[OVERVIEW]
Terrakion's amazing STAB combination and huge Attack stat make it one of the most overtly threatening offensive forces in UU. It also sits at a good Speed tier, allowing it to outrun Pokemon like Victini and Salamence and threaten both offensive and defensive builds. Swords Dance sets allow Terrakion to both sweep offensive teams late-game and break past defensive cores, though Choice Band is also a great option for its ability pose a more immediate threat as a wallbreaker. It also has the coverage necessary to handle its various checks, with Megahorn powering through Slowking and Tangrowth and Earthquake smacking Nidoqueen and Doublade. Despite its offensive potency, however, Terrakion's typing does leave it with several weaknesses, which can complicate its ability to reliably come into play while also leaving it open to the tier's many priority users, like Conkeldurr, Scizor, and Azumarill. Terrakion's Speed tier also opens it up to a few prevalent faster threats, such as Alakazam, Zeraora, and Choice Scarf Krookodile. Lastly, Terrakion can struggle to fit all the additional coverage it'd like on sets, allowing some Pokemon, like Tangrowth and Doublade, to situationally check it.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Megahorn
item: Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set aims to utilize Terrakion's menacing STAB moves to break past bulky teams and potentially sweep late-game with Swords Dance. Megahorn hits Tangrowth, one of Terrakion's most common checks, for an OHKO. It's also more reliable against Slowking than Stone Edge, offering slightly better accuracy and always OHKOing it after a boost. Earthquake is an option that powers through Doublade and Nidoqueen, which both resist Terrakion's STAB moves, though the latter can be worn down into range of a boosted Close Combat. If opting for Earthquake, Terrakion has to rely more on its STAB moves to handle Tangrowth and Slowking, which can both survive hits if healthy enough. Rock Polish can be also used in the fourth slot, allowing Terrakion to outrun Lycanroc-D, Zeraora, and Choice Scarf users like Jirachi. Unfortunately, this doesn't patch up its weakness to priority users and comes at the cost of strong coverage. Life Orb is important for putting more power behind Terrakion's attacks, allowing it to muscle past defensive Pokemon like Amoonguss and Quagsire.
This set has the capacity to function as a strong wallbreaker due to its ability to power through bulkier Pokemon after setup, but due to Terrakion's good Speed tier, it also has merit as a powerful late-game sweeper after faster Pokemon have been removed. Earlier on in a game, Terrakion should focus mainly on attacking in order to whittle the opposing team down, as it can easily be revenge killed after setup if faster Pokemon like Alakazam or priority users like Scizor are still healthy. Due to Terrakion's poor defensive typing, it's supported well by pivots capable of safely bringing it in, like Scizor, Zeraora, and Rotom-H. Zeraora is particularly helpful for utilizing Knock Off to whittle down some of Terrakion's checks it lures in, like Tangrowth and Palossand, while using its Speed tier to pressure Pokemon faster than Terrakion, such as Alakazam and Lycanroc-D. Entry hazard support allows Terrakion to muscle past teams more effectively, making setters like Nidoqueen, Krookodile, and Spikes Mew solid teammates. Revenge killers are also often important teammates in order to threaten Pokemon that can outrun and KO Terrakion, like Zygarde-10% and Thundurus. The aforementioned Zeraora, priority users like Scizor and Crawdaunt, and Choice Scarf users like Victini and Zeraora can all accomplish this. Good defensive Pokemon can make solid partners on bulky offense teams, allowing Terrakion to compensate for its middling defensive utility. Celesteela is a solid option for Terrakion to fall back on if it loses momentum to Pokemon like Alakazam or Scizor. Tangrowth is also a decent teammate, pivoting in on Zeraora and Aqua Jet users like Crawdaunt and Azumarill. Slowking is a particularly useful teammate, safely bringing Terrakion into play with Teleport and offering Future Sight, which can make Terrakion even harder to switch into.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Megahorn smacks Tangrowth and Slowking, which otherwise could act as scouts for the move Terrakion locks into thanks to their good bulk and Regenerator. It's also Terrakion's best source of damage against miscellaneous Psychic-types such as Reuniclus and Necrozma. Earthquake offers great coverage against certain Pokemon that resist Terrakion's STAB attacks, such as Nidoqueen and Doublade. It can also more reliably power through various Pokemon, including Galarian Slowbro, Jirachi, and Tentacruel. Toxic is a decent middle-ground option in the fourth slot for crippling some of Terrakion's switch-ins, such as Slowking, Tangrowth, and the rare Palossand. However, it is very easy to exploit once Terrakion locks into it, and Terrakion would prefer attacking anyway. Rock Slide is another option in the fourth slot for its better accuracy than Stone Edge, allowing Terrakion to more reliably offensively pressure Pokemon like Thundurus-T and Gyarados with its Rock-type STAB. However, this is a very situational niche, which leaves more consistent options as better bets. Quick Attack is a priority attack Terrakion can run to pick off weakened foes like Alakazam and Zeraora. However, it is very weak, requiring immense chip damage to revenge kill faster threats and being easy to punish after Terrakion locks into it.
This set takes advantage of Terrakion's excellent STAB combination to function as an early- or mid-game wallbreaker, which allows it to fit well on offensive teams. Some balance teams also appreciate Terrakion's ability to offer solid offensive pressure when paired with more passive Pokemon. Sweepers like Bisharp and Gyarados appreciate Terrakion's ability to punch holes in opposing teams, enabling them to clean up in the late-game more easily. On balanced teams, defensive Pokemon that can handle Terrakion's offensive checks often make good partners. Celesteela is a good example, checking Alakazam and Choice Scarf Jirachi, though Grass-types like Amoonguss and Tangrowth are also worthwhile for being able to handle the likes of Azumarill, Zeraora, and Keldeo. Entry hazard support is a good way to support Terrakion, further weakening opposing teams. Nidoqueen can set Stealth Rock while pivoting in on Zeraora, a Pokemon that can outspeed and pressure Terrakion. Skarmory is a solid Spikes setter that can also check a few Pokemon that Terrakion struggles to handle on its own, such as Azumarill and Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu. Pivoting support is also helpful for granting Terrakion easier opportunities to come into play, making Victini, Jirachi, and Rotom-W solid teammates. Slowking with Teleport works well on balanced builds due to its ability to offer Future Sight, which severely limits Terrakion's switch-ins and eases its prediction, as well as switch into Pokemon like Keldeo and Choice Scarf Jirachi.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive Stealth Rock set with Life Orb and either Megahorn or Swords Dance in the fourth slot has merit thanks to Terrakion's ability to set entry hazards as it forces switches. Protect can be used in the fourth slot of the Swords Dance set, allowing Terrakion to scout for choice-locked attacks from Pokemon like Scizor, Krookodile, and Jirachi. Rock Blast can be used on the Choice Band set as an additional Rock-type STAB attack, offering better accuracy and the ability to bypass Substitute or Focus Sash users like Gyarados and Polteageist Choice Scarf is an option for revenge killing Pokemon like Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados, though it significantly worsens Terrakion's damage output. Terrakion can run a Swords Dance + Substitute set with Salac Berry in order to boost its Speed, making it even harder to revenge kill. Substitute also allows it more opportunities to either set up or fire off an attack. However, this notably restricts its coverage and still doesn't patch up its weakness to priority attacks too reliably.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to Terrakion's many weaknesses, most faster Pokemon can threaten to revenge kill it with super effective attacks, especially after Close Combat has lowered its defenses. Lycanroc-D, Alakazam, and Close Combat Zeraora can all majorly damage Terrakion. Choice Scarf users like Jirachi and Krookodile can also outrun it and smack it with super effective STAB attacks.
**Priority Attacks**: Terrakion's typing leaves it weak to several strong priority users in the tier. Azumarill and Crawdaunt's Aqua Jet, Scizor's Bullet Punch, and Conkeldurr's Mach Punch can all threaten to revenge kill it after slight chip damage or lowered defenses from Close Combat.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: With their typings and defensive tools, various physically defensive Pokemon can check Terrakion. Doublade is immune to Close Combat and easily tanks Stone Edge, though a boosted Earthquake can power through it. Skarmory can tank a hit from either set at least once, chip Terrakion with Rocky Helmet, and threaten to hit it with Body Press, phaze it with Whirlwind, or poison it with Toxic. Tangrowth can stomach any hit from the Choice Band set or unboosted Terrakion, chipping it with Rocky Helmet and potentially threatening it with Giga Drain or Sleep Powder. It does fear a boosted Megahorn, however.
**Palossand**: Palossand is an effective, albeit uncommon, counter to any Terrakion set due to its typing, bulk, and access to reliable recovery allowing it to consistently pivot in on its STAB moves. It really only has to watch out for Toxic and can threaten Terrakion with STAB Earth Power.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [Juno, 444224], [Twilight, 344575]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
Terrakion's amazing STAB combination and huge Attack stat make it one of the most overtly threatening offensive forces in UU. It also sits at a good Speed tier, allowing it to outrun Pokemon like Victini and Salamence and threaten both offensive and defensive builds. Swords Dance sets allow Terrakion to both sweep offensive teams late-game and break past defensive cores, though Choice Band is also a great option for its ability pose a more immediate threat as a wallbreaker. It also has the coverage necessary to handle its various checks, with Megahorn powering through Slowking and Tangrowth and Earthquake smacking Nidoqueen and Doublade. Despite its offensive potency, however, Terrakion's typing does leave it with several weaknesses, which can complicate its ability to reliably come into play while also leaving it open to the tier's many priority users, like Conkeldurr, Scizor, and Azumarill. Terrakion's Speed tier also opens it up to a few prevalent faster threats, such as Alakazam, Zeraora, and Choice Scarf Krookodile. Lastly, Terrakion can struggle to fit all the additional coverage it'd like on sets, allowing some Pokemon, like Tangrowth and Doublade, to situationally check it.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Megahorn
item: Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This set aims to utilize Terrakion's menacing STAB moves to break past bulky teams and potentially sweep late-game with Swords Dance. Megahorn hits Tangrowth, one of Terrakion's most common checks, for an OHKO. It's also more reliable against Slowking than Stone Edge, offering slightly better accuracy and always OHKOing it after a boost. Earthquake is an option that powers through Doublade and Nidoqueen, which both resist Terrakion's STAB moves, though the latter can be worn down into range of a boosted Close Combat. If opting for Earthquake, Terrakion has to rely more on its STAB moves to handle Tangrowth and Slowking, which can both survive hits if healthy enough. Rock Polish can be also used in the fourth slot, allowing Terrakion to outrun Lycanroc-D, Zeraora, and Choice Scarf users like Jirachi. Unfortunately, this doesn't patch up its weakness to priority users and comes at the cost of strong coverage. Life Orb is important for putting more power behind Terrakion's attacks, allowing it to muscle past defensive Pokemon like Amoonguss and Quagsire.
This set has the capacity to function as a strong wallbreaker due to its ability to power through bulkier Pokemon after setup, but due to Terrakion's good Speed tier, it also has merit as a powerful late-game sweeper after faster Pokemon have been removed. Earlier on in a game, Terrakion should focus mainly on attacking in order to whittle the opposing team down, as it can easily be revenge killed after setup if faster Pokemon like Alakazam or priority users like Scizor are still healthy. Due to Terrakion's poor defensive typing, it's supported well by pivots capable of safely bringing it in, like Scizor, Zeraora, and Rotom-H. Zeraora is particularly helpful for utilizing Knock Off to whittle down some of Terrakion's checks it lures in, like Tangrowth and Palossand, while using its Speed tier to pressure Pokemon faster than Terrakion, such as Alakazam and Lycanroc-D. Entry hazard support allows Terrakion to muscle past teams more effectively, making setters like Nidoqueen, Krookodile, and Spikes Mew solid teammates. Revenge killers are also often important teammates in order to threaten Pokemon that can outrun and KO Terrakion, like Zygarde-10% and Thundurus. The aforementioned Zeraora, priority users like Scizor and Crawdaunt, and Choice Scarf users like Victini and Zeraora can all accomplish this. Good defensive Pokemon can make solid partners on bulky offense teams, allowing Terrakion to compensate for its middling defensive utility. Celesteela is a solid option for Terrakion to fall back on if it loses momentum to Pokemon like Alakazam or Scizor. Tangrowth is also a decent teammate, pivoting in on Zeraora and Aqua Jet users like Crawdaunt and Azumarill. Slowking is a particularly useful teammate, safely bringing Terrakion into play with Teleport and offering Future Sight, which can make Terrakion even harder to switch into.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Megahorn smacks Tangrowth and Slowking, which otherwise could act as scouts for the move Terrakion locks into thanks to their good bulk and Regenerator. It's also Terrakion's best source of damage against miscellaneous Psychic-types such as Reuniclus and Necrozma. Earthquake offers great coverage against certain Pokemon that resist Terrakion's STAB attacks, such as Nidoqueen and Doublade. It can also more reliably power through various Pokemon, including Galarian Slowbro, Jirachi, and Tentacruel. Toxic is a decent middle-ground option in the fourth slot for crippling some of Terrakion's switch-ins, such as Slowking, Tangrowth, and the rare Palossand. However, it is very easy to exploit once Terrakion locks into it, and Terrakion would prefer attacking anyway. Rock Slide is another option in the fourth slot for its better accuracy than Stone Edge, allowing Terrakion to more reliably offensively pressure Pokemon like Thundurus-T and Gyarados with its Rock-type STAB. However, this is a very situational niche, which leaves more consistent options as better bets. Quick Attack is a priority attack Terrakion can run to pick off weakened foes like Alakazam and Zeraora. However, it is very weak, requiring immense chip damage to revenge kill faster threats and being easy to punish after Terrakion locks into it.
This set takes advantage of Terrakion's excellent STAB combination to function as an early- or mid-game wallbreaker, which allows it to fit well on offensive teams. Some balance teams also appreciate Terrakion's ability to offer solid offensive pressure when paired with more passive Pokemon. Sweepers like Bisharp and Gyarados appreciate Terrakion's ability to punch holes in opposing teams, enabling them to clean up in the late-game more easily. On balanced teams, defensive Pokemon that can handle Terrakion's offensive checks often make good partners. Celesteela is a good example, checking Alakazam and Choice Scarf Jirachi, though Grass-types like Amoonguss and Tangrowth are also worthwhile for being able to handle the likes of Azumarill, Zeraora, and Keldeo. Entry hazard support is a good way to support Terrakion, further weakening opposing teams. Nidoqueen can set Stealth Rock while pivoting in on Zeraora, a Pokemon that can outspeed and pressure Terrakion. Skarmory is a solid Spikes setter that can also check a few Pokemon that Terrakion struggles to handle on its own, such as Azumarill and Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu. Pivoting support is also helpful for granting Terrakion easier opportunities to come into play, making Victini, Jirachi, and Rotom-W solid teammates. Slowking with Teleport works well on balanced builds due to its ability to offer Future Sight, which severely limits Terrakion's switch-ins and eases its prediction, as well as switch into Pokemon like Keldeo and Choice Scarf Jirachi.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive Stealth Rock set with Life Orb and either Megahorn or Swords Dance in the fourth slot has merit thanks to Terrakion's ability to set entry hazards as it forces switches. Protect can be used in the fourth slot of the Swords Dance set, allowing Terrakion to scout for choice-locked attacks from Pokemon like Scizor, Krookodile, and Jirachi. Rock Blast can be used on the Choice Band set as an additional Rock-type STAB attack, offering better accuracy and the ability to bypass Substitute or Focus Sash users like Gyarados and Polteageist Choice Scarf is an option for revenge killing Pokemon like Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados, though it significantly worsens Terrakion's damage output. Terrakion can run a Swords Dance + Substitute set with Salac Berry in order to boost its Speed, making it even harder to revenge kill. Substitute also allows it more opportunities to either set up or fire off an attack. However, this notably restricts its coverage and still doesn't patch up its weakness to priority attacks too reliably.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to Terrakion's many weaknesses, most faster Pokemon can threaten to revenge kill it with super effective attacks, especially after Close Combat has lowered its defenses. Lycanroc-D, Alakazam, and Close Combat Zeraora can all majorly damage Terrakion. Choice Scarf users like Jirachi and Krookodile can also outrun it and smack it with super effective STAB attacks.
**Priority Attacks**: Terrakion's typing leaves it weak to several strong priority users in the tier. Azumarill and Crawdaunt's Aqua Jet, Scizor's Bullet Punch, and Conkeldurr's Mach Punch can all threaten to revenge kill it after slight chip damage or lowered defenses from Close Combat.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: With their typings and defensive tools, various physically defensive Pokemon can check Terrakion. Doublade is immune to Close Combat and easily tanks Stone Edge, though a boosted Earthquake can power through it. Skarmory can tank a hit from either set at least once, chip Terrakion with Rocky Helmet, and threaten to hit it with Body Press, phaze it with Whirlwind, or poison it with Toxic. Tangrowth can stomach any hit from the Choice Band set or unboosted Terrakion, chipping it with Rocky Helmet and potentially threatening it with Giga Drain or Sleep Powder. It does fear a boosted Megahorn, however.
**Palossand**: Palossand is an effective, albeit uncommon, counter to any Terrakion set due to its typing, bulk, and access to reliable recovery allowing it to consistently pivot in on its STAB moves. It really only has to watch out for Toxic and can threaten Terrakion with STAB Earth Power.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [Juno, 444224], [Twilight, 344575]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
Last edited:
