Ubers Tyranitar (revamp)


[OVERVIEW]

* While Tyranitar has an underwhelming matchup against common threats like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, Zygarde-C, and Xerneas, its unique typing leaves it with a number of notable attributes that justify its place on some teams.
* Tyranitar's good bulk, defensive typing of Rock / Dark, and Sand Steam that further improves its special bulk make it one of the few Pokemon that can pivot into dangerous attackers like Yveltal, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y lacking Focus Blast. Tyranitar's decent offensive typing, wide movepool, and offensive stats also contribute to its offensive presence, making it a decent wallbreaker when equipped with Choice Band.
* One of the most important aspects of using Tyranitar is its ability to guarantee the removal of Ghost- and Psychic-types with Pursuit in addition to defensively checking them. This can prove to be very valuable for some balanced teams that want troublesome foes like Mega Mewtwo Y and Giratina-O disposed of and defensive teams that have trouble facing Mega Gengar and Gothitelle.
* Despite these rare traits, Tyranitar's low Speed, many common weaknesses, and vulnerability to residual damage when lacking Rest undermine its overall effectiveness, forcing it out against a massive portion of the tier and limiting its ability to be a switch-in to threats it will have to check. Said downsides cause further problems to Tyranitar's team due to Tyranitar leaving its team open to threatening foes that it invites after trapping a foe with Pursuit.
* Tyranitar has a myriad of utility options like Stealth Rock and coverage move options available in its arsenal, but even when it is performing a specialized role, it tends to lack moveslots to fit all necessary moves. The majority of its sets are checked by Steel-types, and others lacking Toxic have little chance against Arceus formes with a type advantage.
* All of these combine to make Tyranitar somewhat inconsistent due to a high demand of proper predictions and fluctuating performances depending on matchups. However, Tyranitar's many mentioned unique traits allow it to support or synergize with many common Pokemon in the tier and compress valuable roles, such as setting Stealth Rock in place of Primal Groudon, pivoting into Yveltal in place of Xerneas, and drawing in bulky Pokemon and punishing them with unsuspected powerful attacks or status moves.



[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Superpower / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 228 Atk / 28 Def / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========


* A Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge is notoriously difficult to safely switch into due to the small number of targets that resist it and can avoid getting punished by other attacks. Apart from heavily threatening Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Mega Salamence, Stone Edge can net a 2HKO on bulky foes like Primal Groudon and force recovery moves from maximum HP support Arceus formes while putting a significant dent in Xerneas and having a high chance to OHKO Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage. The damage output is also considerably threatening against defensive teams, as Pokemon like Arceus-Dark, Toxapex, and Skarmory are prone to getting 2HKOed after slight prior damage.
* Crunch has good coverage against a large portion of the tier with Stone Edge. Despite its slightly lower damage output, Crunch serves as the best way to hit common foes like Necrozma-DM and Giratina-O and is strong enough to do a good chunk of damage to resistant targets like Xerneas with sandstorm damage and force a recovery move from Arceus-Ground.
* Pursuit enables Tyranitar to net heavy damage on a target switching out, typically removing retreating Ghost- and Psychic-types from play. With Choice Band, Pursuit can also net good damage on neutral targets that attempt to avoid an unfavorable matchup against Tyranitar, guaranteeing a 2HKO on Blissey and OHKO on retreating Mega Gengar after getting burned.
* Superpower rounds out Tyranitar's coverage by hitting Steel-types hard. With Choice Band, Superpower can guarantee OHKO Ferrothorn and Dialga with minimal prior damage, threaten to OHKO maximum HP Arceus-Dark, and put a major dent on Magearna. It also immediately removes Chansey after Stealth Rock damage and harshly punishes Mega Lucario, should it attempt to switch into Tyranitar and set up on it.
* Ice Punch OHKOes offensive untransformed Zygarde and 2HKOes defensive Zygarde-C and Arceus-Ground. Ice Punch is also reliable against Flying-types like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza if missing Stone Edge against them will be a huge detriment. Note that forgoing Superpower for Ice Punch makes Magearna a reliable switch-in to this set.
* Earthquake provides Tyranitar with a stronger coverage option against Magearna and has the highest damage output against Primal Groudon. Superpower's main targets typically outweigh Earthquake's broad range of coverage, however.
* Persistent switch-ins like Arceus-Dark and Arceus-Ground can be crippled by Toxic, but this makes Tyranitar ineffective against Steel-types and getting locked into Toxic is not very ideal.


Set Details
========


* 28 Defense EVs allow Tyranitar to survive defensive Necrozma-DM's Sunsteel Strike from full health, letting Tyranitar 2HKO it with Crunch. Maximum Speed EVs enable Tyranitar to outspeed uninvested base 90 Speed Pokemon, letting it KO foes like Giratina formes first and pick off weakened threats like defensive Primal Groudon.
* The rest of the EVs are invested in Attack with Adamant nature to give Tyranitar enough power to 2HKO many neutral targets, such as support Arceus formes and offensive Primal Groudon.
* Choice Band allows Tyranitar to take advantage of its decent Attack, good STAB combination, and many coverage moves to net heavy damage on many of its switch-ins.
* Sand Stream summons sandstorm when Tyranitar switches in, increasing Tyranitar's special bulk. Damage from sandstorm can also be beneficial with turning potential KOs into guaranteed KOs.


Usage Tips
========


* Tyranitar can seek opportunities to come into the field by utilizing its nifty resistances to Dark and Ghost and immunity to Psychic. While Tyranitar's massive special bulk with sandstorm lets it easily take resisted attacks multiple times, this set must exercise some caution when pivoting into threats like Yveltal, Gengar, and Mega Mewtwo Y.
* Some variants of Yveltal can wear down Tyranitar with U-turn and proceed to create unfavorable matchups, and others can threaten it with Focus Blast.
* While it is also possible for Tyranitar to switch into a foe that cannot immediately threaten it, note that a number of Pokemon it can threaten can status it on the switch. This means Tyranitar may risk getting burned by Mega Gengar and Giratina-O's Will-O-Wisp and being put on a timer by Blissey's Toxic on the switch.
* Switching into Ho-Oh also involves a risk due to Toxic and a potential burn from Sacred Fire. Though Mega Gengar will still be taken out by burned Tyranitar and Blissey will be 2HKOed by Pursuit, Tyranitar will be much less effective when inflicted with burn or poison. Only take this risk against the aforementioned threats if there will be ample opportunities for a teammate to provide cleric support or weakening or removing such foes outweighs having Tyranitar afflicted by status.
* Though sandstorm can easily be removed by Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, it can be handy with helping wearing down Tyranitar's swich-ins and improving Tyranitar's bulk to the point where it can take resisted hits multiple times even without defensive investment. Using sandstorm damage, Tyranitar can also limit suicide leads like Cloyster, Smeargle, and Deoxys-S to a single turn and pivot into Lunala to take any attack other than Focus Blast and break Shadow Shield, making it easier to deal with for teammates.
* Ideally, Choice Band Tyranitar will net as much damage as possible on offensive checks it draws in and be a solid pivot. Accomplishing both of these will be difficult due to Tyranitar's low Speed and its disadvantageous matchup against a myriad of common threats in the tier, forcing it to rely on a hit-and-run playstyle. Avoid being too reckless with switching in Tyranitar when reacting to offensive threats to the point where Tyranitar becomes too predictable. Almost every competitive team has a few Pokemon that can take advantage of Tyranitar if they have double switched in safely.
* Tyranitar will have more opportunities to dish out damage against slower and defensive teams. There may be problematic foes like support Arceus formes that can check Tyranitar, but an appropriate attack boosted by Choice Band is strong enough to force recovery from many defensive checks. Tyranitar can also KO or weaken Pokemon like Giratina formes and Blissey that attempt to avoid an unfavorable matchup and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Skarmory and Toxapex with entry hazard support, so fully take advantage of its wallbreaking capabilities in such a matchup. Note that Tyranitar's bulk is also helpful for 2HKOing support Arceus formes on the switch after easily surviving a super effective Judgment.
* Trapping a threat with Pursuit can be a good decision even against foes that resist it. For example, an opponent with Yveltal will aim to wear down Tyranitar with repeated attacks if there are no other reliable checks available to the team. If Tyranitar successfully switched into an Yveltal that does not have a way to significantly threaten it, it can force the switch and do heavy damage with Pursuit. Factoring in sandstorm, Dark Aura, and Choice Band, Pursuit is strong enough to prevent Yveltal from switching into most attacks afterwards.
* Gothitelle will be a difficult foe to trap and even when Tyranitar successfully double switched into it, as Tyranitar will have to predict well to avoid getting locked into Pursuit as Gothitelle neutralizes it with Charm. Attempting to get Tyranitar in against Gothitelle is already risky considering how many Pokemon can threaten Tyranitar in a one-on-one situation, so do not aggressively attempt to trap it unless its removal is crucial for the team.
* Note that Pursuit trapping involves a risk. A Tyranitar locked into Pursuit is very exploitable and invites Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Zygarde, Xerneas, Marshadow, and Primal Kyogre, which can be dangerous when freely given momentum. Only trap threats when it is absolutely needed and be prepared to deal with a threat that will exploit Tyranitar locked into Pursuit.


