[OVERVIEW]
Water
========
* Seismitoad's ability Swift Swim and secondary Ground-typing make it a good Electric-immunity to have on rain teams.
* Swift Swim doubles its Speed in rain, making it one of the fastest Pokemon in the metagame, even outspeeding threats like +1 Volcarona, Tapu Koko, and +1 Mega Charizard X.
* Seismitoad allows for role compression on rain teams as a Stealth Rock user, Swift Swim sweeper, and Tapu Bulu check.
* It is the most viable Stealth Rock user on a rain team, and given its high Speed in rain, it is able to set it up fairly easily.
* It has access to decent coverage options in Sludge Wave and Knock Off.
* Although Seismitoad is quite threatening in rain, it has lackluster Speed and offensive presence outside of rain, and without investment, it isn't able to take hits too well.
* Although it is immune to Electric-type moves, its typing leaves it very weak to Grass-types, which also resist both of its STAB moves.
[SET]
name: Swift Swim Sweeper (Water)
move 1: Hydro Pump / Scald
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Sludge Wave
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Hydro Pump is Seismitoad's primary STAB move, and when coupled with the boost from Life Orb, Modest nature, and presence of rain, is able to hit neutral target incredibly hard, even being able to 2HKO Zapdos and Celesteela.
* Scald may be used over Hydro Pump, as it is much more reliable due to its accuracy and PP as well as its chance to cripple physical attackers with a burn. However, there is a significant loss in power, and Scald makes Seismitoad miss out on some important KOes, such as missing out on the 2HKO against Zapdos and Celesteela in rain.
* Earth Power is a secondary STAB move that allows Seismitoad to reliably hit Electric- and Steel-types without having to depend on an inaccurate Hydro Pump.
* Sludge Wave is a coverage move that allows Seismitoad to hit Fairy- and Grass-types for super effective damage; notable targets are Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Azumarill, and Breloom.
* Stealth Rock takes advantage of Seismitoad's ability to force switches, pressuring the opponent on switches as well as making it easier for Seismitoad and the rest of the team to sweep.
* Knock Off is an optional coverage move that also has great utility in removing the target's item. It also lets Seismitoad hit Latios and remove Chansey's Eviolite, making it easier for the rest of the team to deal with.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in Speed and Special Attack along with a Timid nature maximize its offensive presence.
* 4 EVs in Special Defense ensure that Porygon-Z gets the boost in Attack from Download instead of in Special Attack.
* Swift Swim doubles Seismitoad's Speed in rain, allowing it to outspeed almost the entire unboosted metagame and most of the boosted metagame.
* A Timid nature is used for a bit more Speed at the cost of a bit of power. Most notably, it allows Seismitoad to outspeed Magearna and Tapu Bulu outside of rain and Shift Gear Magearna in rain.
* A Modest nature may be used to increase its damage output; however, this may leave it vulnerable to the aforementioned threats.
* Life Orb grants Seismitoad an increase in damage output, helping it secure the 2HKO against Celesteela and Zapdos.
Usage Tips
========
* Seismitoad is best brought in on a predicted Electric-type move or with a slow U-turn from Pelipper after it sets rain.
* Feel free to use Hydro Pump liberally in rain unless the target resists or is immune to it. However, its low PP must be kept in mind so as to not waste it unnecessarily.
* Using Stealth Rock in rain would waste a turn of rain, which may prove to be detrimental. It may, however, be used as a lead to set up Stealth Rock early and dedicate turns with rain to purely dealing damage.
* Try to preserve Seismitoad against an Electric-type team, as it prevents the opponents from being able to freely use Electric-type moves without having to worry about giving Seismitoad a free opportunity to switch in.
* It is best to switch out Seismitoad if rain is no longer on the field, as its lackluster Speed and offensive presence without rain makes it very easy to revenge kill. Outside of rain, it should mostly be limited to setting up Stealth Rock.
* Against Fairy-type teams, Sludge Wave may be used more frequently to prevent Tapu Bulu from being able to switch into it, especially in the absence of rain, where it outspeeds Seismitoad. It can also be used to prevent Tapu Fini from switching in and removing entry hazards with Defog.
* It is advisable to keep Seismitoad away from Toxic, poison, and burns, as its longevity is reduced by a lot when combined with the recoil from Life Orb.
* Stealth Rock should usually be set when Seismitoad forces a target to switch fearing a Hydro Pump, especially in rain, as its high Speed in rain would give it a good chance of outspeeding and KOing a hazard remover before it has time to use Defog or Rapid Spin.
