Introduction: So, with everyone's favorite bug no longer in OU, I wanted to make a new team that abuses the next most broken strategy: Rain. To this end, I compiled a number of sets that had worked for me in the past, with a focus on setting hazards, and whittling away at the enemy team with said hazards and voltturn, and end with a sort of "sweep" wherein my last two pokes come in and spam their most powerful attacks to break apart the weakened team.
The team:
Politoed @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Toed is required for any Rain team, of course, and from playing with both bulky and specs, I find that the sheer power of Specs Toed is more valuable than what buky Toed provides. Essentially, unless my opponnt has a Jellicent/Gastrodon, I just spam Hydro Pump on this guy, hitting even those who resist it for good damage. Specs makes Ninetales a less safe switch, and can surprise an opponent who expects standard Scald Toed and hopes to tank the hit with their Ninetales or Ttar.
Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Ice]
One of the strongest special attackers in the game, this little guy is my endgame more often than not, smashing through a team with either specs-boosted Surf or Hydro Pump, depending on how much the enemy team is damaged. Walled to hell and back by Jellicent, but I'm not sure which type of Hidden Power to run to rememedy that without losing out in other areas. The moves on this set are definitely up for debate, and I would like any suggestions you can offer. Surf is in my mind almost a necessity for its reliability, but there are arguments against it, and if you have them, feel free to voice them.
Tornadus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
- Focus Blast
Contrary to popular belief, Tornadus-T is not the only way to run Tornadus. With a great ability in its own right, the capacity to run lefties, and a priority Tailwind to set up Specs Keldeo for a sweep, I think this guy is much better than his ugly Therian counterpart. Hurricane and Focus Blast are their to be spammed against the enemy team, whittling them down and preparing them for a series of very painful Specs Keldeo Surfs/Hydro Pumps. Priority Substitute is fantastic for scouting the opponents set, or getting a free attack against an enemy too scared to stay in. For the sacrifice of just 18% hp, this is one of Tornadus's best tools. I typically send this guy out fairly late, and get off as many Hurrcanes or Focus Blasts as I can, and then Tailwind just before I die, so that Keldeo can come in and destroy the enemy team.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 200 HP / 244 Def / 64 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
Coming in to replace Scizor as a check to physcial threas of all shapes and sizes, the least played genie outside of Tornadus-I packs a crucial Electric immunity, Fighting resistance, and one of the best abilities the game has ever known in Intimidate. Landorus-T is a good check to threats like Terrakion or Jirachi, who can punch holes in my team otherwise. QuakeEdge is there for coverage (crazy, I know), U-turn keeps up momentum and keeps some of Scizor's utility, and Stealth Rock allows me to reliably get up hazards almost every game, simply by switching in on an nonthreatening physical attacker.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 232 SDef / 28 SAtk / 248 HP
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
This guy is the greatest thing ever. He serves as a killer defensive pivot, secondary Hydro Pump spammer, VoltTurn partner with Scizor, sweeper crippler with Thunder Wave, and all-around pest to the enemy team. I use Thunder Wave over Will-o-Wisp because it will cripple whatever Will-o-Wisp will, but also shut down any speedy special attackers trying to pull a fast one on my team. Pain Split is for recovery, Volt Switch is self-explanatory, and Hydro Pump does a lot of damage in the rain. It does a lot of damage in the rain. A lot of damage in the rain. A lot of damage.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 40 Def / 252 HP / 216 SDef
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Wish
- Thunder
- Water Pulse
Here she is, the most versatile pokemon ever to grace the fields of battle. For gen upon gen, she has been tearing apart teams with Scarf sets, bulky sets, Calm Mind sets, all-out offensive sets, you name it. On this team, she takes the role of tank and possible sweeper, and can annoy my opponent's to no end. With 60% paralyze chance Thunder, 40% confuse chance Water Pulse, and Wish, Jirachi is guaranteed to cause some deal of hair-pulling from any enemy. I am still experimenting with sets at the moment, but Calm Mind gives this set a dangerous offensive presence, and poops on many special attackers, while Wish gives both team support and semi-reliable recovery for Rachi herself. Whether this set is the absolute best, I cannot be sure, but Rachi is without a doubt a valuable teammate.
Conclusion: All in all, I am very impressed with the core of Keldeo/Tornadus-I in the rain, and have little to no desire to remove them (while I am looking to change up Keldeo's moveset), nor do I want to switch Rotom-W, for he is maybe the MVP of this team other than Keldeo. Forry and Scizor are the most questionable, and I am always looking for pokes that might do their job better (checking setup sweepers, voltturning, setting hazards, and rapid spinning), and any suggestions for them are really appreciated.
The team:
Politoed @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Toed is required for any Rain team, of course, and from playing with both bulky and specs, I find that the sheer power of Specs Toed is more valuable than what buky Toed provides. Essentially, unless my opponnt has a Jellicent/Gastrodon, I just spam Hydro Pump on this guy, hitting even those who resist it for good damage. Specs makes Ninetales a less safe switch, and can surprise an opponent who expects standard Scald Toed and hopes to tank the hit with their Ninetales or Ttar.
Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Ice]
One of the strongest special attackers in the game, this little guy is my endgame more often than not, smashing through a team with either specs-boosted Surf or Hydro Pump, depending on how much the enemy team is damaged. Walled to hell and back by Jellicent, but I'm not sure which type of Hidden Power to run to rememedy that without losing out in other areas. The moves on this set are definitely up for debate, and I would like any suggestions you can offer. Surf is in my mind almost a necessity for its reliability, but there are arguments against it, and if you have them, feel free to voice them.
Tornadus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
- Focus Blast
Contrary to popular belief, Tornadus-T is not the only way to run Tornadus. With a great ability in its own right, the capacity to run lefties, and a priority Tailwind to set up Specs Keldeo for a sweep, I think this guy is much better than his ugly Therian counterpart. Hurricane and Focus Blast are their to be spammed against the enemy team, whittling them down and preparing them for a series of very painful Specs Keldeo Surfs/Hydro Pumps. Priority Substitute is fantastic for scouting the opponents set, or getting a free attack against an enemy too scared to stay in. For the sacrifice of just 18% hp, this is one of Tornadus's best tools. I typically send this guy out fairly late, and get off as many Hurrcanes or Focus Blasts as I can, and then Tailwind just before I die, so that Keldeo can come in and destroy the enemy team.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 200 HP / 244 Def / 64 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
Coming in to replace Scizor as a check to physcial threas of all shapes and sizes, the least played genie outside of Tornadus-I packs a crucial Electric immunity, Fighting resistance, and one of the best abilities the game has ever known in Intimidate. Landorus-T is a good check to threats like Terrakion or Jirachi, who can punch holes in my team otherwise. QuakeEdge is there for coverage (crazy, I know), U-turn keeps up momentum and keeps some of Scizor's utility, and Stealth Rock allows me to reliably get up hazards almost every game, simply by switching in on an nonthreatening physical attacker.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 232 SDef / 28 SAtk / 248 HP
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
This guy is the greatest thing ever. He serves as a killer defensive pivot, secondary Hydro Pump spammer, VoltTurn partner with Scizor, sweeper crippler with Thunder Wave, and all-around pest to the enemy team. I use Thunder Wave over Will-o-Wisp because it will cripple whatever Will-o-Wisp will, but also shut down any speedy special attackers trying to pull a fast one on my team. Pain Split is for recovery, Volt Switch is self-explanatory, and Hydro Pump does a lot of damage in the rain. It does a lot of damage in the rain. A lot of damage in the rain. A lot of damage.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 40 Def / 252 HP / 216 SDef
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Wish
- Thunder
- Water Pulse
Here she is, the most versatile pokemon ever to grace the fields of battle. For gen upon gen, she has been tearing apart teams with Scarf sets, bulky sets, Calm Mind sets, all-out offensive sets, you name it. On this team, she takes the role of tank and possible sweeper, and can annoy my opponent's to no end. With 60% paralyze chance Thunder, 40% confuse chance Water Pulse, and Wish, Jirachi is guaranteed to cause some deal of hair-pulling from any enemy. I am still experimenting with sets at the moment, but Calm Mind gives this set a dangerous offensive presence, and poops on many special attackers, while Wish gives both team support and semi-reliable recovery for Rachi herself. Whether this set is the absolute best, I cannot be sure, but Rachi is without a doubt a valuable teammate.
Conclusion: All in all, I am very impressed with the core of Keldeo/Tornadus-I in the rain, and have little to no desire to remove them (while I am looking to change up Keldeo's moveset), nor do I want to switch Rotom-W, for he is maybe the MVP of this team other than Keldeo. Forry and Scizor are the most questionable, and I am always looking for pokes that might do their job better (checking setup sweepers, voltturning, setting hazards, and rapid spinning), and any suggestions for them are really appreciated.