[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 2-3 points
**Overview**: Lapras's stats and typing are quite off-putting at first glance; being being a slow Ice-type without recovery severely limits its staying power, and it lacks raw damage when compared to more expensive wallbreakers. Its weakness to all entry hazards gives it a difficult time safely hitting the field unless it's being used as a lead. Despite these flaws, it manages to be a reliable bulky attacker thanks to its excellent HP stat and nearly unresisted STAB combination. If a Pokemon can handle the STAB attacks, it's most likely vulnerable to Lapras's coverage moves. Ice Shard picks off weakened foes and limits the sweeping potential of heavy hitters like Meowscarada and Roaring Moon. Water Absorb is tricky for many opposing Water-types to navigate. As a result, Lapras is capable of trading health with many of the format's top threats if it's used well.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Lapras excels at taking down whatever's in front of it. Throat Spray and Dragon Dance can be used to give it extra power, while defensive items give it more time to attack. Psychic Noise lets it prevent slower walls from healing. Although it's slow, very few Pokemon can take it down in one attack, so it can usually land multiple hits. It's often best as a lead to get around its vulnerability to entry hazards. Otherwise, it can utilize Water Absorb to find opportunities to switch in and threaten Water-types with Freeze-Dry or Thunderbolt.
**Setup Sweeper**: Terastallization turns Dragon Dance Lapras into a deadly late-game sweeper by giving it more opportunities to set up safely. It often needs to run Loaded Dice to have a strong Ice-type attack, but it can use its Tera type to avoid status or get through Pokemon that would ordinarily beat it.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Ice Beam, Freeze-Dry, Hydro Pump, Sparkling Aria, Surf, Ice Shard, Icicle Spear, Liquidation, Avalanche
**Setup Moves**: Dragon Dance
**Utility Moves**: Psychic Noise, Haze, Perish Song
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Alluring Voice, Zen Headbutt, Iron Head, Body Press
Niche Moves
========
**Icy Wind / Bulldoze**: If Lapras lacks the power to take down a problematic setup sweeper, it can bring a move to slow foes down as it attacks, making them easier for its teammates to revenge kill.
**Facade**: Dragon Dance sets can use Facade to account for burn if they can't justify using Tera Fire or Lum Berry.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Due to the prevalence of Stealth Rock, Heavy-Duty Boots is sometimes vital to Lapras's survival if it isn't planned to be the lead.
**Resistance Berries**: Items like Chople Berry and Rindo Berry protect Lapras from specific threats, letting it act as a lure or a more reliable check against foes that have limited options for hitting it.
**Throat Spray**: Sparkling Aria and Psychic Noise both activate Throat Spray, making Lapras a more potent wallbreaker.
**Loaded Dice**: Loaded Dice enables Dragon Dance Lapras by letting it make use of its strongest physical Ice-type move.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers / Sitrus Berry**: Leftovers and Sitrus Berry both help Lapras stick around longer if entry hazards can be kept away or if it leads. Leftovers is better for slower games where Lapras can force switches, while Sitrus Berry is better for faster games where it's at risk of being 2HKOed.
**Custap Berry**: Special sets can use Custap Berry to land an extra hit before going down without relying on Ice Shard.
**Assault Vest**: Lapras doesn't need to use status moves often, so it can serve as a solid Assault Vest tank with little opportunity cost besides a greater susceptibility to entry hazards.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry protects Lapras from status conditions like burn as it sets up with Dragon Dance, assuming it doesn't need Loaded Dice.
Tera
========
Lapras is a great choice of a secondary Tera Captain; it can function well enough without using Terastallization, but it gains some strong options if given the chance. Defense-oriented Tera types like Fairy, Ghost, and Steel are generally best, as they grant safer Dragon Dance setup and the ability to tank hits from more foes. Offensive Water-types like Palafin, Ogerpon-W, and Walking Wake can all effectively be shut down by the correct Tera type. Fire and Ground also pair well with Water Absorb while protecting Dragon Dance sets from most forms of burn or paralysis.
Draft Strategy
========
Lapras supplements bulky offensive drafts that already have a solid foundation. It does best when the more expensive Pokemon are able to function without it for most games. It can then come off the bench when one of them has a bad matchup, serving as a consistent means of trading health to make progress. If the draft also features an expensive Tera Captain like Zarude or Tornadus-T, Lapras can easily fit as a budget secondary Captain.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Teams with reliable entry hazard removal have an easier time using Lapras with items other than Heavy-Duty Boots. Some examples of strong removal options are Terapagos and Iron Treads. Non-traditional means of entry hazard control like Court Change and Magic Bounce can also support Lapras with a more aggressive playstyle.
**Fire Resistance**: Lapras doesn't fill the role of a traditional bulky Water-type due to its undesirable secondary typing. Most importantly, it lacks a resistance to Fire, making it important to either have another Water-type or something like a Dragon-type that also does well against Fire-type moves. Some solid options for this role are Latias, Raging Bolt, and Palafin.
Checks and Counters
========
**Chip Damage**: Lapras's low Speed, lack of recovery, bad defensive typing, and weakness to all entry hazards make it susceptible to getting quickly worn down.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Although it's difficult to bring down Lapras in one hit, it fears boosted hits from strong foes like Iron Valiant, Ogerpon-W, and Iron Boulder. It also has to fear being outsped on Dragon Dance sets due to its low Speed, especially if the opponent has a healthy Choice Scarf user.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/soggydoggysage.630165/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/e-man.617175/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards
**Price Range**: 2-3 points
**Overview**: Lapras's stats and typing are quite off-putting at first glance; being being a slow Ice-type without recovery severely limits its staying power, and it lacks raw damage when compared to more expensive wallbreakers. Its weakness to all entry hazards gives it a difficult time safely hitting the field unless it's being used as a lead. Despite these flaws, it manages to be a reliable bulky attacker thanks to its excellent HP stat and nearly unresisted STAB combination. If a Pokemon can handle the STAB attacks, it's most likely vulnerable to Lapras's coverage moves. Ice Shard picks off weakened foes and limits the sweeping potential of heavy hitters like Meowscarada and Roaring Moon. Water Absorb is tricky for many opposing Water-types to navigate. As a result, Lapras is capable of trading health with many of the format's top threats if it's used well.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Lapras excels at taking down whatever's in front of it. Throat Spray and Dragon Dance can be used to give it extra power, while defensive items give it more time to attack. Psychic Noise lets it prevent slower walls from healing. Although it's slow, very few Pokemon can take it down in one attack, so it can usually land multiple hits. It's often best as a lead to get around its vulnerability to entry hazards. Otherwise, it can utilize Water Absorb to find opportunities to switch in and threaten Water-types with Freeze-Dry or Thunderbolt.
**Setup Sweeper**: Terastallization turns Dragon Dance Lapras into a deadly late-game sweeper by giving it more opportunities to set up safely. It often needs to run Loaded Dice to have a strong Ice-type attack, but it can use its Tera type to avoid status or get through Pokemon that would ordinarily beat it.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Ice Beam, Freeze-Dry, Hydro Pump, Sparkling Aria, Surf, Ice Shard, Icicle Spear, Liquidation, Avalanche
**Setup Moves**: Dragon Dance
**Utility Moves**: Psychic Noise, Haze, Perish Song
**Coverage**: Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Alluring Voice, Zen Headbutt, Iron Head, Body Press
Niche Moves
========
**Icy Wind / Bulldoze**: If Lapras lacks the power to take down a problematic setup sweeper, it can bring a move to slow foes down as it attacks, making them easier for its teammates to revenge kill.
**Facade**: Dragon Dance sets can use Facade to account for burn if they can't justify using Tera Fire or Lum Berry.
Common Items
========
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Due to the prevalence of Stealth Rock, Heavy-Duty Boots is sometimes vital to Lapras's survival if it isn't planned to be the lead.
**Resistance Berries**: Items like Chople Berry and Rindo Berry protect Lapras from specific threats, letting it act as a lure or a more reliable check against foes that have limited options for hitting it.
**Throat Spray**: Sparkling Aria and Psychic Noise both activate Throat Spray, making Lapras a more potent wallbreaker.
**Loaded Dice**: Loaded Dice enables Dragon Dance Lapras by letting it make use of its strongest physical Ice-type move.
Niche Items
========
**Leftovers / Sitrus Berry**: Leftovers and Sitrus Berry both help Lapras stick around longer if entry hazards can be kept away or if it leads. Leftovers is better for slower games where Lapras can force switches, while Sitrus Berry is better for faster games where it's at risk of being 2HKOed.
**Custap Berry**: Special sets can use Custap Berry to land an extra hit before going down without relying on Ice Shard.
**Assault Vest**: Lapras doesn't need to use status moves often, so it can serve as a solid Assault Vest tank with little opportunity cost besides a greater susceptibility to entry hazards.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry protects Lapras from status conditions like burn as it sets up with Dragon Dance, assuming it doesn't need Loaded Dice.
Tera
========
Lapras is a great choice of a secondary Tera Captain; it can function well enough without using Terastallization, but it gains some strong options if given the chance. Defense-oriented Tera types like Fairy, Ghost, and Steel are generally best, as they grant safer Dragon Dance setup and the ability to tank hits from more foes. Offensive Water-types like Palafin, Ogerpon-W, and Walking Wake can all effectively be shut down by the correct Tera type. Fire and Ground also pair well with Water Absorb while protecting Dragon Dance sets from most forms of burn or paralysis.
Draft Strategy
========
Lapras supplements bulky offensive drafts that already have a solid foundation. It does best when the more expensive Pokemon are able to function without it for most games. It can then come off the bench when one of them has a bad matchup, serving as a consistent means of trading health to make progress. If the draft also features an expensive Tera Captain like Zarude or Tornadus-T, Lapras can easily fit as a budget secondary Captain.
**Entry Hazard Removal**: Teams with reliable entry hazard removal have an easier time using Lapras with items other than Heavy-Duty Boots. Some examples of strong removal options are Terapagos and Iron Treads. Non-traditional means of entry hazard control like Court Change and Magic Bounce can also support Lapras with a more aggressive playstyle.
**Fire Resistance**: Lapras doesn't fill the role of a traditional bulky Water-type due to its undesirable secondary typing. Most importantly, it lacks a resistance to Fire, making it important to either have another Water-type or something like a Dragon-type that also does well against Fire-type moves. Some solid options for this role are Latias, Raging Bolt, and Palafin.
Checks and Counters
========
**Chip Damage**: Lapras's low Speed, lack of recovery, bad defensive typing, and weakness to all entry hazards make it susceptible to getting quickly worn down.
**Fast Wallbreakers**: Although it's difficult to bring down Lapras in one hit, it fears boosted hits from strong foes like Iron Valiant, Ogerpon-W, and Iron Boulder. It also has to fear being outsped on Dragon Dance sets due to its low Speed, especially if the opponent has a healthy Choice Scarf user.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/soggydoggysage.630165/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/e-man.617175/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
Last edited:
