Heracross

Fighting

• Heracross is an important asset to Fighting because of its valuable Bug-type STAB that allows it to deal with Psychic-types, high base Attack, and extensive movepool.
• Heracross is also blessed with two useful abilities in Guts and Moxie.
• The former allows Heracross to beat status users such as Mega Sableye, while the latter allows it to sweep when its checks are weakened
• Heracross also has a useful defensive typing, with a resistance to Grass, Ground, and Fighting.
• It also brings Knock Off utility, allowing it to remove items like Latios's Choice Scarf.
• However, Heracross's defenses are nothing special, and it is slower than other common Choice Scarf users such as Victini and Excadrill.
• It also has to rely on Megahorn to eliminate threats, which has middling accuracy in spite of its high Base Power.
• Heracross also faces competition from Buzzwole, another viable Bug / Fighting type that has higher Attack and better physical bulk. However, Heracross is faster, has stronger STAB moves, and has a more useful ability in Guts.

Bug

Heracross is useful on Bug-type teams as a revenge killer, with its high Attack stat and average Speed tier allowing it to effectively come in and revenge kill threats to Bug-type teams. With Choice Scarf, Heracross's Speed tier notably lets it outspeed Mega Lopunny and Charizard and secure KOs against them. However, its middle-ground Speed tier means it is outsped by a lot of other Choice Scarf Pokemon, such as Latios, Victini, and Nihilego, though in several cases this can be remedied slightly by effective use of Sticky Web. Heracross's Fighting typing also allows it to hit types like Rock, Normal, and Steel that Bug-type teams commonly struggle to deal with, and its ability Moxie gives it a lot of potential to sweep teams late-game with its choice of coverage and STAB moves. However, Heracross is walled by common Pokemon such as Skarmory, Celesteela, and Toxapex, which it fails to 2HKO and allows them to recover safely. Heracross also is quite weak to priority attackers, especially after Close Combat Defense drops. Status effects are also very threatening to Heracross, as paralysis and burn cripple its roles as a Choice Scarf revenge killer and potential late-game sweeper. Furthermore, Heracross can be easily checked due to its STAB moves having poor coverage individually. Mega Heracross's monstrous Attack stat and access to Swords Dance make it a formidable wallbreaker on Bug teams that can destroy many walls, such as Skarmory, Celesteela, Mantine, and Toxapex. It also has great bulk, giving it ample setup opportunities while simultaneously making it harder to revenge kill. However, its Speed is average at best, making it heavily reliant on Sticky Web support against more offensive teams. It also takes up the team's Mega slot, preventing the use of Mega Pinsir or Mega Scizor, both of which are arguably superior choices. The former boasts superior Speed, and the latter has a better defensive typing. Both also have STAB priority, which Bug otherwise lacks.