Ubers Lucario

[OVERVIEW]

Mega Lucario's high base 145 Attack stat and excellent offensive ability in Adaptability make it a powerful offensive threat in the Ubers metagame. Its access to Swords Dance allows it to increase its already ridiculous power to even higher levels and OHKO a large portion of the metagame after a boost. Additionally, Fighting / Steel is a fantastic offensive typing that allows Mega Lucario to easily threaten Pokemon such as Dialga, Xerneas, Arceus-Dark, and Arceus-Fairy. Mega Lucario is a particularly good breaker of bulky teams, as it finds numerous opportunities to set up with Swords Dance versus Pokemon commonly found on defensive archetypes such as Chansey, Blissey, Celesteela, Arceus-Dark, Bronzong, and Alolan Muk, and its great matchup against these teams is the main reason why bulky Arceus formes like Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground tend to run enough Speed to outspeed it. Mega Lucario's access to Bullet Punch also allows it to deal with faster foes, notably allowing it to revenge kill a weakened Geomancy Xerneas, providing excellent utility to teams that don't have solid counterplay to it, something that other sweepers such as Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground are unable to do. However, while Mega Lucario's Speed stat is not bad, it does leave it very vulnerable to faster Pokemon that can take a +2 Bullet Punch, such as Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ground, Marshadow, and Choice Scarf Yveltal, worsening Mega Lucario's matchup versus offense. The prevalence of Marshadow in the metagame not only gives Mega Lucario competition for a teamslot as an offensive Fighting-type but also increases the usage of shared checks such as Ho-Oh if Mega Lucario isn't running Stone Edge, Arceus-Fairy, and Toxapex. Marshadow is also a very threatening Pokemon to Mega Lucario, as it can outspeed Lucario and steal its Swords Dance boosts with Spectral Thief. Finally, while on paper Mega Lucario has a solid defensive typing with resistances to Dark, Rock, and Ice, its poor bulk gives it few opportunities to set up, as it can fall to even powerful neutral hits, further exacerbating its poor matchup against offensive teams.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Iron Tail
move 4: Swords Dance / Stone Edge
item: Lucarionite
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Close Combat is a powerful STAB move that can bust through much of the metagame after a boost, OHKOing Pokemon such as Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn at +2. Bullet Punch gives Mega Lucario a strong priority move that allows it to potentially sweep versus offensive teams, OHKOing certain faster Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mega Gengar at +2 after Stealth Rock. It also allows Mega Lucario to revenge kill a weakened Geomancy Xerneas. Iron Tail functions as a secondary STAB move that can deal with Fairy-types such as Xerneas, slow Arceus-Fairy, and Clefable. It's also Mega Lucario's best option to hit Giratina-O, usually OHKOing it at +2 after Stealth Rock damage. Swords Dance boosts Mega Lucario's Attack stat to extremely high levels and allows it to function as a versatile wincon. Alternatively, Stone Edge can be used over Swords Dance to take care of Ho-Oh, which can take any one of Mega Lucario's moves at +2 and OHKO it back otherwise.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow Mega Lucario to hit as hard and fast as possible. Jolly is generally the preferred nature to outpace Timid Yveltal, Timid Xerneas, and certain Arceus formes. However, Adamant can also be used for a significant boost in power, allowing +2 Mega Lucario to net the guaranteed OHKO on defensive Primal Groudon, as well as giving it a better change to OHKO Giratina-O and Mega Gengar without the need for Stealth Rock. However, running Adamant makes Mega Lucario significantly easier to revenge kill, so such a nature should generally only be used on Sticky Web teams. Justified is the preferred pre-Mega ability because it can potentially allow Lucario to switch into Dark-type moves from the likes of Yveltal and Arceus-Dark before it Mega Evolves and pick up an Attack boost. Lucarionite is required to Mega Evolve Lucario.

Usage Tips
========

If the opponent has a Geomancy Xerneas on their team, try to keep Mega Lucario in the back to revenge kill it with Bullet Punch after weakening it. In general, try to avoid switching Mega Lucario directly into powerful neutral or super effective attacks unless necessary because its bulk is quite poor. Instead, try to set up after being given a free switch into a Dark- or Steel-type or on passive Pokemon such as non-Judgment Arceus-Water and Celesteela. Keep in mind that Lucario can be used as a revenge killer with Bullet Punch for faster weakened Pokemon like Mega Gengar and Deoxys-A if needed. Switching pre-Mega Lucario into a Pokemon such as Arceus-Dark on a Judgment or Tyranitar on a predicted Crunch to gain an Attack boost from Justified can potentially make it very scary for the opposing team to deal with. Avoid setting up if the opponent has a healthy Marshadow in the back, as it can take a +2 Bullet Punch, steal Mega Lucario's boosts with Spectral Thief, and potentially sweep in return. Other fast Pokemon that can survive a +2 Bullet Punch such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Mewtwo X should also be accounted for, as they can potentially put an end to a Mega Lucario sweep. Against more offensive teams, it can be difficult to find opportunities to set up with Mega Lucario, and it often won't be able to complete a sweep. Thus, using it as more of an early-game wallbreaker in these matchups to punch holes in the opposing team for a teammate is a good idea. Play carefully against teams with the combination of Primal Groudon and a Ghost-type, as together they resist or are immune to Mega Lucario's STAB combination, making it heavily reliant on prediction to put in work.

Team Options
========

Primal Groudon can absorb Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp for Mega Lucario and can also pressure Ho-Oh if Lucario isn't running Stone Edge and Toxapex, paving the way for a Mega Lucario sweep. Xerneas is a good partner, as a +2 Mega Lucario can OHKO a number of Geomancy Xerneas answers, namely Primal Groudon and most Steel-types. Stone Edge Mega Lucario can also lure in and KO Ho-Oh for Xerneas. Sticky Web support makes Mega Lucario much more effective against offensive teams, as it outpaces Pokemon such as fast Arceus formes, Marshadow, all Mewtwo formes, Mega Gengar, and Choice Scarf Xerneas when Sticky Web is up. As such, Sticky Web setters such as Shuckle and Smeargle make for good teammates. Mega Lucario tends to bring in Ghost-types such as Giratina-O, Marshadow, Arceus-Ghost, and Aegislash, as they are immune to Close Combat and the majority of them can outspeed and OHKO it or can take a +2 Iron Tail. For this reason, Dark-types such as Yveltal and Arceus-Dark are good partners for their ability to pressure these Pokemon. Tyranitar and Alolan Muk receive a special mention because of their access to Pursuit, which allows them to trap and eliminate most Ghost-types for a Mega Lucario sweep. Pokemon that can lure in Zygarde-C are excellent teammates for Mega Lucario, as its ridiculously high bulk allows it to take any hit at +2 and KO Lucario back. Examples include Hidden Power Ice Ho-Oh, Hidden Power Ice Primal Groudon, and Ice Beam Extreme Killer Arceus. Entry hazard support from the likes of Primal Groudon, Dialga, Excadrill, Deoxys-S, and Ferrothorn can help Mega Lucario pick up more KOs. Pokemon like Toxic Primal Groudon and Rayquaza that are capable of pressuring fast support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Fairy can pave the way for a Mega Lucario sweep.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Ice Punch OHKOes Mega Salamence at +1 and OHKOes Zygarde pre-transformation after a Swords Dance boost. Earthquake OHKOes Toxapex most of the time after Stealth Rock damage and a Swords Dance boost, which can otherwise take any +2 hit from Mega Lucario and remove its stat boosts with Haze. A special set with Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, and Vacuum Wave can surprise certain physical Mega Lucario answers. However, Mega Lucario lacks powerful and accurate special STAB attacks and has the inability to deal significant damage to a +2 Geomancy Xerneas, making such a set less useful overall. Crunch deals with Ghost-types, OHKOing Lunala through Shadow Shield and taking out the rare Aegislash after a little chip damage. However, many Ghost-types naturally outspeed Mega Lucario or can deal with it through priority moves, making Crunch less effective as a coverage move overall.

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

**Toxapex**: Toxapex resists Mega Lucario's STAB combination and can reset its stat boosts with Haze. However, it can be 2HKOed by +2 Close Combat after Stealth Rock damage, even factoring in Haze, and it has to watch out for the rare Earthquake.

**Ground-types**: Fast Arceus-Ground can take a +2 Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and revenge kill it with Earthquake or Judgment. Zygarde-C's ridiculous bulk allows it to take any hit from Mega Lucario at +2 and phaze it with Dragon Tail or OHKO it with Thousand Arrows after a little chip damage. However, it can be OHKOed by +2 Close Combat or Ice Punch if it hasn't transformed yet. Finally, some physically defensive Primal Groudon can take a +2 Close Combat from Mega Lucario and OHKO it with Precipice Blades or Lava Plume.

**Marshadow**: Although it cannot switch in safely, Marshadow naturally outspeeds Mega Lucario and can almost always OHKO it with Spectral Thief, stealing its boosts and potentially sweeping in return. However, it must watch out for a +2 Bullet Punch if it has taken enough prior damage.

**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh resists both of Mega Lucario's STAB attacks and can OHKO it with Sacred Fire. However, it's OHKOed by +2 Stone Edge, and offensive sets can take up to 80% from Adamant +2 Close Combat.

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types in general are very threatening to Mega Lucario, as they are immune to Close Combat, forcing Mega Lucario to use a weaker or innacurate move. A healthy Lunala can take any +2 hit from Mega Lucario and OHKO in return thanks to Shadow Shield. Arceus-Ghost outpaces Mega Lucario and can KO it with Shadow Force after a little prior damage. Mega Gengar also outspeeds Lucario and can OHKO with Focus Blast or cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, although it can be OHKOed by +2 Bullet Punch. Giratina-O can tank a +2 Jolly Iron Tail if it's completely healthy and cripple Mega Lucario with status or phaze it with Dragon Tail, but it will almost always be OHKOed after Stealth Rock damage and can be taken out right away by +2 Adamant Iron Tail. Finally, Aegislash can take on most Mega Lucario sets with ease and 2HKO with Shadow Ball, but it is taken out by +2 Crunch or Earthquake.

**Faster Pokemon**: In general, faster Pokemon are able to easily put an end to a Mega Lucario sweep because of its poor bulk. Examples include Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ghost, Mega Mewtwo Y, Tapu Koko, Marshadow, and Choice Scarf Yveltal.
 
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Usage Tips:
Play carefully around teams with Groudon + Ghosts as this combination makes Lucario rely on prediction to do work, since they resist/are immune to Lucario's STABs.

Mega'd Gengar can switch into CC and trap or even revenge kill Lucario, eliminating a potential Luc wincon. This is something to be careful of.

Other Options:
* A special set with Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, and Mach Punch can surprise certain physical Mega Lucario answers. However, Mega Lucario's lack of powerful and accurate special STAB attacks and the inability to deal significant damage to a +2 Geomancy Xerneas makes such a set less useful overall.
Lucario does not run Mach Punch, it runs vacuum wave.

Team Options:
* Wobbuffet can create setup opportunities for Mega Lucario by trapping a Pokemon with Shadow Tag and locking it into a move like Toxic or Ice Beam with Encore. It can also trap and eliminate some Lucario checks like Choice Scarf Xerneas.
Wobb does not have an analysis for SM Ubers and is not seen as a viable mon, so this point should be removed.

Pokemon that can pressure fast support Arceus can pave the way for a Lucario sweep. Things like Toxic Groudon, Rayquaza, and other things that force damage on support Arceus are particularly good.

Pursuit trappers can actually help Lucario on Bulky Offensive builds to get rid of Ghost Types.

Checks and Counters:
Remove Scarf Lunala from C&C since it does not have a set it its analysis.

CC in general should look something like
Toxapex-> Bulky Ground-types (Arceus-Ground, Zygarde-C, some Primal Groudon spreads)-> Marshadow-> Ho-Oh-> Other Ghost-types-> Revenge Killers
 
Usage Tips:
Play carefully around teams with Groudon + Ghosts as this combination makes Lucario rely on prediction to do work, since they resist/are immune to Lucario's STABs.

Mega'd Gengar can switch into CC and trap or even revenge kill Lucario, eliminating a potential Luc wincon. This is something to be careful of.

Other Options:

Lucario does not run Mach Punch, it runs vacuum wave.

Team Options:

Wobb does not have an analysis for SM Ubers and is not seen as a viable mon, so this point should be removed.

Pokemon that can pressure fast support Arceus can pave the way for a Lucario sweep. Things like Toxic Groudon, Rayquaza, and other things that force damage on support Arceus are particularly good.

Pursuit trappers can actually help Lucario on Bulky Offensive builds to get rid of Ghost Types.

Checks and Counters:
Remove Scarf Lunala from C&C since it does not have a set it its analysis.

CC in general should look something like
Toxapex-> Bulky Ground-types (Arceus-Ground, Zygarde-C, some Primal Groudon spreads)-> Marshadow-> Ho-Oh-> Other Ghost-types-> Revenge Killers
Implemented this. Pursuit trappers were already mentioned in the 4th bullet of team options, was there something else you wanted me to add?
 
You never changed Mach punch to vacuum wave in the OP, btw.

"* Close Combat is a powerful STAB move that can bust through much of the metagame after a boost, OHKOing Pokemon such as Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Swords Dance Arceus-Ground, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn at +2."

Remove arceus-ground from the list, as Jolly is the only good nature on SD, and thus you won't hit it with a +2 CC. You can note, though, that you OHKO chople ekiller at +2.

"* Pokemon that are capable of pressuring fast support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Fairy can pave the way for a Mega Lucarioo sweep. Examples include Toxic Primal Groudon, Rayquaza, and Tapu Koko."

Remove Tapu Koko from this list.

Iron tail is more significant for lucario than SD, so stone edge should be slashed above SD. Try something like this:

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Iron Tail
move 4: Swords Dance / Stone Edge
item: Lucarionite
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

As for OO, make sure to list ice punch first; it's by far better than any other option lucario has. I'd list ipunch first, then eq, then special, then crunch.

After you implement all that, 2/3 :)!
 
I feel like the overview should note Lucario's influence on bulky teams - the standard for support Arceus formes is now 192 speed, mainly because of Mega Lucario. While this does lessen its viability as many bulky teams will have a way to take it down, its still a large influence exerted on the metagame that is worth mentioning in the overview. The overview also notes that Lucario can SD on Arceus-Water - unless you are sure it is only carrying Ice Beam (and such a moveset is getting rarer) this is suicide, especially because the typical spread is faster so living a Judgment in the process won't help much.

Adamant Lucario is pretty much a webs only nature and should be noted as such in Set Details.

Usage tips mentions some strange plays against Yveltal - Lucario loses a lot of HP switching straight into even Choice locked Yveltal. Dark Pulse from Scarf sets can 2HKO after SR:

252+ SpA Dark Aura Yveltal Dark Pulse vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Lucario-Mega: 128-151 (45.5 - 53.7%) -- 69.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock (Its SpD stat stays the same after evo)

Switching into Specs will take off up to 80% of Lucario's HP. While you do outspeed and OHKO it the next turn, this only works if they stay in, which it probably isn't. This can also play into the prediction issue against Ghost-types. If you +1 CC the switch-in and its a Marshadow or Gengar, Lucario took all that damage for nothing. This might need some rewording, or perhaps just note Judgment Arceus-Dark instead as a switch in for Justified boosts, which is probably ideal.

Remove Choice Scarf Lunala from the last part of C&C - it isn't a set anymore.

The rest of this is good. I'll read over the implementations and stamp afterwards.
 
I feel like the overview should note Lucario's influence on bulky teams - the standard for support Arceus formes is now 192 speed, mainly because of Mega Lucario. While this does lessen its viability as many bulky teams will have a way to take it down, its still a large influence exerted on the metagame that is worth mentioning in the overview. The overview also notes that Lucario can SD on Arceus-Water - unless you are sure it is only carrying Ice Beam (and such a moveset is getting rarer) this is suicide, especially because the typical spread is faster so living a Judgment in the process won't help much.

Adamant Lucario is pretty much a webs only nature and should be noted as such in Set Details.

Usage tips mentions some strange plays against Yveltal - Lucario loses a lot of HP switching straight into even Choice locked Yveltal. Dark Pulse from Scarf sets can 2HKO after SR:

252+ SpA Dark Aura Yveltal Dark Pulse vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Lucario-Mega: 128-151 (45.5 - 53.7%) -- 69.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock (Its SpD stat stays the same after evo)

Switching into Specs will take off up to 80% of Lucario's HP. While you do outspeed and OHKO it the next turn, this only works if they stay in, which it probably isn't. This can also play into the prediction issue against Ghost-types. If you +1 CC the switch-in and its a Marshadow or Gengar, Lucario took all that damage for nothing. This might need some rewording, or perhaps just note Judgment Arceus-Dark instead as a switch in for Justified boosts, which is probably ideal.

Remove Choice Scarf Lunala from the last part of C&C - it isn't a set anymore.

The rest of this is good. I'll read over the implementations and stamp afterwards.
Implemented this, thank you.
 
"is the main reason why bulky Arceus formes like Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground tend to run 192 Speed EVs."

I'd probably just reword this to something along the lines of "tend to run enough EVs to outspeed it", as what is currently there doesn't note that it also requires a +Speed nature. Adding it that way would add more length than necessary.

Choice Scarf Lunala is still noted in the faster pokemon part of C&C - remember to remove it this time.

QC 3/3
 

Fireflame

Silksong when
is a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[OVERVIEW]

Mega Lucario's high 145 base 145 Attack stat and excellent offensive ability in Adaptability makes it a powerful offensive threat in the Ubers metagame. Its access to Swords Dance allows it to increase its already ridiculous power to even higher levels and OHKO a large portion of the metagame after a boost. Additionally, Fighting / Steel is a fantastic offensive typing that allows Mega Lucario to easily threaten Pokemon such as Dialga, Xerneas, Arceus-Dark, and Arceus-Fairy. Mega Lucario is a particularly good breaker of bulky teams, as it finds numerous opportunities to set up with Swords Dance versus Pokemon commonly found on defensive archetypes such as Chansey,(AC) and Blissey, Celesteela, Arceus-Dark, Bronzong, and Alolan Muk, and its great matchup against these teams is the main reason why bulky Arceus formes like Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground tend to run enough Speed to outspeed it. Its Mega Lucario's (too many "its") access to Bullet Punch also allows it to deal with faster foes, notably allowing it to revenge kill a weakened Geomancy Xerneas, providing excellent utility to teams that don't have solid counterplay to it, something that other sweepers like Mega Lucario such as Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground are unable to do. However, while Mega Lucario's Speed stat is not bad, it does leave it very vulnerable to faster Pokemon that can take a +2 Bullet Punch, such as Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ground, Marshadow, and Choice Scarf Yveltal, worsening Mega Lucario's matchup versus offense. The prevalence of Marshadow in the metagame not only gives Mega Lucario competition for a teamslot as an offensive Fighting-type,(RC) but also increases the usage of shared checks such as Ho-Oh if Mega Lucario isn't running Stone Edge, Arceus-Fairy, and Toxapex. Marshadow is also a very threatening Pokemon to Mega Lucario in itself, as it can outspeed Lucario and steal its Swords Dance boosts with Spectral Thief. Finally, while on paper Mega Lucario has a solid defensive typing with resistances to Dark, Rock, and Ice, its poor mixed bulk (just saying "bulk" implies mixed) gives it few opportunities to set up, as it can fall to even powerful neutral hits, further exacerbating its matchup against offensive teams.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Iron Tail
move 4: Swords Dance / Stone Edge
item: Lucarionite
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Close Combat is a powerful STAB move that can bust through much of the metagame after a boost, OHKOing Pokemon such as Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn at +2. Bullet Punch gives Mega Lucario a strong priority move that allows it to potentially sweep versus offensive teams, OHKOing certain faster Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mega Gengar at +2 after Stealth Rock. It also allows it Mega Lucario to revenge kill a weakened Geomancy Xerneas. Iron Tail functions as a secondary STAB move that can deal with Fairy-types such as Xerneas, slow Arceus-Fairy, and Clefable. It's also Mega Lucario's best option to hit Giratina-O, usually OHKOing it at +2 after Stealth Rock damage. Swords Dance boosts Mega Lucario's Attack stat to extremely high levels and allows it to function as a versatile wincon. Alternatively, Stone Edge can be used over Swords Dance to take care of Ho-Oh, which can take any one of Mega Lucario's moves at +2 and OHKO it back otherwise.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow Mega Lucario to hit as hard and fast as possible. Jolly is generally the preferred nature to outpace Timid Yveltal, Timid Xerneas, and certain Arceus formes. However, Adamant can also be used for a significant boost in power, allowing +2 Mega Lucario to net the guaranteed OHKO on defensive Primal Groudon, as well as giving it a better change to OHKO Giratina-O and Mega Gengar without the need for Stealth Rock. However, running Adamant makes Mega Lucario significantly easier to revenge kill, so such a nature should generally only be used on Sticky Web teams. Justified is the preferred pre-Mega ability because it can potentially allow Lucario to switch into Dark-type moves from the likes of Yveltal and Arceus-Dark before it Mega Evolves and pick up an Attack boost. Lucarionite is required to Mega Evolve Lucario.

