Another Rain Team

[sFire]

Hi. This is my second RMT. I had previously posted another RMT on a Rain Team, and this time, I'm doing the same. This is a new team, quite different from my older one. I've only had it for a few days and it has been doing pretty well. However, I feel like the team could use A LOT of improvements so that's why I'm here. Here's the team.

Politoed (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 Def / 4 Spd / 252 HP
Bold Nature
- Surf
- Protect
- Toxic
- Perish Song

So I chosse a physically defensive Politoed. This allows it to live longer and to occasionally switch in to Tyranitar. Scald is STAB, while Protect allows for some Leftovers recovery. I can Toxic anything that I can predict, and Perish Song is for setup Pokemon.

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
/IMG]Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 236 Def / 20 Spd / 252 HP
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic
- Rapid Spin

I love Tentacruel in the Rain. It is such a reliable spinner. I chose Protect over Substitute because it helps him get some quick HP when he needs it and then he can just switch out. Toxic can help stall with Protect and Rain Dish. I have him on the team because I need a spinner for Gyarados and Tentacruel works very well in the rain. His Poison typing also gives me some resistances, like to Fighting.

Scizor @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Pursuit

This is a basic Choice Band Scizor. He has the only priority on the team. He hits hard with U-turn and allows me to switch into Poltoed when I need rain up. Pursuit traps the Latis and other Psychics. Superpower is there for Ferrothorn, Tyranitar, and some Steel types.

Jolteon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Volt Switch
- Signal Beam
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Jolteon is very powerful. He is the fast Pokemon that this team needed. He is also very powerful and allows me to take some electric attacks aimed at Gyarados, Politoed, and Tentacruel. He can the Volt Switch out to whatever is necessary. Hidden Power Ice is for some Dragons and Thunder has perfect accuracy in Rain. I usually lead with Jolteon.

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SDef
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
- Power Whip

Ferrothorn is a very good wall for this team. It covers many weaknesses aimed at my 3 water Pokemon. He sets up Stealth Rocks and paralyzes stuff. Power Whip is it's attacking move. Leech Seed helps it recover some HP. Under the rain, his Fire weakness is only 2x.

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 204 Spd / 56 HP / 248 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Stone Edge

Gyarados is my sweeper. Waterfall STAB in the rain does massive damage, especiallyb when Gyarados has a Dragon Dance boost and/or a Moxie boost. Stone Edge is the other attacking move, hitting dragons. Substitute helps me avoid status and allows me to sweep with Dragon Dance boosts. He is very deadly in the rain. After 1 Dragon Dance, I am usually fast enough to outspeed many things and paired with Moxie, it's even more dangerous.


So that's the team. It's purpose is basically to weaken things, and then let Gyarados sweep. This team has some weaknesses. Electric attacks are very dangerous, as I have 3 Water Pokemon. Breloom and setup Sweepers are trouble for the team. Starmie is also dangerous, as it is very fast and usually carries Thinder.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[SoulRed12]

One thing that immediately comes to mind is a Gyarados with DD / Waterfall / Stone Edge / Earthquake can be a big problem for this team, particularly once Ferrothorn's out of the picture. But slap a scarf on Jolteon and you can laugh in his face :)

Ferrothorn walls Starmie to heck and back, so I wouldn't worry too much about him.

Breloom's a danger on any team without Xatu or Espeon. Luckily you have CB Scizor who can take a hit bar focus punch and U-turn to break a sub and move to a more appropriate killer (e.g. Jolteon). Beware of +2 Mach punch though. For setup sweepers, just abuse perish song.

 

[HasKal]

This is a really solid rain team, I dont see any major problems with it.

I have a couple of suggestions though, try them if you like them:-

1) Toxic on both Politoed and Tentacruel seems a bit redundant. Try replacing Toxic with Toxic Spikes or Substitute on Tentacruel. Substitute + Protect makes Tentacruel very annoying in the rain, almost like Gliscor in sand.

2) Try using Gyro Ball on Ferrothorn, it gives a really good secondary STAB and ensures you aren't shut down but SubDisable Gengar. You have counter for him in Scizor already, but a backup might be useful at times.

If its not too much to ask, would like to have your feedback for my team. Here's the RMT link --> http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3480892

Good luck for the future, and hope we can play each other sometime on PS. Would love to see how my team fares against yours. :)

 

[sFire]

Thanks for your suggestions. I will definitely try a Choice Scarf on Jolteon and Substitute and Toxic Spikes on Temtacruel. I forgot to mention that Earthquakes are also a problem.

 

[bobhail9]

toxic spikes on tentacruel instead of toxic