" Once I’m done with you, the sand will turn red. "
-Tyranitar
Hi guys, girls, 31 years old top tier and everything in-between! Yeah, I know, I made you voted for the armoured version, but I said " Heh, why not tackle Mega Tyranitar too? F*k off, I’ll do all of them. "
So here we go. One of the most consistent top tier in Pokémon history. Yeah, I think I won’t spend much more time in the intro so let’s get into it.
Be warned, since there is no competitive usage stats avaliable, I do not have any reliable ways to accurately predict the metagame. This analysis is theoretical and does not entirely reflect a Pokémon’s viability.
Typing, Stats, Abilities & Movepool
Rock/Dark
Ability: Sand Twitch. I mean Sand Stream! / Unnerve (DW)
Hp: 100
Atk: 164 (134)
Def: 150 (110) [143]
SpA: 95
SpD: 120 (100) [130]
Spe: 71 (61)
Unical typing, very hight stats and a slow, but kinda interesting typing, expansive movepool and most importantly: Sand Stream. This makes this Pokémon a cornerstone for Sand teams and an interesting pick for dual weather teams.
I would say its typing is very reactive. It as as much weaknesses as resistances and very few neutralities. While it has key resistances in Dark, Flying, Fire, Ghost, Poison, Normal and a Psychic immunity, it has glaring weaknesses in Ground, Bug, Steel, Water, Grass and Fairy. This is without mentioning its double Fighting weakness.
Stats-wise, really good! It has superb natural bulk that suits its Tank status (I said Tank, not Wall) and the SpD boost from Sand Stream is a very nice addition. This mean it can tank even some supper effective well and check a very wide variety of Special Attacker. It also has some usable Special Attack too, meaning it can reliably use Fire Blast on support set to bypass would be checks in Ferrothorn and Skarmory while nailing Scizor on the switch. True, 61 speed is atrocious even when boosted, but it is enough to outspeed base 60 walls. Even though it would NEVER be Max Speed unless Mega, which is still slow AF.
Speaking of Mega Tyranitar, it is an outright downgrade from regular Tyranitar. It is undeniable it has explosive damage output but the loss of an item is often too much and even if it is the bulkiest Dragon Dancer in the game, it is also the slowest and every viable Choice Scarf users outspeed it.
Sets Suggestions
Support
Tyranitar @ Tyranitar Armor / Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed/Impish Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Stone Edge
-Pursuit
-Ice Beam/Fire Blast/Crunch
This is the standard set for Sand Teams. The first three moves are self explanatory, but then comes the last moveslot. Ice Beam K.O. Garchomp, Landorus-T and Gliscor while doing the most damage to Delta Arcanine. Fire Blast hurt steels types while Crunch does mure damage to Slowbro, Celebi and Unnaware Delta Ludicolo. Thunder Wave is also an option to paralyse faster offensive foes. Toxic is also a great option against Mega Milictif, who would love ti come in otherwise.
If you are not using Tyranitar Armour, then use an alternative spread of 248 HP / 80 Def / 180 SpD so you can survive 2 Dragon Claws from Mega Charizard X and eat a +1 Earthquake from Dragonite and KO back with Ice Beam, assuming its multiscale is broken.
Smooth Rock is better used with Sand Teams or while paired with its partner in crime Excadrill. However, this is nothing compared to the sheer bulk of Armored Tyranitar.
Choice Scarf
Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Stone Edge
-Pursuit
-Superpower
-Crunch
While stil VERY slow for a choice scarf user, it works surprisingly well in Gen 6. This set fits well as a catch-all revenge killer for balanced teams, able to pursuit trap importants Psychic and Ghost like Gengar, Mega Alakasam, the Lati twins and Delta Blaziken. It is also a great check to the three Mega Charizard, Starmie, Mega Pinsir and Talonflame.
Jaw Breaker
Tyranitar @ Choice Band / Tyranitar Armour
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 100 HP / 252 Atk / 156 Spe
Adamant Nature
-Stone Edge
-Crunch
-Superpower
-Pursuit
If thinking is not your main selling point, then this set is your best bet. Choice Band is the preferred item for maximum wall breaking capability. However, its armour can be used if you need some defensive/bulkier backbone, in balanced/bulky offense team for example. Armoured version is mainly for role compression. Keep in mid this Pokémon is ludacristly bulky even when uninvested.
Stone Edge and Crunch are, obviously, its main STABs. Superpower gave good coverage, beating Ferrothorn, Heatran and opposing Tyranitar.
The EV Spread is up to the player’s team. Here are the importants alternatives:
- 180 HP / 252+ Atk / 76 Spe if you only need to outspeed Skarmory.
- 100 HP / 252+ Atk / 156 Spe to outspeed minimum speed Mandibuz.
- 80 HP / 252+ Atk / 176 Spe to outspeed Max Speed adamant Azumaril.
- 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252+ Spe allors to outspeed 252+ Azumarill, Mega Venusaur and most Rotom forms. It also has a legit shot at outspending Adamant Bisharp and KO with Superpower.
Dragon Dance
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Dragon Dance
-Stone Edge
-Ice Punch / Crunch
-Superpower / Fire Punch
Options from the third and fourth moveslot can be remixed as the trainer’s will. Ice Punch for Garchomp, Gliscor, Landorus-T and negligible damage increase against Tangrowth (still, perfect accuracy), Crunch for a secondary STAB that won’t miss that easily, Superpower for Heatran and other Tyranitar and finally Fire Punch for Skarm, Ferrothorn and Scizor.
Keep in mind this set require, most of the time, 2 boosts to be effective. Even at +1, it is still looses out to faster Choice Scarfer (basically any other scarf users) like Landorus-T and Keldeo.
Funfact, +2 Jolly Tyranitar is as fast as +1 Adamant Mega Tyranitar.
Other option
Rock Polish might seems interesting for Mega Tyranitar, but is looses a LOT of power, even with Adamant. Tyranitar’s typing mean it cannot use a great physically defensive/support set. If you are running a Double Screen Hyper Offense, THEN MAYBE you could run a Dragon Dance set with Lum Berry. Armoured Dragon Dance in that case is also gimmicky, but is able to get multiple boost because it is almost unkillable.
Good Teammates
- No teammates are better than Excadrill. Legend says they were planning a wedding for 2020, but things kinda went out of control when they were confined inside their Pokémon. While they share many weaknesses, Sandstorm allows Excadrill to become arguably the best weather sweeper of the game. That also form a Hazard Controls core, where Tyranitar set up Stealth Rocks and Excadrill removes them with rapid Spin.
- Celebi is a nice teammate, as it take on Breloom, Azumarill and Keldeo, three very dangerous Pokémon for Sand Teams.
- Amoonguss is a very potent pivot to pair with. They both cover well their weakness while also dishing out status in the form of Paralysis and Poison for Tyranitar and Sleep for Amoonguss.
- Delta Blaziken can remove problematic Mega Venusaur and other Bulky Grass types.
- Keldeo and Mega Charizard Y are also great teammates who loves Latios being out of the picture. Charizard in particular as they both wall breaks on the opposing side of the spectrum, have good matchup together against Stall teams and they make sure the teammate’s weather does not run out in the worst moment.
- Volcanion can cover Grass and Water. It also appreciate the removal of Latios and Latias, so it can spam Steam Eruption and Fire Blast. It also put heavy pressure on Choice Band Tyranitar’s check in Landorus-T and Hippodown.
- Clefable is a staple teammate. From Wishpass for support set to Calm Mind to capitalize on holes made by the Jaw Breaker, they both suits very well. Clefable also check Rotom-W and Keldeo while Tyranitar take care of Talonflame and Mega Charizard Y.
Checks and Counters
- As for almost all Pokémon I spoke of recently, Mega Miloctic is a great check for choice locked variant that didn’t used Stone Edge.
- Fighting Types like Keldeo, Terrakion, Conkeldurr and Mega Loppunny can prove themselves to be annoying for Tyranitar for… very obvious reasons.
- Steel types are relatively safe on Tyranitar, unless it uses Superpower or Fire Blast/Punch depending on the one. Bisharp also love to receive a double attack boost if it suffer from a defence drop coming of Crunch.
- Fairy Types like Azumarill, Clefable and Mega Altaria are big danger for TTar. However, none of these want to be remotely close to a Choice Band Stone Edge in the face.
Overall
Tyranitar is a very solid Pokémon in the metagame, as flexible and effective as ever. From the gimmicky/weak Dragon Dance set to the monstrously dangerous Choice Band while also being near impossible to OHKO without STAB fighting move under its armour, we can say without a doubt, he is Top Tier. Its ability to single handly handle 90% of New Moon teams (even though it is harder when Keldeo is around) is just SO GOOD. A Pokémon that is not OHKO my most super effective move is a testament to how bulky it is under Anastasia’s metal masterpiece. Even in the adventure it is so good! It allowed my first ever victory on the Ins. E4 by making my Excadrill shine and sweep 4/5 battle while also being incredible afterward.
- Mega Miloctic
- Mega Gardevoir
- Mega Loppuny
- Delta serperior
- Spiritomb
- Other