Status: Finished / Grammar check welcomed
Taking this over for franky. He had it all written, just pushing this through GP. I did fix some spacing issues and changed a little wording here and there.
- Added more info for the Optional Changes.
His thread can be locked here.
Collab with Knightofthewind, give credits to him also
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/ursaring
Added Swords Dance (Life Orb) set (franky)
Added Quick Feet set (Knightofthewind)
Choice Band set (knightofthewind)
Added Swords Dance (Guts) (credits to LR for the idea) (franky)
Added Other Options and Opinion (franky)
Added Team Options and EVs (franky)
Added Counters
__________________________________________________ ______________
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Ursaring is quite a beast... err bear. Its Attack stat is one of the best out there, and Ursaring has two great abilities that complement it. The only letdowns that Ursaring has are its just-decent defenses and low Speed. Ursaring is also cursed with being on a timer, thanks to the status conditions that have to be inflicted on it in order for Quick Feet and Guts to kick in. However, with the right amount of support, Ursaring is capable of unleashing some of the strongest attacks found in UU onto its unfortunate victims. Whatever you do, don't let this bear set up, or it will lead to the quick and painful demise of your awe-stricken team.</p>
[SET]
name: Quick Feet Sweeper
move 1: Facade
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Quick Feet
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Out of all of Ursaring's sets, this one is probably the most frightening. The biggest problem with using Ursaring as a sweeper is its lack of Speed. Fortunately, Ursaring has the ability Quick Feet, which boosts its Speed by 1.5x when it has a status affliction. Swords Dance with Quick Feet make a lethal combination by boosting both Ursaring's Attack and Speed by two and one stage(s) respectively. This, along with the excellent coverage provided by Facade, Close Combat, and Crunch, is what makes Ursaring so dangerous.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Jolly nature is preferred when using Quick Feet. With an Adamant nature, Ursaring won't outspeed Timid Houndoom, but with a Jolly nature, Ursaring hits 343 Speed, outpacing everything up to positive-natured base 105s. Please note that Quick Feet doesn't prevent the Attack drop from burns, so using a Flame Orb is out of the question.</p>
<p>This set is essentially a cross between the regular Swords Dancer and Choice Scarf Ursaring, since it hits a high Speed but is extremely powerful at the same time. Facade is used over Ursaring's other STAB attacks because after Toxic Orb kicks in, it'll do more damage than Return, and Ursaring's new-found Speed makes the occasional paralysis from Body Slam unnecessary. Close Combat hits the Rock- and Steel-types that resist Facade. A +2 Close Combat will always OHKO 252 / 0 Registeel and has a 50% chance of OHKOing 252 / 0 Steelix after it has taken damage from one layer of Spikes. Crunch, on the other hand, hurts the Ghost-types immune to Ursaring's other offensive options.</p>
<p>There are several ways to improve Ursaring’s ability to sweep: dual screens, Thunder Wave support, and entry hazards. First off, dual screens are a great way to reduce damage and possibly give Ursaring the chance to pull off another Swords Dance. Secondly, paralysis support patches up its depressing Speed because Ursaring is far too slow to pose any threat to faster sweepers. Finally, Stealth Rock and Spikes are recommended since they allow Ursaring to get certain OHKOs on bulkier walls. Uxie fits the bill really well as it has both Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave to help out Ursaring, as well as access to dual screens if you wish. Spikes is particularly important, because Ursaring will gain some important OHKOs that Stealth Rock wouldn't achieve alone. With only one layer of Spikes, Ursaring has a chance to OHKO Steelix with +2 Close Combat. A full three layers grants Ursaring the ability to OHKO max HP / max Def Donphan with Facade. Cloyster and Omastar are good candidates for using Spikes in the lead slot thanks to their high Defense stat.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Life Orb)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Return / Double-Edge
move 3: Earthquake / Close Combat
move 4: Crunch
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
ability: Guts
evs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring is a great wallbreaker with Life Orb equipped, because it can then muscle its way through opposing walls without losing as much HP as from Toxic Orb or Flame Orb. Ursaring’s Attack can reach astonishing heights with a Swords Dance boost, Life Orb, and a potential Guts boost. In addition to this, Ursaring’s movepool allows it to hit every Pokemon in UU neutrally with just three moves. Return and Double-Edge provide a solid STAB move for hitting Pokemon who take neutral damage from all of Ursaring's attacks; because a status affliction boost is not guaranteed, these two moves are considered much more reliable than Facade. Earthquake grants Ursaring a way to hurt opposing Steel-types that resist its STAB move. Steelix with 0 Defense EVs won’t enjoy a boosted Earthquake, as it deals a minimum of 94.92%. Registeel is always OHKOed by a boosted Earthquake. Close Combat is an option over Earthquake to OHKO Steelix and Regirock without entry hazards, but the defense drops are very noticeable. Finally, Crunch is a great move to OHKO the Ghost-types of UU, as they typically have mediocre physical defense.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>224 Speed EVs allow Ursaring to outpace max Speed Donphan and Tangrowth along with 0 Speed Milotic. 252 Attack EVs maximize its ability to crush the opponent. The remaining 32 EVs are allocated to HP, and conveniently give a Life Orb number. It also helps Ursaring weather some weaker hits from defensive Pokemon.</p>
<p>Stopping Ursaring is generally a hard task, but faster physical sweepers and priority abusers can eventually take it down. TechniTop can chip Ursaring's HP away with Fake Out and finish it off with Mach Punch. As such, packing Weezing can prove useful as it helps check Hitmontop by crippling it with Will-O-Wisp. Rotom can work great alongside Ursaring to cover its weakness to Fighting-type moves. LO Rotom can take Bullet Punches well and also 2HKO Hitmontop with Thunderbolt; additionally, Rotom can set up dual screens. Like the previous set, Ursaring enjoys Stealth Rock and Spikes support which allows it to nab more OHKOs. Good teammates to pair with Ursaring include Uxie, Claydol, and Omastar as they can easily set up entry hazards, and both Uxie and Claydol resist Ursaring's Fighting weakness.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Guts + Status Orb)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Facade
move 3: Close Combat / Earthquake
move 4: Crunch
item: Flame Orb / Toxic Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Guts
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is almost identical to the previous set, but with a slightly different approach to boosting Ursaring's Attack stat to sky-high levels. The previous set depended upon the opponent utilizing status to achieve a Guts boost, but this set automatically gives Ursaring a 50% Attack boost courtesy of Toxic Orb or Flame Orb. Much like the previous set, Ursaring's job is to rip holes in unprepared stall teams. Ursaring's hunger for fortifying its power doesn't stop merely at Guts, as Swords Dance is a great way to increase its already-high Attack. It may seem like overkill, but this helps Ursaring score a clean OHKO on certain walls. Facade is the STAB of choice, because with its Base Power now raised to 210 (factoring in STAB), Facade can deliver a bone-shattering blow on any physical wall that doesn't resist it.</p>
<p>The remaining moves help improve Ursaring's type coverage. Close Combat is the main option because it guarantees an OHKO on Steelix and Regirock that run a physically-defensive nature. Earthquake acts as a safety option, and still has a high chance of OHKOing Steelix and Regirock. Crunch hurts opposing Ghost-types such as Rotom, Mismagius, and Spiritomb. Although Spiritomb won't pose much of a threat, Mismagius and Rotom have Substitute in their arsenal to foil Ursaring's sweep by stalling its HP down, so it's preferred that Ursaring catch Mismagius and Rotom on the switch with Crunch.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring has two options for the item slot: Flame Orb and Toxic Orb. Flame Orb inflicts consistent damage with burn, while Toxic Orb deals less damage than Flame Orb for the first two turns; on the third turn, the damage is equal. After the third turn, the poison will deal more damage than the burn, making Flame Orb the superior choice if you plan on keeping Ursaring in for a period of time.</p>
