Thanks ninantic wtf do I do with this?
Iv is actually really good it's 89%IV
Keep it or slaughter it?
Answers
GamePress isn't infallible
I know that (I was subtly hinting at the same thing). I was just pointing out something; I didn't say I agree with it. By the way, Pokebattler and IVStats both rate it as the #1 attacking moveset for Lapras. So I guess your view would be that they all got it wrong. Frankly, it confuses me.
It depends on what you want to do with your Lapras. Most people (myself included) want Lapras almost exclusively for its Dragonite-killing properties. Having a water quick attack (which Dragonite resists) thus makes it decidedly sub-optimal. In fact, unless you're fighting a ground-type mon (and let's think for a moment how common those are...), a Lapras with split water/ice moves is at a disadvantage because the two elements have pretty much opposite SE bonuses.
I really wonder what GP was thinking when they rated all of Lapras's current attacking movesets as As.
I really wonder what GP was thinking when they rated all of Lapras's current attacking movesets as As.
My guess is that combat simulations showed that as a generalist, Lapras's movesets all performed virtually equally well. As I mentioned in another response, Pokebattler and IVStats (both of which rely heavily if not solely on combat simulations for their grading) list Water Gun/Blizzard as the #1 ranked A-rated attacking moveset for Lapras.
Yeah but I thought GP also took into account the game's gym scene and meta, which would suggest a lot smaller of a role for a split water/ice attacker compared to a pure ice attacker. I've also never come across someone using Lapras as a generalist attacker - the context I always see Lapras referenced in is as an anti-Dragonite (or, before the great CP rejiggering, as a great wall of a defender). I mean, I suppose you could use a water/ice Lapras to take out Rhydons, and for neutral matchups, but it wouldn't be my first choice...
the context I always see Lapras referenced in is as an anti-Dragonite
Maybe it's time to reconsider? Maybe we've all been missing how good a generalist it is? Maybe with Cloyster, Jynx, and Piloswine all having access to Avalanche (which I think is much better than Blizzard) Lapras is no longer the mightiest of Dragonite killers and we need to say "good 'nite" to this role? :)
Having a water quick attack (which Dragonite resists) thus makes it decidedly sub-optimal.
Not necessarily if you consider results. I just did some quick simulations on Pokebattler and found that Lapras with either Water Gun/Blizzard or Frost Breath/Blizzard seemed to be able to kill a Dragonite after two Blizzard attacks (and not sooner). Water Gun is quicker than Frost Breath and generates more energy; Lapras will still get its two Blizzard attacks with either moveset and with a negligible time difference. The quick attacks were of minimal impact. My testing was of course not thorough, but it gave me an indication of what probably led to the A ratings. I also suspect that in matchups versus such strong defenders as Blissey and Snorlax (which almost certainly were part of the battle simulations used by GamePress, etc.), all six of Lapras's movesets would have performed very close to each other.
