Lapras in PvP
Anyone been using Lapras in Great or Ultra battles? One leveled in the upper 30s would be around CP 2500. Looking for an ice counter to the Giratinas, Kingdras, and Flygons floating around this tier.
Answers
There are 7 power ups between 34.5 and 38, the first costing 7k Stardust and the rest at least 8k. That's already 55k Stardust... Actually more since that 8k should increase again.
More importantly, the odds that you have a high level weather boosted Lapras are low. The odds that you have a level 34/35 spheal and the candies to evolve it are... Near certain. That's the real difference in cost.
I've been using a Lapras in both the Great and Ultra leagues. In neutral matchups, it's not great, but it does alright. It chews through dragons rather quickly though, with the one exception being Kingdra. It's also a feature member of my tank team in the Ultra league (Giratina, Lapras, Cresselia).
That said, I find Lapras without legacy moves (ice shard and, in particular, ice beam) to be significantly less threatening. Frost breath has very mediocre DPS and EPS, which results in Blizzard taking quite awhile to charge up. It's also usable as a tanky water Mon, but lacks in overall performance when compares to WG/HC Blastoise as a water specialist.