ORAS OU Rate My Rain Team And Cradily and Cloyster Moveset Help

[TheMonkey78]

So I was trying to make a team a year ago, and a couple friends suggested a weather team. I went with a rain team, despite always liking fire types. I am having moveset issues with Cradily and Cloyster and would like feedback and suggestions on my team. Here is my team:

Politoed @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 SpA /252 SpD /4 Def
IVs: 5IV: All but Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Protect

I decided to use Politoed as it was the only Pokemon I could get with Drizzle in XY, and in ORAS Kyogre is Uber. I wanted a bit of a tanky set so I could switch-in to counter other weather teams. Also, speed is bad on weather-ability Pokemon as the slowest Pokemon starts the weather. Hydro Pump is a strong kill move that rarely misses for me, Ice Beam is for coverage against Grass types, Toxic is for poisoning other Pokemon and it works well with Cradily in doubles as Swagger was banished to Ubers, and Protect is for scouting and stalling. I gave Politoed a Damp Rock to extend the length of the rain by 3 turns.

Kingdra @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA/256 Spe/4 SpD
IVs: 5IV: All but Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
- Draco Meteor
- Rain Dance
I chose Kingdra as it is the fastest Swift Swimmer. It can hit hard and it is very fast, even without the rain. Hydro Pump is a powerful kill move I also gave Kingdra, and Protect is for stalling and scouting, as well as staying alive one more turn to allow another Pokemon to take out threats. Draco Meteor is a last resort attack, either when Kingdra is at low health, or when I am facing dragon type threats such as Garchomp. Rain Dance is for when Politoed falls and the rain stops, or for when I can't switch Politoed in. I don't use Swampert as I already have a Mega, and Swampert isn't fast enough as a sweeper for my playing style, especially on the first turn. I gave Kingdra the Life Orb to boost it's attack power quite a bit,

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA /252 Spe /4 Def
IVs: 5IV: All but Atk
- Thunder
- Overheat
- Volt Switch
- Protect

I went with Mega Manectric as I needed an Electric type to take out other rain teams and flying types, as well as just sweep. Thunder is a very reliable attack and kill move with 110 power and 100 accuracy in the rain, Overheat is for threats such as grass and bug types, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, as well another Last Resort move. Volt Switch is for switching and doing a good amount of damage, and Protect is for stalling in order for the Mega stats to take effect, and scouting to see if any opponents have ground type attacks.

Sharpedo @ Muscle Band
Ability: Speed Boost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk /4 SpD /252 Spe
IVS: 5 IV: All but SpA
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Bounce
- Protect

I went with Sharpedo once Greninja was banished to Ubers as I wanted another Water/Dark sweeper. I gave it Waterfall and Crunch as reliable STAB kill moves. I went with Bounce for coverage against many of Sharpedo's weaknesses. I gave it Protect to stall and give it 1 stage of speed boost when I first send it out and any time I need a bit of speed. I couldn't give Sharpedo the Life Orb as it was too frail and Kingdra already had one, so I gave it the Muscle Band to give Sharpedo a bit of attack boost at no recoil cost.

Cloyster @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
IVs: 3 IV: Atk, SpA, Spe
- Razor Shell
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Shell Smash
I gave Cloyster Shell Smash to turn it into a Sweeper, and a Focus Sash so it cannot be KO-d by a single hit when it is Shell Smashing. I gave it Razor Shell and Icicle Spear as reliable Kill moves thanks to skill link. It currently has Rock Blast, however I realized it doesn't really have a use for this so I want to switch it to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, or Protect.

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Suction Cups
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP/154 Def/100 SpD
IVs: 5 IV: All except Spe
- Giga Drain
- Protect
- Amnesia
- Barrier
I chose Cradily as I originally replaced Seismitoad with Quagsire, and Quagsire wasn't doing a good enough job as a stalling wall. I gave Cradily Giga Drain to attack and heal, and Protect to heal a bit from leftovers and add to the stalling. I gave it Barrier and Amnesia so it can raise its defences depending on what Pokemon the opponent has out, and so it can become a huge wall after a couple turns. I have recently been thinking about adding Recover, so I am probably going to switch Protect out for it, as taking out Giga Drain relies on other Pokemon running out of PP or Politoed poisoning opponents.

 

[SINCEER]

ok im going to help you out with a few suggestions. I can also see that you joined Smogon today . Welcome n_n

1) if you want Politoed to be specially defensive change the nature to Calm

2) Thunderbolt over Thunder. Although it is a rain team, it can be very situational with Thunder when rain isn't up etc. I can understand if you wouldn't want to change this one, it's all about preference and how well you can play your own team.

3)Discussing Sharpedo, I can understand the use of Muscle Band on him, but just because Kingdra is also holding a Life Orb doesn't mean that Sharpeod cannot. Life Orb use to be a thing before the institution of Mega Sharpedo. IMO Life Orb over Muscle Band on Sharpedo

4) Jolly over Adamant on Sharpedo to outspeed Jolly Landorus-T after one speed boost.

5)For Cloyster Jolly over Adamant to help speed tie with base 70s when you haven't boosted yet. You can keep all the IVs by the way on Cloyster no need to take away HP and such

6) Ice Shard Over Razor Shell on Cloyster to help clean up and get quick kills and revenges after wearing stuff down with other mons

7) Lastly, for Cradily I suggest this set because I see no way on your team to get hazards up and mons like Kingdra, Politoed, Manectric and Sharpedo, that tend to force switches and apprecite chip damage that they can use to get OHKOS they wouldn't otherwise get.

Im not going to suggest any team member changes because it seems to me that this is your first competitive team, I'll just try to help you improve what you're already working down. Thank You n_n

 

[oryxslayer]

Seeing as that all your pokes have protect, is this a doubles team? It would be good to know before leaving a rate as I don't know much about doubles or vgc.

 

[SINCEER]

Seeing as that all your pokes have protect, is this a doubles team? It would be good to know before leaving a rate as I don't know much about doubles or vgc.

If you read the descriptions for the pokes, you see that on every poke he has protect on for specific reasons. Manec - to gain mega boosts, Politoed - toxic stalling im assuming , Sharpedo - to get the speed boost and idk about the Kingdra. I doubt it's fr doubles but I could be wrong.

 

[oryxslayer]

If you read the descriptions for the pokes, you see that on every poke he has protect on for specific reasons. Manec - to gain mega boosts, Politoed - toxic stalling im assuming , Sharpedo - to get the speed boost and idk about the Kingdra. I doubt it's fr doubles but I could be wrong.

oh ok, my bad, thanks for clearing that up.