Team Options
========


* Tyranitar can synergize with various common Pokemon in the tier that benefit from Tyranitar's ability to weaken many Pokemon and remove problematic foes like Mega Gengar, Giratina-O, and Mega Mewtwo Y. On the flipside, Tyranitar also has numerous weaknesses due to its lacking defensive typing, which is worsened by it becoming more exploitable after getting locked into Pursuit, and these have to be properly covered by durable defensive cores or offensive pressure from teammates that will prevent or check many forms of setup.
* Xerneas is one of the best offensive partners to be considered. Choice Scarf variants can provide great revenge killing utility against Marshadow and Ultra Necrozma, use Defog and Aromatherapy to improve Tyranitar's longevity, and benefit from the removal of Mega Gengar and Blissey. Depending on Tyranitar's coverage move, Steel-types like Magearna can be heavily damaged and left vulnerable to Geomancy Xerneas as well.
* Primal Groudon can threaten a myriad of Fairy- and Steel-types that will exploit Tyranitar lacking a proper coverage move to hit them or locked into a wrong move. Primal Groudon is also valuable for its ability to set Stealth Rock, check Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, and take advantage of Magearna. In return, Tyranitar removes Giratina-O and threatens Ho-Oh. Necrozma-DM can be useful for similar reasons, and offensive sets can have a better chance to break through the opposing team after Tyranitar weakened Primal Groudon and Steel-types.
* Mega Salamence can check Ground- and Fighting-types that take advantage of Tyranitar and pivot into Primal Groudon and Mega Lucario. All variants appreciate Tyranitar weakening Steel- and Fairy-types and potentially removing Zygarde by luring it and punishing it with Ice Punch.
* Other checks to Ground-types and Primal Groudon, such as support Arceus formes, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh, all are options depending on the structure of the team. Support Arceus formes easily fit with Tyranitar and enjoy Tyranitar removing Blissey and Ferrothorn with appropriate attacks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Primal Groudon, checks Arceus-Ground, and pressure opposing support Arceus formes relatively well. Ho-Oh may be harder to fit, but it checks many support Arceus formes better, can handle certain variants of Primal Groudon, and can have Tyranitar deal with Mega Salamence, KO a lured Zygarde with Ice Punch, and threaten other Steel-types in return, as Tyranitar that forgoes other moves for Ice Punch will struggle against them.
* Toxapex can check many Fighting-types that tend to set up on Tyranitar, provide Toxic Spikes support, pivot into Toxic, and benefit from Tyranitar pressuring Mega Sableye and trapping Mega Gengar.
* Arceus-Grass is a niche yet effective partner thanks to its ability to threaten offensive teams with its various coverage options, check Zygarde, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Ground, and weaken Steel-types with Fire Blast should Tyranitar not have the right move to deal with them. Tyranitar makes a good pivot to Flying-types and can eliminate Mega Gengar and Gothitelle.


[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Rock Tomb / Rock Slide
move 3: Foul Play
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Lum Berry
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 76 Atk / 148 Def / 36 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========


* Pursuit allows Tyranitar to trap prominent threats like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y while preventing weakened or sleeping Gothitelle from causing further damage to the team after it trapped and neutralized one of Tyranitar's teammates. Note that this set will lack sufficient power to immediately remove Giratina-O and will fail to guarantee Mega Gengar's removal after getting burned by Will-O-Wisp if not holding Lum Berry.
* Rock Tomb allows Tyranitar to slow down switch-ins, potentially allowing its teammates to deal with them better. It also improves Tyranitar's effectiveness as a check to Arceus-Dark and bulky Arceus-Flying, both of which can potentially set up on this set.
* Rock Slide provides Tyranitar an alternative countermeasure against Flying-types it checks, letting it threaten to OHKO Ho-Oh and take out offensive Yveltal and Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage.
* Foul Play can assist in alleviating this set's passivity by harshly punishing threats like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM that attempt to use Tyranitar as setup fodder. If Tyranitar is wielding Shuca or Chople Berry, Foul Play also allows it to better check Earthquake Ultra Necrozma, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y, OHKOing Lunala with its Shadow Shield broken and taking out Mega Mewtwo Y after Stealth Rock damage. Note that this variant of Tyranitar can survive a Sunsteel Strike from Adamant Necrozma-DM and punish it with Foul Play, and Extreme Killer Arceus is hit much harder by Foul Play if it has Swords Dance boosts.
* Ice Beam allows Tyranitar to dispose of Mega Salamence quicker and hit Zygarde harder. Against Giratina-O with Will-O-Wisp, this move is the best attack to use. However, it is important to note that forgoing Rock Slide for this move means that Tyranitar will rely on Toxic and sandstorm damage to check Yveltal, will be set up on Extreme Killer Arceus using Substitute, and will no longer check Ho-Oh effectively.
* Earthquake is a niche option to consider to offensively check Naganadel, hit Primal Groudon hard, and OHKO Lucario on the switch.
* Toxic improves Tyranitar's otherwise disappointing matchup against Xerneas and support Arceus formes by putting them on a timer as they switch in and wearing them down quickly in conjunction with sandstorm damage. It also punishes other offensive checks like Primal Groudon and Zygarde on the switch.
* Thunder Wave's ability to slow down a threat and annoy Steel-types makes it a good status move as well, but Toxic generally proves to be a better way to punish the likes of support Arceus forms in the long run.
* To pressure Mega Salamence and Ho-Oh and benefit teammates like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM, Tyranitar can possibly run Stealth Rock to compress a role of pivot and entry hazard setter, though its worsened passivity can be detrimental.
* Rest is Tyranitar's only option of recovery that can fully restore its health and remove status, but it is going to be inefficient without cleric support due to Tyranitar being left vulnerable for two turns.


Set Details
========


* The given EV spread with an Adamant nature allows Tyranitar to survive two +1 Double-Edges from Adamant Mega Salamence, take +1 Focus Blast from Lunala after Stealth Rock with Chople Berry intact, and threaten a good number of Flying-types with Rock Slide. Defensive Ho-Oh is almost always taken out by Rock Slide after sandstorm damage, Mega Salamence and maximum HP Arceus-Flying are 2HKOed with Stealth Rock on the field, and offensive Yveltal and Rayquaza are OHKOed after Stealth Rock.
* 36 Speed EVs enable Tyranitar to outspeed Gothitelle, letting it pick off weakened ones without getting afflicted by Charm. A Brave nature with no investment in Speed should be used when running Ice Beam.
* Lum Berry is used to avoid getting burned by Mega Gengar's Will-O-Wisp once and ensure it is removed from play. It also has a situational use in making Tyranitar a better switch-in to the rare Darkrai.
* Chople Berry can be used to allow Tyranitar to survive a Focus Blast from threats like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y. Assuming Tyranitar has switched into a different move, it will at least be able to survive said attack and retaliate to net heavy damage before it goes down.
* Shuca Berry is an option when Tyranitar is running Ice Beam to survive a boosted Thousand Arrows from Zygarde and KO back. Shuca Berry can also prove to be helpful with surviving a boosted Earthquake from Mega Salamence and Rayquaza.
* Leftovers can be used to provide Tyranitar with passive recovery and make it more resilient to weaker attacks and entry hazard damage.


Usage Tips
========


* With bulkier investment, this variant of Tyranitar can switch into resisted attacks more freely. Once given a switch, Tyranitar will be given a turn to use one of its utility options before it is forced out by an incoming offensive threat. Setting Stealth Rock is mostly an ideal decision, as this will start wearing down the opposing team and help to identify a Defog user, which Tyranitar will aim to cripple with Toxic.
* Unless there is no other Pokemon that can do so, be wary of switching into super effective attacks from foes that Tyranitar will normally check. Even with Chople Berry intact, Tyranitar can be 2HKOed on the switch by Focus Blast from Lunala and Mega Mewtwo Y. If a foe that Tyranitar is tasked to take on can beat it one-on-one, aim to put it on a timer with Toxic or at least land an attack before Tyranitar is KOed.
* Dangerous threats like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y should be disposed of if given a chance to do so. An opponent will switch in an offensive check afterwards, and if Tyranitar is no longer needed, set Stealth Rock or put a foe on timer with Toxic before it is KOed. However, against threats like Zygarde and Arceus-Ground that can use Tyranitar as setup fodder behind Substitute, be quick to switch out to a check or at least prevent them from getting excessive boosts with Ice Beam.
* Tyranitar cannot trap a healthy Gothitelle, as it is bulky enough to survive Pursuit a few times and neutralize Tyranitar. The best moment to use Tyranitar to ensure its removal is when it is asleep after using Rest or has been sufficiently worn down after trapping a teammate.
* Depending on what coverage move Tyranitar carries, it may land a surprise blow on threats like Necrozma-DM and Mega Lucario that assume Tyranitar is too passive to prevent them from setting up . If Tyranitar has already trapped a foe or does not check anything in particular, take a risk to prevent said foes from becoming too threatening.


Team Options
========


* Some balanced teams can still benefit from this variant of Tyranitar, as the ability to compress the roles of a status user, a Flying-type check, a Pursuit trapper, and possibly a Stealth Rock setter is nearly exclusive to it. Due to this set's lack of offensive presence, it will demand stronger security to Fairy-, Fighting-, and Ground-types, as they will freely take advantage of Tyranitar after it Pursuit trapped a foe or set Stealth Rock on the switch.
* Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM can benefit from Tyranitar pivoting into Yveltal, crippling support Arceus formes, and potentially allowing them to run varying sets by running Stealth Rock, and they patch up Tyranitar's defensive flaws in return. Both of them are secure checks to Xerneas and can viably run many countermeasures to threaten defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Celesteela and threaten defensive teams with Mega Sableye, which Tyranitar struggles to do much against.
* Mega Salamence appreciates having a Stealth Rock setter and a teammate that can cripple support Arceus formes. In return, it can take advantage of said utility to sweep with Dragon Dance or be a better check to Primal Groudon by opting for other moves like Defog.
* Xerneas can revenge kill various Fighting-types with a Choice Scarf set, cure Tyranitar of its status with Aromatherapy, and benefit from Tyranitar removing Mega Gengar and keeping Ho-Oh at bay with Stealth Rock.
* Offensive checks to Ground-types like Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Grass can pressure threats like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, and this form of offensive pressure is needed due to Tyranitar lacking enough offensive presence by itself.
* Various support Arceus formes can fit alongside Tyranitar depending on what weakness has to be patched up with the rest of the team. They can also opt for sets with Special Attack investment to help against teams with Mega Sableye by setting Stealth Rock against them.
* As this set can guarantee Mega Gengar's removal with Lum Berry assuming Mega Gengar lacks Focus Blast, various Pokemon commonly employed in defensive teams can benefit from Tyranitar. Primary examples of these include Chansey that checks Fairy-types and provides cleric support, Ferrothorn that checks Primal Kyogre, takes advantage of support Arceus formes, and sets Spikes, and Skarmory that can check certain Ground-types and also provide Spikes support.



[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============


* Utility Tyranitar has various attacks it can choose to deal with certain foes. Fire Blast punishes Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, Low Kick 2HKOes Arceus-Dark, Extreme Killer Arceus, Ferrothorn, and Dialga, and Taunt can be used with 76 Speed EVs to shut down Skarmory and other slower walls while preventing a healthy Gothitelle from neutralizing it. Crunch allows Tyranitar to anti-lead Deoxys-S and OHKOes Lunala and Mega Mewtwo Y, which Tyranitar will otherwise only damage with Pursuit after surviving a Focus Blast with Chople Berry. However, these moves come with the cost of Tyranitar having to forgo Stealth Rock or other crucial attacks that can cover more important threats it is usually obliged to handle.
* Roar is an option to consider, as this enables Tyranitar from getting set up on by anything when it is no longer needed and can potentially make Geomancy Xerneas waste its Power Herb, but this also hinders Tyranitar's role compression.
* Mega Tyranitar can be run on certain teams that do not have any other Pokemon holding a Mega Stone. Mega Tyranitar is a much more durable check to Yveltal and Ho-Oh, but its offensive capabilities are outclassed by Choice Band sets, while its usefulness as a trapper is inferior to regular Tyranitar holding a Lum Berry. Dragon Dance set may seem usable, but it has extreme difficulty sweeping balanced and defensive teams and faces competition with other Dragon Dance users like Zygarde-C and Mega Gyarados.



Checks and Counters
===================


**Ground-types**: Ground-types are the most common foes that can freely take advantage of Tyranitar once they switch in while avoiding Toxic. The very common Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground can force out Tyranitar and proceed to hit the switch-in hard or set up, while Zygarde can set up on Tyranitar lacking Ice Beam without concern after setting Substitute. However, all of these Pokemon must be wary about taking too much damage from Choice Band sets.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types pose problems to Tyranitar due to their ability to offensively check it. Though Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy take heavy damage from Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge and are quickly worn down by Toxic and sandstorm damage, they can otherwise force out Tyranitar and use their utility options. Xerneas can hinder utility Tyranitar's usefulness with Aromatherapy and Defog, and Arceus-Fairy can set Stealth Rock of its own as it forces Tyranitar to switch. Magearna can pivot into Choice Band Tyranitar depending on what coverage move it has opted for and what move it is locked into.

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Marshadow and Mega Lucario can easily force out Tyranitar and proceed to damage the switch-in. The fact that Marshadow has limited checks means Tyrantiar will often end up burdening its teammates should it hand away momentum to it. Mega Lucario can easily set up on any variant of Tyrantiar lacking Earthquake or Superpower.

**Steel-types**: While they have to pivot into Choice Band Tyranitar with caution, Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Celesteela can easily switch into utility Tyranitar and can spread status or annoy switch-ins with Leech Seed or Spikes. Necrozma-DM can threaten to OHKO Choice Band Tyranitar, but it must be an offensive variant to net an OHKO and it will be punished by Foul Play should it be taking on utility Tyranitar.

**Super Effective Moves**: Despite Tyranitar's solid bulk under sandstorm, its effectiveness as a defensive pivot to resisted attackers tends to get undermined by coverage moves like Earthquake and Focus Blast.

**Magic Bounce**: Choice Band Tyranitar can overpower Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie, but utility variants are easily shut down by them and are discouraged from setting Stealth Rock or spreading Toxic.

**Water-types**: Although both Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water dislike switching into Choice Band Tyranitar and getting inflicted by Toxic, they can otherwise force out Tyranitar with their STAB moves.

**Status**: Toxic reduces Tyranitar's longevity, limiting its ability to pivot into resisted attacks. Burn can be detrimental to Tyranitar lacking Lum Berry, as this can prevent it from removing a threat with Pursuit.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DMDW, 434601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Melee Mewtwo, 75110] , [Cynara, 224455], [Nayrz, 212134]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Fireflame479, 231476]]
 
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U mention cb stone 2hkoing bulky arc but realistically they are just gonna recover stall you til you whiff and/or run out of pp. idk if that means toxic should get a slash (probably not? but then again fat arc are p generic) but i feel like this interaction should be mentioned somewhere.


i really dont like ttar as a sr setter. it cant break msab or really any real effort to defog. against more offensive teams it’s fine since they won’t have much in terms of defog, often just a menve where u have mu against. ho oh and fatter builds, however are the ones where u really do need those rocks to be up to have a shot at winning and ttar will basically never do that. even in ur aforementioned offense mus, its so easy to pressure ttar out of the game that you might not even get ur rocks up there in time for it to matter.

saying support ttar of all sets, pursuit traps lunala is a bit misleading. even chople sets dont do much besides deal 40 and hope the lunala misses one of the two focus blasts. i guess u punish fat (non wisp) and scarf but i think its worth clarifying hiw circulstantial it can be.

saying toxic helps pressure mega mence is :/. facade is basically staple so you have to make sure u arent being lazy when u decide to click toxic vs it. (esp if u dropped slide)

worth noting that u have to doublr like a madman to ever get a trap on goth. when goth traps, it pp stalls its victim and then goes for a free switch to setup free presure. realistically, u arent going to be seeing goth in play again cause most teams just doe after that big of a momentum swing. so really u have to double into it when it switches in for a trap. but since ur support tar, goth is gonna charm u and trapkill ur ttar instead.

Calling arc grass an offensive ground check seems off. its a pretty reactive and not immediately threatening mon. its a good teammate for sure but that seems a poor description of it to me.

you mention support arc running sr, are u suggesting them as in the place of sr on ttar or in addition to?

Is the support ttar set optimal? i feel like foul play is a p big draw for it considering ekiller mostly drop eq nowadays and dusk mane / ultra is almost as commonplace as pdon.
 
* Tyranitar's good bulk, defensive typing of Rock / Dark, and Sand Steam that further improves its special bulk make it one of the few Pokemon that can pivot into dangerous attackers like Yveltal and Mega Mewtwo Y lacking Focus Blast.
mention luna here
* Superpower rounds up Tyranitar's coverage by hitting Steel-types hard.
252+ Atk Choice Band Tyranitar Superpower vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Arceus-Dark: 376-444 (84.8 - 100.2%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and sandstorm damage
this is also a perk.

CB set details should note that it outspeeds support Dusk variants... which is important if you want to try and take one out.
* Sand Stream summons sandstorm when Tyranitar switches in, improving Tyranitar's special bulk to higher levels. A damage from sandstorm can be beneficial with turning potential KOs into guaranteed KOs.
sash breaking. its an important trait that makes ttar a viable "antilead" (aka 1 turn) against ur classic sash leads.

i went over breaking up fat usage tips on discord.
Choice Scarf variants can provide great revenge killing utilities against Fighting-types like Marshadow and Ultra Necrozma that can easily set up on Tyranitar locked into a wrong move
dusk i can understand but ultra itself can only safely set up on a locked superpower. z marsh is not quite prevalent enough to call a setup mon. the targets are fine but a reword is handy for clarity.

set details of utility could mention that it will eat even an adamant sunsteel and then kill with foul play.

QC 3/3
 

Lumari

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GP 1/2
[OVERVIEW]

* While Tyranitar has an underwhelming matchup against common threats like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, Zygarde-C, and Xerneas, its unique typing leaves it with a number of notable attributes that justifies justify its place in some teams.
* Tyranitar's good bulk, defensive typing of Rock / Dark, and Sand Steam that further improves its special bulk make it one of the few Pokemon that can pivot into dangerous attackers like Yveltal, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y lacking Focus Blast. Tyranitar's decent offensive typing, wide movepool, and offensive stats also contribute to its offensive presence, making it a decent wallbreaker when equipped with Choice Band.
* One of the most important aspects of using Tyranitar is its ability to guarantee removal of Ghost- and Psychic-types with Pursuit in addition to defensively checking them. This can prove to be a very valuable utility for some balanced teams that want troublesome foes like Mega Mewtwo Y or Giratina-O disposed of and defensive teams that have apprehensions about trouble facing Mega Gengar and Gothitelle.
* Despite of these rare traits, Tyranitar's low Speed, many common weaknesses, and vulnerability to residual damage when lacking Rest undermine its overall effectiveness, making it forced out against a massive portion of the tier and limiting its ability to be a switch-in to threats it will have to check. Said downsides cause further problems to Tyranitar's team due to Tyranitar creating an unfavorable matchup and burdening leaving its team to deal with open to threatening foes that it invites after trapping a foe with Pursuit. (barely could make sense of this sentence, hope this works)
* Tyranitar has a myriad of utility options like Stealth Rock and coverage move options available in its arsenal, but even when it is performing a specialized role, it tends to lack moveslots to fit all necessary moves. The majority of variants its sets are checked by Steel-types, and others lacking Toxic have little chance against Arceus formes with typing advantage.
* All of these combine to make Tyranitar somewhat inconsistent due to a high demand of proper predictions and fluctuating performances depending on matchups. However, Tyranitar's many mentioned unique traits allow it to support or synergize with many common Pokemon in the tier and compress valuable roles, such as setting Stealth Rock in place of Primal Groudon, pivoting into Yveltal in place of Xerneas, and drawing in bulky Pokemon and punishing them with unsuspected powerful attacks or status moves.


[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Superpower / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 228 Atk / 28 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* A Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge is notoriously difficult to safely switch into due to a the small number of resisted targets that resist it and can avoid getting punished by other attacks. Apart from heavily threatening Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Mega Salamence, Stone Edge can net a 2HKO on bulky foes like Primal Groudon and force recovery moves from maximum HP support Arceus formes while putting a significant dent on in Xerneas and having a high chance to OHKO Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage. The damage output is also considerably threatening against defensive teams, as Pokemon like Arceus-Dark, Toxapex, and Skarmory are prone to getting 2HKOed after a slight prior damage.
* Crunch has a good coverage against a large portion of the tier with Stone Edge. Despite its slightly less lower damage output, Crunch serves as the best way to hit common foes like Necrozma-DM and Giratina-O and is strong enough to do a good chunk of damage to resistant targets like Xerneas with sandstorm damage and force recovery move from Arceus-Ground.
* Pursuit enables Tyranitar to net a heavy damage on a target switching out, typically removing retreating Ghost- and Psychic-types from play, notably OHKOing Mega Gengar even after getting burned. With Choice Band, Pursuit can also be handy with netting a net good damage on neutral targets that attempt to avoid an unfavorable matchup against Tyranitar, guaranteeing a 2HKO on Blissey. Choice Band-boosted Pursuit is also powerful enough to guarantee 2HKO on Blissey and OHKO retreating Mega Gengar even after getting burnt.
* Superpower rounds up out Tyranitar's coverage by hitting Steel-types hard. With Choice Band, Superpower can guarantee OHKO Ferrothorn and Dialga with minimal prior damage, threaten to OHKO maximum HP Arceus-Dark, and put a major dent on Magearna. It also immediately removes Chansey after Stealth Rock damage and harshly punishes Mega Lucario, should it attempt to switch into Tyranitar and set up on it.
* Ice Punch OHKOes offensive untransformed Zygarde and 2HKOes defensive Zygarde-C and Arceus-Ground. Ice Punch is also a reliable choice of an attack for Tyranitar to use against Flying-types like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza if missing Stone Edge against them will be a huge detriment. Note that forgoing Superpower for Ice Punch makes Magearna a reliable switch-in to this set.
* Earthquake provides Tyranitar with a stronger coverage option against Magearna and has the highest damage output against Primal Groudon. Superpower's main targets typically outweigh Earthquake's broad range of coverage, however.
* Persistent switch-in's switch-ins like Arceus-Dark and Arceus-Ground can be crippled by Toxic, but this makes Tyranitar ineffective against Steel-types and getting locked into Toxic is not very ideal.

Set Details
========

* 28 Defense EVs allow Tyranitar to survive defensive Necrozma-DM's Sunsteel Strike from full health, letting Tyranitar 2HKO it with Crunch while surviving retaliation. Maximum Speed EVs enable Tyranitar to outspeed uninvested base 90 Speed Pokemon, letting it KO foes like Giratina formes first and pick off on weakened threats like defensive Primal Groudon.
* The rest of the EVs that are invested in Attack and Adamant nature to give Tyranitar enough power to 2HKO many neutral targets, such as support Arceus formes and offensive Primal Groudon with appropriate moves.
* Choice Band allows Tyranitar to take advantage of its decent Attack, good STAB combination, and many coverage moves to net heavy damage on many of its switch-ins.
* Sand Stream summons sandstorm when Tyranitar switches in, improving Tyranitar's special bulk to higher levels. A Damage from sandstorm can also be beneficial with turning potential KOs into guaranteed KOs.

Usage Tips
========

* Tyranitar can seek opportunities to come into the field by utilizing its nifty resistances to Dark and Ghost and immunity to Psychic. While Tyranitar's massive special bulk with sandstorm lets it easily take resisted attacks multiple times, this set must exercise some caution when pivoting into threats like Yveltal, Gengar, and Mega Mewtwo Y.
* Some variants of Yveltal can wear down Tyranitar with U-turn and proceed to create unfavorable matchups, (RC) while there is an and others can threaten it with the extremely rare chance it may have Focus Blast. Both Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y also have a possibility to carry Focus Blast that will easily break Tyranitar.
* Offensive threats that Tyranitar will otherwise check, such as Mega Salamence and Rayquaza, (AC) may also be equipped with Earthquake, (AC) that which will KO Tyranitar after a boost.
* This set's overall effectiveness as a pivot to resisted attacks will depend on how well have the moveslots for the aforementioned threats have been scouted and one keeps Tyranitar away from taking unnecessary damage like entry hazards, status, and Yveltal's U-turn.
* While it is also possible for Tyranitar to switch into a foe that cannot immediately threaten Tyranitar it, note that a number of Pokemon it can threaten can status Tyranitar it on the switch. This means Tyranitar may risk getting burnt burned by Mega Gengar and Giratina-O's Will-O-Wisp and being put on a timer by Blissey's Toxic on the switch.
* Switching into Ho-Oh also involves a risk due to Toxic and potential burn from Sacred Fire. Though Mega Gengar will still be taken out by burnt burned Tyranitar and Blissey will be 2HKOed by Pursuit, Tyranitar will be much less effective when inflicted by with burn or poison. Only take this risk against the aforementioned threats if there will be ample opportunities for a teammate to provide cleric support or weakening or removing such foes outweighs having Tyranitar afflicted by status.
* Though sandstorm can easily be removed by Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, it can be handy with helping wearing down Tyranitar's switch-in's swich-ins and improving Tyranitar's bulk to the point where it can take resisted hits multiple times even without defensive investment. Using sandstorm damage, Tyranitar can also limit suicide leads like Cloyster, Smeargle, and Deoxys-S to a single turn and pivot into Lunala to take any attack other than Focus Blast and have break Shadow Shield broken with sand damage, making it easier to deal with for teammates.
* An ideal use of Ideally, Choice Band Tyranitar will mean that it will net as much damage as possible on offensive checks it draws in and be a solid pivot. Accomplishing both of these will be difficult due to Tyranitar's low Speed and its disadvantageous matchup against a myriad of common threats in the tier, (AC) forcing it to rely on a hit-and-run playstyle. Avoid being too proactive reckless with switching in Tyranitar when reacting to offensive threats with Tyrantiar Tyranitar becomes too predictable. Almost every competitive team has a few Pokemon that can take advantage of Tyranitar if they have double switched in safely.
* Tyranitar will have more opportunities to dish out damage against slower and defensive teams. There may be problematic foes like support Arceus formes that can check Tyranitar, but an appropriate attack boosted by Choice Band is strong enough to force recovery from many defensive checks. Tyranitar can also KO or weaken Pokemon like Giratina formes and Blissey that attempt to avoid unfavorable matchup and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Skarmory and Toxapex with entry hazard support, so fully take advantage of its wallbreaking capabilities in such matchup. Note that Tyranitar's bulk is also helpful in some instances, as it can 2HKO support Arceus formes on switch after easily surviving a super effective Judgment.
* Trapping a threat with Pursuit can be a good decision even against resisted foes that resist it. For example, an opponent with Yveltal will aim to wear down Tyranitar with repeated attacks if there are no other reliable checks available to the team. If Tyranitar successfully switched into an Yveltal that does not have a way to significantly threaten it, it can force the switch and do a heavy damage to Yveltal with Pursuit. Factoring in sandstorm and Dark Aura, and Choice Band, Pursuit is strong enough to prevent Yveltal from switching into most attacks afterwards.
* Gothitelle will be a difficult foe to trap and even when Tyranitar successfully double switched into it, it as Tyranitar will have to predict well to avoid getting locked into Pursuit as Gothitelle neutralizes it with Charm. Attempting to create a matchup with get Tyranitar in against Gothitelle is already risky considering how many Pokemon can threaten Tyranitar in a one-on-one (AH) situation, so do not aggressively attempt to trap it unless its removal is crucial for the team.
* Note that Pursuit trapping involves a risk. A Tyranitar locked into Pursuit is very exploitable and invites in Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Zygarde, Xerneas, Marshadow, and Primal Kyogre, which can be dangerous with a freely given momentum. Only trap threats when it is absolutely needed and be prepared to deal with a threat that will exploit Tyranitar locked into Pursuit.

Team Options
========

* Tyranitar can synergize with various common Pokemon in the tier that benefit from Tyranitar's ability to weaken many Pokemon and remove problematic foes like Mega Gengar, Giratina-O, and Mega Mewtwo Y. On the flipside, Tyranitar also has numerous weaknesses due to its lacking defensive typing, which is worsened by it becoming more exploitable after getting locked into Pursuit, and these have to be properly covered by durable defensive cores or offensive pressure from teammates that will prevent or check many forms of setup.
* Xerneas is one of the best offensive partners to be considered. Choice Scarf variants can provide great revenge killing utilities against Marshadow and Ultra Necrozma, use Defog and Aromatherapy to improve Tyranitar's longevity, and can benefit from removal of the Mega Gengar and Blissey. Depending on Tyranitar's coverage move, Steel-types like Magearna can be heavily damaged and be left vulnerable to Geomancy Xerneas as well.
* Primal Groudon can threaten a myriad of Fairy- and Steel-types that will exploit Tyranitar lacking a proper coverage move to hit them or locked into a wrong move. Its presence is also valuable with its ability to set Stealth Rock, check Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, and taking advantage of Magearna. Tyranitar in return removes Giratina-O and threaten Ho-Oh. Necrozma-DM can be useful for similar reasons, (AC) and offensive sets can have a better chance to make its breakthrough with offensive sets break through the opposing team after Tyranitar weakened Primal Groudon and Steel-types.
* Mega Salamence can check Ground- and Fighting-types that take advantage of Tyranitar. All variants appreciate Tyranitar weakening Steel- and Fairy-types and potentially removing Zygarde by luring it and punishing it with Ice Punch. Mega Salamence can pivot into Primal Groudon and check Mega Lucario.
* Other checks to Ground-types and Primal Groudon, such as support Arceus formes, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh all are possible options depending on the structure of the team. Support Arceus formes can be easily fit with Tyranitar and enjoys enjoy Tyranitar removing Blissey and Ferrothorn with appropriate attacks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Primal Groudon, checks Arceus-Ground, and pressure opposing support Arceus formes relatively well. Ho-Oh may be harder to fit, but it checks many support Arceus formes better, can handle certain variants of Primal Groudon, and can have Tyranitar deal with Mega Salamence and lure Zygarde with Ice Punch and threaten other Steel-types in return, as Tyranitar that forgoes other moves for Ice Punch will struggle against them.
* Toxapex can many Fighting-types that tend to set up on Tyranitar, provide Toxic Spikes support, pivot into Toxic, and benefit from Tyranitar pressuring Mega Sableye and trapping Mega Gengar.
* Arceus-Grass is a niche yet an effective partner thanks to its ability to threaten offensive teams with its various coverage options, check Zygarde, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Ground, and weaken Steel-types with Fire Blast should Tyranitar not have a right move to deal with them. Tyranitar makes a good pivot to Flying-types and can eliminate Mega Gengar and Gothitelle.

