Day, Night, and Dusk - Lycanroc for Smash Bros. Ultimate

[Tuoko]

Fingers crossed for Lycanroc tomorrow! Or at least any kind of Pokemon rep just to end the wait.

 

[Garteam]

Today's (Thursday's) update is Alolan Exeggutor. This could mean nothing, but it would also go well with the addition of an Alolan newcomer on the Smash Bros blog, similar to how Gangplank Galleon and Gear Up For... were added with King K. Rool and Chrom.

 

[Deleted member]

Backing Lycanroc and Incineroar hope we get one.

 

[Cosmic77]

Well, looks like that Direct ain't happening now (for good reason, mind you, but it's still disappointing).

On the bright side, should a Pokemon besides Lycanroc get revealed in the Direct, we get a little while longer to live our dream. We also get a little while longer to look for possible clues.


On a unrelated note, a few interesting things about the anime.

- Lycanroc didn't appear in today's episode, but it will appear in next week's... alongside Ash's other Pokemon.
- Next week's episode is the final part of the Necrozma arc. It's hinted that Ash will say goodbye to Poipole here, dropping him down to four Pokemon (Pikachu, Rowlet, Lycanroc, and Torracat).
- There's gonna be a hiatus after next week, and the anime won't pick up until October. Sunday is the new timeslot.
- Assuming Gen VIII comes out next year, we have no more than 50 episodes of the Su/Mo anime left.
- Ash's Greninja evolved at episode 100 of the XY anime. If Incineroar doesn't get revealed before then, we have an idea of when we could possibly see Torracat evolve.

 

[BluePikmin11]

The Pokemon S/M anime had a surprisingly short run. Then again, I don't really follow the anime closely, and then again, next year would probably be the ideal time to end it. Generation 7 lasted a short time to me.

 

[Cosmic77]

The Pokemon S/M anime had a surprisingly short run. Then again, I don't really follow the anime closely, and then again, next year would probably be the ideal time to end it. Generation 7 lasted a short time to me.

Surprisingly, it's shaping up to last just as long as it's predecessors (3 years). I believe BW was 141 episodes while XY was 140. If it can pump out 45-50 episodes within the next year, it should end somewhere between 135-140.

I think the reason why it feels so short is because we've been waiting for the Switch Pokemon games for so long. Exactly seven months after Su/Mo hit store shelves, we were promised new games for the Switch. That's way earlier than normal.

 

[Delzethin]

And so, we're left waiting. But for how long? Hard to say.

It'll make these next few days pretty harrowing, though, waiting for a new date and hoping the contents aren't leaked.

 

[RandomAce]

So, the direct is delayed... dammit, there goes my day, though I can still wait and I respect Nintendo’s decision, despite not being crazed in Kyoto, they still delayed it for others.
———————————————————
Anyways, now that we have a couple of more days of speculation though, are any of you guys a lot more worried about Lycanroc’s chances?

Over time I saw this thread becoming a lot more ... barren over time. I guess with what Vergeben said recently, everyone just flocked over to Incineroar.

 

[Desdar300]

The Pokemon S/M anime had a surprisingly short run. Then again, I don't really follow the anime closely, and then again, next year would probably be the ideal time to end it. Generation 7 lasted a short time to me.

It's lasted as long as the last two generations

 

[CrusherMania1592]

- Next week's episode is the final part of the Necrozma arc. It's hinted that Ash will say goodbye to Poipole here, dropping him down to four Pokemon (Pikachu, Rowlet, Lycanroc, and Torracat).

Holy **** WHAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!?

 

[BluePikmin11]

So, the direct is delayed... dammit, there goes my day, though I can still wait and I respect Nintendo’s decision, despite not being crazed in Kyoto, they still delayed it for others.
———————————————————
Anyways, now that we have a couple of more days of speculation though, are any of you guys a lot more worried about Lycanroc’s chances?

Over time I saw this thread becoming a lot more ... barren over time. I guess with what Vergeben said recently, everyone just flocked over to Incineroar.

I am not worried. We all discussed every reason on why Lycanroc stand a good chance and compared the pros/cons for Incineroar in the Official Discussion Thread. Now I am just waiting to see who that Pokemon newcomer will be. I am not gonna let time deter my belief of Lycanroc getting in Ultimate. You guys should remain confident as ever!

 

[Cosmic77]

.Anyways, now that we have a couple of more days of speculation though, are any of you guys a lot more worried about Lycanroc’s chances?

Over time I saw this thread becoming a lot more ... barren over time. I guess with what Vergeben said recently, everyone just flocked over to Incineroar.

On the contrary, I think Lycanroc has gotten even more activity since Vergeben's claim. Once Mimikyu got disconfirmed and Incineroar was hinted at, it feels like a lot more people are backing Lycanroc (We were on page 9 less than a month ago, and this thread has existed for a year and a half). Yes, more people expect Incineroar, but there's very little hype for the character. Just look at how slow his support thread is moving despite being supported by Verge.

Decidueye on the other hand... The hype for the character is still there, but virtually everyone has given up on him. There's little to no activity in his thread nowadays, and I'm guessing PT's return was a bigger nail in the coffin for him than Verge.

 

[Deleted member]

Wonder if Ash heads to Kanto for a bit. We’ll see.

 

[DeltaSceptile]

Lycanroc could be the chosen mon. Unlike Decidueye, his relevance and popularity are both still held up pretty nice. I’m not going to mess with Decidueye that much though, because he is still popular.

 

[Delzethin]

Anyways, now that we have a couple of more days of speculation though, are any of you guys a lot more worried about Lycanroc’s chances?

Over time I saw this thread becoming a lot more ... barren over time. I guess with what Vergeben said recently, everyone just flocked over to Incineroar.

I think you may have fallen into...whatever the opposite of a placebo effect is. Seems like there's been a steady conversation here for the most part with only a few gaps every now and then, which is pretty significant for any support thread that didn't come prepackaged with a huge backing like Bandana Dee or Isaac did.

In fact, apparently we're the most active of any Pokémon thread on the boards? Sure, it's only because it seems most hardcore speculators don't give enough of a damn about the series to pitch in on anyone, but it's still something.

EDIT: Damn, we've even caught up to the Decidueye thread in size. Dead even at 535 posts each as of right now.

On the contrary, I think Lycanroc has gotten even more activity since Vergeben's claim. Once Mimikyu got disconfirmed and Incineroar was hinted at, it feels like a lot more people are backing Lycanroc (We were on page 9 less than a month ago, and this thread has existed for a year and a half). Yes, more people expect Incineroar, but there's very little hype for the character. Just look at how slow his support thread is moving despite being supported by Verge.

Decidueye on the other hand... The hype for the character is still there, but virtually everyone has given up on him. There's little to no activity in his thread nowadays, and I'm guessing PT's return was a bigger nail in the coffin for him than Verge.

Yeah, I feel pretty bad for the actual Decidueye fans, honestly. What seemed like such a major following grew shaky once Ivysaur showed up, then evaporated as soon as the first remotely credible rumor stood against them. Bandwagons, am I right? It's like an inverse sour grapes effect: People assuming a character must be guaranteed and deciding to look for reasons to like them.

And yet, the Incineroar thread hasn't been much of a recipient of that despite the bandwagon shifting in their direction. Wonder why that is? I've seen some people consider it a boring choice compared to its competition, but is that sentiment so widespread? And can we capitalize on that somehow to give ourselves some attention and point out all the unique things Lycanroc is capable of?

 

[WeirdChillFever]

I think you may have fallen into...whatever the opposite of a placebo effect is. Seems like there's been a steady conversation here for the most part with only a few gaps every now and then, which is pretty significant for any support thread that didn't come prepackaged with a huge backing like Bandana Dee or Isaac did.

In fact, apparently we're the most active of any Pokémon thread on the boards? Sure, it's only because it seems most hardcore speculators don't give enough of a damn about the series to pitch in on anyone, but it's still something.

EDIT: Damn, we've even caught up to the Decidueye thread in size. Dead even at 535 posts each as of right now.


Yeah, I feel pretty bad for the actual Decidueye fans, honestly. What seemed like such a major following grew shaky once Ivysaur showed up, then evaporated as soon as the first remotely credible rumor stood against them. Bandwagons, am I right? It's like an inverse sour grapes effect: People assuming a character must be guaranteed and deciding to look for reasons to like them.

And yet, the Incineroar thread hasn't been much of a recipient of that despite the bandwagon shifting in their direction. Wonder why that is? I've seen some people consider it a boring choice compared to its competition, but is that sentiment so widespread? And can we capitalize on that somehow to give ourselves some attention and point out all the unique things Lycanroc is capable of?

I'd like to make the case that Decidueye support is still strong, but as you probably know as Robin supporter, it's hard to stay active and optimistic in the face of leaks. People that entertain the idea, but weren't neccesarily hardcore supporters fall out of the group first, and with the quite big group of Pokëmon or even characters in general availible, it's hard to stay loud for one specific mon.
The trend as I see it is people like the idea of Decidueye for the novelties he brings, but just aren't confident or investdd enough to make a noise about it. He'd be cool to a lot of people, but he's not neccesarily a most wanted.

The best example of this is that Decidueye's thread was never all that big, even in their biggest haydays. People slapped him on their lists, and like the idea of an archer/owl/grass stuff/all of the above, but a very little core of people was ready to really dive deep into his possible set, partly because "Spirit Shackle, Other Arching and Bird Moves" is more easily imaginable than Lycanroc's Bait and Punishesque style. It's a different kind of potential. One that is not as obvious at first glance, but is a treasure trove and more solid base once you dig.
Decidueye never needed that digging for potential because his buzzwords are already a new flair in the Smash Bros world.


It'd be the same if Isabelle were to be deemed less likely/was debunked by leak. She's liked by a wide band of people and a leak wouldn't change that and she does have the credentials, but not enough people are invested in her enough to talk about her beyond parroting "She could use Public Works or could be an Echo" because said Public Works terraforming already speaks to people enough on its own, despite it most probably just being a Down B

And I've never seen Ivysaur being brought up as a reason but we might just see seperate parts of the fandom and my view is by no means complete.

 

[DeltaSceptile]

My thing is that I feel Sceptile would have about as much hype around his thread as Decidueye and Lycanroc, however his thread being made much later (by me) caused it to look like he’s a bit behind.

 

[WeirdChillFever]

My thing is that I feel Sceptile would have about as much hype around his thread as Decidueye and Lycanroc, however his thread being made much later (by me) caused it to look like he’s a bit behind.

That's very possible! I think Pokémon is always a matter of potential and design rather than character, so I can see Sceptile being received well if he plays like he does in Pokken.

Thread size is a poor measurement of character popularity because the Daisy thread is huge but it was just me and a few others passing moveset ideas around and discussing each Mario game coming out.

 

[DeltaSceptile]

That's very possible! I think Pokémon is always a matter of potential and design rather than character, so I can see Sceptile being received well if he plays like he does in Pokken.

Thread size is a poor measurement of character popularity because the Daisy thread is huge but it was just me and a few others passing moveset ideas around and discussing each Mario game coming out.

I actually expected Daisy more than Waluigi, but I didn’t actually think she would make it. Happy she’s in tho.

 

[RandomAce]

Alright so with these stressful couple of days, let’s do a little QOTD.

What move do you want to be in Lycanroc’s moveset?
(Excluding Accelerock and Counter)

I’m rooting for Stone Edge, there are so many ways to utilize it.

 

[TCT~Phantom]

If I had to put any moves into his moveset, I would obviously do a Rock slide Down smash (similar to Squirtle's Up Smash). That In my opinion would look sick. IMO Stone Edge is gonna be a thing, the Z Move is based on it. But if I had to choose anything, I would go with Stealth Rock. Simply put, I feel laying a trap on the stage would be awesome, or spawning a sharp stone to use as an item.

Also, as of now (which honestly aside from maybe Incineroar I doubt anyone will shift things too much and maybe a few rerates we are doing but tbh most of them are high anyway) Lycanroc is in the top 10 of chance!

 

[dimensionsword64]

So I often see people talking about adding Lycanroc, but they never really specify which form. Day and Dusk are pretty similar, but Night has a different body shape, so I'm not sure how you could get all 3. What form are people usually rooting for?

 

[DeltaSceptile]

I think most support right now is for dusk form (but I’d like to think all three have an equal chance)

 

[Fire Tactician]

Hopefully Dusk, considering its anime importance (see Greninja) and its status as a cross between the other two, but I'd be thrilled with Midday because I love canines. That said, I would not complain about Midnight Lycanroc in the slightest.

---

You can add me to the Lycanroc supporters!

I never even entertained the idea of Lycanroc before some recent videos and boards I've seen, but I love it. Lycanroc was my favorite Gen VII Pokemon (maybe tied with Rockruff...) and I think it'd be a phenomenal choice for Smash. It's currently my most wanted newcomer, sliding right in front of an XC2 rep and the nevergonnahappenbutihavetokeepdreaming Sora. Fingers crossed!

 

[dimensionsword64]

Personally, my favorite is Midnight, but I did grow pretty attached to my Dusk Lycanroc in Ultra Moon, so I'd be cool with Lycanroc in Smash. It's unlikely, I think it'd be cool if we got all three. Dusk and Midday could both work as they have the same body shape, and I don't think it would be too awful to also have a Midnight form that used the same moves (with altered animations, due to it being bipedal). The problem is that Midnight wouldn't work as an alternate costume, and I doubt they'd add the three Lycanrocs as echoes or separate characters.

 

[Delzethin]

Hoo boy. Got a lot to catch up on.

Alright so with these stressful couple of days, let’s do a little QOTD.

What move do you want to be in Lycanroc’s moveset?
(Excluding Accelerock and Counter)

I’m rooting for Stone Edge, there are so many ways to utilize it.

I've been a big proponent of Stealth Rock, myself. The idea of having a fast, punish-based character who can also put a trap down to control space or confirm into bigger hits makes for a really unique angle that hasn't been done before!

Also, as of now (which honestly aside from maybe Incineroar I doubt anyone will shift things too much and maybe a few rerates we are doing but tbh most of them are high anyway) Lycanroc is in the top 10 of chance!

Huh, that's interesting. I admit I haven't followed RTC much for a while since I've been busy with videos and other projects, so that's a welcome surprise.

Not that it'll last long, since Skull Kid and the Black Knight are about to knock Lycanroc down to 11th. Even though the "evidence" toward the latter doesn't hold up...

...Seriously, people, he's never been in the background of Castle Siege, not even in Brawl.

So I often see people talking about adding Lycanroc, but they never really specify which form. Day and Dusk are pretty similar, but Night has a different body shape, so I'm not sure how you could get all 3. What form are people usually rooting for?

We take all kinds here! It varies from person to person, though it seems like most here agree that the Dusk form is the most likely to end up playable. That said, some kind of multi-form concept may not be out of the question...

Can I count you as a supporter?

Hopefully Dusk, considering its anime importance (see Greninja) and its status as a cross between the other two, but I'd be thrilled with Midday because I love canines. That said, I would not complain about Midnight Lycanroc in the slightest.

---

You can add me to the Lycanroc supporters!

I never even entertained the idea of Lycanroc before some recent videos and boards I've seen, but I love it. Lycanroc was my favorite Gen VII Pokemon (maybe tied with Rockruff...) and I think it'd be a phenomenal choice for Smash. It's currently my most wanted newcomer, sliding right in front of an XC2 rep and the nevergonnahappenbutihavetokeepdreaming Sora. Fingers crossed!

And I know I can count you! Just a few more supporters, and we'll have reached 50.

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Alright so with these stressful couple of days, let’s do a little QOTD.

What move do you want to be in Lycanroc’s moveset?
(Excluding Accelerock and Counter)

I’m rooting for Stone Edge, there are so many ways to utilize it.

Definitely Stone Edge, or at least a move that summons rocks around Lycanroc.
The way I imagine it is that Lycanroc telepathically pulls out a Leaf Shield of rocks out of the ground around him (meaning the start up damages those in his territory) that spin around him for a short while.
Unlike Leaf Shield, it doesn't block projectiles, but it deals more damage. However, Lycanroc can only perform it on the ground. While he can take the rocks with him in the air, he has to be on the ground in order to do it and the move itself is a bit slow, so he can't use it always. That said, it's a powerful move that can break open opponent's defenses.

Alternatively, to really drive home the territory part, he can pull out a full on rock wall. While it quickly crumbles (it's more like Palutena's Reflect Wall than Pac's Hydrant), it does have the properties of a platform, so he can climb on it, and also allows him to wall jump on top of stopping opponents from advancing
Again, a slow move to start up and not to be used in the middle of battle but a powerful starter for neutral and a possible tool in a big advantage state.

A possible moveset:
B: Accelrock
Side B: Stealth Rock
Up B: Rock Climb
Down B: Stone Edge

 

[dimensionsword64]

We take all kinds here! It varies from person to person, though it seems like most here agree that the Dusk form is the most likely to end up playable. That said, some kind of multi-form concept may not be out of the question...

Can I count you as a supporter?

Sure! I'd be pretty pleased to have Lycanroc in Smash.

 

[Hydra of Chaos]

I think u f*cked up that Quote
EDIT: fixed

 

[Deleted member]

Took me long enough to comment on this thread am I right In any case. I'm sure Delzethin is already aware of how much of a Lycanroc fan he made me with his Challenger Approaching series. Not going to lie, I'm starting to think the Gen 7 Pokemon we get will be Incineroar because of the Vergeben rumors. But you can still call me a Lycanroc supporter since I'd love to see him get in. And if I'm to be honest, Vergeben can't have called EVERYTHING correctly...........right?

 

[Guynamednelson]

I'm starting to think the Gen 7 Pokemon we get will be Incineroar because of the Vergeben rumors.

It's more plausible that "Not Decidueye/Lycanroc/Mimikyu" is Tapu Koko. It's the main Tapu and it helps you out at the start of SM, and people have forgotten that not every gen has a fully evolved starter as a mascot.

 

[Deleted member]

It's more plausible that "Not Decidueye/Lycanroc/Mimikyu" is Tapu Koko. It's the main Tapu and it helps you out at the start of SM, and people have forgotten that not every gen has a fully evolved starter as a mascot.

Tapu Koko is certainly a viable option as well.

 

[Pizza Robo]

I support Lycanroc for Super Smash Bros :D
As for which version i will go with Midnight or Dusk

 

[Cosmic77]

Personally, my favorite is Midnight, but I did grow pretty attached to my Dusk Lycanroc in Ultra Moon, so I'd be cool with Lycanroc in Smash. It's unlikely, I think it'd be cool if we got all three. Dusk and Midday could both work as they have the same body shape, and I don't think it would be too awful to also have a Midnight form that used the same moves (with altered animations, due to it being bipedal). The problem is that Midnight wouldn't work as an alternate costume, and I doubt they'd add the three Lycanrocs as echoes or separate characters.

Already been said, but a majority of Lycanroc supporters think Dusk is most likely. However, that's not to say the other two forms don't have their own support.

There's more than a few people in this thread who said they would prefer Midnight, and that's understandable. Plus, it did have a role in the first Gen VII movie, so you could say it has it's own unique advantage.

Took me long enough to comment on this thread am I right In any case. I'm sure Delzethin is already aware of how much of a Lycanroc fan he made me with his Challenger Approaching series. Not going to lie, I'm starting to think the Gen 7 Pokemon we get will be Incineroar because of the Vergeben rumors. But you can still call me a Lycanroc supporter since I'd love to see him get in. And if I'm to be honest, Vergeben can't have called EVERYTHING correctly...........right?

You're right. It did take you long enough.

But seriously, welcome to the Lycanroc club.

You aren't alone when you say Incineroar is the most likely. Feels like lots of people who trust Verge have flooded to Incineroar, many of which just want the bragging rights of correctly predicting a character (even though it doesn't count. The only reason they think he's likely is because of someone else's comments). But we have to remember that even the mighty Gematsu was imperfect. Verge has a history of getting details wrong, and because his sources are somehow disconfirming characters before confirming them, we should all have reason to doubt.

 

[Delzethin]

Took me long enough to comment on this thread am I right In any case. I'm sure Delzethin is already aware of how much of a Lycanroc fan he made me with his Challenger Approaching series. Not going to lie, I'm starting to think the Gen 7 Pokemon we get will be Incineroar because of the Vergeben rumors. But you can still call me a Lycanroc supporter since I'd love to see him get in. And if I'm to be honest, Vergeben can't have called EVERYTHING correctly...........right?

I was wondering if you ever did anything on the boards! Welcome.

And as others here have touched on already, there's an air of unease since we're up against a rumor from a person who's had stuff right so far. However, these big name leakers tend to have multiple sources, and apparently the ones behind the Pokémon info are different than his main sources, so there's a plausible chance those sources in particular could be mistaken or fraudulent while the others are legitimate. Remember, we've had many cases in the past of major leaks that turned out to have a mix of correct and incorrect information--in fact, several during Sun & Moon's reveal cycle were as such!

For example, there's a possibility that maybe the source who said "no Decidueye, Mimikyu, or Lycanroc, but I don't know who it is" might've seen something that hinted at Midday or Midnight in a non-playable role, but didn't think to check for the Dusk form. Considering how far Dusk Lycanroc is off most speculators' radars due to being revealed after they stopped paying attention to Sun & Moon--I still see others only mention Midday and Midnight half the time--it's a plausible scenario we should keep in mind.

I support Lycanroc for Super Smash Bros :D
As for which version i will go with Midnight or Dusk

Welcome to you, as well! Seems like our ranks just keep growing.

 

[Deleted member]

I was wondering if you ever did anything on the boards! Welcome.

Oh yeah. Totally have been. Been hosting that stage creation contest that's stickied to the General Discussion threads for Smash Ultimate since January in fact. Ironically enough, said contest just started it's 2nd Pure Pokemon round.

In any case, I didn't realize that people have been dismissing Dusk Lycanroc so much. That gives some more hope for the fury driven sunset wolf.

 

[Kiibystar]

#745 - Lycanroc​

Overview

​

Lycanroc is a wolflike Rock-type Pokémon from the series' 7th generation, debuting in Pokémon Sun and Moon. The species bears the unique trait of having three different possible forms depending on the conditions it evolves in: the pacifistic Midday, the battle-thirsty Midnight, or the rare Dusk form that combines attributes of both. Despite a slow start at first, Lycanroc has risen rapidly in prominence and popularity since Sun and Moon first launched, growing into its generation's counterpart to Lucario and Zoroark and becoming a prime candidate for Super Smash Bros.

Why Lycanroc?

​

If you're looking for someone who is not only is fresh and interesting, but combines many unique traits into something no other potential newcomer can match, then you're in the right place.

First, and most obvious, is Lycanroc's nature as a Rock type--basically, it means earth-elemental powers. Earth as a whole is almost completely untouched by Smash so far, its only appearances being in Charizard's Rock Smash and the occasional move with a burying effect. This mastery over a yet-untapped element makes Lycanroc inherently unique and compelling when measured up to the current roster, and Sakurai has been very upfront about how important that is when deciding who will join the fight.

Not only that, but Midday and Dusk Lycanroc offer even further uniqueness due to their quadrupedal builds. While Pikachu and Duck Hunt run on all fours, the former usually stands upright and the latter is practically a walking cartoon character. We've never had a fully feral playable fighter in Smash before, and it makes Lycanroc stand out even more compared to its potential peers.

And beyond even that, Lycanroc has all the moveset potential you'd come to expect from a Pokémon character, thanks to a long list of attacks they can learn in their home series that can transfer right over into Smash. From basic fare like Tackle, Bite, and Rock Throw to stronger moves in Stone Edge and Thrash to signature move Accelerock to the dreaded Stealth Rock, there's plenty to build a moveset around no matter how unconventional. There's even a tailor-made Final Smash in the form of their signature Z-Move Splintered Stormshards!

But that's not all, this character in particular even has the potential for more dynamic elements! Perhaps Dusk Lycanroc could take after the anime with a powered up berserk mode triggered by special circumstances? Or what if Sakurai and the Smash team created a concept that allowed shifting between all three forms, with the same attacks but different stats and hitboxes, as a sort-of stance system? The further you dig, the more potential there is to find.

Questions & Answers

​

Q: Hold up, is Lycanroc really a big enough deal to get considered for Smash?

Actually, yes! This character may not have made waves when Sun and Moon first launched, but has become more and more prominent in the time since. Dusk Lycanroc in particular was the first major reveal of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, has had a lot of attention on the marketing and merchandise side of things (including a few announced mere hours after its unveiling), and has been pushed as hard as even the starters in the time since.

To give you an idea of how big a deal we're talking here: While playable Pokémon in Smash are ostensibly based on the games, they always draw inspiration from the anime, and Ash having a Greninja be his signature 'mon for the Kalos region probably influenced the decision to add Greninja to Smash. This is worth noting...because Ash's signature 'mon for Alola is a Lycanroc. And since such a major production would've been planned out far in advance by its very nature, The Pokémon Company would have had Lycanroc singled out to be this important as far back as mid-2016 or so when Sakurai came knocking and asked what newcomer options there were from Gen 7.

In short, Lycanroc is every bit important enough to have been on the short list to be considered for Smash. It just took a while to hit all of those criteria, long enough that everyone outside the Pokémon fandom had stopped paying attention.

Q: But could Lycanroc even beat out Decidueye or any other potential competiton?

Here's where it gets interesting: Every box that Decidueye checks is one that Lycanroc also checks. Both are relevant and among the most prominent 'mons of their generation, one as a starter, the other as its gen's biggest non-starter. Both have unique, standout abilities, one through plant-based powers and archery, the other through earth-based powers, a quadrupedal build, and the potential for dynamic elements. Both even have high moveset potential just due to their nature as RPG characters!

The reason one is considered a shoo-in for Smash by speculators, with the other an afterthought? One was a big deal right at the release of Gen 7 when people were watching, while the other didn't reach that point until a year later...yet is now the bigger deal in some very important parts of the franchise.

At this point, Decidueye and Lycanroc may well be neck-and-neck as the two most likely Pokémon newcomers...yet surrounding circumstances may push Lycanroc on top. As Sakurai's stated, his team considers which Pokémon will be important going forward...and the way things are shaping up, Lycanroc may well end up the more important one in the long run. Or what if they take into account that they'll probably make downloadable content for this game? Knowing that they'll have the option for a Gen 8 newcomer later next year, what if they choose the 'mon with the rarer elemental niche to add now? After all, every generation has a Grass starter, but this is the most prominent Rock type the series has ever seen, and there's no telling when there'll be another chance to add something as unique as an earthbender to Smash!

...Well, not unless Golden Sun rises from the ashes, but I don't think we can afford to bank on that.

But despite all these comparisons, Lycanroc may not even be competing with Decidueye or other Gen 7 'mons to begin with! Considering past Smash games and just how massive Pokémon is as a franchise, there's a very real chance we could see two newcomers!

Q: Wait, how would the Midday or Dusk forms wield items? That's kind of important!

Not as much of a problem as you'd think, actually; they could just carry and wield items with their mouths. Sure, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense operating a blaster or Super Scope with their teeth, but the Smash devs don't seem to care about depicting those weapons realistically anyway. Seriously, Wario, your hand isn't anywhere near the trigger!

Supporters

1. Blue Sword Edge
2. Diddy Kong
3. UGXwolf
4. PrinceOfAltea
5. NuzTheMonkey
6. Windstar
7. WhiteEaglePL
8. RandomAce
9. Sage of Ice
10. Pikablu Pikachu
11. SEGAGameBoy
12. Mr. Nintendo
13. TCT~Phantom
14. PeridotGX
15. Altais
16. Nintenzilla
17. Chihiro Fujisaki
18. Peridorito
19. MasterRMerF
20. Cosmic77
21. Questionmark222
22. Ark of Silence101
23. Dangeraaron10
24. Dashing Cobras
25. Walfan
26. Gengar84
27. P.Kat
28. Eagle
29. Garteam
30. Hydra of Chaos
31. DeltaSceptile
32. Igglybuff4SmashU
33. Kremling Man
34. ThunderOverload
35. Noise R Us
36. Suprice Supplies
37. ThatRedPlumber
38. ThoughtfulWanderer
39. Noipoi
40. Tuoko
41. Desdar300
42. Valkiriforce
43. Fortun8
44. PF9
45. Dimensionsword64
46. Fire Tactician
47. Psb123
48. Pizza Robo​

Miscellany

​

Character Concept (Midday & Midnight; pre-dates Dusk's reveal) - Delzethin

Character Concept (Dusk) - Delzethin

Smash Ultimate-style Stock Icon - Voyager

Yeah I can see that might be the next new Pokémon to be playable in smash ultimate and if it’s revealed in the next smash update then I will thank you for predicting the next Pokémon for the smash Bros roster

 

[valkiriforce]

Okay, so I just saw that Delzethin video on Lycanroc - I have to say it's convinced me that Lycanroc could certainly have better chances than I first thought. To be honest I haven't been keeping up with things relating to Pokemon over these past years, however even I have noticed Lycanroc has been prominently featured throughout most of the related Pokemon content I've seen crop up in various places. So I would say their inclusion would definitely make sense even from an outside perspective - let alone those who have been keeping track. I've heard names like Incineroar and Decidueye but have hardly seen or heard anything about them, and I've seen them suggested by a lot of Smash speculators. I would say I'm pretty much in the same line of thought as those who would anticipate Lycanroc's inclusion however it may be handled - I think since people haven't brought them up as much it would make their reveal more exciting, and I know both I and a friend of mine would really love to see them make it into Smash Ultimate. It just seems like Lycanroc would better represent this newer Pokemon generation than other possible inclusions I can think of.

 

[Cosmic77]

Okay, so I just saw that Delzethin video on Lycanroc - I have to say it's convinced me that Lycanroc could certainly have better chances than I first thought. To be honest I haven't been keeping up with things relating to Pokemon over these past years, however even I have noticed Lycanroc has been prominently featured throughout most of the related Pokemon content I've seen crop up in various places. So I would say their inclusion would definitely make sense even from an outside perspective - let alone those who have been keeping track. I've heard names like Incineroar and Decidueye but have hardly seen or heard anything about them, and I've seen them suggested by a lot of Smash speculators. I would say I'm pretty much in the same line of thought as those who would anticipate Lycanroc's inclusion however it may be handled - I think since people haven't brought them up as much it would make their reveal more exciting, and I know both I and a friend of mine would really love to see them make it into Smash Ultimate. It just seems like Lycanroc would better represent this newer Pokemon generation than other possible inclusions I can think of.

Glad to hear you're more optimistic.

You're not alone when you say you haven't been keeping up with Pokemon. Sadly, most people who expect a Pokemon newcomer do a minimal amount of research before deciding who they think is most likely.

Out of the three starters, I always thought Incineroar would be the biggest threat for Lycanroc due to its presence in the movie and the heavy character development of Ash's Litten (now Torrcat). Rowlet was purely comedic relief, and if the previous comedic relief starters were any indicator (Piplup, Oshawott, Chespin, etc.), I didn't see it evolving in the future. That suggested to me that there were no plans to push Decidueye. But what did everyone else assume? "Decidueye was playable in Pokken. He's easily the most likely." Nobody gave Incineroar the time of day, because Decidueye was obviously the clear winner. Then Verge suggested Incineroar might be playable, people dropped Decidueye like he never had a chance, and out of nowhere, everyone is acting like Incineroar was the easiest prediction of them all.

Even if Lycanroc supporters are wrong, I can easily say that we've done the most genuine and meaningful research out of every other Pokemon support thread. We've considered the variables and made a decision on who we thought had the best chance rather than simply piggybacking off the current popular opinion.

 

[GlaceonGD]

Honestly, I love the idea of Lycanroc being the playable pokemon rep for Ultimate. The point you make for it's typing being unrepresented is something I've mentioned to people a lot while talking about possible candidates, I'd like to see more than just multiple of the same ones. Also, I personally dislike most starters and the gen 7 starters were some of my least favorites (ended up trading mine to my sister and making a team of all the eeveelutions lol) so seeing Lycanroc over Incineroar or Decidueye would make me really happy. Count me in as a supporter, really hoping things work out for Lycanroc!