The team started with my really wanting to build a rain team around Scyther and Kabutops, who had amazing offensive synergy while fitting perfectly as sweepers on a rain team.
Knowing I wanted to build a rain team, Ludicolo and Seismitoad were obvious staples needed on the team, taking full advantage of the weather to sweep, while consistently setting up weather at the same time.
I needed a dedicated weather setter, so I chose Uxie for its bulk and reliability, as well as its cool utility in Memento, allowing it to bring in teammates safely. Feraligatr was added its insanely strong under rain.
Liepard was added over Uxie because of the utility of priority rain, as well as being able to offer a powerful Knock Off and Encore, which is pretty cool.
Mesprit is in the final version of this team because I missed Uxie's bulk, and Healing Wish is absolutely amazing. The team was also weak to Toxic Spikes, and seeked even more strength than Feraligatr, leading to the addition of Qwilfish.
Strategy:
The goal of the team is simply to deal the most amount of damage as soon as possible, taking advantage of rain to do such. Most of the time, the plan is to lead with either Mesprit, Seismitoad, or on a rare occasion Scyther. Seismitoad should be led with if Stealth Rock is extremely favorable to get up, specifically against bulkier teams or teams packing multiple rock weak pokemon for added pressure. Outside of that, Mesprit is the most common lead, as it can set up 7 turn rain against opponents and U-Turn out to teammates. However, if the opponent has a sticky webber such as Kricketune, the best plan is lead with Scyther and U-Turn out to Kabutops first turn to avoid a speed drop and spin. Outside of lead scenarios, the team plays as any other rain team should. The goal is to keep rain up between Mesprit, Ludicolo, and Seismitoad to use Swift Swimmers to take maximum advantage of rain turns with strong attacks and fast speed. Scyther and Qwilfish should be heavily used to pressure strong grass types, as it allows Seismitoad and Ludicolo to easily sweep the team. Should any sweeper be needed again or should you need to revive a misplaced pokemon, Healing Wish should be aggressively used, as Mesprit isn't the only rain user. Keeping Stealth Rock off the field isn't a first priority, but is preferred to allow Scyther to truly support its rain sweeping teammates. Outside of that, it plays as any other hyper offensive weather team does.
The Future
Mesprit @ Damp Rock | Levitate
Jolly | 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Zen Headbutt | Healing Wish | Rain Dance | U-Turn
Oh my lord this set is about to get me so much hate. I originally invented RainSprit because I simply wasn't pleased with Uxie and Liepard. This set deviates from more commonplace offensive variants, and instead takes advantage of Mesprit's amazing support movepool and cool balanced stats. Mesprit's combination of high offensive presence, a slower U-Turn, decent bulk, and Healing Wish really makes it shine above other setters for my team, and despite most players will tell me this is a waste of Mesprit's ability, screw that. It is easily the best weather setter for this team, and regardless of how niche it is does its job way too effectively. Beyond that, it is a really big surprise for the opponent to see Mesprit set up Rain, as they commonly expect it to wallbreak for my team upon team preview, allowing me to set up more often.
The set is simple. Zen Headbutt was chosen because I wanted to invest in attack to have a powerful yet slow U-Turn, and flinches have won me the match. It is also decently string, and I prefer physical to special Mesprit anyways. Healing Wish is the sole reason to use weather support Mesprit over competitors, but its sheer utility is so helpful, especially on a rain team. It gives teammates a new lease on life, allowing for second sweeps on already worn down Qwilfish or Ludicolo, and is the key to the team's success. Rain Dance is an obvious choice on Mesprit, and with Damp Rock it can set up the weather of choice for a long period of time to boost it's teammate's speed and power, allowing for massive sweeps. Finally U-Turn is great for bringing in teammates safely, dealing chip damage to opponents, and can leaving heavy damage on dark types meaning to switch in, which is a plus.
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Hokey Pokey
Qwilfish @ Shuca Berry / Lum Berry | Swift Swim
Jolly | 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Waterfall | Poison Jab | Explosion | Swords Dance
Swords Dance Qwilfish is so freaking underrated. It is literally one of the best pokemon to use on rain teams in XY NU, and is capable of dealing so much damage to opponents that it isn't even funny. Although I originally had a Feraligatr in this slot, Qwilfish is way more important. WIth Sword Dance, it becomes both a powerful sweeper and wallbreaker on a rain team, removing bulky grasses with its powerful STAB Poison Jab, as well as completely decimating common rain checks such as Seismitoad with an insanely powerful Explosion, easily punching major holes to allow for sweeps. Furthermore, it relieves a common qualm that rain has with Toxic Spikes which limit their sweeping capabilities, removing Toxic Spikes on the switch in to allow for the maximum longevity of the team. Qwilfish honestly has tons of utility, and is a key pokemon for any XY NU rain team.
The set itself is just standard Swords Dance Qwilfish. Waterfall is a great STAB of choice, receiving a powerful rain boost and having clutch flinches, just being a straight up reliable move. With a boost, it's surprisingly strong, OHKOing tons of crap in the meta. Poison Jab is great on Swords Dance Qwilfish, being a great boon to rain teams, as with STAB it smashes the grass types in the tier, and gives Qwilfish pretty much neutral STAB coverage. Explosion is the true crux of the set, packing 250 base attack, and with a boost tears through opponents, carrying an absurd amount of power and really being the wallbreaking force needed to beat certain threats. Swords Dance is an obvious choice, boosting Qwilfish's attack to insane heights, allowing it to successfully clean opponents. In terms of the item of choice, I personally prefer Shuca Berry to live common ground coverage moves to give it an easier time setting up, but Lum Berry allows it to get past crippling paralysis and burns to sweep / set up successfully.
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Freddy Krueger
Scyther @ Choice Band / Insect Plate | Technician
Jolly | 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Aerial Ace | Brick Break / Bug Bite | Quick Attack | U-Turn
The based lord himself. The pokemon this team was built around. Scyther is just so good, especially on rain, and in this current metagame I'm fully convinced it is one of the best pokemon in the tier, period. Scyther does so much for this team, and with a Choice Band has accesspowerful STABs needed to muscle through threatening grass types such as Vileplume and Gourgeist, as well as having access to powerful priority and U-Turn to act as an amazing revenge killer and pivot. This wallbreaking variant is just so underrated, with Bulky Swords Dance and Choice Scarf being far more commonly seen, but honestly this set is all I ever use anymore. It slays opponents so easily with sheer power and amazing speed, and isn't even frail. Its Stealth Rock weakness is not an issue either, as Kabutops can reliably spin for it, and even if a spin isn't possible, Scyther really only needs to get in 1-2 times to wreck shop. Simply put, it is the glue that really makes this rain team succeed as it does, and is just an awesome addition to any team honestly.
Choice Band is the most obvious item for the set, powering up all of Scyther's attacks to get the most damage out of each of them. However, I often use Insect Plate as another option when I feel like using Bug Bite, as it still makes both Bug Bite and U-Turn incredibly strong, while helping to bluff Scyther as a Banded or Scarfed variant, to bait in threats to more easily kill. Aerial Ace is the primary STAB, demolishing grass types for the rest of the team, as well as removing other annoyances such as Gurdurr or Hariyama with absolute ease. Brick Break is the filler move of choice, helping Scyther get past steel types, most importantly Ferroseed, Scyther can help bait in and 2HKO with little prior damage. However, Bug Bite makes for a pretty cool alternative STAB to deal pretty much neutral damage across the tier. Quick Attack is surprisingly strong, as with Technician it is pretty much a STAB priority move, nabbing solid KOs on setup sweepers, giving Scyther some utility for the team as a last minute revenge killer. U-Turn is what you will be spamming the majority of the time though, as it throws opponents around, does massive damage, and brings teammates in safely while still destroying anything seeking to switch in.
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双刀
Kabutops @ Life Orb | Swift Swim
Jolly | 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Waterfall | Stone Edge | Aqua Jet / Superpower | Rapid Spin
What's a Scyther to do without a teammate that can reliably remove hazards. On rain teams, there is really only two choices in Swanna and Kabutops, and we all know that Kabutops is über cool so obviously it's the better choice. But seriously, it offers great utility in a offensive check to fire and flying types, while having better offensive synergy with Scyther. It really is needed since rain is incredibly weak to hazards of all types, especially with Scyther, so Kabutops's utility in a a rapid spinner who can KO any of the tier's ghost types is key for the team's success. When it isn't spinning, under rain it easily runs through opponents with a powerful LO boosted 115 base attack and an insane speed, letting it clean teams as well as act as a powerful wallbreaker. It's honestly just really standard, so there isn't much to talk about. Kabutops is amazing, why did RU drop this instead of shit like Hitmonchan.
The set is just really standard. Life Orb is required to allow Kabutops to deal the most amount of damage possible while retaining its utility in being able to swtich up moves. I choose Jolly over Adamant because it already has insane power, but being able to outspeed neutral natured 85s such as Sawk is key. Waterfall is the obligatory rain STAB, is just practical with 100% accuracy and cool flinches, and has tons of power. Stone Edge hits the grasses that Waterfall cannot hard, giving Kabutops pretty good STAB coverage. Aqua Jet is preferred to give Kabutops revenge killing abilities when outside of the Rain, but Superpower is equally useful. Superpower allows Kabutops to smash Ferroseed, a scary threat for rain teams, as well as deal significant damage to Seismitoad. Rapid Spin embodies the reason to use Kabutops, allowing it to support its team by removing detrimental hazards.
