Tauros [QC 2/2, GP 2/2]

Amaranth

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UPL Champion
[OVERVIEW]

Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in RBY OU, and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slam and Hyper Beam, coupled with the coverage to hit the few Pokemon that resist Normal and its high Speed, make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam but now have to face the threat of being 2HKOed by Blizzard or being OHKOed on a critical hit. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct one-on-one situation. Additionally, it can finish off a weakened Rhydon or Golem with greater accuracy than Blizzard. Earthquake also gives Tauros a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which elimates the need to predict a switch with Body Slam or Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast; while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a one-on-one matchup with opposing Tauros.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep it as healthy as possible throughout the game while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are asleep, on a predicted switch, or on a recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros. Quite frequently, Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have appropriately been crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros sweep. This means you should capitalize on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep while trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauros are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last-resort mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, while Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% flinch chance, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back with some luck. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 Base Power can be used to safely snipe out KOs that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon faints from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because it is usually faster and strong enough to KO the foe before they can strike back. Paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame, and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having Exeggutor in the back will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in on Tauros throughout the game; however, Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chance of paralysis. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten it with Thunder Wave, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster takes Body Slams better and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than both Cloyster and Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that are guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave on the recharge turn. It does not mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, it can somewhat reliably trade one for one if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost and threaten with Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis's miss chance and Earthquake's critical chance, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch in. Gengar is also the best check to Tauros without Earthquake.

**Jolteon and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full one-on-one against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention, as they can outspeed and revenge kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Amaranth, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[JockeMS, 53214], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
 
Last edited:
Articuno definitely deserves a shoutout alongside Cloy and Lap. While Lap will occasionally 2HKO bull with Blizz, it usually won't. Arti's Blizz scores a guaranteed 2HKO (assuming hits), which is over a 15% chance to OHKO factoring crit rate and accuracy. Meanwhile, it takes very similar damage to Lap from bull's Normal attacks and even has an EQ immunity to switch in on. The Fire Blast weakness is a bit of a bummer, but it still has the overall edge there. It wasn't that long ago that Arti was OU, and while it's less common at the moment, it's still one of the best answers to standard bull in the game.

Other than that, this looks very solid. Great work, man. Throw in Arti and you can call this 1/2~
 

Amaranth

is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
UPL Champion
Articuno definitely deserves a shoutout alongside Cloy and Lap. While Lap will occasionally 2HKO bull with Blizz, it usually won't. Arti's Blizz scores a guaranteed 2HKO (assuming hits), which is over a 15% chance to OHKO factoring crit rate and accuracy. Meanwhile, it takes very similar damage to Lap from bull's Normal attacks and even has an EQ immunity to switch in on. The Fire Blast weakness is a bit of a bummer, but it still has the overall edge there. It wasn't that long ago that Arti was OU, and while it's less common at the moment, it's still one of the best answers to standard bull in the game.

Other than that, this looks very solid. Great work, man. Throw in Arti and you can call this 1/2~
Articuno is maybe the most common it's ever been lol, it was OU by formality rather than actual merits. I haven't listed it in checks and counters because (1) it's not a good pokemon and (2) it doesn't love switching into tauros (bslam x2 -> hyperbeam is 90.5 - 116.9 over three hits, with the obvious crit or para chances thrown in as well). Yes it beasts the 1v1 but it's not super viable and it's not a switch in in the first place.

I'll throw him in because powerful blizzard etc. but it should not be presented as a reliable counter, the main reason for Cloy/Lap being good Tauros answers is their bulk and cuno doesn't have that
 
**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore it cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having an alive Exeggutor will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.
I'd say Sleep Powder or Stun Spore.

Re: EQ on Tauros
I would mention that it often can be used as a midground play. For example when you are not sure if the opponent will keep their Rhydon in or switch to a weakened Lapras/Starmie etc. so you don't need to play the Blizzard/Body Slam mindgame necessarily.

Excellent overall.
 

Amaranth

is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
UPL Champion
I'd say Sleep Powder or Stun Spore.

Re: EQ on Tauros
I would mention that it often can be used as a midground play. For example when you are not sure if the opponent will keep their Rhydon in or switch to a weakened Lapras/Starmie etc. so you don't need to play the Blizzard/Body Slam mindgame necessarily.

Excellent overall.
Implemented, GP ready
 
176469
good read :blobthumbsup:
176470


AMGP
add / fix remove (comments)
[OVERVIEW]
Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in all of RBY OU and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slams and Hyper Beams, (AC) coupled with the coverage to hit the few things Pokemon that can resist them Normal and high Speed, (AC) undoubtedly make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, while also sporting which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam combination makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full HP health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam, but instead generally would have to run from face the threat of a being 2HKOed by Blizzard 2HKO, or an being OHKOed on a critical hit; this move also provides the Tauros player with a desperation button that can occasionally bring nearly lost games back thanks to the freeze chance. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, albeit although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct 1v1. Additionally, it can finish off low-health a weakened Rhydons and or Golems with greater accuracy than Blizzard, and it also allows Tauros to have a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which removes the need to play mind(add space)games between Body Slam and Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast: while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a direct 1v1s with another the opposing Tauros, as a burned Tauros is obviously much less threatening than a healthy one.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep him as safe from danger healthy as possible throughout the game, while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are sleeping asleep, or on a predicted switch, (AC) or recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros (i don't understand how the opponent recovering would put them in ko range). Quite frequently, (AC) Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have been appropriately been statused crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros clean ups in both directions sweep. This means you should capitalize capitalizing on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep for yourself (RC) while watching out for trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauroses are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last resort mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% chance to flinch, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back if they happen to be flinched. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 BP can be used to safely snipe out kills that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon dies from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because he is usually faster and strong enough to KO things the foe before they can strike back; paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame, and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore it cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having an alive Exeggutor will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in reliably switching in on Tauros throughout the game, although Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chances of paralysis or and critical hits. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten to Thunder Wave it, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster has to settle for a 3HKO but takes Body Slams better than Lapras, and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than either both Cloyster or Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that is guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave in the recharge turn. It does not terribly mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, (AC) it can somewhat reliably trade 1 for 1 if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost (RC) and then threaten a Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis' (add apostrophe) miss chances and Earthquake's critical chances, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep the bull it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch-in. Gengar is also the best OU-viable check to Earthquake-less Tauros.

**Jolteon (RC) and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full 1-on-1 against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention as they can outspeed and revenge(remove hyphen)kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Idiot Ninja, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
 

Amaranth

is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
UPL Champion
View attachment 176469good read :blobthumbsup:View attachment 176470

AMGP
add / fix remove (comments)
[OVERVIEW]
Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in all of RBY OU and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slams and Hyper Beams, (AC) coupled with the coverage to hit the few things Pokemon that can resist them Normal and high Speed, (AC) undoubtedly make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, while also sporting which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam combination makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full HP health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam, but instead generally would have to run from face the threat of a being 2HKOed by Blizzard 2HKO, or an being OHKOed on a critical hit; this move also provides the Tauros player with a desperation button that can occasionally bring nearly lost games back thanks to the freeze chance. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, albeit although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct 1v1. Additionally, it can finish off low-health a weakened Rhydons and or Golems with greater accuracy than Blizzard, and it also allows Tauros to have a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which removes the need to play mind(add space)games between Body Slam and Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast: while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a direct 1v1s with another the opposing Tauros, as a burned Tauros is obviously much less threatening than a healthy one.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep him as safe from danger healthy as possible throughout the game, while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are sleeping asleep, or on a predicted switch, (AC) or recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros (i don't understand how the opponent recovering would put them in ko range). Quite frequently, (AC) Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have been appropriately been statused crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros clean ups in both directions sweep. This means you should capitalize capitalizing on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep for yourself (RC) while watching out for trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauroses are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last resort mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% chance to flinch, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back if they happen to be flinched. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 BP can be used to safely snipe out kills that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon dies from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because he is usually faster and strong enough to KO things the foe before they can strike back; paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame, and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore it cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having an alive Exeggutor will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in reliably switching in on Tauros throughout the game, although Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chances of paralysis or and critical hits. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten to Thunder Wave it, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster has to settle for a 3HKO but takes Body Slams better than Lapras, and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than either both Cloyster or Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that is guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave in the recharge turn. It does not terribly mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, (AC) it can somewhat reliably trade 1 for 1 if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost (RC) and then threaten a Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis' (add apostrophe) miss chances and Earthquake's critical chances, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep the bull it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch-in. Gengar is also the best OU-viable check to Earthquake-less Tauros.

**Jolteon (RC) and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full 1-on-1 against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention as they can outspeed and revenge(remove hyphen)kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Idiot Ninja, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
Thanks, implemented while we wait on a big bad GP team member to give an official okay :blobthumbsup:

(The opponent recovering keeps them in KO range on various occasions because Tauros's HB deals a million damage, most importantly it deals 81.4% min to Alakazam so if a low health Zam is recovering you can predict that and send Tauros in - Alakazam has to respect the HB and switch out)
 

JockeMS

formerly SuperJOCKE
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[OVERVIEW]

Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in RBY OU and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slam and Hyper Beam, coupled with the coverage to hit the few Pokemon that resist Normal and high Speed, make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam, but instead would have to face the threat of being 2HKOed by Blizzard, or being OHKOed on a critical hit; this move also provides the Tauros player with a desperation button that can occasionally bring nearly lost games back thanks to the freeze chance. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct 1v1. Additionally, it can finish off a weakened Rhydon or Golem with greater accuracy than Blizzard.[add], and it Earthquake also allows gives Tauros to have a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types on the switch, which removes the need to play mind games between Body Slam and Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast;[add]:[remove] while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a direct 1v1 with the opposing Tauros, as a burned Tauros is obviously much less threatening than a healthy one.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep him it as healthy as possible throughout the game, while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are asleep, on a predicted switch, or a recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros. Quite frequently, Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have appropriately been crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros sweep. This means you should capitalize on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep while trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauros are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last resort mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% chance to flinch, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back if they happen to be flinched. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 BP can be used to safely snipe out kills that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon dies from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because he is usually faster and strong enough to KO the foe before they can strike back.[add];[remove] paralysis Paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame,[remove] and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having an alive Exeggutor in the back will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in on Tauros throughout the game;[add],[remove] although Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chance of paralysis and critical hits. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten to it with Thunder Wave it, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster has to settle for a 3HKO but takes Body Slams better than Lapras, and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than both Cloyster or and Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that is guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave in on the recharge turn. It does not mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, it can somewhat reliably trade 1 for 1 if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost and threaten a with Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis's miss chance and Earthquake's critical chance, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch-in switch in. Gengar is also the best OU-viable check to Earthquake-less Tauros without Earthquake.

**Jolteon and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full 1-on-1 against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention as they can outspeed and revenge[space]kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Idiot Ninja, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

GP 1/2
 

Amaranth

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[OVERVIEW]

Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in RBY OU and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slam and Hyper Beam, coupled with the coverage to hit the few Pokemon that resist Normal and high Speed, make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam, but instead would have to face the threat of being 2HKOed by Blizzard, or being OHKOed on a critical hit; this move also provides the Tauros player with a desperation button that can occasionally bring nearly lost games back thanks to the freeze chance. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct 1v1. Additionally, it can finish off a weakened Rhydon or Golem with greater accuracy than Blizzard.[add], and it Earthquake also allows gives Tauros to have a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types on the switch, which removes the need to play mind games between Body Slam and Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast;[add]:[remove] while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a direct 1v1 with the opposing Tauros, as a burned Tauros is obviously much less threatening than a healthy one.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep him it as healthy as possible throughout the game, while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are asleep, on a predicted switch, or a recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros. Quite frequently, Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have appropriately been crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros sweep. This means you should capitalize on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep while trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauros are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last resort mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% chance to flinch, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back if they happen to be flinched. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 BP can be used to safely snipe out kills that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon dies from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because he is usually faster and strong enough to KO the foe before they can strike back.[add];[remove] paralysis Paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame,[remove] and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having an alive Exeggutor in the back will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in on Tauros throughout the game;[add],[remove] although Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chance of paralysis and critical hits. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten to it with Thunder Wave it, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster has to settle for a 3HKO but takes Body Slams better than Lapras, and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than both Cloyster or and Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that is guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave in on the recharge turn. It does not mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, it can somewhat reliably trade 1 for 1 if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost and threaten a with Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis's miss chance and Earthquake's critical chance, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch-in switch in. Gengar is also the best OU-viable check to Earthquake-less Tauros without Earthquake.

