UU Heracross (UU Guts Swords Dance) (QC 1/1) [GP 1/1]

Heracross @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Close Combat
- Knock Off

Heracross is an incredibly powerful Pokemon in the UU tier as of late, being potent at dismantling stall and breaking down even the bulkiest of teams. Being able to throw off Guts- and Swords Dance-boosted Facades and Close Combats will stun opponents who think their walls can stop Heracross in its tracks. It’s extremely good at forcing switches, and it benefits greatly from hazard support from Pokemon like Klefki, Swampert, and Mamoswine. Heracross is really appreciated on teams that struggle with dealing with bulky builds and want something that can wallbreak to pave the way for Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl to clean up. Heracross’s mediocre defensive stats make it sometimes difficult to switchit into direct attacks, so it appreciates VoltTurn support from Mega Manectric, Gliscor, and Scizor. Despite being an offensive powerhouse, Heracross has trouble finding use in matchups versus offensively inclined teams, being easily outsped and KOed by common threats such as Latias and Mega Aerodactyl. However, Heracross can still punch holes in offensive teams by switching in on a Pokemon that cannot do much damage to it, such as Krookodile.

Here’s a replay of Heracross being used masterfully by Eyan to break the opponent's team apart: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-645217487
 
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Eyan

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Don't overestimate Heracross's ability to take on stall. It's a huge threat to it, but any stall team worth their salt has to pack some sort of answer to it like defensive Moltres for example. Just mention how it's a big threat instead of saying it can single handedly take those teams on.

It's not deceptively fast by any measure. Base 85 doesn't go a long way unless it's against teams that are inherently slow. In fact, one of Heracross's biggest flaws is its Speed, since it even has to Speed tie stuff like Nidoking. That said, you could completely remove this line and mention in the first one how it can threaten fat teams with Swords Dance-boosted Close Combat and Facade.

Heracross really isn't that frail (taking a Draco Meteor from Hydreigon after Stealth Rock damage isn't anything to look past). Just say mediocre defense stats.

In the line where you mention it having trouble against offensive teams, this is where you should be specifically mention its Speed as a flaw. However, what should also be mentioned is that even against those teams, because Heracross has very few defensive switch-ins as is, it can still proceed to break the opposing team in two by getting a good switch into something like Krookodile that can't damage it too much (my replay wouldn't be valid otherwise). Mention that Heracross is appreciated on teams that struggle with dealing with stall and want something that can wallbreak to pave the way for Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl.

Remove the last line. Those sets are pretty damn mediocre + this is a set spotlight, not a Pokémon spotlight, so no need for other options unnecessarily

QC 1/1
 
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Heracross @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Close Combat
- Knock Off

Heracross is an incredibly powerful Pokemon in the UU tier as of late, being potent at dismantling stall and break breaking down even the bulkiest of teams. Being able to throw off Guts and Swords Dance boosted Guts- and Swords Dance-boosted Facades and Close Combats will stun opponents who think their bulky walls (this feels kinda redundant, as a wall is by definition bulky) can stop Heracross in its tracks. It’s extremely good at forcing switches, and it benefits greatly from hazard support from Pokemon like Klefki, Swampert, and Mamoswine. Heracross is really appreciated on teams that struggle with dealing with bulky builds and want something that can wallbreak to pave the way for Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl to clean up. Heracross’s mediocre defense defensive stats make it sometimes difficult to switch it into direct attacks, so it appreciates VoltTurn support from Mega Manectric, Gliscor, and Scizor. Despite being an offensive powerhouse, Heracross has trouble finding use in matchups versus offensively inclined teams, being easily outsped and knocked out KOed by common threats such as Latias and Mega Aerodactyl. However, Heracross can still punch holes in offensive teams by getting a good switch into something that cannot do much to it switching in on a Pokemon that cannot do much damage to it, such as Krookodile.

Here’s a replay of Heracross being used masterfully by Eyan to break the opponents opponent's team apart: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7uu-645217487

GP 1/1
 

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