<p>Ursaring may not be easily walled, but it is vulnerable to getting revenge-killed by most Pokemon faster than it. To ensure Ursaring's sweep goes unhindered, it needs some team support. Packing Pokemon who can absorb any Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Hitmonlee or Primeape will greatly increase Ursaring's survivability survivability, good candidates include Slowbro and Uxie. Registeel makes a good partner as well, since it can absorb attacks from many of the common fast-and-hard hitters of UU, such as Swellow, Sceptile, or Alakazam. Bringing a good priority user to the battle, such as Hitmontop or Azumarill, can also give Ursaring an easier time sweeping. Unlike most of Ursaring's other sets, this one doesn't require Stealth Rock or Spikes support as Ursaring's damage output is so high. Providing dual screens support, however, can give Ursaring more bulk and allow it to survive a hit or two from the aforementioned faster Pokemon. Good teammates that can set up dual screens include Mesprit, Uxie, and Claydol as they all resist the Fighting-type attacks aimed at Ursaring.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Double-Edge
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Slapping a Choice Band on Ursaring lets it deal out immediate punishment to the opponent. If you're lucky enough, Ursaring can come in on a status move (preferably Will-O-Wisp or Toxic) and increase its Attack or Speed depending on the ability that you choose. Double-Edge is a sweet STAB option to punch holes in many physical walls in the UU tier, including Tangrowth, Donphan, and Milotic. Close Combat is picked over Earthquake because 252 HP / 0 Def Steelix will always survive two Earthquakes but has a chance to be 2HKOed by Close Combat, even without any residual damage. Since most of Ursaring's attacks are walled by Ghost-types, Crunch is a great way to lure out and smash Ghost-types right off the bat.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring gets walled easily by Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon if it is locked into Double-Edge, so Pokemon that can easily dispose of them, such as Dugtrio or Milotic, make good partners. Ghost-type Pokemon can prove to be an obstacle as well if Ursaring is locked into Double-Edge or Close Combat, so packing a Pursuit user, such as Drapion or Spiritomb, will greatly aid it. Ursaring is also easily revenge-killed by a multitude of faster Pokemon, including Sceptile, Alakazam, and Swellow, so a Pokemon that can cover a variety of these threats, such as Registeel, will make a helpful teammate. Spikes and Stealth Rock support from Omastar, Qwilfish, or Uxie help increase Ursaring's KO rate. Will-O-Wisp could be quite problematic if you decide to use Quick Feet, so pairing Ursaring with Houndoom or Arcanine can help keep the offensive momentum running.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Support is Ursaring's best friend when it comes to a successful sweep. There are three ways to help Ursaring reach its maximum potential: Stealth Rock support, paralysis support, and dual screens support. Stealth Rock and Spikes support are important to many of Ursaring's sets because they allow this bear to increase its chances of OHKOing certain walls. Cloyster is one of the few effective Spikers in the UU metagame due to its high Defense stat. Omastar can also use Spikes in the lead slot well due to its high Defense stat. To patch up Ursaring's slow Speed, paralysis support can be utilized. Uxie is an excellent teammate, as it brings both Stealth Rock and paralysis to the table. Finally, dual screens are a great support option to help Ursaring take priority hits. Dual screens also serve to soften the assaults from physical walls to make setting up easier. Again, Uxie can perform this job quite well and is one of the most effective dual screens users in the metagame. Claydol is another viable dual screens user, and as an added bonus, it can use Explosion to take down an otherwise threatening Pokemon.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Ursaring has a diverse movepool, which is unusual for a physical attacker. It has access to the elemental punches, but STAB Return or Facade usually deal more damage even when the punches are super effective. The only Pokemon Ursaring would OHKO without any boosts are Torterra and Altaria with Ice Punch. Ursaring has access to Brick Break, Cross Chop, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Superpower, and Hammer Arm as alternative Fighting-type attacks, but Close Combat is usually the better choice. Payback is also present in its repertoire and can find use on its slower sets, but Crunch is a more reliable option. Other physical moves Ursaring has in its movepool include: Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Shadow Claw, Seed Bomb, and Gunk Shot.</p>
<p>As for stat-boosting moves, Ursaring has Belly Drum and Bulk Up. Swords Dance is usually the preferred option as it is faster at boosting Attack than Bulk Up, and the Defense boosts from Bulk Up will generally not help Ursaring take any hits better. Swords Dance also doesn't strip Ursaring of half of its health, unlike Belly Drum, which would decrease the length of Ursaring's sweep; with a Swords Dance boost, Ursaring is already capable of achieving all of the OHKOs it needs.</p>
<p>Yawn is interesting as it allows Ursaring to force switches, and gives it a much easier time setting up. Ursaring also has Scary Face to slow down incoming fast sweepers, allowing Ursaring to threaten them without worrying about getting knocked out first. Lastly, Ursaring can run a RestTalk set with Defense investment, but it is usually better off focusing on attacking rather than cushioning hits.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Due to Ursaring's ability to hit unnaturally hard, it's hard to counter it straight-up. Your best bet is to prevent it from setting up anything. However, if it does set up, then your next best move is to use faster Pokemon and priority attacks. Hitmontop is the best check to Ursaring, provided that it switches in on Crunch; it can use Fake Out followed up by Mach Punch to take Ursaring out. Ambipom can also check it (Jolly Ambipom outspeeds Ursaring even after a Quick Feet boost), but can't switch in on any of Ursaring's damaging attacks. Although they are not considered surefire counters, Substitute Mismagius and Rotom can beat Toxic Orb Ursaring by stalling its HP away. Steelix and Rhyperior can survive assaults from non-Swords Dance sets and can use Earthquake to take a chunk out of Ursaring's health. Donphan, Tangrowth, Weezing, and Slowbro also handle non-Swords Dance sets fairly well by surviving a hit and dishing back an attack.</p>
Taking this over for franky. He had it all written, just pushing this through GP. I did fix some spacing issues and changed a little wording here and there.
- Added more info for the Optional Changes.
His thread can be locked here.
Collab with Knightofthewind, give credits to him also
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/ursaring
Added Swords Dance (Life Orb) set (franky)
Added Quick Feet set (Knightofthewind)
Choice Band set (knightofthewind)
Added Swords Dance (Guts) (credits to LR for the idea) (franky)
Added Other Options and Opinion (franky)
Added Team Options and EVs (franky)
Added Counters
__________________________________________________ ______________
[OVERVIEW]
<p>Ursaring is quite a beast... err bear. Its Attack stat is one of the best out there, and Ursaring has two great abilities that complement it. The only letdowns that Ursaring has are its just-decent defenses and low Speed. Ursaring is also cursed with being on a timer, thanks to the status conditions that have to be inflicted on it in order for Quick Feet and Guts to kick in. However, with the right amount of support, Ursaring is capable of unleashing some of the strongest attacks found in UU onto its unfortunate victims. Whatever you do, don't let this bear set up, or it will lead to the quick and painful demise of your awe-stricken team.</p>
[SET]
name: Quick Feet Sweeper
move 1: Facade
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Quick Feet
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Out of all of Ursaring's sets, this one is probably the most frightening. The biggest problem with using Ursaring as a sweeper is its lack of Speed. Fortunately, Ursaring has the ability Quick Feet, which boosts its Speed by 1.5x when it has a status affliction. Swords Dance with Quick Feet make a lethal combination by boosting both Ursaring's Attack and Speed by two and one stage(s) respectively. This, along with the excellent coverage provided by Facade, Close Combat, and Crunch, is what makes Ursaring so dangerous.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>A Jolly nature is preferred when using Quick Feet. With an Adamant nature, Ursaring won't outspeed Timid Houndoom, but with a Jolly nature, Ursaring hits 343 Speed, outpacing everything up to positive-natured base 105s. Please note that Quick Feet doesn't prevent the Attack drop from burns, so using a Flame Orb is out of the question.</p>
<p>This set is essentially a cross between the regular Swords Dancer and Choice Scarf Ursaring, since it hits a high Speed but is extremely powerful at the same time. Facade is used over Ursaring's other STAB attacks because after Toxic Orb kicks in, it'll do more damage than Return, and Ursaring's new-found Speed makes the occasional paralysis from Body Slam unnecessary. Close Combat hits the Rock- and Steel-types that resist Facade. A +2 Close Combat will always OHKO 252 / 0 Registeel and has a 50% chance of OHKOing 252 / 0 Steelix after it has taken damage from one layer of Spikes. Crunch, on the other hand, hurts the Ghost-types immune to Ursaring's other offensive options.</p>
<p>There are several ways to improve Ursaring’s ability to sweep: dual screens, Thunder Wave support, and entry hazards. First off, dual screens are a great way to reduce damage and possibly give Ursaring the chance to pull off another Swords Dance. Secondly, paralysis support patches up its depressing Speed because Ursaring is far too slow to pose any threat to faster sweepers. Finally, Stealth Rock and Spikes are recommended since they allow Ursaring to get certain OHKOs on bulkier walls. Uxie fits the bill really well as it has both Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave to help out Ursaring, as well as access to dual screens if you wish. Spikes is particularly important, because Ursaring will gain some important OHKOs that Stealth Rock wouldn't achieve alone. With only one layer of Spikes, Ursaring has a chance to OHKO Steelix with +2 Close Combat. A full three layers grants Ursaring the ability to OHKO max HP / max Def Donphan with Facade. Cloyster and Omastar are good candidates for using Spikes in the lead slot thanks to their high Defense stat.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Life Orb)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Return / Double-Edge
move 3: Earthquake / Close Combat
move 4: Crunch
item: Life Orb
nature: Adamant
ability: Guts
evs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring is a great wallbreaker with Life Orb equipped, because it can then muscle its way through opposing walls without losing as much HP as from Toxic Orb or Flame Orb. Ursaring’s Attack can reach astonishing heights with a Swords Dance boost, Life Orb, and a potential Guts boost. In addition to this, Ursaring’s movepool allows it to hit every Pokemon in UU neutrally with just three moves. Return and Double-Edge provide a solid STAB move for hitting Pokemon who take neutral damage from all of Ursaring's attacks; because a status affliction boost is not guaranteed, these two moves are considered much more reliable than Facade. Earthquake grants Ursaring a way to hurt opposing Steel-types that resist its STAB move. Steelix with 0 Defense EVs won’t enjoy a boosted Earthquake, as it deals a minimum of 94.92%. Registeel is always OHKOed by a boosted Earthquake. Close Combat is an option over Earthquake to OHKO Steelix and Regirock without entry hazards, but the defense drops are very noticeable. Finally, Crunch is a great move to OHKO the Ghost-types of UU, as they typically have mediocre physical defense.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>224 Speed EVs allow Ursaring to outpace max Speed Donphan and Tangrowth along with 0 Speed Milotic. 252 Attack EVs maximize its ability to crush the opponent. The remaining 32 EVs are allocated to HP, and conveniently give a Life Orb number. It also helps Ursaring weather some weaker hits from defensive Pokemon.</p>
<p>Stopping Ursaring is generally a hard task, but faster physical sweepers and priority abusers can eventually take it down. TechniTop can chip Ursaring's HP away with Fake Out and finish it off with Mach Punch. As such, packing Weezing can prove useful as it helps check Hitmontop by crippling it with Will-O-Wisp. Rotom can work great alongside Ursaring to cover its weakness to Fighting-type moves. LO Rotom can take Bullet Punches well and also 2HKO Hitmontop with Thunderbolt; additionally, Rotom can set up dual screens. Like the previous set, Ursaring enjoys Stealth Rock and Spikes support which allows it to nab more OHKOs. Good teammates to pair with Ursaring include Uxie, Claydol, and Omastar as they can easily set up entry hazards, and both Uxie and Claydol resist Ursaring's Fighting weakness.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Guts + Status Orb)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Facade
move 3: Close Combat / Earthquake
move 4: Crunch
item: Flame Orb / Toxic Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Guts
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is almost identical to the previous set, but with a slightly different approach to boosting Ursaring's Attack stat to sky-high levels. The previous set depended upon the opponent utilizing status to achieve a Guts boost, but this set automatically gives Ursaring a 50% Attack boost courtesy of Toxic Orb or Flame Orb. Much like the previous set, Ursaring's job is to rip holes in unprepared stall teams. Ursaring's hunger for fortifying its power doesn't stop merely at Guts, as Swords Dance is a great way to increase its already-high Attack. It may seem like overkill, but this helps Ursaring score a clean OHKO on certain walls. Facade is the STAB of choice, because with its Base Power now raised to 210 (factoring in STAB), Facade can deliver a bone-shattering blow on any physical wall that doesn't resist it.</p>
<p>The remaining moves help improve Ursaring's type coverage. Close Combat is the main option because it guarantees an OHKO on Steelix and Regirock that run a physically-defensive nature. Earthquake acts as a safety option, and still has a high chance of OHKOing Steelix and Regirock. Crunch hurts opposing Ghost-types such as Rotom, Mismagius, and Spiritomb. Although Spiritomb won't pose much of a threat, Mismagius and Rotom have Substitute in their arsenal to foil Ursaring's sweep by stalling its HP down, so it's preferred that Ursaring catch Mismagius and Rotom on the switch with Crunch.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring has two options for the item slot: Flame Orb and Toxic Orb. Flame Orb inflicts consistent damage with burn, while Toxic Orb deals less damage than Flame Orb for the first two turns; on the third turn, the damage is equal. After the third turn, the poison will deal more damage than the burn, making Flame Orb the superior choice if you plan on keeping Ursaring in for a period of time.</p>
<p>Ursaring may not be easily walled, but it is vulnerable to getting revenge-killed by most Pokemon faster than it. To ensure Ursaring's sweep goes unhindered, it needs some team support. Packing Pokemon who can absorb any Fighting-type attacks from the likes of Hitmonlee or Primeape will greatly increase Ursaring's survivability survivability, good candidates include Slowbro and Uxie. Registeel makes a good partner as well, since it can absorb attacks from many of the common fast-and-hard hitters of UU, such as Swellow, Sceptile, or Alakazam. Bringing a good priority user to the battle, such as Hitmontop or Azumarill, can also give Ursaring an easier time sweeping. Unlike most of Ursaring's other sets, this one doesn't require Stealth Rock or Spikes support as Ursaring's damage output is so high. Providing dual screens support, however, can give Ursaring more bulk and allow it to survive a hit or two from the aforementioned faster Pokemon. Good teammates that can set up dual screens include Mesprit, Uxie, and Claydol as they all resist the Fighting-type attacks aimed at Ursaring.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Double-Edge
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Slapping a Choice Band on Ursaring lets it deal out immediate punishment to the opponent. If you're lucky enough, Ursaring can come in on a status move (preferably Will-O-Wisp or Toxic) and increase its Attack or Speed depending on the ability that you choose. Double-Edge is a sweet STAB option to punch holes in many physical walls in the UU tier, including Tangrowth, Donphan, and Milotic. Close Combat is picked over Earthquake because 252 HP / 0 Def Steelix will always survive two Earthquakes but has a chance to be 2HKOed by Close Combat, even without any residual damage. Since most of Ursaring's attacks are walled by Ghost-types, Crunch is a great way to lure out and smash Ghost-types right off the bat.