[SET]name: Choice Specs (Water)
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Defog / Knock Off
item: Choice Specs
ability: Drizzle
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Drizzle alongside a Choice Specs boost turns Pelipper into a powerful wallbreaker under the rain, allowing Hurricane to always hit making it a reliable STAB attack. Hurricane allows Pelipper to take on Grass-type threats such as Mega Venusaur and Ferrothorn. Additionally, it deals with Water-resistant foes that may want to switch into Pelipper like Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad. Hydro Pump is the main STAB attack and is especially powerful boosted by the rain, allowing it to OHKO Pokemon such as Galarian Weezing and 2HKO bulky Pokemon such as Aegislash, Porygon2, and Celesteela. U-turn allows Pelipper to generate momentum by bringing in a teammate on a predicted switch-in. Defog can be used in a pinch allowing Pelipper to remove hazards such as Sticky Webs, Toxic Spikes, and Stealth Rock for its teammates. Knock Off can be used to remove items off predicted switch-ins such as Blissey's Heavy-Duty Boots, Rotom-W's Leftovers, and Toxapex's Black Sludge. Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment alongside a Timid nature and Choice Specs allows Pelipper to be as fast and powerful a wallbreaker as possible.
Pelipper's teammates appreciate its ability to break past Grass-type Pokemon thanks to Choice Specs boosted Hurricane and its ability to set rain, especially its teammates with Swift Swim. Due to the fact rain boosts Water STAB it allows teammates such as Urshifu-R, Mega Swampert, and Kingdra to become more threatening wallbreakers. Pelipper also provides rain teams with a Ground immunity allowing it to switch into Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Excadrill. Mega Swampert appreciates the rain that Pelipper grants allowing it to outspeed threats such as Deoxys-S, Mega Lopunny, and Tapu Koko. Mega Swampert provides a switch and takes on Electric-type Pokemon for Pelipper in return such as Zapdos, Zeraora, and Regieleki. Barraskewda is a secondary Swift Swim abuser on rain teams, being able to more easily take on Pokemon such as Ferrothorn thanks to Close Combat, its faster Speed tier allowing it to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, however, it does not provide an Electric immunity for Pelipper. Instead, Barraskewda can threaten Electric-type Pokemon by just wearing them down with its strong Water STAB boosted by rain. Urshifu-R is able to take on Steel- and Normal-type Pokemon for Pelipper such as Ferrothorn and Blissey. All three of the aforementioned Pokemon also form a momentum core with Pelipper as they all have either Flip Turn or U-turn, providing rain teams with more momentum. On top of all this, they are capable of breaking special walls such as Slowking, Galarian Slowking, and Blissey for Pelipper, in return Pelipper can easily break physically defensive Pokemon such as Skarmory for them. Greninja can help in a variety of ways taking on opposing Water teams with Grass Knot and Hidden Power Electric, taking on Poison-type Pokemon such as Toxapex with Extrasensory, take on Flying-type Pokemon such as Tornadus-T and Mantine with Ice Beam and Hidden Power Electric, or act as a revenge killer and take on threats such as Tapu Koko with Gunk Shot. Kingdra is the primary special attacking abuser of rain using Swift Swim, it can take on Dragon-type Pokemon for Pelipper such as Kyurem and Kommo-o. Additionally, Kingdra is capable of running Hurricane, allowing it to wear down Grass-type Pokemon alongside Pelipper such as Ferrothorn. Tapu Fini can be used as an emergency check to Dragon-type Pokemon with a Choice Scarf outspeeding threats such a Freeze Dry Kyurem and Mega Altaria. Additionally, it can Trick its Choice Scarf onto a wall such as Slowking, preventing it from checking Pelipper as easily. Slowking and Toxapex are present on rain teams to act as a defensive pivot, while not losing momentum for rain teams. Slowking achieves this through Teleport, while Toxapex relies on an Eject Button. Slowking can also provide resistance to Psychic-type attacks from Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and provide Future Sight support, while Toxapex can improve the Fairy matchup and check Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu, while setting up Toxic Spikes, allowing Pelipper to more easily break through Pokemon such as Galarian Corsola. Manaphy takes advantage of rain through Hydration, allowing it to bring a better matchup against more defensive teams due to being able to absorb status, then being able to break past them thanks to Tail Glow and Waterium Z. Manaphy can also aid Pelipper in the Poison matchup by using Psychic allowing it to break past Mega Venusaur and Toxapex, making Pelipper's job easier.
[SET]
name: Defensive Pivot (Water)
move 1: Scald
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Drizzle
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
ivs: 9 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Drizzle allows Pelipper to support the Swift Swim archetype of Water teams, while its great utility moves and typing, providing an immunity to Ground, make it a fantastic rain setter. Scald allows Pelipper to fish for burns against Pokemon such as Celesteela and Garchomp, while also preventing it from becoming too passive. U-turn allows Pelipper to pick up momentum and bring in an offensive teammate safely such as Mega Swampert. Roost allows Pelipper to stay healthy through the match, giving it the ability to set rain multiple times through the game. Defog allows Pelipper to clear hazards such as Sticky Webs and Toxic Spikes for its teammates. Heavy-Duty Boots prevents it from being chipped by Stealth Rock, allowing it to act as a rain setter more times throughout the match. Maximum HP and Defense investment alongside a Relaxed nature and 9 Speed IVs allow Pelipper to under-speed Hippowdon, allowing it to set the rain, helping in the weather war and be as physically bulky as possible tanking attacks such as Mamoswine's Icicle Crash.
