Thundurus


Thundurus

Electric/Flying
Ability 1: Prankster - Non-attacking moves have priority
Ability 2 (Dream World): Defiant - As stats are decreased, attack is raised
79/115/70/125/80/111​
Lv1: Uproar, Lv1: Astonish, Lv1: ThunderShock, Lv7: Swagger, Lv13: Bite, Lv19: Revenge, Lv25: Shock Wave, Lv31: Heal Block, Lv37: Agility, Lv43: Discharge, Lv49: Crunch, Lv55: Charge, Lv61: Nasty Plot, Lv67: Thunder, Lv73: Dark Pulse, Lv79: Hammer Arm, Lv85: Thrash
TM06 - Toxic, TM08 - Bulk Up, TM10 - Hidden Power, TM12 - Taunt, TM15 - Hyper Beam, TM17 - Protect, TM18 - Rain Dance, TM21 - Frustration, TM23 - Knock Down, TM24 - Thunderbolt, TM25 - Thunder, TM27 - Return, TM29 - Psychic, TM31 - Brick Break, TM32 - Double Team, TM34 - Sludge Wave, TM36 - Sludge Bomb, TM41 - Torment, TM42 - Facade, TM44 - Rest, TM45 - Attract, TM46 - Thief, TM48 - Troll, TM52 - Focus Blast, TM56 - Fling, TM57 - Charge Beam, TM58 - Free Fall, TM59 - Complete Burn, TM63 - Embargo, TM66 - Payback, TM68 - Giga Impact, TM72 - Volt Switch, TM73 - Thunder Wave, TM86 - Grass Knot, TM87 - Swagger, TM89 - U-Turn, TM90 - Substitute, TM91 - Flash Cannon, TM93 - Wild Bolt, TM94 - Rock Smash, HM02 - Fly, HM04 - Strength
Thundurus, part of the new trio of flying legendaries, is a dominant Special Sweeper, Rain Abuser, and Annoyer:

The Good:
  • Electric/Flying Typing - We've seen it with Zapdos, only two weaknesses alongside six solid resists
  • 115/125/111 Offensive Stats - 111 Speed allows Thundurus to outspeed 110's and below, and 115 Atk/125 SpAtk means Thundurus can use either attacking stat, or both.
  • Nasty Plot - A deadly set up move for a quick special sweeper.
  • STAB Volt Change - A 70 BP Electric Special U-turn, meaning it hits off of Thundurus' stronger attacking stat. Combined with great speed and handy resistances can make Boru a great scout.
  • Prankster - This ability gives priority to all non-attacking moves. For Thundurus this includes: Substitute, Taunt, Bulk Up, Nasty Plot, Rain Dance, Toxic, Thunder Wave, and a few others. This could allow Thundurus to:
    - Taunt faster Pokemon like Azelf or Agirudaa (the Base 145 Speed Bug with spikes)
    - set up Subs on faster Pokemon
    - use Bulk Up against faster, physical opponents, decreasing damage received
    - Nasty Plot up before being taunted
    - Cripple faster sweepers (Dragon Dancers, Rain Sweepers, Scarfers, etc) with Thunder Wave before being KOd
    And finally, my personal favourite:
    - Set up Rain Dance with ease. This could be very helpful for halting a Sun/Sand sweep, or for setting up Rain Dance once your Drizzler has fainted.

The Bad:
  • Frailty - Though it has the same typing as Zapdos, its 79/70/80 defenses are inferior.
  • Coverage - Thundurus lacks special Flying-type STAB apart from Hidden Power, and has no great physical Flying STAB. However, it does have Thunder(bolt) and Wild Bolt for Electric STAB, and a number of coverage moves, including Grass Knot and Focus Blast.

Possible Sets:

Nasty Plot @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpAtk/ 252 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Nasty Plot
- Thunderbolt/Thunder
- HP Ice
- Focus Blast

Simple Nasty Plot sweeper. With fantastic offensive stats and great coverage (though unfortunately reliant on Focus Blast) this will blow through unprepared teams.

Mixed Thundurus @ Life Orb/Expert Belt
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 Atk/252 SpAtk/252 Spe
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
- Thunderbolt/Thunder
- HP Ice
- Hammer Arm
- Thunder Wave/Taunt

Great mixed attacking stats alongside fantastic coverage and priority Thunder Wave / Taunt can mess with a lot of pokemon. Hammer Arm provides a reliable way to hit Tyranitar and Chansey/Blissey

Thundurus @ Choice Specs/Scarf
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4HP/252 SpAtk/ 252 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Volt Change
- Thunderbolt/Thunder
- HP Ice/Focus Blast
- Focus Blast/U-turn

Volt Change is the point of the set, a powerful scouting attack, but be extra careful of Ground-type and other electric-immune switch-ins. Thunderbolt is for STAB, HP Ice for BoltBeam coverage, and Grass Knot for Swampert. Focus Blast and Dark Pulse can also be run for coverage coverage.
Could also go mixed with a Naive or Hasty nature and run Brick Break, or U-turn for predicted Ground switch-ins.
Competitive Heart can be useful for mixed sets or for bluffing mixed sets.

Bulk-Up @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SDef/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpAtk)
- Bulk Up
- Wild Volt
- Brick Break
- Crunch/Taunt/Substitute

Pure surprise value. Priority Bulk Up helps to set up on Physical attackers, and Taunt or Substitute can also be used to provide set-up opportunities. Wild Volt is for STAB and Brick Break and Crunch provide solid type coverage.

Rain Dance Supporter @ Damp Rock
Ability: Prankster
8 HP/252 SpAtk/248 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -SpAtk)
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- HP Ice/Focus Blast
- Thunder Wave/Focus Blast

Prankster allows Thundurus to set up Rain at any point, as long as he is switched in safely. STAB Thunder hits extremely hard off base 125 SpA, HP Ice and Grass Knot provide coverage. This set could be very useful for weather match-ups after your Drizzler faints, as at this point the opponent will most likely feel free to sacrifice their own permanent weather starter, allowing Thundurus to set up undisputed rain.
This set could also see great utility as a Sun/Sand counter. Prankster will allow Thundurus to set up Rain even on Chlorophyll and Sand Throw abusers, and HP Water hits Fire- and Ground-types while Sludge Wave hits Grass-types.

Any thoughts on this interesting Pokemon?
 
How about a sub set? Something like:

Borutorosu @ Salac Berry/Petaya Berry
Ability: Mischievous Heart
EVs: 4HP/252 SpAtk/ 252 Spe
Nature: Modest (+SpAtk, -Atk)
- Nasty Plot/Agility
- Thunderbolt
- HP Ice/Grass Knot
- Substitute

He can switch into something he threatens and Nasty Plot/Agility on the switch. He Subs down to activate Salac/Petaya. I can see this thing playing massive mind games, since each has different counters. You could also run it with three attacks for better coverage. Agility would have a different ev spread since he already will outspeed even the swift swimmers. Still, I can see this thing messing shit up.
 
This thing has the stats and movepool to make a good mixed sweeper, and it sits a bit above the newly popular 108 speed benchmark.

Borutorosu @ Life orb
4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Thunderbolt
HP Ice
Brick Break
Volt Change/ Taunt / Substitute
 

ginganinja

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Sub + Bulk up can work nicely with Brick Break and Wild Bolt. I would rather run a NP set though since you can abuse his wider coverage on the special side of things. Would still run Substitute with NP though so that you have a safety net vs Scarfers.
 
SubNP/Taunt NP looks good, but it's a shame it doesn't get Air Slash or anything. NP/Sub+3 attacks could be good too since with Thunderbolt/Hidden Power Fire/Grass Knot it has pretty neat coverage. Also adds to the viability of a choice set.
 
How about a sub set?
This is a pretty solid idea, as with Mischievous Heart Borutorosu is guaranteed to get the Subs up as long as he survives the switch in (which won't be difficult with his great typing) and also resists most priority attacks.

with Thunderbolt/Hidden Power Fire/Grass Knot it has pretty neat coverage
The only problem with this combo is that it's resisted entirely by some new Dragons (including Ononokusu and Sazando), as well as the new Rotom-H (though BoltBeam+Grass Knot is also resisted by Rotom-H). Giving these powerful Pokemon such an easy chance to set up is dangerous.
 
When I saw this thing´s stats and Move Pool in addition to it´s ability, I thought about how cool Priority TWave could be with this, as a full offensive set lacks certain coverage options.

Borutorosu@Life Orb
64HP 194SpAtk 252Spe
Timid - Mischievous Heart

- Volt Change/U-Turn
- Grass Knot
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder Bolt

Mischievous Heart allows Twaving threats with several speed boosts(Rain Kingdra, Salamence, new Blaziken, Ononokusu, Rayquaza as well as every Scarf user) and fleeing with a considerably powerful Volt Change or a more reliable(because without immunities) U-Turn. Thunder Bolt is obviously STAB while Grass Knot takes care of Ground Types. Overall it´s great for setting up a slower sweeper, imo.
 
When I saw this thing´s stats and Move Pool in addition to it´s ability, I thought about how cool Priority TWave could be with this, as a full offensive set lacks certain coverage options.

Borutorosu@Life Orb
64HP 194SpAtk 252Spe
Timid - Mischievous Heart

- Volt Change/U-Turn
- Grass Knot
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder Bolt

Mischievous Heart allows Twaving threats with several speed boosts(Rain Kingdra, Salamence, new Blaziken, Ononokusu, Rayquaza as well as every Scarf user) and fleeing with a considerably powerful Volt Change or a more reliable(because without immunities) U-Turn. Thunder Bolt is obviously STAB while Grass Knot takes care of Ground Types. Overall it´s great for setting up a slower sweeper, imo.
I was considering a similar set. Aside from all the offensive benefits it gives you(setting up slower sweepers and Volt Change as you mentioned), T-Wave priority is the perfect way to bail yourself out if you screw up and allow something to set up via Dragon Dance and other such moves. Really a great potential partner to a Stall team.
 
I think that this set might work I tried it out earlier I subbed on the switch when he went to Roobushin used toxic and effectively toxic stalled it to death this could work for other troublesome things in the new metagame at first I did have a different set but i used this one. and T-bolt just for stab. and with mischievous heart no need to worry about speed.

Borutorosu@Leftovers
252hp/252def/4.sp.def
Bold - Mischievous Heart

- Substitute
- Protect
- Toxic
- Thunder Bolt
 
Specs Volt Change Boltoros may be one of the most effective and fastest STAB-hit-and-run Pokemon ever. Electric/Flying is also a great combination. This thing really shadows its fellow pure-Flying Torneros in every way but Tailwind.
 

ginganinja

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actually Jib was on #Stark (I think) and was running a set with Hammer Arm/Thunderbolt/Grass Knot/HP Ice which gets pretty awesome coverage. Basicially I was trying to find out what could "counter it" since with LO its hitting pretty much everything. heck Latias is prob your best bet against a set like that.
 
I've been using this as a lead on Pokemon Online, and it's simply great.

Borutorosu (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Mischievous Heart
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Taunt
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Priority taunt completely screws over 90% of leads, and for some reason people never see it coming. I attribute that completely to how new the metagame is, but it's always fun to see. The other three moves provide awesome coverage for pounding just about anything; this is the epitome of an "anti-lead." Thunderwave can go over either of the coverage moves if you want status instead of power, or you could also consider volt change for obvious reasons. This can also be easily tweaked to reliably set up rain and abuse thunder (as listed in the OP).
 
Even I am using it as a lead, but with a slight difference:

Volt Change/Taunt/Torment/T'Wave.


Torment might be a bit gimmicky, but it works. This set cripples most switch-ins or leads, and Volt Change enables you to damage, and switch. I usually switch in a set-up sweeper oncethis gets its job done. Mischievious Heart FTW, definitely.
 

SJCrew

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Voltolos is an incredible lead. He stops setups of all kinds, does a number on Politoed, and maintains his usefulness lategame just from revenging, U-turning, and spamming powerful Thunderbolts. If Dory comes in, Taunt him to make sure that SD isn't happening, and get your check in there good and proper. There aren't many non-weather teams I can think of where he wouldn't make a good lead.
 
So... just curious, but is there any reason to use Tornelos over Voltolos? It looks like the latter can do almost everything better; its a shame really, to finally get a pure Flying type that seems to be outclassed completely by a dual Flying type.
 

SJCrew

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Tornelos gets all the STAB Flying moves and Crunch, but Voltolos steps all over him with a better defensive typing, STAB Tbolt, Volt Change, priority Twave, and NP. Tornelos really doesn't have anything going for him besides STAB Hurricane which, while awesome, is just not enough.
 
Tornelos also gets Tailwind, which can be used on a lead set for some early-game antics. Not entirely sure how best to exploit that, but it is there.
 
Tornelos also gets Tailwind, which can be used on a lead set for some early-game antics. Not entirely sure how best to exploit that, but it is there.
Priority Tailwind can also be good for stopping sweeps. If your opponent's Doryuuzu has used Swords Dance and nothing on your team can stop it, you can bring in Tornelos and set up Tailwind as Doryuuzu KOs it. Now you can bring in anything with more than 88 Base Speed and revenge kill it.
 
Honestly, I'd go as far as to say that Voltolos is the best lead in the current metagame. Second fastest Taunt in the game, great offensive power, scouting with Volt Change or U-turn, and enough bulk to survive pretty much anything but a boosted Stone Edge.

Nasty Plot @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Mischievous Heart
EVs: 8HP/252 SpAtk/ 248 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt/Thunder/Volt Change
- Taunt
- Grass Knot
- HP Ice/Focus Blast/Volt Change/Thunder Wave

Thunderbolt is for obvious STAB, and Voltolos can always come back later and sweep with it. I've played around with Volt Change as the only STAB, so you get that scouting ability without having to give up coverage in other slots. Sometimes it really pays off, but other times, I really miss being able to sweep with Thunderbolt. Both moves have their merits, depending on the rest of your team. Thunder is the move of choice for rain teams, obviously.

Taunt with Mischivous Heart stops pretty much every set-up lead out there. The only faster Taunt out there is Erufuun, who you can smack with HP Ice or just Volt Change out.

Grass Knot is for Hippowdon, Swampert, and whatever else might be weak to it. Hippo seems to be the most common lead right now, making Grass Knot the premier coverage move for leads.

The last slot is a toss-up for general utility. HP Ice for coverage, Focus Blast for Steels and Tyranitar, Volt Change and T-Wave for their respective utility purposes, etc. Even Sub or Nasty Plot could fit in fine here.
 
What about Focus Sash in the lead set? I've used it with great success on Pokemon Online. It gives me an extra turn to paralyze something such as a set-up sweeper.
 
Sash definitely has its merits, though I find myself either switching/Volt Changing before anything can kill me. Nothing short of Stone Edge will OHKO you, and the Sash won't be much use if SR goes up later in the battle.

I've found that running Expert Belt Volt Change lets me bluff Scarf, which works out nicely sometimes.
 
How about a pure Support set?

Borutorosu@Leftovers
Mischievious Heart,
252 Hp, 128 Def, 128 SpD
-Taunt
-Thunderwave/Torment
-Toxic
-Protect

Taunt screws shit up, priority toxic for walls, and protect for scouting. Choose twave to cripple sweepers, and torment to beat Blissey 1v1
 
This guy is my new favorite lead.

Borutorosu@Focus Sash
Mischievous Heart
252 Spe, 252 Sp Atk, 4 Hp
Taunt
Thunder Wave
Thunderbolt
Dark Pulse / Filler

As of now, I almost always fuck up whatever their lead does. Taunt, then switch, or ThunderWave.

Pretty freaking awesome lead <3
 
So, any idea if competitive spirit works with self-inflicted stat changes? If so, Hammer Arm could result in a free attack up. In most cases you wouldn't want to lose speed, but mischievous heart can at least let you get those non-attack moves out despite your speed. Can't really come up with any use for that DW ability other than that.

The fact that GF didn't give this guy or Zapdos Gale makes me a bit angry.
 
So, any idea if competitive spirit works with self-inflicted stat changes?
Please read the research thread (like it tells you to)...

Confirmed Competitive Spirit raises Attack two levels when hit by a stat-lowering move or ability such as Intimidate. If multiple stats are dropped, there is a +2 boost for each stat dropped. Does not apply to self-inflicted stat drops like those from Close Combat. (Slipperjeans, MeroMero)
 

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