Landorus, the Abundance Pokémon. When the incarnations of wind and of lightning clash, Landorus arrives to quell the conflict. After the tempests and thunderbolts abate, the land is sure to be blessed with bountiful harvests.
Overview
Landorus Incarnate may lack the fame its Therian form has, but shockingly, remains a potent force in its own right. Good offenses, Sheer Force and a movepool that can heavily exploit both turn Landorus Incarnate into a fearsome wallbreaker, able to repeatedly strink at a target’s weakpoints. Good base 101 Speed means it isn’t just defensive Pokémon that fall prey to Landorus Incarnate. Many offensive targets fall short of this threshold as well and are easy pickings for Landorus Incarnate. And an excellent typing gives Landorus Incarnate several opportunities to pivot in safely making it near impossible to out pressure.
Which make’s Landorus Incarnate’s flaws much more apparent. Losing Hidden Power in the generational shift and still not having a Flying STAB that can abuse Sheer Force prevents it from hitting every target it would like to. Landorus Incarnate’s reliance on Sheer Force+Life Orb is another sticking point, as without both boosts, Landorus Incarnate’s power is no where near as impressive, constraining movesets, and making it more predictable. And while Ground Flying provides incredibly valuable immunities, it also adds several very common weaknesses that can constrain team building and limit Landorus Incarnate’s defensive utility. In the end, Landorus Incarnate remains a force of nature that can and will rend teams asunder.
Positives
Base 125/115 Offenses bolstered by Sheer Force enables Landorus Incarnate to hit very hard.
Good offensive movepool providing great coverage and utility and equal measure.
Base 101 speed clears the base 100 threshold, enabling Landorus Incarnate to outspeed many very important targets.
Ground Flying typing provides valuable immunities and resilience against entry hazards
Negatives
Ground Flying typing also provides very common weaknesses further worsened by average bulk
Attacks are much less impressive if not getting the Sheer Force + Life Orb boost.
Lacks a viable Flying STAB
Movesets
Power of the Land
-Earth Power
-Sludge Wave
-Knock Off
-U-Turn
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Naďve Nature
Wallbreaker Landorus-Incarnate utilizes its excellent coverage and movepool to rend opposing Pokémon apart. Sheer Force boosted Earth Power is an incredibly strong attack, hitting most defensive Steel and Poison types on their oft weaker Special Defense in addition to the great coverage it provides. Sludge Wave punishes Grass types that don’t mind Earth Power as well as the many Fairy types running around. Knock Off synergizes well with this set, removing many defensive tools Pokémon use to stay healthy. Removing a Chansey’s Eviolite, a Conkeldurr’s Assault Vest, a Corviknight’s leftovers, etc. all makes them more manageable. Landorus Incarnate also acts as an excellent lure for Defog users, drawing them in with Earth Power, before Knocking Off their Heavy Duty Boots, limiting in how they can function. U-Turn rounds out the set, giving Landorus Incarnate a powerful pivoting and scouting option while not letting down on the momentum.
DYNAMAX:
Landorus Incarnate is not an ideal candidate for Dynamaxing. Sheer Force does not pair well with Dynamax, as no Max move gets the Sheer Force boost, so the power at best breaks even when non Dynamaxed. However, Sludge Wave being a mainstay on Landorus Incarnate’s set ensures it has reliable access to Max Ooze giving Landorus a boosting option to escalate if need be.
EVs and Items
Max Speed and Special Attack to maximize Landorus Incarnate’s attacking prowess. Attack investment is not recommended on the account that most physical attacks Landorus Incarnate prefers to use are for utility purposes and its higher base Attack compensates for the lack of investment. Life Orb is near mandatory, effectively giving a free boost when Sheer Force negates the side effects of a move along with Life Orb’s recoil. Choice Scarf is worth consideration to get the most out of Landorus Incarnate’s speed and give it a better option against more offensive teams.
Partners
Hazard setters like Necrozma Dusk Mane, Ferrothorn, and Cloyster all pair well with Landorus Incarnate, not only setting up the entry hazards that makes Landorus-Incarnate’s wall breaking duties easier, but also being able to pivot into Landorus Incarnate’s weaknesses as well as the former and the latter drawing in Ground and Electric attacks respectively, giving Landorus Incarnate a free switch in. Regieleki makes for a great partner, forming a VoltTurn combo with Landorus, while drawing Ground moves that it can switch to Landorus freely on and outspeeds many naturally faster threats that Landorus struggles with, either crippling them or KOing them in turn. Allies that provide speed control, namely Sticky Web setters like Galvantula and Shuckle, Regieleki with Thunder Wave, etc. are greatly appreciated, improving Landorus’ matchup against faster teams./p>
Other Options
Fly -STAB dedicated Dynamax option, but Landorus Incarnate prefers its special attacks and Fly does not get the all important Sheer Force boost.
Superpower -destroys Blissey and Specially Defense Ferrothorn, who otherwise trouble Landorus Incarnate.
Focus Blast - Landorus Incarnate’s best option against the Flying Steel types who have the bulk to take Landorus Incarnate’s STABs and other coverage moves with ease.
Gravity -greatly improves the match up of most Flying type switch-ins, like Corviknight, Skarmory, Zapdos and Ho-oh while exposing the entire opposing team to entry hazards.
Rock Slide -excellent coverage with Earth Power and its physical attack compliments Earth Power’s special attack well, taking out key sponges like Volcarona and Ho-oh.
Grass Knot -when you want to ruin Kyogre and Groudon’s day.
Calm Mind + Rock Polish -boosting options that patch up Landorus Incarnate’s power and speed, but it struggles to fit them in and due to its bulk has few opportunities to setup.
Countering Landorus
Skarmory, Corviknight and Celesteela are as close as you can get to a Landorus Incarnate counter, taking pittance from all but the rare Gravity and Focus Blast.
Lugia’s titanic bulk and propensity for Ice Beam makes it another reliable answer for Landorus-Incarnate, though ideally it should come in with Multiscale intact as two Rock Slides can still do considerable damage.
Ice Shard users like Mamoswine and Banded Weavile can easily OHKO Landorus-Incarnate with priority, giving it no chance to respond, but cannot switch in safely.
At the end of the day, faster revenge killers are the most reliable method to answer Landorus-Incarnate. Its moveset is too wide and varied to reliably guarantee anything else. Weavile, Alolan Ninetails, Barraskewda, Latios/Latias can all reliably outspeed and OHKO Landorus-Incarnate given the chance.
Overview
One of the best Pokémon in singles format, Landorus-Therian just keeps getting better with each passing generation. The loss of Hidden Power has been a true boon, cutting down on the number of Pokémon carrying Ice coverage just for it. Dynamax is another welcome change, not only giving a bulk increase to what was already a bulky Pokémon, but giving Landorus an incredible STAB in Max Airstream, giving it a badly needed speed boost on top of its phenomenal power. It is not just power than Landorus-T packing. Superb typing both offensively and defensively, access to the amazing Intimidate to push its bulk past average, and a wide movepool that includes numerous supportive tools allowing Landorus-T to fill a variety of roles. And this is not even accounting for a STAB Earthquake running of Base 145 Attack. Even uninvested, Landorus-Therian hits like a dump truck.
However, not all has been good for this agent of the land. While its defensive prowess and Intimidate make it incredibly valuable defensively, not getting Roost or any reliable recovery limits the number of times it can come in. Common weaknesses to Ice and Water mean that most opponents have a way to answer Landorus-T. And its middling Speed falls short of many offensive threats which leaves Landorus-T prone to being revenge killed and or forced out. In the end, Landorus-Therian was, is and likely will be the face of Singles battles for good reason.
PositivesBase 145 Attack alongside STAB Earthquake and Stone Edge is mind bogglingly powerful and difficult to resist.
Intimidate plus a bevy of resistances and immunities alongside decent bulk makes Landorus-Therian surprisingly bulky.
Movepool has a wide toolbox for every situation. Defog, U-Turn, Stealth Rocks, Knock Off, etc. give Landorus-Therian a spot on many teams.
Negatives
Common Water and Ice weaknesses strain teambuilding making it difficult to fit other excellent Pokémon alongside Landorus- Therian
Lack of Reliable Recovery prevents Landorus-T from taking repeated hits.
Base 91 Speed falls short of many other threats, making it relatively easy to force Landorus- Therian out
Movesets
Aegis on the Wind
--Earthquake
-U-Turn
-Stealth Rock
-Knock Off
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
Landorus-Therian's flagship bulky pivot set. Thanks to Intimidate and its good typing, Landorus-Therian can repeatedly come in and blunt physical blows for both itself and its entire team, before further disrupting the opponent or U-Turning out to another threat to capitalize on an opposing switch or the weakened target that stayed in. STAB Earthquake off of base 145 Attack is ludricous, preventing Landorus-Therian from being completely passive even with no offensive investment. U-Turn is essential, enabling Landorus-Therian to act as a pivot and maintaining momentum by chunking the opponent while pivoting. Stealth Rock takes advantage of the switches Landorus-Therian often forces to generate more advantage when it pivots out and thanks to Landorus-Therian's own bulk, it can reeastablish Stealth Rocks several times throughout the match. Knock Off adds more utility, removing opponents items while providing additional coverage and damage.
DYNAMAX:
This set does not like Dynamaxing. While Landorus-Therian most certainly enjoys the extra HP from Dynamaxing and the increased power on Max Quake, this set thrives on the utility of its moves, which are removed when it Dynamaxes.
EVs and Items
EVs are flexible depending on needs. The spread presented here emphasizes physical bulk, with enough speed to outspeed threats like neutral natured Bisharp and Volcanion and positive speed nature Magnezone and Clefable. Investment in Special Defense, or Assault Vest can improve Landorus-Therian's Special Bulk for a more general wall. Maximizing speed investment can give Landorus-Therian the jump on speed invested Heatran, Nidoking and the like. As for items, Leftovers is generally preferred for overall bulk, though Yache Berry can give Landorus-Therian an option against both surprise and predicted Ice moves, while Rocky Helmet can help Landorus-Therian play offense even when switching in, chipping the many physical attackers it is expected to check.
Partners
Water types make for excellent pivot partners with Landorus-Therian, resisting both of its weakness and drawing Electric attacks in that Landorus-Therian can use to pivot in freely. Slowking and Tentacruel stand out thanks to their fantastic Special Bulk further bolstered by Landorus-Therian's Intimidate. The former providing extra damage and pivoting with Future Sight and Teleport while the latter can provide Entry Hazard management with both Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes. Rotom Wash is another excellent partner being another adept pivot user with Volt Switch, has Defog for Entry Hazard support and answers Skarmory and Corviknight. Answers to Grass types are also appreciated as they resist Landorus-T's main STAB and many of the popular ones are neutrally hit by U-Turn. Heatran excels here with its double resistance to both Grass and Ice and typing that is problematic for most Grass types to even damage, while packing Special offense to compliment Landorus-Therian's physical. Weavile also excels, trading excellent resistances for pure offense and speed that helps it check many of the popular faster threats that Landorus Therian struggles with. Blissey and to a lesser extent, Clefable make excellent partners to defensive Landorus-Therian, their wishes providing badly needed recovery, keeping Landorus-T in the battle longer. Both enjoy Intimidate, with Blissey valuing Landorus-T's ability to answer many physical threats and fighting types while Clefable forms a Fairy Ground core with Landorus-Therian.
Other Options
Defog -Landorus-Therian excels at clearing Entry Hazards for many of the same reasons it excels at setting them.
Toxic -Punishes physical walls that otherwise trouble Landorus-Therian and prevent them from using it as setup fodder.
Voltron Rider Earth Force
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Fly
-U-Turn
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Landorus Therian trades in its defensive prowess for pure offense in this set, becoming a vicious revenge killer with Choice Scarf patching up its lackluster speed. STAB Earthquake is as amazing as always. Stone Edge compliments Earthquake beautifully hitting Flying and Bug types that normally resist Earthquake. Fly is here for its Dynamax potential. U-Turn rounds this set out as a fast pivot if you expect a switch and are unsure of which.
DYNAMAX:
Landorus Therian trades in its defensive prowess for pure offense in this set, becoming a vicious revenge killer with Choice Scarf patching up its lackluster speed. STAB Earthquake is as amazing as always. Stone Edge compliments Earthquake beautifully hitting Flying and Bug types that normally resist Earthquake. Fly is here for its Dynamax potential. U-Turn rounds this set out as a fast pivot if you expect a switch and are unsure of which.
EVs and Items
Standard Sweeper array of Max Attack and Speed is recommended. Landorus Therian is a bit on the slow side compared to other Choice Scarfers like Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, Latios, etc. so it needs every bit of speed it can manage. With Max Speed and Jolly Nature, Scarf Landorus-Therian can outspeed most of the unboosted game up to and including Calyrex-Shadow Rider.
