As you approach the climactic moments of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, confronting the notorious former Team Flare commander known as L serves as a pivotal story encounter. While this showdown signals your proximity to completing the Lumiose City narrative, trainers should prepare for strategic combat against his formidable team.
Team Composition and Tactical Vulnerabilities
L’s battle roster features these combatants with distinct offensive gaps and defensive strengths:
| Lv. 80 Mega Gyarados (Water/Dark-type) | Fighting, Bug, Grass, Electric, and Fairy-types | Ghost, Steel, Fire, Water, Ice, and Dark-types Immune to Psychic-types |
| Lv. 79 Noivern (Flying/Dragon-type) | Rock, Ice, Dragon, and Fairy-types | Fighting, Bug, Fire, Water, and Grass-types Immune to Ground-types |
| Lv. 79 Garbodor (Poison-type) | Ground and Psychic-types | Fighting, Poison, Bug, Grass, and Fairy-types |
| Lv. 78 Sableye (Dark/Ghost-type) | Fairy-types | Poison-types Immune to Normal, Fighting, and Psychic-types |
| Lv. 78 Florges (Fairy-type) | Poison and Steel-types | Fighting, Bug, and Dark-types Immune to Dragon-types |
| Lv. 78 Pyroar (Fire/Normal-type) | Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water-types | Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, and Fairy-types Immune to Ghost-types |
Strategic preparation should focus on exploiting three shared Fairy-type vulnerabilities while managing multiple immunities across opposing Pokémon. Hybrid Steel/Fairy types like Mawile prove particularly effective, neutralizing both Fairy-weak adversaries and resisting various attacks.
Ground-type attackers merit inclusion for handling Pyroar and Garbodor, though caution against Noivern’s Ground immunity is essential. Maintain Fairy-type readiness for Sableye elimination, as this shadow Pokémon only succumbs to Fairy-based assaults.
Strategic Level Recommendations
Optimize your team between Levels 80-85 for balanced challenge and effectiveness. Excessive over-leveling diminishes encounter complexity while under-preparation risks swift defeat.
Effective Counter Roster
Consider these tactical options when assembling your anti-L squad:
| Froslass (Ice/Ghost-type) | Noivern |
| Glalie (Ice-type) | Noivern |
| Glaceon (Ice-type) | Noivern |
| Eelektross (Electric-type) | Mega Gyarados |
| Manectric (Electric-type) | Mega Gyarados |
| Raichu (Electric-type) | Mega Gyarados |
| Jolteon (Electric-type) | Mega Gyarados |
| Ampharos (Electric-type) | Mega Gyarados |
| Stunfisk (Ground/Electric-type) | Garbodor, Mega Gyarados |
| Garchomp (Dragon/Ground-type) | Pyroar, Garbodor |
| Excadrill (Steel/Ground-type) | Garbodor, Florges |
| Hippowdon (Ground-type) | Pyroar, Garbodor |
| Steelix (Steel/Ground-type) | Garbodor |
| Onix (Rock/Ground-type) | Pyroar, Garbodor, Noivern |
| Aurourus (Rock/Ice-type) | Pyroar, Noivern |
| Carbink (Rock/Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern |
| Klefki (Steel/Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Florges |
| Mawile (Steel/Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Florges |
| Sylveon (Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Mega Gyarados |
| Slurpuff (Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Mega Gyarados |
| Aromatisse (Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Mega Gyarados |
| Clefable (Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Mega Gyarados |
| Dedenne (Electric/Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Mega Gyarados |
| Florges (Fairy-type) | Sableye, Noivern, Mega Gyarados |
Prioritize move types that exploit opponent vulnerabilities while respecting type immunities. Mega Evolution during the Mega Gyarados confrontation provides significant tactical advantage, particularly when using compatible Fairy-type Pokémon. Adjust existing team movepools using Technical Machines for enhanced coverage rather than overhauling established rosters.
Be mindful of inherent weaknesses in dual-type counters – for instance, Aggron’s Steel/Rock typing creates Fire vulnerability despite Rock’s effectiveness against Pyroar. Dragon-types require careful deployment against Noivern due to reciprocal Dragon weakness. Optimal victory requires balancing offensive pressure with strategic switching to neutralize Lysandre’s type-resistant team composition.