Community POTW #101

[Darkrai1117]

I absolutely love Thundurus, and with the addition of Therian form in OU, he can wreck almost everything.

As fast as lightning
Thundurus-T @ Life Orb/Focus Sash
Modest
164HP/252Sp.Attk/88Speed
30/31/30/31/31/31
~Agility
~Thunderbolt/Thunder
~HP Ice
~Focus Blast
This Thundurus absolutely smashes in OU. With a Modest nature and 252 SP.Attk, anything that tries to switch in gets hurt- and badly. The given EV's look odd, however, with a Modest nature and the perfect Speed IV, Thundurus reaches 260 Speed, which allows it to outrun most Terrakion after an Agility. The rest of the EV's are then dumped into HP, although it could put in Speed if you want to outspeed base 100's without an agility, or dump them into HP, Defence or Sp.Defence. The items that it can run also vary- Life Orb gives it a tonne more damage, and it can restore its HP with a well timed switch in to an Electric attack. Focus Sash, however, allows Thundurus to set up an Agility without worry about getting KO'ed, as long as there aren't any Stealth Rocks. The moves should be pretty self explanatory. Thunderbolt is a safe and reliable, however if you are running Thundurus-T on a rain team, Thunder is significantly more powerful, and has a handy 30% chance of Paralysis. HP Ice provides Thundurus with the classic Bolt-Beam coverage, and handily cleans up Ground and Grass types that resist the primary STAB. Focus Blast, while unreliably inaccurate, gives Thundurus a chance to hit Blissey, Chansey and Ferrothorn for super-effective damage. Other options include Grass Knot, for hitting Gastrodon, Nasty Plot if you want ridiculous power, and Volt-Switch, for scouting out opponents. However, giving up any of the moves on the initial moveslots severely restrict and make it much easier to wall (if you can wall something with 145 base Sp.Attk)

[sbktdreed]

Incarnate
Defiant w/ Muscle Band/Life Orb
252 Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP (if Adamant)/ 174 Attack, 168 Sp Attack, 168 Speed (if Naughty)
Wild Charge/Thunderbolt/Thunder/Thunderpunch
Crunch
Brick Break/Focus Blast
Smack Down/U-Turn/Iron Tail

Therian
Item:Life Orb
252 Sp Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP (if Modest)
Thunderbolt/Thunder
Dark Pulse
Focus Blast
Psychic/Flash Cannon

Partners:
Discharge-users for Therian
Rain Dance-users if Thunder is used.

[Buuz]

This is my set for Therian Thundurus:

Therian Thundurus @ Electric Gem
Modest nature
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder Wave
- Nasty Plot
- Hidden Power (fire)

This set can be used on Incarnate Forme Thundurus as well. Downside is, it'll be slower and less powerful if you do. But those problems can be solved with Nasty Plot and Thunder Wave.

[treeckotrainer]

Thundurus-T@yache berry
Nature:timid
252spe/252sp.att/4sp.def
Trait: Volt absorb
-thunderbolt/thunder
-hidden power [ice]
-taunt
-volt switch/thunder wave

This thing looks like an inferior version of it's incarnate brother. It has lower speed and no prankster. However, this Therian forme has higher special attack and can be used in OU, whereas Incarnate Thundurus is banned to Ubers. thunderbolt is a great stab move, use thunder on rain teams. hp ice makes the infamous boltbeam combo, while taunt is not often seen on Thundurus-T. It can be helpful, however, to beat subprotect gliscor, and stop ferrothorn or forretress from setting up. Volt switch is there to get a quick escape. It might also give the impression you're running a choiced set, as the opponent sees no life orb damage. Thunder wave is a lesser option to support the team, but thundurus-t is mostly better of just attacking. Yache berry is there because Thundurus-T is (in my experience) very often hit with an ice move. Examples include ice punch (lucario, toxicroak), hidden power ice (heatran, landorus, other thundurus), ice shard (donphan) and weak ice beams (water types). I've experienced it as very handy to beat pokes that expect to beat you with an ice move. Rapid spin support is helpful, to get rid of stealth rocks.

I admit that this may look kind of gimmicky, but it works for me, and I think we've reached the point where the standard sets have already been mentioned.

[unknownunown]

No, Thundurus! Don't "Thunder-us"!
(Works with both forms)
-Thunderbolt/Thunder
-Focus Blast
-Nasty Plot/Taunt/Dark Pulse/Thunder Wave/Agility/Grass Knot/Psychic
-Nasty Plot/Taunt/Dark Pulse/Thunder Wave/Agility/Grass Knot/Psychic
Prankster
EV's: 252 SAtk, 252 Spd, 4 HP
Timid or Modest
Choose a STAB move between Thunderbolt or Thunder. Focus Blast covers all your weaknesses. If you want more coverage, choose an attacking move. If not... Thunder Wave goes first due to Prankster and halves the opponent's Speed. Taunt prevents the use of entry hazards, Toxic, Will-o-Wisp, Thunder Wave... and goes first. Agility raises your own Speed and goes first too. Nasty Plot raises Special Attack and goes first, again. Serebii, you made articles for Throh, Politoed and Hitmonlee. Think about their counterparts, Sawk, Poliwrath and Hitmonchan.

[Ilan]

Incarnate
Defiant w/ Muscle Band/Life Orb
252 Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP (if Adamant)/ 174 Attack, 168 Sp Attack, 168 Speed (if Naughty)
Wild Charge/Thunderbolt/Thunder/Thunderpunch
Crunch
Brick Break/Focus Blast
Smack Down/U-Turn/Iron Tail

Therian
Item:Life Orb
252 Sp Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP (if Modest)/252 Sp Attack, 88 Attack, 170 Speed (if Rash)
Thunderbolt/Thunder/Charge Beam
Dark Pulse/Fly (if Rash)
Focus Blast
Psychic/Sludge Bomb/Flash Cannon

Other Move Ideas:
Superpower with White Herb/Fighting Gem

Partners:
Discharge-users for Therian
Rain Dance-users if Thunder is used.

Countering:
Defensive (espically Sp Defense) with high offense and Ice/Rock-type moves like Rock Slide/Ice Punch Registeel or Dusknoir.

Best set ever:
charge beam
fly
focus blast
Sludge bomb
- really horrible coverage
- fly sucks
- sludge bomb sucks
- charge beam sucks when you have nasty plot
- thunderus-T attack isn't really good
- can switch to stealth rock 4 times instead of 5 cause of 4 HP evs which make his HP even.
-no real need for superpower.
- rain dance? politoed***
-discharge? in doubles? ok I guess

defensive or high offense?
Both the mentioned pokemons can't counter thunderus-T
Actually the NP set have no real counters only checks..

[your boss]

^This.

I'm pretty sure the writers of the POTW will look for anything viable.

plus there should be a rule on bashing a persons set like that time when the "first" posts were being enforced.

[sbktdreed]

Best set ever:
charge beam
fly
focus blast
Sludge bomb
- really horrible coverage
- fly sucks
- sludge bomb sucks
- charge beam sucks when you have nasty plot
- thunderus-T attack isn't really good
- can switch to stealth rock 4 times instead of 5 cause of 4 HP evs which make his HP even.
-no real need for superpower.
- rain dance? politoed***
-discharge? in doubles? ok I guess

defensive or high offense?
Both the mentioned pokemons can't counter thunderus-T
Actually the NP set have no real counters only checks..

I made the changes to my original post. I had a hard time finding highly defensive pokemon to counter with.

[Ilan]

I made the changes to my original post. I had a hard time finding highly defensive pokemon to counter with.

MEH just play little pokemon online or pokemon showdown and you will see how a set is built you are just posting random moves

Thunderus-T have basicaly no counters.. that's all.. in theory in practice focus blast will miss lots of times so he can be killed if focus blast had... 80 accuracy then he would be really OP but now with his coverage move with so low accuracy.

about bashing.. I know I try not to do it.. but he does that every week.. the current writer (BH?) just ignores that but the poster needs to know his sets are just so random.. (in-game=/= competitive)

[philzone]

Lets have a look at the ability corner.
Incarnate
-Prankster: this is wicked. +1 priority on all status moves? Yes please! Priority subs, taunts and thunder wave are good, and priority NP is VERY good.
-Defiant: Only useful on physical sets, vs intimidate users. +1 att is nice, but the physical move pool is a little barren.

Therian
-Volt absorb: Very good on rain teams, since electric type moves won't be harming your team.

[Zachmac]

and priority NP is VERY good.

Excuse me, but what difference does this make?

It's not an attacking, defending, or crippling move, so it'll be hit on the turn it uses this anyway.

[Luthor]

Excuse me, but what difference does this make?

It's not an attacking, defending, or crippling move, so it'll be hit on the turn it uses this anyway.

yes but it means you will get the attack boost before taunt is used on you.

[SuperArtNinja]

Thundurus, eh? Pretty sweet Pokemon. Good offenses 105/145/101, great movepool, decent abilities... Overall an excellent Pokemon.

Thundurus (Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Hasty/Naive
252 Speed/ 252 Sp. Attack/ 4 Attack
Thunderbolt/Thunder
U-Turn/Volt Switch
Superpower
Hidden Power (Ice)

I already know what some of you are thinking. Why would you ever use U-Turn over Volt Switch on a Thundurus? Well, U-Turn has a few things over Volt Switch in this situation. Thundurus is an Electric type, you can expect people to think that it will be using either Volt Switch or Thunderbolt. They may attempt to bring in a Volt Absorber/ Lightning Rod or Ground type of their own to wall you and prevent the switch, as well as receive the benefits if they do so by ability. So if the switch is obvious and you don't feel like making a prediction into what they're switching into, you can U-Turn; they can't block it and/or get benefits and you deal a bit of damage. Yes, Volt Switch is more powerful, but I think U-Turn can be just as useful. U-Turn gives you a little more coverage than Volt Switch with Thunderbolt. U-Turn is also physical so it may hit a few things a tad harder, plus nothing is immune to bug or capitalizes on being hit by that type (besides the rare Rattled ability which you likely won't see in OU anyway). Superpower is for Blissey and Chansey since it will hit harder than Focus Blast anyway, plus it's a surprise they may not expect. It also hits Steels, although it may not do as much as Thunderbolt depending on the Steel. Hidden Power Ice hits dragons, ground types and opposing Thundurus.

Thundurus (Therian) @Choice Scarf/ Choice Specs
Timid
252 Speed/ 252 Sp. Attack/ 4 Def
Thunderbolt/Thunder
Focus Blast
Hidden Power (Ice)
Grass Knot/Volt Switch/Dark Pulse/Psychic

Hit stuff hard... Thunderbolt STAB, blah... Focus Miss is more coverage. Hidden Power (Ice) kills the cold blooded dragons, ground types and enemy Thundurus... Grass Knot is more reliable against Tyranitar and it can kill Gastrodon a lot quicker. Volt Switch is good for maintaining momentum. Dark Pulse kills ghosts like Gengar easier. Psychic can catch fighting types like Terrakion off guard if they aren't scarfed and faster.

Partners:
Politoad for rain... Rapid Spinners...

Counters:
Thundurus is NOT countered easily. Choice Scarf Terrakion can however, revenge kill it. Choice Band Multiscale Dragonite can OHKO with Extremespeed and Stealth Rock damage (I think). Dragonite can also switch in and take a hit if it's at full health and KO back with Extremespeed (if Thundurus takes Stealth Rock damage, I think). If Grass Knot isn't present then Gastrodon can Toxic-Recover stall it.

[philzone]

Excuse me, but what difference does this make?

It's not an attacking, defending, or crippling move, so it'll be hit on the turn it uses this anyway.

...but, then you are sure you can out pace taunters (unless they are prankster users, but you should outspeed them)

[Blue Harvest]

...but, then you are sure you can out pace taunters (unless they are prankster users, but you should outspeed them)

Yes, I am 100% sure that something with 111 base speed will outpace taunters.

[philzone]

Yes, I am 100% sure that something with 111 base speed will outpace taunters.

What about the odd tornadus-i? that is really the only competition it has as the fastest taunter

[Blue Harvest]

It never runs Taunt, and more importantly Thundurus resists Fighting / Flying and easily eliminates it with Thunderbolt.

[Ilan]

What about the odd tornadus-i? that is really the only competition it has as the fastest taunter

See? odd.. we don't talk about odd or rare on competitive play we talk about common ones... and thunderus-I is faster than all the common taunters in ubers..

[Takeo]

Yes, I am 100% sure that something with 111 base speed will outpace taunters.

But guys what about Trick Room, GUYS WHAT ABOUT TRICK ROOM.

[cantavanda]

Strong pokémon!