Rhyperior [QC 3/3] [GP 2/2]

EonX

Battle Soul
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[OVERVIEW]

With an extremely high Attack stat and a great STAB combination, Rhyperior makes its mark on RU as one of the most reliable offensive Pokemon in the tier. Thanks to Solid Rock and access to Stealth Rock, Rhyperior is able to run an efficient tank set that allows it to be one of the best offensive users of Stealth Rock in the tier. However, one shouldn't just focus on Rhyperior's abilities to tank hits and set up entry hazards. Thanks to its incredible Attack and STAB combination, Rhyperior can don a Choice Band to become one of the most terrifying wallbreakers in the tier, capable of 2HKOing any Pokemon with the proper prediction. Defensively, Rhyperior offers key resistances to Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type moves, as well as an immunity to Electric-type moves. However, Rhyperior has unfortunate 4x weaknesses to Water- and Grass-type moves in a tier chock full of Pokemon such as Slowking, Venusaur, and Virizion. While Solid Rock helps Rhyperior with its Ground- and Fighting-type weaknesses to an extent, Pokemon like Flygon, Hitmonlee, and Medicham can still readily exploit these weaknesses. These common weaknesses are compounded by Rhyperior's lackluster Special Defense, especially when it's not invested, and poor Speed stat. In spite of this, Rhyperior is a great choice for many teams, as there are multiple ways to circumvent the issues it suffers from depending on the type of team Rhyperior is used on.

[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Ice Punch / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 16 Atk / 244 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Rhyperior is very reliable at setting up Stealth Rock, especially considering it has a favorable matchup against the best Defogger in the tier, Flygon. Earthquake is the main STAB move for this set due to its reliable power and accuracy. Thanks to Rhyperior's high Attack stat, it's still capable of OHKOing Pokemon weak to it while 2HKOing most offensive threats that don't resist it. Rock Blast is the chosen Rock-type STAB move for this set to more reliably check Bulk Up Braviary as well as to break potential Focus Sashes on Accelgor and Smeargle. Ice Punch is the preferred move in the last slot in order to OHKO opposing Flygon as well as to pressure Virizion significantly. If these Pokemon aren't a major issue for your team, Toxic is a fine alternative to catch the likes of Alomomola and Slowking upon switch-in. Megahorn is less useful overall than Ice Punch and Toxic, but it can 2HKO all Slowking variants. Stone Edge is usually stronger than Rock Blast, but the lower PP and inability to break through Substitutes and Focus Sashes are generally not desirable for this set.

Set Details
========

The listed EV spread maximizes Rhyperior's special bulk while also hitting a boost point with Attack. Adamant is the chosen nature in order to allow Rhyperior to reliably achieve the OHKOs and 2HKOs it needs to get, such as the OHKO on bulkier variants of Mega Camerupt, with Earthquake. Due to Rhyperior being in the middle of a crowded Speed tier, you can opt to invest in some Speed for specific targets should it benefit the team. Investing 28 Speed EVs is enough for Rhyperior to outpace negative Speed nature Diancie, 84 Speed EVs are enough for Registeel and neutral nature Diancie, and 96 Speed EVs get the jump on the odd maximum Speed Mega Camerupt should Rhyperior's team fear it. A more physically defensive spread can be used should Rhyperior's team be weaker to the likes of Sneasel and Emboar. If necessary, it can even take a powerful hit from Medicham and Sawk in a pinch with such a spread. Leftovers is the only item that should be considered for this set, as Rhyperior has no other form of recovery.

Usage Tips
========

Attempt to switch Rhyperior into the likes of Jolteon, Braviary, and defensive Diancie so that it can set up Stealth Rock or chip down the opposing team without taking too much damage. Stealth Rock is usually a good opening move once Rhyperior gets into the battle, especially for Ice Punch variants. Earthquake is a safe STAB move to use, as most Pokemon that are immune to it aren't switching into Rhyperior often due to the threat of Rock Blast. On that subject, Rock Blast really gets a chance to shine against Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Focus Sash users, so be sure use it to limit the effectiveness of these Pokemon. It's a good idea to keep Ice Punch hidden so that Rhyperior can potentially lure Flygon into a false sense of security. The exception is if you feel an opposing Virizion may be trying to switch into Rhyperior, since the 4x Grass weakness means Rhyperior won't be able to safely stay in the turn after to hit Virizion. Toxic's main use is against Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and bulky Water-types. Be sure to catch bulky Water-types on the switch, as Rhyperior has a 4x weakness to their STAB attacks. When Megahorn is used, attempt to keep it hidden until Slowking switches into Earthquake. Hitting it with Megahorn on the switch is largely unproductive thanks to Regenerator.

