EV
Banned deucer.
QC: unfixable / ellipse / The Reptile
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Tyranitar is most notable for its outstanding bulk and offensive capabilities, the combination of which lets it check and simultaneously threaten a good portion of the STABmons metagame. Take, for instance, its ability Sand Stream, which summons a sandstorm and boosts its Special Defense by 1.5 while slowly whittling away at other Pokemon. The extra Special Defense and its solid physical bulk, even when uninvested, let Tyranitar pivot into common Flying, Normal, Dark, and Psychic moves. It therefore makes for a good trapper with Pursuit and Sucker Punch against frailer Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Tyranitar's resistance to revenge killing tactics like Fake Out + Extreme Speed is especially helpful when it wants to tap its solid Attack stat and set up with Dragon Dance, and it has a usable Special Attack stat to run coverage in order to lure and beat its usual checks such as Landorus-T, Scizor, and Ferrothorn. Considering this along with its access to entry hazards, the sleep-inducing move Dark Void, and the momentum-generating Parting Shot, Tyranitar is extremely versatile.
The lack of any reliable recovery besides Leftovers diminishes Tyranitar's ability to pivot into attacks throughout the match, however. While Sand Stream benefits Tyranitar, the residual damage also negates Leftovers or outright chips away at any of its teammates without a Rock, Ground, or Steel typing. Additionally, its crippling 4x weakness to Fighting can result in surprise KOs from enemy Pokemon that carry Fighting coverage just to eliminate Tyranitar, and it's also weak to common Ground- and Steel-type attacks. Lastly, it suffers from a lackluster Speed stat, which leaves it vulnerable even after a boost from Dragon Dance and to all types of status. These negative aspects need to be taken into account when choosing Tyranitar for your team, but overall it makes for a fantastic check to big threats such as Talonflame, Mega Charizard Y, and Thundurus, supports the team with entry hazards or status, and often doesn't take up your Mega slot.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Diamond Storm
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Ice Beam
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Jolly / Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is the preferred Dark-type STAB move on this set because Tyranitar should be faster than most targets, making Sucker Punch less valuable, and it hits harder than Crunch most of the time. Diamond Storm is Tyranitar's most reliable Rock-type STAB move, with a good chance to raise Tyranitar's Defense by one stage. Superpower hits Normal-types, Heatran, Ferrothorn, Bisharp, and Terrakion all for super effective damage, the last two being good Tyranitar counters otherwise. While the coverage is redundant, Pursuit allows Tyranitar to trap weakened Psychic-types, Ghost-types, and frail targets, especially those at the crucial base 110 Speed mark, such as Latios and Gengar, ensuring it will remove them from the game no matter if they stay in or switch. Ice Beam is an option over Pursuit to surprise common checks like Landorus-T and Gliscor. Outside of that, it has little use.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf allows Tyranitar to get the jump on faster Pokemon and KO them first. It also surprises faster checks that expect to switch in and force Tyranitar out only to be 2HKOed instead. Therefore, Tyranitar invests as many EVs as possible in Speed and Attack. The leftover EVs are put in Special Defense. With a Jolly nature, Tyranitar beats anything below fully invested base 116 Speed. If you opt for Ice Beam over Pursuit, use the Hasty nature instead, which preserves Tyranitar's Special Attack. Sand Stream is preferred to buff Tyranitar's Special Defense while also providing chip damage against the foe if it's not a Rock-, Steel-, or Ground-type.
Usage Tips
========
Knock Off is fairly spammable, so use it more often than not to remove items and deal lots of damage in the process. This helps break down walls in the long run. Avoid Knock Off yourself, or else Tyranitar's utility as a revenge killer disappears. Try to scout for Mach Punch, Bullet Punch, and Water Shuriken on the likes of Terrakion, Scizor, and Azumarill, respectively, as these attacks outprioritize Tyranitar's even with its increased Speed. A Life Orb-boosted Mach Punch from Terrakion can OHKO a -Def Tyranitar, for example. Priority or faster status is always bad for Tyranitar, so play cautiously around Sableye and Weavile, both of which can put Tyranitar to sleep with Dark Void before it can move. In general, Choice item users carry the risk of having to switch against setup Pokemon if locked into the wrong move, so expect the opponent to use this to their advantage once they realize Tyranitar is holding a Choice Scarf.
Team Options
========
A cleric is important should Tyranitar get statused. Celebi can run Heal Bell and absorbs status itself with Natural Cure. It can also bring Tyranitar in with U-turn. Something to take Knock Off is advised because Tyranitar is unable to perform that role with this set. Mega Scizor doesn't mind it, as it takes reduced damage from the move, nor does Terrakion to an extent, which also gains a Justified boost from Knock Off. Tyranitar has no way to remove Quagsire itself and also struggles with bulky Azumarill. Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur are great Azumarill checks with the benefit of also checking Quagsire. Bringing your own Unaware Quagsire or a way to stop setup such as Topsy-Turvy Sableye is recommended because setup Pokemon such as Belly Drum Azumarill can take advantage of Tyranitar if it is locked into a not very effective attack. Finally, bring an entry hazard remover, as Tyranitar will need to switch around often to perform at its best. Starmie has Rapid Spin and a strong Analytic-boosted Origin Pulse or Psystrike to punish switch-ins. It can also remove Landorus-T and Gliscor if Tyranitar lacks Ice Beam.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Knock Off / Sucker Punch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Tyranitar's strongest Dark-type STAB move when the target is holding an item and hits a lot of switch-ins very hard, whereas Sucker Punch pairs well with Pursuit to trap frail or weakened Pokemon, creating at best a 50/50 scenario for the opponent. It is a riskier option over Knock Off, however. Pursuit takes advantage of Tyranitar's ability to pivot into threats such as Talonflame and Latios and hits them as they switch for high damage. Diamond Storm is its more reliable Rock-type STAB move and has the benefit of possibly raising Tyranitar's Defense by one stage, which can reduce the chance of it getting KOed by a physical attacker the following turn. Stealth Rock gives your team important entry hazard support and chips away at the enemy's team over time. Tyranitar's Rock STAB type deters Flying-type Defoggers from trying to remove the hazard as well. Precipice Blades or Earthquake provides Ground coverage in the last slot to hit certain Steel-types hard, but common Steel-types like Heatran and Aegislash already hate Knock Off if Tyranitar has it. Superpower is an option should you want to hit Normal-types the hardest. It will leave Tyranitar vulnerable afterward, however, as it drops its Attack and Defense one stage each. Fire Blast can be used over Stealth Rock to catch Mega Scizor off guard, which doesn't care about Knock Off, can tank a Diamond Storm, and greatly threatens Tyranitar with Steel-type STAB moves. Ice Beam is a final alternative to KO Landorus-T and Gliscor, which can sponge Tyranitar's attacks and Defog away its hazards.
Set Details
========
Sand Stream is required to increase Tyranitar's Special Defense. Running 252 HP EVs gives it great overall bulk, especially when sandstorm is up, and lets it switch in to a lot of resisted or neutral hits throughout the match, which is important due to this set's ability to pivot and trap foes with Pursuit. An Adamant nature with 252 Attack EVs makes it hit as hard as possible. A Brave nature can be used over Adamant if Tyranitar has special coverage moves in order not to lower its Special Attack. The reduction in Speed isn't too bad, especially if Tyranitar has Sucker Punch. The rest of the EVs go into Special Defense. Leftovers is the preferred item to extend Tyranitar's life throughout the match, though Smooth Rock is an option to extend the duration of sandstorm from five turns to eight. Tyranitarite beefs up Tyranitar's overall bulk but doesn't offer enough extra benefit to use over Leftovers most of the time, and Mega Tyranitar competes with other, better Mega Evolutions.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Tyranitar into resisted or ineffective hits such as Gengar's Shadow Ball, Thundurus's Oblivion Wing, and Latios's Psystrike. It can also switch in on neutral special hits such as Thundurus's Thunderbolt fairly well and force their users out if they don't carry the correct coverage move. Use Pursuit against enemy Psychic- and Ghost-types if you suspect they'll flee that turn, and use Sucker Punch if you think they're going to attack. These include Latios, Meloetta, Espeon, Starmie, and Gengar, all of which take heavy damage from or are outright KOed by either attack. Use Knock Off if you want to hit an incoming target instead for high damage and to remove its item. Diamond Storm does respectable neutral damage to Pokemon coming in to take Knock Off, such as Azumarill and Mega Scizor. Additionally, if it boosts Tyranitar's Defense by one stage, it may allow it to tank a hit the next turn that it normally couldn't and finish off the target. Don't count on the Defense boost to beat these Pokemon, however. Stealth Rock should be used early to start spreading entry hazard damage as soon as possible and will make trapping threats easier later in the match. It's best used as the opponent switches out their Pokemon, such as a Chansey afraid of losing its Eviolite.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate the removal of Latios, Espeon, and Meloetta are good partners for Tyranitar. Your own slower Dragon such as Garchomp likes Latios gone, and slow support Pokemon that are normally setup bait for special sweepers, such as Quagsire, appreciate Espeon and Meloetta gone. Because Tyranitar also keeps Flying-types at bay, Tangrowth, Serperior, and Mega Blastoise have less to fear with Thundurus and, in the case of the former two, Talonflame gone. In turn, Tangrowth and Serperior can help get rid of Azumarill, which otherwise gets in for free on Tyranitar and sets up. With the sand support Tyranitar brings, a Sand Rush user such as Excadrill is a great teammate and can clean up the foe's team after Tyranitar has weakened it. Fellow Rock-types such as Aerodactyl and Terrakion also appreciate the boost to their Special Defense, letting them tank special hits they normally couldn't. Similarly to Excadrill, these Pokemon can clean up after Tyranitar punches holes with Knock Off and Diamond Storm. Finally, Pokemon that draw in checks that are weak to Stealth Rock and sandstorm's chip damage work well with Tyranitar. Scizor will often draw Gyarados or Mega Charizard, both of which lose HP to Stealth Rock and sandstorm, making their job of checking Scizor harder.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Precipice Blades / Ice Punch / Fire Punch
item: Tyranitarite
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Jolly
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance raises Attack and Speed by one stage each, giving Mega Tyranitar a chance to take out faster threats with its increased damage output. Knock Off is the strongest Dark-type attack when the target is holding an item. If it doesn't KO the target, it will at least cripple them most times. Diamond Storm is Tyranitar's most reliable Rock-type STAB move, with a chance to boost Defense, and has good coverage in the metagame. Precipice Blades is a strong Ground-type attack and grants solid coverage with Rock, but the accuracy is subpar. Accordingly, Earthquake is a weaker but more accurate Ground-type move. Ice Punch catches checks like defensive Landorus-T and Gliscor for 4x damage, while Fire Punch can be used in the last slot to hit Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn the hardest instead.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature with 208 Speed EVs allows Mega Tyranitar to outspeed base 121 Speed Pokemon after a Dragon Dance, specifically Tornadus-T and Mega Pidgeot, which are both KOed by Diamond Storm. 252 EVs are put into Attack to hit hard, and the rest are added to HP to maintain some bulk. Unlike non-setup sets, Tyranitarite is always preferred because it adds more Speed while increasing bulk simultaneously. Sand Stream is the best ability to run on the base forme because it lets you switch Tyranitar into neutral special hits if needed.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Evolve Tyranitar as quickly as possible to take advantage of the better Speed and bulk. Its ability stays the same, so you don't have to worry about losing the utility of Sand Stream. Mega Tyranitar should attack without setting up until important walls such as Quagsire, Landorus-T, and Ferrothorn have been removed, unless you have the coverage to beat the latter two. Scout for Thunder Wave on Thundurus, as it will priority paralyze Tyranitar before going down and make checking it easier later. Don't set up either with Sableye still on the opponent's team, because it can Prankster status Mega Tyranitar with Will-O-Wisp and Dark Void or use Topsy-Turvy to invert its stat changes, halting its sweep and momentum. Mega Tyranitar is vulnerable to status in general, so keep it clear of faster status users such as Weavile, which still outspeeds it after a boost, and Mega Pidgeot, which outspeeds it before a boost. Considering Tyranitar's lack of recovery, you should be smart about switching it in and try to let it take only weak neutral or resisted hits. Once Mega Tyranitar's health is gone, it's gone, unless you carry a Wish passer or Lunar Dance user.
Team Options
========
Mega Tyranitar needs Unaware Quagsire removed before it can sweep, so bring a Grass-type such as Tangrowth or Celebi to deal with it. Without Fire Punch, it also struggles with defensive Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, so a Fire-type like Heatran or Rotom-H can take them out. Gothitelle is notable for being able to trap and remove all of Quagsire, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and most Fighting-types with the correct coverage, clearing the path for Tyranitar later. Because it's vulnerable to all status, it enjoys having a cleric on the team to clear any burns or sleep status it might incur. Chansey is a great option that can also pass large Wishes to get back any lost HP for Tyranitar. Lunar Dance Espeon and Latios are options as well to clear any status and restore all HP back for Tyranitar so it can attempt another sweep. Keeping entry hazards off the field will also save Tyranitar HP. Scrappy Stoutland or Landorus-T can spin or Defog, respectively. Lastly, a Pokemon to take any Fighting, Ground, and Steel moves coming at Tyranitar makes for a valuable partner. Slowbro shrugs off these types, especially if they're physical.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
With access to Sucker Punch, Tyranitar can utilize Substitute sets well and run Focus Punch to gain solid Dark / Fighting coverage. Dragon Tail and Roar are effective ways to spread entry hazard damage and control setup. Thunder Wave can also surprise a setup sweeper and has the benefit of lasting even after they switch, unlike Taunt. Head Smash is a much stronger but less accurate Rock-type STAB move that carries a nasty 50% recoil cost. With a Choice Band, Head Smash will deal massive damage, and the item also makes Pursuit and Knock Off extremely potent right off the bat. Tyranitar has access to Spikes, but it often doesn't have room to use it alongside Stealth Rock, which is overall much better in STABmons due to all the Flying-types. Rock Polish is usable over Dragon Dance if you want Mega Tyranitar to outspeed the unboosted metagame and even some Choice Scarf users at the cost of less power behind its attacks. Lastly, you can drop instances of Knock Off and Diamond Storm for Crunch and Stone Edge, which lets you add new status moves such as Dark Void, Parting Shot, and Switcheroo to Tyranitar's movepool. Switcheroo and Parting Shot are helpful on Choice sets, for example.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Terrakion, Lucario, and Conkeldurr resist both of Tyranitar's STAB types and Stealth Rock, giving them many opportunities to switch in and threaten it with their 4x super effective STAB moves. Priority Mach Punch on Terrakion and Conkeldurr is common and will render any Speed advantage Tyranitar has useless.
**Fairy-types**: Azumarill resists Dark, is not hit super effectively by any of Tyranitar's coverage moves, and can use a switch to set up Shell Smash or Belly Drum. Mega Diancie only fears Precipice Blades or Earthquake and threatens with Play Rough or Moonblast, and it bounces back status and hazards with Magic Bounce.
**Steel-types**: Without Fire Blast or Superpower, there is little Tyranitar can do to Pokemon such as Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Bulky Mega Scizor can even set up on Tyranitar and then KO it with Gear Grind. Ferrothorn can lay entry hazards, use Leech Seed, or hit hard with Gyro Ball while resisting Diamond Storm and punishing Knock Off's contact with Iron Barbs. Skarmory phazes Tyranitar and clears its hazards with Defog. Besides Fire Blast, Excadrill also fears Ground attacks but can use Tyranitar's Sand Stream against it to threaten the opposing team and also Rapid Spin away hazards.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Landorus-T and Gliscor need to be wary of Ice Beam, but otherwise, they don't mind switching into Tyranitar and attacking with super effective STAB moves. Both can clear Stealth Rock with Defog, and Gliscor has the added bonus of an effective status immunity thanks to Poison Heal. Unaware Quagsire shrugs off all attacks, heals itself with Recover, and hits back with STAB Earthquake, STAB Scald, or Toxic. Taunt or Dark Void will make Quagsire's job harder, however. Defensive Rotom-W carries Scald or Will-O-Wisp to severely cripple Tyranitar.
**Priority or Faster Status**: Sableye can threaten with priority sleep or burn. It also has Topsy-Turvy to reverse any of Tyranitar's stat boosts. Whimsicott resists Tyranitar's Dark STAB type and can Encore a status move or, like Sableye, induce priority sleep. Pokemon with a fast status attack, such as Serperior, Weavile, and Mega Sceptile, can neutralize Tyranitar and threaten it with a super effective attack.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Tyranitar is most notable for its outstanding bulk and offensive capabilities, the combination of which lets it check and simultaneously threaten a good portion of the STABmons metagame. Take, for instance, its ability Sand Stream, which summons a sandstorm and boosts its Special Defense by 1.5 while slowly whittling away at other Pokemon. The extra Special Defense and its solid physical bulk, even when uninvested, let Tyranitar pivot into common Flying, Normal, Dark, and Psychic moves. It therefore makes for a good trapper with Pursuit and Sucker Punch against frailer Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Tyranitar's resistance to revenge killing tactics like Fake Out + Extreme Speed is especially helpful when it wants to tap its solid Attack stat and set up with Dragon Dance, and it has a usable Special Attack stat to run coverage in order to lure and beat its usual checks such as Landorus-T, Scizor, and Ferrothorn. Considering this along with its access to entry hazards, the sleep-inducing move Dark Void, and the momentum-generating Parting Shot, Tyranitar is extremely versatile.
The lack of any reliable recovery besides Leftovers diminishes Tyranitar's ability to pivot into attacks throughout the match, however. While Sand Stream benefits Tyranitar, the residual damage also negates Leftovers or outright chips away at any of its teammates without a Rock, Ground, or Steel typing. Additionally, its crippling 4x weakness to Fighting can result in surprise KOs from enemy Pokemon that carry Fighting coverage just to eliminate Tyranitar, and it's also weak to common Ground- and Steel-type attacks. Lastly, it suffers from a lackluster Speed stat, which leaves it vulnerable even after a boost from Dragon Dance and to all types of status. These negative aspects need to be taken into account when choosing Tyranitar for your team, but overall it makes for a fantastic check to big threats such as Talonflame, Mega Charizard Y, and Thundurus, supports the team with entry hazards or status, and often doesn't take up your Mega slot.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Diamond Storm
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Pursuit / Ice Beam
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Jolly / Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is the preferred Dark-type STAB move on this set because Tyranitar should be faster than most targets, making Sucker Punch less valuable, and it hits harder than Crunch most of the time. Diamond Storm is Tyranitar's most reliable Rock-type STAB move, with a good chance to raise Tyranitar's Defense by one stage. Superpower hits Normal-types, Heatran, Ferrothorn, Bisharp, and Terrakion all for super effective damage, the last two being good Tyranitar counters otherwise. While the coverage is redundant, Pursuit allows Tyranitar to trap weakened Psychic-types, Ghost-types, and frail targets, especially those at the crucial base 110 Speed mark, such as Latios and Gengar, ensuring it will remove them from the game no matter if they stay in or switch. Ice Beam is an option over Pursuit to surprise common checks like Landorus-T and Gliscor. Outside of that, it has little use.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf allows Tyranitar to get the jump on faster Pokemon and KO them first. It also surprises faster checks that expect to switch in and force Tyranitar out only to be 2HKOed instead. Therefore, Tyranitar invests as many EVs as possible in Speed and Attack. The leftover EVs are put in Special Defense. With a Jolly nature, Tyranitar beats anything below fully invested base 116 Speed. If you opt for Ice Beam over Pursuit, use the Hasty nature instead, which preserves Tyranitar's Special Attack. Sand Stream is preferred to buff Tyranitar's Special Defense while also providing chip damage against the foe if it's not a Rock-, Steel-, or Ground-type.
Usage Tips
========
Knock Off is fairly spammable, so use it more often than not to remove items and deal lots of damage in the process. This helps break down walls in the long run. Avoid Knock Off yourself, or else Tyranitar's utility as a revenge killer disappears. Try to scout for Mach Punch, Bullet Punch, and Water Shuriken on the likes of Terrakion, Scizor, and Azumarill, respectively, as these attacks outprioritize Tyranitar's even with its increased Speed. A Life Orb-boosted Mach Punch from Terrakion can OHKO a -Def Tyranitar, for example. Priority or faster status is always bad for Tyranitar, so play cautiously around Sableye and Weavile, both of which can put Tyranitar to sleep with Dark Void before it can move. In general, Choice item users carry the risk of having to switch against setup Pokemon if locked into the wrong move, so expect the opponent to use this to their advantage once they realize Tyranitar is holding a Choice Scarf.
Team Options
========
A cleric is important should Tyranitar get statused. Celebi can run Heal Bell and absorbs status itself with Natural Cure. It can also bring Tyranitar in with U-turn. Something to take Knock Off is advised because Tyranitar is unable to perform that role with this set. Mega Scizor doesn't mind it, as it takes reduced damage from the move, nor does Terrakion to an extent, which also gains a Justified boost from Knock Off. Tyranitar has no way to remove Quagsire itself and also struggles with bulky Azumarill. Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur are great Azumarill checks with the benefit of also checking Quagsire. Bringing your own Unaware Quagsire or a way to stop setup such as Topsy-Turvy Sableye is recommended because setup Pokemon such as Belly Drum Azumarill can take advantage of Tyranitar if it is locked into a not very effective attack. Finally, bring an entry hazard remover, as Tyranitar will need to switch around often to perform at its best. Starmie has Rapid Spin and a strong Analytic-boosted Origin Pulse or Psystrike to punish switch-ins. It can also remove Landorus-T and Gliscor if Tyranitar lacks Ice Beam.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Knock Off / Sucker Punch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Knock Off is Tyranitar's strongest Dark-type STAB move when the target is holding an item and hits a lot of switch-ins very hard, whereas Sucker Punch pairs well with Pursuit to trap frail or weakened Pokemon, creating at best a 50/50 scenario for the opponent. It is a riskier option over Knock Off, however. Pursuit takes advantage of Tyranitar's ability to pivot into threats such as Talonflame and Latios and hits them as they switch for high damage. Diamond Storm is its more reliable Rock-type STAB move and has the benefit of possibly raising Tyranitar's Defense by one stage, which can reduce the chance of it getting KOed by a physical attacker the following turn. Stealth Rock gives your team important entry hazard support and chips away at the enemy's team over time. Tyranitar's Rock STAB type deters Flying-type Defoggers from trying to remove the hazard as well. Precipice Blades or Earthquake provides Ground coverage in the last slot to hit certain Steel-types hard, but common Steel-types like Heatran and Aegislash already hate Knock Off if Tyranitar has it. Superpower is an option should you want to hit Normal-types the hardest. It will leave Tyranitar vulnerable afterward, however, as it drops its Attack and Defense one stage each. Fire Blast can be used over Stealth Rock to catch Mega Scizor off guard, which doesn't care about Knock Off, can tank a Diamond Storm, and greatly threatens Tyranitar with Steel-type STAB moves. Ice Beam is a final alternative to KO Landorus-T and Gliscor, which can sponge Tyranitar's attacks and Defog away its hazards.
Set Details
========
Sand Stream is required to increase Tyranitar's Special Defense. Running 252 HP EVs gives it great overall bulk, especially when sandstorm is up, and lets it switch in to a lot of resisted or neutral hits throughout the match, which is important due to this set's ability to pivot and trap foes with Pursuit. An Adamant nature with 252 Attack EVs makes it hit as hard as possible. A Brave nature can be used over Adamant if Tyranitar has special coverage moves in order not to lower its Special Attack. The reduction in Speed isn't too bad, especially if Tyranitar has Sucker Punch. The rest of the EVs go into Special Defense. Leftovers is the preferred item to extend Tyranitar's life throughout the match, though Smooth Rock is an option to extend the duration of sandstorm from five turns to eight. Tyranitarite beefs up Tyranitar's overall bulk but doesn't offer enough extra benefit to use over Leftovers most of the time, and Mega Tyranitar competes with other, better Mega Evolutions.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Tyranitar into resisted or ineffective hits such as Gengar's Shadow Ball, Thundurus's Oblivion Wing, and Latios's Psystrike. It can also switch in on neutral special hits such as Thundurus's Thunderbolt fairly well and force their users out if they don't carry the correct coverage move. Use Pursuit against enemy Psychic- and Ghost-types if you suspect they'll flee that turn, and use Sucker Punch if you think they're going to attack. These include Latios, Meloetta, Espeon, Starmie, and Gengar, all of which take heavy damage from or are outright KOed by either attack. Use Knock Off if you want to hit an incoming target instead for high damage and to remove its item. Diamond Storm does respectable neutral damage to Pokemon coming in to take Knock Off, such as Azumarill and Mega Scizor. Additionally, if it boosts Tyranitar's Defense by one stage, it may allow it to tank a hit the next turn that it normally couldn't and finish off the target. Don't count on the Defense boost to beat these Pokemon, however. Stealth Rock should be used early to start spreading entry hazard damage as soon as possible and will make trapping threats easier later in the match. It's best used as the opponent switches out their Pokemon, such as a Chansey afraid of losing its Eviolite.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate the removal of Latios, Espeon, and Meloetta are good partners for Tyranitar. Your own slower Dragon such as Garchomp likes Latios gone, and slow support Pokemon that are normally setup bait for special sweepers, such as Quagsire, appreciate Espeon and Meloetta gone. Because Tyranitar also keeps Flying-types at bay, Tangrowth, Serperior, and Mega Blastoise have less to fear with Thundurus and, in the case of the former two, Talonflame gone. In turn, Tangrowth and Serperior can help get rid of Azumarill, which otherwise gets in for free on Tyranitar and sets up. With the sand support Tyranitar brings, a Sand Rush user such as Excadrill is a great teammate and can clean up the foe's team after Tyranitar has weakened it. Fellow Rock-types such as Aerodactyl and Terrakion also appreciate the boost to their Special Defense, letting them tank special hits they normally couldn't. Similarly to Excadrill, these Pokemon can clean up after Tyranitar punches holes with Knock Off and Diamond Storm. Finally, Pokemon that draw in checks that are weak to Stealth Rock and sandstorm's chip damage work well with Tyranitar. Scizor will often draw Gyarados or Mega Charizard, both of which lose HP to Stealth Rock and sandstorm, making their job of checking Scizor harder.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Precipice Blades / Ice Punch / Fire Punch
item: Tyranitarite
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Jolly
evs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance raises Attack and Speed by one stage each, giving Mega Tyranitar a chance to take out faster threats with its increased damage output. Knock Off is the strongest Dark-type attack when the target is holding an item. If it doesn't KO the target, it will at least cripple them most times. Diamond Storm is Tyranitar's most reliable Rock-type STAB move, with a chance to boost Defense, and has good coverage in the metagame. Precipice Blades is a strong Ground-type attack and grants solid coverage with Rock, but the accuracy is subpar. Accordingly, Earthquake is a weaker but more accurate Ground-type move. Ice Punch catches checks like defensive Landorus-T and Gliscor for 4x damage, while Fire Punch can be used in the last slot to hit Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn the hardest instead.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature with 208 Speed EVs allows Mega Tyranitar to outspeed base 121 Speed Pokemon after a Dragon Dance, specifically Tornadus-T and Mega Pidgeot, which are both KOed by Diamond Storm. 252 EVs are put into Attack to hit hard, and the rest are added to HP to maintain some bulk. Unlike non-setup sets, Tyranitarite is always preferred because it adds more Speed while increasing bulk simultaneously. Sand Stream is the best ability to run on the base forme because it lets you switch Tyranitar into neutral special hits if needed.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Evolve Tyranitar as quickly as possible to take advantage of the better Speed and bulk. Its ability stays the same, so you don't have to worry about losing the utility of Sand Stream. Mega Tyranitar should attack without setting up until important walls such as Quagsire, Landorus-T, and Ferrothorn have been removed, unless you have the coverage to beat the latter two. Scout for Thunder Wave on Thundurus, as it will priority paralyze Tyranitar before going down and make checking it easier later. Don't set up either with Sableye still on the opponent's team, because it can Prankster status Mega Tyranitar with Will-O-Wisp and Dark Void or use Topsy-Turvy to invert its stat changes, halting its sweep and momentum. Mega Tyranitar is vulnerable to status in general, so keep it clear of faster status users such as Weavile, which still outspeeds it after a boost, and Mega Pidgeot, which outspeeds it before a boost. Considering Tyranitar's lack of recovery, you should be smart about switching it in and try to let it take only weak neutral or resisted hits. Once Mega Tyranitar's health is gone, it's gone, unless you carry a Wish passer or Lunar Dance user.
Team Options
========
Mega Tyranitar needs Unaware Quagsire removed before it can sweep, so bring a Grass-type such as Tangrowth or Celebi to deal with it. Without Fire Punch, it also struggles with defensive Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, so a Fire-type like Heatran or Rotom-H can take them out. Gothitelle is notable for being able to trap and remove all of Quagsire, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and most Fighting-types with the correct coverage, clearing the path for Tyranitar later. Because it's vulnerable to all status, it enjoys having a cleric on the team to clear any burns or sleep status it might incur. Chansey is a great option that can also pass large Wishes to get back any lost HP for Tyranitar. Lunar Dance Espeon and Latios are options as well to clear any status and restore all HP back for Tyranitar so it can attempt another sweep. Keeping entry hazards off the field will also save Tyranitar HP. Scrappy Stoutland or Landorus-T can spin or Defog, respectively. Lastly, a Pokemon to take any Fighting, Ground, and Steel moves coming at Tyranitar makes for a valuable partner. Slowbro shrugs off these types, especially if they're physical.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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With access to Sucker Punch, Tyranitar can utilize Substitute sets well and run Focus Punch to gain solid Dark / Fighting coverage. Dragon Tail and Roar are effective ways to spread entry hazard damage and control setup. Thunder Wave can also surprise a setup sweeper and has the benefit of lasting even after they switch, unlike Taunt. Head Smash is a much stronger but less accurate Rock-type STAB move that carries a nasty 50% recoil cost. With a Choice Band, Head Smash will deal massive damage, and the item also makes Pursuit and Knock Off extremely potent right off the bat. Tyranitar has access to Spikes, but it often doesn't have room to use it alongside Stealth Rock, which is overall much better in STABmons due to all the Flying-types. Rock Polish is usable over Dragon Dance if you want Mega Tyranitar to outspeed the unboosted metagame and even some Choice Scarf users at the cost of less power behind its attacks. Lastly, you can drop instances of Knock Off and Diamond Storm for Crunch and Stone Edge, which lets you add new status moves such as Dark Void, Parting Shot, and Switcheroo to Tyranitar's movepool. Switcheroo and Parting Shot are helpful on Choice sets, for example.
Checks and Counters
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**Fighting-types**: Terrakion, Lucario, and Conkeldurr resist both of Tyranitar's STAB types and Stealth Rock, giving them many opportunities to switch in and threaten it with their 4x super effective STAB moves. Priority Mach Punch on Terrakion and Conkeldurr is common and will render any Speed advantage Tyranitar has useless.
**Fairy-types**: Azumarill resists Dark, is not hit super effectively by any of Tyranitar's coverage moves, and can use a switch to set up Shell Smash or Belly Drum. Mega Diancie only fears Precipice Blades or Earthquake and threatens with Play Rough or Moonblast, and it bounces back status and hazards with Magic Bounce.
**Steel-types**: Without Fire Blast or Superpower, there is little Tyranitar can do to Pokemon such as Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Bulky Mega Scizor can even set up on Tyranitar and then KO it with Gear Grind. Ferrothorn can lay entry hazards, use Leech Seed, or hit hard with Gyro Ball while resisting Diamond Storm and punishing Knock Off's contact with Iron Barbs. Skarmory phazes Tyranitar and clears its hazards with Defog. Besides Fire Blast, Excadrill also fears Ground attacks but can use Tyranitar's Sand Stream against it to threaten the opposing team and also Rapid Spin away hazards.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Landorus-T and Gliscor need to be wary of Ice Beam, but otherwise, they don't mind switching into Tyranitar and attacking with super effective STAB moves. Both can clear Stealth Rock with Defog, and Gliscor has the added bonus of an effective status immunity thanks to Poison Heal. Unaware Quagsire shrugs off all attacks, heals itself with Recover, and hits back with STAB Earthquake, STAB Scald, or Toxic. Taunt or Dark Void will make Quagsire's job harder, however. Defensive Rotom-W carries Scald or Will-O-Wisp to severely cripple Tyranitar.
**Priority or Faster Status**: Sableye can threaten with priority sleep or burn. It also has Topsy-Turvy to reverse any of Tyranitar's stat boosts. Whimsicott resists Tyranitar's Dark STAB type and can Encore a status move or, like Sableye, induce priority sleep. Pokemon with a fast status attack, such as Serperior, Weavile, and Mega Sceptile, can neutralize Tyranitar and threaten it with a super effective attack.
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