SS ZU Suspect Coverage: Aurorus

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Introduction

After Rotom-F's quickban, Aurorus emerged as an anti-meta wallbreaker that is able to take advantage of ZU's lack of sturdy Ice-resistant Pokémon. The metagame started adapting to it with increased usage of Miltank, Throh, and specially defensive Protect users that could take advantage of Meteor Beam, like Alolan Sandslash. However, in November, Aurorus got buffed by Snow Warning's unban; this made Aurorus harder to check by making Blizzard fully accurate, providing chip damage, and enabling teammates like Alolan Sandslash and Beartic while also significantly weakening common switch-ins like Rapidash and Moonlight Clefairy. Vanilluxe also received this buff and was quickbanned, leaving Aurorus as the most threatening wallbreaker remaining and leading to its eventual suspect test.

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Set

• Aurorus @ Power Herb
• Ability: Snow Warning
• EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
• Modest Nature
• - Meteor Beam
• - Blizzard
• - Freeze-Dry / Earth Power
• - Stealth Rock / Earth Power

This is the most common Aurorus set. Meteor Beam is a huge nuke and very hard to punish due to the lack of Rock-resistant Pokémon that are able to switch into Aurorus's other attacks outside of Throh. Meteor Beam also provides Aurorus the power necessary to break through checks like Clefairy and Wishiwashi and OHKO checks to Ice-types like Articuno and Rapidash while not requiring it to run a Choice item or spend a turn to set up. Even after Power Herb has been used, Meteor Beam can still be used to take advantage of and break through passive answers like Miltank lacking Body Press. Freeze-Dry and Earth Power are great coverage options, targeting Water- and Steel-types such as Poliwrath, Wishiwashi, Perrserker, and Klinklang. This lets Aurorus serve as an effective Stealth Rock setter due to its ability to beat common entry hazard removers such as Eldegoss, Altaria, and Articuno and force many switches.

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Other options

A set with Rock Polish and a Timid nature lets Aurorus outspeed the entire unboosted tier and even common Choice Scarf users like Sawk and Rotom. It gives Aurorus a better matchup against the offense teams it usually struggles with at the cost of performing worse as a wallbreaker. Aurorus can also run Choice Specs, letting it more easily break through special walls like Throh and Clefairy. However, Aurorus dislikes being locked into a move due to needing its coverage to break through common Ice-resistant Pokémon and lacking a powerful Rock-type STAB move. Eventually, Slush Rush sweepers caught on, and Aurorus started running hail support sets with either Focus Sash or Icy Rock and utilizing its huge support movepool of Stealth Rock, Aurora Veil, Thunder Wave, Rock Tomb, and Encore.

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Sample team

This team is based around the Aurorus + Alolan Sandslash hail core. Basically, Aurorus sets up hail and weakens the opposing team so Alolan Sandslash can sweep. Qwilfish handles checks to Ice-types like Sawk, Perrserker, and Rapidash and provides even more chip damage with Spikes for Alolan Sandslash's sweep. Rhydon completes the entry hazard core and walls Choice Scarf Manectric, which is a huge threat to hail teams due to it outspeeding Slush Rush users. Thwackey is a great partner for Aurorus because it forces in Pokémon Aurorus takes advantage of, like Tangela and Altaria. It also provides Grassy Glide and helps deal with the massive Ground weakness of the team thanks to Grassy Surge. Rotom weakens Ground-types like Rhydon, Piloswine, and Galarian Stunfisk, forms a VoltTurn core with Thwackey, and further covers Ground-, Steel-, and Fighting-types.

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Arguments

Ban Reasoning

Aurorus is too restricting for defensive teams due to it not having any reliable checks, as even specially defensive Throh can be 2HKOed by Blizzard after hail chip damage, and Miltank struggles to force out Aurorus unless it uses the suboptimal Body Press. Even if Aurorus lacks Earth Power, Steel-types aren't even reliable due to their lackluster special bulk and lack of recovery, despite resisting its STAB combination. Playing offensively against Aurorus is also tough, as it is bulky enough to take one or two neutral hits from offensive Pokémon and OHKO them in return. It pairs well with some of the best Pokémon in the tier like Thwackey and Wishiwashi and takes advantage of some of the best walls like Tangela, Eldegoss, and Rhydon, meaning it is really easy to use and gets many opportunities to succeed. All in all, the pro-ban side thinks Aurorus is just too good as a wallbreaker and lacks defensive counterplay.

Do Not Ban Reasoning

Unlike how it seems on paper, Aurorus doesn't perform as well in-game due to its terrible defensive typing. First, it has a crippling entry hazard weakness, meaning it doesn't get that many opportunities to force out threats. Its 4x Fighting and Steel weaknesses paired with a low Speed tier leave it vulnerable to ZU staples like Sawk, Silvally-Dark, and Klinklang, which can outspeed and OHKO it. Before receiving Meteor Beam's Special Attack boost, Aurorus is a little weak and fails to force out Pokémon like Rhydon and Eldegoss, which can OHKO it or put it to sleep. Most offensive Pokémon can also afford to take one neutral unboosted hit and retaliate back, making a wrong prediction punishing for Aurorus. Once Aurorus uses Meteor Beam, Ice-types like Jynx and Frosmoth can switch into it and use it as setup fodder. Overall, according to the anti-ban side, Aurorus's counterplay is sufficient due to the risks that need to be taken to get the best out of Aurorus.

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Results

With voters unanimously wanting Aurorus gone, it has been banned from ZU. The Aurorus ban, on top of NU's recent Slush Rush ban, now makes hail teams near null. Bulkier teams are expected to become more common, as they generally struggled into Aurorus and were forced to use specially defensive Miltank and Throh. A previously common archetype in TangDash balance is expected to make a return as well, given that Aurorus was one of its toughest matchups and Tangela has largely benefitted from Alolan Sandslash's departure. Lunatone could also see a rise; it started seeing use running a similar set to Aurorus and won't face competition from it anymore. Similarly, other offensive Ice-types like Jynx and Frosmoth will probably see more use, given that their checks might not be as popular with Aurorus departing.

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