Ubers Lunala (revamp)


[OVERVIEW]

* Lunala is one of the threatening wallbreakers in the tier, capable of breaking down various archetypes with its strong STAB Ghost-type attacks along with a large number of useful coverage moves, Lunalium Z, and Calm Mind in its arsenal, making it a versatile Pokemon both offensively and defensively.
* Despite having a disappointing defensive typing, Lunala is still capable of functioning well against offense due to how difficult it is to safely switch into without a specific Pokemon like Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus. Most importantly, most Pokemon attempting to take down Lunala will have a disadvantageous matchup due to Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's health is full. This means that, with Shadow Shield intact, Lunala will always have a chance to pose a threat to any team lacking a Pursuit trapper, being able to revenge kill threatening setup sweepers like Primal Groudon and Zygarde-C while also functioning as a defensive wall on slower teams where a blanket check to many threats that can avoid Shadow Tag trapping is appreciated.
* Lunala's good performance against offensive teams is further reinforced by its ability to check Ultra Necrozma and viably equip Choice Scarf to prey on such archetypes that typically have unreliable answers to Ghost-types. A few checks from offensive teams can also be bypassed by coverage moves or repeated attacks with entry hazards up.
* Lunala's effectiveness against offensive teams is largely dependent on the availability of Shadow Shield or its Z-Move, especially the former, as it provides opportunities for Lunala to switch in and attack. While it has enough Speed to threaten foes like Primal Groudon, it is also vulnerable to offensive threats that can OHKO Lunala through Shadow Shield like Yveltal and Marshadow.
* As much as Shadow Shield contributes to Lunala's viability, a broken Shadow Shield can restrict Lunala's ability to set up or check a threat in an emergency to a large extent. This leads to Lunala being forced to avoid entry hazards and status by any means necessary, at least before it sets up as an offensive variant or trades status or revenge kills a foe as a defensive variant.

[SET]
name: Stronk Nebby (Calm Mind)
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Moongeist Beam
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Focus Blast / Moonblast
item: Lunalium Z
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 244 SpA / 12 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Calm Mind boosts Lunala's Special Attack and Special Defense, giving it a needed boost in damage output to take full advantage of its great coverage options and making it difficult to revenge kill with faster foes like support Arceus formes and Choice Scarf Xerneas. A boost in Special Defense also gives Lunala a chance to take on Yveltal, as after a Calm Mind boost, Yveltal's Dark Pulse fails to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Shield intact.
* Moongeist Beam has neutral coverage against many common Pokemon in the tier and is strong enough to 2HKO many offensive foes. With Calm Mind and Lunalium Z, Lunala can threaten to OHKO most neutral targets with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. Note that Moongeist Beam and Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom can bypass abilities like Multiscale.
* Psyshock is a secondary STAB move that has significantly higher damage output against specially bulky foes like Primal Kyogre and enables Lunala to break past Chansey and Blissey.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with perfect offensive coverage along with Moongeist Beam, enabling it to hit Dark-types super effectively as well as deal with Steel-types better without relying on boosted Moongeist Beam or Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom.
* Moonblast compresses coverage against Dark- and Dragon-types when Lunala is running Psyshock, but it has less damage output against Arceus-Dark than Focus Blast. Moonblast also doesn't take out Zygarde as fast as Ice Beam does.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to weaken Yveltal on the switch and, more importantly, offensively check Dragon-types like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza without using its Z-Move. Ice Beam generally has better coverage against offensive teams, but many Pokemon that are taken out by Ice Beam are already vulnerable to Moongeist Beam.
* Roost can be considered for Lunala to fully take advantage of support Arceus formes lacking status and pose a greater threat to slower teams, but it is hard to justify over other attacks.

Set Details
========

* 12 Special Defense EVs allow Lunala to survive mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon's Fire Blast after Stealth Rock damage. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack and Speed to make Lunala hit as hard as possible and outspeed as many foes as possible.
* Though a Modest nature gives Lunala extra power and significantly improves the chance to OHKO Arceus-Dark with +1 Focus Blast after Stealth Rock damage, a Timid nature mostly outweighs this due to it enabling Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon like Primal Groudon.
* Lunalium Z enables the use of Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom with Moongeist Beam. The sheer power of the Z-Move is one of the most important aspects of this set, as when boosted it becomes so powerful that very few neutral targets can escape the OHKO and even resisted targets like Yveltal can be overpowered with Stealth Rock up.
* Though it is a much less effective option, if a Z-Move user already exists on the team, Spooky Plate can be considered to improve Moongeist Beam's damage output, guaranteeing a 2HKO on offensive Primal Groudon and, after Stealth Rock, an OHKO on Giratina-O. Spooky Plate-boosted Moongeist Beam also becomes powerful enough to force recovery moves from support Arceus formes.
* Shadow Shield halves the incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full, making it significantly harder to take down. Note that unlike Multiscale, moves like Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam and users of abilities like Mold Breaker, Teravolt, and Turboblaze cannot ignore Shadow Shield.

Usage Tips
========

* It is generally recommended for Lunala to wallbreak early-game to weaken defensive cores. Weakening foes like support Arceus formes early is going to be beneficial for teammates that will attempt to clean up late-game, but making aggressive plays early on also reduces the odds that Lunala will have to enter the field when entry hazards are up and lose its Shadow Shield.
* Though Lunala might lack the firepower to immediately threaten bulkier foes, it is capable of 2HKOing most Pokemon found on offensive teams with the appropriate moves. Lunala can also threaten many neutral targets with an unboosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. Avoid solely focusing on setting up Calm Mind and ensure that Lunala nets as much damage as possible before going down.
* This can pressure opponents into excessively focusing on breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield. As Lunala is quite hard to take on for most offensive Pokemon in a one-on-one situation due to its offensive coverage and ability to score a potential OHKO with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, Lunala is difficult to take down even after Stealth Rock damage, so the opponent will likely prioritize setting up Stealth Rock. This means Lunala can switch into possible Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and Lunala's teammates can potentially take advantage of the turn the opponent uses to set entry hazards. Leading against suicide leads can also be a good idea, as Lunala will often force opponents to choose between breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield or setting entry hazards that they may need for other Pokemon.
* Avoid setting up recklessly without fully scouting a foe's moveset. Though it is extremely rare for Lunala's common setup targets to have Dark- and Ghost-type coverage moves, there are other factors to be wary about. Support Arceus formes may have Thunder Wave, which makes Lunala vulnerable to slower foes that it can otherwise overpower without worrying about retaliation. Though Lunala can threaten most Primal Groudon variants, note that Primal Groudon with Rock Tomb can remove Lunala's Speed advantage and break Shadow Shield at the same time and throw a heavy blow before going down, weakening Lunala to the point where it can be picked off by weaker attacks like Arceus formes' Judgment or other slower foes that can outspeed Lunala after Rock Tomb.
* Lunala with Shadow Shield intact can survive a hit from setup sweepers like Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence and retaliate. With Lunalium Z available, it can OHKO most of the setup sweepers that it aims to hold back.

Team Options
========

* Fairy-type teammates are recommended, as Lunala needs protection against Dark-types in situations where it is forced out against them. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are primary options to consider due to their ability to switch into Dark-types like Yveltal and Arceus-Dark as well as Marshadow, which is one of the most threatening offensive checks to Lunala. Choice Scarf variants of Xerneas can take on faster foes that Lunala cannot effectively combat, while Arceus-Fairy can viably run Stealth Rock to pressure offensive Ho-Oh and allow Lunala's +1 Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom to meet various benchmarks.
* Magearna is another Fairy-type that checks Yveltal and can bring Lunala safely into the field using Volt Switch.
* Lunala desires entry hazards to OHKO foes like Ho-Oh after Calm Mind boosts. Offensive teams can use various leads, including Cloyster, which can provide Rapid Spin support, and Smeargle, which can set up Sticky Web and remove Arceus formes' Speed advantage against Lunala. Various Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground that can threaten a good portion of the tier can be employed to keep offensive pressure, giving Lunala more room to prey on teams that defensively react to its teammates.
* There are also instances where keeping Lunala's Shadow Shield intact should be prioritized over setting entry hazards for its breakthrough. Defog users like Mega Salamence and Arceus-Ground can make managing entry hazards more flexible.
* Priority move users like Rayquaza and Extreme Killer Arceus can improve Lunala's matchup against faster offensive foes and provide its team with extra security against faster foes when Lunala focuses on wallbreaking instead of preserving its Shadow Shield. Yveltal's ability to threaten Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma with Sucker Punch, in addition to its resistance to Dark and Ghost, makes it a noteworthy offensive partner as well.
* Offensive partners like Necrozma-DM and Mega Salamence can benefit from Lunala's ability to massively pressure Steel-types and other problematic foes like Primal Groudon. Mega Salamence's Defog support and ability to pivot into Ho-Oh can be handy for Lunala.


[SET]
name: Fashionable Nebby (Choice Scarf)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psyshock
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam is capable of doing enough damage to revenge kill slower threats and pressuring many neutral targets.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with a coverage move to hit Dark- and Normal-types.
* With Choice Scarf, Lunala can effectively revenge kill many threats like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and a weakened Swords Dance Arceus-Ground with Ice Beam.
* Psyshock prevents Lunala from being completely walled by Blissey and 2HKOes Toxapex and offensive Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock.
* Trick can be used to permanently cripple a persistent switch-in like defensive Ho-Oh and Chansey and is helpful in matchups against defensive teams where Lunala's Speed advantage over other Pokemon isn't needed.
* Thunder can be considered due to its higher damage output against Yveltal, Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Celesteela, though it is not the best move to be locked into and is unreliable due to its inaccuracy.
* Defog can remove entry hazards in a pinch, and Lunala's ability to force switches can make this handy utility on offensive teams, but it is hard to fit.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is the most ideal EV spread for Lunala holding Choice Scarf so damage output is maximized and Lunala outspeeds as many foes as possible.
* A Modest nature is typically preferred due to it improving the odds for Lunala to 2HKO support Arceus formes with Stealth Rock support, although a Timid nature is also possible to let Lunala fully take advantage of Choice Scarf. This also enables Lunala to outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf increases Lunala's Speed, significantly improving Lunala's performance against offense when combined with its impressive coverage options.
* Shadow Shield further amplifies Lunala's effectiveness as a revenge killer by allowing Lunala to survive many strong hits with the ability intact.

Usage Tips
========

* Lunala performs significantly better as a revenge killer with Choice Scarf, as it will not be overly reliant on the availability of Shadow Shield and will outspeed primary targets like Ultra Necrozma, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Zygarde at +1. As long as Shadow Shield is intact, Marshadow can be revenge killed as well.
* Opposing setup sweepers might be caught off guard with a false sense of security that Lunala lacking Shadow Shield will not survive their attack. This can lead an opponent to meaninglessly let one of their Pokemon go down if they don't expect Lunala to be holding a Choice Scarf. This can be seen against threats like boosted Ultra Necrozma and Rayquaza, which can OHKO Lunala lacking Shadow Shield but are vulnerable to Choice Scarf Lunala, which attacks first.
* Though preserving Shadow Shield can be useful, Choice Scarf Lunala isn't overly reliant on it. It will focus on revenge killing a foe, so it will switch into a threat that it outspeeds even if entry hazards are present on the field. The speed advantage Lunala gains from Choice Scarf further diminishes the necessity to preserve Shadow Shield, so be aggressive with this set. Switch Lunala into powerful foes like Ultra Necrozma that struggle to OHKO Lunala and slower foes like Extreme Killer Arceus should they be in range of Lunala's attacks.
* Note that Lunala will have some difficulties facing defensive teams with Choice Scarf due to its inability to switch moves. This means Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Arceus-Dark, and Blissey can switch into Lunala to scout what move it will lock itself into and proceed to switch out to a different Pokemon, forcing Lunala's team to make aggressive double switches to retain momentum. Though Trick can cripple a defensive Pokemon, the move has only a single chance to cripple a switch-in, cannot cripple support Arceus formes, and will remove Lunala's speed advantage against them.
* Pursuit users also become problematic for Choice Scarf Lunala due to it not being able to switch moves. While Alolan Muk poses a problem to all sets, Tyranitar can be harder to deal with due to it forcing Lunala to lock itself into Focus Blast to avoid getting trapped and removed by Pursuit after sandstorm damage breaks Shadow Shield on the switch. Should there be any foe that can harshly punish Lunala locked into Moongeist Beam, consider making double switches and aiming to wear down potential switch-ins until they are removed or weakened enough to be unreliable.

Team Options
========

* Choice Scarf Lunala is an effective anti-offense Pokemon that can pressure offensive teams by exploiting their general lack of reliable switch-ins to Ghost-types. Thus, it fits in well with balanced cores that can provide entry hazard support to punish switch-ins and check a good number of Pokemon that can exploit Lunala locked into a wrong move.
* More offensive Stealth Rock users like Stealth Rock + Swords Dance Primal Groudon can be considered to pressure bulkier foes early-game. Pressuring teams early-game increases the chances that Lunala can potentially clean up weakened foes after its checks have been removed or sufficiently weakened.
* Various slower foes like Ferrothorn and Toxapex can pivot into support Arceus formes and set Spikes and Toxic Spikes to punish grounded foes harder than Stealth Rock would. Toxapex can also check Marshadow. In return, Lunala can take out faster foes like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y that have the ability to remove these Pokemon. Wallbreakers like Primal Kyogre that struggle against faster foes due to their middling Speed can also benefit from this set as well while pressuring bulkier teams in return.
* Pivots to Dark-types like Xerneas and Magearna are needed. Xerneas has more room to customize its moveset, as Lunala performs the role of a revenge killer holding Choice Scarf, meaning it can run Geomancy to clean up weakened teams, which Lunala may struggle to do because of its lower damage output. Magearna is a reliable answer to many Dark-types that may get out of hand if they are not immediately dealt with after Lunala locks itself into Moongeist Beam against them.

[SET]
name: Thicc Nebby (Defensive)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 148 HP / 160 Def / 200 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam does a good amount of damage to neutral foes, 2HKOing Necrozma-DM and OHKOing Ultra Necrozma without investment.
* Roost gives Lunala a reliable form of recovery, enabling it to stay healthy and reactivate Shadow Shield when fully restoring its health.
* Lunala's immunity to Shadow Tag and ability to survive an attack with Shadow Shield intact makes it an appropriate Defog user on defensive teams. While Lunala's matchup against bulky entry hazard setters isn't favorable, its conventional teammates like Ho-Oh and Giratina can limit their usefulness, while Lunala can deal with dedicated leads like Deoxys-S better.
* Toxic prevents Ho-Oh and support Arceus formes from effortlessly walling this set for free while allowing Lunala to potentially stall foes that cannot 2HKO it by continually reactivating its Shadow Shield with Roost.
* Will-O-Wisp can be used instead to cripple Pursuit trappers and make Lunala a more reliable check to physically-oriented Primal Kyogre.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to offensively check Zygarde, but it has little reason to be used over other moves.

Set Details
========

* 200 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon, enabling it to move faster than foes it can blanket check like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.
* The rest of the EVs allow Lunala to survive Necrozma-DM's +2 Searing Sunraze Smash and Modest Primal Kyogre's +1 Water Spout with Shadow Shield intact.
* Leftovers provides Lunala with passive recovery.
* Shadow Shield allows Lunala to function as a wall despite its lack of useful resistances, as it has good natural bulk and can survive many boosted hits with Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full.

Usage Tips
========

* The bulkier version of Lunala is usually employed in defensive teams that desire a blanket check to dangerous Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and physical Primal Kyogre. While it can take them on better with investment in bulk, it will be reliant on prior damage or Toxic stalling to keep them in control due to the lack of offensive investment and Lunalium Z.
* Despite the reduced offensive presence, switching into this set can actually be harder as Toxic serves as one of the ways to punish bulky foes like support Arceus formes. Offensive entry hazard setters like Swords Dance + Stealth Rock Primal Groudon will also struggle to combat Lunala unless its Shadow Shield is already broken, as many of them are slower than Lunala and have to remain healthy to survive Lunala's attacks.
* Defensive teams that this Lunala set finds itself on will typically rely on residual damage to wear foes down, using entry hazards or status. Many Steel-types can easily switch into Toxic from Lunala and its teammates, and Xerneas has access to Aromatherapy. This may make it quite difficult to wear down foes by solely relying on status.
* For this reason, Lunala's team may need countermeasures against passive foes, such as Ho-Oh, and assistance from entry hazards. Note that entry hazards won't be the most reliable solution to outlast the opposing team, as setting them will cause Lunala's teammates to often run into situations where they will have to decide between trading entry hazards to wear down opposing teams faster or entirely avoiding entry hazards until a threat that requires a healthy Lunala to be kept in control goes down.
* There is also a risk that Lunala will be hit by Toxic after it directly switches into opposing Pokemon or removes entry hazards with Defog. Trading Toxic with entry hazard setters like Primal Groudon can be an acceptable strategy if Lunala's team has strong cleric support, but it is better to avoid status in general. Spending multiple turns to cure Lunala of status and ensuring Lunala stays at full health without being statused to check threats will end up taking away momentum.
* Against offensive teams, leading with Lunala is generally a sensible idea, as dedicated leads like Cloyster and Excadrill will have to choose between setting entry hazards, which Lunala can easily remove with Defog, or breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield before they get 2HKOed by Moongeist Beam. Though leading with Mega Sableye can invalidate other leads like Smeargle, Deoxys-S and Excadrill can bypass Magic Bounce with Skill Swap and Mold Breaker, respectively, and Cloyster can overpower Mega Sableye with correct predictions. Thus, Lunala is a better option of entry hazard control against them.
* Pursuit trappers are problematic to this set as well, as this variant of Lunala struggles to punish Dark-types apart from poisoning them with Toxic. Alolan Muk can limit Lunala's effectiveness, Tyranitar can easily dispose of Lunala lacking Will-O-Wisp, and Marshadow carrying Pursuit can potentially eliminate Lunala. Make sure to exercise caution against these threats.

Team Options
========

* Defensive Lunala's effectiveness depends on the availability of Shadow Shield under offensive pressure, so entry hazard removal is very important. Ho-Oh, Mega Sableye, and Lunala together can deal with most entry hazard setters in the tier. Mega Sableye can discourage the use of Toxic and shut down passive foes like Ferrothorn, Ho-Oh can handle certain Primal Groudon variants with Stealth Rock, and Lunala can effectively use Defog even under offensive pressure.
* Lunala will mostly be reliant on Magearna when Dark-types switch in and proceed to threaten it. Magearna's access to Heal Bell is also helpful for Lunala, as a number of foes that Lunala takes on are likely going to have Toxic.
* Blissey is another viable cleric that can fit with Lunala. It can pivot into many support Arceus formes that attempt to status Lunala and check many special attackers that Lunala cannot actively take on while preserving its Shadow Shield.
* Arceus-Dark is an acceptable check to Yveltal and Ghost-types, and it can viably run Stealth Rock to apply pressure to the opposing team. Variants with Ice Beam can check foes like Ultra Necrozma and Zygarde, which Lunala will have a shakier matchup against should it lack Shadow Shield. Arceus-Fairy is a considerable alternative that can fulfill the same role apart from handling Ghost-types, instead checking Marshadow and posing a greater threat to Yveltal, but note that it can be a hindrance for Lunala's team, which typically employs Pokemon that are not vulnerable to Shadow Tag trapping.
* Bulkier walls like Zygarde and Lugia can be considered to handle Swords Dance Arceus formes and offensive Primal Groudon variants. Note that Zygarde counters Ho-Oh and makes faster foes more manageable with Glare.
* Lunala will be reliant on the target being frail or weakened enough to fall to Moongeist Beam when attempting to revenge kill a foe. Pokemon like Necrozma-DM and Primal Kyogre that can offensively check setup sweepers like Xerneas and Primal Groudon can be considered to have extra layers of security against them while reducing the team's overall passivity.


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

* Fightinium Z gives Lunala a way to OHKO Yveltal and Arceus-Dark after a Calm Mind boost, but these checks can be overpowered by a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom and Focus Blast after some prior damage.
* A Z-Hypnosis set can potentially provide Lunala with a better setup opportunity by putting a check to sleep and, more importantly, makes Lunala harder to revenge kill by letting it outspeed Arceus formes and Mega Gengar. However, Hypnosis is generally unreliable, and Lunala will rely on favorable sleep turns, as it needs multiple Calm Mind boosts to gain enough power to OHKO foes.
* A Choice Specs set may be an attractive option that can pressure Arceus formes and Ho-Oh harder, but there is little reason to use a Choice Specs set over a Calm Mind set to wallbreak. Choice Specs sets also have to predict accurately to break through defensive teams.

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

**Dark-types**: Every Dark-type, with the exception of Mega Sableye, can pivot into Moongeist Beam with ease and threaten to at worst weaken Lunala with their STAB attacks. Arceus-Dark survives +1 Focus Blast from full health and 2HKOes Lunala with Judgment. While Yveltal is a shakier switch-in to Lunala due to its weakness to Ice Beam and vulnerability to Stealth Rock, it can OHKO an unboosted Lunala through Shadow Shield using Dark Pulse. Alolan Muk doesn't have much trouble taking Lunala's attacks and is only concerned about a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom when it is sufficiently weakened. Tyranitar can remove Choice Scarf Lunala locked into the wrong move and defensive variants with Pursuit after sandstorm damage, which breaks Shadow Shield.

**Ghost-types**: Though Ghost-types struggle to switch into Lunala, foes like Mega Gengar and Marshadow can outspeed and OHKO it. Note that the matchup can be reversed if Lunala holds a Choice Scarf, and Shadow Shield must have been broken for Mega Gengar to revenge kill Lunala with Hex and Marshadow to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Sneak.

**Entry Hazards and Status**: Lunala is heavily reliant on Shadow Shield to maximize the chance it sets up successfully and retain its ability to retaliate against many setup sweepers. This means residual damage from entry hazards, burn, and poison takes away a large part of Lunala's usefulness.

**Ho-Oh**: Thanks to its titanic special bulk and Regenerator, Ho-Oh can effectively pivot into Lunala and revenge kill offensive variants once Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom has been used. Choice Scarf Lunala in particular struggles to break through Ho-Oh without Stealth Rock support, and defensive variants should avoid trading Toxic with Ho-Oh due to Regenerator allowing Ho-Oh to outlast Lunala.

**Chansey and Blissey**: Both Chansey and Blissey are immune to Moongeist Beam and have high enough bulk to not mind even boosted Focus Blasts. However, note that Psyshock gives Lunala a significantly better chance to defeat them, and they are also heavily crippled by a well-timed Trick from Choice Scarf variants.

**Pursuit**: Alolan Muk and the less-reliable Marshadow and Tyranitar can remove Lunala from play using Pursuit. Note, however, that Alolan Muk is the only Pursuit trapper that can directly switch into Lunala without fear, as Tyranitar relies on Lunala locking itself into a wrong move while holding Choice Scarf or being a defensive variant, and Marshadow has to make a risky prediction.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DMDW, 434601]]
- Earlier versions by: [[Vengeance417, 198446], [Aberforth, 249382], [SuperWumbology, 201139]]
- Quality checked by: [[Cynara, 224455], [Serial EKiller, 426631], [Melee Mewtwo, 75110]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Fireflame479, 231476], [Electrolyte, 148071]]
 
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No mention of Specs? Or is that coming later.
Choice Specs is going to be in OO because CM pretty much fulfills the purpose except you can switch around moves and can have a burst damage with Lunalium Z. Yes specs has more immediate damage output but it hinders Lunala's matchup vs stall by forcing it to predict and Lunala locked into something can be exploited quite easily (Dark & Normal coming into Moongeist for free / Ho-Oh can now scout what Lunala will lock itself into quite easily unless you carry Thunder / Psyshock making Lunala more vulnerable to rare Pursuit). I firmly believe I did go over this with other QC members in the internal discussions so unless they change their mind, Choice Specs is OO with other niche techs like Fightinium Z on CM and Z-Hypnosis.
 
Nayrz prohibited me from working on this on my most free day of this week so expect this to get done some time around next week.
 
T͞h͠is͞ ̨is̨ n̸ow ͢r҉éady f̶or̶ QC͞ c͜héck̵s an̕d ̶I͜ ͏am͝ ́worn͜ ͢o͝u͢t̨.́
 

Cynara

Banned deucer.
* Offensive Lunala can at best function as a wallbreaker and will struggle to run over the entirety of the opposing team on its own without specialized team support like Sticky Web.
I don't think Lunala is a good sticky web user....

* While Lunala's Speed tier enables it to outspeed and pressure many Pokemon with base Speed of 90, its performance is as an offensive threat is quite limited against faster checks like Yveltal and Marshadow that can OHKO Lunala through Shadow Shield. In addition, Lunala's effectiveness against offensive teams is going to be dependent on availability of Shadow Shield or a Z-Move, and especially without the former, it will have less opportunities to switch in and attack.
Ambiguous

evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Use 244 spa / 12 Spdef / 252 Speed - this spread allows it to survive a Fire blast from Mixed RP don 100% of the time after Stealth Rock and doesn't effect its offensive performance.



* Using Ice Beam turns Lunala into an untrappable check to Zygarde, but it has a little reason to be justified over other moves.
It's a Ghost type...

Both of them are also notable for being checks to Zygarde for Lunala lacking Ice Beam.
Same goes for this, I don't feel this is strictly true.

The overview is too packed with fluff maybe try compressing it a bit, if I was a reader I wouldn't want to read this

QC: 1/3
 
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I feel like CM nala slashing should be
Moongeist
CM
Psyshock
Focus / Moonblast

reason being is that focus/moon/ice beam all come down to how you want to deal with darktypes. focus is good for actually threatening arc dark and is ideal, imo, because you can deal with yveltal much more easily with sr and chip (and potentilly being faster). moonblast is for hitting ygod while not completely forfeiting dark arc coverage. ice beam is for.... weaker ygod coverage? not actually sure why folks used that move which is why i feel its best in moves. there is merit in cleanly ohkoing zygarde without boosts or z so probs still worth having a mention. i suppose rest of team agrees with keeping ice beam somewhere since this has two stamps already. i hope its not too late to change the moveset, tho.

as a general thing, i feel theres too much emphasis on perserving shield for offensive variants. i feel its a factor to consider in game but hardly ever a priority, good offense is just too proactive to worry about that. the opponent should be the one to worry about breaking shadow shield, not the offense player. you have to keep in mind that lunala is naturally fat and that its weaknesses are uncommon as a coverage move. without shadow shield, lunala can still function like a kyogre; it abuses raw bulk to threaten a trade vs a faster team or it uses its big damage to pressure slower teams.

as an aside: generally, when a pokemon in ubers has good stats and movepool but a shitty typing with weaknesses to major meta players and very specific, if any, noteworthy resistences, said pokemon struggles in viability because it lacks identity amongst the sea of ubers pokemon with good stats and movepools. lunala, at first glance, may look like one of those pokemon with the exception that its breaking, walling, cleaning capabilities are first class. that’s not actually the case, though, as lunala’s ability to check ultra, ekiller (depending on nala’s set), and sd dusk are actually fairly hard to come by advantages. the ghost and dark weaknesses arent a big deal because the ghost types can’t easily switch in and there’s only two noteworthy dark-types, one of which isn’t terribly popular and faces lot of competetion for its role while the other is stealth rock weak. lunala’s typing does disappoint it in that it has to rely on its raw bulk that hard into a threat instead of abusing a popular resistence or immunity. however, kyogre doesn’t really have that luxury in this metagame, either, and that doesn’t eclipse the many other advantages that it has. lunala with shadow shield up is such a powerful pokemon that i can understand why many feel disappointed when it doesn’t have that benefit, but one shouldn’t forget that lunala is stil a very solid pokemon even without it.

anyways back to actual qc

If there is no reliable pivot into Ghost-types from opposing team or there are a number of faster foes that cannot switch into but offensively check Lunala well, focus on netting damage, not necessarily KOing a foe.
see discord

Lunala with Shadow Shield intact can survive a hit from setup sweepers like Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence and retaliate. With Lunalium Z available, it can OHKO most of the setup sweepers that it aims to hold back. If Lunala was not used early game for any reason and if the team lack sufficient counterplay against certain setup sweepers, it may be a sensible strategy to preserve it with entry hazard removal support.
I like this usage tip but the last line’s wording kinda bothers me. this sort of interaction between lunala and a setup mon does come up kinda oftenish (SR isn’t always in play, even if its the safe assumption. see sash marshadow) and its worth keeping in mind since it gives you an out where, for example, you can allow your sweeper check to fall into ko range so that it can force out an immediate threat (dusk vs boosted mence while there is a geoxern in the back) and then rely on a very offensive line of play where the healthy lunala gives u one last stop to your opponent reaching the « i win » point. idk if im making any sense but, more simply, what im trying to say is that the last sentence is best changed to something like « a healthy lunala can be used in a pinch » instead of implying that the user forgot to run a rpdon check.

Id like to emphasive in the defog bullet in team options for cm nala that defog is from a necessity. obviously it can be a plus but, in most cases, trying to fit defog on offense kinda fucks with your team structure. also, your defog recomendations are kinda bad (sorry). xern is a weak defogger sonce it has bad mu vs hazard setters, its just cute as a filler for scarf sets since it gives u chances to suicide defog away vs webs. arc ground is a good defogger but really passive. id replace the xerneas mention with mega salamence so that you have a balance mon rec (arc ground) and a offense mon rec (mence). i guess mentioning mence there makes it sorta redundant when you talk about it in the last bullet.

i feel like mentioning yveltal’s dark resist is misleading. yveltal doesn’t force arc dark/yveltal to switch out so it isn’t any help for those mus. the ghost resist is useful tho so i dont mind the extra highlight. (again, btw, it bothers me here to see preserving shadow shield being mentioned as opposed to just preserving bulk)


For Scarf;

I think trick should move to moves. Its really, really situational; you are far more likely to be cockblocked by a darky than a chansey. some fat birds use z moves, too.

I think modest should be first slash, might be just a playstyle thing but scarfnala is more a cleaner than a rk mon for me. Modest makes it way more likely that you reach the « i win » gamestate since it requires a lot less chip. (also a single double switch or any minor chip on a far arc puts it in 2hko range with rocks up) timid’s only adv is trying to creep scarf xern that arent timid themselves or if u are afraid of jolly dd ray. i dont consider these scenarios essential to scarfnala as a general thing. (could absolutely be the case on a team specific basis tho)

scarfnala gives zero shits about shadow shield. the only really relevent scenarios are vs marshadow and t1ish. lead scarfnala can be a bitch for a lot of teams that lack a dark type since they have to lead with something that can afford to eat double moonbeams. (and fat arc is generally p bad lead plus not omnipresent)

sr dialga is too ascended (read niche) for an analysis imo. id lean towards cutting it but check with others. u don’t need anything other than sd sr pdon anyways :^)

two big things that i feel are missing are the primary reasons for running this set: checking ekiller and being able to switch into ultra as well as rk it. a lot of teams are forced to sack and go fast mon to handle unecc when they cant pressure around it. having scarfnala not only stops ultra from ez sweeping but it also lets u conserve a mon and reduce general dmg whenever the ultra gets in an adv position.

for fat:

unless you got a more efficient spread that still hits the two key benchmarks hunter’s was designed for (spout ogre and z dusk), then id just stick with his. u dont need to be exactly divisible by 16. as long as your hp isn’t 8 or more than the last lefties benchmark, u will perfectly heal off sr chip after turn turns of lefties. pushing up to the next perfect 16 increases ur heal by 1 but also increases ur sr dmg by 2 so its effectively the same if we assume sr is in play. (if it isnt then u dgaf cause then shiekds are up) there might exist a more efficient spread than hunter’s but its going to be a 1% or 2 tops, and theres no easy way to find what it would be so id just leave the wirk to somebody else lol.

the big draw to defog nala isnt stag immunity (altho thats cool), its the fact that u can beat sr sd tomb pdon on top of walling a ton of other shit. mind u, sr tomb don can still win but it needs to catch nala with tomb on the switch and have enough health leftover to make trades. this puts a lot of indirect pressure on pdon and forces big early game guesses out of it + makes it super scared of any stray status/chip.

defog nala doesnt pair with tino like at all lol. the hazard setters that nala has to worry about are the toxic ones (which heal bell support can help with a fair amount) and the spikes setters. so u will probs want a secondary defogger/anti haz mon to cover those mus.

u mixed up Shadow Tag with Shadow Shield someplace.


steel types dont resist ghost anymore and thee arn’t many that take moon beams well. i think ferro would be the only potentially annoying mon in that respect, the most common steel type is dusk mane lol.

the only common armoa xern set is scarf :/ defensive is viablr but still fairly niche so it feels odd to be putting emphasis on it. using hazards ursekf isnt the only solution to status resistant teams, beaters like ho oh work well too. in gneral, pairing defog with spikes isnt as nonbo as it may seem cause u only defog when it benefits u. generally a given mu /gamestate will assign u the role of defogger or hazard setter so conflicting interests doesnt come up often.
 
Last edited:

Softy

Banned deucer.
Happy 2019! (noob question but how do you change the words under your name?)
Also love those set names lol!

AMQC,
remove add / fix (comments); Add Comma (AC), Remove Comma (RC)


[OVERVIEW]

* Lunala is one of the most threatening wallbreakers in the tier, capable of breaking down various archetypes with its strong STAB Ghost-type attacks along with a large number of useful coverage moves, Lunalium Z, and Calm Mind in its arsenal, (AC) to make it offensively versatile and defensively difficult to check. making it a versatile Pokemon both offensively and defensively.
* Despite having a disappointing defensive typing, Lunala is still capable of functioning well against offense due to how difficult it is to safely switch into Lunala without a specific Pokemon like Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus in on the team. (Add period) and Most (upper case) importantly, most Pokemon attempting to take down Lunala will have a disadvantageous matchup due to Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's health is full. (The sentence feels super long, which is why I cut it) This means that, with Shadow Shield intact, Lunala will always have a chance to pose a threat to any team lacking a Pursuit trapper, being able to revenge kill threatening setup sweepers like Primal Groudon and Zygarde-C, and while also function functioning as a defensive wall in slower teams where a blanket check to many threats that can avoid Shadow Tag trapping is appreciated.
* Lunala's good performance against offensive teams is further reinforced by its ability to check Ultra Necrozma and viably equip Choice Scarf and prey on such archetypes that typically have unreliable answers to Ghost-types. A few checks from offensive teams can also can be bypassed by coverage moves or repeated attacks with entry hazards up.
* Lunala's effectiveness against offensive teams is going to be largely (I make this change because Lunala's viability depends so much on Shadow Shield) dependent on availability of Shadow Shield or a its Z-Move, and especially without the former, as it will have less provides opportunities for Lunala to switch in and attack. (I couldn't come up with a better alternative, but the original sentence sounds really weird when I say it out loud) While it has enough Speed to threaten foes like Primal Groudon, it is also vulnerable to offensive threats like Yveltal and Marshadow that can OHKO Lunala through Shadow Shield like Yveltal and Marshadow.
* As much as Shadow Shield contributes to Lunala's viability, lack of a broken Shadow Shield can restrict Lunala's ability to set up or check a threat in emergency to a large extent. This leads to Lunala being forced to avoid entry hazards and status by any means necessary, at least before it sets up as an offensive variant, or, trades status or revenge kills a foe as a defensive variant.

[SET]
name: Stronk Nebby (Calm Mind)
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Moongeist Beam
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Focus Blast / Moonblast
item: Lunalium Z
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 244 SpA / 12 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Calm Mind boosts Lunala's Special Attack and Special Defense, giving it a needed boost in damage output to take a full advantage of its great coverage options and making it difficult to revenge kill with faster foes like support Arceus formes and Choice Scarf Xerneas. A boost in Special Defense also gives Lunala a chance to take on Yveltal, as after a Calm Mind boost, Yveltal's Dark Pulse fails to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Shield intact.
* Moongeist Beam has neutral coverage against many common Pokemon in the tier and is strong enough to 2HKO many offensive foes. With Calm Mind and Lunalium Z, Lunala can threaten to OHKO most neutral targets with Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom. Note that Moongeist Beam and Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom can bypass abilities like Multiscale.
* Psyshock is a secondary STAB move that has significantly higher damage output against specially bulky foes like Primal Kyogre and enables Lunala to break past Chansey and Blissey.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with a perfect offensive coverage along with Moongeist Beam, enabling it to combat Dark-types super effectively as well as deal with Steel-types better without relying on boosted Moongeist Beam or Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom.
* Moonblast compresses a coverage against Dark-types and Dragon-types when Lunala is running Psyshock, but it has less damage output against Arceus-Dark than Focus Blast. Moonblast also doesn't take out Zygarde as fast as Ice Beam does.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to weaken Yveltal on switch and more importantly, offensively check Dragon-types like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza without using its Z-Move. Ice Beam generally has a better coverage against offensive teams, but many Pokemon that is taken out by Ice Beam are already vulnerable to Moongeist Beam.
* Roost can be considered for Lunala to fully take advantage of support Arceus formes lacking status and pose more threat against slower teams, but it is hard to justify over other attacks.

Set Details
========

* 12 Special Defense EVs allow Lunala to survive mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon's Fire Blast after Stealth Rock damage. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack and Speed to make Lunala hit has hit as hard as possible and outspeed as many foes as possible. A Timid nature is preferred to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon.
* Though a Modest nature gives Lunala an extra power and significantly improves the chance it OHKOs (it sounds weird) to OHKO Arceus-Dark with +1 Focus Blast after Stealth Rock damage, a Timid nature mostly outweighs this due to it enabling Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon like Primal Groudon.
* Lunalium Z enables the use of Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom with Moongeist Beam. The sheer power of the Z-Move is one of the most important aspect of this set, as a boosted Z-Move becomes so powerful to the point where very few neutral targets can escape the OHKO and even resisted targets like Yveltal can be overpowered with Stealth Rock up.
* Though it is much less effective option, if a Z-Move user already exists in the team, Spooky Plate can be considered to improve Moongeist Beam's damage output, guaranteeing a 2HKO on offensive Primal Groudon, and after Stealth Rock, an OHKO on Giratina-O. Spooky Plate-boosted Moongeist Beam also becomes powerful enough to force recovery moves from support Arceus formes.
* Shadow Shield halves the incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full, making it significantly harder to take down. Note that unlike Multiscale, moves like Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam, (RC) and users of abilities like Mold Breaker, Teravolt, and Turboblaze cannot hit Lunala through ignore Shadow Shield. (The phrasing of the original sentence sounds like you cannot hit Lunala as long as Shadow Shield is intact)

Usage Tips
========

* It is generally recommended for Lunala to wallbreak early-game (AH) to weaken defensive cores. Weakening foes like support Arceus forme early is going to be beneficial for teammates that will attempt to clean up late-game, but making aggressive plays early on also reduces the odds that Lunala will have to enter the field when entry hazard is up and lose its Shadow Shield.
* Though Lunala might lack damage the firepower to immediately threaten bulkier foes without Calm Mind, (it's implicated by "immediately threaten bulkier foes") it is capable of 2HKOing most Pokemon found in on offensive teams with the appropriate moves. Lunala can also threaten many neutral targets with an unboosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom. Avoid solely focusing on setting up Calm Mind and ensure that Lunala nets as much damage as possible before going down.
* This can pressure opponents into excessively focus on breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield. As Lunala is quite hard to take on for most offensive Pokemon in an one on one situation due to its offensive coverage, option to score a potential OHKO with Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom, (RC, Add period) and being difficult to be taken Lunala is difficult to take down even after Stealth Rock damage, they so the opponent will likely prioritize on setting up Stealth Rock. (I changed the sentence structure while keeping your wording so it won't feel so dull) This means Lunala can switch into possible Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and its teammates can potentially take advantage of the turn an the opponent will be using uses to set entry hazards. Leading against suicide lead can also be a good idea, as Lunala will often force opponents to choose between breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield or setting entry hazards that they may need for other Pokemon.
* Avoid setting up recklessly without fully scouting a foe's moveset. Though it is extremely rare for Lunala's common setup targets to have Dark- and Ghost-type coverage moves, there are other factors to be wary about. Support Arceus formes may have Thunder Wave that makes Lunala vulnerable to slower foes that it can otherwise overpower without worrying about retaliation. Though Lunala can threaten most Primal Groudon variants, note that Primal Groudon with Rock Tomb can remove Lunala's Speed advantage and break Shadow Shield at the same time and throw a heavy blow before going down, weakening Lunala to the point where it can be picked off by weaker attacks like Arceus formes' Judgment or other slower foes that can outspeed Lunala after Rock Tomb.
* Lunala with Shadow Shield intact can survive a hit from setup sweepers like Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence and retaliate. With Lunalium Z available, it can OHKO most of the setup sweepers that it aims to hold back.

Team Options
========

* Fairy-types are recommended to be paired with Lunala, as Lunala needs a safeguard against Dark-types in an event situations where it is forced out against them. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are primary options to consider due to their ability to switch into Dark-types like Yveltal and Arceus-Dark, as well as Marshadow, which is one of the most threatening offensive checks to Lunala. Choice Scarf variants of Xerneas can take on faster foes that Lunala cannot effectively combat, while Arceus-Fairy can viably run Stealth Rock to pressure offensive Ho-Oh and allow Lunala's +1 Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom to meet various benchmarks.
* Magearna is another Fairy-type that checks Yveltal and can bring Lunala safely into the field using Volt Switch.
* Lunala desires entry hazards to OHKO foes like Ho-Oh after Calm Mind boost. Offensive (upper case) teams can use various leads, including Cloyster,(AC) that which can provide Rapid Spin support, (AC) and Smeargle, that which can set up Sticky Web and remove Arceus formes' Speed advantage against Lunala. Various Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground that can threaten a good portion of the tier can be employed to keep offensive pressure, giving Lunala more room to prey on teams that defensively react to its teammates.
* There are also instances where keeping Lunala's Shadow Shield intact should be prioritized over setting entry hazards for its breakthrough. Defog users like Mega Salamence and Arceus-Ground can fit in to make managing entry hazards more flexible
* Priority move users like Rayquaza and Extreme Killer Arceus can improve your matchup against faster offensive foes and provide the team with extra security against faster foes when Lunala focuses on wallbreaking instead of preserving its Shadow Shield. Yveltal's ability to threaten Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma with Sucker Punch, in addition to its resistance to Dark and Ghost, (AC) makes it a noteworthy offensive partner as well.
* Offensive partners like Necrozma-DM and Mega Salamence can benefit from Lunala's ability to massively pressure Steel-types and other problematic foes like Primal Groudon. Mega Salamence's Defog support and ability to pivot into Ho-Oh can be handy for Lunala.

[SET]
name: Fashionable Nebby (Choice Scarf)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psyshock
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam is capable of doing enough damage to revenge kill slower threats and pressuring many neutral targets.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with a coverage move to hit Dark- and Normal-types.
* With Choice Scarf, Lunala can effectively revenge kill many threats like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and a weakened Swords Dance Arceus-Ground with Ice Beam.
* Psyshock prevents Lunala from being completely walled by Blissey and 2HKOs Toxapex and offensive Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock.
* Trick can be used to permanently cripple a persistent switch-in like defensive Ho-Oh and Chansey and is helpful in matchup against defensive teams where Lunala's Speed advantage over other Pokemon isn't needed.
* Thunder can be considered due to its higher damage output against Yveltal, Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Celesteela, though it is not the best move to be locked into and is unreliable due to its inaccuracy.
* Defog can remove entry hazards in a pinch, and Lunala's ability to force switches can make this a handy utility in offensive teams, but it is hard to fit.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is the most ideal EV spread for Lunala holding Choice Scarf, so that the damage output will be maximized and Lunala will outspeed as many foes as possible.
* A Modest nature is typically preferred due to it improving odds for Lunala to 2HKO support Arceus formes with Stealth Rock support, although a Timid nature is also possible to let Lunala fully take advantage of a Speed boost from Choice Scarf. This nature also enables Lunala to outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf significantly (repeated) improves Lunala's Speed, significantly improving Lunala's performance against offense with the boost in Speed combined with its impressive coverage options.
* Shadow Shield further amplifies Lunala's efficiency as a revenge killer by allowing Lunala to survive many strong hits with the said ability intact.

Usage Tips
========

* Lunala performs significantly better as a revenge killer with Choice Scarf, as it will not be overly reliant on availability of Shadow Shield to fulfill the task and will outspeed its primary targets like Ultra Necrozma, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Zygarde at +1. As long as Shadow Shield is intact, Marshadow can be revenge killed as well.
* Opposing setup sweepers might be caught off guard with a false sense of security that Lunala lacking Shadow Shield will not survive their attack. This can lead an opponent to meaninglessly letting let one of their Pokemon go down when if they didn't expect Lunala is holding a Choice Scarf. This can be seen against threats like boosted Ultra Necrozma and Rayquaza, which can OHKO Lunala lacking Shadow Shield, but is vulnerable to Choice Scarf Lunala, (AC) that which can attack first.
* Though preserving Shadow Shield can be useful, but Choice Scarf Lunala won't be isn't overly reliant on it. It will focus on revenge killing a foe so it will switch into a threat that it outspeeds when the time calls for it even if entry hazards are present on the field. The speed (lower case) advantage Lunala gains from Choice Scarf further diminishes the necessity to preserve Shadow Shield, so be aggressive with this set. Switch Lunala into powerful foes like Ultra Necrozma that struggles to OHKO Lunala and slower foes like Extreme Killer Arceus should it be in range of Lunala's range attacks.
* Note that Lunala will have some difficulties facing defensive teams with Choice Scarf due to its inability to switch around moves. This means Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Arceus-Dark, and Blissey can switch into Lunala to see scout what move it is locked will lock itself into and proceed to switch out to a different Pokemon, forcing Lunala's team to make aggressive double switches to retain momentum. Though Trick can cripple a defensive Pokemon, the move has a single chance to cripple a switch-in, cannot cripple support Arceus formes, and will remove Lunala's Speed advantage against them.
* Pursuit users also become problematic for Choice Scarf Lunala due to it not being able to switch around moves. While Alolan Muk poses problem to all sets, Tyranitar can be harder to deal with due to it forcing Lunala to lock itself into Focus Blast to avoid getting trapped and removed by Pursuit after sandstorm damage breaks Shadow Shield on switch. Should there be any foe that can harshly punish Lunala locked into Moongeist Beam, the move it uses most of the time, consider making double switches and aiming to wear down potential switch-in's until they are removed or weakened enough to be unreliable switch-ins.

Team Options
========

* Choice Scarf Lunala is an effective anti-offense Pokemon that can also pressure the said archetype by exploiting their general lack of reliable switch-in to Ghost-types. A balanced core with that can provide entry hazard support to punish switch-in's (remove apostrophe) and check a good number of Pokemon that can exploit Lunala locked into a wrong move is an appropriate place that Lunala can fit in.
* More offensive Stealth Rock users like Stealth Rock + Swords Dance Primal Groudon can be considered to bring pressure against bulkier foes from early-game (Add hyphen). Pressuring teams from early-game (Add hyphen) maximizes increases the chances that Lunala can potentially clean up weakened foes after its checks have been removed or sufficiently weakened. I think increases is the better word choice over maximizes, since there's not really a max chance for it to happen.
* Various slower foes like Ferrothorn and Toxapex that can pivot into support Arceus formes, and in the latter's case, check Marshadow, and can set Spikes and Toxic Spikes to punish grounded foes harder than Stealth Rock would. Lunala can take out faster foes like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo X or Y or both? that have an the ability to remove these Pokemon. Wallbreakers like Primal Kyogre that struggle against faster foes due to their middling Speed can also benefit from this set as well while pressuring bulkier teams in return.
* Pivots to Dark-types like Xerneas and Magearna are needed. Xerneas has more room to customize its moveset, as Lunala performs a the role as of a revenge killer holding Choice Scarf, meaning it can run Geomancy to clean up weakened teams, which Lunala may struggle to do due to its lower damage output. Magearna is a reliable answer to many Dark-types that may get out of hand if they are not immediately dealt with after Lunala locks itself into Moongeist Beam against them.

[SET]
name: Thicc Nebby (Defensive)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 148 HP / 160 Def / 200 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam still has good amount of damage to neutral foes, 2HKOing Necrozma-DM and OHKOing Ultra Necrozma without investment.
* Roost gives Lunala a reliable form of recovery, enabling it to stay healthy and reactivate Shadow Shield when fully restoring its health.
* Lunala's immunity to Shadow Tag and reliably ability to survive an attack with Shadow Shield intact makes it an appropriate Defog user in defensive teams. (parallel sentence structure) While Lunala's matchup against bulky entry hazard setters isn't favorable, its conventional teammates like Ho-Oh and Giratina can limit their usefulness (I don't understand what it means to limit one's usefulness) while Lunala can deal with dedicated leads like Deoxys-S better.
* Toxic prevents Ho-Oh and support Arceus formes from effortlessly walling this set for free while allowing Lunala to potentially stall foes that cannot 2HKO Lunala that constantly reactivates its Shadow Shield with Roost.
* Will-O-Wisp can be used instead to cripple Pursuit trappers and make Lunala more of a reliable check to physically oriented Primal Kyogre.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to offensively check Zygarde, but it has a little reason to be justified over other moves.

Set Details
========

* 200 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon, enabling it to move faster than foes it can blanket check like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre it can blanket check.
* The distribution of the rest of the EVs allow Lunala to survive Necrozma-DM's +2 Sunraze Searing Smash and Modest Primal Kyogre's +1 Water Spout with Shadow Shield intact.
* Leftovers provides Lunala with passive recovery.
* Shadow Shield allow Lunala to function as a wall despite of its lack of useful resistances, as it has good natural bulk and can survive many boosted hits with the said ability halving incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full.

Usage Tips
========

* The bulkier version of Lunala is usually employed in defensive teams that desire a blanket check to dangerous Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and physical Primal Kyogre. While it can take on them better with investment in bulk, it will be reliant on prior damage or Toxic stalling to keep them in control due to lack of offensive investment and Lunalium Z.
* Despite of the reduced offensive presence, offensive threats still dislike switching into Lunala, and switching into this set can actually be harder as Toxic serves as one of the ways to punish bulky foes like support Arceus formes. Offensive entry hazard setters like Swords Dance + Stealth Rock Primal Groudon will also struggle to combat Lunala unless its Shadow Shield is already broken, as many of them lack Speed advantage against Lunala and have to remain healthy to survive Lunala's attacks.
* Defensive teams will typically rely on residual damage to wear foes down, using entry hazards or status. Many Steel-types and Xerneas that can easily switch into Toxic from various defensive partners that this set is paired with and Xerneas secures its place in a large number of teams due to its access to Aromatherapy thanks to their immunity and access to Aromatherapy respectively,. (RC, Add period) and This (upper case) may make it quite difficult to wear down opponents by solely relying on status. For this reason, Lunala's team may need countermeasures against passive foes, such as Ho-Oh, or an assistance from entry hazards. Note that entry hazards won't be the most reliable solution to outlast the opposing team, as setting them will cause Lunala's teammates to often run into situations where they will have to decide between trading entry hazards to wear down opposing teams faster or entirely avoiding entry hazards until a threat that requires a healthy Lunala to be kept in control goes down. (This point seems extremely long. Perhaps consider dividing the point into 2 parts: 1 saying steel-types and xerneas don't mind toxic, and the other stating what countermeasures it needs and the risks)
* There is also a risk that Lunala will be hit by Toxic after it directly switches into opposing Pokemon or removes entry hazards with Defog. Trading Toxic with entry hazard setters like Primal Groudon can be an acceptable strategy if Lunala's team has a strong cleric support, but it is better to avoid status in general. Spending multiple turns to switch into cleric and ensuring Lunala stays at full health without status ailment to check threats will end up taking away momentum.
* Against offensive teams, leading with Lunala is generally a sensible idea, as dedicated leads like Cloyster and Excadrill will have to choose between setting entry hazards, which Lunala can easily remove with Defog, or breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield before they get 2HKOed by Moongeist Beam. Though leading with Mega Sableye against them can invalidate other leads like Smeargle, Deoxys-S and Excadrill can bypass Magic Bounce with Skill Swap and Mold Breaker respectively and Cloyster can overpower Mega Sableye with correct predictions. and Thus, (AC) Lunala can be a is the better option of entry hazard control against them.
* Pursuit trappers are problematic to this set as well, as this variant of Lunala struggles to punish Dark-types apart from inflicting them with Toxic. Alolan Muk can limit Lunala's effectiveness, Tyranitar can easily dispose of Lunala lacking Will-O-Wisp, and Marshadow carrying Pursuit can potentially eliminate Lunala. Make sure to exercise caution against these threats.

Team Options
========

* Defensive Lunala's effectiveness depends on availability of Shadow Shield under offensive pressure, and this leads to a very high importance of entry hazard removal. Ho-Oh, Mega Sableye, and Lunala can together have a chemistry to deal with most entry hazard setters in the tier. Mega Sableye can discourage use of Toxic and shut down passive foes like Ferrothorn,; (RC, add semicolon) Ho-Oh can handle certain Primal Groudon variants with Stealth Rock,; (RC, add semicolon) and Lunala can more effectively use Defog even under offensive pressure.
* Lunala will mostly be reliant on Magearna when Dark-types switch in and proceed to threaten it. Magearna's access to cleric move is also helpful for Lunala, as a reasonable number of foes that Lunala takes on has will bring Toxic. (Every Pokemon aside from 6 learns Toxic)
* Blissey is another viable cleric that can fit with Lunala. It can pivot into many support Arceus formes that attempt to status Lunala and check many special attackers that Lunala cannot actively take on while preserving its Shadow Shield.
* Arceus-Dark is an acceptable check to Yveltal and Ghost-types, and it can viably run Stealth Rock to apply pressure to the opposing team. Variants with Ice Beam can checks foes like Ultra Necrozma and Zygarde, which Lunala will have shakier matchup against should it lack Shadow Shield. Arceus-Fairy is a considerable alternative that can fulfill the same role apart from handling Ghost-types but can instead check Marshadow and pose greater threat to Yveltal, but note that it can be an hindrance for Lunala's team which typically aims to employ employs Pokemon that are not vulnerable to Shadow Tag trapping.
* Bulkier walls like Zygarde and Lugia can be considered to handle Swords Dance Arceus forms formes or offensive Primal Groudon variants. Note that Zygarde counters Ho-Oh and make makes faster foes more manageable with Glare.
* Lunala will be reliant on the target being frail or weakened enough to fall to Moongeist Beam when attempt attempting to revenge kill a foe. Pokemon like Necrozma-DM and Primal Kyogre that can offensively check setup sweepers like Xerneas and Primal Groudon can be considered to have extra layers of security against them whilducine reg the team's overall passivity.

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

* Fightinium Z gives Lunala a way to OHKO Yveltal and Arceus-Dark after a Calm Mind, but these checks can be overpowered by a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom and Focus Blast after some prior damage.
* Z-Hypnosis set can potentially provide Lunala with a better setup condition by putting a check to sleep and more importantly, makes Lunala harder to revenge kill by giving it a Speed advantage over Arceus formes and Mega Gengar. However, Hypnosis is generally unreliable, and Lunala will rely on sleep turns as it needs multiple Calm Mind boosts to gain enough power to OHKO foes.
* Choice Specs set may be an attractive option that can pressure Arceus formes and Ho-Oh harder, but there is a little reason to use Choice Specs set over Calm Mind set to wallbreak. Choice Specs set sets also has to predict accurately to break through defensive teams.

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

**Dark-types**: Every Dark-type, (AC) with an exception of Mega Sableye, (AC) can pivot into Moongeist Beam with ease and threaten to at worst weaken Lunala with their STAB attacks. Arceus-Dark survives +1 Focus Blast from full health and 2HKOs Lunala with Judgment. While Yveltal is a shakier switch-in to Lunala due to its weakness to Ice Beam and weakness to Stealth Rock, it can OHKO an unboosted Lunala through Shadow Shield using Dark Pulse. Alolan Muk doesn't have much trouble taking Lunala's attacks and is only concerned about a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom when it is excessively sufficiently weakened. Tyranitar can remove Choice Scarf Lunala locked into a wrong not very effective move and defensive variants with Pursuit followed by after sandstorm damage, that which breaks Shadow Shield.

**Ghost-types**: Though Ghost-types struggle to switch into Lunala, foes like Mega Gengar and Marshadow can outspeed and OHKO Lunala. Note that the matchup can be reversed if Lunala holds a Choice Scarf, and Shadow Shield must have been broken for Mega Gengar to revenge kill Lunala with Hex and Marshadow to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Sheak.

**Entry Hazards and Status**: Lunala is heavily reliant on Shadow Shield to maximize the chance it sets up successfully and retain its ability to retaliate against many setup sweepers. This leads to entry hazards, poison, and burn any residual damage taking away a large part of Lunala's usefulness.

**Ho-Oh**: Thanks to its titanic special bulk and Regenerator, Ho-Oh can effectively pivot against into Lunala and can revenge kill offensive variants once Menacing Moonraze Maelstorm Maelstrom has been used. Choice Scarf Lunala in particular struggles to bypass break through Ho-Oh without Stealth Rock support and defensive variants should avoid trading Toxic with Ho-Oh as well due to Regenerator allowing Ho-Oh to outlast Lunala.

**Chansey and Blissey**: Both Chansey and Blissey are immune to Moongeist Beam and have high enough bulk to not mind about even boosted Focus Blasts. Note that Psyshock gives Lunala a significantly better chance to defeat them, and they are also heavily crippled by a well-timed Trick from Choice Scarf variants.

**Pursuit**: Alolan Muk, and the less reliable Marshadow and Tyranitar can remove Lunala from play using Pursuit. Note that Alolan Muk is the only Pursuit trapper that can directly switch into Lunala without fear, and as Tyranitar relies on Lunala locking itself into a wrong move while holding Choice Scarf or being a defensive variant, (RC) and Marshadow has to make a risky prediction.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[, ]]
- Earlier versions by: [[, ]]
- Quality checked by: [[, ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]


Edit 1: I changed the structure of the sentence "Many Steel-types can switch into... and Xerneas..." because I finally figured out how to phrase it
 

Fireflame

Silksong when
is a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Last Ubers analysis!

Remove Add Comments (AC)= add comma (RC)= remove comma (AH)= add hyphen (RH)= remove hyphen
[OVERVIEW]

* Lunala is one of the most threatening wallbreakers in the tier, capable of breaking down various archetypes with its strong STAB Ghost-type attacks along with a large number of useful coverage moves, Lunalium Z, and Calm Mind in its arsenal, making it a versatile Pokemon both offensively and defensively.
* Despite having a disappointing defensive typing, Lunala is still capable of functioning well against offense due to how difficult it is to safely switch into Lunala without a specific Pokemon like Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus on the team. Most importantly, most Pokemon attempting to take down Lunala will have a disadvantageous matchup due to Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's health is full. This means that, with Shadow Shield intact, Lunala will always have a chance to pose a threat to any team lacking a Pursuit trapper, being able to revenge kill threatening setup sweepers like Primal Groudon and Zygarde-C,(RC) while also functioning as a defensive wall in on slower teams where a blanket check to many threats that can avoid Shadow Tag trapping is appreciated.
* Lunala's good performance against offensive teams is further reinforced by its ability to check Ultra Necrozma and viably equip Choice Scarf and prey on such archetypes that typically have unreliable answers to Ghost-types. A few checks from offensive teams can also be bypassed by coverage moves or repeated attacks with entry hazards up.
* Lunala's effectiveness against offensive teams is largely dependent on the availability of Shadow Shield or its Z-Move, and especially the former, as it provides opportunities for Lunala to switch in and attack. While it has enough Speed to threaten foes like Primal Groudon, it is also vulnerable to offensive threats that can OHKO Lunala through Shadow Shield like Yveltal and Marshadow.
* As much as Shadow Shield contributes to Lunala's viability, a broken Shadow Shield can restrict Lunala's ability to set up or check a threat in the an emergency to a large extent. This leads to Lunala being forced to avoid entry hazards and status by any means necessary, at least before it sets up as an offensive variant,(RC) or,(RC) trades status or revenge kills a foe as a defensive variant.

[SET]
name: Stronk Nebby (Calm Mind)
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Moongeist Beam
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Focus Blast / Moonblast
item: Lunalium Z
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 244 SpA / 12 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Calm Mind boosts Lunala's Special Attack and Special Defense, giving it a needed boost in damage output to take a full advantage of its great coverage options and making it difficult to revenge kill with faster foes like support Arceus formes and Choice Scarf Xerneas. A boost in Special Defense also gives Lunala a chance to take on Yveltal, as after a Calm Mind boost, Yveltal's Dark Pulse fails to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Shield intact.
* Moongeist Beam has neutral coverage against many common Pokemon in the tier and is strong enough to 2HKO many offensive foes. With Calm Mind and Lunalium Z, Lunala can threaten to OHKO most neutral targets with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. Note that Moongeist Beam and Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom can bypass abilities like Multiscale.
* Psyshock is a secondary STAB move that has significantly higher damage output against specially bulky foes like Primal Kyogre and enables Lunala to break past Chansey and Blissey.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with a perfect offensive coverage along with Moongeist Beam, enabling it to combat hit Dark-types super effectively as well as deal with Steel-types better without relying on boosted Moongeist Beam or Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom.
* Moonblast compresses a coverage against Dark- and Dragon-types when Lunala is running Psyshock, but it has less damage output against Arceus-Dark than Focus Blast. Moonblast also doesn't take out Zygarde as fast as Ice Beam does.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to weaken Yveltal on the switch and,(AC) more importantly, offensively check Dragon-types like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza without using its Z-Move. Ice Beam generally has better coverage against offensive teams, but many Pokemon that is are taken out by Ice Beam are already vulnerable to Moongeist Beam.
* Roost can be considered for Lunala to fully take advantage of support Arceus formes lacking status and pose more threat against slower teams, but it is hard to justify over other attacks.

Set Details
========

* 12 Special Defense EVs allow Lunala to survive mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon's Fire Blast after Stealth Rock damage. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack and Speed to make Lunala hit as hard as possible and outspeed as many foes as possible. A Timid nature is preferred to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon. (Was said in the following sentence so this becomes repetitive information)
* Though a Modest nature gives Lunala extra power and significantly improves the chance to OHKO Arceus-Dark with +1 Focus Blast after Stealth Rock damage, a Timid nature mostly outweighs this due to it enabling Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon like Primal Groudon.
* Lunalium Z enables the use of Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom with Moongeist Beam. The sheer power of the Z-Move is one of the most important aspects of this set, as a boosted Z-Move becomes so powerful to the point where very few neutral targets can escape the OHKO and even resisted targets like Yveltal can be overpowered with Stealth Rock up.
* Though it is a much less effective option, if a Z-Move user already exists in on the team, Spooky Plate can be considered to improve Moongeist Beam's damage output, guaranteeing a 2HKO on offensive Primal Groudon,(RC) and,(AC) after Stealth Rock, an OHKO on Giratina-O. Spooky Plate-boosted Moongeist Beam also becomes powerful enough to force recovery moves from support Arceus formes.
* Shadow Shield halves the incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full, making it significantly harder to take down. Note that unlike Multiscale, moves like Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam,(RC) and users of abilities like Mold Breaker, Teravolt, and Turboblaze cannot ignore Shadow Shield.

Usage Tips
========

* It is generally recommended for Lunala to wallbreak early-game to weaken defensive cores. Weakening foes like support Arceus formes early is going to be beneficial for teammates that will attempt to clean up late-game, but making aggressive plays early on also reduces the odds that Lunala will have to enter the field when entry hazard is hazards are up and lose its Shadow Shield.
* Though Lunala might lack the firepower to immediately threaten bulkier foes, it is capable of 2HKOing most Pokemon found on offensive teams with the appropriate moves. Lunala can also threaten many neutral targets with an unboosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. Avoid solely focusing on setting up Calm Mind and ensure that Lunala nets as much damage as possible before going down.
* This can pressure opponents into excessively focusing on breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield. As Lunala is quite hard to take on for most offensive Pokemon in an one on one a one-on-one situation due to its offensive coverage,(RC) option and ability to score a potential OHKO with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, Lunala is difficult to take down even after Stealth Rock damage, so the opponent will likely prioritize on setting up Stealth Rock. This means Lunala can switch into possible Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and its Lunala's (assuming this is Lunala's teammates and not Groudon's) teammates can potentially take advantage of the turn the opponent uses to set entry hazards. Leading against suicide leads can also be a good idea, as Lunala will often force opponents to choose between breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield or setting entry hazards that they may need for other Pokemon.
* Avoid setting up recklessly without fully scouting a foe's moveset. Though it is extremely rare for Lunala's common setup targets to have Dark- and Ghost-type coverage moves, there are other factors to be wary about. Support Arceus formes may have Thunder Wave,(AC) which that makes Lunala vulnerable to slower foes that it can otherwise overpower without worrying about retaliation. Though Lunala can threaten most Primal Groudon variants, note that Primal Groudon with Rock Tomb can remove Lunala's Speed advantage and break Shadow Shield at the same time and throw a heavy blow before going down, weakening Lunala to the point where it can be picked off by weaker attacks like Arceus formes' Judgment or other slower foes that can outspeed Lunala after Rock Tomb.
* Lunala with Shadow Shield intact can survive a hit from setup sweepers like Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence and retaliate. With Lunalium Z available, it can OHKO most of the setup sweepers that it aims to hold back.

Team Options
========

* Fairy-types Fairy-type teammates are recommended to be paired with Lunala, as Lunala needs a safeguard protection against Dark-types in situations where it is forced out against them. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are primary options to consider due to their ability to switch into Dark-types like Yveltal and Arceus-Dark, as well as Marshadow, which is one of the most threatening offensive checks to Lunala. Choice Scarf variants of Xerneas can take on faster foes that Lunala cannot effectively combat, while Arceus-Fairy can viably run Stealth Rock to pressure offensive Ho-Oh and allow Lunala's +1 Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom to meet various benchmarks.
* Magearna is another Fairy-type that checks Yveltal and can bring Lunala safely into the field using Volt Switch.
* Lunala desires entry hazards to OHKO foes like Ho-Oh after Calm Mind boosts. Offensive teams can use various leads, including Cloyster, which can provide Rapid Spin support, and Smeargle, which can set up Sticky Web and remove Arceus formes' Speed advantage against Lunala. Various Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground that can threaten a good portion of the tier can be employed to keep offensive pressure, giving Lunala more room to prey on teams that defensively react to its teammates.
* There are also instances where keeping Lunala's Shadow Shield intact should be prioritized over setting entry hazards for its breakthrough. Defog users like Mega Salamence and Arceus-Ground can fit in to make managing entry hazards more flexible
* Priority move users like Rayquaza and Extreme Killer Arceus can improve your Lunala's matchup against faster offensive foes and provide the its team with extra security against faster foes when Lunala focuses on wallbreaking instead of preserving its Shadow Shield. Yveltal's ability to threaten Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma with Sucker Punch, in addition to its resistance to Dark and Ghost, makes it a noteworthy offensive partner as well.
* Offensive partners like Necrozma-DM and Mega Salamence can benefit from Lunala's ability to massively pressure Steel-types and other problematic foes like Primal Groudon. Mega Salamence's Defog support and ability to pivot into Ho-Oh can be handy for Lunala.


[SET]
name: Fashionable Nebby (Choice Scarf)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psyshock
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam is capable of doing enough damage to revenge kill slower threats and pressuring many neutral targets.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with a coverage move to hit Dark- and Normal-types.
* With Choice Scarf, Lunala can effectively revenge kill many threats like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and a weakened Swords Dance Arceus-Ground with Ice Beam.
* Psyshock prevents Lunala from being completely walled by Blissey and 2HKOes Toxapex and offensive Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock.
* Trick can be used to permanently cripple a persistent switch-in like defensive Ho-Oh and Chansey and is helpful in matchups against defensive teams where Lunala's Speed advantage over other Pokemon isn't needed.
* Thunder can be considered due to its higher damage output against Yveltal, Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Celesteela, though it is not the best move to be locked into and is unreliable due to its inaccuracy.
* Defog can remove entry hazards in a pinch, and Lunala's ability to force switches can make this a handy utility in on offensive teams, but it is hard to fit.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is the most ideal EV spread for Lunala holding Choice Scarf,(RC) so that the damage output will be is maximized and Lunala will outspeeds as many foes as possible.
* A Modest nature is typically preferred due to it improving the odds for Lunala to 2HKO support Arceus formes with Stealth Rock support, although a Timid nature is also possible to let Lunala fully take advantage of a Speed boost from Choice Scarf. This nature also enables Lunala to outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf improves increases Lunala's Speed, significantly improving Lunala's performance against offense with the boost in Speed combined with its impressive coverage options.
* Shadow Shield further amplifies Lunala's efficiency as a revenge killer by allowing Lunala to survive many strong hits with the said ability intact.

Usage Tips
========

* Lunala performs significantly better as a revenge killer with Choice Scarf, as it will not be overly reliant on availability of Shadow Shield to fulfill the task and will outspeed its primary targets like Ultra Necrozma, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Zygarde at +1. As long as Shadow Shield is intact, Marshadow can be revenge killed as well.
* Opposing setup sweepers might be caught off guard with a false sense of security that Lunala lacking Shadow Shield will not survive their attack. This can lead an opponent to meaninglessly let one of their Pokemon go down if they didn't expect Lunala holding a Choice Scarf. This can be seen against threats like boosted Ultra Necrozma and Rayquaza, which can OHKO Lunala lacking Shadow Shield,(RC) but is vulnerable to Choice Scarf Lunala, which can attack first.
* Though preserving Shadow Shield can be useful, Choice Scarf Lunala isn't overly reliant on it. It will focus on revenge killing a foe,(AC) so it will switch into a threat that it outspeeds even if entry hazards are present on the field. The speed advantage Lunala gains from Choice Scarf further diminishes the necessity to preserve Shadow Shield, so be aggressive with this set. Switch Lunala into powerful foes like Ultra Necrozma that struggles struggle to OHKO Lunala and slower foes like Extreme Killer Arceus should it they be in range of Lunala's attacks.
* Note that Lunala will have some difficulties facing defensive teams with Choice Scarf due to its inability to switch around moves. This means Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Arceus-Dark, and Blissey can switch into Lunala to scout what move it will lock itself into and proceed to switch out to a different Pokemon, forcing Lunala's team to make aggressive double switches to retain momentum. Though Trick can cripple a defensive Pokemon, the move has only a single chance to cripple a switch-in, cannot cripple support Arceus formes, and will remove Lunala's speed advantage against them.
* Pursuit users also become problematic for Choice Scarf Lunala due to it not being able to switch around moves. While Alolan Muk poses a problem to all sets, Tyranitar can be harder to deal with due to it forcing Lunala to lock itself into Focus Blast to avoid getting trapped and removed by Pursuit after sandstorm damage breaks Shadow Shield on the switch. Should there be any foe that can harshly punish Lunala locked into Moongeist Beam, the move it uses most of the time,(RC) consider making double switches and aiming to wear down potential switch-in's switch-ins until they are removed or weakened enough to be unreliable switch-ins.

Team Options
========

* Choice Scarf Lunala is an effective anti-offense Pokemon that can also pressure the said archetype offensive teams by exploiting their general lack of reliable switch-ins to Ghost-types. A balanced core that can provide entry hazard support to punish switch-in's switch-ins and check a good number of Pokemon that can exploit Lunala locked into a wrong move is an appropriate place that Lunala can fit in.
* More offensive Stealth Rock users like Stealth Rock + Swords Dance Primal Groudon can be considered to pressure bulkier foes early-game. Pressuring teams early-game increases the chances that Lunala can potentially clean up weakened foes after its checks have been removed or sufficiently weakened.
* Various slower foes like Ferrothorn and Toxapex that can pivot into support Arceus formes,(RC) and in the latter's case, check Marshadow, and can set Spikes and Toxic Spikes to punish grounded foes harder than Stealth Rock would. Toxapex can also check Marshadow. In return,(AC) Lunala can take out faster foes like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y that have the ability to remove these Pokemon. Wallbreakers like Primal Kyogre that struggle against faster foes due to their middling Speed can also benefit from this set as well while pressuring bulkier teams in return.
* Pivots to Dark-types like Xerneas and Magearna are needed. Xerneas has more room to customize its moveset, as Lunala performs the role of a revenge killer holding Choice Scarf, meaning it can run Geomancy to clean up weakened teams, which Lunala may struggle to do due to because of its lower damage output. Magearna is a reliable answer to many Dark-types that may get out of hand if they are not immediately dealt with after Lunala locks itself into Moongeist Beam against them.


[SET]
name: Thicc Nebby (Defensive)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 148 HP / 160 Def / 200 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam has does a good amount of damage to neutral foes, 2HKOing Necrozma-DM and OHKOing Ultra Necrozma without investment.
* Roost gives Lunala a reliable form of recovery, enabling it to stay healthy and reactivate Shadow Shield when fully restoring its health.
* Lunala's immunity to Shadow Tag and ability to survive an attack with Shadow Shield intact makes it an appropriate Defog user in on defensive teams. While Lunala's matchup against bulky entry hazard setters isn't favorable, its conventional teammates like Ho-Oh and Giratina can limit their usefulness,(AC) while Lunala can deal with dedicated leads like Deoxys-S better.
* Toxic prevents Ho-Oh and support Arceus formes from effortlessly walling this set for free while allowing Lunala to potentially stall foes that cannot 2HKO Lunala that constantly reactivates it by continually reactivating its Shadow Shield with Roost.
* Will-O-Wisp can be used instead to cripple Pursuit trappers and make Lunala more of a more reliable check to physically oriented Primal Kyogre.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to offensively check Zygarde, but it has a little reason to be justified over other moves.

Set Details
========

* 200 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon, enabling it to move faster than foes it can blanket check like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.
* The distribution of the rest of the EVs allow Lunala to survive Necrozma-DM's +2 Sunraze Searing Smash and Modest Primal Kyogre's +1 Water Spout with Shadow Shield intact.
* Leftovers provides Lunala with passive recovery.
* Shadow Shield allows Lunala to function as a wall despite of its lack of useful resistances, as it has good natural bulk and can survive many boosted hits with said ability Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full.

Usage Tips
========

* The bulkier version of Lunala is usually employed in defensive teams that desire a blanket check to dangerous Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and physical Primal Kyogre. While it can take them on them better with investment in bulk, it will be reliant on prior damage or Toxic stalling to keep them in control due to the lack of offensive investment and Lunalium Z.
* Despite the reduced offensive presence, offensive threats still dislike switching into Lunala, and switching into this set can actually be harder,(AC) as Toxic serves as one of the ways to punish bulky foes like support Arceus formes. Offensive entry hazard setters like Swords Dance + Stealth Rock Primal Groudon will also struggle to combat Lunala unless its Shadow Shield is already broken, as many of them lack Speed advantage against are slower than Lunala and have to remain healthy to survive Lunala's attacks.
* Defensive teams that this Lunala set finds itself on will typically rely on residual damage to wear foes down, using entry hazards or status. Many Steel-types can easily switch into Toxic from various defensive partners that this set is paired with Lunala and its teammates,(AC) and Xerneas secures its place in a large number of teams due to its has access to Aromatherapy. This may make it quite difficult to wear down opponents foes by solely relying on status.
* For this reason, Lunala's team may need countermeasures against passive foes, such as Ho-Oh, or and assistance from entry hazards. Note that entry hazards won't be the most reliable solution to outlast the opposing team, as setting them will cause Lunala's teammates to often run into situations where they will have to decide between trading entry hazards to wear down opposing teams faster or entirely avoiding entry hazards until a threat that requires a healthy Lunala to be kept in control goes down.
* There is also a risk that Lunala will be hit by Toxic after it directly switches into opposing Pokemon or removes entry hazards with Defog. Trading Toxic with entry hazard setters like Primal Groudon can be an acceptable strategy if Lunala's team has a strong cleric support, but it is better to avoid status in general. Spending multiple turns to switch into cleric cure Lunala of status and ensuring Lunala stays at full health without being statused ailment to check threats will end up taking away momentum.
* Against offensive teams, leading with Lunala is generally a sensible idea, as dedicated leads like Cloyster and Excadrill will have to choose between setting entry hazards, which Lunala can easily remove with Defog, or breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield before they get 2HKOed by Moongeist Beam. Though leading with Mega Sableye against them can invalidate other leads like Smeargle, Deoxys-S and Excadrill can bypass Magic Bounce with Skill Swap and Mold Breaker,(AC) respectively,(AC) and Cloyster can overpower Mega Sableye with correct predictions. Thus, Lunala is a better option of entry hazard control against them.
* Pursuit trappers are problematic to this set as well, as this variant of Lunala struggles to punish Dark-types apart from inflicting poisoning them with Toxic. Alolan Muk can limit Lunala's effectiveness, Tyranitar can easily dispose of Lunala lacking Will-O-Wisp, and Marshadow carrying Pursuit can potentially eliminate Lunala. Make sure to exercise caution against these threats.

Team Options
========

* Defensive Lunala's effectiveness depends on the availability of Shadow Shield under offensive pressure, and this leads to very high importance of entry hazard removal important. Ho-Oh, Mega Sableye, and Lunala can together have chemistry to can deal with most entry hazard setters in the tier. Mega Sableye can discourage use of Toxic and shut down passive foes like Ferrothorn;(SC),(AC) Ho-Oh can handle certain Primal Groudon variants with Stealth Rock;(SC),(AC) and (I don't think these clauses are long enough to warrant the use of a semicolon list. Commas seem fine here) Lunala can effectively use Defog even under offensive pressure.
* Lunala will mostly be reliant on Magearna when Dark-types switch in and proceed to threaten it. Magearna's access to cleric move Heal Bell is also helpful for Lunala, as a number of foes that Lunala takes on are likely going to have Toxic.
* Blissey is another viable cleric that can fit with Lunala. It can pivot into many support Arceus formes that attempt to status Lunala and check many special attackers that Lunala cannot actively take on while preserving its Shadow Shield.
* Arceus-Dark is an acceptable check to Yveltal and Ghost-types, and it can viably run Stealth Rock to apply pressure to the opposing team. Variants with Ice Beam can checks foes like Ultra Necrozma and Zygarde, which Lunala will have a shakier matchup against should it lack Shadow Shield. Arceus-Fairy is a considerable alternative that can fulfill the same role apart from handling Ghost-types but can instead check Marshadow and pose a greater threat to Yveltal, but note that it can be a hindrance for Lunala's team,(AC) which typically employs Pokemon that are not vulnerable to Shadow Tag trapping.
* Bulkier walls like Zygarde and Lugia can be considered to handle Swords Dance Arceus formes or and offensive Primal Groudon variants. Note that Zygarde counters Ho-Oh and makes faster foes more manageable with Glare.
* Lunala will be reliant on the target being frail or weakened enough to fall to Moongeist Beam when attempting to revenge kill a foe. Pokemon like Necrozma-DM and Primal Kyogre that can offensively check setup sweepers like Xerneas and Primal Groudon can be considered to have extra layers of security against them while reducing the team's overall passivity.

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

* Fightinium Z gives Lunala a way to OHKO Yveltal and Arceus-Dark after a Calm Mind boost, but these checks can be overpowered by a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom and Focus Blast after some prior damage.
* A Z-Hypnosis set can potentially provide Lunala with a better setup condition opportunity by putting a check to sleep and,(AC) more importantly, makes Lunala harder to revenge kill by giving it a Speed advantage over letting it outspeed Arceus formes and Mega Gengar. However, Hypnosis is generally unreliable, and Lunala will rely on favorable sleep turns,(AC) as it needs multiple Calm Mind boosts to gain enough power to OHKO foes.
* A Choice Specs set may be an attractive option that can pressure Arceus formes and Ho-Oh harder, but there is a little reason to use a Choice Specs set over a Calm Mind set to wallbreak. Choice Specs sets also have to predict accurately to break through defensive teams.

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

**Dark-types**: Every Dark-type, with an the exception of Mega Sableye, can pivot into Moongeist Beam with ease and threaten to at worst weaken Lunala with their STAB attacks. Arceus-Dark survives +1 Focus Blast from full health and 2HKOes Lunala with Judgment. While Yveltal is a shakier switch-in to Lunala due to its weakness to Ice Beam and weakness vulnerability to Stealth Rock, it can OHKO an unboosted Lunala through Shadow Shield using Dark Pulse. Alolan Muk doesn't have much trouble taking Lunala's attacks and is only concerned about a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom when it is sufficiently weakened. Tyranitar can remove Choice Scarf Lunala locked into a not very effective the wrong move and defensive variants with Pursuit after sandstorm damage, which breaks Shadow Shield.

**Ghost-types**: Though Ghost-types struggle to switch into Lunala, foes like Mega Gengar and Marshadow can outspeed and OHKO Lunala it. Note that the matchup can be reversed if Lunala holds a Choice Scarf, and Shadow Shield must have been broken for Mega Gengar to revenge kill Lunala with Hex and Marshadow to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Sneak.

**Entry Hazards and Status**: Lunala is heavily reliant on Shadow Shield to maximize the chance it sets up successfully and retain its ability to retaliate against many setup sweepers. This leads to means residual damages like damage from entry hazards, burn, and poison taking takes away a large part of Lunala's usefulness.

**Ho-Oh**: Thanks to its titanic special bulk and Regenerator, Ho-Oh can effectively pivot into Lunala and revenge kill offensive variants once Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom has been used. Choice Scarf Lunala in particular struggles to break through Ho-Oh without Stealth Rock support,(AC) and defensive variants should avoid trading Toxic with Ho-Oh due to Regenerator allowing Ho-Oh to outlast Lunala.

**Chansey and Blissey**: Both Chansey and Blissey are immune to Moongeist Beam and have high enough bulk to not mind about even boosted Focus Blasts. Note that Psyshock gives Lunala a significantly better chance to defeat them, and they are also heavily crippled by a well-timed Trick from Choice Scarf variants.

**Pursuit**: Alolan Muk,(RC) and the less-(AH)reliable Marshadow and Tyranitar can remove Lunala from play using Pursuit. Note that Alolan Muk is the only Pursuit trapper that can directly switch into Lunala without fear, as Tyranitar relies on Lunala locking itself into a wrong move while holding Choice Scarf or being a defensive variant, and Marshadow has to make a risky prediction.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DMDW, 434601]]
- Earlier versions by: [[Vengeance417, 198446], [Aberforth, 249382], [SuperWumbology, 201139]]
- Quality checked by: [[Cynara, 224455], [Serial EKiller, 426631], [Melee Mewtwo, 75110]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
GP 1/2
 

Electrolyte

Wouldn't Wanna Know
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[OVERVIEW]

* Lunala is one of the threatening wallbreakers in the tier, capable of breaking down various archetypes with its strong STAB Ghost-type attacks along with a large number of useful coverage moves, Lunalium Z, and Calm Mind in its arsenal, making it a versatile Pokemon both offensively and defensively.
* Despite having a disappointing defensive typing, Lunala is still capable of functioning well against offense due to how difficult it is to safely switch into without a specific Pokemon like Chople Berry Extreme Killer Arceus
on the team. Most importantly, most Pokemon attempting to take down Lunala will have a disadvantageous matchup due to Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's health is full. This means that, with Shadow Shield intact, Lunala will always have a chance to pose a threat to any team lacking a Pursuit trapper, being able to revenge kill threatening setup sweepers like Primal Groudon and Zygarde-C while also functioning as a defensive wall on slower teams where a blanket check to many threats that can avoid Shadow Tag trapping is appreciated.
* Lunala's good performance against offensive teams is further reinforced by its ability to check Ultra Necrozma and viably equip Choice Scarf
and to prey on such archetypes that typically have unreliable answers to Ghost-types. A few checks from offensive teams can also be bypassed by coverage moves or repeated attacks with entry hazards up.
* Lunala's effectiveness against offensive teams is largely dependent on the availability of Shadow Shield or its Z-Move, especially the former, as it provides opportunities for Lunala to switch in and attack. While it has enough Speed to threaten foes like Primal Groudon, it is also vulnerable to offensive threats that can OHKO Lunala through Shadow Shield like Yveltal and Marshadow.
* As much as Shadow Shield contributes to Lunala's viability, a broken Shadow Shield can restrict Lunala's ability to set up or check a threat in an emergency to a large extent. This leads to Lunala being forced to avoid entry hazards and status by any means necessary, at least before it sets up as an offensive variant or trades status or revenge kills a foe as a defensive variant.

[SET]
name: Stronk Nebby (Calm Mind)
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Moongeist Beam
move 3: Psyshock
move 4: Focus Blast / Moonblast
item: Lunalium Z
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 244 SpA / 12 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Calm Mind boosts Lunala's Special Attack and Special Defense, giving it a needed boost in damage output to take
a full advantage of its great coverage options and making it difficult to revenge kill with faster foes like support Arceus formes and Choice Scarf Xerneas. A boost in Special Defense also gives Lunala a chance to take on Yveltal, as after a Calm Mind boost, Yveltal's Dark Pulse fails to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Shield intact.
* Moongeist Beam has neutral coverage against many common Pokemon in the tier and is strong enough to 2HKO many offensive foes. With Calm Mind and Lunalium Z, Lunala can threaten to OHKO most neutral targets with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. Note that Moongeist Beam and Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom can bypass abilities like Multiscale.
* Psyshock is a secondary STAB move that has significantly higher damage output against specially bulky foes like Primal Kyogre and enables Lunala to break past Chansey and Blissey.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with perfect offensive coverage along with Moongeist Beam, enabling it to hit Dark-types super effectively as well as deal with Steel-types better without relying on boosted Moongeist Beam or Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom.
* Moonblast compresses coverage against Dark- and Dragon-types when Lunala is running Psyshock, but it has less damage output against Arceus-Dark than Focus Blast. Moonblast also doesn't take out Zygarde as fast as Ice Beam does.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to weaken Yveltal on the switch and, more importantly, offensively check Dragon-types like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza without using its Z-Move. Ice Beam generally has better coverage against offensive teams, but many Pokemon that are taken out by Ice Beam are already vulnerable to Moongeist Beam.
* Roost can be considered for Lunala to fully take advantage of support Arceus formes lacking status and pose
more a greater threat against to slower teams, but it is hard to justify over other attacks.

Set Details
========

* 12 Special Defense EVs allow Lunala to survive mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon's Fire Blast after Stealth Rock damage. The rest of the EVs are invested in Special Attack and Speed to make Lunala hit as hard as possible and outspeed as many foes as possible.
* Though a Modest nature gives Lunala extra power and significantly improves the chance to OHKO Arceus-Dark with +1 Focus Blast after Stealth Rock damage, a Timid nature mostly outweighs this due to it enabling Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon like Primal Groudon.
* Lunalium Z enables the use of Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom with Moongeist Beam. The sheer power of the Z-Move is one of the most important aspects of this set, as
when a boosted Z-Move it becomes so powerful to the point where that very few neutral targets can escape the OHKO and even resisted targets like Yveltal can be overpowered with Stealth Rock up.
* Though it is a much less effective option, if a Z-Move user already exists on the team, Spooky Plate can be considered to improve Moongeist Beam's damage output, guaranteeing a 2HKO on offensive Primal Groudon and, after Stealth Rock, an OHKO on Giratina-O. Spooky Plate-boosted Moongeist Beam also becomes powerful enough to force recovery moves from support Arceus formes.
* Shadow Shield halves the incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full, making it significantly harder to take down. Note that unlike Multiscale, moves like Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam and users of abilities like Mold Breaker, Teravolt, and Turboblaze cannot ignore Shadow Shield.

Usage Tips
========

* It is generally recommended for Lunala to wallbreak early-game to weaken defensive cores. Weakening foes like support Arceus formes early is going to be beneficial for teammates that will attempt to clean up late-game, but making aggressive plays early on also reduces the odds that Lunala will have to enter the field when entry hazards are up and lose its Shadow Shield.
* Though Lunala might lack the firepower to immediately threaten bulkier foes, it is capable of 2HKOing most Pokemon found on offensive teams with the appropriate moves. Lunala can also threaten many neutral targets with an unboosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom. Avoid solely focusing on setting up Calm Mind and ensure that Lunala nets as much damage as possible before going down.
* This can pressure opponents into excessively focusing on breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield. As Lunala is quite hard to take on for most offensive Pokemon in a one-on-one situation due to its offensive coverage and ability to score a potential OHKO with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, Lunala is difficult to take down even after Stealth Rock damage, so the opponent will likely prioritize
on (don't miss this) setting up Stealth Rock. This means Lunala can switch into possible Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and Lunala's teammates can potentially take advantage of the turn the opponent uses to set entry hazards. Leading against suicide leads can also be a good idea, as Lunala will often force opponents to choose between breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield or setting entry hazards that they may need for other Pokemon.
* Avoid setting up recklessly without fully scouting a foe's moveset. Though it is extremely rare for Lunala's common setup targets to have Dark- and Ghost-type coverage moves, there are other factors to be wary about. Support Arceus formes may have Thunder Wave, which makes Lunala vulnerable to slower foes that it can otherwise overpower without worrying about retaliation. Though Lunala can threaten most Primal Groudon variants, note that Primal Groudon with Rock Tomb can remove Lunala's Speed advantage and break Shadow Shield at the same time and throw a heavy blow before going down, weakening Lunala to the point where it can be picked off by weaker attacks like Arceus formes' Judgment or other slower foes that can outspeed Lunala after Rock Tomb.
* Lunala with Shadow Shield intact can survive a hit from setup sweepers like Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence and retaliate. With Lunalium Z available, it can OHKO most of the setup sweepers that it aims to hold back.

Team Options
========

* Fairy-type teammates are recommended, as Lunala needs protection against Dark-types in situations where it is forced out against them. Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are primary options to consider due to their ability to switch into Dark-types like Yveltal and Arceus-Dark(RC) as well as Marshadow, which is one of the most threatening offensive checks to Lunala. Choice Scarf variants of Xerneas can take on faster foes that Lunala cannot effectively combat, while Arceus-Fairy can viably run Stealth Rock to pressure offensive Ho-Oh and allow Lunala's +1 Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom to meet various benchmarks.
* Magearna is another Fairy-type that checks Yveltal and can bring Lunala safely into the field using Volt Switch.
* Lunala desires entry hazards to OHKO foes like Ho-Oh after Calm Mind boosts. Offensive teams can use various leads, including Cloyster, which can provide Rapid Spin support, and Smeargle, which can set up Sticky Web and remove Arceus formes' Speed advantage against Lunala. Various Stealth Rock users like Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground that can threaten a good portion of the tier can be employed to keep offensive pressure, giving Lunala more room to prey on teams that defensively react to its teammates.
* There are also instances where keeping Lunala's Shadow Shield intact should be prioritized over setting entry hazards for its breakthrough. Defog users like Mega Salamence and Arceus-Ground can make managing entry hazards more flexible.(add period)
* Priority move users like Rayquaza and Extreme Killer Arceus can improve Lunala's matchup against faster offensive foes and provide its team with extra security against faster foes when Lunala focuses on wallbreaking instead of preserving its Shadow Shield. Yveltal's ability to threaten Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma with Sucker Punch, in addition to its resistance to Dark and Ghost, makes it a noteworthy offensive partner as well.
* Offensive partners like Necrozma-DM and Mega Salamence can benefit from Lunala's ability to massively pressure Steel-types and other problematic foes like Primal Groudon. Mega Salamence's Defog support and ability to pivot into Ho-Oh can be handy for Lunala.


[SET]
name: Fashionable Nebby (Choice Scarf)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Psyshock
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam is capable of doing enough damage to revenge kill slower threats and pressuring many neutral targets.
* Focus Blast provides Lunala with a coverage move to hit Dark- and Normal-types.
* With Choice Scarf, Lunala can effectively revenge kill many threats like Zygarde, Mega Salamence, and a weakened Swords Dance Arceus-Ground with Ice Beam.
* Psyshock prevents Lunala from being completely walled by Blissey and 2HKOes Toxapex and offensive Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock.
* Trick can be used to permanently cripple a persistent switch-in like defensive Ho-Oh and Chansey and is helpful in matchups against defensive teams where Lunala's Speed advantage over other Pokemon isn't needed.
* Thunder can be considered due to its higher damage output against Yveltal, Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, Arceus-Water, and Celesteela, though it is not the best move to be locked into and is unreliable due to its inaccuracy.
* Defog can remove entry hazards in a pinch, and Lunala's ability to force switches can make this handy utility on offensive teams, but it is hard to fit.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is the most ideal EV spread for Lunala holding Choice Scarf so damage output is maximized and Lunala outspeeds as many foes as possible.
* A Modest nature is typically preferred due to it improving the odds for Lunala to 2HKO support Arceus formes with Stealth Rock support, although a Timid nature is also possible to let Lunala fully take advantage of Choice Scarf. This
nature also enables Lunala to outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal.
* Choice Scarf increases Lunala's Speed, significantly improving Lunala's performance against offense
when combined with its impressive coverage options.
* Shadow Shield further amplifies Lunala's
efficiency effectiveness as a revenge killer by allowing Lunala to survive many strong hits with the ability intact.

