It's another cold case, boss. (OU Rain Dance RMT)

[Emeraldragon]

Introduction:​

Kingdra. Kingdra is one of my favorite pokemon, and as such I wanted to make a team that revolved around helping Kingdra sweep. Kingdra performs exceptionally well in the rain, so that's what this team centers around. I've found that the biggest problems in this team are stall teams and breloom, so keep that in mind as you read. Overall, I’d say the team at least makes the opponent work hard for their victory. I’m rarely obliterated; at the very least I have a lot of fun with this team, and that what counts, right? :D

Also, I created this team while watching an episode of Cold Case, so that’s where the nicknames came from. ^_^

Overview:​

Obviously, I started with Kingdra.

I wanted a lead that was different from the norm. I wanted something with a little more bulk than azelf. I decided to go with latias.

Next, I wanted another pokemon to set up rain for me. I went with Bronzong.

Now, I want a late-game sweeper. I decided on ludicolo simply because I hadn’t used him before.

Both of my sweepers absolutely hate toxic spikes, as well as other entry hazards, so I chose starmie for the job of rapid spinner.

Finally, I needed a good revenge killer to take care of tyranitar and breloom. Since Dugtrio is another one of my favorite pokemon, I went with him.

Ludicolo wasn’t working out for me. I replaced him with swampert.

I needed to be able to take care of spin-blocking ghosts, and also a powerful priority move. I replaced dugtrio with scizor.

Swampert just isn't cutting it either. Hmmm. After testing with suicune, I've decided that qwilfish would bring excellent support by automatically absorbing toxic spikes.

Now that qwilfish can absorb toxic spikes, I don't need starmie anymore. I think I'm going to get dugtrio back.

I don't need two revenge killers. I'm going to replace scizor with rotom-w

That’s my team!

In-Depth Analysis:
(Changes In Red)​

Rush(Latias@Damp Rock)

Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252HP/228Def/28Speed
Nature: Bold (Atk-/Def+)
Moves:
- Rain Dance
- Protect
- Psychic
- Surf
Analysis:
My lead. I have protect to use against fake out/trick/explosion leads, and has come in handy more than once. Rain Dance is necessary for my team. I have had Thunder, and have been pleased; however, I need psychic in order to become a potential breloom counter. With further testing, I've found that latias is an even better rain dance lead than I could have hoped for. She lures in T-Tar early-game, meaning I can be rid of him of his pesky sandstream! Excellent! Evs and nature are Smogon-recommended for defensive latias. Named for Detective Lilly Rush.

Valens(Dugtrio@Choice Band)

Ability: Arena Trap
Evs: 252Speed/252Atk/4Def
Nature: Adamant (SpecAtk-/Attack+)
Moves:
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Night Slash
Analysis:
My revenge killer. He is very useful to picking off weakened T-Tars, who can't switch out to escape their fate. I've used dugtrio on every team I've recently made, mostly because of his incredible Arena Trap ability. While dugtrio is too weak to switch into any attack, he can easily come in after an unfortunate KO and clean up. Aerial Ace also means I can take care of brelooms which aren't under substitute (unfortunately they usually are).


Stillman(Kingdra@Life Orb)

Ability: Swift Swim
Evs: 252Atk/240SpecAtk/16Speed
Nature: Naughty (SpecDef-/Atk+)
Moves:
- Waterfall
- Outrage
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
Analysis:
My main pokemon. Kingdra is absolutely devastating in the rain. Not only does it double his speed to incredible heights, but it gives his water attacks a secondary STAB boost, meaning that this Kingdra is ripping through any team that is unprepared, and even some teams that are. I've replaced signal beam with Outrage. Dragon/Water has great coverage, and I really wanted another physical move so vaporeon wouldn't be so much trouble late-game. Kingdra doesn’t really have any problems; as long as rain is up, Kingdra is deadly. I won’t change Kingdra, because the team is built around him. Named for the boss, Lieutenant John Stillman.

Jefferies(Bronzong@Damp Rock)

Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252HP/128Atk/128Def
Nature: Impish (SpecAtk-/Def+)
Moves:
- Rain Dance
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
Analysis:
Bronzong is a pokemon that no Rain Dance team should be without. Rain eliminates his only weakness when paired with levitate, making bronzing an incredible mixed wall. Stealth Rock because kingdra really appreciates entry hazards to help ensure OHKOs. While I have been running reflect, it is my experience that I usually don’t have time to use it. Thus, I am debating switching to another attack move. Ghost types can absorb my explosion, thus blocking this set effortlessly. This is where scizor comes in; he can switch (unless Rotom-H uses overheat) and then pursuit the enemy ghost. Explosion to go out with a bang and give my sweepers a free switch-in. Named for Detective Will Jefferies.

Miller(Qwilfish@Life Orb)

Ability: Swift Swim
Evs: 252Atk/252Speed/4Def
Nature: Adamant (Atk+/SpAtk-)
Moves:
- Swords Dance
- Waterfall
- Poison Jab
- Explosion
Analysis:
He's mainly here to absorb toxic spikes. As a bonus, he is absolutely devastating after a Swords Dance. According to the smogon analysis, a +2 qwilfish explosion OHKOs everything that's not a ghost. Now THAT'S an impressive claim. Waterfall and Poison Jab for powerful STAB moves. Otherwise, being rid of those pesky toxic spikes is good enough. Named for Detective Kat Miller.

Vera(Rotom-W@Leftovers)

Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252SpecAtk/252Speed/4Def
Nature: Modest (SpecAtk+/Atk-)
Moves:
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder
- Shadow Ball

Analysis:
All the pokemon that have occupied this space have not benefited from Rain Dance. This guy does. He takes full advantage of the rain with Hydro Pump AND Thunder. Shadow Ball for STAB, and Thunder is great to help eliminate Vaporeon. I opted for leftovers because I prefer longevity to pure power. I like the bulkiness of leftovers much better than the frailty of life Orb. Named for Detective Nick Vera.

Final Word:​

Overall this team has been very effective in my experience. While I’m probably winning just as much as I’m losing, I’m have a lot of fun with this team. Almost all of the battles I lose are very close; both my opponent and I are usually on our last pokemon. I think, with a little tweaking, this team has the potential to devastate many teams and offer a thrilling battling experience for anyone who wants a challenge.

Thanks for your time, and thanks in advance for any and all advice you have for me.

~Emeraldragon

EDIT:
I've added in most of the changes you guys have recommended. Thanks so much for all of your help so far, and please keep the rates coming!

 

[Aqueos]

I really think choice band is the best option. However if you do use choice band, changing quick attack to u-turn is a good idea. The only thing you may be able to surprise is magnezone, but it will kill you anyway if you mispredict. Essentialy if you don't use superpower when it switches in, your doomed.

 

[Emeraldragon]

I really think choice band is the best option. However if you do use choice band, changing quick attack to u-turn is a good idea. The only thing you may be able to surprise is magnezone, but it will kill you anyway if you mispredict. Essentialy if you don't use superpower when it switches in, your doomed.

thanks a bunch for your reply!

I really don't like the restrictions that choice band brings. I hate being locked into moves. Life Orb is preferable for me personally, however I don't like the recoil that brings. I suppose I can run CB for a while to see how it works.

Do you have any suggestions for the rest of my team?

 

[Aqueos]

Well swampert needs to go or have a different set. Once liechi berry activates your doomed. Any special attack and bye bye. The only water type curser I can think of is bibarel but I highly recommend you don't do that. D-dance gyarados maybe? Crocune could be ok. D-dance feraligatr? You could switch sciczor to a swords dance set and use life orb. Then use swampert's slot for something else. Quagsire can run a curse set. It has instant recovery via recover. Swords dance kabutops is another option. Rest talk curse swampert? Take your pick!

 

[Emeraldragon]

any more comments or crits, anyone?

 

[ginganinja]

Well you need 2 or 2 more rain abusers. Kabutops or Quilfish over swampert are nice options for your team as bosst get their speed boosted by the rain and are dangerous sweepers

 

[Emeraldragon]

With further testing, I've found that latias is truly a great rain dance lead. She lures in T-Tar very early in the game, thereby making it easy to take him out qucikly. For this reason, I'm considering grass knot over thunder. It still gets supereffective hits on water types, but it will also get the jump on T-Tar, eliminating him and his pesky sandstream.

Any more comments or constructive criticism? I've found that qwilfish is very useful for absorbing toxic spikes. Perhaps I should replace swampert with qwilfish, and replace starmie with something else? Crocune maybe?

