Rei
formerly Scholar
[OVERVIEW]
Staryu is an excellent Rapid Spin user due to its good Speed stat and ability to handle Stealth Rock setters like Pawniard and Mudbray. It also has a very diverse movepool, with options like Psychic, Ice Beam, and Thunderbolt to threaten metagame staples like Mienfoo, Foongus, and Mareanie. Analytic allows Staryu to punish its switch-ins with a powerful attack, while Natural Cure makes it a good status absorber and defensive Pokemon. However, Staryu struggles to break through bulky checks like Ferroseed and Foongus without careful prediction, and it is also forced out by offensive threats like Grookey and Magnemite.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam / Psychic / Recover
move 4: Recover / Rapid Spin
item: Eviolite
ability: Analytic
nature: Timid
evs: 156 Def / 116 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump, especially when boosted by Analytic, deals heavy damage to neutral targets like Pawniard and Mienfoo. Thunderbolt targets Water- and Flying-types like Mareanie, Frillish, and Natu. Psychic 2HKOes Poison- and Fighting-types like Foongus, Mareanie, Mienfoo, and Timburr. Ice Beam handles Grass-types like Foongus and Grookey and serves as Staryu's best method to hit Ferroseed. Recover helps Staryu remain healthy to apply offensive pressure. Rapid Spin enables Staryu to remove troublesome entry hazards and gain a Speed boost to outspeed foes like Diglett and Choice Scarf Porygon, as well as avoiding a Speed tie with Ponyta and Abra.
Set Details
========
156 Defense EVs with Eviolite improve Staryu's physical bulk, letting it handle foes like Pawniard and Mudbray. 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature let Staryu outspeed Mienfoo, Pawniard, and Vulpix and Speed tie with Ponyta and Abra. Analytic provides Staryu with a power boost, allowing it to 2HKO threats like Foongus, Mareanie, and Mienfoo on the switch with proper prediction.
Usage Tips
========
Staryu is best utilized as an early- and mid-game wallbreaker, utilizing its Analytic-boosted attacks to decimate defensive cores. Once troublesome Pokemon like Ferroseed and Frillish has been worn down, it can become even more threatening. Take advantage of Staryu forcing out threats like Mudbray and Koffing to unleash a strong Analytic-boosted attack on the incoming switch-in. Try to bring Staryu in via U-turn from Mienfoo or good double switches, as it must preserve as much HP as possible to handle strong neutral attacks.
Team Options
========
Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr handle Ferroseed, pressure shared checks like Foongus with Knock Off, and absorb Knock Off; Mienfoo also provides U-turn to help Staryu safely enter the battle, while Timburr provides Defog for secondary entry hazard removal. Diglett also makes a good partner, as it can trap Steel-types such as Pawniard and Magnemite, which makes it easier for Staryu to fire off Analytic-boosted attacks. Trapinch is an option over Diglett that can use First Impression to OHKO Grookey. On more offensive teams, Dwebble's entry hazard support allows Staryu to decimate defensive cores, especially in conjunction with teammates like Life Orb Abra and Choice Scarf Mudbray.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Thunderbolt / Thunder Wave
move 3: Recover
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Eviolite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is a great neutral attack to threaten Pokemon like Ponyta and Diglett and potentially cripple Pokemon such as Pawniard and Mienfoo. Thunderbolt targets Water- and Flying-types such as Frillish, Mareanie, and Natu. Thunder Wave is an option to cripple Pokemon like Abra, Galarian Ponyta, and Porygon, which Staryu cannot sufficiently pressure offensively. Rapid Spin gets rid of entry hazards and gives Staryu a Speed boost to outpace Diglett and avoid Speed tying with Abra, Ponyta, and opposing Staryu.
Set Details
========
Staryu runs 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outpace Mienfoo, Mudbray, and Pawniard and Speed tie with Ponyta and Abra. With Eviolite, 116 HP EVs, and 156 Defense EVs, Staryu is able tank physical attacks from Mienfoo, Diglett, and Timburr and Stealth Rock setters like Mudbray and Pawniard. Natural Cure is the preferred ability to allow Staryu to absorb status from foes such as defensive Ponyta and Will-O-Wisp Koffing.
