[Overview]
<p>As is befitting of its ability, Landorus-T is a Pokemon that is somewhat more intimidating than dangerous. When it was first announced, its massive 145 base Attack struck fear into the hearts of players everywhere, but in practice, it's not the harbinger of doom that everyone expected. Between a reduced 91 base Speed and the loss of Sand Force, Landorus-T is less offensive than its genie counterpart despite the former's higher Attack.</p>
<p>That said, it's not like Landorus-T is ineffectual in the metagame. Its solid 89 / 90 / 80 defenses are enhanced further by Intimidate, making it one of the few Pokemon capable of confronting Terrakion head-on, and it still has access to Swords Dance and Rock Polish to present a credible physical threat. On top of that, its massive Attack means that Landorus-T doesn't need much investment to pack a punch. Altogether, while it's not the offensive behemoth that was expected, it's still a solid Pokemon that has earned a well-deserved spot in the OU metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock / Gravity
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Admittedly, 145 base Attack doesn't scream for tons of defensive investment, but Landorus-T has all the tools it needs to play the role of offensive pivot and steal momentum away from opposing teams. Its solid bulk and Intimidate let it stop many offensive threats cold, including Terrakion, a Pokemon with few real offensive answers. It's also a stellar user of Stealth Rock, as Landorus-T's bulk lets it easily lay down Stealth Rock, and its power makes it hard to Taunt against. U-turn is stellar for stealing momentum away from opponents, and Earthquake and Stone Edge combine to give solid offensive coverage as well as protection against some top threats, such as Terrakion and Dragonite.</p>
<p>Since Landorus-T's base attack is so high, it can spend most of its EVs on defense. 200 HP / 244 Defense allows Landorus-T to sponge two Choice Band Stone Edges from Terrakion, and also avoids the OHKO from its +2 Rock Gem Stone Edge, something few Pokemon can boast. The remaining EVs and Adamant Nature give a high chance of OHKOing 4/0 Dragonite with Stone Edge after Stealth Rock, and also give Landorus-T a legitimate offensive presence on the team. To give an idea of how much offense this Landorus-T packs, even with only 64 EVs and a beneficial nature, Landorus-T has 376 Attack, giving it power rivaling a fully invested Landorus or Gyarados.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Hidden Power Ice is an option over Stone Edge for warding off Gliscor, Tangrowth, and other Landorus, but Stone Edge is stronger for general use, and wallbreaking isn't this Landorus-T's specialty. If you already have a Stealth Rock user on your team and you're so inclined, Landorus-T is a great user of Gravity, since it can make use of Gravity Earthquake itself, as well as U-turn to other teammates who benefit from Gravity.. While Speed is advised against on this set, there are faster options. 104 EVs outspeed maximum Speed Tyranitar, while 144 EVs outspeed neutral-natured Heatran. However, taking EVs out of Attack hurts Landorus-T's offensive potential, while removing them from Defense and HP defeats the purpose of using a bulky spread.</p>
<p>This Landorus-T is a star on bulky offense, since it's a Stealth Rock user that most Magic Bounce users would never dream of switching into. As a result, it works best with offensive teammates, especially ones that profit well from offensive momentum. It's great for starting Volt-Turn, making it a great teammate for Rotom-W, which also provides Water and Ice resistances. Hydreigon is also a solid teammate for this reason, though a shared Ice weakness can be an issue. Since this Landorus-T lacks recovery, Wish support is highly suggested. Jirachi is one of the best teammates, since Landorus-T is immune to Ground, resistant to Fighting, and neutral to Fire. Vaporeon is also an excellent option, since it provides Water and Ice resistances, while Landorus-T is immune to Electric and neutral to Grass. Finally, Landorus-T's ability to force switches means that it makes great use of entry hazards. Deoxys-D is a great hazard-setting Pokemon for offensive teams, and with Landorus-T providing Stealth Rock, Deoxys-D gets a free moveslot to use Thunder Wave or other useful moves.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Superpower / Hidden Power Ice
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>91 base Speed is plenty to warrant a Choice Scarf set, especially considering that unlike its Incarnate version, Landorus-T doesn't have to rely on weather for its damage output. Earthquake is basic STAB, though it's iffy on a Choice set due to its relatively common immunities. U-turn is also a given, as it's excellent for keeping momentum after Landorus-T forces a switch. Stone Edge provides solid neutral coverage, while Superpower is the best option against Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Bronzong. It also hits Balloon Heatran, which is useful. On the other hand, Hidden Power Ice pounds Dragon-types, wards off Gliscor and opposing Landorus of all stripes, and can break down Tangrowth. Remember to use the right nature- Jolly for Superpower and Naive for Hidden Power Ice.</p>
<p>When using Landorus-T as a Choice Scarf user, it's important to make sure that it's the build for the position. While Landorus-T provides Intimidate and is weather-independent, Landorus packs way more of a punch on sandstorm teams due to Sand Force, and its 101 base Speed sits in an important Speed tier, outspeeding +1 Salamence, +1 Volcarona, and opposing Choice Scarf users, especially Jirachi. The two are very similar, so make sure to pick the right Landorus for the job.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Punishment is cute against some boosting Pokemon, and can be especially good against opponents such as Sigilyph and Calm Mind Latias, who become incredibly dangerous after a couple of boosts and need overwhelming power to take down. Explosion is an option, as it provides solid neutral coverage and plenty of punch as a last-ditch attack. EVs are very basic: Attack is maximized to provide maximum offensive power, and 224 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature give Landorus-T enough Speed to outspeed +1 neutral-natured base 100s. The rest goes into HP to give Landorus-T a little more bulk.</p>
<p>As with any Landorus-T set, this works best on bulky offense. Intimidate and good resistances give it plenty of chances to switch in, and as primarily a speedy hit-and-run Pokemon, it doesn't take a lot of support to make it effective. That said, Stealth Rock is always an issue, as it makes it harder for Landorus-T to switch in repeatedly. Starmie is the best spinner for the slot, as it provides crucial resistances to Water and Ice, and Landorus-T can switch into Electric attacks, especially Thunder, and come out unscathed. Wish support from Jirachi is also nice, as it helps Landorus-T leverage its bulk and ability to switch in.</p>
<<<CHOICE BAND GOES HERE, WHERE YOU AT LAVOS SPAWN>>>
[SET]
name: Gravity
move 1: Gravity
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / U-turn
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>An unorthodox setup set, Gravity wrecks a lot of top Landorus-T counters. Without their Ground immunities, Pokemon such as Skarmory, Bronzong, Gliscor, and Balloon carriers lose the ability to switch into Landorus-T with impunity. On top of that, Stone Edge is 100% accurate in Gravity, temporarily making it not the worst move in the game. Finally, Hidden Power Ice blows up the few defensive Pokemon not crippled by Gravity, such as exceptionally bulky Gliscor, Tangrowth, and some other Grass-types. Alternatively, U-turn can be used to hit Grass-types and pass Gravity to other abusers on the team.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Spikes provide double duty here, as not only does Landorus-T greatly appreciate the chip damage, but Gravity renders many normally unaffected fliers and levitators vulnerable to them. Deoxys-D is the best offensive Spikes user, and can also spread paralysis to slow things down for the relatively slow Landorus-T. Ferrothorn provides a longer-lasting presence, can also spread Thunder Wave, and resists Water for Landorus-T. As icing, Ferrothorn gains 100% accurate Power Whip and Leech Seed, two moves it relies on to be effective.</p>
<p>Special mention here goes to teammates that can effectively make use of Gravity. Starmie comes to mind, as it can use Hydro Pump and Thunder with 100% accuracy without requiring Rain for the latter, and Starmie brings with it useful resistances. Mamoswine doubles up on the Ground-type threat, which is both a blessing and a curse due to shared weaknesses. Still, if Landorus-T can break through Ground resistances, Mamoswine can be a real terror. Between Earthquake with no immunities and 100% accurate Icicle Crash and Stone Edge, Mamoswine is a far more reliable offensive threat with Gravity in effect.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Explosion
