Lucario - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

Lucario Movesets in Other Games
SV	SWSH

This is a strategy guide for using Lucario in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Builds, and Held Items to use with Lucario, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Lucario - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Lucario

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Lucario
Abilities
Inner Focus	The Pokemon is protected from flinching.
Steadfast	Raises Speed each time the Pokemon Flinches.
Justified (Hidden)	Raises Attack when hit by a Dark-type move.

Lucario Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Lucario

What are Natures?

How to Learn Lucario's Egg Moves

Singles Movesets for Lucario

Physical Attacker Moveset & Best Build

This moveset focuses on Lucario's high Attack and Speed to maximize its potential as a Physical attacker. It can learn moves from a variety of types, so you can configure his moveset to handle the types you want to counter and match him easily with other Pokemon in your party.

Other Viable Moves

Special Attacker Moveset & Best Build

As its Special Attack is slightly higher than its Attack, Lucario is also highly capable as a Special Attacker. Although it only learns moves from a few types, it can learn moves with high power in its own types, allowing to deal heavy STAB damage.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Lucario Effectively

Can either be a Physical Attacker or Special Attacker

Lucario with its high Speed can either be a Physical Attacker or a Special Attacker. Its move pool supports both roles, and can learn corresponding STAB moves, whether physical or special.

Handle with care as Lucario is durable

Even though Lucario resists damage from a couple of types due to its Steel typing, its Defense and Special Defense is not that high. Keep this in mind when assigning the main attacker role to Lucario.

Counters for Lucario

Weakness

Use Pokemon with effective type matchups

Lucario's HP and defensive stats are rather middling, which gives an opening for a powerful super effective move to faint it in one hit. As long as you have a Pokemon who can weather Lucario's hits, you won't have too much trouble taking Lucario out.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Zapdos	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can resist Steel- and Fighting-type moves by half. ・Generally an excellent attacker against Lucario. Moveset & Best Build for Zapdos
Aegislash	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Its Ghost typing makes it immune to Lucario's Fighting-type moves. ・Can use Fighting-type moves to hit Lucario's weak spot. Moveset & Best Build for Aegislash
Chandelure	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Its Ghost typing makes it immune to Lucario's Fighting-type moves. ・Can use Fire-type moves to hit Lucario's weak spot. Moveset & Best Build for Chandelure
Heat Rotom	Ranking: ★★★ ・Can use Will-o-Wisp to cripple Attack-focused Lucarios. ・Can use Overheat to hit Lucario's weak spot. Moveset & Best Build for Heat Rotom

Use a defensive Pokemon to wall it

When attempting to wall Lucario, be sure to use a Pokemon which is both Physically and Specially defensive, as Lucario is capable of either style of attack. However, as Lucario is typically seen as a Physical attacker, having a Pokemon who can handle Physical attacks well will be most important for dealing with Lucario.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Galarian Corsola	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Its Ghost typing makes it immune to Lucario's Fighting-type moves. ・Can use Will-o-Wisp to cripple Attack-focused Lucarios. Moveset & Best Build for Galarian Corsola
Cresselia	Ranking: ★★★★ ・High Defense and Special Defense. ・Fighting-type moves are resisted by half. Moveset & Best Build for Cresselia
Toxapex	Ranking: ★★★★ ・It can take most of Lucario's attacks with reduced damage ・Can use Scald to inflict heavy damage with the chance of a Burn Moveset & Best Build for Toxapex
Quagsire	Ranking: ★★★ ・Can wall with high defensive stats. ・Can use Scald to inflict heavy damage with the chance of a Burn. Moveset & Best Build for Quagsire
Gastrodon	Ranking: ★★★ ・Can wall with high defensive stats. ・Can use Scald to inflict heavy damage with the chance of a Burn. Moveset & Best Build for Gastrodon

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for Returning Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Mimikyu	Wash Rotom	Gyarados
Ferrothorn	Aegislash	Excadrill
Tyranitar	Hydreigon	Heat Rotom
Arcanine	Mamoswine	Toxapex
Togekiss	Cloyster	Durant
Snorlax	Charizard	Sylveon
Lucario	Hippowdon	Umbreon
Conkeldurr	Quagsire	Gastrodon
Lapras	Whimsicott	Rhyperior
Goodra	Haxorus	Glaceon
Mow Rotom	Type: Null	Gengar
Milotic	Gardevoir	Flygon
Chandelure	Lanturn	Torkoal
Bisharp	Seismitoad	Silvally
Butterfree	Primarina	Incineroar
Blastoise	Decidueye	Venusaur
Darmanitan	Alolan Ninetales	Gothitelle
Crawdaunt	Clefable	Reuniclus
Kommo-o	Terrakion	Cobalion
Virizion	Noivern	Fan Rotom
Toxicroak	Pelipper	Jellicent
Celebi	Clefairy	Hitmontop
Diggersby	Ditto	Raichu
Hawlucha	Shiftry	Tsareena
Ludicolo