Thundurus (Analysis)

[AasTmO]

Quick Question, why does this analysis require 4 GP checks unlike the standard 2?

Because there were lots of faults at first, then after correction, there still were much, and after correction, there still were much :P So more were needed.

 

[jc104]

Largely unnecessary GP check 4

[Overview]
<p>With an excellent base Speed of 111, wonderful mixed attacking stats, and a good movepool, Borutorosu is a potent offensive threat who can perform many different roles in teams. The first thing one notices about it is its massive base 125 Special Attack stat and Nasty Plot, which enables enabling it to hit like a truck with STAB Thunderbolt. It is no slouch either when performing physically, as it has access to Bulk Up and STAB Wild Bolt coming off a base 115 Attack stat. Its secret weapon is its impressive ability, Mischievous Heart, which gives priority to Nasty Plot, Taunt, and Thunder Wave. Electric/Flying is an excellent typing as well, shared only with Zapdos and Emonga, and gives Borutorosu only 2 weaknesses: (colon) to Rock- and Ice-type attacks.</p>

<p>However, Borutorosu is not without its faults. Even though it is fast, it is still outsped by a host of Pokemon. With its mediocre defenses, Borutorosu is vulnerable to getting revenged. Rock- and Ice- type attacks are common, and having a weakness to both can be problematic. Its movepool is good, but not great, and it has to rely on undesirable moves such as Hidden Power and Focus Blast to make up the coverage.</p>

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Focus Blast / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Mischievous Heart
nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>After a Nasty Plot, Borutorosu hits an amazing 698 Special Atack with a Timid nature. This in tandem with its high Speed stat means that Borutorosu becomes a very dangerous sweeper after a boost. STAB Thunderbolt boosted by Life Orb from 698 Special Attack is nothing to scoff at, even OHKOing 252 HP / 252 SpD Calm Burungeru. Hidden Power Ice hits Grass-, Ground-, and Dragon-types that resist Thunderbolt, and with the two moves together, Borutorosu achieves almost universal coverage, with the exception of Magnezone, Volt Absorb Lanturn, and Shedinja.</p>

<p>For the fourth move, there are several options. Taunt stops any phazing attempts to stop your sweep by phazing, but leaves you with imperfect coverage. Focus Blast remedies this, though its poor accuracy can be a hindrance.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are standard for any fast special attacker. 252 Speed EVs make Borotorosu as fast as possible while 252 Special Attack EVs maximize its power. A Timid nature is recommended in order to ensure that Borutorosu will not be outsped by anything below its base Speed stat, and for this reason, a Modest nature is not advised.. (remove extra full stop)</p>

<p>The biggest roadblocks you are going to run into are walls like Blissey, Nattorei, Porygon2 and other defensive Pokemon with self-healing ability. This is why Taunt is so important on this set. You can prevent their recovery with Taunt, making it much easier for Borutorosu to break through their defenses and achieve a sweep. It also stops Nattorei from using Leech Seed or Thunder Wave to cripple you.</p>

<p>Faster Pokemon are also dangerous, as they can easily ruin Borutorosu's fun through revenge killing. As such, having a Thunder Wave user on your team can be very useful. An excellent example is Nattorei, who can take almost all attacks aimed at Borutorosu, and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Jirachi also deserves a mention, as with Thunder Wave and STAB Iron Head, it can easily finish off paralyzed Pokemon that usually pose a threat to Borutorosu.</p>

[SET]
name: Mischievous Heart
move 1: Thunderbolt / Volt Change
move 2: Thunder Wave / Focus Blast
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Life Orb
ability: Mischievous Heart
nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With access to Mischievous Heart, Taunt, and Thunder Wave, Borutorosu can function as a support Pokemon. The crux of this set is a priority Taunt, which stops the likes of Nattorei and Forretress setting up entry hazards (priority very much unnecessary here. Find a faster example to use as well). Thunder Wave helps Borutorosu cripple faster Pokemon like Starmie and Choice Scarf users, who are common switch-ins to scout the expected Taunt. However, Focus Blast is an excellent alternative, allowing you to OHKO Tyranitar and 2HKO Nattorei.</p>

<p>Thunderbolt is your primary STAB move, providing the perfect balance of reliability and power. Hidden Power Ice is your best coverage option to complement your STAB move, hitting almost all those who resist Thunderbolt for at least neutral damage, 2HKOing Hippowdon and Multi-Scale Dragonite. Volt Change is a viable option over Thunderbolt, if you do not intendto stick around long enough for a counter to turn up. However, this means you lose vital power. This set can also work well as a lead, preventing the likes of Deoxys-S from setting up entry hazards.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs and nature are straightforward, giving Borutorosu maximum Speed, so that it is does not become even more vulnerable to revenge killing than it already is. Life Orb is the item of choice here, boosting the power of Borutorosu's attacks even further. However, if you intend to use Borutorosu as a lead, Focus Sash could be more worthwhile to ensure Borutorosu's continued survival. Sometimes, Volt Change and Thunderbolt can be used on the same set, but you would have to drop Thunder Wave or Focus Blast in such a case which seriously undermines Borutorosu's effectiveness.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Focus Blast / Hammer Arm
move 4: Volt Change
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Mischievous Heart
nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Borutorosu also makes an excellent Choice Scarf user, donning playing the role of a revenge killer. Running a Timid nature is best, as you will outspeed Choice Scarf Latios and Garchomp along with Dragon Dancers such as Gyarados, Salamence, and Dragonite, which is very important when considering the prevalence of these Pokemon. They are also hit for super effective damage by either Hidden Power Ice or Thunderbolt.</p>

<p>Either Hammer Arm or Focus Blast can be put to good use; Hammer Arm has better accuracy, and also nabs the 2HKO on Blissey. However, it has 30 less base power and comes off Borutorosu's weaker Attack, not to mention lowering Borotorosu's Speed stat, which is somewhat counterproductive on this set. Of course, Borutorosu will not be staying in for very long and Choice Scarf negates the resulting speed drop(s), so this is not a big issue. Hidden Power Ice rounds off the coverage nicely, hitting the numerous Dragon-types present in OU for super effective damage. It also OHKOes 4 HP Shaymin-S, and hits Latios for super effective damage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread remains unchanged from the other sets, since Borutorosu is trying to achieve similar goals. Since Borutorosu sits at an odd 111 Base Speed, you are better off running a Timid nature to outspeed Choice Scarf, positive-natured base 110 Speed Pokemon as mentioned earlier.</p>

<p>The biggest problem with this set is that Pokemon like Blissey, Burungeru, Nattorei, and other walls can switch in freely, depending on the move you are locked into. Blissey can take any attack Borutorosu throws at it, barring Hammer Arm, and provide Wish support to her team, or cripple Borutorosu for the rest of the match with Thunder Wave. Nattorei can also switch in on Thunderbolt, and set up Spikes. As such, having another fast user of Taunt or a Magic Mirror user like Espeon or Xatu will be very useful, as this will help prevent it can reflect back status and entry hazards.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Stall Breaker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Taunt / U-Turn
item: Expert Belt
ability: Mischievous Heart
nature: Naive / Hasty
EVs: 192 Atk / 64 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With its mixed offensive stats of 115 Attack, and 125 Special Attack and 111 base Speed, Borutorosu is an excellent candidate for a mixed stallbreaker set. With the given 3 moves, it gets neutral coverage on everything bar Shedinja. For the fourth move, there are 2 options: (colon) Taunt aids Borutorosu a lot in shutting down Pokemon like Nattorei, Skarmory, Forretress, and Blissey whereas U-turn deals hefty damage to Celebi and Rankurusu who think they can take a hit and set up.</p>

<p>Thunderbolt is your main STAB option, as Wild Bolt has recoil damage and lower base power. Hammer Arm and Hidden Power Ice round off the moveset nicely, providing neutral coverage as mentioned. Hammer Arm always 2HKOes 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Blissey and Nattorei, who can also be shut down by Taunt so that eliminating them does not become bothersome. The Speed drops can also be remedied by simply switching out.</p>

<p>Taunt is compulsory on this set, as it helps you fulfill your role as a stallbreaker perfectly. This time, you have no problems about juggling different moves, as these three moves are all Borutorosu needs to get perfect coverage. Expert Belt helps you bluff a Choice item, to lure in the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs require some explanation. Even though you have only one physical move, 192 Attack EVs are required to 2HKO 252 HP (either this or must quote 252/252 bold) Blissey as mentioned earlier. 252 Speed EVs and either a Naive or Hasty nature are used to maximize Speed, since you cannot run a Timid or a Jolly nature. Either way, it does not matter, since Borutorosu is not going to take too many hits anyway. Life Orb is also a viable item, but the 10% recoil every turn means that it is not going to last long. You also lose the ability to bluff a Choice item and lure walls in.</p>

<p>As usual, faster Pokemon will be a full stop to Borutorosu, and as such. Thunder Wave support is of great use to Borutorosu. Since it cannot spare a moveslot for Thunder Wave itself, a Pokemon such as Jirachi can be very useful with its Steel typing, providing resistances to both of Borutorosu's weaknesses. Blissey can spread paralysis, and also provide Wish support to Borutorosu. Nattorei also has Thunder Wave and can provide slow HP restoration with Leech Seed.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Borutorosu has a glaring Stealth Rock weakness. This especially affects the Choice Scarf set, whereBorutorosu which will be switching in and out frequently. Tentacruel, in addition to providing Rapid Spin, can also lay down Toxic Spikes, which helps in combating Blissey and Porygon2. Rapid Spin Doryuuzu is another excellent option, and can help you take advantage of opposing Sandstorm teams. Life Orb Starmie is another good option for providing Rapid Spin.</p>

<p>As mentioned, Borutorosu also appreciates paralysis support to help it sweep more easily, since it does not have a moveslot to spare for Thunder Wave on offensive sets. Jirachi is an excellent option as it has resistances to both Rock- and Ice-type attacks. It can also provide Wish support to help enhance Borutorosu's longevity, and eliminate Nattorei and Blissey (with Fire Punch and STAB Iron Head respectively) which are common switch-ins to Borutorosu. Bronzong is another option, having the same typing as Jirachi, but with Hypnosis instead of Thunder Wave, which can help Borutorosu set up more easily. Nattorei is another excellent option for spreading paralysis, as it can also provide Leech Seed support and lay down Spikes.</p>

<p>Lastly, should Borutorosu lack Taunt or Hammer Arm, it needs a reliable method of eliminating special walls which stand in its way, such as Blissey. Roobushin is an excellent partner for Borutorosu, as it can set up on walls like Blissey, Nattorei, and Evolution Stone Porygon2. A 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD spread will make Roobushin very hard to take down by the aforementioned walls, as it also has reliable recovery in STAB Drain Punch.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>On the Support set, you can drop Thunder Wave, and have both Volt Change and Thunderbolt, allowing you to retain the ability to 2HKO Drizzle Politoed, and switch out of Pokemon that which threaten Borutorosu. However, it should be noted that Volt Change will not work on Pokemon with an immunity to Electric-type attacks. To remedy this, you may use U-Turn instead.</p>

<p>You can even go with Life Orb and 3 attacks on the Support set; Hammer Arm can be used to good effect, as it always OHKOes lead Tyranitar. For this purpose, either Volt Change or Thunder Wave can be dropped to make way for Hammer Arm.</p>

<p>On the Nasty Plot set, if you are worried about Focus Blast's poor accuracy, you can replace it with Brick Break, which also removes the effects of Reflect and Light Screen. However, though this is not advisable, since you lose a lot of power in return for reliability. However, Brick Break also removes the effects of Reflect and Light Screen.</p>

<p>Toxic is another interesting option; even though Borutorosu does not have the defenses to attempt Toxic stalling, it can status walls and switch out with Volt Change, before taking too much damage, leaving the stage clear for your staller to come in. This can be put to great use especially when you do not want to waste a slot on forToxic on your staller. Wish Blissey benefits immensely, as she can run an extra recovery move instead of Toxic to stall out the poisoned foe.</p>

<p>In terms of alternative boosting moves, Bulk Up is an option to help with physical sweeping, and can work in tandem with STAB Wild Bolt, and other physical options such as Brick Break and Crunch. However, both Borutorosu's physical movepool and defensive stats are rarely up to snuff for this sort of set. Lastly, Charge Beam is an option, but Borutorosu needs to hit hard and switch, so it cannot afford to sit boosting its stats with weak attacks. Also, Nasty Plot is generally always the better choice for a boosting move.</p>


[Counters]
<p>Special walls take little damage from Borutorosu's unboosted attacks, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. However, Borutorosu can easily cripple such Pokemon with Taunt. As such, bulky Pokemon which can take a hit and OHKO in return are Borutorosu's best counters. Evolution Stone Porygon2 is a prime example of such a Pokemon, as it can take any of Borutorosu's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and OHKO in return with Ice Beam. </p>

<p>Bulk Up Roobushin is another good example, as an EV spread of 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD will drastically reduce the damage Roobushin will take, while super effective Stone Edge or Rock Slide will send Borutorosu to its grave. It can also set up Bulk Up on physical Borutorosu sets.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf Magnezone resists both Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice, and can take a Brick Break with its high Defense. Choice Scarf Magnezone also outspeeds Borutorosu and 2HKOes with either its own STAB Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice. However, it needs to be wary of Focus Blast, which will OHKO if it hits.</p>

<p>Specially Defensive Zapdos also deserves a mention, as it never gets 2HKOed by Hidden Power Ice Thunderbolt (the more powerful of the two moves)Hidden Power Ice and 2HKOes Borutorosu, with taking into account Life Orb recoil, with its own STAB Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice.</p>

<p>Lastly, Pokemon which outspeed Borutorosu will put a complete stop to it. Starmie, Weavile, and Choice Scarf Tyranitar are all great examples as they can all OHKO Borutorosu with a super effective move. Should Borutorosu run a Choice Scarf, Blissey, Nattorei and other walls can freely switch in, and stall out Borutorosu, though it would be highly inadvisable for Borutorosu to stay in you would be highly foolish to not switch out in the first place.</p>

[Dream World]
<p>Borutorosu gets the ability Competitive Spirit through the Dream World. Moves which lower stats are rare, and the chances that they would do so are even rarer. However, it could be of use on a Bulk Up set, as it makes Borutorosu effectively immune to Intimidate. If Borutorosu does not carry any non-attacking moves, it would probably be better to run Competitive Spirit.</p>

Sorry that you had to wait for this. There is only really one minor issue, and that is consistency as to whether you refer to pokemon as "that" or "who". Either is fine, but be consistent.

Good Job

 

[krum]

I just wanted to point out that in the overview section of the analysis, you left out Rotom when mentioning all the pokemon who share the Electric/Flying typing.

 

[AasTmO]

Just a point out: on the mixed stallbreaker set, you at first give Taunt a slash with U-turn and then you point out Taunt is compulsary. Sounds contradictory to me :(

 

[PK Gaming]

I think the countes section needs a major rehaul.

First of all, Specially defensive Conckledurr (Roobushin) isn't a Thunderus counter, its a check at best. Life Orb Thunderbolt deals: 44.4% - 52.4% to specially defensive Conckledurr, so its an easy 2HKO with Spikes.

Special walls take little damage from Borutorosu's unboosted attacks, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. However, Borutorosu can easily cripple such Pokemon with Taunt.

Honestly, Special walls like Chansey and Blissey don't really fear Taunt as much as Hammer Arm(assuming they switch in when they're healthy) and can deal noticeable damage to Thundurus with Seismic Toss. Perhaps you can change it to:

Special walls take little damage from Borutorosu's unboosted attacks, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. However, Borutorosu can easily cripple such Pokemon with Hammer Arm.

Again, Scarf Magnezone is a check not a counter because it is OHKOed by Focus Blast. When dealing with Thundurus, stress that its difficult to counter (ala Mence in gen IV), and that you are better of checking it. How exactly is specially defensive Zapdos a counter?!? Its 2HKOed by LO Thunderbolt if Stealth Rocks are in play, and can't even OHKO Thundurus in return with HP Ice.

If you're really desperate, one of the best Thundurus counters is specially defensive Camerupt. Now ordinarily, I don't like talking about mediocre Pokemon in OU analysis's, but seeing as how Camerupt is the only Thundurus counter in the entire game I think we can make an exception...
Relevant Calculations:
Timid LO Hidden Power Ice vs Camerupt: 24.4% - 29.1%, at +2: 48.3% - 57%
Timid LO Focus Blast vs Camerupt: 41.6% - 49.1%, at +2: 82.8% - 97.7% (yes Focus Blast has a chance of beating Camerupt with spikes support and a high damage roll, but consider the accuracy and the fact that Focus Blast is falling out of use)
Hasty LO Hammer arm vs Camerupt: 36.9% - 43.6%
Stone Edge vs Thundurus: 64.2% - 76.3%

Also, the standard set should probably be mixed since most of the prominent players are using mix.

name: Mixed
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Thunder Wave / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Mischievous Heart
nature: Hasty
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Thundurus doesn't really need those attacking EV's. While you have a harder time beating Blissey (and no chance at beating Chansey) you can always finish them off at lower health / wear them down with hazards.

PS: Neutral STAB Thunderbolt is stronger than super effective Hidden Power Ice.

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

Thanks a lot for the help, PK. I have made most of your changes.

I am leaving the Mixed set as it is. Pardon me if I am wrong, but with Taunt + Hammer Arm I think Thundurus can beat Chanssey and Blissey one on one.

Finally, this analysis is DONE.

 

[zdrup15]

Use the Prefix Done if this is finished.

 

[TorchicBlaziken]

<p>In general, it is quite difficult to counter Thundurus taking into account its large movepool and Mischievous Heart. However, Special walls such as Chansey and Blissey take little damage from Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. As such, bulky Pokemon which can take a hit and OHKO in return are Borutorosu's best counters. Evolution Stone Porygon2 is a prime example of such a Pokemon, as it can take any of Borutorosu's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and OHKO in return with Ice Beam.</p>

<p>This time, you have no problems about juggling different moves, as these three moves are all Borutorosu needs to get perfect coverage. Expert Belt helps you bluff a Choice item, to lure in the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>

<p>As mentioned, Thundurus also appreciates paralysis support to help it sweep more easily, since it does not have a moveslot to spare for Thunder Wave on offensive sets. Jirachi is an excellent option as it has resistances to both Rock- and Ice-type attacks. It can also provide Wish support to help enhance Thundurus's longevity, and eliminate Nattorei and Blissey (with Fire Punch and STAB Iron Head respectively) which are common switch-ins to Borutorosu. Bronzong is another option, having the same typing as Jirachi, but with Hypnosis instead of Thunder Wave, which can help Thundurus set up more easily. Ferrothron is yet another excellent option for spreading paralysis, as it can also provide Leech Seed support and lay down Spikes.</p>

<p>Lastly, should Thundurus lack Taunt or Hammer Arm, it needs a reliable method of eliminating special walls which stand in its way, such as Blissey. Conkeldurr is an excellent partner for Borutorosu, as it can set up on walls like Blissey, Nattorei, and Evolution Stone Porygon2. A 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD spread will make Conkeldurr very hard to take down by the aforementioned walls, as it also has recovery in STAB Drain Punch.</p>

<p>However, Thundurus is not without its faults. Even though it is fast, it is still outsped by a host of Pokemon. With its mediocre defenses, Borutorosu is vulnerable to getting revenged. Rock- and Ice- type attacks are common, and having a weakness to both can be problematic. Its movepool is good, but not great, and it has to rely on undesirable moves such as Hidden Power and Focus Blast to make up the coverage.</p>

<p>Faster Pokemon are also dangerous, as they can easily ruin Thundurus's fun through revenge killing. As such, having a Thunder Wave user on your team can be very useful. An excellent example is Ferrothorn, who can take almost all attacks aimed at Borutorosu, and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Jirachi also deserves a mention, as with Thunder Wave and STAB Iron Head, it can easily finish off paralyzed Pokemon that pose a threat to Borutorosu.</p>

Forgot to change to Thundurus

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

Thanks. It is pretty late here, so I will make these changes later.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

Please use the correct prefixes in the future.

 

[PK Gaming]

I am leaving the Mixed set as it is. Pardon me if I am wrong, but with Taunt + Hammer Arm I think Thundurus can beat Chanssey and Blissey one on one.

Sure the set I posted may lose against Chansey, but it literally beats the rest of the metagame. Please trust me when I say that the set I posted is easily Thundurus' strongest set. Go ahead and consult the QC team if you don't believe me.

