Overview
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Ludicolo is synonymous with rain; although rain only lasts five turns, Ludicolo can sweep through entire teams in that duration. Its ability Swift Swim doubles its Speed in rain, allowing Ludicolo to outspeed most other Pokemon. Although Ludicolo's offensive movepool is small, it has all it needs. Its STAB moves Hydro Pump and Giga Drain threaten common Pokemon like Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Tyranitar for super effective damage. Dragon-types which would otherwise pose problems for Ludicolo, Salamence for instance, are OHKOed by Ice Beam. Ludicolo also has access to Rain Dish, which, alongside Ludicolo's good defensive typing and decent special bulk, can make it surprisingly hard to take down, especially when you factor in that most defensive sets use an Assault Vest. Fake Out is a staple move to Doubles, as it gives Ludicolo the option of stopping one of the enemy Pokemon for a turn.
Regardless of the set, Ludicolo is dependent on rain, and thus Politoed by extension. Ludicolo has a mediocre Speed stat outside of rain, so many Pokemon threaten it; this is very limiting to teambuilding. As Ludicolo will almost always run the same moves, regardless of set, it can be very predictable. Although Ludicolo has good Special Defense, its Defense is lackluster by all accounts. Talonflame's ever-present Brave Bird causes huge problems, as it can easily OHKO Ludicolo. Even with Ice Beam, Ludicolo has problems with common bulky Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Amoonguss.
Swift Swim
########
name: Swift Swim
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out / Rain Dance / Protect
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Ludicolo's Water-type STAB moves are boosted 1.5 times by rain, taking them to dangerous levels. For instance, Hydro Pump can OHKO neutral Pokemon such as Mega Mawile and Mega Manectric. Surf is an alternative to Hydro Pump; it has the advantage of hitting both of the opponent's Pokemon, but unfortunately it also hits your own Pokemon. On top of that, it is significantly weaker, not only due to its lower Base Power, but also from being a spread move. Giga Drain acts as a secondary STAB move that allows Ludicolo to beat Rotom-W and somewhat counteract Life Orb recoil with its recovery. Ice Beam complements Ludicolo's STAB moves, giving it perfect neutral coverage. It also allows Ludicolo to threaten common Dragon-types such as Garchomp and Salamence, as they are both easily OHKOed by it. Fake Out gives a partner Pokemon a free turn and generally eases prediction for you. With Rain Dance, Ludicolo can set up rain on its own; this could be of use against Pokemon like Tyranitar that can remove rain and survive a Hydro Pump in sand. Ludicolo could also use Protect i nthe fourth slot; this could be useful for scouting an opposing Pokemon's set or blocking an attack to allow Ludicolo's partner to take down the threat.
Set Details
========
With maximum Speed and Special Attack EVs, Ludicolo hits as fast and as hard as possible. Ludicolo with a Modest nature only needs to run 204 EVs in Speed to outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Garchomp. However, the extra 52 EVs in HP serve little to no purpose. A Timid nature could be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Salamence in rain and other base 100s. Life Orb is used to make up for Ludicolo's mediocre base 90 Special Attack, and Giga Drain's recovery mitigates Life Orb recoil.
Usage Tips
========
Ludicolo arguably plays best late-game, as it can easily clean up against weakened teams in rain. Hopefully, by this point in the battle, Pokemon which threaten Ludicolo will have been taken care of. Ludicolo could also function as a lead with Fake Out to ease first-turn predictions. Ludicolo can work outside of rain with its good coverage and typing. That said, Ludicolo is far more useful inside of rain as this augments its otherwise mediocre Speed.
Team Options
========
Politoed is almost required as a partner, as it automatically starts rain with its ability, Drizzle. As this set is less bulky, it might be favorable to run a bulkier Politoed with Rain Dance rather than an offensive set. However, Choice Scarf Politoed could be used to overwhelm the opponent by outspeeding them and hitting them hard with rain-boosted Hydro Pumps. Ludicolo's biggest weakness is Talonflame, as it will always move before Ludicolo with its priority Brave Bird. Because of this, Electric-types that can deal with Talonflame, such as Rotom-W, Mega Manectric, and Zapdos, to a lesser extent, are all ideal partners for Ludicolo. Aegislash and Mega Mawile enjoy Ludicolo's presence as Ludicolo beats the Fire- and Ground-types which threaten them, while they can both take on physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan that threaten Ludicolo. Garchomp also deals with both non-Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y, the two most common weather inducers. Thanks to Ludicolo's Grass typing, it can take Garchomp's Earthquakes well enough to never be 3HKOed, allowing them to work well together.
Assault Vest
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name: Assault Vest
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out
ability: Rain Dish / Swift Swim
item: Assault Vest
evs: 164 HP / 140 Def / 68 SpA / 4 SpD / 132 Spe
nature: Bold
Moves
========
Due to this set's more defensive nature, Scald is preferred over Hydro Pump for its perfect accuracy and chance to burn your opponent. That said, if you want more power, Hydro Pump is still an option, as the extra power is noticeable; for instance, Hydro Pump has a good chance to 2HKO Tyranitar in sand, something Scald fails to do. Giga Drain complements this set, acting as an inconsistent form of recovery. It also allows Ludicolo to threaten Rotom-W, along with other Water-types. With Ice Beam, Ludicolo is able to threaten the common Dragon-types in the metagame and potentially break through the bulky Grass-types that would otherwise stop it in its tracks. The fourth moveslot is reserved for Fake Out, which gives a partner Pokemon a free turn and generally eases prediction for you.
Set Details
========
This set uses the Assault Vest to boost Ludicolo's Special Defense with very little investment, allowing it to invest far more in Defense. With the EVs listed, Ludicolo can survive a maximum Attack Play Rough from Mega Mawile, which is one of the strongest neutral physical hits in the game. On top of that, a Jolly nature Garchomp will never 2HKO with Dragon Claw and has a decent chance to be OHKOed by Ice Beam. With the Assault Vest, Ludicolo is never 2HKOed by Modest Salamence's Draco Meteor, not considering the Special Attack drop. Rain Dish gives Ludicolo recovery equal to Leftovers each turn in rain, improving its overall longevity. With the Speed EVs, Ludicolo can outspeed the most defensive Rotom-W and threaten them directly with Giga Drain. Ludicolo will hit 214 Speed in rain thanks to Swift Swim, allowing it to outspeed most other Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
Although Assault Vest and Ludicolo's good bulk can make it difficult to take down and help it take on many Pokemon, it lacks Protect. Because of this, Pokemon that can deal with it must be taken care of before Ludicolo can come in safely. If, however, you feel confident enough, Ludicolo can function as a decent lead with Fake Out. This set is far less dependent on rain and can function well outside of it. It is worth noting that Ludicolo is far harder to take down inside of rain as it gets recovery from not only Giga Drain but also Rain Dish.
Team Options
========
Ludicolo appreciates Pokemon that can take on Talonflame, such as Rotom-W. If you aren't running rain as this set isn't completely dependent on it, Rotom-H can make an excellent partner with its ability to beat the bulky Grass-types that Ludicolo has problems with. Politoed is always appreciated, as it brings the rain, which lets Ludicolo function at its fullest by either giving it recovery each turn or doubling its Speed, whilst always boosting the power of Scald or Hydro Pump. Garchomp takes on opposing weather setters and generally has good offensive synergy with Ludicolo, as Earthquake hits Ludicolo for little damage, especially when considering the latter's recovery. Aegislash takes on Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Mawile, which would otherwise cause problems for Ludicolo, even with the investment.
Other Options
########
Ludicolo has a large number of usable other moves. One of the more interesting options is Teeter Dance as it allows Ludicolo to confuse all of the Pokemon on the field. Couple this with Ludicolo's blistering Speed in rain, and you can greatly hinder your opponent, if only temporarily. Leech Seed gives Ludicolo an extra form of HP recovery as well as a source of passive damage against your opponent. When used with Rain Dish, Ludicolo recovers around 3/16 of its health. With all of this recovery Ludicolo can use Substitute to great effect. This set should use Giga Drain and Ice Beam for coverage and a similar EV spread to the Assault Vest set, but investing less in Speed and more in Special Defense. Ludicolo can use a Coba Berry to aim to survive a Talonflame's Brave Bird, but it takes a significant amount of investment in bulk to survive the hit even with Coba Berry. Another item Ludicolo can use is the Absorb Bulb, which boosts its Special Attack when it's hit by a Water-type move; Ludicolo can also sponge Water-type attacks easily thanks to its 4x resistance. However, such a set is completely reliant on Politoed for its ability to both set up rain and use Surf to activate the Absorb Bulb, as it is notably weaker without it. All of this means that Ludicolo is far less flexible in teammates and generally far more predictable; the Absorb Bulb is single-use, so Ludicolo will lose its boost if it switches out, which discourages switching. Sitrus Berry can be used on the second set to restore some health. This may be favorable if you are running Swift Swim, as Ludicolo will have less recovery. Hypothetically, Own Tempo could be run alongside a Sableye using Flatter. This would give Ludicolo a free +2 boost, but such a set would almost definitely need to run an Assault Vest; otherwise, Ludicolo is realistically not bulky enough to pull this off. Even then, it will be too slow to be consistently useful as an attacker.
Checks & Counters
########
**Talonflame**: Talonflame can comfortably OHKO Ludicolo with its priority Brave Bird, and it doesn't need to fear being outsped either. Although almost always an inferior option to Brave Bird, Tailwind renders Ludicolo's Swift Swim useless.
**Opposing Weather**: In any weather condition other than rain, Ludicolo is quite slow and far easier to take down. Neither Tyranitar nor Mega Charizard Y are OHKOed by Hydro Pump in sand or sun, respectively. However, both take considerable damage. Although not as viable, Abomasnow is never 2HKOed by any of Ludicolo's moves and can easily 2HKO back with Wood Hammer.
**Speed Control**: Though not quite as relevant in VGC 2014 as it has been in the past, Thunder Wave is a good way of checking the offensive set as it neuters Swift Swim. The best user is Gyarados as it can shake off any attack that Ludicolo can use. Prankster Thunder Wave users like Klefki and Meowstic will always go for Thunder Wave before Ludicolo goes for an attack, but neither can take multiple Hydro Pumps. Trick Room is another way of counteracting Swift Swim's effects, but this is harder to set up as no single Trick Room setter can take all of Ludicolo's moves comfortably. In a similar vein, Tailwind doubles your team's Speed, in effect paralleling Ludicolo's boosts. This suffers the same problem as Trick Room as no user of Tailwind can take all of Ludicolo's moves.
**Bulky Grass-types**: Bulky Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Amoonguss can take any move from Ludicolo and retaliate in some way. Amoonguss, however, must carry Sludge Bomb to be considered a check.
**Strong Physical Hits**: Finally, if all else fails, attacks like Mega Kangaskhan's Return and Mega Mawile's Play Rough can OHKO offensive Ludicolo, due to its lacking physical bulk. These are only soft checks as neither enjoy taking a rain-boosted Hydro Pump.
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Ludicolo is synonymous with rain; although rain only lasts five turns, Ludicolo can sweep through entire teams in that duration. Its ability Swift Swim doubles its Speed in rain, allowing Ludicolo to outspeed most other Pokemon. Although Ludicolo's offensive movepool is small, it has all it needs. Its STAB moves Hydro Pump and Giga Drain threaten common Pokemon like Rotom-W, Rotom-H, and Tyranitar for super effective damage. Dragon-types which would otherwise pose problems for Ludicolo, Salamence for instance, are OHKOed by Ice Beam. Ludicolo also has access to Rain Dish, which, alongside Ludicolo's good defensive typing and decent special bulk, can make it surprisingly hard to take down, especially when you factor in that most defensive sets use an Assault Vest. Fake Out is a staple move to Doubles, as it gives Ludicolo the option of stopping one of the enemy Pokemon for a turn.
Regardless of the set, Ludicolo is dependent on rain, and thus Politoed by extension. Ludicolo has a mediocre Speed stat outside of rain, so many Pokemon threaten it; this is very limiting to teambuilding. As Ludicolo will almost always run the same moves, regardless of set, it can be very predictable. Although Ludicolo has good Special Defense, its Defense is lackluster by all accounts. Talonflame's ever-present Brave Bird causes huge problems, as it can easily OHKO Ludicolo. Even with Ice Beam, Ludicolo has problems with common bulky Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Amoonguss.
Swift Swim
########
name: Swift Swim
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out / Rain Dance / Protect
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Ludicolo's Water-type STAB moves are boosted 1.5 times by rain, taking them to dangerous levels. For instance, Hydro Pump can OHKO neutral Pokemon such as Mega Mawile and Mega Manectric. Surf is an alternative to Hydro Pump; it has the advantage of hitting both of the opponent's Pokemon, but unfortunately it also hits your own Pokemon. On top of that, it is significantly weaker, not only due to its lower Base Power, but also from being a spread move. Giga Drain acts as a secondary STAB move that allows Ludicolo to beat Rotom-W and somewhat counteract Life Orb recoil with its recovery. Ice Beam complements Ludicolo's STAB moves, giving it perfect neutral coverage. It also allows Ludicolo to threaten common Dragon-types such as Garchomp and Salamence, as they are both easily OHKOed by it. Fake Out gives a partner Pokemon a free turn and generally eases prediction for you. With Rain Dance, Ludicolo can set up rain on its own; this could be of use against Pokemon like Tyranitar that can remove rain and survive a Hydro Pump in sand. Ludicolo could also use Protect i nthe fourth slot; this could be useful for scouting an opposing Pokemon's set or blocking an attack to allow Ludicolo's partner to take down the threat.
Set Details
========
With maximum Speed and Special Attack EVs, Ludicolo hits as fast and as hard as possible. Ludicolo with a Modest nature only needs to run 204 EVs in Speed to outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Garchomp. However, the extra 52 EVs in HP serve little to no purpose. A Timid nature could be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Salamence in rain and other base 100s. Life Orb is used to make up for Ludicolo's mediocre base 90 Special Attack, and Giga Drain's recovery mitigates Life Orb recoil.
Usage Tips
========
Ludicolo arguably plays best late-game, as it can easily clean up against weakened teams in rain. Hopefully, by this point in the battle, Pokemon which threaten Ludicolo will have been taken care of. Ludicolo could also function as a lead with Fake Out to ease first-turn predictions. Ludicolo can work outside of rain with its good coverage and typing. That said, Ludicolo is far more useful inside of rain as this augments its otherwise mediocre Speed.
Team Options
========
Politoed is almost required as a partner, as it automatically starts rain with its ability, Drizzle. As this set is less bulky, it might be favorable to run a bulkier Politoed with Rain Dance rather than an offensive set. However, Choice Scarf Politoed could be used to overwhelm the opponent by outspeeding them and hitting them hard with rain-boosted Hydro Pumps. Ludicolo's biggest weakness is Talonflame, as it will always move before Ludicolo with its priority Brave Bird. Because of this, Electric-types that can deal with Talonflame, such as Rotom-W, Mega Manectric, and Zapdos, to a lesser extent, are all ideal partners for Ludicolo. Aegislash and Mega Mawile enjoy Ludicolo's presence as Ludicolo beats the Fire- and Ground-types which threaten them, while they can both take on physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan that threaten Ludicolo. Garchomp also deals with both non-Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y, the two most common weather inducers. Thanks to Ludicolo's Grass typing, it can take Garchomp's Earthquakes well enough to never be 3HKOed, allowing them to work well together.
Assault Vest
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out
ability: Rain Dish / Swift Swim
item: Assault Vest
evs: 164 HP / 140 Def / 68 SpA / 4 SpD / 132 Spe
nature: Bold
Moves
========
Due to this set's more defensive nature, Scald is preferred over Hydro Pump for its perfect accuracy and chance to burn your opponent. That said, if you want more power, Hydro Pump is still an option, as the extra power is noticeable; for instance, Hydro Pump has a good chance to 2HKO Tyranitar in sand, something Scald fails to do. Giga Drain complements this set, acting as an inconsistent form of recovery. It also allows Ludicolo to threaten Rotom-W, along with other Water-types. With Ice Beam, Ludicolo is able to threaten the common Dragon-types in the metagame and potentially break through the bulky Grass-types that would otherwise stop it in its tracks. The fourth moveslot is reserved for Fake Out, which gives a partner Pokemon a free turn and generally eases prediction for you.
Set Details
========
This set uses the Assault Vest to boost Ludicolo's Special Defense with very little investment, allowing it to invest far more in Defense. With the EVs listed, Ludicolo can survive a maximum Attack Play Rough from Mega Mawile, which is one of the strongest neutral physical hits in the game. On top of that, a Jolly nature Garchomp will never 2HKO with Dragon Claw and has a decent chance to be OHKOed by Ice Beam. With the Assault Vest, Ludicolo is never 2HKOed by Modest Salamence's Draco Meteor, not considering the Special Attack drop. Rain Dish gives Ludicolo recovery equal to Leftovers each turn in rain, improving its overall longevity. With the Speed EVs, Ludicolo can outspeed the most defensive Rotom-W and threaten them directly with Giga Drain. Ludicolo will hit 214 Speed in rain thanks to Swift Swim, allowing it to outspeed most other Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
Although Assault Vest and Ludicolo's good bulk can make it difficult to take down and help it take on many Pokemon, it lacks Protect. Because of this, Pokemon that can deal with it must be taken care of before Ludicolo can come in safely. If, however, you feel confident enough, Ludicolo can function as a decent lead with Fake Out. This set is far less dependent on rain and can function well outside of it. It is worth noting that Ludicolo is far harder to take down inside of rain as it gets recovery from not only Giga Drain but also Rain Dish.
Team Options
========
Ludicolo appreciates Pokemon that can take on Talonflame, such as Rotom-W. If you aren't running rain as this set isn't completely dependent on it, Rotom-H can make an excellent partner with its ability to beat the bulky Grass-types that Ludicolo has problems with. Politoed is always appreciated, as it brings the rain, which lets Ludicolo function at its fullest by either giving it recovery each turn or doubling its Speed, whilst always boosting the power of Scald or Hydro Pump. Garchomp takes on opposing weather setters and generally has good offensive synergy with Ludicolo, as Earthquake hits Ludicolo for little damage, especially when considering the latter's recovery. Aegislash takes on Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Mawile, which would otherwise cause problems for Ludicolo, even with the investment.
Other Options
########
Ludicolo has a large number of usable other moves. One of the more interesting options is Teeter Dance as it allows Ludicolo to confuse all of the Pokemon on the field. Couple this with Ludicolo's blistering Speed in rain, and you can greatly hinder your opponent, if only temporarily. Leech Seed gives Ludicolo an extra form of HP recovery as well as a source of passive damage against your opponent. When used with Rain Dish, Ludicolo recovers around 3/16 of its health. With all of this recovery Ludicolo can use Substitute to great effect. This set should use Giga Drain and Ice Beam for coverage and a similar EV spread to the Assault Vest set, but investing less in Speed and more in Special Defense. Ludicolo can use a Coba Berry to aim to survive a Talonflame's Brave Bird, but it takes a significant amount of investment in bulk to survive the hit even with Coba Berry. Another item Ludicolo can use is the Absorb Bulb, which boosts its Special Attack when it's hit by a Water-type move; Ludicolo can also sponge Water-type attacks easily thanks to its 4x resistance. However, such a set is completely reliant on Politoed for its ability to both set up rain and use Surf to activate the Absorb Bulb, as it is notably weaker without it. All of this means that Ludicolo is far less flexible in teammates and generally far more predictable; the Absorb Bulb is single-use, so Ludicolo will lose its boost if it switches out, which discourages switching. Sitrus Berry can be used on the second set to restore some health. This may be favorable if you are running Swift Swim, as Ludicolo will have less recovery. Hypothetically, Own Tempo could be run alongside a Sableye using Flatter. This would give Ludicolo a free +2 boost, but such a set would almost definitely need to run an Assault Vest; otherwise, Ludicolo is realistically not bulky enough to pull this off. Even then, it will be too slow to be consistently useful as an attacker.
Checks & Counters
########
**Talonflame**: Talonflame can comfortably OHKO Ludicolo with its priority Brave Bird, and it doesn't need to fear being outsped either. Although almost always an inferior option to Brave Bird, Tailwind renders Ludicolo's Swift Swim useless.
**Opposing Weather**: In any weather condition other than rain, Ludicolo is quite slow and far easier to take down. Neither Tyranitar nor Mega Charizard Y are OHKOed by Hydro Pump in sand or sun, respectively. However, both take considerable damage. Although not as viable, Abomasnow is never 2HKOed by any of Ludicolo's moves and can easily 2HKO back with Wood Hammer.
**Speed Control**: Though not quite as relevant in VGC 2014 as it has been in the past, Thunder Wave is a good way of checking the offensive set as it neuters Swift Swim. The best user is Gyarados as it can shake off any attack that Ludicolo can use. Prankster Thunder Wave users like Klefki and Meowstic will always go for Thunder Wave before Ludicolo goes for an attack, but neither can take multiple Hydro Pumps. Trick Room is another way of counteracting Swift Swim's effects, but this is harder to set up as no single Trick Room setter can take all of Ludicolo's moves comfortably. In a similar vein, Tailwind doubles your team's Speed, in effect paralleling Ludicolo's boosts. This suffers the same problem as Trick Room as no user of Tailwind can take all of Ludicolo's moves.
**Bulky Grass-types**: Bulky Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Amoonguss can take any move from Ludicolo and retaliate in some way. Amoonguss, however, must carry Sludge Bomb to be considered a check.
**Strong Physical Hits**: Finally, if all else fails, attacks like Mega Kangaskhan's Return and Mega Mawile's Play Rough can OHKO offensive Ludicolo, due to its lacking physical bulk. These are only soft checks as neither enjoy taking a rain-boosted Hydro Pump.
[Pros]
- Great defensive typing.
- Swift Swim and Rain Dish both good abilities in rain.
- Decent movepool.
- Access to Fake Out.
- Decent special Bulk. Can use Assault Vest.
- Beats Rotom-Wash and Rotom-Heat one on one.
[Cons]
- Slow outside of rain.
- Weak to Talonflame's Brave Bird.
- Physical bulk is lacking compared to Special Defense.
- Walled by relatively common Grass-types.
Swift Swim
########
name: Swift Swim
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out / Rain Dance / Protect
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
########
name: Swift Swim
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out / Rain Dance / Protect
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
- STAB Hydro Pump hits very hard in rain, although has shaky accuracy.
- Surf can be run over Hydro Pump for better accuracy and as a spread move, but also hits partner Pokemon.
- Giga Drain acts secondary STAB move and also recovers some HP, compensating somewhat for Life Orb.
- Ice Beam hits Dragon- and Grass-types, which otherwise wall Ludicolo, for super effective damage.
- Fake Out gives a partner Pokemon a free turn, and generally eases prediction for you.
- Rain Dance can be used to set up rain for itself.
- Protect could be used to scout, or block a move to let a partner take out a threat.
Set Details
========
========
- Max Speed and Special Attack hits as fast and as hard as possible.
- With a Modest nature it outspeeds most things in rain, Timid could be run to outspeed Choice Scarf positive Speed base 100s in rain.
- Life Orb allows Ludicolo to hit harder than it would otherwise, Giga Drain can lessen the recoil.
Usage Tips
========
========
- Plays well in the late game as it can easily clean up against weakened foes.
- Can work as a lead with Fake Out.
- Ludicolo can work outside of rain with its good coverage and decent bulk. However, is far more consistently useful as an attack inside of it.
Team Options
========
========
- Politoed makes a good partner with its ability Drizzle which automatically starts the rain.
- Electric-types which deal Talonflame like Rotom-Wash, Mega Manectric, and even Zapdos to a lesser extent.
- Aegislash enjoys Ludicolo's presence as it threatens many of its checks and counters, and they have both good offensive and defensive synergy together.
- Garchomp takes on both Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y the two most common weather summoners.