Usage Tips
========

If the opponent has a Geomancy Xerneas on their team, try to keep Mega Lucario in the back to revenge kill it with Bullet Punch after weakening it. In general, try to avoid switching Mega Lucario directly into powerful neutral or super effective attacks unless necessary because its bulk is quite poor. Instead, try to set up after being given a free switch into a Dark- or Steel-type or on passive Pokemon such as non-Judgment Arceus-Water and Celesteela. Keep in mind that Lucario can be used as a revenge killer with Bullet Punch for faster weakened Pokemon like Mega Gengar and Deoxys-A if needed. Switching pre-Mega Lucario into a Pokemon such as Arceus-Dark on a Judgment or Tyranitar on a predicted Crunch to gain an Attack boost from Justified can potentially make it very scary for the opposing team to deal with. Avoid setting up if the opponent has a healthy Marshadow in the back, as it can take a +2 Bullet Punch, steal Mega Lucario's boosts with Spectral Thief, and potentially sweep in return. Other fast Pokemon that can survive a +2 Bullet Punch such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Mewtwo X should also be accounted for, as they can potentially put an end to a Mega Lucario sweep. Versus Against more offensive teams, it can be difficult to find opportunities to set up with Mega Lucario,(AC) (independent clause) and it often won't be able to complete a sweep. As such, using it as more of an early-game wallbreaker in these matchups to punch holes in the opposing team for a teammate is a good idea. Play carefully against teams with the combination of Primal Groudon and a Ghost-type, as together they resist or are immune to Mega Lucario's STAB combination, making it heavily reliant on prediction to put in work.

Team Options
========

Primal Groudon can absorb Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp for Mega Lucario and can also pressure Ho-Oh if Lucario isn't running Stone Edge and Toxapex, paving the way for a Mega Lucario sweep. Xerneas is a good partner, as a +2 Mega Lucario can OHKO a number of Geomancy Xerneas answers, namely Primal Groudon and most Steel-types. Stone Edge Mega Lucario can also lure in and KO Ho-Oh for Xerneas. Sticky Web support makes Mega Lucario much more effective against offensive teams, as it outpaces Pokemon such as fast Arceus formes, Marshadow, all Mewtwo formes, Mega Gengar, and Choice Scarf Xerneas when Sticky Web is up. As such, Sticky Web setters such as Shuckle and Smeargle make for good teammates. Mega Lucario tends to bring in Ghost-types such as Giratina-O, Marshadow, Arceus-Ghost, and Aegislash, as they are immune to Close Combat and the majority of them can outspeed and OHKO it or can take a +2 Iron Tail. For this reason, Dark-types such as Yveltal and Arceus-Dark are good partners for their ability to pressure these Pokemon. Tyranitar and Alolan Muk receive a special mention because of their access to Pursuit, which allows them to trap and eliminate most Ghost-types for a Mega Lucario sweep. Pokemon that can lure in Zygarde-C are excellent teammates for Mega Lucario, as its ridiculously high bulk allows it to take any hit at +2 and KO Lucario back. Examples include Hidden Power Ice Ho-Oh, Hidden Power Ice Primal Groudon, and Ice Beam Extreme Killer Arceus. Entry hazard support from the likes of Primal Groudon, Dialga, Excadrill, Deoxys-S, and Ferrothorn can help Mega Lucario pick up more KOs. Pokemon like Toxic Primal Groudon and Rayquaza that are capable of pressuring fast support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Fairy can pave the way for a Mega Lucarioo Lucario sweep. Examples include Toxic Primal Groudon and Rayquaza.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Ice Punch OHKOes Mega Salamence at +1 and OHKOes Zygarde pre-transformation after a Swords Dance boost. Earthquake OHKOes Toxapex most of the time after Stealth Rock damage and a Swords Dance boost, which can otherwise take any +2 hit from Mega Lucario and remove its stat boosts with Haze. A special set with Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, and Vacuum Wave can surprise certain physical Mega Lucario answers. However, Mega Lucario's lack of Lucario lacks powerful and accurate special STAB attacks and has the inability ("lack of the inability" is how some people may read this) to deal significant damage to a +2 Geomancy Xerneas,(AC) making makes such a set less useful overall. Crunch deals with Ghost-types, OHKOing Lunala through Shadow Shield and the rare Aegislash after a little chip damage. However, many Ghost-types naturally outspeed Mega Lucario or can deal with it through priority moves, making Crunch less effective as a coverage move overall.

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

**Toxapex**: Toxapex resists Mega Lucario's STAB combination and can reset its stat boosts with Haze. However, it can be 2HKOed by +2 Close Combat after Stealth Rock damage, even factoring in Haze, and it has to watch out for the rare Earthquake.

**Ground-types**: Fast Arceus-Ground can take a +2 Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and revenge kill it with Earthquake or Judgment. Zygarde-C's ridiculous bulk allows it to take any hit from Mega Lucario at +2 and phaze it out with Dragon Tail or OHKO it with Thousand Arrows after a little chip damage. However, it can be OHKOed by a +2 Close Combat or Ice Punch if it hasn't transformed yet. Finally, some physically defensive Primal Groudon can take a +2 Close Combat from Mega Lucario and OHKO it with Precipice Blades or Lava Plume.

**Marshadow**: Although it cannot switch in safely, Marshadow naturally outspeeds Mega Lucario and can almost always OHKO it with Spectral Thief and steal its boosts and potentially sweep in return. However, it must watch out for a +2 Bullet Punch if it has taken enough prior damage.

**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh resists both of Mega Lucario's STAB attacks and can OHKO it with Sacred Fire. However, it's OHKOed by a +2 Stone Edge,(AC) (independent clause) and offensive sets can take up to 80% from Adamant +2 Close Combat.

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types in general are very threatening to Mega Lucario, as they are immune to Close Combat, forcing Mega Lucario to use a weaker or innacurate move. A healthy Lunala can take any +2 hit from Mega Lucario and OHKO in return thanks to Shadow Shield. Arceus-Ghost outpaces Mega Lucario and can KO it with Shadow Force after a little prior damage. Mega Gengar also outspeeds Lucario and can OHKO with Focus Blast or cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, although it can be OHKOed by a +2 Bullet Punch. Giratina-O can tank a +2 Jolly Iron Tail if it's completely healthy and cripple Mega Lucario with status or phaze it with Dragon Tail, but it will almost always be OHKOed after Stealth Rock damage and can be taken out right away by a (if it OHKOes then you don't need the "a"; "+1 Earthquake OHKOes X" sounds better than "A +1 Earthquake OHKOes X", at least imo) +2 Adamant Iron Tail. Finally, Aegislash can take on most Mega Lucario sets with ease and 2HKO with Shadow Ball, but it is taken out by a +2 Crunch or Earthquake.

**Faster Pokemon**: In general, faster Pokemon are able to easily put an end to a Mega Lucario sweep because of its poor bulk. Examples include Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ghost, Mega Mewtwo Y, Tapu Koko, Marshadow, and Choice Scarf Yveltal.
GP 1/2
 
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Lumari

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GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

Mega Lucario's high base 145 Attack stat and excellent offensive ability in Adaptability makes make it a powerful offensive threat in the Ubers metagame. Its access to Swords Dance allows it to increase its already ridiculous power to even higher levels and OHKO a large portion of the metagame after a boost. Additionally, Fighting / Steel is a fantastic offensive typing that allows Mega Lucario to easily threaten Pokemon such as Dialga, Xerneas, Arceus-Dark, and Arceus-Fairy. Mega Lucario is a particularly good breaker of bulky teams, as it finds numerous opportunities to set up with Swords Dance versus Pokemon commonly found on defensive archetypes such as Chansey, Blissey, Celesteela, Arceus-Dark, Bronzong, and Alolan Muk, and its great matchup against these teams is the main reason why bulky Arceus formes like Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground tend to run enough Speed to outspeed it. Mega Lucario's access to Bullet Punch also allows it to deal with faster foes, notably allowing it to revenge kill a weakened Geomancy Xerneas, providing excellent utility to teams that don't have solid counterplay to it, something that other sweepers such as Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground are unable to do. However, while Mega Lucario's Speed stat is not bad, it does leave it very vulnerable to faster Pokemon that can take a +2 Bullet Punch, such as Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ground, Marshadow, and Choice Scarf Yveltal, worsening Mega Lucario's matchup versus offense. The prevalence of Marshadow in the metagame not only gives Mega Lucario competition for a teamslot as an offensive Fighting-type but also increases the usage of shared checks such as Ho-Oh if Mega Lucario isn't running Stone Edge, Arceus-Fairy, and Toxapex. Marshadow is also a very threatening Pokemon to Mega Lucario, as it can outspeed Lucario and steal its Swords Dance boosts with Spectral Thief. Finally, while on paper Mega Lucario has a solid defensive typing with resistances to Dark, Rock, and Ice, its poor bulk gives it few opportunities to set up, as it can fall to even powerful neutral hits, further exacerbating its poor matchup against offensive teams.

[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Bullet Punch
move 3: Iron Tail
move 4: Swords Dance / Stone Edge
item: Lucarionite
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Close Combat is a powerful STAB move that can bust through much of the metagame after a boost, OHKOing Pokemon such as Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus, Celesteela, and Ferrothorn at +2. Bullet Punch gives Mega Lucario a strong priority move that allows it to potentially sweep versus offensive teams, OHKOing certain faster Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and Mega Gengar at +2 after Stealth Rock. It also allows Mega Lucario to revenge kill a weakened Geomancy Xerneas. Iron Tail functions as a secondary STAB move that can deal with Fairy-types such as Xerneas, slow Arceus-Fairy, and Clefable. It's also Mega Lucario's best option to hit Giratina-O, usually OHKOing it at +2 after Stealth Rock damage. Swords Dance boosts Mega Lucario's Attack stat to extremely high levels and allows it to function as a versatile wincon. Alternatively, Stone Edge can be used over Swords Dance to take care of Ho-Oh, which can take any one of Mega Lucario's moves at +2 and OHKO it back otherwise.

Set Details
========

Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow Mega Lucario to hit as hard and fast as possible. Jolly is generally the preferred nature to outpace Timid Yveltal, Timid Xerneas, and certain Arceus formes. However, Adamant can also be used for a significant boost in power, allowing +2 Mega Lucario to net the guaranteed OHKO on defensive Primal Groudon, as well as giving it a better change to OHKO Giratina-O and Mega Gengar without the need for Stealth Rock. However, running Adamant makes Mega Lucario significantly easier to revenge kill, so such a nature should generally only be used on Sticky Web teams. Justified is the preferred pre-Mega ability because it can potentially allow Lucario to switch into Dark-type moves from the likes of Yveltal and Arceus-Dark before it Mega Evolves and pick up an Attack boost. Lucarionite is required to Mega Evolve Lucario.

Usage Tips
========

If the opponent has a Geomancy Xerneas on their team, try to keep Mega Lucario in the back to revenge kill it with Bullet Punch after weakening it. In general, try to avoid switching Mega Lucario directly into powerful neutral or super effective attacks unless necessary because its bulk is quite poor. Instead, try to set up after being given a free switch into a Dark- or Steel-type or on passive Pokemon such as non-Judgment Arceus-Water and Celesteela. Keep in mind that Lucario can be used as a revenge killer with Bullet Punch for faster weakened Pokemon like Mega Gengar and Deoxys-A if needed. Switching pre-Mega Lucario into a Pokemon such as Arceus-Dark on a Judgment or Tyranitar on a predicted Crunch to gain an Attack boost from Justified can potentially make it very scary for the opposing team to deal with. Avoid setting up if the opponent has a healthy Marshadow in the back, as it can take a +2 Bullet Punch, steal Mega Lucario's boosts with Spectral Thief, and potentially sweep in return. Other fast Pokemon that can survive a +2 Bullet Punch such as Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Fairy, and Mega Mewtwo X should also be accounted for, as they can potentially put an end to a Mega Lucario sweep. Against more offensive teams, it can be difficult to find opportunities to set up with Mega Lucario,(AC) (keep comma, remove comment) and it often won't be able to complete a sweep. As such, Thus, using it as more of an early-game wallbreaker in these matchups to punch holes in the opposing team for a teammate is a good idea. Play carefully against teams with the combination of Primal Groudon and a Ghost-type, as together they resist or are immune to Mega Lucario's STAB combination, making it heavily reliant on prediction to put in work.

Team Options
========

Primal Groudon can absorb Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp for Mega Lucario and can also pressure Ho-Oh if Lucario isn't running Stone Edge and Toxapex, paving the way for a Mega Lucario sweep. Xerneas is a good partner, as a +2 Mega Lucario can OHKO a number of Geomancy Xerneas answers, namely Primal Groudon and most Steel-types. Stone Edge Mega Lucario can also lure in and KO Ho-Oh for Xerneas. Sticky Web support makes Mega Lucario much more effective against offensive teams, as it outpaces Pokemon such as fast Arceus formes, Marshadow, all Mewtwo formes, Mega Gengar, and Choice Scarf Xerneas when Sticky Web is up. As such, Sticky Web setters such as Shuckle and Smeargle make for good teammates. Mega Lucario tends to bring in Ghost-types such as Giratina-O, Marshadow, Arceus-Ghost, and Aegislash, as they are immune to Close Combat and the majority of them can outspeed and OHKO it or can take a +2 Iron Tail. For this reason, Dark-types such as Yveltal and Arceus-Dark are good partners for their ability to pressure these Pokemon. Tyranitar and Alolan Muk receive a special mention because of their access to Pursuit, which allows them to trap and eliminate most Ghost-types for a Mega Lucario sweep. Pokemon that can lure in Zygarde-C are excellent teammates for Mega Lucario, as its ridiculously high bulk allows it to take any hit at +2 and KO Lucario back. Examples include Hidden Power Ice Ho-Oh, Hidden Power Ice Primal Groudon, and Ice Beam Extreme Killer Arceus. Entry hazard support from the likes of Primal Groudon, Dialga, Excadrill, Deoxys-S, and Ferrothorn can help Mega Lucario pick up more KOs. Pokemon like Toxic Primal Groudon and Rayquaza that are capable of pressuring fast support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Fairy can pave the way for a Mega Lucario sweep.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Ice Punch OHKOes Mega Salamence at +1 and OHKOes Zygarde pre-transformation after a Swords Dance boost. Earthquake OHKOes Toxapex most of the time after Stealth Rock damage and a Swords Dance boost, which can otherwise take any +2 hit from Mega Lucario and remove its stat boosts with Haze. A special set with Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, and Vacuum Wave can surprise certain physical Mega Lucario answers. However, Mega Lucario lacks powerful and accurate special STAB attacks and has the inability to deal significant damage to a +2 Geomancy Xerneas, making such a set less useful overall. Crunch deals with Ghost-types, OHKOing Lunala through Shadow Shield and taking out (parallelism-ish) the rare Aegislash after a little chip damage. However, many Ghost-types naturally outspeed Mega Lucario or can deal with it through priority moves, making Crunch less effective as a coverage move overall.

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

**Toxapex**: Toxapex resists Mega Lucario's STAB combination and can reset its stat boosts with Haze. However, it can be 2HKOed by +2 Close Combat after Stealth Rock damage, even factoring in Haze, and it has to watch out for the rare Earthquake.

**Ground-types**: Fast Arceus-Ground can take a +2 Bullet Punch from Mega Lucario and revenge kill it with Earthquake or Judgment. Zygarde-C's ridiculous bulk allows it to take any hit from Mega Lucario at +2 and phaze it out with Dragon Tail or OHKO it with Thousand Arrows after a little chip damage. However, it can be OHKOed by +2 Close Combat or Ice Punch if it hasn't transformed yet. Finally, some physically defensive Primal Groudon can take a +2 Close Combat from Mega Lucario and OHKO it with Precipice Blades or Lava Plume.

**Marshadow**: Although it cannot switch in safely, Marshadow naturally outspeeds Mega Lucario and can almost always OHKO it with Spectral Thief, (AC) and stealing its boosts and potentially sweeping (optional, varied sentence structure) in return. However, it must watch out for a +2 Bullet Punch if it has taken enough prior damage.

**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh resists both of Mega Lucario's STAB attacks and can OHKO it with Sacred Fire. However, it's OHKOed by +2 Stone Edge, and offensive sets can take up to 80% from Adamant +2 Close Combat.

**Ghost-types**: Ghost-types in general are very threatening to Mega Lucario, as they are immune to Close Combat, forcing Mega Lucario to use a weaker or innacurate move. A healthy Lunala can take any +2 hit from Mega Lucario and OHKO in return thanks to Shadow Shield. Arceus-Ghost outpaces Mega Lucario and can KO it with Shadow Force after a little prior damage. Mega Gengar also outspeeds Lucario and can OHKO with Focus Blast or cripple it with Will-O-Wisp, although it can be OHKOed by +2 Bullet Punch. Giratina-O can tank a +2 Jolly Iron Tail if it's completely healthy and cripple Mega Lucario with status or phaze it with Dragon Tail, but it will almost always be OHKOed after Stealth Rock damage and can be taken out right away by +2 Adamant Iron Tail. Finally, Aegislash can take on most Mega Lucario sets with ease and 2HKO with Shadow Ball, but it is taken out by +2 Crunch or Earthquake.

**Faster Pokemon**: In general, faster Pokemon are able to easily put an end to a Mega Lucario sweep because of its poor bulk. Examples include Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ghost, Mega Mewtwo Y, Tapu Koko, Marshadow, and Choice Scarf Yveltal.
 
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