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Tyranitar (OU Revamp)

For the Tyraniboah set I would recommend using a -Attack nature if your only physical attack is Focus Punch, because you still get the OHKO on opposing Tyranitar and the 2HKO on Blissey/ Heatran.
 
Hey SDS, from previous experiences when using BaitTar, I can honestly tell you that the current spread is not as effective as it could be. I recommend the following: 220 Atk / 240 Spe / 48 SpA. Loosing a few Attack points isn't relevant, but adding these points into Speed can make the difference. Nowadays Breloom maxes his Speed up to 237, and the EVs that I listed make Tyranitar reach 239 Speed, enough to outrun 248 Breloom and KO it with Flamethrower.
 
I don't know if anyones mentioned this (sorry if they have) but why isn't the mixed dancer set on here? It's an EXCELLENT lure for things like SD Scizor, SD Luke, and LO Aerodactyl and I really think it should be on here...
 
bump

Done with all comments except Lead and non-set comments.

@Towelie: Mixed Dancer got removed by QC because it's a terrible gimmick and outclassed by both the normal mixed sets and the standard DD set.
 
Seven Deadly Sins said:
<p>Stone Edge is the main attack for this set, packing excellent power. However, Rock Slide can be effective on this set for two main reasons. First, it has enough power to OHKO Salamence, Gyarados, Zapdos, and other common targets of Tyranitar's Rock-type STAB...
Click to expand...

Thought I'd point out the Mence mention in a paragraph about DDtar. ;]
 
I know this seems stupid, especially since this has already been through QC, but I want to re-evaluate the Tyranitar lead set.

Its primary purpose is to deal with Azelf leads, but at this point not only does it flat out lose to Colburelf (which is gaining in popularity), but the only other leads it actually has a good matchup against are Roserade and possibly Starmie.

Top 15 leads:

Azelf: Beats the sashed lead variant, but loses to Colbur Berry Azelf since it gets rocked on and then U-turned on, and it's not hitting main switchins very effectively.

Machamp: Obvious loss.

Aerodactyl: It stops your rocks and gets its own up guaranteed with Taunt/SR. Neutral, I guess, but it's a suicide lead that simultaneously stopped rocks and got its own up, so its job is done and it "wins".

Metagross: Obvious loss.

Swampert: Neutral at best, since both can get up SR, but Pert can hit Tyranitar harder with Earthquake. Also, Pert being slower means it takes piddly damage from Payback.

Jirachi: Obvious loss.

Infernape: OHKOed by Close Combat. Loss.

Roserade: Your one claim to fame, but still can't stop it from putting up at least one layer of Toxic Spikes.

Heatran: Can't OHKO Shuca leads with EQ, and without EQ can't do much to them anyway. 3HKOed by Scarf variants, but you 3HKO back with Stone Edge and you're slower. Rest makes this a "win" i guess, but you're forced to eat your berry, and you have to rely on multiple Stone Edge hits.

Ninjask: It's Ninjask. You win, I guess, but it can sub on you and pass speed anyway, to something like Metagross that has your number automatically. Stone Edge miss means that Ninjask gets a SD up as well OR passes the Substitute.

Hippowdon: See Swampert

Tyranitar: Neutral at best, obviously. Also, from what I can tell, not all leads are the lead set here, and if it happens to carry Superpower or EQ it beats this set too.

Starmie: Another win, but Starmie isn't shooting to set anything up, so switching out isn't a huge loss.

Uxie: It's setting up on you with screens, nothing you can do about it.

Dragonite: If it carries Superpower it beats you, otherwise you get to Stone Edge it. It's a tossup, depending on what Leadnite chooses to run.

I'm not terribly impressed with it, but I'd like some input.
 
Tyranitar beats a decent amount of leads, but it's another one of those Pokemon that you should only lead with if you have nothing better to use, and you need a Tyranitar on your team. On Philip7086's famed "Team of Torment", he probably could have had the same success simply leading with Forretress.
 
i agree with sds. Losing against the majority of the top leads makes it ineffective. It shouldn't get an analysis.
 
With the new sorts of leads such as Colbur and even CB Azelf, as well as the recent boost in Machamp leads, I can see why you wouldn't want Lead tyranitar to have its own analysis. However, lead tyranitar still has some merits, such as taunting some of the slower leads and succeeding in laying out rocks in addition to sandstorm, something that hippowdon cannot do. Against Heatran leads you still manage to get up rocks and damage it with Stone Edge or Earthquake while chestoresting the earth powers, so i wouldn't really classify that as a loss, it's more of a tie with Hippowdon and Swampert but you can actually beat Heatran with Tyranitar + Chesto rest whereas Pert and Hippow just flat out wall it.

Talking about Lead Tyranitar in the other options section could be a good idea, considering that Lead Tyranitar functions differently and beats different types of leads, though it's not as practical as what it used to be before. Just my 2 cents.
 
Perhaps the lead set could be changed to "Mid-game Stealth Rock" or "Special Wall"(without curse obviously) something. It does make a poor lead but running the exact same set mid game is fairly effective as it finds multiple opportunities to setup Stealth Rock on things like Jolteon and Heatran. Lum lets it bluff a Choice item and makes Rotom stay in often and burn while you KO, which is huge for stall vs stall matchups. Just a thought.
 
Agreed. An OC mention looks better than an analysis for this set IMO. I think that removing that set and mentioning the possibility of utilizing Stealth Rock in or outside the lead position is a viable option for Tyranitar.
 
Wait what? You guys wanna disregard the TTar-Lead-Set?

It may be that Tyranitar isnt the best Lead anymore with the recent rise of Machampleads, but if the Metagame changes again it may be useful. Even though many leads were created to deal with Azelfs-Sash-Lead-Set the Sash-Lead-Set still exists, so i honestly dont understand why you should remove the Leadtar-set either?
Even Ninjask has a Leadset which aint good.
Or look at Swampert who isnt that great of a Lead and is much better suited to function as a midgame-Stealth-Rocker - he even get a "Lead-Set".

I used a variation of the LeadTTar-Set in the last Smogon Tour with decent success and i know some others did too.

Tyranitar@Chesto Berry/Lum Berry
252 HP, many SDef i dunno anymore; Brave Nature (with Fireblast)
- Payback/Pursuit
- Stone Edge/Superpower/Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Rest/Fire Blast

Counter and Focus Sash could be mentioned with an offensive Spread if someone has the guts to use it (Gamble).
A set like this should be in the analysis because it was great and may be great again if many people disregard Machamp-Leads after his recent popularity.
 
Even though many leads may "beat" Azelf, it still gets up SR. It does what it does. Ninjask sucks. Swampert's still a decent lead, able to get up SR due to its bulk and being able to come in later on, unlike many other leads.

The fact that it doesn't work now is key. There's no reason for lead Machamp to fall, so the hypothetical situation of "well maybe it'll work in the future" is moot.
 
As the original writer of the lead set I feel I should comment. I agree with the concesus to remove it. It just is not effective in this metagame with Machamp being so common and people using Colbur berry Azelf. It used to be great for countering Latias and checking MixMence but obviously it doesn't need to. Put it in other options.
 
