[OVERVIEW]
Lucario is an impressively powerful sweeper on hyper offense teams. Close Combat is enough to let it outright destroy common physically defensive walls like Skarmory and Tangrowth at +2 alongside entry hazard support, and access to Extreme Speed and STAB Meteor Mash let it handle Pokemon that commonly cause hyper offense teams to struggle like Latios, Alakazam, and Unaware Clefable. However, Lucario relies heavily on Stealth Rock and Spikes support to bring foes like Latios, Infernape, and Skarmory into range of its boosted attacks. Furthermore, Lucario's frailty, compounded with Life Orb recoil, puts it on a timer when it tries to sweep, especially if it has to eat a hit in order to set up. Lucario's Speed tier also does it no favors, often forcing it to rely on Extreme Speed. Finally, Lucario struggles to deal with the omnipresent Gliscor, which can switch into it and OHKO it with Earthquake.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Meteor Mash
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance lets Lucario break through a number of defensive threats with its Life Orb-boosted Close Combat. Close Combat absolutely destroys bulky Pokemon like Rotom-W and Skarmory, OHKOing both after Stealth Rock. Meteor Mash separates Lucario from other setup sweepers, as it is uniquely capable of hitting Unaware Clefable super effectively. Meteor Mash is also incredibly useful for picking off weakened Gliscor while potentially giving Lucario the boost it needs to sweep. After a Swords Dance boost, Extreme Speed easily OHKOes faster Pokemon that would normally force Lucario out, notably OHKOing Infernape and Latios after Stealth Rock. An Adamant nature is near-required to OHKO Latios with Extreme Speed at +2 after Stealth Rock; however, a Jolly nature can be used if outspeeding Timid Rotom-W is necessary. Justified lets Lucario come in on a predicted Knock Off from Tangrowth or Throat Chop from Weavile to get an Attack boost, which all but ensures its sweep.
Lucario fits best on hyper offense teams that can break holes for it to potentially sweep late-game. Lead Skarmory is an excellent partner, as Lucario needs Stealth Rock on the field to guarantee an OHKO on Latios, Infernape, and Starmie with +2 Extreme Speed. The Spikes Skarmory provides is also beneficial, chipping Pokemon like Garchomp and Tangrowth into range of its boosted attacks. Lucario should be paired with wallbreakers that can soften up the enemy team for it to an eventually sweep like Breloom, Dragonite, Feraligatr, and Alakazam. Breloom is particularly good, as it can give Lucario a free setup opportunity with Spore, while Alakazam notably forces Latios out. Azelf is an interesting teammate option that can keep opposing entry hazards off the field with its fast Taunt and weaken foes like Gliscor and Latios with Psychic and U-turn, respectively. Azelf can also run a lead set to support Lucario, setting up either Stealth Rock or dual screens, both of which ease Lucario's sweeping attempts. Water-types like Feraligatr, Cloyster, and Azumarill can set up on and force out Gliscor, which is the most common switch-in to Lucario. Lucario greatly appreciates speed control in the form of Sticky Web or paralysis spam, as these playstyles enable Lucario to pick up KOs with Close Combat on normally faster foes that can tank +2 Extreme Speed like Garchomp and Jolly Mamoswine.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Lucario has no viable move alternatives. A Choice Band set replacing Swords Dance with Crunch can be utilized but is ultimately less effective.
Checks and Counters
====
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Gliscor, Latias, and Slowbro can switch into unboosted Lucario and force it out with Earthquake, Psychic, and Flamethrower or Scald. Slowbro is particularly good at this, as its typing, massive physical bulk, and access to Regenerator mean that Lucario will almost never break through it. Stall teams without Gliscor can rely on Quagsire to revenge kill Lucario; however, it is 2HKOed by Close Combat on the switch.
**Revenge Killers**: If entry hazards are kept off the field, strong wallbreakers like Latios, Dragonite, and Focus Sash Breloom can effectively revenge kill Lucario. Focus Sash Alakazam is a particularly notable foe, as it can keep its Focus Sash intact with Magic Guard, making it quite consistent at revenge killing Lucario. Garchomp is able to comfortably survive a +2 Extreme Speed and KO back with Earthquake.
**Offensive Pressure**: Lucario relies on boosting and its Life Orb to meaningfully pressure faster threats; accordingly, hitting Lucario as it sets up reduces its effectiveness, as Life Orb recoil puts a timer on its sweep. Without a Swords Dance boost, Lucario cannot meaningfully threaten faster Pokemon like Latios and Infernape, so make sure to never let it set up for free.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Lucario relies immensely on Stealth Rock and Spikes from Skarmory to OHKO Pokemon like Latios, Skarmory, and Tangrowth. Removing these entry hazards leaves Lucario easily revenge killed by the aforementioned threats if they are kept healthy.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[dex, 277988]]
- Quality checked by: [[Adem, 529732][Lalaya, 279858]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Kris, 241023]]
Lucario is an impressively powerful sweeper on hyper offense teams. Close Combat is enough to let it outright destroy common physically defensive walls like Skarmory and Tangrowth at +2 alongside entry hazard support, and access to Extreme Speed and STAB Meteor Mash let it handle Pokemon that commonly cause hyper offense teams to struggle like Latios, Alakazam, and Unaware Clefable. However, Lucario relies heavily on Stealth Rock and Spikes support to bring foes like Latios, Infernape, and Skarmory into range of its boosted attacks. Furthermore, Lucario's frailty, compounded with Life Orb recoil, puts it on a timer when it tries to sweep, especially if it has to eat a hit in order to set up. Lucario's Speed tier also does it no favors, often forcing it to rely on Extreme Speed. Finally, Lucario struggles to deal with the omnipresent Gliscor, which can switch into it and OHKO it with Earthquake.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Meteor Mash
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Justified
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance lets Lucario break through a number of defensive threats with its Life Orb-boosted Close Combat. Close Combat absolutely destroys bulky Pokemon like Rotom-W and Skarmory, OHKOing both after Stealth Rock. Meteor Mash separates Lucario from other setup sweepers, as it is uniquely capable of hitting Unaware Clefable super effectively. Meteor Mash is also incredibly useful for picking off weakened Gliscor while potentially giving Lucario the boost it needs to sweep. After a Swords Dance boost, Extreme Speed easily OHKOes faster Pokemon that would normally force Lucario out, notably OHKOing Infernape and Latios after Stealth Rock. An Adamant nature is near-required to OHKO Latios with Extreme Speed at +2 after Stealth Rock; however, a Jolly nature can be used if outspeeding Timid Rotom-W is necessary. Justified lets Lucario come in on a predicted Knock Off from Tangrowth or Throat Chop from Weavile to get an Attack boost, which all but ensures its sweep.
Lucario fits best on hyper offense teams that can break holes for it to potentially sweep late-game. Lead Skarmory is an excellent partner, as Lucario needs Stealth Rock on the field to guarantee an OHKO on Latios, Infernape, and Starmie with +2 Extreme Speed. The Spikes Skarmory provides is also beneficial, chipping Pokemon like Garchomp and Tangrowth into range of its boosted attacks. Lucario should be paired with wallbreakers that can soften up the enemy team for it to an eventually sweep like Breloom, Dragonite, Feraligatr, and Alakazam. Breloom is particularly good, as it can give Lucario a free setup opportunity with Spore, while Alakazam notably forces Latios out. Azelf is an interesting teammate option that can keep opposing entry hazards off the field with its fast Taunt and weaken foes like Gliscor and Latios with Psychic and U-turn, respectively. Azelf can also run a lead set to support Lucario, setting up either Stealth Rock or dual screens, both of which ease Lucario's sweeping attempts. Water-types like Feraligatr, Cloyster, and Azumarill can set up on and force out Gliscor, which is the most common switch-in to Lucario. Lucario greatly appreciates speed control in the form of Sticky Web or paralysis spam, as these playstyles enable Lucario to pick up KOs with Close Combat on normally faster foes that can tank +2 Extreme Speed like Garchomp and Jolly Mamoswine.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Lucario has no viable move alternatives. A Choice Band set replacing Swords Dance with Crunch can be utilized but is ultimately less effective.
Checks and Counters
====
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Gliscor, Latias, and Slowbro can switch into unboosted Lucario and force it out with Earthquake, Psychic, and Flamethrower or Scald. Slowbro is particularly good at this, as its typing, massive physical bulk, and access to Regenerator mean that Lucario will almost never break through it. Stall teams without Gliscor can rely on Quagsire to revenge kill Lucario; however, it is 2HKOed by Close Combat on the switch.
**Revenge Killers**: If entry hazards are kept off the field, strong wallbreakers like Latios, Dragonite, and Focus Sash Breloom can effectively revenge kill Lucario. Focus Sash Alakazam is a particularly notable foe, as it can keep its Focus Sash intact with Magic Guard, making it quite consistent at revenge killing Lucario. Garchomp is able to comfortably survive a +2 Extreme Speed and KO back with Earthquake.
**Offensive Pressure**: Lucario relies on boosting and its Life Orb to meaningfully pressure faster threats; accordingly, hitting Lucario as it sets up reduces its effectiveness, as Life Orb recoil puts a timer on its sweep. Without a Swords Dance boost, Lucario cannot meaningfully threaten faster Pokemon like Latios and Infernape, so make sure to never let it set up for free.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Lucario relies immensely on Stealth Rock and Spikes from Skarmory to OHKO Pokemon like Latios, Skarmory, and Tangrowth. Removing these entry hazards leaves Lucario easily revenge killed by the aforementioned threats if they are kept healthy.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[dex, 277988]]
- Quality checked by: [[Adem, 529732][Lalaya, 279858]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Kris, 241023]]
Last edited:
