Thundurus-T

(I think this is okay, right? Sorry if it's not!)


Thundurus
Therian Forme

Anyway, this guy has been usable a very short time, but he's already proven himself very, very dangerous. He's terrifyingly powerful, with just enough Speed to exploit his gargantuan SpA. 145 SpA is the important thing here- that's on par with things like Chandelure or Haxorus, and unlike those there are no gaping holes in Thundurus's movepool. That being said- this isn't about whether the Pokémon is or isn't uber, so don't bring such discussion into the thread.

Stats:
HP: 79
ATK: 105
DEF: 70
SPA: 145
SPD: 80
SPE: 101

Movepool:
Identical to standard Thundurus. That's not a bad thing- it means that the Therian forme can exploit great electric STAB with Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, and Thunder. In terms of coverage moves, there's a decent array- Focus Blast, Grass Knot, Dark Pulse, and of course the omnipresent Hidden Power. Thundurus-T also gets a reasonably decent physical movepool, but it doesn't exploit it as well as its normal forme, and it detracts from a focus on that immense Special Attack stat. Thundurus-T can bolster its only-OK speed with Agility... or it can use Nasty Plot to tear through anything in its path.

Ability:
Volt Absorb. It's a free immunity; it's not gamebreaking, but it's hardly something to turn down.

Sets:

These are just some sets that seem promising.

Nasty Plot Sweeper:
Thundurus-T@Life Orb
4 Def/252 SpA/252 Spe
Modest/Timid

-Nasty Plot
-Thunderbolt
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power Ice

This is much like the set which got the Incarnation forme sent to ubers! Nasty Plot and sweep with your STAB, using the other two moves to get through things which resist or are immune to it.

+2
Thundurus-T@Life Orb
4 Def/252 SpA/252 Spe
Timid

-Nasty Plot
-Agility
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Ice/Focus Blast

Like the prior set, but sacrificing coverage for versatility. Operates like Terrakion- pick a boost based on the opponent's team and use it to sweep.

Choice
Thundurus-T@Choice Specs/Choice Scarf
4 Def/252 SpA/252 Spe
Timid

-Volt Switch
-Thunderbolt
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power Ice

They're identical in all but item, but the item changes a lot about how they play. With Specs, Thundurus is a wallbreaker that kills absolutely everything in its path. With a Scarf, it bolsters its Speed while retaining incredible killing power; it can easily outrun and OHKO most of OU with Thunderbolt, and its Volt Switch is terrifying. In Rain, using Thunder makes Thundurus a true terror capable of brute-forcing through special walls in many cases.

Life Orb
Thundurus-T@Life Orb
4 Def/252 SpA/252 Spe
Modest

-Thunderbolt
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power Ice
-Grass Knot

This is not a complex set. Hit them until they die. Still- Thundurus-T's vast SpA means that it can do this very basic job exceptionally well.
 

Lee

@ Thick Club
is a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnus
Probably gonna go Modest 4 attacks @ Life Orb. He's too fragile and slow to boost effectively and unless the new metagame develops any prominent Pokemon between 301 and 330 Spe then I think I'll go for that sexy 426 SpA. Thunderbolt/HP Ice/Focus Blast/Grass Knot come at me bro.
 
Thundurus-T looks like it will be a very dangerous pokemon with the ability to punch holes in almost any given team.
 
The Scarf set is pretty much special Landorus-I for rain teams. It's the only one I've used so far. Electric/Ground immune with one really powerful STAB, HP Ice for coverage, and 101 base Speed with the appropriate VoltTurn move to use, alongside Bug resistance to take U-turns if necessary are all pretty sweet, and Thundurus-T can heal on predicted Volt Switches and stuff. It's also got Bullet Punch resistance over Lando-I. Rain offense is pretty happy about this guy.
 
This guy will have a great effect on the metagame. He is resistant to both Bullet Punch and mach punch. Scizor will be a great partner as well as keldeo. Rain teams are going to be dominant as before.
 
