Poseidon's Army-A Rain Dance RMT

Garchomper16


Poseidon's Army
​


Hey everyone, this is a team that I built that has been a great success on shoddy that has raised my rank by some 200 points (around 1210 total). The name is based off of the fact that Poseidon is the greek god of sea horsesor Kingdra, one of the most powerful Rain Dance sweepers. I have had this team for about a month and a half now and worked out all of the major kinks so I figured id post it here for ideas/suggestions. The main point of this team (like all Rain Dance teams) is to set up rain dance and have pokemon that abuse the rain hit teams hard. In this case, the rain supporters are Crobat, Bronzong, and Scizor while the abusers are Kindra, Ludicolo, and Quilfish. Thank you for taking the time to read my RMT!

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/File:Spr_4d_272_m.png

Team at a glance






Batty)Crobat (M)
Damp Rock-Jolly
Ability-Inner Focus
Evs-252Spd, 104HP, 152Atk
-Taunt
-Rain Dance
-Roost
-Brave bird
Crobat was originally an azelf but he kept getting screwed by faster taunt leads so I switched to crobat and he seems to work better. I usually taunt on the first turn and RD on the second but if I get uneasy I just RD and BB.

Since he is pretty robotic in use, I am not going to post a list on the top ten leads since he dies to most anyway though he does do his job well.


(Poseidon)Kingdra (M)
Life Orb-Naughty
Ability-swift swim
Evs-252Atk 240SpAtk 15Spd
-Draco Meteor
-Waterfall
-Hydro Pump
-Rain Dance

[This kingdra is great at sweeping entire teams because of the fact it has powerful physical AND special moves. It can attack skarmory and the likes with hydro pump and blisseys quiver in fear at the power of STAB rain dance waterfall. I usually sweep with waterfall (it being more powerful and accurate) but can handle mons with higher physical defense with Hydro pump. Draco meteor is a great last stand move and can help me keep momentum be taking out something that resists water or denting something as kingdra dies. He is a great mon and what this team is named after (Poseidon, god of Sea Horses)!


Scizor (M)
Damp Rock-Adamant
Ability-technician
Evs-56Atk 252SDef 200HP
-roost
-Rain dance
-Bullet Punch
-U-turn(thinking about switching, never used)

Scizor does a good job of coming in on a resisted attack and Rding. The problem is, I feel he is not offensive enough so I end up Rding and the Bullet Punching till I die instead of roosting or U-turning. Roost is sometimes used but rarely and same with U-turn so id like to know possible moves for them. Overall scizor is good but I feel he is not living up to his potential.


(Zong)Bronzong (Genderless)
Damp Rock-Impish
Ability-Levitate
Evs-128Atk 128Dfc 252HP
-Explosion
-Stealth Rock
-Reflect
-Rain Dance

Bronzong is said to be one of the best rain dance supporters and he sure is! He can come in on his many resists or ground immunity and set up SR, Reflect, Rain Dance and go out with a bang with explosion. SR because crobat can’t use it, Reflect to deal with the predominantly physical sweepers in the metagame and for team support, Rain Dance to replenish my rain and Explosion so A. I can dent things B. Get bronzing out since he cant do anything else and C. keep momentum which is EXTREMELY important on Rain Dance teams.


(Loonicolo)Ludicolo (F)
Life Orb-Modest
Ability-swift swim
Evs-252Satk 252Spd 6Dfc
-Ice Beam
-Grass Knot
-Surf
-Rain Dance
Ludicolo is great versatile sweeper and essential to rain dance teams. His main attack is of course Surf but it is backed up by grass knot to hit gyarados, tyrantitar, and the likes and Ice beam, which takes care of those pesky dragons. Rain dance because I HATE being caught with 1 sweeper left but no way to get the Rain Dance up, also, I find Focus Punch semi pointless.


(Puffey)Quilfish (F)
Life Orb-Adamant
Ability-Swift Swim
Evs-252Atk 252Spd 6Dfc
-Poison Jab
-Waterfall
-Swords Dance
-Explosion

With 1 swords dance this thing ENDS teams Waterfall, Waterfall, Waterfall, oh a vaporeon poison jab-1HKO. This thing can sweep with waterfall and is my main answer to vaporeon coming in on a toxic/protect, then Sding or poison jabbing on the predicted protect surf. Explosion rounds this of nicely since LO+SD=Big Kaboom.


Well, obviously this team cannot counter everything since Rain dance is mostly just hitting hard with water moves but I think I have relatively decent type coverage. Anyway thanks for reading thought this long RMT and please leave comments and suggestions so I can make this team even better!




One Final Look at Poseidons Army!
 
So I heard somebody wanted me to rate your team ;)? aha, alright let me get started, this is probably gonna be a long one =p

Now when you use Rain Dance, you want to be able to abuse it to the fullest, and get quick KO's. That's practically the reason you would run it. It's nothing like any other weather team, as it is the most offensive weather team out there at the moment. Crobat is a great lead maybe for BL, but OU is a bit different. Azelf beats you, and so do a few other leads, sashRoserade sleeps you, etc, not to mention that leadBat is basically saying "Hey! I'm playing rain dance!" This is what I have used to great success.

i_jiraachi_s.gif

Jirachi (M) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpD
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
-Thunder
-Water Pulse
-Rain Dance
-Stealth Rock

This could be your initial choice. The obvious set would either be leadJirachi, or Scarfrachi, which this is not. The main problem I see when you use this lead is his EQ weakness, which could honestly ruin your whole setup. The nicest thing is being able to abuse both Water Pulse and Thunder. Thunder hits right through Ninjask's protects, and fries him. Water Pulse has a confusion rate that honestly I hit at least 60% of the time. He works great truthfully, and will work better than your Crobat.

Now the second choice is a creation of mine that's sort of wacky as a lead, almost a gimmick set, well maybe not exactly, but nonetheless, here it is.

i_sandaa.gif

Zapdos (M) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Def/252 SpA/6 Hp
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
-Thunder
-Roost
-Hp Grass
-Rain dance​


He's essentially a bulky lead "support sweeper." Once RD (Rain Dance) is up, you're set to deal massive amouts of damage. Swampert will come in on you almost immediatly if it's on the team, so there's one counter that you can nail for heavy damage through HP Grass. Want calcs on how much it'll hit Swampert for?​

Hp Grass vs standard Mixpert lead.
81.2% - 96%​

Now it may not be able to OHKO, but if you really want to be able to one shot it, switch the nature to Modest, and you'll have a chance to one shot it. Once you hit it for heavy damage, it wont be able to OHKO back, and switch. Once it switches you roost on the switch, and continue with your lead sweeping, or of course, you can just setup rain dance and switch, either way.​

Next:​


On Kingdra, Signal Beam > Rain Dance. Kingdra shouldn't have to lose a turn just to setup, and Signal Beam hits Celebi for OHKO's, something extremely valuable to RD. Love the set.​

- Waterfall
- Draco Meteor
- Signal Beam
- Hydro Pump​

i_hassamu.gif

Scizor (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 30 HP/252 Atk/224 Def
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance
- Quick Attack
- Superpower​


For Scizor, double priority is the best set. He should be your lategame sweeper to pick off anything that actually survived your vicious enslaught. He honestly is the best lategame choice for rain, so I suggest him extremely. DO NOT bring in Scizor unless 100% necessary. He is the late game master of RD.​

Now I love Zong, so my only suggestion would be Hypnosis over Reflect. Hypnosis completely cripples things, and you can setup pretty easily with it, but if you prefer Reflect, then hey, it is your team.​

Hydro Pump over Surf on Ludi. Surf is great yeah, but RD is high risk, high reward. It seriously is. I have lost at least 10 games out of my 156 times playing Rain Dance in OU where it was literally one on one. If Rain Dance would hit, I win, but it misses. Big deal, going 127-28 is amazing regardless. You win so much more by taking the Hydro Pump's shaky accuracy chance than by using Surf. Trust me. Also, Energy Ball hits Suicune harder, which is very very very good. If Zapdos is your lead, use Energy Ball. If not, test it at least. (That was a mistake, I meant Vaporeon) sorri ;_;​

Finally. Qwilfish. I can't stand when people use this thing. Not only is it outclassed by Kabutops, but it has no priority whatsoever, something that WILL save your ass most of the time. Try this, it works way better.​

i_kabutopusu.gif

Kabutops (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Stone Edge​

Priority is practically the ONLY reason you would use Kabutops over Qwilfish. Qwilfish can absorb T-Spikes, and explode, but Kabutops can sweep even after the rain is gone. Here's the scenario:​

Kabutops comes in on something he scares, let's say Heatran @ Choice Scarf that's locked into Fire Blast. Kabutops then SD's on the switch, knowing that it can eat a Tran FB and OHKO it. Kabutops OHKO's whatever comes in with Waterfall, getting STAB, along with 938 attack after a Swords Dance, AND a Rain 1,5x boost, meaning that Waterfall is gonna RUIN people. Now Heatran comes in, and OH NO! The Rain stopped! This is where you use Kabutops to the fullest. Heatran outspeeds you, since the RD is gone. Now you drop Aqua Jet, and wreck its face. This is why Tops > Qwilfish.​

Overall nice nice team, I love rain dance. Sorry if the rate was too long, but I love it aha.​

Anyone want to contradict what I say? 127-28 record should clear things up just a bit, not to mention I top 4'd UU with a RD Varient. Thanks for the rate request.​

Artisan​
 
Thanks for rating and responding so quikly artisian. I will change the lead to jirachi, quilt to kabutops and the scizor/kingdra set and test e-ball and hydro pump on ludi. Is there anything I missed? My only problem is with these switches I have only 1..2...3 rain setups which I'm not sure will work. Any suggestions?
 
A couple opinions:

I prefer azelf for a rain dance lead: he can let you bluff a standard team and still has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, plus he doesn't get hosed over by EQ leads (that's my only complaint with that jirachi set as a lead). Jirachi works great as a midgame rain replenisher (and haxer), and I would consider using Jirachi over Bronzong. The Zapdos set works well with Jirachi and is sure to hose over a lot of people, you should definitely use it over scizor.

I also thought I was one of the few to run signal beam on kingdra, but since celebi had dropped a lot in usage that trading it for another option works better. Setup in rain is a real mixed bag, but I think kingdra running Dragon Dance works well in rain since you're not completely lost when the rain runs out and Kingdra isn't quite powerful enough to muscle through rare mixed walls without a boost (even with rain)... Try signal beam or try dragon dance, both have their uses but I feel that since signal beam is a situational move dragon dance merits consideration. If you decide to use DD, you should probably replace draco meteor with outrage for a boosted STAB option. One other minor benefit of running DD is that it'll let you outspeed DD kingdra that your opponent has if you can set up before they send it out.

I think you should run focus punch on ludi over rain dance and an EV spread of 120 atk/252 spatk/136 speed with a Mild nature. This will let you muscle through Blissey with focus punch+surf (since you're using hydro pump, you can calc the amount of EVs you need in attack for that). It helps a lot vs. blissey and ttar, which are two really difficult things to beat without some kind of prediction or a powerful physical hit, and your team will really suffer a lot of lost tempo from a smart ttar user. It also is still strong enough to hit vaporeon into KO range for energy ball (even after two turns of leftovers recovery assuming they protect on the first turn and you have rocks out).

Most important thing with rain dance is to have fun playing it, lol. This team is well constructed.
 
darkistan got some good suggestions, the lead is the best lead rain dance, water pulse gets a boost from rain and has a 40% confusion chance (serenee grace) and thunder gets 100% accuracy with 60% prahax (serene grace), it gives you a parafusion nice lead and SR is extreamly useful for an offensive team.

Zapdos yes, it handles a potential scizor weakness and can lure and KO swampert.

I second Kabutops, that quilfish does nothing in my opinion.

On kingdra sgnal beam, no i disagree, waterfall and hydro pump are needed as this is your onyl solution to a torment heatran, who is a serious threat if toxic spikes are up. But hydro pump you can 2hko all common physical walls in the rain bar suicune, so outrage would be better as it gets a 1.5 times boost and is a great last resort move that can finish off weakened teams and doesn't lower Sp.atk it also works when rain ends, signal beams only use is celebi, and you have ludicolo and scizor to scare it off. Kabutops is a great sweeper and with rain, he is almost unstopable, so he could be better than quilfish.


To 02 bellowme, parafusion can give your sweepers a nice safe switch in, and u-turn isnt that useful as Jirachi is fast, so sweepers won't be comming in safely. But it can break a sash and scout a switch in, or a stay in, tho with leads thats usually an easy prediction. But if u-turn is needed, then yea water pulse is the one to go. But if your u-turning then crobat is probably the better lead anyway with more speed for RD and instant recovery. Whether crobat is predictabel or not, any lead with no leftover and usign rain dance is a giveaway that its an RD team lol and no OU lead can stop crobat from RD, not even fake out ice shard double crit hax from a weavile as crobat has inner focus.
 
I disagree with some things said in this thread. RD teams are very similar, because you don't have many options and most choices are only personal preferences.

I have to disagree with darkasistan. Crobat is a fantasic lead for RD-teams. It's unimportant whether Crobat beats most leads or sweeps as a lead. Crobat has 130 base speed and it's only outspeed by one taunt user: Electrode, which is uncommon and speedties with Aero. That means that Crobat can almost always set up RD, than you need to break the sash of your opponent by U-Turn / Brave Bird and the sweep begins. And also: Roserade sleeping Crobat? Are you serious? Crobat has Taunt and Roserade can do absolutely nothing against Crobat, especially when it lacks HP Ice.

Tbh I like the Jirachi-lead, but first of all: You don't sweep with this Jirachi. While Jirachi has an easy time to use RD, because most people won't expect that. You're just wasting turns, where your real sweepers can sweep. For that reason, I would change Water Pulse with U-Turn for scouting and getting your sweepers safely in.

That Zapdos may beat Swampert, but it will be taunted by any faster lead and you won't be able to do anything beside trying to hit your opponent with Thunder. RD is essential for sweeping and not having it from the beggining may imply a loss.

That said it's really up on your preferences which lead you want to use. Just test all of them and you can decide which may be the best for your team.

I agree wholeheartly with Kabutops replacing Qfish, as he is just outclassed, beside of Explosion/being able to absorb Toxic Spikes.

Also, Grass Knot >>> Energy Ball.
Seriously, you are hitting like two Pokémon harder with EB than GK: Those being Vaporeon and Lanturn (but both are dangerous threats to RD-teams). GK has 100 base power against Suicune, it was probably a mistake by darkartisan, while Energy Ball has 80 base power. With GK you are hitting some dangerous threats like Hippo and Tyranitar for 1.5x damage compared to EB.

Surf vs Hydro Pump is a personal preference. It's true that you can miss some essential 0HKOs with Surf, but than you can miss some guaranteed 0HKOs with Hydro Pump.

-0²
 
Wow, lots of disagreements between the raters. Man I have a lot to look over my team is really looking improved. Tommorow Il post the changes! Other opinions are welcomed.

Thanx to everyone who rated (George and his tormentrans:))
 
Um excuse me. darkartisan, I don't think Garchomper wants to copy your own team.

Anyways, once you run out of rain, what is your backup plan? Because of this, I'll recommend you to have at least 2 pokemon that aren't rain dance oriented. Latias and Lucario can work to an extent. This is just a question, as whenever I encounter a raindance team, I completely dominate it by stalling out the rain.

-iShedinja

I got your VM btw, I don't know much about raindance teams.. so sorry!
 
iShedinja said:
Um excuse me. darkartisan, I don't think Garchomper wants to copy your own team.

Anyways, once you run out of rain, what is your backup plan? Because of this, I'll recommend you to have at least 2 pokemon that aren't rain dance oriented. Latias and Lucario can work to an extent. This is just a question, as whenever I encounter a raindance team, I completely dominate it by stalling out the rain.

-iShedinja

I got your VM btw, I don't know much about raindance teams.. so sorry!
Click to expand...

You're wrong, not to be rude but it's true.

Rain Dance ruins Lucario AND Latias, so I don't know how you beat whoever was running the said rain dance team. You never run out of rain, because once it runs out you switch to a bulky steel and set it up again, explode (in bronzong's case) and start sweeping with a RD sweeper.
 
A well-built rain team will have both fast AND bulky rain refreshers to keep up their sweep, as well as moves like U-turn, Explosion, etc. to clear the field and give the field to the sweepers themselves to maximize the few turns of rain you have.

One other flavor edit: You could keep the scizor on your team, but make it a specially defensive SD pass. As a bonus both Kabutops and Kingdra have x4 resists to Fire-type attacks, and with rain reducing fire moves' power by 50% the opportunities to come in on a resisted physical hit, sd, and bp out while tanking an HP fire or scarftran's fire blast is a great tool (even though it eats up two turns of rain). Passing a +2 to a DDKingdra in rain is almost a GG right there.

Scizor @ Leftovers/Occa Berry
248 HP/8 Def/252 SpDef
Careful / Technician

Swords Dance
Roost
Baton Pass
Bullet Punch

With an Occa Berry, you can set up and pass out of any scarf Heatran's Overheat, and with leftovers you'll gain steady recovery and can still deal with any HP fire user you come across (+1 LO Lati's HP Fire does a maximum of 77% in the rain). This runs contrary to the core idea of a rain team but it could be a lot of fun to bluff a non-Rain team and run this pass combo since Scizor will still be able to survive most unboosted HP fire hits while passing to your x4 fire resists (take your pick of either kabutops or kingdra). This is a fun gimmick that I love to run every once in a while, you can try it for yourself and see how it works for you :P
 
Ahahahah this is a copy of my team (Except I am testing SD Ludicolo xD)
Don't listen to the Kabutops talk, Keep the Qwilfish. Explosion as well as the toxic spikes remover is important. I've swept an entire team without losing one pokemon before the rain was out with Qwilfish. It was epic, and ending the match with explosion is a good way to rub it in to your opponents.
 
Hi.

I have to disagree with some of the previous rates and personally see no reason to change this team so much, with exception of one possible Pokemon change, eveything else is just small move changes.

Firstly, Crobat is completely fine as a lead, changing to Jirachi is not a good idea since this gives you a third Steel-type which gives your Rain Dance team a massive Fire-type weakness when it comes to setting up the rain. Also, you already have Stealth Rock on Bronzong so that on Jirachi would be pointless.

I do however agree with Signal Beam over Rain Dance on Kingdra since with one fast and two bulky rd set uppers, you will be fine getting the rain up and hitting Celebi is so useful since Thunder Wave will easily stop your Kingdra's sweep.

Next, you say you are not happy with the Scizor's lack of offense, so I will suggest a change here but not the all out offense one suggested by darkartisan since losing your bulky rd set-upper will not be helpful. What I suggest is a moveset of Rain Dance/Swords Dance/Bullet Punch/Superpower, holding Damp Rock and Adamant nature still, but with a more offensive EV spread of 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD. Its still very reliable at getting up rd, but can sweep late-game as well. Its of much more use to you than a an all-out attacking Scizor.

Don't put Hypnosis over Reflect on Bronzong, 60% accuracy is not worth it, and this screen support helps Kabutops set up so much more.

For Ludicolo, I definitely agree with Energy Ball over Grass Knot, as you have quite a big Vaporeon weakness and this will help you out a lot. You might want to put Hidden Power Electric over Rain Dance on Ludicolo to help against Gyarados as with Energy Ball, you lose the 2HKO on Gyarados, but since you get a likely OHKO with Hidden Power Electric, this won't matter anymore. Whenever I've played rd, I've found a fast lead and two bulky supporters with rd is enough, you don't really need it on your swift swim sweepers, but this is up to you. Stick to Surf rather than going with the Hydro Pump suggestion, losing Ludicolo is so costly to this team for Vaporeon especially that the extra power is not worth the accuracy loss, believe me, Hydro Pump always misses at the worst moments.

Now, for the controversial part. The Qwilfish vs Kabutops debate. This is really up to you. I find Kabutops generally better as Toxic Spikes aren't that common which is the biggest reason for using Qwilfish, and the extra power of Kabutops is so useful, especially against stall. The problem with Kabutops is the lower Speed, but Aqua Jet makes up for this in some ways, except for Choice Scarf Latias really. Basically, it depends on whether you prefer more power and an easier time with Gyarados, Salamence, etc (Kabutops) or more Speed and Toxic Spikes consumption (Qwilfish).

Anyway, thats all I've got to say, nice team, hope this helps and good luck!
 
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