[OVERVIEW]
Staraptor lands itself a niche in NU thanks to it's high Attack and Speed stats, which can be further boosted with either a Choice Band or Choice Scarf respectively. Choice Band paired with Reckless lets Staraptor do major damage to defensive walls like Galarian Slowbro and Overqwil while putting pressure on resist foes such as Klefki and Bronzong. On the other hand Choice Scarf lets it outpace threats like Kilowattrel, Flamigo and Inteleon. Additionally, Staraptor fits on many balance teams thanks to its ability to handle common defensive cores of Amoongus, Vaporeon and Wo-Chien. Despite it's strengths, Staraptor is outclassed by Flamigo in almost every aspect as a Flying-type Choice Scarf user as it isn't weak to Stealth Rock, and has a more useful secondary STAB in Fighting-type which allows it to hit Steel-types much more effectively. Staraptor is held back by its weakness to Stealth Rock which, alongside recoil from it STAB moves, hurts Staraptor's longevity greatly. It is also held back by it's struggles to break commonplace defensive Pokemon such as Galarian Slowbro, Avalugg, Bellibolt and Duraludon thanks to their natural bulk. Staraptor's competition as a Choice Scarf user is fierce, as Munkidori and Flamigo both provide a similar Speed tier while not needing to use recoil inflicting moves, allowing them to last a longer game more effectively and still do large amounts of damage. There are other naturally fast, offensive Flying-types like Kilowattrel and Tornadus that Staraptor competes with, and both of these have much better coverage options than Staraptor which further discredits using it.
[SET]
Name: Choice Attacker
Move 1: Brave Bird
Move 2: Quick Attack / Double Edge
Move 3: Close Combat
Move 4: U-turn
Item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Tera type: Flying / Normal / Fighting
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Quick Attack allows Staraptor to pick off weakened Pokemon like Flygon and Munkidori while Double Edge can be used to 2HKO foes like Galarian Slowbro and Swampert. Close Combat allows Staraptor to hit Steel-types such as Bronzong, Klefki and Copperajah. U-turn lets Staraptor capitalise on switch-ins such as Bronzong and Diancie by wearing them down. Choice Band means Staraptor can put huge dents into walls such as Altaria and Klefki, making them very limited in how often they can switch into an attack, whereas Choice Scarf makes Staraptor capable of outpacing threats like Flamigo and Kilowattrel. Tera Flying boosts the power of Brave Bird to be able to OHKO Basculegion-M and Munkidori. On the other hand, Tera Normal boosts Quick Attack and Double Edge, making the former a strong priority option and the latter able to 2HKO Gligar, while removing Staraptor's Stealth Rock weakness. Tera Fighting also increases the power of Close Combat, and provides some defensive value by giving Staraptor a resistance to Stealth Rock and having a resistance to Dark-types like Scrafty and Incineroar.
Staraptor alone can struggle to break physically defensive Pokemon such as Bellibolt, Duraludon and Slowbro-galar. Partners such as Chandelure, Flygon and Toxtricity can effectively break through them and appreciate Staraptor's U-turn support. It also benefits from other fast pivots like Inteleon, Kilowatterel and Munkidori by chipping down their checks such as Incineroar and Bronzong and allowing them to potentially KO these checks. Slower pivots like Incineroar, Bellibolt and Swampert give it free entry to capitalise on switch-ins such as Heracross, Wo-Chien and Amoongus. Furthermore, Staraptor also enjoys being partnered with hazard removal like Tsareena, Avalugg and Altaria to maximise its longevity. Tsareena inparticular is a useful partner, as its Knock Off is especially helpful for Staraptor when it comes to breaking Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
A Choice Scarf along with it's high speed tier makes Staraptor an excellent user of Final Gambit, allowing it to grab surprise KOs and deal solid damage to foes like Flygon and Bronzong, letting its teammates benefit at the cost of losing Staraptor itself.
Checks and Counters
====
**Electric-types**: Staraptor is threatened by fast Electric-types like Kilowattrel and Raikou as they can outspeed and threaten to KO it with their STAB moves, however Staraptor can surprise KO these if it is using Choice Scarf. Bellibolt is also threatening as it punishes Staraptor's moves with Rocky Helmet chip, and the risk of paralysis from Static. None of these Pokemon can switch into Staraptor's Choice Band attacks without being 2HKO'd at best, however.
**Stealth Rock**: Staraptor's reliance on Choice items makes it threatened by Stealth Rock. Furthermore, Staraptor consistently switching in and out can make this worse, since it greatly limits Staraptor's longevity and its ability to repeatedly enter the field.
**Physical Walls**: Physical walls like Galarian Slowbro, Rhyperior and Avalugg can all take hits from Staraptor and threaten it back with their own attacks, while the former also threatens it with status. Due to their raw power, these walls do not enjoy switching into Staraptor's attacks directly though.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Klefki, Duraludon, Bronzong and Copperajah resist Staraptor's STAB attacks, so they can freely switch into its attacks and set up hazards or hit back against Staraptor with their own attacks. Staraptor can use Close Combat though, which threatens all the aforementioned Steel-types with heavy damage.
**Revenge Killers**: One of Staraptor's largest threats come from faster Pokemon that are able to revenge kill it, such as Inteleon, Kilowatterel and Alolan Ninetails- however none of these can switch into Staraptor's attacks safely. Faster Choice Scarf users like Infernape and Munkidori can threaten and KO Staraptor once it gets worn down, but they also cannot risk switching into Staraptor's attacks. Staraptor can also be picked off by strong priority users like Choice Banded Paldean Tauros-W, Toxicroak and Arcanine.
