[SET]
name: Focus Sash Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Payback
move 3: Fire Blast / Taunt
move 4: Superpower / Low Kick
item: Focus Sash
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Hasty
evs: 176 Atk / 80 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
When Tyranitar is guaranteed a free turn thanks to Focus Sash, it becomes a great early-game Stealth Rock setter. Payback in conjunction with the sand it sets will remove non-Colbur Berry Deoxys-S in a single turn, leaving it with only a single layer of entry hazards. Fire Blast is the most threatening option against Forretress, while Taunt will completely deny it hazards, forcing it to use Payback or Rapid Spin, which are moves that can be exploited by Tyranitar or its teammates. Superpower is a powerful coverage move that threatens lead Darkrai, but Low Kick is sometimes chosen for its spammability against Dialga and Forretress. Dropping Stealth Rock and picking up another attacking move, Thunder Wave, which slows down faster leads like Rayquaza, or Counter to destroy lead Groudon is also viable.
Set Details
========
80 Special Attack EVs ensure that Fire Blast OHKOes Forretress. A Hasty nature is generally preferred to Speed tie opposing lead Tyranitar at worst. If Tyranitar opts to drop Fire Blast, then moving the Special Attack EVs into Attack and running an Adamant or Jolly nature will maximize both Tyranitar's damage output and its bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Using Payback against Dark-weak leads like Froslass and Deoxys-S is a very safe play, as unless the latter is Colbur Berry, they must make a choice between a layer of entry hazards or bringing Tyranitar down to its Focus Sash. A similar scenario occurs against lead Forretress with Fire Blast or Taunt, except Forretress doesn't commonly carry an attacking move that damages Tyranitar, making the matchup more skewed in Tyranitar's favor. Aside from these matchups, Tyranitar can safely set up Stealth Rock against leads that it has favorable matchups against like Ho-Oh and Giratina-O; even against those that threaten it out like Rayquaza and Kyogre, Tyranitar can set up Stealth Rock and switch out to be used as a sacrifice later in the battle.
Team Options
========
Many teams appreciate Tyranitar's ability to prevent multiple layers of entry hazards from being laid by Deoxys-S. However, Tyranitar itself is slow and not particularly bulky, so this set fits best on offensive teams. Tyranitar dislikes lead Darkrai using Dark Void, so a sleep absorber like Sleep Talk Dialga or Garchomp gives it room to set up Stealth Rock unperturbed. Tyranitar faints fairly early in the battle, so if its Stealth Rock gets removed, then its effort to set them up will be wasted. A spinblocker like Giratina-O can ensure that Stealth Rock stays up, though Giratina-O gets passively chipped by Tyranitar's sandstorm. Checks to Kyogre and Groudon like Palkia for the former, Giratina-O for the latter, and the Lati twins for both ensure that Tyranitar can disrupt their weather over the course of the battle.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/seldanna.471586/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/inspirited.127823/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
name: Focus Sash Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Payback
move 3: Fire Blast / Taunt
move 4: Superpower / Low Kick
item: Focus Sash
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Hasty
evs: 176 Atk / 80 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
When Tyranitar is guaranteed a free turn thanks to Focus Sash, it becomes a great early-game Stealth Rock setter. Payback in conjunction with the sand it sets will remove non-Colbur Berry Deoxys-S in a single turn, leaving it with only a single layer of entry hazards. Fire Blast is the most threatening option against Forretress, while Taunt will completely deny it hazards, forcing it to use Payback or Rapid Spin, which are moves that can be exploited by Tyranitar or its teammates. Superpower is a powerful coverage move that threatens lead Darkrai, but Low Kick is sometimes chosen for its spammability against Dialga and Forretress. Dropping Stealth Rock and picking up another attacking move, Thunder Wave, which slows down faster leads like Rayquaza, or Counter to destroy lead Groudon is also viable.
Set Details
========
80 Special Attack EVs ensure that Fire Blast OHKOes Forretress. A Hasty nature is generally preferred to Speed tie opposing lead Tyranitar at worst. If Tyranitar opts to drop Fire Blast, then moving the Special Attack EVs into Attack and running an Adamant or Jolly nature will maximize both Tyranitar's damage output and its bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Using Payback against Dark-weak leads like Froslass and Deoxys-S is a very safe play, as unless the latter is Colbur Berry, they must make a choice between a layer of entry hazards or bringing Tyranitar down to its Focus Sash. A similar scenario occurs against lead Forretress with Fire Blast or Taunt, except Forretress doesn't commonly carry an attacking move that damages Tyranitar, making the matchup more skewed in Tyranitar's favor. Aside from these matchups, Tyranitar can safely set up Stealth Rock against leads that it has favorable matchups against like Ho-Oh and Giratina-O; even against those that threaten it out like Rayquaza and Kyogre, Tyranitar can set up Stealth Rock and switch out to be used as a sacrifice later in the battle.
Team Options
========
Many teams appreciate Tyranitar's ability to prevent multiple layers of entry hazards from being laid by Deoxys-S. However, Tyranitar itself is slow and not particularly bulky, so this set fits best on offensive teams. Tyranitar dislikes lead Darkrai using Dark Void, so a sleep absorber like Sleep Talk Dialga or Garchomp gives it room to set up Stealth Rock unperturbed. Tyranitar faints fairly early in the battle, so if its Stealth Rock gets removed, then its effort to set them up will be wasted. A spinblocker like Giratina-O can ensure that Stealth Rock stays up, though Giratina-O gets passively chipped by Tyranitar's sandstorm. Checks to Kyogre and Groudon like Palkia for the former, Giratina-O for the latter, and the Lati twins for both ensure that Tyranitar can disrupt their weather over the course of the battle.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/seldanna.471586/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/inspirited.127823/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lasen.273339/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
