[OVERVIEW]
Thundurus is one of the most consistent Pokemon in the Battle Spot Singles format, providing utility and a good offensive presence. Thundurus is extremely versatile and can run many sets; whether as a fast attacker with its great coverage, as a bulky supporter with moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave, or even as a sweeper with access to Nasty Plot, it has many tools to deal with a lot of top threats and easily fits on most teams. Prankster is a great ability that Thundurus utilizes very well. Prankster Thunder Wave is its best tool and is useful for crippling fast threats, sweepers, and Pokemon that try to revenge kill it, such as Mega Salamence, Blaziken, and Greninja. Thundurus has great offensive stats alongside good Speed, outspeeding key Pokemon like Mega Kangaskhan, Garchomp and base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Gengar and Latios. Its Electric- and Ice-type coverage handles a wide range of the metagame and is hard to switch into, and it is complemented by good coverage moves such as Focus Blast and Grass Knot. Additionally, while Thundurus has mediocre bulk , its typing gives it useful resistances to popular types such as Flying and Fighting, as well as an immunity to Ground, making it a good switch-in to Pokemon such as Talonflame, Mega Salamence, and Landorus-T. However, Thundurus is weak to Ice and Rock, two very common types. Ice- and Rock-type attacks are commonly packed on almost every team; Porygon2 and Cresselia often carry Ice Beam and can deal with Thundurus well, and Garchomp and Landorus-T often carry Rock Tomb, which not only hits Thundurus super effectively but also lowers its Speed. The Rock weakness is especially crippling if the opponent has Stealth Rock, as the chip damage makes Thundurus much easier to wear down.
[SET]
name: Attacker
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Grass Knot / Focus Blast / Volt Switch / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Prankster Thunder Wave can neutralize a fast threat such as Greninja or Blaziken and stops opposing Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Mega Salamence and Dragonite from sweeping your team. Thunderbolt is usually Thundurus's most reliable move and hits a lot of Pokemon at least neutrally. Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types immune to Thunderbolt super effectively and hits some common Pokemon for 4x damage, such as Mega Salamence, Garchomp, and Landorus-T. The fourth moveslot has a handful of viable options. Grass Knot hits Hippowdon and Mamoswine really hard. Focus Blast deals with some bulky Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Heatran. Volt Switch can be used to gain some momentum. Taunt gets priority from Prankster, shuts down some defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and Clefable, and stops Aegislash from using King's Shield, making it more vulnerable in Blade forme.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is used to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Thundurus needs maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature to outspeed key threats such as Garchomp and the crowded base 110 Speed tier, which includes Pokemon such as Gengar and Latios. Prankster is the only ability available to Thundurus in Battle Spot, but it makes very good use of it. Life Orb is used to increase Thundurus's damage output and guarantee an OHKO on Garchomp and Mega Salamence with Hidden Power Ice.
Usage Tips
========
This Thundurus set plays very simply: use Thundurus to paralyze Pokemon that could be threatening to your team, such as Speed Boost Blaziken and Dragon Dance Mega Salamence. Thunder Wave slows them down, making them vulnerable to the rest of your team when they would have swept otherwise. Thundurus might often have to sacrifice itself to get off a Thunder Wave against a sweeper, but it's for the good of the battle. Thundurus can be a good revenge killer thanks to its good Speed and Special Attack, and it can threaten common Pokemon like Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Talonflame.
Team Options
========
Pokemon with an average Speed tier appreciate the speed control from Thunder Wave, such as Mamoswine, Dragonite, and Mega Kangaskhan. Defensive Pokemon can take advantage of the Thunder Wave support by potentially getting free turns to heal against a paralyzed foe. Blaziken works well with Thundurus, as Thundurus can deal with Talonflame and Water-types that Blaziken struggles with. Pokemon that are weak to Ground appreciate Thundurus's immunity to it, such as Heatran and Aegislash. Suicune provides good synergy defensively and can switch into Ice-type attacks for Thundurus. Landorus-T can form a nice VoltTurn core with Thundurus and appreciates Thundurus's ability to deal with Suicune and slow Pokemon down for it if it isn't running Choice Scarf.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Taunt / Swagger / Volt Switch
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Prankster
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 168 Def / 68 SpA / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunder Wave is a great form of speed control, especially with Prankster, and can deal with threatening sweepers. Thunderbolt is Thundurus's best STAB move and can hit bulky Water-types and Flying-types really hard. Hidden Power Ice rounds out the coverage well and can hit Ground-types super effectively. Taunt can shut down a lot of defensive Pokemon, such as Hippowdon and Ferrothorn, by limiting their utility and recovery. Swagger can help out when you're in a really sticky situation, and with Prankster it's very useful to fall back on. Volt Switch can help your team gain momentum, as Thundurus often scares Pokemon out.
Set Details
========
This set runs a very bulky EV spread so Thundurus can take hits a lot better and function as a better check defensively. 244 HP and 168 Defense EVs along with a Bold nature and a Sitrus Berry allow Thundurus to survive two Double-Edges from a maximum Attack Mega Salamence or three Brave Birds from Choice Band Talonflame. 28 Speed EVs are enough to outspeed maximum Speed base 70s, such as Breloom, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Attack. The extra bulk makes Thundurus a better switch-in to various threats, especially Flying-types. A Bold nature is used to ensure Thundurus can withstand hits from Mega Salamence and other strong Pokemon. Prankster can make up for the lack of Speed on this set and is especially useful for Thunder Wave.
Usage Tips
========
This set takes advantage of Thundurus's great ability and defensive typing. Its primary goal is to paralyze everything that needs to be slowed down with Thunder Wave. With the extra bulk, Thundurus can afford to spend a turn using Thunder Wave and then taking a hit, and it can afford to switch into more attacks and function as a better check to Flying-types such as Mega Salamence and Talonflame.
Team Options
========
Pokemon with an average Speed tier appreciate the speed control from Thunder Wave, such as Mamoswine, Dragonite, and Kangaskhan. Pokemon that use Substitute, such as Gliscor and Glalie, like the Thunder Wave support so they can use Substitute in front of more Pokemon. Blaziken appreciates Thundurus's ability to deal with Talonflame and Mega Salamence; Mega Salamence can normally set up on Blaziken, but Thundurus can come in to check it. Serperior can deal with teams much more easily when Thundurus helps deal with opposing Talonflame and Mega Salamence. Steel-types, such as Aegislash, synergize well with Thundurus defensively and can switch into Ice- and Rock-type attacks aimed at Thundurus.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Thunder Wave / Substitute / Focus Blast / Grass Knot
item: Sitrus Berry / Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot makes Thundurus a great wallbreaker, as not many Pokemon can reliably take hits from Thundurus at +2 Special Attack. Thunderbolt is a good STAB move, and Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types that are immune to it. The fourth moveslot has many viable options. Thunder Wave can be used to give Thundurus some utility outside of being just a sweeper, and Substitute can be used to dodge status that would wear it down and to avoid Sucker Punch. Additionally, if Thundurus can get up a Substitute in front of a foe that can't break it, it can avoid being revenge killed by another Pokemon afterwards. Focus Blast hits Steel-types, such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, which could otherwise take a few hits, and Grass Knot can be used to pick up OHKOs on Mamoswine, Hippowdon, and Swampert after a Nasty Plot boost.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is used to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Thundurus needs maximum Speed with a Timid nature to outspeed key threats such as Garchomp and the crowded base 110 Speed tier, which includes Pokemon such as Gengar and Latios. Prankster is Thundurus's only ability available, but it is very useful for getting off a Thunder Wave on a sweeper or using Substitute against faster Will-O-Wisp users, such as Talonflame and Mega Gengar. Sitrus Berry gives Thundurus a bit of recovery and helps avoid some 2HKOs, such as from defensive Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. Life Orb gives Thundurus a much greater damage output. Leftovers can be used with Substitute to give some recovery to make up for the lost HP. When using Substitute and Leftovers, an EV spread of 52 HP / 204 SpA / 252 Spe should be used so Thundurus can regain more HP from Leftovers and make more Substitutes.
Usage Tips
========
Thundurus scares out a lot of Pokemon, such as Suicune, Talonflame, and Blaziken, so it can find many free turns to set up a Nasty Plot or Substitute. You should not set up if the opponent has a Pokemon that can easily stop Thundurus, such as Mamoswine; it's best to set up when a team is already weakened and Pokemon are in range of Thundurus's attacks or when you want Thundurus to weaken the opposing team for another Pokemon in the back to clean up, such as Mega Blaziken or Mega Lucario. Thundurus can still utilize Thunder Wave as well when you need to stop a Pokemon from sweeping your team.
Team Options
========
Thundurus needs teammates that can deal with Pokemon that usually wall it, such as Mamoswine, Ferrothorn, and Porygon2. Suicune can easily counter Mamoswine, while Fighting-types, such as Blaziken and Mega Lucario, can deal with Ferrothorn and Porygon2. Mega Gengar can trap and take out walls such as Chansey and Cresselia. Stealth Rock support is nice to get some chip damage and break Focus Sashes so Thundurus has an easier time sweeping. Garchomp and Mamoswine are some reliable Stealth Rock setters. Mamoswine also covers Thundurus's Ice weakness and helps deal with Breloom and Dragonite, which Thundurus sometimes struggles with.
[SET]
name: SwagPlay
move 1: Swagger
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Foul Play / Thunderbolt / Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 44 Def / 4 SpA / 252 SpD / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swagger is a great move to attempt to shut a Pokemon down, and it works especially well with Prankster. Thunder Wave provides great utility in general and works wonders in combination with Swagger, as it has a good chance to provide free turns factoring in confusion and paralysis chance. Substitute is used to take advantage of the possible free turns you'll get and can be used to protect Thundurus just in case the foe breaks through and attacks. Foul Play takes advantage of the Attack boosts from Swagger and does a lot of damage to specially defensive Pokemon Thundurus might not have been able to break through otherwise, such as Cresselia and Chansey. Thunderbolt can be used as well to deal with Pokemon such as Suicune and Talonflame reliably. Taunt is good for stopping status and recovery moves from Pokemon such as Chansey and Cresselia, but it leaves Thundurus with no reliable attack and vulnerable to opposing Taunt.
Set Details
========
A Calm nature is used because you want Thundurus to primarily check special attackers, which don't benefit from the Attack raise that Swagger gives them. 180 HP EVs are used to maximize Leftovers recovery and allows Thundurus to set up more Substitutes throughout the match. Maximum Special Defense investment is used to take on special attackers that you want Thundurus to deal with. 28 Speed EVs ensure Thundurus outspeeds base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Breloom. The remaining EVs are dumped into Defense for some extra physical bulk and allow Thundurus to survive a +1 Double-Edge from Mega Salamence at full health. Because of level 50 EV mechanics, the leftover 4 EVs are put into Special Attack.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Thundurus in on special attackers and defensive Pokemon such as Suicune, Aegislash, Cresselia, Porygon2, and Chansey. Swagger should be the first move used, as it has a 50% chance to confuse, while Thunder Wave has a 25% chance to get a full paralysis, unless you really need to slow down a sweeper such as Blaziken or Mega Salamence. Try to get free turns with a Substitute up; if you threaten the foe and predict a switch, it's best to use Substitute so you're safe to status their switch-in before retreating.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that don't like facing common special attackers and defensive Pokemon work well with Thundurus, as it can deal with them. Many special attackers, such as Suicune and Serperior, appreciate having Chansey dealt with, and Mega Kangaskhan appreciates having Cresselia and Porygon2 gone or weakened. Clefable can work well with this Thundurus because of its ability Unaware; if Thundurus does use Swagger on a physical attacker, Clefable can come in and ignore the boosts to make sure it doesn't become too threatening. Clefable also appreciates the Thunder Wave support because it functions much better when it can get off Minimize and Calm