QC:Carbonific / Jio
GP:P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
* Politoed is one of the only two rain setters in VGC17, and because it has better bulk than Pelipper, it can stay in on threats for longer periods.
* Its pure Water typing gives it only two weaknesses, backing up its exceptional bulk.
* Another advantage is access to Encore and Perish Song. Encore can trap a foe into a move, making space for a teammate to set up easily, and Perish Song can guarantee wins when needed and can be useful when the opponent is on their last limb.
* Although Politoed has only two weaknesses, they are seen everywhere in the metagame, with Tapu Koko and Kartana being very common.
[SET]
name: Rain Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Drizzle
nature: Calm
evs: 220 HP / 148 Def / 84 SpA / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald is the main attacking move on the set, having STAB, a decent 80 Base Power, and a 30% chance to burn, which is useful in taking care of strong physical attackers.
* Ice Beam is mainly for coverage on Pokemon like Garchomp and Salamence, as well as hitting Pokemon that resist Scald.
* Encore can neutralize threats using moves like Protect, giving teammates like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Leech Seed Celesteela chances to set up.
* Perish Song can force out setup sweepers like Snorlax and works when the opponent has their last two Pokemon on the field. This guarantees a win in some situations.
* Protect can give Politoed a turn to stay safe while another teammate switches in or takes care of a threat so Politoed doesn't take any damage.
Set Details
========
* Sitrus Berry is used to keep Politoed on the field for longer and give it more bulk.
* Drizzle sets rain and thus powers up Scald, gives boosts to other Water-type moves, and aids Swift Swim users, as well as decreasing the power of Fire-type damage.
* A Calm nature complements Politoed's highest base stat, providing the greatest benefit to Politoed.
* The EVs are used to OHKO uninvested Arcanine with Scald and to survive a Jolly Garchomp's Tectonic Rage as well as Timid Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt.
Usage Tips
========
* Politoed's main role is to bring in rain to support teammates and to boost Scald's power in the rain. It should only bring in rain and switch out most of the time.
* Politoed's role should be thought about when there is a weather setter on the opposing team. Bringing Politoed in as a lead can sometimes render Drizzle useless, sacrificing a turn to switch Politoed out.
* Politoed should switch in when there is another weather setter on the field like a Drought or Sand Stream Pokemon to counter it, even if rain isn't needed, as it can interfere with the opponent's strategy. It should also switch back in when the rain has ended in order to reset it.
* Perish Song should only be used against setup sweepers or at the end of the game. This is because there is no reason to use it before, as the opponent can just switch their Pokemon out.
Team Options
========
* A Swift Swim user like Golduck pairs perfectly with Politoed, as it can take advantage of the rain being set up.
* Lightning Rod Pokemon like Alolan Marowak and Togedemaru help to cover Politoed's weakness to Electric-types.
* Grass-types like Kartana like the advantage of rain to lessen Fire-type damage and can take advantage of Politoed's Encore support to sweep the opposing team.
* Pokemon like Dragonite that use Thunder and Hurricane also pair well with Politoed, as these attacks will always hit in the rain.
* A fast Electric-type like Tapu Koko pairs well with Politoed, as it can use perfectly accurate Thunder in the rain as well as dealing with Water-types.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Scald
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Encore / Rain Dance
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald is the most often used move on the set, as it is easily spammable with decent power and a burn chance, which is very useful when going up against physical attackers that threaten Politoed.
* Hydro Pump is the strongest move Politoed has and can leave a dent in the opposing team. The only downside is its shaky accuracy.
* Ice Beam can hit most notably some of the most common Pokemon in the metagame like Garchomp, Mandibuzz, and Salamence, as well as giving coverage against types that Scald can't hit.
* Encore can trap foes into moves and give space for teammates to take out the Pokemon at hand. Rain Dance can also work if you are expecting a weather setter like Torkoal or Gigalith to come in; in these situations, Politoed can manually set up rain again, making the switch useless. However, then Politoed must switch out and back in to use an attacking move, as it will be locked into Rain Dance.
Set Details
========
* Drizzle can help Politoed as well as other teammates, with rain having various benefits like ensuring Hurricane and Thunder never miss, lessening Fire-type damage, and boosting Water-type damage.
* A Timid nature gives Politoed maximum Speed to outspeed most of the unboosted metagame.
* The EVs are designed to focus on the main areas Politoed must cover. Maximum Special Attack investment allows Politoed to hit as hard as possible, while the Speed investment paired with Choice Scarf lets Politoed outspeed positive-natured Pokemon with base 100 Speed.
Usage Tips
========
* Leading with Choice Scarf Politoed against a team with a weather setter is not a good idea, as it being one of the fastest weather setters in VGC17 means Drizzle will be overridden.
* Choice Scarf isn't as used as the support set, so this can get a couple of surprise KOs early-game without the opponent expecting it.
* Scald can get burns early-game, helping to wear down physical threats, while Hydro Pump can get KOs quicker.
* Encore and Rain Dance are mainly for an emergency when either a threat must be stopped temporarily or rain has been countered. Thinking one turn ahead is a good idea to keep momentum on the team.
Team Options
========
* Swift Swim users, mainly Golduck, make use of the rain being set up, increasing their Speed.
* Pokemon that can cover up for Politoed's weaknesses should be used, like a Ground-type such as Krookodile or a Flying-type like Salamence.
* Lightning Rod users like Alolan Marowak and Togedemaru are also appreciated to combat Electric-types.
* Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Kartana appreciate Politoed, as the rain lessens Fire-type damage, and they resist Politoed's weaknesses as well as helping to break through Water-types, which Politoed has a hard time against.
* Electric-types like Magnezone and Vikavolt that use Thunder appreciate the rain boosting the attack's accuracy, and they can deal with Water-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Surf can be used in tandem with Gastrodon to give it support, though Politoed prefers the burn chance of Scald.
* A Wacan Berry can be used to combat Electric-types, but Sitrus Berry is more useful for its versatility and effectiveness against all types.
* Leftovers is a viable option, seeing as Politoed has no recovery moves, but Sitrus Berry is preferred due to its higher recovery across the first four turns.
* Haze can be used to interfere with setup sweepers like Gyarados.
* Choice Specs can be used instead of Choice Scarf if more power is needed, though Politoed prefers the Speed boost from Choice Scarf.
* Hidden Power Grass can be used to combat Gastrodon and other Water-types but outside of that has no real use.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Opposing Weather Conditions**: Politoed relies heavily on the rain to back up its stats and to help its teammates, so other weather conditions interfere with this strategy. Pokemon like Torkoal, Gigalith, and Alolan Ninetales are all examples of opposing weather setters.
**Grass-types**: Politoed has trouble taking hits from the majority of Grass-types in the tier, including hard hitters like Tapu Bulu and Kartana and other minor threats like Lilligant. Although Politoed can do some damage with Ice Beam if it survives, its subpar Special Attack means it won't likely be getting many KOs.
**Electric-types**: Politoed has trouble staying in on most Electric-types in the format, as most of them, like Tapu Koko and Togedemaru, outspeed it and can OHKO it with Thunder and Zing Zap.
**Gastrodon**: Gastrodon redirects Scald and Hydro Pump thanks to Storm Drain and interferes when Politoed is trying to hit another Pokemon. This forces Politoed out in most cases.
GP:P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
* Politoed is one of the only two rain setters in VGC17, and because it has better bulk than Pelipper, it can stay in on threats for longer periods.
* Its pure Water typing gives it only two weaknesses, backing up its exceptional bulk.
* Another advantage is access to Encore and Perish Song. Encore can trap a foe into a move, making space for a teammate to set up easily, and Perish Song can guarantee wins when needed and can be useful when the opponent is on their last limb.
* Although Politoed has only two weaknesses, they are seen everywhere in the metagame, with Tapu Koko and Kartana being very common.
[SET]
name: Rain Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Drizzle
nature: Calm
evs: 220 HP / 148 Def / 84 SpA / 52 SpD / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald is the main attacking move on the set, having STAB, a decent 80 Base Power, and a 30% chance to burn, which is useful in taking care of strong physical attackers.
* Ice Beam is mainly for coverage on Pokemon like Garchomp and Salamence, as well as hitting Pokemon that resist Scald.
* Encore can neutralize threats using moves like Protect, giving teammates like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Leech Seed Celesteela chances to set up.
* Perish Song can force out setup sweepers like Snorlax and works when the opponent has their last two Pokemon on the field. This guarantees a win in some situations.
* Protect can give Politoed a turn to stay safe while another teammate switches in or takes care of a threat so Politoed doesn't take any damage.
Set Details
========
* Sitrus Berry is used to keep Politoed on the field for longer and give it more bulk.
* Drizzle sets rain and thus powers up Scald, gives boosts to other Water-type moves, and aids Swift Swim users, as well as decreasing the power of Fire-type damage.
* A Calm nature complements Politoed's highest base stat, providing the greatest benefit to Politoed.
* The EVs are used to OHKO uninvested Arcanine with Scald and to survive a Jolly Garchomp's Tectonic Rage as well as Timid Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt.
Usage Tips
========
* Politoed's main role is to bring in rain to support teammates and to boost Scald's power in the rain. It should only bring in rain and switch out most of the time.
* Politoed's role should be thought about when there is a weather setter on the opposing team. Bringing Politoed in as a lead can sometimes render Drizzle useless, sacrificing a turn to switch Politoed out.
* Politoed should switch in when there is another weather setter on the field like a Drought or Sand Stream Pokemon to counter it, even if rain isn't needed, as it can interfere with the opponent's strategy. It should also switch back in when the rain has ended in order to reset it.
