Kingdra

[Shinyweavile]

HP: 75
Atk: 95
Def: 95
SAtk: 95
SDef: 95
Spd: 85

Abilities:
Sniper: Critical hits will do 3× damage instead of 2×.
Swift Swim: Swift Swim doubles the user's Speed stat in rain.
Dream World:
Damp: Damp prevents self-destruction and the use of moves such as Selfdestruct and Explosion, as well as preventing damage caused by the
ability Aftermath.

Though not seen as often in standard battling due to the drizzle + swift swim ban, kingdra is an offensive powerhouse in random matchup because of extensive rain usage. He combos well with pretty much anything, and you can't say he isn't bulky, being endowed with 75/95/95 defenses, and yet he still has respectable offensive stats in 95/95/85, and swift swim allows him to outspeed everything(bar ninjask) and 1HKO/2HKO with Outrage.

ChestoRest
Singles
Kingdra @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Outrage
- Rest

Simply Dragon Dance up, and if you think the opponent is doing too much damage in 1-2 hits, Rest up, because even if it's only at +1 or +2, he is still going to be able to rip their team apart. Swift Swim to take advantage of opposing rain. The extra special defense point is so you don't give any download users a free choice specs.

Mixed DDance
Singles / Doubles
Kingdra @ Lum Berry / Haban Berry / Absorb Bulb
Ability: Swift Swim
220 Atk / 144 SpA / 144 Spe
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall / Surf / Hydro Pump
- Outrage
- HP Fire / Fighting / Ice Beam

Similar to the above set, except you run special moves to get the jump on physical walls who try to take advantage of you to set up, which they usually don't in random matchup, but you will run into them anyway. Run Surf if doubles or you just want reliability, run Hydro Pump in singles or doubles if you don't have something that can safely take surf. Unfortunately, no recovery on this set means that anything that isn't KO'd will probably ruin Kingdra's sweep. The last slot is just filler, as there isn't much that resists dragon/water. Status really hurts Kingdra, which is why it's advised to run Lum Berry, but if you don't think you will have trouble with status, then you can run haban berry to mitigate a dragon type move from some pokemon and DDance in their faces, then go crazy with outrage.

SpecsDra
Singles
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
110 HP / 252 SpA / 148 Spe
Modest (+SAtk, -Atk) / Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- HP Fire
- Surf / DPulse

Works the best with rain obviously, but it can work without it. Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump are both extremely threatening moves that get near-perfect coverage, and in random matchup, nobody uses empoleon or shedinja, and ferrothorn is rare, but HP fire is there to kill them anyway, as long as you don't have rain. DPulse is more reliable than DMeteor because of the Special Attack drop, but Surf can be used for a more accurate water type move if you don't like missing just so you can net some extra KOs.

Singles(Dra)
Kingdra @ Life Orb / Absorb Bulb
ability: Swift Swim
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump / Surf
- Dragon Pulse
- Rain Dance / Toxic
- Protect

This set does indeed work wonders in singles, toxic to beat walls that aren't steel(shedinja too). Unfortunately, ferrothorn walls this set epically, as it does for many Kingdra sets. Absorb bulb is a great alternative to life orb in dubs/triples if you have a surfing partner, and something with water absorb can work pretty well with this set.

You can always run rain dance over DDance on any of the sets if you feel the need for instant double speed, and 5 turns isn't a big deal as we are talking about random matchup. I know that DDance sets aren't the only ones, but I am in the process of testing them, and when I've decided which ones work the best, I'll edit them in. Feel free to discuss this pokemon and why it wrecks so much.

 

[Crafty Scrafty]

You didn't mention whether these were for Singles or Doubles, but I believe Kingdra would also work well using a purely special set regardless of the metagame. Something like Surf / Draco Meteor (or pulse) / Ice Beam and then possibly Waterfall, Outrage or a Hidden Power. Kingdra is a top notch Pokemon thanks to Drizzle.

 

[Shinyweavile]

You didn't mention whether these were for Singles or Doubles, but I believe Kingdra would also work well using a purely special set regardless of the metagame. Something like Surf / Draco Meteor (or pulse) / Ice Beam and then possibly Waterfall, Outrage or a Hidden Power. Kingdra is a top notch Pokemon thanks to Drizzle.

Oh yeah, I forgot. I'll also put up a choice specs set in a second.

 

[Jirachee]

For the mixed DD set, Outrage is pretty terrible in doubles, since it doesn't let you choose the target, and since it's the point of this set, I can't see it working in doubles (it's pretty good in singles though)

Kingdra can be a pretty good Surf user in doubles, so I'd give it a mention. Something like Surf/Protect/Dragon Pulse/Draco Meteor could work I guess.

 

[Shinyweavile]

For the mixed DD set, Outrage is pretty terrible in doubles, since it doesn't let you choose the target, and since it's the point of this set, I can't see it working in doubles (it's pretty good in singles though)

Kingdra can be a pretty good Surf user in doubles, so I'd give it a mention. Something like Surf/Protect/Dragon Pulse/Draco Meteor could work I guess.

Hmm, you're right, but he really doesn't have any other ways to take advantage of his awesome physical dragon STAB.

 

[soul_survivor]

In doubles kingdra is usually ran specially offensive like this:

kingdra@life orb/ haban
modest
252 sp.atk, 252 speed(?)
swift swim

- hydropump/muddywater
-dragon pulse/draco meteor
hydro pump/ muddy water/ toxic
protect

Under rain kingdra hits like a truck. A life orbed, stab boosted hydro pump under rain cripples many things. Not to mention it gains muddy water, a very powerful spread move. toxic is for shedninja, and do i need to explain dragon pulse.

Also theres a bulky kindra whoms ev's i dnt know but i know always 252 sp.atk

 

[Ashenlock]

If you're running a Rain team, Absorb Bulb works very well for Kingdra in tandem with a Surf user. Its 4x Water resistance means it will take very little damage and it can strike back with insanely powerful water moves. Obviously this doesn't need to be the main option, only it's worth considering as many Rain teams use Surf spam.

 

[Shinyweavile]

If you're running a Rain team, Absorb Bulb works very well for Kingdra in tandem with a Surf user. Its 4x Water resistance means it will take very little damage and it can strike back with insanely powerful water moves. Obviously this doesn't need to be the main option, only it's worth considering as many Rain teams use Surf spam.

YES, this is a great idea! I'll insert it immediately!

 

[lordkira]

In singles, special-based LO sweeper is a menace under the conditions of drizzle.
Kingdra@LO
Modest/Timid nature
252spA/252spe/6hp
~draco meteor
~hydro pump
~surf
~dragon pulse

One can replace either dragon pulse or surf with hp - fighting specifically to fight ferrothorn.

 

[cosmicexplorer]

Hydro Pump in the rain is only a very small bit less powerful than a super effective Hidden Power Fighting, making the move superfluous.

 

[Shinyweavile]

Hydro Pump in the rain is only a very small bit less powerful than a super effective Hidden Power Fighting, making the move superfluous.

It's for those things that happen to resist it like empoleon and ferrothorn, but shedinja still walls it.

 

[Jibaku]

he meant resisted.

Take a look:
Hydro Pump (120) * STAB (1.5) * Rain (1.5) / Resistance (2) = 135
HP Fighting (70) * Weakness (2) = 140

 

[lordkira]

doesn't matter, a spA variant with LO should still be listed
you can cross out hpf but the set deserves to be acknowledged.

 

[cosmicexplorer]

While I can't attest to its effectiveness in singles, in doubles, Life Orb is an excellent set. Something like:
Kingdra @ Life Orb / Absorb Bulb (because it is on a rain team and Kingdra has a 4x resistance to Surf)
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
ability: Swift Swim
- Hydro Pump / Surf
- Dragon Pulse
- Rain Dance / Toxic
- Protect

Kingdra can basically spam boosted Water-type attacks to take out frailer opponents, and even some bulkier ones: Snorlax is easily 2HKOed by Hydro Pump unless it runs a very large amount of defensive investment. Toxic kills Shedinja and is there because there's not anything else it can really run in that slot, while Rain Dance sets rain back up if Tyranitar / Hippowdon / Abomasnow / Ninetales switches in. Kingdra is uniquely suited to set rain back up because of its lack of weaknesses to any attack used by other weather inducers, and because of its reasonably good bulk. Since Kingdra is meant to be a Swift Swim abuser, it doesn't really need maximum Speed, and you can put some Speed EVs into HP, which helps quite a bit with setting rain back up if you do choose Rain Dance. However, Kingdra will then lose Speed ties with other rain teams, so it's not always the best idea.

 

[Shinyweavile]

he meant resisted.

Take a look:
Hydro Pump (120) * STAB (1.5) * Rain (1.5) / Resistance (2) = 135
HP Fighting (70) * Weakness (2) = 140

Crap, you're right. I guess he could use ice beam for filler or HP fire to hit shedinja who doesn't make many appearances but will still wall the crap out of kingdra.

 

[cosmicexplorer]

Ice Beam has no coverage not already attained by Dragon Pulse, and Toxic is a better option to hit Shedinja imo, since it has utility in taking out Blissey as well as Shedinja.

 

[lordkira]

While I can't attest to its effectiveness in singles, in doubles, Life Orb is an excellent set. Something like:
Kingdra @ Life Orb / Absorb Bulb (because it is on a rain team and Kingdra has a 4x resistance to Surf)
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
ability: Swift Swim
- Hydro Pump / Surf
- Dragon Pulse
- Rain Dance / Toxic
- Protect

Kingdra can basically spam boosted Water-type attacks to take out frailer opponents, and even some bulkier ones: Snorlax is easily 2HKOed by Hydro Pump unless it runs a very large amount of defensive investment. Toxic kills Shedinja and is there because there's not anything else it can really run in that slot, while Rain Dance sets rain back up if Tyranitar / Hippowdon / Abomasnow / Ninetales switches in. Kingdra is uniquely suited to set rain back up because of its lack of weaknesses to any attack used by other weather inducers, and because of its reasonably good bulk. Since Kingdra is meant to be a Swift Swim abuser, it doesn't really need maximum Speed, and you can put some Speed EVs into HP, which helps quite a bit with setting rain back up if you do choose Rain Dance. However, Kingdra will then lose Speed ties with other rain teams, so it's not always the best idea.

In singles, the LO set is fantastic. I'm stating the obvious but the versatility is great. I'm not sure about doubles and others though. >.<

 

[soul_survivor]

Special kingdra is the variant runned for doubles because outrage hits a random mon. Also in doubles it hass muddy water, which hits heavilly on opposing mons.

 

[cosmicexplorer]

Oh yeah physical Kingdra is substandard in doubles thanks to its mediocre damage output compared to a special set and because Outrage hits a random target. I think Special Kingdra should be the only set listed for doubles. Like you said before, it has no other way to abuse its physical Dragon-type STAB, but Outrage is completely unusable in doubles play thanks to the random targeting, and Dragon Pulse alone is powerful enough to OHKO almost any other Dragon-type.