mandatory BS HAX
[Overview]
<p>Haxorus's name isn't the only cool thing about him. Sporting a massive Base 147 Attack, Haxorus has the ability to OHKO or 2HKO nearly everything the game, even without entry hazard support. In addition, access to amazing moves like Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, and a STAB Outrage makes him both devastating and unpredictable. Unfortunately, he has meager defenses and a disappointing Speed stat, which, when coupled with his shallow attacking movepool, can sometimes cause him to be brushed aside in favor of his Dragon-type brethren, namely Salamence and Dragonite. Despite these shortcomings, Haxorus's sheer power often merits him a spot on a team, as very little can safely switch into this behemoth.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Dragon Claw / Dual Chop
item: Choice Band
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Haxorus and Choice Band go together like peanut butter and jelly, as it boosts Haxorus's already amazing Attack stat to an absurd 648. There are very few Pokemon that can claim to counter Choice Band Haxorus, as virtually everything gets at least 2HKOed by an appropriate attack. Even the bulkiest physical walls such as Hippowdon will be unable to keep up with Haxorus's onslaught, and since many Steel-types are 2HKOed by him as well, Haxorus is as close to "uncounterable" as they come.</p>
<p>Earthquake complements Outrage well by nailing Steel-types, and thanks to Mold Breaker, Levitate users such as Bronzong, Gengar, Rotom-W, Latios, and Latias must think twice about switching in. Brick Break is almost exclusively for Ferrothorn, who doesn't take much damage from any of Haxorus's other moves, while Dragon Claw is a nice choice to hit something hard without being locked into Outrage. The listed EVs allow Haxorus to maximize his Attack while outpacing Dragonite, Heatran, and Rotom-W. The additional EVs are thrown into HP to slightly cushion oncoming attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>In order to appreciate the sheer power of Choice Band Haxorus's Outrage, here are some damage calculations against some of the premier physical walls and Steel-types that resist it.</p>
<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Outrage vs. 252/184+ Gliscor: 64.69% - 76.27%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 252/252+ Hippowdon: 54.29% - 63.81%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 248/252+ Vaporeon: 75.16% - 88.77%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 4/0 Excadrill: 73.76% - 87.02%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 252/0 Scizor: 51.45% - 60.47%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 252/48+ Ferrothorn: 34.94% - 40.91%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 252/0 Jirachi: 43.81% - 51.49%</li>
<li>Outrage vs. 0/0 Heatran: 52.01% - 61.30%</li>
</ul>
<p>Haxorus's movepool is sparse, but Dual Chop and Rock Slide are worth considering over Dragon Claw. Dual Chop can be used to break opposing Substitutes, but its accuracy can be off-putting. Rock Slide lets Haxorus hit Gyarados and Zapdos without locking himself into Outrage, but they are still hit hard by Dragon Claw, and Rock Slide can give Steel-types free switches. Another option that should be considered is Rivalry. Although Mold Breaker is great when used with Earthquake, Rivalry can be used for an extra boost on a simulator because most Pokemon are male by default. The 25% increase in power is very significant considering Haxorus's amazing Attack. For example, with one layer of Spikes, Outrage will usually 2HKO the standard Relaxed Ferrothorn with the help of Rivalry.</p>
<p>Although Haxorus is going to be hitting everything hard with Outrage, it still has troubles with the bane of most physical attackers: Skarmory. Skarmory can come in on any of Haxorus's attacks and proceed to Roost off the damage or set up Spikes thanks to its amazing Defense. Other than Skarmory, there aren't really any other true Haxorus counters. Bronzong, Ferrothorn, and defensive Jirachi are decent checks, but although they can usually take two Outrages, they will fall to a well-predicted Earthquake. Magnezone is one of the best partners for Haxorus because it can easily trap and kill most Steel-types with Magnet Pull. It also has solid synergy with Haxorus, since it can take Ice- and Dragon-type attacks aimed at the giant salamander. Haxorus is prone to being revenge killed by the likes of Mamoswine, Weavile, and Scizor thanks to their powerful priority attacks. A Scizor of your own can be helpful in this situation to take Ice Shards and Bullet Punches aimed at Haxorus. You also might want to consider pairing Haxorus with Pokemon that can take advantage of Haxorus's ability to KO most Steel-types and physical walls. Pokemon like Latios will absolutely love having Ferrothorn, Scizor, and Heatran out of the picture so it can spam Draco Meteors with little to fear, while Excadrill will sweep most teams once Haxorus has KOed Gliscor.</p>