[CREDITS]
Written by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vaporeonds.671267/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/ https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Staraptor lands itself a niche in NU thanks to it's high Attack and Speed stats, which can be further boosted with either a Choice Band or Choice Scarf respectively. Choice Band paired with Reckless lets Staraptor do major damage to defensive walls like Galarian Slowbro and Overqwil while putting pressure on resist foes such as Klefki and Bronzong. On the other hand Choice Scarf lets it outpace threats like Kilowattrel, Flamigo and Inteleon. Additionally, Staraptor fits on many balance teams thanks to its ability to handle common defensive cores of Amoongus, Vaporeon and Wo-Chien. Despite it's strengths, Staraptor is outclassed by Flamigo in almost every aspect as a Flying-type Choice Scarf user as it isn't weak to Stealth Rock, and has a more useful secondary STAB in Fighting-type which allows it to hit Steel-types much more effectively. Staraptor is held back by its weakness to Stealth Rock which, alongside recoil from it STAB moves, hurts Staraptor's longevity greatly. It is also held back by it's struggles to break commonplace defensive Pokemon such as Galarian Slowbro, Avalugg, Bellibolt and Duraludon thanks to their natural bulk. Staraptor's competition as a Choice Scarf user is fierce, as Munkidori and Flamigo both provide a similar Speed tier while not needing to use recoil inflicting moves, allowing them to last a longer game more effectively and still do large amounts of damage. There are other naturally fast, offensive Flying-types like Kilowattrel and Tornadus that Staraptor competes with, and both of these have much better coverage options than Staraptor which further discredits using it.
[SET]
Name: Choice Attacker
Move 1: Brave Bird
Move 2: Quick Attack / Double Edge
Move 3: Close Combat
Move 4: U-turn
Item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Tera type: Flying / Normal / Fighting
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Quick Attack allows Staraptor to pick off weakened Pokemon like Flygon and Munkidori while Double Edge can be used to 2HKO foes like Galarian Slowbro and Swampert. Close Combat allows Staraptor to hit Steel-types such as Bronzong, Klefki and Copperajah. U-turn lets Staraptor capitalise on switch-ins such as Bronzong and Diancie by wearing them down. Choice Band means Staraptor can put huge dents into walls such as Altaria and Klefki, making them very limited in how often they can switch into an attack, whereas Choice Scarf makes Staraptor capable of outpacing threats like Flamigo and Kilowattrel. Tera Flying boosts the power of Brave Bird to be able to OHKO Basculegion-M and Munkidori. On the other hand, Tera Normal boosts Quick Attack and Double Edge, making the former a strong priority option and the latter able to 2HKO Gligar, while removing Staraptor's Stealth Rock weakness. Tera Fighting also increases the power of Close Combat, and provides some defensive value by giving Staraptor a resistance to Stealth Rock and having a resistance to Dark-types like Scrafty and Incineroar.
Staraptor alone can struggle to break physically defensive Pokemon such as Bellibolt, Duraludon and Slowbro-galar. Partners such as Chandelure, Flygon and Toxtricity can effectively break through them and appreciate Staraptor's U-turn support. It also benefits from other fast pivots like Inteleon, Kilowatterel and Munkidori by chipping down their checks such as Incineroar and Bronzong and allowing them to potentially KO these checks. Slower pivots like Incineroar, Bellibolt and Swampert give it free entry to capitalise on switch-ins such as Heracross, Wo-Chien and Amoongus. Furthermore, Staraptor also enjoys being partnered with hazard removal like Tsareena, Avalugg and Altaria to maximise its longevity. Tsareena inparticular is a useful partner, as its Knock Off is especially helpful for Staraptor when it comes to breaking Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
A Choice Scarf along with it's high speed tier makes Staraptor an excellent user of Final Gambit, allowing it to grab surprise KOs and deal solid damage to foes like Flygon and Bronzong, letting its teammates benefit at the cost of losing Staraptor itself.
Checks and Counters
====
**Electric-types**: Staraptor is threatened by fast Electric-types like Kilowattrel and Raikou as they can outspeed and threaten to KO it with their STAB moves, however Staraptor can surprise KO these if it is using Choice Scarf. Bellibolt is also threatening as it punishes Staraptor's moves with Rocky Helmet chip, and the risk of paralysis from Static. None of these Pokemon can switch into Staraptor's Choice Band attacks without being 2HKO'd at best, however.
**Stealth Rock**: Staraptor's reliance on Choice items makes it threatened by Stealth Rock. Furthermore, Staraptor consistently switching in and out can make this worse, since it greatly limits Staraptor's longevity and its ability to repeatedly enter the field.
**Physical Walls**: Physical walls like Galarian Slowbro, Rhyperior and Avalugg can all take hits from Staraptor and threaten it back with their own attacks, while the former also threatens it with status. Due to their raw power, these walls do not enjoy switching into Staraptor's attacks directly though.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Klefki, Duraludon, Bronzong and Copperajah resist Staraptor's STAB attacks, so they can freely switch into its attacks and set up hazards or hit back against Staraptor with their own attacks. Staraptor can use Close Combat though, which threatens all the aforementioned Steel-types with heavy damage.
**Revenge Killers**: One of Staraptor's largest threats come from faster Pokemon that are able to revenge kill it, such as Inteleon, Kilowatterel and Alolan Ninetails- however none of these can switch into Staraptor's attacks safely. Faster Choice Scarf users like Infernape and Munkidori can threaten and KO Staraptor once it gets worn down, but they also cannot risk switching into Staraptor's attacks. Staraptor can also be picked off by strong priority users like Choice Banded Paldean Tauros-W, Toxicroak and Arcanine.
[CREDITS]
Written by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vaporeonds.671267/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pika134.609709/ https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited: