Jukain
!_!
[pimg]672[/pimg]
[Overview]
<p>Thundurus is enjoying free reign as one of the Pokemon brought down from Ubers to participate in the DW OU metagame. Top-notch mixed offenses and a fantastic base 111 Speed, along with a movepool that contains everything it needs, will keep Thundurus a top contender for a long time. While a weakness to Stealth Rock does no favors for Thundurus, it is mitigated by the fact that Thundurus is immune to Ground-type attacks, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes. Prankster was a gift bestowed upon Thundurus, giving it priority Taunt and Thunder Wave. Low bulk and weakness to Stealth Rock are the major problems Thundurus has, but with proper team support, Thundurus can shine.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Focus Blast / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is Thundurus's bread and butter, the reason it was banned from OU. The idea is to stack hazards, take out the opponent's Choice Scarf user, beat the opponent's special wall, set up Nasty Plot, and sweep. High Special Attack and Speed stats make Thundurus an ideal candidate for the job. Switching in on a support Pokemon or something Thundurus forces out, such as Breloom or Jellicent, is ideal, allowing Thundurus to grab a Nasty Plot on the switch. After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus hits a sky-high 698 Special Attack stat, which, alongside its excellent coverage, lets it plow through the entire metagame.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is of course the primary option if you are not running rain support, and still hits insanely hard. Hidden Power Ice complements Thunderbolt with coverage on the common Grass- and Ground-types in the tier, such as Serperior and Gliscor, and Focus Blast grants Thundurus super effective coverage on Ferrothorn and Tyranitar. Substitute is an option with Leftovers for a deadly Substitute + Nasty Plot set. It prevents status, specifically Thunder Wave and Toxic, and Substitute can be used in lieu of Protect, scouting out the opponent's next move. Taunt can also be used in a similar vein to Taunt + Dragon Dance Haxorus. It helps Thundurus set up on Jirachi and Ferrothorn, who otherwise pose a major pain thanks to Thunder Wave. Body Slam is still an issue with Jirachi, however, so it is best to determine if it has Body Slam or Thunder Wave before attempting to use Taunt. Taunt also prevents Breloom from setting up on Thundurus, which can be very helpful if Breloom lacks Stone Edge.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thunder is the best choice if you can provide rain support, as it will just about OHKO everything that does not resist it, bar Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey. Grass Knot is an option to hit Gastrodon and Quagsire, who are not troubled by Thundurus's other moves. Life Orb offers a power boost while Leftovers grants extra survivability. Leftovers is the recommended item for Thundurus on a sand team. Lum Berry can also be used to prevent paralysis, Toxic, and Spore, giving Thundurus more opportunities to set up.</p>
<p>The one thing that most hinders Thundurus from sweeping is Stealth Rock. When factoring in Life Orb recoil and possible sandstorm damage, Stealth Rock ruins Thundurus's day and drastically shortens its sweep. Because of this, a Rapid Spin user is very helpful to Thundurus. The best choice is Starmie, who provides excellent complementary offense with Thundurus as well. Chandelure is great for trapping common Choice Scarf users, particularly Terrakion locked into Close Combat, and generally troublesome Pokemon that like to ruin Thundurus's day, such as Quagsire, Tyranitar, and Lucario.</p>
<p>As Thundurus resists common priority attacks, they are not an issue, but Choice Scarf users definitely are. When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Terrakion, Chandelure, Tyranitar, and Genesect can all take advantage of Thundurus's relative frailty and pick it off. Dual screens are amazing in helping Thundurus set up; Deoxys-S and Espeon come to mind as the best ones. Paralysis support is another option to deal with Choice Scarf users, and is generously provided by Ferrothorn, who also happens to be able to set up hazards to help Thundurus's sweep. Politoed support is great for providing the rain that allows Thundurus to run Thunder.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hammer Arm
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Volt Switch / U-turn / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Thundurus also has a good 115 Attack, with which it can take down its common checks, namely Blissey and Tyranitar. With mixed attacking stats, Thundurus can function as an excellent wallbreaker, weakening opposing teams for its teammates to sweep. Thundurus can be a great powerhouse with this set, and its effectiveness can sometimes eclipse even the powerful Nasty Plot set.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is Thundurus's main STAB move for its power and reliability. Hammer Arm allows Thundurus to OHKO non-Chople Berry Tyranitar and 2HKO Blissey, as well as severely dent Terrakion. Hidden Power Ice is the best coverage move available to Thundurus, complementing its other moves very well by hitting the Dragon-types that resist its other moves. The last slot is a bit of a toss-up. Volt Switch is a great option particularly for VoltTurn offense teams, and also allows Thundurus to maintain offensive pressure if faced with a counter. U-turn functions similarly, with the advantage of hitting Ground-types such as Garchomp and Excadrill, who are common switch-ins to Thundurus. Taunt can be used to screw over walls attempting to paralyze or set up hazards on Thundurus, and also stops Dragon Dance boosters in their tracks. It also cripples Deoxys-S, but backfires if Deoxys-S uses Magic Coat.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thunder Wave is always an option for quick paralysis, which could potentially save your team from a rampaging Blaziken. Grass Knot can be used to lure and remove Gastrodon and Quagsire. The item choice depends on Thundurus's role on the team: Life Orb should be used for maximum power, with the added bonus of OHKOing Tyranitar; Expert Belt is also a great item since Thundurus has excellent super effective coverage. In general, Life Orb lets it be the best possible wallbreaker, while Expert Belt grants better longevity. Leftovers can always be used for recovery, as can Substitute to block attacks and status.</p>
<p>This set lacks the sweeping potential of Nasty Plot, so its teammates need to pick up the slack. Entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock and Spikes, are also needed to make this set work, as they enable Thundurus to nab crucial kills, such as on Jellicent and Vaporeon; this makes Excadrill and Garchomp good partners. Chansey defeats this set, being able to Softboiled off the damage from Hammer Arm and stall out Thundurus with Toxic and Seismic Toss. Gastrodon and Quagsire still do a great job with beating Thundurus. Breloom deals with all three of them, KOing them or forcing them out with its dual STABs and fearing nothing except for a Scald burn or Ice Beam from Gastrodon. Politoed can provide rain support so that Thundurus can run Thunder.</p>
[SET]
name: Prankster
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Thunderbolt / Thunder
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Taunt / Volt Switch / Hammer Arm
item: Life Orb
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid / Naive
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With its Prankster ability, Thundurus's non-attacking moves gain priority. This makes Thundurus a quick check to a Dragon Dance sweeper or something continually stalling with Substitutes or status moves. The ability to go first, outspeeding even most other Prankster users, gives Thundurus the advantage over bulkier alternatives. In general, this set's main purpose is to be a last-ditch stop to threatening sweepers, and maybe get some attacks off if it finds the time.</p>
<p>Thunder Wave is the crux of the set, and the reason why Prankster Thundurus is so good. It can be a game-saving clutch against a DragonDancer or Choice Scarf user that your team cannot overcome because of its high Speed; it can also cause paralysis hax, giving Thundurus more opportunities to attack. Thunderbolt is a reliable STAB move. Hidden Power Ice is Thundurus's best possible coverage move, while as on all Thundurus sets, the last slot is a toss-up. Taunt is the primary option to shut down status spreaders such as Jirachi and Jellicent, and prevent boosting Pokemon from setting up further. Volt Switch or U-turn can make Thundurus an effective scout, while Hammer Arm can be used for coverage on Tyranitar and Blissey—of course, be sure to use a Naive nature and 4 Attack EVs if using Hammer Arm or U-turn.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>If you have rain support, run Thunder. This set will often die in one hit as a sacrifice to get off that one Thunder Wave or Taunt, but its special attacking capabilities should not be forgotten, and abused to their full potential. In fact, it should still be played offensively in general, but cautiously if Team Preview reveals a threat it may need to deal with.</p>
<p>This set is countered by Blissey and Chansey, as well as Gastrodon and Quagsire, who are immune to Thunder Wave and take basically nothing from its attacks. A Focus Sash can be used to allow a full health Thundurus to live an otherwise fatal attack, but is not recommended because it requires that entry hazards be kept off the field at all times. Substitute + Calm Mind Jirachi is an amazing partner to this set, as it enjoys setting up on and sweeping paralyzed opponents. Adamant Choice Band Terrakion is perhaps the Pokemon that benefits most from the support this Thundurus provides, abusing the paralyzed opposition to alleviate its Speed issues, and OHKOing most opponents. Substitute + Calm Mind Chandelure also benefits from paralyzed opponents due to its low Speed stat. Politoed are great for rain support. Choice Scarf Politoed in particular is useful because it can come in and revenge kill Excadrill, who is immune to the main point of this set—paralysis—and can KO Thundurus with Rock Slide. Choice Scarf Garchomp poses a similar problem, so Bronzong and Skarmory are great teammates.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Swift Swim teams should consider using Thundurus as a Rain Dance setter; Thundurus can even take advantage of the rain itself with Thunder. Torment is an option to mess with and annoy the opponent, especially in combination with Substitute, as Pokemon such as Excadrill and Jirachi have only one attack capable of breaking Thundurus's Substitutes. Once again, though, it is often a waste of a moveslot in comparison to Thundurus's other options. Hidden Power Fire hits Steel-types more reliably than Focus Blast, but it requires forgoing the coverage Hidden Power Ice provides, and is weakened by rain. Dark Pulse is an option to hit Latios, but is generally a waste.</p>
<p>Agility can remedy Thundurus's problems with Choice Scarf users, but Thundurus's attacks will lack the punch that Nasty Plot provide. A double boosting set on the other hand requires too many turns to set up, and also suffers from the loss of coverage moves. Bulk Up can be used for a physical set, with Brick Break and Wild Charge as attacks. However, Thundurus has a higher Special Attack stat, and is outclassed by most physical attackers; furthermore, Wild Charge has hindering recoil. Choice Specs can turn Thundurus into a hard-hitting special attacker, and Choice Band makes it a strong physical attacker. Choice Scarf might seem tempting, but it is outclassed in this role by other Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Terrakion, which have better movepools for the role, along with better coverage.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Gastrodon, Blissey, and Chansey are Thundurus's main counters, as they can sponge all of Thundurus's common attacks, can recover off the damage, and deal with Thundurus either directly or with status moves. Quagsire ignores the Nasty Plot set's boosts and so can deal with it. As with most other Choice Scarf users, Rotom-W can switch in on the Nasty Plot and KO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump. Excadrill causes huge problems to Thundurus, switching in for free on Thunderbolt and outspeeding in sand to OHKO with Rock Slide; Choice Scarf Garchomp and Landorus can similarly switch in and KO with Stone Edge. Choice Scarf Tyranitar can surprise Thundurus by bluffing a standard set, only to outspeed and Stone Edge for the KO. Raikou can also function as a decent check, as it is immune to Thundurus's Electric-type moves and outspeeds, forcing Thundurus to rely on a 70% accurate Focus Blast.</p>
[Overview]
<p>Thundurus is enjoying free reign as one of the Pokemon brought down from Ubers to participate in the DW OU metagame. Top-notch mixed offenses and a fantastic base 111 Speed, along with a movepool that contains everything it needs, will keep Thundurus a top contender for a long time. While a weakness to Stealth Rock does no favors for Thundurus, it is mitigated by the fact that Thundurus is immune to Ground-type attacks, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes. Prankster was a gift bestowed upon Thundurus, giving it priority Taunt and Thunder Wave. Low bulk and weakness to Stealth Rock are the major problems Thundurus has, but with proper team support, Thundurus can shine.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Focus Blast / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is Thundurus's bread and butter, the reason it was banned from OU. The idea is to stack hazards, take out the opponent's Choice Scarf user, beat the opponent's special wall, set up Nasty Plot, and sweep. High Special Attack and Speed stats make Thundurus an ideal candidate for the job. Switching in on a support Pokemon or something Thundurus forces out, such as Breloom or Jellicent, is ideal, allowing Thundurus to grab a Nasty Plot on the switch. After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus hits a sky-high 698 Special Attack stat, which, alongside its excellent coverage, lets it plow through the entire metagame.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is of course the primary option if you are not running rain support, and still hits insanely hard. Hidden Power Ice complements Thunderbolt with coverage on the common Grass- and Ground-types in the tier, such as Serperior and Gliscor, and Focus Blast grants Thundurus super effective coverage on Ferrothorn and Tyranitar. Substitute is an option with Leftovers for a deadly Substitute + Nasty Plot set. It prevents status, specifically Thunder Wave and Toxic, and Substitute can be used in lieu of Protect, scouting out the opponent's next move. Taunt can also be used in a similar vein to Taunt + Dragon Dance Haxorus. It helps Thundurus set up on Jirachi and Ferrothorn, who otherwise pose a major pain thanks to Thunder Wave. Body Slam is still an issue with Jirachi, however, so it is best to determine if it has Body Slam or Thunder Wave before attempting to use Taunt. Taunt also prevents Breloom from setting up on Thundurus, which can be very helpful if Breloom lacks Stone Edge.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thunder is the best choice if you can provide rain support, as it will just about OHKO everything that does not resist it, bar Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey. Grass Knot is an option to hit Gastrodon and Quagsire, who are not troubled by Thundurus's other moves. Life Orb offers a power boost while Leftovers grants extra survivability. Leftovers is the recommended item for Thundurus on a sand team. Lum Berry can also be used to prevent paralysis, Toxic, and Spore, giving Thundurus more opportunities to set up.</p>
<p>The one thing that most hinders Thundurus from sweeping is Stealth Rock. When factoring in Life Orb recoil and possible sandstorm damage, Stealth Rock ruins Thundurus's day and drastically shortens its sweep. Because of this, a Rapid Spin user is very helpful to Thundurus. The best choice is Starmie, who provides excellent complementary offense with Thundurus as well. Chandelure is great for trapping common Choice Scarf users, particularly Terrakion locked into Close Combat, and generally troublesome Pokemon that like to ruin Thundurus's day, such as Quagsire, Tyranitar, and Lucario.</p>
<p>As Thundurus resists common priority attacks, they are not an issue, but Choice Scarf users definitely are. When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Terrakion, Chandelure, Tyranitar, and Genesect can all take advantage of Thundurus's relative frailty and pick it off. Dual screens are amazing in helping Thundurus set up; Deoxys-S and Espeon come to mind as the best ones. Paralysis support is another option to deal with Choice Scarf users, and is generously provided by Ferrothorn, who also happens to be able to set up hazards to help Thundurus's sweep. Politoed support is great for providing the rain that allows Thundurus to run Thunder.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hammer Arm
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Volt Switch / U-turn / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Thundurus also has a good 115 Attack, with which it can take down its common checks, namely Blissey and Tyranitar. With mixed attacking stats, Thundurus can function as an excellent wallbreaker, weakening opposing teams for its teammates to sweep. Thundurus can be a great powerhouse with this set, and its effectiveness can sometimes eclipse even the powerful Nasty Plot set.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is Thundurus's main STAB move for its power and reliability. Hammer Arm allows Thundurus to OHKO non-Chople Berry Tyranitar and 2HKO Blissey, as well as severely dent Terrakion. Hidden Power Ice is the best coverage move available to Thundurus, complementing its other moves very well by hitting the Dragon-types that resist its other moves. The last slot is a bit of a toss-up. Volt Switch is a great option particularly for VoltTurn offense teams, and also allows Thundurus to maintain offensive pressure if faced with a counter. U-turn functions similarly, with the advantage of hitting Ground-types such as Garchomp and Excadrill, who are common switch-ins to Thundurus. Taunt can be used to screw over walls attempting to paralyze or set up hazards on Thundurus, and also stops Dragon Dance boosters in their tracks. It also cripples Deoxys-S, but backfires if Deoxys-S uses Magic Coat.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Thunder Wave is always an option for quick paralysis, which could potentially save your team from a rampaging Blaziken. Grass Knot can be used to lure and remove Gastrodon and Quagsire. The item choice depends on Thundurus's role on the team: Life Orb should be used for maximum power, with the added bonus of OHKOing Tyranitar; Expert Belt is also a great item since Thundurus has excellent super effective coverage. In general, Life Orb lets it be the best possible wallbreaker, while Expert Belt grants better longevity. Leftovers can always be used for recovery, as can Substitute to block attacks and status.</p>
<p>This set lacks the sweeping potential of Nasty Plot, so its teammates need to pick up the slack. Entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock and Spikes, are also needed to make this set work, as they enable Thundurus to nab crucial kills, such as on Jellicent and Vaporeon; this makes Excadrill and Garchomp good partners. Chansey defeats this set, being able to Softboiled off the damage from Hammer Arm and stall out Thundurus with Toxic and Seismic Toss. Gastrodon and Quagsire still do a great job with beating Thundurus. Breloom deals with all three of them, KOing them or forcing them out with its dual STABs and fearing nothing except for a Scald burn or Ice Beam from Gastrodon. Politoed can provide rain support so that Thundurus can run Thunder.</p>
[SET]
name: Prankster
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Thunderbolt / Thunder
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Taunt / Volt Switch / Hammer Arm
item: Life Orb
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid / Naive
