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Heracross is a devastating physical attacker in the Camomons metagame that utilizes Guts and STAB Facade to 2HKO the majority of neutral metagame. Shadow Claw and Knock Off both allow Normal-type Heracross to break through Pokemon resistant or immune to Normal. STAB Shadow Claw is able to hit common defensive Ghost-types, such as Ghost / Fighting Slowbro, and a Normal / Ghost typing makes Heracross immune to Fighting- and Normal-type attacks such as Boomburst, Close Combat, and Extreme Speed, each of which is threatening to Heracross's other sets. Knock Off is the main coverage choice for Ghost-type Heracross, as it hits opposing Normal / Ghost Pokemon and offers great support by removing items. On the other hand, Close Combat is the coverage option of choice on Dark-type Heracross to hit Steel / Fairy Pokemon such as Magearna and Reuniclus, and it heavily damages Pokemon resistant to Normal that have already had their items removed. Swords Dance allows Heracross to break opposing teams much more effectively and break past walls it normally could not. Heracross has limited defensive counterplay, but against offensive teams, it generally relies on extensive support from teammates like Latios and Dragapult, which are much faster and able to dismantle most of Heracross's offensive checks effectively. Clefable and Dragon / Fairy Necrozma can act as defensive switch-ins to Heracross's offensive checks such as Dragapult, Latios, and Fighting / Flying Tornadus-T. Additionally, Sticky Web support from Araquanid is a highly effective strategy to weaken Heracross's offensive checks considerably. For the few defensive Pokemon that give Heracross a hard time, strong special attackers such as Electric / Fairy Clefable and Fighting / Flying Tornadus-T are able to break past them. They also provide support with Stealth Rock and pivoting, respectively, both of which increase Heracross' breaking capabilities. It's important to note that, in any game, Heracross is constantly losing HP due to the effects of Flame Orb, so it's important to make the most of every turn it's on the field.

Guts Heracross is a good mid-game wallbreaker that enables Bug teammates like Scizor to clean late-game. It can also switch into status moves like Will-O-Wisp for teammates like Scizor and Buzzwole. Swords Dance lets Heracross break through staple walls like Toxapex, Skarmory, and Celesteela. Facade takes advantage of Flame Orb to nail some troublesome Fairy- and Poison-types like Hatterene, Amoonguss, and especially Galarian Weezing. Earthquake is an option over Facade to hit Poison-types that resist Close Combat, OHKOing Toxapex after Swords Dance, and Steel-types that are not worried about Close Combat like Aegislash. Knock Off cripples annoying switch-ins like Galarian Corsola and defensive Pokemon that rely solely on Leftovers or Black Sludge for recovery, like defensive Landorus-T, Seismitoad, and Swampert. It can also deal a lot of damage to defensive Pokemon like Slowbro. Maximum Speed investment alongside a Jolly nature allows Heracross to outspeed some key threats like Heatran. An Adamant nature is an alternative to 2HKO Toxapex and Galarian Weezing with Facade after Stealth Rock damage. Shuckle and Araquanid are great partners for Heracross, as their Sticky Web allows Heracross to outspeed faster threats like Tapu Lele and Victini. Shuckle can also weaken opposing teams with Stealth Rock and Knock Off, while Araquanid can deal with most Fire-types like Volcarona. Scizor and Scolipede are incredible setup sweepers that can handle otherwise problematic Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Bulu, and Alolan Ninetales. In return, Heracross can absorb burns directed to Scizor and Scolipede. Volcarona can deal with physical walls such as Skarmory and Celesteela. In return, Heracross takes care of specially defensive Pokemon like Heatran and Rock- and Normal-types like Tyranitar and Blissey. While Buzzwole has the same typing as Heracross, it is also a good partner and an incredible Choice Scarf user for Bug teams. Heracross can weaken Pokemon mid-game, while Beast Boost Buzzwole can be a deadly late-game cleaner and take on Flying-types like Mantine and Landorus-T with Thunder Punch or Ice Punch. Furthermore, they can easily overpower their shared checks like Landorus-T. Galvantula helps against Flying- and Water-types like Skarmory, Mandibuzz, and Toxapex, which are otherwise complicated to face for Bug-type teams. Lastly, Quiver Dance Ribombee can be used to deal with some problematic Dragon-types for Heracross.

Choice Scarf Heracross is a deadly cleaner for Bug-type teams thanks to its high Attack, usable Speed, and Moxie. Megahorn can be spammed against Psychic- and Dark-type Pokemon like Mew, Alakazam, Zarude, and Hydreigon to get some KOs, boosting Heracross's Attack to unstoppable levels. It can also deal a lot of damage against neutral targets like Swampert and Gastrodon. Close Combat is its most consistent STAB attack. Stone Edge is used to nail Flying-types like Moltres and Mantine, which resist both of its STAB moves, and Fire-types such as Cinderace and Volcarona, which otherwise can be very threatening to Bug-type teams. Knock Off cripples item-reliant switch-ins like Galarian Corsola, Landorus-T, and Swampert. It also hits hit Ghost-types like Aegislash and Galarian Corsola. As a fast cleaner, Heracross must be kept from being burned or paralyzed. Maximum Speed investment alongside a Jolly nature allows Heracross to outpace the entire unboosted metagame bar Regieleki. Shuckle supports Heracross by setting Stealth Rock and Sticky Web, allowing it to outspeed opposing Choice Scarf users such as Blacephalon and Weavile. Araquanid is an alternative Sticky Web setter, and it can improve the matchup against Fire teams and switch into Will-O-Wisp users like Galarian Corsola and Mew. Galvantula can help Heracross in the Water and Flying matchups thanks to Thunder and Energy Ball nailing Heracross walls like Toxapex, Skarmory, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon. Scizor and Volcarona are excellent setup sweepers that can weaken the opposition for Heracross to clean or clean up themselves in Heracross's wake. In return, Heracross can revenge kill Fire- and Rock-type threats like unboosted Volcarona and Tyranitar. In addiction, Scizor can deal with threats like Nihilego with its Bullet Punch, while Volcarona can handle physical walls that Heracross struggles against like Corviknight and Amoonguss. Ribombee is another good teammate that's mainly used for the Dragon matchup, being able to weaken most Dragon-type teams after Quiver Dance.

Mega Heracross is a terrifying wallbreaker 2HKOing basically the entire tier, and its good defensive typing gives it a lot of setup opportunities on passive Pokemon. However, its low Speed and lack of recovery means it struggles to deal with faster teams, and it's often denied opportunities to setup with enough offensive pressure. It also takes up a team's Mega slot and faces severe competition from other wallbreakers and Mega Evolutions such as Mega Medicham and Mega Mawile. Close Combat can notably OHKO Skarmory and physically defensive Tangrowth after Stealth Rock once boosted. Rock Blast allows Heracross to hit Flying-types that resist Close Combat, such as Zapdos, Landorus-T, and Gliscor, to have near-perfect neutral coverage, achieving feats such as OHKOing specially defensive Toxapex once boosted after Stealth Rock. Pin Missile nails bulky Psychic- and Grass-types such as Amoonguss, Mew, Slowbro, Mega Latias, and Tangrowth. Substitute lets Mega Heracross use its great bulk to gain even more setup opportunities on passive Pokemon such as Toxapex, Ferrothorn and Kommo-o, as well as easing prediction, making Mega Heracross much harder to pivot on than it already is. Bullet Seed nails the likes of Unaware Clefable under Grassy Terrain, as well as OHKOing Tapu Fini; however, both it and Substitute leave Mega Heracross open to pressure from Psychic-types like Mew and Mega Latias. A slightly bulkier EV spread of 32 HP / 232 Atk / 24 Def / 220 Spe can be used alongside Substitute to let Substitute survive an Earthquake from Landorus-T while still outspeeding the likes of Timid Magnezone and Adamant Bisharp. Moxie lets Heracross KO a weakened Pokemon before it Mega Evolves to gain an early Attack boost. Mega Heracross fits on bulky offense teams that can capitalize on its wallbreaking capabilities and repeatedly bring it in. Paralysis support from Pokemon such as Discharge Zapdos, Clefable, and Serperior works well with it. If foregoing Pin Missile for Substitute, Pursuit users such as Weavile and Tyranitar work well to trap Mew, Reuniclus, and Mega Latias, which otherwise checks it. If running Bullet Seed, Grassy Terrain from Rillaboom or Tapu Bulu is near essential to 2HKO Unaware Clefable, as well as providing passive recovery. Furthermore, entry hazard support from the likes of Mew, Greninja and Ferrothorn is excellent to capitalize on the many switches Mega Heracross forces. Mega Heracross greatly appreciates pivoting support from the likes of Corviknight, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W to bring it in easily. Teammates such as Weavile, Garchomp and Rillaboom like the pressure Mega Heracross puts on Pokemon like Skarmory, Toxapex, and Zapdos. Fast threats can make up for its middling Speed tier and clean weakened teams, such as Tapu Koko, Ash-Greninja, and Choice Scarf Jirachi.

Thanks to its high Attack and strong STAB moves, Heracross is an extremely powerful wallbreaker in AAA. Tinted Lens is particularly helpful on Heracross, as it can 2HKO Pokemon like Tapu Fini, Landorus-T, and Toxapex that resist its STAB moves. Close Combat is Heracross's primary attack and capitalizes on the lack of Ghost-types in the AAA metagame. Megahorn is a powerful tool to beat Dauntless Shield Mew, a feat most other physical breakers fail to accomplish, and other Psychic-types like Slowbro and Latias. Knock Off removes items from switch-ins such as Dauntless Shield Hippowdon and Intimidate Corviknight, making them easier to chip with entry hazard damage. The last moveslot is very situational, as Heracross usually just fires off powerful Close Combats. Spikes is an option to punish switches to a reliable check such as Dauntless Shield Hippowdon; alternatively, Focus Punch 2HKOes Corviknight on the switch and forces a lose-lose situation: Roost risks being OHKOed by a second Focus Punch, while Brave Bird or switching out leaves Corviknight at low health and unable to check physical attackers. The given EV spread maximizes Heracross's power and Speed, and an Adamant nature allows better rolls to 2HKO the likes of Landorus-T. Heracross fits best on balance teams that can bring it on the field often to wallbreak. It appreciates fast pivots like Azelf and Tapu Koko that can bring it in on special walls such as Blissey and Jirachi that it can threaten. Tapu Koko is a notable partner, as it can freely switch in on Corviknight and Skarmory, the most common checks to Heracross, and threaten them with a powerful Thunderbolt. Heracross requires Stealth Rock and Spikes support from partners like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Heatran to wear down its checks, especially since Knock Off removes their passive recovery. It also appreciates Toxic Spikes from Toxapex and Nidoqueen in order to wear down grounded Pokemon such as Dauntless Shield Hippowdon and Palossand. Heracross's defensive utility is almost nonexistent and strong answers to Psychic-, Fire-, and Flying-types are needed, such as Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Heatran. Lastly, Heracross appreciates entry hazard removal from Defoggers like Mandibuzz and Corviknight or Rapid Spin from RegenVest Blastoise to maximize its switch-in opportunities.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Heracross's Attack to massive levels, further augmenting its power in conjunction with Guts to break through even the bulkiest walls. Close Combat is Heracross's strongest STAB move and hits everything that doesn't resist it hard thanks to Guts. Knock Off hits Psychic- and Ghost-types that are resistant or immune to Close Combat such as Celebi and Doublade hard and cripples switch-ins by removing their items. Facade is greatly boosted when used in conjunction with Flame Orb and Guts, punishing Fairy- and Poison-types such as Sylveon and Tentacruel that try to switch into Heracross on a predicted Close Combat. Set Details A Jolly nature with maximum investment in Attack and Speed allows Heracross to hit as hard as possible while still being able to outspeed base 80s such as Chandelure and Togekiss and Speed tie with Nidoking. Guts is the preferred ability to grant Heracross the power boost needed to break through most defensive builds after its Flame Orb has been activated. This also makes Heracross immune to other status conditions like poison and sleep. Usage Tips Heracross should be used as an early-game wallbreaker due to its massive Attack stat in conjunction with Guts. Try to always keep entry hazards off the field, as the burn damage already wears down Heracross relatively quickly. Avoid switching in directly on opposing attacks as well, as its average defenses will force it to take huge damage, which is detrimental to its longevity. Make use of pivots, smart double switches, and VoltTurn support to bring in Heracross and activate its Flame Orb safely. Don't try to set up a Swords Dance against most offensive teams, as Heracross would usually benefit more by simply attacking. On the other hand, Swords Dance should be used against more defensive teams to easily break down walls; specifically, set up on Pokemon that can't do much back to Heracross, such as Blissey, Quagsire, and Toxic Hippowdon, or against Pokemon that it forces out, such as Blissey and Krookodile. Be sure to use Heracross with proper prediction so as to not unnecessarily drop its defenses when using Close Combat. For example, if your opponent has a good answer to Heracross that's able to take two hits or a switch-in that outspeeds Heracross, using Facade or Knock Off is the better choice. Team Options Since Flying- and Fairy-types resist Heracross's Close Combat and threaten it, Pokemon that can come in safely and beat them such as Mega Aerodactyl, Nihilego, and Scizor fit well with Heracross. Pokemon such as Latias and Krookodile that can deal with Poison-types like Nidoking and Tentacruel are greatly appreciated, allowing Heracross to fire off attacks more freely. Entry hazard support is highly recommended, since it makes Heracross's job as a wallbreaker a bit easier. In particular, Stealth Rock setters such as Swampert and Seismitoad make for great partners, as they can also check threats to Heracross such as Mega Aerodactyl and Infernape, while Klefki is able to set up Spikes. Otherwise, hazard removers such as Mega Blastoise and Latias prevent Heracross from being worn down as easily. Heracross profits from VoltTurn users such as Mega Manectric, Mega Beedrill, and Scizor, which can bring Heracross on the field for free to unleash Guts-boosted attacks. Finally, sweepers and cleaners such as Scizor and Mega Aerodactyl appreciate Heracross's ability to break down defensive cores.

