approved by atomicllamas
OP partially stolen from boltsandbombers
Lures are pokemon that are specifically designed to draw in their usual checks and counters, and then cripple or KO them in order to benefit another sweeper on your team. While lures are not particularly common on the ladder, due to the fact you can face an opponent multiple times in a short period of time, they are very common in tournament matches. Oftentimes in tournaments you only face an opponent once. So the effectiveness of the lure is not compromised in reaching your end goal (i.e. one win, vs multiple, consistent wins on the ladder). This isn't to say that lures aren't effective on the ladder, as the lures you should be using should still be consistent enough to win multiple games (more on this latter).
What discourages most people from using lures is how they are the most difficult sets to play with in pokemon. Using a lure obligates you to play a certain way during a match. In addition, it is hard to judge when to break from that playstyle or when to strike against the pokemon you are luring in. Lures are also difficult sets to design. First, you have to make sure the lure will play similar enough to draw your target pokemon. Second, you have to make sure the lure will play consistently enough that if the target Pokemon is not on your opponent's team, your lure will still be able to pull its own weight. Here you can find some effective lures in RU, effective partners to those lures, and an ideas to help you design your own lure in the future.
Here is an example that is fairly well known:
Expert Belt Rotom-C
Rotom-Mow @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power Water
Holding an Expert Belt allows Rotom-C to bluff its usual Choice set and surprise the Ground-types that often attempt to switch in on its Electric STAB. If a Mega Steelix or Rhyperior or something switches into Volt Switch, they will think they are safe and have a free turn to set up or attack. Rotom-C can then hit them with Leaf Storm, which does ~65% to offensive Mega Steelix and cleanly OHKO's Rhyperior (as well as Quagsire and Seismitoad). Hidden Power Water in the last slot is for Mega Camerupt, OHKO'ing it after SR and a layer of Spikes.
Partners: Cobalion, Fletchinder, Meloetta
If you have a lure that'd you'd like to share, post it here and if there is enough reasoning behind it; and it isnt too gimmicky, it will be added to the archive below.
(Also, it is very helpful to post some calcs to back up a lure, but dont post too many or at least use hide tags.)
OP partially stolen from boltsandbombers
Lures are pokemon that are specifically designed to draw in their usual checks and counters, and then cripple or KO them in order to benefit another sweeper on your team. While lures are not particularly common on the ladder, due to the fact you can face an opponent multiple times in a short period of time, they are very common in tournament matches. Oftentimes in tournaments you only face an opponent once. So the effectiveness of the lure is not compromised in reaching your end goal (i.e. one win, vs multiple, consistent wins on the ladder). This isn't to say that lures aren't effective on the ladder, as the lures you should be using should still be consistent enough to win multiple games (more on this latter).
What discourages most people from using lures is how they are the most difficult sets to play with in pokemon. Using a lure obligates you to play a certain way during a match. In addition, it is hard to judge when to break from that playstyle or when to strike against the pokemon you are luring in. Lures are also difficult sets to design. First, you have to make sure the lure will play similar enough to draw your target pokemon. Second, you have to make sure the lure will play consistently enough that if the target Pokemon is not on your opponent's team, your lure will still be able to pull its own weight. Here you can find some effective lures in RU, effective partners to those lures, and an ideas to help you design your own lure in the future.
Here is an example that is fairly well known:
Expert Belt Rotom-C
Rotom-Mow @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power Water
Holding an Expert Belt allows Rotom-C to bluff its usual Choice set and surprise the Ground-types that often attempt to switch in on its Electric STAB. If a Mega Steelix or Rhyperior or something switches into Volt Switch, they will think they are safe and have a free turn to set up or attack. Rotom-C can then hit them with Leaf Storm, which does ~65% to offensive Mega Steelix and cleanly OHKO's Rhyperior (as well as Quagsire and Seismitoad). Hidden Power Water in the last slot is for Mega Camerupt, OHKO'ing it after SR and a layer of Spikes.
Partners: Cobalion, Fletchinder, Meloetta
If you have a lure that'd you'd like to share, post it here and if there is enough reasoning behind it; and it isnt too gimmicky, it will be added to the archive below.
(Also, it is very helpful to post some calcs to back up a lure, but dont post too many or at least use hide tags.)
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