Analysis taken over from gamer boy.
QC: radianthero156, Bouffalant, Calloflochie
GP: GatoDelFuego, horyzhnz
♫ Let's dance! ♫
Overview
########
Ludicolo is a Pokemon that can work well in just about any tier. It has great typing offensively; Water / Grass STAB moves coupled with Ice Beam boasts perfect neutral coverage (aside from against the irrelevant Shedinja); and defensively; a 4x resistance against Water-type attacks is a big plus, on top of handy resistances to Ground and Steel. More perks that Ludicolo can lay claims to include decent Special Attack and special bulk, access to abilities that allow it to excel in the rain, and a movepool chock-full of options, both offensive and defensive. However, both Ludicolo's damage output and Speed are underwhelming outside of rain. Additionally, physical variants require a boost from Swords Dance to do any significant damage, and Ludicolo's attempts at sweeping are totally shut down by paralysis and hindered by Sticky Web. Finally, its middling physical bulk means that it can easily be overwhelmed by the abundance of physical attackers in the tier, and to top it off, suffers an unfortunate weakness to U-turn, a rather common attack in UU.
Rain Dance Sweeper
########
name: Rain Dance Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is a STAB move that is capable of dishing out incredible damage in the rain. Surf is a more reliable alternative that won't suffer an untimely miss, though there is a significant drop in damage output. Giga Drain is a secondary STAB choice that allows Ludicolo to restore health (useful in conjunction with Life Orb) and overcome bulky Water-type opponents. Ice Beam preys on the Grass-types and Dragon-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB attacks. Rain Dance is in the last slot for setting up rain once it has run out; Ludicolo can also use it for the initial rain setup, though it would prefer an ally to do this.
Set Details
========
Special Attack and Speed are maxed out so that Ludicolo will hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Modest nature bolsters Ludicolo's damage output further and Ludicolo's Speed is already very high in the rain. However, with a Timid nature, Ludicolo outspeeds Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao, Jirachi, and Hydreigon. A Life Orb is the item of choice for this set; it provides Ludicolo with a much-appreciated boost to its damage output, and Giga Drain serves to somewhat mitigate Life Orb's recoil damage.
Usage Tips
========
Preferably, bring Ludicolo in once an ally has already set up rain for it; this way, Ludicolo does not have to spend a turn doing so, and a dedicated rain support ally's rain will last for 8 turns thanks to Damp Rock. Try and make sure that Ludicolo's checks and counters have been taken care of before trying to sweep with it. Ideally, dispose of entry hazards (here's looking at you, Sticky Web) before attempting to sweep with Ludicolo.
Team Options
========
Having an ally that can provide fast rain support with a Damp Rock such as Azelf is strongly advised. Ludicolo likes entry hazard support; this ensures that its opponents have their Focus Sash / Sturdy broken upon entering the field, and also means that Ludicolo should have an easier time netting KOs. Donphan makes for a good teammate, as it can provide the aforementioned hazards and has good type synergy with Ludicolo. Entry hazards serve to wear Ludicolo down quickly and in Sticky Web's case, hinder its attempts to sweep. Thus, Rapid Spin / Defog support is very appreciated. The aforementioned Donphan can use Rapid Spin to dispose of entry hazards that would otherwise hinder Ludicolo's longevity or its Speed. A physical wallbreaker such as Darmanitan will prove useful for getting past the special walls that Ludicolo despises. Cleric support is a possibility to cure Ludicolo of any debilitating status, especially paralysis.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb / Bullet Seed
move 4: Ice Punch / Rain Dance / Zen Headbutt
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
========
Waterfall is Ludicolo's main attack on this set, capable of dishing out some rather hefty damage after boosts from Swords Dance and the rain. Seed Bomb is Ludicolo's secondary STAB choice, and hits the bulky Water-types that tank Waterfall. Alternatively, one can opt for Bullet Seed for its ability to break past Substitutes. Ice Punch rounds out Ludicolo's coverage. Notably, it preys on the Dragon-types and Grass-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB moves. Rain Dance can be chosen in the last slot for Ludicolo to renew the rainfall when it ceases. However, the initial setup of rain is best left to an ally. Ludicolo can opt to run Zen Headbutt in the last moveslot in order to nail Toxicroak, which would otherwise wall this set.
Set Details
========
Ludicolo's maxed-out Attack and Speed ensures that it will be inflicting as much damage and outspeeding as many opponents as possible. An Adamant nature ups Ludicolo's firepower and is advisable given Ludicolo's mediocre Attack stat, though a Jolly nature can be used should you wish Ludicolo to outspeed Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao, Jirachi, and Hydreigon in the rain. A Life Orb is the chosen item on this set, as it grants a much-appreciated boost to Ludicolo's offensive prowess.
Usage Tips
========
Ideally, an ally should be the one providing Ludicolo with rain, as Ludicolo would rather not have to use up a turn setting it up, and a dedicated rain support ally with a Damp Rock will be able to summon rainfall for an extended 8 turns. Ludicolo should prioritize the use of Swords Dance over anything else; it needs the boosts to attain the power necessary to sweep. Swords Dance Ludicolo plays as a late-game cleaner and thus should be sent in to finish things up after its allies have worn down the opponent. Ludicolo's checks and counters should definitely be severely weakened or disposed of before it is brought in. Ludicolo is best played on a field where it isn't plagued by entry hazards, especially Sticky Web, which would make Ludicolo's attempt to sweep far more difficult because of the Speed loss.
Team Options
========
A fast ally capable of summoning the rain is a must. Azelf is an example of a Pokemon that fits this criteria. Another rain sweeper such as Kabutops works well alongside Ludicolo, as the latter can come in to clean up after an ally has wreaked havoc on the opposing team. Entry hazard support is definitely worth considering, as it means that Ludicolo will have an easier time KOing its opponents, and their Focus Sash / Sturdy will be rendered useless. Donphan synergizes well with Ludicolo and is capable of setting up Stealth Rock. Life Orb recoil will wear Ludicolo down and entry hazards will add to the residual damage or, in the case of Sticky Web, slow Ludicolo down and ultimately decrease its chances of a successful sweep. Donphan can remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and as previously stated, has good synergy with Ludicolo. A specially offensive wallbreaker such as Nidoking or Mega Houndoom will be able to deal with the handful of physically defensive Pokemon that can actually stand up to Ludicolo. Paralysis will bring Ludicolo's sweep to a standstill, and it definitely dislikes having residual damage from poison or burn on top of Life Orb recoil. Cleric support is always useful to have on the team for making Ludicolo healthy again.
Other Options
########
Focus Blast is an option on the special Rain Dance sweeper set for coverage against the likes of Abomasnow and Ferroseed, which happily eat up any other attacks that Ludicolo can throw at them. Energy Ball and Grass Knot are alternative Grass-type STAB options for the Rain Dance sweeper that hit harder than Giga Drain; Energy Ball is the more consistent of these two options, while Grass Knot is ideal for use against heavier opponents such as Milotic and Suicune. However, Giga Drain is generally preferable to both of these moves, as Ludicolo wants the recovery for longevity purposes. Scald can be used instead of Hydro Pump or Surf on the Rain Dance sweeper set for its chance of inflicting a timely burn on an opponent, but Ludicolo wants all the power it can get and thus would rather opt for Hydro Pump or Surf. Ludicolo can function as a SubSeed user with Rain Dish; in the rain, it will be recovering a decent amount of HP every turn. However, the issue with this set is that running a single attacking move will leave it walled and rendered setup fodder by many threats (such as Toxicroak, for example). Drain Punch is a possible option on the Swords Dance set to help ease Life Orb recoil, but it fails to provide any notable coverage.
Checks and Counters
########
**Toxicroak**: Toxicroak stands out as a hard counter to Ludicolo thanks to Dry Skin and a resistance to Ludicolo's Grass-type STAB moves, though it should be wary of taking a Zen Headbutt from Swords Dance variants.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Umbreon, Florges, Blissey, and Tentacruel are happy to tank blows from Rain Dance sweeper Ludicolo all day. In Tentacruel's case, Liquid Ooze is troublesome, as it means that Giga Drain will make Ludicolo wear itself down in addition to taking Life Orb recoil damage.
**Fletchinder**: Though it cannot switch directly into Ludicolo for fear of being OHKOed by a Water-type attack, Fletchinder's Acrobatics is guaranteed to outspeed Ludicolo thanks to Gale Wings, and will easily OHKO it.
**Abomasnow**: Abomasnow gets rid of Ludicolo's rain, limiting its usefulness, and Ludicolo can only inflict a significant amount of damage on it with Focus Blast, which deprives it of the far more consistently useful Ice Beam.
**Faster Opponents**: When equipped with a Choice Scarf, faster opponents such as Mienshao outpace Modest / Adamant Ludicolo even when it is raining and, in the latter's case, OHKO Ludicolo with High Jump Kick before it can do anything.
**Paralysis and Sticky Web**: Paralysis will totally shut down Ludicolo's sweep, and Sticky Web will be a great nuisance to Ludicolo, limiting the number of threats it can outspeed.
QC: radianthero156, Bouffalant, Calloflochie
GP: GatoDelFuego, horyzhnz
♫ Let's dance! ♫
Overview
########
Rain Dance Sweeper
########
name: Rain Dance Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid
Moves
========
========
========
========
########
name: Let's (Swords) Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb / Bullet Seed
move 4: Ice Punch / Rain Dance / Zen Headbutt
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
========
========
========
========
########
########
**Toxicroak**: Toxicroak stands out as a hard counter to special Ludicolo thanks to Dry Skin and a resistance to Ludicolo's secondary STAB, though it should be wary of taking a Zen Headbutt from Swords Dance variants
**Special Walls**: Special walls like Umbreon, Florges, Blissey and Tentacruel are happy to tank blows from Rain Dance Sweeper Ludicolo all day. In Tentacruel's case, Liquid Ooze is troublesome, as it means that Giga Drain will make Ludicolo wear itself down in addition to taking Life Orb recoil damage
**Fletchinder**: Though it cannot switch directly into Ludicolo for fear of being OHKOed by a Water-type attack, Fletchinder's Acrobatics is guaranteed to outspeed Ludicolo thanks to Gale Wings, and will easily OHKO
**Abomasnow**: Abomasnow gets rid of Ludicolo's rain, limiting its usefulness, and Ludicolo can only inflict a significant amount of damage on it with Focus Blast, which deprives it of the far more consistently useful Ice Beam
**Faster opponents**: When equipped with a Choice Scarf, faster opponents such as Mienshao outpace Modest/Adamant Ludicolo even when it is raining and in the latter's case, OHKO Ludicolo with High Jump Kick before it can do anything
**Mega Aggron**: Mega Aggron's almighty physical bulk means that it has nothing to fear from Swords Dance Ludicolo, and it can cripple Ludicolo with status or phaze it
**Paralysis and Sticky Web**: The former will totally shut down Ludicolo's sweep, and the latter will be a great nuisance to Ludicolo, limiting the number of threats it can outspeed
########
- Great typing; offensively, Water / Grass STAB coupled with Ice Beam boasts perfect neutral coverage (apart from against Shedinja, which isn't relevant), and defensively, taking a mere 25% damage from Water-type attacks is a big plus, on top of handy resistances to Ground and Steel
- Decent Special Attack and special bulk
- Has access to abilities that allow it to excel in the rain
- Movepool is chock-full of options, both offensive and defensive
- Both damage output and Speed are underwhelming outside of rain
- Physical variants require a boost from Swords Dance to do any significant damage
- Attempts at sweeping are totally shut down by paralysis, and hindered by Sticky Web
- Middling physical bulk
- Suffers an unfortunate weakness to U-turn, a rather common attack in UU
Rain Dance Sweeper
########
name: Rain Dance Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid
Moves
========
- Hydro Pump is a STAB that is capable of dishing out incredible damage in the rain
- Surf is a more reliable alternative that won't suffer an untimely miss, though there is a significant drop in damage output compared to Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain is a secondary STAB choice that allows Ludicolo to restore health (Useful in conjunction with Life Orb) and overcome bulky Water-type opponents
- Ice Beam preys on the Grass-types and Dragon-types who resist your STAB attacks
- Rain Dance is in the last slot for setting the rain up once it has ran out; Ludicolo can also use it for the initial rain setup, though it would prefer an ally to do this for it
========
- Special Attack and Speed are maxed out so that Ludicolo will hit as hard and as fast as possible
- A Modest nature bolsters Ludicolo's damage output further and Ludicolo's Speed is very high in the rain, however with a Timid nature, Ludicolo outspeeds Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao, Jirachi and Hydreigon
- A Life Orb is the item of choice for this set; it provides Ludicolo with a much-appreciated boost to its damage output, and Giga Drain serves to somewhat mitigate Life Orb's recoil damage
========
- Preferably bring Ludicolo in once an ally has already set up rain for it - This way Ludicolo does not have to spend a turn doing so of its own accord, and a dedicated rain support ally's rain will last for 8 turns thanks to Damp Rock
- Try and make sure that Ludicolo's checks and counters have been taken care of before trying to sweep with it
- Ideally dispose of entry hazards (Here's looking at you Sticky Web) before attempting to sweep with Ludicolo
========
- An ally who can provide fast rain support with a Damp Rock like Azelf is strongly advised
- Ludicolo likes entry hazard support; this ensures that its opponents have their Focus Sash/Sturdy broken upon entering the field, plus means that Ludicolo should have an easier time netting KOs. Donphan makes for a good teammate, as it can provide the aforementioned hazards and has good type synergy with Ludicolo
- Entry hazards serve to wear Ludicolo down quickly and in Sticky Web's case, hinder its attempts to sweep, and thus, Rapid Spin/Defog support is much appreciated. The aforementioned Donphan can use Rapid Spin to dispose of entry hazards from your side that would otherwise serve to hinder Ludicolo's longevity or its Speed (In Sticky Web's case)
- A physical wallbreaker such as Darmanitan will prove useful for getting past the special walls that Ludicolo despises
- Cleric support is a possibility to cure Ludicolo of any debilitating status, especially Paralysis
########
name: Let's (Swords) Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb / Bullet Seed
move 4: Ice Punch / Rain Dance / Zen Headbutt
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
========
- Waterfall is Ludicolo's main move on this set, capable of dishing out some rather hefty damage after boosts from Swords Dance and the rain
- Seed Bomb is Ludicolo's secondary STAB choice. It hits the bulky Water-types that tank Waterfall
- Alternatively, one can opt for Bullet Seed for its ability to break past Substitutes
- Ice Punch rounds out Ludicolo's coverage. Notably, it preys on the Dragon-types and Grass-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB
- Rain Dance can be chosen in the last slot for Ludicolo to renew the rainfall when it ceases. However, the initial setup of rain is best left to an ally
- Zen Headbutt nails Toxicroak, which would otherwise wall this set
========
- Ludicolo's maxed-out Attack and Speed ensure that it will be inflicting as much damage and outspeeding as many opponents as possible
- An Adamant nature ups Ludicolo's firepower and is advisable given Ludicolo's mediocre Attack stat, though a Jolly nature can be used should you wise to outspeed Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao, Jirachi and Hydreigon in the rain
- A Life Orb is the chosen item on this set, as it grants a much-appreciated boost to Ludicolo's offensive prowess
========
- Ideally, an ally should be the one providing Ludicolo with rain, as Ludicolo would rather not have to use up a turn setting it up, and a dedicated rain support ally with a Damp Rock will be able to summon rainfall for an extended 8 turns
- Ludicolo should prioritise use of Swords Dance over anything else; it needs the boosts to attain the power necessary to sweep
- Swords Dance Ludicolo plays as a late-game cleaner and thus should be sent in to finish things up after its allies have worn down the opponent
- Ludicolo's checks and counters should definitely be severely weakened or disposed of before it is brought in
- Ludicolo is best played on a field where it isn't plagued by entry hazards, especially Sticky Web, which would make Ludicolo's attempt to sweep far more difficult because of the Speed loss
========
- A fast ally capable of summoning the rain is a must. Azelf is an example of a Pokemon that fits this criteria
- Another rain sweeper such as Kabutops works well alongside Ludicolo, as the latter can come in to clean up after an ally has wreaked havoc on the opposing team
- Entry hazard support is definitely worth considering, as it means that Ludicolo will have an easier time KOing its opponents, and their Focus Sash/Sturdy will be rendered useless. Donphan synergizes well with Ludicolo and is capable of setting up Stealth Rock
