Lycanroc Midday Form, the Wolf Pokémon. Lycanroc attacks its prey with its sharp claws and fangs. It loyally obeys the instructions of a Trainer it trusts. It has a calm and collected demeanor. It swiftly closes in on its prey, then slices them with the rocks in its mane.

Overview

Lycanroc’s Midday form is in complete defiance of the slow bulky walls that dominate the Rock typing, instead being a swift attacker. Base 112 Speed is excellent, outspeeding many already fast Pokémon like Zoroark, Delphox, Espeon, and Frosslass. Lycanroc Midday Form can even take its speed a step further, being the fastest Sand Rush Pokémon ever made, and nigh impossible to outspeed in its favored weather. Lycanroc Midday Form backs up all this speed with potent offense, wielding its wicked Rock STAB to the fullest, while boasting valuable Fighting and Ground coverage in Close Combat and Drill Run, allowing Lycanroc Midday Form to threaten a host of targets. Lycanroc Midday Form’s signature Accelerock ties this all together, giving Lycanroc Midday Form STAB priority in a type not known for it, making Lycanroc Midday Form a very clean out to fearsome Choice Scarf and speed boosting sweepers like Typhlosion, Frosmoth, and Oricorio, greatly pressuring if not stopping such attackers altogether.

Lycanroc Midday Form epitomizing a speedy attacker does come with its own set of flaws. Base 65 in both defenses is downright frail even before we get into the weakness laden Rock typing, leaving Lycanroc Midday Form struggling to tank any hits. This makes even try to setup with Swords Dance a difficult chore, something Lycanroc Midday Form desperately needs given its power woes. Lacking the highly disruptive Knock Off, Lycanroc Midday Form is forced to lean on its STABs and coverage to get the job done. This is a tall ask given the numerous Rock resistant physical walls, of which there are so many Lycanroc Midday Form struggles to fit all the necessary coverage for everything. Ground types are especially eg Stone Edge and Rock Slide’s imperfect accuracy becomes all the worse in situations like this, given Lycanroc Midday Form’s abysmal bulk meaning that a miss from its STAB attack often means Lycanroc Midday Form getting knocked out instead. Lycanroc Midday Form ends up being more coyote than wolf, an excellent clean up artist that must pick its battles wisely but can flourish if done so.
Positives
Base 115 Attack is quite good and can go far with Lycanroc Midday Form’s powerful Rock STAB. 112 Speed is incredible, getting the jump on several offensive Pokémon. Wide coverage between Close Combat, Psychic Fangs, Play Rough, and Drill Run, allowing Lycanroc Midday Form to threaten many Pokémon. Accelerock is a fantastic signature move, being STAB priority on an offensive type with good coverage and excellent clean up tool as a result.

Negatives
75/65/65 defenses are poor, causing even neutral hits to send Lycanroc Midday Form reeling. Rock is a horrible typing defensively, with numerous weakness and lackluster resistances. Lycanroc lacks a direct answer into physically bulky Ground types without resorting to Terastalization.

Movesets

Band of Wolves

-Stone Edge
-Close Combat
-Crunch
-Accelerock
Ability: Sand Rush
Item: Choice Band
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Choice Band goes hand in hand with Lycanroc Midday Form’s incredible speed allowing it to meld breaker and revenge killer into a single slot with the confidence that few can outspeed it natively. Stone Edge is primary STAB, and with its good base power is great at ripping chunks out of a large number of targets, with even Pokémon as bulky as Florges, Venusaur and physically defensive Miltoic still getting soundly 2HKO’d by Stone Edge. Close Combat complements Stone Edge well, obliterating Steel types like Alolan Sandslash, Magnezone, and Orthworm as well as physical walls like Regirock where Stone Edge just doesn’t cut it. Crunch is valuable into the many bulky Psychic types, especially Rock resistant ones like Palossand and Golurk, where Lycanroc Midday Form would find itself otherwise hard walled. Accelerock rounds out the set for the invaluable priority it provides, preventing a setup sweeper like Quiver Dance Frosmoth, or Choice Scarf user like Hisuian Typhlosion from getting the jump on Lycanroc Midday Form, allowing it to safely clean such Pokémon up.

Tera Types:
Rock typing is more hinderance than help to Lycanroc, offering a whopping 5 weaknesses, most of which being common types. Yet Lycanroc Midday Form finds itself gravitating towards Tera Rock, as the boosts to Accelerock and Stone Edge are hard to pass up. With Tera Rock and Choice Band, Lycanroc can clean up Rock weak targets with little recourse while still doing well over half damage to common Choice Scarf users and natural Speedsters like Hisuian Electrode, Floatzel, and Whimsicott. To say nothing of the power Banded Tera Rock Stone Edge provides, OHKOing even targets as bulky as Hisuian Avalugg, and defensive Florges, while Dudunsparce and Snorlax can be soundly OHKO’d after chip damage from Spikes. Otherwise, Tera Fighting is a popular alternative for the boost it provides to Close Combat, vital for getting through Pokémon like Regirock, and Wo-Chien. Tera Ghost is worth considering for its defensive merits, blocking Close Combat from Fighting typed Choice Scarf users like Passimian, Medicham as their resistance makes Accelerock unviable for handling them.

EVs and Items:
The standard sweeper investment of Max Attack and Speed are once again recommended for Lycanroc Midday Form. It needs as much power as it can to pick up knock outs, but Jolly is still the preferred nature for being able to outrun opposing base 110s like Froslass, Alolan Raichu, Alolan Dugtrio and Dodrio where as dropping for an Adamant nature leaves Lycanroc Midday Form outran by positive natured Base 100 Pokémon like Charizard and Paldean Tauros, to shay nothing of the Pokémon between them. Choice Band is recommended as the item as it is the namesake of this set and gives Lycanroc Midday Form a needed power boost. However, the move locking effect can be brutal, especially with the many physical walls that can eat a Stone Edge, yet not one of Lycanroc Midday Form’s coverage moves being far easier to play around. As such Life Orb is recommended as a good compromise between power and flexibility. Expert Belt can also be considered; Lycanroc Midday Form’s coverage is quite good, and it excels by striking opponent’s weaknesses without having Lycanroc Midday Form worn down by Life Orb chip.

Partners:
Bulky Ground types are Lycanroc’s biggest obstacle, so allies that can handle them are greatly appreciated. Virizion is a great example, its Grass STAB easily eviscerating most Ground and Water types, while its natural Fighting STAB can soften up Steel types for Lycanroc. Brute Bonnet is another excellent example, albeit trading speed for bulk though its Dark STAB is invaluable against Palossand and Golurk, freeing up coverage for Lycanroc Midday Form. In turn, Grass types love Lycanroc Midday Form’s crushing their Bug, Fire and Flying weaknesses with its own Rock STAB. All of them being physical attackers is another boon, drawing in the opposing team’s physical walls and overwhelming them through attrition.

Other Options:
Play Rough offers incredible coverage into opposing Fighting types as well as directly threatening Dragons like Appletun. Rock Blast is a solid alternative to Stone Edge if running Loaded Dice and is great for breaking through Focus Sashes.

Countering Lycanroc

Lycanroc Midday Form possesses blistering Speed that makes it easy for it to exert offensive pressure, though its frailty and nature of its STABs make it far easier to handle.

Physically bulky Ground types are Lycanroc Midday Form’s biggest bane. No direct answer outside of annoying them with Tera Grass Trailblaze set makes them consistently safe switch-ins to Lycanroc Midday Form’s antics. Sandslash is an excellent example with even Banded Close Combat merely 3HKOing defensive sets while Earthquake reliably threatens an OHKO and can even clear away any hazards Lycanroc Midday Form sets with Rapid Spin. Mudsdale is nightmarish, switching into anything besides a boosted Tera Fighting Close Combat, getting a defense boost from Stamina and just crushing Lycanroc. If not running Crunch, Palossand and Golurk are hard walls, and even with Crunch Palossand can still turn the tables with Colbur Berry while threatening an immediate OHKO with Earth Power.

If lacking Play Rough or Psychic Fangs, Fighting types can also prove problematic for Lycanroc Midday Form. Poliwrath and physically bulky Hisuian-Decidueye can tank everything except a boosted Tera Fighting Close Combat well and OHKO back with their own Fighting types, if not outlast Lycanroc Midday Form with their healing. Virizion does not take a Banded or Boosted Close Combat well, but otherwise cleanly OHKO’s Lycanroc Midday Form back.

Other physical walls can give Lycanroc Midday Form trouble as well. Regirock only fears Close Combat from Banded Lycanroc Midday Form and even that 2HKOs while Regirock’s Body Press OHKOs in turn. Orthworm does well into non-Banded sets but is guaranteed to survive even a Choice Banded Close Combat and reliably OHKO’s with Body Press or Heavy Slam. Leafeon’s physical bulk tanks everything except a Tera Rock Banded Stone Edge and one shots back with its own Grass STAB.

If one can bypass Lycanroc’s blistering Speed, it is a simpler matter to take out, though a resistance to Rock is heavily recommended to ward off Accelerock. Scarf Passimian, Scarf Tauros-Blaze both fit this criteria nicely. Mach Punch users like Pawmot and Breloom also easily secure the Knock Out as does the naturally faster Floatzel, though none of them relish switching into Lycanroc Midday Form.

Midnight Form

Lycanroc Midnight Form, the Wolf Pokémon. This Pokémon uses its rocky mane to slash any who approach. It will even disobey its Trainer if it dislikes the orders it was given. This Lycanroc has an extremely vicious temperament. It will happily sustain injuries for the sake of taking down its opponent.

Overview

The werewolf inspired form of Lycanroc, Lycanroc Midnight Form acts as a fierce Rock typed attacker. 115 Attack coupled with the wide coverage Rock STAB boasts alone deserves some consideration. Lycanroc Midnight Form stands out further from other Rock attackers thanks to its access to No Guard, being one of the few Rock types that can disregard the imperfect accuracy of its STABs, giving it a huge leg up on reliability. Lycanrock Midnight Form adds to this base line of power with excellent coverage like Close Combat, and Play Rough, or mix utility in with its offense with Upper Hand or the always excellent Knock Off, to say nothing of Stealth Rocks.

However, this werewolf finds itself lacking in every other area. Meant to be the defensive form of the Lycanroc’s, Lycanroc Midnight Form finds itself as an middling jack of all trades master of none. While it is true it has the best bulk of any Lycanroc form, 85 HP and 75 defenses are by no means impressive, and Rock is a horrible defensive typing leaving Lycanroc Midnight Form’s bulk lacking. For this bulk, Lycanroc Midnight Form lost the impressive speed its other forms are known for, sitting at a mediocre base 82 speed. Combined with Lycanroc Midnight Form’s aforementioned bulk and Lycanroc Midnight Form is in an unenviable position of where it can struggle to do anything being too slow or frail to contribute. Even Lycanroc Midnight Form’s best asset, its power falls short. While Rock STAB is valuable for its wide coverage, Lycanroc Midnight Form has no direct answers against the numerous physically bulky Ground types like Sandslash, Sandaconda or Mudsdale, making even its best attribute suspect. Additionally, while No Guard is nice for STAB and Play Rough, it otherwise feels largely wasted on Lycanroc Midnight Form, as none of its other moves have the imperfect accuracy that would make No Guard valuable. Lycanroc Midnight Form tries a radical shift from its other forms, but in doing so tries too much at once and is left howling at the uncaring moon.
Positives
Base 115 Attack is quite good, and can go far with Lycanroc Midnight Form’s powerful Rock STAB.
No Guard ensures perfect accuracy on physical Rock STABs like Stone Edge.
Good coverage and utility in Close Combat, Play Rough, and Knock Off.

Negatives
85/75/75 defenses are below average at best, greatly limiting what attacks Lycanroc Midnight Form can tank.
Rock is a horrible typing defensively, with numerous weakness and lackluster resistances.
82 Speed is largely unimpressive, leaving numerous Pokémon that can outspeed what is not a bulky Pokémon.
Lycanroc Midnight Form lacks a direct answer into physically bulky Ground types without resorting to Terastalization.

Movesets

The Midnight Entity

-Rapid Spin
-Spikes
-Knock Off
-Triple Axel
Ability: No Guard
Item: Choice Scarf
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe Jolly Nature

Lycanroc Midnight Form can address its lackluster Speed with a Choice Scarf, becoming a revenge killer that can make the most of its Rock STAB. Between No Guard and natural Rock STAB, Lycanroc Midnight Form is arguably one of the best Stone Edge users in the game, and is great in eliminating deadly attackers and support pieces like Charizard, non-Scarf Typhlosion, Braviary, Froslass, Pyroar and more. Close Combat deals with the Steel and Tera Steel types that resist Lycanroc’s STAB, on top of dealing considerable damage to prominent walls like Regirock, Orthworm and Alolan Persian. Play Rough is for the Fighting types that could soak Lycanroc Midnight Form’s Rock STAB like Hitmontop, Poliwrath, and Paldean-Tauros and enjoys the perfect accuracy granted by No Guard. Knock Off rounds out the set, not for its coverage, but its utility, depriving opponents of their items, great for hindering walls that would otherwise switch freely into Lycanroc Midnight Form.

Tera Types:
Rock typing is more hinderance than help to Lycanroc, offering a whopping 5 weaknesses, most of which being common types. Yet as a Choice Scarf user, resistances matters less for Lycanroc Midnight Form as opposed to stopping power, taking retaliatory knock outs from as HP thresholds as possible. As such, Scarf Lycanroc Midnight Form is one of the very few users of Tera Rock, the boost pushing Stone Edge to just under 50% of max HP and max Defense Mesprit, while doing upwards of three fourths to an offensive one. Tera Fairy pushes Play Rough to pseudo STAB status, a fact Lycanroc Midnight Form gleefully uses with No Guard to blast through physical walls, solidly 2HKOing max physical bulk Spiritomb in the process, as well as OHKOing Virizion, and Hitmontop lacking Intimidate, and doing three fourths to Max HP Poliwrath. The defensive benefits of Tera Fairy are not to be discounted either. Aside from a shared Steel weakness, the sudden resistance to Fight and neutrality to Lycanroc Midnight Form’s other weaknesses is invaluable in having it survive a lethal blow and counter.

EVs and Items:
As befits a speed Choice’d attacker, Max Speed and Attack investment are the way to go for Lycanroc Midnight Form. Jolly is strongly recommended, as that base 82 Speed is invaluable in outrunning other prominent Scarf users like Mesprit, Medicham, Malamar, and Passimian, who all would turn the tables on Lycanroc Midnight Form otherwise. Choice Scarf is recommended for this set as it does address one of Lycanroc Midnight Form’s flaws, but is not the only option. Choice Band can be used, traiding revenge killer for defensive wall breaker with the instant power the item provides. Life Orb is also a strong possibility, giving Lycanroc Midnight Form invaluable move flexibility, which plays well into its conditional priority options.

Partners:
Physical walls are Lycanroc Midnight Form’s bane so allies that can pivot into and take care of them are greatly appreciated. Charizard is an excellent example, being able to freely switch into Ground, Fighting, Grass and Steel attacks aimed Lycanroc Midnight Form’s way on top of blanking Will-O-Wisp, a serious problem for Lycanroc Midnight Form given its No Guard ensures Will-O-Wisp can’t miss either. Lycanroc Midnight Form returns the favor being an excellent answer into opposing Fire types that blank Charizard’s Fire STAB on top of being a speedy Choice Scarf user that outruns other Choice Scarf users. Lapras backs both up as an excellent anti Water Pokémon between Water Absorb and Freeze Dry ruining most Water types in general. Poliwrath also works well, having great match ups into Sandslash and Orthworm that would normally be called upon to wall Lycanroc Midnight Form on top of walling opposing Water types.

Other Options:
Stealth Rocks is a great option even on Choice sets if expecting a defensive non Spinner switch in, allowing Lycanroc Midnight Form make progress even if it can’t take a knock out. Sucker Punch is one of Lycanroc Midnight Form’s priority moves and great if going against faster attackers. Trailblaze can be used to address Lycanroc Midnight Form’s poor speed, but often needs Swords Dance and Tera Grass to get the most out of it. Thunder Punch is Lycanroc Midnight Form’s best option into Water types.

Countering Lycanroc Midnight Form

Lycanroc Midnight Form’s unimpressive defenses and far from peerless Speed leave it incredibly troubled defensive, and that is even before we get into its offensive woes.

Physically bulky Ground types are Lycanroc Midnight Form’s biggest bane. No direct answer outside of annoying them with Knock Off or a Tera Grass Trailblaze set makes them consistently safe switch-ins to Lycanroc Midnight Form’s antics. Sandslash is an excellent example with even Banded Close Combat merely 3HKOing defensive sets while Earthquake reliably threatens an OHKO and can even clear away any hazards Lycanroc Midnight Form sets with Rapid Spin. Other physical walls can give Lycanroc Midnight Form trouble as well. Regirock only fears Close Combat from Banded Lycanroc Midnight Form and even that 2HKOs while Regirock’s Body Press OHKOs in turn. Orthworm does well into Scarf sets but is guaranteed to survive even a Choice Banded Close Combat and reliably OHKO’s with Body Press or Heavy Slam.

Will-O-Wisp users are also nightmarish to Lycanroc Midnight Form given its No Guard ensures the move always lands, forcing it to run. Sableye is particularly terrifying given its Prankster ensures its Will-O-Wisp always lands before Lycanroc Midnight Form moves. Physically defensive Spiritomb also works well against Scarf variants, solidly absorbing any blow before crippling back. Weezing has the sheer bulk to stomach even a Banded Tera Rock Stone Edge and land the crippling Will-O-Wisp on top of hazing away boosting sets.

Otherwise it is a simple affair to take advantage of Lycanroc Midnight Form’s poor speed and lacking defenses to OHKO it without much fuss. Specs Whimsicott, Leafeon, Floatzel, Rotom-Mow, and Virizion are just some of the examples that fulfill this criteria.

Dusk Form

Lycanroc Dusk Form, the Wolf Pokémon. Normally this Pokémon doesn't even bark, but once it enters battle, it will relentlessly drive the opponent into a corner. These Pokémon have both calm and ferocious qualities. It's said that this form of Lycanroc is the most troublesome to raise. /p>

Overview

Betwixt between day and night, Lycanroc Dusk Form is by far the most successful of the three forms. Instead of being a middle ground of the two forms, Lycanroc Dusk Form takes what made Lycanroc Midday Form so good and slightly improves on it, moving two points of base Speed to Attack. While this does deprive Lycanroc Dusk Form of the speed tier that makes its Midday form somewhat valuable, it makes up for this with a massive increase in power thanks to Tough Claws. The free Life Orb boost on most of its coverage and Accelrock before items allows Lycanroc Dusk Form to break free of the depths its alternative forms find themselves in, the extra power destroying what they can’t. Even with the drop to its base Speed, Base 110 is still a fantastic base speed to be sitting at, outstripping many offensive threats and making the most of the wide coverage Lycanroc Dusk Form’s Rock STAB provides.

Lycanroc Dusk Form being so similar to its Midday form does have its consequences. Possessing the same base defenses and typing leaves Lycanroc Dusk Form in the same pitiable state defensively. Unable to take even neutral attacks while having a list of weaknesses and generally unhelpful resistances makes it difficult for Lycanroc Dusk Form to switch in, let alone set up. Furthermore, aside from Accelrock, none of Lycanroc Dusk Form’s moves make contact, leaving Lycanroc Dusk Form wanting for power on what are its strongest attacks without Terastalizing. This leaves Lycanroc Dusk Form walled by the physically defensive Ground types that give its other forms trouble, though it is admittedly better at breaking through them thanks to Tough Claws. While the setting sun is not that far from the day that preceded it, Lycanroc Dusk Form show how just a new trick can go a long way in breathing life into man’s best friend.
Positives
Base 117 Attack is impressive before Tough Claws, allowing Lycanroc Dusk Form to ravage most in its path.
Base 110 Speed gets the jump on most of Lycanroc Dusk Form’s competition, enabling it to apply offensive pressure.
Fantastic coverage, most of it boosted by Tough Claws leaves little that can safely endure Lycanroc Dusk Form’s wrath.
Accelrock is a fantastic signature move, being STAB priority on an offensive type with good coverage and excellent clean up tool as a result.

Negatives
75/65/65 defenses are poor, causing even neutral hits to send Lycanroc Dusk Form reeling.
Rock is a horrible typing defensively, with numerous weakness and lackluster resistances.
Lycanroc lacks a direct answer into physically bulky Ground types without resorting to Terastalization.

Movesets

Dusk Doggo

-Stone Edge
-Close Combat
-Accelerock
-Swords Dance
Ability: Tough Claws
Item: Life Orb
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Lycanroc Dusk Form makes for a fantastic late game cleaner and early game revenge killer using its combination of speed and power to great effect. Stone Edge is Lycanroc Dusk Form’s primary STAB, and between the fantastic super effective coverage Rock provides and Lycanroc Dusk Form’s good attack, it is great at tearing holes in defensive walls and striking down weakened foes. Close Combat is preferred for its coverage, hitting opposing Steel types like Hisuian-Goodra, Kingambit and Registeel super effectively while the other Rock resistant types are hit neutrally. Close Combat’s power even exceeds that of Stone Edge thanks to its higher base power and the Tough Claws boost eclipsing Stone Edge’s STAB, allowing Lycanroc Dusk Form to act as a pseudo Fighting type. Accelerock is a fantastic clean up tool, dispatching weakened setup sweepers like Weak Armor Armarouge, Dragon Dance Salamence and Dragon Dance Gyarados regardless of the speed boosts they have received, preventing them from running over Lycanroc Dusk Form’s teammates. Swords Dance rounds out the set, being ideal against bulkier and more passive teams, where Lycanroc Dusk Form can be expected to survive a hit and setup, allowing it to tear through the bulky walls and break the enemy’s defensive backbone.

Tera Types:
Rock typing is more hinderance than help to Lycanroc, offering a whopping 5 weaknesses, most of which being common types. The fact that Tough Claws doesn’t even boost Lycanroc Dusk Form’s STABs is yet a further blow. As such, offensive Lycanroc Dusk Form loves Terastalizing into one of its coverage types for an obscene boost in damage. Tera Fighting is by far one of the most popular, as a STAB Tough Claws Life Orb Close Combat does obscene damage to even neutral targets, allowing Lycanroc Dusk Form to 2HKO even bulky Ground types like Hippowdon, if not OHKO it directly after a Swords Dance boost. Other bulky Ground types that would normally fell Lycanroc Dusk Form like Swampert and Gastrodon too cannot withstand the boosted Close Combat. With the power of Tera Fighting, Tera Dark is also an option, flipping the tables on Psychic types looking to block Lycanroc Dusk Form’s other STAB, while giving a vital boost to Sucker Punch for picking up knock outs. Tera Rock does deserve mention, as the multiple boosts to Accelerock cannot be discounted, allowing Lycanroc Dusk Form to OHKO Salamence and Gyarados.

EVs and Items:
As expected of a speedy attacker, the standard allotment of max Attack and Speed investment is recommended. Jolly Nature is strongly recommended; Lycanroc Dusk Form speed ties with Gengar and outruns Terrakion at that tier, and like its Midday form, it falls below base 100s like Gyarados, Galarian Zapdos, and Jirachi if it goes Adamant instead of Jolly. Life Orb is recommended for this set considering the move flexibility it enables while giving Lycanroc Dusk Form the stopping power it needs to maim the physical walls sent to hinder it. If the potential recoil is to ones disliking, Hard Stone is an alternative, keeping Accelerock near Life Orb levels and thus able to pick up those important knock outs on the many Rock weak setup sweepers.

Partners:
Lycanroc Dusk Form fits well on offensive teams that love its ability to check deadly setup sweepers with its own priority. Gyarados is a notable partner, its Water Flying typing makes it well suited to handle the Ground and Fighting types often called upon to handle Lycanroc Dusk Form. The fact that they are both physical sweepers works well, both being able to compromise the other’s checks and push them into a range where they can be knocked out. Special Salamence can also perform this role well, and even act as a lure, bluffing a physical set before annihilating the hapless physical wall with Hurricane, Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor. As Lycanroc Dusk Form struggles to get into position given its atrocious bulk, allies that can help it pivot are greatly appreciated. Flip Turn Basculegion-F makes for a great pivot, its relatively slow speed helping Lycanroc Dusk Form get in safely while readily absorbing Water, Steel and Fighting moves aimed at Lycanroc Dusk Form. Its abilities as a Special Attacker aren’t to be discounted either and it loves Lycanroc Dusk Form smashing the Dark types that give it trouble.

Other Options:
Sucker Punch is a powerful alternative priority option especially into the likes of Swift Swim Basculegion, Gengar, and Azelf as well as threaten many Psychic types looking to absorb Lycanroc Dusk Form’s famed Close Combats. Crunch is another Dark coverage alternative, hitting Slowbro, Cresselia and Reuiniclus hard. Trailblaze gives Lycanroc Dusk Form a surprise out to Ground types, especially ones quadruply weak to Grass like Gastrodon, Swampert and Rhyperior, though it all but mandates Tera Grass. Play Rough and Psychic fangs readily handle many prominent Fighting types like Galarian-Zapdos, and Chesnaught.

Countering Lycanroc Dusk Form

Lycanroc Dusk Form’s Tough Claws makes for an interesting wrinkle in checking it, as the cumulative boosts with Lycanroc Dusk Form’s coverage can enable it to bypass Pokémon it otherwise has now chance of beating.

Once again, bulky Ground types are the most reliable answer into Lycanroc Dusk Form, though not without an asterisk. Swords Dance with Life Orb and Tough Claws adds up to a frightful amount of damage very quickly and can leave Fighting neutral Ground types compromised even if they do win. Quagsire in theory does the best, being able to outright ignore Swords Dance boosts, but Tera Fighting Close Combat still solidly 2HKOs, even if the first hit wasn’t Terastalized. If lacking a Swords Dance boost, Hippowdon soaks unboosted Close Combats incredibly well and can even stomach a boosted one if healthy, but at that point it can’t switch in. Swampert, and Gastrodon can also do well in eating unboosted Close Combats before firing back with their STABs.

Bulky Psychic types also do well against Lycanroc Dusk Form if it lacks Dark coverage due to their resistance of its pseudo-STAB Close Combats. Slowbro stands out thanks to its ability to KO or cripple Lycanroc Dusk Form between Scald and Thunder Wave. Cresselia does well into unboosted Stone Edges and can cripple Lycanroc Dusk Form with Thunder Wave or bring a weakened check back in with Lunar Dance.

As with any fast frail Pokémon, if you can bypass their speed they are far easier to handle, though Lycanroc Dusk Form’s Tough Claws boosted Accelerock does a lot in precluding many naturally faster Pokémon like Talonflame and Noivern due to their weakness with Terastalizing. Scarf users like Galarian Zapdos, Jirachi, or Basculegion-F, or Protonsynthesis Attack Booster Slither Wing’s First Impression can all clean up Lycanroc Dusk Form without directly fearing Accelerock.

Anime Appearences

Lycanroc has made multiple appearances in the anime. First, both Olivia and Murdock have a Midday Form Lycanroc. Gladion used a Midnight Form Lycanroc in his Alola League campaign and Ash's Rockruff evolved into Dusk Form Lycanroc. # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics 958 Rocking Clawmark Hill! Scratchmark Hill, Rockruff and Lycanroc!! Pics 970 A Glaring Rivalry! Come Forth, Lycanroc with the Crimson Look!! Pics 974 The Island Whisperer! Enter Olivia! Cry and Laugh, Island Queen!! Pics 975 Treasure Hunt, Akala Style! We Found a Treasure! Stoutland Search!! Pics M20 Pokémon I Choose You! Pokémon I Choose You! Pics 979 Trials and Determinations! Olivia's Grand Trial! The Hardest Pokémon Match Ever!! Pics 980 Rising from the Ruins! Rockruff and the Guardian Diety of the Ruins of Life! Pics 981 Mimikyu Unmasked Mimikyu's Disguise! Pics 985 Alola, Kanto An Alola! in Kanto! Brock & Misty! Pics 986 When Regions Collide Gym Battle! Z-Move VS Mega Evolution!! Pics 987 A Dream Encounter! Ash and Nebby! A Mysterious Encounter!! Pics 988 Now You See Them, Now You Don't! Nebby's Panic! The Teleport Happened Suddenly!! Pics 990 A Masked Warning! Gladion & Silvally! The Confinement Mask!! Pics 991 Night of a Thousand Poses! Strike a Fully Powered Pose for a Sleepover! Pics 992 Mission: Total Recall! Lillie & Silvally: Memories Reborn! Pics 993 Faba's Revenge! Faba Strikes Back! Nebby Gets Abducted!! Pics 996 Rescuing the Unwilling! Hurry Up! Operation: Rescue Lusamine!! Pics 997 10,000,000 Reasons to Fight! Shine, Z-Power Ring! A Super Fully Powered 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt!! Pics 998 The Professors' New Adventure! Thank You, Solgaleo! You are Our Nebby!! Pics 999 Let Sleeping Pokémon Lie! A Strong Sleeper: Komala's Secret Pics 1000 The Dex Can't Help It! Rotom Won't Stop Undergoing Forme Change! Pics 1001 Fighting Back The Tears! Don't Cry-de, Mareanie! Pics 1002 Tasting the Bitter with the Sweet! Mallow & Lana: Bittersweet Memories! Pics 1003 Getting a Jump on the Competition! Lillie is Soaring Through The Air! The PokéSled Jump Tournament! Pics 1004 A Mission of Ultra Urgency! Set Off! You Are Our Ultra Guardians!! Pics 1005 Acting True to Form! The Dark Meowth is Alolan Meowth!? Pics 1006 Pushing the Fiery Envelope! Burn with Passion, Litten! Down with Incineroar!! Pics 1007 TBC Ash and Passimian! A Touchdown of Friendship!! Pics 1010 Love at First Twirl! Pika Pika Sparkling Love! Poipole Spins Round and Round!! Pics 1011 Real Life...Inquire Within! Work Experience! Around the Clock with the Pokémon Center! Pics 1012 Rise and Shine, Starship! Shine On, Starship Celesteela! Pics 1017 Tough Guy Trials! This Tough Old Geezer's the Island Kahuna? Pics 1018 Some Kind of Laziness! Tapu Bulu! Intense Slacker Training!! Pics 1019 A Battle Hand-Off! The Decisive Super Battle! Pikachu VS Mimikyu!! Pics 1020 Guiding an Awakening! Nanu's Grand Trial! The Awakening of Lycanroc! Pics 1021 Twirling with a Bang! Ultra Beast Clash! Operation: Boom Boom Crackle!! Pics 1023 Not Caving Under Pressure! A Sandshrew's Storm! An Ice Hole Double Battle!! Pics 1024 A Young Royal Flame Ignites! The Young Flame of Alola! The Birth of Royal Ash!! Pics 1025 All They Want to Do is Dance Dance! Won't You Give us a Dance Dance Evolution? Pics 1027 The Shape of Love to Come! The Shape of Family: Poipole's Feelings! Pics 1028 The Long Vault Home! Leap 'n' Climb: Stakataka! Pics 1029 I Choose Paradise! I Choose Here! The Pokémon Steam Paradise!! Pics 1030 Filling the Light with Darkness! Crisis in Alola! The Darkness that Eats Radiance!! Pics 1031 Full Moon and Many Arms! Lunala VS UB: BLACK! A Battle at Full Moon!! Pics 1033 Securing the Future! Connect to the Future! The Legend of the Blinding One!! Pics 1035 Turning the Other Mask! Kukui Up Against the Wall! A Second Masked Royal!! Pics 1036 Lillier and the Staff! The Hero Lilliel and the Alolan Cane! Pics 1039 Don't Ignore the Small Stufful! Team Rocket & Stufful! Pics 1040 No Stone Unturned! Dartrix the Master!!! Rowlet the Sleeperzzz Pics 1041 Bright Lights, Big Changes! The Duo Splits Up!? Ash & Rotom Pics 1042 We Know Where You're Going, Eevee! Where is Eevee Going? To the End of the World for the Sake of a Meeting! Pics 1046 Heart of Fire! Heart of Stone! A Passionate Heart That Smashes Even Rocks! Olivia and Brock!! Pics 1048 Showdown on Poni Island! Lycanroc Showdown! Ash VS Gladion!! Pics 1049 Evolving Research! We Have the Sea and We Have Valleys! Pokémon Evolution Training!! Pics 1051 Memories in the Mist! In Tapu Fini's Mist Pics 1052 A Grand Debut! An Island Kahuna is Born! Ash's Grand Trial!! Pics 1053 Keeping Your Eyes on the Ball! Hole in One at PokéGolf Pics 1055 Got Meltan? A New Species Has Been Discovered! I Got a Meltan!! Pics 1057 Beauty is Only Crystal Deep! Beauty and the Meowth Pics 1058 The Dealer of Destruction! Guzma, Emperor of Destruction! Pics 1059 The Secret Princess! Lillie and the Secret Ingenuity Princess! Pics 1060 Drawn with the Wind! Shaymin, Meltan and Sandy! Lost Explorers!! Pics 1063 The One That Didn't Get Away! Lana Hooks a Kyogre?! Pics 1065 Spying for the Big Guy! You're Being Watched! Team Rocket's Alola Forms!! Pics 1066 A Fiery Training Camp Trick! Master the Z-Move! Kiawe's Fierce Boot Camp!! Pics 1067 Living on the Cutting Edge! Perfect Sharpness! Kartana has Arrived! Pics 1068 A Timeless Encounter! Ash: A Timeless Encounter! Pics 1069 Pikachu's Exciting Adventure! Pikachu's Exciting Expedition! Pics 1070 Chasing Memories, Creating Dreams! Gladion & Lillie! Chasing a Father's Phantom!! Pics 1071 League Offenders and Defenders! The Curtain Rises! The Alola Pokémon League!! Pics 1073 Battling Besties! Mallow & Lana! A Fully Powered Battle of Friendship!! Pics 1074 The Battlefield of Truth and Love! Jessie VS James! A Battlefield of Love and Truth!! Pics 1075 Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Strategy! Overcome Decidueye!! Pics 1076 Battling on the Wing! A Birdacious Battle! Brave Bird VS Sky Attack!! Pics 1077 The Road to the Semifinals! Everyone's Fully Powered! The Road to the Semifinals!! Pics 1078 The Final Four! The Semifinals! Kiawe VS Gladion! Pics 1079 Getting Down to The Ire! Rising Fire! More Than One Rival!! Pics 1080 The Wisdom Not to Run! Guzma the Undefeated! Pics 1081 Final Rivals! The Finals! The Ultimate Rival Showdown!! Pics 1082 Enter the Champion! He's Born! The Alolan League Winner! Pics 1083 Z-Move Showdown! Guzzlord Attacks! Decisive Z-Move Battle!! Pics 1084 Exhibition Unmasked! Final Battle! Ash VS Kukui!! Pics 1085 A Full Battle Bounty! Burn with Passion! Get Filled with Intensity! A Full Battle!!! Pics 1086 Fiery Surprises! Conclusion! Incineroar VS Torracat!! Pics 1087 From Z to Shining Z! The Greatest Z in Alola! Tapu Koko VS Pikachu! Pics 1088 Dreaming of the Sun and Moon! The Sun, the Moon and Everyone's Dreams! Pics 1089 Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues! Thank You, Alola! Respective Departures!! Pics 1126 The New Old Gang of Mine I Am Back! Nice to See You, Alola! Pics 1200 The Homecoming Crown! Mohn and Lillie: A Reunion on the Tundra! Pics 1201 Helping the Hometown Hero! A Triumphant Return! The Alola Champion!! Pics 1220 Paring Pokémon While Parrying! The Finals III: Smashing Pics 1221 Partners in Time! The Finals IV: Partner Pics 1 The Pendant That Starts It All: Part One The Pendant It All Started With! (Part 1) Pics 25 Rivals in the Dark of Night! Rivals in the Moonless Night Pics 41 A Wild Mom Appears! Enter the Intense Mom! Pics 82 Beyond the Shining Rainbow At the End of the Shining Rainbow Pics 90 TBC To The Skies Once More (Part 1) Pics 98 TBC Cortondo, Site of Reunions! Pics 100 TBC We Are The Rising Volt Tacklers! Pics 101 TBC Fight! Terastallization VS Mega Evolution!! Pics