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Landorus-T's Speed isn't as solid as its Incarnate counterpart's is, it has access to Rock Polish to mitigate it. As a Pokemon with extreme Attack and decent Speed, Speed boosts are far more important than Attack boosts for a successful sweep. Intimidate helps significantly compared to Landorus, as it's much easier for Landorus-T to switch in and pick up quick boosts. EdgeQuake provides basic two-move coverage, while Hidden Power Ice eliminates Dragon-types, opposing Gliscor, Tangrowth, and Landorus. Despite having less Special Attack than Landorus, its 105 Special Attack is still plenty to do the job. Alternatively, 145 base Attack makes Explosion an effective last-ditch effort against non-resistant opponents. Even without the defense cut, it's still 66% stronger than STAB Earthquake, and also is guaranteed to get the next Pokemon in safely.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Landorus-T can use Swords Dance in the last slot to pull off a "double dance" set, but unlike other notable double dancers, it's missing some of the things that make them shine. Notably, effective double dancers have usable secondary STABs and enough Speed to go without a Speed boost against bulkier offensive teams, neither of which Landorus-T has at its disposal.</p>
<p>Entry hazards are especially important for this set, as it is extremely reliant on them to achieve OHKOs on some bulkier Pokemon. Deoxys-D is an easy way to get hazards up, but Ferrothorn and Forretress are more effective in the long haul if the opponent has a spinner. Beyond hazards, this set needs strong attackers that can lure out the set's main counters. Choice Band Terrakion is an excellent choice, as it packs a huge punch and can break down physical walls for this set to bust through. Other usable allies include Acrobatics Gliscor and Ice Punch Lucario, both of which can whittle down bulkier Pokemon that would stand in the way of a sweep.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Swords Dance
item: Leftovers / Expert Belt
nature: Naive / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Pokemon like Landorus-T is incredibly effective when it doesn't have to predict against opponents, and the best way to ease prediction is Substitute. Luckily, Intimidate is perfect for picking up free Substitutes as it scares out opposing Pokemon that are unable to deal with Landorus-T. Once that Substitute is up, Landorus-T is extremely threatening, as it can OHKO / 2HKO most of the metagame with ease, and most of the things it 2HKOs are slower. Between Earthquake, Stone Edge, and Hidden Power Ice, it's got coverage against nearly the entire metagame, making it hard to switch into and incredibly safe against setup Pokemon. Alternately, Swords Dance is an option, allowing Landorus-T to pick up a quick boost against slower teams or take advantage of forced switches.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The item selection here is pretty straightforward. Leftovers lets Landorus-T put up more Substitutes, which makes it more effective in the long run, and also makes it easier for Landorus-T to switch into resisted attacks and still set up its Substitute. However, it's easy for Landorus-T to land super effective attacks, and when it does, Expert Belt will make them that much effective, and 20% can be the difference between life and death for some bulky Pokemon. Expert Belt also has the distinction of bluffing a Choice Scarf set if you can get it in against a slower Pokemon, catching the opponent off guard with Substitute at an important moment.</p>
<p>While this Pokemon is less likely to straight sweep a team, it's perfectly suited to open up holes for other team members. With a Pokemon as powerful as Landorus-T, it often takes a sacrifice to break its Substitute, and this can open the way for another powerful physical sweeper to dominate. Pokemon such as Double Dance or SubSD Terrakion, as well as Dragon Dance variants of Salamence and Dragonite can run rampant after Landorus-T does its job.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Landorus-T has some options that seem decent at first glance, but have some notable issues. Bulk Up provides a more balanced approach to a boosting set, but is much more at home on Landorus, which can use its higher speed to secure more Bulk Ups as well as being a more potent threat after boosting. Swords Dance is in the same boat, with its potency being very Speed-dependent. RestTalk has been a classic combination on Pokemon like Landorus-T, most notably Gyarados, but the changed sleep mechanics in Generation 5 have made it largely ineffectual. Rock Tomb is an option on some sets to make up for the lack of Speed, but its low Base Power makes it extremely inappealing.</p>
<p>An offensive EV spread can be used on the Offensive Pivot set for a more offensive Stealth Rock user similar to how Terrakion is often used. However, Terrakion is a more potent user of this type of set due to its superior speed, since it is more than capable of being an offensive threat without boosting moves or items due to its impeccable two-move coverage. Landorus-T's middling Speed makes it a bit more dependent on specialized spreads, Choice items, and setup moves to do its damage, and there's simply no room for Stealth Rock on an offensive set.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Given that Landorus is effectively the same Pokemon, it should come as no surprise that the same Pokemon largely answer them both. However, like Landorus, there's really no such thing as a "hard counter" to it. Skarmory comes closest, as most Landorus-T sets will be entirely unable to break through it, but Gravity turns that matchup on its head. Virizion can easily sponge Hidden Power Ice, but its mediocre physical defense means that it can't switch into too many Earthquakes throughout the match. Bulky variants of Latias can easily take a Stone Edge and recover off the damage, but U-turn is still unfriendly, as whatever follows Landorus-T is likely to force Latias out and prevent it from Recovering. Gliscor fears nothing except Hidden Power Ice, but is deathly afraid of said move, so make sure to scout out the set before sending Gliscor in headlong. Slowbro is probably the best counter, as it can take anything Landorus-T throws at it and recover it off passively with Regenerator. However, watch out for U-turn, especially if paired with a Pursuit user to eliminate Slowbro on the way out.</p>
<p>Landorus-T's Speed tier renders it much easier to confront offensively than its alternate form. Notably, Salamence outspeeds it and packs an Earthquake immunity, though Stone Edge and Hidden Power Ice do a number on it. Jirachi can be hard to switch in, but it can eliminate it with Ice Punch or play flinch games in a pinch. Faster variants of Celebi often carry Hidden Power Ice, which also deals with Landorus-T with ease. Last, but certainly not least, Mamoswine can use Ice Shard to bypass Landorus-T's Speed advantage and take it out. It can also Icicle Crash against bulkier sets, which Landorus-T is unlikely to survive.</p>
<p>As is befitting of its ability, Landorus-T is a Pokemon that is somewhat more intimidating than dangerous. When it was first announced, its massive 145 base Attack struck fear into the hearts of players everywhere, but in practice, it's not the harbinger of doom that everyone expected. Between a reduced 91 base Speed and the loss of Sand Force, Landorus-T is less offensive than its genie counterpart despite the former's higher Attack.</p>
<p>That said, it's not like Landorus-T is ineffectual in the metagame. Its solid 89 / 90 / 80 defenses are enhanced further by Intimidate, making it one of the few Pokemon capable of confronting Terrakion head-on, and it still has access to Swords Dance and Rock Polish to present a credible physical threat. On top of that, its massive Attack means that Landorus-T doesn't need much investment to pack a punch. Altogether, while it's not the offensive behemoth that was expected, it's still a solid Pokemon that has earned a well-deserved spot in the OU metagame.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Stealth Rock / Gravity
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Admittedly, 145 base Attack doesn't scream for tons of defensive investment, but Landorus-T has all the tools it needs to play the role of offensive pivot and steal momentum away from opposing teams. Its solid bulk and Intimidate let it stop many offensive threats cold, including Terrakion, a Pokemon with few real offensive answers. It's also a stellar user of Stealth Rock, as Landorus-T's bulk lets it easily lay down Stealth Rock, and its power makes it hard to Taunt against. U-turn is stellar for stealing momentum away from opponents, and Earthquake and Stone Edge combine to give solid offensive coverage as well as protection against some top threats, such as Terrakion and Dragonite.</p>
