Lycanroc (Dusk Forme) Movesets & Competitive Sets

Stone Edge is a very spammable STAB move that can OHKO Rotom-H and Salamence while dealing heavy damage to neutral targets like Primarina. Close Combat is a powerful coverage option that nails many Rock resistant Pokemon such as Keldeo, Cobalion, and Excadrill. It is also Lycanroc-D's best move for Hippowdon and Celesteela. Psychic Fangs inflicts heavy damage on the likes of Amoonguss, Tentacruel, and Keldeo. Crunch hits Slowking, Jirachi, and Galarian Slowbro harder, but these targets get musceled through by Stone Edge or Close Combat. Accelerock is useful against offense teams, specifically keeping threats such as Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados in check. It also makes Lycanroc-D more difficult to revenge kill with faster threats such as Starmie, Azelf, and Noivern which all need to watch their health against it. A Life Orb is used to guarantee feats such as 2HKOing defensive Celesteela with Close Combat and Amoonguss with Stone Edge on the switch with Stealth Rock up. Alternatively, Choice Band lets Lycanroc-D avoid the recoil associated with Life Orb while still boosting its power at the cost of being more predicition reliant. With Stealth Rock and Spikes up, Lycanroc-D can even break past Skarmory and Hippowdon. Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature is needed to make Lycanroc-D outspeed and threaten as many foes as it can, particularly Keldeo. Lycanroc-D fits best on offensive teams, namely VoltTurn and Spikes stacking, that appreciate its ability to revenge kill common offensive threats such as Salamence without sacrificing its teammates' wallbreaking capabilities. As Lycanroc-D is unable to switch in on mostly anything, pivots are appreciated to give it opportunities to punch holes as often as possible and gain momentum; Moltres and Rotom-H are efficient at this and help pressure Skarmory and bulky Grass-types, which usually give Lycanroc-D grief. Rotom-W takes on Skarmory and Celesteela for Lycanroc-D and can bring it in against Chansey and Hydreigon. Entry hazard setters like Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Nihilego are important to wear down defensive walls like Tangrowth and opposing Hippowdon in range of Lycanroc-D's attacks. Skarmory, mainly Iron Defense variants, also counters Scizor and Azumarill for Lycanroc-D. Hippowdon can cripple Tangrowth and Slowking with Toxic, while Nihilego pressures Skarmory. Special attackers such as Hydreigon and Primarina appreciate Lycanroc-D's ability to break through Chansey, and in return they can help wear down common physically defensive threats such as Skarmory for it, paving the way for a late-game cleanup. The Grass-types of the tier like Tangrowth and Zarude are excellent partners to handle threats such as Azumarill. Additionally, they also check faster Pokemon Lycanroc-D cannot threaten as much with its priority, such as Zygarde-10%.

Moves Swords Dance allows Lycanroc-D to punch holes into defensive cores with Stone Edge or Splintered Stormshards. Stone Edge is Lycanroc-D's main STAB move, 2HKOing the likes of Milotic, Bewear, and Cresselia after a Swords Dance boost when boosted by a Life Orb. It also can turn into Splintered Stormshards when Lycanroc-D is holding a Lycanium Z, which allows it to OHKO them right away after Stealth Rock damage. Fire Fang lets Lycanroc-D deal with Bronzong after a Swords Dance boost while also doing good damage to Bewear. Drill Run is an option over Fire Fang to guarantee an OHKO on Pokemon such as Registeel and Nidoqueen while also offering greater damage against the likes of Rhyperior and non Shuca Berry Metagross. Sucker Punch is Lycanroc-D's main form of priority, allowing it to OHKO Choice Scarf Flygon, Gardevoir, and Zygarde-10% after a boost. Accelerock is a STAB priority option that allows Lycanroc-D to beat Noivern when unboosted after Stealth Rock damage as well as deal with Salazzle and Swellow better. Set Details Maximum investment in Speed and Attack with a Jolly nature lets Lycanroc-D be as fast and as powerful as it can. A Life Orb is the main item option to increase Lycanroc-D's power, which allows Sucker Punch and Accelerock to achieve essential KOs, such as unboosted Accelerock KOing Noivern after Stealth Rock, unboosted Accelerock OHKOing Salazzle, and boosted Sucker Punch OHKOing the likes of Choice Scarf Gardevoir and Zygarde-10%. Lycanium Z is an option to beat the likes of Milotic, Cresselia, Bewear, and Bronzong with Splintered Stormshards after some chip damage. Tough Claws is Lycanroc-D's only ability and is essential to Fire Fang and Sucker Punch's power. Usage Tips Avoid being statused by the likes of Porygon2's Thunder Wave and Choice Scarf Gardevoir’s Will-O-Wisp, since they cripple Lycanroc-D and its ability to fire off Life Orb-boosted attacks. Use Swords Dance on forced switches against foes like Ninetales and Salazzle. Despite Lycanroc-D's poor bulk, it can still set up freely against Pokemon like Noivern and Salazzle. Before sending Lycanroc-D in to sweep, make sure to weaken some of its switch-ins, such as Rhyperior, Steelix, and Bewear. Team Options Pivoting is essential with Lycanroc-D, since it has problems switching into virtually anything. U-turn or Volt Switch support from the likes of Uxie, Flygon, Raikou, and Mega Ampharos is very appreciated. Memento support from the likes of Uxie, Choice Scarf Gardevoir, and Mismagius is also nice, since it lets Lycanroc-D set up safely against almost anything that comes into field. Wallbreakers such as Ninetales, Bewear, and Zygarde-10% make Lycanroc-D's life easier, since they can weaken Lycanroc-D's checks so it can clean up later in the game. Pokemon that resist Water-, Ground-, and Fighting-type moves are essential when running Lycanroc-D. Shaymin, Virizion, and TauntTox Mandibuzz are good options that can help break cores and offer utility options. It's nice to pair Lycanroc-D with offensive Pokemon that take advantage of some of the defensive threats that Lycanroc-D can break through, such as Choice Scarf Gardevoir, Tyrantrum, and Zygarde-10%. Support like dual screens from Uxie and Meowstic and Spikes from Mega Glalie and Roserade is appreciated, as it allows Lycanroc-D to set up more safely and wear down its checks.