Stealth Rock is to set up a hazard that will soften up the other team allowing for an easier time getting rid of their members.įocus Sash is the preferred item as it gurantees Lycanroc at least 1 turn for stealth rock or counter due to its terrible bulk and defensive typing. Stone Edge increases Lycanroc's offensive options and is best used if you already have a scout lead on your team, otherwise Taunt is your best option to prevent them from punishing your stealth rock with other hazards or set-up. Taunt is used to prevent other Pokemon from setting up their hazards and also gives you a chance to counter since they won't be able to use any status moves. This really helps generate momentum against physical threats like primal Groudon and the like. Anything that hits it with a physical move that would otherwise kill it, will be countered with twice the power that being multiplied by its ability tough claws.

Counter is the move that allows this Lycanroc to function as an anti-lead. Accelerock is STAB priority and allows for the opportunity to revenge kill or finish off a weakened Pokemon as well as OHKO any Fire Flying types that come its way. It deals more damage than Accelrock, so that's something, not that Midnight Lycanroc wouldn't prefer using it. Sucker Punch is a decent way to round off this set by giving it the ability to attack first, though it doesn't hit very hard and is only particularly strong against weakened Pokemon. Simply put you should use Z-Bulk Up if you don't think you'll need Fighting-coverage and ready your Z-Counter if you think you do. On top of that Z-Bulk Up is basically a stronger version of Swords Dance since it gives +2 Attack and +1 Defense instead of +2 Attack (Or the +1 Atk +1 Def of regular Bulk Up, which is useful if it doesn't have the time to use Bulk Up twice). Z-Counter turns into All-Out Pummeling, which means that Lycanroc is granted access to Fighting-Type coverage without losing a moveslot. On the other hand it can try to use Counter to take them out by reflecting back the super effective hit Max HP and the +1 Defense from Bulk Up is enough to let Lycanroc tank super effective hits such as a STAB Earthquake without needing to use a Focus Sash.Ī Fightium-Z is great because it adds a huge angle of versatility to this moveset. What's worse is that it doesn't learn any moves to cover Ground or Fighting Types, both of which resist its STAB.

Lycanroc is a hard Pokemon to use, for sure. Why you would use this over Garchomp or Azelf, I have no idea, as Garchomp has better Attack, better bulk, a better defensive typing, and a better movepool, while Azelf has better bulk, better offense, higher Speed, and a vast array of utility moves such as Taunt, Skill Swap, and Explosion. Fire Fang hits popular hazard setters such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory super-effectively, doing a whopping 25% to Skarmory. Taunt stops slower Pokemon from setting up their hazards as well or removing the Stealth Rocks that Lycanroc sets up. The last EVs are put into Defense so Lycanroc can survive priority better, although offensive Scizor, Breloom and Azumarill still OHKO with Bullet Punch, Mach Punch and Aqua Jet respectively, so it really doesn't matter. Investing in Lycanroc's bulk would be a waste because it is so bad as such, Attack is maxed out to give Lycanroc an offensive presence. 252 Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature allow Lycanroc to take advantage of its Speed tier. For example, if Mega Lopunny tries to use Fake Out to break the sash, Lycanroc's Speed will rise and it will be able to outspeed Mega Lopunny on the next turn and get Stealth Rock up.

Steadfast is the only viable ability for this set, although it can be useful in some instances. Suicide Stealth Rock LeadĪ Focus Sash is the preferred item as it guarantees Lycanroc two turns on the field, which it probably wouldn't have otherwise due to its terrible bulk. One of the only viable sets I can think of right now is a suicide Stealth Rock lead for hyper offensive teams, which Midday Lycanroc could perform well due to its high Speed and access to both Taunt and Stealth Rock, although even this is severely outclassed by already popular suicide Stealth Rock leads such as Azelf and Garchomp. Offensively, Midday Lycanroc might've been decent - it could utilize a Choice Band well given its high Speed and good Attack, but its movepool is extremely barren - the only notable coverage moves are Crunch, Fire Fang, Brick Break, and Thunder Fang, all which are relatively weak in the latter's case or provide bad coverage in the former's case. This is only compounded by both forms' terrible bulk. Defensively, both forms are terrible, as Rock by itself is a poor defensive typing, being weak to common attacking types such as Water, Ground, and Fighting, priority moves such as Mach Punch, Aqua Jet and Bullet Punch, and having poor synergy. Not seeing a lot of potential in either of these Pokemon.

Lycanroc dusk move set