Hi all, this is my first RMT on these forums. I built a rain team around Substitute Volcanion, the idea being it's able to take advantage of Pokemon such as Ferrothorn which typically annoy rain. Also, Steam Eruption when rain-boosted hits like a truck. Here is the team:
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 196 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
This is standard defensive Pelipper, but with a significant number of EVs taken from spdef and placed into defense. The reason for this is due to us not using Ash-Gren as the special attacker, we lack priority to revenge kill Hawlucha. It can cleanly sweep at +2 with just a little prior chip on Pelipper/Koko (a replay of this is provided below). If I could I would forego Scald on this set and replace it with Knock Off for Chansey/Ferro/Pex, cause 99% of the time I'm clicking U-turn into Swampert anyway, but it is needed to do significant damage to Hawlucha.
Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock
This is standard Swampert with rocks in the fourth slot, not much to say here. I am considering Toxic over Ice Punch though to help deal with Static Zapdos a little bit better.
Volcanion @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
The star of the team. Substitute lets Volcanion take advantage of slower mons like Ferrothorn. I know Earth Power is helpful to prevent getting walled by Pex, but I've found Toxic more useful to break down shared checks to Swampert/Volcanion like Mantine/Gyarados, dragons, etc. Pex is easily 1v1'd by 3 teammates anyway and Ferro can pivot into it without fearing Toxic. The speed is to creep the 222 benchmark which a lot of mons seem to be at, in particular outspeeding Rotom/spdef Heatran is quite helpful.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Nature's Madness
- U-turn
- Roost
I always pair Tapu Koko with Volcanion because it can reliably pressure bulky waters, while it lures in grasses that Volcanion can sub on. Originally, Volcanion was the Z-crystal user and Koko was holding Zap Plate, but after swapping Earth Power out for Toxic I made it Leftovers and Koko the got the Z. Nature's Madness is intended to hit opposing Ferrothorn so they can no longer come in on Swampert, it's nice as a midground play in some instances, and it also forces recovery from stuff like Chansey so you can get Swampert in for free. Would love to pair it with Taunt but U-turn is mandatory to bring in Volcanion/Swampert. Roost is also important so we can continue to pivot in on Tornadus, Zapdos, Pinsir, Hawlucha, etc.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Def / 236 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave
Ferrothorn is the obligatory bulky grass/steel type on the team to handle threats such as Ash-Greninja and Tapu Lele. 4 Spe is something I put on my Ferros in order to creep Mega Sableye, 16 Def to live +1 Z-move from Gyarados, and the remaining EVs are invested into HP/SpD. I put twave because the team is quite slow esp. if rain isn't up; without it Volcarona or Charizard X can probably sweep me by using Ferro as setup fodder. I also find it helpful as a midground play if you're facing Ash-Greninja and are in 2HKO range from Dark Pulse.
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 80 HP / 80 Def / 132 SpA / 216 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Taunt
Love using this Torn set, even without full spa investment it just hits so hard. 216 spe lets us outspeed scarf ttar, 132 spa ohkos Greninja after rocks so it can never hard switch in and force you out. The bulk investment lets it live a scarf Lando stone edge / 2 leaf blades from Kartana after rocks. Tornadus' role is basically to take advantage of Grass-types that wall Swampert and lure ttar. Taunt prevents setup and makes it so that Heatran can't actually touch it in the rain, also helps pressure fat stuff like Chansey/Toxapex.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 196 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
This is standard defensive Pelipper, but with a significant number of EVs taken from spdef and placed into defense. The reason for this is due to us not using Ash-Gren as the special attacker, we lack priority to revenge kill Hawlucha. It can cleanly sweep at +2 with just a little prior chip on Pelipper/Koko (a replay of this is provided below). If I could I would forego Scald on this set and replace it with Knock Off for Chansey/Ferro/Pex, cause 99% of the time I'm clicking U-turn into Swampert anyway, but it is needed to do significant damage to Hawlucha.
Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock
This is standard Swampert with rocks in the fourth slot, not much to say here. I am considering Toxic over Ice Punch though to help deal with Static Zapdos a little bit better.
Volcanion @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
The star of the team. Substitute lets Volcanion take advantage of slower mons like Ferrothorn. I know Earth Power is helpful to prevent getting walled by Pex, but I've found Toxic more useful to break down shared checks to Swampert/Volcanion like Mantine/Gyarados, dragons, etc. Pex is easily 1v1'd by 3 teammates anyway and Ferro can pivot into it without fearing Toxic. The speed is to creep the 222 benchmark which a lot of mons seem to be at, in particular outspeeding Rotom/spdef Heatran is quite helpful.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Nature's Madness
- U-turn
- Roost
I always pair Tapu Koko with Volcanion because it can reliably pressure bulky waters, while it lures in grasses that Volcanion can sub on. Originally, Volcanion was the Z-crystal user and Koko was holding Zap Plate, but after swapping Earth Power out for Toxic I made it Leftovers and Koko the got the Z. Nature's Madness is intended to hit opposing Ferrothorn so they can no longer come in on Swampert, it's nice as a midground play in some instances, and it also forces recovery from stuff like Chansey so you can get Swampert in for free. Would love to pair it with Taunt but U-turn is mandatory to bring in Volcanion/Swampert. Roost is also important so we can continue to pivot in on Tornadus, Zapdos, Pinsir, Hawlucha, etc.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Def / 236 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave
Ferrothorn is the obligatory bulky grass/steel type on the team to handle threats such as Ash-Greninja and Tapu Lele. 4 Spe is something I put on my Ferros in order to creep Mega Sableye, 16 Def to live +1 Z-move from Gyarados, and the remaining EVs are invested into HP/SpD. I put twave because the team is quite slow esp. if rain isn't up; without it Volcarona or Charizard X can probably sweep me by using Ferro as setup fodder. I also find it helpful as a midground play if you're facing Ash-Greninja and are in 2HKO range from Dark Pulse.
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 80 HP / 80 Def / 132 SpA / 216 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Taunt
Love using this Torn set, even without full spa investment it just hits so hard. 216 spe lets us outspeed scarf ttar, 132 spa ohkos Greninja after rocks so it can never hard switch in and force you out. The bulk investment lets it live a scarf Lando stone edge / 2 leaf blades from Kartana after rocks. Tornadus' role is basically to take advantage of Grass-types that wall Swampert and lure ttar. Taunt prevents setup and makes it so that Heatran can't actually touch it in the rain, also helps pressure fat stuff like Chansey/Toxapex.
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860219647 - Why I decided to invest more defense EVs into Pelipper
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860427550
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860417962
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860217433 - (I shouldn't have won this battle lmao. My best way of dealing with Latias was hoping for hax)
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-859713316
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860427550
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860417962
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-860217433 - (I shouldn't have won this battle lmao. My best way of dealing with Latias was hoping for hax)
- https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-859713316
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 196 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock
Volcanion @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Nature's Madness
- U-turn
- Roost
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Def / 236 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 80 HP / 80 Def / 132 SpA / 216 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Taunt
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 196 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock
Volcanion @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Nature's Madness
- U-turn
- Roost
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Def / 236 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 80 HP / 80 Def / 132 SpA / 216 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Taunt