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Skip this Introduction
First of all, i must apologize for the english mistakes that will follow up in this text, hopefully not long. I've been playing pokemon for fun since the first version when you used to spend your entire weekend at Safari Zone to catch a Scyther because they looked THAT cool in the anime. Once in a while i check the new versions, even play them, just to see how this game so touching in my childhood has become. It rarely disappointed me in its changes and always kept itself pleasant even for some grown-ups like me due to its requirements of strategy, logic and even mathematician skills. After so many years i decided to take a peak at Smogon, just to see how the real "pro's" do. I decided to post my drizzle team because i always felt seducted by this archetype and i like to believe that i nailed it with this team. It's up for you to agree with me, but since the only reason for this post to exist is to seek for improvement, which i expect to get with your honest opinions.
The Team
Team Updates
18/05/2011: Major changes. Removed Jirachi, Thundurus, Breloom and Keldeo. Included Toxicroak, Espeon, Zapdos and Genesect. Other changes in red.
Politoed @ Leftovers
Drizzle
-Calm-
252 HP / 8 Sp. Atk / 248 Sp. Def
- Scald
- Protect
- Perish Song
- Ice Beam
I've seen several different builds of Politoed as an usual lead, but for this time i preferred a mixed defensive build. The Bold nature was chosen because a Sassy nature wouldn't let a Tyranitar outspeed it (Tyranitar with 0 Evs get 158 Spe, while a Sassy Politoed sticks to 159 on max IVs). Scald for the crippling STAB, which is quite basic for Politoed, Ice Beam for extra coverage, specially in the late game. Perish song to stop the opponent from setting up. Protect for that extra Leftovers heal which is always welcome. The Sp. Atk EV's are there to guarantee OHKO into 4x Ice weakness' fellas, plus that i turned him into a Sp. Def wall, since most attacks directed to it were special. Perish Song replaced Encore because both kinda have the same function, but Perish Song having more uses (like lol'ing when your opponent has 1 pokemon left).
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Iron Barbs
-Sassy-
252 HP / 252 Sp. Def / 4 Def
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Spikes
- Power Whip
The most commonly used pokemon with its ordinary function, being my special wall and bringing hazards to the field. Even though Ferrothorn seems extraordinary in almost every team, the advantage it gets playing in the rain is just outrageous, allowing it to survive even 3 Fire Blasts from a 317 Sp. Atk Tyranitar. The Sassy nature was chosen to boost the Gyro Ball but i believe that the only changeble thing is Spikes for Stealth Rock, i hope you'll help me up in that choice. I certainly wouldn't add Thunder Wave to it since our next guy fills up that spot perfectly well. This is so common and straightforward that i'm just writing this much to guarantee my thread won't be locked lol.
Toxicroak @ Leftovers
Dry Skin
-Adamant-
244 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Def
- Sucker Punch
- Drain Punch
- Substitute
- Bulk Up
Pretty straightforward Toxicroak ripped from the OU Analysis. A beast against other rain teams and my main physical force. Can OHKO Alakazam and Gengar with its Sucker Punch, cripple Ferrothorns with Drain Punch and check opponent's Espeons. Has a great sinergy with Espeon, which was quite the reason why i included this pokemon back. Can easily set up on defensive pokemons and, under the rain, can just spam Bulk Up in front of a Conkeldurr and finish him off with Drain Punch. Sucker Punch makes him an awesome revenge killer with the correct prediction and Drain Punch late-game commonly makes people rage quit.
Espeon @ Leftovers
Magic Bounce
-Timid-
120 HP / 188 Satk / 200 Speed
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Shadow Ball
I didn't expect to ever say this, but this guy can destroy teams by itself. Magic Bounce is just a glorious ability and makes an awesome switch-in against any lead without U-turn. It's the replacement for Keldeo, i've made it more bulky to resist further damage, biggest difference is that it doesn't get walled by Gyarados and, thanks to Magic Bounce, it can totally set up on Blissey/Chansey, without the risk of getting poisoned. The HP Evs leave him with 301 HP, enough to resist 3 Seismic Tosses, generally it only gets walled by opponent's Toxicroak if you can't predict the Sucker Punch correctly, otherwise you'll Psyshock and he'll just answer with Sucker Punch, other than that you can just set up in front of him. Espeon is the reason why i don't run Stealth Rock in my team, playing on PO, without team view, i just directly switch my Politoed to Espeon against most leads not using U-Turn (Genesect i switch to Zapdos to get the boost from Thunderbolt, against Mienshao i protect the Fake Out and send Ferrothorn). I've chose Psyshock over Psychic to have a STAB able to hurt pokemons like Blissey and anything which thinks that can wall this big boy.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Lightningrod
-Timid-
4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Speed
-Thunder
-Hidden Power [Ice]
-Substitute
-Roost
This is what i exchanged Thundurus for. Espeon covers the loss of Taunt and due to Thundurus fragility it always became impossible for it to use Nasty Plot. Since the Sp. Atk is the same on both, i chose the bulkier one, able to easily switch-in against any threat towards Politoed, after the Lightningrod boost it can just break teams. I might change the Hidden Power to Grass, giving me a better choice against common switch-ins like Swampert or even Rotom-W, then i'd include Ice Beam to Genesect. Thanks to Espeon its Rock weakness almost pass by unnoted. This is certainly the biggest pain for Scarf Genesects locked on Thunderbolt, allowing me a free boost and a free substitute.
