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Thank you to everyone who submitted this week. Unfortunately, this week had to be delayed by 24 hours because I wanted to try come up with a more aesthetically pleasing way to present our nominees. Side Note, the Hall of fame now has the NP song attached to it Anyways, here are this week's nominees:
my vote goes to taunt.
Voting deadline is on monday 18 of June. Happy Posting! if you can find the differences between the np of this post and my last post, i'll give you something
Allows you to take advantage of slow turners and allows you to punish. Really likes trapper support, one of my favorite interactions is switching it on a telegraphed u-turn from mega scizor, allowing you to bop it with your Magnezone/Alo-Golem.
Well, we have a tie between Z Taunt and Work Up Ash Ninja with 2 votes apiece, so I guess we add both.
Week 14
Torn-T has been beasting and feasting since it got Defog from USM, giving teams an additional check to Kartana and a free excuse to blame hax on every loss because you're running Hurricane. Regenerator being the broken ability it is prevents it from dying quickly.
Banned sets are Z Flynium and Bulky Rocky Helmet with Defog / Hurrimiss / U-Turn / Knock Off
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Taunt
This is a Tornadus-T i've seen a few times on rain teams as of late, and it's pretty threatening. Life Orb-boosted Hurricane that can't miss hurt so much, it does a solid ~60% to pracitcally anything that doesn't resist it or isn't called Chansey. Taunt also bolsters rains matchup against Stall teams a lot, though Qwilfish also does this to a certain extent.
If the team is already having a hazard removal, Taunt is a really good option on Tornadus-T. With the balanced teams being more common, Taunt can put some massive work, preventing mons like Ferrothorn, Celesteela, Gastrodon, M-Lati@s and Chansey from healing, and prevents Clefable, Reuniclus, and M-Latias from setting up with Calm Mind. The rest of the set is pretty classic, Superpower is just here to do some damages to Chansey, to OHKO Banded Tyranitar after rocks and to 2HKO Stealth Rock M-Tyranitar and offensive Heatran after rocks.
Tornadus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- Heat Wave
- Defog
Heat Wave catches Steels that can switch in on Hurricanes like Celesteela, Magnezone, Ferrothorn, Bisharp, Skarmory and more reliably hits Scizor and Kartana.
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 156 SpD Celesteela: 158-186 (39.7 - 46.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Magnezone: 202-238 (71.6 - 84.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 208+ SpD Ferrothorn: 248-296 (70.4 - 84%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Scizor-Mega: 364-432 (106.1 - 125.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Kartana: 884-1044 (340 - 401.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Bisharp: 246-290 (90.7 - 107%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Skarmory: 246-290 (73.8 - 87%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Magearna: 164-194 (54.4 - 64.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 108+ SpD Jirachi: 152-180 (37.7 - 44.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 350-414 (90.6 - 107.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
That calc pretty much explains the entire set. Simply come in on the many fat grasses you see paired with tran and go about your business, forcing it to switch to tran and catch it off guard. Same deal with ttar of course.
I used to run this set in ORAS on Rain teams with Sleep Talk in the last slot, but it works pretty well without it. Specs Hurricane clobbers opponents, and is probably the only essential move listed. Sludge Wave KO's Koko on the switch in, and 2HKO's Fini and Clefable. Heat Wave takes out Magnezone, Ferrothorn and Scizor. Last slot I went with U-turn to get momentum when your opponent starts switching in their special walls, but Air Slash works well as back-up STAB if you're in Sun or Sand and don't wanna miss. I think Focus Blast isn't necessary since you shouldn't risk it vs Heatran or Tar, but if you like having 2 70% accurate moves then be my guest.
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Latias-Mega: 169-199 (46.4 - 54.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Skarmory: 159-187 (47.7 - 56.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Assault Vest Tangrowth: 356-420 (88.1 - 103.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Gastrodon: 195-231 (45.8 - 54.3%) -- 52.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 240 HP / 0 SpD Mew: 240-283 (59.8 - 70.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 156+ SpD Venusaur-Mega: 326-386 (89.8 - 106.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 208+ SpD Ferrothorn: 372-440 (105.6 - 125%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Magnezone: 302-356 (107 - 126.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Scizor-Mega: 548-648 (159.7 - 188.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 108+ SpD Jirachi: 226-266 (56 - 66%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 348-410 (123.8 - 145.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Clefable: 300-354 (76.1 - 89.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Fini: 220-260 (64.1 - 75.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 332-392 (86 - 101.5%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Focus Blast vs. 168 HP / 0 SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 468-552 (122.1 - 144.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Toxic Tornadus-T
Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Defog
Toxic allows Tornadus to cripple its usual checks such as Gastrodon, Zapdos, and Tapu Koko. This allows Tornadus-T to either make way to wreck havoc itself or for teammates.
Really allows you to take advantage of slow turners and allows you to punish. Really likes trapper support, one of my favorite interactions is switching it on a telegraphed u-turn from mega scizor, allowing you to bop it with your Magnezone/Alo-Golem.
Before I start explaining what this does, I'm giving full credit to BanDisnDatnMe, he pioneered Tailwind Offense, and created this monstrosity. Now basically, Incarnate has a few advantages over its Therian form, mainly being its Prankster ability giving it priority Tailwind, allowing it to boost its team's speed for 3 turns, which may not seem like much, but if Torn-I is sacked on the same turn it sets Tailwind, its teammates are able to utilize it effectively, giving you a major advantage vesus offensive builds, and the fact that is a lot stronger than Therian means that it can pressure fatter balance builds move easily. Moves are standard, Heatwave for Ferro and M-Sciz so you don't need to Z, and Superpower for Ttar and Tran.
Metronome is a very cool item on Tornadus as it boosts its moves as it spams them even if they miss. That is pretty useful as it makes Tornadus able to 1v1 mons like Clefable and Gliscor which could normally just keep recovering on it. Superpower is used here over U-turn to break past both Tyranitarr and Heatran. 40 EVs in Attack can be use to get better rolls on them after rocks.
Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Sludge Bomb (or Sludge Wave, but I find useful the possibility to spread regular poison)
- U-turn
- Heat Wave
General idea
Oddly enough, despite having a middling bulk and a typing weak to SR, but a useful ability in Regenerator with the added bonus of a fast U-turn.
AV, despite being criminally underlooked, allows this bird to be an emergency check to some special threats that normally OHKOes it.
The drop in power due to the loss of a boosting item is balanced by the extra bulk provided by Assault Vest.
Hurricane is the main STAB and the accuracy is still workable with little support (just try to avoid gambling when the Sun is up) and it is very strong thanks to the lack of many Flying resists.
U-turn is really good here to preserve momentum thanks to the high Spe and Regenerator; it provides a good support to anything it likes a fast U-turn.
Heat Wave is here to deal properly with Ferrothorn and Scizor without ruining your bulk with the drawback of Superpower.
Sludge Bomb is really nice thanks to the 30% poison chance, which is really useful because it put a timer onto the opposing threats, thus making this attack useful even on resisted hits (i.e. towards all the Grounds around).
EVs spread and item
With this basic spread with almost no EVs invested in bulk, this AV Tornadus-T can resist even these hits:
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Tornadus-Therian: 242-286 (80.9 - 95.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Tornadus-Therian in Psychic Terrain: 241-285 (80.6 - 95.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Obviously, you can use another EVs spread, but I find these results quite good enough to be considered.
I really like Sludge Bomb over Wave due to the 30% poison chance, which is really useful even on a resisted hit because there are many monsters without reliable recovery around the OU environment. Calcs:
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 234-276 (83.2 - 98.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave vs. 248 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Tapu Bulu: 244-288 (71.1 - 83.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Lele: 164-194 (58.3 - 69%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Wave/Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Assault Vest Tangrowth: 138-164 (34.1 - 40.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Bomb vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 220-260 (78.2 - 92.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Bomb vs. 248 HP / 56 SpD Assault Vest Tapu Bulu: 228-272 (66.4 - 79.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Bomb vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Lele: 156-184 (55.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Assault Vest Tangrowth: 130-154 (32.1 - 38.1%) -- 95.7% chance to 3HKO
Team(mates) support
Tornadus-T has still trouble to check some powerful special attackers such as Tapu Koko and a Z-Psychic from Tapu Lele under its terrain, so you need something to deal properly with them. Aurora Veil or regular screens can be good options. Anything that appreciates a fast U-turn is appreciated and a way to get rid of SR is mandatory.
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 350-414 (90.6 - 107.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
That calc pretty much explains the entire set. Simply come in on the many fat grasses you see paired with tran and go about your business, forcing it to switch to tran and catch it off guard. Same deal with ttar of course.
Thank you to everyone who submitted this week! Big thanks to TPP for being amazing as always and running this while i studied. I also had no intention on including incarnate tornadus but whatever. One thing thing I will say if you see that the title has changed but I (or anyone else for that matter) has not posted an indicator of the end of a phase, please for the love of god do not post anything. Thank you for understanding, but it's very frustrating. Anyways, here our this week's nominees:
Side note, I really loved all of this week's submissions, and this is probably the only week where i've used every single submission (barring any incarnate sets, because that thing's just bad) with great success, so please keep up the great work everyone! I honestly believe this is my favourite week when it comes to the quality of the submissions, so once again thank you everyone for participating once more!
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Mega Alakazam is an incredibly interesting 'mon that has recently seen an astonishing surge in usage thanks to its incredible and unique niche of being an incredible wallbreaker that is able to immensely pressure balance thanks to its incredibly powerful stab, combined with its access to an amazing ability in the form of trace, which grants alakazam access to fantastic abilities including Regenerator, Magic Guard and Flash Fire as well as to having incredible longevity thanks to Recover. Because of this, it also holds an almost unparalleled niche of being one of the only offensive checks to both Mega Latios and Firium Heatran that can safely switch into both mons. I'll stop here since no one's going to read this as i've typed this up weeks after the fact
Knock Off Mega Zam
Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Knock Off
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Recover
Knock Off allows Zam to cripple a lot of its checks like Celesteela, AV Magearna, and Chansey. It’s better to use Psyshock on this set to target Chansey. I like Timid Zam more than Modest, but Modest works well here to pressure checks easier.
Has anyone ever seen alakazam use a Z-move? I haven't, lets try it out
Z-Psyshock allows you to have access to a super duper strong special or physical attack. Psychic terrain helps this guy wallbreak too and should be considered for sure.
Z-Psycho Shift makes regular zam the ultimate status absorber. Not only does psycho shift move it onto your opponent, allowing you nice surprise toxics or burns, but if you add the Z move, Zam gets x2 SpA. Not too shabby. I can imagine crippling a physical mon that switches in (like a bulu?) with a burn then going ham with x2 power psychics. Or poisoning a wall like gastrodon.
Focus blast and shadow ball round out coverage. Recover can be used, but with psycho shift you are limiting your coverage already and may have to forgo healing.
