[OVERVIEW]
Lapras has anchored itself as a premier Dynamax candidate for many defensive teams in the series 8 metagame due to its Gigantamax form setting Aurora Veil through G-Max Resonance. Additionally, its offensive sets are strong enough to deal significant damage to several meta staples, like Groudon, Incineroar, and Landorus-T. Bulkier Perish Song sets offer an alternative wincon if Lapras and its teammates are able to weather the three turns necessary. Lapras is reliant on Dynamax and often finds itself being insignificant on the field after it ends. Due to Lapras’s relatively low base Special Attack, it sometimes struggles to pick up KOs, especially due to damage reduction through moves like Snarl and Light Screen. Lapras also dislikes taking hits before Aurora Veil goes up, as its bulk is significantly worse without it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Gigantamax
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Blizzard / Freeze-Dry
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb / Weakness Policy
ability: Water Absorb / Shell Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP/ 4 Def / 252 SpA
in-battle alt: Gmax
[SET COMMENTS]
* Hydro Pump is the preferred Water-type STAB move as it helps make up for Lapras's low Special Attack, and its higher 140 Base Power Max Geyser is excellent for hitting Ho-Oh and Incineroar.
* Blizzard is preferred on this set so that Lapras gets access to the strongest possible G-Max Resonance, notably making a difference against the likes of Groudon and Rillaboom.
* Thunder is used to give Lapras Max Lightning, hitting opposing Water-types like Kyogre and denying sleep from moves like Yawn and Spore that would otherwise disrupt it.
* Life Orb offers an immediate power boost at the cost of Lapras's bulk, whereas Weakness Policy can be used for a larger boost without the drawbacks of recoil, but its damage output will suffer without any boosts.
*Water Absorb lets Lapras function as a Water Spout switch-in, whereas Shell Armor removes the chance of Lapras being struck by a Critical Hit. Notably this significantly reduces the damage from Urshifu-S's Wicked Blow.
[SET]
name: Defensive Light Clay
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Freeze-Dry / Blizzard
move 3: Perish Song
move 4: Protect
item: Light Clay
ability: Water Absorb / Shell Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP/ 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
* Hydro Pump is preferred as Lapras wants the power from a 140 Base Power Max Geyser to hit Water-weak Pokemon like Incineroar.
* Freeze-Dry gives Lapras the consistent damage needed both in and out of Dynamax. Because this set is not focused on damage the secondary effect Freeze Dry offers is preferred. Additionally, it somewhat makes up for the lack of Thunder by hitting Water-types.
* Perish Song is an incredible endgame win condition due to the immense bulk of defensive Lapras teams under Aurora Veil.
* Partners like Zacian-C appreciate the extra turns of Aurora Veil provided by Light Clay. Additionally the extra turns helps Lapras's team pull off Perish Song.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Shard can be used to activate an ally's Weakness Policy or pick off a weakened Pokemon after Lapras’s Dynamax has ended, but most of Lapras’s utility is derived from its Dynamax turns, and as such Ice Shard rarely finds itself being useful. Sheer Cold has a higher Base Power during Dynamax than Freeze-Dry, and is occasionally able to steal games, due to Lapras’s bulk letting it use it multiple times in succession; however, it is not recommended due to its crippling 30% accuracy.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [Grandmas Cookin, 428483]
- Quality checked by: [[zeefable, 501951], [Dragonpiley007, 493619]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
Lapras has anchored itself as a premier Dynamax candidate for many defensive teams in the series 8 metagame due to its Gigantamax form setting Aurora Veil through G-Max Resonance. Additionally, its offensive sets are strong enough to deal significant damage to several meta staples, like Groudon, Incineroar, and Landorus-T. Bulkier Perish Song sets offer an alternative wincon if Lapras and its teammates are able to weather the three turns necessary. Lapras is reliant on Dynamax and often finds itself being insignificant on the field after it ends. Due to Lapras’s relatively low base Special Attack, it sometimes struggles to pick up KOs, especially due to damage reduction through moves like Snarl and Light Screen. Lapras also dislikes taking hits before Aurora Veil goes up, as its bulk is significantly worse without it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Gigantamax
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Blizzard / Freeze-Dry
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb / Weakness Policy
ability: Water Absorb / Shell Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP/ 4 Def / 252 SpA
in-battle alt: Gmax
[SET COMMENTS]
* Hydro Pump is the preferred Water-type STAB move as it helps make up for Lapras's low Special Attack, and its higher 140 Base Power Max Geyser is excellent for hitting Ho-Oh and Incineroar.
* Blizzard is preferred on this set so that Lapras gets access to the strongest possible G-Max Resonance, notably making a difference against the likes of Groudon and Rillaboom.
* Thunder is used to give Lapras Max Lightning, hitting opposing Water-types like Kyogre and denying sleep from moves like Yawn and Spore that would otherwise disrupt it.
* Life Orb offers an immediate power boost at the cost of Lapras's bulk, whereas Weakness Policy can be used for a larger boost without the drawbacks of recoil, but its damage output will suffer without any boosts.
*Water Absorb lets Lapras function as a Water Spout switch-in, whereas Shell Armor removes the chance of Lapras being struck by a Critical Hit. Notably this significantly reduces the damage from Urshifu-S's Wicked Blow.
[SET]
name: Defensive Light Clay
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Freeze-Dry / Blizzard
move 3: Perish Song
move 4: Protect
item: Light Clay
ability: Water Absorb / Shell Armor
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP/ 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
* Hydro Pump is preferred as Lapras wants the power from a 140 Base Power Max Geyser to hit Water-weak Pokemon like Incineroar.
* Freeze-Dry gives Lapras the consistent damage needed both in and out of Dynamax. Because this set is not focused on damage the secondary effect Freeze Dry offers is preferred. Additionally, it somewhat makes up for the lack of Thunder by hitting Water-types.
* Perish Song is an incredible endgame win condition due to the immense bulk of defensive Lapras teams under Aurora Veil.
* Partners like Zacian-C appreciate the extra turns of Aurora Veil provided by Light Clay. Additionally the extra turns helps Lapras's team pull off Perish Song.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Shard can be used to activate an ally's Weakness Policy or pick off a weakened Pokemon after Lapras’s Dynamax has ended, but most of Lapras’s utility is derived from its Dynamax turns, and as such Ice Shard rarely finds itself being useful. Sheer Cold has a higher Base Power during Dynamax than Freeze-Dry, and is occasionally able to steal games, due to Lapras’s bulk letting it use it multiple times in succession; however, it is not recommended due to its crippling 30% accuracy.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [Grandmas Cookin, 428483]
- Quality checked by: [[zeefable, 501951], [Dragonpiley007, 493619]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
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