Hello Folks,
With DLC1 and Kingdra comming back I decided to have another go to climbing the ladder a bit with my favorite type of team : rain.
Today I finally reach 1700+ points, which for my standards quite an achivement. So I decided to share with you my teambuilding process and If I can gather some advices to improve the team.
The philosophy :
First of all I wanted a rather offensive team, so Mons like ferrothorn who is quite often great on rain team felt a little bit too passive for my taste of gameplay (I make little breaks at works so I need something rather fastpaced). I don't mind loosing a bit more game as long as they are short.
TeamBuilding :
As long as we speak about rain, Specs Kingdra and Damp Rock Pelipper are king of staples (the pool earlier this week was rather funny). Thoses 2 are the base of the team.
My next question, was : "What can stop a kingdra spamming surf in its track ?", Pokemon like Ferro, Chansey, Toxapex, Primarina, Rillaboom needed to have safe switch ins, because I do not run flip turn on Kingdra to scout. I decided to put Physical defensive Scizor and Toxicroack to fill up thoses 2 roles. Toxicroak has the nice bonus no to be good versus rather slow and bulky team.
Rocks control behing essential in a team I added first a "Utility Starmie", great for soaking status and getting rid the rocks. This guy was latter replaced by Excadrill because it felt like the weak link of the team and Exca also provide rocks (role compression) and electric immunity.
Before presenting the last member of the team which I should have put it way earlier. I would like to present you the honorable mentions (in no particular order) because the 6th slot had a lot of changes throught the different stages of teambuilding :
Barraskewda is the 6th member : I liked the fact that Urshifu have U-turn and the raw power of Crawdaunt, but they were lacking speed. This guys has both of their advantages (flip turn under the rain hits like a truck) and it has additionnal speed.
The pokepast
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Roost
- U-turn
- Hurricane
This guy is staple on every rain team, Relaxed nature is to be sure to setup the weather as last as possible and to offer a slow U-turn to the rain sweepers. You could run Defog instead of Scald, because usually the targets you want to burn are also good targets for Hurricance (Urshifu) or you have very bad match up against them (Zeraora - Dragapult)
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
To be honest I'm still not quite sure if I should go 252 SpD or Atk, since I usually use it as a safe switch out for Fairies or Special Electric types, the extra special bulk is always welcome in case of anticipation from the opponent. The rest of the set is pretty classic for a rock controller.
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Hurricane
- Surf
Modest Specs hits very hard, resisted only by the biggest special walls of the metagame. If you can anticipate a switch in on a grass type you can press Hurricane. You have the option to use Flip turn but the other moves are very important to sweep, especially the difference between Surf or Hpump, you want to use surf when most of the opponents Pkmn are frail or weaken because the drop of precision of Hpump can cost games. EV Spread is to outspeed +2 Toxtricity (according to the speed tiers).
Toxicroak @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 84 HP / 252 Atk / 172 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance
This guy have 2 roles, the first one is to provide to Kingdra a safe exit from Pkms like Toxapex, Ferrothorn and the Blobs. The recommanded sets usually have Sucker Punch or/and Substitute but status Dragapult exist in the metagame and invalidate thoses 2 options. Gunk shot covers Tangrowth and fairy types (thanks to its double type you can switch on moonblast/draining kiss), Drain Punch is for steels an Earthquake for Toxapex only. Sword Dance allow Toxicroak to act as a sweeper against stall team, it's not a 100%, because you have to OHKO the steel bird or pray it does not have Brave Bird. But I usually don't have time to play vs stall. Here againt the EV is to outspeed Dracozolt, but I think I can go down to Kommo-o/Ttar speed.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
- Knock Off
Acting as a Rillaboum counter and threaten it with U-turn to offer a free switch to the swift swimmer, a defensive spread allows it to switch on Zeraora which is very usefull when you often lead with Pelipper. Knock off is around to help in the Toxapex match-up and getting rid of the different rocky helmets (steel birds, amoongus ...), also usefull against Physical Dragapult.
Barraskewda @ Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Liquidation
- Flip Turn
- Psychic Fangs
Still in testing, but I'm feeling that the two most usefull skill are using Flip Turn as a safe play until you can spam Liquidation on the whole team, the coverage moves are there to make anticipations on Ferrothorn or on Toxapex if you wanna make plays. EV are straightforward since it has shitty bulk He cannot take a hit, so not usefull to make calculation to take an attack.
Threats :
Stall : The inherent gameplay of this team is weak to stall, the matchup is not unwinnable especially with Toxicroak but you have to take a lot of game loosing risks compared to your opponent.
The versatility of this Pkmn is the threat, Pelipper can take a burn and put it in range for Kingdra however a Specs kills it, the opposite is true for Scizor/Excadrill. And a dragon dancer set can outspeed your swift swimmer very fast.
Even with a counter, you have to take care of what you are doing, and switch off autopilot
Again, even with a counter, a set with life orb and High Horsepower is threatenning
Feel free to ask any additionnal question before rating, again, I enjoy very much this sort of team even if the gameplay is pretty straightforward.
With DLC1 and Kingdra comming back I decided to have another go to climbing the ladder a bit with my favorite type of team : rain.
Today I finally reach 1700+ points, which for my standards quite an achivement. So I decided to share with you my teambuilding process and If I can gather some advices to improve the team.
The philosophy :
First of all I wanted a rather offensive team, so Mons like ferrothorn who is quite often great on rain team felt a little bit too passive for my taste of gameplay (I make little breaks at works so I need something rather fastpaced). I don't mind loosing a bit more game as long as they are short.
TeamBuilding :
As long as we speak about rain, Specs Kingdra and Damp Rock Pelipper are king of staples (the pool earlier this week was rather funny). Thoses 2 are the base of the team.
My next question, was : "What can stop a kingdra spamming surf in its track ?", Pokemon like Ferro, Chansey, Toxapex, Primarina, Rillaboom needed to have safe switch ins, because I do not run flip turn on Kingdra to scout. I decided to put Physical defensive Scizor and Toxicroack to fill up thoses 2 roles. Toxicroak has the nice bonus no to be good versus rather slow and bulky team.
Rocks control behing essential in a team I added first a "Utility Starmie", great for soaking status and getting rid the rocks. This guy was latter replaced by Excadrill because it felt like the weak link of the team and Exca also provide rocks (role compression) and electric immunity.
Before presenting the last member of the team which I should have put it way earlier. I would like to present you the honorable mentions (in no particular order) because the 6th slot had a lot of changes throught the different stages of teambuilding :
- Power Herb Starmie : An offensive version of Starmie came back after the Utility one was gone, in the form of Spin to speed + Meteor beam set up, it was fun, but quite never been useful.
- Thunder Usage : Rain usually encourage the use of thunder, so I gave it a try with Magnezone and Special Zeraora, but at that time Hippo was everywhere so it was a problem. I might try them again since I encounter it less.
- SwiftSeismitoad : When I had Utility Starmie, he was my rock setter, acting like a cheap M-Swampert
- Crawdaunt/UrshifuWater : With the role compression provided by Excadrill, I had the room to put another sweeper, tested thoses 2 for a while and did not like them.
Barraskewda is the 6th member : I liked the fact that Urshifu have U-turn and the raw power of Crawdaunt, but they were lacking speed. This guys has both of their advantages (flip turn under the rain hits like a truck) and it has additionnal speed.
The pokepast
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Roost
- U-turn
- Hurricane
This guy is staple on every rain team, Relaxed nature is to be sure to setup the weather as last as possible and to offer a slow U-turn to the rain sweepers. You could run Defog instead of Scald, because usually the targets you want to burn are also good targets for Hurricance (Urshifu) or you have very bad match up against them (Zeraora - Dragapult)
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
To be honest I'm still not quite sure if I should go 252 SpD or Atk, since I usually use it as a safe switch out for Fairies or Special Electric types, the extra special bulk is always welcome in case of anticipation from the opponent. The rest of the set is pretty classic for a rock controller.
Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Hurricane
- Surf
Modest Specs hits very hard, resisted only by the biggest special walls of the metagame. If you can anticipate a switch in on a grass type you can press Hurricane. You have the option to use Flip turn but the other moves are very important to sweep, especially the difference between Surf or Hpump, you want to use surf when most of the opponents Pkmn are frail or weaken because the drop of precision of Hpump can cost games. EV Spread is to outspeed +2 Toxtricity (according to the speed tiers).
Toxicroak @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 84 HP / 252 Atk / 172 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Swords Dance
This guy have 2 roles, the first one is to provide to Kingdra a safe exit from Pkms like Toxapex, Ferrothorn and the Blobs. The recommanded sets usually have Sucker Punch or/and Substitute but status Dragapult exist in the metagame and invalidate thoses 2 options. Gunk shot covers Tangrowth and fairy types (thanks to its double type you can switch on moonblast/draining kiss), Drain Punch is for steels an Earthquake for Toxapex only. Sword Dance allow Toxicroak to act as a sweeper against stall team, it's not a 100%, because you have to OHKO the steel bird or pray it does not have Brave Bird. But I usually don't have time to play vs stall. Here againt the EV is to outspeed Dracozolt, but I think I can go down to Kommo-o/Ttar speed.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
- Knock Off
Acting as a Rillaboum counter and threaten it with U-turn to offer a free switch to the swift swimmer, a defensive spread allows it to switch on Zeraora which is very usefull when you often lead with Pelipper. Knock off is around to help in the Toxapex match-up and getting rid of the different rocky helmets (steel birds, amoongus ...), also usefull against Physical Dragapult.
Barraskewda @ Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Liquidation
- Flip Turn
- Psychic Fangs
Still in testing, but I'm feeling that the two most usefull skill are using Flip Turn as a safe play until you can spam Liquidation on the whole team, the coverage moves are there to make anticipations on Ferrothorn or on Toxapex if you wanna make plays. EV are straightforward since it has shitty bulk He cannot take a hit, so not usefull to make calculation to take an attack.
Stall : The inherent gameplay of this team is weak to stall, the matchup is not unwinnable especially with Toxicroak but you have to take a lot of game loosing risks compared to your opponent.
Feel free to ask any additionnal question before rating, again, I enjoy very much this sort of team even if the gameplay is pretty straightforward.
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