[OVERVIEW]
Horsea functions as a powerful Swift Swim sweeper that uses its powerful rain-boosted STAB moves to OHKO most of the tier, while outspeeding every unboosted foe while under rain. It's commonly used to clean up the game after the opponent's team is weakened. However, outside of rain it has painfully mediocre power, bulk, and Speed. However, set up opportunities can be difficult to find as Substitute is a common move and can be used to stall out rain turns. Horsea’s poor Special Defense leaves it prone to being OHKOed by fast Special Attackers, as well as limiting its opportunities to set up. Even with Rain Dance support from a teammate, it typically requires the teammate to sacrifice itself and reduces the amount of turns Horse can use.
[SET]
Rain Sweeper (Horsea) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 36 Def / 200 SpA / 196 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hydro Pump
- Surf / Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Rain Dance
[SET COMMENTS]
Horsea uses 15 speed in order to outspeed and OHKO Larvitar and Cubone outside of rain, while being faster than everything besides 20 Speed Pokemon with a Salac Berry while in rain. Horsea’s Special attack is maximized as it’s role is a sweeper. Horsea invests in Physical Defense because it’s not worth investing in other stats due to it's Special Defense being so poor that it's useless to invest in. The Physical Defense also allows Horsea to set up Rain against certain Physical Attackers, like Trapinch and Snubbull. With Hydro Pump Horsea is able to always OHKO every foe that doesn't resist Water, except for Porygon (which has a 75% chance to survive) and Lileep, under rain. Surf gives Horsea a weaker but reliable STAB option, allowing it to pick up KOs without the risk of missing. Surf does miss out on guaranteed OHKOs against certain bulky Pokemon like Duskull, Snubbull, and Porygon though. Ice Beam allows Horsea to threaten Grass types such as Exeggcute and Cacnea, but requires prior chip damage in order to OHKO them. Hidden Power Grass allows Horsea to hit Water-types like Chinchou, Wailmer, and Staryu, but needs 3 layers of spikes in order to OHKO them. Horsea can use Rain Dance to set up rain for itself and can notably use it against physical attackers like Trapinch, Larvitar, and Choice Band Doduo that's locked into anything other than Double-Edge.
Horsea requires significant support in order to succeed, like Spikes and teammates setting Rain Dance for it. Voltorb is the most common partner and provides great utility options such as Rain Dance, Thunder Wave, and Explosion to help get Horsea safely onto the field. Explosion has the added benefit that it automatically ends the turn, preventing the opponent from trying to stall out rain turns. This is important so that Horsea doesn't get KOed or paralyzed when trying to set up itself. Similarly, Duskull and Koffing can use Memento and, while niche, Rain Dance to support Horsea. Wailmer can wear down or potentially remove opposing Water-types with its coverage and Self-Destruct. Spikes support from Cacnea, Snorunt, and Pineco allows Horsea to OHKO Porygon and Lileep with Hydro Pump, as well as OHKO Cacnea and Exeggcute with Ice Beam. Doduo is a strong wallbreaker that softens teams up which allows Horsea to clean mid- to late-game. Specially defensive Diglett can be used to trap Electric-types like Chinchou, Elekid, and Voltorb that threaten Horsea.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Petaya Berry allows Horsea to OHKO Water types like Staryu with Hidden Power Grass and get a consistent OHKO vs Porygon in rain, however, Horsea loses the longevity of Sitrus Berry. Without Sitrus Berry, Horsea loses opportunities to set up by itself and can be picked off by priority attacks easier. Horsea can use Lum Berry and Substitute to help avoid Thunder Wave, but Lum Berry gives up Sitrus Berry as well and Substitute takes away a valuable moveslot. Using Substitute could take away Horsea’s coverage moves, or forcing it to rely on using Hydro Pump and risking potential misses.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Water types such as Chinchou, Wailmer, and Staryu are able to easily tank Horsea's STAB moves even under rain and Horsea is unable to be OHKO these Pokemon with Hidden Power Grass. Staryu and Chinchou always OHKO Horsea with Thunderbolt, while Wailmer can two shot Horsea with Hidden Power Grass.
**Porygon**: Porygon has a 75% chance to survive a Hydro Pump under Rain, and can invest in Special Defense in order to always survive. With Spikes support however, Horsea can always OHKO Porygon while under rain. It's able to hinder Horsea as well with Thunder Wave.
**Grass-types**: Cacnea, Lileep, and Exeggcute are able to survive Horsea's Hydro Pump under rain. Lileep and Cacnea can threaten to OHKO with Hidden Power Grass or Giga Drain. Exeggcute can use Sunny Day to cancel Rain Dance, and OHKO Horsea with Solar Beam. However with Spikes support, these three can be OHKOed by Ice beam.
**Fast Special Attackers**: Horsea has a pitiful Special Defense Stat, and can easily be picked off by fast special attackers like Abra, Gastly, and Elekid. However they can all be OHKOed under rain by Horsea's Hydro Pump.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/peachy07.557247/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/grape-tylenol.593128/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Grammar checked by:
Horsea functions as a powerful Swift Swim sweeper that uses its powerful rain-boosted STAB moves to OHKO most of the tier, while outspeeding every unboosted foe while under rain. It's commonly used to clean up the game after the opponent's team is weakened. However, outside of rain it has painfully mediocre power, bulk, and Speed. However, set up opportunities can be difficult to find as Substitute is a common move and can be used to stall out rain turns. Horsea’s poor Special Defense leaves it prone to being OHKOed by fast Special Attackers, as well as limiting its opportunities to set up. Even with Rain Dance support from a teammate, it typically requires the teammate to sacrifice itself and reduces the amount of turns Horse can use.
[SET]
Rain Sweeper (Horsea) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 36 Def / 200 SpA / 196 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hydro Pump
- Surf / Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Rain Dance
[SET COMMENTS]
Horsea uses 15 speed in order to outspeed and OHKO Larvitar and Cubone outside of rain, while being faster than everything besides 20 Speed Pokemon with a Salac Berry while in rain. Horsea’s Special attack is maximized as it’s role is a sweeper. Horsea invests in Physical Defense because it’s not worth investing in other stats due to it's Special Defense being so poor that it's useless to invest in. The Physical Defense also allows Horsea to set up Rain against certain Physical Attackers, like Trapinch and Snubbull. With Hydro Pump Horsea is able to always OHKO every foe that doesn't resist Water, except for Porygon (which has a 75% chance to survive) and Lileep, under rain. Surf gives Horsea a weaker but reliable STAB option, allowing it to pick up KOs without the risk of missing. Surf does miss out on guaranteed OHKOs against certain bulky Pokemon like Duskull, Snubbull, and Porygon though. Ice Beam allows Horsea to threaten Grass types such as Exeggcute and Cacnea, but requires prior chip damage in order to OHKO them. Hidden Power Grass allows Horsea to hit Water-types like Chinchou, Wailmer, and Staryu, but needs 3 layers of spikes in order to OHKO them. Horsea can use Rain Dance to set up rain for itself and can notably use it against physical attackers like Trapinch, Larvitar, and Choice Band Doduo that's locked into anything other than Double-Edge.
Horsea requires significant support in order to succeed, like Spikes and teammates setting Rain Dance for it. Voltorb is the most common partner and provides great utility options such as Rain Dance, Thunder Wave, and Explosion to help get Horsea safely onto the field. Explosion has the added benefit that it automatically ends the turn, preventing the opponent from trying to stall out rain turns. This is important so that Horsea doesn't get KOed or paralyzed when trying to set up itself. Similarly, Duskull and Koffing can use Memento and, while niche, Rain Dance to support Horsea. Wailmer can wear down or potentially remove opposing Water-types with its coverage and Self-Destruct. Spikes support from Cacnea, Snorunt, and Pineco allows Horsea to OHKO Porygon and Lileep with Hydro Pump, as well as OHKO Cacnea and Exeggcute with Ice Beam. Doduo is a strong wallbreaker that softens teams up which allows Horsea to clean mid- to late-game. Specially defensive Diglett can be used to trap Electric-types like Chinchou, Elekid, and Voltorb that threaten Horsea.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Petaya Berry allows Horsea to OHKO Water types like Staryu with Hidden Power Grass and get a consistent OHKO vs Porygon in rain, however, Horsea loses the longevity of Sitrus Berry. Without Sitrus Berry, Horsea loses opportunities to set up by itself and can be picked off by priority attacks easier. Horsea can use Lum Berry and Substitute to help avoid Thunder Wave, but Lum Berry gives up Sitrus Berry as well and Substitute takes away a valuable moveslot. Using Substitute could take away Horsea’s coverage moves, or forcing it to rely on using Hydro Pump and risking potential misses.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Water types such as Chinchou, Wailmer, and Staryu are able to easily tank Horsea's STAB moves even under rain and Horsea is unable to be OHKO these Pokemon with Hidden Power Grass. Staryu and Chinchou always OHKO Horsea with Thunderbolt, while Wailmer can two shot Horsea with Hidden Power Grass.
**Porygon**: Porygon has a 75% chance to survive a Hydro Pump under Rain, and can invest in Special Defense in order to always survive. With Spikes support however, Horsea can always OHKO Porygon while under rain. It's able to hinder Horsea as well with Thunder Wave.
**Grass-types**: Cacnea, Lileep, and Exeggcute are able to survive Horsea's Hydro Pump under rain. Lileep and Cacnea can threaten to OHKO with Hidden Power Grass or Giga Drain. Exeggcute can use Sunny Day to cancel Rain Dance, and OHKO Horsea with Solar Beam. However with Spikes support, these three can be OHKOed by Ice beam.
**Fast Special Attackers**: Horsea has a pitiful Special Defense Stat, and can easily be picked off by fast special attackers like Abra, Gastly, and Elekid. However they can all be OHKOed under rain by Horsea's Hydro Pump.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/peachy07.557247/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/grape-tylenol.593128/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited:
