[SET]
name: Rain Setter
move 1: Scald
move 2: Encore
move 3: Toxic / Hypnosis
move 4: Ice Beam / Perish Song / Rest
item: Damp Rock
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 76 SpA / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Politoed enables a powerful but matchup-reliant archetype in rain due to being the only Drizzle Pokemon in the tier. However, outside of setting rain, Politoed is a generally underwhelming Pokemon that can’t provide much help to rain teams itself and often becomes a momentum sink due to its passiveness. Encore allows it to deal with bulkier threats that would wall it otherwise and discourage Pokemon from setting up on it. Toxic can break down walls in tandem with Encore, particularly bulky Water-types that pose a threat to rain teams like Seismitoad. Hypnosis trades some effectiveness against passive builds for the potential to shut down common roadblocks to rain teams like Zarude and Milotic, and maintain utility against more offensive teams looking to take advantage of Politoed’s passivity. Ice Beam chips Grass-types like Zarude, 3HKOes Dragalge, and OHKOes Noivern with the Special Attack investment. Perish Song forces bulky setup sweepers out, allowing Politoed to check Pokemon like Suicune, Snorlax, and Reuniclus. Finally, Rest allows Politoed to continue setting rain when severely weakened and in long matches against passive teams. Non-Ice Beam variants can invest the 76 Special Attack EVs into Defense, as they do nothing significant with Scald. 56 Speed EVs let Politoed outrun Alolan Marowak, but 92 Speed EVs can be ran for Milotic, which Encore + Toxic variants can beat.
Politoed’s only niche is setting rain, so Pokemon that take advantage of it are necessary. Swift Swim Pokemon like Kingdra, Omastar,and Kabutops can offensively pressure the opponent and sweep once they are weakened. Seismitoad can also provide an Electric immunity and Stealth Rock. Electric-types of your own like Raikou and Heliolisk are able to run Thunder and Weather Ball as coverage and check Electric- or Water-types. Tornadus also enjoys fully accurate Hurricane and Weather Ball coverage. Toxicroak appreciates the Dry Skin recovery and can switch into bulky Water-types with impunity. Steel-types like Metagross and Steelix can provide good defensive utility for rain teams. Finally, entry hazard setters such as Klefki and Roserade can help pressure bulkier cores that threaten rain such as Suicune + Assault Vest Reuniclus, as well as synergizing with the surprising amount of switches Politoed can force from defensive Pokemon.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[zizalith, 410251]]
- Quality checked by: [[EonX, 91480], [gorex, 244449]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519]]
name: Rain Setter
move 1: Scald
move 2: Encore
move 3: Toxic / Hypnosis
move 4: Ice Beam / Perish Song / Rest
item: Damp Rock
ability: Drizzle
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 76 SpA / 56 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Politoed enables a powerful but matchup-reliant archetype in rain due to being the only Drizzle Pokemon in the tier. However, outside of setting rain, Politoed is a generally underwhelming Pokemon that can’t provide much help to rain teams itself and often becomes a momentum sink due to its passiveness. Encore allows it to deal with bulkier threats that would wall it otherwise and discourage Pokemon from setting up on it. Toxic can break down walls in tandem with Encore, particularly bulky Water-types that pose a threat to rain teams like Seismitoad. Hypnosis trades some effectiveness against passive builds for the potential to shut down common roadblocks to rain teams like Zarude and Milotic, and maintain utility against more offensive teams looking to take advantage of Politoed’s passivity. Ice Beam chips Grass-types like Zarude, 3HKOes Dragalge, and OHKOes Noivern with the Special Attack investment. Perish Song forces bulky setup sweepers out, allowing Politoed to check Pokemon like Suicune, Snorlax, and Reuniclus. Finally, Rest allows Politoed to continue setting rain when severely weakened and in long matches against passive teams. Non-Ice Beam variants can invest the 76 Special Attack EVs into Defense, as they do nothing significant with Scald. 56 Speed EVs let Politoed outrun Alolan Marowak, but 92 Speed EVs can be ran for Milotic, which Encore + Toxic variants can beat.
Politoed’s only niche is setting rain, so Pokemon that take advantage of it are necessary. Swift Swim Pokemon like Kingdra, Omastar,and Kabutops can offensively pressure the opponent and sweep once they are weakened. Seismitoad can also provide an Electric immunity and Stealth Rock. Electric-types of your own like Raikou and Heliolisk are able to run Thunder and Weather Ball as coverage and check Electric- or Water-types. Tornadus also enjoys fully accurate Hurricane and Weather Ball coverage. Toxicroak appreciates the Dry Skin recovery and can switch into bulky Water-types with impunity. Steel-types like Metagross and Steelix can provide good defensive utility for rain teams. Finally, entry hazard setters such as Klefki and Roserade can help pressure bulkier cores that threaten rain such as Suicune + Assault Vest Reuniclus, as well as synergizing with the surprising amount of switches Politoed can force from defensive Pokemon.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[zizalith, 410251]]
- Quality checked by: [[EonX, 91480], [gorex, 244449]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519]]
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