[SET]
name: Swift Swim Sweeper
move 1: Surf
move 2: Dragon Pulse/Draco Meteor
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Hurricane
item: Choice Specs/Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Kingdra is a powerful sweeper under Rain, being capable of taking on several otherwise problematic types for Water including Bug, Electric, Grass, and Dragon. Surf is Kingdra's most spammable attack under Rain, it is accurate and can OHKO offensive threats like Tapu Koko, Volcarona, and Scizor. Kingdra's Dragon STAB is up to preference. Dragon Pulse is consistent and doesn't force Kingdra out, which is useful because of the limited turns of Rain. Its also incredibly useful in Dragon matchup since Kingdra can outspeed the majority of Dragon-types under Rain and threaten them with Dragon Pulse. Draco Meteor is significantly more powerful and can 2HKO would be reliable switch ins like Toxapex and Suicune. The Sp.Atk drop does mean, however that Kingdra can no longer pressure Dragon-types as effectively. Hydro Pumo is the most powerful STAB under rain and hits for incredible damage, the most should be used to keep momentum against would be switch-ins that under normal circumstances would be 3HKOED by Choice Specs Surf, an example would be Defensive Rotom Wash and Slowbro narrowly avoid 2HKOES from Surf, but are 2HKOED Choice Specs Hydro Pump after Leftovers Recovery. Hurricane is perfectly accurate under Rain, and allows Kingdra to deal with Pokemon like Araquanid and Tapu Bulu, both who could otherwise shrug Kingdra's STABs with ease. Hurricane is also immensely useful in the Grass Matchup, since Kingdra can outspeed and threaten the majority of Grass types with Hurricane. Choice Specs maximizes Kingdra's damage output at the cost of locking it with one move. Life Orb is slighlty lower damage output and has recoil, but it does allow Kingdra to switch moves, making it less prediction reliant.
Since Rain is mandatory for Kingdra to sweep, Pelipper is a required teammate. Pelipper offers a slow U-turn to get Kingdra in safely, while also having Defog to remove hazards. Mega Swampert and Barraskewda are also useful Swift Swim sweepers that can also aid Kingdra in wallbreaking, since are both are physical attackers they can break through the special walls that give Kingdra a hard time like Alolan Muk, Blissey and Ferrothorn through Superpower and Close Combat for the former two. Urshifu-Rapid Strike and Keldeo can also dispatch the aforementioned Blissey and Ferrothorn with Fighting STAB. Greninja is an amazing offensive Pokemon for Water thanks to Protean and can breakthrough bulky Water cores and Fairy-types through the use of Hidden Power Electric and Grass Knot as well as the use of Gunk Shot for the Fairy-types. Greninja can also opt for a Poison Killer set with use of Groudium Z and Extrasensory to dismantle the likes of Alolan Muk and Toxapex that would other wise wall it. Tapu Fini, Slowking, and Toxapex create a defensive backbone for not only Kingdra but the rest of Water as well. Calm Mind Tapu Fini offers additional assurance against the Dragon Matchup, just keep in mind that Misty Terrain halves the damage of Kingdra's Dragon types moves on Grounded targets. Both Slowking and Toxapex are pivots that can safely switch into attacks and heal off the damage by switching through Regenerator. Toxapex can offer Toxic and Toxic Spikes support, both of which can wear down walls that'd otherwise be able to switch into Kingdra easily, while Slowking can offer pivot support through Teleport.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Kingdra can use Flip Turn to keep momentum should a counter switch in, but this comes at the cost of a valuable coverage, as well as wasting a turn of Rain.
Checks and Counters
===================
Type
--------
**Water Types**: Several Bulky Water types like Toxapex, Mantine, Slowking, Gastrodon and Tapu Fini have the bulk and recovery to shrug off Kingdra's hits repeatedly continuously throughout a match. Toxapex can set either cripple Kingdra with Toxic or set up Toxic Spikes to punish Kingdra as it switches, while Tapu Fini resists both of Kingdra's STABs and can use it as set up fodder for Calm Mind.
** Fairy Types** Fairy-types are immune to Kingdra's Dragon STAB and several others have typings that resist Kingdra's Water STAB. The previously mentioned Tapu Fini, Azumarill, and Mega Altaria resist both of Kingdra's STABs and aren't weak to its common coverage common moves and can use it as set up fodder with their set up moves respectively. Other Fairy-Types like Klefki can Grimmsnarl can use Light Screen to reduce Kingdra's damage output, or Thunder Wave to shut down Kingdra's sweep.
** Specially Defensive Pokemon ** Special Walls like Chansey, Blissey, Ferrothorn, Alolan Muk and Cradily can easily switch in on Kingdra and either cripple Kingdra with status, set up Stealth Rock, or just heal the damage back with their respective coverage moves. Kingdra needs to rely on its teammates to beat these Pokemon, with Chansey and Blissey can take advantage of with Teleport.