The counters section looks fine but can you please remove the conkledurr mention -_-
It isn't any better than say... Choice Scarf Garchomp and I don't think it deserves a specific mention.

 

[zdrup15]

Sure the set I posted may lose against Chansey, but it literally beats the rest of the metagame. Please trust me when I say that the set I posted is easily Thundurus' strongest set. Go ahead and consult the QC team if you don't believe me.

The counters section looks fine but can you please remove the conkledurr mention -_-
It isn't any better than say... Choice Scarf Garchomp and I don't think it deserves a specific mention.

This analysis is Done so maybe you should post your own set on another thread and try to pass it through QC

 

[Bad Ass]

My issues:

[15:34:48] <badass> -remove scarf
[15:35:10] <badass> -set order = np - mixed - mh abuse
[15:35:15] <badass> -mh abuse uses leftovers
[15:35:39] <badass> -mh abuse is volt change / thunder wave / taunt / hp ice
[15:38:36] <badass> uh
[15:38:40] <badass> -change spread on mixed
[15:38:44] <blue> whats the reason for removing scarf other than its not used
[15:38:50] <badass> its not very good
[15:39:07] <badass> thunder is a bad type to be locked into

 

[Bloo]

Yeah, Good Ass and I talked this over on IRC and noticed some issues with this analysis. Even though it's marked as Done and GP checked and whatnot, I really think you should consider these changes.

Why is there a Choice Scarf set and why is it even listed before the Mixed Stall breaker (The mixed stall breaker is significantly more common than Choice Scarf)? I haven't seen a single Choice Scarf Thundurus in my time playing Gen. 5 on PO, and for good reason. Thundurus is used for its ability to deal loads of damage to its opponents with a STAB Thunderbolt and for its ability to abuse Mischievous Heart + Thunder Wave. Thundurus appreciates the freedom to interchange moves; having it locked into one move hurts it more than it helps it (Electric isn't a very good move to be locked into). It's weak to Stealth Rock and with the omnipresence of Sandstorm, Thundurus won't be lasting very long if it's going to be continually switching instead of straight up attacking. I would honestly just remove the Choice Scarf set and make a mention of it in Optional Changes. I've talked this over with other QC members and they agree as well.

Secondly, what's with all of that Attack on the mixed set? That's unnecessary; you're just taking away from the power Thundurus can dish out by running more Special Attack. I recommend making it: 32 Atk / 224 SpA / 252 Spe. Take a look at this: Blissey switches in on a Thunderbolt and takes around 21.4% - 25.2%. You then Hammer Arm it, which deals 55.2% - 65% with 32 Attack EVs. With Stealth Rock / Sandstorm in play, that's a nice chance to 2HKO. You can simply Taunt it to prevent it from healing as well. As such, running 192 Attack EVs really is a waste if you think about it.

More stuff about the mixed set: why isn't Life Orb the main item choice on the mixed set? You need it to give Thundurus slightly more firepower behind its moves. I'm not entirely sure about U-turn being the last slash on the mixed set as well. You say this:

As usual, faster Pokemon will be a full stop to Thundurus, and as such Thunder Wave support is of great use to Thundurus. Since it cannot spare a moveslot for Thunder Wave itself

What's stopping Thundurus from using Thunder Wave in the last slot? It's an excellent move on him. I say put it over U-turn. If you don't want to do this, at least drop U-turn for Volt Change [you gain STAB, and it does the same thing as U-turn, so I don't see a reason to have U-turn over it).

Moving on. The Mischievous Heart set usually runs Leftovers, so please make sure to include it as an item option -- it really does help out this guy's longevity. And why is Focus Blast slashed with Thunder Wave on the Mischievous Heart set? Thunder Wave is that set's main selling point and it deserves to be the main option. Slash Focus Blast with Hidden Power Ice if anything.

As for the set order, as Bad Ass said, should be:

• Nasty Plot
• Mixed
• Mischievous Heart

That's going off personal experience / what I've seen the most.

EDIT: get rid of Shaymin-S mentions since it's now Uber.

 

[Setsuna]

It's been quite a bit since panamaxis and I checked this analysis, and as such there have been important changes in the metagame. That CS set that some people used to run in Thundurus, for instance, is no longer *viable* as my QC colleagues have pointed out, so I think that making Choice Scarf occupy only a couple of sentences in OC as opposed to a whole set is the way to go about this.

I concur with the other changes proposed by Bloo and Bad Ass.

 

[yee]

From nasty plot set-

<p>The biggest roadblocks you are going to run into are walls like Blissey, Ferrothorn, Porygon2 and other defensive Pokemon with a recovery move. This is why Taunt is so important on this set. You can prevent their recovery with Taunt, making it much easier for Thundurus to break through their defenses and achieve a sweep. It also stops Ferrothorn from using Leech Seed or Thunder Wave to cripple you.</p>

Why exactly do you need Taunt over Focus Blast in this situation? +2 Focus Blast 2HKOes Blissey, and takes out all Porygon2 and Ferrothorn in one hit.

+2 Focus Blast vs. 252/252 Bold Blissey- 71.4%-84%

I could understand it being mentioned as a "safer" option but Focus Blast makes it so much harder to get rid of, not only against those three but things like Excadrill as well. Fighting+Ice+Electric is completely unresisted besides Shedinja, meaning it can hit ANYTHING extremely hard after SR and Nasty Plot.

 

[Bad Ass]

Please remove the Choice Scarf set.

 

[religiousjedi]

Just wanted to point this out:

With its mediocre defenses, Borutorosu is vulnerable to getting revenged.

 

[franky]

yo ive been using this broken guy for ages now and it has little counters..
i dont even consider nattorei a counter. here are the best solid counters to the nasty plot set: 252/252 calm porygon2 with thunder wave mischievous heart under its belt; scarf tyranitar can switch into either hp ice, t-bolt, or np and surprise kill it with stone edge; specially defensive lanturn with thunder wave. i believe that's it.. but please place strongh emphasize on preventing it from setting up because once it gets a boost youre done.

just to clarify +2 focus blast rids nattorei with relative ease. also, can we please emphasize on having sr with this guy because sr allows it to ohko latios and latias with a +2 hp ice.

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

I have been absent from Smogon for almost a week as I was abed due to a serious viral infection. However, I am now making the several changes suggested during my absence.

The Choice Scarf set has been removed, and the order of the sets has been corrected.

EDIT 1: The MH set and the Mixed set have been altered.

@franky: suggested changes have been made.

@yee's : Agreed, Focus Blast gives Thundurus great coverage and can OHKO most of the mentioned walls after a NP boost. However, stuff like Blissey and Evo Stone Chansey can take one hit, and cripple Thundurus with Thunder Wave. Taunt will shut off their mode of recovery and prevent such walls from crippling Thundurus with status moves. Even though you are not going to OHKO or 2HKO these walls, with Taunt+NP you can use them as set-up bait, unless I am mistaken.

 

[Jibaku]

i'd be careful about specially defensive camerupt there because +2 LO Focus Blast comes dangerously close to OHKOing it and unless you have Specs you won't OHKO Thundurus back. Plus, SDef Camerupt is....-___-.

- Mention Quagsire in the counter list. It hates Grass Knot, but that isn't too common and it walls everything else comfortably...with SDef evs...
- Mention more prominent faster Pokemon such as Excadrill (in sand) and Scarf Garchomp as well.
- I don't know about you people, but I would consider Leftovers as an alternative option on the Plotter set.

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

-Done. Replaced Camerupt with Unaware Quagsire.
-Done again. Mentioned in Counters.
-Thundurus really needs the extra power which Life Orb gives it. It vannot afford to give that up for the recovery which Leftovers provides. So sorry no slash.

 

[Cherub Agent]

sorry for bumping this, but before it goes up...

On the mischievous heart (prankster) set, it says Leftovers as the item, but below you say that Life Orb is the item of choice.
Also, a small spelling mistake in Team Options: you wrote Ferrothron instead of Ferrothorn
You're missing 6 EVs on the mixed set

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

Changes made, thanks!

 

[Cherub Agent]

Sorry if this seems annoying mate, but since I'm bored I thought i'd fix a couple more little nitpicks. They're mostly just changing the names of his abilities to the official English ones.


[Overview]
<p>With an excellent base Speed of 111, wonderful mixed attacking stats, and a good movepool, Thundurus is a potent offensive threat who can perform many different roles in teams. The first thing one notices about it is its massive base 125 Special Attack stat and Nasty Plot, which enables it to hit like a truck with STAB Thunderbolt. It is no slouch either when performing physically, as it has access to Bulk Up and STAB Wild Bolt coming off a base 115 Attack stat. Its secret weapon is its impressive ability, Prankster, which gives priority to Nasty Plot, Taunt, and Thunder Wave. Electric / Flying is an excellent typing as well, shared only with Zapdos, Emolga and Rotom-S, and gives Thundurus only 2 weaknesses: Rock- and Ice-type attacks.</p>

<p>However, Thundurus is not without its faults. Even though it is fast, it is still outsped by a host of Pokemon. With its mediocre defenses, Thundurus is vulnerable to getting revenged. Rock- and Ice- type attacks are common, and having a weakness to both can be problematic. Its movepool is good, but not great, and it has to rely on undesirable moves such as Hidden Power and Focus Blast to make up the coverage.</p>

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Focus Blast / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Pankster
nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus hits an amazing 698 Special Atack with a Timid nature. This in tandem with its high Speed stat means that Thundurus becomes a very dangerous sweeper after a boost. STAB Thunderbolt boosted by Life Orb from 698 Special Attack is nothing to scoff at, even OHKOing 252 HP / 252 SpD Calm Jellicent. Hidden Power Ice hits Grass-, Ground-, and Dragon-types that resist Thunderbolt, and with the two moves together, Thundurus achieves almost universal coverage, with the exception of Magnezone, Volt Absorb Lanturn, Rotom-H/Fand Shedinja.</p>

<p>For the fourth move, there are two options. Focus Blast remedies Thundurus's imperfect coverage, and gives it a strong option to deal with walls such as Ferrothorn, Blissey and Porygon2 even though its poor accuracy can be a hindrance. However, Taunt will shut off their mode of recovery and also prevent them from crippling Thundurus with status moves.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are standard for any fast special attacker. 252 Speed EVs make Thundurus as fast as possible while 252 Special Attack EVs maximize its power. A Timid nature is recommended in order to ensure that Thundurus will not be outsped by anything below its base Speed stat, and for this reason, a Modest nature is not advised.</p>

<p>The main roadblocks you are going to run into are walls like Blissey, Ferrothorn, Porygon2 and other defensive Pokemon with a recovery move. Even though after a Nasty Plot boost Focus Blast either 2HKOs or OHKOs them, its inaccuracy can let you down. This is why Taunt can sometimes be preferred over Focus Blast on this set. You can prevent their recovery with Taunt, making it much easier for Thundurus to break through their defenses (albeit slowly) and achieve a sweep. It also stops Ferrothorn from using Leech Seed or Thunder Wave to cripple you.</p>

<p>Faster Pokemon are also dangerous, as they can easily ruin Thundurus's fun through revenge killing. As such, having a Thunder Wave user on your team can be very useful. An excellent example is Ferrothorn, who can take almost all attacks aimed at Thundurus, and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Jirachi also deserves a mention, as with Thunder Wave and STAB Iron Head, it can easily finish off paralyzed Pokemon that pose a threat to Thundurus.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Taunt / U-Turn / Thunder Wave
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive / Hasty
EVs: 32 Atk / 224 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With its mixed offensive stats of 115 Attack, 125 Special Attack and 111 base Speed, Thundurus is an excellent candidate for a mixed stallbreaker set. With the given three moves, it gets neutral coverage on everything bar Shedinja. For the fourth move, there are three options: Taunt aids Thundurus a lot in shutting down Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Forretress, Blissey and Chansey, U-turn deals hefty damage to Celebi and Reuniclus who might switch in thinking they can take a hit and set up while Thunder Wave helps Thundurus cripple faster Pokemon such as Starmie who might switch in on a predicted Taunt.</p>

<p>Thunderbolt is your main STAB option, as Wild Bolt has recoil damage and lower base power. Hammer Arm and Hidden Power Ice round off the moveset nicely, providing neutral coverage as mentioned. Hammer Arm always 2HKOes 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Blissey and Ferrothorn, who can also be shut down by Taunt. The Speed drops can be remedied by simply switching out.</p>

<p>This time, you have no problems about juggling different moves, as these three moves are all Thundurus needs to get perfect coverage. Life Orb adds extra sting to Thundurus's attacks, while Expert Belt helps you bluff a Choice item, to lure in the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs require some explanation. The 32 Attack EVs are required to 2HKO 252 / 252 Bold Blissey with Hammer Arm as mentioned earlier. 252 Speed EVs and either a Naive or Hasty nature are used to maximize Speed, since you cannot run a Timid or a Jolly nature. Either way, it does not matter, since Thundurus is not going to take too many hits anyway.</p>

<p>As usual, faster Pokemon will be a full stop to Thundurus, and as such Thunder Wave support is of great use to Thundurus. However, if it cannot spare a moveslot for the same, a Pokemon such as Jirachi can be very useful with its Steel typing, providing resistances to both of Thundurus's weaknesses. Blissey can spread paralysis, and also provide Wish support to Thundurus. Ferrothorn also has Thunder Wave and can provide slow HP restoration with Leech Seed.</p>

[SET]
name: Prankster
move 1: Thunderbolt / Volt Change
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With access to Prankster, Taunt, and Thunder Wave, Thundurus can function as a support Pokemon. The crux of this set is a priority Taunt, which stops the likes of Deoxys-S and Ferrothorn setting up entry hazards. Thunder Wave helps Thundurus cripple faster Pokemon like Starmie and Choice Scarf users, who are common switch-ins to scout the expected Taunt. </p>

<p>Thunderbolt is your primary STAB move, providing the perfect balance of reliability and power. However, Volt Change is a viable option over Thunderbolt, if you do not intend to stick around long enough for a counter to turn up. However, this means you lose vital power. Hidden Power Ice is your best coverage option to complement your STAB move, hitting almost all those who resist Thunderbolt for at least neutral damage, 2HKOing Hippowdon and Multi-Scale Dragonite. This set can also work well as a lead, preventing the likes of Deoxys-S from setting up entry hazards.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs and nature are straightforward, giving Thundurus maximum Speed, so that it doesn't become even more vulnerable to revenge killing than it already is. Leftovers provides valuable recovery to Thundurus, reducing the damge taken from Hail and Sandstorm. However, if you intend to use Thundurus as a lead, Focus Sash could be more worthwhile to ensure Thundurus's continued survival. Sometimes, Volt Change and Thunderbolt can be used on the same set, but you would have to drop Thunder Wave or Focus Blast in such a case which seriously undermines Thundurus's effectiveness.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Thundurus has a glaring Stealth Rock weakness. This especially affects the Choice Scarf set, which will be switching in and out frequently. Tentacruel, in addition to providing Rapid Spin, can also lay down Toxic Spikes, which helps in combating Blissey and Porygon2. Rapid Spin Excadrill is another excellent option, and can help you take advantage of opposing Sandstorm teams. Life Orb Starmie is another good option for providing Rapid Spin.</p>

<p>As mentioned, Thundurus also appreciates paralysis support to help it sweep more easily, since it does not have a moveslot to spare for Thunder Wave on offensive sets. Jirachi is an excellent option as it has resistances to both Rock- and Ice-type attacks. It can also provide Wish support to help enhance Thundurus's longevity, and eliminate Ferrothorn and Blissey (with Fire Punch and STAB Iron Head respectively) which are common switch-ins to Thundurus. Bronzong is another option, having the same typing as Jirachi, but with Hypnosis instead of Thunder Wave, which can help Thundurus set up more easily. Ferrothorn is yet another excellent option for spreading paralysis, as it can also provide Leech Seed support and lay down Spikes.</p>

<p>Stealth Rock support helps Thundurus score some crucial OHKOs and 2HKOs. A teammate such as Deoxys-S or Skarmory who can lay it on the field will thus be of great aid to Thundurus.</p>

<p>Lastly, should Thundurus lack Taunt or Hammer Arm, it needs a reliable method of eliminating special walls which stand in its way, such as Blissey. Conkeldurr is an excellent partner for Thundurus, as it can set up on walls like Blissey, Nattorei, and Evolution Stone Porygon2. A 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD spread will make Conkeldurr very hard to take down by the aforementioned walls, as it also has recovery in STAB Drain Punch.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>On the Support set, you can drop Thunder Wave, and have both Volt Change and Thunderbolt, allowing you to retain the ability to 2HKO Drizzle Politoed, and switch out of Pokemon that threaten Thundurus. However, it should be noted that Volt Change will not work on Pokemon with an immunity to Electric-type attacks. To remedy this, you may use U-Turn instead.</p>

<p>You can even go with Life Orb and 3 attacks on the Support set; Hammer Arm can be used to good effect, as it always OHKOes lead Tyranitar. For this purpose, either Volt Change or Thunder Wave can be dropped to make way for Hammer Arm.</p>

<p>On the Nasty Plot set, if you are worried about Focus Blast's poor accuracy, you can replace it with Brick Break, which also removes the effects of Reflect and Light Screen. However, this is not advisable, since you lose a lot of power in return for reliability.</p>

<p>Thundurus might seem like the ideal candidate to run a Choice Scarf set, but it is good only on paper. Thundurus is weak to Stealth Rock and thus cannot switch in and out frequently when it runs a Choice Scarf. Thundurus's other sets are also better suited to the metagame.</p>

<p>Toxic is another interesting option; even though Thundurus does not have the defenses to attempt Toxic stalling, it can status walls and switch out with Volt Change, before taking too much damage, leaving the stage clear for your staller to come in. This can be put to great use especially when you do not want to waste a slot for Toxic on your staller. Wish Blissey benefits immensely, as she can run an extra recovery move instead of Toxic to stall out the poisoned foe.</p>

<p>In terms of alternative boosting moves, Bulk Up is an option to help with physical sweeping, and can work in tandem with STAB Wild Bolt, and other physical options such as Brick Break and Crunch. However, both Thundurus's physical movepool and defensive stats are rarely up to snuff for this sort of set. Lastly, Charge Beam is an option, but Thundurus needs to hit hard and switch, so it cannot afford to sit boosting its stats with weak attacks. Also, Nasty Plot is generally the better choice for a boosting move.</p>

[Counters]
<p>In general, it is quite difficult to counter Thundurus taking into account its large movepool and Prankster. However, Special walls such as Chansey and Blissey take little damage from Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. As such, bulky Pokemon which can take a hit and OHKO in return are Thundurus's best counters. Evolution Stone Trace Porygon2 is a prime example of such a Pokemon. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, it can take any of Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm. More importantly, it can Trace Prankster and cripple Thundurus with a priority Thunder Wave, or OHKO with Ice Beam.</p>

<p>Lanturn can also wall Thundurus to an extent, as with Volt Absorb it is immune to Thundurus's STAB Electric-type attacks. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, Lanturn can sponge all of Thundurus's attacks, and KO it with Ice Beam.</p>

<p>Choice Scarf Magnezone is a good check to Thundurus. It resists both Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice, outspeeds Thundurus and can take a Brick Break with its high Defense. STAB Thunderbolt will 2HKO Thundurus as well. However, it needs to be wary of Focus Blast, which will OHKO if it hits</p>

<p>Specially defensive Unaware Quagsire is a good check to Thundurus's Nasty Plot set. With its ability, Quagsire will negate Thundurus's stat boosts . Quagsire also has a useful Electric-type immunity. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, Quagsire will never get 2HKOd by any of Thundurus's other unboosted attacks, barring Grass Knot</p>

<p>Lastly, Pokemon which outspeed Thundurus will put a complete stop to it. Starmie, Choice Scarf Garchomp, Excadrill (under Sandstorm) and Choice Scarf Tyranitar are great examples as they can OHKO Thundurus with a super effective move. Should Thundurus run a Choice Scarf, Blissey, Ferrothorn and other walls can freely switch in, and stall out Thundurus, though it would be highly inadvisable for Thundurus to stay in.</p>

[Dream World]
<p>Thundurus gets the ability Defiant through the Dream World. Moves which lower stats are rare, and the chances that they would do so are even rarer. However, it could be of use on a Bulk Up set, as it makes Thundurus effectively immune to Intimidate. If Thundurus does not carry any non-attacking moves, it would probably be better to run Defiant.</p>