#248 Tyranitar
Typing: Dark/Rock
Ability: Sand Stream- Summons permanent sand storm. Decreases wild encounter rate in sand storm.
100/134/110/95/100/61
WallTar
Tyranitar@Leftovers
Sassy/Sand Stream
92Hp/142Atk/76SpAtk/200SpDef
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
-Flamethrower
-Stone Edge
This set capitalizes on Tyranitars amazing special defense when boosted by his own self created sandstorm. Tyranitar hits 471 SpDef under sandstorm and his typing allows him to switch into many common threats with ease. Short of HP Fighting, Zapdos has nothing in it's arsenal that can break a Sub 100% of the time. A timid Zapdos HP Grass does a Max of 25.00% meaning it must roll absolute max damage to break a sub, and a Modest Zapdos only has a 37% chance of breaking it. Modest Life Orb Starmie manages 53% max with Surf and Non-Specs Heatran deals 32% max with Earth Power. Meanwhile you easily OHKO Zapdos with Stone Edge and Heatran with Focus Punch. The reason I chose Substitute and Focus punch rather than say Earthquake and another move is because Substitute allows you to easily scout incoming pokemon, like the ever present Scizor who would love to try and set up in your face. The 76 SpAtk EV's allow Tyranitar the ability to OHKO 252Hp/0SpDef Scizor 100% of the time. I chose to forgo the once important 404 HP and subsequent 101 subs because the onlyt thing that ever used Seismic Toss, Blissey, now commonly runs Flamethrower and Ice Beam as it's only attacks to deal with Scizor and Salamence, and without multiple boosts neither of these moves can ever hope to break Tyranitar's Substitutes anyways. Other common threats this set deals with well are Jolteon, Togekiss(even a Max attack Aura Sphere wont OHKO you) Magnezone and even Vaporeon, easily taking any of their attacks and OHKOing(2HKOing in Vaporeon's case, who will always fail to 2HKO you with Surf)
Choice Band
Tyarantar@Choice Band
Adamant/Sand Stream
176Hp/252Atk/80Spe
-Stone Edge
-Pursuit
-Crunch
-Aqua Tail/Earthquake
CB Tyranitar is a monster, 2HKOing and OHKOing many threats with easy and with the addition of Aqua Tail to has only made it more fearsome. With Aqua Tail and a Choice Band Tyranitar can now 2HKO Max HP/Max Defense Hippowdon as well as Max/Max Gliscor. 80 Speed EV's allow you to out speed Skarmory that don't invest in Speed at all, allowing you to hit it hard with Stone Edge before it roosts. Crunch hits Cresselia hard and Pursuit hits it even harder if it thinks it can get away. Earthquake is listed as an option if Aqua Tail's shaky accuracy turns you off, allowing you to easily tear through Magnezone and deal huge damage to Scizor, however it will leave you walled by the aforementioned Hippowdon and Gliscor, though Gliscor can fair well even against Aqua Tail with Sand Veil decreasing the accuracy even further.
Lead Tar
Tyrantar@Lum Berry
Sassy/Careful/Sand Stream
240HP/36Atk/48 Def/184 SpD
-Taunt/Substitute
-Thunder
-Fire Punch
-Crunch
This Tyranitar is designed to defeat most of the commonly used leads in the OU metagame, specifically, Bronzong, Gengar and Gyarados. Lum Berry helps this take a Sleep-inducing move, so Tyranitar can then deal with Gengar, Roserade, Yanmega and Bronzong.
Thunder is a good choice on this Tyranitar to deal with Gyarados. The reason Thunder is chosen over Stone Edge, in spite of the accuracy issues, is that Thunder has a chance to OHKO offensive Gyarados, while Stone Edge will not. Fire Punch is chosen over Fire Blast because Fire Punch has a chance to OHKO Roserade, while Fire Blast will not. Substitute is certainly a viable option over Taunt, as it will prevent most Bronzong from lowering Tyranitar's HP significantly, as Gyro Ball will do less than 25%, and it will give Tyranitar the advantage should certain counters switch in (such as Lucario or Breloom).
401 HP and 310 Special Defense + Sandstorm allow Tyranitar to survive a 359 Special Attack Life Orb Gengar's Focus Blast over 97% of the time. 401 HP and 268 Defense allow Tyranitar to survive a Waterfall from a 383 Attack Choice Band Gyarados on average. If you elect to use Substitute, the 117 Speed is designed to minimize the damage Bronzong can do with Gyro Ball. With Tyranitar at 117 Speed, Bronzong's Gyro Ball will have a maximum power of 47, enough to never 4HKO this Tyranitar (assuming Bronzong has minimum Attack), which means Tyranitar can set up a Substitute that Bronzong can't break. Even if Bronzong runs 252 Attack EVs and Adamant nature, a 3HKO is only made possible if it manages to get maximum damage all three times; a highly unlikely scenario. There is also a slight EV change recommended if you opt for Substitute over Taunt. Instead of stopping at 401 HP, simply max out your HP to reach the crucial 404 HP in order to create Substitutes unbreakable by Seismic Toss or Night Shade. Take the 12 EVs necessary to do this from defense, giving you a final alternate spread of 252 HP/36 Atk/36 Def/184 SpDef.
Counter Tar
Tyranitar@Focus Sash
Adamant/Sand Stream
252Atk/252Spe/4SpDef
-Taunt
-Stealth Rocks
-Counter
-Crunch
An alternative Lead Tar, this set only really does one thing, but it does it well. Against slower leads like Bronzong, Taunt, set up Rocks then Counter whatever phsysical attack they throw at you. Crunch is for the likes of Azelf who usually pack taunt/rocks/special move of choice as Counter will do nothing to it. Alternatively you could use Stone Edge to hit Aerodactyl, but as it's unlikely that it will attempt to taunt you, Crunch is often the better option. Crunch also covers Gengar and Alakazam better and allows you to hit Rotom-A hard. This is a really simple set, but it works so well it just can't be ignored.
No EV's are placed into HP or Defense to encourage max damage from physical attacks to allow Max Damage from counter. With Max Attack Tyrantiar easily OHKO's Azelf(who dies to Sand Stream should it hold a focus sash) and can 2HKO Bronzong and Aerodactyl.
EV's
The EV's for the Choice Band set are fairly simple, max attack with just enough speed to out speed slower walls and the rest dumped int HP. For the special wall set the EV's can still be played around with a bit. The 92 HP can be moved around, maxing out SpDef and putting the rest into Atk will guarantee survival against more special attacks and OHKO's on even more pokemon like Bulky Zapdos when stealth rocks isn't in play. Counter Tar can move his Speed EV's into Special Defense as it's he has no other way of dealing with most of them. If you do keep at least 36 Speed EV's to out speed Vaporeon. For the Lead Tar just go with what's listed
Other Options
HP Grass is an option on the Special Wall set over Flamethrower, allowing you a 2HKO on Swampert. Ice Beam is also an option for Gliscor, however both will still leave you walled by Hippowdon without more EV investment. Fire Blast is an option on CB Tar for a OHKO on Scizor and a guaranteed 2HKO on Skarmory. A secondary attack can go over Stealth Rocks on the Counter set. Thunder lets you hit Gyarados hard should it try and set up in your face. Stone Edge covers Zapdos who otherwise doesn't fear counter. Fire Punch can deal with Roserade and Bronzong. The wall set can actually run any move over Focus Punch, special or physical. Crunch will allow you to take on Celebi and Cresselia more easily, Ice Beam can deal with Gliscor and Hippowdon if you drop more EV's into SpAtk(a 0 EV Stone Edge still 2HKO's Bulky Zapdos and OHKO's Sweeper Zapdos with stealth rocks up)
Counters
Bulky Grounds counter the Special Wall set well. Hippowdon, Gliscor and Swampert all have very little to fear from it, as do Celebi and Cresselia. While dangerous, Gliscor can come in on the CB set and hope Sand Veil keeps it safe from Aqua Tails rather poor accuracy. Metagross can take even a CB Crunch and scare off TTar with STAB Meteor Mash. Counter Tar is harder to counter as it really just wants to die. Bulky Waters do well as long as they aren't packing physical moves.
Written by Pink Reaper