[OVERVIEW]
Due to its access to Tough Claws, Swords Dance and a powerful exclusive Z-Move in Splintered Stormshards, Lycanroc-D can be a fearsome wallbreaker that is able to open holes in defensive teams, crippling or KOing the likes of Bewear, Bronzong, and Milotic. Lycanroc-D also has unique access to Rock-type priority in Accelerock, which lets it revenge kill the likes of Swellow and Salazzle. It can also run Sucker Punch to hit the likes of Choice Scarf Flygon, Choice Scarf Medicham, and Zygarde-10% neutrally. Unfortunately, Lycanroc-D relies on low-Base Power moves such as Fire Fang and Drill Run to break through some of its checks that need to be weakened before it is able to sweep. Due to its poor bulk, it doesn't offer much defensive utility, being unable to set up properly even against Fire-type Pokemon such as Ninetales, which Lycanroc-D can't take despite resisting them, due to their additional coverage. Lycanroc-D also cannot set up against some of the most relevant defensive Pokemon in the tier, including Mega Steelix, Milotic, and Foul Play Mandibuzz. Another problem is the amount of support Lycanroc-D needs to work; although it can be very strong after a Swords Dance, it usually cannot set up properly without taking a big hit, needing support from pivoting, dual screens, or Memento to set up safely and stay healthy.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Fire Fang / Drill Run
move 4: Sucker Punch / Accelerock
item: Life Orb / Lycanium Z
ability: Tough Claws
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Lycanroc-D to punch holes into defensive cores with Stone Edge or Splintered Stormshards. Stone Edge is Lycanroc-D's main STAB move, 2HKOing the likes of Milotic, Gligar, Bewear, and Cresselia after a Swords Dance boost when boosted by a Life Orb. It also can turn into Splintered Stormshards when Lycanroc-D is holding a Lycanium Z, which allows it to OHKO them right away after Stealth Rock damage. Fire Fang lets Lycanroc-D deal with Chesnaught and Bronzong after a Swords Dance boost while also doing good damage to Bewear. Drill Run is an option over Fire Fang to guarantee an OHKO on Pokemon such as Registeel and Nidoqueen while also offering greater damage against the likes of Rhyperior, Doublade, and Mega Steelix. Sucker Punch is Lycanroc-D's main form of priority, allowing it to OHKO Choice Scarf Flygon, Gardevoir, and Zygarde-10% after a boost. Accelerock is a STAB priority option that allows Lycanroc-D to beat Noivern when unboosted after Stealth Rock damage as well as deal with Salazzle and Swellow better.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Speed and Attack with a Jolly nature lets Lycanroc-D be as fast and as powerful as it can. A Life Orb is the main item option to increase Lycanroc-D's power, which allows Sucker Punch and Accelerock to achieve essential KOs, such as unboosted Accelerock KOing Noivern after Stealth Rock, unboosted Accelerock OHKOing Salazzle, and boosted Sucker Punch OHKOing the likes of Choice Scarf Gardevoir and Zygarde-10%. Lycanium Z is an option to beat the likes of Milotic, Cresselia, Gligar, Bewear, and Bronzong with Splintered Stormshards after some chip damage. Tough Claws is Lycanroc-D's only ability and is essential to Fire Fang and Sucker Punch's power.
Usage Tips
========
Avoid being statused by the likes of Porygon2's Thunder Wave and Choice Scarf Gardevoir’s Will-O-Wisp, since they cripple Lycanroc-D and it's ability to fire off Life Orb-boosted attacks. Use Swords Dance on forced switches against foes like Ninetales and Salazzle. Despite Lycanroc-D's poor bulk, it can still set up freely against Pokemon like Noivern and Salazzle. Before sending Lycanroc-D in to sweep, make sure to weaken some of its switch-ins, such as Rhyperior, Mega Steelix, and Bewear.
Team Options
========
Pivoting is essential with Lycanroc-D, since it has problems switching into virtually anything. U-turn or Volt Switch support from the likes of Gligar, Flygon, Rotom-C, and Mega Ampharos is very appreciated. Memento support from the likes of Uxie, Choice Scarf Gardevoir, and Whimsicott is also nice, since it lets Lycanroc set up safely against almost anything that comes into field. Wallbreakers such as Ninetales, Bewear, and Zygarde-10% make Lycanroc-D's life easier, since they can weaken Lycanroc-D's checks so it can clean up later in the game. Pokemon that resist Water-, Ground-, and Fighting-type moves are essential when running Lycanroc-D. Shaymin, Virizion, and Gligar are good options that can help break cores and offer utility options. It's nice to pair Lycanroc-D with offensive Pokemon that take advantage of some of the defensive threats that Lycanroc-D can break through, such as Choice Scarf Gardevoir, Tyrantrum, and Zygarde-10%. Support like dual screens from Uxie and Meowstic and Spikes from Mega Glalie and Chesnaught is appreciated, as it allows Lycanroc-D to set up more safely and wear down its checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Crunch can be used to hit Bronzong and Doublade harder, but it is outclassed by Fire Fang and Drill Run's range of targets. Lycanroc-D can opt for a suicide lead set with Focus Sash, Stealth Rock, Taunt, Accelerock, and Endeavor as an option for hyper offensive teams, but it is a suboptimal set due to the availability of better suicide leads such as Archeops, Froslass, and Aerodactyl.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Although Lycanroc-D has the coverage to threaten them, Bronzong, Doublade, and Mega Steelix can usually take an unboosted hit and retaliate with Gyro Ball, Iron Head, or Heavy Slam.
**Fighting-types**: Virizion, Bewear, Chesnaught, and Pangoro can take any unboosted hit and defeat Lycanroc-D with their STAB attacks, usually recovering some HP in the process.
**Ground-types**: The likes of Rhyperior, Gligar, and Donphan can take any hit from Lycanroc-D and set up Stealth Rock, remove entry hazards wth Defog, or OHKO it with their STAB moves.
**Faster Attackers**: Choice Scarf Tyrantrum, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Zygarde-10% outspeed Lycanroc-D and can OHKO it, but the latter two are OHKOed by a boosted Life Orb Sucker Punch.
**Priority Moves**: Choice Band Golisopod can revenge kill Lycanroc-D in a single blow with First Impression due to its higher priority than Sucker Punch or Accelerock. Machamp, Medicham, and Pangoro can revenge kill Lycanroc-D after Stealth Rock damage with Bullet Punch.
Due to its access to Tough Claws, Swords Dance and a powerful exclusive Z-Move in Splintered Stormshards, Lycanroc-D can be a fearsome wallbreaker that is able to open holes in defensive teams, crippling or KOing the likes of Bewear, Bronzong, and Milotic. Lycanroc-D also has unique access to Rock-type priority in Accelerock, which lets it revenge kill the likes of Swellow and Salazzle. It can also run Sucker Punch to hit the likes of Choice Scarf Flygon, Choice Scarf Medicham, and Zygarde-10% neutrally. Unfortunately, Lycanroc-D relies on low-Base Power moves such as Fire Fang and Drill Run to break through some of its checks that need to be weakened before it is able to sweep. Due to its poor bulk, it doesn't offer much defensive utility, being unable to set up properly even against Fire-type Pokemon such as Ninetales, which Lycanroc-D can't take despite resisting them, due to their additional coverage. Lycanroc-D also cannot set up against some of the most relevant defensive Pokemon in the tier, including Mega Steelix, Milotic, and Foul Play Mandibuzz. Another problem is the amount of support Lycanroc-D needs to work; although it can be very strong after a Swords Dance, it usually cannot set up properly without taking a big hit, needing support from pivoting, dual screens, or Memento to set up safely and stay healthy.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Fire Fang / Drill Run
move 4: Sucker Punch / Accelerock
item: Life Orb / Lycanium Z
ability: Tough Claws
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Lycanroc-D to punch holes into defensive cores with Stone Edge or Splintered Stormshards. Stone Edge is Lycanroc-D's main STAB move, 2HKOing the likes of Milotic, Gligar, Bewear, and Cresselia after a Swords Dance boost when boosted by a Life Orb. It also can turn into Splintered Stormshards when Lycanroc-D is holding a Lycanium Z, which allows it to OHKO them right away after Stealth Rock damage. Fire Fang lets Lycanroc-D deal with Chesnaught and Bronzong after a Swords Dance boost while also doing good damage to Bewear. Drill Run is an option over Fire Fang to guarantee an OHKO on Pokemon such as Registeel and Nidoqueen while also offering greater damage against the likes of Rhyperior, Doublade, and Mega Steelix. Sucker Punch is Lycanroc-D's main form of priority, allowing it to OHKO Choice Scarf Flygon, Gardevoir, and Zygarde-10% after a boost. Accelerock is a STAB priority option that allows Lycanroc-D to beat Noivern when unboosted after Stealth Rock damage as well as deal with Salazzle and Swellow better.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in Speed and Attack with a Jolly nature lets Lycanroc-D be as fast and as powerful as it can. A Life Orb is the main item option to increase Lycanroc-D's power, which allows Sucker Punch and Accelerock to achieve essential KOs, such as unboosted Accelerock KOing Noivern after Stealth Rock, unboosted Accelerock OHKOing Salazzle, and boosted Sucker Punch OHKOing the likes of Choice Scarf Gardevoir and Zygarde-10%. Lycanium Z is an option to beat the likes of Milotic, Cresselia, Gligar, Bewear, and Bronzong with Splintered Stormshards after some chip damage. Tough Claws is Lycanroc-D's only ability and is essential to Fire Fang and Sucker Punch's power.
