[OVERVIEW]
Water
========
Kingdra is a solid Swift Swim special attacker for Water teams; however, it is only functional in this role and faces competition from Basculegion-F, which has superior Special Attack. Along with that, rain teams can opt to not run a special attacking Swift Swim threat and instead choose to run Choice Specs Greninja to be less reliant on rain overall.
[SET]
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Name: Choice Specs (Water)
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Pulse / Hydro Pump
- Surf / Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
[SET COMMENTS]
Kingdra finds a nice place on rain teams thanks to its incredible secondary Dragon typing and solid Speed and Special Attack enabling it to outspeed and check the likes of Choice Scarf Meowscarada, Choice Scarf Roaring Moon, and Kyurem in rain. Draco Meteor lays on the pressure removing the likes of Ogerpon-W and Archaludon reliably after minor chip damage. Dragon Pulse lets Kingdra reliably pressure Dragon-types like non-Choice Scarf Dragapult and Latios without having to deal with dropping its Special Attack. Surf can easily wash away threats such as Iron Valiant, Alolan Muk, and Ogerpon-H after minor chip damage. Alternatively, Hydro Pump can be used as a way to 2HKO specially defensive Articuno along with getting an OHKO against Flutter Mane. Finally, Ice Beam threatens Grass teams and pressures Water Absorb Clodsire.
Pelipper is a mandatory teammate for Kingdra because it sets up rain along with providing safe entry with U-turn. Pelipper can also use Knock Off to remove items like Assault Vest from threats like Tornadus-T and Hisuian Goodra. Barraskewda makes for a great secondary Swift Swim partner, being able to threaten special walls like Articuno, Assault Vest Hoopa-U, and Blissey as well as outspeed foes like Choice Scarf Flutter Mane and Unburden Sneasler. Swampert can provide support against Electric- and Steel-types Kingdra struggles against such as Assault Vest Iron Hands and Hisuian Goodra with Earthquake. It can also set Stealth Rock to provide crucial chip damage against threats like the Ogerpon formes and Archaludon while also being able to pivot Kingdra in with Flip Turn. Eject Button Toxapex can be used to safely pivot Kingdra in, threaten Fairy-types such as Flutter Mane and Primarina, and put Iron Hands and Dragonite on a timer with Toxic. Alternatively, Tentacruel can be used as a Poison-type teammate that can remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin to keep Kingdra healthy as well as pivot it in with Flip Turn. Hisuian Samurott can set Spikes with Ceaseless Edge to help wear down Water Absorb Clodsire and Hisuian Goodra along with being able to use Sucker Punch to remove faster threats like Choice Scarf Dragapult. Ogerpon-W can use its Grass-type STAB moves to handle Water-types like Alomomola, Azumarill, and Primarina.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
-----------
A Modest nature can be used to push out a slight bit more damage from Kingdra, allowing for its Dragon Pulse to OKHO Raging Bolt after Stealth Rock, but it will no longer be able to outspeed Choice Scarf Meowscarada and Roaring Moon. Hurricane can check the Ogerpon formes reliably without having to rely on Draco Meteor; however, it is still only able to 2HKO Amoonguss, while Brambleghast can use it as a free entry point. Flip Turn can be used to keep up momentum against threats that Kingdra can struggle to break through such as Hisuian Goodra and Assault Vest Hoopa-U.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/igiveuponaname.593115/
Water
========
Kingdra is a solid Swift Swim special attacker for Water teams; however, it is only functional in this role and faces competition from Basculegion-F, which has superior Special Attack. Along with that, rain teams can opt to not run a special attacking Swift Swim threat and instead choose to run Choice Specs Greninja to be less reliant on rain overall.
[SET]
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Name: Choice Specs (Water)
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Pulse / Hydro Pump
- Surf / Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
[SET COMMENTS]
Kingdra finds a nice place on rain teams thanks to its incredible secondary Dragon typing and solid Speed and Special Attack enabling it to outspeed and check the likes of Choice Scarf Meowscarada, Choice Scarf Roaring Moon, and Kyurem in rain. Draco Meteor lays on the pressure removing the likes of Ogerpon-W and Archaludon reliably after minor chip damage. Dragon Pulse lets Kingdra reliably pressure Dragon-types like non-Choice Scarf Dragapult and Latios without having to deal with dropping its Special Attack. Surf can easily wash away threats such as Iron Valiant, Alolan Muk, and Ogerpon-H after minor chip damage. Alternatively, Hydro Pump can be used as a way to 2HKO specially defensive Articuno along with getting an OHKO against Flutter Mane. Finally, Ice Beam threatens Grass teams and pressures Water Absorb Clodsire.
Pelipper is a mandatory teammate for Kingdra because it sets up rain along with providing safe entry with U-turn. Pelipper can also use Knock Off to remove items like Assault Vest from threats like Tornadus-T and Hisuian Goodra. Barraskewda makes for a great secondary Swift Swim partner, being able to threaten special walls like Articuno, Assault Vest Hoopa-U, and Blissey as well as outspeed foes like Choice Scarf Flutter Mane and Unburden Sneasler. Swampert can provide support against Electric- and Steel-types Kingdra struggles against such as Assault Vest Iron Hands and Hisuian Goodra with Earthquake. It can also set Stealth Rock to provide crucial chip damage against threats like the Ogerpon formes and Archaludon while also being able to pivot Kingdra in with Flip Turn. Eject Button Toxapex can be used to safely pivot Kingdra in, threaten Fairy-types such as Flutter Mane and Primarina, and put Iron Hands and Dragonite on a timer with Toxic. Alternatively, Tentacruel can be used as a Poison-type teammate that can remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin to keep Kingdra healthy as well as pivot it in with Flip Turn. Hisuian Samurott can set Spikes with Ceaseless Edge to help wear down Water Absorb Clodsire and Hisuian Goodra along with being able to use Sucker Punch to remove faster threats like Choice Scarf Dragapult. Ogerpon-W can use its Grass-type STAB moves to handle Water-types like Alomomola, Azumarill, and Primarina.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
-----------
A Modest nature can be used to push out a slight bit more damage from Kingdra, allowing for its Dragon Pulse to OKHO Raging Bolt after Stealth Rock, but it will no longer be able to outspeed Choice Scarf Meowscarada and Roaring Moon. Hurricane can check the Ogerpon formes reliably without having to rely on Draco Meteor; however, it is still only able to 2HKO Amoonguss, while Brambleghast can use it as a free entry point. Flip Turn can be used to keep up momentum against threats that Kingdra can struggle to break through such as Hisuian Goodra and Assault Vest Hoopa-U.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/igiveuponaname.593115/
Last edited:










