[SET]
name: Magic Guard
move 1: Steel Beam
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Shadow Ball / Nasty Plot / Psychic
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Hasty
evs: 28 Atk / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Lucario boasts good mixed attacking stats and high Base Power moves, making it a tough wallbreaker to safely switch into. Steel Beam dents physical walls that switch in expecting a physical set, including Mandibuzz, Mew, and Skarmory. Close Combat is Lucario's best option against common special walls such as Blissey, Heatran, and RegenVest Swampert. Stone Edge targets several foes that resist both of its STAB moves, most notably Zapdos, Volcarona, and Moltres. For the last moveslot, Shadow Ball 2HKOes Slowbro and Doublade, while Nasty Plot pressures bulkier foes like Corviknight and Suicune. If Toxapex is of particular concern, then Psychic can be used instead. 228 Speed EVs and a Hasty nature outspeeds Adamant Galarian Zapdos, and the Attack investment always 2HKOes RegenVest Swampert with Close Combat. Hasty is preferred over Naive to survive +1 Draining Kiss from Tapu Lele.
Lucarios's excellent mixed attacking profile lets it effectively draw in and weaken opposing walls, making it a great fit for balance and bulky offense teams. Late-game cleaners like Azelf enjoy Lucario's ability to weaken walls for them, and other fast wallbreakers like Terrakion and Zarude synergize well by overwhelming shared checks. Lucario has limited defensive utility and thus should be built around a robust defensive core to shore up offense matchups. Pivoting teammates, such as Swampert, Blissey, and Corviknight, can repeatedly provide Lucario opportunities to switch in and punch holes in opposing teams, and they check powerful attackers such as Terrakion, Azelf, and Zapdos. Swampert and Ferrothorn have access to entry hazards to chip foes like Slowbro and RegenVest Landorus-T into KO range.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
On more offensive teams, Lucario can opt for Nasty Plot and Swords Dance sets with damage amplification abilities like Adaptability and Sheer Force for the former and -ate Speed for the latter.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Lucario's middling Speed and poor bulk make it fall prey to most faster threats like Barraskewda, Terrakion, and Talonflame. However, they are vulnerable to -ate Speed sets. Psychic Surge Azelf and Alakazam are the best offensive answers, as they can also block Extreme Speed.
**Specific Walls**: While Lucario practically has tools to beat every Pokemon, it can't fit everything in four moveslots, allowing specific Pokemon to wall it once its moveset has been revealed. Physical movesets are stopped by bulky physical walls like Mew and Hippowdon, and special sets struggle to get past RegenVest Swampert and Landorus-T. Even mixed sets can struggle against walls like Slowbro if not using Shadow Ball.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[longhiep341, 500884]]
- Quality checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [UT, 523866]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
name: Magic Guard
move 1: Steel Beam
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Shadow Ball / Nasty Plot / Psychic
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Hasty
evs: 28 Atk / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Lucario boasts good mixed attacking stats and high Base Power moves, making it a tough wallbreaker to safely switch into. Steel Beam dents physical walls that switch in expecting a physical set, including Mandibuzz, Mew, and Skarmory. Close Combat is Lucario's best option against common special walls such as Blissey, Heatran, and RegenVest Swampert. Stone Edge targets several foes that resist both of its STAB moves, most notably Zapdos, Volcarona, and Moltres. For the last moveslot, Shadow Ball 2HKOes Slowbro and Doublade, while Nasty Plot pressures bulkier foes like Corviknight and Suicune. If Toxapex is of particular concern, then Psychic can be used instead. 228 Speed EVs and a Hasty nature outspeeds Adamant Galarian Zapdos, and the Attack investment always 2HKOes RegenVest Swampert with Close Combat. Hasty is preferred over Naive to survive +1 Draining Kiss from Tapu Lele.
Lucarios's excellent mixed attacking profile lets it effectively draw in and weaken opposing walls, making it a great fit for balance and bulky offense teams. Late-game cleaners like Azelf enjoy Lucario's ability to weaken walls for them, and other fast wallbreakers like Terrakion and Zarude synergize well by overwhelming shared checks. Lucario has limited defensive utility and thus should be built around a robust defensive core to shore up offense matchups. Pivoting teammates, such as Swampert, Blissey, and Corviknight, can repeatedly provide Lucario opportunities to switch in and punch holes in opposing teams, and they check powerful attackers such as Terrakion, Azelf, and Zapdos. Swampert and Ferrothorn have access to entry hazards to chip foes like Slowbro and RegenVest Landorus-T into KO range.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
On more offensive teams, Lucario can opt for Nasty Plot and Swords Dance sets with damage amplification abilities like Adaptability and Sheer Force for the former and -ate Speed for the latter.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Lucario's middling Speed and poor bulk make it fall prey to most faster threats like Barraskewda, Terrakion, and Talonflame. However, they are vulnerable to -ate Speed sets. Psychic Surge Azelf and Alakazam are the best offensive answers, as they can also block Extreme Speed.
**Specific Walls**: While Lucario practically has tools to beat every Pokemon, it can't fit everything in four moveslots, allowing specific Pokemon to wall it once its moveset has been revealed. Physical movesets are stopped by bulky physical walls like Mew and Hippowdon, and special sets struggle to get past RegenVest Swampert and Landorus-T. Even mixed sets can struggle against walls like Slowbro if not using Shadow Ball.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[longhiep341, 500884]]
- Quality checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662], [UT, 523866]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
Last edited: