Ting-Lu, the Ruinous Pokémon. The fear poured into an ancient ritual vessel has clad itself in rocks and dirt to become a Pokémon. It slowly brings its exceedingly heavy head down upon the ground, splitting the earth open with huge fissures that run over 160 feet deep.

Overview

The Vessel of Ruin, Ting-Lu indeed inspires the fear of its legend, as an inexorable behemoth that can weather some of the most titanic assaults. Ting-Lu is exemplary as a bulky Ground type, which is surprising given it is a role with no shortage of excellent Pokémon like Great Tusk, Landorus-Therian, Gliscor, Quagsire and Clodsire. Ting-Lu compares to its contemporaries in sheer bulk. 155 HP and 125 Defense outclasses even Dondozo in physical hit taking ability and one of the highest in the game. What makes Ting-Lu truly stand out is its special hit taking ability. While Base 80 Special Defensive is pitifully average, Ting-Lu’s mammoth HP and its signature ability Vessel of Ruin means Ting-Lu can readily absorb special attacks almost as well as physical. Ting-Lu emphasizes all this bulk with a brutal hazard game, able to easily set Spikes and Stealth Rocks and then rack up damage with Whirlwind while denying boosting sweepers from breaking through Ting-Lu. Ting-Lu isn’t all that passive either, with Base 110 Attack and STAB Earthquake hitting hard and Dark STAB being hard to resist in general. Ting-Lu’s ability to force damage goes even beyond that with the reliable HP halving from Ruination.

Despite Ting-Lu’s frankly absurd bulky by all measures, there are several flaws in this vessel. Ground Dark, while possessing valuable resistances to Rock, Electric, Ghost and Dark, is littered with common weaknesses in Grass, Water, Ice, Fighting, and Fairy, preventing Ting-Lu from flat out walling everything in its path and making it a common Terastalization sink. Lack of reliable recovery outside of Rest is also agonizing, limiting the number of times Ting-Lu can come in and struggle in longer drawn-out battles. Base 45 speed is atrocious, turning Ting-Lu into dead weight once its HP drops low as it rarely acts before any of its opponents, though the synergies with Whirlwind and Payback are valuable. Ting-Lu is far from the only popular Ground or Dark type around, and as a result many teams are often packing several answers for Ting-Lu. Ting-Lu also struggles to fit every move it would like in a set, leaving it commonly walled, especially if it runs mono-type coverage. This has not stopped Ting-Lu from being the backbone of many a team, and a clear standout in a role already filled with excellent Pokémon.
Positives
155/125/80 Defenses with Vessel of Ruin grants Ting-Lu unparalleled hit taking ability, requiring super effective or absurdly powerful special attacks to deal significant damage.
Base 110 Attack is decent, and with powerful Ground and Dark STABs prevents Ting-Lu from being passive.
Good disruptive movepool, with hazards, trapping and pHazing to harry the opposing team.

Negatives
Ground Dark offers a litany of weaknesses to threaten Ting-Lu, lessening its fantastic defenses.
No reliable recovery outside of Rest means Ting-Lu is prone to being worn down and can start to struggle in longer games.
Poor Base 45 Speed means Ting-Lu is often hit before acting, further lessening its bulk.

Movesets

Hazard Horror

-Spikes
-Stealth Rock
-Whirlwind
-Earthquake
Ability: Vessel of Ruin
Item: Leftovers
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature

Ting-Lu’s incredible bulk and access to Whirlwind make it an ideal hazard setter, able to setup Stealth Rocks or multiple layers of Spikes repeatedly despite opposing hazard removal. Spikes is wicked, as at three layers strips away a fourth of their max HP from every grounded Pokémon upon switch in, punishing pivoting and markedly reducing the durability of every exposed Pokémon on the opposing team. Stealth Rocks is much less of a time investment, but no less impactful, hitting every Pokémon and offering some chip damage, especially against the Flying types immune to Ting-Lu’s Earthquake. Whirlwind pairs wonderfully with this set, punishing opponents looking to use Ting-Lu’s hazard setting as a setup opportunity, preventing such Pokémon from using boosts to break through Ting-Lu and force their teammates onto the bed of nails Ting-Lu has setup. If exceptionally lucky, Ting-Lu can preemptively compromise what should be a late game cleaner like Kingambit, or force in a Pokémon it utterly walls like Raging Bolt, Kingambit, Gholdengo, Garchomp, Tyranitar and more. Earthquake prevents Ting-Lu from being Taunt bait and between Ground’s coverage, Earthquake’s high power and Ting-Lu’s good Attack can threaten good damage on a wide range of Pokémon, even 2HKOing targets as bulky as Iron Hands and Skeledirge.

Tera Types:
Ting-Lu is a common Terastalization target given how many weaknesses its base typing provides. However, one must avoid recklessly Terastalizing where switching would be more prudent as to not lose Ting-Lu’s valuable Electric immunity and Ghost and Dark resistances. When it is time to Terastalize Ting-Lu, Tera Poison is by far the most popular, giving immunity to Toxic, as well as resistance to Fighting, Grass, Bug and Fairy as well as neutrality to Ting-Lu’s other weaknesses. Tera Ghost is another strong consideration for this set for its ability to deny Rapid Spin, while warding Ting-Lu from Fighting and Bug attacks. Tera Steel is more niche, given the shared weakness to Fighting, but otherwise offers a bit of both worlds, stopping Mortal Spin and Toxic while offering resistance to Ice, Grass and Fairy.

EVs and Items:
Max HP and max Special Defense investment are recommended for this set to make Ting-Lu as generally bulky as possible. With Max Special Defense EVs and a Special Defense boosting nature, Ting-Lu can actually tank Special attacks slightly better than physical ones, which is already impressive, allowing Ting-Lu to endure huge swaths of attacks without any readily exposed weaknesses aside from its typing, allowing Ting-Lu to set and reset hazards as needed. Item is where Ting-Lu gets more flexible. Leftovers is preferred, the repeated healing a Ting-Lu’s massive HP adds up shockingly fast, making it that much harder to overwhelm. Heavy-Duty Boots also works well, given Ting-Lu’s lack of natural recovery meaning hazard damage from Stealth Rocks and especially Spikes adds up quickly. Red Card also works, pairing well with Ting-Lu’s hazard setting proclivities and allowing it pHaze for free without wasting a turn that could be dedicated to setting Hazards, or Earthquake. Sitrus Berry can be used in lieu of Leftovers for a one-time burst healing.

Partners:
: Ting-Lu is ironically rather exposed to entry hazards itself, so allies that can keep the Spikes and Rocks off are greatly appreciated so Ting-Lu can keep doing Ting-Lu things. Corviknight is fantastic at this, while being a great pivot with Ting-Lu appreciating its Electric Immunity while offering Ting-Lu a safe switch in for Grass and Fairy attacks. Skarmory also works well and can help stack hazards, opening a moveslot for Ting-Lu. Offensive attackers love Ting-Lu’s hazard setting support, pushing opponents into KO range and punishing defensive switching with the extra damage from hazards make their attacks sting even more. Dragonite is a consistent partner in crime for Ting-Lu as a result, with the repeated chip from hazards great for pushing foes into Extreme Speed range. Dragonite being able to switch into Grass, Fighting and Water attacks for Ting-Lu is a big help as well..

Other Options:
Ruination is a great consistency tool for Ting-Lu, as consistently ripping away half of a target’s HP does wonders in making them easier to KO later for both Ting-Lu and its teammates. Payback is the preferred Dark STAB for Ting-Lu, its low Speed making getting the power boost rather trivial. Heavy Slam is great if concerned about Flutter Mane and other lightweight Fairies like Enamorus. Rest is Ting-Lu's only method of recovery, though with the insane bulk it boasts, makes it quite viable, but is hard to fit room on a set with an Entry Hazard and Whirlwind, especially if running Sleep Talk as well.

Doubles and VGC Options

While defensive Pokémon often struggle to make an impact in Doubles due to passivity, Ting-Lu is certainly not one of them. Ting-Lu excels in Doubles much the same way it does in Singles, being an immovable wall that is able to force consistent damage on the opposing team between its potent Ground and Dark STABs alongside Ruination. Damage is not all Ting-Lu brings to the table, with Doubles format allowing Ting-Lu to weaponize its bulk in new and exciting ways. Fissure becomes a viable option in Ting-Lu’s hands, it being so bulky that it can afford to miss Fissure several times searching for that OHKO. Sand-Tomb offers trapping, while Snarl and Ting-Lu’s Vessel of Ruin grant special damage mitigation, enabling Ting-Lu to slow the pace of opposing team’s down to its own. Ting-Lu’s greatest asset is still its bulk; being the best Miraidon check around is certainly one thing, but Ting-Lu is fantastic at stifling many of the terrifying Specially oriented restricted Pokémon including Calyrex-Shadow Rider, Terapagos and with Terastalization, Kyogre. However, Ting-Lu’s many weaknesses do hold it back, especially to the near universal Urshifu, the near mandatory Grass picks like Rillaboom, and Ogerpon, Flutter Mane and even the Fairy coverage its favored targets love to run.

Sandman

-Sand Tomb
-Stealth Rock
-Ruination
-Protect
Ability: Vessel of Ruin
Item: Rocky Helmet
Tera Type: Fairy/Poison
EVs and Nature:
228 HP / 4 Atk / 36 Def / 236 SDef / 4 Spe
Impish Nature

This unique Ting-Lu set is meant to be paired with Dondozo to explicitly soften an opposing team up for Calyrex-Shadow Rider in the back to come out and execute a game ending sweep, with Ting-Lu's Vessel of Ruin acting as a Special based Intimidate to keep Dondozo around longer. Sand Tomb pairs incredibly with Dondozo's Yawn, trapping a target in for a guaranteed sleep, slowing the opponent down. With this extra time, Ting-Lu can setup Stealth Rocks. While entry hazards normally aren't as potent in doubles, especially the 4v4 format of VGC, there is still plenty of switching going on that Stealth Rocks directly punishes, especially Incineroar who is a common issue for Calyrex-Shadow Rider. With Stealth Rocks, Incineroar is greatly limited in the number of times it can switch in and Intimidate before being removed while other Pokémon that like to cycle Fake Outs like Rillaboom and Iron Hands alongside the Volt Switch spamming Specs Miraidon will find themselves being worn down into KO range from Shadow Rider. Ruination is a great tool for slashing a target's health, making it easy for Ting-Lu's partner to remove the target or set it up for an easy Grim Neigh boost for Calyrex-Shadow Rider, allowing it to snowball out of control. Protect remains the best move in Doubles, with endless utility from stalling out opposing field conditions like Tailwind, Trick Room, Screens, Weather, blanking Fake Out, scouting for Terastalizations and more, the utility of Protect is near indispensable.

The given EVs are to get the most out of Ting-Lu's bulk, allowing it to survive two Surging Strikes from Urshifu-Rapid after Terastalization, allowing Ting-Lu to rip Urshifu Rapid apart by being hit by it thanks to Rocky Helmet, as well as constantly punishing Fake Out users into Ting-Lu as well as any damage that Incineroar might do. The heavy investment in Special Defense is necessary to avoid being 2HKO'd by Specs Miraidon's Dazzling Gleam, non-Life Orb Raging Bolt's Draco Meteor, and a 3HKO from Terapagos-Stellar's Tera Starstorm. Tera Fairy is recommended here, granting a resistance to Fighting while maintaining Ting-Lu's resistance for Dark as a pivot option for Calyrex-Shadow Rider. Tera Poison remains a good option, the resistances to Fairy, Fighting, and Grass being relevant in mosts matches.

Other Options:
This set is explicitly meant to be paired with Dondozo for the synergy between Sand Tomb and Yawn. Dondozo adores Vessel of Ruin helping accommodate for its atrocious Special Defense, and can take advantage of the free turns from Sleep and its own massive bulk to fish for OHKOs from Fissure. While this set is meant to work with Calyrex-Shadow Rider, both Calyrex forms love Ruination support as that pushes many Pokémon into KO range from Astral Barrage/Glacial Lance allowing for easy boosts that allow the two Calyrex to spiral out of control. Other offensive Pokémon like Urshifu, Ogerpon, Raging Bolt, and Zamazenta also do well, able to take advantage of the obscene chip that Ting-Lu throws around to clean up the tattered remains of the opposing team. Throat Chop is reliable Dark STAB for Ting-Lu, allowing it to reliably threaten opposing Calyrex Shadow Rider while the rider effect is helpful in shutting down Incineroar's Parting Shot along with Ursaluna Bloodmoon's Hyper Voice. While much slower than most Taunt users, Ting-Lu's durability makes it reliable at getting up Taunt while avoiding Prankster Taunts thanks to its Dark typing.

A Drink of Earth

-Snarl
-Ruination
-Stomping Tantrum
-Heavy Slam
Ability: Vessel of Ruin
Item: Assault Vest
Tera Type: Poison
EVs and Nature:
100 HP / 156 Atk / 252 SDef
Brave Nature

Assault Vest pushes Ting-Lu's special bulk to the extreme, allowing it to take even Specs Miraidon's terrifying Draco Meteors, and if Terastalized, Mystic Water Kyogre's Water Spouts. It cannot be understated how much special bulk Ting-Lu brings to the table with this set and how adept it is at checking such Special Attackers thanks to Snarl, cupping up the storm so its allies can strike back. Defense isn't all this Ting-Lu is up to; with Ruination, even the bulkiest of Pokémon like Calm Mind Terapagos and IronPress Zamazenta can find their hit taking ability compromised with their HP halved, making it more difficult for such teams to play the long game. Stomping Tantrum is the preferred Ground STAB, being single target and being possible to get boosted in VGC thanks to the prevalence of Fake Out, and Ground's wide coverage allows Ting-Lu to hit important targets like Miraidon, Raging Bolt, Incineroar, Iron Hands, Chi-Yu, etc. Heavy Slam is the preferred secondary STAB. Many of Ting-Lu's preferred targets (Miraidon, Calyrex-Shadow Rider, and Raging Bolt) very commonly run Tera Fairy, and Heavy Slam is a direct way to punish them on top of obliterating Flutter Mane.

Poison is recommended as the Tera Type, its resistance to Fighting invaluable in staving off the near universal Urshifu and the Iron Hands that commonly accompanies Miraidon as well as providing a Fairy resistance to handle Miraidon's and Calyrex-Shadow Riders Fairy coverage. Max Special Defense investment is recommended, allowing Ting-Lu to best take the special attacks it is called upon to handle, while some HP investment shores that up. 156 Attack EVs allows Ting-Lu to reliably 2HKO Miraidon and Raging Bolt with Stomping Tantrum while OHKOing Chi-Yu. An Attack boosting nature is necessary for those 2HKOs and tightens up the damage ranges if Miraidon and Raging Bolt Terastalize. Brave Nature is good if running or to counter opposing Trick Room setups, allowing Ting-Lu to outslow Iron Hands and Calyrex-Ice Rider in such circumstances..

Other Options:
Bulky physically oriented restricted Pokémon like Zamazenta and Calyrex-Ice Rider love Ting-Lu for its ability to ward off special attacks and keep them around longer, though it goes further than that. Both have poor matchups into Ghost types, which Ting-Lu with its Dark typing handles readily. Ruination also pairs wonderfully with their game plans, making it easy for Calyrex-Ice Rider to spiral out of control by picking off half health targets with Glacial Lance while Zamazenta has a much easier time reaching KOs after Ruination with Body Press. Damage mitigating partners do a lot to make Ting-Lu seemingly immortal. Rillaboom is a key example of this, the passive recovery from Grassy Terrain being immense and Ting-Lu adoring Rillaboom checking Urshifu Rapid and Kyogre and weakening Miraidon’s potent STABs while Rillaboom in turn benefits from the blanket Special Attack reduction. Cresselia is also notable, its Lunar Blessing helping Ting-Lu shrug off burns while its Psychic STAB and good coverage address the Fighting types Ting-Lu struggles with and Levitate is invaluable covering for Ting-Lu’s Ground weakness if it Terastalizes. Fissure can be considered over Ruination. With Ting-Lu’s supreme bulk, landing Fissure it is a matter of when, not if, and directly removing a team’s options makes it easier for Ting-Lu’s partners to clean up.

Countering Ting-Lu

Any effort to remove Ting-Lu begins and ends with its titanic bulk, as the longer Ting-Lu stays out, the more damage it can pile onto your team. It may be basic, but strong super effective attacks are often the way to go against Ting-Lu, as even if Ting-Lu survives (which it often does), the resulting damage often compromises Ting-Lu to the point where it can’t perform its duties any more due to its poor speed. Assuming Max Special Defense investment, Banded Palafin and Banded Rillaboom are the only two Pokémon that can reliably OHKO Ting-Lu, though Barraskewda and Basculegion can manage in the Rain. Other attackers that get close include Banded Weavile, Life Orb Blaziken, Power Whip Ogerpon, Slither Wing, Chien-Pao, Banded Great Tusk, and Banded Meowscarada. Note that none of these attackers get close without exploiting one of Ting-Lu’s weaknesses, so a quick Terastalization is more than sufficient for Ting-Lu to turn the matchup on its head. Entry Hazards, especially Spikes, are invaluable in dealing with Ting-Lu if it isn’t running Heavy Duty Boots. The hazard damage inflicted is significant, making it far easier to reach KO thresholds and decreases the number of times Ting-Lu can switch in safely. Other answers to Ting-Lu are dependent on the set. Whirlwind sets are far more exposed to status like Burns and Toxic that wholly ruin their hit taking ability. Moltres is a key example of an excellent candidate to Burn Ting-Lu as Ting-Lu rarely has anything more dangerous than Ruination for Moltres, though Moltres’ inability to significantly damage Ting-Lu does give it more time for entry hazards. Gliscor is a good Toxic user that ruins Ting-Lu, with Ruination being nearly negligible thanks to Poison Heal and Roost while being immune to Earthquake. Whirlwind sets are also far more vulnerable to being worn down over time. Conversely, Rest sets are more vulnerable to setup sweepers, due to their inability to directly remove them and Rest offers a massive opportunity for such sweepers to setup semi-safely. IronPress Corviknight, IronPress Zamazenta, Swords Dance Ogerpon, Dragon Dance Dragonite, and Calm Mind Enamorus all ignore Ground STAB and can use Ting-Lu to escalate out of control, though a Ruination landing can make follow up dicey. Flying types in general can be used to check Ting-Lu as it rarely runs any offensive moves outside of STABs and its Dark STAB is noticeably weaker than its Earthquake, while only having to fear Stealth Rocks.

Anime Appearences

Ting-Lu has yet to make an appearance in the anime. # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics