[SET]
Haxorus @ Loaded Dice / Life Orb / Dragonium Z / Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Swords Dance / Dragon Dance
Scale Shot / Outrage
Close Combat
Earthquake / Poison Jab
[SET COMMENTS]
Haxorus occupies a unique niche as a set-up sweeper with advantageous match-ups into balance and stall thanks to its excellent Attack stat and Mold Breaker ability. This niche allows Haxorus to differentiate itself from more consistent set-up sweepers in the tier like Mega Altaria, Mega Aerodactyl, Aegislash, Excadrill, and Iron Boulder. The choice to run Swords Dance or Dragon Dance is team specific: Swords Dance Haxorus maximises Haxorus's damage output allowing it to achieve feats such as getting a 2HKO on Skarmory; Dragon Dance Haxorus trades sheer damage for Speed which is relevant in helping it outspeed threats such as Mega Latias, non-Battle Bond Greninja and non-Booster Energy Iron Moth. Scale Shot is the preferred STAB move for the Loaded Dice Swords Dance set, and allows Haxorus to outspeed would-be revenge-killers and break sashes. Outrage is the preferred STAB move for all other sets due to its high power. Close Combat provides solid neutral coverage with Dragon-type STAB by giving it a strong hit on Steel-types like Scizor, Excadrill, and Celesteela. Earthquake nails non-Air Balloon Aegislash for super effective damage while also sniping Rotom-Wash. Alternatively, Poison Jab offers super effective coverage for Fairy-types like Enamorus, Tapu Fini, and Clefable. Dragonium-Z gives Haxorus access to Devastating Drake which provides it a one-time nuke into neutral walls like Mega Venusaur and Skeledirge - and can help it ignore the drawbacks of locking into Outrage or proccing Rockey Helmet early in a sweep. Life Orb bolsters Haxorus's damage output even further - allowing Dragon Dance Haxorus to 2HKO Skarmory and Swords Dance Haxorus to OHKO Celesteela with minimal chip. Focus Sash is useful for Haxorus on offense as it allows Haxorus to get free set-up on attacks that would otherwise KO it like... Lum Berry allows Haxorus to set up on defensive Pokemon that have potential to cripple it with status like Slowbro, Rotom-Wash and Clefable. A Jolly nature is preferred over Adamant on Haxorus, as this ensures it outspeed Excadrill and Speed-invested Rotom-Wash and Tapu Fini. Haxorus finds a place on aggressive offensive teams where it is a valuable asset in helping break through bulkier team styles that often give these archetypes issues.
role that the Pokemon plays
- Stallbreaker extraordinaire come sweeper
- coverage moves that affect its role
- Scale Shot --> SD sets; Outrage on DD or with Dragonium SD sets. Scale shot also has the perk of breaking sashes.
- CC offers strong neutral coverage. Most notably you dent steel types like Skarmory and Celesteela, damage Ting-Lu and Tyranitar for massive damage, snipe Chansey/Blissey w/o lowering defense or locking into outrage
- EQ, also hits still types. Hits Rotom-Wash for super-effective damage thanks to Mold Breaker. Hits Aegislash.
- Poison Jab for fairies (enamorus, Tapu fini, clefable)
- Item choice
- Loaded Dice - hit 4 times w/ Scale Shot this lets you do extra damage vs xyz
- Dragonium-Z- one time nuke that lets it ignore the drawbacks to Outrage. Useful vs neutral targets that can like +1 or +2 hit like Slowbro
- Focus Sash -- helps in the mu against offense by letting you get guaranteed set up
- Life Orb - increased damage output. this lets you do extra damage vs xyz
- Lum Berry - 1 time cure vs status. Useful in a pinch vs stall
- EV spread in one sentence or less
- Maximum Speed and Maximum attack investment ensures that Haxorus is as strong and fast as possible. Jolly nature is preferred over Adamant to outspeed Excadrill and speed-invested Rotom-Wash.
- Why is this niche?
- Haxorus does see competition w/ other Pokemon that can potentially break through defensive teams like Iron Hands.
- It's also frail and sits at an awkward speed stat -- making it outsped by a lot of scarfers
- Not much use defensively -- ur not switching into Poison STAB from Iron Moth and Mega Venu, V-create from Victini prolly does a lot, etc.
- Competes as a Dragon Dancer with Mega Altaria and the occasional Salamence
- brief example of teammates that benefit from the Pokemon's presence
- Pokemon that really like Stall breakers
- Breaks thru unaware mons, thus aiding fellow sweepers
- brief example of foes that the Pokemon is vulnerable to + teammates to help cover them
- Physically defensive walls can still slow you down - twave, scald burns etc.
- Hazards
- Revenge killers - Scarf Enam outspeeds. Scarf Fini lives and can threaten massive damage. Scarf Zapdos-Galar, Scarf hydreigon.
- Priority -- mainly from Scizor, Aegislash and Bisharp -- pick off mid sweep. First Impression from Lokix also does a lot.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/velcroc.391284/
Quality checked by:
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Grammar checked by:
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