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Ludicolo (Analysis)
- Thread starter elDino
- Start date
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[Overview]
<p>Whilst Ludicolo is by no means a new Pokémon in to the franchise, it is one that has never really shone in past generations. It had always been a very adept Swift Swim sweeper, that and has gained the title a reputation as of one of the best special Swift Swimmers around. With its great duel dual STAB and decent (albeit small) movepool, Ludicolo has enough offensive prowess to plough through physical walls that hinder wall common rain sweepers. It can also surprise many of its usual counters with a Swords Dance set and even stall them out with Leech Seed. Although Ludicolo has personally gained rather little this generation in itself, the environment around it has changed greatly, and primarily to its benefit. With the introduction of a lot of great new rain abusers, Ludicolo finds a large place on its way onto many rain teams as a great Ferrothorn check which you should be prepared for at all costs to see left, right and centre.</p>
<p>However, Ludicolo is not without its flaws. With its mediocre Speed allowing it to be outsped by faster Choice Scarfers even in the rain, and its average physical defense preventing it from taking too many hits, it's not hard to see where Ludicolo could use some improvement he could be slightly better. This Mexican pineapple Water Cactus does have some tricks up its sleeve that help it make up for its flaws, however, such as a respectable Special Attack, Water-type STAB, great coverage, and a boosting move in Swords Dance. With the right support, you can be sure that Ludicolo will not let the team down. Underestmate this carefree dancing fellow at your peril.</p>
<p>All in all include Ludicolo in your team and with the right support, you can guarantee that he will do his job well. Underestimate this Mexican Cactus / Pineapple Poncho wearer at your peril.
[SET]
name: Special Rain
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Focus Blast / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Under the rain, Ludicolo is an amazing special rain sweeper, boasting excellent coverage and utility. It has a good Special Attack stat that, when backed by a great Speed boost under the rain, allowing allows it to outpace neutral-natured +1 base 108 Pokémon, such as Terrakion and Infernape, and it can wreck opposing teams. Although it faces some competition for a team slot with from other special rain sweepers, Ludicolo's superior type coverage, and the ability to beat bulky Waters as well as Ferrothorn, and being able to beat make it more than eligible legible for a team slot.</p>
<p>Hydro Pump provides powerful STAB that under the rain, easily OHKOing OHKOes 248 HP Scizor and severely dents denting anything that doesn't resist it. Giga Drain provides Ludicolo with secondary STAB and also gives Ludicolo the ability to heal off residual damage recover its health and take on bulky Waters one on one. Ice Beam gives great coverage in conjunction with Ludicolo's STABs, hitting everything in the game for at least neutral damage, and it takes care of the Dragon- and Grass-types that would otherwise freely switch into Ludicolo can switch into Ludicolo if it is without it. Focus Blast can OHKO some variants of Ferrothorn, and it will at least 2HKO all other types, albeit only 49% of the time due to Focus Blast's ridiculous accuracy. Ludicolo also boasts an above average Special Defense, letting him it take many Scarfed special attacks and KOing back with ease. For example, it can take a Scarf Latios Draco Meteor and KO back with Ice Beam. Ludicolo will often find itself being able to take one special hit and hit back surviving and retaliating to opposing offensive threats, as not many Pokémon that carry super effective Bug-, Poison-, or Flying-type moves can take it on.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Surf is an option over Hydro Pump and is part of the accuracy versus power argument. It still severely dents anything that doesn't resist it, but it misses out on KOs against Scizor and some other common Steel-types. Grass Knot can also be used for a 2HKO on Gyarados, but otherwise it is outclassed by Giga Drain, as this gives Ludicolo some much needed recovery when residual damage and Life Orb recoil begin to add up. Finally, Substitute is a very respectable option for the last spot as it will allow you to take a hit from fast physical Scarfers such as Terrakion and Garchomp. It can also be used to scout Choiced moves; you can then switch out to a suitable sweeper and proceed to set up and then switch out to another Rain Dance sweeper that can set up. Finally, Leftovers can be a viable option in the item slot, but as described in the next paragraph, the loss in power is very significant.</p>
<p>The EVs allow Ludicolo to outspeed +1 neutral-natured +1 base 108s in the rain, and 252 SpA EVs give Ludicolo as much power as it can get. A Modest nature has been chosen here as Ludicolo definitely needs all the boosts it can get to its middling Special Attack or it misses out on some important OHKOs. For this reason, a Modest nature has been chosen to give Ludicolo another important power boost that contribute to the amount of KOs that it can muster. However, if you plan on wanting to outspeeding positive-natured +1 base 108s, you can switch to a Timid nature, although the loss in power is very recognizable and many of Ludicolo's counters begin to will have an easier time.</p>
<p>Since this Ludicolo is only really effective on a rain team, it is vital that it is paired to pair it with a Rain Dance user. This means that the only thing that will be commonly stopping Ludicolo's sweep is usually another weather changer such as Tyranitar or something that can stall out the rain. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your Rain Dance user alive until the opponents weather changer has been KOed, thus maximizing Ludiocolo's chances of sweeping uninterrupted then allowing Ludicolo to wreak havoc upon the team of your opposition. Scizor is a good teammate to take out other weather users as it can KO Tyranitar and Abomasnow with Bullet Punch whilst Ludicolo itself can take care of KO Hippowdon and Ninetales Ninetails itself.</p>
<p>Some other effective counters to this set are the typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey, and plus some bulky Grass-types. For this reason, physical rain sweepers who can take the turns to set up on these Pokémon make good teammates for this set. Chesto Rest Kingdra is one such example, as it can set up on the aforementioned Pokémon and then Rest away the status that they will no doubt inflict on Kingdra use against Kingdra. Kabutops can also set up but is somewhat walled by Grass-types as well. Toxicroak is another viable teammate, setting up on Blissey, Chansey, and Grass-types whilst they flee in fear of its Fighting and Poison STABs and grass-types will do the same, fearing a super effective poison move. Ironically, Toxicroak also completely counters this set with its Dry Skin ability giving it an immunity to Hydro Pump, whilst it also resists the rest of Ludicolo's moves bar Ice Beam. It Toxicroak can then set up with Swords Dance and proceed to wreak havoc create havoc with Swords Dance. Another effective counter to this set is Tentacruel, with its Liquid Ooze ability reversing Giga Drain's effect whilst its high Special Defense lets it take other resisted hits with ease. Once more, Chesto Rest Kingdra also sets up on Tentacruel with ease, cancelling out damage from Toxic Spikes with sleep with Rest cancelling out the effects of Toxic Spikes. </p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Ice Punch / Drain Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although the Special Rain set is the standard (and for good reason too), the Swords Dance set is also a very respectable set in itself, being able to set up on and take out many of the Special Rain set's counters. Blissey for example is easily KOed by a +2 Waterfall and Chansey does likewise takes heavy damage. Ice Punch 2HKOes Celebi and Seed Bomb does huge damage to bulky Waters, OHKOing most. Although this set may at first seem rather pointless due to Ludicolo's below average Attack stat, Swords Dance boosts it to an impressive 681 when coupled with Life Orb and an Adamant nature. Waterfall does obscene damage to anything that doesn't resist it and rivals a +1 Gyarados in terms of power, the difference here being Ludicolo's higher Speed in the rain and overall better coverage whilst offering much higher speed and better coverage. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>After a Swords Dance, Ludicolo's STABs do incredible damage and its Waterfall will destroy anything that doesn't resist it or have incredible physical defense. Seed Bomb provides an excellent secondary STAB that destroys any Waters trying to take any of wall Ludicolo's Waterfalls. Finally, Ice Punch rounds of off the set by giving Ludicolo perfect coverage and the ability to KO any Grass- and Dragon-types that can take shrug off Ludicolo's two STABs. Drain Punch can be used to hit Ferrothorn, and it comes with the added benefit of being a source of health recovery for Ludicolo recovering off residual damage. Life Orb gives Ludicolo a power boost that is well received, as it needs all the power that it can get due to its mediocre Attack stat. Leftovers is also a viable item to help improve Ludicolo's longevity but Life Orb is the power boost will be sorely missed.</p>
<p>The EVs and nature give the maximum power that Ludicolo needs. Without this, much like the special set Ludicolo lacks a lot of power. However, a Jolly nature can be used if necessary and it allows to allow Ludicolo to outspeed positive natured +1 base 108s like Virizion and Terrakion, but it is usually a worse option. Without an Adamant nature, Celebi will wall this to no end without an Adamant nature and Ferrothorn will also be able to beat Ludicolo without breaking a sweat. with huge ease.</p>
<p>Dedicated physical walls really give this set a hard time as it is focused more on surprise, and it does not have the raw power like of other physical attackers such as Swords Dance Haxorus or Choice Band Tyranitar. Skarmory only takes neutral damage from Ludicolo's Waterfall and can KO it with Brave Bird. Ludicolo can OHKO specially defensive Skarmory in the rain though so it must tread carefully and beware of flinch hax. Defensive Gyarados is an amazing counter to this set as it can remove Ludicolo's stat boosts with Intimidate and phaze it away without taking much damage in return. Ferrothorn also walls Ludicolo without Drain Punch with ease if it lacks Drain Punch.</p>
<p>As this set suffers against physical walls is forced to suffer when confronted by a Physical Wall, it is fairly obvious then to include special attacker teammates that can hit physical walls on their weaker side. Such Pokémon who work well with Ludicolo include are Kingdra and Omastar. With Their high-powered special attacks enable them to they easily bust through walls that trouble can take on Ludicolo, and they can get of pull off a sweep of their own if Ludicolo takes out an opposing special wall; Chansey or Blissey. Other viable teammates include other physical attackers that can cover Ludicolo's shortcomings. Kabutops is a great example of an effective teammate as it takes care of Gyarados with Stone Edge and Ferrothorn with Low Kick, allowing Ludicolo to clean up after. Also, with two Swords Dancers on a team working in tandem can tear huge holes in the opposing team, huge holes can be veered open, allowing other Pokémon on your side to easily sweep. Finally, a Rain Dance user is a must as it allows Ludicolo to become the speedy powerhouse that it is. </p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Protect / Toxic
move 4: Boiling Water / Giga Drain / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Rain Dish
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As with all grass-types, a SubSeed set is viable. With Ludicolo this is no different. A SubSeed set is almost a standard for all Grass-types, and with Ludicolo this is no different. Ludicolo does however, bring a unique an advantage to the table, Rain Dish. With Rain Dish + Leftovers + Leech Seed, Ludicolo can restore over 25% of its health each turn, allowing it the use of endless Substitutes. With Protect, Ludicolo can even gain health Protect can help Ludicolo gain even more health, meaning the opponent will be struggling to dent Ludicolo. making it a very viable Pokémon for a place on a rain stall team. With only 3 weaknesses and above average defenses, Ludicolo can find numerous opportunities to set up, making it an excellent Pokémon to have on a rain stall team and he makes an excellent abuser of the tactic when under the rain clouds.</p>
<p>WIth When using this set, Ludicolo should fire Leech Seed immediately after it switches in, and then proceed to alternate between Substitute and Protect, eventually stalling the opponent to death. you switch in Ludicolo and use Leech Seed as they switch out or stall. You then alternate between Substitute and Protect , stalling the opposing Pokémon to death. Substitute and Leech Seed form the fabled combination that can PP stall other Pokémon to death and bring unlimited frustration to the opponent. Protect is the main option for the third slot but Toxic can be used to speed up the slow process of death to for the opposing Pokémon. It also gives Ludicolo a way to deal with opposing Grass-types that don't share a Steel or Poison typing not named Ferrothorn. Finally, in the last slot Boiling Water in the last slot gives Ludicolo a solid STAB move that has a chance to burn and cripple physical attackers, whilst Giga Drain gives another STAB move that can heal Ludicolo even more. Ice Beam can be used to do damage to Grass-types that want to switch into Leech Seed; however, it usually does not do much damage due to this Ludicolo's lack of Special Attack investment, so switching out is in this case probably the better option. no Special Attack investment in this Ludicolo and he will usually have to switch out anyway (on Whimsicott for example).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is the obvious item on this set as Ludicolo needs all the recovery it can get. In that same respect, Rain Dish is in most cases the best ability; however, Swift Swim can be used under rain to make Ludicolo the fastest SubSeeder there is, (under rain of course) but the lack of Rain Dish recovery is quite a big deal. Also, be aware that Swift Swim cannot be used with Politoed so this becomes less viable.</p>
<p>The EVs and nature listed give Ludicolo good all-round bulk that is a little biased towards the physical side due to the primarily physical nature of the metagame. Ludicolo can counter Starmie with ease, taking only a maximum of ~35% from a Life Orb Thunderbolt, not to mention and many other special attackers due to his its high base 100 Special Defense. The Physical Defense EVs and nature allow Ludicolo to take weak physical moves from defensive Pokémon, such as a Power Whip from Ferrothorn Ferrothorn's Power Whip, more easily. A more defensive EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD can be used to maximize physical bulk but Ludicolo does appreciate having that little extra special bulk as well.</p>
<p>This Ludicolo is really messed up by any Pokémon with Taunt and especially those with the ability Mischievous Mischevous Heart users. Ludicolo will also be stopped cold by Grass-types as they are immune to Leech Seed and most of them are immune to Toxic as well block Leech Seed however, they should fear an incoming Toxic. Ferrothorn works especially well as a counter as it is immune to Toxic and Ludicolo can't touch it in any way whatsoever, allowing it to set up Spikes with ease. Strong physical attackers that can KO Ludicolo before it sets up make good counters but they can be PP stalled if they can't fail to OHKO. </p>
<p>For these reasons, A good physical wall pairs well with this Ludicolo. Ferrothorn is an example of such a prime example as it can set up Spikes to cause more residual damage, making Ludicolo's job easier. Also, a Toxic Spikes user is useful for grass-types. Tentacruel is a good example of a Pokémon that easily sets up Toxic Spikes. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes on Ludicolo's side of the field, making its job much easier. If Ludicolo can set up and your opponent lacks a grass-type or you have Toxic Spikes set up, they are going to have a really hard time trying to deal with him. A Toxic Spikes user such as Tentacruel is also very useful in order to keep piling on the residual damage. Tentacruel can also absorb Toxic Spikes upon entry and Rapid Spin away other entry hazards as well, making it a very versatile partner that can help Ludicolo immensely. Once the opponent is bombarded by residual damage from all sides, they are really going to have a hard time dealing with Ludicolo's endless cycle of stall.</p>
[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>The one thing that makes Ludicolo a great Pokémon is rain. Without it, almost all of his its sets are outclassed by a long way, so having a Rain Dance user on your team is essential. For this reason, Politoed or a Rain Dance user is essential, as without these Ludicolo becomes dead weight. On Swift Swim sets, use Pokémon such as Bronzong, Jirachi, or Scizor to set up the rain whilst on Rain Dish sets, be sure to pack a Politoed. Other sweepers that can benefit from the rain also can help Ludicolo with its job. Your obvious group of Swift Swimmers, such as Kingdra, Kabutops, and Qwilfish, are all good choices, but also Toxicroak and even Dragonite can all perform really well under the rain with a specialised set. As Ludicolo can take care of Ferrothorn, Kabutops with Waterfall, Stone Edge and Aqua Jet can have a field day whilst Kabutops takes care of Ludicolo's counters for it. Kabutops works especially well with Ludicolo, as they cover each other's counters perfectly.</p>
<p>On a more defensive aspect, Tentacruel is a great option as it can get rid of entry hazards, most importantly Toxic Spikes which really hinder Ludicolo, and it also has very good synergy with the Mexican pineapple. The Ferrothorn/Jellicent core can also support Ludicolo very well as they have very good synergy together and they can set up entry hazards and keep them on the field.</p>
<p>Finally, Pokémon that can change the weather hurt Ludicolo Ludicolo really doesn't like having the weather changed, so Pokémon that can deal with the weather changers make great teammates. Breloom can set up on Tyranitar, and it smashes smash Hippowdon and into the ground with STAB Seed Bomb, and wreck Abomasnow with Focus Punch. It can also put Ninetails Ninetales to sleep with Spore and then KO it with Focus Punch. Scizor can also do a number on Tyranitar and Abomasnow with its STAB Bullet Punch and U-turn. much the same and U-Turns will gradually wear down said Pokémon. </p>
[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Outside of what is listed, Ludicolo doesn't have much else. However, Focus Punch can be used on the Special Rainset for Blissey and Chansey but Focus Blast is usually better as it hurts Ferrothorn more. Energy Ball can also be used for a small power boost its higher Base Power but Giga Drain outclasses it thanks to the recovery that it provides. Hidden Power Psychic can be used to OHKO Toxicroak and do some serious damage to Tentacruel but there isn't much space for it on the set.</p>
<p>Zen Headbutt is useful on the Swords Dance set but Ice Punch is usually the better option as it provides perfect coverage with Ludicolo's two STABs.</p>
<p>A Choice Specs set can also be used but it is outclassed by Kingdra as Kingdra has much more power and very good coverage.</p>
[COUNTERS]
<p>For any special Ludicolo, your typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey are able to wall him forever and can slowly wear it down with Toxic. Special Ludicolo is stopped cold by Blissey and Chansey who can slowly wear it down with Toxic. They must watch out for the SubSeed set though as it is able to set up on both of these Pokémon and stall them out wear them down. Any Grass-type that can take an Ice Beam is a decent counter. Celebi is a good example of one of these Pokémon as it can switch into Ludicolo and Thunder Wave it, stopping Ludicolo's sweep in its tracks. Tentacruel resists three of the four moves on the special set and can turn Giga Drain into a liability with its ability Liquid Ooze Ludicolo is hurt by Giga Drain due to Liquid Ooze. Any faster Choice Scarf Pokémon with a Choice Scarf that can OHKO Ludicolo is a good check, although you must not underestimate his its respectable defenses. </p>
<p>On the Swords Dance set, any strong Physical Wall can take on Ludicolo. Any strong physical wall can take on Ludicolo's Swords Dance set. Skarmory can switch in and OHKO with Brave Bird. Gyarados can Intimidate Ludicolo and then phaze it away with Dragon Tail or Roar. Ferrothorn can wall any set without a Fighting-type move and set up Spikes on it. Abomasnow can more or less do the same also switch in without fear if Ludicolo is without a Fighting-type move and it also changes the weather.</p>
<p>For the SubSeed set, any Grass-type can switch in and take negate the Leech Seed but they must beware of a super effective Ice Beam. Any Pokémon with Taunt can also stop the set cold in its tracks, making it Ludicolo deadweight until it switches out.</p>
<p>On any of the offensive sets, if the rain is stalled out, then Ludicolo becomes is practically deadweight and it can easily be killed.</p>
[DREAM WORLD]
<p>In the Dream World, Ludicolo gets the ability "Own Tempo". This ability prevents confusion. Ludicolo's Dream World ability is Own Tempo, which prevents confusion. It's effectively useless when compared to its Ludicolo's two other excellent abilities and should therefore not be used in competitive battles.</p>
<p>Whilst Ludicolo is by no means a new Pokémon in to the franchise, it is one that has never really shone in past generations. It had always been a very adept Swift Swim sweeper, that and has gained the title a reputation as of one of the best special Swift Swimmers around. With its great duel dual STAB and decent (albeit small) movepool, Ludicolo has enough offensive prowess to plough through physical walls that hinder wall common rain sweepers. It can also surprise many of its usual counters with a Swords Dance set and even stall them out with Leech Seed. Although Ludicolo has personally gained rather little this generation in itself, the environment around it has changed greatly, and primarily to its benefit. With the introduction of a lot of great new rain abusers, Ludicolo finds a large place on its way onto many rain teams as a great Ferrothorn check which you should be prepared for at all costs to see left, right and centre.</p>
<p>However, Ludicolo is not without its flaws. With its mediocre Speed allowing it to be outsped by faster Choice Scarfers even in the rain, and its average physical defense preventing it from taking too many hits, it's not hard to see where Ludicolo could use some improvement he could be slightly better. This Mexican pineapple Water Cactus does have some tricks up its sleeve that help it make up for its flaws, however, such as a respectable Special Attack, Water-type STAB, great coverage, and a boosting move in Swords Dance. With the right support, you can be sure that Ludicolo will not let the team down. Underestmate this carefree dancing fellow at your peril.</p>
<p>All in all include Ludicolo in your team and with the right support, you can guarantee that he will do his job well. Underestimate this Mexican Cactus / Pineapple Poncho wearer at your peril.
[SET]
name: Special Rain
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Focus Blast / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Under the rain, Ludicolo is an amazing special rain sweeper, boasting excellent coverage and utility. It has a good Special Attack stat that, when backed by a great Speed boost under the rain, allowing allows it to outpace neutral-natured +1 base 108 Pokémon, such as Terrakion and Infernape, and it can wreck opposing teams. Although it faces some competition for a team slot with from other special rain sweepers, Ludicolo's superior type coverage, and the ability to beat bulky Waters as well as Ferrothorn, and being able to beat make it more than eligible legible for a team slot.</p>
<p>Hydro Pump provides powerful STAB that under the rain, easily OHKOing OHKOes 248 HP Scizor and severely dents denting anything that doesn't resist it. Giga Drain provides Ludicolo with secondary STAB and also gives Ludicolo the ability to heal off residual damage recover its health and take on bulky Waters one on one. Ice Beam gives great coverage in conjunction with Ludicolo's STABs, hitting everything in the game for at least neutral damage, and it takes care of the Dragon- and Grass-types that would otherwise freely switch into Ludicolo can switch into Ludicolo if it is without it. Focus Blast can OHKO some variants of Ferrothorn, and it will at least 2HKO all other types, albeit only 49% of the time due to Focus Blast's ridiculous accuracy. Ludicolo also boasts an above average Special Defense, letting him it take many Scarfed special attacks and KOing back with ease. For example, it can take a Scarf Latios Draco Meteor and KO back with Ice Beam. Ludicolo will often find itself being able to take one special hit and hit back surviving and retaliating to opposing offensive threats, as not many Pokémon that carry super effective Bug-, Poison-, or Flying-type moves can take it on.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Surf is an option over Hydro Pump and is part of the accuracy versus power argument. It still severely dents anything that doesn't resist it, but it misses out on KOs against Scizor and some other common Steel-types. Grass Knot can also be used for a 2HKO on Gyarados, but otherwise it is outclassed by Giga Drain, as this gives Ludicolo some much needed recovery when residual damage and Life Orb recoil begin to add up. Finally, Substitute is a very respectable option for the last spot as it will allow you to take a hit from fast physical Scarfers such as Terrakion and Garchomp. It can also be used to scout Choiced moves; you can then switch out to a suitable sweeper and proceed to set up and then switch out to another Rain Dance sweeper that can set up. Finally, Leftovers can be a viable option in the item slot, but as described in the next paragraph, the loss in power is very significant.</p>
<p>The EVs allow Ludicolo to outspeed +1 neutral-natured +1 base 108s in the rain, and 252 SpA EVs give Ludicolo as much power as it can get. A Modest nature has been chosen here as Ludicolo definitely needs all the boosts it can get to its middling Special Attack or it misses out on some important OHKOs. For this reason, a Modest nature has been chosen to give Ludicolo another important power boost that contribute to the amount of KOs that it can muster. However, if you plan on wanting to outspeeding positive-natured +1 base 108s, you can switch to a Timid nature, although the loss in power is very recognizable and many of Ludicolo's counters begin to will have an easier time.</p>
<p>Since this Ludicolo is only really effective on a rain team, it is vital that it is paired to pair it with a Rain Dance user. This means that the only thing that will be commonly stopping Ludicolo's sweep is usually another weather changer such as Tyranitar or something that can stall out the rain. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your Rain Dance user alive until the opponents weather changer has been KOed, thus maximizing Ludiocolo's chances of sweeping uninterrupted then allowing Ludicolo to wreak havoc upon the team of your opposition. Scizor is a good teammate to take out other weather users as it can KO Tyranitar and Abomasnow with Bullet Punch whilst Ludicolo itself can take care of KO Hippowdon and Ninetales Ninetails itself.</p>
<p>Some other effective counters to this set are the typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey, and plus some bulky Grass-types. For this reason, physical rain sweepers who can take the turns to set up on these Pokémon make good teammates for this set. Chesto Rest Kingdra is one such example, as it can set up on the aforementioned Pokémon and then Rest away the status that they will no doubt inflict on Kingdra use against Kingdra. Kabutops can also set up but is somewhat walled by Grass-types as well. Toxicroak is another viable teammate, setting up on Blissey, Chansey, and Grass-types whilst they flee in fear of its Fighting and Poison STABs and grass-types will do the same, fearing a super effective poison move. Ironically, Toxicroak also completely counters this set with its Dry Skin ability giving it an immunity to Hydro Pump, whilst it also resists the rest of Ludicolo's moves bar Ice Beam. It Toxicroak can then set up with Swords Dance and proceed to wreak havoc create havoc with Swords Dance. Another effective counter to this set is Tentacruel, with its Liquid Ooze ability reversing Giga Drain's effect whilst its high Special Defense lets it take other resisted hits with ease. Once more, Chesto Rest Kingdra also sets up on Tentacruel with ease, cancelling out damage from Toxic Spikes with sleep with Rest cancelling out the effects of Toxic Spikes. </p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Ice Punch / Drain Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although the Special Rain set is the standard (and for good reason too), the Swords Dance set is also a very respectable set in itself, being able to set up on and take out many of the Special Rain set's counters. Blissey for example is easily KOed by a +2 Waterfall and Chansey does likewise takes heavy damage. Ice Punch 2HKOes Celebi and Seed Bomb does huge damage to bulky Waters, OHKOing most. Although this set may at first seem rather pointless due to Ludicolo's below average Attack stat, Swords Dance boosts it to an impressive 681 when coupled with Life Orb and an Adamant nature. Waterfall does obscene damage to anything that doesn't resist it and rivals a +1 Gyarados in terms of power, the difference here being Ludicolo's higher Speed in the rain and overall better coverage whilst offering much higher speed and better coverage. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>After a Swords Dance, Ludicolo's STABs do incredible damage and its Waterfall will destroy anything that doesn't resist it or have incredible physical defense. Seed Bomb provides an excellent secondary STAB that destroys any Waters trying to take any of wall Ludicolo's Waterfalls. Finally, Ice Punch rounds of off the set by giving Ludicolo perfect coverage and the ability to KO any Grass- and Dragon-types that can take shrug off Ludicolo's two STABs. Drain Punch can be used to hit Ferrothorn, and it comes with the added benefit of being a source of health recovery for Ludicolo recovering off residual damage. Life Orb gives Ludicolo a power boost that is well received, as it needs all the power that it can get due to its mediocre Attack stat. Leftovers is also a viable item to help improve Ludicolo's longevity but Life Orb is the power boost will be sorely missed.</p>
<p>The EVs and nature give the maximum power that Ludicolo needs. Without this, much like the special set Ludicolo lacks a lot of power. However, a Jolly nature can be used if necessary and it allows to allow Ludicolo to outspeed positive natured +1 base 108s like Virizion and Terrakion, but it is usually a worse option. Without an Adamant nature, Celebi will wall this to no end without an Adamant nature and Ferrothorn will also be able to beat Ludicolo without breaking a sweat. with huge ease.</p>
<p>Dedicated physical walls really give this set a hard time as it is focused more on surprise, and it does not have the raw power like of other physical attackers such as Swords Dance Haxorus or Choice Band Tyranitar. Skarmory only takes neutral damage from Ludicolo's Waterfall and can KO it with Brave Bird. Ludicolo can OHKO specially defensive Skarmory in the rain though so it must tread carefully and beware of flinch hax. Defensive Gyarados is an amazing counter to this set as it can remove Ludicolo's stat boosts with Intimidate and phaze it away without taking much damage in return. Ferrothorn also walls Ludicolo without Drain Punch with ease if it lacks Drain Punch.</p>
<p>As this set suffers against physical walls is forced to suffer when confronted by a Physical Wall, it is fairly obvious then to include special attacker teammates that can hit physical walls on their weaker side. Such Pokémon who work well with Ludicolo include are Kingdra and Omastar. With Their high-powered special attacks enable them to they easily bust through walls that trouble can take on Ludicolo, and they can get of pull off a sweep of their own if Ludicolo takes out an opposing special wall; Chansey or Blissey. Other viable teammates include other physical attackers that can cover Ludicolo's shortcomings. Kabutops is a great example of an effective teammate as it takes care of Gyarados with Stone Edge and Ferrothorn with Low Kick, allowing Ludicolo to clean up after. Also, with two Swords Dancers on a team working in tandem can tear huge holes in the opposing team, huge holes can be veered open, allowing other Pokémon on your side to easily sweep. Finally, a Rain Dance user is a must as it allows Ludicolo to become the speedy powerhouse that it is. </p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Protect / Toxic
move 4: Boiling Water / Giga Drain / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Rain Dish
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As with all grass-types, a SubSeed set is viable. With Ludicolo this is no different. A SubSeed set is almost a standard for all Grass-types, and with Ludicolo this is no different. Ludicolo does however, bring a unique an advantage to the table, Rain Dish. With Rain Dish + Leftovers + Leech Seed, Ludicolo can restore over 25% of its health each turn, allowing it the use of endless Substitutes. With Protect, Ludicolo can even gain health Protect can help Ludicolo gain even more health, meaning the opponent will be struggling to dent Ludicolo. making it a very viable Pokémon for a place on a rain stall team. With only 3 weaknesses and above average defenses, Ludicolo can find numerous opportunities to set up, making it an excellent Pokémon to have on a rain stall team and he makes an excellent abuser of the tactic when under the rain clouds.</p>
<p>WIth When using this set, Ludicolo should fire Leech Seed immediately after it switches in, and then proceed to alternate between Substitute and Protect, eventually stalling the opponent to death. you switch in Ludicolo and use Leech Seed as they switch out or stall. You then alternate between Substitute and Protect , stalling the opposing Pokémon to death. Substitute and Leech Seed form the fabled combination that can PP stall other Pokémon to death and bring unlimited frustration to the opponent. Protect is the main option for the third slot but Toxic can be used to speed up the slow process of death to for the opposing Pokémon. It also gives Ludicolo a way to deal with opposing Grass-types that don't share a Steel or Poison typing not named Ferrothorn. Finally, in the last slot Boiling Water in the last slot gives Ludicolo a solid STAB move that has a chance to burn and cripple physical attackers, whilst Giga Drain gives another STAB move that can heal Ludicolo even more. Ice Beam can be used to do damage to Grass-types that want to switch into Leech Seed; however, it usually does not do much damage due to this Ludicolo's lack of Special Attack investment, so switching out is in this case probably the better option. no Special Attack investment in this Ludicolo and he will usually have to switch out anyway (on Whimsicott for example).</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is the obvious item on this set as Ludicolo needs all the recovery it can get. In that same respect, Rain Dish is in most cases the best ability; however, Swift Swim can be used under rain to make Ludicolo the fastest SubSeeder there is, (under rain of course) but the lack of Rain Dish recovery is quite a big deal. Also, be aware that Swift Swim cannot be used with Politoed so this becomes less viable.</p>
<p>The EVs and nature listed give Ludicolo good all-round bulk that is a little biased towards the physical side due to the primarily physical nature of the metagame. Ludicolo can counter Starmie with ease, taking only a maximum of ~35% from a Life Orb Thunderbolt, not to mention and many other special attackers due to his its high base 100 Special Defense. The Physical Defense EVs and nature allow Ludicolo to take weak physical moves from defensive Pokémon, such as a Power Whip from Ferrothorn Ferrothorn's Power Whip, more easily. A more defensive EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD can be used to maximize physical bulk but Ludicolo does appreciate having that little extra special bulk as well.</p>
<p>This Ludicolo is really messed up by any Pokémon with Taunt and especially those with the ability Mischievous Mischevous Heart users. Ludicolo will also be stopped cold by Grass-types as they are immune to Leech Seed and most of them are immune to Toxic as well block Leech Seed however, they should fear an incoming Toxic. Ferrothorn works especially well as a counter as it is immune to Toxic and Ludicolo can't touch it in any way whatsoever, allowing it to set up Spikes with ease. Strong physical attackers that can KO Ludicolo before it sets up make good counters but they can be PP stalled if they can't fail to OHKO. </p>
<p>For these reasons, A good physical wall pairs well with this Ludicolo. Ferrothorn is an example of such a prime example as it can set up Spikes to cause more residual damage, making Ludicolo's job easier. Also, a Toxic Spikes user is useful for grass-types. Tentacruel is a good example of a Pokémon that easily sets up Toxic Spikes. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes on Ludicolo's side of the field, making its job much easier. If Ludicolo can set up and your opponent lacks a grass-type or you have Toxic Spikes set up, they are going to have a really hard time trying to deal with him. A Toxic Spikes user such as Tentacruel is also very useful in order to keep piling on the residual damage. Tentacruel can also absorb Toxic Spikes upon entry and Rapid Spin away other entry hazards as well, making it a very versatile partner that can help Ludicolo immensely. Once the opponent is bombarded by residual damage from all sides, they are really going to have a hard time dealing with Ludicolo's endless cycle of stall.</p>
[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>The one thing that makes Ludicolo a great Pokémon is rain. Without it, almost all of his its sets are outclassed by a long way, so having a Rain Dance user on your team is essential. For this reason, Politoed or a Rain Dance user is essential, as without these Ludicolo becomes dead weight. On Swift Swim sets, use Pokémon such as Bronzong, Jirachi, or Scizor to set up the rain whilst on Rain Dish sets, be sure to pack a Politoed. Other sweepers that can benefit from the rain also can help Ludicolo with its job. Your obvious group of Swift Swimmers, such as Kingdra, Kabutops, and Qwilfish, are all good choices, but also Toxicroak and even Dragonite can all perform really well under the rain with a specialised set. As Ludicolo can take care of Ferrothorn, Kabutops with Waterfall, Stone Edge and Aqua Jet can have a field day whilst Kabutops takes care of Ludicolo's counters for it. Kabutops works especially well with Ludicolo, as they cover each other's counters perfectly.</p>
<p>On a more defensive aspect, Tentacruel is a great option as it can get rid of entry hazards, most importantly Toxic Spikes which really hinder Ludicolo, and it also has very good synergy with the Mexican pineapple. The Ferrothorn/Jellicent core can also support Ludicolo very well as they have very good synergy together and they can set up entry hazards and keep them on the field.</p>
<p>Finally, Pokémon that can change the weather hurt Ludicolo Ludicolo really doesn't like having the weather changed, so Pokémon that can deal with the weather changers make great teammates. Breloom can set up on Tyranitar, and it smashes smash Hippowdon and into the ground with STAB Seed Bomb, and wreck Abomasnow with Focus Punch. It can also put Ninetails Ninetales to sleep with Spore and then KO it with Focus Punch. Scizor can also do a number on Tyranitar and Abomasnow with its STAB Bullet Punch and U-turn. much the same and U-Turns will gradually wear down said Pokémon. </p>
[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Outside of what is listed, Ludicolo doesn't have much else. However, Focus Punch can be used on the Special Rainset for Blissey and Chansey but Focus Blast is usually better as it hurts Ferrothorn more. Energy Ball can also be used for a small power boost its higher Base Power but Giga Drain outclasses it thanks to the recovery that it provides. Hidden Power Psychic can be used to OHKO Toxicroak and do some serious damage to Tentacruel but there isn't much space for it on the set.</p>
<p>Zen Headbutt is useful on the Swords Dance set but Ice Punch is usually the better option as it provides perfect coverage with Ludicolo's two STABs.</p>
<p>A Choice Specs set can also be used but it is outclassed by Kingdra as Kingdra has much more power and very good coverage.</p>
[COUNTERS]
<p>For any special Ludicolo, your typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey are able to wall him forever and can slowly wear it down with Toxic. Special Ludicolo is stopped cold by Blissey and Chansey who can slowly wear it down with Toxic. They must watch out for the SubSeed set though as it is able to set up on both of these Pokémon and stall them out wear them down. Any Grass-type that can take an Ice Beam is a decent counter. Celebi is a good example of one of these Pokémon as it can switch into Ludicolo and Thunder Wave it, stopping Ludicolo's sweep in its tracks. Tentacruel resists three of the four moves on the special set and can turn Giga Drain into a liability with its ability Liquid Ooze Ludicolo is hurt by Giga Drain due to Liquid Ooze. Any faster Choice Scarf Pokémon with a Choice Scarf that can OHKO Ludicolo is a good check, although you must not underestimate his its respectable defenses. </p>
<p>On the Swords Dance set, any strong Physical Wall can take on Ludicolo. Any strong physical wall can take on Ludicolo's Swords Dance set. Skarmory can switch in and OHKO with Brave Bird. Gyarados can Intimidate Ludicolo and then phaze it away with Dragon Tail or Roar. Ferrothorn can wall any set without a Fighting-type move and set up Spikes on it. Abomasnow can more or less do the same also switch in without fear if Ludicolo is without a Fighting-type move and it also changes the weather.</p>
<p>For the SubSeed set, any Grass-type can switch in and take negate the Leech Seed but they must beware of a super effective Ice Beam. Any Pokémon with Taunt can also stop the set cold in its tracks, making it Ludicolo deadweight until it switches out.</p>
<p>On any of the offensive sets, if the rain is stalled out, then Ludicolo becomes is practically deadweight and it can easily be killed.</p>
[DREAM WORLD]
<p>In the Dream World, Ludicolo gets the ability "Own Tempo". This ability prevents confusion. Ludicolo's Dream World ability is Own Tempo, which prevents confusion. It's effectively useless when compared to its Ludicolo's two other excellent abilities and should therefore not be used in competitive battles.</p>
be careful about which words you capitalize, refer to the grammar standards page if you are not sure
rewrote some of the awkwardly phrased prose
overall not a bad effort for your first analysis
Since Ludicolo has pretty much been destroyed with the ban of SS+Drizzle, shouldn't this be demoted to QC again just to reevaluate the set ordering and question the viability of some of the sweeping sets? Also, you should mention in the overview that Ludicolo can only using sweeping sets with a Rain Dance setter.
even though the overview doesn't explicitly state the use of a Rain Dance setter, the word 'rain' is repeated over and over again, which pretty much tells you that Ludicolo should be used after rain has been set up
i believe the sweeping sets are just as viable in the 8 turns of rain that a Rain Dancer can set up, which is pretty much the case last gen, so a QC re-evaluation seems unnecessary
i didnt do all that GP work for nothing goddamit
i believe the sweeping sets are just as viable in the 8 turns of rain that a Rain Dancer can set up, which is pretty much the case last gen, so a QC re-evaluation seems unnecessary
i didnt do all that GP work for nothing goddamit
lol @ Fatcrashers
anyways I'll take a crack at this!
remove
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anyways I'll take a crack at this!
remove
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[Overview]
<p>Whilst Ludicolo is by no means a new Pokémon in the franchise, it is one that never really shone in past generations. It had always been a very adept Swift Swim Sweeper that has gained the title of one of the best Special Swift Swimmers around. With its great duel dual STAB and decent (albeit small) movepool, Ludicolo has enough offensive prowess to plough through physical walls that wall common rain sweepers. It can also surprise many of it's counters with a Swords Dance set and even stall them out with Leech Seed. Although Ludicolo has gained rather little this generation in itself, the environment around it has changed greatly, and primarily to it's benefit. With a lot of great new rain abusers, Ludicolo finds a large place on many rain teams as a great Ferrothorn check which you should be prepared to see left, right and centre.</p>
<p>However, Ludicolo is not without flaws. With its mediocre speed allowing it to be outsped by faster Choice Scarfers even in the rain and its average Physical Defense preventing it from taking too many hits, he could be slightly better. This Mexican Water Cactus does have some tricks up it's sleeve such as its respectable Special Attack, water-type STAB, great coverage, and a boosting move in Swords Dance that help it make up for its flaws, such as its respectable Special Attack, water-type STAB, and great coverage, and as well as a boosting move in Swords Dance.</p>
<p>All in all include Ludicolo in your team and with the right support, you can guarantee that he will do his job well. Underestimate this Mexican Cactus / Pineapple Poncho wearer at your peril.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Rain
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Focus Blast / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Under the rain, Ludicolo is an amazing special rain sweeper, boasting excellent coverage and utility. It has a good special attack stat that when backed by a great speed under the rain, allowing allow it to outpace neutral natured +1 base 108 Pokémon such as Terrakion and Infernape and it can wreck opposing teams. Although it faces some competition for a team slot with other special rain sweepers, Ludicolo's superior type coverage, ability to beat bulky waters and being able the ability to beat Ferrothorn makes it more legible for a team slot.</p>
<p>Hydro Pump provides powerful STAB that under the rain, easily OHKOing OHKOs 248 HP Scizor and severely denting anything that doesn't resist it. Giga Drain provides Ludicolo with secondary STAB and also gives Ludicolo the ability to heal off residual damage and take on bulky waters one on one. Ice Beam gives great coverage with Ludicolo's STABs, hitting everything in the game for at least neutral damage and it takes while taking care of the Dragon- and Grass-types that can switch into Ludicolo if it is without it. Focus Blast can OHKO some variants of Ferrothorn and it will at least 2HKO all other types, albeit only 49% of the time due to Focus Blast's ridiculous accuracy. Ludicolo also boasts an above average Special Defense, letting him take many scarfed special attacks and KOing back with ease. For example, it can take a Scarf Latios Draco Meteor and KO back with Ice Beam. Ludicolo will often find itself being able to take one special hit and hit back as not many Pokémon that carry super effective Bug-, Poison- and Flying-type moves can take it on.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Surf is an option over Hydro Pump and is part of the accuracy versus power argument. It still severely dents anything that doesn't resist it but it misses out on KOs against Scizor and some other Steels. Grass Knot can also be used for a 2HKO on Gyarados but otherwise it is outclassed by Giga Drain as this it gives Ludicolo some much needed recovery when residual damage and Life Orb recoil begin to add up. Finally, Substitute is a very respectable option for the last spot as it will allow you to take a hit from fast physical scarfers such as Terrakion and Garchomp. It can also be used to scout choiced moves and then switch out to another Rain Dance sweeper that can set up. Finally, Leftovers can be a viable option in the item slot but as described in the next paragraph, the loss in power is very significant.</p>
<p>The EVs allow Ludicolo to outspeed +1 neutral natured base 108s in the rain and 252 SpA EVs give Ludicolo as much power as it can get. Ludicolo definitely needs all the boosts it can get to for its middling Special Attack or it misses out on some important OHKOs. For this reason, a Modest nature has been chosen to give Ludicolo another important power boost that contribute contributes to the amount of KOs that it can muster. However, if you plan on wanting want to outspeed +1 positive natured base 108s, you can switch to a Timid nature although the loss in power is very recognisable and many of Ludicolo's counters begin to have an easier time.</p>
<p>Since this Ludicolo is only really effective on a rain team, it is vital that it is paired with a Rain Dance user. This means that the only thing that will be commonly stopping Ludicolo's sweep is another weather changer such as Tyranitar or something that can stall out the rain. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your Rain Dance user alive until the opponents weather changer has been KOed, then allowing Ludicolo to wreak havoc upon the team of your opposition opposing team. Scizor is a good teammate to take out other weather users as it can KO Tyranitar and Abomasnow with Bullet Punch whilst Ludicolo can KO Hippowdon and Ninetails Ninetales itself.</p>
<p>Some other effective counters to this set are the typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey and some bulky Grass-types. For this reason, physical rain sweepers who can take the turns to set up on these Pokémon make good teammates for this set. Chesto Rest Kingdra is one such example as it can set up on the aforementioned Pokémon and then Rest away the status that they will no doubt likely use against Kingdra. Kabutops can also set up but is somewhat walled by Grass-types as well. Toxicroak is another viable teammate, setting up on Blissey and Chansey whilst they flee. and Grass-types will do the same, fearing a super effective poison move. Ironically, Toxicroak also completely counters this set with it's Dry Skin ability giving it an immunity to Hydro Pump whilst it resists the rest of Ludicolo's moves. It can then set up and create havoc with Swords Dance. Another effective counter to this set is Tentacruel with it's Liquid Ooze ability reversing Giga Drain's effect whilst it's high Special Defense lets it takes other resisted hits with ease. Once more, Chesto Rest Kingdra sets up on Tentacruel with ease cancelling out damage from Toxic Spikes with sleep. </p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Ice Punch / Drain Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although the Special Set is the standard (and for good reason too) for good reason, the Swords Dancer is a very respectable set in itself, being able to set up on and take out many of the special set's counters. Blissey for example is easily KOed by a +2 Waterfall and Chansey takes heavy damage. Ice Punch 2HKOs Celebi and Seed Bomb does huge damage to bulky waters, OHKOing most. Although this set may at first seem rather pointless due to Ludicolo's below average Attack stat, Swords Dance boosts it to 681 when coupled with Life Orb and an Adamant Nature. Waterfall does obscene damage to anything that doesn't resist it and rivals a +1 Gyarados in terms of power whilst offering much higher speed and better coverage. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>After a Swords Dance, Ludicolo's STABs do incredible damage and its Waterfall will destroy anything that doesn't resist it or have incredible Physical Defense. Seed Bomb provides an excellent secondary STAB that destroys any Waters trying to take any of Ludicolo's Waterfalls. Finally, Ice Punch rounds of the set giving Ludicolo perfect coverage and the ability to KO any Grass- and Dragon-types that can take Ludicolo's two STABs. Drain Punch can be used to hit Ferrothorn and it comes with the added benefit of recovering off residual damage. Life Orb gives Ludicolo a power boost that is well received as it needs all the power that it can get due to its mediocre Attack stat. Leftovers is also a viable item to help improve Ludicolo's longevity but Life Orb is will be sorely missed.</p>
<p>The EVs and nature give the maximum power that Ludicolo needs. Without this, much like the special set Ludicolo lacks a lot of power. However, a Jolly nature can be used if necessary and it allows Ludicolo to outspeed positive natured +1 base 108s like Virizion and Terrakion but it is usually a worse option. Celebi will wall this to no end without an Adamant nature and Ferrothorn will also be able to beat Ludicolo with huge ease.</p>
<p>Dedicated Physical Walls really give this set a hard time as it is focused more on surprise, and it does not have the raw power like other Physical attackers such as Swords Dance Haxorus or Choice Band Tyranitar. Skarmory only takes neutral damage from Ludicolo's Waterfall and can KO it with Brave Bird. Ludicolo can OHKO Specially Defensive Skarmory in the rain though so it must tread carefully and beware of flinch hax. Defensive Gyarados is an amazing counter to this set as it can remove Ludicolo's stat boosts with Intimidate and phaze it away without taking much damage. Ferrothorn also walls Ludicolo without Drain Punch with ease.</p>
<p>As this set is forced to suffer when confronted by a Physical Wall, it is fairly obvious to include a Special Attacker that can hit Physical Walls on their weaker side. Such Pokémon who work well with Ludicolo are Kingdra and Omastar. With their high powered Special Attacks, they easily bust through walls that can take on Ludicolo, and they can get of a sweep of their own if Ludicolo takes out an opposing Special Wall; such as Chansey or Blissey. Other viable teammates include other Physical Attackers. Kabutops is a great example of an effective teammate as it takes care of Gyarados with Stone Edge and Ferrothorn with Low Kick, allowing Ludicolo to clean up after. Also, with two Swords Dancers on a team, huge holes can be veered open opened, allowing other Pokémon to easily sweep. Finally, a Rain Dance user is a must as it allows Ludicolo to become the powerhouse that it is under rain. </p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Protect / Toxic
move 4: Boiling Water / Giga Drain / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Rain Dish
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As with all Grass-types, a SubSeed set is viable. With Ludicolo this is no different. Ludicolo does however, bring an advantage to the table, in Rain Dish. With Rain Dish + Leftovers + Leech Seed, Ludicolo can restore over 25% of its health each turn, allowing it the use of endless substitutes. With Protect, Ludicolo can even gain health making it a very viable Pokémon for a place on a Rain Stall team. With only 3 weaknesses and above average defenses Ludicolo can find numerous opportunities to set up and he also makes an excellent abuser of the tactic when under the rain clouds.</p>
<p>With this set, you switch in Ludicolo and use Leech Seed as they switch out or stall. You then alternate between Substitute and Protect , stalling the opposing Pokémon to death oblivion. Substitute and Leech Seed also form the fabled combination that can PP stall other Pokémon to death completely out. Protect is the main option for the third slot but Toxic can be used to speed up the slow process of death stalling to the opposing Pokémon. It also gives Ludicolo a way to deal with opposing Grass-types not named Ferrothorn. Finally, in the last slot Boiling Water gives Ludicolo a solid STAB move that has a chance to burn whilst Giga Drain gives another STAB move that can heal Ludicolo even more. Ice Beam can be used to do damage to Grass-types that want to switch into Leech Seed however, it usually does not do much damage due to no Special Attack investment in this Ludicolo and he will usually have to switch out anyway (on Whimsicott for example), such as on Whimsicott.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is the obvious item on this set as Ludicolo needs all the recovery it can get. In that same respect, Rain Dish is in most cases the best ability. However, Swift Swim can be used to make Ludicolo the fastest SubSeeder there is (under rain of course) when under rain, but the lack of Rain Dish recovery is quite a big deal. Also, be aware that Swift Swim cannot be used with Politoed so this becomes less viable. </p>
<p>The EVs and Nature listed give Ludicolo good all around bulk that is a little biased towards the physical side due to the primarily physical nature of the metagame. Ludicolo can counter Starmie with ease, taking only a maximum of ~around 35% from a Life Orb Thunderbolt. It can also take and many other special attackers due to his high base 100 Special Defense. The Physical Defense EVs and Nature allow Ludicolo to take weak moves from defensive Pokémon such as a Power Whip from Ferrothorn more easily. A more physically defensive EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD can be used to maximise physical bulk but Ludicolo does appreciate that little extra special bulk.</p>
<p>This Ludicolo is really messed up by any Pokémon with Taunt and especially Pokemon with Mischevous Heart users. Ludicolo will also be stopped cold by Grass-types as they block Leech Seed. However, they should fear an incoming Toxic. Ferrothorn works especially well as a counter as it is immune to Toxic and SubSeed Ludicolo can't touch it, allowing it to set up Spikes with ease. Strong Physical attackers that can KO Ludicolo before it sets up make fairly good counters but they can be PP stalled if they can't OHKO. </p>
<p>For these reasons, a good Physical wall pairs well with this Ludicolo. Ferrothorn is an example of such as it can set up Spikes to cause more residual damage, making Ludicolo's job easier. Also, a Toxic Spikes user is useful for Grass-types. Tentacruel is a good example of a Pokémon that easily sets up Toxic Spikes. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes on Ludicolo's side of the field, making its job much easier. If Ludicolo can set up and your opponent lacks a Grass-type or you have Toxic Spikes set up, they are going to have a really hard time trying to deal with him it.</p>
[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>The one thing that makes Ludicolo a great Pokémon is rain. Rain is what really makes Ludicolo shine as a Pokemon. Without it, almost all of his sets are outclassed by a long way mile. For this reason, Politoed or a Rain Dance user is essential, as without these Ludicolo becomes dead weight. On Swift Swim sets, use Pokémon such as Bronzong, Jirachi or Scizor to set up the rain whilst. On Rain Dish sets, be sure to pack a Politoed. Other sweepers that can benefit from the rain also help Ludicolo with its job. Your obvious group of Swift Swimmers, such as Kingdra, Kabutops and Qwilfish are all good choices but also Toxicroak and even Dragonite can perform really well under the rain with a specialised set sets. As Ludicolo can take care of Ferrothorn, a Kabutops with Waterfall, Stone Edge and Aqua Jet can have a field day whilst Kabutops takes care of Ludicolo's counters for it.</p>
<p>On a more defensive aspect, Tentacruel is a great option as it can get rid of entry hazards, most importantly especially Toxic Spikes which really hinder Ludicolo, and it Tentacruel also has very good synergy with the Mexican Pineapple. The Ferrothorn-Jellicent core can also support Ludicolo very well as they have very good synergy together and they can set up entry hazards and keep them on the field.</p>
<p>Finally, Pokémon that can change the weather hurt Ludicolo so Pokémon that can deal with the weather changers make great teammates. Breloom can set up on Tyranitar and it smashes Hippowdon and into the ground with STAB Seed Bomb and, as well as hitting Abomasnow very hard with Focus Punch. It can also put Ninetails Ninetales to sleep with Spore and then KO it with Focus Punch. Scizor can also do much the same and U-Turns will gradually wear down said Pokémon. </p>
[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Outside of what is listed, Ludicolo doesn't have much else. However, Focus Punch can be used on the special set for Blissey and Chansey but Focus Blast is usually better as it hurts Ferrothorn more. Energy Ball can also be used for a small power boost but Giga Drain outclasses it thanks to the recovery that it provides. Hidden Power Psychic can be used to OHKO Toxicroak and do some serious damage to Tentacruel but there isn't much space for it on the set.</p>
<p>Zen Headbutt is useful on the Swords Dance set but Ice Punch is usually the better option as it provides perfect coverage with Ludicolo's two STABs.</p>(Unite into one paragraph)
<p> A Choice Specs set can also be used but it is outclassed by Kingdra as Kingdra has much more power and very good coverage.</p>
[COUNTERS]
<p>For any special Ludicolo, your typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey are able to wall him it forever and can slowly wear it down with Toxic. They must watch out for the SubSeed set though as it is able to set up on both of these Pokémon and wear them down. Any Grass-type that can take an Ice Beam is a decent counter. Celebi is a good example of one of these Pokémon as it can switch into Ludicolo and Thunder Wave it, stopping Ludicolo's sweep in it's tracks. Tentacruel resists three of the four moves on the special set and Ludicolo is hurt by Giga Drain due to Liquid Ooze. Any faster Pokémon with a Choice Scarf that can OHKO Ludicolo is a good check although you must not underestimate his respectable defences. </p>
<p>On the Swords Dance set, any strong Physical Wall can take on Ludicolo. Skarmory can switch in and OHKO with Brave Bird. Gyarados can Intimidate Ludicolo and then phaze it away with Dragon Tail or Roar. Ferrothorn can wall any set without a Fighting-type move and set up Spikes on it. Abomasnow can more or less do the same if Ludicolo is without a Fighting type move and it also changes the weather from rain to hail.</p>
<p>For the SubSeed set, any Grass-type can switch in and take the Leech Seed but they most must beware be wary of a super effective Ice Beam. Any Pokémon with Taunt can also stop the set cold in its tracks, making it dead weight until it switches out.</p>
<p>On any of the offensive sets, if the rain is stalled out, then Ludicolo is practically dead weight and it can easily be killed.</p>
[DREAM WORLD]
<p>In the Dream World, Ludicolo gets the ability "Own Tempo". This ability prevents confusion. Its effectively useless when compared to its two other excellent abilities and should therefore not be used in competitive battles.</p>
<p>Whilst Ludicolo is by no means a new Pokémon in the franchise, it is one that never really shone in past generations. It had always been a very adept Swift Swim Sweeper that has gained the title of one of the best Special Swift Swimmers around. With its great duel dual STAB and decent (albeit small) movepool, Ludicolo has enough offensive prowess to plough through physical walls that wall common rain sweepers. It can also surprise many of it's counters with a Swords Dance set and even stall them out with Leech Seed. Although Ludicolo has gained rather little this generation in itself, the environment around it has changed greatly, and primarily to it's benefit. With a lot of great new rain abusers, Ludicolo finds a large place on many rain teams as a great Ferrothorn check which you should be prepared to see left, right and centre.</p>
<p>However, Ludicolo is not without flaws. With its mediocre speed allowing it to be outsped by faster Choice Scarfers even in the rain and its average Physical Defense preventing it from taking too many hits, he could be slightly better. This Mexican Water Cactus does have some tricks up it's sleeve such as its respectable Special Attack, water-type STAB, great coverage, and a boosting move in Swords Dance that help it make up for its flaws, such as its respectable Special Attack, water-type STAB, and great coverage, and as well as a boosting move in Swords Dance.</p>
<p>All in all include Ludicolo in your team and with the right support, you can guarantee that he will do his job well. Underestimate this Mexican Cactus / Pineapple Poncho wearer at your peril.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Rain
move 1: Hydro Pump / Surf
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Focus Blast / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Under the rain, Ludicolo is an amazing special rain sweeper, boasting excellent coverage and utility. It has a good special attack stat that when backed by a great speed under the rain, allowing allow it to outpace neutral natured +1 base 108 Pokémon such as Terrakion and Infernape and it can wreck opposing teams. Although it faces some competition for a team slot with other special rain sweepers, Ludicolo's superior type coverage, ability to beat bulky waters and being able the ability to beat Ferrothorn makes it more legible for a team slot.</p>
<p>Hydro Pump provides powerful STAB that under the rain, easily OHKOing OHKOs 248 HP Scizor and severely denting anything that doesn't resist it. Giga Drain provides Ludicolo with secondary STAB and also gives Ludicolo the ability to heal off residual damage and take on bulky waters one on one. Ice Beam gives great coverage with Ludicolo's STABs, hitting everything in the game for at least neutral damage and it takes while taking care of the Dragon- and Grass-types that can switch into Ludicolo if it is without it. Focus Blast can OHKO some variants of Ferrothorn and it will at least 2HKO all other types, albeit only 49% of the time due to Focus Blast's ridiculous accuracy. Ludicolo also boasts an above average Special Defense, letting him take many scarfed special attacks and KOing back with ease. For example, it can take a Scarf Latios Draco Meteor and KO back with Ice Beam. Ludicolo will often find itself being able to take one special hit and hit back as not many Pokémon that carry super effective Bug-, Poison- and Flying-type moves can take it on.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Surf is an option over Hydro Pump and is part of the accuracy versus power argument. It still severely dents anything that doesn't resist it but it misses out on KOs against Scizor and some other Steels. Grass Knot can also be used for a 2HKO on Gyarados but otherwise it is outclassed by Giga Drain as this it gives Ludicolo some much needed recovery when residual damage and Life Orb recoil begin to add up. Finally, Substitute is a very respectable option for the last spot as it will allow you to take a hit from fast physical scarfers such as Terrakion and Garchomp. It can also be used to scout choiced moves and then switch out to another Rain Dance sweeper that can set up. Finally, Leftovers can be a viable option in the item slot but as described in the next paragraph, the loss in power is very significant.</p>
<p>The EVs allow Ludicolo to outspeed +1 neutral natured base 108s in the rain and 252 SpA EVs give Ludicolo as much power as it can get. Ludicolo definitely needs all the boosts it can get to for its middling Special Attack or it misses out on some important OHKOs. For this reason, a Modest nature has been chosen to give Ludicolo another important power boost that contribute contributes to the amount of KOs that it can muster. However, if you plan on wanting want to outspeed +1 positive natured base 108s, you can switch to a Timid nature although the loss in power is very recognisable and many of Ludicolo's counters begin to have an easier time.</p>
<p>Since this Ludicolo is only really effective on a rain team, it is vital that it is paired with a Rain Dance user. This means that the only thing that will be commonly stopping Ludicolo's sweep is another weather changer such as Tyranitar or something that can stall out the rain. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your Rain Dance user alive until the opponents weather changer has been KOed, then allowing Ludicolo to wreak havoc upon the team of your opposition opposing team. Scizor is a good teammate to take out other weather users as it can KO Tyranitar and Abomasnow with Bullet Punch whilst Ludicolo can KO Hippowdon and Ninetails Ninetales itself.</p>
<p>Some other effective counters to this set are the typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey and some bulky Grass-types. For this reason, physical rain sweepers who can take the turns to set up on these Pokémon make good teammates for this set. Chesto Rest Kingdra is one such example as it can set up on the aforementioned Pokémon and then Rest away the status that they will no doubt likely use against Kingdra. Kabutops can also set up but is somewhat walled by Grass-types as well. Toxicroak is another viable teammate, setting up on Blissey and Chansey whilst they flee. and Grass-types will do the same, fearing a super effective poison move. Ironically, Toxicroak also completely counters this set with it's Dry Skin ability giving it an immunity to Hydro Pump whilst it resists the rest of Ludicolo's moves. It can then set up and create havoc with Swords Dance. Another effective counter to this set is Tentacruel with it's Liquid Ooze ability reversing Giga Drain's effect whilst it's high Special Defense lets it takes other resisted hits with ease. Once more, Chesto Rest Kingdra sets up on Tentacruel with ease cancelling out damage from Toxic Spikes with sleep. </p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Seed Bomb
move 4: Ice Punch / Drain Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Although the Special Set is the standard (and for good reason too) for good reason, the Swords Dancer is a very respectable set in itself, being able to set up on and take out many of the special set's counters. Blissey for example is easily KOed by a +2 Waterfall and Chansey takes heavy damage. Ice Punch 2HKOs Celebi and Seed Bomb does huge damage to bulky waters, OHKOing most. Although this set may at first seem rather pointless due to Ludicolo's below average Attack stat, Swords Dance boosts it to 681 when coupled with Life Orb and an Adamant Nature. Waterfall does obscene damage to anything that doesn't resist it and rivals a +1 Gyarados in terms of power whilst offering much higher speed and better coverage. </p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>After a Swords Dance, Ludicolo's STABs do incredible damage and its Waterfall will destroy anything that doesn't resist it or have incredible Physical Defense. Seed Bomb provides an excellent secondary STAB that destroys any Waters trying to take any of Ludicolo's Waterfalls. Finally, Ice Punch rounds of the set giving Ludicolo perfect coverage and the ability to KO any Grass- and Dragon-types that can take Ludicolo's two STABs. Drain Punch can be used to hit Ferrothorn and it comes with the added benefit of recovering off residual damage. Life Orb gives Ludicolo a power boost that is well received as it needs all the power that it can get due to its mediocre Attack stat. Leftovers is also a viable item to help improve Ludicolo's longevity but Life Orb is will be sorely missed.</p>
<p>The EVs and nature give the maximum power that Ludicolo needs. Without this, much like the special set Ludicolo lacks a lot of power. However, a Jolly nature can be used if necessary and it allows Ludicolo to outspeed positive natured +1 base 108s like Virizion and Terrakion but it is usually a worse option. Celebi will wall this to no end without an Adamant nature and Ferrothorn will also be able to beat Ludicolo with huge ease.</p>
<p>Dedicated Physical Walls really give this set a hard time as it is focused more on surprise, and it does not have the raw power like other Physical attackers such as Swords Dance Haxorus or Choice Band Tyranitar. Skarmory only takes neutral damage from Ludicolo's Waterfall and can KO it with Brave Bird. Ludicolo can OHKO Specially Defensive Skarmory in the rain though so it must tread carefully and beware of flinch hax. Defensive Gyarados is an amazing counter to this set as it can remove Ludicolo's stat boosts with Intimidate and phaze it away without taking much damage. Ferrothorn also walls Ludicolo without Drain Punch with ease.</p>
<p>As this set is forced to suffer when confronted by a Physical Wall, it is fairly obvious to include a Special Attacker that can hit Physical Walls on their weaker side. Such Pokémon who work well with Ludicolo are Kingdra and Omastar. With their high powered Special Attacks, they easily bust through walls that can take on Ludicolo, and they can get of a sweep of their own if Ludicolo takes out an opposing Special Wall; such as Chansey or Blissey. Other viable teammates include other Physical Attackers. Kabutops is a great example of an effective teammate as it takes care of Gyarados with Stone Edge and Ferrothorn with Low Kick, allowing Ludicolo to clean up after. Also, with two Swords Dancers on a team, huge holes can be veered open opened, allowing other Pokémon to easily sweep. Finally, a Rain Dance user is a must as it allows Ludicolo to become the powerhouse that it is under rain. </p>
[SET]
name: SubSeed
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Protect / Toxic
move 4: Boiling Water / Giga Drain / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
ability: Rain Dish
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>As with all Grass-types, a SubSeed set is viable. With Ludicolo this is no different. Ludicolo does however, bring an advantage to the table, in Rain Dish. With Rain Dish + Leftovers + Leech Seed, Ludicolo can restore over 25% of its health each turn, allowing it the use of endless substitutes. With Protect, Ludicolo can even gain health making it a very viable Pokémon for a place on a Rain Stall team. With only 3 weaknesses and above average defenses Ludicolo can find numerous opportunities to set up and he also makes an excellent abuser of the tactic when under the rain clouds.</p>
<p>With this set, you switch in Ludicolo and use Leech Seed as they switch out or stall. You then alternate between Substitute and Protect , stalling the opposing Pokémon to death oblivion. Substitute and Leech Seed also form the fabled combination that can PP stall other Pokémon to death completely out. Protect is the main option for the third slot but Toxic can be used to speed up the slow process of death stalling to the opposing Pokémon. It also gives Ludicolo a way to deal with opposing Grass-types not named Ferrothorn. Finally, in the last slot Boiling Water gives Ludicolo a solid STAB move that has a chance to burn whilst Giga Drain gives another STAB move that can heal Ludicolo even more. Ice Beam can be used to do damage to Grass-types that want to switch into Leech Seed however, it usually does not do much damage due to no Special Attack investment in this Ludicolo and he will usually have to switch out anyway (on Whimsicott for example), such as on Whimsicott.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is the obvious item on this set as Ludicolo needs all the recovery it can get. In that same respect, Rain Dish is in most cases the best ability. However, Swift Swim can be used to make Ludicolo the fastest SubSeeder there is (under rain of course) when under rain, but the lack of Rain Dish recovery is quite a big deal. Also, be aware that Swift Swim cannot be used with Politoed so this becomes less viable. </p>
<p>The EVs and Nature listed give Ludicolo good all around bulk that is a little biased towards the physical side due to the primarily physical nature of the metagame. Ludicolo can counter Starmie with ease, taking only a maximum of ~around 35% from a Life Orb Thunderbolt. It can also take and many other special attackers due to his high base 100 Special Defense. The Physical Defense EVs and Nature allow Ludicolo to take weak moves from defensive Pokémon such as a Power Whip from Ferrothorn more easily. A more physically defensive EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD can be used to maximise physical bulk but Ludicolo does appreciate that little extra special bulk.</p>
<p>This Ludicolo is really messed up by any Pokémon with Taunt and especially Pokemon with Mischevous Heart users. Ludicolo will also be stopped cold by Grass-types as they block Leech Seed. However, they should fear an incoming Toxic. Ferrothorn works especially well as a counter as it is immune to Toxic and SubSeed Ludicolo can't touch it, allowing it to set up Spikes with ease. Strong Physical attackers that can KO Ludicolo before it sets up make fairly good counters but they can be PP stalled if they can't OHKO. </p>
<p>For these reasons, a good Physical wall pairs well with this Ludicolo. Ferrothorn is an example of such as it can set up Spikes to cause more residual damage, making Ludicolo's job easier. Also, a Toxic Spikes user is useful for Grass-types. Tentacruel is a good example of a Pokémon that easily sets up Toxic Spikes. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes on Ludicolo's side of the field, making its job much easier. If Ludicolo can set up and your opponent lacks a Grass-type or you have Toxic Spikes set up, they are going to have a really hard time trying to deal with him it.</p>
[TEAM OPTIONS]
<p>The one thing that makes Ludicolo a great Pokémon is rain. Rain is what really makes Ludicolo shine as a Pokemon. Without it, almost all of his sets are outclassed by a long way mile. For this reason, Politoed or a Rain Dance user is essential, as without these Ludicolo becomes dead weight. On Swift Swim sets, use Pokémon such as Bronzong, Jirachi or Scizor to set up the rain whilst. On Rain Dish sets, be sure to pack a Politoed. Other sweepers that can benefit from the rain also help Ludicolo with its job. Your obvious group of Swift Swimmers, such as Kingdra, Kabutops and Qwilfish are all good choices but also Toxicroak and even Dragonite can perform really well under the rain with a specialised set sets. As Ludicolo can take care of Ferrothorn, a Kabutops with Waterfall, Stone Edge and Aqua Jet can have a field day whilst Kabutops takes care of Ludicolo's counters for it.</p>
<p>On a more defensive aspect, Tentacruel is a great option as it can get rid of entry hazards, most importantly especially Toxic Spikes which really hinder Ludicolo, and it Tentacruel also has very good synergy with the Mexican Pineapple. The Ferrothorn-Jellicent core can also support Ludicolo very well as they have very good synergy together and they can set up entry hazards and keep them on the field.</p>
<p>Finally, Pokémon that can change the weather hurt Ludicolo so Pokémon that can deal with the weather changers make great teammates. Breloom can set up on Tyranitar and it smashes Hippowdon and into the ground with STAB Seed Bomb and, as well as hitting Abomasnow very hard with Focus Punch. It can also put Ninetails Ninetales to sleep with Spore and then KO it with Focus Punch. Scizor can also do much the same and U-Turns will gradually wear down said Pokémon. </p>
[OPTIONAL CHANGES]
<p>Outside of what is listed, Ludicolo doesn't have much else. However, Focus Punch can be used on the special set for Blissey and Chansey but Focus Blast is usually better as it hurts Ferrothorn more. Energy Ball can also be used for a small power boost but Giga Drain outclasses it thanks to the recovery that it provides. Hidden Power Psychic can be used to OHKO Toxicroak and do some serious damage to Tentacruel but there isn't much space for it on the set.</p>
<p>Zen Headbutt is useful on the Swords Dance set but Ice Punch is usually the better option as it provides perfect coverage with Ludicolo's two STABs.</p>(Unite into one paragraph)
<p> A Choice Specs set can also be used but it is outclassed by Kingdra as Kingdra has much more power and very good coverage.</p>
[COUNTERS]
<p>For any special Ludicolo, your typical special sponges in Chansey and Blissey are able to wall him it forever and can slowly wear it down with Toxic. They must watch out for the SubSeed set though as it is able to set up on both of these Pokémon and wear them down. Any Grass-type that can take an Ice Beam is a decent counter. Celebi is a good example of one of these Pokémon as it can switch into Ludicolo and Thunder Wave it, stopping Ludicolo's sweep in it's tracks. Tentacruel resists three of the four moves on the special set and Ludicolo is hurt by Giga Drain due to Liquid Ooze. Any faster Pokémon with a Choice Scarf that can OHKO Ludicolo is a good check although you must not underestimate his respectable defences. </p>
<p>On the Swords Dance set, any strong Physical Wall can take on Ludicolo. Skarmory can switch in and OHKO with Brave Bird. Gyarados can Intimidate Ludicolo and then phaze it away with Dragon Tail or Roar. Ferrothorn can wall any set without a Fighting-type move and set up Spikes on it. Abomasnow can more or less do the same if Ludicolo is without a Fighting type move and it also changes the weather from rain to hail.</p>
<p>For the SubSeed set, any Grass-type can switch in and take the Leech Seed but they most must beware be wary of a super effective Ice Beam. Any Pokémon with Taunt can also stop the set cold in its tracks, making it dead weight until it switches out.</p>
<p>On any of the offensive sets, if the rain is stalled out, then Ludicolo is practically dead weight and it can easily be killed.</p>
[DREAM WORLD]
<p>In the Dream World, Ludicolo gets the ability "Own Tempo". This ability prevents confusion. Its effectively useless when compared to its two other excellent abilities and should therefore not be used in competitive battles.</p>
For the Subseed set, use a specially defensive spread-
252 HP/40 def/216 spD Calm (364 HP, 186 def, 319 spD)
Ludicolo can work as a special sponge for rain dance teams, as with this spread it can take on anything from powerful attackers like Latios (watch out for trick) and Hydriegon. Taking on special attacks is its greatest talent, at least when you can't use Swift Swim.
252 HP maxes recovery from Rain Dish and overall bulk, 216 spD evs hits a jump point while giving it enough to wall threatening attackers, and 40 def is to help it stay healthy against weaker physical attacks.
252 HP/40 def/216 spD Calm (364 HP, 186 def, 319 spD)
Ludicolo can work as a special sponge for rain dance teams, as with this spread it can take on anything from powerful attackers like Latios (watch out for trick) and Hydriegon. Taking on special attacks is its greatest talent, at least when you can't use Swift Swim.
252 HP maxes recovery from Rain Dish and overall bulk, 216 spD evs hits a jump point while giving it enough to wall threatening attackers, and 40 def is to help it stay healthy against weaker physical attacks.
Ok, this has been updated with GP Check 1.
@ Fatecrashers, thanks a lot for the check, I really appreciate it. I better work on my grammar!!!
@NatGeo, thanks a lot also for the read through, also greatly appreciated.
@Yee, although the above EV spread is great, a more physically inclined spread is necessary due to the highly physical nature of the metagame, as explained in the analysis. Ludicolo can still effectively tank special hits with the above spread.
@ Fatecrashers, thanks a lot for the check, I really appreciate it. I better work on my grammar!!!
@NatGeo, thanks a lot also for the read through, also greatly appreciated.
@Yee, although the above EV spread is great, a more physically inclined spread is necessary due to the highly physical nature of the metagame, as explained in the analysis. Ludicolo can still effectively tank special hits with the above spread.
The grammar in this analysis was excellent, but I would like to echo concerns regarding the content. These sets are significantly less viable than they were, and as such need to be looked at. The last set may actually be the most viable at the moment, so you should consider reordering the sets, and perhaps play Ludicolo down a bit rather than constantly singing its praises. Certainly you need to suggest that more than 1 rain dancer is used when using swift swim sets. This is really the only way that non-permanent rain can work. You also may need to rethink what to use alongside Ludicolo in this case, since you really cannot afford to waste time with ChestoRest Kingdra. Also consider that Ludicolo can set up rain for itself and others, and this should be an OC mention if nothing else
im making a mono grass type team and im considering ludicolo but i have no rain support on the team. Should i not use him?
Well for a mono-team, since it's not really going to be that competetive, Ludicolo would be a good choice since it provides a few great resistances and a neutrality to fire that would really help a grass type team. However, without rain support I wouldn't put Ludicolo in an offensive team, only use it if the team is more defensively oriented.
ya thanks thats what i was thinking with the neutrality to fire. I might even have ludicolo set up rain for himself haha!
for the sub seed i would actually just eliminate leech seed and use toxic/scald wouldn't i t be the same thing as a stallrein?
please remove any garchomp mentions
Hey, new here. Anyway I just came to suggest the idea that we use the Double status toad with Ludicolo as I believe he has viable stats for such a thing.
Ludicolo
Leftovers
Rain Dish
Calm Nature (+Special Defense, -Attack)
EV Spread: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense, 4 Special Attack
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Protect
Just a thought. It was helping in my Rain Dance team I figure others wouldn't mind trying it out.
Ludicolo
Leftovers
Rain Dish
Calm Nature (+Special Defense, -Attack)
EV Spread: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense, 4 Special Attack
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Protect
Just a thought. It was helping in my Rain Dance team I figure others wouldn't mind trying it out.