Pokemon GO Lycanroc: Best moveset, counters, and is it any good?

With the recent release of the Dusk form of Lycanroc, many Pokemon GO players have been analyzing the species as a whole. This has left many players wondering if any form of the species can be useful in competitive play. However, determining viability in Niantic's mobile spin-off requires a different list of criteria compared to the main series.

Considering the spin-off's real-time approach to battles rather than the turn-based format the franchise has been known for, the list of viable creatures is significantly different compared to that of the main series.

So what about Lycanroc? Do any of its forms have any promise in Pokemon GO's competitive scene? This article explores more.

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Everything to know about Lycanroc in Pokemon GO

Every form of Lycanroc as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Before getting into the differences between each of the forms, they share many similarities. Each of the three forms is pure Rock-types with an emphasis on their attacking stats. As such, they all tend to be frail in battles. Each of the three forms can also learn Rock Throw, Stone Edge, and Crunch.

Going into their differences, here are the stats for each form of Lycanroc:

• Dusk - Attack: 234, Defense: 139, Stamina: 181
• Midday - Attack: 231, Defense: 140, Stamina: 181
• Midnight - Attack: 218, Defense: 152, Stamina: 198

Each form also has its own exclusive moves in addition to its shared ones. Midday form learns Sucker Punch and Drill Run. Midnight form learns Counter and Psychic Fangs. Dusk form learns both of the other forms' fast attacks, in addition to Iron Head. Each form features a somewhat unique playstyle, so what form a trainer should use comes down to preference.

In terms of counters, the pure Rock typing does not provide much resistance. Each form of Lycanroc has five weaknesses: Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water. As such, it is easily countered by a lot of metagame staples like Galarian Stunfisk, Registeel, and Lucario. For this reason, Lycanroc is considered a niche pick in the Battle League.

So far, the best form available for PvP in Pokemon GO is Lycaroc's Midnight form. Thanks to its additional bulk compared to others, players have been using it much more consistently than any of its other forms, although the Dusk form is still in experimentation. However, it lacks the bulk of Midnight form, so it is unlikely that it will see much success.

For those still looking to use Lycanroc in Pokemon GO's Battle League, here are the best movesets:

• Dusk - Counter, Stone Edge, Iron Head
• Midnight - Counter, Stone Edge, Psychic Fangs
• Midday - Rock Throw, Crunch, Drill Run

These movesets provide each form with great damage and type coverage. Coverage is important for Great League where team compositions are more varied. Since Midnight form is a decent pick in the Ultra League, having damage coverage against the many Steel-types in the meta is crucial.