A set that Pocket used against me with brutal effect...
HP: 90 / Atk: 85 / Def: 95 / SpA: 70 / SpD: 90 / Spe: 70
Poliwrath @ Leftovers
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Brick Break
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
Classification: Swift Swim abuser
Description: Poliwrath in general is a relatively rare pokemon on rain teams, and at first this looks like a very gimmicky set. However, Poliwrath can actually utilise it to great affect by virtue of it's typing and stats. Poliwrath resists Stealth Rock, and many different types by virtue of its typing, such as Water, Fire, Bug and Dark. This allows it to set-up on quite a few common pokes, such as Drapion and various choice locked Pokemon. Once you have set-up a Belly Drum, you outspeed pretty much everything on offensive teams, and can tear through common defensive cores. Things like Lanturn and Cresselia are easily 1HKO'd. And here comes the biggest problem in dealing with Poliwrath. Normally, you can revenge kill a sweeper with priority, but not so Poliwrath. Poliwrath resists or is at least neutral to common priority moves, so things like Absol are unable to deal with it as they would with ordinary rain sweepers like Ludicolo. Poliwrath can simply smash straight through it thanks to Brick Break(just for fun, Brick Break does more than 400% to Absol).
Shortcomings: Even at +6, Poliwrath can't 1HKO everything. Things like defensive Slowking and Qwilfish can take a hit, and either take Poliwrath out with Psychic or paralyze him with Thunder Wave. Quagsire can also stop Poliwrath's sweep thanks to Unaware, and Tangrowth can survive even a +6 Ice Punch from Poliwrath, but only if it goes fully defensive. To fix this issue, pairing Poliwrath up with Ludicolo is a great idea, as Ludicolo's Giga Drain can quickly weaken these mons enough, or outright 1HKO them. Whimsicott can also Encore Belly Drum, or Stun Spore him. Once again, Ludicolo is a nice answer to Whimsicott, as its grass typing means that it doesn't take leech seed damage. Stealth Rock is also very helpful for Poliwrath to get some key KO's, and a layer of spikes on top of this secures the 1HKO on Tangrowth and Slowking.
Other options: Earthquake can be used over Ice Punch if you're team has serious troubles with Qwilfish, and it also has a chance to 1HKO Slowking. However, this means that you lose out on Ice Punch, and Ice Punch allows you to hit Tangrowth much harder than you would with Brick Break. Substitute is a nice option to avoid status from things like Qwilfish, and a SubSalac set allows Poliwrath to outspeed base 112's outside of rain with an Adamant nature, and base 125's with a Jolly nature. A Jolly nature can be used if you go with a SubSalac set, to outspeed Swellow even outside of rain, however you do lose out on a lot of power. For example, with an Adamant nature, there is a good chance that you can 1HKO both Slowking and Tangrowth with Waterfall and Ice Punch respectively.
HP: 77 / Atk: 120 / Def: 90 / SpA: 60 / SpD: 90 / Spe: 48
Druddigon @ Leftovers
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Spd / 212 SDef
Careful Nature
- Roar
- Glare
- Dragon Claw
- Stealth Rock
Classification: Defensive threat
Description: Druddigon has all the tools necessary to give rain teams a headache. Druddigon's Dragon typing, and therefore a resistance to water, great special bulk, and access to the paralysis status(as well as the ability to smash through rain teams with its powerful Dragon Claw)combine to make a truly terrifying threat to rain teams. Defensive Druddigon has the ability to weather pretty much every singe move that a rain team carries without being 1HKO'd, which means that it can often paralyze(and therefore cripple)at least one rain abuser, and quite possibly many. This means that if the opponent has a Druddigon on their side, it is almost impossible to set-up a sweep with the likes of Omastar or Ludicolo. The ev's on this spread allow it to outspeed Tangrowth and opposing Druddigon, and the rest is pumped into special defense and HP.
Shortcomings: No reliable recovery means that Druddigon can't take hits from rain teams all day, and Ice type attacks can quickly bring him to his knees. Ice Beam Ludicolo for example can weaken Druddigon enough so that things like Kabutops or Basculin can finish him off with either Stone Edge or Ice Beam respectively. Substitute users such as Ludicolo also work very well, since they can't be paralyzed with a substitute up, and can then hit Druddigon hard with an Ice Beam. Rain inducers such as Volbeat can Encore Thunder Wave as well. Escavalier and Jynx are good rain partners to KO Druddigon-Escavalier doesn't care about the paralysis at all, or the Dragon Claw, and can hit Druddigon very hard with a Megahorn. Jynx can sleep Druddigon, and deal very heavy damage with Ice Beam(although it doesn't 1HKO).
Other options: Dragon Tail can be used over Roar if you don't care about Substitute users and hate Taunt, for example against Volbeat or Whimsicott.
HP: 77 / Atk: 120 / Def: 90 / SpA: 60 / SpD: 90 / Spe: 48
Druddigon @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 212 HP / 44 Spd / 252 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Stealth Rock
- Sucker Punch
- Fire Punch
Classification: Offensive threat
Description: Offensive druddigon poses a threat to rain for some of the reasons as the defensive set. Good bulk and a resistance to water are still important factors. However, the offensive set has a few different tools up it's sleeve. Powerful priority in Sucker Punch allows it to finish off weakened rain threats such as Ludicolo, while his Outrage 1 or 2HKO's everything commonly seen on a rain team. The ev's outspeed Tangrowth and opposing Druddigon, and the moveset is fairly straight forward for offensive Druddigon. Outrage is the destroy everything button, while Fire Punch provides perfect coverage with Outrage, and hits Escavalier and Durant for big damage. Stealth Rock is there because Druddigon makes a great hazard setter, and Sucker Punch is there to fix up his speed issue somewhat. This set focuses mainly on causing as much damage to rain teams as possible, and because of its great natural bulk Druddigon can tank a multitude of
Shortcomings: Offensive Druddigon can be quickly worn down with powerful rain attacks and Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil. Getting hazards up ASAP is very useful here, for example, Timid Omastar has a good shot at 1HKOing Druddigon with Ice Beam after Stealth Rock. Thanks to the weakened Fire Punch, Escavalier is a very good counter for rain teams, as it resists Outrage and Sucker Punch, and Escavalier can hit Druddigon back with a powerful Megahorn. Jynx is also a good way to deal with Druddigon, thanks to its STAB Ice Beam which 1HKO's Druddigon.
Other Options: You can run a secondary coverage move over Stealth Rock if you want, such as Superpower or Earthquake if Aggron is a major threat. Dragon Claw can also be used over Stealth Rock, for Outrage isn't always a good choice.