[OVERVIEW]
Mega Heracross sports an excellent Attack stat with powerful STAB moves and coverage options, making it a very powerful wallbreaker in the OU tier. Good bulk and a unique defensive typing allow Mega Heracross to act as a solid offensive check to prevalent Pokemon such as Zygarde and Tapu Bulu. Likewise, Mega Heracross also serves as a reliable switch-in to Knock Off. Thanks to its sheer power, bulk, and expansive movepool, Mega Heracross excels at breaking down bulky defensive cores and combating most stall archetypes as a whole. Although a Bug / Fighting typing grants it helpful resistances to Dark-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks, it also leaves Mega Heracross weak to a plethora of other common attacking types such as Fire and Psychic, as well as 4x weak to Flying-type attacks. This, in conjunction with its poor Speed stat, can make it rather easy to revenge kill Mega Heracross with faster offensive Pokemon. In a similar vein, Mega Heracross often struggles versus more offensive teams that can take advantage of its poor Speed stat and consistently force it out with the threat of powerful super effective attacks.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Pin Missile
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Swords Dance / Earthquake
item: Heracronite
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is Mega Heracross's most powerful Fighting-type attack, doing immense damage to any Pokemon that does not resist it. Pin Missile completes Mega Heracross's dual STAB combination, nailing Psychic-types such as Mew for super effective damage, and will always hit five times thanks to Skill Link. Rock Blast is critical coverage for Mega Heracross, nailing troublesome Flying-, Ghost-, and Fairy-type Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Zapdos, Alolan Marowak, and Clefable for at least neutral damage. Rock Blast will always hit five times as well due to Skill Link. Swords Dance boosts Mega Heracross's Attack stat to astronomical levels, allowing it to overwhelm defensive Pokemon such as Magic Guard Clefable, Skarmory, and Mega Sableye. Earthquake can also be used in this slot in order to deal super effective damage to Toxapex, which would otherwise wall Mega Heracross. Lastly, Substitute is an option to avoid harmful status ailments, as well as easing prediction and making Mega Heracross much more difficult to revenge kill.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment with an Adamant nature allows Mega Heracross to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Heracronite is necessary to Mega Evolve Heracross. Moxie lets Heracross gain an Attack boost by KOing a foe before Mega Evolving. An alternate EV spread of 240 HP / 136 Atk / 132 Spe can be used to outspeed uninvested Landorus-T after Mega Evolving, as well as 2HKO non-maximum Defense Clefable. This spread, however, has far less wallbreaking potential than the main spread.
Usage Tips
========
Switch Mega Heracross into Pokemon such as Assault Vest Tangrowth, Tapu Bulu, and Zygarde so it can punch holes in the opposing team. Conversely, prior to Mega Evolving, Heracross has relatively low bulk and should typically not be directly switched into even powerful resisted attacks, as they will do significant damage. Mega Heracross is best used as an early- to mid-game wallbreaker rather than a late-game sweeper due to its lackluster Speed stat. As such, use it to heavily weaken opposing walls for a cleaner to sweep in the later stages of the battle.
Team Options
========
Users of Volt Switch and U-turn such as Rotom-W and Landorus-T make for amazing teammates alongside Mega Heracross, as they can provide it with free switches to wreak havoc on the opposing team. Rotom-W works particularly well with Mega Heracross, as it can also pivot into the Fire- and Flying-type Pokemon that threaten it out. Mega Heracross greatly appreciates Stealth Rock and Spikes support from the likes of Clefable, Landorus-T, and Greninja, as they aid it in breaking down even the bulkiest of defensive cores. Clefable and offensive variants of Landorus-T make for particularly potent partners alongside Mega Heracross because they can reliably get up Stealth Rock versus opposing stall teams to aid Mega Heracross in muscling through bulky Pokemon such as Unaware Clefable. Late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Keldeo and Shift Gear Magearna are logical partners alongside Mega Heracross, as it excels at breaking down bulkier walls that trouble these Pokemon. Smeargle can set up Sticky Web, which helps alleviate Mega Heracross's poor Speed stat and improves its matchup versus offensive teams greatly. Finally, Flying-types such as Mega Pinsir and Tornadus-T are very threatening to Mega Heracross, so Pokemon like Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Skarmory that can combat these foes make for excellent teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bullet Seed is an alternative option for Mega Heracross's final moveslot, hitting Tapu Fini for super effective damage. This is very niche in comparison to the utility of Swords Dance, Earthquake, or Substitute, however.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flying-types**: Flying-type Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Mega Pinsir, and Landorus-T all resist Mega Heracross's STAB combination and can threaten it out with a 4x super effective Flying-type attack. These Pokemon must beware of switching into Rock Blast, though.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-type Pokemon such as Clefable, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko resist Mega Heracross's STAB combination and threaten it with a super effective Fairy-type attack.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-type Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Latios are threatening to Mega Heracross, as they can force it out with their powerful STAB attacks.
**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona resist Mega Heracross's STAB types and can OHKO it with their own STAB attacks. These Pokemon must beware of switching into Rock Blast, however.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Faster offensive Pokemon such as Supersonic Skystrike Landorus-T, Aerial Ace Dugtrio, and Extrasensory Greninja can revenge kill Mega Heracross with ease.
Mega Heracross sports an excellent Attack stat with powerful STAB moves and coverage options, making it a very powerful wallbreaker in the OU tier. Good bulk and a unique defensive typing allow Mega Heracross to act as a solid offensive check to prevalent Pokemon such as Zygarde and Tapu Bulu. Likewise, Mega Heracross also serves as a reliable switch-in to Knock Off. Thanks to its sheer power, bulk, and expansive movepool, Mega Heracross excels at breaking down bulky defensive cores and combating most stall archetypes as a whole. Although a Bug / Fighting typing grants it helpful resistances to Dark-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks, it also leaves Mega Heracross weak to a plethora of other common attacking types such as Fire and Psychic, as well as 4x weak to Flying-type attacks. This, in conjunction with its poor Speed stat, can make it rather easy to revenge kill Mega Heracross with faster offensive Pokemon. In a similar vein, Mega Heracross often struggles versus more offensive teams that can take advantage of its poor Speed stat and consistently force it out with the threat of powerful super effective attacks.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Pin Missile
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Swords Dance / Earthquake
item: Heracronite
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is Mega Heracross's most powerful Fighting-type attack, doing immense damage to any Pokemon that does not resist it. Pin Missile completes Mega Heracross's dual STAB combination, nailing Psychic-types such as Mew for super effective damage, and will always hit five times thanks to Skill Link. Rock Blast is critical coverage for Mega Heracross, nailing troublesome Flying-, Ghost-, and Fairy-type Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Zapdos, Alolan Marowak, and Clefable for at least neutral damage. Rock Blast will always hit five times as well due to Skill Link. Swords Dance boosts Mega Heracross's Attack stat to astronomical levels, allowing it to overwhelm defensive Pokemon such as Magic Guard Clefable, Skarmory, and Mega Sableye. Earthquake can also be used in this slot in order to deal super effective damage to Toxapex, which would otherwise wall Mega Heracross. Lastly, Substitute is an option to avoid harmful status ailments, as well as easing prediction and making Mega Heracross much more difficult to revenge kill.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment with an Adamant nature allows Mega Heracross to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Heracronite is necessary to Mega Evolve Heracross. Moxie lets Heracross gain an Attack boost by KOing a foe before Mega Evolving. An alternate EV spread of 240 HP / 136 Atk / 132 Spe can be used to outspeed uninvested Landorus-T after Mega Evolving, as well as 2HKO non-maximum Defense Clefable. This spread, however, has far less wallbreaking potential than the main spread.
Usage Tips
========
Switch Mega Heracross into Pokemon such as Assault Vest Tangrowth, Tapu Bulu, and Zygarde so it can punch holes in the opposing team. Conversely, prior to Mega Evolving, Heracross has relatively low bulk and should typically not be directly switched into even powerful resisted attacks, as they will do significant damage. Mega Heracross is best used as an early- to mid-game wallbreaker rather than a late-game sweeper due to its lackluster Speed stat. As such, use it to heavily weaken opposing walls for a cleaner to sweep in the later stages of the battle.
Team Options
========
Users of Volt Switch and U-turn such as Rotom-W and Landorus-T make for amazing teammates alongside Mega Heracross, as they can provide it with free switches to wreak havoc on the opposing team. Rotom-W works particularly well with Mega Heracross, as it can also pivot into the Fire- and Flying-type Pokemon that threaten it out. Mega Heracross greatly appreciates Stealth Rock and Spikes support from the likes of Clefable, Landorus-T, and Greninja, as they aid it in breaking down even the bulkiest of defensive cores. Clefable and offensive variants of Landorus-T make for particularly potent partners alongside Mega Heracross because they can reliably get up Stealth Rock versus opposing stall teams to aid Mega Heracross in muscling through bulky Pokemon such as Unaware Clefable. Late-game cleaners such as Choice Scarf Keldeo and Shift Gear Magearna are logical partners alongside Mega Heracross, as it excels at breaking down bulkier walls that trouble these Pokemon. Smeargle can set up Sticky Web, which helps alleviate Mega Heracross's poor Speed stat and improves its matchup versus offensive teams greatly. Finally, Flying-types such as Mega Pinsir and Tornadus-T are very threatening to Mega Heracross, so Pokemon like Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Skarmory that can combat these foes make for excellent teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bullet Seed is an alternative option for Mega Heracross's final moveslot, hitting Tapu Fini for super effective damage. This is very niche in comparison to the utility of Swords Dance, Earthquake, or Substitute, however.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Flying-types**: Flying-type Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Mega Pinsir, and Landorus-T all resist Mega Heracross's STAB combination and can threaten it out with a 4x super effective Flying-type attack. These Pokemon must beware of switching into Rock Blast, though.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-type Pokemon such as Clefable, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko resist Mega Heracross's STAB combination and threaten it with a super effective Fairy-type attack.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-type Pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Latios are threatening to Mega Heracross, as they can force it out with their powerful STAB attacks.
**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona resist Mega Heracross's STAB types and can OHKO it with their own STAB attacks. These Pokemon must beware of switching into Rock Blast, however.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Faster offensive Pokemon such as Supersonic Skystrike Landorus-T, Aerial Ace Dugtrio, and Extrasensory Greninja can revenge kill Mega Heracross with ease.
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