[OVERVIEW]
Heracross is one of UU’s premier physical attackers due to its incredible STAB combination in conjunction with its decent speed tier, access to two strong abilities in Moxie and Guts, and a multitude of sets to choose from, allowing it to easily fit itself to most offensive teams. Its coverage is also incredibly rounded with Stone Edge, making it a nightmare to switch into. Heracross primarily takes use of Choice Scarf to give it an upper edge on the entire unboosted metagame, making it an incredible cleaner for late game scenarios. Heracross’s insane offensive pressure allows it to force out threats such as Snorlax, Rhyperior, and Slowbro, allowing it to take advantage of this with setup moves such as Swords Dance and Substitute to become a potential game ending threat against slower teams. Choice Band is also an incredible item for Heracross, allowing it to begin breaking through teams immediately. Getting Heracross onto the field isn't actually that difficult, as its naturally defensive typing grants it key resistances to get in against threats like Mienshao, Krookodile, and Hitmontop by resisting their STAB. Heracross isn’t the end all be all threat however. While difficult to switch into, it can still be aptly handled by defensive threats such as Cofagrigus and Gligar. Additionally threats such as Mew, Zapdos, and Crobat naturally outspeed it when not scarfed. It also is prone to being revenge killed by faster scarfers such as Victini and Darmanitan. While Heracross has a good pool of sets to choose from, it doesn't ever really change its attacks, making it extremely linear and easy to predict.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
Item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 atk / 4 def / 252 spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heracross's STAB combination in Close Combat and Megahorn allows it to immediately pressure the majority of the metagame, having very few switchins. Stone Edge enables Heracross further, allowing it to hit the few switchins to its STAB combination, such as the Flying-types Zapdos, Crobat, and Togekiss. Earthquake allows it to have a safer means to pressure Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon such as Cobalion and Rhyperior without dropping your defenses from using Close Combat, while also hitting Poison-types such as Nidoqueen and Qwilfish super effectively. Sleep Talk is an option that allows it to absorb sleep status from users such as Amoonguss and Roserade safely, giving it a decent means to still be on the offensive in the event it's slept.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf allows Heracross to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, giving it key targets to revenge kill such as Raikou, Weavile, and Tornadus. Moxie in conjunction with this allows it to begin snowballing very quickly late game.
Usage Tips
========
Heracross can be brought in often due to its naturally defensive typing and decent bulk, so taking advantage of this to switch into threats it resists such as Scrafty and Rhyperior puts it into offensive positions without much drawback. Heracross should also be brought in with pivot moves to pressure slower threats such as Roserade, Empoleon, and Snorlax. With how difficult it can be to switch into Heracross, using this offensive pressure is incredibly key, so using Heracross to chip away at lesser defensive answers such as Blastoise, Hitmontop, and Swampert enables it to sweep later the road. Heracross can at times be incredibly prediction reliant, so knocking out resists such as Cofagrigus or Qwilfish makes Heracross have a much easier time attacking.
Team Options
========
Offensive pivots such as Victini, Crobat, and Raikou make for excellent teammates to Heracross, as they can bring it in untouched, giving Heracross plenty of room to pressure their checks like Rhyperior and offensive Zapdos and threaten KOs. Hazards like Stealth Rock from Bronzong or Spikes from Qwilfish are incredible for chipping threats such as Nidoqueen or Cofagrigus, limiting the number of times they can switch into Heracross, making it harder to reliably check over the course of a game. Setup users such as Raikou and Snorlax greatly appreciate Heracross’s ability to remove phasers such as Rhyperior and Empoleon, while in turn being able to support Heracross by chipping away at its checks when threatening to sweep.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Stone Edge
Item: Leftovers
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 atk / 4 def / 252 spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat and Megahorn is a near unresisted STAB combination, allowing Heracross to deal massive amounts of damage before setting up, while Stone Edge is strong coverage allowing it to hit the would be checks in Flying-type threats such as Crobat, Togekiss, and Zapdos.
Set Details
========
With Guts, Heracross can now take use of status from Will-o-wisp from threats such as Cofagrigus and Sableye or weaker scalds from threats like Swampert or Empoleon to keep the ball rolling during a sweep attempt.
Usage Tips
========
Heracross makes for an incredible breaker with Swords Dance, so finding more passive threats such as Gligar or Umbreon to set up on is a good way to make Heracross quickly a game ending threat. Additionally, Heracross is nigh impossible to switch into after a Swords Dance, especially in late game scenarios. This means finding a way to get Heracross to start punching holes in the opposing team is typically your first objective when using this set. It should however be noted that Heracross only has a decent speed tier, and when sent in too early, is at risk of being easily revenge killed by faster threats such as Victini, Tornadus, and Choice Scarf Togekiss. Taking time to chip down the opposing team through means such as Hazards or Pursuit trapping makes Heracross have a much easier time threatening to sweep late game.
Team Options
========
Pursuit trappers such as Weavile and Snorlax are amazing teammates for Heracross, as they can remove otherwise dangerous stops such as Victini and Cofagrigus. Heracross appreciates having faster Flying-type threats such as Tornadus and Crobat removed for it, so teammates in Rhyperior, Zapdos, and Raikou make for solid options to work in that role. Heracross despises hazard chip, so Rapid Spin users such as Blastoise make for solid options to help alleviate this. Fire-types such as Victini and Darmanitan also pose problems for Heracross, so checks to these such as Flygon and Suicune make for solid options as well.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Sleep Talk / Earthquake
Item: Choice Band
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 atk / 4 def / 252 spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heracross's STAB combination in Close Combat and Megahorn is incredibly hard to safely come into, with Stone Edge allowing it to hit the few switchins to its STAB combination, such as the Flying-types Zapdos and Tornadus. Sleep Talk is to allow it to absorb sleep status from users such as Amoonguss and Roserade safely, letting it continue rampage through its condition, while Earthquake allows it to have a way to smash through Poison-type checks such as Qwilfish and Nidoking
Set Details
========
Choice Band makes Heracross an unstoppable force, sending its power into astronomical levels, while Guts makes any form of status only empower it further. When both are active, Heracross can OHKO incredibly bulky threats such as Blastoise and Bronzong with its STAB.
Usage Tips
========
Heracross is an absolute monster when equipped with Choice Band, and should be brought in against threats like Rhyperior, Mienshao, and Umbreon, as it can resist their STABs, and immediately threaten back with OHKO from one of its own STAB, and heavily chunking any switchin with some prediction. Using the momentum from pivots such as Gligar and Cobalion makes Heracross have ease getting into position to start punching holes into any team. Heracross can additionally be used as a stallbreaker with this set, as status makes its hits much more effective against passive teams that like to spam it without caution. Heracross should be used with slight caution however, as it can become setup fodder if it locks itself into an unfavorable move against something like Cofagrigus, Mismagius, or bulky Venomoth can turn it into setup fodder.
Team Options
========
Teammates that can handle Heracross’s checks defensively are huge boons to its success, so teaming it with Flying-type answers such as Bronzong and Rotom-H are great options, as well as Fire-type answers such as Kingdra and Flygon. Hazard setters such as Stealth Rock from Krookodile and Rhyperior, as well as spikes from partners like Qwilfish force switchins to take extra damage, lessening their ability to take hits from Heracross. Dark-type options such as Krookodile and Sharpedo can threaten the fast Psychic-types such as Meloetta and Mew that wish to put a stop to Heracross early. Choice Band Heracross is much scarier when let in free, so pivots such as Crobat and Gligar allow that through pivot moves such as U-turn, giving it much more leeway when finding a position to start wreaking havoc.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up could be ran to give Heracross more bulk while attempting to sweep, but the loss of power is overall worse and not worth it. Additionally, an all out attacker set with Toxic Orb and four attacks can be ran, but it’s not as effective as standard sets. Substitute with three attacks allows Heracross to prey on more passive teams but generally isn't recommended due to how it can be troublesome to make active
Checks and Counters
===================
**Cofagrigus**: Cofagrigus is the bonafide counter to Heracross, being able to completely manhandle all of its sets from a healthy position due to its amazing mono ghost typing and access to Mummy, nullifying Guts boosts on contact with Heracross. It can also turn it into setup fodder with its Offensive Trick Room set, making it gain advantage by switching into Heracross.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Victini, Darmanitan, and Arcanine pose trouble for Heracross, as it's bulk can't withstand their STAB attacks from dropping it in one hit, however they must be careful not to come face to face with Heracross's Stone Edge when switching in.
**Flying-types**: Flying-type threats such as Crobat, Zapdos, Gligar, and Yanmega resist both of Heracross's STAB attacks, making them able to switch into it with the exception of having to watch for Stone Edge. Additionally, they take use of Heracross's 4x weakness to their STAB, and can cleanly OHKO any varient of Heracross.
**Physical Walls**: All of Heracross's attacks suffer the weakness of low PP, making physical walls such as Gligar, Amoonguss, and physically defensive Milotic able to PP stall it while cleanly healing back the damage from Heracross's attacks. Slowbro can switch into choiced sets with some prediction as well, but must be careful not to take a STAB Megahorn.
**Revenge Killers**: Revenge Killers such as Tornadus, Raikou, and Choice Scarf Togekiss can take advantage of a chipped Heracross, forcing it off the field. Mew and Mismagius can also handle a Heracross that is choice locked into Close Combat, taking advantage of its Psychic-type weakness while avoiding its other strong attacks.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[SBPC, 468904]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]
Heracross is one of UU’s premier physical attackers due to its incredible STAB combination in conjunction with its decent speed tier, access to two strong abilities in Moxie and Guts, and a multitude of sets to choose from, allowing it to easily fit itself to most offensive teams. Its coverage is also incredibly rounded with Stone Edge, making it a nightmare to switch into. Heracross primarily takes use of Choice Scarf to give it an upper edge on the entire unboosted metagame, making it an incredible cleaner for late game scenarios. Heracross’s insane offensive pressure allows it to force out threats such as Snorlax, Rhyperior, and Slowbro, allowing it to take advantage of this with setup moves such as Swords Dance and Substitute to become a potential game ending threat against slower teams. Choice Band is also an incredible item for Heracross, allowing it to begin breaking through teams immediately. Getting Heracross onto the field isn't actually that difficult, as its naturally defensive typing grants it key resistances to get in against threats like Mienshao, Krookodile, and Hitmontop by resisting their STAB. Heracross isn’t the end all be all threat however. While difficult to switch into, it can still be aptly handled by defensive threats such as Cofagrigus and Gligar. Additionally threats such as Mew, Zapdos, and Crobat naturally outspeed it when not scarfed. It also is prone to being revenge killed by faster scarfers such as Victini and Darmanitan. While Heracross has a good pool of sets to choose from, it doesn't ever really change its attacks, making it extremely linear and easy to predict.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Earthquake / Sleep Talk
Item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 atk / 4 def / 252 spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heracross's STAB combination in Close Combat and Megahorn allows it to immediately pressure the majority of the metagame, having very few switchins. Stone Edge enables Heracross further, allowing it to hit the few switchins to its STAB combination, such as the Flying-types Zapdos, Crobat, and Togekiss. Earthquake allows it to have a safer means to pressure Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon such as Cobalion and Rhyperior without dropping your defenses from using Close Combat, while also hitting Poison-types such as Nidoqueen and Qwilfish super effectively. Sleep Talk is an option that allows it to absorb sleep status from users such as Amoonguss and Roserade safely, giving it a decent means to still be on the offensive in the event it's slept.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf allows Heracross to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, giving it key targets to revenge kill such as Raikou, Weavile, and Tornadus. Moxie in conjunction with this allows it to begin snowballing very quickly late game.
Usage Tips
========
Heracross can be brought in often due to its naturally defensive typing and decent bulk, so taking advantage of this to switch into threats it resists such as Scrafty and Rhyperior puts it into offensive positions without much drawback. Heracross should also be brought in with pivot moves to pressure slower threats such as Roserade, Empoleon, and Snorlax. With how difficult it can be to switch into Heracross, using this offensive pressure is incredibly key, so using Heracross to chip away at lesser defensive answers such as Blastoise, Hitmontop, and Swampert enables it to sweep later the road. Heracross can at times be incredibly prediction reliant, so knocking out resists such as Cofagrigus or Qwilfish makes Heracross have a much easier time attacking.
Team Options
========
Offensive pivots such as Victini, Crobat, and Raikou make for excellent teammates to Heracross, as they can bring it in untouched, giving Heracross plenty of room to pressure their checks like Rhyperior and offensive Zapdos and threaten KOs. Hazards like Stealth Rock from Bronzong or Spikes from Qwilfish are incredible for chipping threats such as Nidoqueen or Cofagrigus, limiting the number of times they can switch into Heracross, making it harder to reliably check over the course of a game. Setup users such as Raikou and Snorlax greatly appreciate Heracross’s ability to remove phasers such as Rhyperior and Empoleon, while in turn being able to support Heracross by chipping away at its checks when threatening to sweep.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Stone Edge
Item: Leftovers
ability: Guts
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 atk / 4 def / 252 spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat and Megahorn is a near unresisted STAB combination, allowing Heracross to deal massive amounts of damage before setting up, while Stone Edge is strong coverage allowing it to hit the would be checks in Flying-type threats such as Crobat, Togekiss, and Zapdos.
Set Details
========
With Guts, Heracross can now take use of status from Will-o-wisp from threats such as Cofagrigus and Sableye or weaker scalds from threats like Swampert or Empoleon to keep the ball rolling during a sweep attempt.
Usage Tips
========
Heracross makes for an incredible breaker with Swords Dance, so finding more passive threats such as Gligar or Umbreon to set up on is a good way to make Heracross quickly a game ending threat. Additionally, Heracross is nigh impossible to switch into after a Swords Dance, especially in late game scenarios. This means finding a way to get Heracross to start punching holes in the opposing team is typically your first objective when using this set. It should however be noted that Heracross only has a decent speed tier, and when sent in too early, is at risk of being easily revenge killed by faster threats such as Victini, Tornadus, and Choice Scarf Togekiss. Taking time to chip down the opposing team through means such as Hazards or Pursuit trapping makes Heracross have a much easier time threatening to sweep late game.