Moves Pin Missile is Mega Heracross's hardest-hitting move, knocking out threats like Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Greninja, Meloetta, and Serperior. Earthquake lets Mega Heracross 2HKO Aegislash and Magnezone. Close Combat is used to hit Steel- and Normal-types that cannot be dispatched with Mega Heracross's other moves, like Ferrothorn, Mega Lopunny, and Choice Band Kartana. Bullet Seed provides coverage against defensive Water-types, which would brush aside Mega Heracross's regular attacks, such as Primarina, Mega Swampert, and non-Tapunium Z Tapu Fini. It is also Mega Heracross's most reliable move against FEAR Pokemon thanks to its flawless accuracy. Rock Blast is used primarily to hit Mega Gyarados before it Mega Evolves, denying it the ability to set up with Dragon Dance, but it can also be used to threaten Bug-types such as Crustle and bulky Volcarona. Rock Tomb is used in order to beat Magnezone. This requires a slightly faster EV spread that can outspeed Magnezone before it can use Electroweb to lower Mega Heracross's Speed. Alternatively, Counter can be used to get past physical attackers that are able to take hits from Mega Heracross, like Choice Band Garchomp and Durant. Set Details 252 HP and 212 Special Defense EVs allow Mega Heracross to nearly always survive a Never-Ending Nightmare and Shadow Sneak combination from Aegislash, as well as a Hyper Beam from Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, a Draco Meteor from Naganadel, and a Hydro Cannon from Choice Specs Greninja. The leftover EVs are put into Attack alongside an Adamant nature, allowing Mega Heracross to hit as hard as possible. With Guts as the pre-Mega ability, Heracross can potentially take on status users like Mega Sableye. Skill Link boosts all of Mega Heracross's multi-hit moves by making them always hit five times, thus increasing the power of its moves. If this set is running Rock Tomb to beat Magnezone, Mega Heracross will need to run a spread of 208 HP / 100 Atk / 144 SpD / 56 Spe and a Careful nature to allow Heracross to outspeed Modest Magnezone and break its Sturdy with Rock Tomb before Mega Evolving. This spread also allows Heracross to take a possible Gigavolt Havoc and maintains important matchups against Pokemon like Aegislash. This EV spread will unfortunately cost Mega Heracross some Attack, however. Mega Heracross can run an offensive set with a spread of 244 Atk / 48 SpD / 216 Spe and an Adamant nature to beat out specific threats such as Hoopa-U, Genesect, Heatran, and Zapdos, as well as having a chance to KO slow Dragonite. Usage Tips Against Mega Gyarados, always use Rock Blast turn one, as this will hit it hard if it doesn't Mega Evolve and get it in range of a Bullet Seed or another Rock Blast for the next turn. If they Mega Evolve turn one to avoid the super effective Rock Blast, Pin Missile, Close Combat, or Bullet Seed can be used to pick them off next turn. Against Primarina, use Earthquake turn one to avoid putting it in range of Torrent, and then follow up with a Bullet Seed turn two. Beware of the rarer Encore Primarina, which can lock Mega Heracross into Earthquake and proceed to knock it out with a Torrent-boosted Z-Move. If you choose to run Rock Tomb for Magnezone, assuming you are running the correct EV spread, do not Mega Evolve, as Heracross will naturally outspeed Modest Magnezone and be able to break its Sturdy, survive Gigavolt Havoc, maintain the higher Speed stat, and finish it off with Earthquake afterwards. Earthquake will also OHKO uninvested Zeraora; however, Bulk Up variants will still beat Mega Heracross. Against Will-O-Wisp users like Mega Sableye, do not Mega Evolve; instead, stay in base forme to gain an Attack boost, if they choose to use Will-O-Wisp. Team Options Mega Tyranitar makes a good teammate for Mega Heracross with its capability of taking on both Mega Charizard formes, Mega Pinsir, and Heatran, while Mega Heracross can handle Mega Lopunny, Donphan, Golem, and Sawk in return. Certain Fire-types like Heatran and Mega Charizard Y also work very well with Mega Heracross, as they can counter strong Fire-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type Pokemon and bulkier offensive threats that threaten Mega Heracross. They can both take on Mega Metagross, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Altaria, Tapu Lele, and Magearna, whereas Heatran has the edge over threats like both Mega Charizard formes, specially offensive Dragonite, and Clefable. Mega Charizard Y can better handle Normalium Z Porygon-Z and Landorus-T. In return, Heatran and Mega Charizard X appreciate the help Mega Heracross gives against powerful Water-types such as Greninja, Mega Gyarados, Mega Swampert, and Primarina as well as general offensive threats like Mega Lopunny, Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, and Sawk. Bulky Water-types like Primarina and Tapu Fini are also useful, as they can beat most Fire-types like both Mega Charizard formes, Heatran, and Mega Blaziken while enjoying Mega Heracross's positive matchup against Magnezone and Grass-types like Serperior. Mega Heracross also appreciates Pokemon that can threaten Flying-types like Dragonite and Choice Specs Celesteela, such as Zeraora, specially defensive Mega Charizard X, Mega Metagross, and Mega Sableye. In exchange, Mega Heracross can deal with bothersome Ground-types that threaten the former two, primarily Donphan and Golem, and Primarina for all but Zeraora.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Mega Heracross's already massive Attack stat by two stages, letting it break through almost any wall. Close Combat is Mega Heracross's STAB move, letting it break through Normal-, Steel-, and Ice-types like Porygon2, Skarmory, and Mamoswine. Rock Blast has fantastic coverage with Close Combat, hitting the Bug- and Flying-types that resist the latter for super effective damage. Thanks to Skill Link, Rock Blast will always hit five times. It OHKOes Zapdos unboosted and defensive Staraptor after a Swords Dance. Earthquake is used in the last slot to hit the Poison-types that resist Mega Heracross's STAB moves, OHKOing Toxapex after a Swords Dance. If you have teammates that can reliably deal with Toxapex, Pin Missile can be used instead of Earthquake as an alternate STAB move that will always hit 5 times thanks to Skill Link. It OHKOes defensive Mew, and after a Swords Dance, it OHKOes Mega Sableye, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Venusaur after Stealth Rock damage. Set Details Maximum Speed EVs and a Jolly nature are used to enable Mega Heracross to outrun Mega Lopunny with Sticky Web down, as well as to outrun and OHKO defensively inclined base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as defensive Staraptor and defensive Mew, before they have a chance to OHKO with Brave Bird or cripple Mega Heracross with a burn. Maximum Attack investment gives Mega Heracross as much raw power as possible. Moxie is the most useful ability before Mega Evolving, as Attack boosts Heracross might gain will transfer over. Skill Link is Mega Heracross's only ability post-Mega Evolution, which allows Rock Blast and Pin Missile to always hit 5 times. Usage Tips Mega Heracross is most effective early- or mid-game, weakening or outright removing defensive cores so that its teammates can clear up later in the match. Try to set up Swords Dance on Pokemon that don't stay in on Mega Heracross, such as Ferrothorn, Chansey, and Tyranitar, or Pokemon that can't do much back to it, such as Mandibuzz. As Mega Heracross's Attack is already so massive, setting up Swords Dance isn't always necessary against teams that are inherently weak to Fighting, such as Normal and Dark, as Mega Heracross can already 2HKO most walls those teams have without a boost. Do not Mega Evolve Heracross until you need the power, bulk, or Skill Link, as Moxie allows you to potentially pick up Attack boosts without having to use Swords Dance. If paired with Scizor, you could also bluff the Choice Scarf set, as your opponent might think you're running Mega Scizor instead. As Mega Heracross needs high health to reliably wallbreak, avoid switching it into attacks if possible. Don't be too hasty switching into walls either, as it hates being badly poisoned, paralyzed, or burned. Bringing it in via U-turn or Volt Switch or after a teammate has fainted is often the preferred method. Team Options Galvantula can set Sticky Web, which is essential for Mega Heracross to outrun everything slower than Zeraora. In addition to setting the entry hazard, it can use its STAB Thunder to check Flying-types for Mega Heracross and 2HKO Toxapex, which can give Mega Heracross problems if it chooses to forgo Earthquake. Armaldo is another very useful teammate, as the Stealth Rock it sets allows Mega Heracross to OHKO Skarmory with a +2 Close Combat, as well as guarantee the OHKO on Mega Venusaur with a +2 Pin Missile. It can also remove opposing entry hazards with Rapid Spin and help check the Fire- and Flying-types Mega Heracross fears, such as Mega Charizard Y and Tornadus-T. Scizor is a very useful teammate that can beat most of the Fairy-types that Mega Heracross is weak to and bring Mega Heracross in safely with U-turn while also Pursuit trapping Latios, Latias, and -1 Victini, which can all OHKO Mega Heracross. Scizor appreciates Mega Heracross's ability to weaken or remove physical walls, such as Skarmory, Toxapex, and Hippowdon. Volcarona is a potent setup sweeper that pairs well with Mega Heracross, as they can weaken and remove each other's checks. Mega Heracross can remove Chansey, Alolan Muk, Mantine, and Toxapex, all of which can stop Volcarona from sweeping. In return, Volcarona can set up on defensive Mew and Mega Sableye, both of which can cripple Mega Heracross with Will-O-Wisp if it hasn't boosted yet. Choice Scarf Buzzwole is a great partner for Mega Heracross, as the two can wear down each other's checks, such as Mega Sableye, Skarmory, Zapdos, and Toxapex. Araquanid can absorb Will-O-Wisps aimed at Mega Heracross courtesy of Water Bubble, set up Sticky Web to negate Mega Heracross's average Speed, and check Fire-types for Mega Heracross, such as Mega Charizard Y and Blacephalon. In return, Mega Heracross can check the bulky Grass-types, such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn, that wall Araquanid. Lastly, Forretress can set up Stealth Rock and Spikes to give Mega Heracross an easier time wallbreaking, remove them with Rapid Spin, and bring Mega Heracross in safely with a slow Volt Switch.

Moves Megahorn is an incredibly strong STAB move that helps eliminate Psychic-types that threaten Fighting teams, such as Latios and Mega Alakazam. Close Combat is Heracross's other powerful STAB move, providing decent neutral coverage when coupled with Megahorn. It can also reliably sweep late-game when Heracross's checks are weakened. Knock Off is used to hit the Ghost-types that resist both of Heracross's STAB moves as well as crippling opposing Pokemon that rely on their items, such as Doublade and defensive Staraptor. Stone Edge allows Heracross to hit Flying-types that resist both of its STAB types like Mantine, Bug-types that resist Megahorn like Scolipede, and Fire-types that resist Close Combat like Mega Charizard Y. Set Details Maximum Attack EVs allow Heracross to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature along with a Choice Scarf let Heracross outspeed threats such as +1 Gyarados, Choice Scarf Gardevoir, and Choice Scarf Togekiss. Guts is the ability of choice because it allows Heracross to deal with status-spreading Pokemon such as Mega Sableye. Moxie can be used to help Heracross sweep opposing teams; however, the utility of Guts is generally more useful for Fighting teams. Usage Tips Heracross should use Knock Off early-game to cripple the walls that would switch into it such as Toxapex by removing their item. However, many setup sweepers that use Z-Moves such as Volcarona can use Heracross as setup bait if it locks into Knock Off. Heracross should also be used to revenge kill most slower threats, such as Latios and Togekiss. Be careful when locking Heracross into Close Combat when your opponent has a Ghost-type like Mega Sableye on Dark teams because, if they switch to it, Heracross will be forced to switch and will lose momentum. Heracross should be switched into Will-O-Wisp and Toxic to activate Guts and become an extremely strong wallbreaker, but be careful when switching Heracross into attacks because of its subpar defensive stats. Double switching to a teammate can often be the right choice, as Heracross is easily walled and often forces switches to walls that can be taken advantage of. Heracross can become an excellent late-game sweeper, especially with Moxie, but try to keep it as healthy as possible so it isn't picked off by a faster Pokemon or priority user such as Choice Scarf Keldeo or Choice Band Dragonite. Team Options Heracross pairs well with most Fighting-types because of its ability to eliminate Psychic-types with Megahorn and damage Ghost-types with Knock Off. Keldeo can handle Gliscor, Mega Scizor, and Skarmory for Heracross, while in return, Heracross removes Psychic-types that wall Keldeo such as Celebi and Slowbro. Choice Scarf Terrakion can handle Choice Scarf users that outspeed Heracross such as Victini as well as Flying-types that would switch into it. Alternatively, Rockium Z Terrakion can easily break through the physical walls that would stop Heracross in its tracks. Mega Gallade is able to break many of the walls such as Toxapex and Mega Venusaur that Heracross cannot get through. It also wears down physical walls like Skarmory after Swords Dance and can enable Heracross's sweep late-game. Cobalion can set Stealth Rock for Heracross as well as switch into Psychic-type attacks aimed at it. Cobalion can also cripple faster threats with Thunder Wave such as Choice Scarf Latios and safely bring Heracross in with Volt Switch. Infernape is a more offensive option for setting Stealth Rock that can also deal with the bulky Steel-types that wall Heracross, such as Mega Scizor, Doublade, and Skarmory. Lucario can handle the Fairy-types that completely wall Heracross with Steel-type STAB attacks and can weaken its checks to allow Heracross to sweep late-game. Breloom can provide support with Spore as well as beat the bulky Ground-types that wall Heracross, such as Hippowdon and Gastrodon.

Moves Close Combat is Heracross strongest Fighting-type STAB move, allowing it to hit several types that can be a problem for Bug-types, such as Rock, Steel, and Normal, for super effective damage and become a large asset to Bug by checking these types. Megahorn is Heracross's strongest Bug-type STAB attack and can be spammed against Psychic- and Dark-type teams. It can also threaten out Victini after a V-create. Stone Edge can hit Flying-types, which are very threatening to Bug-type teams. Pursuit is a useful choice for taking out weakened Pokemon that are forced out by Heracross; it is also vital for breaking Heatran's Air Balloon as it switches out in fear of Close Combat, leaving it susceptible to Ground-type attacks. Knock Off is a secondary choice because it can remove items from annoying Pokemon such as Toxapex and Skarmory, can deal a lot of damage to Ghost-types, and is also a stronger general purpose Dark-type attack for these types. Set Details Heracross uses maximum Speed EVs and a Jolly nature with a Choice Scarf to outspeed many threats such as non-Choice Scarf Latios, Mega Lopunny, and slower Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu. Maximum investment in Attack makes Heracross as strong as possible. Moxie boosts Heracross's Attack after it KOes a Pokemon, meaning it can easily sweep teams late-game. Usage Tips Use Heracross to revenge kill Pokemon threatening to Bug-types. It can knock out Steel-type threats like Heatran, KO Victini with Megahorn, and remove other Fire-types with Stone Edge. It is important to try to prevent Heracross from getting inflicted with status, as burn and paralysis cripple Heracross as a revenge killer and poison wears it down faster. Heracross has great potential to sweep late-game with Moxie, and a boost can allow it to break Pokemon like Mandibuzz and Hippowdon. Try not to let Heracross get worn down by entry hazards, weak attacks, and status, as they leave it in range of priority attacks from opposing Pokemon. Keep Heracross healthy in tougher matchups like Flying and Normal, as it can potentially sweep through these teams late-game with Stone Edge and Close Combat, respectively. Pursuit is a useful move to have in the Steel-type matchup because it allows Heracross to break Heatran's Air Balloon, potentially enabling Volcarona to sweep. Pursuit is also helpful against Psychic teams, as it can also be used to trap Choice Scarf Victini after a V-create because of the Speed drop. Use Knock Off to remove items from Pokemon that are annoying to Heracross or its teammates, such as Leftovers from Celesteela. Team Options Volcarona is a helpful ally to Heracross because it helps break Pokemon like Celesteela and Skarmory that easily tank Heracross's hits and can also weaken the opposing team for a late-game cleanup. Heracross also combines well with Volcarona to break Steel-type cores, as Pursuit breaking Heatran's Air Balloon allows it to be hit by Volcarona's Hidden Power Ground. Armaldo can get rid of entry hazards that wear Heracross down and also provide Stealth Rock to help it OHKO or 2HKO some Pokemon such as Dragonite by breaking Multiscale or potential Focus Sashes on other Pokemon. Forretress can also fit this role on teams if it is more suitable, as it learns Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin too and can also act as a slow pivot to bring in Heracross by using Volt Switch. Sticky Web support from Galvantula is important to Heracross because it allows Heracross to outspeed most grounded Pokemon, specifically Choice Scarf Victini after a V-create. Galvantula also helps against one of Heracross's checks, Toxapex, with strong Electric-type STAB moves and helps beat bulkier Flying-types that Heracross has trouble beating. An alternative Sticky Web setter that you could use is Araquanid, which is bulkier than Galvantula and is able to tank special attacks quite effectively while hitting back with Liquidation boosted by its ability Water Bubble. Araquanid can further be an effective choice due to its effective resistance to Fire-type attacks due to its secondary Water typing combined with its ability Water Bubble. Mega Pinsir can be used to take on Fighting-types that resist three of Heracross's attacks; Swords Dance sets are especially useful because they can break through bulky cores and weaken teams for Heracross to sweep late-game. Lastly, Scizor can be a useful ally for Heracross, as it can switch in on weaker Flying-type attacks like Quick Attack from Mega Pinsir and give Heracross a free switch in with a slow U-turn. Scizor also supports Heracross a lot with a strong priority attack in Bullet Punch, which deals a lot of damage to faster, frailer Pokemon, potentially KOing them so they do not threaten Heracross. Its typing is also useful because it can switch into incoming Psychic-type and Fairy-type attacks and effectively deal with Fairy-type Pokemon for Heracross.

Mega Heracross is a dangerous wallbreaker thanks to Skill Link and its sky-high Attack stat. A difficult decision to make is whether or not to slot in Earthquake over Bullet Seed or Close Combat; Bullet Seed and Close Combat offer it wider coverage, but Earthquake is Mega Heracross's best shot at defeating Aegislash switch-ins, which will otherwise counter it. While Heracross's abilities before Mega Evolving generally aren't a big deal, Guts is useful if Heracross gets burned, making it still usable if it doesn't Mega Evolve. Moxie is also great if Heracross picks off a weakened threat, making the idea of walling it even more daunting after it Mega Evolves. The given Speed EVs ensure Mega Heracross will outspeed Cresselia and Breloom. Mega Heracross excels at breaking through stall teams, but due to its low Speed, it can have trouble against faster offensive teams without Trick Room support. If using Trick Room, Brave becomes a reasonable option for underspeeding important threats such as Tyranitar. Also, a Jolly nature with maximum Speed can be run to have a better match up against Jolly Breloom leads, as Pin Missle will still OHKO them.

