[OVERVIEW]
- Thundurs-T solidifies itself as a strong wallbreaker in the tier due to its monstrous base 145 Special Attack being boosted with Nasty Plot.
- Thundurus-T has a decent Speed tier which allows it to outpace key threats like Mega Medicham and Kyurem-B, in order to remove them effectively.
- By virtue of its decent movepool, Thundurus-T is very difficult to switch into safely as it has means of breaking past conventional checks like Tapu Bulu and Tyranitar with Hidden Power Flying and Focus Blast respectively.
- Volt Absorb is a very useful ability which prevents Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Rotom-W from freely spamming their Electric STAB.
- However, Thundurus-T is very prone to Stealth Rock which limits the opportunities it can freely come in to break.
- Thundurus-T is also reliant on Nasty Plot to be able to break past many of the specially defensive Pokemon in the tier like Mega Latias and Assault Vest Magearna, which wall it otherwise.
- Mega Alakazam, Greninja, and Tapu Koko are faster threats capable of removing Thundurus-T with their coverage options, which limits its ability to set up a Nasty Plot without being punished in the process. This leaves it very reliant on firing off unboosted attacks against a majority of offensive teams.
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Flying
move 4: Focus Blast
item: Fightinium Z
ability: Volt Absorb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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- Hidden Power Flying provides Thundurus-T with the only way to run Flying-type STAB that benefits from a Nasty Plot boost. Alongside Thunderbolt it can provide excellent coverage that allows Thundurus-T to break past Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu, Mega Venusaur, and Tangrowth that would comfortably wall it.
- Hidden Power Flying still provides Thundurus-T with a way to break through Ground-types like Landorus-T, Gastrodon, and Garchomp without having to resort to using its Z crystal.
- Focus Blast combined with Fightinium Z gives Thundurus-T access to a strong All-Out Pummeling which provides the coverage to break through common checks like Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill for super effective damage and reliably remove them.
- In conjunction with Nasty Plot, Thundurus-T can have access to an extremely powerful All-Out Pummeling allowing it to KO the likes of Assault Vest Tyranitar and severely denting specially defensive walls such as Gastrodon and Chansey.
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- Maximum Speed EVs is vital for Thundurus-T to take advantage of its 101 Speed tier and outpace threats like Mega Medicham, Mega Charizard, and Tapu Lele.
- Fightinium Z allows Thundurus-T to break past Pokemon like Chansey and Assault Vest Magearna which would otherwise comfortably take anything Thundurus-T goes for.
- Volt Absorb is the only ability available to Thundurus-T, but it provides it with a way to prevent Electric-types coverage from Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Rotom-W, and Magearna and providing it with a way to recovery some health. However, this should not be done liberally as they commonly have access to coverage options that can punish Thundurus-T.
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- Thundurus-T primary role should be as an early-game wallbreaker with Nasty Plot to heavily weaken an opposing team for another sweeper.
- Thundurus-T should be brought in safely with U-turn or Volt Switch support or from a free switch after a teammate has fainted, due to its middling defensive stats in conjunction with its weakness to Stealth Rock damage. However, Thundurus-T can look to switch into Pokemon it can safely come in on or force out such as Celesteela, Jirachi, and Scizor and proceed to use it as a free set up opportunity or fire off a strong attack.
- It should aim to set up against these defensive Pokemon as well as threats it can force out like Tornadus-T, Kartana, and Tapu Fini in order to start wall breaking, however due to it being fairly frail it shouldn't risk switching into threats like Kartana too liberally as it can easily be overwhelmed.
- Fightinium Z should be conserved to break past specially defensive walls like Chansey and Gastrodon which it otherwise can't do without multiples boosts and getting status in the process. Against more offensive teams All-Out Pummeling should be used against an offensive threat Thundurus-T is unable to guaranteed secure a KO against such as Kyurem-B and Mega Tyranitar.
- Against these offensive teams, it is best to determine whether Thundurus-T has an opportunity to set up, especially against faster offensive threats like Garchomp, Mega Latias, and Mega Alakazam being able to switch in and potentially revenge kill Thundurus-T. If this is the case it is best to take advantage of its enormous Special Attack to fire off strong attacks than giving them a free switch in.