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Ursaring gets walled easily by Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon if it is locked into Double-Edge, so Pokemon that can easily dispose of them, such as Dugtrio or Milotic, make good partners. Ghost-type Pokemon can prove to be an obstacle as well if Ursaring is locked into Double-Edge or Close Combat, so packing a Pursuit user, such as Drapion or Spiritomb, will greatly aid it. Ursaring is also easily revenge-killed by a multitude of faster Pokemon, including Sceptile, Alakazam, and Swellow, so a Pokemon that can cover a variety of these threats, such as Registeel, will make a helpful teammate. Spikes and Stealth Rock support from Omastar, Qwilfish, or Uxie help increase Ursaring's KO rate. Will-O-Wisp could be quite problematic if you decide to use Quick Feet, so pairing Ursaring with Houndoom or Arcanine can help keep the offensive momentum running.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Support is Ursaring's best friend when it comes to a successful sweep. There are three ways to help Ursaring reach its maximum potential: Stealth Rock support, paralysis support, and dual screens support. Stealth Rock and Spikes support are important to many of Ursaring's sets because they allow this bear to increase its chances of OHKOing certain walls. Cloyster is one of the few effective Spikers in the UU metagame due to its high Defense stat. Omastar can also use Spikes in the lead slot well due to its high Defense stat. To patch up Ursaring's slow Speed, paralysis support can be utilized. Uxie is an excellent teammate, as it brings both Stealth Rock and paralysis to the table. Finally, dual screens are a great support option to help Ursaring take priority hits. Dual screens also serve to soften the assaults from physical walls to make setting up easier. Again, Uxie can perform this job quite well and is one of the most effective dual screens users in the metagame. Claydol is another viable dual screens user, and as an added bonus, it can use Explosion to take down an otherwise threatening Pokemon.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Ursaring has a diverse movepool, which is unusual for a physical attacker. It has access to the elemental punches, but STAB Return or Facade usually deal more damage even when the punches are super effective. The only Pokemon Ursaring would OHKO without any boosts are Torterra and Altaria with Ice Punch. Ursaring has access to Brick Break, Cross Chop, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Superpower, and Hammer Arm as alternative Fighting-type attacks, but Close Combat is usually the better choice. Payback is also present in its repertoire and can find use on its slower sets, but Crunch is a more reliable option. Other physical moves Ursaring has in its movepool include: Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Shadow Claw, Seed Bomb, and Gunk Shot.</p>
<p>As for stat-boosting moves, Ursaring has Belly Drum and Bulk Up. Swords Dance is usually the preferred option as it is faster at boosting Attack than Bulk Up, and the Defense boosts from Bulk Up will generally not help Ursaring take any hits better. Swords Dance also doesn't strip Ursaring of half of its health, unlike Belly Drum, which would decrease the length of Ursaring's sweep; with a Swords Dance boost, Ursaring is already capable of achieving all of the OHKOs it needs.</p>
<p>Yawn is interesting as it allows Ursaring to force switches, and gives it a much easier time setting up. Ursaring also has Scary Face to slow down incoming fast sweepers, allowing Ursaring to threaten them without worrying about getting knocked out first. Lastly, Ursaring can run a RestTalk set with Defense investment, but it is usually better off focusing on attacking rather than cushioning hits.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Due to Ursaring's ability to hit unnaturally hard, it's hard to counter it straight-up. Your best bet is to prevent it from setting up anything. However, if it does set up, then your next best move is to use faster Pokemon and priority attacks. Hitmontop is the best check to Ursaring, provided that it switches in on Crunch; it can use Fake Out followed up by Mach Punch to take Ursaring out. Ambipom can also check it (Jolly Ambipom outspeeds Ursaring even after a Quick Feet boost), but can't switch in on any of Ursaring's damaging attacks. Although they are not considered surefire counters, Substitute Mismagius and Rotom can beat Toxic Orb Ursaring by stalling its HP away. Steelix and Rhyperior can survive assaults from non-Swords Dance sets and can use Earthquake to take a chunk out of Ursaring's health. Donphan, Tangrowth, Weezing, and Slowbro also handle non-Swords Dance sets fairly well by surviving a hit and dishing back an attack.</p>
