TJ
Banned deucer.
uploaded -zard
[OVERVIEW]
Lycanroc is a decent late-game sweeper thanks to its high Attack, stellar Speed tier, and access to a unique priority move in Accelerock. However, it heavily relies on Rockium Z along with Swords Dance to help break through many of its would-be checks. A disappointingly shallow movepool also leaves Lycanroc easily walled and checked by common Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon. Additionally, mediocre bulk means Lycanroc is easily revenge killed by priority moves and Choice Scarf users like Primeape that are able to take Accelerock.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Brick Break / Fire Fang
move 4: Accelerock
item: Rockium Z
ability: Steadfast / Sand Rush
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Lycanroc's Attack by two stages and makes sweeping and breaking walls such as Gourgeist-XL and Weezing easier in the late-game. Stone Edge is Lycanroc's main STAB move and means of dealing damage. Brick Break covers Steel-types like Aggron and gives Lycanroc a fully accurate move to use against Pokemon that won't be OHKOed by Accelerock such as a weakened Regirock. Fire Fang is an alternative that hits Pokemon like Ferroseed, Torterra, and Bronzor super effectively. Accelerock provides priority, which allows Lycanroc to revenge kill threats such as Choice Scarf Oricorio-G and Lilligant.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow Lycanroc to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Jolly is the preferred nature, as it lets Lycanroc hit a crucial Speed tier, outspeeding major threats such as Alolan Raichu, and Archeops. Rockium Z gives Lycanroc an incredibly powerful nuke to bust past some of its would-be checks such as Gourgeist-XL, Weezing, and Qwilfish. Both of Lycanroc's abilities have limited utility, but they can be helpful in niche situations. Specficaly, Steadfast lets Lycanroc come in on a predicted Fake Out from Kangaskhan and gain a +1 Speed boost, while Sand Rush allows Lycanroc to outspeed Sand Rush Stoutland when sand is up.
Usage Tips
========
Lycanroc should be used primarily as a late-game sweeper utilizing its combination of a one-time nuke, priority, and coverage to clean up weakened teams. If the opposing team has a hard counter like Gastrodon, try to pressure and eliminate it before attempting to sweep. Use Accelerock to revenge kill Pokemon such as Carracosta and other weakened offensive threats. Lycanroc's Z-Move is fully accurate whereas Stone Edge is not, so if a sweep relies on landing Stone Edge, make sure your coverage moves such as Brick Break and Accelrock won't already KO a foe before using it.
Team Options
========
Strong Fire-types with Grass-type coverage moves such as Pyroar and Magmortar are great teammates for breaking common checks to Lycanroc like Gastrodon and Ferroseed. Checks to Fighting-type Pokemon are also useful for taking Mach Punches from the likes of Gurdurr and Hitmonchan, which are commonly used to revenge kill Lycanroc. In particular, Rocky Helmet Weezing and Qwilfish are good partners, as they can take hits from and wear down the aforementioned Fighting-types and further chip them with entry hazards and Rocky Helmet recoil damage. Additionally, Dragon-types like Drampa are great for sponging Water- and Grass-attacks aimed at Lycanroc and can do a good job breaking down walls so that Lycanroc can sweep. Lastly, Choice Scarf Lilligant is a great partner, as it can not only threaten Ground-types that wall Lycanroc, but it can also give it a second chance at sweeping with Healing Wish.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Crunch can be used to hit Bronzor harder and cover non-Colbur Berry Palossand or Golurk. Toxic can also be used over a coverage move to cripple its checks like Gastrodon; however, this severely hampers its main purpose as a sweeper. Alternatively, a suicide lead set with Stealth Rock and Taunt can be run and has a notable niche as the fastest Stealth Rock setter in the tier, but it faces stiff competition from more applicable suicide leads like Archeops and Crustle, which simply have better options for the role. Lastly, Life Orb or Stone Plate can be used if you have a Z-Move elsewhere on your team, but Rockium Z is generally much more effective.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gastrodon, Palossand, and Torterra can come in on Lycanroc and take very little from even +2 Continental Crush. They can continually recover off any damage dealt with their various recovery moves to check Lycanroc throughout the game.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types both resist Lycanroc's STAB moves and can hit back with moves that almost always OHKO, though only Gurdurr, defensive Poliwrath, and Throh can safely switch into Continental Crush. Gurdurr, Hitmonchan, Poliwrath, and Choice Scarf Primeape are all fine checks thanks to their ability to revenge kill Lycanroc by either outspeeding it or using a priority move.
**Steel-types**: Though less common than the above two, Steel-types can check Lycanroc depending on what coverage Lycanroc is running. Some, like Bronzor and Mawile, can tank any hit Lycanroc tries to dish out while others, like Ferroseed and Aggron, can check Lycanroc if it has the wrong coverage move or hasn't used Swords Dance yet.
**Physically Bulky Walls**: Because Lycanroc is so reliant on its Z-Move, very bulky Pokemon that aren't weak to Stone Edge such as Weezing, Piloswine, Regirock, defensive Carracosta, and Gourgeist-XL can check Lycanroc without its Z-Move still in play. Most of these Pokemon can tank an unboosted Continental Crush with relative ease and are only threatened if Lycanroc finds an opportunity to setup Swords Dance and has its Z-Move avaliable.
[OVERVIEW]
Lycanroc is a decent late-game sweeper thanks to its high Attack, stellar Speed tier, and access to a unique priority move in Accelerock. However, it heavily relies on Rockium Z along with Swords Dance to help break through many of its would-be checks. A disappointingly shallow movepool also leaves Lycanroc easily walled and checked by common Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon. Additionally, mediocre bulk means Lycanroc is easily revenge killed by priority moves and Choice Scarf users like Primeape that are able to take Accelerock.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Brick Break / Fire Fang
move 4: Accelerock
item: Rockium Z
ability: Steadfast / Sand Rush
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Lycanroc's Attack by two stages and makes sweeping and breaking walls such as Gourgeist-XL and Weezing easier in the late-game. Stone Edge is Lycanroc's main STAB move and means of dealing damage. Brick Break covers Steel-types like Aggron and gives Lycanroc a fully accurate move to use against Pokemon that won't be OHKOed by Accelerock such as a weakened Regirock. Fire Fang is an alternative that hits Pokemon like Ferroseed, Torterra, and Bronzor super effectively. Accelerock provides priority, which allows Lycanroc to revenge kill threats such as Choice Scarf Oricorio-G and Lilligant.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow Lycanroc to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Jolly is the preferred nature, as it lets Lycanroc hit a crucial Speed tier, outspeeding major threats such as Alolan Raichu, and Archeops. Rockium Z gives Lycanroc an incredibly powerful nuke to bust past some of its would-be checks such as Gourgeist-XL, Weezing, and Qwilfish. Both of Lycanroc's abilities have limited utility, but they can be helpful in niche situations. Specficaly, Steadfast lets Lycanroc come in on a predicted Fake Out from Kangaskhan and gain a +1 Speed boost, while Sand Rush allows Lycanroc to outspeed Sand Rush Stoutland when sand is up.
Usage Tips
========
Lycanroc should be used primarily as a late-game sweeper utilizing its combination of a one-time nuke, priority, and coverage to clean up weakened teams. If the opposing team has a hard counter like Gastrodon, try to pressure and eliminate it before attempting to sweep. Use Accelerock to revenge kill Pokemon such as Carracosta and other weakened offensive threats. Lycanroc's Z-Move is fully accurate whereas Stone Edge is not, so if a sweep relies on landing Stone Edge, make sure your coverage moves such as Brick Break and Accelrock won't already KO a foe before using it.
Team Options
========
Strong Fire-types with Grass-type coverage moves such as Pyroar and Magmortar are great teammates for breaking common checks to Lycanroc like Gastrodon and Ferroseed. Checks to Fighting-type Pokemon are also useful for taking Mach Punches from the likes of Gurdurr and Hitmonchan, which are commonly used to revenge kill Lycanroc. In particular, Rocky Helmet Weezing and Qwilfish are good partners, as they can take hits from and wear down the aforementioned Fighting-types and further chip them with entry hazards and Rocky Helmet recoil damage. Additionally, Dragon-types like Drampa are great for sponging Water- and Grass-attacks aimed at Lycanroc and can do a good job breaking down walls so that Lycanroc can sweep. Lastly, Choice Scarf Lilligant is a great partner, as it can not only threaten Ground-types that wall Lycanroc, but it can also give it a second chance at sweeping with Healing Wish.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Crunch can be used to hit Bronzor harder and cover non-Colbur Berry Palossand or Golurk. Toxic can also be used over a coverage move to cripple its checks like Gastrodon; however, this severely hampers its main purpose as a sweeper. Alternatively, a suicide lead set with Stealth Rock and Taunt can be run and has a notable niche as the fastest Stealth Rock setter in the tier, but it faces stiff competition from more applicable suicide leads like Archeops and Crustle, which simply have better options for the role. Lastly, Life Orb or Stone Plate can be used if you have a Z-Move elsewhere on your team, but Rockium Z is generally much more effective.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types like Gastrodon, Palossand, and Torterra can come in on Lycanroc and take very little from even +2 Continental Crush. They can continually recover off any damage dealt with their various recovery moves to check Lycanroc throughout the game.
**Fighting-types**: Fighting-types both resist Lycanroc's STAB moves and can hit back with moves that almost always OHKO, though only Gurdurr, defensive Poliwrath, and Throh can safely switch into Continental Crush. Gurdurr, Hitmonchan, Poliwrath, and Choice Scarf Primeape are all fine checks thanks to their ability to revenge kill Lycanroc by either outspeeding it or using a priority move.
**Steel-types**: Though less common than the above two, Steel-types can check Lycanroc depending on what coverage Lycanroc is running. Some, like Bronzor and Mawile, can tank any hit Lycanroc tries to dish out while others, like Ferroseed and Aggron, can check Lycanroc if it has the wrong coverage move or hasn't used Swords Dance yet.
**Physically Bulky Walls**: Because Lycanroc is so reliant on its Z-Move, very bulky Pokemon that aren't weak to Stone Edge such as Weezing, Piloswine, Regirock, defensive Carracosta, and Gourgeist-XL can check Lycanroc without its Z-Move still in play. Most of these Pokemon can tank an unboosted Continental Crush with relative ease and are only threatened if Lycanroc finds an opportunity to setup Swords Dance and has its Z-Move avaliable.
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