[Final] Lapras

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Analyses' started by Ortheore, May 23, 2015.

  1. Ortheore

    Ortheore One beautiful monster

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    Overview


    Lapras is one of RBY OU’s most useful Pokemon, both offensively and defensively. Its defensive utility stems from its good physical bulk, allowing it to take on physical attackers, as well as its Ice typing, granting a valuable resistance to Ice attacks and most importantly immunity to freeze. Its offensive presence is formidable as well- STAB Blizzard hits with enormous power. This is complemented by Thunderbolt, giving it great coverage, and a respectable attack stat which enables it to use physical attacks effectively. Its speed is enough to outpace all of OU’s walls and slow physical attackers, though it is well short of fast attackers such as Tauros. Perhaps Lapras’ biggest downfall is its inability to effectively spread paralysis, particularly against Chansey, which cannot be paralysed via Body Slam. Furthermore a weakness to Electric as well as neutrality to Psychic mean that many special attackers are capable of wearing it down.


    Ruler of the Seas

    Lapras (M) @ (No Item)
    - Blizzard
    - Thunderbolt
    - Body Slam/Hyper Beam
    - Sing/Confuse Ray


    This set endeavours to check physical attackers while also either breaking walls or creating opportunities for other attackers. Blizzard is the STAB of choice, and hits with considerable force. Thunderbolt complements this by hitting Water types super effectively. Body Slam is useful for pressuring Chansey into conceding opportunities for Pokemon such as Rhydon, as well as spreading paralysis, particularly to Starmie. Hyper Beam is an alternative that can be used to KO weakened Chansey, Alakazam and Jynx. Sing is a great choice for Lapras’ final slot, being an excellent means of luring and incapacitating Chansey, which then forces the opponent to handle Lapras with its top check out of action. Alternatively, Confuse Ray could be used, as with some paralysis support it’s able to create loads of free turns for Lapras and other attackers on your team.


    Other Options

    Thunder can replace Thunderbolt, as it 2HKOs Slowbro and Starmie, something Thunderbolt falls just short of accomplishing, however the lower accuracy can be problematic. Rest can be used if you want recovery, but waking Lapras can be tough and you forgo offensive presence in order to use it. Lapras also learns Reflect, which may see use in conjunction with Rest, but since most of Lapras’ checks are special attackers, this will seldom be useful. Also, dropping Thunderbolt is possible if you want to use something like Body Slam + Hyper Beam. Finally, it is strongly advised not to use Lapras' Water STAB- there is very little that it damages more than the options listed above, while using it significantly limits Lapras' coverage.


    Checks and Counters

    Chansey has access to recovery, Thunder Wave and Thunderbolt, and is also immune to para from Body Slam, meaning that barring a freeze or Sing, Lapras has difficulty severely damaging it. Starmie is your next best option for handling Lapras- it too has recovery, Thunder Wave and Thunderbolt, and outpaces Lapras as well, while only being 3HKO’d by Lapras’ Thunderbolt. However it must watch out for paralysis from Body Slam, and Thunderbolt still does a lot of damage. Alakazam is faster than Lapras, has Recover and Thunder Wave and is only 3HKO’d by Blizzard, while retaliating with STAB Psychic. However Lapras can easily overwhelm it if Alakazam becomes paralysed. Jolteon and Gengar outpace and hit Lapras super effectively, but they are 3HKO’d by Blizzard and lack recovery, while Gengar’s Thunderbolt only 3HKO’s Lapras. Zapdos and Victreebel cannot switch in, but are faster and 2HKO with their super effective STAB attacks. Lastly, Lapras usually has no recovery, therefore simply wearing it down is very achievable.
    stolen!

    Overview

    • Good physical bulk
    • Ice type-> immune to freeze, resists Ice
    • STAB Blizzard, complemented by Tbolt and a decent attack stat make it a big threat
    • Speed stat isn't bad, outpaces many walls, but is out-sped by all fast attackers
    • Can't effectively spread paralysis, particularly against Chansey
    • Electric weakness combined with neutrality to Psychic means that many special attackers can cause problems for it
    Ruler of the Seas
    Lapras (M) @ (No Item)
    - Blizzard
    - Thunderbolt
    - Body Slam/Hyper Beam
    - Sing/Confuse Ray

    • Checks physical attackers while either incapacitating key walls or creating opportunities for other attackers to wreak havoc
    • Blizzard is STAB, it's powerful, it can freeze
    • Thunderbolt hits Water types
    • Body Slam is more consistent, used if you want to create opportunities for other attackers such as Rhydon, by forcing walls such as Chansey to Recover. Also spreads paralysis to non-Normal types (particularly Starmie)
    • Hyper Beam is used to KO weakened pokemon with poor defense- most notably Jynx, Alakazam and Chansey
    • Sing is excellent at luring and incapacitating Chansey, which is otherwise Lapras' best check
    • Confuse Ray makes it easy to weaken paralysed Chansey and thus create opportunities for other attackers. Confuse Ray should only be used if you're running Body Slam.
    Other options
    • Thunder 2HKOs Slowbro and Starmie which Thunderbolt falls just short of accomplishing. However the poor accuracy can be problematic.
    • Rest if you want recovery, but waking Lapras can be tough and you lose offensive presence
    • Reflect exists and could be used in conjunction with Rest, but Lapras is usually handled by special attackers, making it less than useful.
    • Dropping Thunderbolt is also an option if you want to run something like Body Slam+Hyper Beam.
    Checks and Counters
    • CHANSEY. Immune to Body Slam para, has Thunder Wave and Thunderbolt.
    • Starmie out-speeds and hits Lapras with super effective Thunderbolt, while Lapras fails to 2HKO with its own Thunderbolt
    • Alakazam is 3HKO'd by Blizzard, but has recovery and can paralyse and fire back with powerful STAB Psychics. Becomes a very shaky check if paralysed.
    • Jolteon and Gengar outpace Lapras and hit it hard with Thunderbolt. However they are 3HKO'd by Blizzard, while Gengar only manages a 3HKO in return.
    • Zapdos and Victreebel can't switch in on Blizzard, but otherwise outpace Lapras and 2HKO with their STAB attacks.
    • Lapras lacks recovery, so simply wearing it down is quite achievable
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2015
  2. Disaster Area

    Disaster Area Badged Deucer

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    Note that Chansey is often the main target for sing. I'd swap the slashing of bslam/HB, bslam is probably more consistent and fits on any style, and is the only one u really want with cray i think anyway.
     
  3. Ortheore

    Ortheore One beautiful monster

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    Swapped the two moves, and I already mention Chansey as the main target of Sing in the set description
     
  4. magic9mushroom

    magic9mushroom Active Member

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    Lapras' Psychic neutrality is probably also worth mentioning given how many specials resist it. It's a big part of Pras' problem with specials; it doesn't take a vast amount of damage from neutral STAB Psychics, but they do add up and specfalls are obviously doom for the specially-based Lapras.
     
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  5. Ortheore

    Ortheore One beautiful monster

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    Cool, expanded a point in the overview to mostly cover that
     
  6. Ortheore

    Ortheore One beautiful monster

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    Double post because written in full
     
  7. Isa

    Isa Well-Known Tauros

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    oh a thing i remembered - write down why water STAB isnt worth the effort
     
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  8. magic9mushroom

    magic9mushroom Active Member

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    For the record: the set of Pokemon which take more damage from Lapras' Surf than from either its Blizzard or Thunderbolt is {Rhydon, Golem, Jynx, [Fire-types that are not Moltres or Charizard]}.

    (While there are three OUs in that list, Rhydon and Golem have 77% and 92% chances respectively to be OHKOed by Blizzard anyway, and Jynx takes only barely more damage from Surf than from Body Slam.)
     
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  9. Ortheore

    Ortheore One beautiful monster

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    Good point, I'll make note of that in OO
     
  10. magic9mushroom

    magic9mushroom Active Member

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    Why is Confuse Ray listed as "only alongside Body Slam"? I'm not sure I see the logic.
     
  11. Lutra

    Lutra All Gen Battler/Scripter

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    yeah, I'd say an extra chance to get in a blizzard vs chansey to get it in hyper beam range is worthwhile. I think I used it vs The Chaser but luckily didn't need the confusion to get in range.
     
  12. Ortheore

    Ortheore One beautiful monster

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    ok then, I'll change that point up

    Edit at Sulcata: Ok fair enough, it now says Lap usually has no recovery
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2015
  13. sulcata

    sulcata stéphane curry best waifu Forum Moderator Server Administrator Forum Moderator Server Administrator

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    Towards the end of checks and counters you say "no recovery" but it might be better to say "no recovery outside of the unreliable Rest" since you just mentioned Rest as a recovery move in the previous section. Calling Rest unreliable given how many switch in opportunities you might give seems like a good description to me. Anyway, that's just me nitpicking. It looks good.
     
  14. sulcata

    sulcata stéphane curry best waifu Forum Moderator Server Administrator Forum Moderator Server Administrator

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    {{Overview|Lapras is one of RBY OU’s most useful Pokemon, both offensively and defensively. Its defensive utility stems from its good physical bulk, allowing it to take on physical attackers, as well as its Ice typing, granting a valuable resistance to Ice attacks and most importantly immunity to freeze. Its offensive presence is formidable as well- STAB Blizzard hits with enormous power. This is complemented by Thunderbolt, giving it great coverage, and a respectable attack stat which enables it to use physical attacks effectively. Its speed is enough to outpace all of OU’s walls and slow physical attackers, though it is well short of fast attackers such as Tauros. Perhaps Lapras’ biggest downfall is its inability to effectively spread paralysis, particularly against Chansey, which cannot be paralysed via Body Slam. Furthermore a weakness to Electric as well as neutrality to Psychic mean that many special attackers are capable of wearing it down.}}

    {{set|Ruler of the Seas|Lapras (M) @ (No Item)
    - Blizzard
    - Thunderbolt
    - Body Slam/Hyper Beam
    - Sing/Confuse Ray
    }}
    {{Comments|This set endeavours to check physical attackers while also either breaking walls or creating opportunities for other attackers. Blizzard is the STAB of choice, and hits with considerable force. Thunderbolt complements this by hitting Water types super effectively. Body Slam is useful for pressuring Chansey into conceding opportunities for Pokemon such as Rhydon, as well as spreading paralysis, particularly to Starmie. Hyper Beam is an alternative that can be used to KO weakened Chansey, Alakazam and Jynx. Sing is a great choice for Lapras’ final slot, being an excellent means of luring and incapacitating Chansey, which then forces the opponent to handle Lapras with its top check out of action. Alternatively, Confuse Ray could be used, as with some paralysis support it’s able to create loads of free turns for Lapras and other attackers on your team.}}

    {{Options|Thunder can replace Thunderbolt, as it 2HKOs Slowbro and Starmie, something Thunderbolt falls just short of accomplishing, however the lower accuracy can be problematic. Rest can be used if you want recovery, but waking Lapras can be tough and you forgo offensive presence in order to use it. Lapras also learns Reflect, which may see use in conjunction with Rest, but since most of Lapras’ checks are special attackers, this will seldom be useful. Finally, dropping Thunderbolt is possible if you want to use something like Body Slam + Hyper Beam. Finally, it is strongly advised not to use Lapras' Water STAB- there is very little that it damages more than the options listed above, while using it significantly limits Lapras' coverage.}}

    {{Checks|Chansey has access to recovery, Thunder Wave and Thunderbolt, and is also immune to para from Body Slam, meaning that barring a freeze or Sing, Lapras has difficulty severely damaging it. Starmie is your next best option for handling Lapras- it too has recovery, Thunder Wave and Thunderbolt, and outpaces Lapras as well, while only being 3HKO’d by Lapras’ Thunderbolt. However it must watch out for paralysis from Body Slam, and Thunderbolt still does a lot of damage. Alakazam is faster than Lapras, has Recover and Thunder Wave and is only 3HKO’d by Blizzard, while retaliating with STAB Psychic. However Lapras can easily overwhelm it if Alakazam becomes paralysed. Jolteon and Gengar outpace and hit Lapras super effectively, but they are 3HKO’d by Blizzard and lack recovery, while Gengar’s Thunderbolt only 3HKO’s Lapras. Zapdos and Victreebel cannot switch in, but are faster and 2HKO with their super effective STAB attacks. Lastly, Lapras usually has no recovery, therefore simply wearing it down is very achievable.}}
    Uploaded

    Also, really nice looking job with these analyses! They get the information across concisely.