Mind against slower Pokemon. Ditto can also work well to take advantage of the Swagger boosts, as it can copy a boosted physical attacker without the confusion that comes with it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thundurus's offensive sets have below average defenses, so a Focus Sash can allow it to survive attacks that would normally OHKO it, such as Greninja's Ice Beam and Dragonite's Outrage. However, Thundurus can usually take at least one hit from most Pokemon, and Stealth Rock isn't a rare sight, so Focus Sash isn't useful in every battle. Knock Off provides good utility, crippling Porygon2 and Pokemon with Sitrus Berry such as Rotom formes and opposing Thundurus. Psychic hits Mega Venusaur, which walls Thundurus completely otherwise. Rocky Helmet can be used on the tank set to hurt Talonflame and Mega Salamence even further, as well as somewhat punishing Mega Kangaskhan. A Calm nature can be used on the tank set if you want Thundurus to take on more special attackers, particularly Water-types that Thundurus can threaten. Superpower is a good coverage option over Focus Blast, as Thundurus has a solid base 115 Attack and can use Superpower to pick off weakened Chansey at around 45%. Don't reveal Superpower unless you need to; if the opponent knows Thundurus has it, they can easily play around it. Incinerate can be used as a more accurate option over Focus Blast to hit Ferrothorn and Scizor and to burn Berries. U-turn is weaker than Volt Switch, but it's still a good option for momentum, as nothing is immune to it. Jaboca Berry helps deal with Focus Sash Breloom and Mamoswine, acting like a one-use Rocky Helmet that doesn't require contact.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Mega Manectric and Raikou outspeed Thundurus, are immune to Thunder Wave, are capable of tanking most of Thundurus's attacks, and can deal good neutral damage back. Rotom-W can take a hit or two from Thundurus and, with Choice Specs, OHKO frail sets or 2HKO bulkier ones with Hydro Pump. Rotom-H resists both Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice, is bulky enough to take on Thundurus's other coverage options, and hits it hard with its STAB moves.
**Special Tanks**: Pokemon with high Special Defense, such as Chansey, Cresselia, and Porygon2, can take hits and recover off the damage while firing back with Ice Beam, Seismic Toss, or even Toxic. However, Taunt helps against these Pokemon and the SwagPlay set has a good matchup against them as well.
**Mamoswine**: Mamoswine is immune to Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave and resists Hidden Power Ice thanks to Thick Fat. It can hit Thundurus super effectively with STAB Ice-type attacks and set up Stealth Rock to cripple Thundurus as it switches in.
**Fast Revenge Killers**: Thundurus has mediocre bulk and gets KOed by many fast Pokemon such as Greninja, Blaziken, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Choice Scarf Garchomp. Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Garchomp can revenge kill Thundurus without fear of Thunder Wave, but most others face the risk of getting paralyzed, which is very crippling for fast Pokemon such as Greninja and Blaziken.
**Slow Heavy Hitters**: Strong Pokemon that are bulky enough to take hits from Thundurus, such as Aegislash, Sylveon, and Conkeldurr, can be threatening. These Pokemon are already slow, so they don't fear Thunder Wave as much as other Pokemon do, and Conkeldurr will actually get a Guts boost from it.
**Mega Kangaskhan**: Mega Kangaskhan can take out any variant of Thundurus, bar bulky Sitrus Berry, with Fake Out + Double Edge and is bulky enough to take a hit from most Thundurus. Mega Kangaskhan is usually willing to take a Thunder Wave if it needs to, especially if it's paired with Lunar Dance Cresselia.
**Dragonite**: Choice Band Dragonite's Outrage OHKOes all Thundurus variants, Lum Berry sets can take one paralysis for free, and Weakness Policy sets receive an Attack boost from Hidden Power Ice and can proceed to spam Extreme Speed. Dragonite's Multiscale makes it very reliable against Thundurus, and it's tough to play around if its item hasn't been revealed.
**Breloom**: Breloom can check or revenge kill Thundurus, as it survives at least one attack with Focus Sash and can lower its Speed or 2HKO it with Rock Tomb. Breloom can also put non-Taunt Thundurus to sleep or use Spore on a predicted switch after a Rock Tomb.
Thundurus is one of the most consistent Pokemon in the Battle Spot Singles format, providing utility and a good offensive presence. Thundurus is extremely versatile and can run many sets; whether as a fast attacker with its great coverage, as a bulky supporter with moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave, or even as a sweeper with access to Nasty Plot, it has many tools to deal with a lot of top threats and easily fits on most teams. Prankster is a great ability that Thundurus utilizes very well. Prankster Thunder Wave is its best tool and is useful for crippling fast threats, sweepers, and Pokemon that try to revenge kill it, such as Mega Salamence, Blaziken, and Greninja. Thundurus has great offensive stats alongside good Speed, outspeeding key Pokemon like Mega Kangaskhan, Garchomp and base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Gengar and Latios. Its Electric- and Ice-type coverage handles a wide range of the metagame and is hard to switch into, and it is complemented by good coverage moves such as Focus Blast and Grass Knot. Additionally, while Thundurus has mediocre bulk , its typing gives it useful resistances to popular types such as Flying and Fighting, as well as an immunity to Ground, making it a good switch-in to Pokemon such as Talonflame, Mega Salamence, and Landorus-T. However, Thundurus is weak to Ice and Rock, two very common types. Ice- and Rock-type attacks are commonly packed on almost every team; Porygon2 and Cresselia often carry Ice Beam and can deal with Thundurus well, and Garchomp and Landorus-T often carry Rock Tomb, which not only hits Thundurus super effectively but also lowers its Speed. The Rock weakness is especially crippling if the opponent has Stealth Rock, as the chip damage makes Thundurus much easier to wear down.
[SET]
name: Attacker
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Grass Knot / Focus Blast / Volt Switch / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Prankster Thunder Wave can neutralize a fast threat such as Greninja or Blaziken and stops opposing Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Mega Salamence and Dragonite from sweeping your team. Thunderbolt is usually Thundurus's most reliable move and hits a lot of Pokemon at least neutrally. Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types immune to Thunderbolt super effectively and hits some common Pokemon for 4x damage, such as Mega Salamence, Garchomp, and Landorus-T. The fourth moveslot has a handful of viable options. Grass Knot hits Hippowdon and Mamoswine really hard. Focus Blast deals with some bulky Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Heatran. Volt Switch can be used to gain some momentum. Taunt gets priority from Prankster, shuts down some defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and Clefable, and stops Aegislash from using King's Shield, making it more vulnerable in Blade forme.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is used to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Thundurus needs maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature to outspeed key threats such as Garchomp and the crowded base 110 Speed tier, which includes Pokemon such as Gengar and Latios. Prankster is the only ability available to Thundurus in Battle Spot, but it makes very good use of it. Life Orb is used to increase Thundurus's damage output and guarantee an OHKO on Garchomp and Mega Salamence with Hidden Power Ice.
Usage Tips
========
This Thundurus set plays very simply: use Thundurus to paralyze Pokemon that could be threatening to your team, such as Speed Boost Blaziken and Dragon Dance Mega Salamence. Thunder Wave slows them down, making them vulnerable to the rest of your team when they would have swept otherwise. Thundurus might often have to sacrifice itself to get off a Thunder Wave against a sweeper, but it's for the good of the battle. Thundurus can be a good revenge killer thanks to its good Speed and Special Attack, and it can threaten common Pokemon like Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Talonflame.
Team Options
========
Pokemon with an average Speed tier appreciate the speed control from Thunder Wave, such as Mamoswine, Dragonite, and Mega Kangaskhan. Defensive Pokemon can take advantage of the Thunder Wave support by potentially getting free turns to heal against a paralyzed foe. Blaziken works well with Thundurus, as Thundurus can deal with Talonflame and Water-types that Blaziken struggles with. Pokemon that are weak to Ground appreciate Thundurus's immunity to it, such as Heatran and Aegislash. Suicune provides good synergy defensively and can switch into Ice-type attacks for Thundurus. Landorus-T can form a nice VoltTurn core with Thundurus and appreciates Thundurus's ability to deal with Suicune and slow Pokemon down for it if it isn't running Choice Scarf.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Taunt / Swagger / Volt Switch
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Prankster
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 168 Def / 68 SpA / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunder Wave is a great form of speed control, especially with Prankster, and can deal with threatening sweepers. Thunderbolt is Thundurus's best STAB move and can hit bulky Water-types and Flying-types really hard. Hidden Power Ice rounds out the coverage well and can hit Ground-types super effectively. Taunt can shut down a lot of defensive Pokemon, such as Hippowdon and Ferrothorn, by limiting their utility and recovery. Swagger can help out when you're in a really sticky situation, and with Prankster it's very useful to fall back on. Volt Switch can help your team gain momentum, as Thundurus often scares Pokemon out.
Set Details
========
This set runs a very bulky EV spread so Thundurus can take hits a lot better and function as a better check defensively. 244 HP and 168 Defense EVs along with a Bold nature and a Sitrus Berry allow Thundurus to survive two Double-Edges from a maximum Attack Mega Salamence or three Brave Birds from Choice Band Talonflame. 28 Speed EVs are enough to outspeed maximum Speed base 70s, such as Breloom, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Attack. The extra bulk makes Thundurus a better switch-in to various threats, especially Flying-types. A Bold nature is used to ensure Thundurus can withstand hits from Mega Salamence and other strong Pokemon. Prankster can make up for the lack of Speed on this set and is especially useful for Thunder Wave.
Usage Tips
========
This set takes advantage of Thundurus's great ability and defensive typing. Its primary goal is to paralyze everything that needs to be slowed down with Thunder Wave. With the extra bulk, Thundurus can afford to spend a turn using Thunder Wave and then taking a hit, and it can afford to switch into more attacks and function as a better check to Flying-types such as Mega Salamence and Talonflame.
Team Options
========
Pokemon with an average Speed tier appreciate the speed control from Thunder Wave, such as Mamoswine, Dragonite, and Kangaskhan. Pokemon that use Substitute, such as Gliscor and Glalie, like the Thunder Wave support so they can use Substitute in front of more Pokemon. Blaziken appreciates Thundurus's ability to deal with Talonflame and Mega Salamence; Mega Salamence can normally set up on Blaziken, but Thundurus can come in to check it. Serperior can deal with teams much more easily when Thundurus helps deal with opposing Talonflame and Mega Salamence. Steel-types, such as Aegislash, synergize well with Thundurus defensively and can switch into Ice- and Rock-type attacks aimed at Thundurus.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Thunder Wave / Substitute / Focus Blast / Grass Knot
item: Sitrus Berry / Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot makes Thundurus a great wallbreaker, as not many Pokemon can reliably take hits from Thundurus at +2 Special Attack. Thunderbolt is a good STAB move, and Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types that are immune to it. The fourth moveslot has many viable options. Thunder Wave can be used to give Thundurus some utility outside of being just a sweeper, and Substitute can be used to dodge status that would wear it down and to avoid Sucker Punch. Additionally, if Thundurus can get up a Substitute in front of a foe that can't break it, it can avoid being revenge killed by another Pokemon afterwards. Focus Blast hits Steel-types, such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, which could otherwise take a few hits, and Grass Knot can be used to pick up OHKOs on Mamoswine, Hippowdon, and Swampert after a Nasty Plot boost.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is used to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Thundurus needs maximum Speed with a Timid nature to outspeed key threats such as Garchomp and the crowded base 110 Speed tier, which includes Pokemon such as Gengar and Latios. Prankster is Thundurus's only ability available, but it is very useful for getting off a Thunder Wave on a sweeper or using Substitute against faster Will-O-Wisp users, such as Talonflame and Mega Gengar. Sitrus Berry gives Thundurus a bit of recovery and helps avoid some 2HKOs, such as from defensive Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. Life Orb gives Thundurus a much greater damage output. Leftovers can be used with Substitute to give some recovery to make up for the lost HP. When using Substitute and Leftovers, an EV spread of 52 HP / 204 SpA / 252 Spe should be used so Thundurus can regain more HP from Leftovers and make more Substitutes.
Usage Tips
========
Thundurus scares out a lot of Pokemon, such as Suicune, Talonflame, and Blaziken, so it can find many free turns to set up a Nasty Plot or Substitute. You should not set up if the opponent has a Pokemon that can easily stop Thundurus, such as Mamoswine; it's best to set up when a team is already weakened and Pokemon are in range of Thundurus's attacks or when you want Thundurus to weaken the opposing team for another Pokemon in the back to clean up, such as Mega Blaziken or Mega Lucario. Thundurus can still utilize Thunder Wave as well when you need to stop a Pokemon from sweeping your team.
Team Options
========
Thundurus needs teammates that can deal with Pokemon that usually wall it, such as Mamoswine, Ferrothorn, and Porygon2. Suicune can easily counter Mamoswine, while Fighting-types, such as Blaziken and Mega Lucario, can deal with Ferrothorn and Porygon2. Mega Gengar can trap and take out walls such as Chansey and Cresselia. Stealth Rock support is nice to get some chip damage and break Focus Sashes so Thundurus has an easier time sweeping. Garchomp and Mamoswine are some reliable Stealth Rock setters. Mamoswine also covers Thundurus's Ice weakness and helps deal with Breloom and Dragonite, which Thundurus sometimes struggles with.
[SET]
name: SwagPlay
move 1: Swagger
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Foul Play / Thunderbolt / Taunt
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Calm
evs: 180 HP / 44 Def / 4 SpA / 252 SpD / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swagger is a great move to attempt to shut a Pokemon down, and it works especially well with Prankster. Thunder Wave provides great utility in general and works wonders in combination with Swagger, as it has a good chance to provide free turns factoring in confusion and paralysis chance. Substitute is used to take advantage of the possible free turns you'll get and can be used to protect Thundurus just in case the foe breaks through and attacks. Foul Play takes advantage of the Attack boosts from Swagger and does a lot of damage to specially defensive Pokemon Thundurus might not have been able to break through otherwise, such as Cresselia and Chansey. Thunderbolt can be used as well to deal with Pokemon such as Suicune and Talonflame reliably. Taunt is good for stopping status and recovery moves from Pokemon such as Chansey and Cresselia, but it leaves Thundurus with no reliable attack and vulnerable to opposing Taunt.
Set Details
========
A Calm nature is used because you want Thundurus to primarily check special attackers, which don't benefit from the Attack raise that Swagger gives them. 180 HP EVs are used to maximize Leftovers recovery and allows Thundurus to set up more Substitutes throughout the match. Maximum Special Defense investment is used to take on special attackers that you want Thundurus to deal with. 28 Speed EVs ensure Thundurus outspeeds base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Breloom. The remaining EVs are dumped into Defense for some extra physical bulk and allow Thundurus to survive a +1 Double-Edge from Mega Salamence at full health. Because of level 50 EV mechanics, the leftover 4 EVs are put into Special Attack.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Thundurus in on special attackers and defensive Pokemon such as Suicune, Aegislash, Cresselia, Porygon2, and Chansey. Swagger should be the first move used, as it has a 50% chance to confuse, while Thunder Wave has a 25% chance to get a full paralysis, unless you really need to slow down a sweeper such as Blaziken or Mega Salamence. Try to get free turns with a Substitute up; if you threaten the foe and predict a switch, it's best to use Substitute so you're safe to status their switch-in before retreating.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that don't like facing common special attackers and defensive Pokemon work well with Thundurus, as it can deal with them. Many special attackers, such as Suicune and Serperior, appreciate having Chansey dealt with, and Mega Kangaskhan appreciates having Cresselia and Porygon2 gone or weakened. Clefable can work well with this Thundurus because of its ability Unaware; if Thundurus does use Swagger on a physical attacker, Clefable can come in and ignore the boosts to make sure it doesn't become too threatening. Clefable also appreciates the Thunder Wave support because it functions much better when it can get off Minimize and Calm Mind against slower Pokemon. Ditto can also work well to take advantage of the Swagger boosts, as it can copy a boosted physical attacker without the confusion that comes with it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thundurus's offensive sets have below average defenses, so a Focus Sash can allow it to survive attacks that would normally OHKO it, such as Greninja's Ice Beam and Dragonite's Outrage. However, Thundurus can usually take at least one hit from most Pokemon, and Stealth Rock isn't a rare sight, so Focus Sash isn't useful in every battle. Knock Off provides good utility, crippling Porygon2 and Pokemon with Sitrus Berry such as Rotom formes and opposing Thundurus. Psychic hits Mega Venusaur, which walls Thundurus completely otherwise. Rocky Helmet can be used on the tank set to hurt Talonflame and Mega Salamence even further, as well as somewhat punishing Mega Kangaskhan. A Calm nature can be used on the tank set if you want Thundurus to take on more special attackers, particularly Water-types that Thundurus can threaten. Superpower is a good coverage option over Focus Blast, as Thundurus has a solid base 115 Attack and can use Superpower to pick off weakened Chansey at around 45%. Don't reveal Superpower unless you need to; if the opponent knows Thundurus has it, they can easily play around it. Incinerate can be used as a more accurate option over Focus Blast to hit Ferrothorn and Scizor and to burn Berries. U-turn is weaker than Volt Switch, but it's still a good option for momentum, as nothing is immune to it. Jaboca Berry helps deal with Focus Sash Breloom and Mamoswine, acting like a one-use Rocky Helmet that doesn't require contact.
Checks and Counters
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**Electric-types**: Mega Manectric and Raikou outspeed Thundurus, are immune to Thunder Wave, are capable of tanking most of Thundurus's attacks, and can deal good neutral damage back. Rotom-W can take a hit or two from Thundurus and, with Choice Specs, OHKO frail sets or 2HKO bulkier ones with Hydro Pump. Rotom-H resists both Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice, is bulky enough to take on Thundurus's other coverage options, and hits it hard with its STAB moves.
**Special Tanks**: Pokemon with high Special Defense, such as Chansey, Cresselia, and Porygon2, can take hits and recover off the damage while firing back with Ice Beam, Seismic Toss, or even Toxic. However, Taunt helps against these Pokemon and the SwagPlay set has a good matchup against them as well.
**Mamoswine**: Mamoswine is immune to Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave and resists Hidden Power Ice thanks to Thick Fat. It can hit Thundurus super effectively with STAB Ice-type attacks and set up Stealth Rock to cripple Thundurus as it switches in.
**Fast Revenge Killers**: Thundurus has mediocre bulk and gets KOed by many fast Pokemon such as Greninja, Blaziken, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Choice Scarf Garchomp. Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Garchomp can revenge kill Thundurus without fear of Thunder Wave, but most others face the risk of getting paralyzed, which is very crippling for fast Pokemon such as Greninja and Blaziken.
**Slow Heavy Hitters**: Strong Pokemon that are bulky enough to take hits from Thundurus, such as Aegislash, Sylveon, and Conkeldurr, can be threatening. These Pokemon are already slow, so they don't fear Thunder Wave as much as other Pokemon do, and Conkeldurr will actually get a Guts boost from it.
**Mega Kangaskhan**: Mega Kangaskhan can take out any variant of Thundurus, bar bulky Sitrus Berry, with Fake Out + Double Edge and is bulky enough to take a hit from most Thundurus. Mega Kangaskhan is usually willing to take a Thunder Wave if it needs to, especially if it's paired with Lunar Dance Cresselia.
**Dragonite**: Choice Band Dragonite's Outrage OHKOes all Thundurus variants, Lum Berry sets can take one paralysis for free, and Weakness Policy sets receive an Attack boost from Hidden Power Ice and can proceed to spam Extreme Speed. Dragonite's Multiscale makes it very reliable against Thundurus, and it's tough to play around if its item hasn't been revealed.
**Breloom**: Breloom can check or revenge kill Thundurus, as it survives at least one attack with Focus Sash and can lower its Speed or 2HKO it with Rock Tomb. Breloom can also put non-Taunt Thundurus to sleep or use Spore on a predicted switch after a Rock Tomb.
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