Usage Tips
========

* Lunala performs significantly better as a revenge killer with Choice Scarf, as it will not be overly reliant on
the availability of Shadow Shield to fulfill the task (implied) and will outspeed its primary targets like Ultra Necrozma, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Zygarde at +1. As long as Shadow Shield is intact, Marshadow can be revenge killed as well.
* Opposing setup sweepers might be caught off guard with a false sense of security that Lunala lacking Shadow Shield will not survive their attack. This can lead an opponent to meaninglessly let one of their Pokemon go down if they
didn't don't expect Lunala to be holding a Choice Scarf. This can be seen against threats like boosted Ultra Necrozma and Rayquaza, which can OHKO Lunala lacking Shadow Shield but is are vulnerable to Choice Scarf Lunala, which can attacks first. (unless it is significantly common that CS Nebby doesn't outspeed, just take out the 'can' to make it simpler)
* Though preserving Shadow Shield can be useful, Choice Scarf Lunala isn't overly reliant on it. It will focus on revenge killing a foe, so it will switch into a threat that it outspeeds even if entry hazards are present on the field. The speed advantage Lunala gains from Choice Scarf further diminishes the necessity to preserve Shadow Shield, so be aggressive with this set. Switch Lunala into powerful foes like Ultra Necrozma that struggle to OHKO Lunala and slower foes like Extreme Killer Arceus should they be in range of Lunala's attacks.
* Note that Lunala will have some difficulties facing defensive teams with Choice Scarf due to its inability to switch
around moves. This means Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Arceus-Dark, and Blissey can switch into Lunala to scout what move it will lock itself into and proceed to switch out to a different Pokemon, forcing Lunala's team to make aggressive double switches to retain momentum. Though Trick can cripple a defensive Pokemon, the move has only a single chance to cripple a switch-in, cannot cripple support Arceus formes, and will remove Lunala's speed advantage against them.
* Pursuit users also become problematic for Choice Scarf Lunala due to it not being able to switch
around moves. While Alolan Muk poses a problem to all sets, Tyranitar can be harder to deal with due to it forcing Lunala to lock itself into Focus Blast to avoid getting trapped and removed by Pursuit after sandstorm damage breaks Shadow Shield on the switch. Should there be any foe that can harshly punish Lunala locked into Moongeist Beam, consider making double switches and aiming to wear down potential switch-ins until they are removed or weakened enough to be unreliable switch-ins.

Team Options
========

* Choice Scarf Lunala is an effective anti-offense Pokemon that can pressure offensive teams by exploiting their general lack of reliable switch-ins to Ghost-types.
Thus, it fits in well with a balanced cores that can provide entry hazard support to punish switch-ins and check a good number of Pokemon that can exploit Lunala locked into a wrong move is an appropriate place that Lunala can fit in. (don't end with preposition)
* More offensive Stealth Rock users like Stealth Rock + Swords Dance Primal Groudon can be considered to pressure bulkier foes early-game. Pressuring teams early-game increases the chances that Lunala can potentially clean up weakened foes after its checks have been removed or sufficiently weakened.
* Various slower foes like Ferrothorn and Toxapex can pivot into support Arceus formes and set Spikes and Toxic Spikes to punish grounded foes harder than Stealth Rock would. Toxapex can also check Marshadow. In return, Lunala can take out faster foes like Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y that have the ability to remove these Pokemon. Wallbreakers like Primal Kyogre that struggle against faster foes due to their middling Speed can also benefit from this set as well while pressuring bulkier teams in return.
* Pivots to Dark-types like Xerneas and Magearna are needed. Xerneas has more room to customize its moveset, as Lunala performs the role of a revenge killer holding Choice Scarf, meaning it can run Geomancy to clean up weakened teams, which Lunala may struggle to do because of its lower damage output. Magearna is a reliable answer to many Dark-types that may get out of hand if they are not immediately dealt with after Lunala locks itself into Moongeist Beam against them.

(delete extra space here)
[SET]
name: Thicc Nebby (Defensive)
move 1: Moongeist Beam
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Leftovers
ability: Shadow Shield
nature: Timid
evs: 148 HP / 160 Def / 200 Spe

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

* Moongeist Beam does a good amount of damage to neutral foes, 2HKOing Necrozma-DM and OHKOing Ultra Necrozma without investment.
* Roost gives Lunala a reliable form of recovery, enabling it to stay healthy and reactivate Shadow Shield when fully restoring its health.
* Lunala's immunity to Shadow Tag and ability to survive an attack with Shadow Shield intact makes it an appropriate Defog user on defensive teams. While Lunala's matchup against bulky entry hazard setters isn't favorable, its conventional teammates like Ho-Oh and Giratina can limit their usefulness, while Lunala can deal with dedicated leads like Deoxys-S better.
* Toxic prevents Ho-Oh and support Arceus formes from effortlessly walling this set for free while allowing Lunala to potentially stall foes that cannot 2HKO it by continually reactivating its Shadow Shield with Roost.
* Will-O-Wisp can be used instead to cripple Pursuit trappers and make Lunala a more reliable check to physically-(add hyphen)oriented Primal Kyogre.
* Ice Beam allows Lunala to offensively check Zygarde, but it has little reason to be
justified used over other moves.

Set Details
========

* 200 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Lunala to outspeed base 90 Speed Pokemon, enabling it to move faster than foes it can blanket check like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.
* The rest of the EVs allow Lunala to survive Necrozma-DM's +2
Sunraze Searing Sunraze Smash and Modest Primal Kyogre's +1 Water Spout with Shadow Shield intact.
* Leftovers provides Lunala with passive recovery.
* Shadow Shield allows Lunala to function as a wall despite its lack of useful resistances, as it has good natural bulk and can survive many boosted hits with Shadow Shield halving incoming damage when Lunala's HP is full.

Usage Tips
========

* The bulkier version of Lunala is usually employed in defensive teams that desire a blanket check to dangerous Pokemon like Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and physical Primal Kyogre. While it can take them on(space) better with investment in bulk, it will be reliant on prior damage or Toxic stalling to keep them in control due to the lack of offensive investment and Lunalium Z.
* Despite the reduced offensive presence,
offensive threats still dislike switching into Lunala, and (implied) switching into this set can actually be harder(RC) as Toxic serves as one of the ways to punish bulky foes like support Arceus formes. Offensive entry hazard setters like Swords Dance + Stealth Rock Primal Groudon will also struggle to combat Lunala unless its Shadow Shield is already broken, as many of them are slower than Lunala and have to remain healthy to survive Lunala's attacks.
* Defensive teams that this Lunala set finds itself on will typically rely on residual damage to wear foes down, using entry hazards or status. Many Steel-types can easily switch into Toxic from Lunala and its teammates, and Xerneas has access to Aromatherapy. This may make it quite difficult to wear down foes by solely relying on status.
* For this reason, Lunala's team may need countermeasures against passive foes, such as Ho-Oh, and assistance from entry hazards. Note that entry hazards won't be the most reliable solution to outlast the opposing team, as setting them will cause Lunala's teammates to often run into situations where they will have to decide between trading entry hazards to wear down opposing teams faster or entirely avoiding entry hazards until a threat that requires a healthy Lunala to be kept in control goes down.
* There is also a risk that Lunala will be hit by Toxic after it directly switches into opposing Pokemon or removes entry hazards with Defog. Trading Toxic with entry hazard setters like Primal Groudon can be an acceptable strategy if Lunala's team has strong cleric support, but it is better to avoid status in general. Spending multiple turns to cure Lunala of status and ensuring Lunala stays at full health without being statused to check threats will end up taking away momentum.
* Against offensive teams, leading with Lunala is generally a sensible idea, as dedicated leads like Cloyster and Excadrill will have to choose between setting entry hazards, which Lunala can easily remove with Defog, or breaking Lunala's Shadow Shield before they get 2HKOed by Moongeist Beam. Though leading with Mega Sableye can invalidate other leads like Smeargle, Deoxys-S and Excadrill can bypass Magic Bounce with Skill Swap and Mold Breaker, respectively, and Cloyster can overpower Mega Sableye with correct predictions. Thus, Lunala is a better option of entry hazard control against them.
* Pursuit trappers are problematic to this set as well, as this variant of Lunala struggles to punish Dark-types apart from poisoning them with Toxic. Alolan Muk can limit Lunala's effectiveness, Tyranitar can easily dispose of Lunala lacking Will-O-Wisp, and Marshadow carrying Pursuit can potentially eliminate Lunala. Make sure to exercise caution against these threats.

Team Options
========

* Defensive Lunala's effectiveness depends on the availability of Shadow Shield under offensive pressure,
and so entry hazard removal is very important. Ho-Oh, Mega Sableye, and Lunala together can deal with most entry hazard setters in the tier. Mega Sableye can discourage the use of Toxic and shut down passive foes like Ferrothorn, Ho-Oh can handle certain Primal Groudon variants with Stealth Rock, and Lunala can effectively use Defog even under offensive pressure.
* Lunala will mostly be reliant on Magearna when Dark-types switch in and proceed to threaten it. Magearna's access to Heal Bell is also helpful for Lunala, as a number of foes that Lunala takes on are likely going to have Toxic.
* Blissey is another viable cleric that can fit with Lunala. It can pivot into many support Arceus formes that attempt to status Lunala and check many special attackers that Lunala cannot actively take on while preserving its Shadow Shield.
* Arceus-Dark is an acceptable check to Yveltal and Ghost-types, and it can viably run Stealth Rock to apply pressure to the opposing team. Variants with Ice Beam can check
s (don't miss this) foes like Ultra Necrozma and Zygarde, which Lunala will have a shakier matchup against should it lack Shadow Shield. Arceus-Fairy is a considerable alternative that can fulfill the same role apart from handling Ghost-types,(AC) but can instead checking Marshadow and poseing a greater threat to Yveltal, but note that it can be a hindrance for Lunala's team, which typically employs Pokemon that are not vulnerable to Shadow Tag trapping.
* Bulkier walls like Zygarde and Lugia can be considered to handle Swords Dance Arceus formes and offensive Primal Groudon variants. Note that Zygarde counters Ho-Oh and makes faster foes more manageable with Glare.
* Lunala will be reliant on the target being frail or weakened enough to fall to Moongeist Beam when attempting to revenge kill a foe. Pokemon like Necrozma-DM and Primal Kyogre that can offensively check setup sweepers like Xerneas and Primal Groudon can be considered to have extra layers of security against them while reducing the team's overall passivity.


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

* Fightinium Z gives Lunala a way to OHKO Yveltal and Arceus-Dark after a Calm Mind boost, but these checks can be overpowered by a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom and Focus Blast after some prior damage.
* A Z-Hypnosis set can potentially provide Lunala with a better setup opportunity by putting a check to sleep and, more importantly, makes Lunala harder to revenge kill by letting it outspeed Arceus formes and Mega Gengar. However, Hypnosis is generally unreliable, and Lunala will rely on favorable sleep turns, as it needs multiple Calm Mind boosts to gain enough power to OHKO foes.
* A Choice Specs set may be an attractive option that can pressure Arceus formes and Ho-Oh harder, but there is little reason to use a Choice Specs set over a Calm Mind set to wallbreak. Choice Specs sets also have to predict accurately to break through defensive teams.

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

**Dark-types**: Every Dark-type, with the exception of Mega Sableye, can pivot into Moongeist Beam with ease and threaten to at worst weaken Lunala with their STAB attacks. Arceus-Dark survives +1 Focus Blast from full health and 2HKOes Lunala with Judgment. While Yveltal is a shakier switch-in to Lunala due to its weakness to Ice Beam and vulnerability to Stealth Rock, it can OHKO an unboosted Lunala through Shadow Shield using Dark Pulse. Alolan Muk doesn't have much trouble taking Lunala's attacks and is only concerned about a boosted Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom when it is sufficiently weakened. Tyranitar can remove Choice Scarf Lunala locked into the wrong move and defensive variants with Pursuit after sandstorm damage, which breaks Shadow Shield.

**Ghost-types**: Though Ghost-types struggle to switch into Lunala, foes like Mega Gengar and Marshadow can outspeed and OHKO it. Note that the matchup can be reversed if Lunala holds a Choice Scarf, and Shadow Shield must have been broken for Mega Gengar to revenge kill Lunala with Hex and Marshadow to OHKO Lunala with Shadow Sneak.

**Entry Hazards and Status**: Lunala is heavily reliant on Shadow Shield to maximize the chance it sets up successfully and retain its ability to retaliate against many setup sweepers. This means residual damage from entry hazards, burn, and poison takes away a large part of Lunala's usefulness.

**Ho-Oh**: Thanks to its titanic special bulk and Regenerator, Ho-Oh can effectively pivot into Lunala and revenge kill offensive variants once Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom has been used. Choice Scarf Lunala in particular struggles to break through Ho-Oh without Stealth Rock support, and defensive variants should avoid trading Toxic with Ho-Oh due to Regenerator allowing Ho-Oh to outlast Lunala.

**Chansey and Blissey**: Both Chansey and Blissey are immune to Moongeist Beam and have high enough bulk to not mind
about even boosted Focus Blasts. However, note that Psyshock gives Lunala a significantly better chance to defeat them, and they are also heavily crippled by a well-timed Trick from Choice Scarf variants.

**Pursuit**: Alolan Muk and the less-reliable Marshadow and Tyranitar can remove Lunala from play using Pursuit. Note
, however, that Alolan Muk is the only Pursuit trapper that can directly switch into Lunala without fear, as Tyranitar relies on Lunala locking itself into a wrong move while holding Choice Scarf or being a defensive variant, and Marshadow has to make a risky prediction.
GP 2/2
 

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