So yeah..I've been really loving the concept of a mixed sweeper lucario since the past few pages, and it's gotten me to developing this set:
Lucario @ Lucarionite
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Sp. Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
- Shadow Ball/Flash Cannon
- Swords Dance
The combination of Close Combat, and Bullet Punch alone are monstrous, but that 3rd coverage move always bothered me in the physical set. Crunch, while an amazing option, didn't really feel like it solved the Aegislash situation since you would still end up having to play to prediction. In the same case, Jellicent isn't currently around, and most things Ice punch would hit is solved between the above physical combination at +2(Gliscor really doesn't have it easy as he needs defensive investments to possibly survive two hits when rocks are on the field, but needs attack investments just to have a chance to OHKO Lucario; on the other hand, Lucario gets a 50% chance to OHKO at +2 with SR when Gliscor carries zero defensive investments). So, I've opted to improve against at least one of the ghost match-up's.
By running Shadow ball, Lucario can avoid all of Aegislash's shenanigans, just as the NP set does, by chucking balls of ghastly power threatening to OHKO it with SR when out of it's defensive stance. Jellicent, while not as severely destroyed with the use of crunch, still takes 36.22 - 43.17% with it's Utility Set. The other plus behind the use of Shadow Ball is that it gives lucario perfect coverage + a powerful priority, making it even stronger prior to it reaching a Swords Dance. Flash Cannon gets an honorable slash in this set. Flash Cannon, even without investments, packs a MEAN punch. Doing 54.59 - 64.56% to Offensive Pivot Lando-T which is more then even a +2 CC(doing 50.65 - 59.84% to that same set). Defensive Gliscor is also just as easily decimated by it's sheer power, taking 55.68 - 65.9% from just one Flash Cannon. The real icing on the cake with Flash Cannon is that most mon's that are normally 2HKO'd by +2 CC are still 2HKO'd by Flash Cannon with this set allowing it to have amazing power fresh out of the mega evolve.
Now granted, the price for using Flash Cannon is that most of your Checks, and Counters become even more apparent, but the amount of damage it is capable of pumping out is definitely not to be ignored. IMO, despite not playing heavily into the mixed department, it does give the same power as the normal sweeper set while adding a surprise special attack to handle specific threats and gaining perfect neutral coverage. Any improvements to it would be greatly appreciated.