Politoed [GP 0/2]

[EXIE]

[Overview]

<p>Politoed has seen a meteoric rise in usage since the introduction of its groundbreaking Dream World ability, Drizzle, which was previously only seen in Ubers. While Politoed has no particularly outstanding stats, given the right tools, it can perform admirably in a number of specialized roles, including bulky utility, all-out offense, and revenge killing. However, the only real reason to use Politoed is for the rain it summons with Drizzle. Rain brings multiple benefits into play, such as a 100% accurate Thunder, an additional boost to Water-type attacks, and the triggering of rain-centric abilities (although Swift Swim is prohibited with Drizzle). Three Pokemon that are banned from standard OU, but given free reign in DW OU—Thundurus, Keldeo, and Manaphy—can make use of each of these aspects respectively.<p>

<p>Whichever Politoed set you choose to run, its lifespan on the battlefield is often the deciding factor in the inevitable weather war, and by extension, the battle itself. Without substantial team support and prudent use, Politoed will likely soon succumb to residual damage and VoltTurn combos, or be trapped and KOed. However, one should never take the musical treefrog and its jovial exterior lightly; if provided with sufficient team support, it is more than capable of raining down the hurt on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Ice Beam / Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With maximum defensive investment along with its natural special bulk, Politoed can tank neutral attacks on both sides reasonably well. To illustrate, it cannot be 2HKOed by non-Life Orb Excadrill, a significant threat in the tier. The extended longevity provided by this investment in bulk might often prove to be the deciding factor in a drawn-out weather war; the survivability of this set is definitely one of its greatest assets. Politoed also boasts a number of handy utility moves in its arsenal, all of which can be employed to full effect on a defensive set.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB move of choice as it trades a small amount of power for a decent burn chance, which ensures that the opponent will think twice before switching in a physical attacker. Toxic is used in the second slot to reliably cripple bulky Pokemon that can wall Scald, such as Jellicent and Suicune. Encore and Perish Song serve near-identical purposes as utility moves; the former should be favored if you want to put an immediate stop to sweepers setting up on Politoed, whereas the latter forces switches and counters Baton Pass teams more reliably. Protect works well on this set because it provides a free turn of Leftovers recovery and possibly additional Toxic damage on the opponent. It is also very useful for scouting the opponent’s moves, for example whether Choice Scarf Genesect will use a deadly Thunderbolt or a harmless U-turn, which is a very common scenario in DW OU. Either Ice Beam, which hits Dragon- and Grass-types, or Focus Blast, which eliminates Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, can be used if you prefer a coverage option over Protect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Powerful rain sweepers, such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Thundurus, form natural partnerships with Politoed, as their rain-powered STAB attacks will hurt many teams. This Politoed forms a solid defensive core with any number of Steel-type entry hazard setters, such as Jirachi, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory, all of which welcome the weakening of Fire-type moves. In addition, Politoed’s tendency to force switches, both with Encore and Perish Song and by changing the weather, means that any entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field are always welcome.</p>

<p>Pokemon that resist Scald and that don't mind Toxic can cause Politoed a lot of problems. Ferrothorn, Celebi, and Amoonguss all fit nicely into this category, as they are able to force Politoed out with the threat of STAB Grass-type attacks. Chansey, Blissey, Tentacruel, and Starmie are other examples of checks. Fast sweepers like Deoxys-S, Scarf Garchomp and Trick Rotom-W are good at dealing with these checks. Despite its bulk, defensive Politoed can be OHKOed by powerful Electric-type attacks from the likes of Genesect, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Raikou. As rain teams in general tend to be weak to Electric, Pokemon immune to Electric-type moves are often incredibly useful. Besides Ground-types, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Raikou can safely switch in and pick up a Special Attack boost or recover some HP in the process. Funnily enough, opposing Water-type special attackers can cause Politoed problems by using its own rain against it. Choice Specs variants of Keldeo, Rotom-W, Kingdra, and Politoed itself can all 2HKO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump; therefore, as counterintuitive as it might sound, it might not be a bad idea to pack a Pokemon immune to Water-type moves, such as Suicune, Gastrodon, or Toxicroak, on your team.</p>

<p>Politoed also suffers from a susceptibility to all types of entry hazards, a problem that is worsened by its lack of reliable recovery moves. Thankfully, there is no shortage of spinners who work well in rain and pair well with Politoed. Besides removing hazards, Starmie and Tentacruel can also perform auxiliary roles of going on the offensive or laying down Toxic Spikes, respectively. Dry Skin Toxicroak is worthy of a mention for its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and keep Ferrothorn and other problematic Pokemon at bay. In addition, Technician Breloom can come in on a predicted Leech Seed from Ferrothorn and instantly put the opponent on the back foot by threatening it with a STAB Fighting-type move or Spore.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Encore / Perish Song / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Politoed functions as a decent revenge killer. It can nullify the Speed-doubling abilities of Excadrill and Venusaur, as well as the accuracy-reducing ability of Garchomp, before proceeding to revenge kill them with the appropriate move. While a base 90 Special Attack is nothing to write home about, a STAB- and rain-boosted Hydro Pump packs an almighty punch. The extra power of Hydro Pump can be sacrificed, however, for the more reliable Surf. Ice Beam and Focus Blast provide all the coverage Politoed should ever need; they hit Garchomp, Dragonite, and Tyranitar 4x super effectively, and Ferrothorn and other Dragon-types for 2x damage. The choice of filler move is a toss-up between a phazing move and Psychic, but the decision is largely arbitrary. Encore and Perish Song are particularly useful moves on the Choice Scarf set as Politoed can come in on an opponent as it sets up, and then force it out before it can attack. Psychic is more useful than Hidden Power as it provides super effective coverage on Keldeo, Tentacruel, and to a lesser extent, Toxicroak; these are far more common sights in DW than targets Hidden Power would hit, such as Gastrodon and Gyarados.</p>

<p>One can forgo the revenge-killing capabilities of the Choice Scarf set for the power boost of Choice Specs, which turns Hydro Pump into an even more devastating weapon. However, one should note that Politoed is relatively slow without the Speed boost afforded by a Choice Scarf, and it will often have to take an attack before firing one off.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

A Timid nature allows Choice Scarf Politoed to outspeed neutral-natured Choice Scarf Chandelure and +1 Dragonite, as well as positive-natured base 115 Speed Pokemon, and thus gives it some vital revenge kills. However, a Modest nature on Choice Specs Politoed grants some additional power; the drop in Speed has no major downsides aside from losing the ability to outspeed Adamant Breloom and to Speed tie with Jolly variants.

<p>The following calculations highlight just how lethal Modest Choice Specs Politoed's Hydro Pump is:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/4 Politoed 48.44% - 57.29%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 0/4 Breloom 108.05% - 127.2%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/224+ Jirachi 68.6% - 80.9%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sun) vs 0/4 Ninetales 87.8% - 103.1%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sandstorm) vs. 252/252+ Tyranitar: 59.9% - 71.3%</li>
</ul>

<p>Maximum Special Attack investment should always be used to let Politoed hit as hard as possible. The Speed EVs, on the other hand, can be relocated to HP for extra bulk on the Choice Specs set, because Speed is not a priority. Feel free to use Surf in the last slot for additional flexibility; you will not have to play russian roulette with the RNG against weakened opponents.</p>

<p>Pokemon immune to Water-type moves, such as Water Absorb Suicune, Jellicent, and Gastrodon, make for excellent checks, as they can easily shrug off Politoed's other attacks as well. Powerful Grass-type attackers, such as Breloom and Nasty Plot Celebi, are great counters to these checks, as they pack boosting moves along with strong STAB attacks. As an added bonus, Drizzle's rain nullifies their weakness to Fire.</p>

<p>Powerful rain sweepers, such as Manaphy, Keldeo, and Thundurus, have great synergy with Politoed too, as they are able to switch in and wreak havoc. Defensive hazard setters like Ferrothorn and Tentacruel are useful for helping Politoed to net KOs. For instance, offensive Zapdos and Thundurus/Tornadus are KO'd by Timid Scarf Politoed after Stealth Rock damage, and after two additional layers of Spikes, it can also KO Raikou and Garchomp. Choice Politoed is vulnerable to entry hazards, perhaps even more so than its defensive counterpart due to the lack of Leftovers recovery. To combat this, Rapid Spin support from the likes of Starmie and Tentacruel enables Politoed to switch in more freely.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>An all-out offensive set with Leftovers, Life Orb, or even an Expert Belt, perhaps with either Encore or Perish Song over one of its attacks, is viable. However, this Politoed is completely outclassed by other more effective rain attackers, such as Manaphy and Keldeo. Hidden Power can be used in the last slot of the Choice set if you for some reason fear Gastrodon or Gyarados. However, it is useful for little else as a 2x super effective Hidden Power barely does more damage than a resisted Hydro Pump in rain. The defensive set can utilize the combination of Rest + Chesto Berry to grant Politoed a new lease of life that can turn the tide of the weather war; however, Leftovers recovery will be sorely missed. Hypnosis can be used in place of Toxic for a way of incapacitating an opposing threat, but its low accuracy makes it a risky choice. Finally, Scald can be used over Surf on the Choice sets if you value the burn chance.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Pokemon that are immune to or resist Water-type moves, or that have immense special bulk, are your best bets for dealing with Politoed's STAB attacks. Suicune and Jellicent are particularly notable, the former is able to set up with Calm Mind and the latter to Taunt Politoed before it can use Toxic.</p>

<p>As Politoed and its teammates often require rain to function properly, weather changers can easily put it in a tight situation. While all three competing weather inducers can apply pressure by summoning their own weather, Tyranitar and Ninetales must beware of succumbing to super effective attacks if they haven't significantly invested in special bulk. If Politoed is repeatedly forced in and out of the fray to induce its weather, the opponent's entry hazards and residual damage can quickly take their toll, especially because Politoed has no reliable recovery. Ferrothorn can take anything Politoed throws at it bar Focus Blast, and can both set up entry hazards and strike back with a super effective Power Whip; it therefore comes to mind as a solid check to Politoed.</p>

<p>Pokemon that outspeed Politoed and that have access to powerful super effective attacks can check it with ease: Raikou, Breloom, and Serperior are prime examples of Pokemon who can often gain a free turn of setup at Politoed's expense. Furthermore, Rotom-W and Genesect can gain momentum for their team by using Volt Switch and U-turn respectively to switch out while forcing Politoed out. Lastly, if Politoed is below half health, it risks getting trapped by Chandelure and KOed by Energy Ball.</p>

[Scarfwynaut]

Originally Posted by Fat EXIE

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Hypnosis
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Focus Blast / Hidden Power Grass
item: Leftovers
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD

I don't play DW, but I am pretty sure that is wrong.

[EXIE]

Originally Posted by Fat Scarfwynaut

I don't play DW, but I am pretty sure that is wrong.

fixed :D

[Jukain]

Why is HP Grass a slash? It only hits Water/Ground types, which are non-existant in DW, and does pitiful damage to 2x weak targets. IMO it barely deserves an OO mention, except on Choice sets. As for the Choice set, Surf is just too much of a power drop to lose Hydro Pump for. Slash it after Hidden Power Grass. Also, I have always found Scarf to be MUCH more effective than Specs, revenge killing a lot of things with rain-boosted Hydro Pump. Hell, sometimes the thing takes out one or two things at the beginning of the game. I also think that HP Electric deserves at least an AC mention if not a slash, as it hits Gyarados, which is a bigger threat than Gastrodon/Quagsire. So:

Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic / Hypnosis
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Ice Beam / Focus Blast

Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Hidden Power Electric / Surf / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs

Cheers!

[EXIE]

taken your advice on board. Thanks!

[EXIE]

finished, ready for approval!

[NixHex]

I hate to dampen your spirits, but I'd like you to rewrite this analysis. It's a little too similar to the OU one. What you should do is just write it from scratch. If you know how to use Politoed you won't really have to consult the OU one. For defensive spreads, justify your reasoning and if you have trouble, hop onto IRC and we'll help you out. Also, when you rewrite it, please make your paragraphs less skimpy; two to three sentences just doesn't cut it for a paragraph. It's kind of weird looking and usually you can just merge it with the next one. Please take these tips into account so we can avoid any hairy situations with possible plagiarism.

[EXIE]

I'll try to make it more DW-specific in that case, but could you point out what sections exactly need to be re-written and which are ok? And this is just my sentiment but if some parts seem to mirror the OU analysis, it is only because they are equally as relevant in DW (e.g. Ferrothorn and Jellicent as threats, Starmie and Tentacruel as Rapid Spin support, the way the Choice and Defensive sets function). I can rewrite everything, but I'd probably just end up mostly saying the same thing in a different way.

[Tobes]

Overview needs more content.

Scarf should go before Specs; Excadrill revenge-killers are just too invaluable. Also Deslash HP Electric, it's really only useful against Gyarados. Remove Surf from the fourth slot and place it behind Hydro Pump on the first, then make an AC mention to using both moves. A reliable STAB is important, especially on Scarftoed. Also, as bizarre as it sounds, consider slashing Psychic in the last slot. I'll leave that decision up to you, since it does have merits in hitting Keldeo and Tentacruel. Also consider an Encore slash.

No need to show overkill on Genesect, really.

Don't want to go into a full approval until NixHex is satisfied with your prose, but implementing this stuff now will make the real check much easier for both of us.

[NatGeo]

As a side note, I feel that Perish Song is AC material for the Choice set or even all the sets, just because BP can do so much with Politoed otherwise. At the very least Scarf Perish Song neuters setup sweepers like DDNite before they get *too* out of hand.

Edit: since when has mime been popular on BP?

[Princess Bri]

Encore works more effectively against BP than PE when a lot of BP teams have Mime.

[NixHex]

There's no way I'm going to go through and point out everything that's similar, you need to do that yourself.

Originally Posted by Fat your defensive set

<p>This set functions in largely the same way as it does in Standard OU, with its primary focus being survivability. While Politoed is not as obviously bulky as some of its fellow water-types, with maximum investment it can tank physical hits fairly well.</p>

<p>Scald is the primary stab attack of choice for its 30% burn chance. Which status move to employ is up to the user: Hypnosis should always be considered for the possibility of shutting down a threat, but its accuracy is discouraging and as such, Toxic is more reliable for crippling bulky Pokemon who resist Scald. Encore and Perish Song serve near-identical purposes as utility moves, although Encore should be favoured if you want to put an immediate stop to sweepers setting up on Politoed, whereas Perish Song counters setup move users and Baton Pass teams more reliably.</p>

Originally Posted by Fat OU defensive

While Politoed is by no means the best bulky Water-type or support Pokemon, face it, Drizzle is reason enough to use it. Unlike more offensive sets, this Politoed is designed to survive for as long as possible until threats—most notably other weather starters—are eliminated.

As with other bulky Water-type Pokemon, Scald is the primary STAB attack for its 30% chance to burn the opponent. The rest of the moveslots depend on the user's preferences. Toxic can be used to soften other walls and tanks such as Jellicent and Dusclops. While Hypnosis does have rather disappointing accuracy, the possibility of shutting down a threat makes it worth considering. The third moveslot is a toss-up between two extremely useful utility moves; Perish Song is an excellent option on stall teams to stop boosting threats such as Calm Mind Jirachi, Calm Mind Reuniclus, and Baton Pass teams. Meanwhile, Encore can be used to force out a foe that attempts to set up on Politoed.

There's more within just those paragraphs but I don't need to point them out. Start the analysis over entirely. Just because it performs similarly in DW as in OU doesn't mean you can just reword each paragraph and write them in the same order. Please get this done ASAP!

[shrang]

Perish Song really needs a warning on using it, with Chandelure so common these days. It needs a "be careful when using", since I see so many people use it willy-nilly, only to have Chandelure switch in, stall out 3 turns (I use SubCM), switch out and laugh.

[EXIE]

I've reworked everything, hopefully it's ok.

[V0x]

I'm approving this later today, don't let me forget!

Alrigt I'm a slacker

Deslash Hypnosis and move it to AC only: it's just too unreliable and you don't really want to put your weather starter at that much risk. In AC, also mention you can swap Toxic around with Perish Song or Encore whatever, if you're concerned about burning something with Scald and such.

Other than that, I don't really think there is anything else you /need/ to add, great job and this is APPROVED!

[dragonboy52]

Amateur check!

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[Overview]

<p>Politoed has seen a meteoric rise in usage since the introduction of its groundbreaking Dreamw World ability, Drizzle, which was previously only seen in Ubers. Such a drastic change of fortunes is only rivalled only by that of the similarly blessed Ninetales, another newcomer to the weather war.Politoed has no particularly outstanding stats, given the right tools, it can perform admirably in a number of specialized roles, from bulky utility to all-out offense to revenge killer.</p>

<p>However, the only real reason for usingto use Politoed is for the rain it summons with Drizzle. Rain brings multiple benefits into play, such as a 100% accurate Thunder, an additional STAB boost to wWater attacks-type moves, and the triggering of rain-centric abilities (although Swift Swim is banned with Drizzle). Three pPokemon that are banned from standard OU, but given free reign in Dreamworld DWOU—Thundurus, Keldeo, and Manaphy—can abuse make us of each of these aspects respectively.</p>

<p>Whichever build you decide to utilize for Politoed, its lifespan on the battlefield is often the deciding factor in the inevitable weather war and the battle itself by extension. Without substantial team support and prudent use, it is only a matter of time before it succumbs to residual damage and vVolt-tTurn combos, or is trapped and KOed. However, one should never take the musical treefrog and its jovial exterior lightly; with sufficient team support, it is more than capable of raining down the hurt on you.</p>

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Ice Beam / Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With maximum EV investment in HP and dDefense, combined with its natural special bulk, Politoed can tank neutral attacks on both sides reasonably well. This is highlighted by the fact that it cannot be 2HKOed by non-Life Orb Excadrill, a significant threat in the tier. The extended longevity provided by this investment in bulk may often prove to be the deciding factor in a drawn out weather war; the survivability of this set is definitely one of its greatest assets. Politoed also boasts a number of handy utility moves in its arsenal, all of which can be employed to full effect on a defensive set.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB move of choice for theas it has a chance of inflicting a burn at the cost of a minimal reduction in bBase pPower, and. Thus, it ensures that the opponent will think twice before switching in a physical attacker that is susceptible to burn. Toxic is used in the second slot for reliably crippling bulky Pokemon who wall repeated Scalds. Encore and Perish Song serve near-identical purposes as utility moves, although Encore should be favoured if you want to put an immediate stop to sweepers setting up on Politoed, whereas Perish Song forces switches and counters Baton Pass teams more reliably.</p>

<p>Protect works well on this set because it provides a free turn of Leftovers recovery and potential poison damageToxic damage on the opponent. It is also very useful for scouting the opponent’s moves, for example whether Choice Scarf Genesect will use a life-threatening Thunderbolt or a harmless U-Tturn (a very common scenario in DWOU). Either Ice Beam, for dDragon- and gGrass-types, or Focus Blast, for Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, can be used if you prefer a coverage option over Protect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Powerful rain abusers sweepers such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Thundurus form natural partnerships, as their rain-powered STAB attacks will hurt many a teams. Defensive Politoed forms a solid defensive core with any number of sSteel-type entry hazard setters such as Jirachi, Ferrothorn and Skarmory—all of which welcome the negation of ftheir Fire-type weakness - with Jirachi, Ferrothorn and Skarmory being prime examples.. (Ferrothorn is still weak to Fire, so you may want to change that) In addition, Politoed’s tendency to force switches by using phasing moves and perpetuating the weather war means that any entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field are always welcome.</p>

<p>Pokemon that resist Politoed's Scalds and are unaffected by Toxic can cause a lot of problems. Ferrothorn, Celebi, and Amoonguss all fit this category nicely, being able to threaten it out with STAB attacks. Chansey/Blissey, Tentacruel and Starmie are other examples of checks.their STAB Grass-type attacks. Chansey, Blissey, Tentacruel, and Starmie are other examples of checks. (Mention some teammates that can fix this problem, otherwise, this sentence will have to go to Checks and Counters)Despite its bulk, defensive Politoed can be OHKOed by powerful electric attacks from the likes of Genesect, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Raikou. Since rain teams in general tend to be electric weak, pPokemon with an electric immunity are incredibly useful. Besides gGround-types, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Raikou can safely switch in, and picking up a sSpecial aAttack boost or HP recovery in the process. Funnily enough, opposing special wWater-type special attackers can cause Politoed problems, using its own rain against it. Choice Specs variants of Keldeo, Rotom-W, Kingdra, and Politoed itself can all 2HKO it with Hydro Pump in rain; therefore, as strange as it might sound, it may might not be a bad idea to pack a pPokemon with a watern immunity to Water-type moves, such as Suicune, Gastrodon, or Toxicroak, on your team.</p>

<p>Politoed also suffers from a susceptibility to all types of entry hazards, which is worsened by its lack of reliable recovery moves. Thankfully, there is no shortage of rain-abusing rapid spinners spinners who work well in rain that can partner Politoed. Besides removing hazards, Starmie and Tentacruel can also perform their auxiliary roles of going on the offensive or laying down Toxic Spikes respectively, with the aid of Drizzle's rain. Dry Skin Toxicroak is worthy of a mention for hiits ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and keep Ferrothorn and other problematic pPokemon at bay. In addition, Technician Breloom can come in on a predicted Leech Seed from Ferrothorn and instantly put the opponent on the back foot by threatening it with a STAB Fighting-type move or Spore.</p>


[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Encore / Perish Song / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Politoed functions as a decent revenge killer. It can nullify the sSpeed doubling abilities of Excadrill and Venusaur, and the accuracy negating ability of Garchomp, before proceeding to revenge kill them with the appropiate move. With a Timid nature, itPolitoed outspeeds Modest Choice Scarf Chandelure, +1 Adamant Dragonite, and positive-natured base 115 sSpeed Pokemon, thus scoring some vital revenge kills. While a base 90 sSpecial aAttack is nothing to write home about, a double STAB Hydro Pump packs an almighty punch. The extra power of Hydro Pump can be sacrificed however for the more reliable Surf. Ice Beam and Focus Blast provide all the coverage Politoed should ever need, potentially hitting Garchomp, Dragonite, and Tyranitar 4x super-effectively, and other dragons and FerrothornFerrothorn and other Dragon-types such as… 2x super-effectively. The choice of filler move is a toss-up between a pseudo-phazing move and Psychic, but the decision is largely arbitrary. Encore / Perish Song is particularly useful on the Choice Scarf set, as Politoed can come in on an opponent as they set up, and then phazforce them out before they can attack. Psychic is more useful than a Hidden Power due to its ability to hit Keldeo and Tentacruel super-effectively (and to a lesser extent, Toxicroak), which are far more common sights in DW than targets Hidden Power would hit such as Gastrodon orand Gyarados.</p>

<p>One can forgo the revenge-killing capabilities of the Choice Scarf set for the power boost of the Choice Specs set, which turns Hydro Pump into an even more devasting weapon. But one should note that without the sSpeed boost afforded by a Choice Scarf, Politoed is relatively slow and will often have to take an attack first. Because of Politoed's underwhelming base sSpeed, a Modest nature may be more preferable for the additional power, since as the drop in sSpeed has no major downsides, bar losing the ability to outspeed Adamant Breloom and sSpeed tie with Jolly variants.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The following calculations (assuming a Modest nature) highlight just how lethal a Hydro Pump from Choice Specs Politoed's Hydro Pump really is:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs. 252/4 Politoed: 48.44% - 57.29%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs. 0/4 Breloom: 108.05% - 127.2%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs. 252/224+ Jirachi: 68.6% - 80.9%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sun) vs. 0/4 Ninetales: 87.8% - 103.1%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sandstorm) vs. 252/252+ Tyranitar: 59.9% - 71.3%</li>
</ul>

<p>Maximum EVs should always go into Special Attack so that Politoed hits as hard as possible. The Speed EVs on the other hand can be relocated to HP for extra bulk on the Choice Specs set, because sSpeed is not a priority. If you want the flexibility of having both Hydro Pump and Surf at your disposal, Surf can be used in the last slot. This way you will not have to play Russian Roulette with the RNG in situations where a simple Surf would suffice.</p>

<p>Pokemon with a wWater-type immunity, such as Water Absorb Suicune, Jellicent, and Gastrodon, make for excellent checks, and can easily shrug off Politoed's other attacks. Powerful gGrass-type attackers such as Breloom and Nasty Plot Celebi are great counters to these checks, with their strong STAB attacks and boosting moves. As an added bonus, Drizzle's rain nullifies their fFire-type weakness. As with the defensive set, powerful rain abusers sweepers likesuch as Manaphy, Keldeo, and Thundurus provide great synergy too, being able to switch in and wreak havoc. Aside from these offensive behemoths, defensive hazard setters are useful for helping Politoed to net KOs.(**Give examples of both Pokemon that can set up hazards and KO’s Politoed can get with entry hazard support) Choice Politoed also shares the same vulnerability to entry hazards as its defensive counterpart, perhaps even more so considering the lack of Leftovers recovery. To combat this, Rapid Spin support enables Politoed to come in and execute revenge kills freely.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>A non-choicedChoice offensive set may be used, with either 4 attacks or 3 attacks and Encore / Perish Song, andwith Leftovers, Life Orb, or even an Expert Belt replacing the choice item; but in doing so, Politoed becomes completely outclassed by other more effective rain-abusing attackers available in the tier (**such as). A Hidden Power can be used in the last slot of the Choice set if you for some reason fear Gastrodon or Gyarados, although it is useful for little else, seeing as a 2x super-effective Hidden Power barely does more damage than a resisted Hydro Pump in rain. The combination of Rest +and Chesto Berry is an interesting option on the defensive set, as it potentially grantings Politoed a new lease of life which cand turning the tide of the weather war, although the Leftovers recovery will be sorely missed. Hypnosis can also be used in place of Toxic as a way of incapacitating an opposing threat, albebut its low accuracy makes it a risky onchoice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Pokemon with a wWater-type immunity, resistance, or immense special bulk are your best bets for dealing with Politoed's STAB attacks. Suicune and Jellicent are particularly troublesome, the former being able to set up with Calm Mind and the latter Taunting it is able Taunt Politoed before it can use Toxic. Also, because Politoed and oftentimes its teammates require rain to function properly, weather changers can easily put it in a tight situation. While all three competing weather inducers can apply pressure by bringing in their own weather, Tyranitar and Ninetales must beware of succumbing to super-effective attacks if they haven't invested significantly invested in special bulk.</p>

<p>Pokemon that outspeed Politoed and have access to powerful super-effective attacks can check it with ease: Raikou, Breloom, and Serperior are prime examples, often gaining a free turn of setup at its expense. Furthermore, Rotom-W and Genesect can gain momentum for their team by using Volt Switch and U-turn while threatening it out simultaneously. And iIf Politoed is below half HP, it risks getting trapped and KO'd by Chandelure's Energy Ball, which never bodes well in a weather war. Finally, if Politoed is repeatedly forced in and out of fray to induce its weather, the opponent's entry hazards and residual damage can quickly take their toll, especially since because Politoed has no reliable recovery. Ferrothorn comes to mind as a solid check to itPolitoed, since it can take anything Politoed throws at it bar Focus Blast, and is free to set up entry hazards or strike back with a super effective Power Whip. Rapid Spin support is an obvious solution, but Wish support also comes highly recommended for healing Politoed up.(**This last sentence should probably go in AC, but I may be wrong)</p>

Copy / Paste able version with comments

---

[Overview]

<p>Politoed has seen a meteoric rise in usage since the introduction of its groundbreaking Dream World ability, Drizzle, which was previously only seen in Ubers. Such a drastic change of fortunes is only rivalled by that of the similarly blessed Ninetales, another newcomer to the weather war. While Politoed has no particularly outstanding stats, given the right tools, it can perform admirably in a number of specialized roles, from bulky utility to all-out offense to revenge killer.</p>

<p>However, the only real reason to use Politoed is for the rain it summons with Drizzle. Rain brings multiple benefits into play, such as a 100% accurate Thunder, an additional STAB boost to Water-type moves, and the triggering of rain-centric abilities (although Swift Swim is banned with Drizzle). Three Pokemon that are banned from standard OU, but given free reign in DWOU—Thundurus, Keldeo, and Manaphy—can make use of each of these aspects respectively.<p>

<p>Whichever build you decide to utilize for Politoed, its lifespan on the battlefield is often the deciding factor in the inevitable weather war and the battle itself by extension. Without substantial team support and prudent use, it is only a matter of time before it succumbs to residual damage and VoltTurn combos, or is trapped and KOed. However, one should never take the musical treefrog and its jovial exterior lightly; with sufficient team support, it is more than capable of raining down the hurt on you.</p>

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Ice Beam / Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With maximum EV investment in HP and Defense, combined with its natural special bulk, Politoed can tank neutral attacks on both sides reasonably well. This is highlighted by the fact that it cannot be 2HKOed by non-Life Orb Excadrill, a significant threat in the tier. The extended longevity provided by this investment in bulk may often prove to be the deciding factor in a drawn out weather war; the survivability of this set is definitely one of its greatest assets. Politoed also boasts a number of handy utility moves in its arsenal, all of which can be employed to full effect on a defensive set.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB move of choice as it has a chance of inflicting a burn at the cost of a minimal reduction in Base Power. Thus, it ensures that the opponent will think twice before switching in a physical attacker that is susceptible to burn. Toxic is used in the second slot for reliably crippling bulky Pokemon who wall repeated Scalds. Encore and Perish Song serve near-identical purposes as utility moves, although Encore should be favored if you want to put an immediate stop to sweepers setting up on Politoed, whereas Perish Song forces switches and counters Baton Pass teams more reliably.</p>

<p>Protect works well on this set because it provides a free turn of Leftovers recovery and potential Toxic damage on the opponent. It is also very useful for scouting the opponent’s moves, for example whether Choice Scarf Genesect will use a life-threatening Thunderbolt or a harmless U-turn (a very common scenario in DW OU). Either Ice Beam, for Dragon- and Grass-types, or Focus Blast, for Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, can be used if you prefer a coverage option over Protect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Powerful rain sweepers such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Thundurus form natural partnerships, as their rain-powered STAB attacks will hurt many teams. Defensive Politoed forms a solid defensive core with any number of Steel-type entry hazard setters such as Jirachi, Ferrothorn and Skarmory—all of which welcome the negation of their Fire-type weakness. (Ferrothorn is still weak to Fire, so you may want to change that) In addition, Politoed’s tendency to force switches by using phasing moves and perpetuating the weather war means that any entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field are always welcome.</p>

