QC Checks: panamaxis, Setsuna
GP Checks: Zystral, bugmaniacbob, DJXO9, jc104
Thundurus (Serebii Pokedex Entry)
Status: Done
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Overview]
<p>With an excellent base Speed of 111, wonderful mixed attacking stats, and a good movepool, Thundurus is a potent offensive threat who can perform many different roles in teams. The first thing one notices about it is its massive base 125 Special Attack stat and Nasty Plot, which enables it to hit like a truck with STAB Thunderbolt. Its secret weapon is its impressive ability, Prankster, which gives priority to Nasty Plot, Taunt, and Thunder Wave. Electric / Flying is an excellent typing as well, shared only with Zapdos, Emolga and Rotom-S, and gives Thundurus only 2 weaknesses: Rock- and Ice-type attacks.</p>
<p>However, Thundurus is not without its faults. Even though it is fast, it is still outsped by a host of Pokemon. With its mediocre defenses, Thundurus is vulnerable to getting revenge killed. Rock- and Ice- type attacks are common, and having a weakness to both can be problematic. Its movepool is good, but not great, and it has to rely on undesirable moves such as Hidden Power and Focus Blast to make up the coverage.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Focus Blast / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus hits an amazing 698 Special Atack with a Timid nature. This in tandem with its high Speed stat means that Thundurus becomes a very dangerous sweeper after a boost. STAB Thunderbolt boosted by Life Orb from 698 Special Attack is nothing to scoff at, even OHKOing 252 HP / 252 SpD Calm Jellicent. Hidden Power Ice hits Grass-, Ground-, and Dragon-types that resist Thunderbolt, and with the two moves together, Thundurus achieves almost universal coverage, with the exception of Magnezone.</p>
<p>For the fourth move, there are two options. Focus Blast remedies Thundurus's imperfect coverage, and gives it a strong option to deal with walls such as Ferrothorn, Blissey, and Porygon2 even though its poor accuracy can be a hindrance. However, Taunt will shut off their mode of recovery and also prevent them from crippling Thundurus with status moves.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs are standard for any fast special attacker. 252 Speed EVs make Thundurus as fast as possible, while 252 Special Attack EVs maximize its power. A Timid nature is recommended in order to ensure that Thundurus will not be outsped by anything below its base Speed stat, and for this reason, a Modest nature is not advised. Without any HP EVs, Thundurus hits 299 HP, which is a magic Life Orb number. For this reason, putting the remaining 4 EVs in either Defense or Special Defense is advised. Using Hidden Power Ice is also legal with 31 HP IVs, so there is no cause for worry.</p>
<p>The main roadblocks Thundurus is going to run into are walls like Blissey, Ferrothorn, Porygon2 and other defensive Pokemon with a recovery move. Even though Focus Blast either 2HKOes or OHKOes them after a Nasty Plot, its inaccuracy can let you down. This is why Taunt can sometimes be preferred over Focus Blast on this set. Thundurus can prevent their recovery with Taunt, making it much easier for it to break through their defenses (albeit slowly) and achieve a sweep. It also stops Ferrothorn from using Leech Seed or Thunder Wave to cripple Thundurus.</p>
<p>Faster Pokemon are also dangerous, as they can easily ruin Thundurus's fun through revenge killing. As such, having a Thunder Wave user can be very useful. An excellent example is Ferrothorn, who can take almost all attacks aimed at Thundurus, and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Jirachi also deserves a mention, as with Thunder Wave and STAB Iron Head, it can easily finish off paralyzed Pokemon that pose a threat to Thundurus.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Taunt / U-turn / Thunder Wave
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive / Hasty
evs: 32 Atk / 224 SpA / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>With its mixed offensive stats of base 115 Attack, base 125 Special Attack, and 111 base Speed, Thundurus is an excellent candidate for running a mixed set. With the given three moves, it gets neutral coverage on everything bar Shedinja. For the fourth move, there are three options: Taunt aids Thundurus a lot in shutting down Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Forretress, Blissey and Chansey, U-turn deals hefty damage to Celebi and Reuniclus who might switch in thinking they can take a hit and set up, while Thunder Wave helps Thundurus cripple faster Pokemon such as Starmie who might switch in on a predicted Taunt.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is your main STAB option, as Wild Bolt has recoil damage and lower base power. Hammer Arm and Hidden Power Ice round off the moveset nicely, providing neutral coverage as mentioned. Hammer Arm always 2HKOes 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Blissey and Ferrothorn, who can also be shut down by Taunt. The Speed drops can be remedied by simply switching out.</p>
<p>This time, Thundurus will have no problems juggling different moves, as the given moves are all it needs to get perfect coverage. Life Orb adds extra sting to Thundurus's attacks, while Expert Belt helps Thundurus bluff a Choice item, luring in the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs require some explanation. The 32 Attack EVs are required to 2HKO 252 / 252 Bold Blissey with Hammer Arm, as mentioned earlier. 252 Speed EVs and either a Naive or Hasty nature are used to maximize Speed, since Thundurus cannot run a Timid or a Jolly nature on a mixed set. Either way, it does not matter, since Thundurus is not going to take too many hits anyway.</p>
<p>As usual, faster Pokemon will be a full stop to Thundurus, and as such, Thunder Wave support is of great use to Thundurus. However, if it cannot spare a moveslot for the same, a Pokemon such as Jirachi can be very useful with its Steel typing, providing resistances to both of Thundurus's weaknesses. Blissey can spread paralysis, and also provide Wish support to Thundurus. Ferrothorn also has Thunder Wave and can provide slow HP restoration with Leech Seed.</p>
[SET]
name: Prankster
move 1: Thunderbolt / Volt Switch
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>With access to Prankster, Taunt, and Thunder Wave, Thundurus can function as a support Pokemon. The crux of this set is a priority Taunt, which stops the likes of Deoxys-S and Ferrothorn setting up entry hazards. Thunder Wave helps Thundurus cripple faster Pokemon such as Starmie and Choice Scarf users, who are common switch-ins to scout the expected Taunt. </p>
<p>Thunderbolt is Thundurus's primary STAB move, providing the perfect balance of reliability and power. However, Volt Switch is a viable option over Thunderbolt, if Thundurus does not intend to stick around long enough for a counter to turn up. However, this means the loss of vital power. Hidden Power Ice complements Thundurus's STAB Electric-type attack, hitting almost all those who resist Thunderbolt for at least neutral damage, 2HKOing Hippowdon and Multi-Scale Dragonite. This set can also work well as a lead, preventing the likes of Deoxys-S from setting up entry hazards.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs and nature are straightforward, giving Thundurus maximum Speed, so that it doesn't become even more vulnerable to revenge killing than it already is. Leftovers provides valuable recovery to Thundurus, reducing the damage taken from hail and sandstorm. However, if you intend to use Thundurus as a lead, Focus Sash could be more worthwhile to ensure Thundurus's continued survival. Sometimes, Volt Switch and Thunderbolt can be used on the same set, but you would have to drop Thunder Wave or Focus Blast in such a case which seriously undermines Thundurus's effectiveness.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>On the Support set, dropping Thunder Wave and instead having both Volt Switch and Thunderbolt is an option, allowing Thundurus to retain the ability to 2HKO Drizzle Politoed and switch out of Pokemon that threaten it. However, it should be noted that Volt Switch will not work on Pokemon with an immunity to Electric-type attacks. To remedy this, U-turn may be used instead. Going with Life Orb and 3 attacks on this set is also viable; Hammer Arm can be used to good effect, as it always OHKOes lead Tyranitar. For this purpose, either Volt Switch or Thunder Wave can be dropped to make way for Hammer Arm.</p>