Team Options
========

Due to its glaring 4x weaknesses to Water- and Grass-type moves, it stands to reason that Rhyperior works well with Pokemon that can handle these attacks. Defensive Venusaur is a great option, as it doesn't mind Scald burns due to its multiple forms of recovery, and it can easily shrug off Grass-type moves. More offensive variants of Venusaur are hurt more by Scald burns, but they appreciate Stealth Rock cutting into Flying- and Fire-type Pokemon. Other Grass-types, specifically Virizion and Rotom-C, are also perfectly capable of handling Water-type Pokemon, but they struggle more with opposing Grass-types. Granbull can reliably check most Fighting-types and provide Heal Bell support to keep Rhyperior from being hindered by Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Hoopa and Jellicent are solid options depending on the kind of team Rhyperior is used on, as they can keep Blastoise from removing Stealth Rock. Hoopa should be used on more offensive teams while slower teams can utilize Jellicent. Note that Jellicent should run Hex as its STAB move if Rhyperior's team is using it to spinblock Blastoise consistently. Emboar and Delphox are notable Fire-types that can check Grass-types with their powerful offensive presences, but they can't take too many hits. Accelgor and Mega Glalie can utilize Spikes more effectively if Rhyperior is carrying Ice Punch to smack Flygon, and they can even reduce the pressure on Rhyperior to catch Flygon as they can pressure it themselves. While Hitmonlee, Medicham, and Virizion can all put heavy pressure on Rhyperior as adversaries, they can make for great offensive partners thanks to Rhyperior's ability to keep most Flying-types, especially Fletchinder, in check. Knock Off users, particularly Alomomola, can make it easier for Rhyperior to wear down opposing bulky Water-types with repeated Earthquakes or Toxic. This is especially helpful against Blastoise, as it rarely has reliable recovery outside of Leftovers.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Ice Punch / Rock Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

While Rhyperior is quite capable of tanking hits and dishing them back out effectively, this set focuses on brute strength. With the proper prediction, this Rhyperior is capable of 2HKOing the entire tier. Stone Edge and Earthquake are the STAB moves of choice, as both clock in at 100 Base Power and 2HKO any Pokemon without a resistance or immunity to them. Megahorn is key so that Rhyperior can 2HKO Bronzong, OHKO Slowking, and still smack bulky variants of Flygon. Ice Punch is usually preferred in the last slot to OHKO bulky variants of Flygon as well as to OHKO Virizion without relying on shaky accuracy. However, Rock Blast is a fine alternative if Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary is a problem for Rhyperior's team.

Set Details
========

The EV spread simply maximizes Attack and Speed for Rhyperior. The Speed is necessary to outspeed defensive threats such as Alomomola and Hitmontop so that Rhyperior can 2HKO them as they switch in before being hit with a move itself. Adamant is the nature of choice to give Rhyperior an even bigger power boost. Jolly is an option if outspeeding Blastoise is useful for your team, but most variants of Blastoise run slight Speed investment for neutral nature base 50 Speed Pokemon, which Jolly Rhyperior falls just short of. Choice Band is the best item for this set, as Rhyperior will often be forced out after a KO anyway.

Usage Tips
========

Rhyperior should be switched into physical Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type moves as well as any Electric-type moves whenever possible. Once Rhyperior has switched in, simply pick the move that's most effective against the likely switch-in in order to 2HKO it most of the time. Both of Rhyperior's STAB moves have some drawback to using them, but nothing is immune to Stone Edge despite its imperfect accuracy. Once Flying-types and Levitate users have been removed from battle, it's very easy for Rhyperior to simply spam Earthquake; even Virizion, the only Grass-type that resists Ground-type moves, is 2HKOed without question. Megahorn won't be used that often, but you definitely need to try to catch Bronzong with it, as it fears nothing else Rhyperior has. It's also extremely helpful catching unsuspecting Slowking, as all variants are OHKOed after Stealth Rock. Ice Punch OHKOes bulky variants of Flygon, most Flying-types, and Virizion, all of which prevent Rhyperior from using Earthquake freely. Despite the high HP stat, Rhyperior is surprisingly frail specially, so don't test your luck against STAB attacks that hit Rhyperior for neutral damage. Even strong resisted hits such as Exploud's Boomburst and Meloetta's Hyper Voice can 2HKO Rhyperior.

Team Options
========

Like with many wallbreakers, having a late-game sweeper is ideal in order to take advantage of the holes Rhyperior punches. Virizion, Fletchinder, and Aerodactyl are the best options, since Rhyperior tends to lure in their checks and counters as it is. Slowking is a solid pivot to fall back on due to its Fighting- and Ice-type resistances, and it can provide paralysis support to improve Rhyperior's effectiveness against faster teams. Granbull can function similarly with regards to checking Fighting-types and providing paralysis support, but it's less durable in exchange for providing cleric support to keep Rhyperior from being crippled by burns. Defensive Venusaur can switch into Grass-, Water-, and Fighting-type moves for Rhyperior while also giving Rhyperior openings to switch into battle thanks to its Fire- and Flying-type weaknesses. Stealth Rock is very helpful as it ensures Slowking is OHKOed by Megahorn and it chips down most Earthquake switch-ins very quickly. Registeel and Druddigon are most notable thanks to having decent defensive synergy with Rhyperior, and they both provide paralysis support. Spikes support isn't exactly mandatory per se, but it's very useful in limiting the Regenerator recovery that the likes of Slowking and Alomomola gain by switching out. Accelgor and Mega Glalie are great for offensive teams and pressuring Flygon, while Garbodor can check Fighting- and Grass-types for Rhyperior on bulkier teams. While paralysis support is the most common way to fix Rhyperior's Speed against faster opponents, Trick Room is another way. Slowking is a very good setter to use with Rhyperior due to their type synergy. If this route is taken, make sure to move all Speed EVs to either HP or Special Defense, change to a Brave nature, and consider using Life Orb so as to not waste Trick Room turns by being forced out due to being locked into a move.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
==========

Rock Polish is another way to fix Rhyperior's low Speed, but Trick Room is generally a more reliable way to fix this problem and Rhyperior can't even outspeed Choice Scarf Medicham at +2 Speed with a Jolly nature. Swords Dance can turn Rhyperior into a terrifying stallbreaker that no team can hope to wall, but it obviously suffers from Speed issues. Both Rock Polish and Swords Dance can be used on the same set to form a double dance set, but such a set would miss coverage or a STAB move. Assault Vest may seem tempting considering Rhyperior also has access to Metal Burst, but the boosted Special Defense generally doesn't help Rhyperior deal with threats that the tank set can't take hits from. Protect and Roar are alternative options for the tank set, but Ice Punch and Toxic are more useful in most situations. Weakness Policy sounds like a great idea in theory thanks to Solid Rock and Rhyperior's high raw physical bulk, but its low Speed makes for inconsistent results for such a strategy.

Checks and Counters
==========

**Bulky Water- and Grass-types**: Slowking, Alomomola, defensive Venusaur, and Blastoise can all take on Rhyperior due to hitting it with 4x super effective STAB moves and not being weak to either of Rhyperior's STAB moves. However, all of them have to be more careful around the Choice Band variant due to its high-powered STAB moves. Slowking in particular must be careful due to the threat of being met with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn on the switch. It's worth noting that Venusaur and Blastoise outspeed max Speed Rhyperior, thus allowing them to immediately retaliate before taking another hit.

**Bronzong**: Bronzong is the only common Pokemon in RU that can deal with Rhyperior's STAB moves without being weak to any common coverage move. It can set up Stealth Rock, slowly wear down Rhyperior with Toxic, and chip away at it further with Earthquake or Gyro Ball. However, it is 2HKOed by Choice Band-boosted Megahorn.

**Virizion**: Although it fears Ice Punch and Choice Band-boosted Megahorn, Virizion can switch into Rhyperior's STAB moves and threaten it with STAB Leaf Blade or Giga Drain.

**Flygon**: Flygon is immune to Earthquake and resists Rock-type moves, and it can use Defog to get rid of Stealth Rock. However, it must scout for Ice Punch before staying in to Defog. It can also deal notable damage to Rhyperior with Choice Band-boosted Earthquakes.

**Faster Pokemon**: Rhyperior has low Speed and a subpar defensive typing, so most faster Pokemon that can exploit its weaknesses can force it out. Magneton, Medicham, offensive Venusaur, Hitmonlee, and even defensive Pokemon like Blastoise and Speed invested Jellicent can easily force out Rhyperior with their STAB moves, although almost none of them can actually switch in safely due to their frailty or the incredible power of the Choice Band set.
 
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think i mentioned this, but i think tox > ice punch is really worth slashing on sr now, both in cutting mola / king sustain and cutting brav's chances at tryna roost cycle it down; if brav bu's on the turn rhyperior comes in and the turn it rock blasts initially, it has a really nice shot at outlasting unless you crit + get a bunch of hits off on a non-roosting turn (doing ~35-45% w/three hits to +2). i'd also consider mentioning dudes like knock mola as partners here, given that (aside from general defensive buffering), have some way to force lefties off a blastoise gives a ton of breathing room to rhyperior. oh, and if ur gonna advocate for ada (which yeah, on board with), you can mention that its rock blasts fail to bust brav subs consistently, you pretty much never ohko 248 hp camel (6.3% rate), etc.

i think rock blast is also worth the slash on cb for maintaining consistency v.brav and generally offering a slightly safer alt rock stab, given usually it'll be finding itself on a team that takes advantage of its 'defensive utility' to some extent. i'd figure it'd be going alongside ice punch cuz megahorn swings for maybe 90% min against both viriz and uninvested gonner, and rhyperior can always eat an uninvested gonner eq for 35-40 and 2hko

and if ur gonna mention av, do include metal burst. its neat cheese, lets you play that tank-ish function but potentially eat a scald and net the surprise ko in turn

1/3
 

EonX

Battle Soul
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Think I got everything. Kept Ice Punch as the primary slash since instantly dropping Flygon is something almost no other SR user can do without risking a KO, but tried to explain that Toxic helps vs a key matchup and allows Rhyperior to pressure some of its otherwise poor matchups.
 
I'm not a fan of the EV spread, specifically the 96 Speed EVs. Fast Mega Camerupt and especially fast Escavalier are a lot less common this meta, as max HP is generally more useful so they can actually check shit. In addition, Diancie usually runs -Speed nature and it's not necessary at all to outspeed Registeel. Rhyperior wants every EV it can get because it wants to invest in 3 different stats. If you really want, you could use 30 Speed EVs to outspeed -Speed Diancie. I'd remove the Speed EVs and put them back into HP and SpD.

Mention a physically bulky spread in Set Details as an option for checking Pokemon like Sneasel and Emboar better, as well as being able to survive hits from the likes of Mega Glalie, Medicham, Sawk, etc. better in a pinch.

In bulky Water- and Grass-type section mention Blastoise and Venusaur outspeed CB Rhyperior. You do in a later section but prolly also worth mentioning there as well.

QC 2/3
 

Nix_Hex

Uangaana kasuttortunga!
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[OVERVIEW]

With an extremely high Attack stat and a great dual STAB combo, Rhyperior makes its mark on RU as one of the most reliable offensive Pokemon in the tier. Thanks to Solid Rock and access to Stealth Rock, Rhyperior is able to run an efficient tank set that allows it to be one of the best offensive users of Stealth Rock in the tier. However, one shouldn't just focus on Rhyperior's abilities to tank hits and set up Stealth Rock. Thanks to its incredible Attack and STAB combination, Rhyperior can don a Choice Band to become one of the most terrifying wallbreakers in the tier;(remove semicolon),(AC) capable of 2HKOing any Pokemon in the tier with the proper prediction. Defensively, Rhyperior offers key resistances to Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type moves, as well as an immunity to Electric-type moves. Rhyperior has unfortunate 4x weaknesses to Water- and Grass-type moves in a tier chock full of Pokemon such as Slowking, Venusaur, and Virizion. While Solid Rock helps Rhyperior with its Ground- and Fighting-type weaknesses to an extent, Pokemon like Flygon, Hitmonlee, and Medicham can still readily exploit these weaknesses. These common weaknesses are compounded by Rhyperior's lackluster Special Defense, especially when not invested, and poor Speed stat. In spite of this, Rhyperior is a great choice for many teams as there are multiple ways to circumvent the issues it suffers from depending on the type of team Rhyperior is used on.

[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Ice Punch / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 16 Atk / 244 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is a key move that every team needs, and Rhyperior is very reliable at setting it up, especially considering it has a favorable matchup against the best Defogger in the tier, Flygon. Earthquake is the main STAB move for this set due to its reliable power and accuracy. Thanks to Rhyperior's high Attack stat, it's still capable of OHKOing Pokemon weak to it while 2HKOing most offensive threats that don't resist it. Rock Blast is the chosen Rock-type STAB move for this set to more reliably check Bulk Up Braviary as well as to break potential Focus Sashes on Accelgor and Smeargle. Ice Punch is the preferred move in the last slot in order to OHKO opposing Flygon as well as to pressure Virizion significantly. If these Pokemon aren't a major issue for your team, Toxic is a fine alternative to catch the likes of Alomomola and Slowking upon switch-in. Megahorn is less useful overall than Ice Punch and Toxic, but it can 2HKO all Slowking variants. Stone Edge is usually stronger than Rock Blast, but the lower PP and inability to break through Substitutes and Focus Sashes is generally not desirable for this set.

Set Details
========

The listed EV spread maximizes Rhyperior's special bulk while also hitting a boost point with Attack. Adamant is the chosen nature in order to allow Rhyperior to reliably achieve the OHKOes and 2HKOes it needs to get, such as the OHKO on bulkier variants of Mega Camerupt,(AC) with Earthquake. Due to Rhyperior being in the middle of a crowded Speed tier, you can opt to invest in some Speed for specific targets should it benefit the team. Investing 28 Speed EVs is enough for Rhyperior to outpace negative Speed nature Diancie, 84 Speed EVs is enough for Registeel and neutral nature Diancie, and 96 Speed EVs gets the jump on the odd max Speed Mega Camerupt should Rhyperior's team fear it. A more physically defensive spread can be used should Rhyperior's team be weaker to the likes of Sneasel and Emboar. If necessary, it can even take a powerful hit from Medicham and Sawk in a pinch if necessary with such a spread. Leftovers is the only item that should be considered for this set as Rhyperior has no other form of recovery.

Usage Tips
========

Attempt to switch Rhyperior into the likes of Jolteon, Braviary, and defensive Diancie so that it can set up Stealth Rock or chip down the opposing team without taking too much damage. Stealth Rock is usually a good opening move once Rhyperior gets into the battle, especially for Ice Punch variants. Earthquake is a safe STAB move to use as most Pokemon that are immune to it aren't switching into Rhyperior often due to Rock Blast. On that subject, Rock Blast really gets a chance to shine against Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Focus Sash users, so be sure to limit the effectiveness of these Pokemon with Rock Blast. It's a good idea to keep Ice Punch hidden so that Rhyperior can potentially lure Flygon into a false sense of security. The exception is if you feel an opposing Virizion may be trying to switch into Rhyperior since the 4x Grass weakness means Rhyperior won't be able to safely stay in the turn after to hit Virizion. Toxic's main use is against Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and bulky Water-types. Be sure to catch bulky Water-types on the switch as Rhyperior has a 4x weakness to Water. When Megahorn is used, attempt to keep it hidden until Slowking switches into Earthquake. Hitting it with Megahorn on the switch is largely unproductive thanks to Regenerator.

Team Options
========

Due to its glaring 4x weaknesses to Water- and Grass-type moves, it stands to reason that Rhyperior works well with Pokemon that can handle these attacks. Defensive Venusaur is a great option as it doesn't mind Scald burns due to its multiple forms of recovery,(AC) and it can easily shrug off Grass-type moves. More offensive variants of Venusaur are hurt more by Scald burns, but they appreciate Stealth Rock cutting into Flying- and Fire-type Pokemon. Other Grass-types, specifically Virizion and Rotom-C, are also perfectly capable of handling Water-type Pokemon, but they struggle more with opposing Grass-types. Granbull can reliably check most Fighting-types and provide Heal Bell support to keep Rhyperior from being hindered by Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Hoopa and Jellicent are solid options depending on the kind of team Rhyperior is used on as they can keep Blastoise from removing Stealth Rock. Hoopa should be used on more offensive teams while slower teams can utilize Jellicent. Note that Jellicent should run Hex as its STAB move if Rhyperior's team is using it to spinblock Blastoise consistently. Emboar and Delphox are notable Fire-types that can check Grass-types with their powerful offensive presences, but they can't take too many hits. Accelgor and Mega Glalie can utilize Spikes more effectively if Rhyperior is carrying Ice Punch to smack Flygon, and they can even reduce the pressure on Rhyperior to catch Flygon as they can pressure it themselves. While Hitmonlee, Medicham, and Virizion can all put heavy pressure on Rhyperior as adversaries, they can make for great offensive partners thanks to Rhyperior's ability to keep most Flying-types, especially Fletchinder, in check. Knock Off users, particularly Alomomola, can make it easier for Rhyperior to wear down opposing bulky Water-types with repeated Earthquakes or Toxic. This is especially helpful against Blastoise as it rarely has reliable recovery outside of Leftovers.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Ice Punch / Rock Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