* Perish Song should only be used against setup sweepers or at the end of the game. This is because there is no reason to use it before, as the opponent can just switch their Pokemon out.
Team Options
========
* A Swift Swim user like Golduck pairs perfectly with Politoed, as it can take advantage of the rain being set up.
* Lightning Rod Pokemon like Alolan Marowak and Togedemaru help to cover Politoed's weakness to Electric-types.
* Grass-types like Kartana like the advantage of rain to lessen Fire-type damage and can take advantage of Politoed's Encore support to sweep the opposing team.
* Pokemon like Dragonite that use Thunder and Hurricane also pair well with Politoed, as these attacks will always hit in the rain.
* A fast Electric-type like Tapu Koko pairs well with Politoed, as it can use perfectly accurate Thunder in the rain as well as dealing with Water-types.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Scald
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Encore / Rain Dance
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Scald is the most often used move on the set, as it is easily spammable with decent power and a burn chance, which is very useful when going up against physical attackers that threaten Politoed.
* Hydro Pump is the strongest move Politoed has and can leave a dent in the opposing team. The only downside is its shaky accuracy.
* Ice Beam can hit most notably some of the most common Pokemon in the metagame like Garchomp, Mandibuzz, and Salamence, as well as giving coverage against types that Scald can't hit.
* Encore can trap foes into moves and give space for teammates to take out the Pokemon at hand. Rain Dance can also work if you are expecting a weather setter like Torkoal or Gigalith to come in; in these situations, Politoed can manually set up rain again, making the switch useless. However, then Politoed must switch out and back in to use an attacking move, as it will be locked into Rain Dance.
Set Details
========
* Drizzle can help Politoed as well as other teammates, with rain having various benefits like ensuring Hurricane and Thunder never miss, lessening Fire-type damage, and boosting Water-type damage.
* A Timid nature gives Politoed maximum Speed to outspeed most of the unboosted metagame.
* The EVs are designed to focus on the main areas Politoed must cover. Maximum Special Attack investment allows Politoed to hit as hard as possible, while the Speed investment paired with Choice Scarf lets Politoed outspeed positive-natured Pokemon with base 100 Speed.
Usage Tips
========
* Leading with Choice Scarf Politoed against a team with a weather setter is not a good idea, as it being one of the fastest weather setters in VGC17 means Drizzle will be overridden.
* Choice Scarf isn't as used as the support set, so this can get a couple of surprise KOs early-game without the opponent expecting it.
* Scald can get burns early-game, helping to wear down physical threats, while Hydro Pump can get KOs quicker.
* Encore and Rain Dance are mainly for an emergency when either a threat must be stopped temporarily or rain has been countered. Thinking one turn ahead is a good idea to keep momentum on the team.
Team Options
========
* Swift Swim users, mainly Golduck, make use of the rain being set up, increasing their Speed.
* Pokemon that can cover up for Politoed's weaknesses should be used, like a Ground-type such as Krookodile or a Flying-type like Salamence.
* Lightning Rod users like Alolan Marowak and Togedemaru are also appreciated to combat Electric-types.
* Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Kartana appreciate Politoed, as the rain lessens Fire-type damage, and they resist Politoed's weaknesses as well as helping to break through Water-types, which Politoed has a hard time against.
* Electric-types like Magnezone and Vikavolt that use Thunder appreciate the rain boosting the attack's accuracy, and they can deal with Water-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Surf can be used in tandem with Gastrodon to give it support, though Politoed prefers the burn chance of Scald.
* A Wacan Berry can be used to combat Electric-types, but Sitrus Berry is more useful for its versatility and effectiveness against all types.
* Leftovers is a viable option, seeing as Politoed has no recovery moves, but Sitrus Berry is preferred due to its higher recovery across the first four turns.
* Haze can be used to interfere with setup sweepers like Gyarados.
* Choice Specs can be used instead of Choice Scarf if more power is needed, though Politoed prefers the Speed boost from Choice Scarf.
* Hidden Power Grass can be used to combat Gastrodon and other Water-types but outside of that has no real use.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Opposing Weather Conditions**: Politoed relies heavily on the rain to back up its stats and to help its teammates, so other weather conditions interfere with this strategy. Pokemon like Torkoal, Gigalith, and Alolan Ninetales are all examples of opposing weather setters.
**Grass-types**: Politoed has trouble taking hits from the majority of Grass-types in the tier, including hard hitters like Tapu Bulu and Kartana and other minor threats like Lilligant. Although Politoed can do some damage with Ice Beam if it survives, its subpar Special Attack means it won't likely be getting many KOs.
**Electric-types**: Politoed has trouble staying in on most Electric-types in the format, as most of them, like Tapu Koko and Togedemaru, outspeed it and can OHKO it with Thunder and Zing Zap.
**Gastrodon**: Gastrodon redirects Scald and Hydro Pump thanks to Storm Drain and interferes when Politoed is trying to hit another Pokemon. This forces Politoed out in most cases.
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