UU The good Thundurus [QC: 3/3] [GP 2/2]

[OVERVIEW]

Thundurus is a decent pivot and wallbreaker in the UU tier thanks to its higher Speed than a lot of common threats such as Keldeo and Terrakion, its respectable offensive stats, and its wide array of coverage options. Having both U-turn and Volt Switch further bolsters Thundurus as an offensive pivot, with the former allowing it to always generate momentum against Electric-immune Pokemon such as Zeraora and Rhyperior. Knock Off allows Thundurus to run mixed sets to cripple checks like Seismitoad and Chansey, with Defiant making it even more difficult to switch into. However, Thundurus is rather frail and so struggles to find many opportunities to switch in safely. It is also prone to being picked off by common priority users such as Lycanroc-D, Mamoswine, and Bisharp. Even after a Nasty Plot boost, Thundurus struggles to muscle past specially defensive walls like Chansey, which gives it stiff competition from its stronger Therian forme. As an Electric-type pivot, Thundurus faces a lot of competition from Zeraora, whose better Speed tier makes it a more effective revenge killer and able to run an Adamant nature to match Thundurus's power; however, Thundurus has a much better matchup against the tier's Grass-types.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Psychic / Sludge Wave
move 4: U-turn / Volt Switch
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Knock Off lets Thundurus cripple common switch-ins like Rotom-H and Chansey. Psychic gives coverage for Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Nihilego while consistently hitting Terrakion super effectively. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOes Tapu Bulu and helps Thundurus break Tangrowth more easily. However, Knock Off can cripple Tangrowth by removing its Assault Vest, making it significantly easier for Thundurus to overwhelm anyways. U-turn helps wear down switch-ins like Seismitoad and Krookodile, the latter's Intimidate giving Thundurus a Defiant boost to punish it further; however, U-turn can be punished by common Rocky Helmet users like Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Volt Switch can be used, as it chips Salamence and Terrakion better; however, potentially giving Zeraora Volt Absorb recovery or losing momentum to Ground-types generally makes it a worse option. Running Focus Blast over Knock Off lets Thundurus hit Krookodile and Terrakion harder and break through Kyurem and Rhyperior more easily; however, Knock Off has great utility and the former two can easily be worn down by U-turn or Psychic. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item because Stealth Rock stops Thundurus from having as many chances to come in as possible to wallbreak and pivot.

Thundurus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its fantastic Speed tier forcing many switches to bring its partners in safely through pivoting. Thundurus provides a lot of utility with Knock Off, removing items like Eviolite and Assault Vest from Chansey and Tangrowth. Other special attackers like Primarina and Nasty Plot Alakazam appreciate these foes being easier to break through. Pivots like Scizor and Victini pair well with Thundurus because its frailty prevents it from taking even resisted hits well. They can also pressure Grass-types like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu for Thundurus if it lacks Sludge Wave. Victini in particular can bring Thundurus in against Water-types like Suicune and Slowking, giving it ample opportunities to wallbreak. Conkeldurr and Mamoswine appreciate being brought in safely against foes like Chansey, Tapu Bulu, and Rhyperior. Skarmory can provide Spikes support to wear down Ground- and Grass-types like Seismitoad and Amoonguss. The Spikes support also gives Thundurus more opportunities to gain a Defiant boost by pressuring the opponent to use Defog. Skarmory can also help check common priority users that revenge kill Thundurus such as Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, Azumarill, and Diggersby. Thundurus is only outsped by a few Pokemon, but one of them is Zeraora, so partners like Rhyperior and Nidoqueen are useful to help check it as well as provide entry hazard support to wear down Thundurus's checks. Nidoqueen also forms a nice offensive core with Thundurus, pressuring Grass-types for it.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Nasty Plot Thundurus should primarily be used as a wallbreaker early- and mid-game; however, it can also be used as a late-game cleaner, with its Speed tier providing a phenomenal matchup against offensive teams. Psychic OHKOes Amoonguss, Kommo-o, and Nidoqueen after a Nasty Plot boost. Focus Blast helps Thundurus break through Chansey, Krookodile, and Kyurem while providing a powerful neutral hit against targets such as Tangrowth and Rotom-H. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOes Tapu Bulu and helps Thundurus break past Tangrowth more easily; however, +2 Psychic does a lot to Tapu Bulu, and Tangrowth struggles to take boosted Focus Blast. Defiant lets Thundurus bluff the mixed set before it reveals Nasty Plot.

This set fits on both bulky and hyper offense; however, the latter playstyle does a better job at supporting Thundurus with opportunities to set up safely. Mew and Krookodile can provide entry hazard support to bring foes like Tapu Bulu, Tangrowth, and Chansey into KO range of Thundurus's attacks. Thundurus appreciates having other wallbreakers like Terrakion and Kommo-o to weaken foes such as Tangrowth, Chansey, and Tapu Bulu so it can clean more easily late-game. VoltTurn partners like Victini, Zarude, and Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely, as its poor bulk limits how often it can pivot into foes. Victini can help pressure Grass-types, while Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely against Water-types like Slowking and Tentacruel. Late-game sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and the aforementioned Scizor appreciate Thundurus punching holes through teams. Azumarill in particular appreciates Thundurus removing many faster Water-resistant Pokemon like Tapu Bulu and Kommo-o. Alakazam can remove items like Assault Vest from Tangrowth and Eviolite from Chansey with Knock Off, allowing Thundurus to break past them more easily.

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

Grass Knot is an option on both sets that lets Thundurus OHKO Quagsire, Rhyperior, and Seismitoad while retaining coverage for other Ground-types except Nidoqueen. Thunder Wave alongside Prankster can provide speed control for offensive teams, acting as an emergency stop to threats like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence. Using Defog with Prankster compresses entry hazard removal and guarantees Thundurus can always get entry hazards off the field in a last-ditch effort. Life Orb and Expert Belt can be run on either of Thundurus's sets, but it really doesn't appreciate being worn down by Stealth Rock, especially the pivot set. Superpower can be used on the mixed set alongside a Life Orb to let Thundurus lure in and break through Chansey while retaining coverage for Kyurem, Terrakion, and Krookodile. Thunder + Weather Ball is an option on rain teams, allowing Thundurus to break through every Ground-type except Gastrodon and Seismitoad.

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

**Grass-types**: Thundurus usually struggles to fit Sludge Wave on its sets, so it can't break past Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Thundurus's lackluster defensive stats leave it prone to being 2HKOed by Tapu Bulu's Horn Leech, which recovers any damage. However, Thundurus can consistently wear them down via U-turn or potentially break past them with a Nasty Plot boost.

**Revenge Killers and Priority Users**: Zeraora and Alakazam are faster than Thundurus and can revenge kill it after minimal chip damage. Mamoswine and Lycanroc-D have super effective priority to hit Thundurus with. Other strong priority users like Azumarill, Bisharp, and Diggersby can also pick off the frail Thundurus.

**Ground-types**: Gastrodon and Rhyperior are difficult walls for Thundurus to muscle through. Gastrodon can cripple Thundurus with Toxic, while Rhyperior just threatens to OHKO it. Mamoswine is an offensive check to Thundurus that can revenge kill it with Ice Shard.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [Estarossa, 461329], [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
 
Last edited:

Hilomilo

High-low My-low
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[OVERVIEW]

- Thundurus has a remarkable Speed tier allowing it to outpace a lot of common threats in the tier like Keldeo, Terrakion, and Latias.

- Thundurus's high offensive stats, really good movepool, and access to boosting moves like Nasty Plot make it a strong wallbreaker in the tier.

- Access to Defiant and utility moves in Knock Off allows Thundurus to run mixed sets well.

This is all good info but I think it should be reordered. If Thundurus's main use in the tier is as a fast mixed attacker, then its mixed attacking set should be mentioned first or at least before the NP line.

- Thundurus is rather frail so struggles to pivot into many things. It is also prone to being picked off by common priority users as a result, Lycanroc-D and Mamoswine being the most problematic of the bunch.

- Even after a Nasty Plot boost Thundurus can have some issues muscling past certain specially defensive walls like Chansey. Bring up Latias here considering NP can't really break it, though maybe find a different word than 'specially defensive wall' since Lati isn't one.

- It suffers from minor 4MSS where it can't fit all the coverage it needs to break through everything it wants to in the tier.

Maybe consider adding its ability to function as a pivot, especially with boots and its good Speed. Another point to bring up could be the considerable competition it faces from Zeraora and some other Electric-types.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Psychic / Sludge Wave
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: U-turn / Volt Switch
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Maybe switch Knock Off to move 2 and Psychic/Sludge Wave to move 3, both to better emphasize Knock's importance to the set but also to make it look prettier :P

[SET COMMENTS]

Paragraph 1
- Psychic gives you no talking in second person in analyses (also fix the other times you do this throughout the analysis before 1/3 plz) coverage to hit Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, Nihilego, and Toxtricity while retaining coverage to hit Terrakion super-effectively.
Maybe cut Toxt as an example here so that it's less wordy.

- Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOs Tapu Bulu and can help Thundurus break Tangrowth but you >:( miss out on a lot of other targets. Also Knock Off alone is enough to cripple Assault Vest Tangrowth making it significantly easier to overwhelm. This second sentence doesn't really read like an analysis should? I'd polish it a bit so it sounds better.

- Knock Off lets Thundurus cripple common switchins like Rotom-H, Latias, Chansey, etc. Again wording I don't think flies in analyses, regardless of what stage of writing you're in. Make it a more coherent and fleshed out sentence.

- U-turn chips Latias more and with Krookodile's Intimidate giving Thundurus a Defiant boost, Thundurus can wear down Krookodile quickly. Volt Switch can still be used as it chips Salamence and Terrakion more if they ever switch in to force it out if not in range. Bring up Volt Switch's inability to let Thundurus gain momentum on Ground-type switch-ins.

- Focus Blast is an option that lets you hit Krookodile and Terrakion harder but also lets Thundurus deal with Kyurem and Rhyperior more easily; however, the utility of Knock Off has to be forgone in order to fit this coverage.

- Defiant is preferred as Intimidate users like Krookodile can be taken advantage of. Defiant can also be used as a Defog deterrent preventing foes like Latias from being relatively safe switchins next turn.

- Boots is the preferred item because Thundurus can't afford to be worn down by entry hazards, as it wants as many chances to come in as possible to wallbreak and pivot.

Paragraph 2
- Thundurus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its fantastic Speed tier to force switches and bring their partners in safely.

- Thundurus can do a good job of removing key items from Pokemon. Nasty Plot Alakazam and Calm Mind Latias appreciate Eviolite and Assault Vest being removed off Chansey and Tangrowth respectively, in order to avoid any unnecessary damage.

- Defensive partners like Celesteela and Jirachi appreciate Thundurus being able to remove Life Orb from Latias making it much easier for them to check it defensively. Jirachi can also form a pivot core with Thundy, bring it in safely against Water-types like Slowking and Gyarados to find opportunities to wallbreak, and set up Stealth Rock.

- Other pivots like Scizor and Victini pair well with Thundurus because it's frailty prevents it from taking even resisted hits well. They can also pressure the Grass-types like Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu for Thundurus if it lacks Sludge Wave. Both also appreciate Thundurus applying a lot of pressure to Latias. May not hurt to emphasize Victini a bit more here since I think both mons can do a good job bringing in each others checks (provide examples) and stacking damage with pivot moves/knock.

- Wallbreakers that appreciate being brought in safely against foes like Chansey, Tapu Bulu, and Rhyperior pair well with Thundurus. Conkeldurr, Mamoswine, and Kommo-o are good partners for this reason. Kommo-o can also absorb Spore and Sleep Powder with Overcoat from Amoong don't keep nicknames for mons into the QC stage of writing and Tangrowth.

- Skarmory can provide Spikes support for Thundurus helping it to break past Ground- and Grass-types. It also gives Thundurus more opportunities to gain a Defiant boost due to your opponent being pressured to Defog. Skarmory can also help check common priority users such as Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, Azumarill, and Diggersby that threaten to revenge kill Thundy remove this and all other times you say 'Thundy' before giving this 1/3 please.

- Thundurus is only outsped by a few Pokemon but one of which is a top-tier threat being Zeraora. Rhyperior and Nidoqueen can pair well with Thundurus to help check this Pokemon + they provide entry hazard support. Nidoqueen forms a nice offensive core that can pressure Grass-types and likewise overwhelm Latias.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast / Sludge Wave not convinced Sludge Wave is worth a slash here? Maybe bring this up to QC
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Paragraph 1
- Psychic gives you coverage to hit Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, Nihilego, and Toxtricity while retaining coverage to hit Terrakion super-effectively. Is this the exact wording of the first Psychic line earlier? Plz switch it up a bit.

- Focus Blast helps Thundy break Chansey. It also gives it the coverage for Krookodile, Rhyperior, and Kyurem. Give this some more flow - right now it's a bit of a bare-bones sentence. Also could potentially add that it's a strong neutral hit on Tangrowth and Rotom-H.

- Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOs Tapu Bulu and can help Thundurus break Tangrowth.

- Defiant is the better ability to run on this set to bluff being mixed until you reveal Nasty Plot, as Prankster Nasty Plot is only relevant in fringe cases like Taunt Grimmsnarl and Azelf. This sentence could be a little more fleshed out. There are definitely better ways you can phrase 'fringe cases' for specificity.

Paragraph 2
- This set fits on both bulky and hyper offense; however, the latter does a better job at supporting it with more opportunities to set up safely.

- Mew and Krookodile can provide entry hazard support to bring foes like Bulu and Chansey into range of Thundurus's attacks.

- Thundurus appreciates other wallbreakers like Terrakion and Kommo-o to break through a teams defensive core before it has an opportunity to potentially sweep. These fighters can help remove the bulky Grass-types as well as Chansey.

- Grimmsnarl can provide dual screens support to give Thundurus more opportunities to set up a Nasty Plot safely. It also allows Thundurus to take an Ice Shard from Mamoswine and an Accelerock from Lycanroc-D more comfortably.

- Latias is extremely problematic for Thundurus because its best means of breaking it is Sludge Wave. Jirachi, Tapu Bulu, and Scizor can help check and remove Latias for it.

- Voltturn partners like Victini, Zarude, and Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely as it struggles to find many opportunities to come in with its poor bulk. Victini can pressure Grass-types. Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely against Slowking and Tentacruel to set up.

- Late-game sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and Cosmic Power Mew appreciate Thundurus being able to punch holes through teams. Azumarill in particular appreciates Thundurus removing many faster Water resists like Tapu Bulu and Kommo-o.

-Maybe some examples of Pokemon that can use knock off sprinkled in here? Could be really helpful for allowing Thundy an easier time breaking Chansey/AV Tang/etc.

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

- Thunder Wave + Prankster is an option to provide Speed control for offensive teams.

- Grass Knot is an option that lets Thundurus OHKO Quagsire and break through Gastrodon while retaining coverage for other Ground-types aside from Nidoqueen. If this doesn't get a mention on either set than I would 100% put it at the top of OO tbh.

- Dark Pulse can be considered on Nasty Plot sets so that Thundurus has coverage to hit Latias; however, it is useless in almost every other matchup.

- A physical Bulk Up set could be considered that lets Thundurus break specially defensive walls like Chansey and take full advantage of Defiant but Thundurus's physical movepool is rather limited. Is this really worth OO? Feels like it's pretty hard to justify in any case and BU Tornadus sounds better for STAB across anyway.

- Defog can be opted for with Prankster to compress removal and guarantee it can always get hazards off in a last-ditch effort.

- Superpower can be used on the mixed sets to let Thundurus lure a weakened Chansey; however, unless Chansey's Eviolite has been knocked off Superpower isn't doing much without Attack investment or a damage boosting item.

- Life Orb can be run on both Nasty Plot and mixed variants of Thundurus to increase its damage output but it really doesn't appreciate being worn down by Stealth Rock, especially the pivot set. Don't think Expert Belt is a bad idea to put here for the AoA set too? Up to you really. Either way I'd slot this in a lot higher in this section since Defog/Dark Pulse sound way more niche.

- Thunder + Weather Ball is an option on rain teams, which lets it break through every Ground-type except Gastrodon and Seismitoad.

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

**Grass-types**: Thundurus usually struggles to fit Sludge Wave on its sets unless absolutely necessary so it can struggle to break past Grass-types like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu. This could use a lot more substance. How can these Pokemon then punish Thundurus? Elaborate

**Revenge Killers and Priority Users**: Mamoswine and Lycanroc-D have super effective priority to hit Thundurus with. Other strong priority users like Azumarill and Diggersby maybe Bisharp is a more relevant example here can also pick off Thundurus with how frail it is. Zeraora and Alakazam are faster than Thundurus and can revenge kill it after minimal chip. I'd put this sentence first in this section.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Gastrodon and Rhyperior are difficult walls for Thundurus to muscle through. Gastrodon can cripple Thundy with Toxic while Rhyperior just threatens to OHKO it. Latias has the natural SpD bulk to wall Nasty Plot variants of Thundurus so without significant chip it can't KO it. No mention of Chansey anywhere? Consider bringing it up.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[username1, userid1]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2], [username3, userid3]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
Great work as always. Just be sure you proofread and polish this up (general flow, no longer writing in first person with words like 'you' or using nicknames for Pokemon) before the next check. 1/3
 

Estarossa

moo?
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C&C Leader
[OVERVIEW]

- Thundurus has a remarkable Speed tier allowing it to outpace a lot of common threats in the tier like Keldeo, Terrakion, and Latias. This Speed tier makes Thundurus a great pivot as it forces many switches.

- Access to Defiant and utility moves in Knock Off allows Thundurus to run mixed sets well. Could say a bit more about how Knock Off synergises rly nicely with the pivot sets in general; things like lati / gastro or toad / chansey etc that otherwise wall you really dislike actually taking knock.

- Thundurus's high offensive stats, really good movepool, and access to boosting moves like Nasty Plot make it a strong wallbreaker in the tier.

- Thundurus is rather frail so struggles to pivot into many things. It is also prone to being picked off by common priority users as a result, Lycanroc-D and Mamoswine being the most problematic of the bunch.

- Even after a Nasty Plot boost Thundurus can have some issues muscling past certain foes like Chansey . Thundurus also struggles to break through Latias as it struggles to fit the coverage to break past it. might want to specifically state something like unless you carry dark pulse you can barely 2hko it at +2 while it OHKOs u in return, just to really bring home how poor this mu actually is for NP.

- It suffers from minor 4MSS where it can't fit all the coverage it needs to break through everything it wants to in the tier.

- Thundurus faces competition from Zeraora as an Electric-type pivot who has a much greater Speed tier. maybe point out its positive latias matchup too as a fast pivot It also faces some competition from its Therian counterpart as that can break through defensive cores more easily with Nasty Plot sets. would explain why you'd want to run thundy-i here over thundy-t still though, pointing out that therian tends to struggle compared to thundy-i outside of certain playstyles like webs / screens because of being slower than stuff like keld and rak.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Psychic / Sludge Wave
move 4: U-turn / Volt Switch
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Paragraph 1

- Knock Off lets Thundurus cripple common switchins like Rotom-H and Chansey removing key items from them. It can also hit Latias hard enough to bring it into U-turn range.

- Psychic gives coverage to hit Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Nihilego while retaining coverage to hit Terrakion super-effectively.

- Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOs Tapu Bulu and can help Thundurus break Tangrowth more easily but it misses out on a lot of other targets. However, it is owrth noting that Knock Off can cripple Tangrowht is it owrth typing like this here by removing its Assault Vest, making it significantly easier for Thundurus to overwhelm it anyways with Thunderbolt and Psychic.

- U-turn chips Latias more and with Krookodile's Intimidate giving Thundurus a Defiant boost, Thundurus can wear down Krookodile quickly. Volt Switch can still be used as it chips Salamence and Terrakion more if they ever switch in to force it out if not in range. However, you lose out on the ability to pivot without the ramifications of giving Zeraora a potential Volt Absorb recovery or them switching into their Ground-type to block it. Maybe point out the downsides with helmet forcing u to try and be more activ with knokcing amoong/tang if ur running u-turn.

- Focus Blast is an option that lets you hit Krookodile and Terrakion harder but also lets Thundurus deal with Kyurem and Rhyperior more easily; however, the utility of Knock Off has to be forgone in order to fit this coverage. how worth is this for the former two unless you aren't running u-turn / psychic respectively? if u are then like risking that acccuracy is pepega. would probably like stress how the horrible accuraccy makes this like a last resort of thing if u rly struggle with those latter two mons imo.

- Defiant is preferred as Intimidate users like Krookodile can be taken advantage of. Defiant can also be used as a Defog deterrent preventing foes like Latias from being relatively safe switchins next turn.

- Boots is the preferred item because Thundurus can't afford to be worn down by entry hazards, as it wants as many chances to come in as possible to wallbreak and pivot.

Paragraph 2
- Thundurus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its fantastic Speed tier to force switches and bring their partners in safely.

- Thundurus can do a good job of removing key items from Pokemon. Nasty Plot Alakazam and Calm Mind Latias appreciate Eviolite and Assault Vest being removed off Chansey and Tangrowth respectively, in order to avoid any unnecessary damage.

- Defensive partners like Celesteela and Jirachi appreciate Thundurus being able to remove Life Orb from Latias making it much easier for them to check it defensively. Jirachi can also form a pivot core with Thundurus, bring it in safely against Water-types like Slowking and Gyarados to find opportunities to wallbreak, and set up Stealth Rock.

- Other pivots like Scizor and Victini pair well with Thundurus because it's frailty prevents it from taking even resisted hits well. I sort of get what you are saying here but it reads a little confusingly, might want to clarify it a bit better for the reader especially since it maeks it sound like ur using victini to switch into things instead for it They can also pressure the Grass-types like Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu for Thundurus if it lacks Sludge Wave. Both also appreciate Thundurus applying a lot of pressure to Latias. Victini in particular can bring Thundurus in against Water-types like Suicune and Slowking giving Thundurus ample opportunities to wallbreak. Could mention thundy knocking rotomh for sciz maybe too?

- Wallbreakers that appreciate being brought in safely against foes like Chansey, Tapu Bulu, and Rhyperior pair well with Thundurus. Conkeldurr, Mamoswine, and Kommo-o are good partners for this reason. Kommo-o can also absorb Spore and Sleep Powder with Overcoat from Amoonguss and Tangrowth.

- Skarmory can provide Spikes support for Thundurus helping it to break past Ground- and Grass-types. It also gives Thundurus more opportunities to gain a Defiant boost due to your opponent being pressured to Defog. Skarmory can also help check common priority users such as Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, Azumarill, and Diggersby that threaten to revenge kill Thundurus.

- Thundurus is only outsped by a few Pokemon but one of which is a top-tier threat being Zeraora. Rhyperior and Nidoqueen can pair well with Thundurus to help check this Pokemon + they provide entry hazard support. Nidoqueen forms a nice offensive core that can pressure Grass-types and likewise overwhelm Latias.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Paragraph 1
- Psychic gives you coverage to hit Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Toxtricity.

- Focus Blast helps Thundurus break Chansey. It also gives it super effective coverage for Krookodile, Rhyperior, and Kyurem. It provides a powerful neutral hit against Tangrowth and Rotom-H.

- Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOs Tapu Bulu and can help Thundurus break Tangrowth more easily; however, a +2 Psychic does a good amount to Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth struggles to take a boosted Focus Blast.

- Defiant is the better ability to run on this set to bluff being mixed until you reveal Nasty Plot, as Prankster Nasty Plot is only useful in small cases like Taunt Grimmsnarl and Azelf, otherwise, it is more or less useless.

Paragraph 2
- This set fits on both bulky and hyper offense; however, the latter does a better job at supporting it with more opportunities to set up safely.

- Mew and Krookodile can provide entry hazard support to bring foes like Tapu Bulu, Tangrowth, and Chansey into range of Thundurus's attacks.

- Thundurus appreciates other wallbreakers like Terrakion and Kommo-o to break through a teams defensive core before it has an opportunity to potentially sweep. These fighters can help remove the bulky Grass-types as well as Chansey.

- Grimmsnarl can provide dual screens support to give Thundurus more opportunities to set up a Nasty Plot safely. It also allows Thundurus to take an Ice Shard from Mamoswine and an Accelerock from Lycanroc-D more comfortably.

- Latias is extremely problematic for Thundurus because its best means of breaking it is Sludge Wave. Jirachi, Tapu Bulu, and Scizor can help check and remove Latias for it.

- Voltturn partners like Victini, Zarude, and Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely as it struggles to find many opportunities to come in with its poor bulk. Victini can pressure Grass-types. Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely against Slowking and Tentacruel to set up.

- Late-game sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and Cosmic Power Mew :blobglare: honestly moving the sciz mention here would probs work rly nicely, since also likes thundy-t weakening like rotom-heat + kommo-o etc appreciate Thundurus being able to punch holes through teams. Azumarill in particular appreciates Thundurus removing many faster Water resists like Tapu Bulu and Kommo-o.

- Alakazam can help remove items like Assault Vest from Tangrowth and Eviolite from Chansey with Knock Off, allowing Thundurus to break past them more easily.

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

- Grass Knot is an option on both sets that lets Thundurus OHKO Quagsire and break through Gastrodon while retaining coverage for other Ground-types aside from Nidoqueen. Would mention the toad too, p decent mon atm.

- Thunder Wave + Prankster is an option to provide Speed control for offensive teams. Maybe go into a little more detail here? like mention how it can provide an emergency stop to stuff like dd gyara, dd mence, clang soul kommo-o etc that you otherwise lack an answer to at that point of time.

- Dark Pulse can be considered on Nasty Plot sets so that Thundurus has coverage to hit Latias; however, it is useless in almost every other matchup. It's not necessarily super bad in terms of you only losing the ability to hit one pokemon at least neutrallly: tapu bulu, its weaker vs amoong but this isn't the end of the world as long as something was already sleep foddered. personally i think this could actually be a mention but if you want to keep it here i think this is a little negative on it.

- Defog can be opted for with Prankster to compress removal and guarantee it can always get hazards off in a last-ditch effort.

