Overview
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In a tier rife with Dragons of all shapes and sizes,(AC) Haxorus maintains several boast-worthy traits over his dragon brethren. He maintains the highest non-legendary Attack stat of all non-legendaries, surpassed only by Kyurem-B and Mega Garchomp, neither of which have access to the coveted Dragon Dance. Haxorus' pure Dragon typing, being oddly uncommon, makes Haxorus him far less likely to fall susceptible to non-STAB Ice attacks that are often carried for the likes of Dragonite and Garchomp. Furthermore, his relatively rare ability, Mold Breaker, allows him to disregard pokemon with otherwise problematic abilities like Levitate Rotom-W, Filter Mega Aggron, Unaware Clefable, numerous Sturdy users,(AC) and Multiscale Dragonite. There are some things that make this battle axe worse for wears though. His Haxorus' overall lack of bulk means it's he's easily 2HKOed by many strong neutral hits and potentially vulnerable in his required set-up time. New Fairy-types will also make you hesitate to click that Outrage button, meaning that it isn't just the ubiquitous Steel-type you need to worry about anymore. While he Haxorus has enough coverage options to handle most Steel- and Fairy-types, you he can't cover everything and he can find yourhimself hard walled without the right team support. Base 97 Speed is acceptable for wall breaking and sufficient with enough boosts to clean up end game with an unresisted Outrage. Haxorus has the right stats, ability, moves,(AC) and typing to perform his role very,(AC) very well.
Dragon Dance
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name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Taunt / Poison Jab
ability: Mold Breaker
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Spe
Moves
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Dragon Dance is your Haxorus' boosting move of choice giving you him the power and speed you he needs to rip through weakened walls and slower sweepers. Earthquake is great for handling Steels like Aegislash, Heatran,(AC) and Klefki and is also great for Rotom-W. Taunt completely shuts down would-be walls like Skarmory that don't carry Brave Bird, helping you to nab additional boosts. For wallbreaking or sweeping, Outrage will benefit you the most with its insane power, as Dragon Claw and Dual Chop in general severely lack in power in general and prevent Haxorus from fulfilling its role.
Set Details
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Dragon Dance is the better boosting move to let Haxorus compete with heavy offense hyper-offensive teams, as the speed is crucial. Once you ideally get to +2,(AC) click that Outrage button, assuming no Fairy types remain. 220 Speed maintains an advantage over Jolly Dragonite and other max Speed base 80s as well as Jolly Gyarados and max Speed Kyurem-B with Jolly. Life Orb gives you some extra oomph and compensates in situations where you can't get as many desired Dances in, and with enough speed you can potentially net more crucial KOs to keep on Outraging. You are still threatening with enough power and speed without boosts against slow or weakened pokemon like Heatran and Tyranitar with Earthquake, or Breloom with Poison Jab. Taunt often makes slow walls like Chansey and Skarmory more often than not relegated to switching out, and thus giving you breathing room to boost towards omnipotence.
Usage Tips
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Haxorus requires safe opportunities to boost to overpower sturdy walls and bypass faster and frailer threats. Getting two Dragon Dances is your goal and is often enough to shift the odds in your favor against many would-be checks and counters. A weakened team with its Steels and Fairies Steel- and Fairy-types eradicated simply can not cannot stand up to your his mighty Outrage. Don't try to switch Haxorus into anything, and ideally you'll be rid of remove priority users too beforehand. A slow Volt Switch or U-turn are reliable methods of getting Haxorus in unscathed against unwilling foes. Rotom-W can be Taunted and often has to Volt Switch out as a result, which you fortunately resist. Heatran fears Earthquake from you, and Air Balloon versions can safely be Taunted and thus unable to throw up Substitutes, Will-O-Wisp or use Roar. Having Stealth Rock is generally helpful against priority users like such as Talonflame and Dragonite, and while Magnezone can trap and handle Scizor as well as Skarmory, leaving you less threatened (shouldn't Magnezone be in Team Options?). Zapdos carries no threatening moves and is easy to set up against, with Taunt as insurance. Ferrothorns that lack Gyro Ball are also pure set-up and Taunt bait, and Earthquake doesn't fear activate Iron Barbs nor Rocky Helmet.
Team Options
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Most Steel-types protect Haxorus from all three of his weaknesses. Heatran's plethora of resistances (4x resists Fairy and Ice) and great bulk make him a reliable team player with Fire STAB for other Steels and able the ability to set Stealth Rock. Any U-turn or Volt Switch user that scouts for you can help get Haxorus in for free against an unwilling opponent allowing for more boosting opportunities. Rotom-W is a popular choice easy to fit onto most teams and is a good answer for Talonflame, Scizor, Air Balloon Heatran and Landorus-T, slows down important enemies with Thunder Wave, and can scout with Volt Switch scout. Rotom-H similarly handles Talonflame but is also great against many Steel-types like such as Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn, handily resisting their common moves and threatening an OHKO with Overheat. Being immune to burn as well as paralysis like Rotom-W is also beneficial. Landorus-T can prompt switches with Intimidate and can U-turn you in safely on top of setting Stealth Rock. A Klefki of your own protects you from opposing Dragon-, Fairy-, and Ice-type attacks,(AC) and can use Thunder Wave and set up dual screens for Haxorus to more reliably boost behind more safely, and is particularly good against Greninja that lack HP Fire. And Deoxys-S can lay entry hazards, set up dual screens, and outpace the fastest unboosted threats all in one.
Stall Breaker
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name: Stall Breaker
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Outrage / Dual Chop
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Poison Jab / Taunt
ability: Mold Breaker
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Spe
Moves
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Swords Dance with Mold Breaker makes you Haxorus an insane wallbreaker and the most potent Dragon-type capable of defeating Fairies Fairy-types. Outrage for maddening power, or Dual Chop to better handle Substitute and Focus Sash users, especially Sub Kyurem-B. Earthquake hits the bevy majority of Steel types and +2 Poison Jab makes short work even of even Unaware Clefable, Azumarill, Togekiss,(AC) and Sylveon.
Set Details
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For pure wall breaking purposes, Swords Dance gives you Haxorus the power you he needs to be one hell of an anti-stall pokemon. Lum Berry is a great item to let you Haxorus boost in the face of slower walls that would depend on a burn or Toxic to cripple you him and is recommended if you forgo Taunt, otherwise use Life Orb to wallbreak all the better. Lum Berry does however cure confusion caused by Outrage. 240 Speed EVs keeps you Haxorus faster than max Speed neutral Kyurem-B, which can be crucial without Dragon Dance to boost your his speed, and a Jolly nature guarantees it. Mold Breaker is by far your Haxorus' best and most consistent ability,(AC) by ignoring Sturdy, Multiscale, Unaware,(AC) and Levitate users.
Usage Tips
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As a pure stallbreaker set you are Haxorus is foregoing forgoing speed for overwhelming power. Use your Lum Berry to your advantage to set up in the face of would-be threats and after you he takes out the Fairies and Steels Steel- and Fairy-types with Earthquake and Poison Jab you are free to demolish with Outrage. Chansey can waste a turn trying to Toxic you if you have Lum Berry,(AC) and +2 Outrage is a guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock, or with Life Orb and no rocks Stealth Rock. Using an unboosted Earthquake on Aegislash is risky at +0 if it is a Weakness Policy set, so it is generally recommended to boost first. Thundurus-I is OHKOed by Outrage no matter what,(AC) so don't attempt to dance when it has priority Taunt and instead hope it wastes a turn with Thunder Wave or Nasty Plot.
Team Options
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Stall Breaker Haxorus struggles against heavy offense hyper-offensive teams and as such wants naturally fast partners and priority users. Assault Vest Conkeldurr is great for sponging some special hits as well as status effects and has Mach Punch. Mega Aggron is also very bulky and with has Thunder Wave and Dragon Tail good for to slowing down or phaze the competition. Bisharp threatens Fairy-types and Defog users with Defiant and has Sucker Punch. Deoxys-S is a great dual screen user and can lay some entry hazards too for easier kills, as well as threaten fast and frail threats like Keldeo, Landorus-I, Thundurus-I, Terrakion and Greninja. Talonflame has some of the is one of the best priority users around,(AC) and Tailwind makes Haxorus immediately more threatening and better suited to fighting balanced and heavy offense. Kelfki Klefki has priority Thunder Wave and dual screens while resisting all of Haxorus' weaknesses. If you opt to have a Chansey for Wish, Aromatherapy,(AC) and Natural Cure support, you can rationalize forgoing Lum Berry for Life Orb. Choice Scarf Excadrill is a natural at handling fast threats and can rapid spin the opponent's entry hazards while preserving your own. Focus Sash Alakazam is also insanely fast, and with strong special attacks is able to revenge kill or eliminate fast sweepers with strong special attacks. Terrakion is also a fast teammate that doesn't particularly mind Talonflame's priority and even benefits outright from Sucker Punch courtesy of its ability Justified.
Other Options
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Low Kick is your Haxorus' best means attack against Ferrothorn,(AC) and can OHKO Mamoswine and Mega Gyarados at +1, and can kill as well as hitting Heatrans that carry Air Balloon. Rock Slide is a fair choice on Choice Scarf sets,(AC) being able to hit many of the faster 4x weak pokes Pokemon like Charizard Y, Talonflame,(AC) and Volcarona with the potential to flinch. Superpower with Swords Dance is the msot most efficient way to consistently deal with Skarmory, but offers little else. Dragon Claw is your Haxorus' most conservative and reliable STAB move if you hate Outrage's lock-in and Dual Chop's accuracy, but it severely hampers power. Aqua Tail gives provides good neutral coverage with Dragon-type attacks and can be particularly useful against Air Balloon Heatran and Excadrill.
Checks & Counters
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**Airborne Steel-types** Whether it be Skarmory or Pokemon like Heatran with Air Balloon, your Haxorus' most common sets are not tailored to handling these obstacles. Without Taunt for Skarmory or Aqua Tail for Air Balloon Heatran and Excadrill you will be hard pressed to come out on top.
**Speedy Sweepers** Pokemon with immediate access to speed and power like Keldeo, Landorus-I,(AC) and Greninja for example will demolish stall breaker sets,(AC) and even then certain Scarf users like Garchomp and priority users can take advantage of Dragon Dance Haxorus even after a boost. Requiring set-up time to be effective puts Haxorus at an immediate disadvantage against most Pokemon that can outspeed him things able to go before you can.