QC: Misaka Mikoto / Vid / Eien
GP: CryoGyro
[OVERVIEW]
Flying
========
* Landorus-T's great offensive and defensive stats make it one of the most versatile Pokemon in the Monotype metagame.
* Its Flying / Ground typing is great defensively, giving it an immunity to Electric-type moves and a neutrality to Rock-type moves; however, it is left with a weakness to Ice- and Water-type attacks.
* Landorus-T's useful ability in Intimidate paired with a good Defense stat allows it to switch into many physical attackers, such as Terrakion, Victini, and Excadrill, and lets it act as a great pivot.
* It has access to support moves such as Stealth Rock and U-turn, setup options in Swords Dance and Rock Polish, and great coverage moves in Stone Edge and Knock Off.
* Landorus-T sits at a decent base 91 Speed tier, which lets it act as a potent Choice Scarf user capable of outspeeding common Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Gardevoir and Xurkitree as well as fast Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus; however, it can be revenge killed by even faster Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Victini, Hydreigon, and Nihilego.
* Unfortunately, Landorus-T lacks reliable recovery, therefore hindering its defensive capabilities. This forces Landorus-T to be played cautiously to avoid taking too much damage.
* Landorus-T faces competition from Gliscor and Landorus as Electric-immune Pokemon; Gliscor is a great stallbreaker and status absorber, and Landorus is a strong special wallbreaker that cannot be used alongside Landorus-T.
[SET]
name: Double Dance (Flying)
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Rock Polish
item: Rockium Z
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Earthquake is Landorus-T's strongest Ground-type STAB move and is generally very spammable.
* Stone Edge is the coverage move of choice to give Landorus-T near-perfect coverage, notably hitting Ground-immune Pokemon such as Zapdos and Mandibuzz. Rockium Z allows Landorus-T to use Continental Crush, which can break some of its defensive checks at +2 such as Skarmory after a little prior damage and Rotom-W.
* Swords Dance boosts Landorus-T's Attack to high levels, allowing it to break through walls like Swampert and Hippowdon.
* Rock Polish doubles Landorus-T's Speed, allowing it to outspeed and KO revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Victini and Tapu Koko.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in Attack and an Adamant nature are used in order to allow Landorus-T to hit as hard as possible.
* Maximum Speed investment is used to outspeed Taunt users like Heatran and Gliscor as well as Adamant Excadrill in sand when at +2.
* Rockium Z is used in order to turn Stone Edge into Continental Crush.
* Earth Plate and Lum Berry can be used as alternative items if another Pokemon's Z-Move is being used. Earth Plate consistently boosts Earthquake's damage, while Lum Berry shields Landorus-T from status ailments once.
* Intimidate lets Landorus-T lower the foe's Attack, allowing it to set up on physical attackers more easily.
Usage Tips
========
* Use Intimidate to make it easier to set up Swords Dance or Rock Polish against physical attackers such as Terrakion and Excadrill.
* Landorus-T can bluff other items such as Choice Scarf to force a switch. This opportunity can be used to set up.
* Rock Polish and Swords Dance don't necessarily need to be used together; Swords Dance does well against defensively oriented teams, while Rock Polish thrives against offensive teams.
* Landorus-T can set up Swords Dance at many points early-game to weaken its checks. For example, against Ground teams, Landorus-T can set up Swords Dance as Hippowdon switches in and deal massive damage with a +2 Earthquake.
* Rock Polish should be used late-game when Landorus-T's checks have been weakened or removed.
* Rockium Z shouldn't be wasted. Use it to break Pokemon like Skarmory and Rotom-W once Landorus-T has already set up, as they can ruin its sweep by phazing it and crippling it with status, respectively. However, if Landorus-T is in danger of fainting, it can activate its Z-Crystal as a last resort to nuke the foe before it faints.
* Keep Landorus-T away from status ailments, especially burn, which halves Landorus-T's Attack.
* Preserve Landorus-T's health, especially if there are opposing threats such as Mamoswine and Azumarill that can easily revenge kill Landorus-T with their priority moves. This will allow Landorus-T to set up more easily later on.
Team Options
========
* Skarmory can remove Stealth Rock with Defog and set up Stealth Rock of its own, increasing the pressure on the opposing team. It can wall physical attackers, especially Ice-types like Weavile and Mamoswine, for Landorus-T. Skarmory can also phaze opposing threats with Whirlwind, which is especially useful with Stealth Rock on the field to wittle down their health for Landorus-T to KO easier.
* Zapdos can switch into special attackers for Landorus-T and remove Stealth Rock with Defog. It can also stallbreak Pokemon that would wall Landorus-T, such as Quagsire, with Substitute + Toxic.
* Mantine is a great switch-in to strong Water-type attackers, such as Keldeo and Kingdra, and can switch into certain Ice-type attacks, such as Ice Beam from Manaphy and Greninja, thanks to its Ice neutrality. It can also Defog Stealth Rock away.
* Celesteela is also a decent Ice switch-in. It can wear down defensive Pokemon with Leech Seed + Protect and check certain Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Nihilego and Latios.
* While Gliscor and Landorus-T share the same typing, Gliscor provides a more reliable Electric immunity, a Stealth Rock setter, and a stallbreaker.
* Strong wallbreakers like Mega Charizard Y and Choice Band Dragonite pair well with Landorus-T because they can weaken the opposing team, making it easier for Landorus-T to set up. A boosted Landorus-T can beat some of Mega Charizard Y and Dragonite's checks, such as Chansey and Skarmory, in return.
* Choice Scarf Togekiss can cripple defensive Pokemon, such as Porygon2 and Slowbro, with Trick, locking them into one move. Landorus-T can use this opportunity to set up. Togekiss can also support Landorus-T with Heal Bell.
* Thundurus can get rid of bulky Water- and Ground-types, like Slowbro and Hippowdon, with Thunderbolt and Grass Knot, respectively. It can also use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster threats, meaning Landorus-T doesn't need to waste a turn using Rock Polish to outspeed them.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot (Flying)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Knock Off / Stone Edge
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is great for wearing down opposing teams by damaging foes every time they switch in. Landorus-T's useful typing and bulk let it set them against Electric- and Rock-type teams most of the time.
* Earthquake is Landorus-T's strongest STAB move and allows it to be a great check to Rock-types like Terrakion and Tyranitar.
* U-turn lets Landorus-T gain a lot of momentum while punishing switches; Landorus-T is slow, which means it can bring its teammates in safely.
* Knock Off can be run to give Landorus-T general utility in removing the foe's item, notably being able to remove Eviolite from Porygon2 and Chansey, which can otherwise wall the majority of Flying-type Pokemon. It can also cripple defensive switch-ins like Swampert by removing Leftovers.
* Alternatively, Stone Edge can be run to hit Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y on the switch in and Mega Pinsir.
Set Details
========
* The investments made in HP and Defense allow Landorus-T to take physical attacks as well as possible.
* 28 EVs in Special Defense let Landorus-T take a Hidden Power Ice from Life Orb Tapu Koko and a Draco Meteor from Life Orb Latios at full health.
* Leftovers is the item of choice to provide Landorus-T with passive recovery.
* Rocky Helmet is an alternative option that lets Landorus-T inflict damage on users of contact moves such as Tapu Bulu and Dragonite as well as U-turn users like Victini and opposing Landorus-T.
* Intimidate softens up physical blows, allowing Landorus-T to switch into strong wallbreakers such as Choice Band Terrakion and Choice Band Infernape.
Usage Tips
========
* Use Landorus-T's Intimidate to switch into physical attackers and weaken them for the rest of the team.
* Don't keep Landorus-T in on strong special attackers such as Keldeo and Mega Alakazam, as it will either be OHKOed or weakened to the point where it cannot check anything properly.
* Knock Off should be used often early-game to cripple threats that switch into Landorus-T such as Porygon2 and opposing Landorus-T.
* Landorus-T should be used as a pivot, taking advantage of its slow U-turn to bring its teammates in safely.
* Avoid letting Landorus-T take too much damage if it needs to check something, (comma) as it doesn't have access to reliable recovery.
* Keep Landorus-T away from status ailments like burn and poison, (comma) as they slowly wear it down.
* Try to keep Stealth Rock off the field because it limits the number of times Landorus-T can switch into an attack.
* If Rocky Helmet is being run, use its presence to punish priority users such as Dragonite and Diggersby that try to revenge kill teammates, or to prevent U-turn users such as Victini and Mandibuzz from freely gaining momentum.
* Set up Stealth Rock on Pokemon that fear Landorus-T's coverage, such as Excadrill and Zapdos. Landorus-T can also bluff other sets and force switches, using the opportunity to set Stealth Rock. However, if Stealth Rock has been set by the opponent, don't set up Stealth Rock of your own, as your Defogger would remove them anyway.
Team Options
========
* Flying-types appreciate Landorus-T's Electric immunity and ability to switch into strong physical wallbreakers.
* Skarmory can switch into Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Weavile and Mamoswine. Since Landorus-T is running Stealth Rock, Skarmory has a moveslot freed up to run Defog. Skarmory is also free to run a more specially defensive spread to check Fairy-types better, as it has Landorus-T to switch into and soften blows from physical attackers.
* Zapdos appreciates Landorus-T as a partner because it can switch into strong physical attackers like Choice Band Dragonite and Rock-types like Terrakion. Zapdos can Defog away Stealth Rock in return. Landorus-T and Zapdos together also form a great VoltTurn core.
* Mantine can switch into attacks from Pokemon like Keldeo, Greninja, and Kingdra. It is also neutral to Ice-type moves and can Defog Stealth Rock away.
* Celesteela and Landorus-T have great defensive synergy, with Celesteela able to switch into Ice-types and Landorus-T able to switch into Electric-types. Celesteela can also support Landorus-T by providing recovery in the form of Leech Seed.
* All of Landorus-T's offensive teammates appreciate its ability to remove items with Knock Off.
* Landorus-T appreciates having Mega Charizard Y as a partner due to its Fire typing allowing it to switch into and check most Ice-types. Conversely, Landorus-T can set Stealth Rock, switch into physical attacks, and bring Mega Charizard Y in safely with a slow U-turn.
* Dragonite appreciates being brought in safely through a slow U-turn. This helps preserve its Multiscale, allowing it to set up more easily.
* Mega Aerodactyl appreciates having Landorus-T to pivot into physical attacks and bring it in safely through a slow U-turn. In return, Mega Aerodactyl can run coverage moves such as Fire Fang to beat some of Landorus-T's checks, like Ferrothorn. Mega Aerodactyl can also Pursuit trap certain threats like Latios and Victini.
* Thundurus can remove bulky Water- and Ground-types that threaten Landorus-T such as Swampert, Slowbro, and Hippowdon.
* Togekiss can support Landorus-T through Heal Bell, which removes status. It can also beat bulky Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn, which wall Landorus-T.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf (Flying)
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Knock Off
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Earthquake is Landorus-T's strongest STAB move and lets it beat Rock- and Steel-type threats such as Terrakion and Excadrill.
* Stone Edge lets Landorus-T hit Flying-types such as Zapdos and Togekiss, which would otherwise wall it.
* U-turn allows Landorus-T to grab momentum while hitting Psychic- and Dark-types super effectively. It can also pick off weakened Pokemon.
* Knock Off lets Landorus-T remove the foe's item, allowing it to cripple certain switch-ins such as Porygon2. It can also be used to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types consistently.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investments are made in Attack and Speed along with a Jolly nature to allow Landorus-T to hit as hard and fast as possible.
* Choice Scarf is the item of choice, as it lets Landorus-T outspeed otherwise faster threats such as Tapu Koko and Latios.
* Intimidate weakens the foe's attacks, allowing Landorus-T to switch into certain physical attackers such as Choice Scarf Excadrill.
Usage Tips
========
* You usually want to bring Landorus-T in after a fainted Pokemon or through a slow pivoting move to preserve its health.
* However, Landorus-T can sometimes switch into physical attackers such as Heracross and Excadrill thanks to Intimidate.
* Landorus-T can be used to switch into Electric-type Pokemon and revenge kill them; however, be wary of the Ice-type coverage offensive Electric-types generally carry.
* Knock Off can be spammed in Psychic- and Ghost-type matchups, and should generally be used to remove the items of defensive Pokemon that switch into Landorus-T. However, be otherwise wary of locking it into Knock Off, as Landorus-T can become setup bait for Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Gyarados.
* Landorus-T should use U-turn on a weakened Pokemon or Pokemon that it would force out, such as Alolan Raichu or Latios, to gain momentum.
* Use Landorus-T to revenge kill threats like Tapu Koko and Xurkitree.
* Earthquake should be spammed late-game when all of Landorus-T's checks have been weakened and the Ground-immune Pokemon removed.
* Keep Landorus-T away from status. Burn reduces its damage output significantly, while poison limits the number of times it can switch in.
* Landorus-T can be a good lead to scout the foe and use U-turn to pivot into the appropriate Pokemon.
Team Options
========
* Skarmory can switch into Ice-type attacks that threaten Landorus-T. It can set Stealth Rock to increase the pressure on the opposing side, helping Landorus-T clean up more easily.
* Zapdos can switch into most special attacks for Landorus-T, bring it in safely with a slow Volt Switch, and remove Stealth Rock with Defog. It can also stallbreak Pokemon like Porygon2 and Quagsire, which completely wall Landorus-T.
* Mantine can switch into Water-type attacks from Pokemon like Keldeo and Kingdra as well as Ice-type moves from Pokemon like Choice Scarf Kyurem-B. It can also Defog away Stealth Rock.
* Celesteela is a decent Ice-type switch-in that can whittle down the opposing team's checks to Landorus-T with Leech Seed + Protect. In return, Landorus-T can beat Fire- and Electric-types that threaten Celesteela.
* Strong wallbreakers like Mega Charizard Y and Dragonite can weaken Landorus-T's checks. Mega Charizard Y can get rid of bulky Water- and Ground-types, notably Hippowdon and Slowbro, while Dragonite can get rid of checks like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur.
* Thundurus can remove bulky Water- and Ground-types like Swampert, Hippowdon, and Slowbro. Thundurus can also use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster revenge killers like Choice Scarf Victini and Choice Scarf Terrakion.
* Salamence can set up and nuke many of Landorus-T's checks with Z-Outrage, allowing Landorus-T to clean up more easily.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flying
--------
* Choice Band gives Landorus-T a big boost in power, allowing it to 2HKO walls like Slowbro, Alomomola, and Celesteela. However, there are better wallbreakers, like Choice Band Dragonite.
* Life Orb can be used over Rockium Z to boost the damage of both Stone Edge and Earthquake.
* Superpower can be run over Knock Off on the Choice Scarf variant to let Landorus-T hit Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Porygon2 harder; however, it is still quite weak and the general utility of Knock Off is more appreciated.
* Fly with Flyinium Z is an option over Stone Edge to get past bulky Water-types and Grass-types like Ferrothorn more easily; however, this means Landorus-T cannot break through a majority of its checks.
Checks and Counters
===================
Flying
--------
**Status**: Landorus-T absolutely hates status conditions. Burn halves its Attack, while poison continually whittles it down to add to the problem of Landorus-T not having access to recovery. Therefore, by wary of common status users such as Mew and Porygon2.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory can easily switch into a non-boosted Landorus-T. It can proceed to set Stealth Rock while recovering health with Roost. Skarmory can even phaze out a Landorus-T attempting to Swords Dance; however, it needs to be wary of switching into a +2 Landorus-T, as it can break Skarmory with Continental Crush.
**Walls**: Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Porygon2, and Mega Sableye can switch into non-boosting variants of Landorus-T. Ferrothorn can whittle it down while regaining health with Leech Seed + Protect, Porygon2 can use Toxic or Ice Beam, and Mega Sableye can use Will-O-Wisp. However, Porygon2 should be wary of Knock Off.
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Pokemon like Gliscor, Rotom-W, and Celesteela can easily switch into the Choice Scarf and defensive variants of Landorus-T. Gliscor can set up Stealth Rock or Swords Dance, Rotom-W can threaten Landorus-T with status or Hydro Pump, and Celesteela can whittle it down with Leech Seed + Protect. However, they can easily be broken by a +2 Continental Crush.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn can easily switch into Landorus-T. Offensive Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Rotom-C switch into defensive and Choice Scarf Landorus-T well and can threaten it with a Grassy Terrain-boosted attack or Hidden Power Ice, respectively. However, none of them can switch into a boosted Landorus-T well.
**Water-types**: Water-types like Keldeo, Greninja, and Starmie can easily KO non-Choice Scarf variants of Landorus-T with their strong Water-type moves. Defensive Water-types like Swampert and Slowbro can also switch into it bar a boosted Earthquake. Quagsire gets a special mention, as it can switch into any variant of Landorus-T and threaten it with Scald.
**Ice-types**: Faster Ice-type Pokemon like Weavile and Kyurem-B can KO Landorus-T with their Ice-type moves. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B can additionally outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-T.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Pokemon like Tapu Koko can revenge kill non-Choice Scarf variants of Landorus-T with Hidden Power Ice, and Choice Scarf users such as Victini and priority users such as Mamoswine and Azumarill can even revenge kill Choice Scarf variants.
GP: CryoGyro
[OVERVIEW]
Flying
========
* Landorus-T's great offensive and defensive stats make it one of the most versatile Pokemon in the Monotype metagame.
* Its Flying / Ground typing is great defensively, giving it an immunity to Electric-type moves and a neutrality to Rock-type moves; however, it is left with a weakness to Ice- and Water-type attacks.
* Landorus-T's useful ability in Intimidate paired with a good Defense stat allows it to switch into many physical attackers, such as Terrakion, Victini, and Excadrill, and lets it act as a great pivot.
* It has access to support moves such as Stealth Rock and U-turn, setup options in Swords Dance and Rock Polish, and great coverage moves in Stone Edge and Knock Off.
* Landorus-T sits at a decent base 91 Speed tier, which lets it act as a potent Choice Scarf user capable of outspeeding common Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Gardevoir and Xurkitree as well as fast Electric-types such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus; however, it can be revenge killed by even faster Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Victini, Hydreigon, and Nihilego.
* Unfortunately, Landorus-T lacks reliable recovery, therefore hindering its defensive capabilities. This forces Landorus-T to be played cautiously to avoid taking too much damage.
* Landorus-T faces competition from Gliscor and Landorus as Electric-immune Pokemon; Gliscor is a great stallbreaker and status absorber, and Landorus is a strong special wallbreaker that cannot be used alongside Landorus-T.
[SET]
name: Double Dance (Flying)
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Rock Polish
item: Rockium Z
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Earthquake is Landorus-T's strongest Ground-type STAB move and is generally very spammable.
* Stone Edge is the coverage move of choice to give Landorus-T near-perfect coverage, notably hitting Ground-immune Pokemon such as Zapdos and Mandibuzz. Rockium Z allows Landorus-T to use Continental Crush, which can break some of its defensive checks at +2 such as Skarmory after a little prior damage and Rotom-W.
* Swords Dance boosts Landorus-T's Attack to high levels, allowing it to break through walls like Swampert and Hippowdon.
* Rock Polish doubles Landorus-T's Speed, allowing it to outspeed and KO revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Victini and Tapu Koko.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in Attack and an Adamant nature are used in order to allow Landorus-T to hit as hard as possible.
* Maximum Speed investment is used to outspeed Taunt users like Heatran and Gliscor as well as Adamant Excadrill in sand when at +2.
* Rockium Z is used in order to turn Stone Edge into Continental Crush.
* Earth Plate and Lum Berry can be used as alternative items if another Pokemon's Z-Move is being used. Earth Plate consistently boosts Earthquake's damage, while Lum Berry shields Landorus-T from status ailments once.
* Intimidate lets Landorus-T lower the foe's Attack, allowing it to set up on physical attackers more easily.
Usage Tips
========
* Use Intimidate to make it easier to set up Swords Dance or Rock Polish against physical attackers such as Terrakion and Excadrill.
* Landorus-T can bluff other items such as Choice Scarf to force a switch. This opportunity can be used to set up.
* Rock Polish and Swords Dance don't necessarily need to be used together; Swords Dance does well against defensively oriented teams, while Rock Polish thrives against offensive teams.
* Landorus-T can set up Swords Dance at many points early-game to weaken its checks. For example, against Ground teams, Landorus-T can set up Swords Dance as Hippowdon switches in and deal massive damage with a +2 Earthquake.
* Rock Polish should be used late-game when Landorus-T's checks have been weakened or removed.
* Rockium Z shouldn't be wasted. Use it to break Pokemon like Skarmory and Rotom-W once Landorus-T has already set up, as they can ruin its sweep by phazing it and crippling it with status, respectively. However, if Landorus-T is in danger of fainting, it can activate its Z-Crystal as a last resort to nuke the foe before it faints.
* Keep Landorus-T away from status ailments, especially burn, which halves Landorus-T's Attack.
* Preserve Landorus-T's health, especially if there are opposing threats such as Mamoswine and Azumarill that can easily revenge kill Landorus-T with their priority moves. This will allow Landorus-T to set up more easily later on.
Team Options
========
* Skarmory can remove Stealth Rock with Defog and set up Stealth Rock of its own, increasing the pressure on the opposing team. It can wall physical attackers, especially Ice-types like Weavile and Mamoswine, for Landorus-T. Skarmory can also phaze opposing threats with Whirlwind, which is especially useful with Stealth Rock on the field to wittle down their health for Landorus-T to KO easier.
