• Smogon Premier League is here and the team collection is now available. Support your team!

Ludicolo

Like the people above me, I honestly don't see the merits of a Claw Sharpen set just to boost accuracy. I see it as a waste of a turn, especially when the rain clock is ticking; Surf is better than Hydro Pump if it means you get an extra hit off. Like what Murkglow said, if you go physical you're MUCH better off using Swords Dance, as after 2 turns, it will have been beneficial.
 
Engineer Pikachu said:
Like the people above me, I honestly don't see the merits of a Claw Sharpen set just to boost accuracy. I see it as a waste of a turn, especially when the rain clock is ticking; Surf is better than Hydro Pump if it means you get an extra hit off. Like what Murkglow said, if you go physical you're MUCH better off using Swords Dance, as after 2 turns, it will have been beneficial.
Click to expand...

The rain clock isn't ticking due to Drizzle Politoed. And Claw Sharpen would be used as the enemy switches, not as they attack.
 
Engineer Pikachu said:
Like the people above me, I honestly don't see the merits of a Claw Sharpen set just to boost accuracy. I see it as a waste of a turn, especially when the rain clock is ticking; Surf is better than Hydro Pump if it means you get an extra hit off. Like what Murkglow said, if you go physical you're MUCH better off using Swords Dance, as after 2 turns, it will have been beneficial.
Click to expand...

Some Claw Sharpen advocates aren't going physical; I'm going mixed :naughty:

Therefore, Focus Blast plus strong STAB Physical Move (Waterfall) seems like a good idea to me. OF COURSE if we were simply using a pure physical set, SD is the way to go, hands-down.
 
This is the Ludicolo set I plan to use:

Ludicolo @ Leftovers
Modest
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 208 HP/212 SpA/88 Spe
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Substitute
-Leech Seed

This completely shuts down many walls out there, including Vaporeon and Blissey who hope to wall Gorebyss and Kingdra. Note that it only works in permanent rain.
 
Wynought said:
Fucking hell.

272.png

Nostalgia Mariachi Band
Ludicolo @ Life Orb
Swift Swim
32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest
- Surf / Hydro Pump, if you have the balls
- Energy Ball
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Psychic / Rain Dance


Set up Rain. Hit things like a truck.
Click to expand...
I've been using this and it's insane. It works especially well on newer threats that are currently being overly abused right now, like Doryuuzu. Rain Dance is useful against weather teams for obvious reasons, and since weather is so important this generation weather cancelers might become as important as spinners. I definitely think Ludicolo has found a niche!
 
The Ludicolo line must be one of the only Grass lines not to learn Growth. +1 Atk and +1SpA in the rain would have been brutal. Why the hell did it not even get Cheer Up?! Pretty much every 'Dex entry states it being cheerful or happy in some capacity. GameTroll strikes again. But yeah, like many others, I'm saddened by the lack of new toys Ludicolo has gotten.

All my old faves have gotten the shaft this gen:(
 
Just raising a question: how does Ludicolo get Teeter Dance? Only Doredia can be a parent, and since that's 100% female, how does this one work out?
 
LO Sweeping Ludicolo with giga drain is AMAZING. With it's decent bulk it can survive hits so it can use giga drain (now buffed) and heal the LO damage and continue owning stuff.
 
What about an anti rain-team Ludicolo? Ludiwall could work? And another point: is Bulb an option? Ludicolo could switch into a water attack, take it well with its 4x resistance, sub or seed on the switch, and attack with +1 SpA...

EDIT: Bulb disappears after one use, so forget it. Leftovers is way better. So... Ludiwall is a good anti rain-team?
 
Call me crazy, but I've been testing a Hone Claws set on Ludicolo and I think it may be...viable. The only catch is, I'm not using any physical moves what so ever.

Looking over Ludi's movepool it gets (STAB) Hydro Pump, Blizzard, and Focus Blast, which are three superb coverage moves with horrific accuracy. Hone Claws helps to remedy this and allows Ludicolo to function out of rain as something of a bulky tank who can hit hard. It's great at weathering special attacks, but in order for it to make use of its great STAB's it needs to be a dedicated attacker, which lessens its bulk dramatically.
 
For me this is the strongest Ludicolo Set. Combined with something to deal with blissey and the odd other special wall this destroys whole teams.

Ludicolo (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Giga Drain
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast

The set is basically built around surf, due to its immense power, Stab and boost in Rain. While 306 spec attack may seem pretty average with these boosts its like having a Kyogre on the rampage. Hydro pump really inst necessary given that this will kill a bulky skarmoray in 2 hits as is.

Giga drain with 75 BP and Stab is now a must have, allowing life orb effects to be balanced if they have a grass weak pokemon.

Ice beam hits dragons that would otherwise resist ludicolo and he outruns a single dragon dance salamence which is handy.

Focus Blast deals with Ferrothorn although hidden power electric can be used if your more worried about Gyarados.

I combine this with Kabutops

Kabutops (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Waterfall
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor

and together this is basically nothing they cant kill late game. The rest of the team draws out any potential threats and wears them down just enough.
 
I just wanted to super bump this thread because I wanted to talk about Ludicolo's amazing abilities in today's metagame. Ludicolo works so well on rain. A simple subseed set becomes so much more effective with Rain dish and Leftovers. In the rain, and assuming the opponent has about the same HP as Ludicolo, Ludicolo regains 1/4 of its health each turn. It heals a full sub each turn. Plus, put it up against something like Blissey and its healing even more health. Sub blocks status, and amazing defensive typing allows it to switch in easily. It can heal itself even more with STAB Giga Drain. If you're worried about pokemon like TTar or Ferrothorn, use Focus Blast. Or, you could burn stuff with Scald, which is STAB and rain boosted. Or, just straight up sweep with a STAB, rain boosted Hydro Pump.

In short, why aren't you using Ludicolo?
 
Wynought said:
Fucking hell.

272.png

Nostalgia Mariachi Band
Ludicolo @ Life Orb
Swift Swim
32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest
- Surf / Hydro Pump, if you have the balls
- Energy Ball
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Psychic / Rain Dance


Set up Rain. Hit things like a truck.
Click to expand...

This.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top