Kingdra (Revamp)

DarkNostalgia

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approved by aim

leading with kingdra rain?​

QC: Leftiez | TDK | AM
GP: Mr. Uncompetitive + Snobalt | The Dutch Plumberjack

[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to Swift Swim, Kingdra can outpace the whole unboosted metagame under the rain. Furthermore, Kingdra's decent offensive stats turn it into a great wallbreaker and sweeper, which is amplified by the fact that its Water-type STAB moves are bolstered even further by the rain, and it can also choose to run a mixed set effectively due to its decent Attack. Kingdra also does not stack weaknesses with the rest of its team because it is neutral to Grass- and Electric-type attacks, unlike other Swift Swim Pokemon such as Mega Swampert and Omastar. However, Kingdra has somewhat underwhelming bulk, rendering it susceptible to strong priority moves such as Talonflame's Brave Bird and Bisharp's Sucker Punch when weakened. Moreover, rain only lasts for a maximum of eight turns, and Kingdra's reliance on rain for Speed and power makes it easily exploitable outside of it. Kingdra's Special Attack really isn't that great either, especially compared to other Draco Meteor users such as Latios.

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 28 HP / 252 SpA / 228 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest STAB move, is bolstered by the rain and Choice Specs, and severely dents non-resistant Pokemon. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's secondary STAB move, allowing it to get past Water-, Grass-, and Dragon-types such as Slowbro, Celebi, and Latios, which resist Hydro Pump. Scald can cripple many common Kingdra switch-ins such as Mega Altaria, Ferrothorn, and Azumarill via a burn; the move can also be used late-game to clean up due to its perfect accuracy. Ice Beam takes out bulky Grass-types such as Celebi, as well as Mega Altaria, but it is mostly a filler move, as most Grass-types are hit hard by Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor already. Dragon Pulse is an option to let Kingdra clean up more easily, especially in the face of Pokemon that resist Water, without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor.

Set Details
========

The given Speed EVs allow Kingdra to outpace Choice Scarf Latios and everything slower in the rain and Jolly base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom outside of rain. Maximum investment into Special Attack ensures that Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are placed into HP for some additional bulk. Choice Specs further raises Kingdra's Special Attack and, in tandem with the rain, aids its wallbreaking and sweeping. Swift Swim takes advantage of the rain to double Kingdra's Speed and bolster its Water-type STAB attacks.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra should use Scald on switches into Azumarill, Mega Altaria, and Ferrothorn to potentially cripple the foe via a burn. Because of Kingdra's double resistance to Fire- and Water-type moves, it can easily pivot into Pokemon with said moves, such as Heatran and Alomomola. Kingdra greatly appreciates Volt Switch or U-turn support, and it is also best brought into play after a teammate has fainted or by a double switch, as Kingdra's bulk really isn't that great. Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, punching holes in the opponent's team early- and mid-game. Hydro Pump is easily the most spammable move because it is the most powerful one in Kingdra's arsenal, as even Pokemon that resist it, such as Mega Venusaur, are 2HKOed in the rain.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a mandatory partner to Kingdra because it brings rain to boost Kingdra's Speed and the power of its Water-type STAB moves. Other rain sweepers, such as Tornadus-T, Kabutops, and Omastar, are good partners as well because they also take advantage of the rain; Tornadus-T wears down Ferrothorn and Celebi for Kingdra while providing crucial momentum with U-turn. Kabutops hits physically, allowing it to muscle past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, which Kingdra struggles against, and 2HKOes Ferrothorn with Low Kick, while Omastar checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off. Setup sweepers such as Mega Scizor, Nasty Plot Thundurus, and Mega Pinsir love Kingdra's ability to weaken the opposing team for a potential sweep by them, and they can also deal with bulky Grass-types. Rotom-W checks Talonflame, Bisharp, Thundurus, and Azumarill, all of which Kingdra dislikes, as Talonflame's and Bisharp's priority attacks deal a hefty chunk of damage to Kingdra, Thundurus can use Prankster Thunder Wave to cripple it, and Azumarill can outright OHKO Kingdra with Play Rough.

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald / Waterfall
move 4: Outrage / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Rash
evs: 28 Atk / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
ivs: 29 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest Water-type STAB move, dealing hefty damage to everything that does not resist it. Draco Meteor provides good coverage alongside Hydro Pump, allowing Kingdra to muscle past Grass-, Dragon-, and Water-types such as Celebi, Garchomp, and Rotom-W. Scald has a solid chance to cripple switch-ins such as Azumarill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Altaria with a burn and is also more accurate than Hydro Pump. Outrage is a great move to use after Draco Meteor and allows Kingdra to finish off weakened Rotom-W and Celebi after Draco Meteor; however, it comes with the nasty side effect of locking Kingdra into it. Waterfall is a handy option to get past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and is also an excellent move to use after Draco Meteor because it ignores the Special Attack drops. Ice Beam 2HKOes Grass-types such as Celebi and Chesnaught, as well as Mega Altaria, but it is more of a filler move.

Set Details
========

228 EVs are invested into Speed to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Latios in the rain, as well as Jolly base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Breloom and Bisharp outside of it. Maximum investment in Special Attack ensures that Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are invested into Attack to power up its physical moves. Life Orb provides Kingdra with an invaluable boost to its offenses and aids its sweeping capabilities. A Rash nature maximizes Kingdra's Special Attack and is chosen over a Mild nature to take priority attacks better. Alternately, an EV spread of 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe could be used, which has enough Attack investment to ensure that Kingdra 2HKOes Chansey after Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes but comes at the cost of a significant Special Attack drop.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, working well early-game to punch holes in the opponent's team due to its decent power under rain and great Speed. Kingdra can also be used as a sweeper, but this is rather unnecessary, as it will often be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Omastar and Mega Swampert. Checks and counters such as Ferrothorn and Mega Altaria should be removed prior to Kingdra attempting to sweep. Use appropriate coverage moves to dent or cripple switch-ins, such as Draco Meteor on Mega Venusaur and Scald on Ferrothorn. Because of rain's limited length, one must take advantage of every turn and use it as efficiently as possible. Kingdra has double resistances to Fire- and Water-type moves, so it can easily pivot into Pokemon using said moves, such as Heatran and Rotom-W. However, don't overestimate its bulk, as it is susceptible to entry hazards and Life Orb recoil.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a compulsory partner for Kingdra, providing crucial rain support for Kingdra to bolster its stats. Backup rain setters such as Klefki and Thundurus are greatly appreciated as well for their ability to replenish Kingdra's Swift Swim should Politoed faint. Kingdra should be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Mega Swampert, Kabutops, and Tornadus-T; they can weaken Kingdra's checks and counters and appreciate Kingdra's ability to put huge dents in the opposing team. In particular, Omastar forms a great wallbreaking core with Kingdra, as it checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off. Because Kingdra struggles to beat certain Water- and Grass-types, such as Slowking and Ferrothorn, Pokemon that can reliably take them on are good partners. Examples include Mega Heracross and Mega Pinsir, which can deal with them via their Bug-, Fighting-, and Flying-type moves. Mega Manectric and Raikou both fit amazingly into rain teams, boasting the ability to check Thundurus and Talonflame, function outside of rain, use a perfectly accurate Thunder, and provide useful momentum for Kingdra with Volt Switch. Magnezone can trap and KO Ferrothorn outside of rain and also has a perfectly accurate Thunder. Lures to various Kingdra checks are also appreciated, such as Focus Blast Politoed and mixed Thundurus. Rotom-W and Ferrothorn deal with Azumarill and Mega Altaria, respectively, which otherwise causes Kingdra a lot of trouble. Azelf is another great pick, providing Stealth Rock, Explosion to let Kingdra come in safely, and possibly Rain Dance support.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Because Kingdra has quite a shallow movepool, it does not have many other options to utilize. Signal Beam has the utility of breaking past Slowbro, Starmie, and Celebi without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor. A set utilizing Sniper, Focus Energy, and Scope Lens allows Kingdra to guarantee critical hits on every single hit, but Kingdra is too slow and easily revenge killed to be able to pull off such a set effectively. Dragon Pulse has more accuracy than Draco Meteor and does not come with the side effect of lowering Kingdra's Special Attack; however, the drop in power is quite noticeable. Hidden Power Fire allows Kingdra to lure in Ferrothorn and KO it; however, the Base Power is decreased in the rain and, aside from Ferrothorn, the move does not hit many relevant targets. Rain Dance allows Kingdra to replenish rain by itself so that it doesn't become overly reliant on Politoed. Substitute allows Kingdra to evade Sucker Punch from Bisharp and status from the likes of Rotom-W and Celebi, but, combined with repeated switch-ins with entry hazards and Life Orb recoil, Kingdra will be on a short fuse. Kingdra has access to Dragon Dance, so it can utilize various items such as Lum Berry and Life Orb in tandem with it to sweep, but it is outclassed as a Dragon Dance user by Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Altaria.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn resists both of Kingdra's STAB moves, takes little damage from Ice Beam, can use Kingdra as setup fodder with Stealth Rock or Spikes, and can wear it down with Power Whip and Leech Seed. However, it needs to watch out for the rare Hidden Power Fire and is crippled by Scald burns.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, Mew, and Slowking can continuously recover off any damage taken from Kingdra and stall out its rain. Chansey is a particularly effective counter to most of Kingdra's sets bar the 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe spread because it is not 2HKOed by any of Kingdra's moves and can replenish its health with Soft-Boiled (RC) and 3HKO Kingdra back with Seismic Toss.

**Mega Altaria**: Unless Kingdra packs Ice Beam, Mega Altaria is an effective check to Kingdra. Mega Altaria resists Kingdra's Water-type STAB attacks and is immune to its Dragon-type ones. In return, it can heal itself with Roost, use Kingdra as setup fodder with Dragon Dance, or outright OHKO it with Hyper Voice. However, it dislikes Scald burns, especially if it's a Dragon Dance variant.

**Azumarill**: Azumarill resists Kingdra's Water-type STAB moves and is immune to its Dragon-type ones; Azumarill can then set up on Kingdra with Belly Drum or OHKO it with Play Rough. However, it loathes burns from Scald.

**Other Weather Conditions**: Because Kingdra is reliant on the rain for its Speed and power, other weather conditions such as sand and sun put Kingdra at a severe disadvantage. However, weather inducers such as Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y cannot switch directly into Kingdra out of fear of getting 2HKOed by Hydro Pump.

**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killers and priority users such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Dragonite can KO Kingdra when it's weakened. Mega Alakazam also deserves a mention, as it can Trace Kingdra's Swift Swim, thus outspeeding it, and KO it with Psychic after some prior damage.
 
Last edited:

SparksBlade

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small stuff:
in moves there's an empty bullet
critdra was all the hype once so thought i might bring this up(imo it should get a set)
 

DarkNostalgia

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Yeah I'm actually editing it rn lol
Idk about critdra getting a set, I've used it and its pretty underwhelming tbh. Maybe high priority mention in OO?
 

boltsandbombers

i'm sorry mr. man
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Nice job overall, just a few comments.
- Reliance on rain for speed and power makes Kingdra easily exploitable outside of it
- Rain only lasts for a maximum of eight turns, putting Kingdra's sweep on a timer
Not too important, but I think that these two points can be merged.

I feel that ice beam overall should be downplayed since it really only targets spdef Celebi and mega altaria. Chesnaught is a pretty bad example of a target for this since it has terrible spdef and such is blown back by scald / hydro in the rain and probably just dies to draco. Even mega altaria is probably 2hkoed by hydro in the rain, so be sure to note that ice beam is pretty much just filler.
  • A Rash nature maximizes Kingdra's Special Attack, and is chosen over a Hasty nature to stomach priority attacks better.
I think you meant a mild nature here, since hasty would be +Spe and kingdra really wants a +spa nature (mild is +spa -def)

Calling kingdra a sweeper isn't the best way to describe it imo, since it acts much more as a wallbreaker than a sweeper; paving the way for a teammate.

This should also be addressed in team options since setup sweepers on rain like sd (mega) scizor, sd Kabutops, power up punch mega pert, etc obviously love a wallbreaker so they can have an easier time.
Slowking seems like a pretty interesting choice for a teammate since I don't think it's that great on rain teams, the only teams kingdra should be on, since it seems a bit too passive for the typical offensive nature of rain teams.
 
Scald needs at least a mention on LO set. The accuracy is very useful and it can cripple switch in like Mega Altaria, Ferrothorn and Azumarill. I would slash it after or even before Waterfall, Hydro Pump is still powerful enough after a SpA drop.
 

AM

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Scald in move details on Life Orb set, Omastar needs to be in team options me not finding it with my search tool isn't good. Omastar + Kingdra is brutal in rain with Omastar serving as a bird check. Toxicroak isn't a rain sweeper since it doesn't need rain to sweep it's there to absorb boosted water moves by threats such as Keldeo that would break the other components of rain. HP Fire Manaphy is redundant in rain for obvious reasons as a lure. stuff like offensive Politoed with Focus Blast is a more appropriate lure if trying to remove Ferrothorn out of the picture. TDK is gonna add some more comments since I guess we were both writing something up lol.
 
good stuff

In the overview I'd definitely mention how Kingdra is actually not all /that/ powerful. 95 Special Attack is pretty lackluster and it is way too overreliant on rain to punch holes through opposing teams. This is also much more notable when using Draco Meteor and how significant the power difference is between other Draco Meteor users, such as Latias (which is common on rain). This isn't to say that it isn't ridiculously powerful when spamming Water STAB but sorta how it relies on rain to be as amazing as it is.

Also try not to underplay Kingdra's bulk, 75/95/95 is pretty decent (95 is 5 away from 100, to put some perspective) and it comes in handy a LOT when battling in that things like Talon and Bisharp will usually just cap at 70% max and be OHKOed in return. Kingdra admittedly is the most frail of rain attackers but you're basically implying to the reader that pretty much anything will OHKO it.

Be sure to mention in team options of the first set specifically mega manectric and raikou as they both fit amazingly well on the rain teams you'll be placing kingdra on, maybe even mention zone to trap ferro before rain and to spam thunder afte. AZELF also needs a mention due to how it provides rocks + rain + boom boom for the safe switchins which is ridiculously good for the hyper offensive teams that kingdra is on.

I'd also mention points in Usage Tips about how Kingdra can also sweep at times by itself apart from Wallbreaking and dismantling the opposing team due to Swift Swim and its decent power under Rain. It's unlikely given that you'll usually have other designated rain sweepers but still.

You also mentioned using it as a wallbreaker mid- to late-game, pretty sure this was an oversight but most wallbreakers should be coming early-game to weaken the opponent enough.

Maybe consider renaming 'Chansey' in C&C to special walls? Cresselia, Blissey, Mew, Mandibuzz, and Slowking can continuously recover off any of Kingdra's damage due to their ridiculous special bulk and the fact that Kingdra's Special Attack is only 95. Just food for thought.

AM did i do this correctly ???
 

DarkNostalgia

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Pretty sure I got everything Mysteria :D
Mandibuzz is 2HKOed by Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock though, as is Cresselia I think.
 

p2

Banned deucer.
**Azumarill**: Similar to Mega Altaria, Azumarill is resistant to Kingdra's Water-type STAB and resists its Dragon-type one; Azumarill can then set up on Kingdra with Belly Drum or OHKO it with Play Rough. However, it also loathes burns from Scald.
Just a little nitpick
 

kumiko

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QC consensus is to make Specs the first set on the analysis and to make "Mixed Wallbreaker" -> "Life Orb Attacker". I would slash Scald over Waterfall on the Life Orb Attacker set, as Outrage does the same amount of damage in rain as Waterfall and fishing for Scald burns + avoiding Skin/Helmet damage is more valuable than flinch chance, usually. Make Signal Beam first thing in OO, as it's boderline slashable on both sets. Also Mention a of Rain Dance 3 Atks w/ Life Orb in OO.

2/3 after this
 
Some minor changes that should be made:
  • Under other weather conditions, It should be mentioned that opposing weather inducers aren't actually safe switch-ins to Kingdra, as all of them are OHKOed or 2HKOed by one of its coverage moves
  • Mention Dragon Pulse in the moves section of the specs set. Kingdra can utilize this move to reliably clean the opponent's team late-game similar to Scald, except its slightly more useful in the case the opponent still has some water resist in tact (mainly things such as Latios, Manaphy, Kyurem-B, etc.).
  • I think its worthwhile mentioning some Pokemon that can revenge kill Kingdra in the C&C section since these mons can give kingdra quite a bit of trouble. Things like Bisharp, Talonflame, CB Dragonite, and Mega Alakazam are the primary examples of things that can revenge kill Kingdra.
 

Mr. Uncompetitive

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AM check. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of this so sorry for any mistakes. Still though, I've had a really hard time finding mistakes on this cause this was actually rather well written (honestly a lot of my corrections are extremely subjective) so nice job man o:

Additions
Removals
Comments


[OVERVIEW]

By virtue of a great ability in Swift Swim, Kingdra can outpace the whole unboosted metagame under the rain. Furthermore, Kingdra's decent offensive stats turn Kingdra its into a great wallbreaker and sweeper, amplified by the fact that its Water-type STAB moves are bolstered even further by the rain, and . (Add Period) Kingdra can also choose to run a mixed set effectively due to its decent physical Attack. Kingdra also does not stack weaknesses with the rest of the team because it is neutral to Grass- and Electric-type attacks, unlike other Swift Swim Pokemon such as Mega Swampert and Omastar. However, Kingdra has somewhat underwhelming bulk, rendering it susceptible to strong priority such as Talonflame's Brave Bird and Bisharp's Sucker Punch when weakened. Moreover, rain only lasts for a maximum of eight turns, and reliance on rain for speed and power makes Kingdra easily exploitable outside of it. Last, (AC) but not least, Kingdra's Special Attack really isn't that great, especially compared to other Draco Meteor users such as Latios.

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 28 HP / 252 SpA / 228 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest STAB move, bolstered by the rain and Choice Specs, and severely dents non-resistant Pokemon. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's secondary STAB move, allowing it to get past Water-, Grass-, (AC) and Dragon-types such as Slowbro, Celebi, (AC) and Latios which resist Hydro Pump. Scald cripples many common Kingdra switch-ins such as Mega Altaria, Ferrothorn, and Azumarill via a burn, and can be used during the late-game to clean up due to its perfect accuracy. Ice Beam takes out bulky Grass-types such as Celebi, as well as Mega Altaria, but is more so a filler move as most Grass-types are blown back by Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor already. Dragon Pulse could be an option to let Kingdra clean up easier, especially in the face of Water-types resistant Pokemon, without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor.

Set Details
========

The given Speed EVs allow Kingdra to outpace Choice Scarf Latios and everything slower in the rain, and Jolly base 70s 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom outside of it. Maximum investment into Special Attack ensures Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are dumped into HP for some additional bulk. Choice Specs furthers Kingdra's Special Attack, and, (AC) in tandem with the rain, aids its wallbreaking and sweeping. Swift Swim takes advantage of the rain to double Kingdra's Speed and bolster its Water-type STAB.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra should use Scald on switches into Azumarill, Mega Altaria, (AC) and Ferrothorn to potentially cripple the foe via a burn. Because of Kingdra's 4x resistance to Fire- and Water-type moves, it can easily pivot into Pokemon with said moves such as Heatran and Alomomola. Kingdra greatly appreciates Volt Switch or U-turn support, and it is also best pivoted into play after a teammate has fainted or by a double switch as Kingdra's bulk really isn't that great. Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, punching holes in the opponent's team early- and mid-game. Hydro Pump is easily the most spammable move because it is the most powerful one in Kingdra's arsenal, as even resists such as Mega Venusaur are 2HKOed in the rain.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a no-brainer for a partner to Kingdra, because it brings rain to boost Kingdra's Speed and Water-type STAB moves. Other rain sweepers, (AC) such as Tornadus-T, Kabutops, (AC) and Omastar, (AC) are good partners as well because they also take advantage of the rain; Tornadus-T wears down Ferrothorn and Celebi for Kingdra while providing crucial momentum with U-turn; Kabutops hits physically, allowing it to muscle past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, which Kingdra struggles against, as well as 2HKOing Ferrothorn with Low Kick; and Omastar checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off for Kingdra. Setup sweepers such as Mega Scizor, Nasty Plot Thundurus, (AC) and Mega Pinsir love Kingdra's ability to weaken the opposition's opposing team for a potential sweep by them, and they can also deal with bulky Grass-types. Rotom-W checks Talonflame, Bisharp, Thundurus, (AC) and Azumarill, all of which Kingdra all dislike dislikes, for the former two's priority does a hefty chunk to Kingdra, the penultimate can use Prankster Thunder Wave to cripple it, and Azumarill can outright OHKO Kingdra with Play Rough.

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald / Waterfall
move 4: Outrage / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Rash
evs: 28 Atk / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
ivs: 29 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest Water-type STAB move, dealing hefty damage to everything bar resists, and is its most spammable move. Draco Meteor provides good coverage alongside Hydro Pump, allowing Kingdra to muscle past Grass-, Dragon- and Water-types such as Celebi, Garchomp, and Rotom-W. Scald cripples switch-ins such as Azumarill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Altaria with a burn and also has more accuracy is also more accurate than Hydro Pump. Outrage is a great move to use after Draco Meteor and allows Kingdra to clean up weakened Rotom-W and Celebi after Draco Meteor; however it comes with the nasty side-effect of locking Kingdra into it. Waterfall is a handy option to get past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, (RC) and similarly is also an excellent move to use after Draco Meteor because it ignores the Special Attack drops. Ice Beam 2HKOes Grass-types such as Celebi and Chesnaught, as well as Mega Altaria; however, (AC) it comes at the cost of general coverage (imo it sounds strange that you'd say that "it comes at the cost of coverage" when Ice Beam is MEANT to provide extra coverage. This should make it a bit less confusing).

Set Details
========

228 EVs are invested into Speed to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Latios in the rain, as well as Jolly base 70s such as Breloom and Bisharp outside of it. Maximum investment in Special Attack ensures Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are invested into Attack to juice up its physical moves. Life Orb provides Kingdra with an invaluable boost to its offenses and aids its sweeping capabilities. A Rash nature maximizes Kingdra's Special Attack, and is chosen over a Mild nature to stomach priority attacks better. Alternately, an EV spread of 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe could be used, with enough which has Attack investment to ensure Kingdra 2HKOes Chansey after Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes' damage, (RC) but comes at the cost of a significant Special Attack drop.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, working well during the early-game to punch holes in the opposition's team, (RC) due to its decent power under rain and great Speed. Kingdra can also be used as a sweeper, but is less likely as Kingdra will often be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Omastar and Mega Swampert. Checks and counters such as Ferrothorn and Mega Altaria should be removed prior to Kingdra attempting to sweep. Use appropriate coverage moves to dent or cripple switch-ins, such as Draco Meteor on Mega Venusaur or Scald on Ferrothorn. Because of rain's decreased length, one must take advantage of every second turn and use it as efficiently as possible. Kingdra has quadruple resistances to Fire- and Water-type moves, meaning it can easily pivot into Pokemon using said moves, such as Heatran and Rotom-W. However, don't overestimate its bulk, as it is susceptible to entry hazards and Life Orb recoil.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a compulsory partner for Kingdra, providing crucial rain support for Kingdra to bolster its stats. Backup rain setters such as Klefki and Thundurus are greatly appreciated as well for their ability to replenish Kingdra's Swift Swim should Politoed faint. Kingdra should be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Mega Swampert, Kabutops, (AC) and Tornadus-T; (Add Semicolon) , (RC) and they can weaken Kingdra's checks and counters as well, (RC) and in turn appreciate Kingdra's ability to put huge dents in the opposition's opposing team. In particular, Omastar forms a great wallbreaking core with Kingdra, as it checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off. Because Kingdra struggles to beat certain Water- and Grass-types, (AC) such as Slowking and Ferrothorn, Pokemon that can reliably take them on are good partners. Examples include Mega Heracross and Mega Pinsir which can deal with them via their Bug-, Fighting-, and Flying-type moves. Mega Manectric and Raikou fit amazingly into rain teams, boasting the ability to check Thundurus and Talonflame, function outside of rain, use an accurate Thunder, and provide useful momentum for Kingdra with Volt Switch. Magnezone helps Kingdra trap and KO Ferrothorn before rain, (RC) and also has an accurate Thunder to utilize. Lures to various Kingdra checks are also appreciated, such as Focus Blast Politoed and Knock Off and Superpower Thundurus. Rotom-W and Ferrothorn deal with Azumarill and Mega Altaria, (RC) respectively, which otherwise causes Kingdra a lot of trouble. Azelf is another great pick, providing Stealth Rock and possibly Rain Dance support, , (AC) Explosion to let Kingdra come in safely, (AC) and has Explosion to let Kingdra come in safely and possible Rain Dance support.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Because Kingdra has quite a shallow movepool, it does not have many other options to utilize. Signal Beam has the utility of breaking past Slowbro, Starmie, (AC) and Celebi without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor. A set utilizing Sniper and Scope Lens allows Kingdra to guarantee critical hits on every single hit, but Kingdra is too slow and easily revenge killed to be able to pull off such a set effectively. Dragon Pulse has more accuracy than Draco Meteor and does not come with the side-effect of lowering Special Attack; however, (AC) the drop in power is quite noticeable. Hidden Power Fire allows Kingdra to lure in Ferrothorn and KO it; however, the Base Power is decreased in the rain, and, (AC) aside from Ferrothorn, does not hit many relevant targets. Rain Dance allows Kingdra to replenish rain by itself so that Politoed isn't too overloaded. Substitute allows Kingdra to evade Sucker Punch from Bisharp and status from the likes of Rotom-W and Celebi, but, (AC) combined with repeated switch-ins with entry hazards and Life Orb recoil, Kingdra will be on a short fuse. Kingdra has access to Dragon Dance sets, so it can utilize various items such as Lum Berry or Life Orb in tandem with it to sweep, but it is wholly outclassed as a Dragon Dance user by Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Altaria.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn resists both of Kingdra's STAB moves, (AC) and takes little damage from Ice Beam, can use uses Kingdra as setup fodder with Stealth Rock or Spikes, and can wear wears it down with Power Whip and Leech Seed. However, (AC) it needs to watch out for the rare Hidden Power Fire and is crippled by crippling Scald burns.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Specially defensive walls such as Chansey, Mew, and Slowking and can continously recover off any damage taken from Kingdra continuously and stalling stall out its rain. Chansey in particular is an effective counter to most of Kingdra's sets bar the 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe spread, because it is not can avoid being 2HKOed by any of Kingdra's moves, can replenish health with Soft-Boiled, and 3HKO back with Seismic Toss.

**Mega Altaria**: Unless Kingdra packs Ice Beam, Mega Altaria is an effective check to Kingdra. Mega Altaria resists one of Kingdra's Water-type STABs STAB attacks - (Remove Hyphen) Water, (RC) and is immune to the other. In return, it can heal up with Roost, take use Kingdra as setup fodder with Dragon Dance, or downright OHKO it with Hyper Voice. However, it dislikes Scald burns, especially the Dragon Dance set.

**Azumarill**: Similar to Mega Altaria, Azumarill is resistant to Kingdra's Water-type STAB and is immune to its Dragon-type one; Azumarill then can then set up on Kingdra with Belly Drum or OHKO it with Play Rough. However, it also loathes burns from Scald.

**Other Weather Conditions**: Because Kingdra is quite reliant on the rain for its Speed and power, other weather conditions such as sand and sun put Kingdra at a severe disadvantage. However, weather inducers such as Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y cannot switch directly into Kingdra for out of fear of getting 2HKOed by Hydro Pump.

**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killers and priority users such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Dragonite can KO Kingdra when weakened. Mega Alakazam also deserves a mention as it can Trace Kingdra's Swift Swim, thus outspeeding it, and KO KOing it with Psychic after some prior damage.
 

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[OVERVIEW]

By virtue of a great ability in Thanks to Swift Swim, Kingdra can outpace the whole unboosted metagame under the rain. Furthermore, Kingdra's decent offensive stats turn Kingdra it into a great wallbreaker and sweeper, amplified by the fact that its Water-type STAB moves are bolstered even further by the rain, and . (Add Period) Kingdra can also choose to run a mixed set effectively due to its decent physical Attack. Kingdra also does not stack weaknesses with the rest of the its team because it is neutral to Grass- and Electric-type attacks, unlike other Swift Swim Pokemon such as Mega Swampert and Omastar. However, Kingdra has somewhat underwhelming bulk, rendering it susceptible to strong priority such as Talonflame's Brave Bird and Bisharp's Sucker Punch when weakened. Moreover, rain only lasts for a maximum of eight turns, and Kingdra's reliance on rain for speed and power makes Kingdra it easily exploitable outside of it. Last, (AC) but not least, Kingdra's Special Attack really isn't that great, either, especially compared to other Draco Meteor users such as Latios.

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 28 HP / 252 SpA / 228 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest STAB move, is bolstered by the rain and Choice Specs, and severely dents non-resistant Pokemon. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's secondary STAB move, allowing it to get past Water-, Grass-, (AC) and Dragon-types such as Slowbro, Celebi, (AC) and Latios, (AC) which resist Hydro Pump. Scald cripples many common Kingdra switch-ins such as Mega Altaria, Ferrothorn, and Azumarill via a burn, and; the move can be used during the late-game to clean up due to its perfect accuracy. Ice Beam takes out bulky Grass-types such as Celebi, as well as Mega Altaria, but it is more so a mostly a filler move, (AC) as most Grass-types are blown back hit hard by Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor already. Dragon Pulse could be an option to let Kingdra clean up easier, especially in the face of Water-types resistant Pokemon that resist Water, without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor.

Set Details
========

The given Speed EVs allow Kingdra to outpace Choice Scarf Latios and everything slower in the rain, (RC) and Jolly base 70s 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom outside of it rain. Maximum investment into Special Attack ensures that Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are dumped placed into HP for some additional bulk. Choice Specs furthers raises Kingdra's Special Attack, (RC) and, (AC) in tandem with the rain, aids its wallbreaking and sweeping. Swift Swim takes advantage of the rain to double Kingdra's Speed and bolster its Water-type STAB attacks.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra should use Scald on switches into Azumarill, Mega Altaria, (AC) and Ferrothorn to potentially cripple the foe via a burn. Because of Kingdra's 4x double resistance to Fire- and Water-type moves, it can easily pivot into Pokemon with said moves, (AC) such as Heatran and Alomomola. Kingdra greatly appreciates Volt Switch or U-turn support, and it is also best pivoted into play after a teammate has fainted or by a double switch, (AC) as Kingdra's bulk really isn't that great. Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, punching holes in the opponent's team early- and mid-game. Hydro Pump is easily the most spammable move because it is the most powerful one in Kingdra's arsenal, as even resists Pokemon that resist it, such as Mega Venusaur, (AC) are 2HKOed in the rain.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a no-brainer for a mandatory partner to Kingdra, (RC) because it brings rain to boost Kingdra's Speed and the power of its Water-type STAB moves. Other rain sweepers, (AC) such as Tornadus-T, Kabutops, (AC) and Omastar, (AC) are good partners as well because they also take advantage of the rain; Tornadus-T wears down Ferrothorn and Celebi for Kingdra while providing crucial momentum with U-turn;.(period) Kabutops hits physically, allowing it to muscle past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, which Kingdra struggles against, as well as 2HKOing Ferrothorn with Low Kick;,(change to comma) and Omastar checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off for Kingdra. Setup sweepers such as Mega Scizor, Nasty Plot Thundurus, (AC) and Mega Pinsir love Kingdra's ability to weaken the opposition's opposing team for a potential sweep by them, and they can also deal with bulky Grass-types. Rotom-W checks Talonflame, Bisharp, Thundurus, (AC) and Azumarill, all of which Kingdra all dislike dislikes, for as the former two's priority does Talonflame's and Bisharp's priority attacks deal a hefty chunk of damage to Kingdra, the penultimate Thundurus can use Prankster Thunder Wave to cripple it, and Azumarill can outright OHKO Kingdra with Play Rough.

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald / Waterfall
move 4: Outrage / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Rash
evs: 28 Atk / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
ivs: 29 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest and most spammable (Really? Scald is less spammable?) Water-type STAB move, dealing hefty damage to everything bar resists, and is its most spammable move that does not resist it. Draco Meteor provides good coverage alongside Hydro Pump, allowing Kingdra to muscle past Grass-, Dragon-, (AC) and Water-types such as Celebi, Garchomp, and Rotom-W. Scald cripples switch-ins such as Azumarill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Altaria with a burn and also has more accuracy is also more accurate than Hydro Pump. Outrage is a great move to use after Draco Meteor and allows Kingdra to clean up weakened Rotom-W and Celebi after Draco Meteor; however, (AC) it comes with the nasty side-(RH)effect of locking Kingdra into it. Waterfall is a handy option to get past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, (RC) and similarly is also an excellent move to use after Draco Meteor because it ignores the Special Attack drops. Ice Beam 2HKOes Grass-types such as Celebi and Chesnaught, as well as Mega Altaria; however, (AC) it comes at the cost of general coverage (imo it sounds strange that you'd say that "it comes at the cost of coverage" when Ice Beam is MEANT to provide extra coverage. This should make it a bit less confusing).

Set Details
========

228 EVs are invested into Speed to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Latios in the rain, as well as Jolly base 70s Speed Pokemon such as Breloom and Bisharp outside of it. Maximum investment in Special Attack ensures that Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are invested into Attack to juice power up its physical moves. Life Orb provides Kingdra with an invaluable boost to its offenses and aids its sweeping capabilities. A Rash nature maximizes Kingdra's Special Attack, (RC) and is chosen over a Mild nature to stomach take priority attacks better. Alternately, an EV spread of 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe could be used, with enough which has Attack investment to ensure that Kingdra 2HKOes Chansey after Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes' damage, (RC) but comes at the cost of a significant Special Attack drop.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, working well during the early-game to punch holes in the opposition's opponent's team, (RC) due to its decent power under rain and great Speed. Kingdra can also be used as a sweeper, but is less likely as Kingdra this is rather unnecessary, as it will often be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Omastar and Mega Swampert. Checks and counters such as Ferrothorn and Mega Altaria should be removed prior to Kingdra attempting to sweep. Use appropriate coverage moves to dent or cripple switch-ins, such as Draco Meteor on Mega Venusaur or Scald on Ferrothorn. Because of rain's decreased limited (don't mention generational shifts) length, one must take advantage of every second turn and use it as efficiently as possible. Kingdra has quadruple double (quadruple would be 8x) resistances to Fire- and Water-type moves, meaning so it can easily pivot into Pokemon using said moves, such as Heatran and Rotom-W. However, don't overestimate its bulk, as it is susceptible to entry hazards and Life Orb recoil.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a compulsory partner for Kingdra, providing crucial rain support for Kingdra to bolster its stats. Backup rain setters such as Klefki and Thundurus are greatly appreciated as well for their ability to replenish Kingdra's Swift Swim should Politoed faint. Kingdra should be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Mega Swampert, Kabutops, (AC) and Tornadus-T; (Add Semicolon) , (RC) and they can weaken Kingdra's checks and counters as well, (RC) and in turn appreciate Kingdra's ability to put huge dents in the opposition's opposing team. In particular, Omastar forms a great wallbreaking core with Kingdra, as it checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off. Because Kingdra struggles to beat certain Water- and Grass-types, (AC) such as Slowking and Ferrothorn, Pokemon that can reliably take them on are good partners. Examples include Mega Heracross and Mega Pinsir, (AC) which can deal with them via their Bug-, Fighting-, and Flying-type moves. Mega Manectric and Raikou both fit amazingly into rain teams, boasting the ability to check Thundurus and Talonflame, function outside of rain, use an a perfectly accurate Thunder, and provide useful momentum for Kingdra with Volt Switch. Magnezone helps Kingdra can trap and KO Ferrothorn before outside of rain, (RC) and also has an a perfectly accurate Thunder to utilize. Lures to various Kingdra checks are also appreciated, such as Focus Blast Politoed and Knock Off and Superpower mixed Thundurus. Rotom-W and Ferrothorn deal with Azumarill and Mega Altaria, (RC) (no, leave the comma) respectively, which otherwise causes Kingdra a lot of trouble. Azelf is another great pick, providing Stealth Rock and possibly Rain Dance support, , (AC) Explosion to let Kingdra come in safely, (AC) and has Explosion to let Kingdra come in safely and possibly Rain Dance support.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Because Kingdra has quite a shallow movepool, it does not have many other options to utilize. Signal Beam has the utility of breaking past Slowbro, Starmie, (AC) and Celebi without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor. A set utilizing Sniper, Focus Energy, and Scope Lens allows Kingdra to guarantee critical hits on every single hit, but Kingdra is too slow and easily revenge killed to be able to pull off such a set effectively. Dragon Pulse has more accuracy than Draco Meteor and does not come with the side-(RH)effect of lowering Kingdra's Special Attack; however, (AC) the drop in power is quite noticeable. Hidden Power Fire allows Kingdra to lure in Ferrothorn and KO it; however, the Base Power is decreased in the rain, (RC) and, (AC) aside from Ferrothorn, the move does not hit many relevant targets. Rain Dance allows Kingdra to replenish rain by itself so that it doesn't become overly reliant on Politoed isn't too overloaded. Substitute allows Kingdra to evade Sucker Punch from Bisharp and status from the likes of Rotom-W and Celebi, but, (AC) combined with repeated switch-ins with entry hazards and Life Orb recoil, Kingdra will be on a short fuse. Kingdra has access to Dragon Dance sets, so it can utilize various items such as Lum Berry or Life Orb in tandem with it to sweep, but it is wholly outclassed as a Dragon Dance user by Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Altaria.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn resists both of Kingdra's STAB moves, (AC) and takes little damage from Ice Beam, can use uses ("can use" is fine) Kingdra as setup fodder with Stealth Rock or Spikes, and can wear wears ("can wear down" is fine) it down with Power Whip and Leech Seed. However, (AC) it needs to watch out for the rare Hidden Power Fire and is crippled by crippling ("is crippled by" is fine) Scald burns.

**Specially Defensive Walls Pokemon**: Specially defensive walls Pokemon such as Chansey, Mew, and Slowking and can continously continuously recover off any damage taken from Kingdra and stalling stall out its rain. Chansey in particular is an a particularly effective counter to most of Kingdra's sets bar the 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe spread, (RC) because it is not can avoid being 2HKOed ("is not 2HKOed" is fine provided that it's true) by any of Kingdra's moves, can replenish its health with Soft-Boiled, and 3HKO Kingdra back with Seismic Toss.

**Mega Altaria**: Unless Kingdra packs Ice Beam, Mega Altaria is an effective check to Kingdra. Mega Altaria resists one of Kingdra's Water-type STABs STAB attacks - (Remove Hyphen) Water, (RC) and is immune to the other its Dragon-type ones. In return, it can heal up itself with Roost, take use Kingdra as setup fodder with Dragon Dance, or downright outright OHKO it with Hyper Voice. However, it dislikes Scald burns, especially the if it's a Dragon Dance set variant.

**Azumarill**: Similar to Mega Altaria, Azumarill is resistant to Kingdra's Water-type STAB moves and is ("is" is fine) immune to its Dragon-type ones; Azumarill then can then ("can then" is fine) set up on Kingdra with Belly Drum or OHKO it with Play Rough. However, it also loathes burns from Scald.

**Other Weather Conditions**: Because Kingdra is quite reliant on the rain for its Speed and power, other weather conditions such as sand and sun put Kingdra at a severe disadvantage. However, weather inducers such as Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y cannot switch directly into Kingdra for out of fear of getting 2HKOed by Hydro Pump.

**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killers and priority users such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Dragonite can KO Kingdra when it's weakened. Mega Alakazam also deserves a mention, (AC) as it can Trace Kingdra's Swift Swim, thus outspeeding it, ("it" is fine) and KO KOing it with Psychic after some prior damage.

Good work Mr. Uncompetitive; I will stamp this.
GP 1/2
 
Last edited:

Lumari

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(comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
[OVERVIEW]

Thanks to Swift Swim, Kingdra can outpace the whole unboosted metagame under the rain. Furthermore, Kingdra's decent offensive stats turn it into a great wallbreaker and sweeper, which is amplified by the fact that its Water-type STAB moves are bolstered even further by the rain, (comma) Kingdra and it (less repetitive) can also choose to run a mixed set effectively due to its decent Attack. Kingdra also does not stack weaknesses with the rest of its team because it is neutral to Grass- and Electric-type attacks, unlike other Swift Swim Pokemon such as Mega Swampert and Omastar. However, Kingdra has somewhat underwhelming bulk, rendering it susceptible to strong priority moves such as Talonflame's Brave Bird and Bisharp's Sucker Punch when weakened. Moreover, rain only lasts for a maximum of eight turns, and Kingdra's reliance on rain for Speed and power makes it easily exploitable outside of it. Kingdra's Special Attack really isn't that great (RC) either, especially compared to other Draco Meteor users such as Latios.

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 28 HP / 252 SpA / 228 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest STAB move, is bolstered by the rain and Choice Specs, and severely dents non-resistant Pokemon. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's secondary STAB move, allowing it to get past Water-, Grass-, and Dragon-types such as Slowbro, Celebi, and Latios, which resist Hydro Pump. Scald cripples can cripple (30%=30% haha, don't exaggerate) many common Kingdra switch-ins such as Mega Altaria, Ferrothorn, and Azumarill via a burn; the move can also be used late-game to clean up due to its perfect accuracy. Ice Beam takes out bulky Grass-types such as Celebi, as well as Mega Altaria, but it is mostly a filler move, as most Grass-types are hit hard by Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor already. Dragon Pulse could be is ('could be' either implies that it really isn't, on which you then should elaborate, or is just way too vague) an option to let Kingdra clean up easier more easily, especially in the face of Pokemon that resist Water, without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor.

Set Details
========

The given Speed EVs allow Kingdra to outpace Choice Scarf Latios and everything slower in the rain and Jolly base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom outside of rain. Maximum investment into Special Attack ensures that Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are placed into HP for some additional bulk. Choice Specs further raises Kingdra's Special Attack and, in tandem with the rain, aids its wallbreaking and sweeping. Swift Swim takes advantage of the rain to double Kingdra's Speed and bolster its Water-type STAB attacks.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra should use Scald on switches into Azumarill, Mega Altaria, and Ferrothorn to potentially cripple the foe via a burn. Because of Kingdra's double resistance to Fire- and Water-type moves, it can easily pivot into Pokemon with said moves, such as Heatran and Alomomola. Kingdra greatly appreciates Volt Switch or U-turn support, and it is also best pivoted brought into play after a teammate has fainted or by a double switch, as Kingdra's bulk really isn't that great. Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, punching holes in the opponent's team early- and mid-game. Hydro Pump is easily the most spammable move because it is the most powerful one in Kingdra's arsenal, as even Pokemon that resist it, such as Mega Venusaur, are 2HKOed in the rain.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a mandatory partner to Kingdra because it brings rain to boost Kingdra's Speed and the power of its Water-type STAB moves. Other rain sweepers, such as Tornadus-T, Kabutops, and Omastar, are good partners as well because they also take advantage of the rain; Tornadus-T wears down Ferrothorn and Celebi for Kingdra while providing crucial momentum with U-turn. Kabutops hits physically, allowing it to muscle past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, which Kingdra struggles against, as well as 2HKOing and 2HKOes Ferrothorn with Low Kick, and while Omastar checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off. Setup sweepers such as Mega Scizor, Nasty Plot Thundurus, and Mega Pinsir love Kingdra's ability to weaken the opposing team for a potential sweep by them, and they can also deal with bulky Grass-types. Rotom-W checks Talonflame, Bisharp, Thundurus, and Azumarill, all of which Kingdra dislikes, as Talonflame's and Bisharp's priority attacks deal a hefty chunk of damage to Kingdra, Thundurus can use Prankster Thunder Wave to cripple it, and Azumarill can outright OHKO Kingdra with Play Rough.

[SET]
name: Life Orb Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Scald / Waterfall
move 4: Outrage / Ice Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Rash
evs: 28 Atk / 252 SpA / 228 Spe
ivs: 29 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Hydro Pump is Kingdra's strongest Water-type STAB move, dealing hefty damage to everything that does not resist it. Draco Meteor provides good coverage alongside Hydro Pump, allowing Kingdra to muscle past Grass-, Dragon-, and Water-types such as Celebi, Garchomp, and Rotom-W. Scald cripples has a solid chance to cripple switch-ins such as Azumarill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Altaria with a burn and is also more accurate than Hydro Pump. Outrage is a great move to use after Draco Meteor and allows Kingdra to clean up finish off weakened Rotom-W and Celebi after Draco Meteor; however, it comes with the nasty side effect of locking Kingdra into it. Waterfall is a handy option to get past specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and is also an excellent move to use after Draco Meteor because it ignores the Special Attack drops. Ice Beam 2HKOes Grass-types such as Celebi and Chesnaught, as well as Mega Altaria; however, it comes at the cost of general coverage. (this doesn't really make sense cause it's used over a secondary Dragon-type move and therefore actually improves Kingdra's coverage, and I kinda don't really know what you're getting at, so clarify / reword this please ^^)

Set Details
========

228 EVs are invested into Speed to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Latios in the rain, as well as Jolly base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Breloom and Bisharp outside of it. Maximum investment in Special Attack ensures that Kingdra hits as hard as possible, and the remaining EVs are invested into Attack to power up its physical moves. Life Orb provides Kingdra with an invaluable boost to its offenses and aids its sweeping capabilities. A Rash nature maximizes Kingdra's Special Attack and is chosen over a Mild nature to take priority attacks better. Alternately, an EV spread of 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe could be used, which has enough Attack investment to ensure that Kingdra 2HKOes Chansey after Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes but comes at the cost of a significant Special Attack drop.

Usage Tips
========

Kingdra is best used as a wallbreaker, working well early-game to punch holes in the opponent's team due to its decent power under rain and great Speed. Kingdra can also be used as a sweeper, but this is rather unnecessary, as it will often be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Omastar and Mega Swampert. Checks and counters such as Ferrothorn and Mega Altaria should be removed prior to Kingdra attempting to sweep. Use appropriate coverage moves to dent or cripple switch-ins, such as Draco Meteor on Mega Venusaur or and Scald on Ferrothorn. Because of rain's limited length, one must take advantage of every turn and use it as efficiently as possible. Kingdra has double resistances to Fire- and Water-type moves, so it can easily pivot into Pokemon using said moves, such as Heatran and Rotom-W. However, don't overestimate its bulk, as it is susceptible to entry hazards and Life Orb recoil.

Team Options
========

Politoed is a compulsory partner for Kingdra, providing crucial rain support for Kingdra to bolster its stats. Backup rain setters such as Klefki and Thundurus are greatly appreciated as well for their ability to replenish Kingdra's Swift Swim should Politoed faint. Kingdra should be paired up with other rain sweepers such as Mega Swampert, Kabutops, and Tornadus-T; they can weaken Kingdra's checks and counters and appreciate Kingdra's ability to put huge dents in the opposing team. In particular, Omastar forms a great wallbreaking core with Kingdra, as it checks Talonflame and cripples Chansey with Knock Off. Because Kingdra struggles to beat certain Water- and Grass-types, such as Slowking and Ferrothorn, Pokemon that can reliably take them on are good partners. Examples include Mega Heracross and Mega Pinsir, which can deal with them via their Bug-, Fighting-, and Flying-type moves. Mega Manectric and Raikou both fit amazingly into rain teams, boasting the ability to check Thundurus and Talonflame, function outside of rain, use a perfectly accurate Thunder, and provide useful momentum for Kingdra with Volt Switch. Magnezone can trap and KO Ferrothorn outside of rain and also has a perfectly accurate Thunder to utilize. Lures to various Kingdra checks are also appreciated, such as Focus Blast Politoed and mixed Thundurus. Rotom-W and Ferrothorn deal with Azumarill and Mega Altaria, respectively, which otherwise causes Kingdra a lot of trouble. Azelf is another great pick, providing Stealth Rock, Explosion to let Kingdra come in safely, and possibly Rain Dance support.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Because Kingdra has quite a shallow movepool, it does not have many other options to utilize. Signal Beam has the utility of breaking past Slowbro, Starmie, and Celebi without facing the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor. A set utilizing Sniper, Focus Energy, and Scope Lens allows Kingdra to guarantee critical hits on every single hit, but Kingdra is too slow and easily revenge killed to be able to pull off such a set effectively. Dragon Pulse has more accuracy than Draco Meteor and does not come with the side effect of lowering Kingdra's Special Attack; however, the drop in power is quite noticeable. Hidden Power Fire allows Kingdra to lure in Ferrothorn and KO it; however, the Base Power is decreased in the rain and, aside from Ferrothorn, the move does not hit many relevant targets. Rain Dance allows Kingdra to replenish rain by itself so that it doesn't become overly reliant on Politoed. Substitute allows Kingdra to evade Sucker Punch from Bisharp and status from the likes of Rotom-W and Celebi, but, combined with repeated switch-ins with entry hazards and Life Orb recoil, Kingdra will be on a short fuse. Kingdra has access to Dragon Dance, so it can utilize various items such as Lum Berry or and Life Orb in tandem with it to sweep, but it is outclassed as a Dragon Dance user by Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Altaria.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn resists both of Kingdra's STAB moves, takes little damage from Ice Beam, can use Kingdra as setup fodder with Stealth Rock or Spikes, and can wear it down with Power Whip and Leech Seed. However, it needs to watch out for the rare Hidden Power Fire and is crippled by Scald burns.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey, Mew, and Slowking can continuously recover off any damage taken from Kingdra and stall out its rain. Chansey is a particularly effective counter to most of Kingdra's sets bar the 64 Atk / 216 SpA / 228 Spe spread because it is not 2HKOed by any of Kingdra's moves (RC) and can replenish its health with Soft-Boiled (RC) and 3HKO Kingdra back with Seismic Toss.

**Mega Altaria**: Unless Kingdra packs Ice Beam, Mega Altaria is an effective check to Kingdra. Mega Altaria resists Kingdra's Water-type STAB attacks and is immune to its Dragon-type ones. In return, it can heal itself with Roost, use Kingdra as setup fodder with Dragon Dance, or outright OHKO it with Hyper Voice. However, it dislikes Scald burns, especially if it's a Dragon Dance variant.

**Azumarill**: Azumarill is resistant to resists Kingdra's Water-type STAB moves and is immune to its Dragon-type ones; Azumarill can then set up on Kingdra with Belly Drum or OHKO it with Play Rough. However, it loathes burns from Scald.

**Other Weather Conditions**: Because Kingdra is reliant on the rain for its Speed and power, other weather conditions such as sand and sun put Kingdra at a severe disadvantage. However, weather inducers such as Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y cannot switch directly into Kingdra out of fear of getting 2HKOed by Hydro Pump.

**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killers and priority users such as Bisharp, Talonflame, and Dragonite can KO Kingdra when it's weakened. Mega Alakazam also deserves a mention, as it can Trace Kingdra's Swift Swim, thus outspeeding it, and KOing KO it with Psychic after some prior damage.



GP 2/2
 
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