- Life Orb recoil will wear Ludicolo down and entry hazards will add to the residual damage, or in the case of Sticky Web, slow Ludicolo down and ultimately decrease its chances of a successful sweep. For these reasons, Rapid Spin or Defog support will be a boon for Ludicolo. Donphan, for example, can remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and as previously stated, has good synergy with Ludicolo
- A specially offensive wallbreaker such as Nidoking or Mega Houndoom will be able to deal with the handful of physically defensive Pokemon that can actually stand up to Ludicolo
- Paralysis will bring Ludicolo's sweep to a standstill, and it definitely dislikes having residual damage from poisoning or burns on top of Life Orb recoil. Cleric support is always useful to have on the team for making Ludicolo healthy again
########
- Focus Blast is an option on the Rain Dance Sweeper set for coverage against the likes of Abomasnow and Ferroseed, who happily eat up any other attacks that Ludicolo can throw at them
- Energy Ball and Grass Knot are alternative Grass-type STAB options for the Rain Dance Sweeper that hit harder than Giga Drain; Energy Ball is the more consistent of these two options, and Grass Knot is ideal for use against heavier opponents like Milotic and Suicune. However, Giga Drain is generally preferable to both of these moves, as Ludicolo wants the recovery for longevity purposes
- Scald can be used instead of Hydro Pump or Surf on the Rain Dance Sweeper set for its chance of inflicting a timely burn on an opponent; but Ludicolo wants all the power it can get and thus would rather opt for Hydro Pump or Surf
- Ludicolo can function as a SubSeeder with Rain Dish; in the rain, it will be recovering a decent amount of HP every turn. However, the issue with this set is that running a single attacking move will leave it walled and rendered setup fodder by many threats *cough* Toxicroak *cough*
- Drain Punch is a possible option on the Swords Dance set to help ease Life Orb recoil, but it fails to provide any notable coverage
########
**Toxicroak**: Toxicroak stands out as a hard counter to special Ludicolo thanks to Dry Skin and a resistance to Ludicolo's secondary STAB, though it should be wary of taking a Zen Headbutt from Swords Dance variants
**Special Walls**: Special walls like Umbreon, Florges, Blissey and Tentacruel are happy to tank blows from Rain Dance Sweeper Ludicolo all day. In Tentacruel's case, Liquid Ooze is troublesome, as it means that Giga Drain will make Ludicolo wear itself down in addition to taking Life Orb recoil damage
**Fletchinder**: Though it cannot switch directly into Ludicolo for fear of being OHKOed by a Water-type attack, Fletchinder's Acrobatics is guaranteed to outspeed Ludicolo thanks to Gale Wings, and will easily OHKO
**Abomasnow**: Abomasnow gets rid of Ludicolo's rain, limiting its usefulness, and Ludicolo can only inflict a significant amount of damage on it with Focus Blast, which deprives it of the far more consistently useful Ice Beam
**Faster opponents**: When equipped with a Choice Scarf, faster opponents such as Mienshao outpace Modest/Adamant Ludicolo even when it is raining and in the latter's case, OHKO Ludicolo with High Jump Kick before it can do anything
**Mega Aggron**: Mega Aggron's almighty physical bulk means that it has nothing to fear from Swords Dance Ludicolo, and it can cripple Ludicolo with status or phaze it
**Paralysis and Sticky Web**: The former will totally shut down Ludicolo's sweep, and the latter will be a great nuisance to Ludicolo, limiting the number of threats it can outspeed
Overview
########
Ludicolo is a Pokemon that can work well in just about any tier. It has great typing offensively; Water / Grass STAB moves coupled with Ice Beam boasts perfect neutral coverage (aside from against the irrelevant Shedinja); and defensively; a 4x resistance against Water-type attacks is a big plus, on top of handy resistances to Ground and Steel. More perks that Ludicolo can lay claims to include decent Special Attack and special bulk, access to abilities that allow it to excel in the rain, and a movepool chock-full of options, both offensive and defensive. However, both Ludicolo's damage output and Speed are underwhelming outside of rain. Additionally, physical variants require a boost from Swords Dance to do any significant damage, and Ludicolo's attempts at sweeping are totally shut down by paralysis and hindered by Sticky Web. Finally, its middling physical bulk means that it can easily be overwhelmed by the abundance of physical attackers in the tier, and to top it off, suffers an unfortunate weakness to U-turn, a rather common attack in UU.
Rain Dance Sweeper
########
name: Rain Dance Sweeper
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Modest / Timid
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is a STAB move that is capable of dishing out incredible damage in the rain. Surf is a more reliable alternative that won't suffer an untimely miss, though there is a significant drop in damage output. Giga Drain is a secondary STAB choice that allows Ludicolo to restore health (useful in conjunction with Life Orb) and overcome bulky Water-type opponents. Ice Beam preys on the Grass-types and Dragon-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB attacks. Rain Dance is in the last slot for setting up rain once it has run out; Ludicolo can also use it for the initial rain setup, though it would prefer an ally to do this.
Set Details
========
Special Attack and Speed are maxed out so that Ludicolo will hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Modest nature bolsters Ludicolo's damage output further and Ludicolo's Speed is already very high in the rain. However, with a Timid nature, Ludicolo outspeeds Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao, Jirachi, and Hydreigon. A Life Orb is the item of choice for this set; it provides Ludicolo with a much-appreciated boost to its damage output, and Giga Drain serves to somewhat mitigate Life Orb's recoil damage.
Usage Tips
========
Preferably, bring Ludicolo in once an ally has already set up rain for it; this way, Ludicolo does not have to spend a turn doing so, and a dedicated rain support ally's rain will last for 8 turns thanks to Damp Rock. Try and make sure that Ludicolo's checks and counters have been taken care of before trying to sweep with it. Ideally, dispose of entry hazards (here's looking at you, Sticky Web) before attempting to sweep with Ludicolo.
Team Options
========
Having an ally that can provide fast rain support with a Damp Rock such as Azelf is strongly advised. Ludicolo likes entry hazard support; this ensures that its opponents have their Focus Sash / Sturdy broken upon entering the field, and also means that Ludicolo should have an easier time netting KOs. Donphan makes for a good teammate, as it can provide the aforementioned hazards and has good type synergy with Ludicolo. Entry hazards serve to wear Ludicolo down quickly and in Sticky Web's case, hinder its attempts to sweep. Thus, Rapid Spin / Defog support is very appreciated. The aforementioned Donphan can use Rapid Spin to dispose of entry hazards that would otherwise hinder Ludicolo's longevity or its Speed. A physical wallbreaker such as Darmanitan will prove useful for getting past the special walls that Ludicolo despises. Cleric support is a possibility to cure Ludicolo of any debilitating status, especially paralysis.
Swords Dance
########
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb / Bullet Seed
move 4: Ice Punch / Rain Dance / Zen Headbutt
ability: Swift Swim
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
========
Waterfall is Ludicolo's main attack on this set, capable of dishing out some rather hefty damage after boosts from Swords Dance and the rain. Seed Bomb is Ludicolo's secondary STAB choice, and hits the bulky Water-types that tank Waterfall. Alternatively, one can opt for Bullet Seed for its ability to break past Substitutes. Ice Punch rounds out Ludicolo's coverage. Notably, it preys on the Dragon-types and Grass-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB moves. Rain Dance can be chosen in the last slot for Ludicolo to renew the rainfall when it ceases. However, the initial setup of rain is best left to an ally. Ludicolo can opt to run Zen Headbutt in the last moveslot in order to nail Toxicroak, which would otherwise wall this set.
Set Details
========
Ludicolo's maxed-out Attack and Speed ensures that it will be inflicting as much damage and outspeeding as many opponents as possible. An Adamant nature ups Ludicolo's firepower and is advisable given Ludicolo's mediocre Attack stat, though a Jolly nature can be used should you wish Ludicolo to outspeed Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao, Jirachi, and Hydreigon in the rain. A Life Orb is the chosen item on this set, as it grants a much-appreciated boost to Ludicolo's offensive prowess.
Usage Tips
========
Ideally, an ally should be the one providing Ludicolo with rain, as Ludicolo would rather not have to use up a turn setting it up, and a dedicated rain support ally with a Damp Rock will be able to summon rainfall for an extended 8 turns. Ludicolo should prioritize the use of Swords Dance over anything else; it needs the boosts to attain the power necessary to sweep. Swords Dance Ludicolo plays as a late-game cleaner and thus should be sent in to finish things up after its allies have worn down the opponent. Ludicolo's checks and counters should definitely be severely weakened or disposed of before it is brought in. Ludicolo is best played on a field where it isn't plagued by entry hazards, especially Sticky Web, which would make Ludicolo's attempt to sweep far more difficult because of the Speed loss.
Team Options
========
A fast ally capable of summoning the rain is a must. Azelf is an example of a Pokemon that fits this criteria. Another rain sweeper such as Kabutops works well alongside Ludicolo, as the latter can come in to clean up after an ally has wreaked havoc on the opposing team. Entry hazard support is definitely worth considering, as it means that Ludicolo will have an easier time KOing its opponents, and their Focus Sash / Sturdy will be rendered useless. Donphan synergizes well with Ludicolo and is capable of setting up Stealth Rock. Life Orb recoil will wear Ludicolo down and entry hazards will add to the residual damage or, in the case of Sticky Web, slow Ludicolo down and ultimately decrease its chances of a successful sweep. Donphan can remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and as previously stated, has good synergy with Ludicolo. A specially offensive wallbreaker such as Nidoking or Mega Houndoom will be able to deal with the handful of physically defensive Pokemon that can actually stand up to Ludicolo. Paralysis will bring Ludicolo's sweep to a standstill, and it definitely dislikes having residual damage from poison or burn on top of Life Orb recoil. Cleric support is always useful to have on the team for making Ludicolo healthy again.
Other Options
########
Focus Blast is an option on the special Rain Dance sweeper set for coverage against the likes of Abomasnow and Ferroseed, which happily eat up any other attacks that Ludicolo can throw at them. Energy Ball and Grass Knot are alternative Grass-type STAB options for the Rain Dance sweeper that hit harder than Giga Drain; Energy Ball is the more consistent of these two options, while Grass Knot is ideal for use against heavier opponents such as Milotic and Suicune. However, Giga Drain is generally preferable to both of these moves, as Ludicolo wants the recovery for longevity purposes. Scald can be used instead of Hydro Pump or Surf on the Rain Dance sweeper set for its chance of inflicting a timely burn on an opponent, but Ludicolo wants all the power it can get and thus would rather opt for Hydro Pump or Surf. Ludicolo can function as a SubSeed user with Rain Dish; in the rain, it will be recovering a decent amount of HP every turn. However, the issue with this set is that running a single attacking move will leave it walled and rendered setup fodder by many threats (such as Toxicroak, for example). Drain Punch is a possible option on the Swords Dance set to help ease Life Orb recoil, but it fails to provide any notable coverage.
Checks and Counters
########
**Toxicroak**: Toxicroak stands out as a hard counter to Ludicolo thanks to Dry Skin and a resistance to Ludicolo's Grass-type STAB moves, though it should be wary of taking a Zen Headbutt from Swords Dance variants.
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Umbreon, Florges, Blissey, and Tentacruel are happy to tank blows from Rain Dance sweeper Ludicolo all day. In Tentacruel's case, Liquid Ooze is troublesome, as it means that Giga Drain will make Ludicolo wear itself down in addition to taking Life Orb recoil damage.
**Fletchinder**: Though it cannot switch directly into Ludicolo for fear of being OHKOed by a Water-type attack, Fletchinder's Acrobatics is guaranteed to outspeed Ludicolo thanks to Gale Wings, and will easily OHKO it.
**Abomasnow**: Abomasnow gets rid of Ludicolo's rain, limiting its usefulness, and Ludicolo can only inflict a significant amount of damage on it with Focus Blast, which deprives it of the far more consistently useful Ice Beam.
**Faster Opponents**: When equipped with a Choice Scarf, faster opponents such as Mienshao outpace Modest / Adamant Ludicolo even when it is raining and, in the latter's case, OHKO Ludicolo with High Jump Kick before it can do anything.
**Paralysis and Sticky Web**: Paralysis will totally shut down Ludicolo's sweep, and Sticky Web will be a great nuisance to Ludicolo, limiting the number of threats it can outspeed.
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