Tyranitar
Type: Rock / Dark
Stats: 100 | 134 | 110 | 95 | 100 | 61
Abilities: Sand Stream
Introduction
Tyranitar is hands down the best Pokemon in ADV 1U. Its stats grant it not only great bulk, but amazing physically offensive power backed up by solid specially offensive power. Its Speed is its only downside; however, it's still in a decent Speed tier. Its typing is not amazing defensively, but offensively, it gives it access to very useful STAB moves in Rock Slide and Pursuit. Finally, its ability is very useful for cancelling out Leftovers on both offensive and defensive teams alike. Tyranitar is versatile and dangerous; dealing with it is one of the first things to consider when building a team.
Sets
Dragon Dance
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 80 HP / 180 Atk / 76 Def / 172 Spe
IVs: 30 SDef / 30 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug] / Taunt
Set Details
Dragon Dance Tyranitar is the most dangerous sweeper in the tier. It can be used on many team archetypes from stall to offense. Tyranitar is one of the few Pokemon that can just win a game that otherwise seems lost all on its own. Dragon Dance allows Tyranitar to boost its attack to insane levels while simultaneously making up for its lacking Speed, allowing it to make use of Rock Slide's flinch chance. Rock Slide is its primary STAB move and one of the reasons as to why Tyranitar is so dangerous. The flinch chance can pull the user out of a very tough situation, and it forces players to carry at least one of the few reliable Rock-resistant Pokemon the tier has to offer. Earthquake has great coverage alongside Rock Slide, hitting Steel-types such as Metagross and Jirachi, as well as opposing Tyranitar. Hidden Power Bug is the best move for the last slot, as it can OHKO Celebi at +1. It also allows Tyranitar to beat Claydol if it switches in on a Dragon Dance, and it hits Flygon fairly hard. Taunt can be used to prevent Pokemon such as Skarmory from phazing Tyranitar or hitting it with Toxic.
The Defense and HP EVs allow Tyranitar to always survive Jolly Dugtrio's Earthquake at full health. With 172 Speed investment, it can outspeed neutral base 100 Speed Pokemon at +1 Speed and the whole tier at +2 Speed. The rest is thrown into Attack to maximize power.
Dragon Dance Tyranitar actually requires very little support to do its job and fits on a wide variety of teams. That being said, it does appreciate Spikes to help wear down bulky Water-type counters, particularly Swampert. It also appreciates Pokemon with Hidden Power Grass or Explosion to surprise Swampert. Furthermore, Tyranitar is a great recipient of Swords Dance Celebi's Baton Pass.
Choice Band
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Focus Punch
Set Details
A Choice Band set can be used to give Tyranitar more immediate offensive power for wallbreaking. There is no truly safe switch-in to this set. Rock Slide is Tyranitar's primary STAB move and hits anything that doesn't resist it very hard. Earthquake provides great coverage alongside Rock Slide. Hidden Power Bug OHKOes Celebi and hits Claydol and Flygon quite hard. Finally, Focus Punch can be used on predicted switch-ins, as anything that doesn't resist it is hit extremely hard.
The EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed. The extra bulk isn't really needed, as Tyranitar is already easily trapped by Dugtrio when locked into certain moves, and the ability to outspeed opposing Tyranitar, Metagross, Suicune, and Milotic can be very handy for this set.
This set is again very easy to fit on a team. It hits extremely hard and always works. The main things to note are that it is quite weak to Dugtrio, so it is best not used on a team that is already vulnerable to it, and certain Pokemon such as defensive Suicune and Curse Snorlax don't appreciate Sand Stream. Generally, this set is preferred on more offensive and balanced teams as opposed to stall teams.
Pursuit
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 184 HP / 224 SpA / 100 SDef
Modest / Quiet Nature
- Pursuit
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast
- Rock Slide / Roar / Ice Beam / Hidden Power [Grass]
- Crunch / Hidden Power [Grass]
Set Details
This set is more of a utility set, mainly used as a means of trapping Gengar; however, it is also a decent wallbreaker. Pursuit allows Tyranitar to get rid of Gengar for its teammates. It is also useful for dealing large damage to Choice-locked Salamence and Aerodactyl. Flamethrower and Fire Blast allow Tyranitar to hit Steel-types. The choice between the two comes down to preference; Rock Slide gives Tyranitar access to a physical STAB move that allows it to hit special walls such as Blissey, Regice, and Zapdos harder; however, it doesn't hit as hard as one might think and Tyranitar often ends up burned. Roar turns this set into a solid Shadow Ball CurseLax answer while also giving it the ability to Spikes shuffle and stop Baton Pass users. Ice Beam can be used to hit Zapdos, surprise Flygon, and OHKO Dugtrio. Hidden Power Grass can be used to surprise Swampert. In the last slot, Crunch is the preferred option, as it allows it to KO Gengar that stay in on Tyranitar predicting Pursuit. It also gives it a very strong reliable STAB move that hits a number of its switch-ins for good damage. Furthermore, the Special Defense drops can come in handy for taking on CurseLax. Hidden Power Grass can also be used in this slot, however.
The HP EVs give it some good overall bulk and specifically allow it to survive Jolly Dugtrio's Earthquake. The Special Defense EVs allow it to survive an offensive Starmie's Hydro Pump to OHKO it with Crunch they are also very useful for taking Giga Drains from Gengar. The rest is thrown into Special Attack to maximize power. If running Rock Slide, use a Quiet nature.
This set works well on stall teams alongside Forretress, as it allows it to spin freely. As a result, Gengar is another good teammate, as it can block opposing Rapid Spin and has good type synergy with Tyranitar. Earthquake variants of CurseLax also appreciate Gengar's removal. Finally, a secondary Gengar answer is usually a good idea alongside this set, as Tyranitar can sometimes be unreliable at getting rid of Gengar due to Hypnosis. Giga Drain Gengar can also occasionally beat Pursuit Tyranitar one-on-one with some residual damage if Tyranitar lacks Crunch.
Defensive
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Roar / Toxic
- Hidden Power [Bug] / Taunt / Protect
Set Details
Unlike other Tyranitar sets that focus on offense, or removing certain threats, this one purely focuses on Tyranitar's defensive capabilities. Rock Slide provides STAB and hits quite hard. Earthquake provides coverage alongside Rock Slide, hitting Steel-types super effectively. Roar allows Tyranitar to shuffle the foe over Spikes and turns it into a solid answer to Curse Snorlax. Toxic can also be used in this slot as a way to surprise bulky Water-types like Swampert. In the last slot, Hidden Power Bug is the most common option to hit Celebi, Flygon, and Claydol hard. Taunt is also an option to prevent Spikes setup as well as Pokemon such as Blissey from recovering health or hitting Tyranitar with status. It is quite effective alongside Toxic. Finally, Protect is yet another great option to use in the last slot. It's great for gaining Leftovers recovery, scouting Choice Band users, and stalling Toxic damage.
The EV spread focuses heavily on Tyranitar's bulk, maxing out HP to give it as much defensive utility as possible. Attack is also maxed out so that Tyranitar still hits incredibly hard. This helps it in taking on CurseLax and taking advantage of Spikes. If using Taunt, it is recommended to add more Speed in order to outpace Pokemon like Skarmory. The HP stat can be dropped to 184 EVs, as this still allows Tyranitar to survive Jolly Dugtrio's Earthquake, and additional EVs can be taken out of Attack if necessary.
This set is often found on TSS (Toxic Sand Spikes) teams that appreciate Sand Stream but don't necessarily require Tyranitar's offensive presence. It is also a great option for teams that have difficulty with CurseLax, a common problem on more defensive teams. This set is best with Spikes support, so Skarmory makes a great partner. If using Forretress, it is generally better to run a Pursuit set.
Other Options
Tyranitar is an extremely versatile Pokemon, and as a result, a number of other options come to mind. Both physical and special SubPunch sets can be very dangerous, particularly with Spikes on the field. Curse is an option, although it is generally inferior to Dragon Dance. Double-Edge can also be used on the Dragon Dance set as a means of hitting Flygon and Swampert harder while maintaining neutral coverage on Claydol. Toxic can be used on offensive sets to cripple a number of its main counters. Similarly, Hidden Power Grass can be used on Dragon Dance Tyranitar to get around teams that rely on Swampert to handle Tyranitar. Brick Break can be used on special Tyranitar sets, as it hits the main special walls super effectively and allows it to threaten opposing Tyranitar. Different items can find use on a few of its sets; for example, Dragon Dance Tyranitar can make use of Liechi Berry to boost its attack even further. This works particularly well in conjunction with Double-Edge. Lum Berry can be used on the Pursuit set to avoid getting put to sleep by Hypnosis. It can also be used on the Dragon Dance set so that it can get a second boost against Gengar attempting to status it.
Checks and Counters
Most teams require at least two ways to deal with Tyranitar. Swampert is the best option, as it resists Rock Slide, has enough physical bulk to take its other attacks, and has STAB Ground- and Water-type moves to hurt it with; however, it has to watch out for special variants particularly with Hidden Power Grass, as well as Choice Band Focus Punch. It is also easily worn down by Spikes. Flygon resists Rock, is immune to both Earthquake and Spikes, and can hit it hard with its own STAB Earthquake, but it also has to watch out for Choice Band Focus Punch as well as Ice Beam and isn't particularly bulky, so it takes a large chunk from Hidden Power Bug. Dugtrio can trap and KO it, but Jolly variants in particular usually won't OHKO, so it has to be weakened first. Claydol has trouble 2HKOing Tyranitar, but it is probably the safest switch-in to Choice Band Tyranitar and can take on non-Hidden Power Bug variants of Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Other bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Milotic have enough bulk to eat a few attacks and hit back hard with STAB Surf, though they have to be wary of their Leftovers being cancelled by sand, and they are quite vulnerable to flinches. They are the best answers to special variants of Tyranitar, however.
Metagross can take a boosted Earthquake and nearly OHKO with Meteor Mash. Heracross outspeeds and OHKOes Tyranitar with either Brick Break or Megahorn. Jolly Choice Band Salamence can usually outspeed it at +1 and OHKO it with Brick Break.
Type: Rock / Dark
Stats: 100 | 134 | 110 | 95 | 100 | 61
Abilities: Sand Stream
Introduction
Tyranitar is hands down the best Pokemon in ADV 1U. Its stats grant it not only great bulk, but amazing physically offensive power backed up by solid specially offensive power. Its Speed is its only downside; however, it's still in a decent Speed tier. Its typing is not amazing defensively, but offensively, it gives it access to very useful STAB moves in Rock Slide and Pursuit. Finally, its ability is very useful for cancelling out Leftovers on both offensive and defensive teams alike. Tyranitar is versatile and dangerous; dealing with it is one of the first things to consider when building a team.
Sets
Dragon Dance
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 80 HP / 180 Atk / 76 Def / 172 Spe
IVs: 30 SDef / 30 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug] / Taunt
Set Details
Dragon Dance Tyranitar is the most dangerous sweeper in the tier. It can be used on many team archetypes from stall to offense. Tyranitar is one of the few Pokemon that can just win a game that otherwise seems lost all on its own. Dragon Dance allows Tyranitar to boost its attack to insane levels while simultaneously making up for its lacking Speed, allowing it to make use of Rock Slide's flinch chance. Rock Slide is its primary STAB move and one of the reasons as to why Tyranitar is so dangerous. The flinch chance can pull the user out of a very tough situation, and it forces players to carry at least one of the few reliable Rock-resistant Pokemon the tier has to offer. Earthquake has great coverage alongside Rock Slide, hitting Steel-types such as Metagross and Jirachi, as well as opposing Tyranitar. Hidden Power Bug is the best move for the last slot, as it can OHKO Celebi at +1. It also allows Tyranitar to beat Claydol if it switches in on a Dragon Dance, and it hits Flygon fairly hard. Taunt can be used to prevent Pokemon such as Skarmory from phazing Tyranitar or hitting it with Toxic.
The Defense and HP EVs allow Tyranitar to always survive Jolly Dugtrio's Earthquake at full health. With 172 Speed investment, it can outspeed neutral base 100 Speed Pokemon at +1 Speed and the whole tier at +2 Speed. The rest is thrown into Attack to maximize power.
Dragon Dance Tyranitar actually requires very little support to do its job and fits on a wide variety of teams. That being said, it does appreciate Spikes to help wear down bulky Water-type counters, particularly Swampert. It also appreciates Pokemon with Hidden Power Grass or Explosion to surprise Swampert. Furthermore, Tyranitar is a great recipient of Swords Dance Celebi's Baton Pass.
Choice Band
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Focus Punch
Set Details
A Choice Band set can be used to give Tyranitar more immediate offensive power for wallbreaking. There is no truly safe switch-in to this set. Rock Slide is Tyranitar's primary STAB move and hits anything that doesn't resist it very hard. Earthquake provides great coverage alongside Rock Slide. Hidden Power Bug OHKOes Celebi and hits Claydol and Flygon quite hard. Finally, Focus Punch can be used on predicted switch-ins, as anything that doesn't resist it is hit extremely hard.
The EV spread maximizes Attack and Speed. The extra bulk isn't really needed, as Tyranitar is already easily trapped by Dugtrio when locked into certain moves, and the ability to outspeed opposing Tyranitar, Metagross, Suicune, and Milotic can be very handy for this set.
This set is again very easy to fit on a team. It hits extremely hard and always works. The main things to note are that it is quite weak to Dugtrio, so it is best not used on a team that is already vulnerable to it, and certain Pokemon such as defensive Suicune and Curse Snorlax don't appreciate Sand Stream. Generally, this set is preferred on more offensive and balanced teams as opposed to stall teams.
Pursuit
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 184 HP / 224 SpA / 100 SDef
Modest / Quiet Nature
- Pursuit
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast
- Rock Slide / Roar / Ice Beam / Hidden Power [Grass]
- Crunch / Hidden Power [Grass]
Set Details
This set is more of a utility set, mainly used as a means of trapping Gengar; however, it is also a decent wallbreaker. Pursuit allows Tyranitar to get rid of Gengar for its teammates. It is also useful for dealing large damage to Choice-locked Salamence and Aerodactyl. Flamethrower and Fire Blast allow Tyranitar to hit Steel-types. The choice between the two comes down to preference; Rock Slide gives Tyranitar access to a physical STAB move that allows it to hit special walls such as Blissey, Regice, and Zapdos harder; however, it doesn't hit as hard as one might think and Tyranitar often ends up burned. Roar turns this set into a solid Shadow Ball CurseLax answer while also giving it the ability to Spikes shuffle and stop Baton Pass users. Ice Beam can be used to hit Zapdos, surprise Flygon, and OHKO Dugtrio. Hidden Power Grass can be used to surprise Swampert. In the last slot, Crunch is the preferred option, as it allows it to KO Gengar that stay in on Tyranitar predicting Pursuit. It also gives it a very strong reliable STAB move that hits a number of its switch-ins for good damage. Furthermore, the Special Defense drops can come in handy for taking on CurseLax. Hidden Power Grass can also be used in this slot, however.
The HP EVs give it some good overall bulk and specifically allow it to survive Jolly Dugtrio's Earthquake. The Special Defense EVs allow it to survive an offensive Starmie's Hydro Pump to OHKO it with Crunch they are also very useful for taking Giga Drains from Gengar. The rest is thrown into Special Attack to maximize power. If running Rock Slide, use a Quiet nature.
This set works well on stall teams alongside Forretress, as it allows it to spin freely. As a result, Gengar is another good teammate, as it can block opposing Rapid Spin and has good type synergy with Tyranitar. Earthquake variants of CurseLax also appreciate Gengar's removal. Finally, a secondary Gengar answer is usually a good idea alongside this set, as Tyranitar can sometimes be unreliable at getting rid of Gengar due to Hypnosis. Giga Drain Gengar can also occasionally beat Pursuit Tyranitar one-on-one with some residual damage if Tyranitar lacks Crunch.
Defensive
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Roar / Toxic
- Hidden Power [Bug] / Taunt / Protect
Set Details
Unlike other Tyranitar sets that focus on offense, or removing certain threats, this one purely focuses on Tyranitar's defensive capabilities. Rock Slide provides STAB and hits quite hard. Earthquake provides coverage alongside Rock Slide, hitting Steel-types super effectively. Roar allows Tyranitar to shuffle the foe over Spikes and turns it into a solid answer to Curse Snorlax. Toxic can also be used in this slot as a way to surprise bulky Water-types like Swampert. In the last slot, Hidden Power Bug is the most common option to hit Celebi, Flygon, and Claydol hard. Taunt is also an option to prevent Spikes setup as well as Pokemon such as Blissey from recovering health or hitting Tyranitar with status. It is quite effective alongside Toxic. Finally, Protect is yet another great option to use in the last slot. It's great for gaining Leftovers recovery, scouting Choice Band users, and stalling Toxic damage.
The EV spread focuses heavily on Tyranitar's bulk, maxing out HP to give it as much defensive utility as possible. Attack is also maxed out so that Tyranitar still hits incredibly hard. This helps it in taking on CurseLax and taking advantage of Spikes. If using Taunt, it is recommended to add more Speed in order to outpace Pokemon like Skarmory. The HP stat can be dropped to 184 EVs, as this still allows Tyranitar to survive Jolly Dugtrio's Earthquake, and additional EVs can be taken out of Attack if necessary.
This set is often found on TSS (Toxic Sand Spikes) teams that appreciate Sand Stream but don't necessarily require Tyranitar's offensive presence. It is also a great option for teams that have difficulty with CurseLax, a common problem on more defensive teams. This set is best with Spikes support, so Skarmory makes a great partner. If using Forretress, it is generally better to run a Pursuit set.
Other Options
Tyranitar is an extremely versatile Pokemon, and as a result, a number of other options come to mind. Both physical and special SubPunch sets can be very dangerous, particularly with Spikes on the field. Curse is an option, although it is generally inferior to Dragon Dance. Double-Edge can also be used on the Dragon Dance set as a means of hitting Flygon and Swampert harder while maintaining neutral coverage on Claydol. Toxic can be used on offensive sets to cripple a number of its main counters. Similarly, Hidden Power Grass can be used on Dragon Dance Tyranitar to get around teams that rely on Swampert to handle Tyranitar. Brick Break can be used on special Tyranitar sets, as it hits the main special walls super effectively and allows it to threaten opposing Tyranitar. Different items can find use on a few of its sets; for example, Dragon Dance Tyranitar can make use of Liechi Berry to boost its attack even further. This works particularly well in conjunction with Double-Edge. Lum Berry can be used on the Pursuit set to avoid getting put to sleep by Hypnosis. It can also be used on the Dragon Dance set so that it can get a second boost against Gengar attempting to status it.
Checks and Counters
Most teams require at least two ways to deal with Tyranitar. Swampert is the best option, as it resists Rock Slide, has enough physical bulk to take its other attacks, and has STAB Ground- and Water-type moves to hurt it with; however, it has to watch out for special variants particularly with Hidden Power Grass, as well as Choice Band Focus Punch. It is also easily worn down by Spikes. Flygon resists Rock, is immune to both Earthquake and Spikes, and can hit it hard with its own STAB Earthquake, but it also has to watch out for Choice Band Focus Punch as well as Ice Beam and isn't particularly bulky, so it takes a large chunk from Hidden Power Bug. Dugtrio can trap and KO it, but Jolly variants in particular usually won't OHKO, so it has to be weakened first. Claydol has trouble 2HKOing Tyranitar, but it is probably the safest switch-in to Choice Band Tyranitar and can take on non-Hidden Power Bug variants of Dragon Dance Tyranitar. Other bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Milotic have enough bulk to eat a few attacks and hit back hard with STAB Surf, though they have to be wary of their Leftovers being cancelled by sand, and they are quite vulnerable to flinches. They are the best answers to special variants of Tyranitar, however.
Metagross can take a boosted Earthquake and nearly OHKO with Meteor Mash. Heracross outspeeds and OHKOes Tyranitar with either Brick Break or Megahorn. Jolly Choice Band Salamence can usually outspeed it at +1 and OHKO it with Brick Break.
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