** Status ** Kingdra must avoid status at all cost. Paralysis cripples Kingdra permanently by removing its speed, letting it be revenge killed by faster threats, while Toxic puts it on a timer, allowing priority attacks to revenge kill Kingdra after a few turns of Toxic damage.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[username1, userid1]]
- Type analysis by: [[username1, userid1]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
name: Swift Swim Sweeper
move 1: Surf
move 2: Dragon Pulse/Draco Meteor
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Hurricane
item: Choice Specs/Life Orb
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Kingdra is a powerful sweeper under Rain, being capable of taking on several otherwise problematic types for Water including Bug, Electric, Grass, and Dragon. Surf is Kingdra's most spammable attack under Rain, it is accurate and can OHKO offensive threats like Tapu Koko, Volcarona, and Scizor. Kingdra's Dragon STAB is up to preference. Dragon Pulse is consistent and doesn't force Kingdra out, which is useful because of the limited turns of Rain. Its also incredibly useful in Dragon matchup since Kingdra can outspeed the majority of Dragon-types under Rain and threaten them with Dragon Pulse. Draco Meteor is significantly more powerful and can 2HKO would be reliable switch ins like Toxapex and Suicune. The Sp.Atk drop does mean, however that Kingdra can no longer pressure Dragon-types as effectively. Hydro Pumo is the most powerful STAB under rain and hits for incredible damage, the most should be used to keep momentum against would be switch-ins that under normal circumstances would be 3HKOED by Choice Specs Surf, an example would be Defensive Rotom Wash and Slowbro narrowly avoid 2HKOES from Surf, but are 2HKOED Choice Specs Hydro Pump after Leftovers Recovery. Hurricane is perfectly accurate under Rain, and allows Kingdra to deal with Pokemon like Araquanid and Tapu Bulu, both who could otherwise shrug Kingdra's STABs with ease. Hurricane is also immensely useful in the Grass Matchup, since Kingdra can outspeed and threaten the majority of Grass types with Hurricane. Choice Specs maximizes Kingdra's damage output at the cost of locking it with one move. Life Orb is slighlty lower damage output and has recoil, but it does allow Kingdra to switch moves, making it less prediction reliant.
Since Rain is mandatory for Kingdra to sweep, Pelipper is a required teammate. Pelipper offers a slow U-turn to get Kingdra in safely, while also having Defog to remove hazards. Mega Swampert and Barraskewda are also useful Swift Swim sweepers that can also aid Kingdra in wallbreaking, since are both are physical attackers they can break through the special walls that give Kingdra a hard time like Alolan Muk, Blissey and Ferrothorn through Superpower and Close Combat for the former two. Urshifu-Rapid Strike and Keldeo can also dispatch the aforementioned Blissey and Ferrothorn with Fighting STAB. Greninja is an amazing offensive Pokemon for Water thanks to Protean and can breakthrough bulky Water cores and Fairy-types through the use of Hidden Power Electric and Grass Knot as well as the use of Gunk Shot for the Fairy-types. Greninja can also opt for a Poison Killer set with use of Groudium Z and Extrasensory to dismantle the likes of Alolan Muk and Toxapex that would other wise wall it. Tapu Fini, Slowking, and Toxapex create a defensive backbone for not only Kingdra but the rest of Water as well. Calm Mind Tapu Fini offers additional assurance against the Dragon Matchup, just keep in mind that Misty Terrain halves the damage of Kingdra's Dragon types moves on Grounded targets. Both Slowking and Toxapex are pivots that can safely switch into attacks and heal off the damage by switching through Regenerator. Toxapex can offer Toxic and Toxic Spikes support, both of which can wear down walls that'd otherwise be able to switch into Kingdra easily, while Slowking can offer pivot support through Teleport.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Kingdra can use Flip Turn to keep momentum should a counter switch in, but this comes at the cost of a valuable coverage, as well as wasting a turn of Rain.
Checks and Counters
===================
Type
--------
**Water Types**: Several Bulky Water types like Toxapex, Mantine, Slowking, Gastrodon and Tapu Fini have the bulk and recovery to shrug off Kingdra's hits repeatedly continuously throughout a match. Toxapex can set either cripple Kingdra with Toxic or set up Toxic Spikes to punish Kingdra as it switches, while Tapu Fini resists both of Kingdra's STABs and can use it as set up fodder for Calm Mind.
** Fairy Types** Fairy-types are immune to Kingdra's Dragon STAB and several others have typings that resist Kingdra's Water STAB. The previously mentioned Tapu Fini, Azumarill, and Mega Altaria resist both of Kingdra's STABs and aren't weak to its common coverage common moves and can use it as set up fodder with their set up moves respectively. Other Fairy-Types like Klefki can Grimmsnarl can use Light Screen to reduce Kingdra's damage output, or Thunder Wave to shut down Kingdra's sweep.
** Specially Defensive Pokemon ** Special Walls like Chansey, Blissey, Ferrothorn, Alolan Muk and Cradily can easily switch in on Kingdra and either cripple Kingdra with status, set up Stealth Rock, or just heal the damage back with their respective coverage moves. Kingdra needs to rely on its teammates to beat these Pokemon, with Chansey and Blissey can take advantage of with Teleport.
** Status ** Kingdra must avoid status at all cost. Paralysis cripples Kingdra permanently by removing its speed, letting it be revenge killed by faster threats, while Toxic puts it on a timer, allowing priority attacks to revenge kill Kingdra after a few turns of Toxic damage.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[username1, userid1]]
- Type analysis by: [[username1, userid1]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
Last edited: