Fuzznip helps me with the initial skeleton.
[Pros]
<ul>
<li>Kabutops is one of the more offensive spinner.</li>
<li>Swift Swim doubles its Speed under the rain.</li>
<li>It has access to Sword Dance and priority Aqua Jet.</li>
</ul>
[Cons]
<ul>
<li>Faces competition from Starmie as an offensive spinner.</li>
<li>Its bulk leaves to be desired, and it has trouble setting up Swords Dance. </li>
<li>Azumarill is better than Kabutops as an Aqua Jet user, due to its Huge Power ability and better defenses and typing. </li>
</ul>
[Set Recommendations]
Name: Swift Sweeper
Move 1: Swords Dance
Move 2: Waterfall
Move 3: Stone Edge
Move 4: Aqua Jet / Rapid Spin
Ability: Swift Swim
Item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
Evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Nature: Adamant
<p>Even with the nerf to Drizzle, Kabutops still remains one of the most powerful sweepers in rain while holding a Life Orb. When the rain starts to fall, Swift Swim doubles Kabutops's Speed, reaching an amazing stat of 518, outrunning the entire unboosted metagame. An Adamant nature is used to maximize Kabutops's damage output, and Swords Dance grants it a +2 boost in its Attack stat, reaching an astonishing value of 658. Life Orb powers up all of Kabutops's moves, and after a boost it turns into a threatening sweeper to deal with. Kabutops gains STAB on Waterfall, which becomes insanely powerful in rain with an amazing Base Power of 180. A Swords Dance-boosted Waterfall screws all Pokemon, even those it hits for neutral damage, and it has a small chance of flinching the opponent if survives it. Stone Edge is its secondary STAB, having a high Base Power and a little critical hit chance, which damages any Grass-, Dragon-, and Water-type Pokemon trying to switch in on its Water-type moves. Also, +2 Stone Edge allows Kabutops to hit Ghost-type Pokemon hard, making Kabutops difficult to spinblock. The last moveslot depends on what things your team needs cover. Aqua Jet picks off weakened enemies, hitting priority users before they hit back with Bullet Punch or Mach Punch, and a Swords Dance-boosted Aqua Jet allows Kabutops to hit Pokemon that outspeed it outside of rain, such as Garchomp, Talonflame, Lucario, and Hawlucha. However, Kabutops has to compete with Azumarill as Aqua Jet user due to its ability Huge Power that doubles its Attack stat and better typing. On the other side, Rapid Spin allows Kabutops to spin away Entry hazards that are problematic if your team suffers them. Unfortunately it faces competition with Starmie as spinner for offensive teams, because the latter can have a defensive role and has Recover to recoup its HP.</p>
<p>Politoed is a required teammate, as it provides huge support with Drizzle. Other Rain Dance users such as Crobat, Rotom, and Jolteon are all good partners for Kabutops. If they run Damp Rock, the duration of the rain is increased from 5 to 8 turns, but obviously Kabutops has to begin its sweep immediately before the rain stops. Talonflame and Charizard appreciate the lack of Stealth Rock on the field and can switch into Kabutops's weaknesses to Grass-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks. Ferrothorn is a good partner as well, providing Spikes support and Electric- and Grass-type resistances, and Kabutops can switch into Fire-type moves aimed at it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Mega Venusaur, Trevenant, and Gourgiest-A are the best counters to Kabutops. They take all its hits very well and can KO back with Giga Drain and Seed Bomb. Also, Aegislash counters Kabutops since Kabutops has no way to beat it in Shield forme and is easily KOed by Blade forme. Quagsire with Unaware and massive Defense investment is a solid check to Kabutops, making its Swords Dance boosts useless. Gastrodon, Mega Aggron, and Skarmory are all checks to Kabutops. The former absorbs Water-type STAB moves, boosting its Special Attack stat, and resists Stone Edge. Mega Aggron can tank anything Kabutops's uses with its monstruous Defense and OHKOes back with Earthquake, and Skarmory takes all the Kabutops's moves well. Rotom-W checks this set very well due to its high Defense and can OHKO back with Volt Switch. Priority users such as Scizor, Breloom, and Azumarill can easily defeat Kabutops respectively with Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, and Aqua Jet due to its lack Defense. Sableye can freely switch in on Kabutops's Rapid Spin then cripple it with a priority Will-O-Wisp.</p>
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