03/29/24, 14:52
#120 | Staryu | Pokédex Strategy Moves Database | Mr. Mime | #122 |
This article gives you ideas of how to use Starmie in battle in the Pokémon Black, Pokémon White and Pokemon B2W2 Games. It lists popular movesets used by competitive battlers, as well as a description on how to use each set to help you understand why the moves were chosen. These popular sets are usually the best to use in battle and so reading this guide will help you in your team building.
Gen 4: OverviewStarmie is usually used on Offensive teams, taking advantage of its amazing speed and decent special attack ( holding Life Orb would be even better). Although Starmie is sometimes used in semi-stall or stall teams as a spinner or something just to check Salamence and Gyarados.
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Ability | Nature | Item | HP | Atk. | Def. | SpAtk. | SpDef. | Speed | |
Natural Cure | Timid | life orb / expert belt | 4 | 0 | 0 | 252 | 0 | 252 | |
Starmie has maxed out Speed to outspeed as much things as possible and with 252 EVs in Special Attack, and with Life Orb it can be a potent sweeper. It´s mvoes has almost perfect Coverage. Hydro Pump can OHKO SD Scizor after SR damage, and Zapdos after SR damage, despite its 85% Accuracy and its PPs.
Thunderbolt and Ice beam are there for coverage (Salamence / Gyarados). The use of Psychic and Recover and Grass Knot is based on your team needs. Recover is for regaining health from attacks, entry hazards, Life Orb recoil, hail or sandstorm. Psychic can OHKO Heracross and is your best bet on Tentacruel and Machamp and Kingdra. Grass Knot is to hit other water types super effective ( notably Swampert ). Rapid Spin can be used on his set over Ice Beam or Thunderbolt, it works surprisingly well on offensive teams. It clears the field for your sweepers ( Gyarados, Salamece, etc) to come in and sweep or set up. If something like Rotom comes in and blocks the spin Starmie can give it a little bit of a surprise with its powerful Hydro Pump.
This Starmie ( with or without Rapid Spin ) can be a great anti-lead. Starmie is also recommended for late-game when your opponent is weakened as much as possible.
Ability | Nature | Item | HP | Atk. | Def. | SpAtk. | SpDef. | Speed | |
Natural Cure | Timid | leftovers | 136 | 0 | 156 | 0 | 0 | 216 | |
Starmie is a good choice as a spinner for your team, with the given EVs, it can outspeed max speed + nature base 100 speed Pokemon, Natural Cure helps alot with Starmie. It comes in and gets poisoned by Toxic Spikes, and Rapid Spins it away and switches out ( cures poison), or recover, or attack accordingly.
Surf or Hydro Pump is there for STAB to take on Infernape, Mamoswine, non-scarf Heatran, etc. But as a spinner, Tentacruel is sometimes used over Starmie due to its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and lay down some Toxic Spikes, but it has no moves of recovery ( other than rest), but Tentacruel tend to be more bulkier. With the given EVs, Starmie can survive +1 Gyarados´s Earthquake or Stone Edge at full health, and has a 0.991 chance of surviving after Stealth Rock Damage. Ice Beam is for Salamence and Dragonite and those rare non-scarf Flygons. The use of Thunderbolt and Ice Beam is based on your team, if your team is rather weak to Gyarados and have a Salamence counter, use Thunderbolt, if weak to the latter use Ice Beam, however both Draco Meteor and Outrage from Salamemce ( Jolly and Adamant) both OHKO Starmie.
Bulky Ghost types or faster Ghost types can be a problem for Starmie since it blocks Rapid Spin and can OHKO it back with Shadow Ball or Thunderbolt ( Gengar or Rotom-a). Lanturn with Volt Absorb or Water Absorb can also cause Starmie some problems being resistant to all of its moves ( and if Thunderbolt, Lanturn can have Volt Absorb, Surf or Hydro Pump can be useless with Water Absorb). Pursuiters ( namely Scizor and Tyranitar) can trap Starmie, Scizor takes 36.2% - 42.9% from Starmie´s Surf and 45.7% - 52.3% from Hydro Pump and Bullet Punch ( SD Scizor ) does 51.2% - 60.3% and 60.5% - 80.7% from Pursuit, both OHKOs after 1 Sword Dance, and if Starmie is swtiching out Pursuit is an OHKO.
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Ability | Nature | Item | HP | Atk. | Def. | SpAtk. | SpDef. | Speed | |
Natural Cure | Timid / Modest | choice scarf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 252 | 0 | 252 | |
There are no current set statistics analysed |
Scarf Starmie can revenge kill most of the metagame, even Gyarados or Salamece with +1 speed. Starmie could be Modest if you don´t have Trick, since it outspeeds =1 Gyarados and Salamence with Modest. The last slot is basically a free slot, Trick is to cripple walls that tend to switch in on Starmie such as Blissey and Snorlax who are pretty much useless when Tricked a scarf. Grass Knot and Psychic are there just for coverage and power.
