All battles are played using Double Battle format
Flat Battle rules on (All Pokemon above level 50 will be scaled down to level 50)
Players can have up to 6 Pokemon in their party for Team Preview, but can only choose 4 for each battle.
Pentagon rule: All Pokemon must have the pentagon icon in their stat page indicating that they were caught, bred, or received in Pokemon X, Y, Omega Ruby, or Alpha Sapphire.
Species clause: No two Pokemon on the same team can share the same national Pokedex number.
Item clause: No two Pokemon can hold the same item
The following items are banned:
Soul Dew
The following Pokemon are banned:
Trevenant wouldn't be using Giga Drain anyway with only a pitiful 65 base Sp.Attack. And Earthquake/Rock Slide is pointless since he's not going to be staying in against Fire and Flying types anyway;
+1 252+ Atk Tough Claws Mega Charizard X Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Trevenant: 524-620 (140.1 - 165.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 0 Atk Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Trevenant: 266-314 (71.1 - 83.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Interestingly, a 252 HP, 252 Attack Adamant offensive trapper isn't entirely out of the question:
(OU Support) Wood Hammer 46.8 - 55.2% guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
(OU Mixed Wall) Wood Hammer 76.1 - 90% guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
(OU Choice Scarf) Phantom Force 100.2 - 118.4% guaranteed OHKO
(OU Rock Polish) Wood Hammer 78 - 92.1% 31.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
(OU Choice Scarf) Wood Hammer 50.1 - 59.5% guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
(OU Assault Vest) Wood Hammer 89.7 - 105.9% guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
(OU Defensive) Wood Hammer 105.6 - 125.4% guaranteed OHKO
(OU Physical Wall) Wood Hammer 79.1 - 93.4% 37.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
(OU CroBro) Wood Hammer 54.8 - 64.4% guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
A kind of a spoiler for next week's PotW I thought would make for some nice theorymon discussion;
Trevenant is a strange case of a Pokemon. Trevenant is almost completely unviable in UU, yet for some strange reason, Trevenant continues to achieve 3.41% usage on all UU teams. This causes Trevenant to remain a UU Pokemon by usage, preventing it from falling down to RU where it might have much better luck competitively. Trevenant remains in a kind of competitive limbo, where it is virtually useless in all tiers that it is allowed in, yet is banned from the only tiers where it could excel, causing many competitive players to forget that this Pokemon even exists, and for good reason. One look at its base stats show that not only is this Pokemon slow, but also frail on both sides. Although it has a nifty 110 base Attack, with its aforementioned frailty and speed, Trevenant fails to achieve any kind of sweep or wallbreaking capabilities, relegating it to more defensive roles. While you could argue that 110 Attack could make Trevenant a Trick Room attacker, Trick Room generally isn't a very good playstyle in Singles, but even if it were, Trevenant has a very shallow offensive movepool and its STAB combination isn't doing it any favors offensively, either. A frail defensive Pokemon? That's only asking for trouble. Anyway, because of its frailty, Trevenant relies heavily on Harvest to provide it with the recovery necessary to make up for both its lack of reliable recovery moves and general frailty, but with only a 50% chance of retrieving its item, its only means of recovery is virtually luck based. Trevenant can't rely on sun to remove the luck component either as Drought is currently banned in UU. Speaking of sun, Trevenant also relies heavily on Leech Seed and Will-o-Wisp, the latter of which is blocked completely by Fire types, which utterly decimate Trevenant, while both are blocked by much faster Substitute users. And lastly, Knock Off cripples Trevenant's strategy entirely, removing its item before it can make any use of it. It would seem that Trevenant and Gourgeist were somehow switched at birth due to their stats and movepools; as a "bulky" Ghost/Grass Pokemon, Trevenant is more or less outclassed by Super Size Gourgeist, who not only sports actual bulk, but also received a semi-reliable reliable recovery move in the form of Synthesis from the ORAS move tutors, rendering Trevenant's Harvest strategy as a gimmick at best. While Gourgeist-Super actually has the niche of being able to take on some big OU threats like Mega Metagross, Keldeo, Mega Lopunny, Azumarril, Landorus-Therian, Excadrill, Diggersby, Breloom, and Mega Swampert, Trevenant fails to many of these Pokemon due to its poor physical AND special bulk.
Ability: Natural Cure / Frisk / Harvest -> Shadow Tag
Mega Trevenant seeks to rectify the most glaring issue Trevenant has; its frailty. With a much needed improvement of 85 / 126 / 122 defensive stats, Trevenant suddenly becomes much bulkier and harder to KO, even taking a hit from Latios and KO'ing in return with minimal attack investment. Shadow Tag gives Trevenant a new role as a trapper, which coincides perfectly with Trevenant's Pokedex entries in X and Omega Ruby:
With the ability to go either physical or specially bulky, Trevenant can take on some of OU's bigger threats, trapping them and removing them from the game for Trevenant's teammates;
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Scald vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Mega Trevenant: 61-72 (16.3 - 19.2%) -- possible 6HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Icy Wind vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Mega Trevenant: 112-134 (29.9 - 35.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Mega Trevenant Horn Leech vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Keldeo: 236-282 (73 - 87.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Tough Claws Mega Metagross Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Trevenant: 146-172 (39 - 45.9%) -- 19.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Mega Trevenant Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Metagross: 144-170 (47.8 - 56.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Sludge Wave vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Mega Trevenant: 101-120 (27 - 32%) -- 59.6% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Mega Trevenant Phantom Force vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Landorus: 142-168 (44.5 - 52.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Life Orb Latios Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Mega Trevenant: 173-204 (46.2 - 54.5%) -- 55.9% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Latios Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Trevenant: 140-165 (37.4 - 44.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Mega Trevenant Shadow Claw vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 242-288 (80.9 - 96.3%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock Guaranteed OHKO after Life Orb recoil and Stealth Rock.
252+ Atk Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Trevenant: 170-204 (45.4 - 54.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Mega Trevenant Drain Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Bisharp: 292-344 (107.3 - 126.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Mega Lopunny High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Trevenant: 135-159 (36 - 42.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Mega Trevenant Drain Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Lopunny: 152-180 (56 - 66.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Character has no damage dampening
Some of the hitboxes are questionable, for instance;
Infinites on Dragon Breath (light) and Stomp;
Earthquake does 200 damage on block when it does 400 normally, which is way too much for chip damage imo.
Darude Sandstorm is an unblockable fullscreen after the 1st hit, especially since Krookodile can move around during it.
Stone Edge at point blank does pathetic damage
Voices sound like they were ripped straight from the anime, as background and music can still be heard.
Character width is inconsistent with the actual hitbox sizes.
Medium and Strong normals whiff at point blank.
Crouching C and Aerial Strong have no hitboxes on the recovery frames of the attacks, so they cannot be punished.
Normals deal damage on block.
No throws
The projectile created by Stomp is designated as a physical attack, which causes unintended behavior when used on Counters
Abilities (Tyranitar):
Sand Stream: On the turn this Pokemon switches in, the Sandstorm weather is summoned for 5 turns (8 turns if the user is holding a Smooth Rock). During the Sandstorm, all Rock-type Pokemon's Sp.Defense stats are increased by 50%, while all Pokemon other than Rock, Ground, and Steel-types take 1/16 of their max HP in damage at the end of each turn the sandstorm is active. Pokemon holding a Safety Goggles and Pokemon with the abilities Magic Guard, Overcoat, Sand Veil, Sand Force, and Sand Rush are immune to the damaging effects of Sandstorm, even if they are not a Rock, Ground, or Steel-type Pokemon.
Unnerve (Hidden Ability): The opponent's Pokemon will be unable to consume their held berries.
Abilities (Mega):
Sand Stream: On the turn this Pokemon switches in, the Sandstorm weather is summoned for 5 turns (8 turns if the user is holding a Smooth Rock). During the Sandstorm, all Rock-type Pokemon's Sp.Defense stats are increased by 50%, while all Pokemon other than Rock, Ground, and Steel-types take 1/16 of their max HP in damage at the end of each turn the sandstorm is active. Pokemon holding a Safety Goggles and Pokemon with the abilities Magic Guard, Overcoat, Sand Veil, Sand Force, and Sand Rush are immune to the damaging effects of Sandstorm, even if they are not a Rock, Ground, or Steel-type Pokemon.
Table of Contents
Singles OU Overview
Singles Ubers Overview
Doubles OU Overview
Singles OU Overview ORAS Singles OU Viability: A ORAS Singles OU Viability: B-
Tyranitar has been OU in every single Generation since it was first introduced in Gen 2. Though being a dual Rock/Dark type curses Tyranitar with a total of 7 weaknesses as of Gen 6, Tyranitar still remains useful for its offensive typing, which allows it to check common Flying-types such as Talonflame. Tyranitar's biggest role in OU comes from its ability to serve as a Pursuit trapper, acting as near full stop to Latios and Latias, two common Defog users in OU, while outspeeding both of them with a Choice Scarf it takes minimal damage from anything they can throw at it due to its great Sp.Defense during a Sandstorm. Choice Scarf, which is perhaps Tyranitar's best set, plays much differently from other Choice Scarfers, as Tyranitar is too slow to revenge kill, even with a Choice Scarf. Tyranitar isn't limited to just Choice Scarf, as Choice Band turns it into a powerful wallbreaker. Tyranitar can even run a support set with Smooth Rock, allowing it to not only support Excadrill for a sweep, but also as a reliable user of Stealth Rock.
Tyranitar was also blessed with a Mega Evolution in X&Y. Prior to ORAS, Mega Tyranitar was notable as a bulky user of Dragon Dance, a set that Tyranitar hasn't been able to run effectively since Gen 3. ORAS, however, introduced many new threats that can easily revenge kill, if not outright KO Mega Tyranitar, reducing its effectiveness. Compared to other Dragon Dancers such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Altaria, Mega Tyranitar needs alot more support than the base form does before it can pull off its job, and is outclassed by the base form in everything else other than Dragon Dance.
Both Tyranitars, however, suffer from the problem of being weak to every notable form of priority save for Gale Wings Brave Bird. Fighting types and Pokemon with Fighting-type coverage moves can easily use Tyranitar as setup bait. All Tyranitars, despite their great Sp.Defense in the sand, also suffer from the problem of having no reliable recovery, and thus tend to get worn down rather easily.
Tips:
Stone Edge, despite its 80% accuracy, hits hard, allowing Tyranitar to threaten many Flying types in OU.
Pursuit is a crucial move that, when combined with Choice Scarf, allows Tyranitar to outspeed, trap and KO Gengar, Latios, and Latias, as well as other Psychic types, as not only does Pursuit's base power double from 40 to 80 if the opponent attempts a switch, but Pursuit will also strike them before the switch occurs, most likely resulting in a KO.
Superpower is a necessary coverage move to hit Rock and Steel types, as well as opposing Tyranitar.
For the fourth moveslot, Crunch is a secondary Dark-type STAB that allows Tyranitar to hit hard without having to rely on Pursuit, as Pursuit may fail to KO should the opponent decide not to switch. Ice Punch, however, allows Tyranitar to go toe-to-toe with Dragon and Ground types such as Garchomp and Gliscor.
The given EV spread with a Choice Scarf and a Jolly nature aims to make Tyranitar as fast as possible, allowing it to outspeed all Pokemon with base 115 Speed and below, while hitting as hard as possible.
Sandstream is chosen not only for passive damage and the ability to negate opposing weather, but also to give Tyranitar a 50% boost to its Sp.Defense, allowing it to take many Special Attacks from the Pokemon it is meant to KO.
By nature of its typing, Tyranitar tends to force out Pokemon such as Gengar, Latios, Latias, and Starmie, which it can then take advantage of with Pursuit.
Choice Scarf also allows Tyranitar to serve as a check to Mega Pinsir, Talonflame, Thundurus-Incarnate, and Mega Charizard Y.
Note however that Tyranitar cannot safely switch in on some of the Pokemon that it can check (such as Gengar's Focus Blast) so try to utilize prediction, double switches, safe switches with Volt Switch/U-turn, or after an opponent's KO.
Other Moveslot Options
Earthquake: Running Earthquake in the 4th moveslot gives Tyranitar good neutral coverage with Stone Edge, while also hitting Heatran for more damage than Superpower.
