This team started out as a response to all those auto-weather teams. Sure, having Abomasnow or Hippowdon as your lead is good, but if your opponent uses a slower auto-weather lead, you lose your effect instantly. Given the fact that 2 v 2 is even more helpful to weather-based teams, I decided to see if I could get the weather out without needing the ability. Then came the Drizzle + Swift Swim ban, which made my decision even better. In the coming tournaments I'll be participating in, Lati@s are banned, so please don't suggest them. Without further ado, here's the team:
Thundurus @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP/4 SpA/252 Spe
Timid nature
Rain Dance
Thunder
Volt Switch
Thunder Wave
The fastest way to bring out the rain for swift swimmers. I use this to ruin auto-weather leads as well as to set up for my team. The STAB thunder is very handy too if I can get it going. Volt switch is there for scouting and bringing in a better weather abuser, while thunder wave cripples an opposing pokemon if I can't handily defeat it straight off.
Lucario @ Ground Gem
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 28 HP/252 Atk/228 Spe
Jolly nature
ExtremeSpeed
Earthquake
Bullet Punch
Drain Punch
When I was looking around for my second lead, I wanted something to abuse priority and shut down my opponent for a turn while still working well with the water types further on. That lead me to Lucario. This guy can abuse priority with the best of them with extremespeed and STAB bullet punch, but what makes him rise above Scizor is earthquake. This handy move, when coupled with the ground gem, decimates anything not immune/resistant to it even despite the power loss. Drain punch is a reliable STAB option that also provides Lucario with some needed recovery.
Kingdra @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Evs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Modest nature
Rain Dance
Surf
Dragon Pulse
Hidden Power Fire
Now for the workhorse in my team. Kingdra's 536 speed in the rain outruns anything that isn't scarfed, and also scarfed Gengar. Surf and Dragon Pulse provide the twin STABs for the neutral coverage that makes Kingdra so devastating. Hidden Power Fire is for handling annoying steel and grass types while also surprising opponents expecting an instant rain dance when it fades. The rain dance is necessary to bring back the fun.
Kabutops @ Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 20 HP/252 Atk/236 Spe
Jolly Nature
Waterfall
X Scissor
Stone Edge
Superpower
This EV set allows Kabutops to outspeed scarfed Sceptile, with the remaining EVs sent to bulk him up a little. Waterfall will be my goto-move here, but if I'm facing something I can beat super-effectively, I'll use one of my other moves instead. Nice, simple CB sweeper to deliver pain.
Dragonite @ Yache Berry
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP/252 SpA/4 Atk
Mild nature
Hurricane
Thunder
Roost
Extremespeed
Hurricane and Thunder are the two moves that gain a huge boost from the rain. Given that, it was hard not to find a spot in the team for a pokemon that could use both effectively. Dragonite has enough bulk to survive pretty much any single shot, while firing back with either a STAB Hurricane or a Thunder that are guaranteed to hit. Only the electric type fully resists the flying/electric combination, a type that only sees a handful of pokemon. Roost is in for recovery so that multiscale can do its trick and to enhance survivability. The fourth move is a tough choice between the priority finisher in extremespeed and the extra rain dancer.
Floatzel @ Muscle Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk/224 HP/24 Spe/8 Def
Adamant nature
Waterfall
Ice Punch
Return
Brick Break
Rounding out my team is another swift swimmer, this one fast enough to outspeed scarfed Starmie with enough bulk to take a hit or two and rare enough not to be considered a threat by many. Say hello to Floatzel. The muscle band is to bluff a second choice band or life orb, providing a little more power to get me some KOs. The two main attacks are waterfall and return, giving a very nice coverage base. Ice punch and brick break give me more super effective options, in particular to hit Ferrothorn despite the barbs.
Naturally for a rain team, anything that takes away the rain is a threat. Ninetales and Tyranitar should fall to Lucario's earthquake, while Hippowdon would be exterminated by all my water types. The fact I use rain dance to bring it up helps, since I don't need to worry about having a slower auto-weather. Lickilicky should die quickly to either drain punch or brick break.
Entry hazards are also hated by my team. With Ferrothorn being a very common lead, Lucario's earthquake continues to be useful.
Reuniclus could be a major problem, especially if Kabutops is choice locked away from x scissor. If it gets trick room going, things would get even worse for me, needing to resort to priority moves to last the time.
Thundurus @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP/4 SpA/252 Spe
Timid nature
Rain Dance
Thunder
Volt Switch
Thunder Wave
The fastest way to bring out the rain for swift swimmers. I use this to ruin auto-weather leads as well as to set up for my team. The STAB thunder is very handy too if I can get it going. Volt switch is there for scouting and bringing in a better weather abuser, while thunder wave cripples an opposing pokemon if I can't handily defeat it straight off.
Lucario @ Ground Gem
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 28 HP/252 Atk/228 Spe
Jolly nature
ExtremeSpeed
Earthquake
Bullet Punch
Drain Punch
When I was looking around for my second lead, I wanted something to abuse priority and shut down my opponent for a turn while still working well with the water types further on. That lead me to Lucario. This guy can abuse priority with the best of them with extremespeed and STAB bullet punch, but what makes him rise above Scizor is earthquake. This handy move, when coupled with the ground gem, decimates anything not immune/resistant to it even despite the power loss. Drain punch is a reliable STAB option that also provides Lucario with some needed recovery.
Kingdra @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Evs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Modest nature
Rain Dance
Surf
Dragon Pulse
Hidden Power Fire
Now for the workhorse in my team. Kingdra's 536 speed in the rain outruns anything that isn't scarfed, and also scarfed Gengar. Surf and Dragon Pulse provide the twin STABs for the neutral coverage that makes Kingdra so devastating. Hidden Power Fire is for handling annoying steel and grass types while also surprising opponents expecting an instant rain dance when it fades. The rain dance is necessary to bring back the fun.
Kabutops @ Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 20 HP/252 Atk/236 Spe
Jolly Nature
Waterfall
X Scissor
Stone Edge
Superpower
This EV set allows Kabutops to outspeed scarfed Sceptile, with the remaining EVs sent to bulk him up a little. Waterfall will be my goto-move here, but if I'm facing something I can beat super-effectively, I'll use one of my other moves instead. Nice, simple CB sweeper to deliver pain.
Dragonite @ Yache Berry
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP/252 SpA/4 Atk
Mild nature
Hurricane
Thunder
Roost
Extremespeed
Hurricane and Thunder are the two moves that gain a huge boost from the rain. Given that, it was hard not to find a spot in the team for a pokemon that could use both effectively. Dragonite has enough bulk to survive pretty much any single shot, while firing back with either a STAB Hurricane or a Thunder that are guaranteed to hit. Only the electric type fully resists the flying/electric combination, a type that only sees a handful of pokemon. Roost is in for recovery so that multiscale can do its trick and to enhance survivability. The fourth move is a tough choice between the priority finisher in extremespeed and the extra rain dancer.
Floatzel @ Muscle Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk/224 HP/24 Spe/8 Def
Adamant nature
Waterfall
Ice Punch
Return
Brick Break
Rounding out my team is another swift swimmer, this one fast enough to outspeed scarfed Starmie with enough bulk to take a hit or two and rare enough not to be considered a threat by many. Say hello to Floatzel. The muscle band is to bluff a second choice band or life orb, providing a little more power to get me some KOs. The two main attacks are waterfall and return, giving a very nice coverage base. Ice punch and brick break give me more super effective options, in particular to hit Ferrothorn despite the barbs.
Naturally for a rain team, anything that takes away the rain is a threat. Ninetales and Tyranitar should fall to Lucario's earthquake, while Hippowdon would be exterminated by all my water types. The fact I use rain dance to bring it up helps, since I don't need to worry about having a slower auto-weather. Lickilicky should die quickly to either drain punch or brick break.
Entry hazards are also hated by my team. With Ferrothorn being a very common lead, Lucario's earthquake continues to be useful.
Reuniclus could be a major problem, especially if Kabutops is choice locked away from x scissor. If it gets trick room going, things would get even worse for me, needing to resort to priority moves to last the time.
