Hilomilo
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Staryu has been LC's best spinner since the metagame first became playable. Its pure Water-typing is fantastic both offensively and defensively, and is further complimented by excellent Speed, Analytic, and coverage. Staryu can also function as an extremely reliable defensive spinner, due to its good bulk with investment, general lack of weaknesses, Natural Cure, and reliable recovery. Overall, Staryu is a Pokemon that requires very little risk to be put to effective use, and would be hard not to consider as your team's source of entry hazard removal.
Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 156 Def / 116 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam / Psychic
Offensive Rapid Spin is the set that best showcases Staryu's viability in Little Cup, since its high Special Attack and Speed stats, fantastic coverage, and good matchups against multiple common threats in the tier allow it to easily remove entry hazards as it forces switches. Rapid Spin and Recover allows are both mandatory for allowing Staryu to consistently remove entry hazards, while Hydro Pump hits switch-ins extremely hard by virtue of Analytic. Pick Ice Beam to hit Pumpkaboo-XL trying to spinblock and other switch-ins, like Foongus and Snivy. Psychic can instead be run for Croagunk and Mareanie, which otherwise wall Staryu, on the switch. Other coverage options, such as Hidden Power Fire for Ferroseed and Thunderbolt for bulky Water-types, are perfectly viable, and overall contribute to the sheer struggle that comes with switching into this set as well as the set's overall viability. A coverage move can be run over Recover if Staryu wishes to hit a wider variety of Pokemon super effectively, though it often will appreciate the longevity Recover provides when it comes to removing hazards multiple times in a match. This set often finds use on offensive teams and will likely remain as SM LC's premier entry hazard removal option due to its insane offensive prowess.
Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Psychic / Ice Beam
- Recover
Staryu's defensive set may be a little more passive than some prefer, and it can even struggle at times to break past spinblockers due to its relatively low power. However, it does a great job of both removing entry hazards and tanking hits thanks to Staryu's solid typing and bulk, which is something its other set may struggle to do both of. Most of the moves on this set are the same as on the last, though Scald is used over Hydro Pump due to its good chance to burn foes. As far as other differences between this set and the last go, EVs are pooled into HP rather than Special Attack, and Natural Cure is preferred over Analytic as the ability. The reason for this is that Staryu will often try removing entry hazards while tanking a fair amount of hits and recovering damage taken, which makes both heavier bulk investment and the ability to cure status much more appreciated than on a set that looks to offensively pressure foes rather than maintain longevity.
Staryu may be a Pokemon with a plentiful amount of perks. However, that isn't to say it lacks flaws. Despite Staryu's great defensive typing, it is still left with weaknesses to Grass- and Electric-type attacks. While Staryu it can usually circumvent its Grass weakness with its ability to hit Grass-types with Ice Beam, Electric-types often pose a much larger threat. Elekid can outspeed and OHKO Staryu with super effective STAB attacks, Magnemite can survive any hit due to Sturdy, and Chinchou can tank any of Staryu's attacks due to its typing and access to Volt Absorb, which provides it with an immunity to Thunderbolt. Staryu can also suffer in that various Ghost-types defeat it depending on which coverage option it runs. If it Staryu isn't using Ice Beam, it Staryu struggles to spin against the likes of Pumpkaboo-XL while also struggling to sufficiently damage Frillish if it isn't using Thunderbolt.
Regardless of these flaws, Staryu is an exceptional spinner in the LC metagame that is capable of thriving both offensively and defensively, and deserves consideration on any team that hopes to find a way of removing the ever-present Stealth Rock or Sticky Web. Be sure to give it a try!
Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 156 Def / 116 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam / Psychic
Offensive Rapid Spin is the set that best showcases Staryu's viability in Little Cup, since its high Special Attack and Speed stats, fantastic coverage, and good matchups against multiple common threats in the tier allow it to easily remove entry hazards as it forces switches. Rapid Spin and Recover allows are both mandatory for allowing Staryu to consistently remove entry hazards, while Hydro Pump hits switch-ins extremely hard by virtue of Analytic. Pick Ice Beam to hit Pumpkaboo-XL trying to spinblock and other switch-ins, like Foongus and Snivy. Psychic can instead be run for Croagunk and Mareanie, which otherwise wall Staryu, on the switch. Other coverage options, such as Hidden Power Fire for Ferroseed and Thunderbolt for bulky Water-types, are perfectly viable, and overall contribute to the sheer struggle that comes with switching into this set as well as the set's overall viability. A coverage move can be run over Recover if Staryu wishes to hit a wider variety of Pokemon super effectively, though it often will appreciate the longevity Recover provides when it comes to removing hazards multiple times in a match. This set often finds use on offensive teams and will likely remain as SM LC's premier entry hazard removal option due to its insane offensive prowess.
Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Psychic / Ice Beam
- Recover
Staryu's defensive set may be a little more passive than some prefer, and it can even struggle at times to break past spinblockers due to its relatively low power. However, it does a great job of both removing entry hazards and tanking hits thanks to Staryu's solid typing and bulk, which is something its other set may struggle to do both of. Most of the moves on this set are the same as on the last, though Scald is used over Hydro Pump due to its good chance to burn foes. As far as other differences between this set and the last go, EVs are pooled into HP rather than Special Attack, and Natural Cure is preferred over Analytic as the ability. The reason for this is that Staryu will often try removing entry hazards while tanking a fair amount of hits and recovering damage taken, which makes both heavier bulk investment and the ability to cure status much more appreciated than on a set that looks to offensively pressure foes rather than maintain longevity.
Staryu may be a Pokemon with a plentiful amount of perks. However, that isn't to say it lacks flaws. Despite Staryu's great defensive typing, it is still left with weaknesses to Grass- and Electric-type attacks. While Staryu it can usually circumvent its Grass weakness with its ability to hit Grass-types with Ice Beam, Electric-types often pose a much larger threat. Elekid can outspeed and OHKO Staryu with super effective STAB attacks, Magnemite can survive any hit due to Sturdy, and Chinchou can tank any of Staryu's attacks due to its typing and access to Volt Absorb, which provides it with an immunity to Thunderbolt. Staryu can also suffer in that various Ghost-types defeat it depending on which coverage option it runs. If it Staryu isn't using Ice Beam, it Staryu struggles to spin against the likes of Pumpkaboo-XL while also struggling to sufficiently damage Frillish if it isn't using Thunderbolt.
Regardless of these flaws, Staryu is an exceptional spinner in the LC metagame that is capable of thriving both offensively and defensively, and deserves consideration on any team that hopes to find a way of removing the ever-present Stealth Rock or Sticky Web. Be sure to give it a try!
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