Tyranitar for the Battle Frontier in Emerald

Training Tyranitars for the Pokemon Battle Frontier in Emerald.

Since Tyranitar is one of my top 5 favorite Pokémon, I decided to train it for my Battle Frontier team! I am on a quest to obtain the Battle Frontier Gold Medals using my favorite Pokes. The first Tyranitar I trained revealed some issues and challenges during many runs of the Battle Dome and Battle Tower. I decided to train two more and try some other builds!

My first Tyranitar was an interesting one… I wanted to experiment and test out a Special Attacking Tyranitar since it can learn a wide variety of powerful moves. I also trained it to be somewhat defensive so it can tank a few moves like Surf.

• Nature: Modest

• Perfect IVs: Special Attack and Special Defense

• EVs: 132 Hp / 252 Special Attack / 120 Special Defense

• Moveset: Flamethrower, Crunch, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt

The main problem with this Tyranitar is that it cannot out speed many Pokémon in the Battle Frontier and it cannot tank hits as well as predicted. Despite the EVs in HP and Special Defense, water moves are still too strong against it. This Tyranitar dies in typically 2 hits to any water moves. I love the idea of this Tyranitar, however I did not train it as best as it probably should have been for the role it fills on the team.

For the next Tyranitar, I decided to focus on training it as a physical attacker since its base attack stat is much higher than its special attack. I also was attracted to the move Dragon Dance since it raises the attack and speed stat of the Pokémon. This is an excellent move in the Battle Frontier for setting up a powerful Pokémon to sweep the opposing team.

Reference: Smogon Link

There were 3 builds I was debating breeding/training this next Tyranitar. I would use the same moveset for these ideas, just the stats would be trained differently. The moveset I considered was Dragon Dance, Rock Slide, Earthquake, Ice Beam/Aerial Ace.

1. Bulky Beef Cake: Focus on HP, Defense, and Special Defense.

2. Bulky Attacker: Focus on HP and Attack.

3. Fast Sweeper: Focus on Attack and Speed.

I can create an argument to support all 3 of these builds.

After breeding my first batch of eggs, I fortunately hatched 2 REALLY good Larvitars with overall outstanding IVs (as judged by the old guy in Pokémon Emerald). To keep a long story short, I already had several Larvitars with good IVs which I had from the first Tyranitar breeding process. I just got lucky many good IVs transferred easily this time!

• Larvitar 1: Sassy. Perfect IVs in HP and Attack. Overall IVs between 151-186.

• Larvitar 2: Jolly. No perfect IVs. Overall IVs between 151-186.

I decided to EV train both of these Larvitars since the IVs were just too good to ignore!

• Sassy Larvitar EVs: 252 Hp / 128 Defense / 128 Special Defense

• Jolly Larvitar EVs: 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 Hp

I will experiment with both of these Pokémon in the Battle Frontier and see how they do one the team! I will keep you posted on my finding. I also need to make some adjustments to the rest of the team however that will be in a separate post.

Hope you are all enjoying your Pokémon adventures!

Sassy Tyranitar at level 100

Jolly Tyranitar at Level 100

Tyranitars MAX stats

Video of the the first Tyranitar build. The two new Tyranitars will be discussed in an upcoming video.

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