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Brick Break / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Haxorus is by no means slow, but his awkward Base 97 Speed means he'll always be outpaced by common Pokemon like Salamence, Latios, Terrakion, and Virizion. As such, Haxorus can make great use of Dragon Dance to boost his already sky-high Attack along with his mediocre Speed in order to outpace and KO faster threats that he would otherwise lose against. Although finding an opportunity to setup may be difficult for a fragile Pokemon like Haxorus, the benefits can be quite substantial, as the combination of speed and power make Haxorus incredibly hard to stop.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>After a single Dragon Dance, Haxorus reaches a terrifying 648 Attack and 427 Speed, enough to outpace every common Pokemon without a Choice Scarf, bar Deoxys-S. With a Dragon Dance under his belt and a boost from Life Orb, Outrage will 2HKO virtually everything in the game. Earthquake will nail all other Steel-types besides Skarmory, as even Bronzong isn't safe thanks to Mold Breaker. Brick Break is mostly for the ubiquitous Ferrothorn, who can survive an Earthquake and nail Haxorus with a powerful Gyro Ball. Although the ability to hit Ferrothorn is extremely important, Taunt is a fine choice in its place to prevent phazing and status moves from hitting Haxorus. Life Orb is the ideal item for this set for the additional power boost, but Lum Berry is a great alternative that allows Haxorus to avoid being statused, or to immediately snap out of his confusion after using Outrage.</p>
<p>Haxorus's teammates should focus on either eliminating his counters or creating an opportunity for him to set up a Dragon Dance. Magnezone deserves an obvious mention for its ability to turn Skarmory into fried chicken through the use of Magnet Pull and Thunderbolt. Choice Scarf Rotom-W is also an excellent partner because it has little to fear from Skarmory, Bronzong, and most other Haxorus counters. Rotom-W can also use Trick to cripple an incoming Pokemon, which will subsequently give Haxorus a chance to use Dragon Dance as the Tricked Pokemon is forced to switch out. Haxorus is extremely susceptible to revenge killing by priority users like Mamoswine, Weavile, and Scizor, all of which Rotom-W can check decently as well. A Skarmory of your own can add some more insurance since most priority users are physically inclined, while Haxorus will appreciate Skarmory's ability to set up Spikes. Pokemon that can set up dual screens will be immensely useful for Haxorus due to his paper-thin defenses. Deoxys-S, Latios, and Espeon are all very good choices thanks to their great Speed, and with the proper investment, they still possess the bulk to set up dual screens more than once. Wobbuffet support is worth considering for Haxorus because Wobbuffet can eliminate Choice Scarf Pokemon with either Counter or Mirror Coat, and it can also Encore a support move like Stealth Rock to give Haxorus a free switch in to use Dragon Dance.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Brick Break / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Swords Dance Haxorus is simple: get in on something that will either switch out or can't hurt you, use Swords Dance once, and sweep. Although this is a little bit harder than it sounds due to Haxorus's awful defenses, he can devastate teams with the proper team support. The three listed attacks give you perfect coverage outside of Shedinja, who is promptly killed thanks to Mold Breaker anyways. After a Swords Dance, every single Pokemon in the game is at least 2HKOed by Outrage. Those that aren't taken out in one Outrage will be hesitant to take one of Haxorus's coverage attacks, as even Ferrothtorn is OHKOed by a +2 Brick Break.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>As always, there are several options to consider. Haxorus can make great use of Taunt in place of Brick Break to prevent Skarmory from using Whirlwind, however he can still damage Haxorus badly with Brave Bird. If the recoil from Life Orb turns you off, a Lum Berry is an excellent alternative to escape bothersome status or to prevent confusion once after using Outrage. An Adamant nature is generally used to maximize Haxorus's offensive prowess, but a Jolly nature with a spread of 56 HP / 252 Atk / 200 Spe is an option to get the jump on all Base 95 Speed Pokemon since this Haxorus has no way of boosting his Speed. Finally, Rivalry is worth considering as an ability, although Haxorus already has a ton of firepower between Swords Dance and Life Orb, and Mold Breaker is extremely useful for hitting Pokemon with the Levitate ability.</p>
<p>Absolutely nothing can take an attack from Haxorus after a Sword Dance, as even Skarmory is 2HKOed by Outrage. However, Haxorus is still very prone to being revenge killed by Pokemon that are faster than him. Latios, Latias, Salamence, and Terrakion can come in on a Swords Dance, outpace Haxorus, and OHKO him with an appropriate attack. Wobbuffet can trap the aforementioned Pokemon and KO them or Encore them as they try to set up, giving Haxorus a free chance to come in. Magnezone makes for a good partner as usual, since it can trap and OHKO Skarmory, while also clearing away other troublesome Steel-types. Haxorus behind dual screens can be extremely deadly, so it would be wise to pair him with Pokemon that can set up Reflect and Light Screen. Fast dual screens users like Latios and Espeon can keep the momentum in your favor, while sturdier choices like Bronzong are also worth considering for their ability to set up screens multiple times.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Brick Break
move 4: Dragon Claw / Dual Chop
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Scarf makes Haxorus an effective revenge killer, and distinguishes himself from other Dragon-types with his unmatched Attack stat and his ability to OHKO Dragonite through Multiscale. Even without a boost, Outrage hits like a truck, and it lets Haxorus take out speedy threats or clean up late-game. Earthquake is probably the only other move that will get any use, hitting grounded Steel-types for at least neutral damage. Levitate users such as Bronzong, Latios, Latias, and Gengar don't stand much of a chance either due to Mold Breaker. Dragon Claw is more of a safety move to scout for Haxorus's counters, but Dual Chop is an option to break through Substitutes. Brick Break is mainly for Ferrothorn, as it doesn't take much damage from Haxorus's other attacks and can use the giant lizard as set-up fodder. The EVs let Haxorus outpace +1 Dragonite, +1 Gyarados, Choice Scarf Heatran, and Choice Scarf Rotom-W, while still maintaining his trademark offensive prowess with an Adamant nature.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Bulky Steel-types are the biggest issues for Haxorus because they resist his STAB Dragon-type attacks, and some Steels like Skarmory don't even take much from Haxorus's coverage moves. Magnezone can eliminate the likes of Skarmory and Ferrothorn thanks to Magnet Pull, making it easier for Haxorus to unleash his powerful Outrages. Fire-types like Heatran are good partners for Haxorus as well since they have little to fear from Steel-types. Although Choice Scarf makes Haxorus faster than just about everything, his poor defences mean that he's extremely susceptible to priority moves. Mamoswine and Weavile are particularly threatening because their Ice Shards are super effective against Haxorus, while Scizor will hit him hard with Bullet Punch. Again, Heatran is a good Pokemon to pair Haxorus with because it resists these attacks, while a Scizor of your own can be a good teammate as well. Choice Band Scizor in particular can take out Ferrothorn with Superpower, and Superpower will make Skarmory think twice before switching in.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Haxorus's movepool is fairly limited, and most viable options have already been covered. Substitute can be useful for the Dragon Dance or Swords Dance sets over a coverage move to ease prediction and block status. Dragon Tail is a good move in general, but its negative priority coupled with Haxorus's poor defences makes it a relatively poor choice. Other than that, there aren't many other useful moves for Haxorus to take advantage of.</p>
<p>More often than not, the biggest choice to make when using Haxorus is his ability. Mold Breaker is very useful when used with Earthquake because it lets Haxorus hit Pokemon with the Levitate ability, including Bronzong, Latios, Latias, Gengar, and Rotom-W. Rivalry is a much riskier option than Mold Breaker, but it can nab Haxorus a boost for his attacks since simulator Pokemon are male by default. Mold Breaker is generally the superior choice due to its reliability and usefulness, but that shouldn't discourage people from considering Rivalry.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>The list of Pokemon that can switch into Haxorus safely is unfortunately (or fortunately!) quite sparse due to his ridiculous Attack and powerful STAB. Skarmory is as close to a counter as they come, as it can come in on most Outrages and Roost off the damage. A +2 Life Orb Outrage has the potential to 2HKO with Stealth Rock, but Skarmory is usually a safe bet for other attacks. Other Steel-types like Scizor, Ferrothorn, Jirachi, and Forretress are also fine choices to take Haxorus's Outrages, although they all lack Skarmory's combination of stellar Defense and reliable recovery. Revenge killing Haxorus with a faster Pokemon is often the safest way to take him out. In particular, Flying-types like Thundurus and Tornadus can come in unharmed if Haxorus is lured into using Earthquake, and OHKO back with an appropriate attack. There are numerous fast and strong Pokemon like Latios, Salamence, and Terrakion that can reliably revenge kill Haxorus assuming they avoid a super effective attack. Strong priority moves like Bullet Punch and Ice Shard can damage Haxorus quite badly as well. Mamoswine and Weavile get special mentions because Haxorus is weak to their STAB priority Ice Shard, while Scizor is another fine choice because it resists Haxorus's STAB Outrage.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Haxorus's Dream World ability is Unnerve, which is always an inferior choice compared to Mold Breaker or Rivalry.</p>