[SET]
name: Specially Defensive (Speed, Special Defense)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Rock Blast
move 3: Foul Play / Rest
move 4: Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers / Smooth Rock
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Tyranitar uses its typing and Sand Stream-boosted bulk to become a very capable specially defensive wall. Tyranitar can take advantage of the many special attackers it forces out like Blacephelon and Galarian Moltres by setting up Stealth Rock. Rock Blast beats Yveltal and Blacephalon, as well as Ho-Oh if not burned, and is preferred over Stone Edge thanks to its better accuracy and PP. Foul Play hits physical attackers like Rillaboom, Zeraora, and Zygarde-10% hard on the switch without requiring any Attack investment, but Rest is an option on more defensive teams to reliably outlast Yveltal and Galarian Moltres. Thunder Wave cripples offensive threats like Urshifu-R and is preferred on more offensive builds, while Toxic puts defensive Pokemon like Landorus-T on a timer and is a better fit on stall teams. Sand Stream augments Tyranitar's Special Defense further, making it even more formidable. Heavy-Duty Boots prevents Tyranitar from being chipped by entry hazards, which is important because Tyranitar has no reliable recovery outside of Rest, while Leftovers gives it a modicum of recovery. On sand teams, Smooth Rock maximizes Sand Stream turns to support Sand Rush sweepers like Dracozolt and Excadrill.
Tyranitar benefits from receiving Special Defense from bulky gods like Necrozma-DM, Zamazenta-C, and Ho-Oh to turn it into a bulky tank. It can, however, still handle its primary targets in Galarian Moltres and Yveltal without a Special Defense donation, letting it take a dump stat, usually Speed. Many Pokemon that are threatened by Blacephelon such as Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM, and Victini appreciate Tyranitar's ability to switch into Blacephelon's attacks. Similarly, Tyranitar is one of the best Galarian Moltres checks around, being able to switch in repeatedly and force it out, which is greatly appreciated by Psychic-types like Slowking, Galarian Slowking, and Necrozma-DM. Tyranitar is highly vulnerable to Urshifu-R, so Pokemon that can switch into it like Slowking and Tapu Fini are great partners. Pokemon like Corviknight and Skarmory are also great partners, as they can switch into Ground-type moves that threaten Tyranitar, as well as Grass-type threats like Rillaboom and Kartana. Dracozolt and Excadrill become a formidable offensive core when paired with Tyranitar's Sand Stream, and have the added benefit of beating Pokemon like Urshifu-R and Clefable respectively. If Tyranitar is running Rest, it needs cleric support from Pokemon like Clefable.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance (Speed)
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Dragon Dance
move 4: Ice Punch / Stealth Rock
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Lum Berry / Smooth Rock
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
With an improved Speed stat, Tyranitar is a dangerous Dragon Dance sweeper. Stone Edge is Tyranitar's most powerful STAB move and is hard to switch into and OHKOes threats like Zeraora and Yveltal at +1. Crunch is a decently powerful STAB move that lets Tyranitar threaten Slowking, Slowbro, Necrozma-DM, and Blacephelon. With an adequate Speed stat, even just base 90, Dragon Dance allows Tyranitar to outspeed most of the unboosted tier at +1. Ice Punch is the preferred fourth move to hit Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Zygarde-10%, but Tyranitar can also run Stealth Rock if the team lacks a setter. Heavy-Duty Boots prevents Tyranitar from being worn down by entry hazards, while Lum Berry can save it from an untimely burn or paralysis from the likes of Rotom-W and Clefable. Smooth Rock supports teammates like Excadrill and Dracozolt on sand teams.
