[Gen 8] LC - Offense

Question

Hello :D, I am new to competitive and am learning LC. A little guidance would be helpful, thanks!

Team:
Abra, Anorith, Fomantis, Scorbunny, Inkay, Duskull
I am also thinking of replacing something with a Grassy Surge Grookey, but I'm not sure what. Any ideas?

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Abra @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball
- Shadow Ball 

Weak to: Bug, Ghost, Dark.
Move coverage: Fighting, Poison, Dark, Dragon, Rock, Grass, Ground, Psychic, Ghost. (9)

The Choice Scarf and EV investment make Abra super fast, and that combined with a wide coverage of moves and huge Special Attack lets Abra OHKO a wide range of Pokemon. Synchronise will reflect status conditions, a big help for the team.

Anorith @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs:
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- X-Scissor
- Rock Tomb

Weak to: Rock, Steel, Water.
Move coverage: Psychic, Ghost, Grass, Dark, Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug. (8)

Swords Dance to double Attack. Knock Off to take away item users, and for coverage. X-Scissor because this thing doesn't get Leech Life (whyyyy), for strong Bug STAB, and Rock Slide for Rock STAB. It's good for double battles, should I decide to do them lol.

Fomantis @ Eviolite
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 160 Atk / 160 SpA / 190 Spe
Serious Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- X-Scissor
- Poison Jab

Weak to: Fire, Ice, Bug, Poison Flying.
Move coverage: Water, Ground, Rock, Grass, Psychic, Dark, Fairy. (7)

Serious nature because this thing has Leaf Storm and t e r r i b l e special coverage lol. Leaf Storm doubles Special Attack, so Giga Drain does more, and as well as having STAB it is HP draining. X-Scissor for coverage, and Poison Jab for coverage too, with the nice poison chance. Thought of giving this thing Big Root 'til I saw this things defenses haha. Eviolite's probably best though, right?

Scorbunny @ Wide Lens
Ability: Libero
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Blaze Kick
- Gunk Shot
- High Jump Kick
- Bounce

Weak to (all 4 types, Libero): Water, Rock, Ground, Psychic, Flying, Fairy, Electric, Ice. (3 weaknesses each for Fire, Fighting, and Flying, 2 for Poison).
Move coverage: Grass, Ice, Bug, Rock, Normal, Fairy, Fighting. (7)

Blaze Kick is the strongest physical Fire move that Scorbunny can know, which combined with Libero STAB, is super strong. Gunk Shot, combined with Libero STAB, is great for coverage. High Jump Kick is strong with Libero STAB, and also turns Scorbunny into a Fighting type, resisting Rock type moves, which Fire type Scorbunny would be weak to. Bounce has STAB and makes Scorbunny immune to Ground type moves.

The Wide Lens makes moves 10% more accurate than normal, which is crucial for this moveset to work. Blaze Kick goes from 90% to 99%, Gunk Shot goes from 80% to 88%, High Jump Kick goes from 90% to 99%, which is insane for a Libero Scorbunny, and Bounce goes from 85% to 93%.

(This was a moveset I suggested here btw https://pokemondb.net/pokebase/340966/what-is-a-good-lc-moveset-for-scorbunny)

Inkay @ Muscle Band
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 170 HP / 170 Atk / 170 Spe
Careful Nature
- Night Slash
- Psycho Cut
- Superpower
- Topsy-Turvy / Rock Slide

Weak to: Bug (4x), Fairy.
Move coverage: Psychic, Ghost, Fighting, Poison, Ice, Rock, Dark, (Fire, Flying, Bug). (7-10)

Night Slash and Psycho Cut have high crit chances, and are strong thanks to STAB. Superpower pairs nicely with contrary to boost Attack and Defence. Here I need a second opinion. Should I go with Rock Slide for coverage against Bug types, or Topsy-Turvy to reverse stat changes? Any opinion is a lot of help, thanks. I personally think I prefer Topsy-Tury.

Duskull @ Eviolite
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 170 SpA / 170 Spe / 85 Def / 85 SpD
Modest Nature
- Pain Split
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Ice Beam

Weak to: Ghost, Dark
Move coverage: Ghost, Psychic, Fighting, Poison, Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon

Pain Split can restore HP, although it is slightly situational. Shadow Ball for strong STAB, and Psychic and Ice Beam are for coverage.

Grookey @ Grassy Seed (Or other?)
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 250 Atk / 250 SpD / 8 HP
Adamant Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- Acrobatics

Weak to: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison.
Move coverage: Water, Rock, Ground, Psychic, Dark, Steel, Rock, Ice, Grass, Fighting, Bug. (11)

Grassy Surge activates Grassy Terrain, giving Grassy Glide +1 priority as well as being boosted by Terrain. Knock Off is for coverage and getting rid of Items. Drain Punch is for coverage, HP recovery, and Pawniard. The Grassy Seed is used up after Terrain activates, making Acrobatics deal double damage, plus a Defense boost.

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Like I said, this is my first time designing competitive movesets, and I would really appreciate anything you have to say. Thanks! :)

Answer 1

Note before I start: I’m changing all your EVs because the LC EV system is a bit different, and investing 252 in a stat is generally not a good idea. Also, make sure your Pokemon are Level 5! Your sets default to Level 100, please be sure to specify.

Abra
Due to Abra’s frailty and it outspeeding the entire unboosted metagame aside from Diglett and Elekid, a Focus Sash is better than Choice Scarf. It does speed tie with Pokemon like Diglett-Alola and Ponyta, but Ponyta is usually irrelevant and Diglett-Alola can be taken care of with any decent-powered move. Synchronize is probably the best Ability, but Magic Guard shouldn’t be discounted either, seeing as Abra’s Sash is automatically invalidated by hazards, and you don’t have a Defogger/Spinner. I like the set, but you could consider Calm Mind over Energy Ball if you want a little more power.

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Synchronize / Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 236 SpA / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball / Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball

Anorith
Aqua Jet is a very nice move, and gives your team some sorely needed priority. Knock Off could be replaced, but in doing so, you remove your way to cripple Eviolite users like Mareanie, Ferroseed, and the omnipresent Vullaby. You could also consider Hone Claws over Swords Dance to boost Rock Tomb’s accuracy.

Anorith @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance / Hone Claws
- Knock Off / Aqua Jet
- X-Scissor
- Rock Tomb

Fomantis
I suggest not using Fomantis. It’s far too slow, and it doesn’t have a very good movepool. Oddish is probably the next-best special attacker/defender, and Grookey is the next-best physical attacker. If you want to use that Grookey, Fomantis is probably the Pokemon to replace.

Oddish @ Eviolite
Ability: Run Away
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 236 Def / 76 SpD / 116 Spe
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
- Strength Sap

While we’re on the subject of Grookey, I recommend replacing Grassy Seed with Life Orb. LO Grookey is so, so good, with STAB priority Grass Glides doing massive damage. As your item is no longer consumed, I recommend Swords Dance instead of Acrobatics, to boost your Attack even more.

Grookey @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Grassy Glide
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch

Scorbunny
For Scorbunny, I think Bounce is outclassed by Sucker Punch and U-turn. Prominent threats like Archen and Pawniard can come in while Scorbunny is in the air, tank the Bounce, and KO it easily. Sucker Punch allows it to grab a KO, and it's especially nice against things like Diglett that Scorbunny struggles against. U-turn is a very nice pivot move, and you can pick up a KO on Pokemon like Abra if need be. The only thing Bounce covers that Blaze Kick doesn't is Fighting. Adamant is better for more damage output, as Scorbunny outspeeds quite a bit even with it. You may also want Heavy-Duty Boots instead of Wide Lens, if you’re pivoting in and out with U-turn.

Scorbunny @ Wide Lens / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Libero
Level: 5
EVs: 188 Atk / 116 Def / 196 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Blaze Kick
- Gunk Shot
- High Jump Kick
- Sucker Punch / U-turn

Inkay
The first thing I’m going to say is that Inkay is not even close to viable in LC. Bug types feast upon it, and it is almost completely outclassed by Abra and Pawniard. It has a niche in Contrary + Superpower, but it can be stopped in its tracks by burns (hi Mareanie and Staryu), and can be walled if it happens to be Choiced. Spritzee absolutely stomps on Inkay, and Spritzee is a primarily defensive Pokemon. Therefore, seeing as you already have an Abra…

Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Stealth Rock / Swords Dance

Duskull
Duskull is okay. It’s bulky, but doesn’t really make good use of that bulk. It’s weak to Knock Off, an unfortunate situation for a Pokemon to be in in any tier. It’s very slow, and has cruddy attacking stats, meaning it’s relegated to being a supportive Ghost mon. There’s a reason we don’t see many of those in competitive. I don’t really think you need it. Golett is far and away the superior Ghost type, so you should use that instead.

Golett @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 44 HP / 164 Atk / 196 Def / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Punch / Shadow Punch

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Here’s some damage calcs against prominent Pokemon, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the spectrum.

236 SpA Abra Dazzling Gleam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Vullaby: 18-22 (78.2 - 95.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Unfortunately, Vullaby can OHKO with Knock Off. But hey, that’s what the Focus Sash is for! You don’t really have a lot of reliable counters to Vullaby, especially not an Eviolite one (the one I used in the calc is a Berry Juice variant).

236 SpA Abra Psychic vs. 196 HP / 180 SpD Eviolite Mareanie: 18-24 (75 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

164+ Atk Golett Earthquake vs. 196 HP / 20+ Def Eviolite Mareanie: 18-24 (75 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

Your Mareanie counters are shaky at best, so you should make it a priority to remove the Eviolite first and foremost, otherwise Mareanie could wall your entire team.

188 Atk Scorbunny Blaze Kick vs. 84 HP / 188+ Def Eviolite Ferroseed: 24-28 (109 - 127.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Fortunately, your Ferroseed counter is very solid, no worries there. Make sure to remember that Ferroseed is commonly paired with Mareanie for a very sturdy defensive core, and Mareanie can easily come in to take Scorbunny’s Blaze Kick.

236 SpA Abra Psychic vs. 0 HP / 156 SpD Eviolite Timburr: 24-30 (100 - 125%) -- guaranteed OHKO

No worries, assuming your Abra isn’t dead. Then you might have a bit of trouble. The same thing basically applies to Mienfoo, so I won’t make a calc for it.

156 Atk Pawniard Iron Head vs. 212 HP / 196+ Def Eviolite Spritzee: 14-18 (51.8 - 66.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Spritzees are annoying in the fact that they constantly use Wish + Protect. Getting lucky with a flinch Iron Head takes care of this problem, but that’s shaky, so the best you can do is Swords Dance up and take it out that way.

156 Atk Pawniard Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 76 Def Archen: 26-32 (118.1 - 145.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

There goes one of the single most dangerous LC attackers, and it can’t actually OHKO Pawniard.

Note that the calcs of Mareanie, Ferroseed Timburr, and Spritzee were done with Eviolite. It’s easier to KO them if you remove said Eviolite, so always keep that in mind. Remember: Knock Off is your best friend in LC.

Sorry for changing so much of your team, but I do hope I helped. Here’s a Pokepaste (with Grookey, not Oddish) so you can import it easily. Note that this Pokepaste does not include the second options I provided in my answer (for example, it only shows Sucker Punch, not U-turn on Scorbunny). You’ll have to choose those moves manually if you want them. Best of luck in LC!

Comments

Thank you so much this is so helpful! Really appreciate the help, can't wait to start getting and training my team. Can't wait to get started, thanks :D

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If the answer is helpful, then click the green tick on the right corner of it.

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Happy to help!

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I used the team of Grookey, Scorbunny, Pawniard, Anorith, Abra, and a Regenerator Marenie, and I thrashed the opponent in Showdown Little Cup. Thanks so much!! :D So happy that it worked out, this has really got me into competitive now lol :)))

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Glad it helped!