Screw the Therian, Incarnate has all the swag.
[OVERVIEW]
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Focus Blast / Superpower
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Tailwind / Taunt / Rain Dance
item: Choice Specs / Life Orb
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[SET]
name: Acrobatics
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Tailwind / Bulk Up / U-turn
item: Flying Gem
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[OTHER OPTIONS]
[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]
[OVERVIEW]
- BW2 was not exactly kind to Tornadus
- Tornadus Therian was introduced, which outclasses its Incarnate form most of the time due to higher speed and Regenerator negating hazard damage.
- This also means that Tornadus is more easily checked now due to its checks and counters becoming more common.
- Can be checked by more pokemon, such as Starmie, Scarf Tyranitar, Tornadus-T, and Dugtrio due to lower base speed.
- However, its not all bad for the original Flying-Type Genie.
- It hits significantly harder than Tornadus-T with the infamous STAB Hurricane.
- Performs supportive roles better due to Prankster giving moves like Taunt, Rain Dance, and Tailwind +1 priority.
- If you wish to use Tornadus to its full potential, you must utilize what it has over the Tornadus-Therian.
[SET]
name: All Out Attacker
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Focus Blast / Superpower
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Tailwind / Taunt / Rain Dance
item: Choice Specs / Life Orb
ability: Prankster
nature: Naive / Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- While generally outclassed by its Therian form, one can still effectively use Tornadus if it is played to its strengths.
- This includes a stronger STAB Hurricane and the ability Prankster.
- Tornadus can hit much harder with its moves. When wielding Choice Specs, it can OHKO Terrakion 81% of the time with Hurricane, guaranteeing an OHKO with Stealth Rock. Tornadus-T has no chance without hazards.
- 78% chance to 2HKO Specially Defensive Rotom-W with Focus Blast after SR, which means Tornadus has a decent chance of breaking through one of both forms best checks.
- Can also OHKO Ferrothorn a third of the time with Focus Blast after SR, greatly helping its rain partners.
- Hurricane is the move you will be using most of the time, as Tornadus's extra power is the main reason to use it.
- The fighting moves can hit most pokemon that can tank a Hurricane hard. Focus Blast is boosted by Choice Specs and can hit neutral targets harder, but Superpower can be used if you want to hit Blissey and Chansey harder.
- U-turn is useful on choice sets, as it lets Tornadus switch out of checks as they come in.
- Can't spam U-turn like its other form due to the lack of Regenerator to negate Stealth Rock damage.
- The last slot is mostly a filler spot. Tailwind can be used as a last ditch effort when sacrificing Tornadus to something faster, as it will hopefully let something else on your team revenge kill or sweep.
- When holding a Life Orb, Tornadus can abuse Prankster Taunt to shut down walls and setup sweepers alike.
- Rain Dance lets Tornadus change the weather in your favor if you lose the weather war, also gets priority due to Prankster.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- The EVs are fairly self-explanatory. Max Special Attack and Speed let it hit as hard as possible while still outspeeding base 110s, such as Latios, Latias, and Gengar.
- A Timid Nature should be used on the Choice Specs set, as none of its moves are hurt from the loss in Attack.
- Naive should only be used if you are running Superpower, as it lets you 2HKO Blissey most of the time with Stealth Rock.
- You could invest 96 EVs into Attack to guarantee the 2HKO on 4/252 Blissey after Stealth Rock, but this generally is not worth taking that much power away from Hurricane.
- Generally, Choice Specs is the recommended item, as it lets Tornadus hit much harder than Tornadus-T and obtain many notable OHKO's and 2HKO's.
- However, Life Orb should only be used if you plan on utilizing the support moves that Tornadus has access to. Otherwise, Tornadus-T is a better Life Orb Attacker.
- Expert Belt can be used to maintain ability to switch moves without recoil.
- Hidden Power Ground to hit Jirachi, Heatran, and Magnezone super-effectively without the worry of missing on.
- Sleep Talk is usable on either set, as it lets Tornadus beat Breloom no matter what. Hurricane and Focus Blast will both OHKO 100% of the time, and U-turn lets Tornadus switch to an appropriate counter.
[SET]
name: Acrobatics
move 1: Acrobatics
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Tailwind / Bulk Up / U-turn
item: Flying Gem
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- With 115 Attack, 111 Speed, and Flying STAB, Tornadus is the most deadly abuser of Acrobatics in the metagame.
- Its higher attack stat combined with Prankster support moves lets it perform this role better than Tornadus-T in most cases.
- Its speed is lower, but its still beyond acceptable for sweeping.
- Unlike other Tornadus sets, this is not dependent on Rain.
- Since Tornadus usually uses special sets, a powerful physical attack lets it break through would-be checks.
- Flying Gem Acrobatics is the crux of this set. OHKO's Latios, Offensive Latias, and can even OHKO CB Scizor with Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes. Deals over 50% to offensive Rotom-W.
- Flying Gem should be preserved so the first Acrobatics isn't wasted on something that can take multiple hits and recover, wasting Tornadus's nuking potential.
- Superpower is necessary to hit the Steel and Rock-types that like to switch in on Tornadus. Can usually KO Standard Ferrothorn after it takes a Flying Gem Acrobatics and Stealth Rock damage.
- Prankster Taunt is one of the main reasons to use Tornadus. Taunt can halt opposing setup sweepers, as well as preventing defensive pokemon from recovering or paralyzing Tornadus.
- Tailwind is the best option for the last slot, as it can help facilitate a sweep by Tornadus or a teammate.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- EVs are standard for physical sweepers.
- A Naive or Hasty nature can be used over Jolly if a special coverage move is used.
- Bulk Up can be used over Tailwind, as it gives Tornadus more power and resilience against revenge killing. However, Tornadus usually just wants to outright nuke things with Flying Gem Acrobatics, and a +1 Attack Boost still leaves Tornadus unable to OHKO some bulky pokemon.
- U-turn lets Tornadus gain momentum by chipping away at checks and counters as they switch in, but Tornadus is generally a late game sweeper, and residual damage builds up quickly when you switch out constantly
- Tornadus-T utilizes U-turn better.
- Heat Wave can be used to hit certain steel types harder than any other moves, OHKOing Ferrothorn with a small amount of residual damage.
[OTHER OPTIONS]
- Not many other useful moves besides the ones already listed
- Air Slash is an alternate STAB move that is not dependent on rain for accuracy and has a nifty 30% flinch chance, which is useful with Tornadus's high speed, but it is incredibly weak in comparison with Hurricane.
- A Rain Dance support set with Damp Rock can work to support Swift Swim sweepers.
- Torment can mess with Choice-item users.
[CHECKS AND COUNTERS]
- Specially Defensive Jirachi can tank anything Tornadus throws at it. Never 2HKO'd by even a Specs HP Ground and can simply recover with Wish and cripple it with Paralysis. Taunt is a pain for Jirachi, though.
- Bronzong also works the same, but has no recovery and generally is not as effective in OU.
- Rotom-W can tank any move and retaliate with a STAB Electric Move.
- Not many true counters, but can be revenged easily.
- Scarf Keldeo, Scarf Terrakion, Tornadus-T, Scarf Thundurus-T, Starmie, and Scarf Tyranitar stand out as being able to outspeed and OHKO Tornadus.
- Priority from Mamoswine and Scizor hurts.