Ludicolo
[Overview]
[SET]
name:
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Surf / Hydro Pump/ Scald
move 3: Giga Drain / Ice Beam
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb / Absorb Bulb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Fake Out lets Ludicolo put pressure on the opponent turn 1 and can set up for all kinds of attacks from its partner. Giga Drain is its most reliable Grass STAB, dealing massive damage to Rotom-W and Gastrodon even with Rindo Berry. Ice Beam hits Dragonite super-effective, preventing it from walling Ludicolo's STAB moves. For Water STAB, Ludicolo can choose from Surf, which hits every Pokemon on the field, Hydro Pump, which hits one select target for massive damage, or Scald, which is less powerful than Hydro Pump but is more reliable.
Life Orb gives Ludicolo more power at the cost of HP. Absorb Bulb lets it gain a one-time Special Attack boost when paired with a partner with Surf.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
A spread of 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe lets Ludicolo outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Terrakion in rain.
Ice Beam can replace any of the other slots as well.
[SET]
name:
move 1: Leech Seed
move 2: Substitute / Ice Beam
move 3: Giga Drain / Scald
move 4: Protect
item: Leftovers / Sitrus Berry
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 124 SpA / 132 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Leech Seed is an incredibly disruptive move, made even better by the fact that Ludicolo can attach Leech Seed to both of the active enemy Pokemon in a double battle. Substitute lets Ludicolo stall with Leech Seed, which can net a win if the time limit is drawing near. Ice Beam hits most other Grass-types super-effective, which is important because Leech Seed will not affect Grass-types. Giga Drain gets Ludicolo even more health back, but Scald may be more useful for the chance to burn Ferrothorn, which is immune to Leech Seed and takes little damage from Ice Beam.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
Swift Swim makes Ludicolo's Substitutes nigh unpreventable in rain, but Rain Dish lets Ludicolo regain even more health every turn. With Leech Seed, Leftovers, and Rain Dish, Ludicolo can recover all of the health lost from one Substitute in a single turn.
[Other Options]
Grass Knot is often more powerful than Giga Drain, but one key target, Rotom-W, gets hit by Grass Knot for 20 base power so it essentially walls Ludicolo if its only Grass move is Grass Knot. Politoed is also only hit for 60 base power compared to Giga Drain's 75. Water Gem can be used to boost its more powerful STAB moves.
[Checks and Counters]
Scizor and Hitmontop both get Technician Aerial Ace which will OHKO Ludicolo without Coba Berry.
Tornadus and Crobat will both OHKO with Flying Gem Acrobatics, but they often have trouble surviving rain-boosted water attacks without extra HP EVs. Latios takes minimal damage from either of Ludicolo's STAB attacks, and Draco Meteor will 2HKO Ludicolo at worst. However, Ludicolo can fight back somewhat if it has Ice Beam and rain is up. Though Ludicolo has a lot of resistances, its average defensive stats do not allow it to take neutral hits very well, so powerful attacks like Thunder, Close Combat, and Draco Meteor will brutalize it.
