[SET]
[OVERVIEW]
*Thundurus-T has a huge Special Attack Stat and decent offensive typing, it also has impressive coverage, setting it apart from other Electric-types.
*Base 101 Speed is very good, just enough to outspeed the crowded base 100 Speed Tier, not to mention that it's typing allows it to resist most common priority attacks.
*The genie has acess to two great set-up setup moves on both Nasty Plot and Agility.
*Volt Absorb sets it apart from opposing Electric-types and allows Thundurus-T to soft check many of them, namely Magnezone, Rotom-W and Thundurus Incarnate. Tapu Koko also needs to click HP Ice to damage Thundurus-T.
*However, Thundurus-T is weak to Stealth Rocks and has very poor defenses, reducing its capabilities to take hits. Not to mention its vulnerability to residual damage from Life Orb and Stealth Rocks and lack of recovery outside from Leftovers or Volt Absorb.
*Thundurus-T is generally passed over for Tapu Koko, Thundurus-Incarnate and even Xurkitree to an extent.
*Base 101 Speed might be underwhelming when unboosted.
[SET]
name: Set-Up Setup Sweeper
move 1: Agility
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Nasty Plot / Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Volt Absorb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
*Agility allows Thundurus to hit a very scary speed tier. Outspeeding the entire unboosted metagame and anything up to max Speed Scarfed Tapu Koko and +1 max Speed Pheromosa.
*Thunderbolt is your main STAB Move, and due to Thundurus-T’s massive Special Attack Stat, it hits very hard.
*Hidden Power Ice forms BoltBeam coverage with Thunderbolt and allows Thundurus-T to break thorugh Landorus-T, Zygarde and Garchomp.
*Nasty Plot boosts Thundurus-T’s Special Attack to outstanding levels, it also allows Thundurus-T to wallbreak more consistently, since without a boosting move Thundurus-T will most likely still get walled by dedicated special walls.
*Focus Blast allows you to hit Steel-Types, Ferrothorn and Heatran are examples of Pokemon that hate this move, and both wouldn't take too much from uninvested Thunderbolt or HP Ice.
Set Details
========
*Timid is the prefered ability as it allows you to outspeed +1 max speed Pheromosa, not to mention that in case Thundurus-T can't afford to set-up set up an Agility, it will still outspeed anythung up to max speed base 100's such as Mega Charizard-Y and Manaphy.
*Modest could be run for more power, but the extra speed is very important for Thundurus-T.
*The Speed EVs allows Thundurus-T to go as fast as possible.
*The Special Attack EVs further increase Thundurus-T’s power.
*Leftovers increase Thundurus-T's survivability and allow Thundurus-T to be less vulnerable to passive damage.
*Life Orb could be used for extra power, but the passive damage makes Thundurus-T easier to wear down.
Usage Tips
========
*Thundurus-T works best as a late-game cleaner as it can capitalize on Pokemon like Magnezone, Celesteela, Skarmory and Tapu Koko, (AC) which it can to set up on.
*It’s important to keep in mind that counters, such as Mega Venusaur, Swampert, Seismitoad, Quagsire and Gastrodon, need to be removed before Thundurus-T attempts to sweep.
*In sets with both Nasty Plot and Agility, its not necessary using both for sweeping, and it heavily depends on your opponent's team, Agility is more recommended for being used on faster and frailer teams, mainly Hyper Offense; Nasty Plot, in the other hand, sees more use on slower and bulkier teams, such as Stall teams, for example
*Use Volt Absorb to your advantage and switch Thundurus-T in on guaranteed Electric-Type moves.
Team Options
========
*Thundurus-T heaviliy appreciates Stealth Rocks being removed, so pairing it with a Spinner / Defogger is ideal. Examples includes Latios, Excadrill, Skarmory and Tapu Fini.
*Physical Wallbreakers that can reliably check Chansey, such as Buzzwole, Mega Scizor and Alolan Marowak can be great partners.
*Pokémon that can threaten bulky Ground-Types are great teammates too, Pokemon that can perform this role well include Serperior, Tapu Bulu, Keldeo and Tapu Fini.
*Flying-types can help Thundurus-T get past bulky Grass-Types, Pokemon that can do this job include Mega Pinsir and Tornadus-Therian. Landorus-T and Salamence can also KO most Grass-types with their Supersonic Skystrike. Bulkier Steel-types can also help against bulkier Grass-types, Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor and Magearna can all deal with most Grass-types with ease.
*Pelliper can set up Rain with its ability Drizzle and allow Thundurus-T to run Thunder, which is significantly stronger than Thunderbolt, Pelliper can also provide a slow U-turn and remove Stealth Rocks from your field with Defog.
*Dugtrio can trap Tyranitar which is a huge threat to Thundurus-T thanks to its massive Special Defense under Sand. It also helps to eliminate Chansey, another thorn in Thundurus side.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
*An All-Out Attacker set with Volt Switch, HP Hidden Power Ice, (AC) Focus Blast, (AC) and Sludge Wave or Grass Knot could work, but other fast Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-Incarnate, tend to outclass Thundurus-T on this role. Same could be said for a Cchoiced Sset,; (RC, ASC) Choice Specs allows for immediate power, (AC) whereas and Choice Scarf allows Thundurus-T to reach an impressive speed tier with no set-up setup,. (full stop) (don't comma splice) hHowever, both sets are prediction reliant and still get outclassed.
*Expert Belt might be useful to substitute a Life Orb, to reduce passive damage, but it severly weakens Thundurus-T’s non-Ssuper-Eeffective moves, (RC) and doesn’t provide Leftovers’s utility.
*Yache Berry might allow Thundurus-T to take an Ice Shard and keep its sweep going, or maybe set-up set up on a weaker Ice-Ttype, but this option reduces Thundurus-T’s damage output as it isn’t holding a Life Orb or can threaten its possible passive recovery in Leftovers.
*Running HP Hidden Power Flying can actually give Thundurus-T a Flying STAB, which would allow for breaking through Grass-types and Alolan Marowak more consistently, however, using HP Flying over HP Ice means that most Ground-types will be tanking your hits unless you're running Grass Knot.
*Holding a Flynium-Z and having Fly in your movepool can allow for a one-time powerful Flying Physical move coming off from Thundurus-T’s average base 105 Attack stat, after prior damage, it which can KO Defensive Mega Venusaur with some prior damage, but it is generally unreliable and requires a Hasty / or Naive Nature to work.
*Knock Off is good for utility and damaging the Lati Twins Latios and Latias but is another moveslot wasting move. (look at wording this better; maybe "Knock Off is good for utility and damaging Latios and Latias, but it is usually a waste of a moveslot." or something like that)
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground-Types**: Ground-types are immune to your Electric STAB and require prediction on HP Ice, Gastrodon and Hippowdon can stomach an HP Ice though, and both wall any set without Grass Knot.
**Bulky Grass-Types**: Grass-Types resist your main STAB move and tend to take little from non Nasty Plot HP Ice, due to Hidden Power’s low Base Power. Pokemon like Mega Venusaur are specially annoying because of Thick Fat halving HP Ice's damage output against it, On sets without Focus Blast, Ferrothorn can be huge threat too, AV Tangrowth can also be quite annoying if Thundurus-T isn't packing Sludge Wave.
**Chansey**: Chansey straight up walls Thundurus-T. Unless you’re running a set with both Nasty Plot and Focus Blast, Chansey will always be able to 1v1 Thundurus-T with the combination of Softboiled and Seismic Toss.
**Alolan Marowak**: Alolan Marowak is immune to Thunderbolt and takes unnoticeable damage from HP Ice. Not to mention that Thundurus-T takes a ton of damage from Alolan Marowak's Shadow Bone or Flare Blitz.