Resistance: Electric, Flying, SteelWeakness: Ground
Tier: PU
Abilities: Guts, Intimidate, Rivalry
Stats:
HP: 80 (Average)
Attack: 120 (Great)
Defense: 79 (Average)
SP. Attack: 95 (Good)
SP. Defense: 79 (Average)
Speed: 70 (Low)
Overview:
Luxray fits best on offensive and balanced teams as a wallbreaker and an offensive pivot due to its ability Intimidate, which allows Luxray to perform this role decently well. Intimidate is useful to lighten damage taken from physical attackers, and Guts could allow Luxray to absorb Will-O-Wisp or another non-volatile status. Its good physical movepool plus Volt Switch give it an important niche in the PU tier, despite the fact that its modest Speed is insufficient to outspeed many foes and without an Adamant nature the power loss is substantial. Even though Luxray is powerful, it's often outclassed by other offensive Electric-types such as Raichu and Zebstrika due to its lower Speed.
Set:
Move 1: Wild Charge
Move 2: Ice Fang
Move 3: Superpower
Move 4: Volt Switch
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 Def.
Move overview:
Despite its recoil damage, Wild Charge basically hits everything that isn't immune to it hard; it's mainly useful against Pokemon such as Pelipper and Poliwrath. Ice Fang provides excellent coverage with Wild Charge, hitting common Grass-types and bulky Ground-types such as Torterra. Superpower hits Normal- and Steel-types and Pokemon such as Piloswine, which resists BoltBeam coverage. Because Wild Charge, Ice Fang, and Superpower provide good coverage, Luxray can easily afford to run Volt Switch as its last move. Volt Switch lets Luxray scout for switches against disadvantageous foes, giving you momentum, so it's really useful in tandem with Intimidate, as it makes Luxray a viable pivot.
Set details:
The EV spread, Adamant nature, and Choice Band maximize Luxray's Attack. Speed investment brings Luxray's Speed to a decent level. An Adamant nature is essential to KO Carracosta. Intimidate is useful to soften up damage from physical attackers; it can be used to weaken and force out physical attackers, easing the job of revenge killers. Intimidate can also somewhat muzzle threats such as Shell Smash Carracosta, Swords Dance Leafeon, and Swords Dance Jumpluff; while Luxray by no means counters these Pokemon, it can use Intimidate to weaken them and make them a lot less scary. This is invaluable to a lot of teams that don't run Poliwrath. Finally, Volt Switch is just too important to Luxray's role as a bulky pivot to give up and is nice for pivoting out of Pokemon such as Tangela.
How to use it?
Luxray, especially when running Intimidate, should be brought in on weak attackers and other Pokemon to force them out, therefore gaining momentum. It's better to use Volt Switch against bulkier teams to wear down foes and gain momentum, but be careful when pivoting in against Defiant users, as giving them a free Attack boost is dangerous. Luxray should be used to break down walls with its powerful attacks, but don't expect it to sweep with its mediocre Speed.
Luxray must be used in a slow VoltTurn team, as this will allow it to safely switch into strong attackers, especially specially based ones. Even if Luxray could revenge kill many Pokemon such as Haunter, Raichu, and Rotom-F, it can't switch in safely against them.
Other options:
An Assault Vest set is playable because it can defeat all relevant Defog users in the tier and take advantage of potential Scald burns to gain an Attack boost, if you use Guts. Despite the fact that there are better switch-ins for Water-type Defoggers, Luxray takes special attacks, such as Swanna and Pelipper's Scald, better when equipped with an Assault Vest. Crunch hits Gourgeist-XL significantly harder than Ice Fang and has a chance to cleanly 2HKO after Stealth Rock, but it's usually not worth using over Luxray's other moves. Quick Attack can be used as a form of priority to finish off weak foes such as a Ninetales at around 30% of total HP, as well as Jumpluff and Ursaring. A Guts set with Toxic Orb and Facade is also playable. However, a Choice Band set is preferred because it gives Luxray better power right off the bat and does not require Luxray take residual damage from poison or burn. Regarding natures, a Jolly nature allows Luxray to outspeed Barbaracle, neutral-natured Poliwrath, Drifblim, and Kricketune, but it has less power. A Choice Scarf set can be used, but the Speed boost isn't too substantial, and without Choice Band, Luxray's attacking capacity is too weak.