When Starmie is locked into one move it allows the opponent to set up on it ( SD Luke).
Ability | Nature | Item | HP | Atk. | Def. | SpAtk. | SpDef. | Speed | |
Natural Cure | Timid / Modest | choice specs | 4 | 0 | 0 | 252 | 0 | 252 | |
There are no current set statistics analysed |
This is basically the same as the Choice Scarf Starmie except this is for pure power instead of revenge killing. The moves are pretty self-explanatory, Surf and Hydro Pump are for STAB, and Thunderbolt / Ice Beam for excellent coverage. The last slot Grass Knot is no longer a necessary option since Hydro Pump does 66.3% - 78.2% on Swampert ( 2HKO guaranteed ).
Again Trick could be used to get a wall on the switch-in, such as Blissey and Snorlax. Psychic is for coverage and damage on things like Tentacruel.
Ability | Nature | Item | HP | Atk. | Def. | SpAtk. | SpDef. | Speed | |
Natural Cure | Timid | choice scarf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 252 | 0 | 252 | |
There are no current set statistics analysed |
This is another spinner, Starmie can trick a scarf onto something like Hippowdon to cripple them if they switch into a counter namely Blissey or Snorlax, Tricking a scarf would still be useful. Hydro Pump is sometimes used over Surf for the 2HKO on Rotom-a and Metagross and OHKO on Gengar, Starmie can beat othern scarf lead such as Breloom and Jirachi. But it can´t beat Tyranitar leads ( Hydro Pump does 27% - 32.2%). However Starmie can save the scarf to late game to revenge kill scarf Flygon, agiligross, Dragon Dance Salamence, Dragon Dance Gyarados, etc. Starmie can also hit Vaporeon and Suicune pretty hard with Thunderbolt.
Starmie´s most used set is the Special Attacking set. Starmie can work well with things that can break Special Walls such as Lucario and Machamp. Starmie can sweep without thinking of Pursuit and Tyranitar Crunch, with Reflect. Reflect counters most of Starmie´s weaknesses leaving Ghost-type special sweeper which Starmie can still have problems with. So Pursuit users can also help Starmie with ghosts in some cases. Starmie can easily get trapped with Pursuit, Pursuiters usually won´t reveal themselves until Starmie comes out. Entry hazards usually gets set up early-game to weaken your pokemon when you siwtch, so Starmie makes itself a good lead and a good early-game sweeper ,so things like Gyarados and Salamence can switch in freely with no Stealth Rocks. However something like Machamp does help Starmie to sweep by countering Tyranitar which loves to switch in on Starmie.
Other OptionsStarmie can be a screener for your team with Light Clay. And sometimes could be used as a staller with Toxic, Recover, Surf, Filler ( Light Screen / Reflect). Hidden Power Fire can sometimes be used for Scizor, who attempts to U–Turn or Pursuit Starmie. Thunderwave can also be an option to cripple opponents and give a slower sweep to either set up or sweep.
Usual CountersStarmie can be countered by Blissey and Snorlax and Lanturn Scarf Rotom-a or Scarf Gengar and Scarf Tyranitar. However Blissey is screwed after a Trick, but Snorlax doesn´t mind it as much, Snorlax also can carry Crunch or/and Pursuit. Metagross can come in and use Agility while Hydro Pump does ~70% ( but watch out for crits ) and go for the Knock Out with Metoer Mash. Weavile can go for the revenge with either Night Slash or Pursuit. But needs to watch out for Hydro Pump when Pursuit doesn´t kill. Ghosts can really hurt Starmie, faster ones KO Starmie, slower bulkier ones can survive a hit from Starmie.
Also a specially builky Celebi can coutner it pretty well ( not the Choice Specs Version). Ice Beam from a non-specs Starmie won´t OHKO, but 2HKO, so Celebi can usually revenge Starmie with Grass Knot or Leaf Storm.
OpinionIn my opinion Starmie is a really good Pokemon, I usually reveal it early game and see if there´s any Blisseys or Tyranitars. Starmie can be a really good anti lead , I´ve used and faced it many times ( especially the Specs set). With access to Rapid Spin, Recover, Thunderbolt, Natural Cure, it´s very unique and useful. Starmie is usually used on Offensive teams, as a special sweeper or a support. Life Orb set can be deadly late-game with base 115 Speed and boosted base 100 special attack, it can dent many Pokemon severely. But, sometimes it can be used on stall teams as spinner, Toxic, Gyarados / Salamence check. Even though Starmie have problems with Weavile and Tyranitar ,it still can be a threat, and let´s don´t forgot it could have teamates who can counter Tyranitar and Weavile ( namely Scizor).