Name has little to do with anything relevant. It's just what I called the file because that's what I called the file.
Also, I'm obviously new here, and new to RMTs in general. Thought I'd try my luck though.
A bit about myself: I've been battling competitively in varying degrees of exposure since Diamond and Pearl. I only hit the simulator-scene this year though, and currently manage a gym league over a different simulator. I'm not great with battling, but I don't usually suck. Usually. Lately, I have been sucking a lot, however. Hence me making this topic.
A bit about the team: I made the team mid-February of this year, and have used it almost exclusively since. You can imagine, then, that it's done pretty well (until like, this week) and I've had plenty of practiced. Also noteworthy is that in that entire time I've changed nothing about it. Unrelated, while I don't seek out doubles matches, this team tends to do superbly in 2v2 as well.
The Competitive Environment: Our server does not always use standard tiers or rules, but at the same time, I often play people outside of my server, so I have to account for their advantages within our restrictions, namely:
All legendary Pokemon are banned. All non-legendary are allowed. This, of course, means Garchomp, Salamence and Wobbuffet are fair game.
We often play with no clauses. At all. But sometimes do.
So this means that while I cannot use legendaries myself, I should be prepared to fight them (although I very rarely get challenged by uber-legend users). The no clauses thing means that Breloom tends to be much more dangerous than in a normal environment. Sleep aside, the others don't see much abuse.
All that said, let's begin.
The Team, at a glance:
Crobat @ Damp Rock
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Spe
Nature:
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- U-Turn
- Rain Dance
Crobat mainly functions as a support role, having one of the fastest Rain Dances in the game. Naturally, speed is maxed out, so I can usually get a rain dance in even against a Taunting Aerodactyl or other Anti-Lead. HP EVs are maxed out to make the most of Roost (which heals off Brave Bird recoil or stealth rock damage), and ensure I can take most non-super effective attacks on a switch to set up emergency rain.
Crobat is also my main line of defense against grass types, which tend to be a problem for the rest of my team. With a 4x resistance to grass types, and Brave Bird and U-Turn ready to hit super effective, with Roost for staying power, Crobat spells death for the otherwise pesky grass types- even with next to no Attack EVs.
Celebii won't enjoy a 4x super effective U-turn to the face, which would also cancel out any leech seed action going on, at which point, I can switch to Sharpedo for an Ice Fang, or Bronzong for some stall/set-up if necessary. Brave Bird is more than enough to tear apart any given Breloom or Infernape, or take a respectable chunk out of any sweeper that doesn't resist it.
Lead Azelf and Uxie often times try to Psychic Crobat from the get go. Crobat is necessarily faster, and U-turns to Sharpedo, who will take their Psychics, and Crunch them back before they have a chance to do anything. What is less successful is if such a Pokemon runs Thunderbolt instead, then I end up down a Sharpedo. For this reason, if Brave Bird and U-turn are both resisted, I will often switch to...
Bronzong @ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
Nature: Impish
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Rain Dance
- Hypnosis
While Crobat is my speedy rain support, Bronzong is my bulky dancer. How a bell dances, I don't know, but that's what it does. Levitate Bronzong in the rain virtually has no weaknesses, and Bronzong has enough girth to take almost any unboosted attack thrown at it at least once or twice. In this time, I have a number of options.
U-Turning to Bronzong at the outset gives me a chance to get Stealth Rocks up nice and early. On the other hand, if I expect a switch, I can Rain Dance at the get-go, allowing me to power-up my sweepers to counter whatever they bring out, or spin my luck on Hypnosis to buy me time to set up both Stealth Rocks, Rain, or Explode on whatever wants to come in instead.
Hypnosis, I realize, is a risky choice with its low accuracy, and sometimes that costs me. That said, I've found it to be more often helpful than not, but I originally chose it only out of a lack of a more obviously fitting fourth move. I do enjoy the sleep time, however, which as I said, grants me time to set up and explode, or just switch to my favorite sweeper at the time.
Bronzong also ends up being sleep fodder for Breloom in a pinch. It takes two focus punches from the average breloom, which means that it has that time to wake up, Explode and take out the sub, allowing Sharpedo or Crobat to come in and beast out the Breloom.
Fighting types that come in hoping to get a solid hit on Bronzong often find themselves punching at a 4x resisting crobat with a Brave Bird ready to counter, while Fire types hoping to melt it away in or out of rain find themselves similarly stopped by Kingdra's 4x fire resistance, who can then dance away on a switch. More often, however, if the opponent is a sleeping duck, I'll send in...
Rotom-W @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Nature: Timid
- Thunder
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
Rotom is my early-game sweeper. It's speed is maxed, and although it can't take a Shadow Ball from a Gengar or Scarfed enemy Rotom, Bronzong, Kingdra and Sharpedo (to a lesser extent) will be happy to. The power, naturally, comes from the specs, and the pure brofulness of a 100% accurate STAB Thunder or Rain Boosted Hydro Pump. Of course, few Pokemon enjoy a STAB Specs Shadow Ball either.
Of those few, Pokemon, however, Blissey is one of them that loves to come in on any of Rotom's attacks, except perhaps Trick. Oftentimes, if I intercept a Blissey or other wall, tricking Specs on to it often cripples it to an imminent destruction. If I miss the prediction, though, I'm forced to take on a Thunder-wave. Most often, Bronzong or Starmie will eat this, but Starmie itself can't exactly do much that's useful against Blissey, and all Bronzong can do is Explode. If the opponent predicts explosion, and switches in a ghost, steel or Tyranitar, I effectively lose Bronzong and solve nothing. Another common problem is Pursuit Tyranitar or Scizor coming in on choice Shadow Ball... That I have yet to account for.
That minor draw back aside, Rotom is usually fantastic at what it does- maybe takes a hit or two, and kills back. The opening combination of Rotom and Crobat in a doubles match also tends to be amazing, with Crobat rain dancing, and giving Rotom the 100% Thunder right off the get-go. With its speed, it tends to be faster than most of its opponents in doubles, at least that I've seen, and can usually take one out with ease on the first turn. In Furthermore, in doubles, Rotom can allow Bronzong to explode and take out two opponents without further sacrifice to my team, while also ignoring (along with Crobat and Bronzong) the powerful Earthquake attack from...
Sharpedo @ Choice Band
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Aqua Jet
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
...How this thing causes an Earthquake, I'll never understand, but it does, and pretty well. At any rate, Sharpedo is undeserving of its NU ranking. Sharpedo has been wonderful for me, between absorbing the psychic attacks Crobat attracts, and resisting the dark/ghost moves against Starmie and Rotom. True, it's not going to be taking more than one of those, or any unresisted hit any time soon, but it does provide some attractive synergy for my team.
That, however, is not the reason I chose it. With 120 base attack and rain, Sharpedo's Aqua Jet's power is comparable to that of Scizor's Bullet Punch, but with considerably better type coverage. Crunch is there for a more powerful stab, and for taking out slower ghosts that pit themselves against Starmie (Rain-boosted Aqua Jet can take care of the average Gengar).
Earthquake will clean up any Magnezone or Heatran that have something to say about Bronzong, while Ice Fang is reserved for any grass-types that are giving me trouble after Crobat. In theory, it would do a number on the dragons, but the truth is Sharpedo just isn't fast enough to do anything to your average dragon.
One question I get a lot is why did I not use the OU Aqua Jet, Kabutops, who also has Swift Swim? I will be honest- the reason is because I don't like Kabutops, and I don't use Pokemon I don't like. That said, Sharpedo does have its advantages.
Firstly- higher base attack. Not much, but it is higher.
Secondly, although Swim is ultimately more useful than Rough Skin, I have caused double KO's to life orbers (often Lucario) as a result of Rough Skin.
Also, the fact is a number people see a Sharpedo and either: don't know what to expect, or assume it's weak and underestimate it, and especially ignore its final advantage:
The access to Earthquake, and Ice Fang, both types that Kabutops (from a brief glimpse) seems to lack (and I don't blame them, I mean I would not expect a tiny half-shark to cause an earthquake either but okay Gamefreak, whatever you say).
Overall, Kabutops is the more popular choice simply for Swift Swim, but I've enjoyed success enough with Sharpedo not to default to that. Plus, I don't really need more of a grass weakness without Ice Fang, between this and...
Starmie @ Damp Rock
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Nature: Timid
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Hydro Pump
- Rapid Spin
Starmie is my mid-battle Rain Support, when Bronzong and Crobat have chumped it. Thunder and Hydro Pump, though redundant to Rotom, come here on a pretty different set of weaknesses (the dark/ghost part aside), along with another quick Rain Dance for immediate offense.
With maxed speed, Starmie is also able to outspeed many other threats, such as Infernape to a badly choice-locked Sharpedo, or especially a +1 Bulky Gyarados (which loves to come in and dance on Sharpedo, and it can still OHKO with Thunder. Faster Gyarados are met with less success, however...).
Starmie also is a complete counter to Skarmory, being able to survive a Brave Bird, kill with Thunder, and spin away spikes and rocks. However, lately I have been considering replacing Rapid Spin with Ice beam, so as to get another leg up on the dragons and grass types. That was an odd interjection. Anyway. While Starmie destroys Skarmory, it, like Rotom suffers against Blissey. Given that I often switch Starmie into chump a Thunder Wave (Or Toxic if Bronzong and Crobat are out already) with natural cure, I then lose time and about 100 HP from a Seismic Toss switching to one of my physical attackers for a retaliation (which Blissey likes to run away from anyway so it doesn't even matter).
Beyond those shortcomings, however, Starmie is an excellent spin/dance and sweeper, but I find it most often purely setting up for...
Kingdra @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 156 HP/252 Atk/100 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Rain Dance
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Outrage
Double Dance Kingdra is my star sweeper. Bulky enough to handle a hit or two while it sets up, but fast enough in rain to out speed the average sweeper. Gengar, Infernape and Lucario typically keel over and die instantly against Waterfall. Any dragon un-boosted dragon that Kingdra meets in the rain is effectively toast. If Kingdra comes in on a retreating fire type that failed to take out Bronzong, it can dance on the switch and proceed to own nearly everything, at least until it has to switch out to recover from confusion.
Kingdra's biggest weakness is status effects of any kind. While Leftovers grants it set up time, it also gives it more time to wreak havoc as it dies from toxic. On the other hand, paralysis and burn will nearly shut Kingdra down entirely. That's what Starmies are for, though it is sad to lose any stat up.
Kingdra has both Rain Dance and Dragon Dance to suit the occasion, as Rain Dance boosts Waterfall and speed more than a single Dragon Dance. Of course, if it can come in on rain already and dance once or twice before having to save itself with a sweep (or at least until the Outrage ends) that ends up being phenomenal destruction.
A situation which I have encountered several times now, however is this: A vulnerable (sub not yet set up) Breloom opposes an un-danced Kingdra in the rain. Kingdra is faster in rain, not without, but as I have discovered time after time, an un-boosted Outrage will not KO this Breloom from full health, and thus it is free to spore, sub and sweep. As I write this, I continue to consider the Substituting Kingdra option that seems to be growing in popularity, but having seen that only on non-rain teams, I'm hesitant to resign the rain dance slot on a team full of Pokemon that benefit from it.
Dilemmas. But that's why I'm making this topic. To close, some common problems:
1. Electric attacks- the only thing I have that resists them is Rotom. As they often come from Jolteon, which in turn packs Shadow Ball, that doesn't exactly... Work.
2. Grass types- Crobat and Bronzong can take on the attacks, but if Crobat goes down I find myself at a loss as a quick strike back, with Kingdra depending on Dragon Dance, Sharpedo needing to outspeed, and Rotom's Shadow Ball becoming a potential invitation for
3. Blissey. Way to render a third of my team useless, Blissey.
4. SkarmBliss. Way to render the rest of my team useless with it, Skarmory. Sure, Starmie and Rotom can knock that bird down instantly if Blissey isn't around, but the couple together has given me some pretty nasty results.
5. Breloom. It tends to be faster than Bronzong, Sharpedo and Kingdra out of rain, and with no sleep clause, that's potent.
6. Scizor and Jirachi. Fire moves don't exactly fit in on a Rain Dance team, but Sharpedo can take care of Jirachi if it isn't running Thunderbolt.
7. TrickScarf leads... make me want to kill myself, and so far I've been horrible at predicting them.
8. Dragon Dancers that I let get to +2. I have not enjoyed those 6-0s...
9. Faster DD Gyarados with +1. If Starmie goes down its all over.
10. Curselax- my Specials don't have the power to kill it before it sets up, and with no fighting moves, I'm SOL by the time I switch.
That's a lot of problems. And that's just what I've noticed lately. There's a lot to be accounted for here, but I thank you all for reading, and any help you might offer.
Images courtesy of Bulbapedia and Arkeis.
Also, I'm obviously new here, and new to RMTs in general. Thought I'd try my luck though.
A bit about myself: I've been battling competitively in varying degrees of exposure since Diamond and Pearl. I only hit the simulator-scene this year though, and currently manage a gym league over a different simulator. I'm not great with battling, but I don't usually suck. Usually. Lately, I have been sucking a lot, however. Hence me making this topic.
A bit about the team: I made the team mid-February of this year, and have used it almost exclusively since. You can imagine, then, that it's done pretty well (until like, this week) and I've had plenty of practiced. Also noteworthy is that in that entire time I've changed nothing about it. Unrelated, while I don't seek out doubles matches, this team tends to do superbly in 2v2 as well.
The Competitive Environment: Our server does not always use standard tiers or rules, but at the same time, I often play people outside of my server, so I have to account for their advantages within our restrictions, namely:
All legendary Pokemon are banned. All non-legendary are allowed. This, of course, means Garchomp, Salamence and Wobbuffet are fair game.
We often play with no clauses. At all. But sometimes do.
So this means that while I cannot use legendaries myself, I should be prepared to fight them (although I very rarely get challenged by uber-legend users). The no clauses thing means that Breloom tends to be much more dangerous than in a normal environment. Sleep aside, the others don't see much abuse.
All that said, let's begin.
The Team, at a glance:
Crobat @ Damp Rock
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Spe
Nature:
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- U-Turn
- Rain Dance
Crobat mainly functions as a support role, having one of the fastest Rain Dances in the game. Naturally, speed is maxed out, so I can usually get a rain dance in even against a Taunting Aerodactyl or other Anti-Lead. HP EVs are maxed out to make the most of Roost (which heals off Brave Bird recoil or stealth rock damage), and ensure I can take most non-super effective attacks on a switch to set up emergency rain.
Crobat is also my main line of defense against grass types, which tend to be a problem for the rest of my team. With a 4x resistance to grass types, and Brave Bird and U-Turn ready to hit super effective, with Roost for staying power, Crobat spells death for the otherwise pesky grass types- even with next to no Attack EVs.
Celebii won't enjoy a 4x super effective U-turn to the face, which would also cancel out any leech seed action going on, at which point, I can switch to Sharpedo for an Ice Fang, or Bronzong for some stall/set-up if necessary. Brave Bird is more than enough to tear apart any given Breloom or Infernape, or take a respectable chunk out of any sweeper that doesn't resist it.
Lead Azelf and Uxie often times try to Psychic Crobat from the get go. Crobat is necessarily faster, and U-turns to Sharpedo, who will take their Psychics, and Crunch them back before they have a chance to do anything. What is less successful is if such a Pokemon runs Thunderbolt instead, then I end up down a Sharpedo. For this reason, if Brave Bird and U-turn are both resisted, I will often switch to...
Bronzong @ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
Nature: Impish
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Rain Dance
- Hypnosis
While Crobat is my speedy rain support, Bronzong is my bulky dancer. How a bell dances, I don't know, but that's what it does. Levitate Bronzong in the rain virtually has no weaknesses, and Bronzong has enough girth to take almost any unboosted attack thrown at it at least once or twice. In this time, I have a number of options.
U-Turning to Bronzong at the outset gives me a chance to get Stealth Rocks up nice and early. On the other hand, if I expect a switch, I can Rain Dance at the get-go, allowing me to power-up my sweepers to counter whatever they bring out, or spin my luck on Hypnosis to buy me time to set up both Stealth Rocks, Rain, or Explode on whatever wants to come in instead.
Hypnosis, I realize, is a risky choice with its low accuracy, and sometimes that costs me. That said, I've found it to be more often helpful than not, but I originally chose it only out of a lack of a more obviously fitting fourth move. I do enjoy the sleep time, however, which as I said, grants me time to set up and explode, or just switch to my favorite sweeper at the time.
Bronzong also ends up being sleep fodder for Breloom in a pinch. It takes two focus punches from the average breloom, which means that it has that time to wake up, Explode and take out the sub, allowing Sharpedo or Crobat to come in and beast out the Breloom.
Fighting types that come in hoping to get a solid hit on Bronzong often find themselves punching at a 4x resisting crobat with a Brave Bird ready to counter, while Fire types hoping to melt it away in or out of rain find themselves similarly stopped by Kingdra's 4x fire resistance, who can then dance away on a switch. More often, however, if the opponent is a sleeping duck, I'll send in...
Rotom-W @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Nature: Timid
- Thunder
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
Rotom is my early-game sweeper. It's speed is maxed, and although it can't take a Shadow Ball from a Gengar or Scarfed enemy Rotom, Bronzong, Kingdra and Sharpedo (to a lesser extent) will be happy to. The power, naturally, comes from the specs, and the pure brofulness of a 100% accurate STAB Thunder or Rain Boosted Hydro Pump. Of course, few Pokemon enjoy a STAB Specs Shadow Ball either.
Of those few, Pokemon, however, Blissey is one of them that loves to come in on any of Rotom's attacks, except perhaps Trick. Oftentimes, if I intercept a Blissey or other wall, tricking Specs on to it often cripples it to an imminent destruction. If I miss the prediction, though, I'm forced to take on a Thunder-wave. Most often, Bronzong or Starmie will eat this, but Starmie itself can't exactly do much that's useful against Blissey, and all Bronzong can do is Explode. If the opponent predicts explosion, and switches in a ghost, steel or Tyranitar, I effectively lose Bronzong and solve nothing. Another common problem is Pursuit Tyranitar or Scizor coming in on choice Shadow Ball... That I have yet to account for.
That minor draw back aside, Rotom is usually fantastic at what it does- maybe takes a hit or two, and kills back. The opening combination of Rotom and Crobat in a doubles match also tends to be amazing, with Crobat rain dancing, and giving Rotom the 100% Thunder right off the get-go. With its speed, it tends to be faster than most of its opponents in doubles, at least that I've seen, and can usually take one out with ease on the first turn. In Furthermore, in doubles, Rotom can allow Bronzong to explode and take out two opponents without further sacrifice to my team, while also ignoring (along with Crobat and Bronzong) the powerful Earthquake attack from...
Sharpedo @ Choice Band
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Aqua Jet
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
...How this thing causes an Earthquake, I'll never understand, but it does, and pretty well. At any rate, Sharpedo is undeserving of its NU ranking. Sharpedo has been wonderful for me, between absorbing the psychic attacks Crobat attracts, and resisting the dark/ghost moves against Starmie and Rotom. True, it's not going to be taking more than one of those, or any unresisted hit any time soon, but it does provide some attractive synergy for my team.
That, however, is not the reason I chose it. With 120 base attack and rain, Sharpedo's Aqua Jet's power is comparable to that of Scizor's Bullet Punch, but with considerably better type coverage. Crunch is there for a more powerful stab, and for taking out slower ghosts that pit themselves against Starmie (Rain-boosted Aqua Jet can take care of the average Gengar).
Earthquake will clean up any Magnezone or Heatran that have something to say about Bronzong, while Ice Fang is reserved for any grass-types that are giving me trouble after Crobat. In theory, it would do a number on the dragons, but the truth is Sharpedo just isn't fast enough to do anything to your average dragon.
One question I get a lot is why did I not use the OU Aqua Jet, Kabutops, who also has Swift Swim? I will be honest- the reason is because I don't like Kabutops, and I don't use Pokemon I don't like. That said, Sharpedo does have its advantages.
Firstly- higher base attack. Not much, but it is higher.
Secondly, although Swim is ultimately more useful than Rough Skin, I have caused double KO's to life orbers (often Lucario) as a result of Rough Skin.
Also, the fact is a number people see a Sharpedo and either: don't know what to expect, or assume it's weak and underestimate it, and especially ignore its final advantage:
The access to Earthquake, and Ice Fang, both types that Kabutops (from a brief glimpse) seems to lack (and I don't blame them, I mean I would not expect a tiny half-shark to cause an earthquake either but okay Gamefreak, whatever you say).
Overall, Kabutops is the more popular choice simply for Swift Swim, but I've enjoyed success enough with Sharpedo not to default to that. Plus, I don't really need more of a grass weakness without Ice Fang, between this and...
Starmie @ Damp Rock
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Nature: Timid
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Hydro Pump
- Rapid Spin
Starmie is my mid-battle Rain Support, when Bronzong and Crobat have chumped it. Thunder and Hydro Pump, though redundant to Rotom, come here on a pretty different set of weaknesses (the dark/ghost part aside), along with another quick Rain Dance for immediate offense.
With maxed speed, Starmie is also able to outspeed many other threats, such as Infernape to a badly choice-locked Sharpedo, or especially a +1 Bulky Gyarados (which loves to come in and dance on Sharpedo, and it can still OHKO with Thunder. Faster Gyarados are met with less success, however...).
Starmie also is a complete counter to Skarmory, being able to survive a Brave Bird, kill with Thunder, and spin away spikes and rocks. However, lately I have been considering replacing Rapid Spin with Ice beam, so as to get another leg up on the dragons and grass types. That was an odd interjection. Anyway. While Starmie destroys Skarmory, it, like Rotom suffers against Blissey. Given that I often switch Starmie into chump a Thunder Wave (Or Toxic if Bronzong and Crobat are out already) with natural cure, I then lose time and about 100 HP from a Seismic Toss switching to one of my physical attackers for a retaliation (which Blissey likes to run away from anyway so it doesn't even matter).
Beyond those shortcomings, however, Starmie is an excellent spin/dance and sweeper, but I find it most often purely setting up for...
Kingdra @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 156 HP/252 Atk/100 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Rain Dance
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Outrage
Double Dance Kingdra is my star sweeper. Bulky enough to handle a hit or two while it sets up, but fast enough in rain to out speed the average sweeper. Gengar, Infernape and Lucario typically keel over and die instantly against Waterfall. Any dragon un-boosted dragon that Kingdra meets in the rain is effectively toast. If Kingdra comes in on a retreating fire type that failed to take out Bronzong, it can dance on the switch and proceed to own nearly everything, at least until it has to switch out to recover from confusion.
Kingdra's biggest weakness is status effects of any kind. While Leftovers grants it set up time, it also gives it more time to wreak havoc as it dies from toxic. On the other hand, paralysis and burn will nearly shut Kingdra down entirely. That's what Starmies are for, though it is sad to lose any stat up.
Kingdra has both Rain Dance and Dragon Dance to suit the occasion, as Rain Dance boosts Waterfall and speed more than a single Dragon Dance. Of course, if it can come in on rain already and dance once or twice before having to save itself with a sweep (or at least until the Outrage ends) that ends up being phenomenal destruction.
A situation which I have encountered several times now, however is this: A vulnerable (sub not yet set up) Breloom opposes an un-danced Kingdra in the rain. Kingdra is faster in rain, not without, but as I have discovered time after time, an un-boosted Outrage will not KO this Breloom from full health, and thus it is free to spore, sub and sweep. As I write this, I continue to consider the Substituting Kingdra option that seems to be growing in popularity, but having seen that only on non-rain teams, I'm hesitant to resign the rain dance slot on a team full of Pokemon that benefit from it.
Dilemmas. But that's why I'm making this topic. To close, some common problems:
1. Electric attacks- the only thing I have that resists them is Rotom. As they often come from Jolteon, which in turn packs Shadow Ball, that doesn't exactly... Work.
2. Grass types- Crobat and Bronzong can take on the attacks, but if Crobat goes down I find myself at a loss as a quick strike back, with Kingdra depending on Dragon Dance, Sharpedo needing to outspeed, and Rotom's Shadow Ball becoming a potential invitation for
3. Blissey. Way to render a third of my team useless, Blissey.
4. SkarmBliss. Way to render the rest of my team useless with it, Skarmory. Sure, Starmie and Rotom can knock that bird down instantly if Blissey isn't around, but the couple together has given me some pretty nasty results.
5. Breloom. It tends to be faster than Bronzong, Sharpedo and Kingdra out of rain, and with no sleep clause, that's potent.
6. Scizor and Jirachi. Fire moves don't exactly fit in on a Rain Dance team, but Sharpedo can take care of Jirachi if it isn't running Thunderbolt.
7. TrickScarf leads... make me want to kill myself, and so far I've been horrible at predicting them.
8. Dragon Dancers that I let get to +2. I have not enjoyed those 6-0s...
9. Faster DD Gyarados with +1. If Starmie goes down its all over.
10. Curselax- my Specials don't have the power to kill it before it sets up, and with no fighting moves, I'm SOL by the time I switch.
That's a lot of problems. And that's just what I've noticed lately. There's a lot to be accounted for here, but I thank you all for reading, and any help you might offer.
Images courtesy of Bulbapedia and Arkeis.
