





Centerpiece: Ludicolo

I wanted to build a team around Ludicolo, since I like it as a pokemon. Ludicolo works best as a 3 attack sweeper with rain dance & life orb to boost the power of its attacks. It can clean up well late game or wallbreak early to mid-game. It's coverage ensures it isn't walled by many things.
Helper: Rotom

Rotom was added to aid Ludicolo in sweeping.
Support: Steelix


Steelix was added as a reliable rock setter that can check many physical attackers in NU. Steelix appreciates the resistances & immunities that both Ludicolo and Rotom provide. Mantine was added as a reliable special wall to anything that isn't an electric type or that has electric coverage. It synergizes well defensively with Steelix and provides this team with a solid defogger and scald switch in.
Speed control: Primeape

My team was looking very slow at this point. I added choice scarf Primeape as a form of speed control. It provides a late game cleaner, a way to weaken walls & a way to make opponents think twice about clicking defog. It beats most of the defoggers in the tier 1 on 1 with some prior rocks damage. Primeape also helps this team deal with Malamar more reliably & provides a pivot for my wallbreakers.
Wallbreaker: Liepard

Team in depth

Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
This is the standard Ludicolo spread. In my opinion it is Ludicolo's best set & not much else can be run that is per se viable for Ludicolo. As mentioned previously it can sweep lategame or wallbreak early to mid game. It is the centerpiece of this team. Life orb with a modest nature provides maximum damage output. Timid is not needed as Ludicolo operates in an awkward speed tier + once it has rain up it outspeeds everything that isn't an opposing swift swimmer or a Combusken with some speed boosts. Ludicolo is a decent check to sleep powder users & leech seed spammers, it is also a reliable water check being 4x resistant to it. 0 Attack iv's are to take minimum damage from confusion / foul play.

Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Pain Split
- Substitute
UPDATED
A Fake, Fake (Rotom) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom synergizes well defensively with Ludicolo & pressures all the things that hit Ludicolo super effectively.

Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 248 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earthquake
UPDATED
End of Line (Steelix) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 136 Atk / 128 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
Steelix is NU's most reliable stealth rock setter next to Mesprit in my opinion. Steelix however has the ability to take physical hits a lot better than Mesprit. Steelix benefits from the resistances Mantine / Ludicolo & Rotom provide whilst handling physical threats they hate.

Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Defog
- Signal Beam
- Rest
UPDATED
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 16 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Defog
- Signal Beam
- Toxic
Mantine synergizes well with Steelix defensively and is a good check to most special attackers in the tier. Rest / talk gives it semi-reliable recovery and allows it to act as a status absorber whilst giving it a recovery option against more stally matchups where it can afford the 2 turn sleep. The spread was changed to the standard spread & toxic was added to help deal with gastrodon who would otherwise get a free switch in at the suggestion of HJAD . The standard spread accomplishes the same thing the orignal spread set out to do whilst checking special attackers better. 16 speed iv's are added to outspeed other Mantine. Signal beam lets you handle Malamar on the special side as it can pose problems if it has begun setting up (Thanks Holiano !). Scald is nice for the burn chance to nerf most of the physical attackers in the tier & is a good option to click when you have no idea what else to do. Defog is to get rid of hazards which this team does not like overall. 0 attack iv's is to ensure minimum damage from foul play / confusion.

Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Primeape brings speed control to the team as well as a deterrent to defoggers. He can clean up well late game & weaken problem pokemon for this team such as Hariyama & opposing Primeape. He also helps beat common defoggers in NU, especially after a boost with defiant from defog. Close combat is stab to hit things hard,

Ability: Limber
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Grass Knot
- U-turn
UPDATED
Fashion Killah (Liepard) @ Dread Plate
Ability: Limber
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough
- U-turn
Liepard was added as the last pokemon.
Threats

This team struggles with Hariyama & fighting types in general. Liepard can help chip them with Play rough if you catch them on the switch & Primeape can deal good damage to them with close combat. Rotom can help take on fighting types as well with its colbur berry & will-o-wisp.

It's great coverage and speed can prove problematic. The best way to take care of this is to predict well & or catch it off guard. Liepard can outspeed and kill it with knock off after it has taken rock damage. Rotom is a decent switch in to manectric - however it can easily get chipped with rocks & coverage moves that Manectric may have.

The combination of edgequake coverage & flying coverage can lead to many 50/50's. Liepard can help get it into defeatist range with sucker punch which makes it easier to deal with - however switching in to it with any members of the team can prove problematic.
This team can struggle versus many offensive archetypes as it is overly reliant on Liepard to outspeed & weaken them. The matchup is not however impossible if you play smart.
If you can see any other threats that I may have missed, please let me know!
Thanks / Shoutouts
I want to say thank you to the following users:
Scarf Nidorino
Magicks
& everyone else in the SSL (a draft league)
A big thank you as well to everyone who has helped me to improve this team!
Y'all are dank

Disclaimer: If you use this team, please keep the nicknames! :D
Import
Fair game (Ludicolo) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
A Fake, Fake (Rotom) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
End of Line (Steelix) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 136 Atk / 128 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
Wifi Tears (Mantine) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 16 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Defog
- Signal Beam
- Toxic
No money (Primeape) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Fashion Killah (Liepard) @ Dread Plate
Ability: Limber
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough
- U-turn
Fair game (Ludicolo) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
A Fake, Fake (Rotom) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
End of Line (Steelix) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 136 Atk / 128 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
Wifi Tears (Mantine) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 16 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Defog
- Signal Beam
- Toxic
No money (Primeape) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Fashion Killah (Liepard) @ Dread Plate
Ability: Limber
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough
- U-turn
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