Draft Lucario

[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/
 
Last edited:
green = add
red = remove
blue = comment
qc 1/2
[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 set-up options, diverse mixed coverage, and powerful priority that includes the coveted Extreme Speed, allowing it to be a potentially deadly cleaner in late-game scenarios especially if accentuated by Terastallization. In practice however, its relatively unimpressive attacking stats and Speed often necessitate boosts to perform its role, which can be difficult to pull off with Lucario's high frailty. Additionally, Lucario can struggle to fit in all the moves it wants whether due to having a slot taken up by setup 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 picking off offensive foes with priority. These sets best take advantage of Terastallization by powering up Lucario's crucial priority moves or letting it smash through walls with greater ease.

add revenge killer here, i see you mention it a bit in setup sweeper but think theres enough of a distinction.

Wallbreaker: Though Lucario is usually outclassed in this role by other Pokemon due to its only average stats, opponents can be caught off-guard by an all-out offensive Lucario that's capable of punching holes in the enemy team for its teammates to take advantage of afterwards.

Common Moves
========
Primary STAB Moves: Close Combat, Meteor Mash, Focus Blast, Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Flash Cannon, Bullet Punch, Drain Punch

Setup Moves: Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, Calm Mind, Bulk Up, Agility, Trailblaze

Utility Moves: Substitute, Roar, Circle Throw

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 its highest possible damage output, Steel Beam should only be used to achieve a KO on a foe Lucario would otherwise fall
short against. think this can be rewritten a little to say how it can catch physical walls that are expecting a physical move out.

**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 it for a turn, letting Lucario 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 it's 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 turn or attack off to get around its frailty.

**Choice Band**: In a wallbreaker role, Choice Band gives Lucario immediate power to smash holes in defensive pieces with its high-powered stabs, while still having decent cleaning potential with Extreme Speed.

Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting items**: Items like Expert and Black Belt supplement Lucario's power without drawback, 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.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Heavy-Duty Boots allows Lucario to ignore detrimental chip damage from Spikes if it is expected to switch in multiple times during a game.

Tera
========
While one should look for greater potential and flexibility in their choice of a 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 should it be an option. Tera Normal is the most standout choice for Lucario, as boosting its Extreme Speed lets it more easily pick off chipped offensive Pokémon and clean up in the endgame with setup. Tera Fighting and Steel also makes Lucario's Close Combat or Meteor Mash or other fighting 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 mostly serves as a supplemental offensive piece that primarily seeks to clean up weakened teams. While it is not the foremost Pokémon to be built around, it still heavily relies on assistance from 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 Pokémon like Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, and Corviknight Primarina so that it does not have to rely on a KO'd teammate for reliable entry.

**Entry Hazard Control**: Since it dislikes running Heavy-Duty Boots, teammates like Terapagos and Iron Treads let Lucario freely stay healthy without choosing between lessening its already subpar bulk or giving up its item. Entry Hazard setters like Gliscor and Mew on the other hand make it easier for Lucario to achieve KO's against chipped opponents. switch the two sentences to focus more on setters, less on removal

Checks and Counters
========
**Faster Offensive Foes**: Without setup or a good amount of prior damage, faster Pokemon like Deoxys-Speed, 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 powerful Fighting STAB moves to power through defensive pieces, but its comparatively weaker coverage means that walls like Zapdos, Pecharunt, and Slowbro 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, 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/user2.200000
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000
 
qc 2/2
add comment remove

[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 set-up options, diverse mixed coverage, and powerful priority that includes the coveted Extreme Speed, allowing it to be a potentially deadly cleaner in late-game scenarios especially if accentuated by Terastallization. In practice however, its relatively unimpressive attacking stats and Speed often necessitate boosts to perform its role, which can be difficult to pull off with Lucario's high frailty. Additionally, Lucario can struggle to fit in all the moves it wants whether due to having a slot taken up by setup 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 opposing foes on low health before they can make another move.

**Wallbreaker**: Though Lucario is usually outclassed in this role by other Pokemon due to its only average stats, opponents can be caught off-guard by an all-out offensive Lucario that's capable of punching holes in the enemy team for its teammates to take advantage of afterwards. mention somewhere it needs to use a choice-item to accomplish this role well.

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 its 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 it for a turn, letting Lucario 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 it's 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 turn or attack off to get around its frailty.

**Choice Band**: In a wallbreaker role, Choice Band gives Lucario immediate power to smash holes in defensive pieces with its high-powered stabs, while still having decent cleaning potential with Extreme Speed.

Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting items**: Items like Expert and Black Belt supplement Lucario's power without drawback, 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 choice of a 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 should it be an option. Tera Normal is the most standout choice for Lucario, as boosting its Extreme Speed lets it more easily pick off chipped offensive Pokémon and clean up in the endgame with setup. Tera Fighting and Steel also makes 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. While it is not the foremost Pokémon to be built around, However, it still heavily relies on assistance from 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 Pokémon like Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, and Primarina so that it does not have to rely on a KO'd teammate for reliable entry.

**Entry Hazard Control**: Entry Hazard setters like Gliscor and Mew make it easier for Lucario to achieve KO's against chipped opponents. Since it dislikes running Heavy-Duty Boots, teammates like Terapagos and Iron Treads can let Lucario 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-Speed, 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 powerful Fighting STAB moves to power through defensive pieces, but its comparatively weaker 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, 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/user4.400000
 
add remove comment

[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 set-up setup options, diverse mixed coverage, and powerful priority that includes the coveted Extreme Speed, allowing it to be a potentially deadly cleaner in late-game scenarios late-game, especially if accentuated by Terastallization. In practice, (comma) however, its relatively unimpressive attacking stats and Speed often necessitate boosts for it to perform its role, which can be difficult to pull off obtain with Lucario's its high frailty. Additionally, Lucario can struggle to fit in all the moves it wants, (comma) whether its due to having a slot 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 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 opposing foes on low health low-health foes before they can make another move.

**Wallbreaker**: Though Lucario is usually outclassed in this role as a wallbreaker by other Pokemon, opponents can be caught off-guard 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 Choice items in order to best supplement Lucario's below average 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 its 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 it Lucario for a turn, letting Lucario it survive and force the opponent into predicting its next move.

Common Items
========
**Life Orb**: Lucario's stats often leave it quite power-hungry power hungry even with boosts, making Life Orb the best option to maximize its KO potential. Due to it's 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 turn or attack off to get or attacking turn, getting around its frailty.

**Choice Band**: In a wallbreaker role, Choice Band gives Lucario immediate power to smash holes in defensive pieces with its high-powered stabs, while still having STAB moves while retaining its decent cleaning potential with Extreme Speed.

Niche Items
========
**Other Damage-boosting items Items**: Items like Expert and Black Belt supplement Lucario's power without drawback 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 choice of a secondary Tera Captain, Lucario can still decently complement a faster primary Tera Captain, (comma) since it does not necessarily rely on Terastallization to function, (comma) 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 Pokémon Pokemon and clean up in the endgame late-game with setup. Tera Fighting and Steel also makes make Lucario's Close Combat, Meteor Mash, or other STAB moves extremely potent at breaking down even neutrally-hit neutrally hit walls, (comma) 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 Pokémon Pokemon like Galarian Slowking, Alomomola, and Primarina so that it does not have to rely on a KO'd KOed teammate for reliable entry.

**Entry Hazard Control**: Entry Hazard hazard setters like Gliscor and Mew make it easier for Lucario to achieve KO's KOs against chipped opponents foes. Since it Lucario dislikes running Heavy-Duty Boots, teammates like Terapagos and Iron Treads can let Lucario 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 powerful Fighting strong Fighting-type STAB moves to power through defensive pieces, but its comparatively weaker 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/user4.400000

1/1 GP Team done
 
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