Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into the world of Pokémon GO PvP, and I gotta share my experience with Lanturn. I wanted to see if this electric/water-type could really hold its own in the Great League.
Getting Started
First things first, I needed a good Lanturn. I already had a Chinchou, but its IVs were trash. I spent a couple of days just catching every Chinchou I saw. I mean, I hunted them. Finally, I hatched one with decent IVs, something like 1/15/14. Not perfect, but good enough for Great League!
Powering Up and Moves
Next, I popped a Rare Candy or two, I don’t exactly remember, and evolved my Chinchou to get my very first Lanturn. I walked with it as my buddy for a while to get enough candies to power it up close to the 1500 CP cap. This part took a while, I walked a LOT! During Community Day, it’s easier to get more candies. It took time, but it was worth it.
For the moves, I went with Spark as the fast move and Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump as the charged moves. Spark generates energy pretty quickly, and Thunderbolt is a reliable move for Electric damage. Hydro Pump hits like a truck when I need that Water-type nuke. I used a couple of TMs, not going to lie, I changed moves about 3 times,to get the right combination. It felt like forever, but finally, I was ready.
The Battles
Then, it was time to put Lanturn to the test! I jumped into the Great League and… well, it was a mixed bag at first. I got wrecked by Grass-types, obviously. Razor Leaf just shreds Lanturn. But, against anything that didn’t resist Electric or Water, Lanturn was a beast!
I found that Lanturn’s bulk was actually pretty good. It could take a hit or two, which gave me time to build up energy and fire off those charged moves. The surprise factor of Hydro Pump was amazing! So many opponents didn’t shield it, thinking I’d just go for Thunderbolt. Boom! Instant KO.
I played a bunch of sets, probably 10 sets and 50 battles. I won some, I lost some. I’d say my win rate was… maybe a bit above 50%? Definitely not amazing, but I was learning a lot.
Strategy Refinement
Through all these battles, I started to get a better feel for Lanturn’s matchups. I learned when to shield, when to switch, and when to just go all-in with Hydro Pump. I even started to predict what my opponent would do, which felt awesome.
For example, I figured out that I could often bait out shields with Thunderbolt, then land a Hydro Pump later. Against Water-types, I’d usually lead with Spark and try to get them to waste shields on Thunderbolt. Then I got to farm the energy to get two charged moves off.
Final Thoughts
After all this battling, I’d say Lanturn is a solid pick for Great League. It’s not the best Pokémon out there, but it’s definitely viable and a ton of fun to use. It’s a bit of a glass cannon, but if you play it right, it can really shine. I’m still using it, and I’m still having a blast! I’m even thinking about trying it in some themed cups. Maybe I’ll give it another try, so I can keep refining my skills with my Lanturn.
