taken over from Snobalt
[OVERVIEW]
Aurorus can run various sets thanks to its good movepool, good coverage with access to moves such as Freeze-Dry, Earth Power, Earthquake, and Stone Edge, and decent attacking stats. Aurorus faces competition from Regice, especially as a Rock Polish sweeper, as Regice is bulkier, has a better typing, and has different coverage, though Aurorus can better deal with Fire-types and has other niches such as access to Refrigerate and Snow Warning. Refrigerate gives Aurorus a solid special Ice-type STAB move in Hyper Voice, allowing it to hit harder than Regice and granting it several different sets such as Choice Specs, Rock Polish, and Choice Scarf. Aurorus also has another niche in Snow Warning, which makes it a good weather check and the best hail setter in the tier, as it only faces competition from Snover; hail also allows it to passively wear down foes, break through Sturdy and Focus Sash, and run Blizzard without fear of missing. However, even though Aurorus's bulk is good enough to make it survive most non-STAB super effective attacks, its bad typing still leaves it with six weaknesses to common types, such as Fighting and Rock. Along with its lack of reliable recovery and terrible Speed, it is easily worn down and vulnerable to revenge killing. Despite Aurorus's power and good coverage, several Pokemon can keep it in check or wall it, such as Grumpig, which keeps it from being an excellent Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Earth Power
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock racks up residual damage and wears down foes in order to gain KOs and ease the sweep for Aurorus's teammates. Blizzard is Aurorus's main and most powerful STAB move, gets perfect accuracy in hail, and deals massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Freeze-Dry is weaker than Blizzard, but it is useful to hit bulky Water-types that often find themselves switching in on Aurorus, such as Poliwrath. Earth Power is mainly used for coverage, as it allows Aurorus to deal with Steel- and Fire-types such as Probopass, Pawniard, and Ninetales, which resist Aurorus's Ice-type STAB attacks.
Set Details
========
Investment in Special Attack is necessary to make Aurorus threatening as an attacker. Investment in Speed and a Timid nature are used to outspeed Adamant Pawniard and common leads such as Golem, Dwebble, Probopass, and Torterra. A Modest nature can also be used to hit as hard as possible, though it makes Aurorus miss the jump on a few Pokemon. Focus Sash is used to help Aurorus survive a single attack, allowing it to set up Stealth Rock safely and function as a lead. Life Orb can also be used to boost the power of Aurorus's attacks and allow it to land crucial 2HKOs on Pokemon that Aurorus normally could not deal with, particularly with Freeze-Dry against bulky Water-types such as Poliwrath. Snow Warning allows Aurorus to run Blizzard and wear down foes with passive damage.
Usage Tips
========
Aurorus has access to useful coverage moves and enough Speed to outpace and KO common leads such as Golem, Probopass and Dwebble, so it should be used as a lead most of the time. Setting up Stealth Rock should be the priority most of the time, except against Taunt or Magic Coat users, such as Barbaracle, Leavanny and Kricketune, in which case Aurorus should directly attack or switch out to a favorable matchup. Blizzard should be the preferred attacking move to spam when under Hail, as it is the strongest move Aurorus has access to. If the opponent carries an entry hazard remover, Aurorus could be preserved even after setting up Stealth Rock, whereas if they lack one, you could let Aurorus faint in order to bring in a teammate off the free switch. Aurorus should also be preserved if the opponent carries a weather setter such as Hippopotas or Volbeat, as Snow Warning makes Aurorus a viable check to weather teams and weather abusers.
Team Options
========
Aurorus can fit well on both balanced and offensive teams, as it provides Stealth Rock support and a good mix of movepool, offense, and defense, though its many weaknesses to common types make it still need a bit of support to succeed. Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist-S are good partners for Aurorus because they can block opposing attempts to Rapid Spin away the Stealth Rock that Aurorus has set up, and both are immune to Fighting-type moves, which threaten Aurorus. Misdreavus is also immune to Ground, while Gourgeist-S resists both Ground and Water. Gourgeist-S also helps deal with bulky Water-types that Aurorus struggles to defeat even with Freeze-Dry. Pawniard, thanks to Defiant, is also a good option to discourage the use of Defog by the foe, as having an opposing Pawniard with an Attack boost isn't nice. Poliwrath and Togetic also have good defensive synergy with Aurorus, as Poliwrath can take Rock-type attacks while Aurorus deals with Flying-type moves, and Togetic can tank Grass-, Ground-, and Fighting-type attacks while Aurorus handles Poison- and Ice-type moves. Pokemon that can remove entry hazards from Aurorus's side of the field are appreciated, as it is susceptible to all of them, especially Stealth Rock. Good examples are Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal and Armaldo and Defog users such as Pelipper. Aurorus prefers Rapid Spin users, as getting its own Stealth Rock removed can be detrimental, especially for a suicide lead. Sweepers and cleaners such as Simipour and Ursaring appreciate the Stealth Rock support that Aurorus provides in order to make it easier for them to land KOs or clean up the opposing team. Revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Raichu and Choice Scarf Rotom-F also appreciate the Stealth Rock support to wear down foes, making it easier for them to revenge kill and get KOs.
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Hyper Voice
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Earth Power
item: Life Orb
ability: Refrigerate
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rock Polish increases Aurorus's Speed by two stages, allowing it to attempt a sweep or a late-game cleanup. Refrigerate-boosted Hyper Voice is Aurorus's strongest STAB move. Freeze-Dry is weaker but is useful to hit Water-types that may attempt to switch in on Aurorus, such as Pelipper. Earth Power is used to hit Steel- and Fire-types such as Probopass, Pawniard, Klang, Ninetales, and Simisear for massive damage. Snow Warning and Blizzard give Aurorus a bit more power, but the combination could be detrimental to teammates because of the hail damage. Moreover, hail can be stalled out, and Blizzard loses accuracy and becomes less reliable when hail ends.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment in combination with Life Orb and a Modest nature helps Aurorus deal as much damage as possible. Maximum Speed investment allows Aurorus to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame after a Rock Polish. Refrigerate turns Hyper Voice into an Ice-type move and boosts its power, giving Aurorus a much-needed STAB attack.
Usage Tips
========
Rock Polish Aurorus is best used late-game, when foes such as Choice Scarf users are weakened enough or removed. Because Aurorus shouldn't take unnecessary damage and doesn't get many opportunities to switch in, be sure to bring it in only on a free switch from a KO or a slow U-turn or Volt Switch. Aurorus should set up a Rock Polish when it has the opportunity; otherwise it is preferred to spam Hyper Voice. Aurorus should also set up a Rock Polish on Pokemon that it forces out. Good examples are Normal- and Flying-types such as Stoutland and Dodrio locked in a resisted move. Be wary about Thunder Wave users such as Grumpig, as they can limit Aurorus's effectiveness by crippling its Speed, therefore making it unable to sweep.
Team Options
========
A slow Volt Switch or U-turn provided by Pokemon such as Probopass and Pelipper is a good way to let Aurorus switch into the field without taking unnecessary damage. Water-types can switch in on the Steel- and Water-type moves that Aurorus cannot take. Poliwrath in particular takes on three of Aurorus's weaknesses in Steel, Rock, and Water, while Aurorus resists the Flying-type moves that threaten Poliwrath. Grass-types such as Roselia, Tangela, and Gourgeist-XL can take on most Water-types, especially priority users such as Carracosta, Poliwrath, and Basculin. Bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic resist the Fighting-type moves targeted at Aurorus. Togetic also provides a slow Baton Pass that gives Aurorus a safe switch in and can pass Aurorus a Special Attack boost thanks to Nasty Plot. It can also Defog away entry hazards, which Aurorus appreciates due to its weakness to Stealth Rock. Other Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off of Aurorus's side of the field include Torkoal, Armaldo, and Pelipper. Entry hazard support from setters such as Golem and Roselia will help weaken foes, giving Aurorus an easier time at attempting a late-game sweep. Wallbreakers such as Simipour and Simisear can break through most walls that trouble Aurorus's sweep. Pursuit trappers such as Dusknoir and Pawniard can deal with Grumpig, which walls Aurorus.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Substitute + Calm Mind set is an option because Aurorus's STAB moves and coverage options force many switches, allowing it to set up free Substitutes on predicted switches. Flash Cannon can be used on special attacking sets to hit Rotom-F, Avalugg, opposing Aurorus, and, most importantly, Piloswine. Choice Specs gives Aurorus enough power to 2HKO the entire metagame with its attacks, including Lickilicky. Encore can be useful to lock defensive Pokemon into support moves and sweepers into setup moves, allowing Aurorus to get a free Rock Polish or simply defeat the foe while it waits for Encore to end. Dark Pulse is useful to surprise Grumpig, which often finds itself switching in on Aurorus, though it is situational. Choice Band can be used to boost Aurorus's Attack, making it a threatening wallbreaker thanks to its wide movepool. Choice Scarf is an option to turn Aurorus into a decent revenge killer, as it outspeeds Pokemon with up to base 110 Speed, such as Jumpluff and Raichu. Choice Scarf also allows Aurorus to take down opposing sand and sun teams with Blizzard. Icy Rock in combination with Snow Warning can increase the duration of hail, but Aurorus will typically not last long enough on the battlefield to make use of it, and hail teams are mediocre and can't take advantage of it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage by entry hazards bothers Aurorus due to its lack of reliable recovery and weakness to Stealth Rock. Burns are also a problem on physical attacking sets, as they halve Aurorus's Attack.
**Fighting-types**: Machoke and Poliwrath are able to keep Aurorus in check, as they can take anything that Aurorus has to throw at them and can OHKO it with a Fighting-type STAB attack.
**Priority Moves**: Many priority moves are super effective on Aurorus and can effortlessly revenge kill it, particularly Poliwrath's Vacuum Wave and Machoke's Bullet Punch. Even neutral priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Pawniard and Golem can deal good damage to Aurorus if it is running an offensive set.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Grumpig and Lickilicky can avoid the 2HKO from Aurorus's main attacks. Lickilicky can stall out Aurorus, while Grumpig has access to Thick Fat and can also threaten it offensively with Focus Blast. Most of them can also cripple Aurorus with Thunder Wave.
**Ice-types**: Thanks to Thick Fat and its decent bulk along with Eviolite, Piloswine is able to tank attacks from Aurorus with ease. Piloswine can hit back hard with an Earthquake or cripple the possible switch-in with Toxic. Avalugg can wall Aurorus if running Special Defense investment and can cripple it with Toxic. Regice and Articuno can both take on Aurorus thanks to their high special bulk, but while Regice can OHKO Aurorus thanks to Focus Blast, Articuno can't OHKO it but can still easily tank its attacks and recover damage with Roost.
**Faster Pokemon**: Many Pokemon that outspeed Aurorus such as Leafeon, Pawniard, and Simipour can easily KO it with a myriad of super effective attacks. Even after Aurorus has gotten a Rock Polish boost, Choice Scarf users with base 95 Speed and above, such as Raichu, can outspeed Aurorus.
[OVERVIEW]
Aurorus can run various sets thanks to its good movepool, good coverage with access to moves such as Freeze-Dry, Earth Power, Earthquake, and Stone Edge, and decent attacking stats. Aurorus faces competition from Regice, especially as a Rock Polish sweeper, as Regice is bulkier, has a better typing, and has different coverage, though Aurorus can better deal with Fire-types and has other niches such as access to Refrigerate and Snow Warning. Refrigerate gives Aurorus a solid special Ice-type STAB move in Hyper Voice, allowing it to hit harder than Regice and granting it several different sets such as Choice Specs, Rock Polish, and Choice Scarf. Aurorus also has another niche in Snow Warning, which makes it a good weather check and the best hail setter in the tier, as it only faces competition from Snover; hail also allows it to passively wear down foes, break through Sturdy and Focus Sash, and run Blizzard without fear of missing. However, even though Aurorus's bulk is good enough to make it survive most non-STAB super effective attacks, its bad typing still leaves it with six weaknesses to common types, such as Fighting and Rock. Along with its lack of reliable recovery and terrible Speed, it is easily worn down and vulnerable to revenge killing. Despite Aurorus's power and good coverage, several Pokemon can keep it in check or wall it, such as Grumpig, which keeps it from being an excellent Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Blizzard
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Earth Power
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Snow Warning
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock racks up residual damage and wears down foes in order to gain KOs and ease the sweep for Aurorus's teammates. Blizzard is Aurorus's main and most powerful STAB move, gets perfect accuracy in hail, and deals massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Freeze-Dry is weaker than Blizzard, but it is useful to hit bulky Water-types that often find themselves switching in on Aurorus, such as Poliwrath. Earth Power is mainly used for coverage, as it allows Aurorus to deal with Steel- and Fire-types such as Probopass, Pawniard, and Ninetales, which resist Aurorus's Ice-type STAB attacks.
Set Details
========
Investment in Special Attack is necessary to make Aurorus threatening as an attacker. Investment in Speed and a Timid nature are used to outspeed Adamant Pawniard and common leads such as Golem, Dwebble, Probopass, and Torterra. A Modest nature can also be used to hit as hard as possible, though it makes Aurorus miss the jump on a few Pokemon. Focus Sash is used to help Aurorus survive a single attack, allowing it to set up Stealth Rock safely and function as a lead. Life Orb can also be used to boost the power of Aurorus's attacks and allow it to land crucial 2HKOs on Pokemon that Aurorus normally could not deal with, particularly with Freeze-Dry against bulky Water-types such as Poliwrath. Snow Warning allows Aurorus to run Blizzard and wear down foes with passive damage.
Usage Tips
========
Aurorus has access to useful coverage moves and enough Speed to outpace and KO common leads such as Golem, Probopass and Dwebble, so it should be used as a lead most of the time. Setting up Stealth Rock should be the priority most of the time, except against Taunt or Magic Coat users, such as Barbaracle, Leavanny and Kricketune, in which case Aurorus should directly attack or switch out to a favorable matchup. Blizzard should be the preferred attacking move to spam when under Hail, as it is the strongest move Aurorus has access to. If the opponent carries an entry hazard remover, Aurorus could be preserved even after setting up Stealth Rock, whereas if they lack one, you could let Aurorus faint in order to bring in a teammate off the free switch. Aurorus should also be preserved if the opponent carries a weather setter such as Hippopotas or Volbeat, as Snow Warning makes Aurorus a viable check to weather teams and weather abusers.
Team Options
========
Aurorus can fit well on both balanced and offensive teams, as it provides Stealth Rock support and a good mix of movepool, offense, and defense, though its many weaknesses to common types make it still need a bit of support to succeed. Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Gourgeist-S are good partners for Aurorus because they can block opposing attempts to Rapid Spin away the Stealth Rock that Aurorus has set up, and both are immune to Fighting-type moves, which threaten Aurorus. Misdreavus is also immune to Ground, while Gourgeist-S resists both Ground and Water. Gourgeist-S also helps deal with bulky Water-types that Aurorus struggles to defeat even with Freeze-Dry. Pawniard, thanks to Defiant, is also a good option to discourage the use of Defog by the foe, as having an opposing Pawniard with an Attack boost isn't nice. Poliwrath and Togetic also have good defensive synergy with Aurorus, as Poliwrath can take Rock-type attacks while Aurorus deals with Flying-type moves, and Togetic can tank Grass-, Ground-, and Fighting-type attacks while Aurorus handles Poison- and Ice-type moves. Pokemon that can remove entry hazards from Aurorus's side of the field are appreciated, as it is susceptible to all of them, especially Stealth Rock. Good examples are Rapid Spin users such as Torkoal and Armaldo and Defog users such as Pelipper. Aurorus prefers Rapid Spin users, as getting its own Stealth Rock removed can be detrimental, especially for a suicide lead. Sweepers and cleaners such as Simipour and Ursaring appreciate the Stealth Rock support that Aurorus provides in order to make it easier for them to land KOs or clean up the opposing team. Revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Raichu and Choice Scarf Rotom-F also appreciate the Stealth Rock support to wear down foes, making it easier for them to revenge kill and get KOs.
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Hyper Voice
move 3: Freeze-Dry
move 4: Earth Power
item: Life Orb
ability: Refrigerate
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rock Polish increases Aurorus's Speed by two stages, allowing it to attempt a sweep or a late-game cleanup. Refrigerate-boosted Hyper Voice is Aurorus's strongest STAB move. Freeze-Dry is weaker but is useful to hit Water-types that may attempt to switch in on Aurorus, such as Pelipper. Earth Power is used to hit Steel- and Fire-types such as Probopass, Pawniard, Klang, Ninetales, and Simisear for massive damage. Snow Warning and Blizzard give Aurorus a bit more power, but the combination could be detrimental to teammates because of the hail damage. Moreover, hail can be stalled out, and Blizzard loses accuracy and becomes less reliable when hail ends.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment in combination with Life Orb and a Modest nature helps Aurorus deal as much damage as possible. Maximum Speed investment allows Aurorus to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame after a Rock Polish. Refrigerate turns Hyper Voice into an Ice-type move and boosts its power, giving Aurorus a much-needed STAB attack.
Usage Tips
========
Rock Polish Aurorus is best used late-game, when foes such as Choice Scarf users are weakened enough or removed. Because Aurorus shouldn't take unnecessary damage and doesn't get many opportunities to switch in, be sure to bring it in only on a free switch from a KO or a slow U-turn or Volt Switch. Aurorus should set up a Rock Polish when it has the opportunity; otherwise it is preferred to spam Hyper Voice. Aurorus should also set up a Rock Polish on Pokemon that it forces out. Good examples are Normal- and Flying-types such as Stoutland and Dodrio locked in a resisted move. Be wary about Thunder Wave users such as Grumpig, as they can limit Aurorus's effectiveness by crippling its Speed, therefore making it unable to sweep.
Team Options
========
A slow Volt Switch or U-turn provided by Pokemon such as Probopass and Pelipper is a good way to let Aurorus switch into the field without taking unnecessary damage. Water-types can switch in on the Steel- and Water-type moves that Aurorus cannot take. Poliwrath in particular takes on three of Aurorus's weaknesses in Steel, Rock, and Water, while Aurorus resists the Flying-type moves that threaten Poliwrath. Grass-types such as Roselia, Tangela, and Gourgeist-XL can take on most Water-types, especially priority users such as Carracosta, Poliwrath, and Basculin. Bulky Fairy-types such as Togetic resist the Fighting-type moves targeted at Aurorus. Togetic also provides a slow Baton Pass that gives Aurorus a safe switch in and can pass Aurorus a Special Attack boost thanks to Nasty Plot. It can also Defog away entry hazards, which Aurorus appreciates due to its weakness to Stealth Rock. Other Pokemon that can keep Stealth Rock off of Aurorus's side of the field include Torkoal, Armaldo, and Pelipper. Entry hazard support from setters such as Golem and Roselia will help weaken foes, giving Aurorus an easier time at attempting a late-game sweep. Wallbreakers such as Simipour and Simisear can break through most walls that trouble Aurorus's sweep. Pursuit trappers such as Dusknoir and Pawniard can deal with Grumpig, which walls Aurorus.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Substitute + Calm Mind set is an option because Aurorus's STAB moves and coverage options force many switches, allowing it to set up free Substitutes on predicted switches. Flash Cannon can be used on special attacking sets to hit Rotom-F, Avalugg, opposing Aurorus, and, most importantly, Piloswine. Choice Specs gives Aurorus enough power to 2HKO the entire metagame with its attacks, including Lickilicky. Encore can be useful to lock defensive Pokemon into support moves and sweepers into setup moves, allowing Aurorus to get a free Rock Polish or simply defeat the foe while it waits for Encore to end. Dark Pulse is useful to surprise Grumpig, which often finds itself switching in on Aurorus, though it is situational. Choice Band can be used to boost Aurorus's Attack, making it a threatening wallbreaker thanks to its wide movepool. Choice Scarf is an option to turn Aurorus into a decent revenge killer, as it outspeeds Pokemon with up to base 110 Speed, such as Jumpluff and Raichu. Choice Scarf also allows Aurorus to take down opposing sand and sun teams with Blizzard. Icy Rock in combination with Snow Warning can increase the duration of hail, but Aurorus will typically not last long enough on the battlefield to make use of it, and hail teams are mediocre and can't take advantage of it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage by entry hazards bothers Aurorus due to its lack of reliable recovery and weakness to Stealth Rock. Burns are also a problem on physical attacking sets, as they halve Aurorus's Attack.
**Fighting-types**: Machoke and Poliwrath are able to keep Aurorus in check, as they can take anything that Aurorus has to throw at them and can OHKO it with a Fighting-type STAB attack.
**Priority Moves**: Many priority moves are super effective on Aurorus and can effortlessly revenge kill it, particularly Poliwrath's Vacuum Wave and Machoke's Bullet Punch. Even neutral priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Pawniard and Golem can deal good damage to Aurorus if it is running an offensive set.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Grumpig and Lickilicky can avoid the 2HKO from Aurorus's main attacks. Lickilicky can stall out Aurorus, while Grumpig has access to Thick Fat and can also threaten it offensively with Focus Blast. Most of them can also cripple Aurorus with Thunder Wave.
**Ice-types**: Thanks to Thick Fat and its decent bulk along with Eviolite, Piloswine is able to tank attacks from Aurorus with ease. Piloswine can hit back hard with an Earthquake or cripple the possible switch-in with Toxic. Avalugg can wall Aurorus if running Special Defense investment and can cripple it with Toxic. Regice and Articuno can both take on Aurorus thanks to their high special bulk, but while Regice can OHKO Aurorus thanks to Focus Blast, Articuno can't OHKO it but can still easily tank its attacks and recover damage with Roost.
**Faster Pokemon**: Many Pokemon that outspeed Aurorus such as Leafeon, Pawniard, and Simipour can easily KO it with a myriad of super effective attacks. Even after Aurorus has gotten a Rock Polish boost, Choice Scarf users with base 95 Speed and above, such as Raichu, can outspeed Aurorus.
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