rain dance in the 5 gen

[The Pokemon Pimp]

I think Bronzong was mentioned before. Under rain, it doesn't have any weaknesses and could function as a nice supporter.

Along the same line is Jirachi, who has a great abuseable movepool and a powerful Thunder to boot. It can spam the new Doom Desire for mindgames and function as a tank as well.

 

[Blindy]

I was thinking of a rain team based around Choice Specs Kingdra and Choice Band Kabutops. The rest of the pokes would be pretty defensive. I was thinking Nattorie to set up rocks, Chansey to sponge special hits and pass wishes to Politoad, then a Zapdos to cover fighting weaknesses and abuse Thunder. Thoughts?

This is my team essentially. You can see how one would work in my warstory, Rain, Rain, Goes away. A bit more offensively based, with Scizor and Slowbro there to deal with Nattorei and Roopushin. It works really really well.

 

[RaRaRabbit]

waht are some noteworthy steel types i should add?

Natorei
Steel Thorns
Left Overs
Careful/Impish
252 HP, Rest of EV's into defense of your choice
Power Whip
Thunder Wave/Spikes/Stealth Rock
Leech Seed
Protect/Spikes/Stealth Rock


Typical Wall set. He resists the grass/electrric attacks aimed at the waters in a raindance team, and also benefits from the decrease in damage from fire type attacks. Another basic walling set, as with leech seed and left overs, he can get a few layers of spikes up with out dropping quickly at all. Thunderwave is also a great choice for incoming switches, although it really isn't THAT necessary as if you are running swift swimmers you are most likely going to outspeed the enemy anyways.



Foretress
Sturdy
Left Overs
Careful/Impish
252 HP, Rest of EV's into defense of your choice
Spikes/Toxic Spikes
Stealth Rock/Toxic Spikes
Earth Quake
Rapid Spin/Gyro Ball


This is another typical wall who sets spikes and stealth rock up. Nothing too new or different compared to his role in the previous generations. Set up hazards, and rapid spin the enemies hazards away. As noted, the only real difference from this set compared to the previous set is the fact that explosion is missing. Due to its nerf, it most likely is more useful to set up another layer of spikes.



OR


Foretress
Sturdy
Left Overs
Careful/Impish
252 HP, Rest of EV's into defense of your choice
Reflect
Light Screen
Earth Quake
Spikes/Stealth Rock/Rapid Spin


Basically the same idea of the previous set except instead of setting up just some spikes, getting up a reflect and light screen as well. Can really help other rain stall pokemon, such as zapdos or parasect getting their subroost or subseed combo going.

 

[Benlisted]

People should let go the idea of Lead Politoed. It leaves all of your cards widly open. Everybody can clearly see that you use a Rain team from the first round on. So they can save all of their Counters for destroying your team. And Politoed isn't that bulky that he can be fresh and not death the whole match. Hippo and Tar became so much popular, even Non-Sandstream-Teams will use them. So your opponent will focus on killing Politoed and sending out their Weather-Poki to sweep through your team easily.
That's why an Anti-Lead is much more effective for leading than Politoed. The frog can be switched in so much, that Rain will be up but not on Round 1.

Worth noting that now Politoed with Drizzle is legal if you want to use it as a lead on wifi it will not give away your strat, seeing as opponents can see it from the get-go. Ofc it isn't the best lead, but the point remains.

Also Dragonite with a defensive spread is monstrous in any weather, and Rain prevents SS damage breaking its Scale and boosts Thunder+Gale, making it a force to be reckoned with.

 

[forestflamerunner]

ok i updated the OP with your suggestions. i also added cb scizor because he actually works well with rain teams

 

[Jiggy]

ludicolo@life orb
swift swim
32HP/252SPA/224SPE
modest
surf/hydro pump
energy ball
ice beam
brick break

Giga Drain should really be here over Energy Ball. Losing just 5 power is more than worth it to be able to help delay the Life Orb recoil from ending Ludicolo's sweep, and most of the things that Ludicolo wants to hit with Grass attacks are bulky waters with huge HP stats to drain from (Vaporeon, Burungeru, Suicune, Slowbro, Gastrodon...).

 

[Limewire]

Zapdos

Pressure (Volt Absorb if it gets released)
Left Overs
Calm/Bold
252 HP, Rest of EV's into defense of your choice
Thunder
Substitute
Roost
Toxic/HP Ice/HP Grass

This is the basic Sub Roost set. No need for heat wave due to it being in a rain team. This is a GREAT addition as it resists both GRASS and ELECTRIC type attacks that would be aimed at your other water types. Thunder with 100% accuracy in the rain. Toxic away and start sub roosting. Toxic is a good choice, but if you have toxic spikes on your team you can have room for more coverage through Hidden Power.

Last time I checked, Zapdos got Lightningrod as its DW ability (which now grants a free +1 SpA if hit by electric attacks) instead of Volt Absorb. With Agility, you now have a bird with +1/ +2, instant 50% recovery AND resistance to Grass and Electric. Too bad it has a shallow movepool =/


Oh yea, can anyone comment on this Politoed lead build that I use?

Politoed @ Lum Berry
252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature (+SpD, -Spe), 0 Speed IVs (to underspeed 0 speed Ninetales)
- Protect
- Boiling Water
- Toxic
- Encore / Perish Song

Can't take jack shit from physical attacks (even with Boiling Water), but on my team, he serves as a great scout, pHazer, and (when I'm absolutely sure that my opponent isn't carrying a weather-changer) pivot/death fodder.

 

[RaRaRabbit]

Last time I checked, Zapdos got Lightningrod as its DW ability (which now grants a free +1 SpA if hit by electric attacks) instead of Volt Absorb. With Agility, you now have a bird with +1/ +2, instant 50% recovery AND resistance to Grass and Electric. Too bad it has a shallow movepool =/

Thats right, it was lightning rod. Not volt absorb. My bad, thanks for correcting me!

Also, I forgot that that Roar could be used on the stall set (for Zapdos). Its probably the best move to be used in place of the hidden power moves.

 

[Benlisted]

I think I'm gonna try out a bulky Rain balance team - with less 252/252 sweepers and some actual defence. Dragonite, Parasect, Tentacruel all look good, but what else would synergise well?

 

[Nastyjungle]

I think I'm gonna try out a bulky Rain balance team - with less 252/252 sweepers and some actual defence. Dragonite, Parasect, Tentacruel all look good, but what else would synergise well?

Vaporeon, with Hydration it's a monster to take down in the rain.

 

[Benlisted]

Vaporeon, with Hydration it's a monster to take down in the rain.

I was worrying about the Grass and Electric weakness. Then I remembered Parasect. Damn that guy is awesome. Okay, I'm thinking a steel like Forry/Scizor/Nattorei/Zong would be good for SR and a nice pile of resistances. I'll post back with results when I have them.

 

[domeface]

I find Dugtrio to be a very useful pokémon to take out the other auto-weather inducers since Arena Trap stops them from escaping while he KOs TTar with EQ, Ninetailes with EQ or SE for Balloon variants, and Abomasnow with SE. Hippowdon and Politoed are harder, but Politoed's not really a problem on a RD team, and since SS doesn't actually weaken the power of Water-type moves, Hippo can be taken care of with your Rain sweepers.

Also, I find ChestoRest Kingdra to be very, very useful since while he's helped by Rain, he doesn't require it to sweep, and it's very easy to get multiple DDs in. I use a slightly altered EV spread with 148 Atk and 176 Spe to outrun Scarfchomp at +2 (either in rain or after 2 DDs). I'm not sure if I'd be better of taking some of his bulk and investing more in Attack, but this spread has worked fairly well so far.

 

[TorchicBlaziken]

Don't forget Tornelos.

Dancing is the one thing Tornelos can do that Voltolos can't do better.

 

[NeoSeth]

Something worth noting is that if you use Kingdra and Nattorei on a team together, you don't have to worry about Ditto ruining your sweep. You can simply switch in Nattorei, take Ditto out and begin anew.

I'd also like to note that there are several other sweepers who can benefit from being placed on a Rain team, or that simply aid a Rain team in victory. A strong Fighting-type, for example, can dispose of Nattorei with ease and allow you to sweep. I don't think they're worth listing, but just mentioning in passing.

You also missed Armaldo and Omastar in the OP. Omastar is notable for OHKOing Blissey after Stealth Rock and a Shell Break with a Modest LO Hydro Pump, and Armaldo can actually 2HKO Nattorei with X-Scissor. Also worth mentioning is Poliwrath, who can use Belly Drum Swift Swim and OHKO Nattorei even with max HP and Defense with a boosting nature. Using BRICK BREAK.

