QC: Colonel M / DennisEG / PK Gaming
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
* Tornadus-T is a great offensive threat in the metagame due to its Speed tier allowing it to outspeed a majority of the metagame, including notable threats such as Keldeo, Mega Metagross, Garchomp, and Serperior.
* Regenerator allows Tornadus-T to act as a phenomenal offensive and defensive pivot for offense and balanced builds alike, since it can help mitigate residual damage from Life Orb damage and Stealth Rock damage, giving it great longevity throughout the match.
* Tornadus-T performs very well against stall builds due to its inability to get trapped by Dugtrio as well as its ability to threaten Chansey.
* Good Special Attack backed up by its strong STAB move along with a great coverage movepool makes Tornadus-T a difficult Pokemon to switch into, especially when taking its Speed tier into account.
* Its typing, while not the greatest defensively, gives it a useful Ground immunity as well as a resistance to Grass, allowing it to check the likes of Mega Venusaur, Tangrowth, Amoonguss, and Tapu Bulu.
* Tornadus-T finds it more difficult this generation to switch into threats with the introduction of new Pokemon that outspeed it, such as Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele.
* While Regenerator helps mitigate Tornadus-T's weakness to Stealth Rock, it still finds itself worn down due to Stealth Rock damage, weather recoil, and Life Orb recoil along with its middling bulk preventing it from taking strong attacks from threats that it cannot OHKO.
* Due to Hurricane, its strongest option, only having 70% accuracy, Tornadus-T may have to take some risks when wearing down opposing offensive teams that can OHKO it back after a miss.
[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Superpower / Sludge Wave
move 4: U-turn / Taunt / Knock Off
item: Life Orb
ability: Regenerator
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Hurricane is Tornadus-T's strongest STAB move with great overall coverage, being able to dent even Pokemon that resist it hard while also 2HKOing defensive Pokemon such as physically defensive Toxapex.
* Heat Wave provides great coverage along with Hurricane, being able to hit Steel-types that resist Hurricane super effectively, such as Mega Metagross, Celesteela, Excadrill, and Skarmory, while also being Tornadus-T's best move to hit Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn super effectively.
* Superpower rounds out Tornadus-T's coverage and allows it to hit threats that are not hit super effectively by Hurricane or Heat Wave such as Tyranitar, Kyurem-B, Nihilego, and Heatran; it is also Tornadus-T's best option to hit Chansey, which takes the rest of its moves well.
* Sludge Wave is a useful option to hit Tapu Koko, which can easily switch in to the rest of Tornadus-T's coverage options while also allowing Tornadus-T to hit Fairy-types the hardest such as Tapu Fini, Tapu Lele, and Clefable, which are both 2HKOed by Sludge Wave while Hurricane requires prior damage to do so.
* U-turn allows Torndaus-T to pivot around its potential switch-ins in order to predict how the opponent reacts to it while also bringing in its partners with ease.
* Taunt allows Tornadus-T to threaten defensive teams with ease, since it cuts of access to recovery or status options for opposing Pokemon that would normally rely on this to defeat this set, such as Toxapex and Chansey.
* Knock Off allows Tornadus-T to weaken many of its switch-ins by removing their item, such as Tapu Koko's Zap Plate, Nihilego's Choice Scarf, and Chansey's Eviolite.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment along with a Naive nature allows Tornadus-T to outspeed a majority of the metagame with its phenomenal Speed tier while letting it hit as hard as possible with Hurricane and Heat Wave without weakening the power of its Superpower and U-turn.
* More EVs can be transferred over from Special Attack to Attack if a more powerful Superpower is desired; 76 EVs in Attack, for example, guarantee the OHKO on offensive Excadrill as well as maximum HP Tyranitar.
* Life Orb gives Tornadus-T the power that it needs to threaten offensive and defensive teams alike with its great coverage options.
* A Hasty nature is an option if you wish to switch in on attackers that Tornadus-T checks such as Mega Venusaur more easily, although this means that it has a more difficult time switching in on physical attackers such as Tapu Bulu, and this also leaves Tornadus-T more vulnerable to priority attacks such as Zygarde-10%'s Extreme Speed and Mega Metagross and Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch.
Usage Tips
========
* Bringing in Tornadus-T through double switches and by U-turn or Volt Switch from Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Assault Vest Magearna allows Tornadus-T to easily come in and threaten the opposing team.
* If U-turn is being run, it is advised to use it more often early on in the match to see how the opponent reacts to Tornadus-T so that you can go for the appropriate coverage move such as Hurricane or Heat Wave to punch holes in the opposing team later on; U-turn can even be used to get some chip damage on the foe, as it is also boosted by Life Orb and the recoil is mitigated by Regenerator.
* While Hurricane hits many targets and is a strong coverage move to throw out overall, be wary about potential misses, which can cost you momentum especially against attackers that can hurt Tornadus-T or even OHKO it in return.
* If Steel-types are present, you can try to predict their switch into Tornadus-T and use Heat Wave, or you can safely throw out a Hurricane followed up by a Heat Wave, since you outspeed many of the Steel-types in the metagame regardless.
