So I've spent a good month working on consistency. I got to about ~1500 on the showdown VGC ladder with this at the highest. It's basically Araquanid with support, because I have an Araquanid fetish. I really need help finding a decent counter for Kartana outside of Arcanine. Arcanine was definitely dead weight on this team - I need a Pokemon that can do more than Will-o-Wisp, Intimidate, and Flamethrower. I was thinking of Salazzle instead of Krookodile because Salazzle has access to Encore, Taunt, and Disable. I also need help deciding what's good against Gastrodon because it can single-handedly run through this team if I don't have Mimikyu in the back to help out.
monster (Araquanid) @ Waterium Z
Ability: Water Bubble
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Atk / 12 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Liquidation
- Substitute
- Wide Guard
- Protect
There really isn't much to say here about this Pokemon. Obviously, Araquanid is an integral part of not just Rain teams, but any team. If you're not running Araquanid, then you're probably garbage. Lol jk
Substitute is very useful when people choose to double Protect against Trick Room. It's also good on Trick Room's last turn, when people are most likely to Protect and stall out the dimension warp. Wide Guard and Protect are useful when Torkoal and Ninetales threaten the team with STAB spread moves, but normally the team can handle those Pokemon.
Krookodile @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Taunt
- Protect
Having Krookodile is convenient; Intimidate neuters any Kartana threatening Porygon2 with Sacred Sword (Sacred Sword only does ~35% after an Intimidate drop) and complements the SpD investment on everyone else well. Krookodile's Taunt generally outspeeds other Taunts, which prevents someone from Taunting Porygon2. Krookodile isn't exactly the speediest, but Trick Room compensates for this so that Krook can outslow Tapu Koko and kill it before it uses Dazzling Gleam. Earthquake is a solid STAB that covers the Steel types that can wall out Porygon2 and Magnezone.
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Substitute
- Protect
Magnet Pull was the selling point on Magnezone. It's fat, slow, thicc, and hard-hitting. Not only is it able to chunk the Tapus' HP - Magnezone is the ultimate Celesteela trapper, which comes in handy when people try to stall out Trick Room. The 244 HP EV's make Magnezone's HP a multiple of 16 for ideal Leftovers recovery, and 252 SpA guarantees the hardest hit possible, even on things that resist its STABs. Substitute + Leftovers is great at punishing double Protects and Tapu switches, and lengthens Magnezone's longevity. Its typing is also ideal for Rain.
Politoed @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Haze
- Encore
- Protect
I'm keen on Politoed because it's fatter than Pelipper and has access to Haze and Encore. Tapu Fini enjoys setting up Calm Minds - Politoed can tank a special hit and respond with Haze to reset stat boosts. Beast Boosts, Curses, and Belly Drums also get reset. Having Encore is nifty against setup sweepers and Protect-spammers, and helps neuter threats while their teammates can be double-attacked more safely. Damp Rock is an odd item, but it's important to factor in stalling with Trick Room. Rain is good for pressure with Araquanid out and magnifies its already godlike presence.
With the rain up, Araquanid's Hydro Vortex OHKO's a 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela :]
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Trick Room
Download gives Porygon2 access to the precious +1 SpA boost it needs to OHKO Kartana and Garchomp with Ice Beam. Porygon2 is an amazing Pokemon in general - it's tanky and has access to consistent recovery. BoltBeam gives nearly perfect coverage to supplement its mediocre SpA without investment. This EV spread lets Porygon2 live through almost any one hit after Krookodile's Intimidate and set up Trick Room. Fighting types are rare in VGC, so a painful Close Combat isn't as much of a concern as it was during ORAS.
Mimikyu @ Mental Herb
Ability: Disguise
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 112 Def / 68 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Will-O-Wisp
- Destiny Bond
- Trick Room
The funkiest of them all. This spread lets Mimikyu grab the 2HKO on 252 HP / 252+ Def Gastrodon at -1 Atk after Leftovers recovery and live long enough to burn Kartana. Having a Mental Herb makes Mimikyu immune to Taunt and, with Disguise, allows it to get up an almost guaranteed Trick Room on turn one. It's very rare that Mimikyu can't set up Trick Room when it wants to. Destiny Bond is very entertaining and quite useful; I have actually attacked my own Mimikyu to get it into KO range, and had it Destiny Bond immediately afterwards to take down an opponent. Pretty nifty, eh?
Thanks
monster (Araquanid) @ Waterium Z
Ability: Water Bubble
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Atk / 12 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Liquidation
- Substitute
- Wide Guard
- Protect
There really isn't much to say here about this Pokemon. Obviously, Araquanid is an integral part of not just Rain teams, but any team. If you're not running Araquanid, then you're probably garbage. Lol jk
Substitute is very useful when people choose to double Protect against Trick Room. It's also good on Trick Room's last turn, when people are most likely to Protect and stall out the dimension warp. Wide Guard and Protect are useful when Torkoal and Ninetales threaten the team with STAB spread moves, but normally the team can handle those Pokemon.
Krookodile @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Taunt
- Protect
Having Krookodile is convenient; Intimidate neuters any Kartana threatening Porygon2 with Sacred Sword (Sacred Sword only does ~35% after an Intimidate drop) and complements the SpD investment on everyone else well. Krookodile's Taunt generally outspeeds other Taunts, which prevents someone from Taunting Porygon2. Krookodile isn't exactly the speediest, but Trick Room compensates for this so that Krook can outslow Tapu Koko and kill it before it uses Dazzling Gleam. Earthquake is a solid STAB that covers the Steel types that can wall out Porygon2 and Magnezone.
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Substitute
- Protect
Magnet Pull was the selling point on Magnezone. It's fat, slow, thicc, and hard-hitting. Not only is it able to chunk the Tapus' HP - Magnezone is the ultimate Celesteela trapper, which comes in handy when people try to stall out Trick Room. The 244 HP EV's make Magnezone's HP a multiple of 16 for ideal Leftovers recovery, and 252 SpA guarantees the hardest hit possible, even on things that resist its STABs. Substitute + Leftovers is great at punishing double Protects and Tapu switches, and lengthens Magnezone's longevity. Its typing is also ideal for Rain.
Politoed @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Haze
- Encore
- Protect
I'm keen on Politoed because it's fatter than Pelipper and has access to Haze and Encore. Tapu Fini enjoys setting up Calm Minds - Politoed can tank a special hit and respond with Haze to reset stat boosts. Beast Boosts, Curses, and Belly Drums also get reset. Having Encore is nifty against setup sweepers and Protect-spammers, and helps neuter threats while their teammates can be double-attacked more safely. Damp Rock is an odd item, but it's important to factor in stalling with Trick Room. Rain is good for pressure with Araquanid out and magnifies its already godlike presence.
With the rain up, Araquanid's Hydro Vortex OHKO's a 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela :]
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Trick Room
Download gives Porygon2 access to the precious +1 SpA boost it needs to OHKO Kartana and Garchomp with Ice Beam. Porygon2 is an amazing Pokemon in general - it's tanky and has access to consistent recovery. BoltBeam gives nearly perfect coverage to supplement its mediocre SpA without investment. This EV spread lets Porygon2 live through almost any one hit after Krookodile's Intimidate and set up Trick Room. Fighting types are rare in VGC, so a painful Close Combat isn't as much of a concern as it was during ORAS.
Mimikyu @ Mental Herb
Ability: Disguise
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 112 Def / 68 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Will-O-Wisp
- Destiny Bond
- Trick Room
The funkiest of them all. This spread lets Mimikyu grab the 2HKO on 252 HP / 252+ Def Gastrodon at -1 Atk after Leftovers recovery and live long enough to burn Kartana. Having a Mental Herb makes Mimikyu immune to Taunt and, with Disguise, allows it to get up an almost guaranteed Trick Room on turn one. It's very rare that Mimikyu can't set up Trick Room when it wants to. Destiny Bond is very entertaining and quite useful; I have actually attacked my own Mimikyu to get it into KO range, and had it Destiny Bond immediately afterwards to take down an opponent. Pretty nifty, eh?
Thanks
