What are good Pokemon for a rain team?

Question

I know someone asked a question related to this before, but that was only physical and not special mons:

https://pokemondb.net/pokebase/349898/what-are-some-good-physical-pokemon-for-rain-teams?show=349898#q349898

I am asking for all mons in general. Please provide movesets in your answer. Thanks!

Answer 1

The best rain abusers for gen 7 VGC upwards are:

• Golduck is a good Pokemon on rain in non-mega, Z-move less, restricted thanks to well-balanced bulk as well as good offenses. 85 Speed and 95 Special Attack looks unimpressive on paper, but remember, it gets Swift Swim and rain-boosted STAB water moves like Surf and Hydro Pump. However, other than very restricted formats, Golduck is outclassed by most other rain abusers

Golduck @ Choice Specs / Life Orb
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Modest Nature
Ability: Swift Swim
- Scald / Surf
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Ice Beam / Protect (only use Protect on Life Orb sets)

• Ludicolo has always been a rain staple and has had a massive presence in every single generation of VGC. Great offensive and defensive typing, great Special Defense stat, STAB water moves and, of course, Swift Swim.
  
  Ludicolo @ Choice Specs
  EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
  Modest Nature
  Ability: Swift Swim
• Weather Ball
• Energy Ball
• Ice Beam
• Focus Blast

• Mega Swampert is a cornerstone of rain, both in singles and doubles, and it isn't really hard to see why. With a monstrous Attack stat, Swift Swim, STAB Water attacks, incredible bulk, a great typing giving it only 1 weakness and STAB Earthquake, an expansive movepool, I can go on but for time's sake I wont.

Mega Swampert @ Swampertite
EVs: 252 Atk / 120 Spe / 136 HP
Adamant / Jolly Nature
Ability: Swift Swim
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- Ice Punch

• Kaputops's beefy Attack stat and good defense stat make it the idea Choice Bander for rain teams. Base 80 Speed isn't at all bad, either. Its secondary Rock typing provides it with another brutal STAB to spam around.
  
  Kabutops @ Choice Band
  EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
  Adamant / Jolly Nature
  Ability: Swift Swim
• Liquidation
• Rock Slide
• Leech Life

• Low Kick / Flip Turn / Superpower

• Rain halving the power of Fire moves is simply amazing for Ferrothorn, as its defensive capabilities are increased tenfold. Access to Leech Seed and a solid Attack stat lets it beat down Rain checks as well as opposing Rain teams.
  
  Ferrothorn @ Wiki Berry / Leftovers
  EVs: 252 HP / 88 Atk / 88 Def / 80 SpD
  IVs: 0 Spe
  Brave Nature
  Ability: Iron Barbs

• Power Whip
• Gyro Ball
• Leech Seed

• Protect

• Barraskewda is likely the best doubles rain abuser of all time. I cannot overstate how important it is. 2 excellent abilities that make its already blazing speed doubled, or an ability that ignores the common Follow Me and Rage Powder. Oh, and did I mention it has a crazy Attack stat and an excellent coverage movepool?
  
  Barraskewda @ Life Orb / Choice Band
  EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
  Adamant Nature (Swift Swim) / Jolly Nature ( Propeller Tail)
  Ability: Swift Swim / Propeller Tail

• Liquidation
• Close Combat
• Drill Run

• Poison Jab / Psychic Fangs / Flip Turn

• With Mega Swampert out of the picture thanks to Mega Evolutions being removed in Gen 8, Seismitoad can now shine as a pseudo-replacement. STAB Earthquake and Liquidation, beefy HP stat, Swift Swim, great defensive typing.
  
  Seismitoad @ Life Orb
  EVs: 132 HP / 4 Def / 156 Atk / 4 SpD / 212 Spe
  Adamant Nature
  Ability: Swift Swim

• Liquidation
• Earthquake
• Poison Jab

• Power Whip / Protect

• Kingdra is another rain abuser. It separates itself from most others with its secondary Dragon typing, allowing it to easily threaten some of VGC's biggest threats like Dragapult. It also has the interesting move Hurricane to spam.
  
  Kingdra @ Choice Specs
  EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
  Modest Nature
  Ability: Swift Swim

• Hydro Pump / Surf / Muddy Water
• Draco Meteor
• Flash Cannon / Ice Beam
• Hurricane

Rain setters

• With a wide variety of Support moves and Drizzle, Politoed is both a good rain setter and a good support mon in general.
  
  Politoed @ Damp Rock
  EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD
  Calm Nature
  Ability: Drizzle
• Scald
• Encore
• Helping Hand
• Protect / Icy Wind

• Pelipper has a secondary Flying typing, giving it a STAB Hurricane and a Grass neutrality, as well as an Earthquake immunity. STAB Hurricane and STAB Water type moves make it a good offensive Rain setter, despite not having the support options Politoed does.
  
  Pelipper @ Damp Rock
  EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
  Timid/ Modest Nature
  Ability: Drizzle
• Scald
• Hurricane
• Tailwind

• Protect

• Did you really think I was going to forget the lord of the ocean? Kyogre pretty much completely eclipses any other rain setter with its nuclear Attacks and incredible bulk.
  
  Kyogre @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
  EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
  Modest Nature (Scarf) / Timid Nature (Specs)
  Ability: Drizzle

• Water Spout
• Origin Pulse
• Ice Beam
• Thunder

And no, I won't be including Primal Kyogre, because Heavy Rain lifts as soon as P-Kyogre switches or faints, therefore it is a mediocre rain setter.

Rain counters

• As mentioned above, Ferrothorn is an excellent rain counter, plaguing any rain team unfortunate to encounter it.
  
  Ferrothorn @ Wiki Berry / Leftovers
  EVs: 252 HP / 88 Atk / 88 Def / 80 SpD
  IVs: 0 Spe
  Brave Nature
  Ability: Iron Barbs
• Power Whip
• Gyro Ball
• Leech Seed

• Protect

• Sun setters are nigh-perfect rain counters. After getting rid of the rain setter, the entire team pretty much falls apart. This is a set for Mega Charizard Y, likely the best sun setter in restricted formats
  
  Mega Charizard Y @ Charizardite Y
  EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Def
  Timid Nature
  Ability: Blaze ---> Drought

• Heat Wave
• Solar Beam
• Focus Blast
• Hidden Power [Electric]

Comments

Thanks! This really helped!

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No problem

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Politoed inferior to Pelliper and Pelliper is seen mostly as a support with Defog.

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But rocks don't really exist in VGC

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Peli>poli in singles
Poli>Peli in doubles

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Oh it VGC. Didn't saw. Also you mention Barrakasweda under Gen 7 VGC?

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I said gen 7 VGC and up, so VGC starting from gen 7

Answer 2

Barraskewda is a great swift swim sweeper. It’s got a high attack stat as well as speed that’s already incredible without swift swim. It also has a great physical movepool.

Barraskewda @ Choice Band

EVs: 4 SpD/252 Atk/252 Speed
Adamant Nature
Ability: Swift Swim

Liquidation
Close Combat
Poison Jab
Psychic Fangs

Pelliper is the best OU rain setter. It has Defog as well as Roost and a Hurricane with 100 per cent accuracy in rain.

Pelliper @ Damp Rock

EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 SpD
Bold Nature

Roost
Defog
U-Turn/Scald/Hurricane
U-Turn/Scald/Hurricane

Zapdos is also a great weather sweeper. It has two STABs with 110 BP and 100 per cent accuracy in rain (Thunder and Hurricane) as well as Weather Ball to hit rock types.

Zapdos @ Life Orb

EVs: 4 SpD/252 SpAtk/252 Speed
Timid Nature

Weather Ball
Thunder
Hurricane
Roost/Defog

Kingdra is a great special rain sweeper. It’s lower tier, being NUBL, but still good in OU.

Kingdra @ Life Orb/Choice Specs

EVs: 4 SpD/252 SpAtk/252 Speed
Modest Nature

Surf
Draco Meteor
Flip Turn
Hurricane

You can also run physical with Dragon Dance:

Kingdra @ Life Orb

EVs: 4 SpD/252 Atk/252 Speed
Adamant Nature

Dragon Dance
Liquidation
Outrage
Iron Head

Ludicolo is also decent (although not quite as good). It’s good as a tank or a special sweeper.

Tank:

Ludicolo @ Leftovers

EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
Bold Nature

Leech Seed
Giga Drain
Scald
Protect/Ice Beam

Sweeper:

Ludicolo @ Life Orb

EVs: 4 SpD/252 SpAtk/252 Speed
Modest Nature

Scald/Weather Ball
Energy Ball/Giga Drain
Ice Beam
Focus Blast

Ferrothorn is a great Pokemon in rain because it’s 4X Fire weakness is reduced.

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers

EVs: 252 HP/252 SpD/4 Atk
Careful Nature

Spikes
Stealth Rock/Leech Seed/Gyro Ball/Power Whip/Knock Off
Stealth Rock/Leech Seed/Gyro Ball/Power Whip/Knock Off
Stealth Rock/Leech Seed/Gyro Ball/Power Whip/Knock Off

Politoad isn’t as good as Pelliper to set rain, but it can work in lower tiers.

Politoad @ Damp Rock

EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
Bold Nature

Scald
Toxic
Rest
Sleep Talk

That’s the best rain Pokemon I can think of.

Hope I helped!

Comments

Thanks! I use a lot of these mons and for me a ludicolo can sweep half a team in rain w/ swift swim I use hydro pump, ice beam, giga drain, and focus blast. Also I have the exact barraskewda set except for psychic fangs i use ice fang