[OVERVIEW]
With its high Attack stat and powerful STAB Megahorn, Heracross is one of the most fearsome wallbreakers in ADV OU that threatens slow-paced teams with Pokemon such as Claydol and defensive Celebi. Even its checks are not foolproof, as Gengar dares not burn it because of Guts, while Dugtrio risks being caught by Substitute or Salac Berry variants. Generally speaking, with support from trappers, Choice Band Heracross's STAB moves can easily overwhelm an opposing team.
However, although Heracross can pivot into bulky Water-types such as Milotic, it doesn't contribute much defensively; Salamence is troublesome for offensive teams with Heracross, while some balanced teams with Heracross suffer against Moltres. In addition, a well-switched Dugtrio can remove Heracross before it works.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Focus Punch / Brick Break
move 4: Swords Dance / Substitute / Hidden Power Ghost / Brick Break
item: Leftovers
ability: Guts / Swarm
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set mostly acts as an early- and mid-game wallbreaker, capitalizing on bulky Psychic-, Normal-, and Water-types. Megahorn OHKOes Celebi and Claydol, has a chance to 3HKO defensive Suicune and Swampert, and 2HKOes Blissey and Snorlax. Furthermore, it can also allow Heracross to hold its ground against more offensive non-hovering special threats by threatening to 2HKO offensive Suicune and OHKO Jolteon. Rock Slide punishes switch-ins such as Salamence, Gyarados, Zapdos, and Moltres. Focus Punch is for a predicted switch to Skarmory, thus being mostly used when Magneton is absent on the team. In addition, it exploits Rest Pokemon such as Snorlax and Hariyama. Otherwise, Brick Break 2HKOes Snorlax and Blissey without the inaccuracy of Megahorn and OHKOes Magneton.
When it comes to the last slot, Swords Dance gives Heracross the ability to sweep bulkier teams and can be used set up on a predicted switch or a Choice-locked Earthquake. After a Swords Dance, Rock Slide OHKOes Zapdos and offensive Gengar and has a chance to OHKO Adamant Gyarados and slower variants of Salamence. Substitute pairs well with Focus Punch, allowing Heracross to scout for Drill Peck on Skarmory and potentially play mind games with it. Substitute can also catch an attempted sacrifice into a Dugtrio trap, protect Heracross from Forretress, bring Heracross into Swarm range, and exploit the miss rate of Swampert's Hydro Pump. Adamant Hidden Power Ghost comfortably KOes Gengar in sand after Megahorn, making Heracross a Gengar lure.
Guts is generally the preferred ability on this set to allow Heracross to face Gengar and Zapdos without fear, but Swarm is appropriate when the team has additional Gengar pivots like Starmie and when Heracross's HP can be controlled with Substitute. An Adamant nature increases the odds that Suicune, Swampert, Snorlax, Metagross, Gengar, and Gyarados are taken out with one less hit, but Jolly allows Heracross to outspeed slower variants of Salamence, Modest Zapdos, and Modest Moltres. Jolly Heracross only needs 216 Speed EVs to outspeeds Modest Moltres and Timid Venusaur, so the rest can be allocated to bulk.
Heracross can also be given varying amounts of bulk. Bulk EVs are useful on the Leftovers set, as this Heracross doesn't get chipped into KO range by sand. Although maximum Speed is straightforward, a little bulk can go a long way; lowering the Speed to 250 and putting the remaining EVs in HP lets Heracross outspeed Adamant Claydol while increasing the odds of surviving Jirachi's and Celebi's Psychic, fast variants of which offensive teams frequently use to check Heracross. Swarm might be preferred here, as Heracross gets a 50% chance to OHKO bulkless Jirachi after taking Psychic. An alternative way to EV Heracross is to make it bulky with 144 HP / 184 SpD, which allows Heracross to survive Timid Zapdos's Thunderbolt twice, Timid Moltres's Flamethrower in sand, and +1 Adamant Dragon Dance Tyranitar's Rock Slide in sand. The rest of the EVs are split between Attack and Speed; Heracross should achieve at least 244 Speed to outrun Jolly Tyranitar, but it is recommended to add more Speed EVs to creep Celebi, Jirachi, and Zapdos that also try to achieve the same benchmark.
Team Options
========
Dugtrio easily traps Heracross without Substitute or Salac Berry, so having one's own Dugtrio or Porygon2 as a partner can be helpful either to trap Dugtrio beforehand or to revenge kill it. By using Heracross as bait, this core also paves the way for other Dugtrio-weak teammates like Tyranitar, Celebi, Jirachi, and Raikou to shine. Porygon2 also defensively synergizes with Heracross; of all Dugtrio-immune threats, Salamence is the one that Heracross finds the hardest time breaking through, but apart from Choice Band-boosted Brick Break, Porygon2 nullifies whatever Salamence throws at it. In addition to the Dugtrio revenge kill tactic, offensive Celebi and Jirachi also appreciate the chip damage that Heracross induces on Salamence and Zapdos, bringing them into KO range of boosted Psychic. Defensively, with Dugtrio, Jirachi suffices as a Rock-resistant Pokemon that only needs to halt Aerodactyl, because Heracross exerts massive offensive pressure on Tyranitar, and Dugtrio can revenge kill Tyranitar should something go wrong. Celebi and Jirachi also appreciate Heracross's ability to pivot into Hidden Power Bug or Earthquake from Tyranitar, and Heracross gets to come in for free after Dugtrio takes the grounded Psychic-types out.
Paralysis support such as Thunder Wave from Zapdos onto opposing Zapdos or Jolteon or Thunder Wave from Gyarados onto the opponent's whole slew of fast threats allows Heracross to fully exploit its high Attack without being forced out. Substitute Heracross can also exploit opportunities generated by full paralysis. Through Baton Pass or double switching, Zapdos provides entry points for Heracross by luring Blissey, Celebi, Snorlax, Claydol, and Tyranitar. Furthermore, Zapdos provides coverage against Dugtrio-immune threats like Gyarados, Skarmory, Gengar, Moltres and Charizard, which all annoy Heracross. Water-types such as Suicune and Swampert check Salamence, which comes in rather freely on Heracross. Suicune can pivot into Moltres and Charizard, while Swampert can also pivot into and play mind games with Zapdos. In addition, they can lure and weaken Zapdos.
Other physical threats can also complement Heracross. Choice Band or mixed Metagross can lure Skarmory and Zapdos in and either wear them down or take them out with Explosion and Thunder Punch or Rock Slide. Occasionally, Heracross's Ground resistance allows it to be a pivot into Claydol's Earthquake for Metagross. As a Water-type pivot, Heracross can bear the brunt of the opponent's bulky Water-types, softening the opponent's team before Tyranitar presents itself. Chipping Metagross, Gengar, and Zapdos with Heracross is going to be immensely useful in preparing for a sweep by Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragon Dance Salamence, or mixed Salamence. To obtain these setup opportunities, Dragon Dance sweepers can capitalize on Choice-locked Aerial Ace from Dugtrio, and conversely, Heracross can exploit Dugtrio revenge killing Tyranitar or Metagross in the same vein as Jirachi to chip its checks.
Finally, Magneton can be used with Heracross to remove Skarmory, but this is perhaps the set that least requires Magneton support due to Focus Punch. Still, removing Drill Peck Skarmory in particular eliminates the need for making predictions with Focus Punch.
[SET]
name: SubSalac
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Rock Slide / Focus Punch
item: Salac Berry
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
The key to this set is that with Swords Dance, Swarm, and Salac Berry, Heracross becomes a threatening sweeper that outspeeds and annihilates almost the entire metagame with Megahorn. Substitute is primarily used to activate Salac Berry and to get into Swarm range, but it also blocks status moves and eases prediction. The last move depends on whether or not Magneton is present on the team to eliminate Skarmory. Without Skarmory around, Rock Slide provides better coverage; after a Swords Dance, Rock Slide OHKOes bulkless Salamence and Gyarados 75% of the time even after Intimidate, and OHKOes Moltres, Charizard, and defensive Zapdos as well. Note that with Swarm and STAB, even resisted Megahorn is almost as strong as super effective Rock Slide and will OHKO offensive Zapdos and Aerodactyl after Swords Dance. Focus Punch 2HKOes Skarmory and combines well with Substitute to alleviate predictions, especially against Drill Peck Skarmory. With 30 HP IVs, Salac Berry activates after the third Substitute, preventing sand from immediately KOing Heracross before it can sweep.
This Heracross plays out rather differently depending on the filler move. With Rock Slide, the preferred gameplan involves taking out Heracross's checks before revealing itself, as it cannot do much with unboosted Megahorn early-game. However, with Focus Punch, Heracross can also do some wallbreaking early-game so that even if it eventually finds its HP too low to sweep, it has paved the way for teammates to take over. In brief, the Focus Punch variant lends itself to more fluid situations.
Team Options
========
In general, Salac Berry Heracross features on fast-paced offensive teams. With Rock Slide in the filler moveslot, it requires Magneton support to remove Skarmory. Gengar doesn't necessarily prohibit Heracross from sweeping, but Heracross falls short of OHKOing it after a Swords Dance and Swarm boost. So, Pursuit Metagross helps to obtain that chip damage on Gengar; compared to Pursuit Tyranitar, it not only avoids setting up Sand Stream, which chips down Salac Berry Heracross, but also has more offensive presence with Explosion. Speaking of sand, having a fast Pokemon with Rain Dance or Sunny Day such as Zapdos, Salamence, or Suicune helps to clear the sky for Heracross's longevity. Magneton can also clear sand, but it is unreliable for doing so due to its propensity of being trapped and its lackluster Speed. With Magneton for first trapping Metagross, it is also possible to use offensive Snorlax with Earthquake and Self-Destruct to bait and remove Tyranitar for the weather change. Offensive Suicune is a partner with complementary sweeping abilities; while Heracross is impressive at taking out stall teams but may have some trouble breaking through a well-played Salamence, especially with Intimidate drops, or staying alive with sand in play from late-game Tyranitar, offensive Suicune tends to be able to clean up against these physical or mixed threats. Salamence can be a partner with multiple functions: mixed Salamence can lure in and chip Gengar, and with its Speed, it can even clean up if Heracross misses a hit, while Dragon Dance Salamence complements Heracross in its ability to cleave through offenses while Heracross punches through stalls. It can take over the sweep if the opponent sacrifices a bulky Pokemon in order to take down Heracross. Finally, as a minor point on Magneton, although it can be revenge killed by Dugtrio, many teams with Skarmory and Dugtrio tend not to have other Heracross checks, so Heracross can sometimes even take the opportunity to set up on Choice-locked Dugtrio after the revenge kill.
The Focus Punch variant similarly belongs on fast-paced offense, but without Magneton. It appreciates teammates that can similarly lure and mount a lot of pressure on Skarmory, such as Choice Band Metagross and Dragon Dance Tyranitar, to take it down in tandem. The availability of more offensive options due to relinquishing the Magneton slot also makes sand removal support less necessary. Substitute + Baton Pass Vaporeon is an interesting partner, for Vaporeon can force in Blissey and pass a 101 HP Substitute out to Heracross, giving Heracross a free opportunity to fire off Focus Punch without predicting. Vaporeon can also turn the momentum on Celebi by hitting it hard with Ice Beam and bringing Heracross in on Recover.[/hide]
With its high Attack stat and powerful STAB Megahorn, Heracross is one of the most fearsome wallbreakers in ADV OU that threatens slow-paced teams with Pokemon such as Claydol and defensive Celebi. Even its checks are not foolproof, as Gengar dares not burn it because of Guts, while Dugtrio risks being caught by Substitute or Salac Berry variants. Generally speaking, with support from trappers, Choice Band Heracross's STAB moves can easily overwhelm an opposing team.
However, although Heracross can pivot into bulky Water-types such as Milotic, it doesn't contribute much defensively; Salamence is troublesome for offensive teams with Heracross, while some balanced teams with Heracross suffer against Moltres. In addition, a well-switched Dugtrio can remove Heracross before it works.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Megahorn
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Focus Punch / Brick Break
move 4: Swords Dance / Substitute / Hidden Power Ghost / Brick Break
item: Leftovers
ability: Guts / Swarm
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set mostly acts as an early- and mid-game wallbreaker, capitalizing on bulky Psychic-, Normal-, and Water-types. Megahorn OHKOes Celebi and Claydol, has a chance to 3HKO defensive Suicune and Swampert, and 2HKOes Blissey and Snorlax. Furthermore, it can also allow Heracross to hold its ground against more offensive non-hovering special threats by threatening to 2HKO offensive Suicune and OHKO Jolteon. Rock Slide punishes switch-ins such as Salamence, Gyarados, Zapdos, and Moltres. Focus Punch is for a predicted switch to Skarmory, thus being mostly used when Magneton is absent on the team. In addition, it exploits Rest Pokemon such as Snorlax and Hariyama. Otherwise, Brick Break 2HKOes Snorlax and Blissey without the inaccuracy of Megahorn and OHKOes Magneton.
When it comes to the last slot, Swords Dance gives Heracross the ability to sweep bulkier teams and can be used set up on a predicted switch or a Choice-locked Earthquake. After a Swords Dance, Rock Slide OHKOes Zapdos and offensive Gengar and has a chance to OHKO Adamant Gyarados and slower variants of Salamence. Substitute pairs well with Focus Punch, allowing Heracross to scout for Drill Peck on Skarmory and potentially play mind games with it. Substitute can also catch an attempted sacrifice into a Dugtrio trap, protect Heracross from Forretress, bring Heracross into Swarm range, and exploit the miss rate of Swampert's Hydro Pump. Adamant Hidden Power Ghost comfortably KOes Gengar in sand after Megahorn, making Heracross a Gengar lure.
Guts is generally the preferred ability on this set to allow Heracross to face Gengar and Zapdos without fear, but Swarm is appropriate when the team has additional Gengar pivots like Starmie and when Heracross's HP can be controlled with Substitute. An Adamant nature increases the odds that Suicune, Swampert, Snorlax, Metagross, Gengar, and Gyarados are taken out with one less hit, but Jolly allows Heracross to outspeed slower variants of Salamence, Modest Zapdos, and Modest Moltres. Jolly Heracross only needs 216 Speed EVs to outspeeds Modest Moltres and Timid Venusaur, so the rest can be allocated to bulk.
Heracross can also be given varying amounts of bulk. Bulk EVs are useful on the Leftovers set, as this Heracross doesn't get chipped into KO range by sand. Although maximum Speed is straightforward, a little bulk can go a long way; lowering the Speed to 250 and putting the remaining EVs in HP lets Heracross outspeed Adamant Claydol while increasing the odds of surviving Jirachi's and Celebi's Psychic, fast variants of which offensive teams frequently use to check Heracross. Swarm might be preferred here, as Heracross gets a 50% chance to OHKO bulkless Jirachi after taking Psychic. An alternative way to EV Heracross is to make it bulky with 144 HP / 184 SpD, which allows Heracross to survive Timid Zapdos's Thunderbolt twice, Timid Moltres's Flamethrower in sand, and +1 Adamant Dragon Dance Tyranitar's Rock Slide in sand. The rest of the EVs are split between Attack and Speed; Heracross should achieve at least 244 Speed to outrun Jolly Tyranitar, but it is recommended to add more Speed EVs to creep Celebi, Jirachi, and Zapdos that also try to achieve the same benchmark.
Team Options
========
Dugtrio easily traps Heracross without Substitute or Salac Berry, so having one's own Dugtrio or Porygon2 as a partner can be helpful either to trap Dugtrio beforehand or to revenge kill it. By using Heracross as bait, this core also paves the way for other Dugtrio-weak teammates like Tyranitar, Celebi, Jirachi, and Raikou to shine. Porygon2 also defensively synergizes with Heracross; of all Dugtrio-immune threats, Salamence is the one that Heracross finds the hardest time breaking through, but apart from Choice Band-boosted Brick Break, Porygon2 nullifies whatever Salamence throws at it. In addition to the Dugtrio revenge kill tactic, offensive Celebi and Jirachi also appreciate the chip damage that Heracross induces on Salamence and Zapdos, bringing them into KO range of boosted Psychic. Defensively, with Dugtrio, Jirachi suffices as a Rock-resistant Pokemon that only needs to halt Aerodactyl, because Heracross exerts massive offensive pressure on Tyranitar, and Dugtrio can revenge kill Tyranitar should something go wrong. Celebi and Jirachi also appreciate Heracross's ability to pivot into Hidden Power Bug or Earthquake from Tyranitar, and Heracross gets to come in for free after Dugtrio takes the grounded Psychic-types out.
Paralysis support such as Thunder Wave from Zapdos onto opposing Zapdos or Jolteon or Thunder Wave from Gyarados onto the opponent's whole slew of fast threats allows Heracross to fully exploit its high Attack without being forced out. Substitute Heracross can also exploit opportunities generated by full paralysis. Through Baton Pass or double switching, Zapdos provides entry points for Heracross by luring Blissey, Celebi, Snorlax, Claydol, and Tyranitar. Furthermore, Zapdos provides coverage against Dugtrio-immune threats like Gyarados, Skarmory, Gengar, Moltres and Charizard, which all annoy Heracross. Water-types such as Suicune and Swampert check Salamence, which comes in rather freely on Heracross. Suicune can pivot into Moltres and Charizard, while Swampert can also pivot into and play mind games with Zapdos. In addition, they can lure and weaken Zapdos.
Other physical threats can also complement Heracross. Choice Band or mixed Metagross can lure Skarmory and Zapdos in and either wear them down or take them out with Explosion and Thunder Punch or Rock Slide. Occasionally, Heracross's Ground resistance allows it to be a pivot into Claydol's Earthquake for Metagross. As a Water-type pivot, Heracross can bear the brunt of the opponent's bulky Water-types, softening the opponent's team before Tyranitar presents itself. Chipping Metagross, Gengar, and Zapdos with Heracross is going to be immensely useful in preparing for a sweep by Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragon Dance Salamence, or mixed Salamence. To obtain these setup opportunities, Dragon Dance sweepers can capitalize on Choice-locked Aerial Ace from Dugtrio, and conversely, Heracross can exploit Dugtrio revenge killing Tyranitar or Metagross in the same vein as Jirachi to chip its checks.
Finally, Magneton can be used with Heracross to remove Skarmory, but this is perhaps the set that least requires Magneton support due to Focus Punch. Still, removing Drill Peck Skarmory in particular eliminates the need for making predictions with Focus Punch.
[SET]
name: SubSalac
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Rock Slide / Focus Punch
item: Salac Berry
ability: Swarm
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
The key to this set is that with Swords Dance, Swarm, and Salac Berry, Heracross becomes a threatening sweeper that outspeeds and annihilates almost the entire metagame with Megahorn. Substitute is primarily used to activate Salac Berry and to get into Swarm range, but it also blocks status moves and eases prediction. The last move depends on whether or not Magneton is present on the team to eliminate Skarmory. Without Skarmory around, Rock Slide provides better coverage; after a Swords Dance, Rock Slide OHKOes bulkless Salamence and Gyarados 75% of the time even after Intimidate, and OHKOes Moltres, Charizard, and defensive Zapdos as well. Note that with Swarm and STAB, even resisted Megahorn is almost as strong as super effective Rock Slide and will OHKO offensive Zapdos and Aerodactyl after Swords Dance. Focus Punch 2HKOes Skarmory and combines well with Substitute to alleviate predictions, especially against Drill Peck Skarmory. With 30 HP IVs, Salac Berry activates after the third Substitute, preventing sand from immediately KOing Heracross before it can sweep.
This Heracross plays out rather differently depending on the filler move. With Rock Slide, the preferred gameplan involves taking out Heracross's checks before revealing itself, as it cannot do much with unboosted Megahorn early-game. However, with Focus Punch, Heracross can also do some wallbreaking early-game so that even if it eventually finds its HP too low to sweep, it has paved the way for teammates to take over. In brief, the Focus Punch variant lends itself to more fluid situations.
Team Options
========
In general, Salac Berry Heracross features on fast-paced offensive teams. With Rock Slide in the filler moveslot, it requires Magneton support to remove Skarmory. Gengar doesn't necessarily prohibit Heracross from sweeping, but Heracross falls short of OHKOing it after a Swords Dance and Swarm boost. So, Pursuit Metagross helps to obtain that chip damage on Gengar; compared to Pursuit Tyranitar, it not only avoids setting up Sand Stream, which chips down Salac Berry Heracross, but also has more offensive presence with Explosion. Speaking of sand, having a fast Pokemon with Rain Dance or Sunny Day such as Zapdos, Salamence, or Suicune helps to clear the sky for Heracross's longevity. Magneton can also clear sand, but it is unreliable for doing so due to its propensity of being trapped and its lackluster Speed. With Magneton for first trapping Metagross, it is also possible to use offensive Snorlax with Earthquake and Self-Destruct to bait and remove Tyranitar for the weather change. Offensive Suicune is a partner with complementary sweeping abilities; while Heracross is impressive at taking out stall teams but may have some trouble breaking through a well-played Salamence, especially with Intimidate drops, or staying alive with sand in play from late-game Tyranitar, offensive Suicune tends to be able to clean up against these physical or mixed threats. Salamence can be a partner with multiple functions: mixed Salamence can lure in and chip Gengar, and with its Speed, it can even clean up if Heracross misses a hit, while Dragon Dance Salamence complements Heracross in its ability to cleave through offenses while Heracross punches through stalls. It can take over the sweep if the opponent sacrifices a bulky Pokemon in order to take down Heracross. Finally, as a minor point on Magneton, although it can be revenge killed by Dugtrio, many teams with Skarmory and Dugtrio tend not to have other Heracross checks, so Heracross can sometimes even take the opportunity to set up on Choice-locked Dugtrio after the revenge kill.
The Focus Punch variant similarly belongs on fast-paced offense, but without Magneton. It appreciates teammates that can similarly lure and mount a lot of pressure on Skarmory, such as Choice Band Metagross and Dragon Dance Tyranitar, to take it down in tandem. The availability of more offensive options due to relinquishing the Magneton slot also makes sand removal support less necessary. Substitute + Baton Pass Vaporeon is an interesting partner, for Vaporeon can force in Blissey and pass a 101 HP Substitute out to Heracross, giving Heracross a free opportunity to fire off Focus Punch without predicting. Vaporeon can also turn the momentum on Celebi by hitting it hard with Ice Beam and bringing Heracross in on Recover.[/hide]
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