Heracross, The Singlehorn Pokémon. It’s proud of its thick horn. In Alola, its biggest rival is Vikavolt, which it’s always fighting with It roams through forests searching for sweet nectar. Although it boasts fantastic physical strength, it’s not that good at flying. With its Herculean powers, it can easily throw around an object that is 100 times its own weight.
Overview
With strong typing and good stats, Heracross has been a powerful threat since its release. Heracross boasts a decent typing overall, resisting common moves such as Earthquake which allows Heracross to be a strong pivot option. However, Bug typing is a problem for Heracross as it is weak to common types such as Fire, Rock, and Flying, limiting its defensive utility. These weaknesses are very problematic in any standard format though, and they ultimately keep Heracross below the big guys, roaming as a powerful wallbreaker and potential revenge killer in other formats.
Positives
Stats - Heracross has great stats across the board with only Speed being subpar and Special Attack being terrible, but Heracross never uses it. 125 Attack is not as good as it used to be but is still massive and applies heavy pressure to the enemy team. This pairs well with 80 base HP and 75/95 defenses that ultimately make Heracross a fairly durable bug.
Powerful Attacks - While its STAB combination is a mixed bag, it boasts access to very powerful options in Megahorn and Close Combat to abuse its impressive Attack stat. It also has access to strong coverage options such as Earthquake and Stone Edge, as well as Facade for Guts sets.
Negatives
Speed - While it was mentioned that Heracross has good overall stats, its Speed is a problem as 85 base is far from good anymore. This means that Heracross has to be played carefully as faster threats easily force Heracross out and makes it very easy to revenge kill.
Item Dependence - This ties in with Heracross's low Speed, Heracross needs specific items to really work. This means that Heracross is very linear, always using Choice Scarf, Flame Orb, or Heracronite.
Abilities
Guts - Raise Attack by 1.5x when affected by status - This has always been a strong option, Guts is still a powerful ability as it turns Heracross into a terrifying wallbreaker as well as status sponge.
Swarm - Raise Bug moves by 1.5x when below 33% health - The worst of Heracross's abilities, this has little use as Heracross excels at being a pivot/revenge killer with access to 2 great abilities, and doesn't have the speed to capitalize on the Swarm boost.
Moxie - Raise Attack by 1 stage when KOing a Pokemon - Heracross's best ability overall, this allows Heracross to really abuse a Choice Scarf to sweep as well as Substitute for wall-breaking.
Movesets
Wallbreaker
-Close Combat
-Knock Off
-Facade
-Swords Dance
Item Attached: Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs and Nature:
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
With the Flame Orb to trigger Guts, Heracross becomes a powerful wall breaker that has multiple switch-in opportunities with its ability to act as a status absorber once burned. Close Combat is the primary STAB move, allowing Heracross to punch huge holes in anything that doesn't resist Fighting-type moves. Facade is the main coverage move with good base damage and neutral coverage while Knock Off cripples Psychic and Ghost switch ins. Swords Dance rounds out the moves to allow Heracross to 2HKO most of the tier, as well as pressure out stall teams.
Revenge Killer
-Close Combat
-Knock Off
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge / Megahorn
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs and Nature:
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
Slightly worse off than the Guts set, Choice Scarf allows Heracross to revenge kill threats or look to sweep off the boost from Moxie. Close Combat is the main STAB move again due to its raw power. Knock Off makes a return with its ability to cripple walls and pressure Psychic- and Ghost-type threats. Earthquake hits Nidoking and Nidoqueen hard what otherwise are a problem for the set. Stone Edge is a nice final option to nail Mega Aerodactyl and Togekiss while Megahorn hits Psychic- and Grass-types harder.
Other Options& Partners
Guts + Choice Band - A hybrid set, if Heracross can get hit with status it becomes a nightmare to deal with, having power close to the power of the standard Guts set with an immediate boost. Pursuit is a nice option over Swords Dance here to hit things trying to run while Stone Edge or Earthquake are nice for Togekiss and Nidoking respectively.
Mega Aerodactyl - An aggressive partner, Mega Aerodactyl pressures a lot of the metagame, most of which it wants to come into are threats Heracross brings in. With its massive Flying weakness, Heracross tends to lure in easy set up fodder for Mega Aerodactyl while chunking bulky Water-types that can bother Mega Aerodactyl, as well as Weavile. However, both have to be wary of Scizor which is a very common threat.
Scizor - Resisting Fairy- and Psychic-types, Scizor is a nice option to switch into threats that can harass Heracross and Pursuit trap Ghost- and Psychic-types, while revenge killing Fairies with Bullet Punch. Scizor also has access to U-Turn to give Heracross a free switch in as well as Defog to prevent residual damage from stacking up. However, be mindful of stacking Fire weaknesses.
Countering Heracross
Flying-types - With a quad weakness, stray Flying-type moves and Pokemon are some of the best ways to answer Heracross. Mega Aerodactyl is one of the best answer with its massive power and strong presence. Mantine and Moltres are also strong options with their good bulk. Mantine can just Roost off the damage and scare off non Guts sets with Scald while Moltres just blows it up.
