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[OVERVIEW]
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Accelrock
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Brick Break / Fire Fang
item: Rockium Z
ability: Steadfast / Sand Rush
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
Team Options
========
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground Types**: Bulky Grounds 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 and hit back with moves that almost always ohko (though only Gurdurr Defensive Poliwrath and Throh can safely switch in on a z move). Gurdurr, Hitmonchan, Poliwrath, and Scarf Primeape are all fine checks thanks to their resistance and ability to easily revenge with either a faster speed or Mach Punch/Vacuum Wave.
**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 setup to +2 yet.
**Physically Bulky Walls**: Because Lycanroc is so reliant on its z move, very bulky mons that aren't weak to Stone Edge such as Weezing, Piloswine, Regirock, Defensive Carracosta, Gourgeist, etc. can check Lycanroc without its z move still in play. Most of these mons can tank an unboosted Continental Crush with relative ease and are only threatened if Lycanroc finds an opportunity to setup SD and play its z move correctly.
[OVERVIEW]
- Lycanroc is a fantastic late game sweeper thanks to its high attack and stellar speed tier along with a unique priority move in Accelrock.
- Rockium Z along with Swords Dance helps it break through many of its would be checks.
- A disappointingly shallow movepool leaves Lycanroc easily walled/checked by common Ground and Fighting types.
- Low bulk also means Lycanroc can be easily revenged by priority or Scarfers that can take Accelrock.
- Lycanroc relies heavily on its z move to break bulky mons so it can often require heavy prediction in order to break effectively.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Accelrock
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Brick Break / Fire Fang
item: Rockium Z
ability: Steadfast / Sand Rush
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Stone Edge is Lycanroc's main STAB and means of doing damage
- Accelrock provides priority and allows Lycanroc to revenge things such as Setup Charizard and Scarf Oricorios
- Swords Dance boosts Lycanrocs attack tremendously and makes sweeping late game easier
- Brick Break provides good neutral coverage vs Steel types and lets gives Lycanroc a 100% accuracy move to click vs mons that wont die to an Accelrock like a weakened Regirock
- Fire Fang is a weaker alternative that hits Ferroseed hard as well as Torterra and Bronzor
Set Details
========
- Rockium Z gives Lycanroc an incredibly powerful base 180 power 100% accurate nuke to bust past its would be checks such as Gourgeist and Poliwrath.
- Both of Lycanroc's abilities don't have too much use but can be helpful in niche situations. Steadfast lets Lycanroc come in on a predicted Fake Out from Kangaskhan and gain a +1 speed boost. Alternatively, Sand Rush lets Lycanroc outspeed Sand Rush Stoutland if your team is weak to it.
- Jolly is the preferred nature as it lets Lycanroc hit a crucial speed tier, outspeeding major threats such as Raichu-A, Charizard, Archeops, etc.
- Max Attack and Speed evs allow Lycanroc to hit as hard and as fast as possible.
Usage Tips
========
- Lycanroc should be used primarily as a late game sweeper using its combination of a 1 time nuke, priority, and coverage to clean up weakened teams in the end game.
- If your opponent has a hard check like Gastrodon, try doubling to a mon that can help pressure that check early game.
- Use Accelrock to revenge threats such as setup Charizard or other weakened offensive threats when applicable.
- Because Lycanroc is so reliant on its z move, be aware that your opponent may attempt to double out of their check that can't take a +2 Continental Crush but can take a +2 Stone Edge in order to waste your z move. If you predict your opponent may will make such a play, SD on the sack or just attack the switch in with a normal move, depending on what your opponent is sacking. This will leave you in an even better position than before, but is a bit risky so be careful.
Team Options
========
- Strong Fire types with grass coverage such as Pyroar or Magmortar are a great option for breaking common checks to Lycanroc like Gastrodon and Ferroseed.
- Fighting checks are useful for taking Mach Punches from the likes of Gurdurr, Primeape, and Hitmonchan trying to revenge Lycanroc. Rocky Helmet Weezing and Qwilfish in particular are good partners as they can weaken the above mentioned mons and further chip them with hazards + Helmet recoil.
- Dragons like Guzzlord and Drampa are great for sponging Water and Grass attacks aimed at Lycanroc and can do a good job breaking down walls for Lycanroc to sweep later.
- 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.
- Hazards and Spikes in particular are quite useful for Lycanroc. Chipping Primeape and other scarfers into the range of Accelrock with continual damage can result in easier sweeps for Lycanroc late game.
- Mesprit is a great partner as it can take fighting and ground attacks aimed at Lycanroc, setup Stealth rock to chip Lycanroc's checks, and either bring in Lycanroc safely with a slow U-turn or restore it with Healing Wish.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
- Crunch can be used to hit Bronzor harder and give you coverage for non-Colbur Berry Palossand or Golurk, but the lose in coverage hurts Lycanroc's ability to sweep.
- Toxic can be used over a coverage move to cripple its checks, but this severely hampers its main purpose as a sweeper.
- A Suicide lead set with Stealth Rock and Taunt can be used and has a notable niche as the fastest rocker in the tier, but it faces stiff competition from more applicable suicide leads like Archeops and Crustle who have more tools like access to Spikes, Knock Off, Endeavor, Dual Stab etc.
- A Life Orb or Stone Plate can be used if you have a Z move elsewhere on your team, but Rockium is generally much more effective.
- A Choice Band set can be used for more immediate power, but it doesn't break nearly as well as SD and being choice locked can be quite detrimental in a lot of situations.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground Types**: Bulky Grounds 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 and hit back with moves that almost always ohko (though only Gurdurr Defensive Poliwrath and Throh can safely switch in on a z move). Gurdurr, Hitmonchan, Poliwrath, and Scarf Primeape are all fine checks thanks to their resistance and ability to easily revenge with either a faster speed or Mach Punch/Vacuum Wave.
**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 setup to +2 yet.
**Physically Bulky Walls**: Because Lycanroc is so reliant on its z move, very bulky mons that aren't weak to Stone Edge such as Weezing, Piloswine, Regirock, Defensive Carracosta, Gourgeist, etc. can check Lycanroc without its z move still in play. Most of these mons can tank an unboosted Continental Crush with relative ease and are only threatened if Lycanroc finds an opportunity to setup SD and play its z move correctly.
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