Hi guys, I'm proud to present my second RMT.
The first one was a BirdTeam, which, I'm proud to say, did well on the ladder and I met a number of people who used it against me. I guess some people liked it. This time, I decided to bring a RainTeam. As you might have noticed, I like to have a theme to my teams. First was a BirdTheme, now a RainTheme. After this one gets to 1800+ on the ladder, I'll probably make a new team (I did the same after getting 1800+ with the BirdTeam), which I think is either going to be a SunTeam or a HazardStacking/Phasing team, or even a base 100 Pokemon team (a team composed of Pokemon with 100 stats across the board, like Mew, Manaphy, Jirachi, etc.. - they're all so good). I've wanted to try those for a while.
But anyway, let's get down to business. Here's the peak:
The team at a glance:
Alright, let's start with the breakdown.The first one was a BirdTeam, which, I'm proud to say, did well on the ladder and I met a number of people who used it against me. I guess some people liked it. This time, I decided to bring a RainTeam. As you might have noticed, I like to have a theme to my teams. First was a BirdTheme, now a RainTheme. After this one gets to 1800+ on the ladder, I'll probably make a new team (I did the same after getting 1800+ with the BirdTeam), which I think is either going to be a SunTeam or a HazardStacking/Phasing team, or even a base 100 Pokemon team (a team composed of Pokemon with 100 stats across the board, like Mew, Manaphy, Jirachi, etc.. - they're all so good). I've wanted to try those for a while.
But anyway, let's get down to business. Here's the peak:
The team at a glance:
Politoed (M) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Rest
- Toxic
- Encore
Politoed with Damp Rock is obviously the only plausible way to run a RainTeam. Some people like to get freaky and use a Klefki with Prankster priority in Rain Dance and Prankster Priority in Rest for recovery, and stuff like that, but I find it too risky. Politoed is, at the end of the day, the most reliable. But what makes Politoed even more awesome is its access to Encore, which has saved me so many times it's not even funny. The amount of times this helped me beat Charizard X, Volcarona, Bisharp, etc.. is uncountable, because they need to set up two boosts to outspeed my stuff under Rain, so if they go for the second one they're locked, and if they don't they get outsped after Politoed dies and the next thing comes in. It also has Toxic to wither down opposing walls and status things that like to set up on it on the switchin. The third move is the obligatory Scald which hits well under Rain. And Scald is the best move in the game. The last move is Rest for recovery, if needed and the chance is provided.
Swampert (M) @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Superpower
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake
I will never understand why anybody would run a RainTeam with a Mega other than Mega Swampert. Its Ground typing is LITERALLY IRREPLACEABLE. First of all, it stops Mega Manetric in its tracks, which is cruicial for RainTeams. Second of all, it's your go-to RainSweeper when the opponent has a Prankster ThunderWave Pokemon on the field - like Klefki or Thundurus. Your other RainSweepers end up getting ThunderWaved, and when you're only running two RainSweepers on your team, one of them getting ThunderWaved is something you cannot afford. That is why MegaSwampert is absolutely needed. The moveset is obvious - Waterfall and Earthquake for STABs, Ice Punch for Dragons and Superpower for Ferrothorn and the only thing that hits Rotom-W for at least something. Often, I will go for Superpower as they switch to their Rotom-W, go for another Superpower as they Will-o-Wisp, and go for a third Superpower to kill them, then Healing Wish with Latias to get rid of the Will-o-Wisp. I run enough speed to outrun primary threads under Rain, and enough to outrun Rotom-W without Rain when they run 218 speed to for Azumarills (218 speed Rotom-W is the most common).
Omastar (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Knock Off
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Now, for those of you who say Kingdra is better than Omastar... you are INSANE. This thing is SO much better than Kingdra it's not even funny. First of all, with its considerably higher Special Attack, it nets many KOs that Kingdra would not, under the same circumstances. Considering how big of a threat Rotom-W is, I need Hydro Pump to actually do damage to that thing. Omastar can do that, Kingdra cannot. Also, Omastar's typing and physical bulk are amazing. When you think about it, what is a problem under Rain? Priority attacks, because they're the only thing that are gonna go before you under Rain. All relevant priority attacks are physical (Bird priority, Sucker Punch, Aqua Jet, Knock Off, Quick Attack, Extreme Speed, etc..), so Omastar's physical bulk becomes very important. I cannot tell you how many times my Omastar was my only winning condition left, and it was on 40% HP, and it tanked a Brave Bird from Talonflame PLUS a Quick Attack from Pinsir and went on to kill another three Pokemon after killing those two. 130 base defense + resistance to Flying is what it is. Kingdra would have lost in all of those circumstances, and considering I don't have any good counters to Bird priority, Omastar is definitely the KING of this team. KING.
Also, since I'm too lazy, go calculate in my stead how much Omastar under Rain, with Choice Specs and Modest Nature, does with Hydro Pump to Rotom-W, Keldeo and all other relevant Pokemon that resist Water. You'll be shocked. This damage plus its physical bulk and Rock typing is what makes Omastar much better than Kingdra, at least on my team.
The moveset is obvious - Hydro Pump for the strong STAB, Scald for the reliable STAB, Ice Beam for Dragons, Knock Off for Chansey. By the way, a little tip: if the Pokemon that is CURRENTLY inside with Omastar gets OHKO'd from whatever HP it's at by Scald, go for Scald, because if he stays in he dies without risking Hydro Pump's accuracy, and if he switches out you get two Scalds on the switchin, which is enough to kill anything. Two Scalds under Rain kill Rotom-W from full, Latias from full, Keldeo from full, AV Tornadus-T from full, so ye. OMASTAR = KING.
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
Pretty much a staple on RainTeams, Ferrothorn is needed because it resists the two typings that threaten Water: Electricity and Grass. Rain also protects it against Fire typing, which is Ferrothorn's primary weakness, so it just fits on RainTeams perfectly. I put Stealth Rocks on it because they're more important than Spikes, Gyro Ball and Power Whip are the obligatory STABs, and Leech Seed sometimes helps getting some HP to some of my Pokemon. I don't have any other use for the last moveslot, so I might as well use Leech Seed. If anyone has a better option, speak up. I'm contemplating putting a Berry on Ferrothorn to resist the Fighting typing, survive a Choice Specs Secret Sword and OHKO back, but I'm not sure, because it's very situational.
Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 96 HP / 160 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Another staple on RainTeams, it checks Keldeo even under Rain, which is otherwise a huge threat to Rain. It also checks a Mega Alakazam after it's traced Swift Swim, which is also a huge threat to Rain. Other than that, it gets a 100% accuracy Hurricane under Rain, and helps keep momentum on my side. When people have Chansey, they often switch it in, which helps with getting rid of its Eviolite with Knock Off. So, Hurricane is the obvious STAB, U-turn is to keep momentum, Knock Off is for Chansey and Latios and Latias, and Superpower is chosen instead of Heat Wave because Rain weakens Heat Wave, and Superpower helps do stuff against Rotom-W sometimes, which can be cruicial on a RainTeam.
Latias @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Recover
- Defog
- Healing Wish
Last but not least, Latias. I needed another Keldeo check, Latias is just that. I also needed Hazard control - I'm not too weak to Stealth Rocks, so usually if that's all that's on my side of the field, I don't even bother using Defog because it loses me too much momentum. I only need Defog if people get too crazy with Hazards and start stacking Spikes or, God Forbid, Sticky Web, which just ruins Rains otherwise. Again, I'm not too weak to Stealth Rocks, but that doesn't mean that I should risk going in without Hazard control, because if too much of it gets stacked, it becomes a problem. Anyway, Keldeo check, Hazard control and Healing Wish for either my Politoed or a burnt Mega Swampert. It gets a number of things done, which is why it has my last slot. A possible replacement is Celebi, because it also has Healing Wish, and it's a better check to Keldeo - Hidden Power Bug is rare on it, you'll much more often see Icy Wind or Hidden Power Electric. Celebi fears neither, so it's a better counter to Keldeo than Latias, but it has no Hazard control, so I'm afraid of using it.
Possible replacements:
Latias to Celebi
Other than that, I don't see what I could change - but that's why I'm here, to get opinions.
Replays:
- I forgot to save them, but I do have one, and I'll show it because it showcases a number of things: (1) even if it's 3 AM and you're playing like ASS, as long as you have KING OMASTAR on your side you win (good lord it OHKO'd a Mega Scizor with full bulk on the special spectrum (2) Celebi might be better than Latias because of Specs Keldeo with Icy Wind.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-293118494
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