[OVERVIEW]
* Mega Lopunny's access to a fast Healing Wish gives it a place on certain offensive teams, as it can fully restore a weakened wallbreaker or setup sweeper and essentially give them a second chance to pressure the opposing team.
* Slower offensive Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM are often tasked with taking strong hits early-game to check threats such as Xerneas, eventually wearing them down, and a quick Healing Wish can turn the tide of the battle in your favor by restoring their HP and curing them of status.
* Mega Lopunny's high Speed tier also lets it outpace and revenge kill key threats such as Mega Gengar, Ultra Necrozma, and Marshadow, although residual damage is still required to pick them off.
* Poor Attack and bulk mean Lopunny will heavily rely on Toxic Spikes and Fake Out to chip targets into range of its attacks, or else it will risk being weakened or KOed itself, and it will struggle to clean up healthy teams.
* Because it relies on Toxic Spikes to beat down support Arceus formes and other grounded targets, the few viable users of this move like Toxapex and Cloyster are often almost mandatory on builds utilizing Mega Lopunny. Forgoing the use of these Toxic Spikes users will limit what Mega Lopunny is able to do in a specific match.
* Taking up the Mega slot means Mega Lopunny faces severe competition from other more viable Mega Pokemon that are easier to fit on teams such as Mega Gengar, Mega Salamence, and Mega Scizor, somewhat restricting teambuilding, as they don't require specific team support to function. Mega Gengar is also much better at exploiting Toxic Spikes, as it can trap its targets and attack with a strong status-boosted Hex, while Mega Salamence and Mega Scizor provide their respective defensive utilities to the team.
[SET]
name: Healing Wish
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Return
move 3: High Jump Kick
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Lopunnite
ability: Limber
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Fake Out lets Mega Lopunny guarantee chip damage on targets such as Primal Groudon, Xerneas, and Primal Kyogre, putting them in range of its attacks later in the match. This also allows Mega Lopunny to rack up a turn of Toxic Spikes damage and anti-lead versus Smeagle, Excadrill, and Cloyster, safely breaking their Focus Sash and KOing them the next turn.
* Return is the most reliable Normal-type STAB move Mega Lopunny is able to use.
* High Jump Kick is a high-Base Power Fighting-type STAB move that allows Mega Lopunny to heavily damage targets hit super effectively by it such as Ferrothorn and Arceus-Dark, as well as 2HKOing some neutral targets such as Primal Kyogre and Magearna.
* Healing Wish is a big part of Mega Lopunny's niche, allowing it to sacrifice itself to fully restore a teammate and cure it of any status. Its high Speed complements this move well, as it enables it to utilize Healing Wish before being KOed by a strong attack.
* Encore can be a useful option over Healing Wish, as Mega Lopunny outspeeds +1 offensive Zygarde-C and can thus lock it into Dragon Dance, although it fails to outspeed +1 Zygarde pre-transformation. Encore also helps lock defensive walls such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex into status moves such as Recover.
Set Details
========
* A simple EV spread of maximum Attack and Speed investment lets Mega Lopunny hit as hard and as fast as possible, outpacing foes such as Mega Gengar, Ultra Necrozma, and Marshadow.
* Lopunnite is required to let Lopunny Mega Evolve.
* Limber is the best possible base ability, as it prevents paralysis from moves like Thunder Wave, Glare, and Nuzzle.
Usage Tips
========
* It's not always ideal to lead off with Mega Lopunny, as it allows Pokemon such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex to get their respective entry hazards up early. Your opponent will also avoid leading with common suicide leads such as Smeargle, Excadrill, and Cloyster due to the threat of Fake Out. Assess the matchup and attempt to predict your opponent's lead.
* If your opponent does end up leading with something with a positive matchup versus Mega Lopunny, such as a support Arceus forme, use Fake Out to chip the target and switch out the next turn to an appropriate answer to the threat at hand. Avoid using Fake Out against likely Rocky Helmet users like Toxapex and Skarmory, however.
* Fake Out is also a powerful tool for chipping setup sweepers such as Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Dragon Dance Mega Salamence, and Geomancy Xerneas, potentially halting a sweep or bringing the target into KO range of a teammate.
* Due to its frailty and lack of resistances, Mega Lopunny should be brought out through aggressive double switches into targets it can threaten such as Ferrothorn and Arceus-Dark or after one of its teammates has been KOed. Repeatedly getting Mega Lopunny on the field safely can be very important against more offensive teams that lack defensive walls.
* Setting up entry hazards is very important to ensure Mega Lopunny can pull its weight in a match. Get Toxic Spikes up early to cripple support Arceus formes and force a Rest from defensive Zygarde-C, and set up Stealth Rock to pressure Flying-type Defoggers such as Mega Salamence, physically defensive Yveltal, and Ho-Oh.
* If a certain member of your team such as Necrozma-DM or Zygarde-C is weakened, always try to assess Mega Lopunny's importance in the matchup, as a fast Healing Wish can bestow a second chance for one of your wallbreakers or sweepers or even bring back a weakened defensive wall that took a heavy hit or crippling status earlier in the match. Mega Lopunny can even bait in its checks such as Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas and use Healing Wish as they switch in, allowing free setup to teammates such as the aforementioned Necrozma-DM.
Team Options
========
* Trick Room or Double Dance Necrozma-DM can be a great partner for Mega Lopunny, as Healing Wish support allows it to wallbreak more recklessly early-game and take strong hits if needed, and in return it can KO or weaken some of Mega Lopunny's answers such as Zygarde-C, Choice Scarf Yveltal, and Arceus-Ground. Although using Trick Room Necrozma-DM may seem counterintuitive, since Mega Lopunny is a fast offensive threat, it boasts higher bulk than its Double Dance counterpart, which is important for dealing with Xerneas and Mega Salamence better.
* Swords Dance + Stealth Rock Primal Groudon can beat down defensive walls such as Arceus-Water, Arceus-Fairy, and Zygarde-C as well as bulky Flying-types such as Ho-Oh and Mega Salamence that all trouble Mega Lopunny, helping it to clean up late-game. Other variants of Primal Groudon also work well, such as Rock Polish, which can poke holes into defensive cores early-game and then be a recipient of Healing Wish if sweeping with Primal Groudon is more likely than cleaning up with Mega Lopunny.
* Dragon Dance Zygarde-C complements Mega Lopunny well, as it's also another common Pokemon that can utilize Toxic Spikes with Substitute + Protect variants, which will eventually overpower support Arceus forms while having great matchups versus some of its other checks such as Toxapex, Ho-Oh, and opposing defensive Zygarde-C.
* Toxapex provides Toxic Spikes support, statusing support Arceus formes and Zygarde-C upon entry and chipping them in range of a 2HKO from Mega Lopunny, and acts as an answer to Choice Scarf Xerneas and Ho-Oh.
* Although it provides little defensive utility and isn't as consistent as Toxapex, Cloyster is an alternative Toxic Spikes setter, as it can easily set a layer of Toxic Spikes while deterring entry hazard removal attempts early on in the match due to Shell Smash and its STAB Icicle Spear.
* Giratina-O easily fits on offensive teams as a Defogger, and its ability to cripple defensive walls such as Arceus-Fairy with Toxic or paralyze offensive threats like Yveltal with Thunder Wave lets it aid Mega Lopunny in cleaning up teams.
* Arceus-Dark can be an excellent teammate because it can handle certain threats such as Yveltal, Ultra Necrozma, and Lunala, as they can all survive hits from Mega Lopunny when sufficiently healthy and OHKO it back.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Low Kick is an accurate alternative to High Jump Kick, as many Pokemon in Ubers are heavy enough to the point where Low Kick reaches 120 Base Power, although the extra 10 Base Power that High Jump Kick provides is important for 2HKOing support Arceus formes with a little chip damage.
* Ice Punch lets Mega Lopunny OHKO Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage without factoring Intimidate, and it 2HKOes offensive Zygarde-C. Losing out on Fake Out or Healing Wish can be an awful trade, however.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Toxapex**: Toxapex is easily the biggest nuisance for Mega Lopunny, as it takes little damage from any of its attacks, has Regenerator to keep itself healthy, can punish its contact moves with Rocky Helmet, and soaks up Toxic Spikes, which Mega Lopunny heavily relies on. Its access to Haze also stops any Healing Wish recipient such as Necrozma-DM or Zygarde-C from freely setting up on Toxapex.
**Support Arceus formes**: Support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and the lesser-used Arceus-Dragon all avoid the 2HKO from High Jump Kick when at full HP and boast reliable recovery, meaning Mega Lopunny will require entry hazards or prior chip damage to break past these targets.
**Zygarde-C**: Defensive Zygarde-C can take multiple hits from Mega Lopunny, heal off any residual damage and remove status with Rest, and proceed to cripple it with Glare, essentially making it useless outside of using Healing Wish if the team lacks cleric support. Dragon Dance variants can use Mega Lopunny as setup fodder if it lacks Encore, although Z-Moves like Groundium Z and Dragonium Z will bypass the Encore and KO Mega Lopunny.
**Fairy-types**: Arceus-Fairy has access to reliable recovery, stomachs Mega Lopunny's attacks with ease, and can OHKO it with STAB Judgment. Geomancy Xerneas avoids the 2HKO from Return from full HP and OHKOes Mega Lopunny with Moonblast.
**Bulky Foes**: Bulky Psychic-types like defensive Lunala, Lugia, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Latias resist High Jump Kick and take little from Return, walling Mega Lopunny and crippling it with super effective STAB attacks or status. Mega Venusaur, Giratina, and Giratina-O avoid the 2HKO from Mega Lopunny's attacks and cripple it with Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, or STAB attacks.
**Flying-types**: Defensive Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, and Arceus-Flying resist High Jump Kick and avoid the 2HKO from Mega Lopunny as long as Stealth Rock is kept off the field and can thus beat it down. Physically defensive Yveltal and Skarmory are hit neutrally by High Jump Kick, but their high physical bulk lets them avoid the 2HKO and retaliate with Toxic.
**Faster Foes**: Mega Mewtwo Y outspeeds Mega Lopunny and OHKOes it with Psystrike, while Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas, Yveltal, and Ho-Oh outspeed Mega Lopunny and can easily revenge kill it from full HP; however, Mega Mewtwo Y and Xerneas dislike taking repeated Fake Outs.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Felixx, 401973]]
- Quality checked by: [[DMDW, 434601], [Nayrz, 212134], [Cynara, 224455]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Fireflame479, 231476], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
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