[OVERVIEW]
Ludicolo is the definition a of Rain Dance sweeper in the NU tier. With access to Swift Swim, which doubles its Speed under rain, it can easily sweep teams late-game, especially offensive ones, which tend to be more fragile. On top of that, Ludicolo sports an amazing secondary typing in Grass, which greatly helps it deal with other Water-types that could switch into it, like Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Prinplup. Finally, its good special bulk coupled with a decent defensive typing means that it can also act as a soft check to some Pokemon and even set up Rain Dance on them, including Steelix, special Sceptile, and Samurott lacking Megahorn. Unfortunately, while Ludicolo is incredibly fast under rain, in a weatherless situation, it can only dream of outspeeding common threats due to it sitting in a bad Speed tier for an offensive Pokemon, Ludicolo might have trouble setting up Rain Dance against offensively inclined teams, usually relying on support given by its teammates to work properly. As if that weren't already bad enough, it struggles to get past common Pokemon such as Mantine, Ferroseed, and Abomasnow, with the first two not minding Ludicolo's assaults at all and the latter even being able to cancel rain.
[SET]
name: Rain Dance
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is Ludicolo's main STAB option and receives a strong power boost if rain is on the field; alternatively, Surf offers a more accurate, yet weaker, Water-type STAB move that shines against offensive teams, which often rely on Ludicolo missing its move, but running it comes at the cost of missing important benchmarks, like the 2HKO on Assault Vest Hariyama after Stealth Rock under rain. Giga Drain is Ludicolo's secondary STAB move, allowing it to deal super effective damage against bulky Water-types that could switch in on Hydro Pump, as well as Pokemon immune to Water thanks to abilities like Water Absorb, Dry Skin, and Storm Drain, while recovering its HP in the process, which greatly helps it last longer. Ice Beam pairs nicely with Ludicolo's STAB moves, hitting Grass- and Dragon-types such as Vileplume, Roselia, and Altaria super effectively. Rain Dance turns Ludicolo into a fearsome sweeper, doubling its Speed and boosting Hydro Pump's Base Power. If Rain Dance support is already offered by another teammate, Ludicolo can opt for Focus Blast, an amazing coverage move that helps it deal with common checks to rain teams, such as Abomasnow, Ferroseed, and Cradily.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment augments Ludicolo's offensive prowess, helping it deal as much damage as possible while outspeeding the majority of the tier. A Modest nature coupled with Life Orb further boosts Ludicolo's damage output, increasing its sweeping capabilities. Timid is an option over Modest, allowing Ludicolo to outspeed Choice Scarf Scyther in rain, Swift Swim Kabutops, and every neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon, most notably Swords Dance Samurott.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to its typing and special bulk, Ludicolo can easily use the likes of special Sceptile, Steelix (though it must watch out for Toxic), Samurott without Megahorn, and Xatu and Lanturn, both without Thunder Wave, to set up Rain Dance, but take care not to use it too early, as Ludicolo needs the opposing team to be properly weakened before attempting a sweep. The fact that it also needs a free turn to use Rain Dance before turning into a fearsome sweeper means that Ludicolo has to be healthy, so playing conservatively with it early- and mid-game is a good idea, especially by trying not to "force" a sweep too early: even if there are still a couple of rain turns on the field, switching it out is wise if the opposing Pokemon poses a threat by being able to tank a hit and cripple Ludicolo. That doesn't mean that you can't make use of its offensive power, though, as even without rain Ludicolo can threaten the opposing team with its Water, Grass, and Ice coverage, firing off powerful hits to weaken its checks, paving the way for a sweep later.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can deal with the likes of Mantine and bulky Grass-types are needed to help Ludicolo succeed. Rotom and Rotom-S are great for this job, with both being able to hit Mantine super effectively and the latter also being able to use Air Slash to hit Grass-types. Fire-types, while at first seeming contradictory when paired with a Rain Dance user, actually make for nice partners. They can take on annoying Grass-types such as Vileplume, Roselia, and Ferroseed while soft checking the annoying Abomasnow and letting Ludicolo deal with Water-types, helping each other achieve the goal of sweeping the opposing team. Mixed Abomasnow presents itself as a great option to take out both Grass-types and generally bulky Pokemon that could take on Ludicolo, like Mantine and Mega Audino.