The one thing vs Incarnate form is that with that base 101 speed even with that HUGE 145 SpA it's much more easily revenge killed with it's nasty plot set and therefore while it will tear holes through whatever it comes across, it's not perfect. Terrakion is just one example of something that can revenge kill. I'm curious as to whether this makes it less broken? Volt absorb isn't nearly as broken as prankster or shadow tag. (it's High SpA makes it easily comparable to Chandelure who has similar SpA but with a far more broken ability) So that may be a deterent from Ubers. Only time will tell though.
 
imo the Scarf set is the way to go. I've been using it on a Rain team and it works well as a revenge killer, scout, and late-game cleaner. 101 speed is good but it's too slow for a Nasty Plot sweeper. Things like Keldeo, Terrakion, and Latios can easily revenge kill it.
 

alexwolf

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The one thing vs Incarnate form is that with that base 101 speed even with that HUGE 145 SpA it's much more easily revenge killed with it's nasty plot set and therefore while it will tear holes through whatever it comes across, it's not perfect. Terrakion is just one example of something that can revenge kill. I'm curious as to whether this makes it less broken? Volt absorb isn't nearly as broken as prankster or shadow tag. (it's High SpA makes it easily comparable to Chandelure who has similar SpA but with a far more broken ability) So that may be a deterent from Ubers. Only time will tell though.
This is true if you look at the abilities alone, but in Thundurus, Volt Absorb is way better! Stopping Volt-turn chains, and healing with Tbolt/Thunders, which are pretty common, is a godsend, and way better than priority T-Wave, which most sweeping sets didn't carry either way...
 
Nasty plot is less tempting as it nearly always goes to waste. I can see the choiced and sub variants going way further then NP in this forme.
 
I've been using a Modest Life Orb set with Agility / Thunderbolt / Focus Blast / Hidden Power Ice. Quite frankly, the number of things it can smash is astounding. Thunderbolt almost always OHKOes Band Scizor after Stealth Rock! And it doesn't have the revenge kill problems with Agility, as it hits 602 speed after an Agility, which even outspeeds Choice Scarf Jolteon!
 
I really like Timid Scarf w/ Thunder on Rain offense, myself. Hits like a truck and manages to outrun most of the game- plays almost like it has Specs due to the ridiculous SpA stat, but with a HUGE Speed bump.
 
I've been using a Modest Life Orb set with Agility / Thunderbolt / Focus Blast / Hidden Power Ice. Quite frankly, the number of things it can smash is astounding. Thunderbolt almost always OHKOes Band Scizor after Stealth Rock! And it doesn't have the revenge kill problems with Agility, as it hits 602 speed after an Agility, which even outspeeds Choice Scarf Jolteon!
Really digging that set. As GF trolled away his speed. Basically it's a switch over version of the old Nasty Plot variant.
 
This is true if you look at the abilities alone, but in Thundurus, Volt Absorb is way better! Stopping Volt-turn chains, and healing with Tbolt/Thunders, which are pretty common, is a godsend, and way better than priority T-Wave, which most sweeping sets didn't carry either way...
It's tempting to call a free switch in on electric attacks a "godsend" given the scarf set would come in and wreck shit but, truth be told with 145 base SpA, I'd rather have priority Nasty plot and with a very much less trolly 101 base Spd, I'd rather have priority t-wave to slow down checks like Terrakion and Keldeo along with maybe priority agility.
 

Adamant Zoroark

catchy catchphrase
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Quite frankly, I think this thing is crazy. I've played against it a few times on Pokemon Showdown, and that 145 base SpA means it hits like a truck, and despite the Speed drop from normal Thundurus, 101 base Speed is still great (remember Garchomp?). There's not really anything that can switch in, as I don't think Blissey will enjoy taking a +2 Focus Blast when its Special Attack is so ridiculously high. Plus, with Volt Absorb combined with its resistance to Bullet Punch and U-turn, as well as its ridiculously powerful Thunder in the rain, it can do quite a bit of damage to VoltTurn teams. Speaking of VoltTurn, it gets Volt Switch itself so it can contribute to VoltTurn as well!

