Good day to the National Dex OU council and fellow Pokémon enthusiasts.
A few weeks ago, I made a post arguing that Lokix deserves a spot on the National Dex OU Viability Rankings. At the time of writing that post, a few people said Lokix could never be viable in a metagame as strong and fast-paced as this one (also I'm extremely petty so I spent like 2 weeks and played like 300 games across multiple accounts to prove a point)
(If you're just here for teams and replays, scroll to the bottom. What follows is my explanation for why Lokix should be added to the VR.)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In SV OU, Lokix holds a solid B+ ranking, sitting alongside staples like Walking Wake and Hatterene. This is thanks to its access to Tera Bug, Choice Band, and First Impression, which combine for devastating power. With Tera Bug, Lokix hits 454 Attack with a Jolly nature, or 499 with Adamant, and with +2 priority, it’s one of the best revenge killers in the format, doubling as a functional wallbreaker.
But National Dex OU is a different beast. Without access to Terastallization and facing a significantly higher overall power level, Lokix is currently RU and unranked on the VR. On paper, this seems fair with common threats like Landorus-Therian, who punishes contact moves with Rocky Helmet and weakens attackers via Intimidate, and walls like Alomomola, whose Regenerator and immense bulk are notorious, Lokix should struggle. And yet Lokix works.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lokix’s niche lies in three defining traits. First Impression + Choice Band being the crux of its identity. With +2 priority and Choice Band, First Impression can delete most offensive threats outright. Unlike priority users like Scizor or Dragonite, Lokix's coverage isn't limited by typing thanks to its amazing ability, Tinted Lens. With Tinted Lens, even Pokémon that would normally resist Bug like Garchomp, Zapdos, or Tornadus-T end up taking neutral damage. This turns bad matchups into manageable or even favorable ones. First Impression becomes a universal revenge tool, not just for Psychic, Dark, or Grass-types. Finally, it provides great momentum with U-turn. Lokix isn’t a one-and-done mon. With its 311 Speed (Jolly) and access to U-turn, it doesn't just force trades — it supports your offense. Even U-turn becomes threatening chip against would-be checks like Garchomp or Zapdos, since Tinted Lens removes their resistances. Pivoting out on targets like Ferrothorn or Zamazenta applies meaningful chip while bringing in your actual breakers. And because First Impression is so threatening, opponents often play around it giving you free momentum even when you don't click it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Like every niche pick, Lokix has flaws but they’re manageable with proper teambuilding. While 71/92/105 bulk isn't terrible, low HP and a poor defensive typing (Bug/Dark) mean Lokix can't tank hits. It’s weak to common types like Fairy, Fire, and Flying, and lacks recovery. The fix is simple, using slow pivot support. Partners like Slowking (Chilly Reception) or Corviknight (U-turn) let Lokix switch in safely. Treat it as a hit-and-run threat, not something that stays in and trades hits. Lokix takes 25% from Stealth Rock, limiting how often it can switch in. This makes hazard stack teams a major issue. Similar to teams using Mega Charizard and many other top tier threats, the key to its success is support with hazard control like Corviknight, Tornadus-T, or Great Tusk. A “quick fix” I’ve seen is people trying to use Lokix with Heavy Duty Boots, but from all my testing, it is far better to just stick to Choice Band, Boots Lokix is too weak to justify a team slot. Alternatively, run your own hazard stack: Lokix pairs well with Ferrothorn or Garchomp, helping it clean chipped teams later in the game. It also really struggles vs. Defensive Cores. Lokix can’t break through the Alomomola / Skarmory / Toxapex types on its own. It also gets punished hard by Rocky Helmet and contact effects. But Lokix isn’t your breaker, it’s a pressure piece. Using it to soften up targets, force switches, and then pivot into breakers like Iron Valiant, Kingambit, or Heatran to do the real damage. Or pair with status spreaders like Gliscor or Toxapex to wear teams down over time. Being locked into First Impression or U-turn can be exploitable, especially if the opponent plays defensively or switches into a bad matchup. The fix is to not rely on First Impression every time. Lokix excels when you force switches and double switch into your real threats. And while First Impression is strong, U-turn is often the better click for momentum preservation.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here’s why Lokix Deserves a VR Slot. It’s easy to write Lokix off due to theoretical bad matchups or low usage. But the reality in practice is that it trades well into nearly every offensive mon in the format, it forces safe, passive play just by being on the field, it preserves tempo and creates pivot loops few other Choice Band users offer and finally it’s not useless against bulk, thanks to Tinted Lens and U-turn chip.
Lokix is not a game-dominating force, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But it fills a niche nothing else in the format really does a fast, priority-based revenge killer that threatens offense while keeping momentum.
I'm not suggesting Lokix belongs anywhere near A- or even B-. But in a VR that includes niche picks like Clodsire, Keldeo, or Iron Treads, I strongly believe Lokix deserves a C or C+ rank. It has a defined role. It’s reliable when played properly. And it brings value into both offensive and defensive matchups. That’s more than can be said for some of the Pokémon currently occupying VR slots.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teams, partners, and replays:
Before getting into this section, I’d like to thank MrWhiskers09, Whimmy and especially pikapac22 for helping me test and refine Lokix.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One of the first things we realized is how well Lokix complements setup sweepers like Dragon Dance Kyurem. Lokix's strong priority attacks and wallbreaking potential help soften up the opposing team, often removing or weakening the bulky pivots or revenge killers that could otherwise check a setup sweeper.
Kyurem @ Loaded Dice
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Scale Shot
- Icicle Spear
- Shadow Claw
Lokix excels at softening up walls with Tinted Lens U-turn and First Impression, making it much easier for setup sweepers like Kyurem to clean late-game. Lokix also forces opponents to stay more cautious than usual, giving your setup sweepers free turns against passive or chipped targets.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Of course, Lokix has some obvious limitations. It's extremely vulnerable to Stealth Rock, and its mediocre bulk means it's not switching in often. Because of that, Great Tusk was an instant inclusion:
Great Tusk @ Booster Energy
Ability: Photosynthesis
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Spinner
- Headlong Rush
- Stealth Rocks
Great Tusk not only removes hazards with Rapid Spin but also provides strong offensive pressure. Booster Energy gives it a speed boost, allowing it to threaten out hazard setters and offensive threats alike. It also sets up Stealth Rock itself, forcing progress and wearing down Lokix answers like Toxapex or Landorus-Therian.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Later on in testing, we discovered how naturally Lokix fits on Rain teams. Lokix doesn’t directly benefit from Rain in the same way something like Barraskewda does, but it certainly appreciates the support. Fire-type moves, being one of Lokix's main weaknesses defensively, get weakened, and Rain's general offensive pressure helps Lokix find openings. Pelipper is the obvious enabler here.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Defog
- Weather Ball
- Roost
- U-turn
Pelipper sets Rain, provides hazard removal, and offers a slow pivot via U-turn to bring in Lokix safely. The chip damage from U-turn also puts enemies in range of First Impression or Sucker Punch. It’s a small interaction, but you’ll start to notice how many KO ranges Lokix just barely reaches, because every bit of chip matters.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lokix functions on a wide variety of teams ranging from:
Hyper Offense; serving as a revenge killer and a U-turn bot, Lokix excels at preserving momentum and forcing favorable trades.
(These teams are just quickly thrown together as examples, if you were to use them, I’d recommend polishing them a bit before use)
https://pokepast.es/d802e0e61b381d19
Hazard Stack; Lokix itself struggles against hazards, but it itself can shine on that very same archetype. Being able to use Knock Off can help teammates such as Ferrothorn or defensive Garchomp wear down opponents far easier.
https://pokepast.es/e0c00aa1d33573ca
Rain Offense; Its synergy with Pelipper is undeniable. Lokix loves being able to have one less weakness to worry about, but also the team covering for its weaknesses.
https://pokepast.es/b73bd11e91f94ec4
Balance or Bulky Offense; Lokix doesn’t need to be on fully offensive teams to function. With support from its teammates, be it hazard removal, wallbreaking or slow pivoting, it works as a tactical revenge killer and a tempo shifter on more defensive teams.
https://pokepast.es/d1a7875ecc9a6e79
Ultimately, Lokix is not the kind of Pokémon you slap onto any team. It requires support, both defensively (hazard control, pivoting) and offensively (partners that take advantage of the chaos it creates). But if you build with intention, Lokix enables aggressive gameplay that can absolutely rip through teams not prepared to respect it.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2417582154
Even though I didn’t win, Lokix did great (I just played bad and the team is terrible)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2417583677
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nationaldex-2417585324-jsk0s8r296st4fhowgy6k8yv0i86j67pw
I won’t go into detail about how Lokix benefits the team since at the time of writing this it is 3:37am.
Thank you for reading this and possibly taking it into consideration.
If you have any further questions, feel free to message me either here or on Discord
UR -> B-
B+ -> B
A -> A-
to C+