Pokémon Heracross

[aminita]

Heracross

Base Stats: 80 HP | 125 Atk | 75 Def | 40 SpA | 95 SpD | 85 Spe

Abilities: Swarm | Guts | Moxie (H)

All Moves

Level Up Moves:
- [00] Tackle
- [00] Leer
- [05] Fury Attack
- [10] Endure
- [15] Arial Ace
- [20] Horn attack
- [25] Counter
- [30] Brick Break
- [35] Pin Missile
- [40] Throat Chop
- [45] Thrash
- [50] Swords Dance
- [55] Megahorn
- [60] Close Combat

TMs:
- [TM07] Pin Missile
- [TM08] Hyper Beam
- [TM09] Giga Impact
- [TM15] Dig
- [TM21] Rest
- [TM22] Rock Slide
- [TM23] Thief
- [TM24] Snore
- [TM25] Protect
- [TM31] Attract
- [TM33] Rain Dance
- [TM34] Sunny Day
- [TM39] Facade
- [TM41] Helping Hand
- [TM42] Revenge
- [TM43] Brick Break
- [TM48] Rock Tomb
- [TM50] Bullet Seed
- [TM54] Rock Blast
- [TM58] Assurance
- [TM59] Fling
- [TM65] Shadow Claw
- [TM74] Venoshock
- [TM76] Round
- [TM79] Retaliate
- [TM81] Bulldoze
- [TM94] False Swipe
- [TM96] Smart Strikes
- [TM97] Brutal Swing

TRs:
- [TR00] Swords Dance
- [TR01] Body Slam
- [TR07] Low Kick
- [TR10] Earthquake
- [TR20] Substitute
- [TR21] Reversal
- [TR23] Spikes
- [TR26] Endure
- [TR27] Sleep Talk
- [TR28] Megahorn
- [TR46] Iron Defense
- [TR48] Bulk Up
- [TR53] Close Combat
- [TR64] Focus Blast
- [TR75] Stone Edge
- [TR85] Work Up
- [TR94] High Horsepower
- [TR95] Throat Chop

Egg Moves:
- Flail
- Double-Edge
- Harden
- Seismic Toss
- Night Slash
- Feint
- Take Down

Transfer Only Moves:
- Arm Thrust
- Toxic
- Smack Down
- Double Team
- Swagger
- Confide
- Focus Punch
- Bug Bite
- Knock Off
- Struggle Bug
- Rock Smash
- Cut
- Strength
- Fury Cutter
- Vacuum Wave
- Headbutt
- Mimic
- Curse
- Psych Up
- Swift
- Defense Curl
- Detect

[Newly Obtainable Moves]
- Spikes

[Notable Moves]
- Swords Dance
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Spikes
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
- Knock Off

[Pros]

- High attack paired with guts make it a fantastic breaker, being able to OHKO or 2HKO a majority of the OU meta.
- Good utility in Spikes and Knock Off, Allowing it to pressure its checks.
- Unresisted Coverage in Close Combat, Knock Off, & Facade allow it to break through most teams.
- Good speed in combination with Choice Scarf, allowing it to outspeed and revenge notable mons including Zeraora and Dragapult

[Cons]
- Prone to getting work down, as it has no reliable recovery
- Can be crippled through the use of Trick and Knock Off before Flame Orb has activated

[Potential Movesets]

BudgetConk
Heracross @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance / Spikes
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Facade

Bolstering an impressive attack stat of 574, and with unresisted coverage, Heracross proves itself to be a powerful force to be reckoned with. Flame orb allows it to consistently activate it’s ability, and it’s max attack and speed further encapsulate the breaker playstyle, allowing it to hit hard, and outspeed notable mons like Togekiss, Mamoswine and Mandibuzz. Spikes allow Heracross to take advantage of forced switches and wear down it’s checks, and Swords Dance further allows it to abuse switches, giving Heracross the chance to OHKO nearly all of OU, barring the rare Galarian Weezing. Heracross appreciates teammates with Wish and pivoting moves, as they allow Heracross to remain healthy during the battle, and pivot in safely.

BudgetKartana
Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie / Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- spikes

With scarf, Heracross functions as an effective revenge killer, outspeeding and revenging mons like Zeraora, Dragapult*, and Fire-Cinderace. Max speed scarf allow heracross to hit 442 speed, which outspeeds the entirety of the unboosted metagame, and Spikes allow it to capitalise on the forced switches it creates. Moxie serves to make it a capable late-game-sweeper, functioning how Kartana would in USUM.

If I've missed anything or anyone has any different sets, please tell me :)

 

[ceal]

As the OP so subtlely implied, I imagine guts hera will mostly be inferior to conk. It has a niche via its almost doubled speed and access to SD, but conk his hard enough to 2hko the entire meta without setup, and is far bulkier and has access to mach punch, allowing it to revenge kill mons like terrak/kyurem/hydra, which guts hera is outsped by despite the massive increase in speed relative to conk. I expect scarf moxie to have the biggest niche, being a solid revenge killer with the ability to snowball in the lategame. I also expect it will be the best abuser of spikes, operating similar to ash-gren in the prior generation. I imagine the best partners for hera will be:

1. Partners that can abuse clef
2. Can threaten defoggers
3. Can break physical walls for hera to sweep lategame

So basically,

 

[viol and bass]

I'd like to submit another Heracross set for consideration.

Heracross @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Close Combat
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Megahorn

This is kind of a fun set because it checks Choice Band Urshifu. Even Adamant Band never 2HKOes after rocks and Leftovers, and Close Combat usually OHKOes after rocks. It can't switch in repeatedly, but I don't think anything really can, and it can definitely serve as an emergency check if it has enough health, which is kind of the best you can do with Urshifu. It's also not too passive because of Spikes and Heracross's solid Attack stat. Knock Off threatens Aegislash, and Megahorn hits Slowbro and Tangrowth.

calcs

252+ Atk Choice Band Urshifu Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Heracross on a critical hit: 140-165 (38.4 - 45.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Heracross Close Combat vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Urshifu: 314-372 (91.8 - 108.7%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Heracross Smart Strike vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Clefable: 158-186 (40.1 - 47.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

Edit: skip smart strike and just run other shit for Clef. Doesn't really do enough.