Usage Tips
========
Staryu is great in the early-game, utilizing Scald and Thunder Wave to cripple potent offensive threats like Mienfoo and Abra, but it can be preserved for mid- and late-game to soft check foes. It should try to come in on attacks from Onix and Choice Scarf Vulpix, as it can threaten them out with Scald or potential Thunder Wave. Staryu should be wary of Knock Off users such as Timburr, Mienfoo, and Pawniard, as they cripple its bulk and make it vulnerable to threats it can normally handle, like Diglett and Mudbray.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock-weak partners like Ponyta, Vulpix, and Archen appreciate Rapid Spin; in return, they pressure foes like Grookey and Foongus. Fighting-types such as Timburr and Mienfoo pair well with Staryu, as they can absorb Knock Off and threaten Magnemite, Ferroseed, and Porygon. Poison-types like Foongus and Koffing are great checks to Grookey, with Foongus also checking opposing Staryu and Koffing pressuring Ferroseed. Trappers such as Diglett and Trapinch can remove Pawniard and Magnemite.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Life Orb is an option on offensive teams to garner powerful rolls, such as 2HKOing Porygon with Hydro Pump and OHKOing fast Mienfoo with Psychic; however, this jeopardizes Staryu's bulk and longevity and makes it a less reliable Rapid Spin user. Flip Turn can be used on defensive Staryu to gain momentum, but it is outclassed by Scald's and Thunder Wave's utility. Light Clay is an option to give setup sweepers such as Shellder, Tyrunt, Magby, and Grookey an easier time setting up, but Staryu is more useful as a Rapid Spin user and offensive threat.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Ferroseed and Foongus can tank attacks from Staryu and threaten it with their STAB attacks, while Grookey revenge kills Staryu with Grassy Glide.
**Electric-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Electric-types like Magnemite OHKO Staryu with their STAB attacks. Pokemon like Porygon and Koffing carry Thunderbolt and force Staryu out.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off from Mienfoo, Timburr, and Pawniard cripples Staryu, leaving it vulnerable to foes like Diglett and Abra.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yami, 393488], [DC, 449990]]
- Quality checked by: [[DC, 449990], [Nineage, 195129], [KSG, 32350]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519]]
Staryu is an excellent Rapid Spin user due to its good Speed stat and ability to handle Stealth Rock setters like Pawniard and Mudbray. It also has a very diverse movepool, with options like Psychic, Ice Beam, and Thunderbolt to threaten metagame staples like Mienfoo, Foongus, and Mareanie. Analytic allows Staryu to punish its switch-ins with a powerful attack, while Natural Cure makes it a good status absorber and defensive Pokemon. However, Staryu struggles to break through bulky checks like Ferroseed and Foongus without careful prediction, and it is also forced out by offensive threats like Grookey and Magnemite.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam / Psychic / Recover
move 4: Recover / Rapid Spin
item: Eviolite
ability: Analytic
nature: Timid
evs: 156 Def / 116 SpA / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump, especially when boosted by Analytic, deals heavy damage to neutral targets like Pawniard and Mienfoo. Thunderbolt targets Water- and Flying-types like Mareanie, Frillish, and Natu. Psychic 2HKOes Poison- and Fighting-types like Foongus, Mareanie, Mienfoo, and Timburr. Ice Beam handles Grass-types like Foongus and Grookey and serves as Staryu's best method to hit Ferroseed. Recover helps Staryu remain healthy to apply offensive pressure. Rapid Spin enables Staryu to remove troublesome entry hazards and gain a Speed boost to outspeed foes like Diglett and Choice Scarf Porygon, as well as avoiding a Speed tie with Ponyta and Abra.
Set Details
========
156 Defense EVs with Eviolite improve Staryu's physical bulk, letting it handle foes like Pawniard and Mudbray. 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature let Staryu outspeed Mienfoo, Pawniard, and Vulpix and Speed tie with Ponyta and Abra. Analytic provides Staryu with a power boost, allowing it to 2HKO threats like Foongus, Mareanie, and Mienfoo on the switch with proper prediction.
Usage Tips
========
Staryu is best utilized as an early- and mid-game wallbreaker, utilizing its Analytic-boosted attacks to decimate defensive cores. Once troublesome Pokemon like Ferroseed and Frillish has been worn down, it can become even more threatening. Take advantage of Staryu forcing out threats like Mudbray and Koffing to unleash a strong Analytic-boosted attack on the incoming switch-in. Try to bring Staryu in via U-turn from Mienfoo or good double switches, as it must preserve as much HP as possible to handle strong neutral attacks.
Team Options
========
Fighting-types such as Mienfoo and Timburr handle Ferroseed, pressure shared checks like Foongus with Knock Off, and absorb Knock Off; Mienfoo also provides U-turn to help Staryu safely enter the battle, while Timburr provides Defog for secondary entry hazard removal. Diglett also makes a good partner, as it can trap Steel-types such as Pawniard and Magnemite, which makes it easier for Staryu to fire off Analytic-boosted attacks. Trapinch is an option over Diglett that can use First Impression to OHKO Grookey. On more offensive teams, Dwebble's entry hazard support allows Staryu to decimate defensive cores, especially in conjunction with teammates like Life Orb Abra and Choice Scarf Mudbray.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Thunderbolt / Thunder Wave
move 3: Recover
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Eviolite
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is a great neutral attack to threaten Pokemon like Ponyta and Diglett and potentially cripple Pokemon such as Pawniard and Mienfoo. Thunderbolt targets Water- and Flying-types such as Frillish, Mareanie, and Natu. Thunder Wave is an option to cripple Pokemon like Abra, Galarian Ponyta, and Porygon, which Staryu cannot sufficiently pressure offensively. Rapid Spin gets rid of entry hazards and gives Staryu a Speed boost to outpace Diglett and avoid Speed tying with Abra, Ponyta, and opposing Staryu.
Set Details
========
Staryu runs 236 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outpace Mienfoo, Mudbray, and Pawniard and Speed tie with Ponyta and Abra. With Eviolite, 116 HP EVs, and 156 Defense EVs, Staryu is able tank physical attacks from Mienfoo, Diglett, and Timburr and Stealth Rock setters like Mudbray and Pawniard. Natural Cure is the preferred ability to allow Staryu to absorb status from foes such as defensive Ponyta and Will-O-Wisp Koffing.
Usage Tips
========
Staryu is great in the early-game, utilizing Scald and Thunder Wave to cripple potent offensive threats like Mienfoo and Abra, but it can be preserved for mid- and late-game to soft check foes. It should try to come in on attacks from Onix and Choice Scarf Vulpix, as it can threaten them out with Scald or potential Thunder Wave. Staryu should be wary of Knock Off users such as Timburr, Mienfoo, and Pawniard, as they cripple its bulk and make it vulnerable to threats it can normally handle, like Diglett and Mudbray.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock-weak partners like Ponyta, Vulpix, and Archen appreciate Rapid Spin; in return, they pressure foes like Grookey and Foongus. Fighting-types such as Timburr and Mienfoo pair well with Staryu, as they can absorb Knock Off and threaten Magnemite, Ferroseed, and Porygon. Poison-types like Foongus and Koffing are great checks to Grookey, with Foongus also checking opposing Staryu and Koffing pressuring Ferroseed. Trappers such as Diglett and Trapinch can remove Pawniard and Magnemite.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Life Orb is an option on offensive teams to garner powerful rolls, such as 2HKOing Porygon with Hydro Pump and OHKOing fast Mienfoo with Psychic; however, this jeopardizes Staryu's bulk and longevity and makes it a less reliable Rapid Spin user. Flip Turn can be used on defensive Staryu to gain momentum, but it is outclassed by Scald's and Thunder Wave's utility. Light Clay is an option to give setup sweepers such as Shellder, Tyrunt, Magby, and Grookey an easier time setting up, but Staryu is more useful as a Rapid Spin user and offensive threat.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Ferroseed and Foongus can tank attacks from Staryu and threaten it with their STAB attacks, while Grookey revenge kills Staryu with Grassy Glide.
**Electric-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Electric-types like Magnemite OHKO Staryu with their STAB attacks. Pokemon like Porygon and Koffing carry Thunderbolt and force Staryu out.
**Knock Off**: Knock Off from Mienfoo, Timburr, and Pawniard cripples Staryu, leaving it vulnerable to foes like Diglett and Abra.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Yami, 393488], [DC, 449990]]
- Quality checked by: [[DC, 449990], [Nineage, 195129], [KSG, 32350]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519]]
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