<p>Pokemon that resist Politoed's Scalds and are unaffected by Toxic can cause a lot of problems. Ferrothorn, Celebi, and Amoonguss all fit this category nicely, being able to threaten it out with their STAB Grass-type attacks. Chansey, Blissey, Tentacruel, and Starmie are other examples of checks. (Mention some teammates that can fix this problem, otherwise, this sentence will have to go to Checks and Counters) Despite its bulk, defensive Politoed can be OHKOed by powerful electric attacks from the likes of Genesect, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Raikou. Since rain teams in general tend to be electric weak, Pokemon with an electric immunity are incredibly useful. Besides Ground-types, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Raikou can safely switch in and pick up a Special Attack boost or HP recovery in the process. Funnily enough, opposing Water-type special attackers can cause Politoed problems, using its own rain against it. Choice Specs variants of Keldeo, Rotom-W, Kingdra, and Politoed itself can all 2HKO it with Hydro Pump in rain; therefore, as strange as it might sound, it may not be a bad idea to pack a Pokemon with an immunity to Water-type moves, such as Suicune, Gastrodon, or Toxicroak, on your team.</p>

<p>Politoed also suffers from a susceptibility to all types of entry hazards, which is worsened by its lack of reliable recovery moves. Thankfully, there is no shortage of spinners who work well in rain that can partner Politoed. Besides removing hazards, Starmie and Tentacruel can also perform their auxiliary roles of going on the offensive or laying down Toxic Spikes respectively, with the aid of Drizzle's rain. Dry Skin Toxicroak is worthy of a mention for its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and keep Ferrothorn and other problematic Pokemon at bay. In addition, Technician Breloom can come in on a predicted Leech Seed from Ferrothorn and instantly put the opponent on the back foot by threatening it with a STAB Fighting-type move or Spore.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Encore / Perish Song / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Politoed functions as a decent revenge killer. It can nullify the Speed doubling abilities of Excadrill and Venusaur, and the accuracy negating ability of Garchomp, before proceeding to revenge kill them with the appropiate move. With a Timid nature, Politoed outspeeds Modest Choice Scarf Chandelure, +1 Adamant Dragonite, and positive-natured base 115 Speed Pokemon, thus scoring some vital revenge kills. While a base 90 Special Attack is nothing to write home about, a double STAB Hydro Pump packs an almighty punch. The extra power of Hydro Pump can be sacrificed however for the more reliable Surf. Ice Beam and Focus Blast provide all the coverage Politoed should ever need, potentially hitting Garchomp, Dragonite, and Tyranitar 4x super effectively, and Ferrothorn and other Dragon-types such as… 2x super effectively. The choice of filler move is a toss-up between a pseudo-phazing move and Psychic, but the decision is largely arbitrary. Encore / Perish Song is particularly useful on the Choice Scarf set, as Politoed can come in on an opponent as they set up, and then force them out before they can attack. Psychic is more useful than Hidden Power due to its ability to hit Keldeo, Tentacruel, and to a lesser extent, Toxicroak, super effectively, which are far more common sights in DW than targets Hidden Power would hit such as Gastrodon and Gyarados.</p>

<p>One can forgo the revenge-killing capabilities of the Choice Scarf set for the power boost of the Choice Specs set, which turns Hydro Pump into an even more devasting weapon. But one should note that without the Speed boost afforded by a Choice Scarf, Politoed is relatively slow and will often have to take an attack first. Because of Politoed's underwhelming base Speed, a Modest nature may be more preferable for the additional power, as the drop in Speed has no major downsides, bar losing the ability to outspeed Adamant Breloom and Speed tie with Jolly variants.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The following calculations (assuming a Modest nature) highlight just how lethal a Hydro Pump from Choice Specs Politoed really is:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/4 Politoed 48.44% - 57.29%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 0/4 Breloom 108.05% - 127.2%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/224+ Jirachi 68.6% - 80.9%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sun) vs 0/4 Ninetales 87.8% - 103.1%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sandstorm) vs. 252/252+ Tyranitar: 59.9% - 71.3%</li>
</ul>

<p>Maximum EVs should always go into Special Attack so that Politoed hits as hard as possible. The Speed EVs on the other hand can be relocated to HP for extra bulk on the Choice Specs set, because Speed is not a priority. If you want the flexibility of having both Hydro Pump and Surf at your disposal, Surf can be used in the last slot. This way you will not have to play Russian Roulette with the RNG in situations where a simple Surf would suffice.</p>

<p>Pokemon with a Water-type immunity, such as Water Absorb Suicune, Jellicent, and Gastrodon, make for excellent checks, and can easily shrug off Politoed's other attacks. Powerful Grass-type attackers such as Breloom and Nasty Plot Celebi are great counters to these checks, with their strong STAB attacks and boosting moves. As an added bonus, Drizzle's rain nullifies their Fire-type weakness. As with the defensive set, powerful rain abusers such as Manaphy, Keldeo, and Thundurus provide great synergy too, being able to switch in and wreak havoc. Aside from these offensive behemoths, defensive hazard setters are useful for helping Politoed to net KOs. (**Give examples of both Pokemon that can set up hazards and KO’s Politoed can get with entry hazard support) Choice Politoed also shares the same vulnerability to entry hazards as its defensive counterpart, perhaps even more so considering the lack of Leftovers recovery. To combat this, Rapid Spin support enables Politoed to come in and execute revenge kills freely.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>A non-Choice offensive set may be used, with either 4 attacks or 3 attacks and Encore / Perish Song, with Leftovers, Life Orb, or even an Expert Belt replacing the choice item; but in doing so, Politoed becomes completely outclassed by other more effective rain-abusing attackers available in the tier (**such as). A Hidden Power can be used in the last slot of the Choice set if you for some reason fear Gastrodon or Gyarados, although it is useful for little else, seeing as a 2x super effective Hidden Power barely does more damage than a resisted Hydro Pump in rain. The combination of Rest and Chesto Berry is an interesting option on the defensive set, as it potentially grants Politoed a new lease of life which can turn the tide of the weather war, although the Leftovers recovery will be sorely missed. Hypnosis can also be used in place of Toxic as a way of incapacitating an opposing threat, but its low accuracy makes it a risky choice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Pokemon with a Water-type immunity, resistance, or immense special bulk are your best bets for dealing with Politoed's STAB attacks. Suicune and Jellicent are particularly troublesome, the former being able to set up with Calm Mind and the latter is able Taunt Politoed before it can use Toxic. Also, because Politoed and oftentimes its teammates require rain to function properly, weather changers can easily put it in a tight situation. While all three competing weather inducers can apply pressure by bringing in their own weather, Tyranitar and Ninetales must beware of succumbing to super effective attacks if they haven't significantly invested in special bulk.</p>

<p>Pokemon that outspeed Politoed and have access to powerful super effective attacks can check it with ease: Raikou, Breloom, and Serperior are prime examples, often gaining a free turn of setup at its expense. Furthermore, Rotom-W and Genesect can gain momentum for their team by using Volt Switch and U-turn while threatening it out simultaneously. And if Politoed is below half HP, it risks getting trapped and KO'd by Chandelure's Energy Ball, which never bodes well in a weather war. Finally, if Politoed is repeatedly forced in and out of fray to induce its weather, the opponent's entry hazards and residual damage can quickly take their toll, especially because Politoed has no reliable recovery. Ferrothorn comes to mind as a solid check to Politoed, since it can take anything Politoed throws at it bar Focus Blast, and is free to set up entry hazards or strike back with a super effective Power Whip. Rapid Spin support is an obvious solution, but Wish support also comes highly recommended for healing Politoed up. (**This last sentence should probably go in AC, but I may be wrong)</p>

Nice work! :)

[sirndpt]

worked over dboy's check

terribly messy markup; will neaten it sometime it's not 2AM if needed

---

[Overview]

<p>Politoed has seen a meteoric rise in usage since the introduction of its groundbreaking Dream World ability, Drizzle, which was previously only seen in Ubers. Such a drastic change of fortunes is only rivalled by that of the similarly blessed Ninetales, another newcomer to the weather war. While Politoed has no particularly outstanding stats, given the right tools, it can perform admirably in a number of specialized roles, from including bulky utility, to all-out offense, to and revenge killer killing.</p>

<p>However, the only real reason to use Politoed is for the rain it summons with Drizzle. Rain brings multiple benefits into play, such as a 100% accurate Thunder, an additional STAB boost to Water-type moves, and the triggering of rain-centric abilities (although Swift Swim is banned with Drizzle). Three Pokemon that are banned from standard OU, but given free reign in DW OU—Thundurus, Keldeo, and Manaphy—can make use of each of these aspects respectively.<p>

<p> Whichever build you decide to utilize for Politoed Whichever Politoed set you choose to run, its lifespan on the battlefield is often the deciding factor in the inevitable weather war, and by extension, the battle itself by extension. Without substantial team support and prudent use, it is only a matter of time before it succumbs Politoed will likely soon succumb to residual damage and VoltTurn combos, or is be trapped and KOed. However, one should never take the musical treefrog and its jovial exterior lightly; if provided with sufficient team support, it is more than capable of raining down the hurt on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Ice Beam / Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With maximum EV defensive investment in HP and Defense, combined along with its natural special bulk, Politoed can tank neutral attacks on both sides reasonably well. This is highlighted by the fact that To illustrate, it cannot be 2HKOed by non-Life Orb Excadrill, a significant threat in the tier. The extended longevity provided by this investment in bulk may might often prove to be the deciding factor in a drawn -out weather war; the survivability of this set is definitely one of its greatest assets. Politoed also boasts a number of handy utility moves in its arsenal, all of which can be employed to full effect on a defensive set.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB move of choice as it has a chance of inflicting a burn at the cost of a minimal reduction in Base Power trades a small amount of power for a decent burn chance, Thus, it which ensures that the opponent will think twice before switching in a physical attacker that is susceptible to burn. Toxic is used in the second slot for reliably crippling to reliably cripple bulky Pokemon who wall repeated Scalds that can wall Scald (provide a few examples of common pokes, say bulky waters?). Encore and Perish Song serve near-identical purposes as utility moves; although Encore the former should be favored if you want to put an immediate stop to sweepers setting up on Politoed, whereas Perish Song the latter forces switches and counters Baton Pass teams more reliably.</p>

<p>Protect works well on this set because it provides a free turn of Leftovers recovery and potential possibly additional Toxic damage on the opponent. It is also very useful for scouting the opponent’s moves, for example whether Choice Scarf Genesect will use a life-threatening deadly Thunderbolt or a harmless U-turn ( , which is a very common scenario in DW OU). Either Ice Beam, for which hits Dragon- and Grass-types, or Focus Blast, for which eliminates Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, can be used if you prefer a coverage option over Protect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Powerful rain sweepers, such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Thundurus, form natural partnerships with Politoed, as their rain-powered STAB attacks will hurt many teams. Defensive This Politoed forms a solid defensive core with any number of Steel-type entry hazard setters, such as Jirachi, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory, all of which welcome the negation of their Fire-type weakness weakening of Fire-type moves. In addition, Politoed’s tendency to force switches, by using phasing moves and perpetuating the weather war both with Encore and Perish Song and by changing the weather, means that any entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field are always welcome.</p>

<p>Pokemon that resist Politoed's Scalds Scald and are unaffected by that don't mind Toxic can cause Politoed a lot of problems. Ferrothorn, Celebi, and Amoonguss all fit nicely into this category nicely, being able to threaten it as they are able to force Politoed out with their the threat of STAB Grass-type attacks. Chansey, Blissey, Tentacruel, and Starmie are other examples of checks. (suggest teammates that patch this weakness)Despite its bulk, defensive Politoed can be OHKOed by powerful Electric-type attacks from the likes of Genesect, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Raikou. Since As rain teams in general tend to be electric weak weak to Electric, Pokemon with an electric immunity are immune to Electric-type moves are often incredibly useful. Besides Ground-types, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Raikou can safely switch in and pick up a Special Attack boost or HP recovery recover some HP in the process. Funnily enough, opposing Water-type special attackers can cause Politoed problems, by using its own rain against it. Choice Specs variants of Keldeo, Rotom-W, Kingdra, and Politoed itself can all 2HKO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump in rain; therefore, as strange counterintuitive as it might sound, it may might not be a bad idea to pack a Pokemon with an immunity immune to Water-type moves, such as Suicune, Gastrodon, or Toxicroak, on your team.</p>

<p>Politoed also suffers from a susceptibility to all types of entry hazards, which a problem that is worsened by its lack of reliable recovery moves. Thankfully, there is no shortage of spinners who work well in rain that can partner and pair well with Politoed. Besides removing hazards, Starmie and Tentacruel can also perform their auxiliary roles of going on the offensive or laying down Toxic Spikes, respectively, with the aid of Drizzle's rain. Dry Skin Toxicroak is worthy of a mention for its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and keep Ferrothorn and other problematic Pokemon at bay. In addition, Technician Breloom can come in on a predicted Leech Seed from Ferrothorn and instantly put the opponent on the back foot by threatening it with a STAB Fighting-type move or Spore.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Encore / Perish Song / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Politoed functions as a decent revenge killer. It can nullify the Speed doubling Speed-doubling abilities of Excadrill and Venusaur, and as well as the accuracy negating accuracy-reducing ability of Garchomp, before proceeding to revenge kill them with the appropiate appropriate move. With a Timid nature, Politoed outspeeds Modest Choice Scarf Chandelure, +1 Adamant Dragonite, and positive-natured base 115 Speed Pokemon, thus scoring some vital revenge kills. While a base 90 Special Attack is nothing to write home about, a double STAB STAB- and rain-boosted Hydro Pump packs an almighty punch. The extra power of Hydro Pump can be sacrificed, however, for the more reliable Surf. Ice Beam and Focus Blast provide all the coverage Politoed should ever need; potentially hitting they hit Garchomp, Dragonite, and Tyranitar 4x super effectively, and Ferrothorn and other Dragon-types such as… 2x super effectively for 2x damage. The choice of filler move is a toss-up between a pseudo-phazing move and Psychic, but the decision is largely arbitrary. Encore / and Perish Song is are particularly useful moves on the Choice Scarf set, as Politoed can come in on an opponent as they it sets up, and then force them it out before they it can attack. Psychic is more useful than Hidden Power due to its ability to hit as it provides super effective coverage on Keldeo, Tentacruel, and to a lesser extent, Toxicroak, super effectively ; which these are far more common sights in DW than targets Hidden Power would hit, such as Gastrodon and Gyarados.</p>

<p>One can forgo the revenge-killing capabilities of the Choice Scarf set for the power boost of the Choice Specs set, which turns Hydro Pump into an even more devasting devastating weapon. But However, one should note that Politoed is relatively slow without the Speed boost afforded by a Choice Scarf, Politoed is relatively slow and and it will often have to take an attack first before firing one off. Because of Politoed's underwhelming base Speed, a Modest nature may be more preferable for the additional power, as the drop in Speed has no major downsides, bar losing the ability to outspeed Adamant Breloom and Speed tie with Jolly variants.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>A Timid nature allows Choice Scarf Politoed to outspeed neutral-natured Choice Scarf Chandelure and +1 Dragonite, as well as positive-natured base 115 Speed Pokemon, and thus gives it some vital revenge kills. However, a Modest nature grants some additional power; the drop in Speed has no major downsides aside from losing the ability to outspeed Adamant Breloom and to Speed tie with Jolly variants.</p>

<p>The following calculations (assuming a Modest nature) highlight just how lethal a Hydro Pump from highlight just how lethal Modest Choice Specs Politoed's Hydro Pump is:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/4 Politoed 48.44% - 57.29%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 0/4 Breloom 108.05% - 127.2%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/224+ Jirachi 68.6% - 80.9%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sun) vs 0/4 Ninetales 87.8% - 103.1%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sandstorm) vs. 252/252+ Tyranitar: 59.9% - 71.3%</li>
</ul>

