What is a good moveset for Aurorus?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Aurorus, 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.

Aurorus Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Aurorus @ Leftovers
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
- Frost Breath
- Discharge
- Encore
- Protect

The only reason you should be using this guy is if you're building a lower tier Hail team. Why you would build a Hail team is beyond my knowledge, as you got nerfed to the point where Stallrein, which was the main incentive to Hail back in ye olde days of Snover NU, is no longer an invincible beast.

Two Frost Breaths outdamage a Hyper Beam, and don't leave your opponent with a free turn to play around with either. Frost Breath is just an incredible move this Gen, being technically a base 120 power attack with 90% accuracy that ignores stat boosts. You could make an argument for using Blizzard on this set, since it is 100% accurate at the cost of 10 less base power and isn't stopped by Shell/Battle Armor, but Calm Mind is fairly prevalent in NU, so I believe Frost Breath is the more useful options. Discharge gives you what is technically Boltbeam, although this one has a chance of paralyzing. Encore is a great move to use on slower Pokemon, as it provides you with free reign if you can pull it off. Aurorus doesn't have many other options besides Dual Screening, which while an option, I would not recommend since Dual Screening generally is a suicidal role, and other Pokemon pull it off better. Protect allows you to scout for unfriendly coverage attacks such as HP Fighting or Focus Blast, while also stacking Leftovers healing and Hail damage.

Aurorus is going to die anyways, since it has such horrible resists, such a bad defense stat, and a weakness to the most common attacking types. So offensive set it is. Take down some slower Pokemon. Speed is enough to outspeed a fair number of the common Torterra brands. Then rest in HP.

Comments

What about Blizzard?

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He mentioned Blizzard :1

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Sorry, I meant Avalanche lol

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Despite what this site says, crits are just 1.5x, so Frost Breath is "90", right?

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Yes, you're right, though basically nobody knew that back in November (heck, most people still don't).

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How can Aurorus have the ability Snow Warning?

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Snow Warning is Aurorus' s hidden ability.

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Isn’t critical boost 2x damage? Plus stab so critical hit and 4x effective would be... (dun dun duuuuuuun) 12x damage! But with 1.5x critical than it would be (with 4x effectiveness) (drum roll) 9x damage!

Answer 2

I decided to take advantage of his ability and use hyper beam for this set.

Aurorus @ Choice Specs / Quick Claw
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Hyper Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Ancient Power
- Psychic

The classic BoltBeam combo, except with Hyper Beam instead of Ice Beam. Hyper beam is Aurorus's powerhouse move, granting STAB thanks to his cool (pun intended) Ability - Refrigerate, which turns Normal-type moves to Ice-type. Thunderbolt is for those darn Water-types, and the only move that does neutral damage to steel types. While weak, Ancient Power will do some damage to Fire-types. And Psychic is for Fighting-types that you predict will switch in, hoping to get an easy kill.

Comments

Sorry, but Quick Claw?

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Quick Claw has its moments,

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Thanks for the advice! I'm making a non meta team, and I decided aurorus on the team! So I needed help on a move set, so thank you very much!!!!! <3

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Why not Earth Power instead of Ancient Power?

I mean, Ancient Power does have the chance to raise all of the users Stats at once, but Earth Power has more Base Power, and covers his 4x Steel Weakness, also Ground Type moves offer more coverage than Rock Type moves, especially with the set you've proposed, considering some Types where Rock Moves would be Super Effective are already covered with other moves (Ice-Type Hyperbeam covers Flying too, Earth Power covers Fire too, added bonus that it covers Electric and Rock too).

I would definetely go with Earth Power instead of Ancient Power, unless you think dealing with Bug types is needed for Aurorus, which I don't believe so.

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Yes! Psychic handles those darn Fighting Types! (Though many are faster than Aurorus)

Answer 3

Aurorus @ Life Orb / Leftovers
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rock Polish
- Nature power
- Freeze dry
Hidden Power [Fire] / Ancient Power

This could actually be a very good sweeping set for Aurorus if set up at the right time. I recommend using a Sticky Web Galvantula just to slow down your opponent to where you can set up successfully.
Setting it up with Rock Polish will make it where his terrible speed will be fixed and at plus 2 can actually outspeed many things. You just need to find the right time to do so you don't end up losing a pretty good special attacker.
Nature power changing to Tri Attack because of X and Y's b Wi-Fi battles gives it a 30% increase and then adding STAB on top of it pretty much makes it an ice hyper beam that has a chance to burn paralyze or freeze the target making it a REALLY good move to have and can take out a lot of things. Freeze dry is just a better Ice-type move that is STAB and can hit the bulky water/ground Pokemon for 4x super effective damage. Hp Fire would be really nice to have but just in case you don't get the IV spread needed to get it Ancient Power would be a nice STAB rock move that has a chance to raise all your stats.
Aurorus is very underestimated in my opinion and could actually be very good if you use it in the right way, and this set is pretty good at covering most of his many weaknesses and can be viable competitively.
Try him out!!! It might surprise you!!!

Answer 4

Has really bad typing but is still a solid Pokemon in NU.

Offensive:

Aurorus @ Power Herb / Weakness Policy
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rock Polish
- Hyper Beam / Nature Power
- Freeze Dry
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Rock Polish- Boost speed.

Hyper Beam/Nature Power- Refrigerate plus STAB on a 150 power move is incredibly powerful. Works with Power Herb. Nature Power if you are running Weakness Policy.

Freeze Dry- STAB with more coverage.

Hidden Power Fire- Coverage.

EDIT: I forgot to mention Weakness Policy. It works wonders on Aurorus.

Defensive:

Aurorus @ Leftovers / Icy Rock / Sitrus Berry / Chople Berry / Babiri Berry
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def /92 SpD
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Protect
- Dragon Tail / Roar
- Blizzard

Toxic- Combined with Hail you will really whittle down the opponent.

Protect- Works with Toxic.

Dragon Tail/Roar- Phaze and Toxic more Pokemon.

Blizzard- STAB.

Comments

OMG! First vote! Yes!

Answer 5

Aurorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Refrigerate
EV: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Nature Power / Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt / Freeze-Dry
- Psychic / Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Ancient Power / Flash Cannon

This set is designed to handle certain checks and counters. Aurorus is not fast even with Speed investment. However, it can out speed a few certain threats and that is the point. His moveset is pretty capable and he has good Special Attack. Ice Beam might seem like the natural move, but with Nature Power, you will get Tri-Attack. And the moment you do, Refrigerate kicks in and you get it to be Ice Type, 30% Power Boost, and Stab. This raises it to a much more powerful attack. And it still has the ability to give Status. Thunderbolt and Freeze Dry give you coverage against Water and Flying Types. Psychic will cover your weakness to Fighting. And Dark Pulse gives you advantages over Psychic. The last move has many options. HP Ground covers Rock Types and Steel Types, Ancient Power gives you a move that has stab and the chance to raise your Stats. And Flash Cannon lets you deal with Fairy Types. Calm Mind is also Possible as it will increase your damage and help you wall even more Special Attacks.

Of course, there are other options, and I am still play testing. However, this set has been pretty good and gets the job done. So, I figured I would post it. Thanks!

Answer 6

Aurorus @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest / Bold Nature
- Rock Polish
- Nature Power
- Calm Mind
- Freeze Dry

When entering a battle, it would be wise to use Rock Polish right away unless Trick Room is up. In that case, save for the last round of Trick Room. Rock Polish gives its speed +2.

Nature power in Wi-Fi battles will be Tri-Attack and with his ability, it'll have STAB.

Calm mind for when predicting stalls and switch outs. Boosting Special Attacks and Special Defense

Freeze Dry: Super Effective on water types and has STAB.

The reason for Weakness Policy is to use its weaknesses to its advantage by boosting all attack stats by two though most steel and fighting moves will knock it out without screens up. Earthquake could also be a problem and priority moves are killers, but most people still underestimate Aurorus' +2 speed which can out speed Garchomp.

Aurorus is a risk to use, but if used right he is super powerful.

Comments

I realized that I should replace one of my Aurorus’s moves with Rock Polish. What should it be? There are its current moves: Ancient Power (non-tm) Ice Beam (tm) Freeze-dry (not replacing that) and Dark Pulse (maybe put it on blastoise?) Which one? Anyone can answer this.

Answer 7

Aurorus received quite a buff in ORAS, so an updated set deserves to be mentioned.

Aurorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 252 SpA / 32 SpD / 220 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Earth Power
- Freeze-Dry
- Rock Polish

Hyper Voice is Aurorus' newfound STAB move of choice. With Refrigerate, it has an impressive 117 Base Power without drawbacks, allowing it to hit hard. Earth Power is the second toy Aurorus received in ORAS and is a very welcome coverage move to hit the Fire and Steel Types that resist Hyper Voice. Next, Aurorus should leave a coverage slot to make sure it can hit the always ubiquitous Water Type Super-effectively. Freeze-Dry comes to mind, but Thunderbolt can do the job too. The Difference is that Freeze-Dry hits harder and has exterior utility, while Thunderbolt hits Water-Types slightly more reliably.
Now, the given EVs maximize Aurorus' Special Attack while outspeeding uninvested Pokemon with a Base Speed of 85 or lower. Aurorus is a Bulky Pokemon, but its Typing is so horrible it can't tank reliably, and it must therefore try to outspeed as much as possible. Fully investing would be largely pointless due to the lack of Pokemon to outspeed, however. The rest is placed in Special Defense, because of its high HP and the virtual non-existence of a Physical Pokemon not having a Super-Effective move. With that said, Rock Polish rounds off the set by doubling its speed. Outspeeding the opponent not only gives some degree of sweeping capability, but also comes the fundamental fact that your opponent has to eat one of your moves before you do, which limits the exploitation of its Typing.

Answer 8

Zamdi (Aurorus) @ Metronome/Expert Belt
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 240 HP / 128 SpA / 140 SpD
Bold Nature
- Freeze-Dry
- Echoed Voice / Hyper Voice
- Calm Mind / Reflect
- Earth Power

I love Aurorus! And Echoed Voice! So why not have a STAB powered-up Echoed Voice (with Refrigerate) and a Metronome? Expert Belt can also be used here, as it can cover all but one weakness (fighting) with this moveset. 3rd move probably should be Reflect because

+6 252+ Atk Mega Absol Night Slash vs. 240 HP / 0+ Def Aurorus through Reflect: 332-391 (74.2 - 87.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Even that won't OHKO it!

Answer 9

Gen 8 NU

Aurorus @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Blizzard
- Encore
- Earth Power

Stealth Rock is to hurt switch-ins that aren't wearing Heavy Duty boots. Blizzard is STAB and doesn't miss in hail. Encore is to annoy a setup sweeper like Shell Smash Blastoise and Hone Claws/Dragon Dance Tyrantrum by locking them into the stat raising move. Earth Power is coverage that deals with Fire and Steel types.

Answer 10

Gen 8 ZU

Aurorus @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Hyper Voice
- Freeze-Dry
- Rock Blast

Offensive Stealth Rock setter. The ability is Refrigerate due to NU banning Snow Warning, which means Aurorus has to run Refrigerate. Heavy Duty Boots is so Aurorus doesn't get worn down by Spikes and Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock is to set up an entry hazard. Hyper Voice becomes Ice STAB thanks to Refrigerate and gets a boost. Freeze Dry is to allow you to hit water types like Cramorant and Qwilfish super effectively. Rock Blast, although has lower power because of Modest Nature, is useful for hitting opposing Pokemon on their defense stat and can hit multiple times. Rock Blast also allows you to deal with Centiskorch and Frosmoth.

Answer 11

Refrigerate Aurorus

Aurorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Ancient Power
-Hyper Voice
-Thunder
-Earth Power

Here is a Refrigerate Aurorus. Personally, I think the Timid nature will be a good choice along with Life Orb.

Comments

I don't think Aurorus is outspeeding anything. Even with max EVs in Speed and a Timid nature. Well, anything apart from the slowest Pokemon in the game.

Answer 12

Aurorus @ Expert Belt
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA
Brave Nature
- Freeze-Dry
- Psychic
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Freeze-Dry - STAB, great power, covers water, ground & grass.
Psychic - Great power, covers fighting & poison.
Stone Edge - STAB, Impressive power, high crit ratio, low acc, covers flying, ice, fire & bug.
Earthquake - Impressive power, covers fire, electricity, rock, steel & poison.

This mixed attacker set covers 12 types, all of Aurorus' weaknesses, and allows for at least one attack STAB on both ice and rock type, and alternatively, get an Aurorus with the other ability and employ Hyper Beam, and Thunderbolt, and maybe make it a Jolly or Modest Nature, but it's not as good in my opinion.

Comments

How does characteristic affect stats?

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^ it tells which IV is the highest

Answer 13

Aurorus @ Leftovers
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Nature Power
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic / Discharge / Stealth Rock

Comments

I'm not sure Aurorus can have stealth rock... good set anyway though!

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whats the use of Refrigerate

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Nature Power is Tri Attack with no terrain, and Tri Attack becomes ice.

Answer 14

Aurorus, the Screaming Tundra

Aurorus @ Metronome
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Echoed Voice
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Substitute / Flash Cannon / Charge Beam / Protect

Explanation: Even with the two x4 weaknesses (steel and fighting), I believe Aurorus has some potential, so here is a rather odd move set I came up with (different than a screener or snow warning moveset...). This move set is built on adding the many bonuses of Echoed Voice + Refrigerate + Metronome together to make a possible sweeper, While Echoed voice and the Metronome add more power when used in repetition, refrigerate turns echoed voice into a STAB ice type move and further increases the damage dealt. Rest and Sleep talk should be self-explanatory (for healing), the 4th move is up to the user however, substitute to survive longer, flash cannon for Coverage, Charge beam for coverage and stat increase, or protect for scouting an opponent's moves.
(This is only my second move set here, if I screwed up something or used a Banned move or item, then please tell me. I couldn't resist putting up a move set for one of my favorite Pokemon of Generation 6, Sorry!)

Comments

wait aurorus gets rest??

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Wait, so aurorus can learn rest??

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I can't tell if your trolling or not, but basically, all pokemon get rest, and Aurorus (check its moveset) is no exception.

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yeah, i forget that on that moment :/ stupid me i was tired or something

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look at dis-
Echoed Voice's Power with Metronome, Refrigerate, and STAB-
 1. 72
 2. 187.2
 3. 327.6
 4. 499.2
 5. 702
 6. 780

Answer 15

Aurorus @ Expert Belt
Ability: Refrigerate / Snow Warning
EVs: 76 HP / 100 Atk / 252 SpA / 80 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Psychic
- Freeze-Dry
- Ancient Power
- Earthquake

Psychic (Protection against fighting-types)
Freeze-Dry (STAB, super effective against water-types)
Ancient Power (STAB)
Earthquake (Protection against steel-types)

Psychic is a good move for Aurorus, just for both coverage and protection against the dreaded Fighting-Type. As for Freeze-Dry, you could always swap for Thunderbolt, but I honestly prefer Freeze-Dry because of STAB. Ancient Power because you might get an all-stat boost. And as for Earthquake, it's strong enough to do a decent amount of damage to Steel-Types, with the help of the Expert Belt. This is helpful, despite Aurorus' mediocre attack stat.

Feedback is appreciated! Thank you very much!

Answer 16

Aurorus @ Leftovers / Chople Berry
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpA
Bold Nature
-Blizzard / Frost Breath
-Psychic
-Rock Polish
-Discharge

Blizzard and Frost Breath have the same base power, but Frost Breath has more PP while Blizzard hits all opponents in Double / Triple Battles
Psychic destroys crippling Fighting Types
Rock Polish Boosts your speed so you can have balance of Offense and Defense
Discharge boasts a huge 30 % chance of paralyzing your foe

Comments

Blizard has a BP of 110 and since gen VI critical hits will only do 1,5x damage instead of 2x so the BP of Frost Breath would be 90.

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ok then use blizzard with max pp ups!

Answer 17

For use in a Doubles Sun team:

Aurorus @ Assault Vest
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest / Calm Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Earth Power
- Psychic
- Calm Mind / Rock Polish / Thunderbolt / Hidden Power [Grass]

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Aurorus seems an unlikely choice for a Sun team. Anyone who watched its episode in the XY series will tell you it doesn't fare well in warm weather. However, Sun teams are often stopped dead by Dragon-types, who resist Fire-typed moves and Solar Beam. There are better choices for a Sun team dragon-killer (Mamoswine for example), but I personally like Aurorus more, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Hyper Voice (now Ice-type thanks to Refrigerate) is your dragon-killing move. It also covers two of Aurorus's weaknesses, Ground and Grass. It hits both opponents (or those near you in triples) for special STAB damage, with 90 base power, 100% accuracy, and without hurting your partner. A much better choice than Ice Beam.

Earth Power covers two other weaknesses, Rock and Steel, as well as covering Fire, which is a huge threat to any Grass-types on your team (especially with the Sun damage boost). Special move, 90 base power, 100% accuracy.

Psychic covers Aurorus's main weakness: Fighting-type. For what it's worth, it also covers Poison-types (who threaten Grass-types on Sun teams) that Earth Power doesn't affect, such as Crobat, Weezing, and Gengar. Special move, 90 base power, 100% accuracy.

This final move slot is up to you. If you manage to breed HP Grass, use it, as it covers Ground, Rock, and Water weaknesses. Thunderbolt works well if you want Water-type coverage. Calm Mind ups Special Attack and Special Defense, and Rock Polish doubles Speed. I use Rock Polish in order to have a speed advantage over slower enemies with type-advantageous moves.

Water, if you chose Calm Mind or Rock Polish, then remains the only non-covered weakness, which is negated by the Sun, and also covered by Solar Beam, which should be in no short supply on your Sun team.

Comments

Calm Mind and Rock Polish Can't be used with Assault Vest.  Psychic is largely pointless because Hyper Voice hits for roughly the same amount of Damage, not to mention Earth Power already hits Poison Types.  HP Grass is also even more useless for practically the same reasons.

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why the full attack investment? U mean SpAtt...

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Hmm. Replace the Assault Vest with the Expert Belt.

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Wait a second. Gengar has cursed body, not levitate.

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FrozenInPokemon13: Gengar used to have Levitate prior to Generation 7 (Sun/Moon)

Answer 18

Aurorus @ Choice Specs
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
- Blizzard / Freeze-Dry
- Thunderbolt / Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Ancient Power

Blizzard: perfect accuracy with Snow Warning / Freeze-Dry: for Water-type Pokemon
Thunderbolt: if you didn't go with Freeze-Dry /Flash Cannon: if you did
Earth Power: get rid of Fire, Steel and Rock types
Ancient Power: for Articuno, which would stall Aurorus out

Comments

Pretty sure it gets power gem over ancient power.

Answer 19

Role: Special Tank

Aurorus @ Metronome
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Bold Nature
- Hyper Beam
- Echoed Voice
- Freeze-Dry
- Flash Cannon

Answer 20

Aurorus @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Blizzard
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic / Ancient Power / Earth Power
- Calm Mind

Heavy-Duty Boots mean it can't be destroyed by Spikes or Stealth Rock. Snow Warning works well with Blizzard. Thunderbolt gives it BoltBeam coverage. Psychic can be used for Fighting-types (Although if I were you, I'd get Aurorus out of there ASAP), Ancient Power is STAB (It doesn't get Power Gem) and Earth Power is nice coverage. Calm Mind boosts Aurorus' Special Attack and Special Defense.