Landorus-Therian
[OVERVIEW]
Landorus-T's superb typing gives him immunities to Electric and Ground, two very potent offensive typings, and resistances to Bug, Fighting, and Poison. Landorus-T's defensive potential is also commendable, primarily his physically defensive capabilities that are further helped by his fantastic ability, Intimidate, which helps his abilities to perform physically defensive roles soar. His incredibly high Attack and very workable offensive movepool make him a potent offensive threat against many as well. This combination of Intimidate and Landorus-T's offensive and defensive presence has allowed him to establish himself as one of the best pivots, forcing switches with ease. To top it off, Landorus-T is very versatile, being able to successfully play various roles to fit almost any playstyle; offensive roles, defensive roles, revenge killer, defensive pivot, late-game sweeper, and wallbreaker are all great possibilities with Landorus-T.
However, his 4x weakness to Ice is problematic for Landorus-T due to the abundance of Hidden Power Ice seen on Electric-type Pokemon that Landorus-T would otherwise counter or check. His weakness to Water and no coverage moves that allow him to handle Water-types does leave him at a loss in a matchup against the likes of Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Slowbro. His Speed tier has also fallen behind in the fast-paced ORAS metagame; he does have a workable Speed tier that is by no stretch useless, but it often leaves a lot to be desired in many situations. Finally, lack of any form of reliable recovery makes him much more susceptible to residual damage, and he can be worn down considerably more easily than other potential walls or sweepers.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Knock Off / Superpower / Explosion
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Landorus-T's best STAB attack due to its great power and perfect accuracy, dealing good damage against most opposing threats that do not resist or are immune to it. Stone Edge hits Pokemon that are immune to Earthquake, most notably Flying-types such as Thundurus and Talonflame and Levitate users, for super effective damage. Rock Slide is an option if you value the accuracy over the power, though it does miss out on some KOs such as against Thundurus, +1 defensive Talonflame, and Assault Vest Tornadus-T after Stealth Rock damage as well as some 2HKOs such as against Mandibuzz after Stealth Rock damage. Knock Off hurts Latios, Latias, and Gengar as well as item-dependent Pokemon such as Eviolite Chansey and Choiced wallbreakers, which helps to limit the offensive or defensive potential of opposing teams. Superpower provides additional coverage and hurts possible switch-ins such as Ferrothorn, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lopunny, Air Balloon Excadrill, and Heatran. Explosion is an option to punch massive holes in opposing walls and is optimal for use on offensive teams to break through defensive threats; it can also grab momentum by allowing a safe switch into another threat. U-turn is good to use early-game to scout an opponent's lead Pokemon, and it allows Landorus-T to capture momentum and switch into a more favorable matchup.
Set Details
========
The Speed investment and Jolly nature allow Landorus-T to outspeed as many threats as possible in order to revenge kill or pivot and make the most use of his generally unspectacular base Speed. Full investment in Attack maximizes Landorus-T's offensive potential, allowing him to deal as much damage as possible and effectively revenge kill. Choice Scarf is used to boost Speed for optimal revenge killing potential. An Adamant nature could allow Landorus-T to hit harder at the cost of Speed, and it is still an option if your team would benefit from a having a harder-hitting Choice Scarf user.
Usage Tips
========
The purpose of this set is to revenge kill opposing threats and grab momentum with U-turn. Landorus-T can be used as a lead in order to grab momentum as early as possible, and he should be sent out whenever a Pokemon faints in order to revenge kill or to recapture momentum. Be wary of what move you choose to lock Landorus-T into. While Earthquake is strong, it can be taken advantage of by your opponent, as they can send out a Pokemon immune to it next turn.