No doubt in my mind this will be a top OU Pokemon. I'm personally interested in trying out an Agility set for this thing, but from what I've seen on Showdown, it seems that the Choice sets will be the preferred sets for Thundurus-T.
 
I tried using the Nasty Plot set on PO and I have to agree with everybody else here; the speed is a huge letdown. It's nice to nuke plenty of heavy walls and all but the set-up is wasted when it's easily revenged by something faster. I'll have to give the Agility and Scarf sets a try though.
 

alexwolf

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It's tempting to call a free switch in on electric attacks a "godsend" given the scarf set would come in and wreck shit but, truth be told with 145 base SpA, I'd rather have priority Nasty plot and with a very much less trolly 101 base Spd, I'd rather have priority t-wave to slow down checks like Terrakion and Keldeo along with maybe priority agility.
Lol at priority NP... Most useful thing ever, tell me how many times it has been actually useful... Stop trying to justify Prankster's usefulness on Thundurus, as it was quite limited. This ability is very good on bulky pokes or walls, not on purely offensive mons. Sure priority T-Wave is good, but healing from electric moves is way better!

@LucaroarkZ

Bliisey is ohkoed at +2 after SR + Spikes from FB!!!
 

Dr Ciel

Banned deucer.
I tried using the Nasty Plot set on PO and I have to agree with everybody else here; the speed is a huge letdown. It's nice to nuke plenty of heavy walls and all but the set-up is wasted when it's easily revenged by something faster. I'll have to give the Agility and Scarf sets a try though.
Yeah, the speed was a huge letdown. I've looked at the Scarf set and it seems pretty cool, so I might use it.
 

UltiMario

Out of Obscurity
is a Pokemon Researcher
I've been using the Scarf set, but with U-Turn instead. Screw Electric Immunities lol.

It's spectacularly frail, especially with SR, but it gets the job done.
 
Yeah, scarfers, immunity abuse or priority are gonna be the only way to stay on top of this dude.

Guess that Banded Mamoswine I've been thinking of building a team around finally has a purpose.
 
Yeah, I've noticed that his horrific defenses mean he LOATHES priority. Lucario/Dragonite/Mamoswine are your best friends with regards to Thundurus-T.
 
I really glad the specs and scarf set are the most popular, hopefully people don't realize this is the best stall breaker every simply because of 145 special attack. You don't even need superpower for Blissey and Chansey, it just 2HKOs them after nasty plot.
 
Lol at priority NP... Most useful thing ever, tell me how many times it has been actually useful... Stop trying to justify Prankster's usefulness on Thundurus, as it was quite limited. This ability is very good on bulky pokes or walls, not on purely offensive mons. Sure priority T-Wave is good, but healing from electric moves is way better!

@LucaroarkZ

Bliisey is ohkoed at +2 after SR + Spikes from FB!!!
I'm not trying to justify prankster's usefulness. I'm just saying I'd prefer it over Volt Absorb. I acknowledge Volt Absorbs usefulness in that with 145 SpA a free switch in is a "godsend" as you so put it giving the Scarf set and maybe an agility set a huge bonus. However, Volt Absorb is limited by your opponents pokemon. With Prankster, Priority t-wave is absolutely awesome. Also Priority Agility would be beautiful. I admit I was newbing a little with priority nasty plot and that probably would be better with Volt Absorb. But Priority T-wave and Priority Agility make prankster a generally favorable ability.
 
An immunity on a Pokemon as frail as Thundurus-T is incredibly welcome as it gives it more opportunities to switch in and smash stuff. Prankster is going to let you last ditch Thunder Wave a Scarfer or dodge a Taunt before setting up and that's really it. Setting up a Plot or Agility is almost always going to be done on a switch. If the opponent chooses to stay in they would probably just hit you and you would die.
 

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