[OVERVIEW]
Mega-Lucario is a threat to be reckoned with, able to hit extremely hard even on resistant Pokemon with powerful STAB and Adaptability. It's one of the best attackers in the game, able to effectively run both physical and special sets. What Lucario lacks in defensive stats it makes up for partly in typing, but largely in offensive presence and speed which is a nightmare for defensive teams to deal with.
Below are some sample sets. These sets are likely to be standard, but they will be expanded upon and updated as the metagame progresses.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Iron Tail
move 3: Extreme Speed / Bullet Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Ice Punch
item: Lucarionite
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Spd / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Close Combat is Lucario's strongest and most reliable STAB option which deals massive damage even to Pokemon that resist such as Thundurus and Tapu Koko.
* Iron Tail hits Fairy-types including Clefable and Tapu Lele and Ghost-type Pokemon which would otherwise wall Mega-Lucario such as Mimikyu and Mega-Gengar.
* Extreme speed gives Lucario a +2 priority move, while Bullet Punch can be used instead to hit Ghost-type Pokemon with priority, but loses the benefits of hitting Blaziken harder.
* Swords Dance assists in breaking bulky threats like Celesteela and Cresselia while Ice Punch takes on Landorus-T, Garchomp and Thundurus.
* Earthquake can be used over Extreme Speed / Bullet Punch so that Lucario isn't walled by Alolan-Marowak and Aegislash, but at the cost of priority.
* While part Steel typing grants resistances, Lucario still needs support to take regular hits given its fairly bad bulk.
* Best used as a mid / late game sweeper as common Focus Sash leads such as Mamoswine can easily OHKO.
* 252 Atk / 252 Spe is the optimal spread for a physical setup sweeper.
* Aegislash, Blaziken, Slowbro, Alolan-Marowak and Zapdos are all Pokemon are all a huge problem for Lucario so be sure to prepare for those. Will-O-Wisp can also cripple Lucario heavily.
set name: Special Attacker
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Aura Sphere / Focus Blast
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Vacuum Wave / Dark Pulse
item: Lucarionite
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 252 Spa / 4 Spd / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Nasty Plot helps Lucario to abuse its special movepool, while not having to care about Intimidate or Will-O-Wisp.
* Aura Sphere sacrifices power for accuracy which is useful against Pokemon carrying Minimize including Alolan-Muk or Pokemon with access to the ability Moody, notably Glalie. Focus Blast can still be used however for sheer damage output.
* Flash Cannon hits Fairy and Ghost-types which Fighting STAB can't do reliably.
* Vacuum wave can hit faster Pokemon including Greninja and common Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Garchomp and Hydreigon, while Dark Pulse can be used to hit Slowbro, Alolan-Marowak and Aegislash, but has little utility with the inability to OHKO Aegislash even at +2.
* Without Dark Pulse, Lucario has no means of dealing with Aegislash, Alolan-Marowak or Slowbro, so be sure to prepare for those threats if using Vacuum Wave.
* The given EV spread maximises both power and speed for a special sweeper.
Mega-Lucario is a threat to be reckoned with, able to hit extremely hard even on resistant Pokemon with powerful STAB and Adaptability. It's one of the best attackers in the game, able to effectively run both physical and special sets. What Lucario lacks in defensive stats it makes up for partly in typing, but largely in offensive presence and speed which is a nightmare for defensive teams to deal with.
Below are some sample sets. These sets are likely to be standard, but they will be expanded upon and updated as the metagame progresses.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Iron Tail
move 3: Extreme Speed / Bullet Punch
move 4: Swords Dance / Ice Punch
item: Lucarionite
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Spd / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Close Combat is Lucario's strongest and most reliable STAB option which deals massive damage even to Pokemon that resist such as Thundurus and Tapu Koko.
* Iron Tail hits Fairy-types including Clefable and Tapu Lele and Ghost-type Pokemon which would otherwise wall Mega-Lucario such as Mimikyu and Mega-Gengar.
* Extreme speed gives Lucario a +2 priority move, while Bullet Punch can be used instead to hit Ghost-type Pokemon with priority, but loses the benefits of hitting Blaziken harder.
* Swords Dance assists in breaking bulky threats like Celesteela and Cresselia while Ice Punch takes on Landorus-T, Garchomp and Thundurus.
* Earthquake can be used over Extreme Speed / Bullet Punch so that Lucario isn't walled by Alolan-Marowak and Aegislash, but at the cost of priority.
* While part Steel typing grants resistances, Lucario still needs support to take regular hits given its fairly bad bulk.
* Best used as a mid / late game sweeper as common Focus Sash leads such as Mamoswine can easily OHKO.
* 252 Atk / 252 Spe is the optimal spread for a physical setup sweeper.
* Aegislash, Blaziken, Slowbro, Alolan-Marowak and Zapdos are all Pokemon are all a huge problem for Lucario so be sure to prepare for those. Will-O-Wisp can also cripple Lucario heavily.
set name: Special Attacker
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Aura Sphere / Focus Blast
move 3: Flash Cannon
move 4: Vacuum Wave / Dark Pulse
item: Lucarionite
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Timid
evs: 252 Spa / 4 Spd / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
* Nasty Plot helps Lucario to abuse its special movepool, while not having to care about Intimidate or Will-O-Wisp.
* Aura Sphere sacrifices power for accuracy which is useful against Pokemon carrying Minimize including Alolan-Muk or Pokemon with access to the ability Moody, notably Glalie. Focus Blast can still be used however for sheer damage output.
* Flash Cannon hits Fairy and Ghost-types which Fighting STAB can't do reliably.
* Vacuum wave can hit faster Pokemon including Greninja and common Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Garchomp and Hydreigon, while Dark Pulse can be used to hit Slowbro, Alolan-Marowak and Aegislash, but has little utility with the inability to OHKO Aegislash even at +2.
* Without Dark Pulse, Lucario has no means of dealing with Aegislash, Alolan-Marowak or Slowbro, so be sure to prepare for those threats if using Vacuum Wave.
* The given EV spread maximises both power and speed for a special sweeper.
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