[OVERVIEW]
Tornadus's high-Base Power STAB and coverage moves, which are both further bolstered by its gargantuan offenses and access to amazing utility options like Knock Off and Taunt make it a versatile threat in NU. Its Speed is also enormous, letting it blow past common fast Pokemon like Alolan Ninetales, Munkidori, and Paldean Tauros-W. On top of that, it has access to two amazing abilities that allow it to either be more supportive by getting off a fast Taunt and setting up Rain Dance freely with Prankster or offensive by letting it take advantage of common stat-dropping moves and abilities like Altaria's Defog, Vileplume's Strength Sap, and both Paldean Tauros-W's and Incineroar's Intimidate. While some Tornadus sets run Heavy-Duty Boots, a fair amount don't, since other items can provide more support at times. Tornadus's weakness to Stealth Rock is further exacerbated on non-Heavy-Duty Boots sets by how much it loves to repeatedly come in, though. As a trade-off for its great offensive prowess, Tornadus has low bulk, which really starts to show when combined with its Stealth Rock weakness, and because of it, Tornadus's useful resistances and immunities are rendered moot, meaning it can be overpowered by Flamigo's Close Combat or KOed by a secondary STAB move like Flygon's Outrage. Tornadus also has to deal with either using unreliable moves like Hurricane and Bleakwind Storm or dealing with adverse contact effects such as paralysis from Bellibolt's Static. Not only that, but Amoonguss, Galarian Slowbro, and Bellibolt often carry Rocky Helmet, worsening Tornadus's situation.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Bleakwind Storm / Hurricane
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Heat Wave / Grass Knot / Taunt
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Defiant
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Bleakwind Storm is preferred due to its higher accuracy; however, Hurricane is a stronger STAB move to fire off. Knock Off cripples common switch-ins like Bronzong, Brambleghast, and Diancie. Heat Wave lets Tornadus nail Steel-types like Copperajah, Bronzong, and Registeel, while Grass Knot allows Tornadus to hit Ground- and Water-types like Gastrodon and Milotic. On the other hand, Taunt lets Tornadus stop walls like Bronzong, Gligar, and Gastrodon from setting up, getting their entry hazards up, or healing. An alternative EV spread of 116 HP / 140 SpA / 252 Spe can be used to survive common Choice Scarf users' attacks like Chandelure's Overheat and Hisuian Typhlosion's Eruption. Tera Steel allows Tornadus to tank a variety of hits like Cinccino's Tail Slap, Munkidori's Sludge Wave, and Sylveon's Hyper Voice. Alternatively, Tera Ground lets Tornadus take an Electric- or Rock-type attack from Kilowattrel and Diancie.
Tornadus excels at firing off Knock Off and pivoting out, so entry hazard setters like Gastrodon, Bronzong, Orthworm, and Diancie can help capitalize on this trait. Tornadus can take one or two Fighting-type attacks, but it can't switch in consistently. Because of this, Fighting-resistant partners like Galarian Slowbro, Scream Tail, and Sylveon pair well with it. Pivots like Inteleon, Milotic, and Flygon enjoy Tornadus's presence, as it can easily dismantle common Grass-type switch-ins like Decidueye, Amoonguss, and Breloom. Ground- and Steel-types such as Gligar, Gastrodon, Bronzong, and Orthworm can help take on Electric- and Rock-types like Kilowattrel and Diancie that threaten Tornadus. As Tornadus typically lures in Rock-, Electric-, and Steel-types like Diancie, Bellibolt, and Registeel, wallbreakers like Basculegion-M, Choice Band Flygon, Guts Heracross, and Swords Dance Incineroar that capitalize on these Pokemon as entry points synergize extremely well; on top of that, they can also get rid of any neutral special walls trying to check Tornadus like Alolan Muk, Milotic, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowbro.
[SET]
name: Rain Setter
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Hurricane
move 3: U-turn / Taunt
move 4: Weather Ball
item: Damp Rock
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
U-turn allows Tornadus to bring in a rain sweeper, and it can help create mind games with opposing leads like Galvantula and Cinccino; however, Taunt stops setup sweepers and entry hazard setters from taking advantage of Tornadus. Under rain, Weather Ball is a powerful move that hits Flying-resistant Pokemon like Diancie super effectively while providing strong neutral coverage for others like Copperajah and Bronzong. Tera Steel provides a strong defensive typing that can let Tornadus have an easier time both setting up rain and pivoting. On the other hand, Tera Ground can turn the tables against Electric- and Rock-types like Kilowattrel and Diancie, which would threaten Tornadus otherwise.
Basculegion-M is a no-brainer when it comes to partners, as it can take advantage of Tornadus's rain-setting capabilities with its Swift Swim and rain-boosted Water-type STAB attacks. Other Swift Swim users like Kingdra, Overqwil, and Ludicolo also pair well while offering unique qualities: Kingdra excels at weakening Water-resistant and -immune Pokemon; Overqwil offers rain teams an easy way to handle Grass-types; and Ludicolo takes advantage of Water-types that rain teams can struggle with like Vaporeon, Gastrodon, and Milotic while acting as a secondary rain setter. As Tornadus is quite offensive, it tends to not have great longevity, so a more defensive rain setter like Klefki is greatly appreciated. On top of being more reliable, Klefki can support its team with both entry hazards and Thunder Wave. Tornadus can't handle Water-types too well, and neither can most Swift Swim users; thus, partners like Toxicroak, Kilowattrel, and Brambleghast are greatly appreciated.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: Hammer Arm / Brick Break
move 4: Tera Blast / Knock Off
item: Sitrus Berry / No Item
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Ground / Steel
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Hammer Arm is the preferred option to take out Steel-types like Copperajah, Registeel, and Tera Steel Sylveon due to its high Base Power, but because of how it drops Tornadus's Speed, Brick Break can be used for a less punishing but weaker alternative. Notably, at +1, Tornadus's Hammer Arm OHKOes Copperajah after one layer of Spikes and 2HKOes both Registeel and Orthworm. Tera Blast Ground gives Tornadus a more reliable way to take out the aforementioned Steel-types, barring Orthworm, along with Rock-types like Diancie. Tera Ground also allows Tornadus to surprise and take hits from Kilowattrel and Diancie. Alternatively, Knock Off can be used so that Tornadus neither has to Terastallize nor drop its Speed if it wishes to hit or take out Steel-types on low health, and it gives Tornadus a way to easily deal with Bronzong. Sitrus Berry provides some recovery to Tornadus and, when consumed, allows Acrobatics to be at full power. However, no item can be run to automatically have Tornadus at its fullest potential. Defiant lets Tornadus take advantage of common stat-dropping abilities and moves like Overqwil's and Incineroar's Intimidate as well as Vileplume's Strength Sap. Tera Steel can be run to gift Tornadus with a typing that better handles common special attackers like Munkidori, Dragalge, and Sylveon that could easily break through it.
Since Defiant is Bulk Up Tornadus's biggest draw, leads like Galvantula, Brambleghast, and Froslass that set entry hazards pair naturally, as they help pressure the opponent's team to use Defog. Ghost-types like Hisuian Typhlosion, Chandelure, and Decidueye make for good partners, as they can create a hazard removal-punishing duo because any of them can spinblock, and Tornadus can punish Defoggers. Tornadus can have issues with KOing Steel-types like Registeel, Bronzong, and Orthworm, meaning teammates like Munkidori, Diancie, Cinccino, and Minior have great synergy, since they can work alongside Tornadus to overwhelm these shared checks. Cinccino is especially good thanks to its Tidy Up clearing Stealth Rock for Tornadus. Fighting- and Ground-types such as Breloom, Toxicroak, Torterra, Paldean Tauros-W, and Flygon work well to take out the aforementioned Steel-types as well as Rock-types like Diancie. The former three can also help take care of pesky defensive Water-types like Vaporeon, Milotic, and Swampert. Bulk Up Tornadus struggles with OHKOing Alolan Ninetales and breaking through Ice-types like Avalugg, meaning teammates that can switch in and beat them such as Chandelure and Diancie are greatly appreciated.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Hurricane / Bleakwind Storm
move 3: Focus Blast / Heat Wave
move 4: Dark Pulse
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Prankster
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
tera type: Steel / Ground / Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Hurricane provides Tornadus with more power, but Bleakwind Storm has higher accuracy. Focus Blast allows Tornadus to better hit Rock-types like Diancie as well as Dark-types like Incineroar, but Heat Wave gives it a more reliable way of taking out Steel-types such as Copperajah and Registeel. Dark Pulse lets Tornadus hit Wind Rider Brambleghast and the Fighting-neutral Bronzong super effectively, which could potentially wall Tornadus otherwise. Alternatively, Tera Blast Steel can be run to super effectively hit Diancie, which would wall Tornadus pretty well otherwise, as well as letting Tornadus KO Brambleghast. Tera Steel also means Tornadus can take attacks like Inteleon's Ice Beam, Cinccino's Tail Slap, and Munkidori's Psychic, giving it an easier time setting up and firing off attacks. Tera Ground, on the other hand, allows Tornadus to better take on Rock- and Electric-types like Diancie and Kilowattrel. Tera Dark can also potentially be used, as it boosts Dark Pulse and allows Tornadus to have an easier time breaking through Uxie and Bronzong.
Tornadus enjoys partners like Diancie, Munkidori, Uxie, Calm Mind Scream Tail, and Porygon-Z, as they can help to overwhelm shared Steel-type checks like Bronzong, Copperajah, and Registeel. Cinccino is also quite good at this, and it can remove entry hazards for Tornadus, letting it comfortably run a different item. Pokemon like Diancie, Toxtricity, and Weakness Policy Incineroar help bring in Fighting- and Ground-types like Breloom, Flygon, and Swampert, which all give Tornadus free setup opportunities. Since Tornadus will most likely thud into and faint to a Steel- or Rock-type, a teammate like Chandelure, Breloom, Torterra, or Flygon works well to take advantage of the free entry they get afterwards. A dedicated lead like Booster Energy Scream Tail, Brambleghast, Eject Pack Flygon, or Focus Sash Infernape is also appreciated to help wear down Tornadus's checks like Diancie, Registeel, and Alolan Muk.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Sludge Bomb allows Tornadus to threaten Fairy-types like Sylveon, Florges, and Tera Fairy Galarian Slowbro, and it can usefully spread poison; however, Tornadus's other moves tend to provide more utility overall. Bulk Up sets can opt for Rest + Chesto Berry alongside Prankster so that they can set up many more times, but losing out on Defiant is quite detrimental with how common Intimidate is. A Choice Specs set with Hurricane / Focus Blast / Dark Pulse / U-turn can be run with Tornadus's enormous Special Attack and Speed as well as its access to pivoting, but its reliance on inaccurate moves can make it inconsistent at times. Tornadus can trade out Rain Dance and Damp Rock for Snowscape, Sunny Day, or Sandstorm and its respective weather-elongating item depending on what weather team it's being run on, but non-rain weather teams aren't as consistent overall.
Checks and Counters
====
**Electric-types**: Bellibolt, Rotom-H, Raikou, and Kilowattrel all can take on Tornadus's Hurricane and Acrobatics and retaliate with super effective STAB attacks. On top of that, they can all use Tornadus for momentum, Bellibolt can spread status with Toxic, Rotom-H and Raikou can set up, and Raikou and Kilowattrel outspeed it naturally. However, they can be easily caught off-guard by Tera Ground, and Bellibolt and Raikou must be wary of Tera Blast Ground.
**Steel-types**: Copperajah, Registeel, and Bronzong can take multiple hits from Tornadus, and they can capitalize on this by setting up entry hazards or boosting their stats. However, the former two need to watch out for common super effective coverage moves, the latter needs to be cautious of Knock Off, and they all have to watch out for Heat Wave.
**Rock-types**: Minior, Drednaw, and Diancie can use Tornadus as setup fodder or an opportunity to set up their hazards. However, the latter two need to watch out for super effective coverage moves.
**Ice-types**: While Alolan Ninetales isn't insanely bulky, it can almost always take one attack from Tornadus, especially from physically oriented sets, and retaliate with a powerful Blizzard. Alolan Ninetales also sets snow, forcing Tornadus to set up rain again. Similarly, physical Tornadus sets struggle to get past Avalugg. However, special attacking Tornadus sets with moves like Hurricane, Bleakwind Storm, and Heat Wave can get past Avalugg without too much of an issue.
**Stealth Rock**: Tornadus tends to prefer items other than Heavy-Duty Boots, as they can provide more utility. However, this causes Stealth Rock to be an enormous issue, and with how often certain Tornadus sets love to switch in and out, the damage can rack up quickly.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/lucario.189361/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Last edited:
