Tauros (Tradebacks OU) [QC 1/2] [GP 0/2]

Plague von Karma

Banned deucer.
[OVERVIEW]

Tauros stampedes into Tradebacks OU with some nifty new tricks, gaining new moves like Headbutt and Surf to lay devastation upon Kanto. It's still your usual rampaging bull, though, acting as the tier's central revenge killer and late-game cleaner. In a game with limited recovery like RBY, these roles are indispensable, and that's what's kept Tauros as the undisputed King of Gen 1 for over 20 years. Tauros is super fast, even outspeeding Pokemon like Zapdos, and this gives it a formidable 21.48% critical hit rate. This, coupled with a respectable Attack just shy of Snorlax's, means that when positioned well, Tauros can quickly claw back a win from the darkest of positions.

However, to do that, it can't get paralyzed. No ifs, no buts. Tauros is one of many Pokemon that are effectively OHKOed when paralyzed, and this means using Tauros means keeping it on the field as much as possible while remaining completely healthy. Ergo, once Tauros has KOed something, it'll usually be switching back to a Pokemon that can absorb the incoming status move. Regardless, this is a small price to pay for a clean, fast end to numerous end-game scenarios. The saying "Where there's a Tauros, there's a way" has been repeated for a reason, and it has yet to be disproven. Tauros should be on a majority of your competitive Tradebacks OU squads and defines the way offensive play functions.

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

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

Seem familiar? Yep, Tauros should generally be using its classic set in Tradebacks OU. Nothing wants to take a Body Slam from the big bad bull, as a Hyper Beam is sure to follow for a quick and easy KO for a myriad of Pokemon. Notable Hyper Beam KO ranges include 47% on Tauros, 62.8% on Chansey, 40.1% on Snorlax, 55.4% on Starmie, and 46.7% on Zapdos. Most Hyper Beam KO ranges should be memorized to be successful with Tauros, as many Pokemon seek to heal or otherwise stay out of it. Maintain awareness of when a Pokemon is in "Tauros range" and identify when you can gain momentum or otherwise secure an end-game. Earthquake crucially allows Tauros to 2HKO Gengar, a Pokemon far stronger in Tradebacks than in regular RBY OU thanks to gaining Ice Punch. It's also effective for playing around Counter, of which Chansey is a common user, as it can only trigger against Normal- and Fighting-type attacks. Blizzard lets Tauros 2HKO Rhydon and deals significant damage to Pokemon like Exeggutor and Dragonite. However, if Cloyster is a concern, Thunderbolt can be used instead, which 3HKOes it.

Wielding Tauros consists of keeping it on the field as much as possible while taking—and this cannot be stressed enough—no damage or status at all. While the opponent has their own Tauros, your own must be completely healthy to have the best shot at winning the inevitable Tauros mirror match. This consists of two Body Slams followed by a Speed tie with Hyper Beam, switching out, or predicting the opposing Tauros switching out with Body Slam, depending on how much the opponent values their Tauros at that point in the game. Because Tauros has to be kept healthy until the opposing Tauros has been removed, bringing it onto the field prior has to be done in a way that leaves it unscathed. Situations for this involve smart double switching, bringing it in on a sleeping Pokemon, and using it after an Explosion or your Pokemon has been KOed. Thereafter, if the opposing Pokemon is in Hyper Beam range, Tauros can wreak havoc, forcing a 50/50 situation between firing off the Hyper Beam for a KO, or using Body Slam to punish a switch-in. Tauros generally shouldn't be switched into attacks, but minor situations do exist, such as a predicted Body Slam from a weakened Rhydon, which usually won't bring it into range for a single Body Slam + Hyper Beam from opposing Tauros. These are exceptions, not the rule, so you shouldn't actively look for them. Tauros can sometimes afford to take at least one hit stronger than the Tauros mirror match HP threshold, but if it does, it'll need a critical hit Body Slam to win after taking one from an opposing healthy Tauros, and you need a very good reason to attempt it. Hyper Beam can miss, but the odds are certainly not in the bull's favor. In tighter situations where your Tauros can only afford to play one Speed tie, a hail mary critical hit Hyper Beam has the best odds.

Once the opposing Tauros has been accounted for, you can be far more liberal with your own, but note that it's likely taken a lot of damage and will thus be more easily checked and revenge killed. Tauros is surprisingly bulky, so even at around 50%, it can still notably take a Snorlax Body Slam, and it'll happily do so if it means Hyper Beam will KO thereafter. It should still avoid paralysis where possible, as a Tauros sweep is by far one of the easiest ways to close out an RBY game, and a big part of that is because of its Speed. Teams featuring Tauros—that being most, if not all of them—should actively try to bring Pokemon into Hyper Beam range and keep them there until the time comes for Tauros to put them away. Only then can a trainer truly see the fearsome power of the face of the chromatic generation.

For the vast majority of teams, Tauros is mandatory. However, this doesn't mean its playstyle is static: Depending on the team composition, using Tauros as a mid-game wallbreaker is valid. For instance, teams featuring a "second Tauros" like Persian, or rarely Kangaskhan or Dodrio, may use Tauros more aggressively with the aim of finishing games quickly. Teams featuring the Legendary Birds may also use it earlier to get a more favorable sweep later on. However, the rule of avoiding paralysis and most forms of damage still remain true: this simply means Tauros can afford to trade blows without being concerned about the Tauros mirror match, instead placing the burden on its partner to keep the opponent off their own.

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

The classic Tauros set tends to have Earthquake be the move to replace, as Body Slam, Hyper Beam, and Blizzard are valued far more. However, with Gengar being far stronger in Tradebacks OU thanks to Ice Punch being present, it's also valid to replace Blizzard instead; this way, Tauros doesn't lose its single out against it, while not being terrible against Rhydon. As this implies, however, you shouldn't customize Tauros without a very good reason to do so.

Tradebacks give a handy upgrade for Stomp Tauros fans, with Headbutt's base 70 power making it far more rewarding. If a team has tons of paralysis to spread, it's perfectly valid to use Headbutt to try and be more liberal with your Tauros usage. Surf gives Tauros a much better Rhydon matchup, OHKOing it and being more accurate. However, Blizzard tends to be better, as it also hits Exeggutor and lets Tauros try to freeze opposing Tauros in the mirror match in tight situations.

Fire Blast has niche utility for burning opposing Tauros in the mirror match, but the accuracy is very off-putting. In fact, it doesn't actually win the mirror match more often; these odds have been calculated, and it overall loses by a very small margin. With this in mind, it should be used on teams that actively want the opposing Tauros incapacitated for long-term benefits, such as improved routes for Recover with Starmie. Thunder can be used over Thunderbolt to 2HKO Cloyster instead of 3HKO it, but its accuracy is terrible, making the benefits dubious given the importance of a healthy Tauros. Tail Whip or Leer can be used on predicted switch-ins for added pain and to reapply the Speed drop from paralysis later, but this hasn't seen much competitive success.

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

**Paralysis**: If paralyzed, not only does Tauros fail the mirror match, but it also can't contest nearly as many Pokemon. It can stomach a hit or two, but doing so before it can fire anything off will expose how finite it really is. Tauros must be faster than the opposing Pokemon. Thus, Pokemon like Alakazam, Starmie, Jolteon, Zapdos, Slowbro, Stun Spore Exeggutor variants, and more are all mortal threats to Tauros's sweep, and switching to a paralysis absorber like Chansey is recommended in response. Other statuses like sleep, burn, and freezing are also things Tauros should generally avoid, but the prevalence of paralysis cannot be overstated.

**Faster Pokemon**: If a Pokemon is faster, Tauros can't KO them before it's hit, which has significant long-term drawbacks and leaves it vulnerable to being revenge killed. Outside of paralysis inducers like Alakazam, Jolteon, and Starmie, Persian can perform this feat and even threaten Tauros with Hypnosis.

**Slowbro**: Slowbro can switch into a Body Slam from full HP and threaten Tauros with Thunder Wave without even blinking, which is a feat few Pokemon can accomplish. Thereafter, it can quickly take control of a game with Amnesia boosts if it isn't defused quickly.

**Cloyster**: Cloyster can take any move the classic Tauros set can throw at it and respond with a powerful Blizzard or Explosion. However, it is 3HKOed by Thunderbolt and vulnerable to critical hits.

**Snorlax**: Snorlax takes Tauros's Body Slam very well, and Reflect sets are particularly brutal if critical hits aren't landing. In return, Snorlax can respond with hefty Body Slams, or even Self-Destruct to avoid a Tauros mirror match completely. It should be noted that Snorlax gets Lovely Kiss in Tradebacks OU, so it can also threaten Tauros with sleep in exchange for a chunk of HP if push comes to shove.

**Gengar**: Gengar throws a spanner in the works for Tauros's progress-making, as it can pivot around Body Slam and Hyper Beam using its Normal immunity. If Tauros lacks Earthquake, it can't deal with Gengar at all, and if it does, it still needs to 2HKO it, while Gengar can threaten with sleep.

**Legendary Birds**: The legendary birds—Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres—have just enough bulk to take on Tauros one-on-one, threatening with their massively powerful attacks. Zapdos is of particular note for having Thunder Wave access, permanently incapacitating Tauros even if it loses.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[May, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[Torchic, 43049], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
 
Last edited:

Plague von Karma

Banned deucer.
I tacked on the QC, but also added a paragraph about team compositions where the typical "rules" for Tauros can be broken. Because Persian is most certainly OU in Tradebacks, it seems appropriate to at least discuss this divergence in playstyles.
 

phoopes

I did it again
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
May isn't around anymore, so moving this to Lock/Outdated Analyses. Feel free to reserve this one! Thread has been updated to reflect this.
 

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