Lanturn, The Light Pokémon. Lanturn is known to emit light. If you peer down into the dark sea from a ship at night, you can sometimes see this Pokémon's light rising from the depths where it swims. It gives the sea an appearance of a starlit night. Lanturn is nicknamed 'the deep-sea star'ť for its illuminated antenna. This Pokémon produces light by causing a chemical reaction between bacteria and its bodily fluids inside the antenna. It blinds prey with an intense burst of light. With the prey incapacitated, the Pokémon swallows it in a single gulp.
Overview
Lanturn has been a Pokemon I've greatly enjoyed using ever since it was first introduced back in Gen 2. While it's not THAT good and is nowadays mostly outclassed by Rotom Wash, it still has a number of options to help it. It's massive HP stat helps make up for its iffy defenses, Volt Absorb and Water Absorb help its lack of reliable recovery, and its mediocre Sp. Attack is made up for by a sizable movepool. Lanturn has lots of tricks up its sleeves and is also fantastic at spreading status, as it has access to Scald, Thunder Wave, and Toxic. It has a good typing too, with its only weaknesses being Grass and Ground. Sadly, that means its a huge Earthquake target. Which is extremely common in the metagames you'll see a Lanturn being employed.
Positives
+ Base 125 HP is enormous, and while it isn't on the levels of Alomomola or Chansey, it still gives it considerable bulk as its other stats are less than impressive.
+ Learns quite an array of moves like Icy Wind, Amnesia, Agility (probably not) as well as its standard Electric and Water type moves.
+ 2 of its 3 abilities are great, both of which offer recovery when hit by a specific move.
+ Water / Electric typing gives it just two weaknesses - Grass and Ground - and resistances to Fire, Water, Ice, Flying and a 4x resistance to Steel.
Negatives
- 58 / 76 / 67 offensive stats are just horrible. Its Special Attack just scrapes by as being OK, but other than that, it can't deal a lot of damage at all.
- Its also a shame that its amazing base HP is let down by 58 / 76 defences. You can take Special hits OK, but not physical ones.
- Pokemon like Ludicolo and other Pokemon that generally resist the moves it has to offer can wall Lanturn if you don't run the right coverage moves.
- No reliable means of recovering its HP.
Abilities
Volt Absorb: The Pokémon heals up to 1/4 of it’s maximum Hit Points when hit with Electric-type moves. Electric would normally be neutral on this Pokemon, so it's nice to be able to switch in to one to restore HP. It also means you can switch in to the ever-dominant Thunder Wave...
Illuminate: ...oh dear. Raises the likelihood of meeting wild Pokémon. It therefore has zero use in Wi-Fi battles. Next!
Hidden Ability: (Available)
Water Absorb: The Pokemon heals up to 1/4 of its maximum HP when hit with a Water-type move. This is also a nice ability, but I'd go for Volt Absorb as you'd prefer to lose a neutral hit than to lose a resistance. You can change between them depending on the team you are facing.
Movesets
Lanpivot
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell
- Protect
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP/ 192 SpD/ 64 Def
Bold Nature
This is Lanturn's most common set for a reason. Scald has the potential to burn your enemies and is a great deterrent for physical attackers who will inevitably try to crash the party. Volt Switch allows Lanturn to pivot, using its bulk and low Speed to send in its weaker squadmates into the fray without them having to take a hit. Against slower enemies, it instead allows Lanturn to do chip damage while making the switch. Heal Bell allows Lanturn to cleanse its squadmates and itself from status. This is especially useful for Lanturn, as it is commonly subjected to burns and poison status moves. Protect is useful for stalling for Leftovers recovery, inching Lanturn out of 3HKOs from the likes of Choice Specs Pyroar's Hyper Voice, Choice Specs Rotom's Shadow Ball, Jynx's Psyshock, and Magmortar's Earthquake. It can also be used to stall for burn damage from Scald or scout Choice item users.
Lantank
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Fire
Item Attached: Assault Vest
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SpA / 204 SpD / 52 Spe
Modest Nature
This bulky offense set is another decent option for Lanturn and my personal favorite. You can use Hydro Pump over Scald , and Thunderbolt over Volt Switch if you wish..but in my opinion the trade off in power isn't worth losing your team support options. It's entirely up to you and what your team needs.
Other Options
- Rest and Sleep Talk can work very well together. Rest will heal Lanturn of all its health and any status affliction while Sleep Talk will let it attack while asleep. Nothing bad about that
- Stockpile & Swallow are also great ways at recovery, as well as boosting up Lanturn's defences when doing so.
- Soak is a bit gimmicky, but can be fun when used in conjunction with Electric-type moves. It makes the target a pure Water-type, so weak to your Electric-type moves.
- Toxic is always good at chipping away a foe's health.
- Thunder Wave can paralyse the foe. Simple as that.
- Ice Beam is good for coverage and taking out the Ground-types that can give Lanturn grief
- Dazzling Gleam is always helpful
- Thunder is a decent alternative to Volt Switch, Thunderbolt etc., but it does lack accuracy
- Eerie Impulse is another slightly gimmicky option. Using Lanturn's Volt Absorb as the ability, it can turn Normal-type moves into Electric-type moves which then activate the ability
- Amnesia boosts Lanturn's Special Defense, which is always good.
VGC, Double & Triple Battle Options
Lanturn faces competition primarily from Rotom-W, who shares the same typing but has Levitate, so the match up against Thundurus / Landorus leads is easier for Rotom, as Lanturn with Volt Absorb only shuts down Thundurus, but eats the Earthquake. Lanturn has the option to run Scald and Ice Beam though, that gives it an edge over Rotom. Not having to worry about missing.
GR8 B8 M8
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Thunderbolt
-Protect
Item Attached: Sitrus Berry / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
Lanturn isn't very fast, so it'll be taking a few hits before getting to attack, thanks to its base 125 HP, it shouldn't be much of a problem surviving that turn. The next turn however, is a different story. Lanturn doesn't resist many popular attacking types like Fighting, Fairy or Rock. BUT it does resist Flying so Mega Salamence won't have an easy time... unless it has Earthquake.
Lanturn can partner well with any Pokemon willing to use wide spreading moves to Lanturn's benefit. Surf for Water Absorb variants, Discharge for Volt Absorb Variants. Lanturn is kinda slow so some Speed Control in Icy Wind or Tailwind can help. Suicune can Surf and use some Speed Control, Incarnate Thundurus can Discharge and Thunder Wave to slow opponents down.
Lanturn falls short in being slow and a little frail despite it's high HP, though it goes a long way in punishing Double-Edging Kangaskhans, doubly so if Lanturn holds a Rocky Helmet. All an all a very niche choice considering Rotom-W's usage.
Countering Lanturn
I really like Lanturn. It has a great typing, a movepool many pokemon would kill for, and two great abilities that give it immunity and healing. The only problem is Lanturn's stats. Everything aside from HP is poor to abysmal. So Lanturn struggles to hit hard and is only passive at taking hits, making it a pushover, right? Wrong. Lanturn has access to the coveted BoltBeam combo, giving it fantastic neutral and super effective coverage. Throw in Scald/Hydro Pump and Dazzling Gleam and an all out attacking Lanturn (which is a very suboptimal set) can hit most of the game for Super Effective (and thus almost-decent) damage. Thunderwave + Confuse Ray makes Lanturn one of the most preeminent users of the Parafusion combo, and thats not even counting Scald or Toxic for status spreading ability. Eerie Impulse, the special equivalent to Charm, Assault Vest, and/or Amnesia greatly increases Lanturn's special survivability, and Heal Bell turns Lanturn into a passable cleric.
Thus the best way to shutdown Lanturn is taunt. Many of Lanturn's best tricks come from its support movepool. Take away those and Lanturn becomes a hinderance to its own team. Due to Lanturn's higher SDEF and access to Assault Vest and/or Eerie Impulse/Amnesia, special volleys are somewhat suspect. Physical volleys, especially those with Earthquake will rip chunks out of the slow Lanturn, though an unlucky Scald Burn can put a stop to that (though it needs to be mentioned only STAB Earthquake users have a decent chance at the OHKO, and many are actually slower than Lanturn). Electivire is a special mention, being able to switch in on a T-Wave or Volt Switch, 2HKO (or OHKO if it has been slightly weakened) with Earthquake and proceed to sweep.
Whiscash is another good option, taking even less damage from Scald than Electivire, and having a better chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock. Cradily deserves a mention, being immune to Scald via Storm Drain, and able to recover via Recover/Giga Drain, but hates Toxic and lacks any means to meaningfully deal with an Assault Vest/Amnesia/Eerie Impulse set outside of Toxic. If Lanturn lacks Ice Beam, Shiftry, Cacturne and Torterra can come in and threaten OHKOs with their STAB grass attacks, though none like the Scald Burns.
Finally as Lanturn lacks any meaningful recovery (Stockpile+Swallow and Rest are almost never seen), it is extremely vulnerable to residual damage (though as many Lanturn carry Heal Bell, status is not the vector to deliver it) and can be worn down overtime..
