Luxray, The Gleam Eyes Pokémon. It has eyes that can see through anything. It spots and captures prey hiding behind objects. When its eyes gleam gold, it can spot hiding prey--even those taking shelter behind a wall.
Overview
Luxray is a UU Electric type, and something of a deviation from the average Electric type. Most of them are focused around special offence, but Luxray is clearly physically inclined, as evident by its impressive Base 120 Attack stat. It's also significantly slower than most of its Electric brethren, having a rather lacklustre Base 70 Speed stat, which unfortunately holds back its sweeping capabilities somewhat. Aside from its Attack, its Special Attack is quite acceptable, at Base 95, giving it some mixed sweeping capabilities.
Trait
Rivalry: is something of a risky ability. Its power is raised if Luxray faces an opponent of the same gender, but its power is lowered if Luxray faces an opponent of the opposite gender. It's raised or lowered by 25% and unaffected if Luxray faces a genderless opponent.
Intimidate: is the reliable alternative, if you want to be assured that your Attack stat will generally remain the same. As a stand-alone ability, it is very useful as well. Intimidate drops the opponent's Attack stat by one stage (the equivalent of a Growl), softening the blow of physical attacks, which will generally make switching-in a little easier.
Move Sets
Choice / Physical Sweeper
- Spark
- Ice Fang
- Crunch
- Return
Item Attached: Choice Band / Choice Scarf / Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Rivalry / Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
Luxray isn't swimming in a pool of options, but it's got an acceptable move-pool and an equivalent of the popular Bolt-Beam (Electric-Ice) combo in the form of Spark and Ice Fang. Spark is generally a preferred choice over Thunder Fang for the additional accuracy and higher paralysis rate. The paralysis in particular is handy to help make up for its pretty average Speed stat. Crunch has decent power and covers Psychic and Ghost types whilst Return is its most powerful physical attack, and also quite a useful choice for Pokémon resistant to its Electric attacks.
Item choices will understandably affect Luxray, although the move-set would generally stay the same between them. Luxray is quite nicely tailored to Choice Band, although a lack of resistances does hinder the switching-in aspect a little. Choice Scarf helps to make up for its Speed stat. Life Orb and Expert Belt provide it with boosting items that won't lock it into using a single move at a time.
Howl
- Spark
- Ice Fang
- Crunch / Return
- Howl
Item Attached: Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Rivalry / Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
Luxray can boost its Attack stat with Howl, providing it with a different physical sweeping option. Howl boosts its Attack by one stage per use, further supported by its sweeping combination of Spark and Ice Fang. Crunch is still a good move, although Return still remains an option as its strongest physical attack.
Speed certainly holds it back a fair deal, and Howl is half as effective as the more ideal Swords Dance, but it still remains a usable option.
Mixed Sweeper
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass / Ice] / Ice Fang
- Crunch
- Return
Item Attached: Life Orb / Expert Belt / Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Rash Nature (+SAtk, -SDef)
Luxray's Special Attack is certainly strong enough to be worth use. In particular, the Base Power of Thunderbolt helps to make up for the loss of Base Stat when damage is concerned. Hidden Power [Grass] is useful for the many Ground types with a 4x weakness to it (such as Golem and Quagsire), although Hidden Power [Ice] is useful for Ground types as well as Grass types. Ice Fang is a usable alternative to Hidden Power, although most of the aforementioned Ground types will have a stronger Defence stat than Special Defence stat.
Crunch is very useful for Psychic types, many of which have a good Special Defence stat (such as Hypno and Grumpig) and would be able to suck up Thunderbolt with little difficulty. Return is still its strongest physical attack, but it's expendable, particularly in favour of a support move.
Life Orb and Expert Belt are the main options for a sweeper move-set, but a move-set that intends to provide some support, or even just have some more survivability, would favour Leftovers.
EVs and Nature:
252/252 tends to favour the sweeper sets. Attack boosting natures tend to be the most favourable, since a Speed boosting nature won't give it a head-start over too many opponents, since not too many linger in the area between its max neutral nature Speed (239) and its absolute max (262).
More defensive variants will still want to keep their main offensive stat highly boosted, but Luxray has room for HP and defensive EV investment. 204 HP EVs (with a 31 HP IV) gives Luxray its maximum HP recovery, and due to Intimidate, it can defend against physical attacks acceptably.
Other Options
Thunder, Discharge, Fire Fang, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave, Light Screen, Toxic.
Thunder is a power option as a Special Attack on physical sets, primarily for hitting Aggron and other opponents who have great Defence stats but poor Special Defence stats. Thunderbolt is obviously a more accurate alternative and usable in the same manner on physical sets.
Discharge is an alternative to Thunderbolt, favourable for its 30% paralysis chance, in exchange for some power.
Fire Fang is another elemental fang it has access to, although its coverage isn't too notable.
Quick Attack is a usable priority move, but its low Base Power is unfavourable. The ability to strike first has potential though, especially considering Luxray's poor Speed stat.
Thunder Wave, Light Screen and Toxic are what it has in the way of 'support' moves.
Thunder Wave is a great benefit to itself as well as its team-mates, since it slows down the opponent, helping to make up for Luxray's poor Speed. It has access to Spark and Discharge though, both STAB moves with a good paralysis rate, making Thunder Wave's worth a little more questionable.
Light Screen will soften the blow taken from Special Attacks whilst it's active, which is useful on more defensive sets.
Toxic can wear down opponents, especially the bulkier ones who are resistant to its Electric moves without being weak to any of its other moves.
Countering Luxray
Aggron, Bastiodon and Probopass have monster Defences, and Luxray has nothing (short of the odd Hidden Power or Natural Gift) to prey on their weaknesses. Aggron might have trouble with Thunder/bolt, but Bastiodon and Probopass should manage fine, and they all have Ground moves. With its Electric immunity and Ice resistant, Lanturn fairs quite well but might take a bit of a sting from boosted Returns. Camerupt, Quagsire, Whiscash and Gastrodon are all immune to Thunderbolt and neutral to Ice Fang, but need to watch out for odd Hidden Powers (Water and Grass respectively).
In the Standard environment, among others, Steelix, Regirock, Registeel and Rhyperior should all be comfortable. Weezing and Forretress will also manage fine, but may encounter some problems with Thunder/bolt.
Poor Speed is the main thing holding Luxray back. It packs a fair amount of power from both ends of the offensive spectrum, but it's too slow to easily sweep and is a bit lacking defensively.
Locations in Games
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Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Not in Game Colosseum/XD Not in Game Fire Red/Leaf Green Not in Game Diamond/Pearl Evolve Luxio
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Animé Appearences
| Luxray has had an Animé Appearence. In it, the one used was unable to do electric attacks since it evolved. With Ash's help it learned how to use them again. |
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