Pursuit is a one of a kind move and there aren't really many abusers for it, Ttar is by far the best. In a meta where monolax, mono-machamp etc are a thing pursuit is an incredibly useful move. And others already stated how good Gengar is, and unless it runs dpunch or hypnosis it will have a hard time not dying to Ttar.T-tar doesn't do anything most of the time.
HP Ice generally 3 shots Rhydon, but it's close, so with spikes it's possible. Still, we're talking about comparable damage that Ttar takes from Thunders. Neither of them are reliable switch ins against Electrics, and Rhydon is way better at killing them since he has the STAB EQ. Advantage Rhydon.Curse rhydon and cursetar are the only comparable sets, and cursetar is better, and has a better typing. Also Rhydon auto loses vs any water attack, something very common, while Machamp is the only fighting thing that will always beat Ttar (it can beat DPunchers), and while Rhydon is inmune to electric attacks, it has a low special defense and it will fall to electrics hidden power (hp ice does a lot, close to a 2hko i think)
I can only think about 1 thing Rhydon can do better that t-tar cannot, and it is paralyzing things like Starm with Zap Cannon (but then that means no Roar).
Rhydon was very good in a non hidden power electric legends metagame, because it was an amazing electric counter, but in this metagame it is just a gimmick.
Also, t-tar's main role is a lot of the times pursuitting, and it is very good at that
What i like especially is the fact that even if you come into EQ curselax variant, it's not really too bad, while ttar is phaze it and get away of this asap.Crystal's last point is crucial. With some chip damage, a paralysis, any small leverage I can just opt to fight Curselax with Rhydon. Ttar has to phaze, and with his plethora of weaknesses, he's probably bringing in something he wants to run from.
IMO the point of ttar is usually pursuit+firelax check in one. That's where phazing comes in. Plus, general misdreavus/whatever phazing purposes if you will. Rhydon's just as good at this of course.Roaring on TTar makes so little sense honestly, he's the poster child pokemon that nothing wants to switch in against, but nothing minds being active against him if they're getting in for free. So why roar things in for free?
Rhydon wears down Vap faster (38-45% vs. 29-35%) and doesn't need to go mix to poke Suicune. Last-Poke CurseLax beats non-Rest Ttar, while Rhydon has a better chance (and Rest Ttar has other problems) - there's also the occasional Thunder CurseLax, which Rhydon walls impeccably. The clean +1 OHKO on Raikou can occasionally matter (Raikou threatens to Roar a sweeping CurseTar, forcing Tar to counter-Roar and potentially eat Thunder for no damage; Rhydon can safely EQ) but more importantly Rhydon OHKOs unboosted with Spikes or chip damage (HP Water is a possibility, but it has its own problems - and there's some Raikou that don't run HP at all). Rhydon's Ground-type can be used to play mindgames with Electrics if you're carrying something else that doesn't want to be Thundered (Snorlax, your own Raikou) whereas Ttar can't discourage Thunder.I can only think about 1 thing Rhydon can do better that t-tar cannot, and it is paralyzing things like Starm with Zap Cannon (but then that means no Roar).
You have to go to your water, Egg, Skarm.
No. Unless it has Toxic. Standard CurseSkarm is completely useless against Rhydon (or, for that matter, Curse Tyranitar).Skarm
Rhydon has the second-highest floor damage of all pure physicals with setup moves, that being its 23-27% to Skarmory.Marowak hits harder. Machamp and his crits/widely SE STAB could be considered harder-hitting too. Heracross' STAB type sucks, but when neutral it hits harder than Rhydon's EQ (it can even 3HKO Suicune sometimes). Snorlax DE hits harder than Rhydon EQ.
Rhydon hits hard, but it's not the undisputed hardest hitter or anything. It's checking Snorlax on top of all that which makes Rhydon so cool.
Not every Skarm has curse, and not every Rhydon has roar.No. Unless it has Toxic. Standard CurseSkarm is completely useless against Rhydon (or, for that matter, Curse Tyranitar).
A more mathematical version of this:Uh magic what the hell are you talking about?
One of the best numerical measures of coverage is floor damage - if for any opposing Pokemon, you pick the move that does the most damage to that Pokemon, what is the LEAST amount of damage you could end up doing?machamp and hera have the power but the rock/ground double stab that is always at least dealing neutral damage is fiendish.
Minimum damage there is vs. Slowbro with Double-Edge. Weezing takes more from Double-Edge than Slowbro does. Ergo, HP Ghost gives a higher floor. Same deal with just OUs - Eggy takes less damage from Double-Edge than Nidoking does.how about cross chop, earthquake, double-edge, curse machamp? That seems like his best least damage curse set.
What is hit for less than 24-29% if you replace Crunch with Earthquake or Fire Blast?EDIT: Speaking of optimizing mixed Ttar, DPunch/Rock Slide/Crunch/Tbolt is its maxmin-optimal set, with Nidoqueen as the worst damage (24%-29%).
You need Crunch for... Wobbuffett, who otherwise takes at most 24-28% from Rock Slide. Yeah...Minimum damage there is vs. Slowbro with Double-Edge. Weezing takes more from Double-Edge than Slowbro does. Ergo, HP Ghost gives a higher floor. Same deal with just OUs - Eggy takes less damage from Double-Edge than Nidoking does.
Also, I said "pure Curser" ie all attacks are boostable by Curse. That way you're comparing apples to apples. You could do one for mixed attackers (which would be using 4 attacks, and anything goes) but I couldn't be arsed.
EDIT:
What is hit for less than 24-29% if you replace Crunch with Earthquake or Fire Blast?
EDIT2: I see it's Donphan for Earthquake. What about Fire Blast, though? Or heck, even Surf?
Oh nice, getting back to the actual topic :PThe Rank looks very good, except for the D-Rank. I don't see why Kingdra, Slowbro and Tauros are there. They are just inferior versions of Pokémon that are already higher on the rank, so they're basically useless for OU Play.
Ok, Kingdra is not weak to electric-type moves and hits harder on the physical side (40 more points in Attack plus Double-Edge), but its Curse set is still inferior due to not learn Roar. What else Kingdra has to offer over Suicune? Dragonbreath? Haze? Those are far from legitimate its use. The same goes for Slowbro being just a weaker version of Starmie. Tauros is the worst case, as it can't do ANYTHING that Kangaskhan can't. If Tauros is there, Ursaring should be there, as they both fall on the same category: being a weaker version of Kangaskhan.
I know Borat made an argument on them using Ampharos as example, but Ampharos is not just a weaker version of Raikou without Roar. At least, it shouldn't be used as that. Ampharos does learn Thunder Wave and Dynamicpunch, and should always use them in OU Play IMO. Ampharos is better at spreading paralysis than you might think, as Snorlax can't switch in so freely in both Thunder and Dynamicpunch, specially if it is paralyzed, risking a 25% chance of not moving. I'm not saying Ampharos is a fantastic mon, tbh it should be moved to the D-Rank IMO, as it is not that far from Electabuzz. But it has something unique to offer, and that's the only reason to justify a Pokémon being named on the Rank. An unique capability can justify using a Pokémon from the D-Rank, even if it's gimmick or almost always fits just there and there, but there is simply no justify in using the inferior versions of the better Pokémon.
And just one more thing: Entei deserves a spot on the D-Rank. It is probably better than Moltres, and definitely easier to use.
Entei is still better than most of those on the D-Rank. Sunnybeam can actually wreck havoc on some teams out there. Enough to deserve a spot on the D-Rank.Taurus has a lot of speed though and sometimes even packs a special move. Though similar, he's different enough to kangaskhan to earn him a spot. Ursaring is one dimensional and always using return curse restalk set, which kang loves as well.
Entei maybe...I mean without a growth passer though what does entei ever do? I always found his stats contradict his poor movepool and he's fire...