Empoleon @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 12 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 240 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Substitute
- Surf / Hydro Pump
- Grass Knot / Ice Beam
Politoed @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump / Surf
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Hypnosis / Toxic / Hidden Power Grass
The very best sweeper of all? Yes please! Empoleon is one the most threatening special sweepers, as with Torrent, Petaya, and rain its STAB move destroys anything that resists it bar... wait Blissey is also destroyed. And so are resists. Hydro Pump is guaranteed to KO Blissey after Stealth Rock and two layers of Spikes. Chansey is still annoying though. The last slot depends on what you want to get walled by: Ice Beam leaves you open to Jellicent and Gastrodon, while Grass Knot leaves you walled by Dragonite with Multiscale (Stealth Rock fixes this) and.. specially defensive Grass-types, but those are really rare. Grass Knot is usually the superior choice because of this. Choice between Surf and Hydro Pump is a tough one... normally I'd go with Surf, but Hydro Pump KOes Keldeo without any prior damage, while Surf does 86 - 101%.
Now, what does Politoed do to help Empoleon. First of all, Drizzle. This is a big one, helping Empoleon maul through Water resists which it otherwise has trouble with. But what does this specific set do for Empoleon? It lures in counters and KOes them, or at least leaves them weakened enough to let Empoleon sweep. Ferrothorn thinks he can wall Politoed? Take that Focus Blast, and be very crippled and unable to wall Empoleon. Oh hey, Vaporeon! Here, have a Hypnosis / Toxic. Chansey, hey! Hypnosis it while it switches in, switch to something that forces it out and tada! If you have SR and Spikes up, this means that it took an extra 25% damage, meaning that if it comes in on Empoleon the next time it will be at 50%, while Empoleon's Hydro Pump does 58% minimum, and Surf does 50% on average. If Empoleon has Ice Beam, you can use Hidden Power Grass on Politoed to KO Gastrodon, but Grass Knot is superior anyways.