Weather Setter + Physically defensive
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpDef
Bold Nature
- Hurricane
- Scald
- U-turn
- Roost
Pelipper's role is pretty obvious/self-explanatory... Tries to set up rain as much as possible. Click Scald when you think it's free, but otherwise u-turn, and roost if needed.
Breaker
Kingdra@ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Sp.Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Hurricane
- Flip Turn
This is another self-explanatory mon, and pretty much the ideal mon you want to run in rain. The addition of hurricane w/ this gen/DLC is HUGE. All 3 of Kingdra's special attacks hit like a truck, and w/ dragon/water/flying coverage, the only mon that resists all attacking moves would be steel/water (which there isn't any in the tier). W/ modest nature and specs, there's absolutely nothing that can reliably switch into this. Personally I like to have kingdra out in the midgame/earlyish to do as much damage as possible, w/ another mon in the back to clean up. For the 4th move I like Flip Turn for momentum, some people run flash cannon but imho even up against fairy types Kingdra really wants to click hydro pump. Of course flash cannon would be nice in those scenarios for the 100% accuracy, but I think it's better to have flip turn for momentum (which still does decent damage due to rain + stab)
physically defensive
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def/ 88 Sp Def
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport
I think w/ the DLC, it's better to run Clef as physically defensive. W/ any rain team, you have to check for Rillaboom, so although Clef isn't a clear counter against it, it can still potentially 1 v 1 it and take neutral hits. I also like having clef to check for both Urshifu types (especially the dark type version), but watch out because it can run poison jab (tho they usually don't run it). Overall, Clef is a great addition to any team and is very important to have w/ Urshifu running rampant
Early breaker
Starmie @ Power Herb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Speed / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Meteor Beam
- Psychic
- Thunder/Thunderbolt
I like running Starmie early to nuke something w/ meteor beam and then do some extra damage w/ the +1 sp. atk boost. From several games so far (low ladders tho), players have not been expecting the meteor beam move to come. If you are not aware, meteor beam w/ this set is very much used like a z-move, it's a 120 bp rock special attack that raises your sp. atk by one stage BEFORE the attack goes. From my experience, the rock typing doesn't really provide extra coverage considering Starmie gets access to bolt beam for flying types, and hydropump is already a ohkho against volc. Still it's nice to get it off early cuz people don't necessarily expect it atm, and then w/ the +1 boost you may be able to get off some considerable early game damage. I also like running starmie on here to have something that can 1v1 Toxapex. If you're still carrying power herb, click meteor beam first to lose the item, so that knock-off from pex will do minimal damage. Then afterwards psychic w/ the +1 sp. atk boost is a guaranteed KO. For a similar reason, this set is great vs mandibuzz. Meteor beam w/ the +1 boost will do about 64% to the most specially defensive Mandibuzz set (but keep in mind most Mandibuzzes rn are actually running physically defensive), and then b/c you lost the item knock off will do less than half to starmie. Afterwards hydro or thunderbolt is a guaranteed ko.
Late game sweeper/cleaner
Urshifu (Rapid Strike) @ Choice Band
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 atk / 252 speed / 4 SpD
Jolly Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Surging Strikes
- Close combat
- U-turn/Thunderpunch
Wow is this mon good. W/ the drop of dark typing for water, it can now do serious damage against clefable in the rain. Banded surging strikes in the rain actually has potential to ohko Clef (90%-107% when I calc'd). But the main point of this mon is to clean up late game. You do as much damage w/ Kingdra and Starmie first, making way for Urshifu to aqua jet sweep. For this reason, it may actually be worthwhile to consider running adamant, tho jolly is still better overall. You really want to save this mon as much as possible for the late game, since it always has potential to sweep due to it's power and access to a stab priority move. Rillaboom is arguably it's biggest counter, if needed you can "trade" kingdra for it. I say "trade" b/c grassy surge is never a OHKO against kingdra, but it does a lot of damage (77-91%), whereas both hurricane and Draco are guaranteed ohkos. the first three moves are essentially a given, it's the 4th move you can really decide on. U-turn is obviously great for momentum, but thunder punch is also great for toxapex and mandibuzz.
Utility + Electric immunity
Excadrill @ Leftover
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Sp.Def / 252 Speed
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
As you can see w/ the other 5 Pokemon (as is w/ most rain teams), you are incredibly susceptible to electric moves, w/ no resistances and only 2 mons (Clef and Kingdra) who take neutral dmg. Simply put, this team desperately needed an electric immunity imo and Excadrill seemed like the best candidate, as it can also provide Stealth rocks (amazing for Kingdra and Urshifu), as well as spin them away. It also provides a nice check for an opponent Clef, which Kingdra and Urshifu obviously greatly appreciate (and the fact that there's rain means even flamethrower Clef can't really touch it). Also, Excadrill provides a poison immunity, and w/o it Gengar's sludge wave and Cinderace's Gunk Shot are very free. As such, you don't necessarily want to use Excadrill as a lead on this team, since it provides valuable checks (which is why I went leftovers instead of sash).
So in sum, this team mainly operates by, at first, getting rain up (obviously), u-turning and teleporting for momentum, until it can get a safe switch in w/ Starmie or Kingdra. You then break walls and necessary threats, until you can set up for Urshifu to aqua jet sweep at the end. If you see no real electric threat or fairy type that Excadrill is especially good for, you can essentially sac it for hazards (unless you think you'll need spin support later on. Rillaboom is obviously still a pretty big threat to this team, which is why the last spot in particular was a difficult one to choose for me. I thought about going w/ Skarmory but then that means the team is incredibly susceptible to any electric attack. As such, although electric type mons aren't seeing a whole lot of usage rn, I still think it's important to have at least one check for electric attacks, otherwise every turn w/ Pelipper on the field turns incredibly risky. Also, as I said earlier, Kindgra can 1v1 as long as rain is up, it just takes a bunch of damage from grassy glide. But a kingdra w/ 15-23% health is still a huge threat against any team, so it can still relatively easily do it's job as a early/mid game breaker even after 1v1ing Rillaboom. Also, if it's late game and you no longer need another trigger of rain, you can take care of Rillaboom by getting one hurricane off from Pelipper before sacing, and afterwards it will be in range of an aqua jet from Urshifu (And Urshifu will outspeed as long as it's jolly). Regardless, perhaps Ferrothorn is a better option for this team than Excadrill, by offering an electric resistance and providing utility, but adding a counter to non-superpower Rillaboom.
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpDef
Bold Nature
- Hurricane
- Scald
- U-turn
- Roost
Pelipper's role is pretty obvious/self-explanatory... Tries to set up rain as much as possible. Click Scald when you think it's free, but otherwise u-turn, and roost if needed.
Breaker
Kingdra@ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Sp.Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Hurricane
- Flip Turn
This is another self-explanatory mon, and pretty much the ideal mon you want to run in rain. The addition of hurricane w/ this gen/DLC is HUGE. All 3 of Kingdra's special attacks hit like a truck, and w/ dragon/water/flying coverage, the only mon that resists all attacking moves would be steel/water (which there isn't any in the tier). W/ modest nature and specs, there's absolutely nothing that can reliably switch into this. Personally I like to have kingdra out in the midgame/earlyish to do as much damage as possible, w/ another mon in the back to clean up. For the 4th move I like Flip Turn for momentum, some people run flash cannon but imho even up against fairy types Kingdra really wants to click hydro pump. Of course flash cannon would be nice in those scenarios for the 100% accuracy, but I think it's better to have flip turn for momentum (which still does decent damage due to rain + stab)
physically defensive
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def/ 88 Sp Def
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport
I think w/ the DLC, it's better to run Clef as physically defensive. W/ any rain team, you have to check for Rillaboom, so although Clef isn't a clear counter against it, it can still potentially 1 v 1 it and take neutral hits. I also like having clef to check for both Urshifu types (especially the dark type version), but watch out because it can run poison jab (tho they usually don't run it). Overall, Clef is a great addition to any team and is very important to have w/ Urshifu running rampant
Early breaker
Starmie @ Power Herb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Speed / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Meteor Beam
- Psychic
- Thunder/Thunderbolt
I like running Starmie early to nuke something w/ meteor beam and then do some extra damage w/ the +1 sp. atk boost. From several games so far (low ladders tho), players have not been expecting the meteor beam move to come. If you are not aware, meteor beam w/ this set is very much used like a z-move, it's a 120 bp rock special attack that raises your sp. atk by one stage BEFORE the attack goes. From my experience, the rock typing doesn't really provide extra coverage considering Starmie gets access to bolt beam for flying types, and hydropump is already a ohkho against volc. Still it's nice to get it off early cuz people don't necessarily expect it atm, and then w/ the +1 boost you may be able to get off some considerable early game damage. I also like running starmie on here to have something that can 1v1 Toxapex. If you're still carrying power herb, click meteor beam first to lose the item, so that knock-off from pex will do minimal damage. Then afterwards psychic w/ the +1 sp. atk boost is a guaranteed KO. For a similar reason, this set is great vs mandibuzz. Meteor beam w/ the +1 boost will do about 64% to the most specially defensive Mandibuzz set (but keep in mind most Mandibuzzes rn are actually running physically defensive), and then b/c you lost the item knock off will do less than half to starmie. Afterwards hydro or thunderbolt is a guaranteed ko.
Late game sweeper/cleaner
Urshifu (Rapid Strike) @ Choice Band
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 atk / 252 speed / 4 SpD
Jolly Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Surging Strikes
- Close combat
- U-turn/Thunderpunch
Wow is this mon good. W/ the drop of dark typing for water, it can now do serious damage against clefable in the rain. Banded surging strikes in the rain actually has potential to ohko Clef (90%-107% when I calc'd). But the main point of this mon is to clean up late game. You do as much damage w/ Kingdra and Starmie first, making way for Urshifu to aqua jet sweep. For this reason, it may actually be worthwhile to consider running adamant, tho jolly is still better overall. You really want to save this mon as much as possible for the late game, since it always has potential to sweep due to it's power and access to a stab priority move. Rillaboom is arguably it's biggest counter, if needed you can "trade" kingdra for it. I say "trade" b/c grassy surge is never a OHKO against kingdra, but it does a lot of damage (77-91%), whereas both hurricane and Draco are guaranteed ohkos. the first three moves are essentially a given, it's the 4th move you can really decide on. U-turn is obviously great for momentum, but thunder punch is also great for toxapex and mandibuzz.
Utility + Electric immunity
Excadrill @ Leftover
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Sp.Def / 252 Speed
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
As you can see w/ the other 5 Pokemon (as is w/ most rain teams), you are incredibly susceptible to electric moves, w/ no resistances and only 2 mons (Clef and Kingdra) who take neutral dmg. Simply put, this team desperately needed an electric immunity imo and Excadrill seemed like the best candidate, as it can also provide Stealth rocks (amazing for Kingdra and Urshifu), as well as spin them away. It also provides a nice check for an opponent Clef, which Kingdra and Urshifu obviously greatly appreciate (and the fact that there's rain means even flamethrower Clef can't really touch it). Also, Excadrill provides a poison immunity, and w/o it Gengar's sludge wave and Cinderace's Gunk Shot are very free. As such, you don't necessarily want to use Excadrill as a lead on this team, since it provides valuable checks (which is why I went leftovers instead of sash).
So in sum, this team mainly operates by, at first, getting rain up (obviously), u-turning and teleporting for momentum, until it can get a safe switch in w/ Starmie or Kingdra. You then break walls and necessary threats, until you can set up for Urshifu to aqua jet sweep at the end. If you see no real electric threat or fairy type that Excadrill is especially good for, you can essentially sac it for hazards (unless you think you'll need spin support later on. Rillaboom is obviously still a pretty big threat to this team, which is why the last spot in particular was a difficult one to choose for me. I thought about going w/ Skarmory but then that means the team is incredibly susceptible to any electric attack. As such, although electric type mons aren't seeing a whole lot of usage rn, I still think it's important to have at least one check for electric attacks, otherwise every turn w/ Pelipper on the field turns incredibly risky. Also, as I said earlier, Kindgra can 1v1 as long as rain is up, it just takes a bunch of damage from grassy glide. But a kingdra w/ 15-23% health is still a huge threat against any team, so it can still relatively easily do it's job as a early/mid game breaker even after 1v1ing Rillaboom. Also, if it's late game and you no longer need another trigger of rain, you can take care of Rillaboom by getting one hurricane off from Pelipper before sacing, and afterwards it will be in range of an aqua jet from Urshifu (And Urshifu will outspeed as long as it's jolly). Regardless, perhaps Ferrothorn is a better option for this team than Excadrill, by offering an electric resistance and providing utility, but adding a counter to non-superpower Rillaboom.
Last edited: