[SET]
Rain Sweeper (Horsea) @ Mystic Water
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Grass
[SET COMMENTS]
Horsea is a threatening cleaner, using rain and Swift Swim to outspeed foes like Ponyta and OHKO them with a strong Hydro Pump. Mystic Water, in conjunction with rain and Hydro Pump, lets Horsea 2HKO Special Walls such as Porygon and Drowzee. Ice Beam is useful against Grass-types, notably hitting Tropius. Hidden Power Grass hits Water-types that can comfortably take a Hydro Pump, notably Seaking and Chinchou.
Horsea is exclusively used on dedicated rain teams due to its strong Water-type attacks and Swift Swim, so partners like Voltorb and Seaking help out a ton to set rain up. Voltorb, in particular, can set up rain and then use Explosion to grant Horsea a safe entry. Fellow rain sweepers such as Lombre and Seaking can team up with Horsea to break through their shared checks such as Gloom. Setup sweepers like Beedrill heavily appreciate Horsea's ability to remove potential threats, notably Mightyena, Ponyta, and Rhyhorn. Horsea struggles very much when rain isn't up, as it is then outsped and KOed by a majority of the tier. Bulkier opponents that can take an attack and easily retaliate with strong attacks like Gloom and Seaking prove to be issues as well, even with Horsea's coverage. Using Pokemon like Doduo and Chinchou can help break through annoying checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Horsea can choose the more consistent STAB option of Surf, but this makes Horsea lose a lot of its firepower. Toxic can chip away at special walls such as Porygon, yet it is at the cost of Horsea lowering its offensive presence or losing the ability to set rain. Lum Berry can protect Horsea from things like Toxic or paralysis but it means that Horsea will lose a lot of the firepower it gains from Mystic Water.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Porygon, Delcatty, and Noctowl are able to take an attack and retaliate for big damage into Horsea's weak defenses. Delcatty, in particular, is able to stall out rain turns with Protect.
**Grass-types**: Gloom and other, more niche Grass-types such as Lombre and Sunflora prove to be a struggle for Horsea, resisting Hydro Pump and easily taking an Ice Beam.
**Bulky Water-types**: Even with Hidden Power Grass, Horsea struggles to break through bulky Water-types like Chinchou, Wartortle, and Clamperl, which can all deal big damage to Horsea.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengu.650323/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Rain Sweeper (Horsea) @ Mystic Water
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Grass
[SET COMMENTS]
Horsea is a threatening cleaner, using rain and Swift Swim to outspeed foes like Ponyta and OHKO them with a strong Hydro Pump. Mystic Water, in conjunction with rain and Hydro Pump, lets Horsea 2HKO Special Walls such as Porygon and Drowzee. Ice Beam is useful against Grass-types, notably hitting Tropius. Hidden Power Grass hits Water-types that can comfortably take a Hydro Pump, notably Seaking and Chinchou.
Horsea is exclusively used on dedicated rain teams due to its strong Water-type attacks and Swift Swim, so partners like Voltorb and Seaking help out a ton to set rain up. Voltorb, in particular, can set up rain and then use Explosion to grant Horsea a safe entry. Fellow rain sweepers such as Lombre and Seaking can team up with Horsea to break through their shared checks such as Gloom. Setup sweepers like Beedrill heavily appreciate Horsea's ability to remove potential threats, notably Mightyena, Ponyta, and Rhyhorn. Horsea struggles very much when rain isn't up, as it is then outsped and KOed by a majority of the tier. Bulkier opponents that can take an attack and easily retaliate with strong attacks like Gloom and Seaking prove to be issues as well, even with Horsea's coverage. Using Pokemon like Doduo and Chinchou can help break through annoying checks.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Horsea can choose the more consistent STAB option of Surf, but this makes Horsea lose a lot of its firepower. Toxic can chip away at special walls such as Porygon, yet it is at the cost of Horsea lowering its offensive presence or losing the ability to set rain. Lum Berry can protect Horsea from things like Toxic or paralysis but it means that Horsea will lose a lot of the firepower it gains from Mystic Water.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Walls**: Special walls such as Porygon, Delcatty, and Noctowl are able to take an attack and retaliate for big damage into Horsea's weak defenses. Delcatty, in particular, is able to stall out rain turns with Protect.
**Grass-types**: Gloom and other, more niche Grass-types such as Lombre and Sunflora prove to be a struggle for Horsea, resisting Hydro Pump and easily taking an Ice Beam.
**Bulky Water-types**: Even with Hidden Power Grass, Horsea struggles to break through bulky Water-types like Chinchou, Wartortle, and Clamperl, which can all deal big damage to Horsea.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengu.650323/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Last edited: