Pokémon Roaring Moon

InsaneGlitch

InsaneGlitch

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Base Stats: 105 HP / 139 Atk / 71 Def / 55 SpA / 101 SpD / 119 Spe
Abilities: Protosynthesis
Notable Moves:
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Acrobatics
- Tera Blast
- Iron Head
- Outrage
- Rock Slide
- Stone Edge
- U-Turn
- Jaw Lock (Added post)

Level-Up Moves:
- [00] Dragon Breath
- [00] Leer
- [00] Bite
- [00] Focus Energy
- [07] Incinerate
- [14] Headbutt
- [21] Scary Face
- [28] Dragon Claw
- [35] Zen Headbutt
- [42] Flamethrower
- [49] Night Slash
- [56] Dragon Dance
- [63] Dragon Rush
- [70] Fly
- [77] Throat Chop
- [84] Roost
- [91] Double-Edge

TMs:
- Take Down
- Scary Face
- Protect
- Fire Fang
- Thunder Fang
- Acrobatics
- Fire Spin
- Facade
- Aerial Ace
- Snarl
- Metal Claw
- Dragon Tail
- Endure
- Sunny Day
- Dig
- Brick Break
- Zen Headbutt
- U-turn
- Shadow Claw
- Air Slash
- Body Slam
- Sleep Talk
- Dragon Claw
- Stomping Tantrum
- Rest
- Rock Slide
- Taunt
- Body Press
- Dark Pulse
- Fly
- Iron Head
- Dragon Dance
- Substitute
- X-Scissor
- Crunch
- Tailwind
- Dragon Pulse
- Hyper Voice
- Heat Wave
- Flamethrower
- Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Giga Impact
- Outrage
- Hurricane
- Hyper Beam
- Draco Meteor
- Tera Blast

Pros:
- This thing is very fast, 119 Base Speed is nothing to laugh at, couple that with its 139 Base Attack, and you have a very potent threat.
- With access to moves like Crunch, Earthquake, Acrobatics, Stone Edge, and Iron Head, the coverage on this thing is exceptional.
- With 105 Base HP and 101 Base Special Defense, this thing is surprisingly bulky on the special side.
Cons:
- With Dragon and Dark typing, this thing is extremely weak defensively. 4 times weak to Fairy coupled with weaknesses to Fighting, Dragon, Ice, and Bug. It is definitely not something you want tanking hits.

Terastalize Potential:
- Being a Physical threat, and having the ability to manipulate its typing, I can see a few very potent options.
- Steel - is the obvious counter to its 4x weakness in Fairy.
- Flying - this completely changes your weaknesses to Ice, Electric, and Rock. Also, giving you access to very strong STAB coverage moves like Acrobatics.
- Fire - gives you an answer to steel birds like Corviknight and Skarmory.

Potential Sets:
Dragon Dance
Roaring Moon @ Booster Energy / Life Orb
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Steel / Flying / Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Iron Head / Acrobatics / Tera Blast
- Crunch / Jaw Lock
- Earthquake

I'd like to preface this and say, I think this is probably one of its best sets, and I do not think it needs a Dragon move to work. With a single Dragon Dance, you outspeed almost the entire generation scarfed, with a few exceptions. With the combination of Booster Energy activating its ability or utilizing it on a Sun team, you get an innate 1.5x multiplier to your Attack or Speed depending on which is higher. After a single DD you OHKO Pokemon like Clodsire, Flutter Mane, Meowscarada, Iron Bundle, and more. Pairing this set with Cyclizar is an easy choice as it gets it in for free. Personally, this set should be watched, as it can very easily win games on turn 1. It's very scary and very oppressive and I would heavily recommend taking care when seeing this Pokemon in Team Preview.

Choice Scarf/Band
Roaring Moon @ Choice Scarf / Choice Band
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Steel / Flying / Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Iron Head / Stone Edge / Tera Blast
- U-turn

This set is your typical Revenge Killer or Hit-and-Run type of deal. The coverage is fairly solid, and if you opt to run it as your Tera, you just expand your coverage even more. I would like to say, if you are going to run this Pokemon, it really craves the Sun if you don't give it Booster Energy, you are completely wasting its Ability. I'd recommend taking that into account when utilizing this set. Otherwise, with a boost from Protosynthesis to its Attack or Speed, it gets even more deadly as a Revenge Killer. Getting a 1.5x Boost to Speed with a Choice Band or a 1.5x Boost to Attack with a Choice Scarf. It is an instant Dragon Dance without needing to waste a turn.

Pivot
Roaring Moon @ Shed Shell / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Steel / Dark
Evs: 252 Atk / SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Jaw Lock
- Taunt
- Earthquake
- U-Turn

This set came to mind after people in the comments brought up the idea behind Jaw Lock and Taunt. Pivot sets utilize Roaring Moon's fantastic speed tier of 119, hitting an incredible 370 with max investment. Locking in your opponent with Jaw Lock and then crippling their ability to setup or throw out hazards with Taunt, then either using U-Turn or if you have Shed Shell to swap out for momentum against your opponent. Most people see Roaring Moon and think it's Dragon Dance Acrobatics since this has been found to be an exceptional sweeper set, so throwing them off by crippling their Dondozo or Toxapex, even Skelidirge, and then bringing in a new counter is invaluable.
 
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An EV spread of 32 HP / 220 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe and Jolly Nature put attack at 369 and Speed at 370 will guarantee a Speed boost with Booster energy without being choice locked, which can relegate it to a late game clean-up Pokemon can be considered as well. Offensive boost is great as you said, but if so it can die very easily to a Flutter Mane with Protosynthesis speed boost even at +1. Acrobatics with Flying Tera hits hard regardless of banded or offense boost.

Just an alternative, your set looks solid still
 
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tinyranitar said:
I think an EV spread of 32 HP / 220 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe and Jolly Nature put attack at 369 and Speed at 370 will guarantee a Speed boost with Booster energy without being choice locked, which can relegate it to a late game clean-up Pokemon can be considered as well. Offensive boost is great as you said, but if so it can die very easily to a Flutter Mane with Protosynthesis speed boost even at +1. Acrobatics with Flying Tera hits hard regardless of banded or offense boost.

Just an alternative, your set looks solid still
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i use 36 SpD instead of 32 hp / 4 SpD
 
I think on Sun teams specifically, 220/252+ is going to be superior on DD and Scarf sets because it allows you to never get outsped by opposing Roaring Moon and Flutter Manes with their free speed boost in the Sun.

Band sets and sets in non-Sun teams can run whatever based on preferences though.
 
I'm extremely surprised that Jaw Lock isn't even mentioned, the move has some serious implications.
Jaw Lock
DARK - 80BP - Physical - 16PP
This move prevents the user and the target from switching out until either of them faints. The effect goes away if either of the Pokémon leaves the field.
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Here's some ways to complement it that come to mind:

- U-Turn/Shed Tail: your means of circumventing the self-lock, with these Roaring Moon becomes very good at generating tempo against a switch-in since you can guarantee a favorable matchup on the turn after you JL. Without Shed Tail you run the risk of the opponent switching into a revenge killer that survives JL, while U-Turn doesn't use up your item slot and gets some free chip damage against slower teams.

- Taunt: if the mon you trapped is a physical wall that aims to counter-setup or cripple roaring moon with statuses, the ability to shut it down further exacerbates the tempo advantage that you gain upon switching out.

- SubDD: it can be an alternative to Taunt, but you could also ambitiously run the three moves together, to maximize the chance of trapping something you can setup to +6 on, especially if you can tera around their movepool.

- Roost + crippling move (Breaking Swipe/Snarl): aiming to slowly win the 1vs1 against the switch-in you want to trap.
 
Dark also has no immunity so Taunt + Jaw Lock can trap passive mons who can be used as setup fodder.

Flying would be an ideal tera type for this set to ensure it's not not vulnerable to Body Press or U-Turn.
 
makra_nyx said:
I'm extremely surprised that Jaw Lock isn't even mentioned, the move has some serious implications.
Click to expand...

The reasoning behind Jaw Lock not being mentioned is I was informed its unavailable, however, I was apparently misinformed. I will update with the mentioned sets.

makra_nyx said:
- U-Turn/Shed Tail: your means of circumventing the self-lock, with these Roaring Moon becomes very good at generating tempo against a switch-in since you can guarantee a favorable matchup on the turn after you JL. Without Shed Tail you run the risk of the opponent switching into a revenge killer that survives JL, while U-Turn doesn't use up your item slot and gets some free chip damage against slower teams.
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I especially like the U-Turn/Shed Tail set, I think Shed Tail has an overall better implication here as it doesn't require you to be faster than whoever you lock in. Utilizing U-Turn does allow you to keep your item slot free, but it comes at an innate risk that you lock in something faster than you, who can return kill you.


makra_nyx said:
- Taunt: if the mon you trapped is a physical wall that aims to counter-setup or cripple roaring moon with statuses, the ability to shut it down further exacerbates the tempo advantage that you gain upon switching out.
Click to expand...

I like the idea behind this, however, from my own testing on the ladder, Roaring Moon already struggles to effectively get setup as it is. I've found Choice Band to be highly effective > DD sets. Perhaps a pivot set like this:

Roaring Moon @ Shed Tail
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera: Dark/Steel
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Jaw Lock
- Taunt
- Earthquake
- U-Turn

makra_nyx said:
- SubDD: it can be an alternative to Taunt, but you could also ambitiously run the three moves together, to maximize the chance of trapping something you can setup to +6 on, especially if you can tera around their movepool.
Click to expand...

This set sounds like it could work pretty well, but leaves you with the biggest problem of Roaring Moon, he is very easily walled by the likes of Dondozo, Quagsire, Skelidirge, and even when looking at methods to break this Lokix U-Turn/First Impression is very strong right now, so I would have to see how this set plays out.

makra_nyx said:
- Roost + crippling move (Breaking Swipe/Snarl): aiming to slowly win the 1vs1 against the switch-in you want to trap.
Click to expand...

I like this because it adds some serious longevity to it. Though, my only concern is it might not get very many opportunities to utilize this set. This is probably the biggest problem I've found with any setup variant of Roaring Moon, with the pace of the meta right now and the number of Unaware mons running around, setup is just hard to justify. Even just pokemon that are innately faster than it unless you run jolly/Booster Energy like Iron Valiant.
 
Its moment has passed a bit I think, but I wanted to highlight this boots + roost pivot set from one of the week 1 teams of the week. It pairs beautifully with Corviknight, able to switch into Chi-Yu and most Gholdengo with impunity and without always dumping momentum, something very few mons can boast. Roost + boots let you come in on Yu basically forever and Crunch and EQ still do fine damage to neutrals even with no investment. Tera Fairy lets you randomly beat some Dragapult, which is handy. Chien Pao, opposing Moon, and Great Tusk kind of suck to see but like, that's why you have the Corv (and on the featured team, two Wisp mons lol).

Drogon (Roaring Moon) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 152 SpD / 104 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Roost
 
Roaring Moon is like Salamence on steroids. The scariest set up sweeper in the entire tier. It has crazy high Attack and hardly anything outspeeds it. Protosynthesis and Terastylizing make it even more of a wrecking ball. It also has good special Bulk and is able to make potential walls into set up bait with Taunt+Jaw Lock.
 
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