SS Monotype Spotlight: Landorus-T

« Previous Article

Next Article »

Introduction

Landorus-T is well known for dominating the OverUsed metagame, but did you know it's also very good in Monotype? With an incredible movepool, great Attack stat, Intimidate, and a one-of-a-kind typing for Generation 8, Landorus-T has cemented itself as a force to be reckoned with in the metagame. Landorus-T's Electric immunity and role compression made it mandatory for Flying teams, while Gravity and its immunity to Ground attacks for teammates like Excadrill and Nidoking make it a valued teammate for Ground teams. It also sports immense versatility, resulting in it being able to catch many teams off guard while also fitting easily on many Flying and Ground teams. Let's now go and explore Landorus-T and the impact it has had on the Monotype metagame.

Common Sets

Both Types

Choice Scarf

• Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
• Ability: Intimidate
• EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Jolly Nature
• - Earthquake
• - Knock Off
• - Stone Edge / Stealth Rock
• - U-turn

Being able to catch foes such as Slush Rush Arctozolt and Zapdos by surprise, Choice Scarf Landorus-T outspeeds and removes the aforementioned threats for both Flying and Ground teams. Earthquake cleans Electric and Steel teams late-game. Knock Off deters Celesteela and Rotom-W from switching in on it while also OHKOing Dragapult after Stealth Rock chip. Stone Edge threatens Flying- and Ice-type foes such as Zapdos and Alolan Ninetales. Alternatively, Stealth Rock can be used to take advantage of Landorus-T's ability to force switches. U-turn maintains momentum against foes that give Landorus-T trouble such as Rotom-W, Slowbro, and Celesteela. This set comes with the usual restrictions placed on Choiced Pokémon; Earthquake is a bad move to lock into when the opposing team has a Pokémon that is immune to it, and Stealth Rock isn't a great move to lock into either. In addition, Landorus-T is slower than most Choice Scarf users, notably being outrun by Galarian Darmanitan and Tapu Lele. However, Choice Scarf Landorus-T is able to free up the item slot on teammates such as Thundurus-T and Galarian Zapdos. Furthermore, Ground teams appreciate its ability to outspeed and pick off non-Choice Scarf Zarude, Kyurem, and Spectrier even in the absence of sand, as they have very limited Pokémon that provide momentum and speed outside of Sand Rush.

Flying

Bulky Pivot	Fast Pivot
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers Ability: Intimidate EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD Careful Nature IVs: 25 Spe - Defog / Stealth Rock - Toxic - Earthquake - U-turn	Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers Ability: Intimidate EVs: 252 HP / 48 SpD / 208 Spe Jolly Nature - Stealth Rock - Earthquake - Knock Off - U-turn

Landorus-T functions as a pivot for Flying teams, providing a much-appreciated Electric immunity and Stealth Rock support. Furthermore, it can also use Knock Off to remove items such as Heavy-Duty Boots and Leftovers from foes such as Thundurus-T and Celesteela. This makes it significantly easier to break through them, which teammates appreciate, as they are rather difficult to deal with. Earthquake allows Landorus-T to function as an answer to threats such as Nihilego and Excadrill. Stealth Rock lets it chip down foes to put them within range of its teammates' attacks, notably limiting Galarian Moltres, Choice Specs Kyurem, and Choice Specs Zapdos's ability to wallbreak or sweep. U-turn allows it to maintain momentum against switch-ins like Rotom-W, Slowbro, and Corviknight. As a fast pivot, Landorus-T is EVed to outspeed Nidoking, a great threat to Flying teams, while the remaining EVs are invested to maximize its special bulk to better counter Tapu Koko and Nihilego. One can opt to heavily invest in Special Defense instead to make it a more reliable defensive pivot against Galarian Slowking not carrying Ice Beam and Alolan Raichu, in exchange for being outsped by Nidoking. 40 Defense EVs let Landorus-T take Bisharp's Defiant-boosted Knock Off, allowing Landorus-T to check it. If one is still worried about Bisharp, 92 Speed EVs may be utilized to outpace Adamant Bisharp, but the reduced Special Defense can be detrimental against Power Herb Nihilego. This set doesn't come without its disadvantages, however, with the most notable one being its reliance on Leftovers for recovery. In addition, it lets threats such as Kyurem and Galarian Moltres into the field for free.

Ground

Bulky Pivot

• Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
• Ability: Intimidate
• EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
• Careful Nature
• IVs: 29 Spe
• - Toxic / Knock Off
• - Gravity / Knock Off
• - Earthquake
• - U-turn

Due to its excellent bulk and typing, Landorus-T can act as a great mixed defensive pivot that checks threats such as Zarude, Volcarona, and Tapu Lele for Ground teams. Gravity when paired with U-turn empowers the death mole, Choice Band Excadrill, as this not only allows Excadrill to fire off absurdly powerful Earthquakes without repercussions but also lets it get in safely due to Landorus-T's lower speed. Toxic lets Landorus-T put Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu on a timer and catches SubRoost Kyurem, Zapdos, and Slowbro on the switch, while Knock Off is an option to wear down problematic Pokémon such as Rotom-W and Celesteela. The given EV spread lets Landorus-T avoid the 2HKO from Choice Band Zarude, while the the special bulk lets Landorus-T take a hit from Tapu Lele and remove its item to make it more manageable.

Bulk Up

• Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
• Ability: Intimidate
• EVs: 248 HP / 144 Def / 68 SpD / 48 Spe
• Impish Nature
• - Gravity
• - Bulk Up
• - Earthquake
• - Substitute

With Gravity negating Ground-type immunities on foes such as Celesteela, Crobat, and Corviknight, this set lets Landorus-T devastate Poison and Steel teams. Substitute allows Landorus-T to set up on passive Pokémon such as Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and Galarian Weezing. The given EV spread allows Landorus-T to safely set up on Amoonguss while also outpacing Scizor, Aegislash, and Choice Band Victini at -1. It should be noted that this set must be paired with teammates such as Mamoswine and Nidoking, which are particularly good at pressuring Grass-types, especially Tapu Bulu, that can use Landorus-T as setup fodder.

Swords Dance

• / Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers / Life Orb
• Ability: Intimidate
• EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
• Jolly Nature
• - Swords Dance
• - Earthquake
• - Knock Off / Superpower
• - Gravity / Superpower

Swords Dance leverages Landorus-T's immense Attack to turn it into a dangerous sweeper capable of threatening walls such as Ferrothorn, Slowbro, and Amoonguss, which trouble Ground teams. Superpower deals with Ferrothorn, allowing Landorus-T to OHKO it before it uses Leech Seed, while Knock Off threatens Slowbro not holding a Colbur Berry and dissuades Celesteela from switching in. Similarly to the Bulk Up set, Gravity threatens Ground-immune foes such as Skarmory and Galarian Weezing, making types such as Steel and Poison unable to switch into Landorus-T. Life Orb makes Earthquake hit extremely hard, allowing Landorus-T to threaten an OHKO on Poison's best check to Ground-type attacks, Amoonguss, at +2.

Cores

Flying

This is a standard Flying defensive core with Landorus-T, Celesteela, and Dragonite or Mantine. As a result of its weakness to Ice, Landorus-T appreciates teammates like Celesteela, which can check Ice-types like Weavile for it. In return, Landorus-T can deal with Fire-types such as Heatran and Victini. Dragonite is an offensive option that completes the core, as it has the ability to clean types such as Dragon, Flying, and Electric late-game; this helps Flying teams, as Celesteela and Landorus-T are greatly pressured in longer games. Dragonite also provides a resistance to Water and Fire attacks, which lets it shrug off predicted assaults from Urshifu-R and Cinderace. Alternatively, Mantine may be considered over Dragonite, as its Water immunity allows it to check threats such as Keldeo and Barraskewda more easily. Since Landorus-T and Celesteela do not have access to immediate recovery, Mantine doubles as a special sponge that scouts and checks foes such as Blacephalon. In return, Celesteela, Dragonite, and Mantine appreciate Landorus-T's ability to deter Electric-type attacks.

Ground

This is a standard Ground core, with Excadrill taking on foes like Tapu Bulu and Gastrodon for Landorus-T. It can also use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards to prevent the Stealth Rock-neutral Landorus-T from taking chip damage. In return, Landorus-T's Gravity can allow Choiced Excadrill to freely spam Earthquake against Flying and Steel teams. Gastrodon provides a very important Water immunity for Landorus-T, taking care of foes like Tapu Fini and Barraskewda. It can also wear down opposing teams with Toxic. Mamoswine is able to revenge kill Ice-type Pokémon that threaten Landorus-T, such as Kyurem and Alolan Ninetales, as well as Grass-types that wall it such as Tapu Bulu and Zarude if utilizing a Choice Scarf set. Mamoswine also loves Landorus-T's ability to pressure threats such as Celesteela with Gravity, as this lets Mamoswine clean types such as Flying and Dragon late-game with Ice Shard.

Sample Teams

Built by Attribute , this Flying team takes a more offensive approach to decimate opposing teams with the combination of threats such as Dragon Dance Dragonite, Autotomize Celesteela, and Choice Specs Zapdos. Dragonite carries BoltBeam coverage to provide strong counterplay against Flying teams. Iron Defense Corviknight handles Dark teams lacking Sableye and provides the team with a defensive switch-in to Steel teams and Kyurem. It is equipped with an Occa berry to better handle threats such as Nasty Plot Hydreigon and Heatran. Choice Specs Zapdos provides some speed and leaves types like Ground and Dragon without a reliable switch-in. In conjunction with Tornadus-T's ability to remove Galarian Slowking's Assault Vest with Knock Off, Zapdos also readily shreds types such as Psychic and Poison teams lacking Nihilego. Landorus-T provides Defog support, which is greatly appreciated by Zapdos and Tornadus-T, and carries Toxic to put Electric-types such as Thundurus-T on a timer. Assault Vest Tornadus-T completes the defensive backbone of the team, checking threats such as Nidoking and Hydreigon. Grass Knot lets it deal with Mamoswine, a great threat for Flying teams, and Heat Wave in conjunction with Knock Off lets it wear down Steel teams with ease. Autotomize Celesteela carries Earthquake and Flamethrower to heavily pressure Steel teams. With Flash Cannon, this variant of Celesteela can clean Ice teams and make consistent progress against Fairy teams.

Built by mushamu, this balance Flying team aims to sweep with Galarian Moltres. Landorus-T outspeeds Magnezone, also ensuring that it can OHKO Bisharp and Choice Specs Magnezone with Earthquake before they attack it. Thundurus-T offers a secondary Electric immunity for the team, running a set that is engineered to defeat bulky Water teams. Psychic also allows it to lure and remove Nidoking, a great threat for this team. Celesteela eases matchups against Dragon and Ice teams, providing a neutrality to the latter type. Mantine shuts down foes like Belly Drum Azumarill while also helping in the Water matchup. Galarian Moltres threatens Psychic and bulkier types like Poison; it is EVed to outpace Nidoking and takes advantage of Taunt to break down opposing walls. Choice Scarf Galarian Zapdos provides revenge killing utility and is capable of taking care of Dark teams and improving the Steel matchup. In addition, it checks Galarian Darmanitan and provides the team with pressure to check Kyurem offensively while also removing screens against types like Fairy and Dark.

Built by mushamu, this Ground team is built around sand. Garchomp sets Stealth Rock, with Fire Blast being a cool tech for Ferrothorn. Draco Meteor is also notable, as Garchomp lures Slowbro and takes it out by first using Earthquake and then KOing with Draco Meteor. With the freed moveslot from Garchomp, Hippowdon is running Body Press to surprise foes such as Zarude, Ferrothorn, and Hydreigon. Excadrill is running a standard Choice Band set that takes full advantage of Landorus-T's Gravity. To keep up with the offensive nature of the team, Landorus-T opts for the Swords Dance set instead of Bulk Up. Gastrodon proves a Water immunity and uses Clear Smog to deny setup from sweepers like Galarian Moltres, Dragonite, and Calm Mind Tapu Fini. Finally, Mamoswine assists in the Grass and Ground mirror matchups while also acting as a late-game cleaner against types like Flying and Dragon.

Counterplay

Despite how good it is, Landorus-T also has many forms of counterplay. Due to a 4x weakness to Ice, Landorus-T is unable to click Stone Edge as often as it would like against teams with Weavile, Piloswine, or Mamoswine. Water-types also give Landorus-T trouble, with Urshifu-R being a notable example given that its signature move, Surging Strikes, ignores Intimidate's Attack drop. Most Grass-types also annoy Substitute Landorus-T, as they resist Earthquake. Tapu Bulu is a notable example of this, as it completely stops Landorus-T in its tracks due to setting Grassy Terrain. Substitute Landorus-T is also vulnerable to phazers like Swampert and Mantine, as they can remove its boosts.

Final Thoughts

Since being introduced in Monotype during the Crown Tundra DLC, Landorus-T has always been one of the best Pokémon available on Flying and Ground teams. Thank you for reading, and make sure to get out there and enjoy the little time SS Monotype has left as the current gen!

« Previous Article

Next Article »

All guides and strategy information are © 2004 Smogon.com and its contributors. Pokémon is © 1995 Nintendo. Privacy Policy