I'm not one for introductions. The aim of this team is to set up Rain Dance as quickly and reliably as possible and then smack the opponent with sweeper after sweeper after sweeper. And oh boy does it work. After using this team for a few days my rating has increased about 200 points, and I'm aiming to get to at least the top 10 on the ladder with this team.
Team at a Glance
@ Damp Rock
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP/80 Def/176 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rain Dance
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder
- U-turn
Lead, and a damn fine one at that. Jirachi is exceptionally good at setting up Rain Dance and then hopefully laying Rocks down on the ground. Thunder is useful for destroying things in the late game if my sweepers are gone. U-Turn can be useful at times if I'm faster than the opponent and against stuff like Latias, and I never used Wish on him anyways.
@ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 232 HP/252 Atk/8 Def/16 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Return
- Crunch
The star of the team. Under rain, Floatzel outspeeds everything not holding a Choice Scarf (and most of them are still outsped) or named Ninjask. The enormous power Waterfall has under the rain is just that - it OHKOs or 2HKOs everything that doesn't resist it. The rest of the moves are for stuff that does resist it - Ice Punch is for grassers, Return is for other stuff, and Crunch is largely for Starmie.
@ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Rain Dance
Rain dance supporter #2. With her good speed Latias is useful in the late game for taking out troublesome Pokes like Infernape and setting up long-lasting Rain while she's at it. Although Calm Mind is not commonly used, in the late game it is useful for pulling off yet another sweep.
@ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
The bizarre Mexican duck is my backup sweeper in the case Floatzel does not knock out half the opponent's team, which it usually does. Even from its mediocre Base 90 Special Attack, in the Rain Surf is ridiculous, and it can come in on its decent defenses and great typing to start some sweeping rather easily. The rest of the moves are largely for things that resist Surf.
@ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Emergency-ish late-game sweeper. I usually send this guy in when my main sweepers have been KO'd. Although he does not benefit from Rain, this is in a way a blessing - he counters Tyranitar well, who otherwise can mess this team up bad.
@ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 180 HP/252 Atk/76 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Waterfall
- Return
The other late-game sweeper, although I rarely have to actually use Kingdra, after it gets a Dragon Dance off Outrage is a ferocious move and in the rain Waterfall is just as deadly. Return is pretty much filler - I might put Draco Meteor over it but I don't really like the idea of diverting EV's from HP or Attack into SpAtk.
That's about it. I'm too lazy to cook up a threat list but I haven't met a Pokémon yet who actually gives this team trouble. This team obviously isn't invincible but I'm pretty sure it's the best one I've ever made and it's very fun to play with.
Team at a Glance
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP/80 Def/176 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rain Dance
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder
- U-turn
Lead, and a damn fine one at that. Jirachi is exceptionally good at setting up Rain Dance and then hopefully laying Rocks down on the ground. Thunder is useful for destroying things in the late game if my sweepers are gone. U-Turn can be useful at times if I'm faster than the opponent and against stuff like Latias, and I never used Wish on him anyways.
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 232 HP/252 Atk/8 Def/16 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Return
- Crunch
The star of the team. Under rain, Floatzel outspeeds everything not holding a Choice Scarf (and most of them are still outsped) or named Ninjask. The enormous power Waterfall has under the rain is just that - it OHKOs or 2HKOs everything that doesn't resist it. The rest of the moves are for stuff that does resist it - Ice Punch is for grassers, Return is for other stuff, and Crunch is largely for Starmie.
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Rain Dance
Rain dance supporter #2. With her good speed Latias is useful in the late game for taking out troublesome Pokes like Infernape and setting up long-lasting Rain while she's at it. Although Calm Mind is not commonly used, in the late game it is useful for pulling off yet another sweep.
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
The bizarre Mexican duck is my backup sweeper in the case Floatzel does not knock out half the opponent's team, which it usually does. Even from its mediocre Base 90 Special Attack, in the Rain Surf is ridiculous, and it can come in on its decent defenses and great typing to start some sweeping rather easily. The rest of the moves are largely for things that resist Surf.
Ability: Technician
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Emergency-ish late-game sweeper. I usually send this guy in when my main sweepers have been KO'd. Although he does not benefit from Rain, this is in a way a blessing - he counters Tyranitar well, who otherwise can mess this team up bad.
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 180 HP/252 Atk/76 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Waterfall
- Return
The other late-game sweeper, although I rarely have to actually use Kingdra, after it gets a Dragon Dance off Outrage is a ferocious move and in the rain Waterfall is just as deadly. Return is pretty much filler - I might put Draco Meteor over it but I don't really like the idea of diverting EV's from HP or Attack into SpAtk.
That's about it. I'm too lazy to cook up a threat list but I haven't met a Pokémon yet who actually gives this team trouble. This team obviously isn't invincible but I'm pretty sure it's the best one I've ever made and it's very fun to play with.