Genesect @ Life Orb
Download
-Timid-
4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Speed
- Bug Buzz
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ground]
Took me a while to admit that this guy is unbelievable strong. Bug Buzz is the common choice for a STAB, Flamethrower works great against Sun/SS teams, but if i replace Zapdos' Hidden Power i'd replace Flamethrower for Ice Beam. Thunderbolt for additional coverage and Hidden Power [Ground] to cover another absence of my team, plus doing a lot of damage against Sun teams. Even being extremely fragile (at least less than Scizor), Genesect never left the field without carrying 2 other Pokemons with it.
Past Members
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Serene Grace
-Impish-
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Sp. Def
- Iron Head
- Wish
- Body Slam
- Protect
The last member of my defensive core came from Garrett's SS team, the only exception is that i turned it into a defensive wall instead of a sp. def blob. That's the good thing about a 100-each-stat pokemon, you can actually do whatever you want. Politoed burns, Ferrothorn seeds and this guy, due to Serene Grace, paralyzes most of the times. Due to rain its fire weakness turns out just normal and it takes Earthquake hits just like a champ. Also extremelly useful due to my 2 Life Orb users, one of them being weak to Stealth Rock, so passing a Wish may, most of the times, save me a game. Seriously, how can anyone not love Jirachi?
Keldeo @ Leftovers
Justified
-Timid-
252 Sp. Atk / 232 Speed / 24 HP
- Secret Sword
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Calm Mind
I used to have Toxicroak at this spot, but even he being an awesome survivor, most of the time boosting itself on whatever was in front of him, i felt it lacked coverage. After checking Keldeo in other Drizzle team i realized it packed everything i need. Secret Sword with "Chansey/Blissey" tagged on it, plus sending Ferrothorn to the Pearly Gates earlier due to the 200% damage, so Keldeo breaks the Sp. Def walls most used in the metagame. My first objective with this guy was outspeed Jolly Garchomp, which he does with ease and OHKO after a Calm Mind, when it doesn't hit for more than 75% with a Surf in the rain, totally crippling it. It would never outspeed a Thundurus, so the only reason i would put Speed on 252 would be to speed-tie with Virizion. Hidden Power [Flying] was chosen to cover Toxicroak, Virizion and Breloom, which are the "pain in the ass trio" for most drizzle teams.
Thundurus @ Life Orb
Prankster
-Timid-
252 Sp. Atk / 252 Speed / 4 HP
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Taunt
- Nasty Plot
If Thundurus is not everyone's reason to build a Drizzle team, well, then i can solely say it is mine. Devastating speed and special attack, priority Taunt and Nasty Plot, while using Life Orb this guy can obliterate teams entirely after a single Nasty Plot, plus holding on Hidden Power Ice to cover the very common 400% ground pokemons like Gliscor. Even being fragile to Stealth Rock, it is a risk to take since my team has 4 Rock resistances having in Thundurus the only weakness, the ice weakness is covered by Politoed, Jirachi and Keldeo, and thanks to Jirachi he may also come into the field for the Wish while Jirachi is targeted by Earthquakes. It just fits, you know?
Breloom @ Life Orb
Technician
-Adamant-
252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 Def
- Spore
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed
- Swords Dance
The last spot of this team was quite difficult to find out, but i still had some weaknesses to cover, problem is that i had to cover those with a physical revenge killer. I was relying on Thundurus to deal with all the Ground and Electric moves, since he was my only pokemon with resistance/immunity to attacks of those types. Just to make it worst i had 2 Electric weaknesses on Politoed and Keldeo, plus the Ground weakness on Jirachi. So my options were, Scizor or Breloom and i ended up picking Breloom due to the resistance coverage and, of course, Spore, completing the crippling aspect of this team. Breloom covered perfectly well my ground and electric weaknesses and lack of a good physical attacker. Actually, these are just excuses, i love Breloom and i wanted to use him no matter what.
Skip this Conclusion
As most teams, it is never concluded, it's always a working project. I owe you guys a threat list, but i'm really no good in that kind of stuff. I'm anxious for your feedback, no matter what it looks like. Thank you for reading.
