QC: 1/1
GP: 0/2
Landorus
This is my first analysis, so any help will be appreciated! *
[Overview]
<p>Landorus is an underrated, but deadly threat in the DW metagame. Its main selling points are its excellent abilities, Sand Force and Sheer Force. Sand Force boosts Earthquake's and Stone Edge's power to insane levels in the sand, making Landorus a fearsome sand sweeper, while Sheer Force boosts many of Landorus's special moves and prevents Life Orb recoil when using them. This makes it a diverse threat that can be used effectively outside of sandstorm as well. Landorus also has impressive offensive stats and a good movepool to abuse its great abilities with: base 125 Attack, base 115 Special Attack, base 101 Speed, and access to fantastic boosting moves such as Swords Dance and Rock Polish, as well as a powerful STAB Earthquake.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the good news stops there. Unlike in OU, Landorus finds itself struggling to keep up with the powerful sweepers present in the Dream World metagame. With Garchomp and Excadrill, both of whom have better typing and stats, as well as ability in Excadrill's case, running around, Landorus struggles to find something it has over them. Its weaknesses to common Water- and Ice-type attacks also allow threats such as Genesect to take it down with ease. Don't be afraid to give Landorus a try though; if played to its strengths, the land genie can rip through teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Sweeper
move 1: Rock Polish / Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Sand Force
nature: Hasty / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is one of Landorus's deadliest sets, and for good reason. With access to Rock Polish and Swords Dance, Landorus becomes an unpredictable sweeper that only needs a turn of setup to pull off a sweep. Rock Polish is the preferred option, as Landorus already has plenty of power and the extra Speed can help it outspeed many common threats, such as Genesect, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Garchomp, Keldeo, and Thundurus, all of whom could revenge kill Landorus otherwise. However, Swords Dance can be used to tear through defensive teams with Landorus's raw power. Earthquake and Stone Edge are obvious choices, as they not only receive a Sand Force boost, but also create the infamous "EdgeQuake" combo. The last move is a toss-up between Substitute and Hidden Power Ice. Hidden Power Ice is the preferred option, as it can be used to OHKO Gliscor with Life Orb. Substitute is also viable, as its shields Landorus from status such as burn or poisoning that could halt its sweep. It also allows Landorus to scout the opponent and safely KO faster threats such as Genesect after a Swords Dance.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Sand Force is the preferred ability, boosting the Base Power of both Earthquake and Stone Edge in the sand. However, if you're not running Landorus on a sand team, Sheer Force is a fine alternative, as the prospect of not receiving Life Orb recoil is certainly nice. If you run Sheer Force, using Rock Slide over Stone Edge is an option, as Rock Slide has only 20 less BP with Sheer Force and 10 more accuracy, making it more reliable. Life Orb is the item of choice here, as the extra power is highly appreciated. Leftovers is a viable option though for more longevity, especially if you use Substitute. A Jolly (or Hasty if you're using Hidden Power) nature is used to prevent Pokemon around the base 100 Speed threshold from outspeeding Landorus. The given EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed, allowing you to make the most of Landorus's niche 101 Speed. However, if Rock Polish is used, a spread of 104 HP / 252 Atk / 152 Spe is acceptable if you want more bulk; Landorus can still outspeed Adamant Excadrill in the sand after a Rock Polish with an Attack-boosting nature, or even Jolly Excadrill if Landorus uses Jolly or Naive. Be careful with this spread though, as without the Rock Polish boost you will be outsped by many common threats, like Genesect. Hammer Arm is a decent option for hitting Air Balloon users such as Heatran; however, Fighting / Ground coverage is redundant, and it will thus not have any other use. In the same vein, Brick Break is an option instead of Hammer Arm on the Swords Dance set to avoid the Speed drop.</p>
<p>First of all, Landorus loves to be in a sandstorm to abuse its Sand Force ability, so a Sand Stream user makes a good partner for Landorus. Tyranitar is the best choice, as it can take out Skarmory and Bronzong, two of the biggest counters to Landorus, while also setting up Stealth Rock to ease up Landorus's sweep. Should you opt not to run Fire Blast on Tyranitar or use Tyranitar at all, Chandelure makes an excellent partner, as it can eliminate Skarmory and Bronzong with ease. Landorus also hates that 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, so something that can absorb those attacks is a great teammate. Vaporeon can be a great aid here, as it can not only take those attacks, but also provide Wish support, greatly increasing Landorus's longevity. Chansey and Blissey are also good partners if you choose Swords Dance, as they can provide Thunder Wave support, slowing down dangerous threats such as Latios and Choice Scarf Genesect who would otherwise destroy him. They can also provide Wish support and take Ice- and Water-type attacks. </p>
[SET]
name: Special Sweeper
move 1: Rock Polish / Calm Mind
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hammer Arm
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Timid / Hasty
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Landorus is usually viewed as a physical sweeper, one must not forget that it actually has a usable base 115 Special Attack. Add Sheer Force and the special movepool to abuse it, and you have a dangerous, albeit underrated, threat. Rock Polish is the preferred boosting move, as Landorus has plenty of power thanks to Sheer Force and thus appreciates a Speed boost more. Calm Mind is an option for more power (and less importantly, Special Defense), but the added power isn't all that useful. It does nab the KO on defensive variants of Dragonite and Tyranitar, as well as OHKOing Hippowdon, but leaves Landorus outsped by a slew of threats. You also lose the surprise value, as the moment you use Calm Mind, the opponent will know you're running a special set. STAB, Sheer Force-boosted Earth Power is the crux of this set, dealing heavy damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Psychic hits the plethora of Fighting-types in the metagame hard, particularly Breloom, who resists Earth Power; it also gets a Sheer Force boost. Hidden Power Ice is the best choice for the last slot, OHKOing Gliscor and even Dragonite after Stealth Rock damage. Don't forget though that a neutral Earth Power is actually more powerful than a 2x effective Hidden Power Ice. Finally, if Blissey, Chansey, and Air Balloon users worry you more, Hammer Arm is an acceptable option in the fourth moveslot to handle them. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb should always be run on this set, as an extra 30% boost on Earth Power and Psychic with no recoil is just too good to pass up. A Timid (or Hasty nature with Hammer Arm) should always be used to best abuse Landorus's base 101 Speed. As for the EV spread, there are quite a few options. The above spread is the best, as it maximizes power while allowing Landorus to outspeed common base 100s without a boost. However, a spread of 104 HP / 252 SpA / 152 Spe gives a little more bulk while allowing Landorus to outspeed Excadrill in the sand after a boost. If using Hammer Arm, you will need to run 200 Attack EVs to 2HKO Chansey with it 100% of the time. However, a spread of 104 Atk / 252 SpA / 152 Spe still does 46.59 - 54.82% to it, which in most scenarios is usually good enough.</p>
<p>Landorus actually has a few more options to run on this set. Focus Blast is an option, as with the Sheer Force boost, it becomes insanely powerful. However, Fighting- and Ground-type attacks are fairly redundant coverage-wise, and Hammer Arm has more utility, making Focus Blast inferior. Oddly enough, Landorus also gets Sludge Wave, which can be used to hit Celebi. Unfortunately, its power just isn't worth the terrible coverage it provides.</p>
<p>Unlike Landorus's other sets, this one doesn't require sandstorm support to be effective. In fact, this even makes a good sandstorm counter. The best sandstorm abuser, Excadrill, fails to KO even after a Swords Dance, whereas Landorus can easily KO with Earth Power. Other common Pokemon found on sand teams, like Garchomp, Terrakion, Sandslash, and Chandelure, are all OHKOed by either Earth Power or Hidden Power Ice. Even Tyranitar and Hippowdon are 2HKOed by Earth Power. Also, Landorus can take out Blissey if it runs Hammer Arm, so having the blobs out of the way, like Manaphy and Volcarona, can work well for teammates. As for supporting Landorus himself, Vaporeon again makes a great partner, as it can take Ice- and Water-type hits and provide handy Wish support. Chansey and Blissey can do the same thing. Another good partner is Chandelure; it can eliminate Steel-types like Bronzong, whereas Landorus can take down those sand sweepers that threaten Chandelure's existence. Landorus also makes a great lure, as most people expect a physical set. Rock Polish helps the illusion even more, as most Landorus that run Rock Polish will be physical. As such, pairing Landorus with powerful physical sweepers works well. Excadrill and Garchomp work especially well, as they will be run in sandstorm, further convincing the opponent that Landorus is running the physical set.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hammer Arm
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Band
ability: Sand Force
nature: Hasty / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite its great Attack, Speed, and abilities, Landorus often finds itself outclassed when it comes to a Choice set by other Pokemon with better Attack, Speed, and abilities, namely Garchomp and Excadrill. However, Landorus does have one thing over those two, and that is U-turn. U-turn turns Landorus into an excellent scout, allowing it to scout for counters and eliminate them. When not U-turning, Earthquake will be Landorus's primary attack, as it's reliable, powerful, and receives STAB and Sand Force boosts. Stone Edge is another powerful option that forms the "EdgeQuake" combo, giving Landorus great coverage. Once again, you must make the tough choice between Hidden Power and Hammer Arm. Hidden Power Ice is for taking out Gliscor and Dragonite, whereas Hammer Arm beats Air Balloon users such as Heatran.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The biggest choice with this set is whether to use a Choice Scarf or Choice Band. Choice Scarf is the better option, as it allows Landorus to serve as an excellent scout. Sand Force also boosts Earthquake and Stone Edge, meaning it can sweep late-game if needed. Choice Band can be used for the great power it offers and the surprise factor, as most opponents will expect Landorus to run a Choice Scarf; however, Landorus will no longer be able to function as a speedy scout, which is one of its main niches.</p>
<p>You really only want to be using Sand Force on this set. The only thing you get from Sheer Force is a boosted Rock Slide, and that is weaker and only has 10 more accuracy than Stone Edge. You also lose the valuable Earthquake boost. Like the other sets, Jolly or Hasty are the preferred natures to abuse Landorus's base 101 Speed. As for EVs, max Attack and Speed is the to go, as Landorus will need it to be effective. </p>
<p>Sand Stream support is highly appreciated, as it gives Landorus a much needed Sand Force boost. Tyranitar is again the best option, as it can set up Stealth Rock and fry Skarmory and Bronzong with Fire Blast. Rotom-W makes a great partner for this set, as it not only absorbs Ice- and Water-type attacks, but also forms a "VoltTurn" core and beats Skarmory. Rapid Spin support is appreciated for this set, as will be switching frequently. Starmie makes a great choice, taking hits Landorus can't take as well as frying Skarmory with Thunderbolt. Forretress works too, as it can provide hazard support to punish the switches the opponent will be making.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Landorus actually has a pretty diverse movepool, and as such, it has plenty of other options. Smack Down is one of the better ones, as it actually allows Landorus to defeat its worst enemies: Skarmory and Bronzong. However, that's its only use, so whether it's worth a moveslot is questionable. Explosion is also a decent option to go down with a bang, but the nerf it received this generation limits its effectiveness. Landorus also gets Bulk Up, but the Defense boost isn't that helpful, as it already resists common physical attacks; besides, Swords Dance provides a greater boost to Attack. Landorus also has access to Grass Knot, which can be used to take down bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Gastrodon, and Slowbro. However, it has no other use, so finding a slot for it is difficult. Another possible set would be a ''Double Dance'' set with Swords Dance and Rock Polish, but Terrakion generally outclasses Landorus in this role. Lastly, Expert Belt can be used to fake a Choice item and surprise Gliscor, but the loss of power can cause Landorus to miss out on key KOs.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Landorus's biggest checks are Skarmory and Bronzong, which can take any attack and retaliate with Hidden Power Ice and Brave Bird, respectively. However, they need to be wary of Smack Down as they switch in, as Landorus can then KO with Earthquake. Hippowdon also makes a decent check, as it is only 3HKOed by and can strike back with Ice Fang. Aside from these three, Landorus's counters depend on what set it is running. Gliscor can beat any Landorus without Hidden Power Ice, especially if it has Ice Fang. Choice Scarf Genesect can take down any Landorus without a Speed boost. Blissey and Chansey can take on the special variant, but need to watch out for Hammer Arm. Intimidate Gyarados is also a decent counter, as a Sand Force-boosted Stone Edge can only do 91% max after Intimidate, whereas an unboosted Waterfall KOs mostof the time after Stealth Rock. Finally, the many threats that can outspeed Landorus, such as Keldeo, Garchomp, and offensive Deoxys-S, can beat non-Choice Scarf variants or ones without a Rock Polish boost.</p>
GP: 0/2
Landorus
This is my first analysis, so any help will be appreciated! *
[Overview]
<p>Landorus is an underrated, but deadly threat in the DW metagame. Its main selling points are its excellent abilities, Sand Force and Sheer Force. Sand Force boosts Earthquake's and Stone Edge's power to insane levels in the sand, making Landorus a fearsome sand sweeper, while Sheer Force boosts many of Landorus's special moves and prevents Life Orb recoil when using them. This makes it a diverse threat that can be used effectively outside of sandstorm as well. Landorus also has impressive offensive stats and a good movepool to abuse its great abilities with: base 125 Attack, base 115 Special Attack, base 101 Speed, and access to fantastic boosting moves such as Swords Dance and Rock Polish, as well as a powerful STAB Earthquake.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the good news stops there. Unlike in OU, Landorus finds itself struggling to keep up with the powerful sweepers present in the Dream World metagame. With Garchomp and Excadrill, both of whom have better typing and stats, as well as ability in Excadrill's case, running around, Landorus struggles to find something it has over them. Its weaknesses to common Water- and Ice-type attacks also allow threats such as Genesect to take it down with ease. Don't be afraid to give Landorus a try though; if played to its strengths, the land genie can rip through teams.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Sweeper
move 1: Rock Polish / Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Sand Force
nature: Hasty / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is one of Landorus's deadliest sets, and for good reason. With access to Rock Polish and Swords Dance, Landorus becomes an unpredictable sweeper that only needs a turn of setup to pull off a sweep. Rock Polish is the preferred option, as Landorus already has plenty of power and the extra Speed can help it outspeed many common threats, such as Genesect, Deoxys-S, Excadrill, Garchomp, Keldeo, and Thundurus, all of whom could revenge kill Landorus otherwise. However, Swords Dance can be used to tear through defensive teams with Landorus's raw power. Earthquake and Stone Edge are obvious choices, as they not only receive a Sand Force boost, but also create the infamous "EdgeQuake" combo. The last move is a toss-up between Substitute and Hidden Power Ice. Hidden Power Ice is the preferred option, as it can be used to OHKO Gliscor with Life Orb. Substitute is also viable, as its shields Landorus from status such as burn or poisoning that could halt its sweep. It also allows Landorus to scout the opponent and safely KO faster threats such as Genesect after a Swords Dance.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Sand Force is the preferred ability, boosting the Base Power of both Earthquake and Stone Edge in the sand. However, if you're not running Landorus on a sand team, Sheer Force is a fine alternative, as the prospect of not receiving Life Orb recoil is certainly nice. If you run Sheer Force, using Rock Slide over Stone Edge is an option, as Rock Slide has only 20 less BP with Sheer Force and 10 more accuracy, making it more reliable. Life Orb is the item of choice here, as the extra power is highly appreciated. Leftovers is a viable option though for more longevity, especially if you use Substitute. A Jolly (or Hasty if you're using Hidden Power) nature is used to prevent Pokemon around the base 100 Speed threshold from outspeeding Landorus. The given EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed, allowing you to make the most of Landorus's niche 101 Speed. However, if Rock Polish is used, a spread of 104 HP / 252 Atk / 152 Spe is acceptable if you want more bulk; Landorus can still outspeed Adamant Excadrill in the sand after a Rock Polish with an Attack-boosting nature, or even Jolly Excadrill if Landorus uses Jolly or Naive. Be careful with this spread though, as without the Rock Polish boost you will be outsped by many common threats, like Genesect. Hammer Arm is a decent option for hitting Air Balloon users such as Heatran; however, Fighting / Ground coverage is redundant, and it will thus not have any other use. In the same vein, Brick Break is an option instead of Hammer Arm on the Swords Dance set to avoid the Speed drop.</p>
<p>First of all, Landorus loves to be in a sandstorm to abuse its Sand Force ability, so a Sand Stream user makes a good partner for Landorus. Tyranitar is the best choice, as it can take out Skarmory and Bronzong, two of the biggest counters to Landorus, while also setting up Stealth Rock to ease up Landorus's sweep. Should you opt not to run Fire Blast on Tyranitar or use Tyranitar at all, Chandelure makes an excellent partner, as it can eliminate Skarmory and Bronzong with ease. Landorus also hates that 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, so something that can absorb those attacks is a great teammate. Vaporeon can be a great aid here, as it can not only take those attacks, but also provide Wish support, greatly increasing Landorus's longevity. Chansey and Blissey are also good partners if you choose Swords Dance, as they can provide Thunder Wave support, slowing down dangerous threats such as Latios and Choice Scarf Genesect who would otherwise destroy him. They can also provide Wish support and take Ice- and Water-type attacks. </p>
[SET]
name: Special Sweeper
move 1: Rock Polish / Calm Mind
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hammer Arm
item: Life Orb
ability: Sheer Force
nature: Timid / Hasty
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although Landorus is usually viewed as a physical sweeper, one must not forget that it actually has a usable base 115 Special Attack. Add Sheer Force and the special movepool to abuse it, and you have a dangerous, albeit underrated, threat. Rock Polish is the preferred boosting move, as Landorus has plenty of power thanks to Sheer Force and thus appreciates a Speed boost more. Calm Mind is an option for more power (and less importantly, Special Defense), but the added power isn't all that useful. It does nab the KO on defensive variants of Dragonite and Tyranitar, as well as OHKOing Hippowdon, but leaves Landorus outsped by a slew of threats. You also lose the surprise value, as the moment you use Calm Mind, the opponent will know you're running a special set. STAB, Sheer Force-boosted Earth Power is the crux of this set, dealing heavy damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Psychic hits the plethora of Fighting-types in the metagame hard, particularly Breloom, who resists Earth Power; it also gets a Sheer Force boost. Hidden Power Ice is the best choice for the last slot, OHKOing Gliscor and even Dragonite after Stealth Rock damage. Don't forget though that a neutral Earth Power is actually more powerful than a 2x effective Hidden Power Ice. Finally, if Blissey, Chansey, and Air Balloon users worry you more, Hammer Arm is an acceptable option in the fourth moveslot to handle them. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb should always be run on this set, as an extra 30% boost on Earth Power and Psychic with no recoil is just too good to pass up. A Timid (or Hasty nature with Hammer Arm) should always be used to best abuse Landorus's base 101 Speed. As for the EV spread, there are quite a few options. The above spread is the best, as it maximizes power while allowing Landorus to outspeed common base 100s without a boost. However, a spread of 104 HP / 252 SpA / 152 Spe gives a little more bulk while allowing Landorus to outspeed Excadrill in the sand after a boost. If using Hammer Arm, you will need to run 200 Attack EVs to 2HKO Chansey with it 100% of the time. However, a spread of 104 Atk / 252 SpA / 152 Spe still does 46.59 - 54.82% to it, which in most scenarios is usually good enough.</p>
<p>Landorus actually has a few more options to run on this set. Focus Blast is an option, as with the Sheer Force boost, it becomes insanely powerful. However, Fighting- and Ground-type attacks are fairly redundant coverage-wise, and Hammer Arm has more utility, making Focus Blast inferior. Oddly enough, Landorus also gets Sludge Wave, which can be used to hit Celebi. Unfortunately, its power just isn't worth the terrible coverage it provides.</p>
<p>Unlike Landorus's other sets, this one doesn't require sandstorm support to be effective. In fact, this even makes a good sandstorm counter. The best sandstorm abuser, Excadrill, fails to KO even after a Swords Dance, whereas Landorus can easily KO with Earth Power. Other common Pokemon found on sand teams, like Garchomp, Terrakion, Sandslash, and Chandelure, are all OHKOed by either Earth Power or Hidden Power Ice. Even Tyranitar and Hippowdon are 2HKOed by Earth Power. Also, Landorus can take out Blissey if it runs Hammer Arm, so having the blobs out of the way, like Manaphy and Volcarona, can work well for teammates. As for supporting Landorus himself, Vaporeon again makes a great partner, as it can take Ice- and Water-type hits and provide handy Wish support. Chansey and Blissey can do the same thing. Another good partner is Chandelure; it can eliminate Steel-types like Bronzong, whereas Landorus can take down those sand sweepers that threaten Chandelure's existence. Landorus also makes a great lure, as most people expect a physical set. Rock Polish helps the illusion even more, as most Landorus that run Rock Polish will be physical. As such, pairing Landorus with powerful physical sweepers works well. Excadrill and Garchomp work especially well, as they will be run in sandstorm, further convincing the opponent that Landorus is running the physical set.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hammer Arm
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Band
ability: Sand Force
nature: Hasty / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Despite its great Attack, Speed, and abilities, Landorus often finds itself outclassed when it comes to a Choice set by other Pokemon with better Attack, Speed, and abilities, namely Garchomp and Excadrill. However, Landorus does have one thing over those two, and that is U-turn. U-turn turns Landorus into an excellent scout, allowing it to scout for counters and eliminate them. When not U-turning, Earthquake will be Landorus's primary attack, as it's reliable, powerful, and receives STAB and Sand Force boosts. Stone Edge is another powerful option that forms the "EdgeQuake" combo, giving Landorus great coverage. Once again, you must make the tough choice between Hidden Power and Hammer Arm. Hidden Power Ice is for taking out Gliscor and Dragonite, whereas Hammer Arm beats Air Balloon users such as Heatran.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The biggest choice with this set is whether to use a Choice Scarf or Choice Band. Choice Scarf is the better option, as it allows Landorus to serve as an excellent scout. Sand Force also boosts Earthquake and Stone Edge, meaning it can sweep late-game if needed. Choice Band can be used for the great power it offers and the surprise factor, as most opponents will expect Landorus to run a Choice Scarf; however, Landorus will no longer be able to function as a speedy scout, which is one of its main niches.</p>
<p>You really only want to be using Sand Force on this set. The only thing you get from Sheer Force is a boosted Rock Slide, and that is weaker and only has 10 more accuracy than Stone Edge. You also lose the valuable Earthquake boost. Like the other sets, Jolly or Hasty are the preferred natures to abuse Landorus's base 101 Speed. As for EVs, max Attack and Speed is the to go, as Landorus will need it to be effective. </p>
<p>Sand Stream support is highly appreciated, as it gives Landorus a much needed Sand Force boost. Tyranitar is again the best option, as it can set up Stealth Rock and fry Skarmory and Bronzong with Fire Blast. Rotom-W makes a great partner for this set, as it not only absorbs Ice- and Water-type attacks, but also forms a "VoltTurn" core and beats Skarmory. Rapid Spin support is appreciated for this set, as will be switching frequently. Starmie makes a great choice, taking hits Landorus can't take as well as frying Skarmory with Thunderbolt. Forretress works too, as it can provide hazard support to punish the switches the opponent will be making.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Landorus actually has a pretty diverse movepool, and as such, it has plenty of other options. Smack Down is one of the better ones, as it actually allows Landorus to defeat its worst enemies: Skarmory and Bronzong. However, that's its only use, so whether it's worth a moveslot is questionable. Explosion is also a decent option to go down with a bang, but the nerf it received this generation limits its effectiveness. Landorus also gets Bulk Up, but the Defense boost isn't that helpful, as it already resists common physical attacks; besides, Swords Dance provides a greater boost to Attack. Landorus also has access to Grass Knot, which can be used to take down bulky Water-types such as Quagsire, Gastrodon, and Slowbro. However, it has no other use, so finding a slot for it is difficult. Another possible set would be a ''Double Dance'' set with Swords Dance and Rock Polish, but Terrakion generally outclasses Landorus in this role. Lastly, Expert Belt can be used to fake a Choice item and surprise Gliscor, but the loss of power can cause Landorus to miss out on key KOs.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Landorus's biggest checks are Skarmory and Bronzong, which can take any attack and retaliate with Hidden Power Ice and Brave Bird, respectively. However, they need to be wary of Smack Down as they switch in, as Landorus can then KO with Earthquake. Hippowdon also makes a decent check, as it is only 3HKOed by and can strike back with Ice Fang. Aside from these three, Landorus's counters depend on what set it is running. Gliscor can beat any Landorus without Hidden Power Ice, especially if it has Ice Fang. Choice Scarf Genesect can take down any Landorus without a Speed boost. Blissey and Chansey can take on the special variant, but need to watch out for Hammer Arm. Intimidate Gyarados is also a decent counter, as a Sand Force-boosted Stone Edge can only do 91% max after Intimidate, whereas an unboosted Waterfall KOs mostof the time after Stealth Rock. Finally, the many threats that can outspeed Landorus, such as Keldeo, Garchomp, and offensive Deoxys-S, can beat non-Choice Scarf variants or ones without a Rock Polish boost.</p>
