fireburn doesn't seem to like it.And trust me, Terrakion is unranked for a reason. If you don't believe me, take a moment to consider what will happen if you ever click Close Combat against your typical HO team (Mega Mence DDs, you lose) or balance team (Hex MGar gets a free switch, you most likely lose).
re: Hoopa-U
It blows pretty hard against everything but stall so save the analysis for when/if it actually is banned.
re: Terrakion
I just can't recommend it as a "good vs HO Scarfer" when said teams have so many ways to punish choicelocked Fighting attacks (Xern, Mence, Gar, SD Ghostceus, Mewtwo, Rayquaza, take your pick really), which is what you will want to be using most of the time so you don't get swept by dudes like EKiller and Darkrai. The fact that PDon can set up on it regardless of what move it decides to use is also a point against it, and its performance is pretty garbage against all the balance squads with PDon + bulky Arceus + Ghost. Not seeing the appeal on this one.
Admittedly, scarf is probably the best but I still think any of the sets have the ability to be used well. Also band an lo defeat arceus-n, band is better on mence due to OHKoing it and most of the sets can run sleep talk as a replacement. Scarf-wise, the choice-lock is a problem and I'd suggest having a bulky mon so you can switch out to reset it or simply stating to be careful spamming the stabs. The choice sets are better late-game once the mentioned mons are gone, or as a lure for them. I really feel Terrakion deserves analysing, especially over things like forretress and ditto.No, scarf is the only thing that would ever be considered for an analysis. It's niche stems from being able to check Darkrai, Arc-Normal and some Mence in the same slot. Any other set removes from this niche. It might be slightly forgiveable if it could switch into Ho-oh Brave Bird but its Fighting typing sadly prevents that. While CB admittedly hits very hard, the same things as before take advantage of Choice locked Terrakion especially when it's locked into Close Combat(Mence, Gar, Xern) and it now doesn't really offer any checking duties.
I don't even think Scarf has enough niche for an analysis because I simply can't imagine how I'd fit this on a team and cover all the avenues for potential set ups without saying "I'm not gonna give those away" which never really works out in practice.
Band Terrakion is slower than Jolly EKiller and Salamence after DD and will simply die to them. It does not check them at all.Admittedly, scarf is probably the best but I still think any of the sets have the ability to be used well. Also band an lo defeat arceus-n, band is better on mence due to OHKoing it and most of the sets can run sleep talk as a replacement. Scarf-wise, the choice-lock is a problem and I'd suggest having a bulky mon so you can switch out to reset it or simply stating to be careful spamming the stabs. The choice sets are better late-game once the mentioned mons are gone, or as a lure for them. I really feel Terrakion deserves analysing, especially over things like forretress and ditto.
I, for one, run adamant e-killer-is jolly popular? Terrakion still beats adamant and jolly without earthquake. It can also ohko mence, but needs to switch in on a roost or refresh before setup. For what you said about many things making it a liability, Xern, Mence, Gar, SD Ghostceus, Mewtwo and Rayquaza can switch into close combat, yes, but mence and quaza dislike stone edge which can lure then, Gengar before mega doesn't seem to punish a switch unless I'm missing something (I heard shadow tag doesn't work turn 1, but havent tested), and since terrakion A) should be used late game imo and B) one of its main switches is to stop e-killer, ghostceus is usually easy to predict and punish on switch. Mewtwo and xern are problrms, but Mewtwo has quite a few common checks you can use for team support with Terrakion to switch and Xern can almost always be predicted and iron-headed or switched. Another option is to run roar on one of the other sets, and screw it over post-geomancy. Again, I suggest careful usage of the stabs. Terrakion requires prediction and skilful playing (and stone edge hax occasionally), but it is a worthy teammember to consider.Band Terrakion is slower than Jolly EKiller and Salamence after DD and will simply die to them. It does not check them at all.
Scarf is not worth using when so many things turn it into a liability. At least Ditto actually has a good matchup against the types of teams it is designed to beat (mindless HO).
Jolly EKiller has been significantly and consistently more common than Adamant EKiller, on ladder and tours. Earthquake is also its most common coverage move. The odds of beating a random EKiller with non-Scarf Terrakion are quite poor.I, for one, run adamant e-killer-is jolly popular? Terrakion still beats adamant and jolly without earthquake. It can also ohko mence, but needs to switch in on a roost or refresh before setup. For what you said about many things making it a liability, Xern, Mence, Gar, SD Ghostceus, Mewtwo and Rayquaza can switch into close combat, yes, but mence and quaza dislike stone edge which can lure then, Gengar before mega doesn't seem to punish a switch unless I'm missing something (I heard shadow tag doesn't work turn 1, but havent tested), and since terrakion A) should be used late game imo and B) one of its main switches is to stop e-killer, ghostceus is usually easy to predict and punish on switch. Mewtwo and xern are problrms, but Mewtwo has quite a few common checks you can use for team support with Terrakion to switch and Xern can almost always be predicted and iron-headed or switched. Another option is to run roar on one of the other sets, and screw it over post-geomancy. Again, I suggest careful usage of the stabs. Terrakion requires prediction and skilful playing (and stone edge hax occasionally), but it is a worthy teammember to consider.
Admittedly, a lot of good E-killers use Jolly, but there are only just over 35% on the set usage stats (but 50% unlisted sets too due to them having different evs or nature). 75% of them do run e-quake, but, if we said 60% of ceus' were jolly and 75% run e-quake, there still is, upon estimation, a good 20% or so band terrakion stops flat (just an educated guess based on usage and what I saw in testing).Jolly EKiller has been significantly and consistently more common than Adamant EKiller, on ladder and tours. Earthquake is also its most common coverage move. The odds of beating a random EKiller with non-Scarf Terrakion are quite poor.
Yeah you can click Stone Edge, but that doesn't really address the issue. The problem with using Scarf Terrakion against offense is:
1) Terrakion needs Close Combat to do its primary job (kill Arceus/Darkrai) since Stone Edge kills neither
2) Choiced Close Combat is not safe to use because of all the dangerous crap that can punish it on offense teams (could mean giving Gengar a free Mega, Salamence a free DD, etc)
3) Pretty much every team has one Pokemon that can punish Terrakion regardless of what it decides to do (Primal Groudon)
The inability to use Close Combat safely directly inhibits Scarf Terrakion's usefulness. It is inferior to other Scarfers since it lacks consistent methods of becoming setup fodder (U-turn) and does not have a safe, accurate STAB move to spam (Xerneas). It cannot do its primary job reliably due to the massive risks involved with Choice-locked Fighting attacks in the metagame, the ultimate result being that Terrakion opens up more holes than it patches up which is why it sucks.
Band Terrakion cannot be called an EKiller check if it is going to die 80% of the time it is matched up against one.Admittedly, a lot of good E-killers use Jolly, but there are only just over 35% on the set usage stats (but 50% unlisted sets too due to them having different evs or nature). 75% of them do run e-quake, but, if we said 60% of ceus' were jolly and 75% run e-quake, there still is, upon estimation, a good 20% or so band terrakion stops flat (just an educated guess based on usage and what I saw in testing).
Some inaccuracies here - Aegislash is not good against Gengar in this metagame (HexGar completely destroys it), Cloyster does not have the moveslot for Ice Shard, and bluffing Choice won't work when Terrakion has no viable sets other than Scarf (which isn't good either). Prediction goes both ways at well - they don't always have to switch if they know you can't afford to click Close Combat because doing so will get you swept by Salamence.Scarf Terrakion usually needs CC, yes, and choiced CC is potentially risky, but 1) It is pretty obvious if your opponent will switch, usually and 2) If they DO keep switching on you and whatnot, you can run mons which stop them. Xerneas or Gengar trouble? Aegislash can stop them easily, alongside another dozen for each one. Ice shard mons like cloyster, sash mons, fast scarfers, klefki, aegislash again, arceus formes, dialga variants, skarmony, T-tar, lugia, even bronzong and strong priority can defeat mence or even DD rayquaza upon the switch. Mewtwo and Ghostceus also have a load of counters, and their shared weaknesses make things even easier to defeat. You can bluff choice and annihilate many of the previous when they come in with the other sets too.
So Terrakion can outspeed and pick off a weakened Groudon. This proves nothing. Many things can pick off a weakened mon slower than they are. This isn't unique to Terrakion.Finally, though Terrakion does struggle against G-don, like a lot of the tier does anyway, I recommend using it late game anyway. Since almost three out of every five G-don run rocks, they usually are sent out and either weakened or defeated early-mid game. The rest tend to go out fairly early to switch into Xerneas or another thing it can take on or set up. Hence, practically all G-don are weak or defeated late-game, when I feel Terrakion shines and should come in to finish off the opposition. From here, since all variants should outspeed G-don, it often has the ability to finish it off (most notable on band or LO sets, but on scarf also) quickly with e-quake or CC depending on the set.
Scarf Zekrom is not relevant in ORAS.Finally, Terrakion is in no way inferior, imo, to other scarfers-I don't see Xerneas, Shaymin, most dittos or the like getting 'pivot moves' like U-turn and groudon can put an instant stop to Zekrom switching with Volt Switch, anway. Terrakion gets one strong and one accurate stab too (along with sufficient coverage which is both) so you can take your pick often and choose one fitting for the situation.