Tyranitar

Popular pick

rock dark

Strategies

What it does

Sand Stream sets permanent sandstorm on entry. Tyranitar's Special Defense doubles under sand. Rock Slide hits both opponents and has a 30% flinch chance each. It chips opposing teams passively while being nearly unkillable on the special side.

Why it's threatening

Sand chip removes 1/16 HP per turn from anything that isn't Rock, Ground, or Steel — that's free damage that accumulates over long games and forces opponents to win faster than they want to. Tyranitar's own bulk under sand means it absorbs special hits that would KO most Pokémon.

How to stop it

Meta answers

Garchomp

Rotom-Wash

Venusaur

Excadrill

Fighting, Ground, Grass, Water, Bug, and Fairy all deal 2× damage — it has five or more common weaknesses. Target it with whichever coverage you already have. Excadrill is immune to sand chip and hits back hard with Ground moves; Venusaur threatens 2× Grass STAB while ignoring sand chip on its Grass type.

Found in these teams

Control

Redirect, pivot, and chip — out-resource the opponent turn by turn.