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With its Prankster ability, Thundurus's non-attacking moves gain priority. This makes Thundurus a quick check to a Dragon Dance sweeper or something continually stalling with Substitutes or status moves. The ability to go first, outspeeding even most other Prankster users, gives Thundurus the advantage over bulkier alternatives. In general, this set's main purpose is to be a last-ditch stop to threatening sweepers, and maybe get some attacks off if it finds the time.</p>
<p>Thunder Wave is the crux of the set, and the reason why Prankster Thundurus is so good. It can be a game-saving clutch against a DragonDancer or Choice Scarf user that your team cannot overcome because of its high Speed; it can also cause paralysis hax, giving Thundurus more opportunities to attack. Thunderbolt is a reliable STAB move. Hidden Power Ice is Thundurus's best possible coverage move, while as on all Thundurus sets, the last slot is a toss-up. Taunt is the primary option to shut down status spreaders such as Jirachi and Jellicent, and prevent boosting Pokemon from setting up further. Volt Switch or U-turn can make Thundurus an effective scout, while Hammer Arm can be used for coverage on Tyranitar and Blissey—of course, be sure to use a Naive nature and 4 Attack EVs if using Hammer Arm or U-turn.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>If you have rain support, run Thunder. This set will often die in one hit as a sacrifice to get off that one Thunder Wave or Taunt, but its special attacking capabilities should not be forgotten, and abused to their full potential. In fact, it should still be played offensively in general, but cautiously if Team Preview reveals a threat it may need to deal with.</p>
<p>This set is countered by Blissey and Chansey, as well as Gastrodon and Quagsire, who are immune to Thunder Wave and take basically nothing from its attacks. A Focus Sash can be used to allow a full health Thundurus to live an otherwise fatal attack, but is not recommended because it requires that entry hazards be kept off the field at all times. Substitute + Calm Mind Jirachi is an amazing partner to this set, as it enjoys setting up on and sweeping paralyzed opponents. Adamant Choice Band Terrakion is perhaps the Pokemon that benefits most from the support this Thundurus provides, abusing the paralyzed opposition to alleviate its Speed issues, and OHKOing most opponents. Substitute + Calm Mind Chandelure also benefits from paralyzed opponents due to its low Speed stat. Politoed are great for rain support. Choice Scarf Politoed in particular is useful because it can come in and revenge kill Excadrill, who is immune to the main point of this set—paralysis—and can KO Thundurus with Rock Slide. Choice Scarf Garchomp poses a similar problem, so Bronzong and Skarmory are great teammates.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Swift Swim teams should consider using Thundurus as a Rain Dance setter; Thundurus can even take advantage of the rain itself with Thunder. Torment is an option to mess with and annoy the opponent, especially in combination with Substitute, as Pokemon such as Excadrill and Jirachi have only one attack capable of breaking Thundurus's Substitutes. Once again, though, it is often a waste of a moveslot in comparison to Thundurus's other options. Hidden Power Fire hits Steel-types more reliably than Focus Blast, but it requires forgoing the coverage Hidden Power Ice provides, and is weakened by rain. Dark Pulse is an option to hit Latios, but is generally a waste.</p>
<p>Agility can remedy Thundurus's problems with Choice Scarf users, but Thundurus's attacks will lack the punch that Nasty Plot provide. A double boosting set on the other hand requires too many turns to set up, and also suffers from the loss of coverage moves. Bulk Up can be used for a physical set, with Brick Break and Wild Charge as attacks. However, Thundurus has a higher Special Attack stat, and is outclassed by most physical attackers; furthermore, Wild Charge has hindering recoil. Choice Specs can turn Thundurus into a hard-hitting special attacker, and Choice Band makes it a strong physical attacker. Choice Scarf might seem tempting, but it is outclassed in this role by other Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Terrakion, which have better movepools for the role, along with better coverage.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Gastrodon, Blissey, and Chansey are Thundurus's main counters, as they can sponge all of Thundurus's common attacks, can recover off the damage, and deal with Thundurus either directly or with status moves. Quagsire ignores the Nasty Plot set's boosts and so can deal with it. As with most other Choice Scarf users, Rotom-W can switch in on the Nasty Plot and KO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump. Excadrill causes huge problems to Thundurus, switching in for free on Thunderbolt and outspeeding in sand to OHKO with Rock Slide; Choice Scarf Garchomp and Landorus can similarly switch in and KO with Stone Edge. Choice Scarf Tyranitar can surprise Thundurus by bluffing a standard set, only to outspeed and Stone Edge for the KO. Raikou can also function as a decent check, as it is immune to Thundurus's Electric-type moves and outspeeds, forcing Thundurus to rely on a 70% accurate Focus Blast.</p>