* Knock Off is to be used against walls and Choice item users when it can't do enough damage on its own or in the absence of rain. This makes them easier for rest of the team to deal with.
Team Options
========
* Pelipper is the most important teammate for Seismitoad, as it sets rain upon switching in with Drizzle. It also serves as a Grass-neutrality and Defogger, getting rid of annoying hazards as well as threatening slower Grass-types with a 100% accurate Hurricane. It is also capable of safely bringing in Seismitoad after setting rain with a slow U-turn.
* Politoed may be used as an alternate rain setter with Drizzle. It also helps in detering setup sweepers and acting as a stallbreaker with Encore and Perish Song.
* Kingdra is another Swift Swim sweeper that helps weaken shared checks with Seismitoad. Most notably, it is able to KO a weakened Mega Venusaur with Draco Meteor and is an excellent way to beat Dragon teams with Stealth Rock support from Seismitoad.
* Azumarill appreciates Seismitoad's ability to dent walls and weaken the opposing team as well as the chip damage from Stealth Rock, providing Azumarill with opportunities to set up Belly Drum. Azumarill is also able to check Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Cradily with Superpower and also threatens special walls like Chansey that Seismitoad has trouble getting past.
* Mega Sharpedo is another physical wallbreaker and late-game sweeper that takes advantage of Seismitoad's ability to punch holes in the opposing team and weaken it. It also has access to Psychic Fang and can KO a weakened Mega Venusaur, which Seismitoad usually struggles with.
* Gyarados is an excellent check to Grass-type threats like Mega Venusaur. It is also able to set up relatively easily, and with Moxie, it is able to easily take out teams weakened by Seismitoad. Mega Gyarados, on the other hand, has a much easier time with bulky Psychic teams and is able to set up easier thanks to Intimidate. Gyarados appreciates Seismitoad's ability to take out Fairy- and Electric-type threats in return.
* Greninja is an excellent wallbreaker that can help check Pokemon that threaten Seismitoad with its wide range of coverage options to choose from. Ice Beam helps against Grass and Dragon teams, while Dark Pulse helps against bulky Psychic teams. It may even run Extrasensory to deal with Mega Venusaur or Rock Slide to check Mega Charizard Y. It appreciates Stealth Rock support from Seismitoad to grab important KOes and Seismitoad's ability to outspeed and KO prominent Choice Scarf users like Victini and Heracross, Electric-types like Tapu Koko, and naturally faster Pokemon like Mega Beedrill and Mega Alakazam under rain.
* Powerful special wallbreakers like Manaphy and Keldeo are able to break walls on the opposing team, making it easier for Seismitoad to clean up late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
--------
* Focus Blast gives Seismitoad a reliable way of hitting Ferrothorn, Cradily, and Hydreigon. However, bulky Fairy-types like Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu are much bigger threats, and running Focus Blast makes them much harder to deal with.
* Grass Knot may be run to hit Water-immune Pokemon like Water Absorb Seismitoad and Storm Drain Gastrodon as well as opposing Water-types like Mega Gyarados. However, the list of targets is too small to be worth running.
Checks and Counters
===================
Water
--------
**Grass-types**: Grass-types resist both of Seismitoad's STAB moves and are usually bulky enough to survive a Sludge Wave, and they threaten to KO Seismitoad in return with their Grass STAB attacks. Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Cradily are especially troublesome, as they easily survive any of Seismitoad's moves and KO in return.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon like Gastrodon, Chansey, and Ferrothorn take minimal damage from Seismitoad's attacks and can stall out rain with status and recovery. Araquanid takes little damage from any of its moves and threatens to OHKO in return with Liquidation in rain. Chansey fears being hit by Knock Off, however.
**Alolan Raichu**: Alolan Raichu is able to outspeed Seismitoad in Electric Terrain and threatens to OHKO it with Grass Knot. Furthermore, it is a huge threat to any Rain team and has no viable switch-ins, making it a troublesome Pokemon for any Rain team to handle.
**Bulky Water-types**: Seismitoad struggles to get past bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini, Mantine, and Mega Gyarados that can then easily remove hazards with Defog or proceed to set up on it. They also threaten to 2HKO Seismitoad in rain with their respective Water-type STAB moves.
**Opposing Weather Setters**: Mega Charizard Y and Alolan Ninetales are able to get rid of rain with their abilities in Drought and Snow Warning. They can also OHKO Seismitoad with Solar Beam and Freeze Dry, respectively.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from poison, burn, hail, and sand can prove to be detrimental for Seismitoad, since when coupled with constant recoil from Life Orb, it may put Seismitoad in range of being KOed by priority moves.
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