We're the abandoned kids, we escape this life through over-counter prescriptions, and under-counted addictions.
QC: p2 / AM / TDK
GP: Lemonade. / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Terrakion is one of OU's most fearsome and underrated wallbreakers, and at a quick glance, it isn't difficult to see why. With a respectable Attack stat and extremely high-powered STAB attacks that have phenomenal coverage, Terrakion is an absolute nightmare to switch into. Furthermore, its ability, Justified, makes opponents fear using Dark-type moves multiple times, as Terrakion is able to get a free Attack boost off of these resisted attacks. As a result, Terrakion is a decent check to Weavile, Tyranitar, and Bisharp for offensive teams. Its Speed tier is just enough to revenge kill base 100s, especially the likes of Manaphy, Charizard, Jirachi, and Mega Gardevoir.
However, while Terrakion is a menace offensively, its typing and mediocre bulk leave it wanting more in terms of defensive prowess. Being weak to common offensive attacking types, such as Ground, Fairy, Fighting, Water, and Steel, means switching Terrakion in is difficult, even on certain Knock Off users. On top of this, Close Combat's defense drops make it even easier to revenge kill with priority from the likes of Azumarill, Scizor, and Talonflame. Choice Scarf Terrakion lacks the raw firepower to break past the likes of Clefable, Hippowdon, Slowbro, and Landorus-T, while other more powerful sets are easily revenge killed due to their Speed. Nevertheless, even with its downsides, Terrakion proves itself as one of the most devastating wallbreakers in the tier and is a strong choice for most offensive teams.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Substitute / Rock Polish
item: Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance is Terrakion's main setup move, boosting its Attack to sky-high levels. This allows Terrakion to blow through general checks, especially the likes of Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Garchomp. Close Combat is an extremely high-powered STAB move that tears apart Pokemon that do not resist it. Stone Edge provides fantastic neutral coverage with Close Combat, nailing Flying-types, such as Tornadus-T and Talonflame, if they attempt to switch in. Substitute prevents status from the likes of Mega Sableye, Thundurus, and Klefki, which can give Terrakion an opportunity to sweep. On the other hand, Rock Polish boosts Terrakion's Speed to astronomical levels, allowing it to easily outpace the entire unboosted metagame. Stealth Rock is another possibility, used to wear down Pokemon as they switch in, and Terrakion can set it up on a predicted switch. Quick Attack is a final option that gives Terrakion some form of priority and picks off faster, weakened targets. However, it is extremely weak, even at +2.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Terrakion's Attack and Speed stats with a Jolly nature lets it hit as hard as possible and outpace base 100 Speed Pokemon, such as Charizard, Manaphy, and Gardevoir, while Speed tying with Keldeo and other Terrakion. An Adamant nature can be used over Jolly, allowing Terrakion at +2 to OHKO Hippowdon, Calm Mind Manaphy, defensive Garchomp, Slowbro, and Gliscor. Sadly, missing out on outspeeding opposing base 100 Speed Pokemon, which often run maximum Speed and a positive nature, is a huge thorn in Terrakion's side, leaving Jolly as the preferred nature for the majority of the time. Life Orb is the best item for Terrakion, sacrificing a small amount of HP each turn while providing a significant increase to attacking prowess. Justified is Terrakion's only ability, and it is useful when Terrakion is hit by a Dark-type move.
Usage Tips
========
Instead of setting up with Swords Dance turn one, Terrakion's best play early-game is to use Close Combat or Stone Edge. This whittles down defensive walls very quickly, allowing Terrakion to muscle through them with Swords Dance-boosted attacks later. Against offensive teams, boosting Attack isn't as important as blowing through frailer Pokemon with its dual STAB combination, as most of such teams will have a solid way to defeat Terrakion due to its questionable Speed. When using Close Combat, be wary of the defense drops that come along with it. Lowering Terrakion's mediocre defenses even further makes it extremely vulnerable to priority from the likes of Azumarill, Scizor, and Talonflame and to revenge killers, such as Latios, Mega Manectric, Mega Metagross, and most Choice Scarf users. Terrakion is best switched in through a slow U-turn or Volt Switch from a teammate, as predicting wrong is very costly.
Team Options
========
Terrakion has very limited switch-ins, and the majority of them, particularly the likes of Celebi and Slowbro, are heavily pressured by various Dark-type Pokemon, such as Weavile and Bisharp. Latios and Latias appreciate Terrakion's ability to check Tyranitar and Bisharp, and, in return, the duo is able to defeat most bulky Ground- and Water-types that threaten Terrakion. Grass-types, such as Serperior, Mega Venusaur, and Celebi, pressure Ground- and Water-types with their respective STAB attacks. Celebi, in particular, is able to bait Pursuit from the likes of Tyranitar and Bisharp and evade it with Baton Pass, allowing Terrakion to get a free Attack boost. Fairy-types, such as Mega Altaria, Clefable, and Mega Gardevoir, are capable of defeating Mega Sableye with ease, and they can also break down physical walls such as Garchomp and Hippowdon. Magnezone traps Mega Scizor and Skarmory, the former being difficult for certain offensive teams to properly handle, allowing Terrakion to bust through the opposing team once they are eliminated.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Rock Slide / Toxic
move 4: Iron Head
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is Terrakion's most devastating move and, even without a boosting item, tears through weakened Pokemon that don't resist it. However, it comes with the cost of lowering Terrakion's defenses after its use. Stone Edge provides phenomenal coverage with Close Combat, targeting Flying-, Ghost-, and Psychic types, especially the likes of Talonflame, Latios, Mega Charizard Y, Tornadus-T, and Mega Sableye. Rock Slide provides Terrakion with a more accurate way of finishing off weakened targets and does not have the nasty side effect of lowering its defenses. However, the power drop between this and Terrakion's other options is quite noticeable. On the other hand, Toxic cripples bulky walls, such as Hippowdon, Slowbro, Garchomp, and Landorus-T, as they switch in to handle an attack. Iron Head gives Terrakion a way to deal heavy damage to Fairy-types, doing decent damage to Clefable, OHKOing Mega Diancie, and OHKOing Mega Gardevoir after Stealth Rock damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment allows Terrakion to deal as much damage as possible. A Choice Scarf lets Terrakion outspeed the unboosted metagame and revenge kill Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Mega Lopunny, and +1 Mega Charizard X, and maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature allows it to stay in its crucial Speed tier if it happens to lose its Choice Scarf to Knock Off. Justified is Terrakion's only ability and gives Terrakion an attack boost if it is hit by a Dark-type move.
Usage Tips
========
When using Terrakion late-game to clean up, make sure you don't overestimate its firepower. While its moves have high Base Power, sometimes even such power isn't enough to KO a target. Make sure everything is weakened to a degree that Terrakion can break past it. Terrakion serves as a fantastic revenge killer to certain Choice Scarf Pokemon, such as Tyranitar and Jirachi, as well as most Dragon Dance users. This includes Dragonite, a weakened Mega Altaria, and Mega Charizard X. Terrakion's already mediocre defenses are lowered even further by Close Combat's drops, so if the opponent has a powerful priority user such as Scizor or Azumarill, be wary of mindlessly clicking it. Although Terrakion has access to Justified, switching directly in to Knock Off is generally an unfavorable play; due to the nature of offensive teams, Terrakion desperately wants to keep its Choice Scarf to be able to outspeed otherwise faster Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Grass-types, such as Serperior, Mega Venusaur, and Celebi, break down the likes of Hippowdon, Azumarill, Quagsire, and Suicune, which are all decent checks to Terrakion. Latios and Latias provide Defog support, and Healing Wish support in the latter's case, and check Water-, Fighting-, and Ground-types for Terrakion. In return, Terrakion handily defeats Bisharp and Tyranitar. Water-types, such as Manaphy, Azumarill, and Starmie, handle Ground-types that Choice Scarf Terrakion might not have the power to break through before they are weakened. Fairy-types, such as Clefable, Sylveon, and Mega Gardevoir, hit physical walls hard with their respective STAB attacks and easily defeat one of Terrakion's most prominent counters, Mega Sableye. Dark-types such as Bisharp, Weavile, and Hoopa-U pressure defensive walls, such as Garchomp and Hippowdon, early on, so that Terrakion has an easier time defeating them. Hoopa-U in particular, with its massive wallbreaking potential, breaks down sturdier walls, such as Clefable and Mega Venusaur, and appreciates Choice Scarf Terrakion's ability to outspeed and OHKO Tornadus-T. Magnezone traps Mega Scizor and Skarmory, as Terrakion lacks the power to defeat them if they are near full health.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Rock Slide / Iron Head
move 4: Quick Attack
item: Choice Band
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is Terrakion's most powerful STAB attack, and it heavily damages even Pokemon that resist it and plows through offensive checks. Stone Edge targets the likes of Azumarill, Tornadus-T, Talonflame, Landorus-T, and Mega Sableye if they attempt to switch in. Rock Slide provides Terrakion with a more accurate Rock-type STAB attack that is better when you're finishing off a weakened target; however, the power difference compared to Stone Edge is extremely noticeable, and it fails to KO certain targets that Stone Edge would. Iron Head lets Terrakion heavily pressure the likes of Clefable without having to rely on the shaky accuracy of Stone Edge. Quick Attack gives Terrakion some form of priority, allowing it to revenge kill a heavily weakened Charizard X or Mega Lopunny. However, even with a Choice Band, the move is extremely weak, and it should only be used when the target is guaranteed to be KOed by it. Earthquake is another option, targeting the likes of Jirachi, Metagross, and Klefki, damaging them a bit more than Close Combat and also not lowering Terrakion's defenses. Unfortunately, Earthquake is a terrible move to be Choice locked into, as Flying-types and Pokemon with the ability Levitate are immune to it, and it is fairly weak against bulkier walls.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in its Attack stat provides Terrakion with as much physical prowess as possible, and maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature allows it to outpace base 100 Speed Pokemon and Speed tie with Keldeo. When it has a Choice Band equipped, Terrakion's Attack stat soars to sky-high levels, and it is able to blow past a large portion of the meta. Justified is Terrakion's only ability and is sometimes situational, but it allows Terrakion to get an Attack boost off a Dark-type move.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Terrakion in during the early game, if possible. Thanks to its insane power with a Choice Band, Terrakion is able to heavily weaken most foes, giving teammates an easier time to sweep later on. Unless Terrakion has a guaranteed KO on the opposing Pokemon, try not to leave it on the field after a use of Close Combat, as its defenses become pathetic afterwards. Terrakion is best switched in after a teammate's slow U-turn or Volt Switch, as its mediocre typing prevents it from switching directly into hard-hitting attacks.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that appreciate Choice Band Terrakion's natural wallbreaking potential, such as Swords Dance Talonflame, Weavile, Mega Scizor, and Mega Lopunny, make good teammates. The last forms a fantastic Fighting-spam core and together they break down each other's checks and counters. Latias and Latios are able to safely switch into Fighting-, Water-, and Ground-type attacks targeted at Terrakion, and Terrakion is able to get a Justified Attack boost from Dark-type attacks aimed at the duo. Grass-types, such as Serperior, Mega Venusaur, and Celebi, are able to defeat the likes of Azumarill, Hippowdon, Slowbro, Suicune, and Landorus-T. Electric-types such as Mega Manectric, Rotom-W, Thundurus, and Raikou handle Water-types that are able to stomach Terrakion's attacks. Dark-types, such as Bisharp and Weavile, defeat Slowbro and Celebi and pressure Hippowdon and Gliscor. Fairy-types, such as Mega Altaria, Clefable, and Mega Gardevoir, maul physical walls and Mega Sableye, allowing Terrakion to go wild late game with Close Combat. Magnezone traps and KOes Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn, which can all handle a Terrakion locked into the wrong move. Hazard setters such as Klefki, which can provide speed control with Thunder Wave, Tyranitar, which gives Terrakion a Special Defense boost but shares awful typing synergy with it; and Landorus-T, which help Terrakion achieve OHKOs or 2HKOs it could not normally get.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Terrakion's movepool is quite shallow, so it struggles to find moves to use outside of its standard sets. Hidden Power Ice targets defensive Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Gliscor, also preventing Terrakion from taking recoil damage from the former; however, it has very limited uses outside of hitting these targets and, for the most part, you're better off using one of Terrakion's STAB attacks to handle them. A set with a Focus Sash and Stealth Rock can be used to make Terrakion a decent suicide lead.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Priority**: Priority from the likes of Azumarill, Breloom, Scizor, and Talonflame can cut Terrakion's sweep short, as Terrakion lacks the bulk to take these hits efficiently and has no priority of its own outside of the weak Quick Attack.
**Revenge Killers**: Since Terrakion is in a middling Speed tier, teams with hard-hitting Pokemon such as Alakazam, Latios, Mega Lopunny, Mega Metagross, Mega Diancie, and Serperior can all defeat a weakened Terrakion without a Rock Polish boost. Most Choice Scarf Pokemon have no issue defeating a weakened Terrakion either.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Although shakier checks against a Terrakion with a Swords Dance boost, most physically defensive Pokemon, such as Hippowdon, Landorus-T, and bulky Garchomp, are able to defeat Terrakion in a one-on-one situation; however, both Landorus-T and Garchomp are heavily pressured by Hidden Power Ice variants.
**Mega Medicham**: Mega Medicham is one of the best offensive checks to Terrakion, as it is not 2HKOed by any of Terrakion's moves and can OHKO back with its STAB attacks.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye is immune to Terrakion's Close Combat, can reflect Stealth Rock, and can avoid the 2HKO from non-Adamant Life Orb Stone Edge. Mega Sableye also hard counters Choice Scarf variants and can burn Terrakion or set up against it.
**Slowbro and Mega Slowbro**: Mega Slowbro fears nothing from Terrakion and can easily OHKO with Scald or Psyshock after any prior damage. Slowbro takes on any Terrakion set, with the exception of Adamant Swords Dance, and can recover any damage by switching out thanks to Regenerator.
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