Pokémon Rate My Team
0 votes
2,764 views

I wanted to build a team around rain, utilizing the power of Surf from an Ash-Gren under rain, and the natural speed control that comes from Swampert-Mega. So, here it is:

Pelipper
Pelipper @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- U-turn
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Scald

Pelipper is pretty much mandatory on a rain team, and so is Damp Rock. Pelipper also provides the team with a slow U-turn to pivot Ash-Gren in safely. Hurricane can handle the fighting types that Ash-Gren might struggle with, and scald hits surprisingly hard under rain while having a 100% burn chance.

Greninja
Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Water Shuriken
- Surf
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam

The star of this team, Ash-Gren. Specs provide a great power boost to secure KOs, and Surf over Hydro Pump because of better accuracy and it still hits hard in rain. Water Shuriken picks off faster weakened foes like Tapu Koko pre-Ash form and Regileiki. Dark Pulse is secondary STAB, and Ice Beam hits dragons and grass types.

Swampert
Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp -> Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Superpower

Swampert provides speed control for the team, I could run Jolly to outspend scarf Kartana but I prefer the extra power. Waterfall instead of Liquidation because the flinch chance can save matches, and Earthquake nails Toxapex, who Ash-Gren struggles against. Ice Punch can surprise KO Landorus-T on a predicted E-quake, and Superpower nails Steel types and opposing Ash-Gren. Having Damp pre-Mega can stop Landouros-T from exploding.

Ferrothorn
Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Endure
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed

Ferrothorn is a great SR setter, and it forms a defensive core with Pelipper. Gyro Ball gets a surprising amount of KO's after Iron Barbs and Rocky Helmet chip, and Leech Seed is both recovery and whittles down the opponent. Endure is a niche choice but it can be great for getting just one more turn of extra chip, to bring them into the range of a Water Shuriken KO. Ferrothorn also provides a valuable Grass and Electric resist.

Magnezone
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Substitute
- Iron Defense
- Volt Switch

Magnezone traps Ferrothorn, who walls Ash-Gren, and sets up on it. Body Press gives it a super effective moves for the steel types, and Substitute+Iron Defense lets it Body Press safely against a special attack. If I don't want to set up with Magnezone, then Volt Switch lets it pivot out and get in a sweeper.

(sorry no image)
Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Choice Band
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- U-turn

Urshifu is my third rain sweeper, and it gives the team an alternative priority. Surging Strikes is both a multi-hit move and a water move, which can be great utility. Urshifu is also my go-to if my opponent and my Magnezone trap each other, because of Surging Strikes breaking through sub and ignoring the Iron Defense boosts. Close Combat is great STAB, U-turn allows me to scout moves and pivot into Magnezone or Ferrothorn to take a hit.

Replay(s):
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nationaldex-1225107455
More coming

by
edited by

1 Answer

1 vote
 
Best answer

Pretty balanced team, looks good, and plays good.

Pelipper: You can try 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Def (Bold nature to be kept) to be a little on the specially defensive side, and tank a Hydro Pump from opposing Ash-Greninja's in rain (252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 252 SpD Pelipper in Rain: 225-265 (69.6 - 82%) -- guaranteed 2HKO). Defog on Pelipper is also a viable choice, as Sticky Web or Rocks can spoil your sweepers and take chip damage from your defensive Pokemons, which may be a problem. Else is good.

Greninja-Ash: Nothing to change, this, is, OP

Swampert-Mega: Maybe Power-Up Punch instead of Superpower, but that's just conditional. Superpower gives coverage, and Power-Up Punch gives more power on other moves. And if you run Power-Up, also run a Jolly Nature to outspeed base 100-109 (Kartana, Kartana...) Scarfs. 110+ Scarfs outspeed Jolly ones (Latios) and threaten it (252 SpA Latios Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Swampert-Mega: 196-232 (57.4 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO). Watch out for them!

Ferrothorn: Don't really understand Endure, Protect better than that. Else is great.

Magnezone: Good moveset, Body Press in conjunction with Iron Defence hits really hard. Really good.

Urshifu-Rapid-Strike: Very good, Adamant Nature can also be kept to increase Aqua Jet's power.

by
selected by
Endure is for turning 3HKOs into 4HKOs, which makes the attacking Pokemon faint if they're using a contact move, but yeah Protect makes more sense. I'll try Power-up-Punch, I don't find myself clicking Superpower much. Thanks! Also, I've been struggling to break bast Tangrowth, any ideas for that?
Tangrowth's are usually phsically defensive, the Rocky Helm sets and all. A +1 (Power-Up Punch, but the opponent will try not to let you use it too frequently, as it wrecks teams) Adamant Mega Swampert has a chance to 2HKO it (+1 252+ Atk Swampert-Mega Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tangrowth: 186-220 (46 - 54.4%) -- 55.1% chance to 2HKO), and a guarenteed 2HKO after rocks damage (+1 252+ Atk Swampert-Mega Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tangrowth: 186-220 (46 - 54.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock)  but that is really conditional, soo a possible way, but not a recommended one (added it as it's possible and more than probable, but watch out for the bad-bad Giga Drain (0 SpA Tangrowth Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Swampert-Mega: 328-388 (96.1 - 113.7%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO). A better way would be Ash-Greninja, but the opponent is, obviously, gonna switch to something that resists Ice Beam, like a Magearna, so you can either predict those switches and choose some other move (Surf 'em up, it's too OP in Rain..) or you can save the Ash-Greninja to kill the Tangrowth with ease. Magnezone, well, it can't do much with Volt Switch or Body Press (+6 252+ Def Magnezone Body Press vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tangrowth: 216-255 (53.4 - 63.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO, this is too much conditional, I don't think someone would be watching YouTube this much to let you do a +6 Def..). Another choice would be adding Kingdra, Specs really OP (252+ SpA Choice Specs Kingdra Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Tangrowth: 546-644 (135.1 - 159.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO). Hope it helped!! (PS: Inteleon also breaks through Tangrowth's, Specs (or no Specs), again, OP (252 SpA Inteleon Ice Beam vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Tangrowth: 328-388 (81.1 - 96%) -- guaranteed 2HKO))