Tornadus-Incarnate Duo Guide
Tornadus-Incarnate is better than its Therian form, but still underwhelming. Base 266 Attack is very good, but it has the same moveset issues that plague its Therian form. A lackluster Flying-type moveset in Air Slash/Hurricane means that Tornadus-I performs worse than Moltres, Honchkrow, Rayquaza, and even Unfezant (the Pidgey of Gen 5), while requiring Rare Candies. Bite/Dark Pulse isn't a bad Dark-type moveset, but Tornadus-I lacks STAB, meaning it performs worse than Houndoom and Absol, let alone the stronger Dark-types like Weavile and Hydreigon.
Compared to Tornadus-Therian, Tornadus-I has much higher Base Attack and lower Base Defense. As a result, Tornadus-Incarnate is easier to duo than its Therian counterpart.
- Air Slash is boosted by STAB and has much higher Base Power than Bite. Despite being resisted by Rock- and Electric-types, Air Slash will still hit harder than Bite.
- Grass Knot hits Rock-types for super effective damage and can be used frequently, making it the most difficult Charge Move to face.
- Dark Pulse comes out frequently, has good neutral coverage, and hits hard coming off Tornadus-I's base 266 Attack. Without any dodging, Dark Pulse will force you to relobby twice if you're using Rampardos, making it the 2nd-most difficult moveset to face.
- Hyper Beam hits hard, but it comes out infrequently and predictably due to being a 1-Bar move. It is also resisted by Rock- and Steel-types, making it generally easier to face than Grass Knot or Dark Pulse.
- Hurricane hits hard and is boosted by STAB; however, Flying is resisted by both Rock- and Electric-types, making Hurricane fairly easy to go against.
- Partly Cloudy boosts the power of your Rock-type attacks, making the duo much easier if you're using Rock-types. Under Partly Cloudy, Level 35+ Smack Down Tyranitar, Rhyperior, and Aerodactyl are capable of duoing all movesets, even Grass Knot.
- Level 40 Alolan Golem is capable of duoing all movesets except Grass Knot.
- Rain boosts the power of your Electric-type attacks. Under Rain, Level 30+ Raikou, Electivire, Magnezone, and Zapdos are capable of duoing all movesets.
- Level 35 Luxray and Level 40 Jolteon are also capable of duoing all movesets under Rain.
- Snow boosts the power of your Ice-type attacks. With Snow, Level 30+ Mamoswine and Glaceon become capable of duoing all movesets.
- Level 35+ Weavile and Level 40 Psycho Cut/Ice Beam Mewtwo are also capable of duoing all movesets.
Viable Counters
Minimum viable levels assume Best Friends, no Weather, no Dodging.
Italics indicate a Legacy move.
Level 40 Alolan Golem and Weavile fall a little short of duo-viability on their own; the more Rampardos you have, the more leeway you will have to slot in Weavile and Alolan Golem.
Dodging Hurricanes will allow you to cut down Rampardos' death count from 24 total to 10 total, allowing you to avoid relobbying entirely.
Level 40 Weavile, Alolan Golem, Luxray, and Rhyperior are slightly too weak to be duo-viable on their own, but 1 or 2 can be safely slotted in if you have enough Rampardos to get you ahead of the timer.
Level 40 Rhyperior falls a little short of duo-viability on its own, but again, if you have enough Rampardos to get you ahead of the timer, you can afford to put in a couple Rhyperiors and still win.
Level 40 Glaceon is a little short of being duo-viable on its own; again, more Rampardos, more leeway with the timer to put in Glaceon.