Team Options
========
Pursuit trappers such as Weavile and Snorlax are amazing teammates for Heracross, as they can remove otherwise dangerous stops such as Victini and Cofagrigus. Heracross appreciates having faster Flying-type threats such as Tornadus and Crobat removed for it, so teammates in Rhyperior, Zapdos, and Raikou make for solid options to work in that role. Heracross despises hazard chip, so Rapid Spin users such as Blastoise make for solid options to help alleviate this. Fire-types such as Victini and Darmanitan also pose problems for Heracross, so checks to these such as Flygon and Suicune make for solid options as well.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Sleep Talk / Earthquake
Item: Choice Band
ability: Guts
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 atk / 4 def / 252 spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Heracross's STAB combination in Close Combat and Megahorn is incredibly hard to safely come into, with Stone Edge allowing it to hit the few switchins to its STAB combination, such as the Flying-types Zapdos and Tornadus. Sleep Talk is to allow it to absorb sleep status from users such as Amoonguss and Roserade safely, letting it continue rampage through its condition, while Earthquake allows it to have a way to smash through Poison-type checks such as Qwilfish and Nidoking
Set Details
========
Choice Band makes Heracross an unstoppable force, sending its power into astronomical levels, while Guts makes any form of status only empower it further. When both are active, Heracross can OHKO incredibly bulky threats such as Blastoise and Bronzong with its STAB.
Usage Tips
========
Heracross is an absolute monster when equipped with Choice Band, and should be brought in against threats like Rhyperior, Mienshao, and Umbreon, as it can resist their STABs, and immediately threaten back with OHKO from one of its own STAB, and heavily chunking any switchin with some prediction. Using the momentum from pivots such as Gligar and Cobalion makes Heracross have ease getting into position to start punching holes into any team. Heracross can additionally be used as a stallbreaker with this set, as status makes its hits much more effective against passive teams that like to spam it without caution. Heracross should be used with slight caution however, as it can become setup fodder if it locks itself into an unfavorable move against something like Cofagrigus, Mismagius, or bulky Venomoth can turn it into setup fodder.
Team Options
========
Teammates that can handle Heracross’s checks defensively are huge boons to its success, so teaming it with Flying-type answers such as Bronzong and Rotom-H are great options, as well as Fire-type answers such as Kingdra and Flygon. Hazard setters such as Stealth Rock from Krookodile and Rhyperior, as well as spikes from partners like Qwilfish force switchins to take extra damage, lessening their ability to take hits from Heracross. Dark-type options such as Krookodile and Sharpedo can threaten the fast Psychic-types such as Meloetta and Mew that wish to put a stop to Heracross early. Choice Band Heracross is much scarier when let in free, so pivots such as Crobat and Gligar allow that through pivot moves such as U-turn, giving it much more leeway when finding a position to start wreaking havoc.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up could be ran to give Heracross more bulk while attempting to sweep, but the loss of power is overall worse and not worth it. Additionally, an all out attacker set with Toxic Orb and four attacks can be ran, but it’s not as effective as standard sets. Substitute with three attacks allows Heracross to prey on more passive teams but generally isn't recommended due to how it can be troublesome to make active
Checks and Counters
===================
**Cofagrigus**: Cofagrigus is the bonafide counter to Heracross, being able to completely manhandle all of its sets from a healthy position due to its amazing mono ghost typing and access to Mummy, nullifying Guts boosts on contact with Heracross. It can also turn it into setup fodder with its Offensive Trick Room set, making it gain advantage by switching into Heracross.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Victini, Darmanitan, and Arcanine pose trouble for Heracross, as it's bulk can't withstand their STAB attacks from dropping it in one hit, however they must be careful not to come face to face with Heracross's Stone Edge when switching in.
**Flying-types**: Flying-type threats such as Crobat, Zapdos, Gligar, and Yanmega resist both of Heracross's STAB attacks, making them able to switch into it with the exception of having to watch for Stone Edge. Additionally, they take use of Heracross's 4x weakness to their STAB, and can cleanly OHKO any varient of Heracross.
**Physical Walls**: All of Heracross's attacks suffer the weakness of low PP, making physical walls such as Gligar, Amoonguss, and physically defensive Milotic able to PP stall it while cleanly healing back the damage from Heracross's attacks. Slowbro can switch into choiced sets with some prediction as well, but must be careful not to take a STAB Megahorn.
**Revenge Killers**: Revenge Killers such as Tornadus, Raikou, and Choice Scarf Togekiss can take advantage of a chipped Heracross, forcing it off the field. Mew and Mismagius can also handle a Heracross that is choice locked into Close Combat, taking advantage of its Psychic-type weakness while avoiding its other strong attacks.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[SBPC, 468904]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]
Last edited:
