How to effectively use GMAX Lapras/Aurora Veil?

5 minute read

Series 6 - Battle Stadium Doubles/Sw/Sh Ranked Battles

Aurora Veil - Halves attacks from opposing Pokémon - completely splendid.A quick glance at the Pokémon who are compatible with the move Aurora Veil, there seems to only be GMAX Lapras and Alolan Ninetales who can efficiently set it up.I’m pretty sure hail teams are scarce in VGC as of now and that Alolan Ninetales would automatically sashed and bears little to minimum offensive power.However, GMAX Lapras can deal damage with GMAX -Resonance alongside the Aurora Veil boost.I am curious of the following:1) Please provide what you believe to be the best Lapras build! Include EVs, Moveset, Ability, Item, Nature and calcs/ reasoning for each!

  1. Please list some of the best ways to utilise Lapras:Some may include Weakness Policy + Comfey, or Life Orb attacker with Raichu/Lightning rod. Try come up with something a bit more creative too!

  2. Optimal Build for Lapras’s teammate.Self explanatory.

  3. Mons who significantly benefit from Aurora Veil

  4. pros and cons of using GMAX Lapras

Looking forward to the answers!

Pleaselog inorregisterto add a comment.

Pleaselog inorregisterto add a comment.

There have been a couple of different Lapras Teams ever since its Gigantamax Form was Released in series 3.I’ll go through and list teammates/movesets/strategies for each. The standard lapras set will be Shell Armor, protect/thunder/hydro pump/freeze dry or blizzard, depending on the team, but EVs will vary.

Bulky Lapras + ComfeyProbably the most popular form was/is Lapras/Comfey/Sap Sipper (Usually Goodra, but I like Bouffalant) with Giga Drain for weakness policy. Usually Lapras will be max attack, max hp, minimum speed and Comfey will carry trick room since it’s pretty slow. I personally really like this team composition, it carried me really high on the ladder. This was in series five, I ran Comfey/Bouffalant/Crit Togekiss/Cinderace/Rillaboom. Bouffalant benefits from trick room and gig drain, and the rest of the team was hyper offense. The idea is to set trick room, aurora veil and weakness policy, and by the time comfey goes down, you’ll either have priority or trick room will be over for your sweepers. Cinderace in the back was fantastic in Aurora veil, it could live attacks it could never before. Pretty much all frail sweepers benefit from aurora veil, especially if you can navigate trick room to end before aurora veil.

Lapras-Gmax @ Weakness PolicyAbility: Shell ArmorLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpDQuiet NatureIVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe- Protect- Thunder- Freeze-Dry- Hydro Pump

Comfey @ Focus SashAbility: TriageLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpDCalm NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Protect- Trick Room- Floral Healing- Giga Drain

Goodra @ Assault VestAbility: Sap SipperLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpDAdamant Nature(Moves/Item are your choice, whatever fits your team)- Outrage- Iron Tail- Fire Punch- Stomping Tantrum

Note:Before comfey was here,Dusclops was usedwith essentially the same role. You can run brick break to reset screens or rock tomb to lower speed in the face of Pokemon like Rhyperior.

Dusclops @ EvioliteAbility: FriskLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpDSassy NatureIVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe- Night Shade- Trick Room- Pain Split- Rock Tomb

Tailwind + Fake TearsAnother team that was gaining popularity in series 5 was Hyper offensive Lapras plus Whimsicott. Lapras was max attack max speed modest with either life orb or light clay and whimsicott always carried fake tears and tailwind. This was strong because Lapras is already bulky with Dynamax and aurora veil, plus it frees up the item slot because fake tears is basically a temporary weakness policy. Since whimsicott is gone, people still use Talonflame but it doesn’t have the same damage output. The only Pokemon with Tailwind + Fake tears now is Mandibuzz, which could be interesting (overcoat + taunt is very strong) but it really misses priority tailwind. Pokemon that benefit from this are, again, Frail sweepers, as Aurora veil helps them immensely and they can be further powered up with tailwind and possibly fake tears. Bulky togekiss could be strong with tailwind/Fake tears support as well, in my opinion. Usually this lapras will run Blizzard for the extra power without fake tears support, especially on a talonflame team.

Lapras-Gmax @ Life OrbAbility: Shell ArmorLevel: 50EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 SpeModest NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Protect- Blizzard- Thunder- Hydro Pump

Talonflame @ Safety GogglesAbility: Gale WingsLevel: 50EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpeTimid NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Tailwind- Taunt- Hurricane- Protect

Mandibuzz (F) @ Focus SashAbility: OvercoatLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpeIVs: 0 Atk- Tailwind- Taunt- Fake Tears- Foul Play

Whimsicott @ Focus SashAbility: PranksterLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpeTimid NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Protect- Tailwind- Fake Tears- Moonblast

DecorateDecorate Lapras Teams focus on setting aurora veil to become very bulky, using decorate with Alcremie to constantly to buff your stats, and being able to sit around, KOing your opponents before they can get rid of you. Safety goggles Alcremie is strong for this team, it also learns baby doll eyes to further increase bulk. Slow, specially bulky assault vest Duraludon is a good partner to this team as well, it can raise its defense with max steelspike while getting buffed by decorate. Typically, this Lapras will run light clay and a lot of bulk to stick around as long as possible.Note:Wolfe Glick featured one of these teamshere.

Lapras-Gmax @ Light ClayAbility: Shell ArmorLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpDQuiet NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Protect- Freeze-Dry- Thunder- Hydro Pump

Alcremie (F) @ Safety GogglesAbility: Sweet VeilLevel: 50EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 SpeBold NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Protect

Duraludon-Gmax @ Assault VestAbility: StalwartLevel: 50EVs: 100 HP / 4 Def / 92 SpA / 252 SpD / 60 SpeModest NatureIVs: 0 Atk- Flash Cannon- Draco Meteor- Thunderbolt- Snarl

Pros and Cons of LaprasLapras is a very bulky and flexible Pokemon with afantasticGmax Move effect that can support the whole team and cause survivals and wins that could never have happened without screens. However, it is slow and weak offensively without both speed control and setup, making it easy to target down the support Pokemon. (It’s REALLY easy to read a turn one lapras protect and double comfey.) Additionally, they have been widely regarded as “good” teams and therefore more prepared for and harder to navigate.

Hopefully this answers your questions!