Only slight problem is that both carry U-Turn, so switching in to either can be tricky since they can pivot into something like Mega Venusaur, Lando-T, Rotom-W, or scizor/bisharp to scare you out, cripple you, or bash you over the head. Not to mention 3 of them have knock off (which you CANNOT get hit by if you want to check that core). However, if you can set up rocks beforehand, that switching will hurt them more than you.
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Rhyperior [QC 2/3]
- Thread starter StViers
- Start date
The main point, however, is that you're preventing Brave Bird spam, which is what tends to do the vast majority of the team-breaking. In addition, your point about Stealth Rock is what makes U-turn spam impossible as well. Staraptor and Talonflame are very subpar users of U-turn. The only reason they carry them is strictly for momentum-grabbing purposes, not because they are meant to be reliable members of a Volt-turn team.
Not like I said that it was a game-changer, it's just something to be mindful of. And U-Turn is useful on Talon for hitting TTar for ~40% (at the least). But yeah, you stonewall the STAB spam they both do and set up rocks to hinder them or straight OHKO both with a rock move.
All right, so the new strategy dex is going up very soon and there are several Pokemon, including this one, that do not currently have completed analyses. StViers, if you could please try to make this look presentable within the next day, that would be helpful. Please contact user darkie once you've made it look presentable (by that I mean "acceptable to be on-site") and refer to and update this pirate pad: https://www.piratepad.ca/p/dex_skeletons
This needs to be done by tomorrow afternoon (GMT -6), so make sure you get it done! If you can't make it look presentable in the next day, please say so in the pirate pad so someone else can make a quick skeleton of it. Thanks!
This needs to be done by tomorrow afternoon (GMT -6), so make sure you get it done! If you can't make it look presentable in the next day, please say so in the pirate pad so someone else can make a quick skeleton of it. Thanks!
I can have this written up soon, seeing as the author hasn't been on for 11 days or so. I've updated the pirate pad to reflect this.
Written up!
GatoDelFuego, if you could edit this one into the OP as well, that would be great. Thank you!
GatoDelFuego, if you could edit this one into the OP as well, that would be great. Thank you!
Overview
########
Although Rhyperior is by no means amazing, it has a unique combination of traits that make it usable in the OU metagame. A great base 140 Attack and STABs with near-unresisted coverage give Rhyperior great offensive presence, and an equally impressive base 115 HP and base 130 Defense make it extremely hard to take down from the physical side. Thanks to its ability Solid Rock, Rhyperior can safely take almost any physical super effective attack, establishing its reputation as a Pokemon that can afford to take a hit while overpowering its opponents. With these qualities in mind, Rhyperior makes a great check to Talonflame, Mega Charizard X, Mega Pinsir, Garchomp, Dragonite, Mega Mawile, and even unboosted Excadrill, all extremely dangerous and relevant sweepers.
However, Rhyperior has a few unfortunate downfalls that must be addressed. Without any form of recovery outside of Leftovers, Rhyperior is prone to being worn down, even by the Pokemon it's supposed to check. Rhyperior's slow speed means it often relies on hitting opponents on the switch, and mispredictions can be costly when Rhyperior has an easily exploitable base 55 Special Defense that will quickly force it out. With top metagame threats such as Mega Charizard X and Talonflame utilizing moves like Will-o-Wisp, Rhyperior isn't guaranteed a safe switch-in against some of the Pokemon it's supposed to counter. On top of that, Rhyperior is always haunted by its double weakness to both Grass- and Water-type attacks, most of which will swiftly KO it even through Solid Rock. Overall, although Rhyperior can be a valuable asset to a team, make sure you're using it for its main draw: checking and countering a large degree of OU threats that can easily overwhelm unprepared teams. Otherwise, its negative attributes can easily turn it into a liability.
Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 4: Ice Punch / Toxic
ability: Solid Rock
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
nature: Impish
Moves
========
As a Pokemon with naturally immense bulk that forces many switches, Rhyperior is a prime user of Stealth Rock, usually having an easy time setting up while also deterring Excadrill, Zapdos, and Mandibuzz from switching in and potentially removing the entry hazard. Earthquake is a reliable and strong Ground-type STAB, and together with Rhyperior's Rock-type STAB of choice, Rhyperior gets excellent and powerful neutral coverage. Stone Edge is consistently strong but can be prone to accuracy issues, while Rock Blast is slightly more accurate and can break substitutes at the cost of a less reliable damage output. In the last slot, Ice Punch is useful for hitting Garchomp and Dragonite, and lets Rhyperior check both well. On the other hand, Toxic prevents the likes of Hippowdon from switching in, and aids greatly in wearing down other switch-ins such as Azumarill. Fire Punch and Roar are also options for the last slot, should Toxic or Ice Punch be unnecessary. Fire Punch prevents Scizor from setting up on Rhyperior while also hitting Ferrothorn for hefty damage, whereas Roar allows Rhyperior to beat setup sweepers of any kind, particularly bulkier ones such as Swords Dance Aegislash that may be able to live a hit or two from Rhyperior.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense investment allows Rhyperior to easily tank physical hits from any attacker not in possession of a Water- or Grass-type move. Leftovers is mandatory, as without it, Rhyperior would be worn down far too easily to effectively do its job. Solid Rock is also mandatory, as its effect allows Rhyperior to easily ignore attackers that may carry super effective coverage moves, such as Mega Pinsir and Mega Charizard X, which commonly carry Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
At the beginning of the battle, you should assess which of your opponent's Pokemon Rhyperior will be used to counter, . Make sure Rhyperior does not attempt to cover too many threats, as it will not last long if subjected to repeated beatings. It's always a good idea to keep Rhyperior healthy for when these Pokemon are sent out, as its lack of recovery outside of Leftovers will severely punish Rhyperior when it is exposed to risky or poor plays. In some cases, scouting will be necessary before Rhyperior can safely come in—for example, Rhyperior can easily stop Dragon Dance Mega Charizard X, but bulky variants with Will-o-Wisp are much harder to deal with, and Mega Charizard Y flat-out destroys Rhyperior with Solarbeam. Therefore, before recklessly switching Rhyperior into threats, it's always a good idea to learn the opponent's sets. Once Rhyperior is safely in, Stealth Rock is great to use against foes that aren't an immediate threat. However, remember to attack when necessary—allowing an opponent to get a free turn can be extremely dangerous against foes such as Swords Dance Excadrill.
Team Options
======
Teammates that can easily take advantage of the Water- and Grass-type moves that Rhyperior lures in are prime candidates as teammates. Azumarill, Keldeo, Rotom-W, Poison Heal Breloom, Mega Venusaur, and Celebi are all Pokemon that fit the bill well, although the former three should be used alongside another teammate that can sponge Grass-type attacks, such as Mega Scizor (who can easily set up on Mega Venusaur, one of Rhyperior's number one switch-ins). Although it shares several weaknesses with Rhyperior, Tyranitar provides useful Sand support for Rhyperior, allowing Rhyperior to gain an effective special defense boost that allows it to take hits from the likes of Aegislash better. Although Rhyperior doesn't mind entry hazards very much, Rhyperior's teammates will most likely appreciate Rapid Spin or Defog support, seeing as its team will be doing a lot of switching due to Rhyperior being easily forced out. Zapdos shares decent synergy with Rhyperior, easily absorbing Grass- and Water-type attacks, as does Skarmory, as Rhyperior will easily cover for its Fire- and Electric-type weaknesses.
Other Options
########
A Rock Polish set utilizing Weakness Policy may sound like an appealing sweeper, but it's not very reliable, seeing as Rhyperior frequently attracts Grass- or Water-type moves that will OHKO right through the Weakness Policy (particularly when Rhyperior has no investment in its defenses). Swords Dance gives Rhyperior tremendous power, but Rhyperior's serious drawbacks in speed and typing will almost always cause it to fail. On Trick Room teams, however, Rhyperior can utilize an offensive set to good effect, as its low speed, high bulk, and outstanding Attack stat make it a prime candidate for a Trick Room sweeper. Rhyperior can run a Substitute + 3 attacks set that takes advantage of its ability to force switches; however, it reduces Rhyperior's longevity and doesn't perform its role as well as the standard Physically Defensive variant. Lastly, Assault Vest sets utilizing moves like Dragon Tail are a possibility, but a lack of Leftovers seriously hurts Rhyperior's ability to consistently switch into threats and makes it far more prone to being worn down. Finally, Megahorn may seem like an appealing move, but most of its targets are also hit by Ice Punch, which has a far greater range of uses.
Checks & Counters
########
**Water- and Grass-type Pokemon:** Most Water- and Grass-type Pokemon are not only bulky enough to repeatedly switch into Rhyperior's attacks, but also almost always threaten a OHKO with their STAB moves.
**Special Attackers:** Rhyperior's Special Defense stat is quite low, allowing most special attackers to do hefty damage to it.
**Physical Walls:** Most physical walls, particularly ones that don't mind Toxic (such as Skarmory), can switch in on Rhyperior all day and proceed to wall and set up on it.
########
Although Rhyperior is by no means amazing, it has a unique combination of traits that make it usable in the OU metagame. A great base 140 Attack and STABs with near-unresisted coverage give Rhyperior great offensive presence, and an equally impressive base 115 HP and base 130 Defense make it extremely hard to take down from the physical side. Thanks to its ability Solid Rock, Rhyperior can safely take almost any physical super effective attack, establishing its reputation as a Pokemon that can afford to take a hit while overpowering its opponents. With these qualities in mind, Rhyperior makes a great check to Talonflame, Mega Charizard X, Mega Pinsir, Garchomp, Dragonite, Mega Mawile, and even unboosted Excadrill, all extremely dangerous and relevant sweepers.
However, Rhyperior has a few unfortunate downfalls that must be addressed. Without any form of recovery outside of Leftovers, Rhyperior is prone to being worn down, even by the Pokemon it's supposed to check. Rhyperior's slow speed means it often relies on hitting opponents on the switch, and mispredictions can be costly when Rhyperior has an easily exploitable base 55 Special Defense that will quickly force it out. With top metagame threats such as Mega Charizard X and Talonflame utilizing moves like Will-o-Wisp, Rhyperior isn't guaranteed a safe switch-in against some of the Pokemon it's supposed to counter. On top of that, Rhyperior is always haunted by its double weakness to both Grass- and Water-type attacks, most of which will swiftly KO it even through Solid Rock. Overall, although Rhyperior can be a valuable asset to a team, make sure you're using it for its main draw: checking and countering a large degree of OU threats that can easily overwhelm unprepared teams. Otherwise, its negative attributes can easily turn it into a liability.
Physically Defensive
########
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge / Rock Blast
move 4: Ice Punch / Toxic
ability: Solid Rock
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
nature: Impish
Moves
========
As a Pokemon with naturally immense bulk that forces many switches, Rhyperior is a prime user of Stealth Rock, usually having an easy time setting up while also deterring Excadrill, Zapdos, and Mandibuzz from switching in and potentially removing the entry hazard. Earthquake is a reliable and strong Ground-type STAB, and together with Rhyperior's Rock-type STAB of choice, Rhyperior gets excellent and powerful neutral coverage. Stone Edge is consistently strong but can be prone to accuracy issues, while Rock Blast is slightly more accurate and can break substitutes at the cost of a less reliable damage output. In the last slot, Ice Punch is useful for hitting Garchomp and Dragonite, and lets Rhyperior check both well. On the other hand, Toxic prevents the likes of Hippowdon from switching in, and aids greatly in wearing down other switch-ins such as Azumarill. Fire Punch and Roar are also options for the last slot, should Toxic or Ice Punch be unnecessary. Fire Punch prevents Scizor from setting up on Rhyperior while also hitting Ferrothorn for hefty damage, whereas Roar allows Rhyperior to beat setup sweepers of any kind, particularly bulkier ones such as Swords Dance Aegislash that may be able to live a hit or two from Rhyperior.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP and Defense investment allows Rhyperior to easily tank physical hits from any attacker not in possession of a Water- or Grass-type move. Leftovers is mandatory, as without it, Rhyperior would be worn down far too easily to effectively do its job. Solid Rock is also mandatory, as its effect allows Rhyperior to easily ignore attackers that may carry super effective coverage moves, such as Mega Pinsir and Mega Charizard X, which commonly carry Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
At the beginning of the battle, you should assess which of your opponent's Pokemon Rhyperior will be used to counter, . Make sure Rhyperior does not attempt to cover too many threats, as it will not last long if subjected to repeated beatings. It's always a good idea to keep Rhyperior healthy for when these Pokemon are sent out, as its lack of recovery outside of Leftovers will severely punish Rhyperior when it is exposed to risky or poor plays. In some cases, scouting will be necessary before Rhyperior can safely come in—for example, Rhyperior can easily stop Dragon Dance Mega Charizard X, but bulky variants with Will-o-Wisp are much harder to deal with, and Mega Charizard Y flat-out destroys Rhyperior with Solarbeam. Therefore, before recklessly switching Rhyperior into threats, it's always a good idea to learn the opponent's sets. Once Rhyperior is safely in, Stealth Rock is great to use against foes that aren't an immediate threat. However, remember to attack when necessary—allowing an opponent to get a free turn can be extremely dangerous against foes such as Swords Dance Excadrill.
Team Options
======
Teammates that can easily take advantage of the Water- and Grass-type moves that Rhyperior lures in are prime candidates as teammates. Azumarill, Keldeo, Rotom-W, Poison Heal Breloom, Mega Venusaur, and Celebi are all Pokemon that fit the bill well, although the former three should be used alongside another teammate that can sponge Grass-type attacks, such as Mega Scizor (who can easily set up on Mega Venusaur, one of Rhyperior's number one switch-ins). Although it shares several weaknesses with Rhyperior, Tyranitar provides useful Sand support for Rhyperior, allowing Rhyperior to gain an effective special defense boost that allows it to take hits from the likes of Aegislash better. Although Rhyperior doesn't mind entry hazards very much, Rhyperior's teammates will most likely appreciate Rapid Spin or Defog support, seeing as its team will be doing a lot of switching due to Rhyperior being easily forced out. Zapdos shares decent synergy with Rhyperior, easily absorbing Grass- and Water-type attacks, as does Skarmory, as Rhyperior will easily cover for its Fire- and Electric-type weaknesses.
Other Options
########
A Rock Polish set utilizing Weakness Policy may sound like an appealing sweeper, but it's not very reliable, seeing as Rhyperior frequently attracts Grass- or Water-type moves that will OHKO right through the Weakness Policy (particularly when Rhyperior has no investment in its defenses). Swords Dance gives Rhyperior tremendous power, but Rhyperior's serious drawbacks in speed and typing will almost always cause it to fail. On Trick Room teams, however, Rhyperior can utilize an offensive set to good effect, as its low speed, high bulk, and outstanding Attack stat make it a prime candidate for a Trick Room sweeper. Rhyperior can run a Substitute + 3 attacks set that takes advantage of its ability to force switches; however, it reduces Rhyperior's longevity and doesn't perform its role as well as the standard Physically Defensive variant. Lastly, Assault Vest sets utilizing moves like Dragon Tail are a possibility, but a lack of Leftovers seriously hurts Rhyperior's ability to consistently switch into threats and makes it far more prone to being worn down. Finally, Megahorn may seem like an appealing move, but most of its targets are also hit by Ice Punch, which has a far greater range of uses.
Checks & Counters
########
**Water- and Grass-type Pokemon:** Most Water- and Grass-type Pokemon are not only bulky enough to repeatedly switch into Rhyperior's attacks, but also almost always threaten a OHKO with their STAB moves.
**Special Attackers:** Rhyperior's Special Defense stat is quite low, allowing most special attackers to do hefty damage to it.
**Physical Walls:** Most physical walls, particularly ones that don't mind Toxic (such as Skarmory), can switch in on Rhyperior all day and proceed to wall and set up on it.
Hey, so the author of this analysis originally hasn't been on for 3 weeks, and CyclicCompound actually wrote up the written version of it. I think it would be in our best interests if we see this analysis actually being worked on by someone.
Fuzznip
Seven Deadly Sins
Fuzznip
Seven Deadly Sins
Good point. CyclicCompound, you mind posting a new thread?