* Zapdos can switch into special attackers for Landorus-T and remove Stealth Rock with Defog. It can also stallbreak Pokemon that would wall Landorus-T, such as Quagsire, with Substitute + Toxic.
* Mantine is a great switch-in to strong Water-type attackers, such as Keldeo and Kingdra, and can switch into certain Ice-type attacks, such as Ice Beam from Manaphy and Greninja, thanks to its Ice neutrality. It can also Defog Stealth Rock away.
* Celesteela is also a decent Ice switch-in. It can wear down defensive Pokemon with Leech Seed + Protect and check certain Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Nihilego and Latios.
* While Gliscor and Landorus-T share the same typing, Gliscor provides a more reliable Electric immunity, a Stealth Rock setter, and a stallbreaker.
* Strong wallbreakers like Mega Charizard Y and Choice Band Dragonite pair well with Landorus-T because they can weaken the opposing team, making it easier for Landorus-T to set up. A boosted Landorus-T can beat some of Mega Charizard Y and Dragonite's checks, such as Chansey and Skarmory, in return.
* Choice Scarf Togekiss can cripple defensive Pokemon, such as Porygon2 and Slowbro, with Trick, locking them into one move. Landorus-T can use this opportunity to set up. Togekiss can also support Landorus-T with Heal Bell.
* Thundurus can get rid of bulky Water- and Ground-types, like Slowbro and Hippowdon, with Thunderbolt and Grass Knot, respectively. It can also use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster threats, meaning Landorus-T doesn't need to waste a turn using Rock Polish to outspeed them.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot (Flying)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Knock Off / Stone Edge
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is great for wearing down opposing teams by damaging foes every time they switch in. Landorus-T's useful typing and bulk let it set them against Electric- and Rock-type teams most of the time.
* Earthquake is Landorus-T's strongest STAB move and allows it to be a great check to Rock-types like Terrakion and Tyranitar.
* U-turn lets Landorus-T gain a lot of momentum while punishing switches; Landorus-T is slow, which means it can bring its teammates in safely.
* Knock Off can be run to give Landorus-T general utility in removing the foe's item, notably being able to remove Eviolite from Porygon2 and Chansey, which can otherwise wall the majority of Flying-type Pokemon. It can also cripple defensive switch-ins like Swampert by removing Leftovers.
* Alternatively, Stone Edge can be run to hit Ground-immune Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y on the switch in and Mega Pinsir.
Set Details
========
* The investments made in HP and Defense allow Landorus-T to take physical attacks as well as possible.
* 28 EVs in Special Defense let Landorus-T take a Hidden Power Ice from Life Orb Tapu Koko and a Draco Meteor from Life Orb Latios at full health.
* Leftovers is the item of choice to provide Landorus-T with passive recovery.
* Rocky Helmet is an alternative option that lets Landorus-T inflict damage on users of contact moves such as Tapu Bulu and Dragonite as well as U-turn users like Victini and opposing Landorus-T.
* Intimidate softens up physical blows, allowing Landorus-T to switch into strong wallbreakers such as Choice Band Terrakion and Choice Band Infernape.
Usage Tips
========
* Use Landorus-T's Intimidate to switch into physical attackers and weaken them for the rest of the team.
* Don't keep Landorus-T in on strong special attackers such as Keldeo and Mega Alakazam, as it will either be OHKOed or weakened to the point where it cannot check anything properly.
* Knock Off should be used often early-game to cripple threats that switch into Landorus-T such as Porygon2 and opposing Landorus-T.
* Landorus-T should be used as a pivot, taking advantage of its slow U-turn to bring its teammates in safely.
* Avoid letting Landorus-T take too much damage if it needs to check something, (comma) as it doesn't have access to reliable recovery.
* Keep Landorus-T away from status ailments like burn and poison, (comma) as they slowly wear it down.
* Try to keep Stealth Rock off the field because it limits the number of times Landorus-T can switch into an attack.
* If Rocky Helmet is being run, use its presence to punish priority users such as Dragonite and Diggersby that try to revenge kill teammates, or to prevent U-turn users such as Victini and Mandibuzz from freely gaining momentum.
* Set up Stealth Rock on Pokemon that fear Landorus-T's coverage, such as Excadrill and Zapdos. Landorus-T can also bluff other sets and force switches, using the opportunity to set Stealth Rock. However, if Stealth Rock has been set by the opponent, don't set up Stealth Rock of your own, as your Defogger would remove them anyway.
Team Options
========
* Flying-types appreciate Landorus-T's Electric immunity and ability to switch into strong physical wallbreakers.
* Skarmory can switch into Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Weavile and Mamoswine. Since Landorus-T is running Stealth Rock, Skarmory has a moveslot freed up to run Defog. Skarmory is also free to run a more specially defensive spread to check Fairy-types better, as it has Landorus-T to switch into and soften blows from physical attackers.
* Zapdos appreciates Landorus-T as a partner because it can switch into strong physical attackers like Choice Band Dragonite and Rock-types like Terrakion. Zapdos can Defog away Stealth Rock in return. Landorus-T and Zapdos together also form a great VoltTurn core.
* Mantine can switch into attacks from Pokemon like Keldeo, Greninja, and Kingdra. It is also neutral to Ice-type moves and can Defog Stealth Rock away.
* Celesteela and Landorus-T have great defensive synergy, with Celesteela able to switch into Ice-types and Landorus-T able to switch into Electric-types. Celesteela can also support Landorus-T by providing recovery in the form of Leech Seed.
* All of Landorus-T's offensive teammates appreciate its ability to remove items with Knock Off.
* Landorus-T appreciates having Mega Charizard Y as a partner due to its Fire typing allowing it to switch into and check most Ice-types. Conversely, Landorus-T can set Stealth Rock, switch into physical attacks, and bring Mega Charizard Y in safely with a slow U-turn.
* Dragonite appreciates being brought in safely through a slow U-turn. This helps preserve its Multiscale, allowing it to set up more easily.
* Mega Aerodactyl appreciates having Landorus-T to pivot into physical attacks and bring it in safely through a slow U-turn. In return, Mega Aerodactyl can run coverage moves such as Fire Fang to beat some of Landorus-T's checks, like Ferrothorn. Mega Aerodactyl can also Pursuit trap certain threats like Latios and Victini.
* Thundurus can remove bulky Water- and Ground-types that threaten Landorus-T such as Swampert, Slowbro, and Hippowdon.
* Togekiss can support Landorus-T through Heal Bell, which removes status. It can also beat bulky Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn, which wall Landorus-T.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf (Flying)
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Knock Off
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Earthquake is Landorus-T's strongest STAB move and lets it beat Rock- and Steel-type threats such as Terrakion and Excadrill.
* Stone Edge lets Landorus-T hit Flying-types such as Zapdos and Togekiss, which would otherwise wall it.
* U-turn allows Landorus-T to grab momentum while hitting Psychic- and Dark-types super effectively. It can also pick off weakened Pokemon.
* Knock Off lets Landorus-T remove the foe's item, allowing it to cripple certain switch-ins such as Porygon2. It can also be used to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types consistently.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investments are made in Attack and Speed along with a Jolly nature to allow Landorus-T to hit as hard and fast as possible.
* Choice Scarf is the item of choice, as it lets Landorus-T outspeed otherwise faster threats such as Tapu Koko and Latios.
* Intimidate weakens the foe's attacks, allowing Landorus-T to switch into certain physical attackers such as Choice Scarf Excadrill.
Usage Tips
========
* You usually want to bring Landorus-T in after a fainted Pokemon or through a slow pivoting move to preserve its health.
* However, Landorus-T can sometimes switch into physical attackers such as Heracross and Excadrill thanks to Intimidate.
* Landorus-T can be used to switch into Electric-type Pokemon and revenge kill them; however, be wary of the Ice-type coverage offensive Electric-types generally carry.
* Knock Off can be spammed in Psychic- and Ghost-type matchups, and should generally be used to remove the items of defensive Pokemon that switch into Landorus-T. However, be otherwise wary of locking it into Knock Off, as Landorus-T can become setup bait for Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Gyarados.
* Landorus-T should use U-turn on a weakened Pokemon or Pokemon that it would force out, such as Alolan Raichu or Latios, to gain momentum.
* Use Landorus-T to revenge kill threats like Tapu Koko and Xurkitree.
* Earthquake should be spammed late-game when all of Landorus-T's checks have been weakened and the Ground-immune Pokemon removed.
* Keep Landorus-T away from status. Burn reduces its damage output significantly, while poison limits the number of times it can switch in.
* Landorus-T can be a good lead to scout the foe and use U-turn to pivot into the appropriate Pokemon.
Team Options
========
* Skarmory can switch into Ice-type attacks that threaten Landorus-T. It can set Stealth Rock to increase the pressure on the opposing side, helping Landorus-T clean up more easily.
* Zapdos can switch into most special attacks for Landorus-T, bring it in safely with a slow Volt Switch, and remove Stealth Rock with Defog. It can also stallbreak Pokemon like Porygon2 and Quagsire, which completely wall Landorus-T.
* Mantine can switch into Water-type attacks from Pokemon like Keldeo and Kingdra as well as Ice-type moves from Pokemon like Choice Scarf Kyurem-B. It can also Defog away Stealth Rock.
* Celesteela is a decent Ice-type switch-in that can whittle down the opposing team's checks to Landorus-T with Leech Seed + Protect. In return, Landorus-T can beat Fire- and Electric-types that threaten Celesteela.
* Strong wallbreakers like Mega Charizard Y and Dragonite can weaken Landorus-T's checks. Mega Charizard Y can get rid of bulky Water- and Ground-types, notably Hippowdon and Slowbro, while Dragonite can get rid of checks like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur.
* Thundurus can remove bulky Water- and Ground-types like Swampert, Hippowdon, and Slowbro. Thundurus can also use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster revenge killers like Choice Scarf Victini and Choice Scarf Terrakion.
* Salamence can set up and nuke many of Landorus-T's checks with Z-Outrage, allowing Landorus-T to clean up more easily.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flying
--------
* Choice Band gives Landorus-T a big boost in power, allowing it to 2HKO walls like Slowbro, Alomomola, and Celesteela. However, there are better wallbreakers, like Choice Band Dragonite.
* Life Orb can be used over Rockium Z to boost the damage of both Stone Edge and Earthquake.
* Superpower can be run over Knock Off on the Choice Scarf variant to let Landorus-T hit Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Porygon2 harder; however, it is still quite weak and the general utility of Knock Off is more appreciated.
* Fly with Flyinium Z is an option over Stone Edge to get past bulky Water-types and Grass-types like Ferrothorn more easily; however, this means Landorus-T cannot break through a majority of its checks.
Checks and Counters
===================
Flying
--------
**Status**: Landorus-T absolutely hates status conditions. Burn halves its Attack, while poison continually whittles it down to add to the problem of Landorus-T not having access to recovery. Therefore, by wary of common status users such as Mew and Porygon2.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory can easily switch into a non-boosted Landorus-T. It can proceed to set Stealth Rock while recovering health with Roost. Skarmory can even phaze out a Landorus-T attempting to Swords Dance; however, it needs to be wary of switching into a +2 Landorus-T, as it can break Skarmory with Continental Crush.
**Walls**: Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Porygon2, and Mega Sableye can switch into non-boosting variants of Landorus-T. Ferrothorn can whittle it down while regaining health with Leech Seed + Protect, Porygon2 can use Toxic or Ice Beam, and Mega Sableye can use Will-O-Wisp. However, Porygon2 should be wary of Knock Off.
**Ground-immune Pokemon**: Pokemon like Gliscor, Rotom-W, and Celesteela can easily switch into the Choice Scarf and defensive variants of Landorus-T. Gliscor can set up Stealth Rock or Swords Dance, Rotom-W can threaten Landorus-T with status or Hydro Pump, and Celesteela can whittle it down with Leech Seed + Protect. However, they can easily be broken by a +2 Continental Crush.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn can easily switch into Landorus-T. Offensive Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Rotom-C switch into defensive and Choice Scarf Landorus-T well and can threaten it with a Grassy Terrain-boosted attack or Hidden Power Ice, respectively. However, none of them can switch into a boosted Landorus-T well.
**Water-types**: Water-types like Keldeo, Greninja, and Starmie can easily KO non-Choice Scarf variants of Landorus-T with their strong Water-type moves. Defensive Water-types like Swampert and Slowbro can also switch into it bar a boosted Earthquake. Quagsire gets a special mention, as it can switch into any variant of Landorus-T and threaten it with Scald.
**Ice-types**: Faster Ice-type Pokemon like Weavile and Kyurem-B can KO Landorus-T with their Ice-type moves. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B can additionally outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-T.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Pokemon like Tapu Koko can revenge kill non-Choice Scarf variants of Landorus-T with Hidden Power Ice, and Choice Scarf users such as Victini and priority users such as Mamoswine and Azumarill can even revenge kill Choice Scarf variants.
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