Movesets et sets compétitifs de Lopunny

Mega Lopunny’s high Speed and Attack, unresisted STAB combination with Scrappy, and STAB priority in Fake Out make it simultaneously one of the best revenge killers and anti-offense choices in the metagame. Fake Out can force respectable chip damage onto faster threats and priority users, like Rillaboom and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and even slower attackers that it brings to KO range like Mega Medicham. U-turn takes advantage of how easily Mega Lopunny can force switches by keeping up momentum on the likes of Slowbro, Clefable, Toxapex, and Slowking. Ice Punch can be run over U-turn to handle Gliscor and Landorus-T more effectively, but Mega Lopunny loses out on a lot of offensive utility. Limber can prevent paralysis before Mega Evolving. Mega Lopunny fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate the Speed and ability to pivot on forced switches that it provides. As such, wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Kyurem, Ash-Greninja, and Choice Band Victini make excellent partners, and Mega Lopunny can clean up holes in cores they make. Similarly, setup sweepers such as Reuniclus and Nasty Plot Hydreigon also appreciate being pivoted into passive Pokemon such as Slowbro. Mega Lopunny’s defensive stats are quite subpar, so walls like Clefable and specially defensive Heatran are good partners. Pivots such as U-turn Greninja variants, Rotom-W, and Choice Band Rillaboom make great options as well to get Mega Lopunny in safely. Slowking and Slowbro deserve special mention, as they can fulfill the aforementioned defensive role while using Future Sight + Teleport to let Mega Lopunny break through almost all common counterplay options, such as Toxapex, Zapdos, and Tangrowth. Magnezone can trap and remove common switch-ins to Mega Lopunny, like Mega Scizor and Corviknight, and pressure others like Clefable and Toxapex. Entry hazards from the likes of Ferrothorn, Greninja, and Garchomp are fantastic with Mega Lopunny in order to maximize the pressure it places on defensive cores and chip down foes into Fake Out range faster. Clefable especially makes an excellent partner, as it can fulfill hazard-setting duties and also support Mega Lopunny defensively,

This Mega Lopunny set trades the ability to function as a deadly offensive pivot and some of its ability to beat offense to shut down common defensive checks to Mega Lopunny such as Toxapex, Corviknight, and Gliscor with Encore. Furthermore, Mega Lopunny's extremely high Speed stat allows it to utilize Power-Up Punch extremely well, as it is hard to revenge kill, and teams often rely on defensive checks to it. However, due to this set lacking the ability to pivot on defensive switch-ins, it is forced to rely on Encore to break down its defensive checks, which can sometimes prove inconsistent due to its predictability once the set is revealed, such as relying on Corviknight or Clefable to instantly use their recovery move when they get attacked instead of retaliating. Power-Up Punch allows Mega Lopunny to function as a potent cleaner in the late-game. Encore functions alongside Power-Up Punch to use passive Pokemon such as Clefable, Toxapex, and Skarmory as setup fodder by locking them into their recovery to boost its Attack stat with Power-Up Punch as these Pokemon are left unable to retaliate. Limber is the chosen ability to allow Lopunny to avoid paralysis before it Mega Evolves to let it pressure Static Zapdos. Power-Up Punch + Encore Mega Lopunny fits on a wide array of team archetypes, from offense to balance. Due to its ability to lure and eliminate or severely chip down multiple key threats such as Toxapex, Corviknight, and Clefable, teammates like Weavile, Ash-Greninja, and Kyurem work extremely well with it, as they complement each other offensively. Ash-Greninja and Weavile, in particular, also help secure Mega Lopunny's shakier matchup against offensive teams. Although Mega Lopunny can lure and eliminate these Pokemon, it is unable to beat them in a 1v1 scenario; thus, the likes of Tapu Koko, Heatran, and Victini are common partners. Furthermore, the aforementioned Pokemon can also threaten the likes of Zapdos, Moltres, and Tangrowth, which can cause issues for Mega Lopunny. Pokemon which can set entry hazards such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Clefable, and Landorus-T are stellar partners, as the additional chip damage generated by the hazards allows Mega Lopunny to break its checks like Corviknight much easier, as well as wear down foes for it to clean late-game. Lastly, as Mega Lopunny can't switch into offensive threats due to its poor defensive capabilities, defensive pivots such as Corviknight, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W are necessary alongside it, and they can also switch into the likes of Choice Scarf Tapu Lele and Landorus-T, which can revenge kill it.

Mega Lopunny's access to Power-Up Punch and Encore in conjunction with its offensive perks lets it run a wallbreaking set that can effectively threaten popular defensive cores in the metagame like Steel's Aegislash + Heatran + Celesteela and Dark's Mega Sableye + Mandibuzz + Tyranitar. Power-Up Punch boosts Mega Lopunny's already high Attack stat to astronomical levels while not being stopped by Taunt. Encore is a very useful tool to lock slower Pokemon like Jirachi and Mantine into support or recovery moves, giving Mega Lopunny free setup opportunities with Power-Up Punch or valuable momentum for the team. Return is Mega Lopunny's most reliable STAB move and its main way to dish out damage; after a boost, it can 2HKO most physical walls that don't resist it, such as Zapdos and Clefable, as well as OHKO frailer Pokemon like Nidoking and Volcarona. Close Combat complements Mega Lopunny's perfect coverage, nailing bulky Steel- and Rock-types that resist Return, such as Aegislash and Cradily, as well as Dark-types like Hydreigon. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature make Mega Lopunny as powerful and fast as possible. Limber is Lopunny's pre-Mega ability, which grants it a useful paralysis immunity before it Mega Evolves. Scrappy gives Mega Lopunny perfect STAB neutral coverage while also enabling it to break through Intimidate Pokemon like Staraptor and Landorus-T by ignoring its effect. Balanced Normal teams greatly appreciate the role compression this Mega Lopunny set provides by being a very effective hole puncher and revenge killer in one slot. Because of this, Z-Conversion Porygon-Z stands out as its best offensive partner, as they form an offensive core capable of covering most matchups. Porygon-Z fondly benefits from Mega Lopunny removing Dark-types and specially defensive Pokemon like Alolan Muk and Gastrodon. In return, Porygon-Z defeats bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types like Jirachi and Galarian Corsola as well as physical walls such as Celesteela and Mega Venusaur. Blissey is a great partner as well, since it can absorb troublesome status conditions with its Natural Cure, set up Stealth Rock so Mega Lopunny can score crucial KOs, and safely bring it onto the field with Teleport. Ditto is able to pick off faster Pokemon that threaten to revenge kill Mega Lopunny, such as Excadrill under sand and Zeraora. Defensive Staraptor switches into physical Fighting-types like Choice Scarf Buzzwole and Infernape, keeps entry hazards off the field with Defog, and can safely get Mega Lopunny in with its U-turn, allowing Mega Lopunny to enter the battlefield unscathed. Porygon2's insane bulk makes it a great switch-in to priority moves such as Mamoswine's Ice Shard and Dragonite's Extreme Speed and opposing revenge killers like Choice Scarf Greninja that can pick off a weakened Mega Lopunny. It can shrug off these assaults and Teleport out, reliably bringing Mega Lopunny back in.

A high Attack stat coupled with exceptional coverage and an incredible Speed tier that outpaces major threats such as Tapu Koko, Cinderace, and Greninja makes Mega Lopunny a very strong offensive Pokemon for Normal teams. Fake Out lets Mega Lopunny move first, inflicting chip damage on faster offensive targets like Zeraora and Choice Scarf Greninja and putting Pokemon like Keldeo and Tapu Bulu in KO range from its other moves. Close Combat is Mega Lopunny's go-to attack, nailing Rock-, Steel-, and Dark-type Pokemon such as Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Mega Sableye. It also 2HKOes most neutral targets by virtue of its raw power. Triple Axel beautifully complements Close Combat, enabling Mega Lopunny to beat Dragon-types like Dragonite and Garchomp while also turning it into a threat against Dark, Flying, and Ground teams by OHKOing Gliscor and Landorus, as well as 2HKOing Mandibuzz, Zapdos, and specially defensive Hippowdon. U-turn rounds off the set, taking advantage of the walls like Slowbro and Torkoal Mega Lopunny forces onto the field as a way to generate momentum for the team while whittling down the opposition. Maximum Attack and Speed investment alongside a Jolly nature bolsters Mega Lopunny's offensive potential. Limber should be used as the pre-Mega ability because it grants Lopunny a useful immunity to paralysis before Mega Evolving. Scrappy gives Mega Lopunny perfect neutral coverage by letting it hit Ghost-types with its STAB moves and lets it ignore Intimidate from Staraptor and Landorus-T. All of Mega Lopunny's teammates benefit from its capability to take on Steel-, Ghost-, and Rock-type Pokemon that are problematic for Normal teams. Blissey is a great partner, as it can absorb status for Mega Lopunny with its Natural Cure, supply Stealth Rock support, and bring it safely onto the field via Teleport. In return, Mega Lopunny shreds the likes of Mega Sableye and Ferrothorn and is able to comfortably switch into undesired Knock Offs for it. Diggersby forms an exceptional offensive core with Mega Lopunny; with its extreme power, it can defeat certain defensive Pokemon like Toxapex, Slowbro, and Mega Venusaur that stop Mega Lopunny cold. Conversely, Mega Lopunny revenge kills threats faster than Diggersby such as Nidoking and Greninja and can bring it safely onto the field with U-turn. Choice Scarf Ditto is able to outspeed and either beat or force out threats to Mega Lopunny like Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Altaria. Defensive Staraptor shrugs off physical Fighting-type attacks directed at Mega Lopunny such as Choice Scarf Terrakion's Close Combat, blows away entry hazards with Defog, and has U-turn to form a pivoting core with it. Similarly, Porygon2's sheer bulk enables it to comfortably tank attacks from revenge killers like Choice Scarf Excadrill and safely Teleport out, getting Mega Lopunny into battle unscathed as a result. With its Ghost-type Z-Conversion set, Porygon-Z can eliminate Psychic-types like Celebi and physical walls like Skarmory for Mega Lopunny.

Lopunny's only niche is being able to switch away items that it is unaffected by thanks to Klutz, such as Choice Band, Flame Orb, and Assault Vest, to tamper with a tank or an offensive Pokemon's effectiveness. It also has Healing Wish to give an offensive threat a second chance after switching away an item. However, this set is outclassed by Normal-types like Stoutland and Dodrio which both are far stronger; the former is a fast breaker and the latter has a superior ability to limit its number of possible switch-ins. Even defensive Pokemon like Type: Null and Audino all outclass Lopunny for tanking hits, and Audino can effectively use Wish to recover health for itself and its teammates.

Moves Fake Out allows Mega Lopunny to land a flinch on the opposing Pokemon and deal additional damage, bypassing abilities such as Sturdy from Pokemon like Golem, Carracosta, and Magnezone and Multiscale from Dragonite as long as they do not run Protect. Fake Out also gets Pokemon like Mega Sableye in KO range. Giga Impact is Mega Lopunny's strongest attacking move. Its high attacking power mixed with Fake Out's chip damage allows it to reliably KO top-tier Pokemon like Mega Pinsir, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Gardevoir. High Jump Kick is another powerful STAB move that can hit Rock- and Steel-types that resist Giga Impact super effectively, like Magnezone, Heatran, and Mega Tyranitar. Encore uses Mega Lopunny's high Speed to effectively lock opposing stall or setup Pokemon like Type: Null into a status move, allowing it to attack freely. Ice Punch allows Mega Lopunny to hit Pokemon like Dragonite, Garchomp, and Landorus, which are often present in the higher tiers of the metagame, super effectively. Substitute also functions well alongside Encore; at the cost of either Giga Impact or High Jump Kick, it can provide better support against Pokemon like Flash Cannon Aegislash. Thunder Punch is another coverage option that allows Mega Lopunny to hit Gyarados before Mega Evolution 4x super effectively and will get it in range of a High Jump Kick if it does Mega Evolve. Set Details Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature allows Mega Lopunny to outspeed all Pokemon with a base Speed lower than 135, which includes Pokemon like Greninja, Jumpluff, and Kartana, common fast 1v1 threats. Maximum Attack investment lets it take out as many foes as possible. The 4 Defense EVs are leftovers and serve no relevant purpose, only to marginally boost its Defense. Usage Tips Against Tapu Fini, you can use Fake Out into High Jump Kick to put it in KO range of Giga Impact. Aegislash is a tricky matchup thanks to King's Shield. Against non-Flash Cannon Aegislash, you can use Giga Impact, Fake Out, or the 4th coverage move until Aegislash runs out of King's Shield PP and then KO it with High Jump Kicks. In order to beat Flash Cannon Aegislash, however, you will need to win a mindgame during turn one. If Pokemon like Type: Null use status moves, you can outspeed them and lock them into the status move with Encore during the next turn; if the opposing Pokemon has Prankster or uses a priority status move, use it during the same turn. If you're carrying Thunder Punch, the play against Mega Gyarados is to use Thunder Punch turn 2, after Fake Out. If Gyarados doesn't Mega Evolve, expecting a High Jump Kick, Thunder Punch followed by another Thunder Punch will KO it regardless if it Mega Evolves on the second Thunder Punch. If it does Mega Evolve on the first Thunder Punch, use High Jump Kick afterwards. Team Options When teambuilding with Mega Lopunny, you'd want to include bulky Fairy-type Pokemon like Clefable and Tapu Lele, which can beat physically bulky Pokemon like Mega Charizard X, Kommo-o, and Primarina and bring great complementary coverage. In return, Mega Lopunny provides good coverage for Steel-type Pokemon such as Magnezone and Heatran, which threaten these Fairy-types. It is always preferable to bring hard-hitting Pokemon like Aegislash and Blacephalon that are able to beat bulky offense Pokemon like Mega Metagross and Magearna. Mega Lopunny also helps in return by covering Sturdy Pokemon like Magneton and Golem and strong specially defensive Pokemon like Mega Charizard Y. The last good way to support Mega Lopunny is through stall Pokemon such as Whimsicott and Illumise that can beat Pokemon that outspeed Mega Lopunny, such as Zeraora, or have way too much bulk for Lopunny to deal with such as Mega Slowbro.

Moves Fake Out lets Mega Lopunny guarantee chip damage on targets such as Primal Groudon, Xerneas, and Primal Kyogre, putting them in range of its attacks later in the match. This also allows Mega Lopunny to rack up a turn of Toxic Spikes damage and anti-lead versus Smeagle, Excadrill, and Cloyster, safely breaking their Focus Sash and KOing them the next turn. Return is the most reliable Normal-type STAB move Mega Lopunny is able to use. High Jump Kick is a high-Base Power Fighting-type STAB move that allows Mega Lopunny to heavily damage targets hit super effectively by it such as Ferrothorn and Arceus-Dark, as well as 2HKOing some neutral targets such as Primal Kyogre and Magearna. Healing Wish is a big part of Mega Lopunny's niche, allowing it to sacrifice itself to fully restore a teammate and cure it of any status. Its high Speed complements this move well, as it enables it to utilize Healing Wish before being KOed by a strong attack. Encore can be a useful option over Healing Wish, as Mega Lopunny outspeeds +1 offensive Zygarde-C and can thus lock it into Dragon Dance, although it fails to outspeed +1 Zygarde pre-transformation. Encore also helps lock defensive walls such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex into status moves such as Recover. Set Details A simple EV spread of maximum Attack and Speed investment lets Mega Lopunny hit as hard and as fast as possible, outpacing foes such as Mega Gengar, Ultra Necrozma, and Marshadow. Lopunnite is required to let Lopunny Mega Evolve. Limber is the best possible base ability, as it prevents paralysis from moves like Thunder Wave, Glare, and Nuzzle. Usage Tips It's not always ideal to lead off with Mega Lopunny, as it allows Pokemon such as Arceus-Fairy and Toxapex to get their respective entry hazards up early. Your opponent will also avoid leading with common suicide leads such as Smeargle, Excadrill, and Cloyster due to the threat of Fake Out. Assess the matchup and attempt to predict your opponent's lead. If your opponent does end up leading with something with a positive matchup versus Mega Lopunny, such as a support Arceus forme, use Fake Out to chip the target and switch out the next turn to an appropriate answer to the threat at hand. Avoid using Fake Out against likely Rocky Helmet users like Toxapex and Skarmory, however. Fake Out is also a powerful tool for chipping setup sweepers such as Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Dragon Dance Mega Salamence, and Geomancy Xerneas, potentially halting a sweep or bringing the target into KO range of a teammate. Due to its frailty and lack of resistances, Mega Lopunny should be brought out through aggressive double switches into targets it can threaten such as Ferrothorn and Arceus-Dark or after one of its teammates has been KOed. Repeatedly getting Mega Lopunny on the field safely can be very important against more offensive teams that lack defensive walls. Setting up entry hazards is very important to ensure Mega Lopunny can pull its weight in a match. Get Toxic Spikes up early to cripple support Arceus formes and force a Rest from defensive Zygarde-C, and set up Stealth Rock to pressure Flying-type Defoggers such as Mega Salamence, physically defensive Yveltal, and Ho-Oh. If a certain member of your team such as Necrozma-DM or Zygarde-C is weakened, always try to assess Mega Lopunny's importance in the matchup, as a fast Healing Wish can bestow a second chance for one of your wallbreakers or sweepers or even bring back a weakened defensive wall that took a heavy hit or crippling status earlier in the match. Mega Lopunny can even bait in its checks such as Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas and use Healing Wish as they switch in, allowing free setup to teammates such as the aforementioned Necrozma-DM. Team Options Trick Room or Double Dance Necrozma-DM can be a great partner for Mega Lopunny, as Healing Wish support allows it to wallbreak more recklessly early-game and take strong hits if needed, and in return it can KO or weaken some of Mega Lopunny's answers such as Zygarde-C, Choice Scarf Yveltal, and Arceus-Ground. Although using Trick Room Necrozma-DM may seem counterintuitive, since Mega Lopunny is a fast offensive threat, it boasts higher bulk than its Double Dance counterpart, which is important for dealing with Xerneas and Mega Salamence better. Swords Dance + Stealth Rock Primal Groudon can beat down defensive walls such as Arceus-Water, Arceus-Fairy, and Zygarde-C as well as bulky Flying-types such as Ho-Oh and Mega Salamence that all trouble Mega Lopunny, helping it to clean up late-game. Other variants of Primal Groudon also work well, such as Rock Polish, which can poke holes into defensive cores early-game and then be a recipient of Healing Wish if sweeping with Primal Groudon is more likely than cleaning up with Mega Lopunny. Dragon Dance Zygarde-C complements Mega Lopunny well, as it's also another common Pokemon that can utilize Toxic Spikes with Substitute + Protect variants, which will eventually overpower support Arceus forms while having great matchups versus some of its other checks such as Toxapex, Ho-Oh, and opposing defensive Zygarde-C. Toxapex provides Toxic Spikes support, statusing support Arceus formes and Zygarde-C upon entry and chipping them in range of a 2HKO from Mega Lopunny, and acts as an answer to Choice Scarf Xerneas and Ho-Oh. Although it provides little defensive utility and isn't as consistent as Toxapex, Cloyster is an alternative Toxic Spikes setter, as it can easily set a layer of Toxic Spikes while deterring entry hazard removal attempts early on in the match due to Shell Smash and its STAB Icicle Spear. Giratina-O easily fits on offensive teams as a Defogger, and its ability to cripple defensive walls such as Arceus-Fairy with Toxic or paralyze offensive threats like Yveltal with Thunder Wave lets it aid Mega Lopunny in cleaning up teams. Arceus-Dark can be an excellent teammate because it can handle certain threats such as Yveltal, Ultra Necrozma, and Lunala, as they can all survive hits from Mega Lopunny when sufficiently healthy and OHKO it back.

Fake Out is Mega Lopunny's essential support move, enabling it to assist its ally by stopping a foe from moving for the first turn it's out. Return is the attack that Mega Lopunny will be using under most circumstances, as it does solid damage risk-free. High Jump Kick, while risky due to causing a loss of half its health if it misses or lands into Protect, enables Mega Lopunny to handle Incineroar, Kartana, Snorlax, and Tyranitar, the former two of which do not mind the other Fighting-type coverage options Mega Lopunny has, such as Low Kick. Encore allows Mega Lopunny to lock a foe into moves like Protect and Substitute, punishing opponents for playing passively. Additionally, Encore allows Mega Lopunny to punish opponents for attempting to use Protect to avoid Fake Out or High Jump Kick. After You allows Mega Lopunny to take advantage of its high Speed stat to allow a slower ally like Tapu Fini or Celesteela to move sooner. Fake Tears drops a foe's Special Defense by two stages; although Mega Lopunny does not benefit directly from this, this allows it to support a teammate, for example by potentially turning Zapdos's Thunderbolt against Tapu Fini from a 2HKO into an OHKO. Mega Lopunny may use Ice Punch in order to secure more damage against Landorus-T and Mega Salamence, although this is extremely situational, as Mega Lopunny still loses one-on-one against both of them. Although base Lopunny's ability will not matter in most cases, Limber is the best one to pick; as it prevents Lopunny from being paralyzed, it may have some situational usefulness prior to Mega Evolving. A simple EV spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe will suffice for Mega Lopunny; its bulk is too mediocre for defensive investment to be likely to make a difference, and it needs all of the power and speed it can get its hands on. A Jolly nature is chosen because it allows Mega Lopunny to outspeed Tapu Koko, Mega Salamence, and +1 Mega Tyranitar. Mega Lopunny's disruption tactics with Fake Out and Encore make it easier for Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Volcarona to set up Calm Mind and Quiver Dance, respectively, and for Pokemon like Zapdos to set up Tailwind, making these Pokemon excellent teammates. Additionally, Tapu Fini and Zapdos match up well against Landorus-T and Mega Salamence, two Pokemon that Mega Lopunny hates facing. Should Mega Lopunny opt for After You, slow Pokemon that stand to benefit the most from it make for excellent partners; Snorlax and Celesteela are good examples. Strong special attackers like Tapu Koko, Volcarona, and Zapdos benefit from Mega Lopunny running Fake Tears, as this support allows them to more easily break through Pokemon like Calm Mind Tapu Fini and Misty or Psychic Seed Celesteela. Thanks to Mega Lopunny checking Pokemon like Kartana, Incineroar, and Tyranitar, Tapu Lele makes for a very solid partner, albeit counterintuitively given the fact that Psychic Terrain conflicts with Fake Out.

Moves Return is Mega Lopunny's most reliable STAB move. High Jump Kick hits Rock- and Steel-types that resist Return for super effective damage. Power-Up Punch allows Mega Lopunny to set up on walls such as Toxapex. Encore locks slower walls into recovery or other passive moves to freely set up on them with Power-Up Punch. Set Details Maximum Attack investment allows Mega Lopunny to hit as hard as possible, and maximum Speed investment in conjunction with a Jolly nature allows Mega Lopunny to outpace Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and +1 Mega Tyranitar. Limber allows Lopunny to set up on Thunder Wave users such as Cobalion before Mega Evolving and means it can also switch in on some Thunder Wave users such as Klefki and force them out with Encore. Scrappy allows Mega Lopunny to take out threatening Ghost-types such as Mega Sableye with High Jump Kick and Return. Lopunnite allows Lopunny to Mega Evolve and gives it Scrappy and much better stats. Usage Tips Surprise Pokemon using passive moves such as Stealth Rock or any healing move by switching in as they use their passive move and locking them into it with Encore. Utilize Power-Up Punch on switch-ins such as Skarmory or after Mega Lopunny has locked something into a passive move with Encore. Make sure to take advantage of Mega Lopunny's unresisted dual STAB combination and ability to wallbreak by making double switches throughout a game. Capitalize on this especially against teams with massive threats to Normal that Mega Lopunny beats, such as Bisharp. You can also switch Mega Lopunny into Pokemon such as Substitute Zapdos and Suicune and lock them into passive moves, allowing it to freely set up. However, never hard switch Mega Lopunny into attacks unless you’re making a double switch, and bring it in through slow U-turn from users such as Staraptor or after a teammate has fainted. Play conservatively with Mega Lopunny against types that rely on stacking entry hazards, such as Steel, as Mega Lopunny has no reliable recovery and gets worn down very easily, and it should also be preserved against types such as Dark and Ghost where it has potential to get multiple KOs. Steer clear of status, mainly paralysis and burn, as the former prevents Mega Lopunny from successfully revenge killing fast offensive Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and the latter prevents it from breaking through walls. Make sure to play carefully against teams with Rocky Helmet or Rough Skin users such as Skarmory and Garchomp, as they chip Mega Lopunny down so faster revenge killers can safely KO it. Team Options Chansey can spread Toxic poison to wear down Pokemon that stop Mega Lopunny, such as Hippowdon; it can also set Stealth Rock to help wear down offensive checks such as Victini. Porygon2 can take attacks from faster revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu and slow them down with Thunder Wave for Mega Lopunny. It can also spread Toxic poison to wear down walls. Diggersby can power through Pokemon that beat Mega Lopunny, such as Skarmory, so that Mega Lopunny can be more useful later in the game. Ditto can revenge kill Pokemon such as Mega Altaria that can freely set up on Mega Lopunny. Staraptor switches into Pokemon that revenge kill Mega Lopunny, such as Choice Scarf Heracross, and can clear entry hazards with Defog, notably Sticky Web, that cripple Mega Lopunny. Porygon-Z can tear through types such as Psychic and Flying that Mega Lopunny tends to struggle with. Meloetta can also power through troublesome walls with a Choice Specs set but can be difficult to fit on teams and is easily forced out by faster offensive Pokemon. Smeargle can provide Sticky Web so Mega Lopunny can outpace faster Pokemon such as the aforementioned Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu and other faster threatening Pokemon like Choice Scarf Terrakion; it can also provide entry hazard chip damage with Stealth Rock to wear down bulkier Pokemon.

While its Attack stat is a bit underwhelming for a Mega Evolution, Mega Lopunny's impressive Speed stat and access to Scrappy make it a good choice as far as Fighting-types go. Fake Out makes Mega Lopunny a handy lead, being able to break Focus Sash, and even Mimikyu's Disguise thanks to Scrappy. Ice Punch complements Mega Lopunny's coverage well, letting it deal hard hits on Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Gliscor. However, Substitute can work against more offensive teams since Mega Lopunny does a good job of forcing frail Pokemon to switch out, and it ensures that any attempts of Mega Gengar to burn Mega Lopunny will fail.

Moves Switcheroo allows Lopunny to cripple physically defensive Pokemon, such as Relicanth, Vullaby, Misdreavus, and Tangela. It can also cripple physical wallbreakers such as Armaldo, Pawniard, Dodrio, and Bouffalant. Return is Lopunny's main STAB move, while High Jump Kick allows Lopunny to at least harm Steel- and Rock-types such as Golem, Pawniard, and Probopass. Healing Wish allows Lopunny to bring in a late-game sweeper that has no recovery, such as Swords Dance Monferno, safely and at full health. Set Details Maximum Attack investment allows Lopunny to hit as hard as possible, while maximum Speed EVs take advantage of Lopunny's good Speed tier, enabling it to cripple slower Pokemon; furthermore, a Jolly nature allows it to outspeed Pokemon such as Timid Ninetales and Naive Simipour. The power loss compared to an Adamant nature is negligible because Lopunny is fairly weak even with Attack investment. Flame Orb allows Lopunny to take advantage of Switcheroo and burn physical attackers. Klutz prevents Flame Orb from activating and burning Lopunny itself, and it can also let Lopunny bluff a Choice item. Usage Tips Lopunny's only purpose is to cripple a foe with Switcheroo for another teammate to take advantage of it. After using Switcheroo, Lopunny is nearly dead weight, and you should just use Healing Wish to bring in a weakened teammate for free. Due to Lopunny's frailty, you should not switch it into neutral hits, as they can easily take away half of its health under most circumstances; therefore, you have to get it in via a slow U-turn or Volt Switch or bring it in on a Ghost-type move. Team Options Pivots such as Lumineon and Vullaby can provide a slow U-turn and allow Lopunny to switch in safely. Water-types, such as Floatzel and Simipour, as well as Rock-types such as Golem and Relicanth can take on Fire-types, which are immune to burns. Physical attackers and sweepers can take advantage of Lopunny burning bulky Pokemon to set up or just hit very hard, and setup sweepers appreciate Healing Wish for a second chance to set up.

Moves Substitute gives Mega Lopunny a way to get past status and punish switch-ins and synergizes well with Encore. High Jump Kick is Mega Lopunny's most powerful STAB move and helps break through Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and Mega Metagross, and it best allows Mega Lopunny to punish switch-ins after a Substitute. Drain Punch can be used over High Jump Kick to prolong Mega Lopunny's Substitute-creating ability at a significant cost of power. It also doesn't miss, which makes it a more reliable option versus Pokemon such as Heatran and Ferrothorn. Return is Mega Lopunny's more reliable Normal-type STAB move and helps get past Fighting-resistant foes such as Tornadus-T and Latios. Its also perfectly accurate, which is useful in cases where High Jump Kick's potential for missing is unacceptable. Encore allows Mega Lopunny to pressure defensive Pokemon, notably locking them into a status move once a Substitute is up, allowing Mega Lopunny to create free turns. Encore also creates setup opportunities for Substitute. Fake Out and Ice Punch can be used to allow Mega Lopunny to take up a more offensive role, focusing on punishing switch-ins over crippling defensive Pokemon. Fake Out allows Mega Lopunny to bypass the downsides of the Mega Evolution turn as well as deal chip damage throughout the match. It also helps Mega Lopunny revenge kill opposing weakened Pokemon. Ice Punch allows Mega Lopunny to blow past bulky Ground-types that would otherwise give it trouble, such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor. Set Details Limber is the least situtational of Lopunny's abilities and allows Mega Lopunny to shrug off paralysis pre-Mega Evolution. This is notable in a select few instances, mainly switching into Chansey's Thunder Wave or safely accumulating Power-Up Punch boosts on Static Cyclohm. The EV spread and Jolly nature are used to maximize Mega Lopunny's Attack and Speed to ensure its effectiveness as a revenge killer. HP is kept indivisible by four to maximize Substitute chances. Usage Tips This set functions well against stall teams by taking advantage of their attempts to status Mega Lopunny. Mega Lopunny functions best on offensive teams due to its high Attack and Speed. These attributes also allow it to threaten offensive teams effectively. Don't be careless with Substitute; use it sparingly and only in situations where the advantages of creating the Substitute overshadow the potential damage Mega Lopunny can deal that turn. That said, use Substitute on predicted switches or status moves. Exercise caution with High Jump Kick against Pokemon that commonly run Protect, such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, Mega Diancie, and Chansey. It's very important to try to conserve Mega Lopunny's health so that it can create a Substitute, so be cautious using Fake Out against teams with contact-punishing Pokemon such as Garchomp, and try not to switch Mega Lopunny in needlessly. Team Options Pokemon that can handle common priority users, specifically Talonflame, such as Garchomp, are essential for Mega Lopunny. Stealth Rock setters such as Garchomp are also vital teammates for Mega Lopunny, as it helps secure KOs against Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and Tornadus-T, as well as pressuring Talonflame through Stealth Rock and Fake Out damage. Steel-types, such as Heatran and Scizor, can help handle Psychic- and Fairy-type Pokemon that threaten Mega Lopunny. Pokemon that resist Fighting work well with both Mega Lopunny and Steel-types to help handle their shared Fighting-type weakness. Tomohawk in particular can handily check the majority of Fighting-types while offering hazard control or the ability to weaken Fighting-resistant Pokemon, such as Mega Altaria, on the opposing team. Clerics such as Clefable, Pyroak, and Cyclohm can help keep Mega Lopunny healthy and remove unwanted paralysis or burns through Heal Bell and Wish support. Wallbreakers such as Manaphy, Aurumoth, and Kyurem-B can soften up defensive cores for Mega Lopunny to break through later, and in return they appreciate Mega Lopunny's ability to handle faster offensive threats such as Stratagem, as well as Mega Lopunny's potential for passing them Substitutes. Offensive Plasmanta sets are able to power through common Lopunny checks such as Tomohawk, Cyclohm, Skarmory, Pyroak, and Clefable with ease, and they are able to lure bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Garchomp and surprise them with Hidden Power Ice, or in Garchomp's case, Dazzling Gleam. Mega Lopunny is able to threaten faster Pokemon that trouble Plasmanta as well as Chansey, and it is also able to pass Plasmanta Substitutes to get it in more safely.

Moves High Jump Kick is Mega Lopunny's most powerful STAB move and allows it to OHKO frailer Pokemon such as Stratagem, Weavile, Colossoil, and even Mega Diancie after Stealth Rock, as well as 2HKO neutral targets such as Mega Metagross. Unfortunately, High Jump Kick's recoil damage puts Mega Lopunny at a disadvantage against Protect users and severely punishes the user for missing, often at crucial moments in a match. Return is Mega Lopunny's most reliable Normal-type STAB move and allows it to hit Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Tornadus-T, Latios, and Mollux. Return's perfect accuracy also allows it to be used over High Jump Kick when the potential miss and accompanying recoil damage are not acceptable. Scrappy also gives Return perfect coverage in conjunction with High Jump Kick. Fake Out allows Mega Lopunny to safely Mega Evolve and notably to get the advantage on initially faster Pokemon such as Tornadus-T and Stratagem. Ice Punch is the most useful option for allowing Mega Lopunny to get past bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor, which would otherwise be able to take a hit and deal major damage to Mega Lopunny in return. If Ice Punch doesn't appeal to you, Power-Up Punch can be used to boost Mega Lopunny's Attack during the switches Mega Lopunny can create, as well as when it revenge kills weakened Pokemon. The Attack boost allows Mega Lopunny to break through defensive Pokemon, such as Hippowdon, more easily and sweep frailer Pokemon with ease. Additionally, Mega Lopunny can make use of Drain Punch, Encore, and Healing Wish effectively. Those moves also give it a safe option to use against Protect users such as Heatran. Drain Punch helps lengthen Mega Lopunny's longevity and offset chip and recoil damage. Encore puts more pressure on defensive Pokemon, allowing Mega Lopunny to lock would-be checks such as Tomohawk into support moves such as Stealth Rock. Healing Wish allows Mega Lopunny to give another Pokemon, such as Aurumoth, Mega Metagross, or Manaphy, a chance to clinch the game through fully healing them at the cost of its own life. Set Details Limber is the least situtational of Lopunny's abilities and allows Mega Lopunny to shrug off paralysis pre-Mega Evolution, notably switching into Chansey's Thunder Wave or safely accumulating Power-Up Punch boosts on Static Cyclohm. The EV spread and Jolly nature are used to maximize Mega Lopunny's Attack and Speed to ensure its effectiveness as a revenge killer, giving it the Speed to outpace Stratagem, Syclant, Tornadus-T, and other prominent fast threats. Adamant is an option to pick up some notable KOs, such as a chance to 2HKO Clefable, a chance to OHKO Ferrothorn after Stealth Rock, and high chances of 2HKOing both Pyroak and Sylveon after Stealth Rock damage. Mega Lopunny will be able to outpace Jolly Cawmodore and below, but it is unable to revenge kill anything faster, such as Tornadus-T, Stratagem, and Syclant. Usage Tips Exercise caution against Pokemon that commonly use Protect, such as Heatran, Mega Diancie, Ferrothorn, and Chansey. Mega Lopunny functions best on and against offensive teams due to its high Speed and Base Power of its STAB moves. Try to conserve Mega Lopunny's health for as long as possible; don't use High Jump Kick when Return would suffice and try not to switch it in needlessly. Use Fake Out when opportune, be careful if the opponent has a contact-punishing Pokemon such as Garchomp or Rocky Helmet Tomohawk. Fake Out also has utility for spreading chip damage and helping put threats such as Aurumoth and Mega Charizard X into revenge killing range. Keeping Mega Lopunny's last moveslot unknown for as long as possible can allow you to surprise the opponent. Encore can be used to take advantage of Mega Lopunny's sole immunity by locking Pokemon into Ghost-type moves. Healing Wish is best used when Mega Lopunny is weakened and would be unable to achieve anything more for its team. Team Options This set functions best with Pokemon that can handle common priority users, specifically Talonflame, such as tank Garchomp. Garchomp and other Stealth Rock setters are also vital teammates for Mega Lopunny, as it helps secure KOs against Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and Tornadus-T, as well as pressuring Talonflame through Stealth Rock and Fake Out damage. Steel-types, such as Heatran and Scizor, can help handle Psychic- and Fairy-type Pokemon that threaten Mega Lopunny. Pokemon that resist Fighting synergize well with both Mega Lopunny and Steel-types to help handle their shared Fighting-type weakness. Tomohawk in particular can handily check the majority of Fighting-types while offering hazard control or the ability to weaken Fighting-resistant Pokemon, such as Clefable, on the opposing team. Clerics such as Clefable, Pyroak, and Cyclohm can help keep Mega Lopunny healthy and remove unwanted paralysis or burns through Heal Bell support. Wallbreakers such as Manaphy, Aurumoth, and Kyurem-B can soften up defensive cores for Mega Lopunny to break through later, and in return they appreciate Mega Lopunny's ability to handle faster offensive threats. Offensive Plasmanta sets are able to power through common Lopunny checks such as Tomohawk, Cyclohm, Skarmory, Pyroak, and Clefable with ease, and they are also able to lure bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Garchomp and surprise them with Hidden Power Ice, or in Garchomp's case, Dazzling Gleam. Mega Lopunny is able to threaten faster Pokemon that trouble Plasmanta and can remove Chansey as well.

Moves Return and Low Kick give Lopunny unresisted STAB moves. High Jump Kick can be used over Low Kick, as Low Kick has a low Base Power against Klefki and, to a lesser extent, Jirachi. However, even with Scrappy, the miss chance and Protect users make High Jump Kick a lesser option, as Low Kick hits most Pokemon in Ubers for maximum power anyway. Fake Out is used so Lopunny can have a free turn to Mega Evolve, and it chips setup sweepers such as Xerneas and Arceus. Healing Wish allows Lopunny to bring back a crippled teammate, which is extremely useful on the hyper offense teams that Lopunny fits into. Ice Punch can be used in the last slot over Healing Wish to hit Mega Salamence hard, but Healing Wish is more unique and useful to Mega Lopunny. Even with Ice Punch's 4x effectiveness, Mega Salamence is bulky enough to not be fazed too much by it, assuming Salamence has Intimidated Lopunny first before Mega Evolving. Set Details Thanks to its unresisted coverage and blistering Speed, Mega Lopunny fulfills a number of roles for a hyper offense team. It can revenge kill and chip away at dangerous sweepers such as Darkrai, clean up late-game when its counters have been weakened, and pull off a fast Healing Wish to bring back a weakened teammate. Limber is the preferred ability pre-Mega Evolution due to its ability to ward off paralysis. Lopunnite is compulsory, as there is little reason to use Lopunny outside of its Mega Evolution. Maximum Speed with a Jolly nature allows Lopunny to outspeed neutral Speed Deoxys-A and base 130 Speed Pokemon such as Mewtwo and Mega Gengar, and the rest of the EVs go into Attack. Usage Tips Lopunny is quite a frail Pokemon, so it is best to bring it on a free switch, which can be done through a revenge kill, a slow U-turn or Volt Switch, or a double switch. Use Fake Out to chip down and weaken sweepers such as Xerneas. Lopunny is generally more useful in the end-game. Bringing Lopunny in early, when most foes are still healthy, would just mean that it would get walled easily, as it is rather weak. The only exception is when you require Lopunny to revenge kill a dangerous threat, such as Mega Gengar, Darkrai, or Arceus-Dark, or to chip down a setup sweeper. Other than this, using Lopunny is fairly simple. Switch it into a Pokemon that can't do much damage or can't cripple it, such as Blissey, and then use a strong attack or sacrifice it using Healing Wish for a more potent sweeper. Sometimes it is worth using Healing Wish just to stop a foe from using Defog or Rapid Spin. Team Options Lopunny best works on hyper offense teams. Consistent leads such as Deoxys-S, Deoxys-A, Custap Berry Forretress, Cloyster, and Greninja are good teammates for Lopunny. Toxic Spikes support is especially nice to have because with Fake Out, the residual damage builds up really quickly. Forretress, Cloyster, and Greninja can all use Toxic Spikes. As for sweepers that synergize well with Lopunny, Primal Groudon is probably the best choice, as it can switch into Fairy attacks that Lopunny is weak against and set up with Rock Polish or Swords Dance. In terms of specific Mega Salamence checks to use on offensive teams, the options are relatively limited. Mixed Primal Groudon with Dragon Pulse can check Mega Salamence. Arceus-Ice and Shuca Berry Zekrom can also check it but are not that good on hyper offensive teams. Geomancy Xerneas is probably the best teammate that resists Fighting-type moves to use alongside Lopunny, with its ability to stampede through teams. Arceus-Ghost also synergizes excellently with Lopunny, because it resists Fighting-type moves while preventing Rapid Spin. Yveltal is also a good Pokemon to run alongside Lopunny, as it can take on Mega Mewtwo Y, which outspeeds and OHKOes Lopunny.

Moves Fake Out allows Lopunny to safely get a Speed boost after Mega Evolving. Lopunny can use that to its advantage when facing faster Pokemon such as Latios, Gengar, and Galvantula. The chip damage from Fake Out in conjunction with High Jump Kick or Return can also help Mega Lopunny secure KOs against Pokemon that otherwise wouldn't be KOed by its powerful STAB attack alone. High Jump Kick is Mega Lopunny's best Fighting-type STAB attack, hitting Dark-, Ice-, and Normal-types such as Bisharp, Mamoswine, and Chansey, while also hitting Rock- and Steel-types, which resist Return, such as Tyranitar and Heatran. With Scrappy, Mega Lopunny can also hit Ghost-types such as Sableye and Doublade. Return is Mega Lopunny's Normal-type STAB move of choice, hitting Pokemon such as Gengar for neutral damage. Ice Punch grants Mega Lopunny coverage against Dragon- and Flying-types such as Garchomp, Dragonite, Gliscor, and Landorus. Set Details Maximum Attack EVs increase Mega Lopunny's damage output. Maximum Speed EVs with a Jolly nature allow Mega Lopunny to outspeed Adamant Gyarados and Dragonite after one Dragon Dance, along with slower Choice Scarf users such as Magnezone. Limber gives Lopunny immunity to paralysis, allowing it to switch into predicted Thunder Waves before Mega Evolving. Lopunnite is needed to increase Lopunny's Attack, bulk, and Speed. An Adamant nature can be used instead of a Jolly one to increase Mega Lopunny's damage output, allowing it to almost always 2HKO Skarmory after Stealth Rock damage and sometimes OHKO Mega Garchomp with Ice Punch; however, Mega Lopunny will lose out on the extra Speed that would allow it to outspeed Tornadus-T and Weavile. Usage Tips Mega Lopunny should be used on offensive and balanced teams, as it can apply pressure on opposing teams. Fake Out is an excellent way to get some damage on opposing Pokemon and makes Mega Lopunny a dedicated lead, as it allows Mega Lopunny to break the Focus Sash and Sturdy of Pokemon such as Breloom and Galvantula. Fake Out also allows Lopunny to avoid the risk of having to switch into an attack prior to Mega Evolving. Always use it immediately as Mega Lopunny switches in to get chip damage on the opposing Pokemon. Be wary, however, of Pokemon using Rocky Helmet that can switch into Fake Out such as Skarmory and Slowbro. Using the chip damage from Fake Out, Mega Lopunny can KO Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y with Return and weaken opposing Pokemon to help its teammates later in the match. Furthermore, Fake Out is great for stalling out turns of weather effects, Reflect, and Light Screen, as well as racking up damage with additional turns of poison and burn. Despite High Jump Kick being a very powerful move, Return is much safer to use because High Jump Kick has a chance to miss, and upon doing so, Mega Lopunny loses half of its health. Only use High Jump Attack if you need to get major damage off, if the target is weak to Fighting, or if Mega Lopunny is about to faint. Scout for Protect on Pokemon that can potentially carry it, such as Ferrothorn, as High Jump Kick will damage Mega Lopunny if Protect is used. Lopunny should Mega Evolve immediately because it's dangerous to keep Lopunny in its base forme due to its low Attack stat and mediocre bulk. The only reason to use Lopunny's base forme is to switch into Thunder Wave from the likes of Thundurus and Chansey. Due to its frailty, Mega Lopunny should come in after an ally faints or from a slow U-turn user such as Staraptor. It's recommended to keep Mega Lopunny away from status moves such as Thunder Wave, Toxic, and Will-O-Wisp, as they all hinder it, giving it less time on the field. Mega Lopunny should also avoid taking any unnecessary damage, so use Chansey or Porygon2 to switch into attacks. Team Options Porygon2 is a good partner for Mega Lopunny because it can switch into physical attackers thanks to its physical bulk. In return, Mega Lopunny can take on Steel-types that Porygon2 would struggle against. With access to Foul Play, Porygon2 can check Mega Scizor and Mega Pinsir for Mega Lopunny. Chansey can take special attacks for Mega Lopunny and act as a status absorber with Natural Cure. Chansey also has Stealth Rock, which deals chip damage to the foe upon switching in, making it easier for Mega Lopunny to KO other Pokemon. Both Porygon2 and Chansey can inflict status effects such as paralysis and poison, making Mega Lopunny's job easier as a cleaner. Meloetta can act as a great special wallbreaker, breaking through walls such as Skarmory in case Mega Lopunny can't deal with them. In return, Mega Lopunny can handle Dark-types for Meloetta. Diggersby is a great partner for Mega Lopunny, as both can apply pressure on the opposing team, allowing for Mega Lopunny to clean up afterwards, and Diggersby can also check Skarmory with Fire Punch for Mega Lopunny. Staraptor is great for crippling physical attackers with Intimidate for Mega Lopunny, and it can also check Bug-, Fighting-, and Grass-types such as Heracross, Breloom, and Mega Venusaur. It can also let Mega Lopunny switch in safely with a slow U-turn. Ditto can be very helpful in getting rid of a Pokemon that threatens Mega Lopunny due to having Imposter and being able to copy the threat's stat changes, allowing it to punish setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Mega Pinsir and Dragon Dance Gyarados and Dragonite.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Mega Lopunny's Attack stat to incredible levels, allowing it to break down defensive threats and sweep offensive teams easily. Extreme Speed is a reasonably powerful STAB attack that also has +2 priority, allowing Mega Lopunny to threaten faster Pokemon. High Jump Kick is Mega Lopunny's most powerful STAB attack and provides perfect neutral coverage with Extreme Speed. Drain Punch can be used instead to enhance Mega Lopunny's longevity by recovering health when it attacks; however, it is noticeably weaker than High Jump Kick. Ice Punch hits defensive threats such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, Gliscor, and Zapdos hard. Various other moves are usable in the fourth slot. Protect allows Mega Lopunny to sweep without fear of being picked off by opposing Fake Out users. Substitute blocks attempts to inflict status and Imposter and allows Mega Lopunny to avoid Fake Out flinches as well as set up in front of passive Pokemon such as Alomomola easily. Baton Pass allows Mega Lopunny to pass Swords Dance boosts to its teammates, making fast attackers such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T extremely threatening sweepers. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed EVs increase Mega Lopunny's offensive potential. Adamant is the preferred nature, as it increases Mega Lopunny's power and allows it to hit crucial benchmarks such as 2HKOing Quagsire. However, Jolly can be used to outspeed threats such as Weavile, Aerodactyl, and Tornadus-T, as Extreme Speed may not always be sufficient to deal with them. Lopunnite is necessary to Mega Evolve Lopunny. Limber allows Mega Lopunny to avoid paralysis from defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Rotom-W before it Mega Evolves. Usage Tips If possible, Lopunny should be brought in safely with the use of a pivot, as it is quite frail. Use Mega Lopunny's powerful Extreme Speed to revenge kill foes, but be wary of its low PP. Swords Dance can be used mid-game to break down defensive threats; however, it is best used late-game when Mega Lopunny can easily clean up the opposing team. Be wary of Rough Skin, Rocky Helmet, and Iron Barbs damage racking up. Predict Ferrothorn and Ground-type switch-ins and hit them with High Jump Kick and Ice Punch, respectively. Don't recklessly click High Jump Kick against Steel-types, as they can run King's Shield, or against a foe that commonly runs Protect, such as Mega Sableye or Mega Diancie; use Swords Dance or Substitute instead. Substitute can also be used in front of foes that often run status-inflicting moves, such as Mew and Celebi, and passive Pokemon such as Alomomola. Team Options Entry hazard setters such as Stealth Rock Garchomp and Spikes Klefki wear down the opposing team. In particular, Rock-types such as Terrakion and Tyranitar can set Stealth Rock and threaten Flying-types. Strong special wallbreakers, such as Thundurus, Hoopa-U, and Gengar can deal with the physical walls that trouble Lopunny. Dark- and Ghost-types such as Weavile and Bisharp can Pursuit trap and outright KO bulky Psychic-types. Mega Lopunny appreciates Lunar Dance support from Jirachi and Latios, as it can get easily worn down throughout the match. Jirachi can also utilize Wish to restore Mega Lopunny's health without sacrificing itself, and it consistently threatens Fairy-types. Volt Switch, U-turn, and Parting Shot users such as Thundurus, Landorus-T, and Sableye allow Lopunny to come in safely. Rotom-W is particularly good at this, as it can also deal with the Flying- and Steel-types that threaten Lopunny.

Moves Fake Out + Extreme Speed allows Mega Lopunny to revenge kill many foes, as the combination is virtually a 120-Base Power priority attack. High Jump Kick is Mega Lopunny's strongest attack and hits Rock- and Steel-types hard. Rapid Spin clears entry hazards on Mega Lopunny's side of the field, and it cannot be blocked thanks to Scrappy. Ice Punch can also be used to 2HKO variants of Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor. Baton Pass can be used to allow Mega Lopunny to gain momentum, as it forces switches easily with the threat of Fake Out + Extreme Speed. However, Mega Lopunny should be wary of passing a lowered Attack stat from a foe's Intimidate. Set Details Maximum Speed EVs and a Jolly nature give Mega Lopunny as many opportunities to utilize Rapid Spin, as well as the ability to outspeed threats such as Jolly Aerodactyl. However, Adamant can also be used to increase the power of Fake Out + Extreme Speed significantly. Maximum Attack EVs give Mega Lopunny as much power as possible. Lopunnite allows Lopunny to Mega Evolve. Limber allows Lopunny to avoid paralysis before it Mega Evolves. Usage Tips Use Fake Out as soon as possible to safely Mega Evolve Lopunny. Use Fake Out frequently against offensive teams, as it racks up chip damage very quickly. Do not recklessly spam it against defensive teams, as damage from Rocky Helmet, Rough Skin, and Iron Barbs will wear down Mega Lopunny rapidly. Instead, predict when Rocky Helmet users such as Landorus-T and Garchomp and Iron Barbs Ferrothorn will switch in, and hit them with Ice Punch and High Jump Kick, respectively. If Mega Lopunny is running Rapid Spin, use it when it forces switches with the threat of Fake Out + Extreme Speed. Lopunny can also serve as an excellent lead, as Fake Out allows it to safely break Focus Sash and Sturdy. Bring Lopunny in with the use of a pivoting move or after a teammate has fainted, as it is too frail to be directly switched into attacks. Team Options Generally, Mega Lopunny appreciates support from wallbreakers, as it struggles to break through common physical walls. In particular, Bug-, Dark-, and Ghost-types such as Volcarona, Hoopa-U, Crawdaunt, Weavile, and Gengar threaten bulky Psychic-types. Strong Water- and Ice-type attackers such as Keldeo and Kyurem-B break down the Ground- and Flying-types that non-Ice Punch Lopunny cannot beat. Pokemon that dislike Stealth Rock, such as Thundurus and Dragonite, appreciate Rapid Spin support. Lunar Dance users such as Latios and Jirachi can sacrifice themselves to heal Lopunny; the latter also takes on Fairy-types. Bulky Volt Switch, U-turn, and Parting Shot users such as Rotom-W, Landorus-T, and Sableye can sponge attacks aimed at Mega Lopunny and bring it in safely with their pivoting moves.

Moves Fake Out is an excellent move because it allows Lopunny to rack up damage the turn it Mega Evolves and safely allow it to gain a new, faster Speed tier. Fake Out's damage comes in handy because it makes Return and High Jump Kick much more likely to KO the foe after it's lost a bit of health from Fake Out. Return is a solid choice because it is a powerful STAB move that has no drawbacks, and can be safely used against most Pokemon. High Jump Kick is more powerful than Return and smacks Steel-types such as Heatran and Mega Mawile, both of which shrug off Fake Out and Return. Ice Punch hits the incredibly common Landorus-T and Dragon-types such as Garchomp and Mega Salamence for solid damage, thus rounding out Mega Lopunny's coverage. However, Ice Punch is unable to OHKO all three of these Pokemon without prior damage, preferably from a teammate. Baton Pass allows Mega Lopunny to safely pivot into a teammate and come back in later to abuse Fake Out again; however, it's a risky move because Landorus-T's or Mawile's Intimidate will punish Lopunny for using it. Substitute is an excellent choice in the last slot so that Mega Lopunny can avoid Intimidate and status, and it can be used on predicted switches. Mega Lopunny takes advantage of Encore due to its high Speed stat, eliminating mind games, and can lock opposing Pokemon into unfavorable moves, such as Aegislash with King's Shield. Mega Lopunny's last moveslot is very flexible and is suited to fit your team's needs. Utility moves such as Healing Wish or other coverage moves such as Fire Punch or Thunder Punch could be used if the need arises. Healing Wish, in particular, is useful for bringing in a weakened teammate with full health and giving them a second chance to sweep the opposing team. Set Details Lopunnite is the only item Lopunny should ever run, as it allows Lopunny to Mega Evolve and gain a large boost in Speed and power, along with an excellent ability in Scrappy. Limber prevents paralysis on Lopunny before it Mega Evolves, which means Lopunny could create potential mind games with Thunder Wave users. After Mega Evolving, Lopunny gains Scrappy, which is an excellent ability because it allows Mega Lopunny to use High Jump Kick without fearing Ghost-type Pokemon. A Jolly nature is chosen over an Adamant nature so that Mega Lopunny can get the jump on base 100 Speed Pokemon before Mega Evolving and outspeed Greninja after Mega Evolving. An Adamant nature could be used if your team packs Icy Wind, Rock Tomb, or Thunder Wave support in some form, as this nature does increase Mega Lopunny's damage output quite a bit, but it's generally unadvised. The only notable difference an Adamant nature makes is that Porygon2 falls to the combination of Fake Out and High Jump Kick, but it's left at a low amount of health either way. In the long run, a Jolly nature will almost always be more beneficial to Mega Lopunny than an Adamant nature. Usage Tips Mega Lopunny does well as a lead because it can weaken the opposing team so that more powerful teammates can come in later and take advantage of the worn-down team. Thanks to Scrappy, Fake Out is almost always guaranteed to break Focus Sash, further adding to the excellence of Mega Lopunny in the early-game. Random Protects ruin Mega Lopunny's day because it means that High Jump Kick will crash, so it's always best to scout for these Protects before using High Jump Kick if possible. Limber is very situational, and it's very risky to stay in base Lopunny forme, but it can fish for a Thunder Wave. It's often best to Mega Evolve regardless and inflict damage with Fake Out, then switch into a Ground-type partner to take the incoming Thunder Wave. The greatest use for Limber is when Lopunny is not in the lead position so that it can switch into Porygon2's Thunder Wave with impunity. Mega Evolve Lopunny as early in the match as possible, because without being Mega Evolved, Lopunny is less bulky and its Speed tier is much worse than Mega Lopunny's. Do note that using Mega Lopunny early in the game does not mean that you should sacrifice it. Mega Lopunny can be useful later in the match because of its Speed, allowing it to clean up teams itself. Realize the difference in power between High Jump Kick and Return. Return's power is solid, but High Jump Kick is much higher in Base Power, and it will do a lot more on neutral hits. This can be something players forget because High Jump Kick has risky accuracy, but the risk is almost always worth it in the end. Ghost-types are also unable to switch directly into High Jump Kick because of Scrappy, so teams with Mega Lopunny don't have to fear Ghost-types switching in! Always use Fake Out first; it only works on the first turn that Lopunny is sent out and will provide excellent chip damage. Fake Out is also great because it allows a turn for Lopunny to Mega Evolve, thus gaining a huge boost in Speed. Team Options Landorus-T is a good partner because it softens up attacks for Mega Lopunny and takes any Thunder Wave aimed at Mega Lopunny. The two create a powerful core that weakens physical walls together because of their high Attack stats. Landorus-T can even U-turn to get Mega Lopunny in safely! Aegislash has good synergy with Mega Lopunny, taking on Fighting-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type attacks with ease while Mega Lopunny is able to take on Dark- and Ghost-type attacks. Aegislash beats Cresselia, in particular, which is beneficial for Mega Lopunny. Later on, Mega Lopunny can bring Aegislash back in at full health via Healing Wish. Rotom-W safely pivots into Mega Lopunny via Volt Switch and is able to spread around burns, while taking on Landorus-T and Talonflame easily. Garchomp is also a good partner for Mega Lopunny thanks to its ability to set up Stealth Rock to cripple Talonflame, which Mega Lopunny greatly appreciates. Although running Tyranitar creates a double Fighting weakness, Tyranitar helps take down pesky Psychic-types with Pursuit or can set up a Dragon Dance against a weakened team. Sylveon is a powerful wallbreaker that has decent synergy with Mega Lopunny and appreciates the removal of Steel-types before attempting a sweep. Talonflame takes advantage of the removal of Steel- and Rock-type Pokemon on the field to spam Brave Bird without worry, and it beats Blaziken, a pesky revenge killer. Bisharp is a great partner because it dissuades Intimidate and can prey upon weakened teams via Sucker Punch or Knock Off.

Although it lacks Technician and the Speed tier that makes Persian so elite, Lopunny still manages to carve a respectable niche thanks to its higher base stats with still incredible Speed, deep well of utility moves, and access to offensive physical coverage Persian could only dream of in Jump Kick and Fire Punch. Return preserves Lopunny's good bulk, allowing it to trade with the likes of Muk and Emolga without putting itself in KO range with Double-Edge. Jump Kick compliments its Normal-type STAB option very well and differentiates it from Persian, allowing it to break through Lairon without resorting to Hidden Power or Water Pulse. Lopunny only requires these two moves to be competent offensively, which allows two moveslots to be filled with its extensive movepool. The most common option is Fire Punch, which allows Lopunny to dispatch the other common Normal-resistant Pokemon in Wormadam-S on the switch, as Anticipation will alert it of Fire Punch if it gets in clean. However, Wormadam-S is not particularly threatening, so coverage on this Pokemon can be dropped if Lopunny does not need to pressure it. Toxic is an important move on Lopunny in order to cripple Frillish and especially Solrock, which will always wall it. Protect has good synergy with Toxic and makes the most out of Lopunny's solid bulk with Leftovers. Blocking Fake Out from Persian and scouting Choice-locked Pokemon is also very valuable for Lopunny. A very unique option Lopunny has access to is Healing Wish, which is particularly powerful on offense and hyper offense teams to keep momentum and restore very trade heavy threats such as Muk and Shelgon. Encore makes use of Lopunny's amazing Speed, locking common setup Pokemon such as Shelgon, Arbok, or Muk into exploitable moves and giving a strong wallbreaker the chance to take them out. Thunder Wave is surprisingly synergistic with Lopunny's Speed, power, and Toxic; Lopunny naturally outspeeds and beats Emolga and Raichu while threatening bulky Ground-types like Hippopotas and Vibrava with Toxic, allowing it to spread paralysis on the likes of Meganium and Mienfoo with surprising consistency. Limber's paralysis immunity is very useful so Lopunny is not deathly afraid of Clefairy. However, the unique ability Klutz allows Lopunny to make use of Switcheroo with otherwise crippling items like Flame Orb, Toxic Orb, or Sticky Barb. Although it is a one-time effect and Lopunny loses out on the benefits of items, usual checks such as Hippopotas, Solrock, Frillish, and Leafeon are completely ruined by the loss of their item and a crippling status condition. Maximum Speed and a Jolly nature is used for Lopunny to outrun Raichu, Simisear, and Emolga as well as Speed tie any opposing Lopunny. Leftovers is the preferred item on Limber sets in order to keep Lopunny in healthy condition over the course of a game, but Silk Scarf can be used to give Return even more power. Lopunny's lower Speed and lack of priority attacks makes it more difficult to slot on a team compared to Persian. Lopunny is best used when the lack of a defensive backbone would compromise Persian's ability to pivot out compared to Lopunny's better bulk and self sufficiency, and it also can be run when a team might appreciate its unique utility options. As a result, Lopunny is most commonly found on hyper offense and bulky offense, where it can best use its unique traits. Swords Dance Leafeon and to a lesser extent Meganium are two of Lopunny's best partners. Together they help break down mutual checks such as Muk and Lairon while also beating in each other's individual checks. Lopunny has a strong matchup against Wormadam-S and Poison-type Pokemon with its STAB and coverage moves or utility options, while offensive Leafeon and Meganium threaten Frillish, Solrock, and Hippopotas very hard, especially with Lum Berry to shrug off Toxic or Will-O Wisp. Muk is one of the most reliable tanks on offense, able to duel a variety of Pokemon in the tier and make up for Lopunny's lack of priority with its Shadow Sneak. Lopunny in turn is a reliable revenge killer once Muk is inevitably KOed, and it can support Muk with its unique utility, crippling checks such as Solrock, Hippopotas, and Arbok with Toxic or Flame Orb; it can even restore a battered Muk with Healing Wish. Solrock is able to check and take advantage of Normal- and Ground-type checks for Lopunny while also spreading status, or it can even make use of Rock Polish to sweep if Lopunny cripples said Ground-types with Switcheroo or Toxic. Lairon is another Rock-type partner that also appreciates Ground-types crippled by Lopunny, but it has an extremely powerful Head Smash to break Solrock more directly once it has been statused or worn down.