[OVERVIEW]
Fighting
========
* Heracross is extremely valuable to Fighting-type teams thanks to its STAB of Megahorn and coverage move in Knock Off as it allows Fighting-type teams to better deal with Psychic-type Pokemon.
* Heracross's guts allows it to come in on Pokemon such as Mega Sableye as well as absorb status for the rest of the team. It also aids in Hercross's late game sweeping ability.
* Heracross's Bug typing allows it to take on Grass-, Ground-, and Fighting-type Pokemon effectively.
* It is also the only viable Knock Off user on Fighting-type teams.
* On top of Guts, Heracross also has the option of Moxie to aid its sweeping once Pokemon are chipped.
* Heracross's Speed is quite underwhelming and common Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Excadrill outpace it.
* It doesn't have the best defences making it quite easily revenge killed.
* Heracross is usually the best fit on Fighting-type teams but now faces competition from Buzzwole, which has considerably higher Defense and a great ability in Beast Boost. However Heracross's better STAB attacks and Guts ability puts it as higher priority on the team for now.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf Attacker
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Knock Off / Pursuit
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Megahorn is one of Heracross's most powerful and is its most useful STAB attack on Fighting-type teams as it helps to hit Psychic-type Pokemon for super effective damage such as Latios and Mega Latias.
* Close Combat is Heracross's best secondary STAB attack and is used to great success when aiding sweeps. It hits ridiculously hard and is preffered to Megahorn versus anything that it hits neutrally as it never misses.
* Knock Off is used as coverage to hit Ghost-type Pokemon that resist Megahorn such as Alolan Marowak and Jellicent. It also cripples Pokemon by removing items to help the team.
* Stone Edge is Heracross's only way to help against Flying-type Pokemon hitting them for super effective damage. It also helps to hit Bug-type Pokemon such as Volcarona and Araquanid for super effective damage.
* Pursuit can be used over Knock Off in order to trap threats such as Victini and other Psychic-type Pokemon.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow it to hit as hard as possible while outpacing as many Pokemon as possible.
* Choice Scarf and Jolly nature on top of maximum Speed allows Heracross to outpace all of the unboosted meta while also outpacing Pokemon such as Gyarados at +1.
* Guts allows Heracross to deal better with Pokemon such as Mega Sableye and Mantine that rely on status.
* Moxie can be used over Guts in order to give Heracross an easier time when cleaning teams late game. However, Guts is generally more useful on Fighting-type teams as they struggle to break Pokemon such as Mega Sableye.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to use Knock Off during the early-game in order to remove Leftovers and any other support item from Pokemon, as this allows other Pokemon to break them easily. However, make sure that you do not lock yourself into Knock Off around set up sweepers that threaten Fighting-type teams such as Volcarona and Gyarados as it can be used as setup bait.
* Use Heracross as a revenge killer to come in on Pokemon such as Victini, Latios, and Dragonite.
* When trying to revenge kill Pokemon, try to trap them if you can with Pursuit if they can be big threats later in the match up. Same as Knock Off, try not to get locked into it when facing Pokemon such as Gyarados and Volcarona.
* Try to predict when a Ghost-type is coming in on teams that have them as using Close Combat on a potential switch could lose a lot of momentum.
* Heracross should be switched in to soak up status such as Toxic or Will-o-Wisp as it activates Guts. This is important versus Pokemon such as Mantine and Mega Sableye as it makes Heracross a much fiercer wallbreaker.
* If using Moxie, make sure to take advantage of Heracross's sweeping ability later in the game. However, try to keep it as healthy as possible as it is susceptible to revenge killers and priority users such as Keldeo and Dragonite.
Team Options
========
* With Knock Off and Pursuit, Heracross works well with all Fighting-type Pokemon as it is able to safely remove a lot of Psychic-type Pokemon.
* Keldeo in particular is good with Heracross as it is able to threaten Flying-type Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Celesteela and Heracross is able to remove Psychic-type Pokemon for it.
* Choice Scarf Terrakion is able to deal with Pokemon that outpace Heracross such as Victini and Excadrill.
* Mega Gallade is able to break through Poison-type team cores that Heracross struggles with such as Alolan Muk, Mega Venusaur and Toxapex.
* Cobalion and Infernape are great options as they are able to use Stealth Rock to aid Heracross in wallbreaking and sweeping. Cobalion is also able to cripple faster Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Latios. Infernape is able to deal with bulkier Steel-type Pokemon such as Mega Scizor and Skarmory that halt Heracross.
* Breloom can provide Spore support to send faster Pokemon to sleep as well as walls that can be chipped for Heracross to break through later.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
* N/A
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Clefable and Azumarill take minimal damage from all of Heracross's moves and threaten it out with their STAB moves. Both also have the option to boost on it.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory hard counters Heracross, can set up entry hazards against it, and threatens it out with Brave Bird/Counter.
**Flying-types**: Flying-types such as Landorus-T and Gliscor resist both of Heracross's STAB moves and take little damage from its coverage.
**Poison-types**: Defensive Poison-types, such as Crobat and Toxapex, resist both of Heracross's STABs and can easily switch into Heracross, although Crobat fears Stone Edge.
**Physically Defensive Walls**: Walls such as Gastrodon and Hippowdon take little damage from Heracross's attacks and can recover their health with Recover and Slack Off, respectively, although neither like having their Leftovers removed.
**Fire-types**: Although Fire-types fear Stone Edge, many of them, such as Volcarona, can take one of Heracross's other attacks and KO it with their STAB attacks. Even Torkoal can 2HKO it with Lava Plume, and its amazing bulk allows it to survive two Stone Edges.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Choice Scarf users such as Keldeo and Victini and priority users such as Dragonite can KO Heracross after some prior damage.
Fighting
========
* Heracross is extremely valuable to Fighting-type teams thanks to its STAB of Megahorn and coverage move in Knock Off as it allows Fighting-type teams to better deal with Psychic-type Pokemon.
* Heracross's guts allows it to come in on Pokemon such as Mega Sableye as well as absorb status for the rest of the team. It also aids in Hercross's late game sweeping ability.
* Heracross's Bug typing allows it to take on Grass-, Ground-, and Fighting-type Pokemon effectively.
* It is also the only viable Knock Off user on Fighting-type teams.
* On top of Guts, Heracross also has the option of Moxie to aid its sweeping once Pokemon are chipped.
* Heracross's Speed is quite underwhelming and common Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Excadrill outpace it.
* It doesn't have the best defences making it quite easily revenge killed.
* Heracross is usually the best fit on Fighting-type teams but now faces competition from Buzzwole, which has considerably higher Defense and a great ability in Beast Boost. However Heracross's better STAB attacks and Guts ability puts it as higher priority on the team for now.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf Attacker
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Knock Off / Pursuit
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Megahorn is one of Heracross's most powerful and is its most useful STAB attack on Fighting-type teams as it helps to hit Psychic-type Pokemon for super effective damage such as Latios and Mega Latias.
* Close Combat is Heracross's best secondary STAB attack and is used to great success when aiding sweeps. It hits ridiculously hard and is preffered to Megahorn versus anything that it hits neutrally as it never misses.
* Knock Off is used as coverage to hit Ghost-type Pokemon that resist Megahorn such as Alolan Marowak and Jellicent. It also cripples Pokemon by removing items to help the team.
* Stone Edge is Heracross's only way to help against Flying-type Pokemon hitting them for super effective damage. It also helps to hit Bug-type Pokemon such as Volcarona and Araquanid for super effective damage.
* Pursuit can be used over Knock Off in order to trap threats such as Victini and other Psychic-type Pokemon.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow it to hit as hard as possible while outpacing as many Pokemon as possible.
* Choice Scarf and Jolly nature on top of maximum Speed allows Heracross to outpace all of the unboosted meta while also outpacing Pokemon such as Gyarados at +1.
* Guts allows Heracross to deal better with Pokemon such as Mega Sableye and Mantine that rely on status.
* Moxie can be used over Guts in order to give Heracross an easier time when cleaning teams late game. However, Guts is generally more useful on Fighting-type teams as they struggle to break Pokemon such as Mega Sableye.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to use Knock Off during the early-game in order to remove Leftovers and any other support item from Pokemon, as this allows other Pokemon to break them easily. However, make sure that you do not lock yourself into Knock Off around set up sweepers that threaten Fighting-type teams such as Volcarona and Gyarados as it can be used as setup bait.
* Use Heracross as a revenge killer to come in on Pokemon such as Victini, Latios, and Dragonite.
* When trying to revenge kill Pokemon, try to trap them if you can with Pursuit if they can be big threats later in the match up. Same as Knock Off, try not to get locked into it when facing Pokemon such as Gyarados and Volcarona.
* Try to predict when a Ghost-type is coming in on teams that have them as using Close Combat on a potential switch could lose a lot of momentum.
* Heracross should be switched in to soak up status such as Toxic or Will-o-Wisp as it activates Guts. This is important versus Pokemon such as Mantine and Mega Sableye as it makes Heracross a much fiercer wallbreaker.
* If using Moxie, make sure to take advantage of Heracross's sweeping ability later in the game. However, try to keep it as healthy as possible as it is susceptible to revenge killers and priority users such as Keldeo and Dragonite.
Team Options
========
* With Knock Off and Pursuit, Heracross works well with all Fighting-type Pokemon as it is able to safely remove a lot of Psychic-type Pokemon.
* Keldeo in particular is good with Heracross as it is able to threaten Flying-type Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Celesteela and Heracross is able to remove Psychic-type Pokemon for it.
* Choice Scarf Terrakion is able to deal with Pokemon that outpace Heracross such as Victini and Excadrill.
* Mega Gallade is able to break through Poison-type team cores that Heracross struggles with such as Alolan Muk, Mega Venusaur and Toxapex.
* Cobalion and Infernape are great options as they are able to use Stealth Rock to aid Heracross in wallbreaking and sweeping. Cobalion is also able to cripple faster Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Latios. Infernape is able to deal with bulkier Steel-type Pokemon such as Mega Scizor and Skarmory that halt Heracross.
* Breloom can provide Spore support to send faster Pokemon to sleep as well as walls that can be chipped for Heracross to break through later.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
* N/A
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Clefable and Azumarill take minimal damage from all of Heracross's moves and threaten it out with their STAB moves. Both also have the option to boost on it.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory hard counters Heracross, can set up entry hazards against it, and threatens it out with Brave Bird/Counter.
**Flying-types**: Flying-types such as Landorus-T and Gliscor resist both of Heracross's STAB moves and take little damage from its coverage.
**Poison-types**: Defensive Poison-types, such as Crobat and Toxapex, resist both of Heracross's STABs and can easily switch into Heracross, although Crobat fears Stone Edge.
**Physically Defensive Walls**: Walls such as Gastrodon and Hippowdon take little damage from Heracross's attacks and can recover their health with Recover and Slack Off, respectively, although neither like having their Leftovers removed.
**Fire-types**: Although Fire-types fear Stone Edge, many of them, such as Volcarona, can take one of Heracross's other attacks and KO it with their STAB attacks. Even Torkoal can 2HKO it with Lava Plume, and its amazing bulk allows it to survive two Stone Edges.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Choice Scarf users such as Keldeo and Victini and priority users such as Dragonite can KO Heracross after some prior damage.
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