Partners
Tapu Lele is an excellent partner for Scarf Landorus Therian, thanks to it heavily disincentivizing the use of priority moves with Psychic Terrain (as Landorus-Therian is not actually protected from priority with Psychic Terrain) and having special Fairy offense to compliment Landorus-Therian's physical Ground. Water types again make for great partners, being excellent pivot options with U-Turn and drawing in Electric attacks that gives Landorus-Therian a free switch in. The Slowtwins excel here, being Teleport pivots that can get Landorus in safely, and apply pressure with Future Sight, enabling Landorus to reach KOs it may otherwise miss. As Landorus-Therian struggles with Skarmory, Corviknight and co Magnezone and the other flying steel killers deserve mention. Magnezone provides a soft check to opposing Water and Ice types while drawing in Ground attacks that Landorus-Therian can come in freely on. And while being yet another Volt Switch user to get Landorus-Therian in safely.
Other Options
Defog -sometimes quickly removing Entry Hazards can be more valuable than piling on the damage.
Stealth Rocks -sometimes setting up Entry Hazards does more damage than directly attacking.
Superpower -becomes Max Knuckle when Dynamaxed enabling offensive setup, and hits Ferrothorn hard.
VGC & Double Options
Landorus-Therian has had a long history in Doubles. As excellent as Intimidate can be in Singles, it is much more powerful in Doubles. As the second best Intimidate user in doubles, Landorus-Therian provides valuable role compression with both Damage reduction from Intimidate as well as a potent offensive force with its spread Rock Slide and STAB Earthquake. However, Landorus Therian faces stiff competition as an Intimidate user from Incineroar, who provides more reliable damage control with Parting Shot and Snarl and shares a Water weakness making it difficult to run both Pokémon. Ironically, other Intimidate users can also disrupt Landorus-Therian badly. However, Landorus-Therian has a favorable matchup against many of the best Pokémon in Doubles, threatening Regieleki, Zacian-Crowned, Thundurus, and to an extent, opposing Incineroar.
Huye Rising
-Fly
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Swords Dance
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
26 HP /212 Atk / 8 SDef / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
This set is completely meant to abuse Dynamax, with STAB Max Airstream providing insane damage and speed control, Max Quake to bolster Special Defense after cutting down on the opposing sides Attack while not needing to worry about hitting your partner or getting its power further dropped by Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain and Max Rockfall providing extra chip damage. Out of Dynamax, Fly becomes a pseudo Protect, and while it can be easily blocked by Protect, it is good for Lando-T to stall out turns. Earthquake and Rock Slide spread damage around very quickly, and while both are blocked by Wide Guard, it is great for putting on the pressure. Swords Dance rounds out the set. Lando-T has no defense against opposing Intimidates, Parting Shots, etc. and thus helps address the issue while enabling Lando-T to stay in.
Other Options & Partners
Kyogre -really enjoys having an Intimidator to blunt physical attacks, scare Regieleki and unlike Incineroar is not weakened by the rain.
Partners that can provide Speed Control like Regieleki, Tornadus and Whimsicott are invaluable to Landorus-Therian whose speed is a pain point.
Checks & Counters
Skarmory, Corviknight and Celesteela wall any offensive Landorus-Therian though Swords Dance can break through if the Swords Dance or Substitute comes up on the switch. Other stalwart walls like Slowbro, and Tangrowth can stomach Landorus-Therian’s attacks and wear it down with their own, but both dislike Toxic and the later Max Airstream.
Faster Attackers are reliable in revenge KOing Landorus-Therian. Weavile and Mamoswine again stand out, their priority Ice Shard even superseding Choice Scarf Landorus, though they can just miss out on the OHKO thanks to Intimidate. Other Scarf users like Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, Latias and Latios can also guarantee to outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian but cannot switch in safely. Other fast special attackers like Alolan Ninetails, Dragapult, Blacephalon, etc. all can easily OHKO Landorus-Therian while disregarding any drops from Intimidate.
What is far more difficult is to prevent Landorus-Therian from performing its disruption. Pivot Landorus-Therian is like a ghost repeatedly coming out to haunt you, blunting your physical attackers and switching out to safety when it senses danger. And while it is prone to being worn down through repeated attacks, by that time, it will have performed its duties. Using a Lure, like Ice Beam Dragonite or Tyranitar can cut Landorus-Therian’s time short.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in Game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in Game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in Game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in Game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in Game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in Game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in Game
Black/White:
Abundant Shrine
Black 2/White 2:
Trade from Black/White
X/Y:
Trade from Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Soaring in the Sky
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Ultra Space Wilds
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in Game
Sword/Shield:
Dynamax Adventures
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Not in Game
Legends: Arceus:
Ramanas Island
Animé Appearences
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Landorus has made multiple appearances in the anime. Most notably, one was the subject of a Team Rocket plot
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