**Jolteon and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full 1-on-1 against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention as they can outspeed and revenge[space]kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Idiot Ninja, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

GP 1/2
Implemented everything other than the "on the switch" part when talking about Earthquake to hit Chansey and rocks, because it is incorrect. You use Earthquake in the 1v1s just fine pretty often.
 

JockeMS

formerly SuperJOCKE
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Implemented everything other than the "on the switch" part when talking about Earthquake to hit Chansey and rocks, because it is incorrect. You use Earthquake in the 1v1s just fine pretty often.
It's the switches you're talking about when you're bringing up mind games, no? Otherwise that sentence should probably be removed completely because you already cover that it's a safer move against them before that.
 

Amaranth

is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
UPL Champion
It's the switches you're talking about when you're bringing up mind games, no? Otherwise that sentence should probably be removed completely because you already cover that it's a safer move against them before that.
Mind games where the rock types are the ones on the field also happen. Say that your opponent has a rock-type and a Chansey, and one of them is on the field against your Tauros, you can choose to try the prediction of Body Slam or Blizzard respectively or you can safely click EQ which hits both of your opponent's options regardless of whether they switch or not. It's a middle ground play, if you were trying to hit Rhydon on the switch you would go for Blizzard directly, and if you were trying to hit Chansey (or even Starmie) you would go for Body Slam directly, EQ is the option you click when you don't need the maximum upside and you don't want to risk the downside of getting it wrong with other moves.

Hopefully that clears up what I meant; if you feel like the analysis still needs rewording by all means suggest further changes
 

JockeMS

formerly SuperJOCKE
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Mind games where the rock types are the ones on the field also happen. Say that your opponent has a rock-type and a Chansey, and one of them is on the field against your Tauros, you can choose to try the prediction of Body Slam or Blizzard respectively or you can safely click EQ which hits both of your opponent's options regardless of whether they switch or not. It's a middle ground play, if you were trying to hit Rhydon on the switch you would go for Blizzard directly, and if you were trying to hit Chansey (or even Starmie) you would go for Body Slam directly, EQ is the option you click when you don't need the maximum upside and you don't want to risk the downside of getting it wrong with other moves.

Hopefully that clears up what I meant; if you feel like the analysis still needs rewording by all means suggest further changes
That's exactly what I'm talking about and what my change refers to.

EDIT: Let's do this. "Earthquake also gives Tauros a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which elimates the need to predict a switch with Body Slam or Blizzard in certain situations." Add that instead.
 
Last edited:

Amaranth

is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
UPL Champion
That's exactly what I'm talking about and what my change refers to.

EDIT: Let's do this. "Earthquake also gives Tauros a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which elimates the need to predict a switch with Body Slam or Blizzard in certain situations." Add that instead.
Implemented, cheers
 

Lumari

empty spaces
is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris an Administrator Alumnus
TFP Leader
remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in RBY OU, (AC) and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slam and Hyper Beam, coupled with the coverage to hit the few Pokemon that resist Normal and its high Speed, make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam (RC) but instead would now have to face the threat of being 2HKOed by Blizzard (RC) or being OHKOed on a critical hit. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct 1v1 one-on-one situation. Additionally, it can finish off a weakened Rhydon or Golem with greater accuracy than Blizzard. Earthquake also gives Tauros a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which elimates the need to predict a switch with Body Slam or Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast; while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a direct 1v1 one-on-one matchup with opposing Tauros.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep it as healthy as possible throughout the game (RC) while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are asleep, on a predicted switch, or on a recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros. Quite frequently, Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have appropriately been crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros sweep. This means you should capitalize on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep while trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauros are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last-resort (AH) mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, while Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% flinch chance to flinch, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back if they happen to be flinched with some luck. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 Base Power can be used to safely snipe out kills KOs that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon dies faints from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because he it is usually faster and strong enough to KO the foe before they can strike back. Paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame, (AC) and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having Exeggutor in the back will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in on Tauros throughout the game; although however, Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chance of paralysis. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten it with Thunder Wave, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster takes Body Slams better and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than both Cloyster and Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that is are guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave on the recharge turn. It does not mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, it can somewhat reliably trade one for one if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost and threaten with Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis's miss chance and Earthquake's critical chance, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch in. Gengar is also the best check to Tauros without Earthquake.

**Jolteon and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full 1-on-1 one-on-one against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention, (AC) as they can outspeed and revenge kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Idiot Ninja, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[JockeMS, 53214], [, ]]
 

Amaranth

is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
UPL Champion
remove add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Tauros is the most iconic Pokemon in RBY OU, (AC) and its presence has been shaping the tier for as long as it has existed. Its powerful Body Slam and Hyper Beam, coupled with the coverage to hit the few Pokemon that resist Normal and its high Speed, make Tauros undoubtedly the strongest offensive threat in the tier, which is further enhanced by its decent bulk. It is an automatic inclusion in a vast majority of RBY teams.

[SET]
name: The Bull
move 1: Body Slam
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Blizzard
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Blast

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Tauros's combination of Body Slam and Hyper Beam makes it an incredibly difficult threat to switch into, as a majority of Pokemon only need to receive minimal chip damage before being unable to tank a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, and some are KOed by this sequence even from full health. Body Slam's paralysis chance on some of the most common Tauros switch-ins such as Starmie and Exeggutor is yet another addition to Tauros's already threatening arsenal. Blizzard is Tauros's best attack to threaten Rhydon and Golem, the two OU-viable Rock-types that would otherwise be able to switch in on its Body Slam (RC) but instead would now have to face the threat of being 2HKOed by Blizzard (RC) or being OHKOed on a critical hit. Earthquake is the preferred move in the last slot, as it gives Tauros a tool to hit Gengar, which otherwise walls it, as well as a way to play around Counter Chansey, although Tauros still risks taking a Thunder Wave in a direct 1v1 one-on-one situation. Additionally, it can finish off a weakened Rhydon or Golem with greater accuracy than Blizzard. Earthquake also gives Tauros a safe move to hit both Chansey and Rock-types, which elimates the need to predict a switch with Body Slam or Blizzard in certain situations. However, given the generally low usage of Gengar and Counter Chansey, it is reasonable to cut Earthquake in favor of Fire Blast; while this move does not hit any targets for extra damage, it does carry a 30% burn chance that can give Tauros an upper hand in a direct 1v1 one-on-one matchup with opposing Tauros.

Tauros is such a potent tool to break the opposition down that it is generally preferred to keep it as healthy as possible throughout the game (RC) while also trying to get it on the field as often as possible; this is a tricky balance to achieve that often sets apart new players from experienced ones. Great opportunities to switch it in can be found against Pokemon that are asleep, on a predicted switch, or on a recovery move that will leave the opponent's active Pokemon in KO range for Tauros. Quite frequently, Tauros will be able to clean up teams that have appropriately been crippled with status or weakened beforehand thanks to its extremely strong Hyper Beam; this is one of the most common win conditions in RBY, and as such, your game plan should generally account for the possibility of an end-game Tauros sweep. This means you should capitalize on opportunities to set up a Tauros sweep while trying to reduce your opponent's chances to do the same thing. The biggest obstacle in these plans is often the fact that both Tauros are kept as healthy as possible and always able to try a last-resort (AH) mirror, even when the rest of the team has fallen apart; this is one of the many reasons for keeping your own Tauros safe.

