[OVERVIEW]
Boasting a solid mix of qualities that give it the ability to function as a check to a significant portion of the DOU metagame all by itself, Landorus-T is an omnipresent metagame-defining force. A handy ability in Intimidate lets Landorus-T function as a dependable check to physical attackers, most notably including Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Diancie, and opposing Landorus-T. Its excellent neutral coverage, along with its sky-high base 145 Attack, also lets it reliably deal damage against anything it faces, and it has access to U-turn and just the right Speed—base 91—to make it a great user of Choice Scarf, which in turn gives it the sufficient Speed needed to outrun everything in the unboosted metagame except base 150s in Mega Aerodactyl and Deoxys-A. The aforementioned traits let it effectively function as a utility check to anything as needed, depending on the match-up and situation. Aside from holding a Choice Scarf, Landorus-T can also take advantage of its great Attack and decent Speed, which is still enough to outrun a decent portion of the metagame unboosted with a Life Orb set that is effective at smashing holes at an opponent's team with powerful blows while still able to deter opposing physical attackers. All that being said, Landorus-T fits easily on any kind of team due to how it can effectively check a number of the most influential Pokemon in DOU, back its team up against the plethora of physical attackers in the metagame with Intimidate, and function as an offensive juggernaut while rarely causing synergy problems thanks to being a rare Ground-type.
Due to having to rely on a Choice Scarf to be at its most effective, Landorus-T can be easy to play around once it reveals what it's locked into. In addition, without a Choice Scarf, Landorus-T becomes prone to being outrun and KOed by threats it usually outspeeds such as Keldeo and Latios. Landorus-T is also typically beat by Water-types such as Rotom-W and Azumarill and is, for the most part, a liability against rain.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide / Stone Edge
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is a STAB spread move that lets Landorus-T deal consistent, reliable damage. Either of Rock Slide or Stone Edge is fine for the next slot, as Landorus-T appreciates Rock-type coverage in order to hit Ground-immune foes; Rock Slide deals decent spread damage and can net free turns with its flinch chance, while Stone Edge hits much harder, though single target, and is nifty for getting around Wide Guard and achieving swift OHKOs on super effective targets such as Thundurus and Mega Charizard Y. U-turn lets Landorus-T switch out while dealing chip damage, allowing its team to position better and possibly maintain momentum, and it also hits threats such as Hoopa-U and Latios super effectively. Superpower lets Landorus-T deal swift massive damage against the likes of Mega Kangaskhan, Hydreigon, and Ferrothorn at the cost of stat drops. Explosion can be an option in order to deal significant damage to the opposing side while sacrificing Landorus-T, also preserving momentum by providing a free switch to a teammate.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf boosts Landorus-T's Speed, letting it outrun foes it regularly won't up to base 135 Speed Pokemon and lets it be a general fast threat. Maximum Attack and Speed investment lets Landorus-T be as fast and powerful as possible. If desired, one can optimize by taking EVs off Speed and Attack, still leaving enough to hit a benchmark, in order to invest on bulk instead. For example, a spread of 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe gives some bulk while still allowing Landorus-T to outspeed Mega Manectric and Mega Lopunny, while 8 HP / 228 Atk / 88 Def / 184 Spe lets it outrun Mega Gengar and avoid the OHKO from Life Orb Bisharp's +1 Sucker Punch and the 2HKO from -1 Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird. It is important to note that having a slower Landorus-T helps in the mirror match-up, as having the slower U-turn helps maintain momentum, but this also makes it more vulnerable to flinching from opposing Rock Slide. Jolly is usable in order to surprise those that generally creep for the much more common Adamant, but the drop in general damage output is very noticeable.
Usage Tips
========
Landorus-T can fit well on any kind of team due to having a unique assortment of niches that lets it function in both offensive and subtle supportive roles while at the same time causing little or unnoticeable overlap synergy-wise. Thanks to its high Speed with a Choice Scarf and incredible neutral coverage, Landorus-T can function as a utility check of sorts against anything in the metagame as a match dictates due to it being able to land a clean unresisted hit against threats more often than not. One should, when possible, take advantage of Intimidate, as with it Landorus-T can check the numerous physical attackers in the metagame such as Mega Diancie and Mega Kangaskhan; switching in Landorus-T against opposing physical attackers can be a good idea in order to use Intimidate and soften their blows, helping teammates take their hits better. However, be wary of Bisharp, as Defiant can easily punish that with an Attack boost.
Landorus-T can function as an effective lead that is adept at gaining back momentum and position right after with U-turn; leading it is also useful for neutering physical attackers at game start, putting its team in a good position early. Frequently coming in and out with U-turn can possibly be a good set of plays, as this lets Landorus-T repeatedly use Intimidate while at the same time dealing chip damage against the opposing team that will slowly add up. However, one has to watch out for when Landorus-T can't afford to make the mistake of hitting a Protecting foe and being forced to stay on the field and take a hit. In situations like those, it's usually better to hard switch. Generally speaking, one should be careful with managing Landorus-T's health, as frequently pivoting into attackers may leave it vulnerable to getting sniped by priority users such as Mega Kangaskhan and Talonflame.
Landorus-T should snipe threats with Superpower whenever it gets the chance in order to swiftly put select foes out of play early; it has to watch out for the stat drops that come after, however, but ideally Landorus-T should switch out after getting a KO regardless due to the opponent being able to switch in a check for free. Still, one should also be wary of a foe switching out to a Fighting-resistant Pokemon such as Amoonguss, which could prove to be fatal, as Landorus-T is then locked into an unfavorable move against a threat it has no chance of beating. Landorus-T can also be effective at both being a revenge killer and late-game cleaner thanks to its high Speed; specifically, once foes that have Intimidate are gone and the opposing team is weakened, Landorus-T can easily clean up with its high Speed and strong spread moves. Also, when at a disadvantage, playing to your outs by relying on flinches from Rock Slide can be a good last-ditch play.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that are immune to Ground, such as Thundurus, Rotom-W and Latios, make for good partners, as Landorus-T can safely use Earthquake next to them without fear of hitting a teammate. Landorus-T and Talonflame in particular work well, as hey can pack a formidable one-two punch with the former continually wearing a team down and he latter sniping off weakened threats with priority Brave Bird. Spread-attacking teammates, such as Mega Diancie, Heatran, and Mega Gardevoir, also appreciate Landorus-T's presence, as it can continually whittle down foes enough for them to finish the job efficiently later on. As Landorus-T has difficulty matching up against Water-types, teammates that can beat them are appreciated. Grass-, Electric-, and Dragon-types such as Amoonguss, Thundurus, and Latios work well, as all of them in some way have typing advantage against Water-types. Partners that can take out opposing Landorus-T are appreciated as well; Water-types such as Rotom-W and Suicune can easily KO them with their STAB moves, while Kyurem-B can swiftly remove Landorus-T with its Ice Beam. Fairy-types such as Mega Gardevoir and Sylveon also make for good picks in order to take advantage of Landorus-T's ability to deal with Steel- and Fire-types well. Since Landorus-T is a physical attacker, Bisharp is a decent partner for dissuading opposing Intimidate users with Defiant. However, one should be wary, as Landorus-T can't use Earthquake next to Bisharp without taking out its teammate with friendly fire.
<LO Set goes here>
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band allows Landorus-T to deal massive damage consistently without revealing its item right away, which is helpful for possibly bluffing Choice Scarf, but the lack of Speed in addition to not being able to run Protect is not ideal. Expert Belt can be used for a similar effect; while it provides a smaller boost and only on super effective moves, it also does not lock Landorus-T into a move and allows it to effectively run Protect. A bulky set, with either a Sitrus Berry or Yache Berry, lets Landorus-T soak up hits while still being a decent threat offensively. Stealth Rock can be useful for helping secure KOs for teammates and assuring a better match-up against the likes of Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame. Earth Power can be handy to hit Aegislash without fear of King's Shield and Wide Guard, while Hidden Power Ice is useful for eliminating opposing Landorus-T, though it's useless for any other purpose; on that note, a purely special set can be run in order to take advantage of Landorus-T's offensive presence while still having the utility of Intimidate. Assault Vest allows Landorus-T to safely take special attacks, letting it fare better than usual at dealing with opposing special attackers, but not being able to run Protect in addition to low Speed and unboosted offenses makes it decent at best. Knock Off lets Landorus-T handicap foes by depriving them of key items such as Life Orb and Sitrus Berry, limiting their effectiveness somewhat. Imprison can be used to prevent foes from utilizing Earthquake, Rock Slide, and Protect, denying them from positioning with defensive play and neutering opposing Landorus-T completely, which can be useful for Pokemon weak to the said moves such as Mega Charizard X and Heatran.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types such as Rotom-W, Suicune, and Azumarill can easily take anything Landorus-T can hit them with and retaliate with a super effective STAB move.
**Ice-type Pokemon**: Ice-types such as Kyurem-B and Weavile can nab the swift KO with their respective STAB moves but have to be wary of getting sniped by Landorus-T's Superpower or Rock-type coverage. Landorus-T also has to be wary of getting picked off by Ice Shard Weavile. Icy Wind from threats such as Jirachi lowers Landorus-T's Speed while also hitting super effectively.
**Ground-immunte Pokemon**: Once it's Choice-locked into Earthquake, Flying-types and foes with Levitate such as Salamence, Thundurus, and Rotom-W can easily take advantage of Landorus-T.
**Intimidate and Burns**: Intimidate and burns limit Landorus-T's damage output, hampering its ability to revenge kill or clean up late-game and generally lowering its impact throughout a match. Salamence, Gyarados, and opposing Landorus-T can soften its blows with Intimidate, with the former two also having access to Water-type coverage to smack it around. Gengar and Rotom-W can burn Landorus-T, permanently neutering it for a whole game.
**Faster Pokemon**: As it can't run Protect, Choice Scarf Landorus-T fares poorly against faster foes due to being unable to defend itself. Deoxys-A and Choice Scarf Kyurem-B can OHKO it with Psycho Boost and Ice Beam, respectively, while Ludicolo and Venusaur under their respective favorable weathers can deal significant damage to Landorus-T, with the former being able to OHKO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump. Without a Choice Scarf, Landorus-T is left prone to being outrun by an assortment of threats, including Keldeo and Latios, both of which are also capable of OHKOing it.
**Paralysis, Tailwind, and Trick Room**: Without its Speed advantage, Choice Scarf Landorus-T struggles to be effective, as it can no longer take out threats it beats in normal conditions, and since it lacks Protect, it can't stall out field conditions such as Tailwind and Trick Room. Trick Room from the likes of Cresselia and Jellicent can turn around its Speed advantage, while Tailwind from foes such as Talonflame, Salamence, and Suicune takes away the said Speed advantage entirely.
**Wide Guard**: Wide Guard from the likes of Aegislash and Conkeldurr blocks Landorus-T's spread moves, limiting its offensive potential.
**Fake Out**: Choice Scarf Landorus-T has no way of blocking Fake Out from foes such as Mega Kangaskhan and Weavile, which stuns it for a turn.
**Defiant and Competitive**: Landorus-T has to be wary of its Intimidate against Bisharp and Milotic, as they can easily punish that with a boost to their appropriate attacking stats with Defiant or Competitive.
Boasting a solid mix of qualities that give it the ability to function as a check to a significant portion of the DOU metagame all by itself, Landorus-T is an omnipresent metagame-defining force. A handy ability in Intimidate lets Landorus-T function as a dependable check to physical attackers, most notably including Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Diancie, and opposing Landorus-T. Its excellent neutral coverage, along with its sky-high base 145 Attack, also lets it reliably deal damage against anything it faces, and it has access to U-turn and just the right Speed—base 91—to make it a great user of Choice Scarf, which in turn gives it the sufficient Speed needed to outrun everything in the unboosted metagame except base 150s in Mega Aerodactyl and Deoxys-A. The aforementioned traits let it effectively function as a utility check to anything as needed, depending on the match-up and situation. Aside from holding a Choice Scarf, Landorus-T can also take advantage of its great Attack and decent Speed, which is still enough to outrun a decent portion of the metagame unboosted with a Life Orb set that is effective at smashing holes at an opponent's team with powerful blows while still able to deter opposing physical attackers. All that being said, Landorus-T fits easily on any kind of team due to how it can effectively check a number of the most influential Pokemon in DOU, back its team up against the plethora of physical attackers in the metagame with Intimidate, and function as an offensive juggernaut while rarely causing synergy problems thanks to being a rare Ground-type.
Due to having to rely on a Choice Scarf to be at its most effective, Landorus-T can be easy to play around once it reveals what it's locked into. In addition, without a Choice Scarf, Landorus-T becomes prone to being outrun and KOed by threats it usually outspeeds such as Keldeo and Latios. Landorus-T is also typically beat by Water-types such as Rotom-W and Azumarill and is, for the most part, a liability against rain.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide / Stone Edge
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is a STAB spread move that lets Landorus-T deal consistent, reliable damage. Either of Rock Slide or Stone Edge is fine for the next slot, as Landorus-T appreciates Rock-type coverage in order to hit Ground-immune foes; Rock Slide deals decent spread damage and can net free turns with its flinch chance, while Stone Edge hits much harder, though single target, and is nifty for getting around Wide Guard and achieving swift OHKOs on super effective targets such as Thundurus and Mega Charizard Y. U-turn lets Landorus-T switch out while dealing chip damage, allowing its team to position better and possibly maintain momentum, and it also hits threats such as Hoopa-U and Latios super effectively. Superpower lets Landorus-T deal swift massive damage against the likes of Mega Kangaskhan, Hydreigon, and Ferrothorn at the cost of stat drops. Explosion can be an option in order to deal significant damage to the opposing side while sacrificing Landorus-T, also preserving momentum by providing a free switch to a teammate.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf boosts Landorus-T's Speed, letting it outrun foes it regularly won't up to base 135 Speed Pokemon and lets it be a general fast threat. Maximum Attack and Speed investment lets Landorus-T be as fast and powerful as possible. If desired, one can optimize by taking EVs off Speed and Attack, still leaving enough to hit a benchmark, in order to invest on bulk instead. For example, a spread of 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe gives some bulk while still allowing Landorus-T to outspeed Mega Manectric and Mega Lopunny, while 8 HP / 228 Atk / 88 Def / 184 Spe lets it outrun Mega Gengar and avoid the OHKO from Life Orb Bisharp's +1 Sucker Punch and the 2HKO from -1 Life Orb Talonflame's Brave Bird. It is important to note that having a slower Landorus-T helps in the mirror match-up, as having the slower U-turn helps maintain momentum, but this also makes it more vulnerable to flinching from opposing Rock Slide. Jolly is usable in order to surprise those that generally creep for the much more common Adamant, but the drop in general damage output is very noticeable.
Usage Tips
========
Landorus-T can fit well on any kind of team due to having a unique assortment of niches that lets it function in both offensive and subtle supportive roles while at the same time causing little or unnoticeable overlap synergy-wise. Thanks to its high Speed with a Choice Scarf and incredible neutral coverage, Landorus-T can function as a utility check of sorts against anything in the metagame as a match dictates due to it being able to land a clean unresisted hit against threats more often than not. One should, when possible, take advantage of Intimidate, as with it Landorus-T can check the numerous physical attackers in the metagame such as Mega Diancie and Mega Kangaskhan; switching in Landorus-T against opposing physical attackers can be a good idea in order to use Intimidate and soften their blows, helping teammates take their hits better. However, be wary of Bisharp, as Defiant can easily punish that with an Attack boost.
Landorus-T can function as an effective lead that is adept at gaining back momentum and position right after with U-turn; leading it is also useful for neutering physical attackers at game start, putting its team in a good position early. Frequently coming in and out with U-turn can possibly be a good set of plays, as this lets Landorus-T repeatedly use Intimidate while at the same time dealing chip damage against the opposing team that will slowly add up. However, one has to watch out for when Landorus-T can't afford to make the mistake of hitting a Protecting foe and being forced to stay on the field and take a hit. In situations like those, it's usually better to hard switch. Generally speaking, one should be careful with managing Landorus-T's health, as frequently pivoting into attackers may leave it vulnerable to getting sniped by priority users such as Mega Kangaskhan and Talonflame.
Landorus-T should snipe threats with Superpower whenever it gets the chance in order to swiftly put select foes out of play early; it has to watch out for the stat drops that come after, however, but ideally Landorus-T should switch out after getting a KO regardless due to the opponent being able to switch in a check for free. Still, one should also be wary of a foe switching out to a Fighting-resistant Pokemon such as Amoonguss, which could prove to be fatal, as Landorus-T is then locked into an unfavorable move against a threat it has no chance of beating. Landorus-T can also be effective at both being a revenge killer and late-game cleaner thanks to its high Speed; specifically, once foes that have Intimidate are gone and the opposing team is weakened, Landorus-T can easily clean up with its high Speed and strong spread moves. Also, when at a disadvantage, playing to your outs by relying on flinches from Rock Slide can be a good last-ditch play.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that are immune to Ground, such as Thundurus, Rotom-W and Latios, make for good partners, as Landorus-T can safely use Earthquake next to them without fear of hitting a teammate. Landorus-T and Talonflame in particular work well, as hey can pack a formidable one-two punch with the former continually wearing a team down and he latter sniping off weakened threats with priority Brave Bird. Spread-attacking teammates, such as Mega Diancie, Heatran, and Mega Gardevoir, also appreciate Landorus-T's presence, as it can continually whittle down foes enough for them to finish the job efficiently later on. As Landorus-T has difficulty matching up against Water-types, teammates that can beat them are appreciated. Grass-, Electric-, and Dragon-types such as Amoonguss, Thundurus, and Latios work well, as all of them in some way have typing advantage against Water-types. Partners that can take out opposing Landorus-T are appreciated as well; Water-types such as Rotom-W and Suicune can easily KO them with their STAB moves, while Kyurem-B can swiftly remove Landorus-T with its Ice Beam. Fairy-types such as Mega Gardevoir and Sylveon also make for good picks in order to take advantage of Landorus-T's ability to deal with Steel- and Fire-types well. Since Landorus-T is a physical attacker, Bisharp is a decent partner for dissuading opposing Intimidate users with Defiant. However, one should be wary, as Landorus-T can't use Earthquake next to Bisharp without taking out its teammate with friendly fire.
<LO Set goes here>
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band allows Landorus-T to deal massive damage consistently without revealing its item right away, which is helpful for possibly bluffing Choice Scarf, but the lack of Speed in addition to not being able to run Protect is not ideal. Expert Belt can be used for a similar effect; while it provides a smaller boost and only on super effective moves, it also does not lock Landorus-T into a move and allows it to effectively run Protect. A bulky set, with either a Sitrus Berry or Yache Berry, lets Landorus-T soak up hits while still being a decent threat offensively. Stealth Rock can be useful for helping secure KOs for teammates and assuring a better match-up against the likes of Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame. Earth Power can be handy to hit Aegislash without fear of King's Shield and Wide Guard, while Hidden Power Ice is useful for eliminating opposing Landorus-T, though it's useless for any other purpose; on that note, a purely special set can be run in order to take advantage of Landorus-T's offensive presence while still having the utility of Intimidate. Assault Vest allows Landorus-T to safely take special attacks, letting it fare better than usual at dealing with opposing special attackers, but not being able to run Protect in addition to low Speed and unboosted offenses makes it decent at best. Knock Off lets Landorus-T handicap foes by depriving them of key items such as Life Orb and Sitrus Berry, limiting their effectiveness somewhat. Imprison can be used to prevent foes from utilizing Earthquake, Rock Slide, and Protect, denying them from positioning with defensive play and neutering opposing Landorus-T completely, which can be useful for Pokemon weak to the said moves such as Mega Charizard X and Heatran.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types such as Rotom-W, Suicune, and Azumarill can easily take anything Landorus-T can hit them with and retaliate with a super effective STAB move.
**Ice-type Pokemon**: Ice-types such as Kyurem-B and Weavile can nab the swift KO with their respective STAB moves but have to be wary of getting sniped by Landorus-T's Superpower or Rock-type coverage. Landorus-T also has to be wary of getting picked off by Ice Shard Weavile. Icy Wind from threats such as Jirachi lowers Landorus-T's Speed while also hitting super effectively.
**Ground-immunte Pokemon**: Once it's Choice-locked into Earthquake, Flying-types and foes with Levitate such as Salamence, Thundurus, and Rotom-W can easily take advantage of Landorus-T.
**Intimidate and Burns**: Intimidate and burns limit Landorus-T's damage output, hampering its ability to revenge kill or clean up late-game and generally lowering its impact throughout a match. Salamence, Gyarados, and opposing Landorus-T can soften its blows with Intimidate, with the former two also having access to Water-type coverage to smack it around. Gengar and Rotom-W can burn Landorus-T, permanently neutering it for a whole game.
**Faster Pokemon**: As it can't run Protect, Choice Scarf Landorus-T fares poorly against faster foes due to being unable to defend itself. Deoxys-A and Choice Scarf Kyurem-B can OHKO it with Psycho Boost and Ice Beam, respectively, while Ludicolo and Venusaur under their respective favorable weathers can deal significant damage to Landorus-T, with the former being able to OHKO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump. Without a Choice Scarf, Landorus-T is left prone to being outrun by an assortment of threats, including Keldeo and Latios, both of which are also capable of OHKOing it.
**Paralysis, Tailwind, and Trick Room**: Without its Speed advantage, Choice Scarf Landorus-T struggles to be effective, as it can no longer take out threats it beats in normal conditions, and since it lacks Protect, it can't stall out field conditions such as Tailwind and Trick Room. Trick Room from the likes of Cresselia and Jellicent can turn around its Speed advantage, while Tailwind from foes such as Talonflame, Salamence, and Suicune takes away the said Speed advantage entirely.
**Wide Guard**: Wide Guard from the likes of Aegislash and Conkeldurr blocks Landorus-T's spread moves, limiting its offensive potential.
**Fake Out**: Choice Scarf Landorus-T has no way of blocking Fake Out from foes such as Mega Kangaskhan and Weavile, which stuns it for a turn.
**Defiant and Competitive**: Landorus-T has to be wary of its Intimidate against Bisharp and Milotic, as they can easily punish that with a boost to their appropriate attacking stats with Defiant or Competitive.
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and you can leave it as it is