While Rhyperior is quite capable of tanking hits and dishing them back out effectively, this set focuses on brute strength. With the proper prediction, this Rhyperior is capable of 2HKOing the entire tier. Stone Edge and Earthquake are the STAB moves of choice as both clock in at 100 Base Power and are 2HKOing any Pokemon without a resistance or immunity to them. Megahorn is key so that Rhyperior can 2HKO Bronzong, OHKO Slowking, and still smack bulky variants of Flygon. Ice Punch is usually preferred in the last slot to OHKO bulky variants of Flygon as well as to OHKO Virizion without relying on shaky accuracy. However, Rock Blast is a fine alternative if Substitute + Bulky Up Braviary is a problem for Rhyperior's team.

Set Details
========

The EV spread simply maximizes Attack and Speed for Rhyperior. The Speed is necessary to outspeed defensive threats, such as Alomomola and Hitmontop, so that Rhyperior can 2HKO them upon switch-in before being hit with a move itself. Adamant is the nature of choice to give Rhyperior an even bigger power boost. Jolly is an option of if outspeeding Blastoise is useful for your team, but most variants of Blastoise run slight Speed investment for neutral nature base 50 Speed Pokemon, which Jolly Rhyperior falls just short of. Choice Band is the best item for this set as Rhyperior will often be forced out after a KO anyway.(AP)

Usage Tips
========

Rhyperior should be switched into physical Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type moves as well as any Electric-type moves whenever possible. Once Rhyperior has gotten into the battle, switched in, simply pick the move that's most effective against the likely switch-in in order to 2HKO it most of the time. Both of Rhyeprior's Rhyperior's STAB moves have some drawback to using them, but Stone Edge at least has no immunities despite the imperfect accuracy. Once Flying-types and Levitate users have been removed from battle, it's very easy for Rhyperior to simply spam Earthquake.(AC) with Rhyperior. Even Virizion, the only Grass-type that resists Ground-type moves, is 2HKOed without question. Megahorn won't be used that often, but you definitely need to try to catch Bronzong with it as it fears nothing else Rhyperior has. It's also extremely helpful catching unsuspecting Slowking with it as all variants are OHKOed after Stealth Rock. Ice Punch OHKOes bulky variants of Flygon, most Flying-types, and Virizion, all of which are Pokemon that prevent Rhyperior from using Earthquake freely. Despite the high HP stat, Rhyperior is surprisingly frail on the special side, so don't test your luck against STABs that hit Rhyperior for neutral damage. Even strong resisted hits,(RC) such as Exploud's Boomburst and Meloetta's Hyper Voice can 2HKO Rhyperior.

Team Options
========

Like with many wallbreakers, having a late-game sweeper is ideal in order to take advantage of the holes Rhyperior punches. Virizion, Fletchinder, and Aerodactyl are the best options since Rhyperior tends to lure in their checks and counters as it is. Slowking is a solid pivot to fall back on due to its Fighting- and Ice-type resistances,(AC) and it can provide paralysis support to improve Rhyperior's effectiveness against faster teams. Granbull can function similarly with regards to checking Fighting-types and providing paralysis support, but it's less durable in exchange for providing cleric support to keep Rhyperior from being crippled by burns. Defensive Venusaur can switch into Grass-,(AC) Water-,(AC) and Fighting-type moves for Rhyperior while also giving Rhyperior openings to switch into battle thanks to its Fire- and Flying-type weaknesses. Stealth Rock is very helpful as it ensures Slowking is OHKOed by Megahorn and it chips down most Earthquake switch-ins very quickly. Registeel and Druddigon are the most notable thanks to having decent defensive synergy with Rhyperior,(AC) and they both provide paralysis support. Spikes support isn't exactly mandatory per se, but it's very useful in limiting the Regenerator recovery that the likes of Slowking and Alomomola gain by switching out. Accelgor and Mega Glalie are great for offensive teams and they also pressure Flygon, and pressuring Flygon, while Garbodor can check Fighting- and Grass-types for Rhyperior on bulkier teams. While paralysis support is the most common way to fix Rhyperior's Speed against faster opponents, Trick Room is another way. Slowking is a very good setter to use with Rhyperior due to their type synergy. If this route is taken, make sure to move all Speed EVs to either HP or Special Defense, change to a Brave nature, and consider using Life Orb so as to not waste Trick Room turns by being forced out due to being locked into a move.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
==========

Rock Polish is another way to fix Rhyperior's low Speed, but Trick Room is generally a more reliable way to fix this problem and Rhyperior can't even outspeed Choice Scarf Medicham at +2 Speed with a Jolly nature. Swords Dance can turn Rhyperior into a terrifying stallbreaker that no team can hope to wall, but it obviously suffers from Speed issues. Both Rock Polish and Swords Dance can be used on the same set to form a double dance set, but such a set would miss coverage or a STAB move. Assault Vest may seem tempting considering Rhyperior also has access to Metal Burst, but the boosted Special Defense generally doesn't help Rhyperior deal with threats that the Tank set can't take hits from. Protect and Roar are alterantive alternative options for the tank set, but Ice Punch and Toxic are generally more useful in most situations. Weakness Policy sounds like a great idea in theory thanks to Solid Rock and Rhyperior's high raw physical bulk, but its low Speed makes for inconsistent results for such a strategy.

