Here's an amcheck :)
Overview
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Larvitar has a great offensive STAB combination, not being that is not resisted by any Pokemon in LC. It also gets Dragon Dance, a great setup move that boosts its Attack and Speed respectively. Larvitar also has an amazing ability in Guts, meaning it can easily absorb Will-O-Wisps and Toxics, as its typing makes it immune to Thunder Wave.
While Larvitar's Rock / Ground typing is great offensively,has a decent offensive STAB combination (you called it great in the first sentence; saying it's only decent now feels a little odd), it is a horrible defensive typing. It is 4x weak to common Water- and Grass-type moves, as well as being weak to Fighting-types, which run rampant in LC. Although Larvitar gets Dragon Dance, it only hits 14 Speed with a Jolly nature, meaning it is outsped by common Choice Scarf users, such as Pawniard and Mienfoo. It also faces competition from common setup sweepers, such as Tirtouga or and Omanyte, as they have a better setup boosting move in Shell Smash and better bulk. Lastly, Larvitar needs Flame Orb to ensure that Guts activates, but misses out on Eviolite's bulk and is too frail without it.
Dragon Dance
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name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Rock Slide / Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Superpower
ability: Guts
item: Eviolite / Flame Orb
evs: 244 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 188 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
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Dragon Dance is the obligatory set up move and allows Larvitar to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame. Rock Slide is a reliable STAB move; (semicolon) however, (comma) Stone Edge may be used as a more powerful STAB at the cost of accuracy. Earthquake takes the next slot, as itthat is a nice STAB move and synergizes well with Rock Slide. Superpower allows Larvitar to nail Ferroseed, Porygon, and Lileep, who all have the bulk to take Larvitar's STAB moves even after a boost.
Set Details
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244 Attack EVs and 188 Speed EVs are used to reach Larvitar's maximum potential. The rest are dumped into Defense and Special Defense, which also hits Eviolite numbers. Eviolite is used to let Larvitar take more hits and set up more reliably. Flame Orb, however, can be used to ensure Guts activates and gives Larvitar more initial power. Jolly Larvitar reaches 14 Speed, allowing Larvitar it to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame. It is require as with Adamant, 13 Speed only allows Larvitar to speedtie With an Adamant nature, Larvitar only reaches 13 Speed, meaning that it speed ties with some of the fastest Pokemon in LC and can be outsped by Diglett and Elekid.
Usage Tips
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Eviolite is used to allow Larvitar to tank weak neutral hits and resisted hits, such as Fletchling and Taillow's STAB moves. Trubbish is great setup bait as well, assince it is threatened by a STAB Earthquake. Larvitar must watch out for most super-effective (no dash) hits, however. Larvitar is best used mid- to late-game whenever Larvitar's checks and counters have been worn down or KOed.
Team Options
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Cottonee is the best partner for Larvitar, resisting Fighting-, Ground-, Water-, and Grass-type movesand while Larvitar resists Fire- and Poison-type moves for Cottonee. They both share a Steel weakness, however. Memento support is necessary, allowing gives Larvitar to have more set up opportunities to set up and is an absolute must if you opt for Flame Orb, (comma) as Larvitar doesn't have the bulk to take hits and can only reliably set up on Taillow and Fletchling without Eviolite (do the birds lack Eviolite, or does Larvitar? it's unclear). Knock Off users, such as Pawniard and Mienfoo, are imperative as they knock off Eviolites and Berry Juices, allowing Larvitar to power through walls that can avoid the OHKO/ or 2HKO. Entry hazard support is decent helpful for Larvitar, (comma) to breaking Sturdy and to weakening the opponent in general. In particular, Archen is a good partner as it can Defog away hazards as well. Surskit and Spinarak are good Sticky Web users and Larvitar appreciates the -1 Speed drop.
Other Options
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Rock Polish is great for allowing Larvitar to outspeed common Choice Scarf Pokemon. This isn't ideal, however, because Larvitar has to run Flame Orb to boost its Attack and it doesn't tend to force as many switches as it would like to get a free +2. Crunch can be used strictly to keep Pumpkaboo in check as most other Ghost-types are either weak to orare hit hard by Larvitar's STAB moves. Poison Jab can be used to hit Fairy-types. However, the most common Fairy-types, Spritzee and Cottonee, both have ways to deal with it as Spritzee can tank a +1 Poison Jab and Cottonee can Encore Larvitar into Dragon Dance or OHKO with Giga Drain. Larvitar can use Stealth Rock as a last ditch attempt to get hazards up, but there are better hazard setters in LC and Larvitar would rather be attacking or setting up a sweep.
Checks & Counters
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**Choice Scarf Pokemon**: Choice Scarf Pokemon, such as Pawniard, (comma) Drilbur, and Mienfoo, can outspeed Larvitar even after one Dragon Dance and KO with their STAB moves.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types, such as Cottonee and Foongus, can OHKO Larvitar, even with Eviolite, while also taking Larvitar's STAB moves with ease.
**Water-types**: Water-types, such as Corphish and Chinchou, can also OHKO Eviolite Larvitar with their STAB moves.
**Defensive Fighting-types**: Defensive Fighting-types, such as Mienfoo and Timburr, can both take a +1 Earthquake and recover thedamage health back with Drain Punch.
**Priority**: Larvitar is weak to certain priority moves, such as Mach Punch, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, (comma) and Bullet Punch, although it resists two important priority attacks in Fletchling's Acrobatics and Zigzagoon's Extremespeed.
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Larvitar has a great offensive STAB combination
While Larvitar's Rock / Ground typing is great offensively,
Dragon Dance
########
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Rock Slide / Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Superpower
ability: Guts
item: Eviolite / Flame Orb
evs: 244 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 188 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Dragon Dance is the obligatory set up move and allows Larvitar to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame. Rock Slide is a reliable STAB move; (semicolon) however, (comma) Stone Edge may be used as a more powerful STAB at the cost of accuracy. Earthquake takes the next slot, as it
Set Details
========
244 Attack EVs and 188 Speed EVs are used to reach Larvitar's maximum potential. The rest are dumped into Defense and Special Defense, which also hit
Usage Tips
========
Eviolite is used to allow Larvitar to tank weak neutral hits and resisted hits, such as Fletchling and Taillow's STAB moves. Trubbish is great setup bait as well, as
Team Options
========
Cottonee is the best partner for Larvitar, resisting Fighting-, Ground-, Water-, and Grass-type moves
Other Options
########
Rock Polish is great for allowing Larvitar to outspeed common Choice Scarf Pokemon. This isn't ideal, however, because Larvitar has to run Flame Orb to boost its Attack and it doesn't tend to force as many switches as it would like to get a free +2. Crunch can be used strictly to keep Pumpkaboo in check as most other Ghost-types are either weak to or
Checks & Counters
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**Choice Scarf Pokemon**: Choice Scarf Pokemon, such as Pawniard, (comma) Drilbur, and Mienfoo, can outspeed Larvitar even after one Dragon Dance and KO with their STAB moves.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types, such as Cottonee and Foongus, can OHKO Larvitar, even with Eviolite, while also taking Larvitar's STAB moves with ease.
**Water-types**: Water-types, such as Corphish and Chinchou, can also OHKO Eviolite Larvitar with their STAB moves.
**Defensive Fighting-types**: Defensive Fighting-types, such as Mienfoo and Timburr, can both take a +1 Earthquake and recover the
**Priority**: Larvitar is weak to certain priority moves, such as Mach Punch, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, (comma) and Bullet Punch, although it resists two important priority attacks in Fletchling's Acrobatics and Zigzagoon's Extremespeed.