[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Rock Tomb / Rock Slide
move 3: Foul Play
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Lum Berry
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 76 Atk / 148 Def / 36 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Pursuit allows Tyranitar to trap prominent threats like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y while preventing weakened or sleeping Gothitelle from causing further damage to the team after it trapped and neutralized one of the teammates. Note that this set will lack sufficient power to immediately remove Giratina-O and will fail to guarantee Mega Gengar's removal after getting burned by Will-O-Wisp if not holding Lum Berry.
* Rock Tomb allows Tyranitar to slow down switch-in's switch-ins, potentially allowing its teammates to deal with them better. It also improves Tyranitar's effectiveness as a check to Arceus-Dark and bulky Arceus-Flying, both of which can potentially set up on this set by the typing in former's case and with bulky EV investment to avoid 2HKO from Rock Slide in the case of latter.
* Rock Slide provides Tyranitar an alternative countermeasure against Flying-types it checks, letting it threaten to OHKO Ho-Oh and take out offensive Yveltal and Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage.
* Foul Play can assist in alleviating this set's passivity by harshly punishing threats like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM that attempt to use Tyranitar as a setup fodder. If Tyranitar is wielding Shuca or Chople Berry, Foul Play also allows Tyranitar it to better check Earthquake Ultra Necrozma, (AC) with Shuca Berry and Lunala, (AC) and Mega Mewtwo Y, (AC) with Chople Berry intact, as OHKOing Lunala with its Shadow Shield broken with sand damage and taking out Mega Mewtwo Y that took after Stealth Rock damage are OHKOed. Note that this variant of Tyranitar can survive a Sunsteel Strike from Adamant Necrozma-DM and punish it with Foul Play, and Extreme Killer Arceus is hit much harder by Foul Play if it has Swords Dance boosts.
* Ice Beam allows Tyranitar to dispose of Mega Salamence quicker and hit Zygarde harder. Against Giratina-O with Will-O-Wisp, this move is the best attack to use. However, it is important to note that forgoing Rock Slide for this move means that Tyrnaitar Tyranitar will rely on Toxic and sandstorm damage to check Yveltal, will be set up on Extreme Killer Arceus using Substitute, and will no longer check Ho-Oh effectively, however.
* Earthquake is a niche option to consider to offensively check Naganadel, hit Primal Groudon hard, and OHKO Lucario on the switch.
* Toxic improves Tyranitar's otherwise disappointing matchup against its switch-in's Xerneas and support Arceus formes by putting them on a timer as they switch in and wearing them down quickly in conjunction with sandstorm damage. It also punishes other offensive checks like Primal Groudon and Zygarde on the switch.
* Thunder Wave's ability to slow down a threat and annoy Steel-types makes it an appropriate status move as well, but Toxic generally proves to be better way to punish the likes of support Arceus forms in a longer the long run.
* To pressure Mega Salamence and Ho-Oh and benefit teammates like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM, Tyranitar can possibly run Stealth Rock to compress a role of pivot and entry hazard setter, though its worsened passivity can be detrimental.
* Rest is Tyranitar's only option of recovery that can fully restore its health and remove status, but it is going to be inefficient without cleric support due to Tyranitar being left vulnerable for two turns as a result of being unable to fit Sleep Talk. (if you must keep it do "and inability to")

Set Details
========

* The given EV spread with an Adamant nature is benchmarked for allows Tyranitar to survive two +1 Double-Edge from Adamant Mega Salamence, take +1 Focus Blast from Lunala after Stealth Rock with Chople Berry intact, and let Tyranitar threaten a good number of Flying-types with Rock Slide. Defensive Ho-Oh is almost always taken out by Rock Slide after sandstorm damage, Mega Salamence and maximum HP Arceus-Flying are 2HKOed and with Stealth Rock on the field, and offensive Yveltal and Rayquaza are OHKOed after Stealth Rock.
* 36 Speed EVs enable Tyranitar to outspeed Gothitelle, letting it pick off on weakened Gothitelle ones without getting afflicted by Charm. A Brave nature with no investment on in Speed should be used when running Ice Beam.
* Lum Berry is used to avoid getting burnt burneed by Mega Gengar's Will-O-Wisp once and ensure it is removed from play. It also has a situational use of in making Tyranitar a better switch-in to the rare Darkrai.
* Chople Berry can be used to allow Tyranitar to survive a Focus Blast from threats like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y. Assuming Tyranitar has switched into a different move, it will at least be able to survive said attack and retaliate to net a heavy damage before it goes down.
* Shuca Berry is a possible an option when Tyranitar is running Ice Beam to survive a boosted Thousand Arrows from Zygarde and KO back with Ice Beam. Shuca Berry can also prove to be helpful with surviving a boosted Earthquake from Mega Salamence and Rayquaza.
* Leftovers can be used to provide Tyranitar with a passive recovery and make it more resilient to weaker attacks and entry hazard damage.

Usage Tips
========

* With bulkier investment, this variant of Tyranitar can switch into resisted attacks more freely. Once given a switch, Tyranitar will be given a turn to use one of its utility options before it is forced out by an incoming offensive threat. Setting Stealth Rock is mostly an ideal decision, as this will start wearing down the opposing team and help to idenfity a Defog user, which Tyranitar will aim to cripple with Toxic.
* Unless there is no other Pokemon that can do so, be wary about switching into super effective attacks from foes that Tyranitar will normally check. Even with Chople Berry intact, Tyranitar can be 2HKOed on switch by Focus Blast from Lunala and Mega Mewtwo Y. If a foe that Tyranitar is tasked to take on can beat it one-on-one, (AH) aim to put them it on a timer with Toxic or at least land an attack before Tyranitar is KOed.
* Dangerous threats like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y should be disposed of if given a chance to do so. An opponent will switch in an offensive check afterwards, and if Tyranitar is no longer needed, set a Stealth Rock or put a foe on timer with Toxic before it is KOed. However, against threats like Zygarde or Arceus-Ground that can use Tyranitar as a setup fodder behind Substitute, be quick to switch out to a check or at least prevent them from getting excessive boosts with Ice Beam.
* Tyranitar cannot trap a healthy Gothitelle, as it is bulky enough to survive Pursuit a few times and neutralize Tyranitar. The best moment to use Tyranitar to ensure its removal is when it is asleep after using Rest or has been sufficiently worn down after trapping a teammate.
* Depending on what coverage move Tyranitar carries, it may land a surprise blow on threats like Necrozma-DM and Mega Lucario that assume Tyranitar to be too passive to prevent the setup. If Tyranitar has already trapped a foe or does not check anything in particular, take a risk to prevent said foes from becoming too threatening.

Team Options
========

* Some balanced teams can still benefit from this variant of Tyranitar, as a compression the ability to compress the roles of a status user, a Flying-type check, a Pursuit trapper, and possibly a Stealth Rock setter is nearly exclusive on to it. Due to this set's lack of offensive presence, it will demand stronger security to Fairy-, Fighting-, and Ground-types, as they will freely take advantage of Tyranitar after it Pursuit trapped a foe or set Stealth Rock on switch.
* Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM can benefit from Tyranitar pivoting into Yveltal, crippling support Arceus formes, and potentially allowing them to run varying sets by running Stealth Rock, (AC) and they patch up Tyranitar's defensive flaws in return. Both of them are secure checks to Xerneas and can viably run many countermeasures to threaten defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Celesteela and threaten defensive teams with Mega Sableye which Tyranitar will struggle to do much against.
* Mega Salamence appreciates having a Stealth Rock setter and a teammate that can cripple support Arceus formes getting crippled by status. In return, it can take advantage of said utility options from Tyranitar to sweep with Dragon Dance set or be a better check to Primal Groudon by opting for other moves like Defog.
* Xerneas can revenge kill various Fighting-types with Choice Scarf set, cure Tyranitar of its status with Aromatherapy, and benefit from Tyranitar removing Mega Gengar and keeping Ho-Oh at bay with Stealth Rock.
* Offensive checks to Ground-types like Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Grass can pressure threats like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, and this form of offensive pressure is needed due to Tyranitar lacking enough offensive presence by itself.
* Various support Arceus formes can fit alongside Tyranitar depending on what weakness has to be patched up with the rest of the team. They can also opt for sets with special attack investment to help against teams with Mega Sableye by setting Stealth Rock against them.
* As this set can guarantee Mega Gengar's removal with Lum Berry assuming Mega Gengar lacks Focus Blast, various Pokemon commonly employed in defensive teams can benefit from Tyranitar. Primary examples of these include Chansey that checks Fairy-types and provides cleric support, Ferrothorn that checks Primal Kyogre, takes advantage of support Arceus formes, and sets Spikes, and Skarmory that can check certain Ground-types and also provide Spikes support.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Utility Tyranitar has various attacks it can choose to deal with certain foes. Fire Blast punishes Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, Low Kick 2HKOes Arceus-Dark, Extreme Killer Arceus, Ferrothorn, and Dialga, and Taunt can be used with 76 Speed EVs to shut down Skarmory and other slower walls while preventing a healthy Gothitelle from neutralizing it. Crunch anti-leads Deoxys-S and OHKOes Lunala and Mega Mewtwo Y, which Tyranitar will otherwise only damage with Pursuit after surviving a Focus Blast with Chople Berry. However, these moves come with opportunity costs the cost of Tyranitar forgoing having to forgo Stealth Rock or other crucial attacks that can cover more important threats it is usually obliged to handle.
* Roar is an option to consider, as this enables Tyranitar from getting set up on by anything when it is no longer needed and can potentially make Geomancy Xerneas waste its Power Herb, but this too hinders Tyranitar's role compression.
* Mega Tyranitar can be run on certain teams that do not have any other Pokemon holding a Mega Stone. Mega Tyranitar is much more durable check to Yveltal and Ho-Oh, but its offensive capabilities are outclassed by Choice Band sets while its usefulness as a trapper is inferior to regular Tyranitar holding a Lum Berry. Dragon Dance set may seem usable, but it has extreme difficulty sweeping balanced and defensive teams and faces competition with other Dragon Dance users like Zygarde-C and Mega Gyarados.


Checks and Counters
===================

**Ground-types**: Ground-types are the most common foes that can freely proceed to take advantage of Tyranitar once they switched in without being put on timer by while avoiding Toxic. The very common Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground can force out Tyranitar and proceed to hit the switch-in hard or set up, (AC) while Zygarde can set up on Tyranitar lacking Ice Beam without a concern after setting Substitute. However, all of these Pokemon must be wary about taking too much damage from Choice Band sets.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types also pose problems to Tyranitar due to their ability to offensively check it. Though Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy take heavy damage from Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge and is are quickly worn down by Toxic and sandstorm damage, they can otherwise force Tyranitar and use their utility options. Xerneas can hinder utility Tyranitar's usefulness with Aromatherapy and Defog, (AC) and Arceus-Fairy can set Stealth Rock of its own on forced switch as it forces Tyranitar to switch. Magearna can pivot into Choice Band Tyranitar depending on what coverage move it has opted for and what move it is locked into.

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Marshadow and Mega Lucario can easily force out Tyranitar and can proceed to damage the switch-in. The fact that Marshadow has narrow limited checks means Tyrantiar will often end up burdening its teammates should it hand away the momentum to it. Mega Lucario can easily set up on any variant of Tyrantiar lacking coverage moves like Earthquake or Superpower.

**Steel-types**: While they have to pivot into Choice Band Tyranitar with caution, Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Celesteela can easily switch into utility Tyranitar and can spread status or annoy switch-in's switch-ins with Leech Seed or Spikes. Necrozma-DM can threaten to OHKO Choice Band Tyranitar, but it must be an offensive variant to net an OHKO and it will be punished by Foul Play should it be taking on utility Tyranitar.

**Super Effective Moves**: Despite of Tyranitar's solid bulk under sandstorm, its effectiveness as a defensive pivot to resisted attackers tend to get undermined by coverage moves like Earthquake and Focus Blast.

**Magic Bounce**: Choice Band Tyranitar can overpower Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie, but Utility variants are easily shut down by them and are discouraged from setting Stealth Rock or spreading Toxic.

**Water-types**: Although both Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water dislike switching into Choice Band Tyranitar and getting inflicted by Toxic, they can otherwise offensively force out Tyranitar with their STAB moves.

**Status**: Toxic reduces Tyranitar's longevity, limiting its ability to pivot into resisted attacks. Burn can be detrimental to Tyranitar lacking Lum Berry, as this can prevent it from removing a threat with Pursuit.
 

Fireflame

Silksong when
is a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
I like the pre-written credit for me.

Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[OVERVIEW]

* While Tyranitar has an underwhelming matchup against common threats like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, Zygarde-C, and Xerneas, its unique typing leaves it with a number of notable attributes that justify its place in on some teams.
* Tyranitar's good bulk, defensive typing of Rock / Dark, and Sand Steam that further improves its special bulk make it one of the few Pokemon that can pivot into dangerous attackers like Yveltal, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y lacking Focus Blast. Tyranitar's decent offensive typing, wide movepool, and offensive stats also contribute to its offensive presence, making it a decent wallbreaker when equipped with Choice Band.
* One of the most important aspects of using Tyranitar is its ability to guarantee the removal of Ghost- and Psychic-types with Pursuit in addition to defensively checking them. This can prove to be a very valuable utility for some balanced teams that want troublesome foes like Mega Mewtwo Y or and Giratina-O disposed of and defensive teams that have trouble facing Mega Gengar and Gothitelle.
* Despite of these rare traits, Tyranitar's low Speed, many common weaknesses, and vulnerability to residual damage when lacking Rest undermine its overall effectiveness, making it forced forcing it out against a massive portion of the tier and limiting its ability to be a switch-in to threats it will have to check. Said downsides cause further problems to Tyranitar's team due to Tyranitar leaving its team open to threatening foes that it invites after trapping a foe with Pursuit.
* Tyranitar has a myriad of utility options like Stealth Rock and coverage move options available in its arsenal, but even when it is performing a specialized role, it tends to lack moveslots to fit all necessary moves. The majority of its sets are checked by Steel-types, and others lacking Toxic have little chance against Arceus formes with typing a type advantage.
* All of these combine to make Tyranitar somewhat inconsistent due to a high demand of proper predictions and fluctuating performances depending on matchups. However, Tyranitar's many mentioned unique traits allow it to support or synergize with many common Pokemon in the tier and compress valuable roles, such as setting Stealth Rock in place of Primal Groudon, pivoting into Yveltal in place of Xerneas, and drawing in bulky Pokemon and punishing them with unsuspected powerful attacks or status moves.


[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Pursuit
move 4: Superpower / Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 228 Atk / 28 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* A Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge is notoriously difficult to safely switch into due to the small number of targets that resist it and can avoid getting punished by other attacks. Apart from heavily threatening Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Mega Salamence, Stone Edge can net a 2HKO on bulky foes like Primal Groudon and force recovery moves from maximum HP support Arceus formes while putting a significant dent in Xerneas and having a high chance to OHKO Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage. The damage output is also considerably threatening against defensive teams, as Pokemon like Arceus-Dark, Toxapex, and Skarmory are prone to getting 2HKOed after a slight prior damage.
* Crunch has a good coverage against a large portion of the tier with Stone Edge. Despite its slightly lower damage output, Crunch serves as the best way to hit common foes like Necrozma-DM and Giratina-O and is strong enough to do a good chunk of damage to resistant targets like Xerneas with sandstorm damage and force a recovery move from Arceus-Ground.
* Pursuit enables Tyranitar to net a heavy damage on a target switching out, typically removing retreating Ghost- and Psychic-types from play, notably OHKOing Mega Gengar even after getting burned. With Choice Band, Pursuit can also net good damage on neutral targets that attempt to avoid an unfavorable matchup against Tyranitar, guaranteeing a 2HKO on Blissey and OHKO on retreating Mega Gengar after getting burnt burned. (Mega Gengar isn't a neutral target, and this was also just said earlier. I checked the sentence as is but I recommend ending the sentence at "Blissey".)
* Superpower rounds out Tyranitar's coverage by hitting Steel-types hard. With Choice Band, Superpower can guarantee OHKO Ferrothorn and Dialga with minimal prior damage, threaten to OHKO maximum HP Arceus-Dark, and put a major dent on Magearna. It also immediately removes Chansey after Stealth Rock damage and harshly punishes Mega Lucario, should it attempt to switch into Tyranitar and set up on it.
* Ice Punch OHKOes offensive untransformed Zygarde and 2HKOes defensive Zygarde-C and Arceus-Ground. Ice Punch is also a reliable choice of an attack for Tyranitar to use against Flying-types like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza if missing Stone Edge against them will be a huge detriment. Note that forgoing Superpower for Ice Punch makes Magearna a reliable switch-in to this set.
* Earthquake provides Tyranitar with a stronger coverage option against Magearna and has the highest damage output against Primal Groudon. Superpower's main targets typically outweigh Earthquake's broad range of coverage, however.
* Persistent switch-ins like Arceus-Dark and Arceus-Ground can be crippled by Toxic, but this makes Tyranitar ineffective against Steel-types and getting locked into Toxic is not very ideal.

Set Details
========

* 28 Defense EVs allow Tyranitar to survive defensive Necrozma-DM's Sunsteel Strike from full health, letting Tyranitar 2HKO it with Crunch. Maximum Speed EVs enable Tyranitar to outspeed uninvested base 90 Speed Pokemon, letting it KO foes like Giratina formes first and pick off on weakened threats like defensive Primal Groudon.
* The rest of the EVs are invested in Attack and with Adamant nature to give Tyranitar enough power to 2HKO many neutral targets, such as support Arceus formes and offensive Primal Groudon.
* Choice Band allows Tyranitar to take advantage of its decent Attack, good STAB combination, and many coverage moves to net heavy damage on many of its switch-ins.
* Sand Stream summons sandstorm when Tyranitar switches in, improving increasing Tyranitar's special bulk to higher levels. Damage from sandstorm can also be beneficial with turning potential KOs into guaranteed KOs.

Usage Tips
========

* Tyranitar can seek opportunities to come into the field by utilizing its nifty resistances to Dark and Ghost and immunity to Psychic. While Tyranitar's massive special bulk with sandstorm lets it easily take resisted attacks multiple times, this set must exercise some caution when pivoting into threats like Yveltal, Gengar, and Mega Mewtwo Y.
* Some variants of Yveltal can wear down Tyranitar with U-turn and proceed to create unfavorable matchups, and others can threaten it with the extremely rare Focus Blast. Both Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y also have a possibility to carry Focus Blast,(AC) which that will easily break Tyranitar.
* Offensive threats that Tyranitar will otherwise check, such as Mega Salamence and Rayquaza, may also be equipped with Earthquake, which will KO Tyranitar after a boost.
* This set's overall effectiveness as a pivot to resisted attacks will depend on how well have the moveslots for the aforementioned threats have been scouted and one keeps Tyranitar away from taking unnecessary damage like entry hazards, status, and Yveltal's U-turn.
* While it is also possible for Tyranitar to switch into a foe that cannot immediately threaten it, note that a number of Pokemon it can threaten can status it on the switch. This means Tyranitar may risk getting burned by Mega Gengar and Giratina-O's Will-O-Wisp and being put on a timer by Blissey's Toxic on the switch.
* Switching into Ho-Oh also involves a risk due to Toxic and a potential burn from Sacred Fire. Though Mega Gengar will still be taken out by burned Tyranitar and Blissey will be 2HKOed by Pursuit, Tyranitar will be much less effective when inflicted with burn or poison. Only take this risk against the aforementioned threats if there will be ample opportunities for a teammate to provide cleric support or weakening or removing such foes outweighs having Tyranitar afflicted by status.
* Though sandstorm can easily be removed by Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, it can be handy with helping wearing down Tyranitar's swich-ins and improving Tyranitar's bulk to the point where it can take resisted hits multiple times even without defensive investment. Using sandstorm damage, Tyranitar can also limit suicide leads like Cloyster, Smeargle, and Deoxys-S to a single turn and pivot into Lunala to take any attack other than Focus Blast and break Shadow Shield, making it easier to deal with for teammates.
* Ideally, Choice Band Tyranitar will net as much damage as possible on offensive checks it draws in and be a solid pivot. Accomplishing both of these will be difficult due to Tyranitar's low Speed and its disadvantageous matchup against a myriad of common threats in the tier, forcing it to rely on a hit-and-run playstyle. Avoid being too reckless with switching in Tyranitar when reacting to offensive threats with to the point where (the "with" was grammatically incorrect and I tried my best to make this sentence make sense) Tyranitar becomes too predictable. Almost every competitive team has a few Pokemon that can take advantage of Tyranitar if they have double switched in safely.
* Tyranitar will have more opportunities to dish out damage against slower and defensive teams. There may be problematic foes like support Arceus formes that can check Tyranitar, but an appropriate attack boosted by Choice Band is strong enough to force recovery from many defensive checks. Tyranitar can also KO or weaken Pokemon like Giratina formes and Blissey that attempt to avoid an unfavorable matchup and 2HKO bulky Pokemon like Skarmory and Toxapex with entry hazard support, so fully take advantage of its wallbreaking capabilities in such a matchup. Note that Tyranitar's bulk is also helpful in some instances, as it can for 2HKOing support Arceus formes on the switch after easily surviving a super effective Judgment.
* Trapping a threat with Pursuit can be a good decision even against foes that resist it. For example, an opponent with Yveltal will aim to wear down Tyranitar with repeated attacks if there are no other reliable checks available to the team. If Tyranitar successfully switched into an Yveltal that does not have a way to significantly threaten it, it can force the switch and do a heavy damage with Pursuit. Factoring in sandstorm,(AC) and Dark Aura, and Choice Band, Pursuit is strong enough to prevent Yveltal from switching into most attacks afterwards.
* Gothitelle will be a difficult foe to trap and even when Tyranitar successfully double switched into it, as Tyranitar will have to predict well to avoid getting locked into Pursuit as Gothitelle neutralizes it with Charm. Attempting to get Tyranitar in against Gothitelle is already risky considering how many Pokemon can threaten Tyranitar in a one-on-one situation, so do not aggressively attempt to trap it unless its removal is crucial for the team.
* Note that Pursuit trapping involves a risk. A Tyranitar locked into Pursuit is very exploitable and invites in Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Zygarde, Xerneas, Marshadow, and Primal Kyogre, which can be dangerous with a when freely given momentum. Only trap threats when it is absolutely needed and be prepared to deal with a threat that will exploit Tyranitar locked into Pursuit.

Team Options
========

* Tyranitar can synergize with various common Pokemon in the tier that benefit from Tyranitar's ability to weaken many Pokemon and remove problematic foes like Mega Gengar, Giratina-O, and Mega Mewtwo Y. On the flipside, Tyranitar also has numerous weaknesses due to its lacking defensive typing, which is worsened by it becoming more exploitable after getting locked into Pursuit, and these have to be properly covered by durable defensive cores or offensive pressure from teammates that will prevent or check many forms of setup.
* Xerneas is one of the best offensive partners to be considered. Choice Scarf variants can provide great revenge killing utilities utility against Marshadow and Ultra Necrozma, use Defog and Aromatherapy to improve Tyranitar's longevity, and can benefit from the removal of the Mega Gengar and Blissey. Depending on Tyranitar's coverage move, Steel-types like Magearna can be heavily damaged and be left vulnerable to Geomancy Xerneas as well.
* Primal Groudon can threaten a myriad of Fairy- and Steel-types that will exploit Tyranitar lacking a proper coverage move to hit them or locked into a wrong move. Its presence Primal Groudon is also valuable with for its ability to set Stealth Rock, check Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, and taking take advantage of Magearna. In return,(AC) Tyranitar in return removes Giratina-O and threatens Ho-Oh. Necrozma-DM can be useful for similar reasons, and offensive sets can have a better chance to break through the opposing team after Tyranitar weakened Primal Groudon and Steel-types.
* Mega Salamence can check Ground- and Fighting-types that take advantage of Tyranitar and pivot into Primal Groudon and Mega Lucario. All variants appreciate Tyranitar weakening Steel- and Fairy-types and potentially removing Zygarde by luring it and punishing it with Ice Punch. Mega Salamence can pivot into Primal Groudon and check Mega Lucario.
* Other checks to Ground-types and Primal Groudon, such as support Arceus formes, Primal Kyogre, and Ho-Oh,(AC) all are options depending on the structure of the team. Support Arceus formes easily fit with Tyranitar and enjoy Tyranitar removing Blissey and Ferrothorn with appropriate attacks. Primal Kyogre can wear down Primal Groudon, checks Arceus-Ground, and pressure opposing support Arceus formes relatively well. Ho-Oh may be harder to fit, but it checks many support Arceus formes better, can handle certain variants of Primal Groudon, and can have Tyranitar deal with Mega Salamence,(AC) KO a lured and lure Zygarde with Ice Punch,(AC) and threaten other Steel-types in return, as Tyranitar that forgoes other moves for Ice Punch will struggle against them.
* Toxapex can check many Fighting-types that tend to set up on Tyranitar, provide Toxic Spikes support, pivot into Toxic, and benefit from Tyranitar pressuring Mega Sableye and trapping Mega Gengar.
* Arceus-Grass is a niche yet an effective partner thanks to its ability to threaten offensive teams with its various coverage options, check Zygarde, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Ground, and weaken Steel-types with Fire Blast should Tyranitar not have a the right move to deal with them. Tyranitar makes a good pivot to Flying-types and can eliminate Mega Gengar and Gothitelle.

[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Pursuit
move 2: Rock Tomb / Rock Slide
move 3: Foul Play
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Lum Berry
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Adamant
evs: 248 HP / 76 Atk / 148 Def / 36 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Pursuit allows Tyranitar to trap prominent threats like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y while preventing weakened or sleeping Gothitelle from causing further damage to the team after it trapped and neutralized one of the Tyranitar's teammates. Note that this set will lack sufficient power to immediately remove Giratina-O and will fail to guarantee Mega Gengar's removal after getting burned by Will-O-Wisp if not holding Lum Berry.
* Rock Tomb allows Tyranitar to slow down switch-ins, potentially allowing its teammates to deal with them better. It also improves Tyranitar's effectiveness as a check to Arceus-Dark and bulky Arceus-Flying, both of which can potentially set up on this set.
* Rock Slide provides Tyranitar an alternative countermeasure against Flying-types it checks, letting it threaten to OHKO Ho-Oh and take out offensive Yveltal and Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage.
* Foul Play can assist in alleviating this set's passivity by harshly punishing threats like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM that attempt to use Tyranitar as setup fodder. If Tyranitar is wielding Shuca or Chople Berry, Foul Play also allows it to better check Earthquake Ultra Necrozma, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y, OHKOing Lunala with its Shadow Shield broken and taking out Mega Mewtwo Y after Stealth Rock damage. Note that this variant of Tyranitar can survive a Sunsteel Strike from Adamant Necrozma-DM and punish it with Foul Play, and Extreme Killer Arceus is hit much harder by Foul Play if it has Swords Dance boosts.
* Ice Beam allows Tyranitar to dispose of Mega Salamence quicker and hit Zygarde harder. Against Giratina-O with Will-O-Wisp, this move is the best attack to use. However, it is important to note that forgoing Rock Slide for this move means that Tyranitar will rely on Toxic and sandstorm damage to check Yveltal, will be set up on Extreme Killer Arceus using Substitute, and will no longer check Ho-Oh effectively.
* Earthquake is a niche option to consider to offensively check Naganadel, hit Primal Groudon hard, and OHKO Lucario on the switch.
* Toxic improves Tyranitar's otherwise disappointing matchup against Xerneas and support Arceus formes by putting them on a timer as they switch in and wearing them down quickly in conjunction with sandstorm damage. It also punishes other offensive checks like Primal Groudon and Zygarde on the switch.
* Thunder Wave's ability to slow down a threat and annoy Steel-types makes it an appropriate a good status move as well, but Toxic generally proves to be a better way to punish the likes of support Arceus forms in the long run.
* To pressure Mega Salamence and Ho-Oh and benefit teammates like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM, Tyranitar can possibly run Stealth Rock to compress a role of pivot and entry hazard setter, though its worsened passivity can be detrimental.
* Rest is Tyranitar's only option of recovery that can fully restore its health and remove status, but it is going to be inefficient without cleric support due to Tyranitar being left vulnerable for two turns.

Set Details
========

* The given EV spread with an Adamant nature allows Tyranitar to survive two +1 Double-Edges from Adamant Mega Salamence, take +1 Focus Blast from Lunala after Stealth Rock with Chople Berry intact, and threaten a good number of Flying-types with Rock Slide. Defensive Ho-Oh is almost always taken out by Rock Slide after sandstorm damage, Mega Salamence and maximum HP Arceus-Flying are 2HKOed with Stealth Rock on the field, and offensive Yveltal and Rayquaza are OHKOed after Stealth Rock.
* 36 Speed EVs enable Tyranitar to outspeed Gothitelle, letting it pick off weakened ones without getting afflicted by Charm. A Brave nature with no investment in Speed should be used when running Ice Beam.
* Lum Berry is used to avoid getting burneed burned by Mega Gengar's Will-O-Wisp once and ensure it is removed from play. It also has a situational use in making Tyranitar a better switch-in to the rare Darkrai.
* Chople Berry can be used to allow Tyranitar to survive a Focus Blast from threats like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y. Assuming Tyranitar has switched into a different move, it will at least be able to survive said attack and retaliate to net a heavy damage before it goes down.
* Shuca Berry is an option when Tyranitar is running Ice Beam to survive a boosted Thousand Arrows from Zygarde and KO back. Shuca Berry can also prove to be helpful with surviving a boosted Earthquake from Mega Salamence and Rayquaza.
* Leftovers can be used to provide Tyranitar with passive recovery and make it more resilient to weaker attacks and entry hazard damage.

Usage Tips
========

* With bulkier investment, this variant of Tyranitar can switch into resisted attacks more freely. Once given a switch, Tyranitar will be given a turn to use one of its utility options before it is forced out by an incoming offensive threat. Setting Stealth Rock is mostly an ideal decision, as this will start wearing down the opposing team and help to idenfity identify a Defog user, which Tyranitar will aim to cripple with Toxic.
* Unless there is no other Pokemon that can do so, be wary about of switching into super effective attacks from foes that Tyranitar will normally check. Even with Chople Berry intact, Tyranitar can be 2HKOed on the switch by Focus Blast from Lunala and Mega Mewtwo Y. If a foe that Tyranitar is tasked to take on can beat it one-on-one, aim to put it on a timer with Toxic or at least land an attack before Tyranitar is KOed.
* Dangerous threats like Mega Gengar, Lunala, and Mega Mewtwo Y should be disposed of if given a chance to do so. An opponent will switch in an offensive check afterwards, and if Tyranitar is no longer needed, set a Stealth Rock or put a foe on timer with Toxic before it is KOed. However, against threats like Zygarde or and Arceus-Ground that can use Tyranitar as setup fodder behind Substitute, be quick to switch out to a check or at least prevent them from getting excessive boosts with Ice Beam.
* Tyranitar cannot trap a healthy Gothitelle, as it is bulky enough to survive Pursuit a few times and neutralize Tyranitar. The best moment to use Tyranitar to ensure its removal is when it is asleep after using Rest or has been sufficiently worn down after trapping a teammate.
* Depending on what coverage move Tyranitar carries, it may land a surprise blow on threats like Necrozma-DM and Mega Lucario that assume Tyranitar to be is too passive to prevent them from setting up setup. If Tyranitar has already trapped a foe or does not check anything in particular, take a risk to prevent said foes from becoming too threatening.

Team Options
========

* Some balanced teams can still benefit from this variant of Tyranitar, as the ability to compress the roles of a status user, a Flying-type check, a Pursuit trapper, and possibly a Stealth Rock setter is nearly exclusive to it. Due to this set's lack of offensive presence, it will demand stronger security to Fairy-, Fighting-, and Ground-types, as they will freely take advantage of Tyranitar after it Pursuit trapped a foe or set Stealth Rock on the switch.
* Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM can benefit from Tyranitar pivoting into Yveltal, crippling support Arceus formes, and potentially allowing them to run varying sets by running Stealth Rock, and they patch up Tyranitar's defensive flaws in return. Both of them are secure checks to Xerneas and can viably run many countermeasures to threaten defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Celesteela and threaten defensive teams with Mega Sableye,(AC) which Tyranitar will struggles to do much against.
* Mega Salamence appreciates having a Stealth Rock setter and a teammate that can cripple support Arceus formes. In return, it can take advantage of said utility to sweep with Dragon Dance or be a better check to Primal Groudon by opting for other moves like Defog.
* Xerneas can revenge kill various Fighting-types with a Choice Scarf set, cure Tyranitar of its status with Aromatherapy, and benefit from Tyranitar removing Mega Gengar and keeping Ho-Oh at bay with Stealth Rock.
* Offensive checks to Ground-types like Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Grass can pressure threats like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, and this form of offensive pressure is needed due to Tyranitar lacking enough offensive presence by itself.
* Various support Arceus formes can fit alongside Tyranitar depending on what weakness has to be patched up with the rest of the team. They can also opt for sets with special attack Special Attack investment to help against teams with Mega Sableye by setting Stealth Rock against them.
* As this set can guarantee Mega Gengar's removal with Lum Berry assuming Mega Gengar lacks Focus Blast, various Pokemon commonly employed in defensive teams can benefit from Tyranitar. Primary examples of these include Chansey that checks Fairy-types and provides cleric support, Ferrothorn that checks Primal Kyogre, takes advantage of support Arceus formes, and sets Spikes, and Skarmory that can check certain Ground-types and also provide Spikes support.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Utility Tyranitar has various attacks it can choose to deal with certain foes. Fire Blast punishes Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, Low Kick 2HKOes Arceus-Dark, Extreme Killer Arceus, Ferrothorn, and Dialga, and Taunt can be used with 76 Speed EVs to shut down Skarmory and other slower walls while preventing a healthy Gothitelle from neutralizing it. Crunch anti-leads allows Tyranitar to anti-lead (Tyranitar anti-leads Deoxys-S because of Crunch, the move itself doesn't anti-lead) Deoxys-S and OHKOes Lunala and Mega Mewtwo Y, which Tyranitar will otherwise only damage with Pursuit after surviving a Focus Blast with Chople Berry. However, these moves come with the cost of Tyranitar having to forgo Stealth Rock or other crucial attacks that can cover more important threats it is usually obliged to handle.
* Roar is an option to consider, as this enables Tyranitar from getting set up on by anything when it is no longer needed and can potentially make Geomancy Xerneas waste its Power Herb, but this too also hinders Tyranitar's role compression.
* Mega Tyranitar can be run on certain teams that do not have any other Pokemon holding a Mega Stone. Mega Tyranitar is a much more durable check to Yveltal and Ho-Oh, but its offensive capabilities are outclassed by Choice Band sets,(AC) while its usefulness as a trapper is inferior to regular Tyranitar holding a Lum Berry. Dragon Dance set may seem usable, but it has extreme difficulty sweeping balanced and defensive teams and faces competition with other Dragon Dance users like Zygarde-C and Mega Gyarados.


Checks and Counters
===================

**Ground-types**: Ground-types are the most common foes that can freely take advantage of Tyranitar once they switch in while avoiding Toxic. The very common Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground can force out Tyranitar and proceed to hit the switch-in hard or set up, while Zygarde can set up on Tyranitar lacking Ice Beam without a concern after setting Substitute. However, all of these Pokemon must be wary about taking too much damage from Choice Band sets.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types also pose problems to Tyranitar due to their ability to offensively check it. Though Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy take heavy damage from Choice Band-boosted Stone Edge and are quickly worn down by Toxic and sandstorm damage, they can otherwise force out Tyranitar and use their utility options. Xerneas can hinder utility Tyranitar's usefulness with Aromatherapy and Defog, and Arceus-Fairy can set Stealth Rock of its own as it forces Tyranitar to switch. Magearna can pivot into Choice Band Tyranitar depending on what coverage move it has opted for and what move it is locked into.

**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types like Marshadow and Mega Lucario can easily force out Tyranitar and proceed to damage the switch-in. The fact that Marshadow has limited checks means Tyrantiar will often end up burdening its teammates should it hand away the momentum to it. Mega Lucario can easily set up on any variant of Tyrantiar lacking coverage moves like Earthquake or Superpower.

**Steel-types**: While they have to pivot into Choice Band Tyranitar with caution, Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Celesteela can easily switch into utility Tyranitar and can spread status or annoy switch-ins with Leech Seed or Spikes. Necrozma-DM can threaten to OHKO Choice Band Tyranitar, but it must be an offensive variant to net an OHKO and it will be punished by Foul Play should it be taking on utility Tyranitar.

**Super Effective Moves**: Despite of (You either say "despite" or "in spite of". Second time I saw the error so I thought I should address it.) Tyranitar's solid bulk under sandstorm, its effectiveness as a defensive pivot to resisted attackers tends (this is referring to "effectiveness" which is singular) to get undermined by coverage moves like Earthquake and Focus Blast.

**Magic Bounce**: Choice Band Tyranitar can overpower Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie, but utility variants are easily shut down by them and are discouraged from setting Stealth Rock or spreading Toxic.

**Water-types**: Although both Primal Kyogre and Arceus-Water dislike switching into Choice Band Tyranitar and getting inflicted by Toxic, they can otherwise offensively force out Tyranitar with their STAB moves.

**Status**: Toxic reduces Tyranitar's longevity, limiting its ability to pivot into resisted attacks. Burn can be detrimental to Tyranitar lacking Lum Berry, as this can prevent it from removing a threat with Pursuit.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DMDW, 434601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Melee Mewtwo, 75110] , [Cynara, 224455], [Nayrz, 212134]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Fireflame479, 231476]]
GP 2/2
 
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