Haxorus

[HardCore]

Haxorus in this tier hasn't changed much however I'd like to be specific as far as how well he plays in this specific tier. The future of OU will consist of results like these, so lets see what power this beastly Dragon with an unlikely speed will do in the future and today.

Base Stats
HP: 76
Attack: 147
Defense: 90
Special Attack: 60
Special Defense: 70
Speed: 97

Haxorus (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd or
252 Atk / 56 Def / 200 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Taunt

This set is meant to sweep the opponent with the skill of being well prepared. There are always those Pokemon that can do little damage to Haxorus that he can taunt and get to +1 easily. Outrage and Earthquake are all Haxorus needs to sweep a large majority of the teams early and late game. Dragon Dance Haxorus only needs the speed to out run a few Pokemon close to 310 speed max. Lum Berry of course allows Haxorus to take a desperate status move or allows him to recover from confusion and continue to sweep with another 2 or 3 turns of Outrage. Although 322 speed is of course the most speed proficient this set can get generally this Pokemon can go without a few evs that can be thrown on defense, which is viable because priority Pokemon often try to revenge Haxorus. *Based on my experience with this set a lot of people just aren't ready to handle DD Haxorus currently.

Haxorus (M) @ Choice Band/Choice Scarf
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly/Adamant Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Brick Break
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- X-Scissor/ Dragon Claw

Everyone knows this set quite well in DW OU and BW OU. Haxorus's Base 147 attack is the first thing that people notice about this overwhelming dragon. Choice Band is all many teams need to break down the opponent's defenses, sweep, or come in and out for KOs. Out predicting choice item Haxorus is the hardest part for the opponent if they are not using protect / under substitute. Mold Breaker allows Choice Haxorus to be able to refrain from using Outrage right away. This makes him even more effective and allows such a powerful Pokemon to live longer.

Haxorus (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 56 Def / 200 Spd
Jolly/Adamant Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance

Haxorus's last most popular set is Double Dance. This set is designed to unleash Haxorus's full potential. Some teams might be able to revenge +2 attack Haxorus with something faster, but then you use Dragon Dance and the opponent knows the battle is over just as much as you do. The only Pokemon that are capable of handling this type of damage are bulky steel types. However if supported right (Trappers or Multiple Entry Hazards) or the right time in the battle this Haxorus set completely destroys anything opposing it. Any team properly structured can nearly execute this plan with impunity.

Checks/Counters
Haxorus is a very hard Pokemon to counter late game, however a lot of people misuse Haxorus and just spam Outrage. Skarmory, Forretress, and Ferrothorn are Haxorus's main counters. When opponents are positive they are weak to any variant of Haxorus's Outrage they may run defensive evs on Magnezone and use him to counter then KO Haxorus. Scizor is also a common counter/check to haxorus. Due to Haxorus's great power many steels that aren't direct counters can only take one boosted Outrage.
Checks to Haxorus would be any scarf Pokemon with a base speed of 99 or higher, stabbed ice shards, and LO/Choice Band Extreme speeds. The types of Pokemon are also many players main pokemon in the team and could be KOed by the time a Mid/Late game sweeper Haxorus is in use. Good luck killing this beast.

Which set is more powerful? Got something better? Discuss here.

 

[tomtom5858]

More popular, I'd say, is Swords Dance Haxorus.

Haxorus (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Taunt

Pure stall fears nothing more. There's literally nothing they can do to stop it from going to +6, and then OHKOing 2-3 Pokemon on their team (4-6 if Lum remains intact). It falters against offense, however, as its low defenses and trolled speed tier mean that it is outsped by everything and OHKOed by it.

 

[doughboy]

More popular, I'd say, is Swords Dance Haxorus.

Haxorus (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Taunt

Pure stall fears nothing more. There's literally nothing they can do to stop it from going to +6, and then OHKOing 2-3 Pokemon on their team (4-6 if Lum remains intact). It falters against offense, however, as its low defenses and trolled speed tier mean that it is outsped by everything and OHKOed by it.

If you can get to +6, can't you do just as well with the DD set? Granted there is a huge difference with the +2 boost, but you get some insurance when facing an offensive team.

 

[SJCrew]

Hm? SD being more common? Are you sure they weren't just using double dance and being revenged immediately after they owned Skarmory with Outrage?

Btw, if we want to talk about the Haxorus set, we really should be assuming double dance.

Haxorus (M) @ Lum Berry/Draco Plate
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Taunt

IIRC, the entire purpose of Taunt was to prevent Roar/WoW while he got another turn of setup. Lum Berry prevents status already (or if using Draco Plate, finding a safer setup opportunity than status bait will suffice; nothing is gonna survive a hit and status you besides Ferro or Jirachi when locked into Outrage), and nothing can really phaze him besides Skarm. Once you get that +2, not even Skarm is a counter. The only thing you have to watch out for is whether or not Outrage goes a third turn, giving a faster check time to revenge you.

 

[tomtom5858]

Hm? SD being more common? Are you sure they weren't just using double dance and being revenged immediately after they owned Skarmory with Outrage?

Btw, if we want to talk about the Haxorus set, we really should be assuming double dance.

Haxorus (M) @ Lum Berry/Draco Plate
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Taunt

IIRC, the entire purpose of Taunt was to prevent Roar/WoW while he got another turn of setup. Lum Berry prevents status already (or if using Draco Plate, finding a safer setup opportunity than status bait will suffice; nothing is gonna survive a hit and status you besides Ferro or Jirachi when locked into Outrage), and nothing can really phaze him besides Skarm. Once you get that +2, not even Skarm is a counter. The only thing you have to watch out for is whether or not Outrage goes a third turn, giving a faster check time to revenge you.

Draco Plate is kind of pointless; Outrage OHKOes everything in the game at +6 and everything except Skarmory at +4 with Lum Berry, and Lum gives you protection from random status such as Body Slam paralysis, or especially Scald burns.

 

[SJCrew]

Haxorus is not getting a +6 in a regular match, so let's keep that out of the discussion. Stuff Draco Plate is intended to kill:

Skarmory: 48.2% - 56.6%
Lum: 40.1% - 47.3%

Hippowdon: 86.4% - 101.7%
Lum: 72.1% - 85%

Gliscor: 105.1% - 123.7%
Lum: 87.3% - 102.8%

Scizor: 82.2% - 97.1%
Lum: 68.8% - 81%

Ferrothorn: 55.4% - 65.1%
Lum: 46% - 54.3%

The bolded are especially important since those are Hax's main checks/counters. Scizor missing the KO on Draco Plate means he's likely to die. Skarm can normally Whirlwind Hax out at least twice and recover when necessary, but with Draco Plate, it can't take a second +2 Outrage. With all of that power and no recoil, it's pretty tempting to just ditch Lum altogether.

 

[Vein]

Haxorus is not getting a +6 in a regular match, so let's keep that out of the discussion. Stuff Draco Plate is intended to kill:

Skarmory: 48.2% - 56.6%
Lum: 40.1% - 47.3%

Hippowdon: 86.4% - 101.7%
Lum: 72.1% - 85%

Gliscor: 105.1% - 123.7%
Lum: 87.3% - 102.8%

Scizor: 82.2% - 97.1%
Lum: 68.8% - 81%

Ferrothorn: 55.4% - 65.1%
Lum: 46% - 54.3%

The bolded are especially important since those are Hax's main checks/counters. Scizor missing the KO on Draco Plate means he's likely to die. Skarm can normally Whirlwind Hax out at least twice and recover when necessary, but with Draco Plate, it can't take a second +2 Outrage. With all of that power and no recoil, it's pretty tempting to just ditch Lum altogether.

This is interesting.

Too lazy to check, but are these at max defense?

 

[tomtom5858]

This is interesting.

Too lazy to check, but are these at max defense?

They're standard sets, I'm assuming it's Specially Defensive Ferrothorn, Physically Defensive other sets.



And yeah, shrang, but SD Haxorus is meant to be a Stallbreaker, not an offense sweeper.

 

[SJCrew]

That is why double dance is so brilliant: it does both in one set. Swords Dance when you need to or DD when necessary. No need to limit yourself to just one.