~Emeraldragon

 

[ginganinja]

Well I don't think that Cro Cune works on this team as your team lacks Electric attacks to hit pkemon like Vaporeon with. A bulky offenisve Suicune runing actually outspeeds Breloom and KO's with Ice Beam. I still don't see breloom becoming too much of a threat, mainly due to your rain abusers outspeeding him,and latias is a perfect counter for breloom so Brelom will not be switching in on Latias. The only pokemon that Breloom can switch in on is Bronzong and Scizor, and Scizor can put the hurt on Breloom with Bullet Punch.

For this reason I would like to support the use of Dragon Pulse on Latias so you can hit a wider range of leads with better coverage

 

[Aqueos]

Ice beam on kingdra is better than signal beam in every category not called hitting celebi. Also, you don't have to use draco meteor to kill dragons anymore.

 

[Emeraldragon]

draco meteor will severely dent just about anything. It's a relatively safe option to use. However I will say that I've had trouble with vaporeon walling this set, as draco meteor doesn't do enough damage. I'm think about HP Electric to help take care of my vaporeon weakness over signal beam. What do you think?

 

[ginganinja]

Well its O.k authough Offensive Cune beats vaporeon anyway. Also have you considered a Rotom W or a Lanturn as both can use their STAB moves to do serious damage to your opponients team.

 

[Cuiv]

Well I don't think that Cro Cune works on this team as your team lacks Electric attacks to hit pkemon like Vaporeon with. A bulky offenisve Suicune runing actually outspeeds Breloom and KO's with Ice Beam. I still don't see breloom becoming too much of a threat, mainly due to your rain abusers outspeeding him,and latias is a perfect counter for breloom so Brelom will not be switching in on Latias. The only pokemon that Breloom can switch in on is Bronzong and Scizor, and Scizor can put the hurt on Breloom with Bullet Punch.

For this reason I would like to support the use of Dragon Pulse on Latias so you can hit a wider range of leads with better coverage

I would use Surf rather than Dragon Pulse. With rain up, it's stronger than Dragon Pulse, and it hits Bronzong and Metagross harder (as well as the likely Scizor switch-in). Anti-lead Dragonite and Salamence are too rare to be worth sacrificing the neutral hit on Steels.

 

[Emeraldragon]

I've edited in the changes you guys suggested. Let me know what you think now. I just fought a breloom with substitute/spore/leech seed/focus punch. It literally destroyed my team. However, in retrospect, I probably could have played things a little differently. Hmmm...

 

[ginganinja]

I've edited in the changes you guys suggested. Let me know what you think now. I just fought a breloom with substitute/spore/leech seed/focus punch. It literally destroyed my team. However, in retrospect, I probably could have played things a little differently. Hmmm...

LOL time for Ludicolo to come back in?

Team looks great but I would still like scizor over Dugtrio.
This is because scizor can actually take a hit as opposed to Duggy that cannot.
I know that at face value Dug is good because he gives you a nice switch in to electric attacks, however their are only a few Electric pokemon in OU (Zapdos, Jolteon, Rotom and Electivire), of those 2 escape you via levitate or due to their flying ability.

A scizor does a better job trapping threats to your team. latias can CM and stall out rain and T-tar can switch in repeatably, and take out a poke before you can revegne it, then you are stuck with a Dugtrio locked into Earthquake with SS up and your opponient has a free switch to send in something like a DD or Mixmence who destrys your team. Scizor can be a reserve Rain dancer or run CB if you wish.

I guess its up to you as both are good revengers, I just think that Rotom resists electric anyway and scizor can beat stuff like latias and can scout a lot better than Dugtrio can. Remembr that a rain team relys on momentum, if it lose's momentum it is has most likely lost.

 

[Emeraldragon]

The reason I like dugtrio is because it is guaranteed to take out tyranitar with arena trap. No Tyranitar in it's right mind will stay in to eat a scizor's superpower or bullet punch, meaning that it will continue to threaten my rain dance sweepers.

Other than that, I definately see why you prefer scizor. It definately has more bulk, which is something I greatly appreciate. I'll test dugtrio for a while, then I'll go to scizor for a while, and see which one works better for me.

~Emeraldragon

EDIT:

One thing I really dislike about rotom-w is that it can't be used on PBR or wifi. It's great on shoddy, but I need something else for PBR and wifi.

 

[ginganinja]

Well Lanturn gets similar coverage to rotom and absobs electric moves so thats a possability in wifi. Otherwise something like Zapdos can still abuse the rain with thunder and even set up rain itself, authough it does not get water STAB

 

[S7atcat]

Valens(Dugtrio@Choice Band)

Ability: Arena Trap
Evs: 252Speed/252Atk/4Def
Nature: Adamant (SpecAtk-/Attack+)
Moves:
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Night Slash
Analysis:
My revenge killer. He is very useful to picking off weakened T-Tars, who can't switch out to escape their fate. I've used dugtrio on every team I've recently made, mostly because of his incredible Arena Trap ability. While dugtrio is too weak to switch into any attack, he can easily come in after an unfortunate KO and clean up. Aerial Ace also means I can take care of brelooms which aren't under substitute (unfortunately they usually are).

He is cool I love him but he does not belong in this team. He is fragile and fails to gain anything from the presence of the rain whereas Kabutops can use Aqua-Jet and roflstomp everyone.

Stillman(Kingdra@Life Orb)

Ability: Swift Swim
Evs: 252Atk/240SpecAtk/16Speed
Nature: Naughty (SpecDef-/Atk+)
Moves:
- Waterfall
- Outrage
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump

Analysis:
My main pokemon. Kingdra is absolutely devastating in the rain. Not only does it double his speed to incredible heights, but it gives his water attacks a secondary STAB boost, meaning that this Kingdra is ripping through any team that is unprepared, and even some teams that are. I've replaced signal beam with Outrage. Dragon/Water has great coverage, and I really wanted another physical move so vaporeon wouldn't be so much trouble late-game. Kingdra doesn’t really have any problems; as long as rain is up, Kingdra is deadly. I won’t change Kingdra, because the team is built around him. Named for the boss, Lieutenant John Stillman.

2 water moves is a bit overkill wouldn't you say? I get that you want to be mixed but wouldn't hp electric,signal beam, dragon dance in case the rain runs out or possibly mo4r rain dance.

 

[Banryu]

On an opening, unrelated note... I love the detective-theme for all the names. xP I love theme-naming entire teams.

Now... I'm wondering why you have Psychic on Latias, instead of Dragon Pulse. :0 The latter has far superior coverage on anything you might encounter, the only possible reason I can think of is for KOing Roserade leads and the like...? It's not like it's any good for Infernape, since a Rainy Surf will handle him. Is there any particular reasoning behind that, or what?

The team is very unusual, which I really like. :3 I don't have too much else to say about the team, except good luck.

 

[Emeraldragon]

He is cool I love him but he does not belong in this team. He is fragile and fails to gain anything from the presence of the rain whereas Kabutops can use Aqua-Jet and roflstomp everyone.

2 water moves is a bit overkill wouldn't you say? I get that you want to be mixed but wouldn't hp electric,signal beam, dragon dance in case the rain runs out or possibly mo4r rain dance.

Ahh, kabutops with aqua jet would work! That would give me the strong revenge killer I need! I think I'll try that.

As for Kingdra, I was considering HPElectric, to help take care of empoleon, who is really the only pokemon who resists the dragon/water combo. I guess I could replace hydro pump, but I love both waterfall and hydropump. H-pump gives me that extra power I need in a pinch, but waterfall is good when I need accuracy over pure power. I would prefer to get rid of outrage. Will that work? I hate being locked into a move, and I hate getting confused afterwards. Besides, I really only have outrage for vaporeon. *After doing some calculations with psypoke's damage calculator, I've found that HP electric fails to 2HKO standard wish-support vaporeon, meaning that vapo can easily out-stall me with wish-protect. Thus, I still need outrage to take care of vaporeon* Hmmm... I'll keep thinking about it. I really haven't had any trouble with kingdra during my testing. It's hilarious to see blissey switch-in only to get OHKO'd by waterfall!

Thanks for the reply! Keep the rates comin'!

~Emeraldragon

EDIT:

@Banryu:

Thanks! I love theme-naming entire teams as well. It makes the team feel more complete somehow...

Anyway, I have psychic on Latias mainly for breloom, which always gives me trouble (who doesn't have trouble with breloom?). With psychic, I can not only tackle breloom, but will also make T-Tar more likely to come in to absorb the psychics. I can then rain dance and surf him to death.