[OVERVIEW]
Starmie is an excellent offensive Pokemon in LGPE OU thanks to a great Speed stat and a wide range of offensive and support moves that threaten the majority of the metagame. With above-average bulk for an offensive Pokemon as well as access to reliable recovery, it is able to continuously check common threats such as Melmetal, Poliwrath, Alolan Dugtrio, and Rhydon throughout the match. However, Starmie's average base 100 Special Attack doesn't allow it to dish out much neutral damage, especially against its bulkier checks including Mew, Alolan Muk, Mega Gyarados, and Snorlax. It is also offensively pressured by faster Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Beedrill, which can all threaten to do major damage to it with their super effective coverage options.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Scald / Surf
move 2: Ice Beam / Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 3: Thunderbolt / Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Recover
nature: Timid / Bold
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is a reliable STAB move that can burn incoming checks such as Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados. Surf is slightly stronger, allowing Starmie to deal more chip damage to most of the metagame while leaving room for it to spread other status conditions like poison and paralysis without burn getting in the way. Alternatively, Hydro Pump is Starmie's strongest Water-type STAB move, which can 2HKO Mega Charizard X after Stealth Rock damage. However, its shaky accuracy can be a hindrance at times. Ice Beam provides solid coverage against Venusaur, Zapdos, Dragonite, and the rare Alolan Exeggutor. Thunderbolt is Starmie's strongest option against Mega Gyarados, and it can also 2HKO opposing Starmie, 2HKO Poliwrath after Stealth Rock damage, and OHKO Cloyster. Thunder Wave provides speed control for Starmie's team, crippling faster threats so Starmie and its slower teammates can get the jump on them later in the match. Toxic is another viable status move that puts checks such as Chansey and Mew on a timer. Recover provides Starmie with reliable recovery, keeping it healthy throughout the match. A Timid nature allows Starmie to be as fast as possible, letting it Speed tie with opposing Starmie and outspeed Alolan Dugtrio, Mega Pinsir, Gengar, and everything slower. A Bold nature is a viable alternative that lets Starmie tank physical attacks better from Pokemon such as Melmetal, Nidoking, and Dragonite, preventing the latter's Outrage from OHKOing it after Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, it still allows Starmie to outspeed base 100s such as Mew, Zapdos, and Mega Charizard X.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to Starmie's above-average Speed tier, it works well as an anti-lead against slower leads such as Mew, Nidoqueen, and Rhydon, being able to cripple Mew with Toxic or Thunder Wave and hit Nidoqueen and Rhydon with super effective Water-type attacks. When running Scald, it's generally safe to use it consistently in an attempt to spread burns throughout the match; however, watch out for Facade users like Snorlax. Use Recover to heal Starmie throughout the match, but be wary of the momentum it can sap at times by offering a free switch to offensive checks like Mega Alakazam and Mega Gyarados. While Starmie serves as a great offensive check to Alolan Dugtrio, be wary of its Sucker Punch, which can hit Starmie super effectively and knock it out if it's been weakened enough.
Team Options
========
Physical threats such as Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, Melmetal, and Snorlax appreciate Starmie's ability to take on certain physically defensive tanks such as opposing Melmetal and Rhydon. In return, all four of these Pokemon carry Ground-type coverage moves for Alolan Muk and can also deal with the majority of Starmie's other common checks. Ground-type Pokemon including Alolan Dugtrio, Rhydon, and Nidoqueen are immune to Electric-type moves and serve as great switch-ins to Zapdos. Nidoqueen, in particular, also happens to be one of the best switch-ins to Alolan Muk in the LGPE OU metagame, something Starmie truly appreciates due to its susceptibility to Toxic and Crunch. Zapdos appreciates Starmie's ability to threaten the many Ground-types in the metagame. In return, Zapdos checks Mega Gyarados and can help wear down shared checks such as Alolan Muk and Snorlax.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Psychic is a secondary STAB move that OHKOes Gengar and 2HKOes Mega Venusaur and Poliwrath. However, it has little use outside of these matchups, and both Ice Beam and Thunderbolt offer better coverage overall. Reflect or Light Screen can be used to provide Starmie and its team with extra bulk to soften strong attacks. However, Starmie has trouble fitting them onto its moveset, and there are better screen setters such as Eevee-S, Electrode, and Zapdos.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk and Mega Gyarados take little damage from Starmie's attacks and dish out heavy damage in return with super effective STAB Crunch. However, both of these Pokemon hate being burned by Scald, and if Mega Gyarados is weakened, it has to watch out for Thunderbolt.
**Mega Beedrill**: Starmie completely loses offensive momentum against Mega Beedrill thanks to the latter's higher Speed and access to super effective STAB U-turn, which either OHKOes Starmie after Stealth Rock damage or allows Mega Beedrill to gain offensive momentum. Mega Beedrill can also use X-Scissor to OHKO Starmie without switching out. However, Mega Beedrill's frailty and weakness to Stealth Rock prevent it from switching into Starmie safely unless on a predicted Toxic or Recover.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Pokemon such as Snorlax, Chansey, and Mew hardly take any damage from Starmie and take advantage of it in their own ways. Snorlax appreciates being burned by Scald, since it powers up Facade, Chansey can stall Starmie out with Toxic, and Mew can hit Starmie with a super effective Thunderbolt or U-turn or use Taunt to prevent it from using Recover. However, both Mew and Chansey can be put on a timer by Toxic, and when Snorlax is burned by Scald, the power of its other attacks besides Facade is cut in half, letting Pokemon that resist Normal such as Melmetal and Rhydon take advantage of it.
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Alakazam, Mega Aerodactyl, and Electrode all outspeed Starmie and hit it super effectively with their coverage moves, but none of these Pokemon appreciate coming in on Starmie's attacks or status moves.
**Zapdos**: While Zapdos is 2HKOed by Starmie's Ice Beam after Stealth Rock damage, if it's able to come in freely, it can survive any one hit from Starmie and OHKO back with STAB Thunderbolt. Zapdos can also use U-turn as Starmie is forced out to keep up momentum.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [Vengeance417,198446]
- Quality checked by: [McCoolDude, 469684], [Eve, 375272], [Ivy, 173336]
- Grammar checked by: [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216 ], [Estronic, 240732]
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