Hello hello hello, so I am trying to get back into competitive Pokemon battles. I used to boss the OU tier with my Sandstorm team in DPPt! Since I've skipped out on gen 5, I missed a fair bit, and trying to get to speed.
So, tinkering around with Pokemon Showdown, I've decided to put together a UU Rain Dance Team! OU quickly loses its luster... Right now I havnt got a complete team, I've just been rotating different Poke's around, and want to narrow my choices down. So here we go:
The potential lead:
(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/617.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/169.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/424.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/510.png)
So these are the 4 leads I have been tinkering with. I'm following Smogon rules which states Drizzle is banned, so no Politoed. Accelgor is currently my favourite of the four. Nice 145 in Speed outruns a lot of enemy leads. My favourite technique, setup Spikes first turn, Encore the enemy lead if they setup an entry hazard. This more often then not will provoke a switch. On the switch, either setup another layer of Spikes or Rain Dance and switch out. U-Turn lets me get in a switch and do a touch of damage, but Bug Buzz does decent damage to Magic Bounce Espeon.
Crobat (Rain Dance, Brave Bird, XPoison and U-Turn) is my next choice, again, a speedy choice. Setup a Damp Rock Rain Dance and then get a switch with U-Turn. Unfortunately, Crobat feels extremely fragile to me, but if can keep him up he is a decent hit and runner.
Ambipom runs Fake Out, Rain Dance, Low Kick and Return. Fake Out gives me a free turn, hopefully finish it off with Low Kick or Return, then setup Rain and get out. Pretty reliable so far.
I've just recently began experimenting with Liepard (RD, Encore, U-Turn, Knock Off). Similar role as Accelgor, but with access to Prankster, which guarantees rain setup and Encore annoyance. I still prefer Accelgor over Liepard, but not used the latter enough to completely rule it out.
BRING THE THUNDER:
(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/181.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/695.png)
Mega Ampharos was what sparked my urge for a RD team. Look at how majestic and badass that thing is! I already have one EV trained, 5 perfect IVs (low attack). With Thunder, it seemed perfect with rain support. Plan is to bring her in late game, hopefully setup Agility on a switch and sweep with Thunder, Focus Blast and Dragon Pulse. Unfortunately, I can't seem to use Amphy as easily as I thought. Florges is the main issue, and their just hasn't been enough situations for Mega Ampharos to shine.
Heliolisk however, is beginning to become much more useful. Rain supported Thunder hits hard, HP Ice gives a BoltBeam coverage, and Grass Knot thrown in for coverage. Heliolisk is often Scarfed, but I threw Life Orb onto him and he can recover in the rain with the Dry Skin ability. Heliolisk can also act as my secondary RDancer, and frees up the mega-evolution spot.
Swift Swimmers:
(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/141.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/272.png)
The obvious contenders here. Kabutops gives me Rapid Spin support, a strong Waterfall (or Aqua Jet instead for revenge killing), Stone Edge and Knock Off. Kabutops again feels a bit fragile, so I sometimes prefer a physical attacker with a bit more bulk instead, might experiment with Swift Swim Carracosta? Ludicolo holds a Life Orb and runs Hydro Pump, Giga Drain, Ice Beam and RDance. Quite a useful Poke in general, if rain is active.
I have yet to play with Kingdra or Omastar, the two other popular Swift Swimmers in UU. Mega Swampert also has access to Swift Swim, but ATM I'm much preferring base Swampert.
BulkyMons:
(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/260.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy-animated/009-mega.gif)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/589.png)
Swampert runs Curse, boosting its Atk and Def, sacrificing the Speed it doesn't really have to make it nice and tanky. Rest and Chesto Berry combo lets it recover without a healer. I am in a debate as to whether to swap this setup for a defensive Stealth Rock setter, for extra damage.
Mega Blastoise provides Rapid Spin support. Scald provides a burn threat, and uses a combination of either Dark Pulse/Aura Sphere/Dragon Pulse in the last spot, depending on what coverage the team needs.
Escavalier is also a very powerful defensive Pokemon, with base 135 Attack. With Overcoat, it is immue to powder effects. Megahorn, Knock Off, Iron Head and Drill Run provide good, strong coverage.
Specially Defensive/Healers:
(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/197.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/199.png)(https://forum.pokebattle.com/uploads/default/3226/0cc60c3e6c29e083.gif)
Umbreon provides Toxic and stalls with Wish and Protect. Foul Play forces the opponent to either switch to a Special Mon to get walled, or take some big damage by using a physical attacker. Pretty much the same set nearly every other Umbreon runs. Slowking provides TWave support and runs Scald, Fire Blast and Slack Off with it. Not the most useful Pokemon I've used but he can rarely be used in sticky situations.
Mega-Audino is something I've been experimenting with. Poses a threat to Dragons, and has access to Wish and Heal Bell. Calm Mind works well to increase bulk and boosts Dazzling Gleams strength.
The Wild Card:
(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/547.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/609.png)(http://media.pldh.net/pokemon/gen6/xy/626.png)
Whimsicott provides Encore/Taunt troubles with its Prankster ability, and also provides Leech Seed support. I found Taunt an increasingly necessary component with this team, to avoid enemy stat increases and entry hazards.
Chandelure has access to Will-o-Wisp and switches in on Fighting and Normal moves. Shadow Ball is nice and spammable behind a Substitute. Also, if Chandelure is going to be hit with a Water move, I can switch in Heliolisk, who will absorb and heal thanks to his Dry Skin ability. A predictable tactic, but works nicely if pulled off.
Bouffalant has Sap Sipper, which allows him to switch in and absorb a Grass attack it is now immune to, and recieve a nice Attack boost. He can then retaliate with a Banded Head Charge, Earthquake, Megahorn or Stone Edge.
So this is what I have so far, please lend me your opinions and lets see if we can narrow down my choices. I'll edit the main post as we go along. :)
Erm.... if I remember correctly, drizzle isn't really banned, it is in doubles with swift swim though. So if you were to use politoed with kingdra on a doubles team, that would be illegal. If this is singles, you're good.
Quote from: ShinyBlaziken2000 on February 01, 2015, 13:51
Erm.... if I remember correctly, drizzle isn't really banned, it is in doubles with swift swim though. So if you were to use politoed with kingdra on a doubles team, that would be illegal. If this is singles, you're good.
Weather abilities are banned at UU, the first where they're allowed at is in BL. (http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/the-current-smogon-tier-lists.3504634/)
Oh, ok thanks Hahex. I don't play competitive atm because I went the metagame to sort itself out first.
Regular Tornadus (http://www.smogon.com/dex/xy/pokemon/tornadus) can also pull off a Prankster Rain Dance in UU. The rain makes Hurricane 100% accurate.
I was hoping to avoid legends for now, I would rather breed then soft reset for now. Tornadus is obtainable is ORAS right?
Quote from: Jackdaw on February 01, 2015, 20:41
I was hoping to avoid legends for now, I would rather breed then soft reset for now. Tornadus is obtainable is ORAS right?
Yes, it's exclusive to Omega Ruby.
Allow me to just state for the record that although chandelure may be good to bait water attacks to heal heliolisk with, its fire stab will be nerfed. Plus what if there's a pokemon with a water attack that you aren't expecting? That would kinda kill the strategy.
Thanks Raphetty.
And Chandelure is mainly there to Wisp walls, and Sub to stall a bit.
I feel like having a grass type on the team to take spores will be invaluable. So if you dont take Ludicolo, then take Whimsicott and vice versa
True Hahex thanks. Would Accelgor's cover both powder and spores or is it just one of the two?
I don't think Accelgor covers either of them
It doesn't cover either through typing or abilities.
I meant to put Accelgor's Overcoat, my phones spell check changed it for some reason. -.-
But I just checked on Bulbapedia, Overcoat protects from Sandstorm, Hail and both spore and powder moves.
Erm..... Accelgor doesn't get overcoat.
Hydration heals all status conditions when it's raining, that's probably what was meant.
Quote from: ShinyBlaziken2000 on February 02, 2015, 22:09
Erm..... Accelgor doesn't get overcoat.
*Escavalier
I meant Escavalier, haha! I apologise, it's been a long day... It's Escavalier's hidden ability.
Accelgor should in theory work quite nicely in a rain team since his 4x weakness to fire is nullified to a x2 weakness. Stick an assault vest on, and that might be quite effective. But he is quite slow and the rain could also be used to go on the offensive with swift swim.
You mean Escavalier, Hahex? Accelgor is only Bug and has just 2x weakness to Fire I believe.
Oh, by the way, this is Jackdaw, the OP. I've just been able to remember the password to my old account. :)
Quote from: Esper on February 04, 2015, 06:38
You mean Escavalier, Hahex? Accelgor is only Bug and has just 2x weakness to Fire I believe.
Oh, by the way, this is Jackdaw, the OP. I've just been able to remember the password to my old account. :)
Man, now you have everyone all muddled up. But yes, that's what I meant.
Haha, I know my bad!
Kind of off-topic but I recently painstakingly chained a shiny Shelmet. Unfortunately, no decent IVs that will make it a viable Accelgor...