Hello Smogon. Im having quite a success with this team so I decided to share in hopes to get some improvement.
Team Development
The Team
Politoed is the heart of the team. Rain increases my Surfer's damage by 50% while also triggering Dry Skin's recovery and Swift Swim's speed.
Politoed @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Surf
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Surf is my main offensive tool and usually the only move I use. Because of this, Scarf was the obvious choice. As long as I can drop a fast Surf, everything else becomes irrelevant.
The reason why I choosed this Scarf-Surf build is because I believe Politoed is bad at everything else. He doesnt have the bulk nor the natural speed to do anything else (or at last, not better than any other Rain abuser). Thanks to this build he can do something that helps a lot, droping a fast and strong Surf.
The rest of the moves are situational options. HP Grass lets me do stuff vs other Rain teams, specially Gastrodon, who rapes this Surf strat. Hydro Pump is there for when I cant use Surf for some reason. HP Ice lets me hit hard Dragons and Plants for when who resist Water (Usually, I only use them when I cant use Surf for some reason).
Gastrodon is my other standar lead and half of my core. He has a wonderful type only weak to grass (an uncommon type). He has a respetable bulk that covers the total lack of speed. However, the main reason why I play him is because of his access to Storm Drain and STAB Surf.
Gastrodon @ Choice Specs
Trait: Storm Drain
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SAtk / 108 Def / 148 HP
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Muddy Water
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
My usual turn 1 is Politoed + Gastrodon, Politoed usually hit first with STAB Rain Surf, damaging both of them and and +1ing Gastrodon, then Gastrodon finish them off with STAB Rain Scep +1(Storm Drain) Surf. It is almost impossible to tank this attack.
The rest of the moves are overall coverage for when I cant Surf. Muddy Watter is there for when I have Kingdra + Gastrodon or Politoed + Gastrodon (standar when I face another weather team).
Earth Power is for the extra STAB so I can hit things that resist Water for at last neutral, minus Fly/Levitate Dragons and Grass, while Ice Beam hits for super effective the said Fly/Levitate Dragon or Grass.
Parasect is the perfect support for my other 3 Rain abusers. Dry Skin and Leftovers means that I heal 44% of my HP every time I use Surf. Thanks to my bulky EVs and access to Rage Powder I can abuse the Surf-RagePowder lock.
Parasect @ Leftovers
Trait: Dry Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 80 Spd / 76 SDef / 164 Def / 188 HP
Careful Nature
- Seed Bomb
- Spore
- Aromatherapy
- Rage Powder
The lock basically means all single target attacks are directed at Parasect, so I get 1 turn of Surf no mather what. If they cant kill me I can do it again so I get 2 Surfs w/o getting my Surferd damaged at all. However, the real lock comes when they cant do more than 56% damage per turn (usually happens when they have a support and an offensive one that doesnt have a super effective move). Since I will heal 44% of my HP, as long as they cant do more than that I simply get a permanent Surf and there is nothing they can do to stop it.
Besides this Rage Powder + Dry Skin combo, he has access to Spore, a broken move in dobles; Seed Bomb, the best way to deal with Gastrodon, and Aromatherapy, an excellent support move.
That particular set of Spe means I will outspeed Gastrodon. This is important because it means I can always Aromatherapy before my own Gastrodon needs to attack (removing Spore or TWave miss chance) while it also means I can outspeed my opponent Gastrodon and hit him with STAB x4 super effective Grass (or simply put him to sleep).
The final memeber of my core is Kingdra. He has a x4 resistance to Surf, so while it doesnt benefits from it, it doesnt to much against Kingdra either.
Kingdra @ Dragon Gem
Trait: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
Kingdra's main job is to use Swift Swim and Surf next to either Parasect or Gastrodon. In this aspect, he is quite simmilar to Politoed. He also has Rain Dance, which is very cool for when I face an unexpected Sunny Day, Hail or Sandstorm.
I decided to go for Draco Meteor Dragon Gem because the combination is just sick. It gives me 2 very good offensive options. Finally, I have Ice Beam to be able to hit Grass and Dragons w/o having to lose my Gem + 2SpA in the process.
Hitmontop is one of my two check/counter/backup. I use him whenever I have to face a weather team (other than Rain, obviously). He is particulary effective against Snow and Sand.
Hitmontop (M) @ Fighting Gem
Trait: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 136 HP / 4 Spd / 116 Def
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Mach Punch
- Fake Out
- Detect
Quite a standar build. Detect is needed here because of Landorus-T's Explosion. Fake out because is just imba. Mach and Close with Fight Gem to take down Aboma + TTar.
Landorus-T is my secondary check/counter/backup. I use him next to Hitmontop when I have to face a weather team. This turn my team for a Rain Team into a Intimidate/Rain team.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Explosion
I use Choice Band because I usually only use a single move on him, depending on the situation. Banded U-Turn is quite nice because I have 2 Intimidate + Drizzle on my team, while Banded EQ can tear Sun and some Sandstorm teams apart. Rock Slide is just for general coverage while Banded Explosion won me some games so far.
Replays
Surf Rage
Here is an example of the Surf-Rage lock.
Vs Sun
Here is an example vs a Sun team.
Standar
Here is an example vs a standar team.
Vs Sandstorm
Here is an example vs a Sandstorm team.
Vs a Sun - Trick Room
He has a mix between a Sun team and a Trick Room team. Multiple switchs fucked him up.
Suggestions are welcome :)