<p>Since Landorus-T's base attack is so high, it can spend most of its EVs on defense. 200 HP / 244 Defense allows Landorus-T to sponge two Choice Band Stone Edges from Terrakion, and also avoids the OHKO from its +2 Rock Gem Stone Edge, something few Pokemon can boast. The remaining EVs and Adamant Nature give a high chance of OHKOing 4/0 Dragonite with Stone Edge after Stealth Rock, and also give Landorus-T a legitimate offensive presence on the team. To give an idea of how much offense this Landorus-T packs, even with only 64 EVs and a beneficial nature, Landorus-T has 376 Attack, giving it power rivaling a fully invested Landorus or Gyarados.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Hidden Power Ice is an option over Stone Edge for warding off Gliscor, Tangrowth, and other Landorus, but Stone Edge is stronger for general use, and wallbreaking isn't this Landorus-T's specialty. If you already have a Stealth Rock user on your team and you're so inclined, Landorus-T is a great user of Gravity, since it can make use of Gravity Earthquake itself, as well as U-turn to other teammates who benefit from Gravity.. While Speed is advised against on this set, there are faster options. 104 EVs outspeed maximum Speed Tyranitar, while 144 EVs outspeed neutral-natured Heatran. However, taking EVs out of Attack hurts Landorus-T's offensive potential, while removing them from Defense and HP defeats the purpose of using a bulky spread.</p>
<p>This Landorus-T is a star on bulky offense, since it's a Stealth Rock user that most Magic Bounce users would never dream of switching into. As a result, it works best with offensive teammates, especially ones that profit well from offensive momentum. It's great for starting Volt-Turn, making it a great teammate for Rotom-W, which also provides Water and Ice resistances. Hydreigon is also a solid teammate for this reason, though a shared Ice weakness can be an issue. Since this Landorus-T lacks recovery, Wish support is highly suggested. Jirachi is one of the best teammates, since Landorus-T is immune to Ground, resistant to Fighting, and neutral to Fire. Vaporeon is also an excellent option, since it provides Water and Ice resistances, while Landorus-T is immune to Electric and neutral to Grass. Finally, Landorus-T's ability to force switches means that it makes great use of entry hazards. Deoxys-D is a great hazard-setting Pokemon for offensive teams, and with Landorus-T providing Stealth Rock, Deoxys-D gets a free moveslot to use Thunder Wave or other useful moves.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Superpower / Hidden Power Ice
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>91 base Speed is plenty to warrant a Choice Scarf set, especially considering that unlike its Incarnate version, Landorus-T doesn't have to rely on weather for its damage output. Earthquake is basic STAB, though it's iffy on a Choice set due to its relatively common immunities. U-turn is also a given, as it's excellent for keeping momentum after Landorus-T forces a switch. Stone Edge provides solid neutral coverage, while Superpower is the best option against Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Bronzong. It also hits Balloon Heatran, which is useful. On the other hand, Hidden Power Ice pounds Dragon-types, wards off Gliscor and opposing Landorus of all stripes, and can break down Tangrowth. Remember to use the right nature- Jolly for Superpower and Naive for Hidden Power Ice.</p>
<p>When using Landorus-T as a Choice Scarf user, it's important to make sure that it's the build for the position. While Landorus-T provides Intimidate and is weather-independent, Landorus packs way more of a punch on sandstorm teams due to Sand Force, and its 101 base Speed sits in an important Speed tier, outspeeding +1 Salamence, +1 Volcarona, and opposing Choice Scarf users, especially Jirachi. The two are very similar, so make sure to pick the right Landorus for the job.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Punishment is cute against some boosting Pokemon, and can be especially good against opponents such as Sigilyph and Calm Mind Latias, who become incredibly dangerous after a couple of boosts and need overwhelming power to take down. Explosion is an option, as it provides solid neutral coverage and plenty of punch as a last-ditch attack. EVs are very basic: Attack is maximized to provide maximum offensive power, and 224 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature give Landorus-T enough Speed to outspeed +1 neutral-natured base 100s. The rest goes into HP to give Landorus-T a little more bulk.</p>
<p>As with any Landorus-T set, this works best on bulky offense. Intimidate and good resistances give it plenty of chances to switch in, and as primarily a speedy hit-and-run Pokemon, it doesn't take a lot of support to make it effective. That said, Stealth Rock is always an issue, as it makes it harder for Landorus-T to switch in repeatedly. Starmie is the best spinner for the slot, as it provides crucial resistances to Water and Ice, and Landorus-T can switch into Electric attacks, especially Thunder, and come out unscathed. Wish support from Jirachi is also nice, as it helps Landorus-T leverage its bulk and ability to switch in.</p>
<<<CHOICE BAND GOES HERE, WHERE YOU AT LAVOS SPAWN>>>
[SET]
name: Gravity
move 1: Gravity
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / U-turn
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>An unorthodox setup set, Gravity wrecks a lot of top Landorus-T counters. Without their Ground immunities, Pokemon such as Skarmory, Bronzong, Gliscor, and Balloon carriers lose the ability to switch into Landorus-T with impunity. On top of that, Stone Edge is 100% accurate in Gravity, temporarily making it not the worst move in the game. Finally, Hidden Power Ice blows up the few defensive Pokemon not crippled by Gravity, such as exceptionally bulky Gliscor, Tangrowth, and some other Grass-types. Alternatively, U-turn can be used to hit Grass-types and pass Gravity to other abusers on the team.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Spikes provide double duty here, as not only does Landorus-T greatly appreciate the chip damage, but Gravity renders many normally unaffected fliers and levitators vulnerable to them. Deoxys-D is the best offensive Spikes user, and can also spread paralysis to slow things down for the relatively slow Landorus-T. Ferrothorn provides a longer-lasting presence, can also spread Thunder Wave, and resists Water for Landorus-T. As icing, Ferrothorn gains 100% accurate Power Whip and Leech Seed, two moves it relies on to be effective.</p>
<p>Special mention here goes to teammates that can effectively make use of Gravity. Starmie comes to mind, as it can use Hydro Pump and Thunder with 100% accuracy without requiring Rain for the latter, and Starmie brings with it useful resistances. Mamoswine doubles up on the Ground-type threat, which is both a blessing and a curse due to shared weaknesses. Still, if Landorus-T can break through Ground resistances, Mamoswine can be a real terror. Between Earthquake with no immunities and 100% accurate Icicle Crash and Stone Edge, Mamoswine is a far more reliable offensive threat with Gravity in effect.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Explosion
item: Life Orb
nature: Naughty / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While Landorus-T's Speed isn't as solid as its Incarnate counterpart's is, it has access to Rock Polish to mitigate it. As a Pokemon with extreme Attack and decent Speed, Speed boosts are far more important than Attack boosts for a successful sweep. Intimidate helps significantly compared to Landorus, as it's much easier for Landorus-T to switch in and pick up quick boosts. EdgeQuake provides basic two-move coverage, while Hidden Power Ice eliminates Dragon-types, opposing Gliscor, Tangrowth, and Landorus. Despite having less Special Attack than Landorus, its 105 Special Attack is still plenty to do the job. Alternatively, 145 base Attack makes Explosion an effective last-ditch effort against non-resistant opponents. Even without the defense cut, it's still 66% stronger than STAB Earthquake, and also is guaranteed to get the next Pokemon in safely.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Landorus-T can use Swords Dance in the last slot to pull off a "double dance" set, but unlike other notable double dancers, it's missing some of the things that make them shine. Notably, effective double dancers have usable secondary STABs and enough Speed to go without a Speed boost against bulkier offensive teams, neither of which Landorus-T has at its disposal.</p>
<p>Entry hazards are especially important for this set, as it is extremely reliant on them to achieve OHKOs on some bulkier Pokemon. Deoxys-D is an easy way to get hazards up, but Ferrothorn and Forretress are more effective in the long haul if the opponent has a spinner. Beyond hazards, this set needs strong attackers that can lure out the set's main counters. Choice Band Terrakion is an excellent choice, as it packs a huge punch and can break down physical walls for this set to bust through. Other usable allies include Acrobatics Gliscor and Ice Punch Lucario, both of which can whittle down bulkier Pokemon that would stand in the way of a sweep.</p>
[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Swords Dance
item: Leftovers / Expert Belt
nature: Naive / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Pokemon like Landorus-T is incredibly effective when it doesn't have to predict against opponents, and the best way to ease prediction is Substitute. Luckily, Intimidate is perfect for picking up free Substitutes as it scares out opposing Pokemon that are unable to deal with Landorus-T. Once that Substitute is up, Landorus-T is extremely threatening, as it can OHKO / 2HKO most of the metagame with ease, and most of the things it 2HKOs are slower. Between Earthquake, Stone Edge, and Hidden Power Ice, it's got coverage against nearly the entire metagame, making it hard to switch into and incredibly safe against setup Pokemon. Alternately, Swords Dance is an option, allowing Landorus-T to pick up a quick boost against slower teams or take advantage of forced switches.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The item selection here is pretty straightforward. Leftovers lets Landorus-T put up more Substitutes, which makes it more effective in the long run, and also makes it easier for Landorus-T to switch into resisted attacks and still set up its Substitute. However, it's easy for Landorus-T to land super effective attacks, and when it does, Expert Belt will make them that much effective, and 20% can be the difference between life and death for some bulky Pokemon. Expert Belt also has the distinction of bluffing a Choice Scarf set if you can get it in against a slower Pokemon, catching the opponent off guard with Substitute at an important moment.</p>
<p>While this Pokemon is less likely to straight sweep a team, it's perfectly suited to open up holes for other team members. With a Pokemon as powerful as Landorus-T, it often takes a sacrifice to break its Substitute, and this can open the way for another powerful physical sweeper to dominate. Pokemon such as Double Dance or SubSD Terrakion, as well as Dragon Dance variants of Salamence and Dragonite can run rampant after Landorus-T does its job.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Landorus-T has some options that seem decent at first glance, but have some notable issues. Bulk Up provides a more balanced approach to a boosting set, but is much more at home on Landorus, which can use its higher speed to secure more Bulk Ups as well as being a more potent threat after boosting. Swords Dance is in the same boat, with its potency being very Speed-dependent. RestTalk has been a classic combination on Pokemon like Landorus-T, most notably Gyarados, but the changed sleep mechanics in Generation 5 have made it largely ineffectual. Rock Tomb is an option on some sets to make up for the lack of Speed, but its low Base Power makes it extremely inappealing.</p>
<p>An offensive EV spread can be used on the Offensive Pivot set for a more offensive Stealth Rock user similar to how Terrakion is often used. However, Terrakion is a more potent user of this type of set due to its superior speed, since it is more than capable of being an offensive threat without boosting moves or items due to its impeccable two-move coverage. Landorus-T's middling Speed makes it a bit more dependent on specialized spreads, Choice items, and setup moves to do its damage, and there's simply no room for Stealth Rock on an offensive set.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Given that Landorus is effectively the same Pokemon, it should come as no surprise that the same Pokemon largely answer them both. However, like Landorus, there's really no such thing as a "hard counter" to it. Skarmory comes closest, as most Landorus-T sets will be entirely unable to break through it, but Gravity turns that matchup on its head. Virizion can easily sponge Hidden Power Ice, but its mediocre physical defense means that it can't switch into too many Earthquakes throughout the match. Bulky variants of Latias can easily take a Stone Edge and recover off the damage, but U-turn is still unfriendly, as whatever follows Landorus-T is likely to force Latias out and prevent it from Recovering. Gliscor fears nothing except Hidden Power Ice, but is deathly afraid of said move, so make sure to scout out the set before sending Gliscor in headlong. Slowbro is probably the best counter, as it can take anything Landorus-T throws at it and recover it off passively with Regenerator. However, watch out for U-turn, especially if paired with a Pursuit user to eliminate Slowbro on the way out.</p>
<p>Landorus-T's Speed tier renders it much easier to confront offensively than its alternate form. Notably, Salamence outspeeds it and packs an Earthquake immunity, though Stone Edge and Hidden Power Ice do a number on it. Jirachi can be hard to switch in, but it can eliminate it with Ice Punch or play flinch games in a pinch. Faster variants of Celebi often carry Hidden Power Ice, which also deals with Landorus-T with ease. Last, but certainly not least, Mamoswine can use Ice Shard to bypass Landorus-T's Speed advantage and take it out. It can also Icicle Crash against bulkier sets, which Landorus-T is unlikely to survive.</p>
