Caution When Wet: Offensive Rain Dance Team

[TheValkyries]

Well I've tinkered and played with this team for a long time, and I can't think of really anything else to do with it. It works fantastic most of the time, but for some reason just can't stay consistent.


**Changes in bold red**


Sweeping Corps:

Floatzel

@Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EV: 232 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def / 16 Spe
- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Roar

This guy is mostly for the element of surprise. He can reliably set up a Rain Dance on nearly every lead that isn't named Ambipom, and can then proceed to cause general havoc. Waterfall for a primary STAB move and Ice Punch for extra coverage. Roar is there to scout the enemy team, get rid of pesky counters they attempt to bring in, and to just ruin baton passing leads.

May switch to:

Lead:

Jirachi

@ Damp Rock
Ability: Serene Grace
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV: 252 HP / 80 SpA / 176 Spe
- Rain Dance
- Stealth Rock
- Water Pulse
- U-Turn

Sets up RD and SR very well, and is able to utilize U-Turn to get out of the way for a sweeper. Water Pulse will take out Ground types, which are Jirachi's only weakness in the rain. It'll get a Pseudo-STAB because of the rain, and will also have a 60% chance of confusing the opponent.

Kabutops

@Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EV: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet

The choice of Kabutops doesn't really need explaining. Swords Dance Kabutops is a monster in the rain, hitting speeds of up to 464 which out speeds everything up to Choice Scarfed Porygon-Z. All the moves are STAB and Waterfall and Aqua Jet both receive a double STAB in the rain. This set can also last after the Rain with Aqua Jet's priority.

Ludicolo

@ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EV: 60 HP / 252 SpA / 196 SpD
- Rain Dance
- Surf
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam

Just as Kabutops, explanation shouldn't really be necessary for Ludicolo. With a strong Special Attack and a hefty Special Defense he can take a hit while giving a powerful blow back. Surf gives a powerful double STAB move in the rain, and Grass Knot can 2HKO the likes of Milotic, Gyarados and Tyranitar, which can be problem, and Ice Beam provides more type coverage while being able to deal with most Dragon types so easily that's it's not even funny.



Kingdra

@ Lum Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Naughty (+Atk, -SpD)
EV: 252 Atk / 240 SpA / 16 SpD
- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
- Outrage
- Hydro Pump

Kingdra is a staple for OU Rain Dance teams. This set manages to be a powerful Mixed Attacker without completely gimping itself with a single move (*cough*Draco Meteor sets*cough*). Waterfall and Hydro Pump get the standard Double STAB in Rain and Outrage will destroy almost everything in its Path.

Electivire

@ Expert Belt
Ability: Motor Drive
Nature: Mild (+SpA, -Def)
EV: 88 Atk / 200 SpA / 220 Spe
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Cross Chop
- Earthquake

Here is where things get interesting. Instead of running a support Jolteon or Lanturn, I've decided to try out this Mixed Electivire set. It can still set up the Rain Dance so that it can take advantage of the powerful STAB 100% Thunder. With Earthquake and Cross Chop in its arsenal, Electivire becomes Super Effective to 11 of the 17 types making good use of the Expert Belt.

It's an excellent response to SkarmBliss sets that carry TWave, setting up on the TWave, taking out Blissey and Skarmory with Cross Chop and Thunder respectively. However, obviously, his defense is very very low, so unless the opponent switches in a Zapdos or Starmie or Scarf Latias, where the electric move is obvious, I can rarely get a good chance to switch him in.

Support:

Scizor

@ Damp Rock
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EV: 200 HP / 56 Atk / 252 SpD
- Rain Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-Turn
- Roost

It's odd how many people are surprised by Scizor's ability to learn Rain Dance. I can bring this bad boy in to take a hit and start a Rain Dance as they switch to their counter of choice. STAB Bullet Punch can handle most Tyranitars and Abomasnows, which are very common threats to a Rain Dance team. U-Turn allows Scizor to set up and get out while getting off a STAB attack, and Roost keeps up Scizor's longevity, allowing him to continue to set up an extended Rain Dance in late game.




This team does very well, but has it's weak spots. Many of my losses are solely due to bad decisions on my part, or flat being outplayed. However I do think things can be tightened up on this team, so... Fire away. :P

 

[ginganinja]

Well I just had to rate this team as I was listening to Bon Jovi and their album was Slippery When Wet so yeah.

Well this is actually a well thought out Rain RMT (and I have seen my fare share of RMT's as 99% of my posts are through RMT's) I can see a slight issue with Celebi therefore I suggest running X scissor over Aqua Jet on Kabutops as the priority, while nice, is not worth it as Celebi is quite a common hazard to rain teams. X-scissor also hits Latias for supereffective damage authough scarf ones still outspeed you.

I fail to see the need for HP Water on Electivire as it does not hit many types for super effective damage and like you said, it only has and equivalent STAB boost in the rain. I would suggest Ice Punch or Earthquake on Electivire as Ice Punch handles dragon's and Earthquake is a nice move to hit a wide range of OU. Fire Punch is not usable on this electivire due to rain being up authough it could be a possability.

i don't like Flotzel on this team as while it is extremely fast, it cannot set up SR. I would suggest Uxie but that could get Taunted unless you ran a Trick, Rain Dance, SR, U-turn set with a Chioce Scarf. To this end I would rather see an Azelf or Jirachi lead as they can both set up SR as well as Rain Dance. Both are bulky enough ( Jirachi more so than Azelf) to set up Rain again if need be, Azelf can also explode is need be. The chioce between them is up to you I guess.
One thing that I particually like about this team is that you have Rain Dance on every Pokemon except Kabutops which means that it is extremely hard for a Sandstorm team to change your weather as you can set it up immendiatly without having to switch out to a rain supporter.

Great Team

Have a Nice Day!

 

[TheValkyries]

Well I just had to rate this team as I was listening to Bon Jovi and their album was Slippery When Wet so yeah.

Haha, nice!

Well this is actually a well thought out Rain RMT (and I have seen my fare share of RMT's as 99% of my posts are through RMT's)

Why, thank you!

I can see a slight issue with Celebi therefore I suggest running X scissor over Aqua Jet on Kabutops as the priority, while nice, is not worth it as Celebi is quite a common hazard to rain teams. X-scissor also hits Latias for supereffective damage authough scarf ones still outspeed you.

While X-Scissor is a very powerful move, Aqua Jet just works better. As you pointed out, this whole team carries Rain Dance except for Kabutops, and with Aqua Jet's priority, Kabutops can stay deadly even when the rain runs out.

Another reason I run Aqua Jet over X-Scissor is mainly because this team has not been walled once by a Celebi. Floatzel tends to lure out Celebi's very well, and can Ice Punch before getting KO'd allowing Ludicolo a free chance to start his sweep. However, the best idea is to simply bring in Scizor. My Scizor's STAB U-Turn will OHKO Celebi while taking Celebi's STAB grass move as if it were nothing. And since 2/3 of my team take either neutral or non effective damage from Grass there's really no threat to be posed by a Celebi.

I fail to see the need for HP Water on Electivire as it does not hit many types for super effective damage and like you said, it only has and equivalent STAB boost in the rain. I would suggest Ice Punch or Earthquake on Electivire as Ice Punch handles dragon's and Earthquake is a nice move to hit a wide range of OU. Fire Punch is not usable on this electivire due to rain being up authough it could be a possability.

I mostly used it to take advantage of a maxed special EVs and to combat enemy Ground types.

I'll switch to Earthquake instead, and give him an Expert Belt, since now he will be Super Effective against 11 of the 17 types. While Ice Punch may be super effective against Electivire's only weakness, the average ground type has a base defense stat of 102, and Ice Punch simply isn't strong enough to OHKO that.

To accomodate for this new distribution of physical to special moves, I'll lower his SpA EVs to 200 bringing the stat down to 303, which will almost always OHKO a Standard Wish Support Vaporeon, and will always OHKO a Skarmory with the Expert Belt attached. It will also allow me to raise his EV's in Attack to 88, netting him 304 attack, which will pack a little more punch to his EQ and Cross Chop.

i don't like Flotzel on this team as while it is extremely fast, it cannot set up SR. I would suggest Uxie but that could get Taunted unless you ran a Trick, Rain Dance, SR, U-turn set with a Chioce Scarf. To this end I would rather see an Azelf or Jirachi lead as they can both set up SR as well as Rain Dance. Both are bulky enough ( Jirachi more so than Azelf) to set up Rain again if need be, Azelf can also explode is need be. The chioce between them is up to you I guess.

You're right about the SR, but Floatzel just manages to disrupt the enemy's plan so well, and so quickly, that its weak points are really negligible. Meanwhile, the team really doesn't need SR to sweep. The only noticeable difference being that with SR Vaporeons are always one hit by Electivire's Thunder.

However, since Vaporeons wall this set so easily, I might consider running Stealth Rock just to guarentee the OHKO. Perhaps this set:


Jirachi

@ Damp Rock
Ability: Serene Grace
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV: 252 HP / 80 SpA / 176 Spe
- Rain Dance
- Stealth Rock
- Water Pulse
- U-Turn

Sets up RD and SR very well, and is able to utilize U-Turn to get out of the way for a sweeper. Water Pulse will take out Ground types, which are Jirachi's only weakness in the rain. It'll get a Pseudo-STAB because of the rain, and will also have a 60% chance of confusing the opponent.

One thing that I particually like about this team is that you have Rain Dance on every Pokemon except Kabutops which means that it is extremely hard for a Sandstorm team to change your weather as you can set it up immendiatly without having to switch out to a rain supporter.

Great Team

Have a Nice Day!

Once again, thank you!