Tyranitar Best Moveset and Build

With amazing stats and powerful Ability, Tyranitar can be a tyrant on the battlefield. Read on to find out the best build, the best moveset, basic information, stats and recommended partners for Tyranitar in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP).

Tyranitar - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Tyranitar Best Build and Moveset

Choice Band Tyranitar

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Tyranitar	Sand Stream	Choice Band	・Stone Edge ・Crunch ・Earthquake ・Fire Fang
Nature / EVs	Adamant 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Final Stats	207 HP / 204 Atk / 130 Def / 121 SpD / 81 Spe

Choice Band further pushes Tyranitar's already impressive damage output to otherworldly levels. Its mediocre Speed stat however, needs help in the form of Speed Control. Teammates who can paralyze opponents, set up Tailwind or Sticky Web are great partners for this Tyranitar, allowing it to sweep effectively.

Fire Fang is the set's coverage move of choice because it lets Tyranitar hit Steel and Grass-types for huge damage.

Dragon Dance Tyranitar

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Tyranitar	Sand Stream	Lum Berry	・Stone Edge ・Crunch ・Earthquake ・Dragon Dance
Nature / EVs	Jolly 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Final Stats	175 HP / 186 Atk / 130 Def / 121 SpD / 124 Spe (186 after 1 Dragon Dance)

Tyranitar has a whopping stat total of 600, with its Speed being its worse stat. One way to get around this weakness is with Dragon Dance. One Dragon Dance can position Tyranitar to sweep. With a powerful STAB moves in Stone Edge and Crunch as well as Ground-type coverage in Earthquake, Tyranitar becomes very difficult to stop once it gets going.

One Dragon Dance lets Tyranitar outspeed Pokemon with base 115 Speed or slower.

Choice Scarf Tyranitar

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Tyranitar	Sand Stream	Choice Scarf	・Stone Edge ・Crunch ・Earthquake ・Ice Fang
Nature / EVs	Jolly 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Final Stats	175 HP / 186 Atk / 130 Def / 121 SpD / 124 Spe (186 with Choice Scarf)

With a Jolly Nature and Choice Scarf, Tyranitar can outspeed and knock out Pokemon with base 115 speed or slower. Most notably Azelf, Gengar, Latios, and Starmie, all of which take super-effective damage from Crunch.

This Tyranitar set finds itself lacking the necessary firepower to consistently score OHKO's on Pokemon that take neutral damage from it. Choice Scarf Tyranitar best serves as a check to Psychic-type Pokemon.

It is important to note that this Tyranitar cannot outspeed Alakazam, which will always knock it out with a super-effective Focus Blast even in a Sandstorm.

List of All Pokemon by Speed Stat

Using Tyranitar

It is important to have a firm grasp of Speed Tiers in order to play Tyranitar effectively. Knowing what you outspeed with Choice Scarf or after a Dragon Dance can often decide whether or not your Tyranitar will be able to get any offense in. Having good defensive switches in the back is also really good for Tyranitar. Tyranitar will often need to switch out because of its plethora of weaknesses.

Teammates who can handily check Fighting-types are greatly appreciated by Tyranitar. Positioning it to sweep after a Dragon Dance is a solid gameplan as well.

Other Viable Moves

Rock Slide	More accurate and less powerful than Stone Edge, Rock Slide is a decent Rock-type move option if you want a more accurate move with a flinch chance.
Fire Blast	Tyranitar's decent Special Attack stat allows it to run Special Attacking or Mixed sets that take advantage of its Special Attacking movepool. Fire Blast is great for damaging Steel-types like Skarmory and Lucario.
Thunder Fang	Use Thunder Fang against common Bulky Water-types.
Thunder Wave	Thunder Wave can be an unexpected form of Speed Control for Tyranitar.

Tyranitar Basic Information

Tyranitar - Type

Tyranitar Armor Pokémon
Type 1	Type 2

Tyranitar Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage

Tyranitar Abilities

Name	Description
Sand Stream	The Pokemon summons a sandstorm in battle.

Tyranitar Hidden Ability

Name	Description
Unnerve	Makes the foe nervous and unable to eat Berries.

Tyranitar Base Stats

HP	100
Atk	134
Def	110
Sp. Atk	95
Sp. Def	100
Speed	61
Total Base Stats	600

Tyranitar Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths	Weaknesses
✔︎ High overall base stats. ✔︎ Has a very strong Ability. ✔︎ Difficult to wall.	✖︎ Has plenty of weaknesses, and a glaring Fighting-type weakness. ✖︎ Mediocre Speed stat.

Tyranitar's Massive Stats

Tyranitar boasts an impressive stat total of 600, and stellar stat distribution. Its defenses and monstrous Attack stat make it so Tyranitar lives up to its name, being a tyrant on the field. Its worst stat, its Speed, has a number of work arounds.

Tyranitar's Sand Stream

Its Sand Stream Ability gives it and other Rock-types a Special Defense boost It also deals incremental damage to Pokemon who are not Rock, Ground, or Steel. Being able to tank Special Attacks is valuable for any Pokemon, and Sand Stream lets Tyranitar achieve this.

Counter Tyranitar by Attacking It for Super-Effective Damage

Tyranitar takes x4 super-effective damage from Fighting-type attacks, and most Fighting-type Pokemon naturally outspeed it.

Pokemon	Description
Breloom	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Naturally outspeeds Tyranitar. ・Can threaten super-effective damage from its Fighting-type or Grass-type moves.
Lucario	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Naturally outspeeds Tyranitar. ・Can threaten super-effective damage from its Fighting-type or Steel-type moves.
Heracross	Ranking：★★★★★ ・Naturally outspeeds Tyranitar. ・Can threaten super-effective damage from its Fighting-type or Bug-type moves

Tyranitar's Type Weaknesses

Tyranitar is weak 4x weak to Fighting-type moves, and is 2x weak to Water, Grass, Ground, Bug, Steel, and Fairy-type moves.

Be aware of offensive Pokemon that are faster than Tyranitar as they will surely use Fighting-type moves to eliminate it immediately.

Best Natures for Tyranitar

Best Natures
Adamant (Atk↑ Sp. Atk↓)	Jolly (Spe↑ Sp. Atk↓)

What are Natures?

Best Partners for Tyranitar

Gyarados

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Attacks
Gyarados	Intimidate	Sitrus Berry	・Waterfall ・Ice Fang ・Crunch ・Dragon Dance
Nature / EVs	Jolly 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stats	171 HP / 177 Atk / 99 Def / 120 SpD / 146 Spe

Gyarados can switch into a super-effective move intended for Tyranitar and resist them thanks to its typing. Its Intimidate Ability is also very good for mitigating damage. Setting up a Dragon Dance after a defensive switch is often a great play, because Gyarados also has a good number of resistances.

Latios

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Moves
Latios	Levitate	Life Orb	・Draco Meteor ・Ice Beam ・Psychic ・Energy Ball
Nature / EVs	Timid 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Final Stats	154 HP / 101 Def / 182 SpA / 130 SpD / 178 Spe

Latios has a positive matchup against most Fighting-types, being able to outspeed them and threaten them with powerful STAB Psychics.

Pokemon BDSP Related Guides

Tier List and Movesets for Competitive Battle

Strategies for Individual Pokemon

Competitive Pokemon Builds
Gyarados	Breloom	Gliscor
Scizor	Suicune	Latios
Garchomp	Gengar	Azumarill
Hippowdon	Mamoswine	Latias
Heatran	Blaziken	Wash Rotom
Metagross	Tyranitar	Dragonite
Togekiss	Cloyster	Salamence
Cresselia