Assault Vest
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out
ability: Rain Dish / Swift Swim
item: Assault Vest
evs: 164 HP / 140 Def / 68 SpA / 4 SpD / 132 Spe
nature: Bold
Moves
========
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Scald / Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out
ability: Rain Dish / Swift Swim
item: Assault Vest
evs: 164 HP / 140 Def / 68 SpA / 4 SpD / 132 Spe
nature: Bold
Moves
========
- Scald is preferable to Hydro Pump for consistency and the burn chance.
- Hydro Pump can be used if you want more power at the cost of accuracy.
- Giga Drain is nice for recovering health which improves Ludicolo's longevity.
- Ice Beam complements Ludicolo's coverage and hits common Pokemon for super effective damage.
- Fake Out gives a partner Pokemon a free turn, and generally eases prediction for you.
Set Details
========
========
- With Ludicolo's already good special bulk Assault Vest pushes this to the point where with this spread a Modest Salamence will never 2HKO Ludicolo with Draco Meteor.
- The Speed EVs will outspeed most defensive Rotom-Washs and threatening them directly with Giga Drain.
- The Defense EVs allow you to take an Adamant Play Rough from Mega Mawile, this being one of the strongest physical hits in the game.
- It also allows you to take on common attackers like Garchomp, as the most a Jolly Garchomp can never 2HKO with Dragon Claw and gets OHKOed by Ice Beam.
- Rain Dish gives Ludicolo heath recovery equal to Leftovers each turn in rain, improving its overall longevity.
- Swift Swim will hit 214 Speed in rain allowing Ludicolo to outspeed most things.
Usage Tips
========
========
- Although Ludicolo can be difficult to take down and can take on many Pokemon, because it lacks Protect the Pokemon which can deal with it must be taken care of before hand.
- This set is far less dependent on Rain and can function well outside of it. However, Ludicolo is far harder to take down inside of rain as it getting recovery from not only Giga Drain but also Rain Dish.
Team Options
========
========
- Pokemon which can take on Talonflame such as Rotom-Wash and Rotom-Heat if you aren't running Rain.
- Politoed is always appreciated to bring the rain to allow Ludicolo to function at its fullest.
- Garchomp takes on opposing weather setters and generally has good offensive synergy alongside Ludicolo, as although Earthquake does hit Ludicolo it will do little damage especially when you factoring Ludicolo's recovery.
- Aegislash takes on Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Mawile which would otherwise cause problems for Ludicolo.
Other Options
########
########
- Teeter Dance can be used to confuse all Pokemon on the field excluding Ludicolo.
- Leech Seed can be used to drain some of the opponents health and restore yours.
- Energy Ball is more powerful than Giga Drain however doesn't restore any health.
- Coba Berry to survive a Brave Bird from Talonflame, a lot of investment in bulk will be required though.
- Absorb Bulb can boost Ludicolo's Special Attack when it's hit by a Water-type move. Ludicolo has a times four resistance to Water making this quite easy to pull off. Ludicolo with an Absorb Bulb is completely reliant on Politoed for both its ability to set up rain and for to use Surf to activate the Absorb Bulb. All of this means that Ludicolo is far less flexible in teammates and generally far more predictable. On top of this as the Absorb Bulb is single use Ludicolo will lose its boost if it switches out.
- The second set could use a Sitrus Berry to restore some health, this may be favorable if you running Swift Swim as Ludicolo will have less recovery.
- Hypothetically an Own Tempo could be run alongside Flatter Sableye. However, Ludicolo is realistically not fast or bulky enough to be able to pull this off consistently.
Checks & Counters
########
########
- Talonflame's Brave Bird OHKOs with ease.
- Any other weather condition than rain makes Ludicolo quite slow and far easier to take down.
- Bulky Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Amoonguss can all take any move from Ludicolo and then go from there. Amoonguss must carry Sludge Bomb to be considered a check.
- Strong physical hits can OHKO Ludicolo as its physical bulk is lacking compared to its Special Defense. Hits like Mega Kangaskhan's Return, and Mega Mawile's Play Rough. However, these only check Ludicolo as neither enjoy taking a rain boosted Hydro Pump.
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