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ain't no party without ludi
Overview
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Ludicolo might seem like it's under the weather as a Pokemon, with average overall stats, unimpressive speed, and slightly above average defenses, but looks can be deceiving. Ludicolo has access to a number of things that make it a force to be reckoned with, despite those apparent flaws. First of all, it has a unique typing that gives it a nifty 4x resistance to Water and a useful resistance to Ground, although besides that it doesn't offer much else. Its access to Rain Dance as well as Swift Swim make it a deadly sweeper under rain, as well as having good move options such as Hydro Pump, Giga Drain, and Ice Beam. Additionally, it's slightly above average bulk and resistances make it able to easily set up Rain Dance, but sadly, outside of rain, Ludicolo is a bit weak and slow.
Rain Dance Sweeper
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name: Rain Dance Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is the obligatory strong STAB move, which does incredible damage under Rain Dance. Giga Drain is another STAB move that can recover back some of Ludicolo's HP that is lost with Life Orb, and increase its survivability. Ice Beam is a good coverage move, letting it hit Grass-types who resist Ludicolo's dual STAB moves. Rain Dance is the most important move on the set, as it allows Ludicolo to function as a scary sweeper thanks to the boosted Hydro Pump and the doubled Speed, thanks to Swift Swim. Surf is an option to use over Hydro Pump if accuracy is a concern, but the loss in power is noticeable.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is straightforward, with maximum Special Attack and Speed investment. Life Orb is used to maximize damage, but Damp Rock can be used if you need more turns of rain, although Ludicolo wouldn't hit as hard then. Swift Swim, in conjunction with Rain Dance, doubles Ludicolo's Speed which turns it into a formidable sweeper. Modest is used for maximum damage output, which allows it to 2HKO Lickilicky under rain after Stealth Rock, Assault Vest Hariyama, and Dragalge with a bit of prior damage or Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Timid can be used to outspeed fast Choice Scarf users such as Typhlosion and Pyroar under rain.
Usage Tips
========
On Rain Dance teams, Ludicolo acts as a main Swift Swim sweeper and a backup Rain Dance setter. As a stand-alone sweeper, it's better to be used mid- or late-game as a sweeper, once hazards has been set and the opponent's team is weakened. Generally, what Ludicolo will do is set up Rain Dance and sweep afterwards, using Giga Drain to increase its survivability, and Hydro Pump to hit everything hard, with Ice Beam for coverage.
Team Options
========
- good rain dance setters go well with ludicolo to support it sweep. those include Liepard, Meowstic-M, and Volbeat.
- Uxie can also set up rain as well as stealth rock, and has u-turn/memento to safely bring in Ludicolo or other swift swim sweepers
- Spikes setters such as Accelgor and Qwilfish can lay down hazards to aid Ludicolo's sweep, and turn some 3HKOs into solid 2HKOs under rain on Pokemon such as Lickilicky, Hariyama, and Dragalge, which can be 2HKO'd by Ice Beam if 1 spikes and stealth rock are on the field.
- good swift swim sweepers that go along with Ludicolo include Life Orb Seismitoad and shell smash Carracosta, which has solid rock to ease its set up and Aqua Jet as a form of priority
- Electivire is a solid teammate to break some walls like Ferroseed and Vileplume who could otherwise stop Ludicolo from sweeping.
Other Options
########
A Substitute + Leech Seed set can work, but it is generally not advised because of Ludicolo's poor Speed, as well as being much more effective with a set that focuses on sweeping. A Specially Defensive set with Leech Seed, Scald, Synthesis, and Giga Drain with Leftovers is also a good option giving how it's a solid check to opposing Rain Dance teams. Focus Blast is a coverage move that can be ran on the Rain Dance set to hit Ferroseed harder, but Ice Beam offers more coverage in general. Finally, Ludicolo has access to Swords Dance in addition to good STAB moves such as Seed Bomb and Waterfall, as well as Ice Punch for coverage, to throw the opponent off guard, but it requires too much set up between having Rain Dance on the field and using Swords Dance, unlike the special attacking set which requires no set up besides Rain Dance.
Checks & Counters
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**Special Walls/Tanks**: Cryogonal can take a hit and has Freeze Dry to hit x4 super effectively, and the same goes for Articuno which also has access to Freeze Dry. When outside of rain, Audino can switch in, knock off Ludicolo's Life Orb, and then stall out the rain turns with Wish + Protect. Lickilicky can also do the same. Mantine can take on Ludicolo and has STAB Air Slash to eventually KO. Vileplume, while unable to directly switch, can take an Ice Beam and has Sludge Bomb to KO. Ferroseed also cannot directly switch in under rain, but it can stall out rain turns and wear down Ludicolo. Dragalge can switch into either of Ludicolo's STAB moves and has STAB Sludge Bomb to KO, but Ice Beam 3HKOs assuming Dragalge is at 100% HP.
**Faster Pokemon**: Since Ludicolo is slow outside of rain, any faster Pokemon can threaten it immensely. Swellow, Dodrio, Sawk, etc. Kangaskhan can use its priority Fake Out + Sucker Punch to revenge kill and potentially waste a couple turns of rain. Hariyama can also use Fake Out to waste a turn of rain, is able to take a hit, and KO afterwards with Close Combat.
**Status**: Paralysis completely shuts down Ludicolo, and other status ailments like burn and poison can wear down Ludicolo quickly combined with Life Orb recoil.
GP Checks: [ ] [ ]
ain't no party without ludi
Overview
########
Ludicolo might seem like it's under the weather as a Pokemon, with average overall stats, unimpressive speed, and slightly above average defenses, but looks can be deceiving. Ludicolo has access to a number of things that make it a force to be reckoned with, despite those apparent flaws. First of all, it has a unique typing that gives it a nifty 4x resistance to Water and a useful resistance to Ground, although besides that it doesn't offer much else. Its access to Rain Dance as well as Swift Swim make it a deadly sweeper under rain, as well as having good move options such as Hydro Pump, Giga Drain, and Ice Beam. Additionally, it's slightly above average bulk and resistances make it able to easily set up Rain Dance, but sadly, outside of rain, Ludicolo is a bit weak and slow.
Rain Dance Sweeper
########
name: Rain Dance Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is the obligatory strong STAB move, which does incredible damage under Rain Dance. Giga Drain is another STAB move that can recover back some of Ludicolo's HP that is lost with Life Orb, and increase its survivability. Ice Beam is a good coverage move, letting it hit Grass-types who resist Ludicolo's dual STAB moves. Rain Dance is the most important move on the set, as it allows Ludicolo to function as a scary sweeper thanks to the boosted Hydro Pump and the doubled Speed, thanks to Swift Swim. Surf is an option to use over Hydro Pump if accuracy is a concern, but the loss in power is noticeable.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is straightforward, with maximum Special Attack and Speed investment. Life Orb is used to maximize damage, but Damp Rock can be used if you need more turns of rain, although Ludicolo wouldn't hit as hard then. Swift Swim, in conjunction with Rain Dance, doubles Ludicolo's Speed which turns it into a formidable sweeper. Modest is used for maximum damage output, which allows it to 2HKO Lickilicky under rain after Stealth Rock, Assault Vest Hariyama, and Dragalge with a bit of prior damage or Stealth Rock and Spikes, while Timid can be used to outspeed fast Choice Scarf users such as Typhlosion and Pyroar under rain.
Usage Tips
========
On Rain Dance teams, Ludicolo acts as a main Swift Swim sweeper and a backup Rain Dance setter. As a stand-alone sweeper, it's better to be used mid- or late-game as a sweeper, once hazards has been set and the opponent's team is weakened. Generally, what Ludicolo will do is set up Rain Dance and sweep afterwards, using Giga Drain to increase its survivability, and Hydro Pump to hit everything hard, with Ice Beam for coverage.
Team Options
========
- good rain dance setters go well with ludicolo to support it sweep. those include Liepard, Meowstic-M, and Volbeat.
- Uxie can also set up rain as well as stealth rock, and has u-turn/memento to safely bring in Ludicolo or other swift swim sweepers
- Spikes setters such as Accelgor and Qwilfish can lay down hazards to aid Ludicolo's sweep, and turn some 3HKOs into solid 2HKOs under rain on Pokemon such as Lickilicky, Hariyama, and Dragalge, which can be 2HKO'd by Ice Beam if 1 spikes and stealth rock are on the field.
- good swift swim sweepers that go along with Ludicolo include Life Orb Seismitoad and shell smash Carracosta, which has solid rock to ease its set up and Aqua Jet as a form of priority
- Electivire is a solid teammate to break some walls like Ferroseed and Vileplume who could otherwise stop Ludicolo from sweeping.
Other Options
########
A Substitute + Leech Seed set can work, but it is generally not advised because of Ludicolo's poor Speed, as well as being much more effective with a set that focuses on sweeping. A Specially Defensive set with Leech Seed, Scald, Synthesis, and Giga Drain with Leftovers is also a good option giving how it's a solid check to opposing Rain Dance teams. Focus Blast is a coverage move that can be ran on the Rain Dance set to hit Ferroseed harder, but Ice Beam offers more coverage in general. Finally, Ludicolo has access to Swords Dance in addition to good STAB moves such as Seed Bomb and Waterfall, as well as Ice Punch for coverage, to throw the opponent off guard, but it requires too much set up between having Rain Dance on the field and using Swords Dance, unlike the special attacking set which requires no set up besides Rain Dance.
Checks & Counters
########
**Special Walls/Tanks**: Cryogonal can take a hit and has Freeze Dry to hit x4 super effectively, and the same goes for Articuno which also has access to Freeze Dry. When outside of rain, Audino can switch in, knock off Ludicolo's Life Orb, and then stall out the rain turns with Wish + Protect. Lickilicky can also do the same. Mantine can take on Ludicolo and has STAB Air Slash to eventually KO. Vileplume, while unable to directly switch, can take an Ice Beam and has Sludge Bomb to KO. Ferroseed also cannot directly switch in under rain, but it can stall out rain turns and wear down Ludicolo. Dragalge can switch into either of Ludicolo's STAB moves and has STAB Sludge Bomb to KO, but Ice Beam 3HKOs assuming Dragalge is at 100% HP.
**Faster Pokemon**: Since Ludicolo is slow outside of rain, any faster Pokemon can threaten it immensely. Swellow, Dodrio, Sawk, etc. Kangaskhan can use its priority Fake Out + Sucker Punch to revenge kill and potentially waste a couple turns of rain. Hariyama can also use Fake Out to waste a turn of rain, is able to take a hit, and KO afterwards with Close Combat.
**Status**: Paralysis completely shuts down Ludicolo, and other status ailments like burn and poison can wear down Ludicolo quickly combined with Life Orb recoil.
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