[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunder / Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Grass Knot / Nasty Plot / U-turn
item: Leftovers
ability: Volt Absorb
nature: Timid
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 56 SpD / 176 Spe or 24 HP / 176 SpA / 56 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thundurus-T is almost only used on rain teams, so Thunder is optimal, but Thunderbolt is the best option on teams without rain. Hidden Power Ice is used to OHKO Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor while damaging Grass- and Dragon-types. Focus Blast hits Ferrothorn, Excadrill, Heatran, Kyurem-B, and Kyurem. Grass Knot is used to destroy Gastrodon, Seismitoad, and Hippowdon and to not risk missing Focus Blast when facing Tyranitar or Mamoswine. Nasty Plot lets Thundurus-T overwhelm its normal defensive checks like Celebi and Tyranitar with its sheer power while maintaining the ability to brute force Ground-types like Hippowdon and Seismitoad; U-turn instead lets Thundurus-T take advantage of many of the switches that it forces to bring in teammates that beat the aforementioned Ground-types and Tyranitar and does significant damage to Celebi and Latios.
Set Details
========
24 HP EVs optimize Leftovers recovery from residual damage and, with 56 Special Defense EVs, let Thundurus-T never be OHKOed by Choice Scarf Latios's Draco Meteor. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature let it outspeed Landorus-T. Maximum Speed investment can be used in order to outspeed base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Jirachi and Volcarona and guarantee at least a Speed tie versus opposing Thundurus-T.
Usage Tips
========
Because this Thundurus-T is a wallbreaker, it is important to get value out of it early in the game. If using Grass Knot, do not reveal it early, especially if the opposing team has a Gastrodon or Seismitoad to catch them off guard. Since this Thundurus-T is faster than usual, it can even unexpectedly KO maximum Speed Landorus-T, Jolly Excadrill, and standard Tentacruel before they have a chance to set up entry hazards or use Rapid Spin. If it has U-turn, then Thundurus-T should use it on Water-types and Pokemon Choice-locked into Ground-type moves to preserve momentum for its team.
Team Options
========
Thundurus-T, ideally, is used in rain structures to give Thunder perfect accuracy, so Politoed is its best partner. If using Grass Knot, use Pokemon that love having Gastrodon and Seismitoad removed, like Starmie, Keldeo, and Mamoswine. If using Focus Blast, use powerful Dragon-types that want Steel-type Pokemon gone, like Latios, Dragonite, and Salamence. Ferrothorn is a very good partner, since it can check Latios and provide entry hazard and Knock Off support. Rapid Spin from Tentacruel or Excadrill is always advised. Both Ferrothorn and Tentacruel can set entry hazards, which U-turn Thundurus-T benefits from. Other Pokemon that can bring Thundurus-T in via U-turn like Jirachi, Landorus-T, and Scizor are also very good options. Choice Scarf Scizor deserves a special mention, since it can capitalize on Thundurus-T's ability to use U-turn on Latios and Celebi to effectively Pursuit trap them. Since this Thundurus-T also functions well in sand, especially if using Focus Blast + Grass Knot, partners that can profit from the removal of bulky Ground-types, like Tyranitar, Heatran, Gliscor, Garchomp, Alakazam, and Reuniclus, are very good choices.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/caetano93.394051/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/finchinator.114198/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/we-three-kings.246992/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monai.482455/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cryogyro.331519/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunder / Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Grass Knot / Nasty Plot / U-turn
item: Leftovers
ability: Volt Absorb
nature: Timid
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 56 SpD / 176 Spe or 24 HP / 176 SpA / 56 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thundurus-T is almost only used on rain teams, so Thunder is optimal, but Thunderbolt is the best option on teams without rain. Hidden Power Ice is used to OHKO Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor while damaging Grass- and Dragon-types. Focus Blast hits Ferrothorn, Excadrill, Heatran, Kyurem-B, and Kyurem. Grass Knot is used to destroy Gastrodon, Seismitoad, and Hippowdon and to not risk missing Focus Blast when facing Tyranitar or Mamoswine. Nasty Plot lets Thundurus-T overwhelm its normal defensive checks like Celebi and Tyranitar with its sheer power while maintaining the ability to brute force Ground-types like Hippowdon and Seismitoad; U-turn instead lets Thundurus-T take advantage of many of the switches that it forces to bring in teammates that beat the aforementioned Ground-types and Tyranitar and does significant damage to Celebi and Latios.
Set Details
========
24 HP EVs optimize Leftovers recovery from residual damage and, with 56 Special Defense EVs, let Thundurus-T never be OHKOed by Choice Scarf Latios's Draco Meteor. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature let it outspeed Landorus-T. Maximum Speed investment can be used in order to outspeed base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Jirachi and Volcarona and guarantee at least a Speed tie versus opposing Thundurus-T.
Usage Tips
========
Because this Thundurus-T is a wallbreaker, it is important to get value out of it early in the game. If using Grass Knot, do not reveal it early, especially if the opposing team has a Gastrodon or Seismitoad to catch them off guard. Since this Thundurus-T is faster than usual, it can even unexpectedly KO maximum Speed Landorus-T, Jolly Excadrill, and standard Tentacruel before they have a chance to set up entry hazards or use Rapid Spin. If it has U-turn, then Thundurus-T should use it on Water-types and Pokemon Choice-locked into Ground-type moves to preserve momentum for its team.
Team Options
========
Thundurus-T, ideally, is used in rain structures to give Thunder perfect accuracy, so Politoed is its best partner. If using Grass Knot, use Pokemon that love having Gastrodon and Seismitoad removed, like Starmie, Keldeo, and Mamoswine. If using Focus Blast, use powerful Dragon-types that want Steel-type Pokemon gone, like Latios, Dragonite, and Salamence. Ferrothorn is a very good partner, since it can check Latios and provide entry hazard and Knock Off support. Rapid Spin from Tentacruel or Excadrill is always advised. Both Ferrothorn and Tentacruel can set entry hazards, which U-turn Thundurus-T benefits from. Other Pokemon that can bring Thundurus-T in via U-turn like Jirachi, Landorus-T, and Scizor are also very good options. Choice Scarf Scizor deserves a special mention, since it can capitalize on Thundurus-T's ability to use U-turn on Latios and Celebi to effectively Pursuit trap them. Since this Thundurus-T also functions well in sand, especially if using Focus Blast + Grass Knot, partners that can profit from the removal of bulky Ground-types, like Tyranitar, Heatran, Gliscor, Garchomp, Alakazam, and Reuniclus, are very good choices.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/caetano93.394051/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/finchinator.114198/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/we-three-kings.246992/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monai.482455/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cryogyro.331519/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited by a moderator:
