Final Submission
73 HP / 48 Atk / 44 Def / 63 SpA / 34 SpD / 82 Spe (Evo gives +35/+60/+30/+29/+30/+32)
344 BST
The first thing I thought on seeing the prevo design was "awwww."
The second, and much more relevant to the current topic, thing I thought was "That does not look like a physical attacker." So I thought that Astrolittle would be more of a supportive mon, with its magical power theme and firework theme playing greater roles due to its reduced physicality. With that in mind, 48 Atk is not going to be hurting anything any time soon with a rounded increase of 60 on evolution, while 63 SpA is just enough to leave it with some offensive capability to use its access to Draco Meteor and revenge kill slower offensive mons.
73 HP is so that with 252 EVs at Level 5, it hits 27 HP, which keeps Stealth Rock damage to 6 and maximises Regenerator recovery at 9 HP. The only other HP number achievable in LC that does the same is 15 HP, which is useless for obvious reasons. 12 EVs also maximise Regenerator recovery, but also maximise SR damage. In this way, much like Astrolotl, Astrolittle can pivot in and out of battle repeatedly. Unlike Astrolotl, its comparatively weak offenses prevent it pressuring defensive Pokemon while doing so. Astrolittle is also unable to keep Life Orb damage to 1 HP, even with minimised IVs.
Astrolittle still looks like a speedy bundle of energy, but not absurdly fast, so 82 Speed is the highest number possible that does not hit the exclusive 19 Speed tier, and coincidentally is the same as Dreepy, another Gen 8 Dragon with weaker offenses. This allows Astrolittle to invest as little as possible in exploiting its above average speed tier while still being vulnerable to Diglet, to ensure it is checked by it, and outsped by Ponyta, because trying to compete with Ponyta statwise is a lost cause. 180 EVs with a positive nature hits the 18 Speed benchmark.
44 in Def and 34 SpD compensates for its above average HP. Def is an Eviolite number uninvested, but a spare 4 EVs can be dumped into either one to raise one or the other while hitting an Eviolite number in this case of SpD.
Finally, the reason 63 SpA is chosen over the more thematic 62 is so that Astrolittle can hit the above HP and Speed benchmarks, then hit 14 SpA and have 4 EVs left over for one of its defences. It also coincidently hits 17 SpA at 252 EVs with a positive nature. I didn't want it any higher than this due to Gastly, another speedy special attacker, actually being sent to LC Ubers this gen. With a high HP and above-average speed, making it powerful as well in the offense-oriented LC metagame would be a bit far, even if it can be revenge killed by Diglet.
In summary:
- High HP for pivoting purposes like its evolution and Speed compensated for by low defences and offenses.
- Greatly customisable EVs due to having 5/6 stats start with a low benchmark.
- Lean towards SpA rather than Atk, to go with moves like Draco Meteor.
- Built around EV spread of 252 HP/92 SpA/180+ Spe with 4 EVs for one of the defences.
- Slightly overshadowed by fellow Fire-type Ponyta, but its Dragon typing and better Ability make it useful.
- HP ranges: Min 22, 14 IVs 23, 12 EVs 24, 92 EVs 25, 172 EVs 26, 252 EVs 27.
- Attack ranges: Min- 8, Min 9, 4 IVs 10, 24 IVs 11, 52 EVs 12, 132 EVs 13, 212 EVs 14, 212+ EVs 15.
- Def ranges: Min- 8, Min 9, 12 IVs 10, 4 EVs 11, 84 EVs 12, 164 EVs 13, 244 EVs 14, 244+ EVs 15.
- SpD ranges: Min- 7, Min 8, 12 IVs 9, 4 EVs 10, 84 EVs 11, 164 EVs 12, 244 EVs 13, 244+ EVs 14.
- SpA ranges: Min- 9, Min 11, 14 IVs 12, 12 EVs 13, 92 EVs 14, 172 EVs 15, 252 EVs 16, 252+ EVs 17.
- Speed ranges: Min- 11, Min 13, 16 IVs 14, 20 EVs 15, 100 EVs 16, 180 EVs 17, 180+ EVs 18.
Changelog:
EDIT: The one calc so far looks promising:
76 Atk Ponyta High Horsepower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Astrolotl: 22-26 (81.4 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
EDIT 2: 44 Spd-->34 Spd, as it fits better flavour-wise while offering the same EVing capabilites. Added Speed ranges.