QC: Eien / Clearly / Vid
GP: x / x
(approved by scpinion)
**Rock**:
Since Rock-types struggle to cover their shared weaknesses, Rhyperior is amazing on Rock teams because it serves as a blanket check for the many physical attackers that could otherwise plow through the team, like Mega Scizor, Mega Medicham, and Excadrill. Rhyperior's Ground typing provides it with a useful Ground STAB that complements its Rock STAB by hitting Steel-types and many other Pokemon for at least neutral coverage. Because of the good coverage that Rhyperior possesses with its STAB combination, it has some flexibility with its other moveslots. On paper, Rhyperior's Rock / Ground typing and low Speed would severely hinder it from a defensive standpoint, but Solid Rock allows it to overcome this somewhat and even check Mega Medicham, one of Rock Monotype's greatest threats. Even with Solid Rock, however, Rhyperior still crumbles against Water- and Grass-types. Although Rhyperior has amazing physical bulk, special attackers can easily take advantage of its much lower Special Defense. Rhyperior struggles to consistently check physical attackers throughout a match because of its lack of reliable recovery. Because Rock teams need Rhyperior to check a wide range of physical attackers, Rhyperior is often under a lot of pressure and needs to be used very carefully. Rock teams often cannot fit reliable hazard control on teams, and Rhyperior is vulnerable to all types of entry hazards; its lack of recovery makes this even worse. Despite these flaws, Rhyperior still possesses a crucial niche which allows it to act as a defensive glue for most Rock teams.
[SET]
name: Defensive Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Fire Punch
move 4: Counter / Ice Punch
item: Leftovers / Weakness Policy
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is a reliable STAB attack that notably hits Steel-types for great damage. Stone Edge is another STAB attack, and it complements Earthquake by hitting Flying-types and most Pokemon that resist Ground. Fire Punch helps Rhyperior check Steel-types that are neutral to Earthquake, most notably Mega Scizor, which is one of the biggest threats for Rock Monotypes. Counter allows Rhyperior to surprise and KO a wide range of physical attackers, like Mega Medicham, Mega Gallade, and Garchomp. Ice Punch nails Ground-types that most other Rock-types struggle against, like Gliscor, Garchomp, and Zygarde.
Set Details
========
The EV spread capitalizes on Rhyperior's impressive physical bulk by maxing it out, allowing it to check physical attackers more effectively. The 8 Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed and hit Politoed after Sticky Web, which forces Politoed out with its own Eject Button and allows Rhyperior to avoid Politoed's Scald. Leftovers helps improve Rhyperior's longevity and is its sole source of recovery. If Leftovers is used, Counter should be used alongside it; this way, Rhyperior still has a way to KO Mega Medicham after taking a hit. However, since Counter is largely prediction-based and thus harder to use in some situations, Weakness Policy + Ice Punch is an alternative over Leftovers + Counter. Initially, Weakness Policy does seem strange on a set that is primarily defensive, but it is necessary to guarantee important KOs after taking a hit from certain Pokemon, like the aforementioned Mega Medicham as well as Mega Scizor. For example, Rhyperior cannot utilize an EV spread that allows it to take a High Jump Kick from Mega Medicham and also OHKO. By using a Weakness Policy, it can use an EV spread that allows it to take a hit while still securing an OHKO. This option also provides Rhyperior with Ice coverage, allowing it to handle Ground-types more easily. Solid Rock mitigates many of Rhyperior's weaknesses and works especially well alongside Weakness Policy.
Usage Tips
========
From Team Preview, it is important to determine Rhyperior's value in the match. If the opponent has a threatening sweeper such as Mega Scizor or Mega Medicham, keep Rhyperior healthy until it is needed to check it. It should only switch into attackers directly in dire situations; repeated chip damage hinders Rhyperior's effectiveness late-game. Rhyperior utilizes well-planned double switches and free switches well. If Rhyperior has limited use in a matchup, it can switch in more freely and does not need to carefully preserve its health. In this case, it could function more as a defensive pivot. Counter should be used carefully, since preserving its element of surprise can pay off in a few situations. Making smart predictions and knowing when to opt for a different move can pay off in the end. If using Weakness Policy, remember that it only activates once, so make sure that you preserve Rhyperior's health and Weakness Policy until it is needed to check more dangerous sweepers. Certain weaker physical attackers, like specially defensive Gliscor and Hippowdon, should be left for Rhyperior's teammates to handle, like Omastar and Cradily. Prevent Rhyperior from having to take special attacks, as it still has very poor Special Defense. Rhyperior also hates burns and Toxic poison, as they continually chip away at Rhyperior's health. Burns are particularly crippling, since they prevent Weakness Policy Rhyperior from beating what it is supposed to. The Counter set does have more leeway with this, but a burned Rhyperior is very easy to work around.
Team Options
========
Rhyperior tends to fit easily on most Rock Monotypes because most Rock teams struggle to break through Steel-types and need several countermeasures to physical attackers in general. Because Rhyperior checks several physical attackers in one slot, it affords its teammates the ability to focus on other tasks. This is the case for Mega Aggron; by using it alongside Rhyperior, it can more freely use a RestTalk Curse set, since it doesn't need to run coverage to hit Steel-types. In return, Mega Aggron checks Grass-types for Rhyperior like Breloom and Mega Venusaur. The other Mega Evolutions, like Mega Diancie and Mega Aerodactyl, also appreciate Rhyperior's presence. If you use Mega Diancie or Mega Aerodactyl over Mega Aggron, the team will likely be weaker to a wide range of physical attackers. Mega Diancie desperately needs a teammate to check Mega Medicham and Mega Scizor, and Rhyperior allows you to check these threats without using Mega Aggron. In a sense, Rhyperior helps free up the Mega slot because it essentially fills the same role as Mega Aggron, although admittedly not as effectively. Choice Band Terrakion is another great partner for Rhyperior; Rhyperior struggles against physical walls, like Clefable, Empoleon, and Porygon2, and Terrakion can break most of them for Rhyperior. It can also revenge kill faster threats that Rhyperior struggles with, like Life Orb Kyurem-B. Omastar is yet another offensive Pokemon that pairs nicely with Rhyperior because it can break through most physical walls, act as an amazing wincon against Ground Monotypes, and appreciate Rhyperior's ability to take on Electric-types and most priority users. Cradily is perhaps one of the most useful defensive partners for Rhyperior. Because of Storm Drain and its Grass typing, it can check most Water- and Grass-types that Rhyperior struggles against. In particular, Cradily can soft check Mega Gyarados, which can use Mold Breaker with Waterfall to simply ignore Rhyperior's Solid Rock or even set up. It also has a good matchup with Ground-types like Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Landorus-T, which allows Rhyperior to focus on checking other threats. Cradily appreciates having Rhyperior around to beat Steel-types, like Jirachi and Scizor. Tyranitar also forms a great defensive core with Rhyperior. With Sand Stream and an Assault Vest, Tyranitar acts like the special parallel of Rhyperior and serves as a great blanket check for several special attackers. If absolutely needed, Rhyperior can also utilize Tyranitar's sand itself and take considerably powerful attacks, such as Landorus's Earth Power.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
**Rock**:
There are a few possible minor set changes that could be made. Avalanche could be used instead of Ice Punch for its greater power. However, Avalanche is not consistent and requires the target to hit Rhyperior, making it less effective if the foe decides to switch out or to use status moves. Another change would be Rock Blast instead of Stone Edge because of its greater accuracy, but it is usually considerably weaker than Stone Edge. It is only more useful against a few targets like Mega Pinsir and the occasional Substitute user. As for more drastic set changes, an offensive Rock Polish set could be used to allow Rhyperior to make use of its great offensive STAB moves and Attack stat. Rhyperior could also utilize an offensive Choice Band set, but it still suffers from slower Speed. This set does lure in certain physical walls especially well, though, as it 2HKOes Alomomola, Mega Venusaur, and Slowbro. However, Rhyperior isn't fast enough to pull either set as effectively as one would hope. These sets also forfeit much of Rhyperior's bulk, and finding another answer for the myriad of physical attackers that Rhyperior keeps in check is difficult. If used, these sets would be best utilized on an offensive Sticky Web team, as that helps remedy some of the their problems.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Most Water-types, like Slowbro, Alomomola, and Keldeo, can either 2HKO or OHKO Rhyperior with ease even with Solid Rock. Rhyperior fails to do much back if it hasn't activated its Weakness Policy.
**Grass-types**: Similarly to Water-types, Grass-types like Breloom, Serperior, and Mega Venusaur generally aren't bothered by Solid Rock and can usually 2HKO or OHKO Rhyperior regardless.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Rhyperior's poor Special Defense makes it an easy target for most special attackers, such as Sylveon, Magnezone, and Hydreigon, which simply KO or cripple Rhyperior.
**Defensive Ground-types**: Gliscor, Gastrodon, and Hippowdon threaten Rhyperior with their STAB attacks or Toxic, and Rhyperior can't do enough back even if it carries Ice Punch.
**Physical Walls**: Clefable, Skarmory, and other physical walls can take advantage of Rhyperior and possibly set up entry hazards since they avoid the 2HKO from any of its moves and can heal off any damage they take. Skarmory does need to be careful when using Roost, though, as Earthquake will 2HKO.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage limits Rhyperior's capacity to handle physical sweepers. Because Rhyperior lacks reliable recovery, burns, poison, and entry hazard damage can easily stack up.
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