Other XY OU Pokemon of the Week #1: Staraptor

[HNA]

Rotom-W @ Iron Ball
Ability: Levitate
Bold
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Trick
-Will-O-Wisp
(I know Iron Ball is a weird choice, but it really fucks an opposing Talonflame over, as well as crippling any fast sweeper)

Hydro Pump already OHKO it. Thunder-wave instead of trick+iron ball is a lot better. And you still have your ground immunity.

The main niche of Staraptor in OU, is a Talonflamme/M-pinsir partner and in this case, the CB set is by a large marging better than the Scarf set.

 

[Kairyu_Gen1]

Anyway, I use the scarf set similar to Talonflame's band set, but with better coverage. It outspeeds most things, and can 2HKO a lot of threats. Should you ever use it with Talonflame? No, but it does have some use if your team needs a brave bird, but Talonflame feels too niche.

I've been using it to decent success so far. Don't go saying that is me saying they're the same, but Darm and Raptor do have similarities in there playstyles. They're both

A. Weak to Rocks
B. Great revenge killers when scarfed which helps make up for both of their average at best speeds
C. Have great attack stats and moves to back up their stat
D. Get worn down very easily because they mostly rely on recoil moves(and both have abilitys that up the power of their recoil moves)
E. Can easily generate momentum when obvious switch in is obvious
F. Really frail. 85/70/60 and 105/55/55 aren't exactly good. Or anywhere close to good .

Not saying that Darmanitan is the best choice for fire types, but it's definitely still viable. Anyway, back to staraptor and his fantastic wallbreaking.

I already pointed out why Staraptor is OU viable and Darmanitan is not here:
XY OU Viability Ranking Thread
Discussing Darmanitan is a waste of time

 

[JackTheGordie]

Anyway, I use the scarf set similar to Talonflame's band set, but with better coverage. It outspeeds most things, and can 2HKO a lot of threats. Should you ever use it with Talonflame? No, but it does have some use if your team needs a brave bird, but Talonflame feels too niche.

I already pointed out why Staraptor is OU viable and Darmanitan is not here:
XY OU Viability Ranking Thread
Discussing Darmanitan is a waste of time

Eh, i disagree with some of those points but whatever, i'll wait until next week. Moving along...is there any one mon that could stop both of the birds or would it take some core built specifically to beat both of them?

 

[SergantGold]

Also, MBanette would be cool.

Mega Banette looks interesting.

Please don't consider Mega Bannette. Its only niche is centered around it dying and wasting your mega slot. Its extreme fragility make it often times die before prankster even kicks in. Its also pathetically easy to let it die by status to get around the destiny bond. It is worse than malamar tbh.

But anyway, I really like this idea and I like the fact that Staraptor is getting some love, as it heavily deserves it.
Double/Triple Bird is terrifying.

 

[trc]

Please don't consider Mega Bannette. Its only niche is centered around it dying and wasting your mega slot. Its extreme fragility make it often times die before prankster even kicks in. Its also pathetically easy to let it die by status to get around the destiny bond. It is worse than malamar tbh.

But anyway, I really like this idea and I like the fact that Staraptor is getting some love, as it heavily deserves it.
Double/Triple Bird is terrifying.

Actually, Mega Banette is quite viable this gen. Because I don't have time to make a lengthy post, check here.

 

[Always!]

Please don't consider Mega Bannette. Its only niche is centered around it dying and wasting your mega slot. Its extreme fragility make it often times die before prankster even kicks in. Its also pathetically easy to let it die by status to get around the destiny bond. It is worse than malamar tbh.

But anyway, I really like this idea and I like the fact that Staraptor is getting some love, as it heavily deserves it.
Double/Triple Bird is terrifying.

Discrediting a Mega evolution and comparing it to a D-Rank Pokemon is extremely silly.

MBanette is hit or miss, right moveset, it will be extremely useful, if not, it can end up being nothing but fodder.

Priority Destiny Bond is still a massive niche however.

Look at MBanette's discussion thread and then draw your own conclusions.

Edit: Damn it TR Carnivine ;-;

 

[PenguinKnight]

I'd like to ask: assuming you use Raptor/Talon Dual Bird combo, and slap U-turn on both of them. What other Pokemon form good volturning partners to them? I've picked Mega Manectric for it's tendency to attract Earthquakes, as well as it's lightning resistance. I've also considered things like Thundurus-T and MienShao, but I'd like to hear some opinions from others. Let's assume I have no trouble with my Mega slot being filled, since Talon/Raptor are strong enough to tear down almost anything. Also assume I have no trouble with rocks, since it's pretty much a given that with this combo, you either have great EH management or you flat out lose.

 

[JackTheGordie]

I'd like to ask: assuming you use Raptor/Talon Dual Bird combo, and slap U-turn on both of them. What other Pokemon form good volturning partners to them? I've picked Mega Manectric for it's tendency to attract Earthquakes, as well as it's lightning resistance. I've also considered things like Thundurus-T and MienShao, but I'd like to hear some opinions from others. Let's assume I have no trouble with my Mega slot being filled, since Talon/Raptor are strong enough to tear down almost anything. Also assume I have no trouble with rocks, since it's pretty much a given that with this combo, you either have great EH management or you flat out lose.

