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A UU rain team based around Kingdra. Except not.

This is a team I used hoping to make it support a RestoChest Kingdra. It had Draco, Surf and (filler special move, often changed) but it never really worked out.

TEAM BUILDING PROCESS: Anti-Kingdra ranting. Extremely boring and frustrating to the experienced player. You were warned.
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At first I used these two guys, with the supposedly simple plan of a) ultra fast rain from Electrode b) bail out c) kick royal ass with Kingdra.
The rest were just pokemon I'd (almost) never used competitively and thought off the top of my head fit well together.

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This team did give me a few wins and losses but it wasn't good enough. Kingdra was disappointingly bad, even more so outside of the rain. Yes, I never tried Specs (beats Chesto ANY DAY) OR Chesto/Draco/Surf/Outrage (would have worked because even if their special wall comes in, outrage can finish up) because I was too impatient to try something else:

THE ACTUAL TEAM

CONCENTRATED JUICY GLIMPSE:

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Boring but mandatory DETAILS: ^also dem tails... get it? Because Floatzel is right abov-- Alright I'll stop.

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Onkel Dolan (Ludicolo) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
How do you like them pineapples? When Onkel Dolan is done trolling me with HydroMiss, something goes down. The EVs and moveset are as simplistic as deadly. Max Spe and SpA for max sweeping potential, and coverage that has no counter. The only way to really stop his rampage is to send in something like Snorlax, which isn't hard to predict. Best part is: (in this team) he does everything the aforementioned Kingdra would do, but better. Yes a mixed Kingdra with Rain dance is still better than both yadayada... Oh who cares? Onkel Dolan says SHUT UP! :P


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Ezio (Azelf) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Hasty Nature
- Rain Dance
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Light Screen
Electrode's heir in this team. Still outspeeds Froslass and many Taunt users to safely set up Rain. Opponents don't really lead with Aerodactyl or Crobat, probably because of the abundance of Electric/Ice/Water on this team. I don't find myself using Psychic that often, would TWave be better?


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Ace (Floatzel) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Return
- Rain Dance
The second most common lead, as well as my physical sweeper. When I was creating the team, Ice punch and Crunch caught my eye at first. Believe me, although the final moveset looks like it has shallow and redundant coverage, it works best. Rain dance helps him immediately setup and start sweeping.
Opponents apparently face Flame Orb-Switcheroo or banded Floatzel more often (or barely any Floatzel), because they don't send in often the appropriate counter. Aqua jet over Ice punch is, to tell you the truth, a decision I regret against bulky Shaymin, for example. However, the Life Orb "timer" and the Rain ending untimely make Aqua jet indispensable in many cases. As for Return, it hits Kingdra and water types harder than Ice punch would. Reason enough to use it. Crunch is outdamaged by Waterfall any day in the rain, I'd never use it.


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Summer (Rotom-Mow) @ Choice Specs Okay, why Rotom-C? C stands for neither Mow nor Grass...
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Leaf Storm
- Volt Switch
- Trick
Anti-water. Anti-wall. Period. MVP #2 is here, looking at you behind his shades of questionable style yet undoubted and feared power. The opponent is likely to send in a bulky Ground? BAM Leafstorm. Bulky Water? BAM Thunder. Don't know/not sure yet/Rotom Grass counter? V-switch. Troll/Stall/Wall? Trick'd. A Specs'd wall equals 4/5 win condition because a) it is crippled and b) they've lost momentum. The best way I have to get Sableye of my head effortlessly.
Given the offensive nature of my team and the swift swimmers, apparently many opponents expect a Pain Split Rain Dance set which is not the case, so I sometimes have the element of surprise too.


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Angelo (Cobalion) @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Toxic
- Stone Edge
- Volt Switch
Patches up a few holes my team has, like Fighting (STAB) coverage. Sponges unnecessary Ice type damage in Ludicolo, Rotom and Zapdos' stead, hoping to get a justified boost from the likes of Weavile (must look out for tech-boosted Low kicks). Initially this set had Iron head to ensure a neutral hit to even the most unpredictable switch in. However, most opponents have a bulky ghost at their disposal, who would take 30-35% damage from Iron head plus Vswitch. The answer to that is Toxic. Toxic and CC cover everything but poison types, of whom I can eventually dispose of otherwise. And anyway, it's not like Iron head would damage the average Nidoqueen for that much.
Vswitch is a great move on Cobalion for two reasons: Firstly, I get to keep momentum against anything that isn't ground type. Secondly, Ground types are a common switch-in to Cobalion, so...


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Zapdos @ Damp Rock Ohai guise I don't have a nickname yet can you help plz?
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Roost
- Thunder
- Rain Dance
- Hidden Power [Ice]
...this is the reason why this team, that has already got 2 Levitators and one Ground resist chose Zapdos instead of Raikou in the final moveslot. The moveset does not include SubCM shenanigans, because (points at item) I don't want Zapdos to waste precious rain turns on himself. I even fodder him, if need be, to sustain precious momentum. This is the reason why I'm considering U-turn/Vswitch over Roost, that is barely used right now. By the way, HP Water is the best move if your team is otherwise secure against Grass types, with HP Grass coming in second. It hits Rhypherior just as hard, Nidos are hit for SE damage AND it gets rain-boosted, ensuring more surprise OHKOS than you think it does. HP water is so underappreciated. What is your opinion on Drill peck/HP water?
Zapdos often goes out at the beginning of the match to set up the rain on something that Floatzel can't, and either dies too early to gain momentum or too late, because I'm losing and Raikou/scarfers are faster and at full hp.



Which brings us to this team's TOP THREATS:

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Kingdra: Can abuse my rain, deadly if DDes or Floatzel and Cobalion are down. By far the worst threat.
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Raikou: It's GG when either my Rain or Rotom and Ludicolo are down
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Shaymin: Will sometimes Seed flare before the Ice beam (if I have to switch for example) causing unnecessary deaths that gain me little momentum, depends on whether I can revenge kill.
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Stall pokemon that outpredict me, mostly a pain if Rotom is down.
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Scarfed Heracross and Honchkrow (both Moxie) have turned a 3-1 or 4-1 into a 0-1. Even with Zapdos and Cobalion in the 60ish range. Jesus those nightmares.

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IN CONCLUSION:
I suffer from the classic "All 6 pokemon and all their moves are perfect but I'm still losing what can I do pls halp" syndrome. I have really reached that point where I hesitate to change anything because it seems to be towards the wrong direction. Of course I don't expect to always win but there is definitely room for improvement. I hope you can help Onkel Dolan and his gang overcome what they fear most whilst giving up the least of their acquired awesomeness. tl;dr: Feedback gladly appreciated.
I also hope this is easy and fun to read and rate!

Appreciate,
Exbo
 
Bump.
Come on, this was (until bumped...) the ONLY team in the first page of UU with no replies AT ALL. Should I have put "first team" on the title?

Anyway, the team now looks like this:

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Ezio (Azelf) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 216 Spd / 252 HP / 40 Atk
Jolly Nature
- Rain Dance
- Ice Punch
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
New comments: Slightly decreased Spe to just barely outspeed the fastest Froslass, dumped the rest into Atk. Maybe you recommend they be put to bulk instead?
Azelf was also given Ice punch, since I almost never used Psychic. Light screen replaced with SR because this team completely lacked hazards and also I barely used Light screen at all.

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Onkel Dolan (Ludicolo) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
No changes.

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Ace (Floatzel) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Return
- Rain Dance
New comments: Decreased Spe to just barely outspeed the fastest Kingdra, dumped the rest into HP.

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Poseidon (Kingdra) (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Lonely Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Outrage
- Waterfall
- Rain Dance
Comments: The Kingdra that I wanted to try out that had its place in the team stolen by Ludicolo, now took Zapdos' spot. Does better work than Zapdos did. Still has Rain dance.
I am thinking of switching Hydro pump with Waterfall and switching the Atk EVs to Spa.
Note that I am comparing Kingdra to Zapdos and not the previous Kingdra. That's because I noted that Zapdos didn't do anything in particular that the average UU sweeper didn't, besides losing to Stone edge/SR. I initially had intended for him to tank a few EQs but that didn't happen so often, so the flying type was holding the team back a bit.

Comment for all 3 water sweepers: I'm not sure if I've given them the right items. I'm thinking of giving all 3 a Life Orb, or maybe give Kingdra Leftovers. What works for you?
Obviously I'm not going to choice them in any way, Rain Dance & 3 attacks are the best moveset that works for me.

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Summer (Rotom-Mow) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Leaf Storm
- Volt Switch
- Trick
No changes. Still takes any attack a water type does not want to, and since I now have three, his job is as important as ever. Also tanks EQs for Cobalion like a boss. No bulk investment at all, because I use him for his resistances and immunities, plus his boss Spa. Still counters his counters, still tricks their walls.

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Angelo (Cobalion) @ Leftovers
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Toxic
- Stone Edge
- Volt Switch
New comments: A bulkier version of the previous Cobalion, since a big part of its job was (and is) to tank Dracos and Outrages. Snorlax and Bronzong are kinda bigger threats now though.

Draciel (Hitmontop) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Close Combat
- Rapid Spin
- Sucker Punch & Pursuit OR
- Toxic & Beat up

May take Cobalion's spot, but not yet. If I do it, I'll have nothing to tank Dracos. Plus I don't like using slow pokemon, I want to know who I can outspeed.
Still, I'm testing it.

Lanturn @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 SAtk / 252 HP / 252 SDef
Calm Nature
- Thunder
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Volt Switch

Can tank the same attacks Rotom can. Except EQ. Also cannot cripple walls, bar Scald burn hax. Not considering it, for the time being.

Ezio (Azelf) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 216 Spd / 252 HP / 40 Atk
Jolly Nature
- Rain Dance
- Ice Punch
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock

Onkel Dolan (Ludicolo) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance

Ace (Floatzel) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Return
- Rain Dance

Poseidon (Kingdra) (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Lonely Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Outrage
- Waterfall
- Rain Dance

Summer (Rotom-Mow) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Leaf Storm
- Volt Switch
- Trick

Angelo (Cobalion) @ Leftovers
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Toxic
- Stone Edge
- Volt Switch

That's it. Feedback appreciated :)
 
Hey looks like a pretty solid Rain team. A few things I think could be changed however:

Firstly, I think there are better options than Floatzel. Kabutops is a much more threatening sweeper in the rain thanks to it's access to STAB Stone Edge and Swords Dance. Here's a set I think will work well:
Kabutops @ Lum Berry
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
-Waterfall
-Stone Edge
-Aqua Jet/Rain Dance
-Swords Dance
Thanks to Kabutop's nice resistances and it's ability to force switches while in the rain, getting a Swords Dance up can be pretty easy. After a Swords Dance it will destroy absolutely everything until the rain runs out.

I don't really understand the point of running just Ice Punch on Azelf, it seems like kind of a waste of time. I honestly think Psychic would just be a better, or atleast something STAB boosted as your only attack.
 
I just happen to find myself in situations where Ice punch is more useful than Psychic.
As for Kabutops, note that he does not meet a critical condition, which is "Outspeeding ANY Kingdra".
However, I'll admit that I haven't thought of it yet and will give it a shot.
 
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