Starmie

Starmie is a formidable late-game threat and a reliable Rapid Spin user thanks to its blazing Speed, powerful Hydro Pump, and useful coverage. The only common threats that can outspeed it are Jolly Dugtrio, Jolteon, and Aerodactyl. Starmie's presence forces faster-paced teams to carry revenge killers or checks that can withstand two hits, while slower teams are forced on the back foot as Starmie removes their Spikes on a forced switch to a passive special wall. This cements Starmie's placement on Toxic, Sandstorm, and Spikes (TSS) teams as a spinner and late-game cleaner.

Thanks to Recover and Natural Cure, Starmie can also run a bulky Rapid Spin set to repeatedly remove Spikes throughout the game. Starmie's main competitors as a spinner -- Claydol and Forretress -- struggle against status, residual damage, and Skarmory, although Starmie still dislikes Toxic. A bulky Starmie can also check common Pokemon such as offensive Swampert, Metagross, Cloyster, Breloom, Moltres, and Charizard. Additionally, Starmie can pair with other Natural Cure users like Blissey and Celebi to absorb status, pressuring status-reliant walls like Milotic, Swampert, and Blissey.

Starmie is held back by its inability to play offense and defense simultaneously. Offensive variants cannot switch directly into attacks; are easily revenge killed by Aerodactyl and Jolly Dugtrio; must land the imperfectly accurate Hydro Pump against dangerous foes such as Magneton, Metagross, Tyranitar, and Swampert; and struggle to muscle through defensive answers such as Snorlax, Celebi, Jirachi, and especially Blissey without sand and Spikes. On the other hand, defensive Starmie is quite passive and setup fodder for Pokemon such as Celebi, Snorlax, Suicune, Heracross, Substitute + Calm Mind Jirachi, and Taunt + Dragon Dance Gyarados. Starmie's bulk and defensive typing are poor, forcing even bulky variants to use Recover often, and it is easily put into KO range of Pursuit Tyranitar’s Crunch and Cloyster’s Explosion through chip damage like sand and Spikes. Starmie's competition as a spinner in Claydol and Forretress have much higher bulk and utility; both are immune to sand and Claydol is immune to Spikes. Starmie is also vulnerable to mind games against teams with Gengar and Toxic + Protect Skarmory, which can spinblock while Toxic wears it down.