Staraptor
[Overview]
<p>With a Base Attack of 120, and a Base Speed of 100, Staraptor is the perfect candidate for a Choice Item. The ability Intimidate is extremely helpful when Staraptor is faced with a Physical Attacker, as the Attack drop can often result in Staraptor being able to take a hit with it's mediocre defenses. The DreamWorld abilty Reckless makes Staraptor a big threat when coupled with Brave Bird or Double-Edge as both are STAB. Overall Staraptor is a good choice to fill the role of Physcial Sweeper within a team.</p>
[Set]
Name: Choice Scarf
Move 1: U-Turn
Move 2: Close Combat
Move 3: Brave Bird
Move 4: Double Edge / Return
Item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
Ability: Intimidate / Reckless [DW]
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Staraptor's moves allow it to hit 8 types Supereffectively, because of this Staraptor can be extremely dangerous. U-Turn allows Staraptor to scout for opponents moves, aswell as allowing you to switch out against foes that Staraptor can't handle. Brave Bird coupled with Reckless can cause huge damage, however means that Staraptor won't last as long in battle due to the huge recoil, and lack of Attack drop. Double Edge again works well with Reckless, whilst Return does not cause recoil. So choosing the last move depends on whether you want to have high power and low survivability or low power and high survivability. Intimidate can be used for switching in on Offensive pokemon that are physically based, whilst Reckless can be used well with recoil moves that Staraptor can carry: Brave Bird and Double Edge.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Staraptor however is weak to common VGC moves, such as: Rock Slide, Thunderbolt, and in Rain abuse teams Thunder. It also takes Normally Effective damage from Fighting moves, however when you run Intimidate this isn't such a big problem. Staraptor is a great partner to a Lightningrod Ability Pokemon, namely Rhyperior. This means that Staraptor only takes Super Effective hits from Rock, in VGC this is generally only Rock Slide, and Stone Edge.
Staraptor also has problems againts certain Steel types, namedly Bronzong and Metagross as Close Combat fails to OHKO them. Also Bronzong can set Trick Room up which ruins Staraptor. This is why it is good to run U-Turn, so you can cause damage and leave against a Steel pokemon that you theoretically won't be able to do much too. However you could run Quick Attack over U-Turn for one of the quickest Revenge Killing in the VGC, however Staraptor preferably runs U-Turn with a Scarf, as it's faster anyway.</p>
<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Choice Scarf Adamant Close Combat vs. 252/252 Skarmory 24.3% - 28.4%</li
</ul>
[Set]
Name: Choice Band
Move 1: U-Turn / Quick Attack
Move 2: Close Combat
Move 3: Brave Bird
Move 4: Double Edge
Item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set turns Staraptor into a powerhouse. The Choice Band is generally used over Choice Scarf for that extra power in battle. It means that Staraptor can be a very scary scouter, and revenge killer. Even without Choice Scarf, Staraptor can outspeed most of the metagame without taking a hit. Staraptor with choice band, can solidly 2HKO a 252/252 Ferrothorn.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Band allows Staraptor to 2HKO and in some cases KO most of the threats in the metagame. However Staraptor is weak, and can't take hits, so Choice Band is versatile as many threats, such as Choiced Starmie, or any of the Genies, can KO Staraptor with ease.</p>
<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Choice Band Close Combat vs. 252/252 Skarmory 31.7% - 37.4%</li>
<li>Choice Band Close Combat Vs. 252/252 Ferrothorn: 63.35% - 74.32%</li>
<li>Choice Band Brave Bird vs. 252/252 Cofagrigus: 48.8% - 57.2%</li>
</ul>
[Set]
Name: Life Orb
Move 1: Brave Bird
Move 2: Close Combat
Move 3: Double Edge / Return
Move 4: Quick Attack / Protect
Item: Life Orb
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb and Reckless is probably one of the most threatening forces in the metagame. Staraptor can tear through teams with this fearsome combo, coupled with STAB moves Staraptor can pose many threats to nearly every team. However because of huge recoil damage and with potential Stealth Rocks, Staraptor is quickly worn down by the continual recoil damage. It's a risky play, but can work if played correctly. The moves are pretty self-explainatory, Return can be used over Double Edge, to prevent Staraptor from potentially causing a 2HKO / OHKO for itself from recoil. Quick Attack allows Staraptor to work as an efficent revenge killer, that can come in late game, finishing off dangerous threats, then continuing to sweep for 1 or 2 turns.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>When coupled with this set, Staraptor's HP vanishes quickly, so it's a good idea to run a pokemon with Wide Guard as it improves Staraptor's survivability, as most will choose Rock Slide to finish Staraptor off as it does damage to your other pokemon also. This could potentially allow Staraptor to continue to cause havoc.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Staraptor can also run pursuit, and it would be a viable option to use in VGC 2012, due to the constant switching, however it has a low base power, and so is often rejected, as Quick Attack has STAB. However it could work with Life Orb + Reckless. Staraptor could also run a Substitute + Roost set, however this is mostly ignored in this metagame, as it just wouldn't have the time to come in and do all that.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Staraptor is normally beat by most Trick Room teams, especially those that are set up by Cofagrigus, as Brave Bird 2HKO's a 252/252 Cofagrigus. Staraptor is also matched and obliterated by Landorus, Thunderus and Tornadus, as they either pack HP Ice, or Thunderbolt which OHKO's Staraptor. Staraptor is also weak to Rock Slide, which is becoming increasingly common in the metagame. Bulky Water types also best Staraptor, as they can almost always take a Close Combat / Double Edge / Brave Bird, with the right EV investments, however the bulky water type is only able to take on Staraptor if they have an Ice move; specifically: Vaporeon and Swampert.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Staraptor was given Reckless for Dream World. This can be intepreted in different ways, within a short game, Reckless is a God send for Staraptor as it becomes a machine, it OHKO's and 2HKO's almost everything, however at a price. Staraptor's STAB moves: Double Edge, and Brave Bird, have troublesome recoil, which is only increased with Reckless, and also by Life Orb if you're running it. This can leave Staraptor nearly OHKO'd from Recoil. Within the metagame, the ability: Reckless means that Staraptor can potentially sweep any pokemon, making Staraptor a pokemon to watch out for.</p>