- Superpower can be used on the mixed sets to let Thundurus lure a weakened Chansey; however, unless Chansey's Eviolite has been knocked off Superpower isn't doing much without Attack investment or a damage boosting item. 0 Atk Life Orb Thundurus Superpower over 2 turns vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 559-660 (79.4 - 93.7%) -- 43.8% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock. Imo i'd recommend you run Life orb with it here in which cacse you actually 2hko chansey on switch in without even having to knock it. also gets higher rolls vs terrak than psychic does, hits kyurem, absolutely nukes krook.

- Life Orb or Expert Belt can be run on both Nasty Plot and mixed variants of Thundurus to increase its damage output but it really doesn't appreciate being worn down by Stealth Rock, especially the pivot set. maybe say that it demands hazard removal support specifically

- Thunder + Weather Ball is an option on rain teams, which lets it break through every Ground-type except Gastrodon and Seismitoad.

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

**Grass-types**: Thundurus usually struggles to fit Sludge Wave on its sets so it can struggle to break past Grass-types like Assault Vest Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu. Thundurus's lackluster defensive stats leaves it prone to being 2HKO'd by Tapu Bulu's Horn Leech while recovering off the damage. However, Thundurus can consistently wear them down via U-turn or potentially break past them with a Nasty Plot boost.

**Revenge Killers and Priority Users**: Zeraora and Alakazam are faster than Thundurus and can revenge kill it after minimal chip. Mamoswine and Lycanroc-D have super effective priority to hit Thundurus with. Other strong priority users like Azumarill, Bisharp, and Diggersby can also pick off Thundurus with how frail it is.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Gastrodon and Rhyperior are difficult walls for Thundurus to muscle through. Gastrodon can cripple Thundurus with Toxic while Rhyperior just threatens to OHKO it. Latias has the natural SpD bulk to wall Nasty Plot variants of Thundurus so without significant chip it can't KO it.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [username2, userid2], [username3, userid3]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]


2/3 solid as always.
 
Last edited:

Lily

wouldn't that be fine, dear
is a Tutoris a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a member of the Battle Simulator Staffis a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Senior Staff Member Alumnus
UU Leader
[OVERVIEW]

Thundurus is a decent pivot and wallbreaker in the UU tier thanks to its remarkable Speed tier allowing it to outpace a lot of common threats such as Keldeo and Terrakion, respectable offensive stats, and access to a wide array of coverage options. Having both U-turn and Volt Switch as pivoting options exemplifies Thundurus's role as an offensive pivot, the former allowing it to always generate momentum against Electric immune Pokemon such as Zeraora and Rhyperior. Access to Defiant alongside moves like Knock Off and the aforementioned U-turn allows Thundurus to run mixed sets, the former allowing it to cripple checks like Seismitoad and Chansey this is worded sorta weird bc it's not like you only run mixed thund bc of defiant, it's just bc it has decent attack and it's harder to wall when it can knock shit. i'd mention access to knock off as the primary reason you'd run it. However, Thundurus is rather frail and so struggles to find many opportunities to switch in safely. Thundurus is also prone to being picked off by common priority users such as Lycanroc-D, Mamoswine, and Bisharp. Even after a Nasty Plot boost, Thundurus struggles to muscle past specially defensive walls like Chansey, which gives it stiff competition from its Therian counterpart that can muscle past them more effectively. Thundurus faces a lot of competition from Zeraora as an Electric-type pivot, as Zeraora has a much greater Speed tier allowing it to be a more effective revenge killer. it also has arguably better coverage for beating up ground types and it's stronger bc it can run adamant pretty much freely, thundy's much better grass mu should be highlighted here

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Psychic / Sludge Wave
move 4: U-turn / Volt Switch
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Knock Off lets Thundurus cripple common switchins like Rotom-H and Chansey. Psychic gives coverage for Thundurus to break past Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Nihilego while retaining coverage to hit Terrakion super effectively. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOs Tapu Bulu and can help Thundurus break Tangrowth more easily. However, it is worth noting that Knock Off can cripple Tangrowth by removing its Assault Vest, making it significantly easier for Thundurus to overwhelm it anyways. U-turn helps wear down switchins like Seismitoad and Krookodile, the latter's Intimidate giving Thundurus a Defiant boost to punish it further; however, U-turn can be punished by common Rocky Helmet users like Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Volt Switch can still be used as it chips Salamence and Terrakion better; however, losing out on the ability to pivot without the ramifications of giving Zeraora a potential Volt Absorb recovery or them the opponent switching into their Ground-type to block it generally makes this a worse option. Focus Blast lets Thundurus hit Krookodile and Terrakion harder while letting it break through Kyurem and Rhyperior more easily but the utility of Knock Off has to be forgone in order to fit this coverage also mention that krook and terrak barely check you because they take a looooot from uturn or psychic. Defiant is preferred as Defog and Intimidate users like Krookodile can be taken advantage of. I'm not sure if this line is needed bc there's no status move on this set so obviously you're not running Prankster, but nbd either way Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item because Thundurus can't afford to be worn down by entry hazards, as it wants as many chances to come in as possible to wallbreak and pivot.

Thundurus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its fantastic Speed tier forcing many switches to bring its partners in safely. Thundurus provides a lot of utility with Knock Off removing items like Eviolite and Assault Vest from Chansey and Tangrowth respectively. Other special attackers like Primarina and Nasty Plot Alakazam appreciate these foes being easier to break through. Pivots like Scizor and Victini pair well with Thundurus because its frailty prevents it from taking even resisted hits well. They can also pressure the Grass-types like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu for Thundurus if it lacks Sludge Wave. Victini in particular can bring Thundurus in against Water-types like Suicune and Slowking giving Thundurus ample opportunities to wallbreak. Conkeldurr and Mamoswine appreciate being brought in safely against foes like Chansey, Tapu Bulu, and Rhyperior to find opportunities to wallbreak. Skarmory can provide Spikes support to wear down Ground- and Grass-types like Seismitoad and Amoonguss. The Spikes support also gives Thundurus more opportunities to gain a Defiant boost due to the opponent being pressured to Defog. Skarmory can also help check common priority users such as Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, Azumarill, and Diggersby that threaten to revenge kill Thundurus. Thundurus is only outsped by a few Pokemon, one of which being Zeraora, so partners like Rhyperior and Nidoqueen are useful to help check it as well as provide entry hazard support to wear down Thundurus's checks. Nidoqueen also forms a nice offensive core with Thundurus that can pressure Grass-types for it.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Nasty Plot Thundurus should primarily be used as a wallbreaker early- and mid-game; however, it can be used as a late-game cleaner with its Speed tier providing a phenomenal matchup against offensive teams. Psychic gives Thundurus the coverage to OHKO Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Toxtricity is this relevant enough to mention after a Nasty Plot boost. Focus Blast helps Thundurus break through Chansey, Krookodile, and Kyurem, while providing a powerful neutral hit against targets such as Tangrowth and Rotom-H. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOs Tapu Bulu and helps Thundurus break past Tangrowth more easily; however, a +2 Psychic does a lot to Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth struggles to take a boosted Focus Blast. Defiant is the ability of choice as you can bluff being the mixed set until you reveal Nasty Plot.

This set fits on both bulky and hyper offense; however, the latter playstyle does a better job at supporting Thundurus with more opportunities to set up safely. Mew and Krookodile can provide entry hazard support to bring foes like Tapu Bulu, Tangrowth, and Chansey into range of Thundurus's attacks. Thundurus appreciates other wallbreakers like Terrakion and Kommo-o to weaken foes such as Tangrowth, Chansey, and Tapu Bulu to allow Thundurus to clean more easily late-game. Grimmsnarl can provide dual screens support to give Thundurus more opportunities to set up a Nasty Plot safely. It also allows Thundurus to stomach an Ice Shard from Mamoswine and an Accelerock from Lycanroc-D more comfortably. i don't think thundy screens is viable, it's more of a vanilla ho/hazard-stack mon Voltturn partners like Victini, Zarude, and Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely as its poor bulk limits how often it can pivot into foes. Victini can help pressure the Grass-types, while Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely against Water-types like Slowking and Tentacruel to set up. Late-game sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and the aforementioned Scizor appreciate Thundurus being able to punch holes through teams. Azumarill in particular appreciates Thundurus removing many faster Water-resistant Pokemon like Tapu Bulu and Kommo-o. Alakazam can help remove items like Assault Vest from Tangrowth and Eviolite from Chansey with Knock Off, allowing Thundurus to break past them more easily.

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

Grass Knot is an option on both sets that lets Thundurus OHKO Quagsire and Seismitoad and rhyperior while retaining coverage for other Ground-types, with the exception of Nidoqueen. Incinerate could be considered to OHKO Scizor while retaining coverage for Grass-types but it is very weak without a Nasty Plot boost. there is no planet on which this shit is even close to viable Thunder Wave alongside Prankster can provide Speed control for offensive teams acting as an emergency stop to threats like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence. Defog can be opted for with Prankster to compress entry hazard removal and guarantee it can always get hazards off the field in a last-ditch effort. Life Orb or Expert Belt can be run on both Nasty Plot and mixed variants of Thundurus to increase its damage output but it really doesn't appreciate being worn down by Stealth Rock, especially the pivot set that relies on finding multiple opportunities to switchin. Superpower can be used on the mixed sets alongside a Life Orb to let Thundurus lure in and break through Chansey, while retaining coverage for Kyurem, Terrakion, and Krookodile. Thunder + Weather Ball is an option on rain teams, the latter allowing Thundurus to break through every Ground-type except Gastrodon and Seismitoad.

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

**Grass-types**: Thundurus usually struggles to fit Sludge Wave on its sets so it can't break past Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Thundurus's lackluster defensive stats leaves it prone to being 2HKO'd by Tapu Bulu's Horn Leech while recovering off the damage. However, Thundurus can consistently wear them down via U-turn or potentially break past them with a Nasty Plot boost.

**Revenge Killers and Priority Users**: Zeraora and Alakazam are faster than Thundurus and can revenge kill it after minimal chip. Mamoswine and Lycanroc-D have super effective priority to hit Thundurus with. Other strong priority users like Azumarill, Bisharp, and Diggersby can also pick off Thundurus with how frail it is.

**Ground-types**: Gastrodon and Rhyperior are difficult walls for Thundurus to muscle through. Gastrodon can cripple Thundurus with Toxic while Rhyperior just threatens to OHKO it. Mamoswine is an offensive check to Thundurus that can revenge kill it with Ice Shard.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [Estarossa, 461329], [username3, userid3]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
qc 3/3 good work as always
 

Adeleine

after committing a dangerous crime
is a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Add/Fix Remove Comment
(AC)/(RC): Add/Remove Comma

[OVERVIEW]

Thundurus is a decent pivot and wallbreaker in the UU tier thanks to its remarkable Speed tier allowing it to outpace a lot of common threats, (AC) such as Keldeo and Terrakion, its respectable offensive stats, and its access to a wide array of coverage options. Having both U-turn and Volt Switch as pivoting options exemplifies Thundurus's role further bolsters Thundurus as an offensive pivot, with the former allowing it to always generate momentum against Electric-immune (added hyphen) Pokemon such as Zeraora and Rhyperior. Access to Knock Off allows Thundurus to run mixed sets to cripple checks like Seismitoad and Chansey, with Defiant further making it even more difficult to switch into. However, Thundurus is rather frail and so struggles to find many opportunities to switch in safely. Thundurus It is also prone to being picked off by common priority users such as Lycanroc-D, Mamoswine, and Bisharp. Even after a Nasty Plot boost, Thundurus struggles to muscle past specially defensive walls like Chansey, which gives it stiff competition from its Therian counterpart forme that can muscle past them more effectively. As an Electric-type pivot, Thundurus faces a lot of competition from Zeraora as an Electric-type pivot, as Zeraora's greater better Speed tier makes it a more effective revenge killer, (AC) and it can afford to run an Adamant nature to match Thundurus's power; however, Thundurus has a much better matchup against the tier's Grass-types.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Psychic / Sludge Wave
move 4: U-turn / Volt Switch
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Knock Off lets Thundurus cripple common switch-ins (added hyphen) like Rotom-H and Chansey. Psychic gives coverage for Thundurus to break past Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Nihilego while retaining coverage to hit Terrakion super effectively without needing Focus Blast. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOes Tapu Bulu and can helps Thundurus break Tangrowth more easily. However, it is worth noting that Knock Off can cripple Tangrowth by removing its Assault Vest, making it significantly easier for Thundurus to overwhelm it anyways. U-turn helps wear down switch-ins (added hyphen) like Seismitoad and Krookodile, the latter's Intimidate giving Thundurus a Defiant boost to punish it further; however, U-turn can be punished by common Rocky Helmet users like Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Volt Switch can still be used, (AC) as it chips Salamence and Terrakion better; however, losing out on the ability to pivot without the ramifications of being unable to pivot without potentially giving Zeraora a potential Volt Absorb recovery or the opponent switching into their Ground-type to block it generally makes this a worse option. Running Focus Blast over Knock Off lets Thundurus hit Krookodile and Terrakion harder while letting it break through Kyurem and Rhyperior more easily; however, the utility of Knock Off has to be forgone Knock Off has great utility and the former two can easily be worn down very easily by U-turn and Psychic, (AC) respectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item because Thundurus can't afford to be worn down by entry hazards, as it wants as entry hazards stop Thundurus from taking as many chances to come in as possible to wallbreak and pivot.

Thundurus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its fantastic Speed tier forcing many switches to bring its partners in safely through pivoting. Thundurus provides a lot of utility with Knock Off, (AC) removing items like Eviolite and Assault Vest from Chansey and Tangrowth, (AC) respectively. Other special attackers like Primarina and Nasty Plot Alakazam appreciate these foes being easier to break through. Pivots like Scizor and Victini pair well with Thundurus because its frailty prevents it from taking even resisted hits well. They can also pressure the Grass-types like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu for Thundurus if it lacks Sludge Wave. Victini in particular can bring Thundurus in against Water-types like Suicune and Slowking, (AC) giving Thundurus it ample opportunities to wallbreak. Conkeldurr and Mamoswine appreciate being brought in safely against foes like Chansey, Tapu Bulu, and Rhyperior to find have opportunities to wallbreak. Skarmory can provide Spikes support to wear down Ground- and Grass-types like Seismitoad and Amoonguss. The Spikes support also gives Thundurus more opportunities to gain a Defiant boost due to the opponent being pressured to use Defog. Skarmory can also help check common priority users such as Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, Azumarill, and Diggersby that threaten to revenge kill Thundurus. Thundurus is only outsped by a few Pokemon, but one of which being these is Zeraora, so partners like Rhyperior and Nidoqueen are useful to help check it as well as provide entry hazard support to wear down Thundurus's checks. Nidoqueen also forms a nice offensive core with Thundurus,(AC) that can pressure pressuring Grass-types for it.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Nasty Plot Thundurus should primarily be used as a wallbreaker early- and mid-game; however, it can also be used as a late-game cleaner, (AC) with its Speed tier providing a phenomenal matchup against offensive teams. Psychic gives Thundurus the coverage to lets Thundurus OHKO Amoonguss, Kommo-o, and Nidoqueen after a Nasty Plot boost. Focus Blast helps Thundurus break through Chansey, Krookodile, and Kyurem (RC) while providing a powerful neutral hit against targets such as Tangrowth and Rotom-H. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOes Tapu Bulu and helps Thundurus break past Tangrowth more easily; however, a +2 Psychic does a lot to Tapu Bulu, (AC) and Tangrowth struggles to take a boosted Focus Blast. Defiant is the ability of choice as you can bluff being lets Thundurus bluff the mixed set until you reveal before it reveals Nasty Plot.

This set fits on both bulky and hyper offense; however, the latter playstyle does a better job at supporting Thundurus with more opportunities to set up safely. Mew and Krookodile can provide entry hazard support to bring foes like Tapu Bulu, Tangrowth, and Chansey into range of Thundurus's attacks. Thundurus appreciates other wallbreakers like Terrakion and Kommo-o to weaken foes such as Tangrowth, Chansey, and Tapu Bulu to allow Thundurus to so it can clean more easily late-game. VoltTurn partners like Victini, Zarude, and Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely, (AC) as its poor bulk limits how often it can pivot into foes. Victini can help pressure the Grass-types, while Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely against Water-types like Slowking and Tentacruel to set up. Late-game sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and the aforementioned Scizor appreciate Thundurus being able to punching holes through teams. Azumarill in particular appreciates Thundurus removing many faster Water-resistant Pokemon like Tapu Bulu and Kommo-o. Alakazam can help remove items like Assault Vest from Tangrowth and Eviolite from Chansey with Knock Off, allowing Thundurus to break past them more easily.

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

Grass Knot is an option on both sets that lets Thundurus OHKO Quagsire, Rhyperior, and Seismitoad while retaining coverage for other Ground-types, with the exception of Nidoqueen. Thunder Wave alongside Prankster can provide speed control for offensive teams, (AC) acting as an emergency stop to threats like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence. Using Defog can be opted for with Prankster to compresses entry hazard removal and guarantee it guarantees Thundurus can always get entry hazards off the field in a last-ditch effort. Life Orb or and Expert Belt can be run on both Nasty Plot and mixed variants of Thundurus to increase its damage output either of Thundurus's sets, but it really doesn't appreciate being worn down by Stealth Rock, especially the pivot set that relies on finding multiple opportunities to switch in. (was "switchin") Superpower can be used on the mixed sets alongside a Life Orb to let Thundurus lure in and break through Chansey (RC) while retaining coverage for Kyurem, Terrakion, and Krookodile. Thunder + Weather Ball is an option on rain teams, the latter allowing Thundurus to break through every Ground-type except Gastrodon and Seismitoad.

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

**Grass-types**: Thundurus usually struggles to fit Sludge Wave on its sets, (AC) so it can't break past Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Thundurus's lackluster defensive stats leaves it prone to being 2HKOed by Tapu Bulu's Horn Leech, (AC) while recovering off the which recovers off any damage . However, Thundurus can consistently wear them down via U-turn or potentially break past them with a Nasty Plot boost.

**Revenge Killers and Priority Users**: Zeraora and Alakazam are faster than Thundurus and can revenge kill it after minimal chip. Mamoswine and Lycanroc-D have super effective priority to hit Thundurus with. Other strong priority users like Azumarill, Bisharp, and Diggersby can also pick off Thundurus with how frail it is.

**Ground-types**: Gastrodon and Rhyperior are difficult walls for Thundurus to muscle through. Gastrodon can cripple Thundurus with Toxic while Rhyperior just threatens to OHKO it. Mamoswine is an offensive check to Thundurus that can revenge kill it with Ice Shard.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [Estarossa, 461329], [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [username2, userid2]]

finland-GP.gif
1/2
 
GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Thundurus is a decent pivot and wallbreaker in the UU tier thanks to its remarkable Speed tier allowing it to outpace higher Speed than a lot of common threats, (comma) such as Keldeo and Terrakion, its respectable offensive stats, and its access to a wide array of coverage options. Having both U-turn and Volt Switch further bolsters Thundurus as an offensive pivot, with the former allowing it to always generate momentum against Electric-immune Pokemon such as Zeraora and Rhyperior. Access to Knock Off allows Thundurus to run mixed sets to cripple checks like Seismitoad and Chansey, with Defiant making it even more difficult to switch into. However, Thundurus is rather frail and so struggles to find many opportunities to switch in safely. It is also prone to being picked off by common priority users such as Lycanroc-D, Mamoswine, and Bisharp. Even after a Nasty Plot boost, Thundurus struggles to muscle past specially defensive walls like Chansey, which gives it stiff competition from its stronger Therian forme that can muscle past them more effectively. As an Electric-type pivot, Thundurus faces a lot of competition from Zeraora, as Zeraora's whose better Speed tier makes it a more effective revenge killer, (comma) and it can afford able to run an Adamant nature to match Thundurus's power; however, Thundurus has a much better matchup against the tier's Grass-types.

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Psychic / Sludge Wave
move 4: U-turn / Volt Switch
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Knock Off lets Thundurus cripple common switch-ins like Rotom-H and Chansey. Psychic gives coverage for Thundurus to break past Amoonguss, Kommo-o, Nidoqueen, and Nihilego while retaining coverage to hit consistently hitting Terrakion super effectively without needing Focus Blast. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOes Tapu Bulu and helps Thundurus break Tangrowth more easily. However, it is worth noting that Knock Off can cripple Tangrowth by removing its Assault Vest, making it significantly easier for Thundurus to overwhelm it anyways. U-turn helps wear down switch-ins like Seismitoad and Krookodile, the latter's Intimidate giving Thundurus a Defiant boost to punish it further; however, U-turn can be punished by common Rocky Helmet users like Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Volt Switch can still be used, as it chips Salamence and Terrakion better; however, being unable to pivot without potentially giving Zeraora Volt Absorb recovery or the opponent switching into their Ground-type to block it losing momentum to Ground-types generally makes this it a worse option. Running Focus Blast over Knock Off lets Thundurus hit Krookodile and Terrakion harder while letting it and break through Kyurem and Rhyperior more easily; however, Knock Off has great utility and the former two can easily be worn down by U-turn and or Psychic, respectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item because entry hazards stop Stealth Rock stops Thundurus from having as many chances to come in as possible to wallbreak and pivot.

Thundurus fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate its fantastic Speed tier forcing many switches to bring its partners in safely through pivoting. Thundurus provides a lot of utility with Knock Off, removing items like Eviolite and Assault Vest from Chansey and Tangrowth, respectively. Other special attackers like Primarina and Nasty Plot Alakazam appreciate these foes being easier to break through. Pivots like Scizor and Victini pair well with Thundurus because its frailty prevents it from taking even resisted hits well. They can also pressure Grass-types like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu for Thundurus if it lacks Sludge Wave. Victini in particular can bring Thundurus in against Water-types like Suicune and Slowking, giving it ample opportunities to wallbreak. Conkeldurr and Mamoswine appreciate being brought in safely against foes like Chansey, Tapu Bulu, and Rhyperior to have opportunities to wallbreak. Skarmory can provide Spikes support to wear down Ground- and Grass-types like Seismitoad and Amoonguss. The Spikes support also gives Thundurus more opportunities to gain a Defiant boost due to by pressuring the opponent being pressured to use Defog. Skarmory can also help check common priority users that revenge kill Thundurus such as Mamoswine, Lycanroc-D, Azumarill, and Diggersby that threaten to revenge kill Thundurus. Thundurus is only outsped by a few Pokemon, but one of these them is Zeraora, so partners like Rhyperior and Nidoqueen are useful to help check it as well as provide entry hazard support to wear down Thundurus's checks. Nidoqueen also forms a nice offensive core with Thundurus, pressuring Grass-types for it.

[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Nasty Plot Thundurus should primarily be used as a wallbreaker early- and mid-game; however, it can also be used as a late-game cleaner, with its Speed tier providing a phenomenal matchup against offensive teams. Psychic lets Thundurus OHKOes Amoonguss, Kommo-o, and Nidoqueen after a Nasty Plot boost. Focus Blast helps Thundurus break through Chansey, Krookodile, and Kyurem while providing a powerful neutral hit against targets such as Tangrowth and Rotom-H. Sludge Wave is an option that OHKOes Tapu Bulu and helps Thundurus break past Tangrowth more easily; however, a +2 Psychic does a lot to Tapu Bulu, and Tangrowth struggles to take a boosted Focus Blast. Defiant lets Thundurus bluff the mixed set before it reveals Nasty Plot.

This set fits on both bulky and hyper offense; however, the latter playstyle does a better job at supporting Thundurus with opportunities to set up safely. Mew and Krookodile can provide entry hazard support to bring foes like Tapu Bulu, Tangrowth, and Chansey into KO range of Thundurus's attacks. Thundurus appreciates having other wallbreakers like Terrakion and Kommo-o to weaken foes such as Tangrowth, Chansey, and Tapu Bulu so it can clean more easily late-game. VoltTurn partners like Victini, Zarude, and Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely, as its poor bulk limits how often it can pivot into foes. Victini can help pressure Grass-types, while Keldeo can bring Thundurus in safely against Water-types like Slowking and Tentacruel to set up. Late-game sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and the aforementioned Scizor appreciate Thundurus punching holes through teams. Azumarill in particular appreciates Thundurus removing many faster Water-resistant Pokemon like Tapu Bulu and Kommo-o. Alakazam can remove items like Assault Vest from Tangrowth and Eviolite from Chansey with Knock Off, allowing Thundurus to break past them more easily.

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

Grass Knot is an option on both sets that lets Thundurus OHKO Quagsire, Rhyperior, and Seismitoad while retaining coverage for other Ground-types, (comma) with the exception of except Nidoqueen. Thunder Wave alongside Prankster can provide speed control for offensive teams, (AC) acting as an emergency stop to threats like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Salamence. Using Defog with Prankster compresses entry hazard removal and guarantees Thundurus can always get entry hazards off the field in a last-ditch effort. Life Orb and Expert Belt can be run on either of Thundurus's sets, but it really doesn't appreciate being worn down by Stealth Rock, especially the pivot set that relies on finding multiple opportunities to switch in. Superpower can be used on the mixed set alongside a Life Orb to let Thundurus lure in and break through Chansey while retaining coverage for Kyurem, Terrakion, and Krookodile. Thunder + Weather Ball is an option on rain teams, the latter allowing Thundurus to break through every Ground-type except Gastrodon and Seismitoad.

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

**Grass-types**: Thundurus usually struggles to fit Sludge Wave on its sets, so it can't break past Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Thundurus's lackluster defensive stats leave it prone to being 2HKOed by Tapu Bulu's Horn Leech, which recovers off any damage. However, Thundurus can consistently wear them down via U-turn or potentially break past them with a Nasty Plot boost.

**Revenge Killers and Priority Users**: Zeraora and Alakazam are faster than Thundurus and can revenge kill it after minimal chip damage. Mamoswine and Lycanroc-D have super effective priority to hit Thundurus with. Other strong priority users like Azumarill, Bisharp, and Diggersby can also pick off the frail Thundurus with how frail it is.

**Ground-types**: Gastrodon and Rhyperior are difficult walls for Thundurus to muscle through. Gastrodon can cripple Thundurus with Toxic, (comma) while Rhyperior just threatens to OHKO it. Mamoswine is an offensive check to Thundurus that can revenge kill it with Ice Shard.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [Estarossa, 461329], [Lilburr, 481709]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [username2, userid2]]
 

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