Lunatone


Fly me to the moon,
Let me play among the stars.
QC Approved: Zebraiken, Omicron, tennisace
GP Approved: Komodo (for Mafeking), SuperJOCKE


[Overview]

<p>The moon is the master of the tides, the light of our night, and the bringer of werewolves. Lunatone, however, is much less impressive than the moon. Aside from its good Special Attack, Lunatone's stats are middling at best. Lunatone's odd typing provides it with half a dozen weaknesses and half a dozen resists, making it a mixed bag defensively. While its low Speed stat seems to hinder any hope it would have at sweeping, Lunatone has two ways of fixing this: Trick Room and Rock Polish. Unfortunately, much like the moon must compete with the sun for dominance of the sky, Lunatone must compete with Solrock (and quite a few other Pokemon) for a spot on a team. Whenever you opt to use Lunatone, it is crucial to focus on its special side; otherwise, you might as well stick to Solrock.</p>

[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Explosion
item: Focus Sash
ability: Levitate
nature: Quiet
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Lunatone's main goal for this set is to set up Trick Room for your team and die fighting, allowing a stronger sweeper to come in for free. Focus Sash is Lunatone's item of choice, allowing it to survive a hit while setting up Trick Room. From there, it can be used to weaken the opponent's team. Psychic is its strongest STAB attack, making it an obvious choice. Earth Power offers great coverage alongside Psychic, though it leaves Lunatone completely walled by Murkrow. Explosion, despite Lunatone's low Attack stat, is the best option for the final slot, as it guarantees a free switch-in for your sweeper of choice.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs maximize both of Lunatone's offenses, as it doesn't intend to stick around for long. With 0 Speed IVs and a Quiet nature, it is as slow as possible while still hitting hard on the special side. Hidden Power Rock is a weaker STAB attacking option that offers pseudo-QuakeEdge coverage with Earth Power; just remember to use 2 Speed IVs when using it. A specially bulky build with Leftovers is an option, allowing Lunatone to stick around longer in exchange for some of its offensive capability; when using this spread, Stealth Rock can be used over Earth Power for added team support.</p>

<p>If, for some reason, Lunatone is not being used in the lead position, having a spinner on your team is recommended to keep its Focus Sash intact. Armaldo is the best choice for this role, as it functions well as both a Trick Room sweeper and an offensive spinner. Because Lunatone will likely only set up Trick Room once for your team, having several other Trick Room users, such as Mesprit, Audino, and Lampent, is definitely recommended. Mesprit and Audino can use Healing Wish, while Lampent has access to Memento, allowing Lunatone to switch in for free if it is not in the lead position. As Lunatone struggles against Dark-types such as Absol, a strong but slow Fighting-type, such as Gurdurr, Emboar, or Throh, is also a great teammate.</p>

[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Earth Power / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Rock Polish, Lunatone is actually capable of sweeping on its own. Psychic and Hidden Power Rock are its two STAB attacks of choice. Earth Power offers the best coverage alongside these two, making it a solid choice for the final slot. Baton Pass, however, is also a great option for passing Speed boosts to a more powerful sweeper. After a single Rock Polish, Lunatone outspeeds Swellow and Choice Scarf Jynx, and can OHKO them both with Hidden Power Rock. Braviary, offensive Rotom-S, and Sawk (after Sturdy is broken) are also all OHKOed by either Hidden Power Rock or Psychic.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Modest nature and 252 Special Attack EVs, Lunatone hits as hard as possible. 252 Speed EVs are then allocated to maximize its Speed, with the remaining 4 going into HP for added bulk. A Timid nature can also be used to outspeed neutral base 80 Speed Pokemon before setting up Rock Polish, though the loss in power is noticeable. Life Orb is the best item for maximum damage output. Ice Beam is an option over Hidden Power Rock to hit Cacturne and Shiftry harder, but is generally an inferior choice.</p>

<p>Despite the added Speed from Rock Polish, Lunatone is still very susceptible to priority attacks, especially Absol's Sucker Punch. As such, carrying Pokemon that can remove opposing Dark-types, such as Sawk and Throh, is a good idea. Additionally, Lunatone's poor Speed prior to boosting means that paralysis support is welcomed. Regirock and Mesprit can both provide this, as well as Stealth Rock support. As with any sweeper, entry hazards are greatly appreciated for netting more KOs and breaking Sturdy. Cacturne and Garbordor can supply Spikes support, and the latter boasts access to Toxic Spikes as well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Lunatone has an impressive amount of other options to run. For example, a bulky Choice Specs set will punch holes in the opponent's team. It is also quite capable of using Calm Mind, as its Special Attack and Special Defense are already pretty good; as an added bonus, it can Baton Pass those boosts to other sweepers. It can also pass Cosmic Power or utilize dual screens to aid frailer teammates. Lunatone is just bulky enough to set up rain for your team, and can use Hidden Power Water and Ice Beam alongside STAB Psychic for great coverage. Psyshock is an option on any set to hit special walls harder. Shadow Ball offers decent coverage alongside Pyschic and Earth Power, but leaves Lunatone completely at the mercy of Cacturne, Shiftry, and Murkrow. Rest is its only form of recovery, making it an unreliable option for defensive sets. Hypnosis is a similarly unreliable yet useful option to cripple the opponent. Toxic helps Lunatone wear down defensive Pokemon that try to wall it. Stealth Rock is a great support move that can aid Lunatone and other sweepers in chipping away at the opposing team. Finally, Substitute is a solid option to scout an opponent's switch and protect Lunatone from status and weaker attacks.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Taunt can effectively shut down either set, as Lunatone is not particularly fast and needs to set up before it can hope to sweep. Dark-types in general are problematic, especially Cacturne and Shiftry if Lunatone lacks Ice Beam. Regice and Mantine have enough bulk to tank Lunatone's assaults, though both are weak to Hidden Power Rock. Slower Pokemon under Trick Room, especially Exeggutor, are huge problems. Priority, especially Absol's Sucker Punch and Choice Band Floatzel's Aqua Jet, will quickly dispose of Lunatone. Finally, faster threats that prey on any of its 6 weaknesses, such as Leafeon or Haunter, can quickly spell disaster for Lunatone.
 

erisia

Innovative new design!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Does Hidden Power Rock deserve a mention? It's a base 105 move, and it's more effective against Flying types than Ice Beam and more effective against Fire types than Earth Power. The ability to hit Grass types with Ice Beam is nice and unique of course, so it'd only deserve a slash at best on the Rock Polish set.
 

jake

underdog of the year
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Top Dedicated Tournament Host Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
^stab is good and all but one thing bad about HP rock: lowers your speed iv
And this is important because...? It's Lunatone, and the lowered Speed IV really means little especially when you consider that it's either a) using Trick Room or b) doubling its Speed anyway with Rock Polish.

Medicham needs to be removed from the AC of the RP set because it's RU. Throh or Gurdurr would probably be the next best replacement mentions. It's also probably worth noting that the RP set outpaces Choice Scarf Jynx (and all relevant Scarf users, Swellow, etc) by a couple points (and by 1 point with HP Rock's IV drop) at +2. It also does some neat damage, OHKOing standard Jynx with a LO boosted HP Rock (101.09 - 119.41%), standard Braviary/Swellow with the same (98.53 - 116.12% on Braviary), offensive Rotom-S (102.47 - 121.48%), and obviously OHKOing Sawk with Psychic after SR breaking Sturdy. I think mentioning HP Rock would be an excellent idea. Outside of that I want to reserve my judgment until other QC members weigh in, because I haven't really seen/used Lunatone at all ever.

also: "- Psychic, Ground, and Normal only walled by Sheddy, Luna, and Sol; none are THAT common..." bronzor x)
 
I think HP Rock is definitely worth it, as Zebraiken stated the ko's against some of the most common pokemon in the metagame is clearly worth it. Also I'd mention Stealth Rock in OO,Lunatone isnt the best user of it but can still make a decent one.
 

jake

underdog of the year
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Top Dedicated Tournament Host Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
Shouldn't the TR set have 4 extra EVs? Or is there something I'm missing?
There's no use in the last four. Lunatone is just trying to set up TR and die basically so investing in defenses/HP is useless and investing in Speed is inherently stupid because it's a TR set.
 

breh

強いだね
Pie cream may be right; not sure how rounding with scarves works, but if it's up, you now tie with scarf jynx.

TR looks really awful; unboosted explosion hits for lol and it's missing a defense / HP EV (unless a mon is in LC, has destiny bond / endeavor or is shedinja, it should have max EVs... in any case, that one hit point may give lunatone another chance at life; for example, one move might have a better chance to 2HKO without the HP EV than had the HP EV been present). You should not be using lunatone for explosion; use solrock for that. If anything, use something simple like SR or toxic in that slot and buy yourself tons of bulk.

May want to add a Cosmic Power BP set.

Rock Polish looks similarly meh as well.

Bulky choice specs might be cool. Although lunatone is not overwhelmingly strong, it has kind of neat coverage - what mon do you know that gets Psychic/Ice/Rock/Ground all at the same time?
 
The Trick Room set feels really outclassed by Solrock, who has a much more powerful explosion and can invest in bulk as he doesn't have to split EVs. idk I just don't see why one would use Lunatone as a TR setter
 

jake

underdog of the year
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Top Dedicated Tournament Host Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
Because this looks good to me and no one else has objected to anything and I'm on a QC spree atm and I enjoy double posting, going to give this a

QC APPROVED (1/3)
 

breh

強いだね
Lunatone (250bp Normal Physical) vs. Bold 252 / 252 + Cryogonal : 62.5% - 73.8%

(for example's sake)

Methinks you shouldn't be so hasty. At least wait for Jellicent to update before posting.
 

jake

underdog of the year
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Top Dedicated Tournament Host Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
okay then i shall address your concerns

TR looks really awful; unboosted explosion hits for lol and it's missing a defense / HP EV (unless a mon is in LC, has destiny bond / endeavor or is shedinja, it should have max EVs... in any case, that one hit point may give lunatone another chance at life; for example, one move might have a better chance to 2HKO without the HP EV than had the HP EV been present). You should not be using lunatone for explosion; use solrock for that. If anything, use something simple like SR or toxic in that slot and buy yourself tons of bulk.

May want to add a Cosmic Power BP set.

Rock Polish looks similarly meh as well.

Bulky choice specs might be cool. Although lunatone is not overwhelmingly strong, it has kind of neat coverage - what mon do you know that gets Psychic/Ice/Rock/Ground all at the same time?
Explosion is simply a manner of getting TR set up and getting the hell out of there to bring in something else, and is something that few other mons can do. I understand that Solrock's Explosion hits harder, but Lunatone does have the ability to hit decently hard from the special side. I was under the impression that unless a set is completely outclassed, we still include it, aye? I'm also fairly sure that you want Lunatone to die after it sets up SR, so I really don't see any point in including that last EV. Stealth Rock is an interesting slash, but then again if you use that > Explosion, might as well use Mesprit.

Cosmic Power BP should be OO, nothing more. It's an interesting niche but really I'm not seeing any point overall? It's not like we have mons like Sigilyph, who can abuse Magic Guard and Cosmic Power up to insane levels then proceed to sweep with Stored Power.

Bulky Choice Specs is worth consideration, I'd give it that.
 

breh

強いだね
All NU mons get analyses, bar joke mons, this is true. But they do not simply get outclassed sets put up - they get good, outclassed sets. Explosion TR Lunatone is not good. I still don't understand how nobody has yet understood that that extra HP EV is a good idea:

Say the only mons in the meta were level 1 Magikarp and Lunatone. Lunatone is normally 281HKOed by Magikarp Tackle. However, with that extra EV in HP, that 281HKO turns into a 282HKO! Thus, you have a greater chance of avoiding a certain (x>=2)HKO. Which 2HKOes exactly are beyond me, but investing in HP cannot possibly hurt Lunatone and is nothing but beneficial for it.

On Cosmic Power: We don't have mons like Sigiliph, but mons like Musharna are more or less the same thing. If your absol and roar mon happen to be dead, Musharna suddenly becomes a far more serious threat with some CP boosts under its belt. More intersting is that Lunatone and Solrock are the sole Pokemon who can Baton Pass this move's effect and both possess some semblance of bulk.
 
Say the only mons in the meta were level 1 Magikarp and Lunatone. Lunatone is normally 281HKOed by Magikarp Tackle. However, with that extra EV in HP, that 281HKO turns into a 282HKO! Thus, you have a greater chance of avoiding a certain (x>=2)HKO. Which 2HKOes exactly are beyond me, but investing in HP cannot possibly hurt Lunatone and is nothing but beneficial for it.
Indeed, 4 extra HP EVs do perhaps allow Lunatone to survive certain hits. That's not the point in question. The point in question is whether or not Lunatone desires the extra slight chance to survive certain attacks. Seeing as Trick Room lasts such a short amount of time already, I would assume that the goal of this set is to set it up and die whilst causing as much damage as possible.

Now, what I don't personally understand is this:

If Lunatone doesn't want to die as quickly as possible, it should use those extra 4 HP EVs.
If Lunatone does want to die as quickly as possible, it should be using 0 Def and SpDef IVs (not a reducing nature, as -Spe is necessary for Lunatone to remain as slow as possible).

As far as I can tell, it should be one way or the other. So why isn't it?

On the other hand, maybe it isn't because none of this matters even remotely except for pedantry's sake.
 

Mafeking

channels his inner Wolverine
is a Contributor Alumnus
Noticed this had fallen off the front page and, while I can't G/P stamp it, I can give it a check anyway and get this thing back up front to where it can be finalized. :)

Removals in Red
Additions/Replacements in Green
Quick Comments in Blue

[Overview]

<p>The moon is the master of the tides, the light of our night, and the bringer of werewolves; (Period) Lunatone (Comma) (however) (Comma) is much less impressive than the moon. Aside from its good Special Attack, its stats are middling at best. It's odd typing provides it with half a dozen weaknesses and half a dozen resists, making it a mixed bag defensively. While its (low) Speed stat seems to hinder any hope it would have at sweeping, it has two ways to fix it (of fixing this): Trick Room and Rock Polish. Unfortunately, much like the moon must compete with the sun for dominance of the sky, Lunatone must compete with Solrock (and quite a few other Pokemon) for a spot on a team. Whenever you opt to use it, it is crucial to focus on its special side; otherwise, you might as well stick to Solrock.</p>

[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Explosion
item: Focus Sash
ability: Levitate
nature: Quiet
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Lunatone's main goal for this set is to set up Trick Room for your team and die fighting, allowing a stronger sweeper to come in for free. Focus Sash is Lunatone's item of choice, allowing it to survive a hit while setting up Trick Room. From there, it launches an offensive. (can be used to weaken the opponent's team.) Psychic is it's (just "its") strongest STAB attack, making it an obvious choice. Earth Power offers great coverage alongside Psychic, though it leaves Lunatone completely walled by Murkrow. Explosion (Comma) (despite Lunatone's low Attack stat) (Comma) is the best option for the final slot, despite Lunatone's low Attack stat, as it guarantees a free switch(hyphen)in for your sweeper of choice.</p> (moved the clause up for coherence.)

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs maximize both of Lunatone's offenses, as it doesn't intend to stick around for long. With 0 Speed IVs and a Quiet nature, it is as slow as possible while still hitting hard on the special side. Hidden Power Rock is a weaker STAB attack(ing) option that offers pseudo-QuakeEdge coverage with Earth Power; just remember to use 2 Speed IVs when using it. A specially bulky build with Leftovers is an option, allowing Lunatone to stick around longer in exchange for some (of its) offensive presence (capability); when using this spread, Stealth Rock can be used over Earth Power for added team support.</p>

<p>If (Comma) for some reason (Comma) Lunatone is not being used in a (the) lead position, having a spinner on your team is recommended to keep its Focus Sash intact. Armaldo is the best choice for this role, as it functions well as (both) a Trick Room sweeper and an offensive spinner. Because Lunatone will likely only set up Trick Room once for your team, having several other Trick Room users, such as Mesprit, Audino, and Lampent, is definitely recommended; (Period) the former two have Healing Wish while the latter has Memento (Mesprit and Audino can use Healing Wish while Lampent has access to Memento), allowing Lunatone to switch in for free if it is not in the lead position. As Lunatone struggles against Dark-types such as Absol, a strong but slow Fighting-type, such as Gurdurr, Emboar, or Throh, is also a great teammate.</p> (cut the earlier sentence into two as it was getting quite long and seemed fine separated. Also, "the former two" didn't flow well to me.)

[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Earth Power / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Rock Polish, Lunatone is actually capable of sweeping on its own. Psychic and Hidden Power Rock are its two STAB attacks of choice. Earth Power offers the best coverage alongside these two, making it a solid choice for the final slot. Baton Pass, however, is also a great option for passing off those (Speed) boosts to a more powerful sweeper. After a single Rock Polish, Lunatone outspeeds Swellow and Choice Scarf Jynx, and can OHKO them both with Hidden Power Rock. Braviary, offensive Rotom-S, and Sawk (after Sturdy is broken) are also all OHKOed by either Hidden Power Rock or Psychic.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Modest nature and 252 Special Attack EVs, Lunatone hits as hard as possible. 252 Speed EVs are then used (allocated) to maximize its Speed, with the remaining 4 going into HP for added bulk. A Timid nature can also be used to outspeed neutral base 80 Speed Pokemon before setting up Rock Polish, though the loss in power is noticeable. Life Orb is the best item for maximum damage output. Ice Beam is an option over Hidden Power Rock to hit Cacturne and Shiftry harder, but it is generally an inferior choice.</p>

<p>Despite the added Speed from Rock Polish, Lunatone is still very susceptible to priority attacks, especiallyAbsol's Sucker Punch. As such, carrying Pokemon that can remove opposing Dark-types, such as Sawk and Throh, is a good idea. Due to Lunatone's poor Speed before a Rock Polish, paralysis support is welcomed. (Additionally, Lunatone's poor Speed prior to boosting means that paralysis support is welcomed.) Regirock and Mesprit can both provide this, along with (as well as) Stealth Rock support. As with any sweeper, entry hazards are greatly appreciated for gnabbing (netting) more KOs and breaking Sturdy. Cacturne and Garbordor can supply Spikes support, and the latter boasts access to Toxic Spikes as well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Lunatone has an impressive amount of other options to run. It can use a bulky Choice Specs set to punch holes into the opposing team. (For example, a bulky Choice Specs set will punch holes in the opponent's team.) It is (also) quite capable of using Calm Mind, as its Special Attack and Special Defense are already pretty good; as an added bonus, it can Baton Pass those boosts to other sweepers. It can also pass Cosmic Power or utilize dual screens to aid frailer teammates. It (Lunatone) is just bulky enough to set up rain for your team, and can use Hidden Power Water and Ice Beam alongside STAB Psychic for great coverage. Psyshock is an option on any set to hit special walls harder. Shadow Ball offers decent coverage alongside Pyschic and Earth Power, but leaves Lunatone completely at the mercy of Cacturne, Shiftry, and Murkrow. Rest is its only form of recovery, making it an unreliable option for defensive sets. It can also, once again unreliably, put an opponent to sleep with Hypnosis. (Hypnosis is a similarly unreliable yet useful option to cripple the opponent.) Toxic helps it (Lunatone) wear down defens(iv)e Pokemon that try to wall it. Stealth Rock is a great support move that can aid Lunatone and other sweepers in chipping away at the opposing team. Finally, Substitute is a solid option to scout an opponent's switch and protect Lunatone from status and weaker attacks.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Taunt can effectively shut down either set, as Lunatone is not particularly fast and needs to set up before it can hope to sweep. Dark-types in general are problematic, especially Cacturne and Shiftry should (if) Lunatone forego (lacks) Ice Beam. Regice and Mantine have enough bulk to tank Lunatone's assaults, though both are weak to Hidden Power Rock. Slower Pokemon under Trick Room, especially Exeggutor, are huge problems. Priority, especially Absol's Sucker Punch or (and) Choice Band Floatzel's Aqua Jet, will quickly dispose of Lunatone. Finally, faster threats that prey on any of its 6 weaknesses, such as Leafeon or Haunter, can quickly spell disaster for Lunatone.</p>


Okay! I feel like 98% of the changes I made were extremely nit-picky, but I believe they increase the overall clarity of the article. If you have any concerns or questions over any of them, shoot me a PM. :3

Here's a C/P version for ease-of-access:

[Overview]

<p>The moon is the master of the tides, the light of our night, and the bringer of werewolves. Lunatone, however, is much less impressive than the moon. Aside from its good Special Attack, its stats are middling at best. Its odd typing provides it with half a dozen weaknesses and half a dozen resists, making it a mixed bag defensively. While its low Speed stat seems to hinder any hope it would have at sweeping, it has two ways of fixing this: Trick Room and Rock Polish. Unfortunately, much like the moon must compete with the sun for dominance of the sky, Lunatone must compete with Solrock (and quite a few other Pokemon) for a spot on a team. Whenever you opt to use it, it is crucial to focus on its special side; otherwise, you might as well stick to Solrock.</p>

[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Explosion
item: Focus Sash
ability: Levitate
nature: Quiet
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Lunatone's main goal for this set is to set up Trick Room for your team and die fighting, allowing a stronger sweeper to come in for free. Focus Sash is Lunatone's item of choice, allowing it to survive a hit while setting up Trick Room. From there, it can be used to weaken the opponent's team. Psychic is its strongest STAB attack, making it an obvious choice. Earth Power offers great coverage alongside Psychic, though it leaves Lunatone completely walled by Murkrow. Explosion, despite Lunatone's low Attack stat, is the best option for the final slot, as it guarantees a free switch-in for your sweeper of choice.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs maximize both of Lunatone's offenses, as it doesn't intend to stick around for long. With 0 Speed IVs and a Quiet nature, it is as slow as possible while still hitting hard on the special side. Hidden Power Rock is a weaker STAB attacking option that offers pseudo-QuakeEdge coverage with Earth Power; just remember to use 2 Speed IVs when using it. A specially bulky build with Leftovers is an option, allowing Lunatone to stick around longer in exchange for some of its offensive capability; when using this spread, Stealth Rock can be used over Earth Power for added team support.</p>

<p>If, for some reason, Lunatone is not being used in the lead position, having a spinner on your team is recommended to keep its Focus Sash intact. Armaldo is the best choice for this role, as it functions well as both a Trick Room sweeper and an offensive spinner. Because Lunatone will likely only set up Trick Room once for your team, having several other Trick Room users, such as Mesprit, Audino, and Lampent, is definitely recommended. Mesprit and Audino can use Healing Wish while Lampent has access to Memento, allowing Lunatone to switch in for free if it is not in the lead position. As Lunatone struggles against Dark-types such as Absol, a strong but slow Fighting-type, such as Gurdurr, Emboar, or Throh, is also a great teammate.</p>

[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Earth Power / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Rock Polish, Lunatone is actually capable of sweeping on its own. Psychic and Hidden Power Rock are its two STAB attacks of choice. Earth Power offers the best coverage alongside these two, making it a solid choice for the final slot. Baton Pass, however, is also a great option for passing Speed boosts to a more powerful sweeper. After a single Rock Polish, Lunatone outspeeds Swellow and Choice Scarf Jynx, and can OHKO them both with Hidden Power Rock. Braviary, offensive Rotom-S, and Sawk (after Sturdy is broken) are also all OHKOed by either Hidden Power Rock or Psychic.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Modest nature and 252 Special Attack EVs, Lunatone hits as hard as possible. 252 Speed EVs are then allocated to maximize its Speed, with the remaining 4 going into HP for added bulk. A Timid nature can also be used to outspeed neutral base 80 Speed Pokemon before setting up Rock Polish, though the loss in power is noticeable. Life Orb is the best item for maximum damage output. Ice Beam is an option over Hidden Power Rock to hit Cacturne and Shiftry harder, but is generally an inferior choice.</p>

<p>Despite the added Speed from Rock Polish, Lunatone is still very susceptible to priority attacks, especially Absol's Sucker Punch. As such, carrying Pokemon that can remove opposing Dark-types, such as Sawk and Throh, is a good idea. Additionally, Lunatone's poor Speed prior to boosting means that paralysis support is welcomed. Regirock and Mesprit can both provide this, as well as Stealth Rock support. As with any sweeper, entry hazards are greatly appreciated for netting more KOs and breaking Sturdy. Cacturne and Garbordor can supply Spikes support, and the latter boasts access to Toxic Spikes as well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Lunatone has an impressive amount of other options to run. For example, a bulky Choice Specs set will punch holes in the opponent's team. It is also quite capable of using Calm Mind, as its Special Attack and Special Defense are already pretty good; as an added bonus, it can Baton Pass those boosts to other sweepers. It can also pass Cosmic Power or utilize dual screens to aid frailer teammates. Lunatone is just bulky enough to set up rain for your team, and can use Hidden Power Water and Ice Beam alongside STAB Psychic for great coverage. Psyshock is an option on any set to hit special walls harder. Shadow Ball offers decent coverage alongside Pyschic and Earth Power, but leaves Lunatone completely at the mercy of Cacturne, Shiftry, and Murkrow. Rest is its only form of recovery, making it an unreliable option for defensive sets. Hypnosis is a similarly unreliable yet useful option to cripple the opponent. Toxic helps Lunatone wear down defensive Pokemon that try to wall it. Stealth Rock is a great support move that can aid Lunatone and other sweepers in chipping away at the opposing team. Finally, Substitute is a solid option to scout an opponent's switch and protect Lunatone from status and weaker attacks.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Taunt can effectively shut down either set, as Lunatone is not particularly fast and needs to set up before it can hope to sweep. Dark-types in general are problematic, especially Cacturne and Shiftry if Lunatone lacks Ice Beam. Regice and Mantine have enough bulk to tank Lunatone's assaults, though both are weak to Hidden Power Rock. Slower Pokemon under Trick Room, especially Exeggutor, are huge problems. Priority, especially Absol's Sucker Punch and Choice Band Floatzel's Aqua Jet, will quickly dispose of Lunatone. Finally, faster threats that prey on any of its 6 weaknesses, such as Leafeon or Haunter, can quickly spell disaster for Lunatone.
 

JockeMS

formerly SuperJOCKE
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Top Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
I'm here bro! Placeholder. Checking this.

EDIT:

Add
Remove
Comments

Fly me to the moon,
Let me play among the stars.
QC Approved: Zebraiken, Omicron, tennisace
GP Approved: Komodo (for Mafeking)

[Overview]

<p>The moon is the master of the tides, the light of our night, and the bringer of werewolves. Lunatone, however, is much less impressive than the moon. Aside from its good Special Attack, its Lunatone's stats are middling at best. Its Lunatone's odd typing provides it with half a dozen weaknesses and half a dozen resists, making it a mixed bag defensively. While its low Speed stat seems to hinder any hope it would have at sweeping, it Lunatone has two ways of fixing this: Trick Room and Rock Polish. Unfortunately, much like the moon must compete with the sun for dominance of the sky, Lunatone must compete with Solrock (and quite a few other Pokemon) for a spot on a team. Whenever you opt to use it Lunatone, it is crucial to focus on its special side; otherwise, you might as well stick to Solrock.</p>

[SET]
name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Explosion
item: Focus Sash
ability: Levitate
nature: Quiet
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpA
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Lunatone's main goal for this set is to set up Trick Room for your team and die fighting, allowing a stronger sweeper to come in for free. Focus Sash is Lunatone's item of choice, allowing it to survive a hit while setting up Trick Room. From there, it can be used to weaken the opponent's team. Psychic is its strongest STAB attack, making it an obvious choice. Earth Power offers great coverage alongside Psychic, though it leaves Lunatone completely walled by Murkrow. Explosion, despite Lunatone's low Attack stat, is the best option for the final slot, as it guarantees a free switch-in for your sweeper of choice.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs maximize both of Lunatone's offenses, as it doesn't intend to stick around for long. With 0 Speed IVs and a Quiet nature, it is as slow as possible while still hitting hard on the special side. Hidden Power Rock is a weaker STAB attacking option that offers pseudo-QuakeEdge coverage with Earth Power; just remember to use 2 Speed IVs when using it. A specially bulky build with Leftovers is an option, allowing Lunatone to stick around longer in exchange for some of its offensive capability; when using this spread, Stealth Rock can be used over Earth Power for added team support.</p>

<p>If, for some reason, Lunatone is not being used in the lead position, having a spinner on your team is recommended to keep its Focus Sash intact. Armaldo is the best choice for this role, as it functions well as both a Trick Room sweeper and an offensive spinner. Because Lunatone will likely only set up Trick Room once for your team, having several other Trick Room users, such as Mesprit, Audino, and Lampent, is definitely recommended. Mesprit and Audino can use Healing Wish,[add comma] while Lampent has access to Memento, allowing Lunatone to switch in for free if it is not in the lead position. As Lunatone struggles against Dark-types such as Absol, a strong but slow Fighting-type, such as Gurdurr, Emboar, or Throh, is also a great teammate.</p>

[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Hidden Power Rock
move 4: Earth Power / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb
ability: Levitate
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Rock Polish, Lunatone is actually capable of sweeping on its own. Psychic and Hidden Power Rock are its two STAB attacks of choice. Earth Power offers the best coverage alongside these two, making it a solid choice for the final slot. Baton Pass, however, is also a great option for passing Speed boosts to a more powerful sweeper. After a single Rock Polish, Lunatone outspeeds Swellow and Choice Scarf Jynx, and can OHKO them both with Hidden Power Rock. Braviary, offensive Rotom-S, and Sawk (after Sturdy is broken) are also all OHKOed by either Hidden Power Rock or Psychic.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>With a Modest nature and 252 Special Attack EVs, Lunatone hits as hard as possible. 252 Speed EVs are then allocated to maximize its Speed, with the remaining 4 going into HP for added bulk. A Timid nature can also be used to outspeed neutral base 80 Speed Pokemon before setting up Rock Polish, though the loss in power is noticeable. Life Orb is the best item for maximum damage output. Ice Beam is an option over Hidden Power Rock to hit Cacturne and Shiftry harder, but is generally an inferior choice.</p>

<p>Despite the added Speed from Rock Polish, Lunatone is still very susceptible to priority attacks, especially Absol's Sucker Punch. As such, carrying Pokemon that can remove opposing Dark-types, such as Sawk and Throh, is a good idea. Additionally, Lunatone's poor Speed prior to boosting means that paralysis support is welcomed. Regirock and Mesprit can both provide this, as well as Stealth Rock support. As with any sweeper, entry hazards are greatly appreciated for netting more KOs and breaking Sturdy. Cacturne and Garbordor can supply Spikes support, and the latter boasts access to Toxic Spikes as well.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Lunatone has an impressive amount of other options to run. For example, a bulky Choice Specs set will punch holes in the opponent's team. It is also quite capable of using Calm Mind, as its Special Attack and Special Defense are already pretty good; as an added bonus, it can Baton Pass those boosts to other sweepers. It can also pass Cosmic Power or utilize dual screens to aid frailer teammates. Lunatone is just bulky enough to set up rain for your team, and can use Hidden Power Water and Ice Beam alongside STAB Psychic for great coverage. Psyshock is an option on any set to hit special walls harder. Shadow Ball offers decent coverage alongside Pyschic and Earth Power, but leaves Lunatone completely at the mercy of Cacturne, Shiftry, and Murkrow. Rest is its only form of recovery, making it an unreliable option for defensive sets. Hypnosis is a similarly unreliable yet useful option to cripple the opponent. Toxic helps Lunatone wear down defensive Pokemon that try to wall it. Stealth Rock is a great support move that can aid Lunatone and other sweepers in chipping away at the opposing team. Finally, Substitute is a solid option to scout an opponent's switch and protect Lunatone from status and weaker attacks.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Taunt can effectively shut down either set, as Lunatone is not particularly fast and needs to set up before it can hope to sweep. Dark-types in general are problematic, especially Cacturne and Shiftry if Lunatone lacks Ice Beam. Regice and Mantine have enough bulk to tank Lunatone's assaults, though both are weak to Hidden Power Rock. Slower Pokemon under Trick Room, especially Exeggutor, are huge problems. Priority, especially Absol's Sucker Punch and Choice Band Floatzel's Aqua Jet, will quickly dispose of Lunatone. Finally, faster threats that prey on any of its 6 weaknesses, such as Leafeon or Haunter, can quickly spell disaster for Lunatone.


Goodness.

Bro Approved 2/2

 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top