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

Thunderbolt and Thunder can be used to damage Cloyster, which, despite being relatively uncommon, is one of the sturdiest Tauros switch-ins available. Thunder manages to 2HKO it but has to deal with much lower accuracy, while Thunderbolt misses out on that damage range but is generally far more reliable.

Stomp has a 30% flinch chance to flinch, and while definitely unreliable, it can be used to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range with no damage traded back if they happen to be flinched with some luck. This is an especially appealing option if the enemy Pokemon is already paralyzed, which further increases the chances of it not managing to attack.

Double-Edge's 100 Base Power can be used to safely snipe out kills KOs that Body Slam cannot reach while not having to rely on Hyper Beam; the recoil is a generally unpleasant side effect, but it can be used to your advantage, as whenever a Pokemon dies faints from recoil the turn ends immediately. This mechanic can occasionally be used to damage an opponent and prevent them from healing back up.

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

**Status**: Tauros's below average bulk is difficult to exploit because he it is usually faster and strong enough to KO the foe before they can strike back. Paralysis and sleep are both very common in the RBY metagame, (AC) and they can shut down this element of Tauros's gameplay, making it much easier to deal with.

**Exeggutor**: While Exeggutor lacks recovery, and therefore cannot repeatedly switch in on Tauros, simply having Exeggutor in the back will often dissuade Tauros players from clicking Hyper Beam, as Exeggutor could switch in, tank the Hyper Beam, and land a Sleep Powder or a Stun Spore on Tauros during the recharge turn, effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the game.

**Starmie**: Starmie is the only Pokemon with access to Recover that can survive a Body Slam followed by a Hyper Beam, which makes it an obvious candidate for a reliable switch-in on Tauros throughout the game; although however, Body Slam can ruin its day with decent frequency due to the chance of paralysis. Regardless, Starmie outspeeds Tauros and can even threaten it with Thunder Wave, which makes a healthy Starmie one of the best Tauros answers available.

**Cloyster and Lapras**: These Pokemon possess great bulk and access to a powerful Blizzard that is generally enough to scare Tauros away. Lapras's Blizzard is stronger and has a chance to 2HKO, while Cloyster takes Body Slams better and more commonly runs Rest to heal the damage back up. As a side note, Articuno also possesses 2HKO potential via Blizzard, but it's significantly frailer and generally less viable than both Cloyster and Lapras.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro is part of the small list of Pokemon that is are guaranteed to survive Hyper Beam on a critical hit from full HP, making it an appealing option to switch in on a predicted Hyper Beam in order to guarantee landing a Thunder Wave on the recharge turn. It does not mind a Body Slam either, but it can be hard for it to use Rest and wake up unpunished.

**Snorlax**: Tauros's much slower and bulkier counterpart is a good asset when trying to answer an opposing Tauros, as its natural bulk will often at least guarantee that some damage gets traded back, and if it carries Self-Destruct, it can somewhat reliably trade one for one if your opponent chooses to leave Tauros on the field.

**Gengar**: Although mauled by Earthquake, Gengar can switch in on Normal-type attacks from Tauros at no cost and threaten with Hypnosis. Although the exchange is somewhat likely to end very poorly, between Hypnosis's miss chance and Earthquake's critical chance, the Tauros user is generally expected to keep it away from danger if possible, which means Gengar can somewhat reliably be used to prevent Tauros from making any progress as long as it doesn't get hit with an Earthquake on a predicted switch in. Gengar is also the best check to Tauros without Earthquake.

**Jolteon and Alakazam**: Although they definitely do not want to pick a full 1-on-1 one-on-one against Tauros or ever switch in on it, Alakazam and Jolteon deserve a mention, (AC) as they can outspeed and revenge kill a weakened Tauros, which is a fairly rare quality.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Idiot Ninja, 265630]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jellicent, 108993], [FriendOfMrGolem120, 424525]]
- Grammar checked by: [[JockeMS, 53214], [, ]]
Implemented.

Oglemi Jellicent Ready for site upload
 

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