Hi folks. After
Power Construct (Zygarde-Complete) and
Aegislash, the OU council has unanimously decided to ban
Landorus-Incarnate from the Pokébank Over Used metagame.
First and foremost, we recognize that Landorus-Incarnate is not invicible. With a double weakness to Ice and an average speed of 101, fast Pokémon such as Greninja, Pheromosa or Tapu Koko can outspeed it and easily revenge kill it without a problem.
However, with an arsenal of powerful attacks composed of Earth Power, Focus Blast, Sludge Wave, Psychic, Hidden Power Ice, Knock Off and Rock Slide, combined to amazing offensive stats (125 Atk / 115 SpA) and the ability Sheer Force that gives it a recoil-free Life Orb boost, Landorus-I is absolutely unpredictable.
Worse, it also learns moves such as Calm Mind or Rock Polish, allowing it to fulfill a late game sweeper role, in addition of being a terrifying strike force against any form of stall.
Indeed, countering Landorus-I is quite the tremendous challenge. Only 2 non-Ubers Pokémon in the game are capable to achieve this major feat :
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Cresselia, whose viability in the OU metagame is close to non-existent despite its very high defenses.
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Mega-Latias, which is not even distributed in-game and therefore, is unavailable.
Offensive damage calculations said:
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Sludge Wave vs. 252 HP / 96+ SpD Clefable: 289-341 (73.3 - 86.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Earth Power vs. 248 HP / 144 SpD Venusaur-Mega: 173-204 (47.6 - 56.1%) -- 82.4% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 112 SpD Hippowdon: 259-305 (61.6 - 72.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Suicune: 203-239 (50.2 - 59.1%) -- 76.6% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 144+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 164-192 (53.9 - 63.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Sludge Wave vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tapu Fini: 192-229 (55.9 - 66.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Sludge Wave vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Tangrowth: 234-276 (57.9 - 68.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Rotom-Wash: 139-165 (45.8 - 54.4%) -- 97.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 168 SpD Ferrothorn: 309-367 (87.7 - 104.2%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 183-216 (54.7 - 64.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Chansey: 309-367 (48.1 - 57.1%) -- 91.8% chance to 2HKO - assuming Eviolite got knocked off.
4 Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Rock Slide vs. 96 HP / 0 Def Tornadus-Therian: 268-317 (82.9 - 98.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
4 Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Rock Slide vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Mantine: 203-239 (54.4 - 64%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 Atk Life Orb Landorus Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Latios: 265-312 (88.6 - 104.3%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO
As you can see with the help of the damage calculations listed above, Landorus-I is extremely strong and that is not all. Unlike a Pokémon such as Pheromosa, its defenses, if not great, are decent enough to allow him to take some hits.
Defensive damage calculations said:
252+ Atk Huge Power Azumarill Aqua Jet vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Landorus: 260-308 (81.5 - 96.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Landorus: 211-250 (66.1 - 78.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Garchomp Outrage vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Landorus: 214-253 (67 - 79.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Technician Scizor-Mega Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Landorus: 262-309 (82.1 - 96.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tapu Lele Psychic (Psychic Terrain) vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus: 267-315 (83.6 - 98.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tapu Fini Surf vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus: 288-338 (90.2 - 105.9%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
68 SpA Zapdos Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus: 268-316 (84 - 99%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Because it clearly corresponds to the part III of the
OU tiering policy framework, there is no doubt Landorus-I has nothing to do in the Over Used metagame. As in earlier generations, it ended up being overwhelming very quickly which is the reason why we kindly drove him back at his place : the Ubers metagame.
The Immortal