Usage Tips
========
Avoid being statused by the likes of Porygon2's Thunder Wave and Choice Scarf Gardevoir’s Will-O-Wisp, since they cripple Lycanroc-D and it's ability to fire off Life Orb-boosted attacks. Use Swords Dance on forced switches against foes like Ninetales and Salazzle. Despite Lycanroc-D's poor bulk, it can still set up freely against Pokemon like Noivern and Salazzle. Before sending Lycanroc-D in to sweep, make sure to weaken some of its switch-ins, such as Rhyperior, Mega Steelix, and Bewear.
Team Options
========
Pivoting is essential with Lycanroc-D, since it has problems switching into virtually anything. U-turn or Volt Switch support from the likes of Gligar, Flygon, Rotom-C, and Mega Ampharos is very appreciated. Memento support from the likes of Uxie, Choice Scarf Gardevoir, and Whimsicott is also nice, since it lets Lycanroc set up safely against almost anything that comes into field. Wallbreakers such as Ninetales, Bewear, and Zygarde-10% make Lycanroc-D's life easier, since they can weaken Lycanroc-D's checks so it can clean up later in the game. Pokemon that resist Water-, Ground-, and Fighting-type moves are essential when running Lycanroc-D. Shaymin, Virizion, and Gligar are good options that can help break cores and offer utility options. It's nice to pair Lycanroc-D with offensive Pokemon that take advantage of some of the defensive threats that Lycanroc-D can break through, such as Choice Scarf Gardevoir, Tyrantrum, and Zygarde-10%. Support like dual screens from Uxie and Meowstic and Spikes from Mega Glalie and Chesnaught is appreciated, as it allows Lycanroc-D to set up more safely and wear down its checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Crunch can be used to hit Bronzong and Doublade harder, but it is outclassed by Fire Fang and Drill Run's range of targets. Lycanroc-D can opt for a suicide lead set with Focus Sash, Stealth Rock, Taunt, Accelerock, and Endeavor as an option for hyper offensive teams, but it is a suboptimal set due to the availability of better suicide leads such as Archeops, Froslass, and Aerodactyl.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Although Lycanroc-D has the coverage to threaten them, Bronzong, Doublade, and Mega Steelix can usually take an unboosted hit and retaliate with Gyro Ball, Iron Head, or Heavy Slam.
**Fighting-types**: Virizion, Bewear, Chesnaught, and Pangoro can take any unboosted hit and defeat Lycanroc-D with their STAB attacks, usually recovering some HP in the process.
**Ground-types**: The likes of Rhyperior, Gligar, and Donphan can take any hit from Lycanroc-D and set up Stealth Rock, remove entry hazards wth Defog, or OHKO it with their STAB moves.
**Faster Attackers**: Choice Scarf Tyrantrum, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Zygarde-10% outspeed Lycanroc-D and can OHKO it, but the latter two are OHKOed by a boosted Life Orb Sucker Punch.
**Priority Moves**: Choice Band Golisopod can revenge kill Lycanroc-D in a single blow with First Impression due to its higher priority than Sucker Punch or Accelerock. Machamp, Medicham, and Pangoro can revenge kill Lycanroc-D after Stealth Rock damage with Bullet Punch.
Last edited:
