LOrd Fernado
I COULD BE BANNED!
[SET]
name: Shell Smash Sweeper
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Beat Up / Knock Off
move 3: Diamond Storm
move 4: Spore / Dark Void / Taunt
item: Leftovers / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe or 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Mega Tyranitar is a very powerful Shell Smash sweeper, due to its high attack stat, resistance to Pursuit, and decent bulk, threatening Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, unboosted Mold Breaker Mega Latios, and Giratina. It also takes resisted hits from revenge killers like Regigigas, Slaking, and Gale Wings and Aerilate Mega Rayquaza. Beat Up can be used to hit or KO foes through Substitute and Focus Sash, threatening common users like Deoxys-S and Deoxys-A while also being the strongest Dark-type STAB move available with five healthy teammates. Knock Off is an alternative, powerful STAB attack, and its item removal is useful team support as well as a way to facilitate progress, removing opposing Safety Goggles if Mega Tyranitar opts for Spore. Diamond Storm helps maintain Mega Tyranitar's defensive profile by cancelling the Defense drops from Shell Smash, making it harder for physical attackers to revenge kill it. Spore and Dark Void can be used for gaining free turns so that Mega Tyranitar can set up. Taunt is used to shut down would-be checks in Mega Audino and Prankster Giratina, gaining setup turns in a similar fashion. Leftovers provides Mega Tyranitar longevity to capitalize on its defensive utility. Lum Berry is an alternative to absorb Spore, Will-O-Wisp, or Glare from Prankster Giratina or a foe Mega Tyranitar defensively checks, like setup Mold Breaker Mega Rayquaza, one time. Mold Breaker lets Mega Tyranitar ignore problematic abilities like Wonder Guard and Magic Bounce, allowing it to set up in front of users of them. The first EV spread allows Mega Tyranitar to outspeed faster Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl and Deoxys-A after using Shell Smash, with the remaining EVs put into Attack and HP. An alternative spread of 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spe allows +2 Mega Tyranitar to outspeed Choice Scarf Primal Groudon, though this does come with a slight reduction in bulk.
Mega Tyranitar best fits on bulky balance archetypes, thanks to its ability to repeatedly come in on threats like Mold Breaker Mega Rayquaza and non-Secret Sword Mega Gengar and its ability to threaten common defensive Pokemon like Giratina. Additionally, teams that struggle with revenge killers like Regigigas, Slaking, and Aerilate or Gale Wings Mega Rayquaza appreciate Mega Tyranitar's resistance to their attacks. Prankster Giratina comes in on all Primal Groudon variants while appreciating Mega Tyranitar's ability to soft check Mega Rayquaza, Mega Latios, and some Mega Gengar sets. Magic Bounce Giratina can soft check Choice item Shadow Tag users, soft check Wonder Guard users, and come in on No Guard or Huge Power foes. Mold Breaker Primal Groudon takes care of most Wonder Guard Xerneas while appreciating Mega Tyranitar checking Giratina, Mega Rayquaza, and Mega Latios. Shadow Tag users like Mega Mewtwo X and Primal Groudon can eliminate or severely hinder Mega Tyranitar's checks; the former deals with weakened Mold Breaker Primal Groudon and Imposter users Transformed into Tyranitar, while the latter can trap opposing Huge Power Mega Mewtwo X, as well as use Trick on and set entry hazards against Wonder Guard Mega Audino. Prankster Mega Metagross can pass boosts and Substitutes to Mega Tyranitar while coming in on most Mega Diancie. Although Mega Tyranitar resists attacks from most revenge killers, Shadow Tag Primal Groudon, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Diancie threaten it with their super effective moves. Therefore, Wonder Guard users not weak to their attacks, like Mega Scizor, Slaking, and Xerneas, are appreciated. Additionally, support Wonder Guard Pokemon have numerous capabilities that help Mega Tyranitar, like clearing entry hazards, curing status, and passing Shell Smash boosts and Substitutes with Baton Pass.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lord-fernado.629794/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ntothen.569731/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aerobee.515077/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/wrathoftheleopard.511181/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mold Breaker Mega Tyranitar can use alternative items like Dread Plate and Expert Belt to boost its Beat Up and Knock Off against Dark-type weak foes like Cresselia, Giratina, and Mega Metagross. Safety Goggles can be used in conjunction with Spore to let Mega Tyranitar Imposter-proof itself and surprise Spore Prankster Giratina; however, Safety Goggles is not as valuable as self Imposter-proofing if Mega Tyranitar is boosted or opts for Dark Void. Choice Band Mold Breaker sets without Shell Smash can be used for immediate power in exchange for the ability to set up, but this makes Mega Tyranitar struggle with faster sweepers more due to it being quite slow. Shed Shell can be used to escape from Shadow Tag users like Primal Groudon and Mega Mewtwo X. King's Shield can be used in the fourth moveslot to debilitate revenge killers like Primal Groudon, and -ate users like Diancie-Mega, but it doesn't provide as many opportunities to set up and can be predicted by opposing revenge killers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Strong Priority Moves**: Pixilate users such as Xerneas and Mega Diancie can threaten to OHKO Mega Tyranitar with their super effective attacks, but Tyranitar can comfortably switch out against them due to its Pursuit resistance, and they cannot OHKO Mold Breaker Tyranitar if they are weakened by King's Shield. Additionally, Huge Power Mach Punch Mega Mewtwo X and Water Shuriken Mega Gyarados threaten Tyranitar, though they cannot switch into it more than once or twice.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Despite Mega Tyranitar's decent bulk, it has a lot of common weaknesses, so Pokemon that run a lot of coverage moves, like Mega Rayquaza, Mega Mewtwo X, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Protean Mega Latios, can threaten an unboosted Mega Tyranitar if it forgoes Sucker Punch.
**Shadow Tag**: Choice Scarf Shadow Tag users like Primal Groudon and Mega Mewtwo X can trap Mega Tyranitar and 2HKO it with Thousand Arrows and OHKO it with Low Kick, respectively. However, unbosted Mega Tyranitar 3HKOes Primal Groudon and 2HKOes Mega Mewtwo X, limiting their ability to switch in, and some Mega Tyranitar variants outspeed Primal Groudon after Shell Smash.
**Status**: If Mega Tyranitar doesn't use Lum Berry or Safety Goggles, it is very susceptible to status, particularly from the likes of Prankster Giratina, which can force Mega Tyranitar out with priority status.
**Imposter Chansey and Blissey**: Mold Breaker Mega Tyranitar is very difficult to Imposter-proof, so Imposter Chansey and Blissey discourage it from trying to set up. Additionally, Huge Power Mega Tyranitar dislikes being chipped repeatedly by Pursuit from opposing Imposter users.
**Non Dark-weak Wonder Guard Users**: Wonder Guard users that aren't weak to Dark such as Slaking, Arceus, and Primal Kyogre can switch into Huge Power Tyranitar; however, they must fear Mold Breaker sets, Gastro Acid, and Trick-or-Treat sets.
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