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Piña Colada
Ludicolo @ Life Orb | Swift Swim
Modest | 252 SAtk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Surf / Hydro Pump | Rain Dance | Giga Drain | Ice Beam
I have yet to see a NU rain team that lacks a Ludicolo, and for good reason. It is so. Damn. Good. It's a staple on every rain team due to its awesome typing and perfect combination of movepool and stats, letting it easily set up and run through opposing teams under rain. Especially with powerful typing that gives it amazing neutral coverage offensively and resists to common water and grass defensively lets it set up against a good portion of the tier. Despite its powerful offensive capabilities, it's bulk isn't even bad, and with a STAB recovery attack it has the staying power needed to hit multiple times. This combination makes it an absolute monster, and literally nothing is safe, since even walls are easily dispatched of with a quick rain boosted Hydro Pump. There is absolutely no reason to not use a Ludicolo on any rain team.
Standard Ludicolo is standard. Life Orb gives it an unreasonable amount of power that ensures it can pretty much 2HKO anything in NU. Modest furthers this power, since under rain nothing outspeeds it anyways. This team already has tons of power, so Surf is chosen for its reliability in being able to hit opponents without having to worry about a shaky 80% accuracy. Hydro Pump can be used through since real men use it, but I ain't real. Rain Dance is what turns Ludicolo into an absolute monster in a single turn, and also helps support teammates. Giga Drain as I've set gives Ludicolo some aggressive recovery to let it go through extended sweeps while not losing a chance to attack. Ice Beam gains coverage against grass types to ensure that Ludicolo has the optimal coverage, covering threats such as Vileplume and Dragalge.
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Richter
Seismitoad @ Damp Rock | Swift Swim
Modest | 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hydro Pump | Rain Dance | Earth Power / Sludge Bomb | Stealth Rock
Seismitoad is the Stealth Rock setter of choice for any rain team of mine. It can both indepedantly support the team and sweep on its own, it a very unique addition to any team. Offensive Seismitoad isn't weak at all, and despite not having a power boosting item or a offensive stat higher than a base 85 special attack, Hydro Pump in the rain still hits surprisingly hard. With its Damp Rock however, it can get a long lasting rain up to help the rest of the team succeed, but unlike other weaker weather leads still has the bulk and typing needed to get both its weather and hazards up. This unique combination of offensive and defensive utility is exactly what I look for when I look for Offensive Stealth Rock Rain Dance support Seismitoad, a awesome set for any rain team. Try Offensive Seismitoad please, it may not look like much at first, but it is honestly pretty amazing.
I choose Damp Rock over the more common Life Orb for the sole purpose that I can keep my rain for a longer period of time, allowing for longer lasting, more easily executed sweeps. Hydro Pump is the main STAB because Seismitoad needs as much power as possible, and despite a low special attack, in the rain Hydro Pump does a surprisingly massive amount of damage. The choice between Earth Power and Sludge Bomb comes down to personal preference. Earth Power is my favored move because of its more consistent damage as a whole with a STAB boost, but Sludge Bomb can poison opponents and targets grass types such as Exeggutor or Lilligant in the rain, making Seismitoad more difficult to switch into. Stealth Rock is pretty much required in competitive pokemon, because a guaranteed 12%+ every time an opponent switches in and the removal of sashes is awesome.
Threat Level: Light | Medium | Heavy
Other Options:
Replays:
vs. Kiyo
vs. TheCanadianWifier
vs. Challenger Tiplouf
Importable:
Code:
Mesprit @ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Zen Headbutt
- Healing Wish
- Rain Dance
- U-turn
Qwilfish @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Poison Jab
- Swords Dance
- Explosion
Scyther @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aerial Ace
- Quick Attack
- Brick Break
- U-turn
Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Rapid Spin
Ludicolo @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Surf
- Rain Dance
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
Seismitoad @ Damp Rock
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Rain Dance
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
Too lazy for individual comments this time around, but if you made it on the list feel important. I know I haven't been that active recently, but you kids are special. :]
Dat Blast Soulgazer Raseri TheCanadianWifier HJAD Aladyyn Punchshroom iTeddeh NotHyunation Montsegur Can-Eh-Dian scorpdestroyer WhiteDMist Hollywood Kiyo AquajetBreloom Deej Dy Zebraiken Amarillo Nozzle Quite Quiet xzern The Goomy
Conclusion:
That's pretty much the team. I have been really busy recently, but felt the need to share this rain team with everybody to show the viability of weather in the current metagame, as well as to showcase a team I've actually enjoyed using. Have fun everybody, cheers!
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