Eyan
sleep is the cousin of death
QC: galbia / Anty / --
Overview
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- Access to Freeze-Dry
- Good offensive coverage typing that hits most things in the tier for neutral damage or more
- Good movepool
- Good ability in Refrigerate
- Decent mixed offensive capabilities
- Horrible defensive typing
- Mediocre Speed
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name: Offensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Hyper Voice
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Earth Power
ability: Refrigerate
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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- Stealth Rock is useful hazard move for any team
- Hyper Voice is its most powerful Refrigerate-boosted STAB move
- Freeze-Dry for Bulky Water types, notably Poliwrath
- Earth Power for the Steel types like Klang and Bastiodon that resist Ice STAB, as well as Fire-types
- Substitute is an option if your team already has Stealth Rock
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- Given EVs and Nature maximise speed and power
- Life Orb to give Aurorus a good boost in power, but Focus Sash can be used for it to be a more reliable lead
Usage Tips
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- Aurorus is faster than many other stealth rockers in the tier, so it's a good choice for a lead
- Its STAB moves and coverage also allow it to beat many other leads one on one
- Getting Stealth Rock up should be the priority most of the time
- Watch out for Taunt leads such as Barbaracle and Kricketune which outspeed it and can prevent it from getting Stealth Rock up
Team Options
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- Misdreavus and Gourgeist are good choices as partners to this set. They spin block the rocks that Aurorus sets up as a lead
- Both are immune to Fighting. Misdreavus is immune to Ground while Gourgeist resists both Ground and Water. Gourgeist also helps deal with bulky Waters that may be a little annoying to get past
- Poliwrath and Togetic are good partners synergy wise
Choice Band
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name: Choice Band
move 1: Return
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Iron Tail
ability: Refrigerate
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
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- Return is Aurorus's most powerful and reliable Ice STAB
- Stone Edge for secondary STAB, and hits opposing Ice types
- Earthquake for Steel types
- Zen Headbutt to hit Poliwrath that would otherwise take on this set pretty well
- Iron Tail hits Fairy-types as well as securing the guaranteed 2HKO on Piloswine
- Aqua Tail is a an option with better accuracy but requires Stealth Rock to 2HKO Piloswine
Set Details
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- Max Attack and Speed EVs are a must
- Jolly can be used to outspeed a few things like Adamant Fraxure but Adamant is preferred
- Choice Band makes it a good surprise wallbreaker
Usage Tips
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- Not much to say here, you switch Aurorus into something that can't really hurt it like Dodrio, and hit something as hard as a truck
- Aurorus typically lure in Specially Defensive Pokemon such as Lickilicky. Taking banded hits will severely weaken them or knock them out
- Many physical walls do not appreciate taking those hits either
Team Options
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- Both physical and special sweepers can take advantage of this set's wallbreaking capabilities, such as the removal of Tangela and Lickilicky
- Bulky Waters like Poliwrath make good partners as they not only cover a bunch of each others' weaknesses, but they lure in things like Tangela and Gourgeist, allowing Aurorus to nuke something
Rock Polish
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name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Return
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Freeze-Dry
ability: Refrigerate
item: Life Orb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Naive
Moves
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- Rock Polish increases Aurorus's speed by two stages for potential late game cleaning
- Return + Refrigerate is a strong and reliable Ice type STAB move
- Stone Edge for Rock type STAB to hit most types that resist Ice
- Earthquake is a good coverage option if you want to hit Steel-types that wall Aurorus otherwise
- Freeze-Dry for hitting things like Poliwrath that may try to switch in on it
Set Details
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- Hasty nature with the given EVs maximise physical attack and speed, allowing it to outspeed things such as Scarfed Rotom-F at +2
- Life Orb gives Aurorus's moves a much needed boost in power
- Refrigerate for Return
Usage Tips
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- Bring Aurorus in on opposing Pokemon which will be forced to switch out such as Dodrio and Rotom-F
- Ensure pokemon that can take its dual STABs comfortably, such as Klang and Bastiodon, have been significantly weakened before attempting to set up
Team Options
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- Bulky water types can take Steel type and Water type moves heading for Aurorus
- Poliwrath in particular takes on three of Aurorus's weaknesses, while Aurorus resists Flying moves that severely damage Poliwrath
- Bulky Fairy types such as Togetic to resist the Fighting type moves targeted at Aurorus
- Togetic also provides a slow Baton Pass that gives Aurorus a safe switch-in, as well as being able to pass SpA boosts. It can also Defog away entry hazards which Aurorus does not like
- Entry hazard support from Roselia helps to weaken the opposing team to be within range of an OHKO or 2HKO. Allows for an easier late-game sweep.
- Rapid Spinner/Defogger as Aurorus is weak to Stealth Rock and hazards in general
Other Options
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- A Sub Calm Mind set is viable as it forces a number of switches with its STAB and coverage moves, allowing it to set up free subs
- Choice Specs is a decent item on Aurorus as it allows it to break through special walls such as Lickilicky
- Thunder Wave to cripple switch ins
- Flash Cannon is viable to hit Piloswine decently hard
- Encore is useful to lock defensive Pokemon into support moves, or stop those that try to set up on Aurorus
Checks & Counters
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**Fighting-types**: Throh and Poliwrath that can take a hit and phaze or knock Auorus out with Circle Throw
**Priority moves**: A number of priority moves are super effective on Aurorus and can pose a problem to it, such as Vacuum Wave from Poliwrath. Other priority moves like Sucker Punch from Mightyena and Shadow Sneak from Dusknoir can deal a lot of damage as well
**Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive Lickilicky can stall out and beat all the special sets. Prinplup beats all Aurorus sets with its bulk in conjunction with Scald.
**Faster Pokemon**: Many Pokemon that are naturally faster than Aurorus can outspeed and knock it out. Even with a Rock Polish up, scarfers with base 95 speed and above can still outspeed and threaten it, mainly Earthquake Tauros, Focus Blast Raichu, and Brick Break Scyther
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