[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onward
**Price Range**: 2-4 points
**Overview**: Lycanroc is a speedy Stealth Rock setter that can deal some damage before fainting, has access to Rock-type priority in Accelerock, and brings just enough coverage and utility to justify it as a reliable lead on teams that need its tools. On the other hand, it is incredibly frail, lacks power to reliably KO bulkier foes, and has few tools outside of being a dedicated lead or a subpar attacker in and out of sand, which explains its low price.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Lead**: Lycanroc's base Speed allows it to semi-reliably set Stealth Rock in front of slower foes or those that lack disruption in moves like Taunt. With a Focus Sash, it can survive any one hit and round out its moveset with Taunt to prevent opposing status moves, Endeavor to bring slower foes down to a single HP, Accelerock to pick off or outprioritize foes, or additional coverage to hit specific threats.
**Wallbreaker**: While Lycanroc is far from the strongest attacker in the game, it can bolster its damage with options like Choice Band or Swords Dance to empower its STAB and coverage moves to weaken opposing teams.
**Sand Sweeper**: Lycanroc can ascend to a blisteringly high Speed thanks to Sand Rush, and although it rarely has the raw power to sweep entire teams, it can combine strong moves like Stone Edge and Close Combat with a Life Orb to weaken foes for its teammates to clean up.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Accelerock, Rock Blast, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Endeavor, Taunt, Substitute, Brick Break, Psychic Fangs
**Coverage**: Close Combat, Drill Run, Crunch, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Iron Head, Play Rough, Sucker Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Endure**: Lycanroc can use Endure instead of or alongside a Focus Sash to guarantee survival a hit on minimal HP and threaten slower foes with Endeavor.
**Sandstorm**: Lycanroc can set its own sand with Sandstorm to activate Sand Rush and allow it to outspeed nearly all foes or enable its teammates.
**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: Lycanroc can reduce foes' Speed stats and deal moderate damage using Rock Tomb or Bulldoze to allow itself or its teammates to outspeed them on following turns.
**Roar**: Lycanroc can utilize Roar to force out foes that would otherwise use it as setup fodder.
Common Items
========
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash allows Lycanroc to take any one hit and set Stealth Rock, disrupt a foe with Taunt, or attack while threatening major damage with Endeavor on following turns.
**Damage-boosting items**: Choice Band, Life Orb, Hard Stone, and Expert Belt give a much-needed boost to Lycanroc's damage if it is not being used as a dedicated lead.
Niche Items
========
**Air Balloon**: Against foes with limited coverage, Air Balloon can help Lycanroc come in on a potential Ground-type move and either set entry hazards, boost its Attack, or damage foes for an additional turn.
**Eject Pack**: Lycanroc can become a one-time pivot by combining Eject Pack with Close Combat, allowing it to gain momentum and return later in the battle.
**Mental Herb**: Against teams with fast or Prankster Taunt users, Lycanroc can avoid Taunt a single time using Mental Herb to set Stealth Rock.
Tera
========
Lycanroc is not an ideal Tera Captain, as it lacks the raw power to threaten foes with offensive type coverage while getting little out of defensive types. If it is the only choice, Tera Rock further empowers Accelerock and Stone Edge, Tera Fighting boosts Close Combat as its hardest-hitting move, and Tera Grass can remove some weaknesses while allowing it to threaten bulky Water-type foes.
Draft Strategy
========
Lycanroc fits best on teams needing an additional Stealth Rock setter and a relatively speedy physical attacker for just a few points. Setup sweepers and other wallbreakers happily take advantage of the chip damage that Lycanroc is able to provide. Sand setters are an option that Lycanroc appreciates but are a luxury instead of a necessity.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Foes**: Lycanroc doesn't appreciate super effective coverage or disruption like Taunt from faster foes like Greninja, Sneasler, and Iron Valiant.
**Priority**: Moves like Water Shuriken, Mach Punch, Vacuum Wave, and Ice Shard can all block Lycanroc's attempts to use Endeavor on lead sets and do significant damage if not outright KOing offensive sets.
**Bulky Foes**: Lycanroc struggles to do meaningful or lasting damage to foes like Pecharunt, Great Tusk, and Slowbro that aren't weak to its attacks.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xand.614716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onward
**Price Range**: 2-4 points
**Overview**: Lycanroc is a speedy Stealth Rock setter that can deal some damage before fainting, has access to Rock-type priority in Accelerock, and brings just enough coverage and utility to justify it as a reliable lead on teams that need its tools. On the other hand, it is incredibly frail, lacks power to reliably KO bulkier foes, and has few tools outside of being a dedicated lead or a subpar attacker in and out of sand, which explains its low price.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Entry Hazard Lead**: Lycanroc's base Speed allows it to semi-reliably set Stealth Rock in front of slower foes or those that lack disruption in moves like Taunt. With a Focus Sash, it can survive any one hit and round out its moveset with Taunt to prevent opposing status moves, Endeavor to bring slower foes down to a single HP, Accelerock to pick off or outprioritize foes, or additional coverage to hit specific threats.
**Wallbreaker**: While Lycanroc is far from the strongest attacker in the game, it can bolster its damage with options like Choice Band or Swords Dance to empower its STAB and coverage moves to weaken opposing teams.
**Sand Sweeper**: Lycanroc can ascend to a blisteringly high Speed thanks to Sand Rush, and although it rarely has the raw power to sweep entire teams, it can combine strong moves like Stone Edge and Close Combat with a Life Orb to weaken foes for its teammates to clean up.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Accelerock, Rock Blast, Stone Edge, Rock Slide
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Endeavor, Taunt, Substitute, Brick Break, Psychic Fangs
**Coverage**: Close Combat, Drill Run, Crunch, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Iron Head, Play Rough, Sucker Punch
Niche Moves
========
**Endure**: Lycanroc can use Endure instead of or alongside a Focus Sash to guarantee survival a hit on minimal HP and threaten slower foes with Endeavor.
**Sandstorm**: Lycanroc can set its own sand with Sandstorm to activate Sand Rush and allow it to outspeed nearly all foes or enable its teammates.
**Rock Tomb / Bulldoze**: Lycanroc can reduce foes' Speed stats and deal moderate damage using Rock Tomb or Bulldoze to allow itself or its teammates to outspeed them on following turns.
**Roar**: Lycanroc can utilize Roar to force out foes that would otherwise use it as setup fodder.
Common Items
========
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash allows Lycanroc to take any one hit and set Stealth Rock, disrupt a foe with Taunt, or attack while threatening major damage with Endeavor on following turns.
**Damage-boosting items**: Choice Band, Life Orb, Hard Stone, and Expert Belt give a much-needed boost to Lycanroc's damage if it is not being used as a dedicated lead.
Niche Items
========
**Air Balloon**: Against foes with limited coverage, Air Balloon can help Lycanroc come in on a potential Ground-type move and either set entry hazards, boost its Attack, or damage foes for an additional turn.
**Eject Pack**: Lycanroc can become a one-time pivot by combining Eject Pack with Close Combat, allowing it to gain momentum and return later in the battle.
**Mental Herb**: Against teams with fast or Prankster Taunt users, Lycanroc can avoid Taunt a single time using Mental Herb to set Stealth Rock.
Tera
========
Lycanroc is not an ideal Tera Captain, as it lacks the raw power to threaten foes with offensive type coverage while getting little out of defensive types. If it is the only choice, Tera Rock further empowers Accelerock and Stone Edge, Tera Fighting boosts Close Combat as its hardest-hitting move, and Tera Grass can remove some weaknesses while allowing it to threaten bulky Water-type foes.
Draft Strategy
========
Lycanroc fits best on teams needing an additional Stealth Rock setter and a relatively speedy physical attacker for just a few points. Setup sweepers and other wallbreakers happily take advantage of the chip damage that Lycanroc is able to provide. Sand setters are an option that Lycanroc appreciates but are a luxury instead of a necessity.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Foes**: Lycanroc doesn't appreciate super effective coverage or disruption like Taunt from faster foes like Greninja, Sneasler, and Iron Valiant.
**Priority**: Moves like Water Shuriken, Mach Punch, Vacuum Wave, and Ice Shard can all block Lycanroc's attempts to use Endeavor on lead sets and do significant damage if not outright KOing offensive sets.
**Bulky Foes**: Lycanroc struggles to do meaningful or lasting damage to foes like Pecharunt, Great Tusk, and Slowbro that aren't weak to its attacks.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xand.614716/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
