Lycanroc-Dusk (QC 1/3)

qc: kreme / x / x
gp x / x

[OVERVIEW]
  • Lycanroc-D makes for a fast wallbreaker in the UnderUsed metagame.
  • Its access to Swords Dance and a powerful signature Z move, Splintered Stormshards, allows it to break bulky teams relatively easily.
  • Lycanroc-D has access to Accelerock, a Rock-type Priority move that allows Lycanroc-D to revenge kill or sweep many threats.
  • Its ability, Tough Claws, gives a boost to both its coverage moves and Accelerock, while not boosting its main STAB in Stone Edge.
  • Stone Edge and Drill Run together with its ability Tough Claws gives Lycanroc-D useful EdgeQuake coverage.
  • Lycanroc-D has a difficult time finding opportunities to setup because of its Rock-typing and lack of any bulk whatsoever.
  • Lycanroc-D faces competition from Pokemon such as Terrakion as a strong Rock-type wallbreaker, but it finds itself a niche with a powerful Z move, Accelerock, and slightly faster speed.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Drill Run
move 4: Accelerock / Sucker Punch
item: Lycanium Z
ability: Tough Claws
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
  • Swords Dance provides Lycanroc-D with an important boost to its attack, being able to secure OHKOs on Amoonguss, Suicune, and Alomomola with Splintered Stormshards.
  • Stone Edge is a powerful STAB move that, when boosted by a Swords Dance, is able to dent a huge part of a the tier.
  • Drill Run is a Tough Claws boosted move that hits Steel-types such as Cobalion, Magneton, and Lucario hard. It also hits other Rock resists such as Nidoking, which it has a high chance to OHKO after a single layer of spikes.
  • Accelerock is also boosted by Tough Claws and STAB, making it a potent priority revenge killer able to OHKO Mega Beedrill, as well as Mega Aerodactyl after Stealth Rock.
  • Sucker Punch can be used to OHKO Gengar without boosts and OHKO Latias at +2.
Set Details
========
  • Lycanium Z turns Stone Edge into a extremely powerful Z-move in Splintered Stormshards, that is capable of breaking past opponents that could usually survive a hit, such as Gliscor, Latias, and Amoonguss.
  • Maximum Attack and Speed investment with a Jolly nature allow Lycanroc-D to hit as hard as possible while also outspeeding Terrakion, Cobalion, and Infernape and speed tying with Latias and Gengar.

Usage Tips
========
  • Lycanroc-D should be used to clean up once all of its checks, particularly Water- and Ground-types, have been weakened or eliminated.
  • It also makes for an excellent early-game wallbreaker due to its access to Swords Dance and Splintered Stormshards, but needs to find opportunities to set up despite its frailty. However, Splintered Stormshards will do a large amount of damage unboosted.
  • Predicting switches by your opponent helps Lycanroc-D set up, as it cannot Swords Dance directly on many opponents but can force quite a few out with the threat of a Stone Edge, Drill Run, or Accelerock.
  • It also is a potent revenge killer, being able to revenge kill slower threats as well as frailer fast Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl after Stealth Rock damage and Mega Beedrill with Accelerock.
Team Options
========
  • Electric-types such as Mega Manectric and Raikou can help Lycanroc-D by breaking down the bulky Water-types which Lycanroc-D struggles with.
  • Magneton can also trap and remove Scizor, leaving Lycanroc-D able set up without fearing being OHKO'd by Bullet Punch.
  • Options to remove Steel-types are useful, such as Infernape and Chandelure, can help beat those Pokemon that can wall Lycanroc-D
  • Lycanroc-D appreciates Stealth Rock support, so Pokemon who can set Stealth Rock such as Cobalion, Krookodile, Gliscor, and Mamoswine all make good partners.
  • VoltTurn support from Pokemon like Gliscor, Hydreigon, Mega Manectric, and Cobalion all help Lycanrock-D get into battle easier since it cannot switch into many direct attacks.
  • Flying-types that break down Fighting-types and Grass-types, such as Mega Pidgeot, Crobat, and Mega Aerodactyl, can help remove some of Lycanroc-D's checks.
  • Scarf Chandelure and Scarf Latias can come in on Pokemon such as Breloom and Infernape that could usually come in on Lycanroc-D.
  • Spikes support from Klefki and Chesnaught allow Lycanrock-D to secure more KOs, and as Spikes are generally run on hyper offense teams they generally appreciate Lycanrock's ability to break down many walls.
  • Sweepers like Breloom, Scizor, and Cobalion can clean up after Lycanroc-D has broken down enemy walls.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
  • Choice Band is an option to give Lycanroc-D immediate power, able to secure OHKOs on Mega Pidgeot, Chandelure, and Crobat after Stealth Rock.
  • Life Orb can be used for an immediate damage boost, having nearly guaranteed OHKOs on Infernape and Terrakion with Drill Run after Stealth Rock.
  • Fire Fang is an option that is able to OHKO Scizor and Heracross unboosted.
  • A Focus Sash suicide lead set with Stealth Rock / Endeavor / Taunt / Accelerock can work as a lead for hyper offense oriented teams, as it can prevent Stealth Rock from going up while setting up its own Stealth Rock. Endeavor allows Lycanrock-D to bring the opponent down to 1HP, and then it can finish off the enemy with priority Accelerock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Physically bulky Pokemon like Quagsire and Hippowdon can wall Lycanroc-D with ease and switch in on any move Lycanroc-D can choose. Mega Aggron takes minimal damage from any of Lycanroc-D's attacks, and Scizor and Gliscor can beat it as long as it is unboosted. Lycanroc-D struggles with fat Water-types such as Suicune and Alomomola, though they fear a boosted Splintered Stormshards. Other Ground-types such as Krookodile resist Lycanroc-D's Rock-type STAB moves and don't take much from its coverage.

**Revenge Killers**: Lycanroc-D is very weak to revenge killers due to its lacking bulk. Scarf Latias, Scarf Hydreigon, and others can OHKO Lycanroc from full with at most minimal prior damage. Lycanroc-D's typing leaves it susceptible to almost all viable forms of priority in the UU tier, including Scizor's Bullet Punch, Infernape's Mach Punch, and Aqua Jet from both Azumaril and Crawdaunt.

**Steel-types**: Lycanroc-D is threatened by Steel-types such as Scizor, Cobalion, Empoleon, and Mega Aggron, but they have to be wary of Drill Run or Fire Fang.
 
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One good partner for lycanroc would be mega manectric as it can deal with some of these bulky waters and can pivot Lycanroc in because Lycanroc cant switch in because of its poor defenses but mega manectric stacks a ground weakness
 

Kreme

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Overview

Stone Edge and Drill Run together with its ability Tough Claws gives Lycanroc-D EdgeQuake coverage thats actually stronger than normal because Tough Claws boosts Drill Run, making it a bit stronger than Earthquake normally would be.
  • Don't think this is necessary. Doesn't really actually add anything, like it's a cool fact but doesn't really do much else imo.
Lycanrock-D has a difficult time finding opportunities to setup because of its lack of any bulk whatsoever.
  • Mention its typing here, Rock is pretty atrocious as a defensive typing in UU and definitely factors into how hard it is to set up.
Swords Dance
  • Remove Fire Fang as a slash, put Sucker Punch instead in its place. Sucker can do some stuff like OHKO Gengar unboosted, OHKOes Latias at +2 (which Accelerock cant do), it's also just higher damage output on neutral targets. Fire Fang I feel if anything is directly competing with Drill Run as a slot as opposed to Accelerock, and in that regard it's the worse option.
  • I'm honestly a bit iffy on LO considering how Lycanroc is probably taking some kind of hard hit if it tries to setup anyways and being unable to nuke with Stormshards is kinda meh. I'd probably remove it but if another QC says to put it back then that's fine. Still worth a mention in Set Details I think for people that have a Z-slot somewhere else.
Moves
  • Just make sure it reflects above changes.
  • Feels like the Lycanium Z excerpt here is better put in Set Details.
Usage Tips

It also makes for an excellent early-game wallbreaker due to its access to Swords Dance and Splintered Stormshards, but needs to find opportunities to set up despite its frailty.
  • Doesn't necessarily need to setup to wallbreak with Stormshards, would make sure to say that.
Team Options
  • While removing Scizor is nice somewhat, I don't think it's important enough with regards to Lycanroc in order to warrant specifically mentioning Magneton here. It'd probably be better to mention Steels in general, since weakening stuff like MAgg for example can be really helpful.
Flying-types that break down Fighting-types and Grass-types, such as Mega Pidgeot, Crobat, and Mega Aerodactyl, can help weaken some of Lycanrock's checks or move them within range of a Stone Edge or Accelerock.
  • Change the description. All of those Pokes would probably OHKO most Fights / Grass mons anyway and what's important is that they're here to make sure they can effectively switch into said Pokemon while having offensive synergy with Lycanroc because they could easily force a Lycanroc out depending on the mon.
  • Mention Scarf Chandelure and Scarf Latias as partners, they can generally come in on Pokemon that would threaten Lycanroc out like Breloom, Cobalion, Infernape for example and have access to Memento and Healing Wish respectively, the former is overall a lot more important for Lycanroc since it gives it a decent setup opportunity and the latter allows Lycanroc users to play more recklessly with it and have multiple opportunities to setup in a match ideally.
  • Other setup sweepers needs to have a section since they can clean after Lycanroc breaks stuff.
Checks and Counters
  • Bulky Waters and Bulky Grounds should be removed. They just fit into the first section you have.
  • Remove Steel-types too. Bulky ones that tank a hit fit into the first section you have and others probably fit into Priority.
  • Speaking of Priority, it should be renamed to Revenge Killers; and you should probably just fill the section with the first half about Pokemon that naturally outspeed and can take a hit, and the second half about priority users.

1/3
 

Amane Misa

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hi, am qc; I would wait for a qc member to go over this before implementing

[OVERVIEW]
Lycanroc-D makes for a fast wallbreaker in the UnderUsed metagame.
Is Lycanroc a wallbreaker? It's a sweeper if anything, due to having troubles breaking common stuff without a Swords Dance.
Lycanroc-D has access to Accelerock, a Rock-type Priority move that allows Lycanroc-D to revenge kill or sweep many threats
I would rephrase it to something that shows how Accelerock sets it apart from other sweepers that it faces competition with, such as Cobalion and Terrakion (basically, that's its only big niche over them). Mention that Accelerock mainly lets it hit faster stuff, and give examples.
Its ability, Tough Claws, gives a boost to both its coverage moves and Accelerock, while not boosting its main STAB in Stone Edge.
I would rephrase it to something along the lines of: "Lycanroc-D has access to Tough Claws, which boosts its priority move, Accelrock, and also lets it use coverage options, such as Drill Run, more viably".
Stone Edge and Drill Run together with its ability Tough Claws gives Lycanroc-D useful EdgeQuake coverage.
I would completely remove this line, it is just pretty useless.
Lycanroc-D has a difficult time finding opportunities to setup because of its Rock-typing and lack of any bulk whatsoever
Elaborate why it has a difficult time finding setup opportunities; with Bullet Punch and Mach Punch being prominent really prominent, and also elaborate why it's hard to pull off a sweep even after you've pulled off a Swords Dance. I would also rephrase it to something along the lines of: "Due to Lycanroc-D's below average bulk..."
Lycanroc-D faces competition from Pokemon such as Terrakion as a strong Rock-type wallbreaker, but it finds itself a niche with a powerful Z move, Accelerock, and slightly faster speed
I would rephrase it to something along the lines of: "Lycanroc-D still faces competition as a sweeper from other sweepers, such as Terrakion and Cobalion, both of which have better bulk and secondary STAB".

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
Swords Dance provides Lycanroc-D with an important boost to its attack, being able to secure OHKOs on Amoonguss, Suicune, and Alomomola with Splintered Stormshards
I would just say that Swords Dance raises Lycanroc-D's Attack in two stages, which makes sweeping late game and breaking walls easier (the examples you gave are pretty nice).
Stone Edge is a powerful STAB move that, when boosted by a Swords Dance, is able to dent a huge part of a the tier.
I would just say that Stone Edge is Lycanroc-D's main STAB move and its main form of damaging.
Drill Run is a Tough Claws boosted move that hits Steel-types such as Cobalion, Magneton, and Lucario hard. It also hits other Rock resists such as Nidoking, which it has a high chance to OHKO after a single layer of spikes.
Not sure on the Lucario example because Lucario can just bop Lycanroc with its own STAB. Instead of "hard", I would say "super effectively".
...a high chance to OHKO after a single layer of spikes.
I would just say "OHKOs after some chip".

Set Details
I would just put the EVs bullet point before the Lycanium Z point. You should also mention its ability here.

Usage Tips
Lycanroc-D should be used to clean up once all of its checks, particularly Water- and Ground-types, have been weakened or eliminated
Give examples of what are its checks that need to be weakened or eliminated. I would also mention priority users, such as Breloom and Scizor here.
Predicting switches by your opponent helps Lycanroc-D set up, as it cannot Swords Dance directly on many opponents but can force quite a few out with the threat of a Stone Edge, Drill Run, or Accelerock.
What can it force out? Give examples.

Team Options
Options to remove Steel-types are useful, such as Infernape and Chandelure, can help beat those Pokemon that can wall Lycanroc-D
Firstly, you already used Chandelure as an example later on. Secondly, I would rephrase it to "Fire-types, such as Infernape and Volcanion, can take on Steel-types, such as Scizor and Mega Aggron, which threaten Lycanroc-D".
Lycanroc-D appreciates Stealth Rock support, so Pokemon who can set Stealth Rock such as Cobalion, Krookodile, Gliscor, and Mamoswine all make good partners.
Furthermore, Lycanroc-D appreciates hazards support, in general. Spikes help weaken annoying Steel-types and Toxic Spikes help pressure bulky Water-types.
Flying-types that break down Fighting-types and Grass-types, such as Mega Pidgeot, Crobat, and Mega Aerodactyl, can help remove some of Lycanroc-D's checks.
This part is really confusing because it seems like Mega Pidgeot, Crobat, and Mega Aerodactyl are given examples of Fighting- and Grass-types. I would rephrase it to something along the lines of: "Flying-types, such as ......., help beat...". Give examples of Fighting- and Grass-types that they beat.
Spikes support from Klefki and Chesnaught allow Lycanrock-D to secure more KOs, and as Spikes are generally run on hyper offense teams they generally appreciate Lycanrock's ability to break down many walls.
I would mention that right after talking about Stealth Rock. Also, just refer to the second point in this section.
Sweepers like Breloom, Scizor, and Cobalion can clean up after Lycanroc-D has broken down enemy walls.
I would completely rephrase it to something like: "Other sweepers, such as [..], appreciate Lycanroc-D weakening physical walls for them, and attempt a sweep after Lycanroc-D goes down".

Also, I don't see any mention of Grass-types that help break down Ground-types.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
Choice Band is an option to give Lycanroc-D immediate power, able to secure OHKOs on Mega Pidgeot, Chandelure, and Crobat after Stealth Rock.
Elaborate why other Choice Band-users, such as Scizor and Terrakion, generally do a better job at breaking.
Choice Band is an option to give Lycanroc-D immediate power, able to secure OHKOs on Mega Pidgeot, Chandelure, and Crobat after Stealth Rock.
Explain that Lycanroc usually can't afford a moveslot for that.
A Focus Sash suicide lead set with Stealth Rock / Endeavor / Taunt / Accelerock can work as a lead for hyper offense oriented teams, as it can prevent Stealth Rock from going up while setting up its own Stealth Rock. Endeavor allows Lycanrock-D to bring the opponent down to 1HP, and then it can finish off the enemy with priority Accelerock.
I would say: "A lead set with [...] may seem appealing, but it is generally done better by faster leads, such as Azelf and Aerodactyl".

Checks and Counters
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Physically bulky Pokemon like Quagsire and Hippowdon can wall Lycanroc-D with ease and switch in on any move Lycanroc-D can choose. Mega Aggron takes minimal damage from any of Lycanroc-D's attacks, and Scizor and Gliscor can beat it as long as it is unboosted. Lycanroc-D struggles with fat Water-types such as Suicune and Alomomola, though they fear a boosted Splintered Stormshards. Other Ground-types such as Krookodile resist Lycanroc-D's Rock-type STAB moves and don't take much from its coverage.
You haven't mentioned at all that all these can OKHO or severely weaken Lycanroc back.
 

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