Pre-Evolution Corner - Chinchou
Chinchou Down
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Ground
- Heal Bell / Thunder Wave
Item Attached: Berry Juice / Eviolite
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpA / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
Chinchou is one of the best water types in the Little Cup, and considering how many water type Pokemon there are, that's really saying something. With great typing and an equally great ability, Chinchou is a top-tier Pokemon in the Little Cup. Its bulky set is its most common. Scald works wonders in the context of the Little Cup, neutering most physical attackers with the threat of a burn and being difficult to switch into in general since almost nothing wants to deal with the residual damage of the burn as well. Volt Switch is next up; this allows Chinchou to pivot out, which can often force double switches, while also being a moderately powerful STAB attack as well. However, if you find yourself needing an electric STAB that doesn't switch you out, then that's where Thunderbolt comes in. In addition to being more powerful than Volt Switch, it lets you stay in to fry the opposition. However, if coverage is more up your alley, then Hidden Power Ground can destroy Magnemite and deals well with opposing Chinchou and Croagunk. For the final slot, Chinchou usually opts for some team support options. Heal Bell is the most universal, and can help prevent some Pokemon, such as Mienfoo, Pawniard, etc., from being absolutely rippled by status. Alternatively, if healing status isn't as much of a concern for you, you can opt to spread Status yourself with Thunder Wave, as not many things enjoy being stripped of their speed.
76 HP EVs and 212 Defense EVs, in addition to a Bold Nature, maximize Chinchou's physical bulk, which is deal when one of its primary functions it to counter Fletchling, among other physical attackers. This spread gives Chinchou a solid 25/14/12 defensive spread. 60 Speed EVs allows Chinchou to speed tie with Magnemite, and outspeed Adamant Larvesta and Modest Omanyte prior to a Shell Smash. Finally, 152 Special Attack EVs gives it as much power as it can while still maintaining its bulk. Volt Absorb is always the preferred ability over Water Absorb, as Chinchou already resists Water, while being neutral to Electic. Chinchou has two viable items for its bulky set; Berry Juice and Eviolite. Eviolite looks better on paper due to the fact that it makes Chinchou ridiculously bulky, but one must consider that Chinchou has no way to recover HP, and Berry Juice's high HP-healing can effectively afford it an "extra life", to put it one way. Either one is viable though, and increases Chinchou's survivability considerably.
Chinchou Up
- Scald / Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Ice Beam / Dazzling Gleam / Hidden Power Ground
- Thunderbolt
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 52 Def / 232 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest Nature
For a more offensive take on Chinchou, look no further than a Scarf set. While less common than the bulky set, it still sees enough use to warrant keeping it in consideration. This set is pretty simple; expand your coverage as much as possible, and then fire away with the appropriate attack. A water STAB is pretty much mandatory; Chinchou can make use of either Scald or Hydro Pump. Scald has better accuracy and the well known 30% burn rate, while Hydro Pump has higher power which can net KOs that Scald can miss. Volt Switch then rounds off Chinchou's STAB combo, and it makes an excellent scouting and pivoting tool, especially when paired with other U-Turn users. Just watch out for Electric-immune Pokemon switching in and robbing you of the momentum. From there, Chinchou has some filler options for its coverage. Ice Beam can be utilized to hit dragon types and grass types who resist both of your STAB attacks, but most grass types will still beat Chinchou 1-on-1, and dragon types are pretty rare. Dazzling Gleam mutilates Scraggy, but doesn't have much use beyond that due to a neutral Hydro Pump having comparable damage against things that are only 2x weak to Fairy. Hidden Power Ground also has niche coverage to destroy Magnemite, Croagunk, and opposing Chinchou, but its power sucks on non-SE attacks, and getting locked into it can be problematic. For the final slot, Thunderbolt can be an option if you need to spam your electric STAB without being switched out by Volt Switch, although any of the aforementioned coverage moves can be used in lieu of Thunderbolt if you don't feel you need it.
232 Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature put Chinchou at an impressive 16 special attack, while 224 Speed EVs put Chinchou at an equally good 16 speed, which, with a Choice Scarf, puts Chinchou at 24 speed, enough to outspeed the entire unboosted Little Cup. The remaining EVs get allocated into defense, with 52 defense EVs patching up Chinchou's weaker defense stat, albeit slightly. As always, Volt Absorb trumps Water Absorb due to the fact that Chinchou already resists Water, while it is neutral to Electric. An alternate EV spread of 52 Def / 228 SpA / 220 Spe with a Timid nature can be used to give Chinchou 17 speed and 15 special attack, but this increase in speed is not terribly significant (it does not outspeed anything noteworthy that the other spread does not) while the drop in power can be.
Locations in Games
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Evolve Chinchou
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Colosseum/XD:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Route 220 (Diamond/Pearl)
Evolve Chinchou (Platinum)
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Route 20, Route 21, Route 26, Route 27, Route 41, Route 47, New Bark Town, Pallet Town, Vermillion City, Cinnabar Island
Black/White:
Driftveil City
Black 2/White 2:
Undella Bay
X/Y:
Shalour City, Azure Bay
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Route 107, Route 124, Route 126, Route 128, Route 129, Route 130
Animé Appearences