Recommended Teammates:
Due to Choice Scarf Tyranitar's ability to reliably remove Latios and Latias, Pokemon that are checked by these two, such as Keldo, Mega Charizard Y, and Landorus-Incarnate appreciate having Tyranitar as a teammate. In Mega Charizard Y's case, Tyranitar can even reset the weather, allowing Mega Charizard Y to switch in without having to wait for the sun to expire first.
As Tyranitar can also serve as a check to birdspam teams, Pokemon that appreciate Flying types, most notably Talonflame, removed, such as Celebi, Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, Mega Lopunny, and Keldeo can work as teammates.
Tyranitar appreciates having Pokemon that can take out Water, Fighting, and Ground types for it. Clefable, Keldeo, Celebi, and Gliscor are some examples.
Stealth Rock ()
Users of Stealth Rock can help Tyranitar secure KOs that it could not before. Setting up Stealth Rock also pressures the opponent to switch in Latios and Latias to remove them, which creates an opportunity for Tyranitar to switch in as they Defog.
ORAS OU Singles Moveset: Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream / Item: @Choice Band Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 100 HP / 252 Attack / 156 Speed Move #1: Stone Edge Move #2: Crunch Move #3: Superpower or Fire Punch Move #4: Pursuit or Ice Punch
Tips:
Stone Edge, despite its 80% accuracy, hits hard, allowing Tyranitar to threaten many Flying types in OU.
Crunch is a Dark-type STAB that allows Tyranitar to hit hard with Dark's improved neutral coverage this gen.
The third moveslot is dedicated to hitting Steel types. Superpower is the stronger of the two moves in general, and also hits opposing Tyranitar, Heatran, and Chansey. Fire Punch, however, is the stronger option against Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Skarmory.
For the fourth moveslot, Pursuit can be used to still act as a trapper against Latios and Latias, despite not being able to outspeed them without a Choice Scarf, but also allows Tyranitar to gain chip damage against Chansey as it switches out. Ice Punch, however, allows Tyranitar to go toe-to-toe with Dragon and Ground types such as Garchomp and Gliscor, while also hitting Landorus-Therian hard on the switch-in.
252 Attack EVs with a Choice Band and Adamant nature maximizes Tyranitar's Attack, allowing it to function as a powerful wallbreaker. 156 Speed EVs give Tyranitar just enough speed to outspeed everything up to and including Mandibuzz, while the rest are dumped into HP for extra bulk.
As a wallbreaker, Choice Band Tyranitar should be used to weaken and/or KO defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Slowbro, and Mega Slowbro.
Though not as effective due to its lower speed, it can still perform most of the duties of the Choice Scarf set, such as trapping Psychic types like Latios and Latias and checking Flying types, though it cannot take on Gengar and Mega Pinsir due to their speed and Fighting type coverage.
Despite its low PP, Stone Edge is the move you will be using most of the time due to its immense power, even moreso if you're lucky enough to score a Critical Hit.
Other Moveslot Options
Earthquake: Running Earthquake gives Tyranitar good neutral coverage with Stone Edge, while also hitting Heatran for more damage than Superpower.
Recommended Teammates:
Due to Choice Band Tyranitar's ability to reliably remove Latios and Latias, as well as threatening Chansey, Pokemon that are checked or countered by these three, such as Mega Charizard Y and Landorus-Incarnate appreciate having Tyranitar as a teammate. In Mega Charizard Y's case, Tyranitar can even reset the weather, allowing Mega Charizard Y to switch in without having to wait for the sun to expire first.
Excadrill can be used as a sweeper after Tyranitar has sufficiently broken down the opponent's walls, as Excadrill can use the remaining turns of Sandstorm to gain the Speed boost from Sand Rush to begin a mini sweep. Other sweepers and cleaners that appreciate a wallbreaker include Talonflame, Choice Scarf Keldeo, Mega Lopunny, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Gallade. It should be noted that the latter 4 Pokemon also appreciate Choice Band Tyranitar's ability to check Flying types.
ORAS OU Singles Moveset: Sand Support
Ability: Sand Stream / Item: @Smooth Rock Nature: Relaxed w/ EVs: 248 HP / 36 Defense / 224 Sp.Defense Move #1: Stealth Rock Move #2: Stone Edge Move #3: Pursuit Move #4: Ice Beam, Crunch, or Fire Blast
Tips:
Stealth Rock is a very useful entry hazard to have, and Support Tyranitar makes a great user of it.
Stone Edge, despite its 80% accuracy, hits hard, even without Attack investment, allowing Tyranitar to threaten many Flying types in OU.
Pursuit still allows Tyranitar to act as a trapper against Latios and Latias, despite not being able to outspeed them, but will fail to OHKO without investment.
The fourth moveslot has several options. Ice Beam can be used to hit Landorus-Therian on the switch, allowing Tyranitar to bait it in. Crunch gives Tyranitar an option to hit Psychic types hard without having to rely on Pursuit. Fire Blast allows Tyranitar to get past Steel types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory.
The given EV spread aims to give Tyranitar the best mixed bulk for the OU metagame. 248 HP EVs with 36 Defense EVs and a Relaxed nature grant it enough Defense to give a +1 Dragonite's Earthquake, while the rest of the EVs are put into Sp.Defense to allow Tyranitar to act as a Special tank, sponging up Special Attacks under Sand.
Smooth Rock is chosen as this Tyranitar's main job is to set up sand for as long as possible, providing passive damage and allowing Excadrill to make full use of Sand Rush.
Sand Support Tyranitar's primary purpose is to provide sand for Sand Rush Excadrill, the only viable Sand Rush sweeper in OU.
The best time to set up Stealth Rock is on Pokemon that Tyranitar tends to force out, such as Talonflame.
Depending on the move chosen for moveslot #4, you can lure in Ferrothorn or Landorus-Therian and hit with Fire Blast or Ice Beam, respectively.
As always, Tyranitar can still trap Psychic types like Latios and Latias and check Flying types, though it cannot take on Gengar and Mega Pinsir due to their speed and Fighting type coverage.
Recommended Teammates:
***
Excadrill is mandatory for Sand Support Tyranitar, as Smooth Rock gives it 8 turns of sand to work with, often times more than enough to make use of Sand Rush and perform a successful sweep. Either use Support Tyranitar with Excadrill, or use neither at all.
Celebi checks both Azumarill and Breloom, two Pokemon that check both Tyranitar and Excadrill.
Talonflame serves as a nice teammate for its ability to check bulky Grass types that give Tyranitar and Excadrill problems.
Keldeo and Mega Charizard Y also appreciate Tyranitar's ability to check Latios, Latias, and Flying types. Both can also check Mega Scizor, who gives both Tyranitar and Excadrill problems, by threatening it with KOs and, in Keldeo's case, Scald burns. Mega Charizard Y can serve as the team's wallbreaker, and like Tyranitar's ability to reset the weather, allowing Mega Charizard Y to switch in without having to wait for the sun to expire first.
Latias and Latios are great checks to Keldeo, resisting both of its STAB moves, as Keldeo threatens both Tyranitar and Excadrill.
Tips:
Dragon Dance boosts Mega Tyranitar's Attack and Speed, allowing it to outspeed all positive natured Pokemon with base 130 speed and below, as well as all neutral natured base 148 speed Pokemon.
Stone Edge, despite its 80% accuracy, hits hard, and is Mega Tyranitar's primary STAB.
Crunch is Mega Tyranitar's secondary STAB, hitting the Pokemon that resist Stone Edge.
Superpower, while it may seem counterproductive with Dragon Dance, allows Mega Tyranitar to blitz through strong Steel and Rock types, as well as opposing Tyranitar.
The given EV spread with a Jolly nature allows Mega Tyranitar to be as fast as possible while hitting as hard as possible.
Tyranitar's Mega Stone grants it with the base stat increases necessary for a Dragon Dance set to work, as 71 Base Speed allows it to outspeed threats at +1 that it otherwise could not.
As a sweeper, Mega Tyranitar should be brought in late game when its checks and counters are weakened or gone.
Because of Tyranitar's bad defensive typing leaving it weak to Bullet Punch, Aqua Jet, and Mach Punch, Mega Tyranitar should only be brought out after all of the opponent's priority users are gone.
Similarly, fast Pokemon and Choice Scarf users, especially Landorus-Therian and Mega Lopunny, need to be removed as they can still outspeed Mega Tyranitar even after +1.
Other Moveslot Options
Ice Punch: Running Ice Punch gives Mega Tyranitar an option to hit Landorus-Therian, 2HKOing Defensive variants and threatening an OHKO on Choice Scarf variants. Do note however that Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian commonly carries Superpower, which outspeeds and OHKOs Mega Tyranitar, even with a +1 speed boost.
Fire Punch: Running Fire Punch allows Mega Tyranitar to get past Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, who can otherwise avoid an OHKO.
Recommended Teammates:
Magnezone can trap and KO Steel types that would otherwise wall Mega Tyranitar, reducing the need to run Fire Punch as Magnezone can KO them with Hidden Power [Fire]. Magneton works in a similar fashion.
Celebi, Talonflame, Clefable, and Keldeo are all Pokemon that can take out the common users of Mach Punch, Bullet Punch and Aqua Jet; Conkeldurr, Breloom, Mega Scizor, and Azumarill. Talonflame also has the added benefit of being able to use its own priority move to act as a cleaner after Mega Tyranitar's sweep comes to an end.
Fairy types, especially Unaware Clefable, need to be removed before Mega Tyranitar can attempt a sweep. Talonflame, Ferrothorn, and Heatran are all good choices, though Ferrothorn must watch out for Fire-type coverage moves.
As a sweeper, Mega Tyranitar appreciates having a wallbreaker to weaken the opponent's defensive cores. Swords Dance Garchomp, Keldeo, Latios, Azumarill, and Landorus-Incarnate all work in this role.
Normal Gyarados makes for an excellent sweeping teammate with Mega Tyranitar, as both cover each other's checks and counters fairly well. For instance, normal Gyarados is a nice check to Keldeo, while Mega Tyranitar can set up Dragon Dance on Latios and Latias while pressuring the opponent's Thundurus-Incarnate. The offensive pressure of running dual dragon dancers ensures that even if one falls, the other can pick up where they left off.
Stealth Rock ()
Stealth Rock support is beneficial to any sweeper, as it makes Mega Tyranitar's job easier and allows it to score 2HKOs and OHKOs that it would not have otherwise.
Honorable Mentions
Brazilian Tyranitar (: Thunder Wave / Stealth Rock / Dark Pulse / Fire Blast): As the name suggests, Brazilian Tyranitar was first used by mostly brazilian players. While unorthodox and bordering on gimmicky, it has seen successful use in competitive play for its surprise factor, nailing fast switch-ins with Thunder Wave and crippling them for the rest of the match, and Tyranitar does have a usable Sp.Attack stat.
Hall of Shame (aka "Dont use these")
Tyraniboah (: Substitute / Focus Punch / Thunderbolt / Crunch or Dark Pulse): Tyraniboah (BOAH deriving as an acronym for "SuBstitute, FOcus Punch, ThundAbolt, CruncH") is a competitive relic dating back to Gen 3 & Gen 4 where it was used as an innovative set designed to take out Skarmory + Blissey defensive cores, which were very popular at the time. The viability of such cores have diminished since then and, while they are good Pokemon on Gen 6 stall teams, the "SkarmBliss" core of the olden days are no longer as effective as they once were, and running the classic BOAH set detracts from Tyranitar's viability as it can no longer function outside of countering a very specific Stall core that is much easier to deal with now than it was 12 years ago.
OU Checks and Counters to Tyranitar
Many Fairy types pose problems to Tyranitar, as many of them can take a hit from all sets except the Choice Band set. Azumarill, in particular, also has access to super effective priority Aqua Jet.
Fighting, Tyranitar's sole 4x weakness, is largely exploitable. Conkeldurr and Breloom also have access to Mach Punch, allowing them to outspeed even the Choice Scarf and Dragon Dance sets. Even Pokemon that carry Fighting type coverage, such as Mega Pinsir, Landorus-Therian and Gengar, can pose problems.
Steel types, though they no longer resist Dark type attacks, still resist Rock and can still hit back hard with their STAB moves. More defensive and support oriented Steel types, such as Klefki and Skarmory, can set up entry hazards while walling any Tyranitar set that lacks Fire Blast.
Many physically defensive Pokemon, such as Chesnaught, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Hippowdon, Gliscor, Landorus-Therian, Mega Sableye, Clefable, and Mega Venusaur can wall any Tyranitar lacking proper coverage moves while recovering off the damage in most cases. However, Clefable and Ferrothorn cannot switch in safely against Choice Band Tyranitar carrying both Stone Edge and Fire Punch, while Mega Venusaur's Synthesis will only heal back 25% of its HP due to sand.
Much like how Tyranitar found itself in OU as a premier Pursuit trapper for removing Latios and Latias, Tyranitar retains this same role in Ubers, especially since Latios and Latias have found themselves as two of the best Defog users in the tier due to the reintroduction of Soul Dew, which boosts both their Sp.Attack and Sp.Defense stats by 50%, an item that is currently banned in OU. Tyranitar does have other uses outside of Pursuit trapping, however, as it can also check Darkrai, Arceus-Ghost, and Arceus-Dark, three A+ rank threats in the Ubers metagame. However, Tyranitar's ability to set up Sand in Ubers has gotten much worse in ORAS due to the introduction of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, both of which easily beat Tyranitar. Tyranitar's speed isn't doing it any favors, either.
Like in OU, Mega Tyranitar finds itself overshadowed by its base form, except now it finds itself completely unviable in Ubers. Not only does Tyranitar require an item in order to successfully function in Ubers, but Mega Tyranitar also competes with much more useful and more powerful Megas, namely Mega Salamence and Mega Gengar.
ORAS Ubers Singles Moveset: Sand Support
Ability: Sand Stream / Item: @Leftovers, Smooth Rock, or Shuca Berry Nature: Careful w/ EVs: 248 HP / 8 Defense / 252 Sp.Defense Move #1: Stealth Rock Move #2: Stone Edge Move #3: Pursuit Move #4: Low Kick, Toxic, Thunder Wave, or Counter
Tips:
Stealth Rock is a very useful entry hazard to have, and Support Tyranitar makes a great user of it.
Stone Edge allows Tyranitar to check Ho-oh and Yveltal.
Pursuit is a necessary move that allows Tyranitar to trap and KO Latios and Latias, as well as Mega Gengar.
The fourth moveslot is very flexible depending on what the team needs. Low Kick allows Tyranitar to take out Darkrai and Arceus-Dark. Toxic is used primarily for Primal Groudon switch-ins, ensuring that it cannot just come in for free. Thunder Wave is used to cripple other switch-ins besides Primal Groudon, and can bring an opponent's sweep to a stop or prevent it altogether. Counter, when combined with Shuca Berry, allows Tyranitar to eat an otherwise lethal Earthquake from threats such as Arceus-Normal and Primal Groudon, and KO back.
The above EV spread with a Careful nature maximizes Tyranitar's Special bulk, allowing it to tank hits from Latios, Latias, and Darkrai.
For the item choice, Leftovers is the preferred option for passive recovery and better longevity, but Smooth Rock can be used to extend sand turns. Shuca Berry should only be used if running Counter in the 4th moveslot, as this allows Tyranitar to survive Primal Groudon's Earthquake and KO back.
Tyranitar has two main roles in Ubers; to trap and KO Latios, Latias, and Mega Gengar with Pursuit, and to set up Stealth Rock.
If the opponent has a Ho-oh or Mega Salamence, avoid switching Tyranitar in directly, as while Tyranitar can check them, it risks being hit by Earthquake or burned on the switch-in.
If running Thunder Wave or Toxic and Stealth Rock is already set up, try to spread status, especially if running Toxic and you predict Primal Groudon to switch in.
Recommended Teammates:
Both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, as well as formes of Arceus that commonly run Calm Mind, are checked by Latios and Latias, and appreciate Tyranitar's ability to remove them. Calm Mind Arceus sets are also checked by Ho-oh, which Tyranitar can also check.
Clerics can heal status off of Tyranitar, improving its longevity. In return, Tyranitar can check Mega Gengar, who loves to use clerics, especially Fairy-type ones, as trap fodder.
Soul Dew Latias and Soul Dew Latios can check both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, who can both easily switch in against Tyranitar.
Ubers Checks and Counters to Tyranitar
Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre are both problematic for Tyranitar. Not only do they both carry powerful super effective STAB moves, but their abilities, Desolate Land and Primordial Sea, remove Tyranitar's sand and cannot be overwritten or negated except by opposing Desolate Land & Primordial Sea, or by Air Lock.
Xerneas, especially Geomancy variants, can easily switch in on Tyranitar and 2HKO with Moonblast, or OHKO with a Geomancy boost, using Tyranitar as setup fodder.
Arceus-Ground can easily switch in against Thunder Wave variants and set up with either Swords Dance or Calm Mind and proceed to KO Tyranitar with Earthquake or Judgement [Ground] respectively.
Blaziken, Mega Blaziken, and Mega Mewtwo X can all use their Fighting-type STAB to exploit Tyranitar's 4x weakness and easily KO.
Genesect can switch in and use Tyranitar's lower physical Defense to gain an Attack boost from Download, then hit with U-turn for 74% damage minimum,
Ferrothorn can sponge many of Tyranitar's attacks and is immune to Toxic, while Ferrothorn can 2HKO with Gyro Ball and Power Whip, or set up Spikes or Leech Seed.
Doubles OU Overview ORAS Doubles OU Viability: A- ORAS Doubles OU Viability: F
With the release of ORAS, Tyranitar's viability took a major hit in Doubles due to the addition of Mega Diancie, who for the most part outclasses Tyranitar in Doubles. If this wasn't enough, Tyranitar also faces competition from Terrakion as a Rock type sweeper who, like Mega Diancie, sports a much better speed stat. Tyranitar's 7 type weaknesses are also much more exploitable in Doubles than they are in Singles. Furthermore, Mega Tyranitar suffers from competition with better Mega Evolutions in Doubles, and with Fighting type coverage, burns, and Intimidate all over the place, it often finds itself as an unviable choice.
While Tyranitar may seem like a flawed and unviable Pokemon, it does have its enough perks in Doubles to justify its use. Compared to Mega Diancie and Terrakion, Tyranitar has the best bulk of the three, serving as a better check to Talonflame. It is also the only viable sand setter in Doubles, which not only allows for Excadrill to become a big threat, but can also stop opposing weather, allowing it to put a halt to rain and sun teams while also serving as a hard counter to Mega Charizard Y. Tyranitar isn't completely stopped by Intimidate and burns, either, as it has a useable Sp.Attack stat to get around these threats.
ORAS OU Doubles Moveset: Mixed Attacker
Ability: Sand Stream / Item: @Life Orb or Shuca Berry Nature: Quiet w/ EVs: 252 HP / 4 Attack / 252 Sp.Attack Move #1: Rock Slide Move #2: Dark Pulse Move #3: Fire Blast or Ice Beam Move #4: Protect
Tips:
Rock Slide is Tyranitar's primary STAB, dealing spread damage to both opponents and allowing it to serve as a check to Fire and Flying types such as Talonflame.
Dark Pulse is Tyranitar's secondary STAB, utilizing its often overlooked base 95 Sp.Attack in order to bypass burn and Intimidate, and does not care about being blocked by Aegislash's King's Shield.
The third moveslot is dedicated to coverage. Fire Blast hits hard against Bisharp, Amoonguss, and Ferrothorn, while Ice Beam is the better option for Landorus-Therian and Hydreigon.
Protect is a staple move of nearly every moveset in Doubles, keeping Tyranitar alive, scouting for attacks, punishing double targetting, and stalling out unfavorable field conditions such as Trick Room or Tailwind.
The given EV spread with a Quiet nature aims to make Tyranitar as bulky as possible while simultaneously maximizing its Sp.Attack. Quiet is preferred over Modest so that Rock Slide's power isn't decreased, and also allows Tyranitar to function in Trick Room.
For the choice of item, Life Orb gives Tyranitar's moves an extra boost in power, as Rock Slide's 56.25 Base Power in Doubles isn't going to be hitting as hard as most other attacks unless the opponent is weak to it, especially with minimal attack investment. Shuca Berry, however, can be used if running Ice Beam in order to check Landorus-Therian, a huge threat in Doubles.
Due to Sand Stream, Tyranitar is best used as a lead, as Focus Sash tends to be a common item in Doubles for opposing lead Pokemon. That being said, it is best to switch out Tyranitar to preserve it for later when its checks and counters are gone.
Be careful if your opponent uses an opposing weather setter on their team, such as Mega Charizard Y, Politoed, or Mega Abomasnow. In these cases, keeping Tyranitar in reserve will be crucial for removing their weather and disrupting their strategies.
If running Ice Beam with a Shuca Berry, and your opponent has a Landorus-Therian on their team, try not to go for Ice Beam straight away, as your opponent may predict this and go for either Superpower or U-turn. In these cases it would be best to scout with Protect, as many Landorus-Therian run Choice Scarf, so they will most likely be locking themselves into their moves, allowing you to react accordingly.
Other Moveslot Options
Stone Edge: Stone Edge can be used over Rock Slide for a much more damaging attack against single targets that isn't blocked by Wide Guard, but the utility of Rock Slide is generally superior in most cases.
Iron Head: Iron Head is an option to run on Tyranitar to hit Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir as they switch in, but has little utility outside of this.
Babiri Berry: Running a Babiri Berry in the item slot alongside Fire Blast can let Tyranitar act as a lure to Steel types such as Mega Scizor, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn.
Smooth Rock: If running Excadrill as a teammate, Smooth Rock can be used in the item slot to give Excadrill with extra turns of sand. However, this option should only be used if your team is absolutely dependent on Excadrill.
Recommended Teammates:
Excadrill is a great teammate for Tyranitar, as it gives it 5 turns of sand to work with, which is more than enough to make use of Sand Rush in Doubles and perform a successful sweep.
Fighting types pose problems for Tyranitar, so partners who can easily dispatch of them make for good teammates. Mega Gengar, Sylveon, Sky Shaymin, and Talonflame are good choices for this role. Alternatively, Amoonguss can redirect dangerous Fighting-type attacks away from Tyranitar, or utilize Spore to disable them, while Tyranitar can cover Amoonguss's Flying and Fire weaknesses.
Rotom-Wash and Suicune make for nice teammates to Tyranitar due to their ability to check Landorus-Therian, a big threat in Doubles especially to Tyranitar if you're not running Ice Beam. Rotom-Wash can also spread burns while Suicune can provide Tailwind support.
Tyranitar's typing leaves it vulnerable to Hyper Voice and Earthquake, both being powerful super effective spread moves, so users of Wide Guard, such as Aegislash and Hitmontop, pair nicely with Tyranitar. Aegislash is also handy for being able to take on the Fairy types that threaten Tyranitar while simultaneously discouraging Trick Room, while Hitmontop can also provide additional support with Intimidate, Fake Out, and even Feint.
Honorable Mentions
Physical Tyranitar (: Rock Slide / Crunch / Low Kick or Superpower / Protect): Running a purely physical Tyranitar greatly increases Tyranitar's immediate offensive presence, while also allowing it to put a huge dent into Mega Kangaskhan. However, doing so leaves Tyranitar extremely vulnerable to Intimidate and burn, both of which are extremely common in Doubles due to the presence of Mega Kangaskhan and Landorus-Therian.
Hall of Shame (aka "Dont use these")
Choice Scarf: While Choice Scarf is arguably Tyranitar's best set in Singles, the same sadly does not hold true for Doubles. Choice Scarf Tyranitar finds itself outclassed by Mega Diancie and Terrakion in Doubles, as both outspeed the same notable threats as Choice Scarf Tyranitar does while not being forced to lock themselves into their moves.
Mega Dragon Dance (): While Mega Tyranitar does have the power and bulk to pull of a Dragon Dance set in Doubles, it rarely finds an opportunity to set up due to the amount of burns, Intimidate, and Fighting-type coverage found in Doubles, to the point where it is generally not worth the Mega slot on your team.
Doubles OU Checks and Counters to Tyranitar
Fighting types pose a big problem, as not only do they hit for 4x super effective damage vs Tyranitar, but also resist both of its STABs. Breloom and Conkeldurr also carry Mach Punch. Although not Fighting-types, Mega Kangaskhan and Landorus-Therian both commonly carry Fighting-type coverage moves.
Most bulky Water-types, such as Rotom-Wash, Suicune, and Mega Swampert, can easily take Tyranitar's attacks and hit back with their super effective STAB moves.
Steel types can also threaten Tyranitar with their STAB moves. Do note however that all save for Heatran must be wary for Tyranitars that carry Fire Blast.
Fairy types; Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir can deal out large damage with Hyper Voice to both Tyranitar and its partner, though Mega Gardevoir will not enjoy takings Rock Slides.
Ground types; many Ground types are powerful physical attackers that run Earthquake, which can hit Tyranitar for super effective damage, though must be careful of sets that run Shuca Berry + Ice Beam.
Intimidate () and/or burn ()
The mere presence of Intimidate and burn is enough to force Tyranitar into only running 1 physical attack, and even then, they can easily neuter the effectiveness of Rock Slide against the Pokemon meant to be hit by it.
Politoed, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Abomasnow can remove Tyranitar's sand and set up their own weather, which not only removes Tyranitar's Sp.Defense boost but also lets Politoed and Mega Charizard Y hit with rain boosted Water STAB and 1-turn Solarbeam, respectively. Note however, that Tyranitar can remove their own weather and threaten both Mega Charizard Y and Mega Abomasnow with Rock Slide, but still struggles against Politoed and rain.
External Links Smogon Analysis (Singles OU) Smogon Analysis (Singles Ubers) Smogon Analysis (Doubles OU)
Character has no damage dampening
Some of the hitboxes are questionable, for instance;
Infinites on Dragon Breath (light) and Stomp;
Earthquake does 200 damage on block when it does 400 normally, which is way too much for chip damage imo.
Darude Sandstorm is an unblockable fullscreen after the 1st hit, especially since Krookodile can move around during it.
Stone Edge at point blank does pathetic damage
Voices sound like they were ripped straight from the anime, as background and music can still be heard.
Character width is inconsistent with the actual hitbox sizes.
Medium and Strong normals whiff at point blank.
Crouching C and Aerial Strong have no hitboxes on the recovery frames of the attacks, so they cannot be punished.
Normals deal damage on block.
No throws
The projectile created by Stomp is designated as a physical attack, which causes unintended behavior when used on Counters
Character has no damage dampening
Some of the hitboxes are questionable, for instance;
Infinites on Dragon Breath (light) and Stomp;
Earthquake does 200 damage on block when it does 400 normally, which is way too much for chip damage imo.
Darude Sandstorm is an unblockable fullscreen after the 1st hit, especially since Krookodile can move around during it.
Stone Edge at point blank does pathetic damage
Voices sound like they were ripped straight from the anime, as background and music can still be heard.
Character width is inconsistent with the actual hitbox sizes.
Medium and Strong normals whiff at point blank.
Crouching C and Aerial Strong have no hitboxes on the recovery frames of the attacks, so they cannot be punished.
Normals deal damage on block.
No throws
The projectile created by Stomp is designated as a physical attack, which causes unintended behavior when used on Counters
Thanks to some spare time, I was able to write up the next PotW early. This time we now look at an Ubers Pokemon, and one relevant since Gen 2 as the best defensive Pokemon in the game
Lugia
Tier Status (Singles): Uber Tier Status (Doubles): DUber
Type: Psychic/Flying
Base Stats: 106 / 90 / 130 / 90 / 154 / 110
Abilities:
Pressure: Attacks that target this Pokemon lose an additional 1 PP. Outside of battle, if this Pokemon is placed in the lead spot of the team, the Wild Pokemon encounter rate increases.
Multiscale (Hidden Ability): As long as this Pokemon is at full health, all damage done to this Pokemon is reduced by 50%.
Table of Contents
Singles Ubers Overview
Singles Ubers Overview ORAS Singles Ubers Viability: A
Lugia, a Pokemon said to have been so powerful and destructive that it chose to live in self-imposed exile under the sea in order to prevent further destruction. Contrary to what Lugia's Pokedex entries may suggest, Lugia has earned the nickname of "The Great Wall" ever since Generation 2, and rightfully so. With phenomenal 106 / 130 / 154 defensive stats, access to reliable recovery, and a speed stat that lets it outspeed the majority of the Ubers tier, Lugia stands out as one of the best defensive Pokemon in Ubers, if not the entire game. If that wasn't enough, Gen 5 also granted Lugia access to Multiscale to further augment its defensive capabilities, ensuring that even powerful attacks cannot OHKO. Lugia's movepool is also quite expansive, allowing it to adjust to the team's needs while still being able to perform its job.
However, Lugia's role as "The Great Wall" of course come with the curse of relegating Lugia to only being used on Balanced and Stall teams, as its general lack of offensive presence greatly kills momentum. Additionally, this also means that certain Pokemon can use Lugia as setup bait, shut it down with Taunt, or cripple it with Toxic. Lugia also has no way to deal with hazard setters, as not only is it weak to Stealth Rock, but Stealth Rock damage effectively disables Multiscale and therefore Lugia's walling capabilities. While Lugia's movepool may be expansive enough to be able to customize to the team's needs, all sets that it runs are virtually identical, so Lugia can be quite predictable.
ORAS Ubers Singles Moveset: Great Wall
Ability: Multiscale / Item: @Leftovers Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 252 HP / 120 Defense / 136 Speed Move #1: Roost or Recover Move #2: Whirlwind or Dragon Tail Move #3: Toxic Move #4: Reflect, Aeroblast, Thunder Wave, or Substitute
Tips:
Roost/Recover provides Lugia with reliable healing, allowing it to both wall attacks repeatedly, reset Multiscale, and Toxicstall the opponent. The main advantage of Roost over Recover is the ability to temporarily remove Lugia's Flying type and the weaknesses (and resistances) associated with it.
The second moveslot is dedicated to phazing, as it prevents Lugia from being set up on. Whirlwind never misses as of Gen 6, but is stopped cold by Taunt. Dragon Tail cannot be stopped by Taunt and also allows Lugia to get some chip damage off of the opponent, but has imperfect accuracy and is blocked entirely by Fairy types.
Toxic is Lugia's main form of damage output, allowing it to wear down threats and opposing walls, and is necessary in situations where Lugia is up against your opponent's last Pokemon.
The fourth moveslot is customizable depending on the team's needs. Reflect is the preferred option as it further improves Lugia's ability to wall physical hits and makes it less reliant on Multiscale. Aeroblast gives Lugia an option to use to circumvent Taunt, and allows it to beat Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo X, the two fastest Taunt users in Ubers. Thunder Wave is used primarily for Mega Gengar, crippling its blazing speed. Substitute allows Lugia to block status such as Toxic, and also allows Lugia to stall out low PP moves such as Stone Edge.
The given EV spread maximizes Lugia's HP, allowing it to gain the most recovery from Leftovers. 136 Speed EVs allow Lugia to outspeed neutral natured Rayquaza, while the remaining EVs with a Bold nature are used to maximize Lugia's physical bulk.
Multiscale is extremely crucial to Lugia's play, the benefit of taking 50% damage from ALL attacks when at full health is too good to pass up over Pressure.
Because Multiscale is such a huge benefit to Lugia, you will want to keep it intact as much as possible. This includes avoiding status moves such as Burn and Toxic and removing entry hazards as soon as possible as this will easily break Multiscale.
Avoid Taunt. Lugia hates Taunt, even if running Dragon Tail or Aeroblast, as these two moves cannot do much to setup sweepers like Xerneas and Primal Groudon, respectively.
Other Moveslot Options
Ice Beam: Lugia can choose to run Ice Beam in the fourth moveslot, as this gives Lugia a good way to punish Pokemon such as Rayquaza, Mega Salamence, and Gliscor, but does not have much utility otherwise.
Earthquake: Running Earthquake with an Impish nature is another option to run in moveslot #4, as it hits both Mega Gengar and Mega Diancie super effectively, but renders Lugia unable to deal much to Flying types and Pokemon with Levitate.
Recommended Teammates:
Users of Defog and Rapid Spin will help keep Stealth Rock off the field, making it easier to keep Multiscale intact so that Lugia can continue to wall attacks. Latias, Latios, Origin Giratina, Skarmory, and support formes of Arceus are all good choices for the former, while Excadrill, Tentacruel, and Cloyster provide the latter.
Mega Diancie is a very notable partner for being able to wall Darkrai and Yveltal, two of Lugia's biggest checks, while also providing Cleric support and reflecting status. Mega Sableye can also reflect status, and can also harass Hyper Offense teams prior to Mega Evolving.
Ho-oh is a good partner as it can invest in Sp.Defense to compliment Lugia's physical Defense, while also spreading burns with Sacred Fire and threatens Steel-type checks to Lugia such as Dialga and Ferrothorn.
Users of Pursuit can threaten Mega Gengar, another counter to any Lugia that lacks Aeroblast. Mega Scizor, Tyranitar, and Aegislash are common choices, as is Mega Metagross to a lesser extent.
Clerics help to relieve Lugia of status conditions that would not only reduce its longevity, but also break Multiscale. Xerneas, Mega Diancie, Clefable, and Blissey are some examples. Status absorbers such as Arceus forms that run Refresh + Calm Mind can also work.
Entry Hazards; Stealth Rock (), Spikes (), & Toxic Spikes ()
Since Lugia's wall capabilities will force switches, entry hazards, especially Stealth Rock, will help wear down Pokemon over time as they constantly switch in. The above Pokemon listed are only a few examples of notable users.
Honorable Mentions
Sleep Shuffler (: Rest / Sleep Talk / Whirlwind / Dragon Tail or Toxic): A sleep shuffler set for Lugia can work, as it has the niche of being able to bypass debilitating status conditions while phazing without the detriment of negative priority, allowing Lugia to phaze all Pokemon lower than base 110 speed before they can act. However, Rest is not a reliable form of recovery compared to Roost and Recover, and depending on the fourth move chosen, Lugia has to sacrifice either its ability to Toxic opponents in its sleep or the ability to reliably phaze the opponent.
Hall of Shame
Calm Mind: Calm Mind sets for Lugia can turn it into a sweeper of sorts, as it can heavily punish teams that are weak to Lugia, but more often than not, not only does Calm Mind Lugia find itself largely outclassed as a sweeper, but it will more often than not fail to accomplish any kind of sweep. Needless to say, Calm Mind Lugia should be regarded as nothing more than an unreliable gimmick. Don't use it.
Pressure: While it may seem like Lugia can PP stall with Pressure, the benefit of having doubled Defense AND Sp.Defense with Multiscale is much more beneficial than PP stalling, especially when you can stop an opponent's sweep. While Pressure's effect does not deactivate due to Stealth Rock unlike Multiscale, the number of viable Defog users in ORAS Ubers makes keeping Multiscale intact much easier than it was in Gen 5
Ubers Checks and Counters to Lugia
Stealth Rock ()
Lugia absolutely hates Stealth Rock, as it cuts off 25% of its health each time it switches in, not only shortening its lifespan, but also makes keeping Multiscale intact very difficult.
Toxic () & Burn ()
Toxic, like Stealth Rock, cuts into Lugia's longevity, and as the damage increases every turn, it limits the number of turns Lugia can stay in. Worse yet, because the damage occurs at the end of the turn, it ensures that Lugia can never reactivate Multiscale against faster opponents even if it uses Roost/Recover to bring itself back to 100%.
Since Toxic is Lugia's main form of damage, Steel and Poison-type Pokemon are immune to it by nature of their typing. Gliscor often almost always runs Poison Heal, turning Toxic from a liability into a benefit, and Mega Diancie and Mega Sableye can simply bounce Toxic back on to Lugia with their abilities.
Mega Gengar is extremely problematic for any Lugia that does not run Aeroblast or Dragon Tail, as it can trap and KO Lugia, removing it from the game for one of its teammates to begin a sweep.
Faster Taunt users such as Mewtwo, both Mega Mewtwos, Attack Deoxys, and Speed Deoxys can shut down the majority of Lugia's moveset, denying it access to Recovery, Toxic, and Phazing, and, if not running Dragon Tail or Aeroblast, force it to use Struggle while whittling it down or force Lugia to switch out. Mega Mewtwo X should be very careful of Aeroblast, however.
Offensive Pokemon with a type advantage, notably Darkrai, Yveltal, and Ghost, Dark, and Rock formes of Arceus, can use their Life Orbs (or boosting moves in the case of the Arceus forms) to shave off a good amount of Lugia's life. White Kyurem and Zekrom can also ignore Lugia's Multiscale thanks to Turboblaze and Teravolt while hitting it hard with their STAB Ice and Electric moves, respectively.
External Links Smogon Analysis (Singles Ubers)
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