Starmie

Starmie returns as a reliable Rapid Spinner and strong attacker. Entry hazards are everywhere in DPP OU, and Starmie's access to reliable recovery, excellent base 115 Speed, and offensive prowess give it opportunities to remove them. Starmie's Speed allows it to outspeed Infernape, Gengar, Choice Scarf Magnezone, and Latias, while its strong Water-type attacks threaten Ghost-types and Tyranitar trying to stop it from using Rapid Spin, even potentially OHKOing Gengar, Rotom-A, and Tyranitar without bulk investment with a Choice Specs Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock. These qualities make Starmie arguably the best Rapid Spin user in DPP OU, as no other spinner can universally threaten Ghost-types like it can. Starmie provides fantastic support for Stealth Rock-weak threats such as Zapdos, Gyarados, and Dragonite as well as grounded Pokemon vulnerable to Spikes such as Breloom, Heatran, Blissey, and Jirachi. Furthermore, Starmie has a fantastic movepool; it can support its team by spreading Thunder Wave or can go on the offensive with options such as Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Psychic, and Grass Knot. Starmie's Speed, Water / Psychic typing, and serviceable bulk let it check threats such as Gyarados, Infernape, Jirachi, Heatran, Bronzong, Swampert, and Metagross. Natural Cure especially helps with this—Starmie can switch into status-inducing moves such as Heatran's Lava Plume, Jirachi's Body Slam, and Clefable's Thunder Wave to either threaten them out or remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin. It especially helps with Toxic Spikes, so it isn't hampered for the rest of the game after removing them.

Starmie is limited by how easily it is Pursuit trapped by the omnipresent Tyranitar and how the metagame has adapted to it. Tyranitar can use a Choice Scarf to outspeed and checkmate Starmie with a faster Pursuit or OHKO all but the most physically defensive sets with Crunch. On the other hand, bulkier Tyranitar sets with a Passho Berry survive even Choice Specs boosted Hydro Pump with ease and remove Starmie. Stealth Rock users have also adapted to Starmie's prowess—even those weak to Water such as Heatran commonly carry Passho Berry to survive Starmie's attacks and KO it back with Explosion or Hidden Power Grass. On top of this, Starmie's overall average bulk and vulnerability to residual damage is easily taken advantage of. Starmie is weak to all three entry hazards, sand, and often wants maximum Speed; this makes it difficult to invest into its bulk to better survive Tyranitar's attacks or coverage options from Stealth Rock users such as Jirachi's Thunder or Thunderbolt, Metagross’s Thunder Punch, Swampert's Earthquake, and Infernape's U-turn. Thus, Starmie often has to choose between staying healthy or making progress. This conundrum is made worse in that DPP OU is notoriously hostile to spinning; even Tyranitar without bulk investment and offensive Rotom-A can survive Starmie's unboosted attacks and trap it or KO back with Thunderbolt, respectively, while Clefable can use Knock Off to wear it down even more quickly. Offensive Starmie can be particularly devastating against opposing offensive teams due to its Speed, power, and coverage, but it is extremely frail and relies on the inaccurate Hydro Pump.