Tyranitar can receive Speed from fast gods like Zamazenta-C or more middle-of-the-road ones like Yveltal. Tyranitar can force out many Fire- and Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Victini, Galarian Moltres, and Tornadus-T, which is greatly appreciated by Grass-types like Rillaboom, Ferrothorn, and Tangrowth. Tyranitar's +1 Stone Edge does massive damage to much of tier, which helps wallbreaking teammates like Tapu Koko, Weavile, and Zeraora clean up teams. Those same Pokemon can also weaken the opposing team enough for Tyranitar to act as a fast and powerful wincon. Slowking is an excellent teammate, as it can slow pivot Tyranitar in to preserve its HP, provide Future Sight support, and switch into Zamazenta-C and Urshifu-R, which tank all of Tyranitar's moves and can easily KO it. Other Fighting-type answers such as Landorus-T and Clefable also make great teammates, as they can also run Stealth Rock for Tyranitar to freely run Ice Punch. Rillaboom is extremely threatening with its high powered Grassy Glide that bypasses Tyranitar's Speed, so Pokemon that can take it out like Tornadus-T and Victini, or switch into it like Skarmory and Corviknight, make great teammates. Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Bisharp can comfortably survive all of Tyranitar's moves even at +1 and hit back hard in return, so teammates that can threaten them out like Ho-Oh are good teammates. Dragon Dance Tyranitar forms an excellent offensive core with Dracozolt and Excadrill, with the latter two wreaking havoc on the opponent's defensive core and allowing Tyranitar to clean later, while Tyranitar can surprise and weaken Landorus-T with Ice Punch for them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band sets are extremely powerful but are hard to fit onto teams and require good entry hazard removal support to function. Choice Scarf boosts Tyranitar's Speed without the need to run Dragon Dance, allowing it to act as a revenge killer. Life Orb boosts Tyranitar's power while allowing it to still run Dragon Dance, but the recoil really hurts when coupled with Tyranitar's lack of recovery. Fire Blast can situationally allow Tyranitar to lure and remove Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Skarmory, and Ice Beam can do the same to Landorus-T, but both take up a valuable moveslot and can be tough to fit.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Coverage**: Urshifu-R, Zamazenta-C, Buzzwole, and Pangoro can tank all of Tyranitar's moves and comfortably KO it. Pokemon with Fighting-type coverage like Zeraora and Kartana can all deal heavy damage to Tyranitar as well. However, Zeraora and other frail threats have a hard time switching in, and all of the aforementioned Pokemon save Zeraora hate switching into Thunder Wave.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Bisharp can survive all of Tyranitar's attacks and can hit back hard with moves like Body Press and Iron Head. However, they should look out for the rare Fire Blast.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Hippowdon can all dent Tyranitar with Earthquake. However, the former two should fear switching into Ice Punch, and none of them likes getting a Toxic.
**Water-types**: Defensive Water-types like Rotom-W and Gastrodon only fear Toxic and can weather Tyranitar's hits and hit back with their STAB attacks and even burn Tyranitar.
**Grass-types**: Kartana, Dhelmise, and Rillaboom all pose a great threat to Tyranitar. Rillaboom is especially threatening since Grassy Glide bypasses Tyranitar's Speed boosts. However, they all hate Thunder Wave and the rare Fire Blast, and the latter two also need to look out for Ice Punch.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Wes8888, 584907]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [longhiep341, 500884]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
name: Specially Defensive (Speed, Special Defense)
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Rock Blast
move 3: Foul Play / Rest
move 4: Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers / Smooth Rock
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Tyranitar uses its typing and Sand Stream-boosted bulk to become a very capable specially defensive wall. Tyranitar can take advantage of the many special attackers it forces out like Blacephelon and Galarian Moltres by setting up Stealth Rock. Rock Blast beats Yveltal and Blacephalon, as well as Ho-Oh if not burned, and is preferred over Stone Edge thanks to its better accuracy and PP. Foul Play hits physical attackers like Rillaboom, Zeraora, and Zygarde-10% hard on the switch without requiring any Attack investment, but Rest is an option on more defensive teams to reliably outlast Yveltal and Galarian Moltres. Thunder Wave cripples offensive threats like Urshifu-R and is preferred on more offensive builds, while Toxic puts defensive Pokemon like Landorus-T on a timer and is a better fit on stall teams. Sand Stream augments Tyranitar's Special Defense further, making it even more formidable. Heavy-Duty Boots prevents Tyranitar from being chipped by entry hazards, which is important because Tyranitar has no reliable recovery outside of Rest, while Leftovers gives it a modicum of recovery. On sand teams, Smooth Rock maximizes Sand Stream turns to support Sand Rush sweepers like Dracozolt and Excadrill.
Tyranitar benefits from receiving Special Defense from bulky gods like Necrozma-DM, Zamazenta-C, and Ho-Oh to turn it into a bulky tank. It can, however, still handle its primary targets in Galarian Moltres and Yveltal without a Special Defense donation, letting it take a dump stat, usually Speed. Many Pokemon that are threatened by Blacephelon such as Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM, and Victini appreciate Tyranitar's ability to switch into Blacephelon's attacks. Similarly, Tyranitar is one of the best Galarian Moltres checks around, being able to switch in repeatedly and force it out, which is greatly appreciated by Psychic-types like Slowking, Galarian Slowking, and Necrozma-DM. Tyranitar is highly vulnerable to Urshifu-R, so Pokemon that can switch into it like Slowking and Tapu Fini are great partners. Pokemon like Corviknight and Skarmory are also great partners, as they can switch into Ground-type moves that threaten Tyranitar, as well as Grass-type threats like Rillaboom and Kartana. Dracozolt and Excadrill become a formidable offensive core when paired with Tyranitar's Sand Stream, and have the added benefit of beating Pokemon like Urshifu-R and Clefable respectively. If Tyranitar is running Rest, it needs cleric support from Pokemon like Clefable.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance (Speed)
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Dragon Dance
move 4: Ice Punch / Stealth Rock
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Lum Berry / Smooth Rock
ability: Sand Stream
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
With an improved Speed stat, Tyranitar is a dangerous Dragon Dance sweeper. Stone Edge is Tyranitar's most powerful STAB move and is hard to switch into and OHKOes threats like Zeraora and Yveltal at +1. Crunch is a decently powerful STAB move that lets Tyranitar threaten Slowking, Slowbro, Necrozma-DM, and Blacephelon. With an adequate Speed stat, even just base 90, Dragon Dance allows Tyranitar to outspeed most of the unboosted tier at +1. Ice Punch is the preferred fourth move to hit Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Zygarde-10%, but Tyranitar can also run Stealth Rock if the team lacks a setter. Heavy-Duty Boots prevents Tyranitar from being worn down by entry hazards, while Lum Berry can save it from an untimely burn or paralysis from the likes of Rotom-W and Clefable. Smooth Rock supports teammates like Excadrill and Dracozolt on sand teams.
Tyranitar can receive Speed from fast gods like Zamazenta-C or more middle-of-the-road ones like Yveltal. Tyranitar can force out many Fire- and Flying-types like Ho-Oh, Victini, Galarian Moltres, and Tornadus-T, which is greatly appreciated by Grass-types like Rillaboom, Ferrothorn, and Tangrowth. Tyranitar's +1 Stone Edge does massive damage to much of tier, which helps wallbreaking teammates like Tapu Koko, Weavile, and Zeraora clean up teams. Those same Pokemon can also weaken the opposing team enough for Tyranitar to act as a fast and powerful wincon. Slowking is an excellent teammate, as it can slow pivot Tyranitar in to preserve its HP, provide Future Sight support, and switch into Zamazenta-C and Urshifu-R, which tank all of Tyranitar's moves and can easily KO it. Other Fighting-type answers such as Landorus-T and Clefable also make great teammates, as they can also run Stealth Rock for Tyranitar to freely run Ice Punch. Rillaboom is extremely threatening with its high powered Grassy Glide that bypasses Tyranitar's Speed, so Pokemon that can take it out like Tornadus-T and Victini, or switch into it like Skarmory and Corviknight, make great teammates. Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Bisharp can comfortably survive all of Tyranitar's moves even at +1 and hit back hard in return, so teammates that can threaten them out like Ho-Oh are good teammates. Dragon Dance Tyranitar forms an excellent offensive core with Dracozolt and Excadrill, with the latter two wreaking havoc on the opponent's defensive core and allowing Tyranitar to clean later, while Tyranitar can surprise and weaken Landorus-T with Ice Punch for them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band sets are extremely powerful but are hard to fit onto teams and require good entry hazard removal support to function. Choice Scarf boosts Tyranitar's Speed without the need to run Dragon Dance, allowing it to act as a revenge killer. Life Orb boosts Tyranitar's power while allowing it to still run Dragon Dance, but the recoil really hurts when coupled with Tyranitar's lack of recovery. Fire Blast can situationally allow Tyranitar to lure and remove Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Skarmory, and Ice Beam can do the same to Landorus-T, but both take up a valuable moveslot and can be tough to fit.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types and Coverage**: Urshifu-R, Zamazenta-C, Buzzwole, and Pangoro can tank all of Tyranitar's moves and comfortably KO it. Pokemon with Fighting-type coverage like Zeraora and Kartana can all deal heavy damage to Tyranitar as well. However, Zeraora and other frail threats have a hard time switching in, and all of the aforementioned Pokemon save Zeraora hate switching into Thunder Wave.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Bisharp can survive all of Tyranitar's attacks and can hit back hard with moves like Body Press and Iron Head. However, they should look out for the rare Fire Blast.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Hippowdon can all dent Tyranitar with Earthquake. However, the former two should fear switching into Ice Punch, and none of them likes getting a Toxic.
**Water-types**: Defensive Water-types like Rotom-W and Gastrodon only fear Toxic and can weather Tyranitar's hits and hit back with their STAB attacks and even burn Tyranitar.
**Grass-types**: Kartana, Dhelmise, and Rillaboom all pose a great threat to Tyranitar. Rillaboom is especially threatening since Grassy Glide bypasses Tyranitar's Speed boosts. However, they all hate Thunder Wave and the rare Fire Blast, and the latter two also need to look out for Ice Punch.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Wes8888, 584907]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [longhiep341, 500884]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
Last edited:
