So I decided to try and make an OU rain team and this is what I came up with. Weather teams are just fun to mess around with sometimes even though they aren't always the optimal way to get rating. I played 8 games on showdown with it and only lost one. It revolves around preventing setup and dealing heavy damage in bursts.
First up: The rain man
Politoed @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Sp Def / 4 Sp Attack
Calm Nature
-Scald
-Perish Song
-Toxic
-Ice Beam
The obvious choice for a rain-on-switch-in pokemon. I chose to make it specially defensive because I already had a poke in mind to be physically defensive. Scald is good for burn fishing and doing decent damage with rain up. Perish song makes sweepers think twice about setting up. Toxic is good for anti-wall and is just a generally good move. Ice beam for grass switch-ins and annoying things like Gliscor. Politoed is, of course, the only non-uber poke with drizzle, but he really is a solid poke with decent bulk and a good movepool.
Next is the heavy hitter of the team
Kabutops @ Lum Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Speed / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
-Swords Dance
-Aqua Jet
-Stone Edge
-X Scissor
This is my main sweeper. With rain up, it outspeeds everything but deoxys speed. I chose aqua jet over waterfall because of the aforementioned deoxys speed and because I don't want to get shut down by a single mach punch/bullet punch before I at least get some damage in. Stone edge because it hits like a truck coming from a +2 Kabutops with STAB. X scissor is kind of filler but is good for grass switch-ins. Just a generally hard-hitting sweeper even though you really never see him in OU and not even much in UU for that matter.
The third poke on the team is just an all-around solid multi-purpose poke.
Zapdos @ Damp Rock
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Sp Attack/ 252 HP / 4 Sp Def
Modest Nature
-Roost
-Thunder
-Defog
-Rain Dance
I feel that Zapdos is an underrated poke in 6th gen (although it is rightly in OU). It takes hits extremely well and can dish out huge damage with 100% accuracy Thunder in rain. The problem with this poke is that I'm only running it with one offensive move. I'd be open to suggestions if anyone has an idea of how it could be better (perhaps replace roost with heat wave or extrasensory?). Defog keeps hazards away (like sticky web that can be a problem for my team). Rain dance because I can't run dance on just one poke, and roost obviously to stay alive longer and negating flying type which can be useful in some situations.
A key component to making this team work is the next poke:
Greninja @ Focus Sash
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
-Taunt
-Water Shuriken
-Spikes
-Rock Slide
Greninja is the glue to this team. If I'm looking at the preview and I see something I don't want to be setting up, like Smeargle or Galvantula, I can lead with him. I stop set-ups with taunt, which prevents hazards that can pose a threat to this team. Rock slide is absolutely necessary to stomp out the weather-changing Zard Y and bring galvantula down to a sash. Shuriken is great for revenge killing and is a generally good priority move. Spikes could be replaced since I am running defog (I'm open to suggestions), but I like it for a hazard and it can also prevent thunder waves or other electric moves.
Another heavy hitter that can take hits:
Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 HP / 4 Sp Def
Adamant Nature
-Drain Punch
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch
-Knock Off
Conkeldurr is a very solid fighting type with a good move pool. Assault Vest makes him even more bulky and makes me feel safe switching him in. Drain Punch is a strong fighting move that gives Conk more longevity on the field. Ice Punch is essential for dealing with dragons and Gliscor, and Knock Off is just a great move in 6th gen and can be solid when predicting a switch. Assault Vest Conk is great at taking hits while dishing them out at the same time. His movepool is great and his base stats are solid, making him a good addition to really any team.
Last, but most definitely not least:
Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Def / 4 Sp Attack
Bold Nature
-Leech Seed
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Synthesis
Mega Venusaur is an absolute boss. It takes hits from almost any physical attacker and shrugs them off, as well as negating a lot of super effective hits with Thick Fat. I realize that synthesis only heals 25% in rain, but that is often sufficient when stalling with this tank (also, rain isn't always up, especially at the end of matches). The moveset is pretty standard for Mega V, being able to take on fairies and a good portion of the OU tier pretty well. He can stall things out and can hit pretty hard with STAB moves, making him a solid poke in general.
That's my OU rain team, I hope it entertained you! I'm open to any suggestions to improve the team and I'm excited to hear your guys' feedback. Lemme know what ya think.
First up: The rain man
Politoed @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Sp Def / 4 Sp Attack
Calm Nature
-Scald
-Perish Song
-Toxic
-Ice Beam
The obvious choice for a rain-on-switch-in pokemon. I chose to make it specially defensive because I already had a poke in mind to be physically defensive. Scald is good for burn fishing and doing decent damage with rain up. Perish song makes sweepers think twice about setting up. Toxic is good for anti-wall and is just a generally good move. Ice beam for grass switch-ins and annoying things like Gliscor. Politoed is, of course, the only non-uber poke with drizzle, but he really is a solid poke with decent bulk and a good movepool.
Next is the heavy hitter of the team
Kabutops @ Lum Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Speed / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
-Swords Dance
-Aqua Jet
-Stone Edge
-X Scissor
This is my main sweeper. With rain up, it outspeeds everything but deoxys speed. I chose aqua jet over waterfall because of the aforementioned deoxys speed and because I don't want to get shut down by a single mach punch/bullet punch before I at least get some damage in. Stone edge because it hits like a truck coming from a +2 Kabutops with STAB. X scissor is kind of filler but is good for grass switch-ins. Just a generally hard-hitting sweeper even though you really never see him in OU and not even much in UU for that matter.
The third poke on the team is just an all-around solid multi-purpose poke.
Zapdos @ Damp Rock
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Sp Attack/ 252 HP / 4 Sp Def
Modest Nature
-Roost
-Thunder
-Defog
-Rain Dance
I feel that Zapdos is an underrated poke in 6th gen (although it is rightly in OU). It takes hits extremely well and can dish out huge damage with 100% accuracy Thunder in rain. The problem with this poke is that I'm only running it with one offensive move. I'd be open to suggestions if anyone has an idea of how it could be better (perhaps replace roost with heat wave or extrasensory?). Defog keeps hazards away (like sticky web that can be a problem for my team). Rain dance because I can't run dance on just one poke, and roost obviously to stay alive longer and negating flying type which can be useful in some situations.
A key component to making this team work is the next poke:
Greninja @ Focus Sash
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
-Taunt
-Water Shuriken
-Spikes
-Rock Slide
Greninja is the glue to this team. If I'm looking at the preview and I see something I don't want to be setting up, like Smeargle or Galvantula, I can lead with him. I stop set-ups with taunt, which prevents hazards that can pose a threat to this team. Rock slide is absolutely necessary to stomp out the weather-changing Zard Y and bring galvantula down to a sash. Shuriken is great for revenge killing and is a generally good priority move. Spikes could be replaced since I am running defog (I'm open to suggestions), but I like it for a hazard and it can also prevent thunder waves or other electric moves.
Another heavy hitter that can take hits:
Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 HP / 4 Sp Def
Adamant Nature
-Drain Punch
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch
-Knock Off
Conkeldurr is a very solid fighting type with a good move pool. Assault Vest makes him even more bulky and makes me feel safe switching him in. Drain Punch is a strong fighting move that gives Conk more longevity on the field. Ice Punch is essential for dealing with dragons and Gliscor, and Knock Off is just a great move in 6th gen and can be solid when predicting a switch. Assault Vest Conk is great at taking hits while dishing them out at the same time. His movepool is great and his base stats are solid, making him a good addition to really any team.
Last, but most definitely not least:
Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Def / 4 Sp Attack
Bold Nature
-Leech Seed
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Synthesis
Mega Venusaur is an absolute boss. It takes hits from almost any physical attacker and shrugs them off, as well as negating a lot of super effective hits with Thick Fat. I realize that synthesis only heals 25% in rain, but that is often sufficient when stalling with this tank (also, rain isn't always up, especially at the end of matches). The moveset is pretty standard for Mega V, being able to take on fairies and a good portion of the OU tier pretty well. He can stall things out and can hit pretty hard with STAB moves, making him a solid poke in general.
That's my OU rain team, I hope it entertained you! I'm open to any suggestions to improve the team and I'm excited to hear your guys' feedback. Lemme know what ya think.
