Pokemon GO Lickitung PvP and PvE guide: Best moveset, counters, and more

Pokemon GO fans who have been hatching plenty of 5km eggs during the Adventures Abound season may have had the opportunity to acquire a Lickitung as a result. This silly-looking Pocket Monster may not seem like it can amount to much, but its quality Stamina IV stats make it a capable tank and defender in a few different battle situations across the PvE/PvP spectrum.

Although it doesn't have the damage-dealing capabilities that many creatures in Pokemon GO do, Lickitung has the durability to take plenty of punishment. Since this is the case, it makes for a great defensive fighter that can stall opponents and win battles of attrition.

However, if you plan to use Lickitung in battles, you'll want to outfit it with the best move for the job. It also doesn't hurt to examine its weaknesses in case you face it in battle.

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What is Lickitung's best moveset in Pokemon GO PvE?

Lickitung can be a solid gym defender in Pokemon GO PvE, but that's about all (Image via Niantic)

Thanks to its bulkiness in Pokemon GO, Lickitung has a few applications in PvE battles. Specifically, it excels as a gym defender that can be tough to remove due to its durability. However, it doesn't have the maximum Attack IVs to perform well in raids, and it has middling applications in Team GO Rocket battles when paired with genuine attackers.

Due to all of these factors, it's best that you outfit Lickitung with moves that complement it as a defender. One of the best movesets in this case involves the rapid Fast Move Lick being paired with the Normal-type Move Body Slam, which can still deal significant damage against most opponents.

As an alternative, those who are dedicated to using Lickitung on offense will want to focus on using Zen Headbutt and Hyper Beam. This amplifies Lickitung's damage output, though its paltry Attack IVs prohibit it from dealing the type of damage that many other Pocket Monsters can.

Recommended PvE movesets for Lickitung

• Lick + Body Slam (Defense)
• Zen Headbutt + Hyper Beam (Offense)

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What is Lickitung's best moveset in Pokemon GO PvP?

Lickitung can be a solid fighter in Great League PvP (Image via Niantic)

Although Lickitung's IVs and maximum CP make it a nonstarter in competitive arenas like the Ultra and Master League, it has the quality durability and diverse moveset to allow it to perform well in the Great League. With the right moveset, Lickitung can stonewall opponents and deal with multiple elemental type matchups.

Much like in PvE, Lick and Body Slam serve Lickitung well in the PvP arena. Lick is a quick attack that can give this Pokemon plenty of time to dodge attacks, while Body Slam triggers the Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) for extra damage. However, you should also consider adding a second Charged Move for extra attack diversity.

In this situation, Power Whip is a recommended secondary Charged Move. This is due to its sizable damage output even without STAB, as well as the fact that many Water and Ground-type opponents reside in Great League PvP.

Recommended PvP moveset for Lickitung

• Lick + Body Slam + Power Whip

Keep in mind that although these movesets perform well for Lickitung, the changes in the PvE and PvP meta demand that trainers remain flexible. If the recommended options aren't panning out as expected, you shouldn't be shy about switching moves within a given set to optimize Lickitung.

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Which counters are best for beating Lickitung in Pokemon GO?

Fighting-types like Lucario can break through Lickitung's defense in Pokemon GO (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Since Lickitung is a Normal-type creature in Pokemon GO, it only has one elemental weakness, and that's against Fighting-type attacks. When these moves are used by a Fighting-type 'mon, it will trigger STAB and increase the attack's damage output, making Lickitung's impressive defenses much less daunting.

However, not all Fighting-type Pocket Monsters are created equal. Since this is the case, you will want to use creatures that have the highest CP and IVs possible, depending on what kind of battle is being undertaken. If you are hunting for the top counters that can demolish Lickitung, you can try using the following Pokemon:

• Terrakion
• Lucario
• Keldeo
• Conkeldurr
• Cobalion
• Galarian Zapdos
• Machamp
• Buzzwole
• Virizion
• Pirouette Meloetta
• Pheromosa
• Hawlucha
• Breloom
• Hariyama
• Blaziken
• Heracross
• Passimian
• Sirfetch'd

In addition to the Fighting-type creatures listed above, as long as you are utilizing counters with similar moves and IVs, they should be in good shape to whittle down Lickitung's impressive health pool.