Well, I've been on a long hiatus from competitive battling. And what else to come back with a generation 5 team? After a few days of lurking about the Gen 5 metagame, I have a feeling that this generation will be sexy. Anyway, this is my first successful gen 5 team, and I've gotten rusty, so bare with me. Also, you may notice that there is only 1 swift swimmer in the entire team. The reason why is because, IMO, kingdra is the best swift swimmer out there, however, all other pokemon benefit rain dance by some means, and benefit my team without stacking up on common weaknesses. Without further ado, let me introduce my team.
EDITS WILL BE IN RAINY BLUE
Politoed (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Refresh
- Boiling Water
- Hypnosis
- Perish Song
Politoed is pretty much a must on any rain team. Having politoed in the lead position gets the rain up at the start of the match. Opposing Hippowdon or Tyranitar aren't a problem because I can usually take their hits and retaliate with Boiling Water, and if I'm lucky, cause a burn. Max HP and Max special defense provide as much special bulkiness as possible. Refresh is there in case I ever get hit with a bad status condition. Hypnosis is Politoed's biggest selling point, especially since now it has 70% accuracy, and the sleep counter now resets everytime the opponent switches out. Also has great conjunction with perish song, which forces the opponent out by 2 turns, and stops set-uppers and baton pass chains in their tracks. Politoed doesn't have a problem with most leads, since it's pretty bulky, and it almost always gets a chance to do something.
Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Thunder
- Surf
- Trick
Latios is an immensely powerful dragon type on the special attacking spectrum. Latios provides me resistances and immunities I need on this team, and serves as my main special attacker. Draco Meteor for raw power, Surf as a main attack (gets 1.5x boost in the rain, which makes it more powerful than STAB dragon pulse), and Thunder for coverage. Trick is there to cripple any wall, supporter, physical attacker, or set-upper, with choice specs.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Scizor's only weakness is halved under rain. Scizor also provides valuable checks to Abomasnow and Tyranitar. Scizor is also an amazing scouter with U-Turn, a great revenge killer with Bullet Punch, and a wonderful psychic/ghost spooker with Pursuit. Choice band is there for raw power, and combined with technician and a great 130 base attack, it makes an amazing physical attacker. It also provides nice resistances to switch into, and provides many checks that a rain team usually suffers. I have 8 def evs instead of 8 evs because, in case another scizor comes in to Super Power me, it's defense will be lowered, allowing me to hit it harder with my own super power.
Jolteon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder
- Volt Change
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Shadow Ball
Jolteon lets me switch into electric attacks at no cost, something that rain teams need, and provides checks to otherwise dangerous pokes. Jolteon also has access to a 100% accurate Thunder, as well as a high 110 base special attack. Volt Change is a great addition to Jolteon's movepool, having a second function as a scout as well (bar ground types), replacing baton pass (aka, dry passing) as a scouting move. Speaking of ground types, most of them would be weak to Jolteon's Hidden Power Ice, especially if they have a low HP and special defense. Shadow Ball is there for mainly coverage.
Nattorei (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
What's not to talk about nattorei? He sets up my spikes, sets up my stealth rock, and provides valuable resistances, once again. Gyro ball is extremely useful for taking out fast opponents. Rain reduces fire attacks done to nattorei. Iron Barbs is a cool ability to have, especially when coming in on Outrage-Locked opponents. Power Whip is there to hit others who are weak to grass. It's too bad that Nattorei didn't get rapid spin, that would have been a great addition :(
Kingdra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 244 Atk / 252 SAtk / 12 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Outrage
- Waterfall
THE ultimate rain abuser, (aside from manaphy and kyogre, which are banned...). However, instead of taking time to set up dragon dances, this kingdra hits hard right off the bat using mixed attacking stats, and a nearly unresisted Dragon/Water STAB attacks, both physical and special. Draco Meteor is kingdra's most powerful move, and tears big holes into teams, combined with Outrage or Waterfall, to clean out remaining survivors. Surf is there as the standard attack, used for spamming. Surf has no drawback, and coming off of a STAB, and boosted by Rain, is going to hit things that don't resist it hard.
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Threats
One thing that I have had trouble dealing with is Speed Boost Blaziken. God I hate this thing. In the lead position, it's very deadly to my team. Latios is the best switch in I have for it, and even then it's 2HKO'd by HJK. I hope that politoed lives a HJK, and it isn't holding a focus sash, and KO it with boiling water. I usually have to sacrifice something to take care of this thing.
Another thing that popped into my mind is chansey. I haven't seen one yet, but theoretically, if it holds a PreEvo Stone, this thing can pass wishes off to the entire team, and be bulky enough to live almost all of my attacks. Thankfully though, I have trick latios for the job, and CB Super Power Scizor. Although both are easily predictable so...
Bulky grass types like opposing Nattorei are a pain too. It resists most of my special attacker's attacks, and I really only have a chance to kill it with Scizor. Thank god this thing doesn't have a recovery move besides leech seed.
Abomasnow, Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Nintales may look like threats, but they however, are easy to deal with, despite changing the weather. Abomasnow is killed by scizor, latios's DM, and setup fodder for Nattorei (bar focus punch). Tyranitar is dealt with by scizor, kingdra, and latios to some extent (if I get rain up), Hippowdon is dealt by Latios, Kingdra, and is setup fodder for nattorei. Ninetales may be the most threatening of the 4. However, it is dealt by Latios (if I get rain up), and Kingdra.
More that I have to worry about is Cloyster. I do NOT have a safe switch in for this thing. EVERYTHING on my team gets OHKO'd by Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, or Surf (except nattorei, which gets 2HKO'd). This thing is not like other stat uppers who are stopped by politoed, because it gains attack, spatk, and speed TWO STAGES in one turn. That's fucking insane if you ask me. Cloyster is a motherphucker.
That's all I can think of. Tell me what you think of this team. All constructive criticism is appreciated.
EDITS WILL BE IN RAINY BLUE
Politoed (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Refresh
- Boiling Water
- Hypnosis
- Perish Song
Politoed is pretty much a must on any rain team. Having politoed in the lead position gets the rain up at the start of the match. Opposing Hippowdon or Tyranitar aren't a problem because I can usually take their hits and retaliate with Boiling Water, and if I'm lucky, cause a burn. Max HP and Max special defense provide as much special bulkiness as possible. Refresh is there in case I ever get hit with a bad status condition. Hypnosis is Politoed's biggest selling point, especially since now it has 70% accuracy, and the sleep counter now resets everytime the opponent switches out. Also has great conjunction with perish song, which forces the opponent out by 2 turns, and stops set-uppers and baton pass chains in their tracks. Politoed doesn't have a problem with most leads, since it's pretty bulky, and it almost always gets a chance to do something.
Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Thunder
- Surf
- Trick
Latios is an immensely powerful dragon type on the special attacking spectrum. Latios provides me resistances and immunities I need on this team, and serves as my main special attacker. Draco Meteor for raw power, Surf as a main attack (gets 1.5x boost in the rain, which makes it more powerful than STAB dragon pulse), and Thunder for coverage. Trick is there to cripple any wall, supporter, physical attacker, or set-upper, with choice specs.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Scizor's only weakness is halved under rain. Scizor also provides valuable checks to Abomasnow and Tyranitar. Scizor is also an amazing scouter with U-Turn, a great revenge killer with Bullet Punch, and a wonderful psychic/ghost spooker with Pursuit. Choice band is there for raw power, and combined with technician and a great 130 base attack, it makes an amazing physical attacker. It also provides nice resistances to switch into, and provides many checks that a rain team usually suffers. I have 8 def evs instead of 8 evs because, in case another scizor comes in to Super Power me, it's defense will be lowered, allowing me to hit it harder with my own super power.
Jolteon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder
- Volt Change
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Shadow Ball
Jolteon lets me switch into electric attacks at no cost, something that rain teams need, and provides checks to otherwise dangerous pokes. Jolteon also has access to a 100% accurate Thunder, as well as a high 110 base special attack. Volt Change is a great addition to Jolteon's movepool, having a second function as a scout as well (bar ground types), replacing baton pass (aka, dry passing) as a scouting move. Speaking of ground types, most of them would be weak to Jolteon's Hidden Power Ice, especially if they have a low HP and special defense. Shadow Ball is there for mainly coverage.
Nattorei (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
What's not to talk about nattorei? He sets up my spikes, sets up my stealth rock, and provides valuable resistances, once again. Gyro ball is extremely useful for taking out fast opponents. Rain reduces fire attacks done to nattorei. Iron Barbs is a cool ability to have, especially when coming in on Outrage-Locked opponents. Power Whip is there to hit others who are weak to grass. It's too bad that Nattorei didn't get rapid spin, that would have been a great addition :(
Kingdra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 244 Atk / 252 SAtk / 12 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Outrage
- Waterfall
THE ultimate rain abuser, (aside from manaphy and kyogre, which are banned...). However, instead of taking time to set up dragon dances, this kingdra hits hard right off the bat using mixed attacking stats, and a nearly unresisted Dragon/Water STAB attacks, both physical and special. Draco Meteor is kingdra's most powerful move, and tears big holes into teams, combined with Outrage or Waterfall, to clean out remaining survivors. Surf is there as the standard attack, used for spamming. Surf has no drawback, and coming off of a STAB, and boosted by Rain, is going to hit things that don't resist it hard.
--------------------
Threats
One thing that I have had trouble dealing with is Speed Boost Blaziken. God I hate this thing. In the lead position, it's very deadly to my team. Latios is the best switch in I have for it, and even then it's 2HKO'd by HJK. I hope that politoed lives a HJK, and it isn't holding a focus sash, and KO it with boiling water. I usually have to sacrifice something to take care of this thing.
Another thing that popped into my mind is chansey. I haven't seen one yet, but theoretically, if it holds a PreEvo Stone, this thing can pass wishes off to the entire team, and be bulky enough to live almost all of my attacks. Thankfully though, I have trick latios for the job, and CB Super Power Scizor. Although both are easily predictable so...
Bulky grass types like opposing Nattorei are a pain too. It resists most of my special attacker's attacks, and I really only have a chance to kill it with Scizor. Thank god this thing doesn't have a recovery move besides leech seed.
Abomasnow, Tyranitar, Hippowdon, and Nintales may look like threats, but they however, are easy to deal with, despite changing the weather. Abomasnow is killed by scizor, latios's DM, and setup fodder for Nattorei (bar focus punch). Tyranitar is dealt with by scizor, kingdra, and latios to some extent (if I get rain up), Hippowdon is dealt by Latios, Kingdra, and is setup fodder for nattorei. Ninetales may be the most threatening of the 4. However, it is dealt by Latios (if I get rain up), and Kingdra.
More that I have to worry about is Cloyster. I do NOT have a safe switch in for this thing. EVERYTHING on my team gets OHKO'd by Icicle Spear, Rock Blast, or Surf (except nattorei, which gets 2HKO'd). This thing is not like other stat uppers who are stopped by politoed, because it gains attack, spatk, and speed TWO STAGES in one turn. That's fucking insane if you ask me. Cloyster is a motherphucker.
That's all I can think of. Tell me what you think of this team. All constructive criticism is appreciated.