Moves Close Combat and Megahorn are Heracross's two best STAB moves, each with a Base Power of 120. Knock Off hits Flying- and Poison-types neutrally and Ghost-types super effectively, and it also cripples some switch-ins that Heracross cannot immediately handle. Stone Edge hits Flying-types super effectively, although most outspeed Heracross, so it must hit them on the switch. Earthquake hits Poison-types super effectively and certain other Pokemon such as defensive Arcanine more reliably than Stone Edge does. Pursuit can be used to trap Ghost- and Psychic-types and get useful chip damage on Pokemon that frequently switch out of Heracross. Sleep Talk can be used to absorb sleep-inducing moves from Pokemon such as Roserade, and Heracross can proceed to fire off Guts-boosted attacks against unsuspecting foes. Facade also has a niche on Heracross for being able to nail Gligar, Crobat, and Fairy-types when afflicted with a status condition. Set Details Choice Band takes advantage of Heracross's enormous power and greatly limits its switch-ins to a select few physically defensive Pokemon. Guts takes advantage of status inflicted by moves such as Toxic and Scald to add even more to Heracross's power and lets Sableye users think twice before they click Will-o-Wisp. Heracross's Attack and Speed are maximized to allow it to hit as hard and as fast as possible. An Adamant nature makes Heracross noticeably more powerful, giving Heracross a chance to 2HKO standard Florges after Stealth Rock damage. A Jolly nature can be used instead to outspeed certain offensive Pokemon, such as Timid Chandelure and Adamant Lucario. A bulkier spread of 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe with an Adamant nature can be used to better complement Heracross's natural bulk while still outspeeding Adamant Honchkrow. Usage Tips Heracross can easily be switched into common users of Scald and Toxic, such as Suicune and Blissey, respectively, to absorb status and get a huge power boost with Guts. Use Knock Off to remove Leftovers and Eviolite from Pokemon such as Sylveon, Florges and Gligar early in the game so that Heracross can break through them more easily later in the battle. Predict switches into Flying- and Poison-types early on and use the appropriate coverage move to allow Heracross to spam its STAB moves easily once they have been removed. Team Options Heracross needs teammates that check Fairy- and Flying-types. As with all offensive Pokemon, entry hazards are essential in order for Heracross to net certain KOs and pressure the opposing team. Mega Aggron and Forretress can switch into many of Heracross's checks and set up Stealth Rock, making them great partners on more balanced teams. Heracross should also be used with faster teammates that appreciate its ability to soften up physical walls. Examples of these are Choice Scarf Infernape and Mega Aerodactyl, both of which can clean up opposing teams once Heracross has broken through bulkier foes. Heracross appreciates VoltTurn support from Pokemon such as Crobat, Mega Ampharos, and the likes, as Heracross loves being to be brought in for free to fire off a powerful attack.

Moves Close Combat and Megahorn are Heracross's two most powerful STAB moves. Knock Off provides coverage on Flying-, Poison-, and Ghost-types and also cripples Pokemon that rely on items such as Leftovers and Eviolite. Stone Edge hits Flying- and Fire-types, such as Crobat and Arcanine, respectively, for super effective damage. Earthquake can be used over Stone Edge for super effective coverage on many Poison-types, such as Nidoqueen, and to serve as a more reliable way to hit Fire-type Pokemon. Set Details 252 EVs are placed into Speed with a Jolly nature and a Choice Scarf to allow Heracross to outspeed the entire unboosted tier. 252 EVs in Attack allow Heracross to hit as hard as possible. Moxie is used as Heracross's ability to allow it to accumulate boosts after revenge kills and potentially snowball into a late-game sweeper. Guts can be used instead to allow Heracross to safely switch into moves such as Scald and Toxic and to avoid being completely crippled by burns. Usage Tips Use Choice Scarf Heracross as a revenge killer and late-game cleaner after the appropriate walls have been weakened or eliminated. Use Knock Off to remove items from defensive walls such as Sylveon, Florges, and Suicune early in the game. If Moxie is the chosen ability, avoid letting Heracross get inflicted by status, as it removes the possibility of sweeping. Alternatively, Heracross with Guts should primarily act as a revenge killer and status absorber instead of a sweeper. Use Close Combat sparingly, especially against Pokemon with Pressure, as its limited PP should be conserved until late-game. Team Options Heracross needs teammates to break down opposing physical walls, especially Fairy-types. Nidoqueen can check many of Heracross's switch-ins and heavily pressure physical walls. Heracross also needs teammates that can handle opposing Choice Scarf users, most of which are faster than Heracross. Spikes support from Pokemon such as Roserade makes it much more difficult for defensive Pokemon to consistently switch into Heracross, especially after their items have been removed with Knock Off.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Heracross's Attack to sky-high levels and allows Heracross to dismantle slower teams. Close Combat is Heracross's most powerful and reliable STAB move, KOing many of the tier's Pokemon at +2. Knock Off provides neutral coverage on Poison- and Flying-types and super effective coverage on Ghost-types and also removes Eviolites and Leftovers from defensive targets. Facade can be used over Megahorn in conjunction with Toxic Orb to take advantage of Heracross's ability, Guts, and to hit Fairy- and Poison-types for massive damage. Set Details Maximum investment is placed into Attack and Speed to allow Heracross to hit as hard and as fast as possible. An Adamant nature gives Heracross significantly more power and allows it to KO defensive Sylveon with no prior damage and defensive Granbull after Stealth Rock damage with a +2 Guts-boosted Facade. A Jolly nature can be used instead in order for Heracross to outspeed Pokemon such as Timid Chandelure and Adamant Lucario. Guts is the preferred ability for Heracross to take advantage of status moves such as Scald and Toxic, and Heracross is too slow to benefit from Moxie anyway. Leftovers increases Heracross's longevity and allows it to set up more comfortably against certain defensive Pokemon, including Gligar and Vaporeon. Toxic Orb can be used to increase Heracross's immediate power and reliably boost Facade, but it heavily takes away from Heracross's longevity. Toxic Orb variants can opt to run a fourth attacking move over Swords Dance if the immediate power and coverage of both Megahorn and Facade is desired. An alternate EV spread of 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe can be used on the Leftovers variant to set up more easily in the face of passive Pokemon and potentially avoid being revenge killed by Pokemon such as Mienshao. The Speed EVs on this spread allow Heracross to outspeed Adamant Honchkrow. Usage Tips Use Heracross's ability to force out Pokemon such as Snorlax and Umbreon to set up easily against slower teams. However, it is fruitless to set up during battles against more offensive teams, as Heracross should simply go for attacks. Heracross's mediocre Speed usually prevents it from sweeping entire teams. Instead, Swords Dance Heracross should be used to break down walls to support its teammates. Use Volt Switch or U-turn support to bring in Heracross and activate its Toxic Orb safely, if running the item. Team Options Heracross should be paired with Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Mienshao or Choice Scarf Infernape, which take advantage of Heracross luring in and breaking down physical walls. Teammates that check the Flying- and Fairy-types that often switch into Heracross are necessary, especially for the Leftovers variant. Heracross appreciates paralysis support from Pokemon such as Stun Spore Whimsicott, which lures the Flying-types that Heracross commonly struggles with.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Moves Megahorn is the main reason to use Heracross, as its 120 Base Power and STAB boost let it hit Psychic-types super effectively for tremendous damage. Close Combat is its other most powerful STAB attack, having good coverage with Megahorn to hit most types at least neutrally. Pursuit allows Heracross to specifically hit Victini that try to switch out. Alternatively, Heracross can use Knock Off to hit Ghost-type Pokemon, which resist its STAB moves, while also removing items such as Eviolite or Leftovers from its foes. Stone Edge allows Heracross to deal meaningful damage to Flying- and Bug-type Pokemon, which also resist its STAB moves, and also hits Fire-type Pokemon that seek to threaten Heracross. Set Details Maximum Speed EV investment alongside a Jolly nature and a Choice Scarf lets Heracross outspeed +1 Jolly Gyarados, Choice Scarf-using base 80s such as Togekiss and Gardevoir and all unboosted Pokemon except for Deoxys-S. 252 Attack EVs make Heracross as powerful as possible, which is important for helping it revenge kill foes and clean late-game. Moxie gives Heracross the additional power to set up a sweep late-game Moxie Choice Scarf Heracross is especially devastating to Psychic teams after Victini is taken care of. Usage Tips Heracross should mainly be used to revenge kill slower threats, such as Latios. Knock Off should be used liberally early-game to remove key items from threats, such as Eviolite from Doublade, Leftovers from Skarmory, and Choice Scarf from Togekiss. Since its defenses are unimpressive, Heracross should avoid switching into unresisted attacks to keep itself healthy for cleaning late-game. Moxie Heracross should be especially careful, as chip damage adds up and makes its late-game sweep much harder to set up. Team Options Heracross fits on almost any Fighting team, thanks to its ability to take on Psychic teams. It does greatly appreciate Stealth Rock support, though, as it commonly just barely lacks the power to KO certain threats, making Infernape and Cobalion great teammates for that purpose. Cobalion can additionally help handle the Fairy-types that outright wall Heracross and can act as a good defensive pivot. Infernape on the other hand is a more offensive Stealth Rock user and beats the certain Steel-types that wall Heracross such as Doublade, Skarmory, and Mega Scizor. Wallbreakers in general are appreciated for their ability to open up holes for Heracross to clean late-game. Choice Scarf Terrakion is a possible teammate, as Heracross finds itself outsped by faster Choice Scarf users such as Kyurem-B and Victini.

Moves Megahorn and Close Combat are Heracross's two strongest STAB moves and receive a boost from Tough Claws, heavily denting even walls that resist them. Knock Off hits incoming Flying- or Ghost-types such as Skarmory, Zapdos, and Doublade, crippling them by removing their item. Swords Dance boosts Heracross's Attack to massive levels, further augmenting its power in conjunction with Life Orb and Tough Claws. Although it isn't boosted by Tough Claws, Stone Edge can be used to hit Flying-types, most notably Zapdos. Facade can be used in case Heracross gets burned, paralyzed, or poisoned, giving it a very strong Normal-type move for neutral coverage. Set Details Life Orb gives Heracross a nice boost to its power and lets it switch to any of its great coverage moves at any time. Lum Berry is a nice alternative that gives Heracross a one-time immunity to status ailments from the likes of Mew and Breloom. An Adamant nature with maximum investment in Attack and Speed allows Heracross to hit as hard as possible while outspeeding as many Pokemon as possible. Tough Claws gives a boost to all of Heracross's contact moves. Usage Tips Heracross should be used as a wallbreaker due to its insane Attack stat in conjunction with Tough Claws. Try to always keep entry hazards off the field, as the Life Orb recoil already wears down Heracross relatively quickly. Never keep Heracross in on potential Gale Wings users such as Skarmory and Braviary, as it will instantly get KOed due to its 4x weakness to Flying-type moves. Using one of Heracross's main strong STAB moves may not always be the best idea depending on the team matchup. If the opponent has an obvious switch-in, it might be wise to choose Knock Off to cripple the foe. Never switch Heracross in directly, as its lackluster defenses will force it to take a ton of damage even from a resisted attack. Team Options Heracross really appreciates Pokemon that resist Flying-type attacks such as Aegislash and Doublade, as they can combat Gale Wings users. It can also benefit from having bulky Intimidate users such as Hippowdon and Zapdos to handle Flying-types. Sweepers and cleaners such as Lucario and Staraptor appreciate Heracross's ability to break down defensive cores. Entry hazard setters such as Deoxys-D and Deoxys-S make Heracross's job as a wallbreaker a bit easier. Conversely, entry hazard removers such as Skarmory and Mandibuzz prevent Heracross from being worn down as easily. Wish passers such as Umbreon and Vaporeon can keep Heracross healthy and give it a free switch with Baton Pass. Bulky Flash Fire users such as Heatran and Doublade can take on Fire-types; in addition, these two can switch into Refrigerate and Pixilate users such as Victini, Entei, and Lucario. Lastly, Heracross also appreciates the help of Electric-types such as Zapdos and Thundurus, as they can take on Pokemon that Heracross has trouble with like Suicune and Skarmory.

Moves Close Combat and Megahorn are Heracross's best STAB moves, hitting even Pokemon that resist it very hard coupled with Tough Claws. Knock Off is used to cripple incoming switch-ins such as Intimidate users like Zapdos and Mandibuzz. Either Stone Edge or Earthquake can be used for the last slot; although they aren't boosted by Tough Claws, they're still very strong and useful coverage moves, with Stone Edge hitting Flying-types and Earthquake hitting Poison-types, neither of which Heracross's STAB moves can hit effectively. Set Details Choice Scarf allows Heracross to become an effective revenge killer and cleaner if the opponent's team is weakened. Tough Claws gives all of Heracross's contact moves, including its main STAB moves, a nice boost. Tinted Lens is a great alternative to hit common switch-ins very hard without having to predict at all. Lastly, a Jolly nature and maximum investment in Speed and Attack allow Heracross to outpace as many threats as possible while maximizing its damage output. Usage Tips With a Choice Scarf, Heracross becomes a reliable revenge killer, so it should be used as one once a teammate faints. Never keep Heracross in on potential Gale Wings users such as Skarmory and Braviary, as it will be instantly OHKOed. Try to keep Heracross for the late-game, as it's also a great cleaner when equipped with Choice Scarf. Team Options Entry hazard setters such as Deoxys-S and Deoxys-D are great teammates for Heracross, as extra damage on the foe makes the job easier for any cleaner. Switch-ins to Flying-type moves such as Aegislash and Doublade are also great teammates, as any Gale Wings user will OHKO Heracross before it can move. Wish passers such as Vaporeon and Umbreon can keep Heracross healthy for the late-game even if entry hazards are on the field. Bulky Flash Fire users such as Heatran and Doublade can take on Fire-types; additionally, these two can beat Refrigerate and Pixilate users such as Victini, Entei, and Lucario. Heracross also appreciates the help of Electric-types such as Zapdos and Thundurus, as they can take on physically bulky Pokemon that are troublesome to Heracross like Suicune and Skarmory.

Moves Pin Missile reaches an effective Base Power of 125 with Skill Link. Its primary targets are Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Slowbro, as well as Grass-types such as Serperior. An added perk is that Pin Missile can break Focus Sashes and Substitutes and avoid Rocky Helmet damage. Rock Blast is another move affected by Skill Link and is Mega Heracross's best option for hitting the Flying-types that it otherwise has trouble with, such as Thundurus, Dragonite, Zapdos, Gyarados, and predicted Talonflame and Mega Salamence switch-ins. Close Combat hits Steel- and Normal-types, such as Mega Kangaskhan, Porygon2, and Heatran, for super effective damage. Bullet Seed 2HKOes Suicune, Hippowdon, and defensive Rotom-W, and OHKOes Mamoswine and offensive Rotom-W. However, if Aegislash is a problem for your team, consider Earthquake instead of one of the last two moves to 2HKO it. As a bonus, Earthquake also guarantees an OHKO on maximum HP Mega Gengar. However, since Mega Heracross can only afford to give up Close Combat or Bullet Seed, choosing this alternative will come at the cost of coverage, and Close Combat and Bullet Seed hit a wider variety of threats harder than Earthquake in general. Set Details Heracronite gives Heracross great offensive stats and an amazing ability. Before Mega Evolution, however, Guts can be used to absorb status moves so that Heracross isn't crippled by burns and paralysis. A spread of 156 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 SpDef / 92 Spe ensures that Mega Heracross takes less residual damage and outspeeds Cresselia. However, if Heracross doesn't need much bulk, consider a Jolly nature with a spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe. This allows Mega Heracross to outspeed the important targets Jolly Breloom and Adamant Dragonite, both of which hate multi-hit moves due to Focus Sash and Multiscale respectively. Because of this, Mega Heracross is actually a decent lead, as before Mega Evolving, Heracross outspeeds Mamoswine, meaning that Heracross can defeat two very popular Focus Sash leads. This offensive spread also allows Heracross to outspeed Adamant Kangaskhan before both Mega Evolve, potentially leading to a surprise KO. Usage Tips Mega Heracross functions as a good lead, because it has very few solid switch-ins. You can make use of its resistances very easily. Heracross can come in on a resisted hit, particularly Earthquake or Mach Punch, or a free switch, giving Heracross the opportunity to Mega Evolve and wreak havoc. While the best idea usually is to Mega Evolve as soon as possible for the extra bulk and power, there are a few instances where Heracross should stay unevolved. Heracross is a bit faster before it Mega Evolves, allowing it to outspeed certain threats such as Mamoswine. Also, if Heracross gets burned, it will deal more damage in its base forme than when Mega Evolved thanks to Guts. If you are using Heracross with a Healing Wish or Lunar Dance user, feel free to be more reckless with Mega Evolving, as these moves will remove burns from Mega Heracross. Since most physical and special walls have a low damage output, Heracross can very easily switch into them, provided Heracross can take out that wall with coverage moves. Slowbro and Suicune are prime examples, because prior to Heracross Mega Evolving, it can switch into Scald without any fear of being KOed or burned. Speed control such as paralysis and Trick Room is a godsend for Mega Heracross because speed control allows Mega Heracross to beat common offensive threats that would otherwise counter it. You might want to consider benching Heracross if the Team Preview shows many of Mega Heracross's offensive checks, such as Talonflame, Blaziken, and Mega Salamence, especially since these Pokemon are common leads. Team Options Cresselia can sponge most powerful hits for Heracross and provide it with Trick Room, Thunder Wave, and Lunar Dance support. Cresselia can also serve as a check to a lot of Pokemon that are faster than Heracross, such as Blaziken, Mega Salamence, and Kangaskhan. Porygon2 is another reliable user of Thunder Wave and Trick Room, and unlike Cresselia, offensive variants deal with special attacking Aegislash fairly well. Heatran can cover Heracross's weaknesses effectively and Heracross can break through special walls that Heatran can't get past, such as Chansey. Heatran also beats Talonflame and Aegislash reliably, which is a huge benefit for Heracross. Answers to Fire- and Flying- types in general really help out Heracross, as they can switch in on almost all of Heracross's attacks other than Rock Blast. Examples of these kinds of Pokemon include Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Tyranitar. Thundurus deserves a special mention here, as it can not only beat Flying-types easily, but also spread paralysis throughout the opposing team. Raikou deals with Flying-types well and can set up with Calm Mind, while Mega Heracross deals with Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, Mamoswine, and Chansey for Raikou. Landorus-T serves as a blanket check to a lot of the common Pokemon that threaten Heracross, such as physical Blaziken, Talonflame, and sometimes Mega Kangaskhan, and can provide Heracross with U-turn support, an effective way to switch in Heracross safely. In addition, Landorus-T has Intimidate, which can force a lot of switches and provide Heracross with great support. Talonflame makes for a good partner as well, taking care of Blaziken and Volcarona, and defeating weakened Pokemon in general. Greninja is a good choice to provide Mega Heracross with additional coverage that can hit common threats super effectively, such as Garchomp and Gengar. A Mega Gengar of your own is a great back up Mega Evolution, since it can use Destiny Bond to trap and KO Mega Mawile and Aegislash. Focus Sash Gengar works too if you want to use it with Mega Heracross or other Mega Evolutions, and it can use Icy Wind to surprise Mega Salamence.

This set takes advantage of common type weaknesses to demolish the opponents's team through hard-hitting moves. After a Guts boost, Heracross's Attack stat is boosted to unimaginable levels, which allows it to destroy common threats, such as Cresselia, Tyranitar, and Politoed, amongst others. Megahorn easily destroys Cresselia and Amoonguss, two Pokemon that are commonly seen in VGC. Megahorn also hits Ludicolo for super effective damage, but Heracross takes a lot of damage from Scald or Surf in the rain. Fighting-type moves are notorious for their super effective coverage; indeed, Heracross's STAB Close Combat KOes many Pokemon with ease, and hits even Pokemon who are neutral to it for large amounts of damage as well. Your choice of third move depends on what coverage move benefits your team most. Rock Slide and Earthquake are good spread moves, and hit a good portion of the metagame super effectively. Rock Slide helps Heracross against Flying-types, doesn't harm its ally, and hits Shedinja, while Earthquake works well with most of Heracross's recommended teammates, and hits a lot of the metagame for significant amounts of damage. Facade hits almost everything for neutral damage and, after a Guts boost, its Base Power doubles to a cool 140. Protect is a crucial move in VGC; it shields Heracross from a potentially fatal attack and activates Guts. The choice between Flame Orb and Toxic Orb is not very important. Toxic Orb does less damage over short periods of time, but battles tend to last longer than before so Flame Orb is typically the superior item. While unlikely, Toxic Orb prevents Heracross's Attack from being halved if its ability were to be switched. An Adamant nature lets Heracross Speed tie with other neutral base 85s, while a Jolly one enables it to get the jump on all neutral Krookodile, Lucario, and Rotom formes, Excadrill out of sand, as well as Speed tie with neutral Hydreigon. Suicune and Aerodactyl make for great Tailwind partners as both deal with a few counters to Heracross, namely Fire- and Flying-types. Tornadus, Salamence, and Crobat also make for good Tailwind partners. If you'd rather provide Heracross with Thunder Wave support, Pokemon such as Thundurus, Togekiss, Rotom-W, and Cresselia are great partners. Thundurus destroys Flying-types, Togekiss draws in potentially threatening attacks with Follow Me, Rotom-W threatens Fire-types, and Cresselia makes for an excellent all-round support Pokemon. Starmie is faster than all of the Dragon-types and rains on their parade with Ice Beam. Mamoswine is very useful for checking both Dragon-types and Zapdos, both of which are common checks to Heracross. Ninetales and Politoed also make for good teammates, as they can remove hail and sand, and put pressure on Fire-types. Furthermore, Politoed can use Ice Beam to deal respectable damage to Zapdos and other Flying-types.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Heracross's most interesting set, and certainly viable if used correctly. The goal is to switch in on something that can't do much, such as Forretress, and proceed to use Substitute. The opponent will likely bring in a much faster Pokemon to break the Substitute, which results in Heracross constantly using Substitute until Salac Berry activates. Assuming Substitute is still intact, Heracross can then Swords Dance and attempt to sweep. Heracross's subbing down to Salac Berry activation also activates the dual effect of Swarm, multiplying Megahorn's power x1.5. Along with STAB, the power of Heracross's Megahorn reaches an effective power level of 270. Follow up with a Swords Dance, then it boosts this number to a whopping 540! Here are some damage calculations to demonstrate Heracross's power: Damage Calculations +2 Swarm Megahorn vs 32 HP / 0 Def Rayquaza 86.91% - 102.23% +2 Swarm Megahorn vs 252 HP / 32 Def Groudon 102.72% - 121.29% +2 Swarm Megahorn vs 252 HP / 64 Def Lugia 104.09% - 122.60% +2 Close Combat vs 224 HP / 0 Def Ho-oh 50.61% - 59.90% 252 Speed EVs allows Heracross to outspeed max Speed, Modest Choice Scarf Kyogre after a Salac Berry boost. However, there are several Pokemon capable of outspeeding Heracross after the boost, namely Choice Scarf Pokemon with equal to or greater than 90 base Speed such as Palkia, Dialga, Shaymin-S, Mewtwo, Jirachi, Darkrai, and Timid Kyogre. After the Substitute is broken, Heracross will have no way of stopping priority attacks. With the prevalence of Groudon and Kyogre in Ubers, a mixed Tyranitar is a phenomenal partner, as the weather will likely change later. Tyranitar can lure in Scizor and Fire Blast to OHKO them, as well as take down Giratina-O with Crunch or Pursuit; Rayquaza also falls victim to Ice Beam. Rayquaza, Scizor, and Giratina-O commonly use priority attacks, making Heracross's job much easier with them eliminated. Wobbuffet, who always pairs well with Heracross, does phenomenally here, trapping and OHKOing most Choice Scarf Pokemon that would outspeed Heracross after a Salac Berry boost. In return, Heracross does an excellent job of taking out Wobbuffet's biggest threats, Darkrai and Taunt + Calm Mind Mewtwo.

Almost identical to the Choice Scarf set, but with a key difference in power and bulk. With the HP EVs, Heracross can survive almost any attack and OHKO back with one of its STAB attacks. Unlike the Choice Scarf set, Guts is not a necessity to hit hard, thanks to the boost already given by Choice Band. Although Guts activation isn't necessary to achieve this set's goals, the boost in power will decimate defensive teams without a proper answer to Heracross. If Guts has been activated, Heracross can 2HKO or OHKO every Pokemon commonly used in Ubers with just its STAB moves, with the exception of Ho-Oh and Giratina. Stone Edge OHKOes Ho-Oh and provides a more powerful attack against Giratina-O than Megahorn. Sleep Talk turns Heracross into an excellent check to Darkrai, resisting Dark Pulse and Focus Blast while still being able to attack if hit with Dark Void. Once again, keep in mind that Sleep Talk will only work once as long as Heracross is holding a Choice item. Should one not wish to use Heracross as a sleep absorber, Pursuit is a fine choice. With support from Tickle Wobbuffet, Heracross can remove its greatest counter, Giratina. It takes four Tickles for Heracross to OHKO a switching Giratina with Pursuit, and two Tickles if Guts is activated. Speaking of Guts, Heracross sets itself apart from other Pursuit users, such as Scizor and Tyranitar, as not even Will-O-Wisp can save Giratina's life. Night Slash allows Heracross to 2HKO Giratina-O, something that it can't do with a Choice Scarf. Stealth Rock is needed like always, giving Heracross a better chance to OHKO Ho-Oh, Rayquaza, and many other Uber Pokemon with proper prediction. Unlike with Choice Scarf, Lugia fails to wall this set, as Heracross is slower and will pierce Lugia with Megahorn as it eliminates its Flying-type via Roost. Kyogre is, once again, a great partner as it can kill Ho-Oh and weaken Fire-type attacks via Drizzle. With Fire-type attacks and Pokemon weakened and/or eliminated, Heracross will more likely not have to contend with one of its major weaknesses. Since Choice Band Heracross lacks speed, faster powerhouses such as Choice Specs Kyogre, Latios, and Life Orb Dialga can OHKO Heracross with their powerful STAB attacks. Choice Scarf Palkia can take on Kyogre's Water Spout and Surf, and hit back hard with Thunder, Draco Meteor, or Spacial Rend. Palkia can also revenge Latios and moderately weakened Dialga. Heracross should not be the center of a team when using this set. Instead, it should be used merely to help other Pokemon, such as Rayquaza and Groudon, set up instead. After drawing out and killing Lugia with Heracross, these other Pokemon can easily sweep teams with Rock Polish, Swords Dance, or Dragon Dance.

With a Choice Scarf, Adamant nature, and the given EVs, Heracross reaches 396 Speed, which is enough to outspeed max Speed Darkrai and Mewtwo, and OHKO both with Megahorn. This already separates Heracross from Scizor, who can subsequently be smacked by Flamethrower or hit with Dark Void by the faster Mewtwo and Darkrai, respectively. Heracross can also take down many of the most common Ubers with Stealth Rock and Spikes support, such as Dialga, who is guaranteed to be OHKOed by Close Combat after Stealth Rock. Choice Scarf Heracross's main selling point, however, is being able to almost perfectly counter Darkrai thanks to its resistance to Dark Pulse and Focus Blast, ability to absorb sleep with Sleep Talk, and the strength to OHKO it back on a whim. Close Combat, Megahorn, and Stone Edge are all necessary to achieve 2HKOs on most Uber Pokemon, while the last move depends solely on the player's needs. Sleep Talk allows Heracross to switch in on Darkrai's Dark Void, and KO it no matter what attack is chosen thanks to the Guts boost. However, Sleep Talk can only be used once while holding a Choice item; subsequent uses will cause the move to fail. Night Slash is Heracross's most powerful attack against Giratina-O, although it is still only a 3HKO at best. To outspeed Deoxys-A and Modest Choice are common, so the choice in losing the power for the Speed is entirely up to the user. Toxic is Heracross's best option against incoming Lugia and Giratina-O, and although it won't do any immediate damage, it will severely hinder both of them for the rest of the match. Finally, Pursuit can hurt Latios, Latias, and Mewtwo as they switch out fearing Megahorn. However, being trapped into a 40 Base Power attack is less than ideal. Heracross's ability, Guts, allows it to take advantage of status, most notably from Toxic Spikes, Blissey's Toxic, and Mewtwo's Will-O-Wisp. The boost from its ability allows Heracross to 2HKO or OHKO all commonly used Pokemon in Ubers with the exception of Giratina-O and Giratina. Keep in mind that, despite this boost, the aforementioned moves and Pokemon tend to appear on stall-based teams and will very likely have either Giratina-O or Giratina as a team member. Heracross needs Spikes and Stealth Rock support to be a major threat in Ubers. Deoxys leads have access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, and can often lure in priority users who could otherwise easily revenge kill Heracross. Lugia, Ho-Oh, Giratina-O, and Giratina are often major issues for Heracross, making Darkrai an excellent partner, as it is able to destroy Lugia, Giratina, and Giratina-O with Dark Pulse, although it must be wary of switching into the latter due to its powerful Draco Meteor. Kyogre's bulk, resistance to Fire-type attacks, and ability to Calm Mind in the face of many of the Ubers that threaten Heracross make it a perfect partner for it, as it can eliminate Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Giratina fairly easily. Kyogre's Drizzle also weakens Fire-type attacks for Heracross, allowing it to often survive a hit from the likes of Mewtwo, Choice Scarf Palkia, and Dialga, and retaliate with its powerful Megahorn or Close Combat. If Heracross is locked into anything but Megahorn, Wobbuffet can annihilate it with Counter. Unfortunately, Wobbuffet can not be countered thanks to Shadow Tag. Mixed attackers such as Dialga and Palkia can often lure in Wobbuffet and destroy it with a combination of their special and physical attacks. Thanks to Dialga's convenient typing, it can check Giratina and Giratina-O as well, while Heracross resists Dialga's weaknesses to Ground and Fighting. Palkia's 4x resistance to Fire- and Water-type moves also allow it to absorb some of the most powerful attacks aimed at Heracross. Wobbuffet makes another fantastic partner to Heracross, as it can not only trap Lugia and kill it with Mirror Coat if it decides to attack, but it can also revenge kill Pokemon with Choice Scarf that can revenge kill Heracross, such as Choice Scarf Dialga or Choice Scarf Palkia. If you opt to use Wobbuffet, another sweeper such as Rayquaza will make an excellent partner to Heracross, cleaning up any Pokemon Heracross failed to finish off.

Heracross is a strong Choice Band user with the ability to OHKO Latias and Tyranitar as well as threaten big damage on Snorlax. Its reliance on Choice Band can leave it locked into inopportune moves, and its weakness to Psychic is a big target on its back in a tier with Latias on nearly every team. Its awkward Speed tier and reliance on Hidden Power Ghost to threaten the omnipresent Gengar are also notable drawbacks. Megahorn OHKOes Latias and Tyranitar, and with a Swarm or Guts boost, it can OHKO Metagross and Suicune. Brick Break also OHKOes Tyranitar without risking a miss and 2HKOes Snorlax. Earthquake is a strong spread move that allows Heracross to deal massive damage to both opponents in one attack. It OHKOes Raikou and 2HKOes Tyranitar, Metagross, and Steelix. Hidden Power Ghost OHKOes Gengar, which walls Heracross otherwise. Swarm is easy to activate on Heracross, since it just narrowly survives Psychic from Latias and Starmie. Guts forces opponents to think twice about using Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp on Heracross, as a Guts-boosted Heracross can OHKO even maximum Defense Snorlax with Brick Break. The EV Spread allows Heracross to survive a Psychic from Latias and outspeed Jolly Metagross. Snorlax makes a great partner for Heracross due to its positive matchups against Latias, Starmie, and Zapdos. In return, Heracross can Brick Break Normal-resistant foes like Tyranitar and Steelix, removing potential Self-Destruct resistances or allowing Snorlax to freely spam Return. Raikou also boasts a positive matchup against the aforementioned threats and appreciates Heracross's ability to pressure Tyranitar and Snorlax. Latias and Starmie can OHKO Gengar without forcing Heracross to have to lock itself into Hidden Power Ghost. Thunder Wave support is appreciated to give Heracross the ability to outspeed faster threats like Latias and Raikou. Heracross can make use of Salac Berry and Endure to get a Speed boost and make use of Swarm, though it's worth noting that Tyranitar's Sand Stream can be used to effortlessly KO Heracross after surviving a turn with Endure.