- Thundurus-T can attempt to use its ability Volt Absorb to pivot into Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Zapdos, and Magnzeone to prevent them spamming their Electric-type STAB moves, which can provide Thundurus-T with a form of recovery and an opportunity to set up. However, it should be careful of coverage such as Hidden Power Ice from the former two and a Choice Specs boosted Flash Cannon from the latter, all of which can 2HKO Thundurus-T after Stealth Rock.
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- Pivots such as Landorus-T and Assault Vest Magearna make fantastic partners for Thundurus-T. Landorus can provide Thundurus-T with a slow or fast pivot in to safely start breaking. Landorus-T lures in a lot of ground immune Pokemon like Celesteela as well as Grass- and Water-types like Rotom-W and Tangrowth which provide Thundurus-T with many opportunities to set up and break.
- Similarly, Magearna invites in Pokemon like Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor which give Thundurus-T a free chance to attempt to break with its coverage options.
- Entry hazard removal is extremely useful due to Thundurus-T's weakness to Stealth Rock. Pokemon like Tapu Fini and the aforementioned Landorus-T make excellent partners to ease its ability to switch in and wallbreak.
- Sweepers like Ash Greninja, Kartana, and Mega Scizor greatly appreciate Thundurus-T luring in and removing Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth as well as removing the bulky Water- and Steel-types in the tier.
- Mega Scizor invites in a lot of Water-, Steel-, and Electric-types such as Magnezone, Toxapex, and Celesteela which provide Thundurus-T with ample opportunities to set up or fire off a strong attack.
- Hazard setters such as Ferrothorn and Heatran work well with Thundurus-T as it greatly improves its ability to break past Pokemon like Chansey, Tangrowth, and Gastrodon.
- Toxapex is another great partner that can provide hazards in the form of Toxic Spikes, taking less pressure off Thundurus-T having to break past bulkier teams. Toxapex's passivity invites in Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Tapu Fini, and Tornadus-T which can force it out and remove hazards, which can provide Thundurus-T with great opportunities to break.
- Pokemon that can remove faster threats like Mega Alakazam and Mega Latios such as Tyranitar, Mega Mawile, and Choice Scarf Greninja pair nicely with Thundurus-T. Mega Mawile and Tyranitar can also take pressure off Thundurus-T being solely reliant on breaking through bulkier teams.
Other Options
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- Hidden Power Ice is an option that allows Thundurus-T to remove the likes of Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Garchomp easier. However, this leaves Thundurus-T extremely reliant on All-Out Pummeling to pressure Gastrodon and Assault Vest Tangrowth and leaves it helplessly walled by Mega Venusaur.
- Sludge Wave is an option providing Thundurus-T with a way to deal significant damage to Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth but also providing it with a way to threaten Tapu Koko which it can't break as easily.
- Electrium Z is an option to turn Thunderbolt into a strong Gigavolt Havoc allowing Thundurus-T to break through Assault Vest Magearna and can remove offensive threats like Mew and Tapu Lele without a boost from Nasty Plot
- Agility can be run to turn Thundurus-T into an effective late-game sweeper allowing it to outspeed a vast majority of the boosted metagame, however, it comes at the cost of losing a coverage option leaving it walled by more Pokemon.
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**Faster threats**: A good portion of the tier is capable of out speeding and removing Thundurus-T which gives it a lot of issues successfully breaking offensive teams. Pokemon like Mega Latias and Mega Alakazam are able to outspeed and safely pivot into most of Thundurus-T's coverage options. Mega Latias has amazing natural Special Defense and can recover back any lost health, while Mega Alakazam can Trace Volt Absorb rendering Thundurus-T reliant on Hidden Power Flying to pressure both of them. Mega Diancie and Greninja can't safely switch into Thundurus-T, but they both outspeed and can retaliate with super effective coverage to KO it in return.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive walls such as Assault Vest Magearna, Gastrodon, and Chansey are difficult for Thundurus-T to break due to its reliance on All-Out Pummeling. While the latter two can't take a boosted All-Out Pummeling very well they aren't guaranteed to die and can proceed to spam their recovery options. Once the Z move has been expended Thundurus-T becomes extremely reliant on multiple Nasty Plot boosts to break past them, but Magearna can retaliate with a Fleur Cannon or Ice Beam, while Gastrodon and Chansey can proceed to cripple it with Toxic.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Twilight, 344575]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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