Lando-T maybe? It can absorb the t-bolts aimed at the birds, take most rock attacks fairly well w/intimidate, then either go straight for an eq, u-turn for momentum, or just knock off whatever switches in. If you use him, you're definitely gonna need a bulky ice resist(oh look, another team Rotom-W fits onto perfectly. Yawn... what's that like 99% of teams now?)

 

[PenguinKnight]

Lando-T maybe? It can absorb the t-bolts aimed at the birds, take most rock attacks fairly well w/intimidate, then either go straight for an eq, u-turn for momentum, or just knock off whatever switches in. If you use him, you're definitely gonna need a bulky ice resist(oh look, another team Rotom-W fits onto perfectly. Yawn... what's that like 99% of teams now?)

Good idea! I like it, I'll try it. I made it a personal point to prevent using Rotom-W as far as possible- I'm not a hardcore serious battler anyways, I just enjoy trying out new strategies. I found that using Aegislash as a rock/Ice resist is perfectly fine, especially since Aegislash draws in Earthquakes as well.

 

[alexwolf]

Jolly should be slashed before Adamant on the Choice Band set, it's the best overall option. If you want to know why, you can just check here and here.

 

[Jaroda]

I kind of came across this set haphazardly as I was relegated to trying Staraptor on an all Intimidate team, and honestly he can fulfill an interesting support role.

Staraptor@Lum/Life Orb/Sky Plate
Intimidate
Jolly 4 HP / 252 At / 252 Spd
~ U-Turn
~ Brave Bird
~ Tailwind
~ Roost/Close Combat

Intimidate and U-Turn are an amazing combination if anyone has tried Landorus-T or Mega Manectric (even better, both together). But the point is with Intimidate and U-Turn it is a great scout and forces switches, but the boon comes from Tailwind. It's really an under-appreciated move. Despite the turn limit, U-Turn helps you get something in more likely to abuse it, and this makes pokemon just like Landorus-T in an otherwise unimpressive speed tier suddenly far more dangerous. My Landorus-T would have been dead had Tailwind not boosted his speed and able to OHKO a Celebi from full with U-Turn for example. Its so much better than Sticky Web since it doubles all of your pokemons speed, rather than only limiting grounded ones on the enemy's team. The turn limit is low, but its often just what you need for something like a Choice Band Darmanitan, Mega Heracross or Mega Pinsir to more reliably bypass several would be counters. Particularly Mega Heracross. With Intimidate Roost is a viable move for later if they anticipate your Tailwind shenanigans and you aren't hurting from recoil as much. On VoltTurn centric teams Staraptor is a good team player.

 

[Faerie]

PRETTY SURE .. Porygon2 can stall the living hell out of both of them .. I haven't punched in the numbers but a porygon2

Porygon2@Evolite
Download/Analytic
Bold
252HP/252Def/4SpA
~ Recover
~ Toxic
~ Tri Attack
~ Shadow Ball

That right there .. is the ultimate living tank that can hit everything neutrally (Minus Tyranitar + Bisharp - on a side note porygon2 beats tartar with toxic stall >.>) so .. in theory porygon2 can stall them until they just suicide. I dunno about the numbers since I only battle tower but i've gotten to 100+ with porygon2 .. and I have yet to get wrecked in two turns by anything that's NOT conkeldurr. So I feel like both of those Staraptor + Talonflame can't kill Porygon2 in 2 moves. I have never face stealth rock support either with Pory2 .. I imagine they may 2HKO after stealth rock, but I feel they'd need 3 turns at least to kill Porygon2. If that's the case .. then Porygon2 wrecks both sets yes.

 

[trc]

Adamant CB 2KOes Specially Defensive variants with Close Combat, but Physically Defensive ones are very good checks as Staraptor will eventually die to recoil damage.

 

[Faerie]

If I Swap in pory2 on staraptor locked into anything that's not CC and they switch out to talonflame, and I get a toxic off .. then I will destroy talonflame. If staraptor is locked into CC then it will die to suicides =X I personally run a bold pg2 heehee and I love it to no end, as it's my go to swap in .. lol .. As far as I'm concerned porygon 2 should be able to wall off both Talonflame and CBStaraptor of all forms (~think~). Aside from porygon2 my Zapdos should be able to wreck it too ..
I have both a bold and a calm zapdos with the max'd IV's in hp + their defence + spA (dedicated catching right there ..)

Zapdos@Leftovers
Pressure
Bold
252HP/252Def/4SpD
~Roost
~Discharge/Thunderbolt
~Toxic
~Heatwave/HP Grass (coverage not in this case though)

My current zapdos build at least, if I truly wanted to stall the living shit out of both Staraptor + Talonflame, I'd probably run protect over heatwave but .. then a ground pokemon comes in and GG. But I think Zapdos could wall both Staraptor and Talonflame, but I'm almost positive that Zapdos can survive CBStaraptor Double Edge, I'd only swap in Zapdos on something Staraptor is locked into though, something that's NOT Double-Edge. Zapdos should technically survive 2 of any moves minus double edge.