Checks and Counters
==========

**Bulky Water- and Grass-types**: Slowking, Alomomola, defensive Venusaur, and Blastoise can all take on Rhyperior,(AC) due to hitting it with 4x super effective STAB moves and not being weak to either of Rhyperior's STAB moves. However, all of them have to be more careful around the Choice Band variant due to its high-powered STAB moves. Slowking in particular must be careful due to the threat of being met with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn on the switch. It's worth noting that Venusaur and Blastoise outspeed max Speed Rhyperior, thus allowing them to immediately retaliate before taking another hit.

**Bronzong**: Bronzong is the only common Pokemon in RU that can deal with Rhyperior's STAB moves without being weak to any common coverage move. It can set up Stealth Rock, slowly wear down Rhyperior with Toxic, and chip away at it further with Earthquake or Gyro Ball. However, it is 2HKOed by Choice Band-boosted Megahorn.

**Virizion**: Although it fears Ice Punch and Choice Band-boosted Megahorn, Virizion can switch into Rhyperior's STAB moves and threaten it with STAB Leaf Blade or Giga Drain.

**Flygon**: Flygon is immune to Earthquake and resists Rock-type moves, and it can use Defog to get rid of Stealth Rock. However, it must scout for Ice Punch before staying in to Defog. It can also deal notable damage to Rhyperior with Choice Band-boosted Earthquakes.

**Faster Pokemon**: Rhyperior has low Speed and a subpar defensive typing, so most faster Pokemon that can exploit its weaknesses can force it out. Magneton, Medicham, offensive Venusaur, Hitmonlee, and even defensive Pokemon like Blastoise and Speed invested Jellicent can easily force out Rhyperior with their STAB moves, although almost none of them can actually switch in safely due to their frailty or the incredible power of the Choice Band set.

EonX
GP 1/2
 

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GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

With an extremely high Attack stat and a great dual STAB combo combination, Rhyperior makes its mark on RU as one of the most reliable offensive Pokemon in the tier. Thanks to Solid Rock and access to Stealth Rock, Rhyperior is able to run an efficient tank set that allows it to be one of the best offensive users of Stealth Rock in the tier. However, one shouldn't just focus on Rhyperior's abilities to tank hits and set up Stealth Rock entry hazards. (optional, repetition) Thanks to its incredible Attack and STAB combination, Rhyperior can don a Choice Band to become one of the most terrifying wallbreakers in the tier, capable of 2HKOing any Pokemon with the proper prediction. Defensively, Rhyperior offers key resistances to Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type moves, as well as an immunity to Electric-type moves. However, Rhyperior has unfortunate 4x weaknesses to Water- and Grass-type moves in a tier chock full of Pokemon such as Slowking, Venusaur, and Virizion. While Solid Rock helps Rhyperior with its Ground- and Fighting-type weaknesses to an extent, Pokemon like Flygon, Hitmonlee, and Medicham can still readily exploit these weaknesses. These common weaknesses are compounded by Rhyperior's lackluster Special Defense, especially when it's not invested, and poor Speed stat. In spite of this, Rhyperior is a great choice for many teams, (AC) as there are multiple ways to circumvent the issues it suffers from depending on the type of team Rhyperior is used on.

[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Blast
move 4: Ice Punch / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 16 Atk / 244 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Stealth Rock is a key move that every team needs, and Rhyperior is very reliable at it setting up Stealth Rock, especially considering it has a favorable matchup against the best Defogger in the tier, Flygon. Earthquake is the main STAB move for this set due to its reliable power and accuracy. Thanks to Rhyperior's high Attack stat, it's still capable of OHKOing Pokemon weak to it while 2HKOing most offensive threats that don't resist it. Rock Blast is the chosen Rock-type STAB move for this set to more reliably check Bulk Up Braviary as well as to break potential Focus Sashes on Accelgor and Smeargle. Ice Punch is the preferred move in the last slot in order to OHKO opposing Flygon as well as to pressure Virizion significantly. If these Pokemon aren't a major issue for your team, Toxic is a fine alternative to catch the likes of Alomomola and Slowking upon switch-in. Megahorn is less useful overall than Ice Punch and Toxic, but it can 2HKO all Slowking variants. Stone Edge is usually stronger than Rock Blast, but the lower PP and inability to break through Substitutes and Focus Sashes is are generally not desirable for this set.

Set Details
========

The listed EV spread maximizes Rhyperior's special bulk while also hitting a boost point with Attack. Adamant is the chosen nature in order to allow Rhyperior to reliably achieve the OHKOs and 2HKOs it needs to get, such as the OHKO on bulkier variants of Mega Camerupt, with Earthquake. Due to Rhyperior being in the middle of a crowded Speed tier, you can opt to invest in some Speed for specific targets should it benefit the team. Investing 28 Speed EVs is enough for Rhyperior to outpace negative Speed nature Diancie, 84 Speed EVs is are enough for Registeel and neutral nature Diancie, and 96 Speed EVs gets get the jump on the odd maximum Speed Mega Camerupt should Rhyperior's team fear it. A more physically defensive spread can be used should Rhyperior's team be weaker to the likes of Sneasel and Emboar. If necessary, it can even take a powerful hit from Medicham and Sawk in a pinch with such a spread. Leftovers is the only item that should be considered for this set, (AC) as Rhyperior has no other form of recovery.

Usage Tips
========

Attempt to switch Rhyperior into the likes of Jolteon, Braviary, and defensive Diancie so that it can set up Stealth Rock or chip down the opposing team without taking too much damage. Stealth Rock is usually a good opening move once Rhyperior gets into the battle, especially for Ice Punch variants. Earthquake is a safe STAB move to use, (AC) as most Pokemon that are immune to it aren't switching into Rhyperior often due to the threat of Rock Blast. On that subject, Rock Blast really gets a chance to shine against Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and Focus Sash users, so be sure to use it to limit the effectiveness of these Pokemon with Rock Blast. It's a good idea to keep Ice Punch hidden so that Rhyperior can potentially lure Flygon into a false sense of security. The exception is if you feel an opposing Virizion may be trying to switch into Rhyperior, (AC) since the 4x Grass weakness means Rhyperior won't be able to safely stay in the turn after to hit Virizion. Toxic's main use is against Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary and bulky Water-types. Be sure to catch bulky Water-types on the switch, (AC) as Rhyperior has a 4x weakness to Water their STAB attacks. When Megahorn is used, attempt to keep it hidden until Slowking switches into Earthquake. Hitting it with Megahorn on the switch is largely unproductive thanks to Regenerator.

Team Options
========

Due to its glaring 4x weaknesses to Water- and Grass-type moves, it stands to reason that Rhyperior works well with Pokemon that can handle these attacks. Defensive Venusaur is a great option, (AC) as it doesn't mind Scald burns due to its multiple forms of recovery, and it can easily shrug off Grass-type moves. More offensive variants of Venusaur are hurt more by Scald burns, but they appreciate Stealth Rock cutting into Flying- and Fire-type Pokemon. Other Grass-types, specifically Virizion and Rotom-C, are also perfectly capable of handling Water-type Pokemon, but they struggle more with opposing Grass-types. Granbull can reliably check most Fighting-types and provide Heal Bell support to keep Rhyperior from being hindered by Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Hoopa and Jellicent are solid options depending on the kind of team Rhyperior is used on, (AC) as they can keep Blastoise from removing Stealth Rock. Hoopa should be used on more offensive teams while slower teams can utilize Jellicent. Note that Jellicent should run Hex as its STAB move if Rhyperior's team is using it to spinblock Blastoise consistently. Emboar and Delphox are notable Fire-types that can check Grass-types with their powerful offensive presences, but they can't take too many hits. Accelgor and Mega Glalie can utilize Spikes more effectively if Rhyperior is carrying Ice Punch to smack Flygon, and they can even reduce the pressure on Rhyperior to catch Flygon as they can pressure it themselves. While Hitmonlee, Medicham, and Virizion can all put heavy pressure on Rhyperior as adversaries, they can make for great offensive partners thanks to Rhyperior's ability to keep most Flying-types, especially Fletchinder, in check. Knock Off users, particularly Alomomola, can make it easier for Rhyperior to wear down opposing bulky Water-types with repeated Earthquakes or Toxic. This is especially helpful against Blastoise, (AC) as it rarely has reliable recovery outside of Leftovers.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Ice Punch / Rock Blast
item: Choice Band
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

While Rhyperior is quite capable of tanking hits and dishing them back out effectively, this set focuses on brute strength. With the proper prediction, this Rhyperior is capable of 2HKOing the entire tier. Stone Edge and Earthquake are the STAB moves of choice, (AC) as both clock in at 100 Base Power and 2HKO any Pokemon without a resistance or immunity to them. Megahorn is key so that Rhyperior can 2HKO Bronzong, OHKO Slowking, and still smack bulky variants of Flygon. Ice Punch is usually preferred in the last slot to OHKO bulky variants of Flygon as well as to OHKO Virizion without relying on shaky accuracy. However, Rock Blast is a fine alternative if Substitute + Bulky Bulk Up Braviary is a problem for Rhyperior's team.

Set Details
========

The EV spread simply maximizes Attack and Speed for Rhyperior. The Speed is necessary to outspeed defensive threats (RC) such as Alomomola and Hitmontop (RC) so that Rhyperior can 2HKO them upon switch-in as they switch in before being hit with a move itself. Adamant is the nature of choice to give Rhyperior an even bigger power boost. Jolly is an option if outspeeding Blastoise is useful for your team, but most variants of Blastoise run slight Speed investment for neutral nature base 50 Speed Pokemon, which Jolly Rhyperior falls just short of. Choice Band is the best item for this set, (AC) as Rhyperior will often be forced out after a KO anyway.

Usage Tips
========

Rhyperior should be switched into physical Normal-, Fire-, and Flying-type moves as well as any Electric-type moves whenever possible. Once Rhyperior has switched in, simply pick the move that's most effective against the likely switch-in in order to 2HKO it most of the time. Both of Rhyperior's STAB moves have some drawback to using them, but Stone Edge at least has no immunities nothing is immune to Stone Edge despite the its imperfect accuracy. Once Flying-types and Levitate users have been removed from battle, it's very easy for Rhyperior to simply spam Earthquake; (SC) even Virizion, the only Grass-type that resists Ground-type moves, is 2HKOed without question. Megahorn won't be used that often, but you definitely need to try to catch Bronzong with it, (AC) as it fears nothing else Rhyperior has. It's also extremely helpful catching unsuspecting Slowking, (AC) as all variants are OHKOed after Stealth Rock. Ice Punch OHKOes bulky variants of Flygon, most Flying-types, and Virizion, all of which prevent Rhyperior from using Earthquake freely. Despite the high HP stat, Rhyperior is surprisingly frail on the special side specially, so don't test your luck against STAB attackss that hit Rhyperior for neutral damage. Even strong resisted hits such as Exploud's Boomburst and Meloetta's Hyper Voice can 2HKO Rhyperior.

Team Options
========

Like with many wallbreakers, having a late-game sweeper is ideal in order to take advantage of the holes Rhyperior punches. Virizion, Fletchinder, and Aerodactyl are the best options, (AC) since Rhyperior tends to lure in their checks and counters as it is. Slowking is a solid pivot to fall back on due to its Fighting- and Ice-type resistances, and it can provide paralysis support to improve Rhyperior's effectiveness against faster teams. Granbull can function similarly with regards to checking Fighting-types and providing paralysis support, but it's less durable in exchange for providing cleric support to keep Rhyperior from being crippled by burns. Defensive Venusaur can switch into Grass-, Water-, and Fighting-type moves for Rhyperior while also giving Rhyperior openings to switch into battle thanks to its Fire- and Flying-type weaknesses. Stealth Rock is very helpful as it ensures Slowking is OHKOed by Megahorn and it chips down most Earthquake switch-ins very quickly. Registeel and Druddigon are most notable thanks to having decent defensive synergy with Rhyperior, and they both provide paralysis support. Spikes support isn't exactly mandatory per se, but it's very useful in limiting the Regenerator recovery that the likes of Slowking and Alomomola gain by switching out. Accelgor and Mega Glalie are great for offensive teams and pressuring Flygon, while Garbodor can check Fighting- and Grass-types for Rhyperior on bulkier teams. While paralysis support is the most common way to fix Rhyperior's Speed against faster opponents, Trick Room is another way. Slowking is a very good setter to use with Rhyperior due to their type synergy. If this route is taken, make sure to move all Speed EVs to either HP or Special Defense, change to a Brave nature, and consider using Life Orb so as to not waste Trick Room turns by being forced out due to being locked into a move.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
==========

Rock Polish is another way to fix Rhyperior's low Speed, but Trick Room is generally a more reliable way to fix this problem and Rhyperior can't even outspeed Choice Scarf Medicham at +2 Speed with a Jolly nature. Swords Dance can turn Rhyperior into a terrifying stallbreaker that no team can hope to wall, but it obviously suffers from Speed issues. Both Rock Polish and Swords Dance can be used on the same set to form a double dance set, but such a set would miss coverage or a STAB move. Assault Vest may seem tempting considering Rhyperior also has access to Metal Burst, but the boosted Special Defense generally doesn't help Rhyperior deal with threats that the tank set can't take hits from. Protect and Roar are alternative options for the tank set, but Ice Punch and Toxic are more useful in most situations. Weakness Policy sounds like a great idea in theory thanks to Solid Rock and Rhyperior's high raw physical bulk, but its low Speed makes for inconsistent results for such a strategy.

Checks and Counters
==========

**Bulky Water- and Grass-types**: Slowking, Alomomola, defensive Venusaur, and Blastoise can all take on Rhyperior due to hitting it with 4x super effective STAB moves and not being weak to either of Rhyperior's STAB moves. However, all of them have to be more careful around the Choice Band variant due to its high-powered STAB moves. Slowking in particular must be careful due to the threat of being met with a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn on the switch. It's worth noting that Venusaur and Blastoise outspeed max Speed Rhyperior, thus allowing them to immediately retaliate before taking another hit.

**Bronzong**: Bronzong is the only common Pokemon in RU that can deal with Rhyperior's STAB moves without being weak to any common coverage move. It can set up Stealth Rock, slowly wear down Rhyperior with Toxic, and chip away at it further with Earthquake or Gyro Ball. However, it is 2HKOed by Choice Band-boosted Megahorn.

**Virizion**: Although it fears Ice Punch and Choice Band-boosted Megahorn, Virizion can switch into Rhyperior's STAB moves and threaten it with STAB Leaf Blade or Giga Drain.

**Flygon**: Flygon is immune to Earthquake and resists Rock-type moves, and it can use Defog to get rid of Stealth Rock. However, it must scout for Ice Punch before staying in to Defog. It can also deal notable damage to Rhyperior with Choice Band-boosted Earthquakes.

**Faster Pokemon**: Rhyperior has low Speed and a subpar defensive typing, so most faster Pokemon that can exploit its weaknesses can force it out. Magneton, Medicham, offensive Venusaur, Hitmonlee, and even defensive Pokemon like Blastoise and Speed invested Jellicent can easily force out Rhyperior with their STAB moves, although almost none of them can actually switch in safely due to their frailty or the incredible power of the Choice Band set.
 
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