Fairy-types - Similar to Flying-types, Fairies have a natural resistance to Fighting-type moves, making them excellent answers to Heracross. Togekiss is the front runner here with a quad resistance thanks to its Flying typing and Air Slash. Mega Altaria and Sylveon are strong options as well with their good bulk and access to Hyper Voice for Substitutes, however rare that is.
Heracross, The Singlehorn Pokémon. It can grip things with its two horns and lift 500 times its own body weight. A tremendous influx of energy builds it up, but when Mega Evolution ends, Heracross is bothered by terrible soreness in its muscles.
Overview
With its shiny new Mega Stone, Heracross cements itself as a powerful wallbreaker. Skill Link brings heavy support for these sets, being able to break Substitutes and Focus Sashes to shut down foes relying on such strategies. This makes it a deadly wallbreaker with even greater bulk to function as an effective tank. However, it suffers from the same issues as its regular form, namely suffering from an awkward defensive typing by virtue of being a Bug-type. It also becomes slightly slower which makes its already awkward Speed tier even worse, being too fast for Trick Room and too slow for sweeping. All that being said, Mega Heracross may not be a threat that appears often in standard play but it's still something that can rip apart unprepared teams with ease.
Abilities
Skill Link - Multi-hit moves always hit 5 times - This was out of left field but makes Mega Heracross an amazing stallbreaker with its ability to break Substitutes and Focus Sash. Mega Heracross also has a useful assortment of moves to abuse this ability to full effect.
Movesets
Wallbreaker
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Rock Blast
-Pin Missile / Bullet Seed / Substitute
Item Attached: Heracronite
Ability: Skill Link (Moxie on Heracross)
EVs and Nature:
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Mega Heracross really needs Swords Dance to set itself apart from other wall breakers such as Greninja and Kyurem Black, allowing Mega Heracross to muscle through most walls. Close Combat is actually better than Arm Thrust (120 base power vs 75 base power) and pairs well with Rock Blast for good neutral coverage. Pin Missile provides as strong secondary STAB that abuses Skill Link well, though Bullet Seed is an alternative to break bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini easier. Substitute on the other hand allows Mega Heracross to get a free swing onto some threats it otherwise wouldn't be able to hit such as Charizard.
Partners
Landorus Therian - With Intimidate and access to Stealth Rock, Landorus Therian is a strong option as a partner with Mega Heracross. With powerful Earthquakes and access to Stone Edge to scare off Flying-type threats such as Mega Pinsir, Landorus Therian does an excellent job answering some of the best answers to Mega Heracross. U-turn also allows a free switch in as well for Mega Heracross, providing great momentum that it really needs. Magearna - With an Assault Vest, Magearna becomes a powerful pivot, able to switch into many threats that would beat Mega Heracross such as Tapu Lele and Latios, and pressure them while also providing Volt Switch momentum for Mega Heracross.
Countering Mega Heracross
Celesteela - With the typing of Skarmory, solid bulk, and access to Air Slash and Flamethrower, Celesteela is a decent answer to Mega Heracross. Leech Seed also plays well into this as Celesteela can just Leech Seed and stall for health with Protect, but it can get blown back by a +2 Close Combat if this gets predicted. Celesteela also has a harder time with Substitute Mega Heracross as it can dodge Leech Seed and needs an Air Slash or Flamethrower to break the Substitute, meaning it needs to eat either 2 Close Combats or a +2 Close Combat.
Landorus Therian - The generic physical sponge, Intimidate makes Mega Heracross a lot more manageable. Landorus Therian also resist Mega Heracross's STABs meaning Rock Blast is the most effective way to actually hurt it. However, Landorus Therian can't do a lot to Mega Heracross as it resists Earthquake and forces the use of Stone Edge, unless Flyinium Z is being used.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in Game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Route 29, Route 30, Route 31, Route 32, Route 33, Route 42, Route 43, Route 44, Route 45, Route 46 (Gold/Silver)
Route 29, Route 30, Route 31, Route 32, Route 33, Route 34, Route 36, Route 37, Route 38, Route 39, Azalea Town, Lake of Rage, Route 26, Route 27 (Crystal)
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Safari Zone
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Pattern Bush
Colosseum/XD:
Snagged from Cipher Nascour in Realgam Tower Colosseum ( Colosseum)
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald/FireRed/LeafGreen (XD)
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Honey Trees
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Routes 7, 11, 16, 28, 33, 42, 44, 45, 46 & 47, Azalea Town Vermillion City, Celadon City, Mt. Silver
Black/White:
Route 12
Black 2/White 2:
Route 12, Lostlorn Forest (Black 2)
Hidden Grotto - Lostlorn Forest (White 2)
X/Y:
Route 12, Friend Safari (Y)
Friend Safari (X)
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Safari Zone
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Poni Grove
Animé Appearences