All Swift Swim users appreciates Pelipper's ability to set rain, which it can do multiple times a match due to its decent bulk and access to Heavy-Duty Boots and reliable recovery. Pelipper also provides Water teams with a Ground immunity allowing it to switch into Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Excadrill. Mega Swampert provides an Electric immunity for Pelipper and can break Poison- and Electric-type Pokemon for Pelipper such as Toxapex, Alolan Muk, Tapu Koko, and Zapdos. Barraskewda sacrifices power and bulk for Speed instead of Mega Swampert allowing it to take on Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Latios and Choice Scarf Greninja under rain. Urshifu-R can break past Normal-, Ice-, Steel-, and Dark-type Pokemon such as Blissey, Porygon2, Kyurem, Ferrothorn, and Mandibuzz. Mega Swampert, Barraskewda, and Urshifu-R all form a momentum-generating core with Pelipper as each of them have a pivoting move like Flip Turn or U-turn. Kingdra is a great teammate for Pelipper, since this set does not run Hurricane it is near mandatory on Kingdra allowing it to take on Grass-types like Mega Venusaur and Tapu Bulu. Kingdra can revenge killing Dragon-type Pokemon such as Kyurem, Kommo-o, and Choice Scarf Latias with Draco Meteor. Greninja can take on a variety of Pokemon for Pelipper such as Mega Venusaur with Extrasensory, Galarian Moltres and Garchomp with Ice Beam, Gastrodon and Swampert with Grass Knot, or act as a revenge killer and take on threats such as +1 Volcarona with a Choice Scarf Rock Slide set. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini can take on threats such as Hydreigon and Kyurem with Moonblast. Slowking or Toxapex complete a defensive core with Pelipper, acting as the teams defensive pivots and providing some sort of momentum such as Teleport in Slowking's case or Eject Button in Toxapex's case. Slowking can help take on threatening Psychic-type Pokemon such as Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele, while Toxapex can take on Fairy-type Pokemon such as Azumarill and Tapu Bulu with Sludge Bomb and provide Toxic Spikes and Haze support. Empoleon while hard to fit on rain teams can make an excellent teammate due to a few key resistances it brings to the table being against Fairy-, Psychic-, and Dragon-type attacks, while also being able to clear the field of hazards with Defog. However, Empoleon perpetuates a weakness to Ground attacks for Water teams, however, due to the fact Heavy-Duty Boots Pelipper has access to reliable recovery it is a solid option. Manaphy acts as a stall breaker for Pelipper with Tail Glow alongside Waterium Z it can break past a plethora of Pokemon such as Celesteela, Clefable, Galarian Corsola, Aegislash, and Ferrothorn. Additionally, it can run Psychic to take on Poison-type Pokemon such as Toxapex and Mega Venusaur or Ice Beam to take on Dragon- and Flying-type Pokemon such as Garchomp, Dragonite, and Tornadus-T.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Water
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A Modest nature can be used over a Timid nature on Choice Specs Pelipper turning it into an even stronger wallbreaker, however, it comes at the cost of some speed such as no longer outspeeding Adamant Breloom and Adamant Tapu Bulu. Weather Ball is an option over Hydro Pump since it is more reliable, however, the difference in power is noticeable.
Checks and Counters
===================
Water
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**Electric-types**: Pelipper is OHKO'ed by Electric attacks as they are x4 super effective against Pelipper. However slower Pokemon such as Choice Specs Magnezone can be threatened by Hydro Pump.
**Opposing Weather Setters**: Opposing weather setters such as Hippowdon, Tyranitar, Torkoal, Alolan Ninetales, and Mega Charizard Y all remove the rain preventing Pelipper and its teammates from benefitting from it. Alolan Ninetales deserves a special mention as it outspeeds and OHKOs Pelipper with its STAB Freeze Dry. However, they all can not switch into Choice Specs Pelipper that well even if they get rid of its rain.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster Pokemon such as Kyurem, Victini, Nihilego, and Zeraora can all take care of Pelipper with their coverage and STAB attacks. This is further exaggerated by its middling Speed tier allowing a multitude of threats to outspeed it.
**Wallbreakers**: Strong wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Latios and Choice Band Zarude can break past Pelipper with ease, preventing it from setting rain later in the match.
**Status**: Status such as Toxic poisoning is especially detrimental as it limits Pelipper's time on the field and threatens its longevity for setting rain, while Paralysis prevents Choice Specs Pelipper from being a reliable wallbreaker.
**Rock-types**: Faster Rock-type Pokemon such as Terrakion, Mega Diancie, and Mega Aerodactyl can OHKO it with their STAB attacks, however slower Rock-type Pokemon Alolan Golem and Rhyperior are OHKO'ed by Choice Specs Pelipper's Hydro Pump.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Water analysis by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Quality checked by: [[Maple, 473171], [Rotten, 491896]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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