It just got real.

Of course, you pretty much have to run Burungeru with that set, since Ditto will own the crap out of you if it gets in.

 

[min min]

THANK YOU SIR for mentioning Belly Drum Swift Swim. That thing is a beast when set up, however at half health it's pretty fragile. I think using Sitrius Berry as the item could have some use since you're gonna use Poliwrath once in a battle at most. Lum Berry could allow you to get a boost up on Vappy and similar bulky waters. Leftovers for longevity, but it's probably not enough. Giving up an offensive move for Hypnosis or Substitute seems wasted to me, as your STABs get walled by Burungeru, and Rock Slide leaves you screwed by Nattorei.

 

[Manbaby]

I think Bronzong was mentioned before. Under rain, it doesn't have any weaknesses and could function as a nice supporter.

Along the same line is Jirachi, who has a great abuseable movepool and a powerful Thunder to boot. It can spam the new Doom Desire for mindgames and function as a tank as well.

what people fail to realize is that while it does remove the fire weakness it effectively gives a water weakness

 

[Ulevo]

what people fail to realize is that while it does remove the fire weakness it effectively gives a water weakness

Weaknesses are 100%, not 50%.

 

[tlyee61]

Maybe try lapras it has hydration and dragon dance + rest

i could imagine a set like this:
Lapras @ Life Orb
252 SpA 252 Spd 6 SpD

-Rest
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Return

 

[Wafflez]

LO Torelos works splendidly on a Rain team.I tried out LO with Hurricane,Hammer Arm (Dem (BAN ME PLEASE) Tyranitarz be in trouble >:),Rain dance,U-Turn and its quite fun to use.Id suggest you try it.
And why hasnt Latios been mentioned?It works great on rain teams for me with its useful resistance to Electric,Grass,Fighting,Ground which is really nice for Rain teams.

 

[Manbaby]

Weaknesses are 100%, not 50%.

Ah yes now I see good game sir

 

[Calm Pokemaster]

I have been using the Kingdra+Heatran combo suggested right here in UT, and believe me or not, it worked wonders on a Rain team. I used Careful PressureBand Tran with Toxic/Dragon Pulse/Magma Stom/Sub with 252 HP 192 Spl Def 64 Spl Atk.

 

[Barilzar]

Weezing is worth mentioning, when it gets its stockpile off it becomes impossible to kill unless you have a phazer to deal with him.

 

[RaRaRabbit]

Maybe try lapras it has hydration and dragon dance + rest

i could imagine a set like this:
Lapras @ Life Orb
252 SpA 252 Spd 6 SpD

-Rest
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Return

The EV's are uh... Not right. I am sure you mean 252 ATTACK and not Special attack, considering you have no special based moves and DD raises the physical side. Also, part of me thinks it would probably be better just to put all the EV's into the defenses anyways as youre going to be raising your speed and attack anyways through the DD's.

Either way, I definitely would want to run this set as well. I love the idea of lapras with hydration in the rain.

what people fail to realize is that while it does remove the fire weakness it effectively gives a water weakness

The thing about this is... You're running a RAIN DANCE TEAM. And on a rain dance team you tend to have a few water types, maybe even some with water absorb. So if you TRULY are worried about your Bronzong getting hit "hard" with a rain dance boosted surf, send in your Vaporeon.

 

[forestflamerunner]

ok, i have heard several people recommend torelos, but it seems to me that dragonite can do its job better, except for uturning. dragonite has better stabs and overall defensive and offensive typing which makes tormelos just seem inferior. if you can explain how tormelos is useful on a rain team, i will add him to the OP.

@calm pokemaster-heatran seems interesting, but having his fire type stab weakened seems hard to ignore. can you explain how your set would help a rain dance team?

 

[alphatron]

Heatran helps if you're running Nattorei/Parasect since people will abuse their fire weakness anyway. But I think the core comes from Heatran's dragon resistance and immunity to burn. I'm guessing he's running Magma storm for trapping, but eh...

I've been running Tesshido w/ evolution stone over Nattorei recently. The extra special bulk helps out. He's still able to put down SR/spikes. He can leech seed to make up for the leftovers recovery. At minimum speed, gyro ball still does a crapload of damage even though his attack is meh. I'll post a set when my current rain team isn't a mess. Ditto switches in on my poliwrath and its gg for me. I'm also carrying parasect on the same team...