Hi everyone,
I'm trying to build a team for double battles using weather. As I like electric- and water-types, I want to go for a Rain Team. I started with a trio Pelipper with drizzle + Ludicolo with swift swim + Tapu Koko. I choose Mega-Metagross for my fourth choice to have both power early game and a poison immunity.
I'm not quite sure what set I should use for Tapu Koko.
The main problems I noticed for now:
- A grass-type with stormdrain (Pelipper doesn't hit hard enough).
- Other weather users.
- Tapu Koko has a common weakness with both Ludicolo and Metagross.
- Anything which can rip apart Metagross.
Pelipper @ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Scald
- Tailwind
- Protect
Ludicolo @ Assault Vest
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 156 HP / 52 Def / 156 SpA / 4 SpD / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Fake Out
Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
- Rain Dance
Tapu Koko @ Leftovers
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Dazzling Gleam
- Roost
- Rain Dance
I still two other ideas for a team:
-Tolipoed+Ludicolo+Dragonite+(Tapu Koko or Ferrothorn)
-Pelipper+Togedemaru(Lightning Rod)
Hey,
On Rain Team, you should try a Volt Switch / U-Turn user. This gives you a chance to reset weather in some situations where you have your Rain setter out and the VS/UT user out: you switch out rain setter, go for VS/UT, and switch again in your setter.
Other than that, having VS/UT gives you a chance to gain momentum during battle.
Here Tapu Koko shines:
Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Dazzling Gleam / Thunderbolt
- Protect
- Volt Switch
Tapu Koko is a very hard hitter, you should just abuse that fact with 100% accurate Thunders under electric terrain, eventual Tbolt (when rain isn't setupped) or Dazzling Gleam (if you want an AoE).
And thanks to its super-speed you can usually Volt Switch pretty safely, doing some damage and getting in a better pokemon against the opponent.
I'd change Pelipper's set too: you give him a Focus Sash but then you give him a bulky spread. Looks like a little nonbo to me. If Pelipper is played carefully, it will stay in most of the time (but usually the damage is already done, so even when Pelipper dies, you should have a big advantage on your opponent).
Pelipper @ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Scald / Brine
- Tailwind
- Protect
This way you can do loads of damage even with Pelipper, and gives you a more reliable way to Tailwind before it gets killed (usually when double targeted). Oh, this should now do big damage to the Grass types you have trouble with.
Metagross doesn't need to Rain Dance, just go for Protect that gives you more longevity. And probably on your current configuration I wouldn't play Earthquake (you had no protect users and only 1 flying type).
Ludicolo looks okay, I'm very intrigued by a Waterium-Z Hydro Pump 252 SpA Ludicolo variant, but I haven't tested it yet.
Going back to the problems you faced:
-Grass types with Storm Drain: now Pelipper does a lot more damage, and Ludicolo still has Ice Beam, so you should be set here;
-Other weather users: that's probably just how you play the team. When I started playing Rain in VGC I had some problems with opposing weather too, but eventually figured it out (thanks to Volt Switch users too, and some prediction or smart switches). On that matter, I think you can do two things:
1) Build the team in a way you can play under enemy weather (so that you don't have to rely on Pelipper's Drizzle). For example running Thunderbolt on Tapu Koko instead of Dazzling Gleam, or being able to do enough damage without bringing in Ludicolo;
2) Be prepared to opposing weather and lead with Pelipper+Koko: if they bring immediately a weather setter and it wins the war, you can do the trick with Volt Switch + Pelipper switch, else you should try to protect Pelipper until they are forced to play their weather setter.
-Tapu Koko has a common weakness with the other guys, but you have Metagross to take all poison attacks. If you are still afraid of it, you could run Xurkitree instead of Koko: it has higher SpA and does a lot more damage, but I think having a Fairy in the team can help you more than having a double weakness to Poison.
-Anything that can rip apart Metagross: well, every pokemon has a weakness. Are there any specific pokemons that gave you trouble in this case? Or is it just types in general (like Fightning/Fire/Dark/Shadow pokemons)?
For the last two slots I think you should go with some pokemons that can play well both under and out of Rain, and that can help your Metagross-issue:
What about a Dragon type? It completes the Fairy (Koko) - Steel (Gross) - Dragon core, and brings to the team many useful resists and power to fight in any condition.
I'm looking at Salamence (you will have two Megas that way, so pay attention in team preview) that gives Intimidate support and a generally hard hitter with Hyper Voice and Draco Meteor / Double-Edge. Then there's Garchomp that has access to Earthquake and eventual Z-Move you are currently missing in the team. You can even play it with Scarf to go for Rock Slides!
And lastly there's Dragonite, a favorite of mine, that can easily setup thanks to Multiscale+Dragon Dance and start sweeping.
If you don't think a Dragon could help the team, there's Landorus-T which gives both Intimidate from Salamence and Earthquake from Garchomp.
I'd probably play an Earthquake user (as a STAB possibly), if you feel you have a weakness to Poison types. Other than that, EQ does loads of damage, and Landorus-T has access to U-Turn, Knock Off and Rock Slide, all very useful moves on a Choice item.
I'd probably go for a Choice Band, as Pelipper should be able to set up Tailwind most of the time.
For the last slot, I think I would like to have an anti-Trick Room pokemon, like Amoonguss (which can help on the switches to take damage and support overall his partner).
I hope I helped, what do you think? :)