Well, I've been playing with Lickilicky for a while, and I thought the whole Lickilicky needed an analysis update. Most of the sets are geared to OU where Lickilicky isn't directly outclassed by anything, just not good enough to function there. I also want to update Lickilicky because I feel that nothing really outclasses him in UU, and he needs an analysis that is geared to that tier.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/lickilicky
Plans:
- Remove "Counter" Set, too gimmicky
- Remove "Knock Off" Set and add to Other Options
- Remove "SubPunch" Set outclassed by Kanghaskan and others
Status:
QC approved: 3/2 more input?
GP approval 3/2
Credit needs to be given to Alan for helping write this analysis. Thank you! (His work was in blue.)
WIP
[Overview]
<p>Lickilicky's movepool, like his tongue, stretches out to the horizon. His Speed may be poor, but his great HP and decent other stats help compensate for it. These factors combine to make Lickilicky a fine contender who can tank, support, and dish out damage—albeit only performing one of these jobs at a time. Lickilicky isn’t bog standard for two reasons: Snorlax and Clefable. Snorlax beats him in nearly every situation and can switch into many more Pokémon. Lickilicky also lacks a reliable way to hurt Ghosts, while Snorlax gets both Crunch and Pursuit. Clefable, on the other hand, has a way more useful ability in Magic Guard and has reliable recovery in Softboiled, all the while having a movepool that makes Lickilicky's look like a mere puddle.<p>
<p>However, that should not deter you from choosing Lickilicky for your team. If you want to use Lickilicky, try to make him different from Snorlax or Clefable. Knock Off, Wish, Heal Bell, Swords Dance, and the mighty Explosion are all assets that help differentiate Lickilicky from the aforementioned walls. Explosion will most likely be a factor in any Lickilicky set that you use or battle against, so always keep that in mind when dealing with him.<p>
[SET]
name: Supporter
move 1: Return
move 2: Toxic / Knock Off
move 3: Wish / Heal Bell
move 4: Protect / Power Whip
item: Leftovers
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Lickilicky has a very extensive support movepool and enough bulk to use it effectively. When considering Lickilicky for a support role on your team, you must consider his advantages over Clefable and Chansey. Even without full investment in Defense, Lickilicky is significantly bulkier physically and has a much higher Attack stat than either Chansey or Clefable, while having only slightly less special bulk than Chansey. The only thing Lickilicky truly lacks is a decent ability.</p>
<p>Return is Lickilicky's STAB of choice and is a nice move for picking off frail special sweepers. Toxic is a great move for weakening walls and for shortening the life span of sweepers that may switch into Lickilicky. If Toxic isn't your cup of tea, Knock Off can be used in its place. Knock Off is great for removing Leftovers from walls, such as Registeel, or Life Orb from sweepers, such as Hitmonlee. The next moveslot depends on how you want Lickilicky to heal his teammates; Wish replenishes HP while Heal Bell removes status from your team. What goes in the last slot is a tough choice to make. Power Whip ensures that Lickilicky will not be completely blocked by Ghost-types and prevents them from setting up Substitute. Protect, on the other hand, has a few more uses; it allows Lickilicky to stall while Toxic damage builds up, scouts your opponent’s move, and provides reliable recovery in conjunction with Wish.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs give Lickilicky maximum special bulk, as he is more suited to tanking special hits since he has almost no weaknesses to exploit; special Fighting-type attacks are almost nonexistent in UU except for those that utilize Hidden Power or Focus Blast, such as Mismagius or Alakazam. Even with no Defense investment, Lickilicky is far physically bulkier than either Chansey or Clefable. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD can be used to balance Lickilicky's defenses and allows him to take physical hits better; however, this spread greatly reduces his special walling capabilities. If you want Lickilicky to take physical attacks rather than special ones, an alternate spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD can be used.</p>
<p>If you are using Lickilicky on a stall based team, he can work as a great lure for Fighting-types, using Toxic as they switch in and then switching out to a Fighting-type counter. Lickilicky is a great stop to most of the special attacking Pokemon of UU, taking only 39.9% - 46.9% from a Choice Specs Alakazam's Psychic and KOing it with Return. Lickilicky must be wary of Focus Blast from Alakazam, but is capable of surviving a Choice Specs Alakazam's Focus Blast from full health.</p>
<p>Even though Lickilicky is more physically bulky than Chansey and Clefable, Fighting-types are still the bane of Lickilicky's existence. In order to be successful, Lickilicky must have teammates who can counter them with ease. Rotom or Mismagius make good switch-ins to most of the Fighting-types of UU; however, they must be wary of any Dark-type moves Fighting-types may carry. If using Rotom or Mismagius as a teammate, using Will-O-Wisp is not advised since the burn prevents Lickilicky from poisoning the opposing Pokemon. Instead, Rotom or Mismagius should use Substitute to stall for Toxic damage and to scout the opponent's next move. Lickilicky also has no way of damaging any of the Steel-types of UU with this set, so Pokemon who can dispose of them, such as Arcanine or Hitmontop, make good partners.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Return
move 3: Power Whip / Aqua Tail
move 4: Explosion / Wish
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Careful / Adamant
evs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to Lickilicky's great natural bulk, incredible movepool, and respectable Attack stat, he can pull off a Swords Dance set pretty efficiently. Return is an incredibly high-powered move after a Swords Dance boost and is the main weapon in this set. Power Whip helps Lickilicky KO Rock-type Pokémon such as Rhyperior and Regirock and keeps Milotic in check. Aqua Tail, however, is also a viable option, providing perfect neutral coverage alongside Return, bar Shedinja. The given EV spread will allow Lickilicky to outspeed standard Rhyperior, Registeel, and Weezing. However, the main attraction of this set is a Swords Dance-boosted Explosion. After a Swords Dance boost, Lickilicky even does 70% minimum to Choice Band Aggron.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Wish is also a usable move in the last slot to fake a support set or to prolong your own sweeps. An alternate EV spread of 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD can be used to increase Lickilicky's overall bulk, letting him take some more hits. With this EV spread, Lickilicky is never OHKOed by Rhyperior's Stone Edge or Choice Specs Sceptile's Leaf Storm. Another alternate EV spread is 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with a Jolly Nature, allowing Lickilicky to speed tie with Jolly Aggron and other positive nature base 50s as well as neutral base 60s. Earthquake is also usable in the last slot if Registeel and Fire-types like Arcanine are giving you trouble. Lastly, Substitute can be used in the final slot instead of Explosion or Wish to help Lickilicky set up more easily, while also protecting him from status.</p>
<p>Since Ghosts are a huge problem for this set, Houndoom makes an excellent partner due to his ability to trap them. If running Power Whip instead of Aqua Tail, then Steels will be rather troublesome. Dugtrio and Arcanine make good partners for taking out these threats. Donphan is also a good partner for spinning away hazards and setting up Stealth Rock. If Lickilicky is using Power Whip instead of Aqua Tail, then Registeel and Magneton are excellent counters. Aggron can also shrug off a +2 Power Whip and hit back with a powerful Head Smash. Hitmontop is a good check to this set thanks to Intimidate and STAB Close Combat, but has difficulty switching in.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Power Whip
move 3: Earthquake / Rock Slide
move 4: Return / Explosion
item: Life Orb
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Brave
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Lickilicky's biggest asset is his movepool, which stretches farther than his own tongue. This set provides Lickilicky with great type coverage and amazing stall-breaking capabilities. He is capable of luring in and denting many important tanks in UU, such as Chansey, Registeel, and Milotic. Thankfully, this set has many options; it can be tailor-made to fit almost any team. Explosion is a good last-ditch move and will dent anyone who comes in who isn't a Ghost-type. Lickilicky also has access to the Thunderbolt / Ice Beam combo, but Power Whip and Fire Blast will generally be better as they hit more of the top threats of UU for super-effective damage and have a higher damage output.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are designed to ensure a 2HKO on Chansey with Return, 2HKOs on 252/0 Registeel and Weezing with Fire Blast (after Stealth Rock), and a 2HKO on Milotic with Power Whip. The nature is Brave as Lickilicky wants as much bulk as he can get, leaving him with no room for Speed investment. For this reason, it should be noted that Lickilicky will be slower than almost all of the base 50s in UU, leaving him exposed to status.</p>
<p>With Lickilicky exposed to all forms of status, a cleric, such as Altaria, is recommended as a teammate. Altaria also makes a good Fighting-type counter and enjoys Lickilicky's ability to switch into Milotic's Ice Beam. Lickilicky also lacks any form of recovery with this set, so a Wish passer, such as Leafeon or Gardevoir, is also recommended as a partner. Lickilicky has just enough bulk to avoid a 2HKO from all of the walls mentioned above; however, if Stealth Rock is in play, Lickilicky's survival rate is greatly reduced, so including a Rapid Spinner on the team is a good idea. Some good Rapid Spinners to pair with Lickilicky include Claydol and Blastoise. Lickilicky also enjoys Stealth Rock on the opposite side of the field as it ensures he can obtain a 2HKO on Milotic and Registeel and an OHKO on Rhyperior.</p>
<p>Any sweeper that is stopped by a wall in UU benefits from this set. Nasty Plot Mismagius or Alakazam love to have Registeel and Chansey out of the picture, Fire-types such as Arcanine or Moltres enjoy Milotic removed from play, and Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee or Hariyama like Weezing out of the way.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Return
move 2: Aqua Tail
move 3: Power Whip
move 4: Explosion / Fire Punch
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Whereas the Swords Dance set aims to boost your damage output and then sweep, this set aims to punch holes in the opposing team and to do more immediate damage. This set uses Lickilicky's movepool to its full potential, exploiting his amazing type coverage at the cost of being locked into one move. Thanks to Lickilicky's great natural bulk, he can switch into neutral hits fairly consistently and fire off his high-powered attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The choice of Explosion or Fire Punch is really dependent on what your team is more concerned about. If Steel-types are more of a problem, especially Registeel, then Fire Punch is worth carrying in place of Explosionit. Explosion, on the other hand, will hit just about everything except Ghosts and defensive Steels for a large chunk of damage. Thanks to Lickilicky's large HP stat and solid defenses, Double-Edge is an option over Return if you really desire that 27 extra Base Power when accounting for STAB.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Choice Band will lock you into whatever move you choose, likely causing Lickilicky to have to switch out many times, meaning that Spikes and Stealth Rock will be a problem. Due to this inconvenience, a Rapid Spinner is welcome to clear these hazards from the field. Claydol is a good choice because it resists Lickilicky's sole Fighting-type weakness. Donphan is also a good candidate because of his naturally high Defense.</p>
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Return
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Rest / Wish
item: Leftovers / Chesto Berry
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 234 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As a Curse user, Lickilicky faces competition from other Cursers in UU, such as Registeel, Steelix, Cradily, and Miltank. However, Lickilicky offers a few perks over his competition. The first is the element of surprise, as your opponent can never know which set your Lickilicky will be utilizing. The second is that Lickilicky offers only one weakness and a higher Special Defense stat than his fellow Normal-type Curser Miltank. Lastly, Lickilicky gets nearly perfect coverage in two moves; the combination of Water / Normal is only resisted by Shedinja in UU. The major downside to using Lickilicky is his lack of reliable recovery.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are designed to give Lickilicky the maximum amount of Special Defense possible, as he will be raising his Defense stat with Curse. The odd looking Defense EVs allow Lickilicky to survive a Life Orb Blaziken's Superpower or a TechniTop's Close Combat after only one Curse, KOing Blaziken in return with Aqua Tail and dealing 49.3% - 58.2% to TechniTop with Return.</p>
<p>When using Curse Lickilicky, it is best to switch into a weak attacker that poses little threat to him, such as Chansey or Spiritomb, and begin to accumulate Curse boosts. However, you should also keep Lickilicky hidden until later in the match to be sure that the really strong hitters such as Hitmonlee, Rhyperior, and Alakazam have been eliminated from the opposing team. This Lickilicky set is more situational than the other sets, as it performs far better against stall or balanced teams than against heavily offensive teams.</p>
<p>Rest is Lickilicky's main form of recovery and heals any status conditions Lickilicky may encounter, particularly burn and poison. Using Rest without Sleep Talk is a little risky though, as it leaves Lickilicky completely exposed to enemies who can set up and KO Lickilicky while he’s asleep. Wish can be used instead, but leaves Lickilicky no way of curing status conditions. Also, without Protect, the one turn gap between using Wish and getting healed could be the difference between life and death. If coverage isn't an issue, then Aqua Tail can be replaced with Sleep Talk or Explosion to either give Lickilicky more survivability or to allow Lickilicky to go out with a bang. However, using Return as the only attack will leave Lickilicky utterly walled by Ghost-, Steel-, and Rock-types.</p>
<p>Lickilicky's most hated enemies when using this set are Mismagius and Spiritomb with both Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, as they can burn Lickilicky and then Taunt him to prevent him from healing with Rest. Thus, Pokemon such as Skuntank or Spiritomb who can remove these pesky Ghost-types make good teammates for Curse Lickilicky. Registeel poses another obstacle to Lickilicky, as even at +6 Lickilicky will fail to 2HKO with Aqua Tail. In the meantime, Registeel is free to Thunder Wave Lickilicky and start to paraflinch with Iron Head, or worse, set up Curse itself. Teammates such as Rhyperior or Dugtrio are recommended to ensure Lickilicky can sweep unhindered.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Lickilicky has Knock Off, which is always an awesome utility move to rob anything of its item. Lickilicky is bulky enough to run Counter; however, this renders it a kind of a one-trick pony and is hard to use more than once in a match. Heal Bell can be added to any set to provide team support; however, if using it along with Wish, Lickilicky will be unable to utilize any other Egg Move due to legality issues. The elemental punches can be run on most sets, but Lickilicky is usually better off using the more powerful Ice Beam, Fire Blast, and Thunderbolt.</p>
<p>Lickilicky can make use of a SubPunch set, though Kanghaskhan usually performs this set better thanks to her higher Speed and Scrappy ability. However, Lickilicky has the option to go mixed when using the SubPunch set, allowing him to bypass enemies Kanghaskhan just simply can't muscle through, such as Weezing, Donphan, Torterra, and Tangrowth. Lickilicky also has access to Belly Drum, but is just too slow to use it successfully. Gyro Ball can be used on the Curse set, but lacks STAB and has very bad coverage alongside Return. Lickilicky has Screech, which can be used in place of Swords Dance on the set of the same name; however, it is much more situational and can be canceled simply by the opponent switching out.</p>
<p>Other moves Lickilicky has access to include Shadow Ball, Surf, Focus Blast, Brick Break, and Hammer Arm. These moves have their uses in certain situations, but the moves listed in the sets offer greater neutral coverage and allow Lickilicky to battle the top threats of UU better. Body Slam can replace Return on any of the sets to paralyze Lickilicky's foes, but the higher Base Power of Return is generally more appealing. Finally, if using Lickilicky in a Trick Room team, Me First can be used to get a jump on the opposition, but is extremely situational and only works if the opponent attacks.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Lickilicky isn't hard to fit on a team, due to his sheer utility and STAB Explosion. Sweepers who enjoy having dedicated walls such as Weezing, Tangrowth, Milotic, and Chansey out of the way love Lickilicky. One thing to keep in mind is that Lickilicky's greatest enemies are Fighting-types, so Pokemon who can counter these foes, such as Claydol, Slowbro, and Weezing, make good teammates. Lickilicky's bulk is great, but is not enough to withstand extremely hard hitters such as Choice Band Rhyperior, Alakazam, Ursaring, and Swellow. Pokemon who can survive these powerhouses, such as Milotic, Spiritomb, and Aggron, make good partners.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Fighting-types are public enemy number one for Lickilicky, so any of the multitude that reside in UU can handle most Lickilicky with ease. Hitmontop, Hitmonlee, Toxicroak, Hariyama, Blaziken, and Primeape are all good choices. Pokemon who often carry Fighting-type attacks can also break Lickilicky's bulk, including Azumarill, Ursaring, and Absol.</p>
<p>If Lickilicky is using the Support or Curse set, then most Pokemon with Taunt, such as Mismagius, Ambipom, and Qwilfish, can shut Lickilicky down. The trick to countering Lickilicky is figuring out which set it is using and acting accordingly, always keeping the threat of Explosion in mind.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/lickilicky
Plans:
- Remove "Counter" Set, too gimmicky
- Remove "Knock Off" Set and add to Other Options
- Remove "SubPunch" Set outclassed by Kanghaskan and others
Status:
QC approved: 3/2 more input?
GP approval 3/2
Credit needs to be given to Alan for helping write this analysis. Thank you! (His work was in blue.)
WIP
[Overview]
<p>Lickilicky's movepool, like his tongue, stretches out to the horizon. His Speed may be poor, but his great HP and decent other stats help compensate for it. These factors combine to make Lickilicky a fine contender who can tank, support, and dish out damage—albeit only performing one of these jobs at a time. Lickilicky isn’t bog standard for two reasons: Snorlax and Clefable. Snorlax beats him in nearly every situation and can switch into many more Pokémon. Lickilicky also lacks a reliable way to hurt Ghosts, while Snorlax gets both Crunch and Pursuit. Clefable, on the other hand, has a way more useful ability in Magic Guard and has reliable recovery in Softboiled, all the while having a movepool that makes Lickilicky's look like a mere puddle.<p>
<p>However, that should not deter you from choosing Lickilicky for your team. If you want to use Lickilicky, try to make him different from Snorlax or Clefable. Knock Off, Wish, Heal Bell, Swords Dance, and the mighty Explosion are all assets that help differentiate Lickilicky from the aforementioned walls. Explosion will most likely be a factor in any Lickilicky set that you use or battle against, so always keep that in mind when dealing with him.<p>
[SET]
name: Supporter
move 1: Return
move 2: Toxic / Knock Off
move 3: Wish / Heal Bell
move 4: Protect / Power Whip
item: Leftovers
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Lickilicky has a very extensive support movepool and enough bulk to use it effectively. When considering Lickilicky for a support role on your team, you must consider his advantages over Clefable and Chansey. Even without full investment in Defense, Lickilicky is significantly bulkier physically and has a much higher Attack stat than either Chansey or Clefable, while having only slightly less special bulk than Chansey. The only thing Lickilicky truly lacks is a decent ability.</p>
<p>Return is Lickilicky's STAB of choice and is a nice move for picking off frail special sweepers. Toxic is a great move for weakening walls and for shortening the life span of sweepers that may switch into Lickilicky. If Toxic isn't your cup of tea, Knock Off can be used in its place. Knock Off is great for removing Leftovers from walls, such as Registeel, or Life Orb from sweepers, such as Hitmonlee. The next moveslot depends on how you want Lickilicky to heal his teammates; Wish replenishes HP while Heal Bell removes status from your team. What goes in the last slot is a tough choice to make. Power Whip ensures that Lickilicky will not be completely blocked by Ghost-types and prevents them from setting up Substitute. Protect, on the other hand, has a few more uses; it allows Lickilicky to stall while Toxic damage builds up, scouts your opponent’s move, and provides reliable recovery in conjunction with Wish.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs give Lickilicky maximum special bulk, as he is more suited to tanking special hits since he has almost no weaknesses to exploit; special Fighting-type attacks are almost nonexistent in UU except for those that utilize Hidden Power or Focus Blast, such as Mismagius or Alakazam. Even with no Defense investment, Lickilicky is far physically bulkier than either Chansey or Clefable. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD can be used to balance Lickilicky's defenses and allows him to take physical hits better; however, this spread greatly reduces his special walling capabilities. If you want Lickilicky to take physical attacks rather than special ones, an alternate spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD can be used.</p>
<p>If you are using Lickilicky on a stall based team, he can work as a great lure for Fighting-types, using Toxic as they switch in and then switching out to a Fighting-type counter. Lickilicky is a great stop to most of the special attacking Pokemon of UU, taking only 39.9% - 46.9% from a Choice Specs Alakazam's Psychic and KOing it with Return. Lickilicky must be wary of Focus Blast from Alakazam, but is capable of surviving a Choice Specs Alakazam's Focus Blast from full health.</p>
<p>Even though Lickilicky is more physically bulky than Chansey and Clefable, Fighting-types are still the bane of Lickilicky's existence. In order to be successful, Lickilicky must have teammates who can counter them with ease. Rotom or Mismagius make good switch-ins to most of the Fighting-types of UU; however, they must be wary of any Dark-type moves Fighting-types may carry. If using Rotom or Mismagius as a teammate, using Will-O-Wisp is not advised since the burn prevents Lickilicky from poisoning the opposing Pokemon. Instead, Rotom or Mismagius should use Substitute to stall for Toxic damage and to scout the opponent's next move. Lickilicky also has no way of damaging any of the Steel-types of UU with this set, so Pokemon who can dispose of them, such as Arcanine or Hitmontop, make good partners.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Return
move 3: Power Whip / Aqua Tail
move 4: Explosion / Wish
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Careful / Adamant
evs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Thanks to Lickilicky's great natural bulk, incredible movepool, and respectable Attack stat, he can pull off a Swords Dance set pretty efficiently. Return is an incredibly high-powered move after a Swords Dance boost and is the main weapon in this set. Power Whip helps Lickilicky KO Rock-type Pokémon such as Rhyperior and Regirock and keeps Milotic in check. Aqua Tail, however, is also a viable option, providing perfect neutral coverage alongside Return, bar Shedinja. The given EV spread will allow Lickilicky to outspeed standard Rhyperior, Registeel, and Weezing. However, the main attraction of this set is a Swords Dance-boosted Explosion. After a Swords Dance boost, Lickilicky even does 70% minimum to Choice Band Aggron.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Wish is also a usable move in the last slot to fake a support set or to prolong your own sweeps. An alternate EV spread of 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD can be used to increase Lickilicky's overall bulk, letting him take some more hits. With this EV spread, Lickilicky is never OHKOed by Rhyperior's Stone Edge or Choice Specs Sceptile's Leaf Storm. Another alternate EV spread is 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with a Jolly Nature, allowing Lickilicky to speed tie with Jolly Aggron and other positive nature base 50s as well as neutral base 60s. Earthquake is also usable in the last slot if Registeel and Fire-types like Arcanine are giving you trouble. Lastly, Substitute can be used in the final slot instead of Explosion or Wish to help Lickilicky set up more easily, while also protecting him from status.</p>
<p>Since Ghosts are a huge problem for this set, Houndoom makes an excellent partner due to his ability to trap them. If running Power Whip instead of Aqua Tail, then Steels will be rather troublesome. Dugtrio and Arcanine make good partners for taking out these threats. Donphan is also a good partner for spinning away hazards and setting up Stealth Rock. If Lickilicky is using Power Whip instead of Aqua Tail, then Registeel and Magneton are excellent counters. Aggron can also shrug off a +2 Power Whip and hit back with a powerful Head Smash. Hitmontop is a good check to this set thanks to Intimidate and STAB Close Combat, but has difficulty switching in.</p>
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Power Whip
move 3: Earthquake / Rock Slide
move 4: Return / Explosion
item: Life Orb
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Brave
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Lickilicky's biggest asset is his movepool, which stretches farther than his own tongue. This set provides Lickilicky with great type coverage and amazing stall-breaking capabilities. He is capable of luring in and denting many important tanks in UU, such as Chansey, Registeel, and Milotic. Thankfully, this set has many options; it can be tailor-made to fit almost any team. Explosion is a good last-ditch move and will dent anyone who comes in who isn't a Ghost-type. Lickilicky also has access to the Thunderbolt / Ice Beam combo, but Power Whip and Fire Blast will generally be better as they hit more of the top threats of UU for super-effective damage and have a higher damage output.<p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are designed to ensure a 2HKO on Chansey with Return, 2HKOs on 252/0 Registeel and Weezing with Fire Blast (after Stealth Rock), and a 2HKO on Milotic with Power Whip. The nature is Brave as Lickilicky wants as much bulk as he can get, leaving him with no room for Speed investment. For this reason, it should be noted that Lickilicky will be slower than almost all of the base 50s in UU, leaving him exposed to status.</p>
<p>With Lickilicky exposed to all forms of status, a cleric, such as Altaria, is recommended as a teammate. Altaria also makes a good Fighting-type counter and enjoys Lickilicky's ability to switch into Milotic's Ice Beam. Lickilicky also lacks any form of recovery with this set, so a Wish passer, such as Leafeon or Gardevoir, is also recommended as a partner. Lickilicky has just enough bulk to avoid a 2HKO from all of the walls mentioned above; however, if Stealth Rock is in play, Lickilicky's survival rate is greatly reduced, so including a Rapid Spinner on the team is a good idea. Some good Rapid Spinners to pair with Lickilicky include Claydol and Blastoise. Lickilicky also enjoys Stealth Rock on the opposite side of the field as it ensures he can obtain a 2HKO on Milotic and Registeel and an OHKO on Rhyperior.</p>
<p>Any sweeper that is stopped by a wall in UU benefits from this set. Nasty Plot Mismagius or Alakazam love to have Registeel and Chansey out of the picture, Fire-types such as Arcanine or Moltres enjoy Milotic removed from play, and Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee or Hariyama like Weezing out of the way.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Return
move 2: Aqua Tail
move 3: Power Whip
move 4: Explosion / Fire Punch
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Whereas the Swords Dance set aims to boost your damage output and then sweep, this set aims to punch holes in the opposing team and to do more immediate damage. This set uses Lickilicky's movepool to its full potential, exploiting his amazing type coverage at the cost of being locked into one move. Thanks to Lickilicky's great natural bulk, he can switch into neutral hits fairly consistently and fire off his high-powered attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The choice of Explosion or Fire Punch is really dependent on what your team is more concerned about. If Steel-types are more of a problem, especially Registeel, then Fire Punch is worth carrying in place of Explosionit. Explosion, on the other hand, will hit just about everything except Ghosts and defensive Steels for a large chunk of damage. Thanks to Lickilicky's large HP stat and solid defenses, Double-Edge is an option over Return if you really desire that 27 extra Base Power when accounting for STAB.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Choice Band will lock you into whatever move you choose, likely causing Lickilicky to have to switch out many times, meaning that Spikes and Stealth Rock will be a problem. Due to this inconvenience, a Rapid Spinner is welcome to clear these hazards from the field. Claydol is a good choice because it resists Lickilicky's sole Fighting-type weakness. Donphan is also a good candidate because of his naturally high Defense.</p>
[SET]
name: Curse
move 1: Curse
move 2: Return
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Rest / Wish
item: Leftovers / Chesto Berry
ability: Own Tempo
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 234 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As a Curse user, Lickilicky faces competition from other Cursers in UU, such as Registeel, Steelix, Cradily, and Miltank. However, Lickilicky offers a few perks over his competition. The first is the element of surprise, as your opponent can never know which set your Lickilicky will be utilizing. The second is that Lickilicky offers only one weakness and a higher Special Defense stat than his fellow Normal-type Curser Miltank. Lastly, Lickilicky gets nearly perfect coverage in two moves; the combination of Water / Normal is only resisted by Shedinja in UU. The major downside to using Lickilicky is his lack of reliable recovery.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are designed to give Lickilicky the maximum amount of Special Defense possible, as he will be raising his Defense stat with Curse. The odd looking Defense EVs allow Lickilicky to survive a Life Orb Blaziken's Superpower or a TechniTop's Close Combat after only one Curse, KOing Blaziken in return with Aqua Tail and dealing 49.3% - 58.2% to TechniTop with Return.</p>
<p>When using Curse Lickilicky, it is best to switch into a weak attacker that poses little threat to him, such as Chansey or Spiritomb, and begin to accumulate Curse boosts. However, you should also keep Lickilicky hidden until later in the match to be sure that the really strong hitters such as Hitmonlee, Rhyperior, and Alakazam have been eliminated from the opposing team. This Lickilicky set is more situational than the other sets, as it performs far better against stall or balanced teams than against heavily offensive teams.</p>
<p>Rest is Lickilicky's main form of recovery and heals any status conditions Lickilicky may encounter, particularly burn and poison. Using Rest without Sleep Talk is a little risky though, as it leaves Lickilicky completely exposed to enemies who can set up and KO Lickilicky while he’s asleep. Wish can be used instead, but leaves Lickilicky no way of curing status conditions. Also, without Protect, the one turn gap between using Wish and getting healed could be the difference between life and death. If coverage isn't an issue, then Aqua Tail can be replaced with Sleep Talk or Explosion to either give Lickilicky more survivability or to allow Lickilicky to go out with a bang. However, using Return as the only attack will leave Lickilicky utterly walled by Ghost-, Steel-, and Rock-types.</p>
<p>Lickilicky's most hated enemies when using this set are Mismagius and Spiritomb with both Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, as they can burn Lickilicky and then Taunt him to prevent him from healing with Rest. Thus, Pokemon such as Skuntank or Spiritomb who can remove these pesky Ghost-types make good teammates for Curse Lickilicky. Registeel poses another obstacle to Lickilicky, as even at +6 Lickilicky will fail to 2HKO with Aqua Tail. In the meantime, Registeel is free to Thunder Wave Lickilicky and start to paraflinch with Iron Head, or worse, set up Curse itself. Teammates such as Rhyperior or Dugtrio are recommended to ensure Lickilicky can sweep unhindered.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Lickilicky has Knock Off, which is always an awesome utility move to rob anything of its item. Lickilicky is bulky enough to run Counter; however, this renders it a kind of a one-trick pony and is hard to use more than once in a match. Heal Bell can be added to any set to provide team support; however, if using it along with Wish, Lickilicky will be unable to utilize any other Egg Move due to legality issues. The elemental punches can be run on most sets, but Lickilicky is usually better off using the more powerful Ice Beam, Fire Blast, and Thunderbolt.</p>
<p>Lickilicky can make use of a SubPunch set, though Kanghaskhan usually performs this set better thanks to her higher Speed and Scrappy ability. However, Lickilicky has the option to go mixed when using the SubPunch set, allowing him to bypass enemies Kanghaskhan just simply can't muscle through, such as Weezing, Donphan, Torterra, and Tangrowth. Lickilicky also has access to Belly Drum, but is just too slow to use it successfully. Gyro Ball can be used on the Curse set, but lacks STAB and has very bad coverage alongside Return. Lickilicky has Screech, which can be used in place of Swords Dance on the set of the same name; however, it is much more situational and can be canceled simply by the opponent switching out.</p>
<p>Other moves Lickilicky has access to include Shadow Ball, Surf, Focus Blast, Brick Break, and Hammer Arm. These moves have their uses in certain situations, but the moves listed in the sets offer greater neutral coverage and allow Lickilicky to battle the top threats of UU better. Body Slam can replace Return on any of the sets to paralyze Lickilicky's foes, but the higher Base Power of Return is generally more appealing. Finally, if using Lickilicky in a Trick Room team, Me First can be used to get a jump on the opposition, but is extremely situational and only works if the opponent attacks.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Lickilicky isn't hard to fit on a team, due to his sheer utility and STAB Explosion. Sweepers who enjoy having dedicated walls such as Weezing, Tangrowth, Milotic, and Chansey out of the way love Lickilicky. One thing to keep in mind is that Lickilicky's greatest enemies are Fighting-types, so Pokemon who can counter these foes, such as Claydol, Slowbro, and Weezing, make good teammates. Lickilicky's bulk is great, but is not enough to withstand extremely hard hitters such as Choice Band Rhyperior, Alakazam, Ursaring, and Swellow. Pokemon who can survive these powerhouses, such as Milotic, Spiritomb, and Aggron, make good partners.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Fighting-types are public enemy number one for Lickilicky, so any of the multitude that reside in UU can handle most Lickilicky with ease. Hitmontop, Hitmonlee, Toxicroak, Hariyama, Blaziken, and Primeape are all good choices. Pokemon who often carry Fighting-type attacks can also break Lickilicky's bulk, including Azumarill, Ursaring, and Absol.</p>
<p>If Lickilicky is using the Support or Curse set, then most Pokemon with Taunt, such as Mismagius, Ambipom, and Qwilfish, can shut Lickilicky down. The trick to countering Lickilicky is figuring out which set it is using and acting accordingly, always keeping the threat of Explosion in mind.</p>
