Overview
########
Lanturn has taken a bit of a fall from last generation. New competition in the form of other new bulky Water-types with access to reliable recovery, like Gastrodon and Jellicent, have pushed Lanturn out of the limelight a bit. Not only this, but the new influx of Grass-types that came with the generation shift, such as Abomasnow and Virizion, just add more Pokemon that can scare Lanturn out. Lanturn's physical bulk is still lackluster, and it's also just as easy to wear down because of its lack of reliable recovery and susceptibility to every form of entry hazard. All hope is not lost for our fishy friend, though, as it has been blessed with a fantastic ability in Volt Absorb that lets it check the various Electric-types that run rampant in RU, a great momentum-grabbing move in Volt Switch to capitalize on switches lanturn forces, and a fantastically varied and usable movepool. Combine all of that with usable bulk and a great defensive typing that gives it resistances to many types, including the potent BoltBeam combo, and you have a fish that's sure to be able to perform a variety of roles on any team.
Pivot
########
name: Pivot
move 1: Scald
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Heal Bell
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave / Protect
ability: Volt Absorb
item: Leftovers
evs: 40 HP / 252 Def / 216 SpD
nature: Calm
Moves
========
Scald is an extremely useful move on this set, being able to spread residual damage while patching up Lanturn's underwhelming Defense stat. Volt Switch is used to pick up momentum off of the switches Lanturn will force, threatening common mons such as Moltres, Jolteon, and Alomomola. Toxic is a useful move for wearing down bulky water types like Gastrodon, who walls Lanturn, and Jellicent, who can take a hit from Lanturn and just recover it all off. Heal Bell allows lanturn to act as a cleric. The last slot is a toss up between Protect and Thunder Wave. Protect allows you to scout what move the opponent will potentially use and gain more Leftovers recovery, while Thunder wave allows Lanturn to paralyze fast switch-ins, making it very useful on offensive teams.
Set Details
========
HP EVs hit the minimum needed to hit a Leftovers number, while the rest is poured into Defense and Special Defense to take hits better from both sides of the spectrum. Leftovers provides Lanturn with a source of passive recovery, as it has none outside of Rest. Calm Nature is used to boost Lanturn's Special Defense to sponge special hits better.
Usage Tips
========
This set should generally be used as a bulky pivot on balanced or offensive teams, as it provides a slow Volt Switch which is useful for bringing in setup sweepers or threats that are too frail to be manually switched in. Lanturn is also useful against VoltTurn teams as it stops momentum that Volt Switch provides and can completely reverse the momentum to your side. Ganerally, Lanturn should just try to burn things with with Scald to make up for its underwhelming Defense stat, and Volt Switch out on things that can't touch it. Be wary when spamming Electric-type moves, as a single mistimed Volt Switch can allow a Ground-type or otherwise Electric-immune Pokemon to switch in for free.
Team Options
========
Scyther is a good teammate for Lanturn, as it can comfortably take Grass-type attacks while being immune to Ground-type attacks and can roost off damage as well. In exchange, Lanturn can sponge Fire-, Ice-, and Electric- attacks that threaten Scyther with ease. Gligar and other Defog users such as Golbat are good partners to Lanturn as they keep hazards off the field while Lanturn can easily tank Electric- and Ice-type moves directed at them. Gligar and Golbat can also form a VoltTurn core with Lanturn. SubRoost Moltres is a good defensive partner, as it is able to threaten most Grass-type switch-ins to lanturn with a Fire move and set up a Substitute on the switches it forces. Roselia is a good partner because it can absorb the Toxic Spikes for Lanturn while laying down Spikes of its own.
Bulky Specs
########
name: Bulky Specs
move 1: Volt Switch
move 2: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Grass
ability:Volt Absorb
item: Choice Specs
evs: 252 SpA / 108 SpD / 148 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Volt Switch is a necessity on this set, denting anything that doesn't resist and picking up momentum on the switches Lanturn forces. Hydro Pump provides a strong Water-type STAB attack that tears up most anything that isn't resistant. Surf is a slightly weaker, albeit more reliable alternative, but should only be used if you really fear the lower accuracy of Hydro Pump. Ice Beam hits Grass-type that switch into any other move on this set with ease, and gives Lanturn the fantastic BoltBeam coverage. The last slot is a throw-up between Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Grass. Thunderbolt is to provide a strong, reliable Electric-type STAB that doesn't force you to switch, while Hidden Power Grass allows you to 2HKO Gastrodon and Seismitoad who would normally wall this set.
Set Details
========
Giving Lanturn Choice Specs along with a Modest nature allows you to boost lanturn's once-mediocre Special Attack stat to pretty high levels. 148 Speed EVs allows you to outspeed minimum speed Gligar and smack it with either ice beam or water STAB. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Defense to give lanturn a better chance of avoiding the 2HKO from Life orb Moltres' Hidden Power Grass.
Usage Tips
========
This Lanturn also fits on balanced or offensive teams, but what sets it apart from other specs users is it's bulk and ability which gives it much more longevity compared to other Choice Specs users. Lanturn remains a good check against VoltTurn, as it stops volt switches from pokemon such as Jolteon, Heliolisk, and Rotom-Frost and regains 25% of its health back in the process. Choice Specs Lanturn is able to be brought it many times throughout the match because Lanturn is relatively tanky, and can sponge a few hits unlike other frailer specs users. You should mainly be using volt switch to bring in powerful setup sweepers that capitalize on free switches to grass pokemon such as SubBU Braviary. You can also use Lanturn on a VoltTurn team of your own as more of a bulky offensive pivot, to gain momentum you might've lost by utilizing it's slow, strong volt Switch.
Team Options
========
Powerful setup sweepers that are able to capitalize on grass pokemon are excellent partners with Lanturn. These include but are not limited to: SubBU Braviary, SubQD Vivillon, CM Delphox, and SD Fletchinder. Gligar and other defoggers such as Golbat are good partners to Lanturn as they keep hazards off the field while Lanturn can easily tank Electric and ice moves directed at them.
Other Options
########
Lanturn's huge movepool gives it an array of options to choose from. Water Absorb can be used over volt absorb to wall water types, but Volt absorb has more general utility by stopping volt switch. Lanturn can utilize Parafusion by using thunder wave and confuse ray to annoy your opponent to death. A rain Dance set is viable for rain teams, as lanturn has access to STAB Thunder and Hydro Pump, both of which are boosted in rain. Hidden Power Fire could be used on the specs set over hidden power grass to hit escavalier and abomasnow a little harder. Stockpile could possibly be used on Lanturn to beef up it's lackluster defenses, making it troublesome to take down. Lanturn could run a Life Orb Set with Agility to try and sweep late-game, but is generally still too weak to sweep. A Substitute+Charge Beam set is feasible, but it has a tough time breaking through the tier's bulkier walls and is easily phazed out.
Checks & Counters
########
**Grass Types** - Grass types such as Amoonguss, Virizion, Whimsicott, and Abomasnow are all excellent switch-ins to Lanturn, as the former only fears Ice Beam from the specs set
**Strong Physical Attacks** - powerful physical attacks such as Reckless Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick, and attacks from banded Druddigon, Emboar, and other mons all exploit lanturn's lackluster defense stat
**Lanturn** - Ironically, lanturn walls itself
**Ground types** - Gastrodon and seismitoad counter any lanturn set w/o HP Grass and Lanturn will be forced out in fear of Earthquake/Earth power, non-sash Dugtrio can come in on a volt switch or after lanturn has killed something and OHKO With Earthquake
Last edited:
