[Overview]
Lugia possesses some of the greatest bulk in the metagame backed up by one of the best defensive abilities in Multiscale. Its access to reliable recovery, a great Speed tier, and an extensive support movepool ensures that it can keep itself healthy with relative ease and effectively check various threats such as Zygarde, Groudon, and Rayquaza. Its walling capabilities, however, are entirely dependent on Multiscale, which makes Lugia very hard to utilize considering it must be kept at full health or else risk being taken down by the multitude of fast and strong wallbreakers in the metagame. Lugia also despises all status ailments and must avoid them at all costs, making cleric support with Lugia important and making it a natural fit on stall teams. While Heavy-Duty Boots is a godsend to rid Lugia of its weakness to Stealth Rock, it also means it lacks passive recovery and can't switch in on certain Pokemon it would otherwise beat, such as Landorus, in fear of Knock Off. Lugia's defensive typing also leaves much to be desired, giving it weaknesses to the extremely common Ghost- and Dark-type attacks. It also cannot deal with the best offensive and defensive threats in the metagame, being completely outclassed by Necrozma-DM and Lunala, both of which share Lugia's Psychic-type but have a much better secondary typing in Steel and Ghost, respectively. On more dedicated stall builds, Giratina is bulkier and can provide more for its team.
[SET]
name: Great Wall (Defensive)
move 1: Roost
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Whirlwind
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Multiscale
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Roost is Lugia's most important move, ridding it of its Flying typing and thus its pesky weakness to Ice-, Electric-, and Rock-type attacks while also providing reliable recovery. Whirlwind allows Lugia to phaze out foes like Zygarde that are trying to set up. Ice Beam hits Ground- and Dragon-type foes for a considerable amount of damage, OHKOing Rayquaza after Stealth Rock and 3HKOing Zygarde-C while Lugia shrugs off their attacks. Toxic is Lugia's main way of dealing with the majority of the metagame; it should be used liberally against foes that are not Steel- or Poison-type to whittle them down and stall them out with Lugia's fantastic bulk. Thunder Wave is an option to incapacitate wallbreakers that try to switch in on Lugia, such as Calyrex-S and Urshifu-S, or the aforementioned Steel- and Poison-types, like Necrozma-DM and Eternatus. 96 Speed EVs are utilized so that Lugia can outspeed maximum Speed neutral-natured base 90s like Kyogre and Groudon, as well as maximum Speed Necrozma-DM.
Lugia requires heavy team support, as it is extremely passive and is only seen on more stall-oriented builds. A switch-in to Yveltal is paramount, as it outspeeds Lugia and can cripple it with Knock Off, Taunt, or Toxic. Defensive Xerneas and Eternatus are great teammates, able to deal with anything Yveltal throws their way while also acting as consistent answers to Marshadow, a wallbreaker that Lugia cannot deal with. Ghost-types in general are a problem for Lugia, especially Calyrex-S. As such, Yveltal acts as a good answer to them. Lugia struggles against the premier Steel-types of the metagame in Necrozma-DM and Ferrothorn, so teammates that can beat them are appreciated. Physically defensive Eternatus can use Flamethrower to beat them both, shrugging off their hits and PP stalling them with Pressure. Ho-Oh can threaten them with Sacred Fire and can also remove entry hazards for Lugia with Defog if Lugia's Heavy-Duty Boots are removed. It also serves as a switch-in to Calyrex-S and Marshadow, scouting their sets. In return, Lugia can deal with Zygarde and Rayquaza, both of which give Ho-Oh trouble. Cleric support is necessary in case Lugia gets statused, so Blissey and Chansey make perfect teammates, removing status and acting as emergency switch-ins to Ghost-type attacks. Status absorbers such as Rest Zygarde and Giratina also work.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Defog allows Lugia to remove entry hazards so that it can free up a moveslot for another teammate, but since Necrozma-DM, the best Stealth Rock setter in the metagame, doesn't really care about Lugia, it's not advised.
Checks and Counters
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**Yveltal**: Yveltal can often outspeed Lugia and shut it down via Knock Off, Toxic, or Taunt. It doesn't want to switch in on a status move, however.
**Ghost-types**: Calyrex-S can consistently 2HKO Lugia even through Multiscale, takes little damage from Ice Beam, and can cure itself of status with Aromatherapy. Marshadow can break through Lugia's defenses as well. Giratina can status Lugia with either Will-O-Wisp or Toxic, while Giratina-O can opt for a strong Ghost-type STAB move to deal a ton of damage.
**Necrozma-DM**: Necrozma-DM can hit through Multiscale thanks to Sunsteel Strike, set up Stealth Rock in front of Lugia without fear of much, remove Lugia's Heavy-Duty Boots with Knock Off, or cripple Lugia with Thunder Wave or the rare Toxic. Offensive variants can set up with Dragon Dance in front of Lugia and chunk it with a boosted attack.
**Steel-types**:Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Magearna can come in on Lugia and utilize their utility moves for free, whether that's setting up entry hazards, removing them, or providing cleric support, respectively. The former two can even threaten to status Lugia.
**Residual Damage**: Multiscale is the only reason Lugia is even remotely viable, so any way to consistently break it effectively cripples Lugia. Tyranitar's Sand Stream or damage from status conditions makes Lugia way less bulky.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lasen, 273339]]
- Quality checked by: [[Fc, 511624], [TrueNora, 432086]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [Muk, 33374]]
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