<p>Thunder is another STAB option which Thundurus can use, albeit only with rain support. Since it also has access to Rain Dance, Thundurus can set up rain itself, and put a 100% accurate Thunder to great use. Grass Knot can also be used to deal with bulky Water-types who are immune to Thunderbolt, such as Quagsire and Swampert, but is of little use otherwise. On the Nasty Plot set, if Focus Blast's poor accuracy is an issue, it can be replaced by Brick Break, which also removes the effects of Reflect and Light Screen. However, this is not advisable, since you lose a lot of power in return for reliability. Thundurus might seem like the ideal candidate to run a Choice Scarf set, but it is good only on paper. Thundurus is weak to Stealth Rock and thus cannot switch in and out frequently when it runs a Choice Scarf. Thundurus's other sets are also better suited to the metagame.</p>
<p>Toxic is another interesting option; even though Thundurus does not have the defenses to attempt Toxic stall, it can inflict status on walls and switch out with Volt Switch before taking too much damage, leaving the stage clear for a Pokemon adept at stalling to come in. This can be put to great use especially when finding a moveslot for Toxic on a staller is difficult. Wish Blissey benefits immensely, as it can run an extra recovery move instead of Toxic to stall out the poisoned foe. Thundurus can also set up Rain Dance reliably, since Prankster gives it priority. With the Drizzle+Swift Swim ban, Thundurus can fit in rain teams well, since it can support dangerous rain sweepers such as Kingdra and Kabutops. Rain Dance also allows Thundurus to shut down opposing weather teams with ease, and utilise a 100% accurate Thunder.</p>
<p>In terms of alternative boosting moves, Bulk Up is an option to help with physical sweeping, and can work in tandem with STAB Wild Bolt and other physical options such as Brick Break and Crunch. However, both Thundurus's physical movepool and defensive stats are rarely up to snuff for this sort of set. Lastly, Charge Beam is an option, but Thundurus needs to hit hard and switch, so it cannot afford to sit boosting its stats with weak attacks. Nasty Plot is generally the better choice for a boosting move.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>In general, it is quite difficult to counter Thundurus taking into account its large movepool and Prankster. However, special walls such as Chansey and Blissey take little damage from Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. As such, bulky Pokemon which can take a hit and OHKO in return are Thundurus's best counters. Eviolite Trace Porygon2 is a prime example of such a Pokemon. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, it can take any of Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and KO it with Ice Beam. Porygon2 can also Trace Prankster.</p>
<p>Lanturn can also wall Thundurus to an extent, as with Volt Absorb it is immune to Thundurus's STAB Electric-type attacks. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, Lanturn can sponge all of Thundurus's attacks, and KO it with Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Choice Scarf Magnezone is another good check to Thundurus. It resists both Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice, outspeeds Thundurus and can take a Brick Break with its high Defense. STAB Thunderbolt will 2HKO Thundurus as well. However, it needs to be wary of Focus Blast, which will OHKO if it hits.</p>
<p>Specially defensive Unaware Quagsire is a good check to Thundurus's Nasty Plot set. With its ability, Quagsire will negate Thundurus's stat boosts. Quagsire also has a useful Electric-type immunity. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, Quagsire will never get 2HKOed by any of Thundurus's other unboosted attacks, barring Grass Knot, and can 2HKO it with STAB Waterfall.</p>
<p>Lastly, Pokemon which outspeed Thundurus will put a complete stop to it. Starmie, Excadrill (under sandstorm) and Choice Scarf Tyranitar are great examples, as they can OHKO Thundurus with a super effective move. Should Thundurus run a Choice item, Blissey, Ferrothorn and other walls can freely switch in, and stall out Thundurus, though it would be highly inadvisable for Thundurus to stay in.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Thundurus gets the ability Defiant through the Dream World. Moves which lower stats are rare, and the chances that they would do so are even rarer. However, it could be of use on a Bulk Up set, as it makes Thundurus effectively immune to Intimidate. If Thundurus does not carry any non-attacking moves, it would probably be better to run Defiant.</p>
GP Checks: Zystral, bugmaniacbob, DJXO9, jc104
Thundurus (Serebii Pokedex Entry)
Status: Done
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Overview]
<p>With an excellent base Speed of 111, wonderful mixed attacking stats, and a good movepool, Thundurus is a potent offensive threat who can perform many different roles in teams. The first thing one notices about it is its massive base 125 Special Attack stat and Nasty Plot, which enables it to hit like a truck with STAB Thunderbolt. Its secret weapon is its impressive ability, Prankster, which gives priority to Nasty Plot, Taunt, and Thunder Wave. Electric / Flying is an excellent typing as well, shared only with Zapdos, Emolga and Rotom-S, and gives Thundurus only 2 weaknesses: Rock- and Ice-type attacks.</p>
<p>However, Thundurus is not without its faults. Even though it is fast, it is still outsped by a host of Pokemon. With its mediocre defenses, Thundurus is vulnerable to getting revenge killed. Rock- and Ice- type attacks are common, and having a weakness to both can be problematic. Its movepool is good, but not great, and it has to rely on undesirable moves such as Hidden Power and Focus Blast to make up the coverage.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot Sweeper
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Focus Blast / Taunt
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>After a Nasty Plot, Thundurus hits an amazing 698 Special Atack with a Timid nature. This in tandem with its high Speed stat means that Thundurus becomes a very dangerous sweeper after a boost. STAB Thunderbolt boosted by Life Orb from 698 Special Attack is nothing to scoff at, even OHKOing 252 HP / 252 SpD Calm Jellicent. Hidden Power Ice hits Grass-, Ground-, and Dragon-types that resist Thunderbolt, and with the two moves together, Thundurus achieves almost universal coverage, with the exception of Magnezone.</p>
<p>For the fourth move, there are two options. Focus Blast remedies Thundurus's imperfect coverage, and gives it a strong option to deal with walls such as Ferrothorn, Blissey, and Porygon2 even though its poor accuracy can be a hindrance. However, Taunt will shut off their mode of recovery and also prevent them from crippling Thundurus with status moves.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs are standard for any fast special attacker. 252 Speed EVs make Thundurus as fast as possible, while 252 Special Attack EVs maximize its power. A Timid nature is recommended in order to ensure that Thundurus will not be outsped by anything below its base Speed stat, and for this reason, a Modest nature is not advised. Without any HP EVs, Thundurus hits 299 HP, which is a magic Life Orb number. For this reason, putting the remaining 4 EVs in either Defense or Special Defense is advised. Using Hidden Power Ice is also legal with 31 HP IVs, so there is no cause for worry.</p>
<p>The main roadblocks Thundurus is going to run into are walls like Blissey, Ferrothorn, Porygon2 and other defensive Pokemon with a recovery move. Even though Focus Blast either 2HKOes or OHKOes them after a Nasty Plot, its inaccuracy can let you down. This is why Taunt can sometimes be preferred over Focus Blast on this set. Thundurus can prevent their recovery with Taunt, making it much easier for it to break through their defenses (albeit slowly) and achieve a sweep. It also stops Ferrothorn from using Leech Seed or Thunder Wave to cripple Thundurus.</p>
<p>Faster Pokemon are also dangerous, as they can easily ruin Thundurus's fun through revenge killing. As such, having a Thunder Wave user can be very useful. An excellent example is Ferrothorn, who can take almost all attacks aimed at Thundurus, and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Jirachi also deserves a mention, as with Thunder Wave and STAB Iron Head, it can easily finish off paralyzed Pokemon that pose a threat to Thundurus.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Hammer Arm
move 4: Taunt / U-turn / Thunder Wave
item: Life Orb / Expert Belt
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive / Hasty