* Taunt or Knock Off allows Tornadus-T to take on defensive teams well; using Taunt against passive threats like Toxapex allows you to continously spam Hurricanes against the enemy team, while Knock Off is a safe move to throw out in general due to the lack of threats that appreciate having their item removed, such as Chansey and Assault Vest Magearna.
* Double switches are a great way to get Tornadus-T in on Pokemon that it forces out; this is more useful for this set, since it doesn't have that much raw bulk and has difficulty switching in on attackers as easily.
* If Stealth Rock is present on your side of the field, it is not advised to use U-turn freely, since Tornadus-T loses slightly more health from Stealth Rock damage and Life Orb recoil than what is gained back from Regenerator; instead, if you cannot find the ablity to remove hazards from your side of the field, try to use Tornadus-T's coverage moves as much as possible, since it is being put on a timer regardless, or play safely with it until you find the opportunity to remove them.
Team Options
========
* Defensive Landorus-T has great synergy with this set, as it can set up Stealth Rock, discourage opposing Electric-types from clicking Thunderbolt, and provide a slow U-turn to get Tornadus-T in safely; Tornadus-T in return helps check threats to Landorus-T such as Mega Venusaur, Tangrowth, and Tapu Fini while providing U-turn support of its own.
* Tapu Fini forms a great core with Tornadus-T, as Tapu Fini is able to provide Defog support, while in return Tornadus-T helps deal with the Grass-types that Tapu Fini will have issues taking on such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn.
* If you're not running Sludge Wave, partners to take care of Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Thundurus, Zapdos, and Rotom-W, which check Tornadus-T very well, are useful. Mega Venusaur works well with Tornadus-T, as it allows Tornadus-T to use Superpower so that it can take out Heatran while also wearing down Steel-types like Mega Metagross for it.
* Amoonguss is also a good partner, being able to check a number of the threats that Mega Venusaur can while being able to incapacitate an opponent using Spore.
* Assault Vest Magearna can check special attackers, which this specific set has issues switching into; it can bring in Tornadus-T with Volt Switch after forcing out attackers such as Protean Greninja and Tapu Lele.
* Tornadus-T works very well on rain teams supported by Pelipper; rain allows Tornadus-T to throw out drawback-free Hurricanes, and Pelipper can also Defog away entry hazards and get Tornadus-T in on a slow U-turn. Rain overall helps wear down Steel-types, which Tornadus-T would otherwise have issues with.
* In general, partners that can take hits from stronger attackers that this set cannot do so itself, such as Mega Metagross to take on Tapu Bulu and Tapu Lele, are appreciated so that Tornadus-T can focus on hitting threats hard as well as pivoting around its switch-ins.
[SET]
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Heat Wave
item: Assault Vest
ability: Regenerator
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Hurricane is Tornadus-T's strongest STAB move, and it grants great coverage overall and is Tornadus-T's most useful tool to hit the Grass-types that this set checks very effectively.
* Knock Off is a safe, spammable move that Tornadus-T can use in order to remove the items of its switchins, and it is useful against the threats that this set does not have the power to break through, such as removing Tapu Fini's Leftovers.
* U-turn allows Tornadus-T to pivot around its switch-ins so that it can bring in its partners to threaten the opposing team and can see how the opponent tries to play around it.
* Heat Wave hits Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Metagross, Jirachi, and Celesteela harder than its other moves.
* Superpower is another option that hits Heatran, Tyranitar, and Nihilego while still hitting Excadrill and Ferrothorn, although this means Tornadus-T has a harder time breaking past the likes of Mega Metagross and is forced to run a Hasty nature, which cuts into its bulk.
Set Details
========
* Maximum HP and Speed EVs along with an Assault Vest give Tornadus-T great special bulk while still retaining its fantastic Speed tier.
* Regenerator allows Tornadus-T to outlast its checks by healing off residual damage.
* You can choose to shift EVs over from HP to Special Attack if you wish to bolster the power behind Tornadus-T's attacks at the cost of some bulk; 96 EVs in Special Attack, for example, help secure the 2HKO against Mega Metagross with Heat Wave.
* Timid is the best nature here, as you do not need a Hasty nature to power up U-turn and Knock Off, which are mainly used for utility as opposed to damage; a Hasty nature is only recommended if you are running Superpower, but this cuts into Tornadus-T's physical bulk, which hinders its ability to check some physical attackers such as Breloom, Buzzwole, and Tapu Bulu and leaves it more vulnerable to priority attacks.
Usage Tips
========
* This set is mainly used for bulkier teams that need a solid switch-in to special attackers such as Serperior, Mega Venusaur, and Toxapex, which dislikes having its Black Sludge removed.
* Using Knock Off and U-turn early on in the match is highly recommended, as many of Tornadus-T's do not like having their items removed while U-turn lets you pivot around Tornadus-T's checks to bring in its teammates or to see what the opponent designates as a switch-in to it.
* Switching into attackers that Tornadus-T can take a hit from such as Tapu Bulu, Buzzwole, Mega Venusaur, and Keldeo is a great way of bringing it into the match; thanks to Regenerator, if it manages to switch poorly into a threat, such as into Pheromosa's Ice Beam, it can either switch out directly or U-turn out if Tornadus-T is faster than its foe in order to preserve its health to check threats later on in the match.
* Steel-types need to be handled more cautiously with this set; due to the decreased power, try to catch Steel-types such as Mega Metagross on the switch with Heat Wave in order to avoid them forcing Tornadus-T out.
* Hurricane should be used with care; while it has great coverage and is still strong despite the lack of investment on this set, using it in situations where the opposing Pokemon may be able to deal great damage in return should be avoided if possible.
* If Stealth Rock is up, exercise caution when trying to switch into the attackers that this set checks, such as Tapu Bulu, which can OHKO Tornadus-T with a Choice Band-boosted Wood Hammer after Stealth Rock damage.
Team Options
========
* This set prefers strong wallbreakers and sweepers paired with it that appreciate the defensive utility and pivoting that Tornadus-T provides; Tapu Koko forms a great VoltTurn core with Tornadus-T and appreciates it wearing down Grass-types like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur while also being able to wear down other Steel-types like Celesteela with its Electric Terrain-boosted Thunderbolts.
* Tapu Bulu works well with this set, as it likes Tornadus-T taking out Grass-types for it, and Tapu Bulu in return can hit its checks with strong Choice Band-boosted hits or can even surprise Steel-types for Tornadus-T with its Fightinium Z Swords Dance set.
* Tapu Fini assists Tornadus-T in wearing down bulkier targets with the combination of Taunt and Nature's Madness and can Defog away Stealth Rock to give Tornadus-T more opportunities to switch in.
* Although this set handles Grass-, Water-, and Fighting-types well, it still struggles greatly with Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Rotom-W, so partners to help deal with these threats like Mega Venusaur and Mold Breaker Excadrill are useful; Excadrill can even use Rapid Spin for Tornadus-T as well as set up Stealth Rock of its own.
* Defensive Landorus-T helps check the physical attackers that Tornadus-T has difficulty dealing with, can set up Stealth Rock, and also appreciates Tornadus-T checking special attackers for it with this set.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Grassium Z with Grass Knot is an option on the offensive set to help eliminate Rotom-W, one of Tornadus-T's most common switch-ins, while also keeping Tornadus-T immune to Knock Off's power boost, although this is a one-time lure, comes at the cost of a valuable moveslot, and takes away the valuable power boost from Life Orb.
* Iron Tail on both sets is a useful lure that can come in handy to hit threats like Tyranitar; Nihilego, which is a great switch-in otherwise; and Tapu Lele, which is only hit hard by Hurricane.
* Hidden Power Ice can be used to deal great damage to the likes of Landorus-T, Garchomp, Gliscor, and Salamence, which, while they are all hit hard by Hurricane, consistently take more damage from Hidden Power Ice, and prevent them from setting up against Tornadus-T.
* Focus Blast is a fine alternative to Superpower on either of the two sets that has the benefit of still hitting threats like Heatran hard while also being one of Tornadus-T's best options to hit Rotom-W without forcing it to cut into its bulk by running a Hasty or Naive nature; however, it suffers from a lack of consistency, which Tornadus-T already has an issue with in Hurricane.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Tapu Koko, Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Thundurus all can switch into many of Tornadus-T's moves with ease, especially from the Assault Vest set, and can respond with a strong super effective STAB attack. While Tapu Koko must watch out for Sludge Wave, otherwise they all serve as great answers to it.
**Rock-types**: Nihilego and Tyranitar both switch in easily into Tornadus-T's sets, mainly into its Assault Vest set, as Tyranitar must watch out for Superpower, which is common on the Life Orb set. In return, these threats can easily OHKO Tornadus-T with a strong super effective STAB attack.
**Faster Attackers**: Despite its fantastic Speed tier, Tornadus-T is still left outsped by a couple of threats, such as Choice Scarf Nihilego, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and even non-Choice Scarf users like Greninja, which threatens Tornadus-T with either a Protean-boosted Ice Beam or, if it is Ash-Greninja, a strong STAB Choice Specs-boosted Dark Pulse. Pheromosa can also handle the Life Orb set easily with either a strong Life Orb- or Choice Specs-boosted Ice Beam, although Tornadus-T can switch into its other moves quite easily and handles Pheromosa well with its Assault Vest set.
**Heatran**: Although Heatran must be wary of Superpower, it can still easily threaten the Assault Vest set due to its typing and can throw out a strong Magma Storm or potentially burn Tornadus-T with Lava Plume.
**Mega Charizard Y**: Mega Charizard Y serves as one of the strongest answers to Tornadus-T; it lowers the accuracy of Hurricane to 50 percent, takes little from the rest of its movepool due to its great Special Defense stat, and can respond with a strong sun-boosted STAB Fire Blast that can greatly harm Tornadus-T.
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