Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Jirne a note so-new competitive pokemon battler. I learned the basics on showdown during the last year of BW2 OU metagame and now I want to focus on building a proper team and train with it.
Since I’m still not very experienced in battling, there might be some errors in the analysis that why I’m here : to improve the team synergy and the sets themselves.
As a lot of player I have some preferences and particularities, mine is quite simple, I love rain team, I was both running an BW OU classic drizzle team and a manual rain team (was pretty challenging in the weather metagame).
For this team I may stick with a manual rain (bar toxic, perish song and the classic choice scarf set I find the mighty Politeod a bit dead weight and type-wise redundant with the other water pokes) but I’m opened up to any suggestions.
Currently the team is pre-pokebank based, I gonna explain how I’ll shift it to pokebank metagame.
Warning : I’m planning to build this team in-game to play on local tournaments and on wifi, since I only have pokemon Y as a recent game, I don’t have an easy access to some very old movesets (I may stick for example to Gen 5 move tutors) except if I find some kind soul.
HISTORY
So let’s go with the team-history section :
Kingdra, when you are talking about rain team, swift swim is a force to be reckoned with and kingdra in one of the best abuser, for the set I use a bastard one, something with focus energy but without sniper so kingdra can work without set-up and if it manages to get it, it wreaks havocs.
The next few pokes are designed to nail kingdra counters and/or provide switch-in opportunities
Scizor is always a nice pokemon and every mighty defensive fairies (Florges, sylveon) are gonna hate taking an technician bullet punch, plus kingdra provide a coverage (read free switch-in) on Scizor x4 weakness.
Sap Sipper Goodra is here to absorb spore and grass attacks targeted at Blastoise and Mamoswine and strike back with some amazing coverage moves with some pretiction it is able to nail some poke on the switch-in (as he has the kingdra’s weakness he will help kingdra for this future sweep).
Mega-Blastoise. This choice is a little bit subjective since it’s my Gen 1 good ol’ friend so I wanted to try it. Aura sphere I here to kill ferrothorn while providing rapid spin support.
To thoses 4 pokes I added 2 poke with some utility.
Mamoswine provides stealth rocks, another priority move and an electricity immune.
Cobat act as my stall breaker, because I hate stall, and kingdra too.
Change 1 :
Since Goodra share the weakness as kingdra and don’t provide any switch-in opportunities for kingdra I took Rotom-W who has the particularity to be a check (and maybe a counter) to both Azumarill and talonflame (kingdra hates priority) and his weakness to grass is covered by scizor.
MOVESETS
This is the team I’m currently running on showdown and here are the movesets :
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Trait: Oblivious
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Nature : Jolly
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Rain Dance
- Earthquake
This is a nearly classic Mamolead set, I just take out the Icicle crash to have a first rain dance after the rocks are ups. Since this guy has a water weakness I can try to keep it alive and switch on Blastoise (if Ferrothorn is here) or Rotom to begin the will-o-wisp spread. I pick Oblivious over Tick Fat because all lot of ice and fire attacks gonna 2HKO despite the Thick Fat and Focus Sash is already here to stop that. Plus I don’t want to be taunted by some Deoxys.
Kingdra @ Scope Lens
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 88 HP / 252 SAtk / 170 Spd
Nature : Modest
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Ice beam
-Focus Energy
I think this set will be discussed a lot but here are my justifications.
First of all I choose surf over scald because I want those 10 more BP over a burn who gonna let some opponent to strike back.
I use ice beam over flash cannon because I don’t have a lot ice coverage on my team (Mamo is often the first one to die or don’t survive long enough to support Kingdra’s sweep) and even if grass pokemon are neutral to stab draco-meteor, I want to have non-setup required answer.
Focus Energy + Scope Lens (without sniper) : on this set, surf is the main spamming move and formerly I had a choice spec with dragon pulse on this guy (but hey I prefer flexibility) so opted for this.
Swift Swim makes Kingdra faster and a good revenge kill if it rains and outspeed things that snipdra can’t (even with sticky web support).
After set-up, both surf are hitting at the same power :
252+ SpA Sniper Kingdra Surf vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD (custom) on a critical hit: 292-346 (85.6 - 101.4%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Kingdra Surf vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD (custom) in Rain on a critical hit: 294-346 (86.2 - 101.4%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
I totally agree that draco meteor loose power without sniper (rain doesn’t compensate)
Here are the scenarios :
If I get time to set up a focus energy and kill 2-3 pokemons with the end of the rain.
Spam surf is enough : let’s do it.
If I cant OHKO the mon and it will not switch out : Set up focus energy and strike harder next turn.
If I’m just here for 1-2 turn, I can just use a meteor then switch out.
NB : If you have a better Speed EV suggestion I’m gonna totally take it
Scizor @ Damp Rock
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Nature : Adamant
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Rain Dance
- Roost
Beside every Kingdra, there always should be a Scizor, their synergy is so godly amazing (moar emphasis please), he takes every physical super effective move targeted at Kingdra
252+ Atk Choice Band Azumarill Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Scizor: 67-79 (19.4 - 22.9%) -- possible 5HKO
+2 252+ Atk Garchomp Dragon Claw vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Scizor: 143-168 (41.5 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
and maybe some Special ones but it’s not its speciality (I know togekiss cant learn moonblast, it’s just for the show-off)
252+ SpA Togekiss Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Scizor: 97-114 (28.1 - 33.1%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252+ SpA Latios Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Scizor: 140-165 (40.6 - 47.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
If the rain is not up, Blastoise can handle the job to cover his fire weakness (the synergy is better because Scizor handle the Blastoise’s grass weakness)
Rotom-W @ Chesto berry
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Nature : Bold
- Rain Dance
- Volt Switch
- Rest
- Will-O-Wisp
I never used Rotom during BW2 and this thing’s bulk is quite surprising, his defences are naturally high and will-o-wisp cripple Azumarill even more, I choose the ChestoRest combo to increase hi ssurvivability but he has the 4 move set syndrome, I wish it could at least run Thunder and maybe Hydro Pump. He is my designated counter to Talonflame, resisting both his stabs and striking back with volt switch.
252+ Atk Choice Band Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 81-96 (26.6 - 31.5%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
Volt switch makes a Volturn core with Scizor and Crobat.
But sometimes I really miss thunder.
Blastoise @ Blastoisinite
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Nature : Modest
- Rapid Spin
- Aura Sphere
- Dark Pulse
- Water Pulse
The set is pretty straightforward I choose aura sphere over dragon pulse because I have kindra to cover this and it’s more important to kill Ferrothorn before spinning.
252+ SpA Mega Launcher Blastoise Aura Sphere vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ferrothorn: 182-216 (51.7 - 61.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Because he hasn’t the type advantage, killing ferrothorn (or weakening him) and spin away his dirty hazards is probably the only thing blastoise is going to do.
Crobat @ Black Sludge
Trait: Infiltrator
EVs: 176 HP / 192 Atk / 4 SDef / 136 Spd
Nature : Jolly
- Poison Fang
- Roost
- Taunt
- U-turn
If Kingdra can’t go trough some pokemons, it’s Crobat’s job to deal with it. Thanks to the combination of Poison Fang (30% chance of Toxic), taunt and roost it can take care of a lot staller who don’t pack an ice attack and are not steel (Kingdra can go through Skarm and Ferro has is designated counter).
I didn’t pick noivern for the same reason I already exclude Goodra : dragon type
I choose an already existing EV spread, feel free to suggest another
ALREADY THOUGHT IMPROVEMENT
Lead : I want to change my lead, because a lot of people are using stealth rockers as lead and let them die, I want to stop them and set up my own one.
Special Wall : I ain’t got one, it’s not a non-pokebank issue, I think it’s a team issue.
Another damp rock raindancer : I only got one but if I make a mistake, I’m stuck with a 5 turn rain, which is really bad.
GrassType : I don’t have spore immunity (was original goodra’s job), and I think I need it sine every pokemon on my team is important.
A 2nd swift swimmer : I thing the team is too kingdra oriented to plan this sort of change.
Thunder/Hurricane : Got Rain and don’t use that, what a shame !
My suggestions (feel free to add others, I love headaches)
Gliscor : Acces to stealth rocks + taunt, status immune (poison heal), physicall wall, keep mamo’s electric immunity.
Roserade : Great Sdef, one of the few grass pokemon with access to rain dance, can provide spikes and has his own recover with giga drain.
Tornadus : Prankster, hurricane, maybe a bit hard to get a good one for me.
Klefki : Prankster, thunder wave, a weaker version of tornadus without hurricane with better typing.
Volcarona : If I want to play a fire type in my rain team, it’s one of the only few option.
The bold ones are already in test on showdown (replacing Mamoswine and Crobat)
Last Words
Thanks for the rate, I’m looking forward to read your comments.
Since I’m still not very experienced in battling, there might be some errors in the analysis that why I’m here : to improve the team synergy and the sets themselves.
As a lot of player I have some preferences and particularities, mine is quite simple, I love rain team, I was both running an BW OU classic drizzle team and a manual rain team (was pretty challenging in the weather metagame).
For this team I may stick with a manual rain (bar toxic, perish song and the classic choice scarf set I find the mighty Politeod a bit dead weight and type-wise redundant with the other water pokes) but I’m opened up to any suggestions.
Currently the team is pre-pokebank based, I gonna explain how I’ll shift it to pokebank metagame.
Warning : I’m planning to build this team in-game to play on local tournaments and on wifi, since I only have pokemon Y as a recent game, I don’t have an easy access to some very old movesets (I may stick for example to Gen 5 move tutors) except if I find some kind soul.
HISTORY
So let’s go with the team-history section :
Kingdra, when you are talking about rain team, swift swim is a force to be reckoned with and kingdra in one of the best abuser, for the set I use a bastard one, something with focus energy but without sniper so kingdra can work without set-up and if it manages to get it, it wreaks havocs.
The next few pokes are designed to nail kingdra counters and/or provide switch-in opportunities
Scizor is always a nice pokemon and every mighty defensive fairies (Florges, sylveon) are gonna hate taking an technician bullet punch, plus kingdra provide a coverage (read free switch-in) on Scizor x4 weakness.
Sap Sipper Goodra is here to absorb spore and grass attacks targeted at Blastoise and Mamoswine and strike back with some amazing coverage moves with some pretiction it is able to nail some poke on the switch-in (as he has the kingdra’s weakness he will help kingdra for this future sweep).
Mega-Blastoise. This choice is a little bit subjective since it’s my Gen 1 good ol’ friend so I wanted to try it. Aura sphere I here to kill ferrothorn while providing rapid spin support.
To thoses 4 pokes I added 2 poke with some utility.
Mamoswine provides stealth rocks, another priority move and an electricity immune.
Cobat act as my stall breaker, because I hate stall, and kingdra too.
Change 1 :
Since Goodra share the weakness as kingdra and don’t provide any switch-in opportunities for kingdra I took Rotom-W who has the particularity to be a check (and maybe a counter) to both Azumarill and talonflame (kingdra hates priority) and his weakness to grass is covered by scizor.
MOVESETS
This is the team I’m currently running on showdown and here are the movesets :
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Trait: Oblivious
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Nature : Jolly
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Rain Dance
- Earthquake
This is a nearly classic Mamolead set, I just take out the Icicle crash to have a first rain dance after the rocks are ups. Since this guy has a water weakness I can try to keep it alive and switch on Blastoise (if Ferrothorn is here) or Rotom to begin the will-o-wisp spread. I pick Oblivious over Tick Fat because all lot of ice and fire attacks gonna 2HKO despite the Thick Fat and Focus Sash is already here to stop that. Plus I don’t want to be taunted by some Deoxys.
Kingdra @ Scope Lens
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 88 HP / 252 SAtk / 170 Spd
Nature : Modest
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Ice beam
-Focus Energy
I think this set will be discussed a lot but here are my justifications.
First of all I choose surf over scald because I want those 10 more BP over a burn who gonna let some opponent to strike back.
I use ice beam over flash cannon because I don’t have a lot ice coverage on my team (Mamo is often the first one to die or don’t survive long enough to support Kingdra’s sweep) and even if grass pokemon are neutral to stab draco-meteor, I want to have non-setup required answer.
Focus Energy + Scope Lens (without sniper) : on this set, surf is the main spamming move and formerly I had a choice spec with dragon pulse on this guy (but hey I prefer flexibility) so opted for this.
Swift Swim makes Kingdra faster and a good revenge kill if it rains and outspeed things that snipdra can’t (even with sticky web support).
After set-up, both surf are hitting at the same power :
252+ SpA Sniper Kingdra Surf vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD (custom) on a critical hit: 292-346 (85.6 - 101.4%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Kingdra Surf vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD (custom) in Rain on a critical hit: 294-346 (86.2 - 101.4%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
I totally agree that draco meteor loose power without sniper (rain doesn’t compensate)
Here are the scenarios :
If I get time to set up a focus energy and kill 2-3 pokemons with the end of the rain.
Spam surf is enough : let’s do it.
If I cant OHKO the mon and it will not switch out : Set up focus energy and strike harder next turn.
If I’m just here for 1-2 turn, I can just use a meteor then switch out.
NB : If you have a better Speed EV suggestion I’m gonna totally take it
Scizor @ Damp Rock
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Nature : Adamant
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Rain Dance
- Roost
Beside every Kingdra, there always should be a Scizor, their synergy is so godly amazing (moar emphasis please), he takes every physical super effective move targeted at Kingdra
252+ Atk Choice Band Azumarill Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Scizor: 67-79 (19.4 - 22.9%) -- possible 5HKO
+2 252+ Atk Garchomp Dragon Claw vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Scizor: 143-168 (41.5 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
and maybe some Special ones but it’s not its speciality (I know togekiss cant learn moonblast, it’s just for the show-off)
252+ SpA Togekiss Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Scizor: 97-114 (28.1 - 33.1%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252+ SpA Latios Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Scizor: 140-165 (40.6 - 47.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
If the rain is not up, Blastoise can handle the job to cover his fire weakness (the synergy is better because Scizor handle the Blastoise’s grass weakness)
Rotom-W @ Chesto berry
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Nature : Bold
- Rain Dance
- Volt Switch
- Rest
- Will-O-Wisp
I never used Rotom during BW2 and this thing’s bulk is quite surprising, his defences are naturally high and will-o-wisp cripple Azumarill even more, I choose the ChestoRest combo to increase hi ssurvivability but he has the 4 move set syndrome, I wish it could at least run Thunder and maybe Hydro Pump. He is my designated counter to Talonflame, resisting both his stabs and striking back with volt switch.
252+ Atk Choice Band Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 81-96 (26.6 - 31.5%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
Volt switch makes a Volturn core with Scizor and Crobat.
But sometimes I really miss thunder.
Blastoise @ Blastoisinite
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Nature : Modest
- Rapid Spin
- Aura Sphere
- Dark Pulse
- Water Pulse
The set is pretty straightforward I choose aura sphere over dragon pulse because I have kindra to cover this and it’s more important to kill Ferrothorn before spinning.
252+ SpA Mega Launcher Blastoise Aura Sphere vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ferrothorn: 182-216 (51.7 - 61.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Because he hasn’t the type advantage, killing ferrothorn (or weakening him) and spin away his dirty hazards is probably the only thing blastoise is going to do.
Crobat @ Black Sludge
Trait: Infiltrator
EVs: 176 HP / 192 Atk / 4 SDef / 136 Spd
Nature : Jolly
- Poison Fang
- Roost
- Taunt
- U-turn
If Kingdra can’t go trough some pokemons, it’s Crobat’s job to deal with it. Thanks to the combination of Poison Fang (30% chance of Toxic), taunt and roost it can take care of a lot staller who don’t pack an ice attack and are not steel (Kingdra can go through Skarm and Ferro has is designated counter).
I didn’t pick noivern for the same reason I already exclude Goodra : dragon type
I choose an already existing EV spread, feel free to suggest another
ALREADY THOUGHT IMPROVEMENT
Lead : I want to change my lead, because a lot of people are using stealth rockers as lead and let them die, I want to stop them and set up my own one.
Special Wall : I ain’t got one, it’s not a non-pokebank issue, I think it’s a team issue.
Another damp rock raindancer : I only got one but if I make a mistake, I’m stuck with a 5 turn rain, which is really bad.
GrassType : I don’t have spore immunity (was original goodra’s job), and I think I need it sine every pokemon on my team is important.
A 2nd swift swimmer : I thing the team is too kingdra oriented to plan this sort of change.
Thunder/Hurricane : Got Rain and don’t use that, what a shame !
My suggestions (feel free to add others, I love headaches)
Gliscor : Acces to stealth rocks + taunt, status immune (poison heal), physicall wall, keep mamo’s electric immunity.
Roserade : Great Sdef, one of the few grass pokemon with access to rain dance, can provide spikes and has his own recover with giga drain.
Tornadus : Prankster, hurricane, maybe a bit hard to get a good one for me.
Klefki : Prankster, thunder wave, a weaker version of tornadus without hurricane with better typing.
Volcarona : If I want to play a fire type in my rain team, it’s one of the only few option.
The bold ones are already in test on showdown (replacing Mamoswine and Crobat)
Last Words
Thanks for the rate, I’m looking forward to read your comments.