evs: 32 Atk / 224 SpA / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>With its mixed offensive stats of base 115 Attack, base 125 Special Attack, and 111 base Speed, Thundurus is an excellent candidate for running a mixed set. With the given three moves, it gets neutral coverage on everything bar Shedinja. For the fourth move, there are three options: Taunt aids Thundurus a lot in shutting down Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Forretress, Blissey and Chansey, U-turn deals hefty damage to Celebi and Reuniclus who might switch in thinking they can take a hit and set up, while Thunder Wave helps Thundurus cripple faster Pokemon such as Starmie who might switch in on a predicted Taunt.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is your main STAB option, as Wild Bolt has recoil damage and lower base power. Hammer Arm and Hidden Power Ice round off the moveset nicely, providing neutral coverage as mentioned. Hammer Arm always 2HKOes 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Blissey and Ferrothorn, who can also be shut down by Taunt. The Speed drops can be remedied by simply switching out.</p>
<p>This time, Thundurus will have no problems juggling different moves, as the given moves are all it needs to get perfect coverage. Life Orb adds extra sting to Thundurus's attacks, while Expert Belt helps Thundurus bluff a Choice item, luring in the aforementioned Pokemon.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs require some explanation. The 32 Attack EVs are required to 2HKO 252 / 252 Bold Blissey with Hammer Arm, as mentioned earlier. 252 Speed EVs and either a Naive or Hasty nature are used to maximize Speed, since Thundurus cannot run a Timid or a Jolly nature on a mixed set. Either way, it does not matter, since Thundurus is not going to take too many hits anyway.</p>
<p>As usual, faster Pokemon will be a full stop to Thundurus, and as such, Thunder Wave support is of great use to Thundurus. However, if it cannot spare a moveslot for the same, a Pokemon such as Jirachi can be very useful with its Steel typing, providing resistances to both of Thundurus's weaknesses. Blissey can spread paralysis, and also provide Wish support to Thundurus. Ferrothorn also has Thunder Wave and can provide slow HP restoration with Leech Seed.</p>
[SET]
name: Prankster
move 1: Thunderbolt / Volt Switch
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[Set Comments]
<p>With access to Prankster, Taunt, and Thunder Wave, Thundurus can function as a support Pokemon. The crux of this set is a priority Taunt, which stops the likes of Deoxys-S and Ferrothorn setting up entry hazards. Thunder Wave helps Thundurus cripple faster Pokemon such as Starmie and Choice Scarf users, who are common switch-ins to scout the expected Taunt. </p>
<p>Thunderbolt is Thundurus's primary STAB move, providing the perfect balance of reliability and power. However, Volt Switch is a viable option over Thunderbolt, if Thundurus does not intend to stick around long enough for a counter to turn up. However, this means the loss of vital power. Hidden Power Ice complements Thundurus's STAB Electric-type attack, hitting almost all those who resist Thunderbolt for at least neutral damage, 2HKOing Hippowdon and Multi-Scale Dragonite. This set can also work well as a lead, preventing the likes of Deoxys-S from setting up entry hazards.</p>
[Additional Comments]
<p>The EVs and nature are straightforward, giving Thundurus maximum Speed, so that it doesn't become even more vulnerable to revenge killing than it already is. Leftovers provides valuable recovery to Thundurus, reducing the damage taken from hail and sandstorm. However, if you intend to use Thundurus as a lead, Focus Sash could be more worthwhile to ensure Thundurus's continued survival. Sometimes, Volt Switch and Thunderbolt can be used on the same set, but you would have to drop Thunder Wave or Focus Blast in such a case which seriously undermines Thundurus's effectiveness.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>On the Support set, dropping Thunder Wave and instead having both Volt Switch and Thunderbolt is an option, allowing Thundurus to retain the ability to 2HKO Drizzle Politoed and switch out of Pokemon that threaten it. However, it should be noted that Volt Switch will not work on Pokemon with an immunity to Electric-type attacks. To remedy this, U-turn may be used instead. Going with Life Orb and 3 attacks on this set is also viable; Hammer Arm can be used to good effect, as it always OHKOes lead Tyranitar. For this purpose, either Volt Switch or Thunder Wave can be dropped to make way for Hammer Arm.</p>
<p>Thunder is another STAB option which Thundurus can use, albeit only with rain support. Since it also has access to Rain Dance, Thundurus can set up rain itself, and put a 100% accurate Thunder to great use. Grass Knot can also be used to deal with bulky Water-types who are immune to Thunderbolt, such as Quagsire and Swampert, but is of little use otherwise. On the Nasty Plot set, if Focus Blast's poor accuracy is an issue, it can be replaced by Brick Break, which also removes the effects of Reflect and Light Screen. However, this is not advisable, since you lose a lot of power in return for reliability. Thundurus might seem like the ideal candidate to run a Choice Scarf set, but it is good only on paper. Thundurus is weak to Stealth Rock and thus cannot switch in and out frequently when it runs a Choice Scarf. Thundurus's other sets are also better suited to the metagame.</p>
<p>Toxic is another interesting option; even though Thundurus does not have the defenses to attempt Toxic stall, it can inflict status on walls and switch out with Volt Switch before taking too much damage, leaving the stage clear for a Pokemon adept at stalling to come in. This can be put to great use especially when finding a moveslot for Toxic on a staller is difficult. Wish Blissey benefits immensely, as it can run an extra recovery move instead of Toxic to stall out the poisoned foe. Thundurus can also set up Rain Dance reliably, since Prankster gives it priority. With the Drizzle+Swift Swim ban, Thundurus can fit in rain teams well, since it can support dangerous rain sweepers such as Kingdra and Kabutops. Rain Dance also allows Thundurus to shut down opposing weather teams with ease, and utilise a 100% accurate Thunder.</p>
<p>In terms of alternative boosting moves, Bulk Up is an option to help with physical sweeping, and can work in tandem with STAB Wild Bolt and other physical options such as Brick Break and Crunch. However, both Thundurus's physical movepool and defensive stats are rarely up to snuff for this sort of set. Lastly, Charge Beam is an option, but Thundurus needs to hit hard and switch, so it cannot afford to sit boosting its stats with weak attacks. Nasty Plot is generally the better choice for a boosting move.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>In general, it is quite difficult to counter Thundurus taking into account its large movepool and Prankster. However, special walls such as Chansey and Blissey take little damage from Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and can wear it down quickly with Life Orb recoil and Seismic Toss. As such, bulky Pokemon which can take a hit and OHKO in return are Thundurus's best counters. Eviolite Trace Porygon2 is a prime example of such a Pokemon. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, it can take any of Thundurus's unboosted attacks barring Hammer Arm, and KO it with Ice Beam. Porygon2 can also Trace Prankster.</p>
<p>Lanturn can also wall Thundurus to an extent, as with Volt Absorb it is immune to Thundurus's STAB Electric-type attacks. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, Lanturn can sponge all of Thundurus's attacks, and KO it with Ice Beam.</p>
<p>Choice Scarf Magnezone is another good check to Thundurus. It resists both Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice, outspeeds Thundurus and can take a Brick Break with its high Defense. STAB Thunderbolt will 2HKO Thundurus as well. However, it needs to be wary of Focus Blast, which will OHKO if it hits.</p>
<p>Specially defensive Unaware Quagsire is a good check to Thundurus's Nasty Plot set. With its ability, Quagsire will negate Thundurus's stat boosts. Quagsire also has a useful Electric-type immunity. With a 252 HP / 252 SpD EV spread, Quagsire will never get 2HKOed by any of Thundurus's other unboosted attacks, barring Grass Knot, and can 2HKO it with STAB Waterfall.</p>
<p>Lastly, Pokemon which outspeed Thundurus will put a complete stop to it. Starmie, Excadrill (under sandstorm) and Choice Scarf Tyranitar are great examples, as they can OHKO Thundurus with a super effective move. Should Thundurus run a Choice item, Blissey, Ferrothorn and other walls can freely switch in, and stall out Thundurus, though it would be highly inadvisable for Thundurus to stay in.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Thundurus gets the ability Defiant through the Dream World. Moves which lower stats are rare, and the chances that they would do so are even rarer. However, it could be of use on a Bulk Up set, as it makes Thundurus effectively immune to Intimidate. If Thundurus does not carry any non-attacking moves, it would probably be better to run Defiant.</p>