Team Options
========
Volt Switch users such as Raikou, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric form a solid VoltTurn core with Landorus-T. Mega Manectric completes a double-Intimidate VoltTurn core, which pressures physical attackers. Latios and Latias are also good options to pair with Landorus-T due to their ability to check Keldeo very effectively. However, the two add an additional Ice weakness. Clefable has great synergy with Landorus-T, being able to handle Latios, Latias, and Keldeo, which threaten Landorus-T, while Landorus-T can handle Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-type Pokemon that threaten Clefable.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Slide / Knock Off
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Landorus-T's best STAB attack due to its great power and perfect accuracy; it provides defensive Landorus-T with a way of hitting opposing Pokemon hard and allows him to maintain some offensive presence. U-turn allows Landorus-T to pivot out and gain momentum by putting the matchup in your favor; it works well with Landorus-T's defensive potential, as it can force a switch quite easily when sent in against a physical threat. Stone Edge and Rock Slide hit Flying-types, such as Talonflame and Thundurus, and Levitate users that are immune to Earthquake for super effective damage—either is viable, and the choice depends on your preference. Stone Edge has more power but less accuracy, while Rock Slide has more accuracy and a chance to flinch the foe, but less power. Knock Off hurts threats such as Latios, Latias, and Gengar and item-dependent Pokemon, namely Choiced wallbreakers that could hurt Landorus-T. Finally, Stealth Rock provides entry hazard support, wearing down opposing teams with residual damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment increases Landorus-T's longevity and, when coupled with the 8 EVs in Special Defense, allows him to live a Hidden Power Ice from Mega Manectric at full health and retaliate with Earthquake. 8 Speed EVs allow him to outspeed Modest Magnezone, and the remaining EVs go into Defense with an Impish nature to optimize Landorus-T's physical bulk. Leftovers is Landorus-T's only source of recovery and offers him more longevity. Rocky Helmet is also an option for dealing damage against some foes, helping to wear them down faster and compensating for Landorus-T's lack of offensive presence.
Usage Tips
========
Generally, you should lead with Landorus-T in order to set up Stealth Rock as soon as possible and U-turn out to grab momentum and put the matchup in your favor early-game. Landorus-T can often come in safely against physical threats such as Terrakion, Mega Charizard X, and Tyranitar because Intimidate lowers their Attack. He can also check most variants of Talonflame due to Intimidate, which allows Landorus-T to wall it and threaten it with Rock-type coverage moves. However, make sure to scout for potential Ice-type coverage moves on opposing threats such as Hidden Power Ice on Terrakion and Ice Beam or Ice Punch on Tyranitar as to not risk prematurely losing your Landorus-T.
Team Options
========
Volt Switch users such as Raikou, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric form a solid VoltTurn core with Landorus-T. Rotom-W works well with Landorus-T, as it can handle various Water-, Ground-, and Ice-type threats and use Will-O-Wisp to burn physical attackers, making them easier for Landorus-T to wall. Ferrothorn is a good specially defensive pair to Landorus-T's physically defensive presence, and it can threaten Ice- and Water-types that Landorus-T cannot handle and set up Spikes. Landorus-T can also handle Fire- and Fighting-type threats for Ferrothorn. Clefable has great synergy with Landorus-T, being able to handle threats such as Latios, Latias, and Keldeo while Landorus-T can handle Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-type threats for Clefable. Magic Guard Clefable can also absorb status, which would otherwise wear down Landorus-T significantly.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: U-turn / Explosion
move 3: Stone Edge / Knock Off
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Soft Sand / Focus Sash
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Landorus-T's best STAB attack due to its great power and perfect accuracy, which allows it to deal good damage against most opposing threats that do not resist or are immune to it. U-turn allows Landorus-T to switch out and capture momentum, and it is generally used early-game after entry hazards have been set up or after Landorus-T switches in and forces out the opposing threat. Explosion punches massive holes in opposing walls, and it is optimal to use against offensive teams to break through defensive threats. It can also grab momentum by allowing a safe switch into another threat. Alternatively, Swords Dance boosts Landorus-T's Attack, allowing him to wallbreak and damage teams, which helps open up opportunities for teammates to finish up. Stone Edge hits Pokemon immune to Earthquake, including Flying-types such as Talonflame and Thundurus and Levitate users, for super effective damage. Knock Off hurts Latios, Latias, and Gengar and limits the longevity of item-dependent Pokemon such as Eviolite Chansey and Pokemon that hold Leftovers. Smack Down is an option over Stone Edge, as it can catch obvious checks to Landorus-T such as Rotom-W and Skarmory as they switch in and allow Landorus-T to KO them with Earthquake next turn, preventing them from using Will-O-Wisp or Defog, respectively; it can serve as a useful utility move on teams with few other answers to such opposing threats. However, it is worth noting that Smack Down is much weaker than Stone Edge and serves little other offensive utility outside of this. Finally, Stealth Rock provides entry hazard support and wears down opposing teams with residual damage.
Set Details
========
Full Attack investment with Adamant nature is used to maximize Landorus-T's offensive potential and allow him to break through defensive walls such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur; however, a Jolly nature is also an option in order to outspeed Jolly Excadrill. 184 Speed EVs allow him to outspeed Jolly Bisharp and Breloom, Diggersby, Altaria, Dragonite, and non-Mega Metagross, and the remaining EVs go into HP for additional bulk and to reach a Stealth Rock number, allowing Landorus-T to switch in more when entry hazards are up. Soft Sand boosts the power of his STAB moves to very high levels, allowing him to OHKO or 2HKO defensive walls such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, Clefable and Mega Venusaur when running an Adamant nature. It also does not have recoil like Life Orb and is a solid middle ground between offensive prowess and sustainability; it also helps potentially bluff Choice Scarf. Focus Sash ensures that Landorus-T can set up entry hazards early-game by letting it survive any one hit; it may also help against other attacks that would otherwise be able to OHKO Landorus-T, such as Ice Punch from Mega Lopunny and Hidden Power Ice from Raikou and Mega Manectric. Normal Gem can also be used, as it maximizes the power of Explosion. An Adamant nature and a spread of 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spe is an option that lets Landorus-T outspeed and take any +1 hit from Adamant Bisharp when at full health, which is something that other sets cannot accomplish. A spread of 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe is also possible in order to outspeed Timid Heatran and Adamant Excadrill without running Jolly, which sacrifices damage output.
Usage Tips
========
Generally, lead with Landorus-T and set up Stealth Rock as soon as possible, and U-turn out to grab momentum and put the matchup in your favor. Landorus-T is best brought in against defensive threats such as Ferrothorn and Chansey, as it can KO or heavily damage them and allow for another Pokemon to sweep easily later. Due to Landorus-T's lackluster Speed, it's often better to switch him out directly when up against a faster Pokemon rather than to use U-turn or to stay in and try to deal more damage. It is better to save Landorus-T's raw power for use against walls and defensive threats that he has better matchups with and Pokemon that would otherwise be much more difficult to handle.
Team Options
========
Volt Switch users such as Raikou, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric form a solid VoltTurn core with Landorus-T. Mega Manectric in particular completes a double-Intimidate VoltTurn core that pressures physical attackers. Ferrothorn can threaten Ice- and Water-types that Landorus-T cannot handle and set up Spikes, while Landorus-T can generally handle Fire- and Fighting-type threats for Ferrothorn. Latios and Latias are also good options to pair with Landorus-T due to their ability to check Keldeo very effectively. However, they add an additional Ice weakness that must be considered while teambuilding. Additionally,this set has the ability to check many entry hazard removers, such as Latios, Latias, Mandibuzz, and Excadrill, and ensure that entry hazards stay on the field; as such, Pokemon such as Volcarona, Serperior, and Scizor would all benefit from being paired with Landorus-T, as many of their checks and counters, namely Talonflame, Charizard, and Mega Pinsir, are worn down by entry hazards.
[SET]
name: Double Dance
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Rock Polish
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Leftovers / Soft Sand
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 56 HP / 220 Atk / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake's great power and perfect accuracy allow Landorus-T to deal massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it after a Swords Dance boost. Stone Edge hits Flying-types, Talonflame and Thundurus in particular, for super effective damage and provides a means of hitting Levitate users. Rock Polish boosts Landorus-T's Speed, allowing him to outspeed many threats and threaten offensively based teams, and Swords Dance greatly boosts his Attack, which allows him to punch holes in opposing walls.
Set Details
========
232 Speed EVs allow Landorus-T to outspeed Adamant Excadrill in sand, and 56 HP EVs allow him to take two Iron Heads from Life Orb Excadrill, give him more setup opportunities, and enable Landorus-T to switch in more times when entry hazards are up. The remaining EVs go into Attack with an Adamant nature to optimize Landorus-T's offensive potential. A spread of 56 HP / 228 Atk / 224 Spe with a Jolly nature allows Landorus-T to outspeed +2 Rock Polish Mega Diancie; however, the loss in offensive power is noticeable. A more defensive spread of 132 HP / 56 Atk / 216 Def / 104 Spe allows him to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and Jolly Tyranitar pre-Rock Polish, take attacks from Talonflame and Excadrill, and reach a Leftovers number, maximizing recovery. Leftovers increases his longevity and allows him to have more setup opportunities, but Soft Sand is can be used to boost Landorus-T's power and allow him to break through walls such as Slowbro and Quagsire and OHKO Ferrothorn after a Swords Dance boost.
Usage Tips
========
Landorus-T will most likely be unable to set up both Rock Polish and Swords Dance. Prioritize setting up Rock Polish against offensive teams to allow Landorus-T to outspeed most threats, and prioritize setting up Swords Dance against defensive teams so that Landorus-T can break through walls. Landorus-T's potential is greatly hindered while his checks are still present, so focus on removing or crippling them before attempting to set up. Given that the goal of this set is to sweep late-game, it is advised to build a team with Pokemon that can help accomplish this goal by removing Landorus-T's checks.
Team Options
========
A Volt Switch user such as Raikou or Mega Manectric helps to bring Landorus-T in safely. An entry hazard setter such as Ferrothorn, which can also aid in removing or weakening opposing Water- and Ice-types, is greatly beneficial for Landorus-T due to entry hazards breaking Focus Sashes and Sturdy and wearing down opposing teams. Landorus-T and Keldeo make for a good pair, as Keldeo can remove Hippowdon, Ferrothorn, Gliscor, and opposing Landorus-T. Mega Heracross, Mega Charizard X, Mega Medicham, and Mega Gallade also complement Landorus-T, as they share similar checks and counters; while initially this may seem like a hindrance, the major offensive pressure that these Pokemon place on opposing checks will eventually break through them.
[SET]
name: Sub SD Salac
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Salac Berry
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Landorus-T's best STAB attack due to its great power and perfect accuracy, allowing it to deal massive damage against anything that doesn't resist it after a Swords Dance boost. Stone Edge hits Flying-types and Levitate users that are immune to Earthquake, such as Talonflame and Thundurus, for super effective damage. Substitute allows Landorus-T to set up safely as well as dodge status such as Breloom's and Amoonguss's Spore, Rotom-W's and Sableye's Will-O-Wisp, Ferrothorn's and Chesnaught's Leech Seed, and Toxic from Gliscor, Alomomola, and Slowbro. Swords Dance greatly boosts Landorus-T's Attack, allowing him to punch holes in opposing walls and potentially sweep once the Salac Berry has been used.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs and a Jolly nature allow Landorus-T to outspeed Adamant Mega Charizard X after a Dragon Dance once Landorus-T's Salac Berry has been used and Speed tie with opposing Choice Scarf Landorus-T. 252 Attack EVs allow him to break through opposing walls and sweep efficiently; the remaining EVs go into HP to form an even total, allowing the Salac Berry to be used after three Substitutes. Salac Berry boosts Landorus-T's Speed to +1 when he is at 1/4 HP in order to outspeed many fast threats such as Adamant Mega Charizard X after one Dragon Dance boost, Choice Scarf Heatran, and Choice Scarf Tyranitar.
