[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-6 points
**Overview**: On paper, Lucario possesses many desirable traits for an offensive Pokemon such as strong setup options, diverse mixed coverage, and powerful priority that includes the coveted Extreme Speed, allowing it to be a potentially deadly cleaner late-game, especially if accentuated by Terastallization. In practice, however, its relatively unimpressive attacking stats and Speed often necessitate boosts for it to perform its role, which can be difficult to obtain with its high frailty. Additionally, Lucario can struggle to fit in all the moves it wants, whether its due to having a moveslot taken up by a setup move or needing too much coverage, meaning that in certain matchups it might be forced into choosing what it gets checked by.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: With any of its offense-boosting options, Lucario can break through most walls with its STAB moves and coverage while using priority to fend off faster offensive threats. These sets best take advantage of Terastallization by powering up Lucario's crucial priority moves or letting it smash through walls with greater ease.
**Revenge Killer**: Lucario's access to multiple forms of powerful priority allows it to pick off low-health foes before they can make another move.
**Wallbreaker**: Though Lucario is usually outclassed as a wallbreaker by other Pokemon, opponents can be caught off guard by an all-out offensive Lucario capable of punching holes in the enemy team for its teammates. These sets typically require one of the Choice items in order to best supplement Lucario's below-average offensive stats.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Meteor Mash, Focus Blast, Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Flash Cannon, Bullet Punch
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, Calm Mind, Bulk Up, Agility, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Substitute, Roar
**Coverage**: Extreme Speed, Crunch, Stone Edge, Ice Punch, Earthquake, Rock Slide, Thunder Punch, Zen Headbutt, Poison Jab, Shadow Claw, Dark Pulse, Psychic, Dragon Pulse, Shadow Ball
Niche Moves
========
**Steel Beam**: Being Lucario's highest possible damage output, Steel Beam should only be used in situations where Lucario needs an immediate burst of power, such as catching a physical wall off guard.
**Upper Hand**: While Lucario's Extreme Speed will usually beat out other forms of priority, Upper Hand can possibly negate an attempt to quickly dispatch Lucario for a turn, letting it survive and force the opponent into predicting its next move.
Common Items
========
**Life Orb**: Lucario's stats often leave it quite power hungry even with boosts, making Life Orb the best option to maximize its KO potential. Due to its frailty and reliance on priority moves, it will rarely suffer the drawbacks of recoil damage.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash lets Lucario have a guaranteed setup or attacking turn, getting around its frailty.
**Choice Band**: Choice Band gives Lucario immediate power to smash defensive pieces with its high-powered STAB moves while retaining its decent cleaning potential with Extreme Speed.
Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting Items**: Items like Expert and Black Belt supplement Lucario's power without drawbacks, though with noticeably less potency than its primary options.
**Choice Specs**: In a similar vein to Choice Band, Choice Specs can let Lucario perform immediately with its slightly higher Special Attack.
Tera
========
While one should look for greater potential and flexibility in their secondary Tera Captain, Lucario can still decently complement a faster primary Tera Captain, since it does not necessarily rely on Terastallization to function but greatly benefits from it as an option. Tera Normal is the most standout choice for Lucario, as boosting its Extreme Speed lets it more easily pick off chipped offensive Pokemon and clean up late-game with setup. Tera Fighting and Steel also make Lucario's Close Combat, Meteor Mash, or other STAB moves extremely potent at breaking down even neutrally hit walls while also boosting some of the other priority moves it wants to use. Other types like Tera Dark, Ground, and Electric can boost coverage moves against Fighting-resistant targets.
Draft Strategy
========
Lucario serves as a supplemental offensive piece that primarily seeks to clean up weakened teams. However, it still heavily relies on assistance from Pokemon with other roles on the team to make the most out of its only decent offensive potential.
**Higher-tiered Sweepers**: Teammates like Darkrai, Ogerpon-W, and Zarude can soften the enemy team enough for Lucario to sufficiently pick off the remaining pieces with setup, or they can alternatively benefit from Lucario's lesser weakening of foes to set up themselves.
**Slow Pivots**: Lucario appreciates being brought in by Pokemon like Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, and Primarina so that it does not have to rely on a KOed teammate for reliable entry.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Entry hazard setters like Gliscor and Mew make it easier for Lucario to achieve KOs against chipped foes. Since Lucario dislikes running Heavy-Duty Boots, teammates like Terapagos and Iron Treads can let it stay healthy without choosing between having its already subpar bulk being dug into or giving up its item.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Without setup or a good amount of prior damage, faster Pokemon like Deoxys-S, Cinderace, and Garchomp can easily prey upon Lucario's low bulk without fearing a KO from its priority.
**Fighting-resistant Walls**: Lucario relies on its strong Fighting-type STAB moves to power through defensive pieces, but its somewhat weak coverage means that walls like Zapdos, Pecharunt, and Uxie can usually stomach even its boosted attacks to fire a decent hit back. If multiple of such Pokemon are present on the enemy team, Lucario's moveset can become extremely strained to the point of unfavorable moveslot compromises.
**Residual Damage**: Factors like Life Orb recoil, entry hazard damage, and Rocky Helmet contact can greatly lessen Lucario's longevity, making it susceptible to even attacks from weaker walls.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
**Draft Order**: Round 6 onwards
**Price Range**: 5-6 points
**Overview**: On paper, Lucario possesses many desirable traits for an offensive Pokemon such as strong setup options, diverse mixed coverage, and powerful priority that includes the coveted Extreme Speed, allowing it to be a potentially deadly cleaner late-game, especially if accentuated by Terastallization. In practice, however, its relatively unimpressive attacking stats and Speed often necessitate boosts for it to perform its role, which can be difficult to obtain with its high frailty. Additionally, Lucario can struggle to fit in all the moves it wants, whether its due to having a moveslot taken up by a setup move or needing too much coverage, meaning that in certain matchups it might be forced into choosing what it gets checked by.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Sweeper**: With any of its offense-boosting options, Lucario can break through most walls with its STAB moves and coverage while using priority to fend off faster offensive threats. These sets best take advantage of Terastallization by powering up Lucario's crucial priority moves or letting it smash through walls with greater ease.
**Revenge Killer**: Lucario's access to multiple forms of powerful priority allows it to pick off low-health foes before they can make another move.
**Wallbreaker**: Though Lucario is usually outclassed as a wallbreaker by other Pokemon, opponents can be caught off guard by an all-out offensive Lucario capable of punching holes in the enemy team for its teammates. These sets typically require one of the Choice items in order to best supplement Lucario's below-average offensive stats.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Meteor Mash, Focus Blast, Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Flash Cannon, Bullet Punch
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, Calm Mind, Bulk Up, Agility, Trailblaze
**Utility Moves**: Substitute, Roar
**Coverage**: Extreme Speed, Crunch, Stone Edge, Ice Punch, Earthquake, Rock Slide, Thunder Punch, Zen Headbutt, Poison Jab, Shadow Claw, Dark Pulse, Psychic, Dragon Pulse, Shadow Ball
Niche Moves
========
**Steel Beam**: Being Lucario's highest possible damage output, Steel Beam should only be used in situations where Lucario needs an immediate burst of power, such as catching a physical wall off guard.
**Upper Hand**: While Lucario's Extreme Speed will usually beat out other forms of priority, Upper Hand can possibly negate an attempt to quickly dispatch Lucario for a turn, letting it survive and force the opponent into predicting its next move.
Common Items
========
**Life Orb**: Lucario's stats often leave it quite power hungry even with boosts, making Life Orb the best option to maximize its KO potential. Due to its frailty and reliance on priority moves, it will rarely suffer the drawbacks of recoil damage.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash lets Lucario have a guaranteed setup or attacking turn, getting around its frailty.
**Choice Band**: Choice Band gives Lucario immediate power to smash defensive pieces with its high-powered STAB moves while retaining its decent cleaning potential with Extreme Speed.
Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting Items**: Items like Expert and Black Belt supplement Lucario's power without drawbacks, though with noticeably less potency than its primary options.
**Choice Specs**: In a similar vein to Choice Band, Choice Specs can let Lucario perform immediately with its slightly higher Special Attack.
Tera
========
While one should look for greater potential and flexibility in their secondary Tera Captain, Lucario can still decently complement a faster primary Tera Captain, since it does not necessarily rely on Terastallization to function but greatly benefits from it as an option. Tera Normal is the most standout choice for Lucario, as boosting its Extreme Speed lets it more easily pick off chipped offensive Pokemon and clean up late-game with setup. Tera Fighting and Steel also make Lucario's Close Combat, Meteor Mash, or other STAB moves extremely potent at breaking down even neutrally hit walls while also boosting some of the other priority moves it wants to use. Other types like Tera Dark, Ground, and Electric can boost coverage moves against Fighting-resistant targets.
Draft Strategy
========
Lucario serves as a supplemental offensive piece that primarily seeks to clean up weakened teams. However, it still heavily relies on assistance from Pokemon with other roles on the team to make the most out of its only decent offensive potential.
**Higher-tiered Sweepers**: Teammates like Darkrai, Ogerpon-W, and Zarude can soften the enemy team enough for Lucario to sufficiently pick off the remaining pieces with setup, or they can alternatively benefit from Lucario's lesser weakening of foes to set up themselves.
**Slow Pivots**: Lucario appreciates being brought in by Pokemon like Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, and Primarina so that it does not have to rely on a KOed teammate for reliable entry.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Entry hazard setters like Gliscor and Mew make it easier for Lucario to achieve KOs against chipped foes. Since Lucario dislikes running Heavy-Duty Boots, teammates like Terapagos and Iron Treads can let it stay healthy without choosing between having its already subpar bulk being dug into or giving up its item.
Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Without setup or a good amount of prior damage, faster Pokemon like Deoxys-S, Cinderace, and Garchomp can easily prey upon Lucario's low bulk without fearing a KO from its priority.
**Fighting-resistant Walls**: Lucario relies on its strong Fighting-type STAB moves to power through defensive pieces, but its somewhat weak coverage means that walls like Zapdos, Pecharunt, and Uxie can usually stomach even its boosted attacks to fire a decent hit back. If multiple of such Pokemon are present on the enemy team, Lucario's moveset can become extremely strained to the point of unfavorable moveslot compromises.
**Residual Damage**: Factors like Life Orb recoil, entry hazard damage, and Rocky Helmet contact can greatly lessen Lucario's longevity, making it susceptible to even attacks from weaker walls.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/furyy.529077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rose.511181/
Last edited:
