What is a good moveset for Tornadus (both forms)?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Tornadus, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Tornadus Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

Likely tier: Underused

Answer 1

National Dex Monotype (Flying)

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Hurricane
- Focus Blast
- Heat Wave

This is basically the SS OU Nasty Plot set, but with a Z Crystal. Nasty Plot boosts your special attack, allowing you to become a threatening wallbreaker. Hurricane is a really powerful STAB move. With Flyninium Z, you will be able to have a one time nuke that bypasses Hurricane's 70% accuracy. Focus Blast allows you to hit Pokemon like Tyranitar and Heatran super effectively. Heat Wave allows you to deal with Steel-types like Ferrothorn, Scizor, Aegislash, Celesteela, and Corviknight.

Answer 2

Tornadus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Hurricane / Air Slash
- Focus Blast

This one is for use in Rain, although you can use Air Slash if not using it in Rain. Rest and Sleep Talk both get priority. This means priority healing for one thing. For another, priority everything. Sleep Talk gets +1 priority, meaning you get +1 Hurricane/Air Slash and +1 Focus Blast. Hurricane/Air Slash are STAB. Focus Blast is pretty solid coverage. Only six Pokemon resist it. And three of them are never seen in OU. One is Uber. And one is pushed out of OU by the other. Meaning you only have to worry about Thundurus-T. Because you get priority on everything, Speed is no longer needed. So, you can put your EVs in bulk. Also, you can now run a Modest Nature to hit incredibly hard with 383 Special Attack and a Life Orb. Note that this does have a risk of picking Rest again, so watch out there!

This set (well, one like it at least) can be used on any Pokemon that gets Prankster, Rest, and Sleep Talk.

Answer 3

Gen 8 NU

Tornadus (M) @ Sitrus Berry / Lum Berry
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Brick Break
- Crunch
- Bulk Up​

Since most people usually use Prankster Tornadus, I'd thought I do something different. Defiant + Bulk Up. Defiant raises your attack two stages when if an opponent lowers your stats. You could run Sitrus Berry for some healing, or Lum Berry so you don't have to be crippled by status such as burns. Anyways, once you consume your berry or it gets knocked off, Acrobatics will have double power and is STAB. Brick Break deals with ice, steel, and rock types, and can remove screens as well. Crunch is to hit Bronzong and Slowbro-Galar hard. Bulk Up raises Tornadus' attack and defense.

Comments

It's hard to imagine tornadus crunching
Also would superpower be an option? While it does reverse the boosts, it has much more power

Answer 4

Tornadus (M) @ Life Orb / Kings Rock
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Air Slash
- Dark Pulse
- Psychic
- Grass Knot / Hidden Power [Ground]

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Air Slash is STAB and Flinch. Dark Pulse is coverage and Flinch. Psychic is coverage. Grass Knot or HP(Ground) for your choice of coverage.

Answer 5

Rain Sweeper!

Tornadus (M) @ Life Orb / Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 6 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Hidden Power [Water]
- Grass Knot / Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast

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Hurricane is super strong STAB and has perfect acc in the rain. Hidden Power (Water) gets boosted in the rain and gives coverage. Grass-knot would be for taking out heavy Ground, Rock, and Water types though Dark-pulse can be very useful coverage. Focus-blast is great coverage.

Comments

4 Def is better, so Tornadus can switch in 5 times on Stealth Rock.

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Thanks, forgot about that :)

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why? I don't understand...

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If Tornadus has an odd HP, it can switch in on Stealth Rock five times (technically four) before being KOd. If it has an even HP, it can only switch in four times (technically three) before being KOd. 4 HP Evs would bring it at 300 HP.

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what does it have to do with Def?

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It means that instead of putting 4 Evs in HP, which is what Speed Freak did before editing, 4 Evs in Def would be a better idea.

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oh I get it... but if it has even number of iv, the HP stat will be even

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Well, with PO, the IVs can be made perfect, which is 31

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oh....

Answer 6

For Sun use.

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Heat Wave
- Air Slash
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast

Got dem big red letters for da sun set.

Heat Wave is sun boosted. Air Slash is STAB. Dark Pulse + Focus Blast = Good coverage.
Simple as that really. A Mild nature with U-turn instead of Focus Blast is also doable.

Comments

I Really like this set.

Answer 7

Doubles Ubers

Tornadus (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tailwind
- Taunt
- Hurricane
- Protect

Tailwind doubles your teams speed, notably allowing Kyogre to outspeed every non-boosted Pokémon in the metagame (except Choice Scarf Calyrex-Shadow but it rarely runs Scarf anyway) without needing a Choice Scarf. Taunt puts a stop to your opponent's attempts at setting up Trick Room. Hurricane is STAB and has perfect accuracy when under Kyogre's rain. Protect allows Tornadus to stay safe from most non-dynamax attacks for a turn.

Answer 8

VGC 2022 (doubles) support

Tornadus-Incarnate @ Mental Herb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tailwind
- Swagger
- Foul Play
- Taunt / Scary Face / Icy Wind

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Swagger (with Prankster priority) is what makes this set different. Confusing your opponent is useful in itself, especially since confusion is more broadly un-resisted than paralysis or burn. However, the real kicker is following up with Foul Play to exploit the +2 Attack stages you gave your opponent from Swagger.

The choice for the final move slot depends on what gives the rest of your team trouble. However, do keep in mind that whatever move you choose should meaningfully contribute to this build's primary role: speed control for your doubles allies.

• Taunt supports speed control primarily by pre-empting Trick Room (although it does require that you correctly predict a Trick Room to prevent it). Mental Herb is the item that Tornadus should hold if you choose Taunt since doubles Trick Room teams frequently employ tactics like Spore, Follow Me, and Taunt to defend and enable their Trick Room user to successfully do Trick Room.

• Scary Face supports speed control by complementing your own Tailwind, undermining an opposing Tailwind, and out-scaling opposing effects of lesser-magnitude (e.g. Max Windstream, Electroweb, Icy Wind, etc.).

• Icy Wind supports speed control primarily against opposing Dark type Pokémon that would otherwise be unaffected by this build's Prankster-boosted Taunt or Scary Face due to the Dark type immunity to Prankster.

Answer 9

Gen 9 National Dex

Tornadus-Therian @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Weather Ball
- U-turn
- Focus Blast

Tornadus-T is, alongside Zapdos one of the most popular abusers of 100% accurate Hurricanes on rain teams. A notably good trait it has is a resistance to Grass letting it switch into one of the biggest threats to rain, Rillaboom pretty comfortably and threaten it with a one hit KO, something that Raging Bolt and Archaludon cannot do. Weather Ball is a great coverage option, as in the rain it becomes a 150 BP water type move that destroys common Flying resists like Mega Diancie and Heatran and is a strong hit on other Pokemon that can tank a Hurricane like Tapu koko, Iron Crown, and Ting-Lu. U-turn lets it switch out on bad matchups like Raging Bolt which resists its Flying-Water attack combination. Focus Blast is coverage against Tyranitar and Archaludon.
- This set is meant for rain teams, so Pelipper is mandatory. Another good teammate on these teams is Iron Treads, who can check revenge killers like Raging Bolt, Tapu Lele and Tapu Koko, set Stealth Rock and use Rapid Spin to remove enemy Stealth Rocks. Tornadus also synergies well with Barraskewda, as its Hurricanes do lots of damage to Barraskewda's checks like Ogerpon and Toxapex, meanwhile Barraskewda can overwhelm Tornadus's checks like Slowking-Galar and Tyranitar, the both of them can also overwhelm their shared check in Raging Bolt together.

Answer 10

I think this is a good one:

Tornadus (M) @ Razor Claw
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Air Slash
- Extrasensory
- Hidden Power [Water] / Hidden Power [Ground] / Focus Blast

Dark Pulse - got that flinch and can be STAB
Air slash - flinch and STAB
Extrasensory - flinch and good damage (chance to flinch makes it better than psychic)
Hidden Power (Water, Ground) / Focus blast (chance of missing may screw you)

Answer 11

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Foul Play
- Brick Break
- Aerial Ace
- U-turn

• Foul Play (No Reason)
• Brick Break (Gets rid of pesky screens)
• Aerial Ace (S.T.A.B. and never misses)
• U-Turn (Oh god, works perfectly with Regenerator...)

Perhaps a Scout Pokemon?

Answer 12

Gen 8 SS Monotype Assault Vest Pivot (Flying)

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 96 HP / 244 SpA / 168 Spe
Timid Nature
- Grass Knot
- Heat Wave
- Knock Off
- U-turn

Assault Vest Tornadus-Therian is used to decently check special attackers such as Hydreigon and Nidoking in Gen 8 SS Monotype. This set also doesn't have a STAB move.(note 1) Grass Knot is used as a lure for Mamoswine, as you can bait it to come in/stay in, then use Grass Knot for a decent (75%) chance to OHKO it. Grass Knot can also be used on Pokemon such as Swampert and Seismitoad. Heat Wave threatens Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Jirachi, Celesteela, and Corviknight. Knock Off allows you to cripple Pokemon such as Celesteela, Heatran, and Toxapex by removing their crucial items. Knock Off in conjunction with Heat Wave allows Tornadus-Therian to annoy Steel-types in the Steel matchup. U-Turn allows you to chip opposing Pokemon and bring in a teammate. U-Turn is also useful for activating Regenerator, allowing you to recover HP. Knock Off and U-Turn are used for utility, not for doing as much damage as possible.(note 2)

244 Special Attack EVs are used to achieve the damage roll of Grass Knot having a 75% chance to OHKO non Assault Vest Mamoswine. If Stealth Rock is on the opposing team's side, Grass Knot is a guaranteed OHKO. 168 Speed EVs is enough to outspeed Pokemon such as Latios and non Choice Scarf Gengar. 96 HP EVs are leftover EVs.

Moveset Notes

Note 1: Grass Knot is used over STAB Hurricane for the damage roll to OHKO Mamoswine. If you want to have STAB Hurricane, you can replace Grass Knot with Hurricane. If you do this, you should change the EV spread to a more bulkier one, as the Special Attack EVs is literally for Grass Knot having a good damage roll to OHKO Mamoswine. Make sure to have at least 168 Speed EVs to outspeed the Pokemon I mentioned earlier(non Scarf Gengar, Latios).

Note 2: I already said it earlier, but I'll say it again: Knock Off and U-Turn are not, I repeat, NOT used for doing as much damage as possible. The moves are used for utility- Knock Off removing items and U-Turn letting you switch out while chipping opposing Pokemon.

Answer 13

Gen 9 NU Nasty Plot

Tornadus @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Ground / Dragon
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Bleakwind Storm / Hurricane
- Focus Blast
- Dark Pulse / Taunt / U-turn

Tornadus (Incarnite form) is one of the HOME drops that is in NU, so here is a Nasty Plot set for it while you can still use it. Nasty Plot boosts its Special Attack, making it a scary breaker for NU to deal with. Bleakwind Storm is a new Flying STAB that has better accuracy than Hurricane. Bleakwind Storm's chance to lower the opposing Pokemon's speed stat can be useful vs faster Pokemon such as Jolteon. Hurricane can be used instead for more power at the cost of 70% accuracy. Focus Blast is useful coverage that smacks the few Steel-types NU has such as Magneton, Hisuian Sligoo, and Perrserker. Focus Blast also smacks Specially Defensive Pokemon named Umbreon, Blissey, and Chansey. The last slot is honestly a filler move, as Flying/Fighting coverage is basically all Tornadus needs on a Nasty Plot set. Dark Pulse can be used to hit Rotom since it resists your Flying STAB and is immune to Focus Blast. Taunt is an option to prevent checks like Umbreon, Blissey, and Chansey from healing. U-turn is an option to let Tornadus escape from its checks to bring in a Pokemon that can threaten Tornadus' checks. Tera Ground turns Tornadus' Electric weakness into a resist. Tera Dragon can be used to have a resist to Electric moves. Basically, Tornadus' Tera type should make it either neutral, resist, or immune (Tera Ground) to Electric moves. Heavy-Duty Boots is used to prevent it from being chipped by Stealth Rock and potentially other hazards should you use Tera on this very scary flying genie.

Answer 14

Gen 9 NU Bulk Up + Rest

Tornadus @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Ground / Grass / Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bulk Up
- Rest
- Acrobatics
- Crunch

A Bulk Up + Rest set that Tornadus can use should you want to use a Physical Tornadus in Gen 9 NU while you still can. Bulk Up boosting Tornadus' Attack and Defense stats allow it to become a potent wincon. Rest is where the fun begins. After getting off a couple of Bulk Ups, Tornadus can utilize Prankster Rest to instantly recover HP and get rid of status conditions that hinder its abiliy to break through teams. With Chesto Berry, Tornadus not only instantly wakes up, but consuming Chesto Berry also means Tornadus has a 110 BP STAB move in Acrobatics. Crunch is used to hit Rotom super effectively. Tera Ground lets Tornadus have an immunity to Electric moves. Tera Grass can be used instead to have a resist to Electric moves. Tera Dark is a funny option so Tornadus can't get screwed over by Prankster Will-o-Wisp and Prankster Encore from Sableye, a Pokemon who recently dropped to NU.

Answer 15

Gen 9 NU Offensive Pivot

Tornadus @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Defiant
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Bleakwind Storm
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Taunt / Focus Blast / Heat Wave

The standard offensive pivot set Tornadus (Incarnate Form) uses in Gen 9 NU. Bleakwind Storm is used for the Flying STAB since it has better accuracy than Hurricane, and it's power difference isn't a huge one. Knock Off allows Tornadus to cripple Pokemon switching in by removing their items, which is useful to make progress against Pokemon such as Copperajah, Coalossal, and Goodra. U-turn allows Tornadus to pivot and bring in a teammate that can threaten the Pokemon Tornadus is escaping from. Taunt lets Tornadus stop opposing Pokemon from setting up, using Defog to get rid of hazards, or recovering HP. Focus Blast can be used to hit Steel-types such as Copperajah and Duraludon super effectively, as well as Pokemon such as Rhydon and Coalossal. Heat Wave is an option to have a more accurate coverage move to hit Steel-types. Heavy Duty Boots is used to prevent Tornadus from being chipped by Stealth Rock. Tera Ground is used to give Tornadus an Electric immunity, which is nice to block Volt Switch. Defiant is used as the Ability since this set doesn't need to use Prankster. Plus, getting a potential attack boost via Defiant to boost Knock Off and U-turn is pretty neat.

Answer 16

Why has nobody done a rain support Torn yet?

Tornadus-Incarnate @ Covert Cloak
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 240 HP/ 120 Def/ 24 SpA/ 120 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk
Tera Type: Water
Calm Nature (+SpD -Atk)
-Tailwind/Icy Wind
-Taunt/ Protect
-Rain Dance
-Bleakwind Storm

Fairly standard support set. Tailwind is preferable to Icy Wind because you get Prankster out of it, but either works if you want a little chip with the Icy Wind (also Tailwind can't miss). Evs are to boost your staying power. Protect is a good pivoting tool. Taunt shuts down support options and set-up sweepers. This may force a switch or two. Rain Dance is to help out your Rain team if you leave Pelipper or Politoed behind. Rain Dance also boosts the accuracy of Bleakwind Storm, a powerful STAB option that can further control the speed of the battle. Useful, and may pick up a kill or two!

Answer 17

Therian Forme
Tera Type: Fire/Fighting/Ground
Timid Nature,
8 HP, 252 Sp. Attack, 248 Speed.
Item: Life Orb

• Nasty Plot
• Bleakwind Storm
• Heat Wave/Weather Ball
• Focus Blast/Tera Blast

Honestly, 110 Base Special Attack “isn’t a lot” by Gen 9 Standards, but back in the day, we knew how to work with even less than that and still get excellent results. The answer? Life Orb of course. It turns almost anything you throw it on into a decently hard hitter, overkill base stats notwithstanding. It has an effective 414 Sp. Attack with a Life Orb, which is still more Special Attack than pretty much anything without a boosting item. Yes it has the irksome drawback of whittling down your HP, but you’re a Tornadus Therian. You have Regenerator. If your HP is worn down, just switch out.

I originally thought about this set when I was building a Tornadus Therian set and considered U-turn. Why use it to deal mere chip damage and maintain momentum when you could instead Nasty Plot up and threaten to just win on the spot? It won’t always happen but given you have Tera, it isn’t that hard to flip the script on something if it means you run away with the game afterward. Of course, Tornadus can easily miss a Bleakwind Storm or Hurricane, and that can stop it cold from sweeping. But the fact of the matter is its reliance on unreliable STAB is yet another reason to use Nasty Plot. The fewer times you need to use your moves, the better, and making every hit of yours an OHKO is one way to achieve that.

Bleakwind Storm may be inaccurate, but Flying STAB in general is a good offensive type that is hard to switch into. Tornadus’ coverage is also threatening and can be customized to help it deal with certain things. Weather Ball can be considered in Rain or Snow for its excellent power and coverage. Tera Fire allows you to gain STAB on Heatwave, which can be useful when dealing with Zapdos or to more reliably KO Fire-weak Pokemon without a Nasty Plot. A Ground or Fighting Tera type is notable however for giving Tornadus a resistance to Stealth Rock, and Tera Fighting in particular also gives a resistance to Sucker Punch. Tera Blast is desirable for its 100% accuracy, including with Tera Fighting.

Answer 18

Gen 9 NU Rain Setter

Tornadus @ Damp Rock
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Water / Steel / Ground
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rain Dance
- Hurricane
- Weather Ball
- U-turn / Taunt

A rain setter Tornadus uses on Rain teams in Gen 9 NU. Tornadus is one of the best rain setters in Gen 9 NU due to it having Prankster, moves that can take advantage of Rain, and utility moves that can help its teammates.

Rain Dance is used to setup Rain for the Swift Swim Pokemon on your team (i.e Basculegion, Kingdra, Hisuian Qwilfish, Ludicolo), and Prankster lets Tornadus set rain first against faster Pokemon. Hurricane is used for the Flying STAB since it doesn't miss once Tornadus sets the rain. Weather Ball is a nice coverage move while in the Rain that hits Diancie super effective and is useful to deal some damage to Steel-types such as Magnezone, Klefki, Copperajah, and Registeel since they resist Hurricane. U-turn allows Tornadus to bring in a teammate that takes advantage of the Rain being up. Taunt can be used instead to prevent opposing leads from setting up hazards, which is useful should you lead off with Tornadus most of the time. Damp Rock is used to extend the turns of Rain you have. Tera Water is used to give a boost to Weather Ball when rain is up. Tera Steel can be used to give Tornadus a nice defensive typing. Tera Ground is an option so you can play mind games with Galvantula trying to use Thunder against Tornadus, which is useful if you have Taunt in the last slot.

Answer 19

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Flying Gem
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Acrobatics
- Bulk Up
- Hammer Arm
- Crunch

No U-turn? Heck yeah, no U-turn.

This thing has already become insanely predictable as far as being very switch centered. This specific set lets you Bulk up and make use of your extra defenses, then strike insanely hard with Hammer Arm + Crunch coverage (Dark + Fighting gets really good coverage) and STAB Acrobatics. If you start to die out just switch out. With the support of a good spinner, you could keep this thing alive for a VERY long time.