Intro:
This team had its beginnings when I was trying to make an OU team with only Gen I and Gen II pokemon. I soon realized a rain team would be the best way to make it viable in today's meta-game. However, I couldn't resist putting in Thunderus and thus the team is in its current form today.
Sticking to its hyper-offensive roots, this team is based on rain-boosted Hydro Pump spam. However, rather than using only fast and frail sweepers, I focus a lot more on having adequate bulk to survive furious counterattacks from tough walls and even faster threats that exist today. Moreover, while most of the members benefit from permanent rain, none of the members are completely dependent on it unlike contemporary rain teams. Thus, this team has shown time and again that it can survive and win in disadvantageous or no weather scenarios.
I haven't played too many games with this team, but even so, I got to the top 100 on Smogon PO with a roughly 70-80% win rate. Even so, this team could still use improvement. In particular, it's weak to some common threats like Scarf Terrakion and Scarf Landorus.
Team:
Politoed (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Hypnosis
Scarf Politoed is an excellent weather inducer, lead, and tank. It's also my primary counter to Excadrill. If the other team doesn't have an inducer, I'll put 'Toed out first 99% of the time. With rain-boosted Hydro Pumps, it puts a dent even in things that resist water moves. While the accuracy of Hypnosis leaves much to be desired, its an excellent fourth move in case of emergencies and for neutralizing annoying threats as well as other weather inducers (Ferrothorn for example). The only downside to scarfToed is that it cannot set up rain against Tyranitar in the lead position since all versions of T-tar are slower. In that case, I would usually lead with Scizor and switch to 'Toed expecting a fire move.
Starmie @ Choice Specs
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
- Trick
Starmie is the primary "sweeper" on the team. It's supposed to come in late game and spam Specs, rain-boosted, STAB Hydro Pump. The damage is just obscene, being stronger than Latios Specs Draco Meteor. Moreover, Starmie is faster than most of the meta giving it the perfect combination of speed and power. Finally, Starmie is also my status absorber if Espeon is not around (more on that later). Trick is there mostly against Chansey/Blissey who otherwise walls this set to no end.
Dragonite (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Multi-Scale
EVs: 60 HP / 252 Atk / 196 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Waterfall / Thunder
Most people expect a mixed or specially-based Dragonite on rain teams. Instead, I find Dnite to fit this team much better as a wall break and revenge killer, leaving the special attacking role for Thunderus. This is also my lead against other rain teams. This set is a modified standard CB set with EQ instead of Fire Punch and Waterfall to take advantage of the rain. While Haxerous has a faster and stronger Outrage, I actually think DNite runs a better banded set due to its better bulk and ESpeed. I'm considering replacing waterfall with Thunder if I meet more Skarm/Bliss combos. As a revenge-killer, it works well in conjunction with Scizor to take out set-up 'mons.
The EVs maximize attack and is designed to outspeed standard Gliscors. If I do put in Thunder, then I'll move all the HP EVs into special attack.
Borutorosu (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Mischievous Heart
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Grass Knot
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
This guy is such a beast: high speed and adequate power with perfect coverage. Due to the hyper-aggressive general nature of this team, I chose to have a LO set that hits hard from the get-go. This also allows me have all 4 coverage moves. Grass Knot is in the set in lieu of Thunder Wave mostly for Gastrodon and Quagsire. Since Thunder is its primary attack, Thunderus is most affected by the lack of rain. The only problem with Thunderus is that it does little to help my team defensively. Not only does it exacerbate my ice weakness, the low defense stats means it's very hard to switch in.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Scizor is the glue of this team having defensive synergies with almost every member. Permanent rain gets rid of its crippling 4x fire weakness allowing it to take on threats like Fire Punch DDNite on better footing. It also allows me to use U-turn more often, knowing I'll survive possible fire attacks. Otherwise, its a standard CB set with Bullet Punch as its primary attack. Combined with Dnite's ESpeed, it's able to knock out almost any fast and frail set-up sweeper, even Excadrill. Superpower allows it to deal a good amount of damage to Ferrothorn. I'm considering taking out Pursuit for another move since I find myself rarely using it against Latios, the primary target. A rain boosted Surf 2HKOs him so I can't use it after the switch in. Instead, I usually just Bullet Punch to get some damage on Latios to have Dragonite finish it off later.
Espeon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Mirror
EVs: 4 HP / 232 Def / 252 SAtk / 20 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Calm Mind
- Baton Pass
- Psycho Shock
I actually haven't decided on who the permanent sixth member of the team should be. I've tried SD Lucario, Duel-Screen Espeon, and standard Skarmory. Currently I'm trying out this CM set as my lure and wallbreaker. With a LO, it's supposed to start attacking with one or two boosts max. HP Fighting deals specifically with T-tar and Ferrothorn, two common threats to this team while Baton Pass is there in case I need to escape Pursuit. Psyshock is there for Blissey and against other CMers. Of course, its secondary role is to make sure rocks and spikes are not on my side of the field so Dnite can maintain multiscale.
The EVs are designed to outspeed every non-scarf T-tar variant. The rest is poured into defense while CM boosts the special de. Another possibility I was considering was to put everything back into Speed and have reflect instead of Baton Pass. Overall, this is one Pokemon that I'm willing to switch immediately for a better option with better synergies.
Threats:
Most teams cannot handle the sheer power of rain-boosted Hydro Pumps. However, there are some threats which have consistently been able to stop this team.
1. Gastrodon + Sandstorm
A good sand team with Gastrodon is always a pain because Gastrodon soaks up Hydro Pumps that would otherwise destroy common sand threats. With Scald, it can take on Dragonite and Scizor while the rain boost gives it the ability to take out Espeon. Otherwise, the fact that both Politoed and Starmie can't switch moves means they have to be switched out, giving the opponent another opportunity to set up sand.
2. Scarf Terrakion and Scarf Landorus
Both are faster than every one of my pokemon and both have coverage moves that are unresisted. The result is that I lose almost all my momentum against these two, especially when they are used together (although that is rare). Smart usage on sand-teams allows them to pretty much wipe out my entire team.
3. Ferrothorn
Less of a threat than the top two, but annoying nonetheless. As with most rain teams, Ferrothorn is a general counter and can wall most attacks. Right now, I focus on putting it to sleep with Politoed (they usually switch in immediately) and then pounding it with superpower from Scizor, EQ from Dnite, and Focus Blast from Thunderus. However, all three moves are inefficient and leaves me vulnerable to counterattacks.
Primarily, I need help deciding on a adequate 6th member to replace Espeon that would help me deal with these threats. Any other advice is also appreciated.