Pokemon that directly benefit from Rain Dance also are good teammates. Other Swift Swim sweepers, especially Kabutops, can take advantage of Ludicolo's rain to break through the opponent's team, forming a scary core of incredibly fast Pokemon with a strong, boosted STAB type. In terms of supporters, dedicated Rain Dance setters like Liepard and Mesprit can help Ludicolo by giving it rain without having to risk finding free turns to do so. On top of that, the rain setter will often carry Damp Rock, giving even more turns for Ludicolo to attempt to sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A specially defensive set is an option if your team needs an overall good check for specially offensive Grass-, Fire-, and Water-types. With access to disruptive moves such as Scald, Synthesis, Leech Seed, Substitute, Toxic, and Knock Off, Ludicolo can easily annoy the opposing team, spreading status and removing items. Choice Scarf is a good alternative item for Ludicolo, letting it outspeed the likes of Sceptile and Swellow, making it an immediate threat against offensive teams, while also pairing very well with teammates that can deal passive damage to the opposing team through the match, such as Garbodor and Ferroseed, weakening the foe enough to help Ludicolo clean up.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pokemon Immune to Water**: With Hydro Pump being Ludicolo's strongest move, it's no wonder that foes immune to it pose a problem. The likes of Mantine, Cacturne, Jynx, and Cradily can stop Ludicolo from spamming its Water-type STAB move thanks to their access to Water Absorb, Dry Skin, or Storm Drain. From there, the foe can answer accordingly by either threatening Ludicolo offensively in Jynx's and Cacturne's cases or poisoning it in Mantine's and Cradily's cases.
**Bulky Grass-types**: Even though Ludicolo has Ice Beam, it won't always get past bulky Grass-types such as Vileplume, Roselia, Ferroseed, and Abomasnow. The first two can stomach Ice Beam and hit back with Sludge Bomb, Ferroseed can take any hit and cripple Ludicolo with Thunder Wave, and Abomasnow makes use of Snow Warning to summon hail, completely erasing rain from the field, and can threaten Ludicolo with a strong Blizzard or Wood Hammer.
**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killing Ludicolo isn't exactly an easy task, but some Pokemon can do it handily: Choice Scarf Scyther and Swift Swim Kabutops are able to outspeed a neutral-natured Ludicolo even with rain on the field, while priority users such as Shiftry, Skuntank, and Kangaskhan take advantage of Ludicolo's bad Defense by hitting with a strong Sucker Punch or Fake Out.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Even though nothing neutral to Water enjoys taking a rain-boosted Hydro Pump, some bulky Pokemon can tank one hit and handle Ludicolo appropriately. Mega Audino can use the combination of Wish and Protect to stall out rain turns, Malamar can remove Ludicolo's Life Orb and greatly decrease its damage output, Scyther can hit back with a super effective Aerial Ace or U-turn, and Articuno can promptly OHKO Ludicolo with Freeze-Dry.
Ludicolo is the definition a of Rain Dance sweeper in the NU tier. With access to Swift Swim, which doubles its Speed under rain, it can easily sweep teams late-game, especially offensive ones, which tend to be more fragile. On top of that, Ludicolo sports an amazing secondary typing in Grass, which greatly helps it deal with other Water-types that could switch into it, like Lanturn, Poliwrath, and Prinplup. Finally, its good special bulk coupled with a decent defensive typing means that it can also act as a soft check to some Pokemon and even set up Rain Dance on them, including Steelix, special Sceptile, and Samurott lacking Megahorn. Unfortunately, while Ludicolo is incredibly fast under rain, in a weatherless situation, it can only dream of outspeeding common threats due to it sitting in a bad Speed tier for an offensive Pokemon, Ludicolo might have trouble setting up Rain Dance against offensively inclined teams, usually relying on support given by its teammates to work properly. As if that weren't already bad enough, it struggles to get past common Pokemon such as Mantine, Ferroseed, and Abomasnow, with the first two not minding Ludicolo's assaults at all and the latter even being able to cancel rain.
[SET]
name: Rain Dance
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Rain Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is Ludicolo's main STAB option and receives a strong power boost if rain is on the field; alternatively, Surf offers a more accurate, yet weaker, Water-type STAB move that shines against offensive teams, which often rely on Ludicolo missing its move, but running it comes at the cost of missing important benchmarks, like the 2HKO on Assault Vest Hariyama after Stealth Rock under rain. Giga Drain is Ludicolo's secondary STAB move, allowing it to deal super effective damage against bulky Water-types that could switch in on Hydro Pump, as well as Pokemon immune to Water thanks to abilities like Water Absorb, Dry Skin, and Storm Drain, while recovering its HP in the process, which greatly helps it last longer. Ice Beam pairs nicely with Ludicolo's STAB moves, hitting Grass- and Dragon-types such as Vileplume, Roselia, and Altaria super effectively. Rain Dance turns Ludicolo into a fearsome sweeper, doubling its Speed and boosting Hydro Pump's Base Power. If Rain Dance support is already offered by another teammate, Ludicolo can opt for Focus Blast, an amazing coverage move that helps it deal with common checks to rain teams, such as Abomasnow, Ferroseed, and Cradily.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment augments Ludicolo's offensive prowess, helping it deal as much damage as possible while outspeeding the majority of the tier. A Modest nature coupled with Life Orb further boosts Ludicolo's damage output, increasing its sweeping capabilities. Timid is an option over Modest, allowing Ludicolo to outspeed Choice Scarf Scyther in rain, Swift Swim Kabutops, and every neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon, most notably Swords Dance Samurott.
Usage Tips
========
Thanks to its typing and special bulk, Ludicolo can easily use the likes of special Sceptile, Steelix (though it must watch out for Toxic), Samurott without Megahorn, and Xatu and Lanturn, both without Thunder Wave, to set up Rain Dance, but take care not to use it too early, as Ludicolo needs the opposing team to be properly weakened before attempting a sweep. The fact that it also needs a free turn to use Rain Dance before turning into a fearsome sweeper means that Ludicolo has to be healthy, so playing conservatively with it early- and mid-game is a good idea, especially by trying not to "force" a sweep too early: even if there are still a couple of rain turns on the field, switching it out is wise if the opposing Pokemon poses a threat by being able to tank a hit and cripple Ludicolo. That doesn't mean that you can't make use of its offensive power, though, as even without rain Ludicolo can threaten the opposing team with its Water, Grass, and Ice coverage, firing off powerful hits to weaken its checks, paving the way for a sweep later.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can deal with the likes of Mantine and bulky Grass-types are needed to help Ludicolo succeed. Rotom and Rotom-S are great for this job, with both being able to hit Mantine super effectively and the latter also being able to use Air Slash to hit Grass-types. Fire-types, while at first seeming contradictory when paired with a Rain Dance user, actually make for nice partners. They can take on annoying Grass-types such as Vileplume, Roselia, and Ferroseed while soft checking the annoying Abomasnow and letting Ludicolo deal with Water-types, helping each other achieve the goal of sweeping the opposing team. Mixed Abomasnow presents itself as a great option to take out both Grass-types and generally bulky Pokemon that could take on Ludicolo, like Mantine and Mega Audino.
Pokemon that directly benefit from Rain Dance also are good teammates. Other Swift Swim sweepers, especially Kabutops, can take advantage of Ludicolo's rain to break through the opponent's team, forming a scary core of incredibly fast Pokemon with a strong, boosted STAB type. In terms of supporters, dedicated Rain Dance setters like Liepard and Mesprit can help Ludicolo by giving it rain without having to risk finding free turns to do so. On top of that, the rain setter will often carry Damp Rock, giving even more turns for Ludicolo to attempt to sweep.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A specially defensive set is an option if your team needs an overall good check for specially offensive Grass-, Fire-, and Water-types. With access to disruptive moves such as Scald, Synthesis, Leech Seed, Substitute, Toxic, and Knock Off, Ludicolo can easily annoy the opposing team, spreading status and removing items. Choice Scarf is a good alternative item for Ludicolo, letting it outspeed the likes of Sceptile and Swellow, making it an immediate threat against offensive teams, while also pairing very well with teammates that can deal passive damage to the opposing team through the match, such as Garbodor and Ferroseed, weakening the foe enough to help Ludicolo clean up.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pokemon Immune to Water**: With Hydro Pump being Ludicolo's strongest move, it's no wonder that foes immune to it pose a problem. The likes of Mantine, Cacturne, Jynx, and Cradily can stop Ludicolo from spamming its Water-type STAB move thanks to their access to Water Absorb, Dry Skin, or Storm Drain. From there, the foe can answer accordingly by either threatening Ludicolo offensively in Jynx's and Cacturne's cases or poisoning it in Mantine's and Cradily's cases.
**Bulky Grass-types**: Even though Ludicolo has Ice Beam, it won't always get past bulky Grass-types such as Vileplume, Roselia, Ferroseed, and Abomasnow. The first two can stomach Ice Beam and hit back with Sludge Bomb, Ferroseed can take any hit and cripple Ludicolo with Thunder Wave, and Abomasnow makes use of Snow Warning to summon hail, completely erasing rain from the field, and can threaten Ludicolo with a strong Blizzard or Wood Hammer.
**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killing Ludicolo isn't exactly an easy task, but some Pokemon can do it handily: Choice Scarf Scyther and Swift Swim Kabutops are able to outspeed a neutral-natured Ludicolo even with rain on the field, while priority users such as Shiftry, Skuntank, and Kangaskhan take advantage of Ludicolo's bad Defense by hitting with a strong Sucker Punch or Fake Out.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Even though nothing neutral to Water enjoys taking a rain-boosted Hydro Pump, some bulky Pokemon can tank one hit and handle Ludicolo appropriately. Mega Audino can use the combination of Wish and Protect to stall out rain turns, Malamar can remove Ludicolo's Life Orb and greatly decrease its damage output, Scyther can hit back with a super effective Aerial Ace or U-turn, and Articuno can promptly OHKO Ludicolo with Freeze-Dry.
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