LC Threatlist
Offensive Threats
Abra
What it Does: With Base 105 Special Attack and the coveted 19 Speed, Abra is one of the best special sweepers in the tier. Its ability, Magic Guard, protects it from residual damage and combined with a Focus Sash makes it nearly impossible to OHKO, stopping sweepers in their tracks with powerful attacks. Psychic puts a dent in pretty much everything, and for what resists it, a coverage move can take care of it.
Common Set:
Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam / Hidden Power Fighting
- Energy Ball
- Protect
How to Deal with It: Abra can be hard to stop, but some walls can switch in without taking too much damage. Porygon and Spritzee are two examples of mons with enough bulk to switch in on a Psychic and avoid the KO next turn. Vullaby is immune to Psychic, and it avoids the 2HKO from Dazzling Gleam. SturdyJuice users like Magnemite and Dwebble can also make good counters, especially the latter due to Rock Blast breaking through Abra’s Focus Sash.
Fletchling
What it Does: Fletchling is a premier offensive threat in the LC metagame that every team should be prepared for. Thanks to its ability, Gale Wins, it can spam a powerful 110 BP priority move in Acrobatics with little to no consequence. It hits pretty hard on its own, but after a Swords Dance, it can be really tough to stop and can roll over unprepared teams.
Common Set:
Fletchling
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 156 HP / 196 Atk / 92 Def / 52 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- Swords Dance
- U-turn
- Roost
How to Deal with It: The best way to stop a Fletchling from sweeping you is to pack a bulky resist to take the Acrobatics. Archen, Chinchou, and Magnemite are examples of useful Fletchling counters that can take a +2 Acrobatics and force it out next turn. Stealth Rock also helps weaken Fletchling down, since it likes to switch in and out a lot.
Mienfoo
What it Does: Mienfoo is a very common sight on teams due to its blend of bulk, utility, and attacking prowess. It works extremely well as an offensive pivot due to its ability, Regenerator, and access to U-Turn to keep momentum and Drain Punch to keep healthy and continue to wear down your team. Mienfoo also can make use of the Reckless + High Jump Kick combination, which can tear holes in a team with its great power.
Common Set:
Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 156 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 36 SpD / 76 Spe
Impish Nature
- Drain Punch
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Fake Out
How to Deal with It: Fairy types such as Spritzee and Snubull can switch into Mienfoo’s attacks without too much trouble, and can really hurt it with a STAB Fairy attack. Keep in mind that Knock Off really hurts in the long run, though. Poison types such as Croagunk and Foongus can also switch in easily, the latter able to use the opportunity to Spore something.
Pawniard
What it Does: Pawniard possesses a rather useful typing for both offense and defense and has tremendous offensive power to back it up. It’s arguably the most notorious user of Knock Off in the tier, hitting hard with it and softening up the opponent’s team by removing Eviolites. It packs Sucker Punch to revenge kill even the fastest of threats, and can punish Defog users with its ability, Defiant. In essence, it functions very similarly to its evolution Bisharp in OU, but it’s much more potent in LC.
Common Set:
Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Knock Off
- Brick Break / Swords Dance
How to Deal with It: You’re going to need something that can take Knock Off to deal with Pawniard. Fighting types such as Mienfoo and Timburr resist it and can threaten it with Fighting moves; however be wary of switching into Iron Head once your Eviolite’s been knocked off. Sticky Hold users such as Trubbish and Shellos are possibly the best counters to Pawniard, as they can continue to switch into Knock off as many times as they need to throughout the match.
Tirtouga
What it Does: Tirtouga is a very formidable sweeper, using Shell Smash to boost its attack and speed to hit hard and outrun the unboosted meta. In addition, it uses its ability Sturdy with Berry Juice to avoid getting OHKO’ed not once, but twice. It’s an excellent late-game cleaner that will plow through weakened teams with relative ease.
Common Set:
Tirtouga @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet / Earthquake
How to Deal with It: Ferroseed makes an excellent Tirtouga counter, as it resists both of its STAB moves and can hit back hard with Bullet Seed. Croagunk is immune to Waterfall, resists Stone Edge and can hit back hard with Drain Punch or even revenge kill with Vacuum Wave, but beware of Earthquake. Foongus and Timburr only resist one STAB and don’t make good switch-ins but are bulky enough with their Eviolites to take an attack and revenge-kill.
Defensive Threats
Chinchou
What it Does: Chinchou’s combination of bulk, typing, and firepower make it both an offensive and defensive threat to watch out for. It makes an excellent pivot thanks to Volt Switch, and also can use Heal Bell to cure the team of status. Scald can help spread burns and weaken physical attackers. Its unique typing and ability, Volt Absorb, gives it key resistances to Flying, Water, and Fire as well as an Electric immunity, so Chinchou can switch into a variety of threats. Perhaps the scariest thing about Chinchou is its versatility, as it could be carrying a Choice Scarf, Eviolite, or Berry Juice, and can run many different EV spreads to serve different purposes.
Common Set: (Note: Chinchou can run several different sets)
Chinchou @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpA / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Ground]
How to Deal with It:
Trap it with a diglett. Or use a bulky grass type pokemon
Foongus
What it Does: Foongus has a decent amount of bulk and a wonderful defensive moveset to back it up. The biggest asset Foongus has to offer is Spore, putting almost anything to sleep and effectively removing it from the match. It also has Regenerator as its ability so it can continually switch into attacks throughout the match and still keep its health up. Its typing lets it sponge common attacking types such as Fighting, Water, Electric, and Grass, helping it to counter several important Pokemon
Common Set:
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 156 Def / 76 SpA / 76 SpD / 76 Spe
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Stun Spore / Synthesis / Hidden Power Fire
How to Deal with It: Vullaby is quite possibly the best all-around Foongus counter, as Overcoat makes it immune to Spore and it can threaten Foongus with a Flying move. Pokemon such as Fletchling and Ponyta can really hurt Foongus with their STAB attacks, but must be wary of switching into Spore. A cleric such as Spritzee or Chinchou can help cure Sleep so that Spore isn’t as much of an issue.
Porygon
What it Does: Porygon has an immense amount of bulk to take a lot of attacks and the moveset to keep itself alive and a force to be reckoned with for the whole match. Recover gives it reliable recovery, and its ability, Trace, gives it a number of useful things such as the ability to switch into Chinchou’s Volt Switch or Ponyta’s Flare Blitz. It also has Thunder Wave to cripple offensive threats so a slower teammate can perform a successful sweep. Its typing leaves it with only one weakness, making it difficult to take down with unboosted attacks.
Common Set:
Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 36 Def / 236 SpD
Calm Nature
- Recover
- Tri Attack
- Shadow Ball
- Thunder Wave
How to Deal with It: Fighting is Porygon’s one weakness, making Pokemon like Mienfoo and Timburr ideal for taking it down. Other Knock Off users also help, as without its Eviolite Porygon will be easier to take down. Pawniard also happens to resist both of Porygon’s attacks and thus can set up a Swords Dance; Sucker Punch means it won’t mind paralysis all that much. Poisoning and Burning Porygon can also help wear it down if the opponent doesn’t have a cleric, so anything that carries Toxic or Will-o-Wisp can be useful.
Spritzee
What it Does: Spritzee is an exceptional wall and the metagame’s premier cleric. It excels at passing Wishes thanks to its high HP stat, and it also gets Aromatherapy to keep the team status-free. Thank to Aroma Veil as its ability, it’s also immune to Taunt. It has a lot of bulk and resistances to both Fighting and Dark attacks, though it still has to watch out for Knock Off. Its weaknesses aren’t very common attacking types, so Spritzee can be rather difficult to wear down.
Common Set:
Spritzee @ Eviolite
Ability: Aroma Veil
Level: 5
EVs: 212 HP / 196 Def / 12 SpA / 76 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Aromatherapy
How to Deal with It: Pawniard makes a very good Spritzee counter thanks to access to both Knock Off and Iron Head to really put a dent in the fairy. It can even get a Defiant boost from switching into Moonblast if you’re lucky. Other useful mons include Magnemite with Flash Cannon and anything that carries Sludge Bomb. Knock Off users to remove Eviolite hurt Spritzee a good deal and put it into KO range for wallbreakers like Bunnelby.
Vullaby
What it Does: Vullaby is a spectacular wall with excellent bulk and one of the best hazard clearers in the tier, being a reliable Defog user. Vullaby has reliable recovery in the form of Roost, and Knock Off to rid the opponent’s team of items. Its ability, Overcoat, grants it protection against Foongus’ Spore and weather damage from Sandstorm (and the less common Hail). It has immunities to both Psychic and Ground, as well as several important resistances such as Dark, Ghost, and Grass, so it has plenty of opportunities to switch in and do its work.
Common Set:
Vullaby (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 76 Atk / 76 Def / 236 SpD
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Defog
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird / U-Turn
How to Deal with It: Rock types such as Archen and Onix can switch in and just put Stealth Rock back on the field, as well as threaten Vullaby with a Rock move. Electric types such as Chinchou and Magnemite can put a dent in Vullaby with their Electric attacks but don’t really like switching into Knock Off. Pawniard can switch in on a predicted Defog and get a Defiant boost, so it can really hurt Vullaby with Iron Head or cripple it or the rest of the team with Knock Off. Fairy types also can switch in and threaten Vullaby with their STAB, but should be wary of Knock Off.