Good Attack and decent type coverage, so Luxray is a fairly obvious Choice Bander. Despite the low Base Power of the attacks, this is capable of doing plenty of damage. However, much of that power is dependent on how lucky you get with Rivalry. For example, if Luxray is facing a Quagsire of the same gender it can 2HKO with Return. On the other hand, if Quagsire is the opposite gender to Luxray, it will be a 3HKO at best. Return is actually the most powerful attack here, when hitting opponents neutral to all your other moves. Spark is chosen over Thunder Fang as a STAB move for the slightly better accuracy and higher paralysis rate—Luxray is a little too slow to take full advantage of the occasional flinch anyway. Ice Fang covers Ground- and Grass-types, 2HKOing most Claydol, Sandslash and Meganium. Crunch gives you more power against Ghosts and Psychics, but most can be taken care of with your other attacks (Ice Fang is a potential 2HKO on Rotom), so Quick Attack is a good alternative. The priority attack compensates for Luxray's below average Speed and can pick off weakened enemies. Either ability works on Choice Band Luxray. Intimidate is helpful in tons of situations but Rivalry gives a bit of extra power sometimes. Generally, you are better off using a male Luxray to take advantage of Rivalry if you do decide to use it over Intimidate. Most Pokemon are male by default on simulators, so fewer targets will be female. Nidoqueen, who is always female, can be 2HKOed by Ice Fang even with factoring in the power drop.
Although you are focused on the lower of Luxray's offensive stats, this has the potential to deal more damage than a Choice Band set. This is partly due to the much higher Base Power of Thunderbolt, and the addition of Hidden Power. Grass is better for type coverage, since it takes out Gastrodon and Quagsire. Ground is a decent option if you want to 2HKO Steelix, although you lose coverage on Water/Ground-types. The Speed EVs generate a stat of 210, outrunning most Omastar, Relicanth and Gorebyss before they set up with Rain Dance or Rock Polish.
Not only is Luxray's STAB attack on the weak side, its Attack boosting move is too. Still, Howl and Life Orb do provide a decent power boost. Return is your best option as a third attack, but Crunch is handy for catching Rotom on the switch. Luxray is a little too slow to be truly effective with this, so you'll want to try and paralyze a few things with Spark first, or pass an Agility/Rock Polish.
Intimidate is a great ability, and even though Luxray has rather average defensive capabilities, and few useful resistances, it can take quite a few hits with this set. When factoring in Intimidate, this Luxray is capable of surviving Swords Dance boosted hits from Scyther's X-Scissor and Kabutops' Stone Edge, then OHKOing them both with Thunderbolt. It also takes on Dragon Dance Lapras well, and switching into Brave Bird is no problem, even from Dodrio. Toxic fits well with the more defensive nature of the set, and greatly hinders walls like Quagsire, Gastrodon, and Lanturn. Hidden Power Grass helps to bring down Water/Ground-types and Golem. In the last slot, you can use Crunch to hit Grumpig and Hypno, who take significant damage from Crunch even with an Attack lowering nature, most likely a 3HKO given current EV trends. If you are content to simply hit them both Toxic, Light Screen is an option to defend against special attacks for a few turns. Other OptionsNatural Gift and a Liechi Berry gives him an 80 BP Grass attack for Quagsire and Lanturn, while a Salac Berry provides an 80 BP Fighting attack for hitting Aggron and Probopass. Fire Fang will barely scratch Steelix, and even with a Choice Band and Rivalry boost it manages 50% at best. Choice Scarf is always an option, but Luxray lacks the power and Speed to function as a revenge killer, or a late game sweeper. Might get a surprise kill or two, but don't count on it. Thunder Wave can cripple faster sweepers, but Toxic is generally the better option for status. Attract can work to some extent with Rivalry, so you can screw with enemies of the opposite gender. EVsMinimum of 210 Speed for attacking sets, which outruns Modest Omastar and Adamant Relicanth. 228 Speed beats most defensive Drapion, and 230 beats neutral natured Banette and max Speed Omastar and Relicanth. OpinionSTAB on Electric attacks, base 120 Attack, Intimidate... Sounds good so far. Sadly, the good news ends there. Luxray is let down by poor Speed and the low Base Power of its physical attacks. Still, don't let this put you off entirely, as Luxray is a capable, yet flawed contender in UU battles. CountersAggron, Steelix, and Probopass shrug off hits from the Choice Bander. Aggron can't take hits from Life Orb Thunderbolts, but the other two Steels will both defeat a mixed Luxray with little trouble. Quagsire and Gastrodon both fare quite well against sets that lack Hidden Power Grass, but beware of switching them in on Return on the Choice Band set. If Rivalry kicks in, both are potentially 2HKOed. |
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