said boost if possible, as the boost makes it nearly impossible to safely switch into. When predicting an opponent to switch to a Pokemon such as Diancie, Steelix, or Rhydon, using Superpower to weaken it for later in the battle is effective in creating the ideal late-game for Braviary. Using U-turn is also an option to bring in a teammate that immediately threatens to KO the foe. Once its checks have been weakened or removed, Braviary can take advantage of its strong STAB attacks to clean up opposing teams.
Team Options
========
This Braviary set can fit on any offensive build in need of a revenge killer and Defog deterrent. Since Defiant is a great way to dissuade the use of Defog, entry hazard setters work well alongside Braviary. Garbodor in particular is a nice teammate, as Spikes helps Braviary muscle past Pokemon such as Diancie and Steelix. Furthermore, Dhelmise and Blastoise are exceptional partners for Braviary; they can deal with Rock-types for Braviary and don't remove hazards from the opponent's side of the field when using Rapid Spin. Stealth Rock setters such as Diancie, Rhydon, and Seismitoad help to weaken Braviary's switch-ins; they also draw in Grass-types, which Braviary can easily take advantage of by threatening to KO them with Brave Bird, and appreciate Braviary helping keep Stealth Rock up. Wallbreakers such as Incineroar, Choice Specs Sceptile, and Medicham appreciate Braviary being able to safely bring them onto the field with U-turn. Furthermore, Incineroar appreciates Braviary weakening Diancie and Rhydon with Superpower, while Sceptile and Medicham threaten to KO Rock-types that may switch into Braviary.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Braviary can run a Choice Band set to provide it with immediate wallbreaking power, although such a set is easily exploited by setup sweepers like Calm Mind Diancie, Comfey, and Swords Dance Gallade if it locks into the wrong move. It also struggles with being revenge killed due to passive damage from Stealth Rock and Brave Bird racking up and faces immense competition from Dodrio, which has more utility in Quick Attack and Pursuit. Retaliate can be used on Choice Scarf Braviary, as it gives Braviary an even stronger STAB attack to revenge kill with, although it's incredibly weak once the power boost is gone. Roost is another viable option over Return on the Choice Scarf set, as it lets Braviary take advantage of predicted switches to recover HP, although it leaves Braviary Choice-locked into a poor move. Braviary has access to other utility moves like Defog and Tailwind, but it faces great competition from Xatu, Golbat, and others as a support Pokemon and has a comparatively bad defensive typing.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types and Steelix**: Diancie isn't weak to any of Braviary's coverage moves and can easily break its Substitute with Power Gem. Rhydon dislikes taking repetitive uses of Superpower, but it can boost alongside Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary with Swords Dance and takes little from even +6 Brave Bird. Steelix can also boost alongside Braviary with Curse, making it even more difficult to reliably beat one-on-one, or phaze boosted Braviary with Roar.
**Electric-types**: Rotom resists or is immune to all of Braviary's commonly run moves and threatens to either burn it with Will-O-Wisp or heavily damage it with Thunderbolt or Volt Switch. Heliolisk can hit Braviary behind Substitute with Hyper Voice, while Choice Scarf Heliolisk threatens to outspeed and KO offensive Braviary variants with Thunderbolt.
**Stealth Rock**: Although Braviary carries Roost on non-Choice Scarf sets, Stealth Rock causes Braviary to waste turns recovering health rather than boosting or firing off attacks, and it can lead to Braviary being in bad matchups against Pokemon like Choice Scarf Vanilluxe.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Earlier versions by: [[quziel, 297859]]
- Quality checked by: [[banks, 379208], [quziel, 297859], [Eternally, 295647]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Braviary can effectively perform the role of a wallbreaker, late-game sweeper, or revenge killer thanks to its access to utility moves like Bulk Up and U-turn, above average Speed, and great Attack. In addition, its great coverage between just Brave Bird and Superpower leaves it walled by very few Pokemon, meaning it can be very difficult to answer defensively. Braviary can also provide great support for its team, since U-turn lets it bring in dangerous wallbreakers, while its ability Defiant dissuades and punishes the use of Defog. Additionally, the sheer special bulk of the Substitute + Bulk Up set lets Braviary check Grass-types like Sceptile and Whimsicott as well as other special attackers like Guzzlord and Accelgor. Unfortunately, Bulk Up variants of Braviary are easy to check defensively with Pokemon such as Diancie, Rhydon, and Steelix and rely on moves that cut into their longevity, leaving them more easily revenge killed. Choice Scarf Braviary is harder to revenge kill but is much weaker, since it cannot boost. Braviary also deals with a weakness to Stealth Rock, limiting the number of turns it can safely switch in before having to recover with Roost and thus providing the foe with a free turn. Faster offensive Pokemon like Heliolisk and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe also give Braviary problems, as they can easily take advantage of Braviary's lesser Speed and OHKO it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Bulk Up
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Bulk Up
move 4: Roost
item: Fightinium Z / Flyinium Z
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird is a strong Flying-type STAB attack with the ability to blow past even the sturdiest of physical walls with the help of Bulk Up and Flyinium Z. Superpower rounds out Braviary's coverage well, hitting most Flying-resistant Pokemon such as Steelix, Diancie, and Rhydon for at least neutral damage. Alongside Fightinium Z, it gives Braviary a more reliable way of dealing with these Pokemon itself. Bulk Up enables Braviary to become either a fearsome wallbreaker or sweeper while also making it difficult for traditional revenge killers, such as Choice Scarf Passimian, to defeat. Roost provides Braviary with a source of recovery and lets it potentially take advantage of weaker, resisted moves like Torterra's Wood Hammer to gain opportunities to switch in as well as stay healthy.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature improve Braviary's offensive presence and let it outspeed Pokemon like Decidueye and Choice Specs Vanilluxe. Defiant lets Braviary deter the use of Defog and Parting Shot, granting it an Attack boost whenever it switches into either move. Fightinium Z gives Braviary a better matchup against Rock- and Steel-types such as Diancie, Rhydon, and Steelix, although All-Out Pummeling has much worse neutral coverage than Supersonic Skystrike. Alternatively, Flyinium Z allows Braviary access to an extremely strong Supersonic Skystrike that lets it break walls such as Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Druddigon and prevents it from taking recoil damage. However, it leaves Braviary with no reliable way to manage Rock- and Steel-types.
Usage Tips
========
Braviary is best used early- and mid-game to wallbreak for its teammates with its boosted attacks. Braviary gets good opportunities to set up against Pokemon like Torterra, Palossand, and non-Toxic Mega Audino that are incapable of threatening it. Additionally, Braviary can use Roost to repeatedly take advantage of and switch into these Pokemon. However, Braviary can instead opt to just fire off unboosted attacks at switch-ins to weaken them for later, as Brave Bird and Superpower hit incredibly hard even unboosted and doing so lets Braviary more effectively wallbreak mid- to late-game with its Bulk Up-boosted attacks. Braviary should save its Z-Move for Pokemon such as Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Weezing that can severely punish Braviary for not OHKOing them. If no opportunities to safely use Bulk Up present themselves, Braviary can try to get an Attack boost by switching into Defog from the likes of Decidueye, Golbat, and Silvally-Steel. However, be careful of switching into Rotom, as it outspeeds Braviary and can punish it with Will-O-Wisp or super effective damage. When using Fightinium Z, Braviary can break Steel- and Rock-types such as Steelix and Diancie much more reliably for its teammates.
Team Options
========
Braviary appreciates entry hazard support from the likes of Diancie and Garbodor, as it assists Braviary in breaking defensive switch-ins such as Slowbro and Rhydon. Braviary can even act as a form of entry hazard control, since Defiant deters the use of Defog. Late-game cleaners like Comfey, Choice Scarf Passimian, and Klinklang appreciate Braviary's ability to wallbreak early- and mid-game. Pivot support from the likes of Heliolisk, Rotom, and Silvally-Steel goes well alongside Braviary, since it helps Braviary switch in safely. Heliolisk and Rotom in particular work well with Braviary, since they commonly draw in special walls like Vileplume and Slowking that Braviary can easily defeat. Pokemon such as Vileplume and Torterra are excellent partners for Braviary, since they can easily switch into faster Electric-types for it and also can dispatch of Rock-types. Similarly, Fire-types like Incineroar and Magmortar help to deal with faster Ice-types such as Sneasel and Choice Scarf Vanilluxe. Since Rotom is a massive problem for Braviary, checks to it like Incineroar, Heliolisk, and Sneasel make for excellent teammates.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Bulk Up
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Bulk Up
move 3: Brave Bird
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute prevents Braviary from being badly poisoned by Pokemon such as Slowbro, Xatu, and Mega Audino and lets Braviary take advantage of passive Pokemon like Seismitoad and Miltank that cannot break Substitute easily. Bulk Up lets Braviary function as a late-game sweeper and makes it difficult for physical revenge killers such as Sneasel, Choice Scarf Passimian, and Choice Scarf Braviary to successfully defeat it. Brave Bird is Braviary's best STAB option due to its great neutral coverage, which prevents Braviary from ever being completely walled. Roost provides Braviary with a source of recovery and lets Braviary make use of its solid special bulk to switch into certain hits like Sceptile's Leaf Storm and Whimsicott's Energy Ball. Roost also lets Braviary PP stall attacks such as Steelix's Heavy Slam and Garbodor's Gunk Shot.
Set Details
========
96 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are crucial so that Braviary outspeeds Jolly Incineroar and most Xatu, while 252 HP EVs prevent Braviary's Substitute from being broken by Miltank's Seismic Toss. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Defense and make it more difficult for weak Scald users like Slowbro and Seismitoad to break Braviary's Substitute. Defiant lets Braviary assist in keeping entry hazards up by dissuading opposing Defoggers from using Defog, since it gives Braviary an Attack boost. It also prevents Silvally-Steel from safely using Parting Shot. Leftovers provides Braviary with passive recovery, meaning it doesn't have to use Roost as often and regains some of the health lost from using Substitute.
Usage Tips
========
Braviary is best preserved for late-game, as it will struggle to defeat its checks before they are adequately worn down or removed, and it must be healthy to reliably set up. However, Braviary can be pivoted into certain special attacks like Sceptile's Leaf Storm, Alolan Exeggutor's Leaf Storm, and Whimsicott's Moonblast thanks to its good bulk and Roost. Braviary should look to set up Substitute against passive Pokemon incapable of breaking it, such as Palossand, Mega Audino, and Miltank. From there, Braviary can look to use Bulk Up. Although Substitute shields Braviary from status conditions from the likes of Slowbro, Vaporeon, and Rotom, it is imperative that Braviary be careful against Golbat. Golbat can badly poison Braviary with Toxic no matter what thanks to its ability Infiltrator. It is also important to keep Braviary at high HP against Choice Specs Heliolisk, as Hyper Voice bypasses Substitute and does a large number.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard support from Pokemon like Rhydon, Steelix, and Garbodor is mandatory in helping wear down Braviary's switch-ins. In particular, Garbodor is an excellent teammate, since Spikes help wear down Rock- and Steel-types for Braviary, while Toxic Spikes synergizes well with Braviary's combination of Substitute and Roost. In return, Braviary assists in keeping hazards up thanks to Defiant. Since Braviary struggles to break Pokemon like Steelix and Rhydon, Pokemon such as Sceptile, Magmortar, and Accelgor help to wear them down. In addition, Accelgor can provide Spikes support for Braviary. Hazard control from the likes of Rotom, Cryogonal, and Silvally-Steel prevents Braviary from being worn down by Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, these Pokemon can check Heliolisk effectively for Braviary, while Cryogonal and Silvally-Steel are also solid stops to Vanilluxe. Pokemon such as Slowbro and Vaporeon are excellent to pair alongside Braviary, as they can switch into physical attackers well. Vaporeon can also provide Heal Bell support for Braviary, while it checks Grass-types for the aforementioned.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Return
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Brave Bird is Braviary's strongest STAB attack and lets it easily threaten Pokemon such as Sceptile, Whimsicott, and Vivillon. Return is a reliable secondary option, since it lacks harmful secondary effects and possesses respectable power. U-turn lets Braviary function as a pivot out of lackluster matchups against Pokemon such as Diancie and defensive Slowbro. Superpower rounds off Braviary's coverage, giving it a way to do meaningful chip damage to Rock- and Steel-types like Rhydon and Steelix.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs alongside a Jolly nature and Choice Scarf augment Braviary's offensive presence and let it revenge kill fast threats like Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Whimsicott. Defiant enables Braviary to function as a deterrent to Defog, since it boosts Braviary's Attack when a foe uses Defog. Defiant also lets Braviary punish Silvally-Steel for using Parting Shot against it.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to the Speed boost from Choice Scarf, this Braviary set functions as a great revenge killer for fast threats such as Sceptile, Choice Specs Heliolisk, and Whimsicott. Braviary can also function as a late-game cleaner with its strong STAB attacks once its checks are weakened or removed. Since Defiant provides Braviary with a large Attack boost if it switches into Defog, Braviary should attempt to gain said boost if possible, as the boost makes it nearly impossible to safely switch into. When predicting an opponent to switch to a Pokemon such as Diancie, Steelix, or Rhydon, using Superpower to weaken it for later in the battle is effective in creating the ideal late-game for Braviary. Using U-turn is also an option to bring in a teammate that immediately threatens to KO the foe. Once its checks have been weakened or removed, Braviary can take advantage of its strong STAB attacks to clean up opposing teams.
Team Options
========
This Braviary set can fit on any offensive build in need of a revenge killer and Defog deterrent. Since Defiant is a great way to dissuade the use of Defog, entry hazard setters work well alongside Braviary. Garbodor in particular is a nice teammate, as Spikes helps Braviary muscle past Pokemon such as Diancie and Steelix. Furthermore, Dhelmise and Blastoise are exceptional partners for Braviary; they can deal with Rock-types for Braviary and don't remove hazards from the opponent's side of the field when using Rapid Spin. Stealth Rock setters such as Diancie, Rhydon, and Seismitoad help to weaken Braviary's switch-ins; they also draw in Grass-types, which Braviary can easily take advantage of by threatening to KO them with Brave Bird, and appreciate Braviary helping keep Stealth Rock up. Wallbreakers such as Incineroar, Choice Specs Sceptile, and Medicham appreciate Braviary being able to safely bring them onto the field with U-turn. Furthermore, Incineroar appreciates Braviary weakening Diancie and Rhydon with Superpower, while Sceptile and Medicham threaten to KO Rock-types that may switch into Braviary.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Braviary can run a Choice Band set to provide it with immediate wallbreaking power, although such a set is easily exploited by setup sweepers like Calm Mind Diancie, Comfey, and Swords Dance Gallade if it locks into the wrong move. It also struggles with being revenge killed due to passive damage from Stealth Rock and Brave Bird racking up and faces immense competition from Dodrio, which has more utility in Quick Attack and Pursuit. Retaliate can be used on Choice Scarf Braviary, as it gives Braviary an even stronger STAB attack to revenge kill with, although it's incredibly weak once the power boost is gone. Roost is another viable option over Return on the Choice Scarf set, as it lets Braviary take advantage of predicted switches to recover HP, although it leaves Braviary Choice-locked into a poor move. Braviary has access to other utility moves like Defog and Tailwind, but it faces great competition from Xatu, Golbat, and others as a support Pokemon and has a comparatively bad defensive typing.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types and Steelix**: Diancie isn't weak to any of Braviary's coverage moves and can easily break its Substitute with Power Gem. Rhydon dislikes taking repetitive uses of Superpower, but it can boost alongside Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary with Swords Dance and takes little from even +6 Brave Bird. Steelix can also boost alongside Braviary with Curse, making it even more difficult to reliably beat one-on-one, or phaze boosted Braviary with Roar.
**Electric-types**: Rotom resists or is immune to all of Braviary's commonly run moves and threatens to either burn it with Will-O-Wisp or heavily damage it with Thunderbolt or Volt Switch. Heliolisk can hit Braviary behind Substitute with Hyper Voice, while Choice Scarf Heliolisk threatens to outspeed and KO offensive Braviary variants with Thunderbolt.
**Stealth Rock**: Although Braviary carries Roost on non-Choice Scarf sets, Stealth Rock causes Braviary to waste turns recovering health rather than boosting or firing off attacks, and it can lead to Braviary being in bad matchups against Pokemon like Choice Scarf Vanilluxe.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Earlier versions by: [[quziel, 297859]]
- Quality checked by: [[banks, 379208], [quziel, 297859], [Eternally, 295647]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Last edited:
