Overview
◦ Lunala’s good offensive typing allows it to hit most things neutrally. Access to Moonblast and Focus Blast allows it to hit Dark-types super-effectively as well.
◦ Lunala has a hefty base 137 HP stat, and combined with it’s ability, Shadow Shield, it allows it to take more hits as it halves all incoming damage when Lunala is at full health.
◦ Lunala’s 97 base speed allows it to outspeed some common metagame threats with base 90 speed such as Primal Groudon.
◦ Lunala has relatively poor defensive typing, being 4x weak to Dark and Ghost, therefore having significant trouble with Ghost Arceus and Yveltal.
◦ Lunala has access to a good coverage movepool, with moves such as Focus Blast, Ice Beam, and Moonblast.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed because of its Ghost typing means that things that rely on Extreme Speed as their damage dealing move or to take out faster threats, such as Ekiller or Mega Rayquaza, can no longer depend on it.
Choice Scarf
Lunala @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Shadow Shield
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moongeist Beam
- Moonblast / Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
Moves
• Lunala’s most capable move, Moongeist Beam, is the highest BP Ghost-type special move in the game and has the unique advantage of ignoring the target’s ability.
• Moonblast is a 95 BP Fairy-type move that allows Lunala to hit Dark types, Fighting-types and Dragon-types such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and others for super-effective damage.
• Psyshock is a Psychic-type STAB move that calculates damage using the opponent’s Defense rather than Special Defense, allowing it to hit Specially Defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Chansey better.
• Ice Beam gives Lunala a 90 BP option to hit Flying/Dragon/Ground types like Mega-Rayquaza and Zygarde-Complete super-effectively.
• Focus Blast is a higher powered move to hit Dark Types, as well as hitting Normal, Steel, and Rock Arceus forms harder.
Set Details:
• Choice Scarf make Lunala hit extremely fast, allowing it to outspeed things it normally would lose to.
• Max Speed and Special Attack with a Modest Nature make Lunala hit hard and maximize speed.
Usage Tips:
• Lunala makes for a great late-game cleaner, with Choice Scarf boosted speed that can clean up weakened targets.
• Lunala has a great use in being able to break common walls like Lugia by dealing a super-effective Moongeist Beam that goes through Lugia’s Multiscale.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed means that things that usually rely on priority to take out faster threats can no longer depend on it.
• This Lunala set has no form of recovery, meaning that Lunala will want to conserve its HP.
• Keeping Hazards off the field as much as possible is optimal to preserve Lunala’s Shadow Shield.
• Double switching can be used to effectivly avoid getting trapped by Mega-Gengar.
Teammate Options:
Arceus-Dark: Arceus-Dark is a great teammate for Lunala as it resists Lunala’s weaknesses decently well, as well as having access to Defog to remove hazards from the field.
Yveltal: Defensively bulky Yveltal is another great option for a teammate as it can tank hits from Lunala’s primary checks.
Clefable: Clefable is a good option to provide Heal Bell support and Wish Pass to Lunala if low on HP. It’s ability Unaware is also useful if Lunala becomes setup fodder in case of being locked into a move that an opponent resists or is immune to.
Rock Types: Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar are good options if Lunala is struggling with breaking Ho-Oh’s specially defensive bulk.
Fighting Types: Pokemon that can break Chansey, Blissey, and Dark Types are also very useful support to Lunala. Some options include Mega-Mewtwo-X and Mega-Lucario.
Calm Mind
Lunala @ Psychium Z / Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Shield
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moongeist Beam
- Moonblast / Focus Blast
- Hypnosis / Psyshock / Substitute
- Calm Mind
Moves
• Lunala’s signature move, Moongeist Beam, has the advantage of ignoring the target’s ability.
• Moonblast is a 95 BP Fairy-type move that allows Lunala to hit Dark types that might switch in.
• Focus Blast can be used to hit Dark types and Normal Arceus, but cannot hit Yveltal as well.
• Hypnosis gives Lunala a chance to put the opponent to sleep and allows Lunala to set up, barring it misses with it’s 60% accuracy.
• Psyshock is a Psychic-type STAB move that calculates damage using the opponent’s Defense rather than Special Defense, allowing it to hit Specially Defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Chansey better.
• Calm Mind boosts both Special Attack and Special Defense one stage.
• Substitute can be used to soak up damage or sponge a potentially crippling status.
Set Details:
• Leftovers allow Lunala to regain some HP after losing some to attack, or from residual damage from status, Rocks or Spikes.
• Psychium Z gives Lunala access to Z-Hypnosis which boosts Speed by one stage.
• Max Speed and Special Attack with Modest nature makes Lunala fast and hit as hard as possible.
Usage Tips:
• Lunala can use Substitute to prevent potentially crippling Status which assists in setting up and sweeping.
• Z-Hypnosis will boost Lunala’s speed one stage giving Timid Lunala 483 Speed and letting it outspeed everything except a +Spe nature Deoxys-Speed and faster Choice Scarf users.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed means that things that usually rely on priority to take out faster threats can no longer depend on it.
• Lunala does not need to be as cautious about setting up around an opponent who carries a Pokemon with Unaware as Moongeist Beam ignores Unaware.
•Keeping Hazards off the field as much as possible is optimal to preserve Lunala’s Shadow Shield.
•Status is a high danger to Lunala as it will prevent Shadow Shield from being active as the damage from a burn or poisoning occurs after Leftovers recovery.
Teammate Options:
Arceus-Dark: Arceus-Dark is a great teammate for Lunala as it resists Lunala’s weaknesses decently well, as well as having access to Defog to remove hazards from the field.
Yveltal: Defensively bulky Yveltal is also a great option for a teammate as it can tank hits from Lunala’s primary checks
Clefable: Clefable is a good option to provide Heal Bell support and Wish Pass to Lunala if it is low on HP.
Rock-Types: Arceus-Rock is a good option if Lunala is struggling with breaking Ho-Oh’s specially defensive bulk before Ho-Oh phazes Lunala out with Roar or Whirlwind, not allowing it to set up properly.
Mega-Mewtwo-X: Mega Mewtwo X and other Fighting types can use its Fighting type STAB to hit dark and normal types hard.
Physically Defensive
Lunala @ Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Shield
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moongeist Beam
- Moonblast
- Roost
- Toxic / Psyshock
Moves
• Moongeist Beam is a spammable Ghost type STAB move with the advantage of ignoring the target’s ability.
• Moonblast is a 95 BP Fairy-type move that allows Lunala to hit Dark types, Fighting-types and Dragon-types for super-effective damage.
• Roost is a Reliable healing move that allows Lunala to regain 50% of it’s HP, and potentially giving it more use in Shadow Shield.
• Psyshock is a Psychic-type STAB move that calculates damage using the opponent’s Defense rather than Special Defense, allowing it to hit Specially Defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Chansey better.
• Toxic is used to wear down opponents gradually while Lunala constantly heals itself with Roost and leftover recovery.
Set Details:
• Leftovers allow Lunala to regain some HP after losing a quarter of it to a substitute or to chip damage.
• Maximizing Physical bulk with a Bold Nature allows Lunala to take full advantage of Shadow Shield and it’s massive potential.
Usage Tips:
• Lunala’s high HP and useful ability to function as a defensive powerhouse.
• Keeping Hazards off the field is optimal to preserve Lunala’s Shadow Shield and maximize defensive capability.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed means that things that do a lot of damage with a move and finish off with Extreme Speed will prevent this, often allowing Lunala to get off another Roost and stay alive another turn.
• Status is a high danger to Lunala as it will prevent Shadow Shield from being active as residual damage occurs after Leftovers recovery.
• Use Lunala to beat Physical attackers such as Mega-Rayquaza, by using Toxic to wear them down.
• Roost is to be used when Lunala is low on HP or to restore Shadow Shield.
Teammate Options:
Arceus-Dark: Arceus-Dark is a great teammate for Lunala as it resists Lunala’s weaknesses decently well, as well as having access to Defog to remove hazards from the field.
Yveltal: Bulky Yveltal is another great option to provide Lunala support as it can tank hits from Lunala’s primary checks such as Arceus-Ghost.
Clefable: Clefable is a good option to provide Heal Bell and Wish Support to Lunala if low on HP.
Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar: Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar are good options if Lunala is struggling with breaking Ho-Oh’s specially defensive bulk.
Tentacruel and Toxapex: Toxic Spikes setters can buy more time for Lunala to Roost or deal more damage.
Other Options
• Choice Specs can be used as a very effective wallbreaking set, being able to break normally untouchable Special walls such as Ho-Oh.
• Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple Physical attackers like Extremekiller Arceus and Mewtwo-Mega-X.
• Timid Nature can be run on the Choice Scarf and Calm Minds sets to beat faster foes like Yveltal at the cost of some offensive power.
Checks and Counters:
Arceus-Ghost and Ghost Types: Arceus-Ghost’s Shadow force can outspeed and kill Lunala even with Shadow Shield active due to Lunala’s 4x Ghost weakness.
Magearna: Magearna can steal Lunala's boosts with Heart Swap, leaving the user at a large disadvantage.
Arceus-Dark and Dark Types: Lunala also possesses a 4x Dark weakness and Bulky Arceus-Dark can tank a couple Moonblasts if needed.
Specially Defensive Walls: Ho-Oh’s massive Special bulk allows it to take multiple hits from Lunala, as well as being able to deal out burns with Sacred Fire and crippling Lunala’s Shadow Shield. Primal Kyogre's Special bulk can make it difficult to beat as well. Ferrothorn, with its moderatly high special defence, typically runs Leech Seed can cause Lunala to struggle as its health is constantly being sapped and Shadow Shield will not be active as a result. Chansey and Blissey are nearly impossible to break as well.
Pursuit Trappers: Pursuit can be devastating to Lunala as it is 4x weak to it and often Lunala must switch out on Dark types. Tyranitar, Alolan-Muk, and Scizor are notable users.
Residual Damage: The damage-inducing statuses poison and burn also deal damage after leftover recovery, meaning Lunala will never have Shadow Shield available if it is burned or poisoned. Stealth Rock and Spikes break Lunala’s Shadow Shield and leave Lunala more vulnerable to attack.
◦ Lunala’s good offensive typing allows it to hit most things neutrally. Access to Moonblast and Focus Blast allows it to hit Dark-types super-effectively as well.
◦ Lunala has a hefty base 137 HP stat, and combined with it’s ability, Shadow Shield, it allows it to take more hits as it halves all incoming damage when Lunala is at full health.
◦ Lunala’s 97 base speed allows it to outspeed some common metagame threats with base 90 speed such as Primal Groudon.
◦ Lunala has relatively poor defensive typing, being 4x weak to Dark and Ghost, therefore having significant trouble with Ghost Arceus and Yveltal.
◦ Lunala has access to a good coverage movepool, with moves such as Focus Blast, Ice Beam, and Moonblast.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed because of its Ghost typing means that things that rely on Extreme Speed as their damage dealing move or to take out faster threats, such as Ekiller or Mega Rayquaza, can no longer depend on it.
Choice Scarf
Lunala @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Shadow Shield
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moongeist Beam
- Moonblast / Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
Moves
• Lunala’s most capable move, Moongeist Beam, is the highest BP Ghost-type special move in the game and has the unique advantage of ignoring the target’s ability.
• Moonblast is a 95 BP Fairy-type move that allows Lunala to hit Dark types, Fighting-types and Dragon-types such as Yveltal, Arceus-Dark, and others for super-effective damage.
• Psyshock is a Psychic-type STAB move that calculates damage using the opponent’s Defense rather than Special Defense, allowing it to hit Specially Defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Chansey better.
• Ice Beam gives Lunala a 90 BP option to hit Flying/Dragon/Ground types like Mega-Rayquaza and Zygarde-Complete super-effectively.
• Focus Blast is a higher powered move to hit Dark Types, as well as hitting Normal, Steel, and Rock Arceus forms harder.
Set Details:
• Choice Scarf make Lunala hit extremely fast, allowing it to outspeed things it normally would lose to.
• Max Speed and Special Attack with a Modest Nature make Lunala hit hard and maximize speed.
Usage Tips:
• Lunala makes for a great late-game cleaner, with Choice Scarf boosted speed that can clean up weakened targets.
• Lunala has a great use in being able to break common walls like Lugia by dealing a super-effective Moongeist Beam that goes through Lugia’s Multiscale.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed means that things that usually rely on priority to take out faster threats can no longer depend on it.
• This Lunala set has no form of recovery, meaning that Lunala will want to conserve its HP.
• Keeping Hazards off the field as much as possible is optimal to preserve Lunala’s Shadow Shield.
• Double switching can be used to effectivly avoid getting trapped by Mega-Gengar.
Teammate Options:
Arceus-Dark: Arceus-Dark is a great teammate for Lunala as it resists Lunala’s weaknesses decently well, as well as having access to Defog to remove hazards from the field.
Yveltal: Defensively bulky Yveltal is another great option for a teammate as it can tank hits from Lunala’s primary checks.
Clefable: Clefable is a good option to provide Heal Bell support and Wish Pass to Lunala if low on HP. It’s ability Unaware is also useful if Lunala becomes setup fodder in case of being locked into a move that an opponent resists or is immune to.
Rock Types: Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar are good options if Lunala is struggling with breaking Ho-Oh’s specially defensive bulk.
Fighting Types: Pokemon that can break Chansey, Blissey, and Dark Types are also very useful support to Lunala. Some options include Mega-Mewtwo-X and Mega-Lucario.
Calm Mind
Lunala @ Psychium Z / Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Shield
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moongeist Beam
- Moonblast / Focus Blast
- Hypnosis / Psyshock / Substitute
- Calm Mind
Moves
• Lunala’s signature move, Moongeist Beam, has the advantage of ignoring the target’s ability.
• Moonblast is a 95 BP Fairy-type move that allows Lunala to hit Dark types that might switch in.
• Focus Blast can be used to hit Dark types and Normal Arceus, but cannot hit Yveltal as well.
• Hypnosis gives Lunala a chance to put the opponent to sleep and allows Lunala to set up, barring it misses with it’s 60% accuracy.
• Psyshock is a Psychic-type STAB move that calculates damage using the opponent’s Defense rather than Special Defense, allowing it to hit Specially Defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Chansey better.
• Calm Mind boosts both Special Attack and Special Defense one stage.
• Substitute can be used to soak up damage or sponge a potentially crippling status.
Set Details:
• Leftovers allow Lunala to regain some HP after losing some to attack, or from residual damage from status, Rocks or Spikes.
• Psychium Z gives Lunala access to Z-Hypnosis which boosts Speed by one stage.
• Max Speed and Special Attack with Modest nature makes Lunala fast and hit as hard as possible.
Usage Tips:
• Lunala can use Substitute to prevent potentially crippling Status which assists in setting up and sweeping.
• Z-Hypnosis will boost Lunala’s speed one stage giving Timid Lunala 483 Speed and letting it outspeed everything except a +Spe nature Deoxys-Speed and faster Choice Scarf users.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed means that things that usually rely on priority to take out faster threats can no longer depend on it.
• Lunala does not need to be as cautious about setting up around an opponent who carries a Pokemon with Unaware as Moongeist Beam ignores Unaware.
•Keeping Hazards off the field as much as possible is optimal to preserve Lunala’s Shadow Shield.
•Status is a high danger to Lunala as it will prevent Shadow Shield from being active as the damage from a burn or poisoning occurs after Leftovers recovery.
Teammate Options:
Arceus-Dark: Arceus-Dark is a great teammate for Lunala as it resists Lunala’s weaknesses decently well, as well as having access to Defog to remove hazards from the field.
Yveltal: Defensively bulky Yveltal is also a great option for a teammate as it can tank hits from Lunala’s primary checks
Clefable: Clefable is a good option to provide Heal Bell support and Wish Pass to Lunala if it is low on HP.
Rock-Types: Arceus-Rock is a good option if Lunala is struggling with breaking Ho-Oh’s specially defensive bulk before Ho-Oh phazes Lunala out with Roar or Whirlwind, not allowing it to set up properly.
Mega-Mewtwo-X: Mega Mewtwo X and other Fighting types can use its Fighting type STAB to hit dark and normal types hard.
Physically Defensive
Lunala @ Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Shield
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moongeist Beam
- Moonblast
- Roost
- Toxic / Psyshock
Moves
• Moongeist Beam is a spammable Ghost type STAB move with the advantage of ignoring the target’s ability.
• Moonblast is a 95 BP Fairy-type move that allows Lunala to hit Dark types, Fighting-types and Dragon-types for super-effective damage.
• Roost is a Reliable healing move that allows Lunala to regain 50% of it’s HP, and potentially giving it more use in Shadow Shield.
• Psyshock is a Psychic-type STAB move that calculates damage using the opponent’s Defense rather than Special Defense, allowing it to hit Specially Defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Chansey better.
• Toxic is used to wear down opponents gradually while Lunala constantly heals itself with Roost and leftover recovery.
Set Details:
• Leftovers allow Lunala to regain some HP after losing a quarter of it to a substitute or to chip damage.
• Maximizing Physical bulk with a Bold Nature allows Lunala to take full advantage of Shadow Shield and it’s massive potential.
Usage Tips:
• Lunala’s high HP and useful ability to function as a defensive powerhouse.
• Keeping Hazards off the field is optimal to preserve Lunala’s Shadow Shield and maximize defensive capability.
• Lunala’s natural immunity to Extreme Speed means that things that do a lot of damage with a move and finish off with Extreme Speed will prevent this, often allowing Lunala to get off another Roost and stay alive another turn.
• Status is a high danger to Lunala as it will prevent Shadow Shield from being active as residual damage occurs after Leftovers recovery.
• Use Lunala to beat Physical attackers such as Mega-Rayquaza, by using Toxic to wear them down.
• Roost is to be used when Lunala is low on HP or to restore Shadow Shield.
Teammate Options:
Arceus-Dark: Arceus-Dark is a great teammate for Lunala as it resists Lunala’s weaknesses decently well, as well as having access to Defog to remove hazards from the field.
Yveltal: Bulky Yveltal is another great option to provide Lunala support as it can tank hits from Lunala’s primary checks such as Arceus-Ghost.
Clefable: Clefable is a good option to provide Heal Bell and Wish Support to Lunala if low on HP.
Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar: Arceus-Rock and Tyranitar are good options if Lunala is struggling with breaking Ho-Oh’s specially defensive bulk.
Tentacruel and Toxapex: Toxic Spikes setters can buy more time for Lunala to Roost or deal more damage.
Other Options
• Choice Specs can be used as a very effective wallbreaking set, being able to break normally untouchable Special walls such as Ho-Oh.
• Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple Physical attackers like Extremekiller Arceus and Mewtwo-Mega-X.
• Timid Nature can be run on the Choice Scarf and Calm Minds sets to beat faster foes like Yveltal at the cost of some offensive power.
Checks and Counters:
Arceus-Ghost and Ghost Types: Arceus-Ghost’s Shadow force can outspeed and kill Lunala even with Shadow Shield active due to Lunala’s 4x Ghost weakness.
Magearna: Magearna can steal Lunala's boosts with Heart Swap, leaving the user at a large disadvantage.
Arceus-Dark and Dark Types: Lunala also possesses a 4x Dark weakness and Bulky Arceus-Dark can tank a couple Moonblasts if needed.
Specially Defensive Walls: Ho-Oh’s massive Special bulk allows it to take multiple hits from Lunala, as well as being able to deal out burns with Sacred Fire and crippling Lunala’s Shadow Shield. Primal Kyogre's Special bulk can make it difficult to beat as well. Ferrothorn, with its moderatly high special defence, typically runs Leech Seed can cause Lunala to struggle as its health is constantly being sapped and Shadow Shield will not be active as a result. Chansey and Blissey are nearly impossible to break as well.
Pursuit Trappers: Pursuit can be devastating to Lunala as it is 4x weak to it and often Lunala must switch out on Dark types. Tyranitar, Alolan-Muk, and Scizor are notable users.
Residual Damage: The damage-inducing statuses poison and burn also deal damage after leftover recovery, meaning Lunala will never have Shadow Shield available if it is burned or poisoned. Stealth Rock and Spikes break Lunala’s Shadow Shield and leave Lunala more vulnerable to attack.
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