[OVERVIEW]
Rhyperior is an excellent Pokemon, being able to set Stealth Rock, take hits, and deal damage in return. Rhyperior's typing and bulk allow it to stand up against many threats in the tier, including Entei, Mimikyu, and Oricorio-E, while its powerful STAB EdgeQuake can overwhelm Pokemon like Bisharp, Jirachi, and Noivern. Rhyperior is a great Stealth Rock user due to how it threatens common entry hazard removal options like Cyclizar and Talonflame. Additionally, Swords Dance allows it to break through bulkier Pokemon like Slowbro and Hippowdon. Rhyperior is a good user of Terastallization, as it can shed weaknesses it easily falters to, such as Water, Grass, Fighting, and Ground, and better handle threats that capitalize on its new Fairy and Dark weaknesses such as Mimikyu and Bisharp. However, Rhyperior has a 4x weakness to Water and Grass, meaning that—even though it carries Solid Rock—many attacks of these types like Scald, Steam Eruption, and Energy Ball are capable of OHKOing it. Rhyperior's poor Speed exacerbates this issue, as any Pokemon with the right moves can deal severe damage to it, ensuring it can easily be finished off later. Despite Rhyperior's strength, it struggles against common Pokemon like Galarian Weezing and Chesnaught, both of which can easily heal its damage off.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Swords Dance / Megahorn
item: Leftovers / Covert Cloak
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 196 SpD / 60 Spe
tera type: Dragon / Ghost
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Rhyperior keeps Stealth Rock up over the course of a game with its powerful attacks that threaten entry hazard removers like Cyclizar, Noivern, and Talonflame. Swords Dance lets Rhyperior set up and threaten bulkier Pokemon like Hippowdon and Galarian Weezing, while Megahorn can hit Psychic- and Grass-types like Slowbro and Wo-Chien. Leftovers provides passive recovery for Rhyperior, but Covert Cloak gives it an immunity to being flinched by Bisharp's and Jirachi's Iron Head as well as burned by Entei's Sacred Fire and, if Rhyperior has Terastallized out of its Water weakness, Slowbro's and Suicune's Scald too. Solid Rock weakens the damage from Rhyperior's many weaknesses, notably improving its matchup into Fighting-, Ground-, and Ice-types like Galarian Zapdos, Krookodile, and Mamoswine. 60 Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed Hippowdon. Tera Dragon turns Rhyperior's 4x Water and Grass weaknesses into resistances in order to survive attacks from Crawdaunt, Gyarados, and Hisuian Lilligant. On the other hand, Tera Ghost gives Rhyperior an immunity to Fighting so that it can beat Galarian Zapdos and Slither Wing while also preventing Cyclizar's Rapid Spin.
Rhyperior fits most comfortably on balance and bulky offense teams. Due to its weakness to Water- and Grass-type attacks from Volcanion and Armarouge, Rhyperior needs allies that can comfortably take these hits, such as Noivern, Cyclizar, and Empoleon. Spikes from Chesnaught and Klefki can help chip foes, like Slowbro and Hippowdon, into range of Rhyperior's attacks. Rhyperior's lower Special Defense means that it requires allies that can survive powerful special attacks from Gardevoir and Basculegion-F, such as Hisuian Goodra, Fezandipiti, and Umbreon, the last of which can also provide healing support via Wish. Rhyperor is vulnerable to Spikes, so hazard removal from Rapid Spin Cyclizar and Defog Talonflame can allow it to enter the field safely. Special attackers like U-turn Noivern and Volt Switch Magnezone can threaten the physical walls that check Rhyperior like Hippowdon and Chesnaught while letting Rhyperior into battle against foes like Fezandipiti and Hisuian Goodra. Rhyperior's ability to weaken physical walls is a boon for allied physical attackers like Gyarados, Maushold, and Entei.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Smack Down allows Rhyperior to hit Levitate Pokemon like Galarian Weezing and Bronzong with Earthquake for super effective damage. Roar and Dragon Tail can be used to prevent Pokemon like Hisuian Lilligant and Air Balloon Terrakion from setting up in front of Rhyperior. With 244 Speed EVs, Rhyperior can use Rock Polish to outspeed Hisuian Zoroark and Maushold, and if it opts for a Jolly nature, it can outpace Noivern and Talonflame as well, enabling it to sweep. Weakness Policy pairs well with Solid Rock and, combined with Rock Polish, can get Rhyperior to +2 Attack and Speed in a single turn. Choice Band's immediate power grants Rhyperior the ability to perform feats like 2HKOing Slowbro and OHKOing Galarian Weezing after Stealth Rock with Heavy Slam, although Rhyperior often prefers the flexibility of being able to switch up its moves.
Checks and Counters
====
**Grass-types and Grass-type Moves**: With Rhyperior's 4x weakness, it cannot take any Grass-type attacks such as from Amoonguss's Giga Drain, Maushold's Bullet Seed, and Armarouge's Energy Ball. Chesnaught and Wo-Chien are also very capable of switching into Rhyperior's STAB attacks and threatening it with their own.
**Water-types**: Pokemon like Volcanion, Empoleon, Crawdaunt, and Barraskewda all outspeed and threaten to OHKO Rhyperior with their powerful Water-type attacks. Bulky Pokemon like Slowbro and Gastrodon are able to comfortably survive Rhyperior's attacks and deal huge damage to it in return or heal themselves.
**Special Attackers**: Powerful special attackers like Gardevoir and Hisuian Zoroark deal enough damage to force their way through Rhyperior's weaker Special Defense. While Rhyperior can beat Pokemon like Armarouge and Magnezone, they still pose a significant threat, especially if Rhyperior takes chip damage.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rarelyme.513635/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Rhyperior is an excellent Pokemon, being able to set Stealth Rock, take hits, and deal damage in return. Rhyperior's typing and bulk allow it to stand up against many threats in the tier, including Entei, Mimikyu, and Oricorio-E, while its powerful STAB EdgeQuake can overwhelm Pokemon like Bisharp, Jirachi, and Noivern. Rhyperior is a great Stealth Rock user due to how it threatens common entry hazard removal options like Cyclizar and Talonflame. Additionally, Swords Dance allows it to break through bulkier Pokemon like Slowbro and Hippowdon. Rhyperior is a good user of Terastallization, as it can shed weaknesses it easily falters to, such as Water, Grass, Fighting, and Ground, and better handle threats that capitalize on its new Fairy and Dark weaknesses such as Mimikyu and Bisharp. However, Rhyperior has a 4x weakness to Water and Grass, meaning that—even though it carries Solid Rock—many attacks of these types like Scald, Steam Eruption, and Energy Ball are capable of OHKOing it. Rhyperior's poor Speed exacerbates this issue, as any Pokemon with the right moves can deal severe damage to it, ensuring it can easily be finished off later. Despite Rhyperior's strength, it struggles against common Pokemon like Galarian Weezing and Chesnaught, both of which can easily heal its damage off.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Swords Dance / Megahorn
item: Leftovers / Covert Cloak
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 196 SpD / 60 Spe
tera type: Dragon / Ghost
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Rhyperior keeps Stealth Rock up over the course of a game with its powerful attacks that threaten entry hazard removers like Cyclizar, Noivern, and Talonflame. Swords Dance lets Rhyperior set up and threaten bulkier Pokemon like Hippowdon and Galarian Weezing, while Megahorn can hit Psychic- and Grass-types like Slowbro and Wo-Chien. Leftovers provides passive recovery for Rhyperior, but Covert Cloak gives it an immunity to being flinched by Bisharp's and Jirachi's Iron Head as well as burned by Entei's Sacred Fire and, if Rhyperior has Terastallized out of its Water weakness, Slowbro's and Suicune's Scald too. Solid Rock weakens the damage from Rhyperior's many weaknesses, notably improving its matchup into Fighting-, Ground-, and Ice-types like Galarian Zapdos, Krookodile, and Mamoswine. 60 Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed Hippowdon. Tera Dragon turns Rhyperior's 4x Water and Grass weaknesses into resistances in order to survive attacks from Crawdaunt, Gyarados, and Hisuian Lilligant. On the other hand, Tera Ghost gives Rhyperior an immunity to Fighting so that it can beat Galarian Zapdos and Slither Wing while also preventing Cyclizar's Rapid Spin.
Rhyperior fits most comfortably on balance and bulky offense teams. Due to its weakness to Water- and Grass-type attacks from Volcanion and Armarouge, Rhyperior needs allies that can comfortably take these hits, such as Noivern, Cyclizar, and Empoleon. Spikes from Chesnaught and Klefki can help chip foes, like Slowbro and Hippowdon, into range of Rhyperior's attacks. Rhyperior's lower Special Defense means that it requires allies that can survive powerful special attacks from Gardevoir and Basculegion-F, such as Hisuian Goodra, Fezandipiti, and Umbreon, the last of which can also provide healing support via Wish. Rhyperor is vulnerable to Spikes, so hazard removal from Rapid Spin Cyclizar and Defog Talonflame can allow it to enter the field safely. Special attackers like U-turn Noivern and Volt Switch Magnezone can threaten the physical walls that check Rhyperior like Hippowdon and Chesnaught while letting Rhyperior into battle against foes like Fezandipiti and Hisuian Goodra. Rhyperior's ability to weaken physical walls is a boon for allied physical attackers like Gyarados, Maushold, and Entei.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Smack Down allows Rhyperior to hit Levitate Pokemon like Galarian Weezing and Bronzong with Earthquake for super effective damage. Roar and Dragon Tail can be used to prevent Pokemon like Hisuian Lilligant and Air Balloon Terrakion from setting up in front of Rhyperior. With 244 Speed EVs, Rhyperior can use Rock Polish to outspeed Hisuian Zoroark and Maushold, and if it opts for a Jolly nature, it can outpace Noivern and Talonflame as well, enabling it to sweep. Weakness Policy pairs well with Solid Rock and, combined with Rock Polish, can get Rhyperior to +2 Attack and Speed in a single turn. Choice Band's immediate power grants Rhyperior the ability to perform feats like 2HKOing Slowbro and OHKOing Galarian Weezing after Stealth Rock with Heavy Slam, although Rhyperior often prefers the flexibility of being able to switch up its moves.
Checks and Counters
====
**Grass-types and Grass-type Moves**: With Rhyperior's 4x weakness, it cannot take any Grass-type attacks such as from Amoonguss's Giga Drain, Maushold's Bullet Seed, and Armarouge's Energy Ball. Chesnaught and Wo-Chien are also very capable of switching into Rhyperior's STAB attacks and threatening it with their own.
**Water-types**: Pokemon like Volcanion, Empoleon, Crawdaunt, and Barraskewda all outspeed and threaten to OHKO Rhyperior with their powerful Water-type attacks. Bulky Pokemon like Slowbro and Gastrodon are able to comfortably survive Rhyperior's attacks and deal huge damage to it in return or heal themselves.
**Special Attackers**: Powerful special attackers like Gardevoir and Hisuian Zoroark deal enough damage to force their way through Rhyperior's weaker Special Defense. While Rhyperior can beat Pokemon like Armarouge and Magnezone, they still pose a significant threat, especially if Rhyperior takes chip damage.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/machjacob.555741/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rarelyme.513635/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/flampoke.654091/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Last edited:
