Raining on your parade(Need some help)

[deathadder99]

Okay, so Fifth Gen is out, and I've been playing with all different types of weather, but I have finally returned to my favourite - Rain, Heavy Offense. However, with the added stall capabilities of many pokemon, my team isn't as heavily offensive as it used to be.

Without Further Ado- lets go to the team.

Lead -
Politoed@Leftovers
Drizzle
Relaxed Nature
252 HP/176 Def/80 SDef
-Boil Over
-Hypnosis
-Toxic-Perish Song

First up, the lead. Every rain team nowadays has one of these. I tried a Choice Specs variant, with offensive EVs, but I prefer my lead being able to take a hit, especially if there is opposing weather and he needs to stay alive. Boil Over is general STAB, and packs a decent punch. Hypnosis is brilliant, especially as the sleep counter resets upon the opponent switching out. I was skeptical of Perish Song at first, but then I found out it totally destroys any people trying to set up - and if someone baton passes out they baton pass this too! If someone doesn't know that, it can totally ruin a baton pass chain :D

Zapdos@Leftovers
Timid
Lightning Rod
4HP/252 SpA/ 252 Speed
-Thunder
-Hidden Power [Flying]
-Rain Dance
-Roost

Lightning rod is AWESOME - any lightning attack that comes in to Zappy gets neutralised, and gives him a Special Attack boost. Thunder in the rain is godly. HP flying is brilliant as well - benefits from STAB and OHKOs breloom and speed boost blaziken. Zappy can take on Nattorei if needs be, but I don't like doing it, as they can generally set up on him. Rain dance is there for emergencies - in case Politoed dies and the weather gets changed. I find that even with offensive EVs, he can take a hit like a champion, so I prefer the extra stopping power.

Kabutops@Life Orb
Adamant
Swift Swim
4HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Speed
-Aqua Jet
-Waterfall
-Swords Dance
-Superpower

This guy is great. Aqua jet is for much needed priority, swords dance is to boost his already considerable attack to crazy levels. Superpower is there for pesky Nattorei, who generally give me a LOT of bother. Superpower is also useful against Blissey/Chansey, who often get OHKOd. Swift Swim and EVs are self explanatory.

Kingdra@Life Orb
Hasty
Swift Swim
100 Atk/252 SpA/156 Speed
-Surf
-Waterfall
-Outrage
-Dragon Pulse

This guy is godly in rain teams, which is why he is so common. The EVs and nature are to make sure that I outspeed most other mixed kingdra and anything with a scarf. Any pure Kingdra will give me a bit of bother, and at the moment I am not entirely sure of this set. I like the fact that I can choose between physical and special attacks, depending on the opposing poke, but I'm not 100% convinced.

Here comes the experimental bit - I have changed the team up a LOT since the start, mainly these two spots. At the moment they seem to be working OK, but I doubt this will be my final set up.

Nattorei @ Leftovers
Careful
Iron barbs
252HP/ 4 Def/ 252 SDef
-Power Whip
-Curse
-Stealth Rock
-Spikes

My all around wall and entry hazard layer. When this guy is out in the rain he almost always gets 3 layers of spikes up and one layer of Stealth Rock. Special Defense is because most of the time fire attacks are specially orientated in my experience. Curse is there if I need to bulk up my defense, and Power Whip is general STAB. This guy is decent, but I really miss the lack of Leech Seed(illegal move combo) and Rapid Spin. With all entry hazards up however, I can generally OHKO everything on my sweepers. I added this poke due to people being really annoying with sturdy and focus sash.

Huntail@White Herb
Jolly
Swift Swim
252 HP/ 56 Atk/ 200 Speed
-Shell Smash
-Ice Fang
-Waterfall
-Baton Pass

Shell smash is brilliant, as it raises both attacking stats at once, and white herb prevents status loss. Huntail is my pseudo sweeper- he can pack a decent punch, but only with a +2 boost under his belt. I prefer to baton pass the boosts out then go for a sweep on someone else however. The EVs are to make sure that he can survive a hit most of the time. I like shell smash, but overall I'm not too impressed with this poke.

 

[Diaruga]

This team is actually not bad, but can be improved.

I don't see why Politoed should be in your lead. The role it plays seem to be more of a support. A Rain Dance lead should have the move "Rain Dance". I suggest you remove Hypnosis or Toxic for that.

Zapdos is a good choice. However HP Flying seems to be a little useless. Extrasensory or HP Grass may do better. In OU Swampert is much more common than Breloom or Blaziken. Besides, a Thunder would already bring Blaziken to 1 HP assuming it has Focus Sash.

A mixed Kingdra would probably have only 3 attacking moves. I think you should remove Dragon Pulse and replace it with something like Dragon Dance, Yawn, Bounce or Rest. Maybe you should put more EVs into attack since Outrage is more devastating. Surf is only used to counter water-neutral defensive walls like Skarmory.

For the Nattorei I'm not familiar with it. So I shouldn't comment on that.

Huntail seems okay. My only concern is that you may find it very hard to switch it in due to its fragility.

Also you only have 5 pokemon.

 

[deathadder99]

Politoed is my lead because with the new ability "Drizzle" it brings up a permanent rain - like Tyranitar's sandstream with rain.

I have never had any problem with swampert due to the fact he cant OHKO any of my team, so I usually set up on him - plus the fact that he is water Neutral, I can often OHKO him. Hidden Power Flying is there because it counters Breloom mostly, who can tear my team apart if given the chance.

I do have six pokemon as well ^^? - Poli, Zap, Kabutops, Kingdra, Natt and Huntail?

 

[Jaroda]

This team is actually not bad, but can be improved.

I don't see why Politoed should be in your lead. The role it plays seem to be more of a support. A Rain Dance lead should have the move "Rain Dance". I suggest you remove Hypnosis or Toxic for that.

Zapdos is a good choice. However HP Flying seems to be a little useless. Extrasensory or HP Grass may do better. In OU Swampert is much more common than Breloom or Blaziken. Besides, a Thunder would already bring Blaziken to 1 HP assuming it has Focus Sash.

A mixed Kingdra would probably have only 3 attacking moves. I think you should remove Dragon Pulse and replace it with something like Dragon Dance, Yawn, Bounce or Rest. Maybe you should put more EVs into attack since Outrage is more devastating. Surf is only used to counter water-neutral defensive walls like Skarmory.

For the Nattorei I'm not familiar with it. So I shouldn't comment on that.

Huntail seems okay. My only concern is that you may find it very hard to switch it in due to its fragility.

Also you only have 5 pokemon.

No offense, but you shouldn't really be commenting at all given your unfamiliarity with Gen 5.

Politoed has Drizzle, that means permanent rain, hence he's the lead. If you don't even know that I wouldn't be rating teams.

Zapdos can not learn Extrasensroy if it has Lightningrod, and that's one of the whole points of using Zapdos in the rain. HP Flying is ok, it gets STAB at least. Roost and either Toxic or Substitute are all he needs last.

Bounce on Kingdra?

And finally, he has 6 pokemon.