Monotype Pain in the Rain

[Daan_14]

After battling a bit with some friends, we decided to begin our own Pokemon League. I immediately chose Water, because it allows me to play fast and offensively and it can counter a lot of types.
I've tested this team a couple of times already and I seem to struggle the most with Steel, Grass and Fairy. Any suggestions regarding those matchups are appreciated, but general improvements are as well of course.

Pelipper @ Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- U-turn
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Defog

Pelipper does exactly what you ask of him, bring the rain into play, U-Turn out as a wall gets switched in and set up a sweep for Swampert/Kingdra. In case I get overloaded, I can Defog the opponents hazards away, but ideally I have Stealth Rocks up myself so that can be countereffective sometimes.
Roost for healing and Hurricane is there to be able to check grass-types like M-Venusaur.

Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp --> Swift Swim
EVs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Superpower

My first Swift Swimmer is the monstrous M-Swampert. He can function as a lead when I suspect the opponent leads with a weather setter who is slower than Pelipper, like Hippowdon. Because of his great bulk and insane attack, he forces a lot of switches which synergizes well with Stealth Rock. Waterfall and Earthquake are his main STABs and I chose Superpower as the fourth move, however I'm considering changing this to Sludge Wave or Ice Punch because of the attack decrease after using Superpower. I could also exchange some HP for extra Speed, but I'm not sure what Speed point to go for exactly and I like the extra bulk.

Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Ice Beam
- Surf

You can't have a rain team without Kingdra, right? M-Swampert and Kingdra are both machines in the rain, and they can take on each others counters pretty well. Hydro Pump is the main attack and can one shot a lot of opponents. Draco Meteor is the strongest option outside of rain, but Kingdra forces itself out by using it. Ice Beam is necessary coverage and Surf is for cleaning late-game. I'm considering changing Surf to HP Electric or Flash Cannon to gain some more coverage as I almost always use Hydro Pump for the increased damage.

Greninja @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn

Greninja is my personal favourite because he's extremely versatile. Not only is he a very reliable revenge killer, but he can also function as an excellent anti-lead. The combination of Ice Beam, Dark Pulse and Gunk Shot can hit a lot of opponents very hard. Garchomp, Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu are all big threats that Greninja outspeeds and one shots. U-Turn is for pivoting out to keep momentum if I suspect a wall is getting switched in. I'm considering changing U-Turn to either HP Fire, HP Electric or Extrasensory, but I don't know what will help my team the most.

Gyarados @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Taunt
- Dragon Dance

Gyarados is the second physical sweeper and can work really well even if my rain doesn't come off. He can set up with Taunt and Dragon Dance against an opposing wall like Chansey, and then start snowballing the opponent with STAB Waterfall. Bounce is crucial in the Grass matchup and Supersonic Skystrike usually ensures himself at least 1 Moxie boost.

Keldeo @ Leftovers / Lum Berry?
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Secret Sword
- Scald
- Taunt
- Calm Mind

Keldeo is the newest addition to my team, and I haven't really decided what set I should give it. I originally wanted to use Choice Specs with HP Electric and Icy Wind, but the IV gods blessed me with HP Dragon which just doesn't really do anything. I then wanted to use a stallbreaking set with Taunt and Calm Mind, but as Gyarados already takes up the Z-move spot and I think Supersonic Skystrike is too crucial to lose, I don't really know what item to give to Keldeo. The STAB moves in Secret Sword and Scald speak for itself and allow Keldeo to function as my primary answer to the Normal and Steel core.

As I said before, the Steel, Grass and Fairy matchups seem to trouble me the most. I also automatically lose when set up sweepers like Bisharp get a few boosts off and then can outspeed and one shot my whole team. This doesn't happen often, though. I hope you enjoyed reading and any suggestions are more than welcome!

 

[Perish Song]

Hey Daan_14, thank you for sharing your team with us. There is nothing much to comment on the sets as they look pretty standard and we can see the same kind of team composition in OU Rain teams, however, there are some things that you may consider as secondary options.

Superpower > Ice Punch

This change is required. You don't necessarily need Superpower to hit anything in particular, your STABs are powerful enough to handle most part of the metagame. You already hit to Rock- and Steel-types, its only benefit is to hit Normal-types but Swampert cannot break through Porygon 2 with Superpower, Normal-types have fallen off from meta and you have a Keldeo anyway. When you consider all this, Ice Punch is a better option that lets you hit to the Dragon-, Flying- and Grass-types Super Effectively, giving you even better coverage.

>

Kingdra > Manaphy

This one is up to you but I will mention it anyway. Kingdra is not good as it used to be in rain, especially being locked to a choice item when you have limited rain turns really hinders the viability of this Pokemon. Manaphy is far more dangerous under the rain, especially because of Tail Glow along with the exceptional coverage it carries. Kingdra also works as a special rain sweeper but I want you to test out how Manaphy performs under the rain.

Choice Scarf > Life Orb / Expert Belt

You have a very exceptional form of speed control already. Swampert under rain outspeeds a great portion of the metagame already, and you have a Dragon Dance Gyarados at the back so your team can opt this change. This is to increase Greninja's damage and prevent Greninja from getting Choice locked. Here is what you can use

Greninja

Greninja @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Fire

Life Orb has more damage than Expert Belt, but the mass coverage of Greninja makes Expert Belt usable as well. Hidden Power Electric hits to pretty much every Water-type Pokemon, Mantine most importantly and carries you through Flying-type matchups quite easily.

Lum Berry / Leftovers > Choice Specs

Try to utilize Keldeo along with rain. It has tremendous breaking capabilities along with rain and that usually doesn't have any drawback. It cannot be Pursuit trapped because opposing Pokemon fearing Scald, it has Secret Sword which lets Keldeo deal with specially defensive Pokemon as well, unlike Kingdra. Using a standard set like this one below should work for you.

Keldeo

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power Electric
- Icy Wind / Hydro Pump

Additional notes: As an offensive Water team, you shouldn't have any problems versus any Steel-type team. Keldeo literally wrecks every Steel-type Pokemon that isn't named Celesteela, and you have 5 other Pokemons to deal with it. Just time your rain well, try to nuke as many things as possible and force Celesteela. Once Celesteela dies all you need to do is clicking Secret Sword.

If you choose to use Manaphy, +3 Ice Beam will let you clean Grass-type teams with ease. Keldeo is there to handle Ferrothorn, you also have a Flyinium Z Gyarados and your opponent has no real way of stopping Gyarados getting +2. Feel free to use Bounce randomly after you use your Z move.

Most Fairy-type teams you face will be offensively oriented featuring Tapu Bulu and Tapu Koko. The team will be already insanely fast, so your smart play here is to keep Pelipper and Mega Swampert alive as much as you can. Use your rain turns to attack, switch out to sacrifice a Pokemon, go back to Pelipper and try all-out offense with your Swampert again. One important tip here is Tapu Bulu can take an Ice Punch from Mega Swampert, so don't attack him directly as it will comfortably Horn Leech you and win the game.

This concludes my thoughts. Please let me know if you like the changes or not. Have fun in your league :)

 

[Daan_14]

Hey Daan_14, thank you for sharing your team with us. There is nothing much to comment on the sets as they look pretty standard and we can see the same kind of team composition in OU Rain teams, however, there are some things that you may consider as secondary options.

Superpower > Ice Punch

This change is required. You don't necessarily need Superpower to hit anything in particular, your STABs are powerful enough to handle most part of the metagame. You already hit to Rock- and Steel-types, its only benefit is to hit Normal-types but Swampert cannot break through Porygon 2 with Superpower, Normal-types have fallen off from meta and you have a Keldeo anyway. When you consider all this, Ice Punch is a better option that lets you hit to the Dragon-, Flying- and Grass-types Super Effectively, giving you even better coverage.

>

Kingdra > Manaphy

This one is up to you but I will mention it anyway. Kingdra is not good as it used to be in rain, especially being locked to a choice item when you have limited rain turns really hinders the viability of this Pokemon. Manaphy is far more dangerous under the rain, especially because of Tail Glow along with the exceptional coverage it carries. Kingdra also works as a special rain sweeper but I want you to test out how Manaphy performs under the rain.

Choice Scarf > Life Orb / Expert Belt

You have a very exceptional form of speed control already. Swampert under rain outspeeds a great portion of the metagame already, and you have a Dragon Dance Gyarados at the back so your team can opt this change. This is to increase Greninja's damage and prevent Greninja from getting Choice locked. Here is what you can use

Greninja

Greninja @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power Electric / Hidden Power Fire

Life Orb has more damage than Expert Belt, but the mass coverage of Greninja makes Expert Belt usable as well. Hidden Power Electric hits to pretty much every Water-type Pokemon, Mantine most importantly and carries you through Flying-type matchups quite easily.

Lum Berry / Leftovers > Choice Scarf / Choice Specs

Try to utilize Keldeo along with rain. It has tremendous breaking capabilities along with rain and that usually doesn't have any drawback. It cannot be Pursuit trapped because opposing Pokemon fearing Scald, it has Secret Sword which lets Keldeo deal with specially defensive Pokemon as well, unlike Kingdra. Using a standard set like this one below should work for you.

Keldeo

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power Electric
- Icy Wind / Hydro Pump

Additional notes: As an offensive Water team, you shouldn't have any problems versus any Steel-type team. Keldeo literally wrecks every Steel-type Pokemon that isn't named Celesteela, and you have 5 other Pokemons to deal with it. Just time your rain well, try to nuke as many things as possible and force Celesteela. Once Celesteela dies all you need to do is clicking Secret Sword.

If you choose to use Manaphy, +3 Ice Beam will let you clean Grass-type teams with ease. Keldeo is there to handle Ferrothorn, you also have a Flyinium Z Gyarados and your opponent has no real way of stopping Gyarados getting +2. Feel free to use Bounce randomly after you use your Z move.

Most Fairy-type teams you face will be offensively oriented featuring Tapu Bulu and Tapu Koko. The team will be already insanely fast, so your smart play here is to keep Pelipper and Mega Swampert alive as much as you can. Use your rain turns to attack, switch out to sacrifice a Pokemon, go back to Pelipper and try all-out offense with your Swampert again. One important tip here is Tapu Bulu can take an Ice Punch from Mega Swampert, so don't attack him directly as it will comfortably Horn Leech you and win the game.

This concludes my thoughts. Please let me know if you like the changes or not. Have fun in your league :)

Hi Perish Song, thanks for your feedback!
I like your changes to Swampert and Greninja, they will probably help me cover a bunch more than before and I'll implement them as soon as possible.
As for swapping Kingdra for Manaphy, I wouldn't know how to get one for myself because I missed the event, but I will definitely test out Manaphy for fun on Showdown.
The renewed moveset for Keldeo is unfortunately impossible for me, because mine doesn't have HP Electric. Would you suggest just running Secret Sword/Scald/Icy Wind/Hydro Pump with Choice Specs or another set?

 

[Perish Song]

Hi Perish Song, thanks for your feedback!
I like your changes to Swampert and Greninja, they will probably help me cover a bunch more than before and I'll implement them as soon as possible.
As for swapping Kingdra for Manaphy, I wouldn't know how to get one for myself because I missed the event, but I will definitely test out Manaphy for fun on Showdown.
The renewed moveset for Keldeo is unfortunately impossible for me, because mine doesn't have HP Electric. Would you suggest just running Secret Sword/Scald/Icy Wind/Hydro Pump with Choice Specs or another set?

I am pretty sure you could check our Wi-Fi sub forum here and look if anyone has a Manaphy to offer for you. If you cannot find any, Kingdra shall work fine as its replacement. You can run the Keldeo set you mentioned if HP Elec is out of your reach too.