This is my second RMT on Smogon.. the first being the Gen4 version of this team. My inspiration for creating this team is my love for water types and hyper offense. The team strategy is to setup rain with a damp rock and sweep from there, using defensive pivots as necessary. Ballare Nimbus, by the way, translates (very roughly) from Latin to English as Rain Dance.
At a Glance
Team Building Process
I began with my three favorite rain sweepers. I've used a lot of rain teams in the past, and these three have always come out on top. Kingdra is an all-out powerhouse and my wall-breaker. Qwilfish takes care of grass types and absorbs toxic spikes. Ludicolo has awesome coverage and is one of the best late game sweepers I've ever seen.
Next I need a rain lead. With generation 5 came the wonderful ability Mischievous Heart, which gives Rain Dance priority. Thundurus can also abuse Thunder's increased accuracy in the rain, so he was an easy pick for the lead spot.
The defensive pivots hold the team together, allowing me to renew the 8 turn rain while blocking multiple attacks - Scizor physically and Zapdos specially. Zapdos is especially important because Lightningrod absorbs electric attacks which typically suck for rain teams.
Ballare Nimbus
Thundurus (M) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Mischievous Heart
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Volt Change
Thundurus is my rain lead. I'm basically guaranteed 8 turns of rain because of Mischievous Heart, which is his only real goal - anything else he can do like kill something with Thunder or mess around with Volt Change is just icing on the cake. HP Ice allows me to deal with Hippowdon once I've set up rain. If he lives past turn 1, I usually use Volt Change so that I can have a guaranteed Rain Dance later on in the game.
Ludicolo (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Focus Blast
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Surf
Ludicolo is perhaps my favorite sweeper in all of pokemon. He's so ridiculous looking.. yet so powerful. He gets great type coverage which, late game when I usually bring him out, is very difficult to deal with. Giga Drain's power boost in Gen5 is very helpful in dealing with water types while simultaneously healing off life orb damage. Focus Blast is incredibly unreliable.. and I'm thinking about switching to HP Fighting.. thoughts? I like having a fighting move because it helps deal with Ferrothorn, among other things.
Zapdos @ Damp Rock
Trait: Lightningrod
EVs: 248 HP / 228 SDef / 32 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Rain Dance
- Roost
- Thunder
Zapdos is my special defensive pivot, while also granting immunities to electric (which is extremely useful) and ground (also provided by Thundurus). HP Ice deals with ground types and dragon types, although Zapdos doesn't have much attacking force. Thunder is fun to abuse with rain, and Roost lets me Rain Dance more and more.
Kingdra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 208 Atk / 136 SAtk / 164 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
Honestly, I've never had a rain team without Kingdra. Because I don't really have time to switch around, things like Blissey/Skarmory combos really get in the way. Kingdra remedies that by blasting Skarmory with Hydro Pump while getting rid of Blissey with Waterfall. He also deals with dragons like Latias (although it doesn't OHKO) with Draco Meteor.
Qwilfish (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Poison Jab
- Rain Dance
- Return
- Waterfall
Again, I'll be honest - I really don't like Qwilfish.. but I love his poison typing and the fact that he can get rid of Grass types like Abomasnow (especially when Fire attacks do 1/2 damage in the rain) and other Ludicolo. I've considered switching to something like Kabutops or Poliwrath (with his new DW Swift Swim).. but I hate to give up the poison typing.
Scizor (F) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Rain Dance
- Rock Smash
- U-turn
I'll admit, Rock Smash is a little weird.. but I like the defense drop it puts on Ferrothorn. Scizor is my physical pivot and works wonderfully against grass types who don't like taking U-turn. Not much else to say here.. I actually don't use her much.
Overall, this team works really well. I've noticed Rain teams were kinda written off after DrizzleToad was banned.. but they were effective without him in Gen4 and they're just as effective in Gen5. I welcome any suggestions & changes to the team.. I'm not sure what it's missing but I highly doubt it's perfect.
Thanks!
Nautalus
At a Glance
Team Building Process
I began with my three favorite rain sweepers. I've used a lot of rain teams in the past, and these three have always come out on top. Kingdra is an all-out powerhouse and my wall-breaker. Qwilfish takes care of grass types and absorbs toxic spikes. Ludicolo has awesome coverage and is one of the best late game sweepers I've ever seen.
Next I need a rain lead. With generation 5 came the wonderful ability Mischievous Heart, which gives Rain Dance priority. Thundurus can also abuse Thunder's increased accuracy in the rain, so he was an easy pick for the lead spot.
The defensive pivots hold the team together, allowing me to renew the 8 turn rain while blocking multiple attacks - Scizor physically and Zapdos specially. Zapdos is especially important because Lightningrod absorbs electric attacks which typically suck for rain teams.
Ballare Nimbus
Thundurus (M) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Mischievous Heart
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Volt Change
Thundurus is my rain lead. I'm basically guaranteed 8 turns of rain because of Mischievous Heart, which is his only real goal - anything else he can do like kill something with Thunder or mess around with Volt Change is just icing on the cake. HP Ice allows me to deal with Hippowdon once I've set up rain. If he lives past turn 1, I usually use Volt Change so that I can have a guaranteed Rain Dance later on in the game.
Ludicolo (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Focus Blast
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Surf
Ludicolo is perhaps my favorite sweeper in all of pokemon. He's so ridiculous looking.. yet so powerful. He gets great type coverage which, late game when I usually bring him out, is very difficult to deal with. Giga Drain's power boost in Gen5 is very helpful in dealing with water types while simultaneously healing off life orb damage. Focus Blast is incredibly unreliable.. and I'm thinking about switching to HP Fighting.. thoughts? I like having a fighting move because it helps deal with Ferrothorn, among other things.
Zapdos @ Damp Rock
Trait: Lightningrod
EVs: 248 HP / 228 SDef / 32 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Rain Dance
- Roost
- Thunder
Zapdos is my special defensive pivot, while also granting immunities to electric (which is extremely useful) and ground (also provided by Thundurus). HP Ice deals with ground types and dragon types, although Zapdos doesn't have much attacking force. Thunder is fun to abuse with rain, and Roost lets me Rain Dance more and more.
Kingdra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 208 Atk / 136 SAtk / 164 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
Honestly, I've never had a rain team without Kingdra. Because I don't really have time to switch around, things like Blissey/Skarmory combos really get in the way. Kingdra remedies that by blasting Skarmory with Hydro Pump while getting rid of Blissey with Waterfall. He also deals with dragons like Latias (although it doesn't OHKO) with Draco Meteor.
Qwilfish (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Poison Jab
- Rain Dance
- Return
- Waterfall
Again, I'll be honest - I really don't like Qwilfish.. but I love his poison typing and the fact that he can get rid of Grass types like Abomasnow (especially when Fire attacks do 1/2 damage in the rain) and other Ludicolo. I've considered switching to something like Kabutops or Poliwrath (with his new DW Swift Swim).. but I hate to give up the poison typing.
Scizor (F) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Rain Dance
- Rock Smash
- U-turn
I'll admit, Rock Smash is a little weird.. but I like the defense drop it puts on Ferrothorn. Scizor is my physical pivot and works wonderfully against grass types who don't like taking U-turn. Not much else to say here.. I actually don't use her much.
Overall, this team works really well. I've noticed Rain teams were kinda written off after DrizzleToad was banned.. but they were effective without him in Gen4 and they're just as effective in Gen5. I welcome any suggestions & changes to the team.. I'm not sure what it's missing but I highly doubt it's perfect.
Thanks!
Nautalus