Rain Dance team

[tinyranitar]

I was buried under homework and exercise with end-term test and haven't post much last week. But now I'm free! Summer is coming, and I think it might be cool to have some unusual rain team. Well, the only thing predictable about Pokémon metagame is its unpredictability. So a Rain Dance team, using Swift Swim sweeper is super awesome, and easily counter Ability Weather, exactly like the saying, use fire with fire. Without further ado...

Team:

Tornadus (M) @ Damp Rock
Traits: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Rain Dance
- Hurricane
- Focus Blast
- U-turn
Tornadus is cool in any rain team, and mine is not an exception. Prankster guaranteer he get a Rain Dance, as even ExtremeSpeed from Lucario and Dragonite failed to KO him when unboosted. 

Kingdra (M) @ Life Orb
Traits: Swift Swim
EVs: 36 HP / 252 SAtk / 220 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Pulse
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Rain Dance
The 3S (Swift Swim Sweeper). Because of its deadliness, Drizzle and Swift Swim was banned to be used on the same team. So what if there is no Drizzle but still Rain? Kingdra is back, big'n'bad. The only Pokémon resist Kingdra dual STAB is Ferrothorn, that's why I have the next Pokémon.

Magnezone @ Leftovers
Traits: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Charge Beam
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Trap and set up on helpless steel Pokémon. The best thing Ferrothorn can do is using Power Whip to 2HKO Magnezone...'s Substitute. During that time, Magnezone can set up with Charge Beam and sit comfortably behind the sub. Thunder and HP ice is for coverage, while sub ensure it can land a hit or two on next Pokémon. 

Bronzong @ Damp Rock
Traits: Leviate
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SDef
IVs: 0 Spd
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Rain Dance
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Bronzong's rain weaken Fire, make him (or her?) have no weakness at all. Over that, its overall bulk let it survive some hit, set up rain an SRock in progress. With low speed, Gyro Ball take out DDance, Rock Polish sweeper, while Toxic outstall many walls, as Bronzong is immune to Toxic itself.

Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Traits: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Power Whip
- Protect
Another one for set up entry hazard. Spikes and Stealth Rock not just breaking sashes, also wearing out foe weather inducer, while I freely set up one again. Leech Seed and Iron Barbs quickly bring down Life Orb user, let Ferrothorn take out a Pokémon on itself. Leftovers is used here for longevity, because rain halves fire damage.

Kabutops (M) @ Life Orb
Traits: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
- Rain Dance
Kabutops... I love ADV metagame because it's the only console I have and many of my favourite Pokémon is still OU. Kabutops will never be OU again but I use it because my team need a physical sweeper, or else I will be a complete fool in front of Blissey or Chansey. Waterfall is super powerful in the rain, while Stone Edge demolish, well... asolutely anything doesn't resist it.

Overall:

As Politoed is running rampant, my rain team not just fine on it own, but also great to face another Rain team. Kingdra is my main firepower (or water?) as he crush anything under Water Pressure, and Rain setup Pokémon keep pressure on the opponent, making sure weather is on my side. Because of its fraility, Kabutop shouldn't have Rain Dance so anyone can suggest me to put in the last slot? Thanks!

 

[PlatinumDude]

Flash Cannon doesn't provide Kingdra with any noteworthy coverage whatsoever. It can easily get away with just having its dual STABs, since Water and Dragon have excellent neutral coverage together; both types hit all Pokemon for neutral damage but Empoleon, Ferrothorn and Shedinja. Replace Flash Cannon with Draco Meteor so that it can dent Water resists hard. Since Kingdra is pretty fast in the rain, use a Modest nature and the EV spread, 36 HP/252 SAtk/220 Spe.

Magnezone is currently helpless against Ground Pokemon like Gliscor so ditch Rain Dance for Hidden Power (Ice) for Dragons or HP (Fire) for Ferrothorn and Scizor (even though the rain will weaken the latter, it still causes pretty good damage).

 

[Hikamaru]

I'll check your Tornadus and see if he needs fixing.

Here's what I uncovered in my investigation:

Damp Rock is nice, but not the best item to hold. Also, you have the wrong Hidden Power type since you already have Water-type attackers on your team.

Try one of these sets:

Set 1 - Hurricane
Timid / Naive nature
Life Orb / Choice Specs
Prankster
EVs: 4 Attack, 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Speed
- Hurricane
- Hammer Arm / Focus Blast
- Rain Dance / Hidden Power Ice
- Taunt / U-turn

Set 2 - Acrobatics
Jolly nature
Flying Gem
Prankster
EVs: 252 Attack, 4 Defense, 252 Speed
- Acrobatics
- Bulk Up
- Brick Break
- Taunt / Substitute

Hurricane set is good if you want to invest in a Special Tornadus or Acrobatics set if you want to invest in a Physical Tornadus. Just choose the one that suits your playing style.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I'll check your Tornadus and see if he needs fixing.

Here's what I uncovered in my investigation:

Damp Rock is nice, but not the best item to hold. Also, you have the wrong Hidden Power type since you already have Water-type attackers on your team.

Try one of these sets:

Set 1 - Hurricane
Timid / Naive nature
Life Orb / Choice Specs
Prankster
EVs: 4 Attack, 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Speed
- Hurricane
- Hammer Arm / Focus Blast
- Rain Dance / Hidden Power Ice
- Taunt / U-turn

Set 2 - Acrobatics
Jolly nature
Flying Gem
Prankster
EVs: 252 Attack, 4 Defense, 252 Speed
- Acrobatics
- Bulk Up
- Brick Break
- Taunt / Substitute

Hurricane set is good if you want to invest in a Special Tornadus or Acrobatics set if you want to invest in a Physical Tornadus. Just choose the one that suits your playing style.

This is a Rain team, so Tornadus is best off with a Special set because of Hurricane gaining perfect accuracy in rain. :P Utilizing Prankster to set up Rain before the opponent can make a move is also one of Tornadus' other selling points.

 

[tinyranitar]

Thanks, but I'll keep Damp Rock on Tornadus for thr longer rain, and Dark Pulse for coverage. And Plantinum, Scizor is not ground-type. :)

 

[PlatinumDude]

Thanks, but I'll keep Damp Rock on Tornadus for thr longer rain, and Dark Pulse for coverage. And Plantinum, Scizor is not ground-type. :)

D'oh! I was talking about Gliscor; my bad.

Anyway, don't use Dark Pulse on Tornadus; it doesn't have noteworthy coverage. A neutral STAB Hurricane does more than a super effective Dark Pulse (a suupereffective Dark Pulse has a base power of 160 while a neutral STAB Hurrican has 180 base power). Replace that with U-turn to get out of the battle once you think Tornadus has done enough for the battle.