http://thpp.supersanctuary.net/wiki/Sara
Base stats
Hp: 140
Attack:100
Def:60
Spec Attack:40
Spec def: 120
Spd: 40
Abilities: gate keeper/guts
Say hello to snorelax...I mean Sara. this bulky beauty does everything the little road block that could does, and a lot more. With her combined Hp/SpDef stats of 140/120 she can tank special hits for days, combine that with her outstanding buff pool and 100 base attack, guts and gatekeeper and you have one hellish bulky sweeper.
Set 1: RestTalker.Sara @ Leftovers
Ability: Gatekeeper
Ev's: 252 hp/252 spdef/4 atk
Nature: Careful (+ Spdef/-SpAtk)
-Submission
-Rest
-Bulk Up
-
Sleep talk/Earthquake/Steel Fist
Usage: This is Touhou, our gatekeepers take naps on relaxing days, this is the source of their power. See they're not JUST napping, they're secretly doing full body cardio and bench pressing sleepy sheep. Don't believe me? Pop Sara in on a special threat or dedicated wall and go to town, with a bulk up or 2 up there's very little in the game that can threaten a 2 or even 3 hit KO, rest talking lets you pretty much ignore status effects and they cant even roar you out. Sadly you are restricted to 1 attacking move, but hey, who cares about type charts when your at +6 attack?
Set 2: FAAALLLCOOON PUUUUNCHSara @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
EV's 252 Spec Def/ 252 attack
Nature: Adamant (+ =atk/-spatk)
-Mach punch
-Steel fist
-Earthquake
-Belly Drum
Usage: Yup. set does what it says, come in on something you can tank a hit or 2 from or ideally something that throws status on you (surprisingly easy to do really) drum up, mach punch all the things, steel fist is for coverage EQ is because Yoshika. Wish I could write more on usage but ya, that's it. Drum>murder everything not much lives a +6 guts mach punch with a layer or 2 of spikes up.
Set 3: Doesnt SubpunchSara@Leftovers
Ability: Guts
Adamant nature
252 Atk/176 Def/80 SDef
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
-Steel Fist
-Mach Punch/Earthquake
It's quite effective- even without HP or SDef investment (which doesn't add up to much actual bulk anyway) you can get a Sub up quite easily and proceed to smack the tar out of stuff. Mach Punch lets you finish the odd thing that lives a Focus Punch while not being dead-weight against fast offense, and Steel Fist gives you coverage. Running Guts over Gate Keeper accentuates Sara's power at smashing defensive mon's faces in, though I could see running Gate Keeper to get subs up more comfortably. It also gives most of Sara's traditional counters a really hard time- Darks can't predict around Steel Fist when coming in as easily if you're packing Sub, and Yumeko doesn't enjoy being Focus Punched.
Counters-Rest talk: anything that can 2 hit KO (Dark Alice, A Utsuho, A Remilia, Flandre forms etc) you or packs taunt/haze and does more damage to you than you do to them (Aya forms, vanilla Rumia). Any of these can flat out destroy Sara if they come in on a rest, good news is almost nobody actually runs taunt/haze or super boom attackers for some reason, if they do, eliminate em and run all over their team.
Counters-Belly Drum: Fast physical fliers/reason types/darks with high def. Physical walls with roar. Its worth noting that you will likely have to sac something to get these in cleanly because mach punch at +6 guts 2 hit KO's just about anything it doesn't 1 hit KO after spikes. If she's toxiced feel free to try and detect stall for the kill.
Counters-Doesnt Subpunch: Bulky reason types/extremely bulky flyers/Bulky Phasers can swap in freely on Subpunch and either break her sub and force her out or phase her away to deal with later as long as she isnt packing a guts boost. Magic Stones in particular gives 0 fucks about unstab steel fist.
Support: Aromatherapy and wish passing can give both Sara sets more than 1 shot at setting up. Also uuuuh, run things that tank dark/reason moves aimed at her? Sans that she's pretty much a one woman army who can fit onto almost any team and wreck shop with minimal support.
Options: Gatekeeper is useable on the drum set with a lum berry and you can swap sleep talk out for a 2nd attacking move on the restalk set and just play resto chesto curse. Sara has really nice special def and an OK status movepool, sadly Ad Meiling had reliable recovery and fills the role of a pure wall better.