I skimmed, here is my proofread:
Seven Deadly Sins said:
[Overview]

<p>As one of the most dominant Pokemon in the OU metagame, Tyranitar has proven its power. Its excellent stat spread gives it incredible versatility, allowing it to perform in nearly any role it wants. Scarf sets make incredible trappers and revenge killers, while Mixed and Choice Band spreads sets pack incredible power and generally make stall weep. On top of that, it can even sweep with a Dragon Dance set. It's no slouch defensively as well, with 100/110/100 defenses bolstered by Sand Stream and its Rocktyping.</p>

<p>That said, Tyranitar isn't without issues. Numerous weaknesses to common types make it tough to survive hits from many opponents, and the popularity of Scizor, its greatest nemesis, doesn't help. Still, despite these issues, Tyranitar is an excellent Pokemon, and easy to fit into nearly any type of team.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Earthquake / Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>It may seem odd to use a Choice Scarf on such a slow Pokemon, but Tyranitar's excellent stat spread makes it an excellent user of Choice Scarf. 61 base Speed gives it the ability to outspeed Pokemon with 115 base Speed and up, even with a positive nature, allowing it to outspeed notable foes such as Starmie, Azelf, and Gengar</p>

<p>Stone Edge and Crunch serve as Tyranitar's main attacks, packing incredible power when backed by Tyranitar's its excellent Attack stat. However, the magic of this set lies in the speedy Pursuit, which gives Tyranitar the ability to put opponents into a checkmate position and eliminate them without fail. While Pursuit is guaranteed to OHKO all of the above Pokemon on the switch, it also does a number when they don't switch. For example: On a non-switch, 4/0 Gengar takes 78.2% - 92%, giving a significant chance to OHKO after Sandstorm and Stealth Rock, and guaranteeing the KO with 2 Stealth Rock switchins. Superpower and Earthquake round out the set, providing essential coverage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Lucario and Metagross effectively, as well as tagging opposing Tyranitar. However, Superpower allows Tyranitar to eliminate Blissey more effectively, as Bold Blissey is not 2HKOed by any of Scarf Tyranitar's moves, even Stone Edge.</p>

<p>252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are required to outspeed positive natured base 115 Pokemon, and are crucial to this set's performance.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While Choice Scarf Tyranitar may be fast enough to outspeed many offensive opponents, it often finds itself lacking the power necessary to deal significant damage to defensive Pokemon such as Skarmory, Swampert, and even Blissey. Because of this, it is important to support Tyranitar with Pokemon that are capable of busting holes in these defensive Pokemon. Infernape gets special mention here, as Scarf Tyranitar is excellent at removing popular Infernape checks such as Starmie and Gengar. (Unless you think Dragonite terrorizes stall...) Salamence can also terrorize stall teams, and again, benefits from the removal of all of the various faster Pokemon that can threaten it. Taunt/Toxic Gliscor can also perform well, as it can abuse Sand Veil activated by Tyranitar's Sand Stream, and it also dismantles defensive teams extremely effectively. Magnezone can trap Bronzong, Skarmory, and Forretress effectively, as well as switch into Scizor and either absorb a U-turn or trap it on a Bullet Punch.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Aqua Tail / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a monstrous 134 base Attack and powerful STAB Stone Edge, Choice Band Tyranitar is easily one of the most devastating sets available in OU. A STAB Stone Edge coming off of a massive 604 Attack is enough to break through even the toughest of OU's defensive Pokemon. Combine this with 100/110/100 defenses and Sand Stream's Special Defense boost, and Choice Band Tyranitar is a Pokemon who can switch in with ease, and, once in play, punish the opponent with its devastating power.</p>

<p>Stone Edge is one of the keys to this set's success. After the Choice Band boost, it scores OHKOs on a significant portion of the metagame even when hitting for neutral damage. It also packs enough power to 2HKO walls such as Skarmory and Forretress with ease, making it an effective tool against stall. Crunch serves as an accurate secondary STAB, and hits Pokemon that resist Stone Edge such as Swampert, Bronzong, and Metagross neutrally. Pursuit allows Tyranitar to catch opponents fleeing from its powerful Stone Edge or Crunch and finish them off with ease. This helps Tyranitar eliminate specially based Pokemon such as Zapdos, Jolteon, Starmie, and choiced Rotom-A. The final slot provides Tyranitar with much-needed coverage. Aqua Tail hits Hippowdon, Gliscor, and opposing Tyranitar hard, as well as providing neutral coverage and a reliable attack(90 accuracy....). Earthquake hits Metagross, Jirachi, and other Tyranitar as well, but is much more dangerous to be locked into. Finally, Fire Punch allows Tyranitar to OHKO Scizor and Forretress, as well as 2HKOing Skarmory and Bronzong reliably.</p>

<p>Running 96 Speed EVs outpaces the standard slow variants of Skarmory, allowing Tyranitar to reliably 2HKO them with Stone Edge without being impeded by Roost. After maximizing Attack, the remaining EVs are placed into HP for maximum bulk.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Due to its low Speed, this Tyranitar needs two main forms of support: First, it needs allies that can switch into its numerous resistances weaknesses with ease, and second, it needs allies that give it numerous chances to switch in. Salamence works extremely well alongside Tyranitar, absorbing Water, Ground, Bug, and Fighting attacks aimed at Tyranitar's rocky exterior. Meanwhile, Tyranitar can come in for free on the majority of Ice attacks that would be aimed at Salamence, and Pursuit their users effectively. Gyarados is also an effective partner, as it can perform identically to Salamence alongside Tyranitar. Gliscor shares the Water weakness, but it can resist take the powerful Ground and Fighting attacks aimed at Tyranitar, and can also protect against Lucario, which sets up with ease on Tyranitar's STAB attacks.</p>

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Slide
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Fire Punch / Earthquake / Aqua Tail
item: Babiri Berry / Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>After a Dragon Dance, Tyranitar has all of the power of the Choice Band set, all the speed of the Choice Scarf set, and still has the ability to change moves. On top of that, Tyranitar's excellent bulk and potential to pose an immediate threat makes it easy to set up a Dragon Dance.</p>

<p>Stone Edge is the main attack for this set, packing excellent power. However, Rock Slide can be effective on this set for two main reasons. First, it has enough power to OHKO Salamence, Gyarados, Zapdos, and other common targets of Tyranitar's Rock-type STAB, but with 10% more accuracy than Stone Edge. Second, it has a very notable 30% flinch chance, which a Dragon Danced Tyranitar can use as a last-ditch effort to score some important 2HKOs. Crunch provides secondary STAB and reliable power. The last moveslot is used to provide important coverage. Fire Punch hits Steel-types hard as well as reliably OHKOing Scizor and 2HKOing Skarmory with 100% accuracy. Earthquake hits Metagross and Jirachi harder, as well as providing power against opposing Tyranitar. Finally, Aqua Tail hits Gliscor, Hippowdon, and other Tyranitar.</p>

<p>Babiri Berry is used to beat Scizor by absorbing its Bullet Punch and OHKOing back with Fire Punch. However, Life Orb can earn some crucial 2HKOs, such as a 2HKO on Swampert, who is unable to OHKO in response. Jolly nature allows Tyranitar to outspeed Azelf, Starmie, and anything below 115 base Speed with a positive nature.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Since this Tyranitar has large issues with bulky Ground-types such as Swampert and Hippowdon, it's a good idea to include Pokemon that can deal with them effectively. Skarmory makes an excellent partner for Dragon Dance Tyranitar, as it can use Tyranitar's counters to set up Spikes for free, which can then make it easier for Tyranitar to score OHKOs on opponents such as Metagross and Jirachi. Magnezone can also be effective, especially when running Life Orb, as it can eliminate choiced Metagross, Jirachi, and Scizor for your team. Choice Band Gyarados can also aid Tyranitar's sweep, as it can lure in and weaken or KO many Pokemon that give Tyranitar problems, such as Suicune, Vaporeon, and Scarf Rotom with Will-O-Wisp.</p>

[SET]
name: BaitTar
move 1: Stone Edge / Crunch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Flamethrower / Fire Blast / Ice Beam
item: Babiri Berry / Expert Belt
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 16 SpA / 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is meant to bait lure out and eliminate many of Tyranitar's top counters. Since the types of Pokemon used to check Tyranitar are rather predictable, this Tyranitar can bluff a Choice Scarf and proceed to OHKO or heavily damage whatever comes in on the next turn.</p>

<p>Stone Edge and Crunch are basic STAB moves for Tyranitar, and choosing between them is a matter of choosing what you want to hit with Tyranitar's STAB moves. Pursuit is used in tandem with other moves to play mind games with the opponent. For example: A popular tactic with Gengar is to use Protect as Tyranitar uses its first move, and then either attack on the Pursuit that fails to KO or flee from the Crunch. With this Tyranitar, you can fake the Gengar user out by choosing Crunch first, then Pursuiting it as it attempts to get away scot-free. Blissey suffers the same fate, as it can easily absorb weak Pursuits all day, but falls to Superpower.</p>

<p>The last move serves to deter any Steel-types that would take advantage of Tyranitar's attacks. Lucario sets up for free on both of Tyranitar's STAB moves, but a Flamethrower will often catch it attempting to Swords Dance as Tyranitar switches out. Fire Blast has less accuracy and reliability, but it allows Tyranitar to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory without Expert Belt. If using Expert Belt, Flamethrower is always the better option. Ice Beam can be used to hit Gliscor and Hippowdon, two common Tyranitar counters, but misses out on Scizor and Skarmory.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Babiri Berry is used to prevent Scizor from OHKOing with Bullet Punch. This means that unless Scizor is running a Scarf set, Tyranitar will always be able to outspeed it and OHKO it with Flamethrower or Fire Blast. If using Ice Beam, Expert Belt is always the superior option, as Tyranitar is no longer able to beat Scizor. The EVs are fairly simple. 240 Spe with a Hasty nature allows Tyranitar to outspeed Adamant Breloom and anything below it, such as Adamant Scizor or Metagross. The rest are dumped into Attack, with the leftovers in Special Attack.</p>

<p>Since this set is designed to lure in and eliminate Tyranitar's top counters, it works extremely well with any Pokemon that shares counters with Tyranitar. Aerodactyl is one such Pokemon, as it benefits greatly from the removal of opposing Scizor. Aerodactyl also happens to benefit from Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability, allowing it to survive some Special attacks that it normally wouldn't be able to.(I don't think this needs to be said) This Tyranitar can also use both Crunch and Pursuit to psych out Gengar, and if it can also take out Gliscor, it makes it significantly easier for Lucario and other Fighting-types to sweep.</p>

<p>On the special side, Celebi and Shaymin work very well with this Tyranitar set. As with Lucario, Gengar can prove troublesome for offensive Grass-types, and Protect variants switching out expecting a Crunch can be eliminated by a surprise Pursuit. This Tyranitar also does well at eliminating common Steel-types, such as Skarmory and Scizor, which resist Grass 4x and carry super-effective Brave Bird and U-turn respectively.</p>

[SET]
name: TyraniBoah
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Dark Pulse / Crunch
move 4: Flamethrower / Ice Beam / Thunderbolt
item: Leftovers
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 52 Atk / 176 SpA / 28 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Once the pinnacle of stall-breaking power, TyraniBoah is a legendary set capable of making even the fiercest stall teams shudder. Tyranitar has the perfect combination of bulk, type coverage, and power to punish stall teams that allow it to set up, and with Blissey being such an integral part of stall, it's hard not to let it get set up.</p>

<p>Boah is fairly simple to use. Bring it in on something that can't threaten it, set up a Substitute, and prepare to wreak havoc. With 404 HP, Tyranitar can set up 101 HP Substitutes, preventing Blissey from breaking them easily with Seismic Toss. Once a Substitute is up, Tyranitar can start firing off powerful Focus Punches. Dark Pulse and Crunch both provide basic STAB- Dark Pulse is better due to its ability to hit physical walls that Tyranitar otherwise wouldn't be able to hit with its fourth move. However, Crunch is effective, as even with 176 EVs and a boosting nature, Tyranitar's Attack is still superior to its Special Attack. The fourth move allows Tyranitar to take on specific threats. Flamethrower and Thunderbolt both hit Skarmory, with the former also being effective against Scizor, Metagross, Bronzong, and Jirachi, and the latter being effective against Suicune and Vaporeon. Ice Beam's main purpose is to hit Hippowdon, though it can also catch Dragonite and Flygon.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Boah's EVs are fairly specific. 252 HP allows for the creation of 101 HP Substitutes, making setting up on Blissey a cinch. 28 Spe EVs are required to outspeed Blissey, even after the nature drop- it also outspeeds 4 Spe Machamp, which can allow Tyranitar to 2HKO slightly weakened Machamp with Focus Punch and the special move of your choice. 176 SpA and a boosting nature allows Tyranitar to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory 100% of the time with Flamethrower or Thunderbolt, while also allowing it to 2HKO Hippowdon with Ice Beam. The rest of the EVs are dropped into Attack, to boost its Focus Punch.</p>

<p>The best way to support this set is to give it plenty of ways to switch in and do its job. Any time Blissey is out, Tyranitar can come in and set up on it. As such, pairing this Tyranitar with powerful Special Attackers such as Shaymin, Heatran, or Starmie can make it easy for Tyranitar to wreak havoc on Blissey. Additionally, pairing Tyranitar with Pokemon that are capable of sweeping once key physical walls are weakened work well, since this Tyranitar can lure in and eliminate foes such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Swampert.</p>

[SET]
name: CurseTar
move 1: Curse
move 2: Payback
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk / Fire Punch
item: Leftovers
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Between STAB Payback, excellent defensive stats, and the Special Defense boost from Sandstorm, Tyranitar makes an excellent Curse user in the OU metagame. The set is pretty self-explanatory. Curse up for a while, using Rest and Sleep Talk to heal off any damage or status, then eventually sweep with an incredibly powerful STAB Payback, boosted to 100 Base Power by going second. This works especially well if Tyranitar is the last Pokemon, as then it cannot be Phazed out by Pokemon such as Skarmory, which resist Payback and can Whirlwind Tyranitar out easily. Fire Punch can be used over Sleep Talk, as it deals solid damage to Skarmory and Scizor, who may not OHKO Tyranitar after a Curse due to its solid defenses. However, it renders Tyranitar helpless while sleeping, so be careful when using Tyranitar without Sleep Talk.</p>

<p>The EVs are meant to build on Tyranitar's solid Special Defense stat, making it incredibly difficult to eliminate after multiple Curses. It is not necessary to invest in Tyranitar's Attack, because Tyranitar has 304 Attack before any investment, meaning that after a couple Curses it can still hit incredibly hard even with no EVs in the stat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This Tyranitar mainly fears Pokemon such as Infernape, Lucario, Metagross, Jirachi, and Scizor, which can switch in on a Curse and deal massive damage with their STAB attacks even after the defense boost from Curse. Because of this, it is important to pack Pokemon that can eliminate these troublesome foes before attempting to set up with Tyranitar. Choice Scarf Magnezone can trap and eliminate Lucario, Jirachi, and Scizor, as well as dealing solid damage to Metagross, and it can also outspeed Infernape and force it out of play. Gliscor can switch into Scizor, Lucario, and physical Infernape with impunity and scare them out with its STAB Earthquake. Gyarados can switch into all of these threats easily, softening the blow with Intimidate and resisting their STABs, but must be wary of Thunderpunch from Jirachi and Infernape, as well as the rare Stone Edge from Lucario.</p>

<p>Bulky Phazers also threaten this set, especially Skarmory. Again, Magnezone can trap and eliminate Leftovers variants of Skarmory, and at the very least force it out and prevent it from using Roost. Suicune can also be troublesome, as it can either Roar out Tyranitar or simply Calm Mind and KO Tyranitar with boosted Surf. Shaymin and Celebi make excellent partners for Tyranitar, as they can lure out Fire-type attacks for it to set up on, as well as take powerful Water-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks for Tyranitar. Celebi can also sponge Fighting-type attacks aimed at Tyranitar's 4x weakness.</p>

[SET]
name: MixTar
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Dark Pulse / Crunch / Thunderbolt
move 4: Superpower
item: Expert Belt
nature: Naive
evs: 48 Atk / 252 SpA / 208 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Unlike the BaitTar listed earlier, which is used to bluff a choiced set in order to fool Tyranitar's offensive checks, this set focuses more on busting holes in the physically defensive cores of opponents with a specially based set. Instead of catching opponents off-guard as they switch into a Crunch, only to be met with one of Tyranitar's coverage moves, optimally this set would be used with prediction to catch common switchins.</p>

</p>Flamethrower is the primary attack, given how often Steel-types such as Skarmory, Metagross, and Forretress switch into Tyranitar. Ice Beam handily disposes of Hippowdon, Gliscor, Dragonite, and Flygon, which may attempt to switch into a weak physical attack or a resisted attack. The third slot is for coverage. Dark Pulse hits Rotom-A, Gengar, and other notable Pokemon, as well as having solid neutral coverage alongside the other two moves. However, Crunch can be used to bluff a Choice Scarf set and potentially ease prediction against Steel-types such as Skarmory. Finally, Thunderbolt allows Tyranitar to hit Vaporeon and Suicune coming in to resist the first two moves. For the last slot, Superpower can be used to hit Heatran, opposing Tyranitar, and most notably Blissey, which walls the rest of the set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed EVs are used to outspeed Adamant Scizor, as well as slower variants of Base 70 Pokemon, such as Metagross, Skarmory, and Breloom. Special Attack is maxed, so that Tyranitar deals as much damage to physical walls as possible. The rest of the EVs are dropped into Attack, in order to beef up Superpower (and Crunch, if you opt to use it).</p>

<p>Like with the Boah set, this Tyranitar doesn't need much support defensively. Instead, it looks for easy opponents to come in on. Notably, if running Dark Pulse, this Tyranitar can come in on Rotom-A, virtually ignore a burn from Will-o-Wisp, and eliminate it with a the powerful STAB attack. As such, allies such as like Metagross and Scizor, which benefit greatly from the removal of Rotom-A, Skarmory, and other physical walls, can take advantage of Tyranitar's wallbreaking prowess. Special attackers can also do the same- Shaymin works especially well, as it can lure out Fire-type attacks for Tyranitar to switch into, while absorbing Ground-, Water-, and Grass-type attacks aimed at Tyranitar. It also benefits greatly from Skarmory's death, as it performs far better once the opponent's 4x Grass resists are defeated.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]

<p>It's easy to fit Tyranitar into a number of teams, as its excellent bulk and top-notch attacking abilities render it capable of eliminating a lot of top threats. As such, Tyranitar's preferred teammates vary depending on the set that it opts to run, with more offensive sets complementing allies that benefit from its high damage output and Pursuit, and defensive sets looking more for allies that can absorb its weaknesses.</p>

<p>Tyranitar's powerful Pursuit is a great way to complement any sweeper or attacker who benefits greatly from the removal of Ghost-types such as Gengar and Rotom-A or Psychic-types such as Celebi and Starmie, as it can usually eliminate these Pokemon fairly handily, though sometimes at the cost of its own life. As such, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Lucario, Machamp, and Heracross can benefit greatly from an allied Tyranitar, as Pursuit makes it easy for them to spam their powerful STAB Close Combats and DynamicPunches. Other Pokemon that benefit from Rotom-A's removal make good teammates, including Scizor, Metagross, and Jirachi.</p>

<p>If using a luring or wallbreaking set like BaitTar or MixTar, it's important to pair Tyranitar up with Pokemon that share notable counters with it. This includes a number of notable devoted physical and special attackers, since with the advent of Choice Scarf Tyranitar, people have become significantly more comfortable leaving Blissey in on what they expect to be a weak Crunch or Pursuit, allowing Tyranitar to catch it off-guard with a powerful Superpower. Because of this, Shaymin matches up extremely well with lure-based Tyranitar sets, due to its ability to catch some of its top counters, such as Blissey and Skarmory, off-guard and eliminate them.</p>

<p>Defensively, it's easy to cover Tyranitar's weaknesses. Tyranitar has weaknesses to Steel, Ground, Grass, Water, and a double weakness to Fighting. Celebi fits the bill extremely well, resisting 4 of Tyranitar's 5 weaknesses, and it can also support Tyranitar by spreading paralysis, making it easy for it to come in and outspeed opponents before crushing them with its powerful Stone Edge or Crunch. Rotom-A also works well, as it can counter Scizor, absorb Ground- and Fighting-type attacks, and scare off Skarmory. Both of these Pokemon also lure in Blissey especially well, which makes it easy for Tyranitar to come in and do its thing. Zapdos also works well, as it resists 4 of Tyranitar's 5 weaknesses, and its STAB Thunderbolt is super effective on the fifth.</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

<p>There are a couple options that aren't listed in the main sets, but are entirely viable. Rock Slide has more accuracy than Stone Edge, but 25% less power, making it often a lesser option. Still, it can prove useful on the Dragon Dance set, where it can OHKO many opponents that it is super effective against, including Gyarados, even after an Intimidate. It also packs that useful 30% chance to flinch, which can be the difference between getting beaten by a 60% Swampert and 2HKOing it with a combination of +1 Rock Slide and Crunch.</p>

<p>While the Scarf set is primarily built for using physical attacks, it's possible to swap some of its physical attacks out for special attacks. Most notably, Earthquake/Superpower and Pursuit can be swapped for Fire Blast and Ice Beam, allowing Tyranitar to reliably revenge kill things that it normally wouldn't be able to, such as Gliscor, and also 2HKO Skarmory, which is usually more than comfortable switching into anything ScarfTar would normally pack.</p>

<p>Tyranitar is more than capable of using its massive bulk for a defensive set. 100 / 110 / (154) defenses are among the best in the entire metagame, and with a little investment, Tyranitar can be incredibly hard to break on the special side. However, there's no "one spread" that's best for this purpose, so really, using defensive Tyranitar comes down to seeing what you need it to do and then giving it a spread that complements that. For supportive sets, Tyranitar can also make use of its fairly solid supporting movepool, including Roar, Stealth Rock, and Thunder Wave.</p>

<p>Tyranitar can also make use of a Choice Specs set. However, Tyranitar benefits greatly from the versatility that its movepool provides, and as such, it is much more effective when using an item that capitalizes on that versatility, such as Expert Belt or Life Orb. Still, Choice Specs provides potentially massive power, and the results are extremely rewarding when you predict correctly with it.</p>

[COUNTERS]

<p>There are a couple Pokemon in OU that Tyranitar really has a hell of a time hurting. One of the most notable is Swampert, which resists Tyranitar's powerful Stone Edge, takes no more than ~40% from Crunch, and is neutral or better to any other attack that Tyranitar would carry. It can also retaliate with a STAB Surf or Earthquake, both of which are super effective against Tyranitar. Machamp is another notable counter to Tyranitar, as it can shrug off both of Tyranitar's powerful STABs and ravage it with a powerful 4x effective DynamicPunch. Hippowdon performs extremely similarly to Swampert, except it can be susceptible to Ice Beam from mixed or specially attacking sets. Finally, Breloom is probably one of the best counters to Tyranitar in the game. It resists everything that the common Tyranitar uses outside of Superpower or possibly Fire Punch, and it can use Tyranitar to set up Substitutes, making it hard for whatever comes in to deal with it.</p>

<p>When dealing with Choice Scarf Tyranitar, options open up somewhat. Skarmory can switch into nearly any attack that Choice Scarf Tyranitar would use and proceed to lay down Spikes, significantly shortening Tyranitar's reign of terror. Blissey actually becomes a viable way to deal with Tyranitar, as outside of an untimely Critical Hit or a predicted Superpower, Tyranitar is unable to 2HKO Bold variants of Blissey. Forretress can perform similarly to Skarmory, except it trades the ability to recover reliably for the ability to take advantage of Tyranitar and Rapid Spin away hazards. Defensive variants of Rotom-A may not be able to switch in reliably, but they can survive an attack from Tyranitar and burn it with Will-O-Wisp, crippling it for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Since the most common variants of Tyranitar are Choiced, using either Scarf or Band, it's easy to set up on its attacks with Pokemon that resist its STABs. Lucario has the advantage of being able to switch into both Stone Edge and Crunch with a 4x resistance, taking minimal damage despite its frailty. However, Extremespeed variants of Lucario should be wary, as even though Tyranitar may be setup fodder, it can later come in and revenge kill Lucario, which cannot respond due to Tyranitar's resistance to Normal. However, Bullet Punch variants and Agility variants need not fear Tyranitar's return, as they are more than capable of eliminating a Scarfed Tyranitar.</p>
Click to expand...

roar
 
Grammar-Prose Check 1/2:
additions in bold
removals in red
comments in green
[Overview]

<p>Tyranitar is one of the most dominant Pokemon in the OU metagame, and for good reason. As one of the most dominant Pokemon in the OU metagame, Tyranitar has proven its power. Its excellent stat spread gives it incredible versatility, allowing it to perform in nearly any role it wants. Choice Scarf sets make incredible trappers and revenge killers, while Mixed and Choice Band sets pack incredible power and generally make stall weep. On top of that, Tyranitar it can even sweep with a Dragon Dance set. It's no slouch defensively as well, with 100/110/100 defenses bolstered by Sand Stream and its Rock typing.</p>

<p>That said, Tyranitar isn't without issues. Numerous weaknesses to common types make it tough to survive hits from many opponents, and the popularity of Scizor, its greatest nemesis, doesn't help. Still, despite these faults issues, Tyranitar is an excellent Pokemon, easy to fit into nearly any type of team.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Earthquake / Superpower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>It may seem odd to use a Choice Scarf on such a slow Pokemon, but Tyranitar's great excellent stat spread makes it a superior an excellent user of Choice Scarf. 61 Base Speed gives it the ability to outspeed Pokemon with 115 Base Speed and up, even with a positive nature, allowing it to outspeed notable foes such as Starmie, Azelf, and Gengar.</p>

<p>Stone Edge and Crunch serve as Tyranitar's main attacks, packing incredible power when backed by Tyranitar's outstanding excellent Attack stat. However, the magic of this set lies in the speedy Pursuit, which gives Tyranitar the ability to put opponents into a checkmate position and eliminate them without fail. While Pursuit is guaranteed to OHKO all of the above Pokemon on the switch, it also does a number when they don't switch. For example: On a non-switch, 4 HP / 0 Def Gengar takes 78.2% - 92%, giving a significant chance to OHKO after Sandstorm and Stealth Rock, and guaranteeing the KO with 2 Stealth Rock switch-ins switchins. Superpower and Earthquake round out the set, providing essential type coverage. Earthquake hits Steel-types such as Lucario and Metagross effectively, as well as striking tagging opposing Tyranitar. However, Superpower allows Tyranitar to eliminate Blissey more effectively, as Bold Blissey is not 2HKOed by any of Scarf Tyranitar's moves, even Stone Edge.</p>

<p>252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are required to outspeed positive natured Base 115 Pokemon, and are crucial to this set's performance.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>While Choice Scarf Tyranitar may be fast enough to outspeed many offensive opponents, it often finds itself lacking the power necessary to deal significant damage to defensive Pokemon such as Skarmory, Swampert, and even Blissey. Because of this, it is important to support Tyranitar with Pokemon that are capable of punching busting holes in these defensive Pokemon. Infernape gets special mention here, as Scarf Tyranitar is excellent at removing popular Infernape checks such as Starmie and Gengar. Taunt/Toxic Gliscor with Taunt or Toxic can also perform well, as it benefits from Tyranitar's Sand Stream (which activates Gliscor's Sand Veil ability) and can easily dismantle defensive teams abuse Sand Veil activated by Tyranitar's Sand Stream, and it also dismantles defensive teams extremely effectively. Magnezone can trap Bronzong, Skarmory, and Forretress with its ability, Magnet Pull, effectively, as well as switch into Scizor and either absorb a U-turn or trap it on a Bullet Punch.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Aqua Tail / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With a monstrous 134 Base Attack and powerful STAB Stone Edge, Choice Band Tyranitar is easily one of the most devastating Pokemon sets available in OU. A STAB Stone Edge coming off of Tyranitar's a massive 603 Attack is enough to break through even the toughest of OU's defensive Pokemon. Combine this with 100/110/100 defenses and Sand Stream's Special Defense boost, and Choice Band Tyranitar is a Pokemon who can switch in with ease and, once in play, punish the opponent with its devastating power.</p>

<p>Stone Edge is one of the keys to this set's success. After the Choice Band boost, it scores OHKOs on a significant portion of the metagame even when hitting for neutral damage. It also packs enough power to easily 2HKO walls such as Skarmory and Forretress with ease, making it an effective tool against stall. Crunch serves as accurate secondary STAB, and provides neutral coverage on Pokemon that resits Stone Edge, such as Swampert, Bronzong, and Metagross hits Pokemon that resist Stone Edge such as Swampert, Bronzong, and Metagross neutrally. Pursuit allows Tyranitar to catch opponents fleeing from its powerful Stone Edge or Crunch and finish them off with ease. This helps Tyranitar eliminate specially-based Pokemon such as Zapdos, Jolteon, Starmie, and Choiced Rotom-A. The final slot provides Tyranitar with much-needed type coverage. Aqua Tail hits Hippowdon, Gliscor, and opposing Tyranitar hard, as well as providing neutral coverage and a reliable attack. Earthquake hits Metagross, Jirachi, and other Tyranitar as well, but is a dangerous move to be locked into much more dangerous to be locked into. Finally, Fire Punch allows Tyranitar to OHKO Scizor and Forretress, as well as reliably 2HKOing Skarmory and Bronzong reliably.</p>

<p>Running 96 Speed EVs outpaces the standard slow variants of Skarmory, allowing Tyranitar to reliably 2HKO them with Stone Edge without being impeded by Roost. After maximizing Attack, the remaining EVs are placed into HP for maximum bulk.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Due to its low speed, this Tyranitar needs two main forms of support: firstly, it needs allies that can switch into its numerous resistances with ease, and secondly, it needs allies that give it numerous chances to switch in. Dragonite Salamence works extremely well alongside Tyranitar, absorbing Water, Ground, Bug, and Fighting attacks aimed at Tyranitar's rocky exterior. Meanwhile, Tyranitar can come in for free on the majority of Ice attacks that would be aimed at Dragonite Salamence and proceed to Pursuit their users Pursuit their users effectively. Gyarados is also an effective partner, as it can perform identically to Dragonite Salamence alongside Tyranitar. Gliscor shares the Water weakness, but it can resist the powerful Ground and Fighting attacks aimed at Tyranitar, and can also protect against Lucario, which sets up with ease on Tyranitar's STAB attacks.</p>

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Stone Edge / Rock Slide
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Fire Punch / Earthquake / Aqua Tail
item: Babiri Berry / Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>After a Dragon Dance, Tyranitar has all of the power of the Choice Band set, all the speed of the Choice Scarf set, and still has the priceless ability to change moves. On top of that, Tyranitar's excellent bulk and potential to pose an immediate threat makes it easy to set up a Dragon Dance.</p>

<p>Stone Edge serves as Tyranitar's main attack is the main attack for this set, packing excellent power. However, Rock Slide can be effective on this set for two main reasons. Firstly, it has enough power to OHKO Salamence, Gyarados, Zapdos, and other common targets of Tyranitar's Rock-type STAB, but with 10% more accuracy than Stone Edge. Secondly, it has a very notable 30% flinch chance, which a Dragon Danced Tyranitar can use as a last-ditch effort to score some important 2HKOs. Crunch provides secondary STAB and reliable power. The last moveslot is used to provide important coverage. Fire Punch hits Steel-types hard as well as reliably OHKOing Scizor and 2HKOing Skarmory with 100% accuracy. Earthquake hits Metagross and Jirachi harder, while as well as providing power against opposing Tyranitar. Finally, Aqua Tail hits Gliscor, Hippowdon, and other Tyranitar.</p>

<p>Babiri Berry allows Tyranitar to absorb Scizor's Bullet Punch and OHKO Scizor with Fire Punch and is used to beat Scizor by absorbing its Bullet Punch and OHKOing back with Fire Punch. However, Life Orb can earn some crucial 2HKOs, such as a 2HKO on Swampert, who is unable to OHKO in response. Jolly nature allows Tyranitar to outspeed Azelf, Starmie, and anything below 115 Base Speed with a positive nature.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Since this Tyranitar has large issues with bulky Ground-types such as Swampert and Hippowdon, it's a good idea to include Pokemon that can deal with them effectively. Skarmory makes an excellent partner for Dragon Dance Tyranitar, as it can freely switch in on Tyranitar's counters and set up Spikes use Tyranitar's counters to set up Spikes for free, which can then make it easier for Tyranitar to score OHKOs on opponents such as Metagross and Jirachi. Magnezone can also be effective, especially when running Life Orb, as it can eliminate choiced Metagross, Jirachi, and Scizor for your team. Choice Band Gyarados can also aid Tyranitar's sweep, as it can lure in and weaken or KO many Pokemon that give Tyranitar problems, such as Suicune, Vaporeon, and Scarf Rotom with Will-O-Wisp.</p>

[SET]
name: BaitTar
move 1: Stone Edge / Crunch
move 2: Pursuit
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Flamethrower / Fire Blast / Ice Beam
item: Babiri Berry / Expert Belt
nature: Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 16 SpA / 240 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set is meant to bait out and eliminate many of Tyranitar's top counters. Since the types of Pokemon used to check Tyranitar are rather predictable, this Tyranitar can bluff a Choice Scarf and proceed to OHKO or heavily damage the opponent's Tyranitar counter whatever comes in on the next turn.</p>

<p>Stone Edge and Crunch are basic STAB moves for Tyranitar, and choosing between them is a matter of choosing what you want to hit with Tyranitar's STAB moves. Pursuit is used in tandem with other moves to play mind games with the opponent. For example: A popular tactic with Gengar is to use Protect as Tyranitar uses its first move, and then either attack on the Pursuit that fails to KO or flee from the Crunch. With this Tyranitar, you can trick fake the Gengar user out by choosing Crunch first, then Pursuiting it as it attempts to get away scot-free. Blissey suffers the same fate, as it can easily absorb weak Pursuits all day, but falls to Superpower.</p>

<p>The last move serves to deter any Steel-types that would take advantage of Tyranitar's attacks. Lucario sets up for free on both of Tyranitar's STAB moves, but a Flamethrower will often catch it attempting to Swords Dance as Tyranitar switches out. Fire Blast has less accuracy and reliability, but it allows Tyranitar to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory without Expert Belt. If using Expert Belt, Flamethrower is always the better option. Ice Beam can be used to hit Gliscor and Hippowdon, two common Tyranitar counters, but misses out on Scizor and Skarmory.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Babiri Berry is used to prevent Scizor from OHKOing Tyranitar with Bullet Punch. This means that unless Scizor is running a Scarf set, Tyranitar will always be able to outspeed and OHKO it and OHKO it with Flamethrower or Fire Blast. If using Ice Beam, Expert Belt is always the superior option, as Tyranitar is no longer able to beat Scizor. The EVs are fairly simple. 240 Speed EVs with a Hasty nature allows Tyranitar to outspeed Adamant Breloom and anything below it, such as Adamant Scizor or Metagross. The rest are dumped into Attack, with the leftovers in Special Attack.</p>

<p>Since this set is designed to lure in and eliminate Tyranitar's top counters, it works extremely well with any Pokemon that shares counters with Tyranitar. Aerodactyl is one such Pokemon, as it benefits greatly from the removal of opposing Scizor. Aerodactyl also happens to benefit from Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability, allowing it to survive some special attacks that it normally wouldn't be able to. This Tyranitar can also use both Crunch and Pursuit to strike psych out Gengar, and if it can also take out Gliscor, it makes it significantly easier for Lucario and other Fighting-types to sweep.</p>

<p>On the special side, Celebi and Shaymin work very well with this Tyranitar set. As with Lucario, Gengar can prove troublesome for offensive Grass-types, and Protect variants switching out expecting a Crunch can be eliminated by a surprise Pursuit. This Tyranitar also does well in at eliminating common Steel-types, such as Skarmory and Scizor, which have a quad-resistance to Grass resist Grass 4x and carry super effective super-effective Brave Bird and U-turn, respectively.</p>

[SET]
name: TyraniBoah
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Dark Pulse / Crunch
move 4: Flamethrower / Ice Beam / Thunderbolt
item: Leftovers
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 52 Atk / 176 SpA / 28 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Once the pinnacle of stallbreaking stall-breaking power, TyraniBoah is a legendary set capable of making even the staunchest fiercest stall teams shudder. Tyranitar has the perfect combination of bulk, type coverage, and power to punish stall teams that allow it to set up, and with Blissey being such an integral part of stall, it's hard not to let it get set up.</p>

<p>Boah, as it's commonly called, is fairly simple to use. Bring it in on something that can't threaten it, set up a Substitute, and prepare to wreak havoc. With 404 HP, Tyranitar can set up 101 HP Substitutes, preventing Blissey from breaking them easily with Seismic Toss. Once a Substitute is up, Tyranitar can start firing off powerful Focus Punches. Dark Pulse and Crunch both provide basic STAB — - Dark Pulse is better due to its ability to hit physical walls that Tyranitar otherwise wouldn't be able to hit with its fourth move. However, Crunch is effective, as even with 176 EVs and a boosting nature, Tyranitar's Attack is still superior to its Special Attack. The fourth move allows Tyranitar to take on specific threats. Flamethrower and Thunderbolt both hit Skarmory, with the former also being effective against Scizor, Metagross, Bronzong, and Jirachi, and the latter being effective against Suicune and Vaporeon. Ice Beam's main purpose is to hit Hippowdon, though it can also catch Dragonite and Flygon.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Boah's EVs are fairly specific. 252 HP allows for the creation of 101 HP Substitutes, making setting up on Blissey a cinch. 28 Speed EVs are required to outspeed Blissey, even after the nature drop — - it also outspeeds 4 Spe Machamp, which can allow Tyranitar to 2HKO slightly weakened Machamp with Focus Punch and the special move of your choice. 176 Special Attack EVs and a boosting nature allows Tyranitar to 2HKO Specially Defensive Skarmory 100% of the time with Flamethrower or Thunderbolt, while also allowing it to 2HKO Hippowdon with Ice Beam. The rest of the EVs are dropped into Attack, to boost its Focus Punch.</p>

<p>The best way to support this set is to give it plenty of ways to switch in and do its job. Any time Blissey is out, Tyranitar can come in and set up on it. As such, pairing this Tyranitar with powerful special attackers such as Shaymin, Heatran, or Starmie can make it easy for Tyranitar to wreak havoc on Blissey. Additionally, pairing Tyranitar with Pokemon that are capable of sweeping once key physical walls are weakened work well, since this Tyranitar can lure in and eliminate foes such as Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Swampert.</p>

[SET]
name: CurseTar
move 1: Curse
move 2: Payback
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk / Fire Punch
item: Leftovers
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Between STAB Payback, excellent defensive stats, and the Special Defense boost from Sandstorm, Tyranitar makes an excellent Curse user in the OU metagame. The set is pretty self-explanatory. Curse up for a while, using Rest and Sleep Talk to heal off any damage or status, then eventually sweep with an incredibly powerful STAB Payback, boosted to 100 Base Power by going second. This works especially well if Tyranitar is the last Pokemon, as then it cannot be forced Phazed out by Pokemon such as Skarmory, which resist Payback and can Whirlwind Tyranitar out easily. Fire Punch can be used over Sleep Talk, as it deals solid damage to Skarmory and Scizor, who may not OHKO Tyranitar after a Curse due to Tyranitar's its solid defenses. However, it renders Tyranitar helpless while sleeping, so be careful when using Tyranitar without Sleep Talk.</p>

<p>The EVs are meant to build on Tyranitar's solid Special Defense stat, making it incredibly difficult to eliminate after multiple Curses. It is not necessary to invest in Tyranitar's Attack, because Tyranitar has 304 Attack before any investment, meaning that after a couple of Curses it can still hit incredibly hard even with no EVs in the stat.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This Tyranitar mainly fears Pokemon such as Infernape, Lucario, Metagross, Jirachi, and Scizor, which can switch in on a Curse and deal massive damage with their STAB attacks, even after the defense boost from Curse. Because of this, it is important to pack Pokemon that can eliminate these troublesome foes before attempting to set up with Tyranitar. Choice Scarf Magnezone can trap and eliminate Lucario, Jirachi, and Scizor, as well as dealing solid damage to Metagross, and it can also outspeed Infernape and force it out of play. Gliscor can switch into Scizor, Lucario, and physical Infernape with impunity and scare them out with its STAB Earthquake. Gyarados can easily switch into all of these threats easily, softening the blow with Intimidate and resisting their STABs, but must be wary of Thunderpunch from Jirachi and Infernape, as well as the rare Stone Edge from Lucario.</p>

<p>Bulky Phazers also threaten this set, especially Skarmory. Again, Magnezone can trap and eliminate Leftovers variants of Skarmory, and at the very least force it out and prevent it from using Roost. Suicune can also be troublesome, as it can either Roar out Tyranitar or simply Calm Mind and KO Tyranitar with a boosted Surf. Shaymin and Celebi make excellent partners for Tyranitar, as they can lure out Fire-type attacks for it to set up on, as well as take powerful Water-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks for Tyranitar. Celebi can also sponge Fighting-type attacks aimed at Tyranitar's 4x weakness.</p>

[SET]
name: MixTar
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Dark Pulse / Crunch / Thunderbolt
move 4: Superpower
item: Expert Belt
nature: Naive
evs: 48 Atk / 252 SpA / 208 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Unlike the BaitTar listed earlier, which is used to bluff a Choiced set in order to fool Tyranitar's offensive checks, this specially-based set focuses more on punching busting holes in the physically defensive cores of Tyranitar's counters opponents with a specially based set. Instead of catching opponents off guard off-guard as they switch into a Crunch, only to be met with one of Tyranitar's coverage moves, optimally this set would be used with prediction to catch common switch-ins switchins. [that sentence was quite confusing and I don't really know what you meant; I suggest rewriting it]</p>

<p>Flamethrower is the primary attack, given how often Steel-types such as Skarmory, Metagross, and Forretress switch into Tyranitar. Ice Beam handily disposes of Hippowdon, Gliscor, Dragonite, and Flygon, that which may attempt to switch into a weak physical attack or a resisted attack. The third slot is for coverage. Dark Pulse hits Rotom-A, Gengar, and the like other notable Pokemon, as well as having solid neutral coverage alongside the other two moves. However, Crunch can be used to bluff a Choice Scarf set and potentially ease prediction against Steel-types such as Skarmory. Finally, Thunderbolt allows Tyranitar to hit Vaporeon and Suicune coming in to resist the first two moves. In For the last slot, Superpower can be used to hit Heatran, opposing Tyranitar, and most notably Blissey, which walls the rest of the set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The Speed EVs are used to outspeed Adamant Scizor, as well as slower variants of Pokemon in the base 70 Speed group Base 70 Pokemon, such as Metagross, Skarmory, and Breloom. Special Attack is maximized, so that Tyranitar deals as much damage to physical walls as possible. The rest of the EVs are dropped into Attack, in order to beef up Superpower (and Crunch, if you opt to use it).</p>

<p>Like with the TyraniBoah set, this Tyranitar doesn't need much defensive support defensively. Instead, it looks for good opportunities to switch in easy opponents to come in on. Notably, if running Dark Pulse, this Tyranitar can come in on Rotom-A, virtually ignore a burn from Will-O-Wisp, and eliminate it with a powerful STAB attack. As such, allies such as Metagross and Scizor, which benefit greatly from the removal of Rotom-A, Skarmory, and other physical walls, can take advantage of Tyranitar's wallbreaking prowess. Special attackers can also do the same — - Shaymin works especially well, as it can lure out Fire-type attacks for Tyranitar to switch into, while absorbing Ground-, Water-, and Grass-type attacks aimed at Tyranitar. It also benefits greatly from Skarmory's death, as it performs far better once the opponent's 4x Grass resists are defeated.</p>

[TEAM OPTIONS]

<p>It's easy to fit Tyranitar into a large number of teams, as its excellent bulk and top-notch attacking abilities render it capable of eliminating a lot of top threats. As such, Tyranitar's preferred teammates vary depending on the set that it opts to run, with more offensive sets complementing allies that benefit from its high damage output and Pursuit, and defensive sets looking more for allies that can absorb its weaknesses.</p>

<p>Tyranitar's powerful Pursuit is a great way to complement any sweeper or attacker who benefits greatly from the removal of Ghost-types (such as Gengar and Rotom-A) or Psychic-types (such as Celebi and Starmie), as Tyranitar it can usually eliminate these Pokemon fairly handily, though sometimes at the cost of its own life. Therefore As such, Fighting-type Pokemon such as Lucario, Machamp, and Heracross can benefit greatly from an allied Tyranitar, as Pursuit makes it easy for them to spam powerful STAB moves like Close Combat and DynamicPunch their powerful STAB Close Combats and DynamicPunches. Other Pokemon that benefit from Rotom-A's removal make good teammates, including Scizor, Metagross, and Jirachi.</p>

<p>If using a luring or wallbreaking set like BaitTar or MixTar, it's important to pair Tyranitar up with Pokemon that share notable counters with it. This includes a number of notable devoted physical and special attackers, since with the advent of Choice Scarf Tyranitar, people have become significantly more comfortable leaving Blissey in on what they expect to be a weak Crunch or Pursuit, allowing Tyranitar to catch it off guard off-guard with a powerful Superpower. Because of this, Shaymin matches up extremely well with such lure-based Tyranitar sets, due to its ability to catch some of its top counters, such as Blissey and Skarmory, off guard off-guard and eliminate them.</p>

<p>Defensively, it's easy to cover Tyranitar's weaknesses. Tyranitar has weaknesses to Steel, Ground, Grass, Water, and a 4x double weakness to Fighting. Celebi fits the bill extremely well, resisting 4 of Tyranitar's 5 weaknesses, and it can also support Tyranitar by spreading paralysis, making it easy for Tyranitar it to come in and outspeed opponents before crushing them with its powerful Stone Edge or Crunch. Rotom-A also works well, as it can counter Scizor, absorb Ground- and Fighting-type attacks, and scare off Skarmory. Both of these Pokemon also lure in Blissey especially well, which makes it easy for Tyranitar to come in and do its thing. Zapdos also works well, as it resists 4 of Tyranitar's 5 weaknesses, and its STAB Thunderbolt is super effective on the fifth (Water).</p>

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

<p>There are a couple of options that aren't listed in the main sets, but are entirely viable. Rock Slide has more accuracy than Stone Edge, but 25% less power, often making it often a lesser option. Still, it can prove useful on the Dragon Dance set, where it can OHKO many opponents that it is super effective against, including Gyarados, even after an Intimidate. It also packs that useful 30% chance to flinch, which can be the difference between getting beaten by a 60% Swampert and 2HKOing it with a combination of +1 Rock Slide and Crunch.</p>

<p>While the Scarf set is primarily built for using physical attacks, it's possible to swap some of its physical attacks out for special attacks. Most notably, Earthquake / Superpower and Pursuit can be swapped for Fire Blast and Ice Beam, respectively, allowing Tyranitar to reliably revenge kill things that it normally wouldn't be able to, such as Gliscor, and also 2HKO Skarmory, which is usually more than comfortable switching into anything ScarfTar would normally pack.</p>

<p>Tyranitar is more-than-capable more than capable of using its massive bulk for a defensive set. 100 / 110 / (154) defenses are among the best in the entire metagame, and with a little investment, Tyranitar can be incredibly hard to break on the special side. However, there's no "one spread" that's best for this purpose, so really, using defensive Tyranitar comes down to seeing what you need it to do and then giving it a spread that complements that. For supportive sets, Tyranitar can also make use of its fairly solid utility supporting movepool, which includes including Roar, Stealth Rock, and Thunder Wave.</p>

<p>Tyranitar can also make use of a Choice Specs set. However, Tyranitar benefits greatly from the versatility that its movepool provides, and as such, it is much more effective when using an item that capitalizes on that versatility, such as Expert Belt or Life Orb. Still, Choice Specs provides potentially massive power, and the results are extremely rewarding when you predict correctly with it.</p>

[COUNTERS]

<p>There are a couple Pokemon in OU that Tyranitar really has a hell of a time hurting. Most notably, One of the most notable is Swampert, which resists Tyranitar's powerful Stone Edge, takes no more than ~40% from Crunch, and is neutral or better to any other attack that Tyranitar would carry. It can also retaliate with a STAB Surf or Earthquake, both of which are super effective against Tyranitar. Machamp is another notable counter to Tyranitar, as it can shrug off both of Tyranitar's powerful STABs and ravage it with a powerful 4x effective DynamicPunch. Hippowdon performs extremely similarly to Swampert, except it is can be susceptible to Ice Beam from mixed or special specially attacking sets. Finally, Breloom is probably one of the best counters to Tyranitar in the game. It resists everything that the common Tyranitar uses outside of Superpower or possibly Fire Punch, and it can use Tyranitar as set-up fodder to set up Substitutes, making it hard for whatever comes in to deal with it.</p>

<p>When dealing with Choice Scarf Tyranitar, options open up somewhat. Skarmory can switch into nearly any attack that Choice Scarf Tyranitar can would use and proceed to lay down Spikes, significantly shortening Tyranitar's reign of terror. Blissey actually becomes a viable way to deal with Tyranitar, as outside of an untimely critical hit or a predicted Superpower, Tyranitar is unable to 2HKO Bold variants of Blissey. Forretress can perform similarly to Skarmory, except it trades the ability to recover reliably for the ability to take advantage of Tyranitar and Rapid Spin away hazards. Defensive variants of Rotom-A may not be able to switch in reliably, but they can survive an attack from Tyranitar and burn it with Will-O-Wisp, crippling it for the rest of the match.</p>

<p>Since the most common variants of Tyranitar are Choiced, using either Scarf or Band, it's easy to set up on its attacks with Pokemon that resist its STABs. Lucario has the advantage of being able to switch into both Stone Edge and Crunch with a 4x resistance, taking minimal damage despite its frailty. However, Extremespeed variants of Lucario should be wary, as even though Tyranitar may be set-up setup fodder, it can later come in and revenge kill Lucario, which cannot respond due to Tyranitar's resistance to Normal. However, Bullet Punch variants and Agility variants need not fear Tyranitar's return, as they are more than capable of eliminating a Scarfed Tyranitar.</p>
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Hi SDS, nice analysis. Grammatically, this analysis was excellent, but I found several issues, mostly concerning prose, which will be addressed below:

1) Always put modifiers as close as possible to whatever they modify. This is something that I found repeatedly. For example:

Finally, Fire Punch allows Tyranitar to OHKO Scizor and Forretress, as well as 2HKOing Skarmory and Bronzong reliably.
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Finally, Fire Punch allows Tyranitar to OHKO Scizor and Forretress, as well as reliably 2HKOing Skarmory and Bronzong.
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Here, the second example would be more clear. The adverb "reliably" describes the gerund "2HKOing," so put it closer to "2HKOing."

2) When using "switch-in" as a noun, it's hyphenated. However, when used as a verb, it is not hyphenated. For example:

used as a noun:
Thanks to its access to Absorb, Treecko is a good switch-in to Mudkip.
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used as a verb:
Thanks to its access to Absorb, Treecko can switch in on Mudkip.
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Never use "switchin" or "switchins" as either a noun or a verb, as it is incorrect. Also, a similar rule applies to "set up." When used as an adjective, "set-up" is hyphenated. When used as a verb, it is not.

3) When incorporating "more than" or "less than" into an adjective, it's hyphenated. For example, you would say more-than-capable, or less-than-stellar, not more than capable or less than stellar.

4) You tend to overuse two words: "excellent" and "effectively", or so I've found in this particular analysis. So, I've replaced most mentions of said words.

I can explain changes if needed. Other than that, this was a very well-written analysis. Good job!

Withholding stamp until changes are implemented.

EDIT: Changes made, so:

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Maybe a little late but wondering why Choice Scarf is listed ahead of Choice Band. Choice Scarf has a specific niche for Tyranitar to help certain kinds of teams out (like semi-stall) where Choice Band you literally just slap on any team and SPAM Stone Edge for massive damage. I always wondered when Choice Scarf became universally better than Choice Band, which has pretty much been Tar's bread and butter set in Gen 4
 
RaikouLover said:
Maybe a little late but wondering why Choice Scarf is listed ahead of Choice Band. Choice Scarf has a specific niche for Tyranitar to help certain kinds of teams out (like semi-stall) where Choice Band you literally just slap on any team and SPAM Stone Edge for massive damage. I always wondered when Choice Scarf became universally better than Choice Band, which has pretty much been Tar's bread and butter set in Gen 4
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Pokes like gangar and starmie completely wreck the current meta and scarftar gives you a way of getting guaranteed revenge kill. It's often worth it since these pokes don't really have any hard counters, barring bliss. This meta can also be quite aggressive so CB tar can be useless in a few matchups.
 
Scarf is used nearly 4x as much as Choice Band.
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It is used 4Xs as much as Band because its number 1 on the current analysis come on :/

Pokes like gangar and starmie completely wreck the current meta and scarftar gives you a way of getting guaranteed revenge kill. It's often worth it since these pokes don't really have any hard counters, barring bliss. This meta can also be quite aggressive so CB tar can be useless in a few matchups.
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The current Meta is stall orientated now, which Choice Band Tar has a field day with. The common stall team struggles to find something that can switch into the Stone Edge / Crunch / Aqua Tail combination. So unless Breloom becomes a staple on stall teams they will always have a tough time with it.

Also, Gengar and Starmie really do have hard counters. Aside from the cool niche of eliminating those two, ScarfTar is EXTREMELY underwhelming and not even threatening to most pokemon with its piss weak Crunch and the not-so-lethal Miss Edge.
 
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