Tidal waaaaaave! (An OU rain dance twist)

moussrfacekilla

My team at a glance for the fast browsers:
220px260swampert.png
200px385jirachi.png
180px141kabutops.png
180px230kingdra.png
210px395empoleon.png
180px212scizor.png




I have always loved water pokemon. They are without a doubt my favorite type. With only 3 major resistances and access to moves that 9 times out of 10 counter 2 of those weaknesses, water types can make for a very competitive monotypic team. With the additon on Rain Dance and the pokemon ability Swift Swim water teams have been loved and feared by many.

I wanted to build my team to have the most synergy, and ability to sweep as possible. It is a relatively "all out offense" kind of team with 3 sweepers, 1 revenge killer, 1 lead, and 1 wish supporter. I took lots of time to consider counters and how to get over the hump of fighting other bulky water types, dragon, and grass types that resist water moves. Also I feel that people vastly under rate the power of powerful neutral damage attacks.

<water only is resisted by>
Dragon (weak ice/dragon), Water (weak electric/grass), and Grass (weak ice, poison, flying, electric)

and now....my team broken down:
--------------------------------------------------
220px260swampert.png


Swampert @ Damp Rock/Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Nature: Relaxed
- Stealth Rock
- Rain Dance
- Earthquake
- Avalanche

My lead. basically set up SR, and rain dance to support the team. I then EQ or avalanche my target to death, or switch to a counter. EQ+ avalanche give amazing type coverage, and hit for a good deal of dmg. Swampert's resistances help to support my teams weaknesses (immune to electric), and provides me with a good physical wall.

200px385jirachi.png

Jirachi @ Damp Rock
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 80 SpA / 176 Spe
Nature: Timid
- Rain Dance
- U-Turn
- Wish
- Thunder/Iron Head

This is my "support" pokemon. Provides me with a wish to be u-turned to other pokemon for healing. It also gives me an 8 turn rain dance to buff my sweepers. Thunder can be use for a powerful 100% accuracy/60% paralyze chance electric move or Iron Head for a 60% flinch STAB steel move. I can't decide which to use. Jirachi has amazing synergy in a rain dance team. It has 2 weaknesses ground and fire, both of which are weak to water.

180px230kingdra.png


Kingdra @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 240 SpA / 16 Spe
Nature: Naughty
- Rain Dance
- Waterfall
- Draco Meteor
- Ice Beam

The star of the show. Extremely fast in the rain and Waterfall at least 2HKOs most non-resistant pokemon. Draco Meteor OHKOs all dragons (which are resistant to water). Ice beam is another option for dragons, and I use it to counter grass types as Kingdra is not weak to grass. I have Kingdra as my 3rd rain support because of its limited weaknesses (just dragon).

180px141kabutops.png


Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Def / 204 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Swords Dance

A fearsome physical sweeper in rain. I can get off a swords dance or two in transitions to power up its rock/water STAB moves. Stone edge KOs the likes of Gyrados, Zapdos, Togekiss etc without much trouble. Waterfall is the main water STAB which hits like a truck when rain boosted. Aqua jet is to OHKO infernape and 2HKO heatrans before they can use fighting/ground moves. Along with my other 2 sweepers I have a great type coverage for all types of resistances and defenses versus special defenses.

210px395empoleon.png

Empoleon @ Life Orb/Petaya Berry/leftovers
Ability:Torrent
EVs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
Nature: Modest
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam
- Surf
- Roar/Toxic

My late game sweeper/special sweeper. I am somewhat in need of some advice about what item/last move to use on him Life orb for dmg, petaya for a boost, or leftovers for survival. I'd like roar for pseudo hazing, but I'd also love to toxic stall/spread poison. Grass Knot is for bulky waters/Gyrados/Ground types. Ice beam is for grass, dragons, and ground types. Surf is a strong late game STAB.

180px212scizor.png

Pokemon @ Choice Band / Damp Rock
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Pursuit
- U-Turn
- Bullet Punch
- Rain Dance/Superpower

I use this guy to clean up. He is also resistant to the vast majority of things water types are weak to so he makes a good "gopher" pokemon. I use pursuit for Celebi/Ghosts/Psychics or pokemon running from him. U-turn is for trapping a fire counter sent out with one of my waters. Technician bullet punch hits for 90 power (after STAB/ability) and is super effective on ice/rock pokemon. The last slot I am torn between having another rain dance supporter (so kingdra can have another attack), having 4 rain dancers, or making him a pure attacker witha fighting move to counter Bliss-walls (most likely this is the best option). Amazing synergy like jirachi on a rain dance team as his only weakness is fire.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for taking the time to view my team. Any input is greatly appreciated. I will begin working on a threat list to explain some of the ways I want to deal with counters.

I can see right now I need some advice for:
- Lead taunters
- Bliss-walls
-sunny day/other weather teams

much appreciated!

cheers.
 
Main threats:
*Blissey- Scizor (superpower)
*Breloom - Kingdra (ice beam)
*Bronzong - Swampert (EQ) if levitate might be bad
*Celebi - Scizor (u-turn), Jirachi (u-turn), Ice
*Electivire - Swampert (EQ)
*Empoleon - Swampert (EQ), Scizor (Superpower),
Jirachi (thunder)
*Gyrados - Kabutops (Stone Edge), jirachi (thunder)
*Jirachi - Swampert (EQ)
*Jolteon - Swampert (EQ)
*Kingdra - Kingdra (draco met)
*Magnezone - Swampert (EQ if not risen)
*Latias - Scizor/Jirachi (u-turn), Kingdra (Draco met)
*Mamoswine - Kabutops (stone edge), Scizor (super p)
*Metagross - Swampert (EQ)
*Roserade - Kingdra (ice beam), Scizor/Jirachi (U-turn)
*Skarmory - Jirachi (Thunder), Kabutops (Stone Edge)
*Starmie - Scizor (Pursuit), Empoleon (grass knot)
*Tentacruel - Swampert (EQ), Jirachi (thunder)
*Umbreon - Scizor/Jirachi (U-Turn), Scizor (super p)
*Vaporeon - Empoleon (Grass Knot), Jirachi (thunder)
*Zapdos - Kabutops (Stone Edge), Ice
Jirachi (thunder)
*Salamence - Kabutops (stone edge), Ice
Jirachi (thunder)
*Swampert - Empoleon (grass knot)

If I'm not mistaken all other OU pokemon take at least neutral damage from water attacks.
 
This looks like a pretty nice Rain Dance team but Empoleon doesn't take advantage of the rain as well as other Pokemon do. Kingdra and Kabutops are great Rain Abusers with their Swift Swim ability but there is another Swift Swim Pokemon that can work out better than Empoleon, Ludicolo. Here's the set I have in mind,

Ludicolo@Life Orb
Modest Nature
EVs: 60 HP/ 252 SpA/ 196 Speed
-Surf
-Grass Knot/Energy Ball
-Ice Beam
-Rain Dance

With 196 Speed EVs Ludicolo will outspeed Base 100 Choice Scarf Pokemon in the rain and outside of the rain it hits the same speed as neutral nature Breloom, the Special Attack is maxed out and the rest is put into HP. Nothing likes switching into Surf in the rain because it does loads of damage and can even OHKO the standard Choice Band Scizor with SR around while Ice Beam takes out Dragons like Salamence and Flygon. The choice between Grass Knot and Energy Ball is really dependent on how much trouble you think you have with Vaporeon, Grass Knot hits the metagame harder but Energy Ball will take care of Vaporeon much easier, personally I would go with Grass Knot but it's really up to you. Rain Dance is there just in case you Rain Dance runs out on your Ludicolo or Tyranitar switches in.

Other things I noticed was Ice Beam on Kingdra and Choice Band on Scizor. Replace Ice Beam with Hydro Pump or Surf on Kingdra and use Damp Rock over Choice Band on Scizor so you can have a third Pokemon that can set up 7 turns of Rain Dance instead of just being locked into Rain Dance and only giving 5 turns.
 
TheFourthChaser said:
This looks like a pretty nice Rain Dance team but Empoleon doesn't take advantage of the rain as well as other Pokemon do. Kingdra and Kabutops are great Rain Abusers with their Swift Swim ability but there is another Swift Swim Pokemon that can work out better than Empoleon, Ludicolo. Here's the set I have in mind,

Ludicolo@Life Orb
Modest Nature
EVs: 60 HP/ 252 SpA/ 196 Speed
-Surf
-Grass Knot/Energy Ball
-Ice Beam
-Rain Dance

With 196 Speed EVs Ludicolo will outspeed Base 100 Choice Scarf Pokemon in the rain and outside of the rain it hits the same speed as neutral nature Breloom, the Special Attack is maxed out and the rest is put into HP. Nothing likes switching into Surf in the rain because it does loads of damage and can even OHKO the standard Choice Band Scizor with SR around while Ice Beam takes out Dragons like Salamence and Flygon. The choice between Grass Knot and Energy Ball is really dependent on how much trouble you think you have with Vaporeon, Grass Knot hits the metagame harder but Energy Ball will take care of Vaporeon much easier, personally I would go with Grass Knot but it's really up to you. Rain Dance is there just in case you Rain Dance runs out on your Ludicolo or Tyranitar switches in.

Other things I noticed was Ice Beam on Kingdra and Choice Band on Scizor. Replace Ice Beam with Hydro Pump or Surf on Kingdra and use Damp Rock over Choice Band on Scizor so you can have a third Pokemon that can set up 7 turns of Rain Dance instead of just being locked into Rain Dance and only giving 5 turns.
Click to expand...

thanks so much for commenting! I totally agree about using hydro pump over ice beam on Kingdra. I was torn, but I wasnt sure if I had enough ice coverage, but I should have more then enough on Swampert+either empoleon or ludicolo.

I just had a few questions:

-Are there any alternatives to Ludicolo? I know this is kind of lame, but I can't stand the way they look haha. I know its really good in rain dance though, so i might not have an option.

-my 3 rain dancers should be: jirachi, Swampert....and?
 
This team seems pretty solid however I would consider switching that empoleon of your for a Sweeper Ludicolo because it works much better in rain and making your Kingdra either completely special or physical ( I would switch for a physical one) and finally I would maybe switch swampert for a azelf (it will let you set up rain more easily). Hope I helped you =)
 
Well Chaser said most of why i was about to say but I would like Jirachi to be your lead. My main grype that I have with Swampert is that he is quite slow and when setting up rain you want all the speed you can get.
You really should use Ludicolo though. I also hate how he looks but he is awesome on a rain team and your team would benfit from him.
 
Empoleon should have agility in the lasts slot. so she can out speed a lot of opponent's and a life orb.

I would give scizor a damp rock, as with u-turn he could make a great rain dancer.

But the team looks good, I don't know too much about rain dance teams, so I can't help with the team too much.
 
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