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Overview
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- Not just your generic Normal-type
- Access to Klutz and Switcheroo grants Lopunny a lot of unpredictability in terms of its potential item choices
- What makes it dangerous is its ability to indefinitely cripple a Pokemon while being nearly impossible to see coming, which makes it very tricky to stop
- Wide support movepool that can benefit its teammates in numerous ways
- Good Speed, but zero offensive presence and below average bulk
- Lack of resists and recovery greatly limit its longevity
Klutz
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name: Klutz
move 1: Switcheroo
move 2: Thunder Wave / Encore
move 3: Healing Wish
move 4: Baton Pass
ability: Klutz
item: Assault Vest / Choice Scarf / Flame Orb
evs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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- Switcheroo lets Lopunny pass its debilitating item onto its opponent while stealing theirs
- Thunder Wave lets Lopunny spread paralysis, and also renders the Choice Scarf that it gives to its targets useless
- Encore locks foes into undesirable moves, discourages foes from setting up, healing, or supporting their teammates
- Healing Wish allows Lopunny to remain useful even when heavily weakened; restores a teamate to full health
- Baton Pass allows Lopunny to scout the opponent's initial switch-in without giving away its set, easing prediction
- Magic Coat prevents Lopunny from being subject to Taunt and Encore, as well as bouncing back hazards and status
- Heal Bell allows Lopunny to perform an additional support role
- Toxic allows Lopunny to do damage against bulkier Pokemon
- Mirror Coat can surprise special attackers, is usable due to Lopunny's decent Special Defense and lack of special weaknesses; can work in tandem with Flame Orb to surprise and fend off attackers
Set Details
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- Maximum Speed since Lopunny is reliant on its Speed to effectively disrupt foes
- HP investment to take hits better, slightly better special bulk than just max HP
- Since Lopunny is not attacking, Timid is used to reduce confusion and Foul Play damage
- Klutz is the ability of choice, as it is what gives the set its dangerous surprise factor
- Assault Vest allows Lopunny to completely neutralize passive defensive Pokemon such as Ferroseed, Audino, and Qwilfish, preventing them from using their support moves for the rest of the match
- Choice Scarf trips up less passive defensive Pokemon such as Lanturn and Vileplume, as well as bulky attackers such as Gurdurr, Hariyama, and Dragalge
- Flame Orb neuters physical attackers such as Sawk, Kangaskhan, and Feraligatr, and also cripples bulky Pokemon reliant on Leftovers recovery such as Granbull and Seismitoad
Usage Tips
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- The goal is to disrupt as much as possible, while also supporting the team if the need/chance arises
- Lopunny usually only gets one chance to pull off a successful Switcheroo, so make sure it does not go to waste
- Do not be hasty in clicking Switcheroo right away; use Baton Pass to scout the opponent's response
- The opponent may try to deduce Lopunny's item based on the kind of Pokemon Lopunny is brought in on; leading with Lopunny can increase the unpredictability factor
- If the Lopunny response would be crippled by the item, or if the opponent has managed to let their guard down against Lopunny, let them have it
- Do not be afraid in preserving Lopunny, since it can prepare a Healing Wish when its health drops low
Team Options
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- Lopunny fits best on offensive teams, which can easily make use of Lopunny's disruptive capabilities
- Fighting-resistant teammates work well with Lopunny since Fighting-types tend to be the first answer to Lopunny; Slurpuff, Mismagius, Scyther, and Mesprit can take advantage of the Fighting-types that Lopunny may have turned into setup fodder
- Optimal teammates would depend on what Lopunny decides to carry
- Setup sweepers such as Feraligatr, Gurdurr, Slurpuff, Klinklang, and Mesprit can start boosting against Assault Vest defensive Pokemon, Flame Orb physical attackers, or against Pokemon locked into moves by Choice Scarf or Encore
- Wallbreakers such as Magmortar, Sawk, Zangoose, and Golurk can start pummeling faster offensive teams as Lopunny spreads paralysis with Thunder Wave, and passes Lagging Tail onto Pokemon that aren't affected by Thunder Wave; this also affects floating Pokemon, unlike Sticky Web
- Lopunny does not simply contribute passively with item switching or paralysis spreading, it can also pitch in with Healing Wish or Endeavor, giving its teammates a much better chance of sweeping the opponent
Baton Pass
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name: Baton Pass
move 1: Cosmic Power
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Magic Coat
move 4: Encore / Healing Wish
ability: Limber
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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- Cosmic Power boosts both defenses, which can make it tricky to take down if it is not stopped quickly
- Baton Pass allows Lopunny to pass the boosts to a teammate, giving them free boosted defenses
- Magic Coat allows Lopunny to block Taunt, Encore, Roar, and Whirlwind, which would otherwise interfere with its passing duties
- Encore prevents the foe from setting up alongside Lopunny to overwhelm it; it also locks the opponent into Haze, prompting the Encore-locked Pokemon to either stay in or switch, both of which allow Lopunny to preserve momentum by Baton Passing into the appropriate teammate
- Healing Wish allows Lopunny to remain useful when at low health, giving a teammate a fresh start and another chance to sweep the opponent
- Lopunny could try to lay the red carpet for its teammates by Baton Passing Agility alongside Cosmic Power, but Lopunny would be hard pressed to try for both boosts, and faces moveslot issues
Set Details
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- Maximum Speed is important as Lopunny relies on its Speed to do its job
- HP investment to take hits better, slightly better special bulk than just max HP, especially with the defense boosts from Cosmic Power
- Leftovers for passive recovery, since Lopunny does not have any way to heal otherwise
- Limber permits the use of Leftovers, and also prevents paralysis which can cripple Lopunny
Usage Tips
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- Lopnny can begin setting up on a slower opponent that doesn't pack too much power, such as Spiritomb, defensive Granbull, unboosted Mesprit, Rotom, Xatu, Cryogonal, and Seismitoad
- Set up boosts while weathering blows, then Baton Pass
- Lopunny's Speed means that the opponent can attempt to hit the switch-in, so try not to make the Baton Pass too obvious, or at least the Baton Pass recipient
Team Options
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- Setup sweepers, such as Feraligatr and Barbaracle, enjoy the bulk Lopunny bestows upon them
- Slurpuff and Mesprit can receive the Baton Pass is Lopunny is threatened by Fighting-types, while Archeops would appreciate its newfound bulk while swooping down on Fighting-types with Acrobatics
- Damaging phasers can prove problematic for Lopunny, so teammates with useful immunities are recommended
- Slurpuff is immune to Dragon Tail, Mismagius and Golurk are immune to Circle Throw, while Klinklang is immune to Clear Smog
- Lopunny can support all of them with Healing Wish as well
Other Options
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- Large physical movepool that contains elemental punches and Jump Kick; mediocre Attack, no way to hit Ghosts
- Lagging Tail and Iron Ball can be Switcherooed onto targets to slow them down, but Thunder Wave accomplishes this for the most part
- Charm halves the opponent's attack; Swictherooing a Flame Orb tends to be more effective, especially if the opponent cannot see it coming
- Entrainment + Klutz, but Knock Off in general nullifies the foe's use of its item even upon switching out
- Teeter Dance, but confusion is far too unreliable to be worth a moveslot
- Heal Bell, but Healing Wish works better on Lopunny due to its limited survivability, and heals the recipient's HP as well
Checks & Counters
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- **Sticky Hold Pokemon**: Muk and Accelgor cannot have their item removed, effectively halting Switcheroo Lopunny from doing very much. While the risk of Encore and Magic Coat means Lopunny is not easy setup fodder, both can threaten Lopunny with STAB attacks, and even have the occasional Fighting-type move at their disposal.
- **Trick / Switcheroo users**: Being able to pass an undesirable item away greatly limits Lopunny's impact against a team, with the Rotoms being especially good Switcheroo absorbers since they are immune to Thunder Wave. However, being Switcheroo'ed an Assault Vest means the new owner cannot get rid of it, and they have to watch out for Flame Orb, since the burn lingers even after passing them away.
- **Fighting-types**: The easiest way to limit Lopunny's impact in a game is to take it out as quickly as possible, and Fighting-types are the best option since they target Lopunny's low Defense and sole weakness. They have to watch out for detrimental items and status, although for the most part they are pretty safe; Gurdurr does not mind status due to Guts, Hariyama is already a common user of Assault Vest, and the more offensive Fighting-types, Sawk and Primeape, couldn't care less about getting a Choice Scarf.
- **Faster Attackers**: Lopunny is heavily reliant on its Speed to fulfill its job, so it is put under great pressure should it face faster opponents. Swellow, Focus Blast Accelgor / Sceptile, Archeops, Pyroar, Tauros, and Liepard are such examples of Pokemon that can send Lopunny fleeing.
- **Perish Song**: Perish Song is one of the best ways to stop Baton Pass Lopunny, since unlike Haze Lopunny cannot try to Encore and then Baton Pass away to preserve momentum, as the Perish Count would simply be transferred to the recipient.
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