Usage Tips
========
Landorus-T is best sent in after a Pokemon faints or through a Volt Switch or U-turn, and he should set up a Substitute as soon as possible. He can be used to punch holes in opponent's teams early- and mid-game or saved for late-game when he can use his Salac Berry and clean up. Focus on removing or crippling Landorus-T's checks before using his Salac Berry. Given that the goal of this set is to sweep late-game, Landorus-T's teammates should be able to remove his checks so that he may sweep effectively.
Team Options
========
A Volt Switch user such as Raikou or Mega Manectric helps to bring Landorus-T in safely against an ideal matchup. An entry hazard setter such as Ferrothorn, which can also aid in removing or weakening of opposing Water- and Ice-types, is greatly beneficial for Landorus-T because entry hazards break Focus Sashes and Sturdy and generally wear opposing teams down, allowing Landorus-T to get a clean sweep later. Landorus-T and Keldeo make for a good pair, as Keldeo can remove Hippowdon, Ferrothorn, Gliscor, and opposing Landorus-T. Mega Heracross, Mega Charizard X, Mega Medicham, and Mega Gallade also complement Landorus-T, as they share similar checks and counters; initially, this may seem like a hindrance, but the major offensive pressure these Pokemon have against opposing checks will eventually break through them effectively.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gravity allows Earthquake to hit any foes immune to it and makes them take Spikes and Toxic Spikes damage. Yache Berry allows Landorus-T to better take any one Ice-type attack and retaliate with Stone Edge or Earthquake, while Passho Berry allows him to survive any one Water-type attack. Hidden Power Ice can be used to hit opposing Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor. Toxic is an option on defensive sets to limit the longevity of opposing walls that might try to wall Landorus-T such as Slowbro, Chesnaught, and opposing Landorus-T. Rock Tomb can be helpful for slowing down opposing offensive threats or forcing switches. Block is an option on offensive sets to prevent opposing walls from switching, and it allows Landorus-T to break them down much more easily, potentially allowing more ease of prediction when sending out a trapper such as Gothitelle or Magnezone.
Checks and Counters
=============
**Ice-types**: Kyurem-B, Mamoswine, and Weavile all threaten Landorus-T due to his 4x weakness to Ice. Many Ice-types also have access to priority moves or can outspeed Landorus-T. However, they can't switch in easily due to their weakness to Rock-type moves.
**Water-types**: Water-types such as Keldeo, Mega Slowbro, and Rotom-W take no super effective damage from any move in Landorus-T's movepool and often force him to switch out; this gives them a free turn to set up Substitute or Calm Mind and gain the upper hand overall.
**Grass-types**: Most Grass-types can wall and threaten Landorus-T, hindering his effectiveness. Ferrothorn, Chesnaught, and Mega Venusaur have access to recovery and can wear Landorus-T down at a much faster rate than he can wear them down. More offensive spreads of Landorus-T can mitigate this issue to some extent, but most variants are threatened.
**Physically defensive Pokemon**: While some variants of Landorus-T, namely Offensive Lead and Double Dance, can break through opposing physical walls without much issue due to raw power, often Landorus-T is unable to do anything. Quagsire, Ferrothorn, and Rotom-W are all problematic for Landorus-T and put a stop to any offensive pressure due to their sheer bulk. Pivoting out against them in order to set the matchup back in your favor is the most optimal solution against such threats.
**Bulky Ground-types**: Opposing Landorus-T are greatly problematic for Landorus-T due to his lack of a super effective move to hit them with unless you find room to incorporate Hidden Power Ice. Opposing Landorus-T lower your Pokemon's Attack with Intimidate, which puts Landorus-T at a great disadvantage because he is forced to switch out and allows the opposing Landorus-T to also switch out and gain momentum . Various other bulky Ground-types such as Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Rocky Helmet Garchomp also pose a threat for very similar reasons, and Landorus-T can only break through them with Swords Dance or Hidden Power Ice.
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