<p> Maximum EVs should always go into Special Attack so that Politoed hits Maximum Special Attack investment should always be used to let Politoed hit as hard as possible. The Speed EVs, on the other hand, can be relocated to HP for extra bulk on the Choice Specs set, because Speed is not a priority. If you want the flexibility of having both Hydro Pump and Surf at your disposal, Surf can be used in the last slot. This way you will not have to play Russian Roulette with the RNG in situations where a simple Surf would suffice. Feel free to use Surf in the last slot for additional flexibility; you will not have to play russian roulette with the RNG against weakened opponents.</p>

<p>Pokemon with a Water-type immunity immune to Water-type moves, such as Water Absorb Suicune, Jellicent, and Gastrodon, make for excellent checks, and as they can easily shrug off Politoed's other attacks as well. Powerful Grass-type attackers, such as Breloom and Nasty Plot Celebi, are great counters to these checks, with their as they pack boosting moves along with strong STAB attacks and boosting moves. As an added bonus, Drizzle's rain nullifies their Fire-type weakness weakness to Fire.</p>

<p>As with the defensive set, Powerful rain abusers sweepers, such as Manaphy, Keldeo, and Thundurus provid , have great synergy with Politoed too, being as they are able to switch in and wreak havoc. Aside from these offensive behemoths, Defensive hazard setters are useful for helping Politoed to net KOs. (1\ recommend some hazard setters and 2\ provide some significant KOs gained) In addition, Choice Politoed also shares the same is vulnerability vulnerable to entry hazards as its defensive counterpart, perhaps even more so considering than its defensive counterpart is due to the lack of Leftovers recovery. To combat this, Rapid Spin support (from the likes of?) enables Politoed to come in and execute revenge kills enables Politoed to switch in more freely.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>A non-Choice offensive set may be used, with either 4 attacks or 3 attacks and Encore / Perish Song, with Leftovers, Life Orb, or even an Expert Belt replacing the choice item; An all-out offensive set with Leftovers, Life Orb, or even an Expert Belt, perhaps with either Encore or Perish Song over one of its attacks, is viable. but in doing so However, this Politoed becomes is completely outclassed by other more effective rain-abusing attackers available in the tier , such as (?). A Hidden Power can be used in the last slot of the Choice set if you for some reason fear Gastrodon or Gyarados. although However, it is useful for little else, seeing as as a 2x super effective Hidden Power barely does more damage than a resisted Hydro Pump in rain. The combination of Rest and Chesto Berry is an interesting option on the defensive set, as it potentially grants The defensive set can utilize the combination of Rest + Chesto Berry to grant Politoed a new lease of on life which that can turn the tide of the weather war; although however, the Leftovers recovery will be sorely missed. Hypnosis can also be used in place of Toxic as for a way of incapacitating an opposing threat, but its low accuracy makes it a risky choice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p> Pokemon with a Water-type immunity, resistance, or immense special bulk Pokemon that are immune to or resist Water-type moves, or that have immense special bulk, are your best bets for dealing with Politoed's STAB attacks. Suicune and Jellicent are particularly troublesome notable (you're writing this for someone looking to counter politoed, so if anything these should be "recommended" !), the former being is able to set up with Calm Mind and the latter is able to Taunt Politoed before it can use Toxic.</p>

<p>Also, because As Politoed and oftentimes its teammates often require rain to function properly, weather changers can easily put it in a tight situation. While all three competing weather inducers can apply pressure by bringing in summoning their own weather, Tyranitar and Ninetales must beware of succumbing to super effective attacks if they haven't significantly invested in special bulk. If Politoed is repeatedly forced in and out of the fray to induce its weather, the opponent's entry hazards and residual damage can quickly take their toll, especially because Politoed has no reliable recovery. Ferrothorn can take anything Politoed throws at it bar Focus Blast, and can both set up entry hazards and strike back with a super effective Power Whip; it therefore comes to mind as a solid check to Politoed.</p>

<p>Pokemon that outspeed Politoed and that have access to powerful super effective attacks can check it with ease: Raikou, Breloom, and Serperior are prime examples, often gaining of Pokemon who can often gain a free turn of setup at it Politoed's expense. Furthermore, Rotom-W and Genesect can gain momentum for their team by using Volt Switch and U-turn while threatening it out simultaneously. And respectively to switch out while forcing Politoed out. Lastly, if Politoed is below half HP health, it risks getting trapped and KO'd by Chandelure's Energy Ball trapped and KOed by Energy Ball, which never bodes well in a weather war. Finally, if Politoed is repeatedly forced in and out of fray to induce its weather, the opponent's entry hazards and residual damage can quickly take their toll, especially because Politoed has no reliable recovery. Ferrothorn comes to mind as a solid check to Politoed, since it can take anything Politoed throws at it bar Focus Blast, and is free to set up entry hazards or strike back with a super effective Power Whip. Rapid Spin support is an obvious solution, but Wish support also comes highly recommended for healing Politoed up.</p>

c/p

---

[Overview]

<p>Politoed has seen a meteoric rise in usage since the introduction of its groundbreaking Dream World ability, Drizzle, which was previously only seen in Ubers. While Politoed has no particularly outstanding stats, given the right tools, it can perform admirably in a number of specialized roles, including bulky utility, all-out offense, and revenge killing. However, the only real reason to use Politoed is for the rain it summons with Drizzle. Rain brings multiple benefits into play, such as a 100% accurate Thunder, an additional boost to Water-type moves, and the triggering of rain-centric abilities (although Swift Swim is banned with Drizzle). Three Pokemon that are banned from standard OU, but given free reign in DW OU—Thundurus, Keldeo, and Manaphy—can make use of each of these aspects respectively.<p>

<p>Whichever Politoed set you choose to run, its lifespan on the battlefield is often the deciding factor in the inevitable weather war, and by extension, the battle itself. Without substantial team support and prudent use, Politoed will likely soon succumb to residual damage and VoltTurn combos, or be trapped and KOed. However, one should never take the musical treefrog and its jovial exterior lightly; if provided with sufficient team support, it is more than capable of raining down the hurt on your team.</p>

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Scald
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect / Ice Beam / Focus Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With maximum defensive investment along with its natural special bulk, Politoed can tank neutral attacks on both sides reasonably well. To illustrate, it cannot be 2HKOed by non-Life Orb Excadrill, a significant threat in the tier. The extended longevity provided by this investment in bulk might often prove to be the deciding factor in a drawn-out weather war; the survivability of this set is definitely one of its greatest assets. Politoed also boasts a number of handy utility moves in its arsenal, all of which can be employed to full effect on a defensive set.</p>

<p>Scald is the STAB move of choice as it trades a small amount of power for a decent burn chance, which ensures that the opponent will think twice before switching in a physical attacker. Toxic is used in the second slot to reliably cripple bulky Pokemon that can wall Scald (provide a few examples of common pokes, say bulky waters?). Encore and Perish Song serve near-identical purposes as utility moves; the former should be favored if you want to put an immediate stop to sweepers setting up on Politoed, whereas the latter forces switches and counters Baton Pass teams more reliably. Protect works well on this set because it provides a free turn of Leftovers recovery and possibly additional Toxic damage on the opponent. It is also very useful for scouting the opponent’s moves, for example whether Choice Scarf Genesect will use a deadly Thunderbolt or a harmless U-turn, which is a very common scenario in DW OU. Either Ice Beam, which hits Dragon- and Grass-types, or Focus Blast, which eliminates Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, can be used if you prefer a coverage option over Protect.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Powerful rain sweepers, such as Keldeo, Manaphy, and Thundurus, form natural partnerships with Politoed, as their rain-powered STAB attacks will hurt many teams. This Politoed forms a solid defensive core with any number of Steel-type entry hazard setters, such as Jirachi, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory, all of which welcome the weakening of Fire-type moves. In addition, Politoed’s tendency to force switches, both with Encore and Perish Song and by changing the weather, means that any entry hazards on the opponent's side of the field are always welcome.</p>

<p>Pokemon that resist Scald and that don't mind Toxic can cause Politoed a lot of problems. Ferrothorn, Celebi, and Amoonguss all fit nicely into this category, as they are able to force Politoed out with the threat of STAB Grass-type attacks. Chansey, Blissey, Tentacruel, and Starmie are other examples of checks. (suggest teammates that patch this weakness) Despite its bulk, defensive Politoed can be OHKOed by powerful Electric-type attacks from the likes of Genesect, Zapdos, Thundurus, and Raikou. As rain teams in general tend to be weak to Electric, Pokemon immune to Electric-type moves are often incredibly useful. Besides Ground-types, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Raikou can safely switch in and pick up a Special Attack boost or recover some HP in the process. Funnily enough, opposing Water-type special attackers can cause Politoed problems by using its own rain against it. Choice Specs variants of Keldeo, Rotom-W, Kingdra, and Politoed itself can all 2HKO it with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump; therefore, as counterintuitive as it might sound, it might not be a bad idea to pack a Pokemon immune to Water-type moves, such as Suicune, Gastrodon, or Toxicroak, on your team.</p>

<p>Politoed also suffers from a susceptibility to all types of entry hazards, a problem that is worsened by its lack of reliable recovery moves. Thankfully, there is no shortage of spinners who work well in rain and pair well with Politoed. Besides removing hazards, Starmie and Tentacruel can also perform auxiliary roles of going on the offensive or laying down Toxic Spikes, respectively. Dry Skin Toxicroak is worthy of a mention for its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and keep Ferrothorn and other problematic Pokemon at bay. In addition, Technician Breloom can come in on a predicted Leech Seed from Ferrothorn and instantly put the opponent on the back foot by threatening it with a STAB Fighting-type move or Spore.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Encore / Perish Song / Psychic
item: Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Politoed functions as a decent revenge killer. It can nullify the Speed-doubling abilities of Excadrill and Venusaur, as well as the accuracy-reducing ability of Garchomp, before proceeding to revenge kill them with the appropriate move. While a base 90 Special Attack is nothing to write home about, a STAB- and rain-boosted Hydro Pump packs an almighty punch. The extra power of Hydro Pump can be sacrificed, however, for the more reliable Surf. Ice Beam and Focus Blast provide all the coverage Politoed should ever need; they hit Garchomp, Dragonite, and Tyranitar 4x super effectively, and Ferrothorn and other Dragon-types for 2x damage. The choice of filler move is a toss-up between a phazing move and Psychic, but the decision is largely arbitrary. Encore and Perish Song are particularly useful moves on the Choice Scarf set as Politoed can come in on an opponent as it sets up, and then force it out before it can attack. Psychic is more useful than Hidden Power as it provides super effective coverage on Keldeo, Tentacruel, and to a lesser extent, Toxicroak; these are far more common sights in DW than targets Hidden Power would hit, such as Gastrodon and Gyarados.</p>

<p>One can forgo the revenge-killing capabilities of the Choice Scarf set for the power boost of Choice Specs, which turns Hydro Pump into an even more devastating weapon. However, one should note that Politoed is relatively slow without the Speed boost afforded by a Choice Scarf, and it will often have to take an attack before firing one off.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

A Timid nature allows Choice Scarf Politoed to outspeed neutral-natured Choice Scarf Chandelure and +1 Dragonite, as well as positive-natured base 115 Speed Pokemon, and thus gives it some vital revenge kills. However, a Modest nature grants some additional power; the drop in Speed has no major downsides aside from losing the ability to outspeed Adamant Breloom and to Speed tie with Jolly variants.

<p>The following calculations highlight just how lethal Modest Choice Specs Politoed's Hydro Pump is:</p>

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/4 Politoed 48.44% - 57.29%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 0/4 Breloom 108.05% - 127.2%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (rain) vs 252/224+ Jirachi 68.6% - 80.9%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sun) vs 0/4 Ninetales 87.8% - 103.1%</li>
<li>Hydro Pump (sandstorm) vs. 252/252+ Tyranitar: 59.9% - 71.3%</li>
</ul>

<p>Maximum Special Attack investment should always be used to let Politoed hit as hard as possible. The Speed EVs, on the other hand, can be relocated to HP for extra bulk on the Choice Specs set, because Speed is not a priority. Feel free to use Surf in the last slot for additional flexibility; you will not have to play russian roulette with the RNG against weakened opponents.</p>

<p>Pokemon immune to Water-type moves, such as Water Absorb Suicune, Jellicent, and Gastrodon, make for excellent checks, as they can easily shrug off Politoed's other attacks as well. Powerful Grass-type attackers, such as Breloom and Nasty Plot Celebi, are great counters to these checks, as they pack boosting moves along with strong STAB attacks. As an added bonus, Drizzle's rain nullifies their weakness to Fire.</p>

<p>Powerful rain sweepers, such as Manaphy, Keldeo, and Thundurus, have great synergy with Politoed too, as they are able to switch in and wreak havoc. Defensive hazard setters are useful for helping Politoed to net KOs. (1\ recommend some hazard setters and 2\ provide some significant KOs gained) In addition, Choice Politoed is vulnerable to entry hazards, perhaps even more so than its defensive counterpart due to the lack of Leftovers recovery. To combat this, Rapid Spin support (from the likes of?) enables Politoed to switch in more freely.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>An all-out offensive set with Leftovers, Life Orb, or even an Expert Belt, perhaps with either Encore or Perish Song over one of its attacks, is viable. However, this Politoed is completely outclassed by other more effective rain attackers, such as (?). Hidden Power can be used in the last slot of the Choice set if you for some reason fear Gastrodon or Gyarados. However, it is useful for little else as a 2x super effective Hidden Power barely does more damage than a resisted Hydro Pump in rain. The defensive set can utilize the combination of Rest + Chesto Berry to grant Politoed a new lease on life that can turn the tide of the weather war; however, Leftovers recovery will be sorely missed. Hypnosis can be used in place of Toxic for a way of incapacitating an opposing threat, but its low accuracy makes it a risky choice.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Pokemon that are immune to or resist Water-type moves, or that have immense special bulk, are your best bets for dealing with Politoed's STAB attacks. Suicune and Jellicent are particularly notable, the former is able to set up with Calm Mind and the latter to Taunt Politoed before it can use Toxic.</p>

<p>As Politoed and its teammates often require rain to function properly, weather changers can easily put it in a tight situation. While all three competing weather inducers can apply pressure by summoning their own weather, Tyranitar and Ninetales must beware of succumbing to super effective attacks if they haven't significantly invested in special bulk. If Politoed is repeatedly forced in and out of the fray to induce its weather, the opponent's entry hazards and residual damage can quickly take their toll, especially because Politoed has no reliable recovery. Ferrothorn can take anything Politoed throws at it bar Focus Blast, and can both set up entry hazards and strike back with a super effective Power Whip; it therefore comes to mind as a solid check to Politoed.</p>

<p>Pokemon that outspeed Politoed and that have access to powerful super effective attacks can check it with ease: Raikou, Breloom, and Serperior are prime examples of Pokemon who can often gain a free turn of setup at Politoed's expense. Furthermore, Rotom-W and Genesect can gain momentum for their team by using Volt Switch and U-turn respectively to switch out while forcing Politoed out. Lastly, if Politoed is below half health, it risks getting trapped by Chandelure and KOed by Energy Ball.</p>

[Omicron]

One little thing, I've been using Scald in the fourth moveslot of the Choice Specs set, so maybe mention that in the AC or something?

[EXIE]

Updated with the checks. Thanks for the input.