you spin me, right round baby, right round
[OVERVIEW]
Starmie is a prominent offensive threat due to its strong movepool, good ability in Analytic, and high Speed that lets it outspeed the majority of the unboosted metagame, notably outpacing Latias, Garchomp, and Infernape. These traits are further accentuated by Starmie’s access to Rapid Spin, letting it act as one of the metagame’s best methods of entry hazard removal. Furthermore, Starmie resists common priority moves such as Scizor's Bullet Punch, Weavile's Ice Shard, Crawdaunt and Azumarill's Aqua Jet, and Breloom's Mach Punch, allowing it to make great use of the Speed boost granted by Rapid Spin. Starmie’s great coverage allows it constantly force switches, activating Analytic. However, Starmie’s unboosted power is somewhat lacking due to its average base 100 Special Attack, leaving it reliant on Analytic to find a way around special walls like Blissey and Jirachi. In addition to this, Hydro Pump, while providing crucial damage output, is unreliable due to its accuracy, making Starmie somewhat inconsistent. Its typing, while providing tangible defensive merit, does not compensate for its vulnerability to repeated hits from offensive Pokemon. While Starmie has high Speed, it is not enough to outspeed common offensive threats, such as Alakazam, Weavile, and Azelf.
[SET]
name: Life Orb Wallbreaker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Life Orb
ability: Analytic
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Ice Beam handles Pokemon that resist Hydro Pump like Latias, Breloom, and Celebi while giving Starmie a more accurate move to use against Ground-types like Gliscor and Garchomp. Thunderbolt is a useful coverage move for Water-types such as Crawdaunt, Azumarill and Slowbro. Rapid Spin not only allows Starmie to remove entry hazards but also boosts its Speed, making Starmie harder to revenge kill. 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil.
Starmie best fits on offensive teams due to its great Speed and wallbreaking potential. Starmie's frailty means it appreciates pivot support from Pokemon like Rotom-W and Scizor, as their slow pivots allow them to bring in Starmie safely. Scizor in particular makes for a good partner, as it is able to efficiently lure Heatran. Starmie allows Scizor to run Swords Dance over Defog thanks to Rapid Spin. Breloom is a good partner, as it can threaten Water-types like Rotom-W and Feraligatr while benefiting from Starmie’s ability to beat faster Pokemon like Infernape. Due to Starmie's access to Rapid Spin, strong wallbreakers that are weak to entry hazards like Dragonite and Weavile are great partners; Dragonite particularly appreciates Starmie's Rapid Spin support to keep Multiscale intact, allowing it to set up with Dragon Dance more easily. Infernape synergizes well with Starmie, as Starmie keeps entry hazards off the field to prevent Infernape from being overwhelmed by entry hazard damage, while Infernape threatens Pokemon that check Starmie like Jirachi and Celebi. Mamoswine is able to beat special walls that typically switch into Starmie, like Jirachi and Blissey. Magnezone is a solid partner, as it can weaken Jirachi, making it easier to break through for Starmie. Heatran makes a very strong partner, as it has great defensive synergy with Starmie, checking Pokemon like Weavile, Clefable, and Celebi, while Starmie beats Ground-types like Garchomp and Gliscor. In addition, Starmie's Rapid Spin pairs very well with Heatran's Stealth Rock, as they can improve Starmie's teammates' longevity while wearing down foes throughout the match.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Ice Beam / Thunderbolt
move 3: Recover
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Scald is a spammable STAB move that deals good damage to threats like Nidoking while threatening Starmie’s checks with a potential burn. Recover gives Starmie some much-needed longevity, possibly letting it outlast entry hazard setters. It also allows Starmie to act as a more consistent check to Pokemon like Gliscor and Mamoswine. Ice Beam covers the majority of the Grass- and Dragon-types that can switch into Scald, such as Tangrowth and Latias. Alternatively, Thunderbolt allows Starmie to hit Water-types like Feraligatr, Crawdaunt and Azumarill. Rapid Spin allows it to support its teammates by clearing opposing entry hazards due to its good matchups against entry hazard setters, such as Gliscor and Garchomp. 216 Speed EVs allow Starmie to outspeed Latias, while the rest is put into HP and Defense to take hits from physical attackers like Gliscor more easily. Natural Cure is useful for absorbing status, namely Clefable's Thunder Wave, Breloom's Spore, and Roserade's Toxic Spikes.
Starmie fits mainly on bulky offense, balance, and stall teams that appreciate its Rapid Spin support. Scizor is a great partner, as it appreciates Starmie’s ability to check Heatran while freeing it to run Swords Dance, while Starmie appreciates Scizor checking Pokemon like Weavile and Clefable. Tangrowth is another good option as it can check offensive Pokemon that can overwhelm Starmie, such as Breloom and Crawdaunt while appreciating Starmie’s ability to remove entry hazards and check Heatran. Entry hazards setters like Gliscor and Skarmory appreciate Starmie being able to maintain their entry hazards while threatening opposing entry hazard setters. Walls that enjoy having entry hazards removed like Tangrowth and Blissey make for good teammates, checking Breloom and Roserade respectively while appreciating Starmie’s ability to outspeed and threaten wallbreakers like Mamoswine. Togekiss can act as a check to Pokemon that can overwhelm Starmie like Alakazam and Slowbro while appreciating the removal of Stealth Rock.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Psychic gives Starmie a secondary STAB attack that can 2HKO Rotom-W while still maintaining good damage on Breloom and Tangrowth. However, without Ice Beam or Thunderbolt, Starmie faces issues breaking through Latias and Slowbro. Surf can act as a midground between Scald and Hydro Pump, having more power than the former and better accuracy than the latter. However, Starmie generally prefers Scald and Hydro Pump due to the former threatening checks with a burn and the latter having much more power. Thunder Wave can act as a solid supportive option, slowing down key Pokemon like Latias, Infernape, and Weavile, enabling potent offensive Pokemon such as Choice Specs Heatran, Heracross, and set up sweepers like Feraligatr and Alakazam to exploit them.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Tangrowth, Celebi, and Roserade can wall any Starmie without Ice Beam and deal major damage to it with Giga Drain. Rotom-C can do the same while grabbing momentum with Volt Switch. However, outside of Celebi, these Pokemon are heavily vulnerable to switching into Analytic-boosted Ice Beam.
**Faster Threats**: Due to Starmie’s merely average bulk, it is vulnerable to faster threats. Weavile and Alakazam, though not able to directly switch in, can outspeed and OHKO Starmie with Throat Chop and Shadow Ball. Choice Scarf users like Rotom-W, Rotom-C, and Garchomp can switch into a predicted Hydro Pump or Thunderbolt and OHKO Starmie after minor chip damage.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Blissey completely walls Starmie and can set up with Calm Mind on Starmie while threatening with Thunderbolt. Jirachi takes little damage from anything Starmie can throw at it and sets up Stealth Rock on Starmie. Utility Latias is able to switch into anything besides Ice Beam and punish Starmie with Thunder Wave.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BT89, 487308]]
- Quality checked by: [[dex, 277988], [Savouras, 409438]]
- Grammar checked by: [[dex, 277988]]
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